The group returned triumphantly from the Star Toner Mine. Word of Epsonias's defeat spread quickly—copied and recopied by scholars until Raka's portrait was plastered all over the city like an office poster campaign.
Archivist Liora welcomed them, though her expression was troubled."You've secured the Star Toner. But the next component will test you even more… the Cosmic Drum. It is said to resonate with the rhythm of existence itself."
Raka blinked. "A drum? Wait, you mean like… a printer drum? The cylinder thing inside a machine?"
Liora nodded gravely. "Yes. But in this world, it manifests as the heartbeat of the cosmos. It lies within the Sky Temple of Resonance, far above the clouds."
TING!🟦 [Quest Accepted!]Title: The Song of RealityObjective: Retrieve the Cosmic Drum from the Sky Temple.Reward: Photocopier Mk.∞ Upgrade Material.
☁️ Journey to the Sky Temple
The path led them to Harmonia Cliffs, where the sky shimmered like a giant sheet of parchment. Gigantic feathered creatures—Sky Quills—swooped gracefully between floating islands.
Sir Kuroak adjusted his top hat. "Ah, splendid! Nothing like high-altitude adventures to make one's hat flap dramatically."
Kael frowned, clinging to the rope bridge. "How are we supposed to get up there?"
Raka looked at the copier. "...Don't tell me."
WHUUMMM—!!
TING!🟩 [Item Created!]Copy: Paper Glider v1.0 — A giant folded paper plane.
Arzathor groaned as the group piled onto the oversized origami plane. "This is humiliating."
"Hey," Raka grinned, "it's budget airline, but it flies!"
The paper craft wobbled through the clouds until they reached the Sky Temple—a floating citadel built from crystal sheets, glowing with shifting runes.
TING!🟦 [Location Discovered!]Sky Temple of Resonance — Where the Cosmos Beats
🎵 Inside the Temple
The temple pulsed with sound. Walls hummed like tuning forks, and the floors vibrated to invisible rhythms. Strange spectral monks floated silently, their faces blank, their forms shimmering like half-erased notes.
One monk approached, voice like static mixed with melody:
"Only the one who can harmonize with the world may claim the Drum."
Kael gripped his sword. "I don't like this."
Suddenly—
TING!🔴 [Enemy Encounter!]Resonance ShadesHP: ██████ (100%)Status: [Disruptive Noise]
The shades unleashed a sonic wave, rattling bones and shattering parts of the temple. Arzathor's fire fizzled, Kael's sword swung uselessly, and even Kuroak's croaks went off-beat.
"Noise-canceling needed!" Raka panicked, shoving a tuning fork from the temple into the copier.
WHUUMMM—!!
TING!🟩 [Item Created!]Copy: Noise Filter Scroll — Cancels disruptive audio signals.
He slammed the scroll down, silencing the Shades instantly. They evaporated into harmless notes, restoring peace.
Kael muttered, "…Okay. That was actually impressive."
🥁 Boss Battle: Brother Tonalis, Keeper of the Drum
At the temple's heart stood a colossal drum suspended in midair, its surface shimmering like the night sky. Guarding it was a towering monk wreathed in sound waves—his voice booming like thunder.
"I am Brother Tonalis. The Cosmic Drum cannot be claimed by one who merely copies. Show me if you can create harmony."
TING!🔴 [Boss Encounter!]Brother Tonalis — Keeper of the DrumHP: ██████████████ (100%)Status: [Resonance Guardian]
He struck the Drum—BOOOOM! The shockwave knocked the party to the ground, reality itself rippling like paper in the wind.
Arzathor's flames were drowned by the sound. Kael's sword shattered mid-swing. Even Sir Kuroak's hat flew off.
"Raka!" Kuroak shouted, hopping wildly. "The copier—use it to answer his rhythm!"
Heart pounding, Raka shoved the Star Toner into the copier alongside a blank score sheet.
WHUUMMM—!!
TING!🟦 [Skill Unlocked!] Copy: Rhythm ScriptEffect: Summons sheets of reality-stabilizing sound.
Glowing music sheets spilled out of the copier. Raka grabbed one, slapped it onto the ground, and instantly the temple vibrated to his beat—clumsy, but real.
Brother Tonalis roared, his form flickering.HP: ██████░░░ (50%)
But the boss's rhythm grew chaotic, summoning sonic storms that tore chunks of the temple floor into void. Raka stumbled, almost falling into the abyss.
Then—Kael stepped forward, bruised but determined."Raka… I'll keep the beat for you. Just copy!"
The knight struck his broken sword like a conductor's baton. Arzathor added guttural chants. Kuroak… croaked in tempo.
Together, they formed a shaky but unifying rhythm.
Raka fed the pattern into the copier.WHUUMMM—!!
TING!🟩 [Ultimate Item Created!]Harmony Patch v1.0 — Restores corrupted resonance.
He hurled it onto the Cosmic Drum. Light exploded. Brother Tonalis screamed as his body dissolved into pure notes that scattered across the sky.
HP Brother Tonalis: ░░░░░░░ (0%)
TING!✨ [Boss Defeated!]Loot: Cosmic Drum ×1, Melody Crystal, System Log Fragment
🌑 Aftermath
The temple fell silent, save for the slow, steady heartbeat of the Cosmic Drum. Raka held it in awe, its surface glowing with constellations.
Kael sheathed his broken sword, finally looking at Raka with respect. "You don't just copy… you give the world a second chance."
Raka smiled weakly. "Yeah, but every copy brings me closer to running out of… me."
Arzathor's wings bristled. "Two relics secured. But the final one, the Holy Wrench, will not be so simple."
Sir Kuroak adjusted his hat (retrieved from the void). "Indeed. Legends say it lies in the hands of the Sanctum of Lost Tools, guarded by machines older than time."
As they soared away on the paper glider, the photocopier hummed softly. And somewhere far in the distance, the Demon King stirred, his laughter echoing like a corrupted file.
TING!🟦 [Quest Updated!]Title: The Mk.∞ AwakensObjective: Gather materials to upgrade the photocopier.Progress: Star Toner ✔ | Cosmic Drum ✔ | Holy Wrench ✘
🌟 [End of Chapter 4: The Cosmic Drum and the Song of Reality] 🌟