Next Tuesday...

Roy: "Any news from Cole and Asaka?"

Everyone is waiting outside the school for Cole and Asaka.

Emily: "Cole's got a dentist appointment and Asaka is dealing with family issues."

Zack pulls out his ID Card.

Zack: "Nothing we can't deal with."

The others pull out their ID Cards.

Tori: "We're heading over to that new castle area they added, right?"

Everyone is about to insert their cards.

Edo: "Why wouldn't we?"

They log in.

Meanwhile...

Player 1: "Wh-Who are you?!"

Austin stands inside a ruined castle, facing five other Players.

Austin: "The reason we're here."

Binary begins to separate from Austin's body.

Player 2: "Wh-What are you doing?!"

Austin: "Forcing you to respawn and getting those Knights of Hope over here now."

The binary takes the shape of a large, silver clad knight with a gigantic sword.

Player 3: "Th-That guild that dealt with that mystery dragon?!"

The knight takes a step forward.

Austin: "Correct."

The knight swings it's blade, not hitting a single one of them.

Player 4: "That's quite the bl-"

All Players' HP drops to 0, triggering their respawn.

Austin: "Then let's see the Knights react."

Austin walks away as the knight stands guard.

Meanwhile...

Emily: "I wonder what this place looks like."

The heroes have just logged in.

Tori: "I'm kind of interested-"

Their hearts sink simultaneously.

Zack: "... shit."

Five Players respawn and book it over to the heroes.

Player 5: "Y-You're the Knights of H-Hope, right?!"

Emily: "(awkwardly) Yes..."

Player 3: "Some weirdo wants you over at th-the new castle area!"

The five run away out of fear.

Roy: "I take it that Austin did something to us."

Serena looks at the floor.

Serena: "(in head) What is he using us for?"

Zack: "We've got no time to lose!"

Edo: "The castle is towards the east of town!"

Everyone heads east.

One hour later...

Roy: "Musty and covered in moss, my favorite."

Everyone has arrived in front of an old, ruined, cobblestone castle.

Edo: "You've got to love that sarcasm."

A giant hole in the wall is their ticket inside.

Tori: "Whatever Austin left for us is deeper inside."

They all head into the ruined hallways.

Emily: "It's... kind of spooky."

Zack draws his blade.

Zack: "We'd better hurry up and find this thing."

They begin their trek through the halls.

Meanwhile...

Destinies: "A fifth signature?!"

Destinies is going ballistic over the incidents that won't stop popping up in the Hope server.

Destinies: "Purge whatever the hell is causing this from the system or else I'M going in and dealing with it myself!"

Ten minutes later...

Tori: "How much further?"

The heroes are almost at the throne room.

Edo: "I'd say that we're here."

Cole blasts the doors to the throne room open, revealing a large knight standing motionless with a gigantic blade.

Zack: "Definitely."

Everyone readies their weapons as the knight begins to move.

Emily: "Let's see what this thing is made out of!"

A powerful aura exudes from the knight as it's HP meter appears.

Serena: "(in head) Can my weapons make a dent in that?"

Edo: "My weapons are really going to shock this boss!"

Awkward moment of silence...

Emily: "Puns?"

The knight takes a step forward.

Zack: "We don't have time for puns!"

Zack and the knight clash blades as the others make some distance.

Tori: "Take this!"

Tori fires a few arrows, but only slightly dents the armor and doesn't affect the HP meter at all.

Cole: "But that was a direct attack!"

Zack's legs begin to dig into the floor.

Emily: "Maybe the only way to hurt it is to pierce though the armor!"

The dent is beginning to fix itself as a strong wind from the knight sends everyone flying into the walls and halving their HP: while draining away Zack's.

Zack: "(struggling) Then break through it ASAP!"

Emily fires sonic booms at the healing dent.

Serena: "I-I can't damage the armor!"

Serena's shurikens aren't doing anything.

Roy: "Zack!"

Roy dashes in to assist Zack in the struggle against the blade.

Zack: "Thanks Roy!"

Edo fires a barrage of bullets at the exact spot Emily fired her attack, nearly ripping the armor open.

Edo: "Tori!"

Tori: "(aiming) Follow my lead Serena!"

Tori fires three arrows that rip the armor open, but the armor is still trying to close.

Serena: "It's over!"

All of Serena's shurikens get inside the armor just before it closes up.

Roy: "(struggling) I don't think it's-"

The HP meter is dropping rapidly.

Edo: "It's compensates it's tough defenses for having low HP!"

The knight drops it's blade.

Zack: "How lucky we are!"

It quickly drops to 0, raising Serena to Lv27.

Tori: "Wouldn't Austin want us dead?"

Serena: "(in head) He's got a different plan."

They put their weapons away.

Zack: "Let's head back."

They all head back over to town as the knight returns to it's binary form.

Meanwhile...

Austin: "(maniacally) He'll be here after my next attack."

The binary merges with Austin as he floats away in the night sky...