Roselle, focused her attention on the holographic display that indicated the firewall's status. To her surprise, she saw a simple game interface.

  "Firewall Access Level One."

  A game of Tic-tac-Toe appeared before her. Roselle blinked and momentarily gave a look of confusion while muttering to herself, "Wait, what? Tic-tac-Toe?"

  Roselle decided to play along. She pressed a virtual button on the interface, making her move on the digital Tic-tac-Toe board; however, it became immediately apparent that the AI opponent was exceptionally skilled.

  Her first attempt ended in a draw game. She chuckled nervously. "Alright, not bad for a start."

  Roselle’s second game began, but once again, the AI thwarted her efforts, securing another draw. Just then, a faint alarm began to go off in the room.

  Feeling the pressure, Roselle took a deep breath. On her third attempt, Roselle found herself locked in a fierce battle of wits with the AI opponent. “Alright, focus. I can do this.”

  She placed her first move confidently in the center of the board. The AI responded instantly, placing its marker in a corner. Roselle furrowed her brow, analyzing the board and strategizing her next move. “I have to outsmart this thing somehow...”

  Roselle placed her marker on the side, hoping to create an opportunity for a win. The AI countered with a calculated move that blocked her path to victory.

  “Okay, I see how it is,” she muttered.

  Roselle spotted a subtle flaw in the AI’s defense. She made her move, placing her marker strategically to set up a double threat. The AI blocked one path, but Roselle had anticipated this.

  In a swift motion, she placed her final marker, completing a diagonal line and securing her victory. “Yes!” she exclaimed.

  The alarms ceased, and a holographic display indicated, "Firewall Access Level One: Deactivated."

  Roselle took a sigh of relif. Just when she took that breath, a new holographic display materialized before her, accompanied by the iconic Tetris theme music. Her eyes widened to see a Tetris screen pop up.

  "Seriously? Tetris? Oh no… I’m no good at Tetris!" Roselle exclaimed. Her jaw dropped to the ground.

  The holographic display indicated, "Firewall Access Level Two: Engage."

  With a reluctant sigh, Roselle decided to give it a try. She pressed a virtual button to start the game, and the familiar Tetris blocks began descending on the screen.

  Roselle’s fingers moved frantically over the virtual controls. The Tetris blocks rained down relentlessly. Her attempts to create solid lines were thwarted by her own clumsiness as pieces landed in all the wrong places.

  “Oh, come on!” she groaned, trying to fit an L-shaped block into a snug gap. But the block slipped sideways, leaving an awkward gap.

  The blocks piled higher and higher. Roselle felt the pressure mounting. “This isn’t fair,” she muttered with frustration.

  When the last block made it to the top, a loud buzzer sounded. The holographic display flashed a colorful "Game Over" screen with a cheerful chiptune melody.

  In the center of the screen, a pixelated character resembling Roselle appeared, with wide eyes and a comical face of despair. Above the character’s head, a text appeared in an animated font:

  “Oops! Looks like you couldn’t fit the pieces together! Try again? Y/N”

  The screen then displayed an array of Tetris blocks with a sad face rolling away, and a cartoon chicken holding a frying pan, winking at Roselle with the caption, "Maybe it’s time for a snack break instead!"

  Roselle chuckled at the Game Over screen. After a few seconds, she the laughter subsided. Roselle’s face turned serious. “Alright, focus, Roselle. You’ve got to get through this if you want to find Chloe.”

  Roselle made her second attempt, hoping to improve her performance. The Tetris blocks descended with relentless speed. The inevitable happened, and the second attempt ended in failure. The Tetris screen displayed, "Game Over."

  Roselle sighed. With one last chance, she steeled herself for the final attempt.

  Roselle focused on the game. She tried to anticipate the movements of the blocks and strategically placed them to clear lines, but the relentless pace of the game made each decision critical.

  In a tense moment, Roselle managed to clear several lines, gaining a renewed sense of hope. The holographic display flickered, indicating progress. Roselle finally managed to overcome the game. The Tetris screen displayed,

  "Firewall Access Level Two: Deactivated."

  Roselle let out a triumphant cheer, but afterwards, she faced the third and final level of the firewall, which prompted Roselle for a password.

  "I have no idea what the password could be," Roselle mumbled to herself, furrowing her brow in concentration.

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  While scanning the screen, a hint bubble popped up, drawing her attention. Curious, she tapped on it, hoping for a clue. The hint read: "The password is 8 letters long and 0 letters wide."

  Roselle stared at the hint, perplexed. She scratched the back of her head."0 letters wide? How can a password be wide?"

  She paced around the room, pondering the riddle. "8 letters long is easy enough, but 0 letters wide? Is this some sort of trick?"

  Her eyes wandered around the room, taking in the high-tech machinery and screens. “Maybe it's a play on words," she mused. "8 letters long and 0 wide... What could that mean? Since its Shadowcroft, I know it can't be literal. It's got to be something clever…”

  The holographic display glowed with anticipation, awaiting Roselle's input. She took a moment to think, pondering over possible combinations.

  After a moment of hesitation, Roselle decided to give it a shot. She entered her first guess, only to be met with rejection from the holographic display. Undeterred, she tried a second guess, hoping to stumble upon the correct combination. However, once again, her attempt proved unsuccessful.

  The third firewall level might be the end of her journey through the chamber. She took a deep and said, "I give up…”

  Resigned to her fate, Roselle decided to enter a seemingly arbitrary password: "password." She pressed the button. She was half-expecting alarms to blare and alert Shadowcroft to her presence.

  To her surprise, the holographic display responded differently than anticipated. The screen completed with the message, "Password 1/256 Shadowcroft passwords confirmed. Welcome back, Juliana Kintovar."

  Roselle's eyes widened in shock. The revelation of Juliana Kintovar's name left her speechless. The holographic display transformed the bridge into a staircase, leading up to a concealed pathway that unveiled the next floor of the chamber.

  Still processing the astonishing turn of events, Roselle ascended the staircase. When she arrived at the top of the staircase, she found herself In a high-tech control room.

  Roselle found Chloe amidst the myriad of screens and advanced machinery. "Chloe, what's going on? Why are you dressed like that?" Roselle asked.

  Chloe, with a sly smile, responded, "Oh, Roselle, fashion is an art, and I'm the queen of it. I dress for every occasion, and right now, I'm feeling like Shadow Chloe. It's all about the aesthetic, you know?"

  Chloe shifted her attention to Roselle's presence in the control room. “Roselle, darling, I must say, I’m thoroughly impressed! Watching you slice through those firewalls was nothing short of a runway show. You've got some serious style in the cyber realm."

  Roselle cautiously responded, "Chloe, we used to be friends. Why are you with Shadowcroft? What happened to you?"

  Chloe chuckled. “Friends, huh? Oh, Roselle, everything changes in this world. People change. Shadowcroft? Let’s just say they offered me a chance to explore life on a whole new level—one filled with power, luxury, and, of course, impeccable style,” she said while gesturing to her clothing. “Isn’t having power just fabulous? Oh, wait. You’ve never had a taste of it, have you?”

  Roselle pressed further. “You were always into fashion, but you were so kind and caring. Why join an organization like Shadowcroft?"

  Chloe leaned against a console and spoke smoothly. “Roselle, life isn’t just black and white. Sometimes, you have to embrace the shadows to truly appreciate the light. Shadowcroft offered me the chance to be something more, something fabulously beyond the ordinary. And honestly, who wouldn’t want that?”

  Roselle felt a pang of sadness. "Chloe, you don't have to work with them. There's always a way back. We can help you."

  Chloe's eyes lit up with a hint of mischief. “Help me? Oh, Roselle, that’s adorable, but darling, I’m exactly where I want to be. Besides, it’s not like you can stop what’s already in motion. The show must go on.”

  Roselle shook her head in disbelief. "How many of my friends are caught up in this?" she muttered.

  Chloe responded with a confident grin. “Oh, Roselle, you’re in for such a treat,” she purred. “Would you like to meet your other two friends who decided to join Shadowcroft as well?”

  Roselle’s eyes widened in shock. “No... it can't be… two of them?”

  Chloe continued, her tone smooth and unforgiving. “You see, they felt exactly the same way I did that day they surrounded you so menacingly. To them, you were just an outsider, but hey, I think we owe you a little reward for all the hard work you’ve put into getting here.”

  Roselle found herself momentarily paralyzed by Chloe's revelation, the information swirling in her mind like a tempest. Her closest friends, entwined with Shadowcroft? It was almost too much to bear.

  Chloe seized the opportunity and moved swiftly, grabbing Roselle by the wrists. Roselle snapped back to reality. She tried to pull away, but Chloe’s grip was surprisingly firm.

  "Chloe, what are you doing? Let me go!" Roselle exclaimed

  Chloe’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “Now, now, darling," she purred, “let’s not rush things. I did promise you a reward, didn’t I? You’ve come all this way, showing such delightful tenacity. Shadowcroft or not, I must say, I can’t help but admire that.”

  Roselle continued to struggle, but with a slight curiosity coming to her face. “What kind of reward?"

  Chloe leaned in and enveloped her in a sudden and unexpected kiss.

  Roselle's senses reeled from the experience. The room now distorted. It left her struggling to make sense of her surroundings.

  Chloe echoed in the strange ambiance. "You and the people you came with are not the only one with extraordinary powers, Roselle. Did you not account for that?"

  Chloe stepped back with a self-assured grin on her face. “My power lies in my lips, darling. The Shadow Kiss. I can deliver both pleasure and pain with just a touch.”

  Roselle, still trying to grasp the situation felt a combination a nauseating feeling running through her body.

  "Shadowcroft intends to extract this power from me," Chloe continued with a sinister tone. "But don't worry, Roselle. They promised to restore it tenfold once they unleash everyone's suppressed magical energy. Just imagine how beautiful I’ll be after that.”

  Roselle's vision began to blur, and the room around her warped even further. The disorienting sensation intensified. She could feel consciousness slipping away.

  Chloe echoed faintly in the fading haze. "Sweet dreams, Roselle. When you wake up, everything will change."

  And with those ominous words, Roselle succumbed to unconsciousness.

  Roselle awakened. She found herself in a Shadowcroft high-tech room, clad in nothing but her panties and bra.

  Roselle's eyes adjusted to the surroundings and she began looking around. Soon, the door opened to reveal Chloe. Her gaze was fixed on Roselle with a wicked smile Roselle has never seen before. "How delightful to see you finally awake, darling. Did you have a pleasant slumber?"

  Roselle tried to respond with fear taking over her face, but before a word could come out, Chloe said, " You must be wondering how you ended up in this rather compromising position. Well, my dear, let’s just say it was essential for our little experiment. A test of your resilience, if you will.

  Roselle clenched her fists. "What the hell is going on, Chloe?"

  Chloe's lips curled nto a wicked smile." Did you forget? You've come so far. Consider this a reward for all your efforts. This is what you truly deserve."

  Roselle's eyes widened in disbelief. "Reward? Deserve? Are you out of your mind?! Chloe! What is the meaning of all this?"

  Chloe chuckled softly. “Relax, Roselle. Come over here. Let me show you."

  Reluctantly, Roselle inched closer. "Show me? Show me what, Chloe?”

  Chloe responded by placing her hands on Roselle’s shoulders. "Oh, my dear, soon you'll understand…."