Imani contacts Carl and Princess Donut with bad news about Katia: Katia found a hidden “drug den” set up like a frozen-yogurt self-serve bar and consumed something that knocked her unconscious. Katia will be out for about ten hours, leaving little margin for their deadlines, and she wakes with a debuff that could either boost her strength or reduce her intelligence. Elle is guarding Katia, and Imani suspects—based on Daniel’s evasive reaction—that Katia’s use of this kind of thing may not be new, so Imani heads back to the guild to question Louis and Britney.

Carl feels responsible because Carl previously told Katia about the drug den. Donut refuses to accept that Katia could be “a cliché” addiction storyline, but Carl insists the group’s priorities still require everyone to secure a key in phase two. Carl and Donut decide to practice their card decks in the Mock Battle Arena while Imani investigates.

In the arena, Carl and Donut debate deck composition and test an 18-card setup aimed at reliably drawing totems early. Their deck includes six totems (Geraldo, Asojano, Skylar Spinach, Uzi Jesus/HeyZoos, Raul, and Shi Maria), utility cards, snares, mystics, and a consumable flee card. Donut chooses an “urban” simulation: a crowded 1980s shopping mall filled with interactive NPC bystanders, which Carl realizes will complicate fights with physical bodies in the way.

When combat begins, Donut draws Uzi Jesus and Shi Maria and summons them together to see how they interact. HeyZoos appears with his theatrical introduction and questions why he is with Carl and Donut; Samantha immediately harasses him. Donut then summons Shi Maria, whose appearance panics the mall, and HeyZoos reflexively opens fire on the spider. Shi Maria retaliates, impales HeyZoos, demands healing, and HeyZoos dissipates—killed as a totem—before he can help.

The actual enemy reveals itself: “Rude-Dolph the Blood-Nosed Slay-Deer,” a level 100 puppet-master who is invulnerable until eight puppet reindeer are killed. Donut summons Skylar Spinach to help, and the fight turns chaotic as Rude-Dolph’s nose-laser tears through the environment and Shi Maria and Skylar/Spinach attack the puppet herd. Shi Maria opens her fifth eye, which causes the puppets to turn on each other, and Carl feels an unexpected, frightening mental tug—linking it to “the river” in his mind—despite the supposed safety of the simulation. With the puppets dead, Rude-Dolph becomes vulnerable, and Shi Maria tears him in half. Donut summons Geraldo at the end, only for Geraldo to react in disgust as combat finishes and all totems vanish, leaving Carl and Donut newly wary of Shi Maria’s power and its effect on Carl.