A Cat’s Request.

Ren was silent for a moment, his eyes still following Argo as she sipped her hot tea, the steam rising gently in the air.

The fresh scent of tea mixed with milk made him feel thirsty, even a little envious.

But almost immediately, the awareness of his current financial situation pulled him back to reality. Not the time for unnecessary spending, he reminded himself.

He took a deep breath before speaking, his voice a bit hesitant, as if not yet ready to hear the answer. "So... why did you call me here?"

Argo let out a sigh, a soft breath that couldn't hide the tension in her voice. She didn't answer right away, pausing for a moment as if unsure how to begin.

"You needed to come here..." she started, then paused briefly, seemingly searching for the right words.

"The labyrinth leading to the first boss's chamber... has already been half-explored. It's estimated that in about 2–3 days... the first players will find the entrance."

Argo's words weren't just information, they carried a weight of worry, of urgency.

She no longer had the cheerful, energetic demeanor she had before. Her face was serious now, her eyes revealing a hint of concern she couldn't hide.

"We need a victory, Ren..." Argo lowered her voice, her gaze locking onto Ren's as if trying to read into his very soul. "A decisive victory, on our very first conquest..."

She paused again, as if to ensure that each word she spoke carried its full weight. "Only then... can we help more people. You know... in the Beta version, it took just over a week to clear the first floor... But here, it's already been a month."

She stopped, letting her words echo in the quiet air of the tea shop. There was no need to say more, the sense of urgency and responsibility was thick in the atmosphere, and Ren could clearly feel that this time wouldn't be as simple as past quests.

"So...?" Ren responded, his tone cold and emotionless, making the air between them grow tenser.

Argo flinched slightly, her eyes shifting subtly, as if realizing she had said something wrong, something unconvincing.

But before she could speak again, Ren quickly adjusted his tone, trying not to sound too harsh.

"Just me... would be useless." Ren said, his voice still distant, but clearly self-aware. "Even if I join the group, things would stay the same."

Argo remained silent, her eyes lowering slightly, as if Ren's words had struck a weakness she didn't want to admit.

She knew every player had their limits, and sometimes, no one could perform miracles alone. But she couldn't let Ren walk away like this.

"Ren..." she began, her voice gentler, "We all have weaknesses, but together, we can do much more. You're not useless. And I need you."

She didn't say it outright, but those words felt like an invitation, a quiet persuasion.

"Nearly 600 players have died...," Argo's voice was soft like a whisper, as though she were speaking more to herself than to Ren.

She couldn't hide the exhaustion in her eyes, no matter how hard she tried. In recent days, she had done everything she could, tried her best to minimize losses, but all that effort still wasn't enough.

Ren felt a chill run down his spine at the number... Nearly 600 people.

A horrifying number. Each death a story untold, a person who would never return.

Some fell due to carelessness, others from recklessness, and some... simply because they didn't believe Kayaba's warnings, didn't believe they were living in a world where death truly meant the end.

Nearly 600... He tried to picture it, but he couldn't. It was a number too large, enough to fill a medium-sized stadium.

It felt like a heavy stone pressing against his chest, leaving Ren feeling trapped, bound within this space.

His back stuck to the chair, his body stiff as though trying to escape the weight.

But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't run from the truth: among that number, some had died because of his involvement. Not all, but a few were tied to the decisions he had made.

Ren clenched his teeth slightly, a wave of discomfort rising in his chest. Guilt, helplessness. "I..."

His voice was so quiet it was barely audible, as if Ren himself didn't want to hear what he was about to say.

Argo noticed the shift in the air. She paused for a moment, her eyes still lost in thought, but beneath those tired shadows was an unwavering resolve.

She looked at Ren with sincerity, as if trying to understand the pain he carried.

"You're not the only one, Ren." Argo said, and this time, her voice was warmer, tinged with comfort.

She could see the tension on his face clearly, but she also knew he wasn't the only one who felt this way. "I'll ask for help from the other top players too... Trust me."

These weren't empty words. Argo wasn't just trying to soothe Ren, she had already planned, already prepared for what was coming.

She knew that victory couldn't come from Ren alone it had to come from the cooperation of all skilled players, those strong enough to overcome the challenges ahead.

She just needed Ren to accept... just needed him to nod, and their chances of winning would increase significantly.

Though she often mocked or teased his combat abilities, deep down, Argo knew...

...he was no ordinary player. Not the best she'd ever seen, but good enough to make her stop and reassess, to acknowledge how much he'd grown each time they met again.

Ren was the kind of person who didn't boast, didn't make noise, but quietly grew stronger in a way that surprised even her.

'If we had Ren in the assault team...' Argo thought to herself, eyes drifting briefly over the face hidden beneath his hood.

She couldn't lie to herself. Even if she didn't want to admit it, the truth was as clear as daylight, the first assault team, the one that would pave the way for the rest of the game... was undoubtedly short on people.

They lacked manpower, lacked trust, and lacked the timely nods of people like Ren.

They would have to fight with fewer members. That meant each person would bear more risk, and there would be losses no one wanted to see.

That was why Argo looked at Ren, not with the eyes of an informant, nor a casual tease this time.

But with the eyes of someone who believed, someone placing her hopes in the person before her, even knowing that he too might be carrying his own cracks inside.

"...I can't do this alone, Ren." She didn't raise her voice, but every word landed clearly, like it cut through the silence between them.

"What about Kibou, then? If he joins... wouldn't the assault team be more complete?" Ren finally spoke, as if reading the silent thought in Argo's eyes.

She paused for a moment, then let out a small laugh, a short one, as if it helped ease the tightness in her chest.

"That monkey...?" Argo's voice softened, tinged with both helplessness and trust. "Don't worry. He'll definitely join."

She set the teacup down, fingers tracing its rim.

"It's just that... there's still work to be done in the Starting Town. Kibou's trying to keep the resource distribution system stable. He's the kind who knows: if the rear collapses, the frontlines will fall faster than we expect."

Argo's gaze drifted past the window behind Ren, where rooftops of gray stone stretched under the soft afternoon sunlight. She couldn't hide the thoughtfulness in her voice:

"But whether it's Kibou... or anyone else, they can't replace the individuals sitting right here. I need you, Ren."

She looked up, her eyes locking with his again...steady and honest."We... need you."

Ren hesitated a little. A quiet sigh escaped the corner of his lips.

There were people he didn't want to see again.

Those faces... those voices... if he agreed to join the first assault team, he'd have no choice but to face them.

It felt like an old scar had just throbbed under the thin layer of ice he'd carefully built.

But then... those eyes.

Those bright brown eyes, ridiculously shiny like they were about to cry, Argo's gaze was equal parts pleading, reproachful, and somehow... like a hungry kitten that had been left out in the cold.

Ren silently cursed himself for being so soft-hearted.

"…Alright."

The hood of his silver cloak quivered slightly, then stood up straight, as if a pair of cat ears had just perked up from a pleasant dream.

Argo squinted, tilting her head toward Ren with a dangerously adorable look of suspicion.

"Really?"

Ren gave a slight nod, not even bothering to reply.

A simple gesture, enough to make Argo seem like a small storm being bottled up in that old wooden chair.

"See! I told you, you were going to be stuck here for a while!"

She jumped up, almost slamming her hand on the table out of excitement. Her eyes sparkled like stars.

Ren raised an eyebrow. "…That counts?"

"Of course! A promise is a promise!"

She grinned widely, and all Ren could do was sigh softly, glancing at his free glass of water.

He wished he had ordered a cup of tea or something. At least it might've warmed him up a bit.