A Resolute Silence.

Tolbana town square.

Not as vast or grand as the center of the Starting Town, which once gathered thousands of players during those early days.

But this place… carried a distinct atmosphere both ancient and majestic, like a resolute silence standing firm amidst a life of unrest.

It was an open area, paved with large, smooth, solid gray stone tiles, as if built to withstand the march of time.

The dark-colored stones were arranged to form a circular plaza, echoing the breath of a world long forgotten.

Surrounding the square were high stands, also constructed from rough-hewn, cold, yet sturdy stone blocks. Each step stacked upon the other, circling the square like a massive arm embracing the central space.

From afar, the whole area resembled a miniature Roman arena, not built for glory-bound battles, but rather for gathering, arguing, negotiating and sometimes… deciding the fate of hundreds of players.

Ren stepped into that place as the late-day sunlight stretched across the stone surface.

The atmosphere here was different, heavier, more serious. Though it was still early, a few people had already gathered on the lower steps, whispering quietly, eyes constantly darting to their system interfaces.

Ren didn't need to ask for directions. Didn't need to look for anyone.

Just by entering this place, he could already sense... the world shifting.

"This many people...?"

Ren frowned slightly, his steps halting for a beat as his eyes swept across the ring of stone stands.

With just a glance, he counted at least over thirty people, perhaps even more if he included those standing in the shadows.

Cloaked figures, dark armor, eyes focused toward the center, everything felt unfamiliar, making Ren momentarily uneasy.

He had never expected this many.

In Ren's mind, ever since receiving Argo's message, he had assumed this meeting would be a patched-together gathering of a few risk-takers, a small group hoping to "try their luck" and maybe one or two people known to be strong.

At most ten… maybe twelve, he had thought.

"Because who even dares leave their inn rooms anymore…"

The image of tightly shut rooms in the Starting Town briefly crossed his mind. Rooms where sunlight rarely slipped through narrow windows.

Where people sat still day after day just to survive. No training, no fighting, no interaction.

But now, here in Tolbana, amidst this ancient stone plaza, Ren saw something different.

The people here... didn't resemble the shadows he had seen before. They talked. They readied weapons. They studied system maps and scribbled notes into notebooks.

Not exactly confident, but not hopeless either.

Something within Ren eased.

He didn't fully believe the upcoming battle against the First Floor Boss would go smoothly, but at the very least, the feeling that he would have to fight alone or with just a few desperate souls… was gone.

A soft breath escaped him, not wearied, just a gentle release. Ren stepped further into the square, his gaze never leaving the stands that were slowly filling up.

"Well, that's good. With this many people… no one will have to die needlessly."

Or at least, he quietly thought, maybe he himself would be a little safer from death's careless scythe...

Ren quietly found himself a seat, a shadowed corner just far enough to avoid attention, yet close enough to clearly see and hear those at the center of the gathering.

He sat down, not exactly surprised. Not because the scene before him wasn't worth the surprise, but because he had half expected it the moment he read that message.

Ren's eyes slowly moved, sweeping across the group of players standing at the heart of the plaza, where the entire space seemed to revolve around.

Diavel...

Tall build, sky-blue hair tied neatly at the nape, light-toned outfit with a cloak that radiated leadership. Diavel was speaking to someone, gesturing with strong movements, his voice ringing clearly across the square.

Ren exhaled lightly. Not out of jealousy...just acknowledgment.

"He really pulled it off…"

From a solo player appearing in a mine, Diavel had now become a rallying banner for dozens...something Ren had never imagined possible at this stage.

His gaze drifted away from Diavel, sweeping over the familiar faces standing behind him, people Ren had once known, once fought alongside. But now, they… were different somehow.

Nautilus.

Once slightly frail in build, now no longer hunched. He stood tall, gripping the hilt at his waist, eyes gleaming with confidence.

No longer the boy who doubted himself in those early days...but a true warrior.

"You've gone further than I expected," Ren sighed, an exhale of relief, as if releasing a weight from his chest.

Yuna.

She was still wearing that white cloak with a faint silvery shimmer, her milk-tea brown hair gently swaying in the breeze. Her arms held tightly around the instrument, as if it were a part of her body.

Still silent. Still standing out in a sea of weapon-wielding players. But Ren knew, more than anyone else… that underestimating her was the biggest mistake one could make.

"She always makes people rethink things," Ren absentmindedly rested his chin on his hand.

His gaze shifted to the others.

Shivata.

That calm demeanor was still there, those sharp eyes, few words, and his upright posture behind Diavel, like a loyal bodyguard. His short, dark brown hair rustled softly in the wind.

There was something about him that brought a sense of reassurance, even when he said nothing at all.

Lind.

Ren narrowed his eyes.

That stance hadn't changed, back straight, chin slightly raised, gaze sweeping around as if evaluating each person. But something felt… less arrogantly overbearing.

Perhaps the recent battles had taught Lind that there's only a thin line between confidence and arrogance.

Even so, the way Lind tried to mimic Diavel's demeanor made Ren slightly smirk. He wasn't sure if it was mockery… or simply the realization that some things, no matter how much they change, could never truly be different.

Ren leaned back against the stone wall behind him, staying silent. Amid the quiet murmurs of conversation, the wind threading through the grandstands, his eyes once again turned toward the center of the plaza.

A touch of silence. A touch of distance. A trace of something… like nostalgia.

"What? Not joining the Boss fight anymore?"

A voice suddenly rang out, breaking the chain of thoughts Ren had been clinging to in silence. But he didn't turn around. He had no reason to.

He just sat there, eyes locked onto some faraway point in the plaza, completely detached from the conversation that had sprung up behind him.

Last-minute decisions weren't rare. In a world where the line between life and death was this fragile, someone backing out at the last second… was almost inevitable.

Some called it cowardice, others called it clarity. As for Ren? He just saw it as a choice. One that had nothing to do with him.

"Um… Kajiro said… he's not sure this operation is feasible."

This time, it was another female voice, higher, speaking slowly, as if carefully choosing her words to avoid provoking the other person. Probably someone from their party.

"Is he insane?" the voice rose sharply, unable to hide her anger. "This is clearly the best chance we've had since this damn game began. If not now, then when?"

A brief silence followed.

Not because no one had anything to say, but because the other person was still searching for the right way to put it.

"I don't know… But Kajiro said if you want to go, then go ahead. As for him, he's not going to step in there… just to die a meaningless death."

Ren lowered his eyes.

A meaningless death.

That phrase struck his mind like a pebble tossed into a still lake. Not because he feared it would happen to him… but because… he had seen it. More than once.

People who once walked with eyes blazing with hope… then collapsed, when everything they believed in shattered under a cold blade.

He understood. Both sides.

But he still stayed silent. Didn't speak up, didn't intervene.

Only the wind moved through the stone stands, carrying the fading sounds of an argument in the late afternoon light.

If needed, Ren would still fight in the battle. But he didn't think he had it in him to argue about why anymore. Not now. Not with people who had already found their own paths.

"Alright… I'm sitting this one out."

The female voice came again, cutting even through the sound of the wind brushing the stone steps. There was something in her tone, not just anger… but helplessness, and a softened edge.

"But remember this…" she paused for a beat, as if swallowing back words she didn't want to say. "I'm only letting it slide this once. Tell him… not to go too far, even if he is my boyfriend."

Ren tilted his head slightly...not looking, but still listening.

At that moment, the wide stone courtyard seemed quieter than usual, as if even the air was waiting for a response.

The other person, likely a close friend of both, let out a soft laugh, one tinged with exhaustion, like this conversation had happened far too many times to feel new anymore.

"You talk like that hasn't already happened before."

The words were light as breath, but carried the weight of everything left unsaid.

Her voice had a thin layer of sarcasm, not sharp, but just enough to leave a cut.

"That's your problem."

A line that sounded ordinary, but was heavy with resignation, the kind of feeling that came from someone who had stopped hoping.

"But whether you can do it or not…"

She paused again, glancing sideways, as if to see how deep the wound had gone.

"…I'm not sure."

That indifferent smile dragged in a chill, even though the wind hadn't changed.

The echo of her words swept across the rough stone floor of the plaza, leaving behind an unnamed trace in the hearts of those who heard.

Ren kept his gaze still, not turning back, but a faint ripple stirred in his heart.

Those words—emotional, tense, tinged with jealousy, reminded him of many things long past. Moments when someone had been by his side… and yet everything had quietly slipped away, no matter how hard he tried to hold on.

No one was wrong. No one was right.

It's just that… no one could hold on to anyone forever.