Where Were They When We Fell?

"Let me introduce myself," Kibou spoke up, his voice clear and calm, not needing to raise it to draw attention. "I am Kibou."

Just five simple words, yet they seemed to still the air for a moment.

A few players exchanged surprised glances. That name… wasn't unfamiliar. But it had never been spoken so publicly like this.

Even Diavel paused for a beat. His expression remained composed, but in those deep blue eyes flickered a trace of surprise, not glaringly obvious, but clear enough for Ren to notice.

Several people stood behind Kibou, likely his closest companions, subtly straightening their backs, as if to silently declare: "We stand with him."

There was no need for words, no boasting. But in their eyes shimmered a pride too strong to hide.

Diavel was the first to break the silence.

"Are you…" He hesitated briefly, as if choosing his words carefully, "the one who helped… improve the situation in the Starting Town?"

There was a quiet note of respect embedded in Diavel's phrasing.

"The redistribution of resources… the way weaker players now have a chance to level up again...that was because of you, wasn't it?"

Soft murmurs rippled through the crowd. A few players nodded as if finally connecting the missing pieces. Others looked at Kibou with new eyes, curious, even a little admiring.

Ren said nothing. He simply glanced sideways, watching Kibou's reaction.

He remained upright...not falsely modest, nor overly proud. He simply received their stares as if it were a natural part of doing what's right.

No confirmation. No denial.

Ren sat quietly among the crowd, eyes still following Kibou, but his thoughts were drifting elsewhere, back to another time.

The chaotic period in the Starting Town.

There had been no bloodshed. No screams of despair. But for Ren… those were the worst days.

Not because of fear, but because of the stifling stench of power, lies, and backroom handshakes.

They called it "discussion." "Reorganization." But to Ren, it felt no different from a veiled political war.

A place where right and wrong could be reversed with just the right words, said to the right person, at the right time. Where so-called justice… only existed if someone strong enough forced it into being.

Ren had been there. In those noisy meeting rooms. Under those threatening stares. Through nights where he had to choose: stand aside… or get involved.

He chose to get involved… to follow Kibou.

Argo did too.

With Ren's connection to the Town Guard, what he gained wasn't fame, but hours of meaningless conversation, and a few lucky chances of helping the right people at the right moment. Both he and Argo helped turn the tide.

Gradually, those who hoarded resources, enforced their own rules, bullied newcomers, and monopolized leveling grounds… one by one, were thrown in jail.

It didn't take long, just a few days at most...but that was enough to clear the path.

Enough to convince other players to rise up and reclaim their spaces.

Enough to make the defensive structure of the self-proclaimed dictators collapse before they could regroup.

…Though truthfully, not all of them were truly "caught."

That was part of the plan.

Leave a small gap open, let a few slip through, then catch them again later, this time under heavier charges and longer detention.

A calculated cycle. A quiet political game where "rehabilitation" was a tool, not the goal.

…if you could even call it politics.

Clashes were inevitable. Some were injured. Some were forced to leave the town. Some were jailed for shoving others off cliffs. And Ren… was no exception.

He had been thrown in jail....not for violence, but for standing on the wrong side at the wrong time.

But with a little money and the slight "credibility" earned from helping purge the early chaos… Ren was released early. Not a scratch on him.

Only Gareth's eyes, the guard who signed his release, were something Ren could never forget.

A gaze filled with sarcasm and strangeness… Who the hell ends up in jail three times in one day?

Ren still didn't know whether he should've laughed… or felt ashamed.

Back to the present.

Kibou stood at the center of the stone circle, torchlight reflecting off the sharp bridge of his nose and the cold gleam in his eyes.

He didn't rush. He quietly scanned the players scattered around the area, as if weighing something or as if checking who could be trusted.

Then his voice rang out. Not loud, not harsh. But clear and heavy.

"Before we begin…" He paused for a beat, letting his words settle into the air. "There's something I want to say."

A few players turned to glance at each other. A hush spread through the gathering, like a still lake suddenly stirred by a stone, not loud, but unmistakable in its ripples.

Kibou paused again, his eyes sweeping across the crowd, carrying a seriousness that could not be hidden.

"Someone here needs to apologize."His voice was dry, sharp as a blade cutting through the air.

The nearby players immediately turned to look at each other, their expressions shifting from surprise to confusion and unease.

"I'm certain that among us are those who participated in the beta test," he said, each word laced with uncompromising judgment.

"Those who abandoned all the new players, those who had just stepped into this world, left alone in the Starting Town, while they hoarded all the information: the monster zones, the best quests...."

He paused, letting his words hang in the air.

"And then those same people dared to look down on us newcomers. I can't...I won't...place my trust in someone like that on my team."

His final words rang out like thunder, heavy and shaking the entire square:

"Those people need to apologize. Apologize for the hundreds of lives lost because of their selfishness and coldness."

Immediately, the crowd stirred. Whispers and murmurs swelled like a crashing wave.

Diavel furrowed his brow, his eyes sharp, scanning every reaction, trying to stay composed though it was clear he was deep in thought.

Ren stayed silent for a moment, a flicker of surprise in his eyes that quickly faded, replaced by a colder gaze.

Kibou's words weren't just accusations, they were a harsh reckoning.

Inside Ren, an old memory stirred. The chaotic early days when everyone struggled to find their place, when trust was torn to shreds piece by piece.

Around them, more players began whispering. A few flushed with guilt, some avoided eye contact, while others clenched their fists, silently siding with Kibou.

Diavel frowned, then slowly spoke, his voice steadier but still solemn:

"We can't deny that the first days were filled with injustice and division. But now is the time to put the past behind us and look ahead."

He looked directly at the crowd, his eyes glowing with resolve:

"If anyone still holds onto their bias, let it go. We must unite or we will fall. Not just ourselves, but those who never even had the chance to stand here."

A few quiet nods followed. The tension in the air began to ease.

Ren could feel the shift clearly, but doubt still lingered in his heart. He knew, in this world, apologies and forgiveness were not easily given. They had to be earned.

Kibou's brows tightened. His gaze remained calm, but the corners of his lips tensed, as if something in Diavel's words didn't sit right with him, though he said nothing in response.

Just then, another figure stepped quietly into the circle. Tall and sturdy, his voice rang out deep and steady, a firm anchor in the smoldering debate:

"My name is Agil. And I believe I have something to say."

Ren recognized him instantly, the man who ran the shop stall in Tolbana, the first person who had asked him a question instead of casting a judgmental glance.

Agil took a step forward. With his towering height, he easily became the center of attention. Kibou raised an eyebrow, surprised, but remained silent, listening.

"Mr. Kibou," Agil said, looking straight ahead, his voice neither angry nor defensive, only clear and resolute, "you spoke of beta testers, of those who hid information, monopolized monster zones, and left new players behind. You're not wrong."

He paused, then slowly pulled a small notebook from his pocket, its corners worn.

"But do you know what this is?"

He held it high, a modest, familiar notebook recognized by many present.

"This is the guidebook. Distributed for free. Written by the beta testers themselves, by those who chose to share instead of clinging to their advantages."

He turned slowly, letting everyone see it. Among the crowd, a few players pulled out their own copies, clear proof of his words.

"This," Agil continued, his voice deep but echoing through the now silent space, "is the effort of dozens of beta testers who agreed to share every bit of data they had."

He paused again, his gaze sweeping the gathering, etching every word into the room.

"The information inside isn't perfect, true. But some did choose to share. Some did hoard it, yes, but others made it public. These notebooks are proof of that.

And I, along with many others, received them and helped distribute them, since the early days and through every updated version."

A fresh wave of murmurs spread. Several players began nodding. Kibou's expression faltered slightly.

Agil turned to him, his tone no longer stern, but sincere:

"I understand why you're angry, Kibou. You're not wrong. But don't lump us all together. Not every beta tester is selfish."

He bowed his head slightly, a brief but meaningful gesture:

"If there are people who deserve blame, name them directly. But if you can't… then don't paint us all with the same brush. Because some of us...people like me, like them, like those standing here, have tried to make this world just a little less cruel."

The air turned heavy, and strangely quiet.

Kibou didn't respond right away. His eyes were fixed on the notebook in Agil's hand, then drifted over the players beginning to nod in agreement.

This time, he was the one being questioned.

Ren took a quiet breath. He looked at Agil.

That man didn't have to say those words. But he did.

Sometimes, one person choosing to speak at the right moment... was enough to change the course of an entire meeting.

…Unlike him.