December 4, 2022. 11:15 AM – Boss Chamber, Floor 1

  The victory notification over Illfang still glowed across the chamber's ceiling, lighting the walls and floor. Players celebrated wildly after snatching triumph from the jaws of disaster—laughter, hugs, names shouted into the air. Some clapped and cheered for the black-haired boy who had finished the boss with such superior skill it felt like he was playing a different game altogether. For a moment, fear vanished...

  Until a cry—half rage, half grief—split the moment in two.

  —Why?

  —Why did you let Diavel die?

  The shout came from the same player who'd railed against beta testers during the strategy meeting: Kibaou.

  —Let him die? —the black-haired player asked, puzzled.

  —Of course! You knew the boss's techniques! If you'd told us in advance, he wouldn't have had to die! —Kibaou shot back.

  A swarm of murmurs broke the silence, growing louder and louder until one voice rose and unleashed chaos.

  —He must be a beta tester! That's why he knows all the patterns!

  —He knew and didn't tell us!

  —There have to be more beta testers here!

  —Own up to it!

  The air grew dense; tension spiked dangerously. Players eyed one another with suspicion. Silver scanned the room in silence until he noticed Yuiha. She stared at the floor, though her eyes seemed fixed on some empty space at her feet. Her clenched fists trembled slightly and her breath was quick and uneven, as if fighting something inside.

  That was when a sharp, ringing laugh startled everyone present. It came from the boy who had defeated Illfang.

  —A beta tester? Don't lump me in with those rookies. Most beta testers were beginners who didn't even know how to level up. You're better than they were.

  Silence grew heavier as players stared in disbelief, and the boy continued his monologue.

  —I'm not like them. I got farther than anyone in the beta. The reason I recognized the boss's techniques is that I fought monsters with katana skills on much higher floors.

  —I know far more than any information broker in this game.

  Those who had listened quietly finally erupted.

  —That's not fair!

  —That's cheating!

  —You're worse than a beta tester. You're a cheater!

  —A beta tester and a cheater... a BEATER!

  The black-haired player smiled, satisfied, like someone who had reached his goal.

  —Bea...ter... —he repeated aloud—. I like the sound of that. From now on, call me that. And don't confuse the other testers with me.

  He equipped a black coat and walked to the far end of the chamber, leaving the rest behind. All eyes followed him. All except Silver's, which stayed on Yuiha. When the boy began to speak, she had lifted her head in surprise. And when he left, she watched him with damp eyes full of mingled gratitude and guilt—as if she could finally breathe again.

  Silver watched him go too, with deep respect—recognizing someone better, but also a potential rival—until a raw, wrenching sob pulled him back to reality. Behind him, he saw Miwa on her knees, tears streaming down her face, trembling hands clutching Lank's massive shield. The same shield that had crashed to the floor with a dull thud when the boss's brutal strike ripped him from the world. She stared at it as if expecting him to reappear at any moment—stepping out from the shadows, laughing like always, gently scolding her mistakes. As if clinging to that slab of iron could conjure his voice back, calling her "kid" with that mix of irritation and tenderness that made her feel safe.

  But there was nothing left but silence.

  And an emptiness impossible to fill.

  —Damn you, Beater! —she screamed toward the player who had already gone—. Why did you let them die? Do you enjoy this? Do you think this hell of a game is a joke? I hope someone kills you, you bastard!

  —Miwa... —Ryuho knelt beside her and held her tight. HappyGoose hovered, unsure whether to come closer.

  Veget just stood where he'd been since Lank fell. He said nothing, but Silver could see the tension in his shoulders. Silver stepped up and set a hand on them in support, but his friend spoke in a flat, serious tone.

  —Don't say anything... I'm not in the mood for empty words.

  Silver studied him for a moment, patted his back twice, and left him be. He looked for Yuiha again, but she was gone.

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  Their group was left nearly alone in the chamber as the others drifted out one by one—silence bearing witness to a truth they'd tried to forget for a moment: in this game, death was real. And one of them had already died on the very first floor.

  December 4, 2022. 2:07 PM – Urbus, Floor 2

  After leaving the chamber, Silver's party reached the outskirts of Urbus, the main city of Floor 2. A mountain-style city built across tiered stone terraces, its rock-and-timber structures were set into the mountain's natural ledges. Perched high on the floor, it unfolded through multiple levels connected by wide stairways and cobbled paths. The architecture felt hewn straight from the mountain—solid and enduring.

  They walked in silence, still trying to accept they were one fewer. Even HappyGoose—the one who always cracked a joke—kept quiet. Miwa shuffled with her head down, clinging to her brother's arm as if afraid he might vanish too.

  They stopped at an inn and rented rooms to rest. Miwa and Ryuho took one together. Silver and Veget each asked for a single. HappyGoose wanted company but ended up alone. They agreed to meet later for food and to discuss their next steps.

  Silver lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, when the message he'd received during the battle flashed in his mind.

  [Hidden condition met. Secret quest Warden's Covenant activated]

  He opened the game menu and checked his active quests. One that hadn't been there before had appeared: Warden's Covenant quest. The trigger condition was to protect another player using the Warden's Aegis when your health dropped below 10%. Silver's eyes went wide. In that moment he hadn't watched his health at all—he'd just moved on instinct. If not for Miwa's speed in forcing him a potion, he might have died...

  He sat up and reviewed the quest details. The location matched where he'd found the shield: the Hill Ruins. The mission: free the soul of the second fallen warden.

  [Reward: Warden's Tempered Plate]

  Silver fell into thought. A quest on the first floor—beginner territory—shouldn't be too dangerous. The shield had already proven useful; it seemed wise to try for the rest of the set.

  Then his mind dragged him back to Lank's death. He had seen players die before—he still remembered the first one outside the Town of Beginnings, the botched boar hunt ending with the boy begging for help.

  But then he'd watched more players shatter into light, and each time hit less hard than the last. Several had died in the boss room—including a party member. And he had kept fighting as if nothing had happened. He'd only met Lank the day before, but his own coldness startled him. He covered his face with both hands, wondering if the game was changing him too much.

  Could he be a reliable teammate if death around him didn't shake him anymore? The doubt gnawed at him—and pushed him to a decision. If he was going to keep going, he needed to understand what this world was turning him into.

  At dusk, they gathered in the inn's small dining room and ordered food. Veget and Ryuho chose a kind of stew rich with spices. HappyGoose ordered a giant sandwich and some beers. Miwa asked for a mountain of cakes and sweets, as always. She said the best perk of being trapped in Aincrad was eating to bursting without gaining a single gram. Silver asked only for a black coffee—stronger than the fiercest espresso he'd ever tried. A floating-castle specialty.

  After some light conversation, Veget spoke up.

  —I need to know what each of you plans to do from here.

  —Isn't it obvious? We'll keep going together —Miwa answered, still finishing a chocolate cake, as if he'd asked something silly.

  —What she said —HappyGoose chimed in without hesitation, giving a thumbs-up.

  Ryuho and Silver didn't reply at once. The silence stretched several seconds before Ryuho finally spoke, looking straight at Veget.

  —I don't know if we can stay in the party.

  —What...? —Miwa's face filled with disbelief as she stared at her brother.

  —This stopped being a game on day one. People are dying. You saw Lank die.

  —So what's your plan? Stay here forever?

  Ryuho ignored his sister and kept his eyes on Veget. Veget held his gaze and finally answered.

  —Do you really think you'll be safer on your own?

  —No —Ryuho said without a shred of doubt—. It's safer in a larger group. And I think you did a great job against the boss. I don't blame you for Lank's death.

  He paused, choosing his words.

  —The problem is me. After what happened, the way I see things has changed completely. From now on, my top priority is Miwa's safety—even if that means letting others around us die. Are you willing to party with someone like that?

  —Wanting to protect her above all else doesn't mean you'd abandon your teammates unless it was absolutely necessary, right? —Veget asked, calm as ice.

  —I wouldn't abandon anyone—as long as it doesn't put her at risk —Ryuho answered honestly.

  —That's enough for me, friend. If you still want to fight together, we keep going like we have —Veget nodded once, firm, and offered his hand. Ryuho shook it without another word. Then Veget looked to Silver—. And you? What will you do, Silver?

  —I'm going back to Floor 1. I want to finish some quests.

  They looked at him. Veget and Ryuho knew Silver came and went—he never stayed in a party for long. But Miwa's eyes glistened with sadness.

  —Why don't you want to be with us? —was all she could manage.

  —It's not that. I just have things to do before moving on. Besides... —He gave her an unreadable smile—. Goose said he'd be your knight and protect you.

  HappyGoose blinked, unsure whether he was being backed up or teased—but he seized the opening.

  —That's right, Miwa-chan. I won't let anything happen to you! —He thumped his chest with a fist, as if swearing fealty.

  —Why is it so hard for us to stay together...? —she whispered, standing from the table and heading back to her room. Silver watched her go in silence.

  —Don't mind her —Ryuho's voice brought him back—. Lank's death shook her badly. But I know you always come back when you leave. We'll cross paths again. Good luck.

  Silver held their faces in his gaze, then stood. He said goodbye with firm handshakes and left the inn toward the city center. He opened the game menu and pressed the button to leave the party.

  The teleport gate wrapped him in a blue flash, and when his eyes opened in Tolbana, the distant murmur of the city sounded emptier than ever.