The battlefield had finally fallen silent.
Not the silence of peace.
Not the silence of victory.
But the silence left behind after something terrible had finished tearing the world apart.
The chamber no longer resembled a dungeon.
The once-massive arena had been reduced to a wasteland of shattered stone and collapsed structures. Jagged cracks stretched across the floor like scars, while broken pillars leaned at impossible angles throughout the ruins. The ceiling was gone entirely, torn apart during the battle against Allure. Through the massive opening above, a dim gray sky looked down upon the devastation.
Dust drifted through the air.
Fragments of lingering mana sparkled like dying embers.
And at the center of it all stood Rio.
Barely.
Her body swayed with exhaustion.
Blood stained her clothes. Countless cuts covered her arms and shoulders. The immense power she had drawn from Bloodmoon's Resonance was gone now, leaving only the brutal cost behind.
Every muscle in her body ached.
Every breath hurt.
Yet she remained standing.
Several meters ahead of her, Allure's body was disappearing.
The terrifying monster that had nearly annihilated two entire raid groups no longer resembled the Blood Knight of Eclipse that had dominated the battlefield.
Her armor was gone.
Her wings were gone.
The monstrous mouths covering her body had already dissolved.
Only fragments remained.
Crimson particles drifted upward from her fading form, carried away like embers from a dying fire.
Rio watched quietly.
There was no triumph in her eyes.
No celebration.
Only confirmation.
The battle was over.
"...It's over."
Her voice came out weak and hoarse.
Allure's fading body flickered once.
Then again.
For a brief moment, the remnants of her face became visible through the dissolving particles.
A faint smile remained.
Then she vanished.
The particles scattered into the air.
And the Blood Knight of Eclipse ceased to exist.
Rio took a step forward.
Then another.
Her knees suddenly buckled.
The strength supporting her body disappeared all at once.
The adrenaline.
The determination.
The momentum that had carried her through the final moments.
Gone.
Her vision blurred.
The world tilted.
She began to fall.
A hand caught her before she hit the ground.
"Got you."
Ryota's voice sounded exhausted but relieved.
His arm wrapped around her shoulders as he steadied her weight.
"You always do this at the worst possible timing."
Rio let out a tired breath.
"...Shut up."
Normally she would have pushed him away.
Normally she would have insisted she could walk on her own.
But right now she barely had enough strength to remain conscious.
Together they slowly made their way toward the place where Allure had fallen.
The center of the battlefield.
The place where the boss's body had disappeared.
Something remained there.
A single gem.
Dark crimson in color.
It pulsed faintly with residual energy.
Even from several meters away, Rio could feel the power trapped within it.
The core.
The proof of victory.
The reward for defeating one of the most terrifying bosses they had ever encountered.
Rio knelt carefully.
Her hand trembled as she reached forward.
The moment her fingers touched the gem, a faint pulse traveled through her arm.
Then everything became still.
Without ceremony, she opened her inventory and stored it.
No announcement.
No celebration.
The battle was finished.
That was enough.
From across the battlefield, the survivors watched.
Elias stood with his sword resting against his shoulder.
Fayzan stood beside him.
Kiraya leaned against her shield.
Hinabi dusted off her damaged clothing.
Magumo remained nearby.
Along with the few surviving members of both guilds.
One of the Eternity Lions members hesitated before speaking.
"Leader... are we really letting them keep it?"
Elias didn't even look in his direction.
His answer came immediately.
"We have honor."
His voice was calm.
Firm.
Absolute.
"She's the only reason any of us are alive."
The young guild member lowered his head.
Elias continued.
"We don't get to claim rewards we didn't earn."
No one argued.
No one disagreed.
Because everyone standing there knew it was true.
Kiraya crossed her arms and watched Rio from afar.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"...Rio, huh?"
She shook her head.
"What a ridiculous person."
A notification suddenly appeared before Elias.
His eyes widened slightly.
Then a small smile formed.
Fayzan noticed immediately.
"What?"
Elias tilted the screen toward him.
"Eternity Lions."
His smile widened.
"Guild Level Eight."
Fayzan stared.
Then laughed.
A tired, genuine laugh.
"...Guess almost dying was worth something after all."
Hinabi walked over.
"Since we're still alive, we should probably discuss loot distribution."
Her tone was casual, but everyone understood why.
Normality mattered.
After everything that had happened, normality mattered.
Elias nodded.
"Allure's drop belongs to Rio and Ryota."
No objections came.
"Everything else gets divided evenly."
Hinabi continued.
"We estimate around two hundred copper worth of treasure from the loot room and unopened chests."
Fayzan let out a whistle.
"Not bad."
Kiraya nodded.
"Rio and Ryota can also pick one item each from the loot room if they want."
"Agreed."
Elias looked toward the survivors.
Only thirteen remained.
Out of one hundred twenty-nine.
The number hung heavily in the air.
No one spoke about it.
No one needed to.
This victory had come at a terrible cost.
Meanwhile, Ryota helped Rio sit on a large slab of broken stone near the edge of the battlefield.
She leaned back and closed her eyes briefly.
"...I hate this part."
Ryota raised an eyebrow.
"The part where you almost die?"
Rio sighed.
"The part where I can't move."
"Fair."
For several moments they simply sat there.
Breathing.
Recovering.
Enjoying the simple fact that they were still alive.
Eventually Ryota stood.
"Stay here."
Rio didn't argue.
She was too tired.
Ryota walked alone through the battlefield.
His eyes scanned the wreckage.
Broken weapons.
Destroyed armor.
Shattered pieces of equipment scattered everywhere.
Then he found it.
Iron Steve.
Or what remained of it.
The blade had shattered completely.
The hilt was cracked.
The weapon that had accompanied him since the beginning was nothing more than ruined fragments.
Ryota crouched down and carefully picked it up.
His grip tightened.
"...Yeah."
A quiet breath escaped him.
"You did your part."
There was no dramatic farewell.
No speech.
Just respect.
He carefully stored the remains inside his inventory.
Then returned to Rio.
"Find it?"
"...Yeah."
"It's done."
Rio nodded.
"...Good."
Silence settled between them.
Comfortable silence.
Earned silence.
Then a gunshot shattered everything.
BANG.
Both of them froze.
Another shot followed immediately.
Then another.
BANG!
BANG!
Rio's eyes snapped toward the loot room.
"...That's not right."
Ryota was already standing.
"Yeah."
The moment they arrived, chaos greeted them.
Bodies lay scattered across the stone floor.
Several members of Eternity Lions were already down.
Burning Pride members had fallen as well.
Blood spread across the ground.
Elias stood with his sword raised in confusion.
"...What the hell is happening?!"
At the far side of the room stood several armed players.
Their faces were familiar.
Burning Pride members.
Hinabi's eyes widened in shock.
Those weren't ordinary guild members.
They belonged to Magumo.
Before she could warn anyone—
A blade erupted through her chest.
Blood spilled from her lips.
Her body froze.
Slowly she looked down at the sword protruding from her torso.
"...Magumo..."
Behind her stood the man himself.
Smiling.
"Sorry, Vice Leader."
He sounded almost amused.
"I didn't expect it to happen this early either."
With a sharp motion, he pulled the blade free.
Hinabi staggered forward.
Blood splattered onto the stone.
"...You traitorous rat..."
Magumo laughed.
"I had plans."
He shrugged casually.
"I was going to take your position first."
His eyes drifted toward Rio.
Toward the Crimson Bloodmoon.
A greed-filled smile spread across his face.
"But then I saw her."
His voice lowered.
"And I realized something."
His grin widened.
"Why aim small?"
Before anyone could react, several more players appeared behind him.
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets tore through the room.
Elias reacted too slowly.
Kiraya was exhausted.
Fayzan's body refused to move properly.
Unlike them, Magumo was fresh.
He hadn't participated in the boss fight.
He hadn't spent his resources.
He hadn't risked his life.
He had waited.
And now he was striking.
Hinabi coughed blood.
"You'd throw everything away for this?"
Magumo glanced at her.
Cold.
Detached.
"I don't need Burning Pride anymore."
He raised his weapon.
"I don't need you."
The gun aimed directly at her.
His finger tightened on the trigger.
CLANG!
A shield intercepted the shot.
Kiraya burst forward.
Her shield protected Hinabi as the bullet ricocheted away.
"You piece of garbage!"
She lunged.
Magumo simply stepped back.
Still smiling.
The battle began again.
And this time—
It was a battle born from greed.
Not survival.
Not necessity.
But betrayal.
Then a fist crashed into Magumo's side.
CRACK!
The traitor staggered.
His eyes widened.
Ryota stood there.
Breathing hard.
His expression was darker than anyone had ever seen before.
"...You talk too much."
Magumo stared.
Then laughed.
"...Good."
His grin widened.
"I was hoping you'd show up."
His hand rose.
The ground exploded upward.
Stone wrapped around Ryota from every direction.
Before he could escape, a massive earthen prison formed around him.
CRASH!
Ryota slammed against the walls.
"Tch! Damn it!"
Magumo stepped closer.
"...You're annoying."
His gaze shifted toward Rio.
Standing alone in the distance.
"So I figured I'd separate you."
Ryota's eyes widened.
"...No."
Magumo's smile became cruel.
"...Yeah."
Far away, Rio slowly rose to her feet.
Her body trembled.
Pain coursed through every muscle.
Yet she stood.
Because she had no choice.
More than twenty armed players emerged from the ruins.
Weapons aimed directly at her.
Her grip tightened around the Crimson Bloodmoon.
"...So this is how it is."
The men laughed.
"She can't even stand."
"Doesn't matter."
"Boss said kill her."
"Or take the sword."
Rio steadied her breathing.
"...Try it."
Gunfire erupted.
Bullets tore toward her.
She moved.
But she was too exhausted.
One bullet struck her leg.
She dropped to one knee.
Blood spread across the stone beneath her.
The men laughed.
"Pathetic."
"Finish her."
"RIO!"
Ryota's voice echoed from inside his prison.
He slammed against the walls repeatedly.
Above him, explosives detonated.
The ceiling collapsed.
Stone buried the cage beneath tons of debris.
Dust filled the air.
And then—
Silence.
The gunmen raised their weapons again.
Rio looked at the incoming bullets.
She knew she couldn't dodge.
Not anymore.
Then someone appeared.
A figure stepped between her and death.
Steel flashed.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Again.
Every bullet was cut from the air before it could reach her.
The gunmen froze.
The figure stood calmly with his back facing Rio.
Blond hair.
Weathered armor.
Twin swords.
A presence she knew immediately.
Reliable.
Steadfast.
Unyielding.
"...Sorry I'm late."
Auram lowered his blades slightly.
Then glanced over his shoulder.
A faint smile appeared.
"...Lady Rio."
Rio stared.
"...You're supposed to be resting."
Auram chuckled softly.
"I was."
He turned back toward the enemies.
Twin swords rose into position.
"But it seems you needed me."
His stance settled.
Perfect.
Ready.
The battlefield changed once more.
Because the sword spirit had arrived.
And the fight was far from over.