The cave grew silent after Silla revealed the name.
Doctor Luscius.
The crackling fire was the only sound that remained.
Its orange glow danced across the stone walls while shadows shifted and stretched throughout the cavern.
Nobody spoke immediately.
The revelation was simply too large.
A politician.
A respected figure.
Someone with influence powerful enough to move cities.
Not some hidden criminal operating in the shadows.
Not a rogue faction.
Not even a guild.
The enemy they were dealing with possessed legitimacy.
Authority.
Resources.
The kind of power that made entire governments look the other way.
Rio quietly stared into the flames.
Her expression remained calm.
But inside—
her mind was already moving.
Analyzing.
Planning.
Calculating.
Before she could say anything—
Ramos suddenly looked toward Silla.
There was something that had bothered him ever since she woke up.
His voice softened.
"Silla..."
The young woman turned toward him.
"How did you escape?"
The question immediately drew everyone's attention.
Even Sayanaki shifted slightly against the cave wall.
Silla lowered her eyes.
For a moment she seemed lost in memory.
Then she slowly began speaking.
"When they took me into Bunker C..."
Her hands tightened around the blanket.
"I thought I was going to die there."
The memory visibly hurt.
"The cells were underground."
"Far underground."
"There were no windows."
"No sunlight."
"No sense of time."
She swallowed.
"The walls were thick stone."
"Every hallway had guards."
"Every exit was locked."
Her voice trembled.
"The people inside had already given up."
The fire crackled softly.
Silla continued.
"At first everyone was trying to escape."
"But after weeks..."
"Nobody believed it was possible anymore."
She looked toward the ground.
"Then one day..."
"Someone found a hole."
Rio immediately paid attention.
"A hole?"
Silla nodded.
"It was hidden behind part of a damaged wall."
"Small."
"Really small."
She held up her hand.
"About the size of an arm."
"At first we thought it led nowhere."
"But there was airflow."
Ryota's eyes widened slightly.
"A tunnel."
Silla nodded.
"There was a tunnel behind it."
"One that wasn't connected to the bunker."
Everyone listened carefully.
"Every day we secretly chipped away at it."
"We used broken metal."
"Loose stones."
"Anything we could find."
Her voice grew quieter.
"We couldn't make noise."
"We couldn't get caught."
"So it took weeks."
Ramos looked stunned.
Silla continued.
"Eventually..."
"We made it large enough for someone to crawl through."
The cave fell silent again.
Everyone already knew where this story was going.
Then Silla smiled sadly.
"There was someone named Sieg."
Ramos froze.
"...Sieg?"
Silla nodded.
"He never stopped believing we could escape."
A faint sadness entered her eyes.
"He was always the one encouraging everyone."
"When people lost hope..."
"He gave them hope."
"When people wanted to give up..."
"He kept digging."
Her voice cracked.
"Then the night finally came."
The atmosphere grew heavier.
"Late-night roll call."
"The guards came to count everyone."
Silla clenched her fists.
"Sieg created a diversion."
Ramos slowly lowered his head.
"He knew what would happen."
Silla nodded.
"He knew."
The tears returned.
"But he did it anyway."
"He attacked a guard."
"He started a fight."
"He screamed for us to run."
Her voice shook violently now.
"He knew they would kill him."
Nobody spoke.
Nobody interrupted.
"He sacrificed himself..."
"So some of us could try."
The fire popped loudly.
Silla wiped her eyes.
"Only a handful made it through the hole."
"Most were caught."
"Some were killed."
She looked down.
"I'm the only one who escaped."
The realization hit everyone.
A man's life.
Dozens of attempts.
Weeks of digging.
All for one survivor.
Silla continued.
"The tunnel eventually connected to an underground waterway."
"I followed it."
"I don't even remember most of it."
"I was exhausted."
"Hungry."
"Injured."
Her breathing steadied slightly.
"The next thing I knew..."
"I came out near a river."
"A few miles from my village."
Ramos slowly covered his face.
Relief.
Sadness.
Survivor's guilt.
Everything mixed together.
Silla reached over and gently held his hand.
Neither said anything.
They didn't need to.
Rio quietly watched the scene.
Then slowly turned toward Sayanaki.
The assassin immediately understood the look.
"What now?"
Sayanaki asked.
The question hung heavily in the cave.
Everyone waited.
Even Ryota.
Rio remained silent for several moments.
Then she finally answered.
"Nothing changes."
The answer surprised everyone.
Rio continued.
"We stop the Doctor."
Her voice was calm.
Certain.
Unwavering.
"There was never another option."
Silla's eyes widened slightly.
Rio looked toward her.
Then toward Ramos.
However—
her expression softened.
"But not right now."
The two villagers looked confused.
Rio sighed.
"I wish we could."
"Believe me."
"I really do."
She glanced toward the darkness outside.
"But we're not ready."
Nobody argued.
Because everyone knew she was right.
"The Doctor isn't some random criminal."
"He's protected."
"Rich."
"Connected."
Rio folded her arms.
"If he's capable of running multiple underground bunkers..."
"He can probably hire entire guilds."
"He can buy information."
"He can buy protection."
"He can buy silence."
The cave fell silent.
Rio met Silla's gaze.
"I'm sorry."
The sincerity in her voice was unmistakable.
"We can't storm Sasoru tomorrow."
"We'd lose."
No excuses.
No lies.
Just truth.
Then Rio smiled.
"But that doesn't mean we've given up."
Silla blinked.
Rio opened her inventory.
Two objects appeared in her hand.
Small metal crests.
Beautifully crafted.
Both bearing the symbol of Crowned Era.
She tossed them forward.
Ramos barely caught one.
Silla looked down at the other resting in her lap.
Both froze.
Rio smiled.
"I wasn't joking earlier."
Neither understood.
Then realization slowly dawned.
Their eyes widened.
Rio nodded.
"Starting today."
"You're both members of Crowned Era."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Ramos looked speechless.
Silla stared at the guild crest.
Her hands trembled.
Rio continued.
"And because you're our guild members..."
Her voice became firm.
"...we won't let anything happen to you."
The emotional dam finally broke.
Silla lowered her head.
"Thank you..."
Ramos bowed deeply.
"Thank you."
For the first time since they met—
there was genuine hope in their eyes.
Then suddenly—
everyone noticed movement.
Sayanaki stood up.
Fenrir's Fang appeared in her hand.
Silla immediately froze.
Ramos practically jumped between them.
"WAIT!"
The poor farmer looked absolutely horrified.
"We're guild mates now!"
"Why are you trying to kill us?!"
Ryota nearly choked on his food.
Even Rio looked tired.
Sayanaki sighed.
"Be quiet."
That somehow made Ramos more terrified.
Rio pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Relax."
Nobody relaxed.
Rio pointed toward Silla.
"Turn around."
Silla blinked.
"What?"
"Put your hair up."
Confused but trusting Rio, Silla slowly gathered her hair.
Then lifted it.
The moment her neck became visible—
everyone saw it.
A strange marking.
Burned into the skin.
Dark black letters.
C-37
Ryota froze.
Ramos looked horrified.
"What is that?"
Rio's expression darkened.
Sayanaki stepped closer.
The assassin examined it carefully.
Then nodded.
"Just as I thought."
She looked at Rio.
"Tracker."
The word instantly changed everything.
"A tracker?"
Ryota asked.
Sayanaki nodded.
"Hidden beneath the mark."
"It's tiny."
"About the size of a fingernail."
She tapped the back of her own neck.
"That's how they found her."
Rio nodded.
The pieces immediately clicked together.
The assassins.
The tracking.
The relentless pursuit.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Rio looked toward Silla.
"Can you remove it?"
Sayanaki answered.
"Only if she agrees."
Everyone looked at Silla.
The young woman didn't hesitate.
She nodded.
"Do it."
Sayanaki crouched down.
For the first time since meeting her—
her movements were surprisingly gentle.
Fenrir's Fang slowly approached the mark.
Ramos looked ready to faint.
Then—
a quick precise motion.
Silla winced.
A tiny metallic object dropped onto the stone floor.
Sayanaki immediately crushed it beneath her boot.
CRUNCH.
The tracker was gone.
The assassin stood.
"We need to leave."
Rio nodded immediately.
She had already reached the same conclusion.
If the Doctor lost contact with the tracker—
he'd eventually know.
They couldn't stay.
Not here.
Not now.
Rio stood.
"Everyone up."
The atmosphere instantly shifted.
Back to business.
Back to survival.
She looked toward Ryota.
"Grab your gear."
Then toward Ramos.
"Can you carry her?"
Ramos immediately nodded.
Then hesitated.
And awkwardly turned toward Silla.
"Um..."
His face became red.
"Would... would it be okay if..."
Silla smiled faintly.
"I don't mind."
Moments later she climbed onto his back.
Piggyback style.
Ramos nearly looked like he might pass out from embarrassment.
Ryota tried not to laugh.
Meanwhile Sayanaki disappeared deeper into the cave.
Several minutes later she returned.
Ryota noticed something immediately.
"Were those explosives?"
Sayanaki continued working.
Tripwires.
Pressure triggers.
Explosive charges.
She placed them with frightening efficiency.
"What exactly are you planning?"
Ryota asked.
Sayanaki finished securing the final trap.
Then stood.
"If someone follows us."
She smiled.
"They won't enjoy the experience."
Ryota decided not to ask further.
Rio glanced toward the assassin.
"Done?"
Sayanaki nodded.
"It's complete."
Rio took a deep breath.
Then grabbed Ryota's wrist.
"Let's move."
The group stepped out into the cool desert night.
Behind them—
the cave sat quietly beneath the moonlight.
Ahead—
the vast wilderness of Floor Two stretched endlessly beneath the stars.
Their destination was clear.
The City of Nendu.
The city that housed the teleporter to Floor Three.
As the group slowly descended the rocky mountain path, nobody noticed the distant figure watching from far across the canyon.
Watching.
Waiting.
And somewhere far away beneath the city of Sasoru—
a man named Doctor Luscius was about to discover that Subject C-37 had vanished.
The descent from the mountain was far more dangerous than the climb had ever been.
Under normal circumstances, travelers would never choose this route.
The path was barely a path at all.
Jagged cliffs carved through the mountainside like the teeth of some giant beast, while loose rocks and uneven ledges created a treacherous maze that demanded complete concentration.
One wrong step.
One loose foothold.
One moment of carelessness.
That was all it would take.
The unlucky traveler would tumble down the cliffs and either suffer severe injuries or die outright.
Moonlight illuminated the rocky terrain as the group carefully made their way downward.
Rio led from the front while Sayanaki moved near the rear.
Ryota stayed close to Ramos and Silla in case either of them lost their footing.
The two wolves quietly followed along the edges of the cliffs, moving effortlessly across terrain that looked impossible to navigate.
The only sounds were the crunching of stone beneath boots and the distant howl of desert winds.
For several minutes nobody spoke.
Everyone focused on surviving the descent.
Eventually Ramos broke the silence.
His voice echoed softly across the cliffside.
"Lady Rio..."
Rio glanced back.
"Yeah?"
Ramos carefully stepped over a crack in the rocks.
"If those assassins respawn far away..."
He looked confused.
"Why did we have to leave the cave?"
Rio wasn't surprised by the question.
In fact, she had expected it.
Without slowing her pace, she answered.
"Because those weren't the only assassins."
Ramos blinked.
"What?"
Rio carefully stepped onto another ledge.
"I'm pretty sure they have reserve teams."
"More scouts."
"More trackers."
"More players searching for Silla."
The realization slowly appeared on Ramos' face.
Rio continued.
"That's why Sayanaki and I stayed near the cave entrance earlier."
"We weren't resting."
"We were keeping watch."
Sayanaki spoke from behind them.
"The Doctor isn't stupid."
Everyone turned slightly toward her.
The assassin's voice remained calm.
"The moment the tracker disappeared..."
She twirled Fenrir's Fang between her fingers.
"...he would know something happened."
The cold certainty in her words sent a chill through everyone.
"He'd immediately send people to the tracker's last known location."
"Not necessarily to find Silla."
"But to find clues."
"Footprints."
"Evidence."
"Anything that could lead them to her."
Ramos slowly nodded.
Now he understood.
Sayanaki smiled faintly.
"Which is why I trapped the cave."
Ryota immediately looked interested.
"What exactly did you put in there?"
Sayanaki's smile widened.
"Enough."
Rio sighed.
That answer somehow worried her more.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion echoed through the mountains.
The sound shook the cliffs beneath their feet.
Everyone immediately stopped.
The blast came from behind them.
Far away.
Exactly where the cave had been.
A gigantic fireball briefly illuminated the night sky.
Pieces of rock were launched into the air.
The shockwave echoed across the canyon.
Ramos nearly lost his balance.
"What was that?!"
Sayanaki looked completely unsurprised.
In fact— she seemed pleased.
A small smile appeared on her face.
"I knew it."
Rio folded her arms.
"They found it."
Sayanaki nodded.
"They had players nearby."
Far below them, flames could still be seen rising into the sky.
Ramos stared in disbelief.
The realization that enemy players had been searching for them that closely was unsettling.
If they had stayed inside the cave...
They would've been trapped.
Or worse.
The group resumed moving.
This time a little faster.
No one complained.
The explosion had proven Rio and Sayanaki's point.
Hours later—
the terrain gradually became less steep.
The rocky mountains slowly gave way to endless orange sands.
The familiar desert stretched endlessly beneath the moonlit sky.
A sea of dunes extended toward the horizon.
The group finally stepped off the mountain and onto level ground.
Ramos let out a relieved sigh.
"My legs are never recovering."
Ryota laughed.
"I think mine died halfway down."
Silla giggled softly.
It was one of the first times Rio had heard her laugh.
The sound felt strangely comforting after everything that had happened.
Eventually Ryota looked toward Rio.
"So..."
"Are we going back to Versoza?"
Rio immediately shook her head.
"No."
Ramos looked surprised.
"But wouldn't that be the safest place?"
Rio pointed toward the distant horizon.
"It'll be the first place they search."
Sayanaki nodded.
"The moment they realize Silla escaped..."
"They'll investigate every route leading back to Versoza."
Rio continued.
"They already know she's from there."
"It would be too obvious."
Ramos thought about it.
Then nodded.
Makes sense.
A few moments later he asked another question.
"Then how are we getting to Nendu?"
Rio smiled.
That smile immediately made Ryota suspicious.
Whenever Rio smiled like that someone was about to have a bad day.
Ramos continued.
"We'd need a ship."
"Right?"
Rio pointed toward the distant desert.
Everyone followed her finger.
There traveling between the dunes was a medium-sized sand ship.
The vessel rode the sands smoothly.
Several torches illuminated its deck.
Even from this distance they could see armed figures walking around.
Ryota immediately recognized the design.
"...That's a raid-class ship."
Rio nodded.
"Yep."
Sayanaki crossed her arms.
"I'll stay here with them."
Rio grinned.
"Mind giving me a hand?"
Ryota sighed.
"I knew it."
Several moments later—
they stood near the edge of a large dune overlooking the approaching vessel.
Rio stretched her shoulders.
Ryota cracked his neck.
Then looked at her.
"You ready?"
Rio smirked.
"Always."
A blue glow erupted around Ryota's arm.
Scalular Impact activated.
Force gathered.
Compressed.
Focused.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
Rio launched into the air.
She became a silver streak flying across the desert sky.
The pirates aboard the ship looked upward.
Confusion.
Shock.
Panic.
"WHAT IS THA—"
Rio landed directly in the middle of the deck.
CRASH!
The ship violently shook.
The pirates immediately attacked.
Swords.
Spears.
Muskets.
None of it mattered.
Rio moved like flowing water.
She dodged effortlessly.
Parried attacks.
Countered strikes.
One pirate flew overboard.
Then another.
Then another.
Screams echoed across the desert.
The moment they landed in the sand—
massive sand sharks erupted from below.
The monsters devoured the unfortunate pirates instantly.
Rio watched them disappear.
"...Nature is terrifying."
Several minutes later—
the ship belonged to Crowned Era.
Rio casually steered it back toward the others.
The vessel slid across the sands before stopping nearby.
A wooden ramp dropped.
Ryota immediately climbed aboard.
"Efficient."
Rio smirked.
"Told you."
Ramos looked impressed.
Then slightly concerned.
"Did... did you just steal a ship?"
Rio looked thoughtful.
"Borrow."
"You stole a ship."
"Temporary borrowing."
Sayanaki ignored the discussion and boarded first.
Soon everyone was aboard.
Ramos quickly moved toward the controls.
To everyone's surprise—
he immediately knew what he was doing.
Rio raised an eyebrow.
"You can drive?"
Ramos nodded.
"I worked around shipping routes before."
"I've handled smaller sand vessels."
Rio immediately surrendered command.
"Please take over."
"Gladly."
Ramos began steering.
The ship smoothly turned toward Nendu.
Meanwhile Rio finally sat down and relaxed.
The desert wind felt refreshing.
Ryota dropped down beside her.
For the first time all day—
neither had to fight anything.
At least for the moment.
A few minutes later—
Silla approached Sayanaki.
The assassin sat near the front of the ship sharpening Fenrir's Fang.
Silla hesitated.
Then spoke.
"Can I borrow your dagger?"
Sayanaki looked up.
"What for?"
Silla was quiet for several moments.
Then touched her long orange hair.
"If they're looking for a girl with long orange hair..."
Everyone immediately understood.
Rio slowly sat up.
Sayanaki studied her.
Then silently handed over Fenrir's Fang.
Silla walked toward a nearby crate.
The moonlight illuminated her face.
Without hesitation—
she gathered her hair.
Then cut.
SHHK.
The first section fell.
Then another.
Then another.
Long strands of orange hair drifted across the deck before being carried away by the wind.
Nobody interrupted.
Nobody tried stopping her.
Because everyone understood what this meant.
Silla wasn't simply changing her appearance.
She was leaving behind the girl who had been imprisoned.
The girl who had suffered inside Bunker C.
When she finally finished—
her hair now rested just above her shoulders.
Much shorter.
Much easier to hide.
Much harder to recognize.
Silla stared at her reflection in a polished metal surface.
For a moment—
she barely recognized herself.
Then Sayanaki reached into her inventory.
She pulled out a small bottle.
Purple liquid swirled inside.
Silla blinked.
"Hair dye?"
Sayanaki nodded.
"Use it."
Rio laughed.
"You just carry that around?"
"I prepare for situations."
"That's not a situation."
"It is now."
For the first time all night—
Silla smiled.
A genuine smile.
One that reached her eyes.
And as the sand ship continued sailing through the moonlit desert toward Nendu—
the girl known as Silla slowly disappeared.
While someone new began to emerge.