The journey across the desert continued beneath a sky filled with countless stars.
The stolen sand ship glided over the endless dunes while the cold night wind swept across its deck. What had started as a fortunate acquisition was rapidly becoming a liability.
The vessel had suffered extensive damage.
Between the pirate crew Rio had forcibly removed, the rough handling during its capture, and the relentless attacks from sand sharks during the voyage, the ship was barely holding itself together.
Every few minutes another violent impact would shake the hull.
Wood splintered.
Metal groaned.
The ship creaked like an old man on his deathbed.
Ramos glanced down at the steering controls and frowned.
"She's not going to last much longer."
Rio looked up from where she sat against a crate.
"How bad?"
Ramos hesitated.
"Honestly?"
"Very."
The ship suddenly lurched.
A massive sand shark burst from beneath the dunes and slammed against the underside of the vessel before disappearing back beneath the sands.
The impact caused another section of railing to break apart.
Ryota watched a plank fly off into the desert.
"...Yeah."
"I think the ship agrees."
Even Sayanaki looked mildly concerned.
Which meant the situation was significantly worse than anyone wanted to admit.
Fortunately—
their destination finally appeared on the horizon.
A collection of lights flickered beneath the moonlit sky.
Buildings.
Windmills.
Watchtowers.
Life.
The Village of Savan.
Ramos immediately pointed toward it.
"There."
"We made it."
Relief washed across the group.
An hour later—
the damaged vessel finally came to a stop near the outskirts of the village.
The moment everyone stepped off the ship, the vessel visibly sagged.
Several support beams snapped.
A section of the deck collapsed inward.
Rio stared at it.
"...Yeah."
"That thing is dead."
Ramos nodded.
"Beyond repair."
Ryota walked over.
Cracked his neck.
Then casually activated Scalular Impact.
Blue energy gathered around his arm.
The force compressed.
Condensed.
Focused.
Then—
BOOOOOOM!
His punch connected with the ship.
The entire vessel exploded apart.
Wooden debris launched across the desert.
The remains of the sand ship scattered across the dunes.
Silence followed.
Rio blinked.
"That was unnecessary."
Ryota shrugged.
"It felt necessary."
Sayanaki simply ignored them.
She was already preparing for the next stage of their journey.
A few minutes later—
the group began walking toward Savan.
The village rested between two massive sandstone ridges and acted as one of the primary stopping points before travelers reached Nendu.
Unlike Versoza, which felt like a bustling trade city, Savan felt smaller.
More grounded.
More practical.
Merchants traveled through it constantly.
Adventurers rested there before attempting longer journeys.
Caravans frequently stopped to replenish supplies.
Even from a distance they could hear the noise.
Conversations.
Laughter.
Trade negotiations.
Music.
The atmosphere felt surprisingly peaceful.
Before they reached the entrance—
Sayanaki suddenly stopped.
"Wait."
Everyone looked at her.
She reached into her inventory.
Two dark travel cloaks appeared.
She handed one to Ramos.
The other to Silla.
"Put these on."
Neither questioned her.
A few moments later both had concealed themselves beneath the heavy fabric.
Then Sayanaki continued walking.
Only stopping again once they reached the outer edge of the village.
Ramos looked confused.
"Why are we stopping?"
Without saying a word—
Sayanaki pointed toward a nearby tree.
Several notices had been nailed into its trunk.
Quest postings.
Merchant advertisements.
Travel requests.
And—
wanted posters.
Ramos slowly approached.
Then froze.
His face immediately turned pale.
Because staring back at him—
was himself.
A detailed sketch.
His face.
His clothing.
Even his name.
Below it was another poster.
Silla.
Long orange hair.
Blue eyes.
The same appearance she had before cutting her hair.
Both posters offered rewards.
Substantial rewards.
Ramos swallowed.
"They..."
"They already found us?"
Rio folded her arms.
"They found out you escaped."
Sayanaki nodded.
"Which means every mercenary guild, bounty hunter, and greedy player in the region is looking."
The realization visibly unsettled Ramos.
Even Silla looked nervous.
Thankfully—
the portrait no longer resembled her.
Not after cutting her hair.
Not after changing her appearance.
Sayanaki looked toward them.
"You two stay out here."
Ramos immediately nodded.
Then looked confused.
"What about supplies?"
Rio smiled.
"We'll handle that."
Silla opened her mouth.
Then Rio pointed at her.
"Not you."
The girl blinked.
"Huh?"
"You're coming with us."
Sayanaki nodded.
"Nobody knows what she looks like now."
"She's safe."
Rio turned toward Ramos.
"Sayanaki will stay with you."
The farmer immediately looked relieved.
Then looked at Sayanaki.
Then looked terrified again.
The assassin noticed.
"...What?"
"N-Nothing."
"Good."
Several minutes later—
Rio.
Ryota.
And Silla entered the village.
The streets were crowded despite the late hour.
Players moved between shops.
NPC merchants advertised goods.
Blacksmiths worked near open furnaces.
Food stalls lined the streets.
The smell alone nearly made Ryota stop walking.
Fresh bread.
Roasted meat.
Spiced vegetables.
Sweet pastries.
His stomach immediately growled.
Rio sighed.
"We literally ate earlier."
"I can eat again."
"Of course you can."
The trio spent the next hour gathering supplies.
Food.
Medical items.
Water containers.
Clothing.
Travel equipment.
Everything they would need before heading toward Nendu.
For Silla especially.
Rio made sure she received proper clothes instead of the worn garments she had escaped in.
The girl looked almost embarrassed when Rio insisted on buying them.
Eventually—
their shopping finally ended.
They walked through one of the village's central streets.
And that was when Rio suddenly stopped.
Completely.
Her eyes narrowed.
Ryota noticed immediately.
"What?"
Rio didn't answer.
She simply stared.
Then pointed.
Across the street.
Near one of the larger restaurants.
Two familiar figures entered through the front doors.
A woman with long blue hair.
And another with crimson-red hair.
Ryota blinked.
Then did a double take.
"...No way."
Rio smirked.
"That's what I thought."
Silla looked confused.
"You know them?"
Rio nodded.
"Very well."
The silver-haired guild leader stared toward the restaurant entrance.
Because there was no mistaking them.
Kiraya.
And Hinabi.
Two people Rio never expected to find in a random village on Floor Two.
Especially not together.
Ryota scratched his head.
"Weren't they with Eternity Lions?"
Rio's smile slowly widened.
"Looks like something happened."
Kiraya and Hinabi disappeared into the restaurant.
Without hesitation—
Rio immediately began walking.
Ryota sighed.
"I already know that look."
"What look?"
"The one that means we're getting involved."
Rio ignored him.
Silla followed curiously behind.
The three of them crossed the street.
Approached the restaurant.
And stepped inside.
None of them knew it yet—
but this chance encounter was about to change far more than their travel plans.
The restaurant was far busier than Rio had expected.
Warm lantern light illuminated the interior while dozens of conversations blended together into a constant hum of activity.
Travelers occupied most of the tables.
Some were merchants discussing business.
Others were adventurers resting after long journeys.
Several players sat around large tables celebrating successful quests while NPC servers moved between them carrying trays filled with food and drinks.
The smell alone was enough to make Ryota hungry again despite eating not long ago.
Fresh bread.
Grilled meat.
Stew.
Spices.
The atmosphere felt welcoming.
Comfortable.
Normal.
A sharp contrast to everything they had experienced over the past few days.
Rio immediately spotted Kiraya and Hinabi sitting near one of the corner tables.
The two women were halfway through a meal.
Kiraya appeared relaxed.
Hinabi looked far calmer than Rio remembered.
Both seemed surprised by something on the menu they were discussing.
Then Rio approached.
Neither noticed her at first.
Not until she stopped directly beside the table.
"Fancy meeting you here."
Kiraya froze.
Hinabi blinked.
Both slowly looked up.
The moment they recognized the silver-haired girl standing there—
their eyes widened.
"...Rio?"
Kiraya nearly dropped her fork.
Behind Rio stood Ryota and Silla.
The sight only made the situation feel more unbelievable.
For a moment Kiraya genuinely wondered if she was hallucinating.
The last report she had heard placed Rio somewhere near Versoza.
Not in a random village restaurant.
Not standing directly in front of her.
Rio smiled.
"Long time no see."
Kiraya immediately stood.
A grin spread across her face.
"Long time no see?"
"That's your greeting?"
Rio shrugged.
"It worked."
Kiraya laughed.
A genuine laugh.
The first one she'd had all day.
Hinabi shook her head.
"I should've known."
"Only you would somehow appear in the middle of nowhere."
Ryota pulled over a chair.
"To be fair..."
"We're usually in trouble when that happens."
Rio kicked him under the table.
Ryota immediately regretted speaking.
Silla quietly sat beside Rio while the others gathered around the table.
For several minutes the conversation remained light.
They talked about recent adventures.
Travel.
Floor Two.
Guild activities.
The atmosphere felt surprisingly pleasant.
Especially considering how long it had been since they had last seen each other.
Kiraya seemed happier than Rio expected.
That alone caught her attention.
Because normally someone who had recently lost an important position wouldn't be smiling.
Eventually Ryota looked around.
Then frowned.
Something finally clicked in his head.
A realization.
One that immediately felt strange.
He looked toward Kiraya.
Then toward Hinabi.
Then back toward Kiraya.
"Wait."
Kiraya raised an eyebrow.
"Hm?"
Ryota scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Why aren't you with Eternity Lions?"
The table grew slightly quieter.
The question wasn't malicious.
Everyone knew that.
But it was still sensitive.
Even Ryota realized it halfway through asking.
"Oh."
He immediately looked embarrassed.
"I'm sorry."
"You don't have to answer."
Kiraya laughed.
To everyone's surprise.
"No, it's fine."
Her smile remained surprisingly relaxed.
"I'm alright."
Rio noticed that.
The old Kiraya would've looked angry.
Frustrated.
Bitter.
But she didn't.
There was sadness.
Of course there was.
But there was also acceptance.
Kiraya leaned back in her chair.
Then exhaled slowly.
"Well..."
"I guess there's no point hiding it."
Hinabi quietly listened.
She already knew the story.
Rio folded her arms.
Listening carefully.
Kiraya began.
"A few days ago..."
"The guild shareholders held a meeting."
Her smile faded slightly.
"Eternity Lions is merging."
Ryota blinked.
"Merging?"
Kiraya nodded.
"With two other guilds."
Rio immediately understood.
"Burning Pride."
Kiraya nodded.
"And Dark Wing."
The moment those names were spoken—
Rio understood exactly where this was going.
Three major guilds.
Pooling resources.
Pooling members.
Pooling influence.
On paper—
it was a brilliant decision.
A super guild.
A force capable of competing with the strongest groups on Floor One.
Maybe even Floor Two.
Strategically—
it made perfect sense.
Emotionally—
it was a disaster.
Kiraya continued.
"The shareholders already agreed."
"The leadership already agreed."
"The merger was basically decided before the meeting even started."
Ryota frowned.
"That sounds unfair."
Kiraya smiled weakly.
"Welcome to guild politics."
Nobody laughed.
Because she wasn't joking.
Rio knew exactly how these things worked.
Power.
Money.
Influence.
Sometimes those mattered more than the players actually fighting.
Kiraya continued.
"The problem wasn't the merger itself."
That surprised everyone.
Ryota blinked.
"You weren't against it?"
Kiraya shook her head.
"No."
"I just thought it was being rushed."
She looked toward the table.
"The guild wasn't ready."
"The members weren't ready."
"The officers weren't ready."
Hinabi nodded quietly.
Rio could tell she agreed.
Kiraya continued.
"I wanted more discussion."
"More preparation."
"More transparency."
Her expression darkened slightly.
"But apparently that made me a problem."
The bitterness finally surfaced.
Only for a moment.
But everyone noticed it.
"What happened?"
Rio asked.
Kiraya sighed.
"The shareholders decided to remove me."
Silence.
Even though they already knew the answer—
hearing it directly still felt different.
Kiraya looked almost amused by the absurdity.
"I was told I would no longer be Vice Guild Leader."
"They said another officer would be taking my position."
Ryota's eyes widened.
"They actually did that?"
Kiraya nodded.
"Apparently I was too likely to cause problems."
The statement sounded ridiculous.
Everyone at the table knew it.
Kiraya was one of the most loyal people they knew.
One of the people who helped build Eternity Lions from the beginning.
She had spent countless hours helping recruits.
Leading raids.
Organizing events.
Supporting members.
And after all of that—
she became expendable.
Rio quietly listened.
Her expression unreadable.
Kiraya continued.
"They thought I'd oppose the merger."
"So they removed me before it happened."
A bitter laugh escaped her.
"I didn't even get the chance."
For a few moments nobody spoke.
Then Hinabi finally entered the conversation.
"And that's why I left too."
Everyone looked toward her.
The former Burning Pride officer crossed her arms.
"If Kiraya wasn't staying..."
"Neither was I."
Her voice was firm.
Without hesitation.
Without regret.
"I joined because I believed in the people."
"Not the shareholders."
Rio smiled slightly.
That answer sounded exactly like Hinabi.
Kiraya looked toward her friend.
"You really didn't have to."
Hinabi immediately shook her head.
"Yes."
"I did."
The sincerity in her voice surprised even Kiraya.
Hinabi continued.
"I watched what happened."
"I watched them throw away someone who spent years helping build that guild."
Her eyes narrowed.
"If they can do that to you..."
"What makes you think they won't do it to everyone else eventually?"
Nobody had an answer.
Because the question didn't need one.
Kiraya looked away.
Clearly emotional.
Though she tried hiding it.
Rio noticed.
Of course she did.
Then the silver-haired guild leader smiled.
A small smile.
The dangerous kind.
The kind that usually meant she was thinking several steps ahead.
Kiraya immediately recognized it.
And became concerned.
"...Why are you smiling like that?"
Rio leaned back.
"Nothing."
"That's a lie."
"It is."
Ryota immediately pointed at Rio.
"Whenever she says 'nothing,' something ridiculous happens."
Rio ignored him.
But internally—
she was already thinking.
Because two highly skilled players.
One former vice guild leader.
One former officer.
Had just become guildless.
And Rio knew exactly how valuable both of them were.
Especially Kiraya.
The woman who had stood beside Elias from the very beginning.
The woman who helped build Eternity Lions.
The woman who had just been abandoned by the people she helped support.
Across the table—
Kiraya suddenly felt a strange chill.
As if someone was looking at her the same way merchants looked at rare treasure.
She slowly turned toward Rio.
Rio's smile somehow became even wider.
Kiraya immediately became nervous.
"...Rio."
"Hm?"
"Whatever you're thinking..."
Rio innocently tilted her head.
"...I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."
Ryota covered his face.
Hinabi sighed.
And for the first time all evening—
Kiraya genuinely began to worry.