Ren quickened his pace, catching up to walk beside Asuna. Amidst the rustling sound of boots brushing against dry grass and the whispering wind weaving through the tall trees, his voice broke the stillness, low and gentle, like a soft tap on the silence surrounding them:
"...Thanks."
Just two words...seemingly simple, but hiding something he had hesitated to express since morning.
Asuna tilted her head slightly, her gaze flickering to him for a brief moment. A hint of surprise crossed her face, whether at the gratitude itself or the way Ren voiced it, it wasn't clear. But that expression quickly faded, replaced by her usual aloof demeanor.
"It was just a small thing," she replied, voice light as the breeze, almost indistinct, as if intentionally preserving a safe distance between them.
Ren said nothing for a while. He stared straight ahead, then tilted his head with a slight chuckle, a smile tinged with self-mockery. "I wasn't just talking about this morning. I meant... last time. When I was a bit rude."
His voice remained calm, but a rare hint of regret shone in his eyes.
Asuna stayed silent for a few seconds, then nodded, so slightly it was barely noticeable. "Back then... you were different from now," she said, not accusingly, just as a matter of fact. "But... not entirely…"
Ren faltered slightly. He wasn't surprised by the comment itself, but he hadn't expected it to come from Asuna...someone he thought only watched from afar.
He glanced at her again, wanting to say something… but held back.
And so, the two continued walking, silent as before. Yet somewhere in that nameless distance between them, something, fragile as it was, had begun to change.
"Um… if you don't mind… can I ask you something?"
Asuna suddenly spoke, breaking the quiet like a thin layer of fog being brushed aside.
Ren turned to her, slightly surprised by her uncharacteristic initiative. He was about to respond, but her eyes had already shifted behind him, toward Kirito, who was pretending to walk casually, though his ears were perked up to the max… looking rather ridiculous.
Asuna's glance wasn't sharp, more like a flutter of a butterfly's wings, but it was enough to make Kirito flinch and suddenly pretend to focus on… a rock by the roadside.
Ren stifled a laugh in his throat, but when he turned back, he saw Asuna looking at him. No smile. No teasing. Just a serious expression so intense, for a moment he thought she was about to ask something deeply important.
The air seemed to grow heavy. He took in a silent breath.
Then Asuna spoke, without the slightest hesitation.
"You… what do you use for skincare?"
Ren nearly tripped.
"…Huh?"
Asuna still wore that oddly serious face, as if analyzing a tactical weakness in the floor two boss.
"I mean, your skin… it's not normal at all. In a world full of dust, dryness, and stress, and yet you have zero cracking? Unless…"
She narrowed her eyes, her gaze almost suspicious, "…you have a secret, don't you?"
Kirito grumbled behind them, "Knew it…"
Ren scratched his cheek, unsure how to respond, "I… maybe it's just… getting enough sleep?"
Asuna stared at him for a moment longer, as if assessing the truth of his answer, then turned away slightly and gave a small nod, mumbling to herself like she was making mental notes:
"Enough sleep… hmm… noted…"
Ren blinked, unsure how to react...but inside, a quiet chuckle stirred. Perhaps, in this world, being caught off guard was the best reminder that people still existed… for real.
Then, that faint smile froze at the corner of his lips.
Ren suddenly became aware of it, that feeling that had just passed… like a warm breath. But it vanished just as quickly as it came.
He gently touched his face, the spot where the smile had lingered, as if trying to confirm something he hadn't quite grasped.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled like that. Not the kind of smile meant for polite conversation. Not the hollow smirk worn to pretend everything was fine. But a real smile, even if only for a moment, and for no particular reason.
Maybe… it was just because someone had surprised him. Because the air, for one fleeting second, wasn't so heavy anymore.
Or maybe… it was just because, for once, he could be himself...just a little, in this world.
Ren said nothing more. He kept walking, alongside Asuna and Kirito.
The morning wind swept through the treetops, carrying with it the scent of earth and dew, like a quiet reminder: the road ahead still remains, and the battles still lie ahead.
And in the midst of it all, sometimes, just a single moment of silence is enough for someone to realize they still have emotions left.
The group ventured deeper into the labyrinth like an underground river threading through the earth, silent, heavy, yet carrying an undeniable strength.
They passed through the lowest levels, where the faint light from luminous stones slid across cracked stone walls.
The route guided by Diavel had been checked multiple times, but in the labyrinth...where everything seemed to shift as if it were alive and breathing with human fear, no map or memory could guarantee safety.
The monsters didn't appear too frequently, but waves of attacks still came, testing the group's patience.
Kobolds traveled in packs, though their numbers never exceeded ten. And under the overwhelming force of nearly forty well-armed, organized players, those ambushes were quickly crushed.
No one was injured. At least, not yet.
Ren walked on the edge of the formation, silent. The footsteps of the group blended into a chaotic melody, rustling like wind threading through a mountain pass.
But Ren… he was quiet, as if he existed on a different frequency.
No words, no laughter. Just him and his thoughts.
From time to time, Kibou, who led another small group, approached Ren with a gentle smile. He seemed sincere, the kind of person every team needs: someone who connects, listens, and knows how to reach out at the right moment.
"Ren," Kibou spoke as the two paused in a dry, stony corridor. "Have you considered joining my group? You'd fit in well… really."
"I'm afraid not... but you know... that smile doesn't suit you much either… really." Ren merely smiled and shook his head. Not because he disliked Kibou. Not because he thought the other group was inferior.
He just… didn't fit in with large groups. Every order, every glance, every bit of mutual reliance, each one felt like shackles binding his hands.
In a big party, people easily lose their own voice, and Ren wasn't ready to give that up.
He returned to his position. A three-person team, just right. Not too many, not too few. Just enough for each person to carry their own weight.
Their task was clear: to stop the Ruin Kobold Sentinels, a kind of loyal guard monster that protected the boss, who specialized in flanking and breaking through the main formation from both sides.
They weren't boss-level strong, but they were fast, agile, and extremely difficult to handle if they broke past the front lines.
Ren glanced at Kirito. That player moved like a conscious shadow. No wasted words, no wasted movements—everything about him was impossibly efficient.
Ren had sensed it on the very first day, this guy was strong, but like this... it was beyond what he had imagined.
And Asuna... the flash of steel every time she drew her sword made Ren glance back more than once. Her strikes weren't just fast... they were clean, precise, ruthless. Not a single unnecessary motion, not a single swing that left her exposed.
He didn't say it. There was no need. But deep inside, he knew, if they were ever to clash head-on, three strikes would be enough to bring him down.
Not because Ren was weak. But because Kirito and Asuna operated on a different tempo.
Faster. Sharper. More decisive. They fought like they were born to wield blades, while Ren… he had only learned to use one because this world left no room for those who didn't know how to kill.
Ren wasn't the strongest. Nor the fastest. Nor the smartest. He didn't possess any legendary weapon or rare gear, nor did he have any flashing techniques like the heroes in manga or novels.
But somewhere in the chaos of battle, in the messiest, most tangled moments, he remained standing.
As if there was a different rhythm beating inside his mind, separate from the screams and the clash of metal.
A kind of instinct. A feeling. A sense that let him read the movements of an opponent, see imbalance in a single breath, predict the next strike from a fleeting glance.
The thing that kept him from ever taking the most obvious path, always slipping through unnoticed gaps.
Or at least… he believed so.
Maybe it was just a delusion built on pride. A voice inside whispering that he had something, something that kept him from being left behind.
Or… maybe it was a lie. A beautiful illusion he had crafted to avoid collapsing.
A mental lifeline to avoid admitting that he was just drifting behind others, struggling not to be forgotten in the crowd.
And whatever it was, Ren kept moving forward.
Not because he believed he was special.
But because if he stopped, there would be nothing left.
After nearly an hour of leaving the town of Tolbana, crossing misty sparse forests and long, cold stone hallways in the labyrinth...
Finally, after more than thirty minutes of groping through winding, unlit corridors, the door appeared.
Towering. Silent. Steadfast like a wall dividing this world from the realm of the dead.
A massive door, three times the height of an adult, carved with bizarre symbols that no one wanted to stare at for long.
The light from the magic stones embedded in the walls reflected off the dull metal surface, making it look as if it were… breathing. As if the door itself were alive, waiting.
No one needed to ask. No one needed confirmation. Anyone could recognize this sign. Even if they weren't among those who had played the Beta version…
But this time, it was no longer a game.
This was the door to the first-floor boss room.
The air felt thick. Each step echoed like a tolling warning bell.
Some people began checking their gear one last time; some gripped their hilts tightly, others swallowed subconsciously. No one spoke. No one smiled.
Ren stood among the crowd, eyes locked on the door as if gazing into an inescapable fate.
In that moment, he no longer heard footsteps, whispers, or even his own breath.
Only a deep, low echo in his mind, not fear, but awareness.
That beyond that door… everything could change.