The battle started swiftly and unexpectedly...but ended just as quickly.
Within minutes, silence had returned, broken only by heavy breathing and the lingering traces of the skirmish just passed.
Ren sheathed his sword. His weary legs gave way, and he sank to the ground, gasping for breath.
Disorientation and fatigue washed over him, yet he couldn't ignore the cold sweat trickling down his brow.
With trembling hands, he opened his inventory and retrieved a small healing potion. The cap popped off with ease, and Ren drank it in one gulp, unfazed by the bitter taste.
He took another sip, not because he needed to, but simply because of the unshakable exhaustion.
HP: 120/525
HP: 305/525
After downing more than half the bottle, his body felt slightly recovered, but not whole.
Regaining a bit of composure, Ren stowed the potion away and quickly scanned his surroundings.
He let out a sigh of relief upon seeing that no one appeared seriously injured.
Nautilus and Yuna were alright, tired, perhaps, but nothing seemed alarming. Yet that didn't bring Ren any comfort.
Meanwhile, Diavel and the other three still stood tall, completely unaffected.
They didn't even look tired, as if the recent battle had been nothing more than a warm-up, nothing to worry about.
They remained composed, ready for whatever challenge came next.
And in that moment, Ren couldn't help but feel the stark difference.
They needed to stay in top form, as if something greater still loomed ahead.
As for him... he was just one of them. Someone who could never quite step out of that shadow, not even once.
Ren rose to his feet, his body still stiff, as though every muscle had been pushed to its limit.
He looked over at Yuna and Nautilus, his gaze filled with concern.
He pulled a fresh potion from his inventory, hoping it might help them recover quickly, so they could keep going together.
But just as he moved to offer the bottle to Yuna, a figure stepped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks.
"Yuna, Nautilus, take these." Chest's voice rang out, firm and without hesitation.
He stood there calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. His eyes met no one's in particular; he was simply doing what he always did.
With his usual efficiency, Chest handed each of them a healing potion, no discussion needed.
There was nothing grand or special about his actions. It was just part of the rhythm of things, part of the responsibilities Chest had carried for a long time.
He was the one who supported everyone in the group, always doing what needed to be done without ever being asked.
In moments like these, when everything felt disordered, Chest was the one who kept the formation grounded, who never faltered before the next challenge.
Ren looked at Chest, a heavy feeling settling in his chest.
He felt a quiet bitterness, an emotion too vague to name.
Chest, an irreplaceable part of the team, always knew how to make things run smoothly. A presence that was never absent in any fight.
But as a supporter, someone always in the background, perhaps he had never truly been recognized for his real worth.
Ren said nothing more. He knew Chest didn't need gratitude, didn't want praise.
He did it all for the team, for those around him, never asking for anything in return from the ones he protected.
"Um... Ren... was there something you needed?" Yuna's voice came unexpectedly, gentle, but tinged with a cold distance. Her concern didn't feel heartfelt, more like a reflex of social politeness.
She smiled, but the smile lacked warmth. There was a subtle, invisible wall between her and Ren, one neither of them could cross.
Ren's heart sank. A discomfort crept in, tightening every feature of his face.
He suddenly realized the growing distance between them, the unspoken divide he hadn't wanted to admit. For a moment, he couldn't find the words to say, he simply hid the small potion behind his back, as if it were something to be ashamed of.
"It's nothing. I just wanted to make sure... everyone was alright." His voice came out dry, strained, despite his efforts to sound calm.
But no one can lie to themselves forever, especially not when the feeling of being left behind is this strong.
He lowered his head, his face shadowed by the hood of his armor, though it couldn't fully hide the unease in his eyes.
He felt like an outsider, someone standing apart, trying to join in, yet never able to find his place. And that feeling... hurt more than he expected.
Yuna gave a slight nod. Her eyes briefly swept over him before drifting elsewhere.
Her smile was merely a formality, detached from any real emotion.
"I'm fine," she said, and then turned away, as if unwilling to leave space for any unspoken questions.
Ren remained where he was, the emptiness inside him swelling.
Yuna's words, her nod, everything cut into him like invisible blades.
He couldn't quite define the feeling, only that it hurt, like a wound that refused to heal.
He kept standing there.
No one noticed.
No one looked back.
And the hollowness in Ren's chest grew heavier and heavier, like a part of him had been lost.
They could take care of themselves now, but Ren knew he was no longer as important as he once was.
People like Chest, though never shining in the spotlight, were the ones who held the formation together, while he... he was just a quiet shadow.
Ren stepped away a little, once again enveloped by the feeling of being out of place.
He looked at the people around him, those who seemed to need no words to make everything feel stable.
And he... he could only stand on the sidelines, watching them like a stranger within his own team.
Ren turned around, walking back to his place, each step heavy, as if he were carrying an invisible weight.
He didn't notice it, but Yuna's eyes were still following him. A flicker of confusion flashed in her gaze, like an undercurrent she couldn't suppress.
But just a moment later, that look faded, replaced by a sorrow she could no longer hide.
She pressed her lips together tightly, as if trying to hold her emotions in, refusing to let herself appear weak, even though, deep down, she might have also felt the distance growing between them.
But Yuna wasn't the only one paying attention to Ren.Nautilus, his eyes still tired from the battle, couldn't take his gaze off him either.
He said nothing, merely watched silently as Ren's figure disappeared into the shadows of the mine.
A soft, heavy sigh escaped his throat.
A sense of helplessness seemed to weigh down on him, but he had no idea what to do or say to break the awkward silence.
And it wasn't just the two of them watching him.
Diavel, standing nearby, his sharp eyes always attentive to the movements of those around him.
He didn't show much emotion, but there was a contemplative glint in his gaze.
A passing thought, as if he understood exactly what was happening between the three of them.
He didn't speak, just stood there, watching Ren intently, as though he had sensed the imbalance in the group—but didn't know how to intervene.
Everyone was silent, each lost in their own thoughts, yet none could deny the rising tension among them.
After a moment of stillness, everyone had rested and recovered their strength, Diavel stepped forward, his expression serious, devoid of the usual cheer he often carried.
The faint torchlight illuminated the dirt and dust clinging to his armor.
The group fell silent, sensing that something important was about to be announced.
Diavel stood at the center, his eyes sharp and resolute. The air inside the mine felt heavy, as if everything had been building toward an inevitable moment.
He didn't delay. After sweeping his gaze around the group, he spoke firmly:
"Today, we will strike the boss of this mine."
His words cut through the tension like a blade. All eyes instantly turned to Diavel.
Just one short sentence, but it carried both resolution and immense danger.
"The thing responsible for the continuous tremors recently.
Those quakes haven't only shaken the deeper areas, but have also driven monsters into a frenzy, pushing them up to the higher levels.
Some of them have even escaped entirely, leaving the mine behind."His voice deepened, steady, without a trace of fear or hesitation.
"And there are signs that it's not just earthquakes… something deeper within the earth is changing. Something bigger than we expected."
His words forced each member of the group to think about the danger that awaited them.
Ren, though showing nothing outwardly except quiet, felt a rising unease in his heart.
That something bigger was not something he could easily accept.
Fighting monsters often made him think of life and death, but this time, it might not be so simple.
Diavel continued, his determined gaze passing over every person in the group.
"We don't have time to hesitate anymore. If we don't act today, this thing will cause even more serious problems.
It's not just a normal boss, it's a threat to the entire mine. And if we don't stop it, more monsters will keep pouring out, and more players will be in danger."
He stared directly at them, his eyes unwavering. "Everyone will take part. No one stands aside. This is a battle we cannot afford to lose."
Silence fell again. Each member of the group...Yuna, Nautilus, and the others, were preparing themselves mentally for the coming fight.
There was no room left for doubts or chatter. Diavel had made his decision, and no one could go against it.
Ren felt the atmosphere heavier than ever before. He quietly tightened his grip on his sword, knowing that whatever they were about to face wouldn't be easy.
Everything around him felt blurry, like a high-stakes gamble, with no way of knowing how it would end.