"Ren!"
Isolde's cheerful voice rang out the moment Ren appeared at the gates of Ironto Village, the afternoon sun gleaming on the rooftops of the small settlement.
Since Ren had defeated the boss, everyone in the party automatically received their EXP and gil rewards. Their bodies were restored too, materializing back into the game world from their ghostly wisp form—though each of them still had a rather humbling +1 HP blinking on their health bars.
Ren wasted no time. The first thing he did was send a party message:
[Ren: Meet me at Ironto Village. We'll split the loot there.]
He knew better than to handle treasure division near Venezia Village, where half of Poison Viper Guild was still camping and sulking in the chat channels. They'd lost the boss, the glory, and their pride—and Ren wasn't about to give them another reason to pick a fight.
A few minutes later, his teammates arrived.
"Geez, what took you so long?" Leonel called out as he jogged toward him, his stubby legs pumping like pistons. "I thought you ran off with the loot!"
Ragnar rubbed a hand across his hair and sighed. "It's in the group inventory, idiot. He can't take anything out unless we all approve it. Didn't you read the game guide?"
Leonel blinked. "Who reads that boring stuff? Just show me the treasure already!"
Ren chuckled softly. "We'll open it inside the inn. Safer that way."
"Good idea," Isolde agreed immediately. "Let's move before someone sees us."
The group rented a private room at Ironto's modest tavern. The room wasn't much—just a round table, four chairs, and a single window overlooking the marketplace—but it came with privacy mode, which meant no eavesdropping players could overhear or intrude.
As soon as the door clicked shut, they all sat down, eyes glittering with anticipation.
"Alright," Ren said, pulling up the party's shared loot. "Let's see what our hard work got us."
[GOLD CHEST]
❶ High Potion x10
❷ Antidote x10
❸ Black Silk Thread x10
❺ Recipes:
Dry Curry (Cooking)
Ultimate Curry (Cooking)
Grape Juice (Cooking)
Dark Javelin (Forging)
[PLATINUM CHEST]
❶ Black Carapace Shield x1
❷ Spider Silk Suit x1
❸ Ring of Darkvision x1
[Black Carapace Shield (Rare)]
– Made from the Maiden of Agony's hardened exoskeleton.
– Resists Poison.
– +5 HP / +3 DEF / +2 MDEF
– Class: Defender, Swordsman
[Spider Silk Suit (Rare)]
– A sleek black bodysuit woven from the Maiden's silk.
– Increases agility and allows wall-climbing or hanging upside down.
– +5 AGL
– Class: Hunter, Sniper (FEMALE ONLY)
[Ring of Darkvision (Rare)]
– Moonstone wrapped in tendon fibers.
– Grants sight in darkness up to ten meters.
– Class: ALL
"Whoa! Look at this haul!" Leonel's eyes sparkled like gemstones. "A Platinum Chest with Rare gear! We hit the jackpot!"
He immediately snatched the shield icon with reverence. "Oh, baby . . . you're mine now."
Isolde giggled, admiring the Spider Silk Suit. "It was totally worth the risk."
Ragnar crossed his arms, unimpressed. "Easy for you two to say. Those items are literally tailored for your classes—and your gender."
Ren stayed quiet, though he felt the same sting of disappointment. He'd hoped for something—anything—he could use. But that was how loot worked: the system didn't care who carried the team; it only cared about probability tables.
Still, he wasn't one to sulk. He'd already decided he wanted the Black Silk Thread instead. The material was invaluable—used for high-grade armor crafting—and it only dropped from the Maiden of Agony. Normally, the drop rate was just 20%, even with high Luck. Ten pieces in one run? That was practically divine generosity.
Maybe that was the First Blood bonus at work.
Ren looked at the others and divided the loot without hesitation. "Leonel gets the shield, Isolde gets the suit, Ragnar gets the ring. I'll take the materials and recipes."
Ragnar hesitated. "You sure? The ring's not that great. You did most of the work."
Ren smiled faintly as he examined the shimmering black thread between his fingers. It was so soft it almost melted in his hand, the surface glossy enough to reflect his own face. "It's fine. These materials are worth plenty on their own."
Isolde still looked guilty. "You really don't mind? You're the one who actually killed the boss."
Ren shrugged. "I can't wear a bodysuit or wield a shield. It's better this way. Besides," he added with a creepy smile, "You all died for me."
Isolde laughed despite herself. Then, unable to resist, she equipped the Spider Silk Suit.
Light shimmered across her form as her ragged beginner outfit vanished, replaced by a sleek black bodysuit with silver-white joints that resembled spider bones running along her limbs and torso. It clung to her like a second skin.
Even Ragnar couldn't help but mutter, "Impressive craftsmanship."
Leonel gave a dramatic thumbs-up. "You look amazing! Very sex- . . . uh . . . stealthy."
"Thanks," Isolde replied, smiling proudly.
Ren cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the table. "Let's not forget to divide the potions. I'll take the extras since I didn't get gear."
Everyone agreed easily enough. It was fair.
When the loot was settled, Leonel pumped his fist in the air. "Alright! On to the next dungeon! I can't wait to try this baby out!"
He swung the Black Carapace Shield experimentally—then immediately dropped it on his foot.
"OW!—I mean . . . hahahaha! Totally fine. Didn't hurt at all."
Ragnar sighed and rubbed his temples. "A clumsy Defender. That's a first."
"Hey! Every great warrior has humble beginnings!" Leonel declared proudly, puffing out his chest.
Isolde giggled. "More like bumbling beginnings."
Ren shook his head with amusement. The banter was refreshing after the chaos of the dungeon.
Just as Isolde was about to suggest another raid, her menu screen flickered.
"Ah . . ." Her eyes widened at the caller ID. "My father's calling."
Leonel blinked. "Your real-life father?"
Isolde nodded quickly. "He must've finished his meeting early. I need to log out. It might be important."
No one protested. It wasn't uncommon for players to juggle family obligations in between sessions.
Leonel stretched his arms. "Actually . . . I gotta log out too. My café's full. They're making everyone take turns because of the server rush."
He sighed wistfully. "And just when I finally got a cool shield, too."
Ren glanced toward Ragnar, realizing the room would be awkward if it were just the two of them.
Ragnar seemed to read his thoughts. "Don't worry. I'll go grind solo for a bit. There's an area near Erendia I want to check out."
Ren nodded, keeping his face neutral. "Then I guess I'll be solo for a while too."
Leonel gave him a mock pout. "Aww, you'll miss me when I'm gone. Who's gonna tank for you now, huh? You'll die in five seconds out there."
Ren's expression didn't change. "Maybe. Or maybe I'll last six."
The dwarf barked a laugh, then waved as his avatar shimmered and logged out. "Don't get too lonely without me!"
A second later, Isolde vanished too, leaving only Ren and Ragnar.
Ragnar gave a curt nod. "Until next time." Then he teleported out.
Ren exhaled softly, finally alone in the inn's quiet. The flickering candlelight cast long shadows across the room, reflecting off the polished silver thread in his hand.
The raid had been a success—profitable, even—but he hadn't gotten the gear he wanted.
No matter. There were more dungeons to clear, more secrets to uncover.
Unlike regular monsters, dungeon bosses dropped equipment and Platinum Chests, not just materials. If he wanted to upgrade his armor, he'd have to keep raiding.
He opened the World Chat tab, planning to look for new dungeon parties.
Before he could scroll through the messages, however, a new notification popped up in the corner of his screen.
[Silvia: Are you free right now?]
Ren blinked. His brows furrowed slightly, curiosity flickering in his silver cold eyes.
Silvia?
He hadn't heard from her in a while.
Without thinking, he opened the message.