The first rays of sunlight pierced through the mist, scattering across the still waters, and spilling over Ren's weary body.
A warm current coursed through his veins, the ring on his finger faintly glowing as it quietly restored his vitality, little by little.
Ren leaned back, letting the fatigue drain away, thinking it best to simply let the ring do its work.
Rushing would only tighten both body and mind, and here… at least as far as he could sense, felt safe enough.
He had never once seen a lake monster suddenly leap from the depths to attack a boat. Nor had he heard any player recount such a tale.
"I wonder…" Ren rested his hand on the side of the gondola, gazing into the rippling reflection of the gentle golden dawn. "What's really down there?"
The lake's surface quivered softly, silent enough that his heartbeat and breathing rang clear in his ears.
"I wonder if there are fish…" Ren murmured, his voice so low it was no different from a thought tossed into the void.
He vaguely recalled hearing something about the fourth floor during the Beta test. Back then, Floor 4 was nothing but a barren wasteland, a desert stretching with gravel and sand to the horizon.
But now, before his eyes, was an entirely different world: vast waters, crystal-clear, brimming with the life of grass and trees, with fertile lands spread throughout.
Leaning closer, Ren lowered his face toward the lake and plunged it straight in, wanting to glimpse whatever lay hidden beneath that glassy surface.
A cold sensation wrapped around his skin, the water seeping into his eyes and blurring his vision.
There was nothing, only a murky darkness. But in that instant, his gondola shuddered violently, rocking as if struck from below.
Ren jolted upright, yanking his head from the water.
Wet strands clung to his face, dripping down his neck. He quickly braced against the side of the gondola, trying to steady it amidst the sudden lurching.
But the harder he held on, the more the gondola swayed, making his heart skip a beat.
"Phewww…" Ren exhaled a long breath when he finally managed to steady himself, the boat gradually calming. Relief seeped in. "Good thing I didn't fall into the water."
He pushed his soaked hair back, cold droplets trailing into his collar and making him shiver.
A sigh slipped out, clearing away the haze that had clung to him. The chill, and his careless act, served as a reminder: it was time to stop drifting in idle thoughts.
He needed to return to Rovia. Finish a few unfinished quests, sort through the pile of materials crammed in his storage, and more importantly, prepare for what was to come.
Ren opened the Mini Map, eyes flicking over the glowing marker. He had drifted farther than expected, the gondola carried northward by the currents.
A flicker of annoyance crossed his face, but then he shrugged. "Not too far to make it back."
Settling himself, he tightened his grip on the handle and leaned slightly. The small gondola turned, gliding slowly across the tranquil lake.
The steady lap of water against the hull echoed like a whisper, nudging him gently southward.
In the distance, the outline of Rovia emerged faintly through the mist, like a silhouette waiting for his return.
....
"You know…" Agil folded his arms, gazing out through the shop's doorway at the winding canals bathed in morning light. "The first time I came here, it reminded me of Venice."
A heavy sigh escaped him, his breath mingling with the chill of dawn, weighed down as if by the thought itself.
"Rovia feels like… a meticulously crafted reimagining, but painted over with a layer of Fantasy." He smiled faintly, then his eyes dimmed again. "It reminds me of my honeymoon."
In that moment, Agil's voice wavered, his smile stretching thin with nostalgia. His eyes carried something both sorrowful and anxious, as if part of his heart was still bound to the other world.
Ren remained silent, standing to the side, unsure how to respond, waiting instead for Agil to finish appraising the battle axe in his hands.
It was always difficult to guess where Agil truly belonged.
He appeared like a shadow drifting through Aincrad: sometimes in Floor 3, tending the shop; other times in Floor 4, talking trade; and occasionally, rumors said he'd been seen dealing all the way back on Floor 2.
Ren had even tried returning to Floor 3 to look for him.
The shop was still open, but a stranger managed it, one of Agil's trusted merchant companions.
They weren't a guild, at least not yet, just a party bound by trust and a shared goal.
After asking around, Ren learned that Agil was on the fourth floor. And so he tracked his way here, following the directions given.
"This is good." Agil lowered his voice, his broad hand turning over the item Ren had brought. The corner of his mouth lifted, as if even he was surprised. "Mind if I buy this off you?"
His eyes flickered toward his own battle axe in comparison. The one Ren offered had far superior stats, with two special effects: inflicting burn and boosting the wielder's strength.
A weapon strong enough to last until Floor 7, maybe even Floor 8.
Ren fell silent for a moment, his hand brushing lightly against his chin. At first, he had intended to put it up for auction, where it would surely fetch far more Cor, and draw attention as well.
But if Agil wanted it… Ren couldn't bring himself to turn down someone that reliable.
Agil seemed to catch that hesitation. He set the axe down on the table, smiling. "If this were normal times, I'd tell you to auction it among the player groups. And I'd join in, compete fair and square."
Ren lifted his head. "Normal times?"
The tall man, with his dark skin and shining bald head that usually gave off a sense of trustworthiness, now looked faintly uneasy.
Agil scratched lightly at his scalp, sighing. "You haven't heard? Today's the area boss raid."
That made Ren stiffen for an instant. The air in the shop seemed to thicken around them.
Agil braced his hand on the table, his voice dropping lower.
"Right now, most players are pouring their Cor into supplies, recovery items, teleport crystals, buff food, rather than chasing after new equipment.
A good weapon's always tempting, but once you bring it home you still have to enhance it. And the materials… each one's different, not easy to find at all.
Trust me, nobody has spare Cor for luxuries right now."
"I see. Then just name the price you think is fair." Ren gave a small nod. His tone was calm, almost oddly at ease.
He didn't feel shortchanged at all. If it was Agil, Ren wouldn't mind selling for a little less.
After all, this man had helped him more than once, whether with small bits of trading advice, or other things besides.
Agil glanced up as if to say something more, but only gave a quiet snort through his nose, his smile tinged with a gratitude he couldn't hide.
"But…" Ren blinked, changing his tone. "I only just got back to Rovia this morning. Have the frontliners already found the area boss's location?"
The question drew a pause in the air. Agil leaned back in his chair, one heavy arm resting on the table, his fingers tapping a slow rhythm as if weighing his words.
"Yeah. The news leaked last night," Agil replied, his voice deeper and rougher than usual. "One of the scout groups tracked down its exact position, just north of Rovia."
He stopped for a beat, his expression darkening.
"They only needed a few more hours to return with the report. I also heard that Kirito, along with some info brokers and a few other frontliners, went ahead to observe its skills and attack patterns.
Looks like they want a rough idea before rallying the other groups."
Ren stayed quiet for a while, then gave a slight nod, asking a few more details. Agil explained patiently. The battle with the area boss was scheduled to begin at around 3 p.m. today.
"Unlike a floor boss, an area boss doesn't limit the number of participants," Agil said evenly, though his eyes carried a sharp glint of caution. "Anyone can join, as long as they can still fight. That spreads the pressure out more… but it also makes chaos more likely.
"You'll be going, won't you?" Agil asked, his tone part invitation, part challenge.
Ren lifted his gaze, meeting Agil's steady eyes. After a few seconds of silence, he nodded lightly. "Yeah. I think I'll join."
The corner of Agil's mouth curved as if he had expected nothing less. He gave Ren's shoulder a firm pat before steering the conversation back to business. After some haggling, Ren sold the axe for about 40,000 Cor.
That amount was enough to cover his upgrades and preparations for the coming battle.
There turned out to be more things to handle than he'd thought. First, the apothecary, where he stocked up on health potions and antidotes, the kinds that always ran dry fastest in group battles.
Then the blacksmith, to restore the durability of gear worn down from past fights.
And finally… perhaps most important of all, something simple Ren had put off since morning: lunch.
He suddenly realized how empty his stomach was, growling loudly. Nobody wanted to step into a long battle while starving.
Ren sat down at a small eatery by the canal, where the midday sun shimmered on the water's surface.
The simple flavor of the hot stew spread warmth through him, not only restoring energy but also anchoring his mind back to the present, after hours of wandering thoughts.
(Note: Arghhhh, I've only slept three hours all day today. I'll have to just post one chapter for now. Haizzz, how do I get to sleep 23 hours a day…?)