"Five silver coins—that's five hundred copper. Just enough for two Teleport Crystals to Mist Gorge. The rest can go into upgrading gear… or buying a few consumables."
Lina split the coins into two neat piles, sliding one toward Kiriya. Her fingertips accidentally brushed against the back of his hand—it was cool to the touch, like smooth jade. Startled, she pulled back instinctively."Your Sin Points… won't the guards target you when we go back to town?"
Kiriya glanced at the faint crimson marker in the corner of his vision before scooping the coins into his bag."Two hundred points just puts me under 'priority watch'. As long as I stay clear of the guard towers near the town center, I'll be fine."
He dug through his inventory and pulled out two hardtack rations—game-issued supplies used to restore stamina. The dry biscuits had a faint milky sweetness as he bit into one."I know a back road that bypasses the patrols and leads straight to the level sixteen Spider Nest."
"You even looked that up?" Lina raised a brow, surprised. Most solo players she knew played by instinct; someone who mapped escape routes in advance was rare.
"Just a habit." Kiriya kept it vague. In truth, he had memorized the secret path coordinates while reading dungeon guides the night before. He handed her the other ration."Eat. The Shadow Venom in the Spider Nest causes constant HP drain."
As the milk-scented taste spread across her tongue, Lina suddenly smiled."You remind me of one of my friends in real life—whenever we had exams coming up, she'd have every contingency planned. Even carried spare pens in case one ran out of ink."
She gazed up at the crack in the mine ceiling where the bluish glow of mineral veins leaked through, casting scattered shadows over her lashes."I used to lead new members in my school club. Every event, I'd have backup plans for everything."
"Club?" Kiriya's only image of that word was "rehearsals, all-nighters," and similar scenarios.
"Pretty much the real-life equivalent of running dungeons." Lina broke off pieces of the ration and fed them to a virtual squirrel that had wandered nearby."You have to coordinate roles, deal with small conflicts, and keep an eye out for slackers. Just like that Corroded Crown squad earlier—there's always someone trying to hog the spotlight."
Her comparison made Kiriya think of guild battles and those teammates who would ninja-loot gear. His lips curved in a rare hint of a smile."Then you're better at this than I am. I can't handle that sort of thing."
"That's why I came to the game—to relax." Lina turned her head toward him, her ice-blue eyes shining brightly in the dark."But after meeting you… it feels like I'm leading a party all over again."
She paused, then suddenly changed the subject."By the way, during that last hit against your clone, wasn't your damage a bit higher than when we entered the dungeon?"
Kiriya's movement faltered ever so slightly. He had felt it too—the resonance between his clone and his real body had grown stronger during the boss fight. He just hadn't expected Lina to notice such a subtle shift.
"Phantom Swordsman trait." He chose to offer a half-truth."Leveling up also powers up the clone."
"Knew it!" Lina said with certainty."When you hit level fifteen, your clone's Step technique became more agile—like it had… its own judgment?"
She leaned closer, her hair brushing across Kiriya's shoulder."So when you hit level twenty, does that unlock a new ability? Like… more clones?"
Her warm breath, laced with the sweetness of hardtack, brushed against his ear, and for some reason Kiriya felt the tips of his ears heat up. He edged back slightly, regaining his composure only when his back bumped against the cold rock wall."The class manual doesn't say. We'll only know once I reach the level."
That much was true. His hidden class description had always read, "More potential unlocked as level increases." The rest was obscured under a layer of gray mist, revealing new details only when the required level was reached.
Lina, however, looked delighted by the mystery."Then let's hurry up and hit level twenty! I bet you'll get at least one more clone. Then we can try four-way surround tactics!"
She pulled out a map and spread it on the ground, tapping a mark near the Spider Nest."There's a level-twenty elite monster here—the Venom Widow. Rumor has it it drops the Shadowweave Cloak. That might make you even stronger."
Watching her circle and scribble notes across the map, Kiriya suddenly felt their leveling plan wasn't so dull after all. He recalled the seamless coordination between himself and his clone during the boss fight—that silent, wordless synchronization was something he had never experienced while soloing.
"So… where do you live in real life?" Lina suddenly asked.
"City A, near the university district." Kiriya gave a vague answer, his fingers unconsciously tracing the grip pattern on his sword hilt.
"No way?" Lina's eyes lit up."I'm in City A too! I live in the High-Tech District—just a few subway stops from the campus area. We might've passed each other before!"
The thought made Kiriya's heart skip. He pictured the crowded subway station and wondered if, among the throngs of commuters, he might have once brushed past this silver-haired girl without knowing she was his partner in this virtual world.
"Maybe." He gave a soft reply, eyes shifting back to the Spider Nest on the map."We should get going. It'll be dark soon."
As Lina folded the map, she suddenly remembered something and dug out a glass bottle from her inventory."Almost forgot—here. Moonwell Water. Temporarily boosts mana regen."
She pressed it into Kiriya's hand, the glass still carrying her warmth."Your clone burns mana too fast—you'll need this when things get rough."
Just as their fingers brushed, the system chimed:[Player Lina has gifted you 'Moonwell Water' ×1. Accept?]
Kiriya stared at the Accept button. Not long ago, they'd kept ten meters apart at all times. Now they were sharing supplies as if it were second nature.
He clicked Accept. The bottle felt cool in his hand, yet somehow it eased the restless edge of his high Sin Points."Thanks."
"You're welcome." Lina grinned, darting toward the mine exit. The arc of her silver-white cloak sliced through the darkness."Come on! If we're late, the best spawn spots in the Spider Nest will get taken!"
Before she could finish, hurried footsteps echoed from the tunnel entrance.
The two exchanged a quick glance and stood simultaneously. Kiriya summoned his clone to shield the front while Lina gripped her sword, ice-blue mana crackling along the blade's tip.
"Corroded Crown?" she whispered.
"Doesn't sound like them." Kiriya tilted his head, listening. The steps were too light—probably a solo player."Maybe just someone here to farm the dungeon."
He was right. Moments later, a rogue in leather armor peeked into the cavern. His expression froze when he spotted them—then he turned and bolted, clearly spooked by the glowing Sin marker above Kiriya's head.
A false alarm. Lina let out a breath of relief—only for Kiriya to suddenly grab her wrist and pull her toward the exit."Move. That noise will draw more people."