After a brief rest, the party's condition improved considerably. Kiriya's health had steadily climbed back to a safe range thanks to potions and Violet's ongoing healing.
Although the weakness from severe overexertion still lingered in his body, at least he could move without issue.
He had equipped the brand-new [Obsidian Sword], and with a few casual swings, the jet-black blade cut through the air with a steady hum.
The faintly flowing crimson patterns running across the weapon resonated strangely well with his own restrained yet razor-sharp aura.
"How does it feel?" Lina asked, picking up her shield while watching Kiriya adjust to his new weapon.
"Good." Kiriya kept it short, but the fleeting glint of satisfaction in his eyes did not escape Lina's notice. For him, that was already the highest praise.
"Alright, you greedy bunch, let's see what we've actually brought home." Violet clapped her hands, her usual playful spark returning to her face. She walked toward the floating loot pile.
"The Molten Greaves go to Lina. The rare trinket that boosts crit damage and strength… Kiriya, that's yours too. The dagger… no one in our group uses it. As for the rest of these materials, it looks like we'll have to take them back to Green Town to sell."
The distribution went without dispute. Lina donned the still-warm [Molten Greaves], her defense improving significantly.
Kiriya placed [Garl's Sigil of Endless Fury] on himself, and at once, a faint searing energy merged with his body.
"Let's head back to town." Lina made the call. "It's not wise to linger here. Who knows if those 'Flame Wing' idiots might come back with reinforcements? Unlikely, but better safe than sorry."
...
After the spatial distortion of the return crystal faded, the four appeared in the central square of Green Town.
The familiar bustle instantly filled their ears. Unlike the dead silence and scorching heat of the Molten Path, this place brimmed with life—players hawking goods, chattering voices, and the sounds of training skills.
Warm evening sunlight spilled across the ancient stone-brick buildings, bathing them in a nostalgic sense of safety that felt almost like another world.
They wasted no time and headed straight for the player-run market that had formed along the square's edge.
"Selling an Uncommon dagger from a Level 35 elite dungeon! Perfect transitional gear for physical classes!
Also selling rare materials: [Molten Heart], [Sturdy Obsidian Core]—act fast before they're gone!" Violet took on the role of barker, her clear voice quickly drawing attention.
The news of a Level 35 elite dungeon's first clear had already spread across the town via system announcement. The moment the four appeared, they became the center of attention.
Countless curious, envious, even probing gazes landed on them—mainly on Kiriya, with his new weapon and severe, composed expression, and Lina, clad in fresh heavy armor, radiating martial grace.
"Wow! That's the first-clear team!"
"Look! Their gear is glowing! Must be a rare quality!"
"That's the Phantom Swordsman Kiriya? He looks so strong… and so cool…"
"That black sword—must be the BOSS drop! It looks amazing!"
"Frost Knight Lina… she's so beautiful! Strong and stunning!"
Whispers rippled everywhere. Kiriya ignored them, quietly standing off to the side, instinctively keeping his form in Lina's shield-side shadow, as if all that chatter had nothing to do with him.
Only the occasional sharp glances he cast at other stalls betrayed that he wasn't fully relaxed.
Lina, on the other hand, stood calmly at the very front, shield in hand like a bulwark, meeting gazes with poise.
Occasionally, she nodded politely at bold players who stepped forward to congratulate them, but always with a dignified distance.
Mira, holding her staff, looked aloof as she stood behind Lina, but her ears twitched subtly.
She was quietly collecting information from the crowd's chatter, paying special attention to anything related to "Flame Wing."
Violet inhaled deeply, as though she had returned to her true element. Her gentle yet shrewd smile blossomed as she smoothly began haggling with interested buyers.
"Hey, beauty, how much for that dagger?" A bow-wielding archer squeezed forward.
Violet's smile didn't waver. "Uncommon quality, Level 35 dungeon loot, excellent stats. Fixed price—15 Silver. Or… you can make an offer?" Her tone was soft, but carried the certainty of experience.
"Fifteen Silver? That's pricey. How about twelve? I'll buy it right now."
"Sorry," Violet shook her head, voice still warm but unyielding. "Just look at the agility bonus, not to mention the armor-piercing effect—it's easily worth it. In fact, the 'War Axe' guild just offered 15 silvers, and we didn't sell."
She casually invoked a bluff with such sincerity that it was impossible to tell truth from fiction.
After a few rounds of haggling, the dagger and part of the materials were sold to a wealthy-looking knight player for 14 silvers, plus 32 silvers total for the rest.
"Done!" Mira caught the heavy coin pouch Violet passed over, quickly dividing it into four shares with a smug grin. "That's nearly five more Silver than expected! Violet, I didn't know you were this good at business!"
At her words, Violet gave a calm, composed smile, with a quiet, confident aura.
She adjusted the sleeve of her priest's robe, speaking evenly but firmly: "It's nothing. I'm used to running a company in the real world—reading reports, auditing contracts, controlling costs, fighting for the best deals at the negotiation table… all just routine."
Kiriya gave her shoulder an approving pat. "Well done. Now we've got plenty of startup funds." He pocketed his share of Silver. "No time to waste. Our levels already surpass Green Town's quests—the EXP rewards here are trash. Heading straight to Dawn City is the best choice. Any objections?"
"About time! Supplies here are overpriced and useless—I've had enough." Mira immediately agreed. She'd long been frustrated with the town's limited stock of magic goods.
"Mm." Lina's nod was succinct.
"I'm ready too," Violet said softly.
With unanimous agreement, the four crossed the still-bustling, watchful square and arrived at the teleportation circle at the town's edge.
The massive array glowed with soft blue runes, distinctly out of place in rustic Green Town.
[System Prompt: Teleport to the capital city—Dawn City? Cost: 10 Silver per person.]
"Ten gold each? Highway robbery." Mira clicked her tongue but paid up without hesitation.
"Compared to the opportunities ahead, this cost is nothing," Lina confirmed her payment.
As the teleportation circle lit up around them and Green Town blurred into distortion, a surge of anticipation and ambition swelled in their chests.
"Speaking of which," Mira said suddenly, looking at her fading companions, "we still haven't properly celebrated our first-clear yet! And it was a counter-kill against those bastards, too!"
Lina smiled faintly, her shield reflecting the glow of teleportation. "Once we reach Dawn City, dinner's on me. The best virtual feast you can find."
"Really? Then I want the most expensive magical blueberry cake!" Mira's eyes sparkled.
"I'd like to try the Dawn City special herbal tea," Violet added with a soft laugh, "the one that supposedly boosts mana temporarily."
Even the ever-silent Kiriya's lips tugged upward in the faintest smile.
As the light consumed their vision, Kiriya instinctively tightened his grip on the Obsidian Sword.
Lina turned her head toward her companions, a firm smile curving her lips. Mira's eyes brimmed with curiosity and excitement for the unknown, while Violet gently gripped her staff, her gaze firmer than ever before.
A flash of brilliance, a fleeting sense of weightlessness—
And Green Town was gone.
In its place rose the colossal silhouette of a city bathed in the first light of dawn.
Towering magical spires pierced the heavens, radiant rainbow bridges stretched across the skies, flying mounts streamed endlessly above, and the distant toll of bells mingled with the cries of dragon hawks. The very air thrummed with dense mana, invigorating the spirit.
But there was no time to marvel. The strain of constant battles and emotional highs finally weighed on them, exhaustion pressing down hard.
"Phew… finally." Lina exhaled deeply, her taut composure easing into weariness. "That's it for today. Everyone, log off, get real rest, and recover your energy. Tomorrow… let's meet back here at ten sharp."
She gestured at the towering statue of the Dawn Goddess beside the teleportation square.
"Agreed," Kiriya replied tersely. He needed time to recover fully and get a proper feel for his new weapon.
"No problem! I'm hitting the forums—bet we're already famous!" Mira said, excitement bubbling as she imagined the storm awaiting them online.
Violet covered a yawn with a delicate hand, nodding. "Rest well, everyone. See you tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, then." Lina gave them a tired but warm smile.
They exchanged farewells, and one by one their avatars shimmered, turning transparent, then dissolving into points of light that vanished from the grand, bustling plaza of Dawn City.
**
The real world, inside a quiet bedroom.
Kiriya removed his EAO VR headset, revealing a pale, real face. He rubbed his temples, the sharp sting of mental fatigue from hours of intense focus washing over him like a tide.
Standing, he stretched his stiff body and walked to the window. Outside, neon lights were just beginning to bloom—the night in the real world had only just begun.
Compared to the game world—the molten heat, the weight of the Obsidian Sword, the dizzying pull of teleportation—the quiet peace of reality felt strangely hollow, almost unreal.
Instinctively, he curled his hand into a fist, as though he could still feel the warmth and weight of that blade. In his ears, the echoes of the bustling plaza and the voices of his companions lingered faintly.