And that was what Nautilus feared the most.
He didn't know whose side he should be on. He didn't know what was right, or what was wrong. All he knew was that his heart was being pulled taut between the two sides like a fragile string, and it was about to snap.
So he chose the only thing he could do in that moment: silence.
Not because he lacked conviction, but because he was afraid that… no matter what he said, it would only make everything fall further apart.
Nautilus lowered his gaze, his hand unconsciously clutching the hem of his shirt.
He had one simple wish: if only that moment had never come. Or if only… someone could tell him that the choice he made was the right one. Or at least… not completely wrong.
...
They continued walking in a heavy silence, like a curtain that had fallen between the three of them.
There were no more scattered conversations, not even exchanged glances, only the sound of footsteps echoing against the cracked stone floor beneath them.
Ren walked slowly behind the other two. No one had told him to fall back. No one had driven him away.
But he knew deep down that he was no longer in sync with them. Not in distance, and not in heart.
That gap wasn't just a few steps between him and his friends, it was an invisible wall, cold and impenetrable, built from anger, doubt, and lingering disappointment.
Yuna walked silently beside Nautilus, shoulders slightly hunched, as if she was trying to bear the weight of the silence alone. She said nothing. Neither did Nautilus.
But now and then, Ren caught Nautilus glancing back at him, without blame, without hatred...only a quiet, nameless uncertainty.
Ren lowered his head and exhaled softly. A long breath, lost in the dusty, chill air from the fractured cave walls. He didn't know if anything worse could happen.
Or perhaps… what was happening now, this silence, this distance, was already the worst price of all?
Ren said nothing, offered no defense. He simply kept walking, alone in the dark, with a loneliness that began to bleed like a wound no one could see.
[You have reached lv.7]
The notification flickered at the edge of Ren's vision, that familiar white glow pulsing faintly against the gloomy darkness of the mine.
He had just finished off the last of the four Kobolds that had suddenly attacked their group.
Each strike had been precise, cold, as if he was cutting down something other than monsters.
They had won. But it wasn't like before.
There were no shouts for support, no smooth, synchronized movements in the narrow space.
Everyone fought as if they were alone. Ren took down two, and Yuna and Nautilus each handled one, completely independent. They didn't need him.
When the skirmish ended, Ren stood still, quietly watching the number "7" blink near his HP bar.
Before, each level-up had filled him with light, a reward for effort, a small step toward becoming stronger.
But now, that number felt like nothing more than a cold ink stain on the stone wall. Meaningless. Joyless.
He glanced sideways. Yuna and Nautilus were also looking at their system menus. Their eyes reflected the familiar glow of leveling up, but neither of them smiled.
Maybe… they had reached level 7 too.
Ren wasn't sure what he was feeling.
It wasn't jealousy, he truly wanted them to grow stronger. He really did. But something in his chest felt tight, as if his role...his presence in the group, was slowly fading away.
At the beginning, they had needed him. He was the guide, the shield, the anchor.
But now… maybe they no longer needed him. Maybe… they didn't want to need him anymore.
A feeling of guilt and helplessness crept into his heart, not because he was being left behind, but because he didn't know whether his presence… still meant anything at all.
Ren tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. He had leveled up. But his heart felt smaller than ever.
Ren opened his mouth, wanting to say something, maybe an apology, an explanation, or simply a wish to mend the cracks between them.
But before he could speak, a sudden sound cut through his thoughts.
A loud, chaotic noise echoed from up ahead, a battle rhythm filled the air, mixing clashing weapons, monster roars, and the pounding of fists that made the ground tremble.
It wasn't just one monster, it sounded like a whole pack, attacking a group of people.
Ren froze, his eyes darting to Yuna and Nautilus. The sounds were growing louder, impossible to ignore.
A fight was happening, and though the source was unclear, urgency crept into the air around them.
What had just happened between the three of them wasn't over yet, but in that moment, the call of battle felt like a way to pull them out of their heavy thoughts.
"Let's go check it out," Ren said, his voice no longer cold, but laced with something suppressed, perhaps exhaustion.
He turned, heading toward the noise, leaving behind unspoken words and the tension still hanging in the air.
Yuna and Nautilus didn't object. They simply exchanged a glance and kept walking, knowing that no matter what tension remained between them, safety was still the top priority.
And in this moment, the three of them once again needed to stand on the same front, even if what had happened between them couldn't be resolved so quickly.
They moved toward the source of the noise, each step careful but resolute.
The sounds of battle grew louder...like an unstoppable wave crashing toward them.
Clashing steel, pounding footsteps, like an invitation too forceful to ignore.
With every step, the fragile threads between them stirred again. The cracks, the lingering worries, they all felt as if they were being tested once more in the storm ahead.
Then they saw it, just around the bend, a group of players was fighting a pack of Kobolds.
Unlike the three traitors from before, these players fought in perfect coordination, covering for one another with such seamless precision that they left almost no openings.
Their formation wasn't just well-organized, it was dynamic. Two held the front line, while a third circled behind to resupply, monitor the map, and provide supporting attacks.
Everything moved like a well-oiled machine, forged through experience. And at the center of it all was a young man with slightly long blue hair, catching glints of cold light under the flickering torch.
He didn't shout orders or signal with exaggerated gestures, his movements were sharp, deliberate. The sword and shield in his hands seemed to be extensions of his body.
He moved as if reading every incoming strike, dodging, parrying with his shield, and countering in the same breath.
There was something almost instinctual in his fighting. No rush, no hesitation, as if he'd faced this exact scenario a hundred times before, as if each monster was just another drill in a daily routine.
Ren stood frozen, eyes fixed on that crisp, clean arc of the sword.
And Yuna and Nautilus couldn't hide their awe at the skillful display either, the kind of mastery they were still struggling to grasp for themselves.
Then, like a wave of memory crashing in, Ren stopped, eyes widening.
He recognized them.
Not just from the familiar fighting style or the glint of their gear...but because those very players had once stood in front of him at the quest board.
They were the ones who had shared information about this crumbling mine, the ones who'd told him, "If you've got the guts, this place is worth the risk."
Ren had never thought he'd meet them again so soon, let alone that they would be deeper into the dungeon than his group had gone.
His gaze scanned each face, matching silhouettes and features. He didn't recall the others too clearly, just glimpses.
But that blue-haired swordsman, at first skeptical of him, had still taken the time to explain things.
And now he shone in battle, a focal point that couldn't be ignored.
Something stirred in Ren's chest...not jealousy, not simple admiration.
It was a tangled emotion, a mix of doubt, regret… and longing. Longing to be strong like them. To fight without needing to sacrifice anyone.
Longing to see himself, not through the judgment of those beside him.
He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly.
These people weren't just role models. They were proof, proof that there was another path, where power didn't have to be bought with loss.
Ren's eyes drifted sideways, silently watching Yuna and Nautilus. Their figures glowed faintly under the mine's dim light. No serious injuries, but their hesitation was plain.
If they stepped out now, if they revealed themselves and helped that group, maybe… maybe they'd be brought out of here. That team was clearly experienced, strong, and more importantly, they knew the way.
But Ren stayed still, as if an invisible rope had tied him down.
Every muscle was tense, not from the battle ahead, but from the one within. He wanted to move forward, but couldn't.
After everything… he wasn't sure if he was still someone they wanted to fight beside.
Yuna stood there, hand already on her sword, but her eyes weren't on the Kobolds, they were on Ren, quiet and wary.
There was no longer absolute trust. No shared nods like when they had first entered the mine.
Nautilus looked between the two of them, as if waiting for a clear sign, a nod, a "let's go." But it never came.
So the three of them just stood there, at the edge of a simple choice...step forward or hold back, but one more complex than any labyrinth they'd ever crossed.
The silence between them wasn't born of anger anymore… but fear.
Fear that if they stepped out there and fought together, the cracks between them would show in every strike, every step, and they would no longer be able to hide them.