"Is something wrong?" Bob asked.
Alvin shook his head. "No, it's nothing."
Bob glanced ahead, watching five people carry the other five whose conditions had only worsened.
"I'll ask someone to give you a sword," he said. "Since you're a Mid-Stage Expert like me."
He gave Alvin a nod. "Taking down a Tier 3 monster on your own is no joke. You'll be a big help."
Alvin nodded silently, but his thoughts were far from the conversation.
'Rhizome just told me words I've never even heard before. So frustrating…'
He looked up at the sky—twilight, still frozen in place.
'What am I even doing right now?'
'This is one of the most dangerous ruins ever recorded… but it's different now. It doesn't feel the same.'
'I haven't seen a monster above Tier 4, but something clearly shifted two days ago. If the outside world noticed this sudden change…'
'Why hasn't anyone come for us?'
