An ample amount of time had passed after the group's meeting at the makeshift fort. Oliver and the two girls followed the safe path Zack had provided toward the Acid River.
Throughout the journey, Oliver remained alert, doing his best to ready himself for any surprise the Caverns were to throw at him. Strangely, he did not spot a single monster—not even tracks that suggested any had passed through this section of the Cavern in months.
He found the situation surreal, maybe even similar to what had happened with the Orcs. Because of this, he became far more cautious, sending the Dark Crow ahead to scout thoroughly this time…
Shockingly, there was nothing.
Which seemed too good to be true. Oliver wanted to doubt it, knowing the Horrid Caverns and their vile tricks.
But still… it appeared he was wrong.
This section was empty. Truly empty.
'Could it be because of the Acid River up ahead?' Oliver wondered. Surely, if that were the case, it would explain how Zack had survived here for so long.
Minutes passed, and finally, they reached a section of the horrendous Cavern that appeared much larger and far more illuminated than the earlier tunnels.
What caught the group off guard, was the sudden change in topography.
The ground beneath their feet was no longer hard obsidian rock. Instead, it had become soft, beach-like sand, crimson in colour, causing their feet to sink slightly with every step.
Oliver stared at his boots as they pressed into the soft, crunching sand, the grains shifting unnaturally beneath his weight.
'Just what effect does the Acid River have on the surrounding topography? Or is this another twisted imitation of beauty from the Ruins… just like the bone-devouring walls?'
He wondered.
And soon enough, he had his answer.
After traversing further along the path of red sand, the loud noise of water crashing violently against jagged rocks echoed through the cavern, drawing their attention forward. In the distance, the Acid River revealed itself.
It carried a bright, verdant glow, its surface deceptively clear, allowing one to see several meters into its depths. Strangely, it had a current—flowing endlessly, as though driven by an unseen force deep within the Cavern.
Against the contrast of the crimson sand, it looked almost magical… like a masterpiece of nature… like something that shouldn't be dangerous at all.
But Oliver knew.
This was wrong… awfully wrong.
Just looking at the unnatural beauty of the place made his stomach churn, reminding him of the flesh-devouring walls of the Cavern.
His skin crawled from simply staring at it.
If horrors lurked beneath that surface, he prayed he would not need to face them to survive the Ruins.
They neared the river until they reached the edge of the path, a small cliff where the glowing water crashed violently against the rocks below, sending faint acidic mist into the air.
"It looks beautiful?" Hera spoke softly, her voice laced with hesitant awe.
"Yes, it does… but it's anything but that," Zack replied, his expression a mix of dread and hate.
"I guess that's what we get from a demonic Ruin," Hera stressed. "If we actually survive this, I'm going off the game for a few weeks—"
"If—" Yuki cut her off before she could finish, her tone quiet yet sharp.
A coldness swept through the group.
Most Players were trained to face monsters and cursed Demons, not traps. That was why many would perish in Ruins. It was also why most Players refrained from entering them, preferring Dungeons instead.
'In two years, a massive invasion will happen… forcing the game into an apocalypse. Then, everyone will prefer Ruins over Dungeons,' Oliver mused, staring at the other side of the river.
He could clearly see the opposite bank from where he stood. They could reach it in under three minutes, making Zack's calculations valid.
Still…
He turned to the group. "We need to protect our eyes and avoid consuming this cursed water."
Zack rubbed his head slowly. "Well… I made two pairs of goggles. One as a spare. That covers two people."
"I can use healing magic to protect myself," Yuki said shyly.
The choice for the goggles was now between Oliver and Hera.
She hesitated, opening her mouth to speak before stuttering.
"I—"
"Let Hera have the goggles. I have another alternative," Oliver said, cutting her off.
His words lingered, but no one objected.
Hera was strong, but clearly not used to feeling this helpless. And what use was it to argue against help when she clearly needed it?
She was proud, but not that proud.
"Hopefully I don't come to regret this," Oliver swallowed hard, his gaze lifting to the Dark Crow soaring above.
His alternative was nothing short of treacherous.
He would be swimming blindly, relying entirely on the Dark Crow for direction.
His heart throbbed at the thought alone.
Swimming blindly also meant that if there were to be an attack…
He would be without depth, without awareness—
Simple prey.
"We should probably strip to avoid ruining our clothes. At least down to our underwear," Zack muttered. His words, while true and logical, seemed almost manipulative. From his tone, he sounded far too pleased to be saying it aloud.
At this, Hera frowned. "Pervert."
Yuki shook her head and walked off into the distance without a word, her disgust evident in every step.
"It's not like I haven't seen a woman in, like, a year or something," Zack stressed sarcastically, walking off on his own, though not before casting a sly glance toward Yuki as she began to undress.
Oliver stayed silent.
'Irrelevant… but logical.'
The Cloak of Assassins was powerful, enhancing attacks and concealing his identity, but against acid, it would burn without fail.
Of all the equipment he could afford to lose, the Cloak was the least expendable.
"Hey," a soft voice came from behind Oliver, causing him to turn.
Behind him stood Hera.
She wore only a partially torn black shirt and short black undergarments, leaving her pale legs exposed. Scars littered them, deep, jagged marks that were certainly not from the game.
Each one looked more brutal than the last.
"Hey! Are you staring?!" Hera snapped, her face twisting into a glare as she raised one hand to block his view and the other toward her legs, both futile, as his gaze had already lingered.
Then he looked away.
"Your scars… how did you get them?"
She froze.
Her anger immediately shifted into something else... Something quieter.
She had assumed he was staring at her body.
Instead, he had been looking at her scars.
It felt… unfamiliar as no one had ever asked about them.
She was from a powerful Guild family and people only ever tried to get on her good side. So none dared to ask, thinking it would enrage her.
But Crow was different.
She didn't know how… but she could feel it.
"My father," she said in a low tone. Her expression began to crack, but she quickly forced it back into place. "That doesn't matter now. How are you going to swim without your eyes?"
"I'll improvise."
Oliver dismissed the Cloak of Assassins, replacing it with the common clothes he had bought from Jarvis.
[Common Clothing equipped]
"Uhhh—!"
A gasp escaped Hera's lips as the cloak dissolved into digital light, replaced by simple... No, calling it simple would be a compliment. They were replaced by ragged clothing that clung lightly to his frame.
Even then, his physique was impossible to ignore.
A sharp jawline. A well-defined build. Even beneath the worn fabric, his form was evident.
'No, Hera… keep your head straight,' she shook her head.
"I'm all done!" Zack called out, returning and cutting through the moment.
Yuki followed shortly after, wearing far less than the others. Mages typically wore little beneath their cloaks, unlike fighters with layered armor. She looked more like someone preparing for a swim than a life-or-death crossing.
With that settled, Oliver looked up at the Dark Crow, his final assurance.
"Don't fail me," he whispered.
Then—
He stepped forward and leapt off the edge of the crimson sand, plunging into the glowing river below.
Knowing full well—
The swim would be nothing less than treacherous.