The forest held its breath.
No one moved.
Not Rio.
Not Fayzan.
Not even the wind dared to interrupt the moment that followed.
Then—
Rio spoke.
Calm.
Measured.
"…The location of the hidden dungeon."
A pause.
"…And the number of monsters inside."
Her grip on the saber remained steady.
"…That will cost you forty-six copper coins."
Silence.
It didn't break.
It shattered.
"…What?"
Sumi's voice cut through the forest, sharp with disbelief.
Her eyes widened, staring at Rio like she had just heard something absurd.
"…Are you insane?!"
She stepped forward slightly, unable to hold back.
"…Information like that doesn't cost that much!"
Rio didn't flinch.
Didn't even blink.
"…Basic information doesn't."
Her tone was flat.
Unmoved.
"…This isn't basic."
Sumi clicked her tongue.
"…Then how do we even know it's real?"
Her eyes narrowed.
"…Are we just supposed to believe you without any proof?"
Rio shrugged.
Casual.
Unbothered.
"…Then don't."
A pause.
"…I have nothing to lose."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"…You're the ones asking."
Silence fell again.
Heavier this time.
More suffocating.
Sumi opened her mouth—
But a hand landed on her shoulder.
"…Sumi."
Ayame's voice was soft.
Calm.
But firm.
"…That's enough."
Sumi tensed—
Then exhaled sharply, looking away with a quiet "Tch."
Ayame stepped forward slightly.
Her gaze moved to Fayzan.
Not questioning.
Not doubting.
Just—
Waiting.
Fayzan sighed.
Low.
Thoughtful.
Then—
He looked back at Rio.
"…Forty."
A pause.
"…Lower it to forty copper."
Rio didn't hesitate.
"…Forty-three."
Fayzan's brow twitched slightly.
"…Forty-one."
Rio's eyes didn't leave his.
"…Forty-two."
A beat.
"…Final offer."
The forest went still again.
This time—
There was no room left for negotiation.
Fayzan studied her.
Not her words.
Not her tone.
Her certainty.
She's not bluffing.
A quiet breath left him.
"…Fine."
Another pause.
"…But we'll need time."
His hand moved slightly, as if weighing something unseen.
"…Two days."
"…We don't have enough on us."
Behind him, Sumi's head snapped toward him.
"…Wait—are you serious?"
Her voice dropped.
"…We're actually trusting her?"
Fayzan opened his mouth to respond—
But—
Rio raised her hand.
The one not holding the saber.
"…Wait."
Her voice cut cleanly through his.
All eyes shifted to her.
"…We can adjust."
A small pause.
Then—
"…How much do you have right now?"
Fayzan didn't hesitate.
"…Thirty."
Rio nodded once.
As if she expected that answer.
"…Then here's the deal."
Her voice remained steady.
Controlled.
"…You give me the thirty now."
A faint glint passed through her eyes.
"…I give you the dungeon's location."
Sumi frowned slightly.
"…And the rest?"
Rio continued.
"…You send scouts."
"…Verify the information."
"…Confirm it yourselves."
She shifted her stance slightly.
"…Then we meet again."
A pause.
"…You give the remaining twelve."
"…And I give you the boss details."
Silence.
It lingered—
But this time—
It wasn't tense.
It was calculating.
Rio's gaze moved.
From Fayzan—
To Sumi.
Sharp.
Direct.
"…Or do you have more complaints?"
Sumi froze.
Then—
"…No."
She looked away, arms still crossed, cheeks faintly flushed.
"…I don't."
Fayzan let out a quiet breath.
Then—
"…Deal."
Transaction
The system window opened between them.
Faint.
Translucent.
Thirty copper coins transferred.
A soft chime followed.
Rio didn't hesitate.
Another window appeared—
This time on Fayzan's side.
A map.
Detailed.
Precise.
Marked with exact coordinates.
Paths.
Landmarks.
Even hidden terrain notes.
Alongside it—
A written document.
Step-by-step instructions.
How to reach it.
What to avoid.
What to expect.
Everything.
Fayzan's expression changed.
Not dramatically.
But enough.
"…This is…"
Ayame's eyes widened slightly.
"…Detailed."
Even Sumi leaned in.
Her earlier irritation replaced by quiet shock.
"…You wrote all this?"
Ryota blinked.
"…Wait—"
Even he hadn't seen this before.
Rio closed her system.
"…That's your part."
A pause.
"…Don't get lost."
Fayzan let out a short breath.
Almost a laugh.
"…Yeah."
He turned.
"…We're done here."
Ayame nodded quietly.
Sumi gave one last glance at Rio—
Then turned away as well.
"…Let's go."
Without another word—
The three of them disappeared into the forest.
Faster this time.
Purposeful.
Focused.
Silence returned.
But it felt different now.
Lighter.
Ryota stared at the direction they left.
Then—
Slowly—
Turned to Rio.
"…Since when did you write all that?"
Rio didn't answer immediately.
She simply turned—
And began walking.
"…Before we went to the city."
Ryota blinked.
"…Wait—seriously?"
She nodded.
"…I was planning to sell it."
A pause.
"…To a top guild."
"…For future investment."
Ryota exhaled.
Then laughed quietly to himself.
"…So that's why…"
He glanced at her.
"…You didn't care about spending those six copper coins."
Rio didn't respond.
But her pace didn't change.
Ahead of them—
The forest stretched endlessly.
And somewhere beyond—
A hidden dungeon waited.
But for Rio—
The game had already begun.
And she was already ahead.
The forest did not return to normal.
Even after Fayzan and his group disappeared—
Even after their presence faded into the distance—
Something remained.
A faint tension.
Like a thread stretched too tightly.
Rio walked ahead.
Unhurried.
Unbothered.
As if nothing had changed.
Ryota followed quietly, though his eyes moved more than before—watching the trees, the shadows, the spaces between branches.
"…You knew that would work, didn't you?"
Rio didn't turn.
"…What?"
"…The deal."
A pause.
"…They didn't hesitate as much as I thought they would."
Rio stepped over a fallen root.
"…People like him don't gamble blindly."
Her voice was calm.
Certain.
"…He already decided to trust me the moment he realized I knew more than him."
Ryota scratched his head.
"…That sounds kind of insane."
"…It is. His appearance may look dumb but he is more smarter than what he let's on"
She didn't deny it.
"…That's why it works."
Silence followed.
The forest thickened further.
The light dimmed again.
Then—
Rio stopped.
Her hand shot out.
Grabbing the air in front of Ryota.
A silent command.
Stop.
He froze instantly.
No question.
No hesitation.
His body obeyed before his mind caught up.
Then—
A presence dropped from above.
Fast.
Silent.
A flash of red.
A dagger gleaming coldly in the dim light.
The attack came straight down—
Aimed for Rio's neck.
CLANG.
Steel met steel.
Rio's Imperial Saber rose just in time, catching the blade mid-descent. The impact rang through the forest, sharp and heavy, sending a burst of force through the ground beneath her feet.
For a split second—
They were locked.
Face to face.
A girl with crimson hair.
Sharp violet eyes.
A grin that didn't belong in a normal fight.
Rio smiled.
Then—
[Assassin Skill: Backlash]
The red-haired girl vanished.
Not moved.
Not jumped.
Vanished.
Gone from sight entirely.
The air twisted faintly where she had been—
Then stilled.
Ryota's eyes widened.
"…What—"
Rio didn't move.
Didn't turn.
Her voice was quiet.
Counting.
"…Three."
Silence.
"…Two."
The forest held its breath.
"…One."
A shift—
Behind her.
A presence.
A blade cutting through air—
Rio ducked instantly.
The dagger tore past her head—
And slammed into a tree behind her.
CRACK—
The trunk split cleanly in half.
The upper half collapsed with a heavy crash.
Leaves scattered.
Dust rose.
Rio turned—
Still crouched—
Eyes locked onto the attacker.
The red-haired girl stood there.
Balanced.
Smiling.
"…Nice."
Ryota moved.
His body surged forward, instincts taking over—
But—
Rio's hand extended.
A single motion.
Stop.
He froze mid-step.
Not because he had to.
Because he chose to.
His eyes didn't leave the red-haired girl.
The forest fell silent again.
The two girls stared at each other.
Measuring.
Weighing.
Then—
Rio stood.
Slowly.
Calmly.
A faint smile on her lips.
She raised her hand—
And pointed.
At her own shoulder.
The red-haired girl blinked.
"…Hm?"
Her gaze dropped.
To her chest.
Then—
Her right shoulder.
A clean cut.
Not deep—
But precise.
Blood slowly seeped through torn fabric.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…Since when…"
She looked back up.
"…did you land a clean strike on me?"
Rio's smile didn't fade.
"…The moment our weapons collided."
A pause.
"…You used Backlash."
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"…That gave me the opening."
The red-haired girl stared.
Then—
Grinned wider.
"…You're good."
A quiet laugh escaped her.
"…No normal player reacts to Backlash like that."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Especially not this early in the game."
Rio tilted her head slightly.
"…And no regular assassin sneaks up behind me and the eternity lions…"
A pause.
"…Listens to a full conversation…"
Her eyes locked onto hers.
"…And avoids detection from a tracker specialist."
"The tracker specialist was the girl named Ayame, you got past her range of sensing even up close she couldn't detect you"
A beat.
"That was not an easy thing to do…Especially not one like hers."
Ryota blinked.
"…Wait."
His eyes widened.
"…You mean—"
The realization hit.
"…She was there?"
The red-haired girl smirked.
"…Impressive."
She crossed her arms slightly, unfazed despite the wound.
"…I thought for sure I stayed out of everyone's range of sensing."
Rio shrugged lightly.
"…You followed them."
A small pause.
"…I followed you."
Silence.
Then—
A low chuckle.
"…So you knew."
"…Since we left the city."
Rio didn't deny it.
"…More or less."
The red-haired girl's grin returned.
Sharper this time.
"…I like you."
Rio didn't react.
"…You're a player hunter."
Not a question.
A statement.
The girl didn't hesitate.
"…That I am."
She stretched slightly, rolling her shoulder despite the cut.
"…Players drop loot when they die."
Her tone was casual.
Almost bored.
"…Around sixty percent."
A shrug.
"…I just take what sells. Whatever has value in the market"
"…The rest?"
She waved her hand dismissively.
"…Trash."
Ryota's expression darkened slightly.
"…There are people like you, huh…"
The girl glanced at him.
"…Welcome to Evermount."
"Some people do what they can to make a living for the real world"
Rio stepped forward slightly.
Her saber lifted again.
Not aggressive—
But ready.
"…So."
Her voice was steady.
Controlled.
"…What do you want?"
A pause.
"…You didn't attack us without reason."
Her gaze sharpened.
"…And you didn't go after Fayzan's group."
A slight tilt of her head.
"…Which means the hidden dungeon doesn't interest you."
The red-haired girl's smile deepened.
"…Smart."
Rio didn't lower her weapon.
"…Then talk."
A beat of silence.
Then—
The red-haired girl looked at both of them.
Her gaze lingered on Rio.
Then shifted to Ryota.
Then back again.
"…It takes a monster…"
A soft laugh escaped her lips.
"…to recognize another."
Her eyes gleamed.
"…That group earlier?"
A dismissive glance toward the direction Fayzan had gone.
"…They're nothing."
Then—
She pointed slightly.
Between them.
"…You two?"
A pause.
Her grin widened.
"…Way more interesting."
She tilted her head slightly.
Eyes locked onto Rio.
"…Especially you."
The forest seemed to close in around them.
Because this time—
It wasn't a negotiation.
It wasn't a misunderstanding.
It was interest.
Dangerous.
Unpredictable.
And very—
Very real.