One week passed quietly.
For the first time since Evermount launched—
the entire gaming community had fallen into complete chaos.
Because the update finally arrived.
And nobody expected what happened next.
[Evermount Version 1.2 Update]
New Floors Released
Floor 2: The Sunscar Desert
Floor 3: The Dragon's Cove
New Roles Added:
Spearman
Paladin
Berserker
Warrior Class Rework:
Gladiator
Infantry
Assassin Branch Expansion:
Arcane Assassin
Juggernaut Assassin
Mirage Assassin
New Support Role Added:
Priest
Druids
Healers
Enchanters
Swordsman Rework:
Swordsman
Fencer
Slayer
Guild System Expansion:
Troop Hiring Mechanic Added
Guild Territory Functions Expanded
Social media exploded instantly.
Players flooded forums, livestreams, and discussion boards the moment the patch notes appeared.
"FLOOR 3 RELEASED TOO???"
"NO WAY THEY DROPPED TWO FLOORS"
"WHY ARE THERE SO MANY NEW CLASSES"
"PRIEST ROLE IS BROKEN"
"TOP GUILDS ARE ALREADY MOVING"
"WHAT EVEN IS AN APEX GUILD TROOP SYSTEM??"
"The game just changed overnight."
And inside Rio's room—
the two people responsible for causing half the recent chaos in Evermount sat quietly waiting for the update bar to finish.
Ryota leaned back against Rio's chair while watching the loading percentage slowly rise.
[Updating Game Files — 98%]
"…I still think releasing two floors at once is insane."
Rio sat cross-legged on her bed while scrolling through the patch notes projected from her tablet.
"It's Evermount."
"They love chaos."
Ryota laughed weakly.
"…Fair point."
The loading bar moved again.
[99%]
Rio's blue eyes scanned through the updates carefully.
Then she suddenly smiled.
"There it is."
Ryota blinked.
"What?"
Rio turned the screen toward him.
"The troop system."
Ryota immediately sat upright.
"Oh right."
Rio nodded.
"They finally added it."
Her expression became nostalgic for a moment.
"In the old timeline this mechanic completely changed guild warfare."
Ryota looked interested.
"How does it work exactly?"
Rio swiped through the patch panel.
A holographic interface appeared between them.
═══════════════════
[Guild Expansion System — Troop Hiring]
Available For:
• Super Guilds
• Apex Guilds
Guild Leaders and authorized officers may now recruit NPC units from regional factions.
Troops may be assigned to:
• Defense
• Resource Gathering
• Territory Patrol
• Escort Missions
• Combat Operations
• Trade Management
Example Costs:
• Infantry Troop — 5 Bronse Coins
• Spearman Troop — 7 Bronse Coins
• Mage Unit — 12 Bronse Coins
Troops Respawn:
24 Hours after death at Guild Headquarters.
Super Guild Restriction:
Troops operate on timed contracts.
Apex Guild Privilege:
Unlimited Duration Employment.
═══════════════════
Ryota stared blankly.
"…That's broken."
Rio laughed.
"You haven't even seen late-game Apex Guilds yet."
"In the future some guilds literally had entire cities under their control."
Ryota looked horrified.
"…This game sounds less like an MMO and more like world domination."
Rio pointed at him dramatically.
"Exactly."
"That's why Apex Guilds are terrifying."
She grinned proudly afterward.
"Which means Crowned Era just became even more valuable."
Ryota sighed.
"…We're definitely getting targeted someday."
"Absolutely."
"…You said that way too confidently."
Rio laughed.
The loading bar finally reached completion.
[100%]
[Evermount Successfully Updated]
The two immediately grabbed their headsets.
Rio smiled.
"You ready?"
Ryota nodded.
"Always."
The world faded.
And moments later—
light returned.
Warm air brushed against their skin.
The scent of dry earth and spices filled the atmosphere.
Rio slowly opened her eyes.
They had spawned inside the Village of Cira.
Unlike the snowy settlements of Floor 1—
this village looked completely different.
Golden sandstone buildings stretched around the area.
Bright cloth banners swayed gently between rooftops.
Palm trees lined portions of the streets while glowing lanterns hung beside market stalls.
At the center of the village—
a massive Teleporter Crystal floated above a circular platform.
The crystal emitted a deep amber glow instead of the usual blue.
Players surrounded the area excitedly.
Some were inspecting the new classes.
Others were already recruiting party members for exploration.
The entire atmosphere felt alive.
Ryota looked around in amazement.
"…Woah."
Rio smiled slightly.
"Welcome to Floor 2."
The desert wind brushed through the plaza.
Players rushed past them nonstop.
Some wore entirely new armor sets already.
A spear user demonstrated spinning techniques near the market.
Meanwhile a newly classed priest was desperately trying to heal someone who accidentally fell off a rooftop.
Ryota laughed.
"This place feels way more chaotic."
Rio nodded while opening the update interface again.
"The release of Floor 2 and 3 accelerated progression."
"Everyone's trying to get ahead."
They began walking side by side through the plaza.
Rio continued reading through the patch notes while explaining things.
"Warrior classes got expanded."
"Gladiators specialize in close combat pressure."
"Infantry focuses more on formation combat and durability."
Ryota listened carefully.
"And assassins?"
Rio nodded.
"Three types now."
She raised three fingers.
"Arcane Assassins."
"They focus on skill casting and magical burst damage."
"Juggernaut Assassins."
"Pure brute force and execution builds."
"And Mirage Assassins."
"They specialize in hit-and-run combat."
Ryota whistled softly.
"That actually sounds cool."
Rio smirked.
"Mirage Assassins become nightmares later."
She then continued.
"And Priest roles got added."
"Druids."
"Healers."
"Enchanters."
Ryota blinked.
"So Ayame would probably become a healer."
"Exactly."
Rio then opened another section.
"Swordsman roles also got reworked."
Ryota immediately looked interested.
"Oh?"
Rio nodded.
"Standard Swordsman."
"Fencer."
"And Slayer."
She glanced toward Ryota.
"You and I are still classified as Swordsman."
"But greatsword and longsword users are mostly categorized as Slayers now."
Ryota looked at the black sword Cynthia made resting at his waist.
"…That actually sounds fitting."
Rio smiled.
Then suddenly—
she stopped walking.
Ryota blinked.
"What?"
Rio stared quietly at the guild interface floating before her.
There it was.
The exact icon she remembered from her previous life.
A golden banner symbol.
The Apex Guild Authority tab.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…They really added it already."
Ryota leaned closer.
"What is it?"
Rio slowly smiled.
"The beginning."
She closed the menu.
Then looked at him confidently.
"Don't worry."
"I already know what we need to do."
Ryota stared at her for a moment.
Then smiled.
"…That sentence is either comforting or terrifying."
Rio grinned.
"Yes."
They both laughed.
Then Rio extended her hand toward the massive Teleporter Crystal at the center of the plaza.
"You ready to start our adventure in Floor 2?"
Ryota nodded immediately.
"Yeah."
The two walked toward the crystal together.
The amber light reflected across their faces.
Rio placed her hand against the crystal.
Ryota did the same.
Suddenly—
the crystal erupted with light.
A massive teleportation circle formed beneath them.
Wind exploded outward across the plaza.
Nearby players turned toward them in surprise.
Then—
their bodies vanished.
The scenery shattered into streams of gold light.
And moments later—
heat slammed into them instantly.
The sound of violent desert winds echoed endlessly.
Rio and Ryota slowly opened their eyes.
An endless sea of golden sand stretched toward the horizon.
Massive dunes rolled endlessly beneath a blazing sun.
Ruined stone pillars protruded from the sands like forgotten remnants of an ancient civilization.
Far away—
something enormous moved beneath the desert surface.
Ryota stared silently.
"…We're definitely not in Floor 1 anymore."
Rio smiled.
The desert wind blew through her silver hair.
"Welcome…"
"…to the Sunscar Desert."
Heat waves distorted the horizon endlessly.
The moment Rio and Ryota entered Floor 2—
everything changed.
The air itself felt heavier.
Dry.
Burning.
The endless winds carried grains of orange sand across the landscape while massive stone canyons stretched through the desert like ancient scars carved into the earth itself.
Rio walked ahead calmly with her hands inside her jacket pockets.
Ryota followed behind while wiping sweat from his forehead.
"…Why is it so hot already?"
Rio glanced back.
"You're wearing black."
Ryota looked down at his outfit.
"…Fair point."
The two continued walking through the rocky canyon paths.
Unlike Floor 1's snowy mountains and forests—
Floor 2 felt ancient.
Dead.
Yet strangely alive at the same time.
Massive stone walls towered above them while strange markings could occasionally be seen carved into the canyon rock.
Rio casually cut down a desert monster that lunged toward them.
A crimson slash flashed.
The creature collapsed instantly.
[Sand Lurker Defeated]
Ryota whistled.
"You're still terrifying."
Rio shrugged.
"You'll get there eventually."
Ryota laughed before stabbing another creature trying to crawl out from the canyon wall.
The black blade Cynthia forged sliced cleanly through the monster.
[Desert Fang Cobra Defeated]
Ryota smiled slightly.
Even now—
he still occasionally glanced at the sword.
Rio noticed it.
And quietly smiled to herself.
They continued exploring while harvesting herbs scattered throughout the canyon.
Rio crouched beside a glowing cactus flower and carefully picked it.
[Sunpetal Herb Obtained]
Ryota blinked.
"…What does that do?"
"Potion ingredient."
Rio stored it away.
"Desert regeneration potions."
Ryota stared.
"You know literally everything about this game."
Rio immediately pointed at him.
"Correction."
"I know almost everything."
"…That's somehow worse."
Rio grinned proudly.
The two continued deeper through the rocky canyon.
Eventually—
the narrow path widened.
The moment Ryota stepped out from the canyon—
his eyes widened.
"…Woah."
An enormous orange desert stretched endlessly before them.
Miles upon miles of burning sand rolled across the horizon beneath the blazing sun.
It looked almost beautiful.
Yet unsettling.
The dunes constantly shifted from the wind.
Ryota slowly walked forward.
"…So this is Floor 2…"
He approached the edge of the rocky path.
His foot was about to touch the orange sand—
when suddenly—
"Ryota."
Rio's voice stopped him instantly.
He turned.
"What?"
Rio looked at him like he was about to jump into lava.
"…What are you doing?"
Ryota blinked.
"I was about to explore the desert."
"…Why?"
Rio stared at him silently for a few seconds.
Then sighed deeply.
"…No."
Ryota tilted his head.
"Huh?"
Rio opened her inventory.
A giant chunk of meat suddenly appeared in her hands.
The thing was massive—
almost the size of her head.
Ryota blinked.
"…Why do you even have that?"
Rio ignored the question.
Then threw the meat far into the orange sand.
The meat landed with a soft thud.
Silence followed.
Then—
the sand moved.
Ryota froze.
The orange dunes suddenly rippled violently.
Like something enormous was swimming beneath the surface.
Then—
BOOOOOM
A gigantic creature exploded out of the sand.
It looked like a massive land shark covered in rough orange scales.
Its jaws alone were large enough to swallow a person whole.
The creature devoured the meat instantly before crashing back beneath the sand.
The desert became quiet again.
Ryota stared blankly.
"…What."
Rio crossed her arms calmly.
"Dune Stalkers."
"Special land shark monsters native to Floor 2."
Ryota slowly stepped backward away from the sand.
"…That thing was huge."
Rio nodded.
"In my old timeline these things caused most of the deaths on Floor 2."
She pointed toward the endless orange dunes.
"You see all that sand stretching for miles?"
Ryota nodded slowly.
"Avoid walking on it whenever possible."
"There are hundreds of those things beneath the surface."
Ryota looked horrified.
"…You're telling me the entire desert is basically a death trap?"
Rio smiled.
"Exactly."
Ryota immediately backed farther away from the edge.
"…I suddenly miss Floor 1"
Rio laughed softly.
Then Ryota looked around.
"So how are we supposed to travel?"
Rio pointed eastward toward distant hills barely visible from the canyon exit.
"There's a village nearby."
"They have shipyards."
Ryota blinked.
"…Shipyards?"
Rio nodded.
"Sand ships."
"They sail across the desert safely."
Ryota stared at her.
"…This game is insane."
Rio grinned proudly.
"You're just realizing that now?"
Then she pointed west.
"But before that…"
"We need to head there first."
Ryota blinked.
"Why?"
Rio smiled mysteriously.
"She's here."
"…She?"
Rio ignored the question and started walking.
Ryota sighed before following her again.
The two continued westward along the rocky canyon paths.
After nearly an hour—
a village finally appeared in the distance.
The settlement was built directly into the canyon walls.
Large sandstone buildings connected through hanging bridges and cloth walkways.
Lanterns swayed gently above narrow streets while merchants shouted from market stalls.
At the center of the settlement hung a massive sign.
[Village of Safar]
Ryota looked around curiously.
"This place feels shady."
Rio nodded immediately.
"It is."
"…Oh."
Players and NPCs filled the streets.
Mercenaries.
Hunters.
Travelers.
Smugglers.
Unlike the Town of Beginnings—
Floor 2 already felt far more dangerous.
Rio walked through the village without hesitation.
Eventually—
they stopped in front of a tavern.
Loud music and laughter echoed from inside.
Rio pushed the door open.
The scent of alcohol and cooked meat immediately filled the air.
The tavern was crowded.
Players sat around tables gambling and talking loudly while NPC musicians played strange desert instruments near the corner.
Ryota looked around carefully.
"…This place definitely feels shady."
Rio ignored him again.
Instead—
her eyes slowly scanned the room.
Then she spotted someone.
A lone figure wearing a black cloak sat quietly at a table near the back corner of the tavern.
Unlike everyone else—
the figure sat in complete silence.
Rio smiled faintly.
"There you are."
Ryota blinked.
"…Wait."
Rio calmly walked toward the cloaked figure.
The noisy tavern strangely felt quieter the closer they got.
The cloaked person slowly lifted their head slightly.
Rio pulled out a chair.
Then sat down directly across from them.
Ryota stood nearby awkwardly.
Then—
Rio looked up calmly.
"It's been a long time, Sayanaki."
Silence filled the table.
Then slowly—
the cloaked figure smiled.
A familiar voice echoed beneath the hood.
"…You really found me."
The figure lowered the hood.
Crimson hair spilled down softly.
Sharp violet eyes gleamed beneath the tavern lights.
And a dangerous grin slowly appeared across her face.
Sayanaki leaned forward happily.
"I was wondering how long it would take before you came looking for me."
Ryota stared blankly.
"…Why do I suddenly feel like something terrible is about to happen?"
Sayanaki's grin widened immediately.
"Oh?"
She rested her chin against her hand.
"Nice to see you are still alive white-haired boy."
Ryota immediately pointed at himself.
"…Why does everyone call me that?"
Neither girl answered him.
Instead—
Rio and Sayanaki quietly stared at each other.
Like two monsters recognizing one another.
Then Sayanaki suddenly laughed.
A bright.
Dangerous.
Excited laugh.
The exact same laugh Rio remembered from her previous life.
And somehow—
that smile alone made the atmosphere inside the tavern feel colder.