Rio's phone remained open on the table.
The screen was filled with notes.
Skill combinations, future events, market fluctuations, patch information, hidden locations, guild developments, and countless other pieces of information were arranged across several pages. Things that had taken Rio years to discover during her original life had been condensed into carefully organized notes that she could now access with a few taps.
For anyone else, the amount of information would have been overwhelming.
For Rio, it was simply the accumulated knowledge of fifteen years.
Yet she still wasn't finished.
Her finger slowly scrolled past the section covering Skill Union.
Then she stopped.
There was one final note.
One that she had deliberately left until the end.
Sayanaki noticed the subtle change in Rio's expression almost immediately.
"You've got one more thing."
It wasn't a question.
Rio nodded.
"Yes."
Ryota immediately leaned forward.
"Another update feature?"
"Not exactly."
Rio's finger hovered over the screen.
"It's a hidden feature."
Sayanaki's eyes narrowed.
"Hidden?"
"Very."
Rio slowly locked her phone.
The screen went dark, leaving only her faint reflection staring back at her.
For several seconds, she remained silent.
Then she looked toward the other two.
"This wasn't included in the original patch notes."
Ryota frowned.
"Then how did people discover it?"
"By accident."
Rio paused.
"And it took them five months."
Sayanaki blinked.
"Five months?"
"Five real-world months."
Rio nodded.
"By then, the entire community had already built their characters around the eight-skill system, Skill Synchronization, and Skill Union. People thought they had already figured out the important changes introduced by the update."
She placed her phone back on the table.
"Then someone discovered something that completely changed the way players understood skills."
Ryota's expression became more serious.
"What was it?"
Rio looked directly at him.
"Skill Evolution."
The moment those words left her mouth, Ryota's expression changed.
It wasn't curiosity.
It wasn't excitement.
It was concern.
Real concern.
Rio noticed immediately.
So did Sayanaki.
Ryota slowly leaned back in his chair.
"Evolution?"
Rio nodded.
"Yes."
"What exactly does that mean?"
Rio took a slow breath.
"Skills can evolve."
Sayanaki frowned.
"Like upgrading a skill?"
"Not exactly."
Rio shook her head.
"A normal skill becomes stronger through proficiency. You use it repeatedly. You learn its timing. You become more efficient with it. You understand its strengths and weaknesses, discover different ways to apply it, and gradually become more skilled at using it."
She paused.
"But Skill Evolution is different."
Rio's expression became more serious.
"It happens when a player pushes a skill beyond its normal limits."
Ryota frowned.
"How far?"
"Far enough that the system itself recognizes the skill as having surpassed its original state."
Silence settled over the table.
Rio continued.
"Mastery is one part of it."
She raised one finger.
"Emotion is the other."
Sayanaki's eyes narrowed.
"Emotion?"
Rio nodded.
"Strong emotion can force a skill past its normal boundaries."
She looked toward the restaurant window.
"It usually happens during extreme situations."
Her gaze remained distant as she listed the possibilities.
"Fear. Anger. Desperation. Protectiveness. Determination. Grief."
She paused.
"Anything strong enough to push a player beyond what they believed they were capable of."
Ryota slowly crossed his arms.
"So..."
He thought carefully about what she had said.
"If someone masters a skill and then reaches an extreme emotional state while using it..."
Rio nodded.
"Sometimes the skill evolves."
Sayanaki tilted her head.
"Sometimes?"
"That's the important part."
Rio shook her head.
"Skill Evolution isn't guaranteed."
She looked between them.
"Two players can use the exact same skill. Both can master it. Both can experience extreme emotions while using it."
She paused.
"And only one of them might successfully evolve the skill."
Ryota frowned.
"Why?"
"We don't know."
Rio answered honestly.
"Even in my original timeline, nobody completely understood the conditions."
She picked up her phone again and unlocked it.
"There were theories."
She scrolled through the notes.
"Some players believed it depended primarily on mastery. Others believed it depended on the intensity of the emotion. Some believed the skill itself had to possess enough potential to evolve. Others thought the player had to accomplish something extraordinary with the skill."
Sayanaki nodded slowly.
"Probably all of those things."
"Maybe."
Rio smiled faintly.
"But there's one thing we know for certain."
She looked at them.
"Skill Evolution doesn't happen simply because someone wants it to."
That seemed to relax Ryota slightly.
Then Rio added:
"Which is exactly why people spent years trying to force it."
Ryota's expression immediately changed again.
"Force it?"
"Yes."
Rio sighed.
"Once the community discovered Skill Evolution, everyone wanted it."
She looked down at her phone.
"Players started deliberately putting themselves into dangerous situations. Some repeatedly fought bosses far beyond their level. Others tried to trigger powerful emotions through PvP. Some deliberately fought while their health was almost empty. Others attempted to recreate famous moments from players who had already evolved their skills."
Rio shook her head.
"Most of them failed."
Sayanaki frowned.
"And the ones who succeeded?"
"Very few."
Rio's expression became thoughtful.
"They became some of the most terrifying players in the game."
The table fell silent again.
Ryota stared at Rio.
Then Rio looked directly at him.
"And that's why I'm telling you about this now."
Ryota immediately understood.
His expression became cautious.
"Me?"
Rio nodded.
"You."
She leaned forward.
"Think about your Scalular Impact."
Ryota's eyes narrowed.
"My unique skill?"
"Yes."
Rio nodded.
"You already have an extremely unusual skill. Scalular Impact isn't simply defensive. You've already demonstrated that."
Ryota's expression became awkward.
His mind immediately went back to one particularly embarrassing incident.
"...The Town of Beginnings incident."
Sayanaki immediately looked between them.
"Wait."
Her eyes widened.
"You caused that?"
Ryota looked away.
"It was an accident."
Rio sighed.
"It was absolutely an accident."
Sayanaki covered her mouth, trying to suppress a laugh.
Ryota ignored her.
Rio continued.
"Your skill manipulates force. It reduces incoming impact. It can disperse force, and under the right circumstances, you've already demonstrated that you can redirect it."
Ryota looked down at his hands.
Rio's voice became quieter.
"Now imagine what would happen if you completely mastered it."
Ryota slowly raised his head.
Rio stared directly into his eyes.
"Then imagine that mastery being pushed beyond its normal limits."
She paused.
"Imagine reaching a moment where everything depends on Scalular Impact."
"You're exhausted."
"Your body is failing."
"Someone you care about is in danger."
"You don't have another option."
"And you use Scalular Impact anyway."
Ryota remained silent.
Rio continued.
"That is the kind of situation where Skill Evolution can happen."
Sayanaki slowly understood what Rio was implying.
"You mean..."
Rio nodded.
"Scalular Impact could evolve."
Ryota's eyes widened.
"And if it does?"
Rio smiled faintly.
"Then we don't know what it will become."
Somehow, that answer was more unsettling than if she had simply told him the skill would become stronger.
Ryota leaned back.
"So my unique skill could become something completely different?"
"Possibly."
"Stronger?"
"Almost certainly."
"New abilities?"
"That's the most interesting part."
Rio nodded.
"Skill Evolution doesn't simply increase the numbers attached to a skill. It can unlock hidden functions, new properties, and new techniques."
She paused.
"Sometimes it can even create entirely new applications that weren't visible in the original skill description."
Ryota stared at the table.
Sayanaki looked toward him.
For once, she wasn't teasing him.
She looked genuinely impressed.
Rio continued.
"In my original timeline, players eventually started documenting evolved skills. They compared the original descriptions with the evolved versions."
She scrolled through her notes.
"Sometimes the difference was relatively small. A skill might gain a secondary effect or a slight change in how it functioned."
Her expression became more serious.
"Other times, the difference was enormous."
"Some skills gained entirely new attack forms."
"Some developed defensive properties."
"Some acquired abilities their original users could never have imagined."
She paused.
"And the rarest cases..."
Rio looked up.
"...looked almost nothing like the original skill anymore."
Ryota swallowed.
"Then why haven't you told me this before?"
"Because I didn't want you obsessing over it."
Ryota blinked.
Rio crossed her arms.
"That's exactly what people did in my original timeline. They became obsessed with forcing Skill Evolution. They stopped playing normally. They started chasing extreme situations simply because they wanted to trigger the system."
Sayanaki nodded.
"So you're saying we shouldn't actively force it."
"Correct."
Rio's voice became firm.
"That's not our priority."
Ryota looked toward her.
"Even if Scalular Impact could become stronger?"
"Especially because of that."
Rio leaned forward.
"Your skill is already powerful. You don't need to force its evolution."
Her expression softened.
"Master it naturally. Use it. Understand it. Experiment with it. Find new applications."
She smiled faintly.
"And if one day you reach a situation where the skill evolves..."
She shrugged.
"Then we'll deal with it."
Ryota slowly nodded.
"Don't chase it."
"Exactly."
Sayanaki crossed her arms.
"And you?"
Rio looked toward her.
"What about your skills?"
Rio smiled.
"Same rule."
"I'm not going to deliberately force an evolution either."
Sayanaki nodded.
"Good."
Rio picked up her phone again.
"And that's actually why I wanted to tell you both."
She opened another page.
"Skill Evolution is incredibly powerful."
"But it's unpredictable."
"Skill Synchronization and Skill Union are predictable. We understand how they work. We can build around them. We can prepare for them."
She looked at both of them.
"Those are the systems we should focus on."
Ryota nodded.
"Eight slots."
"Synchronization."
"Union."
"Passive skills."
Rio smiled.
"Exactly."
Sayanaki leaned back.
"So Skill Evolution is something we keep in the back of our minds."
"Yes."
"And if it happens naturally..."
"We take advantage of it."
"Exactly."
Sayanaki nodded.
"Understood."
Rio finally closed her phone.
"There is one more thing."
Ryota let out an exhausted sigh.
"You really had another thing?"
Rio ignored him.
"After the update finishes, I'm bringing everyone back to headquarters."
Sayanaki nodded.
"What are you telling them?"
"Only what they need to know."
Rio's answer was immediate.
"I'll explain the eight limited skill slots, Skill Synchronization, and Skill Union. I'll explain the basic rules and why they matter."
She paused.
"But Skill Evolution?"
Rio shook her head.
"I'm not telling them yet."
Ryota nodded.
"Probably safer."
"Exactly."
Rio folded her hands together.
"I don't want everyone trying to force their skills to evolve."
Sayanaki laughed.
"Can you imagine the guildmates trying to throw themselves at bosses just to trigger it?"
Rio stared at her.
"You just referred to yourself in the third person."
Sayanaki blinked.
"...Did I?"
Ryota immediately laughed.
"Yeah."
"Shut up."
Rio smiled.
For a moment, the tension disappeared again.
The three of them laughed quietly, and the meeting finally began to feel less like a discussion about the future and more like three friends simply talking together.
Unfortunately, the hour had continued to move while they talked.
Outside the restaurant windows, the sky had already darkened.
The warm afternoon sunlight had disappeared, replaced by the glow of streetlights and illuminated storefronts. Cars passed along the road while pedestrians hurried toward train stations and bus stops.
Rio glanced toward the window.
Then toward the clock hanging above the restaurant entrance.
Her expression changed.
"Oh."
Ryota looked at her.
"What?"
"It's late."
He followed her gaze.
"...Really late."
Sayanaki turned toward the clock as well.
"Already?"
Rio nodded.
"We should head home."
She picked up her phone and slipped it into her bag.
"My mom will start worrying if we're gone too long."
Ryota immediately stood.
"Yeah."
Rio gathered the rest of her notes and carefully placed them back inside her bag.
Sayanaki stood as well.
"I'll walk you to the station."
Rio smiled.
"Sure."
Ryota nodded.
"Thanks."
Rio called the waiter over.
"Excuse me."
The waiter approached.
Rio handed over her card.
"Can I pay for the table?"
Sayanaki immediately frowned.
"Wait."
Rio looked at her.
"I'm paying."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
"Then why?"
"Because I invited you."
Sayanaki shook her head.
"Rio."
"It's fine."
"I can pay for my own food."
Rio calmly pushed the card toward the waiter.
"I know."
Then she looked directly at Sayanaki.
"But I'm still paying."
Sayanaki stared at her for several seconds before finally sighing.
"...You're stubborn."
Rio smiled.
"Very."
Sayanaki laughed softly.
"Fine."
She lowered her head slightly.
"Thank you."
Rio nodded.
"You're welcome."
The bill was settled, and the three left the restaurant together.
Cold evening air greeted them the moment they stepped outside.
The city looked completely different at night. Streetlights illuminated the sidewalks while cars passed through the intersections. People hurried toward stations, restaurants remained crowded, and shop windows cast warm light across the pavement.
For Rio, the atmosphere was strangely peaceful.
She had expected the meeting to feel overwhelming.
Instead, she felt lighter.
She had told Sayanaki the truth.
She had explained the update.
She had revealed another secret.
And somehow, everything had gone better than she had expected.
Rio walked between Ryota and Sayanaki with a small smile.
For once, she wasn't carrying everything alone.
Then Ryota suddenly slowed down.
Rio noticed immediately.
"What?"
Ryota didn't answer.
Instead, he looked toward Sayanaki.
He stared at her for several seconds.
Sayanaki noticed.
An irritated expression immediately appeared on her face.
"What are you staring at?"
Ryota blinked.
"Oh."
He scratched his cheek.
"There's something I just realized."
Sayanaki raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"And I want to ask you something."
Sayanaki stopped walking.
Rio stopped as well.
Now she was interested.
Ryota looked directly at Sayanaki.
"Since we met you..."
His voice became more serious.
"You've been killing players."
Sayanaki's expression changed slightly.
Ryota continued.
"You take their loot."
"You sell it."
"And you use the money to make a living."
Sayanaki remained silent.
Ryota's tone softened.
"If you're okay with telling us..."
He hesitated.
"I'd like to know why."
Silence settled between them.
Sayanaki stared at Ryota.
Then she slowly released a long sigh.
"...Fine."
She looked away.
"I guess it's only fair."
She started walking again.
"You and Rio told me your biggest secret."
Ryota and Rio followed.
Sayanaki glanced back.
"Come on."
"This won't take long."
She looked toward the station ahead.
"The next train won't arrive for another thirty minutes anyway."
Rio nodded.
"Alright."
The three continued walking.
But after a few minutes, Rio realized that they weren't actually heading toward the station.
Sayanaki had turned onto another street.
Ryota noticed as well.
"Uh..."
He looked around.
"This isn't the station."
"I know."
"Then where are we going?"
Sayanaki didn't answer immediately.
A large building appeared ahead.
Bright medical signs illuminated the entrance.
Rio's eyes widened slightly.
A hospital.
Sayanaki pushed open the doors.
The three entered.
The atmosphere immediately became quieter.
The smell of disinfectant filled the air. Doctors and nurses moved through the halls, while patients and their families sat in the waiting areas.
A staff member behind the reception desk noticed Sayanaki.
"Oh."
She smiled.
"Sayanaki."
Sayanaki nodded.
"Hi."
"Visiting again?"
"Yeah."
The staff member's expression softened.
"She's awake."
Sayanaki nodded.
"Thanks."
Rio and Ryota remained silent.
They followed Sayanaki toward the elevators.
She pressed the button.
The doors opened.
The three stepped inside.
Sayanaki pressed 4.
The elevator began to rise.
Nobody spoke.
The atmosphere had changed completely.
When the doors opened, Sayanaki stepped into a quiet hallway.
Rio and Ryota followed behind her.
Their footsteps echoed softly against the polished floor.
Eventually, Sayanaki stopped in front of a hospital room.
She raised her hand.
Knocked twice.
Then spoke softly.
"Mom."
"I'm coming in."
She opened the door.
Rio and Ryota followed.
Inside, a woman sat upright in a hospital bed with a book resting in her hands.
The moment she looked up, her expression changed.
Surprise appeared first.
Her eyes moved toward Sayanaki.
Then toward Rio.
Then Ryota.
"...You brought people?"
Sayanaki smiled awkwardly.
"Yeah."
She stepped into the room.
"Mom, these are my friends."
She pointed toward Rio.
"This is Rio."
Then toward Ryota.
"And this is Ryota."
Her mother smiled warmly.
"It's nice to meet you."
Rio immediately bowed politely.
"Nice to meet you too."
Ryota followed.
"Nice to meet you."
Her mother smiled.
"I'm glad Sayanaki has friends."
Sayanaki looked away slightly.
"Mom..."
Her mother laughed softly.
"What?"
Sayanaki pointed toward the book.
"The doctor told you to rest."
Her mother blinked innocently.
"I am resting."
"You're reading."
"Reading is relaxing."
"Mom."
"I'm fine."
Sayanaki sighed.
"You always say that."
Her mother smiled.
"And you're always worried."
Sayanaki walked closer.
Then gently took the book from her mother's hands.
"Just rest."
Her mother looked at her for a moment.
Then smiled.
"Alright."
For several minutes, the room remained peaceful.
Rio and Ryota mostly stayed quiet, deliberately giving the two of them space.
Sayanaki talked with her mother about ordinary things.
Food.
The doctor's visit.
How she had been doing.
The things she had been doing at school.
Nothing dramatic.
Nothing extraordinary.
Just the kind of small conversation that existed between family members who cared about each other.
Eventually, Sayanaki glanced toward the clock.
"I should go."
Her mother nodded.
"You're going somewhere?"
"Yeah."
Sayanaki smiled.
"I just need to accompany Rio and Ryota to the station."
Her mother smiled.
"Alright."
Sayanaki walked toward the door.
Then paused.
"I'll come back soon."
Her mother nodded.
"I'll be here."
Sayanaki smiled.
"Good."
She stepped into the hallway.
Rio and Ryota followed.
The door closed quietly behind them.
The moment they were alone in the hallway again, Rio finally spoke.
"How long has she been here?"
Sayanaki's expression became quieter.
"Two years."
Rio's eyes widened slightly.
"Two years?"
Sayanaki nodded.
"My mother's body became weak from overworking herself."
She stared toward the elevator.
"She spent her entire life taking care of me."
Her voice remained calm.
"My father left when I was young."
"So she had to raise me alone."
Ryota remained silent.
Sayanaki continued.
"When I turned fourteen, she became too sick."
"She had to be hospitalized."
The elevator doors opened.
They entered.
Sayanaki pressed the button for the first floor.
"I started looking for part-time jobs."
"Anything that would hire someone my age."
"Anything that could help cover the expenses."
Her voice remained composed, but Rio could hear the exhaustion hidden underneath it.
"It was rough."
She stared at the elevator doors.
"Really rough."
Then she smiled faintly.
"Then Evermount released."
The elevator continued downward.
"That changed everything."
"I had to learn the game as quickly as possible, especially because Evermount had the real-money system."
Sayanaki's reflection stared back at her from the metallic doors.
"Player killing was one of the fastest ways to make money."
Rio said nothing.
Sayanaki continued.
"I won't pretend I'm innocent."
"I like fighting."
"I like killing players."
"I'm not some saint."
She looked toward them.
"But if killing players means I can pay my mother's medical expenses..."
She shrugged.
"Then I'll do it."
Her voice became quieter.
"That's why I wanted the player-killing quest opened during our deal."
Rio remembered.
The negotiation.
Sayanaki's insistence.
The determination behind her words.
At the time, Rio had understood that Sayanaki wanted the quest because it benefited her playstyle.
Now she understood the reason behind that determination.
"I was desperate back then."
Sayanaki's gaze dropped.
"The hospital bills were piling up."
"And I didn't know how long I could keep doing everything alone."
The elevator reached the first floor.
The doors opened.
The three stepped out.
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
They continued toward the station.
Rio and Ryota weren't angry.
Not even slightly.
Sayanaki killed players.
She took their loot.
She sold it.
That was simply how she had chosen to survive inside Evermount.
But now they understood why.
And that changed something.
Not their judgment of her.
Their understanding of her.
Sayanaki had never been killing players because she wanted to hurt random people.
She was trying to survive.
She was trying to keep her mother alive.
She was trying to carry a burden far too large for someone her age.
Rio remained quiet.
Something had been bothering her.
Eventually, she reached into her bag.
She pulled out one of her notes.
Then tore off a blank piece of paper.
Sayanaki glanced toward her.
"What are you doing?"
Rio didn't answer.
Instead, she looked toward Ryota.
"Turn around."
Ryota blinked.
"What?"
"Turn around."
"Why?"
"Just do it."
Ryota sighed.
"Fine."
He turned around.
Rio placed the paper against his back and pulled a pen from her bag.
She began writing.
Ryota felt the pen moving against his back.
"...Are you seriously using my back as a desk?"
"Yes."
Sayanaki stared.
"What are you writing?"
Rio continued.
"Something important."
Ryota couldn't see what she was doing.
He could only feel the pen moving across the paper.
After a few moments, Rio finished.
She folded the paper carefully and handed it to Sayanaki.
Sayanaki blinked.
"What is this?"
"A map."
Sayanaki unfolded it.
Her eyes immediately widened.
The paper contained a rough drawing of Floor One.
A forest.
Several landmarks.
A hidden path.
And a marked location deep within the trees.
Rio pointed toward the marked area.
"That's a hidden hunting area."
Sayanaki looked up.
"For what?"
"A mineral."
Rio's expression became serious.
"An event will go live three days after the update launches."
"The market price of this mineral will increase dramatically during that event."
Sayanaki studied the map.
"How much?"
"Normally?"
Rio paused.
"About two copper coins per piece."
Sayanaki's eyes narrowed.
"And during the event?"
"Approximately fifteen."
Sayanaki froze.
"Fifteen?"
Rio nodded.
"Per piece."
Ryota's eyebrows rose.
"That's a pretty big increase."
"It is."
Rio looked toward Sayanaki.
"You'll have two days after the update launches."
"Use whatever spare copper you have."
"Buy as much of the mineral from the market as you can before everyone realizes what's happening."
Sayanaki studied the map more carefully.
"Then?"
"Spend at least three days farming the hidden area."
"Kill the monsters."
"Collect the minerals."
"Then sell everything during the event."
Sayanaki's expression became increasingly serious.
"Everything?"
"Everything."
"Don't keep any?"
"Not one."
Rio shook her head.
"Once the event ends, the price will collapse."
Sayanaki looked up.
"How far?"
"Lower than its original value."
"How low?"
"One copper coin."
Sayanaki stared at her.
For several seconds, she couldn't say anything.
Then she slowly looked back down at the map.
"Rio..."
Her voice was quiet.
She almost folded the paper.
Almost handed it back.
"I can't take this."
Rio immediately raised one finger.
Then gently pressed it against Sayanaki's lips.
"Shh."
Sayanaki froze.
Rio smiled.
"Keep it."
"But—"
"No."
Rio shook her head.
"You need it more than we do."
Sayanaki stared at her.
Rio continued.
"Truthfully, yes. My family isn't wealthy. We don't have a lot of money."
She glanced toward Ryota.
"But Ryota and I are doing fine."
"We're both working."
"We've already made progress."
"And more importantly..."
Her eyes softened.
"We have each other."
Then she looked back at Sayanaki.
"You're carrying everything alone."
Sayanaki's eyes softened.
"You need this more than we do."
Rio glanced toward Ryota.
"Am I right?"
Ryota smiled.
"Yup."
He looked at Sayanaki.
"Take it."
Sayanaki hesitated.
Ryota chuckled.
"Trust me."
"If Rio decides you need something..."
He pointed toward the map.
"She'll probably glue that thing to your hand until you're forced to take it."
Rio immediately puffed out her cheeks.
"I'm not like that."
Ryota laughed.
"You absolutely are."
Rio ignored him.
Then she looked toward Sayanaki again.
"It's my responsibility as the guild leader to help my members when they're in trouble."
Sayanaki remained silent.
Rio continued.
"I think there's also some of that mineral in the guild storage."
"I'll check once maintenance ends."
"If it's still there, I'll give it to you."
Sayanaki's eyes widened.
"Rio..."
"Ryota and I have no use for this event."
She smiled.
"And with Ryota's luck..."
Rio slowly turned toward him.
"...who knows how many minerals he'll get?"
Ryota blinked.
"What?"
Rio stared at him.
An annoyed expression slowly appeared.
"Your item-drop luck is ridiculous."
Ryota smiled awkwardly.
"I can't control it."
"I know."
Rio sighed.
"That's what makes it worse."
Sayanaki suddenly laughed.
A small laugh escaped her.
Then another.
Eventually, she shook her head.
"You two are unbelievable."
Rio smiled.
"Maybe."
Sayanaki looked down at the map again.
Then carefully folded it.
She placed it inside her jacket.
This time, she didn't try to return it.
"Alright."
Her voice softened.
"I'll take it."
Rio smiled.
"Good."
Sayanaki looked toward her.
For the first time since they had left the hospital, her expression wasn't guarded.
It was warm.
Genuine.
She stepped closer.
Then, without warning, she wrapped her arms around Rio.
Rio froze for half a second.
Then smiled.
Her arms gently wrapped around Sayanaki.
"Thank you."
Sayanaki's voice was quiet.
"Really."
"This means a lot."
Rio smiled.
"Of course."
She gently patted Sayanaki's back.
"That's what friends do."
Sayanaki slowly pulled away.
Her eyes were slightly brighter than before.
Then she looked toward Rio.
"I wish..."
She hesitated.
"The me from your original timeline had met you."
Rio blinked.
Sayanaki smiled sadly.
"She missed out on a wonderful person."
Rio's expression softened.
"I'm glad we met this time."
Sayanaki nodded.
"So am I."
The sound of an approaching train echoed through the station.
The three turned toward the platform.
Headlights appeared in the distance, growing brighter as the train approached.
Rio adjusted her bag.
Ryota stepped toward the platform edge.
Sayanaki remained beside them.
The train arrived.
The doors opened.
Rio turned toward Sayanaki.
"Take care."
"You too."
Ryota raised a hand.
"See you in Evermount."
Sayanaki smiled.
"See you."
Rio stepped onto the train.
Ryota followed.
Before the doors closed, Rio looked back one final time.
Sayanaki stood on the platform.
The mineral map was safely hidden inside her jacket.
For the first time in a long time, she wasn't facing her problems completely alone.
The doors closed.
The train began moving.
Rio and Ryota disappeared into the darkness of the tunnel.
Sayanaki remained on the platform for several seconds.
Then she slowly touched the pocket where she had stored the map.
A small smile appeared on her face.
She had met two people who knew her secret.
Two people who knew how she survived.
Two people who didn't judge her for what she had done.
And now, for the first time, Sayanaki had friends she could truly rely on.
Meanwhile, inside the departing train, Rio rested her head against the window.
The city lights blurred across the glass as the train moved through the darkness.
The meeting had gone better than she expected.
She had shared the future.
She had explained the update.
She had revealed Skill Evolution.
She had learned the truth behind Sayanaki's actions.
And she had given Sayanaki an opportunity to earn enough money to help support her mother.
Rio quietly smiled.
The future was changing.
Not because she was changing it alone.
But because this time, she had people beside her.
And perhaps that was the greatest advantage of all.
The train disappeared deeper into the night.
Tomorrow, Evermount would continue.
And soon...
Patch 0.3 would change everything.