Originally, the raid group known as "Gold Rush" and the leisure-seeking "7net" were like oil and water. Amidst their rivalry, an incident had occurred, inevitable to complicate matters.
Indeed, the best course of action now was to leave this place. Violet took Merrick's advice to heart and resolved to depart the village before the day was out.
"Then let's get out of this village quickly..."
"That would be a problem."
It was at that moment a man appeared before us. Clad in steel armor, he was a towering figure with a fierce appearance and a well-toned physique. Armed with a massive sword and shield, he was undoubtedly a warrior, no matter how one might argue otherwise.
I recognized him immediately—he was a member of "Gold Rush," the one who had defended me from the assault of Spring. At the same time, he was also the man who had attacked her.
"You're the one from earlier…"
"No way… what are you doing here?"
It seemed Violet recognized him as well. It was not surprising; the man before us held a high rank even in this "Deepguard" world.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Divine, the Guild Master of the Royal Capital's Vigilante Guild, Gold Rush."
"Steel's Divine… I can't believe we'd meet here."
From the earlier battle, I had sensed he was no ordinary foe, yet I had not anticipated he was the guild master.
The warrior, Divine of Steel. Ranked first in duels and third overall—a true No. 3 in this game.
With his piercing gaze, he loomed over us, his imposing figure blocking our path.
"...You don't plan to let us go, do you?"
"No, this is just a trivial matter. I want to talk to the boy over there."
Me? Had I done something to invoke his wrath?
As I stood there in confusion, Divine asked an even more perplexing question.
"Do you hate me?"
"Uh..."
"I've heard you had quite a strong relationship with that puppet, Spring. Surely, you must despise me for killing her."
True, he was the one who had killed Spring, ruthlessly cutting her down with the Steel sword at his waist.
Yet, before that, he had saved me. If it hadn't been for him, I would have faced a game over by now.
It felt wrong to harbor hatred towards someone who had helped me. To my surprise, I found myself responding with unexpected calmness.
"No, you saved me. I have no reason to hate you; I'm grateful instead."
Yes, that was the most logical answer. As long as it made sense, my heart could find peace.
Moreover, saying so would prevent any further complications in our conversation. It was perfect—a model response. I wasn't foolish enough to let fleeting emotions take control.
"Ah, so you're just a coward," Divine said coldly, piercing through my thoughts.
"What...?"
"You buried your anger about her disappearance for the sake of your own safety," she continued. "It's certainly a clever decision, a textbook answer, but at the same time, it feels so detached. If you truly cared about her, shouldn't you have punched me instead?"
I fell silent, realizing she was right. To avoid conflict, I had glossed over the fact that Spring was gone. If I truly mourned her death, I should have acted on instinct, rather than relying on empty reasoning.
I felt a deep loathing for myself. I always did this—conforming to my surroundings, stifling my emotions, living life with no real purpose.
I looked down on this game world, meandering through it without a second thought. If I had committed to finding Eldon, shouldn't I be facing this world with determination?
This was why I could never take anything seriously. It's why I failed to save Spring and the others.
Just then, a dull thud echoed through the air as a fist struck Divine's cheek. It wasn't my punch; it came from a third party, entirely unrelated to our conversation.
"Anger? Emotion? Give me a break," Divine scoffed.
And there she stood—once again, Ivy, delivering a brutal blow to the larger Divine.
She clenched her fists, then spoke with resolute determination. "Is having courage what makes you great? Is fulfilling your will your ultimate goal? Don't be deluded. Greatness is proven in action, not by imposing your beliefs on others!"
Placing her hand on her chest, Ivy continued, "Passionate ideals are all well and good. But do you have the right to dismiss differing perspectives simply because of them?"
Indeed... surrendering to passion doesn't always lead to the right path. It's the clarity of thought that enables one to find the best solution. My judgment wasn't wrong. If the opponent hadn't been Divine, a single act of violence could have cost me everything. So this is for the best. A true victor isn't just the brave one; it's the one who laughs last.
As Divine pressed a hand against her bruised cheek, she faced Ivy. "But isn't what you defend actually a passionate ideal? If that's the case, why do you hold him in such high regard? It seems like your agreement with him is quite flawed."
Yes, Ivy, you and I don't resonate. The gap between us is too vast. Your reckless passion leaves me truly astonished. Yet, with a smile, she brushed aside all reasoning. "Because if a person's worth were determined solely by their actions or ideals, wouldn't that be incredibly dull?"
Mr. Divine stood frozen, his expression one of pure confusion. Eventually, a smile that seemed out of place on his tough exterior broke across his face. "Ha ha ha! No doubt about it!"
The frustration that had gripped him just moments before vanished, replaced by a surprising cheerfulness. Ivy's meddling had turned the situation around... Now, I couldn't let myself fall behind. I would move forward with my own logic and intuition.
"Mr. Divine!" I began to share my reasoning with him. "The perpetrator's declaration mentioned that they would turn this village into a sea of flames. However, Baldy has only committed massacres against players, causing no harm to the village."
"...What are you getting at?" he asked.
"I'm saying it's not over yet. Please be careful."
"...Alright, I'll be cautious."
With an amused grin, Mr. Divine turned his back to us and headed back towards the village. He still had a mountain of work ahead of him; such was the duty of a guild master supporting a vast organization.
"Let's meet again in the royal capital, courageous boys and girls."
The Gold Rush Guild was based in the royal capital. It was almost certain we would find our way to them in Viridian. If the opportunity arose, we might cross paths once more.
With that, Mr. Divine disappeared from our sight, the clanking of his armor echoing as he walked away.
Originally, we should have stopped to question those connected to Baldy and extracted every bit of information. Yet, he didn't do that. What was his true intention?
"What did he come here for, anyway?"
"Maybe he came to get punched?"
"What kind of weird behavior is that?"
"Perhaps... he's just an awkward pervert."
I discussed this with Violet and Ivy. As for Divine, he saved me, yet seemed to take it upon himself to take a hit for penance. If that was the case, then he truly was an awkward pervert—not in the masochistic sense, but in his unpredictable behavior.
After exchanging words with various people, I felt my mind calming down. With this tranquility, I could manage to move forward.
Suddenly, Ivy took my hand and, as if reading my thoughts, spoke gently.
"Lenny, it's okay to feel uncertain. But don't lie to yourself about your feelings! What do you truly want right now? You must have something on your mind!"
Ivy, why do you take care of me like this? Why do you trust someone like me? I tucked those questions away in my heart.
For now, I would not deceive myself and would pursue what I genuinely desired. If she could accept my actions, then I wanted to trust her in return.
"I know you might think I'm crazy for saying this... but..." I clenched my right hand and continued, "I want to build a grave."
Spring, Sarma, Tarn, Wyn—those NPCs who have neither body nor life. Wanting to create graves for them might sound insane, but I felt compelled to do it. Without this, I wouldn't be able to move forward.
"I understand this is just a game, but I'm weak. I can't sort out my feelings..." Yes, I admitted, I am weak. I had learned that through this ordeal. It wasn't just about combat ability; my heart needed to grow stronger too. Everything was to fulfill the promise I made to Spring.
Violet and Ivy accepted me as I was.
"Lenny, it's not because you're weak; it's because you're kind."
"Let's do it! Even if they're just replicas, it's the sentiment that matters!"
"You guys... are too kind... Damn it!"
I was so happy I could cry, but I held it back. I didn't want to shed tears in front of the women.
Merrick watched us with a knowing gaze. Perhaps he had something on his mind related to this incident. He stepped forward with his right hand and bowed deeply.
"Let me handle the remaining issues in this village. In return, I ask that you take care of the arena."
"Thanks for everything," I said.
"Oh, it's nothing," Merrick replied.
After parting ways with Merrick, we headed towards the item shop to buy a logout tent, as well as antidotes and wake-up potions to counter the status ailments we might face in the Forest. We couldn't afford to linger in this village for long. I decided we would build Spring and the others' graves once we reached the Seradon Plains.
We didn't need anything elaborate—just some large stones and flowers from the meadow would suffice.
"I have to become stronger..." I murmured as we walked toward the shop. Upon hearing this, Ivy smiled and said, "Yes! Lenny, you will become strong. Absolutely, definitely strong!"
Her words lacked any real assurance, yet somehow they filled me with confidence. I was determined to advance in this game, to fulfill my promise to Spring, and to meet Eldon.
In a forest not far from the village on the Seradon Plains, we were constructing the graves. We raised large stones, carved names into them, and offered the flowers we had gathered. Because we were in a rush, the graves turned out to be quite simple.
"They don't really look like graves, do they?" Ivy remarked.
"That's fine. It's all about the heart," I reassured her.
We stood before the graves, clasped our hands together, and closed our eyes. The weight in my heart felt significantly lighter. Finally, I sensed that I could move forward. Spring and the others would surely be able to rest in peace.
A lot has happened, and now it's midnight. In both this world and the real one, the clock strikes twelve—perfectly synchronized.
We said our goodbyes to Spring and started to open the tent. But then it happened.
"Wha… what's going on…?"
Suddenly, my body began to fade from the feet up. Initially, I was overwhelmed by an intense fear, but I quickly regained my composure. This sensation was not unfamiliar to me; it was similar to the feeling I experienced when logging in or out of Deepguard.
At this point, fear seemed needless. However, this was decidedly unnatural since I wasn't logged out. Before I could draw any conclusions, my entire form vanished, and my consciousness slipped into darkness. Honestly, today has been incredibly hectic…
I found myself in a blue digital Sky that existed neither in Deepguard nor the real world. There was no doubt about it: this was the place where characters were configured at the game's start.
But why was I here again? The only way to find out was to ask her, the guardian of this Sky.