The room stayed silent after Ryze finished her story.
Nobody knew what to say.
Even Axell looked uncomfortable for once.
The fire quietly crackled beside them while the cold night wind brushed against the windows outside.
Blaze remained completely silent.
But unlike the others—
Something about Ryze's story struck him differently.
Helplessness.
Watching people disappear in front of you.
Surviving when everyone else didn't.
That feeling…
It felt familiar.
Too familiar.
Fragments of the Past flashed through Blaze's mind.
Darkness.
Screams.
A battlefield he couldn't fully remember.
A hand reaching toward him.
Then nothing.
Blaze quietly clenched his hand beneath the table.
He truly understood her a little better.
Why she kept pushing herself.
Why she hated feeling useless.
Why she risked her life for others despite everything.
Because she already experienced once what it felt like to survive while everyone else died.
And she never wanted to feel that helpless again.
"…I see," he muttered softly.
Ryze glanced toward him briefly.
She still looked slightly upset with him after what happened earlier, but now—
There was exhaustion in her eyes too.
The kind that came from carrying something heavy for too long.
Eventually, Volt stretched his arms.
"Well…"
"This got depressing real fast."
Axell nodded immediately.
"Agreed."
"Can we NOT talk about trauma while eating?"
Sylph smacked the back of his head instantly.
"Ow!"
"You deserved that," Volt said.
The atmosphere lightened slightly after that.
Not fully.
But enough.
Eventually, everyone prepared to sleep for the night.
Sylph allowed Ryze to use the spare room while Volt and Blaze stayed near the living area.
Axell immediately groaned from the corner.
"Can someone untie me first before sleeping?!"
"No," Sylph answered instantly.
"You literally tried to sell Ryze."
"Okay but in my defense—"
"There is no defense," Ryze replied flatly.
Blaze almost laughed seeing Axell complain helplessly while still tied to the chair.
Eventually, everyone began preparing to sleep.
As the lights slowly dimmed, the house became quiet.
But before Blaze could rest—
He noticed Ryze quietly standing outside near the porch alone.
The moonlight illuminated her figure softly.
Her sniper rifle remained beside her within arm's reach.
As if she could never truly let her guard down anymore.
Blaze hesitated for a moment before walking outside.
Ryze immediately noticed him.
"…What do you want?"
Still upset.
Blaze scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"…Nothing."
"I just couldn't sleep."
Ryze looked away again.
Silence followed.
Then Blaze finally spoke quietly.
"…When you talked about your team dying…"
His voice lowered slightly.
"I think I understand that feeling."
Ryze glanced at him again.
For the first time—
Blaze looked serious.
Not confused.
Not clueless.
Just… tired.
"Being unable to save anyone," Blaze muttered.
"…It hurts."
Ryze stared at him silently.
Part of her still blamed herself for everything that happened recently.
But another part of her realized—
Blaze carried his own pain too.
Even if he couldn't fully remember it.
Eventually, Ryze sighed softly.
"…Go get some sleep, idiot."
Blaze blinked.
"…Does that mean you're not mad anymore?"
"No."
"…Oh."
"But I'm less mad."
"…Progress?"
"Go inside before I shoot you."
Blaze immediately backed away.
"Understood."
For the first time that night—
Ryze smiled slightly.
Very slightly.
—
The next morning.
The village was already lively.
NPC villagers carried supplies around while players moved between buildings preparing for another day.
Outside Sylph's house—
Ryze stared blankly at their destroyed vehicle.
"…Yeah."
"We are NOT fixing this."
The armored transport looked even worse under daylight.
The front half was crushed inward.
One wheel was completely missing.
The engine occasionally sparked smoke.
Volt crouched beside it while holding random tools.
"…Nah."
"We can fix this."
Blaze looked at him.
"The engine is literally melting."
"Details."
Axell laughed loudly from nearby.
"I've seen Old Waggons in better condition than this thing."
Ryze sighed.
"This is hopeless…"
Still—
Everyone attempted repairs anyway.
Mostly because they had no better option.
Blaze lifted damaged metal plating while Volt worked on the engine.
Ryze gathered usable parts scattered around the vehicle.
Meanwhile, Sylph watched everything while drinking tea calmly.
"…I have several questions," she said.
Ryze glanced toward her.
"Like?"
Sylph pointed toward the massive claw marks covering one side of the vehicle.
"…How exactly did you survive fighting a raid boss?"
Ryze paused.
Then awkwardly looked away.
"…We didn't."
"Hm?"
"We technically never defeated Havoc."
Sylph blinked.
"…What?"
Volt laughed nervously.
"Yeah…"
"Blaze kinda just…"
Ryze rubbed her forehead.
"…Talked to it."
Silence.
Sylph stared at them.
"…You're joking."
"I wish I was," Ryze answered immediately.
Blaze looked confused.
"What?"
"That worked."
"You SPOKE to a raid boss?!" Sylph shouted.
Blaze nodded casually.
"Yeah."
"It seemed reasonable."
"REASONABLE?!"
Even Axell looked horrified.
"That thing destroys Groups Of Highly skilled Players!"
Blaze shrugged.
"Well, it stopped attacking."
"That's not how raid bosses work!" Sylph yelled.
Ryze sighed deeply.
"Tell us about it."
Even now, none of them fully understood what happened
Raid bosses weren't supposed to negotiate.
Especially Havoc.
Yet somehow—
Blaze treated it lie a normal conversation.
And it worked.
Eventually, everyone returned to fixing the vehicle.
Or at least attempting to.
Several hours passed.
Smoke exploded from the engine again.
Volt slowly lowered his wrench.
"…Okay."
"Bad news."
Ryze crossed her arms.
"It's dead, isn't it?"
Volt nodded seriously.
"Very dead."
Axell patted the destroyed metal proudly.
"It lived a good life."
"It's not a pet," Ryze replied flatly.
Blaze tilted his head slightly.
"So what now?"
Sylph quietly placed down her tea.
"…Actually."
"I might have something."
Everyone looked toward her.
"What kind of something?" Volt asked cautiously.
Sylph smiled slightly.
"Let's just say…"
"You won't be traveling on foot anymore."
The group followed her toward one of the larger storage buildings near the edge of the village.
Then—
The massive metal doors slowly opened.
Ryze's eyes widened slightly.
"…No way."
Inside the garage stood a heavily modified armored.
Dark steel plating.
Enhanced tracks.
Reinforced cannon systems.
Storage compartments
And several magical modifications glowing along its sides.
Volt stared in shock.
"…Sylph."
"…Why do YOU have a tank?"
Sylph casually smiled.
"…Long story."