CLANG!
BZZZT!
"Uh…" Volt slowly looked toward the garage. "What exactly is she doing in there?"
A few moments later—
The giant metal garage doors slowly opened.
Ryze's eyes widened immediately.
"…No way."
A massive armored vehicle slowly rolled out from the darkness.
Heavy tracks.
Rotating turret.
Reinforced armor plating.
An old but deadly military design.
Painted markings along its side read:
T-80
"You know this?" Sylph asked proudly while wiping grease from her hands.
Ryze slowly walked around the armored vehicle in disbelief.
"A T-80…"
"The tank was heavily modified for New World travel."
"It has reinforced HP armor."
"High terrain endurance."
"Strong defensive systems."
"And enough speed for long-distance travel."
Volt's jaw nearly dropped.
"…Wait."
"You're seriously giving THIS to us?"
Sylph shrugged casually.
"It's just collecting dust here anyway."
"I don't even use it anymore."
Axell immediately looked horrified.
"SYLPH."
"Do you know how expensive that thing is?!"
"Yes."
"And?"
"…You're terrifying sometimes."
Blaze quietly inspected the massive tank.
"…This can survive heavy attacks?"
"Mostly," Sylph answered. "As long as you don't fight another raid boss directly."
Ryze immediately coughed awkwardly.
"…Danger has a way of finding us."
"Please tell me you're joking," Sylph replied flatly.
Volt quickly changed the subject.
"Alright! New vehicle secured!"
"Now we just need a destination."
Ryze reached into her bag before pulling out the strange map Havoc had given them earlier.
The moment Sylph and Axell saw it—
They froze.
"…Wait," Axell muttered.
"That map…"
Sylph looked equally shocked.
"Is that seriously from a raid boss?"
Ryze nodded slowly.
"Havoc gave it to us before we part ways."
"…I still can't believe you people casually talk to raid bosses," Axell whispered.
"Alright."
"Let's talk about our next move."
Everyone slowly gathered around the map.
The map showed multiple regions, supply routes, abandoned zones, and hidden paths throughout several territories.
Ryze crossed her arms.
"Our current location is here."
She pointed toward a small forest region far from major territories.
"If we continue north, we eventually reach the outer trade routes."
Axell frowned slightly.
"…And eventually Empire territory."
Volt nodded.
"The nearest large city is Helios Reach."
Sylph's expression immediately changed slightly.
"You're seriously planning to go THERE?"
An Empire-controlled city.
Volt crossed his arms.
"That's our next destination."
Ryze frowned immediately.
"…You're serious?"
"That place is deep inside Empire territory."
"And?"
Ryze quietly added,
"And probably posters of my face everywhere."
"…Right," Blaze muttered awkwardly.
Volt pointed at the map.
"We don't have a choice."
"Helios Reach is basically one of the Empire's controlled trade cities."
"This route has the safest terrain for long-distance travel."
"If we avoid it, we'll end up crossing Black Zones or unstable wastelands."
Ryze studied the map carefully.
"…There's really no alternate route?"
Sylph shook her head.
"Not unless you want to fight nightmare-level monsters every three hours."
"…Great."
Axell leaned closer toward the map.
"Honestly, this path is already the least suicidal option."
Ryze sighed heavily.
"…Fine."
"But why exactly are we going there?"
Volt smirked slightly.
"Because someone's waiting for us."
Ryze blinked.
"…Someone?"
"You'll see."
Volt glanced toward Blaze.
Blaze simply smiled and nodded calmly.
That somehow made Ryze even more suspicious.
"…Why do I feel like both of you are hiding something?"
"We are," Volt answered proudly.
"That's not reassuring."
The group soon began preparing supplies for the journey.
Food.
Fuel.
Ammo.
Medicine.
Repair kits.
Everything needed for a long-distance trip across dangerous territory.
Blaze casually carried giant supply crates back and forth between the storage shed and the tank.
Crates that normally required at least three people to move.
Yet Blaze carried them effortlessly.
At one point, Axell completely stopped walking just to stare.
"…Okay."
"That's not normal."
Blaze tilted his head.
"Hm?"
"That crate literally weighs over two hundred kilos."
"Oh."
Blaze looked down at the crate.
"…I thought it felt light."
"…What ARE you?" Axell whispered.
Even Sylph quietly watched Blaze now with visible curiosity.
Ryze noticed immediately.
"…Trust me."
"You get used to it."
"Somehow that answer worries me more," Sylph replied.
As preparations continued, Volt and Axell left briefly to gather extra fuel from another part of the village.
Blaze stayed outside organizing supplies near the tank.
Which unintentionally left Ryze and Sylph alone together inside the house.
The atmosphere became strangely quiet.
Sylph glanced toward the window where Blaze could be seen casually lifting another giant crate.
Then she slowly looked back at Ryze.
"…So."
Ryze immediately narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"…Why do I feel like you're about to ask something dangerous?"
Sylph smiled innocently.
"What exactly is your relationship with Blaze?"
Ryze nearly dropped the bag she was holding.
"W-WHAT?!"
Sylph blinked calmly.
"I'm just asking."
"There's nothing to ask!"
"We're just acquaintances!"
"Nothing more!"
"Nothing less!"
Ryze answered so quickly that even she realized how suspicious she sounded.
Sylph slowly nodded.
"…Mhm."
Ryze's face immediately turned red.
"Don't give me that look!"
"I'm not giving any look."
"You ARE!"
Sylph quietly laughed to herself before asking another question.
"So is it true he really doesn't remember his past?"
Ryze calmed down slightly.
"…Yeah."
"At least… I think so."
Sylph crossed her arms thoughtfully.
"…Still feels suspicious."
"He's connected to the Empire somehow."
"And he's ridiculously strong."
"If that bothers you—"
"It doesn't," Ryze interrupted immediately.
Sylph blinked slightly at the fast response.
Ryze looked away awkwardly.
"…Blaze is Blaze."
"Even if he was part of the Empire before…"
"…I don't really care anymore."
Sylph quietly stared at her for a moment.
Then smiled faintly.
"…I see."
Ryze immediately realized how that sounded.
"WAIT NO THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT—"
Sylph laughed softly this time.
"Relax."
"I'm just teasing you."
Ryze groaned in embarrassment while covering her face.
Meanwhile outside—
Blaze suddenly sneezed.
Volt immediately smirked.
"Someone's talking about you."
"…Why does that sound ominous?"
Back inside the house, Sylph looked toward Blaze again.
"But seriously…"
"Is he actually that strong?"
Ryze immediately answered without hesitation.
"Strong isn't even the right word."
She remembered Blaze Void Monster Strong as a Raid boss.
Surviving the Void.
Destroying enemies.
The terrifying pressure he released during battle.
"…He's terrifyingly strong."
Sylph slowly nodded.
"…Interesting."
Several hours later, most of the preparations were finally complete.
The T-80 now stood fully loaded with supplies and reinforced equipment.
The group took a short break outside near the village training grounds.
Volt laid down lazily on the grass.
"We seriously deserve a vacation after all this."
"We're literally fugitives," Ryze replied.
"Fugitives deserve vacations too."
Axell suddenly stood up.
"Well its been a while since i felt like this, the last time is in training."
Sylph immediately smiled.
That smile alone made Axell step backward nervously.
"…Why are you smiling like that?"
"Because," Sylph answered calmly, "I suddenly feel like sparring."
"Nope."
"Absolutely not."
"You are insane."
Volt laughed loudly.
"Come on, Axell."
"It'll be fun."
"The last time I sparred with her I couldn't walk properly for two days!"
"Skill issue," Sylph replied casually.
Axell looked genuinely offended.
Meanwhile, Ryze slowly stood up while adjusting her gloves.
"…You want to spar?"
Sylph nodded.
"I haven't fought seriously in a long time."
"And honestly…"
"I'm curious."
"About what?"
Sylph smiled slightly.
"The famous Starlink Sniper."
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
Even Blaze looked interested now.
Volt immediately sat upright.
"Oh this I gotta see."
Ryze sighed before grabbing her rifle.
"…Fine."
"But don't blame me if things get messy."
Sylph calmly walked toward the center of the open training field.
Then—
A glowing magic circle slowly formed beneath her feet.
The pressure in the air immediately changed.
Ryze narrowed her eyes.
"…So this is the strength Volt was talking about…"
Across from her—
Sylph smiled calmly while raising one hand.
The wind around them slowly began to move.
Everyone stepped back instinctively.
And as the sun slowly lowered across the village—
Ryze and Sylph faced each other.
Ready to begin.