Ren quietly looked at Yuna, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes.
Her suggestion...."let's try the mines", wasn't something he expected, especially after everything the group had been through.
That place wasn't just dangerous; it was a decision that could shift the rhythm of their entire lives.
But… he couldn't deny it....Yuna was right.
A brief silence settled between the three of them, as if each thought and hesitation was being carefully weighed in everyone's mind.
Nautilus was the first to break the quiet, letting out a heavy breath. "The mines aren't a place to just 'try out.'
They could be an underground maze full of creatures that thrive in the dark. Sometimes, there's no need for a fight, just one simple trap could be enough to end you…"
Though his words sounded grim, they weren't wrong. Everyone knew Nautilus spoke from concern, not for himself....but for someone else.
Yuna met his gaze with determination. "I know. But if we just keep repeating the same old quests, barely scraping by every day, then we're never going to get anywhere.
I don't want to be stuck in place, unable to help myself… or help anyone else."
Ren didn't answer right away. He was weighing the risks, not out of fear, but because he had seen too many consequences from missteps.
He remembered the battles in the forest, the missed swings, the times they had to retreat because of lacking gear.
And then… the look in Nautilus's eyes whenever Yuna got hurt. That look made it impossible for Ren to ignore that each person here was carrying something they weren't saying aloud.
A goal. A burden. A reason to fight.
He glanced at Yuna, the girl who had slowly begun to overcome her fears.
Then at Nautilus, who, despite his gentle demeanor, would always step in front of danger to shield her. Both of them were waiting for his answer.
"Alright," Ren nodded slightly, his voice calm but resolute. "We'll try it, but only once, and we prepare thoroughly. Equipment, items, information… nothing gets overlooked."
His eyes moved between his two companions, as if to emphasize that this wasn't a reckless decision, but a carefully chosen step forward.
Nautilus sighed, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. "Still feels like a terrible idea. But doing nothing won't make things better either." He scratched his head. "At least… we might earn enough to stop living on thin gruel for a week."
Yuna clenched her hand lightly, her voice steady yet warm. "I don't think this is reckless. I think… it's necessary. If we want to get stronger, we have to step out of our comfort zones."
Ren said nothing more. But in his eyes, there was no longer hesitation, only the quiet fire of someone who knew that anything worth having… came with a price.
"Then…" Ren finally spoke, his gaze sweeping over his two companions, "let's start by gathering information. Find people who've been to the mines. If we're lucky, they'll share some tips on how to survive."
Nautilus nodded, arms crossed, as if he'd already thought ahead. "I'll check the blacksmith shops nearby. Maybe some of them have repaired gear for people who returned from the mines. If I play it right, I might hear a few stories worth listening to."
"As for me…" Yuna spoke softly, her fingers brushing the small notebook hanging at her waist, "I'll head to the market. Some players specialize in selling rough maps and rumors about dangerous areas. If I'm lucky, I might get some cheap scraps of information."
Ren turned back to the quest board. The faded papers fluttered in the wind, listing rewards and conditions in cold, detached words, but not a single line warned of the dangers lurking behind those quests.
They were invitations… and possibly traps.
He turned away, pulling his hood lower, his voice steady and firm.
"We've got three hours before noon. Use every minute to prepare. If everything's ready… we move out."
And just like that, the calm morning in Medai Village came to a close, giving way to a day full of planning.
A quiet beginning to a journey none of them could foresee. But this time, at least, none of them would walk alone.
Ren began flipping through the quest board, carefully scanning each paper for missions related to the mines.
He didn't expect to find a complete guide, but with a little luck, he might gather some useful scraps of information.
Each quest described its objective and requirements in detail. If read carefully, they revealed more than their dry wording suggested.
For instance, gathering quests hinted at which materials could be found in the mines.
Based on the quantities required, Ren could estimate their rarity and how often they appeared in that area.
Escort and extermination quests listed the monsters by name, sometimes offering subtle clues about their nature.
In lower floors like the first floor of Aincrad, monster names often reflected their appearance, combat style, or even hunting behavior.
Ren tilted his head, eyes scanning each line of text.
Each word was like a tiny puzzle piece in the larger picture he was trying to form, a picture of the place they were about to enter, where a single mistake… could be the end.
"Collect copper ore. Collect iron ore, coal…"
"Defeat ten Mine Kobolds…"
"Escort a team of miners to the excavation site…"
Ren skimmed through each quest, his fingers tracing the edges of the paper as if trying to memorize every detail.
Familiar names gradually formed a vague picture in his mind, common materials, monsters that appeared on the upper levels of the mine.
The very levels they were planning to visit today.
Even so, everything still felt too unclear.
He had a rough understanding of the materials and monsters found in the upper layers of the mine, but as for the more dangerous lower levels, there was no need to bother, no one intended to go there today.
He could guess the types of resources present in the area, but not their exact locations. Where was copper most abundant? Where could coal be found? Which parts of the mine housed veins of iron?
The more he thought about it, the more those dry lines of text seemed useless in helping them avoid the lurking dangers.
And then, there were the Kobolds. He had fought them before, but that was in the dungeon beneath the Starting Town.
The Kobolds in the mine, though? They could be quicker, stronger, or attack in completely different ways.
In the damp darkness, surrounded by narrow man-made paths and winding tunnels, a single careless step could bring everything crashing down.
Ren narrowed his eyes. The information he had wasn't enough to quiet the doubts in his mind.
He needed more. There had to be another way, an overlooked note, a rumor, even the footprints of players who had returned from there.
"Man, what a shame. We should've gone deeper yesterday."
"Well, no one could've predicted it. That chest turning into a Mimic... we almost died."
"We'll definitely manage today. I'm close to leveling up, just a few more cave bats or mine Kobolds and I'm there."
The conversation nearby caught Ren's attention, making him glance to the side.
Another group of players had just approached the quest board. They didn't seem confused or hesitant like new players. Every word they spoke carried confidence and battle-worn experience.
Their outfits were dusted with dirt and scratched in places, yet their eyes gleamed with excitement, like every return from the depths left them even more alive.
Ren watched them for a moment, then furrowed his brows.
Maybe... they knew what he needed to know.
He hesitated, took a small step forward, then stopped.
A part of him always hesitated when it came to talking to strangers, especially when he wasn't sure they'd be willing to share.
Still, the crucial puzzle pieces might be hidden in their stories. If he let this chance slip away, he might walk into that mine with nothing but weak guesses and hollow luck.
Ren gripped the edge of his cloak and took a deep breath.
Just ask… this is for the whole group, after all.
"Um… excuse me…" Ren spoke up, voice soft, eyes glancing away as if reconsidering his decision.
"I'm planning to head into the mine to level up… but honestly, I don't know much about what's inside. Would you guys be willing to share some tips?"
The group fell briefly silent. Ren's question caught them off guard for a second, like they didn't expect someone to approach them so... awkwardly.
Their eyes quickly scanned him, from the plain cloak to the worn sword, then lingered on the nervous uncertainty on his face.
One of them stepped forward slightly, taller than the rest. He had long, dark blue hair that brushed his shoulders, cold, glass-like eyes, and a well-built frame clad in hardened leather armor. One hand gripped a shield, while the other bore a longsword with faint silver patterns hidden beneath its sheath.
"You're going into the mine alone?" he asked. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried weight. "Honestly, that's suicide. Don't even think about it."
Ren flinched slightly, a bit thrown off by the bluntness. "Ah… I'm going with teammates. Not alone."
But the only response was a raised eyebrow and a skeptical sideways glance from the man.
"…You sure about that? The mine's got different zones, and not every place is meant for 'just checking things out.'"
Another member of the group, smaller in stature but wearing safety goggles and carrying a large tool bag, nudged him and whispered, "Come on, everyone's got a first time. Maybe they just need some basic advice."
The leader shrugged, then turned back to Ren, this time with a less severe gaze.
"Alright," he said, folding his arms. "If you're gonna listen, then listen well. The inside is divided into three main zones: the Mining Zone, the Abandoned Zone, and the Collapse Zone. Stick to the Extraction Zone unless you really know what you're doing."
He paused for a moment, eyes narrowing as if sizing Ren up.
"You still want to know more?"