A faint hum echoed across the endless concrete field. Nameless stood in the center of it, surrounded by towering flat walls that stretched far beyond the fog-covered horizon. Scattered around the space were massive mining drills—motionless and ancient, half-swallowed by the mist.
He walked without purpose, the air thick with gloom. Then, slowly, the gray began to brighten. The dead, cracked earth beneath his feet transformed into vibrant green grass. The drills around him warped and shifted, growing into trees—massive, otherworldly trees that dwarfed anything he'd seen before. Their bark pulsed with life, and fruit hung from their branches. Odd fruit—unfamiliar, yet not entirely alien.
Nameless picked one and bit into it. The texture was... strange. Cloth-like. Fibrous. Still, he kept chewing.
---
He woke up.
His eyes fluttered open to a soft ceiling and warm light. A bed cradled his aching body. Something filled his mouth—a ball of cloth, partially soaked in his own saliva. He turned his head slightly, wincing at the soreness in his neck. His body was wrapped in bandages, especially the leg he remembered injuring. Minor scrapes across his torso and arms had been treated, too.
Nameless sighed, exhausted. The bed was too comfortable. His eyes shut again.
---
The next time he awoke, he was not alone. A woman stood across the room, working silently at a nearby counter. Her white hair and elegant white garments gave her a ghostlike presence in the warm-lit room.
Nameless grunted—his voice muffled. She turned, then approached him and gently removed the cloth from his mouth.
"Who are you, and where am I?" he asked, words tumbling out in mild panic.
"Don't worry. I'm not your enemy," the woman said calmly. "I'm Lily. Welcome to the Graveyard layer. This building is my home."
Nameless blinked, trying to sit up. "I'm Nameless. Nice to mee—"
"Don't move your leg!" Lily warned, pushing him gently back down.
"Oh—sorry." He relaxed.
"I'm sorry too. I startled you."
"No, it's not your fault."
They eased into conversation.
"So... what exactly is this layer?"
"The Graveyard," Lily replied. "Everything discarded from the upper layers—metal scraps, dead bodies, forgotten tech—it all ends up here. There's no life here."
"Then how do you survive?"
"This place is home to technology beyond anything a Low-Class could dream of. Among them, machines that grow genetically modified vegetables so I can maintain a balanced diet."
"That's... oddly impressive."
"The deeper you go, the stranger it gets," she said.
"How did I survive the fall? It should've killed me."
"You landed on a cushioned platform. I got a system alert the moment you entered this layer. I arrived not long after."
"I fell with someone else. Where is he?"
"I killed him," Lily said without hesitation.
Nameless exhaled, relieved. "Thanks. That guy was really annoying."
She chuckled. So did he.
---
Days passed.
Lily returned with a quiet smile. "I think you can move your leg now. Try it."
Nameless flexed it. It moved—but the sensation was... off.
"Feels different."
"I made some adjustments. Once it's fully healed, it'll feel just like before. You can walk now—slowly. Come meet me in the living room."
He sat up, attempting to stand—but staggered.
"Need help?"
"Pretty much."
She handed him his rod. He leaned on it like a cane and hobbled toward the next room.
The living room was cozy. A worn couch, a low table, and a surprising warmth filled the space.
As they sat, Nameless finally asked, "You've helped me a lot. What do you get out of it?"
Lily paused.
"For years, I've been alone. Every day, I collect artifacts, document them, and send them up to the towns in the Low-Class layer. They thrive because of me, but no one knows who I am. I could've let you die, but honestly... killing you would've just made this place lonelier."
"That's... sad. Why not leave?"
"Even if I quit, nothing changes. And if I go up... let's just say I'm not welcome."
"Why not?"
"Let's just call me a troublemaker. That's all you need to know for now."
Nameless nodded.
His eyes caught something.
"That rod... it looks just like mine."
"It didn't come from the Death Rings," Lily said. "I found it here. Trash from above."
"So someone up there discarded it?"
"Apparently."
"Do you know how to use it?"
Lily grinned and reached beneath the table. She pulled out a metal box.
"That's a Nuclear Charger, isn't it?"
"Yep. But if you want to use it, let's wait until your leg fully heals."
---
More time passed. Nameless could now walk without support, though running was still out of reach.
"Wanna see the outside?" Lily asked.
"Definitely. I want to understand this place better."
She offered her hand, and he took it. Together, they stepped outside.
Pitch black.
Only the hideout glowed, casting soft light behind them.
Lily handed him a bulky flashlight—one like Dianne's.
He switched it on. A wide beam lit up the environment.
The ground was littered with ancient metal scraps and decayed corpses. Though they had rotted long ago, their skin barely showed it. Time didn't seem to move here.
"Got a mask?" Nameless asked.
Lily returned inside, re-emerged, and gave him one.
"Here. This'll help."
Nameless wore it, breathing easier. Together, they explored. He picked up a duffel bag along the way and began collecting usable scrap.
"Weren't you looking for a charger?" Lily asked.
Nameless gave a thumbs up.
Soon enough, he found two Nuclear Chargers, side-by-side.
He snatched them and turned to leave.
"Got what you needed?" Lily asked.
Nameless smiled beneath the mask and gently grabbed her hand, tugging her along.
"Yeah, I get it. Let's head back."
Halfway home, Nameless stumbled. Lily caught both him and the bag.
"You okay?"
He gave another thumbs up.
"You overdid it. Let me carry this."
Despite her slender build, she hoisted the heavy duffel effortlessly.
---
Back at the hideout, Nameless removed his mask and inhaled deeply.
"Damn, that was fun. Two chargers in one trip."
"And you scared me half to death."
"Sorry for worrying you."
"It's okay. Helping you felt... good."
"Helping you felt good, too."
"What do you mean?"
"I think my being here made you feel a little less alone."
Lily paused, looking down. Nameless tilted his head.
"You alright?"
She stepped forward—and hugged him.
Nameless felt the warmth of her tears soaking into his shirt.
"Did I strike a nerve?" he murmured, placing his arms around her shoulders.
It felt... right. A quiet comfort he didn't know he needed.
"You can hug me as long as you want. I don't mind," he said.
She didn't respond—only cried more.
Nameless guided them to the couch. She clung to him the entire way. They sat down, her arms still wrapped around him.
He gently rubbed her head until her sobs softened. Eventually, she fell asleep, curled against him.
Hours passed.
Nameless hadn't moved. Lily stirred, slowly opening her eyes. Her head rested on his lap.
She turned upward, meeting his gaze.
"Sorry about that," she whispered.
"Sorry? I should be thanking you. That hug... it felt like something I've been missing for a long time."
She sat up, still close.
"Are you being serious?"
"Completely. I meant every word."
She leaned into his shoulder.
"Got a TV?" Nameless asked. "Feels like a good time to kill time."
Lily reached out. A remote appeared in her hand.
She pressed a button. A screen unfolded from the wall like it had always been there.
"What kind of movie?"
"Action. Something loud."
The TV scanned and picked a random title.
"You seen all of these before?"
"They're from the Mid-Class layer. They always have something new."
Together, they watched. Then another. Then another.
Eventually, they drifted off again.
Nameless leaned into her. She leaned into him.
And for once, neither of them felt alone.