There was no time to wait.
Ren tightened his grip on the sword, his sharp gaze scanning the slow yet no less dangerous movements of the Nepenthes.
They didn't lunge immediately like other ferocious monsters. Instead, they were patient, tightening their encirclement at a steady pace, like predators savoring their prey's fear before delivering the final blow.
The crimson petals atop their bodies trembled slightly in the breeze, but beneath that mesmerizing facade, vines slithered forward like hunting serpents.
Ren lowered his stance slightly, every muscle tensing in readiness.
His hand gripped the sword's hilt firmly, the blade lowered just a fraction, ready to be swung the moment danger struck.
A light breeze swept past. Leaves rustled across the ground. And then.
A sharp breath behind him.
Ren frowned, glancing over his shoulder.
Nautilus was still standing still.
Uncertainty flickered in his eyes. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, but he didn't draw it. His throat bobbed slightly, as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. His shoulders trembled faintly.
He couldn't move.
Ren clenched his jaw. Not good. If he stayed frozen like this, just one more second and the monsters would exploit that opening.
No.
Ren shifted slightly, raising a hand in front of Nautilus, motioning with his chin. "Don't stand still."
Nautilus blinked, as if only now truly registering the situation. He swallowed dryly, his hand trembling. "...There are too many of them."
"I know." Ren's voice remained steady, his eyes never leaving the creatures. "But if you stand still, you'll die."
A vine slithered toward them, lashing at the ground, leaving a deep mark.
Sharp fangs gleamed beneath the thick green husks. One of the Nepenthes let out a soft, taunting hiss.
Ren inhaled deeply. No more hesitation.
He lunged forward.
His sword carved a sharp horizontal arc, slicing clean through an incoming vine.
Pale green fluid splattered, but he didn't stop. Pivoting swiftly, he swung his blade again, forcing the nearest Nepenthes to recoil. A small gap opened in the thick encirclement.
Right now...
He turned his head and shouted. "Nautilus!"
Nautilus flinched.
His sword was still sheathed.
Ren's eyes narrowed. No way.
This wasn't someone unfamiliar with combat. He had dueled other players before. He had struck down a monster before.
But right now, he remained motionless, his entire body frozen.
The monsters kept advancing, their encirclement tightening. Ren couldn't hold them all back alone.
He gritted his teeth and suddenly grabbed Nautilus by the collar, yanking him forward.
Nautilus stumbled, his eyes wide with shock.
"Fight!" Ren growled, his voice low but commanding. "If you don't, you'll die, Nautilus!"
But Nautilus's eyes still wavered.
Ren had seen many kinds of fear, fear of injury, fear of death, fear of losing… and even now, he himself was still afraid. But the look in Nautilus's eyes was deeper than that.
This wasn't just fear.
This was panic.
A Nepenthes abruptly lashed out with its vines. Ren twisted, deflecting the strike with his blade, but the impact forced him back half a step.
And Nautilus… still didn't move.
Cold sweat trailed down Ren's temple. He didn't have time to keep protecting him. No time to convince him.
His grip on his sword tightened.
If Nautilus couldn't move, he would die.
Ren pressed his lips into a thin line. He couldn't let that happen.
But how could he snap him out of this.
A thought flashed through his mind. Ren gritted his teeth and suddenly reached out, grabbing Nautilus's wrist and pulling him forcefully toward him.
Nautilus staggered.
"Look at me." Ren's voice sharpened, more urgent. "Nautilus, look at me."
Nautilus's unfocused eyes flickered. But then, his gaze locked onto Ren's, and in that moment, it was as if he had been dragged out of his spiraling thoughts.
Ren didn't waste the opportunity.
"You've fought before." His voice was lower now, but no less firm. "You've struck down a monster before. You know what it feels like. You know you can do this."
Another vine lashed toward them. Ren sidestepped swiftly, but he didn't let go of Nautilus's wrist.
"You can't let them kill you." Ren's words sliced through the haze clouding Nautilus's eyes. "And you can't leave me to fight alone. You can't leave Yuna out there, lost and afraid."
"If you die here… who will protect her?"
Nautilus trembled.
The sword in his grip quivered slightly.
The Nepenthes let out irritated hisses, as if sensing something was shifting.
Ren didn't let go. He kept his gaze locked onto Nautilus's, waiting.
And then, Nautilus took a shaky breath.
His fingers tightened around his sword.
The blade left its sheath.
A brief moment of silence, but in that instant, the world seemed to slow, each breath, each heartbeat, each minute movement of the writhing vines crystal clear in his sight.
Ren said nothing, didn't push or rush him. He simply observed, silently feeling the shift in Nautilus's gaze.
Still afraid, still uncertain, still the same as he was moments ago, but this time, something different had begun to flicker within those eyes, like a tiny ember igniting within the darkness.
Willpower.
There was no more time to hesitate. The Nepenthes surged forward at once, their vines whipping through the air like razor-sharp whips, seeking to tear apart anything in their path.
Ren released Nautilus at that very moment, not hesitating as he pivoted and swung his sword.
A clean arc sliced through the air, severing an oncoming vine mid-strike, sending droplets of green liquid scattering like glimmering flecks in the dim light.
But there was no time to stop and watch.
Right beside him, Nautilus had started to move as well.
Not fast. Not perfect. Not as strong as a seasoned swordsman. But at the very least, he moved.
The sword in Nautilus's hands clumsily slashed down at another vine. The strike wasn't strong enough to cut through completely, but it made the vine jolt back, recoiling instinctively.
A small action, yet enough to create an opening in the tightening encirclement.
Ren glanced at him, his eyes betraying no emotion.
"Keep going."
Nautilus bit his lip lightly, gripping the hilt of his sword tighter. He shifted his stance, adjusting his posture, preparing, for the first time since the battle began, to face the enemy before him on his own.
Another vine lashed out from the left.
This time, Nautilus didn't back away.
His sword carved a brilliant arc through the air, catching the faint light from the sky above.
As the blade sliced through its target, a shrill screech rang out, green ichor splattering, and the severed vine tumbled onto the uneven ground.
Nautilus gasped for breath, his chest rising and falling violently. But he didn't stop.
The Nepenthes shrieked in frustration, as if sensing that their prey was changing.
Their vines lashed out with greater ferocity, their gaping maws revealing rows of tiny, serrated teeth, eager to tear their enemies apart. Their patience had run out, now, they sought to end the hunt swiftly.
But this time…
Ren lowered his stance, his feet firmly planted on the ground, sword poised forward like the tip of a spear.
Beside him, Nautilus stood a little straighter, both hands gripping his sword. He still trembled slightly, but his grip was no longer weak and uncertain.
This time, he didn't remain still.
The two of them moved with growing synchronization, each step, each swing of their swords beginning to blend seamlessly. No words were needed. No signals exchanged.
Amid the relentless attacks of the monsters, they started to grasp each other's movements, knowing when to cover for one another, when to press the offensive.
Ren swung his sword, the steel gleaming as he cleaved through a vine lashing at him from the left, creating an opening for just a fleeting moment.
Without hesitation, Nautilus lunged in, his blade slicing straight into the soft, fleshy body of the nearest Little Nepenthes.
The attack was still far from perfect, his movements somewhat stiff, his strikes not yet decisive, but this time, it was enough. The blade pierced past the monster's slimy outer skin, cutting deep inside.
A piercing shriek filled the air. The Nepenthes convulsed violently, its vines thrashing wildly, then, as if a switch had been flipped, it suddenly froze.
A second later, its entire body shattered into glowing red pixels, fading into nothingness.
The first one had been slain.
But there was no time to rest, no time to celebrate. Another one lunged immediately from the opposite direction, its vines coiling like serpents, whipping toward Nautilus with terrifying speed.
Ren reacted instantly.
He twisted his body, his sword tracing a sharp arc through the air, deflecting the incoming vines.
The block was just enough to create a small opening and in that moment, Nautilus adjusted his grip, steadied his stance, and put all his strength into his next swing.
"Horizontal Arc!"
One strike.
Two strikes.
His blade flashed, cutting straight through the monster's body. A ghastly scream rang out as its outer layer was completely torn open, green ichor spraying across the ground.
The creature staggered, its vines twitching for a brief moment before its entire form went still—then dissolved into scattered red pixels.
The second one had fallen.
Nautilus panted, each breath shaking his chest. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his back soaked, but the fear that had once imprisoned his brown eyes was no longer there.
His hands still trembled slightly, but he no longer stepped back, no longer let fear dictate his every movement.
Ren scanned the battlefield. The Nepenthes were still there, their numbers unchanged. But something had shifted.
They weren't charging in recklessly anymore.
No longer the overwhelming predators hunting helpless prey.
They were hesitating.
Ren pressed his lips together, his sword lifting slightly.
"Can you still go on?" he asked, his voice calm but carrying the same sharpness that had pushed Nautilus forward from the very beginning.
Nautilus swallowed, his chest still rising and falling rapidly, but this time, he didn't hesitate for long. No doubt. No fear holding him back.
"…Yeah."
Ren nodded. A flicker of a smile crossed his lips, gone as quickly as it appeared.
He tightened his grip on his sword, lowering his stance, bracing himself for the next fight.
"Good."
Then let's keep going.