Ren sighed, rubbing his temples in frustration. "What do you mean he's not here?" he asked, clearly annoyed.
The old man at the convenience store let out a tired sigh. "It means exactly that. That lil' Kuro left town, said he had something important to do."
"By any chance... are you Sho Ryuunosuke?"
Ren blinked in surprise before nodding. "Ah, yeah."
The old man rummaged through a cupboard, muttering to himself, before pulling out a familiar-looking dagger. "Here," he said, handing it to Ren. "Kuro told me to give this to you when you came. Said it was a gift."
[Player Kuro has gifted you the Crimson Spider Dagger, a C-Class item. Will you accept it?]
[Yes] [No]
As soon as Ren pressed [Yes], the dagger vanished from his hand and reappeared in his item section. He could summon it anytime he wanted.
[Congratulations! You have now gained crimson Spider Dagger, c class item]
Item Type: Dagger
Rank: C-Class
Durability: 100/100
Attack Power: +25
Agility Boost: +10%
[Unique Effects:
Venomous Fang: Successful strikes have a 10% chance to inflict Crimson Venom, dealing 5% of the target's max HP as poison damage over 5 seconds.
Spider's Step: Grants the user a temporary burst of speed (10%) when dodging an attack. (Cooldown: 1 minute)
Blood Bind: If the dagger successfully lands five consecutive hits, the next strike will ignore 20% of the target's defense.]
[Additional Notes: The dagger adapts to the wielder's combat style, making it an excellent weapon for those specializing in speed and precision. Due to its venomous properties, it is more effective against organic enemies than mechanical or undead foes. The weapon's true potential is rumored to be unlocked when paired with its twin, the Scarlet Widow Dagger (Currently Unavailable).]
"Woah, this item really is good," Ren murmured as he analyzed his system messages.
Still, something felt off. Why would Kuro leave so suddenly? But since he was safe, that was all that mattered for now. Just as Ren turned to leave—
BANG!
The store door flew open as someone barged in.
A man, clad in a casual black jacket, with wavy brown hair and narrow brown eyes, stood there, scanning the store. Something about him felt oddly familiar.
"Is Mr. Yanagin Kuro here?" he asked the old man.
"Oh, why is everyone looking for lil' Kuro today? I just told this guy here, Kuro's out for a while. He won't be back soon."
The stranger turned his gaze toward Ren, his eyes narrowing with caution. "Are you a friend of his?"
Ren shook his head.
"Can I talk to you for a minute?"
They sat at an outdoor table near the convenience store. The man leaned back in his chair, studying Ren before finally speaking.
"I'm Wang Qi Yan. Also known as AZRAEL."
Oh. That's where Ren recognized him from.
This guy was Azrael, the second-ranked player in the entire Asian continent. Why would someone like him be looking for Kuro?
"You speak Japanese pretty well," Ren noted, surprised. From his accent, he had assumed the man was native.
Azrael smirked. "Are you a newbie?"
"Huh?"
"Everyone can understand and speak any language in this world."
"Wait-really?"
"I was just speaking Chinese. But you understood perfectly, didn't you?"
Ren blinked. He had understood instantly, without even realizing it. Another bizarre side effect of this world. If something like this existed in reality, translators would be out of a job.
Azrael leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on the table.
"Recently, I was looking into Mr. Yanagin. I found out that he was the first person to clear the 20th floor."
Ren raised an eyebrow.
"The fact that someone cleared the 20th floor is well-known, but most don't actually know who he is."
Ren smirked. "Lemme guess, you wanna ask me if he said anything about the 20th floor, right?"
Azrael chuckled. "Got it in one."
"Sorry to disappoint you, Mr. Wang, but he didn't say a word about it."
Azrael sighed, shaking his head. "I figured as much. I've been stuck on the 20th floor for six months now. No matter what I do, I can't clear it."
"Huh? Six months?" Ren frowned. "That long? Why don't you just try other methods you didn't use in previous attempts? learn and do right?"
Azrael's expression darkened. "It's not that simple."
"If you fail a floor test, you're forced to start over and any memories from your previous attempts are completely erased."
Ren felt a chill run down his spine. "So only those who pass can remember?"
Azrael nodded. "That's right."
"Then why not just... buy information about it?"
Azrael gave him a sharp look. "Selling floor information is strictly prohibited. If you do, you die instantly."
"Oh."
"I just wanted to ask Mr. Yanagin for advice, in a way that wouldn't trigger the system alert. But I guess I'm out of luck."
Ren tilted his head. "Is it really okay for you to tell me all this?"
Azrael chuckled. "I talk a lot, huh? Sorry, you just seemed easy to talk to. Anyway, since I'm done here, I'll be on my way." He stood up, nodding slightly. "Thanks for your time."
Ren watched as Azrael walked away. He seemed like a kind and warm person on the surface. But his eyes told a different story.
"In a way that wouldn't trigger the alert," huh?
That didn't seem like his real goal at all.
No- Ren had a bad feeling.
If Kuro couldn't give him what he wanted-
That guy would kill him.
Ren tucked his hands into his pockets, strolling back toward Lira. She raised an eyebrow, surprised to see him return so soon.
"Huh, so Mr. Yanagin isn't around?" she mused, though she didn't seem all that surprised.
"So, where are we headed?" Ren asked, falling into step beside her. They had been wandering through town for a while now.
"Mmm, I don't know."
"What?"
"Ryuu," she suddenly called out.
"Yeah?"
She stopped in her tracks, tilting her head slightly toward him. Her gaze, usually playful, had turned sharp, cold even. It was the first time Ren had seen her like that.
"Are you hiding something from me?" she asked, her voice unreadable.
Ren blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean?"
For a moment, Lira hesitated, her lips parting as if she was about to say something important. But then, she shook her head. "Never mind. Forget it," she muttered, brushing it off.
Ren narrowed his eyes slightly. What had she been about to say?
"Anyway," she continued, her tone light again, "I'll help you. With your quest."
His expression stiffened. "How do you know about that?"
Lira simply shrugged. "I overheard you. It's a quest, right? You don't have to tell me everything, but at least give me the details so I can help." She flashed a gentle smile, but something in the back of Ren's mind resisted trusting her. He didn't know why. Instinct, maybe?
They had wandered onto an empty road, far from the usual crowds. Ren leaned against a short neon sign, hands still buried in his pockets, watching her carefully. After a brief silence, he sighed.
"Where the forgotten are left behind."
Lira rested her chin on her knuckles, deep in thought.
"Where the forgotten are left behind…" she echoed.
A moment passed. Then, her eyes lit up with realization.
"I got it!"
Ren straightened slightly. "You sure?"
"Yeah! And lucky for us, it's happening today."
"What?"
Lira smirked. "But jeez… we'll need some royal clothes." She muttered something to herself, then suddenly grinned. "Good thing I just happen to be a scammer. Consider yourself lucky, Ryuu." She winked.
Ren stared at her. Why is she so proud of being a scammer?
Ren finally got to witness Lira's scamming technique firsthand- and it almost made his soul leave his body.
"WHAT?!!"
They were in a luxury clothing shop, surrounded by staff and customers, when Lira suddenly burst into tears. Loud, dramatic, award-worthy sobbing.
"What is the point of having you as my boyfriend if you're so stingy that you won't even buy me a gown?!" she wailed, fake tears pouring down her face.
Ren stood frozen. "Huh-?"
Lira's voice cracked in anguish. "I gave you my heart, and you- you ungrateful, arrogant, cheap bastard!"
Ren: ".....???"
The entire shop fell silent. Staff and customers alike shot him judgmental glares, their eyes filled with pure disappointment. A nearby elderly woman clutched her pearls. Even a mannequin seemed to judge him.
Ren looked around, baffled. "What did I even do?!"
Lira kept going. "I promised my mother that I'd find a man with a good heart! But look at me now! Betrayed!" She covered her face with both hands, shaking her shoulders for maximum dramatic effect.
A heavy hand slammed onto Ren's shoulder.
"You disgust me, boy," a deep voice growled.
Ren turned to see a massive, middle-aged man with a belly so large the kind that screamed 'I bathe in the money'. He wore expensive silk, reeked of perfume, and had a pinky ring that probably cost more than Ren's entire existence.
Lira looked up at the man with teary, hopeful eyes. "What should I do, mister? I should just toss him away, right? But... I can't live without a man in this dangerous world!"
The man's pig-like face lit up with disgusting excitement. "Don't you worry, sweetheart. I'll buy you whatever you want. If you like, you can become my soulmate."
WHAT THE HELL?!
Lira gasped dramatically. "Really?! Today is my mother's death anniversary! I promised her I'd visit her wearing the most expensive gown possible."
Ren's mind screeched to a halt. What kind of messed-up promise is that?! And where is she gonna visit her mother when this is basically afterlife for criminals?
The rich man nodded sagely. "Say no more! I'll buy you the most expensive dress in this shop!"
Did he actually believe that?! Ren's soul ascended in secondhand embarrassment.
Lira hesitated, then bit her lip. "But... it wouldn't feel right if I were the only one receiving kindness. This man here-" pointed at Ren "-he's been my boyfriend for a whole year. I promised my mother in a dream that I'd introduce him. Of course, I'll discard him after that, but... just one last time, I want him to meet her dressed properly."
The rich man teared up. "A touching story! Fine, I shall buy him the finest suit as well! So he may meet your mother with dignity."
Ren: WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. F-
Lira clutched his hands dramatically. "Thank you, mister! You truly are an angel!"
Ren, still frozen in place, could only stare at the unfolding nonsense.
Someone… please take me home.
The man turned to Ren with a smug grin. "Consider yourself lucky, punk! A pretty face isn't everything! Kekekeke!" Then, he strutted away with Lira like he had just won a prize.
Before Ren could even process what had just happened, the man barked orders at his lackeys.
"You! Take this guy and dress him in the best suit you have! If he refuses, force him into it!"
Ren sighed as the store employees started approaching him.
What a pain… What kind of damn daytime scam is this?! I mean, is this even a scam?
One of his burly underlings clapped Ren on the back. "You heard the boss. Get him a suit."
All of these guys were players, right?! But they sure didn't look the part. With no other choice, Ren swallowed his pride and went along with it-though it felt like a direct hit to his dignity.
That damn scamming menace!