I Don't Need To Log Out

After everyone logged out, only Nova, Leon, and Arlon remained.

Of course, Nyx was also here, on Arlon's lap. It seemed like she and Leon were checking each other with their eyes once in a while.

The night air was cool, the campfire flickering as silence settled over them.

Arlon had been waiting for this moment—a chance to talk and train with the two warriors.

Leon was the first to break the silence.

"What do you think? Can they do it?"

"Haha! I believe they can," Nova answered without hesitation, arms crossed as she leaned back slightly. "Their eyes were on fire today."

Her confidence was clear, but Leon remained unconvinced.

He let out a long sigh. "I know they're new to this, but…"

His words trailed off.

Because what he really thought was—even some kids are more courageous.

But he didn't say it out loud.

Even so, Arlon knew.

Leon sat down on a nearby rock, rubbing a hand over his face. His voice was low and thoughtful.

"They hesitate. Too much."

Nova smirked. "That's normal."

Leon shook his head. "Not in a war."

"They're not soldiers, Leon." Nova stretched, glancing at the sky. "They're just people who happened to be thrown into this."

Leon exhaled through his nose. "We don't have time for them to adjust slowly."

Nova shrugged. "Maybe. But they don't have a choice now, do they?"

Leon frowned.

"You saw them today," Nova continued. "By the end of the day, almost all of them had killed at least one Keldar. That's already better than expected."

"Almost." Leon's tone was sharp. "One still didn't."

"Carmen?" Nova raised an eyebrow. "She's not weak. She'll get there."

Leon didn't seem convinced.

Throughout the exchange, Arlon remained silent, listening.

He wasn't surprised by Leon's concerns.

To a trained warrior like him, hesitation on the battlefield was a liability.

But Arlon saw things differently.

"They'll fight when it matters," Arlon finally said, speaking for the first time.

Leon glanced at him. "And what makes you so sure?"

Arlon's gaze didn't waver. "Because when people have no way out, they adapt. Fast."

Leon studied him for a moment, then grunted. "We'll see."

Nova chuckled. "Well, either way, they'll have plenty of chances to prove themselves soon enough."

Arlon stood up. "Speaking of which, let's not waste the night. We're all here, so let's get some training in." Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire

Nova grinned. "Thought you'd never ask."

Leon crossed his arms but didn't refuse. "Fine. Let's see if you're as good as they say."

The fire flickered behind them as the real training began.

---

When the morning came and the players logged in, Arlon also summoned his copy.

Leon and Nova were also waiting for them, so they didn't waste time.

They started moving around the city, clearing the Keldars. Evan got used to the hunt after a few Keldars.

Carmen also seemed to be more determined today since she was where Evan yesterday was, helping the others with the hunt.

Arlon was sure that she would be ready by the end of the day.

***

After a few hours, their work in Dita was done.

The surrounding Keldars had been eliminated, the roads and fields around the city cleared of low-level monsters.

The hunt had never been about danger—these creatures posed no real threat to the players. This was training, a way to build their teamwork and combat experience before moving on to more serious battles.

Still, it wasn't enough.

To truly grow stronger, they needed to hunt higher-level Keldars.

Arlon was in a hurry to reach level 150, but he also knew that rushing ahead would leave the others behind.

If he pushed too fast, they wouldn't have enough time to adjust to real battles.

So, for now, he would wait.

Once the hunt ended, they headed toward the city of Dita.

Dita was a normal city, nothing particularly noteworthy about it.

It wasn't a fortress city like Kelta. It wasn't a grand capital like Morealis.

It was just… Dita.

Their stop here was simple—inform the locals about the completed mission and resupply before moving forward.

As they walked through the stone-paved streets, Zack let out an exaggerated sigh.

"I wasn't expecting a parade, but a little welcome would've been nice," he muttered.

The others understood what he meant.

The people of Dita barely reacted to their arrival.

Life in the city seemed completely normal.

Shops were open, street vendors called out their wares, children played in the alleyways.

It was hard to believe that, just hours ago, they had been eliminating Keldars that supposedly trapped the residents inside.

Of course, they knew the reports were accurate. There had been far too many Keldars nearby for it to be a coincidence.

But seeing this level of normalcy inside the city made it feel… off.

Leon, who had been leading the group, spoke curtly.

"We're doing our jobs," he said. "There's nothing to congratulate."

Nova smirked slightly but didn't argue.

They moved directly toward the city's leadership—whoever held the most power in Dita.

Leon and Nova went inside the building while the players waited outside.

As they stood beside the street, Arlon felt it.

A subtle presence.

Someone was watching him.

He didn't react immediately, keeping his stance casual, his expression neutral.

But his instincts were sharp.

And this wasn't just curious onlookers.

This was different.

Arlon casually shifted his gaze, scanning the area.

The streets were busy, the people moving naturally… but somewhere in that crowd, someone's attention was fixed directly on him.

He resisted the urge to look directly toward it, instead keeping his senses focused.

Whoever it was, they were good—staying just outside his immediate line of sight, blending in well.

But they were there.

And Arlon intended to find out why.

***

Arlon remained still, keeping his posture relaxed.

But in his mind, he sent a quick message to his copy through their telepathic link.

"I need you to locate them."

At the same time, he glanced toward Nyx, who was perched discreetly nearby.

She understood immediately.

Without drawing attention, she took flight, her sharp eyes scanning the area as she soared above the streets.

The copy and Nyx worked in tandem. Within moments, they found the source.

"Got him," the copy informed Arlon. "Near the tailor's shop. Hooded, trying not to stand out. But he's not watching you, he is watching the group."

Arlon didn't look immediately. Instead, he carefully calculated his next move.

Without a word, Arlon turned and walked away from the group.@@novelbin@@

He didn't rush, didn't say where he was going—just left.

June frowned, watching him go. Without hesitation, she followed.

That was all the confirmation the others needed.

Pierre crossed his arms, smirking. "First, Arlon disappears, and now June is following him?"

Lei let out a low whistle. "Scandalous."

Maria leaned in slightly. "Just say the word, and we'll pretend we didn't notice."

Even Carmen, who had been quiet most of the day, narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"You guys are ridiculous," June muttered but kept walking after Arlon anyway.

Pierre exchanged a knowing glance with Zack. "They're totally hiding something."

But neither Arlon nor June looked back.

***

Arlon moved swiftly through the streets, weaving through the crowd as he tracked his target.

June kept pace beside him, her expression sharp. "You found them, didn't you?"

It seemed like she also realized the man watching them.

"Yeah," Arlon muttered. "Near the tailor's shop."

Within moments, they spotted the hooded figure standing in the shadows near the storefront, pretending to examine fabric samples.

But his attention wasn't on the shopkeeper.

It was still locked onto Arlon.

Arlon didn't hesitate. He walked up casually, stopping just short of the man's personal space.

"You've been following us."

The man barely flinched, though his fingers tightened slightly on the fabric he was pretending to examine.

"Apologies," he said smoothly. "I was just… curious. You're not from around here. It's rare to see people like you in Dita."

Arlon raised an eyebrow. "People like me?"

The man quickly shook his head. "Not you. I meant… saviors."

It was a weak excuse.

Too weak.

June caught the slip immediately. "There are plenty of saviors in Trion," she pointed out. "Why are you so interested in our group specifically?"

The man hesitated, glancing toward an alleyway nearby as if considering escape.

Bad move.

Arlon took a step closer, lowering his voice. "If you're going to lie, at least make it convincing."

The man tensed.

"I—I wasn't lying," he stammered, but the confidence from before was gone.

"Then why do you look like you're about to run?" June added, crossing her arms.

The man's breathing shallowed. His eyes darted between them. He could tell—they weren't buying it.

And just like that, the act crumbled.

"Fine!" he hissed.

A pause. A brief hesitation.

Then, finally—

"Because I'm anti-savior."

June blinked in surprise.

Arlon didn't react.

"Prove it," he said simply.

The man froze.

Arlon didn't give him time to think. His tone stayed calm but firm. "If you're anti-savior, show me your badge."

The man hesitated—then, with slightly shaking hands, he reached into his coat and pulled out a small, engraved badge.

It was unmistakable.

The emblem of the anti-savior faction.

June inhaled sharply, realizing what this meant.

But before she could say anything, Arlon acted like reaching into his pocket but actually opened his inventory and, without hesitation, pulled out an identical badge.

No, this one was more elaborate than the man had.

The man's eyes widened.

June's widened even more.

"You…?" she started, but she knew better than to say anything in front of a stranger.

The man studied Arlon, still recovering from his shock.

Then, he made a decision.

"Aren't you also a savior?" He asked after seeing the high-level badge.

"No, we two are just in the same group as the saviors for some reason I can't explain. We are Trionians."

"If that's the case," he said carefully, "you should come with me. I can take you to headquarters."

Arlon didn't hesitate.

"Lead the way."

And just like that, they disappeared into the shadows of the city, heading toward the heart of the anti-savior faction.