I Don't Need To Log Out

"Is it time now?"

Syme's voice was steady, but there was an odd lightness to it—like she had already accepted the inevitable.

"Yes." Arlon hesitated for a brief moment before continuing. "Are you sure about dying? If Asef really has an order to kill you in real life after your death here, then maybe… it's better if I don't kill you."

A cold breeze drifted through the room, rustling Syme's silver hair. She let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head.

"Heh. Are you pitying me?"

It was Friday morning on Trion. The players had just logged in, and Arlon and Syme had finished their long conversation.

He had learned more from her than he ever could have imagined.

Syme had been completely honest—she was against the Keldars' invasion plan despite being one herself.

Even though it was supposedly meant to save their race, she didn't agree with their methods.

And that meant she wasn't his enemy. Stay updated via My Virtual Library Empire

In his previous timeline, Syme had been the same. But back then, he hadn't trusted her.

He had just fought Arn by himself and he wasn't sure if he could also kill Syme. So, he was contented with being able to kill her without a fight.

In return, he made an oath.

"Don't worry, I am okay with this. If I don't die and don't kill you, then I will live a life of shame since your friends killed everyone inside. It is the same as shouting I am a traitor."

Arlon exhaled, gripping his weapon a little tighter. "I thought so."

"Ah, there is one thing I forgot," she said and plucked a feather from her angelic wings. "Take this.

You probably don't know about Keldars' evolution. That dragon of yours will need this."

Since Arlon learned what Nyx was from Syme, he accepted the feather. He didn't know what to use it for, but he would probably learn it later.

His gaze softened for just a second. "Thank you. For this and for answering my questions."

Syme scoffed. "I didn't do it for you."

She glanced at him, her gray eyes sharp yet strangely at peace. "Don't forget your oath. That will be your thanks."

Arlon nodded. "I won't."

The room fell into silence.

He raised his sword.

"Then, this is it. Please… close your eyes."

---

"He's here!" Evan shouted the moment Arlon stepped out of the room.

Everyone had been waiting for him outside. They already knew the outcome—the notification had told them everything.

Still, seeing Arlon in one piece was relieving.

They had prepared themselves to lose at least one or two among them. But against all odds, they had all survived.

Arlon scanned the group before speaking. "Are you all finished?"

Pierre nodded. "Yes. Every Named Monster and Demon is gone."

Arlon smirked. "Good job. Now, it's time for the fun part."

Everyone seemed to have recovered from yesterday's killing spree, but Arlon still had something to lift their spirits—the true reward of Demon hunting.

"Fun part?" Zack raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"

Arlon simply turned and motioned for them to follow. "Come with me."

They trailed behind him, stepping back into the dimly lit room he had just left.

The walls were bare, the cold, dull lighting giving the place a lifeless atmosphere.

Some of the players shuddered, mistakenly assuming that Arlon had fought here for a day.

But he kept walking—all the way to the far end of the room.

A steel door blocked their way. No enchantments, no magical seals.

Just an ordinary, heavy door.

Without a word, Arlon slashed through it.

The door collapsed with a loud clang, and what lay behind it made every player freeze.

A mountain of gold and equipment.

Their eyes widened in shock.

"Wait, is this… ours?" Zack asked, voice filled with disbelief.

"Can we take all of it?"

Arlon nodded. "Yes. It's all ours."

"Of course," he added, "we'll be splitting it fairly. Take what you need first."

A moment of stunned silence followed.

Then—

"Awesome!" Evan grinned. "I've always wanted to swim in a mountain of gold!"

Before anyone could stop him, he jumped in.@@novelbin@@

It was only after his body collided with the solid, unyielding pile of coins that he realized—

Swimming in gold only works in cartoons.

He hit his head with a loud thud.

The group stared. Then Maria sighed. "Idiot."

Thankfully, Zeno reduced pain by 90%, so Evan only groaned before rolling onto his back, rubbing his head.

Meanwhile, Arlon walked forward, scanning the treasure.

Unlike Draco's treasury, this one was exactly as he remembered from his past life.

That meant he wouldn't find anything too special.

Gold was useful, but enchanted equipment was rare.

At best, he'd just take his share of the gold and leave the rest to the others.

But then—

Something caught his eye.

A beautifully designed locket nestled among the gold.

It was out of place.

Arlon frowned as he picked it up, turning it over in his hands.

What was a locket doing here, in Trion?

He clicked it open.

Nothing inside.

Of course, he hadn't expected a photograph, but even so, a locket in the middle of a Demon's treasury was odd.

His expression hardened. There had to be more to this.

So, he activated the Eyes of K*T** and checked it.

***

Soulkeeper's Locket

"It is believed that the soul is closest to the heart. That is why the craftsman who crafted this locket made it so that it always leans left."

Echo Hold(0/1): This locket can carry one soul inside.

***

Arlon turned the locket over in his hands, frowning. What was this doing here?

He had never seen anything like it in Trion before.

A soul-related artifact? The concept itself was strange. There had been no mention of souls, spirits, or anything similar in his past experiences.

Does this thing… carry human souls?

The thought unsettled him.

But how would that even work? How does someone extract a soul?

Even in Trion, where magic could bend reality, souls were never something players or NPCs could see—not at the moment of death, not after.

If no one had ever interacted with souls before, then why did this locket exist?

Arlon sighed. He wasn't going to find an answer standing here.

Without another thought, he tossed the locket into his inventory. He would deal with it later.

Meanwhile, the others had finished rummaging through the equipment pile.

Their excitement had faded somewhat—the haul wasn't as impressive as they had hoped.

"Damn… only one enchanted weapon?" Zack muttered, kicking a stray gold coin.

In the middle of the treasure pile, the only magic-infused piece of gear lay untouched—a knife.

The moment Evan spotted it, his face lit up.

"Mine!" he called, snatching it up before anyone could argue.

Maria rolled her eyes. "At least try to look grateful."

Evan inspected the blade, giving it a few practice swings. "Oh, I'm very grateful."

Since normal equipment meant nothing to them at this point, they divided the rest evenly to sell later.

Once they finished splitting the gold, the treasury was empty.

The fight had been exhausting, but this—the loot, the rewards—was the part they could actually enjoy.

And that was the fun part of the hunt.