"Why aren't you picking up the phone?"

  A familiar voice rang out from behind.

  Reylin languorously turned around, then looked at Vis with an absent-minded expression. He hovered his eyes on a black-haired friend, not really feeling like answering his question……

  A few words still bypassed his lips, "I am just enjoying some silence."

  "You've booked the whole school's roof for yourself, haven't you?" Vis sighed, then took a seat next to his friend.

  It was already past New Year…… A few days passed, and the game world's situation in Reylin's continent somewhat entered the stalemate. Perhaps, King Julian decided to cut off the losses and leave Reylin alone.

  Perhaps, that man saw Reylin's exchange with Kyle……

  Who knew?

  Reylin secured the province with creatures sealed in the Ice. He built a fortress around those to ensure no one would try anything funny around Yuki's sacrifice.

  That fortress was called [Her Last Memory]

  It had people protecting the fortress 24/7 with strict schedules and shifts. He paid them with his pocket money and ensured no one was even thinking of working with the dark matter people.

  "It's not really that silent," Vis looked down on the exercising students…… They were about to start P.E, which meant that Reylin and Vis were likely to skip at least one lesson.

  Reylin replied, "Yuki's loss was probably the first loss I've suffered in my life."

  A loss that left a void within his heart.

  That was the reason why Reylin didn't make any significant changes yet.

  "Nah," Vis shook his head, "You've suffered many losses. Think about those around you, and you will understand."

  Vis gave Reylin some time, then he fished out his phone.

  He stared at the number, then sighed, "I didn't come with good news, though."

  Reylin glanced at him, then took out his phone as well.

  He turned it on and noticed a few calls from Aria. He wanted to call her back, but Vis stopped him.

  "Elder Sister won't answer you right now," he clicked his tongue and said, "You might not believe me, but many players have gone into a coma. They lost their lives exactly after the battle with abomination."

  "Are you saying that dark matter people cut their connection and killed players in both worlds?" Reylin asked with dilated eyes.

  Although killing wasn't a good word, the players were in an inexplicable coma. No one, even his elder brother, found any clue to their symptoms. They were just sleeping…… Sleeping for an eternity!

  Vis nodded, "Elder Sister has yet to confirm it, but she mobilized our family to gather information. So far, it seems like players killed by the abomination have gone into a coma…… Players who died from ghosts and other undead are fine."

  Reylin read the information and narrowed his eyes.

  The undead and even ghosts were a somewhat disposable existence. However, the abomination was much different. It was a legendary creature that was unique, and no one really could deal with it yet.

  In conclusion, "Epic…… Legendary…… Mythical…… If dark matter people break the seal on those existences, they can give them the power to put people into a coma."

  "That's what the Elder Sister thinks," Vis nodded.

  Reylin put his phone back in the pocket, then stood up.

  He stuttered with Vis following him.

  They went to the second year's floor, and Reylin promptly opened doors to one of many classrooms!

  The teacher snapped, "Who are you to stop our lesson?! Ah! Ah! Young Master Reylin! What do you need, sir?"

  "Sir?" Vis repeated with his eye twitching.

  Reylin glanced at Maya, "I want to speak with her.

  The hero didn't move, however.

  She lay on her table and covered her face with the widely opened book! She was actually sleeping, and Titiana awkwardly nudged the sleeping hero.

  Maya promptly woke up, "B!"

  "We aren't doing any closed questions, Maya……" The teacher replied with his face contorted by shame.

  Was his lesson that boring?!

  Maya awkwardly stood up and apologized, "I am sorry, teacher."

  "Young Master Reylin wants to speak with you. Go and rest!" The teacher nicely threw Maya out of the classroom.

  In a corridor where no student or teacher dared to pass by, Reylin faced Maya.

  He didn't part his lips yet, though.

  He just stared at her, inwardly conflicted.

  Reylin wanted to bluntly tell Maya to stop playing the game. A desire to keep her from the game world bloomed within him after he learned about the news……

  He didn't know whether he would do the same to Lioness, but Reylin indeed would say the same things to his few friends.

  However, as he probed into Maya's big eyes, he couldn't utter a word.

  Maya always treated residents as human, and she was similar to him. Her sword was for the people and everyone's happiness.

  Who was he to tell her to give up on that world?

  He wouldn't give up on the Faynom World!

  Who was he, really?

  Reylin sighed, "People have been put into a coma due to the abomination. We've inferred that this is the dark matter people's doing…… Your guild surely has already received the news from Aria."

  Maya trembled, "But this is too much! What's the response from the Revo Company?"

  Reylin shook his head, "It's unlikely for them to give one. You decide whether you want to play this game or not."

  "What do you want me to do?" Maya asked.

  She lifted her head to properly look into Reylin's eyes. She stood straight and awaited his answer with her heart drumming louder.

  Reylin narrowed his eyes, "I want you to stop playing."

  "What about you?" Maya asked again.

  To her inquiry, Reylin clenched his hands and bit his lips. He didn't reply straight away but turned around after a few seconds.

  Without looking into Maya's eyes, he replied, "Don't ask about me, or I will blast your face."

  And he left the scene.

  Vis waved his hand, "He didn't mean it." then rushed after Reylin.

  Left alone, Maya didn't return to the classroom.

  She went to the bathroom to wipe off her tears.

  Vis caught up with Reylin, "That was too rude."

  "Shut up," Reylin replied.

  "Will you say the same to the Elder Sister?" Vis inquired.

  Reylin shook his head, "She probably thinks the same as me…… You know, Vis? The Faynom World is perhaps the real world…… Real people are dying…… The true blood is spilled due to players and dark matter people's advances.

  A void in my heart is genuine due to that knowledge…… And even if that world was still a game, I wouldn't give up on it, for it awakened me…… It changed my life." Reylin's eyes shone unbeknownst to all around him.

  Reylin added, "I will play this game."

  "……"