The moment Gara's name was spoken out loud, a small ripple went through the nearby crowd. A few Players slowed their steps, some turning their heads instinctively toward the red-haired young man.
Whispers followed.
"That's Gara…"
"Isn't he the one from Third Town?"
"I heard he disappeared for two days…"
A couple of them even took a step forward, clearly tempted to greet him like usual, to ask where he had been or what had happened.
But then their eyes landed on Jordan—on the uniform, the calm but alert stance, the unmistakable presence of a C Ranker tied to the prison.
The memory of the prison break two nights ago surfaced just as fast.
One by one, they reconsidered.
Some averted their gaze, others pretended to be busy, and a few outright turned around and walked the other way, choosing not to get involved.
Leif noticed all of it.
He glanced around, then back at Gara, his expression unreadable but clearly tinged with surprise.
He had seen before how well-known Gara was in Third Town, how people greeted him openly, sometimes even excitedly.
Still, this was different.
They weren't just recognizing him.
They were giving him space.
Leif let out a quiet breath through his nose, eyes narrowing slightly as he took it in.
"…Huh," he muttered under his breath, more to himself than anyone else.
The level of respect given to Gara was higher than he had expected.
Jordan reached the two of them and smiled, extending his hand toward Gara in a friendly gesture.
Gara paused for half a heartbeat before taking it.
By now, he was somewhat used to this kind of treatment, though it still felt a little strange.
A C Ranker treating him like an equal wasn't exactly common—then again, considering that Jordan's sister was also a C Ranker and very openly interested in marrying him, it wasn't that surprising either.
"Hey," Gara said with a small smile as he shook Jordan's hand.
Jordan nodded back, then turned slightly and offered his hand to Leif as well. Leif accepted it without hesitation, giving a short, polite shake.
With that done, Jordan gave Gara's shoulder a light pat, letting out a short chuckle.
"Gotta say, I'm impressed," he said, eyes moving between the two of them. "Last time I saw you, you were both still F Rank."
His brows lifted slightly, genuine astonishment clear on his face. "And now you're E Rank already? That's not something you see every day." He tilted his head a bit, curiosity creeping into his tone. "So? How'd you manage that?"
Leif didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned his head slightly and looked at Gara, clearly leaving it to him.
The red-haired young man caught that and smiled faintly. "I can tell you later," he said to Jordan. Then his expression shifted, just a little. The smile faded, and he hesitated.
Jordan noticed immediately.
His own smile dropped, and he let out a heavy sigh, rubbing the back of his neck once before speaking. "Yeah… figured that's what you want to ask about."
He looked Gara in the eyes and spoke calmly, firmly, like he wanted to stop the worry before it grew any further. "Lavia's fine. Really. She just needs some rest, that's all. Doctors say she'll be staying in the hospital for a bit, but there's nothing life-threatening."
Gara's shoulders eased slightly at those words.
Jordan continued, his tone more casual now, but still serious underneath. "I was just there earlier, actually. Went to check on her myself."
He exhaled through his nose. "After that, I was heading back to the prison to deal with some paperwork and cleanup from the mess two nights ago."
He glanced past them for a moment, then back at Gara. "That's when I saw you stepping off the bus on the decking platform. Figured I'd come say hi before duty swallowed me again."
Gara smiled at the light joke, the tension easing from his shoulders. "Then I won't keep you," he said. "I'm guessing the prison's complete chaos right now."
Jordan let out a dry laugh and nodded. "You have no idea. It's awful. Paperwork, interrogations, damage reports… it just doesn't end."
He shook his head. "Honestly, if Lavia wasn't my actual sister, I probably wouldn't even be allowed to leave the place for a single minute."
Gara nodded in understanding. "I'll try to check on her later then, if that's okay with you."
Jordan nodded immediately. "Yeah, I don't mind."
Then his mouth curled into a grin. "Actually, do me a favor when you do. Come 'rescue' me from work so I can use it as an excuse to go 'check on my dear sister and definitely not take a break.'"
Gara chuckled. "Alright, deal."
Jordan laughed along, then sighed. "I'd really like to catch up properly sometime. I want to hear how you and your friend here jumped to E Rank so fast."
He glanced at Leif, then back at Gara. "But… duty calls."
He stepped back, straightening up. "Stay safe, yeah?"
Gara lifted a hand and waved. "You too. And don't work yourself to death."
Jordan waved once in return, already turning away. "I'll try."
With that, the C Ranker known as [Guard X] headed off toward the prison, leaving Gara and Leif standing there amid the flow of Third Town.
For a moment, the space Jordan left behind felt heavier than it should have.
Leif was the first to speak. "He was forcing it," he said quietly. "That smile."
Gara glanced ahead as they walked, his expression subdued. "Yeah. I noticed too." He exhaled through his nose. "Lavia's probably not as fine as he made it sound. He was holding it together for my sake."
Leif hummed in agreement.
Gara was silent for a few steps before adding, "I still don't really know how I feel about her." His tone was honest, conflicted. "But… I definitely don't want her hurt."
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Let's move before everyone starts checking in on us. I'm not really in the mood for greetings right now."
Leif nodded without hesitation. "Yeah."
They continued down the streets of Third Town, the white clouds beneath their feet steady and familiar. Normally, this area would've been louder—people calling out to Gara, jokes thrown his way, questions piling up before he could even breathe.
But this time, it was different.
A few people still noticed him. Gara caught eyes with them and offered small nods or brief greetings, more out of habit than anything else. They smiled back, returned the greeting… and left it at that.
No teasing. No chatter. No crowd forming.
It was quiet.
Too quiet.
Almost like the entire Third Town was walking with a weight on its shoulders, still shaken by the prison break two nights ago.
And as Gara and Leif walked on, neither of them felt like breaking that silence.
The two were headed toward the Story Guides Workshop, the place where Gara both lived and worked. Leif decided to tag along for now.
According to the person who saved him, Dante was someone he could trust as an ally.
He had only met him briefly before, but Gara worked under him and lived with him, and even if Gara never outright said it, Leif could tell the two were close.
Close enough to be called brothers, at least in his eyes.
Gara had already told Dante about the Competition before they left, but the owner of [Hiro Hunter] had only said they'd talk about it after they returned from the [Rashanz] Fragment.
Unfortunately, even though they were back now, it wasn't like Dante would be in the mood for that kind of discussion after his little sister escaped prison two nights ago.
Still, Leif saw no reason not to stick around.
They walked through the familiar streets, Gara greeting a few people here and there out of habit. Then his gaze caught on an old man sitting near the side of the road, clothes worn thin, posture hunched.
The man looked up as they passed and spoke with a weak voice, asking for just one Core.
Only one, he said, enough to live for a few more days.
Gara slowed, already reaching for his Story System, planning to summon a Golden Core—worth ten Green ones. But before he could, Leif stopped.
The blonde stepped forward and quietly placed three Golden Cores into the old man's shaking hands.
For a second, the man just stared. Then his eyes widened, his back straightening as if strength had suddenly returned to him.
He began thanking Leif over and over, voice trembling, praising him for his kindness, calling him a blessing in the Story World.
Leif stiffened.
The attention clearly made him uncomfortable.
He scratched the side of his face, avoided the man's eyes, and muttered a short, awkward, "You're welcome," before quickly walking on.
Gara followed, glancing back once to see the old man still smiling in gratitude.
A few nearby Players had noticed.
They didn't say anything, but there was clear surprise on their faces.
They all knew Gara helped people like this often—it was almost expected of him by now.
Seeing him travel with someone who did the same, without hesitation, caught their attention.
Still, no one approached.
And just like that, the two continued on toward the Workshop, the quiet respect of Third Town trailing behind them.
...
Before long, they reached their destination.
From the outside, the place looked like a wooden tavern, the kind you'd expect to hear laughter and chatter spilling out of. Sometimes it did open like a café of sorts, hosting people passing by, but not right now.
Even so, the door was left open.
Gara stepped inside without hesitation, and Leif followed after him.
The moment Gara crossed the threshold, he caught sight of a small white tail flicking in the air. A tiny figure leapt down from a nearby table and rushed toward him, letting out a cheerful meow as it circled his legs.
Gara smiled instantly. "Hey there."
It was the cat Dante kept here.
Of course, animals couldn't truly exist in the Story World, so this wasn't a real cat.
It was a toy, its body inscribed with a simulated personality through advanced AI programming—a joint creation between the Toy Kingdom of the Wonderlands and the Robotum Faction of the Iron Expanse.
Two massive superpowers working together to create artificial pets for anyone who wanted companionship without breaking the rules of the world.
And, as with most things that aimed to spread fast and make profit, the Blue Trade had gotten involved. With their partnership, anyone could simply place a request and receive a pet quickly, without ever setting foot in the Toy Kingdom or the Iron Expanse themselves.
The cat looked slightly toy-like if one paid close attention—its movements a bit too smooth, its fur a pristine white that almost shone under the light.
Crimson eyes blinked up at Gara with innocent curiosity as it meowed again, rubbing against his boots before hopping back and forth excitedly, clearly happy to see him.
Leif paused a step behind, watching the scene in silence as the cat continued to play around Gara, tail swishing energetically across the wooden floor.
Gara smiled and petted it a few times, his hand moving easily over the soft white fur, before lifting it up and holding it against his chest.
The cat let out a content meow, its tail swaying lazily as it settled into his embrace.
He then glanced back and noticed Leif staring at the cat. It didn't take much to tell—Leif clearly wanted to play with it, but he stayed where he was, hands stiff at his sides, as if reaching out would somehow be too embarrassing.
Gara laughed lightly. "You wanna pet it?"
Leif's answer was immediate. He nodded without hesitation.
With a small grin, Gara handed the cat over. The cat didn't resist at all, calmly accepting the change as it was cradled in Leif's arms.
It seemed perfectly fine with someone new, letting out a soft meow as Leif petted it, clearly enjoying the attention just as much as before.
Gara smiled faintly before turning around and taking in the lower floor. It was empty, save for the cat, which had already wandered off a bit, its small paws tapping softly against the wooden floor.
He glanced toward the counter, then at the door leading into the kitchen.
It was closed.
After a brief pause, he walked over, hopped over the counter with practiced ease, and pushed the door open to check if anyone was there.
Someone was.
Just not Dante.
Standing inside was a figure made entirely of pure blue crystal, her form humanoid and elegant, resembling a young woman in her twenties.
Her crystal skin reflected the light softly, and she wore a beautiful dress sculpted from the same pristine, translucent material, every detail sharp yet graceful.
The air around her felt faintly colder.
This was another Story Guide who worked here, a C Ranker, and Gara's senior. Her name was Samantha, and she owned an Original Story called [Pristine Ice].
The woman stared at him in silence for a long moment, her blue, crystal-clear eyes piercing into him with an intensity that made the air feel colder.
Gara let out a quiet sigh. "Hey, Samantha. Didn't think I'd see you here. Weren't you on a mission guiding someone through a D Ranked Fragment? I thought that'd take a lo—"
She cut him off immediately, her eyebrow knitting together as her expression twisted with clear irritation.
"Not going to hug your senior sister?" she said sharply, chin lifting in a distinctly princess-like manner. "Hmph."
Gara froze for half a second, then pointed at her with an offended look.
"No thanks. Last time my skin hurt a ton. Your body isn't exactly soft, you know? Made out of glass, crystal, or whatever that is. So, nope."
Her eyes narrowed.
"I shall have your tongue for that."
He laughed lightly. "Haha, scary."
Her glare sharpened, the temperature in the room dropping another notch.
"…Alright. Actually scared."
She sniffed and turned her head away slightly. "Hmph. If you were not at least mildly entertaining, I would have taken your head off for such disrespect."
Gara grinned shamelessly. "Hehe, see? I'm adorable."
Her gaze snapped back to him, sharp and cold.
"…Silence."
And silence it was.
Samantha's piercing gaze lingered on Gara for a moment before drifting toward the doorway, where another figure stood.
Her eyebrow arched sharply as she pointed. "Is that the same Leif Dante told me about?" she asked, her tone carrying a mixture of curiosity and subtle authority.
Gara gave a crisp nod, standing like a guard on duty, saying nothing further.
She sighed, clearly exasperated. "Fine… you can speak. Just don't tease me."
Gara let out a long, exaggerated sigh, as if released from some heavy burden. Samantha rolled her eyes at the display but didn't interrupt.
"Yup," he said finally, voice casual now. "That's Leif. He was with me in the [Rashanz] Fragment for a mission and… well, we're back."
Samantha squinted at him, her expression a mix of disbelief and intrigue. "I'm still quite shocked… you went to… that Fragment? An SS Ranked one… while you were still F Rankers…"
She paused, then tilted her head. "Well… it seems you both leveled up?"
Gara gave a confident nod, puffing out his chest a little as he pointed at himself. "Yeah, so now I'm super strong, right? E Rank! And my Story… [Root of All Things] is only getting stronger. It's gonna be the strongest one in the Story World, no doubt about it!"
He grinned, fully diving into his brag.
Samantha didn't even flinch at first, then abruptly raised a hand.
Gara froze immediately, snapping to attention like a soldier on duty.
She scoffed, voice dripping with her usual princess-like arrogance. "I'm… not really interested in hearing all that at all. But," she added, narrowing her eyes at him, "if you insist on telling me… over lunch, I suppose I'll listen. Don't get used to it, though."
Gara stared at her, about to point out that she was clearly curious but just too shy to admit it. With a glare from her, he wisely swallowed the words.
Then he noticed something—a frying pan gripped in her hands.
He chuckled and pointed at it. "Wait… are you seriously gonna make me believe you're a good cook? Or is this just a trap so I end up making lunch instead?"
Samantha's lips twitched slightly, like she was trying to maintain her composure, but Gara could see the faint hint of a smirk forming.
He watched as her cheeks flushed a deep, obvious red against the crystalline blue of her skin. She quickly turned away, clearly trying to hide it, and snapped, "Fine, fine, you're making lunch. And shut up, or I'll teach you a lesson you won't forget!"
Gara let out a dramatic sigh, throwing his hands up. "Alright, alright, I'll make lunch!"
She scoffed and swept out of the kitchen, taking a seat at one of the tables like nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Leif had been quietly petting the cat, observing everything without a word.
He found it… interesting, seeing how close Gara could get with Samantha despite her prickly attitude.
He'd looked into the Story Guides Workshop before, and knew this blue crystal woman came from an F Ranked Fragment where she had actually been considered a princess.
She had later ventured out into the Story World, reached D Rank, and then decided to become a Story Guide under Dante. Since then, she'd been working here, currently living somewhere in Third Town, as far as Leif knew.
He shook his head slightly, amused. 'Gara really has a way of getting people to tolerate him,' he thought quietly, petting the cat again.
The red-haired young man hadn't said much about his teammates—there was, of course, Samantha, Jack and his wife Elena, and Sumesh—but Gara had barely mentioned them while Leif traveled with him, aside from Jack, whom Leif had met briefly before their departure for the [Rashanz] Fragment.
From what little he had heard, it seemed to be a lively cast of characters, all working alongside Gara.
And, much like Dante, they treated him—the then F Ranker—as an equal.
Whether it was because Dante had instructed them to, or simply because they were that kind of people, Leif couldn't tell yet.
Samantha's piercing blue eyes swept over the kitchen, taking in Gara as he rolled up the sleeves of his red kimono and methodically began slicing through the meat.
Then her gaze shifted to Leif, kneeling beside the cat and stroking its fur with quiet attentiveness.
For a moment, she looked away, her expression unreadable, before speaking with a crisp edge in her voice. "The cat's name is Luna. Dante's. He loves her dearly, so I'd suggest you don't break her, understood?"
Leif lifted his head, having been crouched low to pet the fluffy white bundle of joy, and gave a simple nod before returning to his gentle strokes.
Luna purred softly, oblivious to the tension she stirred.
Samantha, however, seemed increasingly irritated by the quiet scene.
She tried to start a conversation, but each attempt faltered—her words were met with nothing more than a nod, an "I understand," or an "I agree," and usually nothing at all.
Frustration flickered across her crystal-like features.
From the kitchen, Gara's laugh rang out, breaking the quiet. "Samantha's just a shy girl. She secretly loves getting attention."
"Not true!" the woman shot back, indignation flashing in her eyes, but Gara didn't let her finish. He waved a finger toward Leif. "And him? Emo 'leave me alone' type. He barely speaks to anyone."
Leif lifted his head again, frowning. "Hey! I'm not like that—"
The two of them launched into simultaneous complaints, trading insults at Gara, who laughed heartily from the counter. "See? At least you two share something in common: hatred for me!"
The remark drew an unexpected chuckle from both Leif and Samantha.
The princess-like Story Guide then quickly looked away, a small, embarrassed "ahem" escaping her, as if to assert that she'd never, ever allow herself to laugh at something so trivial.
Leif watched the movement silently for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh.
Finally, he stood and made his way over to where Samantha was seated. "Mind if I… sit here?" he asked, his voice calm but polite.
Samantha turned her piercing blue gaze toward him, a scoff escaping her lips. After a brief pause, she hmphed, muttering, "Sure."
Leif lowered himself into the chair, and immediately, Luna padded over, tail high, brushing against his leg.
The cat had clearly missed company while Gara had been away on his mission. Smiling slightly, Leif picked Luna up, cradling her gently as he resumed petting her.
After a beat, he asked, "Where's Dante?"
Samantha's expression darkened just slightly.
She let out a soft sigh and, not meeting his eyes, said, "He's away at the moment… talking to some Grey Rose members about the prison break two nights ago."
Leif simply nodded, his face composed, acknowledging the weight of the situation without pressing further.
Gara, rolling up his sleeves and focused on chopping the meat for lunch, heard the exchange and let out a quiet sigh.
Of course Dante would have been contacted by the Organization—after all, it was his little sister who had escaped from the prison… Nova.
He didn't know much about her—not even her Story Name, since he'd never bothered to look it up.
Unlike a certain someone else… ahem, Leif—he wasn't rich.
All he knew was that she was a C Ranker, captured by Dante himself a year ago and locked away.
From what he'd gathered, Nova had been involved in some operation where an A Ranker member of Grey Rose had been kidnapped.
Dante, once he found out, had hunted her down, rescued the A Ranker, and brought Nova to justice… or at least, that was what Jordan and Lavia had told him when he'd asked.
He hadn't asked Dante himself—he wasn't sure if it was too sensitive a topic.
Gara paused, knife in hand, and stared at the counter, thoughts heavy.
How was Dante doing right now? Probably not well.
He wanted to help him—Dante had been the one looking out for him ever since he'd stepped into the Story World.
He had kept him fed, sheltered, taught him the ropes of becoming a Story Guide, and introduced him to people like Jack, who would later become his closest friend.
But now… he felt powerless.
He was only an E Ranker.
His Story wasn't even stable—cracked, still needing to be fixed.
And Nova, just by herself, was already a C Ranker.
Even if he wanted to help, there was nothing he could do. That thought knotted uneasily in his chest, gnawing at him as he gripped the knife a little tighter.
There wasn't much he could do.
So, with a heavy sigh, he forced himself to focus on the task at hand, letting the rhythmic chopping of meat ground him back into the present as he continued preparing lunch.
...
A while later, he had finished cooking and carried the plates over to where Leif and Samantha were sitting.
The faint clink of the dishes against the table echoed in the small workshop, a quiet rhythm that contrasted with the tension simmering in the room.
He returned to the kitchen to fetch his own plate, and Samantha's piercing blue gaze followed him the entire time.
"Why not use your root abilities to bring it?" she asked, her voice sharp, eyebrow raised in that unmistakable princess-like challenge.
"I didn't want to waste precious Cores," Gara replied simply, shrugging. "Not everyone's as rich as a certain princess lady."
Samantha's scoff cut through the air. "Poor, then," she said, the single word full of indignation.
Gara couldn't help it—he laughed, a soft, amused sound that filled the kitchen.
"Why are you laughing?!" she snapped.
Gara didn't answer, instead letting his thoughts wander.
He couldn't help it—Samantha, who considered herself rich and proud, was actually far from it compared to a certain emo guy named Leif.
That didn't change the fact that he himself was even lower than her in wealth, but the irony made him chuckle quietly to himself.
—End of Chapter.
-------
So, what's going to happen now?
Gara: Well, obviously we're going to taste the amazing dish prepared by me. You know, since my Story's called [Root of All Things] and all, I should probably learn the Gourmet Arts as well, right?
Leif: Fix your Story first.
Samantha: Hah! Serves you right. And just because I'm kind enough to not puke your dish out, doesn't mean it's amazing.
Gara: Hey! I make good food I'll have you know! Who do you think was making food around here? Dante? Hah!
Dante: I'm already beyond angry, are you trying to get me to kill you?
Gara: Wow! Been a while since I last saw you here, how's it going buddy?
Dante: Not well, duh.
Gara: True true, tsk. Won't lie, I kinda missed you, being away in the [Rashanz] Fragment took way too long.
Leif: But on the bright side, we're E Rankers now.
Gara: You make a good point actually.
Lavia: So, when are you coming to visit me again?
Gara left the chat.