Ilwoo held up his beginner sword, watching bits of broken metal fall from what used to be the blade. The weapon that had carried him through countless battles, through the tutorial, and against the shadow wolves, now looked like it had been chewed up and spat out. It was chipped, cracked, and completely useless.
He gave the sword one last look, as if expecting an apology that would never come. With a flick of his wrist, it disappeared into his inventory.
Hayeon staggered toward him, wiping the blood from a cut on her forehead and smearing it across her dirt-streaked face.
"At least we didn't end up dead."
Kim Donghyun pressed a palm to his shoulder where the hellhound's claws had torn through.
"Thanks for the motivation."
He silently glanced at Han Jisoo, trembling and curled up against the nearest pillar. He muttered under his breath.
Still shaken by Park Sunhee's death, the sheer brutality of seeing a human killed for the first time left him stunned.
Ilwoo knelt before him, locking eyes with him—his gaze uneven as he grabbed the man's shirt collar.
"Jisoo looked at me," Ilwoo said coldly. He remembered those desperate eyes staring back at him, and for a moment, he hadn't known how to react. He drew in a deep breath, steeling himself.
"Get a hold of yourself," he said, looking at him.
"I don't know what's gotten into you. Death is death, there's no coming back, no matter how worried you are."
"But … but," Han Jisoo's voice cracked as he tried to muster his strength.
"I killed… because of me, I was..."
"Shut up," Ilwoo growled.
"Do you know how terrified I was when those beasts lunged at me?"
"You think I'm some kind of saint?" Han Jisoo didn't answer nor did the rest of his party. Instead, he lowered his gaze to the floor.
"I'm a coward. I've always been a coward, no matter how much time has passed. So don't pretend you're doing something noble."
He nodded to Kim Donghyun, straightened himself up, and said, "Donghyun, look at this idiot."
Kim Donghyun gave him a silent nod.
Ilwoo stared at the spot where he had struck down Garmr. His sword lay motionless on the stone floor, the very same blade he had discovered in the ruins of the first floor.
Once just a crude piece of iron salvaged from the ruins, it had been transformed into a masterpiece.
Long and double-edged, its blade gleamed a deep charcoal black and shimmered even in the darkness.
Ilwoo's eyes stayed fixed on the sword as he slowly reached for it and lifted it. It was identical to the one used in the game, except this one was real.
He swung the blade in a smooth arc, feeling its perfect balance settle in his hands, as if someone had tailored it for him.
Hayeon stepped closer, eyes narrowing.
"That old thing looked like junk before. How did it turn into this?"
He hesitated. In truth, the story about getting the sword from a shadow wolf's loot was a lie. In truth, he had taken it from a ruined, hidden room.
But how could he admit that? Telling them would mean admitting he hadn't trusted them, and what if they betrayed him and stole the sword?
Still... since Hayeon and the others had seen it, he didn't have much of a choice. He had to tell them about it.
"I found it in a hidden spot on the first floor," he said quietly.
"Wait… so you lied to us?" Hayeon asked, looking straight at Ilwoo. But Ilwoo remained silent, and that silence was enough to confirm her suspicion.
Hayeon let out a slow breath and crossed her arms.
"Forget it." She waved her hand, showing she had no interest in his sword or in why he hadn't lied to them.
'Why didn't she say anything?' Ilwoo wondered. She didn't seem to have a reason for staying silent, but then, why hadn't she asked him anything?
"Why don't you say anything anymore?" he asked, still lingering in the guilt he carried.
"You could have asked about the sword, or anything at all. Why?"
Hayeon looked directly into his eyes. For some reason, Ilwoo didn't turn his head; instead, he met Hayeon's gaze, as if he were looking at himself, though he couldn't explain why.
"...Dammit," she snarled, throwing her hand back, showing she didn't care about his question.
"I know you have secrets and everyone does, including me," she lowered her voice, her tone sharp but controlled.
"But you already saved our ass from that boss. That alone is enough to earn others' trust."
He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Words he had never spoken before caught in his throat. But finally, he managed:
"Thank you… truly."
Hayeon scoffed, shaking her head. "Don't worry so much, we trust each other."
"So… what does this sword do?" Jinhyuk's eyes narrowed as he studied the blade.
His gaze lingered on Ilwoo, fixated like a child staring at a toy they desperately wanted to grab, unwilling to look away until he understood it fully.
"This sword can kill immortals, but it also works on ordinary beings."
Jinhyuk's eyes widened in surprise, but his curiosity didn't fade; if anything, it only grew stronger.
"It's... amazing, does this sword have a name?"
Ilwoo gave a small nod, barely lifting his chin. "Yeah."
He looked at the sword in his hands, its blade reflecting his broken mask. He remembered the first sword he had obtained, back when he played the game on his low-budget PC.
He raised his sword, and a faint, dim light glimmered through the darkness, cutting through the shadows. He knew the perfect name for this weapon.
"Nine Flame Sword," he said, gazing at it.
"This is its name."