The next morning, Nameless stirred from sleep, stretching stiffly as he rubbed the back of his neck. The futon beneath him was softer than anything he had ever slept on before. Donnie and Dianne sat up too, visibly refreshed.
"This futon is amazing," Nameless muttered. "What if we bring one back home?"
"Yeah," Donnie nodded, rubbing his eyes. "This feels more comfortable than any bed I've slept on so far."
Alex entered from the small hallway, his expression a little downcast. "Hey guys… I've got work today, so I'll be heading out soon."
"We're leaving too," Dianne said, tightening the strap on her bag.
"It was nice knowing you all," Alex said, smiling faintly.
Before they parted ways, Dianne stepped forward. "One last thing. Can you show me the lowest point you know around here?"
Alex tilted his head. "That's a bit out of the way. I'll be late by five minutes."
"It'll only happen once," Dianne said, determined.
After washing up and packing their gear, the four exited the building. Nameless looked down at the exposed rods and weapons strapped to his gear.
"Hey Dianne, are we sure this won't make us suspicious?"
"Nah," Alex said with a chuckle. "Your stuff looks too weird. No one's gonna question it."
They boarded a bus just as it arrived at the stop. No one on board gave them a second glance, just as Alex predicted. Leaning in, Alex whispered instructions to Nameless.
"Get off at Crimson Ridge Station. Go straight until you reach Iris Street, take a right, then head down until you see a parking lot on your left. Go in there."
Nameless nodded. When the bus stopped, the trio waved goodbye to Alex and stepped off.
---
As they walked through the city, Nameless turned to the others. "Remember to behave. We don't know how these people might react."
Following Alex's directions, they reached the parking lot. Nameless scanned the area. "Help me find stairs."
Donnie eventually pointed out a stairwell hidden in the corner. "Got one."
"Hey, keep your voice down," Nameless hissed, gripping Donnie's shoulder. "No need for attention."
"Alright, alright," Donnie muttered.
They descended five floors underground until they found themselves in another level filled with parked cars. Searching the dim floor, they discovered a door marked "Out of Order." Inside, a long corridor of abandoned machinery greeted them. Dust and cobwebs blanketed the area.
They entered one of the side rooms. Dianne dropped her bag and approached the corner.
"We're making a tunnel to the Low-Class layer," she said, already pulling out her tools and beginning to dig.
Nameless and Donnie sat down near the wall. "You got a plan?" Nameless asked.
"Slightly," Dianne answered, grinning.
Donnie unzipped a duffel bag. "Let's see what we've got."
Inside were explosives. Nameless laughed nervously. "We brought that on the bus?"
"Imagine it blew up."
"We'd be toast."
"Definitely."
After a while, Dianne emerged from the hole, dusty and sweating. "Bring the bag. I need help."
They followed her into the growing tunnel. After an hour of digging and planting charges, they reached a deep shaft.
"Start tossing them in one at a time," Dianne instructed, then left to retrieve their other gear.
Once the explosives were spent, Dianne rejoined them.
"Time to move. Let's go down."
The sharp slope had transformed into a more manageable descent. They climbed down and soon found themselves in a cavern filled with giant rats nursing their young.
"Donnie," Dianne said, "scare them."
Donnie fired a special ammo round. It exploded with a flash, scattering the rats. The trio quickly leapt in, finishing off the confused stragglers and their offspring.
"Where even are we?" Donnie asked.
"Not sure," Dianne said, sitting.
Nameless began carving a ladder from the rock wall with his rod.
Soon, a tremor shook the ground. Gerald's massive form entered.
"Hey guys. Welcome back."
"Gerald!" Nameless ran up and hugged him.
"How'd you find us?"
Gerald pointed to Nameless's necklace. "That thing. Handy, huh?"
---
They returned to town, greeted by cheers and music. Confetti rained down. The people guided them to a stage at the center of town, where they were handed microphones.
Dianne went first, explaining their journey and the new tunnel connecting the Mid-Class and Low-Class layers.
Donnie followed, expressing his pride in contributing and his gratitude for Nameless.
Finally, Nameless spoke. He thanked Donnie and Dianne for taking him in, saying he might be part prosthetic now—but he was still human.
The crowd erupted in cheers.
After the speeches, they paraded through the tunnel they had built. Nameless climbed up the makeshift ladder, greeted with roaring applause.
That night, a massive celebration took over the town. Music, food, and joy filled the air. At one table, Nameless, Gerald, Donnie, and Dianne shared drinks and laughter.
"I've never seen a party this huge," Nameless said, smiling.
"We earned it," Dianne replied. "We made history."
"Maybe it felt easy because we prepared too much," Donnie added.
"Then it was worth it," Gerald grinned. "Enjoy the night."
The party lasted until dawn. Colorful lights hung across rooftops as the town finally slept. Back at their hideout, the group collapsed on their sleeping areas—drunk, tired, and satisfied.
"Man, I miss that super comfy bedding we had," Dianne mumbled, flopping onto the mat.
"No difference to me," Nameless replied, already lying down.
"Lucky you," she grumbled, half-asleep.
Nameless stayed awake, staring at the ceiling. He then exhaled deeply.
"I should definitely visit her tomorrow."
His thoughts drifted to Lily. And with that, he finally closed his eyes.
---
Everyone woke to the familiar hum of the town as it came alive with the sounds of morning. Nameless yawned, stretching out on the couch before sitting up groggily.
"Good morning, Nameless," Donnie greeted, smiling as he leaned against the doorframe.
"You too, man," Nameless replied.
Donnie raised an eyebrow. "So, what are you doing today?"
Nameless hesitated. "You know..."
"Ah, her. Got it," Donnie said, reading between the lines.
Nameless rubbed the back of his neck. "I just wonder why Gerald is so mad at her. I get that she's threatening, but... she's never done anything bad to me."
"So the warnings don't scare you?" Donnie asked, his tone a bit more serious.
"Absolutely not."
"Well, if she ever does anything, I just hope you can still escape."
Donnie left with a subtle, unreadable expression. Nameless stayed where he was, staring at the floor.
"I wonder what I can give her," he murmured.
Nameless wandered the town, searching through markets and stalls. Nothing stood out. He frowned, tapping his fingers on his leg.
"Man, if only there's something I can give... Should I scavenge?" he said, glancing up toward the clouds.
Suddenly, Gerald approached.
"Hey buddy, you need help with something?"
Nameless paused. "I... I can't tell you what it is."
"Why not?"
Nameless exhaled. "Because it's something you don't like."
Gerald squinted for a second, then sighed. "Ah. I get it now. I think I can help you."
"Are you serious?" Nameless asked, surprised.
"Look, I've had time to think. If my friend's involved... maybe she's not that bad after all."
Nameless blinked. "But what about what you said before?"
Gerald chuckled. "It's the past. And sometimes... the past should be forgotten. So? What exactly do you need?"
Nameless hesitated for a few seconds. "A gift. For Lily. Can you help me?"
"Absolutely," Gerald said without a second thought.
They returned to the hideout. Gerald began sorting through a collection of rare and unusual trinkets. Nameless watched closely, inspecting each piece, weighing them with care. Eventually, one item caught his attention—a red crystal on a silver necklace.
"This looks pretty," Nameless said. "I think she'll like it."
"That's a red Gunstal," Gerald explained. "It came from the High-Tier layer. Used to fire projectiles when struck—completely inert now. But still stable, and safe."
Nameless examined it closely. "Thanks, man."
"You're welcome."
Nameless began to head out, but Gerald called out one last time.
"Hey, buddy. One more thing."
"Yeah?"
Gerald stood still, eyes distant. "People don't realize something until it happens to them. I guess what I'm trying to say is... I'm sorry. For everything."
Nameless smiled faintly. "You don't have to be forgiven. I get that you've got your own struggles."
With that, Nameless turned and jogged away, the necklace tucked securely in his hand. Gerald stood in place for a while, feeling oddly satisfied—and yet, burdened by something he couldn't name.