The train arrived with a metallic screech.
Steam hissed from vents along the sides as enormous wheels slowly ground to a stop against the rails.
Unlike the crude transportation systems of Floor One, the Nendu Rail Network was considered one of the greatest achievements on Floor Two.
Massive iron locomotives crossed the desert every day.
Merchants.
Guilds.
Mercenaries.
Travelers.
Adventurers.
Everyone used them.
The train before them was nearly two hundred meters long.
Its black steel body gleamed beneath the afternoon sun.
Dozens of passengers were already boarding.
Rio adjusted her cloak.
"Let's move."
Everyone followed.
Silla stayed close to Ramos.
Kiraya and Hinabi walked together.
Ryota remained at the rear.
Sayanaki casually scanned every rooftop and nearby structure one final time before stepping onto the train.
Even after entering.
Even after reaching the passenger compartment.
Even after taking a seat.
She never stopped watching.
It was honestly terrifying.
The passenger cabin itself was surprisingly comfortable.
Rows of long cushioned benches faced each other.
Each section could fit four passengers.
Large windows lined both sides of the train.
Outside, the golden desert stretched endlessly toward the horizon.
Rio ended up sitting beside Ryota.
Across from them sat Silla and Sayanaki.
The crimson-haired assassin immediately claimed the window seat.
She leaned her head against the glass.
Closed her eyes.
And somehow looked even more dangerous while relaxing.
Meanwhile—
The next section over was significantly less peaceful.
Ramos sat frozen.
Directly beside him.
Was Sugolith.
The mercenary leader.
The same man who had hunted him.
The same man who had threatened him.
The same man whose guild had nearly captured him multiple times.
And now...
They were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder.
For an hour.
Ramos looked like he wanted to jump out the window.
Across from him sat Kiraya.
Next to her sat Hinabi.
Both women were watching Sugolith carefully.
Sugolith sighed.
"...You know."
Nobody answered.
"...If I wanted to kill you."
Still nobody answered.
"...I wouldn't buy a train ticket first."
Ramos immediately scooted closer to Kiraya.
Sugolith stared.
"...Seriously?"
Kiraya crossed her arms.
"You understand why he's nervous."
"Not really."
"You hunted him."
"I was paid."
"That's not helping your case."
Sugolith sighed again.
This vacation was already exhausting.
Fifteen minutes later.
The train finally departed.
The city began shrinking behind them.
Buildings passed by outside the windows.
The massive outer wall slowly disappeared into the distance.
Silla pressed her face against the glass.
Her eyes sparkled.
"...It's beautiful."
Rio smiled slightly.
For someone like Silla.
Someone who had spent her entire life inside villages.
This was probably overwhelming.
The train crossed a massive bridge spanning part of Nendu's artificial lake.
The water reflected the afternoon sunlight.
Countless ships moved below.
Merchant vessels.
Fishing boats.
Transport barges.
The scale alone was enough to leave someone speechless.
Silla watched everything.
Every building.
Every tower.
Every bridge.
Every ship.
Like she was afraid she might never see it again.
Rio noticed.
And quietly said—
"Once everything is over."
Silla turned.
Rio smiled.
"We'll come back."
The young NPC blinked.
Rio looked back out the window.
"And next time."
"We won't be running."
For a moment.
Silla couldn't say anything.
Then she smiled.
A genuine smile.
The first one Rio had seen from her since they met.
The train continued forward.
A vendor eventually entered the carriage.
"Pistachios!"
"Peanuts!"
"Sweet buns!"
"Cold drinks!"
Immediately—
Sugolith stood up.
Ramos nearly died.
"HE'S MOVING!"
Kiraya's hand flew toward her weapon.
Hinabi nearly activated a spell.
Sayanaki kept her eyes closed.
Rio didn't even bother looking.
Sugolith stared at everyone.
The mercenary slowly pointed.
"Peanuts."
The vendor blinked.
"Oh."
Sugolith bought a bag.
Sat back down.
Opened it.
Started eating.
The entire train section fell silent.
Ramos looked embarrassed.
Kiraya looked embarrassed.
Even Hinabi looked embarrassed.
Sugolith shook his head.
"You people are ridiculous."
Thirty minutes into the ride.
The atmosphere finally relaxed.
A little.
Only a little.
Sugolith continued eating peanuts.
Ramos continued watching him.
The two men had somehow entered a psychological war.
Every time Sugolith moved.
Ramos flinched.
Every time Ramos flinched.
Sugolith looked offended.
Eventually.
Even Rio found it amusing.
Ryota leaned closer.
"...How long do you think this can continue?"
Rio glanced over.
Sugolith reached for another peanut.
Ramos almost jumped out of his seat.
"...The entire ride."
"Fair."
An hour-long train ride felt surprisingly short.
Especially compared to everything they had experienced recently.
Assassins.
Mercenaries.
Sand pirates.
Kidnappers.
Bounty hunters.
Doctor Luscius.
And now.
For the first time in days.
Everyone simply sat.
Rested.
And breathed.
Even if only briefly.
The train eventually entered another tunnel.
Darkness covered the windows.
Then—
Light returned.
And what greeted them on the other side left several passengers speechless.
The Inner Rim.
Nendu's true heart.
Massive towers rose toward the sky.
Gigantic bridges crossed the central lake.
Countless lights illuminated the city.
Markets.
Guild halls.
Residences.
Government buildings.
Everything looked larger.
Richer.
More important.
This was the center of Floor Two.
The place where powerful guilds gathered.
The place where fortunes were made.
The place where countless stories began.
And where their own journey toward Floor Three would continue.
The announcement echoed throughout the train.
"Next stop."
"Central Nendu Station."
"Please prepare to disembark."
Rio slowly stood.
Ryota followed.
Kiraya stretched.
Hinabi closed her magazine.
Sayanaki opened her eyes.
Sugolith finished the last peanut.
And Ramos finally realized.
He had survived an entire train ride sitting next to the man who hunted him.
Which honestly felt like an achievement.
The train was near it destination just a couple minutes away
Outside.
The lights of the Inner Rim grew closer.
Closer.
Closer.
The train was only minutes away from its destination.
Outside the windows, the magnificent skyline of Nendu's Inner Rim continued to grow larger.
The towering structures looked almost unreal beneath the evening light.
Massive bridges connected artificial islands.
Countless lights illuminated the waterways below.
For most passengers aboard the train, the sight was breathtaking.
For Crowned Era—
It was simply another place they needed to reach.
Ramos finally released a long breath.
"We're almost there..."
The farmer looked visibly relieved.
An entire hour sitting beside Sugolith had nearly destroyed his nerves.
Across from him, Kiraya was still keeping watch.
Even after everything.
Even after Sugolith had spent the entire trip eating peanuts and complaining.
She hadn't lowered her guard.
The former vice captain of Eternity Lions wasn't the type to become careless.
Sugolith noticed.
He shook his head.
"How many times do I have to tell you people?"
Nobody answered.
The mercenary sighed dramatically.
"I'm on vacation."
Ramos immediately looked suspicious.
"You expect us to believe that?"
"Yes."
"No sane person would believe that."
Sugolith pointed at him.
"See? This is why nobody likes civilians."
Ramos looked offended.
"I didn't even do anything!"
"You exist."
"I—"
Kiraya pinched the bridge of her nose.
The conversation was already becoming exhausting.
Sugolith leaned back into his seat.
"If I wanted them dead, I'd have attacked already."
He pointed toward Silla.
Then toward Ramos.
"If I wanted those two captured, I would've brought my guild."
He shrugged.
"Besides."
His eyes moved toward the neighboring section.
Toward Rio.
Toward Ryota.
Toward Sayanaki.
Even Sugolith's normally carefree expression became slightly serious.
"I'm not stupid enough to attack when all three monsters are present."
Ramos blinked.
"Monsters?"
Sugolith pointed again.
"The silver-haired one."
Rio.
"The guy who launches rocks into cities."
Ryota.
"And the scary crimson-haired assassin."
Sayanaki.
Sayanaki slowly opened one eye.
Sugolith immediately pointed elsewhere.
"And definitely not her."
Kiraya couldn't help laughing.
Even Hinabi covered her mouth.
The mercenary wasn't wrong.
Sayanaki was terrifying.
Kiraya eventually folded her arms.
"That may be true."
Sugolith nodded.
"Finally."
"But you also understand why we're cautious."
The mercenary sighed.
"Fair."
He tossed another peanut into his mouth.
Then suddenly—
His eyes shifted toward Kiraya.
"So."
Kiraya raised an eyebrow.
"So?"
Sugolith smirked.
"What made you join the freak train?"
Silence followed.
Ryota nearly choked.
"H-Hey!"
Rio covered her face.
Even Silla looked confused.
"The freak train?"
Sugolith pointed toward Crowned Era.
"Look at your guild."
He started counting.
"One time-manipulating psychopath."
Rio frowned.
"I'm not a psychopath."
"Debatable."
He pointed again.
"One human siege weapon."
Ryota looked offended.
"I don't think that's fair."
"You launched a boulder into a city."
"...Fair."
Another finger.
"One assassin who decorates mountains with corpses."
Sayanaki smiled.
That somehow made it worse.
Sugolith continued.
"Two wanted civilians."
Ramos raised his hand.
"I didn't ask for this."
Silla nodded in agreeing to what Ramos said.
"And now."
He pointed at Kiraya.
"You."
The mercenary laughed.
"What made you jump aboard this train wreck?"
The joke faded.
Kiraya's expression softened slightly.
For a moment.
Nobody spoke.
Even Sugolith waited.
Eventually—
Kiraya looked out the window.
The lights of Nendu reflected against the glass.
"...They gave me a home."
The laughter disappeared.
"They gave me a purpose."
Her voice was quiet.
Honest.
"I loved Eternity Lions."
Elias.
Ayame.
Fayzan.
The guild hall.
The memories.
The countless nights spent planning.
The excitement of watching the guild grow.
Every single memory remained precious.
Kiraya smiled sadly.
"I really did."
She looked down.
"I helped build it."
"I helped shape it."
"I gave everything I had."
The train grew strangely quiet.
Even nearby passengers had stopped talking.
"I stayed because I believed in what we were creating."
Her voice remained calm.
"But eventually..."
She paused.
"...it stopped becoming the guild I worked so hard to build."
Nobody interrupted.
"Maybe the merger will work."
"Maybe it'll become stronger."
"Maybe Elias will succeed."
She smiled.
"And honestly..."
"I hope he does."
Because despite everything—
She still cared.
She still wanted them to succeed.
But...
Kiraya looked toward Rio.
Then toward Hinabi.
Then toward the guild crest on her interface.
"I didn't want to stay somewhere I no longer believed in."
The silence lingered.
Sugolith nodded.
"...Fair enough."
For the first time.
The mercenary sounded genuinely respectful.
Then—
Kiraya's eyes suddenly narrowed.
Something moved.
A reflection.
Not outside.
Not below.
Above.
The window glass reflected part of the train roof.
And for the briefest second—
A shadow crossed it.
Kiraya froze.
Her combat instincts screamed.
Someone was there.
Above them.
Directly above—
Silla.
The realization hit instantly.
"RIO!"
Kiraya exploded from her seat.
BOOOOOOM!!
The roof above Silla violently erupted.
Metal tore apart.
Passengers screamed.
Steel fragments flew across the carriage.
Fourteen masked figures crashed through the ceiling.
Ropes dropped.
Weapons drawn.
Guns.
Swords.
Daggers.
Crossbows.
Professional.
Organized.
Fast.
Two gunmen immediately opened fire.
BANG!
BANG!
The bullets shot directly toward Ramos.
Too fast.
Too sudden.
Most players wouldn't have reacted.
Hinabi did.
The mage instantly grabbed Ramos by the collar.
YANK!
The farmer practically flew across the carriage.
The bullets shattered the seat where he'd been sitting.
Wood exploded everywhere.
Passengers screamed.
Chaos erupted.
People rushed toward exits.
Others dove beneath seats.
Children cried.
The entire carriage transformed into a battlefield within seconds.
The attackers didn't stop.
The doors connecting neighboring train cars burst open.
SLAM!
SLAM!
More masked fighters poured inside.
Front.
Rear.
Both directions.
An ambush.
A coordinated assassination attempt.
Rio remained seated.
Ryota remained seated.
Sayanaki remained seated.
Which somehow felt more terrifying than everyone else panicking.
One attacker rushed forward.
Sword raised.
Sayanaki sighed.
"...Finally."
CLICK.
Her seatbelt released.
Less than a fraction of a second.
Fenrir's Fang appeared in her hand.
The crimson dagger glowed.
"Come out."
Two massive wolves materialized instantly.
The summoned beasts lunged forward.
CRASH!!
The first attacker disappeared beneath a mountain of fur and fangs.
Blood sprayed across the aisle.
Passengers screamed louder.
Meanwhile—
Kiraya was already moving.
The former vice captain drew her custom gunsword.
Without hesitation—
She kicked off the seat.
SMASH!
The window exploded.
Glass scattered everywhere.
Wind roared into the carriage.
And Kiraya launched herself onto the roof of the moving train.
The attackers above barely had time to react before she landed among them.
The battle for Nendu had begun.