"
"Ah—Captain," SK said as the door swung open.
The man stepped in from the rain, shaking droplets off his black coat. "Didn't expect to see you here either," he said, scanning the small food stall before his eyes landed on me.
For a second, his expression flickered—confused, maybe even surprised. I couldn't blame him. A Resistance soldier sitting beside an Empire officer and a SkyRealm veteran wasn't exactly a common sight. Anyone walking in would've thought we'd lost our minds.
I shifted uncomfortably under his stare. Great. Just what we need—attention.
The captain raised a hand slightly. "Don't worry. I'm not here to cause trouble."
He pulled out a chair beside us and gestured to the waiter, pointing at a few items on the menu. Calm. Too calm. The kind of calm that meant he was thinking ten steps ahead.
When he finished ordering, he looked at us again. "I didn't formally introduce myself before," he said, his voice even. "I'm CounterKiller, from Dominion Frontline."
"CounterKiller?" I repeated quietly. The name rang faintly familiar—one of those famous player-handles whispered about during the Great War.
"But you can just call me Counter," he added with a small grin.
Blaze reached across the table and shook his hand. "Blaze," he said simply.
Then, of course, he grabbed me by the shoulder and pulled me closer. "And this is Ryze," he said in that teasing tone of his.
"Hey!" I shot back, glaring at him while he just smirked. Typical Blaze.
Counter blinked, clearly trying to piece things together. A SkyRealm veteran, an Empire officer, and… me. A Resistance sniper. It didn't make sense—not on paper, anyway.
"Is she really in custody?" Counter asked, glancing at SK.
Before she could answer, he shook his head and waved the question away. "Don't worry about it. I don't need details."
He leaned back as his drink arrived. "So," he said, "how's the Empire treating you?"
Blaze leaned back slightly. "It's… different," he admitted. "Didn't think SkyRealm would turn into this. Almost everything's changed since the Collapse—and the Great War."
His voice softened. "Even players and NPCs can get along now," Blaze added, almost as if he still wasn't used to the idea.
I blinked at that. NPCs and players… getting along? That would've been unthinkable years ago.
Blaze's brow furrowed. "But how do you even rebuild? Or make new structures? How's this whole city even possible now?"
Counter gave a small proud laugh. "Well, thanks to other players from different games who decided to help. Builders from other Games—CraftWorld, architects, engineers. Everyone pitched in. That's how this place stands."
Blaze looked around the busy stall, the reflections of neon signs flickering across his hood. "It's… different," he admitted. "Didn't think SkyRealm would turn into this. Almost everything's changed since the Collapse—and the Great War."
His voice softened. "Back then, everything was chaos. Everyone fighting for survival. But now… there's peace."
"Peaceful?" I snorted. "In the Empire? You should see what they've done to the other games—"
Before I could finish, SK clamped a hand over my mouth. "Be quiet!" she hissed. "Sir Blaze is telling a story about the past."
"Mmmph!" I protested against her gauntlet.
Blaze gave me that half-grin again, eyes amused. "Where was I? Right… back then, wars weren't about glory. They were about trying to stay alive. Every day, players fell—to monsters, to glitches, to each other. It was a mess."
He paused, gaze distant, like he was seeing something the rest of us couldn't. "The memories I have left are fragments. Faces I can't name. Battles I only half remember."
The table fell silent for a moment. Even SK looked away, the hard soldier edge softening just slightly.
Blaze exhaled. "Peace, huh… I guess people just got used to being trapped in this world."
The words hung in the air.
Everyone went quiet.
Even the sound of the kitchen faded for a moment.
SK was the first to speak. "Sir… that word—'trapped'—it's taboo to say here," she whispered.
Counter nodded slowly. "She's right. Most players stopped talking about escape years ago. They accepted this place. For some, it's better than the real world ever was."
He took a slow sip from his cup. "What else can we do? The logout's gone. So people build, trade, live… pretend this is how it was always meant to be."
Blaze stared into his drink, the reflection of the neon lights rippling across it. "So everyone just… moved on."
Counter gave a sad smile. "More or less."
For a while, no one said anything. The sounds of the city filtered in—the hum of hovercraft, the distant chatter of crowds, the soft hiss of rain on the roof.
Then Blaze broke the silence. "Is adventuring still a thing here?"
Counter looked amused. "Adventuring?"
"Yeah," Blaze said. "Players roaming, exploring dungeons, chasing quests. You know—the reason this world existed in the first place."
The captain chuckled quietly. "Not really. Most players treat this place as home now. They've given up on risk. They run shops, manage cities, trade in credits. Safer alternatives."
He leaned forward slightly, eyes glinting. "But a handful still chase the thrill. The ones who can't sit still. The ones like us."
I felt that one hit deeper than I expected. He wasn't wrong. SK, Blaze, Counter, me—we all fought because standing still meant dying. Even if this was just code and data, our blood was still real enough.
"Guess some habits don't change," I said quietly.
"Guess not," Counter agreed with a faint grin.
Our food arrived—simple fried noodles, steaming and fragrant. For a while, the tension eased. We talked, we ate. SK even laughed once, though she tried to hide it behind her cup. Blaze looked more relaxed than I'd seen him in days.
And for a short moment, I forgot I was supposed to be a prisoner.
When the plates were nearly empty, Counter checked the time and stood. "Well," he said, "I think it's about time I head back."
Then he turned toward Blaze and SK. "Take care of yourselves. The city's quieter than most places—but that doesn't mean it's safe."
Without another word, he gave a polite nod and stepped out into the rain.
The doorbell chimed once. Then he was gone.
I let out a long breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. "Well… that could've gone worse."
SK nodded, straightening her armor. "He could have reported us."
"Yeah," I said softly. "But he didn't."
Through the window, I could still see Counter's silhouette walking down the street until the rain swallowed him completely.
For the first time in a while, the city felt heavier—like the calm before a storm.
— End of Chapter 41 —