Sword Art Online: Moonlight Swordman.

"We did it... The boss is down," Copper announced, his voice full of celebration, his charming appearance unchanged.

He didn't look the slightest bit exhausted from the fight.

He stood there, his brown hair still perfectly in place, his flawless smile unshaken. Not a scratch, not a sign of fatigue.

In stark contrast, Tarek's group was gasping for breath, drenched in sweat, some even collapsing onto the cold stone floor.

Ren felt the burning air in his chest, his legs weak after the long battle.

Even though... he hadn't contributed much...

But Copper looked like he hadn't put in any effort at all.

Scholar, the usually reserved man with a face as cold as stone, looked different now.

The moment his eyes passed over Copper and Eylis, something flickered, like a tiny crack on an icy surface. An awareness. A hint of suspicion.

But Scholar said nothing. He merely tightened his fist.

"So... Where's the treasure room?"

Tarek sprang up from the cold floor, dusting off his armor. He walked toward the beta testers, his steps slow but heavy, as if restraining something within himself.

Under the flickering torchlight, his smile twisted oddly, half-friendly, half... greedy.

Something was hidden behind his eyes.

"We should rest first... Everyone's exhausted," Copper glanced at Tarek's men.

The tankers who had faced the mini-boss head-on were drained of all their strength from the intense battle.

"No need," Tarek scowled, glaring at Copper before snapping at his subordinates. "Get up, you useless fools. Is that all it takes to wear you out?"

Copper said nothing, just smiled faintly, as if he'd expected this reaction from Tarek.

Ren clenched his fists. He could feel the tension between the two, a silent clash of wits that Tarek seemed oblivious to, or perhaps too greedy to care.

Eylis stood beside Copper, her eyes briefly flashing with disdain as she looked at Tarek, only to shift back to Ren with her usual friendly smile... yet Ren felt something strange.

"Come on, no need to be so hard on your teammates." Copper's voice was light, but his tone carried no real intention of easing tensions. Instead, it felt like he was pouring oil on the fire.

Tarek narrowed his eyes at Copper but quickly turned away.

"Let's move."

Ren took a deep breath, but he couldn't shake off the unease gnawing at him.

He glanced at Copper, who remained calm, his smile unchanged.

'He's waiting for something...'

Ren thought to himself.

The group gathered their strength and headed towards the treasure room.

The long, dark hallway swallowed each figure like a ravenous beast.

Footsteps echoed through the silence...

"Eylis... I know it's a bit forward, but... can I ask you something?" Ren suddenly spoke to Eylis.

She didn't seem surprised, as if she had anticipated his question.

She casually adjusted her hair that had come loose during the battle, tilting her head as she responded:

"Go ahead."

Ren looked directly at Eylis, searching for something in her eyes, but all they reflected was the dim torchlight on the walls.

He swallowed hard before slowly asking:

"...Why are you involved in this?"

Eylis blinked, seemingly caught off guard by his question. But then, a faint smile appeared on her lips.

"This? What do you mean?"

Ren didn't look away. "You and Copper... and Scholar too. Why are the three of you helping Tarek? You guys don't seem like the type who'd cooperate with him."

Eylis stared at him for a few seconds. In that brief moment, Ren felt like she was evaluating him.

Then she let out a soft laugh, a sound as light as a breeze in the dim hallway.

"You think we're helping Tarek?"

Ren's heart skipped a beat.

Her words... something about them didn't feel right.

A chill ran down his spine.

"Just kidding," Eylis laughed at Ren's serious expression. Not wanting her joke to go too far, she clarified:

"Even if the three of us are Beta testers, we can't conquer this dungeon alone...

As you saw, the number of monsters down here is overwhelming. They often appear in swarms. Three people aren't enough."

She paused, her brown eyes locking onto Ren's.

"Plus... that thing is down here."

"That thing?" Ren asked, startled.

Eylis didn't answer immediately. She just shrugged, took another step forward, then looked back at Ren with a half-smile.

"Something worth risking one's life for."

Ren felt his throat go dry. Her words were vague, but it was that very vagueness that made him uneasy.

"Does Tarek know about it?"

Eylis let out a soft laugh. "If he did, do you think he'd be able to keep his cool and walk leisurely like that?"

Ren fell silent. He looked ahead at Tarek, urging his subordinates to pick up the pace. His posture was still proud, full of ambition.

A cold breeze swept through the dark hallway.

Deep inside, Ren felt that something was wrong.

...

Before long, they reached the door to the treasure room.

"I need to remind everyone about the item-sharing agreement..." Copper broke the tense silence.

Tarek immediately snapped:

"Shut it, Copper. We'll talk about that once we get the loot."

Copper just smiled, not arguing back. He looked at the door, a massive stone gate carved with ancient, ominous symbols.

A faint light glowed from the grooves on its surface, as if something was lying dormant inside.

Ren unconsciously clenched his fists. The ominous feeling in his chest grew stronger as he stood before the door.

Scholar stepped forward, his hand gliding over the stone's surface, his eyes sharp.

"I'll open it," Scholar said, his voice calm but laced with absolute confidence.

Tarek crossed his arms, smirking: "Then do it."

Scholar touched one of the symbols. A deep rumble echoed, like something had been awakened.

The door slowly creaked open, revealing... a room bathed in golden light, piled high with treasure.

And in the center of the room, on a high stone pedestal, something lay on display.

The crude, ancient pedestal contrasted starkly with the piles of gleaming gold scattered across the floor.

Dim light from magical crystals on the walls flickered over the thick layer of dust covering the stone floor.

The treasure room was vast, but it didn't exude the grandeur they'd expected. Instead, an eerie stillness filled the space.

Something wasn't right. Ren could feel it, but before he could speak, the sound of grinding metal echoed from the darkness.

Ren stepped into the treasure room, a deep unease filling his heart. Tarek and the others eagerly rummaged around, their eyes gleaming with greed.

Copper glanced at Tarek's group meaningfully before slowly approaching the pedestal.

He climbed the pile of gold, stepping carefully.

His hand reached out, about to grasp the object on top.

"Hold on..." Tarek's greedy voice made Copper's movement pause.

Tarek narrowed his eyes, stepping closer, his voice wary:

"Don't be in such a hurry..."

"Copper. What are you planning?" 

Copper turned around, his calm smile still in place, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes. He pulled his hand back slightly, as if carefully considering Tarek's question. 

"Just checking," Copper replied casually. "This item could be trapped." 

Tarek smirked, his eyes filled with suspicion. He knew this man well—Copper never did anything without a reason. 

Eylis stepped closer, flashing a gentle smile to ease the tension. 

"We're all tired, aren't we? It's better to be cautious." 

But Ren, standing a short distance away, sensed something was off. He noticed that Scholar wasn't participating in the conversation. Instead, his eyes were fixed on the inscriptions carved into the stone pedestal. 

Ren bit his lip. 

Scholar was calculating something. 

He wasn't the only one who noticed. Copper's gaze briefly flicked toward Scholar, and for a fleeting moment, Ren saw the corner of Copper's mouth curl into a mysterious smile. 

As if everything was happening... just as he had planned. 

"The act ends here... I know why you're really here." Tarek's lips twisted into a sly grin. 

His subordinates, who seemed to be scavenging around, had actually surrounded the three beta testers. 

A flicker of surprise crossed Copper's face, but it quickly vanished, replaced by his usual confidence and composure. 

"Oh? How frightening." Copper raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms as if watching an amusing play. 

Eylis didn't look worried either. Her hand rested casually on the hilt of her sword as she tilted her head. 

"Tarek, do you think you can force us?" 

Tarek scoffed, stepping forward with greed glistening in his eyes. 

"You think I'm stupid?" He glanced at Scholar, who stood silently next to Copper and Eylis. "I knew from the start what you were after." 

He gestured with his hand, and his men immediately drew their weapons. 

"That kid told me everything." Tarek shot a smug look at Ren, his twisted grin revealing his gloating satisfaction. 

"Ren! You...," Eylis looked at Ren, speechless. Her brown eyes darkened, a shade colder than before. 

Whether it was anger or disappointment... 

A chill ran down Ren's spine. 

"I'm sorry... Eylis. I had no other choice..." His eyes fell to the ground, unable to meet hers... 

Scholar slowly closed his eyes, then opened them again. He sighed, as if the situation wasn't worth his concern.