The cave's tunnel seemed endless, with rocky walls closing in around them and the echo of dripping water in the distance.

The blue light emanating from Charles's body lit the way, casting shadows that danced on the walls as if alive.

Charles carried Nora in his arms, holding her steady while following the bright blue arrow floating in his vision, courtesy of the system.

They'd been walking in silence for several minutes, the quiet broken only by the faint crackle of electric sparks sparking from his skin.

Nora, still in Charles's arms, kept hers crossed, her expression a mix of exhaustion and slight discomfort.

Though grateful not to be walking, the situation made her feel vulnerable.

She wasn't used to being carried for so long while awake, like a child, especially not by someone like Rian, who remained a mystery to her.

Her thoughts still swirled, but now she tried to focus on the present—on the tunnel, on the blue light guiding them.

The silence, though, was starting to weigh on her.

"Hey, Rian," she said suddenly, breaking the quiet. Her voice was a bit hoarse, as if she'd been silent too long. "You sure you know where we're going? We've been walking for a while, and I don't want to end up lost in this cave forever."

Charles smiled without looking at her, keeping his eyes on the system's blue arrow.

"Trust me," he said, his tone aiming for confidence. "I know where I'm going. Just follow me… or, well, let me carry you."

Nora huffed, crossing her arms tighter.

"Trust you?" she said, raising an eyebrow though he couldn't see it. "What more trust do you want? I'm already letting you carry me like a sack. That's more trust than I've given anyone in years."

Charles laughed, a short but genuine sound.

"Well, then don't complain," he said, adjusting her in his arms to make her more comfortable. "Just relax and enjoy the ride."

Nora rolled her eyes but didn't say anything else.

Though she'd never admit it out loud, being in his arms made her feel a bit safer.

The cave was an unsettling place, and Charles's blue light was the only thing keeping the darkness from swallowing them whole.

But just as she was getting used to the rhythm of his steps, something changed.

In the distance, toward where they were headed, a soft yellow light began to glow.

It was faint at first but grew brighter as they approached.

"Is that… light?" Nora said, frowning as she tried to make out what it was. "Where's it coming from? I thought we were going deeper this whole time. It doesn't make sense for there to be light here."

Charles frowned too, confused.

The system's arrow still pointed forward, straight toward the source of the yellow light.

"Not sure," he said, his tone more serious. "Maybe it's an exit? Or… something else."

Nora shot him a look, clearly unconvinced.

"Something else?" she repeated, with a touch of sarcasm. "That's real reassuring, Rian. Why don't you think it through before marching toward the unknown like it's nothing?"

'Why doesn't this guy think before acting?' Nora thought, practically screaming in her mind.

She was starting to get used to Rian's quirks, but his habit of charging forward without hesitation made her nervous.

She didn't get a chance to protest further. Charles, guided by the system's arrow, kept moving toward the light without stopping.

As they got closer, the yellow glow became clearer. It wasn't the cave's exit, as they'd hoped.

In the center of a small clearing in the tunnel, embedded in the rocky ground, was a black sword.

The blade was long and elegant, with a dark sheen that seemed to emit the light around it.

But what stood out most was the hilt, radiating a soft golden glow, as if it were alive.

That light illuminated the space, creating a strange contrast with the cave's darkness.

The system's interface flickered in Charles's vision:

[Object found! Congratulations, you have completed the quest]

The system mimicked the effect of fireworks, but from the protagonist's perspective, the celebration left much to be desired.

Charles eyed the sword with a mix of curiosity and caution.

Nora, still in his arms, stared at it, eyes wide.

"That sword is… pretty," she said, breaking the silence. Her voice carried a hint of admiration.

"Look at the design. The blade's so sleek it looks like it could cut through anything. And that golden hilt… it feels made for someone important. I bet it's perfect for a fast fighting style, you know? Light but deadly if you know how to use it."

Charles turned his head to look at her, clearly surprised.

"Since when are you a sword expert?" he asked, his tone a mix of amusement and curiosity. "You a weapons geek or something?"

Nora blushed, quickly looking away.

"I'm not a geek about anything," she said defensively. "I just… notice details, okay? Besides, we're not here to chat about swords. Focus on your thing and get us out of this cave."

Charles grinned, shaking his head.

"Relax," he said. "I just want to check this out before we move on."

Carefully, he approached the sword, still carrying Nora.

The golden light seemed to pulse faintly, as if the sword were breathing.

Charles leaned forward, reaching out with his free hand toward the hilt.

The sword was deeply embedded in the rocky ground, and when he tried to pull it, it didn't budge.

Nora raised an eyebrow, watching him struggle.

"Want me to get down for a sec?" she asked, her tone more teasing than concerned. "Because it looks like you need both hands for that."

Charles shook his head, gritting his teeth.

"No need," he said, shifting Nora to one arm with a quick motion. "I've got this."

Nora huffed, crossing her arms again.

"Sure, because carrying someone and pulling out a sword is so easy," she said with a touch of sarcasm. "Don't break an arm, genius."

Charles ignored her, focusing on the sword.

He closed his eyes for a moment, channeling his electric energy into his free hand.

Blue sparks crackled around his fingers, and he felt a surge of strength flow through his arm.

With a grunt, he pulled on the sword harder.

Just then, a voice echoed in his head.

It was feminine, high-pitched, and distinctly annoyed.

"Who's the bastard daring to wake me from my sleep?" it said.

Charles froze, his hand still on the hilt.

The voice wasn't Nora's—it was softer, almost childlike, but laced with indignation that caught him off guard.

He glanced at Nora, still in his arms, but she didn't seem to have heard anything.

She was busy eyeing the sword with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

'What the hell was that?' Charles thought, frowning.

Before he could process it, the sword came loose from the ground with a sudden jerk.

The force nearly sent him stumbling backward, but thanks to his reflexes, he planted a foot firmly, gripping both the sword and Nora tightly.

The black sword was now in his hand, its golden light pulsing with energy.

Nora blinked, clearly impressed.

"Whoa!" she said, her tone genuine. "That was… impressive. You've got better balance than me."

Charles gave a weak smile, still processing what had happened.

Before he could respond, the voice in his head spoke again, louder and clearly pissed off.

"Hey, human! Don't ignore me!" it said. "Tell me your name right now! Who are you to touch me without permission?"

Charles blinked, staring at the sword in his hand.

'Is this… a sword with a personality?' he thought, a mix of annoyance and awe.

To his shock, the voice responded immediately, even more irritated.

"How dare you call me 'sword with personality'?" it said. "I'm way more than that, you idiot! And don't think I can't hear your thoughts!"

Charles stood stock-still, his mouth slightly open.

The sword could read his mind.

That was not something he'd expected.

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