He got up early the next morning despite sleeping late.

His mind was still hyperactive as it braced itself for a challenge where death was certain and survival depended entirely on extreme luck.

He had a quick bath in the state-of-the-art bathroom before strolling outside to get food with his friends, who were also awake.

It was Sunday, and most religious people had already gone to church while others relaxed at home with their families and friends.

Since the academy cafeteria hadn't opened yet, the three of them went to a nearby restaurant to eat.

They were given fifty percent off by the owner.

They were eating when someone approached them.

She wore a pink hoodie atop white baggy pants, along with a white cap and a black face mask. The hoodie draped over her head, hiding her hair and most of her face.

Marlon only recognized her after noticing her red eyes.

Lyra…

"Can I sit?"

Standing beside the vacant seat at their table, she asked in a polite tone. Logan was surprised, since he hadn't been at the hospital to witness her shift in behavior.

Marlon and Ashton, however, weren't as surprised.

"Sure," Marlon replied with a small smile.

She nodded and sat down.

Silence lingered around the table until Ashton and Logan hastily finished their meals and left, leaving only the two of them.

With the privacy, Lyra finally spoke.

She pulled down the mask covering the lower half of her face and got straight to the point.

"You want my help?" Marlon repeated her words.

"Yes." She nodded quickly, lifting her gaze to meet his eyes. "I want you and your friends to clear danger-zones with me."

Marlon didn't respond immediately, surprised by the sudden request.

Taking his silence as contemplation, she added, "I only need you guys to fill the team requirement. You can stay idle if you want. Whether you help slay the monsters or not, all the loot will be yours."

"You don't want any loot?" Marlon finally asked.

She shook her head. She explained that she only wanted to raise her level. As for the reason, she didn't feel the need to tell him.

And even with that, Marlon still didn't agree right away.

With his coming breakthrough, low-level danger-zones would soon become useless to him, as he would need stronger monsters to increase his level.

And if he entered those kinds of dungeons, bringing Lyra and his two friends along would be impossible.

I never really thought about this… he muttered inwardly.

Lyra grew worried at Marlon's silence.

She felt he might reject her, and although she didn't act like it, rejection was something she feared the most.

It was why she always rejected others first and kept a cold front toward anyone who tried to approach her.

And now that she thought about it, she realized she was far more afraid of Marlon rejecting her than anyone else.

Without even realizing it, she tried to add more benefits, even offering to pay them for each danger-zone they cleared with her.

Marlon finally chuckled.

"You realize I'm the son of one of the wealthiest men in the world, right? Why do you think money would move me?" he said.

It was only now she realized that from the beginning of their conversation, she had been trying to buy his interest.

The realization startled her into silence.

"I'm certain you can get any teammates you want for free, so why choose us?" Marlon asked.

She repeated his question in her mind.

Why them?

She couldn't explain all of it, but part of the reason was that they were the only teammates who didn't treat her differently for being a Whitlock.

She had joined several teams during the preliminary training camp.

Regardless of gender, none of them added her because of her skill, but because she was Selena Whitlock's sister.

The boys added her to impress her and the girls added her for the status it brought. She disliked all of it.

But during the Survival Matrix, Marlon and his friends treated her normally. They didn't care who she was.

She needed people like that.

Secondly, since she was trying to keep her grind a secret, their team was perfect as they would not brag about it like the others.

She couldn't tell him all of that, so she gave the closest truth she could.

"You three don't treat me differently. It's easier to focus when I'm with people like that."

And to her surprise, Marlon agreed.

"Fair enough," he said with a gentle smile. "My teammates will need someone to grind with, and since they're already used to you to some extent, it'll be better that way."

Lyra face brightened, a small smile forming on her lips.

She offered her sincere gratitude which Marlon accepted with a smile.

She then asked how he was doing, a simple question that led to over ten minutes of smooth conversation between them without either of them realizing the time.

It was only when Ashton and Logan arrived to tell him that he was needed at the hostel that Marlon noticed he had stayed longer than he planned.

"It was nice talking with you. We should catch up another time," he said with a small smile.

"Likewise," Lyra replied, returning the smile as she stood to leave as well.

Ashton and Logan stood behind Marlon and observed the interaction with dumbfounded expression. This time even Ashton wondered how the two had gotten so familiar with each other over a short while.

"Before I forget…"

Marlon's voice halted Lyra steps. She turned back to him.

He opened his inventory, pulled out one of the three skill books he still had left, and handed it to her.

Lyra stared at the book in her hand, her eyes drifting over the name and rank written on the cover.

"…"

She looked back at him, stunned and unable to form words.

"The skill inside should work well with your talent. Take it as a gift from me and also to mark our new friendship," Marlon explained.

And without waiting for her response, he walked off quickly with Ashton and Logan.

Lyra remained where she stood, staring at the book in her grasp for a few quiet seconds.

Unknowingly, Marlon had given her the first gift she had ever received.

"Friends…"

She whispered the word to herself.

Marlon… was also her first friend.

===

Crimson was already waiting. She had come a few minutes earlier and was sitting on his bed, reading a book about the Great Sea Kingdom.

When he stepped inside, she closed the book and rose to her feet.

"You came back late," she said, her voice calm but curious.

Marlon shrugged lightly. "I had something to take care of."

Crimson raised a brow. "Something… or someone?"

"What do you mean?"

She walked closer and stopped a few steps in front of him. "You smell like perfume… and not the strong kind. A soft one. Feminine."

"You can smell that?"

"At my level, I can smell a drop of blood from a kilometer away," she replied casually. "So yes, I can smell perfume. But leaving that aside, are you ready?"

Marlon nodded. "More than ever."

Crimson let out a small sigh. There was no helping it anymore.

"Here."

She tossed him a plain-looking ring.

"Everything you asked for is inside. I also added a few more items that will help you."

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