Perhaps Ren could wait a little longer. Their evolution might come, and then he could tell them about the end of the world, changing their decisions from thoughts of suicide to fighting for their lives because they had a fighting chance.

At that moment, Ren decided to postpone their discussion. Surely, the end of the world could wait a few more days. It's not like it would suddenly arrive without warning.

While the others continued to laugh and tease each other about apocalyptic scenarios, Ren decided to step out onto the balcony for some fresh air, hoping to clear his mind amidst the hot evening breeze.

Evie noticed Ren's departure and followed him towards the balcony, her steps light and concerned. She could sense that something weighed heavily on his mind, though Ren hadn't outwardly shown it.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, her voice carrying genuine concern.

Ren sighed, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, but it seemed that he was seeing beyond that. "Yeah, just . . . a lot of things on my mind."

"Is this about Scar and Black Lion?" Evie ventured, her tone gentle.

Ren remained silent, neither confirming nor denying her assumption. Sumeri had already briefed them on what Scar had relayed to her earlier.

In that moment, Ren could care less about Scar or any other guild for that matter. The game became utterly irrelevant in the face of the impending calamity they were about to confront.

"Ren . . . ," Evie began, her voice gentle and reassuring. "Why don't you consider accepting the offer? If we settle things with them, we wouldn't have any enemies anymore, and we could play the game in peace."

Ren's expression remained unreadable, his thoughts drifting to something else. "Time and time again, Scar, his guild, and the others have pushed us to our limits. I've shown them leniency in the past, but every time, they find a way to crush us."

His words carried a weight of resolve, a determination not to yield any further ground to their enemies. "This time, I won't give them any more quarters," Ren continued, his voice firm. "And besides, do you truly believe they'll leave us alone? The moment they regain their footing and sense any weakness from us, they'll strike again."

Evie considered his words carefully. "Then . . . what are you planning?" she asked.

Ren didn't immediately respond, his gaze fixed on the horizon as if searching for answers beyond the tangible world before him.

"We will not give them any chance to recover," Ren declared with a steely resolve. "We will continue our advantage and crush them once and for all."

Evie watched him silently, her heart swelling with admiration for his strength and conviction. In that moment, she couldn't have been more in love with him.

Why did he have to be so cool when uttering those lines? She mused inwardly, a small smile playing on her lips despite the seriousness of their conversation.

Evie exhaled contentedly and rested her head against Ren's side, finding solace in his presence. "Then I will support you all the way," she murmured, her words filled with unwavering loyalty and devotion.

Ren held her closer, his touch comforting and reassuring. "After we finish our mission in the Heaven Realm, let's complete Meriyaah's quest together," he suggested, his tone soft.

It was long overdue.

Evie couldn't help but smile gently at the prospect. "Mm . . ."

Suddenly, a thought crossed her mind, and she felt compelled to voice it. "By the way . . . if the world is ending . . . I want to be with you."

Ren's expression softened at her words, his heart swelling with emotion. "Fighting for life?" he asked quietly, his voice tinged with a hint of concern.

"Fighting, fleeing, dying," Evie replied without hesitation, her gaze meeting his with unspoken words of affection and undying devotion. "I want my last breath to be with you."

Ren fell silent, his thoughts racing as he grappled with the weight of Evie's words. There was no way he could tell her now, right? He couldn't bear to break this tender moment with the truth.

His fingers tightened around the case of the ring nestled in his pocket, the weight of his decision heavy on his mind. He wanted to give the ring to Evie, to profess his love for her in the most meaningful way possible. But his thoughts were in turmoil right now, and he knew he needed to clear his mind before taking any drastic actions.

For now, he let his thoughts drift away, content to bask in the warmth of Evie's presence and the promise of a future together.

Back in COVENANT, Ragnar, Sumeri, Nikolai, and Hubrion found themselves embarking on their own quest. Ragnar and the others waited in a desolate land, where nothing but endless dead ground stretched before them while Hubrion went ahead and scouted out the boss that they were going to defeat. "Hey, why didn't you go to Ren's house yesterday?" Sumeri quizzed, breaking the silence.

Nikolai chimed in eagerly, his face beaming. "Yeah, Mister. We talked about the apocalypse and stuff. It was so fun!"

"Did you have a date with Sylvia?" Sumeri teased with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Ragnar's face soured at the mention of Sylvia. "I had an important business meeting, and I'm glad I didn't go, knowing that you only talked about useless stuff."

Sumeri chuckled. "That useless stuff was Ren's topic yesterday. He's the one who brought it up."

Ragnar raised a skeptical eyebrow. "He did? Why?"

He found it hard to believe that someone as serious and straightforward as Ren would suddenly discuss such a topic out of the blue. Ren was known to be efficient and focused, never wasting time on trivial matters.

Why the sudden interest about an apocalypse?

Sumeri shrugged, her expression nonchalant. "I don't know. Maybe he watched too many apocalypse movies in the past days."

"Do you really think Ren is that kind of guy?" Ragnar pondered aloud.

Sumeri shook her head. "That's why I find it strange for him to be talking about that kind of stuff. You should have been there so you could see for yourself."