In Ragnar's hand was a strange-looking mask. [Evil Toothy Maw]. It was a mask made of skull and jawbone that was shaped loosely into a half mask of sorts. There was no strapped or visible way of holding it on his face, but once he put it on, it took quite an effort to remove it.

Ragnar quickly checked his appearance at the nearby swamp. His mouth was still visible, but the overlaid sections of bone moved seamlessly with his jaw, creating an illusion that there were rows of teeth and tusks.

Upon inspection and reading the description, Ragnar's eyes widened. The metal teeth within the jaw were engraved with deeply carved runes that hinted at an origin of both foul and dark, and it added +20 DEF, +20 MDF, and -10 LCK.

It also hid his appearance perfectly and made him uglier, scary, and intimidating, which he preferred, but the downside was . . . the mask needed blood every day, or it would fall off from his face.

"What the hell is this description?" Ragnar asked Ren.

"You have nothing to worry about."

Ragnar stared Ren dead in the eyes. "It required blood, or it would fall off."

"Just kill some beast, and everything will be alright."

Evie was amazed at the masks, and she commented, "It looks scary, and no one would recognize you for sure."

"That's the plan." Ragnar then faced Ren. "So all of this is just for a trade-off with the witch?"

"Not just that . . . THAT is a rare item."

"What would happen if you refuse to trade?" Evie asked, curious.

Ren flashed an ominous smile. "The Old Hag will kill us. Some who didn't know might refuse, thinking that she is evil and that the vial is important or some kind of a rare item. Only to be left for the dead with enormous EXP reduction and empty-handed."

"How do you even know all that?" Evie asked.

"Is that important? We got all we wanted in the end, right."

". . ." Evie pursed her lips. Ren's answer was the same as the player Ren she knew. Always dodging and never telling. Not that she minded it. She only wanted to know if her hunch was correct. That was all.

"Thanks," Ragnar said to Ren after a short silence. "And don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

He then looked at Evie, full of meaning, and Ren wanted to take back the mask, but Ragnar was already disappearing with a smirk on his face.

"Evie, I'll deposit the money into your account. Until then, good luck to the both of you."

Ren didn't know if Ragnar was doing it on purpose or if he knew something was going on, or whether because he was just that obvious, but Evie would surely catch that phrase. She wasn't naïve not to.

Ren's gaze slowly crept at Evie. Panic crossed his eyes for a brief moment, and when Evie reciprocated his stare, she tilted her head to the side with a flower sprouting over her head.

Ren released the breath he held. For a moment there, he really thought that she would find out. He was worried over nothing.

After the short silence that lingered between them, melancholia sets in when he realized that it was time to say goodbye. Though their quest lasted for three nights, it felt like three weeks. And he had to say that they had grown comfortable with each other enough for them to be called friends now . . . right?

Ren was about to bid Evie goodbye when he was stunned in place at the notification flashing on his screen.

[Evie sent you a Friend Request]

". . ."

Ren couldn't react, and his mind blanked out for a time. Only a few people sent him [Friend Request] using their player card, not his number or email. Evie and he had already added each other before, and he was an idiot for not unfriending her in his player's contact list.

She doubted him. That was the reason for her request. Maybe even before this, she had her doubts.

If he accepted it, she would know that he was the Ren with Pii. And if he rejected it, he didn't know what reason to give her except to tell her that they were already friends by number and email. But that would only deepen her suspicion about him.

Evie removed her mask. She wanted Ren to stare directly into her eyes so he couldn't lie. She then asked with a voice as innocent as her expression. "What's wrong? Won't you accept it?"

Ren caught his breath. It took a lot to repress a gasp from escaping his lips at the sight of Evie's beauty. Her face was flushed, supple, and a breadth of fresh air after the long tiring nights.

He cleared his throat and forced a smile. "We're already friends, remember."

"I want to be friends in this account too," she told him with a stubborn voice but a deadpan face.

". . ." Ren rubbed the back of his head, thinking of excuses. But did he really want to tell one?

Capturing her gaze, they were a pool of languid crystal poles waiting for answers.

While Ren's eyes were so intense and Evie wanted to look away . . . or never look away. She couldn't decide.

"Have it your way then," said Ren, voice barely a whisper, deep and husky, sending electricity in Evie's skin.

[You're already Friends with Player Ren]

. . .

. . .

Evie blinked many times. She was expecting it, but the reality struck her like thunder, and she couldn't think of anything. Now that the truth was staring at her face, she didn't know what to say.

Her mind was blank, and her emotions was a mess!

"Y-you," Evie rasped, couldn't find her voice. She didn't even know what to say.

And when Ren went closer, like a few inches that she could feel his hot breath fanning her face, she froze, and her heart stopped.

"So . . . what now?" Ren closed their distance. He bent down and looked her straight in the eyes. "I am that Ren you knew."

Evie felt like she was burning in a blazing fire. She had the guts to question him before but faced with the truth and sudden closeness . . . she logged out and escaped. She wasn't prepared as she thought she was.

". . ." Ren didn't know what to make of the situation. Did he tease her too much? Did he scare her?

Ren brushed his hands over his face. "Great." This wasn't his ideal of confession.

He then logged out. He badly needed a bath to rest his mind so he could think of the best course of action.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, from a distance, were pair of eyes that stalked them like vultures. Ever since the World announcement exploded about a group who defeated the Night Thing, Saya had pieced the clues together.

She knew that the remaining players who were present inside the Twin Moon Axe Clan were Ren, Evie, and Ragnar, so they were the only group who could possibly defeated the Night Thing. And ever since the clan became inaccessible, she waited for an opportunity to get back in the camp.

Her chance came at night when the Clan opened its doors once again. Saya teleported into camp as soon as possible and searched for Ren, finding him in the forest not far from the Clan.

And there . . . instead of going after him, she waited for another opportunity, and that opportunity came when she caught a video of Evie removing her mask.

Saya laughed to herself. She was right!

Don't get her wrong, she wasn't evil. No. She only knew how to get what she wanted. And with this, Ren would surely belong to her.

Ren was going to get angry, that was for sure. But Saya believed that as long they were together, all the time, Ren would fall in love with her for the second time around.

Saya's eyes glint, and this time, she wouldn't make the same mistake twice of leaving Ren for another.

A/N

2K PS this week = 2 next week

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