[ Notice, dungeon processing is complete! ]

Shin hadn't fully grasped this female voice in his head, but he didn't see the need to worry about it.

'Cool.'

Shin turned and made his way back towards the door of the boss room.

Tap...! Tap...!

His footsteps echoed in the vast chamber.

Aqua followed closely behind, anxiety apparent on her face. "Do you have any idea how to get us out of here yet?" she asked.

Shin glanced at her. "Don't worry. I've got it under control," he reassured her.

"You do?"

He shrugged, not especially bothered. "Maybe."

Once they reached the huge stone door, adorned with grotesque skulls, Shin paused and removed his hand from his pocket. Placing his palm against the rough surface.

[ Accessing... ]

[ Door #1, Floor #10... ]

[ Successful... ]

Blue tron lines surged from his hand, enveloping the door and weaving intricate geometric patterns across its surface.

With a resounding rumble, the stone door slowly opened, revealing the passage beyond.

Aqua let out a relieved sigh. "Finally, we can get out of here," she murmured.

Shin glanced around the labyrinthine walls and peered up at the high ceiling, contemplating their next move.

Aqua's voice broke the silence. "It's going to be a long journey out of this labyrinth, isn't it? And there's a chance we might get lost along the way," she expressed her concern.

"I'm not so sure about that," Shin calmly replied.

Aqua raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What'd you mean?" she asked.

There was no response from him.

'Uh, voice... Is there any other way out of here? Like a shortcut?'

[ Indeed, the spatial backdoor. ]

'Go on.'

[ It is a hidden or secret passage that allows individuals to bypass or escape from the labyrinth's challenging pathways. According to the design of the Sila Labyrinth, the backdoor might only become accessible at specific times or require remote activation, making it a challenge to discover when and how it can be used. ]

'So is there a way a around that too...?'

[ Affirmative, I have calculated where the backdoor will appear next. ]

[ Channel #24, Floor #10. ]

All of a sudden, Shin was able to see the complete layout of the Labyrinth, it was a highly complex one, however, he completely understood it.

'Cool.'

Shin simply gestured for her to follow him as he confidently strode ahead.

As they walked for a few minutes, Aqua wondered if they were heading in the right direction. "Do you even know where you're going?" she couldn't help but ask.

Shin glanced back at her. "I guess we'll find out soon enough," he cryptically replied.

Before long, they arrived in a room with an enormous door, the space between it radiating with a swirling blue portal.

"What's that?" Aqua whispered, almost to herself.

She didn't really expect an answer, but Shin's calm voice broke through her thoughts. "It's a backdoor. And our ticket out of this dungeon," he informed her.

Aqua's eyes widened with disbelief. "Wait, really?" she exclaimed.

Shin nodded, his gaze steady. "I think so," he replied, stepping closer to the mysterious door.

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He confidently led the way, Aqua followed closely behind him, her eyes scanning their surroundings in an attempt to gauge the safety of their situation. "Are you sure this is safe?" she finally asked, uncertain.

Shin glanced back at her, a hint of indifference in his gaze. "We won't know until we find out."

Without another word, Shin stepped through the towering door, leaving Aqua standing alone in the room. Her hesitation lingered for a moment, but her trust in Shin pushed her to follow him through. As they emerged on the other side, Aqua took in her surroundings.

They were in a forest.

"It looks like we're in a forest," she observed.

Shin nodded in agreement. "Let's see where this path leads," he suggested, taking the lead once again.

Aqua fell into step beside him. "I hope we stumble upon a city or town soon," she expressed, her gaze momentarily dropping to her tattered and bloodstained robe. "I could really use a change of attire."

Shin glanced at Aqua. "And preferably one with better chest support," he said, casting a casual glance at Aqua's figure.

Aqua's face flushed in embarrassment, and she instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. "What?!" she exclaimed, stunned by Shin's audacity.

Shin nonchalantly continued walking, his back facing her. "No need to cover up. I won't look," he reassured her.

Aqua reluctantly dropped her guard, releasing her arms from her breasts. "O... Okay," she responded. She resumed walking behind Shin, the forest casting a gentle tranquility around them. The absence of monsters in the vicinity put them slightly at ease, but Shin's thoughts were elsewhere.

Tapping his chin, Shin's eyes scanned the forest. "I wish Kazuto was here," he murmured.

"I guess you're right, he knows everything that has to do with this game, from the maps to the towns and cities." Aqua smiled warmly.

A nod from Shin. "Basically."

Some minutes later,

As they strolled along the seemingly endless path, Aqua's eyes widened as they stumbled upon a bustling border town. "Woah, it's a massive town!" she exclaimed, already relieved and excited at the same time.

Shin, slightly taken aback, raised an eyebrow. "We got here sooner than I'd expected."

It was none other than Silverhaven, the border town marking their departure from somewhere around Miyoloris, the central continent. This place was situated on the outskirts of Myrridia, often referred to as the Mystic Continent.

It was a safe zone where players could rest, trade and interact with NPCs without risk of PvP combat.

Nestled delicately on the fringes of Myrridia, Silverhaven stood tall as the first line of defense, a haven that embodied both beauty and resilience. It served as a vital link between the realms of Myrridia and all that it encompassed. Positioned at the crossroads of the mighty Frostwater Peaks to the north, the mystical Elysian Numa to the east, and the treacherous Misty Quagmire to the south, Silverhaven held the key to Myrridia's heart, Celestria.

"Hm," Shin rubbed his chin. "This is definitely not the Central Continent."

Unable to contain her eagerness, Aqua bounded forward, urging Shin to hasten their pace. "Come on, Shin! We're wasting time already!" she urged, practically bouncing with anticipation.

Shin, his usual calm demeanor intact, let out a sleepy yawn. "Sure, sure," he replied, stretching his arms lazily before sliding them back into his pockets. He followed her lead, his steps leisurely as they ventured deeper into the town.

Approaching the gates of Silverhaven, the pair was met by a group of heavily armed human-like guards, their spears poised at the sight of Aqua. The sudden aggression caught her off guard, causing her to let out a small squeak of surprise. "What's an elf doing here?!" demanded Knight 1, his eyes scanning her slender yet curvaceous form suspiciously. His comrade, equally skeptical, chimed in, "State your purpose!"

The guards' behavior wasn't surprising.

Myrridia and Miyoloris were worlds apart in terms of inhabitants. Myrridia boasted extraordinary magical creatures like sprites, dryads, selkies, and gargoyles, while Miyoloris was home to more mundane races like humans, elves, dwarves, and gnomes. So, it was only natural for them to be suspicious of an elf setting foot in Myrridian territory.

They couldn't be blamed for being cautious.

The guards at the gates were hybrids, able to live in both Myrridia and Miyoloris due to the "Unity Accord". This law governed hybrids between races from both continents, which granted them the right to choose their place of residence. It promoted inclusivity, unity, and peaceful coexistence between the two continents.

"I... I, uh, we..." Aqua was at a loss for words.

She stood frozen, unsure of how to respond to the intimidating guards.

Just as she was about to open her mouth again, Shin stepped forward.

Knight 2 promptly aimed his spear at Shin.

Undeterred, Shin remained calm, not flinching even the slightest bit.

"Could we possibly be granted entry?" Shin asked nonchalantly, his arms raised indifferently.

Knight 2, seemingly unmoved, shook his head and replied, "No, you cannot."

Shin's expression remained passive as he added, "Please?"

"NO! That doesn't make it any better!" Knight 2 snapped.

Then, a sudden realization hit Knight 1. He leaned in. "What if they're one of those so-called... 'players'?" he whispered urgently.

Knight 2 nodded. "You might be right," he replied, partly intrigued.

He paused for a moment, as if considering the possibility, before retracting his spear and securing it at his back. "Fine," he conceded. "I shall inform Lord Silverhaven of their arrival."

Knight 1 quickly regained his composure and addressed Aqua. "You and your friend there, you're still under our watchful eyes," he warned, pointing his spear at her once again. Aqua flinched, visibly shaken by the aggression. "Y-yes, I understand," she stammered.

She was scared these "NPCs" would go wonkers and just decide to attack them. There was a difference between fighting in a game and in real life. And given their current predicament, she wasn't a fan of taking any risks with the hope of restarting if things went sideways.

As Knight 2 vanished into the town, Shin, seemingly unfazed by the whole ordeal, turned to Knight 1. "We'll just go sit over there then," he stated calmly, pointing towards a tree stump a few meters away. Knight 1, his stance still defensive, replied, "Do what you want, as long as it's not within my city."

"Your city, sure." Shin shook his head.

"What'd you say?!" Knight 1 raised his voice a bit.

Shin let out a bored yawn, turning away from the guards. "Whatever," he muttered, urging Aqua to follow him. "Come on Aqua, let's take a breather."

However, there was something bothering Aqua.

'These NPCs are showing a lot more emotions than they should..' she thought.

"Aqua?" Shin called again.

She snapped out of it. "C-Coming!"

With a quick glance back at the guards, Aqua obediently trailed after Shin towards the tree stump. Once they were seated, Aqua swiped her finger through the air, causing her menu board to materialize before her.

She navigated through the options until she found her friends list.

Curiosity got the better of Shin as he peered over at Aqua's screen. "Are you trying to contact Kazuto and the others?" he asked.

"Yeah." She nodded.

Shin gaze at the blue skies. "I figured you'd have done that before now."

"I didn't really have the chance and..." Aqua paused.

Her friends list showed up empty. All 34 friends she had on the game had been deleted.

"Figures this would happen," said Aqua. She sighed and covered her face with the palm of her hand.

Finally, the gates swung open and Lord Silverhaven emerged.

He dressed in a black and white noble attire and wore a cape. He had a small black mustache and long silver hair.

Knight 2, ever loyal, followed dutifully behind, his eyes trained on the ground as they approached. Knight 1 immediately dropped to one knee, bowing before his superior.

Lord Silverhaven scanned the area.

"We've had so many players flock to our gates that I've lost count," Lord Silverhaven began, he sounded tired. "Knight, where are the individuals I requested?"

Knight 2 pointed towards the seated figures of Shin and Aqua, both rising quickly to their feet. Aqua, her movements graceful and swift, reached Lord Silverhaven first, while Shin followed behind at a more leisurely pace.

They stood before the lord.

"So, you two are players," Lord Silverhaven stated.

Aqua was confused but nodded hesitantly.

It was the way these "NPCs" addressed them as "Players". It was general knowledge to all NPCs, but this time they made it look like it was some sort of special title.

Lord Silverhaven's gaze then shifted to Shin. "And you both seek entrance to my border town," he continued, his tone welcoming further clarification.

Shin and Aqua exchanged a quick glance before responding in unison.

"Yes, that's correct," they replied.

Lord Silverhaven sighed, a weariness crossing his features. "I've already confirmed that you are players," he explained, "but there's still a fee of two silver coins per person before you may pass through the gates."

Aqua, her smile bright and eager, replied without hesitation. "Oh, we can certainly pay that," she exclaimed.

Suddenly, Knight 1 interjected. "My Lord, are you implying that we're allowing Miyoloris purebloods to enter Myrridia?"

Lord Silverhaven, scratching his head in thought, visibly pondered before responding. "Believe it or not, the order came directly from Queen Elowen just a few hours ago. She's decreed that any player, regardless of status or race, should be granted entry to Silverhaven."

Knight 1's shock was palpable. "I... I see," he stammered, struggling to process the strange turn of events.

"Is there a specific place where players are gathering?" Shin asked.

The lord shrugged and nonchalantly spoke. "That's not really my problem, figure it out yourself."

"Fair enough," Shin replied.

The two had finally made it out of the Sila Labyrinth and they were now in the Mystic Continent.

Next destination, the border town of Celestria, Silverhaven.