Sword Art Online: Moonlight Swordman.

"You will never understand... The weak can only curl up in their shells."

"I believed in you... Ren... I once thought you were... someone very important..."

"...But I was wrong."

"What do you even know about me?"

That voice... fragmented, distant, yet as sharp as a cold blade slicing through the night.

Ren jolted awake, his eyes widening.

Blurry images swirled in his mind, like shards of an old dream drifting up from the depths of his memory.

That voice... It had once been so familiar, but now it was nothing more than a cruel echo in the darkness.

His chest tightened.

No...

He didn't want to remember. He couldn't.

Ren sat in silence at the edge of his bed, his hands gripping the fabric of his shirt as if it were the only thing anchoring him to reality.

Darkness slowly swallowed the room, leaving only the faint light filtering through the window.

A cold breeze seeped in through the cracks, causing the blanket on the bed to tremble slightly. But Ren didn't notice. He didn't feel the cold.

His mind was still trapped in this morning's battle.

Two wolves.

Scarred gray fur. Eyes burning red like embers. Sharp fangs bared in a low, menacing growl.

He still remembered the feeling of standing before them... the stiffness in his body, the sweat dampening his palms despite the bitter cold.

His team had fought well.

Issin took the lead, holding a firm defense to contain the beasts. Dynamm provided support from behind.

The others were effective in dealing damage.

And Ren... He wasn't fast, nor was he strong, but he still did his part.

And in the end, both wolves fell.

That should have been the end of it.

But...

Ren bit his lip, his fingers digging into his palm.

Elite Dire Wolf. A powerful monster, but nothing beyond their control.

The problem wasn't its strength.

It was... the numbers.

According to everything he had researched, this type of wolf always hunted alone. There had never been a case of them appearing in pairs.

Yet today, he had seen two.

Not one stumbling upon the other's fight. Not a random coincidence.

They had attacked together from the very beginning.

Ren's heart pounded faster. A formless unease tightened around him.

If this was just a minor change in monster behavior, there was nothing to worry about. But if it wasn't...?

If something had caused these wolves to change their hunting patterns...?

A chill crawled down his spine. Ren slowly lifted his gaze toward the window. The night had fully settled in, swallowing the quiet streets in its depths.

Something... wasn't right.

Ren furrowed his brows, the feeling of unease growing stronger. He took a deep breath, but the cold air only made his chest feel heavier.

"Has... something changed... from the beta test?"

That question echoed in his mind, bringing with it a flood of memories.

Flickering images in dim light. Shouts of panic. Eyes filled with hopeless fear.

Distorted, terrifying faces...

People he had left behind in the dungeon.

Ren unconsciously clenched his fists.

And among them...

He remembered Scholar.

The look on his face as everything spiraled out of control.

The cracks in his confidence, the flicker of panic in his eyes, but his lips remained tightly sealed, as if hiding something.

Scholar had known.

He had realized something from the very start of that battle, yet instead of warning the group, he had quietly searched for an escape.

So if now...

A sudden thought struck Ren like lightning.

If things were changing...

If the data from the beta test was no longer reliable...

Then weren't the ones in the most danger... the Beta Testers themselves?

The ones who were too familiar with the game, who placed absolute trust in what they thought they knew.

People like Scholar.

People like...

Kirito.

Ren exhaled slowly, his eyes drifting toward the window.

How was he doing now?

Had Kirito noticed that things were starting to go off track?

Or was he just like Scholar... realizing it only when it was too late?

Ren's fingers instinctively tightened around the hilt of his steel sword.

His hand trembled slightly as he traced the engraved patterns on the hilt, the cold metal seeping into his skin, pulling him back to reality.

But whether in reality or in memory, the morning's battle clung to him like an unshakable nightmare.

He could still see it clearly... the moment Klein's sword slashed through the air, the steel glinting in the pale morning light. A precise, powerful strike.

A sharp, jarring sound rang out as the blade collided with the Elite Dire Wolf's thick armor.

Instead of cutting through as expected, the sword was deflected, leaving only a faint scratch on the beast's steel-like hide.

Ren had seen it, Klein's brief, stunned expression, the way his grip tightened around the hilt, yet the blade in his hands felt uselessly weak.

Too weak.

That starting weapon...

It was no longer enough.

Ren clenched his jaw. If Klein hadn't bought him this sword... then right now, he might still be struggling in helpless desperation, crushed under the weight of his own weakness.

But...

If Klein had used that money to buy himself a better katana... a sword with higher stats, capable of piercing through the wolf's hardened armor...

Would this morning's battle have been different? 

Could they have taken down the Elite Dire Wolf faster? Easier? 

Would Klein still have needed to risk himself, blocking that strike just to give Ren a chance to land the finishing blow? 

And if so... 

If he didn't have this sword, if Klein were stronger, if he weren't the one receiving help... then what would he be? 

Someone left behind? 

A weakling no one needed? 

A burden? 

Ren tightened his grip around the hilt. The blade remained cold, sharp as ever. Yet that coldness couldn't numb the ache in his chest. 

"I have to do something." 

He clenched his fists. The thought clung to him like a shadow, refusing to let go. 

He inhaled deeply, feeling the crisp air slip past his lips and fill his lungs. His breath was heavy, but no longer stiff with helplessness. 

His fingers brushed over the steel sword at his hip. 

The leather wrapping the hilt had begun to wear, the surface marred with small scratches, but when he tightened his grip, the sword still felt solid, something that kept him grounded in this ruthless world. 

Ren pushed open the inn's door and stepped outside. 

Darkness had settled over the town like a thin veil...silent, cold. 

Faint golden light spilled from the lanterns hanging on wooden posts, casting elongated shadows across the stone streets. 

The roads were empty, save for a few NPCs wandering about, silent, emotionless like lingering ghosts. 

A sharp wind slipped beneath Ren's coat, seeping through his armor. The chill pressed against his skin, but he didn't shiver. 

Not because he was used to the cold. 

But because his mind was occupied by something else. 

3,900 Cor. 

He had saved up 3,900 Cor, but he still needed 1,100 more. 

Just 1,100 Cor... and he could buy Klein a better katana. 

A sharper, stronger blade—one that could pierce through the hardened hides of monsters where the old one had failed. 

Ren clenched his teeth. If Klein hadn't spent that money on this sword for him, maybe this morning's battle would have been different. 

If Klein had a better katana… 

…he wouldn't have struggled so much. 

…maybe he wouldn't have had to take that hit for Ren. 

A tightness gripped Ren's chest. 

He didn't want to leave behind any regrets. 

Before the group left the Town of Beginnings, he wanted to accomplish this. 

Ren clenched his fists. His gaze followed the dimly lit road ahead, where the darkness stretched endlessly. 

'Just one more night. I don't want to regret anything... not like that time…' 

He took another deep breath. 

Tonight… he would hunt. 

— 

Ren walked along the dirt path bathed in silver moonlight, his boots pressing softly into the earth. 

Each step echoed in the quiet night, blending with the rustling grass and the steady rhythm of his breath. 

The cold air slipped through the gaps in his armor, brushing against his skin, but he didn't flinch. 

He was no longer afraid of the dark. 

He had grown used to it. 

On either side of the path, pale green caterpillars crawled silently along the ground, their translucent bodies reflecting the moonlight. 

Further ahead, a few wild boars shuffled through the tall grass, their tusks twitching with every passing breeze. 

These creatures… weren't worth his time. 

Ren ignored them and pressed forward. 

His real target lay deeper within the desolate fields. 

The darkness thickened as he stepped beyond the safe zone. 

Here, the moon was partially obscured by sparse tree canopies, leaving only scattered patches of dim light on the ground. 

From a distance, a low wolf's howl cut through the night, followed by the rustling of leaves as something moved through the underbrush. 

Ren halted, his hand resting lightly on his sword's hilt. 

Dire Wolves. 

Predatory beasts with incredible speed and razor-sharp fangs, ready to tear into their prey at a moment's notice. 

Giant Serpents. 

Massive reptiles with hardened scales and deadly venom, lying in wait beneath the tall grass, waiting for unsuspecting victims. 

These were his true opponents tonight. 

Ren drew a slow, steady breath. 

For the first time, he was hunting alone. 

No Klein to block the strikes. No Issin standing at the front. No one left to protect him. 

Just him… and his sword. 

But that didn't scare him. 

He was no longer weak. 

The rough leather grip of his sword pressed against his palm, grounding him with a strange sense of certainty. 

Every ridge, every worn groove, felt like a reminder....this wasn't a weapon for someone who lost. 

Ren tightened his grip, his gaze reflecting the moon's cold light. 

Tonight, he would hunt.