A TRAPPED IN A GAME AT LEVEL 9999

Chapter 6.5 The Calm Before the Storm

Night was slowly descending over the jungle sky.

The last colors of the sun were passing through the leaves, falling on the ground as if the wind had broken them and scattered them.

Ryu stopped and looked at the sky—the last light of the evening was gone.

They had traveled the whole day without rest, and now their camp had been set up near a small river in the middle of the jungle.

Kael collected some dry pieces of wood and lit a small fire.

Elira sat near the torch, taking some dried fruits out of her basket.

Ryu sat a little away on a stone—always silent, always calm.

The air smelled of soil and water, but somewhere inside there was a strange weight—like the night itself was watching them.

Elira slowly looked at Ryu.

The firelight was reflecting in her eyes, but Ryu’s face looked a little dark even in that light.

She asked in a soft voice

Ryu, are you ever afraid

Ryu looked at her, remained silent for a moment, then just said

Fear comes when there is something to lose. I have nothing left now

Elira said nothing.

She just twisted a piece of fruit in her hand and smiled softly, as if her smile could hide the weight in her heart.

Kael, who was sitting by the fire cleaning his sword, said with a little sarcasm

Wow, this trip just got even more entertaining—now with sad quotes

Ryu looked at him, but said nothing.

He just exhaled softly and then closed his eyes.

Kael awkwardly watched the flames and said

I’m just saying, if we stay this serious, the jungle will swallow us whole

Elira laughed, a small laugh that sounded strange in the silence of the jungle.

She said

You two are completely opposite. Kael always seeks a fight, and Ryu always stays silent. Sometimes it feels like I’m the only normal person

Kael nodded

You are normal, yes… just carrying your basket and moving forward holding onto hope in every difficulty

Elira looked at him, but instead of being annoyed, she gave a small smile

Maybe that is my weapon

Ryu opened his eyes and looked at her.

His face had that same calm expression, but for a moment his eyes flickered—as if he had understood her words.

The flames of the fire gradually became smaller.

The rustling of leaves echoed far into the jungle, and the river water shimmered faintly.

Kael looked at the sky

For the first time, it feels like we are seeing a peaceful night. But I don’t know why, it feels like it won’t last long

Ryu gave no reaction to his words.

He just took a small knife from his waist and drew a faint line on the stone in front of him

Calm always comes before the storm

Elira heard his words, and the smile faded from her face.

She asked softly

How do you know

Ryu just looked at the burning pieces of fire and said

Because I have always learned to live in the storm

For a while, no one spoke.

Only the wind, the fire, and the hidden silence inside their hearts.

Some time later, when the fire had reduced to embers, Elira draped a blanket over her shoulders and said

I cannot sleep

Kael looked at her

Try. We have a long journey in the morning

Elira said softly

Sleep comes when the mind is calm… mine is not

Ryu looked at her, his tone now a little soft

What are you thinking

Elira looked at the river, where the reflection of the moon rippled in the water

Just this… why are we walking. This journey feels like we are not running, but someone is pulling us along

Ryu was silent for a moment.

Then he said softly

Every path comes with a reason. Sometimes we keep searching for it, but it finds us first

Elira looked at him

You always talk as if you know everything

Ryu smiled slightly

I don’t know, but in an unknown journey some faces always appear. I feel this path is taking me back to some old game

Kael threw a stone on the ground

Stop with the cryptic lines, Ryu. If someone attacks tomorrow, I won’t be listening to philosophy

Ryu said nothing.

He just held his knife and pushed it into the nearby stone, as if taking a silent oath.

Night grew deeper.

Elira fell asleep near the fire, Kael placed his sword beside him and closed his eyes.

Ryu was still awake.

He stood by the riverbank, the air slightly damp, and somewhere in the distance a stone shifted.

He lifted his head, his eyes fixed in the darkness.

Nothing.

Just the jungle… but he knew the jungle is never completely silent.

He took his knife from his waist and ran a finger along the edge

Tomorrow everything might change, he said softly to himself

Behind him, Elira murmured in her sleep, as if startled by a dream.

Ryu turned to look, then exhaled softly and returned his gaze to the jungle.

There was now a strange tension in the air…

as if someone was watching them from afar.

And this was the calm before the night—

the calm that was just a step away from the storm.

The air had grown colder.

Ryu stood by the river, the reflection of the moon on the water—but with every wave, the reflection fractured a little more, as if the night itself was trying to hide him.

He drove his knife into the ground and leaned forward, bringing his face close to the water.

His reflection on the water was completely calm—but in his eyes there was something else.

A depth he had never fully seen himself.

A voice echoed in his mind—a distant, hazy memory.

Ryu… when you play again, remember—every victory is written from someone’s loss

The voice belonged to someone else—an old friend or an enemy, he did not know.

All he remembered was that after the voice, everything went dark.

He opened his eyes, but the voice still echoed in his mind.

Ryu slowly drew his sword from his waist, the moonlight glinting softly on the blade.

He twirled it gently in the air—as if reliving an old memory.

He said to himself

Perhaps every journey brings back the memories that broke us

Far away, leaves rustled.

Ryu immediately raised his sword.

There was no fear on his face—just that same calm, cold gaze.

Something moved in the shadows.

He looked for a moment, and the voice instantly stopped.

Even the fall of a dry leaf sounded unusually loud in that moment.

He said softly, pointing his sword downward

Do you think I cannot sense you

No reply came.

Only a faint whistle in the air… so soft that no one else could hear it.

Ryu closed his eyes and just said

Tomorrow… you will appear

Then he turned and walked back toward the camp.

Elira was still asleep, her face calm in the faint firelight.

Kael had his sword in his hand, but he too had briefly woken and returned to sleep.

Ryu looked at both of them, and set his shelter slightly apart.

He placed his sword against a stone and closed his eyes.

But he could not sleep.

As soon as he closed his eyes, that same sound echoed again—

that click he had heard in the jungle before.

And then another memory—

a battlefield, smoke, and his sword in hand.

And a small girl’s face… calling him

Ryu… come back

He took a deep breath, opened his eyes—sweat on his brow.

He lifted his knife, strapped it to his waist, and said softly

If they come tomorrow… I will have seen them already

Before dawn, there was a different kind of calm in the air.

A light mist floated above the river, and the drops of dew glittered on the leaves.

Elira woke and lit a small flame in the torch.

She saw Ryu, who was already awake, cleaning his sword.

She asked

Did you hear anything last night

Ryu did not answer directly.

He just said

The jungle always speaks… but not everyone understands

Kael got up, stretching

Just hope the jungle doesn’t eat us tomorrow. I feel something is about to happen

Ryu looked at him, the same old clarity in his eyes

You are right. Tonight, the jungle will not remain silent

Elira adjusted her blanket and said softly

Then let’s go. Let’s finish this path

Ryu rested his sword on his shoulder and said

Let’s go

And the three of them set off—

deeper into the jungle, where the air was heavy

and the night… was waiting for them

A faint whistle echoed in the air—

the same one Ryu had heard last night.

This time it was closer

Ryu said without turning

They have arrived