-1629- Irresponsible?

Rozen and Leafa headed toward the Tower of the Wind.

Since ALO offers no other long-distance movement method besides flying, taking off from a high place was undoubtedly the best choice.

Launching from a higher elevation reduces the burden on wings and allows for faster acceleration. Additionally, since the recovery of the fairies' wings relies on exposure to sunlight and moonlight, starting from an unobstructed height benefits their endurance. With that in mind, Rozen and Leafa naturally sought a higher place for their departure.

The Wind Tower was the tallest building in Sylph territory, and many players enjoyed taking off from its peak for long-distance flights.

Thus, Rozen and Leafa entered the front gate of the tower, playfully bickering along the way.

It's worth mentioning that the tower's interior was not a cold, empty space but rather a well-known shopping district within Sylph territory.

The first floor was a spacious, circular hall surrounded by various shops. In the center stood two magic-powered elevators, which transported people to any floor of the tower. Many players were either arriving through these elevators or vanishing inside them.

"Should we buy some recovery items first?" Leafa asked Rozen as they walked toward the elevators, glancing at the surrounding stores.

Rozen had already upgraded his equipment, now comparable to that of top-tier players. However, simply acquiring powerful gear was not enough for adventuring. They also needed to stock up on recovery items to restore both HP and MP.

"Even though I can use healing magic, we'll still need MP potions," Leafa explained.

Rozen, who had spent far more time in ALO than Leafa, was already well aware of this.

"I bought enough recovery items while getting my gear. If it's just the two of us, we have enough to last for several days," Rozen replied.

"Alright," Leafa nodded, satisfied, and took Rozen's hand as they headed toward the elevators.

Just as they were about to step onto the elevator...

"Stop right there!"

A sudden shout echoed through the hall, startling everyone present. Conversations stopped as players turned toward the source of the voice.

"That voice..." Leafa stopped in her tracks, instinctively turning toward the source.

Rozen, however, merely sighed as if expecting this.

"Figures..." Rozen muttered, turning around to face the entrance.

A group of players entered the hall, their demeanor aggressive.

There were three of them, all Sylph players. Leading the group was a tall man with rugged, masculine features, wearing a suit of thick silver armor. At his waist hung a wide-bladed sword, and a silver headband was tied across his forehead. His long, wavy green hair reached his shoulders.

The two men accompanying him, possibly teammates or supporters, were also well-equipped, their gear shining with brilliance—proof of their status as top-tier players.

The hostility in their eyes was unmistakable.

The man in the lead looked particularly angry, striding toward them with a dark expression.

"Sigrud?" Leafa muttered his name in surprise, her brows furrowing as she realized he wasn't here for a friendly chat.

"He's the teammate you mentioned who isn't on good terms with you, right?" Rozen asked, his expression calm as if everything was crystal clear to him.

Leafa took a deep breath and nodded.

The three in front of them were part of the fixed party that Leafa had been teaming up with for the past few weeks. Including Regan, there were five members in total.

"He's quite famous," Leafa whispered to Rozen. "He and I have been competing for the title of the strongest Sylph swordsman. Unlike me, though, he plays ALO very seriously and spends a lot of time in the game. I can't compare to the stats and rare gear he's accumulated over that time. In one-on-one battles, I usually rely on my mobility to wear him down in long fights, but beating him isn't easy."

During the last martial arts tournament, Leafa had reached the finals with Sigrud, engaging him in a grueling endurance match. She had finally seized victory when Sigrud lost focus under the pressure.

Afterward, Sigrud invited Leafa to join his party. To accommodate her, he even allowed Rekon, who was much weaker than the other members, to join. They had built a relationship of sorts since then.

"He's also active politically," Leafa added quietly. "He serves as an aide to the Sylph leader."

She sighed.

"Still, he's always been arrogant and condescending. Even though his party is efficient for raids, I've been thinking about leaving lately."

That was why Leafa had sent Sigrud a message saying goodbye without hesitation. What she hadn't expected was that he would come after her in person.

"Trying to run away, Leafa?"

Sigrud's voice boomed as he approached, looking down at her with a commanding presence.

He completely ignored Rozen, as if he didn't even exist.

Leafa's frown deepened, and the surrounding chatter grew louder as players began to pay attention to the scene.

Leafa stared back at Sigrud.

"What do you mean by running away?" Leafa said, her voice filled with annoyance. "I'm just heading out. There's no reason for me to be running."

Her words only provoked another angry outburst from Sigrud.

"No reason to run? Leaving the party without my permission and going out on your own—how is that not running away?" he shouted.

The noise in the hall grew louder at his words, with curious players whispering among themselves.

Leafa's frustration boiled over.

"Do I need your permission to go somewhere? You have no authority over me!" she snapped.

"You're a member of my party. Of course, I have authority over you!" Sigrud roared back.

"I've already left the party!" Leafa shouted, anger overtaking her.

But Sigrud wasn't listening.

"Leaving without warning is irresponsible! It's inconsiderate to your teammates! You're well-known as a member of my party, and now you're leaving without any valid reason? If you act so selfishly, how can you call yourself a Sylph?"

His words stunned Leafa for a moment.

Then, a wave of uncontrollable anger surged through her.