-1628- I was here first!

At this moment, the entire Sylph tribe was in an uproar.

"This… is this a case of jealousy?"

"And the heroine is Leafa?"

"Isn't that Kappa her partner, Rekon?"

"Who's that handsome Sylph over there?"

"Oh my…"

"This is going to be good."

One by one, those nearby, or who had noticed the commotion, gathered around. Upon hearing Rozen's bold declaration, the Sylphs erupted in chatter.

"No… no…! That's not it!"

Leafa's pretty face turned bright red as she tried to explain, but her flustered and embarrassed expression only fueled the crowd's belief that a jealousy-fueled scene was unfolding. The uproar grew even louder.

In this atmosphere, Rekon seemed slightly intimidated.

Rozen, however, remained unfazed by the commotion, casting a playful look at Rekon while continuing to provoke him.

"So, what's it going to be? A verbal duel or a physical fight? One-on-one or an all-out brawl? Just name it, and I'll be more than happy to oblige."

Rozen seemed ready to engage in an epic battle at any moment. Of course, his real intention wasn't jealousy—he simply didn't want his cherished "cabbage" to be easily taken away by some random "pig." Instead, he thought of this as an opportunity to "build a relationship" with Rekon.

But the onlookers clearly didn't see it that way, and even Rekon took Rozen's words at face value. His gaze toward Rozen grew more hostile by the second.

Despite his growing hostility, Rekon didn't charge forward.

"I... I'll have you know, I'm really strong...!"

Rekon's words, however, only drew mockery from the surrounding Sylphs.

There was no helping it—faced with Rozen, Rekon didn't look the least bit intimidating. His bravado and hesitation, combined with his Kappa-like appearance, made it hard for anyone to take him seriously.

Especially to those who knew him well, his current display was nothing short of hilarious.

"Come on, Rekon, stop embarrassing yourself."

"Sure, you've been playing for a while, but 'strong' isn't exactly your forte, right?"

"Didn't you fail to even make it into the top 32 in the last fighting tournament?"

"You still haven't mastered free flight, and even with the auxiliary joystick, you get dizzy after flying for just a little while."

"Stop bluffing."

"Hahaha."

The crowd's laughter grew louder, making Rekon's face flush with shame. But it wasn't from embarrassment—it was humiliation.

Even so, he didn't argue back. Instead, he stubbornly declared, "Leafa is mine. I was here first, so don't even think about taking her from me!"

This statement revealed that, at least when it came to Leafa, Rekon could be quite blunt and assertive.

Unfortunately for him, Rozen responded with a mischievous grin.

"How do you know that?"

Rozen's playful question caught Rekon off guard.

"Well… isn't it obvious?" Rekon blurted out without thinking. "Leafa and I have been playing together for a year, and we go to the same school in real life."

If this was true, Rekon must have known Leafa for several years.

However…

"In that case, you must have come later," Rozen said with a sly smile. "Because we've known each other for over a decade. We live under the same roof, eat together, sleep together, and even bathe toge—"

Before he could finish his sentence, he was abruptly cut off.

"What on earth are you two talking about!?"

Leafa couldn't take it any longer and cried out, looking utterly distraught.

But it was already too late. Rozen's words had reached everyone's ears.

Everyone froze for a moment before the uproar exploded again.

"N… No! This is a lie!"

Rekon looked devastated, stumbling backward, tears welling up in his eyes.

"Don't believe me?" Rozen remained calm and composed. "You can ask Leafa yourself. See if I'm lying."

With those words, all eyes turned to Leafa.

"This... Uh…"

Leafa's mouth opened and closed like a goldfish, but no words came out. Her flushed face told everyone that Rozen's claims were true.

"Waaah…!"

Rekon burst into tears, flying off without the help of his auxiliary joystick, leaving a trail of tears behind him as he vanished into the distance.

The surrounding Sylphs watched Rozen, their eyes filled with jealousy and envy.

After all, Leafa was an extraordinary player. She had won several tournaments and was ranked among the top five fighters in the Sylph tribe. With her beauty and strength, she had plenty of admirers, though her carefree personality made it difficult for anyone to get close to her. Still, many Sylphs harbored secret crushes on her.

Now that Rozen claimed to have a special relationship with Leafa, it was only natural that others would feel envious and resentful.

Rozen, however, paid them no mind, watching Rekon's retreat with an amused smile.

"His mental fortitude is way too weak."

Rozen's nonchalant remark further fueled the crowd's anger.

"What on earth are you spouting over there!?"

Leafa, both embarrassed and furious, stormed over to Rozen and swung her fist at him.

"Smack!"

The crisp sound echoed as Rozen caught Leafa's small fist in his palm, holding it firmly.

"What did I say that was wrong?" Rozen asked with a teasing smile. "Wasn't everything I just said true?"

"Ugh…" Leafa was at a loss for words.

Her frustration stemmed partly from the fact that Rozen's words were all true.

This realization made her even more exasperated.

"You know my..."

Leafa was about to confront Rozen directly, but he changed the subject before she could.

"So, are you sure you want to come with me?"

Rozen gestured toward the direction where Rekon had fled.

"He seemed like one of your in-game companions or maybe even a regular party member. Are you sure you're ready to leave them behind and come with me?"

Rozen's question made Leafa sigh.

"I do have a regular party, but I told them from the beginning that if I ever wanted to leave, they couldn't stop me. I'll just send them a message to let them know."

With that, Leafa opened her menu.

"Are you sure about that?" Rozen frowned.

Leaving a long-term party with just a message didn't seem right.

But Leafa shrugged indifferently.

"Our relationship wasn't that deep anyway. I knew I'd leave sooner or later, so this is fine."

With that, Leafa quickly sent a message, then grabbed Rozen's hand.

"All right, let's go before Rekon comes back to bother us."

She tugged Rozen along, ready to leave.

As Rozen watched her, his eyes flashed briefly, and he murmured to himself.

"I'm afraid the one coming to bother us won't be that Kappa..."

His voice was too soft for Leafa to hear, and with that, the two of them walked away.