CHAPTER 104: TOUR

The next day, Shirley took Igaris on a tour of Stargaze City.

Stargaze was known not just for its peaceful aura by the sea, but also for its stunning tourist attractions. Towering natural mountains surrounded the city. These Landmarks had appeared when Earth synchronized with Orca.

It wasn’t just Stargaze City that changed. All across the planet, massive, awe-inspiring mountains, rivers, and new landforms had emerged during the Great Merge.

Earth was never been the same.

What made Stargaze City truly special, however, was the presence of two fearsome World Dungeons: Martial Sanctuary and Apocalypse 3rd.

The second dungeon, according to what Igaris had learned, led to a grim world dominated by a post-apocalyptic age. A realm of desolation, ruins, and constant struggle for survival.

Igaris just survived a world like that, so he wasn’t in the mood to go to another world filled with darkness and gloom.

So, he chose Martial Sanctuary for something new to explore.

Inside Shirley’s car, Igaris sat quietly in the front passenger seat as they moved through the city traffic. His expression was calm, unreadable, yet his presence carried aura.

He didn’t say much, and that silence made the air between them feel heavier.

Shirley glanced at him now and then, her fingers tightening slightly around the steering wheel. She wanted to speak, to ask something or make a comment, but couldn’t find the words. Something about him felt distant. He seemed so familiar, yet so changed.

Igaris instinctively turned to look at her. His gaze met Shirley’s, and for a brief moment, their eyes locked.

She looked away quickly, her heart skipping a beat.

While she struggled to calm the sudden flutter inside, Igaris spoke softly, "Shirley, I’m really sorry for your loss. I didn’t know Uncle Wane had passed away."

Shirley sighed, a trace of pain in her voice. "There’s nothing for you to apologize for. We weren’t in contact... not after everything that happened."

Igaris gave a small nod. "Still... can you tell me what happened to him? Aunt Sophia seemed uncomfortable when I asked her last night."

Shirley slowed the car and parked beneath the shade of a large tree by the roadside. She stared ahead for a moment before answering.

"There’s not much to tell, Igaris." Her voice had grown softer, tinged with sorrow. "Three years ago, Dad went on his usual Dive into Martial Sanctuary. It was supposed to be just another routine expedition with his teammates. But... he never returned. Even when the session ended, he didn’t come back. His friends said he was killed inside that world by an unknown martial warrior."

She paused, swallowing her emotion.

"And you know how it works. If you die in those worlds... there’s no body. We couldn’t even say goodbye. No funeral. Nothing."

Her eyes began to shimmer.

"At first, I refused to accept it. So I entered the Dungeon myself, trying to uncover the truth... hoping to find out what really happened. Who killed my father. Why." She gave a bitter chuckle. "But it was pointless. I found nothing. Nothing at all."

"When I came back, I saw my mom waiting for me outside the Dungeon. She was pale. Shaking. She forbade me from ever entering that place again. Said she couldn’t bear to lose me too."

Her voice cracked at the end.

"After that, I had no choice but to let it go. To stop looking for the one who killed him."

"Mm... so that’s why she’s so strong. She’s a Martial Warrior."

Igaris nodded in understanding, sympathy flickering in his eyes. He wasn’t sure how to comfort her.

Awkwardly, he placed a hand on her shoulder and said gently, "Everything will be fine, Shirley. If you want, I can try to find the one who killed your father as a side task to my mission."

He offered his first warm smile. It was unexpected and sincere. A stark contrast to the ususal cold and calm expression he wore that made him appear unexpectedly handsome and charming.

Shirley’s heart fluttered. That smile, calm and confident, lifted her mood almost instantly.

She knew why she felt this way, but she didn’t want to admit it. Not yet.

Shaking her head, she looked ahead and spoke with firm resolve:

"No. I’ll be entering the World Dungeon with you as well. Not just because of my father or the promise I made to help you. I’ve been hiding from my path for too long. I can’t keep living under others’ shadows. I want to stand on my own. I want to rise."

Her voice was steady and filled with conviction. Determination burned in her eyes.

Igaris looked at her beautiful complexion, admiring her courage sincerely. In this harsh age, where even men were bound by power, the struggle for women was even more daunting. For them, to become strong and rise above expectations was never easy. Still is.

Only women with fierce will and unwavering bravery could survive and shine. And now, Shirley had made that decision on her own.

However, what Igaris did not realize was the true reason behind her resolve. It was him.

The moment he stopped a bullet with two fingers, she had been forced to face her own weakness. Despite being around the same age, he was already far ahead.

There was something else too, something she wouldn’t say aloud.

She was falling in love.

Yes, they were maternal cousins, but that couldn’t silence the feelings awakened by his strength and quiet dominance. To her young heart, he was impossible to ignore.

She wasn’t completely sure what her feelings meant yet.

But one thing she knew for certain was this:

If she ever wanted to stand beside him as an equal, she would need to become stronger. Much stronger.

Afterward, the duo continued their tour throughout the city — the towering mountains, the vast ocean, the giant fishing boats, and the luxurious hotels that dotted the skyline of Stargaze City.

Igaris moved carefully, using his alias Igor Calamity as his official identity for precaution. All transactions were handled through Shirley’s account.

Although he possessed a large amount of Federation credits, he avoided using them out of fear of being tracked.

Neither the Federation nor any other faction knew about his aunt’s residence in this city. That was exactly why he had chosen this place as his temporary base.

At last, as the sun dipped below the horizon, the two of them stood before the gates of the World Dungeon.