I Don't Need To Log Out

Arlon sat in silence.

June's words still lingered in his mind, playing over and over like an echo he couldn't quite shake.

He had spent his time in EVR pushing forward, fighting battles, and making decisions based on what needed to be done—never considering the weight of his actions on the world itself.
Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

He had never tried to lead.

But had he been leading all along, without realizing it?

Her words had filled his heart with something he couldn't quite define.

And at the same time, they had left it feeling empty.

He couldn't tell if the weight on his chest was responsibility… or hesitation.

---

Time passed, and the countdown for the six-month leaderboard rewards ended.

Arlon and his group were gathered inside a small café in Istarra, tucked away from the noisier parts of town.

The air smelled of brewed tea and fresh bread, and the soft murmur of other players filled the space.

The group had been chatting about various things—fights, training plans, what they would do next.

But June wasn't fully engaged in the conversation.

She sat across from Arlon, glancing at him every so often.

She didn't say it, but it was clear—she was scared she had said too much.

Had she overstepped?

Had she pushed him too far?

She had spoken from her heart, trying to make him understand his influence.

But what if she had only burdened him instead?

Despite this, Arlon wasn't thinking that way at all.

He wasn't angry. He wasn't annoyed.

He was simply thinking.

But then, a glowing screen appeared before him.

"Leaderboard rewards for the sixth month of EVR are now distributed!"

Arlon received two notifications.

The first was for being ranked first place on the six-month leaderboard.

A small, spherical object materialized before him, floating slightly above his palm.

It pulsed with a faint, unstable energy, shifting in color as if adapting to something unseen.

Arlon inspected it.

[Adaptive Skill Core]

"A rare artifact capable of enhancing a single skill beyond its normal limits. The effect varies depending on the user's chosen skill."

It was the same as the last timeline. This was the first item that made it possible for Arlon to stay at the top of the leaderboard.

He didn't plan to use it right away.

So, he stored the Adaptive Skill Core in his inventory for later.

Then, the second notification appeared.

"Your Title: [Unfair Regressor] has evolved."

A locked segment under [Endless Ascent] had unlocked.

It had taken six full months of staying logged in, but now, the title had granted him something new.

Arlon's eyes flickered with intrigue as he read the details.

***

Unfair Regressor

"The one who regressed and doesn't need to follow the fair play rules of Zeno.

Endless Ascent: The longer you stay logged in, the stronger you become!

Fuse: A new ability can be created by fusing two abilities from different classes. The new ability will incorporate features of both fused abilities.

Awakened Instincts: Your body's senses increase, your reflexes get better. Note: This feature will be slowly adapted to the body so that the player doesn't get shocked.

**** (Locked)"

***

Awakened Instincts? Arlon thought.

This was a great thing to have—definitely worth waiting six months for.

I'm not sure yet, but my six senses will probably continue to improve over a short time.

As he processed this new ability, the others began chatting about their own rewards.

"Alright, so what did everyone else get?" Zack asked, leaning forward with interest.

June stretched her arms. "I got a spellbook. But it's a weird one."

"Weird how?" Carole asked.

June flipped through the pages before holding it up. "It's called Spell Convergence. Apparently, it lets me merge two of my spells into one. The more I use it, the better I get at controlling the fusion."

Evan whistled. "That sounds busted."

"It would be if I didn't have to practice for months before I could control it properly," June sighed. "If I mess up, the spell fails completely or worse—backfires."

Isn't that similar to my Fuse ability? Arlon thought. But the difference was, Arlon could fuse two abilities from two different classes while June could fuse two spells.

"I want to see you mess up," Evan grinned.

June narrowed her eyes. "I can arrange that."

Evan raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. Moving on!"

He turned to Carole. "What about you, Saint Carole?"

Carole rolled her eyes. "I got a Divine Sigil. If I attach it to my staff, it permanently increases my healing range and efficiency."

Maria gasped. "Wait. Permanently?"

Carole nodded. "Yeah. It has a limit, but once I reach that cap, it's permanent."

Zack groaned. "Of course, the healer gets stronger while the rest of us still have to dodge attacks."

Carole smirked. "You could just stop getting hit, you know."

Zack ignored her and turned to Evan. "Alright, what did you get?"

Evan grinned and held up a small dagger with a violet glow. "Assassin's Remnant. It lets me mark an enemy I hit and recall to them instantly. Basically, teleportation."

He now had two good knives.

Lei tilted her head. "That's… actually really good."

"I know, right?" Evan twirled the dagger between his fingers. "Imagine stabbing someone, running away, and then—bam! You're right back in their face."

Carmen crossed her arms. "That sounds annoying."

"It is going to be annoying. For my enemies." Evan winked.

Pierre tapped the table. "My turn. I got something called Enduring Fortitude. It passively reduces all damage I take by a small percentage. The effect gets stronger the lower my HP is."

Zack groaned again. "Oh great, now you get to tank even better while I just have to hope I don't get hit."

Pierre grinned. "Maybe you should learn how to dodge."

"Why is that suddenly everyone's advice?!" Zack threw up his hands.

Lei giggled before showing her own reward. "Mine's called Elusive Grace. It makes my movement smoother and harder to predict in combat. Perfect for a sword wielder like me."

Zack gave her a blank stare. "So you get better dodging abilities, too? Is this a conspiracy?"

Maria chuckled. "Mine is Elemental Imprint. It lets me imbue my summons with elemental properties. I can give them fire, ice, or lightning attributes, depending on what I need."

Carmen nodded. "That sounds like a big power boost for you."

Maria smiled. "It is. But I'll need time to master it."

Carmen sighed. "Well, compared to that, mine is pretty simple. I got Summoner's Pact. It lets me form an extra contract with one more spirit."

Evan snapped his fingers. "Wait. You were already struggling with the ones you have. What makes you think you can handle another?"

Carmen glared. "I'll manage."

Evan grinned. "Can't wait to see you summon something you can't control."

June smirked. "If she does, we'll throw you in front of it as a test dummy."

"WHAT?!"

Laughter filled the café as the players exchanged banter, each of them processing their rewards in their own way.

Arlon, watching them, couldn't help but think—They were getting stronger.

Even though most of them received skills that they decided not to use before, these skills wouldn't prevent them from getting better with their abilities.

They were more like supportive gears.

So, he didn't prevent them from learning/using their rewards.