《Greater Beyond》 Vol.1 Ch.1: Restart The sudden harmonic 9 am. ¡°Rei, did you bring it?¡± ¡°H-Here Shiara-san the 3300 yen!¡± ¡°Oh, not bad Rei, you really did bring me that entire yen I told you to bring, good thing you¡¯re a useful retard, haha!¡± ¡°Oi, oi, Shiara-san, make him lick the floor again!¡± ¡°Yeah, make him!¡± ¡°You heard them Rei. Lick it.¡± ¡°Eh¡­ B-But I gave you the money as you asked me, so why do I have to lick the floor again?¡± ¡°Asked you? Retard, I said you had to bring me the money or else I would fucking destroy you. What part of that did you not get? Now, lick the fucking floor already, Rei!¡± ¡°B-But why me..?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a coward Rei, so fucking coward that you have no choice but to give money to me.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right, you coward, useless prick!¡± Believe it or not, I have never done anything wrong to them, it¡¯s been like this since the 5th grade and now it¡¯s the 7th grade. So, why is it that I¡¯m treated like this? Seriously, who cares, I¡¯ll just lick the floor as he asked me. Fighting back is suicide, I will end in the hospital, besides, I¡¯m too much of a coward to ever make a move against Shiara. ¡°Y-Yeah, I¡¯ll do that!¡± ¡°Get on with it, you deepshit.¡± ¡°Hahaha, he¡¯s really doing it, hey, take a picture, picture!¡± A picture? But that will go on social media, I can¡¯t let that happen. ¡°No, please don¡¯t take a picture, I beg of you!¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up, Rei! Who the fuck gave you the permission to speak, lick the damn floor, you spineless weakling!¡± Getting slapped could have been the least I would get, but I had it coming, being pushed down to the wall, while Shiara grabs my shirt up, without wasting any haste, a punch slides right into my face. ¡°Like that, Rei? Who¡¯s the fucking greatest, uh!? Who is it!?¡± ¡°Y-You are Shiara, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± ¡°You got that right!¡± Somehow I thought it would end there. It didn¡¯t. A continuous barrage of punches hit my nose to the point where it broke. Along with multiple kicks to my pelvis, I was unable to move a hitch. ¡°Oi, Shiara, the teachers, man! We can¡¯t get caught, dude!¡± ¡°Tsk. Later, Rei, also bring me 1500 yen by lunchtime or else I¡¯ll fucking break you apart.¡± On top of being in the middle of the public hall of the main block, Shiara spits on me to end it off. That¡¯s normal though. A weakling like me has no choice but to get along with the strong like Shiara. There¡¯s nothing I could have done, accepting the situation as it is was the best call. ¡°Look at him, he¡¯s so beat up.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean Rei? Yeah, he¡¯s Shiara¡¯s dog. He does anything he says, he even gets beaten up whenever he asks him to. What a loser. It feels so bad. Receiving judgment from people that have nothing to do with it and those who just assume the situation by the eye. Still, they are right, unfortunately. Besides, I need to go to the nurse to receive treatment for my wounds. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Rei! We are closed for today!¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal but it¡¯s just that we¡­ are having an important business here, so this place is off limits for today.¡± ¡°I understand, thank you very much.¡± If my hearing doesn¡¯t fail me, I heard a voice saying ¡°Hewara-san, the bed is getting colder, come quickly.¡± It doesn¡¯t surprise me at all; people in this school just lie to me so much it has become a habit. Also, that was a man¡¯s voice, so there really isn¡¯t any difficulty on guess what they were doing back there. ¡°I have to get back to class, though.¡± Eventually entering the classroom, the stares that would surround me would be nothing new. It¡¯s always like this, their voices are silent yet their thoughts are so loud and identical that I can take a few guesses for sure. ¡°He got beat up again.¡± ¡°Loser.¡± ¡°Weakling¡± ¡°Fight back for once at least, you spineless coward.¡± Something like that. Whatever, it¡¯s all normalcy after all. ¡°Rei-kun, what¡­ happened to your nose?¡± ¡°Ah, this? I fell down the stairs a while ago and since the nurse is closed today, I couldn¡¯t get it healed in time, I¡¯m sorry, sensei.¡± ¡°¡­ I see. Be careful next time when walking into the stairs.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Lying to sensei is also something that was a daily thing. With every encounter with Shiara, there was a wound. How ridiculous. 1 pm. Time passes eventually to the point where it would be lunchtime. Meeting up with Shiara to bring him the 1500 yen was issued by him, however, I don¡¯t possess such yen with me right now, so I¡¯ll just take my leave and go home for today. Skipping a class or two is alright, plus I don¡¯t think I can take this anymore; it¡¯s mentally draining me having to do this routine every day. ¡°Ah, I need to go shopping halfw-¡° Something interrupted my speech. I wish I didn¡¯t look up, but I had to. Recognizing his smell was no difficult task. Honestly, how unlucky can one get? ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t Rei. You got my yen?¡± ¡°S-Shiara, l-look can I give you the 1500 yen tomorrow?¡± ¡°Uh? No way in fucking hell, who do you think you are to make demands like that? Aren¡¯t you getting a little bit out of the order, Rei!? Come with me; let¡¯s have a talk, shall we?¡± Anyone can take a wild guess at what happened next. Round 2 or rebound. Pick whichever suits you better. Normally whenever there is a second chance, the loser gets a massive turn around on the previous winner; however that was not the case. Not today. 1:30 pm. ¡°Bring me 3000 yen tomorrow, or else I¡¯ll kill you for real, fucker.¡± I couldn¡¯t even reply, my mouth was so damaged just from the morning beating and now getting a beating like this? Forget that, I want to lie here but I can¡¯t. I would, but I can¡¯t, that¡¯s the thing. ¡°Shime for topping, I suess.¡± That was me trying to spell ¡°Time for shopping, I guess.¡±. It was plainly obvious that talking was an issue, so getting up would be a pain in the ass too. Still, missing the daily shopping would get my mother and father mad, so I absolutely can¡¯t miss that. Luckily for me, I always hid extra money inside my secret pocket located in the first pocket of my jeans, so I have a few to spare which means that the shopping is possible. 1.45pm. Roughly taking fifteen minutes to get to the store was painful. Usually getting to the store would take me about seven or eight minutes, but thanks to these injuries it took me double that time if not more. ¡°Welcome!¡± I couldn¡¯t speak, so I waved to the young lady on the balcony as a mean to reply back. Let¡¯s see¡­ Six beers and meat for my father should do the trick. As for my mother she probably wants a pack of cigarettes. Time to scan the shop for the products, then. ¡°Ah! I only have¡­ 700 yen¡­ All of that costs 900 yen, which means that I¡¯ll have to leave aside something. Probably the pack of cigarettes honestly. No choice then¡­¡± Directing myself to the balcony would be the next step but against all odds the products that I had in hand all fall to the floor. Bam. ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°Mister, are you okay!?¡± The reception lady comes over in my direction while sprinting. She¡¯s seriously beautiful, but I wouldn¡¯t stare at her for longer than 1 second since she might assume that I¡¯m a pervert or something. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll get this right away, I really am so sorry.¡± ¡°Here, let me help you.¡± That was so lame. It¡¯s not even the fact that I was helped out by a beautiful lady like her. No. The fact that I was so weak to the point where I lead such light products to fall. Just what am I doing honestly¡­ ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll get the rest to the balcony, lady.¡± ¡°Will that be all, mister?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then it will be 900 yen.¡± ¡°What? But I read it was 700 yen¡­¡± ¡°Um¡­ I¡¯m sorry mister, but it¡¯s 900 yen¡­¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Did I seriously saw the wrong price tag? ¡°I-If you don¡¯t mind, I can pay for you since you seem to be out of money¡­¡± Is she taking pity on me? Damn, am I really that weak it¡¯s visible to this point? I¡¯m fine with being labeled as a loser for the most part, but to a girl, I just met? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. ¡°That¡¯s alright. I will only take what can be affordable with 700 yen. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Eh? Are you sure, mister?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°¡­Very well, then I will remove the pork ribs and the cigarettes.¡± Father and mother will be furious, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. ¡°Oh my! What happened to your nose, mister?!¡± Shit, she noticed? Not even masking it with my clothing will do apparently. ¡°I fell down the stairs, thanks for the help back then, now, bye.¡± ¡°A-Aye¡­ Bye.¡± What an angel, although that thought really won¡¯t do much good, there is no way that such a pretty lady isn¡¯t with someone else already¡­ Dreaming about it will do nothing in the end, besides I have to make haste or I will miss the bus to home. 2.15pm. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± ¡°Welcome home, Rei! D-Did you bring it?¡± Presenting my greedy mother she starts off with a quest of greed. ¡°It¡± was refereeing to the cigarettes, of course. Needless to say is, her expression would change once I delivered the truth. Right now she¡¯s wearing a smile. A fake one. Smiles can be easily exposed to the relevance if they are legit or not by telling truths. This scenario was no different. ¡°I¡¯m sorry mother; they were out of cigarettes¡­¡± ¡°¡­Is that so? Then go buy on a different store, child.¡± ¡°B-But I don¡¯t have¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have money¡­¡± ¡°You¡­How can you be so¡­¡± ¡°Mother, calm down, please. You¡¯re tired, you need to rest.¡± My only choice was to try to convince my mother that she needed to do another activity to distract her from the current situation since she was about to snap by the looks of it. ¡°Honey. Come here.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Rei is behaving badly, educate him!¡± It didn¡¯t work and for a worse turn, she has called him¡­ ¡°Son, come here.¡± ¡°Y-Yes father.¡± ¡°What happened? Why did you make your mother angry?¡± ¡°I-I did no such thing¡­¡± ¡°Honey, he¡¯s lying!¡± ¡°I¡¯m serious, father I didn¡¯t do anyt- How normal is it for a father to beat his own child? Considering the global circumstances, I would say it¡¯s quite often and the fact stands that domestic violence is arguably one of the most common activities in families, unfortunately. Now, let¡¯s imagine a scenario where both the father and the mother would turn their backs against their child. No, that¡¯s wrong, they never turned their backs. It was always like this. Yes, this is the reality and so was the punch that I just received. ¡°Rei! How many times do I have to tell you to behave yourself like a good child and do what you are told!¡± ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I will go and buy some!¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t come back with what I asked you this morning, you are not allowed to enter this house anymore.¡± ¡°Eh, but that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Do I have to fucking punch you once again for you to get going, Rei!?¡± That¡¯s cruel. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. What happened to the smiles you two had not so long ago? I see¡­ They were never there, were there? ¡°I will go now. I¡¯m humbly sorry for the trouble I caused you.¡± There isn¡¯t much point into trying to talk with them like they were my parents. Make no mistake, they are biologically my parents, there isn¡¯t a shred of doubt about that. However, does that mean that they have to act like ones? If given the thought on this matter, there isn¡¯t a reason for them to act like parents for me. All people that say otherwise are too blind to see the truth. The truth being; rules are the restriction that make fool¡¯s actions seem all fine. What a lie. 2.45pm. ¡°They said that but¡­ I have no money, so how exactly am I supposed to buy them¡­¡± One thing is for sure. If I don¡¯t come back with the products I won¡¯t be able to return home, so what should I do in this situation¡­ ¡°Help, someone, stop that thief!¡± A loud shout coming from my right was heard loud and clear, an old lady claiming that a person who was running was a thief. It wasn¡¯t hard to believe, although, nothing could be done about it. That¡¯s what you receive for managing a store at your age. The thief obviously got away, not to mention that I got an idea¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s give it a try.¡± 2.50pm. Having nothing else to do is easily solvable by doing something else. It¡¯s quite simple. By that logic, I enter the most nearby store, to be more precise, it¡¯s the store that just got robbed and what I was about to do would violate any law regarding shop assaults. ¡°W-Welcome¡­¡± That was perhaps the most unenthusiastic ¡°welcome¡± that I have ever received in my entire life, but it was normal considering what just happened. ¡°Now then¡­¡± Since it¡¯s an old lady there should be no consequences of doing this. I grab the nearby pack of cigarettes and the pork limbs while putting them in my bag. The bag was the exact same that I used to buy the rest of the products from the other store so it should be fine. The hard part would be how to execute the plan while escaping without being caught. That¡¯s right, an escape without the old lady noticing what I was doing, which was undoubtedly stealing. I don¡¯t want to do this; this old lady has suffered a moral defeat just by being stolen by that thief so doing this is wrong. I know that. I know. Still¡­ I have to¡­ or else I won¡¯t have a home to return to. ¡°Don¡¯t think badly of me for this¡­¡± A total of 10 bottles fall right down to the floor due to me dragging them down. ¡°H-Hey, what are you doing, young man!?¡± ¡°Woah, I¡¯m so sorry, I¡¯m so clumsy, I can¡¯t believe that I did this¡­¡± It was now or never, there wasn¡¯t even a debate regarding this, it¡¯s a do or die. ¡°Honestly¡­ You youths are so¡­¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Ah, there is no need to worry! I may be old, but I can still pull out a few tricks of my sleeve!¡± Running as fast as one could, I make my way out of the store and sprint out as fast as I can. ¡°Hey, you! Come back here! Police! Somebody! Help me!¡± It¡¯s really unlucky honestly. The fact that that thief got away without nobody going after him but now I am being chased down, although it¡¯s by the old lady and an old man that was also in the store. Fuck. I didn¡¯t want to do this, but I had no choice, why can¡¯t you understand!? I won¡¯t ever bother you, so let me go, please! ¡°Go away please!¡± I¡¯m not sure as to why I thought that shouting that would work, it wouldn¡¯t obviously. Eventually running up to the point where both the old lady and the old man would lag behind I manage to escape. I can now return home. ¡°Finally¡­ I outran them¡­ I can now¡­¡± ¡°Hand over the cigarettes.¡± No way. Is this really happening? After I did all of this, this happens? God, are you mocking me, damn it!? What¡¯s worse is that the guy who is in front of me was the thief that just stole the same store I just did... So this is what they meant by karma¡­ ¡°I-I can¡¯t, sorry!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fuck with me kid. I have a revolver right in my pocket. Give me the damn cigarettes or I¡¯ll fucking blow your head off!¡± He¡¯s serious, that movement he just did proves it. While emerging his hand into his pocket he secretly pulls out a revolver and threatens me. ¡°Be a good dog and give me what I want and nobody gets hurt!¡± ¡°A-Alright, here¡­¡± With no choice left, I handed over my last hope, now I have no place to stay tonight. ¡°Hehehe¡­ That¡¯s a good dog, now run, go away!¡± ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever been this much humiliated as I am being today. This is certainly a new record, that¡¯s for sure. 4 pm. Welcome to my life. My name is Kige Rei. I have 18 years old and I hate my life. I probably should have said this sooner since telling someone this late in the game this won¡¯t make any difference because it¡¯s plain as a day that my hatred for my own life is crystal clear. Regardless of hating my life, I live on. Also, to my surprise, I encountered a familiar face. ¡°My, my if it isn¡¯t Rei-kun! Shiara is pretty pissed about you leaving the school like that, you should return before it¡¯s too late.¡± The familiar face was no other than Helena, in other words, Shiara¡¯s girlfriend, or at least I think. ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯ll return soon¡­¡± ¡°Is saying sorry all you can do? Honestly, get a grip, you¡¯re so sad.¡± ¡°Hahaha¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°You did it again! Are you the type of person who does everything that the other tells you?¡± ¡°I wonder¡­¡± This isn¡¯t good. Although we have never had a conversation like this, I¡¯ve watched her, after all, this time while being bullied by Shiara, she¡¯s the type of woman that always has evil intentions. If so, I have to get away. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be taking my leave see yo-¡° ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°I have a request for you.¡± A request? Just make it quick, I really am not in the mood for this anymore¡­ ¡°W-What is it?¡± ¡°Before telling you the request, I should tell you something. By doing this request it will give you total freedom! The type of freedom that frees you from all sorts of restraints that you have in life! Anyone would want that, isn¡¯t that right, Rei-kun¡± ¡°I-I guess you are right, Helena-san.¡± ¡°Then, do you want that freedom, Rei-kun?¡± ¡°Why are you asking me this, Helena-san?¡± ¡°Just give me a yes or no.¡± ¡°Well then, my answer would be¡­ yes.¡± ¡°Is that so!? Then¡­ end yourself.¡± Eh? What was that? I must have heard the wrong words for some reason. Checking again doesn¡¯t hurt so going with that decision isn¡¯t too bad. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t hear you well, Helena-san. Could you repeat what you have just sad?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I guess I wasn¡¯t very specific was I¡­ Then, let me rephrase it, Rei-kun.¡± Helena takes a huge deep breath and proceeds onward with her words. ¡°Kill yourself, Rei-kun.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°You heard me.¡± So I wasn¡¯t hearing things, she really did say it¡­ ¡°A-Are you kidding me? Why would I kill myself?¡± ¡°I thought you would say that! Don¡¯t worry; I have reasoning for this, really.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about your stupid reasoning; it¡¯s my life, so I have no reason to listen to you.¡± ¡°Now, now. Is there a reason as to why you should be alive in the first place?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°Then, tell me. What¡¯s your reason for living?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± I have no obligation to answer her question, but it¡¯s not as if it¡¯s an obligation, it¡¯s a question, not an actual demand although it resembles it. ¡°Let me guess, you don¡¯t have one. I¡¯m going to take your silence for a no.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Hahaha, so I was right!¡± ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± ¡°Nothing. It just disgusts me how people like you who have no will to live just keep on living. Do you have any idea of how much of trouble you are?¡± Trouble? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I don¡¯t recall ever doing something to her; just what is she on about¡­ ¡°¡­Shut up¡­¡± Although I said that silently, it came out louder than expected. ¡°Rei-kun, what did you just say?¡± ¡°N-Nothing¡­¡± ¡°You just told me to shut up, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°N-No, you¡¯re wrong¡­¡± ¡°Listen here, Rei-kun. If you come by school tomorrow, I will tell Shiara to publicly humiliate you. Beat you up so hard you will end in the hospital. You should know what he¡¯s capable of, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m taking my leave¡­¡± ¡°Remember my words well, Rei-kun.¡± What the hell. Why? How? Why? Why? How come? Was it me? Let¡¯s try and ever recall the one time I tried to do something that would upset Shiara to the point where I would have to get bullied daily. Recall¡­ No¡­ There is nothing¡­ So why..? ¡°Damn it¡­ What the hell¡­ am I supposed to¡­¡± Even though my day was going horribly, there was one thing that didn¡¯t go horrible. The weather, along with the beautiful water flowing in the river. Sitting in the river bank was probably one of the best choices one could do at this exact time. A river bank allows me to always remain calm since it has a peaceful air into it. The epidemic of peace. An everlasting utopia. That¡¯s right. I¡¯ll just remain here forever. What¡¯s so wrong with it? Nothing. Screw having to go to school. I¡¯m fine here. This is where I want to be. A place where nothing can reach me. A cheerful harmony of birds singing fills up my ears in the most pleasant of ways. Even being hurt doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t smile. ¡°Oh well, I¡¯ll try and sleep, this grass is clean so it doesn¡¯t sound bad¡­¡± An average person takes a while to sleep however; to me it¡¯s a completely different story. Sleep is relative, so I just have to tire myself to the point where it¡¯s not even relative anymore. I¡¯m so tired. So tired. Can¡¯t I take a day off? From all this torment? Is this a nightmare? If so, please end it, I don¡¯t like it. ¡°S-Stop, please! Get away from me, you creep!¡± ¡°Hehe, come on¡­ Let¡¯s have some fun, come on, come on!¡± My dreams are weird. Perhaps it¡¯s wrong to call them dreams, they are mostly nightmares, aren¡¯t they? Still, this one feels awfully real. A scenario where a beautiful lady is being chased by a creep. Ah, you are getting yourself into trouble lady, call the police or something or else you¡¯re done for. ¡°Help! Please somebody help me, I¡¯m going to get killed, somebody, please! Help me!¡± ¡°Kill you? God, no. I¡¯m going to do something way more fun than that. It would be a waste to kill someone with a body like yours!¡± ¡°No!!¡± This dream is getting weird. I don¡¯t like it. Honestly, how come a dream ends up like this¡­? No matter, I will just wake up and stare at the bottom river. Problem solved, now back to normal. ¡°So weird¡­¡± As I wake up, opening my eyes would be my first priority of course. Regardless of that task, there was one thing that I couldn¡¯t get rid of. The voices that were supposed to be in my dream keep on getting louder. Why? ¡°W-What are you do-¡° ¡°Shut the fuck up already, nobody is coming to your rescue, give up already!¡± The desperate man desperately blocks the lady¡¯s speech by tapping his hand on her mouth. A smart move yet that wasn¡¯t the most important thing that I should be looking at right now. It¡¯s real. It wasn¡¯t a dream. Reality speaks out loud. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡­ Just how¡­ What am I supposed to do here¡­?¡± It¡¯s ironic. Normally this would be where the hero shines yet not in this reality of mine. There is no way for me to do anything here. I¡¯m sorry lady; you probably deserved someone better in this situation. A person that would come running in a flash to rescue you from that creep and then you¡¯d be happy about it. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m humbly, deeply sorry. I¡¯m no hero. The blood of a coward runs within me. 4.30pm. What am I still doing in here? Why didn¡¯t I just go away? I couldn¡¯t bear to watch but my presence still remained in here, patiently waiting for the creep to finish his business just so I could ask the lady if she was fine. That¡¯s the correct thing to do, right? Ask somebody that is probably hurt and comfort that person just so they don¡¯t feel so bad about it. That¡¯s correct, this was the correct call. After waiting for a brief 10 minutes I decide to patrol around. Not to my surprise, I caught a lady crying, so I went up to do the correct decision. ¡°L-Lady, is everything alright?¡± She was crying, but it was perfectly normal. In a matter of fact, crying after getting herself done like that is probably the minimum, she must¡­ ¡°Y-You¡­ were watching?¡± ¡°Eh? N-No I was just strolling by¡­¡± ¡°Liar. I saw you on the north riverbank¡­ Why didn¡¯t you come to my rescue¡­¡± ¡°Y-You¡¯re wrong, I was seriously just strolling b-¡° ¡°Liar! You damn liar! I was getting myself violated yet you¡­ coward! Go and die!¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± She ran off. I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting. Ah, I get it. Under the chance that I was seen as someone who truly was just strolling by, I would have been fine and the chances of me comforting that lady might have been high. That was not the case, though. I was seen. I suppose I had this coming. Also, I was told to die. That¡¯s the second person on the same day that tells me to die. I¡¯m starting to think that it¡¯s not such a bad idea. 5 pm. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m here¡­¡± To fully explain where I was¡­ Well, it was a normal bridge. No, I¡¯m wrong. It wasn¡¯t quite normal. It was the Kyoto Bridge, the bridge that is 100 meters tall. At the bottom lies the Ryaku Lake. The lake has a 30-meter profundity, so the moment one gets there¡­ Yes, there is no going back, unless it¡¯s by swimming. Luckily for me, I can¡¯t swim. ¡°It¡¯s time then¡­ I hope the next world treats me better than this one¡­¡± The time has come, now I just have to get myself on the Bridge¡¯s border and jump off. Easy. It¡¯s so easy, isn¡¯t it? Yes, it is. Then why am I¡­ ¡°C-Come on, this isn¡¯t the time to be joking around body, just g-get on with it¡­¡± The truth is, when it comes to suicide, nobody wants to truly do it. It¡¯s a horrifying experience to go through. To end your life is almost as similar as when you start a game and you achieve very high progress yet by your own choice you choose to cut all that progress. Ah, but wait. That doesn¡¯t apply to me. So it¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t do any progress after all. If I had to say, I was stuck at a point and I could never go any further. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m going to do it, it will be quick, I just have to close my eyes and I will be gone in seconds. That¡¯s right. No fear, let¡¯s do this!¡± As a way to gather all my wits, I put myself on the tip of the bridge while many people watch me from the sideline. Some from their cars which are in the middle of the road or some that are just strolling by. I don¡¯t care though. It will be all over for me, so me getting viewed by some strangers is completely partial. ¡°One, two, th-¡° No way. No way, no way. This is impossible, I can¡¯t do it. How do people even suicide without facing this immense fear!? It¡¯s not possible, I¡¯ll just think better about th- ¡°Eh?¡± It failed to alert me, but I accidentally tripped, so as we speak, I¡¯m currently falling over. ¡°Um, isn¡¯t that the mister from earlier what is he doing there¡­ W-Wait, he¡¯s falling!¡± Not so far away, the voice from the beautiful lady from which I bought some products earlier wouldn¡¯t reach my ears, but I could see her. She was there. How pathetic, to kill myself in front of her. It doesn¡¯t matter anymore, this is¡­ the end. ¡°Goodbye, world.¡± They say that life flashes before your eyes when you die. However¡­ How come that isn¡¯t happening? Who cares, it¡¯s probably just a rumor anyways because all I could see was a dark blue vast water space. ¡°Kyaa! It¡¯s a suicide!¡± ¡°Dear God¡­¡± Why are they even saying that? I don¡¯t know any of you and you don¡¯t know me. So shut up. Shut the hell up. Were all of you that caring? No, you weren¡¯t. You didn¡¯t even stop me from jumping, so really¡­ just¡­ shut up¡­ ¡°Hey... Hey, wake up; this is no time to be sleeping.¡± My consciousness is finally backed into it. It worked. It really worked; I have regressed into another world. Yes! So the suicide wasn¡¯t in vain, now it¡¯s time for me to enjoy this new life. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°So you are awake, get up already, I¡¯ve been calling you out for 5 minutes already, I know you aren¡¯t dead, so come on¡­¡± ¡°Where am I..?¡± ¡°You¡¯re up. About time. Um, you are in the borderline.¡± ¡°Borderline..?¡± What is this ¡°borderline¡±? Where is my new world? A new world isn¡¯t a fully white room, right? So how come I am in one right now? ¡°Say, is this your first time here?¡± First time here? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? ¡°Uh, I believe so¡­¡± ¡°S-Seriously¡­ Oh no¡­Well then¡­ Here is a question for you, what do you want to do from now on?¡± ¡°From now on?¡± I¡¯m totally clueless about the situation, wasn¡¯t I supposed to be transported to a new world? And how come there is only a voice speaking¡­ Is this God? It¡¯s not even a person but only a voice? Perhaps I¡¯m not worthy of being in its presence uh¡­ ¡°For you to have reached the borderline, it means that you have most likely died, right? No, you one hundred percent died, that¡¯s for sure. So, let me rephrase my question¡­ What were you expecting to find or be in when you died?¡± ¡°A new world, I think.¡± Just like that, a simple answer came out flying out of my mouth, there were no doubts, I desired a completely new and different world from my previous one. ¡°Hahaha!! That¡¯s what they all say; you really aren¡¯t any different, in the end!¡± Uh? Why is God laughing? Did I say something funny...? ¡°Hey God, why are you laughing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not God. My name is Galatea. Also, don¡¯t question me, you peasant.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so¡­ But what did you mean by ¡°That¡¯s what they all say..?¡± Is that really a common wish among the dead?¡± ¡°Yes. You have no idea how many people like you simply end their lives to supposedly embrace this ¡°new world¡±. Well, you¡¯ll find out what I mean soon enough. Also, nice to meet you, Rei-kun. We will be together from now on, whether you like it or not.¡± Uh? I have no idea what this Galatea is going on about¡­ ¡°Ah, I forgot to mention. You want to be in a new world, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then, sign up the contract in your hands, would you?¡± ¡°Eh? What contr-¡° Apparently, this Galatea has divine powers or something, that¡¯s the only logical explanation since a huge metallic piece of paper just fell in my hands. ¡°By signing up the contract, you really will be taken into a¡­ well, new world¡­¡± ¡°Really!? Then, I¡¯ll sign up then.¡± Wait, something is wrong. It¡¯s not something, it¡¯s some things by the looks of it. Two things to be more precise. One, why was Galatea so reluctant to say those words just a moment ago? It¡¯s like she¡¯s¡­ hiding something¡­ Also, secondly, there is no pen. No matter the circumstance signing up a contract requires you to fill up your name in the name space. I see the name space, but not the pen¡­ ¡°Um, Galat-¡° ¡°Ah, one more thing. Be sure to read the contract fully without missing anything. Otherwise, it might lead to unpleasant misunderstandings and such.¡± The contract is way too long for me to read it. You can¡¯t expect me or anyone to have the patience to read this essay. I¡¯ll just pretend I have already read it instead. ¡°Already done.¡± ¡°W-What!? N-No way, you can read that fast?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, but Galatea, listen¡­ How would you sign this contract?¡± The option to make that question a question that would force her indirect correct answer wasn¡¯t a bad move, but still, her being aware of my real intention would be crucial, that being, knowing how to sign the contract. Having no remorse towards this creature just makes it all the easier, if by some chance that remorse would exist then it would be troublesome, however, utilizing every opportunity that falls in the palm of my hand to become a new being in this new world is an obligatory mission on my part. ¡°Don¡¯t be so impatient. I was right about getting on that part.¡± Her sudden shrug facial expression turned into a full serious expression on her part, which could mean that she was about to deliver a very great deal of serious information on her steed. ¡°The contract is signed with blood.¡± That¡¯s it? What sort of second rate type of information is that? Knowing that can only get me so far. To ensure more certainty within this contract signing up deal, there is a strong necessity to confirm a few things first. ¡°I have three questions, is it fine with you if you answer them?¡± Boldly stating those words might have not been the most correct move, regardless of whether or not it was the correct move, there is something that only the current me could determine as a truthful truth. Humans or any type of creatures capable of feeling emotions all want to feel a certain type of affection. To feel that affection there is one method that is the most efficient when it comes to that. Of course, knowing this could only come from the very fact that not so long ago, all that I¡¯ve been doing was creating affection towards the same type of people who share that same characteristic. ¡°That¡¯s bold of you, asking me, of all people the permission to grant you such a difficult and primordial task!¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. It seems that I¡¯m dealing with the easiest type of beings there is, a selfless child at its most accurate form. Very well, this should be a wrap. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was pure bad manners on my part to boldly ask you to grant me such a task. Let me rephrase what I just said moments ago.¡± Taking a deep breath here might seem unnecessary, but it won¡¯t be for naught. Galatea will see that my truest effort is being put on the line and will consider my question, hopefully. ¡°My Goddess, could you grant me the wish to become worthy of your listening, please?¡± Alright! This should do the trick. There is no doubt about this. Certainty will reach me. ¡°¡­¡± ¡­It¡¯s been 30 seconds. Galatea, this is awkward, please break this silence. What is something that was said by my part that caused this abrupt silence? Perhaps it was my fault for being too formal. Still, that¡¯s not the most problematic part here. This room is white yet that¡¯s all there is to it. It holds no objects, it holds¡­ nothing. My body weight, however, is completely light; it¡¯s as if weight doesn¡¯t apply itself in this room. Wait, is it even alright to call this a room? The idea of me calling this a room comes from the simplistic assumption that this is a finite space hence the room assumption, but what if this is a¡­ infinite space? No way, no way. How can that be? ¡°How¡­¡± She¡¯s back. Using this chance is my only hope because for some reason it feels as if Galatea could leave this place at any time now. ¡°Hey, you¡¯re back to speaking again, my Goddess!¡± Dropping the formality here is supposedly way too early, so using the persistence on my part could be the right decision. ¡°¡­¡± Unfortunately, we are back to this silence. This dreadful and awkward silence that resemble a powerful impermanence. No choice then, this is shameful, but trying to randomly talk to this voice might be it. Besides, I¡¯m used to being in a shameful spot, so if by some chance there is a moment where it resembles the embodiment of embarrassment, the only thing that needs to be done is to recall what I truly am. A damned, shameful excuse of a weakling. ¡°Why did you go silent, my Goddess? Was it my words that disturbed you?¡± How¡¯s that!? Keeping up this formal pressure must be doing something, right!? Again, once again. ¡°It¡¯s just you and me here, right? I don¡¯t mind. I will be here for as long as it takes, so take your time and come up with an answer, Goddess Galatea.¡± This isn¡¯t enough it seems, since the silence still prologues, it¡¯s time to unleash my ultimate weapon, this will be a definitive hit. ¡°I know this is sudden, but I have come up with a song. However, it¡¯s not just any song. No, it¡¯s a song in honor towards the most beautiful and greatest Goddess of all, Galatea!¡± Saying that singing a song is a total embarrassment would not be an understatement, because that¡¯s just the truth. First things first, addressing the closure to this silence can only be done by putting myself in a position where that condition can be met. ¡°Here we go¡­ One, two, th-¡° ¡°Stop it already!¡± It worked. I¡¯m grateful that this possible embarrassing development led to a conclusion. To my bad luck, that was not the conclusion. A brimful yet shining-like portal was being opened within the supposed room that I was in. What was more interesting was that a girl was going through that portal. Long light purple hair with two golden bracelets on her wrist. That¡¯s right, it was a she all along, but that was easy to determine because the voice that was speaking to me moments ago was without a doubt of a female. Plus, her clothes are absolutely out of this world, a white skirt that somehow shines? This confirms it; this is beyond my casual reality. ¡°Do you have any idea how annoying you are?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry; it¡¯s just that you wouldn¡¯t talk so I had to conduct a few secondary maneuvers. I meant no harm; I just need you to tell me how to sign up this contract, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Shut up! I told you already, it¡¯s with blood, but first! You asked me if I could answer a few of your questions, didn¡¯t you?¡± She¡¯s right there, also, she¡¯s too close, too close. This is bad, I¡¯m not good at dealing with girls, especially charming ones. Galatea was no different, she was undoubtedly charming, but that¡¯s irrelevant now. What drives me is to seek the other horizon, the gateway towards this new world. Love and anything else can come later, so I¡¯ll have to sacrifice my inner shyness to get through this phase. With that said, backing down here is not an option, besides, what could go wrong? ¡°That¡¯s right. If you could answer me a few questions first, then that would be amazing.¡± ¡°Y-You have a lot of nerve to make yourself so high in front of a Goddess like me. You¡¯re the first one to ever make an entrance with such confidence like that. Very well, I will answer any of your questions as a reward, but only if you answer mine after another. Let¡¯s say, you ask me a question. I will give you the answer if I can and then I will ask a question and you will do the same. Do you agree?¡± That¡¯s fair and honestly; it helps me a lot more than it does to her. It¡¯s beyond me how someone like me can have any supposed answer to a being which is probably beyond my comprehension. ¡°Um, that¡¯s fine, if you¡¯re okay with it, then I am indifferent on that matter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! By the way, since we are going to be talking for a while, do you want something to eat or drink?¡± A supposed self-proclaimed Goddess went from calling me annoying to asking me if I want to eat or drink. There is only one logical explanation for this. This is all a dream. That must be it. It just wouldn¡¯t make any sense how someone¡¯s life could go so horribly wrong where he has to kill himself to possibly attempt to resolve his own life issue. It¡¯s all a dream. A very long dream where I meet a girl out of self-interest. If that¡¯s the case, then living this dream might not be such a bad idea, after all. ¡°Since this is a dream anything goes, right? Then, I would like a simple bread with butter to eat and cold coffee to drink.¡± ¡°A dream? Are you an idiot? This is reality¡­ Also, I don¡¯t know how to make that, so I will give you my favorite, which is¡­ ration.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you can¡¯t do a simple thing such as grabbing a knife and spreading butter on bread¡¯s surface? Aye, this is a dream indeed, there is no way that a self-proclaimed Goddess wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything that simple, after all, Goddesses are perfect, haha!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t laugh at me! It¡¯s the truth, but if you think that you can easily mock me, then you are wrong, behold!¡± ¡°Sure thing, do your be-¡° Wait, is this real? How come? What just happened? Wishing to describe such a scenario would be correct, but to my surprise that was not possible. A table along with two chairs suddenly appeared in the air, almost as if it was pure magic. Ah, this is a dream, so anything goes. ¡°How was that!?¡± ¡°Haha, if you¡¯re expecting praise, then you are a fool! This is a dream, hence the reason as to why you are capable of doing that!¡± ¡°Hah!? What are you on about! I keep telling you, this is no dream! What I just did was something that even a beginner could do¡­ Ah, but I guess since you have no knowledge about the outside dimensions then you would assume that this is unreal¡­ I see. So that¡¯s why you think this is a dream! Shall I slap you to see if this is a dream or not?¡± A slap should do. She¡¯s right. How come this idea didn¡¯t come flowing right into my mind sooner¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t mind¡­ Please, slap me!¡± As soon as those words came out from my mouth, she begins to draw distance. In all seriousness, that was absolutely what people would call a ¡°Creepy moment¡±. ¡°G-Get away from me!¡± ¡°W-Why though!? It¡¯s just a slap! I¡¯m serious, look I¡¯ll even stop moving and close my eyes!¡± There is nothing wrong now. Neither being able to move nor having the ability to produce a single gaze should do. Now, onward with the slap. ¡°¡­Are you sure you want this? I¡¯ll have you know, my slaps are quite strong! A slap from me is the equivalent of a level 2 attack!¡± ¡°Galatea, that¡¯s enough. Deliver me your divine slap already. Don¡¯t worry about hurting me; nothing can hurt me at this point.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what a masochistic creep would say, you know that, right!?¡± Did she just ask me if I was aware of what I just said? She probably has no idea what type of person she¡¯s at this very moment. That¡¯s for the best, honestly. But still¡­ ¡°I am not a masochist, all I want is to confirm if this is real or n-¡° Good heavens, what was that? A truck? No, an airplane? Whatever just hit me had the strength of a thousand tanks. ¡°Argh!!!!¡± ¡°I told you that it would hurt, also come to the table or else the rations are going to get cold.¡± This isn¡¯t a dream... After all, getting slapped has a minimum damage weight; even so, it¡¯s pretty obvious the slap itself was real. Man, what a shameful act. Eventually, my body converted its own direction towards the table where Galatea was standing still and probably waiting for me. ¡°Comfortable isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­I guess.¡± ¡°Help yourself, that ration is delicious, not to mention that the coffee is amazing!¡± ¡°Is that so? Then, I wi-¡° What the hell is this! It¡¯s so horrible! How can food taste this badly?! Did she¡­ That grin. There is no doubt here, she somehow produced this, that¡¯s why she¡¯s grinning, which means that somehow this is her own cooking..? Regardless, upsetting her is a very bad move. The slap mark still has not left my face, if one tries to make her mad then there is no telling what might happen! ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s!?¡± It¡¯s no use; there is no betraying those eyes. The eye of someone who wants praise so badly is what¡¯s in front of me. Nevertheless, her eyes are something else, instead of being light purple they are dark purple, that¡¯s not something that you can gaze at normally, is there? ¡°It¡¯s delicious¡­¡± ¡°I-I see, that¡¯s to be expected, haha!¡± If by some odd chance this is considered ¡°good food¡± under any circumstance, then all hope is lost. ¡°Why so silent? Were my rations all that amazing!?¡± Galatea¡¯s retorts almost made me want to spill out the beans however, there were more important matters to form place right now. ¡°Galatea, I will begin, okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, go ahead.¡± The atmosphere transforms into a serious one in a blink of an eye. That¡¯s to be expected. ¡°Where am I?¡± It might have been too clear that this question would be the first thing coming out from my mouth, but it had to be asked, just what the hell is this place¡­ ¡°This place doesn¡¯t have a name. It¡¯s a simple infinite space where all endless matter lives in. It has no place and is treated as a boundary gate for the upcoming dead forms that come from other dimensions while they wait to receive guidance.¡± Great, to make one question and receive an answer. That¡¯s the ideal type of conclusion one would end up wanting from a simple conversation. To treat this conversation that was about to extend itself would be a fool¡¯s errand. Convincing myself that the first part of the question was already answered truthfully wasn¡¯t the hard part since there are a lot of theories behind death and such. Also, it was never my honest interest to explore the theories and such. It¡¯s bothersome, not to mention a waste of time since the correspondences would always get nowhere in the end. Now, what truly got me curious was the part where she said ¡°dimensions¡±¡­ Perhaps asking her wouldn¡¯t be much of a bad idea, would it¡­ ¡°Um, Galatea can I ju-¡° ¡°Wait. It¡¯s my turn, remember?¡± My own self-awareness about the deal wasn¡¯t off or anything. When trying to achieve something, to take advantage of something is common sense yet this was my own fault here. ¡°Ah, s-sorry, go ahead this time!¡± ¡°How did you know that I was a Goddess?¡± This is troublesome. It¡¯s crystal clear that she wants a definitive answer as to why my knowledge about her being a supposed goddess exists in the first place. Truth to be told, there was no such knowledge. When the word ¡°Goddess¡± flew from my mouth, what was being meant during that moment was nothing more than overlooked praise? Either way, the lie or the truth. Normally, telling the truth in any sort of circumstance would be the correct choice since society says so, but not here. There was nothing chaining me down. Freedom at its best. Lie it is. ¡°I based my assumption of you being a Goddess under these three main points. First, since you are the one to meet me afterlife, it¡¯s fair to assume that the person I would meet would be divine. Second, you have shown me something that a normal being wouldn¡¯t be able to do without being special. Lastly, you are¡­ gorgeous so you ought to be a Goddess.¡± What a bad wrapped lie honestly. There is no actual way of me knowing that Galatea was a supposed Goddess in the first place. Having called her a self-proclaimed Goddess already gave that away, so my lie should be visible to the eye. On a second note, adding that last compliment might have just done the trick. ¡°¡­¡± Not this again. This awkward silence, it appears it¡¯s her trait or something, every time something goes against her expectations she makes a weird huge silent pause. However, this time around, I¡¯ve come up with a strategy. How will you react when I completely stare at you while you¡¯re embarrassed, I wonder? ¡°¡­¡± Is she really this shy? Good grief¡­ ¡°Galatea, I really want to ask you more questions, so could yo-¡° ¡°Silence! Don¡¯t interrupt me while I¡¯m reflecting!¡± There it is. The expected wild payback. It¡¯s no use hiding it though; it¡¯s perfectly visible to my eye that you are blushing. Honestly, what a cutie. However, this really isn¡¯t the time. You leave me with no choice once again, uh? ¡°Galatea, do you like songs?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± She got that, impressive. ¡°Is it alright if I continue or was my answer insufficient?¡± ¡°W-Well, y-you¡¯ll have to tell me more about your answer later in details, but you may go on!¡± I have no idea what type of Goddess she is, but if she is the Goddess of Tsunderes, then that would fit her perfectly. ¡°You said that I would need blood to sign this contract, but how exactly does that work?¡± Within the answer to this question would lay a bigger answer to me than the actual answer that will be put at stake here towards the former question right now. That being; what lies beyond from here on! ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s quite simple you see. I will need you to close your eyes for five seconds though.¡± Whatever, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s going to kiss me or anything. That doesn¡¯t fit her usual pattern behavior. ¡°I see. Then, I will wait five seconds.¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s great, and then if you don¡¯t mind, I will close the contract, Rei-kun.¡± It¡¯s been on my mind all this time, but how the hell does she even know my name? Is there some sort of system which immediately tells her about it? It¡¯s unfathomable to me¡­ ¡°¡­¡± The first second goes in a breeze, although my hearing catches the sound of her chair being moved back. That¡¯s normal since she has to get up. Now, to direct herself here it would take at least one or two seconds. It probably took only one second since her scent is smell-able at this distance, meaning that she is perfectly close to me. That¡¯s two seconds down, ultimately meaning that there are only three seconds left. ¡°D-Don¡¯t move your mouth, okay?¡± ¡°Eh? What are you planning to d-¡° Five seconds down. The last three that still remained not so long ago have faded into oblivion. That reason being, my sudden abruptness towards what might have been on my mind these last few seconds. ¡°D-Done¡­¡± There goes my first kiss, although losing it to a beautiful girl like her is already a dream to many, but why did she do that in the first place? ¡°¡­Why did you¡­ kiss me?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t get the wrong idea. I need your blood to sign the contract since it¡¯s not you who signs up the contract. I sign it, since the moment you sign it, you become my target and I become your mascot. As the last heads up, I advise you to quickly level up, just so you don¡¯t end up here once again. In other words, good luck Rei-kun. I¡¯ll see you on the other side.¡± Huh? What is that all supposed to mean? What about my¡­ No good¡­ My consciousness¡­ It¡¯s not responding¡­Not again, damn it¡­ Ryaku Lake Bay, 10 pm. The everlasting silence that consumed Ryaku¡¯s lake was forever a beautiful moment. With nothing to break its silence, it would be a place where treasured memories could be achieved by anyone. Yet amidst such regularity laid an irregularity within, an irregularity so big that the current reality in which countless people lived in could be shattered in half with just a few actions by him. However, despite all sorts of possibilities lying within his grasp, he opts not to do so and instead proceeds to continuously mourn about stupid things. That¡¯s right; this is the view of a stupid man who for reasons unknown just happened to be strolling by at Ryaku¡¯s lake bay at a very late time at night. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ No irregularities here. That¡¯s great, now I can finally leave this dimension once and for all! How many days has it been here? Four? Five? Regardless of the number, it will be like a month or two when I return to my homeland¡­¡± With the age of thirty-one and an above height like body, the middle-aged man who supposedly is getting older keeps on strolling by the bay while searching for something at an incredibly desperate rate. ¡°Where is this low life force coming from exactly?¡± Having said such words may have cost him what was in his former best interest since he had to throw away the booze that he was carrying with. In all seriousness, the black-haired man hastily moves his right hand to the left and immediately moves it to the right thus making a very technological map appear right away in front of his own eyes. ¡°Four Mud Hellhounds as well huh? That¡¯s really awkward, they are normally only attracted to low-level objects, but like, really low-level objects! Besides, they are only 3 kilometers from here¡­ What to do¡­ To use my speed or not¡­ Well, speed it is.¡± Utilizing his right hand again, he moves it not to the left this time but on his upper direction where it appeared twelve slots. What would appear something unreal to others is something very casual to him hence his normal and relaxed tone while doing such actions. Clicking on the second slot, five new options appear right in front of him. On the first slot, there was an option with the name of ¡°Dextral Wings¡±. Following that was the second slot with the given name of ¡°Sinistral Wyvern Flight¡±. Next up, right on the third slot the name ¡°Topologikal White Glider¡± would show up as a choice as well. Almost on the way to the end, the fourth had the name of ¡°Ancalagon Dragon Fang Mask¡±. Lastly, the fifth slot resembled the name ¡°Zu Babylonian mode¡±. Many, but many would dream of having just one of those high-value objects for multiples of reasons. Be it for battle, or for money, they had their own share of purposes. Not to this man at least, he only saw them as battle accessories and nothing more. That could very well be as to why he made the following decision. ¡°This is overkill and boring, tsk. Oi, Apsu.¡± Contradicting the man¡¯s calling, a huge silence is issued right away, but the man had no intention of keeping it up. ¡°Apsu! You third rate damned mascot, don¡¯t ignore me!¡± Appealing to his calling a human-like creature appears right in front of the man, but instead of appearing right on the grass ground, this creature appeared flying. ¡°You¡¯re so loud, Tiddal! Why won¡¯t you let me rest for just a bit more¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry your mighty majesty, I will let you rest right aw- Like hell I will! Do your work already!! Teleport me to the map¡¯s location, will you!?¡± ¡°Always so moody, it¡¯s no wonder that you are all alone!¡± To his best appearance, wearing a black suit with red shoes, the man Tiddal appeared to many a lady killer, although that would be a clear mistake. The truth is, Tiddal is extremely bad at talking with other people. Not because he has a problem with his social skills, nevertheless it¡¯s all due to his rotten personality or so he thinks. Still, there was a bigger problem at hand; the current Apsu was being stared down by what it would appear to be a famine monster awaiting to eat his prey alive. ¡°Eek! I-I¡¯m so sorry!! I won¡¯t state another fact about your social life anymore! Have mercy on this plebian!¡± Apsu was only making this worse, to his luck however Tiddal just wanted to get the current issue done with and not engage on a pointless, potential fight. ¡°Apsu, please.¡± ¡°Aye, Aye. Brace yourself tight, Tiddal.¡± In a sudden flash, both the middle-aged man named Tiddal and what it would appear to be a male subject too at his young teenage age, made their own way towards the map¡¯s location by utilizing Apsu¡¯s ability, teleportation. Ryaku City, Lapaluzza Cafe, 10:15 pm. ¡°Isn¡¯t the sky beautiful tonight, Ayane?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! It¡¯s so beautiful; you can see all sorts of stars tonight! Thanks for bringing me here today, Michino!¡± My name is Michino Isukiru. Today, I¡¯ve gathered all my guts and asked the girl I love with all my heart out. It¡¯s today or no day. The confession that lies within my dormant heart will be delivered today without failure¡­ is what I wish to say. To tell the truth, here, the fact that she might reject me scares me so much that confessing might just not be the correct choice here. Yes, there is nothing wrong with not confessing, right!? The time that I and Ayane have together to spend is so much anyways. Taking it slow is the right choice, yep. ¡°Hey, Michino¡­ I have something to tell you¡­¡± ¡°Oh, what is it? You want something to drink? I¡¯ll order it for you! Waite-¡° ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that¡­ I¡¯m moving to another country in a few days¡­¡± W-W-W-W-What!? This can¡¯t be real. This is a dream, someone get me out of this dream, no, nightmare! Divide me down and erase my existence from this nightmare, because being in it is so absurdly dark!! ¡°B-But why?¡± ¡°My parents are moving out for a business trip, so I¡¯m forced to come along, you see.¡± ¡°I-Is that so¡­¡± This is not good. At this rate, she will leave and my ambition will be for naught. Think, think! What could be the only possible way for me to make her change her mind about this? Me begging for her to stay? No, that would be pathetic as hell. Let¡¯s see, let¡¯s see¡­ Kidnapping her and take her to my home? No!!! What the hell is that idea!? What¡¯s wrong with me! This means¡­ There¡¯s no choice then¡­ it must be a¡­ love confession!! ¡°Michino? What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re quiet all the sudden¡­ Was what I said that much of a surprise to you?¡± Please, oh Gods of love bless me with all your strength and might for this upcoming brief moment where my fate is decided! ¡°Ayane!¡± W-What?!¡± Damn, she¡¯s nervous¡­ Is my sudden rushed development making this all the more awkward? That¡¯s normal, isn¡¯t it? Still, there is no other route, is there? ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt here, for a long time I¡¯v-¡° ¡°Waaaaahhhh!! Get out of the way if you don¡¯t want to die!¡± Not now imaginary voices, go play to another zone of my brain because this is a very crucial momen- ¡°Kyaaa!! What is that!?¡± ¡°Uh? What do you mean?¡± ¡°Look! There!¡± Ayane points with her finger to the sky where it is seen two male boys, one that looked like he was screaming while the other boy, no, calling him a boy would be a crime honestly. A middle-aged man with a calm expression lands on the ground of the cafe ground. ¡°Apsu, this isn¡¯t the right place you airhead! You were supposed to teleport us to the map location, not the opposite way, you dumbass!!¡± ¡°What do you mean, I did teleport you to the right pl- Oh, you¡¯re right! Not bad Tiddal!¡± ¡°Are you mocking me you damned mascot!? On with it!¡± ¡°Aye, Aye! Up we go! Bye humans!¡± W-What just happened? Two people just vanished out of simple thin air¡­ How is that even possible? Ah, that¡¯s right¡­ ¡°Ayane!¡± Huh? Where did she go? She¡¯s nowhere to be sighted! No, no, no! Just when my confession was finally slipping through! Don¡¯t tell me that she¡­ Did she got kidnapped by those two strangers? That might be true, I was busy looking at them rather than looking at Ayane which could mean that they somehow kidnapped her through secondary methods, after all, they were flying, so it¡¯s not impossible¡­ ¡°Those bastards¡­ Give Ayane back!!¡± Ayane had long escaped in reality, due to her being afraid she ran immediately after seeing the two male subjects, so she was never kidnapped thus leading Michino into believing that she was actually kidnapped. Ryaku Lake Bay East Side 10:20 pm. ¡°Is this it, Tiddal?¡± ¡°Yes, good job. Now return, Apsu.¡± ¡°Yay, more sleep for me!¡± ¡°Tsk, lazy bastard¡­¡± The Ryaku Lake Bay remained silent just like the normal bay did. All that could ever be gazed at was the beautiful yet dark ocean along with the sand. Furthermore, the stars upon the sky were a rare sight, but not to Tiddal, the man who could very well gaze upon scenarios like this as many times as he would wish in other dimensions. There was, however, one last importance that he made sure to not overlook. Four mud hellhounds which represented the shape of starving dogs waiting to devour their appetizer. Assembled with multiple dark characteristics along their bodies, only their heads had a different color, that being red. Ultimately, their intentions were as clear as a sunny day, they were making their way towards a low-level life force. ¡°Level 4, huh? To think that someone of my level would waste his time on something as irrelevant as this¡­ Honestly, if the King saw me, he would laugh his ass off.¡± Noticing his presence, the mud hellhounds direct their all their might towards Tiddal. However, even through all this, Tiddal does not flatter; in fact, he decides to fight this off as he starts to run to the hounds. ¡°Astria, come!¡± Very much like the time when Tiddal summoned Apsu, a new being comes into play, this time it was a girl though. She had a very long white hair along with crescent moon like purses on her wrists. ¡°Oh my, what could my master want with me at this time of the night? Could it be that you want to have¡­¡± ¡°Astria, we never have nor will we have what you are thinking. So do me a favor and transform yourself, they are coming for me, after all.¡± ¡°But master, do you really need to take care of this yourself? You could just summon Apsu or order me to dispose of these low-level creatures, no?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I can take care of myself anyways; besides Apsu needs his daily resting since his teleportation abilities put a heavy toll on him.¡± ¡°I see. But still, let me take care of these creatures, Master Tiddal! And then we can¡­ you know¡­¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about! Astria, transform, Scythe mode!¡± ¡°W-Wait, master we can talk later ri-¡° Quickly getting her speech taken away, Astria transforms herself into a gigantic scythe. Although Tiddal would very much like to invest his interest on what Astria was going on about, there were other matters to attend first, mainly the mud hellhounds who were rapidly charging at him with ferocious speed. ¡°This will be fast and quick.¡± Swinging his scythe fully to the left, Tiddal makes a stance where his lower body is fully prepared to unleash a frontal attack, furthermore with the way he is holding the scythe, he was preparing himself to release a full force swing, but he didn¡¯t have to. After all, the creatures that he was about to engage with him on combat were nowhere near his level. ¡°Yazata¡¯s dark impulse!!!¡± The legendary shout that the man who stood up against the four mud hellhounds was nothing more than a simple war cry, but in the eyes of many others, it could be seen as a totally cool moment or a heroic one. ¡°Astria, you may return now.¡± ¡°Amazing master! You totally showed them who''s boss!¡± ¡°Spare me the sarcasm part; are there any more dimensional rift creatures inside this dimension?¡± ¡°B-But master! I wasn¡¯t being sarcastic! You were truly awesome out there! Ah, there are no more inside this dimension¡­¡± ¡°Is that so? Then let¡¯s go home, shall we?¡± ¡°Yes, Master! But¡­ There is a life force nearby¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s normal, Astria. There are life forces everywhere since dimensions normally have living creatures thus implying that life forces are essential and omnipresent. I thought you knew that.¡± ¡°Master¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you dumb?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?! I explained it to you that a life force here is completely natural, didn¡¯t I? What¡¯s so dumb about that?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so cute when you get frustrated, Tiddal.¡± ¡°You¡¯re charm does not work on me. Anyways, what did you mean with that, Astria?¡± ¡°How rude. What I meant was that this life force is not the average one. It¡¯s most likely a dead¡­target?¡± ¡°Oi, Oi, a dead target? Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that why the mud hellhounds were here in the first place?¡± The two talkative beings were having a long conversation about the reason as to why the hellhounds were there in the first place and possibly concerning the possibility of a dead target lying around there. ¡°That could be true. After all, mud hellhounds are the type of creatures to feast upon targets that come to any type of dimension after they receive their supposed mascot. It wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if there just happened to be one around here somewhere. I see you do have a point. Nice one, Astria!¡± ¡°W-Well, I¡¯m thankful for your praise, Master¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, aren¡¯t you the one who is always the one to stir up the gears first? Plus, let¡¯s get this done with, where is the dead target?¡± ¡°A-Aye, I will present you the map right away!¡± ¡°No, just give me the direction, let¡¯s not waste any more time.¡± ¡°The dead target is a little far still, about 500 meters going north.¡± ¡°I understand. Astria, revert.¡± With Astria reverting back to an unknown place, the middle-aged man begins to adventure through his main screen, just like he did earlier. In fact, he even goes to the same section, where there were five slots. ¡°Sinistral Wyvern Flight, on!!!¡± Given the name of Sinistral Wyvern Flight, it was a power-up boost that lasted for a great deal of sixty seconds, that being exactly one minute. It functions as it equips to the target who owns it by giving it wyvern like wings. Not to mention that it can travel 100 miles per hour. Still, that was incredibly partial regarding of the case, because that would only be the case if the Sinistral Wyvern Flight was at level 1. By leveling the SWF, it can extend to longer than 100 miles an hour. Plus, it enhances the body of the target with Wyvern like abilities. However, they come at a great cost; it can only be used for sixty seconds and once a day. Regardless of its consequences, there is barely anything that can match it, when it comes to speed. Furthermore, it has superb combat abilities. Tiddal, the one who has the command of the fantastic maneuver called Sinistral Wyvern Flight, uses it to go straight towards the direction of the supposed dead target. Needless to say is, by the time that he was there, the time gap between the departure and the arrival were practically nonexistence, since it took no longer than two or three seconds. ¡°Sinistral Wyvern flight, off.¡± Taking off his wyvern like body parts and traits with a simple switch off, Tiddal starts by investigating the area. The area itself was nothing like the previous ones, where multiple layers of sand and the visible ocean could be witnessed thus leading to the conclusion that he was no longer inside the bay but what it would appear to be a hidden temple. Covered with rocks and a simple long stair that would conclude onto something, Tiddal climbs the stairs slowly and slowly. ¡°This is it, isn¡¯t it, Astria?¡± An often forgotten factor about mascots is that they have the ability to use telepathy with their targets whenever their target requires it, but they cannot engage in this telepathy on their own. ¡°That¡¯s correct, Master.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Finally having reached the top of the staircases, what could be boldly gazed at was a black haired boy who was lying on top of the altar unconsciously. A boy who looked like he was going through his final adolescent years mysteriously lying around proposed many questions of mystery. As always, Tiddal by no means wanted to wait, so he did the one thing he thought would be completely accurate in any type of scenario where he didn¡¯t know the answer. Lifting up his arm while raising his hand towards down direction and then right to the center ultimately turning his hand towards the left, a new page of skills were open. This time around, 20 layers were opened, but he went with the first one instead which went by the name of ¡°Analyzing Index I¡±. Inside of that skill box were three options. The first being ¡°Bunseki¡±, the second ¡°Mahi¡± while the last was ¡°Ekisu¡±. ¡°Bunseki, activate!¡± Extending his palm towards the upper horizon, Tiddal places his hand on the boy¡¯s head, mainly where his brain was localized, as a way to extract some type of information from what it would seem. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made off¡­ Level 1...!? Could this guy be a complete¡­ No, he must be stronger with his status and skills, right? Status¡­ Attack: zero. Defense: Zero. Strength: Zero¡­ Oh no¡­ This guy is a complete failure, it¡¯s no wonder Mud Hellhounds were all over him, and after all, he¡¯s a freebie! It makes complete sense now.¡± As the man states out his utter disappointment, the screen in front of him that was showing him the boy¡¯s status gets completely turned off by Tiddal as he makes his stride towards a new decision. ¡°Etana, open the portal. We¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. If I may ask, what took you so long? Aren¡¯t you needed on the other side?¡± Introducing himself like that comes Tiddal¡¯s third mascot named ¡°Etana¡±, the divine gate opener, which in any case would allow its owner to create portal breaches that connect any reality space to another dimension¡¯s reality space, be it different or the same it wouldn¡¯t matter since it can be both. However, unlike Apsu or Astria, this mascot had a less youthful appearance to his physical kit, as he was certainly older. One that would be worthy of the alias ¡°Old man¡±. ¡°Nothing special, really. I managed to scout some pretty interesting things while journeying this dimension, that¡¯s for sure. I even thought of conquering it, but it¡¯s not even worth the effort. It¡¯s better to just leave it, besides, my original goal was to simply fulfill my duty or else the King would get mad. That should be the gist of it, correct?¡± Says Tiddal as a mean to confirm if his duties had been fulfilled or not. ¡°That¡¯s correct, Master Tiddal. By having cleared most creatures that we¡¯re endangering the reality of this dimension, I¡¯m sure the King will be happy. However, if I¡¯m allowed to pose a counter-argument¡­ What will you do about that dead target, Master Tiddal? Not reporting a missing detail to the King would be a mistake, would it not?¡± Replies Etana while enforcing Tiddal¡¯s judgment. ¡°I see your point. Still, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s incorrect to just kill a dead target, just like that?¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯m in no such position as to judge what¡¯s right or wrong, but I believe that the person here who is, is you, Master Tiddal.¡± Already knowing that Etana¡¯s answer would probably be the wisest of all possible answers, Tiddal couldn¡¯t help but give a gigantic sigh as a way to express his easy prediction. ¡°I figured that much¡­ Say, hypothetically, but just hypothetically¡­ would I be a bad teacher? Asks Tiddal in doubt to Etana. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t all the rest of the mascots participate in this as well? I believe that everyone¡¯s replies could give a far better insight than my simplistic reply since I¡¯m limited to myself and myself alone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s was a little deep. Regardless, I only took three mascots along my journey to this dimension, so it will just be you, Apsu and Astria.¡± Declares Tiddal to Etana. As a mean to confirm Tiddal¡¯s declaration, Etana nodes in response. ¡°Apsu, Astria, come here for a second, will you?¡± Says Tiddal to both of his mascots. ¡°Waaaahhhh!! You¡¯re so evil Tiddal!! My sleep, give it back, now!!¡± ¡°What is it, my master? How may I serve you?¡± From a complete children like type of whining to a much disciplined entry, both of his mascots make their way to the current reality. And so, Tiddal issues the question that he has been meaning to propose for the last few seconds. ¡°This won¡¯t take long. Since all three of you are present now, I¡¯ll ask it away. Do you think that I would be a good teacher?¡± An awkward silence is then posed, but for multiple reasons. To start off, Etana was saving his saying for last, so it would be extremely natural for him to not be the first one to talk. Apsu was in the middle of thinking whether this question was a joke or was it an actual question with a seed of seriousness in it. Ultimately, Astria wondered what type of reply would be the best in this regard to satisfy Tiddal. The silence prologues itself rapidly. It was no longer a battle to see who would answer first, but a battle to see who would answer first; it wouldn¡¯t be long before Tiddal notices their intentions. ¡°Hey¡­ I¡¯ve asked you three a simple question... Yet you are taking more than thirty or so seconds to give me an answer¡­ Don¡¯t tell me that you people are¡­¡± It was inevitable; Apsu, Astria, and Etana were both way too embarrassed and focused on not answering first. ¡°¡­You idiots. Fine, elimination it is! Apsu, give me an answer!!¡± Orders Tiddal towards Apsu. Having heard his name loud and clear, Apsu gives a jump up due to being scared of answering, but that reason as for why he was afraid of answering that question would soon vanish since it was undoubtedly his turn to attend Tiddal¡¯s mighty interrogation. ¡°E-Err¡­ Isn¡¯t it too late to make jokes like that, master?¡± ¡°Whatever could you possibly be implying?¡± Interrogates Tiddal towards Apsu in an aggressive tone. ¡°Y-you see, since I haven¡¯t slept quite well, my answer might not be at its highest of all peaks, so it would be wise to not trust my answer here!¡± Tiddal felt that something was wrong. No. His feeling that something was wrong was unnecessary because it was clear that Apsu was not giving a straight answer for some reason. ¡°Apsu.¡± ¡°A-Aye, sir!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll feed you to a high leveled boss later on if you don¡¯t give me a straight answer right now.¡± Opposing to Tiddal¡¯s expectations, Apsu does not fret and makes his stance with a high confident argument. ¡°Ha! You think low of me, Tiddal! No mere boss is a match for me! With my teleportation skills, I can escape any attack at any time! You were a fool to think you could win this one, Tiddal!!¡± Laughing a little bit loud while maliciously grinning through his teeth, Tiddal prepares to release his powerful counter-argument. Still, Apsu maintains a fierce stance towards Tiddal even after shooting a barrage of denies against his Master. ¡°You¡¯re the fool, Apsu. Mere boss? Who said it would be a mere boss. I¡¯m talking about the underground arena ones; do you really think you can survive for a second there?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Silence again? Are you sure about that, Apsu? Very well th-¡° Before being able to finish off his sentence, Apsu quickly interrupts Tiddal with a quick remark which was bound to happen in any case. ¡°W-Wait!! I¡¯ll answer!! Anything but that, please!¡± ¡°Good boy, Apsu, now, give me the answer!¡± Surprisingly enough, the young mascot didn¡¯t even have to think about this. A swift and sharp reply came flying out of his mouth at a very fast pace. To the point where he didn¡¯t even pay attention to the fact that he was being laughed at by Astria and Etana. The simultaneous laughs from Astria and Etana were due to Apsu being the first one to talk. As expected, their battles were quite intense, even their most stupid ones. ¡°You would suck. No, you already do. Please don¡¯t. Whatever the case, just don¡¯t. You would be doing a great favor honestly. One so great you wouldn¡¯t even notice just how great it would be. If there should ever be a day where you would teach someone then it would be the end of all dimensions. I don¡¯t want to die, so please, no. There! I gave you my answer! Now can I go back to m- GAH!¡± Already knowing that this would happen, Astria gave a gaze that could imply the following words ¡°You fool¡± while Etana also propose a similar sight with the words ¡°You brought this upon yourself¡± just as soon as Tiddal laid down his hand in a chopped form on Apsu¡¯s head giving him a direct hit for that negative yet truthful rant. ¡°Astria, next.¡± Hastily moving on, Tiddal rushes his decision to seek Astria¡¯s answer. Unlike Apsu, Astria has a more matured mentality so inside Tiddal¡¯s expectations she was bound to give a more complete and truthful answer in comparison to Apsu. ¡°Before giving my answer, I have to ask this. Master, are you opened to criticism or do you want an answer that will satisfy your enormous ego only?¡± From the looks of the given situation, the man doing the interrogation was clearly about to snap, but to maturely look like a person that is capable of accepting any challenge incoming his way, he held on to that raw rage emotion and lingered on. ¡°My ego is not big, that¡¯s just your imagination. However, yes, I am most likely opened to criticism. Go ahead, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°Well then¡­ Just so you know, if it¡¯s possible, don¡¯t hate me after this, I would hate myself.¡± ¡°On with it, let¡¯s not get emotional, shall we?¡± Apsu¡¯s thoughts were the exact following: ¡°But you just did!!¡± Thoughts aside, Astria took a deep breath before beginning her upcoming critic. ¡°To teach means to give a part of yourself to the one that is being taught and honestly, seeing what you have to offer to anyone out there is just hilarious. The poor soul that gets taught by you would have to receive what you have to offer, so let¡¯s face the reality here. What would that person get? A tyrant like personality tutor who only cares about war and nothing else, plus he can¡¯t ever take a hint. The absolute worse at taking advices. A drunkard who doesn¡¯t know how to get the better out of the people around him. Not to mention that he is easily offended and emotional most of the cases, so the answer is not difficult. You would absolutely blow at teaching. If there was ever a definition of bad teaching, the name Tiddal would appear in it, that¡¯s for sure. Ah, but don¡¯t worry, I love you very much, so go out with me tonight, okay?¡± Finishes Astria. ¡°Astria. Three things. First, that confession was not so bad, I see that you have made some progress, not bad, but that¡¯s as far is it goes a simple and nothing beyond the normal ¡°Not bad¡±. Second, that was too long; don¡¯t make my ears bear through that, please. Third, you will be suspended for a month due to constant lie telling, furthermore, that critic was an outrageous atrocity, I am nothing like that and anyone can see that, isn¡¯t that right, Apsu?¡± Sweating massive droplets from both Astria¡¯s intense glaring and Tiddal¡¯s heavy aggressive voice tone, Apsu, who is currently in a very tough spot, gives off his confirmation seal. ¡°Y-Yeah, Tidal-sama banzai!!¡± Creating a different route in this conversation, Astria, still not feeling like she had said it all, gives her last words in a very desperate manner and form while hoping that they would reach Tiddal¡¯s ears. ¡°B-But Master, you said you were opened to criticism! Don¡¯t suspend me please, I promise that I will be a good girl from now on, just please don¡¯t suspend me!! Also, seriously will you go out with m-¡° Not feeling like hearing her last word, Tiddal immediately calls out to Etana. ¡°Etana, open up a portal to Selkitat.¡± ¡°Right away, sir.¡± ¡°Astria, get going.¡± While totally not regarding her superficial feelings, Tiddal handles off that order to Astria. In which case, her suspension could be worse and extended to a longer period if she disobeyed, so instead of arguing with him, she simply went on with it, which was smart yet sad for her. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Entering the shining glowing portal leaves off the beautiful long white haired mascot in a massive disappointment. The closure could be seen at last. ¡°Etana, what¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°May I pose a question before giving you my answer?¡± ¡°Permission granted.¡± ¡°For what purpose do you suddenly want to teach?¡± That question resonated sense in all directions. To interrogate the intentions of a desire seeker is the most optimal route there is. There would be nothing wrong with this in all circumstances as it is. However, Tiddal felt as if that answer could be troublesome, nevertheless, he opted not to tell the full truth yet gave his answer melancholically anyway. ¡°I¡¯m bored, I suppose?¡± ¡°Then, in that case, I think that teaching someone could very well relief that boredom if done the way the teacher wants.¡± Of course, that was not Tiddal¡¯s true answer, regardless of that, he still gave an answer that was neither a lie nor the truth. The gap that lies within the lie and the truth is a simple convenience which implies something that is neither true or false; nothingness. ¡°Is that so¡­ Then it¡¯s decided. You see that dead target over there? I¡¯m going to make him my disciple. I¡¯m too strong and none can really oppose me anymore. So taking someone as weak as him would make the perfect disciple for me, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t agree with that. A dead target should be killed for obvious reasons, keeping it alive would endanger the dimension¡¯s reality, plus it¡¯s your duty to kill dead targets master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Keeping one alive is already dangerous enough; however, just what if it can be something more? What if, it could become so great that it would rise up against the media? How shocking and interesting would that be? Still, it¡¯s a primal Index violation, this is seriously dangerous.¡± Amidst this mini-conversation, Apsu, who unlike Astria was still there marking his presence through his own silence. To Apsu, the current conversation seemed quite bizarre since he couldn¡¯t completely understand most of what both Tiddal and Etana were talking about in the first place. Nevertheless, his curiosity was at its peak, so without any further wasting on the clock, he makes a movement out of his best interest. ¡°Um, what¡¯s so wrong about the dead target? Isn¡¯t he just another one like us?¡± ¡°You idiot. Haven¡¯t you wondered how these creatures come to play? Etana, explain it to him please.¡± Disregarding Apsu¡¯s words, Tiddal orders Etana to give a full explanation to the current matter. ¡°Apsu-kun, all creatures that have levels and such that aren¡¯t mascots or targets are monsters who were all made of previous humans that have died in that dimension¡¯s reality. Let¡¯s say that you die inside this dimension¡¯s reality. You will be given a week to level up. If you don¡¯t level up, you will turn into a monster. Of course, leveling up a level in a week is pretty easy, but it gets gradually more difficult since the time to level up on the upcoming levels gets shorter and such, which makes you more vulnerable to becoming a monster yourself. That¡¯s how monsters appear in all sorts of dimensions; it¡¯s simply life recycling itself.¡± After giving that long explicit explanation, Tiddal decides to add a few more points to it. ¡°That¡¯s not all there is to it. There are special conditions regarding each target. Normally, there are three types of targets. The first being the alive one, the second is the dead one and the third lastly is an evolved target. A target which is alive and has been contracted is only obligated to level up once a month, plus their level up timings after that do not get longer. Furthermore, once you hit level 25 as a live target, you do not have to level up anymore. It¡¯s a pretty easy life as a live target, honestly. The same can¡¯t be said for a dead target. Aside from Etana¡¯s already made up points, I will add up this. Dead targets, if by some ridiculous odd chance, were contracted by a God or a Goddess, have all their leveling status reduced to zero along with their battle status as well. Even more so, their leveling time is halved compared to a normal dead target. This is to say, if as a dead target it would eventually be required to level up within two weeks, it would be cut in half, thus one week and so on. It¡¯s pretty horrible, regardless. This is not all, but all the other traits are completely partial effects that aren¡¯t that relevant anyway. These are the main points, Apsu.¡± Many would be overjoyed by listening to this very insightful explanation. It contains high regarded points considering many factors, still, to young Apsu, it was nothing more than a simple vomit, except to him it was a vomit of words. It¡¯s as if those words were spilled to him so fast that his brain couldn¡¯t process whatever came after the first sentence, even so, Tiddal was fully aware of that. ¡°Any questions, Apsu?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­ I have one, I think. Why exactly are you going to, um, teach a dead target!? Isn¡¯t that taboo!?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you why? I¡¯m bored. This is my way of relieving my boredom. I¡¯m perfectly aware that it is taboo to not kill a dead target on sight, still, it can only be confirmed a taboo if there are any witnesses.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t we witness, though?¡± Quickly replies Apsu. ¡°Correct, and that¡¯s why I have a favor to ask both of you. Apsu, Etana. Keep this is a secret at all costs. What we are doing here today is taboo, and I will take full responsibility for it. You will not receive any punishment in which case if this wrong.¡± With a sharp glance, Etana steps forward and forms his doubt which would be delivered to Tiddal. ¡°Master Tiddal, was that why you had Astria escape to our homeland?¡± ¡°So you noticed, huh? Yeah, you know how she is. Despite her given playful personality, she is strict in these cases. I should tell you both this but, that interrogation was nothing more than a mean to draw her away. It¡¯s not as if I don¡¯t trust her, but I simply needed to resolve this, you see.¡± Explains Tiddal to Apsu and Etana. ¡°I see now. I, by no means alone, shall oppose you, Master Tiddal if this is what you so desire, after all, I am a mere mascot, it¡¯s not up to me to decide your decisions.¡± Ensures Etana. ¡°Thank you for your comprehension. Now then¡­ Apsu, what will you do?¡± The possible problem that would be obvious here in the first place was that a taboo was about to be committed; the allowing of the existence of a dead target. An unforgivable crime towards the primal Index of the Selkitat. Should this be violated, terrible consequences were to be followed, but the truth is¡­ There is nothing that says that one can¡¯t do it, the major problem is that if that taboo was reported to an Index authority, then the taboo committer would be subjected towards those consequences while receiving supreme judgment. Totally disregarding those consequences, the brave or maybe suicidal man, Tiddal, made this choice today while being fully aware of the possible upcoming jeopardy. Already having eliminated an essential witness, only two would last in this scenario. Although one had already confirmed his loyalty, the last one to stand would be the young mascot, Apsu. Time was on the clock, Apsu had to make a call. A lot of things were to be considered by him. What he would exactly gain from this and what he would lose from this? If he was caught in the future for being a culprit of a taboo action he would also get judged. No, that¡¯s wrong. Tiddal had already said that he would receive all the blame on his own. Still, would that really cut it? He had no idea of actually knowing it, to be precise. As it stands, he has a lot more to lose than to actually win from this. ¡°It seems that you are taking your sweet time again. Let me tell you something in advance. I will give you both a chance to be my main mascots in the Forbidden Arena Chariot Events once. What do you think?¡± His eyes which were suddenly deep dark suddenly gained a brand new light blue shine. Apsu¡¯s enthusiasm towards Tiddal had completely changed; it¡¯s as if it went from black to white, a complete reverse. ¡°Yeah! I¡¯m in!!¡± ¡°Great. I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to have to do this, don¡¯t hate me for this.¡± ¡°Do what, Tiddal?¡± Quickly asks Apsu. ¡°Do you two swear for my life that you will never ever betray me?¡± Rare sights like this weren¡¯t viewed that much nowadays. A way to make someone truly loyal is to test their fidelity. Tiddal had no doubt in his own methods, after all. ¡°What a stupid question, Tiddal. My life was already yours long ago!¡± Implies Apsu. ¡°I agree with Apsu here, our lives were already yours the moment we became your mascots, so there isn¡¯t exactly any possible room for doubt here.¡± Adds Etana. ¡°Is that so? I see. I guess I¡¯m a truly lucky individual huh? Thank you for this, also tell Astria that I¡¯ll repay to her later.¡± Says Tiddal. All the preparations were done. The taboo clearing was simple, just like that. To make sure that there were no outside witnesses, the leading man resorted to a secure method. Firstly, he swung his right hand up to the left and then to the center while finishing off with a swing to the top. Thirty slots could be sighted; however, Tiddal simply went with the third slot. By clicking it with his index right finger. There, it could be seen three options. However, for reasons unknown, only the first one could be used. It just so happens that it was that one he wanted to use in the first place. Codenamed: ¡°Ikarus Dominance Stare¡± gives the user the ability to see anything, ignoring any type of effect to hide a presence for thirty seconds. ¡°Tiddal, why are you going to use that?¡± Curiously asks Apsu. ¡°Just to be sure. It would be rather anticlimactic to casually be spied on, after having said all that.¡± Clarifies Tiddal. ¡°Ah, that makes sense¡­ But wouldn¡¯t it have made more sense to use it earlier?¡± ¡°Very true, however, purposely baiting a hungry prey is just one of my favorite hobbies, so I was perfectly aware of what you just said. Now, let¡¯s see if there is somebody with a fucking death wish laying around here somewhere. Ikarus Dominance Stare, activate!!!!¡± After having scouted every direction possible with the Ikarus Dominance Stare, Tiddal deactivates it after 10 seconds, with a shallow expression implying sadness. ¡°¡­What a disappointment, nobody wants to die tonight, huh?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it should be, Master Tiddal?¡± Truthfully says Etana. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s what it¡¯s labeled as a correct mindset, isn¡¯t it? Well, Etana, get going to Selkitat with Apsu, I¡¯ll handle it from here.¡± Orders Tiddal. ¡°Very well, Master Tiddal. Apsu-kun, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll cook you your favorite meal when we get to Selkitat.¡± ¡°Yay! I can¡¯t wait to eat fried shrimp! Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!!¡± Hastily declares Apsu. ¡°Now then, best of luck with your endeavor, Master Tiddal. See you soon.¡± Etana then starts to open up a portal to get to the Dimension of Selkitat, but before he is able to fully depart along with Apsu, Tiddal gives off his final words. ¡°Apsu, Etana, listen well to what I¡¯m about to say. If I don¡¯t come back to in less than two weeks, then it means that it was a success. In a possible case where I don¡¯t return after two weeks then it means that it¡¯s either a huge success or a possible failure. Either way, if the King begins to question my whereabouts, simply tell him that I went to check on other dimensions that were in danger.¡± States Tiddal. One thing was to go missing and not returning, which would be completely unlikely since Tiddal was a man of power thus making it unlikely for him to ever fall under such case. Another would be to ensure that his plan would go off. There was, nonetheless, a lot of risk and probability of failure in this, since he has no idea how to approach the dead target, anyway. ¡°Understood, we will do just that. Return as soon as possible though. It won¡¯t be for long before Astria begins to cry for you. Plus, I¡¯m sure you will achieve success with this bargain. Bye, then.¡± Gently finishes Etana. ¡°Bye-Bye, Tiddal!¡± Happily waves Apsu. Unlike Apsu or Etana, Tiddal chooses to give a cold silence on his stead as he sees them leave off. It was time for the upcoming main task. Tiddal decides to check the dead target once again, to make amends easier. ¡°Bunseki, activate.¡± The following stats would appear in a huge screen right in front of Tiddal¡¯s eyes: Name: Kige Rei Level: 1 Attack: 0 Defense: 0 Intelligence: 0 Evasion: 0 Accuracy: 0 Speed: 0 Cooldown: 0 Lethality: 0 Spirit: 0 Tenacity: 0 Strength: 0 Velocity: 0 ¡°That¡¯s all the basic skills there are at a beginners level. But, it¡¯s so strange. No target should have a complete 0 in all their abilities¡­ This poor guy must be the victim of a forbidden contract with a God/Goddess. This means¡­¡± As explained earlier, only the so fortunate targets are either the alive targets or the evolved ones, regardless, to be an evolved target it¡¯s necessary to go throughcertain stages, but this solely confirms it. There is no such thing as a target that has a zero at every status. It¡¯s impossible according to common sense. The Index dictates that a target will have its previous life¡¯s qualities transformed into status. Let¡¯s say, if for instance in your previous life you were a very successful martial artist. Most of the points that are attributed to all sorts of targets would benefit that supposed target a lot. It¡¯s a way of rewarding the targets that were dead. Alive targets get the same however, it¡¯s halved so that there is a fair boundary here, since evolving inside a dimension¡¯s reality and a dimension itself is possible. Although to make things even fairer, an alive target can only level up one time per two months. Still, this just makes no sense. It¡¯s sincerely impossible for someone to have all their status at zero, as I thought; this is without a doubt, the work of a forbidden contract. ¡°Kige Rei, uh? He¡¯s totally emerged in his own slumber, isn¡¯t he? Oi, God or Goddess, I know you¡¯re there. If you don¡¯t come out and have a talk with me, then I will kill your target. You have been warned.¡± It should be around midnight around this dimension. Looking at this simple altar along with some significant statues around it, it¡¯s really empty. Nothing more than a simple huge stairway, but the view from here is amazing. No time for views, though. It¡¯s time to put in some threatening levels into play. ¡°I will count until three. If by my count you don¡¯t come out, I will kill your target!¡± You can¡¯t fool me, whoever you are. You can¡¯t survive without your host. You may be a God or a Goddess yet you¡¯re just like a parasite; you can¡¯t survive without your host and your host cannot survive without the parasite. ¡°One.¡± ¡°Two¡± Well then, looks like I¡¯m returning home sooner than I originally imagined. ¡°Thr-¡° ¡°Stop!¡± The resemblance of a teenage girl appeared right up on my front, entering through a portal similar to Etana¡¯s, yet it had more shine, if not more elegance. I¡¯ve got to warn him, that he has competition. Wearing a white skirt and gold bracelets on her wrist, that for sure is like a Goddess. They love to wear themselves pretty. Engaging now would be ideal. ¡°So it¡¯s a Goddess.¡± I claim ¡°Who are you? Identify yourself!¡± So she asks. However, it¡¯s the opposite here. For starters, let¡¯s see if you really are a Goddess and that this isn¡¯t simply a truly bizarre coincidence. ¡°Sorry. Don¡¯t have time to chit-chat. Bunseki, activate.¡± ¡°On top of ignoring me, you try to get a hold of my status? How stagnant. I will have you know that I¡¯m a true Goddess.¡± ¡°Figures. It would work if you weren¡¯t one. Well, it will still work, not this one, though.¡± ¡°Huh? What are you on about?¡± Shut up for a second, annoying creature. Are you really that desperate to get your status recognized? I was planning on unraveling them anyways. Looks like I¡¯ll need to access a certain skill of mine. By moving my hand towards the left three times consecutively and then following it up three times as well on the upper direction, there is a hidden lock. The Immortal Killer weapons. But, just a simple one will do. Accessing the first slot and then choosing the second option is the killer move here. ¡°Thanatos Eye, activate!¡± ¡°I told you already, it¡¯s meaningless! See? You¡¯re a dumb, ignorant, fool!¡± Good thing forbidden artifacts can only be achieved through literal hell grinding and fighting, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be worth the risk. Thanatos Eye just so happens to be those types of artifacts. The type of artifact which exists only in a singular form. Normally, many types of artifacts can exist in a random number of existences per dimension, but artifacts like this only exist in one dimension and only there. Once conquered, it will not replicate. It allows me to gather the complete status of any person it stares at its target. It doesn¡¯t matter if you are a Goddess or not, it will give me any type of information. If I wanted I could even search her memories with this, but it has a price. For every time Thanatos Eye is used, 5 years of my life are taken away from my life span. I¡¯ve used it twice, so there goes a decade. Now then, it¡¯s time to make my leave for today with a finishing mark. ¡°If, by some chance, Rei wants to survive in this new world, then tell him to come to me. I will make him the strongest target there is. Mark my words, Galatea.¡± ¡°H-H-How do you¡­ How do you know my name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s meaningless now. Have these. These are called teleportation particles. Use them to teleport wherever you so want. I advise you to use them to teleport Rei to his home. It shouldn¡¯t be far from here, you can tell, right? You are his mascot, after all.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t thank you for these. This is merely a duty that a low life form like you has to do to get a Goddess like me in a good mood. Very well, as a reward, I shall tell Rei, once he wakes up.¡± So damn arrogant. And I thought I was something else. All these Gods and Goddesses are so damn proud of their powers that they put themselves on such a high self territory. No matter though, as long as she does her part, I¡¯ll do mine. I¡¯ve given her the teleportation particles. That should suffice. Besides, this might just be more successful than I thought. Just a gut feeling, but maybe all of his status turning zero might have not just been a coincidence. Maybe he truly was a failure at everything he did. Oh well, I¡¯ll find out soon enough. ¡°Wait, life form.¡± She¡¯s pretty gutsy, pushing her luck against me. That¡¯s to be expected since my attitude is similar to a pacifist right now. My desires will not conflict with my goal. That¡¯s the one key rule to victory. Although, I suppose I can hear her out. ¡°What is it?¡± I ask ¡°I don¡¯t know...¡± She implies ¡°You don¡¯t know what exactly?¡± ¡°How to take Rei to his home.¡± Is she seriously this clueless? How can a Goddess be this dumb at her job? It¡¯s like being the queen of her Kingdom and enjoying your luxury as you may yet you complicate for whatever reason. Perhaps, she¡¯s an inexperienced Goddess. That would explain it. Giving her some indications would be the best anyways. ¡°I see. Apply your palm on his head, where the brain is located. You should see a flashback inside your mind. That will tell you where his house is since it¡¯s most likely inside his memory. It¡¯s a Goddess power only. Didn¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°O-O-Of course I knew! I was simply testing your common sense! Don¡¯t get too confident just because you just happened to hit the right answer at the right time. It¡¯s called a coincidence.¡± She¡¯s frying my brain cells for dinner. Somebody help. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m sorry, but please take my offering serious and tell Rei what I told you, when he wakes up, please.¡± I implore ¡°I hear you, peasant. Don¡¯t¡¯ beg so much, it¡¯s disgusting. Also, just as the last warning. If you ever attempt to kill Rei again, I will personally deal with you, in other words, dispose of you.¡± Now that was more like it. One could even see the bloodlust in her eyes, she¡¯s damn loyal. What a lucky guy you are, Rei. Except not really, but in a sense you are, although you really are not. ¡°My bad. I overextended my limits. I will take my leave for today. See this as a way of me apologizing. Also, only let him visit this outside boundary whenever he is ready to go to me. Otherwise, he will die. Bye then.¡± I¡¯m surprised that she didn¡¯t retort with one of her catch lines. That¡¯s a relief; she most likely understood that my information was the very truth. From here on, it will all be something new. Remarkable experiences will open new horizons of possibilities. Yes, this is where it all begins. Vol.1 Ch.2: Rebirth

Sometimes I wonder where it went all wrong. If given the chance to relapse back in time, then could my actions and behavior turn out for the best? Was it really all there is to that life? It felt like such a waste. To give it a description, it would be the kind of life where the one that¡¯s living it was never born in the first place. In other words, it¡¯s partially the same as the equivalent of a non-productive achievement, a foolish endeavor. But, just in case, was I wrong? Who, what and when? Those are the answers I seek. Accepting the response to those questions as ¡°myself¡±, don¡¯t seem to quite fit anymore. It simply can¡¯t be. On this next life that I embark, those answers will reveal themselves before me. ¡°Rei.¡± Mhh¡­ It seems that my consciousness is about to embrace a whole new world. The time has come at last. ¡°Rei! Wake up, will you? If you don¡¯t, you will be late for school!¡± As my eyes open, the sense of a familiar yet dreadful atmosphere comes to me. Unfortunately, by no means does this reality that my gaze itself indulges in look like a new world. As a matter of fact, it¡¯s my room. My mother is screaming as usual because my presence is required in school. ¡°You useless child! Finally awake, are you!? Get going to school already!¡± ¡°Mother, what time is it-¡° What is this? Were there always words above my mother¡¯s head? Strangely enough, the following words ¡°Kige Masuma¡± were on top of my mother¡¯s head¡­ Why can I see such words? ¡°It¡¯s eight o¡¯clock! Be quick, Rei! Or else you really will get them!¡± By ¡®get them¡¯, my mother meant ¡®getting slapped¡¯ or something like that. It¡¯s normal for her and for me in this case, supposedly. Still, what is going on? Why am I still in this world? Last night, my existence ended, didn¡¯t it? So why¡­ Also, where is Galatea? She would know what¡¯s currently going on¡­ ¡°Ah! I¡¯m going to be late! I¡¯m so sorry dear mother, I will hurry up!¡± I apologetically replied to my angry mother as I left my current bed ¡°Good grief¡­ It¡¯s one thing to be entirely useless, but lazy and counter-productive too? I seriously don¡¯t remember raising you to be like this.¡± Says my mother as she descends down to the stairs Once you get treated and raised in this type of environment, there really isn¡¯t much choice, to begin with. From the very start, to develop a wish to leave this environment has been always my ambiguous ambition still that was proven to be useless. My death must have never happened. I was right all along, it was a dream. Those events did not happen; the logical explanation is that my mind was playing a trick on me, in other words, by fabricating a genuine dream. ¡°You¡¯re right mother. I really am terribly sorry.¡± I congenially say to my mother which already has descended the stairs and has joined the living room Still, school again huh? I sincerely thought that was going to be over for good. Returning to such a place is really not the most ideal type of scenario to be in. No, returning to school is out of the question. I can¡¯t really imagine myself being able to sustain more of Shiara-san¡¯s bullying. I¡¯m through with that. ¡°Rei! Do I have to go up there and knock some sense into you or what!? Go to school immediately!¡± Angrily implies my mother to me from the living room ¡°Y-Yes!¡± Apparently, my silence was way too long, even for my mother. My father is off to work since he works early in the morning, so it¡¯s just me and my mother right now. All that was left for me to do was to pretend to go to school. Of course, in order to do that, I had to dress up, brush up my teeth and such. It would be convenient to ask my mother for some money. As my last action towards my mother, asking for money really is wise. ¡°Mother, could I have some money to buy some material in school, please?¡± I ironically yet seriously ask my mother ¡°Alright, how much do you need?¡± ¡°750 yen, if possible¡­¡± ¡°Goodness, that¡¯s just too much. Here are 500. Now, leave.¡± ¡°Thank you very much, mother.¡± Although it wasn¡¯t the amount of money originally desired, it was an acceptable one. After all, my intentions were not to truly buy any material from school, but to simply gather it to buy any sort of low priced food from food shops. With that said, I leave my house. However, instead of taking the normal route to school, my direction was to go towards a place that would truly benefit my best interests right now. The Sekryu Mountain. It has quite a calm yet condensing atmosphere to it. Furthermore, it¡¯s not a place where lots of people gather, in fact, none really comes to it. From time to time, it was my one and only place. The place where I could find peace in my mind. It¡¯s a far better choice honestly. Instead of going to school, I chose to go there. Perhaps there is something wrong with me. Even though it¡¯s my first time ever skipping school, my inner thought keeps telling me that this is fine. That there is no need to attend school in the first place because all that could ever be found there is nothing but lament and suffering. Lament for my weak useless self. Suffering from my enemies that could crush me as easily as a human crushes an ant when it sees it. There really is no point anymore. Now that I think about it, that dream was the best. Not the part where I died, of course. But the part where my inner self could feel an intense relief. It was probably just the simple fact that I could feel freedom, even though little. Adventuring a new world, acquiring relentless new knowledge and what not. Those strange uncut desires were my drive, oddly enough. ¡°It¡¯s pretty sad¡­ that dream was the¡­ damn best.¡± I mutter to myself while walking in the street. No use crying over spilled milk, that¡¯s for sure. For now, conduction towards the mountain should be the correct choice. Sekryu Mountain, 9 am. ¡°Tokyo is so beautiful from up here!!¡± I exclaimed Sekryu Mountain. An old but a very prestigious place where one could gaze the entire Tokyo City from here. If I had to say, it¡¯s for sure one of this world¡¯s beautiful and genuine things. Just being here makes me feel so happy and alive. It¡¯s awkward and embarrassing to even think about it nonetheless, those are just my true honest feelings about Sekryu mountain. To enter the Sekryu mountain, you have to commit yourself to follow a very long, but very long staircase. It¡¯s old for sure. However, I find it fun, to climb it all the time. Perhaps it¡¯s due to my lack of actual goal accomplishments throughout my entire life that makes me feel this conscious and productive towards it. Normally, being happy about this could signify one¡¯s lack of self-confidence. That¡¯s probably just true. Plus, that¡¯s fine. It¡¯s better if it¡¯s a sad story where I feel happy about it rather than being a happy story where I feel sad about it. The abnormally large yet majestic trees that live within this place are a once in a lifetime blessing. Its lengthy feels as if it can climb up to the heavens itself. Man, that¡¯s just so¡­ Incredibly rare. What¡¯s more, to it is that there is a temple nearby. If by any odd chance anyone thought that this view could not get any better, there is a temple. How compelling is that! Though the temple itself is pretty simple, it¡¯s without a doubt a rare piece of atmosphere. Regardless, just being here is¡­ ¡°Amazing¡­ I could be here forever and ever and I wouldn¡¯t mind a single second about it.¡± I gratefully say to myself ¡°Are you sure? Wouldn¡¯t it be incredibly boring to stay here forever?¡± Amidst the calamity that consumed this everlasting atmosphere, such a voice crumbled in this precious atmosphere of mine. The voice came from a man who looked like he was in his young thirties. With black hair and a strange outfit, the stranger gazes upon me with an unwavering vision. ¡°S-Sorry, I didn¡¯t notice that there was somebody here¡­ haha¡­¡± I say It really is the truth. I¡¯m usually quite vigorous when it comes to investigating my surroundings. Even a loner like me possesses such ability. Even then, it really didn¡¯t occur to me that there was someone here, how awkward¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not like you could have noticed my presence either way. If by some chance you think that you were careless while analyzing this place, then you are wrong. I was simply camouflaged.¡± The mysterious man pretentiously says Camouflaged? What does he mean? ¡°Um, what do you mean by camouflaged?¡± I ask him ¡°Ah, that wasn¡¯t probably the best thing that I could have said to a person who has no knowledge as to what I¡¯m referring. Well, let¡¯s talk a bit first, shall we?¡± He says This isn¡¯t good. There is no reason as to why a total stranger should invite me out to have a talk. I need to leave this place for now, since it¡¯s not safe to be here apparently. Usually, thieves or people with malicious intents tend to start off their talks with this type of openings. It¡¯s that obvious. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I need to go.¡± ¡°Wait. Don¡¯t you have questions?¡± The mysterious man mysteriously asks Questions? Maybe about your behavior if that¡¯s the case, but aside that¡­ Well, to ask such questions like ¡°Why can I see your name above your head?¡± or ¡°Have you seen Galatea?¡± to a normal person would probably be laughable, not to mention very unbelievable. ¡°I really don¡¯t. Sorry to disturb you.¡± It¡¯s a shame that I have to say goodbye to Sekryu Mountain this early. My plan was to stay here all day long relaxing my mind. Such interference is truly unlucky. But, my escape is completely necessary right now. ¡°You don¡¯t? That¡¯s weird. I thought you of all people would have questions about the changes that happened in your world. Like for example, do you see a name above my head?¡± The man asks away C-Could it be? So I wasn¡¯t hallucinating after all! Maybe this mysterious man has the answer to the questions that I have been searching for since this morning. ¡°You can see them too?¡± I eagerly ask him ¡°Anyone can see them. Well, not just anyone, but people like you and me can, that¡¯s for sure.¡± ¡°Um, if it isn¡¯t too much to ask for¡­ could I ask you some questions?¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re a funny kid. Didn¡¯t I ask you just a while ago if you had questions?¡± Ah. He¡¯s right. Maybe it just shocked me way too much that someone else could see the names above someone else¡¯s head too. So he isn¡¯t someone with malicious intent huh¡­ I better ask away just for sure. ¡°S-Sorry, but who are you?¡± I ask the strange man staring down in front of me The mysterious man suddenly elevates his hand towards his chin as if to pose a thinking stance, since it would seem that to be the case. ¡°Hm¡­ That¡¯s a surprisingly difficult question. My name is Tiddal. Does that suffice?¡± ¡°I see. Then, what are you doing here, all by yourself? It¡¯s strange because nobody comes here in the first place¡­¡± ¡°I was sleeping, but I heard someone closing in, so I was forced to check. Also, what¡¯s your name?¡± The man named Tiddal asks me ¡°Are you not a thief..?¡± ¡°Huh!? Why the hell would I be a thief? I¡¯m a very high and mighty powerful man, you know!¡± Tiddal proclaims ¡°Really though? You were acting like a true thief just now. The fact that you were waiting around the bush for a victim to enter your territory is truly the behavior of a thief. Not to mention the sweet talk. They always start with that sweet talk.¡± ¡°Speaking from experience eh? It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m not a thief, besides, if I truly was one, I would already have stolen all your goods, or just knock you out unconscious, so your analysis is a bit flawed in a sense.¡± That felt like a double punch for some reason. ¡°¡­You¡¯ve got a point. Sorry for my rudeness, Sir Tiddal. My name is Kige Rei. If it isn¡¯t too much to ask for, let¡¯s have a talk. I know this really good place where we can talk.¡± ¡°Ohoh? Now that¡¯s intriguing. I¡¯m always up for a good place with good chicks!¡± Tiddal carelessly declares ¡°It has no chicks.¡± I respond ¡°Count me out.¡± Is this guy serious or just messing with me? Either way, we both go towards the temple and eventually there, both I and this man Tiddal reach an old rocky table, in which we could have a conversation for the best of our interests. Sekryu Temple, 9:30 am. ¡°This is the place? I¡¯m disappointed, but then again, it has a calm mood into it, so it¡¯s not that bad¡± Tiddal complains ¡°Haha¡­ Not many people seem to enjoy this place as much as I do it seems.¡± ¡°Really? This place, as I was saying isn¡¯t bad, so that¡¯s a given. If you like a place, then you should make it yours and yours alone. That way, nobody can enter it or interfere with your place.¡± Tiddal is right. However, to accomplish that feat, it would require me to possess a power so great where I could face endless challenges to protect one single place, and that¡¯s of course, impossible. ¡°That¡¯s impossible¡­ No matter how much I like something, it¡¯s bound to rot, regardless¡­¡± I say depressingly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just because you let it rot?¡± ¡°True enough, I suppose. But, I have no choice but to let it rot.¡± With understanding eyes, Tiddal gazes at me for a while, and then as if to make a decisive decision, he closes his eyes and reopens them in a very quick manner. ¡°So, what are your questions?¡± That itself is a good question. I¡¯m glad that he gave me his permission to talk about my interests, but still, I wouldn¡¯t mind if we had continued that talk, it seemed as if he had an answer that deep down, I could be searching for. ¡°First, why can I see a name above your head? Or just in anyone in general. It¡¯s weird because ever since I was born I could never see the things I see now.¡± ¡°Before answering that. Can you make a solemn promise right now that whatever I talk to you here will not be said in front of other people, no matter who they are?¡± Tiddal seriously asks There isn¡¯t exactly any choice as to why I should decline this, so there isn¡¯t any problem with it. ¡°I hereby solemnly vow to never speak of this conversation to any other person,¡± I vow ¡°That¡¯s good. It¡¯s nothing serious, really. However, perhaps soon you¡¯ll understand the deepness of the consequences that lie within this information that I¡¯m about to give you. Needless to say is, you are free to choose whether or not to believe what I¡¯m about to say.¡± That¡¯s a lot of formality right there. It¡¯s certainly unexpected from a man who looks like a homeless hobo to commit this further into a conversation. It¡¯s like we are trading high-level secrets or something. I¡¯m not going to lie, but my Goosebumps are raising their selves quite high right now. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the formality, Sir Tiddal!¡± I sincerely encourage him to freely speak his mind ¡°Is that so? Well then. You died. You are aware of that, right? Or did you think that you were just casually living in this world just because?¡± Those words hit me quite hard. After all, I believed that it was a melancholically coincidence that the events that sleep in my current memories were nothing more than partial moments, in other words, dreams. In this case, a dream. ¡°So it wasn¡¯t a dream? I thought it was too cruel to be true¡­¡± ¡°Good. You¡¯re aware of your state then. That allows me to take a step forward in this. When you died, you were offered a contract, am I correct?¡± Tiddal asks me Now that he mentions it, if it wasn¡¯t a dream, then that means that Galatea is most likely real. Furthermore, the contract part is also a reality. Galatea did say she signed it up for me. ¡°That¡¯s right. A person named Galatea offered it to me if I correctly recall.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then do you remember something else after that?¡± After that moment with Galatea, all that I remember is my consciousness fading away and waking up in my bed. Sadly enough, recalling further moments is most likely out of the question. ¡°I¡¯m afraid not¡­ Sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal, really. Every time that a target goes through a contract they are immediately put under an unconscious state, for certain reasons.¡± Um, what does Sir Tiddal mean by ¡®target¡¯? However, it seems that worrying won¡¯t really get me anywhere, because Sir Tiddal is thoroughly answering questions that I¡¯ve not even asked thus meaning that his knowledge is far superior to mine, but that¡¯s just normal, I¡¯m a failure in general. ¡°Continuing on. My next explanation will require some practice for it to be credible. Before that, I want to point out something first. This is what happens after you die. But make no mistake; things are different, a lot different in fact. Although, that¡¯s just something you will discover yourself. Now¡­¡± Sir Tiddal in a very brief moment grabs a small piece of a rock that was in his left and carefully examines it. However, in doing so, his eye color suddenly turns red. ¡°You must be curious as to why my eye just turned red just now. Try watching this small rock with your eyes. What do you see?¡± What about this small rock? There is nothing to it, except¡­ ¡°Atomic¡­ rock?¡± ¡°Correct. Now, try to gaze at this atomic rock, but with a strong gaze. Apply force in your sight, if necessary.¡± Tidal continues Huh? Will that even make a difference in the first place? Still, all that Sir Tiddal has said thus far has been the truth, or that¡¯s what I believe in anyway. What a mysterious person this man named Tiddal is¡­ ¡°Alright then¡­¡± Forcing my gaze into the Atomic rock, I focus all the possible attention that I could ever give to something on that rock. It¡¯s easy as expected, but truly hard once you are required to engage all your attention on to it¡­ ¡°!?¡± ¡°Did you notice it?¡± Tiddal expectedly asks me Currently, what I was witnessing could be labeled as something that goes beyond a coincidence. Something that was bound to happen once the conditions that were required for such an event to trigger itself. Right in front of my eyes, a huge screen appeared with the following words: ¡°Read the target information?¡± Also, at the bottom, it contained the options of ¡°Yes¡± and ¡°No¡±. ¡°Click the option that says yes.¡± Tiddal goes on There is a problem here. How exactly do I¡­ ¡°Ugh, this is why I hate to teach... Listen, I know that this might sound strange, but move your index finger towards the option that says yes. You¡¯ll get the gist of it.¡± Continues Tiddal But is this screen even real? Won¡¯t I simply be touching plain air? I suppose it¡¯s meaningless to wonder more. Sir Tiddal is without a doubt, probably right. With that said, towards the option yes, my index finger clicks it. The feeling that I had was like touching something that would immediately give a reaction which was easy to feel yet hard to understand. A true stimulation, if said so myself. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± I murmur towards Tiddal ¡°Tell me, what exactly do you see? Believe it or not, only you can see your own actions, and not others, normally.¡± Now that¡¯s surprising. In any instance, since Sir Tiddal was giving me instructions, I thought that he could see what my actions were, but he can¡¯t huh¡­ Then¡­ What if I gaze at him to try and scout him as well? Let¡¯s give it a try then...! ¡°Oi, don¡¯t do that.¡± Tiddal interjects me ¡°Haha, sorry, sorry. I just thought that I could see what I saw in the Atomic Rock in you too.¡± For a brief moment, Sir Tiddal just gaze me with the familiar eyes, they would look like a thief or a murderer¡¯s eyes¡­ No, it was certainly, without any shred of doubt, the eye of a fearless person. ¡°I will tell you this again. Only you can see your own actions. So tell me, what do you see?¡± Tiddal insists ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ It says the following: [Atomic Rock:] Level 1 Attack: 10 Defense: 40 That¡¯s all¡­¡± Level 1, Attack 10 and Defense 40. There is no need to even question it, this clearly is without a doubt a game, but is it really? ¡°I see. We really have different visions, no matter the case. Well, this permits me to advance further in my explanation. As you can see, if you focus your eyesight towards any sort of solid form, you can acquire a certain type of information about your labeled target. Everything has a level; furthermore, there is a status to them. I will say this though. Only people who are contracted are allowed to have this type of vision. This by no means makes you special; it just makes you one of many. Once you became contracted with your contractor, you stopped being human. What this means is, you are no longer able to survive without adapting towards the new world, but that¡¯s something for further discussion. Anyway, to answer your question, I had to point all this out to get to the point, that being¡­ Once you are contracted you enter the ¡°Leveling System¡± and so, you became a part of it, thus gaining a cardinal name. I can see your cardinal name above your head, just like you can see mine and everybody else in this world too. However, gaining the ability to read cardinal names can only be obtained through a literal contract, since it¡¯s one of the beneficial conditions of it. In short words, you are able to see the cardinal name on people now because, well, you are different from them. Also, you can only read the names of people who are inside this dimension because it''s not conquered. If it''s the other way around, you won''t be able to.¡± Explicitly says Tiddal to me Two things came to my mind after that long explicit explanation. The first was a rather forgotten fact that I used to know about questions. No matter how you potentially strive to seek an answer, you will always get two or more questions next. It¡¯s a fair trade because regardless of the questions that would amount next, an answer is sure to be acquired, however, it¡¯s a given that more answers would be desired afterward due to the pile of questions one gets after such feat. The second lastly being that, this man, right here and now, knows more than anyone else in my life ever did, thus making him someone praise-worthy. No, in fact, I¡¯m sure that if this knowledge is considered a laughing stock, then whoever declared that, is, by all means, a fool. Putting aside this mountain of information that was delivered to me just about this moment, I have no idea where to start. Should I start where? Which question? What answer is to be expected. I do not know. Still, this, I know sure. I want to know. ¡°Take your time, Rei. I¡¯m sure that you can¡¯t exactly come to understand the things I just spoke. It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s mine. I am bad at explaining and such.¡± Says Tiddal in a more condensed tone to me ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s not that it¡¯s just¡­ You¡¯re amazing, Sir Tiddal. Never ever did I meet a person that actually was so knowledgeable and wise. You are truly, a remarkable existence.¡± ¡°You exaggerate. But well, truth to be said. I am indeed remarkable, and for that, you are right.¡± Tiddal proudly admits It seems that his ego has taken another step towards the ladder of selfness. That¡¯s fine though. I don¡¯t detest people like him, who are proud of themselves. The essence of pride in any individual isn¡¯t a bad thing. Of course, it can obviously lead to arrogance although, from what I can see from Sir Tiddal, it¡¯s as if he is perfectly aware of that and so he opts to not be arrogant. Unlike many people that are prideful, they turn arrogant right away. ¡°But¡­ Can you afford to tell me such things?¡± Sincerely curious, I leave that question to Tiddal Taking into consideration what Sir Tiddal just told me, it¡¯s either very high-value information or perhaps just plain simple knowledge. It¡¯s one of those two options for sure. ¡°I can. Just think about it for a bit. One of the first things in this conversation was me making you solemnly vow to never speak about this to anyone else. Plus, this is basic knowledge to me, so there really isn¡¯t any problem.¡± Confirms Tiddal calmly ¡°Is that so¡­ Thank you very much, Sir Tiddal!!¡± I humbly thank Tiddal ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. I¡¯m going to be here for a while, so if you ever need my advice, just come to this exact place. However, be aware that I will only be here for just no longer than 2 weeks.¡± ¡°Sir Tiddal, where are you going after two weeks?¡± I genuinely deliver this question to Tiddal ¡°To my home, where else? I¡¯m here on vacation, just for a little while, after all.¡± I see. This knowledgeable figure of information that stands before me is only here for two weeks. Although, this has been on my mind for a while now, but just what if¡­ ¡°Are you like me?¡± I ask Tiddal ¡°If I¡¯m like you? That¡¯s wrong. I am better than you will ever be. Stronger than you will ever be. Above you in all circumstances. So I can¡¯t be like you. But, that doesn¡¯t mean that you can¡¯t be like me. Just remember, that I will never be like you. Although, I know what you are trying to say. If what you are trying to imply is: ¡®Are you also dead and so are you unable to be human once again?¡¯, then the answer would be, no. I have gone beyond that, but don¡¯t try to understand the words I just said now. They will only create more and more confusion. After all, words only have their own meaning regarding each situation. This is not that situation.¡± It¡¯s weird. It feels as if I just received such a harsh yet wise criticism from Sir Tiddal, but in a way, all that is to be seen is true words of encouragements, in which my understanding cannot come into play. One day, maybe, just one day, those words will come back at me, in a good way. Or, if I¡¯m truly unlucky, then it¡¯s the reverse. ¡°Thank you very much for the wisdom, Sir Tiddal! But¡­It¡¯s impossible for me to ever be like you, someone who has confidence¡­ haha¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed from our talks so far, but you don¡¯t seem to be very confident? Why is that?¡± Tiddal curiously asks me that question in regard to my lack of confidence In all likelihood, confidence is a relative term, but not in my case. Ever since I¡¯ve been little, all people that surrounded me always took advantage of me, regardless of me not wanting that to happen. I think that¡¯s natural though. If a person is weak and the other is strong, then the outcome should be crystal clear. There isn¡¯t much to go over. ¡°¡­Why you ask? I think it¡¯s always been like this for me.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t disagree on that if that¡¯s what you say. However, there is always a trigger in these types of circumstances. What was your trigger that let to this?¡± That¡¯s too embarrassing to tell. I¡¯m well aware of my own weaknesses, but telling them to other people is just¡­ lame. ¡°Do I have to tell?¡± ¡°No, not really, I was just slightly curious, that¡¯s all. More importantly, there is something that I need to confirm. About the contract¡­ You did read it, correct?¡± Crap. The contract itself was a pure essay, and I personally hate reading something that is boring and long, so maybe, but just maybe, reading it wasn¡¯t such a bad idea after all. ¡°¡­Should I have read it?¡± ¡°You damn fool. Oh no, this is bad but really bad. Listen, if in the future you ever sign another contract, do remind yourself to read it. There are quite a lot of unpleasant consequences if you don¡¯t read it, just so you know.¡± ¡°You said some unpleasant consequences, could you tell me about that?¡± ¡°Hell if I know. Every contract has its terms and regulations. For example, at this exact moment, in this exact time, in some distant place, a person is getting contracted. However, is that person¡¯s contract equal to mine? Hell no. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so important to pay attention to every detail that is written in that exact contract. Well, I can¡¯t condemn you for that; it¡¯s a beginner¡¯s mistake.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask this for a while, but¡­ Aside from my name getting into that ¡®Leveling system¡¯, what exactly happens? All that¡¯s happened so far is me being able to see the cardinal name above on a person¡¯s head. Of course, I¡¯m aware of that Level and Status thing, but what exactly does that matter here?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter here for the most part. Remember when I told you that you had died? When you died, you became one of the members of the Leveling System. That much you already know based on my previous explanations. There is more to that though. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange that even after you died, that your body and consciousness still remains intact, right here on this exact world?¡± ¡°Now that Sir Tiddal mentions it, it¡¯s indeed strange. I thought that I simply didn¡¯t die in the first place, so I didn¡¯t bother pondering, but why is that I¡¯m still in this world?¡± ¡°There is a single reason for that. When people die, in their respective worlds, they are bound to conquer their worlds. Or as I and many other people like to call them¡­ ¡°dimensions¡±. ¡°¡­Dimensions?¡± As usual, in Sir Tiddal¡¯s presence, I¡¯m not able to truly emphasize on his explanations and I have to rely on his supposed faithful explanations. ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever wondered about this: Are there more worlds out there? Of course, there is the Solar System and the other galaxies, etc. However, there is so much more. So, but so much, that your mind would be ecstatic over how your current knowledge is just a tiny small portion compared to the actual knowledge that there is out there. I suppose, filling words along with expectations won¡¯t lead my explanation further itself, so let me continue. Dimensions are just like other worlds. They are shaped in various and alternative forms, with different environments, not to mention that each dimension is easily accessible through the Leveling System. Although, this explanation isn¡¯t any fun if it¡¯s just spoken out like this. Let me pose this question. Does this world compel you?" Let¡¯s see¡­ From what I could grasp from Sir Tiddal¡¯s explanation, there are more worlds out there that are supposedly called dimensions, uh? That¡¯s nothing out of the ordinary since that¡¯s just the way the Universe was shaped and constructed. But his question is tricky. Though, it¡¯s easy to answer. ¡°¡­Hm, this world is¡­ well¡­ Perhaps, it could be better, I guess?¡± Blaming this current world for what it is won¡¯t do anything grand on its own. It¡¯s a fact that it could be better, but then again, I¡¯m not really interested in that. I think it comes down to every other person in this world in this very straight form. We are all going to die at a point, so what¡¯s the point in waiting for a change for the better to happen? Is it really worth it? No, not really. We will all be dead in the future. Witnessing such change is not possible no matter how valiant the effort one upholds. On the other hand, that¡¯s simple negative thinking. It can¡¯t be said for the other side of the coin flip, which is to say, the obvious blind optimism. So, I¡¯m somewhat skeptical about this world. It has never done anything good to me, but have I ever done anything good towards it? I haven¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m not going to lie, this world is beautiful and all, but it will soon rot away. I may not know what this world is capable off, but from just observing the behavior of people over the last few days, it¡¯s safe to say that this dimension won¡¯t last much longer. Of course, I¡¯m being extremely hypothetical, I¡¯m no scientist, but I am not blind enough to overlook the truth.¡± ¡°Even then, there is nothing to do but to accept our current lives. We must live, work, receive, waste, sleep, and repeat. Again and again. Pathetic isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Is that so? If that¡¯s the case, then want to take a quick tour? To see a better world than this?¡± A better world than this? I get that Sir Tiddal told me about these ¡®dimensions¡¯, but if they truly are like other worlds then it¡¯s impossible to access them. In an instance, to travel to Mart you would need several expensive, not to mention, secret military equipment to do such a trip. So I really don¡¯t see how exactly it¡¯s possible. Whatever, if what Sir Tiddal has told me so far is true, then that means this is also true. ¡°¡­Is that truly possible to see a better world than this? That sounds impossible and unrealistic, Sir Tiddal.¡± ¡°Man, you keep calling me ¡®Sir Tiddal¡¯. Drop the ¡®Sir¡¯ part, just call me Tiddal. But don¡¯t worry. You¡¯ll see what I mean soon enough. Wait a minute, please.¡± ¡°Uhh¡­ Okay, Tiddal-san.¡± At that exact moment, the black-haired man Tiddal, made a weird movement. Utilizing his right hand and sliding it down, he opened some sort of screen. A screen similar to that when I examined the Atomic Rock. Just¡­what is there? I want to know, however¡­ There was nothing that I could see because his screen was filled with words that didn¡¯t resemble any language that I knew. Different language symbols were all I could gaze upon. Eventually, after what it would appear to be a few clicks on his screen, a screen popped up on my front, surprisingly. ¡°Um, Tiddal-san. What is this?¡± In front of me, the screen had the following words: [Tiddal wants to be your friend. Do you accept it?] Needless to say is, the words ¡®Yes¡¯ and ¡®No¡¯ were also included. ¡°Duh, it¡¯s a friend request. I thought this world had social networks with at least a system similar to the Leveling System¡­ Or are you just that friendless? That¡¯s to be expected, I suppose. Anyhow, accept it.¡± That was one savage remark. Either way, I pressed the ¡®Yes¡¯ option as ordered. That was when at the bottom of my view; it appeared what it would appear to be an option with a (1) in it. It was similar to real life notifications in any network. Although, it was on a different screen from the one with the friend request, since that one vanished as soon as the option ¡®Yes¡¯ was clicked by my right-hand index finger. ¡°I accepted it, now what do I do?¡± ¡°First, click that mini thing that has (1) in it. I should warn you though. You may not like what you¡¯re about to see. Do you still want to go?¡± ¡°I will go. I¡¯m skipping school, just so you know. So I¡¯ve got nothing to lose on a day that I¡¯m supposed to do nothing but wait for a certain time to come.¡± Having said that, the first thing to do was to what Tiddal-san said. Nevertheless, what appeared before me was yet another surprising message. [Tiddal wants you to participate in a ¡°Dimensional Expedition¡±. Do you wish to join?] ¡°Skipping school? I can¡¯t say I was the opposite when I was your age. By the way, accept it.¡± ¡°A-Aye!¡± I didn¡¯t know what was about to happen. One surprise after another, it¡¯s like unraveling a treasure chest full of mysteries and gifts. Containing my excitement was perhaps one of the hardest tasks to ever do. Still, what Tiddal-san meant by ¡®dimensions¡¯? Well, coincidentally enough, Tiddal-san has started to access that weird menu looking thing again. I wonder what it is¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san, what is-¡° ¡°Don¡¯t bother asking it. You can only achieve this through a lot of work. I will tell you the name though. This is called ¡®Atlas¡¯. Either way, get on.¡± ¡°On? What do you mean, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true¡­ Only those types of people can see it¡­ Well, just follow me, will you?¡± Types of people? Just what exactly¡­ There¡¯s no actual need to try and understand this honestly. Because no matter how hard I supposedly attempt to achieve an answer it will never come up. Why? That¡¯s because I lack the knowledge to know what exactly Tiddal-san is talking about. Lacking knowledge will never allow one to formulate a truly accurate answer regarding each aspect, I suppose. ¡°Very well then¡­¡± ¡°Dimensional Gate, activate!!¡± Loudly shouts Tiddal and echoes towards nothing. Did that shout do something? ¡°Ummm¡­ Tidd- Wahh!! Tiddal-san?! Where did you go!?¡± Apparently, Tiddal-san immediately disappeared out of nowhere, mysteriously. Seriously, where did you go, Tiddal-san! ¡°Just hop in, you idiot. Here, grab my hand.¡± Suddenly, a hand pops out of nothingness, which is probably his hand. In any case, I grabbed it and this is¡­ Via Temporis ¡°Yo, you there?¡± ¡°Where¡­ am I?¡± Knowing that I was most likely going to a new, never ever before seen with my eyes type of place, my expectations never expected this. However, no matter how hard my imagination tries, describing it is beyond my reach¡­ ¡°Welcome to the Dimensional Hall or otherwise known as ¡®Via Temporis¡¯.¡± ¡°T-This is!! So bea-¡° Just as I was about to finish that sentence, I start to notice my surroundings. It appears that my current self is placed in a time and zone where all sorts of things could be viewed. Unfortunately, I seriously had no idea at what I was gazing at. Plus, there was a bigger problem. No, as a matter of fact, there were two. Let¡¯s start with the first one. As my eyes reflect on reality, there is Tiddal-san and a gigantic creature that we are both on top of. It¡¯s roughly 60-70 meters length from the look of it. It is without a doubt a dragon. Now, for the second problem¡­ We are getting chased¡­ By what it appears to be a black shadow!! ¡°Tiddal-san!! What is that!? Behind us!! And what is this creature!? I¡¯m scared! I want to go back, go back!!¡± ¡°Calm down. Kaliya, march towards Aquaris!¡± ¡°Rharrr!!¡± Such roar came from the outstanding dragon that we were on top of. ¡°Um, Tiddal-san¡­ Why are we getting chased down by this shadow so fast!?¡± It was no joking matter, for some reason, I, along with Tiddal-san, was in a place where multiple planet like forms could be gazed at. Something that could transcend the current universe. It was everywhere, from all directions, multiple and possibly infinite realities could be watched from afar. ¡°Impermanence, activate.¡± Says Tiddal while looking at me with green eyes. Eh? What just happened? My body suddenly is paralyzed. I can¡¯t move a single muscle. What¡¯s happening right now? And woah!! Isn¡¯t this dragon moving a bit way too fast, his speed isn¡¯t normal!! Although, it¡¯s not like I¡¯ve ever seen a dragon in reality, so¡­ ¡°Now that that¡¯s done, let me fill you in. Inside the Via Temporis, is where all types of dimensions can be explored. This is one of the great parts of the Leveling System. As long as you thoroughly level up, you are able to gaze at beauties like this. For example, you can see billions of dimensions everywhere. Now, normally, none would be able to access the Via Temporis for several reasons. One to start is, there is a constant nuking eliminating shadow named ¡°Umbra Perpetua¡±, which is similar to a black hole you see.¡± ¡°B-B-B-B-Black hole!? Are you serious, Tiddal-san!?¡± ¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t worry. Kaliya here is at least 5 times faster than the shadow that¡¯s chasing us. Besides, he is my dragon, so there is that. Anyhow, we should be arriving pretty soon. Also, I released an imprisoning skill on you, just so you don¡¯t fall. Because, once you are on top of Kaliya, the chances of you falling are quite high. If you¡¯re wondering as to why my eyes turned green, it¡¯s because of that skill. Remember when you analyzed the Atomic Rock?¡± My eyes must have turned red that time since Tiddal-san¡¯s eyes also did turn red if I recall correctly. ¡°My eyes turned red, right?¡± ¡°Spot on. Every time that a skill is used that belongs to the ¡®Atlas Network¡¯, depending on what type of skill and what part it belongs to in the Atlas Network, your body will overall have changes. Especially the eyes. Well, what I¡¯m spouting to you must be pure nonsense, so if you don¡¯t understand then don¡¯t bother with it, really.¡± How correct he is. It doesn¡¯t matter what type of cool information he has in store for me, it won¡¯t change the fact that it¡¯s beyond my reach. It¡¯s like when someone speaks a foreign language and you haven¡¯t learned that language. Although it¡¯s not exactly the same case, it has its own similarities. I¡¯ve got to say though, this dragon¡­ His name was Kaliya, right? He has what it seem to be four horns. One on the right side of the head, the other on the left side. The other two are located in the middle of those two horns. Precisely just above Kaliya¡¯s gigantic eyes, which I could not see because they are out of my field of vision. In a way, it¡¯s like a control engine, almost equivalent to that of a motorcycle. Kaliya has very thick skin though, along with its green colored skin. Dark green to be precise, but it has a remarkable white portion, mainly on its belly and tail. Furthermore, it¡¯s large, like way too large, truly. In the end, my one doubt would be¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san, we all have a level, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Every target, once contracted is submitted to the Leveling System. To level up is to survive, in any dimension.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then how does a target level up?¡± Of all questions to ask, this should have been without the shadow of the doubt the first one to ask. From the moment I knew the Atomic Rock¡¯s level, this was a natural curiosity that would obviously emerge within my consciousness yet I held back just for this moment. The moment where more information would be distributed. Nevertheless, I could have asked this way earlier but felt that need unnecessary. That was stupid alright. But, being stupid is one of my personal traits. ¡°Say, how does a person get stronger?¡± Asks Tiddal while looking me in the eyes as we continue to travel among the Via Temporis while witnessing multiple dimensions with different shapes and forms ¡°How¡­? I don¡¯t know¡­¡± If I knew the answer to this question, I wouldn¡¯t suffer daily bullying and would have, for sure, not killed myself. ¡°I suppose a weak person has a weak mentality, so it can¡¯t be helped. Listen well, because I will never repeat this again. To be strong, it means to absolutely conquer all the factors that are required to become a strong individual. Being stronger is never enough to become strong. That¡¯s why it¡¯s important to be weak. Without being weak you can never become stronger. For instance, to become good at any academic subject, all that you have to do is to gather knowledge about that subject and utilize it to your best. Of course, if you don¡¯t utilize this knowledge in a way that will aid your strength growth process then it¡¯s meaningless. What I¡¯m trying to say is¡­ to become strong it means to feed on something that will allow you to get stronger. It leads to a scenario where utilizing the weak is without a doubt a method to constantly accelerate your growth overall. That¡¯s why we are about to go over the Aquaris dimension.¡± Tiddal-san¡¯s words this time ringed a little bit more than his usual unknown knowledge about this Leveling System honestly. Basically, to become stronger it means to feed on something that will allow you to become stronger? I wonder just how versatile that truly is¡­ ¡°We are here. Kaliya, stop.¡± Tiddal continues As Tiddal-san demands that Kaliya stops his flight, we are essentially in front of a huge gate portal. One so big it probably has unknown measures. I assume that because, even if I look up or from the sideways, it¡¯s gigantic to the point where all I can see is a light horizon and nothing more. Aside from that, even though my body is still paralyzed, I can see what it would seem to be a mirage of the ¡®dimension¡¯ that is known as ¡®Aquaris¡¯. Although¡­ It¡¯s only water¡­ Like, literally. It¡¯s as if I¡¯m staring at a large, colossal, deep ocean. In all means, Tiddal seems to be accessing his ¡®Atlas¡¯ for some reason. ¡°Woah, it¡¯s so¡­ vast! Just from seeing from afar, I can already tell it¡¯s beautiful. And¡­ Tiddal-san, can¡¯t you release that imprisoning skill from me now? Since Kaliya isn¡¯t moving, its fine isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯m still accessing this dimension. Just wait a little.¡± Eh¡­ So you need to access dimensions huh? I guess it goes without saying that nothing is free, especially an entrance to something, in this case, a dimension. ¡°Tiddal-san, sorry to be a bother, but I¡¯m just curious¡­ What happens if you fall from here?¡± ¡°It goes without saying that the one that falls from here is, not only caught up by the Living Shadow that consumes this place also known as ¡®Umbra Perpetua¡¯, but as a bonus, you are thrown right into the negative level dimensions.¡± ¡°Negative level dimensions? What¡¯s that? Does that mean anything out of the ordinary, Tiddal-san?¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.¡°Obviously. But then again, it''s taboo to speak about the negative level dimensions. Thankfully, there are no people here except you and me, so we are in a safe spot right now.¡± That¡¯s a taboo? I wonder why. ¡°Alright, that took longer than expected. Impermanence, off. Supernatet, activate!!¡± Says Tiddal-san while looking at me with silver eyes, this time around It must be another skill of his. Though, whatever could it be this time¡­ ¡°What did you use on me this time, Tiddal-san? I hope it¡¯s not an imprisoning skill¡­¡± I worryingly reply ¡°Relax; it¡¯s something a bit more fun. Try to move around for a bit.¡± ¡°Well, ok- W-W-Woah!! P-Put me down, Tiddal-san!!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic! Just focus on getting to where I am!¡± Something unexpected once again occurred. Even though it wasn¡¯t a skill that could be considered a problematic one, this one had its own share of problems too. However, they were more, well, turbulent¡­ Besides, this skill was, undoubtedly, something that could make the target of it, fly. Even after Tiddal-san¡¯s words, this skill is¡­ out of my control!! ¡°I can¡¯t!! Save me, Tiddal-san!¡± ¡°Hell no. Just do what I told you. Look in my direction and focus on getting here.¡± To get to where Tiddal-san currently is, what I need to do is to have the ability to control this skill, but¡­ I have no idea how to use it. This is bad, at this rate, I might fly over¡­ What the hell is it that I need to do¡­ ¡°Sigh¡­ Look here, to what I¡¯m about to do. Supernatet, activate.¡± Tiddal-san must have activated Supernatet on himself since he is flying now over in my direction. ¡°W-Woah, you can really fly with this skill!!¡± ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s normal, that IS what the skill does after all¡± Sarcastically finishes Tiddal His sarcasm hurts, to the point where I can¡¯t even distinguish whether he is being sarcastic or not. That¡¯s quite malicious; then again, someone with power like Tiddal has all the freedom to sarcastically laugh at me. ¡°Listen quick. Use your feet to impulse yourself towards any direction. For example, watch me. I will fly towards the gate portal." By steadily applying force with his feet, Tiddal-san gains impulse to the point where he is able to fly towards the Gate Portal. I thought that there was a trick to this, but he made it look so simple. It must be the whole vacuum of impulse that happened during the moment he set his flight off. ¡°Now, try it. Remember, impulse yourself with your feet and fly towards here. It isn¡¯t hard; this is so basic that even a total beginner like you can do.¡± That¡¯s a faithful remark alright. Still, I can¡¯t exactly just beat my fear of simply flying towards the Gate Portal. I mean, the very fact that I am here in this supernatural environment is making me so scared that I just want to shit myself. Can¡¯t this just be over so I can go home¡­? If that¡¯s the case, then why do I find myself here right now? It was probably that stupid desire of mine¡­ To see an actual better world. I¡¯ve come this far, no backing down. I rather die trying than not try and die at all. ¡°Tiddal-san. If I die here, will I be able to still visit this world you said you would show me?¡± ¡°Well, no. If you do die right here, then no. Because I am the one giving you this chance and this chance could only be given by me. So, yeah. Also, why so suicidal all over the sudden? You should get rid of that sorrowful personality of yours, it¡¯s not hard, you know.¡± Hints of sarcasm are just all over the place. ¡°I guess I worried for nothing. I really¡­ do have to change for the better, uh? Will this be the first step towards that?¡± ¡°Not if you let others determine that choice for you.¡± ¡°What if I do?¡± ¡°Then, what good is it for you to be alive? If you let others make your decisions, it¡¯s as if others are simply living your life. That¡¯s sporadic. Also, hurry up, this Gate Portal won¡¯t stay open forever.¡± To let others make decisions for me. It¡¯s ironic because his own words simply described what he just said at its best. However, what do I know? Nothing. If my time of dying has already arrived and I didn¡¯t achieve anything with it, then it means that even suicide can¡¯t solve a person¡¯s problem. I¡¯m so dumb. Of course, it wouldn¡¯t. But without that, I could never have the chance to meet a person that I could truly admire from my perspective. Tiddal-san said that he would never be like me, but that I could be like him. I wonder if that¡¯s possible¡­ Enough self-indulging. I decided to confidentially drift off to where Tiddal-san and met up with him. ¡°Eh, it wasn¡¯t hard after all...¡± ¡°Nothing is hard unless you make it hard. Hop on, we are going in.¡± Aquaris Dimension ¡°I¡¯m gonna ask the impossible, but please don¡¯t freak out¡­¡± Impossible. Impossible. Impossibleeeeeeeeeeeee. Nope, no way in hell. Get me out. ¡°Tiddal-san!! I want to go home!!¡± ¡°You really hysterical huh? No matter. At any rate, you see that big shark that is wildly, savagely, swimming across the water down there?¡± Maybe in my deepest of desires, one day, a desire that would resemble that of going to the ocean could take form. But if going to an ocean meant this, then it wouldn¡¯t be a desire. Instead, it would be a tremendous fear. Right now, Tiddal-san is pointing in the direction of a large ocean, where an extremely gigantic Kraken lies within. It¡¯s so gigantic that, if it has over 100 meters then the surprise element would not be out of the box here. That¡¯s not the only thing that¡¯s freaking me out. If it was the Kraken, then maybe I could have contained myself. However, this dimension, for some reason¡­ Is just water. What do you mean it¡¯s just water!? I get that every planet goes through this phase. Actually, no. Just Earth and it was a very long time ago. My point is, if I didn¡¯t have the Supernatet on me right now, then I would be canned food to that Kraken. Oops, that¡¯s not quite right. There is a reason as to why I¡¯m not quite right. It¡¯s because there are goddamn gigantic sea creatures everywhere, scattered all over the ocean. Mister Kraken is easily spotted table due to its over sided lengthy. As a final touch, a literal cherry on top is the fact that they are all different types of creatures. Right down me, there is a 60-meter hammer shark, on my right, there are three 40 meter piranhas. What is this? Is this hell? Save me, Tiddal-san. ¡°I-I¡¯ll do anything, just get me out please¡­..!!!¡± ¡°No can do. There is a reason as to why I had you came here, after all.¡± ¡°Huh? What would that be?!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember? Oh well, I¡¯ll refresh your memory. You said ¡®How do targets level up?¡¯ That¡¯s what I¡¯m about to show you, but first, I should tell you this. We are currently trapped here. Unless you do the following, then we are stuck here forever, realistically.¡± Huh? No, that can¡¯t be. Being stuck here, while receiving lecherous gazes from these spawns of Satan. Hell noooooooooooooo¡­ ¡°By following you mean..?¡± ¡°Well, you see. There is no easy way to put this. But, you see that Kraken?¡± How could I not!? The only thing that¡¯s between me and that Kraken is the fact that I¡¯m currently flying over 300 meters up in the air due to Tiddal-san¡¯s flying skill; otherwise, death would be certain. ¡°It¡¯s a little bit impossible not to see it¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. This might sound a bit horrifying, but it¡¯s for the greater good. Unless that Kraken is slain, we cannot leave this dimension.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t follow.¡± ¡°Huh? You don¡¯t follow? I¡¯ll repeat myself then. Unless the Kraken is slain, we cannot leave this dimension. Got it?¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t got it. Can we return already, please? This is obviously suicidal, really. I¡¯m completely scared over here; you do know that, right, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°Your fears are something that needs to be worked on. Still, that¡¯s a matter for another particular time. Look at the Kraken, just like the way you looked to the Atomic Rock.¡± ¡°Are you asking me what I think you¡¯re asking me, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°Exactly. On with it.¡± If my memory is correct, all that I had to do was to focus my gaze to a point where a confirmation notification would appear, correct? Let¡¯s give it a try. Also, I decided to give this a special name. ¡°Penance Gaze, activate.¡± ¡°Penance Gaze, eh? So lame, there were better options. For example, how about ¡®Devil¡¯s Vision Shackles¡¯?¡± So cool. As expected of Tiddal-san. But, that hurt. ¡°So, what do you see?¡± ¡°This is¡ª¡° Is this normal or is this just a prank!? I need to first confirm something with him¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san, what is the maximum level that a target can achieve?¡± ¡°On normal circumstances, it¡¯s 99. Why though? Is there something abnormal about the Kraken¡¯s level?¡± ¡°¡­You knew about it?¡± ¡°I figured something was up with it. Let me give you an important hint about the Leveling System. Every target that is above the average level does not behave properly. Of course, this doesn¡¯t really apply to, for instance, a human like us. The cycle of life is a mysterious yet simple one. That Kraken you see was without a doubt a Kraken that had consumed countless creatures in its past. However, it died, so this is where it went. About his behavior¡­ I¡¯m no expert on Krakens, but¡­ When one is clearly swimming around and around this fast and impulsively, then its level must be¡­ outrageously high.¡± Determining an incredibly frightening target¡¯s level just like that is¡­ Amazing. Well, that¡¯s to be expected, so no real surprise there. The Kraken¡¯s level is 87¡­!! I don¡¯t know how strong Tiddal-san is or how he plans on defeating it since I¡¯ve never seen a fight or anything. The idea of how something like this can be eliminated is out of my mind¡­ Just what the hell is one supposed to do in this type of scenario? Plus, the Kraken has 123 points of strength and 189 points in defense!! That¡¯s an absurdity compared to the rock. Ah, but you really can¡¯t compare that Atomic Rock to this terrifying Kraken. The Kraken has a name, now that I¡¯ve read it, I wonder if Tiddal-san knows about it. ¡°That¡¯s impressive and all, but for future references, what is the plan for slaying that Kraken? Is there any sort of mysterious way to do it? A cheat system or something? I¡¯m open for ideas.¡± ¡°Cheats can be real you know. Once you acquire a strength factor so stupidly overpowered to your arsenal, it will be viewed as cheating from the perspective of the weak. In any case, it¡¯s about time, I get on with it. Just hold on to this and watch.¡± Tiddal san¡¯s wisdom appears to be unrivaled. Furthermore, he handles me from what it looks like to be a small dagger. Why, though? ¡°About this dagger, what is it for, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°Nothing in particular. Just pay close attention to what I¡¯m about to do. Also, when I do call for you, throw that dagger towards the Kraken, got that?¡± Throw towards the Kraken? But it¡¯s so far away, how am I even supposed to¡­ ¡°How am I supposed to throw the dagger towards the Kraken if it¡¯s this far away?¡± ¡°Your questions will have answers soon enough, trust me. Now then, let¡¯s get the party started.¡± As Tiddal-san declares that bold statement, he does the same thing as I did not a while ago. Analysis of the Kraken, to be more precise. His eyes went completely red as he mutters: ¡°Sepia Saeva, huh? Level 87? Those are some nice status too¡­ 263 points in Tenacity. What a fucking monstrosity. It¡¯s no wonder you were so fired up about it, huh?¡± Wait, what? Did he just say ¡°Sepia Saeva¡±? How can that be? When I read it, it only appeared as ¡°Undying Kraken¡±, so why is the name different¡­ Also, tenacity? Is that an additional status or something? Tiddal-san has a fearless glare though. Whenever he enters on his sudden zone, it¡¯s like he is the only one that exists. It¡¯s a bit scary. That¡¯s not it though. What truly captured my curiosity were his last lines¡­ Who was he referring to? He didn¡¯t look at me, so it¡¯s fair to say that he was perhaps talking to himself or something? So many questions with vague answers¡­ ¡°Hey! You damned kraken, look at me! That¡¯s right, I¡¯m talking to you, you big colossal fuck. Prepare to have your life be consumed by someone who is so much greater than you that all your past efforts will look so pathetic you¡¯ll want to die! But don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll do that part myself.¡± That was probably, if not the most, open invitation ever. What¡¯s worse is, the Kraken responded, in such a scary way that I was forced to elevate my altitude. If we are 300 meters away from the Kraken, then I need to at least be 300 more. In no way in this dimension is it safe to ever stay too close to the water surface. ¡°Tiddal-san!! I¡¯m going up; will you be okay on your end?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to go up, just watch me.¡± That¡¯s definitely a no. I¡¯m sorry for being such a coward, but no matter how you look at it, that Kraken just leached you with two tentacles and that went up for like 200 meters, so it¡¯s not safe out there. ¡°I¡¯ll watch you, from afar.¡± ¡°Coward.¡± That¡¯s what I am. Although, instead of prioritizing that sad remark, there was something that had happened which was far more interesting and worrisome. Tiddal-san, the black haired man that had told me to watch him, just cut his own palm with a slice utilizing his teeth. What savagery. There might be a hidden meaning to it though. I wasn¡¯t wrong; there was indeed a secret meaning to it. The fearless man tossed the blood that was squandered on his right-hand palm into the air to perform a very strange move. Firstly, he drags his index finger with blood to the right, as if to create a line. Next up, he elevated his index finger up, then to his left. Finally, he went down. It was a full blood square. Tiddal-san was not done yet though. Using his index finger soaped with blood once again, he started to draw a diagonal line on the frontier of the right side of the square. In the end, he used the end of that line to unite it to the upper side of the right side of the square. Thus creating a side triangle with blood on the blood square. As the last touch, he did exactly the same thing, just on the opposite side. Instead of being on the right, it was on the left side. The preparations appeared to be complete, was what Tiddal-san¡¯s expression told me. I was genuinely excited. It was like the hero was about to fight the final boss that would destroy the world. ¡°Seriously¡­ You are one needy mascot¡­ It¡¯s almost wrong to call you that, you damned parasite¡­¡± At any rate, the Kraken which had been provoked by Tiddal-san was clearly on its edge, since its tentacle lashes reached the 250 meters¡­ If Tiddal-san doesn¡¯t do anything, he will soon¡­.!! ¡°Ahh¡­. Shut up already¡­ I¡¯ll put you out of your misery soon, fucking creature, just give me one second¡­¡± Regardless of Tiddal-san¡¯s verbal assaults towards the Kraken, it seemed that the Kraken had no intention of surrendering to his verbal savagery. Hope seems a bit lost, to be frank. It was 250 meters a while ago. But now¡­ 275¡­ No¡­ 280!? Hurry up¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san, get out of there, you will die! Please, let¡¯s just leave already!!¡± When all hope seemed lost, the courageous man entrusted both of his hands right inside the two triangles that he had drawn with his blood. One on the right and the other on the left. There was a meaning to this. A meaning that was so sacrilegious yet so meaningful, just what could it be¡­ ¡°Preparations complete. I hereby, release you of your slumber. Mighty Goddess of the seas, loved by your enemies. Deity of pureness yet detainer of profanity. March forward in your rebellion, awaken, Leviathan!!¡± Through the large bloody square that had been painted with blood, a magnificent, dazzling sea serpent comes flying by very swiftly. I thought that the Kraken itself was a pretty huge threat in terms of size, but in this case, one could say that this specific creature was on a league of its own. To my personal beliefs, it would not betray my expectations, if this sea serpent could simply entangle and strangle the Kraken with just her whole body. That¡¯s right; she had a total of 500 meters¡­ No, I can¡¯t determine it anymore, after all these measures were all hypothetic, so¡­ I have absolutely no idea. Aside from this, Leviathan makes her way all up to the sky, to the point where she makes a full spiral spin up in the high elevated large clouds. ¡°Heh, that¡¯s just like Tiddal-san. To have something so powerful upon his sleeve.¡± I can¡¯t tell if it was either an amazing coincidence or absurd luck on my part to have met this man today. All that there is to say is that I¡¯ve only started my own life, is what I feel like. This moment, right here, right now. I wonder just how many would give to be in my place. Most would decline considering how dangerous and scary it is. That¡¯s how it should be, but¡ªthis is a place that I would never give it to anybody else. ¡°Leviathan, return. Let¡¯s give our hungry guest a big welcome party.¡± Orders Tiddal towards Leviathan who comes rushing to his side at enormous velocity At the sight of Leviathan returning to his side, Tiddal-san follows Leviathan while riding her. ¡°Supernatet, off. Let¡¯s go, Leviathan! Supreme Oceanic Kaiser, on!¡± Tiddal utters loudly The concept of transformation can easily be relative and overlooked. It goes without saying that transformations are relative because it will depend on the situation, yet that was the first moment in my entire life. No, in this new life, that I felt that it was no longer so relative, as that transformation quickly graduated from a relative term to an amazing desire that I would for sure, one day, wield. Desires aside, the reality that was upheld at this moment reflected the equivalent of the following: A crazy yet fearless man in a golden crown with a blue suit was currently leading a gigantic sea serpent towards the colossal Kraken that was underwater. Naturally, there was more to that blue suit. To start off, the golden crown would resemble that of a King. However, in this case, it was clearly an implication that Tiddal-san was the King of the Oceans. Followed up with a white cape, the rest of his clothes which were in the past; black jeans and black jacket, have turned into a surprising majestic unusual blue suit. With the already mentioned white cape, the top and bottom were completely blue. Although, there were remarks of green scales on what it would appear to be his foot. Plus, on his face, there were fish scales. Needless to say, Tiddal-san¡¯s transformation would resemble that of a being that would indulge right into the deep ocean, thus allowing him to travel right in it. ¡°Tiddal-san!! That¡¯s amazing! What is that skill called!?¡± ¡°No time to explain it, Rei! Because, just as you are about to witness with your own two eyes, I¡¯m about to deliver the grand judgment to this savagery of a monster! Roam towards your target, Leviathan.¡± Without any type of warning, a sudden huge roar filled up the atmosphere. This atmosphere, which was surrounded by nothing but water which had terrifying monsters in it. It¡¯s truly something rare to be able to feast my eyes on this. At first, it seems so simple, doesn¡¯t it? A vast infinite ocean with blue water so radiant it¡¯s probably worth a billion of diamonds. But that exotic radiance is what makes it worthwhile, without it, it would become true hell. Ah, that¡¯s not wrong, this is hell. Hell that Tiddal-san is going straight into, just as he charges with Leviathan right to the Level 87 Kraken. ¡°Eh!! Tiddal-san, that¡¯s the water! How are you going to breathe there!? It¡¯s impossible; no human can stand that long inside water, especially against those types of monsters!!!¡± As soon as Tiddal-san and Leviathan both merged themselves with the deep ocean that had unknown profundity, all the monsters that were surrounding the large ocean began to rapidly move towards the direction where Tiddal-san had gone with Leviathan. Besides, Tiddal-san at this point can¡¯t hear me out, since he has gone inside the ocean to supposedly fight the Kraken. ¡°Tiddal-san!!¡± I worryingly exclaim my worries However, it was not soon, that the Kraken that had been running rampant on the ocean deep down came out flying out of it. No, that wasn¡¯t the case. From what I could witness, just as the Kraken came out flying towards the elevated air, Leviathan had made sure that would happen, just as Tiddal-san quickly emerges from the vast ocean. Still, that didn¡¯t mean much, since the Kraken kept on attacking against Tiddal-san. Multiple quick tentacle whiplashes came forward in Leviathan¡¯s direction. ¡°Hang in there, Leviathan!!¡± I screamed to Leviathan It was a furious battle that was just happening. The Kraken¡¯s attacks were beyond my eyesight since they suddenly excelled my comprehension. In contrast to that velocity, Leviathan¡¯s movements just kept on getting faster as both the Kraken and Leviathan fought in the air. Swiftly dodging the Kraken¡¯s retaliations, Leviathan always followed a partner of dodging that would imply that she would have to surround that tentacle and then give a full spiral lap to it, just so it would have no effect at all, the Kraken¡¯s attacks that is. ¡°Leviathan, it¡¯s time. Strangle it. Supreme Oceanic Kaiser, off. Polyhedic Dark Board, activate!!¡± ¡°Eh? You¡¯re turning off that awesome skill¡­ Why, though...?¡± I muttered as I watched the battle from far up in the clouds From my observation so far, there is something that could be breached. The fact that Tiddal-san has survived that long inside the water and against the Kraken, should mean that the ¡®Supreme Oceanic Kaiser¡¯ skill or whatever it is, gave him some sort of ability to withstand the water pressure and all. It doesn¡¯t make sense as to how someone who has a body that resembles a human can be in that water and actually live on. Just what the hell happened?! Furthermore, now that skill is apparently turned off, a new one came to play. ¡°P-Polyh- Bah, it¡¯s so hard to say!¡± That¡¯s right, this strangely named skill (or I would assume that it is one), just took the form of a board. In all likelihood, boards are used to surf the ocean, that¡¯s for sure. Coincidentally, we are currently in the middle of one. To be more precise, my location is 600 meters above it, but Tiddal-san seems to be going against my direction as the Kraken that is undoubtedly being, cruelly strangled by Leviathan falls right into the ocean. As a last detail to add up, this new board of his, aside from being dark as the name says its shape is¡­Bizarre¡­ Almost like it has multiple mathematic figures lumped together¡­ Regardless of that, it looks¡­ alive. ¡°Leviathan, bring it down to the ocean!¡± Says Tiddal has he and Leviathan redirect the Kraken towards the ocean ¡°Raaarghhh!!!¡± Leviathan loudly roars. ¡°Rei!!! Get closer, will you?¡± ¡°Huh!? No way, Tiddal-san! That¡¯s suicidal, I will die!¡± ¡°Just shut up and trust me! It will be fine, come on!¡± ¡°I will only descend a little bit, but no more than 300 meters, ok?!¡± ¡°Aye, aye. End the blabbering and come on over! Leviathan won¡¯t hold on much longer, just so you know.¡± Eh? Leviathan can¡¯t hold on for much longer!? Well, now that I look at her that¡¯s true. She appears to be having difficulty having a hold of the Kraken. Even though it would appear that Leviathan has the strength of a thousand armies, she is starting to lose against the Kraken. That¡¯s to be expected, I suppose because the Kraken IS level 87. Although, I don¡¯t have any idea how strong that is since all that has been happening is just one surprise after another, if the maximum level is 99 then¡­ A target that has a level of 87 should be pretty high, correct? Plus, nothing tells me that even if I do get to where Tiddal-san currently is that I can survive. As I thought, it¡¯s beyond suicidal. I¡¯m so sorry¡­ Tiddal-san!! ¡°T-This is far enough, right, Tiddal-san!?¡± ¡°Perfect. Now, throw that dagger towards the Kraken¡¯s direction, please.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t have the strength to throw it!¡± No matter how strong Tiddal-san is, if he relies on a weakling like me, then it¡¯s all over. I seriously thought he had a plan or something, but is he actually gonna rely on me?! Tiddal-san, what are you thinking?! ¡°Rei!! There isn¡¯t much time, just throw it! I never said that you had to put actual strength into it, just throw it. Listen to my words for once! Now, throw it, Rei!!¡± True enough. He never said that. I assuming that Tiddal-san had said something that he never said was probably just I succumbing in my unpleasant fear. If it¡¯s just to throw, then there is no problem at all. Now then¡­ ¡°O-Okay, I just have to throw it, right?!¡± ¡°Yes!! Hurry, for God¡¯s sake!¡± Tiddal loudly shouts. Oddly enough, his shout density was almost as loud as Leviathan¡¯s roar. ¡°Here it goes¡­¡­!!¡± I clumsily say as I throw the dagger in my hand towards the Kraken As expected, the throw itself was poor, lacked grip and ultimately, was weak. Still, Tiddal-san said that there was no necessity to actually put some strength into it, even though I put all my strength into it, it went so poorly. Ah, that¡¯s what you get for relying on me. Those without strength belong to a different league than those who have the strength to uphold everything on their own. I belong to the first league, so even though it pains me to say this¡­ It¡¯s both my and your own fault. Your fault for relying on me and, the other fault falls on me for being unreliably weak. Now, we shall die right he--- ¡°Great job, Rei. All preparations are now complete. Leviathan,bring it up.¡± Tiddal mutters to Leviathan¡¯s right ear Falling straight down in a linear line, the dagger felled towards the Kraken, still as mentioned, it lacked certain factors for that throw to be effective. ¡°Eh? What do you mean-¡° ¡°Rarrrrgghhhh!!!¡± Leviathan bestially roars as she elevates the strangled Kraken towards the air At a fierce speed, Leviathan transports the Kraken to a certain degree of elevation in the air. To be more accurate, it was precisely 200 meters up in the air. More surprisingly, Leviathan makes a weird move. She moved towards the right, but then immediately moves to the left as if to gain impulse. That was exactly it, though. Using that impulse gained during that agitation, she manages to toss the Kraken right into my direction. Tiddal-san was right there alongside her with his dark board. Wait. Wait. Wait a damn second. Oi, that¡¯s bad. Tiddal-san, you wouldn¡¯t!! ¡°T-T-Tiddal-san!! Help me!! Waaahh!!!¡± I scream as the Kraken comes off flying right into my direction ¡°Relax already. It¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± It seems that I¡¯ve forgotten an important factor, although, it was a factor that I was simply too panicked to notice in the first place. Nevertheless, it came to my mind right when the Kraken that was supposedly flying in my direction to kill me started to crumble right into the ocean. The Kraken¡¯s fall was right about to create a huge splash into the ocean. It was truly a moment where one could call it a ¡®Tomb¡¯, in this case, the Kraken¡¯s tomb. All the rest of the creatures that were running rampant much like the Kraken began to desperately flee as they witnessed the mighty one fade away. ¡°Told ya. And with that, all the other small fry have run in terror. Whenever large creatures or targets in this scenario gather around while imitating the behavior of the most dangerous target, then that means that there is a ¡®King¡¯ or a ¡®Queen¡¯ owning that certain territory.¡± ¡°King? What do you mean, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°Sigh. Good grief, you really know nothing. That¡¯s to be expected, this is a rare scenario, so let me give you some knowledge in this regard. A target that belongs to an animalistic hegemony usually has harsh competitions inside their supposed dimension. Dimensions are divided into several particular regions. Much like your Earth, there can be countries that were originally formed inside continents, and still, continue to be. Still, that doesn¡¯t necessarily apply to all dimensions. It¡¯s sort of alternative in a sense because no matter the dimension there is always a difference in the formation of regions and such. Furthermore, dimensions like this which are undoubtedly massive, some might call it close to infinite, are divided by regions too. The region that we are currently in is called ¡°Profundomilis¡±. This might look big, but it is in fact, the smallest region of this dimension, against all odds." ¡°Ehh!? This!? Small!? No way, Tiddal-san, that¡¯s impossible! How can something this large be considered small?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the truth, though. I wouldn¡¯t lie about something I wouldn¡¯t know about. Plus, the smaller it is, the higher the competition there is between targets. This is due to the fact that among the heated competition that there is out there, inside dimensions, territories that lie within certain regions are already taken by high-level targets. These targets emerge stronger by raising their own level, in the easiest of ways, eradication. Furthermore, to assert one territory, there are battles which are made in order to decide who uphold that territory. Although, there are obviously, exceptions to this. Not all targets function in agreement to the previous King¡¯s rules. Let¡¯s say for instance, that that Hammer Shark over there ascended as the King in this territory. Nothing says that he wouldn¡¯t make new rules regarding on how to take control of this territory. The previously King, which was the ¡®Sepia Saeva¡¯ is no longer the King. Why? Because he was conquered not so long ago. Which means that the spot for the King or Queen is now open. Needless to say is, there will be a battle between the targets to determine who rises up as that powerful element. That¡¯s how Kings or Queens are formed. The leveling system is without a doubt, a competitive one. Did this answer your question? Or do I need to go over something?¡± ¡­This might be too much information for me¡­ I¡¯m not sure how I¡¯m supposed to process all of this¡­ I wish I had some way to record his explanations to faithfully hear them later, just so I could get a better understanding of his words, but that seems to be a little bit impossible. Still, there are a few questions that need to be answered. ¡°Tiddal-san, just wh-¡° ¡°Ah, wait a minute. I need to let this girl rest. She¡¯s been on fire today. Leviathan, you can rest now.¡± As Tiddal-san uttered those words, the majestically long sea serpent that was standing silent amidst the air suddenly loses its form. However, I didn¡¯t expect this. In no way, could I have foreseen this. To think that Leviathan would be a girl¡­!? I knew it was a she, but to think she had a human form! ¡°T-Tiddal-san, that¡¯s!¡± ¡°You better catch her, Rei.¡± Leviathan suddenly took the form of a girl which was not much younger than me by her looks. Putting aside her erotic looks, since she was currently in what it would seem to be a bikini only, the girl named Leviathan was falling at a rapid speed in the ocean¡¯s direction. ¡°B-But! That¡¯s a girl, Tiddal-san, I can¡¯t possibly¡­¡± There is also, no way, that a coward like me can hold a girl with my two hands. In no alternative universe, if even, can I imagine myself do that action. It¡¯s simply out of the question. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know that I won¡¯t catch her. How horrible of you, to let a girl who clearly just saved you from death to die for your own selfishness.¡± Grins Tiddal in a very sarcastic way He can¡¯t be serious. Is he really going to do this to me!? That¡¯s cynical¡­ ¡°Also, she will probably hunt you down if you don¡¯t save her now. Quickly or else, who knows, one of those targets might just eat her.¡± Continues Tiddal with his sarcastic assault Although he acts fearless, heroic and confident, he does this¡­ How unlucky can I get¡­? No choice then. There is no way in hell that I¡¯m letting her die, in this place and in that way. That¡¯s just stupid since it can be avoided. ¡°¡­Fine, you win. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Be careful, she bites.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± I seriously worryingly ask Tiddal ¡°Nah, no way. Get going, she¡¯s really going to fall prey to the remaining targets. They already made their way back, so be one with haste.¡± ¡°Waahhh!! You weren¡¯t joking! I¡¯ve got to go! ¡­I¡¯ll be right back, Tiddal-san!¡± ¡°Get going.¡± Using the speed from Supernatet, I quickly make my way to where Leviathan-san is, more like to where she¡¯s falling into. She¡¯s seriously close to being food right now. Just hold on a second¡­ ¡°Got you¡­¡± Fortunately, I managed to catch her just when she was about to fall. What terror it was, just to be that close to the ocean, I feel like dying right now. Oh God, that was so fucking scary¡­! I¡¯m never doing that again, in fact, I would never, but I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I let a person die due to my own fears. There is a limit to selfishness. Either way, I make my way to Tiddal-san at once. ¡°Not bad, but seriously, be careful, she might bite.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t she asleep though?¡± That was correct. If I had to take a guess, she is tired from that superb engage on the Kraken earlier. Still¡­ Her body is so¡­ Just the feeling from her thighs is something that is out of this universe. It¡¯s like I¡¯m touching something that is so forbidden that immediately makes one contemplate its existence. In this case, her whole body was something that I couldn¡¯t avert my eyes from. Besides, she¡¯s just in a blue bikini, what¡¯s up with that? As a matter of fact, she is all blue, except for her skin. Her skin is naturally the same as mine. But, she has blue hair, blue nails, and a blue bikini. If she has blue eyes, then it wouldn¡¯t be surprising, truly. ¡°Not for long. She hates to sleep, so that¡¯s why she is hyperactive when it comes to waking up.¡± ¡°Um, hyperactive, meaning¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to find out. Ohh! She¡¯s drooling, rhahahaha!! This is priceless, gotta take a Picture Sphere of this. Rhahaha, to think she would droll while sleeping!¡± Ah, it¡¯s true. She¡¯s drooling alright. That¡¯s natural though. In all likelihood, if you are tired, drooling once or twice isn¡¯t too abnormal. However, that¡¯s a pretty embarrassing thing to do. I wouldn¡¯t want to be in her place. ¡°Tiddal-san! You¡¯re horrible! It¡¯s pretty normal for a girl of her age to droll; after all, girls do need a lot of rest!¡± ¡°Are you by some chance implying that you know her age?¡± Says Tiddal while moving through his Atlas while taking out what it would appear to be a yellow sphere He¡¯s got a point. Her age is unknown to me. Nevertheless, she can¡¯t be older than me, she doesn¡¯t look that way at least. ¡°Leviathan-san doesn¡¯t look older than me, so I¡¯m guessing she has 17 years old?¡± ¡°Rhahahaha!!! 17 years old?! That¡¯s hilarious, Rei! You have a gift for comedy, trust me!!¡± Laughs Tiddal in a rude manner while snapping a picture of Leviathan I got slightly mad because my intentions were pure in this regard. ¡°Sarcasm aside, what is that?¡± ¡°Oh, this? It¡¯s just a Picture Sphere. It has the ability to take a picture. Simple as that. I can¡¯t lose this priceless moment, so I¡¯m taking more than one picture of course.¡± Tiddal endeavors Taking his horrible doings aside, it got my curiosity¡­ ¡°Hey, Tiddal-san.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Says Tiddal while constantly snapping pictures of Leviathan drooling ¡°How old is Leviathan-san?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Probably about 90 years old. Sea Serpents have the ability to not age at all, surprisingly.¡± She¡¯s quite old. No, she is too old! ¡°Isn¡¯t she way too old then!? There is no way that a person this old would droll, right?¡± ¡°R-Rei¡­¡± Totally ignoring Tiddal-san, I continued my necessary rant. ¡°Think about it. It would mean that the one that is drooling is probably extremely childish and impulsive. Plus, it could also mean that the one that is drooling is undoubtedly still developing his/her body. But considering her age, that¡¯s just impossible¡­ Or so I thought. Seriously, how can someone droll like this¡­¡± I fearlessly continue ¡°Rei, listen to me!!¡± Tiddal calls out to me ¡°Sorry, I will give you the word when I¡¯m done. Anyway, not even I droll this hard. Assuming I do droll at all, that is. What a completely childish individual.¡± I finish ¡°Rei¡­ I will not take responsibility you know¡­¡± ¡°Responsibility? For what? Her drooling? Or something else? You aren¡¯t being clear eno-¡° ¡®Pam¡¯, just like that, something worth the strength of a thousand armies eradicates my whole speech. I might have gotten a slight d¨¦j¨¤ vu from when Galatea delivered her divine slap. In any reality, my thought process truly believed that there would be no way for me to get slapped, or to at least receive a slap that would equalize to that of Galatea¡¯s. How wrong I was. ¡°Well, well, look who¡¯s up!¡± Tiddal exclaims I didn¡¯t even need to look to know who was up. After receiving such an impact on my left cheek, my surroundings became perfectly understandable. On one side, there was a black haired man laughing maliciously at me for some reason. It wasn¡¯t for some reason. I was quite aware of that reason. Ultimately, right below me, under my slender arms, there was a blue haired girl, furiously glaring at me with her beautiful blue eyes. That was when I realized, I was done for. ¡°¡­Y-You!! Who do you think you are talking about!!?¡± Leviathan begins her verbal assault Well, this is a bad situation. Let¡¯s try the good old fashioned way to solve problems. Lies. ¡°Oh hello there L-Leviathan-san. Did you hear what I just said?¡± ¡°How could I not!? You dare to talk about my beautiful state of sleep like that!? I¡¯ll fucking kill you!!¡± ¡°Y-You are mistaken! I and Tiddal were clearly talking about my state of sleep! Yes, that¡¯s right, isn¡¯t it, Tiddal-san!?¡± Please agree with me, Tiddal-san! You will, won¡¯t you!? ¡°20 seconds ago: ¡®Extremely childish and impulsive¡¯. Rhahahaha!!! Never, but never, did I thought I would witness such a person to talk like to Leviathan! My sides, rahahah!!¡± Tiddal loudly laughs at me I¡¯m not sure why I thought that it was a good idea to trust someone who proposed the idea of coming to a dimension that has creatures to freaking huge, but so huge, to the point where one would immediately flee in terror. Not to mention, the fact that he threw a gigantic Kraken in my direction. That was Leviathan, but it was without the shadow of the doubt, the one who issued the order to do so was, Tiddal-san. ¡°L-Leviathan, we can talk about th-¡° ¡®Pam¡¯. ¡°Congratulations, you have gained the special privilege to be my prey. I will thoroughly hunt you down, Rei-kun. Or should I say, Scum-kun?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t hunt me down, Leviathan-san. I swear that I was discussing my sleep state with Tiddal-san just a while ago!¡± ¡°You filthy, poor liar. Realize your place. Are you ready to die!?¡± ¡°T-Tiddal-san!!¡± I desperately call out to Tiddal ¡°Rhaha¡­ Okay, calm down Leviathan. He really did nothing that bad. It¡¯s a fact that you do droll quite hard whenever you fall asleep, so don¡¯t worry, he was just spilling out the facts.¡± Tiddal says as an attempt to calm down the enraged Leviathan ¡°I-I don¡¯t droll! You lie, master! I can¡¯t believe you would lie like this! Also¡­ Scum-kun, why are you holding my divine body in the first place? I don¡¯t recall giving you the privilege. Oh, I see, you are doing that just so you could die. Very well, then." Her body really is divine in a sense. ¡°Ah¡­ No, it¡¯s just that¡­ Well, if I let go of you, wouldn¡¯t you fall and then get devoured?¡± ¡°Such nonsense. I would obliterate anyone that stands in my way, of course.¡± She proudly says ¡°Really, though? In your current state, you can¡¯t even take form, can you?¡± Tiddal asks her ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± She mutters ¡°Be thankful. He was the one who caught you. Not me.¡± ¡°Hmpf. Why would I believe something coming from a liar like you? I¡¯m returning. Remember this, Scum-kun. You will pay for this.¡± She finalizes as she leaves off A girl¡¯s wrath is something to look out for. No, calling her girl would be a lie. A woman, then. Ah, that¡¯s a lie too. Let¡¯s go with grandma. She¡¯s technically a grandma, although she has the body and looks of a model. Ah, whatever. One thing is strange though¡­ She suddenly took off her human form and disappeared in thin air. ¡°Please no¡­¡± I mutter as a way to tell her to not make me pay ¡°Rei. You might be wondering as to why I did all this, correct?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, I wonder about a lot of things¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I won¡¯t be able to answer them all. Anyway, you should see a notification on the bottom on your vision field, correct?¡± Now that he mentions it¡­ There really is a notification (1) thingy at the bottom of my field of vision. Perhaps I didn¡¯t notice due to all the commotion, especially since the events so far have been catastrophic¡­ ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Does that have anything to do with any of this?¡± I asked ¡°Yes. In fact, it has to do with all of this. Anyway, click it. You remember how to do it, right?¡± By this time, I¡¯ve gotten used to it. It¡¯s quite similar, if not equal to an actual game. It¡¯s weird yet exciting how it¡¯s developed like this. ¡°Yeah, I do. Just a second then.¡± When I clicked that (1) button thingy, this appeared: [You have gained 15,000 experience points!] ¡°Have you read it, if so, and then what does it say?¡± Tiddal asks me as if he already knows what I¡¯m gazing at ¡°It says that I¡¯ve gained 15,000 experience points¡­¡± ¡°As expected huh¡­ That¡¯s about it for a beginner, after all. Click, the ¡®Ok!¡¯ button that should appear on the bottom of your screen.¡± It really is there. Just how much does he know to the point of orientating and guiding me when he can¡¯t even see my screen, supposedly? Either way, I decide to follow through with his instruction. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°So, what does it say?¡± He immediately lays down this question The following notification had these words in it: [Do you wish to utilize your experience points to:] A: Level Up B: Raise your Status Points C: Train your Mascot D: Buy Skills E: Store up Experience Points Please choose one of the above options. You cannot redo your choice. ¡°It has 5 options, by the looks of it.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ Well, forget about telling me, just choose the first option.¡± Why though? Why can¡¯t I choose my desired option? Ah, that¡¯s because I don¡¯t know what I desire. Besides, there is no telling what got me those 15,000 experience points¡­ So suspicious, all of this¡­ ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it is the correct option.¡± ¡°Yeah, but why is it the correct option and not the others?¡± I had to lay down these questions. It¡¯s not as if I suspect him, it¡¯s just that this will affect me, not Tiddal-san, so it makes all sort of logical sense to prioritize my decision over his. Although, that¡¯s rather selfish of me. But, I am like this, nothing more than a selfish coward. If so, I have to live in this way. ¡°Is it really that hard to trust me?¡± Perhaps. Who knows, really? All of your actions so far have been following a certain pattern. If there is one thing that can be learned while being with you, Tiddal-san, is that everything you do has a normal purpose and a secret purpose. Unraveling the normal purpose isn¡¯t the easiest task to do. At any rate, I strongly believe that by giving me the dagger earlier that he planned this whole situation out since the very beginning. I can¡¯t put it into exact words that compel normal reasoning, but he gives off a mysterious aura that it feels as if Tiddal-san views himself as the whole world and nothing else exists for him. Even so, if that¡¯s the first purpose, then what is the secret purpose? No¡­ What if there are more¡­ ¡°Your actions are really suspicious¡­¡± I¡¯ll just give him a simple honest answer. ¡°I won¡¯t blame you for doubting me. Even I doubt myself at times. But, answer me this. So far, have I done something that would make me deserve to be doubted?¡± That¡¯s¡­ He hasn¡¯t, that¡¯s for sure¡­ ¡°¡­Sorry for doubting you, Tiddal-san.¡± ¡°It¡¯s normal. You are a person who lacks confidence in the first place. If you can barely trust yourself then trusting others must be ten times harder, right?¡± Tiddal confidently replies Hehe. I guess it¡¯s useless no matter what I do. It¡¯s like he sees through me or something. ¡°One day, I will be like you, Tiddal-san.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not a bad choice, but click the first option, so I can explain you some things.¡± ¡°A second, then.¡± As I finish off the click on option A, to level up, I received the sudden notification, but to be more precise, the same notification appeared 6 times in a row, one after another. ¡°W-Woah¡­ What is this?¡± I somehow expected this, but consecutively 6 times in a row, the notification appeared: [You have leveled up! Congratulations, you are now level 2!] [You have leveled up! Congratulations, you are now level 3!] [You have leveled up! Congratulations, you are now level 4!] [You have leveled up! Congratulations, you are now level 5!] [You have leveled up! Congratulations, you are now level 6!] [You have leveled up! Congratulations, you are now level 7!] ¡°That was a level up notification, correct? How many did you receive?¡± ¡°S-Six¡­¡± ¡°I see. So you are level 7 now, correct?¡± Again. How does he know!? ¡°Y-Yeah, but how do you know?¡± ¡°Save the questions for later. We have to leave now. The Gate Portal is closing, let¡¯s go.¡± Maybe that was a way for him to escape the current interrogation, but that was clearly not it, the Gate Portal that we entered from was really closing. Yeah, in no way in hell do I want to stay here in this dimension. Only bad memories will come in the future in regards to this dimension. Let¡¯s see¡­ Terrorized, challenged and slapped. Those three words fit a good description when it comes to this Dimension, also known as Aquaris. In the end, I will finally be able to make my most desired leave it seems. Although this was a terrifying experience, it was still unique. ¡°Tiddal-san, are all people on other dimensions as knowledgeable as you are?¡± ¡°God, no. Anyways, we are leaving, unless you want to explore the other regions too for the laughs and giggles. But I should warn you, once Leviathan wakes up, she will be coming after you.¡± No thank you. I want home, badly. Never ever did I desire to go home this badly. Even though there is a very high probability that I will get treated like trash, it¡¯s still better than being in Aquaris. On the plus side, I leveled up, I wonder what benefits will this bring me. Asking questions to Tiddal-san at the moment is out of the question since he said that we need to leave, so that takes priority. In order to leave, I went with Tiddal-san to the Gate Portal and we left off. Via Temporis Huh? Was the Via Temporis always like this? Recall¡­ How it was¡­ Huh? Why can¡¯t I recall how it was? Putting that aside, it¡¯s a good thing that the grand dragon named Kaliya is waiting for us right here inside the Via Temporis. ¡°Polyhedic Dark Board, off. Supernatet, on.¡± Declares Tiddal to active his flying ability skill named Supernatet ¡°Do you remember how the Via Temporis was before, Tiddal-san? Because I don¡¯t. Is it bad if I don¡¯t?¡± ¡°Bad? I wouldn¡¯t say so. Nothing bad comes from not being able to remember how the Via Temporis was. It¡¯s a natural occurrence here, but every time that a dimension is breached, the shape and form of the Via Temporis changes. It¡¯s not as if you can¡¯t remember it¡¯s just that it has changed. For example, you remember Kaliya, don¡¯t you?¡± I suppose it¡¯s relative truth in a sense, whether I don¡¯t remember or not is another story. It feels as if I can¡¯t really remember anything, but maybe I¡¯m just over thinking? Either way, it¡¯s irrelevant if the Via Temporis changes or not. What is relevant is that I get home. I want no more of this. ¡°Yeah, this dragon remained here after all that, pretty loyal, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°He is loyal alright. But only towards those who are strong. If anyone who he is doesn¡¯t consider strong ride him, then that person will get thrown right into the negative dimensions. If you try to ride him, you will get sent right into the negative dimension below. Enough talk though. Kaliya, go to Heremus.¡± I see. So if someone who isn¡¯t strong enough tries to ride Kaliya then that person will meet his/her doom. It makes sense considering that this dragon allows a target to travel to another dimension. That must be extremely useful, no matter how one looks at it. Furthermore, I don¡¯t think that this dragon is something that even if the person who is riding is strong, will immediately obey. ¡°I thought Kaliya was your personal dragon, was I wrong?¡± I asked as we supposedly went to the dimension called Heremus ¡°He technically isn¡¯t, but I wouldn¡¯t mind making him my mascot if the time comes.¡± Mascot. That name has been up once. Recalling to that time, when I was given the choice on how to use my experience points, there was a third choice. ¡®Train your mascot¡¯, was it? ¡°Can you tell me more about the mascots?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t, but I¡¯ll tell you this. They are in no way, easily achievable.¡± Extracting information from Tiddal-san has always been a mystery for me. He either gives free information or absolutely nothing at all. It¡¯s clear that there is a reason if not more than one as to why he doesn¡¯t give me any information sometimes. Besides, asking for information for free should be sufficient in any case; going far for information always ends up working out badly. ¡°Is there anything that you can tell me at all? I¡¯m pretty confused. I have questions overflowing in my head without any answers at all. My only choice is to create speculations, you know.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Tiddal vaguely replies ¡°That isn¡¯t helping, either.¡± Via Temporis was bright red. Since Tiddal-san had become silent, I decided to gaze into the beyond, or in this case, in the direction of other dimensions. It¡¯s truly magnificent and unthinkable. Right now as we speak, anything that goes beyond and whatnot can be witnessed. Lands full of sand, snow, blazes, nature, gigantic stars, highly advanced technological, ruins, unknown creatures, etc. All of this, just for me to witness. What would people give to be in my place just to gaze at this? Perhaps this is why I couldn¡¯t remember the Via Temporis before. Leaving out of here with this type of information seems to be something way out of the hand. According to Tiddal-san that doesn¡¯t happen. It¡¯s a mystery. Ultimately, we kept on going for a while, that is until Tiddal-san decides to speak up once again. ¡°I¡¯m at fault a little bit for not telling you everything, but it goes without saying that you can¡¯t rely on people to get what you want. Haven¡¯t you learned anything from your previous death?¡± ¡°Huh? It¡¯s obvious that I have¡­¡± ¡°Like what?" ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Tell me. Or could it be that you don¡¯t want to tell me? Or maybe, just maybe, you can¡¯t tell me because you don¡¯t have an answer.¡± ¡°No, I really have an answer; it¡¯s just that I don¡¯t want to tell you¡­¡± Lies. ¡°Let me tell you something common about human behavior. Whenever someone asks somebody constantly questions, it obviously means that the questioner desires an answer to his question. But there is more to that, the other side of the coin tells a different tale. The question, in reality, wants to unconsciously get his/her deepest questions an answer since the questioner can¡¯t seem to grasp an answer to them. You are no different. You are simply running away from every obstacle. When we return, that¡¯s what you are going to keep on doing. Run, run, run, run, run and run. Then more run. More run comes next. That¡¯s when you realize, you have been running all your life.¡± ¡°Again, that¡¯s not it; I really have an answer to it¡­¡± More lies. ¡°You don¡¯t. You like to think that you have, but you don¡¯t. That¡¯s just blind optimism. That¡¯s why you died, didn¡¯t you? Blind optimism consumed you and then you grasped its consequences, ultimately falling on your own terms. Happy?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy¡­¡± More and more lies. ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Do you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± An endless river stained with lies. That¡¯s what humanity is. Humanity runs in my veins. ¡°What do you want, Rei?¡± What matters anymore¡­? What I want is what I can¡¯t achieve. What I don¡¯t want I¡¯ll always achieve, it¡¯s a jeopardized paradox¡­ Nothing can be achieved anymore nor can anything be demolished. This journey is coming to an end, so I guess hiding my feelings won¡¯t amount to anything. ¡°I want to live, not just survive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised at this. You know the difference between both?¡± Not really. All I know is what one entirely means and what the other doesn¡¯t mean. However, it¡¯s enough to fully understand one side to complete desire the other. If you understood Death at a point you would want to ling on Life. If you comprehended what Life meant then you would want to connect yourself with Death at one point. ¡°To tell you the truth¡­ I¡¯ve been bullied all my life. I never once have fought back to my oppressors nor did I raise single blame against them.¡± Because if I did, I could never forgive myself. The ones who are unable to protect the ones they care for are bound to receive punishment. This is my punishment, for not being able to¡­ ¡°So what? Does that give you an excuse to behave like a weakling?¡± ¡°But¡­ Just¡­ What the fucking fuck am I supposed to do!? I can¡¯t confront them because I¡¯m too weak!! Even if I do get strong they will keep on swarming me every fucking day without stop, so that won¡¯t solve the damn issue!! I¡¯m stuck, with no way out¡­¡± Ah, I snapped. It was about time, right? Not all human being can keep on being sane for very long. What was I supposed to do though? Keep my calm when these problems of mine just kept on being bombarded through Tiddal-san¡¯s cold reading? No way would that have worked¡­ ¡°For every problem, there is a solution. I commend you for trying to think of them and accepting the consequences of not being able to solve them. I believe that¡¯s a very mature resolution, to accept everything that comes in your way. It¡¯s not a bad strategy. But, in no way, is it the best way. In fact, it hasn¡¯t even proven to be useful, has it? So why do you keep believing that you are right? As I told you, you can¡¯t rely on others, but don¡¯t think that just because you can¡¯t rely on others that it means that you can fully rely on yourself too.¡± ¡°But if I can¡¯t rely on others and I can¡¯t rely on myself, then who am I supposed to rely on!?¡± ¡°In the end, you can¡¯t fully depend on one side, can you? So instead of fully depending on one side, go for half-half. For example, depend on yourself and on others too at the same time.¡± ¡°Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It is. This is called conditioning. Those who are not aware of this will fail over and over, pointlessly. Needless to say is, this is just me. My words. Nothing more than that. You are free to believe in yourself, even after all of this.¡± ¡°Let me think for a bit¡­¡± ¡°Sure, we are almost there anyway.¡± I did say that, but I don¡¯t have an actual idea on what to think about. For starters, the very premise of relying on others isn¡¯t a good thing. As my bullying progressed all over my previous life, I never relied on anyone, but only relied on myself to get through it and live on. But no such thing happened. The only part that happened was the part where I lived on yet the ¡®get through¡¯ part never occurred. Why was that? Because I was weak? That too, but there has to be something more. Something¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san, were you ever weak?¡± ¡°That goes without saying. None is strong from the start. All people that say otherwise are just pretenders and those who praise those who are supposedly stronger from the start are the weakest.¡± Here goes nothing. ¡°How can I become like you?¡± ¡°How can a chameleon become the animal he desires to copy?¡± He asks me ¡°By¡­ Changing its color naturally?¡± ¡°Not wrong, but not right either. It¡¯s by adapting. Next question. How can a spider survive in its own environment?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t kn-¡° ¡°By devouring their own kind. Cannablism. Next question, how can a fish survive a hawk¡¯s areal assaults from above?¡± ¡°I re-¡° ¡°By staying hidden in the most profound water zones. Next question. How can a monkey survive in today¡¯s society?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You choose silence this time, you have learned. The answer is, the monkey can¡¯t. Final question, how can a being that is inferior to all of the previously mentioned ones, hope to survive in this cruel, savage world?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t.¡± I answer ¡°Correct. He can¡¯t survive because he was never taught. He only thought that his self-teachings would get himself far yet that was his self destruct button. Now, let¡¯s imagine that that being had a second chance at life. What would his first step towards evolution be?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I suppose you wouldn¡¯t know. Anyway, we have arrived. Impermanence, off.¡± Wait what!? When did he put his Impermanence skill on me? I don¡¯t remember even noticing him doing it, so how¡­!? Never mind that, the important thing here to reflect is that, from all these questions there was one thing that even I could confirm. That ¡®being¡¯ that Tiddal-san was talking about is me. The one who is weaker than the mentioned beings. This has got me thinking and wondering, just how can I step forward in the hall of evolution. No¡­ I haven¡¯t even begun to walk in the hall of evolution, it¡¯s like I am currently only inside a cocoon, a cocoon that I never left. I¡¯m sure that¡­ This man here knows the answer to that. ¡°Are you coming or what? This is your dimension, after all. And for the record I¡¯m still staying in it for 2 weeks, so that¡¯s that. Come on, Kaliya won¡¯t wait for you to throw you right into the negative dimensions, just saying.¡± ¡°Wahhh!! Please no, I¡¯m coming!¡± I exclaimed as I directed to my dimension¡¯s gate portal Heremus Dimension Sekryu Mountain 7: am. ¡°Um, Tiddal-san, why of all times, is the sun rising now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Whenever it¡¯s morning, the sun rises.¡± Tiddal sarcastically implies Right, that much is obvious, but what bothers me is that when we took the Portal to the Via Temporis, it was still morning, if not literally noon. Regardless of my doubt, it wasn¡¯t at a time where the sun was rising. What the hell happened in the meantime?! ¡°Answer me seriously, Tiddal-san.¡± I glare at him ¡°Eh, not a bad glare kid. Fine, I¡¯ll tell you. I didn¡¯t tell you this because then you wouldn¡¯t agree with me, on going to the Via that is. There is a slight difference that you should be aware, in every dimension that is. There is the ¡®reality¡¯ and there is the off switch, which is called ¡®Survival Mode¡¯. Now, you might be wondering this, what is the reality and the Survival mode, correct?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, it would help knowing it.¡± ¡°Prepare yourself because this might be a long explanation, are you fine with that?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m used to it at this point.¡± That¡¯s a fact. ¡°How should I start this off¡­¡± Says the black haired man facing towards the rising sun Tiddal-san must be spilling out some serious information for him to make a thinking stance. Plus, facing towards the sun? That¡¯s just like him. After all, he is the one that defeated the Kraken and owns a gigantic sea serpent. Beautiful at it, but that¡¯s partial right now. Also, I have to keep in mind that technically she wants to make me pay for holding her body, even though she was the one that was saved. ¡°Take your time, Tiddal-san.¡± I say as I gaze towards the far sun that is distant Actually, now that thought is given, I never marked my own presence here in the Sekryu Mountain this early. It¡¯s kinda refreshing; you can feel the chilly air all over the place. The smell of the rustic wood consumes the atmosphere. It might sound bad but it¡¯s pretty good. How can I say this¡­? This is one of those scenarios that one would constantly dream about yet when that time comes you just can¡¯t help yourself but to naturally enjoy the moment and to not force yourself to maximize the moment. ¡°Okay. I¡¯m done organizing my thought process. To start off, what you are seeing right now is called reality. There is no cheap trick behind it; it¡¯s just the way it is. Now, about the ¡®Survival Mode¡¯, that¡¯s where it gets complicated. And for what I want to say to make sense then I will have to explain this point first. Every dimension can be conquered. People who do these conquering are called ¡°Dimension Champions¡±; they are required to possess a number of things to do that, so I won¡¯t go over details. What you need to firmly grasp here is that every dimension can be conquered by a dimension champion. As long as you understand that you are good to go. Even though a dimension can be conquered, that doesn¡¯t necessarily mean that all dimensions are conquered, in fact, most of them aren¡¯t in reality. An example of an already conquered dimension would be Aquaris. Since that dimension is already conquered, it loses the reality aspect of it.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ What? It loses the reality aspect of it..?¡± ¡°Think of it like this: Imagine if this current world of yours became a savage place like Aquaris is. That¡¯s what it means to lose the reality aspect of it.¡± ¡°¡­So if this dimension is conquered then it could become¡­ hell!?¡± ¡°That might be possible, depending on how it¡¯s conquered. Continuing on, by losing that reality aspect, dimensions become exactly like Aquaris. In other words, it becomes a fully fledged ¡®Survival Mode¡¯ type of world. The important thing is, whenever someone from a dimension which is not conquered enters in a dimension which already is conquered, then that person is fully regulated to the point where the entire current dimension in which that person is in, function properly. On second thought, that was a hard way to put it. Let¡¯s say for instance that you traveled from this dimension, which is not conquered to a dimension which is already conquered. The status that you achieve in a dimension is entirely different from a dimension to another. However, your level will not alter. Just your status. That¡¯s why you might be feeling fatigued all over the sudden, because believe it or not, leveling up, takes a toll on your body, due to the very fact that it will increase your body too. Furthermore, your whole body, including your own brain will absorb many things, like knowledge, influences and such at a duplicate pace, which is good. The Leveling System seeks to bring out the best out of an individual for apparent reasons. Lastly, as to why the time here is morning. That¡¯s simple. You see, every time that you enter the Via Temporis, the time there goes so fast but in reality, it goes so fast that the time inside certain dimensions could faster. This dimension is one of those. Not conquered dimensions have a rather fast time. You are lucky that you have the privilege to have 24 hours per day. In some dimensions, a day can go up to 120 hours. So what happened was, since you traveled on the Via Temporis twice, it means that this time should be exactly¡­ Two weeks. Two weeks have passed since the last time you were here. Did that make any sense for you?¡± ¡®Boom¡¯. That was exactly what I felt that my brain was going under at that exact moment. I did ask for an explanation, but this was beyond my expectations¡­ So let¡¯s recapitalize for a second. Two weeks have already passed in real time, which is the planet that I live in, Earth. Also known as Heremus Dimension too. Isn¡¯t that bad, like really bad!? I might have gotten expelled from school!! ¡°T-Two weeks!? What do you mean two weeks!?¡± ¡°Um, you know, once 14 days pass, you reach a period of time called two weeks. It¡¯s a little simple.¡± ¡°I know that, damn it! Spare me the sarcasm Tiddal-san!! Get to the point, please!¡± As of the current moment, knowing all these supposed rules that which are completely unknown to me shouldn¡¯t be my top priority. In fact, knowing what exactly I¡¯m currently facing is one of my best interests. There is time to reflect later, the present comes first. ¡°Alright, Alright. It seems that my long explanation didn¡¯t go through. I¡¯m not sure why I bothered with that honestly. Anyhow, the fact is, 2 weeks have passed here. Just take that into account, for now, all the other things should be incredibly partial for now. You can at least understand that, right?¡± ¡°Ah, yeah, that I can. But still¡­ What am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I have school you know. Since I¡¯m still alive, it is my duty as a citizen and a society contributor to attend it, but now that it¡¯s been two weeks, there is a very high chance that I¡¯m in severe trouble¡­¡± In all likelihood, if I drop out of school then I¡¯m bound to achieve nothing in life. Even though, new horizons have been opened, there are some things that which aren¡¯t supposed to be abandoned in the first place. Although new options are widely available now, it¡¯s not as if I can simply be a free being. There cannot be change without power. Without power there isn¡¯t freedom and so on. The harsh reality, but that¡¯s how it is¡­ ¡°Fancy hypocrisies there, kid.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean ¡®hypocrisies¡¯...? That¡¯s just how things are, you know¡­¡± ¡°For you, that¡¯s for sure. Go ahead and enjoy, who am I to tell others what¡¯s right or wrong. After all, all that I can do is to tell myself what¡¯s wrong or right. Also, I¡¯m tired, so I will just find a place to sleep. Remember, I¡¯m still here for another two weeks. I figured it would be quite lackluster to simply vanish after all this, so I¡¯ll be around here in this spot. Apparently, I¡¯ve taken a liking to this spot.¡± There isn¡¯t time for this. Good thing it¡¯s still morning, though. Otherwise, the difficulty of me getting into school would be quite high. Though¡­ Two weeks huh? I wonder what awaits me during that time period, really. Not much else can be discussed, for I need to grasp my situation right now. ¡°Thank you for everything, Tiddal-san. I¡¯ll see you later if given the chance.¡± I bid farewell to Tiddal ¡°Ah, sure. One last thing though. Everything that which you have seen today and supposedly have absorbed into your system as in knowledge and expertise, do not mention it nor attempt to utilize it in this world. People will think you are crazy or something, trust me. Now then, off to sleep I go.¡± Finishes Tiddal while opening what it would appear to be a shining portal, thus vanishing ¡°Off he goes eh? I ought to follow his words, from what it would appear to be the case.¡± I murmur while standing alone at the top of the Sekryu Mountain Looking back now, by all means, what I should have done was to live out a peaceful life without any sort of intention of changing. That would have been without a doubt, the best for the better and for sure, a tragic premonition. Vol.1 Ch.3: Ties of power A great man once said: ¡°I think, therefore I am.¡± Such a man was Ren¨¦ Descartes. Many interpretations of this great man¡¯s sentence could swirl at a rapid speed throughout the edges of time yet many find it rather difficult to answer it. However, it is as simple as it is. The fact that I think means that I am able to formulate my own thoughts, which construct certainties and doubts. Thus accepting the other part, my own existence. In all likelihood, if this had an origin then it would be ¡®Solipsism¡¯. To be able to imagine that one would be alone externally in this world would be dreadful. But¡­Is it really? If it was me, then I wouldn¡¯t mind. After all, no matter how I look at people these days, they give me the feeling that they are here to serve ulterior motives without any sort of assertive motive. Furthermore, the true meaning of solipsism is that; one¡¯s mind is the only one to truly exist. Of course, by all means, this is incredibly unbelievable to another secondary party. Even a third or a further party, if you may. Although, to the primary party, in this case, the observer, is it really? It¡¯s not, that¡¯s the scary truth. To ascertain certainty of something, a valuable asset is always evidence. Perhaps, that¡¯s what makes us feel true comfort in the end. However, against all odds, there is something more frightening than not being able to show evidence and not prove something. That being¡­ To have all sorts of evidence and not being able to negate something that is supposedly a lie. Such thoughts crumble inside this mind of mine while I make haste towards my own school. Sometime soon, maybe in the near future, I would like to fully reflect on my own situation right now, since it requires the bare minimum of attention and effort. Plus, if even I can¡¯t put an effort into understanding it, then all hope is lost. Without effort, all chances go to luck and other secondary factors. Nevertheless, there was something that I miscalculated. As I was running towards my school, I stumbled upon a familiar face by accident. ¡°Well, well, if it isn¡¯t Rei! You¡¯ve been missing for so long that I haven¡¯t been able to have my fun lately! Where the fuck were you!?¡± That manner of speech, those obstinate manners could only come from one person. ¡°S-Shiara-san¡­¡± ¡°Huh? What the fuck is up with that lack of motivation in your voice? Come on now. Let me introduce you to some of my new friends! They will be joining us while walking to our school!¡± Three, four¡­ No, it¡¯s five. Five thugs, who exceed the average young adult body size, in a muscular way, were there along with Shiara-san. Come on¡­ Was it really that much of a bargain to ask for temporary peace?! That¡¯s not the only thing that¡¯s disturbing me. Leaving aside the obvious fact that I¡¯m in for some beating, there are a few people around us, but they are too coward to take action. Can¡¯t you just call the police or something¡­? ¡°Fucker, start talking! Where were you these past two weeks!? Crying on your mama¡¯s lap or something? Besides, what¡¯s with that look of yours?¡± ¡°S-Shiara-san, can¡¯t you let me go through please, I really need to go to school as fast as possible! I beg of you, let me through!!¡± I desperately said to Shiara There is no way in hell this works, but then why did I say it? Also, there is something strange, where has my usual fear gone to? That¡¯s not normal, no matter how you look at it. I¡¯m terrified of Shiara. I¡¯ve always been. According to human psychological behavior and such, it¡¯s impossible for someone like me who has been traumatized from all the bullying done by him to not feel fear. What the hell is happening? ¡°Oi, guys. Let¡¯s take him to the alley; it appears that Rei-kun here doesn¡¯t know his own place.¡± It would obviously come down to this. Even if my usual fear is gone, there are countless factors to number at the moment. Shiara being the major factor is the issue here. It also doesn¡¯t help the fact that I¡¯m about to get dragged into an alley out of the sudden. Plus, having to take I don¡¯t know how many hits from other thugs makes me question whether or not my body can actually withstand them all. It doesn¡¯t end there, unfortunately. More consideration is to be taken in, by the looks of it; some of the thugs have knives and street knuckles. This isn¡¯t funny, damn it. If only there wasn¡¯t such a difference. It won¡¯t matter how much I try and think, this is the end for me. How unfair. Who the hell thought that this would be a good idea in the first place? Leaving the mountain was a bad idea. Besides, how come it didn¡¯t occur to me the very reason as to why I avoided school in the first place? That¡¯s right. It was to not face Shiara and the others. I could stand that no longer yet it¡¯s all tumbling down now. ¡°Excuse me; do any of you know where I can buy beer or just something to drink?¡± Huh? Who is it¡­? ¡°Fuck off old man. Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy?¡± Says Shiara by trying to reach out that certain man¡¯s shoulders with both of his hands No way is that¡­ ¡°Man, what the hell is wrong with you people? I ask one of the simplest questions there is, and you decide to resort to such a weak form of violence¡­ Now that¡¯s pathetic.¡± Declares the black haired man while gripping Shiara¡¯s wrists with force enough to make him cry and fall on his knees ¡°K-Kuu¡­ W-What the fuck are you guys waiting for!? Get him already! G-Gaahh!!!! Stop i-it¡­¡± It appears that I have been saved or it would appear that way. The current situation was still confusing yet it was pretty easy to narrow it down. A black haired man that had a somewhat familiar face, against all odds made his appearance right in front of me while maintaining a powerful stance towards Shiara. On the other hand, Shiara who was just in control not so long ago had begun to crumble on the ground while crying and spilling snot from his nose as if he was begging for his life, but those words did not come out. Not because he had too much pride to not tell them, it was because there was a very vast force being applied to his wrists as we speak. However, even though the force is circling to Shiara right now, the applier doesn¡¯t seem like he is putting in any effort. It¡¯s like the black-haired man is gazing upon a creature that is at the very bottom of the food chain. If by any chance there was a food chain going on, then the black haired man would be hegemonic. ¡°Prepare to die!!¡± Said one of the thugs as he charged towards the dominator in a black jacket ¡°Really now? Of all the words to launch an attack towards your hateful opponent you go with ¡®Prepare to die¡¯? Not only do you lack rationality, but class in general. Good grief.¡± It¡¯s quite commendable that a person that will probably either be taking the upcoming attack or deflecting them is upholding such courageous words out in the thin air. It goes without saying that the thugs were fast. However, they were in bad luck this time. If only it had been someone who possessed the strength to be equal to them all, then this might have been an evenly match. No, no matter how one looks at it, this was nothing more than a ritual for carnage. Even so, I must warn him! ¡°Tiddal-san!! Dodge them!¡± ¡®Boom¡¯. Wide yet hallow punches that came from the four possible angles with the intent of harming Tiddal-san fail and hit nothing. ¡°W-Where did he-¡° ¡°Up here, monkey!¡± So bright. My current location was a deep dark alley where nobody could reach on normal circumstances, nevertheless on top of the small building was Tiddal-san, who was completely in front of the sun. Perhaps it was a strategic move? Yet it felt as if it was nothing more than a move to assert dominance over the ones that were about to receive judgment from the one who rules above. Just like an eagle hunts down the worms from the ground, Tiddal-san descended while saying. ¡°Rei. This is how the strong behave. The weak are to be consumed by the strong; hence they enforce this law on the predators, such as these.¡± Such words were uttered to me in a very strong dark tone ¡°Bastard¡­ Underestimating us¡­ Get down here!!¡± Shiara shouts ¡°Say no more.¡± Declares Tiddal As Tiddal-san prepared to intercept all the attacks that were supposedly waiting for him, there was something else to be taken into consideration. Although I¡¯m frozen due to my lack of ability in this situation, someone else is too. Glaring at me with deep hatred, the red-haired boy couldn¡¯t move his wrists at all. That alone should not suffice yet it looks that way. This must mean that the damage inflicted to him is beyond my measure. If so, then this could be my chance¡­ No, more importantly, how is Tiddal-san getting out of this one!? In an instance, if there are four people waiting for you to come closer to them, then how do you, as one, outwit them? That¡¯s what I was about to learn from this upcoming skirmish. ¡°Vell translucens, activate!¡± he mutters Fortunately for him, nobody listened, that is due to the fact that both the thugs and Shiara have their eyes on him, literally. Amidst such precaution, Tiddal-san suddenly disappears from my sight, as if he¡­ turned invisible?! ¡°W-Where did he go!?¡± ¡°Stay composed! It¡¯s normal that you can¡¯t see him because of the sun in front of you, he must have jumped right into the left!¡± A reasonable argument, since there is indeed a left way that leads that a darker path. However, that was not the case, because I know for a fact that it was one of Tiddal-san¡¯s skills. It appears that they have been fooled by thinking that the sun is the problem here. I see. So that¡¯s why you went as far as jumping to the building¡¯s peak. Just so you could get them confused for a brief moment. In all normalcies, this wouldn¡¯t work, in reality, it¡¯s clear that Tiddal-san never went to the left way. It¡¯s visible to the naked eye that such a thing didn¡¯t happen. Oddly enough, since he is dealing with humans here who don¡¯t have the knowledge about the dimension and skills and what more, that¡¯s extremely helpful in a sense. ¡®Pah!¡¯ Suddenly, two thugs received a blow so hard on their solar plexus that they went unconscious right away. It didn¡¯t end there, Tiddal-san, while invisible made a move from what it would appear to be a neck grappling. By grappling the front neck zone, he must have elevated it to the point where it would be sufficient to cause lethal damage upon taking it to the ground. Or at least, that¡¯s what how it went in my mind. He is not on my sight, so it¡¯s impossible for me to track him down. ¡°One to go, huh?¡± ¡°S-S-Stay away!! You monster!! Who are you!?¡± Interrogated the last thug standing ¡°I guess there isn¡¯t much point on keeping the veil on. Besides, it was just to test something yet it appeared to be a futile effort. Such a shame. Now then¡­¡± Finished Tiddal as he appeared visible in my sight once again ¡°A-A-Ah!! Die!!¡± ¡°Again with that cynical speech? Grow a brain, will you?¡± Said Tiddal as he quickly elevated his knee while grasping the thug¡¯s hair, thus performing a perfect knee strike A-Awesome. He took them all down without any sort of difficulty. Tiddal-san really is a¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Not really. I¡¯m sleepy and hungry. That¡¯s the epitome of the status ¡®not okay¡¯, correct?¡± Truth to be said, he has a point, but it¡¯s meaningless to think about it. For that reason being, I could sense a very huge amount of sarcasm coming from that statement. ¡°Bastard¡­ Who are you? I¡¯ve never seen someone so strong as you before¡­¡± Still holding on to the pain of having his wrists completely destroyed, Shiara throws that question up in the air, most likely towards Tiddal-san, surely. ¡°Of course you haven¡¯t seen me before. Well, let me tell you something in advance. You see this guy over here?¡± He pointed at me. Why though? ¡°Yeah, the shitty prick that does nothing except getting beat up¡­ ISN¡¯T THAT RIGHT, REI!?¡± Kuh¡­ It always pains and terrifies me over how right he is. After all, I¡¯ve been dominated over and over by the same guy throughout many years of my life. ¡°Hm. I see, so this must be the guy that bullies you then. That¡¯s perfect. Listen, in exactly two weeks from now, Rei will crush you.¡± Huh? Why!? Why!? Hiding my anxiety was beyond my measure, because¡­ Why would you say something so unrealistic¡­? If that was possible then I would by no means have to be in this terrible, exhausting position every time. Saying that now will solve absolutely nothing, Tiddal-san. ¡°Don¡¯t fuck around, you. Just because you have beaten some of my men that don¡¯t mean that you will get away with it. I will send more and more after you until you are so exhausted to the point of exhaustion itself. Besides, Rei, crushing me? That¡¯s too much of a joke, even for a fucking joke you know. Don¡¯t act so fucking arrogant you piece of shit, I¡¯ll kill you and you two bastards, mark my words. Set foot on school and you are D.E.A.D!!!!!!¡± While delivering that malicious threat, Shiara grips the rest of his strength and runs away. Tiddal-san on the other hand, lets him run away at it¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san¡­ that talk just now¡­ Can you stop it, please¡­? I want to stay out of trouble if possible.¡± ¡°Stay out of trouble? It seems as if you learned nothing yet again, Rei. There are certain types of people around everywhere that are trouble themselves. And by no means, do those people ever stop to give a damn about what you think. That¡¯s what he is. A living bomb. A bomb so explosive that he will take anyone who comes across down with him. You are unlucky, I will give you that much. You got caught up on this spiral of torment. However, that¡¯s no excuse. In fact, you are using that as an excuse to avoid the simplest of all things.¡± I¡¯m not that dumb. Even someone as weak and feeble minded as me could figure that out. That¡¯s not the problem. That¡¯s not the slightest of all problems. That¡¯s not the problem, damn it. That¡¯s not the¡­ ¡°Before you interrupt me, let me add something to that. Why are you still interested in this part of the world?¡± ¡°This world is rotten and weak. Just where I belong. Is there something wrong with that?¡± Perhaps I said too much there. Too much truth, that is. ¡°If the world is rotten and weak, then do you have to be as well?¡± The state of being is entirely relative. It¡¯s no such easy feat as to storm that ideal away with simplistic words. ¡°Honestly, no. But there is no choice. I am weak, therefore so is my view of the world.¡± ¡°So you admit that you are weak?¡± Have I not said this even once? Or was it me just self-talking all the time? It doesn¡¯t matter seriously. ¡°Yeah. That much was obvious, right?¡± ¡°Obvious or not, it only counts when the weak person acknowledges it himself. So, if you are weak, then what do you need?¡± What do I need? Hell if I know. If I knew then I would have already done it, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Some sort of miracle, I suppose.¡± ¡°Wrong answer. Miracles do not exist. So, what is the right answer?¡± All my life, there has been no such window for any opportunity regarding the salvation of my situation. And now you are saying that there is? Somehow I find that incredibly hard to believe. I¡¯ve known myself for 18 years; nothing you say can ever faze me. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°...That¡¯s not the correct or the right answer. But, it certainly isn¡¯t the incorrect or the wrong one either. Come with me, you are about to know the answer.¡± Says Tiddal as he directs himself out of the dark alley If it has come down to this, then seeing what waits for me isn¡¯t such a bad option in the end. It¡¯s just hard to believe that¡¯s all. No, I can¡¯t believe, that¡¯s the problem. ¡°Where are we going, really?¡± Occasionally, Tiddal-san has a weird habit of not telling what his inner thoughts are. That is to say, he might be quite the introverted person yet I strongly doubt that. Is this what they call caution? ¡°No place special. It¡¯s just that I have to take care of something before I head out. That of course, includes showing you something that you are, apparently so blind to even notice.¡± ¡°Please make it quick¡­ I need to leave for school, you know!¡± As we walk off the dark alley, I stand behind him but then Tiddal-san decides to stop once there is enough light to be seen. This just happened to be the parallel street to the one that I was originally coming from. So, what is here that¡¯s so important? ¡°Before you set out, tell me. What do you see?¡± ¡°What..?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ It was a simple question was it not? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sometimes, even against a person like Tiddal-san, it exists the need to ask the reason as to why he throws such random tasks¡­ What exactly is there to be gained just from watching the current scenario? Answers that I want to know that are hidden inside complex questions? A different vision? A new insight? I don¡¯t know. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ It¡¯s just a normal day. As the morning arrives so does the sunrise along with it? Stores are being opened everywhere, mostly the ones who serve bread and such foods. Even convenience stores are being opened. Lots and lots of people are simply just fulfilling their tasks for society, isn¡¯t that it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Fulfilling a duty to society is by far the most right way to live your own life. To defy such duty would mean losing your place among the society. But, is that really all you can observe? What about that man over there on his knees begging for money? Is he a part of society? Of course not. However, does being a part of the chain of normalcy¡¯s that goes through this society disable one from not doing what they want? The answer to that is no. If you take a closer look to your far left, you will see a shady man hiding in one of the alleys. Why is that though? What could he possibly want?¡± That¡¯s¡­! The same man that robbed the old lady the other day¡­! Well, I¡­ It¡¯s not as if I have a backbone here since I precisely did the exact same thing¡­ I ought not to tell Tiddal-san about this¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san! He¡¯s gonna steal that store, stop him, please!¡± I request ¡°Not bad spotted. However, by the look in your eyes, it¡¯s pretty obvious that you and that man share the same monologue, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you for it. If you have the power to steal something then the most logical choice is to steal, that¡¯s common sense yet people ignore it for the sake of looking good. To those who don¡¯t exactly care about the consequences of their actions, stealing is simply a chain of events that comes in their favors. With that said, there is a degree to how much one can utilize their power, hence accepting the fact that there are always consequences to the use of power. But, is that really the case? Nevertheless, the usage of power is relative, meaning that there are some cases where it could mean your downfall or it could mean excellence. Knowing all of this comes at handy, no doubt. Although, no matter the circumstance, power should not be applied on the weak that contribute in a righteous way.¡± ¡°T-Tiddal-san, that¡¯s cool and all, but can¡¯t you really stop that thief before he¡­ steals something again? He has a knife, just by looking at his right hand I can tell and there are no cops around. Only you can stop him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Only I can stop him. But, why should I?¡± ¡°Because you are far stronger than him!! So you should stop him!¡± ¡°If I¡¯m stronger then I should stop him? There is something that you are mistaken here. I am indeed strong, but I am by no means extremely powerful. Being powerful means to be able to exorcize power in favor of your will. That¡¯s not what the strong do though. Right now, I have the option to run and stop him. That¡¯s something that I should do, according to morals. But I will not do it for such reasons. You see, the power to protect the weak comes with a price. By protecting the weak, then those who are tormenting the weak will come after you again and again and again countless times. Still knowing this, you think that I should stop him?¡± He just keeps hitting me with facts, but what exactly is Tiddal-san¡¯s point!? If I had the strength to save someone every time then I would. It¡¯s unthinkable that a person like him would oversee this¡­ I mean, he fully engaged on a giant Kraken inside Aquaris, defeated 4 thugs, including Shiara, so what¡¯s his deal?! ¡°I¡­ I always get chased down by bullies no matter what I try to do¡­ I¡¯m a coward, that¡¯s why I can¡¯t possibly know what you think. After all, you are strong, so you are bound to have a different view of the world. A view that I can¡¯t possibly understand. That¡¯s why¡­ Yes, you should stop him. Because you hold something that I can¡¯t see or understand.¡± Yes, even though I am what I am, that doesn¡¯t stop me. If there are other people who can do what I truly desire to accomplish in my place, then that¡¯s fine, that¡¯s how it should be. ¡°Quite selfish aren¡¯t we? You are just forcing your ideas on someone that can actually accomplish them for you just because you can¡¯t. That¡¯s the epitome of weakness; to selfishly depend on somebody else because you aren¡¯t strong enough to not do so.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Should I not do anything?¡± ¡°That option by itself is one of the best, but in no way is it the best. For starters, no matter the person, everyone is selfish. The difference is, some are just more selfish than others while others aren¡¯t that selfish, thus making them less selfish. The conclusion here is: it¡¯s alright to be selfish. However, there are limits. A great example is a man who is about to commit a serious crime. He is being selfish, that¡¯s for sure. But what about the person¡¯s store that he will steal? Did that person really deserve something like this? All this because one person is being selfish. That¡¯s why, to lessen this farce, all people should be selfish to a certain amount. That would be boring, though. So that¡¯s why I don¡¯t follow rules since that would mean putting me at a constant disadvantage. What about you? What do you think needs to happen for everything to go your way? Think about that while I deliver some serious pain to that peace disrupter.¡± Extensively says Tiddal as he starts walking to the shady thief Even if thought starts to be given, there isn¡¯t much that can be accomplished. I¡¯m sure that Tiddal-san has noticed that as well, so that¡¯s why I¡¯ll just observe his actions for now. Right now, I¡¯m currently in the middle of the street. Though filled with people, Tiddal-san went all the way around just making sure that he isn¡¯t noticed by the shady thief. It makes me wonder if his plan was to go around him just so he wouldn¡¯t be noticed by him. If that¡¯s the case then that would certainly accumulate the element of surprise, still, what are you going to do with so many people here!? You will just end up looking like an outcast¡­ ¡°Astral trium forma.¡± He silently mutters from afar Ah, he¡¯s gone, once again. Is it the same skill that he used earlier? No¡­ It had a different name, so it shouldn¡¯t be the same skill. Wait, should I be calling it a skill even? My current knowledge about the dimension¡¯s traits is so minimum that I simply assumed that it was one. I ought to ask him later. Still¡­ ¡°That guy¡­ What is he doing...?¡± I lonely mutter while questioning Tiddal-san¡¯s whereabouts The thief is advancing towards the store at a rather quick pace, almost as if he is tempted to steal on a rather desperate degree. Nonetheless, just what is he planning to do¡­ I better call the police honestly. And so, during the time that I observed the thief¡¯s actions, I called the police and addressed the situation, mostly saying that a thief had just stolen from a store implying that he needs to be caught. Of course, this hasn¡¯t actually happened; however, this could be taken as a prank call if things turn out for the worse. There are no consequences, basically. ¡°Help!! Thief!! He stole from my store, someone help me!¡± The old lady implores Regardless of the cry for help, no help came and just as the thief was about to sprint out of sight, the thief suddenly flies as if something had hit him with a brutal amount of strength. ¡°W-What the fuck was that!?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t even bother questioning it honestly; you will just end up looking crazy for everyone who is witnessing this. Then again, that¡¯s probably a compliment for you, a person with no set of restrictions at all, right?¡± A voice mysteriously speaks up Tiddal-san..? Wait¡­ Just how? Another invisibility skill? There is no doubt about it¡­ Besides, invisibility comes quite at handy in this situation depending on how it is played out. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this; I can¡¯t afford to be caught¡­!¡± Exclaims the thief It was meaningless to exclaim such thing because sooner or later it had become quite public. The people that were ignoring such incident started to avert their eyes to the current situation. A thief who is going crazy and speaking to himself. Such anxiety could be born just from that yet he tried to escape. Although, it was proven to be futile as the thief gets sent flying once again. ¡°Gah!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? If you are going to steal then be prepared for a fight or two.¡± ¡°B-Bastard!! Show yourself!¡± Meaningless. No matter what he shouted all the words that came around were either scared voices or ¡®creep¡¯, ¡®psychopath¡¯, ¡®lunatic¡¯. Plus, some people started grabbing their phones, which should mean that they are calling the police. Nice one, Tiddal-san! You are a hero! Invisible, but a hero. ¡°Nope, you are just going to be arrested while trying to get out of this situation. However, I will make sure that won¡¯t happen. Your end is near.¡± ¡°F-Fuck off!! Like hell I¡¯ll be having my end here!¡± ¡°But you will. Take a look around.¡± ¡°Huh!? What do y-¡° A white and blue car arrives at the scene rapidly. There is a very high chance that the car belonged to the very same cop that I contacted just a while ago. If so, then it was quite fast to arrive at the scene. But, there is a slim chance that it was the old lady that delivered that call. After all, I stopped paying attention to her actions once the thief went on a solo rampage. ¡°Hello. My lady, was it you who called the police?¡± ¡°Y-Yes. Please arrest this thief..!¡± She silently orders So she called it too huh. No matter, that¡¯s just even better. ¡°W-Wait officer! I haven¡¯t done anything wrong here, she¡¯s lying! I stole nothing!¡± ¡°Nobody issued that you had stolen anything, even in the call there weren¡¯t such words yet you declare your actions like that. It¡¯s obvious that you are the culprit. Come, you will be taken for interrogation. Resistance is not recommendable.¡± The officer confidently delivers those words ¡°Y-You fuckers!!¡± Although being in a thug position, the thief does not waver; instead, he takes out his knife and rushes towards the officer. However¡­ ¡°Desperate much?¡± A mysterious voice leaks out as the thief¡¯s knees drop down to the floor immediately ¡°Halt right there!¡± The secondary officer takes out his gun while pointing to the thief The situation has become a bit of a mess, yet thanks to the one behind the scenes it¡¯s very likely that the situation will end up being a good one. ¡°I-I surrender¡­¡± Says the thief on his knees Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.Would you look at that¡­ It¡¯s almost like the thief is in a surrendering position that the officers themselves should have strived to get him on, but the one behind this made that happen against all odds. Just who is¡­ ¡°Yo.¡± A voice comes out ¡°T-Tiddal-san!? Where are you?¡± Even though the voice leaked out, Tiddal-san was nowhere to be seen. This means that he was the one behind that whole situation. ¡°Right here.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t see you.¡± I silently said Standing out here would be bad, but most people are focused on the thief being reprehended right now, so that saves me some unnecessary attention, which is great. ¡°Oh right¡­ Astral Trium Forma, off.¡± He¡¯s visible now. ¡°So it was you behind that?¡± ¡°No, it was someone who has the power to turn invisible all over the sudden! I was here all along; you were simply just focusing your attention to the scene!¡± Sarcasm. ¡°Yeah, yeah, but I¡¯ve been meaning to ask when you say those strange words and at the end, you say ¡®activate¡¯, what is that?¡± ¡°Ah right, that¡­ Listen, I¡¯m really sleepy and aren¡¯t you in a hurry for school? What are you waiting for?¡± I see how it is. Whenever something crucial comes around he tries to dodge the topic by making logical statements. However, I really don¡¯t care about school anymore, since I¡¯ve been told not so long ago that if I happened to step inside my school then I would be concrete dead meat. ¡°Eh¡­ Not really¡­ I mean, wouldn¡¯t it be extremely bad if I suddenly went over to my school, considering the possibility that Shiara-san could be setting up an ambush for me?¡± Going to school after that is officially out of the question. To think that my worst nemesis could be more enraged than usual is just beyond my normal capability. In no universe will I come near him again, that¡¯s for sure. ¡°Not bad kid. You¡¯ve got the mindset of a true warrior, or at least the mindset of someone who has suffered defeat many times. That¡¯s correct; you should lay low for a while. Still, if you aren¡¯t going to school, then what are you going to do?¡± That¡¯s a fair question in this regard. If I¡¯m not going to school then I will have to do something to kill my time. Yes, that should be the optimal route. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ll just kill time, I guess.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so? If that¡¯s the case, then pay me something, Rei. I¡¯m starving and I¡¯m completely broke by the looks of it. That damn Apsu¡­ To think he would take my Min like that¡­¡± There he goes again, saying things that I can¡¯t hope to understand. Well, if he tells me to pay him something then I suppose it¡¯s nothing too trivial to achieve unless it¡¯s beyond my current pocket money. Plus, I¡¯m in debt to him for saving me all but too many times by now. It¡¯s only fair that I repay him. ¡°I only have 700 yen¡­ Will that suffice?¡± ¡°Hm¡­ I¡¯m not too familiar with that term, but is it enough to pay me a coffee or something to eat?¡± ¡°Yeah, of course. I thought you would ask for something more expensive, so I was a bit reluctant, haha.¡± ¡°Hahaha, as if I¡¯m someone who would intentionally try to dig through someone¡¯s money like that. I¡¯ll have you know that I¡¯m probably one of the richest targets overall billions of dimensions. However, I never predicted that I would be penniless as we speak. What a disgrace. Either way, let¡¯s go to someplace that has pretty onee-san¡¯s shall we?¡± ¡°Eh? Do you need me for something? Why do I have to come along?¡± It¡¯s really beyond my keen to understand what he meant by ¡®let¡¯s go¡¯; I thought that Tiddal-san wouldn¡¯t necessitate the company of someone like me¡­ ¡°What kind of dumb question is that? I told you that I¡¯m broke, so I need you to pay me the coffee and such. Also, don¡¯t be like that. That negative attitude of yours is a problem. That¡¯s why people always take advantage of you because you show that damn attitude of yours off. Be happier, even if there is nothing to be happy about. That¡¯s how hopeless people can be happy in the first place.¡± Tiddal-san and I continued our usual chit-chat while we made our way to the nearest by cafe. Even if my position at school is supposedly gone, further meaning that my suspension has arisen itself, and then I¡¯m without a doubt in trouble. Still, that¡¯s arguably the most irrelevant thing that I have to preoccupy myself with. What does school matter anymore, really? It¡¯s true that my progress overall in this life has been pretty bad. However, I have died once and lived on to see things that were past my imagination. Perhaps the time to adapt to something beyond this world has come. Although- ¡°Oh!! To think this dimension could have such pretty ladies! It wouldn¡¯t be such a bad idea to be here for more than two weeks if it means that I can visit this place with an elevated frequency!¡± It appears that my savior happens to be a huge pervert. Well, I can¡¯t argue with what Tiddal-san just said, after all¡­ the current place in which we both are happens to be a maid caf¨¦. So, it would be extremely worrying if the girls here would be nothing except pretty. Speaking of which, I do come here from time to time, hence knowing my direction to here. This is the famous ¡°Maid Paradisis¡± which could be pronounced as ¡°Maid¡¯s Paradise¡±. Now as for the reason I come here¡­ ¡°Welcome to Maid Paradisis! How can I help yo- Wah! Rei, w-what are you doing here?¡± I know, I know. This is normally the situation where the protagonist meets a girl that he is usually familiar with. However, that certainly isn¡¯t the case. The thing here is¡­ ¡°Shiara-san! How are you doing?¡± Yes, she is Shiara Kunshu¡¯s sister, Shiara Kogori. It just happens that while I am in constant turbulence against Shiara, his sister is someone that is familiar with me and I am familiar with her. Needless to say, she would be mad if she knew that I and her brother are in that sort of relationship. The one where one completely bullies the other. Nevertheless, I have no such interest. Besides, I¡¯m more worried about Tiddal-san. He has no manners whatsoever. He has been staring at one of the maid¡¯s for a while now. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but¡­ shouldn¡¯t you be at school by now, Rei?¡± Fair point. That is the main thing to notice about this. Other than the fact that there is an over the top stylish person indulging himself with his field of vision in this maid caf¨¦. ¡°Sorry. An acquaintance of mine is staying here and he wants to know the town around¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Coming to Maid Paradisis was a good choice! Anyways, take a seat, both of you! But Rei, don¡¯t miss out on school, it would be bad to skip classes even in this case, okay?¡± ¡°Haha, don¡¯t mind me! It¡¯s just for a while, isn¡¯t it, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­ Truly, her ass is just so- Oh, yes! I¡¯m just his acquaintance, please treat us good!¡± It¡¯s impossible to mask the fact that his eyes were purely focused on one of the maid¡¯s. How despicable of you, Tiddal-san. Alas, Tiddal-san chose the furthest of all tables to sit in. As if he was setting up the perfect field of vision to observe all the maids. This guy¡­ He¡¯s the enemy of all females out there! ¡°What will your orders be, master?¡± Asks away the charming maid, Kogori ¡°A coffee and a cheesecake please.¡± ¡°I see¡­ A coffee and a cheesecake¡­¡± Remarks the maid while noting down the request on her small notebook ¡°I¡¯ll have nothing. I¡¯m good.¡± There is no need to waste any money here whatsoever, so ordering something right now is not exactly the most ideal of all scenarios. ¡°Are you sure, Rei? Have you eaten your breakfast? It¡¯s important to eat your breakfast, you know¡­¡± An accurate remark. But, there really isn¡¯t any need for it, since I¡¯m good at holding back my hunger. Not exactly something to be proud off yet it has its good sides. And, my wallet is about to be very light after this. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve eaten so much that I¡¯m full, right, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not lying, he eats like a tyrant. Be careful, especially you, lady.¡± A totally unnecessary statement. Well, it is true that whenever I really am starving that I eat at an abnormal pace. Although, that¡¯s just normalcy at its finest, right? If someone is very hungry, then it¡¯s only natural for that individual to eat at its heart¡¯s content. ¡°I-I see¡­¡­.¡± Kogori shyly takes heed of Tiddal-san¡¯s words Now that¡¯s awkward, how could those words ever be interpreted in another way than it actually is? Leaving things to Tiddal-san always gets me in the weirdest of all spots. ¡°Tiddal-san just likes to say jokes; he doesn¡¯t mean what he says.¡± ¡°Haha¡­ I¡¯ll come back when the order is done, please wait just a few minutes!¡± And so, Kogori leaves off to a place where it would be beyond the customers, most likely the kitchen, where, along with some of her co-workers they would work to prepare the food and such. It¡¯s honestly so surprising. In all likelihood, to be able to visit this place is such grace. If one takes note on how it is organized, how the workers here have their synergy among each, and for sure, how cute they are, then this place is top notch. ¡°How terrible of you, Rei. To lie to her, not once but twice. Is that how you should treat other people who are kind towards you?¡± ¡°Like you¡¯re one to speak. Anyone could see through your perverted intentions anytime, just saying¡­¡± ¡°Well, they are so pretty, you just have to contemplate pretty things. I believe that¡¯s a fair philosophy.¡± No, that¡¯s without a doubt just an excuse to appeal his perverted intentions. Still, there is no denying that what he just said is an unfathomable truth. ¡°I for sure thought that you were a lucky guy when I saw that girl talking to you. What¡¯s going on, you got some hidden romance behind the scenes type of romance going around?¡± ¡°No way. She just happens to be Shiara¡¯s sister¡­¡± ¡°Wow, you are brave. To go out with your nemesis¡¯s sister. I see you on a whole new light now.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sure you have realized by now, but I don¡¯t possess the communication skills to actually acquire such things as friendship, not to mention a romance. Plus, I would for sure be hunted down by Shiara in the afterlife if I ever established a romance with her sister.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t deny your interest towards her?¡± ¡°I was never interested in romance that much, is that awkward?¡± Truth to be told, whether I haven¡¯t found my first love or not, it¡¯s certain that I was never able to invest myself into the romance department. For reasons unknown, it was never a marvel interest, honestly. ¡°That¡¯s not for me to decide. Only you can decide if it¡¯s awkward or not. Besides, I was just messing with you. When I was younger I had such interests, but, you aren¡¯t me, so it¡¯s only natural that you aren¡¯t developing the same interests, I suppose.¡± While I did feel a slight bit of arrogance coming from those words, it might just be true, besides, there are some things which are still a mystery to me, if not all things which are currently at my disposal. ¡°Sorry to keep you wait! Here are your coffee and cheesecake! That will be 430 yen.¡± My wallet just took some massive damage. If there is a wallet hospital, then please, take mine right away. ¡°Here.¡± ¡°Thank you very much! Enjoy the meal, master!¡± ¡°No, no. It is me who as to thank you, pretty lady.¡± Tiddal gently replies Kogori walks off with a smile on her face to meet up with another maid in her service. They seem to be having a gossip. This is, probably the most common way of exchanging words among females, truly. ¡°Man, this cheesecake is good, want some?¡± While my gaze was invested on Kogori and the other girl for a split second, Tiddal-san had already eaten half of the cheesecake. To think he said that I was the one who eats fast. Take a look at yourself, you devoured the cheesecake in a matter of seconds, you monster! ¡°No thank you.¡± ¡°Still, I have to say; in no way did I expect this dimension to have these standards. Normally, each dimension changes so much compared to what you are used to, that expecting something decent from another dimension can be pretty dubious." Again, I have no idea what he is on about. It¡¯s like he is speaking in another language in which I have no knowledge about. For instance, if a person who was born in Japan would go to the United States of America and that person has no knowledge of the English language, then that person is bound to encounter countless language barriers. The same could be applied in the opposite, thus making my understanding of this completely obscure. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious, about other dimensions?¡± Tiddal-san continued on There is no denying my interest in them. It¡¯s simply natural, right? Whenever a human being is confronted with the unknown their curiosity erupts to the absolute maximum. ¡°Yeah but¡­ What does it really matter?¡± ¡°Everything. To open yourself to new horizons like those wasn¡¯t it amazing when you were in Aquaris?¡± Amazing? If that¡¯s a joke, then it¡¯s a bad taste one. In no way in hell was that an amazing experience. To recapitulate, I was almost devoured by a giant Kraken which had length beyond my measures, slapped by a Goddess and my terrors have grown rampant due to how terrifying it was just to stand there. Too many things are to be considered, in all likelihood. ¡°That wasn¡¯t exactly the most enjoyable to all experiences¡­¡± ¡°True¡­¡± While having this weird exchange of words, Tiddal-san, already having finished with his cheesecakes, takes a sip in the hot steaming coffee. Now then¡­ ¡°Tiddal-san¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± By putting down his coffee cup, Tiddal-san¡¯s eyes, suddenly emerging a serious look among them, look directly at me. ¡°You know¡­ I¡¯m truly grateful for all the times that you have saved me so far and done things that I was in no way expecting you to do, but¡­ Is there a reason as to why you and I keep meeting like this? It feels more than just a coincidence¡­¡± ¡°A weakling is about to get hurt, it is my duty as the strongest element to provide assistance or to completely overtake any sort of threat that comes along with it. That is the creed of the people from the dimension where I come from. Those with power shall rule supreme above others, while those with less power will rule nothing. What do you think? Is it fair?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s not fair¡­ Just because someone is strong, it shouldn¡¯t mean that they should rule above others, that¡¯s just abuse of power, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes and no. It always depends on how one utilizes such power to be precise. If one decides to overtake something through sheer power, then there is no denying that it could be labeled as ¡®abuse of power¡¯. But what if one tries to utilize that power to the greater well, what then? Could that be seen as abuse of power?¡± ¡°You know that I can¡¯t answer those questions very well, don¡¯t you, Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°That of course, is something that I¡¯m aware of. Let me continue, I will eventually answer your question.¡± Says Tiddal-san as he sips into the coffee once again I¡¯ll probably not be able to understand what he means by those profound words, but I¡¯ll try my best. There is nothing wrong with me trying my absolute best. ¡°Power or not, there is something that comes along with it. It could be called the cycle of power, but I prefer to call it ¡°Chain of hegemony¡±. Let¡¯s say for instance that a very powerful person who could take on the whole universe were to use that power to destroy the universe itself, what would happen?¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t the universe be destroyed then?¡± ¡°Maybe. The point is, even if someone is able to attain such power as to be able to conquer the galactic horizons that lie within the cosmos, there is no guarantee that the power itself could possibly be rewarded for the ushered. In fact, it most likely won¡¯t. Power with no goal is no power at all. But still, having power is obviously satisfying, but what happens after everything that that power could express? What would the usurperfeel?" ¡°If I had to say¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be euphoria?¡± Euphoria is the feeling that one feels whenever that individual can feel that he/she can do anything that is possible, sometimes even beyond the field of all possibilities, exceeding the boundaries of the possible realm to transcend right into the impossible realm. It might just be the correct answer here. ¡°Wrong. It¡¯s boredom.¡± Boredom? How can a person who is so powerful feel boredom ever? That¡¯s simply illogical, in my personal opinion. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t get it, how can a person ever feel boredom with power?¡± ¡°Normally, that individual wouldn¡¯t. But if that individual who acquired the power to obliterate the heavens itself had no other goal other than destroying the heavens, and then he would meet his greatest downfall. That¡¯s why people who are often crazy powerful after accomplishing their goals either settle down or just kill themselves due to how boring it is afterward.¡± ¡°But shouldn¡¯t it be fine as long as that person as a goal afterward?¡± ¡°You make it sound quite easy. Is it that simple? Can those words of yours form a reality just because they are credible inside your mind?¡± Shouldn¡¯t it be that way? Am I missing something here? ¡°Is that not it¡­?¡± ¡°Of course not. That¡¯s nothing more than simple optimism mixed with idealism. If anyone ever spouts such nonsense then you have identified a weak person.¡± Tiddal cruelly replies in a harsh tone Optimism mixed with idealism¡­? I don¡¯t understand¡­ His words are perhaps too complex for me to comprehend right now. If only I was smarter then, a mutual understanding could be possible here. ¡°Sorry, I really can¡¯t understand what you mean by that.¡± ¡°No matter. However, just note down in your mind that, power will eventually lead to nothingness, ultimately meaning that its final destination will be boredom. And that leads me to the main point, in which I will answer your question.¡± So the time has finally come eh? Tiddal-san always likes to make up points before coming down to the real answer. I guess that¡¯s what you would call a logical train of thoughts. To present logical evidence followed up with credible arguments, just so your final ultimate argument resonates the most sense. ¡°You see, I¡¯m pretty bored. Without going too profound here, I believe that I am someone that has made over his own life goals to be considered a strong, if not an omnipotent individual. So I have a proposal for you. While I stay here in this dimension for two weeks, do you want to learn the way of the strong?¡± Thus, such a proposal came right back at me. I really have no idea what to do in this type of situation, whether to decline or to accept. Tiddal-san said that he was bored, so to not be bored he wants to make me learn the way of the strong? What¡¯s up with that? It feels as if there is some ulterior motive here. ¡°Um, why me..?¡± ¡°Well, you are pretty weak, dumb and most of all, have constant people who are stronger than you up on you, so I figured that by giving you the ability to retaliate through other meanings you could have what you wanted, isn¡¯t that right?¡± What I want¡­? How can someone so strong be able to relate to a weak person like me when it comes to my desires? It¡¯s impossible¡­ but if that¡¯s the case, if by some chances the possibility of Tiddal-san being aware of my true hidden desire, then¡­ ¡°Can you really give me what I want in two weeks?¡± ¡°Well, objectively speaking, I don¡¯t know what you desire so you will have to be specific honestly. I did say those words assuming that you don¡¯t want to be weak, therefore implying it¡¯s one of your desires to be strong. Am I wrong?¡± Objectively speaking, no. Anyone that is weak would desire the strength to become strong. That¡¯s it, right? Humans are creatures that naturally lust for power for multiple or an individual single reason. I wonder if among other dimensions this changes¡­ However, my true desire would be- ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s just that¡­ How can I defeat all my problems in merely two weeks? That sounds like a fabricated fairy tale?¡± ¡°Think about it. What is the one thing that you have at your disposal that others do not?¡± Nothing. ¡°Nothing, isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s actually one of the correct answers here, but you probably don¡¯t understand just how exactly you were correct just now. But no, that¡¯s not the answer. The answer is the leveling system.¡± T-The leveling system! How could I forget about that? But Tiddal-san said that people would look at me thinking that I¡¯m crazy if I were to somehow use it¡­ That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t utilized the skill that allows me to see the levels on someone¡­ ¡°But isn¡¯t it wrong to utilize those dimension skills on¡­¡± ¡°This reality? Yeah, you could argue that it is wrong; in fact, on some dimensions, it is strictly taboo to even attempt such thing. But, just for reference let me say this. That only applies to conquered dimensions. So, inside a dimension which isn¡¯t conquered and no such rules are established, then all things are possible, mainly the usage of leveling arts and such. What I mean by that is, in this dimension, there is nothing that strictly says that you can¡¯t use them. You get me?¡± ¡°So as long as I¡¯m able to utilize those skills as you did, then there is a chance that I might be as strong as you are?¡± ¡­Why the sudden silence? Did I ask something weird or something? It¡¯s not like him to make silence like this, is it? What¡¯s going on¡­ ¡°Pfthahaha¡­¡± ¡°T-Tiddal-san?¡± ¡°PFTAHAHAHAHA!!!¡± Tiddal-san decides to burst out a huge laugh as if to mock me apparently. Plus, all the people in the maid caf¨¦ suddenly looked over our table. How awkward¡­ Among those people, was Kogori. ¡°T-Tiddal-san, that¡¯s a bit¡­¡± ¡°Haha¡­ Sorry about that, it¡¯s just that¡­ Well, I keep underestimating you; I will not do that anymore, really.¡± Make no mistake, by no means, was that a compliment. His words could also symbolize the following words: ¡°You are just so dumb that your remarks made me laugh this much¡±. Honestly, even I am aware that I am quite dumb; I suppose that it is good that I am aware of that. After all, my imperfection is endless. ¡°I¡¯ve told you once but I¡¯ll tell you again. I will never be like you, but you can be like me. Although, just because I said that, it doesn¡¯t mean that those words can simply reflect a plausible reality which accesses you to become like me.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? What if I learn from you? Won¡¯t I become like you?¡± ¡°Ah, that might be true, but do you want that?¡± That¡¯s¡­ Do I really want to learn from someone like him¡­ Think about it for a bit, Rei¡­ What good comes from trusting a person like him? He is evil, savage, ruthless and merciless, just how can I trust someone like him? That¡¯s unthinkable really, in the end, the best option is to decline¡­ ¡°It seems that you are taking a bit to think this over. Well, let me give you another piece to your mind since it might prove to be useful. Do you remember the old lady earlier?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah, the one that got assaulted by that shady thief, what of it?¡± ¡°The old lady by herself is nothing. Her body is rotten, slow and can barely move yet she keeps a store in hope to contribute to society. But against a thief like that, did she fight back by herself?¡± Recalling that situation doesn¡¯t take any effort. Tiddal-san used a skill to completely make that situation the one he wanted for the most part. However, the old lady couldn¡¯t do anything by herself, even with so many people around they didn¡¯t bother to even flinch an eye. That¡¯s horrible, but neither could I, thus I am horrible as well. ¡°She couldn¡¯t¡­ After all, she is just a weak old lady¡­¡± I reply ¡°Correct. So weak, but so weak, that even someone with low standards from the bottom of all bottoms could take advantage of her, yet what did she do that completely saved her? For sure it wasn¡¯t me, because all I did was to block the thief from leaving the scene. I made him nothing more than a prisoner to that moment, the one who truly made it possible for the thief to meet his demise was none else but the old lady. But, just what did she do to make that possible?¡± Now that I think about it¡­ Tiddal-san probably could have defeated the thief and making him surrender in any circumstance yet he opted not to go with that route¡­ Why was that? What advantage is there to leave it up to the police? I don¡¯t understand. Still, it¡¯s a no brainer that the old lady did call the police thus ultimately arresting the thief thanks to the police¡¯s help. ¡°By calling the police?¡± ¡°True, but what was the act that determined that?¡± The act that determined that¡­..? That was without a doubt her calling the police¡­ What else is more to that¡­? ¡°I don¡¯t unders-¡° ¡°Say, whenever someone is in deep danger and they can¡¯t hope to turn their situations for the better, then what? What is that one thing that sometimes, if not most of the times allows them to exceed regardless of the danger?¡± It was right about that time that I had a deep recalling, to a memory buried within my brain. No¡­ The memory itself was so buried that it could no longer be called a memory; it was¡­ a simple bad chain of events which should be forgotten. ¡°¡­A cry for help.¡± ¡°Oh, so you knew it all along? That saves me some unnecessary trouble. Do you act dumb or something?¡± Me? Acting dumb? No way that¡¯s possible, once someone is lacking in the intelligence department, and then it¡¯s normal to label that person as a dumb person¡­ ¡°Either way, what do you think is the difference between you and the old lady?¡± Too many to count, honestly. There is probably something really obvious to notice here, but what does it matter, really? ¡°Age? Height? Weight?¡± ¡°Really? No way! I¡¯m impressed you could lead to such a conclusion, care to explain the reasoning behind every answer?¡± Tiddal violently sarcastically assaults me Sigh, this conversation is going on for a while. I¡¯m getting no answer to my current situation¡­ I don¡¯t know what to even do next¡­. Just¡­ What the hell am I supposed to do? It¡¯s so damn frustrating. It¡¯s like I hit a wall that has an infinite amount of height. It¡¯s so tall that it transcends the heavens. The feeling of not being able to move forward¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t get so moody, that¡¯s one of your major flaws. To finish this off, the main difference between you and the old lady is that she knows that she is weak.¡± ¡°But I know that I am weak¡­!¡± ¡°True, but does knowledge suffice? Is your own awareness of your own status enough to bring power to your side? No, it¡¯s not. The main difference between you and the old lady is that she knew that she was weak and thus she called for help. But look at you, you are weak yet you never asked me for help. You knew that I was strong from the start after watching me, but you still didn¡¯t budge? Why is that, though? I think I¡¯ve come to gather a pretty credible conclusion. Despite you being the weakling that you are¡­ you¡­ are¡­ without a doubt¡­ convinced that you are far stronger than anyone else, aren¡¯t you?¡± H-Huh? Tiddal-san isn¡¯t making any sense¡­ How can a person like me who is so weak be able to think of himself as someone who is far stronger than anyone else¡­ That¡¯s just impossible¡­ ¡°W-What do you mean by that¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple, really. No weak person could constantly say to themselves that they are weak. It¡¯s not that simple. In the first place, a weak person is not capable of having such thoughts. You say you are strong, but you are nothing more than a pretender. You fool yourself to think that you are weak for some reason, no¡­. It¡¯s very likely that you force yourself into thinking of such things¡­¡± Shut up¡­ Leave me alone, will you? A person so strong-willed like you can¡¯t possibly relate to me, that¡¯s why you are saying those words¡­ ¡°Haha, whatever could you be going on about?¡± ¡°See? It¡¯s that attitude of yours; you like to play dumb, for some reason, am I wrong?¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t play dumb. I just didn¡¯t ask for your help because I thought that a person like you wouldn¡¯t bother with someone like me.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t deny the fact that you need help?¡± Everyone inside this planet or anywhere else needs help. Nothing can be achieved by solo endeavors. ¡°Yeah, I do need help¡­ To overcome my own weakness.¡± ¡°Then, do you accept the offer or not? I won¡¯t insist anymore after this.¡± That¡¯s playing dirty, but it¡¯s a smart move, I suppose. Regardless, there is a need to face the current reality. Acknowledging the fact that I know nothing about the Leveling System is a start, to make sure off that I need to make the most out of this situation. Even if it means, putting myself above just for once. ¡°If I can, then yes, but under three conditions, okay?¡± ¡°Sure, but before that, do you have any money left? I¡¯m sorta growing hungry again, so please ask your girlfriend to come here, will you?¡± She¡¯s not my girlfriend, damn it. Why did that make me blush and irritated? Ahhh!!! ¡°S-She¡¯s not my girlfriend, just saying, also¡­ I don¡¯t have that much money left. Only 270 yen left to be precise.¡± ¡°Is that enough for a cheesecake?¡± ¡°Yeah, but only that. A cheesecake is 215 and coffee is the exact same, so it¡¯s alright.¡± Coincidentally, as soon as I take my eyes off Tiddal-san, I direct them towards Kogori, which just so happens to be looking at me. Although as soon as we cross glazes, she looks away immediately. Was that a coincidence? ¡°Somehow I feel immense density coming from you right now.¡± Declares Tiddal ¡°Huh? What are you talking about? Anyway¡­ Shiara-san, we would like to order something!¡± Against all odds, she also happens to be quick-witted to the point where she comes off flying out of nowhere to the point where she is right in front of our table. ¡°What will the order be, master?¡± ¡°He wants another cheesecake.¡± ¡°I see. I see! A cheesecake it is then! Wait a few moments again, thank you very much!¡± Leaves off the ever charming Kogori Putting all that hypothetical romance talk aside, there is no way that someone like me could ever be a romantic interest to her, thus it¡¯s meaningless to even think about it. Besides, romance is just a huge responsibility on its own. People desire it so much only to not desire it afterward. ¡°So, what are the three conditions?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t given much thought about them, but¡­ As for the first one, I would like you to give me as much knowledge as you know concerning the other dimensions and the Leveling System, is that alright?¡± This is essential to ensure that this isn¡¯t all for naught. Besides, I¡¯m genuinely curious about this overall. ¡°Very well, but just so you know, there might be things so complex that you won¡¯t be able to completely understand with that brain of yours, even so, you still list that condition knowing that it might result into such?¡± In all likelihood, the fact that I listed that condition means that there is an undeniable curiosity towards the system itself, however, this is moreover a precaution method, nothing less or nothing more. If possible, gathering information which surrounds what is unknown to me would be ideal. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine. Now, for the second condition, it will be¡­ To make your disciple.¡± ¡°Erm, wasn¡¯t that kinda what it was going to be anyway?¡± ¡°No, by this I mean¡­ You will have to teach me everything you know but not just for two weeks, but until when I become like you. Please don¡¯t laugh at this.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very hard task. Not for me, but for you, really. Also, you said for me not to laugh, but it¡¯s really laughable, honestly. But sure, I will accept that condition. However, I will not be able to teach you all there is due to the fact that I¡¯m a surprisingly busy person, henceforth I won¡¯t be able to always be present in such occasions, and do you agree?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also fine, I think.¡± While we were discussing our own terms, Shiara-san comes over with a cheesecake on a plate, which she held up with her right hand. ¡°Sorry for the wait, master! Here, that will be 215 yen, please!¡± ¡°Thank you once again, here.¡± I give her the 215 yen in response. And so, she leaves off once again in a happy mood. ¡°Rei.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°If she is the one who makes these cheesecakes then you should marry her. Don¡¯t doubt my counsel when it comes to love, I am an expert in that area, no doubt.¡± Right, you are such an expert that you have to constantly stare at the maids from here, huh? Well, I¡¯ve never tried the cheesecake, so there might be some truth inside those words, thus not making them as shallow as I perceived them to be. Although, that¡¯s only if it is actually true. ¡°Is that so? Then can I try the cheesecake?¡± ¡°Sure thing, but only just a small portion. I really want to thoroughly enjoy this cheesecake. My God, eating something that is not Astria¡¯s food is purely delightful.¡± I don¡¯t know who this Astria person is, but that is a pretty harsh thing to say, even more so if people like you can get someone to cook for you. Leaving that aside, I take the fork and split a small portion of it and lead it to my mouth and it was¡­ ¡°I know how you feel. You don¡¯t have to tell me. It¡¯s beyond words.¡± How correct. The feeling was so heavenly that it took my subconscious to the upper clouds just for a straight second. So explicit yet so simple. It¡¯s not something that can be matched. It truly is the product of someone who has angel hands. ¡°E-Erm, leaving aside the delicious cheesecake, I¡¯m going to announce my third condition, okay?¡± ¡°Okay~¡± That bastard, enjoying the cheesecake like that. Damn it, if only I had more yen I would order it too, but just the fact that I don¡¯t is devastating. Wait¡­ Don¡¯t tell me that he was waiting for me to spend my money just for this occasion¡­ No way, right..? ¡°Oi, oi, don¡¯t look at me with such jealousy. Just so you know, there is a 87% chance of you getting a free cheesecake if you repeat these exact same words: ¡°Shiara-san, please make cheesecakes for me every day from now on!¡± No. No way. ¡°As for my final condition, I would like to be able to ride Kaliya.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°W-Why!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Kaliya only allows targets which are either super high level or in other circumstances. No matter my influence, Kaliya only obeys the ones that are high leveled in the end.¡± ¡°What about the circumstances?¡± ¡°You are not among them. Besides, those circumstances are actually harder to achieve than the first one, being that you would have to be extremely high level.¡± ¡°So it¡¯s impossible to ride Kaliya?¡± ¡°Nothing really is impossible; it just depends on the situation. If you can get a very high level then that¡¯s a start. While it¡¯s not impossible, it¡¯s simply very hard. But I suppose you have no idea what I¡¯m talking about, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­¡± ¡°Still knowing that you still want to maintain that condition as your third and last?¡± ¡°Huh? But you said it was impossible, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, it is impossible as you are now, but through lots of effort, you might be able to ride Kaliya someday. As long as you don¡¯t let that possibility go, I think that even you can ride Kaliya.¡± I see. So it¡¯s not really impossible huh? To be honest, ever since I saw the number of infinite marbles that lie beyond this reality, inside the Via Temporis, the feeling of euphoria consumed me. Not because of the simple reason that it was something which was never inside my imagination box. No, it¡¯s just that every single dimension from my point of view could represent a new experience with new things, new people, new rules, new ways of thinking and whatnot. I¡¯m tired of being limited and chained down by this world. What else is more exciting than finding out what lay bypass the cosmic borderlines? Although this might just be nothing more than a presumption, I must see it. ¡°That¡¯s fine. That shall be my last condition, okay?¡± ¡°All of that is fine. But just so you are aware, your life will never be the same probably, are you fine with that?¡± ¡°I am, that was the whole point, honestly.¡± ¡°A fine answer. Let¡¯s go, every time we waste is crucial. Say goodbye to the pretty lady and let¡¯s head towards the Sekryu Mountain.¡± ¡°Eh? Why that mountain though?¡± The Sekryu Mountain has been brought up now, which steamed up my curiosity. Speaking of which, it all started there, my meeting with Tiddal-san, going into the Via Temporis and so on. At any rate, it¡¯s good to go there, just because of the harmonizing atmosphere that it has presents luck to me for some reason. ¡°It¡¯s rather quiet; nobody visits it which is oddly convenient.¡± I see, so just the fact that it¡¯s silent is enough. There is a degree of agreement that I can definitely come into accord. Still, that doesn¡¯t explain one thing¡­ ¡°I can see that. However, just what exactly are we going to do there?¡± I ask as we get up from our seats with the intention of leaving the maid caf¨¦ Noticing and appealing the atmosphere of the Sekryu Mountain is one thing, although saying that isn¡¯t enough to completely unravel what lies beyond Tiddal-san¡¯s intentions. Thus, asking about it is crystal clear right. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that too much. You said that you wanted to be my disciple right? I¡¯m just going to show you what that means.¡± Somehow I¡¯m getting chills down my spine. Well, it¡¯s probably nothing. Although my body is weak, it shouldn¡¯t be too much right? It¡¯s just leveling up in the end. It¡¯s nothing more than a system in which is completely similar if not equal to that of a game. There is no way it involves hard work whatsoever. Such things shouldn¡¯t be expected. ¡°Say, the Leveling System is like a game, right?¡± ¡°Game? Be more specific about that, please.¡± Huh? Could it be that Tiddal-san has never played a game in his whole life? Well, taking into consideration that he isn¡¯t used to this world there is a slight chance that he might just be extremely old fashioned in all likelihood? Still, if he is familiar with the Leveling System then he should have at least a vague idea of what I¡¯m talking about. Ah, that¡¯s not entirely correct, supposedly. Let¡¯s say that he really is familiar with the Leveling System. Even if he is, there is no guarantee that he is truly aware of what my intentions were when the question ¡®Say, the Leveling System is like a game, right?¡¯ was asked. Therefore, he might be quite wary of that question as a whole. ¡°Um, you know how you start a game in a console and then you have to level up your character to the point where he hits the maximum level thus becoming overpowered. Isn¡¯t that how it is?¡± Perhaps that wasn¡¯t as clear as I thought it would originally sound, so there is a chance that Tiddal-san didn¡¯t get what I just said. ¡°So that¡¯s what you mean by game¡­ Well, we will talk along the way about that. There are lots of things to be explained first. In order for you to understand something complicated first, you need to break down the simplest things first just so that you can hope to understand it. Say goodbye to the pretty girl will you?¡± That¡¯s just like him, to not explain things on the spot, huh? Such expectations could be expected from the man named Tiddal. Also, just out of curiosity, I wonder what his other name is. Just like I got my own name ¡®Rei¡¯, there is my family name to be considered ¡®Kige¡¯. And¡­ Pretty girl? Is he referring to¡­? Ah, no doubt about it. ¡°Shiara-san, thank you so much for today! Tiddal-san said that the cheesecake was delicious.¡± I openly engage an exchange of words with Kogori ¡°Ahaha, it was nothing. Come back anytime!¡± ¡°Bye, then.¡± And with that, we left the maid caf¨¦. Maid Paradisis is such a nice place. Ah, how I wish the whole world could revolve around this place. Pretty girls, a calm atmosphere and good food? Yes, please. No, this isn¡¯t the time to be daydreaming. After all, something big is about to begin, I think. ¡°So Tiddal-san, what is your other name?¡± ¡°Other name? I don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s impossible, every other person as at least another name, a family name, you know?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The answer to that question is obvious. But, I guess you wouldn¡¯t get it.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re dense and stupid." Thus, our little chit-chat went on for a while. We both spoke about several things, mainly concerning the Leveling System and my own doubts about it. Man, I for sure had no idea what was about to happen, but that was all for the best, supposedly. Regardless of the upcoming future, a change was bound to happen. However, is change always good in the first place? 2013, 19th, April. Vol.1 Ch.4: Supra funera vitae Selkitat Dimension, -6 am, Myraliga Country. The Country of Myraliga. Among the Selkitat dimension, there are a total of 623 countries. Some being quite vast while other being severely small, mainly such countries that imply those of islands. Alas, the one country which is the wealthiest one is without a doubt the country of Myraliga. Possessing a wide amount of soldier to guard every station of the country, peace was to be counted on. Such things as violence, thievery, turbulences, and disarrays were never a problem due to the laws of Myraliga. While Myraliga upheld a fair primal index, there were certain actions that were forbidden among the articles in which they were written. Even so, an everlasting harmony could be pronounced as a visible utopia. In comparison to other dimensions out there in the infinite Via Temporis, the Selkitat Dimension is arguably one of the best constructed. Some might say that Selkitat places itself in the very top 50 dimensions to visit. While Myraliga vastly invests its resources on military defense to make sure that peace is always within sight, Myraliga has to its arsenal many other traits. What most countries have in special is a well balanced economic system that allows every citizen in it to live their days to their fullest of all potentials. That itself is an important characteristic of the Selkitat Dimension. There is no poverty on the surface, thus accepting and embracing the reality which is the brilliant dimension Selkitat. Furthermore, Selkitat has a very good orthodox sense of culture enabling other people from outside dimensions to thoroughly enjoy the amount of difference which is commonly witnessed within Selkitat. Aside from that, Selkitat also owns a very exquisite architecture among its constructions, mainly the beautiful palaces. Even what it would be considered low by all kinds of standards does not lose in terms of value here in Selkitat. Besides that, all sorts of products are above in comparison to most dimensions. The amount of artifacts, licenses, weapons, atlas, and whatnot that can be found within Selkitat excels perhaps above most dimensions. Therefore, it is viewed as an attraction site to a large number of targets within every dimension. However, this would imply that the price for all these available luxuries would be beyond outrageous yet that¡¯s not the case. Thanks to its unmatchable economy balance, Selkitat erupts a constant perfection when it comes to every single point. Although despite its merits and omnipresent good points, Selkitat has one big weakness, that being¡­ It is a dimension, just like many others. Meaning that it is open to attacks, even more to other dimensions. Of course, through the construction of Selkitat which is witnessed today as a dimension of many values, it had to face many rivalries, hardships and loses. To make sure that this wouldn¡¯t happen ever again, a secret system was enforced; Primal Index. The ever mighty Primal Index is a system that in all its essence consists of several regulations which makes sure that whoever punishes or breaks a rule in it, will get sent to one of the forbidden dimensions named ¡®Insanterna¡¯. Though, little to nothing is known about Insanterna. All that is known is the very fact that once one goes to it, that person will never come back from it. Needless to say is, there is no concrete proof that this is the truth, therefore people can simply base it as nothing more than a spread rumor to make it less credible. But, the truth is something that cannot be ignored in the face of reality. All people that have broken the laws of the Primal Index were never ever seen again. In all likelihood, there are no rules that forbid war from ever breaking out between dimensions, only among the dimension itself, though that¡¯s very unlikely. And so, Selkitat has been defending itself from the frequent attacks of other dimensions. However, this time around, things are not as simple as to repel the adversities aside to make them irrelevant. If forces are not present to meet up to counter other opposing forces, the winning force would be the one who continues the oppression. 1 Myraliga¡¯s Main Palace, King¡¯s room. ¡°¡­Where in good heaven¡¯s name is him?¡± ¡°To think that he would desert us like this¡­ I expected better things from him! I can¡¯t believe that Selkitat¡¯s fate is in the hands of a filthy vile impostor like him! It was obvious from the start that he just wanted to fool around.¡± It appears that the current atmosphere that compels the King¡¯s room is a stressful one. To be more precise, everyone that is present as we speak is taking a seat among the large table. All of this for one purpose. ¡°Gentlemen and ladies, I¡¯m sorry for the wait. I will now announce as to why the King has summoned all of you Excellencies right here and now. Truth is, as you all probably may know, one of our most important elements is currently missing, thus creating preoccupation within our system. Today, we shall discuss methods to defend Selkitat due to two facts. One being, Selkitat is about to be under attack. The ones who are delivering this striking force is no other than the Kelurus dimension.¡± Declares the dextral arm of the King, Dex ¡°W-What? How can that be? They are no match against us! To strike us at such time is preposterous¡­¡± Entices the great-general Kartisal To the most common of all knowledge, over the past three years, one of the most noticeable presences that is essential for Selkitat to repel other striking forces from other dimension vanished one day. Ever since that day, 3 years have passed. Amidst those three years, the dimension of Selkitat has managed to uncover the fact that such a presence is nowhere to be seen. However, that will not last for long, as suspicions among the enemies have grown to notice since that presence has never once come forward in battle in the time period of three years, thus making it more credible to the enemies that this presence is simply not present. Not by the option, but for another motive. ¡°Although the enemies are still very far away, according to our Temporis observers, it is undeniable that we will eventually have to clash with Kelurus¡¯s striking forces. As for the second fact, I¡¯m sure that most of you are aware by now, but our main force of the attack is missing. As a matter of fact, he has been missing for 3 years now.¡± Continues Dex ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine though? Normally the very premise of our dimension being attack would invite trouble over to our side, but it¡¯s Kelurus we are talking about here. We have defeated them in the past, so why are we exactly so worried about this?¡± A valid question came forward from a man known as Luden. Although the Kelurus dimension is pressing forward with their strike, it is apparent to any person that lives in Selkitat that Kelurus was never able to conquer this dimension on their own. So, knowing such thing and stating it would prove nothing since Selkitat could simply just repel the attack, if not eliminate all the opposing oppression. ¡°Usually, that would be the case. However, that is not the case. If not, then this meeting would be meaningless.¡± ¡°So, what exactly is so important?¡± Just as Dex was about to deliver his words to the rest of the summoned excellencies that are present inside the King¡¯s room, the left arm of the King, Rel, takes over. ¡°According to our observers, it¡¯s not only the Kelurus dimension that is preparing to launch an attack on us but in fact, it appears that they have entwined themselves with an alliance with other two dimensions. Although this is nothing more than a baseless rumor, some observers say that those two dimensions are ¡®Zikanos¡¯ and ¡®Glacivas¡¯.¡± Declares the silver-haired young lady ¡°¡­Now that¡¯s a bit troublesome. We never have faced both of them. With that said, going on an all-out war with the three of them could prove to be disadvantageous to us.¡± Reflects Luden ¡°That¡¯s not all Luden. Regardless of how weak Kelurus is overall if this alliance really is true¡­ Then we could potentially lose.¡± Adding more fuel to Luden¡¯s argument, the purple haired girl named Illuri makes her opinion. Currently sitting on this large room, it stands a large table having 10 people in it. ¡°Unbelievable. To think he would be away at such crucial time¡­ It was without a doubt a mistake to ever trust him. That foul creature was bound to bring no good for the greater good of Selkitat.¡± Having already made a similar statement like this, a slighter older man called Ryuja makes his intention clear. ¡°All of you be at ease. He is coming back. Let¡¯s have faith in him, for he is our hope.¡± Creating havoc of silence in his own room, the King declares that he will return. However¡­ ¡°Forgive my impertinent arrogance and rudeness my King, but can we really trust him? He has not returned for 3 years! To still hope for his premised return sounds like a vast lie to me.¡± ¡°Heed my word, when true danger surfaces, he shall reign over those who dare to storm Selkitat.¡± Still trusting over his own conviction, the King persists with his words in order to make sure that this person would for sure return, thus leading a spiral of trust to his own people. ¡°I-If you say so, my King.¡± Murmurs Ryuja ¡°I can¡¯t accept that, King. No matter how convincing your words may be, even so, there is no sign of him coming back. I suggest that we thoroughly interrogate his mascots. They are present, right?¡± Finally speaking up, the Dimension Guardian named ¡®Alzam¡¯ strikes forward his opinion, ignoring his own rude manners towards the King. Of course, his manners would eventually stir up some problems. ¡°Alzam, mind your manners, will you? That¡¯s the King that you are referring to.¡± Retorting in such a way was no other than Selkitat¡¯s dimension maiden ¡®Lipa¡¯. With her words ultimately delivering that Alzam was being rude towards the King, it would be a given that he would consider an apology in most cases. ¡°So what? The King or the dimension, which one takes the most priority? If minding my manner is going to save this dimension then I will shut up, however, that¡¯s not the case, is it?¡± Not being able to take down such retort, Alzam releases an emotional remark towards Lipa. Even though there is currently going on an argument about the missing person¡¯s whereabouts yet these two are childishly hovering whether the usage of manners is the most appropriate in this occasion. ¡°Stop being so childish, will you? Just because Selkitat is about to be under attack is no excuse for you to discard your manners so easily like that. Apologize to the King!¡± ¡°Hell no. What needs to be addressed right now is how we are going to repeal the upcoming attacks. For your information, just so you know, there will be three, not one and not two, but three dimensions collapsing on us as we speak. Yet you suggest that minding my manners is the actual problem here? Some maiden you are.¡± Most of the people who were indicated to be present right at that moment seemingly agreed with Alzam¡¯s words. While it is important to be all but rude to the King, there are things that need to be addressed with a degree of urgency. Nevertheless, how they were going to combat such opposition was still the main issue that needed to be spoken about. ¡°You will pay for using such words towards me and the King. Right here and now!¡± However, amidst all the commotion the young maiden still remained eager and convinced that her attitude was without a doubt the most righteous one, thus forming a massive killing intent towards Alzam. But, Alzam had no intention of backing down from a fight. ¡°Quite bold aren¡¯t we?! Let¡¯s have a fight then!¡± Shouts Alzam ¡°So much emotion, honestly. While it is entertaining to see such a scenario, you two have to consider where you stand. It shocks me to the depths of my core as a being to see such high-status individuals argue out like this. Let¡¯s seek peace instead of war, shall we?¡± Intervening in such a way was one of the men who lurked deep within the room named ¡®Zats¡¯. Nobody knows much about him. Unlike most people that remain in this room, his status and powers are rather unknown to the outside world if not even within the boundaries of the inside world. Giving off a shady vibe mixed with a mysterious aura, this person wore a classic type of hat. An unusual one, for sure yet alluring. ¡°Thank you, Zats. Both of you shan¡¯t worry, for he is returning. Keen wise heed is to proceed as he shall deliver punishment upon this rampant rebellion. He will not return empty-handed.¡± The King offers his speech ¡°If I may take over, what our beloved King means to transmit to us is that we needn¡¯t worry since our champion will be returning with victory. With that said, Alzam and Lipa, you two do not need to proceed with this unreasonable and pointless grudge.¡± ¡°I still can¡¯t forgive him for speaking like that¡­¡± Replies the red-haired maiden ¡°Well, I don¡¯t particularly care, but if you are saying that he will return with victory, could you be implying that he will defeat all the upcoming oppositions?¡± ¡°I mean precisely that, isn¡¯t that correct, King?¡± Interrogates Zats ¡°Indeed, our ray of hope will shine on us with a most rewarding victory.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why summon us in the first place? Given that an ulterior plan was being put at stake, summoning us is just a waste of time honestly. There is no reason as to why we should be here right now or am I wrong?¡± Alzam¡¯s valid points would just keep on emerging. After all that, it¡¯s only normal to question the actual purpose of their presences here. If there is a plan that is already being used as a counter-attack measure against the upcoming attack, then the necessity for this summon itself is nothing more than a lie. ¡°¡­I suppose it might have been a mistake of mine to appeal such lie. Forgive me.¡± The King humbly apologizes to the rest of the people in the room ¡°No such thing, King!¡± Replies Lipa ¡°Before I issue the main topic, are the champion¡¯s mascots present?¡± ¡°Can I bringhim in, King?¡± The one asking that question was, Luden. ¡°Permission granted.¡± ¡°Etana, come in, if you may.¡± Slowly opening the door comes in a middle-aged man which appears to be on his 40-50 years of life. Slender shoulder yet tense body compositions could be witnessed. For someone of his age, having a body like that could be considered rare. Even though one would consider Etana old, he himself declares that he is still living off his early youth. ¡°Good morning, all of you. Sorry for the intrusion. How is everyone doing?¡± Greeting everyone gently like that, Etana makes his entrance into the King¡¯s room. ¡°Etana-san!!¡± Exclaims Lipa while rushing to his side ¡°Hm, if it isn¡¯t the young maiden. How is your training treating you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s going great! I¡¯ve gained a new atlas, not to mention that I managed to raise a few levels on my own!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I hope that fortune accompanies you in your journey as a maiden.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± Such harmonizing exchange of words could be glanced at from all over the room; still, the main issue was to be addressed. ¡°Etana, we will now begin the interrogation, is that alright?¡± Asks away Luden ¡°That is by all means fine.¡± Carelessly replies Etana And so, the tension elevated in the room creating an even denser atmosphere. Since an interrogation was about to begin, all the 10 people present in the room, now 11 reverted their eyes towards Etana, the one who would be interrogated. ¡°Etana, is it true that you were the one to last see and talk with Tiddal?¡± ¡°That is the correct truth.¡± Replies Etana to Luden ¡°Forgive me for this but¡­ Illuri, if you could.¡± With a sharp quick exchange of a glance, both Luden and Illuri looked at each other as if they were somehow speaking with each other. Although, outsiders would interpret it as pure synergy and that¡¯s what it truly was. ¡°Angelicos testes veritatis, activate.¡± Casting those words away, the purple haired maid cast what it would appear to be a spell on the exact same area where Etana was. The spell was cast in a manner that most wouldn¡¯t understand as to why it happened, but the most important part is that with a wind blow from her mouth she led away some kind of shroud pounder which went straight towards Etana. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s nothing personal whatsoever or ill-intended it¡¯s just for the sake of truth and nothing else.¡± Explains Luden ¡°Worry not. I shan¡¯t hide anything.¡± Openly says Etana ¡°I¡¯m glad we can come to an agreement. My humblest of apologies for the usage of these forceful methods." While one is very apologetic with noble intent, the other is open-minded and understands that it¡¯s for the greater good that this is happening. It¡¯s not like Luden himself likes to use these methods, but he himself sees that there is no other choice, thus using them. ¡°Etana, are you lying for your master¡¯s safety?¡± ¡°I am not.¡± Once again, Luden and Illuri trade glances by a mean of confirmation. ¡°Very well. What were your master¡¯s last words before you and he parted ways?¡± ¡°He said to warn the King that if he didn¡¯t return within two weeks that he would be out on other dimensions to check if they were in danger.¡± ¡°Liar!¡± Exclaims Illuri ¡°Eh? But I didn¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible, my Angelicos testes veritatis makes the caster aware if the target who has the spell on is lying or not. You just did!¡± The spell known as Angelicos testes veritatis belongs to the dark magic arts Atlas, thus accumulating a high capacity in its class. Needless to say is, to acquire this Atlas, which wouldn¡¯t be easily accessible, the user would need to be extremely high level or have its magic points very high. Furthermore, there is no guarantee that it would be available on any Atlas shop out there. ¡°Forgive me¡­ I can¡¯t distinguish the truth and the lie anymore¡­ I¡¯m getting so old that I can¡¯t remember most things in the past. Plus, it¡¯s been three years; my memory itself isn¡¯t the greatest¡­ It¡¯s not like I¡¯m lying to you, I am not able to tell you the truth, you see.¡± Yet again, Luden and Illuri glance at each other. ¡°I suppose what you said now is the truth. Otherwise, my spell would have interpreted that as a lie thus revealing your true intentions. I¡¯m sorry to have doubted you.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then what was Tiddal doing on that dimension? In fact, what dimension was he in?¡± Quickly asks Luden ¡°I believe that the dimension was called Heremus. My master was simply passing by that dimension to check any danger. That is one of the protocol regulation and duties of a dimension champion, correct?¡± Taking over the conversation, Alzam decides to mark his appearance with his words once again ¡°That would be the case. But, that¡¯s only under normal circumstances; there is no telling that Tiddal wouldn¡¯t be up to something which could very well be beyond our knowledge. Furthermore, according to Illuri, there is also no guarantee that what you just said is the absolute truth.¡± Essentially, lying about something would mean holding the vigorous truth inside the liar¡¯s mind, thus making other accepting the reality that there is a truth behind the lie. However, under certain occasions, it might be the reverse case. There could be a lie buried inside the truth and so on. Therefore there is no actual guarantee that Etana¡¯s words are the epitome of truth. ¡°I assure you that that¡¯s not the case. My master was simply checking inside the Heremus dimension while fulfilling his duty. To make this a more factual fact, I even told the King preemptively.¡± At that moment, whispers could be seen all over the room. Conspiracies and lies could be formed just by those words which came from Etana yet the one who had to confirm the truth spoke up. ¡°It is as Etana says. Once Etana returned to Selkitat, the first thing he did was to consult me and deliver Tiddal¡¯s words to me. Rest assured he by no means is lying.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Murmurs Alzam ¡°Now then, why would Tiddal take three years to clear dangers on other dimensions? I¡¯m sure that he is aware that he is bound to protect Selkitat yet why hasn¡¯t he returned?¡± Continuing on with his interrogation, Luden eludes that there might be a slight chance of Tiddal betraying the Selkitat dimension due to his overtime outside Selkitat. Normally, if a dimension champion has not returned from his expedition on other dimensions over a long period of time, he is to be treated as a traitor due to the possibility of the dimension champion himself allying with another dimension thus earning the spot of the traitor. Despite that possibility, the King holds Tiddal in a very high position as if to say that there is no chance of him betraying Selkitat. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s beyond my knowledge. My master is very secretive with his mascots. Even his most trusted ones, and unfortunately, although I believe that he places a high trust on me, I am not one of them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s ludicrous! It¡¯s the job of a mascot to always be with his master, is it not!?¡± In all likelihood, that statement is neither wrong nor right. In fact, according to a mascot¡¯s regulation index, nothing says that a mascot has to keep an absolute track of its master¡¯s actions. Although, strictly speaking, it¡¯s wrong to not do so, since it¡¯s the job of a mascot to guard the life of its master. Ultimately, it¡¯s a paradoxical statement. Even so, Ryuja made sure to entice his words. ¡°If I may speak, it¡¯s not Etana¡¯s fault in this case. Every person who owns a mascot or more than one has the independent choice of taking it with him/her. Should such case arise in which you need your mascot to accompany you everywhere you need, then the mascot¡¯s master is without a doubt a true weakling.¡± The everlasting truth about owning a mascot is that a few if not a lot of conditions need to be met to supposedly own that mascot. Be it weak or strong, conditions shall arise thus raising the difficulty bar on owning them. That is to say, its owner, a master, has to be at least a bit strong and not completely weak. Furthermore, it¡¯s common sense in Selkitat that among its primal Index, one of the conditions to own a mascot is to at least be above level 30. Conclusively, if a person were to explore other dimensions on its own unless that dimension is truly to be feared, then there should be no caution since that person can probably easily defend and eliminate any opposing force that comes along the way. Nonetheless, Dex voices his honest opinion. ¡°Well, but it is Tiddal that we are talking about. He is the type of guy who would cross over to a dimension located in the Via of Mors. Either way, suspecting him about this is probably a waste of time, wouldn¡¯t we all agree so?¡± Alzam made a fair point. Regardless of the danger, Tiddal would not care, that is a known fact among this room. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s true. That idiot is most likely just fooling around and being irresponsible as usual. To suspect of him is without a doubt a certain waste of time. Let¡¯s just close this off.¡± Adds Lipa As if to mock Tiddal, the whole room burst into soft laughter, one after another. Even the King himself wouldn¡¯t overlook such an obvious fact. ¡°Ahh¡­ Well, before ending this interrogation session, I have one more question for Etana, is that alright, King?¡± By making his intention clear, Luden asks for his permission to be granted by the King, since this interrogation session seems to be taking an end pretty soon. ¡°Of course, let¡¯s not prolong this for too long, after all, the main topic needs to be addressed soon.¡± As a conclusion bridge, the King grants Luden the needed permission to go on, since it¡¯s quite obvious that Luden and the rest of the people in the King¡¯s room happen to be curious about this unspoken main topic. Of course, there is also the mystery of what that last question will be. ¡°Then, during the time that you and Tiddal went to Heremus, how many mascots did he bring along with him?¡± ¡°I have no way of concretely answering that question entirely, however, I know for a fact that he took three mascots with him, myself included. I do not know if he had more or not, that¡¯s my sincere opinion.¡± ¡°Illuri?¡± ¡°He¡¯s telling the truth, there are no traces of lies at least.¡± ¡°¡­Is that so¡­¡± After a short talk with Illuri, Luden resumes his usual position on one of the chairs along with the large meeting table. ¡°Thank you for being present here today, Etana. You may make your way to your own actions now.¡± By giving his own decree, the King declares the freedom of Etana. Without any intention of retorting, the almost old man named Etana proceeds to bow down as a manner to give his thanks silently, thus attempting to leave the room. ¡°Wait.¡± Breaking such silence was no other than Zats, the mysterious man who had been silent for a while. ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Giving a hint of nervousness, Etana turns his attention towards Zats, most especially because Zats¡¯s voice crumbled the whole atmosphere in such a dreadful tone. ¡°I just want to clarify a few things before you go; I assume that you are fine with that?¡± Not being able to hide his worries, Etana becomes slightly wary of Zats. ¡°Wait Zats. We have agreed that he is free to go, why are you interfering? Especially when the King said so¡­ Could it be that you are disobeying his orders or attempt to demonstrate a certain degree of disrespect?¡± ¡°No such thing. The very fact that Etana was able to answer those questions without any shred of a lie in them calls for a celebration! However¡­ It¡¯s all oddly convenient! No matter how one looks at it, those answers were all too well answered. Therefore, I will follow my own intuition and just clarify a few things. I believe there is nothing wrong with this, right?¡± ¡°The King gave his decree. To be as insolent as to break that decree calls forth suspicion. Zats, what are your intentions!?¡± Aggressively demanding Zats¡¯s intentions was no other than Kartisal, who has been silent for a while now. By owning a very high considerable status, Kartisal does not forgive those who mock or tend to form any sort of rebellion against the King in any shape or form. ¡°Now, now, why so aggressive! All that I¡¯m doing is releasing my curiosity; there is nothing wrong with that.¡± ¡°You apathetic jester, don¡¯t involve others, especially all the people in this room with your secondary intentions.¡± ¡°Apathetic jester!? FTHAHA! I¡¯m hurt you know? To be called by such name. Even more so, I¡¯m more hurt due to the very fact that my process of releasing my curiosity is being blocked. But, I do see your point. You think that I am perhaps mocking the King, correct?¡± ¡°There is no need to even think about it. The way you laugh and conjure your posture is the way of someone who clearly looks down on others. I won¡¯t tolerate such profane act!¡± ¡°To judge someone by the way one laughs and conjure his own posture, that¡¯s certainly questionable! However, I have a great proposal for everyone here! I¡¯m sure that not everyone here is convinced that Etana¡¯s words were the truth, therefore can I suggest a fair method to extract some actual valuable information from him?¡± Zats¡¯s words were undoubtedly infuriating to Kartisal, but Zats by no means would back down. ¡°Hold on a second, Zats. You say words that imply that you doubt Etana, but he was under a spell that strictly permits the caster to know whether the target of the spell is lying or not. Right, Illuri?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, Luden. There is no way that Etana could be lying about what he just said moments ago.¡± Replies Illuri to Luden ¡°Oh, but there is! Mind if I enlighten you all just a bit?¡± Arrogantly proposes Zats ¡°Usually, I would be overwhelmed by such an arrogant attitude, but let¡¯s hear him out. Speak, Zats.¡± By giving such permission like that, Alzam purposely aims to pay attention to what Zats has to say. Needless to mention, but the atmosphere has once again grown denser, as expected from Zats. ¡°My thanks, Alzam-kun. First things first, I will say that you are not wrong when you said that there is no way that Etana lied.¡± ¡°Then wh-¡° Tries to shortly intervene Illuri ¡°But, that by no means overrules the possibility of his words being a false truth. While he supposedly didn¡¯t lie, that doesn¡¯t mean that he told the truth either. Just because he didn¡¯t tell a lie that doesn¡¯t mean that he told the truth either. I¡¯m familiar with your Angelicos testes veritatis you see! I know for a fact that it belongs to a very secretive dark magic art Atlas, also known as Tenebra! I just so happen to know that it can only detect lies, but it can¡¯t, for example, detect truths. The spellcasters just usually assume that if the one that is being cast on doesn¡¯t tell a lie that it¡¯s the same as saying that the target did not lie. Yet can you overlook the possibility that there is a chance of Etana not telling you the truth just because he didn¡¯t lie!?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°YOU CAN¡¯T! HAHA!¡± For once, the strong witted Illuri showed signs of being tormented. If given the speculation, it¡¯s probably due to how Zats mocked her knowledge because he just so happened to knew more about the Tenebra than she does. That¡¯s not the case entirely, though. It would seem like that, however, that¡¯s only Zats taking advantage of his unspoken knowledge about this matter. There is nothing saying that Illuri wouldn¡¯t know this yet Zats with supreme confidence decides to mock and toy with Illuri. ¡°Zats, enough of your bullish attitude, your point?¡± Says the slightly irritated Luden ¡°Ah, so sorry if I hit a mark there, Luden-kun. Resuming my point, given the fact that the possibility of his words not being the truth, I think that we should seek the truth from him! After all, if we don¡¯t, that¡¯s the same as letting someone leave this sacred ground without any shame whatsoever. To not lie yet to not tell the truth either! I can¡¯t forgive that! Therefore, to ensure that we obtain the truth in its primal form, I suggest that I do the interrogation for this round. I am somewhat confident about my interrogation skills, you see?¡± ¡°You clown, you think that everyone here is just going to nod ¡®Yes¡¯ and give you their consent? Don¡¯t fuck around you!¡± Aggressively retaliates Kartisal ¡°God, of course not! That would be such an imprudent proposal, right!? Hence, the following suggestion. We will hold a voting session to see whether or not I should interrogate Etana over here. I also happen to have a notebook on one of my jacket¡¯s pockets. It¡¯s nothing trivial to simply split a paper into 10 parts and to hand it out to everyone here to vote with a simple ¡®Yes or ¡®No¡¯. Of course, to make the matter more balanced and impartial, I will not participate. That makes 9 votes in total then, thus making sure that there is always an impair side who will definitely win. Otherwise, there would be a possible draw. That isn¡¯t to say that the possibility of a draw not happening is out. That is, without a doubt, possible. For instance, if all of you voted ¡®no¡¯ yet one voted ¡®yes¡¯, then it would be a par combination since the final score would be an 8 to the victorious side. Nevertheless, that¡¯s not my intention. My intention is to make this as fair as possible. Would you be so kind as to give me your permission to allow this voting session?¡± After such long explicit explanation of his proposal, Zats directs all of his attention towards the King who, sitting upon his golden chair, takes a thinking stance and wonders for a bit before giving an answer to Zats. ¡°¡­Hm¡­ Very well, but with haste please.¡± ¡°Magnificent! As expected of your majesty, to give bless us with such a wise choice. Now then, give me just a few seconds of your time!¡± Expressions of multiple characteristics could be seen all over the room. Some were wary of Zats¡¯s true intent while others were either the pure demonstration of an oblivious rage, weakness, fear, anguish or even fatality. Nevertheless, the mysterious man Zats continued to happily split the piece of paper that he took out from his notebook into nine parts. Of course, to vote there was a need to have a pen in the first place. Although, Zats is by no means a careless man, therefore he already had one. If the word convenience would be used to describe this man, then that would be an accurate description in all forms. Having a roughly amount of twenty seconds passed, the man of the show demonstrates valor with his new upcoming words. ¡°Now then, shall we begin everyone? It will go like this: Etana will distribute these nine pieces of paper to all of you! Of course, I and Etana are excluded, so that¡¯s a given. You will simply vote with a yes or no. A very simple thing to understand! Do notice that the voters do not have to reveal their intentions as to why. But, to make sure that there is no such thing as grudges; I will do a simple trick. Whenever all of you are done voting, I will insert all of your votes in my hat and then proceed to shuffle them. Then, the voters will be completely unknown, even more so, only the vote will matter.¡± By proposing this fair system of shuffling the votes when they are ready to place the final vote, there is no way of knowing who the voter was. Otherwise, grudges would potentially be formed and it could lead to unnecessary events. Plus, everyone simply nodded in an agreement which was ironic, since Kartisal himself said the exact same thing yet all of them did that unconsciously since they abide the fairness within this little game of Zats. ¡°Etana, if you may.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± All that had to be done was to distribute the nine pieces of papers. To deliver them to the nine people in this room excluding both Etana and Zats, was Etana¡¯s duty as he firmly accepted it out. Alas, after a brief distribution, the clock begins to thick. Another mention would be, Zats pen started to pass from his right to the left until it reached Zats again to make a complete full circle. Ultimately, it provided to be quite a useful method as every person simply wrote down their respective choice on their piece of paper. And so, the clock ticking reaches an end. ¡°Zats, that clock of yours is annoying; you do know that, right?¡± ¡°Really? A clock is awfully convenient in many situations, to describe it as annoying is not a false description yet it¡¯s a rather exquisite one. Now then, Alzam, if you have given out your words, may I assume that everyone as finished voting, including the King?¡± ¡°That is so the case.¡± Reflects the King as he glances with everyone on the table ¡°Fantastic! Lastly, Etana, bring all the votes in your hand upside down so nobody can see what¡¯s in them. This should be obvious but the voters should deliver the votes upside down for it to not be seen. Then, I shall shuffle them.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± And so, Etana marches forward to collect the votes. Finally, they reach right into Zats¡¯s hat, which was right in the middle of the table. As the last movement, Etana places the votes inside the hat upside down. ¡°To close the curtain, I will now turn the hat upside down and deliberately shuffle the votes by circulating the hat in a circle. This way, the order will be random, finalizing a random order instead of a cardinal order.¡± Perhaps there are more proper ways to definitely do this, however, Zats simply wanted to prove that he was by no means messing around. So, it would only be natural for him to propose a fast and practical way to end this event as soon as possible. After spinning his hat on the table in a circle for a great amount of thirty seconds, Zats stops doing so. ¡°Etana, you will now voice the votes to everyone here.¡± Orders Zats as he sends his hat sliding on the table to where Etana is currently located Lastly, by receiving the hat that was sliding, Etana entices. ¡°I will now begin to declare the votes¡­¡± ¡°This is so exciting!¡± Sarcastically says Zats Flipping the hat upside up was no meandering task, therefore with ease, Etana once again voices his words. ¡°First vote ¨C No.¡± ¡°Second vote- No.¡± ¡°Third vote ¨C No.¡± In a total breeze, a triple no could be heard with a big echo in the shallow large room. One would think that Zats would cower at this moment due to the odds not looking so good for him right now, in fact, most would take advantage of that. ¡°Would you look at that, Zats! A triple no! Why not save the obvious humiliation and give up?¡± The one handing this provocation down to Zats was quite obvious, since apparently he, by no means, had friendly intentions against Zats, therefore Kartisal makes his radical taunt. ¡°Etana, continue.¡± Orders yet again Zats in a serious tone ¡°..............Yes.¡± Dispelling the silence omitted in the room, Etana continues. ¡°Fourth vote ¨C Yes.¡± ¡°Fifth vote ¨C Yes.¡± ¡°Sixth vote ¨C Yes.¡± ¡°Seventh vote ¨C Yes.¡± ¡°Eight vote ¨C Yes.¡± Once again, silence is witnessed, however¡­ ¡°What¡¯s the matter Etana, continue.¡± Coldly says Zats to break the silence. Although Zats did say that, it was crystal clear that Kartisal was speechless and mad about this, hence the pallid expression of his which could be witnessed ultimately. ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be any point in continuing this on, right? Are you sure, Zats-sama?¡± ¡°Absolutely. Every vote matters, regardless of how one-sided this is.¡± Mockingly declares Zats ¡°Then¡­ Ninth vote ¨C Yes.¡± A shock suddenly compels within Kartisal. That was to be expected since it was either Zats¡¯s victory or Zats¡¯s defeat. Either way, Zats did not flatter as his absolute prowess delivered him the final victory here. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m disappointed. I¡¯m a huge adept of entertaining fights, but this was just plain boring. I was expecting to have 5 votes and you only to have 4. But to think that I would have 6 and you 3. Now that¡¯s anticlimactic. Checkmate, Kartisal.¡± ¡°Checkmate!? You probably just arranged these votes, didn¡¯t you, Zats!!¡± Putting aside the one-sided win, that wasn¡¯t enough to bring down a single drop of Kartisal¡¯s spirit, so he pressed this issue even further. ¡°In all likelihood, gathering arranged votes is a great political strategy in the end. The ultimate goal in political warfare is to win, right? So what¡¯s wrong with that? Sure, it¡¯s dirty and whatnot, but it for sure enables one to achieve victory. However, this isn¡¯t political warfare, so there was no such need to gather arranged votes. Also, that¡¯s just stepping low, way too low. Such stagnancy does not entwine with my methodology.¡± ¡°You say that yet you are just the type of person who would do such tricks, you evil creature! Do you not know any shame!?¡± Continues Kartisal ¡°Hm¡­ Arguing with you won¡¯t lead anywhere it seems. Then¡­ King, if I¡¯m allowed to ask, who did you vote for? ¡°Bastard, don¡¯t dodge my question. Answer me!!¡± ¡°Kartisal, don¡¯t waver like this, it¡¯s unbefitting of a general like you, is it not?¡± Intervening after he got a straight question from Zats, the King shows no remorse nor any intention to appeal Kartisal¡¯s argument as he presses to show just how arrogant he is at the moment. ¡°B-But King!!¡± However, to guard Kartisal against committing any more shameful acts, Alzam gets up and pats Kartisal¡¯s shoulder as if saying ¡®Calm down¡¯. Fortunately, it worked. ¡°All told, answering your question would be lack of courtesy. That isn¡¯t to say that you were the most courtesans when asking it. But, I did vote yes. Not no.¡± ¡°H-How can that be¡­¡± Silently murmurs Kartisal ¡°How brilliant. Then, by all means, can I interrogate the individual at hand, your majesty?¡± ¡°That was the deal.¡± With Kartisal¡¯s downfall, it¡¯s fair to say that with Alzam supporting him that he might have voted ¡®no¡¯ along with Alzam. Although, it¡¯s more credible that Kartisal voted ¡®no¡¯ than speculating that Alzam also voted ¡®no¡¯. Just because Alzam simply received a comrade in arms like that, it doesn¡¯t thoroughly mean that he didn¡¯t vote ¡®yes¡¯. After all, it¡¯s beyond anyone¡¯s knowledge to know who voted ¡®yes¡¯ or ¡®no¡¯ in this circumstance. But, two things could be confirmed. The first being Zats¡¯s victory. He won by sheer number advantage, just like how it¡¯s normally won in a voting contest. Oddly enough, despite its numerous remorse¡¯s, it¡¯s a fair and simple competition. Plus, Zats added in a fairer method to ensure that it would go as smooth as possible. Even then, it would seem that all odds would be against Zats, given that the interrogation addressed by Luden had already taken place, but he won. Secondly, with the already confirmed answer from the King, it¡¯s now common knowledge that the King voted in favor of Zats. The reason as to why this just happened is, of course, unknown. Still, the main topic that the King would very much like to make a form keeps on being delayed. Having this to be taken into consideration, Zats does not have a single second to waste. ¡°Perfect. This won¡¯t take long, you have my word, King. In the end, it¡¯s nothing more than a few questions!¡± ¡°Zats, just so you know, my spell wore off¡­¡± Says Illuri ¡°I know that, Illuri-chan. It does only last for 10 minutes at level 1 after all. You ought to practice more!¡± ¡°¡­You even knew that, just who are you?¡± ¡°A person of convenience, one might say.¡± ¡°Zats.¡± Impatiently points out the King Although the King is extremely patient, this is just time wasting and counterproductive, therefore giving a brief warning with his name, the King calls out to Zats, in other words, to quickly close this. ¡°Etana! Let¡¯s begin! So according to your answers, I would very much like to know the evidence to them, would you do me that favor?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry, I don¡¯t follow your reasoning¡­¡± ¡°Huh? That¡¯s weird¡­ Well, let me explain this from the get-go just so we can reach an accord. Regarding your previous answer in which you said that you don¡¯t know about your master¡¯s whereabouts and such. I think that you are lying through your teeth on each one of them. However, to ensure that I¡¯m not just spouting these words just for the sake of it, let¡¯s form a deal. I will active a skill of mine, and if you manage to pass through it, then you are free from this interrogation. As a matter of fact, I promise that I will never ever cause you trouble in your lifetime. I am a man of my word, just so you know. Ah, but I suppose that words aren¡¯t enough are they?" ¡°Zats, what are you planning to do?¡± Asks Luden ¡°Nothing special really. Sumaviv, activate.¡± With the shape of a dead hand, something so despicable as to say appears right in the middle of the air. However, even though its appearance was that of a dead hand, the shape itself was a gray dead hand with only three fingers. ¡°¡­What the hell is that?¡± It¡¯s natural to ask such question with a shred of disgust, therefore, the young maiden Lipa opened her lips and let out a semi-loud murmur which could be well heard all over the room.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Sporadic, is it not? Though its appearance is what it is, its effectiveness is undeniable!¡± Explains Zats ¡°Yeah but¡­ What kind of Atlas do you have?¡± Continues the maiden ¡°That¡¯s rather personal, little Lipa. You should mind your own manners before others; it¡¯s not exactly fitting to ask such questions.¡± Correct. ¡°¡­¡± Yet the maiden refuses to apologize. She perhaps believes that her interrogation was right, hence the silence symbolizing many things. ¡°Every time you don¡¯t tell the truth, the fingers in this hand will go down. Once there are no more fingers to go down, then suspicion will bring you under our custody, is that clear?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me. You said that there were other 2 mascots, correct? You are one of them, so where are the others?¡± ¡°¡­¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± At that exact moment, all eyes from everyone inside that room could only gaze upon one thing, that is, one of the fingers from the terrifying hand went down, and thus only two remain to stand. ¡°Hm, you didn¡¯t tell me the truth. Alright, I will ask you again. Where. Are. The. Other. Mascots?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know! Please!¡± Not being able to take the pressure in anymore, Etana¡¯s tough composure is dispelled by Zats. What didn¡¯t bother Etana wasn¡¯t that he would suffer unknown consequences, but rather that the one¡¯s he is trying to guard would eventually be found out by the imperial forces of Selkitat. ¡°Another finger down. Only one left to go. Please don¡¯t be like this, I wanted to ask more questions and know the answer to them, but if you don¡¯t cooperate with me, I might have to do things that you which are¡­ cruel. Are you sure you want that? Aren¡¯t you the one who is going to protect them? If you protect them now, you won¡¯t be able to protect them after and if you don¡¯t protect them now you won¡¯t be able to protect them after anyway. Really, all of your choices lead to absolute hell. Which one will it be your own downfall or the truth?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it! I will support this farce no longer! Zats, stop this at this instance right now!" Crushing Zats¡¯s speech immediately was no other than Kartisal. However, this time he was not alone. ¡°You¡¯re evil! You intend to hurt Etana-san, don¡¯t you!?¡± The one who aided Kartisal was the Lipa, the dimension maiden. ¡°Why such oppression? This is all for the greater good! To unravel the truth buried in the sands of lies is simply what I¡¯m doing. I see no reason as to why this should be a cause of an uproar!¡± ¡°Lies! You intend to use force to extract information! That¡¯s not how things are done in Selkitat for your information. We preserved and constructed a realm of peace this long according to peaceful laws which contain peaceful methods of resolution. What you are doing is a complete obstruction to that!¡± ¡°What I¡¯m doing? But I¡¯m just asking a question, am I not?¡± ¡°But you were threatening him just now! Explain that, would you?¡± Persists Kartisal ¡°All I did was to use some rash words in hope to extract information. I¡¯m in a tough spot you see; therefore I need to utilize every moment to be able to extract as much information I can from our target. But you went right ahead and expose me. Bravo!¡± ¡°Bastard¡­. Your lies are not convincing, you know!¡± ¡°Say what you will, but do you have any stored evidence that what you are saying is what I¡¯m actually doing? You don¡¯t. What I am doing and what your words are saying may sound similar but that¡¯s only in your imagination. Every person in this room didn¡¯t object this except you two, I wonder why?¡± ¡°Using evidence to your own convenience you damned clown¡­¡± ¡°Woah! That hurts, once again! If I¡¯m a clown, then what are you? An emotional rain parade?¡± ¡°I¡¯LL FUCKING K-¡° Just as things were about to get ugly, an intervention arose. ¡°Calm down, please! Why are you both arguing about this!? If you are so indecisive about this, then why don¡¯t we consult each other instead? There are more opinions around here than your own, so it should be more practical that way!¡± As if to be a representative symbol to bring peace, Luden puts himself in front of Kartisal as a mean to stop him from going berserk. Even though this is the King¡¯s room, Kartisal had by no means the intention of holding back against Zats. Still, Zats was completely relaxed, because he knew that the consequences for such rampage would be grand. ¡°Luden-kun, your opinion is completely logical. Although it¡¯s a bit contradicting, it was me who was given the benefit of handling this interrogation. Therefore, the methods that are used for it should only be my own responsibility, right, King?¡± ¡°I will not say this again, but make haste. These childish arguments are sour and intoxicant. The methodology lies within the one I gave my own decree, therefore, you.¡± ¡°Hear that, Luden-kun? I am well aware of how bombastic Kartisal is, but I expected you to be more collected honestly. May I proceed or are there more objections!?¡± Exclaims Zats as he asks everyone else A silent response came forward, not even the eager Kartisal dared to raise his opinion about this. ¡°Okay! Let¡¯s try this one more time. Well, actually, it¡¯s the last time. So, it would be best for you if you handed me the truth once and for all. I¡¯m not saying this for my own benefit, but for your own, you see?¡± Intercepting the sadistic question, Etana complies: ¡°I have said the truth, no more and no less.¡± ¡°So you say. Final question: Where are the other mascots?¡± ¡°¡­Who knows?¡± Gladly says Etana with a smile that symbolizes mockery All of the three fingers now stand aligned due to the fact that they are all down. ¡°Such a shame that you would have to part like this. If you had given up and told me the truth, your life could have been spared. Adios.¡± Right there, at that exact moment in that room, the hand suddenly began to move around. Twitching around violently like a helpless child who had lost its parents, it went right to Etana¡¯s heart position, however, just as a potential cold-blooded homicide was to be witnessed, a sudden teleportation was therefore witnessed beforehand. The black haired man held that hand with his own hand and crushed it with his might. ¡°Etana, you look like you were in big trouble right now, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°T-Tiddal-sama!!¡± Almost like someone who has been saved just by the ling of a spider¡¯s web thread, Etana fully rejoices once Tiddal enters the King¡¯s room, casually. ¡°Yo, I¡¯m back, missed me much?... Well, that¡¯s not the right question. What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°I and Etana were playing detective, you see!¡± Still being able to keep up his narcotic attitude, Zats openly lies to Tiddal like that. After all, most people in the room were in awe after seeing Tiddal, who had been gone over 3 years. ¡°So playing detective involves putting my mascot in fatal danger? That¡¯s certainly a load of bullshit.¡± ¡°Tiddal, you have returned.¡± Directing his words to Tiddal, the King voices his brief relief. ¡°I have, sorry for the wait. Care to tell me what the hell is going on here?¡± ¡°As I said, we were playing detectives.¡± While the King and Tiddal were forming a dialogue, Zats persists on being impertinent furthering his provocation. ¡°Alright clown. I¡¯ll allow you to play detective. However, never again with my mascots or else I¡¯ll massacre you and feast on your flesh, ultimately serving it as a banquet to the people of Selkitat, deal?¡± ¡°Haha, such a cruel joke, Tiddal. Deal off, that¡¯s way too problematic!¡± ¡°At least you have a sense of rationality and danger. Etana, return.¡± Thus, Etana returns to Tiddal, into the ever spoken Mascot alternative reality. Not known to many, it¡¯s strictly unknown what goes in there, just that once the mascot who is inside a dimension is returned, they return to their dimension. ¡°King, I¡¯ll talk later. I need to rest now. I¡¯ll be off. Call me when I¡¯m awake, I¡¯ll provide the details on my report.¡± ¡°Understandable. Thank you for your work.¡± Everything sounded pretty normal. What it would seem to be a homicide was stopped thanks to Tiddal. Therefore, everything should be perfectly fine. Except¡­ ¡°Tiddal! Where do you think you are going!?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been away for so long and you don¡¯t even say anything to us!? What¡¯s up with that?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Tiddal-san, you¡¯re always so rude!¡± ¡°Still the same bad mannered punk, aren¡¯t you Tiddal?¡± Alzam, Kartisal, Lipa, and Ryuja immediately fired a barrage of commentaries at Tiddal. He, however, did not care as he let this remark. ¡°Listen, the reason as to why I didn¡¯t bother saying anything is because nothing would really happen if I did. Selkitat is fine as you can see. I¡¯ve taken care of the attack. Should there ever be such an attack again I¡¯ll be here. That¡¯s my duty as a dimension champion, after all. So don¡¯t be so damn noisy and needy for once in your goddamn lives!¡± ¡°¡­Even so, you could have left a message, just saying¡­¡± Cowers Alzam ¡°Huh!? Did you not hear what the King said? I would be away checking the dangers on other dimensions. I came here because there was going to be an assault of multiple forces from other dimensions combined. Therefore, I was somewhat summoned here by the King. Did you not tell them, King?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­ Even an old fool like me sometimes forgets even the most important details!¡± ¡°Wait, you seriously didn¡¯t tell them? Oh geez, this is too much, bye.¡± After that awkward confession, Tiddal proceeds to be off, and so, he attempts to leave the King¡¯s room. Nevertheless, all the others looked at the King with a discontent look on their faces. It¡¯s perfectly understandable as to why they would be dissatisfied and angry. The premise of this meeting would be discussing the whereabouts of Tiddal and what to do against the enemy which would be attacking the Selkitat dimension in a while. However, that has proven to be a lie. No, more accurately, the King forgot to tell all the people here that Tiddal would return and clean up the work against the opposing enemies. Although the King did say those words, most didn¡¯t believe in them. Furthermore, there is still the main issue that the King wants to talk about. Yet through all the rampart turbulence, such thing was not able to happen. Now that Tiddal is here, it would be the ideal situation to start. ¡°Tiddal, if it isn¡¯t too much to ask, would you stay with us for a while? We are about to have an important meeting.¡± ¡°Hell no, meetings are always long and boring. There is no actual point in staying, honestly. Fill me up the details later, Alzam.¡± Rejecting Alzam¡¯s proposal like that, Tiddal opens the huge doors and closes them as he leaves off. ¡°Bhaha! That¡¯s just like him, is it not?¡± ¡°Truly a savage radical one, our champion.¡± Adds Illuri more fuel to Luden¡¯s statement ¡°Then, the true meeting shall commence at once.¡± Given the true words worthy of a curtain closure, the King openly announces with vigor what all of them had been looking for, thus ending all the current trivialities. 2 Heremus Dimension, 19th April 2016, 6 pm. So sleepy¡­ The feeling of getting bathed by the immense sunlight upon my face never loses my interests. If only Selkitat had a sun to begin with. Originally, Selkitat was a dimension so cold that no matter who entered there, the person who did would instantly freeze in less than a second, therefore in half a second, if not less. Thankfully, the beginner of the Selkitat dynasty had a crazy powerful Atlas along with several other factors such as skills, magic, status, mascots, original abilities, Eaques, Terroties, etc. There are simply way too many factors to bother with them, sincerely. According to common history, that beginner had the power to rule the temperature of Selkitat, therefore he made it so that no matter the person¡¯s origins, he/she would be able to visit Selkitat regardless of the temperature. Plus, not all dimensions can afford such things as ¡®visitors¡¯ or ¡®outsiders¡¯. Once you are placed there, your organism supposedly works the same way as that dimension¡¯s regulations. Let¡¯s say that the dimension you would be placed in was a dimension filled with a crazy Magna like type of temperature. Even if that¡¯s the case, it wouldn¡¯t matter since your organism would just be according to the dimension itself. That¡¯s why leaving a dimension without any sort of back up is suicidal. Many tried and learned their lesson. Fortunately for me, I¡¯ve visited more dimensions than my years of life, in this one at least. That¡¯s certainly helpful, for instance, there is a skill that I happened to get on a dimension called ¡®Vicryla¡¯. It¡¯s not as simple as getting it, of course, this comes along with the conquering of the dimension. Although that¡¯s really all part of the process. Still, that dimension gave me quite the trouble. Conquering it, that is. The amount of things one has to do in order to conquer a dimension is absurd; besides, there are a plethora of requirements for it. It¡¯s seriously a joke, this leveling system. Beyond flawed yet it opens up so many routes to discovery. It¡¯s not all that bad, but it could be all that good. Nevertheless, this dimension is nice. I didn¡¯t think that I would be staying here for this long. At the start, it was only for two weeks, but it appears that was not the case. I ended up staying here for three years. Well, I did tell Etana to say to the King that I would possibly not return for a while. However, three years? Normally, such timing inside a dimension would be considered betrayal towards the dimension champion¡¯s dimension. In this case me. But¡­ This dimension has everything favoring me. A nice place to stay and reflect. Cute girls without any faults on their personalities. No responsibilities for me. No, wait, that¡¯s quite wrong, there is one responsibility for me. Training this disciple of mine. Let¡¯s see how they are doing¡­ ¡°Rei, come at me with all you¡¯ve got!¡± ¡°That¡¯s it¡­! You asked for it. Here I come, Azmai!¡± Azmai, one of my mascots, in fact, the only mascot I bother to ever carry around with me, is training my disciple, Kige Rei. For reasons, Rei accepted to become my disciple, which favors me incredibly, and perhaps him too. I¡¯ve taught him a fair share of things over these three years, yet that won¡¯t cut it. There really is a limit to how much I can teach him alone. It¡¯s not as if my ability to teach is lackluster. On the other hand, it¡¯s the very fact that there are only certain things that are available to teach someone who is level 7. Of course, I could have taken him to another dimension and abused the same trick over and over until he reached level 25. After level 25, no matter how many times one was to use the trick I used, it wouldn¡¯t matter, since certain requirements are necessary to move forward. Nonetheless, he received an explanation about that. Furthermore, gaining levels isn¡¯t as easy as it originally sounds. An explanation to him was also addressed to him, by me. If raising his level isn¡¯t the correct route for him, there was only one thing to be done. After all, that¡¯s what these three years have been for. He has gained a bit of combat experience, after all. To be able to stand up to Azmai for more than 3 minutes? That itself is outrageous. Given the fact that Azmai is an assassin type of mascot, he isn¡¯t very useful to me, other than a particular factor, of course. However, it¡¯s a bit different in this circumstance. He is amazing when it comes to practice. Training practice that is. To be an assassin means to emerge with the art of killing, in other words, the very fatal way to take someone¡¯s life. To my favor, Azmai knows how to control himself, so he is very useful in this circumstance since I can¡¯t exactly hold back. ¡°Kage Byakusatsu, activate.¡± ¡°Using one of your main moves already? Well, then¡­ I have to respond with the same power! First seal break!¡± The Kage Byakusatsu is a shadow assault essentially. By unleashing the shadow force of his Katana, Azmai is able to send as many shadows as he wants to constantly hit the target. It¡¯s a very fearsome move regardless. Just the very premise of being able to command his own shadows just for the sake of killing the target is amazing; furthermore, while those shadows are busy hunting down the target, Azmai can simply conduct his own movements and proceed to kill off the target. It¡¯s more of a bait technique, really. Although, calling it bait is somewhat wrong. Even if you were to ignore the Kage Byakusatsu, you will get killed by it. It¡¯s not an option duality, but an undeniable duality. Still, Rei. You are quite wrong to say it¡¯s one of his main moves; after all, it¡¯s basically only a lure technique. There is no way that a technique which its only purpose is to lure out the opponent would be one of the main techniques. Rei, you are still a bit foolish, but I believe that you have gained the power to contradict that. Therefore, you chose well to respond with the Seal techniques. In the end, the Seal Breakers just so happen to not require any sort of partial condition for them to be acquired. No, that¡¯s not quite right¡­ They definitely require a partial condition, that is, to be taught by me. Since the Seal Breakers were one of the first techniques that I used to adapt and survive. Still, that¡¯s not enough; therefore, there is only one thing to be done. ¡°The first seal isn¡¯t enough, you know?¡± ¡°We will just have to see about that!¡± And so, the fight continues. While one side continuously sends shadows to the other side, the other side would obviously be in plenty of disadvantage. Though, that¡¯s not really the case. The Seal Breakers are techniques based on status. There are unlimited statuses in reality, but the main ones for a starter are only four. The first, Strength. The second, Defense. The third, Velocity. And lastly, the forth, Attack. At first, both the Strength and Attack statuses will seem a lot similar but in reality, they are completely different. Strength by itself only boosts up the strength of something, therefore, physical attacks or anything which involves the conjuring of physical force will receive a beneficial part for relying on strength. On the other hand, Attack holds a completely different meaning, especially in this situation. The Attack status will provide the conjuring of an attack formation. Therefore, if one were to use the Attack Seal Break, the conjurer would have to create an attack on its own. With that said, that would be no different from a simple punch or any sort of physical attack. Then, what¡¯s the difference? There is only one remarkable difference in this aspect, that being, the conjuration would be extremely stronger than your actual attack. Let¡¯s say that the Seal Breaker would attempt to throw a punch at a very large thick rock. Chances are the fist that threw the punch, would be broken nonetheless. However, if one were to use a Seal Break that would be a different story. The Seal Breakers are essentially enhanced techniques, meaning that each technique is stronger depending on the status point. Ultimately, if your attack conjuration would be, for example, a punch, it would be very likely that you would be able to break the rock completely. However, there are several downsides to this, and one of them is, the attack conjuration fully depends on the conjurer¡¯s imagination. In other words, even though this enhancing ability is nice, it¡¯s nothing if the conjurer can¡¯t forge an attack which is highly efficient and destructive. In all likelihood, conjuring an attack with your imagination sounds completely favorable by theory, but in practice, it¡¯s completely different. Creating that conjuration requires imagination from the conjurer. Plus, it¡¯s completely up to that conjurer to see how to create the attack. If the conjurer chooses to create a punch attack, then it will only be that. However, that¡¯s nowhere near the full extent of this enhancing ability. In fact, there are plenty of things to do with it. Still, that¡¯s partial and irrelevant, since it¡¯s up to the conjurer to find out what he/she can do with this enhancing ability. Besides, it¡¯s nowhere as good as it sounds. If it was as simple as it seems in theory, then this could be considered a cheating ability. But, the ultimate downside to this is that to gain points in the Attack, Defense, Strength, and Velocity statuses, there is an obvious physical duty and pattern here. To build up defense, there is a need to construct a very strong physical body. A defense without a solid base is no defense at all, to begin with. Therefore, a lot of physical train is to be put to this. The same goes for strength, the stronger your physical strength is, the better it is. As for velocity, it¡¯s a bit different, since it requires speed, implying that running would be essential here. Lastly, the attack part involves the actual knowledge of some form of combat. Martial arts are a good example; still, this requires more imagination than actual martial knowledge. Although, without any form of attack in one¡¯s arsenal, it¡¯s a bit, if not completely hard to conjure such an attack. Yet the problem here is, the conjurer is essentially someone who has only started to understand what the basics of everything mean. At least from my point of view, Rei has the potential to become a full fledge Seal Breaker, given that he continues to train relentlessly. Still¡­ ¡°First seal, attack, release!¡± What the hell is that idiot doing!? Can he not tell that facing all of that head on will lead to suicide? No choice then¡­ ¡°Azmai, hold that attack, please.¡± Forcing a sudden attack on a superior assault is not going to work this time around, therefore, this needs to stop. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Master, why did you tell Azmai to stop?¡± Still ignorant as ever. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you tell what was going to happen? Azmai used the Kage Bakesatsu as bait against you, just so you would be forced to attack using the Seal Break.¡± ¡°Yeah, I knew that.¡± And you still went for it. ¡°Yet you still went for it, why?¡± ¡°Mhm¡­ Now that the fight was interrupted, I will tell you, then. I intended to use that as a bait to make Azmai leap towards me, but then I would use the Velocity Seal Break to gain more speed and then land the finishing blow. That was the plan.¡± Eh, that¡¯s not a bad plan. I¡¯m just thankful that he wasn¡¯t deliberately dumb to the point where he thought that going straight head-on against Azmai¡¯s Kage Bakesatsu was a good idea. ¡°Even so, by using the attack Seal Break, Azmai would notice that something was off. You can¡¯t overrule the fact that your move just now was strange. Especially after practicing together for three years now. It¡¯s obvious that you would use bait against bait. Still, that was rather plausible.¡± The usage of bait against bait is thoroughly known as one of the most efficient attacks to ever be created. However, against an experienced combater, it will not work. More so against Azmai, it¡¯s that obvious. ¡°But Tiddal, what if that bait was bait among the bait?¡± That¡¯s also possible, but I don¡¯t think that Rei has thought that far up. ¡°I was aware of that, but the main reason I ordered you to hold that attack was that even if that was the case, you would be one step ahead of him. Don¡¯t you agree, Rei?¡± ¡°Haha, there is just no beating Azmai. But, one day I will beat him. After all, I just have to break the second seal, right?¡± As if it¡¯s that easy. ¡°Rei, you can¡¯t possibly be thinking of answering bait with bait. That¡¯s the worse you can do. Haven¡¯t you learned anything from these past 3 years?¡± ¡°I know that. It¡¯s just that as long as I¡¯m stuck with the first seal, I can¡¯t exactly defeat you, you know?¡± The whole point of this is to figure that out. Yet another point remains, as long as you are not able to master the first seal, there is no way you can possibly control the second seal. After all the Seal Breakers have messed up conditions and consequences to it. ¡°There is just no defeating me. That¡¯s why Tiddal had me go up against you.¡± Not true, but very accurate. ¡°Rei.¡± ¡°Yes, master?¡± ¡°The time has come. I have to do some errands; therefore I can¡¯t train you for a while.¡± In all seriousness, the King, last night sent me an urgent summoning request. That¡¯s one that I cannot ignore, no matter how trivial it may be. But, the situation is pretty clear. According to the King¡¯s information, three dimensions are essentially going to clash against Selkitat. Remembering their names is a bother, so let¡¯s just say that dimension ¡®X¡¯, dimension ¡®Y¡¯ and dimension ¡®Z¡¯ need to be eliminated. Hence, the terminal temporal stop on Rei¡¯s training. Besides, he needs to go to a place where he can properly get some basic knowledge. There is no way that someone can simply absorb constant knowledge that is immensely difficult for him to understand. ¡°Hey, Tiddal, what happened?¡± ¡°Oh, the usual.¡± ¡°I see. Shouldn¡¯t we get going?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the ideal course of action.¡± Good thing that Azmai knows how to read the atmosphere. ¡°¡­Master, when will you return to resume our training?¡± Not for a very long time, therefore¡­ ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about your training. You can resume it anytime you so desire.¡± ¡°Eh? But how?¡± That¡¯s obvious, Rei. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you the details later. Pack your stuff, we are going inside the Via.¡± ¡°Via? Temporis?¡± ¡°The one and only.¡± Well, not exactly the only Via, but the only one named that way. ¡°Ehhhhhhh!? D-Don¡¯t tell me that you are¡­¡± Oi, why are you walking away slowly? What the hell is on your head right now? Stop looking me with those eyes. The eyes of someone who is looking at this person who is so horribly evil that the gazer would have to flee with all their might. ¡°Bhaha!! Tiddal, what have you done to him?¡± ¡°Well, nothing special right?¡± I really have no idea what Rei is all scared about honestly. ¡°¡­Azmai, ever went to Aquaris?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Why the sudden silence? Aquaris is a beautiful dimension. The diamond-like water there is worth at least 1 million Min. Of course, that¡¯s only if you are able to return from it alive and all that. But the creatures there are so nice and understandable. They just attack you because they miss you, that¡¯s all. Really, attention is all they want. ¡°Hey, did a cat eat your tongue?¡± ¡°Tiddal, you may be my master, but you have to get rid of that nasty habit of yours¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean!?¡± ¡°Do you have any idea how terrifying it is for someone to be inside that Dimension!? It¡¯s a forbidden dimension, for your information!¡± Well, not really forbidden. It¡¯s just that the Dimension Analyzers are quite picky. There really is nothing outstanding about Aquaris. Other than the fact that it has super high-level creatures. Calling it a forbidden dimension just because of that is outrageously wrong. ¡°That¡¯s only according to the Analyzers, right?¡± ¡°¡­All hope is lost.¡± ¡­Azmai, why are you like this? ¡°No need to worry! Aquaris is out of the question. Besides, I never said where we were going, did I?¡± ¡°Mhm, valid point.¡± Of course, my destination isn¡¯t the same as Rei¡¯s. However, he will learn soon enough that is destination will have a meaning in it. ¡°Tiddal, I¡¯m opening the portal. We are going to the Via Temporis, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get going already.¡± ¡°Wait, where are we going!?¡± Damn it, I¡¯ve been avoiding this question for a while. ¡°To the Via Temporis.¡± This is a fact, you can¡¯t deny it. ¡°¡­I meant after that.¡± ¡°Surprise.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like surprises; they always have a downside to it.¡± That¡¯s the thing about it. However, there really isn¡¯t any meaning in suspecting my actions. After all, this is for a greater purpose, really. Hence, my silent reply. ¡°It¡¯s open. Are you going to call Kaliya?¡± Mhmm¡­ Kaliya is only useful when going to dimension located in the southeast direction. Since the Via Temporis is the reflection of an alternative universe, it¡¯s very vast, so Kaliya can¡¯t exactly go to other dimensions. Especially the dimensions that aren¡¯t located in a southeast direction. That¡¯s one downside about the Temporal Dragons. They can only follow a direction that they are accustomed to. Given that¡¯s the case; I need to make a stop the east side of the Via Temporis, and then go North. Therefore, Kaliya is useless in this case. ¡°No¡­ Blasin, in this case, is better. Rei, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°¡­Will I be able to return to this dimension?¡± I can¡¯t exactly guarantee you that. But it¡¯s not impossible. ¡°Eventually.¡± Without giving any concrete information, I enter the portal that Azmai opened. This leaves only one option for him that is to enter the portal. Via Temporis ¡°¡­Master, just out of curiosity, but¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What is it?¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°WHY ARE WE FALLING!? AHHHHHHHH!!!¡± Ah, right we are falling. This is bad, the gravity here works exactly like on Heremus, so we are bound to go south at this rate, that is if we don¡¯t fall prey to Umbra Perpetua. ¡°Tiddal, you are overdoing it.¡± That damn Azmai saw through me. I just wanted to give him a little scare that¡¯s all. But his screams are something else. Well, that¡¯s to be expected, I suppose. After all, we are literally falling right into the oblivion¡¯s shackles. ¡°Tsk¡­ Blasin!!¡± Oh, there is an unfortunate factor about Blasin. Although he is very powerful, he is very slow. That means¡­ ¡°¡­We might be done for¡­¡± I murmur ¡°W-W-WHAT!?¡± ¡°Oi, Tiddal, this isn¡¯t a funny joke, just call Kaliya!¡± Thing is, I can¡¯t. Kaliya only answers my calling from a neutral stand position. Meaning, that if I called him when we entered the portal it would have worked. But now that we are going extremely down south, Kaliya will not heed us. In the end, Temporal Dragons are forced to respect other Temporal Dragon¡¯s territories. And that isn¡¯t the least of our problems. Falling down isn¡¯t exactly much of a problem since we just have to open another portal to Via Temporis in case we land on a South dimension. The problem is¡­Umbra Perpetua! ¡°¡­About that¡­¡± We seriously might be done for. Well, worst case scenario¡­. ¡°Master!! Where is Kaliya?!¡± ¡°Somewhere else¡­ Definitely¡­¡± This is true. ¡°Master!!!¡± I want to say ¡®Shut up!¡¯, but it¡¯s really understandable in this situation. ¡°Ah, is that¡­¡± ¡°About time.¡± Guess luck is on our side today since Blasin is coming over. Seriously, he is so slow¡­ We are here falling at a tremendous speed yet he is right there taking and enjoying his sweet time. ¡°Rahhhhhhhh!!¡± The slow dragon roars. ¡°¡­We are saved.¡± Says Rei as Blasin catches us. If Blasin wasn¡¯t so slow, I wouldn¡¯t mind making him my mascot, but the problem is, although he is very powerful and has a unique appearance, mainly the red skin with very large wings, he takes a toll on his Master. I wouldn¡¯t know this concretely, but I assume it¡¯s this case. If Leviathan takes a huge amount of physical burden from her master, in this case, me, then who knows what Blasin might require. Plus, he really is slow. Anything which is slow is only good in scenarios of defense, not attack ones. Besides, it¡¯s not just a physical burden, but other things. Well, those are somewhat partial. ¡°Blasin takes us to Ceulonia.¡± To get to Ceulonia, it should take about 3 minutes or so. Since inside the Via Temporis the time goes super fast, it¡¯s only normal to be this way. ¡°Master, this Ceulonia, don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°Relax, Rei. Ceulonia is a normal dimension, unlike Aquaris¡­¡± Thank you, Azmai. But why are you looking at me with those eyes? Could a memory of the past be coming back to him as we speak? It seems that the nail as hit its mark. Still, I¡¯m impressed. To think that Rei could sustain his own balance while in the Via Temporis. Plus, he isn¡¯t that afraid of the Umbra Perpetua that is essentially just a few miles from us. The fact that Azmai can keep his balance is normal due to him being an assassin. He is without a doubt trained. Yet Rei is able to keep his balance without me having to utilize Impermanence. However, this isn¡¯t the time to be wandering around, before this is over, I need to lay down some words. ¡°Thank God, I have some bad memories of Aquaris.¡± ¡°I can feel your struggle spiritually, brother in arms.¡± Oi, why are they making me the bad guy here? ¡°Rei, pay close attention now.¡± ¡°Yes, master!¡± ¡°You must never, ever reveal anything regarding me. About me or Azmai. Second, you are strictly forbidden from utilizing the Seal Breaks, unless an extremely urgent situation arises. Otherwise, you are forbidden from utilizing it. Lastly, I will apply a spell on you to hide your status.¡± ¡°W-Why though?¡± Why? Because abnormality is bound to attract bad news. To prevent that, a plausible lie must be presented in face of a potential plausible situation. That¡¯s one of the ways to avoid unnecessary confrontations. ¡°Trust me on this. Have I ever lied to you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Okay, but just trust me this time around, please.¡± ¡°You have the habit of lying through your teeth all the time though.¡± Oi, is it really how I sound right now? I¡¯m trying to be helpful over here yet all I get is constant suspiciousness on me. ¡°Rei, just listen to his words. He¡¯s serious.¡± Azmai says ¡°It is as he says, Rei.¡± Thankfully, Azmai is the perfect atmosphere reader. Midst all this suspicion, I have to get the spell ready. Therefore, I need to access a different Atlas¡­ Tantiam, was it? ¡°Oh, I forgot to mention. Keep your training up. Or else, well, you might not survive.¡± ¡°Survive?! W-What are you talking about!?¡± This Atlas is ridiculously powerful, but it demands too much from its user, hence why I never use it. Now¡­ Where are you exactly? It should be located on the ninth slot. Why did I even bother to collect this many spells? It¡¯s logical to collect them if you are going to use them at some point, but this is just overstocking. Ah, there is it¡­ Patiena! ¡°Master, don¡¯t ignore me, please!¡± Patiena has the ability to concede a target¡¯s status to my desired points. However, it¡¯s not really as it sounds. Firstly, the target will have their status remain unchanged, but to outsiders who try to scan the target¡¯s level or status, it will appear how I want. Therefore¡­ Given that his statuses are that, let¡¯s completely reset it. Attack Points: 0. Defense Points: 0. Strength Points: 0. Velocity Points: 0. Okay, that should do it. ¡°Master, are you listening?¡± How useless this is, really. This spell has no literal usage aside from the fact that it creates a certain type of mirage to elude people around the target of this spell. I should consider selling this Atlas. ¡°Azmai, try to check on Rei¡¯s status.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± I suppose there is a slight chance of this not working, so just checking for safety measures. ¡°Hm¡­ If it¡¯s what I think it is, then it worked.¡± ¡°Great.¡± ¡°Huh? What exactly happened?¡± ¡°Nothing really. Also, we are here.¡± I need to make haste, who knows when those bastards will strike Selkitat. Wouldn¡¯t want to make the others too moody, they really are troublesome whenever they are like that. Especially because¡­ Etana seems to be in trouble, according to his heart rate. Ah man, why do Mascot feelings have to be transmitted to their master¡¯s? It¡¯s somewhat annoying due to several reasons. Mainly that Apsu, I will kill him when I get to Selkitat. Better hurry. ¡°Rei. Best of luck. Remember those three years with you. They will give you the strength you need should bad times arrive. Now, off you go.¡± I declare as I grab Rei and throw him into Ceulonia ¡°W-What!? What are you doing!? Master!!!¡± Off he goes. ¡°Bye-Bye!¡± Happily waves Azmai I know that was a bit cruel, but he will do himself just fine. The closer you are to your death the faster you think, that¡¯s the reality of a near-death situation. ¡°You sure that was the best?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m confident about this. Also, aren¡¯t you curious about the current situation?¡± ¡°Even if I am, will you tell me?¡± Well, there really isn¡¯t a reason as to why I shouldn¡¯t. Then again, that¡¯s implying that I should tell or should not. Either way, no matter. ¡°Yeah. Three dimensions are coming to attack Selkitat according to the King. So I need to get this done with as fast as possible. We will be facing the three dimensions all at once. Do you object?¡± ¡°Are they¡­ strong?!¡± So you can¡¯t hide your excitement eh? Azmai, you tend to behave properly around others, but you can¡¯t just discard your natural desires as an assassin. You want to murder some people, don¡¯t you? You damned psychopath. Not like I¡¯m complaining though. If it can make Azmai grow then I will gladly concede him that wish. However, that¡¯s not ideal. If it was as simple as killing them, then this would be a piece of cake. But to think that three dimensions would go up against one¡­ Normally, there is a code of honor when it comes to challenging one dimension up for a fight. It¡¯s not really a challenge, but more like an all-out brawl. This means that there are a few options to consider. One, these three dimensions have forged an alliance, be it temporary or not, matters not. Two, it¡¯s not really three dimensions, but potentially more, since the Via Temporis¡¯s observers can only gaze so far into it. Overruling the possibility that they are using an invisibility spell to conceal their presences isn¡¯t really out of the question. As a matter of fact, if they are smart, they will go with this option. Three, there aren¡¯t three dimensions, but less than that, which would mean that the other dimensions are nothing more than mirages forged by a powerful opponent. That would be a bit troublesome since Selkitat doesn¡¯t really excel at thinking this out and might send a very heavy force to fend off this upcoming attack. Four, there are other dimensions hiding nearby. What I mean by this is if this upcoming scenario would happen: Dimension X decides to strike Selkitat. Selkitat then proceeds to strike back, however, Dimension X immediately runs away into the Via Temporis, thus making it seem as if they are running for their lives while they are intentionally drawing bait to other dimensions nearby. This is only possible if Dimension X follows this behavior and heads straight into a dimension portal. This would prove that Dimension X is nothing more than bait. Given that possibility, there is also the fifth option. Though, this option is only possible if the fourth one is, therefore enabling this to work. According to the fourth option, Dimension X would attack and then run away, leading Selkitat to another dimension. But, the important factor here to consider is why Dimension X is acting with that type of behavior and course of action. Of course, the most accurate guess would be that Dimension X is aligned with another Dimension in some type of alliance. Although, that¡¯s just what they might want one to expect. It could be very well, that Dimension X is being forced into doing this type of invasion against their will. Given that case, Dimension X shall not be killed. Killing the innocent is beyond unnecessary in this circumstance. ¡°They might be strong. However, you are only allowed to kill them if they try to enter Selkitat.¡± ¡°That was a late reply. You were overthinking again, weren¡¯t you? Also, what do you mean by ¡°enter Selkitat¡±? Tell me, what¡¯s on your mind.¡± It¡¯s true that I do tend to over think, but in no way is this over thinking. This is nothing more than a simple consideration of possibilities. There are infinite possibilities when it comes down to this. But since I know nothing about the dimensions that we are about to face then it can¡¯t be helped. Hold on¡­ It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t be bothered to remember the opponents that I have beaten in the past. Even if they evolve, they are no match. Evolution is only remarkable against something that doesn¡¯t evolve. I¡¯m an unstoppable momentum of evolution; therefore, if you were beaten by my tactics in the past, by no means, will you be successful. ¡°Sorry about that. First things first. We need to get to the Via Temporis¡¯s neutral position, the center. Then we will direct ourselves into Selkitat.¡± ¡°I already knew that. Blasin can only fly around the South of Via Temporis, correct?¡± ¡°Precisely. Given that factor, once we reach the center of Via Temporis, we need to get inside a dimension and re-enter to call another Temporal Dragon. So we will enter Heremus and then re-enter the Via Temporis and then call the Temporal Dragon to direct us towards North. We will then encounter the opposing striking forces.¡± ¡°So, do you have a battle plan in mind or something?¡± ¡°Not really, but there are some things to watch out for. We need to confirm their numbers, most importantly, if they are what they seem to be.¡± ¡°I see. So you are saying that our opponents might not even be real in the first place?¡± Amidst all the possibilities, that was the ninth possibility. By creating mirage spells, chances are that Selkitat would be forced to draw their forces against targets that are not even real in the first place. It doesn¡¯t even need to be mirage spells. I can be anything, really. As long as it serves the purpose of baiting out Selkitat, the methods do not matter. ¡°That¡¯s a possibility. The moment we confirm their numbers, you know what to do, right?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean ¡®that¡¯?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Fair enough. But once we do confirm their numbers and I use that, what then? Do we fight them? Do we go back to Selkitat?¡± If their forces are real, then Azmai will have the upper hand. Strategically speaking, given the possibility that their numbers might not be what the observers make it out to be, Azmai will also have the upper hand. It¡¯s a win-win type of situation. ¡°Protecting Selkitat is our number one priority. To ensure that, we will stand in front of our dimension portal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s boring! I thought we were going to slaughter them!!¡± ¡°Hold on. I will give you that opportunity if they force their way through. But, if they do not, then we do not chase them. Although, if their numbers are beyond what the observers said, then we engage in combat and kill them, without a shred of mercy.¡± Considering that their numbers are beyond our expectations, we cannot afford to let them go. Delaying a battle is only good under certain situations. This is not one of them. If the enemies are in an alliance and they run for it after they confirm our numbers they might be aligned to more dimension. That is troublesome, therefore that cannot be allowed. ¡°Just to be sure, how many are we exactly facing?¡± ¡°30 million.¡± ¡°¡­You serious?¡± ¡°Dead serious.¡± Their numbers mean nothing if we take down the most important ones from the get-go. Including their leaders and such. Besides, I can¡¯t see myself losing to other dimensions. I have too many favorable factors on my side. And really¡­ He can¡¯t contain his excitement. ¡°Kill¡­ Kill¡­!! I can¡¯t wait much longer, Tiddal!¡± He really is a psychopath, then again, he is just honest to himself, which is a good thing as long as you are able to maintain and control your honest behavior in front of others. In front of me is fine, since I know his nature quite well, but in other cases, it would be extremely troublesome. ¡°I¡¯m impressed that you can say that with such confidence. It¡¯s 30 million you know? It¡¯s an absurd number.¡± ¡°¡­It couldn¡¯t be¡­ But¡­ Could it be that you are afraid?¡± ¡°You really think so?¡± ¡°With that look in your face now, I take my words back.¡± Look in my face? What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I admit that I got a bit triggered by his words just now, but that was only because he was mocking my strength. Numbers aren¡¯t enough to bring me down. ¡°Open the portal to Heremus, and then right after we enter, we shall re-enter here, okay?¡± ¡°Got it, boss.¡± And so, by opening the portal to Heremus, we enter Heremus and immediately after we re-enter Via Temporis. ¡°That was rather quick. That¡¯s to be expected though. We need to go north, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So a North Temporal Dragon is the right call here.¡± To avoid the same accident earlier, I need to call him right now. ¡°Surkin, come!¡± Unlike Blasin, Surkin specializes in velocity; instead of being powerful he is a white dragon with reversed wings. By reverse wings, I mean that his wings are the complete opposite of the wings of your normal dragon. For example, Kaliya¡¯s wings are normal, but if you invert them, you have Surkin¡¯s wings. This could very well mean that he is the opposite of what he seems to be at first yet a dragon which is fast is a good dragon. His appearance matters not, because despite his majestic appearance, he is far wilder than Kaliya. ¡°W-Woah, this guy is fast!!¡± ¡°According to statistics, 89% of the people who mount Surkin fall into the infinite lands of the south, the forbidden dimensions. Be glad that we happen to be inside of the 11%.¡± ¡°I thought you were going to say that we are the 11%.¡± ¡°These dragons have their own masters, you know? Otherwise, it would be extremely weird to know that there are dragons which allow you to ride inside the Via Temporis.¡± ¡°Are their masters¡­?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah, probably.¡± ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, but how are they doing?¡± ¡°Noisy as usual, but Etana¡­¡± ¡°What? Did something happen to Etana-san!?¡± To own a mascot, a contract needs to be made. One of the conditions of that contract is for the Master to be one with the Mascot. However, that¡¯s a bit vague. What it truly means is that, if your mascot feels an emotion, your master will feel that emotion as well. I¡¯m sure that Azmai is aware of this fact, but I might as well ask. ¡°Azmai, did you know that a mascot and its master are bound by an emotional thread?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s one of the conditions of the contract.¡± As expected of Azmai, even though he has that psychotic dark side, he is able to understand situations quite well. I¡¯m grateful for that since it¡¯s very commendable. ¡°Etana has been feeling anxious for a while.¡± ¡°What? That¡¯s not normal. Etana-san is known for his collectiveness and immense wisdom, whatever could be happening to him¡­?¡± Azmai speaks the truth. Although Etana is slightly older than most of my mascots, well, some anyway, he is the very figure of a calm collected person. Even I have to wonder what has happened for him to be this anxious. It¡¯s not normal. ¡°Surkin, to Selkitat.¡± As I let out those words, Surkin goes up north towards Selkitat. Azmai was more heated up than usual. I knew for a fact that he was pretty pumped up about the potential upcoming fight, but he was emitting rage. That¡¯s not good Azmai. Emitting rage this early won¡¯t do you any good. First, confirm the situation before speculating. ¡°¡­How long until we reach there!?¡± Due to how fast Surkin is, this should take around 2 or 3 minutes, but to ease his rage, I will tell him that there are only 2 minutes left. Even if there is more to it, he is to blinded by his own rage. ¡°Two minutes.¡± ¡°¡­Say, Tiddal, let¡¯s just defeat them and go rescue Etana-san, okay?¡± ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? I thought you were pretty hyped up for this. Where did that fire go?¡± I ask this yet I know the answer to that. Azmai and Etana share a deep bond that much I noticed already. ¡°Etana-san is always calm, isn¡¯t it strange that he is feeling anxious?!¡± ¡°Calm down, it¡¯s probably not what you think.¡± ¡°¡­I hope so, or else I¡¯ll slaughter the one behind this.¡± His eyes just now told a truth that will stay for history, if there is someone behind Etana¡¯s anxiety. Still, Azmai knows Etana quite well. Even I am not fretting this over because I believe that Etana is simply facing a trivial matter, but for Azmai to feel this much rage, something is up here. ¡°Just focus on the upcoming fight, I will deal with this matter on my own.¡± ¡°¡­Sure.¡± While we were having this talk, we have reached Selkitat. No, to be more precise, we have reached the border of our dimension¡¯s portal. Although, I wish that on our way we would have encountered the supposed enemies yet against that speculation the Via was awfully quiet. ¡°Now what do we do?¡± ¡°We wait.¡± ¡°For how long?¡± That¡¯s a good question. I would say that we should wait over an hour, but my intuition tells me that Azmai won¡¯t accept that. He most likely won¡¯t, but still¡­ It¡¯s awkward that the Via is this quiet, just what the hell is going on¡­ ¡°15 minutes. Is that alright?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If there really are enemies coming then we should explore the upper way, shouldn¡¯t we!? We might just be wasting time here while they are watching us from afar! Let¡¯s just go out and find them, if there is no signal of enemies by then we return to Selkitat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not good. You have to consider that they might be waiting for us to leave the Gate Portal just so we are baited into believing that there aren¡¯t any enemies, to begin with. Calm down, Azmai.¡± ¡°Standing here won¡¯t do us any good, you know!?¡± ¡°And going out to potentially find nothing is better?¡± ¡°It¡¯s certainly better than staying here and do nothing about it.¡± Wrong. ¡°Let¡¯s suppose that we do go up ahead and scout for enemies, what then? If we error then chances are that Selkitat is being invaded by then. But if we don¡¯t and wait fifteen minutes then nothing happens. If they come, we kill them; if they don¡¯t then we go straight into Selkitat. It¡¯s better to play it safe at times like this. I emphasize with your burning spirit, but recklessness is no good. You know that better than anyone, don¡¯t you, Azmai?¡± Common sense is a weapon that completely piles up logic with immense reasoning behind it, therefore to use it in circumstances like this is for the better interest. ¡°I¡­¡± Taking a brief moment to calm down, Azmai takes a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my behavior. Fifteen minutes then.¡± ¡°Thank you for understanding.¡± This is really disappointing. A major fight was within my expectations but so far there is nothing coming our way. The Umbra Perpetua can¡¯t reach a Dimension Gate Portal, so we are safe just wait at the bay of our dimension¡¯s gate portal, but if in worst case scenario the enemies don¡¯t come, then what happened? Did they retreat? Was the information that was supposedly given to the King false? Did the enemies notice my presence and flee? No¡­ That¡¯s somewhat unlikely, even though I¡¯m without a doubt stronger than them, they should be quite confident in their numbers, so why aren¡¯t they showing up¡­ It¡¯s been ten minutes. Forcing myself to believe that they are late is out of the question because the King would only send an urgent summon request if the enemy forces are only collapsing right in. Which means, that either I was told a lie or the information was given to the King was false. Worst case, they are simply under an invisibility spell or skill, therefore they are able to get past us, but even then, when someone enters the Gate Portal, there is an automatic registration, no matter the skill or spell in which you are under. Also, breaking the registration system, since their mechanisms are insanely hard to understand. ¡°Tiddal, what¡¯s wrong? You look quite tense...¡± ¡°Ah¡­ It¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°¡­What are the odds that the information that was given to me is false?¡± ¡°The odds should be pretty low; it was the King that sent you the information, right? If so, then it wouldn¡¯t make any sense for the information to be false.¡± ¡°That should be the most logical occurrence to us right now, but what if the information was false and the fact that we are here right now is just part of that process?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but just what exactly are you trying to say here?¡± ¡°I think that there were never any enemies coming here in the first place. It¡¯s suicide to challenge Selkitat. Leaving me aside, Alzam and Lipa are without strong in their own systems. Alzam is our guardian, but he would show no hesitation to kill anyone who dared to crumble Selkitat. Lipa specializes in summoning arts. Summoning a mythical creature to aid Selkitat should be a piece of cake. Although, I¡¯m unfamiliar with their arts overall since I am better in other departments. Plus, there are just overall greater forces inside Selkitat.¡± ¡°But you can¡¯t overlook the possibility of the enemies coming with an even greater force, can you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but what if-¡° At that moment, a sharp pain stroked my heart, but it mostly resembled the pain of being near death. Why is this pain coming to me though!? Could it be¡­? ¡°Tiddal! What¡¯s wrong!?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been had, we need to hurry up to Selkitat, and more importantly towards Etana!¡± How the hell did I not foresee this¡­! I knew it was a possibility, but it was so low that I automatically overruled it¡­ Damn it! ¡°Is he in danger!?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got no time to explain. Azmai, Telekripva ring mode.¡± Noticeably, all mascots have a main ability. Mainly, their abilities are great in general, but usually, their main ones are fantastic. Azmai¡¯s Telekripva allows me to teleport, which is great, right now. But it has one damned consequence. The more I teleport, the more tired I get, both physically and mentally. That¡¯s not great at all, however, it¡¯s a fair price for such ability as overpowering as this. In the end, Azmai transforms himself into a dark ring, which fits in my index finger as a mean to teleport me every time I so give the command in my mind. Selkitat Dimension, -6.30am, Trusilyia Country. Already having teleported twice, my arrival is not so far from the main palace where Etana is currently located. And just as I arrive at Myraliga, all of my mascots are alerted. Alerted that I am inside Selkitat that is. Still, Myraliga is quite far from the gate portal. Thankfully, Azmai¡¯s ability allows me to teleport as far as I want, but the price is¡­ ¡°Tiddal, how far are we?¡± Another useful ability that Azmai has is telepathy. However, this is only available if he is in Ring Mode. Otherwise, it will not work. ¡°Just a bit far¡­¡± ¡°As I thought, the burden is getting you¡­¡± ¡°What the hell are you on about? Burden? You think that this is something?¡± A bad lie, but my condition matters not, I have to ensure Etana¡¯s safety. Still, there is a downside to this. Although the teleportation ability is amazing, the maximum teleportation range is fifty kilometers. There are still two countries until Miraliga. Currently, we are in Trusilyia, but Trusilyia has a total of one million and two kilometers. That means that I will have to use the teleportation ability quite a few times just to get past Trusilyia. The sky is so beautiful even; it¡¯s rare to see such good weather. This air feels good too, it¡¯s perfect. ¡°Hurry up, we don¡¯t have much time!¡± Do you really think I don¡¯t know that? But he¡¯s right¡­ My physical burden and mental burden is no excuse for me to go slow. Why the fuck am being I this slow? Two minutes have passed yet I¡¯m not through Trusilyia. This is by no means slow yet the unshakable truth is, I need to speed up. ¡°You¡¯re right. Don¡¯t worry; we will be here in exactly 2 minutes.¡± Enough is enough. Etana, why are you feeling so anxious¡­. Once I get there, I¡¯ll get you out of this nightmare that you are facing, just hold on. As your master, I can¡¯t afford to either be slow or reluctant. Full speed ahead. ¡°T-Tiddal! You¡¯re going crazy fast, are you alright!?¡± Of course, to make sure that everything goes as fast as possible, I have always with me a permanent. Atlas activated. Atlas require activation before being utilized. If one does not activate their Atlas, then it¡¯s impossible to access it, therefore most keep it active without ever turning it off. Given the situation, that was also my only option, thus enabling me the option to keep Supernatet on. That way, I can freely fly. Precisely, it¡¯s floating, not actually flying. With this, I remain undetected as I soar the clouds and beyond, and step by step, the second country is at sight. Selkitat Dimension, -6.32am, Qyulopi Country. ¡°Mom! Look, it¡¯s a person, flying!¡± ¡°Kuil, that¡¯s impossible. Selkitat wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s true! Just look up there!¡± ¡°What are you¡­? Oh, there really is someone flying, could it be that person!?¡± ¡°Yep! That¡¯s the champion!!¡± Suddenly, amidst the large crowd, people begin to look in the same direction as the mother and child thus noticing a heroic figure soaring the sky. ¡°Oi, Oi, is that him!?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s gotta be him!!¡± ¡°Champion!!!¡± Loud roars and claps erupt all over the place as they witness Tiddal flying above them. Ever since Tiddal had gone missing over for three years, the people in Selkitat were extremely worried and terrified of a potential attack from another dimension. Plus, with the news that arose this morning, there would be an attack on Selkitat. That attack being orchestrated by other dimensions, therefore bringing a huge deal of fear to all the citizens on Selkitat. Yet as he appears claiming the heavens for himself, Tiddal lets out a visible appearance transforming into a greater hope. The light that rules above all darkness, a dimension champion. ¡°Mom! Did the champion protect Selkitat again?¡± ¡°Yes! As expected of our champion, he is truly amazing!¡± Letting out tears, the mother consoles her child by telling him the truth as it is. The champion has returned. Meanwhile¡­ ¡°Tiddal, you really are loved. How great.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say that Astria will kill you later on.¡± ¡°Crap, you¡¯re right. How do you plan on dealing with her?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°I see. You do realize that¡¯s not going to work.¡± ¡°Yes, I hate that undeniable factor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re at fault for making her your own mascot.¡± It¡¯s easy to say that, but if Astria didn¡¯t have that side of her personality then she would be perfect. Then again, it¡¯s precisely because she isn¡¯t perfect that she is my mascot. Anything which is perfect is already flawed from the very beginning. Either way, the Qyulopi country is quite short. Only holding six hundred kilometers in all its grace, Miraliga was not looking so far. In fact, we got there in no time. Selkitat Dimension, -6:34 am, Myraliga Country, Main Palace. ¡°Tiddal, we are two minutes late.¡± ¡°So sorry, princess.¡± ¡°What the hell did you just call me?¡± ¡°We are going in, brace yourself.¡± By activating the last drop of Telekripva, I make my entrance into the main palace. However, unlike normal people, my entrance came from above. Matters not, since my teleportation ability just so allows me to land inside the palace safely, now then¡­ ¡°Etana, you look like you were in big trouble right now, weren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°T-Tiddal-sama!!¡± As I thought, Etana really was in trouble. Furthermore¡­ To think it was this guy who was behind it. Can I just kill him? It¡¯s unbelievable that it was this clown who was behind Etana¡¯s suffering. But¡­ That would be the incorrect move here. There are many things to consider. Too many, actually. I¡¯ll just break the ice with a simple joke. Also, Azmai is on fire. Just contain your rage for a while, if possible. ¡°Yo, I¡¯m back, missed me much?... Well, that¡¯s not the right question. What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°I and Etana were playing detective, you see!¡± A bullish response from a bullish person. Classic. Playing detective? Then play with someone else you fucker. Aren¡¯t there more suitable people around this room to play detective with? This is absurd. ¡°So playing detective involves putting my mascot in fatal danger? That¡¯s certainly a load of bullshit.¡± ¡°Tiddal, you have returned.¡± Aside from the clown, the first one to direct his words towards me is the King himself. I have a lot of questions for him, but most importantly, there is a need to keep my act up. ¡°I have, sorry for the wait. Care to tell me what the hell is going on here?¡± ¡°As I said, we were playing detectives.¡± This guy thinks he¡¯s funny. ¡°Alright clown. I¡¯ll allow you to play detective. However, never again with my mascots or else I¡¯ll massacre you and feast on your flesh, ultimately serving it as a banquet to the people of Selkitat, deal?¡± Although I said it with a bright smile, my intentions were pretty clear. Should this situation occur ever again, blood will rain. ¡°Haha, such a cruel joke, Tiddal. Deal off, that¡¯s way too problematic!¡± ¡°At least you have a sense of rationality and danger. Etana, return.¡± Priorities first. Making sure that Etana stays far away from this guy is to my best interest. Plus, Azmai has calmed down. I suppose this choice was for the best. Now¡­ This physical burden is killing me. Not so much mentally, but I can¡¯t exactly show my full extent in this condition. Even though I never use more than 5% of my actual power, just for maximum convenience, the time to rest is nigh. ¡°King, I¡¯ll talk later. I need to rest now. I¡¯ll be off. Call me when I¡¯m awake, I¡¯ll provide the details on my report.¡± ¡°Understandable. Thank you for your work.¡± Well, the King is wise, hence his unspoken wisdom and understanding. For that, my immense thanks. But, unlike the King, na?ve fools surround the scene. That¡¯s unfortunate. ¡°Tiddal! Where do you think you are going!?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been away for so long and you don¡¯t even say anything to us!? What¡¯s up with that?!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s right! Tiddal-san, you¡¯re always so rude!¡± ¡°Still the same bad mannered punk, aren¡¯t you Tiddal?¡± They have not changed even a tad bit. Now that¡¯s depressing. Though depressing it¡¯s refreshing to see that they haven¡¯t changed, they are fools, yeah, but they are good fools. Still, now is not the time to praise them mentally. ¡°Listen, the reason as to why I didn¡¯t bother saying anything is because nothing would really happen if I did. Selkitat is fine as you can see. I¡¯ve taken care of the attack. Should there ever be such an attack again I¡¯ll be here. That¡¯s my duty as a dimension champion, after all. So don¡¯t be so damn noisy and needy for once in your goddamn lives!¡± ¡°¡­Even so, you could have left a message, just saying¡­¡± Cowers Alzam Alzam, what the hell are you on about? Are you this unaware of the situation? ¡°Huh!? Did you not hear what the King said? I would be away checking the dangers on other dimensions. I came here because there was going to be an assault of multiple forces from other dimensions combined. Therefore, I was somewhat summoned here by the King. Did you not tell them, King?¡± ¡°W-Well¡­ Even an old fool like me sometimes forgets even the most important details!¡± Are you serious now? Wise my ass. I¡¯m done here, goodnight. ¡°Wait, you seriously didn¡¯t tell them? Oh geez, this is too much, bye.¡± While reading all of their faces, their expressions show multiple meanings. Perhaps the very fact that I¡¯m mentally drained due to how much I teleported to get here is getting me? Normally, that would be quite inconvenient yet it¡¯s perfect in this situation. Convenience aside, I ought to leave this place at once. ¡°Tiddal, if it isn¡¯t too much to ask, would you stay with us for a while? We are about to have an important meeting.¡± Didn¡¯t I just tell you that I¡¯m tired? Seriously, what¡¯s so hard to understand about this? If someone is tired then let that person rest. There shouldn¡¯t be any sort of difficulty understanding this. Well, I¡¯m aware that he wants me in this meeting, but as my honest gut tells me that if I were to stay in the same room as that clown Zats, my rage would burst. ¡°Hell no, meetings are always long and boring. There is no actual point in staying, honestly. Fill me up to the details later, Alzam.¡± And with that, my leave, I take. ¡°All of you come out if you want.¡± Already being on the main hall, my exit is for surely granted, and because of that, this is a good time to make contact with all of my mascots. But, I did say that they only have to come out if they want. This is to say that those who are busy and such don¡¯t have to come out. In fact, I would appreciate if they don¡¯t come out. However, as their master, it is my most faithful duty to look out for them. ¡°Tiddal-sama!!¡± Okay, that was a stupid decision. Forgetting about her was a fatal mistake. ¡°I missed you so much!! Where have you been!? Astria has been lonely without you!¡± ¡°Tiddal-sama!¡± Too many voices to count, and I¡¯m being crushed by Astria¡¯s demonic hug. Send help, please. Vol.1 Ch.5: Zakarias and Lodya Um, let¡¯s rewind a bit. On second thought, that is a pretty hard task, so let¡¯s not do that. It appears that I¡¯m currently falling from the sky since my master literally threw me inside an unknown dimension. Fortune does not compel me as usual. After all, all that my eyes can embrace as a truthful gaze is the endless blue skies that rule the infinite horizon. ¡°Master¡­ Did you seriously abandon me!?¡± Somehow this wasn¡¯t much of a surprise; it is Master that we are talking about after all. Even so, my body is starting to feel dizzy¡­ I can¡¯t stay up, even when I¡¯m falling from a very large distance¡­ Ceulonia Dimension, 11am/11pm, Paluzaluza Island. Nothing beats the Paluzaluza Island for what it is! True beauty scourges within Ceulonia, hence the immense magnificence among it. It¡¯s such a shame that this Island is basically inhabitable therefore there are only one hundred if not a bit more people in it. Why is it inhabitable? Because at the top of Paluzaluza Island, there is a fire volcano containing high-level creatures, mainly lava loving ones, the Fogal Edones. Although they are creatures, they speak the Paluzaluza dialect. Making contact with them is extremely forbidden according to the mighty elder. Should any contact happen between any citizen of Paluzaluza and the Fogal Edones, our lives could be taken away. Well, that was 1000 years ago, but it doesn¡¯t make much of a difference. The Fogal Edones still remain at the top of our volcano. We only know that because once a month they hold a celebration festival which lets us hear their loud celebration roars. In opposition to this terrifying atmosphere, people started leaving Palizaluza Island, thus this island has become quite empty. All of this because the Fogal Edones still remain within the island. That cannot remain forever. Thus, there is only one thing that can be done, to defeat the Fogal Edones and restore safety to our island! ¡°This is why¡­ I will rise above them!¡± Of course, the Fogal Edones are nothing more than a myth to the younger generation, to the generation that I belong to. However, the elder strictly says for us to not approach the Great Mountain if we value our lives. Still, nothing can be achieved without hard work, which is why I train and increase my abilities day by day so that one day I will have the elder¡¯s permission to slay the Fogal Edones. I love Paluzaluza with all my heart, and I will not stand by just as I watch another generation fade away while living in terror. Unacceptable. Currently, I indulge myself in training every day. The elder said that if I wanted to defeat the Fogal Edones, then preparations should be done first. First, raising my level to 25 is a must. Elder also mentioned that after that, I should consult him since level 25 is where it all begins. Although, my level right now is only 17. I have no idea how strong the Fogal Edones are in terms of level, therefore slacking off is out of the question. But, in my favor, I have the immense profound Nemoru Jungle which contains all sorts of creatures to kill and raise my level. However, it¡¯s not that easy¡­ ¡°They are rather wary today¡­¡± Actually, one of the problems that I have been having with leveling up is the following, the monsters inside the Nemoru Jungle are naturally agile, and therefore I need to achieve a certain level of accuracy to completely take them down. But that¡¯s not it, unfortunately. Day by day, with every monster inside the Nemoru Jungle fading away, the monsters start to become aware of my presence and immediately flee. Now that¡¯s troublesome because I can¡¯t hunt them or gain any information about their hideout. It¡¯s simple to gain information about their hideout, but at the same time, it¡¯s utterly reckless to advance carelessly within this jungle. Every time that I advance a total of fifteen meters right into the upper direction, their levels increase. Assumedly that they are setting up a bait just by sending low-level creatures to me, it¡¯s impossible for me to move forward. Though, not all possess this ability to capitalize on my presence. I¡¯ve noticed that over the years that I have been training that the monsters here follow a pattern. Every time that I enter the Nemoru jungle, the upper direction monsters on the Northside tend to flee due to my presence, but that¡¯s only if you constantly bother them. Let¡¯s say that you don¡¯t bother trying to hunt them for a month, they will forget how you look and leave themselves open for a hunt. This just proves that these monsters don¡¯t really have much of a memory storage capability. Then again, that¡¯s quite useful, so I do this simple trick to get the best out of this situation. By hunting the east side, I can¡¯t hunt it for another 1 month. The same applies to all sides for some reason, the North and West. Since I come from South there really isn¡¯t much of an option here. Once, I tried to travel the whole island around just so I could enter from the North side, but it didn¡¯t work due to the huge waterfall blocking my path. More so, there is another one on the other side. That¡¯s just unlucky. So what needs to be done is simple, one side needs to be hunted down until there aren¡¯t any monsters left from that side. If the hunting on the east side is done, then moving to the Northeast side is the top priority. Then repeat the same. From Northeast to North, then from North to Northwest, Northwest to West, West to Southwest and Southwest to South. By the time I finished one side, that side has a one-month limitation to it. This means, that hunting it is meaningless. In other words, if I were to hunt the east side, then I couldn¡¯t hunt it for another month. The same applies to all sides. Eventually, advancing more than I should is foolishness. To ensure that I never endanger myself, a line was set to make myself remember where to not pass. If that line were to be trespassed, then I could very well face death by the hands of unknown monsters¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t want to come out eh? Well then, I¡¯ll force you to!¡± One month has passed, so advancing into the East side is possible, but the monsters here are somewhat aware of my presence¡­ That¡¯s new; never did they bother to notice my presence after one month has passed. What¡¯s going on? To test their absence there is only one thing to do, that being, alerting them of my presence. Their levels are 11. Since my level is 17, I¡¯m 6 levels above them, there should be no problem then¡­ ¡°Umbral Bomb!¡± My main skill is that I¡¯m a jack of all trades. By having multiple abilities to my assistance, the Umbral Bomb is a bomb that is based on my level. The bomb grows stronger by my level, meaning that it¡¯s at level 17 right now. The essence of it is all the creatures that are caught in the smoke that the bomb explodes, are to be paralyzed and blinded for a total of two minutes. For the main consequence of this ability, if the bomb targets have their levels above me, I am the one who gets paralyzed and blinded for two minutes. So, not only is this dangerous but depending on the situation it¡¯s incredibly deadly. Yet if the bomb¡¯s targets are below you in terms of levels, then you are victorious. This bomb is highly explosive so I have to throw it from a distance where I am not totally caught by it. It would be simple if that was it, but I have to verify if there are any creatures that were affected by the bomb. Ultimately, I have to emerge myself with the bomb smoke screen. It will only show its consequences to me if their levels are above me. I suppose it¡¯s time to go in. ¡°Exactly fifteen seconds have passed; let¡¯s see how many were hiding.¡± And the result is¡­ Fifteen Shadow Bats, Ten Mirage Foxes, Twenty Corruptors Raptors and five Soul Mud Worms. Ahh¡­. This is not worth the effort at all¡­ ¡°What is my number today?¡± Accessing my Atlas, the number which was given to me was¡­ 7. ¡°Not bad, Hanquila Skylimit, access.¡± Given that I¡¯m a jack of all trades, my Atlas possesses all sorts of weaponry and abilities to its arsenal. Of course, this Atlas belongs to the Elder so I can¡¯t exactly declare it mine since I will have to return it to him someday. Still, the Hanquila Skylimit isn¡¯t a bad choice in this situation. The situation as it stands is that there are the mentioned creatures paralyzed screaming in pain on the jungle mud. There is only one thing to be done, to kill them all. Thankfully, there are no arrows for the Hanquila Skylimit. After all, this weapon is quite large due to the fact that this weapon is a bow. There are some special tricks to it, though. Depending on your level, the abilities on its page continue to unlock. So, I only have 17 options inside the Hanquila Skylimit page. One is perfect for this situation. ¡°Hanquila Skylimit, verse 9, access.¡± [Access has been granted. Do you wish to use Radical Release?] As per usual, the screen appears right in front of me. The answer is yes, of course. [Select the targets to use Radical Release on] Next, there is one way to select the targets to use this skill on. ¡°Umbral Bomb history, requiring access.¡± [Request granted.] ¡°Use Radical Release on Umbral Bomb¡¯s targets.¡± It¡¯s nothing special really, but the main essence here is that the Umbral Bomb¡¯s targets, which were the Shadow Bats, Mirage Foxes, Corruptors Raptors and the Soul Mud Worms, will now be the targets of my Radical Release. Think of it as accessing a history recorder and utilizing that history to your advantage. Since the Umbral Bomb landed on those targets, my Radical Release will have full effect. [Radical Release ready, press yes to continue] However, clicking the option ¡®Yes¡¯ right here and now is dangerous. The Radical Release is a rain of arrows essentially. Although to be more precise, the number of arrows will equal my status all combined. For instance, if I have five points in Defense, Attack, Velocity, and Strength, then the number of arrows will be twenty. Plus, depending on my level, the potency of lethality added to the Radical Release will grow even further. Finally, this covers a very huge factor in my abilities; all of my abilities grow stronger by training. I wish it was that simple. ¡°I¡¯ve got to create distance. Forty-five seconds have passed, and I don¡¯t want to be caught amidst the arrows, so I gotta run for it!¡± So far, the only consequence of the Radical Release is that, upon choosing where it will land, the arrows will rain fiercely. My status are obviously more than five points, therefore the number of arrows will be tremendous. Thus, I decided to sprint over the edge of the exit, and then the option ¡®Yes¡¯ is clicked, finalizing this once and for all. [You have chosen Yes. Choose the area to utilize Radical Release.] Unlike the option that allowed me to choose my targets, this time it requires me to choose an area. With that said, right after that option appears, a large map of the Paluzaluza Island appears in front of me. I know the area to choose, of course. So without hesitation, I choose the east side of the jungle. There, are the creatures that are currently blinded and paralyzed. In exactly five seconds, they will be slaughtered by the upcoming rain of numerous arrows. But, to achieve such feat first, I need to fire away the barrage of arrows that are inside the Hanquila Skylimit. These require a bit of physical strength honestly. In the end, I fired them up in the air far away and they directed themselves towards the east side thanks to the area option. The area option is only for one purpose. By choosing where the arrows will land, they will follow the destination. Their destination is, of course, the area that I chose on the map. Ultimately, they will land on their marks. This can backfire though. If the user does not have enough physical strength, then the arrows will never hit their destination in the first place. To ensure that, I trained my physical strength for a grand total of three years and then my strength status went up to 60. Little did I know, but for this ability to be used, it¡¯s recommended that the user has at least 50 points of strength. I overdid a bit, but it worked out fine. Now all that is left is to wait five seconds. ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ Three¡­ Four¡­ Five¡­¡± Boom! A large sound that resembled that of an explosion completely bombards the east side of the jungle and right after that, several notifications appear in front of me. [You have slain a total of Fifteen Shadow Bats! Congratulations! You have gained 85 points of experience!] [You have slain a total of Ten Mirage Foxes! Congratulations! You have gained 235 points of experience!] [You have slain a total of Twenty Corruptors Raptors! Congratulations! You have gained 132 points of experience!] [You have slain a total of Five Soul Mud Worms! Congratulations! You have gained 18 points of experience!] Ugh, it¡¯s so bad¡­ This experience is basically nothing¡­ And I have to wait another month just to hunt such weaklings¡­ Kill me now. I hope the other rewards are good at least. Huh? Wait, where are the other options? This can¡¯t be all¡­. ¡°It really is all¡­ Oh damn, that¡¯s bad. Considering that I was at 673 points of experience yesterday, my experience bar is at¡­ 1143!! Are you serious!? That¡¯s super low! To get to level 18, I need 11295 experience points¡­ Just how long will that take me¡­? I probably and most definitely can mathematically calculate how much time I will have to wait, but¡­ What¡¯s the point, really..?¡± This was utterly fruitless. Not only do I have to wait another month, but my motivation to hunt was completely swept down the drain. How difficult¡­ At this rate, standing up to the Fogal Edones is just a fairy tale. Well, at least I have the fresh ocean on my side. The Island of Paluzaluza is a bit awkward. I¡¯ve heard from the elder that we forged our own traditions instead of actually embracing the culture of Ceulonia as a whole. Not like it makes a difference to me. Culture is incredibly relative since it depends on how one views the world and most importantly the society around. More so, there is something completely unique to this Island. This island is quite small, but on the west side, it¡¯s always night time while on the east side it¡¯s always day time. I¡¯m on the east side since the monsters here like to walk around the jungle when there is sunlight. They love to indulge themselves into the radiant sunlight. I¡¯m the same, just as my feet receive the small oceanic waves, my love for the sun does not perish. ¡°Zakarias!!¡± Suddenly, a voice comes out of nowhere, interrupting my reflecting peace. A very old man in cheap clothes comes running to me but with immense difficulty. Such difficulty that it cannot be called running; it¡¯s a desperate attempt to reach me. ¡°Elder? What are you doing here?¡± It¡¯s certainly not normal for the elder to be here. Most people of this island remain on the west side to avoid a frontal confrontation with the savage beasts here in the east. If so, what is he doing here? ¡°Z-Zakarias, it¡¯s horrible! Lodya! Lodya is gone!¡± That¡¯s normal. Lodya loves to venture the island for her own self-satisfaction. There really isn¡¯t anything strange about that. The elder should know this better than anyone. So why is he fretting over a fact? ¡°She¡¯s always gone, isn¡¯t she? She¡¯s a wild one.¡± ¡°N-No! It¡¯s not that, Zakarias¡­¡± ¡°Then what is it?¡± ¡°¡­She got kidnapped¡­¡± Now that¡¯s impossible. Lodya is more of a beast than most beasts of the east. Kidnapping her would require tremendous effort. If I had to formulate a takedown plan, it would at least require a hundred people with paralyzing abilities. Even then, nothing says that it would work. ¡°You¡¯re over thinking this. She just left for a while, didn¡¯t she?¡± ¡°No¡­ A Fogal Edone came to the village and kidnapped her¡­¡± ¡°What!? But Fogal Edones aren¡¯t supposed to know where we live! How was that possible!?¡± This shouldn¡¯t be possible! A Fogal Edone kidnapped Lodya!? Just when I was away from the west side, she was kidnapped¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ I¡¯m sorry...!¡± ¡°Excuses aren¡¯t going to cut it, old man! Where did they go!?¡± ¡°¡­To the mountain! Please Zakarias, you¡¯ve got to get my granddaughter back!¡± Yeah, as if it¡¯s that easy. If it¡¯s Fogal Edones, then I don¡¯t know my chances against them. That¡¯s not the only thing, I don¡¯t know their levels, their status, and whatnot. This is suicide no matter how I look at it¡­ ¡°If you rescue her, I-¡° ¡°Rest assured. I will get her back by nighttime. I promise.¡± I don¡¯t even care what he has to say, first things first¡­ ¡°Also, please tell everyone in the village to be calm and relaxed.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Zakarias¡­¡± ¡°Get going, old man.¡± As I see the elder off, I take a seat on the yellow sand which is on the borderline of the sea waves. Since they are minimal, they aren¡¯t much of a threat. But, if they were larger then my seat would be all the way back. Alright, I need to resume what happened, basically. Lodya got kidnapped by a Fogal Edone. That itself is pretty bad. I have no idea how strong they are, so going to her rescue might be potential suicide. If only that was the counterpart¡­ I wouldn¡¯t mind facing just one, but who the fuck knows how many are there inside the mountain? ¡°Damn it, standing here isn¡¯t going to solve anything¡­ I even promised the elder that she would return by nighttime. Why did I have to lie¡­?¡± I know exactly why. Now that that¡¯s done no choice then. I will go beyond the forest and level up. If my success rate here in exactly 0, then if the forest isn¡¯t cleared completely, that just means that my success rate was lower than expected. If so, there exists a necessity to rise above everything which is above me right now. What I need to do is obvious. As I pierce the sky with my gaze, my resolution remains strong and grasps firmness. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do th-¡° Wait¡­ Am I seeing things? Why is there something this large falling from the sky? ¡°H-Hey!! It¡¯s coming in my direction, why!?¡± Regardless of what it is, I should analyze it for myself. It might be a new danger to the Island. That cannot happen. ¡°Cloudon, activate.¡± With Cloudon, this should go well. After all, the Cloudon is an ability that simply works like a cloud. However, unlike a normal cloud, Cloudon completely stops the moving target once the target lands on Cloudon. Plus, if something falls on the ground there are multiple consequences, but not with Cloudon. Poof. The target lands on Cloudon. ¡°Now let¡¯s see what you really are¡­¡± Drawing my mini blade, the Luja, I take a defensive stance while walking towards the Cloudon. And it¡¯s a¡­¡­¡­¡­. boy? What? ¡°Oi.¡± No response. ¡°Oi, wake up.¡± Perhaps a slap will help. ¡°I¡¯m going to slap you, okay? No hard feelings. ¡° Tap. One slap down the drain. He still is not waking up. I don¡¯t have much time to lose, after all, I need to make haste towards my ambition. To level up and rescue Lyoda. Losing time in such a trivial matter is not exactly to my best interests. Therefore, time for a slap barrage. No, wait¡­ Since the ocean is literally right next to me¡­ ¡°I hope you like the ocean.¡± By grabbing the boy¡¯s right shoulder, I take him to the sea and throw him right in. Yosh, that should do the trick, right? If a response does not come in thirty seconds, then he is most likely dead. ¡°WH-WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING!?¡± Ah, he¡¯s up. That saves me the trouble. ¡°Yo, you¡¯re up.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t ¡®Yo, you¡¯re up¡¯ me!! What did you do that for!?¡± I really don¡¯t get why he is fretting over this, really. Is it really that repulsing to taste the ocean? That shouldn¡¯t be right¡­ The ocean is amazing; in fact, the ocean always helps me ease my mind at times. Well, assuming that my mindset is shared by everyone else is certainly wrong. Can¡¯t be helped, an apology should serve. ¡°Sorry. Are you okay?¡± By extending my hand, he will see that my intentions are innocent and pure. My intention is to clear up this misunderstanding as fast as possible just so my mission can start to fruit. ¡°Ah, yeah! Thanks, you really saved m- No way, I¡¯m saying that!¡± Splash. My whole body this time emerges with the cold water lying in the vast ocean. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Take that! That¡¯s for throwing me in the water.¡± Is this guy serious? I offer a peace treatment and this guy throws me right into the water? What the hell is this? Is he an idiot? A retard? Either way, he¡¯s dead. ¡°You¡¯re de-¡° No, I shouldn¡¯t lose my mark here, who cares about this person, I need to hurry up and go raise my level, ultimately that will allow me to challenge the Fogal Edones. Persisting this matter further is pure insolence. Time to make my way. ¡°Hey, wait. Where are you going?¡± Somewhere that doesn¡¯t concern you. Someone that can¡¯t even take a peace treaty is by no means someone reasonable. Well, I did throw him into the water, so we are in the same boat, apparently. Therefore, delaying this is meaningless. ¡°Sorry. Got no time to explain. I don¡¯t care how you got here or where you came from. If you need directions, go all the way up, you should encounter a small village. Seek the elder and satisfy your curiosity. Bye.¡± A pretty good explanation, I suppose. Let¡¯s see, by including that he can search for directions in the village up ahead, this guy should grasp that he can potentially ask for directions. In the case that he is lost, that¡¯s even better. Because, if he gets what he is looking for, then I will not have to waste any more time here. ¡°Why can¡¯t you explain it to me, then?¡± ¡­Is this guy for real? Can¡¯t he tell that I¡¯m in a haphazard hurry to go do my own business, take a hint damn it. ¡°As I said, I¡¯ve got no time. Therefore, other people can help you.¡± ¡°What are you going to do?¡± How is that any of your concern? ¡°That doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°But it does. I want to return the favor. I know that you put that cloud-like skill on to save me from the fall.¡± ¡­What? But you weren¡¯t even conscious by the looks on your face back then? It¡¯s impossible to say that you know something when you clearly had no awareness of that. ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°I felt something fluffy when I landed. But I was too airsick to actually open my eyes. Sorry, I was conscious the whole time.¡± If so, then why didn¡¯t you respond to my slaps? Are you a masochist? What the hell. ¡°Do you like getting slapped?¡± A genuine question with a genuine intention. ¡°Are you an idiot? Who likes getting slapped?¡± THEN WHY DIDN¡¯T YOU RESPOND WHEN I SLAPPED YOU!!! ¡°This is too much. So you said you wanted to repay me, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s about it. Got any ideas?¡± Ideas? Well, to be fair, I have no need for him. Not only does he possess an irritating personality, but he comes from an unknown place. Taking unnecessary risks here might be lethal. Furthermore, by every second wasted here, who knows what Lodya is going through¡­ Ah, there is that, but he doesn¡¯t seem strong, not at all. His physique is normal, I would say. But nothing compared to mine, which immediately is a bummer. Let¡¯s try something first though. ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Oh, you wanna know my level?¡± Not bad. To be able to detect that proves that he has at least the minimum awareness required. Still, it¡¯s impressive that he knows what I was about to do. ¡°Yeah, that would help.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only level 7.¡± Ten levels below me, now that¡¯s disappointing. No, that¡¯s not disappointing actually. For a second, my thoughts gave me the indication that he was level 0. Therefore, it¡¯s a good thing that he is level 7. This could prove some usefulness. ¡°Are you experienced in fighting?¡± ¡°More or less. It really depends on the situation, I would say.¡± Everything depends on every situation, thus meaning nothing. Alright, this is all or nothing¡­ ¡°You said you would repay me, right? If that¡¯s the case, then help me rescue a friend of mine. I will reward you in any way that you want if we can rescue my friend. Is that cool with you?¡± ¡°Deal.¡± Not like my expectations are betraying me, but in all likelihood, he will be useless. The plan is to use him as a scapegoat as my ulterior motive is to rescue Lodya. Nothing personal, it¡¯s just that you are a person I just met. What¡¯s more important, the life of someone who I deeply care for or the life of someone I just met? The answer to that is pretty clear. Still, that would be hypocritical. Therefore, I believe that with our number advantage, which is only two, we can raid the upper forest and take down really high-level creatures. Ultimately, this will mean that he and I will level up. But first¡­ ¡°Would you like to hear the situation?¡± ¡°That would be helpful.¡± Great. Thus, my explanation began. The first thing to acknowledge is that our enemies are probably far stronger than us. Also, we need to level up fast, if possible. Our current time is 11 am, which means that we should have a couple of hours to level up. Regardless of that, we don¡¯t know how much time we have between clearing the jungle and reaching the top of the mountain. It¡¯s safe to assume that we will need at least 3-4 hours. The conclusion being, level up until 4 pm and then make our way towards the mountain. This is all assuming that we do clear the forest and don¡¯t get killed along the way. To ensure that possibility, I will require having this guy be useful somehow. ¡°I see¡­ So basically we need to rescue Lodya-san before it¡¯s nighttime, but to achieve that, we need to kill the creatures that live at the top of the mountain and to also achieve that, we need considerable strength at our side¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand. Here is my proposal. Since you are level 7, you can gain a few levels in the jungle up ahead. What do you say?¡± ¡°No need. Let¡¯s just get this rescue done with. That¡¯s what you want, right?¡± It seems he didn¡¯t quite get my explanation. ¡°You are level 7. I am level 17. I have difficulty in clearing parts of the jungle. If I have such difficulties, then how are you, a level 7 person, supposed to be of any use here?¡± ¡°Levels aren¡¯t everything. I have a few tricks up on my sleeve.¡± Levels are everything. By the time you level up, every status of yours goes up by a tremendous amount, not to mention that certain abilities level up as well. To say that levels aren¡¯t everything is not incorrect, but it¡¯s by no means totally correct. You may have a hidden weapon among you, but if you are reckless and think that you can survive in a jungle full of starving beats that are waiting for you just so they can kill you, then you are very wrong. Therefore, it¡¯s somewhat safe to assume that this guy is not all talk, but just in case¡­ ¡°Oh? What tricks?¡± ¡°You really wanna know?¡± It¡¯s not like I have a deep interest in it, but it would come in handy. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind showing it to me.¡± ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Now then, what exactly are you hiding? ¡°First, punch me in my right arm.¡± ¡°Is that so? Then¡­¡± No even questioning as to why he said that I delivered a punch right into the center of his right arm. Of course, using strength here is not necessary, so it was a soft punch. ¡°Easy, right?¡± ¡°Pretty much.¡± So this was according to his mindset. This means that what he shows me next is definitive. ¡°First seal¡­Break! Defense, rise!¡± Wow. So this was what you were hiding? How do I explain it¡­? It¡¯s like power suddenly formed all over his body. No, that¡¯s not quite it. The moment he spoke those specific words an energy type of aura surrounded his body¡­ ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to be?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know soon enough. Punch me again. Although, don¡¯t put any strength in it, for your own good.¡± Of course, I won¡¯t put any strength to it. That energy looks malicious to anyone¡¯s eyes. Just what was that shroud of energy just now? Either way, I threw a punch at the center of his right arm and the result was¡­ ¡°¡­.Ow.¡± It appears that my hand broke. That¡¯s bad news. ¡°Ah! Your hand!¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Physical wounds are much of a problem, after all, inside my Atlas, I happen to own regenerative ability. ¡°Advanced Heal Spring, Verse 5, Access.¡± Much like how it sounds, it produces a regenerative effect. But, it can¡¯t be used for the rest of the day, that¡¯s the downside of it. Of course, utilizing it here is rather unlucky, but going to a battlefield with a broken hand is out of the question. ¡°W-Was that an Atlas!?¡± ¡°Huh? Yeah, I had to use it thanks to that ability of yours. Having my hand broken is quite inconvenient. Anyway, start explaining, what¡¯s that ability?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry, I can¡¯t reveal its name or its secrets.¡± Meh, pushing this any further will amount to nothing; he is already going to do a huge favor to me either way. ¡°I see, so it¡¯s something that you can¡¯t tell anyone about it, basically?¡± ¡°Something like that¡­ But, do you trust me now?¡± Trusting him or not is irrelevant. Raising my suspiciousness will also do nothing in the end. It doesn¡¯t¡¯ matter whether he has a strong ability or not. If he ends up betraying me for some reason, in the worst case scenario, then I will dispose of him. He is a level 7 while I¡¯m a level 17. It wouldn¡¯t take much of an effort to go over the winning side. But, considering that he is trustworthy and just happen to be a huge idiot, those abilities might come in handy. ¡°¡­Sure. Though, what¡¯s your name?¡± Asking for his name here is fine, I hate treating people unfamiliarly. ¡°Rei. And yours?¡± I really have no obligation to tell Rei my name, but it would be rude otherwise. ¡°Zakarias. Let¡¯s get along.¡± ¡°Zakarias-san is it? Wahhh¡­ I¡¯m really glad that I was able to meet a decent person right from the bat. Truth is, I was pretty reluctant about trusting the first person that I would see on this island, so I pretended to be dead for a while. But it seems that you are a pretty nice guy. Let¡¯s get along too!¡± Out of nowhere, a nice energy type of vibe could be felt from this guy. Just who is he¡­? Well, it¡¯s fortunate that Rei is easy to get along with. ¡°Let¡¯s not waste any more time. We need to be fast.¡± ¡°Agreed. Who knows what those beasts are up to¡­?¡± What I¡¯m also glad about is that he shares basically the same sense of justice. Not exactly a sense of justice, but just the simple understanding of the basic idea here, which is, rescuing Lodya. Nonetheless, there is a consequence to our team up; I¡¯m going to be at this guy¡¯s mercy afterward. I really hope that he forgets about that, it would be quite convenient. Either way, me and Rei marched towards the Nemoru jungle. Nemoru Jungle, 11 am, 11 pm To avoid any unnecessary encounters, we took the course that was already premised to be a peaceful route. By all means, I have cleared those monsters earlier; therefore the east side is clear. The problem is that the mountain is located at the North Side of the jungle, which means that we will face monsters no matter how what route we take. ¡°Say, why are there one moon and one sun up at the same time? Isn¡¯t that awkward?¡± ¡°Awkward? How is that awkward?¡± The sun and the moon have always been up in Ceulonia. Although, never did a question about its existence came forth. Maybe this is a good thing yet my knowledge is insufficient. But, having some basic knowledge doesn¡¯t hurt, so it¡¯s only natural that even someone as me knows about this. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ In my dimension, the sun only comes up in the morning, the time of the day where there is sunlight. On the other hand, at night, the moon comes instead of the sun, but they are both up at the same time here¡­ That¡¯s why it¡¯s awkward.¡± ¡°Dimension? Rei, what are you on about? You sure your head isn¡¯t messed up from that landing?¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t know? That there are other dimensions out there?¡± As we walked the dominated hall of this deep jungle by my actions earlier, my curiosity couldn¡¯t help but wonder. What does Rei mean by dimensions? Still, it¡¯s really quiet here. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve bothered to check a part of the jungle once it¡¯s wiped out. Even though a long time ago, I used to check them, no such things are done anymore. "What did you mean by dimensions?" Rei then took a while to think about his next words. By my guess, he should be thinking on how to phrase them, since it seemed as if he was about to lay some serious unknown information or something, in that case, paying attention seems required. ¡°You see¡­ Do you believe that this is the only world there is?¡± ¡°World? You mean Ceulonia?¡± ¡°I suppose, that¡¯s the name, I think.¡± If this question was directed to another person in Ceulonia the immediate answer would be something along the lines of ¡®Ceulonia is the only existing planet!¡¯ or something hypocritical like that. But, what was truly taught to me was that we should question everything that is already supposedly true. Because everything that is true is a lie. Or so, my elder implies. I have no real intention of obeying his creed since I don¡¯t exactly care that much about culture and all that. As long as Paluzaluza is a safer place, that¡¯s all I care for. Though, now that the question comes to me, it¡¯s my supposed duty to think about this matter, right? Besides, if one is being questioned its good manners for the one who is being questioned to deliver a sophisticated answer, if possible. ¡°I don¡¯t. But, it¡¯s not like I have a statement or proof as to why I don¡¯t believe to back my argument up. I simply don¡¯t believe in what I don¡¯t see with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Hm, well, you will not believe this, but there are other worlds inside a vastly extended horizon of new worlds out there, just waiting to be explored! And this is just one of them, I call them dimensions, but calling it worlds isn¡¯t wrong either!¡± So Rei says, with the enthusiasm of a thousand stars. Really, what a bright guy he is. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yeah. Wouldn¡¯t it be cool to visit and explore new worlds out there?¡± Cool? Who knows? I, for sure, don¡¯t. If it¡¯s cool to explore new things, then what¡¯s the point of doing it? Everything grows old naturally; therefore there is more value in treasuring something which is already old while protecting it with all your might. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If exploring new worlds means abandoning the older worlds then, no.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying. What if you could do both?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You can¡¯t achieve anything without sacrificing something in order to make advancement. Given that, I will never abandon what¡¯s already mine for something which isn¡¯t it.¡± Being as vague as I could, keeping my intent away was a good thing. Though selfish, my true motive is to always protect this Island. I could count the infinite stars in the sky and even then, the number of cowards who ran from the responsibility of protecting this island would be greater than the stars erupted in the sky. Simply said, the whole world could be transported to a whole new dimension, for all I care, my body and soul would remain here. I was raised and created here. In no way in hell will I dishonor this home of mine, even if it means turning a blind eye on the apparent truth. ¡°Zakarias-san, you¡¯re quite stubborn.¡± ¡°¡­Be careful. Have you noticed?¡± ¡°Yeah. Four creatures up ahead. What do we do?¡± A wise choice would be to check their levels, but that could eventually cut our time to react. Wait, we are two, which means¡­ ¡°I will go ahead. You stay back. When I give the signal, attack. If I come running in your direction, then we retreat. We will repeat this tactic until we reach the mountain. Understood?¡± ¡°Just out of curiosity, what exactly will give you the information that you need to know whether we retreat or not?¡± Smart question. That came out unexpectedly. ¡°By the time I advance, I will immediately check their levels. If they are above me at least 5 levels, then we will retreat, otherwise, we move forward. I¡¯m confident that I can take down enemies that are at least 3-4 levels above me. But after that, it¡¯s sorta impossible for me.¡± ¡°As I thought, you really are forgetting something essential here. You have me. What that means is, those monsters will stand no chance as long as we go one by one. It¡¯s simple, but if we outnumber one target one by one they will all fall. With that said, I have a better tactic. I will agree that we should retreat if their levels are that far ahead from yours, but instead of retreating completely, we simply bait them into thinking that we are running. By making ourselves baits, we then strike back to our target. However, we can only achieve this by baiting one target at a time. What do you think?¡± This guy is surprising. He behaves like a total idiot but he can get serious when confronted in danger. That¡¯s really helpful. Besides, his strategy is better than mine, surely. Rei is right, I did forget about him being here. The reason as to why I couldn¡¯t think a tactic where we used our number to our advantage is because I¡¯m not used to teaming up with someone. It¡¯s like when you team two solo players up. However, in this case, Rei has some clairvoyance when it comes to forming tactics like this. Although¡­ ¡°Wait. I will admit that I did forget some things you mentioned, but that just made me realize one thing. If we are two then this just becomes simpler. In all likelihood, this bait has a high success ratio, I will not argue about that. But we can definitely make more progress with this tactic.¡± ¡°What are you saying, Zakarias-san?¡± ¡°For starters, instead of baiting just one, we can definitely bait them all. Though, to make sure this completely works we need to do preparations first.¡± I then explained my whole plan to Rei, which took us exactly 1 hour to achieve. He, by this time, should be returning back with a horde of monsters on his back while running for his life. By my calculations, all the enemies that are up on the northeast side and the north side should all be coming after him. With me giving him an illustration of what course he should follow, he can avoid direct confrontation with monsters, but in the end, the main goal is to goal to where the most powerful are and then to bait them. Following the most powerful ones, will be the weakest, ultimately reaching to the conclusion that they will all abandon their positions just to chase this one guy who pissed them off. Man, that¡¯s really dumb, though if they manage to kill their target is really worth it. However, it¡¯s obviously not that simple. The target that they are chasing is Rei, he must have a trick upon his sleeve or something, or at least my gut tells me. He did break my hand, after all. Well, I, technically did, but it works out the same way. ¡°Zakarias-san!! They are here! They are here!!!¡± Okay then, step one, rescue Rei while he is being chased by an incredible, ridiculous amount of monsters. To close all the abnormalities that do not allow this step to work, I will have to use my Atlas yet again. Though, that¡¯s not exactly something to complain about. Every time that I use my Atlas, that certain spell, skill, weapon, etc, will gain experience points on their own, which is fantastic. Of course, that is only possible if we do happen to kill all these monsters. ¡°Lonquis whip, verse eighteen, access!¡± By extending the Lonquis whip towards Rei, he can grab it right when he finishes his objective. ¡°Rei, do you see it!?¡± ¡°Yeah! Just wait a bit longer!!¡± So he says while he carries an absurd amount of monsters chasing him behind his back. Still¡­ How exactly is he faster than those monsters? There are some creatures with different expressions and physical characteristics than the ones I see. Some of them even send chills down my spine. Yet he faces forward while I am here on top of a tree, just waiting for this to work. Not very long after, step two is finally completed. ¡°I did it! Grab on please!¡± ¡°Okay, come on up.¡± Step two was the following: Rei lures the rest of the horde into the excavated hole, thus allowing me to proceed with step three. ¡°I¡­ am never doing that again!¡± If I was in your position, then I probably would be able to relate to your anxiety and fear. In fact, just by gazing down from the large tree in which we both stand at the moment, a total of hundred if not more monsters roar at us while they manifest their anger for not getting their prey. Now then, what are their levels¡­? ¡°Did you check their levels?¡± ¡°You do realize that if I turned my back just for a second there, I would have died, don¡¯t you? But well, now that I am here, I¡¯ve already checked a few. Want to know?¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°The strongest of them all, which is the one with the large spikes and spiked teeth, do you see it?¡± Naturally, he is among the one that my recognition scan does not process, in other words, he is being seen for the first time, and the same could be applied to me. ¡°Yeah. How much?¡± ¡°He¡¯s level 28.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Twenty-eight!? If the strongest is eleven levels on me then how are we supposed to even face the Fogal Edones!? Do you mean to tell me that all of this is potentially for nothing? Screw that shit¡­ This is too unfunny for a joke. ¡°You are probably having some negative thoughts right now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Bingo. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me. I¡¯m just brainstorming.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use. I am like you in that sense. Once something that is beyond your hope starts to entwine within your plans, you lose all rationality and begin to despair. It¡¯s too early for that, Zakarias-san.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Let¡¯s proceed with the plan.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Honestly, to think that such an easy line would make me realize how dull my reflection was¡­ No matter, the time has come to use step three. ¡°Alchemy, Verse ten, Access.¡± ¡°¡­Do you just have everything?¡± ¡°Everything? This isn¡¯t even mine in the first place, so I really don¡¯t have everything. As a matter of fact, I have nothing.¡± Really, there is no way that this powerful Atlas could be mine. This Atlas belongs to the Elder¡¯s bloodline. This Atlas is to be given to Lodya, actually. I¡¯m nothing more than a puppet in a sense. Though, if these abilities allow me to achieve feats beyond all normalcies, then I have no problems playing puppet. ¡°That¡¯s really strange. You and the Atlas seem to be made for one another.¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± I won¡¯t deny that, since this Atlas is very useful, though, this isn¡¯t the time. Let¡¯s get on with it. ¡°Alchemy Mixer, activate. Mix Gasoline and Oil.¡± [Dynamite has been formed. Stock it?] That¡¯s a yes. And so, the next step comes into play. Step three: Throw the mix right inside the hole. For that to be possible yet another mix needs to be done. ¡°Alchemy Mixer, Level three, activate. Mix Regular Bomb with Dynamite.¡± [Wait one minute until it¡¯s done, please.] ¡°Oi, oi, what exactly are you going to do with it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see. Let¡¯s just say that they won¡¯t like it.¡± It would be questionable if they liked it. However, this could very well be suicide if one of them happens to be a fire absorber. That would be extremely troublesome. So troublesome that we would have to retreat¡­ Eventually, a minute passes. [D.I.B has been formed. Stock it or use it?] Use it, of course. ¡°Now then, I¡¯ve kept you waiting, haven¡¯t I?¡± I¡¯m literally talking to monsters. Many would consider me clinically insane. ¡°Since its lunchtime, I will give you an appetizer. Enjoy.¡± Alas, the bomb that was being held in my hand is set loose right into that abyss collected with monsters. Though, that¡¯s only step three in reality. Still, the monsters are rather displeased as they continuously howl against me. Their roars are so loud that my eardrums might be dead soon. ¡°Amazing! Are you a magician or something?¡± ¡°A jack of all trades. Though, that¡¯s only thanks to this Atlas. Otherwise, I¡¯m probably inferior to you.¡± ¡°But still, you are the one utilizing the Atlas. As a pilot, you are considerably incredible, in my opinion.¡± It makes me believe that I am truly arrogant by not being able to deny that. ¡°Can you guess what¡¯s gonna happen next?¡± ¡°Um, let¡¯s see¡­ You threw a bomb that was a mix of gasoline and oil, which means you will use something that is extremely good in this situation?¡± Correct. It¡¯s actually a really old trick, but just so happen to work here, because all the preparations are done for. ¡°Igara, come.¡± Unlike most of my skills or spells, I can¡¯t always rely on this Atlas. Therefore, I have individually developed multiple weapons just in case that one day this Atlas is taken away from my control. That will inevitably happen someday. Though, in contrast to that possibility, I began forming my own Atlas. Although, only one page has been achieved so far. Quite the shame, honestly. Regardless it works well. My giving a command, my command will immediately summon the weapon. In this case, Igara. Which happens to be, a lava thrower. ¡°W-Wow, what is that!?¡± ¡°Just a lava thrower, why the surprise?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just a lava thrower!! You even got a mask and a hat almost like a¡­ Fireman!?¡± That¡¯s the embarrassing part about this, I thought it would be cool to make my Lava thrower connected to my Atlas by an invisible thread, but I decided to add some side characteristics. After all, Fireman¡¯s do help stop the fires, but since the purpose is to throw more fire, I decided to forcefully mock Firemen. It¡¯s a despicable act, but oh well. I am despicable. ¡°Well, you might want to close your eyes. Some real fire is gonna go down.¡± ¡°Alright¡± Rei decides to finally close his eyes. Now then, I suppose that it¡¯s time for the final step. Step four: Incinerate them all! ¡°Kept you waiting! Here¡¯s the main dish, bitches!¡± Maybe a bit rude¡­ Though, these are monsters. Whatever the main purpose of the bomb earlier was to apply the effect of gasoline mixed with oil to create maximum ignition as the main effect. Of course, this is only possible because gasoline and oil are highly compatible with fire, thus this obviously came at handy. But¡­ This is¡­ Just¡­ So¡­ Cool! The ecstasy one gets from this is beyond anything live inside this world.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Can I open my eyes now?¡± ¡°Sure thing, Rei. There are only a few left, but they are dying, as we speak.¡± As Rei opens his eyes again, he speaks. ¡°Say, who gets all this experience?¡± ¡°I do, but I¡¯ll use it to boost my Lava thrower.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that unfair though? I helped you mainly but you get all the experience.¡± Circumstantially speaking, it really comes down to the one who delivers the final blow. It seems that Rei has yet to grasp that factor about the Leveling System. This alone is one of the reasons as to why many choose to go solo, just so they don¡¯t have to share experience points among those who they find either unworthy or weak. Either way, if it¡¯s unfair¡­ That¡¯s some question. He did do the majority of the work here, but I finished them off, so in my opinion, we are on the equal ground here, but I can understand where he is coming from. Fairness is a really explicit concept overall. In all likelihood, this is probably fair because we both did our parts equally. Although chances are, he will not agree with me on this, thus giving me the realization that it¡¯s meaningless to argue over something as trivial as fairness. If you can¡¯t stand unfairness, then be more unfair, that way, you will be the one thinking that is the most supreme fair person in the end. It¡¯s really a matter of thinking and perceiving things, that¡¯s why I hate the concept as a whole. ¡°Maybe so. Anyhow, let¡¯s hurry up. Now that the path is all clear, we can enter the mountain.¡± ¡°True point.¡± We then waited out until they all died. All the experience which was straightly delivered right to me was used to boost my lava thrower¡¯s abilities. Since relying on this borrowed Atlas is a foolish mistake, it¡¯s time to start adapting to this new Atlas of mine. However, as far as I¡¯m concerned, after 3 years, a page was the only thing that I could produce. Sometime in the future, there will be the necessity of finding out how to forge and create a full fledge Atlas-like the one right here. Asking the elder would be a wise move, though, to ensure that, rescuing Lodya is our top priority. ¡°Hey, we can descend now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yeah, but just how did you plan all that out?¡± It¡¯s really basic honestly, but it seems that he wants a thorough explanation about this. ¡°So do you remember when I told you that we would need strength so big that it could create a hugely large and deep hole?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°The plan was only able to work because, with your Seal Break, you excavated a hole that deep. The main essence was that you would bait all the monsters right into that hole, therefore trapping them right in. Our individual power isn¡¯t enough, not even combined, thus we had to use secondary methods to achieve victory, essentially. By using the hole, we set afire the hole swarmed with beasts, which gained an explosive ignite thanks to that bomb mixed with gasoline and oil. Do you get it? It really was basic.¡± ¡°But how exactly did you know a path to make contact with the dangerous ones?¡± ¡°This might sound exaggerated but I¡¯ve been training myself over the last 3 years. In other words, I¡¯ve scourged through this jungle as a whole, several times. On winter, all the monsters here hibernate, which gives me the perfect chance to explore this jungle. I even encountered a few creatures that were not totally hibernating. In the end, I left at maximum speed. That¡¯s how I know this jungle quite well.¡± Most of that is true, but I¡¯ve forgotten to mention one single important detail. The Fogal Edones do not hibernate, no matter the season. That¡¯s the terrifying part about them. No matter when or where they are always on alert. ¡°Say, why did you train for all those years?¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather personal¡­¡± ¡°True. Then, if we get Lodya-san back, will you tell me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s not going to happen¡­ Didn¡¯t you see how far ahead of those creatures were in terms of levels? What makes you think that we can defeat them all and retrieve Lodya?¡± We need to defeat them and bring Lodya back to the village. I¡¯m even down to offer my life if it means that she can survive and live well. ¡°Earlier, you were pissed off because you immediately realized how overwhelming they are, right?¡± It can¡¯t be helped, in the face of adversity; you are either the weakest or the strongest. I, by far, was the weakest. Although such a scenario didn¡¯t happen, it¡¯s terrifying to imagine a scenario where I would lose. I don¡¯t want that. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯ve come to realize that even if I give my life away, it will amount to nothing. I¡¯m prepared to die, but not ready to taste defeat. I can only die if I taste victory, not defeat.¡± ¡°But, isn¡¯t the answer to this so obvious? You used a plan through secondary methods to win over the monsters, didn¡¯t you? Why can¡¯t you just do it again?¡± ¡­That might just work, but assuming that we did use secondary methods we would need an extremely big plan for that to work. ¡°Hypothetically speaking, if we did use a plan, would we be able to rescue Lodya?¡± ¡°In my opinion, this plan would have to be created by you. I¡¯m terrible at plans, Zakarias-san.¡± As Rei and I walk towards the north direction, the distance between the mountain and the jungle is closing in. This is bad¡­ I need to think of a plan that will allow us to rescue her. Not to defeat the Fogal Edones, but to simply rescue her. But that¡¯s too circumstantial. However, a situation which is circumstantial is already flawed in the first place. By looping through those holes, the situation itself can stop being circumstantial. Still, that will require an obvious setup. We can¡¯t defeat them, that¡¯s for sure. But that doesn¡¯t mean that we can¡¯t distract them. ¡°See? You are already thinking about something, aren¡¯t you, Zakarias-san?¡± ¡°Rei, you don¡¯t need to be so formal, really. I¡¯m in your debt so far, you have my thanks.¡± ¡°You are thanking me too early. Thank me when we rescue Lodya.¡± ¡°Got it!¡± Top of the Mountain, Fogal Edone¡¯s tribe home, 2 pm, 2 am. ¡°Chief!! We¡¯ve brought a female! Can we celebrate this!?¡± ¡°Oh! This is extremely rare! A female!? We shall have her become the Chief¡¯s bride!¡± ¡°Prepare the fireworks, tonight we feast!!¡± At the very top of the mountain, while the volcano is not yet erupting, the Fogal Edone tribe celebrates the rare event that is currently happening. People suspect the Fogal Edones to be monsters who venture the Paluzaluza to cause mischief for their only purpose to be the terror of the remaining people that still live in Paluzaluza. However, in reality, they are just like any other person, but they are bandits to be more precise. Myths tend to spread a certain degree of truth in it, though that¡¯s about it. It mainly contains lies that are simply added up to appeal that myth even more. Of course, once the myth is confirmed, all the doubts and uncertainties go away yet that¡¯s irrelevant in face of the Fogal Edone Tribe. They only care about their position on this Island and nothing more. ¡°Release me at this instant! If you don¡¯t, you will pay!!¡± Still maintaining her fierce personality, Lodya rejects this tribe as a whole. ¡°Pay? HAHAH, then why aren¡¯t you making us pay, huh!?¡± ¡°Trust me, once he comes, you are all dead. It¡¯s just a matter of time, really. You are all brain dead just for that.¡± ¡°Yeah right! As if someone can oppose us! We are the Fogal Edones, nobody can stop us!¡± While one of the members of the tribe said that, those words led right into major roars from all over the tribe yet one member looked dissatisfied from afar as he played with a burning rock that appeared to be on fire. Needless to say, that rock came straight from the volcano pits. Surprisingly enough, the volcano was not in a state of eruption. ¡°Young lady. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Oi, introduce yourself to the boss!¡± Zap. A head is sent straight flying at such speed that none from the Fogal Edones could intercept who did such an act. Of course, the main orchestrator could very well identify who did it, because it was no other than himself. ¡°Fure, what¡¯s the number one unspoken rule of this tribe?¡± A red-haired man then, without fear, answers the question that came from the one at the highest position of the tribe. ¡°To never disobey the chief¡¯s orders, no matter the occasion.¡± Getting up from his long chair, a tall man who stills plays with his stones starts clapping loudly. Everyone could witness the cold-hearted man who wore a long black jacket with white jeans. This man was no other than the chief of the tribe. Unlike most tribes, the chief is not someone who is old or particularly strong physically. Which elevates the question, is calling this group a tribe the right choice? ¡°Correct. So, young lady, what¡¯s your name?¡± Terrified about the possibility of meeting the same fate as the man who was pressuring her just a few moments ago, the young lady with a fragrant brown hair decides to not lie. ¡°¡­Lodya.¡± Furthermore, the chief who has blue hair closes the distance between him and her and issues the next question at hand. ¡°Lodya, was it? I¡¯ll try to remember your name. I¡¯ve got no particular interest in you. In fact, I planned to kill you just to raise the morale of this group. But what you just said caught my honest utter interest. You said some fancy words, like ¡®once he comes, you are all dead¡¯. Who is this ¡®he¡¯?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell you! Screw off. Why do you want to kill me in the first place, you psycho!?¡± Resisting with every ounce of her might, Lodya retorts against the chief, hoping that her effort wouldn¡¯t be fruitless. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you had an amazing Atlas with you, so my intent was to take the Atlas away and kill you afterward. But it appears you do not have it. Where is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not telling y-¡° Grasping her cheeks with a powerful force, the chief enforces fear in his next words as he marks his gaze right into the girl who is helplessly trying to not break down from all of this. ¡°It appears I have not made myself clear. You saw what happened to him when he tried to defy my orders, didn¡¯t you? Anyone with a brain would realize that what just happened to him would happen to anyone who tried the same feats. Yet you defy me, not once, but twice. Your spirit is truly brave, but I will not repeat myself again. Who is this ¡®he¡¯ and where is the Atlas?¡± At that exact moment, a trembling sound came from the nearby volcano. A sound so extreme the Earth itself began to shake. Amidst this interference, the supposed chief was quick into realizing what was about to happen. ¡°Hm. It seems that our little interrogation will not proceed any further. We have angered the volcano. Or more precisely, someone did¡­ Fure, Cesa, Invi, we¡¯re leaving.¡± ¡°Understood, God.¡± By calling out the three members who always remained by his side, two men and one woman proceed to follow the chief away, meanwhile the rest of the tribe. ¡°C-Chief!?¡± ¡°Where are you going!?¡± Such uproars came from the rest of the tribe members as the chief was leaving the usual spot that the tribe habituated. The chief, however, bothered to say no words as he just cast these simple words away. ¡°Almawatnaught Safirina, access.¡± A ship, greater than the whole island itself appears right above the Volcano as if to symbolize supremacy over the Island of Paluzaluza. With more than fifty side wings, the ship possessed a smile up in the front that looked completely realistic, if it wasn¡¯t realistic already, to begin with. ¡°God, what about the girl?¡± ¡°Irrelevant. The volcano is erupting. This base is done for.¡± Asking that question to the chief whose nickname is ¡®God¡¯, was a middle-aged woman who looked to be on her late twenties. With yellow hair, she presents a rather casual uniform as she wears simple blue jeans and a red mercenary shirt. ¡°God, shall I?¡± With a simple nod as a reply, Fure recites the following words. ¡°Lifeless ladder, construct.¡± Thus, with its direction towards the gigantic dreadful ship above, the ladder climbs up to the ship¡¯s entrance. Ultimately, they stop, allowing the ladder to hold its firm position for the remaining members to make their way inside the ship. Finalizing their stay on this Island, the small group couldn¡¯t help but utter in mystery. ¡°God, you¡¯re aware of the truth behind this, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Cesa. Nothing can be guaranteed. Therefore, I cannot respond to your question with the answer in which you have in mind.¡± ¡°Even so, this dimension had nothing by itself. How come you just pretended to play tribe for five years straight?¡± ¡°My own enjoyment limits itself to no boundaries. Even those who seek to get away from those boundaries.¡± Middling in the conversation, the middle-aged woman named Invi, rapidly marks her words. ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°To see the Boss.¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s that time of the decade again?¡± ¡°It appears to be. We will be getting a new agenda, essentially.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awesome! After spending five years like this, I began to feel so bored!! But now that we will get a new schedule, it means that we can kill and slaughter again, right!?¡± ¡°It depends on the orders, Invi. The Boss¡¯s orders are truly exquisite as they hold many mysteries behind them. Yet it¡¯s certain that no dimension is safe once we get our new orders. I can only imagine myself performing a requiem for the fallen dimensions.¡± ¡°Yes, it will truly be a sad time for them.¡± Finalizing their doings on the Paluzaluza Island, God, Fure, Cesa, and Invi take aboard the airship and leave immediately. Though their motives are unknown, who knows what they might bring forth in the future. Nonetheless, aside from this mischief, trouble still ran rampant as the sound continued to increase even further. Proportions of rocks were being elevated from the ground as a signal that the volcano was about to erupt. Therefore, the rest of the Fogal Edones left by the exit and started to flee while panicking, thus the lonely girl was given a chance to finally act freely. ¡°¡­Are they gone? Looks like it. Seriously, what was that talk all about, also why is the volcano¡­WAHH!!¡± Taken by the element of surprise because nobody bothered to explain to her the current situation, her inner self starts to go crazy as she escapes from the exit as well. Though their base was small, there were still quite the ways to go before reaching the exit, which was the huge main gate. First, to reach the exit, one would need to go through two main gates made of wood. Fortunately, the gate guardians have all escaped when they gained awareness of the volcano erupting. Ultimately, Lodya was able to reach the main gate in no time, which was until a voice¡­ ¡°Lodya! Lodya!!¡± A silent voice that could be heard from a close distance reached out to Lodya. Not being able to identify the voice coming from an unknown place, the brown-haired young lady forms even more caution. ¡°Who is this!? Identify yourself!¡± Descending from a nearby tree, the young man known as Zakarias waves his hand with a smile on his face. ¡°Hey there. You¡¯ve been away for a while.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just you.¡± Facing utter disappointment, Zakarias couldn¡¯t help but place his right palm all over his face. ¡°Still the same as ever. Let¡¯s go, the elder is waiting for your return.¡± ¡°I know that. But, quick question, Zakarias.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Who is that?¡± Quickly pointing out the one who still remains at the top of the gigantic tree, the young man who is being pointed out, is looking at the exact direction as to where the Fogal Edones are running into, hence his attention is far away from what¡¯s happening below him. ¡°He¡¯s an ally.¡± ¡°His name?¡± ¡°He¡¯s called Rei.¡± ¡°I¡¯m surprised; it¡¯s not like you to make allies.¡± To Lodya, Zakarias was known as someone who hated the help of others, therefore seeing him developing a bond like this to another person was rather offensive, since he denies every help he can get, especially Lodya¡¯s. ¡°Zakarias-san, there is one Fogal Edone running up to the village!¡± ¡°What!?¡± Rei then descended from the gigantic tree and landed on the firm ground where Zakarias and Lodya are at the moment. ¡°Zakarias, can we trust him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m in his debt, so there isn¡¯t much of a choice.¡± ¡°You, on someone¡¯s debt? How is that possible?¡± ¡°I really wonder...¡± Of course, Zakarias was rather unhappy about the fact that Lodya allowed herself to get captured like that, hence giving her a lecturing glance. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you know. Everyone in the village is useless and you were away, the odds were against me, no matter how you look at it.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s no denying that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your little chat, but are we going to do something about the Fogal Edone or not?¡± Interrupting Zakarias and Lodya¡¯s talk, Rei decides to mark the most important factor that is to be considered at the moment. ¡°Forget it. They are all level 23.¡± ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± ¡°Yeah, I checked their levels while I was away. They are crazy strong. Fighting just one of them is impossible.¡± ¡°Zakarias-san¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s get this over with.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe we thought this out so much and then this is our result. Talk about anti-climatic.¡± ¡°For real. Never ever have I been this disappointed at an opposing force. How many experience points do you think he will give?¡± ¡°Hey¡­ Did you guys listen to what I just said?¡± ¡°Probably not more than six hundred honestly. Man, that sucks! I thought we were going to put our lives on the line or something, but this guy is just¡­¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°What exactly are you talking about...?¡± It was no use. Lodya couldn¡¯t possibly understand what those two were on about. As they walked towards the village, a ray of hope could be witnessed as the Volcano stopped erupting. A brief shining ray pierced the dark smoking clouds that ruled the sky temporarily as if to transmit the message of victory. ¡°Still, I¡¯m surprised that it managed to work, Zakarias-san.¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, you mean that?¡± ¡°Yeah, that.¡± ¡°That only managed to work because our opponents were major dumbasses; therefore it was bound to work. However, if I knew earlier that they were such dumbasses, we could have concluded this far earlier.¡± ¡°Well, they aren¡¯t entirely dumb. Some actually had the brain to realize that the volcano was supposedly erupting. Isn¡¯t that a smart move?¡± ¡°I suppose so. But, what of it? That worked out in the end, that¡¯s all it matters. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Rei?¡± ¡°No objections here.¡± ¡°Hey, you two¡­¡­..¡± ¡°With that said, how are we going to tear down that Fogal Edone?¡± ¡°Relax, if the most dangerous beast of the Nemoru Jungle is level 28, then we have nothing to fear against a level 23. While it¡¯s true that he is five levels above me, we just need to dispatch some serious teamwork. Remember, numbers above levels?¡± ¡°Haha, that¡¯s true, Zakarias-san. If he is that weak, then he¡¯s got nothing on us, really.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­..¡± ¡°Though, we can¡¯t let our guard down. In theory, we are at a disadvantage here, you know? Forming a plan would be ideal. What do you say we use the baiting tactic again?¡± ¡°Eh? Bait again? That¡¯s boring, let¡¯s go with something new this time.¡± ¡°Alright, your plan or mine?¡± ¡°Yours, of course. I suck at plans, Zakarias.¡± Enjoying their sweet conversation, Rei and Zakarias were making their way towards the main village of Paluzaluza Island. However, they were only noticing their exchange of words and not the rage that was slowly but surely being built on a certain girl who was right next to them. This was inevitable, ultimately. ¡°You two, look at me for a second.¡± ¡°Lodya, what it i- GAH ¡°Ah, sorry for igno- GAH¡± A sound that resented strength of supreme magnitude landed right on their left cheeks as a consequence for ignoring her presence and mostly her words. ¡°Hey! What was that for! A slap out of nowhere!? Are you insane?!¡± Exclaims Zakarias ¡°It wasn¡¯t out of nowhere you idiot. You have been ignoring me over twenty minutes. If you don¡¯t start talking then next, I will apply kicks to your golden zones.¡± ¡°N-No, anything but that, please.¡± ¡°Oi, Rei! Don¡¯t cower like that!¡± ¡°B-But¡­¡± ¡°Still not willing to talk?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Zakarias-san, it¡¯s probably not going to work.¡± ¡°Honestly. I was a fool for even trying such a thing.¡± ¡°More secrecy is it!? I¡¯m assuming you don¡¯t mind the consequences!¡± Gulping every inch of his saliva right down to his sour throat, Zakarias makes the righteous choice. ¡°Lodya, calm down! We were just joking; we will tell you anything you want! So please, stop looking at us with those eyes.¡± Her eyes were one that was ready to assassinate the target right on that spot, most likely, the respective targets mentioned earlier. Though, as soon as Lodya realized that Zakarias had the most truthful of all intentions she let down her guard and relaxed for a bit. ¡°Looks like you aren¡¯t going to lie anymore.¡± ¡°¡­I never lied in the first place.¡± ¡°Want to die?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, your majesty.¡± It appears as this conversation has taken a weird turn as these three make haste towards the village by sprinting. ¡°Hey, new guy. Your name is Rei, right? Where do you come from? I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡± Swiftly taking his eyes of the jungle course which was filled with numerous trees, Rei initiates in an exchange of words with Lodya. ¡°I come from another world.¡± ¡°¡­You should know that I¡¯m not too found with jokes by now.¡± ¡°He¡¯s serious, or at least I think he is. He actually came from the sky above, literally!¡± ¡°So you are lying too Zakarias? Alright then¡­¡± Lodya makes her stance yet again. ¡°L-Lodya-san, please wait! Right now, my origin should be irrelevant right? Shouldn¡¯t we work on our priorities first, which is to get to the village first? Look ahead, we are even quite far from it.¡± His sense of direction is right, there are still a few kilometers up ahead until the village can be observed and most importantly, breached to secure its safety. Even so, they continued to have this hasty talk while running at a considerable speed. ¡°Nope. You could very well be a spy for those guys who kidnapped me. Do you really think that I¡¯m just gonna follow you ahead? Stop joking around, you.¡± Initially, they were all running up ahead without any interruptions in the first place, but this time around, Lodya decided to stop running, thus remaining still on her position. ¡°Lodya, I get that you are confused, but believe it or not, he is one of the pieces who made your rescue to be possible in the first place.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? I escaped on my own; you two didn¡¯t do anything in the first place.¡± ¡°You really think so? Don¡¯t you think that it was somewhat convenient that the volcano started to erupt in the first place?¡± ¡°That was simply a natural reaction. Or are you saying that it wasn¡¯t?¡± ¡°You¡¯re assuming that the volcano erupted in the first place.¡± ¡°I saw it with my own two eyes. It¡¯s no use trying to fool me.¡± ¡°Here is what really happened. The volcano erupting was nothing more than a mirage in the first place. It never actually happened, or else this island would be on fire right now. It¡¯s extremely unlikely to survive if the volcano suddenly erupts.¡± ¡°Then, what really happened?¡± ¡°Verse twenty-six. Do I need to explain more?¡± ¡°¡­Evidence please.¡± ¡°This is why I hate to depend on others.¡± One side presents solid situations which should serve as enough evidence, but the other side refuses to believe due to her profound denial for some reason. The situation itself is looking quite hopeless. ¡°How about this then? If we beat the Fogal Edone that is running towards the village, then wouldn¡¯t that prove that I am not one of them? If such a case would happen, then Zakarias-san could easily kill me. You¡¯ve checked my level, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s a fair point I suppose, but what if you team up with the Fogal Edone? Wouldn¡¯t we be at a disadvantage then?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. If that¡¯s the case, then Zakarias would terminate me immediately and then you two could defeat the Fogal Edone, right?¡± ¡°It is as he says Lodya. If you so doubt him this much, then Rei, let me and Lodya handle the Fogal Edone, okay?¡± ¡°Zakarias, that¡¯s dirty, I don¡¯t even have an Atlas.¡± ¡°You can have mine. Actually, it¡¯s from your grandfather, which will eventually be given out to you. Sorry for keeping it a secret. You can have it. I¡¯ll be fine on my own. Now, can we hurry up?¡± Being tired of her childish remarks, Zakarias empties out his left pocket by tossing a mini rusty book to Lodya. It seems that Zakarias was by no meaning up for this trivial exchange of words. This immediately made Lodya realize how childish she was being. ¡°I.. am s..¡± ¡°Save it. The village is our number one priority.¡± And so, Zakarias begins to sprint as fast as he can, while leaving the two of them behind. Soon enough, Rei starts to pace up as well. Not wanting to stay behind, Lodya slowly catches up to Rei as well. ¡°¡­Idiot¡­¡± She murmurs Even though he heard that Rei didn¡¯t mention a word, mostly because he felt that this was a necessary reflection or so he thought. Ganshandaro Village, 4 am, 4 pm. The sun on the east side is still up, while here it¡¯s nighttime. A village with one hundred residents. This village has seen better days, certainly. Yet my power is growing old along with my age. Defying the young and powerful goes beyond my ken, unfortunately. My only hope is my granddaughter. While my hopes still remain strong, my power to control the actions that happen outside my field of control grows rather weak, such is the reality. Even my son has abandoned me, but my granddaughter has not. In order to deliver my last gift to her, in the hope that she one day becomes successful with her life, all my dedicated time has been poured into perfecting an Atlas. However, since my powers are ultimately fading away, the necessity to uphold a better user in order to perform my tasks had to arise, therefore, my legacy could only be trusted to one person in this whole Island. Though in painful circumstances constantly, this person has managed to keep up his composure for the greater good of this island and for that, I am forever grateful. Ages have faded away like a candle amidst a wind storm yet this abandoned island still stands. The problem which occurred today was my granddaughter being kidnapped by a stranger. Realistically, it¡¯s no stranger. Information about them is existent, but countermeasures for their actions are not. I remember clearly, about a few hours ago, a tall man arrived at the village and directed himself to where Lodya was¡­ Some tried to defend her, including me. In contrast, those villagers got severely injured. Of course, I was too, but that¡¯s partial in this matter. There is only one person who could bring her back. I pray that the Atlas is serving you well, Zakarias! ¡°Elder! I-It¡¯s them!!¡± Uncovering such an emergency was an acquaintance of mine. Considering my own age, this acquaintance is pretty close to my age. Wearing a normal rusty cloth, Ven alerts everybody in the village and lastly to me, what¡¯s currently happening. ¡°Again? Such troublesome youths.¡± There is no mistake in it. By saying ¡®them¡¯, Ven most likely refers to the ones who came by the village earlier. Though, his panic might express false truths in all honesty. ¡°Ven, how many are there?¡± ¡°J-Just one of them elder!!¡± I guess my guess was right in the end. It¡¯s only just one. Still, even if it¡¯s just one, we are no match for them¡­ My attitude on the outside shows that we should not fear them yet the reality is, we should fear not. By being no match against them, the correct choice would be to avoid confrontation and thus allowing all the villagers to run away. Maybe to another refuge, if possible. But, there is nothing of that sort. This village stands alone, abandoned and left to die at the hands of such strangers who have nothing to do with this island. The shame of not being able to protect this home I so love bears tremendous guilt. If my granddaughter can be saved, then it¡¯s a good thing. All the supposed sacrifices are worth if it¡¯s to ensure that one life gets saved. ¡°Mhm. Then, I will get going.¡± ¡°But elder, you¡¯re wounded! You can¡¯t possibly fight against him.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke around, Ven. I might look old, but I¡¯ll have you know that I can still pack up a fight. Besides, you call this being wounded? This is nothing.¡± ¡°Elder¡­¡± ¡°No worries. I¡¯ll be back really soon.¡± If I show fear now, who knows how the rest of the village will react. Even though these wounds pack quite the pain, it is still no excuse for an elder, a protector of this village and Island as a whole to back down now. For starters, I left the min house made of wood and went right to where the trouble source was. Needless to say is, finding the source was by no means difficult, in fact, it was severely easy. As a contradiction to my own expectations, he was going right in my direction, thus the inevitable confrontation began. Producing a giant dark silhouette on the ground behind him, a tall man, who was different from the one who came this afternoon, stood right in front of me. Although he had a dark silhouette, it was only possible to produce such because there were immense fire lights on. It¡¯s currently night on this side of the island. ¡°Are you the one who has the Atlas?¡± ¡°This village does not welcome those who are outsiders. Leave at once.¡± Undeniable desire to wreck malice is all that can be seen in his eyes. This person is by no means a peaceful one. The way he looks at the rest of the villagers with a psychotic smile also appeals to more evidence. He shan¡¯t have his way. ¡°That was not my question geezer. Where the fuck is the Atlas?¡± ¡°There is no Atlas here. Leave!¡± ¡°Is that so? Then you wouldn¡¯t mind if I burn this whole village down, would you?¡± J-Just how unreasonable can a person be! ¡°Stop this nonsense at once! There is no Atlas here, so there is no need for further nonsense! Cease your ways at once.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t get it! I was planning to burn this village either way. But now that you have gone out of your way and said that there is no Atlas here¡­ It¡¯s so sad. If you had an Atlas you and the rest of your people could have enjoyed a little glimpse of hope. You will all die while being burned down inside the burnable flames of hell!!¡± Immediately after that, he raises his hands which were inside his pockets right to the pillars which held up the fire. While he did that, the question arose, just what was he trying to achieve with this? Nevertheless, what happened next¡­ ¡°I can¡¯t see anything!¡± ¡°Where did the fire go!?¡± Worries came from all directions. Even I was worried to a certain extent because whoever this person is, he just took all the fire that served as light. Thus, we are currently in the dark, a similar situation as to when one is blind. ¡°White hell, activate!!!!!¡± Right after those loud words were uttered away, multiple white flames rose from the ground and started to burn up the village. Such chaos was at sight, no hope could be seen. ¡°You, why are you doing this!?¡± ¡°Why!? Do I need a fucking reason to do what I damn well, please? I don¡¯t think so, old man! Though, if you are so eager to stop my actions why not try and fight me, huh!? I¡¯m always up for a fight!¡± Wasting time in this conversation will lead to nothing. More so, while we are here talking it out like this, countless flames are running rampant throughout the whole village. To think that such time would come¡­ What can an old man who has long past his prime do at this rate!? ¡°Is there anything that you want? I can give you anything which is in my power, just stop this fire please!¡± ¡°Huh? I didn¡¯t hear you quite well there. You will need to kneel down so that I can hear you.¡± Guh¡­ Unbelievable¡­ No choice, my pride or the village. ¡°Very well.¡± As my knees drop right into the cold stiff ground, I could feel the chilling screams of the children that were still in the village piercing through my ears. Just what did we do to deserve such punishment¡­? ¡°Hahahah!! So desperate! That¡¯s it, that¡¯s it! Beg for mercy more!¡± ¡°Please, stop the fire. I will give you the Atlas!¡± ¡°¡­Really? Then bring me the Atlas, first.¡± As much as I would like to be in charge of the situation here, he has the power here. Nevertheless, while we were exchanging words, his level became apparent. Level 18, was it? Damn it¡­ If only, the Leveling System was still with me¡­ ¡°Rhong grandpa! Are you okay?¡± A childish voice now comes right to me. With a simple cloth, a very young girl comes running into me. ¡°Tesla! Don¡¯t come near!!¡± Ignoring the surrounding flames plus my heed, Tesla continues to slowly walk as she worries about me. Though it makes me feel good, this is not the time for such a thing. If she doesn¡¯t get out of here she will. ¡°¡­Heheeh¡­.¡± A creep laugh coming from the exact creep who is right in front of me emerges from within the depth of that psychotic smile. However, the look in his eyes wasn¡¯t only malice this time, this is¡­!! West side of the Nemoru Jungle, 4 pm, 4 am. ¡°Zakarias, aren¡¯t we there yet?¡± ¡°We will be soon. Just keep running.¡± ¡°This is tiring.¡± ¡°Deal with it.¡± We have been running for about one hour so far, if not more. But I¡¯ve been getting a strong scent of fire. More so, it¡¯s starting to come from up ahead. There is no denying it, just as the village is right up ahead, it¡¯s coming from there! I need to get there as soon as possible. Remembering now, there is a speed spell verse right inside the Atlas. But this Atlas has more consequences than actual benefits. Are all Atlas like this? Either way, who knows what might be happening in the village¡­ ¡°No way. Walk normally instead of running all the time!¡± Is she being serious right now¡­? She wants me to walk at her pace, which is slower than a turtle. I¡¯m lost at words. Also, she holds something which is important right now, which is the Atlas given by the Elder. ¡°Can I borrow the Atlas for a bit?¡± ¡°Will you walk with me if I do?¡± ¡°Sure thing.¡± Hell no. I¡¯m going to use the Spell Speed to accelerate basically. Though, I¡¯ve never used it before. The Elder strictly said to me to only use the last verses of the Atlas in case of emergency. Of course, the Atlas from an outsider¡¯s point of view doesn¡¯t go beyond a rusty old book. Yet the truth holds a different story, within each page, there are verses in it. At least in this Atlas, therefore saying that this is the same to all Atlas out there is a huge mistake. Essentially, this Atlas that the Elder will eventually give to Lodya contains a lot of pages with verses in them. Some of them are spells while some of them are skills. Although, I really wish this was more organized because the constructor apparently gave no actual care about the spell and skill orders since they are all literally mixed up. That¡¯s what you call bad organization skills. Ultimately, there is one page that lies all the way at the end of the Atlas, which is the forbidden page. I¡¯ve never taken a look at it, for several reasons. One of them was because the Elder said that if one were to try to access it at a low level, then that person might suffer consequences. ¡°Here then.¡± ¡°Zakarias-san, what are you going to do with it?¡± Coming out from behind me, Rei asks away the question. Naturally, Lodya doesn¡¯t complain about it, since she is interested as well. Though, it¡¯s quite apparent that at this rate, bad things will happen if I don¡¯t do anything soon¡­ ¡°Rei, Lodya. Take care.¡± ¡°W-Wait, you just said!¡± ¡°Verse 103, page 0, Spell Speed access, Galactic Drive.¡± Not leaving any second to spare, I burst off. Seeing the angry expression on Lodya¡¯s face really implies trouble for me, as she likes to complain every time things don¡¯t go her way. Anyhow, the west side of the Nemoru Jungle covers exactly twenty-five kilometers overall, therefore this was the wisest of decisions. Still¡­ As I continue to sprint at an abnormal speed, it feels as if there are no consequences whatsoever. Was I overthinking when I thought that there would be consequences? That can¡¯t be¡­ Every spell and skill comes with a cost. Nonetheless, this is quite the feature, as the name Galactic Drive says, it most likely means that one would have the ability to sprint out at a galaxy¡¯s speed. I¡¯m not sure how that works, though. ¡°You seem to be having fun.¡± What was that? A voice? Could it be that someone is nearby!? It must be¡­ ¡°Who goes there?!¡± As my voice completely leaks out a huge roar mixed with an interrogation intention, my galactic drive is put at hold for a bit. Though, to my surprise, none was there¡­ Right in front of me, on both of my sides, lastly, on my backside, there is none. Only vast trees and bushes. A typical jungle. Am I going insane? ¡°I must be tired¡­¡± Occasionally, once in a while, blaming my lack of sleep seems to work. But that voice felt so real¡­ What the hell was that? Probably nothing, honestly. Once again, the Galactic Drive which was on hold enables me to sprint at a speed which goes beyond natural fast speed. Given that the flames up ahead are somewhat easier to smell now, it¡¯s fair to say that the distance between my current position and the village is not far. ¡°You know the Galactic Drive works faster on solid ground. Just my suggestion, but you might want to go to a place where it has water! For example, if you go right to your left, you will encounter an ocean. That would be solid ground, no?¡± Ah, I¡¯m really going insane. When did this happen? Could it be that¡­? No, I can¡¯t find any plausible explanations for my current insanity. No matter¡­ ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call insanity hearing a real voice inside your head.¡± There it goes again. I really, but really, am insane. How great. Anymore surprises that I should know? ¡°Your village is on fire at the moment. Hurrying up would be ideal~.¡± W-What!? On fire? As I thought¡­ The fire that¡¯s coming right into my senses comes from somewhere but from the village? Just wait, I¡¯ll be there in a few seconds! ¡°You won¡¯t make it on time. Give up. Go back to your friends. At least you can tell them that the village is done for¡­¡± I¡¯m speechless right now. I didn¡¯t know that being this insane would be this troublesome. Hearing voices inside my head is one thing, but to have that voice argue against my hopes is something else. ¡°I¡¯m not really arguing against your logic. I¡¯m simply telling you that it¡¯s a futile move to go up ahead. You would be wise to listen to my words!~¡± ¡°ARGH! SHUT UP ALREADY, YOU DAMN VOICE!!!!!!!!!!¡± My voice packed quite a punch right there. As my rage produces its primal form, my undeniable anger spells out that this voice is completely driving me insane, thus to relieve some stress, I decided to yell out loud. ¡°No way! I¡¯m not shutting up!¡± Somehow it¡¯s even responding to my own damn thoughts. If this really is insanity, then I want out. No more of this annoying girly voice. ¡°I am not annoying!¡± Though, insanity or not, it shouldn¡¯t matter, right? One way to supposedly faint insanity is to cleanse one¡¯s mind or to completely ignore the voice inside your head, right? Plus, there is one way to test if I am truly insane or not. ¡°Hey, who are you?¡± ¡°So you¡¯re finally going to stop ignoring me, eh?¡± No way, this is too awkward. Speaking with a supposed voice? I have not fallen this low nor will I. Hence, the discussion will not even begin. Plus, this is not even real, to begin with. It¡¯s most likely a mental construction or something. ¡°I am real!! Fine! I will prove it to you, look at the book!¡± Book? I hold no book. Come on self, have you gone this insane? Being insane is one thing, but being dumb is another. Although, right inside my left pocket, something begins to tremble violently, to the point where it leaves my left pocket and flies up in the air as if to demonstrate something. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± Right after, the book opens itself at a rapid pace and ends on a straight open page. ¡°Now, look!¡± Words begin to unfold on the white page that is right in front of my eyes. The words which were being written in the end were: ¡®You are not insane!¡¯ ¡­I see. So I really am not insane. That¡¯s a relief. For a second, my own mentality started to shatter for a bit. Though, this could literally be seen the other way around¡­ What if my own mind conveniently made me write these words without myself realizing it!? ¡°Erm! You are free to interpret me as you please, but doesn¡¯t saving your village take the most of all priorities here?¡± That¡¯s really tricky you know. I didn¡¯t know that I could be this tricky, especially to myself. While my own mind is getting abused by my own insanity, other plausible truths decide to bombard me like a barrage of bombs. ¡°Really¡­ You are so stubborn¡­ Forget it; it was my bad for even assuming that you would have the power to be useful.¡± ¡°Say, I will approve of your existence if you can get me to the village on time. What do you say, voice?¡± To give in to insanity or to save the village. Such trivial matters are currently swirling inside my mind right now. Lastly, if I¡¯m able to agree with myself that I can save the village while insane, then it¡¯s a plausible effort, which in the end should mean that I am not totally insane. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s a good idea! I should have thought about that before! To convince yourself by your own actions that you are not insane, not bad!¡± So annoying. Bam. The Atlas that was still flying around hits me in the forehead. ¡°Okay, okay, my bad on that one, voice. So can you make me go faster?¡± ¡°I¡¯m mad now! You keep calling me by ¡®voice¡¯ and annoying! What¡¯s the matter with you!?¡± I was wrong. On top of being annoying, this voice is chi- No; I¡¯m digging my graveyard here, honestly. Also is it just me or can this voice read my thoughts? Let¡¯s test. This voice is childish and annoying, test, test. Bam, bam and bam. Three horizontal hits on my solar plexus. That hurts a bit though. ¡°Alright! Calm down will you? Allow me to apologize for my behavior for the past few minutes. But seriously, can you make me go faster!? I¡¯m losing time here!!¡± ¡°..Grhhh¡­ I am not childish! I won¡¯t tell you! Take that!¡± ¡°Please!! I will do anything, literally anything, if you allow me to go faster, just this once! Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m desperate!? I even have to ask a voice for power, is it that much to ask for, damn it!¡± Truth to be told, I know nothing about this page zero. The only spell that the Elder told me to use in an emergency was the Galactic Drive. Hence, I had knowledge of it. But other than that, I know nothing. Sure, this Atlas might be a bit versatile, but it means nothing if the pilot lacks the means and methods to use it in the most correct of all ways. ¡°Anything? Really?¡± I don¡¯t need to speak out loud, honestly. This voice can hear my thoughts. Yes, anything. ¡°Very well then. Galactic Drive, level up!¡± The following notification appears right on a popping screen: [Galactic Drive is now Level 2! Congratulations!] ¡°This should do. Now, go ahead. Galactic Drive is now faster since it went up a level. You knew that, right?¡± That¡¯s certainly true. Once a spell or a skill goes up a level, it naturally increases the power of the ability that lies within that spell or skill. Therefore, if the speed of Galactic Drive was insanely fast a while ago, then now it should be¡­ ¡°How exactly did you make a spell gain a level?¡± ¡°By giving it experience, how else?¡± ¡°Yeah, but how did you do that?¡± ¡°S-e-c-r-e-t.¡± Secrets invite the worst kind of situations honestly. Secrecy is arguably one of the most dangerous lines of lies that could lead to disastrous events. No matter, let¡¯s test the Galactic Driver. One, two, three¡­ BOOM! ¡°W-What is this speed!? I can¡¯t control it! Oi, voice, what did you do?¡± ¡°You said you wanted to go faster, right?¡± Using my intentions against me like this, that¡¯s pretty cheesy. Though, if this means that I will get to the village faster, then it¡¯s all good. I wonder what the distance is now¡­ ¡°Zakarias, you are fairly close. It¡¯s only two kilometers to go. Good job!¡± Two kilometers, huh? This voice is quite useful honestly. More so, the Galactic Drive. Although, this speed is really not controllable, hence my weird position. I¡¯m essentially running straight forward, but my torso is all inclined to the upper front. Now, that¡¯s pretty pathetic. ¡°Thanks, voice.¡± ¡°I am not a voice!¡± No, you are a voice. Or that¡¯s what I think at least. If I hear a form that expresses their words with sound, it¡¯s, therefore, a voice. Was it wrong to assume that was the correct choice? Perhaps there is a more deep meaning to the full concept of ¡®voice¡¯. ¡°Then, what are you?¡± ¡°Look ahead. Isn¡¯t this the so-called village?¡± Fair point. Though, my question was not answered. But I sincerely don¡¯t give a damn, really. A childish voice that is unknown to me is partial to the current situation. This is probably the consequence for using page zero. Honestly, this voice is getting on my nerves. So, there is only one thing to do right now. ¡°Atlas, off.¡± ¡°Ah, wait just a se-¡° Ganshandaro Village 6 am, 6 pm. Leaving what just happened aside, insurable circumstances were happening right around the village. To think that the Galactic Drive took only thirty or so seconds to reach here. That ability is obviously crazy. But if it means that one has to listen to that voice all the time, then forget it. I¡¯m really good without it. Plus, that confirms it. Since I¡¯m not listening to that voice anymore, it should mean that the voice was without a doubt an independent existence. Independent, in a sense where it has no necessity to depend on myself to survive. Also, that Atlas will not be mine but will be given to Lodya. After finishing resuming my own thoughts, what needed to be done was to enter the village. Right now, a huge wood gate stands right in front of me. Of course, it¡¯s all broken. Reason for that being, an intruder broke right through it. It¡¯s all burned though. This alone is evidence enough to determine or to at least create secure speculation about the intruder. Regardless of that, my path still remains clear. Through the endless flames that appear right in front of me, multiple bodies could be witnessed. Some still remain alive, though a bit wounded by the fire. While some remain dead while their loved ones mourn for them. ¡°¡­That¡¯s not even remotely funny¡­¡± Those bastards¡­ They think they will get away with this, don¡¯t they? They live on our torment. To them, our torment is pure joy. While to us, their joy is explicit torment to them and only them. Sick fucking bastards. I can¡¯t even form a respectful stance about this. What am I supposed to do when I met them? No, first things first¡­ What can I do right now? Will rescuing the other villagers accomplish anything right now? I don¡¯t think so. To completely solve a problematic situation, it¡¯s necessary to always go to the main source, that being, the ones who brought forth this white hell of flames. By eradicating them, the problematic roots are then gone, thus the salvation can begin. Though, even if that¡¯s the case, can I stand up against them? What if their levels are above mine? What if they have the number advantage? What if they have hostages? What if- It¡¯s no use thinking about it... It¡¯s easy to speculate about something I don¡¯t know. What¡¯s hard is to gather all of my resolve to completely destroy the problem that lies within. Just¡­ what the hell is the answer here? Lodya is safe. Rei is¡­ I suppose trusting him would be a little bit premature, but not much choice there. I will just have to wait and see what awaits me then. ¡°Old man! Forget that stupid Atlas, hand me over that girl!! Gahaha!! This is great but so great! To have the ability to feast on such a young one like you!!¡± A creeping voice that¡¯s supposed to sound scary and threatening from a person who is deliberately being crazy for some reason. It¡¯s not exactly rare to see these kinds of people around the world, more so, in one¡¯s daily life. Ah, I see¡­ That voice, it can only be them¡­ That voice, it felt familiar for some reason. In my mind, I would always imagine what they would look like. Sometimes they would look so ridiculously huge, it was as if comparing an ant to a gigantic tidal wave. Of course, I was the ant. Occasionally, I would see myself rise up to them but would immediately lose because at the time, I would forget something so essential to my victory. Ordinarily, I would die the moment the battle would begin. Such tragedy, honestly. ¡°Come on little girl!!!! I¡¯m not going to hurt you, come on~!!!!!!!¡± ¡°Tesla, run away!!¡± The desperate old man leaks a desperate cry in the hope that the little girl would recognize his most desired intentions. Needless to say, it was obvious to me what those intentions were. He wanted her to run away just so she wouldn¡¯t have to suffer the same fate as the others who have died in the fire. Maybe her fate would be a bit different. Still, it¡¯s a no brainer that she could not be allowed to suffer such destiny. Also, it really is just to show how concretely unfair certain situations can be. I like to think that this world is unfair, but the people in it just work their absolute fucking hardest to make sure it¡¯s even more unfair. The odds of someone who is completely weak surviving against a person who has the superior edge on them is notably high. My question is not, why? But, how? How is such injustice allowed? Do lives have to be taken away just for the simple sake of enjoyment of others? Don¡¯t others share the right to have a good life and fulfill their most demanding dreams? Perhaps, that¡¯s simply wishful thinking. Then, wanting to eradicate such people who destroy the rights of others having a good life isn¡¯t such a bad thing after all. Tesla, the frightened little girl, comes running slowly in my direction. Her terror was an understandable one. However, the orchestrator of such chaos was not showing signs of giving up, as he wittily ran after Tesla. ¡°Zakarias nii-chan!! Help!¡± I can¡¯t help you by myself. Instead of that, I can give you something far greater. ¡°Where are you going, Teslaaaaaa-chan!?¡± What a psychotic way of saying a name. Especially to a girl whose age is still so young. A twisted mind showing how much twists it has on its own. Allowing what will happen next to be seen by a girl at her age is bound to create a trauma. No¡­ The trauma has already begun. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, why are crying?¡± ¡°¡­Who the fuck are you, kid?¡± ¡°Elder, take Tesla away, will you?¡± ¡°¡­S-Sure!¡± For some odd reason, the Elder looked at me with the eyes of someone who has seen a dead person. Either way, the way his eyes are right now just goes to show that he is probably traumatized for not being able to do anything except cower in fear. Though, he has severe wounds all over his both arms. He most likely tried to stop this intruder in order to protect the village. A fair and admirable attitude towards someone who is superior to you, though, it¡¯s by no means a good choice. ¡°Tesla, let¡¯s go!!¡± Says the Elder as he firmly grabs Tesla¡¯s left sleeve and runs with her As those two leave off, the intruder was more focused on me instead. ¡°Sorry about that. Wouldn¡¯t want them to witness such a pathetic crying that¡¯s gonna come from you. This will be over in an instant anyway.¡± ¡°Heheh¡­Haha¡­.HAHAHAHAHA!!!! KID, WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TALKING T-¡° Spash. The intruder¡¯s right arm which was going to be directed at me as if forming a strong punch flies away at a rapid momentum. Hm? Isn¡¯t that awkward? Aren¡¯t they supposed to be really strong or something? How come this worked out in the end? Is this a dream? It would so explain as to why this situation is going so incredibly swiftly. ¡°M-MY ARM!! KID, WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY RIGHT ARM!!!!!! ARGHHHH!!!!!!!¡± ¡°Pipe down already. I only cut down your right arm. It¡¯s an inferior price for what you have done. You intentionally set my village on fire. You think one arm is gonna cut it?¡± ¡°S-Stay away from me, you damn monster! Guah!!!!¡± He runs away like a true coward. Though, he being a coward was a more known fact to me than anything at this point. That¡¯s the true nature of the Fogal Edones in general. Since he is one of them, then he was bound to react like this. Yet running away will amount to nothing. He is so, but so slow. Ultimately, he was running in circles while trying to find a way out while crying out of his eyes for his lost right arm. ¡°W-What do you want!?!?¡± ¡°Where are the others?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, damn it!! Leave me alone.¡± ¡°I see. Then, do you have any last words?¡± I do think it¡¯s fairly fair to give a sinner their last moment, thus their last words. Sure, he might have done something which is beyond redemption, but as I held with my gloves the Yagyu Sunblade, his next moves were already decided. Ah, now that I mention it¡­ How come activating the Yagyu Sunblade had no activation requirement whatsoever? It just came to me automatically, how weird¡­ ¡°Last words?! Don¡¯t get cocky just because you managed to luckily cut my arm you bastard¡­ I¡¯m level 18 while you are level 17; you stand no chance against me!" Oh right. Forgetting to check his level might have been a bad idea. Though, level 18? You are only one level above me, why exactly are you getting cocky? That¡¯s contradicting to what you just said¡­ Then again, one that is a level higher than another is bound to get euphoric about it, I suppose. Very well then. ¡°Magna Circus, Level 4, activate!!!!!!¡± Aside from the countless white flames that were already consuming half of the village, the nameless man activated an ability of his. It¡¯s probably a spell, given that his Atlas is flying right in front of him. Now, what exactly does this ability do? ¡°I¡¯m waiting.¡± ¡°You damn kid¡­!!! Heheh, did you know? Once you get hit by one of those fireballs you will turn to ashes?¡± One of those fireballs? As he points out to them with his right index finger, my eyes unconsciously follow them. Oh, so that¡¯s what¡¯s going on. Right above me, there are about 10 or 12 fireballs spinning around in a circle. That¡¯s not the only thing, as they continue to speed up; the circle just keeps on getting bigger. Dodging them might be a bit troublesome. ¡°Don¡¯t I just have to kill you before you can land one on me in the first place?¡± What I would be more worried about is if those fireballs decided to drop down to the other villagers, but they have seemed to have evacuated. I have to thank the Elder for that one, even though he was terrified earlier; he supposedly managed to keep his mature stance while protecting the village. A truly admirable person at heart. Failing here is not allowed, no matter the cost. ¡°You just keep on getting cockier you freaking kid, eat this, fireball parade!!!!!¡± Hm, this might be impossible to dodge on my own. What other options do I have on my own? On my own Atlas, there are only three weapons so far. Of course, it¡¯s not really an Atlas in the first place, just a page in the first place¡­ Although, once I use a weapon, I can¡¯t use another for 10 minutes straight. Ultimately, I¡¯m stuck with the Yagyu Sunblade, which is not a bad thing, since it has its own privileges. Using the Elder¡¯s Atlas is out of the question. I wouldn¡¯t want to reveal to this sick bastard that I have what he is looking for, which in the end means¡­ Vash. A mini fireball comes right to my face at fierce speed, by tilting my torso down a bit; I managed to dodge the first fireball, however¡­ ¡°Oi, Oi!!! That¡¯s only the first one!!!!¡± Correct. Given that there are more to come, dodging them all will be impossible. Sacrifices will probably have to be made. Nevertheless, instead of dodging, running up to eliminate the source of the problem would be the correct choice. ¡°Y-You, what are you doing!? You have to dodge them or else the fun ends!!¡± Not really, if I just kill you, they should all go away, supposedly. Even so, five fireballs are chasing me down in my back while I attempt to close the distance between me and this guy. Normally, closing our distance here would be a piece of cake yet that¡¯s the case. These fireballs are excessively fast. Maybe because they are level 4? I see. So even a guy who has no sense of morality whatsoever has managed to find a place on his wicked heart to devote himself to something. That¡¯s still unforgivable though. To devote your time for something that will only bring down others, this is why¡­ ¡°YOU PEOPLE CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO EXIST!!!!!!!¡± Screw protecting the Atlas anymore if I kill him right here and now, he won¡¯t have a chance to retaliate, to begin with. Am I an idiot or what? To believe that I could beat someone who is higher in terms of levels than me? Reality is not that simple. And judging by the look on his face, he probably has not used all of his abilities. No¡­. He hasn¡¯t used them, to begin with. ¡°Getting angry now, huh!? Let¡¯s raise the stakes here, SHALL WE!? Magmatic Armageddon, activate!!!!!!!!¡± For some odd reason, the fireballs that were chasing me down like crazy have returned to him. What is happening? Trying to analyze the situation, I stood there as I tried to gather any tiny bit of information which could be useful in this duel, but all that could be witnessed was the rest of the flames which were consuming the rest of the village getting dragged right into both of his arms. Specifically, his wrists first, as if he was tasting the fire, to begin with. ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡­ This felt well, such a delicious fire¡­¡± Did he eat the fire? How is that even possible? No¡­ Lots of things that shouldn¡¯t be possible are allowed here in this world in the first place. Huh? How come I know this¡­? Zach. A high dropkick comes flying right at me. Unfortunately, since I was too busy daydreaming, the drop kick hits right into my abdomen. ¡°Pgahh!!!!¡± That was a devastating kick, to the point where it drives me away for twenty meters back. More so, it was different from any ordinary kick. Essentially, a kick is normally simple force applied in your leg in which you delivered the kick to gain a blow on the opponent. Yet this was totally different, it not only hurt but it burned¡­ As my eyes who were still trying to open up to the reality of me standing on the ashen ground, I could see that my normal shirt had been burned out. ¡°Hey, hey¡­ Stand up already¡­ What happened to your confidence a while ago?! Huh, answer me!!!¡± Having closed our distance, except this time he was the one doing that, he launches a kick barrage right at my abdomen. Needless to say, those kicks felt as if they were pure flames by themselves. Is this his ability, the Magmatic Armageddon!? To have the fire right inside his body, how ridiculous is that!? Coughing blood was also a matter of time, the ground ran stagnant as the dark red color of blood started to spread around. This¡­ isn¡¯t good... I have to do something¡­ ¡°Atlas¡­.. On!!!!¡± Gathering every ounce of my strength, I raise my voice so loud that even this psychopath has to realize what¡¯s about to happen in the first place. Ah man, I really didn¡¯t want to hear this voice again, but I¡¯m really at the verge of death here¡­ ¡°Bastard, you have another Atlas?! No way¡­ Y-You¡¯re just bluffing!!!!¡± Once again, my words manage to demolish his self-composure. Though, to ensure that I wasn¡¯t bluffing, I would need to grab the Atlas and show it to him. But my strength has faded away a long time ago with all those kicks. My internal organs are most likely in pure hell right now. It was worth the try, but as soon as the Atlas didn¡¯t show itself he started to regain his composure yet again. ¡°Hey, boss!! Don¡¯t die yet!!¡± Ah that voice, could it be that you are¡­? A desperate move such as opening my eyes just to look up happened, thankfully for me, luck was on my side today. ¡°Y-You weren¡¯t bluffing!? You had another Atlas!? Bastard¡­ JUST FOR HOW LONG WILL YOU KEEP GETTING ON MY WAY!?¡± Voice, can you hear me!? ¡°Loud and clear!!¡± Perfect. The dude took such distance but now that he has lost the ability to reason, he is slowly but surely coming back to where I am right now. What needs to be done right now is¡­ to gain some distance!! ¡°Roger that! Galactic Drive, autopilot mode, activate!¡± As soon as those words were heard right inside my brain, my body started automatically to run away as far as it could, although it really was only for about fifty meters. The zone in which we were fighting right now was the main plaza of the village. Hence it¡¯s burned; it¡¯s nothing more than a plain vast long area with ashes all over the place. In all likelihood, being able to see anything right now would be impossible, especially with all the flames gone. However, there was a sudden element of surprise which decided to rise up at this exact moment. ¡°Bastard!!! Show yourself, you coward!!!¡± And so, he continues to angrily roar as he wants me to show myself. Hell no, I need to recover for a bit, just a bit. My physical condition is in no way near as good as it should be. That and all the events done today, it¡¯s only normal that I would be physically drained honestly. Still, my priority has not changed, that is, to defeat this guy. But how exactly am I supposed to do that? While the fire was out he could perfectly see in the dark while I couldn¡¯t, therefore he got the upper hand on me not so while ago. Plus, his abilities now contain fire? Not to mention his physical attacks do as well? That¡¯s just too much for me, what exactly can I do¡­? I continue to ponder the possibilities as I hide between the trees outside of the village for a bit. ¡°Hm, boss! Sorry to interrupt your thought process, but what¡¯s with that get-up?¡± Idiot, don¡¯t force me to speak. What if I decided to speak out loud? Wouldn¡¯t that guy be able to immediately identify where I am right now? Still, get up? ¡°Yeah, get up. You have some weird clothes on!¡± That¡¯s just a self-designed costume. As soon as I activate one of my weapons it comes with it. Don¡¯t laugh at it; it¡¯s just that ability alone gives no sense of fashion in it. If you are going to beat someone up, then do it with fashion. This is a Paladin get up for the most part. A dark armor with a dark paladin helmet while the Yagyu Sunblade is mostly dark too but with orange parts too, essentially the orange parts are supposed to represent sun blazes. Also, I¡¯ve managed to forge it for one simple reason too, despite being quite heavy; the dark armor gives a little bit of protection against elements. I suppose that explains as to why I¡¯m not completely dead yet. ¡°Wahh!! Amazing, boss!!! You did it all by yourself, but how? I want an armor too!¡± Now is not the time for this! The only reason as to why I bothered to turn the Atlas on is because I need your help. How do I defeat this guy!? ¡°You should just wait; your two friends are coming, aren¡¯t they? Why not just wait for them?¡± ¡­Don¡¯t joke around. This is my fight. Nobody else will get in my way. ¡°Is that so? I see that Boss is quite stubborn! Then, why not kill him from the get-go?¡± What¡¯s up with the boss? Also, if that was possible then I would have done so a long time ago! He not only is a level above me, therefore all of his natural statuses such as strength, velocity, defense, and attack are beyond my own. Not only that, but he has fire abilities to his kit! How absurd is that? ¡°You give orders only, you remind me of what a ¡®boss¡¯ would look like. Truly a tyrant, honestly.¡± I AM NOT A TYRANT! ¡°Aye, aye! So you want a way to defeat this guy¡­ Why not just use Galactic Drive to speed up and stab him with the Yagyu Sunblade? Wouldn¡¯t that work?¡± That is a possibility, however, I can barely move, you see. I¡¯ve got no strength left to do such movements. The Yagyu Sunblade is by itself quite heavy; therefore it requires a lot of physical strength in the first place. This isn¡¯t to say that I don¡¯t have it. I do, but not at the moment, since this armor also consumes quite the physical strength in the first place too. ¡°If it has so many restrictions then why use them in the first place? That¡¯s really dumb, Boss!¡± Normally, that would be the case. But my opponent uses fire enhanced spell in the first place. My other two weapons are not that great against fire, this is the only weapon which is good against fire. The Yagyu Sunblade has a 5% chance of absorbing fire. Since it¡¯s at level 1, that¡¯s the gist of it. Once it levels up more and more, the chances will increase, supposedly. ¡°That¡¯s still reckless boss! However, you should listen to my words. By using Galactic Drive, you don¡¯t have to waste physical condition in the first place. Remember how the autopilot didn¡¯t waste any energy?¡± About that, what was that in the first place? ¡°Hm¡­ It¡¯s kinda hard to explain it, boss! Just think of it as an alternative mode. Though, once you are in autopilot mode, you can¡¯t use other abilities!¡± A restriction huh? It would be too overpowered otherwise, I suppose. So what¡¯s the plan here? ¡°To use the Galactic Drive in autopilot mode and stab him right in the heart, boss!¡± Yeah, I got that part. But didn¡¯t you just say that while in autopilot mode that I couldn¡¯t use any other abilities? That¡¯s a contradiction since it means that it would be a run to suicide, wouldn¡¯t it!? ¡°Not true, boss! Once you reach him, I will deactivate the autopilot mode and then you can kill him! It will be fantastic teamwork!¡± I see then- ¡°Boss, I should mention this, but¡­¡± ¡°Found you, bastard!!¡± Damn it! Once again, I was too focused on absorbing any type of information which would enable me to win over him to the point where I ignored his existence as a whole. That was a bad idea. Hey, you know what to do, right? ¡°Leave it to me, boss!¡± Bash. As the fire fist cuts the large tree, the Galactic Drive takes me right into the starting position where the fight started. Looking at the ocean horizon, I see it rising. The Sun proudly emerges from the bottom of the blue horizon while the moon of the west descends in consent. This is exactly what I¡¯ve been waiting for. ¡°Oh, what is that you were waiting for, boss?¡± ¡°You see. There is another feature of the Yagyu Sunblade! Once exposed to the sun, it starts to gain temperature. There is a reason as to why I have these black gloves on.¡± To make sure that the sun helps me with my victory, the necessary move is to rise up the heavy crescent blade that lies in the palm of my right glove. As the crescent blade rises, it begins to absorb energy from the sun to the point where it continuously burns. Of course, by now, he should be here, in fact, he is. ¡°Done playing hide and seek, you little bitch? Gah, gah¡­¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry for the wait, this will be over in a second. Are you ready to repent for your sins, sinner?¡± ¡°¡­You fucking bastard¡­ I¡¯M GOING ALL OUT NOW, MAGMATIC CATAS-¡° As if I would allow you to perform that spell. In the first place, there is something that I have noticed about your fighting pattern. You need to actually hold up your arm up to conjure that spell. Although this is merely speculation, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the spell that you are casting requires the fire left inside your body, thus you held your arm up for that entire reason. Therefore, there is no reason to allow you to have another arm. You already have no right arm and you now have no left arm. ¡°Boss, that¡¯s evil¡­¡± ¡°GAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! M-MY ARM! GIVE IT BACK, GIVE IT BACK!!¡± It seems the plan has worked out, though it wasn¡¯t exactly as planned. The plan was to use the Galactic Drive as a mean to direct myself right to him, ultimately this voice would deactivate it and my Yagyu Sunblade would pierce his heart. Plus, the Sword itself has absorbed quite much. By allowing it to absorb the sun¡¯s energy, it gained more heat; hence its power has increased. In the end, it wasn¡¯t even necessary to follow the plan thoroughly, because taking his other arm off has left him in a state of paranoia. But, it was essentially the same, by activating the Galactic Drive while in autopilot mode and deactivating it when it has reached the target¡¯s ideal proximity; the Yagyu Sunblade cut his other arm off. Nevertheless, this wasn¡¯t my doing, but this voice¡¯s¡­ Also, calling it voice is rude honestly. A name perhaps? I wonder if it has a name in the first place¡­ ¡°I don¡¯t have a name, boss!¡± Quick-witted reply as always. Also, this ¡®boss¡¯ thing is embarrassing, cut it out already. ¡°No way, boss!¡± This really is a trivial matter, but I¡¯ll give you a name then. Mino. I¡¯m assuming you are female by your voice, therefore a female name for you. Ah, why even bother giving it a name, really? It will be her Atlas after this, right? This Atlas isn¡¯t even mine, to begin with; therefore there is little meaning in giving this voice a name. I will never be able to hear it again, after this. ¡°Boss, what are you talking about!? What is ¡®Atlas¡¯? And why won¡¯t you be able to listen to my voice anymore!?¡± Sorry, Mino. ¡°Atlas, off.¡± ¡°Ah, not again, boss!¡± For the second time today, the voice makes her leave. Sorry, Mino makes her leave. That¡¯s better, now then¡­ ¡°My¡­ arms¡­.. They¡­ are gone..!!¡± ¡°Still mourning about your fallen arms?¡± ¡°Y-You have to give them back, please I will do anything!!¡± ¡°You say funny things for a killer. You beg me to give your arms back, willing to do anything according to your words. What about the lives you took? Will they come back if I beg you hard enough? HUH!? WILL THEY!?¡± ¡°Those were just some lives. What do the weaklings matter in this world!? This world is crawling with weaklings that hold no purpose in life whatsoever!! However, if you are stronger then you have a purpose already!!!!! Isn¡¯t that great!? To live stronger while preying on the weaklings that rot this planet down!?¡± I really am stupid. There is no point in arguing with someone who has no sense of morality or any capability of upholding any justice inside his heart. His heart is filled with a void of hatred and malice altogether for the most part. There is only one place for people like you. As my eyes gain firmness to abolish the usher of hope standing right in front of me with his knees on the dark ground. ¡°Sorry, that was meaningless to ask. Before you die, tell me, why do you do this? There must be a reason as to why you do this, right?¡± ¡°Guh¡­ Reason, you say? I don¡¯t need it. Just their screams, while they dream of hope just to be transformed into impermanent terror, are enough for me!!¡± He can barely speak due to the fact being, he has lost two arms, and therefore he is seriously bleeding. Still, to think that even despite his situation he would still spout such load of bullshit. You belong in hell. ¡°Zakarias nii-chan! You¡¯re alive!¡± Such words came from the mouth of a young girl who is still alive thanks to the Elder¡¯s efforts. I suppose the fact that I have been fighting with this guy over a bit has caused some worries to go up¡­. ¡°Tesla, why are you¡­? Shouldn¡¯t you be with the Elder, why are you here in the first place, it¡¯s dangerous!¡± ¡°¡­ A little girl¡­!¡± Huh? What the hell is saying¡­? Why is he smiling like that..? ¡°A LITTLE GIRL!! TESLA-CHAN!!¡± ¡°Gyaaa!! Stay away!¡± I see. Once again, my stupidity has proven to be fatal in this situation. To delay the punishment of those who need to pay for their actions is a fool¡¯s errand. It was at this moment, that I realized, the existence of pure evil does exist. Even with his arms cut off, even being at the verge of death¡¯s doors, true evil will perceive its malicious intentions to the very end. Forgiveness cannot be allowed to be given to such people in the first place. This is not right. This is wrong. I suppose lives hold an entirely different meaning when you throw your ideas of justice in them. In this case, the man who lustfully got up and attempted to chase away the running girl is, without a doubt, an unnecessary existence. ¡°This world rejects you.¡± Slash. The first head of the Fogal Edones has been achieved. Although, my only regret here is that Tesla witnessed a cold-blooded murder. It couldn¡¯t be helped, forgiveness is once again relative and selective, and so, there is no way that forgiveness can be collectiveness in this rotten world. ¡°G-Gyaa!!!¡± Tesla begins to cry. It really was obvious this would happen. I then raise my hand right into the sun and look up to the blood that was spilled all over my dark glove. Since there is no reason to maintain this form on, I might as well deactivate it. Tesla needs to be taken care of. Furthermore, I need to check how much causality this guy has caused with his little prank. Plus, rebuilding the village will be necessary as well. It should be no difficult matter; after all rebuilding, some construction sites is quite easy, thanks to our back up resources in a case like this. Ah, of course, there will be a need to bury the bodies of the people who died. Still, that much is the obvious part, what comes after is something beyond my knowledge. ¡°Tesla. Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared! I want to go home!¡± She probably doesn¡¯t have a home, to begin with, after this. I can¡¯t even guarantee that her parents are alive after this. I hope they are. Though, that¡¯s really just wishful thinking. What if they are dead? What then? Am I supposed to present plausible lies that are not the truth in order to tone her sadness down? No matter the cause, I will not lie. Because hiding the truth is evil itself. ¡°Right! Let¡¯s go ho¡­ me¡­¡± Hmm? What¡¯s happening? Was my vision always this blurry? Why is everything turning dark all over the sudden? I need to sleep. I¡¯m quite tired. I deserve to sleep after this, don¡¯t I? But just a bit, I can¡¯t sleep for much long. This village needs me and I need it. A selfish mutual co-existence. ¡°Zakarias nii-chan!! What¡¯s wrong!?¡± ¡°Nothing, I just need a little bit of¡­ sleep¡­.¡± Sinking into the depths of my unconsciousness, my face connects with the cold dark ground as the sun illuminates the entire village, thus creating a giant silhouette that represents my fallen body. ¡°Zakarias nii-chan!!¡± Vol.1 Ch.5.5: Departure Exactly one day has passed since I¡¯ve entered this dimension. A lot of questions still remain to be answered. Why did Master throw me inside this dimension? In a quest to discover the answer to that question, I¡¯ve encountered with a person who is about my age, I think. His name is Zakarias and he is far stronger than I am. Even after training for years to rise up my status to a considerable amount, Zakarias is truly awesome. He has an Atlas, which is something that I wish to obtain soon, but the idea of how it¡¯s done or achieved is nowhere to be seen. Though he did say that the Atlas wasn¡¯t his, thus he gave it to Lodya. Soon after, he asked the Atlas back for some reason. Ah, Lodya is a girl who was in trouble because she was kidnapped by a weird group of evildoers essentially. In the end, through a lot of plan executions, we managed to rescue her which was the end goal, realistically. While inside this dimension, I¡¯ve managed to discover these two people. Zakarias, a hard working self-righteous person and Lodya a wild person who is still a mystery to me. Soon after that, from the long walk, both I and Lodya reached the village only to find an Atlas flying around. That Atlas was the same Atlas that Zakarias has. I didn¡¯t know that Atlas could automatically do that. Master did talk about the Atlas, but he also mentioned that it would be meaningless to tell me about Atlas because it would amount to nothing basically. Why does Master have to be like this¡­? Either way, the Atlas that was turbulently flying around guided us to where Zakarias was. Fortunately, as soon as the Atlas guided us to his location, we found a little girl crying and so we immediately rushed over to where she was. Zakarias was pretty hurt honestly. He was bleeding all over the place. Soon after a brief observation of what was around me, all that could be seen was a burned down village, several ashes, and a headless man. Lodya was pretty shocked as she cried for quite a bit when she saw that Zakarias was not showing any signs of waking up. I tried to ask the little girl what had happened but she kept begging for me to help Zakarias. That was when I decided to seek out someone that would help, essentially, the rest of the village. Ultimately, a wide refuge site was discovered. At first, they were scared because perhaps they thought that I was a threat. Who knows what might have happened earlier, but it was clear that the past event had inflicted an incredible amount of fear to those people. Ignoring that, I direct myself to the person who could be identified as the elder. Zakarias talked about someone known as the Elder when we ventured to bring back Lodya. Therefore, as soon as I saw someone that truly resembled the appearance of an elder, I talked to him about it. It appears that I was wrong at first since the person I asked was not the Elder. Eventually, by explaining the situation, that man decided to allow me to speak with the Elder. After speaking with the Elder, some villagers came for Zakarias¡¯s rescue, thus ending the confusion. And now, as I reflect the past events of yesterday, the bright blue horizon could be glanced at by this position. Currently, while standing at the borderline of the rock bridge outside the village, the wide ocean is visible to all eyes, including my own. Call it boredom if you may, but I call it indecision. Indecision because I¡¯ve got no idea what to do next. The initial question keeps haunting my mind every now and then. What exactly am I supposed to do here inside this dimension? Furthermore, when will I be able to return to my own dimension? It¡¯s not exactly convenient to be stuck inside a dimension when you have duties inside another. Not exactly duties, now that I think about it, but mostly just self-proclaimed ones. ¡°Yo, what are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing in particular. In my world, this is what you do to erase boredom.¡± ¡°Looking at nothing but the ocean right in front of you? Haha, that¡¯s hilarious, Rei.¡± That¡¯s not really true, what I just said. It¡¯s something that I do often when bored, to look at nothingness in any shape or form. Thus, my words are quite false; however, it¡¯s possible that a lot of people do the same as well. Still, the blonde man who interrupted my bored glance serenely like that was no other than Zakarias, the man of the topic in my mind. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be resting? Your body is a mess after that fight, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I was just tired after all. After having slept for seven or so hours, I¡¯m completely healed.¡± It¡¯s probably a lie honestly. The way he walks isn¡¯t exactly normal; he might have difficulty moving around. Though, it¡¯s somewhat impossible to determine why he has difficulty walking like that. If I saw his fight, assuming that there was ever one in the first place, then I could have achieved an answer here. ¡°How is everyone?¡± ¡°Most of the people are at the refuge site. I didn¡¯t know we actually had one, to begin with, I was quite surprised. I suppose it¡¯s really a good thing. Lodya is taking care of everyone and all that, but¡­¡± As the sea eagles pass through us, Zakarias clinches his teeth and forms a fist while standing up. Since I¡¯m currently standing down sitting on the rocks up front, he produces a sorrowful glare that represents immense guilt. Whatever the situation was, he feels immense guilt about it. ¡°Don¡¯t stress about it. You did what you could, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, but¡­ What I can do is never enough¡­¡± Once upon a time, that feeling was with me too. In fact, it was more like a heavy chain that remained no matter the circumstance with me. Therefore, his desire of wanting to do something more isn¡¯t so rare. As a matter of fact, it¡¯s pretty common. A common desire. This isn¡¯t to say that I don¡¯t have that feeling anymore, I do, and it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve learned to control that feeling over the time, thanks to him. ¡°Isn¡¯t that normal though? We are both weaklings. So, it¡¯s only normal that we aren¡¯t able to do anything, and of course, that also means that we aren¡¯t able to do enough in the first place.¡± A sad reality, really. To do what we so want can be simple sometimes, however, to do what is enough to accomplish something that so requires you to do what is enough, isn¡¯t such an easy task by itself. ¡°I will protect the village. And for that, I will get stronger!¡± ¡°Can you get stronger here though?¡± ¡°¡­Eventually.¡± From observing the monsters inside the jungle, they are quite weak. Of course, they are stronger than me, in the leveling sense, however, aside from that, they don¡¯t really pack a punch. I went hunting down a few and they give terrible experience. If Zakarias were to endlessly level up here, he could probably take his whole life and it would still not be enough to rise up to level 40 or something. ¡°You know, don¡¯t you? That if you remain here, you will never be able to truly protect them.¡± He probably wants to reject my own argument, but whatever happened must have enlightened him to a certain point of truth. Thus, he takes a deep breath as if to take all those doubts away. ¡°I thought so. It really is like that, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°That is the situation.¡± ¡°If so, then what am I supposed to do about it?¡± The easy answer is to tell Zakarias to get stronger. Although, that¡¯s quite obvious. I also need to get stronger eventually. Master told me to not skip training whatsoever, thus I¡¯ve done it this morning. Getting stronger is a goal for anyone who has something that they wish to protect. I do not wish to get stronger at the moment, but instead, I wish to find answers. For example, why this dimension? Where is Master? When will I be able to return to my own dimension? How will I be able to return to my own dimension? What is the reason behind Master¡¯s actions? I really don¡¯t understand no matter how much I think through my head. ¡°For starters, shouldn¡¯t we leave this village?¡± ¡°We?¡± Ah, I guess I spoke way too soon about this¡­ ¡°¡­I was thinking that we could team up to do other stuff¡­¡± ¡°I think that you are an interesting individual but I¡¯ve got to stay here and protect the village. Who knows when they might attack?¡± True that. Zakarias is constantly worried about the possibility of the Fogal Edones attacking the village again. I wouldn¡¯t want to use this but¡­ ¡°But you owe me, remember? You said you would do anything as long as I helped you to rescue Lodya.¡± ¡°I suppose I did say something like that. Can¡¯t be helped then, what exactly are you thinking?¡± ¡°I was thinking of leaving the village and explore other parts of this dimension. To tell you the truth, I was sent here with a purpose. And I feel that if I find that purpose, I will be able to return to my world. Therefore, I need your help. I am weak on my own, but with you, I might be able to achieve my purpose. Plus, you need to get stronger right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t really grow stronger here. So finding new places in Ceulonia should allow you to grow stronger. What do you say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a fancy proposal right there. I can accept it since I own you. I¡¯m a man of my word. However, give me one month.¡± ¡°Is there any specific reason for that?¡± ¡°Yeah, the village needs reconstruction. One month should be enough to put it back to how it was.¡± ¡°I understand. Allow me to ask, but what exactly happened inside the village?¡± It needed to be asked, being in the dark for so long only allows one to create speculation after speculation, which is not entirely good. Therefore asking for the truth here is mandatory. ¡°The village got invaded by one of the Fogal Edone¡¯s. I strongly believe that he burned the whole village down for the sake of his own enjoyment. After a prolonged battle, I killed him. That was really all that happened.¡± That explains the headless man lying on the ground earlier. Still, to think that Zakarias actually killed him. Killing someone must require a tremendous amount of courage on its own. I¡¯ve never killed someone, though, I¡¯ve been close. Past aside, I wonder what went through Zakarias¡¯s mind right at that exact moment as he killed that man. ¡°Was he much stronger than you?¡± ¡°He was a level above me. Naturally, he had the upper hand thanks to his status being above me. But in the end, it was as you said, levels aren¡¯t everything.¡± Though vague, something that wasn¡¯t directly connected to levels alone must have delivered him the victory shot, supposedly. It doesn¡¯t really matter what it was, but it¡¯s still impressive to have accomplished such feat. I wonder if, given the circumstances, I could do the same thing¡­ ¡°Zakarias-san, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, but you have an Atlas page, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal around me. It¡¯s awkward. But yeah, I do have an Atlas page. Though, that¡¯s not really the truth. It¡¯s more like a fragment of it¡­¡± A fragment of it¡­? For a long time, I thought that what he had was a page that belonged to an Atlas in the first place¡­ Maybe my guess was wrong. ¡°Though, if you want to know more about Atlas, you should ask the Elder honestly. He knows quite a bit about it!¡± ¡°Ah, it¡¯s just that it sounds really powerful and it could come at handy in the future.¡± To be more precise, Master Tiddal has quite a few Atlas, which makes me wonder about them because they seem to be a high source of power overall. More so, Master gets crazy powerful with one around. Crazy powerful might be an insult, maybe the correct description would be ¡®out of this world¡¯? ¡°Atlas are really powerful, but you have to be compatible with them, this also applies to artificial Atlas by themselves. So it¡¯s not something that you can simply gain the control of and enjoy the power of it. It¡¯s somewhat the opposite; you need to be powerful, at least a little bit before they accept you see. Or at least, that¡¯s what the Elder told me.¡± It seems that consulting the Elder really should be my starting point here. I still wonder why Master didn¡¯t bother to grant me this knowledge in the first place. Given Zakarias¡¯s words, there are apparently artificial Atlas, according to the Elder. Furthermore, you need to actually be compatible with them. That still doesn¡¯t really answer one thing. ¡°Zakarias, what do you mean by being compatible?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good question. Even I don¡¯t know that, surprisingly. Although, recently¡­¡± ¡°Recently?¡± ¡°Ah, nothing. Anyway, let¡¯s head to the village and ask the Elder about it.¡± Hearing that, I decided to get up from my seat. Truth to be told, this seat is quite nice, though it¡¯s rocky and stiff, it¡¯s somewhat nice to be on. Also, the very fact that it has proximity to the ocean is great too. Plus, if you focus your eyes far enough into the blue horizon, creatures of unknown origins can be witnessed splashing at very high altitudes. This makes me wonder what they are, really. ¡°Is it normal to have such large creatures in the ocean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s currently a time where it contains a lot of heat. From time to time, it changes alternatively. Sometimes it doesn¡¯t leave for a huge amount of time, so the sea lords just enjoy the tremendous heat around here and decide to take over the waters from far away. Though, once the heat is gone, it gets quite dangerous because giant tidal waves from far away start to rise!¡± ¡°Eh¡­ You know a lot about this¡­ So it¡¯s summer now?¡± ¡°Summer? What do you mean?¡± After that, until we reached the village, I and Zakarias talked about our dimension¡¯s differences for the most part. He suddenly started to take interest in the differences between our dimensions. Once that was issued, the thought of him being curious about my dimension made me think that he acknowledged the existence of my dimension. Although, for him, it¡¯s probably nothing more than a simple time killer. For instance, there is no concept of seasons here because the sun and the moon are constantly up, which makes it hard for them to obtain something close to spring or autumn. However, according to him, there are times that this island gets a lot colder than usual, which he also said that could very well resemble the winter. A time that has an immense cold and low temperatures. The cause for this phenomenon was the following, once every five years the sun and the moon remain at the horizon while only showing 90% of their existences. In other words, they both hide for a very long time, but not totally; otherwise, this island could very well cease to exist. Once I told him about the seasons as a whole, he started to accept that summer and winter might exist, but not the spring or autumn because there was no such time, he says. If possible, I wouldn¡¯t mind taking him to my dimension, but that¡¯s a futile wish at the moment since getting out of this one isn¡¯t possible for the time being. Ultimately, once we reached the village, Zakarias explained that we could shorten our wait time for departure if I helped out to reconstruct the village. Never in my whole life did I bother to construct something. Ah, right. This is a new life supposedly, so the correct saying would be that, in my previous life and in this life, I¡¯ve never constructed something. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.Since the topic is at hand, amongst one of the things that represent a huge question mark inside my head is the very possibility of Zakarias also having a previous life too? No, I doubt that¡¯s the case. He seems very familiar and attached with this island; therefore he probably was born and raised here without a previous life behind. Either way, what needed to be done was to build up fifty wood houses in the first place. Our causalities were quite severe, about eight people died during the fire. Thankfully, there is a little girl, the girl that was crying for Zakarias when I and Lodya arrived at the village, that girl didn¡¯t lose her parents. Though Zakarias had no intention of showing his happiness, once that was confirmed, he showed great resolution. I suppose it was also haunting his mind, maybe. By building fifty wood houses, it would suffice homes for the rest of the villagers. Yet the village was not burned down completely, there were still some things that remained intact. For example, the cultivation fields managed to remain, thus it wasn¡¯t a problem to actually worry about food as long as it was constantly cultivated once again. The villagers are people who work hard. Despite the death of their fallen ones, they continued to move forward for the greater good of the village. How nice, I wish I could share their kindred spirit; however, I hardly have anything to stand for inside this dimension. Realistically, the only thing that¡¯s keeping me here is my interest about Atlas and lastly, it¡¯s just so that Zakarias and I can leave this island. It¡¯s also not a thirst to go on an adventure; I need to go back to my dimension sometime soon for reasons. This is a quest of necessity, in the end. 1 month later. Unfortunately, even though Zakarias did say that with my help to rebuild the village, the time gap would shorten, it didn¡¯t. As a matter of fact, it stayed the exact same. Which gives birth to the question, how long would it take to reconstruct the village without my help? Apparently, building fifty houses were not enough; we had to build about one hundred and thirty. At first, my construction skills were really poor, but with lessons from Zakarias and with a little help from Lodya, I managed to get the hang of it. But, in reality, Zakarias is simply insane at construction. Under four hours, he could very well build a house on his own. Sometimes less, the guy really is a monster when it comes to things like things. Plus, other things required construction as well, such as the water sites and the plazas. And some attractions too. It was beyond tiring, actually. ¡°Ah¡­.¡± I let out a monochrome sigh as if to relieve some tiresome pain. ¡°That took longer than I initially expected.¡± No joke here. I don¡¯t want to make myself arrogant over here, but without my help, this could very well have been delayed for another month. At the moment, we both stand on the main plaza enjoying the dinner that was served. It¡¯s simple plain soup. It¡¯s also neither bland nor breathtaking, it¡¯s, again, simple. ¡°Do you think the Elder will grant us an audition now?¡± ¡°Um, let¡¯s see here¡­ We did finish everything right? That should really conclude all the requirements for an audition. After dinner, let¡¯s go to his house.¡± I suppose I forgot to mention something. The moment we made our arrival to the village, the first thing we did was to go right to the Elder and ask away about the Atlas. However, to our surprise, our knowledge requirement got completely denied as he said that we had to fulfill some things first before he tells us anything about it. Mainly, we have to reconstruct the village. Initially, I was pretty pissed about it, but Zakarias told me that the Elder wouldn¡¯t lie. Therefore with a little hard work, we have managed to achieve success once and for all. ¡°We got worked to the bone. This better be worth it.¡± ¡°What better be worth it?¡± A girl fiercely invades our table and asks away what I was implying with those words. ¡°We are tired, so we are desperate to get some sleep, you see.¡± ¡°Ah, really now?¡± ¡°Do we look like the type of people who would lie so casually?¡± ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ll let you off the hook for today. Good sleep, thanks for the work.¡± The brief exchange of words between Lodya and Zakarias ends there as Lodya leaves the scene. Nice going, Zakarias! This way, she won¡¯t know our real motive and what that talk was all about. Eventually, we end our soups and make way to the Elder¡¯s house. Elder¡¯s house. ¡°Liars. Drop dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Against all odds, Lodya came to the Elder¡¯s house literally one minute after us. The surprising part is that the Elder also kept his silence just like us. Did he have something else to hide too? Anyhow, this was a complete failure. ¡°Rei, let¡¯s come back tomorrow.¡± ¡°Agreed. There¡¯s no rush.¡± ¡°See you tomorrow Elder.¡± ¡°Y-Yes.¡± Now that the Elder has given us his permission to leave, we shall take our leave and everything will be good. There is no need to suffer more causalities, especially unnecessary ones. ¡°Hold on. I knew you two were lying from the get-go, but grandpa, you too?¡± ¡°Lodya, I-I never lied to you!¡± ¡°Really now? What was that earlier¡­? Ah ¡®I¡¯m very busy now, so I don¡¯t have time to hear you out¡¯ was it!? You filthy liars! Start talking!¡± It appears that the situation has worsened and it is by no means showing signs of getting better, this is bad. ¡°Elder, isn¡¯t it alright, to tell the truth?¡± ¡°I-I suppose, it''s fine¡­¡± ¡°Lodya, I¡¯m leaving the village tomorrow.¡± While the cracking fire continues to make an annoying sound, as usual, it gives an appearance fitting for this scene, because Lodya somehow knew that Zakarias was not lying. ¡°¡­That¡¯s a lie, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­Sorry.¡± ¡°What about the village?¡± ¡°¡­What about it?¡± Though in a monochrome tone, that was perhaps the whole meaning of using that sort of tone here, as a way to mask away from his true feelings. ¡°¡­You don¡¯t¡­ care about the village?¡± ¡°There is no reason as to why I should anymore, really. It¡¯s all back to normal now. That was the whole point of the past month, right? Or am I missing something here?¡± ¡°I thought you were better than this¡­ WHY DON¡¯T YOU JUST GO AND DIE!!!¡± By letting that huge shout, Lodya leaves the Elder¡¯s house with haste. I might be seeing it wrong, but I think I saw a few tears coming from her face while leaving. ¡°¡­Sorry about that, Zakarias.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. She¡¯s always like this. One day she will mature and see beyond a point where I do not matter anymore. Nature is compelling, just like that.¡± Interrupting the conversation here would be quite disrespectful. Obvious as it may be, Zakarias deeply cares for this village and everyone in it. He hates the very fact that he has to leave the village, but what he probably hates the most is the fact that he had to lie, especially to Lodya. Lying, in my opinion, is always the correct choice. If one tells the truth constantly, then unfolding consequences are bound to reach the surface, some might say that¡¯s a good thing, while it could very well be the opposite. Lying, on the other hand, hides the truth and a lot of other things with it, whichbrings more benefit to the one who has the truth. ¡°Young man. You wish to learn about the Atlas, do you not?¡± ¡°Ah, yes. I don¡¯t have one and after seeing what Zakarias could do with it, my curiosity reached its peak.¡± ¡°For what reason, do you wish to learn this?¡± For what reason, really. Telling him that my reason for learning about the Atlas is because I wish to learn my Master¡¯s strengths could very well be the case. It feels as if lying here won¡¯t do the trick honestly. ¡°To tell you the truth, I come from another dimension.¡± ¡°D-Dimension, you say!?¡± ¡°Elder, you know about it?¡± ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s a myth passed down in generations in this village. Would you care to listen to a little story?¡± Nodding at the same time, Zakarias and I firmly embrace ourselves for a story which is beyond our expectations at the moment. Also, it seems that Zakarias was surprised about the fact that the Elder asked me about the word ¡®dimension¡¯. ¡°This village runs orthodox traditions in comparison to the other parts of our world, Ceulonia. It is said that the ones who can transcend the virtuosity of those who remain above at the top of Ceulonia will achieve something beyond comprehension. Some people call it ¡®God¡¯s vision¡¯, but it¡¯s heavily implied that once one achieves God¡¯s vision, that person can visit other lands that no other person normally could. Those lands are called dimensions. Although, the only ones who are able to achieve God¡¯s vision are those who are heroes. In the end, this is nothing more than a myth, but young man, could it be that you have been blessed with the presence of a hero?¡± What I just heard is a really confusing story. So confusing that I¡¯m not even going to bother to acknowledge it in the first place. But if the Elder asks me if I¡¯ve been blessed with the presence of a hero, then my answer would be yes. Master is supposedly a hero in my eyes. My hero, more concretely. Though, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the appropriate answer here. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case, sorry. I¡¯ve got no idea how I got into this world.¡± ¡°Elder, isn¡¯t that just a myth though? It sounds highly unrealistic as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my guess on it too. I¡¯ve never given it much thought, but after hearing the word dimension, I couldn¡¯t help my surprise.¡± ¡°Continuing on, I come from another dimension and a person that I know inside my dimension uses Atlas as well. So I wanted to get one for myself too. Yet I¡¯ve got no idea how to get one. I was hoping to find answers with the Elder.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry young man. There is only one Atlas in this village. As you already know, the one that Zakarias holds now is an Atlas that is passed down from generations to generations. Eventually, it will be given to my granddaughter Lodya. Aside from that, there are no other Atlas in the village. The origins and how one is made are beyond my knowledge. However, there is a bit of information that could help you. To my knowledge, there are two types of Atlas, an original one and an artificial one. Think of it as the difference between a real Atlas and a fake Atlas.¡± ¡°Then, Zakarias, what about that page of yours, what is that?¡± ¡°This is neither an Atlas nor part of one. It¡¯s a recipient.¡± ¡°R-Recipient?¡± ¡°Young man. Have you noticed that inside an Atlas there are weird letters among the pages in it?¡± That¡¯s certainly true. The first time I gazed at the Elder¡¯s Atlas, there were words written there which were beyond my knowledge. Unlike any language which I already know, the words in it were something completely strange to me. ¡°Yeah, the pages had weird words that I couldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°A recipient is essentially a page that is part of an Atlas. However, it¡¯s not a complete Atlas until it fulfills certain conditions, therefore it¡¯s a recipient.¡± ¡°I obtained this page from my father when I was younger, basically. That¡¯s how I got it in the first place.¡± I see. So that wasn¡¯t an Atlas but a recipient in the first place. Though, just what exactly is a recipient? Also, there are a lot of questions that are not being answered right now, I would say that this conversation seems shady but we are all basically in the same place, we know nothing about the subject at hand. Prolonging this conversation will get us nowhere, really. ¡°Ah, Elder, just a quick question¡­ Earlier, I was having a talk with Rei and I noticed something that you haven¡¯t explained to me¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What could that be, Zakarias?¡± ¡°You said to me that an Atlas and its user need to be compatible, right? What did you mean by that?¡± ¡°Exactly what I meant. For the Atlas to accept you, you need to be compatible. In other words, you have to fill unknown conditions for the Atlas to accept you. But, that¡¯s not a problem nowadays, because artificial Atlas¡¯s do not require such a thing. Only real Atlas¡¯s do in the end.¡± ¡°¡­I see. Is the Atlas that will be given to Lodya, a real one?¡± ¡°That, I know not.¡± ¡°Then, how does one know that the Atlas has accepted that person?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry Zakarias, I, once again, do not know.¡± Compatible huh? I wonder if Master¡¯s Atlas¡¯s are real or fake. ¡°Sorry about that. It¡¯s getting late. Give this to Lodya tomorrow. Tell her that I¡¯m sorry.¡± Searching through his left pocket, Zakarias takes out the mini rusty black book also known as Atlas and hands it over to the Elder. ¡°She will be mad you know?¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be like her if that wasn¡¯t the case, right?¡± ¡°Hm. How soon do you two leave?¡± ¡°The boat to Kralima departs early, at eight in the morning. Therefore we will need to leave at least two hours early since the port is quite far away. So, six in the morning is the ideal time.¡± ¡°Mhm, that¡¯s a good time to leave. I bid you good luck with your trip.¡± ¡°Thank you very much¡± We both simultaneously say to the Elder With the conversation done, the time for us to sleep had come. We then, after saying goodbye went to our mini houses and slept until the dawn. Twenty-nine days ago. ¡°Rei, quick question, but what exactly is your plan after we get the village constructed?¡± This question was inevitable of course, also, it¡¯s no matter, because I¡¯ve given some actual thought about this. There are just a few problems honestly¡­ ¡°Yeah I¡¯ve thought about it, it¡¯s just¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What¡¯s wrong?¡± I know absolutely nothing about this dimension; I don¡¯t even know where to go next!! Though, telling that out loud is quite embarrassing. ¡°W-Well, do you have any suggestions?¡± ¡°Hm, well you were interested in the Atlas right? Then we should go to where we can find more answers about them.¡± Nice going, Zakarias. ¡°With that said, on the day of our departure it would be wise if we go exactly twenty-nine days after this day, because the boat to other citadels is monthly, thus we can¡¯t afford to be late or else we are stuck here waiting another month.¡± Ah right, this is an island, there is no way for us to leave on foot, instead to make our way towards new lands, there is the necessity of going on something like a boat. That much was obvious, but I hadn¡¯t thought about it for a quick second. ¡°Also, the boat can only take us to Kralima.¡± ¡°Kralima?¡± Not having heard of the word or what it means, asking about it couldn¡¯t be helped. ¡°Our starting point to be precise. Our end goal should be the capital, which has all the answers that we are currently looking for. But it won¡¯t be that easy. To get to Ralcultak, the capital, we need to go on foot for about eight regions.¡± ¡°E-Eight regions!? Isn¡¯t that crazy long?!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. After all, this information comes only from my map. First things first, we need to get to Kralima. Along the way, we should be able to find some things that could very well help us to get what we want. Although Kralima is a little bit more civilized and constructed than this, I think.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the boat cost money to ride on, though?¡± ¡°Normally, but I also told the Elder that if construct the village in exactly one month that he will have to pay the fees for the boat.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t our plan to end the construction in less than a month? What happened to that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s only a speculation. Just to be safe, we should follow the surefire idea of ending everything within the length of one month. If we somehow end up not being able to achieve the one month time length constructions then we are done for and have to wait another month. But, if we work hard then we can finish all the constructions within one month, if not less. Think about it, this is a safe path.¡± True that as long as we are able to finish all the constructions then we can get moving on. I¡¯m fine with that, in fact, I¡¯m satisfied with that, since leaving this village and finding answers as to why I¡¯m here is a very promising deal to me. And it seems that Zakarias will also be able to find something that could help him gain even more strength. Let¡¯s hope he doesn¡¯t become a monster in the end. Present time, 6 am. ¡°Guahhh¡­. I¡¯m sleeepyyyyy¡­.¡± ¡°Same¡­ Though we can¡¯t lag behind or else we really will miss the monthly boat, you know!¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s true, let¡¯s hurry up!¡± Right now, Zakarias and I are leaving the village, thus making our way to the main gate of the village. Although it was still early in the morning, the sun was already up, therefore huge silhouettes formed on that compass right on our backs. But, there was an even bigger silhouette standing in front of us. ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°¡­¡± Is Zakarias really not going to say anything about this? ¡°Let¡¯s just ignore her; pretend that she isn¡¯t there in the first place.¡± No, that¡¯s not possible. Not because we don¡¯t want to acknowledge her existence but because she will make sure we do, through secondary methods. Please no. ¡°Where are you going, Zakarias?¡± ¡°We are going to get some fish outside the village. A morning effort.¡± ¡°Really? Then I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°Sorry, I lied, we are actually going to kill some monsters to gain experience points.¡± ¡°I guess I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°I lied again. We are going to the top of the mountain, where there are monsters that could probably kill us within a blink of an eye.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°¡­ARE YOU CRAZY YOU IDIOT!?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t shout, you will wake everyone up!¡± ¡°No, no, there is something wrong with you, I literally said that we are probably gonna get ourselves killed and you just accepted that.¡± ¡°Actually, you implied, thus you never said it.¡± ¡°¡­Why exactly are you here?¡± ¡°Why are you, here?¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m the one asking the questions here, don¡¯t change our positions!¡± ¡°But I was the one who started the questioning in the first place. Therefore, I¡¯m right here.¡± ¡°¡­Rei, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± What a hot fired conversation that was, let¡¯s just hope that we can get moving on. Standing here for too long isn¡¯t going to help us in any way or another. It also seems that Zakarias is quite determined to not tell her the truth. But, he did say last night to her that he was leaving the village, so it doesn¡¯t actually matter if you hide the truth here or not, since, in the end, she already knows it. ¡°¡­Why are you following us?¡± ¡°No real reason.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s definitely a reason for that! Also, how the hell did you know that we would be here in the first place? It¡¯s six in the morning for crying out loud!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know honestly. But the Atlas just kept on moving on its own and in the end it stopped right in front of the gate. Who would have guessed that it would lead to you two liars?¡± ¡°That damn Mi- Listen, I know what you are trying to do, but the Elder won¡¯t approve of it, give up.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± As we continued to walk by past the main gate, on the left side, a familiar face could be recognized. I certainly wasn¡¯t expecting this, but Zakarias seemed as if he was losing all hope. Agonizing as it may sound, it was awfully relatable. ¡°Hello everyone. How are you all doing?¡± ¡°Well, skipping the formalities, grandpa allowed me to go with you. Right, grandpa?¡± ¡°Are you serious, Elder?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve noticed something yesterday. This village by itself is rotting and never moving on. The fact that we had to reconstruct something only to return to a past point proves that, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just as grandpa says! This means I will be going with you.¡± ¡°Elder, please reconsider.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but once she decides to do something she will. It¡¯s in her blood, hohoho.¡± ¡°Agh, you can¡¯t be serious¡­¡± ¡°I win! Take that!¡± I wouldn¡¯t want to be in Zakarias¡¯s position right now. For surely, he wants to leave the village with the goal of protecting the village afterward, but one of the main goals that he probably had in mind was to gain such strength to the point of being able to protect Lodya. Yet she says that she is coming along now. Well, I suppose it¡¯s more fun this way. Seeing Zakarias and Lodya argue constantly is surprisingly refreshing. Unlike situations which surround me of constant boring circumstances, this is fine. Ultimately, that was the last time we saw the village for a very long time. Unexpectedly, we took Lodya with us as we went down the road to the port to catch the boat to Kralima. End of volume 1. Vol. ∞ Ch.1: Wounds Side Story: Kuesa Shoga Prologue: If someone ever tells you that this is a soft story in which the boy ends up with the girl, they are wrong. If someone boats on about how this story has a hero that everybody loves and saves the world in the end, then you might want to question that. Hypothetically speaking, every story is revolved around infinite avenues; however, this one only had one from the very beginning. I¡¯m not trying to brag here about my story, no, if I said that I would be bragging about it, then it wouldn¡¯t be incorrect although it would not be truly correct. Ultimately, in the wonders of all possibilities, I would be lamenting my incompetence, how I could never- Let¡¯s say for argument''s sake that all reality could be bent over, exposed, and reversed even in the most superficial. Would it be wrong to take advantage of that to shape your own type of reality? Warnings are heeded hence my future repercussion, there might be lies all over the script, so many lies in which the count is lost like scattered petal blossoms in a stormy spring. So much blood written over the gaps that could not be fulfilled by the length of superficial lies¡­ Is what I would like to tell you, yet this is simply thoughts of a lone mind isolated lost in his own world of boredom without a way to return to the present reality. Let¡¯s try this one more time. If for argument''s sake there was ever a compelling tale like this, how exactly would it turn out to be? I don¡¯t know, for that answer it would have been time to realize to know what I am after. No, that¡¯s not the right answer; however, answers can¡¯t come without anything to sacrifice before, even the gaps that supposedly don¡¯t allow that can¡¯t outrun the biggest answer to this. 0 I¡¯m sorry to interrupt you currently, the occasion that is at hand at the moment is a bit too much, so introductions will have to come later, first off, I will address the situation as it is. Amidst a garbage alley lays my supposed yet alive body and to think that my consciousness is fading away¡­ This is all correct due to the consequences of the early events however I never expected to meet my end here this way¡­ Is that all there is!? Am I simply going to die here without ever feeling accomplished at anything I do with my life? Even this so-called death!? I supposed it would be inappropriate to give this sudden development without any sort of explanation as to how I¡¯m currently knocking at death¡¯s door. Ah seriously, if only I wasn¡¯t this foolish and compromised to do that. Either way, let¡¯s rewind the clock for a great round of 12 hours back in time since currently its 22: 30 pm; let¡¯s go back to the correct time period. 10:30 am, Katarakis High School, Class A, Block B. 1 Time passing while staring at a blank wall. Normally it would be viewed as a sign of pure boredom. My agreement would definitely come if such an approach ever comes, however, it can be viewed in various different perspectives, I suppose. For instance, the very fact that one is a top student would mean that benefits such as friends would come along with it. That¡¯s not correct; to gather friends is a waste of time. Don¡¯t even get me started on love, that¡¯s even a double waste of time. Me being a top student and not having any of those traits to my personal arsenal is perfectly fine, in fact, I like it that way. Nobody could ever understand a true intellectual mind like me. I mean, why would one waste their time on shouldering more responsibilities that they have to? Because it¡¯s fun? Wrong. Humans care more about their appearances than anything, they will do anything for the sake of keeping one, and the very fact that you treasure the protection of your own loneliness is the very embodiment of that fact. Ridiculous. The truth cannot be ignored though. Even though I possess and don¡¯t possess certain traits, it goes without saying that without any friends or any way to suffice my time, everything is so¡­boring. To tell the truth, I am undoubtedly socially awkward, but is that any wrong? Objectively, being socially awkward enables you to have an impression on people that you can¡¯t communicate and thus creates an aura that in which the socially awkward one can¡¯t be approached. Saying that this is bad, would be an understatement of course. Thinking about this won¡¯t help nor erase the current problem at the moment. Being stuck while having to be present inside this Mathematics class is boring the hell out of me. It¡¯s no wonder that I¡¯ve gained the habit of thinking too much, perhaps this discloser to the outside world has proven to be devastating regarding my social status. No matter, this class will end in fifteen minutes. That being the case, I effortlessly waste my time away while I continue to wait for the bell to ring. Going around the campus doesn¡¯t sound like a bad idea, even though I have to be aware that there will be another forty-five class in the next fifteen minutes, so being hasty and collective is important obviously. The question is, how am I going to waste my time for fifteen minutes? Once you have no friends or a love subject, there is hardly anything worth striving for in terms of wasting your time during mini-breaks. The options aren¡¯t limited to that of course, directing myself to the main cafeteria which is localized in Block A would probably be the wisest route here, eating away wastes around a great deal of time. For example, simply drinking and eating a simple meal or anything else would take around 4-5 minutes if I eat it rapidly, however by taking an extra repercussion, delaying that to 10 minutes could be possible just by eating very slowly or simply enjoy it as it is. It needs to be said though, the food that is served in the cafeteria sucks, it¡¯s a simple truth, so eating it slowly it¡¯s as if you are chewing down toxic cockroaches from the sewers. It might sound like an exaggeration, but it¡¯s not. I wish it was but it¡¯s not. So that option is off the table. Option B which is to give myself a self-tour to the campus in fifteen minutes doesn¡¯t sound too bad though. This school isn¡¯t something that I want it to be a memory. As I¡¯m avoiding to make myself give any particular remarks about the current environment, all I could gaze upon were either boys of my age who enjoyed their moments or girls who would gossip about girly things as usual. I couldn¡¯t stand the sight of it. Not because I was disgusted by their actions, but because they possessed something that I didn¡¯t. Freedom. I don¡¯t have any freedom superficially, my mind is chained by these thoughts of mine¡­ If only I had- Aside from my inner discussion, around the next left corner, in a very deep alley, I couldn¡¯t help but notice a harmful circumstance happening in it. It was a common sight supposedly, looking upon it, I was reminded over how power is completely relative, and that no matter how much you have it, there are limits to it. However that was not the case here, a young boy getting hurt all over the place by continuous punches followed up by kicks was the ultimate scene here. I¡¯ve known the person doing all those atrocities for a long time, unfortunately, no matter how many times I reprehend him, he would just keep on doing it. His name was Gekidoshi Kuhatsusei. Having natural blond hair color has his principal trait, blue eyes at it, not to mention the same old plain school uniform containing a white shirt followed with black jeans. Overlooking the current issue could be an option. In fact, calling it an issue is simply too big of a misunderstanding, but I knew it wasn¡¯t. It was bullying. While I made my way to the alley, a strange dialogue was exchanged. ¡°What¡¯s the matter Saga!? Too afraid to fight back? Then, why not just give me all your money, then you won¡¯t have to deal with me for a while, what about it?¡± The supposed weak boy which was taking all the bullying was called Getsuga Saga, calling myself on to remind who he was wasn¡¯t much of a problem, ever since the past, he and Gekidoshi have always been this way, Saga the one being bullied and Gekidoshi being the one who does the bullying. I wonder why humans are this way. Logically speaking, bullying can be seen as a way of wanting another¡¯s attention, however, it always will resort to more violent methods. ¡°I- I will never give up, you can make fun of me, torment me as much as you want, but I will never surrender to the likes of you¡± Despite always being bullied, Saga would not surrender to Gekidoshi¡¯s threats, now that¡¯s amazing, although being amazing has its good traits, it¡¯s not going to help in this case. ¡°Is that so? Say, which one do you think is harder, my fist or your skull?¡± After asking such question, Saga begins to tremble a bit in fear, it was without a doubt a normal reaction since Gekidoshi obviously meant to crush Saga¡¯s inner skull with a powerful punch. I couldn¡¯t let that happen, not because I was worried about what might happen to Saga, but because Gekidoshi could seriously get in trouble for this. Having no choice but to step in, moving closely towards Gekidoshi¡¯s right arm while he was preparing a heavy punch launch type of attack towards Saga was the right call. ¡°Wh-¡° In awe, Gekidoshi notices my right hand stopping him from committing the attack. ¡°That¡¯s enough, don¡¯t you think, Gekidoshi?¡± ¡°Damn it, why are you always interrupting me whenever I¡¯m about to finish this guy off!?¡± Gekidoshi¡¯s words brought levels of irritation to me now and always, and just as he said I¡¯m bound to have to reply with a logical answer. ¡°Why you ask? Why not ask yourself instead? Don¡¯t you have any clue what happens to you if you get suspended again? You will get expelled. Stop being stupid for once in your life and do the right decision already. Also, I¡¯m fairly sure that Saga didn¡¯t do anything to you, isn¡¯t that right, Saga?¡± While recovering from the Rhapsody of punches mixed with kicks that he took from Gekidoshi, he briefly replies with an answer which showed signs of Saga having troubles breathing. ¡°I-I haven¡¯t done anything wro-¡° Being reprehended as always, Saga couldn¡¯t finish his sentence since Gekidoshi interrupted him. ¡°Shut the fuck up Saga! Do you want to get another beating!? Uh!?¡± ¡°N-No, I¡¯m so s-sorry!!¡± Not being able to handle the situation anymore, Saga runs off while sprinting fast. ¡°Man, what¡¯s your problem, I¡¯m bored, let me have my own share of fun, will you?¡± Always giving me these types of childish replies, Gekidoshi demanded yet another explanation for my sudden interruption. The thing is, I couldn¡¯t be bothered to waste any more logic with him. I knew that he was dumb, but not this much. Seriously, what is he even going to do with his life at this rate? ¡°Just don¡¯t go around and torment others for the sake of fulfilling your boredom, will you?¡± ¡°Like you have any right to tell me what to do¡­ You can¡¯t do anything about me, nor can you do anything about yourself.¡± Not realizing what he was talking about, asking for an explanation came to my mind. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember, do you¡­¡± I¡¯m clueless here, why doesn¡¯t he just get on with it? ¡°Again, you are going to have to be more specif-¡° ¡°Forget it, you¡¯re dense as a frying pan, you know? I¡¯m out, it¡¯s a waste of time talking to you, Kuesa.¡± I couldn¡¯t fully grasp what he could mean so I just accepted the fact that he had something that even I couldn¡¯t comprehend. We part ways, and while trying to remember something important I remember that I am late for class. It was about 10:47 am, so I was 2 minutes late, however it gets worse. Having to run towards Block B takes about 2-3 minutes, so I would be late for a great amount of 5 minutes. 2 Making quick haste towards my class, I knock the classroom door while waiting for sensei¡¯s permission to enter, however to my surprise, she begins to interrogate me. ¡°Kuesa, why are you late to class?¡± This question might sound simple, but it¡¯s entirely filled with complexity all over it. Answering this with a simple ¡°I was finishing eating in the cafeteria¡± could be an option, although that¡¯s a very weak option, choosing that option would have to mean that my sensei is dumb, in which case she is not. So going with option B is my only choice, which is saying that I would have to give the excuse that I was at the principal¡¯s office this time around. I was ready to give that answer, however to my surprise, Gekidoshi replies in my stead. ¡°Sensei, he was busy beating up Saga.¡± The entire class went up on shock, but it was way too convenient, their reactions were almost like they were synchronized. I knew from the get-go that this was Gekidoshi¡¯s plan, but this was not good, my solo opinion could not stand against the fact that Saga was clearly all beaten up. ¡°How horrible.¡± ¡°What a psychopath.¡± ¡°He always looks irritated for some reason, I guess he was just mentally unstable from the get-go, uh?¡± Hearing all those biased opinions just fueled up my fury, but I think what truly gave me all this fury was Saga¡¯s next lines. ¡°It¡¯s true¡­ During this break, all he did was give me kicks and punched me so hard all my front teeth are gone, just look at these bruises¡­¡± Saga showed his wounds to the rest of the class, and so, glaring eyes came in my direction. ¡°Kuesa, care to explain this?¡± Normally, explanations would be required in this situation, hence Sensei asking for one. So I had no choice, however, it occurred to me, that if I tell Sensei the truth then chances are that Gekidoshi will undoubtedly get expelled. ¡°Sensei, it¡¯s the truth, I was the one that beat up Saga, isn¡¯t that right, Gekidoshi?¡± To Gekidoshi and everybody else¡¯s surprise, I strongly give out the lie that I was the one who beat Saga, so it was normal that there was a sudden silence amidst the class. Even so, Gekidoshi did not give his reply. ¡°I see, then Kuesa, you are dismissed for today, a letter from the principal will be sent over to your home later on this day.¡± Having understood the situation, I give simple feedback. ¡°I understand, excuse me then. Closing the door, I quickly exit the school, however even to my own surprise, I was smiling. That¡¯s right, I was smiling. Not because there was any particular reason for it, but because for once in my whole life I was given the feeling of being free. So free that I have no idea what to do with the amount of freedom I was given. It wasn¡¯t as boring as it was anymore, but why was that? Could it have been the fact that I accepted my punishment and was freed from my duties? No, that can¡¯t be it. What else could there have been¡­ Words from the past came to my mind at that time. A dream of being free without being shackled by the society that we live in. Those words belonged to Gekidoshi, in a day of remorse, from long ago, memories locked up for good. Types of memories that we have, but those that we never want to recall. ¡°I will destroy this society, just watch, all those fucking people that dare to oppose me will suffer, mark my words, I will be free!¡± Truly childish words, a better description could not be better, but even though they are childish, those words had a certain impact back then, I wish I could be like- ¡°Ouch!¡± Apparently, while I was in the middle of my thought process, I bumped into a girl. I know this very exact moment, I¡¯ve witnessed it thousands of times I think just from watching animes or reading mangas, although I had no intention of making a clich¨¦d remark like those seen in animes or mangas. ¡°Are you ok-¡° ¡°I¡¯m late!! Get out of the way, please! ¡°Hey, wait, why are you in such a hurry?¡± I asked the obvious question, since I couldn¡¯t figure out as to why she would be in such a hurry in the first place, even though she wears the same uniform as me, although a female one, of course, it wouldn¡¯t make sense as to why she is in a hurry, all the classes have started already, so¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I am late for my class?¡± ¡°Yeah, about that, classes already have started so you are late to them.¡± ¡°What!? This can¡¯t be¡­¡± I guess my assumption was correct, there would be no way that she could be in a hurry for something school related. I¡¯m aware of all the schedules in school, all classes start at 45 minutes and since it was 11:05, then it was obvious that she was late, no, that¡¯s incorrect, she was mega late. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but if you want to attend the next class then you will have to wait 40 minutes.¡± ¡°There is no way I can ever wait that long, I will die from boredom, I have nothing to do until then, ah, this sucks!¡± Emphasizing with her sentiment of not wanting to feel bored I make a sudden proposition. ¡°Say, are you free right now?¡± ¡°What, are you asking me out? I¡¯m sorry, we don¡¯t know each other well enough, so I will respectfully decline. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± I have to say, I wasn¡¯t expecting this type of reply from her, I guess I was expecting an instant blush or something like that, but no, this girl gave me a straight forward denial, now that¡¯s rare, too rare. If I was interested in her then I would do anything to keep her, however- ¡°No, that¡¯s not it; we are both without anything to do, so why not waste our time while doing something we both like? The girl stops for a moment and thinks deeply about what to say, I¡¯ve wondered for a bit what her reply would be, but it wasn¡¯t long until she talked back. ¡°That¡¯s fine, I suppose, but only under three conditions.¡± Is there really a need for this¡­? Regardless, she proceeds to speak out of her terms. ¡°Um, so condition one will be, you will have to be my tour and pay everything for everything that I buy. Did she just put two conditions in one supposedly condition? ¡°Hey, that¡¯s two condition-¡° ¡°Next up¡­¡± She¡¯s doing this on purpose, she¡¯s a devil. ¡°Condition two is the following, you will give me your full name and you can¡¯t ever ask for my name¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s two conditions again!!¡± Furiously replying, she continues. ¡°As for the last condition, well¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I will think about it¡­¡± This is fine, I was the one who proposed this, so it¡¯s natural that she might have objected my offer, even with these conditions it¡¯s all good. ¡°Do you accept these conditions?¡± ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t have any objection to them.¡± ¡°How desperate, to not even object them with a condition on your own, I expected more honestly.¡± She¡¯s getting on my nerves, but for some reason, I am happy about that, there are not a lot of people who have her traits, she is quite special in that sense. ¡°Yes, yes, so let¡¯s get going, shall we?¡± ¡°Wait, tell me two things, your name and where are we going?¡± I was hoping to escape the first with only having to tell the second, but I guess there is no choice. ¡°My name is Kuesa Shoga, and we will be going to the cinema, I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Wait, tell me more, on when were you born, favorite food and all that, also, what movie are we watching?¡± Okay, she is too energetic, not only does she ask way too many questions but she gives no information about her on that regard, seriously, how unfair can you be? Either way, I have no interest in her; I just wish to spend my time away simply to fulfill my boredom. Although, I¡¯m not sure if she will agree to watch the movie that I have in mind. No matter, but continuing to speak here is somewhat uncomfortable, no for me, but for her, since she is showing signs of being uncomfortable while remaining in this place. After all, we are in the middle of the street with people staring at us. What a bunch of creeps, just mind your own dammed business. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s catch the bus and we will talk there, okay?¡± ¡°A bus to where?¡± ¡°To the mall of course, where do you think we will be watching the movie?¡± ¡°I see, that makes sense, shall we go then, Kuesa-kun?¡± I feel awkward when people use formal manners with me, I believe that there is no necessity whatsoever to address people with formality, it¡¯s a waste of speech and time, to think that people prioritize time and appearances over utility, that¡¯s pathetic. ¡°Or do you not like the ¡°kun¡± at the end? Such a question came from this girl. What a surprise, truly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind, call me whatever you want, it makes no difference to me whatsoever.¡± ¡°But it makes a difference to me though.¡± She¡¯s got a fair point, even though I think that caring about this is utterly pointless I can¡¯t deny that she has the upper hand on this argument. ¡°I see, then just call me Kuesa.¡± ¡°Okay, Kuesa~¡± She said that in a very girly way, to the point where it was truly attractive, any male human being would have fallen in love with her after this, however, I am different, I will not be fooled by this. ¡°What should I call you though? You won¡¯t give me your name, so I didn¡¯t even bother to ask, so what should I call you? Addressing you as ¡°you¡± doesn¡¯t feel right¡­¡± ¡°It makes no difference to me what you ca-¡° Immediately interrupting her, my following words have a bit of anger in them. ¡°Hey, that¡¯s cheating you can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Then, think of a name to give me, otherwise I will be treated as ¡°you¡±.¡± This isn¡¯t even troublesome, it¡¯s just that if we are going to spend time together then I would like to at least address her in a polite manner, but why am I even bothered by this? It has no relevance whatsoever. ¡°Fine, either way, we will be watching a superhero movie, I¡¯m sorry; I bet you wanted a romance movie or something cute like that, however before that, we have to eat something, I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡°Yeah, I hate romance movies, actions movies all the way for me, and I¡¯m hungry too.¡± Wait, wait, is this girl serious? What kind of girl hates romance movies? That¡¯s¡­ Awesome. Please marry me. As if, as if, good thing these are my own thoughts if she could read them, then I would go insane. ¡°Alright, so I will tell you what the schedule is for today, I don¡¯t blame you if you want to quit though. First things first, around 12 pm we will eat, then at 12:30 pm the movie will begin which has the duration of 1 hour of 30 minutes and th-¡° My brief explanation gets quickly interrupted by her. ¡°Time out, time out.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to stay all day in a mall, do you? I have to eventually get back to school, I¡¯m fine with skipping the first morning part, however, skipping the afternoon is simply foolish.¡± She has a point though, skipping the afternoon part is foolishness at its finest. This reminds me, I have to eventually return to school, but then again that¡¯s incorrect I got dismissed for the whole day and I will only receive information about my situation later on, so me assuming others have the same time that I do have is wrong and incorrect, I¡¯m at fault here. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I assumed that you had time on your hand. My bad, we will go wi-¡°~ ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can you listen to me for a second?¡± She probably wants to speak her mind out for a bit, that¡¯s natural, I suppose. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hypothetically say that I do skip the afternoon part, just for how long can you stay?¡± ¡°Stay? What do you mean?¡± ¡°¡­ If I do go along with your entire schedule today, just for how long do you intend on staying with me?¡± I see. So she is bothered by staying with me. That¡¯s perfectly natural, even I am bothered by staying with myself sometimes, so I can emphasize with her feeling quite well. I have to respect her opinion, even if it means that I will probably be bored, though. Which means, that I probably shouldn¡¯t make it obvious that I am disturbed by her thoughts, I will simply open up a possibility for her to go away since it would be convenient for her. Though this isn¡¯t what I wished for, I hate to make others suffer on my stead, so I will commit to this. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay with me all day, I just said what I said because I was bored anyway, and you are free to go whenever you want so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Say, can you stop doing that, it¡¯s getting really annoying¡­¡± Entering a state of confusion, I couldn¡¯t fully grasp what she meant by that, so I couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°What do you mean?¡± She stopped walking, just as we were getting inside the bus that was waiting to depart she had an expression that represents someone that couldn¡¯t hold back on her words. ¡°You are always assuming my own preferences, so instead of doing that, why don¡¯t you simply ask me that? Is it that hard to rely to other people? I know that I am not the most reliable person there is, but still, I feel pretty hurt when someone has to rely on himself so much to the point where I am never an option.¡± Just like that she handles out the truth. I¡¯m not even surprised at this point. I believe that none else in this world can understand me better than myself in this world, so it¡¯s somewhat fine if others doubt or question my decisions. Still, I couldn¡¯t let this slide, I had to respond with the same force. ¡°I simply assumed that you were asking that because you got tired of being with me, is that not the case?¡± ¡°Why would you assume that?¡± ¡°I¡­ am not someone who I would see myself hanging out with. I¡¯m selfish and whatnot, so I thought to myself that I was being a bother¡­¡± ¡°Well, first things first, I am not you, so why would you think that I would get tired from being around you? You are interesting Kuesa, I think that I am loving being around you, but you have to stop being so negative about yourself, also let¡¯s get to the bus or else we will be late, okay?¡± I was amazed I think, so amazed I couldn¡¯t help to ask this, I just had to get it out. ¡°Say¡­ Do you believe in me?¡± She immediately makes a smile full of confidence. ¡°Well, why wouldn¡¯t I? If you trust me, then I will trust you for as long as I am alive, now do you trust me?¡± I never have believed in magic, or in the power of love. The chances of me believing in such things are highly negative since I will never believe in them. However, if hypothetically speaking, there was ever an exception to that, then it would have been this moment. This moment was truly magical; those types of moments you wish to live in them for eternity. ¡°Yes, I do trust you.¡± ¡°Great, let¡¯s get going then Kuesa, or else we will seriously lose this bus, so hurry up!¡± 3 After that, I and she spent the rest of the bus trip which was around 15-20 minutes talking about our preferences and such. I kind of wish I knew her name though. Putting that aside, the bus was quite full, I was already fearing that leaving the bus would mean going through a hard time, but there was nothing I could have done about that. No, that¡¯s incorrect, there was, however, it would imply that we would have to leave our seat for this plan to work. It had to be done, so I start to make my move. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s get up?¡± ¡°Why? We could just wait for all the people to leave the bus and then make our leave instead?¡± She again had a point, however, I had a better idea, or so I assumed. ¡°I¡¯ll explain later, just trust me on this one.¡± ¡°Alright, I did say I would trust you, after all.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Having said that I and she headed out towards the front seats, the plan was simple; the main distraction would be the usual door which is usually located in the middle section part of the bus itself, but we would not utilize that door, instead, we would utilize the front door. However, that¡¯s normally impossible due to the reason being that the driver does not allow anyone except elder people to use it, or people that have physical problems.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. To resolve that main problem we would have to become one of the exceptions which exist to get ourselves aboard the front door. There isn¡¯t really a necessity as to why this should be executed, however utilizing intelligence to make things easier is very helpful in this world, so I rather not let a situation that which has an easy out slip by. The problem was how we were supposed to achieve the solution to this problem. The core of the resolution lies within the front door of the bus itself, but another solution would be the bus driver. Since it¡¯s the bus driver it gives us the upper hand here, everything can be manipulated and just like that, mind manipulation came to mind, now the final step would be how to manipulate the bus driver that we were in a dire situation in which we had to use every means to avoid ending up leaving using the middle door. My method was still lacking a solution, which is troublesome, either way, as I approach the front seats with her, she questions me. ¡°What exactly are you planning?¡± I could or I could simply not give a share of what I¡¯m thinking to her, although I think I¡¯m serious about trusting her, so I might as well. ¡°I¡¯m planning on leaving the bus using the front door.¡± ¡°How exactly are you going to do that though?¡± ¡°By fooling the bus driver, how else?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll repeat my question, how are you going to do that?¡± Repeated questions usually have a good way of proving points and the fact that she is aware of that just makes her the more clever, that¡¯s nice, I¡¯m always the one who keeps up with everything and having somebody else along my side while doing that is pretty effective, not to mention helpful. ¡°First, I believe that I should pretend to have a physical problem, which would then allow me to use the door, and then I would need you to say that you will accompany me to the hospital to make sure that I do not fall. How does it sound, is it that bad of a plan?¡± ¡°I wonder¡­ That would have to mean a couple of aspects first. This should only work if the bus driver is a complete fool so this plan working out is totally dependent on that factor, you see.¡± ¡°I see. It¡¯s true that this plan has flaws, should the bus driver have any redeeming intellect we are done for. I hate to say it, but this plan is pretty bad. ¡°Hey, can I propose one instead?¡± I wasn¡¯t exactly surprised, but rather, excited to hear her out at this point. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°How about I attempt to seduce the bus driver and you make a run for it?¡± Stupid as it may sound, we men are fragile creatures when it comes to women, so it might work, although I couldn¡¯t help but to retort. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± ¡°What? Are you jealous? I see, then let¡¯s leave using the middle do-¡° Even though she was playing her little game I really didn¡¯t want to have to use the middle door, but what was the most surprising was the fact that I was somewhat bothered by her proposition, I even blushed a little when she said that I was jealous. To my luck, I made it sound like I didn¡¯t blush at all. ¡°Are you blushing?¡± Damn it, she¡¯s a devil, how did I forget¡­ ¡°Alright, so can you run fast when I run for it? ¡°Yeah, it should be no problem.¡± ¡°Good luck, then.¡± It came down to this, all that thinking for a seduction, bravo. Her endeavor better work or else we might be done for. While silently making her way to the bus driver seat we had arrived at our destination. All the doors were about to open, but that¡¯s when I decided to listen to her words while seducing the driver, supposedly. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry to b-bother you, b-but could I leave using the front door, I have to get to work, please! ¡°No can do. You will have to leave using the middle door.¡± That¡¯s the logical reply, however- ¡°Please! I really need to leave fast!¡± Attempting her way out while using the same words a second time might have sounded completely like a waste of time, but this time around she had a trick upon her sleeve. She embraced the man¡¯s arm along with her chest. It was bound to have an effect on the bus driver and so it did. ¡°O-Okay, just make it quick.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± That was so pathetic. Not by her part, but by the bus driver¡¯s part, no matter how pathetic it was I had to take advantage of the moment and run for it, this was the only chance. As I run for it, the bus driver suddenly notices me, luckily it was too late for him to close the door since I was already on the other side, but for her, it was a different story. I knew that I had to do something, so I did the only thing that was possible at that moment anyway. ¡°Grab my hand!¡± She immediately followed my command like a well-trained soldier or a robotic machine, either way, it was superb, she grabs my hand and we run for it, leaving the bus driver completely mad. 4 ¡°Th-That was something else¡­¡± She tells me that while hanging on to her breath since we had to run quite a while. ¡°I suppose so. Let¡¯s get going, we need to eat, right?¡± ¡°Y-Yeah. W-Wait, how come you aren¡¯t tired at all?¡± She got me. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m tired, you are simply more tired than I am, yes, that¡¯s it. I try to fool her with a secondary logical rate reply, but I could almost guess it would prove to be meaningless. ¡°I know you¡¯re lying. You look me in the eyes too much whenever you lie. If that¡¯s true then even I didn¡¯t know that. How interesting. ¡°Is that so? Then, do you want the truth?¡± ¡°No need, I can pretty guess it, I think?¡± Time passed after that, I think I lost count of the time, after we eat, we watched the movie, explored the mall and whatnot. How would I call this¡­? It was fun. Having someone to have fun is simply the greatest there is. That must be the reason as to why I¡¯m not feeling bored anymore. I simply wish that I could relive this day over and over. My life must have been so boring until now if I treasure a simple day like this so badly. Others might say that a day like this would either be normal or dull. Boring or unproductive. I don¡¯t care. Strike me down as much as you want, all I want is something like this. ¡°Did you have fun?¡± While still walking around the mall and directing ourselves towards the exit, she asks me that question. ¡°Believe it or not, but I have no idea how to answer that question, but you can pretty much guess, right?¡± It would be so lame to say my inner thoughts, she would think that I would be all over her, although for some reason she seems the type of girl who would not panic and realize that I was simply being sincere and not romantic, still, I rather not try my luck here. ¡°I don¡¯t know, you are going to have to say it to me~¡± This girl, how many times must I say this to myself? She¡¯s a devil. But a cute one at it. I¡¯m a coward. If only I had the guts to tell her that I probably want to spend the rest of my days with someone like her. I figured I wouldn¡¯t tell her since it would selfish of me to ever give another being the responsibility of being with me. I mean, I simply look at myself and see nothing but arrogance. ¡°It was the best time ever.¡± ¡°I see. I¡¯m glad you liked it.¡± I hesitated to say the next words but a strong urge flew inside me at that time. ¡°Can we do this more? ¡°What?¡± Ah, this was bound to happen, what an idiot I am, can¡¯t I simply rewind back 5 seconds back in time just so I never asked this stupid question, please¡­ ¡°Ignore that.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Or so she says. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for asking that.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry, it will make me sad.¡± This conversation was going nowhere, not to mention that it was slowly but surely getting dull, to be fair though, I didn¡¯t mind. ¡°We are here.¡± She says that while we are standing at the exit of the mall. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Are you sad?¡± ¡°Sad? No, just probably disappointed, but you wouldn¡¯t understand. Either way, we should probably part ways here, so¡­ I guess this is goodbye.¡± This is it. Goodbye. Saying goodbye is always hard for some reason, but what¡¯s harder was when we supposedly said hello, then again we never said that hence why it¡¯s so hard now. ¡°Wait!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t told you.¡± What is she on about, this is goodbye, why prolong my suffering¡­ ¡°Uh, so my third condition will be¡­¡± Oh right, I forgot about this, it¡¯s probably going to be another selfish request, but a condition is a condition, I¡¯ll leave it at that. ¡°Go ahead, say your condition; it¡¯s probably another selfish request.¡± ¡°Does it bother you that I am selfish?¡± ¡°No, it bothers me when people aren¡¯t selfish, so be as selfish as you want with me.¡± ¡°Why is that? Why do you not object when others oppose you?¡± Thinking about this is troublesome, I have either the right or the correct way to answer her, but I will go with the genuine one. ¡°Does it matter what I have to say?¡± ¡°Should it not?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± It came back to me, the same words that I would listen previously were about to be spoken again. ¡°I am not you; I told you that already, I think.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. So, to answer your question as to why I don¡¯t object to others, well to tell you the truth, I am a coward, so there you go. Now it¡¯s your turn, go and list your condition, it¡¯s getting late, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡­ guess it is. My last condition will be-¡° ¡°Before that, I need to say one last thing, can I? ¡°Sure thing¡­¡± To say this, I think it took every inch of strength in both my mind and body to form the words that I was about to say, I was embarrassed, ashamed, proud, happy and eager when I said to them, all sorts of feelings could be called here, but there was not a single regret when I said this. ¡°I love you.¡± There. I said it. I think shivers just went down my spine. Yeah, I¡¯m truly awesome; I mean who would have the balls to say this to a girl who I only have met for hours. The result is pretty obvious, of course, coming into this I had to think this out logically. If I asked her out then the chances of me getting rejected would be high but not that high. However if I had made a proposal to her that we could eventually be friends, then maybe she would have accepted it, it¡¯s fifty-fifty. Ultimately, if I had said nothing and just kept on meeting her from now on during school then perhaps we could have led several conversations that could have given birth to a potential friendship and then a relationship. Knowing this, I could have made the right call. I didn¡¯t, though. I myself wanted to get rejected, and so I will accept it, so now, come; I¡¯m ready for you, rejection! Uh? That¡¯s weird. It¡¯s been 30 seconds already¡­ Maybe I should look at her instead of sulking about my chances of actually getting a positive response? I guess there is no option then¡­ ¡°T-That¡¯s not fair¡­ I-I mean we only met today so why¡­¡± No way. No way. No way. Is this happening? Wait, this isn¡¯t the time to be wondering and being paranoid about possibilities, she is crying, I should and have to do something about it. ¡°H-Hey are oka-¡° ¡°Wait.¡± She says. ¡°I will think about it.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°About your confession, I will give you my answer tomorrow, so¡­ bye!!¡± ¡°W-Wait!¡± I suppose she was too embarrassed, but it turns out she didn¡¯t flat out reject me. Today is simply full of surprises; however, I don¡¯t have time to be in awe right now. It¡¯s 19:00 pm, it¡¯s way too late, I have to make my way back, I can¡¯t wait until tomorrow, this is the day I don¡¯t want to die. Ah, this needs to be done; I have to release all this happiness with one loud shout. I¡¯m sorry for whoever is about to hear this bombastic noise, no hard feelings really, but here it goes. ¡°YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!¡± Wait, what if she heard that? No way, no way. Oh no, what if she did? That¡¯s even better, right? Yeah, totally. No matter though, aside from my nonsolid assumption, that shout was only confronted with a huge silence. It¡¯s time to move forward, what a day to be alive. 5 With that said, I made my way home, to do that I had to catch a bus, again and a train. When I got home it was already 20:00 pm, so I headed out to my room and laid all my school stuff there. Ah, in the end, she never said her third condition, but I got my confession off which was great, although I really should have asked her after that was that third condition of her was. I can¡¯t stop thinking about her, waiting for tomorrow never felt this real. No choice then, it¡¯s time for dinner. ¡°Can¡¯t wait until tomorrow, can¡¯t wait until tomorrow, can¡¯t wait until tomor-¡° ¡°Brother?¡± I forgot to mention, I have a brother. ¡°What is it, Bakengan? ¡°Nothing, you just look¡­ different from usual, you¡¯re normally sadder, but now you¡¯re happy? Did you meet a girl or something?¡± ¡°Mind your own business, pick squeak.¡± ¡°Aye, Aye, but I have to inform you; Gekidoshi came and said the following: ¡°Tell Kuesa that if he gets this message on time that I will be in trouble later on during today. Also, I¡¯m sorry for what I did today, I will explain that later in detail, but I need help, please help me Kuesa, and come to the docks alone, around 21.30. I beg of you, please, help me. Remember that I am your friend.¡± Or so he says. Hey, isn¡¯t this what they call a trap?¡± Bakengan has definitely a point, and after what happened today, there is no way that this is true, this is all way too convenient, honestly. I had to ask the following just to make sure of something. ¡°Did Gekidoshi say anything more?¡± ¡°More¡­ I don¡¯t think s- AH! He did say this: ¡°You¡¯ve got a nice girlfriend.¡± Yes, that was it.¡± I¡¯m going to kill him, slaughter him, pulverize him, pound him and whatnot if what I¡¯m thinking ever comes across reality in any shape or form. I won¡¯t allow you to do as you please, I swear on my life that I will hunt you do- ¡°B-Brother it hurts¡­¡± Unconsciously, without me even realizing it, I was grabbing Bakengan¡¯s arm, not to mention squeezing it as a way to relieve my rage. I¡¯m such a fool, but I won¡¯t be one any longer, you won¡¯t have your way anymore, Gekidoshi. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Bakengan, I will have to go now, tell mother that I will skip dinner to meet up with an acquaintance. Don¡¯t tell her about this, make sure to not say a word about what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°O-Okay, I got this! Good luck, Suega!¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s ¡°Nii-san¡±, not ¡°Kuesa¡±, remember to always use your manners, Bakengan.¡± I hate to scold him, but since our father has passed away there has to be someone there for him. That¡¯s right, everybody needs another somebody, it¡¯s that simple yet I failed to grasp that ironic fact about human nature. ¡°Aye, Aye!¡± ¡°Also¡­ In case if I don¡¯t come back, well, open up my chest that is hidden inside my closet very deep down. You will see a letter there, read it and follow the instructions carefully, then do what they tell you, ok? Ah, but that¡¯s only if I don¡¯t come back, so don¡¯t worry, haha!¡± ¡°Nii-san, you¡¯re scaring me¡­ You will come back¡­ right? You won¡¯t be like father, will you?¡± ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t be like him, I¡¯m different, trust me. Be strong, Bakengan.¡± That was somewhat emotional and perhaps unnecessary. Time is short since it¡¯s currently 20:30 pm; haste is needed since I will probably be facing off against Gekidoshi in the docs. I have to say this though, I¡¯m probably not a match for him, but I don¡¯t have to be a match for him. Normally alone, one can¡¯t ever face off against another force that contains more strength than the other; however, that¡¯s a different story when other factors are included. That¡¯s right; the correct answer is to always rely on secondary factors to win a battle and never to use the primary factor, yourself. I will need knives and stun guns. Fortunately for me, my father was an ex-military and he has a weapon stash hidden in his old room, so I will just take them from there. Gathering the correct number of weapons here would be wise. Five knives and five stun guns. I don¡¯t know how many people could potentially await me. Me being easy on this is na?ve and foolish. Those who are easy on themselves will never win, it¡¯s necessary for one to be continuously hard on them to get positive results. I will not fail. As the last thing, writing up that letter is beyond important at this point, assuming that I don¡¯t return, somehow. This way, Bakengan will deliver her my true honest feelings. ¡°All ready, it¡¯s time.¡± I give myself a brief quick reflection and leave my house without making any unnecessary repercussions. ¡°The docks are located in Zashamei. It¡¯s not far; if I catch the bus at 20:55 pm I can reach the docks around 21:20, which is plenty. It¡¯s currently 20:45, so I need to make haste. 6 Oddly enough, as it was 21:20 pm, I reached the docks. It was located very close to the sea. It had an abandoned look into it; it¡¯s as if it was a gigantic mansion that has been there for a couple of centuries. That still doesn¡¯t change the objective, to find out what¡¯s truly going on. Why I was called here, what Gekidoshi has up on his sleeve. That aside, there was a bigger issue at hand right now. A man was staring at me and not saying anything. I decided to take a step forward and so did he. This was becoming pretty awkward honestly. I couldn¡¯t waste any more time on him, I had to move on, and so I proceed to speed up. ¡°Advance.¡± ¡°Wh-¡° I thought something was wrong with me for hearing that word, but after not seeing that man around anywhere it was like he suddenly¡­ disappeared¡­ Also, what did he mean by ¡°Advance¡±? This is all so confusing, but I really need to get to Gekidoshi. The time to act was right around the clock, with that said I made haste towards the docks entrance. Expecting to find some sort of trap, the decision to throw a rock to see if there was anything set up for me. Luckily, since the current location is around the sea, there are rocks in the middle of it. Grabbing a few and no more than necessary, the call for a test making was absolute. It pains me to say, but all that work was for nothing, there was not even a single trap for me, as my entrance was filled with nothing but calamity. ¡°Yo.¡± A familiar voice filled me in. With a relaxed expression, sitting on top of wood boxes, Gekidoshi makes his appearance. ¡°Yo. What¡¯s the deal, calling me out so late at night?¡± ¡°You see, I really need your help with something and since it¡¯s something that only you can solve it, then I had no choice but to count on you to solve this one.¡± ¡°Alright, but what is it? Hurry up, it¡¯s freezing here.¡± ¡°Um, so, can you, like, die?¡± Such words were said, receiving them with shock was all but a natural reaction to me. ¡°D-Die? What are you talking about? S-Start making sense!¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s true, I should explain my motives first, shouldn¡¯t I? ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious!?¡± ¡°I hate you and I don¡¯t want to go to jail for killing you, so I thought this out really deeply and I came up with the simplest of all solutions. Kill yourself.¡± What the hell is this guy saying, I have so many questions like why¡­ ¡°So you expect me to die because you say so? Don¡¯t make me laugh you, third rate hypocrite, I even protected you back then during class. I could have simply said to sensei that you were the one who did that to Saga yet I didn¡¯t, and this is how you repay me? Hey, Gekidoshi, tell me, what¡¯s going on?¡± Demanding an explanation for this is beyond necessary as it wouldn¡¯t leave my mind all day. ¡°You really are clueless, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Uh?¡± Gekidoshi briefly exhales and gives a big sigh in response. ¡°Very well then¡­ I knew that you would stand up for me, you are the type of person that thoroughly thinks about everything even to the most irrelevant of points, so taking advantage of you is simply the easiest thing there is. Also, after you left school I did see you with another girl while peeking through the classroom''s window. What, did you really think that you were doing everything cautious and whatnot? Hahaha! You¡¯re an idiot, Suega!¡± ¡°Bastard!¡± ¡°Hey¡­ Remember when we first entered high school?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of reminding of ourselves of the past right now, I¡¯m leave-¡° Just as I was about to finish my sentence, Gekidoshi with a simple snap of his fingers calls out a group of five people. To be more accurate, instead of calling them people, they would fit the descriptions of thugs instead. They all had muscular builds, knives on their hands while smiling in a true psychotic way. I expected at least to fight against Gekidoshi on a one versus one, but like this, it is a bit¡­ Impossible. ¡°I¡¯ll continue where I left off. When we entered high school we made a vow to each other that we would seize to rule society and to not be oppressed by society anymore. Yet¡­ you¡­ betrayed me! You were never truly apart of this, were you? You never cared about this in the first place, did you?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing personal, it¡¯s just that you are a problem, right now. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of her in your steed. I and she are going to have a lot of fun together.¡± ¡°I will fucking kill you! Gekidoshi!¡± Rage would accomplish nothing yet I couldn¡¯t feel anything but that. There were worse matters at hand currently, one of the thugs suddenly rushed towards me while extending his right arm with the intention of stabbing me with that knife. I had two options, one was to dodge his attack and repel with a counterattack, but that was only if that was the case. Realistically speaking I was about to face five thugs. There is no way in hell that I have a shot at this, I have to run for it. Unless, I utilize my second option here, but that¡¯s way too risky here, although it¡¯s not as if I have any choice honestly. ¡°This is farewell, Kuesa, die, now.¡± ¡°As if I¡¯m going to die here!¡± Running with every inch of my strength I make way towards the exit only to find myself getting blocked by one of the thugs, but that¡¯s not the only thing that¡¯s bad at the moment. I have two thugs coming for me from both the left and the right side while the rest of the two thugs chase me from behind along with Gekidoshi, which means I would have to somehow evade the upcoming attack or I could do the following instead. ¡°It¡¯s no use trying to attack Kuesa, you are outnumbered.¡± How right he was, Gekidoshi would be dead if it wasn¡¯t for his numerous advantage, however, as I take out a knife from my bag, extending my right arm with a knife towards the front thug was the final call. ¡°Ug- Why you!¡± ¡°It¡¯s no use.¡± Eliminating the first adversary is already a small win, still, I had to continue to run or else I would be dead. Of course, I didn¡¯t kill the thug, I simply stabbed him in the shoulder. Accomplishing a simple stun was the ideal here. Yes, this was the second option. Fighting one by one. If one thinks about it, there is no way to face multiple opponents at once. Even if you manage to strike one opponent down, if they all simultaneously strike at the same time then it¡¯s obvious what the outcome is. Defeat. Knowing that and ignoring that outcome is downright foolish. ¡°There you are!¡± That was close, I was almost stab- ¡°Got you.¡± Thinking that I would have dodged the backstab from one of the thugs, from my left flank Gekidoshi hits me with a rock. The pain I felt was beyond painful, making a move from that point seemed impossible, still giving up would mean losing to Gekidoshi. That¡¯s simply not acceptable. ¡°Eh¡­ You still can move after that¡­ Not bad Suega, I thought you were a spineless coward but you¡¯ve got some moves in you! Why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner? I would have come sooner hunting you down.¡± Deciding to ignore Gekidoshi¡¯s taunts, I continue to run for it, however, there was a problem, I would soon be meeting a dead end. Up ahead it was either the ocean or the right side of the warehouses that contained more abandoned facilities. There was one good side about the warehouses, they didn¡¯t have any lights apparently. This is nothing but an assumption based on my vision which tells me that there are no lights up ahead. ¡°Hey, stop running Kuesa, don¡¯t be a coward and fight!¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± I hate this if only I had a chance to turn on him, but it¡¯s obvious that I am about to be cornered, I can only run for so long, my stamina isn¡¯t everlasting, I know that. Still, what can I do? ¡°If only there was a-¡° There was nothing, I was bound to die. I¡¯m going to die. What for? Because Gekidoshi doesn¡¯t like the fact that I am an existence? That¡¯s so messed up. I never did something to deserve that. Hey, is this what they call unfairness? If so, where is the fairness in all of this? Such a rotten world that we live in. ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡± ¡°Oh? Finally fighting, are you? Kachiraba, Ryotei, Kuseika, Bokurei, go with the plan.¡± Plan!? Oh c¡¯mon, using codes right now won¡¯t help me at al- ¡°Argh!¡± ¡°Bullseye!¡± One of the thugs¡¯ leaves off a message like that, it didn¡¯t take me long enough to realize the consequences and the intentions of those words because I already had let out a painful scream to symbolize my painful struggle. One, no, two knives were on my left leg fully stabbed. ¡°Hey, you can all go now. Give Kitorika-san my regards. I will contact him tomorrow.¡± ¡°Understood, Ryotei, Kuseika, Bokurei, we are leaving.¡± That strong command belonged to Kachibara, one of the thugs. ¡°Really? That sucks, I didn¡¯t even get to use 20% of my speed¡­¡± Another thug, this one known as Bokurei kept on complaining. ¡°That was because we were told to hold back, remember, don¡¯t sulk now.¡± Such words came from Kuseika, on the other hand, Ryotei kept in silence. There were many questions unanswered, but my consciousness was simply focused on the pain that I was receiving from being stabbed by two knives. ¡°Argh¡­ Damn it, it hurts¡­¡± ¡°Hurts, doesn¡¯t it? Here, let me give you a hand.¡± At first, it would appear that Gekidoshi was extending his hand, and that was so the case but it was for another purpose, his intention was to obviousl- ¡°Argh! Gah!¡± ¡°Oops, sorry, it turns out it wasn¡¯t helpful for you. Look at it from this side, it was helpful for me. Hahaha!¡± ¡°You bastard! You won¡¯t get away with th-¡° ¡°I won¡¯t? Do you really think that anybody will give a damn about you dying here? You will die a dog¡¯s death just like your father did!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare talk about my father like that you piece of shit.¡± Glaring at him as much as I could, emitting an omnipotent raging intent was all I could do. To think that I had him cower in fear for a second or two. That was a win in my book, but, that was in no way going to alter the result of this. There was a knife pierced in my heart, and it was real. Of course, it was. I wish it wasn¡¯t, though. ¡°Stop looking at me like that, you weakling.¡± Gekidoshi not being able to subtend his fear any longer punches me with his right fist. ¡°I will haunt you even when I¡¯m dead, you son of a bitch!¡± Posing a glare of someone who is fully ready to commit an action, Gekidoshi pulls the knife from my heart up to the top and pierces my heart once again. ¡°Goodbye, Kuesa, if only you had cooperated, then it wouldn¡¯t have come down to this, now, die.¡± ¡°Guh¡­ W-Wa-¡° 7 It was no use; my voice was fading, no longer being able to produce any sort of words, I look up to the sky. There was a beautiful color to it, not too dark or nor too bright, the perfect balance. I¡¯m not even going to make this a dramatic death, I will accept all the facts here. I was weak, foolish and arrogant. Yes, that¡¯s the right way to describe it, but still¡­ Even though I know that I had so many flaws with me... ¡°I don¡¯t want to die¡­ Damn it, my life was so simple that it was disgusting¡­ Is that all there is!? Am I simply going to die here without ever feeling accomplished at anything I do with my life? Even this so-called death!?¡± We managed to fully rewind the clock and now we are exactly where we started. The time is currently 22:30 pm. I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but if you were looking for a story where the protagonist was an uprising hero, then it would be that simple since I¡¯m going to di- ¡°Hey, you there?¡± A voice? But wasn¡¯t I just dead? Wh- ¡°This is probably too sudden, but do you¡­ want to live?¡± Live? Of course, I want that. Wait a minute. Haven¡¯t I seen this guy before somewhere? AH! He¡¯s the old man that was at the docs¡¯ entrance! And what does he mean by that question; there is no way for someone to be able to escape death, just let me die, will you? ¡°All you have to do is sign here with your blood and since you have blood all over the place it should be pretty easy. C¡¯mon, don¡¯t you want to live? Are you just going to die like this?¡± The old man won¡¯t shut up, can¡¯t he see that I want to die, tsk, in the end, I never got her name¡­ Her name¡­ Wait. What if. No way, you can¡¯t escape death, let¡¯s not unrealistic here. ¡°You don¡¯t have much time you know kid¡­ Say, if you¡¯re going to die why not sign this anyway since you will be dying anyway?¡± What kind of messed up logic is that? But he¡­ has the point here. Ah, screw it, if that¡¯s the case then¡­ ¡°A-Alright, just a second¡­¡± ¡°Oh! That¡¯s the spirit, what¡¯s your name, kid?¡± ¡°K-Ku- Mountains of blood block my speech due to the huge coughing that just happened. I¡¯m dying, so, me speaking formally is simply impossible. ¡°Ku? You¡¯re name is Ku? Alright Ku, please sign here with your blood.¡± I¡¯m going to kill this old man I swear, he dares to make a joke like this in this percussive moment, unreal. What¡¯s more interesting was how the contract was shaped; it was like an old scroll. A metal entrance that would extend to a bare fifty centimeters containing what appears to be a foreign language? I don¡¯t care; I¡¯ll just sign it up. ¡°Oh, nice! Good job Ku! Thanks a lot! You saved me big time! Now I won¡¯t have to listen to another scolding from the old man. I can¡¯t wait until I show him this, he¡¯s going to be in awe, haha!¡± ¡°S-Shut up, my name is Kuesa, not Ku¡­¡± ¡°I see, I see. Either way, it¡¯s nice to meet you. I don¡¯t have much time to be fooling around in this dimension, so I¡¯ll give you this contract instead. Also, when you wake up, remember to read the contract properly. See you, Kuesa boy.¡± ¡°W-Wait old man!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, young one?¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name, old man?¡± Slowly smiling, the answer was soon delivered, surprisingly pleasantly. ¡°Kan. I would like to have a nice conversation with you, but time is running out, bye now!¡± ¡°WAI-¡° Eh? What¡¯s happening? My consciousness is drifting away, I¡¯m sleepy¡­ 8 ¡°Hey, Kan! Are you sure you performed the contract right? He isn¡¯t showing signs of waking up!¡± ¡°R-Relax for a bit Moerumi, just take my word for it, the subject has not been armed in any sort of way, you can relax.¡± ¡°This is why I have trust issues you know! People like you don¡¯t know how to do their jobs when they are told exactly how to do!¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m pretty sure there¡¯s a stronger reason as to why you can¡¯t get along with others¡­¡± ¡°What was that!?¡± So noisy. Listening to these voices is getting irritating, just let me sleep damn it. Sleep is supposed to be a peaceful event, why is it met with noise instead¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s face it Moerumi, your chest is so small that even the most introverted person who comes across you wouldn¡¯t even bat an ey-¡° ¡°Shut up! Do you want to get killed, geezer!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s dangerous, don¡¯t swing that scythe around please!¡± ¡°Then keep your mouth shut or I¡¯ll shut it myself¡­¡± ¡°¡­Scary¡­¡± Out of the occasion, I decided to laugh thus meaning that I would have to wake up. ¡°Pftt.¡± It was more of a giggle than a laugh truly, now that my consciousness goes back to it. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s up!¡± ¡°About time, honestly!¡± Both Kan and Moerumi gave the feeling that they were by no means happy that I was waking up late, although, truth to be told, the idea of knowing what was going on was nowhere to be seen. Also, this place is bizarre; in fact, can you even call it a place? To give it a faithful description it would be a truly bizarre place. Only a strong light could be emitted all over it. To add more to the cause, I was under a strange type of bed, no, it wasn¡¯t a bed, it was a table¡­ full of light¡­ just what is this place..? ¡°¡­Where is th-¡° Not being able to finish off my sentence, a sudden interruption erupts from Moerumi. ¡°Kan.¡± ¡°Aye, aye¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Sorry¡­ It¡¯s not your fault kid, it¡¯s just part of my job. Also, good luck adapting to your¡­ well, I guess you will find out yourself soon enough.¡± ¡°Please wa-¡° Never having felt that sort of feeling my consciousness enters in a state of slumber¡­ again. This is getting frustrating, sincerely. Crimson dimension, STC headquarters, 44: 15 am. 9 ¡°¡­Commander Zomok, aren¡¯t they a little late?¡± ¡°They should be here in any time. We must be patient, Kur.¡± A large room. Among the 6 people that were present in the room, there was a table with nothing on it, except for six cups of water. One cup of water for each of the people in the room. The first person that could be spotted on the table that had a rectangle shape size was Teju Zomok. His seat was located starting on the top since that was the right place for a commander to be in. His description was quite peculiar and interesting. Wearing two rings on both of his index fingers, one from the right hand while the other being on his left hand. The rings resembled a skull shape, although every person on that room knew that there was a reason as to why the rings had that shape in the first place yet they dared not to ask. Aside from his visible blonde hair, Zomok was wearing a uniform, to be more accurate, a commander¡¯s uniform. Although most people who disregard it as natural for him to be wearing that, there was a special occasion which made that occasion something that goes beyond natural. ¡°Why the hell are they 30 minutes late!? I¡¯m going to kill them once they get here, those bastards!¡± More up down to Zomok¡¯s left there was a left seat in which the sub-commander was constantly smashing his feet slowly into the ground due to his immense impatience. Azazan Lotan was his name. Wearing stylish clothes along with diamond earrings, Lotan possessed medium silver hair, although a bit mild. He was also wearing special clothes for the occasion today, not to mention that he wasn¡¯t looking to this occasion very much himself. ¡°It¡¯s always like this, with them on the job, you have to show patience, but that¡¯s impossible for you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Watch your mouth woman, I¡¯ll end your existence!¡± Saying that powerful response was a mysterious woman that goes by the name of Ljubljana Ikuchi. Unlike Lotan, she was not on Zomok¡¯s side of the room but rather on a faraway seat localized at the bottom of the table, which in this case was like a mirror since she was in a frontal against Zomok in terms of seats. Her charm is enormous due to her beautiful long blue hair, makeup and most obviously her noticeable larger body parts. Still, unlike any lady, she was wearing what it would appear to be battle clothes. In any case, it was clear that wasn¡¯t an occasion that would require casual clothes but instead more serious ones. ¡°We will only wait more 10 minutes, is that alright with you, Commander Zomok?¡± Retorting back to the issue at hand, Ikuchi lands a powerful mark on the current mood while asking out of her own interest towards Zomok. ¡°No objections, Ikuchi. It was my own bargain to ask all of you to be present here today since I have a very serious matter at hand to communicate with all of you; however, it seems that the conditions for that to happen are not present at the moment.¡± Making her voice be heard among the room for the first time, a more serious young lady decides to mark her question to Zomok. ¡°Commander Zomok, can I have the permission to ask you a question?¡± In comparison to Ikuchi, the young lady that goes by the name of Sarka Apalala, had a more rigid expression on her face, a smaller height and of course, smaller body parts. Plus, she wasn¡¯t wearing any specific clothes, just plain casual clothes along with her tied brown hair. It seemed as if she was totally not disregarding any respect towards the potential event that could happen. ¡°Permission allowed.¡± ¡°Why were we all summoned?¡± A strong silence falls upon the room¡¯s atmosphere, as Zomok does not answer Apalala¡¯s question. ¡°¡­Is there anything strange with what I just said, Commander Zomok?¡± The silence is prolonged as Zomok continues with his endeavor of not answering Apalala¡¯s questions. ¡°Apalala.¡± A deep dark voice comes right from the person who is seated at Apalala¡¯s left, and since Apalala is seated next to Ikuchi¡¯s right, that voice could only belong to a person who, like Apalala belonged to a younger generation thus equaling their ages. First name Zmei and surname Ryujin, Zmei calls out Apalala as if to say repression or some sort of advice to her due to how clueless she was about the situation at hand. ¡°¡­Yes, Zmei?¡± ¡°Sit down and wait for further instructions, you are being a nuisance.¡± Anyone could tell that Zmei wasn¡¯t joking around, just by looking at his fierce blue eyes, any person would probably flee in terror, hence the nickname was given to him ever since his youth achievements on various dimensions ¡°Knightmare Zmei.¡± ¡°W-Why are you being so rude, Zmei?¡± ¡°Rude? Aren¡¯t you the one who is being rude, Apalala? You are completely disregarding this meeting¡¯s conditions which were the simple basic of wearing the respective status clothes yet here you are wearing nothing but plain clothes, when will you stop being a child, uh!?¡± ¡°¡­That doesn¡¯t mean you have to be so rude, you know.¡± ¡°You fool. Me being rude is not important right now. What is important right now is to wait for the commander¡¯s orders respectively while posing a respectful stance, but you can¡¯t even do that, seriously¡­¡± After such harsh remarks, the short black haired boy gets his speech disrupted by the one who was at Zomok¡¯s right side and thus being the last person in the room. ¡°Aye, Aye, let¡¯s stop the quarreling, feel free to clash your ideologies outside but right now it¡¯s not the best time for that, I think we can all agree that that¡¯s the wisest choice here, correct?¡± Once again, silence falls upon the room, however, this time around it wasn¡¯t because there was a doubt amidst the air but rather because this one person managed to bring a peaceful and calm atmosphere to the room. Such ways could only belong to Zomok¡¯s right hand, also known as Rit Kur. There was something that was special about him and that alone was perhaps the only reason as to why he was present there during that time on that day. He was a dimension champion. However, people only knew such people known as ¡°Dimension champions¡± for being powerful, but that was all there is. ¡°Thank you, Kur.¡± ¡°No worries Commander Zomok, it¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Finishing his sentence the red-haired boy gives off a smirk while being proud of accomplishing what he did, even though it wasn¡¯t much of an importance in the first place. ¡°Kur, Lotan, Ikuchi, Apalala, Zmei. I ask of you to understand that it would be conflicting to speak of the matter at hand without the subjects present. My endeavor will benefit us all.¡± ¡°You keep saying that but where are these so-called ¡°subjects¡±?¡± Angrily persisting with his questioning, Lotan bombards Zomok with yet another question. ¡°What time is it, Kur?¡± ¡°Sir, the current time is about 44:23 am.¡± Calmly collecting his wits Zomok directs his words to Lotan at once. ¡°Lotan, they will be here in exactly 30 seconds.¡± ¡°What a show-off, you don¡¯t even know at what time they will be showing up, you¡¯re just saying that to lighten up the mood in the room, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Maybe so, but, why not wait and see if I¡¯m right or not, there is nothing at stake here, is there?¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Perhaps those were the slowest thirty seconds that one could ever feel yet by the time the clock had given a thirty seconds full round, time was up. Quickly assuming that he had won, Lotan makes his stance. ¡°See Zomok? I wi-¡° For a certain reason, everybody in that room would know for a fact that Zomok would never lose on something once he is sure of that, even Lotan himself knew that, although he feigned in ignorance regardless as two people enter through the main door. ¡°Unbelievable.¡± Still reposing his talkative stance, Zomok decides to ignore Lotan¡¯s words to acquire the most important issue at that moment. 10 ¡°You¡¯re late, Kan, Moerumi. What took you two so long?¡± Asking for a sudden response, Kur marks his stance right away. ¡°We had an inconvenience apparently since Moerumi couldn¡¯t finish her job right away.¡± ¡°It was you who couldn¡¯t finish your job right away, you liar!¡± ¡°Back at it again with the lies, Moerumi? That¡¯s not very cute you know, you will lose your charm, just saying. Well don¡¯t worry, not like you had any in the first place, haha!¡± ¡°Commander Zomok, please ignore this fool and let¡¯s get this started, shall we?¡± ¡°Understood, Moerumi, also, both of you, have a seat, the conversation will not be long but I would like to have the attention of all of you now since the subjects at hand are present.¡± ¡°About time, we started this, it¡¯s been so long, damn it!¡± Taking a deep breath, Zomok makes a calm yet a serious glance at all the people present in the room. ¡°First, I would like to give you all my sincere apologies for; not answer as to why I summoned you here and also for keeping you here for quite some time. What we will be discussing today will be about the formation of a new elite squad, mainly because of the several dimension breaches happening in the past few months. Before that, Kan, Moerumi, from what dimensions did you two secure the potential members from?¡± Clearly standing up, Kan eagerly gives off a quick explanation as to what supposedly happened. ¡°I managed to secure one¡­ However, it¡¯s from¡­¡± ¡°Continue, Kan.¡± Giving a heavy sigh from feeling sudden anxiety, Kan proceeds to speak the rest of the sentence. ¡°¡­He¡¯s from an already conquered dimension¡­¡± When Kan helplessly gave his words to Zomok, the rest of the people present in the room erupted in a shocked state, especially Lotan. ¡°Are you mad, Kan!?¡± ¡°Please listen to me. I know that there were better dimensions to pick better targets, however catching a target from an already conquered dimension could potentially be a big addition to our arsenal, since conquered dimensions normally don¡¯t have any compatible synchronization targets in the first place.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean, Kan!? Don¡¯t you know how dangerous it is to go inside a conquered dimension, not to mention synchronizing a target that¡¯s already¡­ dead is¡­¡± ¡°Listen, Lotan, what if we are able to turn our situation around with this target, wouldn¡¯t that be ideal!?¡± ¡°You¡¯re being unrealistic here, there is no way that a dead target would ever provide us any good¡­ Don¡¯t you know that a dead target can¡¯t ever conquered dimensions? Not to mention that their leveling up system is¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough Lotan. Kan, proceed with your report.¡± According to the room¡¯s atmosphere, there were a lot of doubts about this new target since the amount of distrust in a dead target could lead to rebellion yet those reasons were unknown for the time being. ¡°Thank you, Commander Zomok. In accordance with the Crimson Index, recruiting or in this case synchronizing dead targets is automatic heresy due to multiple rules of the Index being broken, however, I believe that if we keep this a secret from the Index God Tree, then we can achieve greatness.¡± ¡°Kan, on what basis can you say that this target will provide us any good to our advancements?¡± ¡°About that, Commander Zomok, I know that this might be a hard request but I will reveal that soon, on our first expedition, I promise.¡± Uneasiness filled up the room¡¯s atmosphere once again. Over many times, Kan was known for making over the risk type of gamble and this time it was no different. ¡°Zomok, shouldn¡¯t Kan get punished for this, in case that he does fail to show any results regarding this new target?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct, Lotan. Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have the luxury to blindly bet on this new target without any sort of information regarding its success rate, so Kan, if you fail to produce results, you know what happens, right?¡± Normally, Kan would be wearing an easy going expression however this time around all that could be seen was eyes full of conviction, his eyebrows were more rigid and tenser than usual, not to mention that he was somewhat reluctant about this as a whole. ¡°I do know what happens if I fail.¡± ¡°Good, then, Moerumi, your report please.¡± As Kan¡¯s report ended it was time for Moerumi to make her report be heard. Unlike Kan, she was actually looking forward to her report as she embraces a full smile on her face while livening up the atmosphere. ¡°Hello everyone! How are you all doing today?¡± ¡°Oh, Moerumi-chan! We were all bored with Kan¡¯s presentation, so good luck!¡± Such words coming from Lotan weren¡¯t surprising at all since Lotan is a Moerumi fan, essentially because Moerumi is seen as a very pretty lady in the Crimson dimension as a whole. ¡°I¡¯m doing fine Lotan-san! This work was tiring, haha!¡± This went on for a while, to the point where she fully asked everyone one by one how they were. Although this could be seen as a sucking up move made from Moerumi, it was clear to everyone that this was a simple good education and elegant behavior. ¡°Moerumi, the report, if you may.¡± ¡°Yes, Commander Zomok. On my journey along with Kan, I have recruited a new target and I guarantee you that she is a good choice to our arsenal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great to hear, from what dimension does she come from? ¡°She¡¯s from the Nemean Dimension and she¡¯s the complete opposite of Kan¡¯s target, she isn¡¯t dead.¡± While making that last reference Moerumi glares at Kan as if saying that she won the race against him, meanwhile Kan wasn¡¯t even bothered in the first place by that which made Moerumi a little bit frustrated. ¡°I see. Those are satisfying news to hear. Now that all the reports have been spoken, I shall address the situation as it is. In exactly 2 months from now, the Crimson dimension will be retaking what we previously lost 12 years ago, an expedition will be marked towards conquering the Skvader dimension and if possible¡­ the Zaratan dimension as well.¡± Upon hearing the name of ¡°Zaratan¡± Zmei elevates himself from his seat as if to express happiness meanwhile it was not happiness it was simply suppressed rage. ¡°Commander Zomok, were you serious about conquering Zaratan dimension!? Are we going for it?!¡± ¡°Zmei, calm down please.¡± Apalala¡¯s warning was irrelevant since Zmei was too committed to hearing what Zomok had to say. ¡°Commander, I¡¯m sorry for interrupting while you were giving out the situation, but how exactly are we supposed to conquer the Skyvader dimension, not to mention the Zaratan dimension as well? We don¡¯t have the fighting force to uphold a battle and win. Wouldn¡¯t we just suffer another defeat as we did 12 years ago?¡± Ikuchi might have had a point, however, there were oppositions to the current words that she was emitting, it could be said that she was doubting the commander here and treating this as heresy would not be incorrect. ¡°Oi, Ikuchi, are you doubting Commander Zomok?!¡± ¡°You misunderstand Lotan, I¡¯m simply trying to get a hold of the situation here, nothing more.¡± ¡°That still means that you do doubt him, you bitch.¡± It was pretty clear that there was an outgoing battle of grudges right now, the necessity for it to be stopped was the right call and one had to be the one to execute the task of silencing the current mood. ¡°All of you, make silence, you¡¯re being childish with your attitudes, behave yourselves like grownups please, making this difficult will not get us nowhere.¡± ¡°There wasn¡¯t a necessity for a harsh retort like that, but I do appreciate the effort, Kur. Allow me to continue where I was and I will answer any questions at the end of my speech, so do not interrupt me any further, this is getting repulsive.¡± All this time Zomok had been quite patient with all the people inside this room, however by the looks of it, even Zomok¡¯s patience wits can be reversed. ¡°As I was saying the expeditions will be set on two months from now. With that said, what I truly had to communicate with all of you was the formation of a new elite squad. I could have informed each and every one of you that the Crimson dimension would be embarking on an expedition to another dimension without having to consult all of you here, so it was quite obvious that my motives would be more orthodox than that.¡± There was truth in what Zomok just said, whenever the Crimson dimension would embark on an expedition, each supposed Dimension soldier would get a notification on their Leveling messages. So going out of his way just to simply explain that there would be embarkation would be a waste of time. ¡°The constitution and the characteristics of the Elite Squad are to be secretive and their methods on how to become Dimension conquers are not to be revealed to the outside world no matter the circumstance. Having that in your minds, what I¡¯m about to say will stay only with us and if the information that leaves here today is spilled around, there will be a traitor elimination round.¡± Vol.2 Ch.6: Sky Breaker "Master, why did you say to Shiara-san that I would defeat him in two weeks like that?" "Because you are going to do exactly that. Aren''t you excited? You get to beat your nemesis in two weeks! How sick is that? I bet you''re shivering with excitement right now. Isn''t that right, Rei?" "Well... Even if that was possible, wouldn''t it be bad?" "What do you mean?" "I don''t doubt you, you have shown me how strong you can be against the likes of him, but even if I do defeat him... Won''t others who are stronger than Shiara-san come looking for me?" "That''s illogical. If he bothers with you and you alone, then none should come after you. Especially his lapdogs. Once you take down the leader, the barking dogs will stop their barking. Although, that''s a bit unrealistic. I can see your point. But even so, you just have to keep on evolving until none in this area can best you. Master the leveling system and they will not be a problem. That''s what I told you, remember?" "Yeah, about that... How exactly am I going to get stronger and master the leveling system in two weeks?" "I never said such thing. The only thing I said was that this kid Shiara was going to get his ass handed by you in two weeks. That''s all for now." At that time, Master''s methods started to unravel, but only for a short period after, did I witness how terrifying they would be, ultimately, how terrorizing they would mark my own to be. "I''ll ask again. How in this little time, am I going to achieve the power to defeat him?" "You think power is what you need at the moment?" "Am I wrong?" "No. But, you don''t necessarily need power. Power is overrated. All you need is fear." "That''s what I''m about to teach you today." ...What a weird dream... No... Perhaps calling it a past reminiscence would be better... That''s right. The past is long gone, maybe for the greater good or the greater bad. Also, this bed is horrible, it''s almost unbelievable that this boat is almost a luxury. Plus, the turbulence noises are supremely loud, mainly the sea beasts'' roars. It''s quite frightening for the most part, but I suppose there are worse things out there. As my body stretches after a lousy sleep, the wood cracks from this old fashioned bed were listened loud and clear. Many would call it rustic, but I would call it rusty, literally. Though, there is one good side. By looking at the right side of this small woody room, Of course, my knowledge is lacking here yet amazing creatures that swim the ocean right next to my window are all over the place. Some are even... competing? That''s what it seems like. Only after leaving my own dimension do I come to the realization that this dimension is so different but so different that certain things can''t simply be explained by observing or analyzing it. Although, I suck at analyzing, but at observing, maybe not. If my curiosity hits its peak, then there is only one place to go. Specifically, the place where a certain man is. Know I not the place, a search should be equally worth it. Speaking of which, he did sleep in a different room for sure. Yet I don''t know where he is. I could ask Lodya, but I also don''t know where she is. Oh, how troublesome... Main doc. "There he is..." That took me quite a while honestly. This boat is huge. By the time we three got into the boat in the morning, I told Zakarias that I needed to sleep due to apparent reasons. Mainly because our sleep was really short. He was fine with that, therefore he, along with Lodya went to get our room keys from the main receptionist. Or the one who was in charge of the rooms. I don''t care enough to remember such boring details. Either way, that was enough to let me sleep. Normally, after waking up, one would be able to determine or at least create speculations about what time it currently is. How that is done, is through the observation of the sky. If one looks upon the sky and the sun is up, but not totally, then it''s most likely morning or at least almost noon. If the sun is more towards the west then it''s safe to assume that it''s either morning or almost noon. If the sun is past west and has gone east, then it''s quite safe to assume it''s either noon or early night. Ultimately, the moon and the dark sky give the clear signal that it''s night. Although... That only applies to my dimension! How am I supposed to know what time it is? Both the sun and the moon are up. Actually, in my dimension, the moon is technically sometimes visible, even in pure daylight. What made it distinguishable was the fact that, if it was a dark sky, it was night, otherwise it would be day. But, no such thing exists here. The sky is neither blue or dark. It''s a color that I have never seen in my entire life. Maybe, but just maybe he knows the answer to that. "Yo." "Oh, Rei! Perfect timing! I need your help with something. Can you help me, please?" Eagerly asking me that, on the tip of the boat''s board, the blonde man who I have been searching for the past twenty minutes lies here. More so, to my surprise, he is literally sitting in a place where none in their right mind would be right now. The wind was so strong, that my hair automatically flipped itself all the way back. To ensure that the gusty wind would not get in my way any longer, by elevating my right elbow, protection to my eyesight could be formed. Yet that''s a bit irrelevant right now. Yes, right now there is a more peculiar factor that picked up my curiosity... "Zakarias... What is that?" "My new weapon. But, it''s in its formation phase right now. That''s why it''s like this." Strangely enough, from the position that Zakarias was, there was one place that he could freely gaze from there. The commander''s room. More oddly enough, Zakarias''s current form resembled a bit of the commander''s. With clothes that are essential for a sea captain, it was nothing special, but Zakarias seemed to be copying them for whatever reason... Now that I think about it, during our time in the Island, he did transform himself into a fireman. I think that was through his self made page that he mentioned a while back... Could this also be... "More importantly! I just remembered something. You said you come from another world, or dimension since you call it like that. Are there any legendary figures that appear in fairytales or something like that? Do you know about them?" ...Legendary figures..? Wait, could it be that he is thinking of... Still, legendary figures, huh? Samurai, I guess? In Japan, the Samurai were the living legends that were truly something noteworthy. Maybe there are more, but that''s all I can think of at the moment. "Yeah, I do know about one. But, can we go back inside? It''s so windy here." "I can''t do that. Or else the formation phase will be shattered. If you don''t mind staying here, could you describe to me the one you know about? It would help a lot!" Two things to note here are that, by going inside the boat, it would appear that Zakarias''s formation phase would be shattered... Yet why is that? I can take a guess on that. Even when I said ''Yo'' to him a while ago, he has not taken his eyes off the sea captain. Plus, his eyes are green which is not usual. His eyes are normally blue. This could very well mean that he is utilizing an ability. A skill or a spell perhaps? Ah, it sucks not knowing it. The other thing to notice is that he is holding a book on his right hand. That right hand is elevated up in the air, in a position where he could firmly read it while still being able to look at the captain. Just another guess, but he probably needs to watch the captain otherwise his formation phase will not be completed and ultimately, it could shatter. Given that, wouldn''t it be better to freely look at your target without occupying the other eye? "Zakarias, is there any reason as to why we can''t just go inside?" "...Do I really need to explain this?" "No, but it''s just weird. The fact that you are constantly gazing at the captain like that, could it be that you are..." "Rei. I''ll kill you." "S-Sorry." He knew full well what I was going to ask, but in all likelihood, that would be a dumb question to ask. Zakarias is most likely just looking at the captain because his formation phase probably requires the conjurer to actually look at the target or something. "I need to focus my eyesight on my target for the formation phase to start. Therefore, I can''t go inside, or else I will lose all progress. For your information, I''ve been here for six hours already." In the end, that wasn''t too hard to determine. "I see... But, if that''s the case, then why the book?" "I''m bored. I need something to kill time. After all, I just need one eye to focus on my target. The other is completely free if I want. Therefore, by reading a book I can do something more productive." "What''s the book about?" "Tell me about your legendary figure first and then I''ll tell you about the book. How''s that?" Zakarias is relatively secretive. He never, but never, tells you something for free. Speaking of which, it just occurred to me, but I... revealed one of my secrets to this person already... When Master told me not to. That''s bad. That''s really bad. Master is always on the look for those things, therefore I need to make sure that Zakarias doesn''t tell anyone about it... Just how could I forget that... Master even told me that I was forbidden to use my abilities for some reason. But, I''ve used them once, against Zakarias, which broke his hand, soon after only to be repaired. There is one big flaw here though... How am I supposed to defend myself if I don''t use my abilities!? If that''s the case, then why would Master forbid me to use my abilities... He said only in case of emergency. Therefore, whenever I encounter a deadly danger. Thus, using them for another purpose is out of the question. Gotta keep that in mind. "What''s wrong? You''ve been silent for a while. Not interested in the book anymore?" "Ever heard of the Samurai?" "No... That''s new for sure. Tell me more, if you may." It lasted for about ten minutes or so. In all honesty, the information I gave him was quite mediocre. I''m by no means a history expert when it comes to the Samurai, so I could only give him so much information about them. Humans that live by the sword, and just like any human they live by certain philosophies that correspond their wills. Some, even go as far as to follow to Bushido code. The most noticeable part is that some Samurais would go as far as to commit Seppuku in order to atone for their failures. Samurais who often committed Seppuku were embarrassed over their failures in battle thus their fatal decision. Furthermore, they served as watchmen who protected nobility. Although, while some dedicated their sword(s) to protecting nobility, there was a small or sometimes bigger faction that was traveling around the land to meet strong opponents. By receiving the battle experience against strong opponents and killing them, a Samurai''s strength would grow even larger. Nevertheless, the actual reason as to why the Samurai even bothered to participate in such deadly events was so they could find a place to die. To die with honor is worth a thousand lives with honor. While they did value life, some prioritized death above all. Maybe that was how they viewed their actions and ultimately, their battles overall. "From who did you learn this?" "None." "So, this could entirely be fake?" "This isn''t fake. I just did some self-research..." "Self-research?" Actually, it was only from reading some manga, but if I told him that, then I don''t know what kind of reaction he would have. Zakarias is the type to not hold back when his switch is flipped. "I read it from a book. So, I don''t know just how accurate it is." "Hm... I see. In your opinion, how accurate do you think it is?" "If I had to say, then... Maybe it''s fifty-fifty? But, why do you need this information?" "I could tell you that. But, if so, then I won''t tell you about the book? Are you fine with that?"Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. Again with the secrets, he really doesn''t like trusting anybody, unless it''s for his own benefit. Not like I can''t empathize with that feeling, but am I really a threat to him? No, perhaps it''s not a matter of ''who'' but something beyond that. "Yeah, sure. I''m not a fan of books either way. I get too bored whenever I read them." "Smart choice. You asked me why I needed this information, right? It''s because I eventually plan on obtaining a samurai form. To obtain a form, I need to fulfill a few conditions first. To start off, I need to have an image on my mind of what I want to form to be like. Or to be more precise, I can simply form this image by directly looking into the one I want my form to be. At the moment, you might be wondering as to why I''m looking at the Captain. Eventually, in fifteen minutes I will obtain his form as a Sea Captain. However, that by itself is not enough to obtain a form. Thus, the second step comes. I also need to know what the form revolves around. For example, for me to gain the fireman''s form, there was a need to make some self-study. By that, I mean, to know what exactly a fireman is, what it does, and so on. I need to know every detail about the form that I want to achieve, to every last detail. It can be a bit tiring, that''s for sure, but in the end, it''s somewhat worth it. Not always though. Since I''ve said this, I will say this, otherwise, it wouldn''t make much sense, but, the book that I have on my right hand is a book about a Sea Captain''s job and a lot of other things. By learning and reading this book, I can fully interpret the captain''s profession, ultimately, gaining the full-fledged understanding. To summarise so far, the first step is to observe, but mainly to visualize while the second is to gain an understanding of what I''m visualizing and to be able to also be one with the form. In other words, this is just a part of the process that I have to follow for this form. Sometimes it differs, as some require fewer steps while sometimes some forms require more steps. Fortunately for me, this one requires only three steps. Got everything so far, Rei?" ...For someone of little words, Zakarias sure knows how to hand down words. If he was in my school, he would probably be a genius or something. I can''t imagine how someone like him was stuck on that Island for so long. Talk about a waste of talent. So... To observe and then understand... That explains it, that''s for sure. But, he said that there are different steps to take depending on the form. His ability seems to be a lot complicated for the most part, but it''s perfect for a pilot like him. Still, that doesn''t fully explain it. "Yeah, but that''s not all, right?" "True. The last step has to come. By writing what powers I want the form to hold it can uphold those powers. To ensure that, it''s necessary to write on the recipe. However, it''s not as easy as it sounds, for every power there is one consequence. No, to be more precise, for each power I write, I get another consequence. For example, let''s say that I ask for a power, I will get a consequence. If I ask for a second power, I will get two consequences, but it''s not under the same power. This is to say that, even if I list the first power, a consequence is always to come. I can''t stack under the same power, so I have to write a second power separately, therefore, there will be two consequences for the second power, while there is already one for the first one. So, three consequences. But, it doesn''t end there, if I proceed to ask for a third power, separately, then I will get three consequences, thus forming six consequences in total. What''s worse is that I don''t get to choose those consequences, they are randomly chosen. Furthermore, I can only choose a power that aligns with the form itself. So, I can only choose water powers, for the most part. This sounds all bad and all, but there is a good side to this. I get to choose the power to this, which is fantastic. Not the consequences, though. That''s about it." At first, I was quite excited to hear what his ability would be like and don''t get me wrong, I still am. But, it''s just that... It has too many restrictions! Plus, he doesn''t even know what kind of consequences it will have upon him... Though, after this explanation, I think I can finally come to an understanding. Zakarias wanted to know about this legendary figure because he wanted to be able to understand this legendary figure. He needs to apparently visualize with his eyes the form that he wants to obtain, therefore, he can''t possibly obtain the Samurai form, if he wanted to. "Um, is that a spell or a skill?" "If you are talking about my forms, then it''s neither of them." "W-What? But aren''t there only spells and skills?!" "Hahaha, what? No way. You must think of that because of the Atlas. Listen, an Atlas is cool and all, but it''s only remarkable because it can hold both skills and spells in it. Otherwise, there really isn''t anything remarkable about it." That''s certainly new. I thought that Atlas''s were supreme or something. It''s somewhat shocking to me because Master is always using them, so the assumption that Atlas''s were something incredible came right into my mind. Well, Master isn''t always using them, there are other things besides Atlas, I think. "Then what is it?" "Original ability. You have it too, don''t you?" "No..." "Hm? That can''t be. On the Island, you revealed it to me, was that not your original ability?" This is bad. If I answer this the wrong way, Zakarias will know for a fact that it wasn''t my original ability, but something else... Ah, what kind of excuse should I make this time around... If only Master didn''t tell me that then I could answer Zakarias freely yet that can''t happen. Just for what reason did you forbid me from telling him, Master? "That was a skill, actually. Sorry for not telling you about it..." "Is that so? There''s no problem with it, really. It''s just that I was impressed by it, back then so I thought that it was definitely your original ability back then." Another issue at hand is this ''original ability'', just what the hell is an ''original ability anyway? There are far too many things that I don''t know about this dimension... No, perhaps it''s the Leveling System at hand? Ah, damn it. Master, why did you only teach me... "Oh, time''s up." "What is?" "The formation phase process. It''s done at last. That took me seven hours if one includes the remaining time that we spent here exchanging words. I''m somewhat curious about this ''Samurai'' that you talked about. Unfortunately, I really need to see the real thing or else the formation phase will not commence. As thanks, wanna see what this new form can do?" "Before that, can''t you get a cool name for it? Saying formation phase is really... lame." "It has a name, I just didn''t say it because it would confuse you. My original ability is called ''Tenebris''. It stands for the word '' Darkness''. Because, the ability itself, can only steal and be made for my own greater good. Which is something that only people who have embraced the darkness within themselves are able to do." "You should call it that. That sounds a lot better! Anyway, I''m curious now, show me!" "Alright then. Barheima forma, activate!" Exactly like the Sea Captain above, Zakarias''s Barheima forma takes form. The resemblance is perfectly equal. At the top, there was a Sea Captain''s hat, while starting with a pure white color on top, the mid and the tip of it are black, exactly like the Captain''s hat. Though, it contains some gold sharp shards, again, like the Captain''s hat. Next is the black blazer with a golden necktie. Just like the hat, it contains some golden shards, mainly along the black sleeves. In the end, it was quite fancy, since the rest of the clothes were Navi''s pants. Lastly, white Navi''s shoes. Seriously, what an overkill. "Zakarias, aren''t you showing off too much?" "No. This is just how the form really is. Plus, it''s not my fault, but rather, the Captain''s, for being well dressed up. I gotta say, if this form didn''t have its downsides, then I would wear it more often. Also, you can''t really criticize someone''s sense of fashion with that hair of yours." No point in denying it, I suppose. My hair is entirely messy yet that''s because I never bother to actually fix it. Meanwhile, Zakarias''s hair is perfect. He is the polar opposite of me when it comes to something like fashion. "You said downsides, you mean the consequences?" "Just the natural ones, not the imposed ones. Each form takes a physical toll on me. That''s normal. Anyway, wanna see one of my powers?" I was right, he is a showoff. Otherwise, he wouldn''t ask me this anyway. But, I can''t blame him. If I was in his place then I would test them right away. Just what are his powers anyways... "Are you sure that you can use it? You don''t know the consequence to it." "It''s precisely because of that why I want to test it out... Let''s see... A weak one should do for now... Are you ready?" "Of course. Whenever you want." "Ok." As the wind gust rises even further, Zakarias starts to close his book that resided in his right hand in a resonating way. After that, he finally looked at me, which was surprising, because after all this time he was observing the Captain just so he could achieve his form. Wait... If he only looked at me now then how could he have noticed about my hair? Since I''m on his right he could have simply taken a peek at me through one of the book''s sides, but that''s just so difficult. Could it be that he just assumed that my hair was messy, to begin with? Either way, Zakarias seems to be moving his right hand... "Are you searching through the menu?" "Yes. I''ve got to find a safe area to use this new power, or else this entire ship and everything around it will go down. So I will choose an area that has the most deserted water." "W-W-What do you mean the ship will go down?! Didn''t you say it was a weak ability?" "Yeah. It is my weakest ability in this form." "If it''s the weakest then how come it will sink the ship?!" "Just because it''s the weakest it doesn''t mean it can''t contain any strength to it. It''s the weakest, true. But that''s because all the others are just that stronger. Anyway, I''m done. Wanna see what my ability looks like?" "As long as it doesn''t sink the ship." "Are you an idiot? Why would I sink the whole ship...? Anyway, take these." Just as we finish our worrying conversation, Zakarias hands me binocles, which could very well mean that I am supposed to pay attention to something very far away. It really makes me wonder what type of ability it is. Also, I just want to get the hell away from here if possible. The wind is chilling down my spike as we speak. Also, I''m not too fond of the ocean when it''s this close, it makes me remember some painful place that I went three years ago. "Look at the east side for a while. Don''t take your eyes off for ten seconds." "Gotcha." "Tsunami, unleash." Hm? What did he just say? Ah man, am I hearing things or what? Tsunami? The ocean is so calm, how can a Tsunami suddenly erupt out of nowhere? It makes no sense. If I remember correctly, a Tsunami needs certain conditions to be formed, that much I know. Although, know I, not those actual conditions. How ridiculous would it be for someone to actually have such ability in the first place? Although, Zakarias has some restrictions to his arsenal, so it won''t totally be like that. Wait, I''m assuming that he actually has the ability to form a Tsunami in the first place. "Seven, eight, nine and ten. Can you see a small wave from afar?" "Yeah, what of it?" "Zoom out the binocles for a bit." "...Is that..." "I can''t blame you for not being able to recognize it. A Tsunami when close is gigantic beyond words. However, from afar, it''s nothing more than a small wave. Just now, you were able to recognize it because you zoomed out for a tiny bit. By doing that you could witness how a Tsunami is from afar. Don''t worry. The Tsunami is very, but very far away. About 430 kilometers, I think. Also, you can now see the length of it, can''t you?" "I can. It''s enormous, even bigger than an average Tsunami, I think." "Oh? You have seen one and managed to live to tell the tale? I''m impressed." "Ah, no. I just saw footages of real Tsunamis. Never did I actually witness a real Tsunami. But, hey! Isn''t that Tsunami coming to us?! What are you going to do about it?" It would really be troublesome if we got hit by a Tsunami, especially one that was created by Zakarias. Speaking of which, the Tsunami looks bigger than the ones that I know of. Officially, the biggest Tsunami in my dimension happened several times ago in Alaska. It had 523 meters, in terms of height. Yet this one is clearly bigger than that. How in the hell is that possible!? "Relax. This is my power. One and the only. As its owner, I can simply disperse it. Watch closely. Tsunami, disperse!" It really did disperse, although... I sincerely hope that there isn''t anyone close or else you might have just killed someone accidentally, Zakarias. "Oh! Nice, I slew some sea monsters! I guess the Tsunami dispersal was so strong that it killed some sea creatures along with it. Very nice! Hm? That''s awkward..." "What''s wrong, Zakarias?" "I didn''t gain any experience points. That''s really weird because a notification came to my menu saying that I was successful in slaying two titan whales. Why isn''t it giving me the experience points?" Now that''s really awkward, whenever you end up slaying something you are bound to get experience points. That should be it, no exceptions. No exceptions... Could it be that there are exceptions to this, if so then the exception to this would most likely be... "It must be the consequence, don''t you think so, Rei?" If that''s the case, then it really makes me wonder for a second. Zakarias said that he can''t stack the same power under the same power, therefore he had to write down separate powers, that is, assuming that he got more than one power, which I would very much like to assume. If he can''t stack the same power, then I wonder if the same consequence can stack under all power. Let''s say that there is a consequence to this which strictly says that when one uses this power, he cannot gain experience points. Then, does that mean that this consequence can stack on the other powers that are among the Barheima forma? That''s really disadvantageous if so. It wouldn''t really make any sense for the consequences to stack upon each other, I suppose. I hope not, however, in such circumstance, the Barheima forma might just be useless for killing monsters, which would ultimately add up to more experience as a whole. "I thought so too. But I thought of something else too. Can those consequences stack among each other? You know how the powers can be given consequences, furthermore, if given more powers then the consequences will increase. Could it be that those consequences apply to every power?" "They do stack on each other. Otherwise, it would really be overpowered to have such abilities to your arsenal. Don''t get me wrong, being able to form a Tsunami right away is overpowered, but I don''t benefit anything from it, in the end." As I thought, they do stack on each other. Zakarias is quite the risk taker then, to take on so many risks like this is something praiseworthy. Still, he is wrong about something. He said that he didn''t benefit from it, but that''s only if you can maintain your current perspective about the world and keep perceiving it the same way. With that said, he could very well just decide to use his Tsunami and drown an entire town or something like that. "Couldn''t you just use it to kill people around the lands of Ceulonia? You could even eliminate any problematic person you may face just by forcing a tsunami on them?" "Rei. Do you really think of me like that? Do I really look like someone who would kill someone for the sake of killing? For the sake of pleasure? Power in the right hands is something that should be used for the greater good. The ultimate goal is peace. That''s what I believe at least. Should the time arrive when I use power for something that is not the greater good, can you kill me, Rei?" "W-What are you saying all of the sudden? I was just joking, just joking! Haha..." "Hahaha, I was joking as well. Let''s go inside, shall we? It''s freezing out here." "Oh yeah, what time is it?" "7am." "I slept for almost a full day!!" "Perfect time for breakfast, right? Maybe we will find Lodya there." And so, our idle chat began once again, releasing all the negative vibes that came from our previous exchange of words. Right now, we are on the boat to Kralima. We are not the only ones that are as well. Since this boat is quite big, it contains a lot of rooms and halls. Mainly, the amazing plaza, which is where we are directing ourselves to, at the moment. There are a few things that I learned just from this conversation. Zakarias is a serious person for the most part yet in contrast to that, he knows how to relax and have fun. That''s an ideal characteristic that I wish to have. Nevertheless, by obtaining a new form, Zakarias was able to add more power to his arsenal now that I think of it. Although it has an undeniable downside to it, he can''t gain experience while using which makes things a bit harder for him. While that is slightly unfortunate, he is able to produce and unleash a Tsunami at his will. At first, I was somewhat worried but Zakarias seems like someone responsible, unlike someone that I know. Ultimately, even though I learned a few things this morning, there are still some questions that remain unanswered. What caught me by surprise was the fact that Zakarias''s original ability ''Tenebris'' was neither a skill nor a spell, it was, as mentioned, an original ability. Maybe, but just maybe, if I''m lucky. I can get one too. But for that, I need to know how to get one in the first place. Vol.2 Ch.7: Breath of Fate "What will you two gentleman have for breakfast?" In my dimension, the sudden morning would be met with a blazing rising sun elevating from the deep horizon yet in this one, no such thing occurs. The only breeze could go down my spine through this supposed morning. It''s not like I''m complaining, but it feels weird. If there is one thing that a human like me has problems with, then it would be adapting to unknown circumstances. Well, it depends for the most part. Although, that''s hardly the problem at hand. What should I choose for breakfast, really? As far as I can tell, all these foods are unknown to me, mainly because they hold names from a different language. How come I never took interest in learning other languages? Speaking of which, never, but never, have I taken interest in many things really. I suppose my lackluster knowledge can be less repulsive if I ask him for some help. Zakarias ought to know what''s good or not. "How many for option 3?" Option 3? Oh, the menu apparently has a price tag to it. Unfortunately for me, I know not what it means, but apparently, Zakarias does, thus he asked for it. Ah, nevermind, the price tag is still readable to my eyes. It says ''33.29 min''. "That will be 33.29 min, sir." ".......What''s the least expensive option on the menu, in your opinion?" Now that''s awkward. Once I got the price tag right, I decided to scroll through the whole menu which contains seven pages in total and the least expensive one was... option 3. But that''s even more awkward, why would Zakarias ask something that he already knows? He isn''t dumb, in my eyes, so what exactly is he trying to achieve with this? Unless... Don''t tell me... Wait, it would make sense. Given the fact that the Elder only paid us the boat ticket, it could very well mean that we are... "Option 3, sir." "...............Do you only accept min?" "S-Sir...?" We might be broken. No, that''s not a ''might''. We are undoubtedly broken. Though this is just my assumption, given the fact that Zakarias asked the waitress if she accepted anything which isn''t min should probably mean that we don''t have the means to pay for our breakfast. How could this happen... "I''ll pay for them. We will go with option 5." "Thank you so much! Alshaka chockels, correct?" "Ah, yes. That will be it, I''ll pay in the end, if that''s alright." "But of course! Customers first. Please wait a bit, they will be done in a bit." Honestly, I''m glad we get to eat, but this feels like it was made on purpose to see someone suffer. I forgot how they love to argue between one another. Maybe they don''t even notice how they love to argue over such little things yet that was one of the reasons as to why I didn''t object her coming with us. Though I haven''t seen her since yesterday, Zakarias wasn''t really happy about seeing her as he hides part of his face under the menu. Nevertheless, the brown haired girl sits right next to him despite such shortcomings, she really wasn''t bothered by the way he acted that much, apparently. "Broke already? That''s sooo unlike you! What happened?" "I''m not broke. I was just offering a more gentle way to pay for our breakfast. I thought that there was a bounty hunt or some troubles that the ship was facing, so I offered a gentleman''s proposal to the lady. Just because I did that, it doesn''t mean that I am broke." "Ah, really? I guess you don''t need to eat, then. I''ll be off then." "Wait don''t you need to eat though?" "Nah, I''m good. Bye." "Bye-Bye." ...Wait, is this really happening?! How can your pride be so big, Zakarias! Have you forgotten that we will receive our breakfast in just a few minutes or something? If by the time the waitress arrives here and we don''t have a way to pay, which we don''t, then we might be expelled from the ship on our next stop. Taking into consideration that there are only two more stops until Kralima, we could very well be expelled on our next one if we don''t pay for the food... "Zakarias, we might be in trouble, you know..." "I noticed, I noticed. Are you good at walking?" "What?" "If by some chance we have to walk for around 60 kilometers until we get to Kralima, you wouldn''t mind, would you?" S-Sixty kilometers?! Are you insane?! All of this just because you are too prideful to accept her help. I suppose I have to do something about this or else we might be on the verge of losing here. "I''ll go talk to her." "As long as it''s you, that''s fine." In other words, as long as it''s not him, it''s fine, that''s what he means. I''m fine with that yet the possibilities of Lodya even paying attention to me are lower than zero. I know this for a fact when Zakarias activated his Galactic Drive and went off to the village all by himself, I and Lodya had to walk together to the village. The most terrifying part is that when I tried to talk to her all I got was a ''Don''t talk to me''. Yet now for the sake of not getting expelled from this ship, I have to do the impossible. Talk to a girl. For some reason, I''m always terrible at talking to girls. You might call it anxiety, and if you do, you would be totally right. With that said, I take off, by removing myself from the wood chair, I follow the direction to the hallway where I saw Lodya leave off too. "...Where is she?" Without any doubt, my eyes captured her leaving the dining hall. If she isn''t here then where is she? Ah, damn it. This is so unlucky, we don''t have much time, just where the hell could she be...? Well, no use crying over spilled milk. First things first, there is a need to observe my surroundings. All the training battles that I and Azmai got over the past two years has taught me a lot of things. If one does not know where something is, or the course that one should take then the first move would be to observe. Let''s see... From observing this hallway, there are two ways to go. No, there are three. One goes to the right while the other goes to the left. For the third, it''s a staircase, which should imply that there is something up above. Of course, I don''t know what it is. And why is that? Because the male dorms stay under the ship, in a sub cave if you may call it. Then, where exactly are the female dorms? Shouldn''t they either be in this medium hall or above? Luckily, there are instructions. By running up to the center of the hall, it''s possible to observe the entire map plant of this ship. Up above, it''s definitely the female dorms yet forming the assumption that Lodya is there could prove to be fatal. I shouldn''t assume that she has gone too far because only about twenty seconds have passed. While many passengers from the ship pass through me, the observation has reached its conclusion. If she isn''t up to the right which is where the plaza is located, then she is most likely to the left where the gazebo is. That reminds me... Zakarias told me that Lodya was a rather wild person. A wild person would enjoy gazing at nature, right? Thus, assuming that she has gone to the left to observe the sea creatures wouldn''t be a bad assumption. Yet, there really is a big chance that she is upstairs. Mainly because up to the top there is her dorm, plus toilets. Knowing a girl, assuming that she has to go to the toilet would be a fair assumption. This is good. It''s alright to create speculations and for the most part to formulate a plan to actually achieve results. The following plan should be, checking the most obvious places first. To start off, going to the left should be the correct choice, due to my assumption. If she isn''t there, then I should hurry up to upstairs. But, there is a slight problem, as a man, if I''m caught searching through there, I could very well be labeled as a pervert nonetheless. Ultimately, this is a run against time. Guh, if only I knew how much the food would take to get ready. Making an assumption about that is certainly a bad move since I have no idea about it. Creating assumptions about something that has no base, is meaningless. Therefore, only creating speculations about something with some base knowledge in it, is worth it. Alright, let''s do this. Initiate the plan, first I must go to the left, therefore, it''s necessary to apply a bit of sprint. Luckily, I have not skipped my training. Though, that''s not entirely true, how am I supposed to practice my sprint when we are on a boat with such limited space? If I''m seen running around, then weird looks would come haunting me. So, that''s out of the question. Initially, running was the plan, but hurrying up to the place while slightly moving fast would be ideal, that''s what I will do. Eventually, having passed about forty seconds, I reach the gazebo. In my current field of vision, there are only seven people right here. The biggest number would be the father and the mother. Accompanying them would be their two daughters. Plus, they are only having fun at gazing through the telescope. Apparently, people really love wild nature at its finest around here. Neverminding that, only three people remaining, putting the ones mentioned earlier aside. An old man who has a snake is sitting right beside me. Since I''m at the door of the gazebo, he is literally right next to my right. Normally, expressing fear towards a snake would be the natural reaction yet the snake is so nibble and little that is represents cuteness and not fear. Lastly, for the two other people, it''s just two lovers kissing each other. Don''t worry, I will respectfully leave and not stare at you two, enjoy your time. "Not here huh? Only two places left. The plaza is next, apparently." Without wasting too much time, I hurriedly walked right to where I started and verified the plant once again since I get lost quite often. Good thing is, I didn''t get lost this time. Alas, the path was open without anyone in the path this time, to ensure what I was about to do was the correct move, I locked away from the right and looked in the gazebo''s direction to see if there was somebody there. There was, only one old hag. There is a reason as to why this is being done, of course. But seriously, I get that when you supposedly grow older to that age that your body grows even slower, but I can''t help to feel a bit frustrated whenever someone walks slowly like that. As the old hag passes through the hall, I recall how many time has passed. It''s quite hard to recall the exact time that has passed. Although, if I think about it... By the time I left the dining hall and spent the time analyzing the map plant, that should have taken me for about 1 minute and twenty seconds? More so, when I decided to hurry to the gazebo, it was forty seconds, so two minutes huh? So, by being here and waiting for the hag to pass to the dining hall, it''s taking me about forty seconds, so two minutes and forty seconds. Nevertheless, it''s undoubtedly more because by the time one concludes the assumed time, another ten seconds have passed, most likely. So, two minutes and fifty seconds? After taking about twenty seconds or so, the old hag manages to reach the dining hall. Just as she does that, I leave off to the left without any time to waste. Unlike when I went to the gazebo, I sprinted this time around, to make sure that time could be preserved for the most part. It took me a grand round fifteen seconds to reach the plaza. Bothering with counting time anymore is a waste of time, which is ironic. Either way, by masking the fact that I just ran, I calmly enter the plaza only to be utterly disappointed. Quickly gazing at every table, couples could be witnessed. On second thought, this really is a tourist attraction for the most part, right? I wonder where they come from. Maybe from the main citadel? It would make sense if the citadel was full of technology and such since people who live there don''t have the ability to see nature out in the open like this, then this would just make the perfect tourist attraction. Putting that random thought aside, Lodya was nowhere to be seen. However, there was something that caught my eye for a second. I have no idea what the plaza would look like in the first place. Multiple attractions could be seen all over the place. How I would love to try these unknown features. Though, that''s not the correct train of thought right now. If Lodya isn''t here, then there is no point in searching the plaza any longer. Hence, the conclusion came, she is neither here nor in the gazebo, thus she is upstairs. Once again, my feet quickly take off, but this time, I had to go even slower due to the increase in numbers among the main hall. In the end, once I reached the upstairs, I was quickly countered. "Sir, where do you think you are going?" Odd as it may sound, there was no main guard in the staircase entrance, but as soon as I climbed the rusty stairs, step by step, hastily climbing up even further, I encountered one male guard who had a rather muscular build. The only reason as to why this tendency could be visible to the likes of me was simply due to his dynamic approach to me. Truly resembling that of a bodyguard. As much as my best interested screamed that avoidance should be clearly the right choice here, no such thing could be achieved. Giving up in all hope, a desperate try with a desperate value came forth. "I would very much like to go to the toilet, please." Not the most accurate lie yet by faking it a bit, it would be clear that I was truly at my wit''s end, as my hands went right to the top of my pants, where my groin is located. It was crystal clear that what I was attempting at such place could be viewed as a perverted action, but to gain the guard''s trust I had to do this. To create a solid and truthful presentation, I had to completely re-create what it would seem like to be a man that needs to go to the toilet right away. "This is the females'' dorms. Males are not allowed to be here. Look over there." Raising his right index finger, the muscular man points right into the signal that has the forbidden signal saying ''No Males Allowed''. Of course, that was hardly impossible not to notice, which I already did, yet for the sake of not getting expelled due to not paying the food, I must find Lodya. That''s right, she is the only one who can actually afford to pay our breakfast. Damn it, the life of a broke man is a hard one. "P-Please sir!! I must go to the toilet...!! I can''t hold it any longer." "I am sorry, but if you want to go to the toilet then I suggest you go to the dining hall''s entrance and turn to the right. There, you will find a bathroom for males. Make haste, please. Also, just for your information, even if you pee right here, I will not take responsibility. You are on your own." ...This plan was an utter failure. I didn''t think I was this much doomed but by the looks of it, I was proven wrong. My methodology was purely wrong here. Perhaps reading too much manga about perverted meetings has led me to the conclusion that this would be possible. This is the reality, after all. No excuses here. I guess me and Zakarias are bound to walk for a bit. Damn it, I even wanted to visit the Plaza. Although once given thought, the premise of this plan was bad as hell. With my thought alone, achieving this was very much impossible. Asking Zakarias for help was probably the wisest choice. I am to blame for this failure and none else. "T-Thank you for your assistance, sir." "No problem, glad that I was helpful." Surrendering to my own failure, I drop the act of a man who can''t hold it. But, the act could only be dropped once the guard could no longer watch me, otherwise, it was clear that I was faking it. Ultimately, that could have provided some trouble, since the act was for a purpose and if that purpose is seen as a fake one, then the consequences for that, might not be so pleasing, in all likelihood. Once again, I''m back to my starting point. As a man who has failed in every way possible, I will take responsibility for this and tell the waitress that Zakarias wasn''t to blame for this, but instead, it was I. Passing through the two doors that were both the male and female bathrooms, the quick thought came to me. Earlier, leaving in search for Lodya, I never noticed that there were two doors right on both of my sides. Perhaps this was the biggest flaw of my plan. No, that can''t be. I failed, there are no excuses here. Time to embrace the blame. With such a decision, I open the wood doors slowly and direct my gaze towards Zakarias only to find... "Rei, it''s gonna get cold. Hurry up." "Where were you?" ...Now, this doesn''t make sense. How come Lodya is right here? This really makes no sense. Let''s rethink a bit. How could she end up here? Maybe I started over the wrong spot? Perhaps, Lodya was in the Plaza and decided to come back while I was busy searching through the gazebo. That would make more sense, I suppose. Or, she was upstairs and by the time I either went to the gazebo or the plaza, she descended and right away, came to the dining hall. Maybe, but just maybe, that was the correct choice. No, I''m missing something crucial here. Looking back now, I saw her leaving, but I never saw where she went to. I only saw her closing the wood door and nothing more. Then, could that mean, that she went to the toilet instead of actually going to the Gazebo or the Plaza? Or even upstairs? If I think further, Zakarias said that ''As long as that''s you, that''s fine.''. Could this be interpreted as if he was too embarrassed to go to her because she was in the bathroom all along? I overestimated Zakarias''s pride, by the looks of it. Yet this makes me wonder, could it be that, if Lodya had not returned, then would Zakarias go out of his way to convince her? Wait... The fact that she is here fully implies that. I don''t know what he did, but Zakarias managed to get Lodya to pay the breakfast. I''m overthinking this, aren''t I? How strange... Just from who did I gain this overthinking disease from? But, I have to answer or else, it will get awkward. "I went to the Plaza. It has some interesting things, it makes me want to go there more often, honestly." In all essence, giving a lie is always advantageous, though, giving the truth sometimes has no harmful consequences to it. And it''s a fact, the Plaza has some interesting things. So interesting that, after breakfast, I will go there. "Really? But, don''t get lost. We are almost arriving, just so you know. Remember our goal." Right, our goal is to find out more about Atlas''s. Though, my real goal is just to leave this dimension. I wish I knew how to leave this dimension, but unlike Master, I can''t simply just open a dimension portal and access the Via Temporis. Even if so, apparently, with my level, riding Kaliya is beyond impossible, so that''s out of the question. I''m assuming that the Atlas has a certain base of power in them that allows one to fully access the Via Temporis. Yet, it doesn''t occur to me how to open a dimension portal. Hoping to find answers to that, investigating the source of power that scourges from the Atlas might be the correct choice here. But, it comes with a lot of work, mainly a lot of stops. Can''t I just go home...? "What goal?" Asking that, was the ever curious Lodya. Amidst that, I take my seat which was solely isolated, since Lodya is sitting right next to Zakarias. There, I gobble right into the food, but not too violently, otherwise I would be seen as someone who lacks manner. Not like I care in particular, but I suppose I would be bothered if my eyes met someone who would do something like that. Man, it''s so delicious. What is this fragrance? This subtle substance is angelic. Though, her cheesecakes are unrivaled. Nonetheless, this is pretty good. It really makes me wonder just how expensive this is... On the bright side, I don''t have to pay for it. More importantly, how did Zakarias manage to win her trust back in such a short time? "We are investigating Atlas, so we plan on going to the main citadel, Ralcultak. Though, we will have to walk on foot all the way. Don''t complain if you end up lagging behind." Harshly delivers Zakarias. "Can we pass through Afurecedia along the way? Please!" This is the first time I''m hearing that name. I shouldn''t be surprised. From here on, there is a vast chance that I will listen to things I have no idea what they for the first time. The true meaning of exploring the unknown is to open yourself to a new horizon, not to a horizon that you are effectively familiar with. That''s what Master told me at least. I highly agree, because if one stays in one place for a very long time, then that one''s mind will start to close itself to new opportunities, ultimately, forming an independent perspective that cannot be shattered. Once again, Master said that was bad, due to the fact that those kinds of perspectives are for the weak, not for the strong. A strong person seeks, a weak person stays. Though, Master... Does a person always have to be strong? Isn''t that tiring? Even for someone as amazing as yourself?Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. "No way, Lodya. You always take your time there. And your time is a lot of time. Out of the question." "Excuse me?! You''re the one who always takes time in bookshops and stuff like that! Why are you blaming me for taking my time on things that I like when you yourself take more time than I do?!" "For your information, those bookshops actually hold valuable information! Unlike your flower shops!" "Well, I''m so sorry Mister Perfect! Apparently buying flowers is now a crime, huh?!" "It should be... I mean, they will die, regardless of the time you invest in them, right?" "Heartless! Even after I gave you a second chance, you just blow it like that. I''m not paying this." Oh, please not again. I can''t take this anymore. Zakarias, please make the right choice here. We both know how doomed we are if she leaves. Still, why does Zakarias have to be so ruthless, shouldn''t it be fine to make a stop every now and then? We are going on an adventure whether we like it or not, so this really shouldn''t be something to argue about. Nevertheless, the rest of the people are looking at us. I wonder how I am viewed in their perspective. Let''s see, my position right now is equal to a candle, yes, that''s what must be going through their minds. Just for the reference, a candle applies to someone who is constantly the third element aside from the main couple. A candle doesn''t know his/her place and always, but always, makes sure to stay beside the main couple, which is awkward because then the main couple can''t progress romantically. However, this is not the case, this is a pure argument. Not a lover''s quarrel, but a heated exchange of words. "How romantic..." "Honestly, young ones these days are so open in expressing their feelings for each other. Their burning flames of love look so extinguishable now that I look at them." "Ah, youth!" Such comments were being exchanged in secrecy all over the dining hall. Obviously, both Lodya and Zakarias listen to them, and of course, they were bothered by it. "L-Lodya, we can visit Afurecedia, in the end, just, please... We are giving people the wrong idea." No, by asking her to stay, you are just giving them even worse ideas. Not like he asked her to stay, but the fact that you are grabbing her hand clearly implies that. I wouldn''t want to be in your place, Zakarias. But, without a doubt, any teenager would. This is what they call love or something like that. Perhaps I''m truly a sad person for never being able to experience it. Never, ever did I have a crush on someone or did someone have a crush on me, I think. That seems about right. I wonder how Master is when it comes to leading with girls? I''m assuming that he is not very good, I mean, I don''t have pleasant memories from when we were at Maid Paradisis. "O-Okay... I''ll forgive you for now..." Tsundere reaction. Plus sixty points. I wish I could tease her, but who knows just what my punishment would be. My record when it comes to teasing females is disastrous, truly. Galatea was one thing, which was expected. But, Leviathan was just overkill. How come my face still remains intact after that godly slap? Putting that aside, Zakarias did a good job calming her down. This just proves that Zakarias is really bothered when it comes to the opinion of others. Or maybe, he was simply bothered by the fact that people were viewing Lodya like that. If so, I would like to praise you for that, Zakarias. "So, what exactly do you want to do in Afurecedia, Lodya?" "I need to level up my original ability. And besides, it''s been years since I''ve gone to Afurecedia. In other words, it would do me well to pay a visit there! As promised you will take me there when we reach Ralcultak, right?" ".........I never promised...." Silently replies Zakarias. This one is on you, Zakarias. Girls will often take what you said for a promise and by denying it, you are simply infuriating their wrath even further. Emphasizing with his current position might be impossible for someone like me. As much as my desire to help him would entangle my heart right now, such a thing was beyond my capabilities. Still, Afurecedia, huh? Zakarias mentioned a flower shop, so could it be that Afurecedia is a land of flowers? More importantly... I''ve been meaning to ask Zakarias a question ever since a while ago. Now that Lodya is here, I could very well use this opportunity to get it off my chest. "How do you obtain an original ability?" "Hm? Could it be that you don''t have it?" If I had, I wouldn''t be asking for it. Although, depending on how it''s obtained it could prove to be a logical question if asked again. Though, my doubts remain grand about that. "He doesn''t have it. I was quite surprised, because back then he showed me an amazing skill of his. I even broke my hand because of it. I feel sorry for the guy who ever tries to punch you." Unfortunately, I had to remind myself that I am strictly forbidden to use that ability unless a mortal danger appears, so it''s not as easy as it sounds. Besides, to maintain my ability, there is a need to train myself every day. Not quite every day, it''s just that if I miss the training then my status will decrease thus making the Seal Breakers quite weak. It''s nothing grave yet it''s not something to relax about. Or, so would my Master say. "S-Seriously? What''s the skill called?!" An accurate question yet giving the right answer isn''t an option here, therefore the correct option is to think of a name for the ability. Master calls it Seal Breaker, but is it a spell or a skill? Master told me it was a ''Conquering Art'', so maybe it''s related to Martial Arts? Ah, yes. Since it enhances the user''s strength, velocity, attack, and defense, it could very well mean that it''s for martial use. After all, it only provides a rightful usage in a hand to hand combat type of scenario. Seriously... Why teach me a form of Martial Arts when other dimensions out there revolve around original abilities, spells, and skills? There are probably more, but Master is always so secretive about it. "It doesn''t have a name." "No, no. That''s impossible. Go through your menu and search through it. You will find the name. Tell me please." How clever. Although looking at my menu only brings me sadness. By moving my right index finger from up to down, a whole new screen appears in front of me. No items, no weapons, no skills, nothing. Which means that this is something beyond that. Master, just what the hell are the Seal Breakers... If it''s not a spell, nor a skill, then what is it? Oops, I forgot to mention. Aside from the items, weapons and skills slot, there is the spell slot. Although, Master told me that was available because it was a beginner''s feature and that once I obtain something aside from them, the slot will appear in the menu. Although, since I haven''t it''s practically impossible. Reminding myself of my time in Aquaris, when I gained the experience points, some options appeared on the menu... One of them was to level up, yet I can''t exactly remember the rest. Oh right, there was the option to buy skills. Maybe, when I gain experience points, I can then buy them. But... How the hell am I supposed to level up when I''m forbidden to use my own abilities?! Ultimately, I will have to lie and name the Seal Breakers something different. What name should I... "Rei, what''s wrong? You''ve gone silent. You do that quite often. Are you thinking about something?" "Ah, no... My skill is called Sky Breaker. That''s the name of it." By replacing the letter ''e'' ''a'' and ''l'' for ''k'' ''y'', the name ''Sky'' is formed. Unlike the previous name, which was transformed from Seal to Sky, I maintained the name ''Breaker''. Call it lazy if you may yet the time at hand really gave me no time to think of something clever and unique. In contrast to most people who like to think long and hard about cool names, I''m a shame to such people as the creations of unpleasant names are quickly crafted by my own mind. It''s my mind. Even so, I like the name of it. Which is strange, since I''m always against my own creations... When did I learn to enjoy my own creations like this? "I see, I see. My original ability name is Fallal!" "And mine is, Tenebris, but you already know that, right?" "Yeah, but still how did you two obtain an original ability?" "So you really want one?" Not necessarily, it''s just that with this restriction, I am essentially weak, more than I already was. That''s not exactly ideal, in my opinion. Besides, my curiosity has hit its peak now. An original ability, huh? The sound of it sounds pretty good. To have something for yourself that you can call it your own, gives off a pretty satisfying feeling. Then again, this is just for the sake of reinforcing my defense. Along the way to Ralcultak, we are most likely going to encounter opposing forces. Although there is no base reasoning for this, this dimension is most likely conquered. Otherwise, the reality aspect of it would still remain intact yet this isn''t like my own dimension. There are monsters out in the wild and people are actually aware of the Leveling System. Plus, the fact that there isn''t the ability to go into Survival Mode just like in my dimension proves that. Once or twice, I''ve tried to access it through the menu, it''s always on the bottom of it, but to contradict that, it''s not. That probably means that this dimension is conquered, therefore there is no need for the Survival Mode because we are already in it. "Should I not?" "Are you kidding me?! Of course, you should! I can''t imagine how boring it must be living off without an original ability! It''s like it gives you more reason to live! It''s so exciting! Isn''t that right, Zakarias?" "Haha, I suppose you are right, Lodya." They actually agreed with each other for once. It''s not every day that one gets to witness such a scenario. Furthermore, they both smiled at each other. As always, the other people still among the dining hall are gazing at them. What the actual hell, such creeps. Though, they are mostly just admiring what may be true love could be like. "Rei, by the time we are in Kralima, we will take you to a crafting shop. There you can actually start the process of gathering an original ability." "There is a process to it?" "There is a natural process to everything, you know. Gathering an original ability requires different steps for everyone. For example, to forge my original ability, I had to go through a forbidden Savana and kill a chameleon. Although that was just the main ingredient for it, there were other requirements. Either way, once your main ingredient is listed you will need to gather it and others along the way." "Why a chameleon though?" "I actually wanted an original ability that would allow me to copy other people''s aspects and perfect them. I suppose that''s what a chameleon does. But, the chameleon just copies the aspect, it doesn''t perfect it. Hence, the necessity for the other items. They are not easy to obtain. Either way, we should look into it once we arrive Kralima. The information I gave you will not apply to you. It didn''t apply to Lodya, if I remember correctly." "Yeah, I was furious! I almost thought for a second that he proposedly tricked me. But, that wasn''t it, it was just a different process." "And there you have it. But relax, it''s just something that everyone in Ceulonia strives for. You are one of many." ''One of many''. Those words bring me back when Master and I had talked about my dimension''s conditions back then. At that time, such nervosity came flowing right into my head that I was right about to burst. But, Zakarias is right. His original ability does resemble that of a chameleon. A chameleon watches its prey for a long time, therefore obtaining their form. That was just like Zakarias yesterday, observing the Sea Captain with such a dreadful seriousness. Though, it appears that I will have to wait. Amidst all this small talk, I managed to finish eating my food. "Thank you for the food, Lodya." "Ah, no problem at all." "I''ll go to the main plaza now." But, before that... "Hm? What is this?" "It''s a friend request. Accept it please." "Sure, but what for?" "Once I''m gone to the plaza, we might arrive at Kralima. Message me when we are there, okay?" "Sure thing." "Gotcha." A resonating response comes out from both of them. Thus, not wasting any more time, I leave right into the main hall. By turning right, the opposite direction to the gazebo, from afar, the main plaza could be spotted. While walking, by accessing the main menu, my friend''s list got two more slots. The first being Master, of course. Although, I have doubts about whether or not he will ever be bothered to reply to a message. And if I send him a message, then I''m bound to get ignored. It takes experience, failure and most of all, persistence to get my Master''s attention. I am not that type of person. As someone who respectfully appreciates his doings, I will not bother him, instead, finding a way out of this dimension on my own sounds pleasing. That is if such a way out exists in the first place. Well, it does. But not the option to obtain it. The screen was exactly like this: [Friend List:] ? Lodya ? Tiddal ? Zakarias It also possesses the ability to relay a message, but that''s about it. Still, I''m grateful that they accepted the friend request without complaining. This will be better just in case if I get separated from them. Since they both gave the reactions of someone who listened to my words for the very first time, it makes me wonder if they never tried to create a friend request to each other. On the other hand, their trust among each other is probably so high that there shouldn''t be any necessity for it. Maybe that''s it. Regardless, my way towards the main plaza was made silently, and finally, all the main attractions could be gazed at. Although, it would be wise to ask someone who is familiar with the place first, otherwise I would be simply looking around clueless. That''s not such a bad thing yet it''s not the best option. The person to go to should be the bartender, who is cleaning the cups right now. Nevertheless, the view from here is amazing as always, the ocean is so blue and radiant that it makes my eyes hurt, because it shines so much. The constant roars from the sea creatures and seal eagles close by are impressive, but that''s nothing new, I suppose. "Hello." "Ah, hello there! How may I help you?" Hm, how to start this conversation... "I-It''s my first time here. Could you give me indications for each attraction here in the plaza? S-Sorry if I''m being a bother..." "Ah, not at all! As a matter of fact, it''s pretty common for most tourists here to ask that question! But first... My name is Rodrik! What''s yours?" After meeting the serious guard guarding the female dorms, I thought that there wouldn''t be any nice people around, however, to my own naivety, I was proven wrong. By extending his right hand, the black-skinned man offers a handshake. Embracing with grace such welcoming, without holding it back, I shake his hand with force. Not to be intimidating but to demonstrate respect. I believe that whenever someone demonstrates a certain weight or amount of respect that that person should be given fine retribution. Yet, that''s something my Master completely disagrees with. "My name is Rei!!" I say with enthusiasm. "Ah, Rei! A pleasure to meet you! So you were interested in the attractions here in the plaza, right?" "Yes. I just couldn''t help it. From where I come from these type of attractions are not available like this..." "Ah, fear not! I will be explaining any attraction that you might be interested, but for the best of your interest, do you wish to buy something from the store?" "Um... I don''t have any min with me right now... Sorry..." "Ah, that''s not a problem! While some attractions cost min to play, our shop does not cost min. Instead, if you don''t have min, you can simply give Experience points to buy something from the store!" Experience points? Do I even have them, to begin with... "How do I check if I have experience points, Rodrik?" "Ah, yet another common question, Rei! You see, once you search through your menu and see your level bar, you will see that you have some stored experience points! Those, are experience points. However! I should warn you, once they reach 0, that''s about it! With that said, you should check yours!" Um, let''s see... Once again, by elevating my right index finger and sliding it down, the menu opens. My level bar says that I am level 7. That much, I already know. But, what I didn''t know was that one could spend their remaining experience points like this. 4393 experience points left to advance to level 8, it seems like. I currently have 765 experience points, it seems. By taking them out, it will probably mean that I can now afford something from the store. "I have 765 points of experience. Does that amount to anything?" "Ah, plenty, yes! Now that you have assured them, do you wish anything from the store?" "...What do you have for sale?" "Ah, I thought you would say that. We have a diversity of weapons, skills, spells and many other things for sale, choose wisely now!" Let''s see... What do I need right now? A weapon would be nice since I can store it inside my weapon inventory. By looking at the standings, there is a variety of swords, shields, guns, axes, bows, poles and crossbows. Woah!! How sick is that... Although, once again, I have to wonder, how come such things are here for sale? This could clearly be meant to kill someone, I think. Therefore, selling such things could be entirely questionable. "Permit me to ask, but, why are weapons that could kill people on sale like that?" "Ah, not an odd question, truly. But the answer to that is obvious. It''s strictly forbidden to kill people here in Ceulonia. These weapons are strictly for slaying monsters, or to engage in a confidential duel." "Yeah, but couldn''t a killer just ignore that and proceed to kill some nonetheless." "Ah, no such thing! Should a person kill someone, their soul will be thrown right into a forbidden dimension for all eternity. Furthermore, the dimension champion will immediately teleport to the killer''s location, apprehending him. To ensure that the killer is not successful with his doings, the dimension champion will cease justice. This rule was strictly set under the Ceulonia''s primal regulation index long ago. Long ago, people would try to achieve such things. Alas, the dimension champion always prevailed. Ceulonia today, is a fine land, thanks to them. Plus, once you have committed a crime here in Ceulonia, it will be under your profile. By simply scanning you, I can see that you have not committed a crime here in Ceulonia. If you had, I wouldn''t even bother selling you these weapons, you see. But don''t worry Rei! You are in good hands." D-Dimension champion? That''s just like... Master! So there are other people like you huh? This really shouldn''t come as a surprise. After all, as it says ''Dimension Champion'', it''s bound to belong to a certain dimension. This really confirms it, this dimension is already conquered since it has a Dimension Champion to it. Nonetheless, this is a fairly strict policy yet it''s amazing to preserve peace like this. A land with none dying under other''s doing. That''s amazing... "I see... That''s fantastic, really! Ah, sorry I will now choose what I want to buy... It''s... Huh.... Um......." ...This is hard because I have no idea what I want... "Pardon me. I just couldn''t help but overhear your conversation. Could it be that you are a beginner?" Approaching me from behind, a boy who is slightly younger than me, states his presence. With dark hair just like me, yet slightly milder. Utilizing long boots and brandish clothes, furthermore, with a whole unknown top to my knowledge, though it''s slightly gold with white shards all over his clothes, he stands before me. "Who are you?" "Forgive my lack of manners. I''m..... Lazol." Though unnecessary, Lazol bows down to me for not stating his name. That''s the first time someone has ever bowed down to me. Maybe I shouldn''t have asked that question since it came down to this. Still, what impressive manners. "T-That''s okay! I''m Rei. Nice to meet you, Lazol!" "Likewise, Rei." "Ah, could it be that this young man wants to help?" "Once again, forgive me, for I lack manners. Call it curiosity if you so desire, but seeing that you were having difficulty choosing your weapon made me want to help you out. I''m sorry." W-What''s with him apologizing so much? Can someone be so humble? "Ah, you misunderstood the situation, young man! Rei here is indecisive, so I think he would very much like your help. Isn''t that correct, Rei?" "Y-Yes. As you mentioned, Lazol, I am a beginner. If it isn''t too much to ask, would you help me?" I humbly ask away giving out a bow. "Raise your head, Rei. You shouldn''t bow down if you have done nothing wrong. Allow me to ask of you, how many EP do you have?" Although it took me a while, maybe like two seconds, I immediately came to the conclusion that EP stood for Experience Points. "I have a grand total of 765 experience points. It''s not much, I think..." "Nay! The price tag shan''t matter, as long as you wield your weapon with fortitude, it shall contain an undeniable price by itself!" Lazol surely just spoke some truth right there. Yet the price tag is always relevant because the pricier it gets the supposed better it is. "Ah, such truth, a warrior''s words, if I may say!" "What do you suggest I choose with just 765 EP, Lazol?" "Thou shan''t worry, I have just the ideal offer for you. My offer to you is the following! By buying the ''Myriad Blade'', it should be a fair bargain." It''s incredible how Lazol says every word with such intensity and enthusiasm. I''ve met two amazing people already, this is proven to be... more fun than originally given thought. However, there was another problem at hand currently. The so-called ''Myriad Blade'' costs 980 EP. Taking into consideration the fact that the only EP with me right is 765, the blade is... unaffordable! "...The Myriad blade costs 980 Experience Points... I only have 765 Experience Points..." "Sir Rodrik, is it alright if I split some of my EP with him?" "Ah, no need for such formality! Why, of course!" "Then it''s settled! I shall aid you on your pursuit for a strong weapon!" "N-No, I couldn''t... It''s really nothing... I can always buy a cheaper weapon, after all." "That can''t be! I insist! As a fellow swordsman, thou shall make radiance." I don''t think I''ve ever said that I was a swordsman. Nonetheless, when Lazol says such words, it''s impossible to say no. Though hiding it, my happiness bar was pretty high right now. To achieve a powerful weapon like that, a truly lucky circumstance. "Then, I''ll take your offer, Lazol." "I am most grateful. It is my pleasure to ensure a reinforcement to a swordsman''s arsenal." "Ah, then without any time to waste. I''ll be taking the 980 Experience Points from you Rei, and this fine chad, Lazol!" Fine chad? That''s a first. Regardless of that, by turning his eyes red, Rodrik firmly gazes to both I and Lazol. I''m assuming that he must have collected the supposed experience points. Just to make sure that it was like that, I will check the menu. Let''s see... Ah, that really did it. My level bar is back to zero. 5158 Experience before advancing to level 8, so it seems. "Ah, here is your sword, Rei! If you want to add it to your inventory, then hold your right hand in it for about five seconds!" That''s also a first. So this must be how you collect something. No, that''s dumb. One probably needs to fulfill conditions first. The conditions for this achievement was handing out Experience Points, if not then I could try and do the same thing to another weapon yet I doubt it would honestly work. A very clever system, I suppose. Abiding time, I hold my right hand into the sword''s main body for five seconds and then it disperses. Quickly after, by checking my weapon inventory, this could be witnessed: [Myriad Blade:] ? Attack: 18 ? Defense: 13 ? Velocity: 27 ?Strength: 21 Additional Feature: Gains the status and additional features of another weapon, once slain. However, if used this way, it will also gain any additional weaknesses that the slain weapon possesses. I''m a terrible judge, so I ought to ask someone far more experienced than me if there is anything noteworthy about this weapon. "Thank you so much, Lazol!" "N-No, again, it was my pleasure! If you would like, do you want to discuss a bit more?" "Sure." "How fantastic! Sir Rodrik, two lemonades please!" "Ah, chad, no formalities, just call me Rodrik!" "I''m flattered by your honesty, Rodrik. Allow me to thank you." "Ah, no need, no need. Just wait a bit, they will be right up, fresh lemonades for you two fine chads!" With that said, both I and Lazol take the most east seat which is right next to the board of the ship. Once again, an amazing view could be witnessed. However, to my surprise, there was something that was not present there before. Yes, with such height, it would be impossible to not notice. "W-Wow..." "What is it, Rei?" "Ah, it''s just that... Do you see that statue over there?!" Directing my right index finger to the golden statue that was right in the middle of the ocean, in the middle of nowhere, Lazol finally glances at it. "That''s our champion, Rebellyon!" "S-So that''s him?!" As much as I would like to describe the statue itself, it was too far away, even for the likes of my feeble eye. Nevertheless, such an epic statue stood by as we glanced upon its majesty. "You seem curious about Rebellyon. I take it that you would like to know more about it?" "Do you know about it, Lazol?" "Of course. It''s the most common tale of Ceulonia. The heroic decimator, Rebellyon!" "W-Woah, sounds awesome... Would you tell me about him?" "But of course!" To be continued. Vol.2 Ch.8: Broken Haste "Long ago, under unknown ages, the Ceulonia we had today was not called Ceulonia but instead treated as ''Balzhymir''. Balzhymir, unlike Ceulonia was a large land habituated by thieves, killers, people who would seek pleasure only for each other, etc. Those kinds of people lived inside Balzhymir. There are rumors that say that Rebellyon was originally part of Balzhymir. With that said, many people often considered him a hypocrite for belonging to a more savage kind. Soon enough, opposing forces began to form against the people of Balzhymir, as it was necessary to build order, ultimately restoring peace. Nay, I''m wrong here. There was never peace, to begin with, therefore it wasn''t about restoring, but about creating something new. Something that had not come to existence before, the ever graceful peace. With the mass forces joining together from multiple providences that desired the same goal, they held out their personal grudges and joined forces. All of this, because their goal aligned, thus royalty could be formed, which resulted in an ultimate alliance to take down the people of Balzhymir. However, as soon as royalty united all their striking forces and began to move towards the savage lands of Balzhymir, they were quickly defeated. It is also said that there were plenty of reasons for the royalty''s defeat. Lack of mortal combat experience, lack of levels, lack of weaponry, lack of training, overconfidence, premature euphoria, etc. Nonetheless, the true main reason as to why the royalty lost was because there was a human who was beyond human. Although nobody knows his real name, the man alone decimated a brutal number of royal forces all at once. Rumors go even further saying that he carried a sword that was twice his height. By that, it would mean that this man could extend his attack to double or even triple of his range, if possible. With royalty''s defeat, they had no choice but to back down from a fight they couldn''t win. Plus, for those who actually survived, which was a minor number, they weren''t able to fight due to their scourging fear after facing the decimator." "Ah, here are your two lemonades, chads. Oh, don''t mind me, continue on!" Perhaps I was too focused on Lazol''s story, that not noticing Rodrik coming by was just pure normalcy. Alas, the lemonades were exactly perfect. With the right temperature, cold, and having the right amount of sugar in them, just so it''s not too sour. Plus, with this semi-unstable heat wave, it''s really good to drink something like this. Yet again, my wallet is ripped, in other words, Lazol is paying for these lemonades. Though grateful, guilt consumes me. Usually, people who would pay you would be trying to take advantage of you, but Lazol is purely different. He is so honest that he himself doesn''t notice. Not to mention that he doesn''t lack manners. The heroic tale of Rebellyon is still being told, so assuming that it ended is a really abrupt move. "Sorry if I''m going too fast. Allow me to ask, do you understand everything so far, Rei?" Once again, the humbleness that lives within this teenager, also known as Lazol, is permanent. "So-So. Before continuing on, how was the royalty formed? I get that it was through an alliance, but under what people? Shouldn''t they be from Balzhymir?" "I see, that can be assumed. I''ve failed to preassume that. Ceulonia by itself is large! It''s our dimension after all. But, in the beginning, it wasn''t like that at all. Ceulonia was divided into 8 Continents. The one already mentioned was Balzhymir which was located right in the widest territory, which was located under the north-east. Thus, by being the largest territory, people labeled it as the world. However, again, as previously mentioned, that large land was habituated by nothing more than savage humans. But, although it was the widest territory, not all the Continents would stand-by. They desired to own Balzhymir, so they could spread the philosophy of peace. The main Continent who desired to incorporate such philosophy was the Continent who remained at the center, Lagrima. Lagrima had not the strength to progress in battle as much as Balzhymir did. Coming to that realization, Lagrima sought out an alliance with it''s every lasting enemy, the South Continent, Harion. The main premise of this alliance was a temporary cease-fire and the total extermination of Balzhymir. If this alliance was a success, then Balzhymir''s territory would be split into two. One part for Lagrima while the other for Harion. Both parties thought that it was a fair temporary alliance. To ensure further trust, the prince of Lagrima and the princess of Harion married each other. All for the sake of spreading out peace, ultimately achieving the extinction of the people of Balzhymir. That was how the royalty was formed. But, royalty is something that was already known in those times. However, this was the first royalty formed across Continents, so to speak." That makes a lot more sense. Though this is just a tale, Lazol knows a lot about this. Maybe he just loves history and geography as a whole? But, this really leaves out the question, if Lagrima and Harion fought together, then how come the Lagrima Continent did not seek out the aid of the other Continents? I feel as if asking that to Lazol will only delay this even further. I say this because as I look out to the ocean, a faraway land is starting to appear. Assuming it''s Kralima may be a premature assumption yet it''s exactly where this boat is headed. "Lazol, you know a lot about history, don''t you? How come? Do you study often?" "N-No, I simply acquire the necessary knowledge, it''s nothing outstanding!" My ass it''s not outstanding. You''re doing a better job than my history sensei. However, how come this knowledge is necessary, really? Questions like that keep pounding inside my mind as I sip in the chilly lemonade. "So, how exactly did Rebellyon become a hero?" "Hm... History itself cannot confirm this any further. Although I did say that my past words were rumors, they supposedly hold some truth in them. With that said, what I''m about to tell you is, what I believe to be the most accurate description of the tale!" It''s amazing how he says his words like there is a bomb that''s about to blow up. Even so, a tale can always be assumed that it''s false. Many would claim you to be a hypocrite, but I sincerely don''t see what''s so wrong with doubting something. By claiming someone as a hypocrite, the claimer itself is doubting the supposed hypocrite''s faith. We, humans, get caught up in the mood too much, therefore if we take a second or two to think about the subject at hand we can come up with a better answer. Or so, Master would say. His wordings come up a lot every now and then. "Do tell me, please." "Ah-ham! Continuing on, Lagrima and Harion''s forces proved to be useless against the savage might of the Balzhymir. So, they sought the help of a Continent that was not Lagrima nor Harion''s enemy. Unlike the rest of the six continents, there was one Continent who didn''t desire to spread out peace through destruction. Lying on the South-east, the Continent named Tealadia. Some say that Tealadia was too weak to ever oppose any other Continent, thus they were never seen in battle once. However, despite such shortcomings, both Lagrima and Harion begged Tealadia for help. Only to be rejected. Still, they tried, over and over, but never got Tealadia''s help. Until one day the wise King of Tealadia, finally came out and permitted their words to be listened to. From there on, under unknown terms, Tealadia fought, along with Harion and Lagrima against Balzhymir. That battle was named ''The Great Continental War''. The outcome of it was the defeat of Balzhymir, surprisingly. However, to defeat them, the King of Tealadia sacrificed himself to kill the decimator. Though unknown why several centuries later, the King of Tealadia was reborn, however, he looked exactly the same as the Decimator. Through many efforts and requirements, the King, despite being hated by its peers rose above all and became our champion. That''s right, this is the tale of someone who was turned from an evil person into a righteous one. The cycle of a true hero! Is what I want to say... But, as said before, I have no way to confirm this..." "In other words, you''re saying that a King who existed long ago, is now Rebellyon the decimator who would spread havoc and ruin?" "That''s what the older people say, that Rebellyon looks exactly like the King when he was younger. And that it was a miracle granted to us out of sheer retribution." "Retribution? What do you mean?" "Some people believe that the fact that the King was reborn, is a sign that the people of Ceulonia received a reward for preserving peace for so long. Yet, that was not possible without someone truly strong. Therefore, by administrating with his strength, Rebellyon became someone so powerful and mighty that he restored peace to the entire world. He also proposed that all the continents should unite themselves into one, under the same rules, for a greater cause. We were so blinded to realize something so obvious. Alas, under peaceful rules, our reborn dimension was formed, named Ceulonia. All thanks to our champion, Rebellyon." ...What an amazing tale. The epicness of a King who fought and died only to be brought back to the world exactly like his enemy, but instead of wreaking havoc, the King ascended as a champion, the hope for all who are in trouble. ...Master.... Do you also have an epic tale like this, I wonder? "Has Rebellyon ever lost to anyone?" "Nay. Rebellyon is omnipotent! However..." "However?" "...Around ten years ago, in the dimensional cup, he faced a truly strong opponent. Unlike all the other opponents, they all lost to Rebellyon yet this person surrendered." "Isn''t that normal though? If someone else is stronger than you, then surrendering is just a natural reaction." "Aye, you are totally correct, Rei. But, this opponent didn''t surrender because he was outmatched..." "Then, why?" "Unfortunately, I was only six years old at the time, so I had no way available to know how the duel went. But, according to actual witnesses, Rebellyon was not satisfied with him surrendering. People speculate that this was due to the fact that his opponent was not taking him seriously." "What? How can he do that?!" "I know right? Yet Rebellyon acknowledged some strange words for the public..." Lazol seemed a bit perturbed when he finished his sentence. If I had to take a wild guess, Rebellyon most likely faced someone who was stronger than him. I can''t exactly picture Rebellyon since I never saw what he looked like, but by the look of Lazol''s words, he does look pretty powerful. "Did he say something disturbing?" "No... It''s just that... He acknowledged his opponent, even when he surrendered... I can''t understand why..." "Oh, I forgot to ask, but you spoke the word ''dimension'' more than once already. Do you know about them?" "Eh..... Forgive me... It slipped my tongue, it seems." "Ah, no, it''s alright. I come from a different dimension. That''s why I''m glad someone mentioned the word." "Really?! That''s fantastic, Rei! But, it''s not too much of an orthodox meaning here in Ceulonia. In fact, it''s pretty common. Dimensions are treated as other worlds that exist besides this one. Thanks to those dimensions, the dimensional cup can be held every year!" Just as I was going to ask him more about that, my search was quickly interrupted, because, Lodya sent me a message. Lazol suddenly noticed that something was wrong although he most likely immediately understood what was going on. As I receive her message, I grab the lemonade cup and rapidly swallow the rest of the lemonade. Cah, that felt good! Anyway, I ought to send a message back. [Message log:] From: Lodya Message body: We are here. Hurry up. 57/90/165/9 ...On second thought something caught my interest right away. I''m not sure why I keep thinking that everything that my dimension had will revolve the same way in other dimensions, especially this one. From the looks of in Ceulonia, days can excel 30 or 31 days. Though, the limit to it is unknown. Same with months. Ninty?! Just how long does a year take anyway...? In my dimension, a day is based around the time my dimension circles around the sun. Then... Just how long is a day here? How long is a month here? Wait, do they even need to be as long as my dimension''s? What if they have alternative lengths? Lastly, the year of 165? Hold on... That might not be it, because, usually, the year is always located on the eastern side yet the number that is located on the most eastern side is 9. What if what I''m thinking is completely false? Do I have any way to know what I perceive is what I think I know it is? If so, then how can I be sure of this? Hold it, how can I be sure of anyt- "Rei, what''s wrong? Is there something troubling you? You seem out of the place." None of these thoughts will bring me any good right now. Right now, I need to relay a message to Lodya. Or do I? I don''t, right? If I simply meet up with Lodya and Zakarias then there is no harm. Ah, seriously why am I overthinking lately? "Sorry, Lazol! I gotta go now! It was a pleasure meeting you!" "Wait! I also leave here!" Really now? But as you can see, I''m in a hurry. Plus, paying Rodrik the lemonades is the first priority, therefore, I ought to leave quickly... Is what my train of thought should be... If leaving here quickly will enable me to quickly reach the departure gate, then that''s all there should be. But, ignoring the fact that Lazol has been such a help over these past minutes is not something ignorable. It''s without a doubt lack of respect. Sorry, Master. Very well does my intuition know that if this was you, you would leave without a second thought, however... "Do you have min to pay the lemonades?" "You best believe it. I have just the right amount, hehe." Lazol smirks as he shows me silver coins with unknown symbols in them. Ha, I guess he really is a reliable fellow. "Rodrik! Here is for the lemonades!" "Ah, not to worry chad! You two better make the fastest of all hastes, the gate is closing!" "Damn it! Lazol, let''s go!" "Affirmed! By the way... Are you fast?" Although at first, I didn''t understand the meaning of that question as we both leaped forward to leave the plaza. But, by the time I looked at Lazol once again, his unusual smirk was fixated right into his lips. It also didn''t take me long to realize what he meant as he formed a running stance. I knew full well what he meant by that. There was no way I would turn down a challenge from someone who has earned my respect. You are on! Outside the gate, Kralima port. Well, it''s not my fault. I did send him a message as he requested. If he loses his way and stays inside the boat, then that''s on him. That''s right, I am not to blame for his lack of responsibility. Even so, how come he is so calm about this? He never loses his edge, really. Does he trust him that he will make it that much? You could talk to me instead of staring at that boring book for once in a while. How are books interesting even? Experience and knowledge should be experienced through experiences not by reading some words someone wrote them... "Hey, is he really coming or what?" "Yeah." ''Yeah''. Can''t you think of a better word? So unexpressive, it''s like a ghost lives inside him. What''s more, to it is that he refuses to take his eyes and look at me for a second. When somebody talks to you, you are supposed to look at that person, not blankly stare at a book. What''s the book about anyway? ''The arbitration of a Jury'' or so it says. How boooooring. How can someone indulge himself in such boring and unpleasing topics? It''s no wonder none approaches you. But instead of you realizing that you always stay the same way, Zakarias. "We are closing the main gate. Step away from it. At least 3-4 meters, please!" And that''s the end of the line. I''m not sure what''s the benefit of blind faith. If the gates are about to get closed there is no way that he will make it. On the bright sight, this means... I will be able to spend time alone with him. ...That''s great now that I think about it. Maybe then he will actually look at me that way. ...If so, then why are the gates taking so much time to close?! C''mon, just close already, will you?! "It should be time." By putting a bookmarker inside the page he was reading, Zakarias closes his book, at last. Though, what does he mean by that? If he means that it''s time the gates get closed, then I think he is right. No doubt. Speaking of which, his book just disappears out of nowhere. I wonder if he stores it inside his inventory. Well, there wouldn''t be any other way to make it simply disappear, right? "Time for what?" "A late arrival." "WAIT FOR JUST A SECOND PLEASE!!!" Suddenly, a huge shout is fully heard among the people at the Kralima port. As it should, it was heard by me as well. Zakarias wasn''t so surprised as he saw a familiar face rise from above the gates along with an unknown face. Ah, this was probably under his predictions. Moooo, why couldn''t you just tell me? Nonetheless, the unknown face, which is a boy who is probably younger than all of us. His landing was perfect, almost too perfect. The way he landed after jumping from such height was clearly accurate. While Rei, had to backflip his way out. "What took you so long?" Telling Zakarias what really happened would just a true waste of time, because in the end... Lazol and I went on for a little running challenge. Damn it... I''m out of breath. If I was using Sky Breaker, then my velocity could have been better but Lazol beat me to it. The main premise of this challenge was to run at full speed right into the port while crossing through the gate, but as we both ran, we couldn''t touch other people. What this means is that, amidst all the people that were walking through the gate, we were not allowed to touch one. Or so to say, physical contact would be forbidden. There would be two ways to lose, the first is to make physical contact with any passengers while the other was, the one who reached the port last would lose.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. "Huf...Huf... Uh, just a little running, you see." "Just a little? You look dead tired." That''s not surprising. After all, as we both agreed to that, we were viewed as disturbers yet Lazol didn''t care and continued to march forward to victory. Not letting that pass by, I had to accelerate, but problems soon arrived. Multiple people who were disturbed started to abruptly move without any direction and some even made sure to be on my way. However, to contradict that, I dodged them, but Lazol was already so far up that at end of the race, he won. I was utterly defeated. "Great match, Rei! You run fast! I certainly didn''t expect you to only be behind 2 seconds. How impressive. Allow me to offer a handshake!" You even counted the time? What a savage. Nonetheless, by offering me a handshake, all the people present were watching and it would be rude to decline. Plus, declining wasn''t really in my own train of thought, as it was a respectful race, in all honesty. With that said, I do grab his hand and confirm the handshake. He also bowed. Lazol''s manners know no boundaries. One second later, as I bow down as well, both Lazol and I receive applauses from everybody standing there, including Zakarias. It wasn''t hard to guess as to why, but maybe, just maybe people saw us as exhibitioners. "Zakarias, what''s going on?" Reluctantly asks Lodya "Both Rei and the kid were making a running contest, to praise their efforts, applauding both of them is a way to express my intention. My intentions are to tell them that their efforts were entertaining and plausible." "A running contest? But you had no way to know it?" "If you pay close attention, by the time we were waiting outside of the boat, a diversity of steps could be heard all over the place. Some silent, while some are abrupt. The silent steps most likely belong to the elder passengers and tourists. A tourist won''t rush any matter the occasion, as a tourist''s goal is to enjoy nature. In all likelihood, rushing would ruin their experience while traveling, therefore by taking this slowly, they can get the best out of this trip. Furthermore, what would a tourist gain by rushing? Observation? Experience? Exhilaration? Something new? No, that''s very unlikely. A tourist should always enjoy what is unknown to them, for that, is most likely their goal. To enjoy the unknown. On the other hand, if a tourist doesn''t obey those actions, then can you call yourself a true tourist? I wouldn''t. But that''s just me. Thus, this takes me to the next step. An abrupt way of walking that could be heard loudly all over the main hall. We are not far, in fact, we are a bit close to the gate, so it was somewhat hearable from our standpoint. An abrupt way of walking could belong to someone who is in a rush. A rush could be labeled as a way to sprint to make haste. But for what? As far as we know Rei was late, so if he didn''t hurry up, he wouldn''t be able to be here. By the time you gave him your message, he was already coming, but something was delaying him. Now, what could have been delaying him? A matter of the occasion? But was there such an occasion? Most likely not, since he was in a hurry. Ultimately, the cause had to be a bigger issue. Maybe a person? As I listened closely, there were two abrupt steps. They were not synchronized, if they were then it could have either been: One, two or more people running at the same speed. Two, two people running against each other while competing against each other in terms of speed. As it turns out, it was most likely that. Although, I could be entirely wrong. There are infinite scenarios for this. I just simply claimed this to be the most likely scenario." While listening to his full head on explanation, the resonating applause stopped just to listen to the blonde man sitting on top of a small stop station. What was really surprising was how Lazol couldn''t contain his smile when Zakarias said such words. It''s not as if Zakarias was being mean to Lodya, but perhaps, he wanted to simply give her help. Of course, Lodya wouldn''t see that as help but just as a way of shutting her up. Although, if that was the goal, it was highly effective. "Amazing! Your explanation was fully spot on! I''m amazed by the brilliance of your theory. Would you give me your name, please?" "My theory was not that good. It had some holes in it. Besides, I just wanted to give her an explanation since she asked for it. My name is Zakarias, anyway." "Just Zakarias? Don''t you have a first name?" "Isn''t it fine just to call me by that name? It''s just a form to identify me. One name alone is enough to do so. There is no need for other names." "Zakarias, with all due respect, I will disagree. A name is so much more than identity itself. There could be other people around this world who share your name, wouldn''t that make confusion in such case? Besides, you should honor your relatives by using your full name, wouldn''t you agree?" "No, I don''t. I couldn''t care less if someone fails to identify me. I only need one name and that alone. If someone fails to identify me, then it''s their fault for not remembering how I look like. A name by itself isn''t the only way to resemble my own identity. There are far other methods to do so. My voice alone is different than everybody else. Every person has a different voice, therefore by hearing my voice for the first time, you are bound to remember how to identify me. My operation mode is also another method to identify me. By tracking down my actions, you could very well recognize my habits, therefore making assumptions about my identity. Really, there are plenty of other methods to unravel my identity, that name alone means nothing. If you think otherwise, your methodology is flawed." It might be crucial to forget how cruel Zakarias can be when delivering his opinion. Normally, when saying harsh words, the person will either make their tone softer just so the one that receives the information will not think ill of the information emitter. However, some people care not for such irrelevant circumstances as they harshly deliver their honest opinions without any second thought. Still, that was quite harsh to say, I''m sure that Lazol is only trying to get under his good side. "I will agree. My methodology is indeed flawed. Yet that''s no excuse to not use your given name. I think we can agree on this, right?" "While it is no excuse, I will not use it. It is my will. Under no circumstances will I hinder my own will just because others find it repugning the fact that I don''t use my given name. I never asked your name and to use your given name too, right? Is it not an act of unfairness to request such thing from a person when you yourself have not given out your name as well." Some people who are still watching this conversation go down had begun to flee, maybe because the conversation was truly going under a harmful direction. Both Lodya and I couldn''t help but watch both in silence. "It seems that I made some mistakes on my part. Allow me to amend that. My name is Lazol. I am sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I hope that there are no secondary emotions between us right now." "See? I could just ask you your given name as well. But, I am not. Because I don''t just unleash my curiosity on those who don''t want to be bothered. But... I suppose arguing won''t get us anywhere. I am sorry, Lazol." "No, no. I am the one who should apologize. As you previously mentioned, I was unleashing my curiosity, thus ending up partially taking a rude stance. That was truly shameless. I beg your forgiveness on my part." "No, please. It''s just my personality. Give it no second thought." "That''s right. It''s his rotten personality. Being rude to a little kid like that, how evil!" Interrupting the formality that was going on between Zakarias and Lazol, the silent girl makes her presence be noticed. Essentially, this conversation was going nowhere, I think. So interrupting this conversation might have just been the right move. Plus, if this ends up in an argument between Lodya and Zakarias, that''s fine. Because unlike this previous argument, Zakarias seems to actually have fun and not maliciously hand out words to reprehend others. I''m not sure if he himself notices that, but that''s how others will see it. Especially when the one being reprehended is slightly younger than him. "Why you... Like your personality is any better. You don''t think before you even speak, idiot." "It''s because you think all the time that you end up being such loner!" "I''m not a loner. I am just misunderstood by the rest of the world." "You only live inside your own world anyways!!" "....What''s so wrong with that?!" The usual went on. As mentioned before, this isn''t a scenario that I mind to witness, so it can be refreshing from time to time. Midst that, Lazol comes over to my own position. Now then, it''s time I ask some questions on my own, while those two argue to their heart''s content. "Lazol, if it''s alright to ask, where do you plan to go from here on?" Strangely enough, for someone who would know his own destination, Lazol has stayed on our side longer than expected. As soon as we arrived at the port, I thought that he would immediately leave to his own destination, but the very fact that he is still here could very well imply that he holds secondary intentions. If so, then when will you reveal them? With that said, there is an easier way to extract information. And that is, by asking. "Before that, do you have a destination, Rei?" Smart guy, asking the questioner a question. That''s one way to extract information without giving too much on your own. Initiating a questioning session for your own benefit only works if the one who is being questioned does not retaliate with another question. However, in this case, it''s exactly the opposite. I am in a bad spot, or so would be the correct train of thought. Yet by observing the situation and knowing Lazol, I know for a fact that he is not a bad person. Applying such methods on a person who is not bad in the first place is unnecessary. "Ralcultak. Do you know it?" "Of course! What a coincidence, we share the same destination! You see, I am on a journey to find some important items! And for that, I need to pass through three places!" "Lazol, what are those three places?" Quickly intercepts Zakarias. "I could tell you, but... Will you allow me to accompany you? I''m assuming you three are together with the same goal, correct?" I''m not so sure about Lodya. Her reasons for coming are still unknown to me for the most part. However, I and Zakarias share the same goal alright. Nevertheless, asking to accompany us right off the bat? So that''s what was keeping him here? Wait... Wait... There is something that I have not done yet... It''s not too late, I can do this. That''s right! While Zakarias is busy talking to Lazol, this could work. It can work. Now then... Hm, that''s a little bit unexpected, although it was somewhat expected as well. A person who knows a bit about swordsmanship. No, he probably knows more, right? If he recommended me such a sword even after checking how the sword is, it''s alright to assume that he is a swordsman. If so, then he could very well be a good addition to our arsenal, even if it''s just temporary. "Our goal is to find out more about Atlas''s. To secure our goal we will venture to the main citadel, Ralcultak. I don''t mind you coming along, but you have to provide us something in return." "That being?" "Information about the Atlas''s. Unlike we, you aren''t unfamiliar with the rest of the world." "Actually, if I may say, this is the first time I''ve been here! But, there might be a degree of truth in what you just said. I know quite a bit about them. But, that''s only on our terms if we pass through the three places that I want to go first." He knows how to negotiate. By proposing this, he is hereby saying that he will, not only provide us help about our goal, but accompany us to Ralcultak. If given a thought, that''s a double win for us, no matter how you look at it. Unless the places that he wants to go are super hard and contain monsters with levels beyond normalcy. But, I find that unlikely. After all, he is level 23. He wouldn''t risk his life in a place that has the upper hand on him. However, that''s likely, if he wants to achieve his goal by sacrificing some of us. That is extremely illogical though. Under normal circumstances, it''s not, but considering his personality and nobility, that''s very hard to believe. "Deal. List your stops." Saying that I didn''t expect Zakarias to agree with Lazol would be an understatement. Zakarias will most likely not agree with something unless he has the upper hand on the deal. He gains benefits from this, two to be more precise. But, it''s not as if Lazol doesn''t win anything as well. He gets to rely on three people, which I assume is far more beneficial to us. If he was a level lower than me, then my perspective would change. First things first, by ensuring that we have a strong party, our chances of survival are pretty high. Once we go into the wild, assuming we do, we will face monsters whose levels are unknown to us. Therefore, this temporary party is beneficial to both sides. Being sure about the information that he will give us about Atlas''s is a little bit unrealistic. Yet, judging by our previous conversations, once Lazol clearly affirms something he knows for a fact a lot about that subject at hand, so I don''t think that we are on the losing hand here. Nevertheless, Lazol intends to go to three places which are not known to me. Assuming it''s unknown to us as a whole, is stupid. "Allow me to thank you for your grand understanding. I''m assuming you plan to go to the citadel by via walking, yes?" "That''s correct." "As expected. Mind telling me what your course will be towards the main citadel?" "I can, sure. But, I don''t have a map." "Not to worry. As someone who plans to venture the unknown, a map, is of the essence!" Soon after, Zakarias suggested that we should head towards a caf¨¦ for further discussion since standing up while discussing can be extremely tired. Not exactly tired, but there are better ways to preserve your own energy instead of standing up for no reason. Lodya suggested that we bought nothing because we will most likely need min in the future. I do agree with that. Although, since Lazol is so reliable he insisted to buy us drinks. I ordered water, while Lodya and Zakarias ordered Peach Juice. Maybe, I should have gone with that. Lazol, on the other hand, didn''t drink anything. Since Lazol was too focused on laying down the necessary locations and stops, we could gaze at a giant map which covered the whole table. Of course, even though it''s huge, it can revert back to the inventory, so size does not actually matter in this case. "I see. So when we reach Naguryl, we should make a short cut to the west side, which will allow us to reach the Maldreadia Caverns faster?" "Yes, that''s exactly it. Although your way to the citadel remains correct, if we go through this short cut, we can reach the Maldreadia Caverns with haste. Furthermore, once we are done there, by taking our way back to the main course, instead of returning to the original course, if we go North-East, we will be on the right track once again, but just a little further up, which should be ideal. Would you not agree so?" "Not quite. Reaching Naguryl utilizing the main course is not an option." "Why?" "The main course to it will have a construction site. If you read the journals you will know that the main road will be blocked. Therefore, once we reach Phaloquiris, we need to cut to the west and then go North just so we don''t collide with the main course. The main course is fine, except for the construction site." "What do you suggest, then?" "When we are done with the Caverns, we will head back to the main course, but instead of going to the center, we will go East and then proceed to our next stop." "Wait, there is something I''m not understanding. I do agree that we should avoid the main course, but when we leave the Caverns, couldn''t we simply go North-East as mentioned previously?" "That''s a no. For two reasons. One, the construction site doesn''t limit itself to the main course, but it goes even further to the west. In other words, our way would get blocked either way. As for reason number two, have you wondered why the main course is under constructions?" A fair point. Though, once I read the actual journal it was clear as to why it was under construction. ''Main fortress of Naguryl gets destroyed overnight''. Such words were on the main cover of the journal. Although this is not enough to actually concretely identify the ones or the one responsible for this. It could very well be monsters out in the wild. Or maybe... "The fortress of Naguryl was destroyed overnight. Isn''t that it? Why is that a problem, though?" "That by itself is not the problem. It''s irrelevant whether or not the fortress gets destroyed. What should be relevant is ''who'', not ''what''. To reach the answer to ''who'', it''s not important to question ''what'', but ''how''. Let''s think about it for a second, what could have been the main source for the fortress to be destroyed?" "Monsters? They are always the cause for these type of things, aren''t they?" Says Lodya. "I will agree with Lodya. Monsters seem the most likely to cause something like this, in my opinion." "What about you, Rei?" Asks Zakarias. Tricky question. Who could have destroyed a fortress overnight? Let''s see, by the look of the picture in the journals, it would only make sense for something this huge to be destroyed by abnormally large and overpowered monsters. But, I have no way to guarantee that such a creature even exists in that area. That''s right, Naguryl is our third stop, before that we will have to advance to the North which will lead to Wogyl. To simply answer that the ones who destroyed the fortress would be monsters would be illogical. As to why it''s illogical, it''s due to the very fact that, if such monsters were close by then why build a fortress there? That doesn''t make sense. Therefore, one of the most logical options here would be... "Maybe it was people who destroyed it. It was overnight." "I have the answer to this question. But first, allow me to correct all of your reasonings. Lodya, you are not wrong to assume that this could have been caused by monsters. However, a fortress will have their own guards. If it''s a fortress then it''s most likely someone''s, right?" "Now that you mention it... That might be true. Then, it really was a bit impossible for monsters to attack the fortress since the guards will protect it, right?" "And no. Those guards could easily lose if the monsters have the upper hand on them. Either by numbers or by levels. Monsters are savage, they aren''t exactly capable of having intelligence for the most part. It''s highly unlikely that they would think of something like this on their own when they can''t really even gather a single thought on their own." "Then, what could have been the cause?" "I''ll get there. Lazol, you said that Monsters were the most likely to cause something like this, in your opinion. Why is that?" "I thought that, if the monsters were being commanded by a greater force, something that contains intelligence, then those monsters, under the right command could have destroyed the fortress by themselves. Shamans have that ability. Maidens as well, they can tame beasts to their liking. The only difference is that a Shaman will most likely use those monsters for evil doings, while a Maiden would use them for more justifiable causes." "I see. Your reasoning isn''t bad. In fact, I don''t think I have a way to prove it wrong, but there is a better option for this. Which leads to what Rei said. Rei, you said that people did it, right?" "Ah, yes. But, in a sense, don''t I and Lazol share the same base to our reasonings? Lazol''s theory implies that someone was behind those monsters, a Shaman. And I said that people might have destroyed the fortress. We share the same base, I think." "Not exactly true. Yes, you do share some of the same base knowledge, but only to a certain extent. You said that people destroyed the fortress, that means that the possibility of monsters being behind is completely eliminated. While Lazol said that there was someone behind the monsters'' doings. It''s quite different you see. Anyhow, Rei''s option is by far, perhaps the best, but it was not just some random person. You have to consider as to why someone or maybe a group of someones would go out of their way to destroy a fortress. It would be extremely reckless to destroy a fortress while someone is there. Yet, to our surprise, nobody was there. If you look at the journal you will notice that it says that the landlord was away on some business. Of course, there are guards protecting it, but that''s about it." That''s certainly true. ''Away on a pursuit for better negotiations, the landlord Japhra had gone to Alwicia in business''. That''s what it says in the third paragraph. "But, this alone isn''t enough to identify the ones who did it. Which will take us to the last step." "Last step?" Asks Lodya "Yes. Look there please." Points Zakarias to a rusty board "Ahh!! I see what you mean now!" Exclaims Lazol "That took you long, wanna do the explaining now?" "With grace. I believe that Rei was correct, but just as Zakarias mentioned it wasn''t just some random people. That rusty board over there contains bounty hunts. Many are for monsters who trouble the lands. To any bounty hunter''s aid, a scanner goes through the lands just to examine their level, weakness, strengths, etc. So, that is right there on the board. However, amidst that, there is a separate section." "What does that separate section contain?" Just as Lodya asks away, I was also curious about what Lazol''s answer would be. "Individual/Group Bounty Hunts. Basically, not all people like the way Ceulonia works. There is always rebellion amidst peace, it''s an unshatterable factor, unfortunately. While some Individuals are known and have their identities posted on the board, there are some Individuals or Groups that are unknown." "Wait a second. Wouldn''t these people just be intercepted by the Dimension Champion, Rebellyon, though? I thought that crime didn''t exist for the most part around here." "That''s normally the case, however, there are exceptions to this. There are professional killers out there who are never caught for their crimes. The most common cause for this is spells, skills or Atlas that allow them to fluently kill people. Although Rebellyon intercepts such crimes, he can only attend one place at once. What I mean is, he can''t intercept two murders at once, if they are under the same area." Thus, my question gets answered. Then, Rebellyon by itself can''t really protect Ceulonia as a whole all the time. There are exceptions to this, I suppose. "Nevertheless, it''s fair to assume that either an Individual or a Group has done such doings." "I will now take it from here. Thanks. This was simply to explain as to why we can''t cross the North-East side. Because these bounties might be there. Also, a fair mention is that that rusty board containing the bounty hunts, only apply to this area, Kralima. But, our goal is not to worry about them. Our goal is to avoid and proceed to our goal swiftly. Hence, crossing to our original course after we are done with the Caverns and go to the East is ideal. I think we can make faster progress if we ignore those bounty hunts. Besides, there are bounty hunters on the look for them. No need to feel like a hero all over the sudden. We aren''t the only ones who know about this. That''s what I want you three to have in mind right now. In other words, we will avoid going to the North-West because there might a chance we face a frontal confrontation with a bounty hunt. Fighting one or an unknown number is not our priority. Ultimately, we will reach our goal if we do this carefully. Any objections?" "Agreed, I think we should avoid trouble at all costs. I believe that my three stops will cause trouble enough and that we should prepare for the utter necessary. Losing time is not my cup of tea if I daresay." Adds Lazol "Lodya, what about you?" "Hmm... Even if there is a fight, you can just beat them, can''t you?" "....Listen to me for once, will you... Rei, what are your thoughts?" As much as I would enjoy agreeing with him, there is something that I can''t supposedly agree with. "I don''t have any objections. But, if we do find one along the way, can we dispose of it?" "Of course, if the bounty hunt confronts us at full force, we are obligated to fight. But, just under those circumstances." "That''s fine. I''m in." Letting danger spread out when it''s in front of someone who has the power to deflect it is not the way of the strong, but the way of a coward. Master, I will be sure to honor those words. "Move out!" Says Zakarias as he gets up from the table. To be continued. Vol.2 Ch.9: Teneb "In any case, if we do encounter a bounty hunt, shouldn''t we evaluate our current strength for such possible occasion?" While making our way to Wogyl, it is important to take notice of our surroundings. Unlike the rest of Kralima, the rest of the upcoming regions will be very different. Many are even avoided by several people due to its natural conflict with nature itself. This is to say that, Wogyl is also known as ''Lagrima Rift''. In other words, often, a rift is a word used to describe a break or a disruption in some sort of way. In this scenario, the Lagrima Rift is a crack that happened long ago between a war of attrition in the space gap of centuries ago. What''s worse is that the Lagrima Rift is supposed to have a huge crack of snow right in the middle of it. Thus, the main way to proceed into Naguryl is somewhat blocked. Even so, there is always a way. If there is an easy way to something then there is undoubtedly a way to open an avenue. However, that way is probably way harder. Now, about the question that this new guy Lazol asked. It would be extremely convenient to ask that because we will fight monsters along the way. There is no point in even deceiving myself over this. Ever since I had the ability to fight back and learn how to outlast monsters, I did exactly that. I do understand that this time around we have no idea what we are up against, therefore to confirm our current strength should be a valid question to the current matter. "What do you think, Zakarias?" That question is a bit unnecessary. Because all of us can simply look at each other and scan our levels. I''m level seventeen, while Lodya is level fourteen. Normally, I would be against her on the battlefield for specific reasons, but, if we are four then this shouldn''t be a problem. Is, what I wanted to say. But, in the face of the current reality, our party is an odd one. As mentioned, I myself am a level 17, Lodya is a level 14. On the other hand, to contrast that, Rei is level 7. Awkwardly enough, he has made it out fine with just being level 7. That''s not the point here though. Realistically, we never had to fight, to begin with, me and Rei back in the Island simply recurred to the usage of strategies that were the best against monsters. Yet that''s exactly the problem. It was only good against those monsters. I knew how to counter those monsters from back to front. Then, this leaves us in a tight spot. In all likelihood, if a monster that is over his level by at least 10 or so levels engages him, then he is dead, most likely. Lastly, the surprise of the party is, Lazol. He is at level 23. I wish I could be happy about this, but trusting him seems to be too much of a beginner''s mistake, so I will keep an eye on him. "Rei, why ask the question when you already know the answer?" "I thought I knew the answer to that, but Lazol seems promising no?" I suppose it''s fair to assume that Lazol is bound to be a bit strong due to his level. It''s a fact that to gain experience points, one has to engage in multiple battles with monsters who are most likely higher in terms of levels in comparison to the engager. And that''s the right assumption. Though, in this case, the question was to evaluate our current strength. If I had to say, then some changes need to be made. "Lazol, you mentioned that we should question our current strength in case we do encounter a bounty hunt, right?" "Yes, that is correct. Although, as you mentioned previously if we do follow the right path, then we can avoid the bounty hunts." "I would like to correct my own misjudgment. I don''t think we can avoid any bounty hunts at the moment." "Wait, what? But didn''t you just say a while ago that if we do follow your strategy that we could avoid them?" "I did say that, but as mentioned it was my own misjudgment. Misjudgment is caused by a lack of consideration. That''s exactly what I just did. Think about it for a second. Isn''t it risky to simply follow onwards when we know nothing about our potential enemies? We should at least have a general idea of what we could be up against yet we know nothing. Furthermore, I will answer your question, Lazol. Our current strength is lacking, and here is why." I say as I hand him the piece of the journal that I was carrying. Lodya''s question was a good one, I will give her that. We could have maybe avoided the bounty hunts if we followed my strategy. But after rethinking about it, it''s highly unrealistic that such events do not happen. We are at a stage where we are incredibly low level, the perfect appetizer for bounty hunts if one thinks about it. I am in a hurry to get to Ralcultak, but, by no means, am I in a rush to die. By the time I gave him the journal he should have understood what I was talking about. Lazol, though young, can pose good questions. It''s good to have someone like him, even temporarily. Otherwise, my assumptions will never get questioned and then I will assume that they are correct. Thankfully, he did exactly just that. And for that, grateful I remain. "I see your point. Then, what do you suggest we do for now?" "Go over the last page. Tell me your thoughts, please." "...Assuming that we do end up following the route right now and engage such monsters that are on that level, no, above these levels, then we shouldn''t follow the path to Ralcultak at all. I''m an idiot, as the highest leveled up member here, I should have realized." "And I should have capitalized. This was too good to be true. We are only left with that option, are you fine with that?" "I''m more than fine with that. To repay for my mistake and my own foolishness, I believe that we should go there." "Good to know that we have an agreement. But first, do you have an original ability, Lazol?" It would be seriously anticlimactic to have another member without an original ability. Plus, it strictly says that, in order to enter there, one needs an original ability. Otherwise, entering would be impossible. But, if he has read this far and has realized the current situation, then I think it''s highly unlikely that he doesn''t have an original ability. Although, one cannot be certain about what one always assumes. "Yes. It would be rather problematic if I didn''t have one, according to this." "Um, what are you guys talking about?" Maybe it''s a habit of mine, but I tend to always turn blind on other people whenever I seriously initiate a discussion with someone. Essentially, by going there we can, not only be prepared this time around but instead of blindly moving forward, we can also gather more strengths and defenses to our own arsenal. However, before that, there is one thing that needs to be done before that, and that''s the most obvious one. "M''lady, I believe that Zakarias is telling us that we should head someplace before we could advance. Wouldn''t that be it, Zakarias?" What was that ''M''lady'' for, even? Putting that randomness aside, it''s only normal for Lodya to question my words entirely. I''m surprised that Rei has not spoken, aside from his initial question. Maybe he understands that in order to move forward we need to move forward in other aspects as well. If that''s the case then that''s perfect. "Alright, I need you two to listen up for just a minute here. As I said, we can''t advance onwards because I made a misjudgment. To prevent that, we need to make sure that we have the strength to back it up. Currently, our strongest member is Lodya, in all likelihood." She is the strongest, but it''s not due to her original ability, but due to that overpowered Atlas that she has. I know for a fact that, if that Atlas is used correctly, it can be devastating. But, that might just be another point. Relying on her Atlas is a fragile move. I say this because her original ability by itself is not the greatest there is. Plus, Rei really needs to get his own original ability. But, I''m somewhat curious about his ''Sky Breaker''. That skill seemed pretty powerful, I would very much like to see him use it seriously, in order to assure what our assets are at the moment. "W-Wait, how am I the strongest?" "You just are." "Agreed." "If they both say so, then I will trust their judgment." Rei knows as to why Lodya is strong, but the very fact that Lazol gave out his word like that brings surprise, that''s for sure. He seems to have a very noble personality from what I could tell. Our past argument was unfortunate because we started off from the wrong foot, yet he has proven to be a help so far. But, that argument was necessary, sincerely. "You guys aren''t making any sense you know... I''m only level 14, just saying..." "That doesn''t matter. You have the Elder''s Atlas. That by itself is worth at least twenty levels." She probably won''t notice and I hope that nobody takes the last part seriously since it was an obvious lie. But, her Atlas is so powerful that it immediately makes her the strongest member right now. This is assuming that Lazol doesn''t have an Atlas on his own, even if he does, it would take a lot to outlast her Atlas. If she doesn''t realize this, then that''s fine. She will gain the prowess to master the Atlas on her own. After all, the Atlas is passed down from generation to generation, or so the Elder said. "Pardon me, but you have an Atlas?! That''s amazing! I dream about having one, every now and then!" I would dream about it as well, but the reality is, I have no idea how to forge one. So far all I''ve got is a recipient for my own original ability. Speaking off which, in order to forge my next form, I need to make a stop somewhere around Kralima, while we are still here. It''s not enough to have four forms on my own. On my way to Ralkultac, I will need at least ten or so forms. Each of them needs to have their own diversity in terms of powers. As much as I would enjoy cutting down the conditions and consequences, that''s fairly impossible. I suppose that''s a fair bargain, though. To ask for a greater power asks for a greater drawback to being applied. At least, that''s how original abilities work. "Haha, it''s just a present from my grandfather, it''s nothing special, really. Do you want to see it?" "If you would allow someone like me to even glance at it, then I would be the happiest person in the world at the moment, M''lady." Again with the ''M''lady''. This guy. I need to keep an eye on him for a couple of reasons. He requested that we accompanied him over his course to his three stops. So far, only one stop is known, that being, the ''Maldreadia Caverns''. Although I said to him to list his stops he only went as far as to list one, which raises even more suspicion. Trusting someone who I know nothing about is a bland mistake to make. More so, his abilities are unknown to me, but when he and Rei were running inside the boat, he landed perfectly on the ground from a fairly high height. Even for a young age, his physique might be extraordinary. Also, his original ability is unknown. All that is known about him is his name and level. That''s the disturbing part. That''s not enough to create a trusting bond. Some would call this insecurity, but isn''t this just taking every option into consideration? It is. Ultimately, if he agreed with me to go there, then he is either serious about this or he will completely run away. That''s right, while this is a quest for evolution, this is a test for the truth as well.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. "Zakarias, are you okay? You seem serious all over the sudden." I didn''t notice Rei approaching me, but that was simply because I was too focused on my own train of thought. That''s normal, really. It just means that I am doing a good job on my own concentration. Concerning one''s seriousness is nothing to fret about. Especially when my intentions are for the greater good. Yes. If my intentions serve a greater cause, then it should be fine to be looked like a bad person to others. After all, my intentions are what matter as they will flow into the course of my own actions. Still, if I don''t relax every now and then, who knows what I might look to others. It''s not exactly my cup of tea to look like a villain to others out of my own free will. "Sorry about that. Anyways, I needed to have a word with you and you alone, now that those two are busy conversing between one another." "I''m afraid that we are too weak to advance or something like that, I think. But I thought that you alone would be a match for all of our upcoming enemies, Zakarias." As if it''s that easy. Rei, sometimes you don''t know how to exhibit intelligence, even at the lowest of all degrees. Or maybe, I''m the one who is not seeing his perspective. Be as it may be, my abilities have more consequences than actual conveniences to it. Thus, my ability to take down enemies is severely dependent on those conditions, is what I would like to tell him. But, if I tell him this it would just probably lower his own moral to a whole new level. He doesn''t seem to be very confident, but that might just be a signal that he is probably considering things as they are now. If so, that''s great. "Greatness just in self can only be occasionally great. Either way, you want to get your original ability as soon as possible, correct?" "About that. Yes, I do. But, I will ask again, how exactly do I get my own original ability?" The fated question. Being initially reluctant about answering this question might have been for the best. No, answering this question earlier would only provoke further misunderstandings and unnecessary speculations to be created. That''s not a good thing. However, although I know how to get one, I would like to pass my time effectively, in other words, to gather some usefulness for our own benefit. Besides, our time just got a lot smaller. Originally, the plan was to go right into Ralcultak by following the correct path, and along with that way to pass through Lazol''s desired stops while receiving information about the Atlas''s. Supposedly, the only reason as to why I''m in this is for the sake of obtaining the Atlas. When I do, I can apply this recipient in it to make my own abilities even more powerful. Lastly, the end goal would be... No, to achieve the end goal perfectly, I will need more. So much more. More than I can currently take. In order to receive more and more to my own power, when Rei finishes obtaining his own original ability, we will direct ourselves there. However, if he doesn''t have an original ability, then he can''t enter there. That''s our current issue right now. "Original abilities are obtained from craft stores. There are automatically at least two over each region. Furthermore, aside from being able to produce your original ability faithfully, a craft store is, in other words, a bazaar of goods, overall. It sells anything that a beginner would want. Spells, skills, weapons and many more." "But, does an original ability cost min?" "No, it doesn''t. If I had to say, it costs a similar price. But that''s only something you can hope to understand when you are inside a craft store." "I see. Thanks for that. Another thing I wanted to ask is if we can''t advance from here on, then when are we going to?" "For that, you are better off asking Lazol that." "Why can''t you answer it, though?" "Because I need to be in a certain place right now. Ask Lodya or Lazol to go over to a craft store in my place, will you?" "Wait, where are you going, Zakarias?" "To a certain place, did I not say it before? Let''s meet there. Lazol will know where. Ciao!" Leaving confusion inside Rei''s mind, Zakarias takes off as he goes straight into the west direction. Kralima, being the vast rustic city that it is, is a place of many zones. It contains so many different types of places that one could easily get lost in it. Amidst that, Zakarias makes his leave to a place where he, himself knows that he is unreachable. Feeling in doubt, Rei gazes to the standing moon and sun while closing his eyes a bit due to the penetrating light that the sun emits. Even against this sunlight, the moon had no power to illuminate its most unique crescent majestic moonlight. Yet, the people that still roamed Kralima admired such normalcy. What could be said to be normalcy was without a doubt, something obscure and orthodox to the man who went to where a smiling girl was while she was happily explaining the story behind her most treasured possession at the moment. Just like a child hoping to understand something that cannot be explained, the young man Lazol continued with his persistence. This exact moment brought forth a memory of Rei enjoying his past three years with someone who had given him the reason to move forward in this life of his. While he remains forever grateful, he can''t help but to always wonder for what purpose did the one who gave him such purpose would go as far as pushing him into an unknown dimension. However, unlike what most would expect out of him, he happily smiled while he made his way to where Lazol and Lodya were sitting. Right into the left chair he went. In the end, he maintained his small smile and was gladly received by these two companions of his. Meanwhile... The Lost Sea Taskbar. "Greetings." "Greetings. Please tell me anything you know about the current bounty hunts from this region." The Lost Sea Taskbar. Unknown to many due to its strange location is a taskbar that sells drinks and the usual at a bar. However, there is one reason as to why this taskbar is preferred among hunters, especially hunters who don''t just hunt for the sake of hunting and winning rewards. Many of the bounty hunts revolve around the purpose of obtaining a large amount of min it is initially proposed right into the hunting bill. But, that''s about it when it comes to regular hunts. Hunts inside this taskbar go further than simple huntings. Around four years ago, while I was away from the Island on my way to train outside of the village, I managed to find this place, but by the time I found out about it, I was too weak and underleveled. Hoping to come back here one day, I trained like hell. Thus, I''ve gained fourteen levels since then along with my original ability. "You have been here before, have you not?" "Yes. It was around four years ago if my memory recalls correctly." "Have you come back stronger?" "That''s what I want to find out." "Very well then. Are you ready?" "Please." I''m not saying that completing regular hunts that are around the bill posting caf¨¦s are easy, no, that''s not it. But, it''s just that, the rewards are somewhat bad. In the end, what a caf¨¦ can offer one for slaying a bounty hunt is nothing more than min. That itself is by no means bad. However, it''s also by no means good enough. To enter the Subterra, each of us needs 2,500 min just for the entry. I''ve told Rei that he should ask Lazol for further instructions, therefore I am expecting him to get a hold of his original ability when I get to the supposed place. Otherwise, entering Subterra is out of the question. Getting his original ability is one thing, but the most worrying part is the humongous price one has to pay just to enter Subterra. We are currently broke and relying on Lazol to pay us everything, assuming that he does have the min for it, is, again, out of the question. Blind trust only leads to demise. As the bartender questions my resolution, the following option appears right in my screen: [Join Lost Sea''s Hunting League?] [Yes or No?] There is absolutely no reason as to why I should decline this in the first place. This is what I came for. By joining the Lost Sea''s Hunting League, it will take hunting down bounty hunts to a whole new level. Not like I wouldn''t be glad to hunt down regular hunts, but it''s a matter of motivation for the most part. While there are pleasant rewards to regular hunts, if there is a greater reward in another, then it''s natural to seek the greater reward. But, as a downside to that, there is a greater danger to those hunts. Although, that''s really what I''m about to find out, really. "Great! Welcome aboard, lad! Just sign this up and you will officially be a member of the Hunting League!" Says the old man as he hands me down a paper along with a pen. Well, it wouldn''t make much sense to go under this without a registration process I suppose. The following page looked something like this. ???? ??? ??????? ?????? ???????????? ???? ???????? ????: ???: ???: ?????? ??? J??????: ???????? ??????? ???????????: ????V??? ?????? (????????): There was more to it, a list of terms. It was nothing special as it''s always a protocol of rules and whatnot, but as long as one limits himself to his own hunt, there shouldn''t be any problem. However, there was one rule that caught my eye for a second. ''A hunter cannot choose a hunt that a hunter has already chosen to hunt.'' This could very well imply that if I choose one hunt then I will have to commit myself to that hunt and that nobody else can accept my own hunt. Violating this protocol will lead to one''s expulsion and furthermore, that hunter is forever banned from taking any hunt inside Ceulonia. Talk about harsh, but it''s a correct necessity. There was also a rule stating that a hunter has about one week to hunt down their hunt, otherwise, if failed, the hunt will become available to another hunter. That''s normal, I suppose? I mean, if there was an infinite time for a hunt, then most of the hunters would probably be up to no good. What comes to my mind is that this rule was established to prevent people from doing unnecessary things, such as joking around when this is quite serious. You are putting your life on the line for hunting down these hunts. "There, is that enough?" I ask as I return back the registration paper. "Thank you. However, for the purpose of hiding your own identity, we use codenames here. Is there a codename that you wish to use?" "Just curious, but for what reason is there a need to hide your own identity?" "As you can see, this taskbar has hardly usual customers, since most people come here for these elite hunts. Whenever going through the Hunting board, one could see the true name of the hunter. This would create a problem back then due to the following reason: If a hunter is reported dead, their hunt becomes available to other hunters. Hunters are usually greedy around here because the reward for each hunt is tremendous. Therefore, other hunters would often kill other hunters just for the sake of obtaining their hunts. To ensure that this isn''t a problem, we have a codename system now. If someone now sees your codename on the hunting board, they will not be able to identify you since they have no way of knowing it. Also, this registration page that contains your cardinal name is highly confidential, so none can access it and see your real name." That certainly makes sense. This just shows that people who do these elite hunts are in it to win it. This isn''t a walk in the park, no, this is a highway to hell straight away. I have to say, this is a good idea, the fact that you can hide your own identity out like this is oddly convenient. This just enforces one to be cautious above all things. Also, as I learn more about this already established system that is very well known around this taskbar, I can move on to my next step. Grabbing the pen that is already still on the counter, I also grab a small paper on my right, which is usually used for cleaning up your mouth after drinking, supposedly. Lastly, I write my new identity. "Here." "Clever move to hand out your new identity like that. You earned my praise." "Save the flattery. Can you tell me now about the bounty hunts?" "You should know this by now, but there is no turning back now. It will be a struggle for your life once you go out there to hunt down these monsters. Monsters don''t limit themselves to savage creatures, but often are the types of creatures that we are the most familiar with. In other words, humans. Even knowing this, do you still want to put down these hunts, even if it means walking into straight hell?" Hell? What do you know about hell, old man? Only people who have walked through true hell should ever mention the word hell. If so, then I suppose that we are one of a kind. Hell walkers who stand right inside the Heavens. Demonic pretenders. How interesting. "Bring it on." It''s been a while since I''ve been this excited about something new. Boredom is like a disease that infects those who live under normalcy and most of all, surrounded by that which is considered natural for others. Although this feeling isn''t relatable to many, this exhilaration to experience something new is consuming my current self as we speak. To be continued. Vol.2 Ch.10: Lingering Indulgence "Before I get on with the bounty hunts, since you are now a member of the hunting league, I am obliged to give you this, here." As I questioned what was right in front of my own two eyes, the old man proceeded with his explanation. My own question was already too obvious to be asked, either way, it was bound to be discovered, these items that appeared right on the clean counter. "The first item is called ''Time Gazer''. Unlike most items that are only useful for a short amount of time, this item is permanent. I should warn you, this item isn''t for sale anywhere else inside Ceulonia. Guard it with your life. As I was saying, this item is permanent, therefore, the moment you use it you will gain the ability to see someone''s health bar. In other words, their life points. I feel like that''s self-explanatory, so I will move on to the next item." He is right. It is self-explanatory. Although, it''s not self-explanatory just because. There is a certain logic as to why it is self-explanatory. Just as every weapon and every person has a status attribute into them, mainly the number for their strength, defense, velocity, and attack, there is obviously more to it. I feel as if this will come in handy. But, once I do activate Time Gazer, I will forever be able to see such things in people. That''s what the old man meant by being permanent. This comes in handy for hunting down certain targets. Knowing their health points will bring a lot of conveniences so to speak. But, as the old man said, this is self-explanatory. "Our second item that is given to any new hunter, is the ''Ghost Life''. Ghost Life allows you to conceal your own presence by completely erasing your presence. Ghost Life, essentially makes your physical form into a transparent one, hence the given name. There is a drawback to this, of course. This item can only be used once you have selected a bounty hunt to hunt down. Otherwise, Ghost Life will not activate. Unlike Time Gazer, this item is not permanent. Therefore, once you use it, you will gain the ability to conceal your presence, however, that''s only until you land the first attack on your bounty. The moment you do, Ghost life will disappear. Should the time come if you need more, you can always buy more from our store. But, it costs 10000 min. It might be a bit pricy." Basically, this item will provide me the ability to remain unscathed on my way to hunt down my mark. Which means that if I activate Time Gazer while maintaining Ghost Life, I can essentially scan my target''s life points while remaining invisible. That''s fairly good in order to prepare an ambush, given the situation. Anyway, in contrast to Time Gazer, Ghost Life is not a permanent item. Thus, if Ghost life proves to be useful, investing 10000 min into it, might not be an understatement. "Lastly, for the final item. The name is ''Thief''s Stereo''. This item doesn''t have any usefulness in battle, unlike the previously mentioned two items. Though, Thief''s Stereo is another permanent item just like Time Gazer. Once you activate it, you will be forever with it. Its ability is that once activated, your mark will be marked by a signal. A red one at it. By allowing your mark to receive the red signal, I will be alerted that you are engaging your target. In other words, it''s just a way for us to know that you are actually hunting down your mark. Think of it as a way for us to make sure that you are actually doing your job. Otherwise, people would just take the hunts and report them as dead and receive their rewards. To prevent such fraud, this item must always be used when engaging with your target. If you fail to use Thief''s Stereo, it''s the same as nothing hunting down the bounty mark." As the old man said, this item doesn''t actually have battle usefulness so to speak. It''s more of a registration process than anything. There is no need to question what he meant by red signal. Once I do hunt down my prey, I will know it, eventually. I must say, I am somewhat impressed. I thought that this taskbar was simply a bounty hunt bar that exposed elite hunts and its details but no more than that. I was wrong to think of that. But, now that I do have these items my chances of winning have slightly risen. Still, this taskbar really is empty. All of the tables are empty and it reeks of tobacco everywhere. Taking into consideration that this is located on a very dark alley is something to be aware of. In any case, I was expecting to at least encounter another hunter, but such was not the case. "I will now present you the Hunting board." "Please do." "Here you go. In here you can see the codenames that are given to the bounty hunts among the Hunting board." Just as I was about to touch the rusty small board, a notification appeared on my screen. This was most likely a simple diversion in order to hide the actual truth. Because, if one looks at the actual board, it''s nothing more than names for drinks. The notification was nothing more than a simple confirmation about whether or not I wanted to access the Hunting Board. However, once I did, there were a plethora of bounty hunts that appeared in there. So many that I had to scroll through it. Eventually, the inevitable question came forward. Although, I had a pretty good idea about what it was. "Are the hunts that have a red exclamation signal to them, hunts that are currently being hunted down? If so, then does that mean that the hunts that don''t have are the ones who are available?" "Spot on. Although, there are sometimes exceptions to this. Hunts that are closed with a golden lock are only available to you once you have risen in terms of rank in the hunter''s league. But yes. Hunts that have a red exclamation mark to them are currently being pursued. Those who don''t are the ones that are available to you right now." It''s not called Lost Sea''s Hunting League for nothing. As it says, it''s a league, implying that there are ranks established in it. I suppose that''s a cool feature and all, but I couldn''t care less. My goal is to get ten thousand min in order for the four of us to enter Subterra. Spending my time hunting down targets for the sake of the pleasure of hunting is a big no. Also, there are some important features to the board. The bounty hunts that go by their codenames have their rewards right in them. I can see this by clicking the codename, but it says for further information to speak to the bartender. But, that was the goal all along. "I got it. Can you tell me about hunt #19 ''Rain''?" "Rain huh? Codename ''Rain'' is a flying vulture that only appears when it''s raining. Its location, according to our reporters, is located in the Dinshido water desert. It lives right at the top of the oil tower. However, fret not about its location details. I will send you Rain''s location over to your map in the end." "I''m thankful for that. More importantly, what is Rain''s level?" "As you should expect from an elite hunt, it''s not an easy target. Rain is level 26. Given your level and the fact that you don''t have a party with you, I''m assuming that you are most likely solo, or not?" "Yes, I''m solo. Don''t sweat about it though. Keep going." "Rain is weak to ice and its vital spots are his long neck and skinny legs. Its strong spots are the frontal part of the head and claws. Furthermore, a touch from its claws will inflict you great damage. Reporters calculate the damage to be around 400-500 points of damage, should you be hit with it. A warning, this hunt has been attempted by two hunters so far. The first one died because he was ambushed and was kidnapped by Rain''s claws. Ultimately, he was fed to Rain''s vulture children. The other hunter also didn''t live to tell the tale. However, he managed to get Rain to a quarter of its health bar. Reports say that once Rain gets to his last quarter of health points, it will start to utilize a movement called ''Talon''s Dive''. Unfortunately, we have no information regarding how the movement is performed." So each of Rain''s claws attacks can inflict a great round of 400 or up to 500 damage. This could be bad, no, the fact that I am already worried about it just confirms it. As much as I would like to abuse its elemental weakness, it''s not possible at the moment. I do have four forms. One of them is Igara. Although, realistically, I can''t summon that form because it requires me to be up against ten or more monsters. Such a consequence is extremely inconvenient. Recalling back, I used Igara once to burn down a horde of monsters while Rei baited all of them. Soon after, I also used Eo. Eo was used to defeat one of the Fogal Edones. Although, now that they are gone, this is somewhat irrelevant. Eo can only be used whenever the sun or flames are present. Otherwise, it can''t activate. My latest invention was Barheima. And that''s what''s going to give me the upper hand here. Barheima has the condition that it can only be applied when amidst water. Since the Dinshido desert is a water one, it will be perfect for me. The time for me to use the fourth has not come yet... "Is that all about Rain?" "Unfortunately, yes. However, will you hear my advice for just a second?" Listening to bits of advice have no downsides to it. The only drawback is that one might get too influenced by such bits of advice. Becoming influenced and forgetting my own original thought process might cloud my judgment. That''s good though. If the advice is good then all the more reason to cloud my own judgment. Midst that confusion, to be able to create a better judgment is the ideal option, or that''s how I feel about it anyway. "Sure thing." "Always wait for your prey to be asleep and deliver your most powerful blow to it. Don''t stop when you do. If it retaliates just keep on delivering blows after blows. Don''t give your target a moment to rest. Kill it before it kills you. That''s our main philosophy here!" ''Kill it before it kills you''. In theory, it''s quite simple, just simply kill your enemy before it kills you. It''s this simple. However, is it the same in practice? No, no way. Killing off your target requires more than just spirit. Technique, strength, survival instincts and mainly, strong abilities along with a pretty good level. I can''t forget the very fact that Rain is nine levels above me. That alone is ridiculous. If I had such difficulty against a level 18, then going up against a level 26 is probably suicide. "I see. Then, I''m accepting the hunt for Rain, okay?" "Of course. As the petitioner of the hunt, I will tell you the reward. By killing Rain you will be given 15,000 min, 20,000 experience points, and a mysterious present. But, this will only be given to you once you return here. Understood?" "I understand. Can you send me Rain''s location?" "Sure thing. Best of luck, Teneb." "Thanks. Ready that reward for me, will you?" "Haha! Don''t let your arrogance get the best of you! Also, don''t forget to use Thief''s Stereo!" Saying my goodbyes, I take my leave. A lot has changed since then. Four years ago, I was ridiculized by my lack of strength, but after all that work, I did become stronger. No, it''s far too early to assume that. After all, this hunt is also a test of strength. But, in the end, I will be victorious. However, victory only comes if I use my mind right. A single distraction will cause my downfall. Especially when my target is nine levels above me. Carefulness is beyond necessary here. Good thing it''s raining. It would be extremely dumb to choose this mark when it''s not raining, so I just made the right call. Besides, I can''t wait until I fully unleash Barheima fully. As I try to leave this shady place, I encounter an unknown face. To my surprise, it was a blonde girl. Our eyes cross for about two seconds. Her''s were deep dark. Although, since I lost interest I just kept on walking to the main road, not caring about what''s left behind. "Greetings. How may I help you?" "The Hunting board, please." "As you wish." "Hm... Let''s see..... Where is it... Ah! Someone took the hunt! But it was available yesterday! Hey old man, did he just take my....?" "What are you talking about, young one?" "Don''t play dumb. The one that just walked out, he took my hunt, right?!" "I''m afraid I can''t answer that question." "Hmph. That''s fine. Now that I know his codename he can''t escape me either way." "Hoho, you would best not underestimate him. He''s got a spirit living inside of him. An unextinguishable fire!" "So it was him...!" West Gate to Dinshido Desert The rain is coming down. Darkening the ground is what it does best. I never understood why people are so disturbed by the rain, honestly. I like to think that it''s because the raindrops are simply too painful? No, that can''t be. It probably just doesn''t feel very comfortable for someone who is in the rain. Also, their clothes could and will very well get wet. There are plenty of reasons to avoid the rain. But this sensation. This feeling of getting hit by the wet droplets is amazing. Perhaps I''m weird for thinking so. Still, this rain is really heavy. I wonder just how powerful will Barheima be against Rain. Right now, I am inside the west gate. The west gate will take me into a water desert. Getting there is the starting point, however, it only begins there. From there on, I will have to go North and climb the oil tower, where Rain is located. According to the location that the old man gave me, if I go through the east side, I can climb up the oil tower from the outside, since there are ladder stairs there. In order to make my preparations, I must first get rid of the annoying persistence that is not so far away from me. "Ghost life, activate." I murmur. Ghost life will only make my presence not be noticed by my mark. But, it''s unfortunate that it won''t be any use against others. Mainly this persistence. Let''s see how far you can go knowing that you will have to face this heavy rain. Besides, once I reach the ladder stairs, I am bound to lose whoever this is. Seeing it from the map, it has at least two hundred meters in terms of height. Good luck climbing that. Lastly, I should activate this too. "Time Gazer, activate." Supposedly, my vision will forever now change. And I was right. I can actually see my own life points and my health bar. Level 17 and 2,317 health points. If those are my life points then I should assume that Rain''s is at least two times mine. So, maybe close to 5000? Around 4,600 maybe. What matters, really? I will know once I see it with my own two eyes. This vision is amazing now that I think about it. There are currently two kids enjoying the rain and dancing around like two complete idiots. I don''t even need to scan their levels like I normally do. They are both level 1. That''s a good thing. Normally whenever someone is level 1 it means that that person most likely treasures life for what it is, not for what they might have. They also have 170 health points. One simple attack and they are dead. They are so fragile. Maybe I''m twisted for even having such thoughts. Bah, I''m wasting my time while blankly staring into the cloudy sky. Did my stalker give up or what? C''mon it''s been three minutes... "I suppose not... Your choice." Dinshido Desert I don''t detest people who have persistence, but I do detest somebody who is clearly an idiot without knowing it. Nevertheless, I move forward, into the Dinshido Desert. After walking forward into the North direction for a bit, I start to notice some differences. Unlike your average desert covered by sand, the Dinshido desert is covered by a small surface which mainly contains water. However, it''s not high water, but low water. Of course, at the bottom of the water, there is sand, which is obvious. But it contains too much sand. Which makes me think that this zone is naturally attracted to rain. Also, as the rain drops even harder, the water gaps just keep on increasing, forming even more water around me. So far it has gone to my ankle, but if this keeps up, then I might end up swimming in the end. That''s what it means to go here on a rainy day. Although, I''m somewhat happy right now. I lost my stalker. Apparently, my guest did not enjoy the rain this much. No, it was probably the fact that the stalker saw the water rising and decided to back down. Smart choice. But, your initial choice was even dumber. What would you gain from stalking me? I can''t understand. "Bah... This is so huge... According to the map, there are about six kilometers to go, until I reach Rain''s location." It''s not too far, honestly. Besides, in just exactly four kilometers from now, I will be able to see the oil tower. I would do this more often if I didn''t have a plethora of amounts of goals that require a certain sequence in order for them to become true. It''s genuinely fun going this far into the wild where nobody else would dare to go just to hunt down a monster. Perhaps this is what they meant by the thrill of the hunt? If so, then I''m feeling it right now. My heartbeat accelerates at a rapid pace as my cardiovascular rate keeps on increasing even further. On second thought, getting too excited right now would do me no good. It would be wise to save this excitement for when I''m facing my mark. Then, I can easily turn this current excitement into savage adrenaline.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "....!" Ah, I thought it was way too silent. Of course, what good is a hunt without monsters along the way, right? "Kawhhh!!" The vultures loudly shout. "One, two, three, four... That''s a total of thirteen vultures. Quite a lot." As the vultures come warping from a very long distance, I squander what form to use. Right now, using Barheima would be a bit overkill. But, I can''t have such arrogant thoughts. They are level 22 and have 1,890 health points. I need to perform a test here. Just how much damage can I actually inflict with one attack? And how much can they inflict to me? Interesting... Since my opponents exceed the count of 10, using Igara right now is my only option. But there is a slight downside. With this intense right, my flamethrower might not be as useful as it sounds. I will still give it a try though. "Igara, come!" Taking the form of a fireman, the vultures'' approach and launch their attack. Of course, that was beyond predictable, hence my countermeasure. Avoiding the frontal attack right now is out of the question. If I avoid a frontal confrontation then the rest of the vultures will simply keep on striking back. Now those words make sense, old man. Kill them before they kill you. "Alma Magna, activate!" When creating Igara, I gave it three powers. By giving one, I will receive one consequence. If given another power, adding two powers, I will receive two consequences just for that second power. Therefore, just three consequences from two powers. Needless to say, by asking for a third power, I will receive three consequences. Ultimately, I have six consequences altogether. The first consequences are that Igara can only be activated when against ten or more opponents. The second one is, it will not affect enemies that are below my level. Although that''s not exactly a consequence to many, once I do level up even further, this will be problematic, I think. Third, I can''t use it against humans. Fourth, this form can only be used once a week. Fifth, for every monster that Igara burns, it gets weaker. Lastly, Igara can''t be used on opponents who are ten levels higher than me. In other words, at the current moment, Igara is only effective against enemies that in between level 17 to 27. On the plus side, its three abilities are the following: The first is Alma Magna. Alma Magna continuously devours my surroundings life, meaning that for every second it passes it will consume 100 health points from my surroundings. Of course, I am not included. Although, this is more of a continuous effect more than anything, realistically. The second ability is called ''Hell Chain''. Hell chain increases the experience for every kill that Igara gets. For a grand total of 50 experience points and then just adds more 50 to it. But, Igara gets weaker by the number of opponents it kills, so it''s somewhat fair. As for the last ability, ''Inferno Cataracts'' gives Igara the ability to use twice its maximum potency on its first attack. Naturally, Igara is a form as a whole, but the main weapon, the flamethrower comes along with it. I suppose that''s one good side from it. All of these abilities are continuous, basically. I only need to activate Alma Magna, but not the rest. Now, let''s see how this goes. "Inferno Cataracts, burst!" I loudly declare to the rapid vultures coming in my direction. ...I really killed them all in one shot... No way, a fight isn''t supposed to be like this. I''m supposed to be on death''s door imploring for a miraculous comeback yet that was all it took. Not that I''m mad or anything since they did give me 840 Experience points. However, the test really worked out. I saw how much damage I actually dealt just from the Inferno Cataracts. 4230 points of damage to every vulture. Since they were coming at me all together it was a clean swipe. So that''s how much damage I do with Inferno Cataracts, huh? Though, in a prolonged fight, this form sucks. It''s always better to either finish the fight early. Otherwise, I''m probably dead. It''s not even worth mentioning how those experience points affected my progress towards a new level. It didn''t, not even up to half. But, once I do kill Rain I will receive experience points from the reward. As I continued my way up to the North, under by no less forty minutes or so of walking, the oil tower was finally visible. Under this heavy rain, the oil tower had an oval shape. More so, it was pure silver, almost ironlike. Just a guess but that was probably an oil factory or something like that. However, it was obviously abandoned due to something. Well, it''s definitely because of someone. And I''m about to have a little chat with this someone. Isn''t that right, Rain? "How strange... Where is he? I''m still not under his location, but I thought that I would at least be able to glimpse at him or something. I have Ghost Life activated, so it''s irrelevant where is he right now. I can simply wait for as long as it takes." Continuing on, I march towards the east side of the oil tower. The rain has not stopped yet and I hope it doesn''t. Otherwise, Rain will not appear. But still, I keep wondering just how the first hunter who tried to kill Rain failed that hard. It''s supposedly impossible to get yourself kidnapped unless he wasn''t with Ghost Life. Even so, if he simply took time and waited for the right time, then even someone who is completely dumb could have dealt the fatal blow. Yet he got kidnapped. Just how did that happen... "...It really is 200 meters in height. If I fall from these ladder stairs I am dead, most likely. No way I survive a fall that high." This isn''t the time to feel anxiety or to even try to escape commitment. What needs to be done has to be done. "One and two and three!" Jumping into the first degree while grabbing myself to the upper degree, I begin to climb this metallic ladder. From here on, looking down is strictly forbidden. If I ever look down it''s all over. Looking up is the only valid option right now. If somehow, Rain is at the top waiting for me, then I will have to prepare myself along the way. This will be easy. Believe it will. Believe in your ability to make everything easy. It will work. There is no way it won''t. This will be a breeze. Eventually, five minutes later, I reach the top. I dared not to look down and continued to move to the center. At the very top, there was a solid metal surface which is a bit wet due to the permanent rain so far. "Damn, what the hell is going on? I''m at the exact location..." Could the old man have lied to me? I somehow don''t believe that. Think. Think about anything that can be used to connect the missing part of the puzzle. Something that can be used to figure out Rain''s location. First things first, I will trust in this location. It''s quite possible that Rain is currently on his way here, so eliminating that possibility is out of the question. Rain''s location is undoubtedly here so maybe something caused Rain to move from here? "The metal is hot. That''s not normal. Why would the metal surface be hot when rain is coming down? Unless..." I overlooked a couple of things. My encounter with the vultures was no coincidence, now that I think about it. Why would there be vultures on this rainy day? Vultures don''t necessarily hate rain, but they also don''t necessarily love it. Besides, fish-like creatures are the most common around water, not vultures. Therefore, this can only mean one thing. Those vultures were most likely Rain''s children. But of course! It makes sense now. The old man said that the first hunter who tried to hunt down rain was ambushed and kidnapped by Rain''s claws. But he never said that the one doing the ambush was Rain. The first hunter was most likely ambushed by Rain''s children and then after not being able to fight back, Rain kidnapped the hunter. But that doesn''t explain one thing. If such is the case then how come the second hunter was able to draw out Rain? Did the second hunter defeat the vultures? No, no, he shouldn''t have been able to do such a thing. If he did, then he wouldn''t be able to draw out Rain. Otherwise, it wouldn''t connect to the current moment. Therefore, the second hunter most likely faced off against the vultures but then Rain came in and devastated him with his Talon Dive... Also, I''ve been calling Rain a ''he'', but it''s probably a ''she''. Not like Rain''s sex matters right now, though. But if that doesn''t connect to it, then where is Rain right now? "Think..... Think..... Why wouldn''t Rain come to me when its children were burned to death? I get that Rain can''t sense my presence nor see me, but it''s odd for the mother not to appear when such just happened... Maybe Rain is just that slow and wasn''t there on time? No, that''s wrong. I should have been able to spot Rain if so, but I didn''t... Just what..." At that moment, I realized a crucial truth and a major flaw in my analogy. But, by the time I was able to forge that realization, the battle for survival had already begun. "Oh sh-" "KRAWHH!!" The crucial flaw in my analogy was not why Rain wasn''t there when its children got burnt. No, Rain was there, I simply overlooked a very simple fact. The sky is cloudy, under those clouds above the giant vulture stood there silently gazing at her prey. Rain didn''t care for its children because Rain was probably already reproducing other ones. However, I also overlooked something very obvious. While the first hunter utterly failed, the second didn''t. They had their match at the top of this oil tower. Rain was probably able to identify the second hunter because he was not using Ghost Life. That explains as to how Rain knows this place and as to why she fearlessly attacked this place that supposedly had nothing in it. Also, Ghost Life stopped working. In other words, whenever there is a strong sound, Ghost Life will most likely deactivate. And currently, I''m falling over the gigantic oil tower due to that. "5456 Health points, huh? What monstrosity....!" Although it was not direct, the impact left some damage over. I had 2317 health points, but now I only have 1998 health points remaining... Just that did over 300 points of damage. Goddamnit, it hurts... The impact was so strong that it paralyzed my whole body for a second. Also, Rain is huge, but holy hell, so huge. Not to mention that Rain is coming after me right now. As I am right now, I''m falling over, but Rain looks like she''s diving in for the kill. "Barheima, activate!! Water gravity, apply!" Voom. Rain''s huge claws try to decapitate me but thanks to Water Gravity, I can freely control the gravity as long as there is water under my current position. There is water everywhere, so this will be an aerial fight, which is ironic. Nevertheless, dodging that rapid attack was almost too late. Adjusting to the Water Gravity was super crucial. If I had not adjusted my position, then I would be headless right now. By adjusting my position, I was able to dodge to the left. On the plus side, Rain''s dive was so long that she took a fall right to the seawater down below. And with that, I have time to recapitalize. But, calming myself comes first. "Crap... I almost died... Taking down this beast will require quite the effort. First, I need to activate Thief''s Stereo. For that, I need to touch Rain. Now that she''s vulnerable, I will...!" Rapidly diving to where Rain is, I notice that her current health bar is not completely full. That''s natural since she took that huge fall. From 5456 health points to 5230. A little over 200 points huh. She''s having a hard time getting up, thus this is the perfect chance to perform an assault onto her. "Tsunami, activate!" Just like Igara, Barheima only has three powers. Water Gravity allows me to control the gravity in a zone where there water under my current position. While Tsunami gives me the opportunity to create a giant tidal wave to unleash on my enemies. As for the third and last ability, it goes by the name of ''Atlancia''. It''s quite simple since it allows my body to be shaped by only water and nothing else. This is continuous and permanent, so I don''t need to activate it. Gratefully, this comes into my own benefit, since I am not affected by my own Tsunami. Otherwise, I would just be killing myself, really. Naturally, Tsunami takes a portion of my desired water quantity and with that quantity, it forms itself. Choosing the water that I am under is stupid, so I chose the water that is everywhere but my current position. This will be your dying place, Rain. "How many meters is that, even? Four hundred? Good thing I''m elevated almost inside the clouds... Tsunami, release!" A devastating sound was dropped right under Rain''s main body as the admirable abomination of nature called Tsunami unleashed its own anger onto its target. However... "3612 health points... This has too many consequences..." Adding up to six consequences as a whole, Barheima can only be used under a water surface. Furthermore, Tsunami will only deal 10% of its true damage to monsters who are not above level 70. Third, Barheima doesn''t allow me to level up. Fourth, if I use this form against a human and I don''t kill that human in at least ten minutes, Barheima will kill me instead. Fifth, if I use Barheima more than five times per month, this form will consume my actual body and adapt to its new one. Ultimately, if I use this form against a monster with an elemental affinity then it will have no effect. Thankfully, Rain doesn''t have an elemental affinity, so this form is quite useful right now. And just like Igara, it has a natural benefit to it. I can control the water around me as I please. However, I should use this opportunity to reach Rain and apply Thief''s Stereo. "It''s easier said than done, huh?" I say as I continue to dive to where Rain is. As soon as I reach the watery sands, I close my distance to where Rain is and observe the current situation. She is apparently knocked out. This will make the fight even easier. All that needs to be done right now is to apply Thief''s Stereo and I can swiftly kill Ra- "GRAHH!!" H-How?! Just as I activated Thief''s Stereo, Rain immediately stroke back with its claws! But how? Wasn''t she knocked out...? Fuck, that''s not the worst part, damn it. Just a chunk of her claws left my life points left me with 702 life points. Wait! Wasn''t her claw only supposed to take around 400 or 500 damage?! Then how the hell did she just deliver me more than one thousand points of damage?! Damn, I was naive. To blindly trust someone''s information like that, I...! No! This is not the time to make arrogant excuses. Rain is recovering from my previous attack still. While I''m here shocked over what just happened I''m missing what''s essential right now. That''s right. She is still recovering. She can''t even take a full flight, she is so slow right now! "Calm down. I will win. Kill it before it kills you. You can''t afford to take another hit or else you are dead. I''ve got to use something to my advantage." Gaining my aerial advantage is essential at the moment. There is water everywhere thanks to the Tsunami that was dispersed not so long ago. Thus, my aerial advantage still remains intact and supreme. I need to use that to my own advantage. Furthermore, I have to take advantage of her weakened state to deliver a devastating strike upon her. Forming a Tsunami is no good as it takes around 10 seconds to form. She is coming at me with full speed! Unfortunately for you, your pattern is already crystal clear! "KRAWH!!" Rain savagely charges toward me. Yes, you did exactly what you wanted! By elevating myself to where the oil tower is, I can just do this until she tires herself out. The tactic is simple, really. The oil tower is gigantic. So gigantic to the point where it can be made use of. Rain''s pattern is the following: She will always chase after her target no matter the location. Normally, this would be problematic, and it is. However, if she chases after me, then I have to draw a line where she gets damaged just by chasing me. Finally, when she charges into me, by raising my current self up, she will hit with her head on the gigantic oil tower. Her head is one of her most fragile points. "2476 health points remaining. You''re going down!" Taking the hit on her massive head like that, I take that moment and create the opportunity that allows me to unleash a water spiral combo right onto her exposed neck. Since she is huge, her neck is also abnormally large. Gathering some water from the surface, forging two water tornados was by no means a difficult task. Quickly, while she was falling down, I keep on creating more and more tornados. It takes me around 2 seconds to create just one. By the time she falls on the watery surface, it will be 12 seconds. Thus, six water tornados will be formed. The red signal is on her, as my vision perceives. "Cross Tornados!!" While three tornados come from the west direction, three more come from the east direction in order to open the window of death to this beast. Each tornado does around 300 points of damage, which in total sums up for a great amount of 1800 points of damage!! Damn it! Damn it! When she''s in the last quarter of her health points, she will start to use Talon''s Dive! Fuck, I can''t let that happen! "Kill it before it kills you." Those arrogant words are hunting my mind right now. But... So what? Those words don''t ring hollow, they ring resemblance. If it''s arrogant to kill another before it kills you, then what''s wrong with it? It''s just a monster, it''s not a human like me. That''s right, there is no reason to hold back. Don''t allow her to retaliate. Not a single moment can be spared. The moment you let your door open to fear you lose. You lose you die. I don''t want to die. "Atlantic Trident, form!" In a call to my own desperation, those tornados turn into a majestic water trident that fits perfectly to be worn by me. It''s not enough to actually rely on my own abilities to solve the problem. The very fact that I''m alive is a miracle. No, it can''t be. Miracles don''t exist. If I get hit one more time, then I am dead. Knowing that I gather all the water that was currently under the water surface to the point where the watery desert becomes one with its sand again. Needless to say, I lost my water gravity, but this... is my last triumph. "DIE!" Bravely declares Zakarias to the raging vulture that engages him one last time Though unpredictable, Zakarias won. In the last moment, Zakarias''s Atlantic Trident pierced Rain''s throat making a rain of blood fall from the sky as the tired boy landed on top of Rain''s fallen body. Restless as he was, he completely ignored the victory notification along with another notification as well. Zakarias was so tired that this was the first time he slept in two days. He didn''t care about the fact that he was sleeping on top of the fallen beast''s body. He only cared to enjoy his first ever kill on a monster that he could say ''I gave it my all.'' If happiness could take form, then the smile that he wore with a carefree expression as he fell asleep, would be the happiest form. 1 day later The Lost Sea Taskbar One day has passed since my meeting with that young man. Though his codename is Teneb, his real name is Zakarias. I was surprised, because yesterday, I receive a notification that he was engaging Rain. To further my own surprise, he managed to kill Rain. Normally hunters here pass their precious time finding the perfect time to hunt down their prey. Some even go to the last second due to how difficult it is. Many don''t rush it because they think it''s reckless. However, I think that''s wrong. A hunt that is planned is boring. A hunt that is done in the exact moment while giving everything you have is what I would call a true hunt. It''s been a long time since I saw someone show such prowess like that in hunting. A shame that his activity length is only for one day, otherwise he would make a great hunter. With the right person to teach him how to properly hunt, he could very well, in the future rise up to the top ranks! Amidst such thoughts of mine, the door is opened by a customer. Of course, I already know who it is, but I think someone is more excited about this than I am. "Huf... Huf... Yo... You have it ready?" He can''t even hide his own fatigue. Also, there are trails of blood all over his shirt. He probably had trouble along the way, if I had to say. It''s not easy being a hunter and caring for your appearance at the same time. Yet, the blonde man standing in front of me, inside this old taskbar cares not. His eyes tell me that he wants one thing only, and that is the reward. Such fire that ignites in the depths of his burning soul was visible to an old man like me. "Yes, but of course. But first... How was it?" "Pretty damn hard. Does that fit your bill for a description?" "It''s just perfect. Here is the reward as promised. 15,000 min right here inside! And 20,000 experience points will be given to you as well! Lastly, here is the mysterious present, enjoy!" I made it just for you. By observing your fight, I figured you wouldn''t want the original present. It was a relic shield that gives the user 200 defense points. But, from your fight, it was crystal clear to me that you wouldn''t like something so shallow. "O-Old man...! A-Are you serious... This is..." "Well, I did say that hunters here get pretty good rewards, right? I am just delivering the truth back to you, I suppose." "Y-Yeah but this... I can''t just..." "The way you fought Rain was truly remarkable. Accept it." "....I will forever treasure it until the beyonds of my time, I promise." "Now, now, no need to be so noble. It''s just a reward. Isn''t that right?" Gah, I''m truly a mess. I almost shed a tear there. I''m truly old, aren''t I? Yet seeing such a scenario brings tears of joy to my heart. "So you''re the one who took down Rain?!" Says the blonde girl as she stops drinking her iced tea and stands up from the chair "Yeah. I''m sorry if it was the hunt you were looking for." "You think apologies are going to cut it?!" "I suppose not. I''ll take my leave then. Old man, I will come here in the future. Count on it!" "Wait just a second! Why didn''t you seek my help to take down a bounty hunt? It''s suicide to go alone, you know?" "But I won, didn''t I? Why would I need your help? You aren''t making much sense." "I bet you almost died. Look at you, acting so prideful. Next time ask for help, will you?" "I really don''t want to hear such words from a third-rate stalker. Also, next time you want to stalk someone don''t wear such fancy clothes. Plus, you reek of perfume. Adios." I close the door as I listen to an angry voice yelling in my direction. What a weird person. Can''t she see that I''m in no condition to uphold a decent conversation? And I need to run, more like, I need to lose my stalker. Being this popular really is troublesome. To be continued. Vol.2 Ch.10.5: Jubilant Blissfulness Not so long after Rain''s menacing takedown, a few things became visible. My level went up by one, thus I''m level 18 now. Along with that, Barheima also gained a level. In other words, it''s level 2 right now. Though it''s not exactly something jaw-dropping to be happy about, I did manage to win an ability. It seems that the bargain did pay off, but it wasn''t something completely that could be labeled as a skyrocket achievement. Nevertheless, ''Sea''s Frenzy'', allows my cooldown to decrease every time I strike my enemy down. To put it in another way, the more damage I deal against an enemy, Sea''s Frenzy will give me the benefit to create water forms without wasting too much time. It''s awe-inspiring how there is no consequence to this particular power. "Still, the problem is that there is not much time left to do all that I want..." It would be spectacular if I could defeat the current defiance that is chasing me down to the depths of hell. Yet my luck is in a meltdown phase. "Come back here!" As I direct towards a store that sells clothes, seeking to make her hazardous presence be noticed, she continues to chase me down, even in these watery streets. The side looks that were also a product of her persistence from the others were slowly but surely cracking my security shell. This can''t go on. "What do you want?" Turning back on my surefire way, I force her to respond to my question by grabbing her wrist. "O-Ow... I just wanted to talk to you, what''s wrong with it...?" While her persistence is somewhat praisable, it''s also tremendously annoying. "I don''t have the time to talk to you, whoever you are. Stop following me already." "No way! I''m not giving up until you tell me how you took Rain down! A-Also.... Can you let go, it''s starting to hurt, you know?" By saying that her wrist is starting to hurt, she is being quite frank about her risky movement just now. Likewise, this was all in order to plant some seriousness. "I won''t. I told you to stop following me. Do that and don''t bother me ever again." "Hah?! So that''s how it''s going to be... You really leave me with no choice." Gritting her teeth, the blonde twin-tailed girl changes her facial expression into a slightly worrying one. Not worrying for her, in all likelihood. Worrying for me, as this meaningless quarrel is dragging out quite much. "You''re horrible! After all the time we spent together you decide to just break up with me like this? Just who do you think these tears are for? You stupid idiot!" Brilliantly acting like a girl who is just about to get her heart completely shattered by her boyfriend, she enforces her intentions. Furthermore, by the looks of some people amidst the crowd, saying that I am being interpreted as the villain here is not an understatement. "Y-You even promised you would marry me... All men are jer-" "Alright fine, you win. Can we just go somewhere else, please?" This whole situation was in her favor, all things considered. First things first, this started with her chasing after me. I''m no love expert, but this situation seems to be quite equal to a real break-up. Secondly, by chasing after me, she intentionally gave a more realistic vibe of a desperate girl who wants her boyfriend''s attention. Lastly, her acting ultimately molds this fake situation into a supposedly real one, from the perspective of others. "O-Okay... But seriously, can you let go, it''s really starting to hurt." Mind-blowing as it might be, she didn''t seem to mind accompanying a man like me who is currently wearing a shirt with trails of blood all over it. Gullible as it might be, getting some new clothes was my current top priority. Given such circumstance, if she continues to go to where I am, she is bound to jeopardize her appearance as well. "Why are you going so far for this?" Aside from the insidious side looks directed towards me, I blatantly ask her that as we make way to a clothes store. "I waited six months for that hunt. It''s extremely rare to rain in the Dinshido Water Desert. If you can understand my frustration then start talking." Her patience is remarkable. To wait six months just for a hunt. Well, that certainly explains a few things. "What exactly do you want to know though?" "Everything, from the initial point to the last part." And so, our not so long talk began. It''s a little bit phenomenal how she is able to drop her volatile attitude when her interests are quenched. Although, telling her everything is out of the question, so I had to avoid telling her about my abilities. "Is that enough?" "Hold on. While I''m thankful for your faithful explanation, you didn''t explain how you beat Rain. You just kept saying things like: ''I used my ability to'', ''My ability prevailed'' and ''Used the territory to my own advantage''. That''s really, but really hideous, not telling me everything you know."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "I described how the hunt went. That''s all I''m going to say. My abilities are a different case." "Ehhh? That''s not fair! You asked me what I wanted to know, didn''t you? I said from the initial point to the last part. You''re being unfair by not telling me your abilities..." This girl has a huge misconception of ''fairness''. In the first place, she was the one being unfair by imprisoning me under her feminine shackles of doom. However, I too can play such game. "Tell me yours and I''ll tell you mine. That''s fair, wouldn''t you agree?" "....Next question. Why didn''t you ask for my help?" She knows how to quit. Her poison isn''t eternal, then. Yet her question was simply too simple, I reckon. "I already answered your question back then. I won by myself. If I can produce such a feat, the necessity to ask for help shouldn''t exist." "You almost died! It''s common sense to not go hunting solo, especially when the hunter is down nine levels!" If she knows about this, then she most likely saw my fight against Rain. Despite that, I can somewhat agree with her. She is right. Engaging a bounty hunt out of sheer bravery is pure recklessness. It''s almost miraculous the very fact that I managed to come out on the right side of the victory. Though, she shouldn''t mock something that takes a lot of valor to achieve. "So you go hunting with others often?" "Hmph. Do you think that I need pity from other hunters? Spare me your distort worries." I was not worried. "Then, you always go hunting solo?" "But of course. However, unlike you, I don''t go hunting without proper preparations." Despite her strong words, her methodology in my eyes screams disaster. "Good for you. Now, is that all?" "Why are you in such a hurry? Is talking to me really that detestable?" "Honestly, yeah." "How rude! But, as thanks for telling me this, can I show my gratitude?" I would very much like to decline, but it''s wiser to do that depending on her way of showing her gratitude. "For once you''re making an interesting proposal. So, what does your gratitude revolve around?" "Well, for starters... When are you going to change clothes? It wouldn''t be surprising to know if someone already called the police because you look like a total murderer right now." She really thinks that I''m not aware of that. My immunity to other people''s opinions is starting to gain a seed of vulnerability. "I''m going to fix that. In fact, I already would have, if it wasn''t for you." "That''s strange then. We already passed about five shops. Unless... Don''t tell me that you are following the Menu''s map..." "Yeah, what of it?" "Ahh... I thought so... Listen here. If you don''t know directions you can always ask people around you for them." That caution will not be fulfilled. Reason for that being, the map is leading me to a shop. That''s a fact. "No need. I''m fine on my own." "Come with me for a second, will you?" "Where are we going?" "To an underground mall, where else?" That''s seriously bad. "In this condition of mine, going to a mall will definitely attract more attention than usual. That''s not exactly ideal, you see." "Your own fault for sleeping under a cadaver for who knows how long." She knows too much, even the unnecessary parts. "You''re right about that. You''re paying for the clothes, right?" "...Yes." The mall was fairly close by. After all, all it took was riding down an elevator. Nothing too out of the usual normal, if I daresay. Her offer was compelling, realistically. More importantly, I don''t have to waste min on clothes. I will have to waste a grand total of 10,000 min for the Subterra entrances, so wasting min unnecessarily would only defeat the entire purpose of keeping a fair amount of min saved. With that in mind, accepting her offer was the best choice. "Thanks for that. I really appreciate it." Ultimately, a blue sweater and a black tracksuit. The whole idea behind the tracksuit is the following: When inside Subterra, bringing fancy clothes is essentially bad. It''s counterproductive for the most part. Also, the clothes were just on sale, hence buying them without hesitation. "You could have bought fancier clothes. You didn''t need to hold back." For once, she''s showing gratitude instead of spite. If only she was like this during the entire conversation. Even so, my words would have been the same. Now then... "That was all, right?" "Mhm. Oh, right. I forgot to ask. Your name?" "You already know my codename, right? What''s the point in asking." "Oh come on. Calling someone by ''you'' is extremely rude." So for that purpose, you want to learn my name. "Still a no. Bye." "Geez... Wait." "What now?" Suddenly, a rapid notification came to me. [Liliana wants to be your friend.] Accept it? [Yes] [No] Her current face expresses genuineness for the most part. Though, her looks really are deceiving. While her looks are alluring and could probably arouse any man who comes across with her, her intention is truly obvious. She is willing to sacrifice her name in order to obtain my real one. This is a rock-solid way to obtain my name if I accept it. Once I do, she will get the notification: ''_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ has accepted your friend request''. Obviously, the ''I'' will be my real name. On the other hand, that''s only a surefire trade, if she does manage to get my approval. "You''ll accept it, right?" Once again, her appearance keeps on enticing lust more and more. Her explicit charm is undoubtedly captivating yet that''s nothing more than a provocative thought of mine. "Sorry. Maybe another time." "W-What?! But I just gave you my name! You''re supposed to be fair and give yours as well!" "You know my codename. That should be enough. Besides, I won''t deny it. It will just be on the pending list. If I change my mind, I''ll accept it." "No! Accept it now! You''re being rude, you know? Or do you want me to cause another scene?" Forget about her charm. She''s a vile snake. Once she sets out her target, facing her is out of the question. No, a man should run. Swift looming despair would be at sight should I be as stubborn as I intentionally wanted to be. "...This is really the last thing, okay?" "Mhm. I''ll keep my word. No need to worry." No, no, worrying is the least I can do against you, Liliana. "There, happy now?" "Zakarias... It''s too long. From now on, you will be called as Zak." "How is that too long? Your name is just one letter shorter." "I don''t see how that''s a problem." "Please don''t call me Zak." "Zak." She''s getting on my nerves. "Lil." And that''s payback. "My friends call me that all the time. I''ve got nothing to lose, unlike you, Zak~" "Don''t use that tone please." "Hahaha! You''re embarrassed. Priceless!" "Bye-Bye Lil." "Mhm. See ya, Zak." "Tsk..." While a bit vaporized by how she made fun of me like that, it really didn''t occur to me that she was maliciously mocking it. She just seemed to be having fun. And this whole thing took me thirty minutes. Crap, I need to hurry up to the public court, or else my form won''t be achieved. Ironically, looking back now, on this rainy day, I met her, though unexpectedly, for the first time. To be continued. Vol.2 Ch.11: Noxious Judgement "Hey, did you hear the rumors? He bombed 27 people two days ago." "People these days are totally insane, I tell you! Who would bomb that many people anyway? Just for what reason?" "Hell if I know. I certainly wouldn''t commit such crime for sure." "Yeah, same. Regardless, he will receive public judgment. The bastard''s gonna get it. He had it coming." "He truly did. It''s always exhilarating yet horrifying to see public courts." Not so long after the menacing rain that surrounded the skies of Kralima, a cerulean sky ascended. Even so, this is fairly crowded. My original goal was to extract information from a jury yet that''s very unlikely. There are no juries here, only a judge. Taking this risk worthy gamble today, in the middle of the afternoon, the preparations have begun. "Excuse me, do you know when the trial is going to start?" "Good question. The trial can only start with the presence of a judge. As you can see, the one that will be judged is already there, crucified on a metallic St. Peter''s cross. Is this your first time assisting a live trial?" Debonair wouldn''t even begin to describe him, a tall masculine figure standing right next to my right answered the question that was clearly directed to him. "Yes. I''ve taken an interest because I''ve never been present to a real trial before. Also, it''s a really interesting method, to do a live trial like this." "Well, that''s true. But, there are special rules to live courts, you know." Perhaps my next words might have brought upon a gullible attitude, but resisting here would be useless. Denying my own interests isn''t exactly my maximum forte. "Could you tell me about those special rules... Huh..." "Roger. Roger Francis." "Zakarias. Only Zakarias." It seems that my doubt was ephemeral since Roger managed to easily persuade me through his words. I''m partially to blame for not asking the name of someone while talking. Then again, it was a blunder to not ask, after all. "Zakarias, was it? Strange name, not a common one for sure. Well, not like mine is any different either way. There are three special rules about this live trial. Each of them is concomitant with a calamitous essence. The first being, only people like we can enter it. Remember the guards at the entrance?" "I see. So they were checking my level, in other words?" "Precisely. But, not only that, but they also checked your criminal status. If you have committed at least one crime and you are registered inside the Crime Registration System, CRS for short, then the guards would have arrested you. Though, the fact that you are here proves that you aren''t a criminal." It didn''t happen too long ago, but right after engaging with a certain loquacious girl, my agenda was pretty much busted. Running towards here was a no brainer. Nevertheless, to make my own entrance in this public mini-stadium where the live trial will occur, it was indeed necessary to pass through two guards. "I knew about the CRS already. When you meant by ''only people like we can enter'', were you saying that was the first rule?" "No. To get to my point, people who are below level 15 may not enter. I''m level 26 as you can see, so I didn''t have any difficulty entering. You are level 18, so you didn''t either." Thus comes a quick-witted double remark from Roger. He stops not there, though. "Anyway, those things are not issued under the rules, because the rules aren''t visible anywhere." "Wait, if they aren''t visible, then how do you know them?" "Instincts, my boy. Always trust them. A man without his instincts is no man at all." Essentially, he has confidence but no supportive evidence at hand. I''d do well to keep that in mind. "The first rule is, all the spectators will get the rewarded with a respective quota of experience points from the one who will get trialed. That''s literally one of the reasons as to why many people come. Free experience points. Who the hell says no to that?!" "That''s true. Saying no to such an opportunity would be ludicrous. But, there is a drawback, right? This is too good to be true." "Well, that''s where you are wrong. It isn''t necessarily good. From my previous experiences in life trials, I''ve always analyzed the criminal''s level. Now, this is just a secret of mine, but I have something that lets me track down the total experience points from my target. In other words, I can literally extract a valid amount of information from my target. During my last time here, the criminal had a total of 67,850 experience points accumulated." "W-What? That many? And that''s rewarded to every spectator?" Lightly smirking, Roger once again, outwitted me. "That would be a sweet walk in the park, am I right? But no, last time there were over 47 people, myself included. What do you think happened exactly?" Putting aside my feckless answer, he mentioned that there were 47 people, so there might be a connection, and this is nothing but a random guess but... "Were the criminal''s experience points taken off him for another purpose?" "So-So. Here is the thing, I got 1443 experience points just from that. Out of curiosity, I decided to ask what the other 46 also got. They got the same as me. 1443 experience points. Now, why do you think that happened?" "I''m not the greatest mathematician, but if you divide 67,850 experience points by 47, then the result should be exactly 1443, I think." Mathematics is one of those die-hard habits that remain deeply locked inside me for unique occasions like this. "Man, you think fast. I bet if you asked those two old men up front this question, their heads would be running on fumes at this point." Although I and Roger remained exorable throughout this interlude, the old farts up front would not shut up even for a second. It was already obvious that the criminal was a bomber, it was enticed under the main poster outside of the stadium. Not to mention the casual trifling conversation going on. "So the first rule is that the criminal''s experience points will be shared equally to everyone who is present, right?" "Yeah, it will be a division essentially----" Suddenly, the arrival of an elderly figure made the whole mini-stadium atmosphere silent. Just like that, it was indeed friable. At first glance, the elderly figure seemed to be completely hubristic, unlike the criminal that is being hysteric for some reason. That reason, I''m about to find out. By contrast to these occasions, there were a few things to capitalize. Keeping up with his invidious looks, the criminal kept on arousing the spectator''s anger by heavily reflecting a nefarious smile on his face. That was not the face of a confident man, but rather, one that had fallen into noxious depravity. Of course, taking that into account, I analyze his level. With this information, the experience points retribution calculation can begin. One last regret would be, Roger did not tell me the other two rules. I suppose I was somewhat intrigued at some point. Ultimately, a minatory silence fell pendulous amidst the stadium. "Good afternoon, gentlemen. I must lament my tardiness. Without further ado, the live trial will begin." "Tenebris." Silently murmuring those words, I active my original ability. With this, the requirements for me to obtain the form a Judge will be laid out to me right now. "Balthazar Guadio, you will be allowed to appeal every time I accuse you of a crime. Are we understood?" "Yes." "Bullshit!! Murders like him shouldn''t have the right to appeal! "Coward!!" "Damn murder, go to fucking hell!!" I must admit, I wasn''t expecting such uproars this early, but, the criminal at hand seems to have gained the anger approval from some spectators already. "Order. Order." Knocking the wood hammer right into the table, the Judge allows the trial to continue. "According to this report, it states that Balthazar Guadio, in other words, you, blew up a bomb detonator inside a mall. The victims were no other than 27 people. It also says that this happened two days ago." "I was not the one who detonated that bomb." Posing a meretricious stance towards the judge, Balthazar denies the statement without any sort of appealing words behind it. "Do you have someone that can confirm your alibi?" "No...." Once again, the precipitate silence invades the stadium. "Is that so? Then, may the witnesses step forward please?" "What?" Balthazar''s risible attitude quickly vanished the moment he turned his head to the left. There, he, along with the rest of us, could witness two girls who were very young. They were most remarkable for not having hands. Plus, one of them had its left leg completely burned off. "My Goodness..." Roger humbly regrets. It wasn''t hard to emphasize his feelings right now. After all, all the crowd was erupting in a blazing rage while glaring at Balthazar. Needless to say, myself included. "Kill him!!!!!" "Execute the fucking monster! Abominations like him shouldn''t be allowed to breathe!" "Execution! Execution! Execution!" Thus began the various querulous roars midst the crowd. Although the judge had been quite sclerotic for the past ten seconds, he ceased his rhadamanthine stance and hastily silenced the recalcitrant demands. "ORDER!" Contrasting his age, the judge made his demand loud and clear. Furthermore, the witness''s stepped forward at long last, it must not have been easy, I assume. "Witnesses, state your names." Persuading with his strident words, the judge faces the current situation head-on. "...I''m Tattia..." "My name is Karina..." If I had to guess, their ages would either be around eight or nine. Their age is irrelevant, what truly bothered me was glancing at their crisped parts. It''s controversial to claim that they were lucky for surviving. Just a glaze or a single thought was enough to question the worth of their survivals. After all, they have certain body parts that will be unrepairable for the rest of their lives. "Tattia, Karina, do you two confirm that this man, right here, was the one who blew up the Kralima mall?" "...H-H-He killed mother...! H-H-He... H-He......:::!" Engulfing turgid tears, Tattia could not talk volubly unlike the judge. Plus, the vicious glare from Balthazar who stands on his knees right down below the huge metallic cross isn''t helping either.A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "Yes, he was the one." Unlike Tattia, Karina remained flexible and controlled her emotions quite well. That right there is praiseworthy. "Do you also confirm that Balthazar was present inside the main shopping district, two days ago, which is Nezcualth 67th?" "Yes. If I may, could I give my own point of view?" "Excuse me, judge? Can I appeal now?" "Request denied. Karina, proceed." It would be an understatement to say that Balthazar wasn''t looking for this type of opening. I must say, the judge''s adroit judicious flexibility proved to be crucial right here and now. Balthazar would most likely try to wheedle the judge or something, perhaps. He isn''t in a position where he can freely wither someone out of luxury. Either way, that was a zealous remark from the judge. "This man ran into the shopping district with a bombing device under his pocket. However, when he reached the perimeter with the most crowd, he blew the bomb up. My mother... she... sacrificed to protect both of us. But that gave me the chance to see! He wasn''t phased by the bomb at all, he used some trick!" "Judge! Can I please appeal." "Permission granted, Balthazar." "What that girl said just now is a lie! How could I have blown up a bomb inside a mall and still be alive? That makes no logic at all. Trick? She''s just making up convenient excuses to blame me for the real murderer still out there!" What Karina just said was something that caught my eye. If by trick, she meant like an ability or a spell, hell, even a skill to protect yourself temporarily, then it could very well be true that Balthazar simply used that to his own convenience. Still, in comparison to Tattia, Karina is far more acerbic yet she can''t help but feel abashed by Balthazar. "So you claim for the second time, to be innocent and off guilt?" "Yes. I did no such thing as bombing those people. God, who would even think about doing such a thing? I''m not a bad person, I swear!" Balthazar wasn''t even aberrant anymore, his remarks started to have hints of sarcasm in them. His abiding abhorrent words were lacking a true spine to them. It was crystal clear to anyone who was watching this very exact moment that he was lying through his teeth. Even so, the fact remains, there is no concrete evidence for his guilt at the moment. Karina''s story could be completely biased hence resulting in nothing accomplished. "Then, let us proceed into the next phase. Guard, bring the Great Crystal, please!" "Right away, sir." Roughly after, the guard descended to the stairwell that would be a basement, along with another guard. "So, what do you think about it, so far?" "He''s definitely guilty. He probably used a dynamite field to repel the damage away. It doesn''t matter the specifics, he could get away with something that had the ability to protect him from the bomb''s damage." While we were waiting, Roger and I, once again, resumed our conversation. Only this time, it wouldn''t be so abounding due to apparent reasons. "That''s what I would like to think as well, but it doesn''t really matter honestly." "Why not? Without concrete evidence, this trial will go nowhere." "Exactly. The moment you present some concrete evidence it''s over." For a while, my own thought process became abstracted yet what was about to happen would clarify my impudent doubt. "Hey... Is that...?" "I-It couldn''t be..." Emerging from the bottom of the staircases, two light blue suited guards rise to the surface while carrying a giant crystal on their backs. Ambiguous would be the correct description since its uses are unknown, mechanisms as well and how it would be put to work. Alas, it was a gigantic orange crystal with emerald relics all over its axiomatic shape. "Great Crystal, break." Says the judge as he fends his right hand in the crystal''s direction. Immediately after, the titanic crystal broke into shattered pieces that were nowhere to be seen. The mystery of the Great Crystal kept on thickening. "I''ll ask you this, one time. Balthazar, where were you on Nezcualth 67th?" "I-I was drinking a few beers with a couple of friends." "You absolutely confirm that this is the last and ultimate, vigorous truth?" "Y-Yes. You can have my word. I will tell you this again, I would never do such a thing." "Really now? Let''s really hope that''s the case. Great Crystal, limitless expansion!" Declares the judge yet again. Unlike the last time, the crystal didn''t break, it instead formed a giant screen that was visible to all people amid the stadium. "Enter cardinal name, Balthazar Guadio. Enter hour, 1 pm. Enter day, 67. Enter lio, Nezcualth. Enter nia, 1445. Enter yonus, 7." "Connection found. Access?" These words were listened loud and clear. Everybody was a witness to what was happening. "Yes." After that word was recited, the huge screen displays a scene, a scene that would be far too familiar for a certain two, and definitely, most iconically, tragically staggering to one. "Take this! Take this! Take this! Take this! Hahahahahahah!!!! You people thought you were better than me?! Look at you all know on your fucking knees!! You authentic excuses for a living! Die!!!! Die!!! Let it burn!!" The scene was self-explanatory. To the point where the judge called it off after he saw the necessary footage that contained the main evidence. Multiple yet alive survivors would scream for their fallen ones while Balthazar was simply having the time of his life back there. So this is the Great Crystal, an ad-hoc elementary stone made to track people down through certain conditions. Ultimately, Balthazar''s situation was definitely not looking auspicious for once, since concrete evidence had been rightfully delivered right away. "T-T-That was not me! You got to believe me! I''m a good person. I would never do something like this. It''s unthinkable! We both know it''s unthinkable. It''s true that I may be a little lost sometimes but I didn''t do it!!" "Oddly enough, after this was shown you unconsciously spilled out the beans when nobody directed a word to you. Balthazar, you are... guilty!" Administrating the scene, brash words come out from the judge. It was also not long after that the whole crowd erupted in roars yet again. "Execution!" "Kill him!!" "No mercy!!" "Slice his fucking head off!" "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!" This scenario was bound to repeat itself over and over, but this time, the judge said nothing for the couple ten seconds as he grabbed a massive book that was beneath his desk. That book was no other than the primal index. "Order, please. Thank you. Balthazar, as guilty, you will now undergo the punishment of a traditional live trial. It should be clear that no matter the trial, the rules will always base on the primal index and vice-versa. Article number 3: Killing is extremely forbidden. In doing so, it will result in a level strip and the killer will be exiled." "Whaaaaaaaaaaaat!? Exiled?! That''s bullshit!" Loudly complains one of the spectators. "However! Since this is a live trial, there are no exiles. This is a land of free reign. Execution will be your march." Persuasive to his calling, the judge settles the hammer down as he announces that there will be an execution. Furthermore, the other people went sorta barbaric for a moment, which was somewhat disturbing, but understanding. "Zakarias! This is where it gets fun. Aren''t you curious about who is going to execute him?" "Isn''t that the guard''s job?" Similarly to the last time, Roger raises an interesting question. With that said, everybody is really excited about his execution. On the other hand, it probably has to do with who is going to execute him. I''m already assuming my question is wrong, so it''s probably another person? "Nope. That''s rule number 2 for you, a random spectator will be chosen as the executioner. Also, the executioner will get the criminal''s original ability. How sick is that?" "Wait, while I am exultant and honestly elated about this, do tell me, what is the third rule?" "Have you not noticed yet? The third rule is that this is a free execution trial. The executioner gets to kill the criminal, thus he gets to escape the article three, which forbids killing. The reason for that being is, as long as the judge gives the permission, you are free from the index''s peril." Capricious to the hidden information that Roger just handed out, a few more things could be at sight. The first rule is, all the spectators will gain a certain amount of experience points. That quota is based on the criminal''s total experience points yet it must divide with all the spectators according to their number in total. Right now there are only 21 spectators. Unlike Roger, I can''t see how many experience points he has in total, only his level, which is 16. Asking Roger about that right now would ruin the climax as he is looking forward to something, just like the other. Continuing on, the second rule implies that a random spectator will be chosen as the executioner. A cloistered thought comes to mind right now. The guard at the entrance gave me a notification immediately, saying that I was number 4. The likelihood of the executioner being chosen like a number is chosen in a lottery sequence, is not small, by all means. Lastly, the third rule allows executions. A person who is craven would be dreadful for this task, though, by the looks of it, that''s not going to be a problem any time soon. Oh, one other factor is that the executioner gets the criminal''s original ability. However, I don''t know Balthazar''s original ability, therefore determinating its worth is beyond my reach, unfortunately. "Order! Order! We will now begin the executioner''s selection. Best of luck to you all." Finishes the judge while giving away a mischevious smile. Even though this was quite divergent from what I had originally in mind, one of the guards brings up a golden trophy that contains 21 coins in it. It goes without saying that those coins will be what will determine the victor here. "Yo, good luck." "Thanks, man." "Not gonna wish me luck?" "Well, no. I believe in luck. Therefore, I don''t want to wish it to my opponents, even if it''s just for a short intermission." "Fine words. Game on." Innate to our conversation, Roger faced forward and marked his eyes on the prize. Balthazar, on the other hand, was definitely obsequious for once. His loutish pose was gone and he was no longer transmitting an irate vibe. It wouldn''t be much of a fallacious understatement to say that he has accepted what is to come. Some were overwrought while some were ossified, posture-wise. As for me, I couldn''t care less. My form was already gone, the only thing left was to leave the stadium. I couldn''t give a damn about the outcome. What''s so important about it? Killing someone that has already given up on life? Earning the ego boost from dominating another? The pleasure of killing? Sure, he did unforgivable things, but he''s going to die for them either way. Worrying about details feels too onerous, even for an executioner. "....And... He-Herm, number 4, please step up." Compelling to the judge''s decision, which was made after he blindly drew the coin that was on top of the trophy midst the other coin, everybody starts to check on each other to see if they got number 4. It was not such a rare sight. There was nothing to be gained from it. I''m fairly sure that whoever got number 4 will have to present the notification to the judge anyway. "Hey, are you number 4?" "Nope, where is number 4 at?" Furtive conversations ceased at that moment as everyone started to embrace the fact that they are not number four. "Oi, Zakarias, what number are you?" Then it occurred to me. I was so persuaded with the thought of not giving a damn, that I was the "lucky" person in the middle of these tryhards. "Looks like I''m up." "Give ''em hell!" Getting up from my seat, which is a rocky one, the intense glares from the other spectators could entirely be felt within me. Furthermore, they would send chills down my spine, occasionally. More so, some even cursed me. I wonder just how desperate do you have to be to rely on a criminal to become somewhat strong? No, that''s wrong. They most likely just wanted his original ability. You can only get one original ability, normally. However, this is indeed the first time that I''m hearing that you can get more than one original ability. I wonder if it will have side effects or anything... Ultimately, I end up descending the whole staircase to where the judge would be, who is alongside a guard. The guard was holding the decisive factor to this outcome. "Kudos to you, executioner, what might your name be?" Normally, the answer would be simplistic. Saying "My name is Zakarias" is simple, it really is. But, do I really want to? What if I get myself into a similar situation, like Balthazar''s? It''s not impossible. I can''t foresee the future. Maybe this was a nebulous decision. I''ll never know. "Teneb, sir. My name is Teneb." "I forgot to introduce myself. I''m Judge Zekt. Here, take this. This Ascelonion will provide you the necessary lethality to deliver the execution. Onwards." "...Yes." So, let''s recapitulate one last time. By killing him, I will gain his original ability. That''s really not bad, depending on how useful it is. Strange... "Why am I..." I''m shaking. I can''t stop shaking. Why? I''ve killed another person before. What''s the difference right now? Is it because he didn''t harm my village? Is it the fact that I have no reason to kill him? Does a person deserve to simply die for my own greed? Can''t I simply hand this job over to someone else... No... People like him will just keep on feeding off from this liberty if given. Once rotten, always rotten. Change is only possible if one wants to change. He doesn''t want to change. I know that. The way he lied through his teeth. It''s the truth. However, I will do things different this time, and forever here. "Please don''t kill me........" Showing a penitent look, Balthazar starts to cry. There is no need to overthink this. "I ask. Do you have a reason to live?" "...W-What are you talking about... Since when do you need a reason to live.... Just let me go please...." "I see. Do you have someone who cares about you and will be sad about your death?" ".....God fucking damn it.... Just fucking end me already!!!!" His picayune cry started to exploit his weakness. He doesn''t have a reason to live, most likely. Plus, he doesn''t have someone to give his life for. "Where do you want your body buried?" "I.... Is it really alright to grant me that request...?" "I believe it is." "Y-You are... A-Actually, bury me whenever you see fit, but just not here... Everyone hates me. I know that I deserve to be hated and that for the eternities that will come that I should do, even then, could you do me a favor...?" "What is it?" "Y-You see that girl over there... Could yo- Eh? My head... It''s ......ne." I''m still soft, apparently. The wicked don''t need any banquets. As soon as he said those words, my body instinctively cut Balthazar''s head off with Ascelonion. The worst part is, he was directing his last breath towards Tattia, who remains tormented still. Also, as that happened, Zekt raised my arm up immediately. "Gentlemen! A round of applause for, Teneb!!" "Woooohoooo!!!" "Perfect head slice!" "That was awesome!" Quixotic as it may sound, this isn''t the type of world that I want to live in. If I''ve ever been granted the opportunity to change the world, then only certain people could exist. This world has too many unnecessities living amidst it. In the end, I returned the Ascelonion to Judge Zekt and made my way out. I did get some experience points, but they were so minimum that I couldn''t give a damn. Of course, the original ability as well. More importantly, I got what I came for, the form a judge. The requirements this time were that I gazed the judge for at least 3 minutes. However, if Zekt had not said the word "guilty" then this form would have been impossible to obtain. Eventually, I''ll give it abilities, which will receive consequences. Now that I think of it. The time I had with Lil was way better. And wait... [You have 4 new messages!] One of them was perfectly reasonable, it was from Rei. I was running late, it was only normal. But the other three are from Lil. I wonder how effective it is to ignore her. Now then, it''s time to make way to that place. Arretbus caf¨¦ "Hey, what took you so long? We''ve been here for minutes already!" Call me cold-hearted, but I didn''t miss her voice, not even one bit. "Yeah, so sorry about that, got some errands going on, you know." "Zakarias does your errands involve buying new clothes and smelling good?" Good question, Rei. Yet you wouldn''t imagine what I went through today and yesterday. "Ah, no. This is nothing. Just casual smell." "Pardon my tenuous manner, but could it be that you have been seeing someone?" In theory, that''s wrong. However, in practice, some might label our little walk into the mall as "seeing someone", perhaps. "No way." "That''s really strange. You reek of perfume." Unnecessary comment, Rei. "Not true. Your nose is simply better than an average one." "No, no, no. This is a girl''s perfume. An expensive one at it. Very expensive." Why can''t they take a hint already... "You''re assuming things already, aren''t you?" To make things worse, I receive another notification. [You have 13 new messages!] Taking into consideration the fact that I read Rei''s message already, it should mean that, if I hadn''t read it, it would be 14 messages by now. This is not going well. Ignoring her is only proving to backfire. And these three idiots are onto me right now. "You looked away just now! In the direction of your screen! Don''t tell me that you..." "That''s just horrible, Zakarias." "Outstandingly shameful, honestly." The whole trio gives me pitiful remarks like that. That''s it, I''m done with empathizing with them. "So, Rei? How did it go?" "Well..." To be continued. Vol. ∞ Ch.2: Clarity Sometimes, untangible reminiscences flow astray inside my own world. The kind of reminiscences so unconquerable that even its owner cannot reach them. "What''s on your mind? You''ve been daydreaming every day now! It''s like you''re living in your own world again." "Huh? Uh...Yeah, yeah. Sorry about that." "Don''t apologize, silly. Say, what''s on your mind right now?" "What''s on my mind? That''s--" Hm? What is this? Why can''t I remember anything? "Oh, hey! Are you okay?" "S-Sorry, it''s just that..." "Just that?" "...Who are you?" "Hahaha... What''s with that question? It''s obvious! I''m---" 9 am "Hm... Wh... What the hell was that vision? A dream?" It''s weird. I thought that I was dead for sure. Yet to contradict that predicament, I''m right here, lying on my usual bed. The lousy noises my brother makes in the morning are there. He loves to watch anime before going to school. I never experienced such a feeling. To me, going to school has always been a drag. So I never looked forward to it. From time to time, I thought that staying in bed was the better choice. Not because it''s more relaxing. But because it''s better to do something that I''m fine with instead of doing something that I''m not fine with. However, this mindset of mine could be viewed as a nuisance, especially when it comes to modern society. "Kuesa! Wake up! You''re gonna be late for school, y'' know!?" "Bakengan, how many times must I say this to you... It''s "nii-chan," not "Kuesa." "Sorry ''bout that! But you''re seriously going to be late! It''s past nine!" Yeah genius, thanks a lot. Though, he''s right. This short intermission has to end, otherwise, I''ll really be late. "Got it. Tell mother that I--" Wh-what the hell.... "Nii-chan? What''s wrong?" The moment I open my eyes and look at Bakengan, he had his name above his head. That''s very unusual. No, calling it unusual would be wrong. It has never happened before. "Did you always have your name above your head?" "...Sorry? I don''t follow you." He seems totally clueless about this. It wouldn''t be wrong to assume that this is a side effect from my meeting with Kan. I should assume that at least. There shouldn''t be any reason to assume otherwise, only for the following reason: there are still open wounds all over my body. Mainly in my left leg. Thus, those past events might have been real. However, if so, how did I get here? It should be impossible considering that I was on the verge of death. Nonetheless, it''s not just Bakengan''s name that''s on top of his head. His name was only visible by focusing my eyesight. Without Bakengan noticing, I focused my eyesight even more. Some noticeable features appeared. "It''s nothing. I''m just sleepy. Don''t mind me." I respond to him lately as I get up from my bed. "You''re weird." "Being weird just means that you aren''t normal." "You always say those type of stuff. Like how it''s important to only rely on yourself and not others. But, can you really rely on yourself all the time? Won''t you have to end up relying on others at some point?" It''s unusual of him to stay this long and chat with me. Especially when I''m here just grabbing some clothes. I need to do laundry pretty soon. Although, his question is rather obvious. "The moment you end up relying on others is the moment you lose. Do you like losing?" "Well... I don''t think anybody likes losing..." "That right there isn''t necessarily right. Anyone can just accept defeat as long as it brings convenience to that person. The purpose of achieving a victory is to win. However, what most don''t consider is that losing only holds meaning when you cannot win. If there is a time when you can win while losing and you accept that, then you will never walk under the hall of victory again." "I... Wh-what? H-Hall of victory!? Thahahah!! Nii-chan, you''re still sleepy aren''t you?" "Yes, that''s right. Now get the hell out of my room. I wanna dress up." "Roger!" Says Bakengan as he swiftly closes my room''s door. I really mean those words. As soon as I recalled those memories from yesterday, I felt agony. The rage of losing. The pain of not receiving one''s desire. All of that, filled up inside my dark heart. Nevertheless, shortly after dressing up, I went to school. I finished my breakfast while going to school. But, by the time I had reached school... 9: 30 am, Katarakis Highschool, Class A, Block C. "Students, you only have five minutes left. Be sure to review every question and make sure you fill your name and all that. I wouldn''t want to give yet another accident zero to someone again-" Interrupting Sensei''s brief warning, I enter the classroom, almost devasted by the fact that I had to run eight kilometers. Damn it, this wasn''t easy... "Oh, Kuesa-kun. You are exactly twenty-five minutes late. We are having a Mathematics test. But, since there are only five minutes left, what I just said holds no relevance. You will receive a negative mark." And that''s not good... "Can''t I do the test now?" "Kuesa-kun. There are only five minutes left. What part of "There are only five minutes left" did you not understand?" It''s you who doesn''t understand it. "Let me do the test. I''ll finish it in three minutes." "What? That''s impossible, Kuesa-kun. You won''t even be able to--" "Can you please stop talking and just let me do the test? We are wasting precious time just by chit-chatting like this. Is that a test sheet, over there?" She''s seriously getting on my nerves... Is she doing this on purpose? This fucking bitch. "A-ah, yes. Take it..." Without giving any sort of response, I sit right next to the closest desk, completely ignoring everyone in the room. The desk was located to the most left. I could feel everyone else staring at me. Of course, that includes him. However, I couldn''t care less about that right now. I had to do the test. To my luck, there is always something that allows me to climb to excellence when it comes to tests or exams. They always follow the same pattern. These teachers are so damn lazy. They don''t even bother to create alternative routes, it''s always the same. So fucking sickening. It''s no wonder this place is rotten with boredom. "Here." "Y-y-y-you''ve done it in two minutes? But how?" "You yourself made that possible. Can I leave now?" "Kuesa-kun, don''t you think you are being a bit rude?" "How was that rude? You made this test so damn easy. It''s an offense to anyone who has studied seriously for this. How will you compensate for their efforts? By laying out kind words? Bullshit." I don''t know what''s going on with me, but I can''t hold my inner temper quite well today. Goddamn it... Ever since that vision I... "Kuesa-kun! To the principal''s office! Now!" "Tsk..." If there is one thing I hate about human beings is how when they are scared, they will always abandon logic and reasoning. They give up on persuasion and will always resort to secondary methods. Mainly violence or strict punishment. This time it was the latter. I realize I was also in the wrong for being late, but she was literally fucking around with that test. What the fuck was that even? A fifth-grade entry test? And there were some of my classmates who were even struggling with it. How the fuck is that even possible? You''ve got a brain, don''t you? Use it, otherwise, you won''t ever achieve anything. Principal''s office. "Kuesa, was it? Natsume-sensei has told me about you. Yesterday you beat up one of your classmates and just a few moments ago, you were rude to her, right?" "None of those statements are true. I never beat up a classmate, to begin with. Plus, I was never rude to Natsume-sensei. She has really poor control over her emotions, that''s all. You can''t call that being rude." It''s getting really old having to justify such trifling actions. I swear, if he starts lecturing me, I will literally ignore him. "Kuesa, you can''t think like that. When you finish this year, you will move on and enter a new world. A world where you will become a member of society, just like me. And--" Blah, blah, blah. By pretending I''m thoroughly listening to him, I mark my gaze on the gigantic silver watch on his back. This is a good time to reflect on some things. Over my way to school, I did some experiences. What got me curious was, in this morning, Bakengan''s name appeared right above his head. I wondered what that meant. "Through hardships, you will become someone who can understand the difficulty of being a human being. Life is not always simple--" So I decided to sit on a caf¨¦ for about five minutes just so I could do this experiment. The experiment revolved around analyzing every person who came across me. Normally, their names up above wouldn''t be visible in any circumstance. It''s common sense to ask for a name if you don''t know it. However, somehow I can see names. "You always score quite high on tests. You shouldn''t waste your talent like this. Have you ever wondered how there are others who wish to be in your shoes right now? Not only that--" I was surprised. It was like I was playing video games. Mainly fantasy ones. They have levels. Usually, a character can only level up until level 99, but just by simply focusing my glare, I could see other features. People have levels. However, so far, I''ve only encountered level 1''s. Which begs the question, could it be that I''m a level 1 too? I can''t see my own level for some reason. "Not many can achieve your usual feats just by studying and practicing. Therefore, using your skills to the best of society would do you good. In the near future, you can start to contribute to the greater good of this country. Of course, this isn''t to say--" There was another feature as well. People also have status as well. Though, they aren''t the same, unlike levels. I can only see these following four: Strength, Defense, Attack and Velocity. If a woman passed by, she would have all her status quite poor. Seven points in strength, 5 points in velocity and so on. To my luck, a baby passed by with her mother. The baby had 0 points in his four status. However, he wasn''t even level 1, he was level 0. "Haven''t you thought about it? How sad you are making your mother and father by behaving like this? I won''t deny your abilities. Some even call you a genius, but that arrogance of yours is a big flaw. However--" How strange it is, really... I keep on recalling those moments when I was with Kan and he told me some words. However, I can''t remember his words. And I don''t have a single memory after that. Yet it feels as if I''m forgetting something crucial. Something that should not be forgotten. On the other hand, my curiosity erupted. How can I level up? How can I raise my status? What relevance will this bring me? Can I get my revenge on Gekidoshi if I''m a level higher than him? "With that said, you will receive a warning. If you try and disrespect your teacher again, you will be suspended. Understood? Kuesa? Are you listening to me?" "Why, of course. I indeed understood what you just said. I will firmly reform my arrogance and turn it into full fledge obedience. You can count on me, principal." I feel bad. I didn''t listen to any of his words. I was simply too focused on my inner thought. Still, that was bound to happen. Listening to an old man''s words isn''t exactly my cup of tea. Most of all, when it''s a lecture. "I''m glad you could come to terms with your mistakes. You may return now, Kuesa." Slowly bowing to the principal, I look at him this time around. My intention was to analyze him. Sakusizo Kurile. Attack 23. Defense 19. Strength 31. Velocity 11. He holds more strength in contrast to his other statuses. Plus, his velocity is really slow. No, that''s really wrong to assume. How can I know that his velocity is slow? I can''t. If I want to analyze how supposedly fast someone is, then I should watch that someone run. "Kuesa? Were your eyes always red? I thought they were green. Ah, this old age is getting to me." That''s something I''ve taken notice as well. Every time I analyze someone, my eyes go red. But, that''s far too irrelevant, I think. "I''ll be going now. Thank you for the wise words." Not having another reason to stay, I leave the principal''s room. Soonly after, I return to the classroom. Main Classroom. "Oh... It''s the morning interval now." Intervals are always so boring. I don''t even like them that much. Weirdly enough, I prefer classes. At least my classmates shut the hell up. But no, in these stagnant intervals, all that happens is chit-chat for the most part. Most of the boys in my class always talk about girls. What of them? Are you this lonely to the point that you need someone on your side? Someone, who you only admire for their appearance and not from what they are? Ludicrious. How can such a thought process even begin to take shape in the first place? If you are going to be with someone then shouldn''t that person''s personality come as a greater interest? Why do people value their own appearances so much? That value is only ephemeral. Meaning it''s short-lived. "...............sa." Furthermore, you are only thinking about that person. How that person looks. Do you seriously think that just because that person has a good appearance that he/she will immediately be someone who you want to end up with? Think for a second. Shouldn''t someone who makes you laugh or just makes you feel happy with such consistency, be the one for you? It''s so triggering to see such stereotypical mindset all over the place. Nevertheless, why is this so infuriating to me right now? I can''t understand. "Kuesa!" "What?" It''s not as if I didn''t notice her. I was just hoping she would leave and perish out of my sight. But apparently, some people lack the intelligence to realize that if you are being ignored on purpose then there is a very huge likelihood that the one who you are trying to talk to doesn''t want to talk to you. "Gee, do you live in a different world or what?" "I wish I did. Because then, I wouldn''t have to deal with existences such as yourself every day." "That attitude. I like it. You were always silent but now you''ve started to show your true colors, you are quite the outlaw, aren''t you?~" I know where this is going. Girl gets interested in a boy just because he was different from the usual and so on. But, my patience today just isn''t at its best. "Fuck off. Go bark somewhere else." Perhaps I said that too loud. The boys are starting to look at me right now. The girls too. How ironic. As if this concerns you. However, it''s somewhat natural, since people desire an interesting topic to constantly gossip upon. "I liked how you talked to Natsume-sensei back there! Tell me more about y--" "Bitch, did you not hear what I just fucking said? Go bark somewhere else. Can''t you see that your presence is irrelevant? Go suck someone else''s dick, will you?" "W-what''s with you!? I was just trying..." Time to try something. "Trying to what? Annoy me? Don''t worry, you are already doing that." Quickly after my retort, one of my classmates comes in and intervenes. "Hey, Kuesa! Knock it off, will ya!?" I suppose an introduction to these two would be necessary. First off, the annoying bitch, slut, whatever. Juya Savarego. She comes from Europe, Sweden. With her naturally attractive body, she is the most attractive girl in our class, according to most of the boys in this class. Her blonde hair just makes these virgins droll all over her. Second, the white knight in shining armor. His behavior is so predictable. He always gets "pissed off" whenever someone tries to differ this bitch''s opinion. It''s not surprising since he literally has a huge crush on her. However, she''s too much of an attention whore to give a damn about him. So he finds these type of situations to mark his presence. Fucking disgusting. I can''t even bother to recite his name. White Knight is a better one, in all senses.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. "Oh, look! Your white knight in the shining armor has arrived. Now, kiss the princess and have a happy ending. Thank me later." My sarcasm here was beyond intentional. "Why you...! I didn''t know you were always this bullish. You always kept silence but in reality, you must have thought we all were stupid or something, huh!?" "Well, no. Calling you all stupid would be an insult to stupid people. At least they have a few redeemable qualities here and there. You are all fucking retarded. There is a difference." "I''ve had enough of you...!" Perfect. The scenario that I had in mind is coming into play right now. Now, fulfill your role. "Kuesa! Since you are so confident of yourself, you must be ready to take a beating, right!? Look! There are no teachers here. Nothing personal, but you will... Well, get your ass kicked right here." "Wait, was that your best speech? HAHAHAHAH!! God, that''s hilarious. I expected more from you white knight. Where are the usual protective words coming from you? At this rate, even an ant would pose more fear than you!" That''s right. Get angry. I just need ten more seconds. Ten.... Nine...... Eight..... "Enough with your shit! Nobody here will defend you ya know!? Just apologize or else you''re gonna get your ass beaten right here and now!" Seven..... Six....... Five....... "By you? You never have beaten someone up in your whole life. Stop talking like your some hot stuff when you''re clearly not." Four.... Three.... "......I warned you..." "Oh no. I''m sooooooooooooooo scared." Two... One... "Bastard!" Swinging his right arm violently in my direction, more precisely, to where my face is, he tries to land a punch out of rage. However, the scenario had come into play. The clock was exactly on time. 10 am on point. The time for the class had come. With that said, the one who had to direct the class had to show up at this exact time. Of course, some teachers like to arrive late, but not our homeroom Natsume-sensei. She''s always on point. Plus, given that she might still be angry about what happened earlier, this will most likely be a success. "W-what!?" His shock wasn''t very strange. It was only natural because I cross countered him. The cross counter only works when my opponent sends a huge jab straight at me. Then, by lowering my torso and emerging my left arm into this guy''s right arm, the cross counter was visible. Without any seconds to be spared, he was utterly defeated. I even made sure to apply enough strength to the point where it would hit the chin. The main purpose of hitting it was just so he would stay down. Thus, the ending pieces were coming together. "And that''s that. So much talk and nothing to give. Wuss." I proposedly made that provoking statement. "What''s going on here!?" Her presence had come into play. "Natsume-sensei! H-he punched Naruyo-kun!" Of course, the one who said that was no other than Juya. But that was already to be expected, ultimately, to be predicted. "He started off by saying rude things to Juya-chan! He''s a sociopath." Sociopath? I''m kinda hurt. But oh well. More fuel to the fire, keep it up. Nevertheless, the one who made that accusation was another classmate of mine, Beatrizia. Just like Juya, they had iconic features. I don''t even need to mention which. "Kuesa! Is it true!? Did you do this?" "What the fuck? Are you blind or something? Did you not see that I demolished him?" Another provoking coming from my part. "That''s it! You are dismissed for the day! Go and reflect, please!" "With much pleasure, Natsume-sama." Once again, I purposely made yet another provoking statement. By adding the "sama" there, she should be pretty angry about it. Furthermore, as I was grabbing my case, I lightly laughed my way out. Of course, this had an ulterior purpose. One purpose that would come into play, fundamentally. Needless to say is, those furious glares coming from my classmates came biting right at me. Though, since they''ve seen what I can do, they won''t dare to approach me. They value their appearances too much, therefore they will never interact with someone like me. What a feeble pattern. Main Gate. "Yo! You sure were on fire back there. Had a change of mood or something?" The last piece has come. "Just bored. What would you''ve done?" "To be pretty fucking honest, Naruyo always pisses me off with his hypocritical attitude. But you know, beating someone inside a classroom like that? Are you nuts?" "Maybe, Gekidoshi. Also, how are you here? We are having class, no?" "I just told sensei that I was gonna take a piss. She''s too good-hearted to ever question things that deserve to be questioned, most of the times." "Don''t stay out for too long, or else she will give you a scolding." "Yeah, yeah. By the way, I forgot to ask..." "Hmm?" "Why are you not dead? It''s really bugging me. I''m fairly sure I did the job right. So, how are you here? Care to explain? I''m really down to listen." "What are you talking about?" "Yesterday. I killed you." "If that was the case, then how am I here, right now?" "That''s what I would like to know." "You aren''t making any sense. Are you suffering from exhaustion or something? They say that if you don''t rest properly, you will start to hallucinate things, even worse, imagine them. Take better care of yourself, man." As soon as I said those words, Gekidoshi closed our distance, this time around, he had serious eyes. His playful mood was gone as well. "I''m not really in the mood for your jokes, Kuesa. You did something, didn''t you? I clearly remember yesterday. You can''t fool me. How did you survive? Tell me." "I really have no idea what you''re talking about." "You blatant fucker... I''ve got no idea how you did it, but the very fact that you are here just proves that something happened." "Again, what are you talking about? Are you alright dude?" "Kuesa." "Yeah?" "I''ll give you a warning. I will find how you came to life. Then, I will end your life. No matter what it takes." "H-Huh?! W-what the hell are you... Gekidoshi, do you have a fever or something?" "Hahaha!! Damn, you''re good at this. Gotta go back though. Also, try to not be such an outlaw, will you?" I find it ironic the fact that he is worried about me after threatening me. Just to show how psychotic he can be. "Oh, and... Have your eyes always been red?" "No, just trying contact lenses." "Weirdo." My act was dangerous, however, it worked out fine. Normally, leaving school when there is a class going on would be impossible yet to break that impossibility, there are certain factors that create an exception. Someone who is dismissed by a teacher due to bad behavior can leave school. Of course, that student must present a paper that has the teacher''s confirmation. Right before I left the classroom, Natsume-sensei handed me the envelope. "Hey! You can''t leave school. Go back." "Here." I hand out the confirmation. "...Go on." "Thank you very much." Poor watchman. Having to obey the permanent silence just because I handed him a paper. I find it funny and sad that things are solved like this. Of course, as soon as I left, I didn''t go straight home, I made a stop first. 11 am, Katarakis main park. "Strawberry, vanilla and oreo please." "Right away. Wait just a few moments." Spending summers away without ice cream should be illegal. Hence the sudden decision. Plus, I''m really addicted to this trio. The divine pleasure one gets from this combination is downright enigmatic. How can such taste come to life? A sear sensation would come every now and then, but that was mainly because the sun was steaming me. More so, as I wait for my ice cream, my appetite just kept on increasing. While that''s something good, that''s really questionable, if it''s even good, to begin with. "Here you go. 125 yen, please." Scrapping through my pockets, I manage to discover a few coins. Ultimately, it was enough to cover the whole ice cream. And for that, I''m glad. "Aye, here. Thank you very much." "No, no. Thank you." The young lady made sure to be as polite as possible, by the looks of it. However, the ultimate goal was just to relax and uncover some things. To do that, I sat on a deserted seat amidst the park. There were some kids playing around. One was all alone while the other three were playing lively. "Ah...... This is... paradise." This ice cream, this moment, the fresh air, the clouds surrounding the burning sun. Although the cerulean sky soon went a bit dark. "Hey, mister! Mister, mister!" As soon as I thought I would have peace for a while, one of the three kids comes and bugs me. "What is it, brat?" "We need a goalkeeper. Could you be our goalkeeper, pwease?" "Hell no. Go away." What kind of nonsensical favor is that? I''m holding an ice cream cup right now. It''s plainly obvious that the last thing I want to be is to is a goalkeeper. ".................uuu................ guuh........." Oh no, is he... Oh, goddamn it. "........uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh!!!" And he''s crying now. Is this karma because of what I did earlier? Not to mention the other people looking around. "C-Calm down... L-Look, you see that kid over there? Why not ask him to be the goalkeeper!" "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuahhhhhhhhhh!!!!" "P-Please don''t cry...! I''ll be reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaally sad if you do!" "Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!" Crap, this isn''t working. Damn it, why are kids always so...! "You seem to be having problems. I see I see. You are bad at dealing with kids, aren''t you?" Just who the hell... "What''s your name?" "Guuuuuuh... Rudo... guuh..." "Rudo! That''s a very cool name. Rudo, do you like Ice cream?" ".......Only if it has strawberry in it......." Although I can''t see her face because she''s on her knees, a girl managed to stop the kid from crying. That''s really praise-worthy. Now, time to savor my ice cream...!! "Today is your lucky day, Rudo!" Wait.................... "It is!?" "Yep!" Where the fuck is my ice cream?! "I-it''s...............delicious!! Thank you, onee-chan!" "Ah, don''t thank me! Thank him." "Wh.............." "Thank you mister!" "What the hell are you doing!? That''s my ice cream, you!" Just as I was about to snatch the whole ice cream away, seeing her face brought me specific reminiscences. "Hey. It''s been a while--not really. Just a day huh?" "You-- What are you doing here? Shouldn''t you be at school?" "That should be my question. But then again, you went out of your way and made that clear to everyone else in school. You''re quite the celebrity you know?" Please tell me this is not real. "Yeah, okay, fair point. But that still doesn''t explain why you aren''t in school, though. Go back." "My homeroom teacher isn''t present today. So I went out for a walk and guess what, I found you." Fuck, this isn''t good. I just keep on reminiscing. The worst part is, I couldn''t remember her for some reason. No, that''s not the worst part. The worst part is, I just recalled that one embarrassing moment. And now, I have to live with that. I can barely look at her in the eye. Oh, the agony. "I-I see." "What''s wrong? Why aren''t you looking at me? Is there something on my face?" I swear I don''t remember her being this talkative. She was so taciturn. Just what the hell happened!? "Hey, kid. When are you giving me back my ice cream?" The real question had to be made. "Never!" "What!?" "Now, now. I''ll pay you one if you insist, just let him have it." "...Well, don''t worry about it." More importantly, I need to leave this place. Just being in the same place as she is giving me an existential crisis. Not because she''s bad to be around, but precisely the opposite. I''m also pretty sure that I''m not supposed to feel this way... "Mister! We also want ice cream!" "Go ask your parents instead." "Ehhhhhh!? But my dad never buys me ice cream!" "And I don''t whave any yen with me!" "That''s just too bad." It''s already been two times since the kid said those words in the wrong way. Yet I''m seriously broke. I can''t afford another ice cream. Therefore, this isn''t necessarily an evil thing to do. I''m just laying out the truth as it is. "Don''t worry! Onee-chan here will pay you all ice creams! Just tell me what flavors you kids want!" Hold on, is she... "Hey, are you insane? That''s outrageous." "Oh, it''s nothing. It''s from goodwill." "Even so, you will be wasting your yen just for some brats! Plus, the ice cream price tags are literally a scam, you know?" Meanwhile, the kids kept on dancing around just because they were about to get their mouths fed. Ungrateful twerps... "Why are you so worried? Could it be that you are... jealous?" I''m the type of person who would get jealous over ice cream, to be honest, however... "Listen here...Why are you going so far?" "Hm? It''s just ice cream." She doesn''t have an economic balance, that''s for sure. "Ah, whatever. Well, see ya around." Gotta go. Gotta go. Gotta go. "Why are you leaving so early?" "Got chores to do." "That''s the lamest excuse ever." "You''re right. Besides, I don''t even do them." "See? Even you said it." That was a bad excuse entangled in a bad lie. "I''m still leaving. Bye." "Hold on! Again, why are you leaving?" .....Persistent. "The mood got spoiled. I''m gonna find another place." "Was it me...?" Definitely yes. But not in the way that you are probably thinking. "No, it''s just... I''ve got a lot of things to think about. After all, I did that..." This isn''t a lie. I really ought to think things through after this. Mainly how I''m gonna make that fucking Gekidoshi turn into dust. "Then, let me know what you are thinking. That way, I can help you with your problems." "No, thank you. There really isn''t any necessity for that." "It''s not about necessity. It''s about what I want." Yeah, well, thank you so much. You are just enforcing me to leave even more. "Bad mister! Listen to what onee-chan has to say!" "That''s right! That''s right!" "Shut up, you damn brats! You''re only saying that because you will get ice creams." Eventually, she went and bought those three kids an ice cream each. Even to the kid who ate my ice cream. The audacity. I, however, did not leave my seat. For once, I had the ability to think freely. Now that I think about it, this was far too overworked. There was no real necessity for what I did. My plan revolved around the essence of getting an excuse to leave school. My rage around Gekidoshi is stronger than the usual. Who knows just what I would be doing right now if I was there, in that classroom. The first moment I felt something like that was when I finished the test. When my eyes and Gekidoshi''s eyes met up, I could feel a burning flame rising up inside my soul. I wanted to rip his head off. To break his spine in half. To shatter his knees to the point he couldn''t walk. To gobble his eyeballs just so he would feel the pain of not being able to see. To destroy all of his five senses, ultimately bringing him the greatest of all despairs. In order to prevent myself from emerging with that desire, I had to create a strategy. Firstly, I provoked Natsume-sensei, since her usual punishments revolve around sending us to the principal''s office. Once there, I got scolded and then I returned to the classroom. From my previous observations, I could predict how Juya would act. She seeks those who show tenacity and will to revolt. Knowing that her attention was for surely guaranteed. Right after, Naruyo came into play. His protective attitude was really handy, without him, this probably wouldn''t work out. He got provoked and started the fight. And thereafter it was child''s play. Lastly, Natsume-sensei got angry and gave me her approval to leave school. That should have been it, however, my true goal was to find information about my target for vengeance, Gekidoshi. Gekidoshi would want to have a word with me, for sure. His curiosity about as to why I''m alive must have been something else, that''s for sure. Nevertheless, I played dumb, which worked out perfectly. Furthermore, I could achieve good information about him. I almost lost my composure when I found out that he was level 47. Just... how wide is our strength gap? I don''t even know my level, but just how relevant that is anyways? That''s something I''m bound to find out. I will run a few experiments over the upcoming weekend. I will learn how to reach above level 47 and go above his status. Is, what I would like to say, but I''m currently lacking information... Asking him that is out of the question, realistically. His statuses were something else too. Attack 87. Strength 128. Defense 71. Velocity 154. Though, calling them "something else" might not be the correct measure here. I don''t even know how to determine such things, that''s the problem. I''ll find out, though. Knowledge is never beyond my boundaries. "Boohoo!" Perhaps my own thoughts started to overflow, but it took me a while to notice that my eyes were wrapped around gentle hands. Hands so beautiful, which can hold any life in its grasp and transform it into elegance. That''s how gorgeous and charming these hands were. "Guess who?" "I know it''s you..." "What a terrible reply. Minus 40 points." We''re playing this game now? "So, how did it feel to get your yen ripped off by some selfish kids?" "It''s not so bad. Also, I''ve been meaning to ask..." "Yeah?" "Do you.... remember about yesterday?" ...This topic was bound to be brought up. We both knew that. "How could I forget, right?" "Hahaha, I really thought you would forget, to tell you the truth, our meeting here wasn''t a coincidence. I followed you, sorry." Figured out that much. This park is quite deserted. And nobody in their right mind would go to this park in the middle of the summer. Only a lonely man like me would inhabit it for his own fabulous solitude. "No, I should apologize as well. I forgot to ask you that. I would go to your classroom and see you, but I really have no clue what class you are in." "A-ahaha... That would be embarrassing... But still, you could''ve looked for me." "Well, if you didn''t run back then maybe I could''ve done something to prevent that." "I''m not at fault y'' know. You were the one who didn''t chase me." "Now listen here... I have something called pride and a big one at it. You can''t just expect me to blindly chase after you..." "Then, you and your pride are at fault. Double fault for you." She points at me. "Double! Double! Double!" Midst our conversation, the little brats started to form and circle and dance around again. What''s worse is that our conversation was being eavesdropped. That is really disrespectful. "But you know, I was kinda expecting this conversation to be awkward. It feels almost too good to be true." "I don''t have a reason to lie. I confessed my love to you. Nothing I say and do will change that fact, right?" "...You are awfully honest you know?" Not really. I just enjoy making you blush because you look so cute when you do that. I wish I could tell her these words, but I''m not that honest. "Honesty is a necessary quality for understanding, I think." "That''s true. People who lack confidence in their own words will never be able to break the barriers around them, will they?" "You are asking questions that you are answering at the same time. Hahaha, I can''t even." "That''s the first time." "What?" "That''s the first time you laughed." Without noticing, I was slowly opening my own thoughts around her. Unlike my time in school, time begins to advance instead of sporadically freezing itself. "My laugh is something that only happens once a century. You are lucky." "Hahaha, what the hell, that''s funny." "So, what now?" "What do you mean?" "Well, you did say you would tell me what you felt didn''t you? I still haven''t heard the answer to my confession." For some reason, I''m confident about this. How strange. Would your average person be this forceful and persistent? Maybe I''m simply desperate for her to this point. "Ehhhhhhhhh!? You two aren''t a couple, what!?" "Which means they haven''t kissed yet!" "S-Seriously?!" The three kids just kept on spreading those words. However, seeing her smile made me think that there was no way that this situation could go wrong. In fact, I would do everything within my power to ensure it would go right. "Hmm. Before giving my answer, tell me, do you think that people should fall in love with somebody they know nothing about?" "They probably shouldn''t. But, I think that those rules were only created by fools who never took the right initiative." "Is this the right initiative?" "I can''t tell. Only you can." "What made you chose me?" "You were like the sun hiding behind the darkening clouds in a storm. Although that sun was barely even visible, that sun was so rare that it was unfathomable. That''s what made me chose you." "Quite the poet, aren''t you?" "Ah... Ignore what I just said." That was over the top, really. "Nah, I won''t ignore it. I want you to say it to me again. Slowlyyy~" "Only if you tell me your name." I still haven''t forgotten how she''s keeping that as a secret from me. "Then I''ll just.." In an instant, she closed our small distance and told me her name right in my left ear. "That''s an unusual name, I think." "Why is that, Kuesa?" "Oh, you''re finally calling me by my name again." "Sorry about that." "I''ll excuse you if you say those words." "What words?" "Oh, you know, those." "Be more specific." "...You''re doing this on purpose, aren''t you?" I really was. This feeling of being content was irreplaceable, or so I thought. I really thought that this moment would go on and on. "Zira Zira!" That''s an unfamiliar voice. His voice is from that kid, the one who was all alone. He always kept an eye on us. Of course, these three kids are just goofing around, but that kid was always observant. "Hey there! What''s your name?" "Zira Zira! Zira Zira..." "That''s weird. I never saw someone say the word "Zira" this much. No, I''ve never heard of the word even." "Maybe he still hasn''t learned how to speak properly?" "I find that impossible, somehow. Look at his size. He''s at least 7 years old." "Good point. Then, what is he saying?" "I''ve got no idea..." We kept on pondering what the green haired kid was saying, yet all he kept saying was the word "Zira". That really wasn''t helpful. I would just ignore this kid, but she takes an interest in everything. "So, your answer?" "Hm?" "About the confession." "Zira Zira Zira!!" Not now, kid, you are far too loud right now. Especially when such a crucial moment is going down. "Of course, my answer is--" "Zira Zira!!" "Kid can you n--" Without having another moment to say a word, the current reality that was visible to my eyes completely disappeared. My mind drifted from my past location to another just like that. I couldn''t even say anything to her even. "...........p.............ad." W-what? What is this voice... It''s so loud and noisy... "Wake up, sleepy head." "U...Uhm... Where am..." "That certainly took you a while. I thought you would''va stayed asleep forever or something. Come on, rise and shine, now!" Who the hell is this..? I couldn''t help but wonder yet that question was short lived. It was no other than a familiar face. "Kan... What are you doing here?" "What am I doing here? Nothing special. But the fact that you are here, somehow is what surprises me. I didn''t expect to see you here. How did you get here anyway?" Recall... The last time was with her and that kid..." "That kid!" "Oh? Found some clue?" "Well... That''s irrelevant. Kan, just what the hell is this place?" "This place? It''s your world." "No, that''s impossible, this is not my world." The place that I''m in right now is not my world, certainly. This whole place is disfigured and deserted. There is no Sun here, only huge dark clouds. Plus, just what the hell is Kan doing here? "Ah, you''re right. It''s only partially. Allow me to answer your question. Welcome to Survival mode, also known as the world of growth, Parsek." "Kan, I''ve got to get back to my world, or the place that I was in not so long ago!" "That''s not possible right now." "Then, when will it be?" "In a couple of hours." "How many?" "It''s not about how many, but rather, just for how long you can last here." "What? You aren''t making any sense. Fine, I''ll find my own way back to my world." Seems like it''s about time I start my endeavor. I wouldn''t want to keep her waiting. Gotta find a way out of this world quick. Damn, it''s not even the first time. Back then, Kan was there as well. Maybe there is some kind of portal that will allow me to leave this world and return to mine? No, I should look for the kid. He''s bound to be somewhere. When he touched my palms, I was teleported. With that in mind, I just have to find him and I''ll be back, perhaps. "You''ll die. Don''t do it." "...What did you just say?" "You''ll die." "How the hell will I die?" "By dying. Just like you did, yesterday." "....So I really died yesterday..." "Well, don''t fret about it. You will be able to go back to your own world in a few hours if you cooperate." Smirking while looking at me, Kan delivers those finishing words. Thus, began my unfortunate visit on this partial world called Parsek. To be continued.