Ari's eyelids fluttered. He slowly opened his eyes. Sunlight fell across his face, forcing him to squint. He turned his head away, but the movement sent a sharp ache through his neck.
I'm still alive...
The sunlight reflected off the green gem lying in a patch of grass beside him.
Ari groaned and slowly pushed himself upright. His makeshift bag shifted against his back as he struggled to stand. He stumbled forward before regaining his footing.
What am I doing?
He breathed heavily, trying to steady himself.
How long have I been unconscious?
A flicker of light flashed in front of Ari. A transparent screen appeared, hovering above the ground.
Ari blinked rapidly, trying to focus his eyes.
Is this the system?
His mouth opened slightly.
"Haha..."
"Hahaha..."
I'd almost forgotten this thing existed. The system I received after crossing into this world following my death...
The glowing screen brought back a memory.
Corrossia's blade pierced Ari's body. His eyes widened as he looked down at the weapon protruding from his chest.
Ari stared at the floating screen.
It saved me back then. I wonder...
[Daily Quest]
Tasks:
- Complete 500 push-ups with a boulder on your back.
- Complete 500 squats with a boulder on your back.
- Climb high terrain while carrying a heavy boulder.
- Travel 10 kilometers while carrying a heavy boulder.
Reward: Locked
Figures...
The system never gave me the hidden rewards from my previous quests. Is that just a glitch?
Ari bent down and picked up the green gem.
If only there were a way to heal these injuries...
He tightened his grip around the gem.
At this rate, I don't have much time left.
Wait...
Ari's mouth parted as he reached for the bag on his back.
He slipped it off his shoulders and dropped it. The bag hit the ground with a thud.He rummaged through its contents, pushing aside the berries and a piece of caterpillar flesh.
Then he found the bundle of old leaves. He carefully loosened the wrapping. The petals were still there, pale with silver veins.
Ari's gaze lingered on the petals. His fingers brushed against them.
"Here. You can have this."
Luminara held out her hand, her white exoskeleton catching the light.
Ari blinked.
"Why would you give the Moonveil Blossom to me?"
Luminara smiled.
"You're asking me that after everything you've done for the Kaleidoscope, my sisters, and me?"
"Look."
Luminara pointed to her green eyes.
"Thanks to your strategy, I can finally see again after all this time. You're the one who deserves this most."
Ari accepted the Moonveil Blossom and examined it in his hand.
"Although its power to grant wishes is gone forever, you can still consume the flower to heal life-threatening injuries."
Luminara looked into Ari's eyes.
"Use it wisely. There may come a day when you'll need it."
It's almost as if she foresaw the crisis the colony is facing.
Ari smiled faintly.
"Thank you, Luminara," he whispered.
He straightened, tightening his grip on the Moonveil Blossom.
"Even if this system's broken... even if no one's coming to help me... I'll do it. I'll do whatever it takes to bring Emilia back."
Night had fallen near the colony's outskirts. Isla slept on a log at the edge of the forest.
Clang! Clang! Whoosh!
Her eyes snapped open.
"What's going on?"
She sat up, her antennae twitching toward the sounds. She climbed off the log and approached the open field.
Her eyes widened.
Beatrice and Lily's blades collided, sparks flying from the impact. They pushed against each other before stepping back.
Their weapons clashed again.
Beatrice lunged. Lily deflected the strike and slashed with her left mandible.
Beatrice shifted to the left, countering with an attack of her own. Lily blocked with her right.
They're so fast... Were they holding back against me?
Beatrice and Lily separated, breathing heavily as they settled into their stances.
Lily grinned.
"That was a good fight. I see you've improved, Betty."
Beatrice closed her eyes and sheathed her mandibles.
"I told you to stop calling me that."
"Your nicknames aren't up to you."
Isla leaned forward from behind a tree, watching them closely.
"I've decided," Lily said quietly, resting her mandible on her shoulder. "I'm going to the fortress."
Beatrice's gaze hardened.
"Valeria's serious about this war. If you go, there's no turning back. We either win or die."
"Oh, I know that," Lily replied.
She clenched her fist.
"But I've seen enough. Zyroth isn't just killing our soldiers. He's crushing our hope. I'm not going to sit around waiting for orders that will never come."
She pressed her free hand against her chest.
"If I want to move on from this pain I've been carrying for so long, I have to do something. I'm sick of pretending everything's fine and blindly following orders. It's driving me insane."
Beatrice lowered her gaze.
"In that case, I'm going too."
Lily chuckled.
"Aww... You can't bear to let me venture into enemy territory alone, can you?"
"Take this seriously for once," Beatrice said.
"All right, all right. No need to yell."
Isla's breath caught.
She pressed her back against the tree and slowly lowered herself to the ground, her heart pounding.
They're going too...
She drew her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
Then maybe... maybe we can help Ari.
The morning sun rose over the training ground, casting long shadows from the scattered boulders.
Clang!
Brooks brought his weapon down. Lancelot raised his blade to block, his feet scraping against the dirt.
"Khk!!"
Brooks rushed forward, following with another swing, then a third.
Lancelot deflected each blow, but the force drove him backward. Before he could regain his footing, Brooks launched a flurry of attacks, striking from different angles.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Lancelot blocked the final strike, his arms trembling. He stumbled back and dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.
Brooks lowered his weapon and nodded.
Lancelot smirked as he lay flat on the ground.
"Your training has paid off. I'm impressed."
Brooks sheathed his mandibles.
"You withstood the full force of my strikes without losing your grip, and your speed was nearly equal to mine. You even managed to deflect my attacks when I gave you no room to recover."
He looked down at Lancelot.
"Strength alone doesn't make a warrior. It's knowing when to strike, when to defend, and how to remain standing when your body tells you to fall. You've learned those lessons well."
Brooks rested a hand on his hip.
"I believe you've reached the end of your training."
"Ha... haha!"
Lancelot raised a clenched fist.
"Lieutenant Brooks... I'm just getting started."
He grinned.
Brooks's eyes widened slightly.
"...Toran."
Lancelot looked up at him. "What was that?"
Brooks shook his head. "Nothing."
As Lancelot stood, Brooks placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't mistake determination for readiness. A soldier who rushes into battle without considering the consequences only creates more of us to mourn him. Learn to recognize when you need to fight and when you need to prepare."
Lancelot nodded. "Thank you. I'll remember that."
He sheathed his mandibles and started walking away.
"And where do you think you're going?" Brooks asked.
Lancelot stopped and turned.
"I'm heading across the northern bridge to Zyroth's fortress. Ari can't do this alone. I'll help him however I can."
He scratched the back of his neck.
"Thanks for everything. I should get going."
"You're not going anywhere yet."
Lancelot blinked. "What?"
"Traveling in broad daylight is too dangerous. The ants patrol our colony's outskirts, and Zyroth's fortress is heavily guarded. His soldiers have eyes everywhere, and some are far stronger than you. If they spot you, you'll never reach Ari."
Brooks folded his arms.
"Rest and recover. Leave after nightfall."
"But—"
"No buts." Brooks's voice sharpened. "You won't be any help to Ari if you can barely stand."
Lancelot clenched his fists. After a long pause, he nodded.
"Fine. I'll wait... but only until the sun sets."
Brooks released a slow breath.
"Very well."
Just hold on, Ari. I'm coming.
Lancelot's hair fluttered in the wind.
Ari sat on a patch of flat ground beneath a crumbling cliff. Smoke drifted through the night air, and flames flickered nearby, casting shadows across the rocky ground.
Water bubbled from a crack in the stone. Ari scooped some into a resin container and raised it to his mouth.
He took a deep breath.
Here goes.
He downed the contents in a single gulp.
"Ghk!"
Ari coughed, stuck out his tongue, and bent forward.
"Ugh! That's so bitter!"
He straightened and examined his arms.
He waited, rubbing his thumb over one of the wounds.
Come on... Did I get something wrong?
Ari's shoulders sank.
"Seriously? Don't tell me it doesn't work."
Then he noticed a thin trail of steam rising from his forearm.
Huh?
Steam rose from his wounds as the cuts across his face and body slowly closed.
Ari straightened and examined his arms before touching his chest.
It doesn't hurt anymore...
A smile spread across his face.
"No way. It actually works!"
He glanced at the bubbling water and the empty container in his hand.
And that's not all. I can fill a few more containers and take them with me to the fortress.
What do you know? The Moonveil Blossom really did come in handy.
Ari pushed himself to his feet.
"Now then..."
"Time to complete the system's quest."