63. Nothing Special
We took a brief rest atop the city wall. After everything we had been through, we finally managed to catch a break. It wouldn't last long—we still needed food—but it was enough for me to recover, even if just a little. I truly needed that moment of respite. Neph understood as well—venturing into this city without the strength to fight was practically a death wish.
Evaluation: 55 (Normal)
Countdown: 14 days, 9 hours, and 42 seconds.
I've come a long way. It's only been two weeks, but at the same time, it feels like two entire weeks—long, chaotic, and exhausting.
If I were to summarize everything that's happened so far…
First, I made friends?
Whether they were just NPCs created by the system or real people from some parallel multiverse—well, who really cares?
If you overthink things like that, there's no end to it. You'll spiral down a rabbit hole of doubt and confusion… and maybe even end up depressed—or worse.
No matter how mysterious the system is, how magical this situation seems, or how strange everything feels—I just have to live the way I want. I laugh, I cry, I smile. That's all I need.
Even if there's a chance that everything is fake, that it could all vanish tomorrow—so what? That's just life.
Well… maybe I'd think differently if I had a child.
But I'm not so arrogant as to believe I must uncover the truth behind everything. Sometimes, just living is enough.
Alright, let's move on to the next.
Second… I lost my hand.
I glanced at my left hand.
By now, I'd grown proficient enough with it that it moved almost like a real one. Should I paint it when I get back?
Showing up one hand short in front of people I know—back in my world—might be a bit too stimulating for them to handle.
If I had to say what the most important thing I've learned is…
Whoosh—whoosh.
I swung a longstaff made of thread, despite only having strength in one hand. Nearby, Sunny and Neph were also doing their morning exercises, warming up their bodies after a good night's sleep.
Looking back, I think the combat fundamentals I learned from Neph might be my greatest achievement so far.
"It's time to go," Neph said, taking the lead as usual.
***
We no longer had to worry about the dark sea approaching at night—the city wall blocked it completely. But in exchange...
"Hold your breath," Sunny whispered, watching the situation through his shadow.
We were currently hiding behind the rubble of a ruined house, not far from the city wall. Which also meant we were still a long way from our destination: the castle at the center of the city.
Some runners say that when you've reached 90%, it only means you've cleared half the journey—because the final stretch is where most people give up, whether by choice… or by force.
According to his description, it was some kind of grotesque monster—a twisted fusion of beast and human.
Anyone with even a basic understanding of human or animal anatomy would immediately ask: How the hell is that thing even alive, let alone moving?
It had arms sprouting from its eye sockets, and each of its seven fingers was lined with tiny, jagged teeth.
Just imagining it from the description was enough to make your stomach churn and empty itself.
There's a reason they're called nightmare creatures.
For me, those descriptions stirred an even deeper fear. From my perspective, they resembled people who had lost all control— which also meant I had consumed something similar.
Ha…
I sighed, thinking about the aftereffects that might or might not come.
"Okay, we're clear," Sunny said, taking the lead once more.
"Try going left," I told him after a quick scan of the surroundings.
He nodded and adjusted our path, veering left instead of heading straight toward the castle.
At this point, we trusted each other enough not to question the small decisions.
And I was right… What we found on our journey wasn't just a nightmare creature. It was—or at least once was—a human.
A tall, striking young woman. Hazel eyes, beautiful brown hair tied in a simple braid. Her physique was incredibly athletic, lean muscles rippling beneath dewy olive skin with every movement.
She wore a provocative white tunic, vambraces, and a cuirass. Sitting contentedly beside a fire, she was devouring an enormous slab of monster meat as if it were a grand feast—crushing even the bones effortlessly between her teeth.
"Ho, a newbie," she said, glancing our way. Her gaze was fierce—like that of a wild beast.
"Welcome~," she added with a casual drawl, as if life had never dealt her a single hardship. The stark contrast between her casual tone and the grim scene before us made the atmosphere even more eerie.
Still, she was the first new human-like being we'd encountered since Sunny.
Could she be a new companion? A sign of a new journey?