With the sound of glass breaking and a notification from the system, the world around me shifted as if a thin layer of skin was being peeled away. I did not comprehend much of what had just happened. However, I felt like an immeasurable weight had just been lifted over, no longer suppressing my mind.
Nevertheless, the fear and pain I had experienced still lingered inside me, something was taken away, leaving only a hollow shell of my former self. I was left broken.
Having lost all will, I remained stranded on the floor. I simply did not want to get up and do anything.
The calming heat of the sun felt cold and distant and the light seemed dark, enveloping me wholly.
I did not know for how long I had stayed lying on the floor like that, but after I assumed a while had passed, I sensed a presence slowly approaching from behind, one I recognized and knew well.
"You look like a mess, Eliza."
David's voice came, calm and poised. For some reason, simply hearing it soothed my mind, healing my broken self.
"It is time for us to leave. Isaac will be waiting for us in the cave, inside the ship. We finally have enough fuel to set off. We will be headed toward the Great Empire of Neldaria, where our main headquarters are located."
I listened silently, not moving an inch from the ground.
"Are you planning on ignoring me for long? You should have already grown numb to any traumatizing events that you have experienced by now since you have its genes."
"..."
I did not answer. Or more like I could not come up with anything to say, because I felt it. He wasn't the one who, simply by talking, was alleviating the burden on my mind, but something else that was gradually taking over, recovering the bits of consciousness I had lost. However, how did he know that the Xenomorph's genes had such an effect..? 'Well, I'll put that matter aside for now.'
I sighed, reminiscing on what I had just been through. Now that it was over, it almost just felt like a nightmare. Yes, a bad dream that I had and I've just woken up from.
Still, the pain and feelings I experienced were real and I couldn't shake them off of my mind. Meanwhile, it seemed that David understood my current predicament as he stayed silent waiting for me to recover.
Finally, after a few more minutes had passed, I decided to stand up. I dusted myself off then turned around, meeting his gaze, and his somewhat shameful appearance, astonishing me.
"...And you said that I looked like a mess. What sort of abomination did you fight to end up like this?" I asked dubiously, pointing my finger at him.
What met my eyes was a striking blond man covered in bruises with blood dripping all over his body and tattered clothes. Well I couldn't say much on that part as I myself was stained red in dried blood and an attire in a worse state than his.
"I encountered a fearful unique monster on my way to you, a hunched figure supporting itself with a wooden cane."
Listening to his words, my eyes widened in surprise as I muttered under my breath, "The Shepherd of Order..."
Obviously hearing what I said, he inquired with apparent doubt in his voice. "Hm? Do you know that monster, Eliza?"
"...No never mind." I avoided the question with another, "Anyway, did you manage to kill it?"
"Of course, a piece of cake." He said with absolute confidence that almost seemed to radiate from his body.
'Okay, now he was just boasting.' I thought lamenting over this poor teacher of mine.
"Let us stop wasting any more time and head right up the mountain to meet with Isaac, we've already stayed for far too much time in this godforsaken place, it's making me sick."
He commanded, grabbing me by my arm. However, I could feel that his grip was somewhat weaker than usual. Anyway, I didn't care much about it and whined.
"Okay okay, stop pressing me!"
Grooowl—
"..."
"..."
"...It's been days since I haven't eaten, okay?"
I grumbled, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment.
"Then the more reason to leave now."
And soon after that, we departed.
*
We didn't talk much along the way up the mountain. Our discussions only lasted a few minutes and it was mostly just me complaining about what I had been through.
However there was one thing that had completely lifted my spirits: a reward from the system!
That was the reason why David and I were both walking next to each other without uttering a single word. And also because I didn't want to bother him as he was currently clearly feeling under the weather.
Now back to the rewards...
_ _ _
[Congratulations for clearing scenario: Where Chaos Reigns!]
[Congratulations for achieving a hidden Epilogue for scenario: Where Chaos Reigns!]
[Awarded 25.000 magic fibers for such incredible feats!]
[Current stock of magic fibers: 27.854]
_ _ _
That made me remember that time where I had asked Isaac about the magic amplifiers. This amount of magic fibers I acquired should probably be enough to power the ship for our whole trip.
But David said he had already handled that part, so I didn't need to ponder further before deciding on spending most of it to level up.
_ _ _
[Consumed 18.000 magic fibers to reach level 20. Acquired 10 stat points.]
[Stage advancement available!]
[Conditions met for stage advancement Tier-III (Kill 1 low-destructive class beast). Do you wish to advance?]
[Yes / No]
_ _ _
Now that left me to think for a minute. I remember when I advanced for the first stage, it was a Tier-V advancement, and most likely the highest Tier if I believe the introductory mail I received before coming to this world. Which means that advancing now would be a waste of stat points. However, can I really afford to be stingy when I could die any moment..?
I sneakily glanced at David who was walking by my side.
Nodding inwardly, I thought...
'Obviously, with him accompanying me, no danger could ever kill me!'
...as if I hadn't almost died just a few hours ago.
With that said, I put all my newly acquired stat points into mental fortitude and dismissed the system panel. Although now that I think about it, I didn't get any reward for surviving the endless death loops scenario...
Then David's timely voice pulled me out of my thoughts.
"We're here, Eliz—!"
Suddenly, David moved at an unimaginable speed to the side, and before I had the time to understand what was happening, an alarming quantity of blood flew over and was splattered onto the ground with a squelching sound.
When I turned to look at David, his face was serious and paler than he was before, but above all, he was missing his right arm. Blood dripped from the gashing hole on his shoulder.
David had lost an arm. The David had...
I couldn't fully process my surroundings, everything felt surreal, my ears rang and my head spun. At some point in time, a huge boom had resounded in the mountain.
Immediately then, David rushed toward me and grabbed me with his remaining arm before launching me to the interior of the cave.
But I could still catch his last words, clearly saying...
"Leave with Isaac—!"
Then I was surrounded by darkness as the cave's entrance gradually faded away.
___ ___ ___
Current status panel:
_ _ _
[Game Status]
Race: Chimera
Soul(s): Earthling / Nebularian
Current Identities: Eliza White / Eliza Belladone / Test Subject C-127
Level: 20
Strength: 20
Dexterity: 20
Vitality: 30
Magic Power: 7
Mental Fortitude: 32
Gene(s): Chtonian (1/3) / Xenomorph (dormant) / Primordial Demon (dormant) / Dragon (dormant)
Magic fibers: 9.854
_ _ _
[A/N]
I just thought it would be nice to remind of the current status.