#043
‘Quickly, the Tranquility Potion. No, before that.’
The Tranquility Potion I’d tried to take out earlier had flown off somewhere in the commotion. I frantically rummaged through my inventory and first pulled out the cooling band that Seiz had made for me. After putting that on my wrist first, I took out a new Tranquility Potion and downed it in one gulp.
As the heat subsided a bit and the panic calmed down, my head finally started working properly. Though I said the heat had subsided, it was only to the degree that the feeling of being roasted by the second had disappeared – I still felt like I was standing under the scorching summer sun. At least I could open my eyes and breathe, so I should be grateful for just that.
The cooling band was something Seiz had made when I said I was going to the desert. He said it was made from materials he’d obtained from the ice canyon in the northern snowy mountains before, but he couldn’t make many because he didn’t have enough stockpiled materials. Seiz had also warned me in advance that the effect wouldn’t be as good as expected since the desert environment would be even harsher.
Tick-tick.
A mini clock with a second hand appeared in one corner of my vision. It was the duration of the band item’s effect. The time was 60 minutes. In the game it was only 30 seconds, but with reality implementation it had extended to 60 minutes. It wasn’t a situation to be moved by. Would this battle really end within an hour? How many bands would I have to consume? I could only hope the battle would end before they all ran out.
I’m not naturally quick in movement and hate being urgently pressed for time (which is why I dislike combat games), but I had to do my best to finish preparations before the roof completely opened. No one here would expect great combat ability from me, but at the very least I had to protect my own body. I was the one who’d boasted loudly that I’d do my part. Anyway, unless Carlisle had a change of heart, there was no one to protect me.
However, making my resolve meaningless, before the roof finished opening and before I could even draw my only weapon, the Novice Explorer’s Sword, something pitch black came charging at me.
Bang! Bang!
Carlisle’s silver hunting rifle spat fire. My ears going deaf was a secondary problem. With sticky bodily fluids and flesh splattering and flowing down my face, I froze for a moment.
“Get it together! Left side, block it!”
Carlisle’s sharp command flew at me. Without even being able to sense my eyes stinging from the impurities that had seeped in, I reflexively swung my sword. Scrape – along with the chilling sensation of cutting through tough hide and flesh, I was once again drenched in hot bodily fluids.
I wiped around my eyes with my sleeve and frantically swung my sword again. Whether the potion was having an effect or not, my racing heart wouldn’t calm down. Various mobs endlessly charged at me and my mind went blank. I just killed and killed and killed whatever came at me. I had absolutely no leisure to observe the surrounding situation or how Carlisle was fighting. If I took my eyes off for even a moment or let my guard down, I would be a dead man that instant.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BANG!
Intermittently, the entire area shook with tremendous noise. Flames whooshed up over the hot sand. Carlisle had detonated bombs. The small fry burned to death and the strong ones quickly retreated. A brief breathing space was created.
Each time, I stood guard with bloodshot eyes while uncapping potions and replacing cooling bands. I didn’t have the capacity to calculate how many were left. Every time I caught my breath, my stamina and health bars flashed red warnings.
But the battle showed no signs of ending anytime soon. There were creatures that stubbornly charged toward the car, breaking through the flames. The dinosaur-type monsters that persistently targeted me were among them. One became three, and now ten had gathered.
My pathetic swordplay couldn’t deal significant damage to those monsters. When a certain amount of damage accumulated, they would retreat to a distance and wait for their health to recover before charging again. They were smart creatures. At least Carlisle’s shooting and bombs significantly ate away at their life force, so I could aim for those opportunities.
Scrape!
I cut down another dinosaur-type monster, and reflexively turned my body and raised my sword at the presence I felt behind me. My vision was blood red.
Click.
It was Carlisle who grabbed my wrist.
“Calm down. It’s over.”
Huff, huff.
I gasped for breath while glaring around in all directions with reddened eyes. The car had stopped and nothing alive remained. The red sand was covered with monster corpses and fires were burning sporadically here and there.
Having confirmed safety, I collapsed like a deflated balloon. I sprawled across the back seat with my eyes closed, just gasping for breath. From the driver’s seat, Taro whistled and clapped.
“Successful debut, not bad, right?”
Successful my ass, damn it.
If it was like this from the first day of exploration, it was obvious I’d become a corpse before reaching the hidden dungeon.
I heard the sound of the roof closing again above my head. As cool air began circulating again, I realized my body was excessively hot. Peeled skin stung here and there. There were injuries from combat, but I’d also gotten sunburned from the strong sunlight. There had been several moments when I couldn’t afford to change the cooling band and had to endure. Monster attacks plus sunlight attacks had doubled the drain on my stamina and health. I’d barely endured thanks to the power of the multiple potions I’d drunk in advance.
My arms were also trembling. It was the result of excessive muscle exertion. How long had I been swinging? A red light had come on in my stamina bar. Only about 20% of my health remained. Stamina would recover somewhat after sleeping, but it would be safe to take healing potions before sleeping. Serious burns and various injuries would continue eating away at my life force even while sleeping. There was also the possibility I’d unknowingly taken poison damage. But even while thinking with my head, I couldn’t bring myself to move my body.
“Raon.”
When I opened my eyes, coldly sunken gray eyes were looking down at me.
Why are you calling me? Are you going to say you’re abandoning and leaving behind such a weak guy who can’t even endure this much? Honestly, I felt a bit wronged. With this body that’s rock bottom in durability at my current level, wasn’t I doing well to have endured this much?
Of course, I wasn’t unaware that my survival was thanks to Carlisle’s support that came without me knowing. At truly critical moments, ghostly support fire would come flying, and he’d detonate bombs at appropriate timing to create breathing room for reorganization.
If I’d been alone, I definitely wouldn’t have lasted even 10 minutes. I should express gratitude. If your ability is lacking, you should at least polish your manners. If I looked hateful, it would be over. This wasn’t the first time I’d owed a life debt, and probably wouldn’t be the last. Though I’d said I wouldn’t be indebted, both Carlisle and I knew from the beginning that I couldn’t survive on my own strength.
“Thank you.”
My voice came out severely cracked. Even if it’s difficult right now…
“Someday I’ll repay this. Someday.”
I muttered. My voice was so small and severely cracked that I wondered if he’d understood. Carlisle’s eyes narrowed slightly. He couldn’t be thinking I was cursing, could he?
Perhaps because I thought it was safe now and felt relieved, sleepiness rushed over me like crazy. I scraped together my last bit of energy and barely managed to take out and drink a healing potion. As soon as I drank it, the pain subsided and my body became somewhat comfortable. As expected, it was made by Eira.
Look at this, Carlisle. Rejecting potions from such a genius – you made a mistake.
As breathing became easier, my tired body spread out even more languidly.
“Sorry, but I have no energy right now… I’ll sleep a bit first and when I wake up…”
Just before falling asleep, I thought I should collect the byproducts, but I didn’t have the energy to move even a finger anymore. Would Carlisle and Taro take care of it? Being a rich young master, he didn’t seem very interested in shabby byproducts.
I began to feel the car starting to move and shake. As expected, they were abandoning everything and leaving. I thought it was a waste since there would be quite a bit worth money, but that thought didn’t last long either. I instantly fell into the comfortable swamp of sleep.
***
“Keep the promise…”
Someone was speaking. Who is it? Who’s talking with that tone?
Promise. Right, there was a promise to keep. But… what was it?
I wandered with the feeling of swimming in amniotic fluid before opening my eyes. I think I had a dream. But what dream was it? Like dawn mist scattering in morning sunlight, as soon as I opened my eyes the memory evaporated and I couldn’t remember anything.
Only the feeling remained like a trace. Stuffy and… stuffy again. As if I was forgetting something important.
‘Ah, shit…’
I rubbed around my eyes. The area around my eyes was wet. The area around my heart felt heavy. What kind of dream did I have, really?
I stayed in a dazed state for a while, neither awake nor asleep, before gradually coming to my senses. I also remembered the fact that I was on a desert exploration with Carlisle. Right, that’s correct. I’d fought my first battle too. And I’d fallen asleep from exhaustion…
But where is this?
Dim firelight was illuminating the space. Walls and ceiling that seemed to be made of tarpaulin caught my eye. So… I’m inside a tent.
I was turning my gaze when I flinched. Someone was lying next to me. In a state of being pressed close without any gap. I froze for a moment with only my eyes wide open, staring at the human sleeping beside me.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
