~ KIERA ~
[BONUS ROUND: CHANGES! HYPERACTIVE INCREASE MOTILITY, ABILITY TO FERTILIZE!]
[SPERM COUNT: 1K/107M]
[PLAYERS: 20/45]
It feels so bad, this is making me crazy!
After leaving the third round, we were suddenly stopped by an invisible barrier that stopped us from swimming to the next round. We were worried at first until we read the notification round.
This is probably a rest stop. Since we were resting in this place for a while, it gives me time to think and reflect on what happened.
I still felt bad about what happened in the third round. I don't mind sacrificing an entire team added by other sperm as long as it's not the hero sperm, I hadn't repaid what I owe that sperm.
This is annoying! If I didn't try to save that slap fish?
No... That hero sperm would try to save him instead... Sigh...
I don't like having guilt... Truly annoying...
I can't blame it all on the mucus, to be honest, its job is to deliver sperm and nutritional supplements to the upper reproductive tract. It's part of the fertility awareness to transport, tracking and monitor the fluid and it's a natural method of family planning.
However, there are cases where mucus is hostile that they start killing and attacking the sperm before it reaches the egg, it's called cervical hostility. There might be a problem with the woman's cervical mucus that might interfere with her getting pregnant.
But I don't think that giant mucus at the last round wasn't normal at all! It's too big and too smart to think that all the mucus around it was mixed to become a gigantic mucus! What the heck is that?!
We're just, sperm! There's wrong with this place, I'm guessing the owner probably sick or just unhealthy! Vegetable, people! Vegetable exists!
And because of that humongous sperm, added by the hostility of the sperm in the last round, hundred thousands of sperm died. From 900 thousand to 1 thousand, and still decreasing... Some of them are players...
It was chaotic back there... Sigh...
While I was speculating, I hadn't noticed that much that my body is changing in this habitat, rehabilitating and strengthening our sperm body.
What's the point? At this point, we are almost there to meet the egg and we won't be attacking other creatures.
There are only five hours left before the egg vanish, we must swim as fast as we can to meet it!
Fortunately, my changes are done. I'm smooth again though half of my tail hasn't come back, but it's smooth and refreshing! I have more energy to swim again! I don't feel exhausted anymore!
This is great! There's only one round left to meet the egg but it takes a lot of energy to swim there! I have to be faster as fertilizing the egg isn't easy.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have a recharge and received additional strength in this bonus round. The next round is the last round to finally meet your goal! Mission: Put the flag in the egg by fertilizing it! Good luck!]
I already expected that. I'm only worried about how far it goes and how to fertilize. When I researched about sperm because of curiosity before, I remember that the way to the egg isn't easy and it takes a lot of time. But it doesn't say how to fertilize the egg...
Fortunately, instead of 3 days trip, we managed to reach this far in less than 2 days. I just hope the 5 hours is enough for us left. I hope...
[FOURTH ROUND: FALLOPIAN TUBE MIGRATION!]
[SPERM COUNT: 78/107M]
[PLAYERS: 20/45]
[COUNTDOWN: 04:56:34]
That's a hella few sperm left! 78 left?
I started swimming leaving my teammates behind as I know there won't be any danger left, it's just swimming to our heart's content.
And also, I don't know what they look like much anymore... I mean, we all look the same? Except for that hero sperm has a shiny head... Condolence my love. Then that slap fish has a long tail, the longer that we and the big head sperm, literally big, has! Other than them, we all look the same...
Wait, except me too. My tail was shorter than the rest... Haha...
As I swim faster, I don't have time to look around in the same red-ish and scary tunnel. There are already sperm who are swimming before me and a lot after me.
Now this feels like a race!
I swim faster as I could but I couldn't see the end of it... I've been swimming for an hour or two yet still not there! I'm gradually losing my breath... We don't breathe though?
Now I understand why they gave us much energy... Because if we swim in an exhausted state, we won't last for a minute! This place is endless!
[COUNTDOWN: 02:12:03]
This is unbelievable! Only two hours left and I still haven't reached the egg! How far this place is!
I didn't give up. Even after I saw some eggs laid down below and some are slowly disappearing... I didn't give up!
Even my vision started to blurry when I don't have eyes, I swim faster and didn't give up!
I'm already this far, I can't give up!
Until I lost my vision... I stopped... I breathe calmly... After I calmed down, I swim again... Without seeing anything...
If this is a human body instead of sperm... I might have bled from exhaustion already. But I won't give up...
I wanted a second chance... A chance to keep my promise... Or at least a chance to change my fate...
I didn't regret anything... But I won't lose anything here reaching the goal...
I started to accept my fate and life before I died... But it doesn't mean it didn't hurt...
I won't give up, if I was given a chance, I won't give up trying!
As I swim faster without looking... There are times I got pushed but it's okay, I'm sure I'll get there... Until I bumped into something squishy and big! Then, I heard a voice...
[Congratulations on reaching the egg! Welcome to the final round, players! Now, all you have to do left is fertilize the egg! Since players aren't originally sperm, we decided to make it easier for all of you. To fertilize... Just fix the puzzle and the egg will open up to you! Good luck!]
Puzzle?! Well, I'm not confident but I'm good at it... The problem is... I can't see!
....
~ KIERA, at 13 when she was still alive ~
The birds chirping echoed to my ears, I breathe in the smell of a moist damp morning while looking at the deep... deep... deep woods below me...
Being at the top of the cliff, I fear nothing. I always dream of resting in the forest...
Fortunately, my family had a vacation in the province a few kilometers away from the city. This is a good resting place...
One last time looking at my body... I still have this skinny but beautiful body... Though I looked like a child younger than my age, I'm still content to this height. Then, I stared at the deep woods below...
How wonderful down there especially added with my bloody body?
"Perfect," I mumbled.
"You are perfect." I was stunned at the voice behind me so I turned my gaze to him, a skinny boy taller than me smiling in my direction.
I frowned then sneered at him after, "Like the view?" I raise my arms beside me like asking for a hug.
He walked towards me until there's only two feet away and copied what I did, "You look like an angel. I'm jealous. I wanted to hug an angel." He tilted his head and his arms hanging in the air.
"Pft," I chuckled.
He raises his right hand towards me and shrugged, "I truly wanted a hug from an angel. Do you mind giving it to me before you fly out there? I would be lonely without a hug." He pouted.
I stared at him with wonder. I know what he's trying to do... But the one who needs the hug the most is... me...
"Sigh," I put down my hands and accepted his hand, when I did, he pulled me to him and gave me a wonderful gift... A hug.
He rubbed my back and patted my head nonstop as he hugs me tightly. This stranger giving me comfort in times like this... I sobbed and didn't let go of his embrace at the top of the cliff.
As I cried and he rubbed my back, I didn't notice he was gradually bringing me far away from the cliff. I didn't care as I wanted to stay in his embrace...
....
Several years after meeting a stranger on the cliff, as I struggled to control my emotion and my temper, I finally succeeded.
After seven years of controlling my emotion, I lost my expression. Seeing my dreams shattered in those years, I hid my emotion until I couldn't find them anymore.
The only thing left to me is... how I faked my facial expressions to hide the fact I'm an empty vessel, to protect the reputation that my family holds.
Living as a puppet, without a mind of my own, and a doll face, I accepted my fate and obeyed. Without looking back on what I truly felt and didn't blame anyone else, except myself.
Then, I met them. After I isolated myself, I didn't expect to meet friends and at school. There are seven of them, and each of them has a unique ability and knowledge of their own.
One who can see an aura of every people, even himself, though it was only if he focuses it. Jeremy, the one who befriends us all.
One who can control luck, but scared of the aftereffects. Ruen, the jolly and responsible one. Though he likes to tease us all the time and knows when to be serious.
One who is a great artist. The youngest one, we couldn't help love him as he is too cute for our eyes and the most sensitive one. Atri.
Margaux, she's a strict one but knows how to mingle. She's our mother in our group. But the one that amazed us is her unique ability, whenever she writes in a solemn mood, it will come true in real life. Though in a realistic way. She was scared of it but she loves to write, she didn't know what to do.
Then, there's Lily, the cute and fluffy! I always wanted her to embrace us! She's a low key smart that we forgot about it sometimes and she's humble at that. Mostly, she doesn't know how to wink!
Felix is a mysterious one, quiet but sadistic. He smiles eerily whenever he sees someone's misfortune that it made us laugh at how cute he is. We don't know much about what he thinks but our group wouldn't be complete without him. He's the best at mafia games.
Last but not the least, Jena. Second oldest after me, but both of us look younger than the rest, ironic right? Probably with our height. She's our baby. And... she can dream the future. She can't notify anyone about not until it happened, sometimes, she tried to change the future.
This group of friends of mine is unique and I believed them. As not only do I hear things I don't understand, I can also read cards. Though I'm not sure how to use it well nor understand myself.
I was really delighted when they accepted me for who I am and didn't think of me as a freak. Sometimes, we practice together that it was fun at the same time serious. I had fun with them that I didn't fake myself and be me when I'm with them. I love it.
For the first time in how many years, there are people I could show the real me.
However, there's one thing I didn't tell them.
My bad luck... That causes misfortunes around us.
_______
KircheLeaf
Arc 1: Enchatrix Race!
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~END of CHAPTER SEVENTEEN~