Alab had long fantasized battling alongside the Golden Hero. He thought that he had to get stronger in order to be qualified.
Not in once did he think that that dream would be fulfilled this soon.
"The help has come, Golden Hero!"
Alab smiled from ear to ear as he behold the sight of the Golden Hero coated with gold. He recalled going to the Rizal Park just to meet him in person. He didnt expect that he would get such an upclose view.
"You, are you an Earthling?", the Golden Hero queried as the sight of Steven was rather unusual.
Alab successively nodded his head.
"Yes, I am an Earthling too, Golden Hero! And I have come here to help you!", Alab muttered, excitement too obvious in his smile.
"I see, then lets fight together, fellow Hero", relieved, the Golden Hero focused his attention on the woman survivor. She was stronger than Arabelle. The Golden Hero could feel that Alab was low level thus he had to kill the woman quickly and assist Alab in killing the Arabelle.
"Fellow Hero, what is your hero name?", the Golden Hero asked as he gathered his strength.
With eyes ceasing to blink, Alab muttered.
"Golden Alab, that is my hero name!"
*cough
Hearing his words, the Golden Hero couldn't figure out whether he was mocking him or if he was serious. He tilted his head and upon seeing the dazzling eyes of Alab, he knew that he was dead serious.
"*cough*, Golden Alab, I will take this woman on, you stall that young girl"
"Yes! Golden Hero!"
*cough
As the sound subsided, Arabelle retreated as something had blocked her attack. The red moonlight shone on the fiery figure of Steven and Alab. A recollection of scene hours earlier came to her mind.
"You! How did you find me?!", Arabelle yelled as she looked at Alab. His small sigure all familiar to her.
Her eyes scanning her surroundings, watchful of Nathan. She had developed a fear since her one-sided fight against Nathan. She couldnt help but shiver at remembering her scythe halted by Nathan with his mere fingers.
"That shitty invader! Where is he?!", Arabelle asked more.
Alab realized that she was asking for Nathan. Similarly, he was clueless on the latter's whereabouts as he vanished earlier.
The fight had already began between the Golden Hero and woman survivor. A golden rock came hurling breaking spells after spells. Ice balls flung, terminating the incoming golden rocks.
The Golden Hero dashed forward as he threw rocks. His golden body unscathed by the spells. Arabelle saw that the atriggle in her mother's expressions. She knew she had to go and assist her quick.
*swoosh
"Where do you think you are going? I am your opponent"
Alan blocked Arabelle's path as Fiery shield parried her scythe. A crack appeared on the center of the shield. It grew in size till the shield disintegrated into pieces.
The [Unbreakable Shield] of level 5 Steven could take a songle attack from level 47 Arabelle before it shattered.
"Dont block my way, you shitty invader!", Arabelle yelled as she strode forward. Her scythe raised, slashing towards Steven.
A new shield condensed in Steven's arm as it blocked the incoming attack.
*clang
*shatter
The shield shattered into pieces once more. However, it visibly took the shield a longer time before it broke.
The shield was getting stronger.
"Daughter! Run!"
A defeaning screamed from the woman assaulted the ears of Alab and Arabelle. She shifted her gaze only to see her mother's body turning to gold.
Her limbs shone with gold hue as she couldn't control her body. She was screaming to Arabelle in hope to alert her.
The Golden Hero who had defeated the woman was restless as he dashed towards Arabelle.
Everything happened in a short time that Arabelle had no time to react. The Golden Hero was moving closer, her demise inching to her body.
*clang
Right before the Golden Hero touched Arabelle, a tentacle emerged from nowhere, parrying the hand of the Golden Hero.
"This... Its Nathan's!", Alab mumbled as the tentacle was acquainted to him.
As she found the chance, Arabelle took a step back. She glanced at her mother gradually turning gold for the last time. Her eyes soaked with tears as the woman screamed.
"Go to your father! He will save you. Escape, dont look back, survive. All for Hope. Run, my daughter! Run!---", she screamed her lungs out, gold consuming his mouth as she could only utter a gibberish. The woman froze in spot.
She might have died but her expression told her that she was relieved. After all, she had seen Arabelle successfully escaped before her body full converted to gold.
'Run, my daughter. Survive', she pondered as a tear escaped her eyes. It instantly turned gold. Her consciousness escaping her body as she reminisced a scene from the past.
---
In a cheerful village, the woman sat in the wooden chair as she caressed her belly.
She felt a heartbeat coming from her belly as she glanced at the man and little girl before her.
"Regor, Arabelle, he is kicking haha", the woman muttered as Arabelle joyfully went to her.
She similarly placed her hand in the woman's bumped belly as a discreet kicking sensation kicked the belly from inside.
"Wahhh! He is kicking haha, he is kicking! Dad!", the young Arabelle excitedly called out his dad. Her silk white dress swayed as she pulled her father like a kid wanting to show something to her parent.
The man let himself get dragged as he released a faint smile. Arabelle placed her father's hand in the woman's belly.
"Can you feek it? Can you feel it? Hope is kicking!", Arabelle muttered as she caressed her mother's belly.
"Hope? Should we just name her Hope, then?", the man muttered as they had never thought of a name yet.
The woman pointed her finger to her chin as she pondered.
"Hope... It sounds good. It fits him perfectly. Hope, the one who lit a hope in this devastated world.", she uttered as she peeked at the azure moon in the dim sky.
"Hope..."
----
Strength escaped the woman's body as she was losing her consciousness. Regrets surged in her...
"Regor, was it the right decision to bring Hope to this devastated world?---", she pondered as death finally consumed her.
The woman died with regrets...
On the other hand, Alab halted the Golden Hero from chasing Arabelle, stating that he had a means to track her.
Nldding his head, the Golden Hero sat on the ground as he panted for air. The gold in his body faded as he deactivated his skill. He just depleted his mana as he rested on the barren soil.
The golden hero then glanced at Alab as he released a relieved smile.
"Thank you for helping me, Golden Alab", he muttered as his eyes mirrored his sincerity.
*smile
Alab couldn't help but flashed a smile from ear to ear. He couldn't believe that his idol, the very Golden Hero, would smile and even thanked him. Thrilled, he muttered.
"Sure, Golden Hero...", Alab paused as he retracted his gaze. He was kicking the ground discreetly as he scratched his head. Shyly, he muttered.
"By the way, I am a fan...", Alab murmured.
-----
[Ding!]
[You have successfully killed a survivor]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[You have leveled up!]
[A survivor essence has dropped (×1)]
[Survivor Essence (A) (×1)
- An essence from a survivor of Planet Dem. Can be used for certain purposes. ]
A marble reflecting endless universe dropped from the body of the woman as she died. Alab could feel the soul of the woman still lingered in the area. It was wandering aimlessly as it wept.
"I hope you well in your next life", Alab mumbled as her anguish was sending shiver to Alab's soul.
The Golden Hero glanced at the system notifications that filled his sight. Checking the [Survivor Essence]'s information, he tucked it into his pocket as he didnt know its uses at the moment.
Several footsteps then resounded in the area as three persons ran towards them.
It was this kid, mother, and the police from earlier. Unliks last time, the mother was looking healthy as her severed arm had recovered. Her skin was no longer pale as she carried her son.
Alab recalled telling them to return to this area.
"Where are the others?", Alab muttered as there used to be 8 of them.
The woman shook her head as she sulked. The police then spoke after.
"They thought that the Golden Hero has died and that you will die as well. We tried to convince them but they choose to run away", the police muttered. The streaks of white hair reflected her age as he panted for air from the long run.
The Golden Hero glanced at the woman's arm, confused at how it recovered. He recalled her arm being severed earlier by the woman who ambushed them. He was having a self-blame as he couldnt prevent such harm.
The mother expressed a joyous smile as she tapped her hand.
"As we were walking, a drop of water dripped to my left arm. I thought that I would meet my end but it recovered surprisingly. I dont know why", the woman stated. The kid in his arm smiling as well, relieved to see her mother's recovery.
Unlike others, Alab had an inkling speculation about what happened. An image of a man entered his mind.
'Nathan, was it you?", he pondered
"The mission! Check rhe mission!"
The panicked voice of the police alarned then. He had seen the woman who ambushed them earlier had now turned golden. He was excited to check the status of the mission.
But, the mission ceased his hopeful expectations...
[Mission:
Option 1: Kill the survivors of the destroyed Planet Dem
Option 2: Survive for 30 days]
[Number of survivors: 3/4
Number of challengers: 6/1,000]
27 hours upon entering the portal, only 6 challengers remained...