The limbs within my arms scream as I push my body back and forth, trying to increase the muscle mass this feeble body has with numerous sets of exercises. I still couldn't shrug off the weight of discomfort in my chest, having to reach my limits and being saved by Ellie.
It was I who should be protecting them. It was I who should be they're relying on.
I have to get stronger.
But just like I had said, this feeble body of a child has its own limits.
"10… 11… 12! " On the last count, I fumbled onto the ground with my arms and wrist screaming from soreness. "Abyss..."
** Abyssal Dragon System **
Name: Cipher "No surname"
Rank: D
HP: 40/40 MP: 0/0
Str: 5.5/10 Agi: 7.8/10 Vit: 4/10 Int: 10/10 Magi: 0
*************************
All I could do was groan in disappointment. Even after much training, I could only increase the number of each status by one and the magic didn't even budge from zero. "… is this really my limit? Only a dozen?"
"What are you bad-mouthing there!? And why don't you just do a normal push-up instead of standing upside down!?" Gabby scolded as she approached, carrying a wooden bowl. "Here. Eat some meat stew before it gets cold…"
"Leave it here for now. I'll take after a little run."
Before I could even begin my sprint, she grabbed me by the shoulder, and an intense murderous aura emitted from behind. "I said EAT!"
And I just couldn't say no.
"... sorry…" I replied, reaching for the bowl but couldn't hold it properly with my shaking hands.
"This is why I said not to push yourself too hard." She snatched the bowl and started shoving the spoon into my mouth.
"... ugh… Hey! I'm gonna die here! Slow down!"
Two Calleopian days had passed since the incident of the goblin's pursuit of the two and since then, not of the enemy forces tried to advance their way into this small camp.
But we didn't take the risk of going unguarded and took turns in the watch. And right now, Roy was on duty along with Josie and because they're a bit rowdy, the two were placed on day watch.
"I can't believe those two… why are they fighting so much?"
"I don't know. Aren't they a couple?" Gabby questioned, continuing to serve the meat into my mouth.
"We heard that! And we're not!" the two shouted in sync and then began arguing among themselves again.
"Sorry, my bad!" she yelled back. "So, is the day today? The time we'll leave this place?"
"Yeah. It's probably already more than two days back in our world and the battlegrounds should have ceased. But of course, we'll have to be wary and have a group to check the situation first."
"And let me guess, you're in the first group to head outside?"
"Of course."
"And you already know what I'm going to say, aren't you?"
"... of course… Even if I tell you not to, you'll still follow us." I muttered. "Just don't be rash, okay?"
"Said by the idiot who pounces into trouble whenever he sees one…" she mumbled in disapproval and shoved another mouthful of the stew.
As breakfast finished, the first group; Ellie, Gabby, Carl, and I set off to see what was the current situation on the other side. And it was far from what I had expected and something greeted us in our entry back into our world.
"What's that smell?" Gabby asked.
"I think it is blood…" I claimed, keenly observing the ground for possible threats to jump out but none lurked within corners. Only the presence of the reeking smell of blood and feather lying on the floor… "Feathers?"
"Up there!" Ellie shouted as five flying creatures nested in the roof and ceiling of the warehouse. But none of them had their eyes on eyes except for one. "I'd say we kill."
"Don't. At least not if they started it first." Carl claimed.
"What do you mean? They might kill us!" Ellie replied.
"They're predators but they're also parents," Carl claimed then pointed to the nest they built. "As long as we don't disturb their nest, we can pretty much leave unscathed."
"How did you even know that?" Ellie questioned.
"I had some lessons from a friend…"
He had a point and none seemed to be initiating the attack but only for a moment until chirps of children echoed upstairs and the gazes became killing intent. "I don't think hungry chicks would agree to your statement though, Carl."
"Probably should've listened more" he chuckled then took out his kitchen knife as Gabby and I prepared the hatchets.
"Cover each other's back!" I shouted but the harpies fled as ice spikes raised from the ground, destroying the nest the creatures had built and killing the hatching with it.
"What are you guys looking at? We have to deal with them fast so we can get going…" she grumbled then opened the gates but much to our surprise, outside was way worse. "… n-no way…"
Ellie raced outside with tears flowing from her eyes and the scene which stumbled in front of my eyes was different from the footage I saw in my previous future.
Back in my previous timeline, the slums were flattened into the ground but in this one, the city was also gravely damaged by the invasion. The mighty walls of the city were broken while most of the buildings were razed.
"Ellie!" I called but she didn't respond and continued running towards the path leading into the city. "Carl. Gabby. Get the others. I'll go after her."
"And don't worry. I'll be fine, Gabby. Just fetch others. It's at least safe to say we're not endangered." I added then set off to pursue Ellie.
Just like I said, no monsters were lurking around but the path was filled with corpses of both humans and monsters, and only more awaited as I passed through the missing gates of the city.
"Ellie!" I called while she stood in the middle of the ruined city. Corpses of vile humans with serpentine lower bodies were impaled with sharp pillars of ice while on the ground, combined species of enemies and civilians lay static.
And she… was howling in tears.
"M-my house… It's gone… I can't find them…" Her face was dreaded with this unexpected news and all I could do was comfort her with a hug even though I knew it wouldn't do a thing. "Cipher… my friends… my dad… they're gone…"
"I'm sorry…"
She continued sulking into my arms as I viewed the inner city. Something we did somewhat caused the downfall of the city and made the timeline shift this big. And I, having memories of the future was a part of this cause.
Lives were saved but in exchange for another.
And worst, the giant golem had stopped in the middle of the sea and hadn't been annihilated yet.
A sudden rustle of stone falling from the ruined houses alerted me and caused me to put my guard up. There were shadows behind the houses and there were too many.
"Who's there!? Show yourselves or else!" Ellie ordered as mana within her hands became malicious and deadly, it started to suffocate me.
It took a second before the concealed group showed themselves.
Men and women of different sizes, dressed and equipped with armor and weapons came out from hiding, and windows of players appeared in every direction these people brought a tingling urge for me to throw the hatchet.
"Players…"
There were too many of them and all of them were more than level 15, higher than Ellie's level. And even if we combined our strengths, the number wasn't in our favor.
"W-what?" her eyes widened in shock but only fury came after and her mana was starting to get out of hand. It was sending hostility, I could barely stand. "W-what happened here!? Where were you when the chaos happened!? You were supposed to be protecting us!"
The players were also affected by this mana but only a few were on their knees as the others were barely minding the hostility Ellie was sending. And her hostility was only returned with another as we received glares from the players.
"H-hey! Stop…"
"No, Cipher! How could they let this happen? A lot of people died!" she claimed as flames began to engulf her hands. "And D-dad's… my dad's…"
The mana was becoming heavier and heavier, and it getting too much for my body to endure that speaking back to her even became a problem. "…s-top… Ellie"
"El?" A voice of a man called, then within one of the wrecked houses, a bulky man carrying a golden sword also had tears running from his face.
"D-dad!? Dad!" she claimed, running to his embrace and continued on crying.
Her hostile mana also disappeared the moment she reunited with his father, freeing me from the strong mana burdening me to the point I was out of breath just by enduring it.
"Thank the goddess, you're alive!" the man claimed as he hugged her tighter but the words he chose brought discomfort into my ears. It was the goddess who had the power yet didn't even take swift action in this mess.