Chirp, chirp, chirp.
The early morning songs of the birds manage to wake me up from my sleep.
"Kg–Uwah…" I yawned as I stretched out, rubbing my eyes to gain focus of the world.
"That was such a good sleep," I thought out loud as I sat on my bed.
"..." I felt someone breathing besides me.
"..." I slowly creaked my neck by the side of my bed.
"Oh, shit," I whispered as I saw Cleare sleeping carelessly.
***
"So we didn't do anything, right?" I asked once more to be sure.
"That's correct, we didn't do anything." She laughed as she went over to my kitchen and spread jam over some bread.
"That was such a nice reaction," chuckling, she took a seat on the veranda, next to me.
Yesterday, after we had gone scavenging, when we got back home we drank our fill of alcohol to help us take our minds off of things.
"Thank god I didn't take advantage of you or something like that…" I whispered out words of relief as I sipped at my morning coffee.
A whisper I barely heard entered my ears, "It would've been fine…"
"Huh?"
"N-No, nothing."
I acted as if I didn't hear intentionally.
Right now, with the current state of the world, entering a romantic relationship is the biggest risk anyone could take.
You'd be dragged down by the worries and stress if your loved ones survive.
And I… I'm not that strong.
I'm not strong enough to take care of relationships when fighting for my own life on a daily basis.
"Hmm, the System's next quest is taking its sweet time to be issued," Cleare voiced out as she stared up into the grey, clouded sky.
"That's certainly true, but hey, it is much better for us to have time and be prepared for what might await us.
"Mhm…" She nodded as she nibbled away at her slice of bread.
***
After our breakfast, we got ready and left my apartment.
"Somehow, it's kind of weird to not have Smool by our side." I thought out loud.
"Yeah, he or she always kept the mood light and made it feel as if we aren't really approaching the end of the world."
I chuckled, "Exactly, he has a way with words and with that shapeshifting skill of his, he just transforms at the most unexpected times."
"Haha, yeah! I couldn't help but laugh out loud when we first began our journey towards the Enigmatic Dungeon, the way he came up to your ears sneakily and spoke in a deep voice immediately was hilarious."
"I almost got a heart attack from that though!" I complained jokingly as we strolled towards the Council of Survival.
***
After a bit of chattering we finally reached the Council of Survival.
As we entered the Council's chambers, the atmosphere felt tense, but the members greeted us warmly.
Councilor Isolde, who had supported us throughout the quests, stepped forward to address us.
"Adrenoid, Cleare, I hope you had a good rest," she said with a smile. "You have come at a great timing, for we are about to discuss about the preparations for the next Main-Story Quest."
"Thank you, Councilor," I replied with a humble smile.
"Now, with the fourth main-story quest approaching, we must make preparations," Councilor Isolde continued. "As you know, the apocalyptic events that are taking over Earth are barely making us capable of holding its balance by a single thread."
Cleare and I nodded in understanding.
Councilor Isolde motioned for a large map to be unfurled on the table.
It displayed the regions that were worse affected by the apocalyptic events, marked with red warning symbols.
"We've observed an increase in hostile creatures and anomalies within these areas," she explained.
"To ensure the safety of the countries and our world, we must dispatch teams to reinforce the defenses and clear out any threats."
"I'll lead a team to the northern region," offered Cleare, her determination shining through her emerald eyes without hesitation.
"Sigh… I'll take the eastern region then," I said, stepping up to the challenge as the strongest person of the country, if not the whole world currently.
Councilor Isolde nodded approvingly. "Good choices. We'll also need to secure protective equipment to withstand the hazardous conditions. As you already know, craftsmen are already working on creating specialized gear with the system's aid, but we need to ensure a steady supply for our teams."
"We should request assistance from the other cities that are better off as well," I suggested. "If we unite our forces, we stand a better chance of safeguarding the affected regions."
"Agreed," Councilor Isolde said. "I'll send out messengers to the other places, requesting their aid. In the meantime, make sure you and your teams are well-equipped for the mission."
As the council began discussing logistics and strategies, Cleare and I exchanged a determined look.
We knew the stakes were high, but we also understood the importance of protecting Earth.
After the meeting, Cleare and I gathered a group of skilled adventurers and began our preparations for the mission.
We visited the local blacksmiths and merchants, acquiring the best protective gear available.
The craftsmen were working tirelessly to create specialized equipment to counter the hostile environment we'd be diving into.
Over the next few days, our team trained together, honing our skills. We knew that unity and cooperation would be vital in our upcoming quest.
As the appointed day approached, the Council of Survival held a farewell ceremony for the teams embarking on their missions.
Adventurers and normal citizens from all corners of our city gathered to wish us luck and offer their support.
The weight of their expectations, combined with the gravity of the impending quest, made me feel a mix of uneasiness with discomfort.
Cleare and I stood at the forefront, addressing the crowd with words of hope and resilience.
We promised to do everything in our power to protect as much as we could of Earth.
"Sigh… If only Smool was with us too," I trailed off.
"True…" Cleare voiced, her eyes avoiding mine.
"Be careful out there, okay?" I pulled her in a hug, smelling the sweet scent of her beautiful green hair, and then parting.
"Mhm, you too. Make sure to come back!"
"Definitely." I chuckled as we set out on our separate journeys, Cleare to the north and me to the east.
We both knew something good wasn't awaiting us, and so, we prepared our resolve.
The Enigmatic Labyrinth had been a trial of the mind, but the quest that will appear next will definitely count on our physical abilities too.