Shia remembered his words clearly. They weren't something she could, or would, even hope to forget.
"This world is unsalvageable." One night, Pal told this to his so-called 'brother' over on his phone.
It was outside since reception was cut off within the Dungeon. They'd went out to eat for the first time.
She was still naive and innocent at that point. Only trying to make her dignified 'husband' happier.
Her memories were mostly back, but she still had the demeanour and personality from earlier.
Believing in herself and others.
That latter part was absolutely destroyed when she heard these callous words... almost as if he knew what would happen in the future. There was no way that was true. Of course, it was all an impossibility
The information regarding the Calamities were shrouded in mystery. Only coming up in texts.
The people of this era never experienced a real Calamity before. Because the Second Eruption was silent, and those who had appeared had apparently escaped with their lives instead of fighting back.
From what she gathered off the general knowledge and history books, as well as her own understanding of the Calamities, were that the disasters born in the Second Eruption had specialised to survive death.
Likely because of the one-sided slaughter from Simon Rainglow, the hero who crushed them.
Despite the city destroying capabilities of each individual calamity, they always died to him.
Almost like his existence was the fate of death itself.
No matter how mysterious or powerful a Calamity could become, their antithesis had been born.
Making annihilation of humanity impossible.
Even though the 13th Calamity had successfully wiped the Earth of humans, they still came back.
Meaning that as long as Simon Rainglow was still alive, they'd never be able to truly wipe out humans.
Perhaps that's why they had targeted Simon instead.
There had been multiple battles that been recorded between an armoured Simon and the new 'Devils'.
No, in this new era, they were known as 'Demon Lords' instead of Earthly Devils. And unexpectedly for them, their persistence had only caused humanity to band together with the Mystic Races.
Uniting and strengthening them.
For the first time, humanity attained multiple victories against the might of the Calamities.
Many had become 'Heroes' to fight Demon Lords.
Her only concern about these victories were two factors. The first was the diminished strength yet increased versatility of the Demon Lords, and the second was the change each 'Eruption' brought.
From her findings from combining the information of the past and present, one thing was now clear.
Whenever an Eruption occurred, the amount of magic in the air would thin always drastically.
'Cultivation' had been reluctantly abandoned due to how difficult it became after the First Eruption.
Since humanity hadn't discovered magic until the Second Eruption, they didn't notice the drop in quantity of another level. It was obvious to Shia's senses, but only Graces would know about this.
However, it looked like she was absolutely wrong.
Because there was one other person who knew.
"After this world goes through 'Ether Evaporation' and the 'Four Apocalypses', the Demon Lords will return to wreck havoc. The only way to escape this is to relocate. Stop the useless fight and find somewhere to hide. You know how many sacrifices are NECESSARY to save the world." Upon hearing Pal's words, Shia felt her heart thump loudly.
She couldn't sit aside and listen to this anymore.
"Four Apocalypses?" It was hard not to latch onto this unfamiliar term. Her words shook his afro.
Clank.
His phone fell from his fingers with a face as if he saw a ghost. It didn't take long for him to sigh.
Picking up the dropped phone to say: "Sorry, I'll have to call you back. Sorry. Really. I'll call."
Pal hung up and forced a smile at her.
"Would you believe me if I said we were talking about a story?" He scratched the back of his head.
Maybe this would have ended with her doubting that answer, if only she couldn't see lies from truth.
This wasn't some technique or Skill from that unfamiliar System she was starting to see.
It was simply a result of her experience.
Her emotions didn't rise to the surface, but a lack of emotions was already something unfamiliar to him.
"Shia...?" He realised a shift of tone in her voice.
There was a subtle difference that made her sound much more mature. A serenity beyond her years.
At least in terms of her outer appearance.
Through careful control of her facial muscles and voice, Shia was able to interrogate him stealthily.
Using her current position to her advantage.
"Is another Eruption happening?" She asked, all while being fully aware of the circumstances.
But he didn't need to know that.
"...Alright. To tell you the truth, this world is going to go through a world ending catastrophic later." (Pal)
"How could you know?" (Shia)
"Just do. It's a little hard to explain it all." (Pal)
"What's going to happen to this world?" Shia asked as if pleading for him to say it if he cared for her.
Despite how introverted he acted, Pal was moved by her gestures and started to speak about the past.
He'd known her for so long as this point. Why not?
He talked about himself being a writer trapped in his own novel. That tragedy was destined for many.
While also speaking in absolutes about everything.
That humanity would definitely survive thanks to a young man named Harold Driftwood's strength.
He also brought up a girl named Janette Raymond.
Saying that she was a rare 'Regressor' that could travel back in time. Unknowing there was another.
And that person sat straight in front of him.
Someone who had gone through that whole ordeal and knew how much effort came from having hope.
To not give up in the face of despair.
"They'll end things properly. I'm sure of it. Why risk ourselves being here when there are other realms to take refuge in?" Was the opinion Pal had. It was a delectably irresponsible thought that's just like him.
And that wasn't even a joke in her heart.
"…Talia told me you were interested in Hell." (Shia)
"She tells you unnecessary stuff…" (Pal)
"Did she lie to me?" (Shia)
"No… It's just… I…" (Pal)
"Isn't Hell a scary place?" Shia looked up to him innocently. Her voice turning high pitched.
Almost as if she was choking out of worry.
Only to be met with a cold reply:
"I'll be honest with you. I just wanted to have sex and enjoy my life from now on." Pal shrugged.
Up until this point, Shia only saw him as some sort of prophet that abandoned his duties as a saviour.
His words even lightened her mood in knowing that if she protected that child, then the 'story' will end.
Finally erasing the Eruptions once and for all.
That there would be no more tragedies.
"You have that right… but I want to do my best in protecting this world." Shia spoke her heart.
It had been the simple reason she got back up.
No matter what hardship she faced in life, knowing that was enough for her to face death once again.
No matter how scared she was or painful it felt.
"Heh…" Pal's gentle but heavy chuckle caused her to look at his face. He made a knowing look at her.
"You want to help them?" He asked.
Those words slowly made Shia more uncomfortable about what she was going to say next. Even fretful.
"If I help a little, maybe less people will be pulled into tragedy. Why are you looking at me like that?"
He wouldn't-
"Because it's so useless." And yet Pal spoke this.
"What's wrong with helping?" Not caring about her innocent act anymore, Shia stomped her foot.
Looking up into his eyes.
"It's useless. Extras don't deserve much attention. A death of someone insignificant isn't important." Pal spoke his heart. She could tell from every movement of his face to his body that he was being genuine.
He sounded so sure of himself that 'unimportant' people to this world's great narrative didn't matter.
And surprisingly, this coincided with her thoughts.
Because karma worked the same way as that.
Those who were born with great destinies in the past were given appropriate strength to carry them out.
Prodigies made their name.
Normal people were just forgotten.
How many times had a rogue Devil Worshipper slaughtered villages of those 'insignificant'?
Her heart, which had been frozen by the vast expanses of time, could see why he had this belief.
Maybe she would've even nodded her head.
If only things were that easy. Words spoken were light, but actions carried the weight of the world.
Shia was someone who never half-assed 'actions'.
…..
….
…
..
.
In the bounds of the Arctic Ocean Ice Palace Sect pf old, a child and her older sister played in the snow.
Laughing as they slid around on their bare feet.
The cold didn't freeze their warm hearts. Knowing nothing about the pains they'd go through in future.
The senior apprentice sister had made a name for herself thanks to having great talent among them.
Even the Sect Leader was happy for her.
Finally, it came the day for the ceremony where she would be considered an adult ready to travel outside.
Earning a medallion that permitted her to leave.
The senior apprentice sister had been dying to leave in order to see the world for a long time.
She wanted to see the giant body of water their Sect was named off. Know about forests and deserts.
Funnily enough, those places were already fantasy lands to her. She couldn't imagine no hail or snow.
Until 'that incident' happened.
In the presence of all het apprentice brothers and sisters, the Sect Leader put the medallion on her.
And at the same moment.
The junior apprentice sister transformed from a caring child… to a demon hovering in the air.
Her eyes no longer holding any warmth.
No one was able to react fast enough. Many of the Ice Palace apprentices watched the scene curiously.
Unable to understand it.
Above them appeared a child with six legs growing out of her back. Myriad swords manifested quickly.
Hovering above like raindrops.
Then falling at them with the same speed of the sorrowful rain. A massacre was carried out.
"No…"
"No."
"NOOO…!"
"STOP THIS!!!"
Many elders tried to stop the incident, but the calamity tore through their bodies like paper.
An unceasing rain eliminated the entire Sect.
This was the end of Shia's first loop.
In the second loop, she tried to seal or do something about the Calamity Core infesting her junior sister.
"No…"
"No."
"NOOO…!"
"STOP THIS!!!"
It failed. The moment 'that' awakened, all hopes of waking her junior sister up simply wouldn't appear.
The same tragedy occurred in the third loop. No amount of heartfelt words moved the evil being.
In the fourth loop, she finally sealed it away long enough for her junior sister to become an adult.
Everything was set perfectly with the help of everyone to seal and eradicate the Earthly Devil.
Everyone's forces combined came together.
Only for a familiar result. The sealing formation was broken and spider legs grew out of her junior's back.
"No…"
"No."
"NOOO…!"
"STOP THIS!!!"
Everything had become hopeless. There was no method in the skies and soil to stop that Calamity.
It was all hopeless.
After trial and error of doing everything in her power to stop the devil's seed from awakening, she finally found the 'solution' to make sure that traumatising scene wouldn't happen again. That they'd be safe.
Shia picked up and thrusted out her sword.
The sound of flesh puncturing rang out.
"Big sis, why did you… do…?" The young girl spoke while looking at the sword impaling her heart.
Her eyes rolled back.
The woman with reddened eyes retrieved her sword while shaking. Her face drenched in her own snot.
"I-it was to save everyone. I'm sorry… I'm sorry! I didn't- AAAARGGGHHH!" She bawled her eyes out.
Grabbing her junior sister's clothes. Unable to accept what she had done. The life she'd extinguished.
A pair of footsteps were heard nearby, along with screams about what Shia had done in her lifetime.
"Why did you kill her?!" Those who did not know saw her as a psychopath. That this was her demon.
Perhaps out of generosity, she was simply ousted from the Ice Palace. Unable to ever return again.
It wasn't her intention, but her childhood dream was fulfilled. She got to go out and experience the world.
Eventually dying in a war against Calamities.
When she returned again, Shia started to realise that it was fate that her junior would always die.
All possible methods were exhausted.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" Again and again and again and again, she'd say those words to her little sister.
Accepting this outcome at one point in life.
…..
….
…
..
.
"Urgh…" Shia almost puked remembering it.
'Insignificant'… Did she almost agree that her junior sister was no one important? Simply a useless rock?
How could that be…?!
No. Her sister wasn't useless.
And she sure as hell wasn't worthless enough to be judged by him, who knew nothing about struggle.
To give up so easily… Pal's entire existence was an insult to the years she'd spent trying to save others.
An insult to the humanity that died in the past.
Shia didn't say anything, but she'd never forget the sorrow in her heart even for a brief moment.
Along with the man who said such a heartless thing.
It was at the point she secretly started to abhor Pal Weldone, even if he technically saved her life.
The seeds of betrayal had been planted.