Sigh.
Lying down on a field of grass on a bright sunny day with the breeze cooling down the body and calming the mind is supposed to be relaxing. This scenery would have been the perfect place for a picnic of a family or a couple, but for Shouri, this might be something more depressing than the dungeon.
"Wow! You're still getting up? What's fueling your strength? Some kind of sense of responsibility?"
"This witch is relentless." Hearing his sparring partner mock him, or perhaps instill rage in his mind to cloud his judgement, Shouri could not help but be annoyed by how he was quickly overpowered. "Well, that's normal with the disparity of our levels."
Sigh, "Can you please help me sit up, if I keep staring at the sun for any longer, I might go blind." He said as he tried to lift his arm but couldn't even keep it up for long as it almost immediately fell down. Hearing no reply, he sighed once more with this person's eccentric attitude towards seniority. "Please, 'master'?"
"Well, if my student really needs anything, then I can't help but be obligated to help." Her voice, laced with smugness and satisfaction, slowly became clearer as she poked her head in his field of view. "What a mess you are, Shouri!" she said with a grin, as if she was not the one who made him feel like a vegetable.
Extending a hand to his direction, he forced his weak hand to grab it to help himself get up. "Even her sense of 'helping' is something you need to work for." Sigh. "Thanks, Alise."
"Haha, it's alright, kid! No need to be so stiff! So, what do you think about your break in the dungeon?"
His plans for the day were completely ruined by Alise showing up at his apartment at the break of dawn for some 'catching up', whatever that means, and dragged him outside Orario for some relaxing time. Though she admitted that she only planned to see how he has been doing, it devolved into something else after he said he's been going into the dungeon for two weeks straight.
"If your definition of a relaxing time is beating someone up black and blue, then I think my break is horrible." His entire body has been bruised with the continuous spars. Taking a big gulp of water from his canteen, he looked at her with narrow eyes as she seems to no worse for wear.
"Of course, I can beat you up! I wouldn't be a level 4 if I couldn't! But you still haven't used your magic, right?" She asked innocently with her brows furrowed and a hand on her chin.
"First, how did you know I have a magic? Secondly, it probably wouldn't affect you with your Abnormal Resistance."
"Okay, how did YOU know I have that?"
"Thirdly, you're too fast for me to chant, and I'd probably explode or something. I forgot what Miss Sophie told me when my falna updated itself. Ignus Fatuus or something? Ignis Fatuus?"
It was 3 days ago the day after a particularly difficult dungeon run by himself to the eleventh floor against a Hard Armored, an armadillo-like monster whose defense is the highest in the upper floors, and a Silverback. The large monkey monster with great arm strength and large size, making the fight with the two monsters of the eleventh floor extremely challenging. That was probably his extremely high bad luck, manifesting itself after an easy run down the dungeon for a week and a half straight since he started as an adventurer.
Seeing Alise being quiet as she seemed lost in her thoughts, Shouri gathered his belongings from a nearby tree and left for the city. "It's already past noon, and I'm so sore from all the spars. I'll just skip the dungeon today and rest up."
"Just leaving me behind?! How rude!" He ignored the shout behind him as he continued walking. "So, what's your plan for today, you brat?"
Ignoring the insult, he looked at his side and, hiding his surprise at how she caught up to him so fast, he replied, "I'll go heal and rest these bruises. The dungeon can wait until tomorrow."
"Hmm… go rest for today, kid, and skip the dungeon tomorrow as well. You should get new armor and weapons; I'm surprised you lasted this long with those low-quality gear."
With his skill enhancing his stats, weapon, and protecting his body, he didn't really see the need to upgrade before. But the spar with Alise showed that his skill can only go so far, and better gear can close the gap between him and the stronger opponents on the middle floors. Nodding at her advice, they continued walking back to Orario, and his body screaming for rest.
---
Walking out of Babel tower, Shouri is now tens of thousands of valis poorer, which is a small price to pay for more chances of survival in the dungeon. He now has proper armor in the form of a silver steel breastplate, steel bracers, black fingerless leather gloves, black boots, and a white waterproof cloak. Although the last one was something he didn't need, because of his skill that made him unable to feel cold, it was just something that the shopkeeper thought made his outfit look 'cleaner'.
The eighth floor of Babel sold weapons and armor to adventurers at very cheap prices. This is a strategy that novice blacksmiths use in order to promote their name and gain loyal customers, though, Shouri feels like he wouldn't be coming back to that scammer. "Unless the armor and weapon are better than what's normal. Not like I would know about it; I only have experience in using low quality gear."
Now geared and ready to tackle the dungeon tomorrow, he made his way to the Blue Pharmacy at the west side of the city. While his budget had now taken a plummet, he could not ignore the benefits of healing and mind potions, something that he still have a few of, but it wouldn't hurt to stock up on more. He might not be a reckless fighter, but injuries in the dungeon is a normal occurrence, and while his magic had now risen, the consumption of his mind by his skill and now his magic left him wanting.
"My magic stat still feels low, even though I use my skill a lot during the more difficult fights." Frowning at the thought that his growth could not keep up with his needs, he shifted his focus on his preferred weapon. While the sword is comfortable in his hand and his swordplay is extremely refined with his continuous dungeon delving, he could not help but think that the sword could also not fulfill all his needs in combat. "Maybe I require a ranged weapon? Throwing knives are too expensive, though."
Noting that train of thought for later, he makes his way faster into the pharmacy of the Miach's familia. The middle ranking familia has a Medicinal focus that creates potions to help adventurers and the citizens of Orario, though they also have multiple strong adventurers that collect materials from the dungeon for ingredients.
He knew of their shop, the Blue Pharmacy, due to a random encounter with the god Miach. Lord Miach gave him some health potions and a mind potion, saying that adventurers keep the surface safe, thus he feels obligated to help in any way he can. He was bruised and had little cuts on both his arms after encountering imps and bad bats that tag-teamed him before he had to almost get himself a mind down from overusing his skill to finish the monster group. So, he begrudgingly accepted the kindness of the god.
Halfway through his walk, an explosion in the area knocked him off his feet, hurdling him to a nearby unmanned stall. His ears are ringing loudly, and his vision is turning red, "Blood? What's happening?"
Fighting the unconsciousness that is slowly creeping on his mind, he stood up and looked around the area. There are not many civilians around the explosion site, which was probably some kind of warehouse, due to the intense burning and smaller explosions that keeps happening. He tried to help a few people that are wounded by offering the few potions that he has, as well as getting them out and away from the debris.
The muscles on his arms and back are screaming at him, feeling that some tears and bruising are definitely in his list of injuries. But the situation helped dull his pain. He lifted carts and stalls that fell upon the merchants and civilians, as well as some heavier materials like large pieces of debris that trapped a few people.
His adrenaline died down after he was forced by a middle-aged man to rest and to get someone to tend his wounds. Feeling the pain in his body, which seems to be mostly alright besides the stinging and painful sensation in his chest, he feels mostly intact. Wherever he looked, even through his blurry vision, all he can tell are the dark smoke from every corner and the blood from the bodies of the people that were caught by the debris.
He limped in an alley with a few people sitting down, trying to calm themselves, and waiting for help to arrive. Shouri didn't have any time to acknowledge any of them before he sat on the ground and leaned on the cold brick wall of the alley. His breathing is becoming shallower as the minutes pass, yet still trying his best to keep his consciousness and death from embracing him completely.
His eyelids are already extremely heavy by the time someone was he able to identify came over their way. A fairy-like elf with green hair and blue eyes, "I only know one person that have those." Her mouth was moving as she shouted at him, though indiscernible to his ears, while also frantically trying to heal him with a potion.
Shouri looked at her with dimming purple eyes and lamented that in the two weeks he's been in Orario, he has never even formally met with the familia that helped and free him from captivity. "I don't really want to die, I still have…"
---
Alise normally has reigns over her emotions, trying to project a light atmosphere to the people of the dungeon city. But this event, this barbaric act of Evilus is something that not even the brightest of people could lift. Those scum targeted a magic stone factory and decided to blow it up.
Looking over the destruction and death they caused, her blood begins to boil with all the injustice these people suffer. Her familia members are already trying to help everyone they can along with the Ganesha familia.
She would like to help everyone as well, but Shakti, the captain of the Ganesha familia, had called over for a brief discussion over the purpose and pattern of Evilus' fourth attack on a magic stone factory. Shakti shared that they have not been able to figure out what they were planning, but the resulting chaos is killing the citizen's morale and trust on the familias residing over Orario that was supposed to protect them.
Alise promised her that the Astraea familia would investigate and cooperate with the Ganesha familia as well as the Loki and Freya familia on figuring out the intent behind this Evilus attack.
Walking at the surrounding area of the factory, Alise began to help other people by administering first aid and giving out potions for those with more severe injuries. She could see in the corner of her vision Kaguya and Lyra walking over to her with somber expressions, which she knew is also happening to her face.
Done with her assistance on the people for now, she turned to her familia members.
"Alise, that… boy you rescued was caught up by the explosion. He is currently mortally injured. I'm sorry."
Her friend, Gojouno Kaguya, was as blunt yet graceful as ever. And her other friend came into her rescue.
"Kaguya, have some tact. Don't worry, Alise. Ryu said he would survive." Lyra said, after she reprimanded the other girl. "But he probably won't be waking up in the meantime, or in the near future."
Alise closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her sparring sessions with Shouri yesterday were still fresh in her mind. That boy, who acted so mature yet still so innocent even after all he went through, was so brave and determined that she could see the righteousness blooming in his heart. His eyes became a bit brighter when she regaled him of some of her exploits as an adventurer. Even with her loud boasting, she saw the desire in his eyes to become someone like her, probably unknowingly, trying to emulate her on walking the path of justice.
She knew he was strong, stronger than a typical level 1, and even stronger in the heart than most. She knows that his journey isn't finished yet, and all she could do now is to wait for his good health to return so she could train him again into becoming much stronger, so that this would not ever happen again.
"Thank you, both of you. Shouri is strong, I know that he will come back from this and grow even more. I believe in him."
Her façade seemed to be ineffective in front of her friends, but they don't have the time to dilly-dally. She needs to help the people that suffered first, then she can see him. After all, as his idol and savior, she needs to become a good inspiration and influence when he wakes up.
"Oh, and it seems you have a little fan, Alise. That boy gave all his potions to other people when he himself desperately needs one. If he didn't do that, there would have even more deaths than there already are."
"I was right then. I think he idolizes me." She smiled at that, fueling her with energy to help and deliver justice to all of Orario. She looked at the sky, vowing to herself in silence, "Evilus might still be out there, but not for long. Justice will come soon enough."
---
In his dream, he saw two faces. His mother and his father. Two strangers that he knew were very important to him, yet even in his state, he could see the love and care that they emit. A blanket of affection to his broken soul, shaping out the darkness inside of him. The love of two humans, overpowering his curse without struggle. But a question arises,
"How do I know all this?" His mind seemed to gain new memories, or perhaps, he recovered what he has lost and forgotten, "Where are my parents? Where am I?"
His purple eyes widened as they pierced through the all-consuming darkness, "What is this curse?" his voice, the strong and resolute pitch, turned wary and fearful. In his memory, he saw something beyond humans. Beyond gods.