The loud, incessant cries of cicadas were making it impossible to focus on the movie.
"Ugh, seriously. It's already hot as hell, and now this noise is driving me crazy."
In the end, I got up and closed the window.
"Don't be too harsh. They've got to make a living too," my father said with a grin as he sat beside me, watching the movie.
"At this point, aren't they stuck right on the window? It's too loud..."
"You've got to understand. They spent seven years underground. Imagine how excited they must be now."
"I guess that's true, but still..."
My father, who had been quietly watching the TV, suddenly turned to me.
"Did you know all the noisy ones are males?"
"Yeah. They're trying to attract a mate, right?"
"Exactly. And most of them only live for about two weeks before they die."
"I know that too."
"Then think about it, Noah. To those guys, seven years is practically their whole life, right? It's like a person spending almost 80 years locked in a room, doing nothing."
"Oh... That actually sounds pretty good."
Smack!
"Ow! Why'd you hit me!"
My father's finger flicked my forehead with surprising force.
"Good my ass. You wouldn't even be able to play your favorite games, you idiot."
"Hmm... yeah, that would suck."
"Anyway, cicadas spend their whole life focused on one goal."
"They were born that way, though."
"Ha, this kid... who taught you to talk back like that? Just listen, alright?"
With a bitter smile, my father ruffled my hair.
"Let me start again. Cicadas spend their life enduring, holding on, just to fulfill their dream."
He stopped stroking my hair.
"After waiting for what feels like an eternity, they finally emerge into a dangerous world to chase that dream."
My father stood up from his seat.
"It must be terrifying, they can see humans crawling all over the place. But still, they come out. Those little guys."
He walked slowly toward the window.
"They're more afraid of not achieving their long-held dream than they are of a world that could kill them so easily."
He reached for the window I had closed.
"And then they scream their lungs out, letting the world know they exist."
He started opening the window.
"They meet their mate, the one they've been dreaming of, and they lay their eggs."
The sound of cicadas filled the room once again through the half-opened window.
"Then, two weeks later, they die. They never even get to meet their own children."
The noise of the cicadas filled the entire living room.
"The cicadas that are making all this noise now... they're close to dying. They're making their final desperate cries with all their remaining strength."
The noise that had earlier seemed so annoying now felt...
A little more desperate.
"Heh heh... How about it? When you think about it this way, doesn't it seem kind of romantic?"
Looking at my father's smile, I cautiously spoke.
"Do you think... living like that makes them happy?"
Could a life like that really have meaning?
Could it?
"Well, the ones who never find a mate are probably unhappy. But they wouldn't have any regrets."
"Then... what about the cicadas that achieve their goal?"
My father stayed silent for a moment, lips firmly shut.
"...I don't know. But if I had to guess, I'd say—"
At that moment, a plane flew over our apartment.
I never got to hear the rest of his answer.
But I did clearly see the look on his face.
The bittersweet smile.
The determined glint in his eyes.
The unwavering expression he wore as he looked at me.
* * * *
I felt warmth surrounding my body. Something... familiar, soft, and cushion-like.
But man, my whole body hurts. It feels like I'm about to break... I'm seriously dying here... ugh...
While I was groaning to myself, I suddenly heard Rubia's sigh.
"H-H-Heinzel..."
Huh? Why is she talking about Heinzel?
What's going on?
I squirmed and tugged at Rubia's sleeve.
"Ru-Rubia...?"
"Oh, Noah...! W-What should we do... What should I..."
Suddenly, water droplets fell onto my face.
Wha...?
Why is she crying all of a sudden...?
"W-What's wrong...? Did something happen...?"
Rubia pulled me tighter into her embrace.
Ahhh!! It hurts! It already hurts when the wind brushes against me!!! Hugging me this hard is going to kill me!!
"R-Rubia...! It hurts... it hurts. I'm gonna dieee!"
As I let out a desperate scream, Rubia finally loosened her grip.
But she kept crying.
Seriously, what's going on?
"W-What's wro—!"
My cracked voice let out a strange squeak.
I cleared my throat slowly.
"Ahem... Wh-What's going on?"
Rubia took a deep breath and finally opened her mouth.
"K-Karpeng... Karpeng has awakened..."
What...?
"R-Rubia... didn't you set up that barrier to block the scent...?! I told you to—"
"I did! I definitely did, but... I don't know... The barrier was clearly in place, so why... We need to... we need to go, but... why won't my legs move...?"
"W-Wait... Just calm down for a second..."
I awkwardly moved my body, slowly slipping out of Rubia's arms.
Then I reached for my greatsword.
My greatsword...
Where's my greatsword...?
I fumbled around, but I couldn't find it anywhere.
"R-Rubia... have you seen my greatsword?"
"Huh...?"
"My greatsword..."
I gestured with my hands, trying to show her its shape.
"The one I always carry...!"
Why are you pretending not to know!
"W-What are you talking about, Noah...?"
"Whaaat?! Rubia, what are you talking about! My greatsword! The one I use to kill all those monsters..."
All those monsters...?
Who...?
"I killed them...?"
"...Noah... H-H-Heinzel's arm was cut off. And... Luchi is fighting alone right now. We should go as soon as we can, but... I'm not sure if I can leave you alone without your greatsword..."
Rubia's words faded into the background.
Once again, my memories were all jumbled up.
What kind of memory is this? Whose memory is this?
What...
What is this?
Who...?
Who am I?
* * * *
A chaotic rush of thoughts overwhelmed Noah as she struggled with her memories, and Rubia's voice finally brought her back.
"Noah... Noah!"
"Huh?"
"Why are you suddenly... Why are you crying...?"
"Am I...?"
"Noah...?"
Rubia's voice quivered.
"Yeah?"
"...You are Noah... right?"
Her voice grew quieter.
"You're Noah, right?"
I tried to smile.
Should I smile?
Noah...
How would she act?
Oh.
I'm getting confused.
"Why... Why are you crying too, Noah... Please, don't... Please..."
Rubia's arms wrapped around me again.
Then, a few droplets of water fell onto my shoulder.
Warm energy started to flow into my body. Rubia's divine power.
It wrapped around me.
The familiar...
The comforting...
Touch of her hands.
She gently stroked my hair.
Slowly.
Very slowly.
Her divine power was making my mind clear again.
Rubia's divine energy...
Was slowly untangling my memories.
It was sorting out the tangled past and calming my heightened emotions.
It brought me back from madness.
It stopped me from dying.
Instinctively, I opened my eyes.
And silently recited the words glowing in front of me.
[The subject is a character in a game.]
[The subject is a character in a game.]
[The subject is a character in a game.]
[The subject is a character in a game.]
My head cleared.
That eerie sensation woke me up.
"R-Rubia..."
I raised my hand and gently stroked her back.
"Rubiaaa..."
"Noah...? Is it really you, Noah?"
"Yeah... It's me... Rubia, first... please explain the situation."
I slowly pushed Rubia away. Her trembling shoulders tugged at my emotions.
"Are you... really Noah...?"
"Uh... y-yeah."
Rubia grabbed both of my cheeks firmly.
"You... You're really Noah..."
"I grunk thi smu—"
It was only after I vigorously nodded that her hands released me.
"Rubia, it's okay. Take a deep breath and tell me."
"Haa... okay. Calm... right. After you collapsed—"
Even though I couldn't see anything. Even though I couldn't sense anything.
The trembling of my body. The overwhelming presence of bloodlust creeping closer. The distant sound of something being torn apart.
Luchi's desperate roar.
I could understand what was happening.
But still. Calming Rubia came first.
I trust Luchi and Heinzel. They aren't the kind of people who'd go down that easily.
Once Rubia collected herself, she started explaining the situation. Clearly, but incredibly quickly.
Luchi and Heinzel were facing Karpeng outside the village.
Meanwhile, the plan was to evacuate the villagers to... Ursphere?
That's impossible.
They'll all die. I'm sure of it.
They won't even make it to the entrance of the Karahan Mountains before they're all dead.
And Karpeng...
Since I couldn't sense it yet with my aura, I didn't know its exact condition.
The first time I hunted goblins. Trolls, orcs, black bears. And all the other monsters.
They were nothing like the game. They weren't just common mobs.
Every one of their attacks was life-threatening.
Even a single wrong move would mean death.
Just from these regular monsters.
Then what about Karpeng?
It must be on a completely different level...
But.
I have to do it.
I can do it.
I've beaten it several times. I've survived countless monsters.
Don't be scared. Rubia is behind me. Luchi and Heinzel are with me.
I can do this.
"Rubia... is there any greatsword left...?"
"There isn't... No matter how hard I looked, I could only find broken ones..."
I'm not sure if I can activate my ability with a broken one, but...
For now...
"C-Can you bring me one of the broken ones...?"
"Noah... Are you planning to go?"
I nodded.
"Okay."
I heard Rubia stand up.
I sat there quietly, listening to the sounds of the village.
I had expected more chaos after Karpeng's awakening, but surprisingly, there was hope in the air.
And then.
From far away, I heard the sound of someone running toward me, their footsteps clattering loudly.
"Huff, huff... Am I too late?!"
"He-Hephaestus...?"
It was Hephaestus.
"Pant... I... I have something for you, Noah! I figured you'd need it... I've been working on it all night... I know it's a bit late, but... please, take it."
A cold object was placed in my hands. A familiar sensation of leather. The feeling of a hilt.
Its weight.
I could feel it.
"I made it out of... well, some really expensive materials! I tried to make it as close as possible to the greatsword you always use!"
I reached out and grasped the hilt.
With a pleasant jolt of pain, the village's landscape started to appear before me.
I could even see Hephaestus smiling in front of me.
Smiling?
Wait.
Why can I see her expression?
"How's the weight?"
Hephaestus looked at me with a puzzled expression.
This is incredible... I can't see her face, but I can read her expression. I can sense it.
"It's... good."
I nodded roughly.
What is this? What's happening?
Have I leveled up?
I looked around.
I could see the expressions of the villagers.
And far away.
I saw Rubia running toward me, her face twisted in panic, gasping for breath.
"Ah, Priestess! Hello!"
Hephaestus bowed deeply.
Rubia, seeing her, was clearly flustered.
Flustered! Look at that, she's so surprised! She's like, What are you doing here?
This is amazing!!!
"He-Hephaestus, what are you doing here...?"
"Well... I was working on the weapon... but I ended up running out of time."
I lifted the greatsword that Hephaestus had handed me, showing it to Rubia.
"You... you've been making that? All this time? For us?"
"Yes! When I saw all the monsters gathering earlier... I thought the 10 makeshift greatswords wouldn't be enough. So I used everything I had, even stuff I wasn't supposed to use. My master is probably going to kill me when he finds out... But! I figured it's all useless if we're dead, right? So I made it... So, um,Priestess, could you maybe... put in a good word for me...?"
She looked so full of courage, then so scared, and then full of courage again—only to shrink back under the weight of the priestess's authority.
Rubia's expression twisted again, almost as if she were about to cry.
Rubia's going to cry!
"Yes, I'll... I'll make sure to speak to him. Don't worry too much. And... thank you. Truly."
After finishing her sentence, Rubia grabbed my hand and pulled me along.
"Hephaestus, we're short on time, so let's finish this conversation later, after everything is over."
"Yes, yes! Please, hurry!"
"Thank you for understanding. Noah, let's go."
Rubia naturally took my hand and began leading me toward the south.
But...
Something feels off.
"R-Rubia?"
"Yes?"
"Why are you coming?"
"What do you mean, why?"
"Uh... it's dangerous."
"I know that. Noah, we don't have time. Let's go."
"A... Are you sure you should be coming...?"
"If not me, then who?"
When she turned to look at me, Rubia's face was full of anger.
"Uh... I'm strong, though..."
Smack!
Rubia's flick landed squarely on my forehead.
"I'm strong too. Enough talking, let's go. Wherever you go, I'm going too. I'm going to be right beside you, no matter what. So don't even try to refuse."
Rubia's hand, full of firm resolve, tugged at mine.
So I...
Had no choice but to nod.
I followed her.
* * * *
The closer we got to Karpeng.
The more my body trembled. My legs felt heavier. Cold sweat dripped down my back.
The sticky bloodlust pressed down on me.
"Haa... Hoo... Haa..."
Rubia seemed to feel the same, as she carefully steadied her breath.
"Rubia... If it's too much—"
"Shut up!"
"Yes ma'am..."
Rubia had definitely changed.
I could hear the sounds of Heinzel and Luchi's battle cries.
I extended my senses slightly.
They were in bad shape.
Just as Rubia said, Heinzel had lost his right arm. His entire body was twisted and broken.
But he was still fighting.
Luchi, too, was covered in deep wounds. He was on the verge of bleeding out.
And Karpeng...
It was condensing bloodlust within its body.
It was entering its second phase.
We don't have time.
Luchi and Heinzel don't know about Karpeng. Even if they recognized it, they would only know about its first phase.
That's why time is running out.
If things keep going like this...
They'll both die in one blow.
"Rubia. Let's move faster."
I overtook Rubia and picked up the pace.
By the time I heard Luchi's labored breathing...
With a sickening crash, Luchi and Heinzel were sent flying, crashing into the ground.
Blood sprayed from their bodies.
Luchi's remaining eye burst.
Heinzel's remaining left arm was torn off.
"Rubia! Hurry!"
I let go of Rubia's hand and rushed forward.
I had to draw Karpeng's attention.
And.
I had to make sure that Luchi and Heinzel could tell it was me.
It might be cruel, but...
I had to make sure they could stand up and keep fighting.
I dragged my greatsword across the ground as I approached them.
As I approached Karpeng.
And then.
In my usual voice.
To reassure them.
In the same lighthearted way they always spoke.
I threw out a light joke and sneered.
"At least... four people are needed... You stubborn old men... Was it really that hard to buy me jelly...? So stingy..."
Then, glaring at Karpeng,
I tightened my grip on the greatsword.