The sun was sinking below the horizon, casting its final rays of light across the world. The reflection of the sun on the water's surface, along with a cool breeze, created a mesmerizing scene.
The water splashed on the shore, producing a melodious sound. Some of it reached the two young men sleeping on the bare sand.
Feeling water on his face, Arthur's eyes fluttered open, and he instinctively tried to stand, but his body ached intensely. Ignoring the pain, he tried to assess his situation and see if he was still in danger.
"Phew! I'm safe!"
Seeing that he was safe, Arthur dropped back onto the sand, gazing at the red-hued sky, giving his body a brief rest. Meanwhile, his mind was racing with thoughts of how he'd ended up here.
He turned his head and found his friend sleeping face-down in the sand. At a glance, one could tell he was in a deep sleep.
"So this bastard didn't abandon me, huh," Arthur sighed and finally stood up. His body still hurt, and his mind felt as if he hadn't slept for days.
However, he was used to it, so he ignored the discomfort and kicked Noah's belly. "Wake up, or you'll have a fish in your pants! That fish will eat the dragon!"
His nagging worked as Noah slowly woke up, his mind gradually adapting to the situation. As soon as he did, memories of the insectoid flashed in his mind, and his body shivered.
Taking a deep breath, he sat up and grumbled, "How do you have energy for your nonsense after all that?"
"Meh! It was nothing much!" Arthur shrugged and stood up. He offered his hand to Noah, who took it and stood up as well.
"Only you can say that," Noah shook his head. "We almost died back there. My whole body still aches from those hits!"
As they talked, the two left the shore and headed further into the forest connected to the lake. This was normal, as the Falcon Wilderness was vast, with many lakes of similar size.
Even if one traveled from one end of the lake to the other, they would still be in the forest, surrounded by dense vegetation.
Noah also told Arthur how he had swum to the far side of the lake to escape the insectoid. Because of this, they were far from any area he was familiar with.
Now, they were standing in unknown lands, unsure of what kind of Abyssal Creatures lurked nearby. They were certain the creatures were out there, and the duo had no doubt about it.
"So, we're basically screwed if a random Abomination decides to pass by?" Arthur put his hands in his tattered pants pockets and asked.
"What do we do now?" Noah asked.
A smile formed on Arthur's face. "Of course, we go and kill that bastard."
Noah stopped in his tracks and tried to suppress the urge to smack his head. Still, he rubbed the bridge of his nose and said, "No way you're that crazy!"
"I am," Arthur laughed. "The only reason that creature almost killed us was because we weren't prepared."
"Are you an idiot?" Noah gritted his teeth. "That thing nearly tore us apart in one hit, and you think we can beat it as we are now? Brother, be realistic. It's a Tier 2 Abyssal Creature—we can't take it on right now."
Arthur didn't reply immediately but began clearing a small area between six trees. He also checked for any Abyssal Creatures to avoid any disturbances and only then relaxed.
Sitting down near a tree, he said, "It's a Tier 1, not Tier 2."
"Huh? You're lying, right?" Noah chuckled, thinking Arthur was joking again. "I saw something drop from its mouth, and I'm sure it was related to it's Ability."
Arthur sighed. "It's a Tier 1 Abyssal Creature with an ability. I know it sounds crazy, but it's the truth. If it had really been a Tier 2, we wouldn't be sitting here."
Not knowing how to react, Noah scratched his head. "So we were lucky?"
"Unlucky, but yeah, fortunate enough not to encounter one of the main bosses," Arthur smiled. "And that's why I think we can kill it."
"Do it alone," Noah replied flatly. "I have no interest in throwing away my life."
Arthur looked at him and clicked his tongue. "Tsk! What a coward. Fine! I'll kill it alone!"
"Why are you so eager to die?" Noah felt a headache coming on from talking with him. "I know you're angry and want revenge, but do it later when you're strong enough."
"It's not about revenge this time," Arthur sighed. "I have to return the day after tomorrow, and I need to kill it before I do."
"You speak as if your life depends on it," Noah scoffed.
"My life does depend on it," Arthur said, his voice clear and serious.
Noah wanted to argue more, but the serious look on Arthur's face stopped him. That expression…he knew it too well.
"Stubborn bastard," Noah cursed, spitting on the ground. "How sure are you that you can beat it?"
"Without you? Zero. With you, fifty percent," Arthur thought about it and said, "Or maybe we can raise it a little."
"So you're not even sure," Noah sighed and leaned back against a tree.
Their conversation ended as the two drifted into their own thoughts.
Noah felt deeply conflicted. He could walk away without consequence—he was free to leave, and he knew Arthur wouldn't force him.
He had repaid Arthur's favor of saving his life by saving Arthur's in return. But even so, Noah didn't feel right knowing he would be leaving Arthur to die if he walked away.
Arthur was crazy, and Noah knew he would try to kill the insectoid even without help, which would likely mean his death. This unsettled Noah, leaving him confused about his own feelings.
Noah had grown up in the slums, where he'd witnessed the darker sides of human nature, which had made him a loner. He didn't trust anyone, and no one trusted him.
There was no friendship in the slums, only survival by any means necessary. No one in the world cared whether he lived or died.