Julian flicked his wand and the purple bolt made the Night Prowler's head explode. His breathing was uneven after fighting a sudden pack of five level 5 monsters.
"Phew…"
Umbra's spear yanked from the body of another panther during the battle. Nocta also buried her shield to protect Julian from a charging beast. This caused its head to burst like a melon from the impact.
Fran's fingers trembled after firing dozens of arrows, her muscles aching and eyes full of tears after facing death countless times.
[◊ Night Prowler has been Slain ◊]
• Killed 15 Night Prowler
• Gained 750 Experience Points
• Gained Panther Pelt x 12
• Gained Panther Fang x 5
• Gained Monster Meat x 15
Not long after reaching the forest, they faced constant ambushes by the stealthy Night Prowlers.
"It's probably difficult to hunt with the forest destroyed, there are stronger predators in the surrounding areas."
"Can we take a quick break, Sir Julian?"
Since the battles started, the attitude of Fran changed, each successive battle in her eyes filled with more respect and worship.
"You've managed to reach level five, right?"
"Yeah, it's crazy that you can fight these monsters so easily. I am glad I chose to join you."
"Hah, easy…"
Maybe because she reached level 5, her pale face filled with more colour and her shots became more accurate and dealt more damage. He could tell from how she moved that even with her gaining levels, her chest, and muscles still ached slightly.
'It's not worth delaying.'
"Let's take a break, fifteen minutes enough?"
Julian planned to rest soon anyway because the constant battles chipped away at his stamina, causing his movements to become sluggish. As if a weight rested on his shoulders, and his wrist became sore from flicking the wand.
"That's more than enough, Sir Julian."
"Julian is fine, Fran."
"Understood!"
He watched Fran taking a small box from her chest. Even the NPCs had small inventories, but once dead, others could loot the items.
'At least after the world's merged further.'
Julian struggled to understand if this world was still a game because only the combat and levelling system remained in this nightmarish world. He sometimes noticed that monsters and Fran ignored the rules of the combat system, which made him nervous.
"Fran, how long have you been practising archery?"
He couldn't help but notice she wasn't like the villagers. Her tanned skin and hair hiding her ears made it difficult to identify her race or identity.
"Since I was a little girl, my mother bought me a small bow, then taught me to hunt critters in the forest for our meals."
"Interesting, then, how did you come to Ashvale Village?"
When he asked, her face became dark and Julian realised he must have touched a sensitive subject as her body shuddered, and she suddenly glared at him.
'What a foolish question, these might be NPCs, but in this nightmare world they're more vibrant and lively than people I met in the supermarket.'
"Sorry, was that a sensitive question?"
"O-Oh… not that, just. After the Devils invaded, my homeland was destroyed, and I lost everything."
"That's horrible."
"Heh, didn't we all lose something valuable in the great fall? I heard the king's younger brother also died, which caused him to become enraged, crusading for revenge even now."
"Ugh…"
Suddenly, an image of a handsome male who looked similar to Julian, but with black hair and blue eyes, a gentle summer breeze passed through his hands as the male stroked his head.
"My dear brother, one day I will rid this world of those monsters so you can live freely."
'Whose voice is this?' fractured images and memories flowed into Julian's head, causing him to grasp at his face, blood dripping from his nose each time he saw his crumbling smile. Until he's the last memory, one of anguish and disbelief.
The handsome male's lips moved. He called a name… but Julian couldn't hear anything. The only thing he remembered was a burning pain spreading through his chest. And the sound of himself struggling to breathe, choking on something sweet, yet sickly.
"Sir Julian!"
Smack
"Ugh… Cough!"
Fran's hand slapped Julian's back, followed by Nocta causing him to spit out the slightly bloody piece of meat. His body dropped, but Umbra caught him, letting his head rest on her shoulder, before sitting beside her.
"It's fine, I told you to call me, Julian."
He couldn't remember most of the fragmented memories, but that last image remained inside his mind. The sorrowful gaze, tears of blood watching him, yet unable to do anything.
[◊ You have become entwined in your past! ◊]
• Fran, an important member of history, helped awaken a memory from your first life.
• She is a key member of the survival of Avalon! Keep her close to learn more about the end, and things that happened in the past.
The Memory titled: Dear Brother has been restored and saved in the Key Item Section!
[◊ Collect more of your memories to learn about the past and unlock hidden rewards! ◊]
"Julian, is there something wrong with you? Ah! Your nose…"
Fran's eyes flickered with concern because he helped her grow. Julian became a symbol of hope and survival in her eyes.
"No, no. I just overworked myself, and every so often I forget that I'm only human too. Haha."
"Don't laugh and make light of it, you were in so much pain."
Fran's hand grasped his, causing Umbra and Noctua's shadows to flicker, but he didn't reject her touch but gripped her hand back with his strength.
"I'm just fine, see?"
"Y-Yeah, but if you ever need to rest, just tell me, if you die, then what am I to do in this forest?"
He never imagined that playing an online game and speaking with the NPCs would be so much fun, so Julian stopped fearing this world. The solitude and resistance he felt to bringing Sena here started to fade.
'I should bring her here once we reach level 10 and pick a specialisation.'
"I promise that I won't die, so trust me."
Because of their long break and the noise from his sudden influx of memories, the surrounding bushes started to shake. It seemed that more monsters wanted to become lunch for the starving villagers. The low growls caused the pair to gaze at each other, their lips curling into a wicked smirk.
"Shall we hunt, lady Fran?"
"It would be my pleasure, sir Julian!"