"We're gonna go to the Mooradoc swamp again, I've searched a place from around there called Tahaloo. They say the beast that lurks around there gives a lot of experience for both of us."
Are we going to have better results this time? I hope we do.
I wouldn't want to be in the same situation again…
As we walked out of Catares Town, I noticed that there were a lot of movements within. Like they were preparing for something big.
Why am I looking at them?
It was the first time I looked around, and I was surprised. My focus felt divided now—it was no longer entirely on Deus.
What happened to me?
"I'm sure this time it's a reliable source!"
He was still talking? I didn't even hear what he was saying…
I didn't hear it because I was more focused on the people.
The people in that town… I felt they were divided into two groups—one side enjoying everything, while the other looked miserable.
I wonder where I belong between the two…
"Lucien!" Deus called me out
Followed by a forceful slap to my face.
I took some damage, but it was painless. Although the hit was forceful, I wasn't hurt. It felt different from when he first struck me with the wooden club.
Before he could even say anything, I felt the damage was recovered.
"Focus you idiot! We're here!"
"I apologize, Deus. Thank you for helping me refocus."
"Good, you're back. You're welcome!" He replied.
My body was once again uncooperative. Its gestures were not under my command but felt more like automatic movements.
I smiled, appearing respectful and submissive. But that's not how I truly felt about him. Or maybe I was wrong…
"Take this sword. I didn't know you guys needed equipment to enhance your weapon proficiency. Right now I'm still torn between letting you develop unarmed proficiency or giving you a weapon. But for now, take this trash sword from my inventory."
I bowed my head and thanked him for his kindness.
Without wasting another minute, Deus swiped his hand and pulled out a sword from nowhere. He threw it at me and told me to equip it.
I didn't understand what he meant, but I picked up the sword and held it in my dominant hand.
It was a short sword—slightly rustic and dull compared to his. I felt a bit jealous of what he was holding.
I wanted to get it off of his hands so badly.
We navigated through Mooradoc. It was lively—I hadn't even realized before that there were other people here.
"There's too many players on this side!" He snapped.
"But it's a good sign! It means that the thing I read online is true!"
I wonder how he can so easily shift his tone, as if the irritation that flashed across his face had never existed.
We couldn't find a good spot where there's not a lot of people.
There were moments when others approached us, but Deus didn't even spare them a single glance.
"I wish I could just kill all of these other players here! But I can't! Because we are still cramped in this small NPC region after two months upon launch!"
"Kill? We can kill other players?" I blurted out in excitement.
"Shut up, I found us a spot."
I glanced forward. Before us stood a horde of brown, slimy creatures, each slightly taller than me, with webbed hands and claws that looked as if they were dripping with poison. Shining blue dots covered their bodies—and their eyes.
"Galegi"
"Lucien, we're here. Hold your sword up properly, don't drag it. Let's go!"
So we dived directly at these beasts.
Deus was running directly at the Galegis, I tried to follow close behind him.
"Sword slash, Sable!" Deus started the encounter. With this slash, one Galegi fell on the ground.
But the attack had only succeeded because it was a surprise. Now that we had the horde's attention, using the same tactic wouldn't work.
"Sword Slash, Sable!" Deus did it again anyway. But as I expected, the beast he aimed for crawled away, dodging his attack.
This was my first real battle—last time, I had merely been a decoy for Deus.
This time, I'm going to–
…
[You have died, activating skill Death's Companion]
[Cooldown: 60 minutes]
Did I just die and was revived?
What hit me?
"Lucien! What are you doing?!" Deus yelled at the top of his lungs.
With his focus disrupted, Deus was swarmed by multiple Galegi, their claws tearing him apart until he died.
Then everything went black for me, I was suddenly brought back into this endless void.
What happened? Did Deus actually die?
What will happen to me now?
I asked these questions as I floated around this empty space.
…
Then suddenly, I felt like I was being retracted towards a certain direction.
When I opened my eyes, I was met with the underside of a foot being thrown right into my face.
"You shit pile of garbage!"
It was Deus.
"You cost me an hour of my life!"
He kept kicking me in the face.
"How can you be my best buddy if…!"
Was my nose bleeding? But I wasn't feeling any pain, even as he continued stepping on my face.
Why am I bleeding?
"I gave you my trust, and you messed up so badly!"
"I apologize, Deus," I told him.
"Stop apologizing and be useful!"
I shouldn't have spoken. He had already stopped kicking and stepping on my face—now he started again.
I laid down, he kept kicking.
I just let him, I believe this is part of my role…
But I can't help but wonder, what If we switch positions?
Deus suddenly stopped.
Then he started breathing heavily, taking deep inhales and exhales.
"Alright," he said after catching his breath.
"Lucien, tell me—why aren't you dying?" he asked.
"I'm recovering as you strike. It's slow, but enough to keep me alive."
…
"Okay, that's interesting."
…
"What happened to you back then, anyway?"
He seemed to have recovered from his frustration.
"I was killed, but then I was automatically revived for some reason," I answered.
Deus looked directly at me.
I couldn't quite read his expression this time. But it was the first time he had looked at me like this. That's when I noticed—he actually had red eyes.
They matched his jet-black short hair.
Then, all of a sudden, Deus burst into laughter—hysterical, uncontrollable laughter.
"So that means… my death was my fault all along? It was because I let myself get distracted?"
I didn't know how to answer his question. Should I explain? Or just give a straight answer?
"Then that means you're still my best buddy! Alright, enough of this chitchat—let's go back to those Galegi."
And just like that, it was settled…
We're moving on…