"Huff* huff* Hoo! That's the last one let's take a 5 minutes break!" A bulky guy shouted.
A great scenery of green plains and a vibrant orange color of the sky... An strange unfamiliar place.
"Where- ooff!" I almost slumped downwards facing the ground when a huge guy... More like a boulder, hang his big arms on my shoulder.
I look at the man's face beside me while still processing what happened.
"I'm supposed to be hit by a train trying to save an old man how the hell did I get here?"
Countless thoughts surfaced in my head in an instant but I can't still figure out what's happening to me.
The guy noticing my silence looked at me worried.
"Dude, is something the matter?"
He takes off his heavy arms on my shoulder and instead cupped my forehead with his rough palm and doing the same thing on himself with his other hand.
"I told you to stay at home for now, and now look you're burning up!" Like an older brother he scolded me.
I put my hands on my neck and I do really have a fever.
Everything happened so fast and the train hitting me was still vivid in my mind, the shock and scare makes my wobbly knees gave up.
"Julian! What's wrong! Julian! Julian..." The big man knelt on the ground and cradle me in his arms.
The only thing that I only remember after that is when he carry me to a nearby tent like set-up and then I felt my consciousness fading..
....
Inside an A-rank subdued gate
It's night when I gained my consciousness, I can guess I was out for 2-3 hours after that time.
While I was unconscious I regained half of this body's original memories and from that I deduced that I transmigrated in another world..
I grip my hair out of frustration thinking why should it be me?... What happens to my life on the other world? My friends? My sickly mother?
"Sigh* I shouldn't have try to be heroic that time." I console myself and decided to rethink everything once I'm back outside this dungeon.
I look around me and I saw 11 white empty beds with a bunch of medical supplies, i must be inside of the makeshift clinic.
"I wish I'm just dreaming... Is there something more worst than this?" I complained on the sky.
After tossed and turning in the bed I shuffle my hair and recall the information I get after getting unconscious.
I'm quite familiar on transmigrating in another world cliches and stuff cause I love reading novels like that and just like the novel's I read the world here are no different from the original earth that I know of.. instead based of this body's original memories this world is undergoing an apocalyptic event..
10 years ago this earth suddenly undergo a big changes.. obelisk appeared from the sky that looks like a big skyscrapers hanging above each countries..
Just as the scientists tries to uncover the secrets of the unknown skyscrapers, the [system] appeared.. the system grant everyone a superhuman abilities and talents that defies the natural law of physics. People can breathe fire, control the weather, create potions, make magical tools etc..
But it wasn't for nothing at all because days after gaining talents and superpowers a barrage of spatial rift appeared on every part of the earth in which they called 'gates'.
The gates was like a way for another dimension that is filled with different monsters that wreck havoc and emerge numerously through gates. Although with the help of system and human adaptability on changes becomes a crucial key for survival but still the humanity suffered a huge blow, taking almost half of the population in the earth in which they call that day 'Judement day'
This body's original owner's parents was one of the victims of the judgement day that it forces him to fend himself and do a collection job or mostly known 'scavenging' by the higher rank who conquered dungeons instead of taking the leftovers.
Luckily the original owner's name was the same as his original Earth's name the only difference is that in the original world my age is 34 and now I became 22, a lot more younger than my previous life..
There's no mirror here in the clinic but I can tell I looked like a highschooler. I also have a jet black hair that I constantly hang on my ears to not get in my view.
Woosh*
The tent's curtain door made a big wind sound as a muscular man with a worried face stride towards my bed.
"Ariel... It's you? I'm sorr-"
I felt a warm hug from my front and I was stuffed in his shoulder blades that flattened my nose.
"..."
Ariel the original owner's friend, more like a brother at this point. In my memories I recall that we both meet at the evacuation center 9 years ago, after we both lost our parents we had no choice to stand for ourselves so we both became lifelong brothers and both think that 2 is better than one.
Even if I am from another world after being unconscious before,I regained this body's memories and experienced all of the original Julian's life like I was the original Julian to begin with so I don't felt awkward at the kinship Ariel's sudden hug.
Although it's quite new being hugged by a big man suddenly.
"Are you crying? Hahaha.... Oh wait, you really are?? Sigh*"
Instead of answering he burry his head more on my neck. I almost burst out laughing at the tickling sensation but I held it in.
Pat* Pat*
"There there, I'm all right and all. Don't worry too much.." I soothe him and straighten the creases on the back of his white shirt.
I can fell his breathing slowly calmed down but it's more ticklish that I unconsciously squirm my body a little.
"Fuu... Are you ok now?"
I wiped the tears formed from forcing myself not to laugh.
He nod at me and sit down next to the bed like a shy kid.
Now that I think about it I think this world's Julian was older than this burly man Infront of me but the difference in body was so apparent that I looked like a highschooler when we stand side by side.
I observed him more as he fiddle his fingers while looking down.
'Don't tell me he's getting shy now? Hahaha.'
"Cough* I'm thinking... Do you think we should stop living like this?"
I break the awkward silence between us and I get serious.
"I... I've made up my mind, I'm going to be a-"
A strong grip get my hands and when I look at him I saw anger and confusion in his face.
"We've talked about this.."
His voice was still gentle but his expression says otherwise. Ariel now looks like a fierce beast that's hiding his fangs.
I know the reason he was like this, because in the original Julian's memories I remember the time Ariel told him that the reason his both parents disappearance was because of the betrayal of his parents comrades where when conquering the early gates his parents didn't come back with the group, instead only the couple's ring was brought back from the gate leaving it to Ariel as their momentos.
As an outsider and with Julian's past memories I'm also aware that there's something fishy happened between Ariel's parents and the group accompanied them to the gate but it's hard to get them to pay their crimes as Ariel don't have enough proof and also the gate collapsed after the group successfully cleared it.
"I'm... I'm sorry but I've made my decision."
I tried to sound resolute and firm but my voice only grow weaker.
It's not like I made the decision myself. It's actually the real Julian's decision to leave the collection job and instead try his luck to be an adventurer and join the Hunter's ranks but out of consideration he hid the fact he's saving money for a temporary awakening where there's a 50% chance he could be awakened and register himself in the system.
Half of the population in the world was actually unawakened and forced to work on jobs that's only applicable for civilians. I was a part of that population and consulted to a specialist before and then was told that I suffer from a trauma on before that prevents my awakening.
"You!... Sigh* suit yourself.." Ariel readily stand up and tried to leave.
In a panic I grabbed the hem of his clothes but the strength difference between us is huge so instead I stumbled down and fall from the bed awkwardly.
"Oof! Ugh..."
I saw Ariel's usual worried appearance that faced me so I get more embarrassed. In a haste I tried standing up again with the help of the bed as my support.
"Careful.."
A gentle touch covered my waist and lift me up in the air placing me in the bed carefully.
That's more embarrassing!!
I thanked him passively and grabbed his arms..
"Are you mad?" I asked.
He looked at me.. no, my eyes directly and released a heavy sigh and then massage his temples with his other hand.
"No.. I'm just worried about you, you know how dangerous it would be to become a hunter!"
Like a parent worried for his child he stroke my head affectionately.
"I know... And stop doing that! I'm older thank you, you know?" I said and squatted his hands.
He smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed and looked at me hesitantly like he was reminiscing something.
"It's just I'm really-"
"I love my life too you know?" I cut him off.
"In fact I'm doing this for my... No.. our future too! We wouldn't survive if we continue scraping for leftovers.."
"Ok I agree."
"What I'm saying is that we can- what? come again?"
I feel like cleaning my ears right now as I can't believe his blunt response.
He doesn't confirm it again instead squeeze his large body onto the bed too making me face him side by side to fit in the small and cramp bed.
I could smell his sweaty body and my vision was blocked by his tough chest.
I guess it's normal for brothers to share a bed right?
I can't tell if it was his heartbeat or mine but I can hear it beating rhythmically and neither of us ruin the silence.
Strangely I feel comfortable and at ease on our position right now that my body unconsciously gave up and realese its tension.
I tried looking up and look at his face but he suddenly grabbed my waist and pushed me closer to his body.
"Wait-"
"Shh... Just sleep, we'll finish our last commission tomorrow and I will bring you to the awakening center later.."
His hands on my waist traveled to my spine up to my back shoulder and then he taps me continuously like a parent making their child sleep.
"Mmm.."
I just gave a slight response while enjoying the calming feeling of his touch and the soothing sound of his beating heart making me more sleepy.
I have a lot more to say but my eyelids gets heavy so I let them rest enjoying the strange kinship..
Meh! I'll just figure it all out tomorrow *yawn*
Soon Julian fell asleep and the empty clinic
Meanwhile... Reddened eyes peeked in the cloth partition of the clinic, quietly looking at the two men sleeping soundly, fitting their bodies in a small cramp bed.
"Sigh..."
The unknown man fixed the clinics 'door' and leave stealthily leaving no sounds of footsteps.
...