19 Return and Restart

"Aye, fuck off now and send me home to sleep." I cursed with irritation taking over my voice.

[Were you always this bold, Nord? The last time I met you, you were like a child scared of being lost in the street.]

"Were you always this loud?" I raised my right brow, "And last time I was exhausted by taking care of one part of the city from the Marbringers of Death." I sighed out as I shook my head.

[Bwahaha! I like your behavior, it will prove useful in the future. Very well, Nord, you are allowed to return.]

The arena's cheers still echoed in my mind as my body started to dematerialize.

"From now on, I'll be in your care." I bowed respectfully.

After hours of battling through Ares's challenges, I had finally completed my quest and earned his support.

The King of War had acknowledged my strength, and that meant a lot in the world of Emberhorn, well, not yet, or is it?

Ah, I can't bother. Now, all I want is a hot meal, a soft bed, and a moment's respite from the constant adrenaline coursing through my veins.

The journey back felt long, and my body ached with every step as I made my way home.

The Grace of the Supporter, a mysterious gift I have received from earning Ares's support, gave me a slight bout of strength and recovery speed which proved useful.

Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon, I caught sight of the building of my apartment.

"Ahh, I just wanna go back to where I first started playing Emberhorn…" I thought to myself as I recalled my previous apartment that got wrecked because of the Marbringers of Death.

Home at last. Familiar faces greeted me as I approached, some of them having followed my progress in the arena through Emberhorn's magical scrying orbs which could be bought in the marketplace for 50 coins right now.

Later on, though, it will most definitely jump to thousands.

"Welcome back, Nordy!" shouted Smool in her female shape, "You really kicked ass, didn't you? To think you earned the support of that Ares… That means Ares won't go after Smool and Nordy no more, right?"

I managed a tired smile and nodded. "Yes, it's good to be back, and what's with the third point of perspective about yourself?" I asked with a chuckle.

"Teehee, Smool just wants to discover the new ways of cuteness that the female body allows." She held both pointing fingers to her cheeks, twirling them as she tilted her head to the right and left.

"Welcome back, Noid…" A soft voice entered my ears. One that I knew of very well.

I whipped my head in the direction of the voice, witnessing a beauty with green hair, thin and sharp eyebrows, glasses, and a body with decent curves. "Cleare…" I called out her name.

"Yes, it's me." She ran towards me in a hug.

"Ah…" I didn't even know what to do.

A month has passed since Emberhorn had begun to stretch its authority over the Earth, and during that month, I hadn't seen Cleare or any of my work colleagues.

I unconsciously wrapped my arms around her back too.

"..."

My already tired body started shivering as my eyes filled up with tears. I didn't even have strength to speak with my whole voice, I whispered, "I thought you had died…" I sniffled.

"So did I, you damned idiot!" She yelled out as she punched my back in each other's hold, "I came to your apartment right away to check on you when the system first appeared, and you weren't even there!"

"I'm sorry…"

"You didn't even check to see if I was alive throughout the whole month!"

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry doesn't fix it!" She yelled out in frustration.

"I know, I know! But what else can I do?! I tried my best throughout the whole month to keep myself busy, to not think of anything besides myself."

"You're selfish!"

"I know, but I had to… Otherwise, the pain would be too much for me to bear."

"..." She took a second to wipe her tears after she pulled away from my hug.

"Even so… that was selfish. I was hurt. Thinking how the man I truly loved probably died god knows where…"

"I'm sorry."

"Aye, Smool is tired of this lover's quarrel, you all gotta talk again at another time. Right now we need to be on the look-out for the Third Main-Story quest. We all should separate and go rest for tomorrow."

"That's certainly true." I nodded.

"..." So did Cleare.

I hugged her once again, "I won't disappear again, Cleare." I voiced as I gazed into her emerald eyes.

"That's a promise." She smiled, Smool looking at this spectacle in disgust.

***

After a warm meal and a soothing bath, I collapsed into my bed, grateful for the comfort it provided. The adrenaline that had been coursing through my veins throughout the whole day began to ebb away, and the exhaustion of my journey caught up with me.

As my eyes closed, I couldn't help but think of the challenges that lay ahead. With Ares's support, I am one step closer to achieving greatness in Emberhorn from the get-go, but the third Main-Story Quest is looming like a daunting mountain.

"I really should sleep…"

***

The next morning, I woke up with renewed determination. A messenger had arrived from another city while I was asleep, delivering an urgent message.

The quest had begun in Kenny, the town next to our city, and our own council awaited my presence in the town square.

As I walked to the square, I could feel the curious gazes of the people upon me.

The council members stood at the center of the square, their expressions a mix of hope and concern.

Councilor Isolde stepped forward and addressed me, "Nord the Serpentine Slayer, you have proven your worth in Ares's arena. With his support, you now have a chance to undertake the third main-story quest. We believe in your abilities, but you must be prepared for what awaits you."

"I understand," I replied, my voice steady despite the nerves gnawing at me from within.

Councilor Isolde handed me a map.

I shook her hand firmly as I cascaded my arm in the air, pulling the system window out and taking a look at the quest that was about to begin.

[~Quests~]

{ [Enigmatic Labyrinth - Third Main-Story Quest]

[Details: A place with mysteries needed to be solved to gain the composure of the said Labyrinth]

[Success: Insight upon Emberhorn and Ancient Texts]

[Failure: Stranded inside the Labyrinth for Eternity]

[Time Limit: 10 Days] }