To the Grave

Association Headquarters of the Im City:

"So, we got two Level 7s, one Level 8, and a Level 9 Player? Will that be enough?" Asked Angelo on the phone. "I see—I need them by the Northeast Wall Outpost within the next 30 minutes, in that case."

A Level 9 should be able to handle most of it by himself, but for some reason I can't shake off this anxiety—will everything really be okay?

Cut forward to 30 minutes later, Angelo is by the outpost coming up to the 4 high-level Players that had already been waiting.

"Hi, everyone—you already have the details, so let's skip the formalities—take these shadow potions and hurry to the scene!" I handed out another 3 potions per person, it was necessary if the report of it being an S level threat is accurate.

The two level 7s… Gin and Artc.

Level 8… Yohan.

And the level 9… which I was very familiar with… Deat, standing for Death. 

I guess it's a relief though, having a Player Ranked 31 here. Yohan also isn't a joke—he's even better than Arial, unless he decides to go beyond just the System of course.

"Go!" 

All of them instantly teleported outside the walls—Deat was given the rights to walk in and out of the walls whenever he pleased, so he could teleport others outside of it under the right circumstances if needed.

"Please…" I took a deep breath…

"...make it in time."

Continuation from Dantes perspective:

I guess, at this point, I really don't mind if I just die…

Who cares if Arial forced all that responsibility on me…

When you become a Player, death often comes and there's nothing that can be done…

"Ah…"

Turned my head…

A raven was staring at me.

My vision is spinning and it's all turning into circles… hard to see.

It walked up right next to me; what does it want from me?

"Going to… give me another eye?" I quietly whispered in a voice I couldn't recognize.

Then a few more ravens flew up to us.

All of them are silent… why…

The first one suddenly opened its mouth and…

*Guuuuuuuuush!!*

"Huh…" I voiced without any surprise; the moment I let that out, it had already sunk in and therefore I simply didn't care about it.

I raised my hand and put it on my face—I needed to wipe away the blood from my eyes.

"H— uh…" no blood on me… that's strange; is it just a hallucination then?

Why… are my hands looking like that? They're so pale…

Suddenly, I got conscious of my breathing…

Inhale… exhale… I kept doing that until I started feeling like passing out…

How do I stop being conscious of it…

Actually, what's even happening to me…

Afterwards, I put my hand on my chest… I thought to myself, that I should check my heartbeat to see if it's okay—my heart was behaving strangely earlier, after all.

For ten seconds, I couldn't hear it; twenty and thirty passed and I just couldn't feel it on my palm for some reason. Then I thought to myself, that it's truly whatever—I'm probably just too exhausted and delirious right now.

I made the conscious decision that I should stand up, walk up to the cart, and then keep stepping; the ravens immediately flew away and I began going back to where I came from.

Limping and stumbling, I could barely walk or see.

I paused and put my hand on the back of my head—had the urge to scratch it a bit, and thus I began doing just that; it's a normal urge that we all have on a daily basis, after all.

Then I moved my hand back, and noticed that my hand was all bloody, "h— huh?" Uncertain with what happened, I just glared at my hand for a while—my nails are really long, I thought.

I proceeded to walk and then saw the cart—everyone is still here, that's a relief.

Began dragging the cart; it feels easier, I thought, I guess resting and eating really did do justice in this case.

My mind… it's strangely clear right now; I shouldn't question it, I should be happy that I'm feeling better.

A few more hours passed; the effects of the mushrooms wore off.

Stomach rumbling.

For just a second, I thought to myself, why do I need to drag them all the way when I can just go there by myself? I'm just a guy without a System, and here I'm forced to take on a task as ridiculous as this.

I took a deep breath and then ensued dragging in spite of being upset with this situation.

Strangely, I felt no aching anywhere—I could even say my body was in a good condition, other than the hunger mercilessly killing me.

My stomach… it really does feel like a void…

I stopped and looked at Xter and Ella—I can't keep going like this on an empty stomach, I decided, so I went and looked for food yet again.

Quickly, I stepped on a goldmine: there's a rabbit! I can eat that!

Took out my sword; leaped forward and killed it; went back; prepared a fire; prepared the rabbit and then cooked it; began eating without any excitement on my face, but then immediately threw it up on the first bite.

Confusion covered my face.

"Why does it taste so awful?"

Is it because I'm so exhausted? Is my body just rejecting food?

I forced myself to eat again, but it was so disgusting that I threw up.

Gave up; threw it all the way.

Started dragging the cart again.

Then I stopped.

I completely stopped in my tracks!

Put my hand on my neck and lightly scratched it—blood began pouring out of it, I glanced at my hand and it was bloody just like the last time—I did witness all the blood flow out of my neck this time, I guess.

Quickly, blood stopped.

"I see," I said, empty of emotions.

"I guess," with hesitancy.

"I know what to do," in a voice without the ability to choose.

"This is too tempting, after all," a tone filled with infinite options.

"Arial…" a slight whisper drowning in betrayal.

Turned around.