Life is the beginning! Without life, there will be nothingness!

"When I leave the safe zone, the suffocating scenery immediately fills me with a pressure that I cannot understand. The place still feels dizzy no matter how hard I try to familiarise myself with it. I don't know why, but one thing is certain: It is because of the subconscious fear that my instinct is signalling.

Even though I am not afraid, I can still feel it. This fear is strange; it seems that it is forcing me to withdraw even though I believe I can manage myself to survive. I am sure I feel no traces of fear at all, but still...

Anyway, despite all of it, I did not let it drag me down. My body may have felt it, but I myself don't feel anything.

I just continue my search for items, even though my body is trembling.

Before I stepped out of the barrier, I first equipped myself with a reinforced armour device for my safety. I found the item in the safe zone, so there is no reason for me to advance unarmed.

As you've already known, the device gives enhanced physical capabilities to its users.

Therefore, I am pretty confident that I can hold out on the search, even if it's filled with strong beasts.

But, considering what I've already experienced, these beasts are very unpredictable. Their capabilities cannot be measured on such short notice.

So, considering those facts, I then do my research with utmost secrecy.

As expected, it will not make me look for a long time. Because of the mini roads and streets, there are so many struck-down soldiers that carry high-density items.

The beasts probably lost interest in eating the soldier's body because of the tasteless armour.

-I wonder what the wide road looks like at this time.-

I am thinking as I remove the items that are intact from the soldier's dead body.

I am inside the residential areas, so what I am seeing there are all houses that are destroyed, though not completely. The buildings are still standing. It's just that the walls, windows, and everything else are all ruined.

It was very lucky of me that the place has no beasts around. I wonder why it happens, but I guess I should not concern myself with that anymore. I should just take advantage of this strange setting.

So, I do indeed take my time to search for more power stones.

In a house nearby, I feel like something is there. Even though I have no idea what it is or what it could be, I can't help but wonder and still approach it.

The moment I stepped on their doorstep, under the shed of their front door, I saw the house ruined and completely messed up. Not that it's surprising, though, so I continue as I sway the inclining door to the side. Two of the door's clips are broken, which is why it is inclining.

Ngiii... in.. g.. k!

Is the sound you can hear, produced by the door's motion.

After a moment of looking around, I caught a sight of a person sitting in a chair with his arm resting on the table.

My body feels creepy. I can even feel my stomach hardening due to the surprise, but as for me, I have no reaction at all. I feel nothing after all.

My body reacts to fear, but I have no reaction at all.

I only hastily move my eyes back and forth as I look around the household.

-None... Fortunately, there was no surprise attack. -

Is what I think at the moment I confirmed the safety of the place.

I am about to speak with the man when I realise he is already dead.

I contracted my eyes as I saw his condition.

A fleshless left side of the face and a missing left arm... Huh...

As I described his condition, my contracted eyes widened a little.

This is the man who saved me from the wide road!

If he died sitting on a chair, there is a high possibility that his injury was the one that killed him.

That might have been a painful death.

Should I get sad? Should I get emotional? I don't know.

I had no emotion at that time. Without expressing any emotion, I only turn my eye to the picture that the guy is carrying in his hand.

A family picture, huh?

It is a picture of his youth with his family. They are happily beaming, facing the camera.

So this is the place where he lived his childhood days. His home.

I pick up the picture and look around the house while considering things.

So he lives in a different place. Maybe in the neighbouring town or such. He probably came here as a member of the kingdom's army squad. Judging from what things look like, his family didn't survive, and as for him, he probably came here to officially put himself to rest.

I wonder what has become of his own family. (his own family, not his childhood family)

Well, I think I should at least greet his return.

Welcome home, sir.

I uttered it as I closed his lifeless eye.

The place is so quiet that the only thing I am hearing is the tick of the wall clock.

It is 5:30 at the time.

The place is getting darker, so I plan to return to the safe zone.

I embed a pretty dense power stone on the tip of my knife's handle and on its guard.

I also equipped the items I gathered until I formed a battle suit.

a battle suit that is composed of different types of equipment. Tank suit, stealth suit, sprint suit, and such.

I gathered the parts from different fallen soldiers after all.

Now I am prepared to go.

I thought of it as I glanced at the figure of a beast lurking in a dark area.

I immediately recognised its appearance. I am stunned greatly that my mouth was even left open for a moment, and my eyes are filled with wonder.

I immediately dash off and sprint to it.

I am pretty irritated that that dog is still alive! Well, it makes sense because the army takes out the big ones first. I sure am irritated, but somehow I am relieved a little.

Finally, I can do my revenge!

With the equipment I have, I can somehow say I can fight and win!

When I was only several metres away from the dog (because I dashed off to it at the very moment I saw it), i boost my speed to increase the damage of the impact.

I wonder if it notices my quick approach, for it also dashes into my front.

Tsk.

Let us see what happens!

Pooogh!!! Pierce...!!!

Moorww...

Splash!!!

My knife pierces its neck!

Kaaah!!! ... Gaaah!!! ... - groan of struggling -

But, as expected, my knife is even slashing its neck, but, it seems that with one wrong move, I could be the one that will die here. It seems I irritate the beast too much, and now it is attacking me to the fullest!

Gyaaah!!!

I can barely hold out.

Tsk... Damn...

Is what I am uttering as I realise I have put my life, once again, in danger.

My reinforced physical enhancement item is helping me out, but it is not enough. I can feel my feet sinking into this concrete road.

Poogsh!!! ... Paagh!!! ... Cracked!!! ... Tagshh!!! ...

The place is subsequently cracking from side to side.

I am going to be buried alive!

Is what is on my mind as I clash with the dog's lunge pressure.

I feel like my limbs are being torn apart the farther I resist the powerful thrust. At the same time, if I let go now, I will just have myself crushed.

I can barely resist its fiercely devouring fangs with my left arm. While my other arm is struggling to block its forelegs, it is also the same arm that I am using to slash the dog's neck.

Hyaaa..aa...!!!

My whole body is dramatically shaking.

I am sure I am going to die. I know very well that there is no one who will save me this time.

Why did I even think to approach this beast?

I can't get it out of my mind.

I have made a horrible mistake. I have become arrogant. I am too arrogant.

It irritates my soul very much that I will die at the hands of a mere dog.

Father, mother, Ayrimir...

That was the only word that circulated in my mind as I slowly lost my strength.

Father, mother, Ayrimir...

I think to myself that I haven't even cried for their deaths yet. Have I even searched enough? They could be alive somewhere; they could have survived and be resting in the safe zone waiting for me.

My vision is getting dark, blurry, and dizzy, and it is wavering drastically. "

Niriyir stops for a moment because she is wiping her teary eyes.

Huh...

The dining room is very quiet. You could not hear anything but passive sounds.

We are all waiting for the result of the scene, which is why no one dares to make unnecessary noise.

How could Niriyir survive this time? Is probably what is in their minds, which is also obviously what is in mine.

And seriously, I wonder how strong this dog is.

I know she is weak, but...

Niriyir continues.

"As I am about to lose consciousness, I thought of something very dear to me.

When I am about to let go of my knife and let go of the dog's fangs because of powerlessness, I remember something very important.

Frisha kingdom, the kingdom of eternal life, oh... I did not even get the chance to go there and pay a visit.

I thought of it as my vision is blinking and blacking out.

While at it, I then thought of something that I have been holding dear in my soul for a very long time.

Life, my life,

What will become of it? I sacrifice everything to survive. I am doing everything to survive.

But what if I don't have enough strength to keep going? What if surviving is already out of my reach? Will I accept death after all?

No...

-My mind and vision are blacking out-

Even at this moment, even at the very time that my death is certified,

I still cannot just accept... death...

I only gritted my teeth as my eyes started to pour out tears.

Say, if there is a way to save life, then who are you that saves? If I were just born to die at the end, then why did my life even start?

If I was born without life, then why did I get life?

If I was born and started from nothing, then why did I even get started?

I know it's impossible, and I think that it is somehow absurd. But...

You are somewhere in the universe, something that exists in an invisible form.

If I were alive, then it means someone is giving me this life.

If I started from nothingness, then there would be nothing that would start.

Say, when I am not yet alive, where was I at that time?

Something is living somewhere and is unknown.

The reality has no nothingness; the truth already has a life!

There has been life since the beginning of the universe's existence!

Because if there is no life from the beginning, then there will be no single thing that will exist in the end. No, if there is no life, nothing will be created—from the smallest part to the biggest wonder of reality!

So, who are you that owns that life? The life that existed before anything was created?

Aren't you the one who plans everything according to his own will?

Aren't you the one who plans my existence on earth?

Aren't you the very one? You are, aren't you?

Who would've started anything if it weren't for you? Right?

The one and only CREATOR?

After giving out my final thought, I surrendered my life to that person who dwells in unknown places.

I think to myself that if I die, at least I want my life to be kept and remembered by him. Then put me in a place where there are no more troubles to experience.

My vision turned all white, and my mind became blank. I lose my hearing of the surroundings. The only sound I hear is the sound of wind, or, to be exact, the sound of nature.

Ahh... I see, so this is peace, huh?

Porgsshh!!! ... Splash! ... Splatter! ... Disperse! ...

When I was about to get completely blacked out, I heard the sounds of something getting crushed.

What was that? Is what I ask of myself.

I then opened my eyes and...

I see you.

Niriyir pointed her finger at me with sparkling eyes and a wide smile.

... Speechless...

The only thing I could say is...

"Oh, me?"

While everyone's reaction is

[Huh!? ... Eh? ...]