Chapter 27 - Second death

It's been a few minutes since I got on the bus and sat next to Ellen. The scenery outside was relatively peaceful, considering where we were. The sound of the wind, along with the sway of the trees in the background, provided a relaxing feeling, something we hadn't experienced for hours.

Since we were brought here, we've been in a constant struggle for survival, constantly leveling up. After all, without this evolution, we'd all be dead a long time ago. However, it's important to note that simply leveling up doesn't guarantee our survival. The bodies of some passengers scattered on the floor are a vivid reminder of this fact.

Although some have progressed to a certain extent, many have lagged behind. From my observations, it seems that only those who have reached at least level 15 have managed to survive. There were exceptions, of course, with one or two individuals at level 14 or even 13. However, their skills seemed to focus more on support than direct attacks, suggesting that they were probably providing assistance to others.

Due to my increased constitution, my wounds are almost healed. Surprisingly, it seems that they won't leave permanent scars, which I sincerely appreciate. I have no interest in becoming the kind of hero whose scars tell the whole story of their battles with just one look.

Even though my wounds are healing, my clothes remain stained with blood, attracting looks from the other passengers. But honestly, who cares about that, right? With that thought in mind, I decided it would be a good idea to take some time to rest. Although my body is tough enough to withstand a few days without sleep, I still recognize the importance of resting when I have the chance.

"Seeing Noelle sleeping so peacefully... is making me sleepy too"

My words reached Ellen, who, while stroking Noelle's hair, turned to me and said.

"I think you should rest, you've been the one who fought the most out of all of us. It was thanks to you that the wave of monsters stopped, right?"

I was puzzled by Ellen's idea, and to be honest, I wasn't sure if she was mistaken or correct. After all, would we have really stopped right where I killed the Hazy Goblin by mere coincidence? Honestly, I doubted it.

"I think you might be right... so, I guess I'll rest a bit" I murmured as my eyes began to close.

To be honest, I was incredibly exhausted. Even though it was only the first day, it felt like much more time had passed than it actually had. It was as if a whole month had unfolded in a single day.

My last memories before everything dissolved into darkness were of the comforting sight of Ellen stroking her sister Noelle's head as she rested in her lap, while a tender smile lit up her face. Plus, there was this subtle and strange feeling that someone was watching me.

[You died, returning to a specific random point in the past]

"... Haah... Haah..."

I woke up to the rough, tired sound of my own breathing, as a bad feeling haunted me inside, leaving me strangely uneasy. Instinctively, I brought my hand to my chest, where the heart was beating, but still, the unpleasant sensation persisted, like an insidious shadow that refused to dissipate.

"After you arrived, she fell asleep. It seems she really liked you" Ellen said with a slight smile, while stroking Noelle's hair.

Suddenly, I heard Ellen's words, which sounded strangely familiar, as if I had heard them before, although I didn't remember. A wave of confusion engulfed me even deeper. Faced with all this, I could only come to a disturbing conclusion: somehow, I had died.

But I had no idea how. Was I poisoned and didn't realize it? But at this point, if I had been poisoned by some monster, I think I would have noticed already. I mean, is it possible to be poisoned and not feel any effects until death? I didn't know of any poison capable of doing that.

My eyes began to scan the surroundings with confusion. The passengers, who had previously stared at me strangely, now also cast curious glances. I'm probably acting like a lunatic, but I didn't care. Something killed me, and I was absolutely sure of it.

"Hey, Noah, you alright?" Ellen asked beside me, catching my attention.

I glanced at her, noticing her concerned eyes. That helped me calm down a bit. Acting like a lunatic wouldn't help me at all; in fact, it would only make things worse. Firstly, I needed to figure out what exactly had happened.

"I'm okay, just... had a moment of panic, I guess" I said, shrugging.

Ellen didn't seem entirely convinced, but she seemed to accept my words nonetheless. As we fell into silence, I began to wonder what had happened before I returned. All I remembered was going to sleep and then somehow being killed.

"Ellen, are you thinking of going to sleep now by any chance?"

My question caught Ellen's attention, and she looked at me confused. In fact, her expression seemed to reflect not only the surprise of being asked such a question but also a doubt about why I was asking it.

"I think so" Ellen replied, displaying a tired expression. "I mean, I'm exhausted after dealing with all these monsters"

Ellen's response reinforced a certainty in my mind: whatever my death was, it happened after the moment Ellen fell asleep. While that explained why I died without realizing it, it still didn't solve the main question of this story: how exactly had I died? That crucial question still remained unanswered.

It was at that moment that an idea struck me: what if I simply followed the steps of my previous life? Maybe things wouldn't unfold the same way. Although the fear of facing death again was palpable, I was determined to find out the reason this time. Even though I hesitated to accept it, this approach might even lead me to the possible culprit behind all this.

So, I took a deep breath and resumed my usual demeanor. It was crucial to act as if nothing was out of place, completely serene. If you're wondering why all this effort, the answer is simple: though it's just speculation, I believe it wasn't poison that caused my death, but rather a person, someone among the passengers on this bus.

Although I had no idea why someone would want to kill me, considering that so far I've been helping everyone, this possibility couldn't be ruled out. Therefore, I decided to redo all my actions, but this time, I'll be vigilant and attentive to everything around me.

"Anyway, I'm gonna catch a nap now... It'd be good if you rested soon too" I said, turning towards the bus window and getting ready to sleep.

"That's alright. Sweet dreams" Ellen replied with a smile.

After that, I pretended to be asleep while keeping my [Ecopulsation] activated. Three minutes passed, and there was no suspicious movement; they were probably waiting for Ellen to fall asleep too.

By the way, after leveling up this skill, it has become notably more versatile. With continuous improvement, I can discern the surroundings in much more detail as the pulse I emanate reaches much greater distances. However, at this moment, no one seems to be acting suspiciously.

Ten minutes later, Ellen finally seemed to fall asleep. Interestingly, almost immediately after her sleep began, a strange movement stirred inside the bus. One of the passengers, not far from us, suddenly stood up. His hands were visibly shaking, and he seemed nervous, with irregular and uncontrolled breathing.

I could see he was holding something in his hand; by the shape, it was definitely a dagger. Slowly, he approached, casting furtive glances behind to check if any other passenger was watching. His dagger began to move towards my heart, revealing his murderous determination.

At the critical moment, just before his dagger reached my chest, I reacted swiftly, grabbing his arm firmly while activating [Etheric Pumping]. Ether flowed through my veins, infusing my body with renewed strength, which allowed me to easily restrain my assailant. With eyes wide open, I stared at the man seriously.

"Hey, you bastard, you better be ready to face the consequences"