Chapter 49 - Merging Skills

After the whole incident with Ramon-sensei, Aoi and I headed back to the camp. The way back was relatively silent. It didn't seem like she wanted to tell me anything, and I wasn't sure what to say either. It's an undeniable fact that I killed a person, and I'm not feeling guilty about it. Even if Ramon-sensei deserved to die, he was still a human being at the end of the day. The more I think about it, the more I wonder if I can still consider myself human.

(Aurora-sama is a god, but she has a human appearance... what exactly differentiates a human from a god... maybe the indifference towards other lives?)

This thought was recurring more and more in me, but it was no use thinking about it. It won't change what I need to do. I will keep going on my way.

"What happened, Makoto?"

I was brought out of my thoughts by a voice coming from my side. As soon as I looked at the owner of the voice, I saw Aoi-sensei looking at me with a confused expression.

"Ah, no, nothing... anyway, do you understand why I can't reveal myself as someone strong?"

I asked in doubt.

"Yes, I understood perfectly, but I still can't understand the reason. Since you want to get revenge, wouldn't it be easier to do it right away... why go as far as pretending to be weak?"

Aoi-sensei asked with a confused look. Well, I can't blame her for having doubts about that.

"I have suffered for a long time at their hands, and the people of that school. I feel that if I just kill them, it will not satisfy me. I want each of them to feel the despair I felt and reach a dead end, to the point that they beg me to kill them"

I said with an indifferent look on my face. When I looked at Aoi-sensei again, I noticed she was looking at me in surprise.

"What?"

I asked.

"No... and that... when you said that... I wasn't able to sense any remorse or hesitation in your words... it was like you were saying you were going to kill some ants or something"

Aoi-sensei said. Well, I really see no reason for me to feel remorse or hesitation for that, but I won't deny the fact that I really came to see Shinji and the others as ants.

After this little conversation between Aoi-sensei and me, we both went back to the camp. We decided to act as if nothing had happened so as not to arouse suspicion. I doubt it will be long before they miss Ramon-sensei. Just as I imagined, the next day, someone had noticed Ramon-sensei's disappearance.

"Where is Ramon-sensei?"

Someone asked. With that simple question, everyone began to wonder if something might have happened.

"I saw someone going into the forest last night... could it be him?"

Said someone who was in the crowd. After that, everyone started theorizing various things. The most accepted theory was that Ramon-sensei went out into the forest and was eaten by some monster. Shinji seemed particularly indifferent about this.

(Exactly as I had imagined, I doubt that he really cared about Ramon-sensei)

I thought as I looked at Shinji. While all this was going on, I was trying to understand how the ability I had picked up from Ramon-sensei worked.

(Although I tried to activate it, nothing happens. Apparently, it is not a manifesting type of ability)

While this thought was going through my head, I decided to try something I hadn't tested yet. Although I didn't expect it to work, I had no idea how to use this ability anyway. But this thought was soon overthrown when a voice echoed in my head.

DO YOU WANT TO MERGE THE SKILLS (POISONOUS MIST) AND (FREEZE RAY)?

I was intrigued by what I had heard. (Does that mean I can merge two skills to form a new one?) Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to start the test, accepting the request mentally. A new voice came into my head.

CONGRATULATIONS, YOU HAVE ACQUIRED THE SKILL (GLACIAL MIST)

Although I couldn't use this new skill, I was able to confirm that the merged skill could be used to combine skills and transform them into new ones. While this was going on, Shinji stood up and seemed to want to say something to everyone.

"I know that everyone is scared thanks to Ramon-sensei's disappearance, but that's exactly why we should stay together. Avoid going out alone at night. If it's totally necessary, take someone along with you, but avoid going alone"

Shinji said.

"It's a shame what happened to Ramon-sensei, but we need to move on. The second floor is in our hands, and it's up to us to defeat his boss so we can move on"

Shinji said. It was possible to see that the effects of Shinji's words were no longer being effective; everyone was anxious and afraid, but they would still follow Shinji. That was because he held the hero class, the only thing that everyone could hold onto to have a chance of getting out of here alive.

"Thanks to Saemi's information, we know how we can go to the second floor together with everyone. You just have to trust me and not have bad intentions against me. But even so, we will only take a few people to do the first reconnaissance of the place"

Shinji said. He really looked like a preacher preaching to his devotees.

"The ones who will go with me to the second floor will be Baji, Saemi, Fujiwara, and Aoi, since we have the strongest skills only, we will go. I will leave Fuyuki and Hayato here to take care of you in case things go wrong"

Shinji said. Hearing Shinji's words, I decided to talk to Saemi and the others.

(Girls, can you hear me?)

I asked telepathically.

(Yes)

The three answered at the same time in surprise.

(Oh, it seems to have worked. I opened a channel using telepathy so we can all talk at the same time now)

I said.

(The reason I'm talking to you is to warn you about the second floor. Although Saemi has already gone with me, that floor is more dangerous than it seems, so be careful... furthermore... watch your step)

I said, turning off the telepathy.