CHAPTER 35 – The problematic way back to Cube

*CRISTOPHER'S POV*

Looking down, I see the scattering ashes being dragged away by the wind.

"So… You were just like a Djinn… Even in death."-I murmur as I lift my sword. "From ashes to ashes… From dust to… dust, huh…*sigh…*"

I look all around me. Corpses, ashes, broken pieces of ice, feathers. This could only be called the results of a massacre.

"*snort* Devil? As if…"- I snorted while looking again to where the Ice Wing Queen was laying seconds before I killed her. "It was just a matter of choice. You chose to sell your soul. And I chose to come here. And sadly, there was no middle point for us."-I said to an empty ground.

"*sigh…* What the fuck I'm doing here? Trying to justify me? Such an idiot."- I say while turning to walk towards one big piece of wall that was at least somewhat intact, sitting on the floor while reclining on it and putting my sword at my side.

"*SIGH…* To think that I would end up this exhausted… This is the first in a lot of time that using Sage Mode leaves me so tired… It probably has something to do with me using Spirit Fire too… Fuck… Being limited is not something I'll get accustomed to. I don't even want to think about what would happen if I use Black Fire in the future… Thankfully, she surrendered and I could end everything before the time limit was up."-I say while resting my body over the wall.

Right then, everything around me turned brilliant, and little by little, the sound of glass breaking surrounded me, until all that brilliance just broke like a glass dome, leaving me reclined on the wall of a cave a lot smaller than the one I was before. It wasn't even comparable. This cave could be barely called a dancing hall, while the one I was before was easily as big as a small town.

"At least, I won't need to go back all the way… I was already lamenting my luck for having to walk all that way back… Starting with leaving that plateau towards the corridor I came from…"-Just as I finished saying that, another burst of light took place a few meters in front of me, and from inside it, a somewhat medium chest showed itself.

"My reward? Mmm… This barely scares away all those shitty feelings, but I'll accept it."-I said before standing up to go towards the chest.

Opening the chest, I could see two things.

The first one was an icy blue bracelet, almost transparent, with a praying woman with eyes closed on its top and two pairs of big wings spreading from her back to cover the rest of the bracelet.

The second one was a small earring, shaped like a small tear dangling closely from a silver ring that I suppose goes on your ear.

"Just this? *sigh…* Whatever… I'll take this as a warning. And a lesson. I'm not going to take this world lightly anymore. Who knows what other shit waits for me?"

I reach down to take out the bracelet. Using my Eyes of the Dragon God to check it.

[Promise of the Ice Wing Queen]

[A promise made from the only queen to her subjects, with the hope of a better future.]

[Enhancing. Ice Attribute.]

[It gives the user the ability to add ice attribute to their normal attacks. It also allows the use of ice bolt, the power inherent to every Ice Wing. It can be added to ranged weapons to increase the bolt's power.]

"…Well… Let's see the next one…"-I said before taking out the earring.

[Tear of the Ice Wing Queen]

[A tear shed by the Ice Wing Queen after she lost both of her daughters. This tear carries the destroyed hope of the queen to protect her most precious treasure, her daughters.]

[Active. Ice Attribute.]

[Twice a day, you're able to conjure a powerful ice shield that will protect whatever you hold dear. The mana inside the Tear of the Ice Wing Queen slowly restores itself while absorbing the outside mana.]

{… Why do I have the impression that someone's trying to make me the bad guy here… Really… *sigh…*"-I sigh with both items in my hand. "Still… They're indeed a good loot. And here I was calling it useless trash… Well, I'll let slip the names… I'm sure I'll find something to do with them.}-I thought before keeping both items inside my coat pockets. Or well, the pockets of what used to be a coat…

It was destroyed. It barely resembled a coat now… All the right arm was completely shredded, showing my stigma, while the left sleeve was burned to ashes right up the elbow.

"Now… I'll first get out of here… Then… I'll… Well… Let's call Kim Hajin… And ask him to bring some clothes for me… At least a hoodie…"-I said before going back to pick my sword.

"… *sigh…*"-Looking at my sword, it was barely intact… It would probably break in the next training combat in Cube or something like that… The sheer amount of Natural Energy and Mana that flowed through it was too much for it to handle. "And I even used Fire Slash a few times… Well, nothing I can do…"-I then kept my sword in its scabbard, while going towards the exit of the dungeon.

***

*Rustle, rustle*

"I knew this was going to be a pain in the ass…"-I said while moving the bushes that are out of the cave's entrance, and grabbing the border of the hole's entrance.

I've been going up this damned slide for like 5 minutes… It was just too thin for me to try running it up. So, I had to crawl all the way up.

"*sigh…* Finally some rest… Doesn't matter how much time passes; I don't get any better with closed spaces…"-I said after sitting down in the grass. "Well, time to call Hajin."

I started calling him… But no matter how many times it ringed, the call didn't go through.

"Huh? Now, what's this guy doing that he isn't picking up my call?"-I say as I check my smartwatch. "It's 5:00 PM… He should be in his room… Oh… Wait… He probably already got the stigma… That can surely be painful…"

{This makes things difficult… What if I can't contact him? I can't go back looking like this… I'll be stopped before even trying to enter the portal…}

*sigh…*

"Well… Let's send him a few texts, and then try again. I mean… If I make some spam. he'll surely wake up with the noise and the vibration… right…?"-I say before writing to Hajin a few spam messages.

[Cristopher: Hey man.]

[Cristopher: What are you doing!? Pick up the call.]

[Cristopher: Wake up…]

[Cristopher: Stop fapping, man. Pick up the call.]

[Cristopher: We have a problem!!!]

[Cristopher: A Devil invaded Earth!!]

[Cristopher: Seriously dude! Wake up!!! We have a problem!!! Red code!!! RED CODE!!!!!]

[Cristopher: Forget the code. We didn't put codes. But wake the fuck up…]

[Cristopher: I swear… If you're fapping while ignoring my call I'll make sure you won't have enough energy to even take one step after training.]

[Cristopher: DUDE!!!!! WAKE UP!!!!]

[Cristopher: You bastard. You better be out unconscious from some weird training… Or I'll make sure you'll be on Monday.]

[Cristopher: Last warning. I'm going to call. You better pick that one up.]

"I hope that this is enough… Well, if not, the call will also help…"-I said as I start calling him again.

.

..

…

….

…..

"Ok… He has a pretty heavy sleep."- I said while waiting to see if the call goes through.

…

….

…..

...

....

"*sigh…* I'm fucked…"-I say as I lay in the ground looking at the sky. "What will I do…"

Right when I was thinking about all my options, my smartwatch suddenly vibrated.

"It must be Hajin. He surely woke up."-I said while wistfully turning my hand up to look at the incoming text.

[Olivia: Hey, help me tonight.]

"…"

{… Just… How…}

"*Sigh…* She surely happens to appear in the worst moments… And here I was wishing it was Kim Hajin that woke up…"

[Cristopher: No.]-I answered shortly. Not wanting to waste time with the Psycho.

"*Sigh…* Maybe I could make a visit to Locket of Hope… No… They surely won't have any clothes to spare… Better leave them be… Well... I can still wait a little more for Hajin to wake up… Portals close up kind of late, and I'm not that far…"

[Olivia: Come on! You don't even know what I'm asking for help!]

"…"-I only looked at the text that just came.

[Cristopher: It's you we're talking about. I'm 100% sure you're asking me help to train you.]

[Olivia: …]

[Olivia: Come on!!! I'm not asking anything hard! Just help me with that little recovery you make with Kim Hajin each night! He's making progress…]

[Cristopher: No.]

[Olivia: Pretty please!!!??? OwO]

[Cristopher: No. Emojis won't change my mind.]

[Olivia: tch.]

[Cristopher: Did you just write "tch"? Such a kid…]

[Olivia: If you don't help me, I'll start telling everybody in Cube that you like Kim Hajin.]

[Cristopher: Ok. Frist. I don't like him. He's my friend. Second. I don't care about what a bunch of idiots thinks about me. So, you can even go and tell all of South Korea if you want. And finally, you already know that blackmailing me won't work. Why would you try that?]

[Olivia: I'm desperate, okay!? Please help me. I'll do whatever you want!!!]

[Cristopher: I have the feeling that we're repeating something here. Did we have this conversation before?]

[Olivia: …No… You're just imagining things…]

[Cristopher: Uhuh… Whatever. My answer's still no. So, you better keep training. Time's ticking.]

[Olivia: Please, I'll do whatever you want if you just help me this one time!]

[Cristopher: …]

"How can someone be so freaking persistent… This is making me crazy… And Hajin's still down. Maybe… I should try to ask her for help? Nah… I won't ask her. The Psycho will just go crazy again… Though… Maybe that's my only choice?"

[Olivia: So!? What do you say? Will you help me?]

[Cristopher: You see. There's one little problem, right now, I'm stuck with something, so I can't even help you. If you can help me with this little 'something', I'll reconsider it. What do you say?]

[Olivia: Sure! Just tell me what do you need and I'll do it!!! (O w O)7]

[Cristopher: Don't use emojis.]

[Olivia: That's easy, I'll do it. Will you help me now?]

[Cristopher: No. That's not what I need you for.]

[Olivia: Then tell me!]

[Cristopher: I need you to look for some clothes for me, and bring them where I am. No questions asked. Can you do it?]

[Olivia: Are you naked?]

[Cristopher: No. QUESTION. ASKED!!!! Fuck… Is it that hard? Answer. Will you do it or not?]

[Olivia: Fine… Fine…]

[Cristopher: Just bring me some jogger pants, or sweatpants, and a hoodie. Also… A pair of shoes size 43. Black.]

[Olivia: What am I? Some kind of personal buyer for you? Whatever… Where are you?]

[Cristopher: Inwangsan Mountain. These coordinates: *coordinates*. Just tell me if you'll do it.]-I send her my coordinates.

[Olivia: I'll be there as soon as I can. Don't you dare move.]

[Cristopher: Ok, thanks.]

[Olivia: Do you need some medicine? It seems like you're sick or something. I'll buy you something for the fever, maybe something to treat a cold.]

[Cristopher: …]

"Then she asks me why I treat her like I do… *sigh…* Well, I'll just wait…"

***

It was some time past 6.

"Will she come? Or she just dumped me here? *sigh…* I'll wait for a little bit more…"

More than an hour has passed since I talked with Olivia, but she isn't here yet. I mean… With the portals, it should be pretty easy for her to get here… It's not that far…

Right when I was having that thought. My smartwatch vibrated.

"Finally, maybe she's close already… Why is she so late anyway?"-I say while lifting my smartwatch, right before it started vibrating again and again.

[Kim Hajin: I'm just waking up… Something happened to me…]

[Kim Hajin: What!? What do you mean that a Devil came to Earth!? What the fuck happened!?]

[Kim Hajin: Hey! Where are you? What happened!?]

[Kim Hajin: I was not fapping!!! What happened!? Hey!!!!]

"Man, he's insane…"-I said while starting to answer, or trying to at least.

*ring~ ring~ ring~ ring~*

Right when I was trying to answer him, he suddenly started calling me.

"Desperate, are we? *sigh…*" – I said while answering the call. "Hey, what's up?"

[That's what I should be asking you!!! What happened!!!???]-He shouts through the holographic screen.

"What do you mean?"

[What about the Devil!!!! What happened with that!!??]

"Oh, I lied."

[… What?]

"I lied. There was no Devil."

[… Then what was all that about?]

"Just wanted to make you answer my calls. And I thought that saying that a Devil made its appearance on Earth was a good way."-I say to him with a serious face.

[… You're going to kill me one of these days…]

"Oh… Don't worry. I'm not planning to kill you, relax."

[What did you need to talk to me about…?]

"I needed to ask for a favor… But I'm waiting for Olivia already, don't worry… Still… If you can prepare a hoodie and some sweatpants just in case, I'll be thankful."

[Oh, so your girlfriend is already on the way?]

"She's not my girlfriend. Don't you get tired of that joke?"

[You know. It keeps looking less and less of a joke.]

"Stop joking man. Not funny. Also, what happened to you? You didn't pick up my calls…"

[My laptop ended up it's updating… And some kind of mark engraved itself on my arm… I haven't seen anything. I'm just waking up… It hurt like hell and I passed out from the pain…]

"Oh, you got a Stigma? Nice. That's good. Kind off… Well, if you can, check what those updates were about, though, I would recommend you to rest, you'll be able to check that sometime tomorrow."

[Sure, I was thinking of doing just that… But if you're needing my help…]

"Oh, right, I forgot. Don't think of sleeping right now, man, you better wait up for my call, just in case Olivia doesn't app…"-I suddenly stopped, as someone entered my senses' range. And I know exactly who. "Forget it, go to sleep. She's already here. I'll end up the call."

[Ok, have fun with your girlfriend. I'm sleeping.]

"She's-"-He hung up. "*sigh…* This fucker… Whatever."-I say as I wait for Olivia to finally get close to the cave's entrance. "I'm here!"-I call her.

"Hey ass- Cristopher, how are you?"-She said while coming in front of me. "Wait… What happened to you? It seems you got thrashed around."

"You were about to call me an asshole, right?*sigh…* Whatever. Did you bring what I asked for?"

"Yes! I brought you some cold and fever medicine, also a few pills for hallucinations."-She says with a serious face.

"You… *sigh…* Look, just give me the clothes I asked for, you Psycho…"

"I'm not a psycho. And here, I had to look around to find something that fitted you."-She says as she gives me a plastic bag. "By the way, what happened to you?"

"Don't you know the meaning of 'no question asked?'"-I said, receiving the plastic bag and opening it. "…"

"What? Don't you like it?"

"…"-I just stared at what's inside. "What's this? What the fuck did you bring?"

"Hoodie and sweatpants, what you asked for."-She says, averting her eyes

"Yes… But I want to know why is the color… pink…"-I say while staring directly at the content of the plastic bag, a pink hoodie with pink sweatpants.

"…"-She completely turns her face this time.

"Does this have something to do with you being late?"

"*whistle~ whistle~*"-She doesn't look at me and just whistles.

"Olivia, I promise I won't get angry at you, so you can just answer me."

"… Do you promise you won't break our deal and will still help me tonight? It's just recovering… I won't even ask you to train me before the day of the bet…"

"Olivia. Would you answer the damned question!!!???"

"It's just… It's just… They thought I was buying clothes for my boyfriend!!! Would you believe that!? BOYFRIEND!!! I just couldn't handle the pressure of the clerks looking at me with that 'I-know-what-you're-doing' smile!!! I immediately ran away and bought whatever I found first…"

"And it HAPPENED to be some PINK colored hoodie and sweatpants!!!???"-I shout at her dumbfounded.

"It was a difficult moment for me!!! And what's wrong with pink anyway!? Don't you know that pink is also a true man's color!!??"

I quickly take out the pink hoodie and the pink sweatpants, showing them to Olivia.

"THIS IS FUCKING GLITTERING PINK!!!! IT EVEN SPARKLES EACH TIME I MOVE IT!!!"

"BUT THEIR STARES!!!!!"

"*SIGH…*"-I threw a really big sigh while facepalming and squeezing the bridge of my nose. "Whatever… I'll use it… Is better than being nude."

"About that-"

"Stop. No. Questions. Okay?"-I said while putting the hand with the hoodie in front of her face to stop her.

"But-"

"Stop."

"…"

"You want me to help you tonight?"

"…Yes…"

"Then shut up."

"…cheapskate…"-She murmurs.

"What? Did you just talk?"-I ask her.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about. Did you go crazy already?"

"*sigh…*"-I sighed while facepalming once again… "You're going to be the end of me…"-I murmur to myself…

"What?"-She asks.

"Nothing. Now leave. I'm going to change myself."

"Oh… All right. It's okay." ­-She says while going await. "I'll wait for you over there. I at least got you your black shoes..."-She murmured that last part.

"Whatever."-I said while taking out my coat.

"…"-She stopped a little bit away and slightly turned her head to look at my right arm.

"Why did you stop?"-I ask her.

"That… Nothing."

"It seems like even you can learn to behave properly."

"*snort*"-She snorted before leaving with her usual middle finger in the air.

"She's finally gone, man… A total psycho I tell you…"- I murmur to myself before I start to change my clothes.

***

"…"-Olivia just stares at me.

Right now, I'm wearing a glittering pink hoodie with a white unicorn on its chest and a big front pocket. While my sweatpants are also of glittering pink color, with white stripes falling down the outer side of the legs. Completing the outfit with out-of-place black running shoes.

"Stop. Don't say anything."-I told her, putting my palm up towards her, to stop her from talking.

"… It loo-"

"Stop. I'm warning you."-I interrupted her.

"*whistle~ whistle~*"-She just averts her coffee eyes while whistling.

"Let's go."-I said while putting both items I got from the Dungeon inside the hoodie's front pocket. "It's getting late."

"What's those?"-She asks, while pointing to the front pocket.

"*SIGH…*"- I sigh while looking at the sky "No questions."-I just started walking towards the mountain's exit.

"Cheapskate…"-She murmured while following me. {This girl… *sigh…*}-I thought while sighing once again today…

***

Right now, we're getting out of Cube's portal station, walking towards the dormitories. I, of course, didn't want to use the Cube bus system, it was enough to endure the eyes of everyone in Seoul and Yongsan Portal's Station. It was hell.

"*sigh…* I'm finally here… Now I just have to get to the dorms fast."

"You know… It wasn't that bad… At least no one said anything, right? It could be worse..."-Said Olivia while walking behind me.

{It was just that they didn't say it out loud… But a lot of people did talk… *sigh…* I'm tired…}-I thought looking down while walking, not even trying to answer her.

"… Mmmm… By the way… What time are you going to the training center tonight…?"-She asked.

"11:30 PM… As usual… Just try to finish your training soon… I don't want to be up too late…"-I answer her.

"Ok… Thanks…"-She murmurs.

"What's wrong with you? Thanking me all of a sudden. It gives me the chills…"-I answer to her unconsciously.

"W-WHAT!!?? Who's thanking you!!??"-She shouted.

"Whatever…"- I said while raising my arms in complete surrender.

"… Idiot…"

"Whatever you say."

"I thought you were not going to help me… That's why… Thanks."-She says in a low voice.

"Huh?"-I stopped. Making her collide with me.

"Hey! Why did you stop?"-She asks while looking at me confused.

"What did you just say?"

"I asked. Why did you stop?"-She says crossing her arms under her chest. {Thanks!}

"Not that. Before."-I ask again, acting completely oblivious.

"Well… That I thought you were not going to help me? And that I was thankful for that?"-She said again in a low tone while averting her eyes.

"…"-I stare at her before touching her forehead.

"Wh-what!? What are you doing!?"-She hurriedly steps back.

"I thought you had some kind of fever or something."

"You! You're an asshole!"- She says while pointing at me.

"Why would you even go to help me if you thought that I wasn't going to help you tonight?"

"…"-She just averts her eyes.

"So, you're indeed sick… You should take care of your health you know…"

"Shut up. I'm fine."

"Sure, sure, if you don't want to train tonight, just send me a text, so I won't go there unnecessarily."

"As if! You better go!"

"*sigh…* Fine…"-I said before reassuming my way towards my room.

"By the way… I'm just curious… But… How did your smartwatch survive when your sleeves were both destroyed?"-She asked, starting to follow behind me.

"Are you an idiot? Of course, I took off it before fighting… I put it somewhere safe. That was it."

"So, you indeed got in a fight! Who was it against!? Some kind of Djinn? Or a criminal?"

"Neither. And stop asking questions. I thought we already were past that point… *sigh…*"

"You know. I sometimes think that you'll deflate someday with all that sighing."-She says while looking somewhere else.

"… And who do you think is at fault for all my sighing?"-I ask while glancing sideways towards her without stopping my walk.

"How would I know what a wacko like you would be sighing for? I'm not some seer…"

"…*sigh…* Whatever…"-I turn back to the front and keep walking.

"There you go again sighing, that's a really bad habit of yours."

"…"-I don't even answer this time. {I'll not bother anymore. It is my fault for always going at her pace. I should just shut up.}-I thought.

It was after some time that we finally arrived at the dorms. She stayed first in the girls' dormitories, while I kept walking towards the male cadet's one. Thankfully, it seems that the cadets were somewhere else, either in Hero Park or in the training center, or maybe somewhere else, as I didn't find anyone on my way back to my room.

Though, I still found a lot of cadets and personnel while walking through all of Cube from the portal station to the dormitories. It was inevitable.

Once in my room, something caught my attention. My laptop's screen was turned on.

"Huh? And what's with you? Being turned on all of a sudden…"-I said while getting closer. Dropping the bag containing my damaged clothes on the couch before sitting down.

"Let's see…"-I grab the laptop and turn it towards me.

[Affinity has passed the 10% mark…

The world is slowly adapting to the user…

Adding new functions to the laptop…

The user has made contact with a Devil's Servant, further functions will be added in this update.

A fraction of the world is slowly awakening new traits.

More changes would take place once the user's affinity with the world increases.

Updating… 98%]

"Huh? Would you look at that?"- I said while sitting up straight. "It seems that I now have a clue of what 'Affinity' is about…"

If what the screen said was true. It seems like the 'Affinity' is the percentage of adaptation of this world toward me. As if I'm suddenly gaining affinity with the world…

"What I don't understand is… Why would that be something good to me… Wasn't 'Affinity' something that should help me like the SP helps Hajin?"

*Tiring*

Right as I was thinking that, the laptop made a sound.

[Update completed…

Activating new functions on the laptop…

Adding more information for the user…

…

…]