(Arc 2 Chapter 6) Doesn’t That Make Us Criminals?

(Perspective: Amaya)

Early morning, my room still pitch-black in the cold night. The sun hadn't even come out yet. Here I was, sitting in bed, holding my blanket tightly. My body was cold, and sweat ran out all my pore.

A nightmare. A very real-feeling nightmare had caused me to wake up. In my mind, this nightmare of mine kept replaying in my head, it felt so real.

I was in the middle of a ruined city. Buildings on fire, dead people laying across every road I saw, their blood formed rivers. Emi was right beside me, lifeless, blood pouring from her mouth. And Lily, I could see her figure laying against the wall of shop, broke shards of glass around her...She was dead, her chest was opened...I could see her insides. And Katsu, he was face down on the road, a sword in his back. Of all people, he was the last person I’d think of dying in such a way. He was the most skilled adventurer I knew, the swordsman of vengeance, lifeless.

Finding myself on my knees, I was gasping for air, holding my bloody, beating heart in the palm of my hand. All over again, it felt similar to how it felt back in the cave, when my life was slipping away from me.

But it was all just that, a bad dream. A nightmare.

I sat in my bed thinking about it for a good ten minutes before I decided to get up and get dressed. I put on my usual clothes, my boots, and my grey long-sleeved shirt.

When I first came to this world, I really expected to live out my fantasies. The same way I did in those role-playing game I used to play on the computer. Completing quests, slaying monsters, leveling up. At the time, I wasn’t aware that none of this was like a game. Combat was way harder, and painful. And the emotions too, the fear, the anger, the sadness, and adrenaline.

It was nothing like a game. And sometimes, I sort of wish I never ended up hear. A life like this, should stick to being just a computer game. But this was now my life.

I was on a quest to prevent the end of the world, chasing down the ‘Shadow Orc’

And WORST part is, I don’t even know if it’s even worth it. What if I'm trying to find a monster that has nothing to do with the world ending. What if it’s just a big waste of time.

“Perhaps I can help you with those doubts.” A calming, soft tone of a woman touched my ears.

I blinked for just a second, and when I opened my eyes, I found myself standing on a white landscaped that stretched out for as far as I could see. Polished marble floors, and a soft baby blue color in the sky above.

I knew where I was. This was the plan of existence the goddess lived on.

And there she was, standing before me. A bright aura just like the last time I saw her.

“You have many doubts, child. I can see that much. Lay all of your doubts onto me, and I will ease them all.”

A mentally healthy hero meant a safe future, right?

“...It’s just...it feels like a lot.” a heavy sigh left my mouth, “I just... I just don’t know if I’m the right girl for this job. I mean. The whole fate of the world depends on me... and I don’t know if I’ve made any real progress since we last talked.”

The goddess stayed silent for a moment, then gave a soft smile, her hands reached out in a warm welcoming way. She grabbed my shoulders.

“I see everything. And I've seen everything. The people you helped in the dungeon, and the hobgoblins you’ve defeated along with that friend of yours. You may think you are unfit for the task of saving the world, but I see you in a different light.”

“...I don’t know.”

“Amaya, when I watch you from above, I can sense everything you feel. You are a caring young girl. You may think that you are in progressing, but I think otherwise. I can feel the blood of yours's that’s been spilt, I can feel the sweat and tears, I feel it all. And I feel how hard you push yourself in hopes of getting stronger. I can say with certainty, I was right to put my faith in you.”

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How I ended up in this world was unknown, even to the goddess in front of me. And now I’m trusted with the future of the world. It didn’t make any sense.

All the things she said was true, but why me of all people? Sure, she said I had no real limit and could grow as strong as I wanted with time. Still, I was only B-rank in power, even after months of pushing myself, b-rank is as far as I've gotten. If this world needed someone to save it, then they needed someone who was already strong. Like Katsu, or some random Legendary ranker. That’s who the goddess should have picked for this.

If B-rank is all I can achieve after months of trying, then what if I don’t have enough time to get stronger before the world falls into chaos. I might just only be A-rank or S-rank at best by time some big boss shows itself, and I’d be too weak to save anyone.

But of course, the goddess knew exactly what I was thinking...and feeling.

“So...why?”

“The path you are taking to find the Shadow Orc. It’s the right path.”

So that’s it? Slay the Shadow Orc and the world is saved?

“The Orc. All I have to do is kill it?”

The goddess shook her head.

“I’m afraid I can’t say too much. I see a possible future where you prevent worldwide death and chaos. If I share too much, however, I risk that not happening. I risk altering the good future I see.”

“Then tell me what you can. Tell me...so I know I’m on the right track.”

So, I don’t feel like I’m fighting for nothing.

“Here’s what I can say. Keep following the path you're taking. Keep doing good. The further you go, the more you will uncover. You will someday find that it leads you right where you need to be.”

That must’ve been all she could tell me. After she said that, there was blinding flash of light, one I had to shield my eyes from.

When it faded, I was back in my room of darkness. The only light being from the moon.

“Guess it’s time to start my day.”

I had my morning cup of tea and a large breakfast of pancakes and eggs. For the next couple hours after, my hands flipped through the pages of books in the library.

Then right at sunrise, I went out to the front of the mansion, swinging my katana around at imaginary enemies. Orcs, goblins, even trolls, I battled against them all in my mind.

The rest of the day was just a normal one, surprisingly. I cashed in some of my crystals and took Emi on a shopping spree. We bought clothes, ate good food and walked around the city square, as lively as ever. Of course, Lily accompanied us and showed us around some nice shops.

When the day was over, I went up to Katsu’s room at mansion to check on him. It wasn’t like him to go the entire day without coming to me about at least one thing. Normally, he would’ve dragged me out onto some crazy tasks. But not today.

I gave a few hard knocks to his room door, but there was no answer. So, my hand gave the knob and turn and pushed the door open.

“...Katsu?”

There he was, helmet on, sitting on the edge of his bed. Quiet, like he was in a trance, he just sat there without answer.

“...Katsu?” I asked again.

Only then he finally acknowledged my presence.

“How long have you been standing there?”

“Maybe about twenty seconds. Are you...alright?”

Seemed like something was on his mind. For him to not notice me coming in was out of the ordinary for him, being that he had crazy awareness as paranoid as he was.

“I’m fine. Just overviewing everything that’s happened recently. I might’ve found a lead to the Claws involvement with the Hell bringers. I intend to get answers.”

“A lead?” I took a seat on the bed, right beside him, “This sounds good. I’m guessing you have plans for us tomorrow then.”

“Do you recall seeing that tall building with the red logo on it? I imagine so. It’s hard to miss.”

Now that he mentions it, I do remember seeing one. A building that was skyscraper-looking. The type of place i imagine a bunch of office workers sitting in their cubicles. Though...computers don’t exist in this world so that’s unlikely.

“Ohh. That building. Yeah. What about it?”

“Tomorrow night. Me and you. We’ll break any locks we need to break and sneak past security. We’ll head to the very top floor and find the CEO of the place. He should be there. If he is, I’ll interrogate him until he tells us what we need to know. That’s the plan.”

Woah woah WOAH. Now he lost me. We’re breaking into a building and interrogating the CEO??!! For freakin’ what?!!

“Sooo...let me get this straight... We’re breaking and entering, and questioning the CEO? Katsu...that basically makes us criminals! And why are we interrogating him to begin with?”

From the way it sounds, we’d become fugitives for a stunt like that. But...I imagine he left some context out.

“The CEO. He’s one of the big leaders of the Claws. He has to know something.”

It would’ve made a lot more sense if he didn’t leave that part out.

“So. Tomorrow night, we’ll break in and get him then. No problem. But..why then?”

Katsu sighed and shook his head, “First, stop saying ‘breaking in’ we’re not criminals. It’s more of an infiltration. Second, if we’re going to do this it has to be a night. Unless you’d rather do it during the day, where it’s easy to spot us.”

I guess that made sense. Point made. And... I’m sure ‘infiltration’ is just a fancy way to say “breaking in.” but I'm no expert so I’ll just go with it.

“Alrighty. Tomorrow night then.”

A lot depends on this. A lot of important information. We can learn why their supplying those hobgoblins. Most importantly, we might be able to learn where to find some of them. And finding them means there’s a good chance it’ll point us in the direction of the Shadow Orc.

Cool. We were right on track. I’ll make sure not to mess this up somehow.