"Where are they, Syr?" Joe questioned with newfound urgency.

[I Said They Could Be Alive. It’s Not Guaranteed That They Are.]

"But there's a chance, right? My sister and my mother could still be on this planet, right?" Joe’s heart pounded as a spark of hope lit up his chest.

[They Could Be, But The Chances Are Low. After Earth Was Deleted, The Gods Chose Around A Thousand Souls To Be Transported To Grisha. Excluding You, That Leaves 999 Souls. From A Planet With Over Seven Billion Inhabitants, The Chances Of Your Family Being Among Them Are Slim.]

"999 is a lot of souls! My sister and mother have to be among them; they just have to!" Joe got to his feet and began pacing, his movements restless. Syr's revelation had opened a door in his mind—a chance to reunite with his family.

"What criteria do the gods use when choosing a soul to transport? I need to narrow the odds. Is it age? Gender? What is it?"

[Gods Can Do Whatever They Want Whenever They Want. They Don’t Follow A Criteria—They Act On Whim. Trying To Understand Their Methods Or Thought Process Is Futile.]

Joe stroked his chin, still pacing, his steps quickening. "Come on, Syr! Give me something to work with. Any idea where the other souls were sent?"

Joe couldn’t believe what he was saying. Talking about gods and soul transportation as if it were an everyday matter—it was absurd. Yet, being in Grisha had dulled his disbelief. At this point, anything felt possible.

[Grisha Is Massive. Figuring Out Where All The Other Souls Were Sent Would Be A Monumental Task. I’m No God. There Are No Shortcuts. If You Want To Find Them, You’ll Have To Search The Entire World.]

The way Syr phrased it made the task seem insurmountable. Joe barely survived a single forest. How could he search an entire planet? Grisha was bound to harbor creatures far more dangerous than Wolflins.

He clenched his fists, his teeth grinding. "I'll do it, Syr! I'll find them, even if it kills me!" Determination burned fiercely in his eyes.

Joe sank back down, his questions mostly answered. "This process of deleting a planet—how does it work? Did someone deliberately destroy Earth?"

[It’s Quite Simple. Most Planets Are Governed By A Primeval God. There Are Exceptions, Like Grisha, Which Do Not Possess A Primeval God. Earth However, Was Not An Exception. A Primeval God Existed There. I Don’t Know Their Name, But They Are The One Who Wiped Your Planet From Existence.]

A chill ran down Joe’s spine. The thought of a god erasing an entire planet was harrowing. All those lives, gone in an instant.

Joe clenched his fist. "Why? Why would they do such a thing?" His voice cracked, echoing through the forest.

[I Don’t Know. There Could Be Many—]

"You don’t know?" Joe interrupted sharply. "Then what do you know, Syr? You don’t know where the souls went, you don’t know why my planet was destroyed, and you can’t even tell me why I’m here! Looks to me like you don’t know anything!" He swung his fist at Syr’s notification screen, but it passed harmlessly through the projection.

[I’m Sorry I Couldn’t Satisfy You With My Explanations.]

"I need time alone, Syr. Can you do that for me?"

Syr’s status screen vanished, leaving Joe alone with his thoughts. The more he tried to process Syr’s words, the deeper he sank into a maze of confusion. He clutched his head, overwhelmed. He couldn’t shake the feeling of being a pawn in a game he didn’t understand.

The sound of subtle movements broke through his spiraling thoughts. Joe turned toward Shelly, who was sitting up and rubbing her eyes.

"Did I wake you?" Joe asked, guilt tugging at him. His earlier outburst was the likely culprit. He needed to control his emotions better.

"No, I was already awake!" Shelly bowed her head quickly. "You’re not the reason, I swear! I woke up on my own—it’s not your fault, it’s mine."

"So, you heard me shouting earlier?"

"No! I mean, I didn’t wake up because of that. I woke up just ten seconds ago. Really, it’s not your fault!" Her words tumbled out with urgency.

Joe scratched his head. "You don’t have to take the blame for everything. If I woke you, it’s okay to say so." He offered a small smile.

Shelly’s eyes widened. She quickly looked away, nodding silently.

Joe rose from his spot and walked over to Shelly. He stopped in front of her, extending his hand. "Ready to go?"

Shelly nodded, reaching out with her left hand to take his. As she regained her footing, her staff dissolved into shimmering green fragments of light. Once she was steady, their hands separated.

"Wait," Shelly said suddenly, turning southward. "Before we go… there’s something I need to do."

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

Joe followed her as she led him to a part of the forest where the bodies of her fallen friends lay.

The stench and the sight of their disfigured forms were deeply unsettling, but Joe found himself less bothered than he expected. What truly weighed on him was the cascade of questions swirling in his mind as he looked down at them.

What if I had moved faster? What if I’d arrived a few minutes earlier? Could i have prevented this?

His fists clenched tightly.

Shelly placed her hands together, fingers interlocked, as if preparing to pray. "They died because of me. The least I can do is give their bodies the dignity they deserve." Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.

Joe glanced at her, his voice soft but firm. "I don't think they'd want you blaming yourself like this. I'm sure you did the best you could."

"You weren’t there!" Shelly snapped, her voice breaking. "They have every right to resent me. I’m sure most of their souls harbor hatred toward me. And I deserve it."

Joe took a deep breath, steadying his tone. "From what I saw, Kite didn’t harbor any resentment. He wanted you to live. Blaming yourself won’t change anything. It won’t bring them back, and it won’t make the pain go away. If you truly believe they hated you, then take their hatred. Embrace it. Hold onto it, and use it to keep moving forward. But most importantly, make sure this doesn’t happen again."

Shelly glanced at Joe, her eyes searching his face. Then she nodded, a small, teary smile breaking through. "Yeah… you’re right. Thanks."

An green light began to glow from Shelly’s hands, spreading outward into a warm aura that surrounded the fallen bodies of her friends.

[Shelly Has Activated The ‘Healing Skill’ (Decomposition)]

The light formed a veil over their corpses, intensifying before fading. In its wake, the bodies dissolved into radiant green orbs that drifted downward and merged with the earth.

From the soil, vibrant flowers began to bloom, their colors bright and lively, transforming the once-grim clearing into a serene and beautiful scene.

"May the Soul King be with you," Shelly whispered, opening her eyes.

She turned back to Joe. "I’m ready now. We can go."

Joe looked at the flowers, his heart lightened. Something about seeing the fallen transformed into something so beautiful made him feel at peace. They would live on, adding color and life to the forest.

As they began their journey north, Joe couldn’t contain his curiosity. "The Soul King? Is that some kind of god?"

"No," Shelly replied, shaking her head slightly. "There are no gods in Grisha. The closest thing Grisha has to gods are beings called Planetary Guardians. Very few people In Grisha belive in them. I don't believe them myself." Shelly admitted. "The only being i believe in, is the Soul King."

Joe had never heard of the term Planetary Guardian before, but he was sure Syr knew something about it.

'"The Soul King is something many of us choose to believe in. He’s said to welcome souls to the Soul Realm, protect them, and give them a happy afterlife."

Joe pondered her words. He wasn't sure he believed them, was the after life even a thing? And weren't Primeval Gods in charge of souls? He didnt even fully understand what a Primeval God even was. He chose to just bury the thoughts to the back of his mind. Maybe the Soul King did exist who knew.

"I’m sure they’ll have a happy life," he said finally.

The words hung in the air, followed by an awkward silence. Only the sound of their footsteps broke the quiet. After several minutes, Joe spoke again.

"Healing me must’ve used a lot of your mana. I’m sorry," he said, clasping his hands together in apology.

Shelly shook her head. "It wasn’t that much, I promise." She sounded sincere, but Joe could tell that even after her rest, her mana reserves hadn’t fully recovered.

"You don’t have to thank me," Shelly continued, her voice quieter as she glanced at the ground. "I’m the reason you got hurt, after all."

Joe smiled. "Let's call it even, okay? I helped you, you helped me. We're equal. You don't have to take the blame for everything. You're too young for that."

Shelly looked surprised, then burst into a light giggle.

"What? Did I say something funny?"

"No, no," she said, shaking her head. "You just remind me of someone, that's all."

"Oh yeah? Who?"

"My grandpa. He talked a lot like you. I'd swear you were his son or something."

Oh come on! You're comparing me to some old geezer? Joe didn't like that comparison. Did he somehow get wise and boring during his transportation to Grisha. Did he reach enlightenment or something? He had never met his grandparents, but he'd spent enough time around older people during his job back on Earth to recognize their tone.

Shelly’s giggling softened, and her voice lowered. "My grandfather was the best. I’m sure he’s watching over me right now. I know he is."

Joe frowned. "Oh… I’m sorry. Did he…?"

"Yeah, he passed away a long time ago. He’s the reason I became an adventurer in the first place."

"An adventurer, huh? That sounds pretty cool. So… do you, uh, venture out?"

Shelly gave him a blank stare.

Joe winced. "Right, of course she ventures out. She's an adventurer, for crying out loud. Idiot," he thought to himself, feeling the heat of embarrassment rise to his face.

Shelly raised an eyebrow. "You’re an adventurer too, right? Or are you just a solo explorer?"

"Yeah, that’s me. Totally a solo explorer," he was sweaty but somehow maintained his composure.

Shelly tilted her head. "Most people don’t do that anymore. I can’t decide if you’re brave or just…"

"Stupid?" Joe finished for her.

"No," she said with a small smile. "Excited."

Joe squinted, unconvinced by her expression.

Shelly’s tone turned serious. "Being a solo explorer is dangerous. Most people stick to adventuring parties these days. Traveling alone isn’t just risky because of bandits or harsh conditions. Mana beasts are also a constant threat. Back in the day, there were lots of explorers, but now it’s all about adventuring."

Joe’s curiosity piqued. "Why do people choose to become adventurers?"

Shelly grinned. " The question you should be asking is why not? Wealth, fame, power—everything you could want is attainable as an adventurer."

Joe’s eyes lit up. "That sounds awesome! I want to do it—I want to be an adventurer! Not for wealth or fame, though. I just want to find my family."

Shelly’s smile softened, her curiosity evident. "Your family?"

Joe nodded, his expression darkening. "Yeah. I got separated from my mom and sister a while back."

"I’m sorry to hear that."

Joe waved her concern off, though a shadow lingered in his eyes. "It’s all right. I’ll find them. We’ll reunite, no matter what!"

Shelly studied him for a moment before asking, "Grisha’s a big place. Do you even know where to start?"

Joe hesitated but then clenched his fists. "No. But I won’t stop. I’ll search the entire world if I have to!" His voice carried a fiery resolve, and his eyes shone with determination.

By now, they had reached the edge of the forest.

Shelly pointed ahead to a small town visible in the distance. "Well, if you want to register as an adventurer and find party members, that’s the place to start."

Joe squinted at the town’s gates, massive and imposing even from afar. Black steel stretched high into the sky, more grandiose than he expected for just a town.

Shelly gestured proudly. "This is one of the towns in the Kingdom of Tania. Welcome to Perina!"

Joe’s heart raced as they approached. The gates loomed over him, casting long shadows on the road. His mind buzzed with anticipation. Beyond those gates lay the first step in his journey to find his family.

As the gates creaked open, Joe stepped forward, his eyes brimming with fearless determination.

There was no turning back.