CHAPTER 57
In a dimly-lit forest teeming with lush greenery, tiny cricketing and buzzing creatures freely roamed, infesting every tree and patch of ground they could claim as a sanctuary. They walked, crawled, hopped, and flew with numerous legs and wings, relishing the woodland atmosphere and soaking up the perpetual sunlight that graced their domain.
For passionate entomologists, this locale was a veritable paradise they would gladly frequent. Unfortunately, none of the children harbored dreams of pursuing such a profession. Instead, they fervently wished for time to accelerate, putting an end to the nightmarish scenario that haunted their bodies and minds.
It was an unforgiving environment for pampered children who would rather quit than navigate an insect-infested forest that tested their alertness. Yet, they had no choice. The game was a group challenge, and quitting was a decision all must commit.
Thus, the players found themselves wide-eyed, alert, and conscious of their every move, cautiously avoiding contact with the diminutive creatures. They stuck together in the largest and safest-looking open area they could find, opting to stay put rather than scouting for other groups, choosing to defend and prepare for attacks on their king. Most decided to go through such a plan, aside from a few where Hirayon's group belonged.
The rules of the game were simple. Each group had a king adorned with a golden intricate crown, and the group's number was in the middle of its carved designs, written in cursive black ink that stood out in the radiating gold. The bearer, the king, couldn't attack or use their abilities, and the other members were tasked to be the king's knights responsible for protecting and fighting for their ruler. If a king was injured, they would cease movement for one minute, and their crown would turn completely black. At this point, other groups could seize the crown and add it to their king's crown. And after two hours, the group with the tallest crown on their king would emerge victorious.
The only problem in this straightforward but challenging game was that the kings were randomly selected within the group. Hirayon's group drew Hirang, one of the two vital members that could easily lead them to victory. The dilemma lay in the fact that Hirang can't attack or defend himself against other groups, a waste of his talent in a battle format game.
"I hate this," Hirang uttered in a chillingly stoic manner that sent a cold shiver through the air, rendering his teammates more uneasy, adding to their issue with the insects.
'You clearly don't,' Hirayon mused silently as Hirang continued to grumble throughout their time in the forest.
"It would have been better if I were the chosen one," OAR48 empathized, acknowledging the decrease in their strength due to Hirang's role as their king. Though it sounded pathetic for him to admit it, he knew that he was the weakest in the current group and that the game would have been more manageable if Hirang were allowed to unleash his full capabilities.
"It'll be alright," Hirayon reassured, glancing around. His expression remained unwavering even as colored ants clung to his white jogging pants. He was among the few who embraced the unique challenge of the game setting, used to such an environment given that he was raised in a forest infested by such creatures and monsters as well.
"I know, but I want to fight. It'll be better if I can fight," Hirang reasoned, his words sounding almost childlike, in contrast to his serious demeanor.
"You'll have your chance in the next game," Hirayon responded.
Still annoyed, Hirang opened his mouth to say something only to close it again and obediently nod his head, resembling a frustrated but compliant child.
The group observed this peculiar scene with slightly widened eyes. Although they weren't familiar with Hirayon's strength, witnessing the enigmatic Hirang acting coy indicated that the white-haired boy held Hirayon in high regard.
While everyone aside from Hirayon appeared surprised, one individual was particularly astounded—OFF134. He struggled to comprehend how the typically malevolent Hirang now exuded a calm, almost kind demeanor that contradicted the character he had portrayed in previous games. OFF134 was aware of the connection between the two, noting how Hirang had carried Hirayon on his back in the labyrinth. Nevertheless, the extent of Hirang's willingness to listen left OFF134 utterly taken aback.
"We should get moving," OID76 suggested, observing the crawlies on the ground. Although not as terrified as the other children, he remained cautious. He grew up in an ice-cold clan that offered limited refuge to insects, so such an experience was rare and new to him. As he was about to step forward, a hand tugged at his shirt, halting him.
"Can you carry me on your back?" OSZ61 softly asked, timidly closing the distance between them. She kept glancing around, her eyes filled with unshed tears brought on by the presence of insects. She could almost feel them slowly crawling on her legs, causing goosebumps and crazy hallucinations that rendered her mind brimming with anxiety.
"I thought you were too quiet," OID76 pointed out, noting that she was usually the most talkative among the three. However, her fear had silenced her, causing her to be unable to speak and even voice out her fear.
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Instead of responding, OSZ61 stared at the boy with pleading eyes, surprising the latter with an unexpected response. OID76 hesitated, but he composed himself. "Why not ask OAR48?"
"His element is air. Do you really think I want those things in the air?" OSZ61 responded with evident annoyance in her voice. She meant that once OAR48 used his ability, the insects would be suspended in the air, increasing their chance of coming into contact with her body. Strangely enough, this fear was shared by everyone who dreaded insects. For some reason, they seemed more formidable in the air.
"Then why not ask OWS59?" OID76 suggested, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't want to. We're not that close," OSZ61 replied, glancing at Hirayon, who was engrossed in conversation with Hirang.
"And we are?" OID76 asked with a savage tone, his voice cold and indifferent.
'What did he say? Did he just imply we're not friends?'
Taken aback, OSZ61 stared at OID76 with glassy and trembling eyes. Her brows furrowed, and her mouth fell open in shock. She looked so offended that she released her grip on OID76's shirt and swiftly turned around, walking away from him.
"Hey!" he called out, not anticipating her reaction. OSZ61 ignored him and quickly made her way to OAR48, who observed the exchange.
By seeing OSZ61's expression, OAR48 sensed that OID76's words hurt her. Letting out a quiet sigh, he inquired, "What's wrong?"
Shaking her head, OSZ61 looked at the soil, her face dejected and sad. "Can you carry me on your back? I feel like the insects would touch me just by walking. Just tell me when you're going to use your ability so I can get away," she spoke, sounding timid and down.
OAR48 glanced at OID76 and saw the boy startled. Despite his usual nonchalant attitude, OAR48 noticed the apparent surprise and confusion regarding what to do next after upsetting the little girl.
Returning his gaze to OSZ61, OAR48 nodded and turned around, offering his back. The little girl jumped without hesitation, keeping her gaze averted from OID76. She understood that such an act seemed petty for a child who was trying to act like an adult, but she felt a swell of grim emotions, realizing that she was the only one who considered herself and OID76 friends despite their constant bickering.
After conversing with Hirang, Hirayon concentrated, and upon opening his eyes, the air was filled with various hues of Aura, all nearly transparent. The detailed figures of his group members were replaced with colored, Aura-like smoke in human outlines.
Peering through them, Hirayon surveyed their surroundings and spotted a few groups in the distance, one approximately 40 meters away. Their Auras displayed faded gray, bloody red, baby pink, light orange, muddy brown, and snowy white.
Dismissing his ability, Hirayon looked at the other members. "There's a group about 40 meters away. They're not on the move."
"How do you know that?" OFF134 asked in a dubious tone.
"My ability," Hirayon answered simply.
"What specific ability?"
Irked, Hirang interjected, "You don't need to know," snapping with frustration from being barred from fighting and other irritating factors.
Though he kept the wild, chaotic side of his darkness element hidden, not wanting to reveal it to Hirayon, keeping his mouth shut was another thing.
"I want to know because it will be helpful in the future," OFF134 replied, his tone slightly timid, but his eyes hidden by his dark brown hair blazed with madness.
"If I were to ask you about your abilities, would you tell me?" Hirang retorted. While he had a valid point, as players were warned to keep their abilities secret, he could have phrased it differently to avoid upsetting OFF134. True to his character, Hirang had no qualms about savagely berating him.
Cutting through the tense atmosphere, Hirayon spoke, "I can't tell you the specifics of my ability, but I can detect presence."
'Though I also do not know the entire capability of this ability.'
"That's good enough," OFF134 spoke through gritted teeth.
"Should we launch a sneak attack from a distance and target their king? Ah, do any of you know who's wearing the crown?" OAR48 asked.
"No, I don't. We need to get close to see," Hirayon replied.
"Should we send someone?" OID76 suggested and observed everyone's reaction to his proposal.
"That would be dangerous unless any of you specialize in stealth," Hirang remarked.
They exchanged glances, checking if anyone had the ability to spy on the other group, but no one possessed a specific ability that would aid them in their situation.
"Should we all attack together?" OAR48 asked, his voice tinged with unspoken worry. Though he had experienced fighting other children in the past games, he doubted he could keep up with his group.
Hirayon shook his head. "If the king came with us, they might target him amidst the fight. I think we should split the group. Half will attack the other group, and half will protect ODE152."
Not entirely in agreement with the plan, Hirang asserted with a dark look, "I don't need to be protected." While he understood the rules, his pride wouldn't allow him to accept protection from other children.
Without directly contradicting, Hirayon spoke, "Yes, you don't if we were in a different game. But now, we need to protect the crown, and to do that, we must shield you from getting attacked."
Hirang was on the verge of saying something again, but Hirayon beat him to it. "Would you rather run away from the enemy than let yourself be protected?"
Hirang's mind automatically considered Hirayon's words. While he detested the idea of being protected, the notion of running away like a weakling was even more distasteful.
"Then which members will be left with me?" he asked, not directly addressing Hirayon's question but silently accepting the unavoidable situation.
Hirayon turned his gaze to OID76. "Do you have an ability that could freeze the players?"
"I do, but that uses more than half of my Aura," he confessed.
'So it's a wide-range ability. That could be useful for both offense and defense.'
Hirayon then shifted his attention to OAR48 and OSZ61, who were still on the back of the former. "Do you guys have any abilities suitable for defense?"
OSZ61 spoke first, "I can turn a portion of an area into sand."
"I don't have something that'll be useful for defense, so I can be in the group that attacks," OAR48 suggested. Though less powerful than the other players, he deemed it better to use himself in the attacking department.
Nodding, Hirayon looked at OFF134, who seemed to be in a bad mood.
Without waiting for a question, the auburn-eyed boy responded, "I have an ability that could be used for defense, but," OFF134 glanced at Hirang before continuing, "It's useless against powerful attacks like the darkness element."
R E H I L I Y A