Chapter 57: To Valtuz (Part 5)
We continued heading on the trail of Valtuz, but on a different approach. I'm riding a bear...who has stone for armor.
This is a weird feeling. I have rode a horse back then, but never once a bear. Also, Steinberg has stone stuck on him for armor! If a bear like that ever come here, he'll make scientists and biologists alike to be scratching their heads. Especially many more.
I look at Hyoran who is unconscious from seeing Mavros. I don't blame her, what she saw is nightmare fuel. Mavros' face is a skeleton with eye sockets that could stare into one's soul.
Hyoran's ears began to move and slowly wakes up.
"Huh...?" Hyoran said wearily. She blinks to sharpen her blurred vision and looked down to see that she is on top of Steinberg.
"You awake?" I said. Hyoran's ears and tail spiked up as she recollected what happened.
"The wraith...where is it?" Hyoran said looking around until a very debilitating chill took over her body. Beastkins are more sensitive than humans when it comes to ghosts. Not saying that humans here are oblivious.
"It's here..." Hyoran said.
"You're right, he is here." I said. Mavros floats out of my shadow and Hyoran looks at it. By the mere sight of it made her hairs stand.
"Back then, Mavros is the size you can fit in your hand. Now he's much bigger." I said.
"I prefer this thing small please." Hyoran quickly replied.
"Sorry, Mavros can't do that." I said. "You can go back to my shadow now."
Mavros then swiftly went inside my shadow head first and laid there to watch vigilantly.
"I know he looks scary, but try not to pass out." I said.
"I'll try...but it's hard to do so." Hyoran said as her ears and tail hasn't relaxed at all. I tried petting her head to calm her down. It didn't work.
"You're not calming down. Is it Mavros?" I said.
"Yeah, my body feels cold and I feel sick. Mavros is not here and yet it feels like he's still there." Hyoran said.
[New skill acquired for Hyoran. Dark Resistance.]
"She got it without taking damage? But she's wearing the cloak that resists Dark Magic."
[Although Hyoran didn't take any damage, but the presence of a Undead Wraith gives those sensitive to such spirits a cold, sickening sensation to the soul. Hyoran is no exception.]
Damn...it reaches the soul? Then Mavros is even more dangerous. If either body or soul gets too damaged, death is imminent. What's also dangerous is that the soul doesn't heal as fast as the body does.
"Kain?" Hyoran said.
"What is it? Is it Mavros again?" I said.
"No...it's Steinberg's armor. It's uncomfortable." Hyoran said.
I stopped Steinberg for a moment and we got off him to resume walking. The travel did have some delays so far, but not massive.
{4 hours later...}
Four hours has gone by with us walking to Valtuz and I had to inquire with my system know how far I am from Valtuz.
"How far am I from Valtuz?"
[You are 2 hours away from Valtuz at your current pace.]
Not bad, not bad. I look at the sky to see that it has gotten darker and redder since the sun is setting. We could keep going, but it gets dangerous and too many variables will rise at this time.
"Alright, we'll rest here." I said. We divert from the path and found a spot to take camp.
"Find sticks and fallen branches. We need a fire." I commanded.
All of my monsters dispersed to find wood laying around and we got started too. Since we're in the forest, gathering wood is easy.
We all come back to where we are and came in results. We brought in sticks, branches, and logs scattered about which is perfect for a camp fire.
Hyoran and I placed the branches together and then the sticks on top. Fennec then opened her mouth and fired a small fireball.
The camp fire ignited, brightening up the surroundings. I put the backpack down and unpacked food for us to eat. This time, it is raw deer meat.
I use the longer branches and tried to find a flat stone to use a hot plate. I found a stone that is large enough, but it's too heavy for the branches.
For that, I used Earth Magic to shave off the excess and transform it into a stone plate. I put the stone plate near the fire and put the raw meat there on top.
*Sizzle...*
The meat began to cook slowly upon the stone, giving this nostalgic smell. And then I remember the times I was outdoors with Andre, Ashley, Dylan, and my girlfriend Suzana. Suzana Ruiz is 26 years old and from Brazil. She had dark skin like I do, but her hair has a mix of straight and braided hair. She is also part of the team as a medic and support.
But in the game, she's a Berserker. A level 891 Oni-Hellkin variant where she converts life drain to increase her ATK and recover health. She is able to take down 20 Diamond Ranks alone because her attack power and her armor pierce. Some people think that her damage is equivalent to a level 1100 player even if the cap is 1000.
Suzana is a beautiful and strong woman and I would do anything to protect her. And yet I didn't. 9 months before my death, we were ambushed by Timothy's men and we're also outnumbered. As we escaped, we found out that Suzana was hit by explosion fragments which one of them stabbed her right lung.
Despite our immediate response to her injury, she died...Suzana is right in front of me while I was trying to save her and yet she died.
I wanted to grieve, but I couldn't. I didn't have time, but when I did, I broke. I loved Suzana and she loved me, she is the person I would marry, have kids, have grand kids, grow old, and die together. When I died too, I instantly thought I'll be meeting her soon. And yet, I didn't.
Because of that bitch Arukatha denied me from meeting Suzana again, I'm stuck here. Starting from scratch in a world similar to the fucking franchise I have extensive knowledge on.
I hope Ashley, Andre, and Dylan are doing okay without me, especially my siblings.
{1 hour later...}
[10 Rank J targets slain. 1000 EP acquired.]
After slow cooking the beef and my monsters hunted and ate their fill, I served myself and Hyoran our cooked meat.
I bit onto the meat and it showed resistance. The meat is tough for sure since I added nothing onto it. I look at Hyoran who is next to me is eating it earnestly. I can see that her wolf ears and tail are wagging happily.
After eating the meat which is tightly packed in the wrapping, I laid back on Flammenberg who is yawning. I look at camp fire, reminiscing the good times back on earth again. I can still see the images of Andre, Ashley, Dylan, and Suzana having the time of their lives, including myself.
"Kain?" Hyoran called out to me and the images vanished like smoke.
"Yeah?" I said.
"You look sad. Do you miss mama and papa?" Hyoran asked.
"Yeah, I miss 'em already." I replied. Fennec walked to my lap and nudged her nose on my cheek. Gris and Noire too. They noticed that I was sad and tried to comfort me.
I petted every single one of them as thanks for comforting me. If I can't see them again, I'll make new ones as to make me less lonely.
Soon, I fell asleep for another day.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
NightlyWinter
NightlyWinter At least the MC remembered his past life.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone