Chapter 117: Belated Apology
Moon read the new description a few more times.
[Old Pendant]
A pendant that was owned by a traveler, someone who went across countless worlds, universes, and dimensions in search of their family.
Over thousands of years, the pendant has accumulated a fine mass of extremely dormant cosmic dust, dimensional residue, and universal energies.
Keep it safe.
Moon wasn’t sure why he stayed at the words ’home’ or ’family’ longer than he should. He didn’t feel any relevance. The words didn’t hold any meaning for him, but they held some resonance in his heart.
In the end, he exhaled softly. ’Sure, I’ll keep it safe,’ he promised.
Moon’s eyes subconsciously returned to another line he skipped a moment ago.
-User’s Physicality is increasing. Mentality is failing. Immediate emergency treatment was provided.
He closed his eyes, remembering the most dreadful moments he had ever been through. Going berserk, or as the crimson window called it, trading his own control for more power.
What was emergency treatment to begin with? Ed said that those who go berserk usually couldn’t return on their own, which probably meant that both Ed and Samuel had a way to bring him back.
So, was that emergency treatment the method of the people who used the mountain emblem to return those who lost their control?
’Is it my mentality being damaged, not about going berserk?’ Moon asked himself, a very logical and profound question.
Was his berserk state a side effect of having a damaged mentality?
Thinking about it for a while longer, Moon thought it was possible, yet a single flaw made his assumption seem questionable.
Would a damaged mentality result in a stat increase?
He himself wasn’t sure about the stat increase, but his logs said so.
He tried to recall how berserk felt, closing his eyes.
He felt every hair on his scalp go numb, go erect. The feeling spread to his body like chaotic, maddened flames overtaking his body, soothing his pains and comforting his agony.
A sense of freedom, unrestrained by anyone or anything.
His thoughts started to give out, his identity starting to meld into the freedom.
Strength coursing through his body, washing over his nerves.
Moon suddenly opened his eyes, finding himself drenched in cold sweat. He took a deep breath...
Once
Twice
Hooooooooo~
’Disgusting shit!’ he concluded, knowing too well now that it did indeed increase his stats.
Though the question remained, what was emergency treatment?
Was it the light of the bright space?
Or maybe, something else?
Moon wasn’t sure, but what concerned him most was something else.
’Would I one day lose myself, never to be back again?’ he asked himself. ’Was this emergency treatment what let me stay myself?’
Moon dismissed the window, unable to find the answer, but was instead overtaken by dread...
A new fear blossomed in his heart, the fear of losing himself, losing the emergency treatment, and losing the crimson status window that allowed him to stay himself.
Moon was tired of everything that happened that day; it was a very long day, and even though his mind was still thinking, his swollen eyelids finally started feeling heavy.
Too heavy, overtaking the weight of his thoughts and worries, dragging him into the sleep that he had chased after for very long hours at last.
Elsewhere, a man wearing a reddish caped armor nimbly moved over the buildings of the facility.
The armor wasn’t fitting him perfectly thanks to the evident overweight of the figure, but that didn’t hinder his movements in the slightest.
After moving for a short while thanks to his insane speed, he reached a certain window. He extended his finger and the window opened itself for him.
Not a sound was made in the slightest.
Inside the very dark room, two individuals were sleeping under blankets, their features not visible thanks to both the darkness and the covers they were under.
The figure extended his hand upward and drew a circle that suddenly lit the world red on the inside, covering one of the beds.
A dome-like structure came to exist.
The one sleeping on the bed suddenly looked back, "W-w-ho’s there?" in evident fear, startled by the sudden change.
"Don’t worry too much, little girl," the figure spoke gently. "I see you still can’t sleep comfortably even after some time has passed," he continued.
The one on the bed was a frail-looking girl. Her short brown hair was messed by the pillow, and her green eyes reflected the red dome she was under.
She couldn’t answer, and was instead frozen in fear.
"I’m actually here for an apology," the man said softly. "I didn’t wish for you to be hurt."
Still, she could only bring her hands together closer to her chest.
The man couldn’t help sighing. "Can you tell me your name at least?" he asked in defeat.
The girl averted her gaze from the man. "Nola," she whispered in a hushed voice.
"Well, once again, I’m here to say sorry for not helping you that day and instead waiting for that kid, Moon, to do it instead."
Nola’s eyes shone at the mention of the name, beginning to study the frightening figure that suddenly came before her.
"I know you have many questions now, but no one can see or hear me but you," the figure added before explaining, "I, for personal reasons, left you to suffer, trusting in Moon’s character."
Nola’s lips shivered and her eyes became more turbid.
The figure didn’t pressure her. "Nola, right?" he said before extending his hand with an orb-like item that was hanging on a lace.
"Take this. This will keep you safe for a while... until then, learn to protect yourself." He pulled her hands apart gently; she didn’t resist.
He placed the orb there. "Protect it and it will protect you," he instructed.
"Now, time for you to sleep." He placed his other hand on her head for a light pat.
Her eyes went drowsy, slowly they were closed as she relaxed back into her bed. The figure pulled the blankets over her before moving out and closing back the window.
Further away, he finally landed on one building, taking off the helmet-like mask, finally revealing his face. "Man, this thing has become frightening after so many years."
Next to him landed another figure, Samuel. "Didn’t you make it look like this for this very reason?"
In his hands the helmet disappeared. Ed then said, "Did I? I think most designs were already taken by the less cool guys so I decided to make something new."
"You sure have changed," Samuel said, his face unreadable.
Ed wasn’t in a hurry to answer. The red cape disappeared along with the pieces of armor. Soon he was back to his usual attire that was underneath the armor.
"I felt bad every time I saw her looking hurt." He ran his hands over his hair that was starting to look longer than when Moon first came. "Besides, how would I know a girl like this was among the ascenders of this wave?"
Samuel asked again, "Was it the girl herself or what she had gone through?"
"How would I know?" Ed shrugged, walking away from the building. "Maybe I just changed my perspective and everything started to look different."
"You sure want to give her that?" Samuel asked.
Ed stopped in his tracks. "You want it back?"