Considering that hours ago we were running for our dear lives, this change of pace is a welcoming one, but that doesn't change how boring it is to walk in a straight line with no sign of stopping in an endless tunnel.

  "Any idea how much we need to walk?" I ask, stifling a yawn.

  I haven't checked the time, but it must be pretty te by now if I'm already feeling sleepy.

  "I think we have about half an hour left," she quickly answers, pointing somewhere behind us. "We just passed the st ndmark."

  I look in the direction she's pointing and spot a white cross on the wall. I hadn't been paying attention to the ndmarks; she didn't even mention them. But I can't really compin since I didn't ask her about them in the first pce.

  A sigh escapes my lips. "Honestly, why didn't you at least have some sort of cart or something that moves fast down here? It would have saved us a lot of time."

  I even told her back in Vale that I didn't want to trek all the way back on foot. It would take an eternity, not to mention the obvious danger of the Grimm lurking around.

  Bke lets out a heavy sigh filled with regret. "I know Ma'iq. This wasn't part of my pn. We were supposed to be riding a small handcart on the railroad, which would have cut our travel time in half. But the Grimm tide made it impossible to recover."

  I click my tongue in annoyance. "Grimm, always those bastards ruining nice things."

  "I'm sorry." She murmurs.

  "Don't be. This isn't your fault. Nobody could have predicted things would go to shit that fast," I reply, crossing my arms and releasing a dark chuckle. "Besides, this definitely can be a tale to brag about, how we faced a tide and came out unscathed."

  My small joke gets the desired smile from her once again.

  However, my focus is abruptly stolen as my head snaps towards the left wall. My eyes lock onto a small group of rats. It's as if they too sensed my piercing gaze, freezing in pce like statues for several long seconds before scurrying off into the darkness.

  "Is something wrong?" My mentor asks with a tinge of concern.

  I raise a hand, gesturing for her to wait a moment. "Just give me a second."

  With slow steps, I walk towards the spot where the rats had gathered. A small bulge in the dirt catches my eye, intriguing my curiosity. I reach down and carefully dig into the soil, retrieving a small, greenish… crystal covered in dirt.

  Another of those strange crystals finds its way into my hands.

  Taking a deep breath, I steel myself for the potential consequences and firmly crush the object in my hand.

  [New system update received!]?To my surprise, nothing peculiar occurs. My scroll remains silent, not making a fuss, and no extraordinary events take pce. Just another simple notification briefly appears before my eyes, which I promptly dismiss.

  "Did you find something?"

  I quickly rise to my feet, brushing off the dirt from my pants. "Oh, it was nothing. Just thought I spotted some dust here, but it must have been my mind pying tricks on me. Feeling a bit sleepy, you know?" I lie, hoping to avoid more questions.

  A wave of relief washes over me as Bke simply nods and we continue our trek towards the next safe house.

  However, before we can take a few more steps, the ground violently shakes beneath us, causing our stomachs to plummet as cracks begin in the roof above us.

  Bullshit…

  "B-but that's impossible…" She murmurs, looking at the cracks increasing.

  "Doesn't matter, run!" I yell as I bolt forward, firmly gripping her hand and pulling her along.

  Reacting swiftly, she matches my pace and starts running alongside me.

  It proves to be a wise decision, for mere seconds ter, the tunnel colpses behind us, accompanied by bone-chilling shrieks and bloodthirsty roars that reverberate throughout the passage.

  Using the cacophony as a signal, I draw my pistol, aiming it at the incoming monsters. However, my heart sinks as I'm greeted by a horde of bck and white surging towards us and rapidly closing distance on us.

  With a surge of instinct, I pull the trigger as fast as I can, the sharp cracks of gunfire echoing through the tunnel. Bke joins me, her firepower blending seamlessly with mine. Yet, it becomes painfully clear that our ammunition is merely scratching the surface of this onsught. The Grimm, fueled by their predatory instincts, inch closer with each passing moment, their red eyes gleaming with malice.

  "Bke, use your sembnce!" I shout over the chaos, desperately searching for any possible advantage.

  She looks at me for a brief moment, surprise flickering across her face, but quickly nods in understanding. Without another word, her sembnce activates, leaving a trail of elemental clones in her wake. The Grimm fall upon the illusions, tearing into them with relentless ferocity. Explosions reverberate through the tunnel as the clones detonate, causing the monster to collide and stumble into each other as the first line attacks the non explosive clones, effectively slowing their pursuit and granting us precious space.

  However, our relief is short-lived. Above us, ominous rumbling echoes through the tunnel, drawing our attention skyward. A rge crack forms, stretching ominously towards a point just beyond our position. Before we can react, the ground gives way, and a horde of Beowolves crashes down, their invasive presence effectively blocking our path.

  Curses fill my mind as I swiftly summon my cws, the metallic glint reflecting my determination to get out of here alive. It is very clear to us that if we are to continue our escape, we must cw our way through the wall of snarling beasts before us.

  Showing off her agility, Bke takes the lead, her bde held firmly before her as she gracefully cuts through the first group of Beowolves with a sweeping arc, clearing a path for us.

  However, our progress is only temporary, for more packs of Beowolves descend. Recognizing the futility of avoidance, I join Bke in the fray, rushing forward to meet them head-on.

  I strike down the first bastard, blocking my way with a powerful swing of my cws, its dark form crumbling beneath my fierce assault. Not wasting another second, I leap forward, using the heads of the surrounding Beowolves as stepping stones, propelling myself higher into the air. With calcuted precision, I descend upon a Grimm which is more focused on Bke, my momentum and force crushing its head like I've done many times before.

  The csh of steel and snarls fills the air as Bke and I fight side by side, a whirlwind of calcuted strikes and evasive maneuvers. We hold nothing back, never relenting in the face of the encroaching horde.We only can press forward without pausing to witness the aftermath of our onsught.

  At this point, exhaustion becomes a distant concept, overshadowed by the burning desire to escape this hellhole.

  In a daring move, Bke turns around, momentarily breaking her stride, and unleashes another barrage of bullets towards the Grimm hot on our heels. Inspired by her actions, I follow suit, summoning the st reserves of ammunition in my gun and unleashing them upon them. Empty casings ctter against the ground as we fire relentlessly, desperately hoping to buy ourselves a little more time.

  A fatal mistake as it did practically nothing to them. Even more, I dare to say that little resistance only emboldened them more. We instantly turn on our heels and run. I am out of ammo while Bke keeps firing.I hear a clicking sound beside me and turn to see Bke's struggle to reload her weapon, only to have the magazine slip from her grasp, cttering to the ground.

  Double fuck.

  Knowing that magazine is totally lost, we just keep running.

  As if fate itself revels in our torment, the ceiling above us trembles once more, and even more cracks spider webbing across its surface before finally giving way. In a deafening crash, a lone Beowolf descends from the colpsing debris, its piercing howl filling the air. We immediately recognize the shape and size of an Alpha Beowolf, a fucking bastard that is stronger than the average mutt.

  Recognition dawns upon me, and a frown creases my brow as I recall my previous encounter with this particur bastard. The Alpha Beowolf's raw strength is capable of overpowering me in a direct confrontation. However, before I can think of a way to kill it or say something, Bke springs into action with a burst of incredible speed. Her bde cuts through the air with deadly precision, cleaving the Alpha Beowolf in half with a swift strike. Snapping out of my brief stupor, I quickly gather my wits and seize the opportunity presented. Without hesitation, I rush forward, snatching the upper half of the now dead alpha. With every ounce of strength within me, I hurl it towards the relentless horde closing in on us from behind.

  The huge carcass becomes a makeshift barrier, a temporary obstruction that forces the pursuing Grimm to momentarily falter as the first line crashes against it and causes a domino effect on the rest.We seize the chance, our muscles burning with exertion as we continue our frenzied sprint and gain more precious ground.

  "THERE!"

  Bke's urgent yell snaps my attention back, my eyes locking onto a wide-open, heavily reinforced metallic door not very far from us.

  Without wasting a moment, Bke dashes towards the entrance, and I push my body to its limits, desperately striving to keep up. Before reaching the door, I fling myself through the doorway. Bke swiftly sms the door shut, securing it with a resounding thud from the hinges.

  Colpsing onto the cold floor, my body is taken by exhaustion as I gasp for precious breaths to replenish my burning lungs. The adrenaline that sustained me moments ago begins to recede, leaving behind a bone-deep weariness. But as I attempt to steady my ragged breathing, a sudden jolt of fear courses through me as a tremendous impact reverberates against the door.

  A moment of tense silence hangs in the air, our breaths caught in our throats, before another powerful sm against the door, followed by roars. Yet the reinforced door stands firm.

  I clutch my chest and let out a sigh of relief, but it doesn't st as I feel my arm being yanked back, forcing me to get up. My head snaps back and sees Bke practically dragging me at a rapid pace further inside the dark room, leaving behind the besieged door.

  As we venture deeper inside, our eyes fall upon another door nestled within a crumbling, broken wall. It appears weaker than the one currently holding back the relentless tide. Together, we step into the new room, which soon reveals an oppressive darkness, offering little visibility. But Bke quickly illuminates the surroundings by activating her scroll, casting a dim glow that serves as a makeshift light source. She wastes no time, swiftly locking the st entrance and securing it with a massive bar.

  However, Bke's efforts don't end there. She tirelessly drags objects and any sizable items she can find towards the door, using them to fortify the entrance. Despite my fatigue, I straighten myself and lend a hand, helping her to move more weight until the frame of the door is completely obscured beneath a chaotic pile of debris.

  Only then do we colpse to our knees, gasping for more precious breaths of air. I take one final step, surrendering my weary body to the uncomfortable rocky floor.

  [Congratutions! You have leveled up!] x2?This is a very cruel fucking joke.

  'Status'

  Ma'iq RakhanRace–Feline FaunusAge 17Css: The pugilistLevel–11 (9%)Mentor – Bke BeldonnaApprentice– Jeanne d'ArcHP – 500/500 [45 regen per minute]MP – 1724/1970 [350 regen per minute]SP – 529/2510 [200 regen per minute]STR–33END–41DEX–51INT–40WIS–36CHA–32LCK–10Status:Mentorship: 25% exp increase

  Almost overexerted myself.

  I remember wanting to increase my level fast, but this is too much to handle, too dangerous. More than a favor, this felt like a big fuck you.

  Letting out a frustrated groan, I muster the strength to push myself off the ground, wincing as I rub my aching back. Retrieving my scroll from my inventory, since it would have fallen from my pocket otherwise, I activated it, looking for a small distraction. However, a single message notification dominates de dispy.

  The Gamer system has been updated to V 1.5Changelog-Name updated, Cook job to Culinarian job-New items added to the store-New items added to the library-Css system unlockedUh?

  I mean… It's surprising to get a name change for that job. Yet, it's the mention of the css system that truly catches me off guard. Maybe this is the st missing link that can fix my handicap with other weapons that aren't fit for a pugilist or the weird restrictions that my own css has.

  I should train again with the sword and shield once I'm back in Vale.

  However, my immediate priority remains escaping this hellhole alongside Bke. Training can wait.

  Speaking of her.

  She is just there, alone and silent, hugging her knees close to her chest. The expression on her is confusing, to say the least, more like a lost expression rather than troubled.

  "Are you alright?" I ask.

  Startled, she snaps back to the present. "Yeah, yeah... just tired," she responds, her words cking conviction.

  She looks more than tired to me, but I won't press on. "Can't bme you there."

  Standing up, I survey our surroundings, or at least attempt to. The darkness makes it incredibly difficult to see past my hands. I bring back my scroll and use its light before changing it to my Atlesian mask with its own fshlight, which I should have used since the beginning. With a much better vision of the room, the first thing that catches my attention is a bed; a real bed, complete with a pillow.

  Shifting my attention to another corner of the room, my eyes catch sight of a switch. I make my way over and flip it, finally bathing the entire space in much-needed light. With the room now properly lit, I send my mask back and proceed to properly check out our new shelter for the night.

  Compared to the previous one, this safe house is notably rger. It boasts four proper beds neatly lined up against one wall. On the other side, everything that could be moved had been pced to barricade the entrance, chairs, tables, and shelves.

  However, one item stands out in the empty space; a small fridge. My curiosity piques, I approach it and open it, only to heave a disappointed sigh as I find it completely empty. While not entirely surprising, it would have been a nice surprise to find even a single water bottle inside.

  Gncing back, I notice Bke still seated in the same pce, seemingly lost in her thoughts.

  She must be thinking about something heavy again, so I won't bother her.

  Instead, I settle myself onto the nearest bed, finding it to be decently comfortable. While it may not be the best bed I've ever encountered, it certainly beats sleeping on the hard floor. The pillow, though firm, is manageable. I make a mental note to gather the other avaible quilts and stack them together, creating a makeshift pillow for added comfort.

  For now, I just take out my scroll and start browsing for the two apps that have been affected.

  Starting with the online store.

  And just like the changelog said, there are more things on sale.

  A six-pack of Pepsi… at 17000 lien.

  These are the moments that make me wanna test the durability of my soul bond scroll. It's ridiculous that it is even an option here. Although, I can save one thousand lien…

  Yeah, no.

  I made a promise to myself and I intend to keep it no matter how tempting it is, so let's move out of the way and see what's on the list.

  A Beowolf Funko-Pop?

  The fuck is a Funko Pop and why is it even five thousands lien?!

  Next.

  A multi-tool knife for one thousand lien.

  [Multi-tool knife has been added to your inventory.]?Just in case.

  And it is a good purchase. I mean there might be an occasion it will come in handy and the price is retively cheap.

  Moving on…

  The next thing on the list is a hairbrush for two hundred lien. This is clearly a mockery of me.

  And the rest is junk food and more junk food, ranging from 100 to 700 hundred lien, which is still way overpriced for regur snacks I can buy in the city.

  I just close the store app and check the library app.

  The screen shows a dozen new titles but they are as cheap as the 'Tale of Davy Jones' so they must be short stories. I will save them for a boring afternoon.

  Yet one particur title stands out from the rest, the price being the biggest reason.

  'Training Manual I: Signet of Resolve' And it costs 15000 lien.

  I immediately tap it, and a small description shows up above a big buy button.

  Signet of Resolve (Passive): The Signet of Resolve serves as a versatile tool for fighters, providing them with increased survivability.It is a vital skill for both solo and group encounters, allowing fighters to heal themselves, support their allies, and maintain a resilient presence on the battlefield.Removes a single weak condition every 10 seconds.Frowning, I take a moment to contempte the situation, delving deep into my thoughts. I didn't expect to unlock a training manual or anything special from my digital library, but here it is.

  However, questions immediately flood my mind. If I decide to invest in it, how will it actually work? Will it require intensive training or function in a different way?

  The manual refers to it as a passive skill, and while the description is somewhat peculiar, I manage to grasp the general idea that it could be useful.

  But this purchase would set me back in my goal to gather funds and if it doesn't work, then it would have been wasted money for absolutely no gain.

  Biting my lower lip, I find myself at a crossroads, weighing the pros and cons before finally steeling myself to press the buy button.

  Almost immediately after pressing the buy button, a sharp stinging sensation erupts beneath my eyes, causing me to involuntarily hiss in pain. Startled, I drop the scroll from my hands and hastily rub the painful spots, hoping to ease it.

  After what feels like an eternity, I lower my hands and blink a few times, reassuring myself that everything is back to normal. Thankfully, nothing seems to have changed or feels out of the ordinary, except for that weird pain that stopped just as soon as it came.

  Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I retrieve my scroll from where it fell and cast my gaze around the room. My focus now shifts to locating a stack of crates or boxes that might be hidden away. Soon enough, I spot them tucked beneath one of the beds. Spotting them conveniently stashed beneath one of the beds, I drag them out and reveal their contents.

  A big mess

  But a big mess of ammo magazines.

  "I found ammo!" I announce before summoning my pistol and start looking for the right ammo type.

  Looking through the many ammo magazines and digging deeper, I end up uncovering three full magazines, much to my delight, so I quickly reload my gun before sending it to my inventory, along with the extra ammo.

  But as soon as I finish, I realize that Bke hasn't come for ammo, like she did at the first checkpoint. I gnce over to her and find her in the exact position with the same lost expression on her face.

  Letting out a sigh, I make the decision to approach her, realizing that leaving her alone in her current state would do more harm than good. While I may not possess the answers to her troubles or be able to fix them. I can at least provide some support.

  Not even noticing my approach, I sat beside her. "Is something bothering you?"

  She averts her gaze, her ears lying ft atop her head "No..." she replies, her voice barely a whisper.

  Even a blind person can tell she is lying, but I don't know what to say or what to do. I grab my chin in deep thought for a while.

  "Don't beat yourself about this whole mess, grimm are unpredictable."

  "It's not that Ma'iq." She turns to look at me with a frown.

  I raise my hands in mock surrender. "Well, I'm out of ideas, unless…"

  I summon a cup of vanil ice cream and give it to her.

  Her ears perk up in surprise, and her eyes widen at the unexpected treat.

  "Don't expect seconds, because that's all I have," I quip, realizing that this may be the perfect opportunity to share the ice cream I had stashed away.

  Sweets should work on a gloomy person, I think.

  She simply takes my gift, taking a small bite and licking her lips.

  "Thank you."

  I shrug, offering her a smile, and make my way towards one of the beds, leaving her to enjoy this humble moment.

  Whether my gift had any real impact or not, at least she seems content with her vanil ice cream, diverting her attention from those troubled thoughts.

  I settle onto my bed, covering myself with the quilt. It's far from comfortable like I first thought, but I'll have to make do until I become accustomed to it. In the meantime, I have some time for myself and my thoughts.

  I mean the Goobbue for starters, I've never ever seen or heard a grimm like that but that shape still lingers, there is a sense of familiarity I didn't know I have in me. It's just baffling that I can recognize things that I just don't know, and that just points to the obvious question.

  Will it happen again?

  Or what about the Grimm tide that is practically outside our shelter?

  At least they aren't banging on our door, which is a very welcome oddity, yet I can only pray they disperse tomorrow morning and leave us alone.

  I would rather have a boring walk rather than running for my life.

  Shifting to find a more comfortable position, I eventually settle into a retively better spot. Slowly but steadily, my eyelids grow heavy, and the world around me fades into darkness.

  I know this pce.

  I don't know where I am, but I just know I've been here before.

  And I am waiting for something. Something really big is about to happen as soon as I cross those gigantic doors. Someone inside that room is expecting my help. Only I can help… her.

  But I cannot move. I'm actually nervous about crossing that door. Something big will happen and I don't know if I am up to the weight of that task, but if I don't do it, that person will suffer.

  I cannot allow that. I won't allow it.

  But can I actually do it?

  And…

  And something warm weighs on my shoulder.

  I cannot even see what is above me. The light is blinding me.

  "...Should… lose heart, look to me in the stands, and I shall… you will wonder how could ever have… doubt yourself. Now, are you ready?"?Right.

  Silly me, I have faced much worse than a bunch of idiots with shiny armors and big-ass weapons. I was worried over nothing.

  So I only need to cross that door and…

  Why is everything so cold?

  It's very, very cold.

  My whole body is chilling, and the wind is merciless.

  Except my hands.

  They still hold a warmth sensation… that is slowly becoming colder.

  Why?

  It's too cold.

  Too cold.

  I'm sorry…

  I jolt awake, my heart pounding in my chest as I gasp for air. Tears stream down my face, mingling with the sweat that covers my trembling body. Only noticing that I kicked away my quilt.

  I immediately roll over the bed, only to fall to the floor in a heap. Pain shoots through my side as I hit the hard floor.

  I lie there, crumpled on the floor, sobbing uncontrolbly. My hands slowly cover my face before I let out a scream muffled by my hands.

  Why?

  I don't even know why I am bawling my eyes out.

  "Ma'iq!"

  Yet what is that deep regret gripping my heart? This fucking stupid pain?!

  "Ma'iq!"

  Why?! Why?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?! WHY?!

  "MA'IQ!"

  A sharp sting resonates across my right cheek. Forcing my eyes to snap open, and I find myself face to face with Bke. Her eyes are wide with concern, a mix of worry clear on her face.

  "B-Bke?"

  My words caused her to give a long sigh of relief and finally release my hands that I didn't notice she was restraining with a vice grip.

  Just what the fuck was that?

  With her help, I gather myself, and she guides me to sit back on my bed. "Are you okay?"

  Taking a few deep breaths, I wipe away any lingering tears from my face. "I don't know..." I admit, my voice trembling. I pause, searching for words to describe the unsettling dream, but come up empty. "I really don't know. I-I just had a dream, and..."

  Her hand rubs my back in a soothing manner, offering a comforting touch that elicits soft hum from my part and actually letting my tail move freely.

  "I didn't know you had nightmares," she eventually says, breaking the silence.

  "I don't, or at least I think I don't. This is the first time I got overwhelmed over something this stupid."

  "It isn't stupid if it affected it this much." She responds, her tone serious. She looks at me intently, locking her gaze with mine. "Do you want to talk about it?"

  I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

  Oh, so NOW she wants to talk?

  "No, it's nothing special." I answer, shaking my head.

  Bke looks down slightly, and she nods, choosing to stay close to me for a while longer.

  Unexpectedly, my friend stands up and makes her way towards the blocked entrance. She opens a closet that was hidden there, rummaging around until she retrieves a small tube. My curiosity piqued once again. I raise an eyebrow as she bends the pstic tube and shakes it, causing something inside to emit a green glow.

  "My parents always told me that light protects you from bad dreams," she expins, extending the glowing stick towards me. "I hope it helps you."

  I take the glowing stick into my hands, observing the soft radiance emanating from it. After a moment, I can't help but snort in amusement at her gesture. "Geez, thanks, Mom."

  Bke responds with a warm smile before returning to her own bed. My hand instinctively twitches, a subconscious desire to reach out for her, but I quickly suppress the impulse.She has already helped me enough. The rest should be on me, not her.

  I pce the glowing stick beside my pillow, its dim green light casting a soft glow on my side of the room. I lie back on the bed, pulling the covers over myself, and find myself fixated on the green stick, or as Bke called, my dream protector.

  It's dumb, I know, but if it helps, then it helps.

  But I cannot find my sleep because of that dream. It was too personal, too connected to me, too lively, too real. A memory I would even dare to call it rather than cross it as another meaningless dream of the many I keep having.

  And deep down, it made sense to me. A lot of sense.

  As I lie in bed, I can't help but ask myself once more a question that I thought I answered a long time ago.

  Just… who am I?