Chapter 50:

Chapter 50:

Abel wanted to explore his surroundings right away, even if it was just a small area, but he couldnt even walk properly, so he had to sit back down because his physical condition was at its worst.

Arg..

May looked at Abel as he sat down groaning before speaking,

Dont overwork yourself. Are you worried about the other kids?

Huh?

I heard Gigant approaching In the distance just before we got swept away.

Oh..

May guessed that Abel was overdoing it because he was worried about the other kids. When, in fact, it was Abel who confirmed through the message that the behemoth was defeated, but it was a misunderstanding that did not need to be corrected, so he nodded.

Really? Thats a relief.

Yes.

May answered briefly and didnt speak again. An awkward atmosphere lingered in the air. No, to be exact, it was only Abel who felt that way. It wasnt that he didnt have a close relationship with May. He saw her more often than the other kids in the class. But this was the first time they were together like this.

To begin with, May is the kind of person who doesnt talk much.

Even in the game, May didnt talk much. She found everything annoying and dozed off a lot, so theres nothing much for her to say.

Thats because she has her own story.

While he was lost in thought, May spoke to him again.

What are you going to do?

Huh?

We cant keep staying here .

True to her word, the place they were in was too open. They could be easily spotted.

I see. We dont know how long well have to wait, so lets get to a safe place.

I think we should leave the gigants behind. Theyre both too damaged to maneuver.

Both Abel and Mays gigant were in bad shape. Their cores had been damaged in the sudden movement, and exposure to the powerful surge of energy seemed to have caused an overload.

Alright. Lets see if we can hide in caves or other places nearby.

Yeah.

May nodded in agreement. Just like Abel, she needed to rest.

It would have been better to rest after finding the artifact.

Abel thought he could at least rest since he had been moved closer to the artifact. After all, the original goal was to find the artifact by the end of the day.

Then.. Alright .

Abel staggered as he stood up. Hed been thinking so hard that hed momentarily forgotten that he wasnt in the best shape. He lost his balance and stumbled badly, but fortunately, he didnt fall, thanks to May, who came over and grabbed his arm.

Oh, thank you.

Can you walk?

I think Ill be fine if I walk slowly.

With that, Abel cautiously took a step. But he quickly grimaced at the stabbing pain. May looked at him and suddenly tugged on his arm. As Abel looked at her in confusion, May spoke calmly.

I can help you.

You dont have to

Its best to find a safe place to rest as soon as possible.

At that, Abel fell silent. Even in his mind, it would be much faster to be helped than just walking alone and slowing them down.

I accept your help.

Alright .

Abel began to walk with Mays support. It was uncomfortable because of the slight height difference, but it was much better than walking alone.

Smooth,

Abel thought to himself without realizing it, then looked down at May and made eye contact with her.

Are you uncomfortable?

Huh, no.

- -

A voice from nowhere made him narrow his eyes as he slowly drifted out of his meditative state.

Abel!

And when he was sure he heard his name being called, he opened his eyes. The first thing that caught his eye was someone with gorgeous eyes with white skin, and long eyelashes.

May?

Shh. Be quiet.

Abel shuddered. This is because the distance from May was so close that he could feel her breath on his face. Abel asked her in a small voice.

Whats the matter?

This place. Its not an ordinary cave.

What do..

May pointed to one side. Abel tried to ask what she meant by that but then kept quiet. This is because there was an open passage where she pointed. It was a place blocked by a wall until he started meditating. It was definitely surprising. However, that didnt explain why May was so close to him.

But why..

Shh!

Abel tried to ask her, but May put her finger to his mouth again and told him to be quiet. The warmth of Mays proximity to him reached Abel. But the cold sweat dripping from her forehead caught Abels attention more than anything. When he looked closely, he saw that May was stiff with tension. And the mystery of her closeness was quickly answered.

Kung-! Kung-! Kuung-!

With the sound of heavy steps, a huge figure appeared at the end of the passage. It walked on two feet like a human, covering its entire body in thick armor. There was nothing strange about it, but the problem was that it was over 2 meters tall.

Kung, Kung, Kung!

It left after looking around for a moment, and only then did May open her mouth.

Its a guardian. You know what it is, dont you?

Yes.

Abel nodded his head. It looks like a human, but it is not a human. The Guardian is an armament that is only occasionally found in these ruins. In other words, that passage was a road that led to the ruins. For Abel, this was an extremely happy moment.

Of course, he couldnt show it. The ruins are an extremely dangerous place, and he just confirmed the existence of the guardian. It was a normal reaction to be as nervous as May. Trying to figure out how to enter the ruins, Abel asked a question.

What do we do?

We cant go outside.

Why?

I checked while you were meditating, and there were tons of gigant fragments around.

May said as she wrinkled her eyebrows.

I think it would be better to look for another exit here. What do you think?

Thats a wise decision. Of course, I agree. Abel said, nodding in agreement.

May looked at Abel with a strange expression when he answered right away.

Are you sure its a good idea?

You said its more dangerous outside? Then, we have to go in there.

Thats thats true. How are you feeling now ?

Huh?

Abel belatedly checked his physical condition and realized he felt much better than before meditating. Although the pain remained, it was not to the point where he needed support like before. Recovering mana through breathing techniques seemed to have an effect.

Its much better.

Alright. But just in case, Ill take the lead for now.

Okay.

May nodded and stood up. Abel stood up after her and thought to himself.

Now that I think about it, her personality seems completely different from usual.

Hed noticed she had been acting differently lately. He wasnt just talking about the fact that she was talking more. Despite the situation, she seemed to feel a strangely strong sense of responsibility. It was almost like she was a different person. As he thought up to that point, Mays past suddenly came to mind.

Maybe Im overlapping with a memory from the past

Abel.

Abel, who had been lost in his thoughts, came to his senses at Mays call. She was gesturing to him as if she wanted him to come quickly. Abel put aside the thought he just had and followed after her. There were more important things to do right now.

It was time to explore the ruins.

[To be continued.]