No one's POV
Currently, the Goblins are making their way towards Zora and Eugeo and he was still completely terrified and Zora was trying to get him to listen and he grabbed him and pulled him behind some ice pillars and covered his mouth.
Zora: Eugeo, get a hold of yourself!
Eugeo started to calm down and Zora took his hand off his mouth.
Zora: Eugeo, we have to save Selka. Can you do this?
Zora heard him murmur in the affirmative. As he expected, reserved and gentle Eugeo had a strong core.
Zora: When I count to three, we'll rush the front four with a body slam. We're bigger than them, so we can win as long as we don't falter. Then I'll knock the left fire into the pond, and you do the right. Don't lose your glowing grass. When the fires are out, pick up a sword and guard my back. You don't have to beat them if you don't need to. I'll work on taking out the big guy.
Eugeo:...I've never swung a sword.
Zora: It's just like an ax. Here goes...one, two, three!
They got a perfect start, racing down the ice without slipping. Zora could only pray that luck held out to the very end of this maneuver.
Zora: Raaaaah!!
A moment later, Zora heard Eugeo echo, "Waaah!" It was a bit more like a scream, but it did the trick. The four goblins stopped, their yellow eyes bulging. Then again, their surprise may have had more to do with the "Ium younglings" engaging in a suicide charge, rather than the ferocity of our yelling.
At the tenth step, Zora sank down, lowered his right shoulder, and charged like a football tackler for the gap between the leftmost goblin and the one next to him. Thanks to the size difference and element of surprise, he knocked both onto their backs, where they slid across the ice, arms wheeling. To the right, Eugeo's tackle was equally effective, sending the other two spinning like turtles in their shells.
They continued toward the goblin force, picking up momentum. Fortunately, their reaction time was poor, and most of them, including the captain, were still staring at us in shock.
Zora(mind): That's right, keep gaping...
Zora thought savagely, racing through the goblin ranks toward the final few yards. Just then, the goblin captain showed off the intelligence that separated him from the others and snarled.
Goblin Leader: Don't let them near the—
But he was just a bit too late. Eugeo and Zora leaped onto the fire braziers, kicking them over toward the water. The flames plunged into the black water, shooting up a cloud of sparks and emitting white steam where they fell. For a moment, the dome was totally dark—until a faint white light pushed back the blackness. It was coming from the cattail in Eugeo's left hand.
Then the second stroke of luck occurred. The crowd of goblins all around erupted into shrieks. Some covered their faces, while others turned away and cowered. Across the pond, even the goblin leader was leaning back, holding out his hand to shield his eyes.
Eugeo: Zora...What is this...?
Zora: I think...they're weak to that light. Now's our chance!
From the piles strewn around the pond, Zora picked up a crude longsword that was more like a flat sheet of metal, as well as a scimitar with a heavy tip. He pressed the latter of the two into Eugeo's free hand.
Zora: Eugeo! Just drive back any that get too close! Use the light to push them back, and swing that sword at any that venture too close.
Eugeo: Wh-what about you?
Zora: I've got him.
Zora plunged forward at the goblin captain, who glared furiously through the slits of the fingers he held out to block the light. He tested the sword in his hands with a quick swing back and forth. It felt less sturdy than the appearance suggested, but it was certainly much easier to use than the Blue Rose Sword.
Ugachi: Grurah! Filthy Ium brats...You think to challenge the great Ugachi the Lizard Killer?!
The Goblin roared, watching Zora close the distance toward him with one baleful eye. He drew an enormous machete from his waist with his other hand. The blackened blade was covered in menacing stains of blood and rust.
Zora(mind): Can I win this fight?!
Although they were of equal height, Ugachi was clearly heavier and stronger than Zora was. But the next moment, Zora gritted his teeth and plunged onward. If Zora didn't defeat him and failed to save Selka, that would mean that all he'd accomplished in this world was setting her up for the most gruesome of fates. Size wasn't an issue. He had killed countless foes three or four times his size in the old Aincrad. And back then, Zora knew for a fact that death was permanent.
Zora: I'm not going to challenge you—I'm going to beat you!
Zora yelled, half to Ugachi and half to himself as he closed the last stretch of distance. He took out some of the other Goblins while closing in on Ugachi. Zora's left foot plunged forward, and he swung the sword diagonally at Ugachi's left shoulder. Zora wasn't taking the foe lightly, but even then, Ugachi's reaction was quicker than he had expected. He ignored Zora's strike and swiped sideways with the machete, which Zora just barely evaded by hunching down. He felt a few hairs rip out as it passed. Zora's own swing had struck true, but all it did was crush his metal shoulder pauldron.
Sensing that if Zora's momentum died, Ugachi would overpower him, he stayed low and spun around the enemy, swinging horizontally at his exposed side. The feedback was solid again, but this time it merely broke five or six metal scales free without even piercing the crude armor.
Zora: Sword Skill [Sharp Nail]!
His sword took on a very faint red light. Zora's body darted at a speed beyond the physical laws of the world. It was as if an unseen hand had just pushed him on the back. The first slash rose from the lower right, clipping the enemy's left leg and arresting his movement. The second swipe from left to right dug into the target's breastplate and lightly gouged his flesh.
The third slice from the upper right hit the enemy's left arm, raised in defense, and loudly severed it just below the elbow. The spray of blood from the arm stump looked pitch-black in the pale glow. The severed limb spun through the air and landed in the pond on the left, splashing loudly.
Zora(mind): I won!
However, unlike a 3-D-modeled monster, the goblin captain did not stop moving whatsoever after Zora cut off his arm. The gleaming yellow eyes swam with no fear, no hesitation—just pure hatred. Black blood streamed from his wound as a roar shot from his mouth.
Ugachi: Garruaah!!
The machete in his other hand swept forward. Zora wasn't able to cleanly evade the horizontal swipe of heavy metal. The end of it merely brushed his left shoulder, but it was enough force to knock Zora over six feet backward to slam onto the ice.
Eugeo: Zora! Are you down?!
Eugeo called from a distance, keeping the goblins at bay with the scimitar in one hand and the lit cattail in the other. Zora tried to tell him that it was just a scratch, but his tongue was too stubborn to comply. Zora merely wheezed and nodded. He put his hand to the ice, trying to get up. Instantly, a burning sensation like all the nerves in his left shoulder catching fire shot through my upper half, causing sparks to fly before his eyes. Unstoppable tears flooded from his eyes, and a groan tumbled from his throat.
Zora(mind): What tremendous pain! In a virtual world, no way would I feel... pain like this!
Ugachi: You little White lum brat! How dare you slice off my arm! I won't forgive you! I won't forgive you for this!
Zora then stood back up with blood dripping down his arm. Through tear-blotted eyes, Zora saw Ugachi finish staunching his bloody arm and turn to Zora. The fury exuding from his eyes seemed to set the air shimmering with heat. He moved the machete from his teeth to his remaining hand and swung it loudly. Zora and Ugachi then rushed each and Zora slide under Ugachi and used another Sword skill [Slant], hitting Ugachi's eyes, but Ugachi then hit Zora and sent him flying into ice pillar and Ugachi then stood over Zora.
Ugachi:...Even tearing you to pieces and devouring your flesh will not remove this humiliation...but that doesn't mean I won't do it.
He swung the machete over his head as he approached. Zora tore his eyes away and glanced at Selka, trussed up in the far distance. He had to stand and fight, but his body wouldn't listen. It was as if the fright and hesitation in his heart took the form of physical shackles that bound him in place... The heavy footsteps came to a stop before him. Zora sensed air moving, the approach of an enormous blade bearing down on him. It was too late to evade or counter. Zora gritted his teeth and waited for his last moment in this world. But no matter how long he waited, the guillotine never struck. Instead, Zora heard the sound of quick footsteps on ice and a familiar voice—
Eugeo: Zoraaaaaaaaaaa.......!!!!
Zora's eyes shot open and caught sight of Eugeo, leaping over him to attack Ugachi. He swung the scimitar wildly, driving the enemy back a few steps. The goblin was initially startled, but he regained his poise quickly, nimbly reaching out with the machete to block Eugeo's attacks. For a moment, Zora forgot his pain and yelled.
Zora: Don't, Eugeo! Just run!!
Eugeo: This time... I'll be the one... to protect you!
But he was bellowing and swinging the sword, apparently beside himself in the moment. Thanks to years of swinging that ax, the speed of his strikes was stunning, but they were on a predictable rhythm. Ugachi focused on defense, enjoying the resistance of his prey, and finally growled and swept Eugeo's support leg out from under him with a toe. As Eugeo lost balance and toppled, the monster confidently pulled back his machete.
Zora: Nooooo!
He swiped effortlessly before the scream left Zora's lips.
The machete hit Eugeo in the stomach and threw him back to fall heavily at Zora's side. He turned over to Eugeo's direction, feeling a blinding pain in his shoulder but summoning the strength to ignore it. Eugeo's wound was far worse than his. A jagged line was carved straight across his torso, pulsing rivulets of blood. The piece of grass still clutched in his hand illuminated the vague sight of organs deep within the injury, moving irregularly.
He coughed and gurgled, producing a bloody froth. His green eyes were already losing focus, staring emptily into thin air. But Eugeo did not stop trying to get up. He exhaled short bursts of misty red breath, willing strength into trembling arms.
Zora: Eugeo...it's okay...just stop... Stay with me, Eugeo!
Eugeo had to be suffering far more than Zora was at this moment. He couldn't be in his right mind. Just then, his unfocused eyes stared right at me, and he uttered blood- flecked word.
Eugeo: W-We promised each other as kids, remember? Me, you and Alice. We were born on the same day, so we're going to die on the same day. This time... I'm keeping it.
The strength drained from his arms at last. Zora promptly reached out to support his frame with both hands. Eugeo's slender but muscular weight. The moment it sank into him— A series of white flashes blinded Zora's vision. Vague shadows floated onto that blank screen.
Beneath a vivid red sunset, walking down a road through barley fields. Holding Zora's right hand was a young boy with flaxen hair. Holding his left, a girl with golden braids.
Zora(mind): Yes...we believed the world would never change. We believed the three of us would always be together. And we failed to protect her. We were helpless. I would never forget that despair, that lack of power. This time... this time I would...
Ugachi: Die!
Zora: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!
Zora didn't feel the pain in his shoulder anymore. He lay Eugeo's limp body down onto the ice, reached over, and grabbed the handle of the longsword. When Zora lifted his head, Ugachi's machete was in the process of coming down on him. He swiped sideways and knocked it away.
Ugachi: Grruah.
Ugachi grunted in surprise, backing off a step, and Zora rose to his feet and tackled Ugachi. The goblin took a few more steps back. Zora pointed the sword in his hand at the dead center of his target, took a deep breath, and exhaled.
Zora: Yes, I was an amateur when it came to physical pain. But I knew about anguish that was far more horrific than that. This wound was nothing compared to the pain of losing a loved one. This machine might manipulate memory, but the pain of loss never truly left.
Ugachi roared in fury and impatience. His screeching underlings fell silent around them.
Ugachi: White Ium...Learn your place!!
He roared, rushing at Zora with the machete. Zora focused just on the point. His ears rang, and everything else on the outside of his vision disappeared. It was the speeding up of the senses, a sensation like brain cells blowing out that Zora hadn't experienced in a very long time.
Zora(mind): In this world, I guess it was more like my soul burning.
Zora lunged forward to avoid the diagonal swipe, bringing his sword up to slice off the enemy's remaining arm at the base. The massive limb and its machete spun through the air to land amid the goblins, who shrieked at the sight. Ugachi, missing both arms now, locked Zora with yellow-eyed rage and even more shock as he faltered. Black liquid gushed from the fresh wound, landing in the water and sending up steam.
Ugachi:...No...no Ium whelp could possibly...
Before he could even finish his sentence, Zora was racing forward.
Zora: No! My name is not 'Ium'!
Zora screamed, the words coming straight from his unconscious mind. His whole body whipped forward, from his toes through his fingers, to the end of the sword. It glowed again, light green this time. An invisible hand shoved my back. The charging skill, Sonic Leap.
Zora: I am...Zora the Swordsman!! Sword Skill, Sonic Leap!
The sound of air ripping hit his ears just after Ugachi's massive head floated high into the air. It flew straight up, then spun in place as it fell into his left hand. Zora clutched the feathered headdress like a rooster comb and held up the bleeding trophy.
Zora: I've taken the head of your boss. If any of you still want to fight, come on! Those who don't, return to the land of darkness right now!
That seemed to settle the issue at last. The remaining goblins let out high- pitched wails and breathlessly raced for the dome's exit on the far side from where they came in. They kicked and shoved one another in the hurry to escape through the tunnel and were soon gone from sight. The echoes of their footsteps and screeching faded away, and a cold silence fell within the icy dome. That prior heat might as well have never been there.
Zora took a deep breath to hold the returning pain in his shoulder at bay, and tossed aside the sword and severed head. The only thing that mattered now was getting to his fallen friend.
Zora: Eugeo!! Hang in there!!
Zora called, but Eugeo's pale eyelids didn't even twitch. Faint breath was going through his parted lips, but it might stop at any moment. Blood still oozed from the ghastly wound in his stomach, but Zora didn't know how to actually stop it from continuing. With cramped fingers, Zora made the sigil S and tapped Eugeo's shoulder, praying as Zora looked at the window that appeared.
His life power now read 244/3425. Even worse, it was dropping a point every two seconds. That meant Zora had perhaps eight minutes left before Eugeo's life bled away forever.
Zora: Hang in there; I'm going to save you! Don't die on me!
Zora pleaded, getting to his feet. He raced as fast as he could to the cart placed to the side of the dome. It held barrels and boxes with unknown contents, a variety of weapons, and a trussed-up Selka. Zora grabbed a knife out of one of the boxes and quickly cut her ropes. He lifted her light body and set her down on the floor for a quick examination—no noticeable wounds. Her breathing was much steadier than Eugeo's. He put his hands on the shoulders of her habit and shook her as firmly as he dared.
Zora: Selka...Selka! Open your eyes!!
Her long lashes twitched immediately and flipped open to reveal wide brown eyes. She started to shriek, not able to recognize Zora from the weak light of the cattail over at Eugeo's side.
Selka: N-no...nooo...!
She waved her arms, trying to push Zora off her, but he held tighter.
Zora: Selka, it's me! Zora! It's all right; the goblins are gone!
She stopped struggling as soon as she heard Zora's voice. Her hand reached out, trembling, to trace his cheek.
Selka: Zora...Is that you...?
Zora: Yeah, I came to save you. Are you all right? Are you hurt?
Selka: I...I'm fine...
Selka's face scrunched up, and she flung herself desperately around Zora's neck.
Selka: Zora, I...I...!
Zora heard her suck in a fierce breath near his ear, about to begin bawling as only a child could—so Zora abruptly lifted her into his arms and spun around to run again.
Zora: Sorry, hold back the tears for a bit! Eugeo's really hurt!!
Selka: Wha...?
She tensed up in his arms. Zora raced back for Eugeo, kicking the chunks of ice and junk littered around by the goblins on the way.
Zora: Normal measures aren't going to help him in time...You have to save him with your sacred arts, Selka! Hurry!
He urged, setting her down next to him. She held her breath and reached out a hesitant hand. When her fingers brushed the terrible wound on his torso, she shrank back. A few seconds later, she shook her head, the braid waving back and forth.
Selka: I can't...It's too deep...My sacred arts...aren't good enough... This can't be happening, Eugeo...You couldn't have done this...for me...
Tears tracked down Selka's cheeks and landed softly in the pool of blood atop the ice. She pulled her hands back to her face and started to sob. Zora knew it was cruel, but he had no choice but to yell at her.
Zora: Crying won't help Eugeo! I don't care if it doesn't work; just try it! You're going to be the next Sister for the village, remember? You're going to take over for Alice!
Her shoulders twitched and slumped.
Selka: I...can't be like her...She mastered a sacred art in three days that I can't memorize over an entire month. The only thing I can heal...is the tiniest little scratch...
Zora: Eugeo...
Zora started to say, faltered, then allowed the emotion welling up within me to burst free.
Zora: Eugeo came to save you, Selka! He risked his life to come here and save you, not Alice!
Her shoulders shook again, harder this time. All the while, Eugeo's life was plunging toward zero. They had only two minutes, maybe one. An agonizingly long moment of silence passed. And then, Selka abruptly looked up. The fear and hesitation in her eyes from just seconds earlier was no more.
Selka: Normal healing arts won't work in time. I'll have to attempt a dangerous high-level art. I'm going to need your help, Zora.
Zora: A-all right. Just say the word—I'll do anything.
Selka: Give me your left hand.
Zora reached out, and she gripped it with her right. Next, she used her other hand to hold Eugeo's where it lay atop the ice.
Selka: If this art fails, both you and I might die. Just be aware of that.
Zora: If it happens, make sure it only happens to me...Ready when you are!
She nodded, gazing at him with powerful intent. Then she closed her eyes and sucked in a breath.
Selka: System Call! Transfer Human Unit Durability, Right Hand Self to Left!!
A high-pitched whir followed the echoes of the voice. It swelled—and then a pillar of blue light surrounded Selka. It was blinding, far stronger than the cattail's light. Sky-blue filled the dome from end to end. Zora squinted a bit, but a strange sensation coming from the hand holding Selka's made him open his eyes wide again.
It felt like his body itself was melting into the light and flowing right out of his hand. In fact, little motes of light were visibly passing from his body through his left arm and into Selka's hand. With blurred vision, Zora saw the trail of light pass through Selka, grow stronger, and funnel down through Eugeo's hand.
Transfer Durability. The sacred art must be designed to allow people to pass their life to another. He was certain that if he opened his window now, he would see his number sinking fast.
Zora(mind): So Selka's transferring my life and her own?
Selka: Zora? Are you... still okay?
Zora: I'm fine. More... Give more to Eugeo.
Zora answered promptly, though he could barely see anymore. There was no feeling in his right hand or foot. Zora's left hand was the only part of him that beat with a hot pulse. If he lost his life in this world, it wouldn't bother him a bit. If he could saved Eugeo's life, he could withstand twice the pain that he had earlier. The only regret he would have would be failing to see what became of this world. What if those goblins were only the vanguard? What if the invasion from the land of darkness only intensified? Zora couldn't help but worry for Rulid, being situated right at the most vulnerable place. He knew he would lose his memory once he logged out, and it would be impossible to get back in.
Zora(mind): But no. Even if I died...
Eugeo had seen and swung a sword at the goblins, too. He would do something about this. He would warn the elder, prompting more guards, and alert the neighboring towns and cities of the danger. Zora knew it with every fiber of his being. For that reason as much as any other, Zora could not let Eugeo die here.
But on the other hand, his life was draining out of him. He could tell very clearly, despite his fading senses. Eugeo's eyes were still closed. Even the gift of his entire life would not be enough to heal Eugeo's wounds and call him back from the brink of death?
Selka: Oh, no...no...If we keep going, your life will run out...
Selka wailed, as if off from a distance. Zora wanted to tell her not to stop, to keep going, but his mouth was frozen. It was getting hard even to think anymore.
Zora(mind): Was this death? A pretend death of the soul within the Underworld...or could the death of my soul kill my physical body, too? It was cold enough to make that idea plausible to me. I felt so terribly alone...
Suddenly, hands touched his shoulders. They were warm. Zora's insides began to melt before they could freeze entirely.
Zora(mind): I—I knew these hands.
As delicate as birds' wings but powerful enough to seize the future when no one else would.
Zora(mind):...Who...are you...?
The feeling of soft breath on his left ear met his silent question. Then he heard a voice so familiar and nostalgic that it made him want to cry.
???: Zora, Eugeo...I'll be waiting for you always...I am waiting for you at the top of Central Cathedral...
A golden shine like starlight filled Zora's insides. The surge of overwhelming energy permeated every last inch of his body and, looking for an exit, spilled forth from his left hand.
Zora: You're...
Zora then passed out and fell to the ground.
Selka: Z-Zora?
(Timeskip)
A light, percussive sound dispersed far above the spring haze. Eugeo finished his fifty ax strikes and wiped the sweat from his brow, and Zora tossed him the flask of siral water.
Zora: How's the wound feeling? Giving you pain?
Eugeo: After a whole day of rest, it's all the way better now. Just left a bit of a scar. In fact...maybe it's my imagination, but I feel like the Dragonbone Ax is way lighter now.
Zora: I don't think it's your imagination. Forty-two of those fifty swings were right on the mark.
Eugeo's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and his face crinkled into a grin.
Eugeo: Really? Then I guess I'll win today's bet.
Zora: We'll see about that.
Zora laughed, took the Dragonbone Ax, and gave it a one-handed swing. It did seem to be much easier to control than he remembered. Two nights had passed since the nightmare in the cave beneath the End Mountains. With Eugeo on Zora's right shoulder—having been revived with Selka's sacred arts—and the head of the goblin captain slung over his left, they returned to Rulid far past sundown. The adults were gathered in the square, debating whether to form a search party, as they arrived. After the initial wave of relieved outcry, there came a thunderous scolding from Elder Gasfut and Sister Azalia. The unthinkable situation of three youths breaking the village laws seemed to have thrown the adults into a panic.
But that lasted only until Zora thrust the severed head under their noses. When they saw Ugachi's hideous head—larger than theirs, with yellowed eyes and ugly, jagged teeth—they fell silent at first, then erupted into greater shock. After that, Eugeo and Selka explained about the goblin band camping out in the northern cave and how they were probably scouts from the land of darkness. The elders wanted to laugh it off as the overactive imagination of children, but the presence of the monstrous head the likes of which none of them had ever seen prevented them from dismissing our story. The discussion turned to the defense of the village, and Zora, Eugeo and Selka were released to drag their weary feet back home.
In Zora's room at the church, Selka tended to his wounded shoulder, and then he collapsed into sleep. Both Eugeo and him were exempt from working the next day, and he took that opportunity to stay in bed. By the time he woke up after the second night in bed, the pain and fatigue were entirely gone. After breakfast, the similarly hearty-looking Eugeo and him headed for the forest, where Eugeo had just finished his first set of fifty swings. Zora looked at the ax in his hand while Eugeo sat down a short distance away.
Zora: Say, Eugeo, do you remember...when the goblin in the cave slashed you...? You said something strange. That I was friends with you and Alice years ago...
Eugeo didn't answer right away. After a long silence, a pleasant breeze rustled the nearby leaves, and his voice seemed to hang on to the tail end of the wind.
Eugeo: I remember. But that can't be right, cause I only just met you. For some reason, I felt so sure about it in that moment. That me, you and Alice...were born in this village, and grew up together. I think we were together the day Alice was taken away, too.
Zora: I see...
If Eugeo's mind and personality were made of a fluctlight just like Zora's, it was possible that in the moment of life and death, his mental banks made a few mistaken connections. But the problem was that Zora had experienced the same memory confusion at the same moment in time. When he saw Eugeo dying before his eyes, Zora had a vivid sensation of growing up with him in Rulid Village—along with memories of Alice, the golden-haired girl whom he'd never met.
It was impossible. Zora had very clear and detailed memories of living in Kawagoe City of Saitama Prefecture as Sora Yatagami, with a sister named Rumia, up until the day he woke up in this world. He couldn't believe that his background was fictional. He didn't want to. Was this phenomenon just a kind of shared hallucination between Eugeo and Zora in that instant and nothing more?
But that left one thing without an explanation. While Selka's sacred art attempted to save Eugeo's life by transferring my life to his, Zora felt a fourth presence with his fading wits.
???: Zora, Eugeo, I'm waiting at the top of Central Cathedral.
Zora:...
Zora couldn't simply claim that voice was the product of his exhausted mind. He had never heard the term Central Cathedral before this. He had never even heard of, much less been to, a place by that name in any world, real or virtual. So the voice had to actually be coming from someone else, not Zora, Eugeo, or Selka.
Zora(mind): Was it a stretch to suggest that it was Alice, the girl taken from the village six years earlier? And if so, was this impossible past where I grew up with Eugeo and Alice in Rulid also real...?
Zora decided to stop thinking in circles about what had filled his head since yesterday morning.
Zora: Eugeo, when Selka used the sacred arts on you in the cave, did you hear someone's voice?
Eugeo: No. I was completely unconscious. Did you hear something?
Zora: No...just my imagination. Forget it. Well, I've got to get to work. I'm shooting for at least forty-five hits.
Zora faced the Gigas Cedar, banishing the swirling thoughts that plagued him. His hands gripped the ax, and his mind dedicated all its concentration to the task at hand. The ax followed the precise trajectory he envisioned, striking the exact middle of the crescent-shaped cut in the tree. Their quota of a thousand swings for the morning session ended thirty minutes earlier than it usually did. They had barely any fatigue and required very little rest.
Eugeo: Huh... Did we already finish the morning quota? That's 30 minutes earlier than usual. I guess it's because the ax feels lighter, so I wasn't stopping to rest
Zora: Yeah. We're getting more good swings than last weeks. And is it just me, or is the cut already looking deeper?
Eugeo: Let's take an early lunch then.
Eugeo stretched with palpable satisfaction and suggested that they take an early lunch, sitting down on his usual root. Zora joined him, and he pulled two of the same old rolls out of the cloth and tossed them to Zora. He caught one in each hand, grimacing at the stony toughness of them.
Zora: If only the bread had softened up, the way the ax is lighter now.
Eugeo: Ha-ha-ha. Sadly, it seems to be the same as before. Anyway...I wonder why the ax seems so light all of a sudden.
Zora: Who can say?
Zora replied, but truthfully, he had a good idea from when he'd checked out his own window last night. His Object Control Authority, System Control Authority, and maximum life were all much higher than before. Zora was pretty sure he knew why. By driving off that goblin brigade—in other words, completing a difficult quest—he had undergone what a normal VRMMO would call a "level-up." Zora was not in any hurry to repeat the process, but at least he'd been rewarded for braving that dangerous battle.
This morning Zora had asked Selka about it, and she, too, had claimed that, oddly enough, she was now much better at the sacred arts she'd struggled with just last week. Although she hadn't taken part in the battle, the level-up effect made sense if they presumed that the three of them were treated as a party. Zora suspected that, like him, Eugeo's Object Control Authority had risen to around forty-eight. There was no way he wasn't going to try his idea again.
Zora rushed to finish his two rolls of bread and got to his feet. He strode over to a large knot in the Gigas Cedar's trunk, feeling Eugeo's eyes on him as he chewed, and pulled out the Blue Rose Sword from where they'd left it the other day. Zora grabbed the leather package and tried to lift it, half-certain he was right and half praying he was.
Zora: Whoa...!
Zora nearly tipped backward, and carefully steadied himself. The overloaded barbell weight that he remembered had now shrunk to that of a thick metal pipe instead. It still put strain on his wrist. But if anything, that weight was now comforting, reminiscent of the swords that he used so lovingly in the later stages of old Aincrad.
Zora undid the string that bound the leather and squeezed the hilt of the beautiful sword. As Eugeo looked on with the bread stuck in his mouth, Zora gave him a little grin and drew the blade with a spine-tingling shinng! Unlike its bucking bronco routine of the other day, the Blue Rose Sword settled into his palm with all the grace of a sheltered lady. It truly was a stunning weapon. The sticky texture of the white leather grip, the translucent cast of the blade that trapped the light in intoxicating patterns, the fine decoration of rose vines—these things could not be represented in the old- fashioned polygonal way. It made perfect sense that old Bercouli would have tested a dragon to steal a sword like this.
Eugeo: W-wait, Zora...You can lift that sword now?
Eugeo asked, stunned. Zora swiped it back and forth to show him.
Zora: The bread isn't any softer, but it looks like this sword is lighter, at least. Watch this.
Zora faced the Gigas Cedar and crouched, drawing back his right leg to face sideways and pulling the sword straight back at level height to maximize rotation. When he held it there, the sword began glowing a faint blue.
Zora(mind): Because of that goblin battle the other day, my Object Control Authority has exceeded this sword's number. If so...
Zora shot forward. The system added the velocity as he intended, hurtling the sword with tremendous speed and precision in the one-handed sword attack Horizontal.
The Blue Rose Sword flashed like sideways lightning, striking the target with pinpoint accuracy and tremendous impact. The Gigas Cedar's massive bulk rattled, and the birds gathered in the branches nearby all took flight. It was so satisfying to indulge in the feeling of body and blade being one again. Zora followed the line of his right arm with his eyes, down to where the bluish-silver blade was stuck halfway into the blackened tree.
Eugeo's eyes and mouth bulged open. The half-eaten piece of bread fell from his hands and landed on the moss. But the woodcutter boy wasn't even aware it had happened.
Zora: See? I bet you can swing it too, Eugeo.
Zora then hands Eugeo the Blue Rose Sword and was surprised to see himself not struggling to hold it.
Eugeo: Zora...can you...can you teach me how to use this sword? I want to bring back Alice.
Zora: Eugeo...
Eugeo: Because of me, Alice and her family have suffered...
Eugeo then fell to his knees and started to cry. His shoulders fell, but his hands were balled into fists that trembled with the tension in his arms. Zora could practically see the battle raging inside Eugeo. All these people living in the Underworld, these artificial fluctlights mass-produced somehow by Rath, all shared one trait that the people of the real world did not have.
It was their belief that they could not disobey the higher rules written into their consciousness. They were incapable of breaking the Axiom Church's Taboo Index, the Basic Imperial Law of the Norlangarth Empire tasked with managing the realm, and even the village standards of Rulid passed down through the years. They couldn't do it.
That was why Eugeo had to subdue for six long years his raging desire to rush to save his friend Alice. He suppressed his own feelings and swung his ax—against a tree that would never be felled so long as he lived. But now, for the first time, he was attempting to carve his own path. Perhaps his request to learn how to use a sword was not just out of a childhood dream but something much deeper...A means to gain power in the pursuit of his ultimate goal: saving Alice from captivity.
Zora(mind): Hang in there, Eugeo. Don't give up—don't give in to what binds you. Take a step...take your first step. You're a swordsman.
The blond-haired boy suddenly looked up as though he heard Zora's thoughts. His pristine green eyes pierced Zora's own, shining with intent. Through gritted teeth, he rasped
Eugeo: For the past 6 years...I've never stopped regretting it...Wondering why I couldn't do anything to save Alice? I...want to become strong! So I'll never make the same mistake again! So I can regain what I've lost. That's why... I want to become a swordsman!
Zora continued to look at Eugeo and saw the same exact drive that he had when Rumia had died in SAO. The drive to become stronger to protect the ones he loved and he smiled at him. Something powerful welled up in his chest, and he had to fight it down to maintain control.
Zora: Alright, I'll teach you. Everything that I know. But this training's going to be tough.
Zora then held his hand to Eugeo and he grabbed it.
Eugeo: That's what I'm hoping for. In fact...it really is what I've wanted... for ever and ever. But by the way, what style is your sword technique?
Zora then thought for a second and then looked at Eugeo.
Zora: My technique...is the Aincrad Style.
Over the next few weeks, Zora had trained Eugeo in his sword techniques and he started to pick up on everything Zora had showed and little by little, they used the Gigas Cedar Tree as a training dummy until they drained the life of the Giga Cedar and now it's life is now at 6,738.
Zora: Alright. Go ahead, Eugeo.
Eugeo then got into a stance and the Blue Rose Sword started to glow blue and he used the Sword skill [Horizontal] and depleted the remainder of the Gigas Cedar tree's life and it started to fall over and the people in the village were completely shocked to see it fall.
Eugeo: It's like a dream... I never thought I'd see the day... I didn't believe in destiny at all...But...Zora, I've been waiting in this forest for the past 6 years for you to come.
His head dipped again, and a few clear drops fell, catching the sunlight. He stepped forward before Zora could even register surprise and thudded his forehead against his shoulder. Zora felt Eugeo's whisper through his body more than heard it.
Zora: Yeah.
Zora's own voice was barely audible. He reached around and thumped him lightly on the back with his left hand.
Zora: I'm pretty sure that I woke in this forest...in order to meet you, Eugeo.
Zora hardly even recognized that he had said the words, but he was certain they were the truth.
(Timeskip)
After Eugeo had cut down the Gigas Cedar, a celebration for the tree being cut down was held. Red fires ringed the center square of Rulid, illuminating the faces of the people gathered within it. Beside the fountain, an impromptu troupe of musicians played a jolly waltz with hide drums, very long flutes, and an instrument that looked like a set of bagpipes. The stomping and clapping of the people dancing along swirled up into the open sky.
While everyone enjoyed the celebration, Zora just quietly stood at the side, eating the meat skewer dripping with juices from a nearby plate with a happy face as this is his first time eating real meat since coming to this world. All he'd eaten in this world before was that dreadful hard bread and the weak vegetable soup at the church so to the black-haired boy, this was a blessing and worth cutting down the Gigas Cedar for this taste alone. After finished the first skewer, Zora took on a second skewer and started eating it but suddenly, his eating time was interrupted when he heard Selka's voice.
Selka: What? You're alone?
Zora finished off the meat and vegetables on the skewer and turned at Selka's voice. She was wearing a red vest and green skirt instead of her usual braids and black sister's habit. She also had her hair tucked behind a headband.
Zora: Yeah. Eugeo was summoned by the village Elder and went off somewhere.
Selka: I see. But chopping down the demon tree is amazing, huh?
Zora: It was all thanks to Eugeo's hard work.
Selka nodded with a happy expression but then she noticed Zora was staring at the couple dancing in the center of town. Seeing them made Zora remembered how he danced with the sylph warrior Leafa, the Alfheim avatar of his sister, Suguha. He saw her smile on his dancing partner's face and felt something inside his nose sting. A rush of keen homesickness overcame him.
Zora(mind): I miss home.
Suddenly, Zora felt someone grabbed his hand and found it was Selka. Her cheeks were cherry red in embarrassment at what she was about to do.
Selka: I-If you want, you can have a dance with me!
It seems that Selka had read Zora's thought of wanting to dance. Seeing her embarrass face, Zora chuckled and intertwined his fingers with Selka. The two then walked to the middle of the square and started to dance as a cheer erupted from the crowd. Since it was a simple dance, the two simply move their body to the simplistic rhythm and started having fun.
After a while, the music sped finally ended and Zora placed his right hand on his heart while his left hand behind him as he bowed in appreciation at Selka. Selka returned the gesture by bends her knees while bowing her head at Zora too as everyone clapped their hand.
Suddenly, everyone's attention was focused on the old man with a royale beard who currently stood on the stage next to the musicians. The man was none other than Gasfut Zuberg, the elder of Rulid and Selka's father.
Gasfut: My fellows! Please forgive the interruption, but you must hear me!
The villagers raised their mugs of ale and apple liquor in a cheer, quenched their dance-induced thirst, then fell silent. The elder looked out over the crowd.
Gasfut: The deepest desire of our founding ancestors has been fulfilled at last! The devil tree that stole the blessings of Terraria and Solus in the fertile land to the south has been felled! We will have fresh new barley and bean fields and grazing pastures for our cattle and sheep!
Cheers drowned out his speech. He held up his hands, waiting for quiet to return.
Gasfut: I call forth the one who achieved this feat—Eugeo, son of Orick!
He beckoned to a corner of the square, where a nervous-looking Eugeo stood. The short man next to him must have been his father, Orick. Aside from the hair color, they looked totally unalike, and he appeared more confused than proud. Eugeo proceeded forward at the urging of the other villagers, not his father. He rose next to the elder and turned to the crowd. The third and largest cheer yet erupted.
Gasfut: In accordance with our rules, for completing his Calling, Eugeo is granted the right to choose his next Calling! He may continue as a woodcutter, or plow the fields after his father, or tend to cattle, or brew ale, or do business, or whatever he chooses!
Zora could only stay silent in bated breath. If Eugeo choose something like a farmer or a woodcutter, Zora's plan to go to the big city would be ruined. Eugeo looked down, uncomfortable, scratching his head with one hand and clenching and unclenching the other. Zora wonder if he should rush the stage, put an arm around Eugeo's shoulders, and announce that they were off to see the big city—until he heard a small voice at his side.
Selka: Eugeo's...going to leave the village...
There was a faint smile of both sadness and happiness on her lips.
Zora: Y-you think so?
Selka: I know so. Why else would he hesitate to give his answer?
As if he heard her, Eugeo's hand reached down to grip the hilt of the Blue Rose Sword at his waist. He looked up, first at the elder, then at the rest of the village, and stated clearly and loudly.
Eugeo: I'm going...to be a swordsman. I will join the garrison at Zakkaria, train my skills, and one day reach Centoria.
After a few moments of silence, little waves of murmuring broke out. It didn't seem to Zora to be adulation. The adults were craning their necks toward one another, muttering darkly. Eugeo's father and two other young men who were his brothers looked more pained than anything.
Once again, it was Gasfut who brought order. He lifted a hand to silence the crowd, and with a stern expression.
Gasfut: Eugeo, surely you don't...
Then he paused and stroked his long beard.
Gasfut: No...I will not ask why. It is your church-given right to choose your next Calling. Very well—as elder of Rulid, I recognize that the new Calling for Eugeo, son of Orick, is a swordsman. If you wish, you may leave the village and train in the sword.
Zora heaved a long sigh of relief. Now he would be able to witness the core of this world with his own eyes. If Eugeo had chosen to remain a farmer, Zora was prepared to head out on his own, but with a lack of knowledge or resources, he couldn't say how many months or years his trip would take. A weight left his shoulders as his concerns of the last few days evaporated.
The villagers seemed to have accepted their elder's decision, and they began a hesitant round of applause. But before it could swell any louder, a sharp bellow cut across the night sky.
Zink: Not so fast!
A large young man strode through the crowd and leaped on the stage. He had rough features and short hair the dull brown of dead leaves. But the simple longsword at his left side was what stuck out to Zora first. It was the guard who always stood watch at the southern waypoint of the village. He puffed out his chest as a challenge to Eugeo and shouted.
Zink: It is my right first and foremost to seek employment in Zakkaria's garrison! Eugeo cannot be the first to leave the village ahead of me!
???: Yeah! He's right!
Came a follow-up shout from a man behind him. He had the same color hair as the youngster but was much older and larger around the middle.
Zora: Who's that?
Selka: That's Doik, the old head guard, and his son, Zink, who has the position now. Their family likes to claim they're the most experienced in the village.
Zora: Ah, I see...
Zora wondered what was going to happen now. Gasfut listened to Zink and his father and raised a hand to calm them down.
Gasfut: But Zink, you have only been at your man-at-arms Calling for six years. According to the laws, you cannot enter the dueling tournament in Zakkaria for another four.
Zink: Then Eugeo should wait for four years, too! He's not as good at the sword as I am! It makes no sense that he should go first!
Gasfut: Mmm. Then how will you prove this claim that you are superior to Eugeo in skill?
Doik: Wha...!
Zink and his father both went red in the face. The elder of the two was nearly steaming from the ears as he bellowed.
Doik: I won't stand for such an insult, even from the elder of Rulid! If you're telling me that a mere woodcutter can swing a faster sword than my son, then let's have them prove it right here and now!
A few irresponsible villagers shouted, egging him on. Sensing that there was more entertainment to come from this impromptu festival, they raised their mugs and stomped their feet, crowing about a duel. To Zora's astonishment, within moments Zink had challenged Eugeo to a duel, which Eugeo could not very well refuse. A space before the stage was cleared away, and they faced off. In disbelief, Zora turned to whisper into Selka's ear.
Zora: I'll be right back.
Selka: Wh-what are you going to do?
Zora didn't answer. Instead, he made his way through the crowd in the direction of the fountain and raced up to Eugeo. While his opponent was as unruly and indignant as a bronco, Eugeo seemed more confused that it had come to this. His features relaxed when he saw Zora.
Eugeo: Wh-what should I do, Zora? Look what's happened!
Zora: I don't think you can get out of this with a simple apology at this point. Anyway, is this duel going to be a true sword battle?
Eugeo: Of course not. We have to stop before drawing blood.
Zora: Ahh...but if you can't stop the sword in time and hit your target, that might end up killing your opponent. Listen—aim for Zink's sword, not Zink. Give him one Horizontal on the blade and that should do it.
Eugeo: A-are you sure?
Zora: Absolutely. I guarantee it.
Zora pounded him on the back; gave a quick bow to Zink and his father, who were staring at him suspiciously; and returned to the line of spectators. At the podium, Gasfut clapped and called for silence.
Gasfut: And now, outside of the original plan, we have a duel between Zink, our head man-at-arms, and the carver...er, the swordsman Eugeo! You are not to lower your opponent's life through direct strikes. Is that understood?!
Zink loudly drew his sword from his waist, and, a bit later, Eugeo reluctantly drew his. The gasp from the village crowd was no doubt due to the beauty of the Blue Rose Sword as it shone in the firelight.
Even Zink seemed to be overwhelmed by the aura of the sword. His head tilted back briefly before he regained his posture. With an even more hateful glare than before, the young guard jabbed a finger at Eugeo and said, to Zora's surprise.
Zink: Does that sword really belong to you, Eugeo?! If it's borrowed, I have the right to force you to use a different—
Eugeo: I got this sword in the northern cave, so it belongs to me now!
The crowd murmured, and Zink seemed to be at a loss for words. Zora figured that he would demand proof of ownership from Eugeo, but he didn't. In a world without thievery, perhaps the simple act of stating that something was your own property was all the proof needed. Even doubting that statement might be seen as a violation of rights.
Eugeo interrupted Zink's words as the crowd started to murmur, and Zink seemed to be at a loss for words. Zink doesn't ask any more questions and spat into his palms and held his sword up high while Eugeo held his blade perfectly still at eye level, drew his left side back, and crouched. As hundreds of villagers watched in silence, Gasfut raised his hand high, then brought it down.
Gasfut: Begin!
Immediately, Zink bellowed and raced forward at Eugeo to deliver a vertical slice from overhead. Zora gasped as his eyes widen in shock when Zink's sword changed directions in midair. He had gone from an overhead swing down to a sideways swipe from the right.
Zora(mind): Oh no! If Eugeo hit Zink's sword with a [Horizontal] now, it would miss and Eugeo might end up violate the Taboo!
Much to everyone including Zora's surprise, Eugeo's sword glowed deep blue and he made one earth-shaking stomp and sliced at a sharp forty-five-degree arc. Eugeo's attack shot forward with lightning speed, striking Zink's sideways swing from above and shattering Zink's steel blade.
Zora: I had never taught him, Slant... How? Don't tell me... During our practice, he'd become aware of Slant— but there was nothing hesitant or amateur about that movement.
He can't help but be completely shocked at Eugeo's pure talent in swordsmanship. Zora can't help but let out a smile when he knew Eugeo will be one of the strongest swordsmen he will ever face in the future if he continues to grow.
(Timeskip)
Currently, Selka dragged a drunk Zora back to his room and once they arrived at Zora's's room, the black-haired boy stumbled up to his room somehow and toppled onto the bed.
Selka: Just because it's a festival doesn't mean you have to drink three cups of the apple beverage, Zora. Here's some water.
Zora: 🤤 Uhhh. Hey~ Let's sleep together...?
Selka: Wha?! Snap out of it!
Selka's face turned beat red before slapping Zora in the face to snap him out of his drunken state.
Zora: Ah! I'm awake!
Selka: Geez! Snap out of it already. Your talking straight nonsense.
At Zora's side, the young girl looked worried.
Selka: Wh-what?
Selka asked suspiciously, noticing that Zora was staring at her.
Zora: I...I'm sorry. You probably wanted to speak more with Eugeo, huh?
Selka's cheeks suddenly went cherry red. She was still dressed in her nicest outfit.
Selka: Why would you bring that up?
Zora: Because by tomorrow morning...Actually, I should apologize for that first. Now it looks like I'm pretty much taking Eugeo out of the village. If he had been a woodcutter here for the rest of his life, he might have, well... started a family with you, eventually...
Selka sighed theatrically and sat down next to Zora on the bed.
Selka: Honestly, what do I even say about that? Well...fine. Yes, I'm sad that Eugeo will be leaving the village...but I'm also happy. Ever since Alice went away, he's been living his life like he's given up on everything, but now he's smiling again. He made up his mind to go searching for my sister. I'm certain that on the inside, Father was happy, too...to learn that Eugeo hadn't forgotten about her.
Zora:...I see...
She bobbed her head and looked up at the full moon outside the window.
Selka: Actually...I didn't go into the cave hoping to copy my sister and touch the soil of the land of darkness. I knew I wasn't capable of that. I knew but I just wanted to get a bit closer to her. To go as far as I could up to the point where I couldn't go any farther, and then I'd know for sure that I can never be Big Sister's replacement.
Zora: No... you're really something.
He said, shook his head in disagreement at Selka's statement as Selka looked at him with a curious look, wondering what he meant.
Zora: A normal girl would turn back at the bridge out of the village, or in the woods, or at the cave's entrance. But you went all the way down into that dark place and found a goblin scouting party. You did something that only you can do.
Selka: Something that...only I can do...?
Zora: You aren't a replacement for Alice. You have your own unique talents, Selka. So focus on developing those.
In fact, Zora was certain that Selka's talent for the sacred arts was about to take a huge leap. She had helped defeat the goblins with Eugeo and him, so her system authority level had to be higher now. But that wasn't the crux of the matter. She had sought the answer to who she was and found one. That, more than anything, would give her incredible energy. Belief in oneself was the truest power of the human soul.
It was time for Zora to find the answer to the question he'd been putting off. Who or what was this sentient consciousness calling itself Zora, or Sora Yatagami? The fluctlight residing in a biological brain—the "real" Sora? Or a replica saved on storage media, read from his brain by the STL?
There was only one way to find out. The Underworldians like Eugeo and Selka, with their artificial fluctlights, could not break the Taboo Index or Basic Imperial Law. But just because Zora could run afoul of this world's taboos was not proof that he wasn't an artificial fluctlight. He hardly knew any of the individual taboos in the index. The rules hadn't been written into his soul.
Instead, Zora had to find out if he could break his own rules that he lived by— his own set of personal morals. He'd been considering this topic for several days, but it was actually quite difficult. Attacking the villagers or stealing their possessions was out of the question, and he didn't feel right insulting someone just to confirm a personal suspicion. There was only one thing he could think of. Zora turned and stared right into Selka's face.
Selka:...What?
Zora put a hand on her cheek and silently apologized to Philia and Rio. Then he audibly apologized to Selka, leaned closer, and placed a light kiss on her white forehead, just before the headband. She twitched, then sat still. Zora pulled away after three seconds and saw that her cheeks red all the way to the ears.
Selka: What...did you just do...?
Zora: Let's call it...a swordsman's oath.
Zora suggested weakly. On the inside, he savored a new factual certainty. Zora had just carried out something that the real him would never do, thus proving that he was indeed the real Sora Yatagami. If he was a replica fluctlight, his body would have stopped automatically a few inches from Selka's forehead. She continued staring at Zora, rubbed her forehead, and sighed.
Selka: An oath...? I don't know if that's how you do things in your country, but if you had kissed my lip instead of my forehead, an Integrity Knight would be coming for you right now. That's against the Taboo Index.
She then started talking quietly and her face went redder with each word. After a while, she shook her head and looked at Zora with a curious expression.
Selka:...So, what did you swear?
Zora: Isn't it obvious? That I'll go with Eugeo, save Alice, and bring your sister back to this village. You have my word as Zora the swordsman.
(Timeskip)
The next morning was brilliantly clear. Eugeo and Zora headed down a southern path they would not see again for quite some time, savoring the weight of the lunches that Selka had packed for them. When they reached the split in the path that headed into the Gigas Cedar's woods, he noticed an elderly man standing there. His wrinkled face was covered in white hair, but his back was straight, and his eyes were sharp. As soon as he saw the man, Eugeo burst into a dazzling smile and began to trot.
Eugeo: Old Man Garitta! You came to see me off! I'm so happy—I didn't get to see you yesterday.
That name was familiar to Zora. If he recalled correctly, it was the previous carver of the Gigas Cedar. Garitta smiled kindly under his heavy whiskers and placed his hands on Eugeo's shoulders.
Garitta: Eugeo, in all my life, I only deepened the Cedar's cut by the length of a finger, and now you've toppled the beast...Tell me, how did you do it?
Eugeo: With this sword.
Eugeo said, pulling the Blue Rose Sword from its sheath just an inch and letting it click back into place. Then he glanced at Zora.
Eugeo: And most of all, thanks to him...my friend. This is Zora. He's really pretty crazy, actually.
Zora(mind): -_- Crazy huh...
Zora shook his head modestly, wondering what kind of introduction that was supposed to be. Garitta moved over to Zora and gave him a piercing, knowing stare—then beamed.
Garitta: So you are the lost child of Vecta I heard about. Yes, I see...You have the face of change.
No one had ever described Zora that way before, and he wondered what Garitta meant by it. The old man gestured to the forest at his left and continued,
Garitta: Well, I hate to delay your travels, but could you stand to help me? It won't take long.
Eugeo: S-sure. You don't mind, Zora?
Zora: Sure.
The old man smiled again and headed down the path into the forest, beckoning Zora and Eugeo onward. Zora had been walking down the path for only about a week, but it filled him with rich nostalgia now. After twenty minutes, they arrived at a wide opening. The tyrannical tree that had split the heavens in the midst of this clearing for centuries was lying still on its side. Narrow vines were already climbing over its pitch-black bark, beginning the process that would one day, in the distant future, break down the tree and return it to the earth.
Eugeo: What is it about the Gigas Cedar, Garitta?
The old man smiled again and headed down the path into the forest, followed by Zora and Eugeo. With great difficulty, Zora and Eugeo made their way through the branches, picking up scratches on their exposed arms, and at last reached Garitta, who was standing calmly up ahead. Eugeo then wiped his sweat with the palm of his hand and grumbled.
Eugeo: So what are we supposed to be looking at?
Garitta: This.
The old man said, pointing at a branch extending directly out of the very tip-top of the Gigas Cedar's trunk. It was very, very long, without a single side branch, and the end was pointed as sharp as a rapier.
Zora: What about this branch?
He reached out his knotted hand and caressed the end, which was about two inches wide.
Garitta: Out of all the Gigas Cedar's branches, this one absorbed the most of Solus's blessings. Cut this loose with that sword. You must sever it in one strike. If you hack at it several times, it may break apart.
He made a chopping motion with his hand about four feet from the tip of the branch, then stood back. Eugeo and Zora looked at each other and decided to follow his instructions. When he pulled the Blue Rose Sword from its scabbard to shine in the sunlight, the old man let out a muted gasp of wonder. Eugeo brandished the sword but didn't move after that. The tip quivered a bit, reflecting his inner indecision. Perhaps he wasn't confident that he could cut through a branch the width of his wrist in one swing.
Zora: I'll do it, Eugeo.
Zora offered, and reached out. Eugeo nodded and willingly handed him the hilt. Zora didn't even think. He just looked at the black branch, lifted the sword, and brought it down. With no more than a slight crack and the briefest of sensations, the blade passed through his target spot. Zora used the flat of the blade to stop the long branch from falling and flipped it up into the air. It came down, spinning, and landed in his outstretched free hand. The weight pushing down against his wrist and the icy chill of it caused Zora to falter.
Zora gave Eugeo the sword back, then held out the black branch with both hands for Garitta to see.
Garitta: You should take this with you.
He said, producing a heavy cloth and carefully wrapping the branch in it. When it was safely covered, he tied a rawhide cord around it.
Garitta: There you are. When you get to Centoria, take this branch to a craftsman in north District Seven named Sadore. He will be able to fashion it into a mighty sword—one that is every bit an equal to that beauty there.
Eugeo: R-really, Old Man Garitta? That's wonderful! It was worrying only having one sword between the two of us. Right, Zora?
Zora nodded and agreed, but the branch was a bit too heavy for him to throw his hands into the air with exuberance. They bowed to express their gratitude, but the old man only beamed.
Garitta: It's a meager parting gift. Take care on your travels. It is not only the benevolent gods who watch over these lands now...I think I will stay here and look at this tree some more. Farewell, Eugeo. Farewell, young traveler.
(Timeskip)
They headed back up the little path to the main road and found that where the sky had been clear blue earlier, there was now a storm cloud forming over the eastern edge.
Eugeo: The wind's getting a bit damp. We should probably move on while we still have the chance.
Zora:...Good idea. Let's hurry
Zora replied, and fastened the wrapped-up Gigas Cedar branch to his back with the cord.
Euego: Come on, Zora, let's go!
Zora looked up and saw Eugeo's smiling face, dazzling with anticipation of the wider world ahead.
Zora: Yeah!
Eugeo: I wonder what kind of place the central city is?
Zora: Who knows.
Zora and Eugeo then both looked back and looked at the Ruild village one last time.
Zora: Well, it's got to be bigger then Ruild, right?
Eugeo: That's probably true.
Zora: R-Right.
Eugeo: Alright, let's go, Zora.
Zora then smiled at Eugeo.
Zora: Sure!
Zora and Eugeo then did their handshake they had made up together and the two of them started to head off to the central city. Together, they headed south, our pace brisk—down the road leading to the center of the Underworld, where the answers to all the mysteries lay.