Reset Life – Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Even I Was Deceived (2)

This is a high-altitude area of the mountain, so I can see the pipe road below, stretching out like a gray string.

We have to cross it and go over the other side of the mountain that’s visible behind it to reach our next destination.

It looks close from here, but it’s actually a few hours’ walk. Moreover, it’s summer, and with the rain, the humidity is at its peak, making me feel incredibly uncomfortable.

I wiped away the liquid that had gathered under my chin, unsure if it was sweat or humidity, and roughly shoved the map into my waistband.

“Once we reach the pipe road, it’ll be just the right time to set up camp. Let’s sleep there tonight and depart tomorrow morning. We should arrive at our destination around lunchtime.”

“And then fight again?”

“Hmm, if she’s there, we can avoid a fight.”

I’m very curious about who Levidian’s companions are, but considering there’s no one in the human world who can apprehend her, she’ll likely step in to mediate.

If we found six candidate locations in an area roughly one-tenth the size of the mountain range, then there would be sixty locations throughout the entire mountain range.

If we’re unlucky, we might have to fight fifty-six more times, but if we’re lucky, we’ll find her at the next location.

Leaving the Rat Man corpses behind, Lucy, Al, and I walked towards the pipe road.

Looking up at the sky, it seemed like it would rain again soon.

Rumble! Crackle!

The sound of thunder in the mountains is even more vivid. The peaks amplify the sound, making it even more majestic.

The mountains are truly the best orchestra.

The best orchestra in the Imperial Capital is second-rate compared to this.

Splish-splash……!

The sound of pouring rain and flowing water is deafening.

Even though the pipe road appears flat, it’s subtly tilted to one side, so the rain flows away quickly. On days with heavy rain like this, various parts of the pipe road become temporary streams.

I’m worried the sky might have sprung a leak.

“Phew, ugh, ugh, cough! Whew……”

However, hearing Lucy’s snoring makes me more anxious than the current sky. What kind of illness makes someone sound like they’re dying in their sleep?

“Ugh, I can’t sleep.”

I opened the entrance to the tent. Al should be on watch, but I should just let him in.

Whoosh!

The sound of the rain is like someone pouring water from a basin. That basin seems bottomless, endlessly pouring water.

I quickly put on a raincoat and went outside.

“Phew, ugh, cough! Hack! Whew……!”

I briefly considered whether I should be more worried about Lucy than Al, but I turned away from the muscular mage.

Would a guy who seems like he wouldn’t die even if you killed him really die in his sleep?

“Al! Al-?!”

I called out to him while looking around. But the night sky, completely covered by thick, dark clouds, offered no light.

I stood blankly, waiting for a flash of lightning.

Rumble!

Lightning flashed, illuminating the world for a moment. In that fleeting white light, I spotted Al moving.

Crackle! Crash!

My ears rang from the lightning that struck nearby. Under the flashing light, I could see water droplets scattering around Al like waves.

Even in this downpour, he’s training.

“Al! What are you doing!”

“Is that Risel?”

His voice came from surprisingly close. I spoke in that direction.

“The rain is too heavy. Come inside and rest. Even if there are enemies planning to attack, they’ll think twice in this weather.”

“I’ll be in after a little more. I haven’t finished my training for today.”

“Training for today? You already did it this morning.”

“That wasn’t enough. To become…… equal to him.”

Splash!

It seems he did a kick, as the sound of water splashing accompanied a few droplets hitting my face.

“Him? Who are you talking about?”

“Lucy.”

Rumble!

Lightning flashed again, and Al, with an even more determined expression than usual, was looking straight at me.

To become equal to Lucy?

I suddenly recalled his gaze back in Lotuan. He saw Lucy as a friend, but there was also a hint of inferiority in his eyes.

But, should one be concerned about such things in a friendship?

“You’re friends. Lucy wouldn’t mind, would he?”

“It’s not Lucy’s problem. It’s mine.”

“Your problem?”

“Yes. My problem.”

Whirl! Swish!

This time, it sounds like he’s swinging his arms. I tilted my head.

I don’t know much, but he’s famous enough in the mercenary world to have a nickname. It’s a field where you can’t even get your name known, let alone a nickname, with mediocre skills.

Moreover, judging from what I saw during the fight, his skills are truly exceptional. Before I died, I wondered why this person hadn’t become more famous.

If he had continued to be active with these skills, the Nine Strongest of the Continent would have been established.

I crossed my arms and asked,

“What’s the problem?”

“It’s a secret.”

“Alright. I’ll keep it a secret from Lucy.”

“Hmph.”

The sounds of his arms and legs moving continued for a while. They were intense sounds, as if I could feel the heat emanating from his body.

The sounds stopped momentarily. Where the sounds of his body moving disappeared, the sounds of his thoughts moving emerged.

“Friendship should be an equal relationship.”

“Doesn’t the word ‘friend’ already imply an equal relationship?”

“No. It refers to a relationship where both parties strive to become equal. At least for me, it does.”

“That’s a difficult concept.”

Splash!

I don’t know how or what he did, but the sound of the water splashing is peculiar.

“You may not think so, but Lucy is a genius.”

“Even his eccentric side is like the typical image of a genius. I knew that already.”

He couldn’t be one of the Eight Strongest of the Continent if he wasn’t a genius. Although its value seems diminished because he boasts about it himself, he is truly one of those who can be called a genius.

“Then I ask you. Assuming friends are equal, is a friend of a genius also a genius?”

Lightning struck again. Under the briefly flashing white light, he was looking up at the sky with his hand on his chest.

I was silent for a moment. Then I answered.

“Not necessarily.”

“Then it’s not equal, is it?”

“Fine. Let’s just skip over the logical fallacy in this conversation for now. So?”

“Lucy is a genius. People who’ve seen his genius regard him as extraordinary. Me too. His genius was bound to be revealed, like an awl hidden in a pocket, from a young age.”

I nodded. It’s practically impossible for a genius to hide their abilities.

Genius is a gift from heaven, something you’re born with. And children want to show off what they can do. That’s what children are like.

Whether they’re geniuses or dullards, they’re all the same.

“I tried to catch up to him. At first, it was just jealousy. Then, at some point, I realized I wanted to be friends with him. But my abilities couldn’t match Lucy’s. He has a talent for magic and a magnificent body. A naturally gifted physique that stays in top condition with just a little training. Lucy is a monster who far surpasses the realm of ordinary people, both physically and mentally.”

Tension creeps up my throat.

Indeed, it was true.

He might seem frivolous because of his eccentric and overly bright personality, but maintaining that body and magic simultaneously is difficult for ordinary people.

Not just anyone can become one of the Eight Strongest of the Continent.

“What should I do to become friends with him? Either eliminate Lucy’s genius or possess abilities that rival a genius. The latter seemed more productive. So I learned martial arts. I needed to be better than him in at least one aspect to be on equal footing.”

I thought about the martial arts Al displayed when he first met Lucy. It’s no easy feat to bring down that giant, but he did it with ease.

“Shouldn’t that be enough now?”

“No. It’s not equal. I haven’t achieved the same strength as his natural body and stamina, his willpower honed through magic. Someday, when Lucy introduces me as his friend, I want to be able to stand tall and proud. That’s my current life goal.”

I stared blankly. There was actually a person in front of me who was pushing himself to near-torturous training to match his friend’s level.

“What about after that?”

“It’ll continue that way. If there’s anything else…… let’s see. Maybe get a wife prettier than Lucy’s and have children prettier than his. If I could make Lucy beg me to accept his child as my son-in-law or daughter-in-law, then that would be a pretty successful life.”

He’s saying something that sounds like a joke in a serious tone, making it sound like the truth. No, it is the truth.

“You’re serious.”

“I am.”

I suddenly thought of Levidian.

She scoffed at me for bringing Lea, then felt sorry for herself and pushed Lea into harsh training to prove that my judgment wasn’t wrong.

She was impatient. She probably wanted to show me as soon as possible that my judgment wasn’t wrong.

That impatient look somehow overlaps with Al’s.

He’s pushing himself like this now because he wants to be on the same level as Lucy, but it’s for Lucy’s sake.

He’s not doing it for himself.

“Anyway…… you guys are strange. Alright. But if you push yourself too hard and catch a cold, you might end up needing Lucy’s care.”

“I didn’t think of that. Let’s get inside quickly.”

“Do that.”

How many people in the world would sincerely dedicate their efforts for the sake of others?

Even if the recipients say they don’t need it, they’re probably feeling impatient, like Levidian or Al.

Their impatience, though pitiful, cannot be dismissed as foolish.

Sigh, did Levidian disappear because of that impatience as well?

Some other kind of impatience that I don’t know about.

If that’s truly the case, I’ll be angry.

Those who are impatient don’t know.

That just being by someone’s side can be a source of strength for that person.

I lifted my face in the rain and looked up at the sky.

I missed her.

July 11th, 375th year of the Imperial Calendar.

Location 6 was just an empty lot. It was a place I could use as a midway base if I were to wage a guerilla war in the mountains.

We passed through it and had a few heated battles with monsters. After clashing with those monsters, I realized anew how dangerous it is outside the Empire’s pipe roads.

But the interesting thing is that the biggest threat to humans is always other humans, not monsters.

Clang!

I deflected the sword that was approaching with the intent to kill, not threaten, and rolled to the side. One of the guys wearing a black mask, who had been falling from above, swung his sword again as soon as he landed.

The thin and sturdy sword aimed for my neck like a snake.

Clang!

I deflected the sword to the side and struck towards his wrist! But a guy from the side provided cover. I swung my sword, establishing a defensive stance, and retreated.

Then I heard the sound of footsteps in the grass behind me. I jumped upwards without a second thought.

Swish!

A sword passed through where my ankles had been. It was a clean strike, sharp enough to be used as a mirror.

“Tsk! Stop rushing me-!”

I drew Iperfect and blocked the sword flying towards my waist. It seemed their goal was to have their dagger high-five my sword, as it retreated as soon as it made contact.

Clang!

I lowered my body, stabilizing my shaken center, and swung my longsword in a wide arc at eye level.

Two of the masked figures retreated, and the one who had been aiming for my legs now targeted the back of my head.

A chilling killing intent prickled the back of my neck. It felt like an awl piercing through.

I planted both hands on the ground, lifted my legs, and delivered a dropkick towards the charging figure.

The masked figure raised his sword to block my feet, but staggered back, overwhelmed by the force.

These guys are incredibly skilled in actual combat!

As soon as my feet touched the ground, I rolled to avoid the falling swords and used the momentum from the roll to spring back up. My swaying body bumped against a tree.

“Whew……!”

While catching my breath, I watched the masked figures slowly approaching. Their physiques were uniformly lean and agile. And they were all dressed in black.

These masked figures, who suddenly attacked us on our way from Location 6 to Location 5, didn’t make a single sound.

Their shallow breaths were solely for respiration; they seemed to have little interest in expressing emotions.

Whoever trained them, they seemed well-disciplined.

The three masked figures surrounded me from three sides and began to pressure me with their identical swords.

Over their shoulders, I could see Al throwing his whole body into a fight with four masked figures, and Lucy tossing three masked figures around like rag dolls.

It’s enviable that a mage can exert such physical strength. It’s no wonder Al has an inferiority complex.

I tightened my grip on the longsword and dagger, and a twisted smile spread across my lips.

“I don’t know who you are, but for the sake of a beautiful and peaceful world, wouldn’t you like to try and narrow our differences of opinion? Weapons are inherently insignificant, you know.”

“……”

They didn’t answer, but approached me with a focused killing intent in their eyes.

Seeing them closing the distance, I tensed my shoulders. It seems they have no intention of talking.

“Do you guys perhaps not understand the Common Tongue? Hmm…… Legos Rastiang? Kotutz! Bon Fre! Ahisha!”

I tried greeting them in various languages I knew, but there was no response. Of course, this was a joke, and they seemed to have no intention of responding.

Ah, this is why people with dry personalities are no good.

“Come on, let’s not do this and talk it out. What’s bothering you? Do you perhaps have a request?”

They answered by closing the distance even further. I clicked my tongue and swung my swords.

I didn’t expect much, but how can I figure anything out like this?

I pulled my back away from the tree and subtly leaned forward. To be precise, I slightly buried the tip of my boots in the soil.

“Come on, give me some kind of answer.”

I made eye contact with the three and moved the dagger and longsword in front of their eyes.

Levidian was also an expert in practical combat.

Of course, she was someone who could overcome tricks usable in actual combat with pure skill, but she knew various techniques. I suffered a lot before she left.

And it’s easier for people to inflict on others what they’ve suffered terribly themselves.

“Ha!”

I shouted and kicked up the dirt with my foot.

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