Read Daily Updated Light Novel, Web Novel, Chinese Novel, Japanese And Korean Novel Online.
I Got a New Skill Every Time I Was Exiled, and After 100 Different Worlds, I Was Unmatched (Web Novel) - Chapter 524: The Luxury of Regret Is Granted Only to Those Who Reach the Future.
Chapter 524: The Luxury of Regret Is Granted Only to Those Who Reach the Future.
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
Tia? Are you there?Yeah, yeah, Im here, Tia answered.
I felt her pat my head a few times, a casual gesture that spurred me to resume thinking about our current predicament. Then
Tia? Are you there?
Yes, Im here. Honestly, Ed, Im giving you a lap pillow. Where exactly do you think Id go?
Well, yeah, thats true
Her tone carried the exasperation of a mother addressing a child who kept turning to check her face after every step. Her annoyed laugh made me chuckle in return, though my smile was strained.
At first glance, this might have seemed like a relaxed, peaceful moment. But in truth, it was anything but that. The only reason we were joking like this was to keep ourselves from losing our sanity entirely.
How long do you think weve been like this? Tia asked quietly.
No idea Couldve been minutes. Couldve been days, or even months
Time had become completely meaningless in the pitch-dark void. For all I knew, we mightve been stuck here for mere momentsor impossibly long stretches of time.
In this world, hunger and thirst didnt exist. That was an invaluable advantage for survival, but it came with a double-edged drawback: it robbed our bodies of their sense of time.
To be honest Im not even sure Im completely sane anymore, Tia muttered, half-laughing as she said it.
Hah, youre fine. This place is way too mild to call it the void.
No ones mind could endure absolute nothingness. No matter how strong or unyielding someones will might be, lifeborn into a world where everything existswasnt built to withstand total void.
Thankfully, this wasnt quite that. Only the light here was sealed away. For true nothingness, there was still far too much present.
For example, the ground. Without it, our bodies would lose their sense of supportno way to tell if we were falling, floating, or even moving at all. But with the ground beneath us, we could feel anchored, recognize up from down, and reassure ourselves that we still belonged to the rules of the world.
Another thing was sound. What would happen if, in this complete darkness, even our voices were silenced? Without the sound of our own voices, wed lose all sense of self, unable to affirm our existence as individuals. Slowly but surely, identity would dissolve away.
But here, sound persisted. When I spoke, I could hear my words echo back to me, reaffirming my existence and preventing my sense of self from slipping away.
And above all else, there was someone else hereTia. Just having her nearby, knowing she was here, was an anchor to sanity in and of itself. Having someone by your side, someone you trust, brings a level of reassurance and safety that nothing else can provide.
If we had been separatedif Id been left alone in this darknessI probably wouldve lost my mind already. Id likely have resorted to recklessly unleashing end all around me. Theres no point dwelling on what might have happened in that scenarioit wouldnt have been good, of that Im sure.
So, have you come up with any good ideas? Tia asked.
Not a single one. Any thoughts on your end?
Nothing at all.
Yeah, figured as much.
We exchanged casual words, our voices upbeat on the surface. But even though Tia couldnt see it, my face twisted into a grimace.
Id managed to come up with two potential ways to break out of this situation, though neither seemed promising.
First, the obvious option: deal with the entity or force responsible for this darkness. But in a place where I couldnt see anythingmuch less identify the sourcetracking down the cause was nearly impossible. It was like trying to find a single grain of gold in an endless desert of sand.
The second option was to locate something that could produce light in this environment. But even after thoroughly digging through my [Strangers Box] I had yet to find anything capable of glowing in this darkness. No matter what I tried, nothing worked.
Maybe well just have to head to another world to search for a solution But still
The idea of finding a magical artifact or tool capable of countering this phenomenon felt far-fetched at best. After all, whatever was causing this was probably connected to Godthe very entity that created these worlds. If something capable of opposing that power existed, I shouldve at least caught a glimpse of it during my first round of exploration.
What do you think, Tia? Should we just bite the bullet and move to another world?
Tia?
No response. That alone made my heart lurch in sudden panic.
Hey, come on, dont joke about this. Its not funny, even as a prank!
Tia!
I shot upright, flailing to grab hold of her. My arms wrapped awkwardly around her waist, and I pulled her close as I scrambled to sit up with Tia in my arms.
I couldnt bear the thought of letting go of her, even for a moment.
Tia? Hey, Tia, answer me! Tia!
I shook her gently, only for her weight to sag against me. She collapsed, leaning against my chest.
Nothing. I couldnt see anything.
What was happening to her? What expression was she wearing right now?
Without hesitation, I began running my hands over her body, desperate to find any signs of injury. If she were awake, shed probably punch me for this later, but I didnt care.
No wounds. No blood. Her body felt normalno burns, no swelling, no signs of illness.
If it wasnt physical, then was it something mental? If so
Tia! Use [Engage Heart]! Link with me!
Squeezing her hand tightly, I called out to her with all my might. But she remained silent. No response. No presence entering my consciousness.
What now? What the hell should I do!?
Tias ability was her own. Even though part of my soul was intertwined with hers, I couldnt force her power to activate.
Think. Whats the difference between us? Why is this happening to her and not to me?
Man and woman? Human and elf? Differences in magic or stamina?
No. I felt no abnormalities in my own body. That ruled out anything physical.
Then what?
The Demon King and a normal person? No, Tias soul was partially merged with mineshe wasnt completely separate from me. If that were the cause, Id be feeling the effects too.
Whats the difference!? What do I have that Tia doesnt?
Something connected to God
The Fragment of God
The realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.
I pressed my right hand to my chest, gripping the presence deep within me with all my strength. Pain shot through my body, so intense it nearly made me black out.
Hold on, Tia Im going to fix this Gaaaah!
Digging figurative claws into my own soul, I pulled with everything I had, attempting to wrench free the piece of the Fragment of God within me. It was excruciatingsomething I likely wouldnt survive unscathed. But that didnt matter.
Failing here meant no future to worry about.
This time I will save you
Back during the fight with Luka, Id been forced to kill Tia because I was too weak. If Id had the strength to overpower Luka outright, none of that wouldve been necessary.
But this time, I wouldnt fail.
Just as I was on the verge of tearing the fragment out of myselfon the brink of irreparable damage
Fwoosh.
Ugh!
A small, glowing white orb rose from my chest, casting light into this pitch-black world for the first time in what felt like forever.
