The Darkness Was Comfortable for Me

I immediately broke a Barrier Stone. 

The Great Spirit nearby distanced herself as if repelled. 

“Kufufu…futile resistance. But the more you tease me, the more I look forward to tasting thee.” 

But the Great Spirit laughed with an air of composure and stopped moving like a statue. 

She probably plans on waiting…until the effect of my Barrier Stone runs out. 

She already knows about the Barrier Stone from Ferdinand. The fact that this is a rare item and that it has a time limit. 

What was once Ferdinand is lying nearby.

He was sucked away completely by the Great Spirit, and most of what’s left of him is his equipment. 

I doubt he even imagined that he would die in this fashion.

And that appearance of his might be my future self. 

(I wonder why I am so calm…even though a Chosen like me has died.) (Hikaru)

There’s no doubt Ferdinand was my enemy, but I find it strange that I am not that shocked by the sudden death.

I might have gotten used to the death of people after living in this city and spending my days in the dungeon.

He has offended a being that’s practically a God, so that can happen…there’s a part of me that feels that way.

“…Rifreya, you may not like this, but can you please give me the equipment of Ferdinand?” (Hikaru)

“I am fine with doing that, but…what are you going to do?” (Rifreya)

“He said that he had a way to contact the masked man, right? I am going to confirm that.” (Hikaru)

If it is a means to contact someone that’s in the dungeon, he might be hard to find, but the comrade of this guy -Phantom- probably can’t go to the 2nd Floor alone. 

It might be difficult to go to the lower floors even if he is with other 2nd group Chosen.

In that case, we would just have to search on the 1st Floor. That shouldn’t be too hard. 

It would be a bit of a pain if he is hiding in the city, but bringing along a Lynx without a reason is difficult in its own way. In that case, the most plausible location would be around the Mutual Aid Association. 

Of course, there’s the chance that the means of contact itself was a bluff.

(…Now then, it has been a while since I have rummaged through a corpse.) (Hikaru)

When I just arrived at the dungeon, I earned a living by selling the equipment of the explorers that died. 

“…Knew it.” (Hikaru)

What was inside his pocket was a Barrier Stone. 

If I had attacked him, he would have broken this and contacted his comrade while laughing. 

I rummaged through all his pockets and also his bag. 

Dagger, wallet, notebook, pen, barrier stone, scroll, matches, and rocket fireworks.

(Rocket fireworks…? Aah, so that’s how he planned on contacting him.) (Hikaru)

In other words, he was originally planning on using the Barrier Stone before shooting up the fireworks. 

There’s not that much distance from here to the Mutual Aid Association. It would be completely possible to hear the noise of the fireworks. 

It is certainly effective as a single-use communication method. 

(…That said, a Barrier Stone and a Scroll, huh.) (Hikaru)

Ferdinand brazenly moved a Great Spirit in daytime to attack me which is quite the bold move, but it seems like the person himself was the careful type.

He has 2 Barrier Stones and a High Heal Scroll that costs 3 Points. 

Considering the fact that he transferred just recently, he is the type that would put Points for insurance rather than self-strengthening. 

Or maybe he took a demerit and has a lot of Points. 

I placed the items of Ferdinand into the Shadow Storage. 

The effective time of the Barrier Stone is 12 hours. 

I have 1.2 billion viewers and it continues to increase.

The Great Spirit is standing 10 meters away from me. 

“What…will you be doing from now on? It seems like the Great Spirit-sama is not going to move…” (Rifreya)

Rifreya says, worried. 

“…For now, can you please protect Full? His way of ‘communicating’ was something ancient like shooting fireworks. In that case, Full should be within a distance where she can hear the sound.” (Hikaru)

“But what about you—” (Rifreya)

“I will be okay. The barrier lasts for 12 hours.” (Hikaru)

“…Got it. But Hikaru, you definitely must not do something reckless, okay? Once I confirm that Full-chan is safe, I…will try to explain the situation to the Water Head Priest-sama.” (Rifreya)

“Alright, thanks.” (Hikaru)

There’s probably nothing that you can say to the priest, but I am happy with the sentiment. 

For now, as long as the worry of a hostage is gone, I can manage somehow by myself. 

At the very very depths of the Status Board, there’s: Demerits you can get later.

If I choose one of those which is the Random Transfer, I should be able to escape this predicament. 

Of course, I won’t know where I will be send to, so it is unknown whether I can survive though. 

However, I can escape from this kill zone for certain. I will have to take this into account. 

It is still early in the morning, but that’s also why the residents are more active. 

This place is different from Japan in that there’s only few who would just give you a sidelong glance and pass by.

This world lacks entertainment, so if something like this were to happen, they will of course stop their feet. 

Word of mouth will spread. 

There’s more and more people gathering. 

The priests are desperately trying to convince the Great Spirit, but it seems like she has no intention of listening. 

However, she is unfazed by all this and is just standing there.

“Hey, you, the Great Spirit-sama came to such a place and it seems like she ate your acquaintance just a moment ago…but what’s going on? Did you do something…?” 

An old man from the gallery spoke to me. 

That served as a ripple effect to make the others approach with interest. 

There’s those who would touch the barrier and even children were there. 

The barrier repels hostiles. It can’t repel people who are not hostile. That said, it seems like they can’t go inside the barrier either. 

“That was your acquaintance, right? Why did he get eaten? Was he a Loved One?” 

“Uhm…no. I barely knew him, and I also have no clue what’s going on…” (Hikaru)

It took me everything to even answer that. 

No matter who sees it, they would judge me to be a Loved One. 

Maybe they all understand this, or they might not and simply find the thin film of the barrier curious, they were directing their gazes at me. 

The unrestrained gazes and whispers of people were not being cut off by the barrier. 

There aren’t many who are speaking to me directly, but I can easily hear the whispers of the people. 

I end up hearing them.

“Is it really okay for the Great Spirit-sama to be so far from the church…?” 

“A Loved One apparently ran away.” 

“The Great Water Spirit-sama is a gentle one after all. She must have found a bad boy.” 

“I heard this from the priests just now, but it seems like it has to do with Loved Ones.” 

“Isn’t it the man there? The Great Spirit-sama did say something like that.” 

“What’s that film? It is creepy…” 

“An unfamiliar face.” 

“Then, why is he not running? And what’s that film-like stuff? Did the Great Spirit-sama make it?” 

“Won’t the Great Spirit-sama return to the church if that Loved One is offered?” 

“At this rate, it might affect the dungeon somehow. It would be too late when that happens. This city is being supported by the dungeon.” 

“What will happen to the water…? The Great Spirit-sama is providing us with clean water too, you know?” 

“This might be bad.” 

“We have to do something quickly.” 

The gazes of the people were wrapping me up with what felt like pressure that had actual mass. 

A sensation as if a cold hand brushed my back. 

— “It is your fault, right?” 

— “Just get eaten already.” 

— “That’s the duty of Loved Ones, right?” 

— “Are you planning on destroying the city?” 

— “Everything will be solved if you get offered.” 

I felt like I could even hear their minds. 

There’s no doubt that’s what they feel deep within those eyes. 

What’s most important to them is their own livelihood and the safety of the city rather than the life of a nobody foreigner like me.

That’s why…this is natural. 

The fact that Ferdinand was the one who brought the Great Spirit doesn’t matter here. 

The Great Spirit doesn’t plan on moving as long as I am here after all. 

“…………[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

The darkness dyed the inside of the barrier black. 

So that the gazes of people don’t reach me. 

The darkness of the fog doesn’t leak to the outside. 

That’s why it must look like a jet black sphere from the outside. 

The people grew noisier. 

“This is a Dark Spirit Ability?” “Loved Ones shouldn’t be able to use abilities.” “It might be a bad ability.” “If the Great Spirit is trying to put an end to it, maybe it is a Demon Lord…?” “Speaking of which, he might be someone I saw in the dungeon.” “Try discussing it with the priests.” “I have never seen an ability like this one.” “To think he would use an ability in the middle of the city.” “Isn’t he a criminal from somewhere?” “What are the Templars doing?” 

(What should I do…? At this rate…) (Hikaru)

The situation is getting worse and worse. 

I endure the desire to cover my ears and think about what I should do from here on. 

The immediate worries will disappear if Rifreya secures Grapefull. 

Or maybe there’s no worries anymore since the moment Ferdinand was gone…but I can’t just relax. 

We are dealing with people that I don’t know what they would pull off. 

But once that worry is gone…

I open the Status Board and check the Random Transfer. 

[Random Transfer: You can be teleported to a random location in the world. There’s no places where you would instantly die when transferred, but make sure to choose it after taking utmost preparations! You will be awarded 10 Points. You can also bring your One that shall be Loved.]

The last method and the most assured one. 

I will be stranded from everyone, but reuniting is possible as long as I survive.

If I am going to trouble them, I might as well…

“[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

Darkness overlapped with darkness, and I hid myself within the darkness that even felt as if it had mass.

The commotion is growing even louder. 

The abnormal situation of a Great Spirit coming out from the church must be stirring the unease of people. 

*Clang*

The sound of something falling onto the ground. 

When I checked what it was, there was a fist sized rock. 

It seems like someone threw a rock at the barrier. 

After that, I heard the cling clang sounds in succession. 

I can still see the other side even within the Darkness Fog. 

That’s why I could see the people throwing rocks at me, and the Templars swinging their swords. 

Of course, the barrier won’t break from something like that. 

The reason the sounds don’t last long must be because the barrier stops being visible the moment they are hostile. 

That trait is strong, but it also means that they could see the inside of the barrier and be aware of it before they were judged as hostile.

The people throwing rocks probably don’t have such clear hostility yet. 

It might even be better if they were hostile—

I almost finished that thought, but I shook my head and closed my eyes. 

(Anyways…I won’t be able to stay in this city anymore, huh.) (Hikaru)

Even if I got out of this ordeal without using Random Transfer, it would be impossible to continue living in this city. 

The church won’t stay silent, and there’s no doubt the citizens won't allow me to continue living here. 

I have clearly become a being that inflicts chaos into the order of the city after all. 

“[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

Oh well, that’s fine. 

I planned on leaving this city anyways.

Even the Dark Spirit Abilities, I thought it would be bad if people were to see it. 

But who cares now. 

Rifreya did say that it's not like Dark Spirit Abilities are shunned, and the reality is that I can use abilities. 

There’s no point hiding it now, and it would be stupid to just pitifully yield to this situation that Ferdinand created. 

“[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

…This really is stupid.

Why am I in this situation? 

What did I do? 

If anything, haven’t I been contributing to the city with my dungeon explorations? 

It had finally begun calming down.

Being dragged into the isekai transfer, going through hell…even with all that, I had begun feeling that things had gotten better. 

Even though I had slowly begun to accept the fact that I have to live in this world now…

“[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

The darkness inside the barrier was amplifying. 

It has become so dark that I can't even see in front of me anymore. 

Pitch black darkness that even feels tangible…viscous. 

This darkness that doesn’t let even a speck of light in was wriggling inside the barrier as if trying to burst out. 

“[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

Once this barrier is gone, the Great Water Spirit will most likely attack me immediately. 

Once that happens, there won’t be anything left of me.

The only thing that might even remotely work is probably the Chaotic Abilities. 

Would there be hope if Dispel works? 

But what then? 

As long as I can’t defeat her, it will end up just being a worsening battle all the same. 

Just run? Where?

Run to the outside of the city? If the Great Spirit follows me all the way there? 

What if that destroys the dungeon? 

This situation is just as Ferdinand said: Checkmate. 

“[Darkness Fog].” (Hikaru)

It felt as if the darkness was seeping into my body. 

Overlapping the Revelation of Darkness ability is cutting off even the noise of the surroundings. 

— Kyakkya.

— Ufufu.

I hear the voices of the Spirits. 

More clearly than normal. More certain. 

They are far closer than the Great Water Spirit waiting to eat me, and are more reliable. The Dark Spirits that are always by my side —my allies.

— You are troubled, right?

— Are you going to be eaten? 

“…Yeah, I am troubled.” (Hikaru)

— So you are troubled.

— You don’t want to be eaten? 

— Can we do something? 

“…I would like to escape.” (Hikaru)

— I am sure you can.

— If everyone puts their strength together. 

“…Putting our strengths together, huh. How do you do that? Can I do that?” (Hikaru)

— You can.

— You have. 

— It is possible if it is you.

— You have done it once already.

— Isn’t that right? You should be able to do it…my beloved.

— That’s why…

— Call me.

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