Zone 1 (2nd Try) (28): Miracles Amid the Crushing Dark

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

I knew the start felt too good—fucking rotten luck. Even after feeding it a flashbang, that bastard didn't miss a single hit, and none of us dodged. Hell, it was a max damage crit that didn't quite crit. 'Fuck, this game's pure shit RNG.'

The already dim dungeon grew even darker. As the glow from our floating magic torch dimmed, the cloying shadows in the dungeon crept closer.

"Get up...! Get ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up! Kaya!!!"

"Ngh...!"

It had to hurt like hell. Kaya, who rarely spoke or showed expression, was twisting her face and letting out unrestrained groans of agony—no need to ask.

But the fight wasn't over. As long as it wasn't, nothing in this dungeon was on our side except us. Crush the bastard or get crushed—pick one. No one had died yet, so we crush it.

So...

"Get up!!! That's an order!!!"

Kaya, writhing on the ground, started thrashing more violently.

"Hah... hahh...!"

Her eyes rolled back as she convulsed like she was having a seizure, scraping at the floor desperately to rise. It was pathetic. Miserable. Who could call this a "hero"?

"Nghaa...!"

Blood trickled from her pale, slender fingertips. Her nails had all shattered from clawing the stone. Utterly wretched.

Yet she didn't give up. Her legs trembled like a newborn fawn's, but she kept forcing herself upright. Seven falls and eight rises was ancient history—she'd already tumbled over twenty times.

The dungeon kept darkening while Kaya still couldn't stand. Brightness dipped below 50, mentality drain intensified. Even Kaya's negative trait, fear of darkness, triggered.

I wanted to crawl over, haul her up. Hold her, comfort her, give her strength. Hell, maybe even kiss her—this could be the last time. But it wasn't my turn. It was hers. She had to move herself, overcome it herself.

"C-Cap... tain... Cap... tain...!"

Blood dribbled from Kaya's mouth. Blood tears streamed from her eyes. Her eyes were bloodshot, her face caked in gore—ghoulish. But it didn't scare me. If anything, I felt sorry. Above all, her eyes burned with unyielding resolve. She hadn't given up.

That made me proud. Grateful.

"Hoh. Endured the terror?"

"C-Captain... will... never!!!"

Kaya's strike was legendary. Just as the message said—a miraculous strike. Right after her body was crushed by the massive terror, she pulled herself together and landed a crit on the enemy. I shuddered in awe.

Two crits in a row, two heals. Kaya had more than paid her dues.

Thud—

"Kaya!"

"C-Cap... Cap... Captain...!"

Finally back in control, Kaya dropped to her knees. I panicked, but she wasn't dead. Just pale and shaking uncontrollably. Her turn was done—I rushed to hug her from behind. My body shook too.

"You did great. The best. You can do this."

Shiver shiver shiver—

Now it was Shae's turn. But she still hadn't risen. Tears flowed. Was clearing the dungeon—no, doing it without losing anyone—too greedy? Should I have just died alone instead of dragging them in with my enthusiasm, dooming them to unforgettable agony?

No, I wanted to live too. The message straight-up threatened death without clearing. So I pushed hard. But this was bullshit unfair...

Still, making them suffer like this just for me to...

"You fucking heretic-worshipping piece-of-shit bastard worthless scum can't-even-fertilize-soil fuck...!"

"Shae...?"

"Don't you dare look down on me, you filthy heretic! I swore... I wouldn't submit anymore! But... to scum like you!!!"

Half-prostrated, Shae roared. Then she crawled forward on all fours like evolution from monkey to man, finally staggering upright on two legs and raising her claymore.

If Kaya's resistance thrilled me, Shae's was awe incarnate. Advancing step by agonizing step against the terror trying to pulverize her very existence—a great stride.

"I... will go back!!!"

"How dare you!!! Again!!!"

"How dare, dare, DARE!"

The boss flew into a rage. No telling if it was the double crits or resisting Judgment that pissed it off.

"Heh... Captain... did I... do good...?"

"...Of course. You did great. Way better than me."

"Hehe... ah...!"

Thud—

Shae collapsed after Kaya. It wasn't just system HP anymore. Like how they'd wailed from mental agony before mentality hit -100, their bodies had hit their limit before HP zeroed. Their current 4/17 and 3/14 just meant they were alive, nothing more.

Me holding out was probably thanks to Awakening.

'My turn now.'

I kissed Kaya's half-conscious head, gently laid her down. Then—shing—I stroked the axe blade and rose.

'Mark's final turn. Then it's straight to the boss's.'

I had a feeling. No more turns after this. If I crushed it this turn, victory. If not...

'Just no AoE. With the mark on me, it'll probably target me hard.'

Yeah, you fucking prick. Whisper your terror—who gives a shit. Gonna steal my turn? Brightness plunged to the 20s; even the boss's outline blurred. But I grew calmer.

'I can do this.'

One freak AoE aside, our hero party fought like demons. Stun, paralysis, blind, crits galore, even chip heals.

'We did great. Kaya and Shae couldn't have done better. Just me now.'

I calculated expected damage. Mid-tier crit would kill it. My comrades landed crits; no reason I couldn't.

"Kaya."

First comrade. First woman. Our reliable battle nun, silently doing her part, propping me up. Grateful.

"Shae."

Second comrade. Awkward first meet and instance, but warmed to me and Kaya, our sturdy genius tank girl.

"I owe you both so much. So..."

Thud, thud, thudthud, thudthudthud, tatatatat—

Ignoring my creaking body, I glared at the boss and slammed my axe into its head.

"So..."

"-------!!!"

"So..."

"How dare how dare HOW DAREEEE!!! I'll kill you, kill you, KILL YOU!!! Thrashing in terror is a luxury for scum like you!!!"

"So..."

"......"

Ha.

"Gahk—!"

"Die."

Spluuurt—!

Thud—!

Thud—

*

"Honey. Dinner's ready."

"Oh, has it been that long already?"

"Yes."

The woman in the apron set the last dish on the table and called to the man working in the living room. At her call to eat, he dashed over and sat.

"Whoa, what's all this? Special occasion?"

"No. I just... wanted to."

"All this?"

"You can leave some if it's too much."

"Hm."

The man scanned the table once, then dug in aggressively. The woman smiled, adding his favorite sides to his spoon now and then; he fed her hers by hand. He smiled too.

"Ugh, I'm stuffed. Thanks for the feast, Kaya."

"Me too, honey."

"You did all the cooking... Anyway, good work."

"This is nothing."

Kaya, the woman, nestled in his arms with a blissful smile. He gently stroked her belly; she clung tighter.

"Honey."

"Yeah?"

"Did you... think about it?"

"Think about what?"

"The name."

"Kaya."

His hand stopped. He scratched his head with the other.

"Sigh, I did, but I'm terrible at naming. If you've got ideas, you should pick."

Kaya shook her head no from his embrace. He burst out laughing.

"I want you to name it."

"Why?"

"It was my dream. To marry you, have your child, raise a kid with a name you gave. First two happened—please make the last one too... Can't you?"

"Haha, why not. Lemme see... I got some. Wanna hear?"

"Yes. Tell me all."

He chuckled, stroking her belly again.

"Assuming it's a boy, Kyle."

"Sounds good."

"Yuri."

"Good."

"Elfin."

"That too."

"Crow."

"All good."

"Haha, can't all be good. Gotta pick one."

He tapped her belly with a finger.

"So which do you like best?"

"Me?"

He looked down at Kaya in his arms. Their eyes met. Kaya's soft smile at her beloved husband's face froze solid. She tried to bolt up, but his arm pinned her.

"Y-You!!!"

"How about Terror Hand?"

Blood gushed from his eyes, nose, mouth, ears.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

His fingers ballooned instantly, impaling him and Kaya together.

*

"H-Honey... honey...? Honey...! Where... are you...? Answer me... ahk...!"