Chapter 144
Chapter 144
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 144
Chapter Title: Stranded
-----------------------------------------------------------------
◆
For superhumans capable of wielding special powers, it is safe to say they almost never face physical limits.
Even if they were to get stranded on a rain-drenched mountain, it wouldn't really be a big deal.
......That is, under normal circumstances.
“I don’t know if it’s a trick or a hallucination, but it will be broken soon.”
At first, they simply thought they were caught up in some kind of strange phenomenon. As Panhima said, in an area where plants containing mana grew, it wouldn't be strange for peculiar things to happen.
“This isn’t an ordinary situation.”
However, the expressions on Carlyle and Panhima were growing more serious by the minute.
Under the shade of a tree where they had temporarily taken shelter from the rain, Panhima spoke while quietly clenching and unclenching her hand.
“......It is clearly not a simple ‘phenomenon’. Something has intervened here.”
There was one fact playing a critical role in how quickly the atmosphere had shifted.
A terrible realization that struck them while they were wandering around looking for a way down the mountain.
......He couldn’t feel it. His power.
To be precise, he could feel it, but it was fading.
‘How about you, Hero?’
[......It is similar.]
The Hero opened his mouth, sounding slightly drowsy.
[Increasingly, how should I put it? I am sleepy. My consciousness is fading.]
It wasn't just him and Panhima; even Gray seemed to be affected, as he could feel the strength draining slightly from the voice.
‘......This really isn’t an ordinary situation.’
He thought they had simply come to dig up herbs and got swept up in something strange, but if even the Hero was being affected, the severity of the situation skyrocketed.
It was more accurate to assume that something far more dangerous than some ridiculous mountain spirit was lurking here.
“......”
And if their powers were being erased like this.
It meant the people here were currently nothing more than healthy civilians.
Of course, since their powers weren't completely gone, they could still exert physical abilities far superior to an ordinary person. But it was true that their ‘resistance’ to hardship was gradually lowering.
And, as Carlyle had noted at the very beginning.
For a naked body to face it, nature was a harsh place.
Superhumans might not care, but for an ordinary human, a mountain at night was no joke. It wouldn't be strange to die just like that if things went wrong.
The condition of Panhima, who was right in front of him, proved exactly that.
“......We need to find a way out quickly, somehow. If we stay trapped in here like this, something might really happen.”
Panhima grumbled, asking what kind of mess this was when she just came to make an Inner Core.
Hearing her words, Carlyle stared intently at her.
“What is it?”
“Panhima. Are you cold?”
Her body was trembling, albeit slightly.
Well, it had already been several hours of walking while exposed to the pouring rain. An ordinary person would have gotten cold quickly.
[......Isn't your physical ability just that of a normal person right now too? If anything, you seem even weaker than her.]
‘I’m good at enduring pain.’
[......Hmm.]
‘I’ve been hit more for not controlling my facial expression when someone beat me up and I showed I was in pain......’
[......]
The Holy Sword was shot down.
......It felt like he had spoken up for no reason only to get sunk without gaining anything.
Anyway.
The Far Eastern-style clothes she always wore were quite baggy, so it wasn't very obvious, but Panhima’s complexion was currently not good. The color had drained significantly from her face.
“It looks like hypothermia. Getting out is important, but if you keep wandering around in that state, you’ll be in real trouble. Especially without your powers.”
“......”
Panhima didn’t answer and looked away slightly.
......A reaction that made a bitter smile form automatically as soon as he saw it.
This person really hated showing weakness.
If she hated it that much, she wouldn't even want to show herself dozing off in front of others on the way here.
“......Don’t mind me. Being unable to use powers is the same for you, Comrade. I cannot be the only one making weak sounds he—”
“Don’t be like that.”
Carlyle grinned and swept Panhima’s legs right out from under her.
“......?!”
Unable to imagine it at all, Panhima’s body tipped over.
She had already been forcibly suppressing her poor condition, so she hadn't expected a move close to an attack to come in like this.
However, fortunately, it was clear Carlyle had no intention of letting her roll into the mud.
Because he caught her falling body securely with both arms.
It was what is commonly called a ‘princess carry’.
“......”
Panhima stared blankly at him.
She seemed unable to accept the situation for a moment, but soon, a blush began to spread madly across her face.
“P-Put me down! What is this!”
“No—pe—”
“I said, put me down right now—!”
Saying that, Panhima pounded on Carlyle’s chest.
......Well, it didn't hurt much.
In the first place, when it came to enduring beatings, thanks to Gray, it wouldn't be strange for him to compete for a world championship. Right now, Panhima’s strength was exactly the average of a woman......
“I said— no—”
When he spoke slyly, Panhima’s entire body began to tremble again.
However, unlike before, it was clear she wasn't trembling because of the cold......
“......You’d better prepare yourself once my powers return.”
“I’ll think about that when the time comes.”
Carlyle said with a smile.
“For now, please just rely on me. I understand you hate showing weakness. But it makes me feel bad to see you pushing yourself too hard.”
“......”
“Let’s find a way out after we recover. For now, let’s find a campsite first.”
“......”
“Let’s try to have some leeway once in a while, Panhima.”
Well, if there are no powers, you have to make do with what you have.
In this situation, trying too hard is actually poison.
When he said that, Panhima mumbled with her lips for a moment before turning her head away.
It seemed she knew rationally that Carlyle was right.
[......Disgusting.]
“......”
[......Truly disgusting.]
What.
Why.
◆
“Ah damn, when you said you found those spices earlier, I should have told you to pack some.”
“......”
“I think this just needs to cook a little more...... Ah, is the heat reaching you? Are you okay?”
“......It is sufficient.”
Panhima was looking at Carlyle with eyes that were practically filled with awe.
Due to the Far East's tendency to live in harmony with nature, she knew the principles of action when stranded outdoors quite well.
In that regard.
The survival skills Carlyle was showing right now went beyond simply ‘doing well’; they were at a level that would receive a standing ovation even in the Far East.
He found a cave in an instant, gathered firewood to light a fire despite the pouring rain, managed to light that fire by rubbing sticks together with his bare hands, and even procured food and was cooking it skillfully.
......Going a step further, the food he procured was a rabbit.
“......How on earth did you catch a rabbit in this rain......?”
In the wild, rabbits would dig burrows and stay inside. Furthermore, in rainy weather, they wouldn't even think about coming out.
She had no idea how he caught it.
“Have you... ever lived in the Far East......? I feel like even local hunters couldn't do this.”
“......Well, I’ve had frequent opportunities to survive in the wild.”
If you lived as an infinite regressor in a world where civilization had collapsed, these kinds of petty tricks could be done with your eyes closed.
If he made the Hero even a little uncomfortable outdoors, his head would have gone flying immediately.
[......]
‘......No, well, it’s not like that now, so it’s fine, right?’
[......]
......The Holy Sword was continuing to become dispirited, but anyway.
Right now, he needed to pay a little more attention to Panhima’s condition than his own.
‘......Her condition is more serious than I thought.’
He thought it was simply hypothermia, but it felt like some other illness overlapped with it.
Her skin wasn't just pale; it even had a blue tint to it.
This was the state she was in even though he had gathered every heating method possible.
If there was a solution he could take in this state, there was one thing, but......
“......Why are you suddenly making such a serious face?”
“......Panhima, this is a statement with absolutely no ulterior motives.”
“......What are you trying to say that you’re setting the mood like that?”
That was because he had no choice but to say something serious.
Carlyle looked quietly at Panhima.
Long enough for her to become quite flustered.
“W-What is it. Speak, Comrade.”
“......To maintain body temperature, perhaps......”
Carlyle spoke with a face like he was in hell.
“......I think we need to hug each other and sleep.”
“......”
“......It would be best to take off our wet clothes and do so.”
Just in case there was a misunderstanding, he was saying this.
It is a truly scientific solution.
Really.
Without even 1% of ulterior motive.
“......”
“......”
“......”
A very awkward silence flowed.
“......Please say something, Panhima.”
“......”
Panhima opened her mouth, then closed it.
Like a broken machine, it looked as if no thoughts were coming to her mind.
[......Fuck.]
“......”
[......Fuck, seriously, argh......]
......I wish he would kill his temper a bit.
Isn't this an unavoidable situation?