Can You Do It? (4)

The thugs were stronger than expected.

Thinking about it, it was only natural.

If the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠kingdom had fallen to this state, it meant the world was already collapsing, and those who survived in such a ruined world were mostly strong. They might have become strong by surviving, or perhaps they were strong to begin with.

But even so.

"Aaaah!"

At the moment, it wasn't a threat to me, but the thug who had just charged at me and had his joints dislocated let out a scream.

"You damn bastard!"

Seizing the moment, another guy reached out from behind with a sword.

"Ah, nooo!"

Iris shouted a warning, but it didn't help much.

Since I already knew about such obvious ambushes before they even lifted their swords.

Whoosh!

I lightly ducked the sword aimed at my neck and stepped forward, kneeing him in the stomach.

"Puhuk!"

Then grabbed his arm and shoulder and twisted the bones.

Crack!

With a bone-chilling sound, I changed the arm's structure so the palm faced outward.

With this state, he wouldn't be able to swing a sword wildly anywhere.

"Kuuu..."

"Live properly, man. Don't be sneaky."

Finally, lightly tapping the jaw of the fallen guy to finish him.

His eyes rolled back, foam in his mouth, and he passed out.

"Hoo, done."

Shaking my hands like someone who finished cleaning the room, I let out a big breath.

In terms of cleaning up trash and making the world a bit cleaner, it's not that different from cleaning the room.

After glancing at the fallen thugs, I approached the princess who had frozen stiff in the spot.

"Are you alright?"

"Ah..."

Looking at me with eyes that still didn't quite believe it, the princess.

Despite the grime from not having bathed for a long time, her beauty was so stunning that it could make one gasp.

'What role am I in this scenario?'

Scenarios basically followed the plot of an RPG.

Players who entered the scenario were given a role that fit the world setting.

In "Goblin Camp Raid," I was a low-ranking mercenary.

In "Escorting the Wagon," I was a knight who received the request to protect the wagon.

Roles like this were automatically assigned tied ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to missions, and surrounding characters naturally recognized me that way.

So in this "Ruined Princess" scenario, there should be a role for me.

Probably the princess in front of me already knew about it.

"You are...!"

Small lips parted and the truth spilled out.

My role here is!

"...Who are you?"

Who are you!

......

"Yes?"

"You don't seem to be from the kingdom based on your clothes or weapons... Ah! You were late. Thank you so much for helping!"

"Um..."

"Could I hear your name? Even though the situation is like this, if I don't return the favor to my benefactor, it would be an insult to my honor."

I don't know if you know, but I don't either.

'What is going on here?'

I had roughly expected it, but the scenario I entered seemed completely different from the existing ones.

"Is it... hard...?"

Towards the girl looking at me sadly like a wet cat.

I let out a big sigh internally and answered.

"Shin Jaeha."

***

Continuing with Iris's questioning offensive, I used the cheat key unique to people from other worlds: "Memory Loss."

"That must have been a big shock..."

Surprisingly, this innocent girl believed every word I said.

Maybe I should just turn off the chat window.

How do streamers play with this attached to them? It's driving me crazy.

"Here, if you eat warm food, you might feel better."

She handed me a warm soup boiled in a pot.

"Can I have this? I usually don't like to waste food..."

"...It doesn't matter anymore."

It doesn't matter?

Looking at me with an expression asking for explanation, Iris cleared her throat with a start.

"Sorry. If you have memory loss, you must be confused anyway..."

"No. Could you explain? How did this kingdom end up like this, and what does it mean that it doesn't matter anymore?"

"As long as it helps you a little, my benefactor."

Immediately, Iris's explanation followed.

Summarizing, this was it.

In the past, this place was the prosperous capital of a kingdom that had developed greatly.

The most powerful and grand kingdom in history, on the verge of continental unification.

The last remaining other kingdom had lost all functions and was only left with being conquered by force, and those who feared it carried out a terrible act.

"From ancient times, the inherited sorcery... A ceremony was performed offering the souls of 666 children, 666 sinners, and 666 noble souls as sacrifices."

Despite many sacrifices, it was a gamble with a success rate of less than 0.1%, sacrificing all the remaining people of the kingdom.

But unfortunately.

It succeeded.

"As a result, it was summoned on the continent."

"What was it?"

"......"

Iris said cautiously.

One moment later.

"■■."

It seemed like it was filtered or something; it didn't come through.

Even after asking several times, it was the same.

As if it was not permitted at this stage.

'What is this?'

It was a bit frustrating, but since I couldn't know right away, I let it pass.

"According to the records, the summoned ■■ can descend three times a year."

Hearing it, it seemed less like a record and more like a legend.

『The giant that appears in January kills all children.

The giant that appears in June erases the traces of civilization.

The giant that appears in December burns the world.』

Three times a year in total.

The "giant" had already completed two descents.

In the first descent, everyone under 20 died.

In the second, it turned the grand kingdom into this plain.

'And the last descent is...'

No matter how much I lacked literary sensibility, I could guess.

"Burns the world" was not something like turning on a boiler.

High probability of world destruction.

And the scheduled date for the last descent was three days from now.

"I... I won't give up. It's unacceptable to lose the hometown I was born and raised in."

Iris clenched her fist.

"So I kept looking for living people. If we gather our strength and organize an army, we might be able to stop the third descent!"

"So, did you find anyone?"

"That's..."

Of course not.

If I had, I wouldn't have been attacked by those three thugs just now.

Originally, surviving until now meant I had already gone through those two calamities, so would such people even think of fighting me?

"I... I can't give up easily."

Iris's small shoulders trembled.

"Don't give up hope until the end. If you do, everyone will give up together. It was what Father said. I always recall this whenever I'm in trouble."

"That's quite a grand resolve. Anyone would think you're royalty."

"Cough...!"

Startled, Iris coughed repeatedly and looked away.

Somehow, she seemed reluctant to admit she was royalty.

"...But I don't know anymore."

After drinking a glass of water, her voice came out gloomy from the bottom of her true heart.

"After the second descent, I looked for people to unite our will, but no one wanted to fight with me. What should I do...?"

"No one found. There's one right in front of you."

"N...?"

Iris's eyes widened.

"I will follow your will."

"R... really...?"

"Anyway, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠when the descent comes, everyone dies. When dying, at least I should resist."

The goal of this story is to protect Iris from dying.

If I just leave the third descent alone, she would naturally fail the clear.

"There are still two days left, so let's find more people together. If not, I'll fight as much as I can alone. Even though I look like this, I'm quite strong."

"...Hic!"

Iris's large eyes became teary.

"Thank you... Thank you... Really..."

"If you cry, your stamina will drop. Eat the soup!"

"Hehe... Thank you, Mr. Jaeha."

It wasn't that I boiled it, but...

'Anyway, now I know how the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠story flows.'

To clear it, defeat the guy who is the cause of the ruin.

With the pieces falling into place, a smile naturally formed on my face.

What remained was to gather more information on that guy...

Twzzzt!

At that moment, a completely unfamiliar golden message appeared before my eyes.

At the moment I checked the content, I stood up from my seat in surprise.

'Challenger?!'

What is this system.

How does it know I reached the Challenger rank?

"J... Jaeha-ssi? Are you okay?"

Iris said that, but the chat reactions were also silent.

Basically, except for personal status windows, quests and rewards were automatically shared unless I touched the settings.

It was convenient because I didn't have to explain them one by one when streaming.

'But even so, it's not visible to anyone...'

It seemed this golden quest was only visible to my eyes.

"...It's nothing. Anyway, let's hurry. Three days is too tight to move right away."

"Yes! Understood!"

Who sent me this quest.

The owner of that voice I heard when dying?

The being who regressed me?

Or someone completely different?

'I don't know who, but...'

At least I could guess what the sender of this quest wanted from me.

To become a Challenger again.

To become the strongest and highest-ranked player.

"If that's what you want... Then, sure, I'll do it."

I couldn't refuse.

No, it would be easier.

[Return to Challenger]

This quest seemed to be asking me.

"Can you do it?"

"I'll make it happen faster and more perfectly. Just wait quietly."

At least in this life, I'll fulfill my responsibility and create a different ending from before regression.

You have been wandering the ruined kingdom with Iris looking for people. But couldn't find anyone.

The first day is over.