Back to Red Rose's Perspective
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My mouth let out an instinctive groan as the pain creeping into my veins whisked inside of . Grumbles that ca from outside resounded beside , which I could only guess that it ca from the weather. Despite the rain continuing to drip from above, no water touched my skin.
I could only guess that I was inside a cavern or a shack. If I was here, sobody must have dragged inside to safety.
Footsteps ca close beside my ears, walking in each direction, fiddling with sothing I did not know. After so ti, tal plates and containers clashed against each other, with a sizzling sound coming afterwards.
"Mmgh"
My mouth let out another sound that I could not control. That person moving elsewhere inside this room must be doing sothing on my body.
Soone with a pointed object injected my skin, making my legs twitch without my consent. That needle went deep through my skin and hit my bones and my muscles. It felt like thousands of damned needles puncturing all over my body. I knew nothing about the occurrence, and my body quivered every ti an item wounded my skin.
"GAH!"
"....?"
"...."
Silence filled the room as I recognised the sensual feeling covering my body.
Instead of feeling pain, pleasure enveloped my skin. My mind finally beca at ease, as if I was drifting with the clouds way up the skies. Every prick of my arm, a tingling sensation of delight, covered my mind. There was no blood, or any violence of so sort. Just needles.
If there were a word that could describe it, I would call it heaven. Heaven ant to massage my inner cells, dying inside of .
However, it beca difficult for to accept that I did not die from that battle. I rembered everything before sleeping like this and waking up.
I knew a bullet pierced right through my chest. I even saw it with my own eyes, as it would destroy my lungs. The last thing I saw before falling on the ground was Match's presence, conjuring a hellish firewall to block the projectiles.
"Match… Match!" I shouted, but I ended up coughing out blood.
The satisfying needles sticking in my skin turned against my body. All those euphoric madness beca dreadful to . As I peeled my eyes open, the girl that I was calling earlier welcod . Match was also sleeping on the right side of our make-shift mattress.
But who in Code did this? Who saved us from the brink of death?
"You ca a long way, Red. I admire your bravery to complete your quest. It's giving so profits, hmm?" The recognisable voice of a rchant greeted my ears.
As I raised my head, the jet-black cloak fluttered in front of . The man, whom I already t a dozen tis, addressed once again. That dragonewt without a na walked close to and flashed with a grin.
"You're really sothing, Red. You even inspire to beco the best version of myself as a rchant yet!"
Just as the tradesperson told that, a notification popped up in front of . The system explained that half of my gold went to the rchant. It also explained that the rchant took it from for nding both Match and my wounds.
[125 million gold coins will be deducted to your account, 250 million gold coins (platinum bar).]
[Your balance: 125 million gold coins.]
"... There go my 125 million gold coins," I reacted, and let out a laugh.
I did not mind losing all this money to the rchant. And besides, I could use my money to save Match and . We needed dical attention, especially , who took a bullet in the chest.
This rchant also took half of my wealth when we conversed in the garden. Taking one-fourth of my money would do nothing to .
The system told that a shell from those guns could kill anyone within one shot. After I saw that bullet flying over , I thought I was dead at. With all those blood splattering across my clothes, I knew I would never see the light for tomorrow.
But I had thought wrong.
"Thank you for saving us, rchant. You're always here when I need you the most."
"Save the flattery, Red. You know I sll money everywhere you go. And besides, you're my rich client. I would not let my clients down, would I?" the rchant answered, and went towards the skin.
Judging by the tradesperson's words, he had more patrons than . It was a good thing that he earned money while that rchant was away from . However, there was a space in my heart that tingled out of jealousy.
I thought I was a special person, guided by this rchant. Well, I guessed I was not the only one getting all his attention.
"Where are we?" I asked.
"We're inside a shack from the village. During the assault, the players fired their bullets at these houses. The town went into chaos. It was a noble thing that I stopped by to help these innocent NPCs." the rchant replied, and went back to .
He placed a bowl of steaming porridge and added flasks of health potions inside. After stirring the contents, the trader told that the dicine and herbs he applied worked on my body.
"You could move your hands and feet, Red. But do nothing stupid just because you can move on your own right now. That body of yours could barely move an inch."
After hearing the rchant's warnings, I sat and turned my head over to the boiling rice. The sll of vegetables and berries mixed in the soup made my abdon growl for more. My body ordered to gulp it at once.
But I couldn't, since the plate was too hot for to eat everything in one scoop. I had to make slow intervals to eat the porridge.
Match was also right on ti to join with my al. As the little girl moaned, I gingerly placed the bowl at the side and embraced my adorable Match. I did not care if I woke up the girl. As long as I hugged her tight, my heart would rest in peace (but not dead).
"Ouch… Hot, hot! Burning!" Match croaked, as I squeezed her using my arms.
My skin touched the rough surfaces of Match's body, telling that sothing must have gone wrong. I checked Match skin and found out that the flas burned most of her body parts. The only thing that the fire did not reach was Match's face. The rest of her body turned into brown, grey, or black.
"... Match."
"Don't look at … I'm hideous." Match said, and covered her face, using her hands.
Because of the spell that she used, the flas that Match controlled also devoured her body. It crisped everything and left nothing on her skin. The colour of her scar beca Match's entire mass, painting her with a different colour.
However, despite her words, I continued hugging her back. I never let go of the weeping Match, whom I considered my sister, unrelated by blood.
"There, there, Match. A little stain won't make hate you." I said, and let out a smile.
Match thought that her burnt body would make see her in a different light. But it was the other way around.
"I'm really grateful for saving back there. Although you burn your body, I'm still thankful that you arrived and finished those players for . Promise you will never overuse your ability again, alright?"
"Do I have to keep my powers and protect you? I want to be there for you, Red!"
I gave Match a nod and embraced her tighter than I ever before. I did not want to restrict Match from fighting against the players. If I were up against those players, I would lose. My abilities and experiences cannot keep up with those soldiers we fought from before.
"I am powerless without you, Match. Of course, you can stay by my side. Just always rember my advice…"
"Don't overuse my powers. I got it, I got it, Red~. Sheesh."
After our exchange, a knock on the door alerted everyone inside. A soft voice ca afterwards, asking for permission to enter the shack, which Olivia already owned.
"You can enter, Olivia. And nobody is trying to stop you from going inside," I said, and joked around.
With a heavy sigh, she entered the room and t my eyes. She knelt beside and gave a warm hug, but not as warm as Match did earlier. A tear fell from her eye as she spoke her refill to .
"I'm so worried…. about you! Don't you…. ever do that again, okay?"
"I get it, I get it. But thanks to you and your vines, we all made it out safely outside!"
The rchant stepped foot into our conversation and cleared his throat. All of our eyes stared at the cloaked man as he opened his mouth.
"Match and Red, the two of you should leave this place before the players invade this village again."
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