Chapter 50: Help Has Finally Arrived!
Chapter 50
I was just a lonely, poor boy back in reality. I did have a family, but honestly, they never cared for me. Why?
I was ugly. Frail. Not intelligent, not smart, with no outstanding features at all.
So I was abandoned by my own parents. Meanwhile, my little brother got all the attention. Why? Because the little rascal was the perfect opposite of me.
Handsome, with a good body build, so smart that he topped his classes. My parents focused all their attention, money, and love on him while I was nothing more than a background character in their story.
Despite having parents, I still did odd jobs. I worked daily, from six to twelve, and they never once asked why I was coming back late. They never cared.
I dropped out of school because I couldn’t cope with education, and slowly, I found something I could cope with after work. Games!
Lots and lots of games. I gamed like never before. With every coin I saved, I bought myself a VR capsule and immersed myself in it.
Whatever break or rest I had from work, I was in the game. And slowly, I built my reputation in the online world and became a respected figure there.
Still, my parents always scoffed at my efforts. I’m sure if the world was burning, my brother would be their first priority. Only after I was gone and burnt to ashes would they maybe think about me.
Then came the new game: ArcadiaX. It had just been released, and I decided to play it when I encountered an error that brought me into this world.
A beast-infested world. The character I was given was so handsome that I got jealous of him. Yet I also decided that this would be the life I never had back in reality.
Despite the missions and the constant threat of beasts, I knew one thing: if I ever got the chance to go back to reality, I would refuse.
I always thought no one would ever put their life or neck on the line for me. But I was wrong. In this world, I found several people who stuck their necks out for me, yet were careful enough not to end up dead themselves.
At first, I thought it was for their own benefit. If it were guys, I was sure they had ulterior motives. If it were girls, I believed they only wanted me for themselves.
But what? What motive did he have for saving me? He literally got hurled by dozens of fireballs in an attempt to protect me. Why? Why did Zen do that? Why did he save me at the risk of his own life? Why?
I wanted so badly to ask him that, but I couldn’t. He was dead. Gone. Buried under piles of rock because he chose to save me.
Burnt, broken, and crushed while I could do nothing but watch. His sacrifice tore at me, and in that moment, I remembered what my mother always said.
"You are such a useless human, son and brother. I wish I never gave birth to you. You disgrace and irritate me. I wish you would just die."
Her words rang inside my skull, poisonous and unrelenting.
’So why, Zen? Why didn’t you just let me dieee?!’ Jace screamed internally, smashing his fists into the ground in frustration and grief.
The others were too stunned to move, their eyes wide, unable to believe what they had just witnessed. Erin, on hearing the countless bangs and tremors, regained consciousness just in time to see Zen get hurled away.
"ARGHHHHHHH!" Jace roared into the air, his voice trembling with rage as tears poured down his face like an endless waterfall.
His teeth ground back and forth, jaw trembling as he reached forward. His fingers clawed at the ground until they wrapped around the hilt of his sword. With sheer will, he pushed himself upright.
His eyes burned bloodshot red as he glared at the beast in pure fury.
"You shouldn’t have done that." Jace said coldly, lifting his sword to point at the ogre whose eyes were now pitch black, the mark of madness and corruption.
"Wat... cough! Water Veil!" Jace screamed, his throat raw.
And as if resonating with his will, a tidal wave burst forth, wrapping itself around his sword and body. His eyes gleamed faintly, shimmering like the surface of the ocean under moonlight.
The ogre simply stood there, its huge grin widening as dozens upon dozens of fireballs appeared around it. Their blinding light filled the room as if a second sun had been born inside the cavern.
Jace gritted his teeth, blood spilling from his lips, but he did not falter. He would not falter. With no hesitation, he dashed forward, the image of a vast ocean surging behind him. He leapt into the air, sword raised, his fury and sorrow crashing together like storm waves ready to engulf the beast.
SNAP!
The ogre snapped its fingers and instantly, dozens of fireballs shot towards the human suspended in the air.
"WaterFall!" Jace finally completed his chant as he swung his sword vertically, splitting the air. A tremendous gush of water poured down from above, colliding head-on with the raging fireballs.
BOOM!
BANG!
BOOM!
Shockwave after shockwave tore through the chamber, echoing violently as the ground quaked and trembled under the force.
The entire room seemed to shudder, as though it would collapse under the immense clash of powers. Then, silence returned as Jace landed, his eyes burning with determination.
He was about to advance when his body betrayed him. His chest tightened, his knees buckled, and his eyes widened in shock. He dropped heavily, coughing blood. Scarlet streaks streamed from his eyes as well, dripping onto the floor.
’Shit! I... I pushed too far. Beyond what my body can endure. I... I can’t move.’ Jace thought in panic as the beast’s grin stretched wider.
With a single step, the monster moved from its throne, which stood nearly six metres away. In less than a second, it appeared before the kneeling human.
Without hesitation, the ogre slammed its massive fist into Jace’s face. The impact was devastating. Two teeth and a spray of blood burst from his mouth as his body was flung backward at terrifying speed.
In the blink of an eye, he crashed into the wall with a sickening crunch, denting it deeply before sliding down, leaving streaks of crimson behind. Another mouthful of blood spilled from his lips.
"JACE!" Aria screamed, her voice trembling in terror. She stood frozen, but her legs finally moved as fear pushed her forward. Yet before she could reach him, a crackling filled the chamber.
Her heart skipped a beat when she glanced upward.
Dozens upon dozens of fireballs fifty in total hovered ominously above, their glow painting the chamber in a fiery hue.
"We... we are going to die. We are really going to die." Aria mumbled over and over, her tears now cascading freely down her cheeks.
"No... not on my watch. I... I won’t let anybody else die." Jace groaned, somehow pushing himself up again. His body trembled, blood dripping freely, but his teeth were clenched in defiance. His gaze locked on the beast.
"I... I will make sure... I kill you. That’s my pro..."
"Stand down, boy. You’ve done enough."
A deep, booming voice thundered through the chamber.
The great double doors that had been sealed shut flew open, crashing inward with an earthshaking bang. A man entered calmly, each step steady, his presence filling the room.
A massive greatsword was strapped diagonally to his back. His eyes glared coldly at the beast.
"I’m sorry I am late," the man said, his voice low and commanding. "But I promise, I will handle things from here."
"Si... sir... Tom?" Jace muttered weakly, his vision flickering in and out. The next instant, his body gave way, falling. Before he could hit the ground, Tom moved in a blur, catching him gently.
"Can you look after him for me?" Tom asked, his eyes shifting briefly toward Aria.
Aria, though shaking, nodded quickly and took Jace into her arms, holding his unconscious form tightly.
Tom straightened, his presence swelling like a storm. His black hair floated around his shoulders, stirred by an unseen force. His silver eyes began glowing, radiating power. The strapping across his back uncurled itself, releasing the greatsword.
Without even looking, he swung his hand behind him and caught the weapon effortlessly. His focus remained fixed on the fifty fireballs hovering above.
"Let’s end this."
"Flame Veil," Tom called out. Instantly, blazing flames erupted around his sword, scorching and roaring as though a miniature sun had been born within the chamber.
"Flame Slash Ultra."
The words were like judgment.
A deafening blast followed, shattering the sound barrier with such force that the chamber rang as though struck by thunder. Tom surged forward in a blur, faster than the eye could follow, his blazing sword carving through the fiery storm.