The Quest

***

On the following morning, Laska and I were the sole adventurers embarking on our journey to find the 'omnipotent being.'

We had learnt that Burka and Nebo had been expelled from the Love School overnight and subsequently transported back to the real world.

They succumbed to their passion and engaged in a sexual intercourse, breaking the taboo.

I should have acted when I scanned their minds with my ‘Thousand Voices’ ability.

If only I was prescient enough, I could have prevented this from happening.

Uncertainty loomed over our mission. Did Laska and I possess enough strength to defeat the Brain Eater, secure the godlike being's reward, and confront Plamen in quick succession? Worry etched lines onto my face, and Laska's eyes lost their usual spark.

“I can’t believe they would do this to us… I thought we were friends…” She spoke in a soft voice.

“They are our friends, Laska. It just can’t be helped now. Either way it’s all my fault, so blame me if that makes you feel better...“

“It’s not your fault, Kiss. I totally understand you wouldn’t want to expose those lewd thoughts that were crossing their minds…”

We agreed that there was no benefit in debating whose fault it was, so we increased our pace and followed the map of Romancia that was left by Nebo.

The map we held bore the cryptic 'x,' promising the location of the ‘omnipotent being’ we sought.

“The ‘x’ marking, where we are to supposedly find the being, seems to be atop a mountain but the mounting has a… lake at the very top?” I endeavored to decipher the map.

As Laska and I ventured deeper into the country yet unknown, the landscape shifted around us in an ever-changing display of natural wonders. We traversed rolling hills adorned with wildflowers, their petals shimmering in the soft, golden sunlight. Waterfalls cascaded into crystal-clear pools, their serene beauty reflecting the azure sky above.

Our path meandered through enchanted forests where moss-covered trees stood sentinel, Bejeweled paired butterflies danced through the air, their wings catching the gentle breeze. We crossed a bridge spanning a river, its waters teeming with ethereal fish.

As we journeyed onward, we stumbled upon a field of radiant, heart-shaped stones, each pulsating with a soft, rhythmic glow. These luminescent markers seemed to guide us, their light illuminating our way. In the distance, we glimpsed the silhouette of a grandiose mountain, its peak crowned with a halo of swirling mists.

“We’re finally here… the Mt. Amour!” Laska celebrated a small victory.

“We’re not there yet. This seems to be at least a six or seven-hours hike. The sun’s gonna set soon, so I think we should camp here and continue tomorrow morning.

We set up our sleeping bags that we packed before the journey and exhausted lied down.

This was the first time that me and Laska were camping outside.

My heart skipped a beat when I felt her presence so close to me.

But the fatigue was stronger than me, so my eyelids started to fall down.

“Kiss?” Laska whispered.

“Mmm?” I replied, half-asleep.

“I just wanted to…” She crawled carefully closer to me, “teach you a lesson, you whiny baby!” The intensity of her voice grew stronger.

Huh?

[Player Laska has used a ‘Fresh Potion’. Your HP restored to 100.]

“She got you, stupid human, chiriririchiri!” A familiar high pitched voice resonated in my head.

“Hey! What the-“

Did that oversized pigeon just spoke to me from the potion?! He gets on my nerves even when he’s not here!

“You wouldn’t let me use it on you, so now we’re good, hehe!”

“Damn, you’re so cunning… But you know what, Laska? I want to show you a new skill that I acquired. I think it will be great for this night spent under the stars.”

“’Hand Holding!’”

[Skill activated. Select a target.]

I took Laska's warm hand in mine and held it tightly during sleep until morning, earning us some EXP before the potential upcoming fight.

***

After a restful night, the two of us commenced the hiking. Our destination: the lake on the top of Mt. Amour.

The path was relatively easy, winding around the mountain, with only the ascent proving challenging.

Upon reaching the summit, a breathtaking view blessed our eyes.

There really was a lake. But the lake was floating above the mountain and the ‘x’ mark from the map was under the lake, swirling within a whirlpool that was supporting the lake, probably holding it afloat.

“So… are we supposed to jump into that whirlpool?” I asked Laska but she hesitated to make any comment.

[‘Whispers of Hearts’ activated. Imminent danger closeby.]

“Huh?”

The ground trembled beneath us, and a chasm opened up, almost separating me from Laska. Rocks flew in all directions like guided missiles.

“Watch out!” I yelled at Laska and caught her before she fell to her knees.

A colossal worm-like creature emerged from the depths below, its rusty metallic scales gleaming. It had eyes that glowed a menacing scarlet.

The name above its neck-less head spelled ‘Brain Eater’.

“O-oh. This doesn’t look good at all. This isn’t good, AT ALL!” I panicked, grabbing Laska by hand and started running away.

“Where are we going?! The ‘x’ is in the opposite way!” Laska cried.

“The two of us have no chance of beating that thing, let’s run!”

The danger sense in my head was in overdrive.

“I’m not running away!” Laska slipped out of my grip and stood face to face with the monster.

“Geez…!” I came to help her but I wasn’t sure how to defeat it. Were we even meant to defeat it?

An HP bar was glowing below its name.

“’Sincere Apology’!”

[Skill activated. Craft an apology.]

“I’m sorry we ventured into your territory, can you please just let us pass to that ‘x’ over there?”

[The skill had no effect.]

“Damnit, it seems like our usual skills are not working!”

“I’ll just have to fight it myself, then!” Laska’s determination burnt hotter, “’Caring Shield, second stage: Infinite Wall’!”

Laska conjured multiple transparent walls around the creature, transforming them into sharp sword-like weapons that pierced the beast's skin.

The opponent's HP decreased by 10.

“We really do have to engage it in an actual fight!” I realized, finally understanding that combat skills were needed in some quests.

The beast squealed from pain and before I knew it, it closed the distance between us. It took a bite out of my whole torso and yet… I wasn’t dead.

Once the beast used the attack, the bite felt like it went through me, like an illusion or a laser.

“Kiss! Are you alright??” Laska looked at me worriedly. “Your HP, it’s…” She paused for a little while. “It’s not deducted? Still 100. I wonder what that means!”

[Critical Damage: -30 EP]

“Laska… I think I know why it’s called ‘Brain Eater’.” I stared at the humongous worm-beast, solving the mystery behind its name. “It eats our Educational Points...”

“Whaat?” Before Laska could revel in her surprise, the beast came after her, biting 30 EP out of her as well.

“No, no, no, this can’t be happening! We need to flee! If our EPs reach zero, we’ll be expelled!”

“No! We have to fight him! We need to ask the ‘omnipotent being’ for help!”

Laska was too emotionally involved and morally outraged by Plamen to listen. The creature fell under Laska's Soul Enchantment attack, but as it collapsed, rocks flew at her, striking her in the face.

“Noooooooo!!” I screamed as I watched her fall down to the ground.

I rushed to her side, her blood staining my hands. Panic coursed through me as I gazed at her injured face.

My body started to shake. My mind went blank. Cold sweat formed on my forehead. My throat dried up.

[Damage: -10 HP]

Not again.

[Damage: -10 HP]

A particular memory flashed before my eyes, that of Laska's battered face.

[Damage: -10 HP]

Not again. Please.

[Damage: -10 HP]

As my eyes were fixed on the blood, my vision went blurry.

[Critical Damage: -30 EP]

The only thing I remembered was how even before I lost my consciousness, the beast attacked me again.

[Critical Damage: -30 EP]

“Kiss…!” Laska’s faint voice spoke one more time to me. But I couldn’t make out the rest of her sentence.

"Kiss," I thought I was hallucinating but another warm and familiar voice called out to me. 

Regardless, it was too late.

[Your Educational Points were reduced to zero.]

[You have been expelled from Love School.]

[Commencing the transport back to Earth.]

And just like that, I reawakened in the real world.

CHAPTER 17: END