Chapter 189: Blessings

  “That’s enough for today,” John sighed, standing up. “You know where to find us. Do you know what you’re looking for?”

  Jinae shook her head. “Unfortunately, I do not. A few years ago, I lost contact with someone around here. In fact, it was shortly after you left… regardless, I couldn’t find this village until about a year later. Even then, I’ve been searching with no success.”

  “No success…”

  John shuddered in fear. If Jinae had been searching for at least three years with no success, what was he supposed to do?

  “But I believe that has changed.”

  Jinae pointed at John, her smile suddenly feeling somewhat cunning. John took a small step back.

  “I identified that the energy surrounding this town is similar to your own. That foreign energy you bear,” Jinae said, shuffling closer to him.

  Now that she wasn’t fighting, she was moving like an old granny again. John wasn’t sure if this was an act or if she really moved like that, but he wasn’t willing to fuck around and find out.

  “And if it reacts to your energy… surely your presence will unlock something, no?”

  “Me?” John frowned. “I hate to break it to you, but my powers don’t react to anything. There’s no synergy, no lock, nothing like that. Look, here I’ll use them right now.”

  John’s left eye lit up as [Infinity] activated. He looked bored, kicking at the scorched dirt, now ruined from the little fight between Jinae and Prota.

  “Fascinating,” Jinae muttered, looking at John. “I truly sense no mana from you. It really is a foreign energy.”

  “You can sense mana?” John said, surprised. “I thought that was a trait unique to dragons.”

  “No, no. It just takes the right senses. Although, you are right. Usually, the most mortals can do is get a vague feel for the flow of mana. Seeing mana the way your sister does… that’s unique.”

  “But you can also do it.”

  “Mm… let’s call that my little secret, shall we?”

  John sighed, looking around. “Alright. Look, I told you, my energy isn’t something you can just manipulate like that. Nothing’s happening-”

  Suddenly, a flash of red light emerged from underneath the ground. That was all, but it was a distinct feeling everybody nearby understood.

  “Oh, for fuck’s sakes,” John muttered, walking over to where the light had emerged from.

  It still looked like burnt dirt. There was no indication of any kind of entrance or secret, but it would be lame if something like that was just there.

  “Hm… there seems to be a strange flow of mana here,” Jinae muttered, shuffling over. She knelt down, grabbing some dirt and rubbing it between her fingers. “Fascinating… quite the intricate formation of mana as well.”

  Prota also walked over, staring with interest. The light was no longer there, but if she focused, she could see an incredibly complex formation of mana surrounding a small area. It seemed to be some kind of barrier spell, primarily composed of ice and earth magic, as well as air and fire magic to generate illusions.

  “Well, that should be no matter at all. Give me a second, and-”

  “Hold on.”

  John put his hand on Jinae’s shoulder, his expression one of mild concern.

  “Look. Let’s… let’s come back here,” he said slowly.

  “Do you believe there to be a threat within?” Jinae frowned, standing up. “Surely we can handle-”

  “Alright. Let’s make some things clear before we go on. I’m nowhere near as strong as when I fought you. That power is long gone. Second… there could be nothing. There could be a god inside whatever this is. I need a moment to prepare, ok? If we just rush in, we might be fucking ourselves in the ass.”

  “Surely you jest,” Jinae laughed. “Barring a Mystic, what could possibly be down there?”

  “You’re thinking in terms of this world,” John warned. “This power isn’t of this world, remember? What happens if the rules change? What happens if you can’t use mana? Maybe there’s a rule that rewrites it so your blood turns into coffee if you cast a spell.”

  “That-”

  “I’m not saying that’s what’s going to happen. But you can never be too careful, ok? Put it this way. You wouldn’t have thought a manaless man could beat you before you met me, right? The same logic applies down there. This isn’t a power that obeys logic. This power is logic itself.”

  Jinae paused for a moment, momentarily stunned by what John had just said.

  “...I understand. Thank you for warning me. In my excitement, I… I may have forgotten myself. Then, what do you propose?”

  “Tomorrow. Meet here. Same time, and we’ll head in together.”

  “Are you sure that’s enough?” Jinae frowned.

  “...I hope it’s enough. More time won’t help, though,” John muttered.

  At that, Jinae smiled. “It’s good to see you healthy, John. That look in your eyes many years back was not good for you.”

  She turned to Prota, kneeling down to meet her at eye level.

  “Thank you, child. You’ve done well.”

  With that, she vanished, leaving nothing behind.

  “Teleportation,” John grumbled. “That woman’s got problems. If she could teleport… seriously, this old hag…”

  ~~~

  John was rather occupied in his room that night. He was pulling item after item out of his pocket dimension, but nothing seemed to satisfy him. Prota saw some of the guns he’d used, but then there were items shaped like guns that she’d never seen before. She watched as he pulled out swords, spears, bows, clubs, strange machinery she never could’ve imagined, but none of it seemed to satisfy him.

  “You really can’t tell me anything?” he muttered, likely to Zero.

  Based on his reaction, the answer was no.

  Prota sighed, ignoring her brother. The fight with Jinae was still on her mind.

  Her old mentor was strong. Incredibly strong, so much so that she couldn’t tell if the Elder or Jinae was stronger. Logically, it made some sense, since she was the leader of a group both Leora and Lupin were a part of, but still…

  Her initial image of Jinae had been a simple magic teacher. The person who’d taught her how to form her first fireball and icicle. The one who’d initially taught her to shape mana, to form it to her will.

  In hindsight, that might’ve been why Prota was as strong as she was now. Her foundations were built on concepts most casters weren’t even aware of. Yes, she was a hard worker, and yes, she had skills, but those would’ve been nothing if she hadn’t started out right.

  And now, that same mentor had praised her. Had admitted that Prota’s life was worth dying for.

  Those thoughts made her feel warm inside.

  More than that, though, she was inspired. Jinae had shown her magic she had never seen before. That manner of casting spells, that strange energy she’d used to destroy what could be considered her strongest spell at the moment, they were all things she had yet to see, even from Mystics.

  Then again, it made sense. Jinae was ultimately a human. Unless she had a hero’s core, she could never store as much mana as a Mystic could. Then, to rival one, she had to come up with something else. Something stronger.

  But what?

  Just analyzing the mana wasn’t good enough. The spells Jinae had cast were too convoluted, too out of the norm and puzzling for Prota to be able to copy.

  “Prota.”

  She was snapped out of her thoughts by John’s voice, now directed at her. Looking over, she saw John, his face blank.

  A shudder of fear ran through her body. This was never good.

  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  “Ah, that’s…” John shook his head, and a smile reappeared on his face.

  This time, though, it didn’t feel as forced. It didn’t feel as unnatural. Prota hadn’t taken a good look at John’s expression for a while, mainly because his eyes were a far better indicator of his state of mind. However, looking at it now, there was some warmth in that smile. A sort of joy that hadn’t been there the first time they’d met.

  “Sorry. I was just busy thinking,” John apologized, letting out an awkward laugh. “I’ll try not to do that face around you too often.”

  She nodded, feeling relieved.

  “Um. Alright. Look, one last time. I know this is annoying, I know this is… yes, I’m getting on with it, Zero, shut up.”

  Prota continued to wait, but the brief intermission had been a good way to lighten the mood. Zero likely knew this, but still, it felt natural.

  “Alright. Look. I’ve had my theories about you for a while, ok?”

  “About… me?”

  John grimaced, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean… we both know you’re not normal.”

  Prota’s eyes widened. She wasn’t? Yes, she knew she was strong, and she knew she wasn’t like most people, but that clearly wasn’t what John meant. In this context, normal was referring to something else.

  “Wha- you did know?” John frowned. “Ok, let me list out the facts, then. You can [Reset] with me. You apparently have [Deus Ex Machina] energy even though you’re… well, I don’t know. You can use Soul Steal despite the fact that it’s supposed to be an ability only dragons can use. Your control of mana is unlike that of any being, both mortal and Mystic. Is that not… just a little strange?”

  Prota looked down, the words sinking in. Yeah, she wasn’t normal.

  How odd.

  “Um… look,” John said, sitting down. “I don’t know how to say this, so I’m just gonna say it. I think you’re an experiment.”

  “Exp…eriment?” Prota echoed.

  “Yeah. Is that… is that troubling?”

  “Nn…”

  In some ways, it was. What was that supposed to mean? How could she be an experiment? But on the other hand, if it were true, not much changed. John wouldn’t treat her any different. It wasn’t like she had a reputation to uphold. Her status as a human wasn’t necessarily something she cared about.

  So, in the end, it wasn’t really that much of a deal.

  “No.”

  “Great. Look, I’m gonna tell you outright that your memories of this village probably weren’t all that correct,” John explained. “There might be a lot to unpack here. A lot you might not want to find out. I don’t know if I want to find out, personally, but I kinda have to.”

  “If John-”

  “You can’t keep using that excuse!” John exclaimed, somewhat annoyed. “You can’t just go somewhere because I have to go there! Look, I get you’re trying to protect me, and I get we’re both doing a lot better when we’re not separated. But there are other things to consider! What happens if this breaks you, huh? What happens if whatever’s in that lab breaks you, and you’re not around anymore. Did you think of that?”

  “Breaks… me?”

  “When I learned about the truth of our reality, it nearly broke me. Almost, and it only didn’t because Zero prepared me for what was to come. Do you understand? I don’t have the best will, and I’m a lazy bum, but that doesn’t change the fact that it fucked me up. I can’t guarantee that you’ll be prepared. Prota. If this life, if everything we’ve been doing is something you enjoy, you might not be ready for what’s down there. Do you understand?”

  Slowly, Prota nodded. She didn’t want to say yes, partially because John might not take her if she did so, but at the same time, she really did understand.

  “So. One last time,” John said, staring into Prota’s eyes. “Are you sure you want to come?”

  For a moment, there was no reply.

  Prota was thinking quite seriously about this. Of course, John was a major reason as to why she would tag along, but was there anything else?

  Of course, there was.

  Understanding herself was something Prota always had as a subconscious desire. She’d always held the belief that the world hated her. That there was something wrong with her, that she’d done something to deserve the life she’d lived before meeting John. This strange power, this cursed ability that had taken so much from her was something she’d never understood.

  Even now, using it to its maximum potential, she still had no idea where it came from or why she wielded it. She only knew that it was there.

  But, like John said, who was she? Just what was her purpose?

  Then, there was Anta. She’d briefly met a version of Anta in the illusion, but was that Anta real? Fake? And then there was that strange voice that sounded awfully familiar to Anta.

  What if she’d never had a sister? What if Anta was just a figment of her imagination?

  Wouldn’t that mean this whole quest had been for nothing at all?

  Suddenly, John’s warning made a lot more sense. Would she be able to bear the brunt of having her entire journey’s purpose burned down before her eyes? To realize that everything she’d done was for nothing?

  “...I’m coming,” Prota said quietly.

  John looked at her, opening his mouth, but it closed without a single word coming out.

  “Fine,” he said after a while. “I don’t think I can change your mind, anyway.”

  She was afraid of knowing. She was afraid of braving the unknown. The fear of losing everything she’d done, every accomplishment, every victory, it was strong. It was nearly paralyzing.

  But leaving it alone was a far more terrifying thought.

  She couldn’t just leave things as they were. Just accepting things as they were was not an option. Even if she failed here, she still had John. She still had her memories with him. Just because something was a failure didn’t mean it was the end.

  And leaving it all behind was infinitely worse than accepting things for what they were.

  “You’re a lot more mature than John in that regard,” Zero grinned, suddenly appearing behind her.

  “Wha- what the hell’s that supposed to mean?” John exclaimed.

  “Nothing. She’ll know. And no, you can’t ask her,” Zero said, floating back over to John. “Grow up already, won’t you?”

  “Huh? Pot calling the kettle black over here!”

  Prota watched in amusement as the two bickered, an ever-so-small smile forming on her lips.

  Yes. Even if her original purpose was lost, she still had this.

  She had a home. Ultimately, that was what she’d desired. That goal had been accomplished long ago.

  Surely, there was no way it would ever be lost.

  ~~~

  Prota had gone to sleep.

  John had not.

  He was too plagued by thoughts, by worries…

  By stress?

  “No way,” he muttered, half-laughing. “Stressed? Over what?”

  “It’s a natural human emotion, John,” Zero said quietly in his mind. “You know? It’s a reaction to desire.”

  “...I’m pretty sure that’s wrong.”

  “Well, I’m no psychologist. So yeah, probably. But think about it. If you don’t care about something… do you get stressed about it? Stress, as far as I know it, is a fear of failure. It’s what you feel when you’re afraid you won’t get what you want. It’s when you’re afraid of the worst outcome. It’s when you fear the bad ending.”

  “I… don’t think that’s how it works.”

  “Oh, shut up. Just let me sound wise for a little. And I’m kinda right, you know. If you know nothing will go wrong, do you feel stressed? No. It’s only when there’s a negative outcome. It’s only when there’s something to lose, even if you don’t know it.”

  At that, John couldn’t respond.

  “What are you afraid of, John?”

  Normally, John would’ve told Zero to piss off, but this time, he couldn’t. He didn’t have a comeback.

  Instead, he had a genuine answer.

  “...this is the end, isn’t it?” he said quietly. “Of the [Story]. Zero. I’ve been putting it off, but… what happens next? Where do we go from here?”

  “That’s…”

  To John’s surprise, the soul actually went quiet. It felt evasive, yes, but it also felt incredibly reluctant.

  “John. I can’t tell you that,” Zero sighed. “But… I will tell you this. I implore you to remember the fable I told you.”

  “...the one about the horse?” John frowned.

  “Yes. That one. John. Just because the present doesn’t seem great… doesn’t mean there’s nowhere to go.”

  John thought about that for a moment. The room was quiet, the only sound that of Prota’s soft breathing.

  “Yeah,” he finally said. “I guess… there always is somewhere to go.”

  ~~~

  The next day, John found himself in a clearing for what seemed like the billionth time in this world. Sure, this one was man-made, but still, it felt like this setting was being reused far too often.

  Thankfully, the scenery would likely be changing very soon.

  “It was here,” Jinae said carefully.

  She was dressed in an entirely new attire. Instead of wearing shawls and old robes, she was now dressed in what seemed to be a witch’s outfit. She had on a black cloack with strange, purple markings all over it, a large wooden staff in her hand. A tall crooked hat sat on her head, and the spectacles she wore gave her a far more majestic look.

  That kindly look on her face never faded, though. Perhaps that was her true expression. Well, such a powerful person being a genuinely kind person at heart never hurt anyone.

  “Are you sure?” John frowned.

  “Yes. The strange magic I sensed is still present. Shall I remove it now?”

  John cast a glance at Prota, who nodded.

  “Alright. Go for it,” he said.

  Jinae closed her eyes, and for a while nothing seemed to happen. John cast a glance at Prota, who seemed incredibly fascinated with whatever was going on. Likely something to do with magic. For the first time, he was genuinely curious as to what the world of mana looked like, but not enough that he was willing to do anything about it.

  “It’s done,” Jinae finally said.

  Once again, a strange light emerged from her hands, slowly descending toward the ground. There was an abrupt, violent flash, but when John’s vision recovered, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

  “There. The barrier has been disabled. Then…”

  With a wave of Jinae’s hands, the scorched earth was moved away, revealing a small bunker door.

  “It’s unlocked?” John said carefully.

  “Yes.”

  “Alright.”

  Taking a deep breath, he reached down and grabbed the handles, pulling hard. It took some effort, but they opened without any further problems.As soon as they did, a terrible, decaying smell emerged from the staircase leading down. It was like the smell of rotting bodies and stagnant fluids, the very smell of death itself.

  “Phew,” John muttered, his nose scrunching up. “Um…”

  He was about to reach into his pocket dimension for a mask when a message popped up in his system.

  [Your scarf is a filter]

  John flinched at Zero’s message.

  [What?]

  [Your scarf is a filter. Smell, poison, all that stuff]

  [Why are you telling me this now?]

  [I told you a long time ago. You forgot because there was no need for it.]

  [How about when Prota was getting mind controlled by the fog in the casino?]

  [...was more entertaining if you forgot back then.]

  [fuck you]

  Lifting his scarf, he found that Zero was telling the truth. The smell disappeared entirely. John was used to fighting and moving with his scarf on, so it was incredibly convenient that this just so happened to be.

  Still, his companions would need something. He turned back, about to speak, when he found the two of them were fine.

  “Filtering magic,” Jinae shrugged. “It’s handy, isn’t it?”

  “...yeah,” John muttered.

  He looked down into the dark stairwell. The smell of decay could never be good. Last time, it had been a connection to Doctor. A connection to his sick experiments.

  To be honest… this time likely wasn’t very different.

  One last time, his mind was plagued with thoughts. With theories, with concerns, with fears, all of which were quite realistic when he thought of this world as a [Story]. So many things could go wrong.

  So many things could be ripped away with the stroke of a pen. A few clicks of a keyboard.

  But now, faced with what seemed to be reality, he suddenly came to the same conclusion Prota did.

  He couldn’t just keep hiding away. He couldn’t just avoid a problem if he didn’t like it. Sure, it would spare him the pain of having to deal with the [Author], but he was beginning to realize something.

  If he hadn’t met the [Characters] he’d come across in this journey, if he hadn’t made a connection with those he’d met along the way… he’d still be in that bar, still bumming around doing nothing.

  But he’d met adventurers. The leader of some insane, crazy group. The hero. A god. The princess of an entire nation. A dwarf with talent like no other, an annoyingly cheerful blacksmith, an alchemist with explosive tendencies, an artist, twins of a fallen noble household…

  And Prota.

  He wasn’t sure if he would lose them or not. Truth be told, he didn’t quite want to think about it. But he knew one thing.

  Going out and meeting these people was a blessing. Not a curse.

  If he hadn’t made the decision to finally head out, to treat a [Character] as more than a puppet, he wouldn’t have had any of this. But now…

  Maybe this wasn’t so bad.

  “Alright,” John muttered, grimacing as he put one foot down the stairs.

  “Here we go.”