Transmigrated to a Dark Fantasy World of SSS-Rank: King of the Void-Chapter 63: The Land of Ash [2]
They continued walking through the undergrowth for the first two hours without any complications. It was still early, so there wasn’t much to worry about—but Mitsuki didn’t see it that way. The backpack on his shoulders was still far too heavy for his thin, weak body. Sweat ran down his pale forehead, and his labored breathing was starting to become noticeable.
’Damn it... If it weren’t for the power I can gain in this place, I never would’ve even thought of doing this. One way or another, I need to find a way to get stronger in the coming days. I can’t end up exhausted over something as basic as carrying a backpack.’
It seemed as if his complaints echoed through the air, because Azel, who was walking ahead of him, gave him a brief glance while talking.
"The cliff was still way too high to climb, but she just jumped and reached the top. If you had seen Monar’s face back then, Marco, you would’ve died laughing."
"That’s not entirely true. I was just surprised by the kind of strength such a young human could have. I mean, even for you, it would’ve been difficult to reach it with a jump."
"Difficult doesn’t mean impossible, old elf. I would’ve jumped that cliff anyway, but I decided to climb it because I wanted to look cool in front of her."
"You say that because you don’t want to feel humiliated by a child. It’s well known that humans are the second fastest species when it comes to strengthening their bodies. If it weren’t for that, there wouldn’t be people capable of splitting the sky with a sword."
Marco joined the conversation, clearly interested in what the elf had said.
"There’s also no limit to how strong a human can become, but our short lifespan keeps us from going further. Like Alexander the Barbarian—he could split countries in half with a single punch, but he died of old age, and his strength was forgotten over time."
"Exactly. If there were a human with the gift of immortality and the talent to strengthen their body, they would undoubtedly become someone invincible against opponents on equal footing."
Mitsuki frowned. Until now, he had been listening to fairly ordinary stories—simple anecdotes—but this gave him more context about humans and the world in general.
’So humans here grow stronger quickly, huh... Then what about me, someone from another world? Does that not apply to me? Because I’ve definitely become tougher and stronger than I ever was back in my original world.’
He thought about it for a few seconds, but someone’s voice distracted him.
"That is, until a moderately strong mage shows up and blows them apart with a spell," Azel said, laughing with his hands behind his head. "That’s the sad reality for those of us who grew up relying on close combat as our talent. In the end, our weakness is those who fight from a distance."
"One day, I’ll prove you wrong," Marco interrupted. "Just wait. All I need is the right opponent."
"Then why don’t you ask the Crazy Princess for help? She’s really strong, you know? Way stronger than all of us combined..." Azel added with a mischievous smile.
Monar held back a laugh at that. He covered his mouth and looked away, hiding the expression on his face. Even Mitsuki remembered what had happened at the guild with a bit of satisfaction. The punch Jeanne had given Marco had been so clean he hadn’t even seen it coming. At that, the blond boy’s face turned red—pure embarrassment written across his skin.
"S-Shut up. I couldn’t do anything because she cheated."
Azel laughed, and Monar sighed with a smile.
’At least he’s embarrassed about what he did. Hah! He totally deserves it!’ For some reason, Mitsuki felt more at ease. The weight on his shoulders felt lighter for a moment. ’Everything’s going the way I want, strangely enough. I hope it stays like this.’
Between Azel’s laughter, Marco’s embarrassment, and the silence of Monar and Mitsuki, the journey stretched on for the next few hours. At one point, they stopped to rest by a small stream that flowed from a short waterfall about two meters high, extending beyond what could be seen from where they stood. The trees near the water were greener than in other places, but there were still no signs of life nearby. No insects, birds, or monsters—which was becoming increasingly suspicious.
Mitsuki set the backpack down on the ground and placed a hand on his back.
’Ahh! My damn back!’ he complained, resting his other hand against a nearby tree. ’Why do you all look completely fine?! We’ve been traveling for hours!’
While he suffered, Azel lit a campfire beside him. Monar took a pot out of his Spatial Bag and placed it near the fire along with several pieces of meat in a large bowl. That made Mitsuki forget about his back pain for a few seconds.
’Yeah... This is definitely the life of a real adventurer. I should learn from them.’
A few meters away, Marco dipped his index finger into the stream. He observed his skin’s reaction for a moment, and when nothing happened, he relaxed and sat down on a rock. He drew his sword from its sheath—a bright, sharp silver blade with beautiful floral engravings along its length—and cleaned it with a white cloth he took from his armor.
Everyone seemed to have fallen into a strange sense of normalcy, which made Mitsuki feel completely out of place. Ignoring that, he sat down far enough away so as not to be a bother.
’Well, at least this is better than walking aimlessly. Besides, it’s obvious they’re real survivors. They know what to do during an expedition. I mean, I do too—plenty of survival simulators taught me—but it’s different living it than watching it through a screen.’
He leaned his back against the tree, making it crack slightly to ease the earlier pain.
’I’ll get used to this over time, but it’d be better if it happened faster. Considering what this place is like, you can never be sure what’s going to happen.’
And he wasn’t wrong. In the land of Nemoria, the home of ash, all kinds of aberrant beings lay in wait—watching in silence as the world slowly decayed.
