Chapter 9 (1/2)

Chapter 9 : Complete Change

Drip…Drip…

Hajime felt his consciousness return gradually as the drips of water hit his cheeks and entered his mouth. Wondering what was the cause, he slowly opened his eyes.

(…I’m alive?…I’m saved?…)

Attempting to get up, he was stopped when his forehead hit the low ceiling of the hole.

“Aku!?”

He totally forgot about the hole he constructed that was only 50 cm high. Hajime extended his hand to the ceiling to transmute a higher ceiling. Only one arm came into view. He remembered he lost his left arm, and felt phantom limb pains. At that he kept his left arm down, or what remained of it. There was swelling around the wound but it had closed.

“H-How?…There is so much blood…”

He couldn’t see in the darkness, but if he had some light he would be able to see the pool of blood. The amount of blood he lost would have normally killed someone. To survey the surrounding he felt around with his hand and felt something slimy. His blood was still there and it had yet to dry. After All, it seemed he had bled, and it seemed not much time had passed since he fainted.

While he was wondering about his wound, another drop of water hit his cheeks. The moment it entered his mouth, he felt his body reenergize.

“…No way…was it this?”

Using his hand he performed a transmutation on the area where the droplet came from, while he ignored his phantom limb pains. Progressing further and further in as he transmuted a little lightheaded. Mysteriously when he drank the liquid his mana returned and no matter how much transmuting he performed his mana did not run out. Hajime repeatedly transfigured to find the water source.

Eventually the amount of mysterious liquid increased and more trickling could be heard. Hajime finally reached the source.

“This…is…”

An ore the size of a basketball emitting a light existed there. This ore was buried and assimilated with the surrounding rocks, and it dripped the liquid. A beautiful and mysterious stone. The ore was emitting darker blue than aquamarine, at least that was the best representation he could think of. His phantom limb pain was left forgotten.

Fascinated with the stone, Hajime reached out to touch it with his mouth. The dull pain and haze that his body and mind felt was cleared, and the fatigue disappeared. Seems like the liquid from this stone had saved him. The liquid seemed to hold restorative powers. Phantom limb pains still occurred, but the other injuries or negative effects were healed.

Hajime didn’t know, but this stone was the highest grade treasure called “God’s Crystal”. The crystal is a legendary relic thought to have been just a story. Formation of such a crystal is a miracle, because it was the crystallization of magical pools that collect by chance and needed 1000 years to form. Looking over it, the crystal was about 30-40 cm in diameter. After it has crystallized, it takes several hundred more years to saturate it to cause overflowing. That overflowing liquid is called “Sacred Water”, and when drank it could cure any injury or disease. Though it doesn’t have the power to regenerate parts, and it is considered a fountain of youth if continuously taken. A story of Eht healing people with this sacred water in ancient time is often recited.

He noticed that he returned from the brink of death. Hajime who was leaning on the wall sagged down. Bring up both knees, he placed his head between them while shivering from his close brush with death. He had no energy to even try to escape, his heart was broken.

Hajime might confront hostility and malice. Any rescue would be appreciated, and he might be able to stand up again. However, that bear’s eyes scared him. He did not want to encounter the eyes of a predator that wanted to devour him. Eyes that he had no experience with because he was used to being the top law of the jungle. Those eyes were responsible for why his arm was eaten and this broke his heart.

“Some…help me…”

In this abyss, his voice did not reach anyone…

* * *

What did he do?

Hajime was laying on his side curled up into a fetus position.

Four days have passed since his collapse. All this time he had not moved much and the sacred water had sustained him. The sacred water could keep a person alive except for extreme circumstances, and it did not ease any hunger pangs. He wasn’t going to die, but he was suffering from phantom limb pains and starving sensation.

(How did I end up like this?)

A question he asked himself over and over again. His mind had recovered from drinking the sacred water, even if he suffered from pain and hunger. Unfortunately, because he had a clear mind, all the suffering was clearly felt.

One day Hajime stopped drinking the sacred water.

(If this anguish continues for so long…I rather…)

After he muttered that, he fell unconscious.

Three days passed. The hunger that calmed had returned. His phantom limb pains did not subside.

(Still…I’m not dead…I don’t want to die…)

Although he wished for death, a part of him still wanted to live. Conflicting thoughts alternated within his mind. He could no longer form any normal thoughts. His murmurs became incoherent and delirious.

Three more days elapsed. The sacred water was losing its efficiency, at this rate two more days and he would most likely be dead. He had not taken in fluids, let alone food.

Abnormalities started to appear in Hajime’s mind recently.

(Why do I have to suffer…What did I do…)

(Why did this happen…What’s the cause…)

(God unreasonably abducted me…)

(A classmate betrayed me…)

(The rabbit looked down on me…)

(That guy ate me…)

Gradually his thoughts became darker. Who was wrong? Who forced their unreasonableness onto him? Who harmed him? Pain gradually turned into rage, rage led to hatred, he seeked an enemy. Everything had worked into corrupt his spirit. The severe pain and starvation that wrecked his body, and the events that led him here into this endless darkness.

(Nobody has come to rescue me…)

(If nobody is going to help me, what should I do?)

(How do I rid myself of this pain?)

Day 9. Hajime thoughts had made a breakthrough about his current situation. With a heart that wanted release from its torment, he needed to first expel the unnecessary hatred and anger. Because the suffering did not end when his heart turned black…

(What…am I wishing for?)

(I wish for “life”.)

(What type of people impedes me?)