Chapter 349 (2/2)

“Sure.” The Ghosthound’s voice was the same as David’s, deep and reassuring. Abruptly, Simon felt a tingle on his neck disappear, one he hadn’t even noticed. Then he realized that the tension had left the spine of a man slouched several meters behind Simon, who had been focused entirely on his presence, although he never spared him a glance. The man returned to spinning his iconic dagger across his fingers, the gemstone pommel flashing.

The Killer of Donnyton, Decklan.

Simon began to sweat, losing his nerve at talking. But now the Ghosthound was staring so intently at him, so…

“There’s nothing.” Simon blurted out, unsure of what else to say. The Ghosthound raised an eyebrow. After that small encouragement, Simon continued further. “Beyond the boundary of the Zone. There’s nothing but darkness. Like, there is the barrier, right? That but my Astral form can go through it. Beyond that… like 30 meters of land, and then a sharp cut off. Like someone came down with a cake knife and just took a slice of land, you know?”

A lot of expressions flitted across the Ghosthound’s face. Curiosity, wariness, a flash of concern, and then amusement took over. He chuckled wryly. “...just a giant alien cake knife? That’s what the System is?”

Simon blushed. But he knew, somehow, that there was a good natured kindness behind the joke. Almost unconsciously, some of that strange stiffness Simon had carried in his due to his anger melted away.

“You got over your…. inhibitions?” The Ghosthound asked casually.

Simon nodded. “You.. you can say it. My fear. Yea… I didn’t want to stray too far from my body, but… It just seemed so strange, you know? That I would be limited like that. ANd I realized… I’m not. I can go anywhere. After I saw the notification for the Raid Dungeon, about being cut off, though, I wanted… I wanted to see. And we are, big time.”

“The only problem is we don’t know whether it was always that way or not…” The Ghosthound said, frowning and looking down at Neveah while he rubbed his chin. Simon felt a flash of guilt in his heart that he had taken so long to adventure out to the edges, but even as he felt that, he came to another realization.

For all of the virtue and strength in the Ghosthound’s body, more often than not, there were careless moments like this, where he said things without even thinking about them, without worrying or stressing or considering what would happen when he said him. The Ghosthound would probably never know how much that off-hand comment struck at Simon’s insecurities. But in the same way, the Ghosthound would decisively act in a situation where Simon would fear the consequences.

Not really because he couldn’t puzzle these moments out, if he turned his rather formidable mind to them, fueled by his high stats. But because he was missing… something that made him pause and consider before acting. Because his first impulse was to do, rather than to wait.

Which, in this world, could be a great skill, the headstart that someone needed in order to be the most powerful man in the Zone, probably the whole world. Or whatever was left of it, anyways. But it also numbed him to smaller things, some more delicate and finer things.

Decklan’s eyes lazily scanned over Simon, and then he yawned. ...and that was why they were so protective of him, why the Ghosthound himself ran nothing. He was support and guidance, a man who could create miracles. But his actual people skills were a bit…

Simon didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The Ghosthound as David wasn’t just hiding himself, and trying to be quiet, but he was actually just a guy relishing in the fact that no one knew who or what he was. And the only times he had spoken….

To treat his horrible pain, or to help Simon. Those were the only moments where he was compelled to speak. Simon released a long sigh, which made the Ghosthound lookup.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. For now, it’s actually a pretty small priority.” The Ghosthound said, putting the pieces together to realize Simon might feel guilty, attributing his sigh in an annoyingly incorrect way at this point. “The System probably does this on purpose, and the way the world is rebuilt is dependent on who makes it passed this stage. Or at least I think…”

The Ghosthound fell silent, his attention once more inward.

Which was not what Simon wanted. Before this moment could pass, he blurted out, “I’m sorry.”

“What?” The Ghosthound blinked.

“I’m… I’m just sorry. For how hard… how dumb I was, for the last few weeks.” Simon said weakly. “I shouldn’t have been like that.”

The Ghosthound’s bright emerald eyes pierced through every fiber of Simon in that moment, a furrowed, intense gaze that was like nothing he had ever seen before. This was the Ghosthound that appeared on the battlefield, the man that could duel a Champion and win. The man who had almost died, and perhaps would have, if not for Simon’s intervention and healing.

It was… a good feeling.

The Ghosthound laughed, his face splitting in a grin. “No worries. I’m just glad we are back.”

In that moment, Simon realized the other reason this man was so strong. In that moment, in that pronouncement, there was no hesitation. It was all pure and genuine appreciation. And to be near that, and to feel that again…

Well, Simon was willing to do a lot.