Bab 20: 20 Fantasy Legacy's Global Announcement
- Bonus Story -
2019/8/13
This is a story half a year after Karma and Chloe first met.
At the time, Karma was very troubled. Why so? That is because of the woman called Sakamata Chloe was a... NEET.
He had no awareness of how she lived her life but whenever he got home, Sakamata Chloe was always there.
By the way, Karma did ask her 5 months ago why she's always staying at his secret base.
"Why are you always here anyway? I don't serve great food or up-to-standards hygiene. Don't you have a place to return to?"
In contrast, Sakamata answered, "this is my place to return to?"
Karma at the time was speechless at how selfish this woman was, by at the same time, felt a little bit happy because he had a person to communicate with.
That was also the beginning of Chloe's personality development. Because Karma didn't want the only person he could talk to leave him alone, he spoiled her a ton.
In turn, Sakamata began seeking more pampering, and whether Karma didn't give her enough attention, she would begin wailing like a child.
At first, it was okay. But currently, Karma cursed at the result he brought. What he wanted was another person he could talk to, not a baby.
However, Sakamata's current personality did make sense, and Karma could reason with it after thinking about it properly.
'A child that was trained to be a perfect killing machine without the leisure to feel the love of her parents, for the first time in her life, spoiled, and was told that it is okay to enjoy coddling.'
This is precisely why Karma couldn't suddenly change his attitude, and also the reason why he couldn't look at the 'Sakamata' as 'Chloe' despite being a person amidst his puberty, at the perfect age to be experiencing love.
In front of him, was a child in the body of a high school student.
Karma sighed and left his secret base to search for his food and the 'loot' under the vending machine.
From time to time, he could find 500 yen at best lying under it and that was the source of Sakamata's food.
Just as Karma returns home after buying Sakamata a bento, deep in the alleyway leading to his secret base, he felt extremely high heat approaching him.
Without pause, Karma obeyed under his danger sense polished by his experience as homeless, he rolled out and successfully dodged the orbital object.
Looking at the wall that the orbital object collided with, the wall was ablaze forcefully, greedily sucking in the nearby oxygen, although with a snap, the flame was extinguished.
"Tch, so it was lacking in speed," the figure illuminated by the sunlight revealed itself as a handsome man unveiled itself.
Next to him, was an elderly man with a worried expression, "Young master, is this really right...?"
"Ju-jii, I've told you it's fine. It's just a homeless person. The country wouldn't delve too deeply into the death of a useless member of society. Besides, this isn't a meaningless action. By dying for me, he would provide me important information about the power of my newly-learned spell."
"Not to mention lament about it, he should be feeling joyful for assisting me on my path to glory," the young master said with a crazed expression.
Usually, this country, or rather, this world has strict laws when it comes to the usage of Fantasy Energy, but it isn't rare for a player/dreamer to be swallowed by the power it brought.
More so, a magician. It isn't strange for wanting to test a newly learned magic on a real human. After all, if you were given a gun, wouldn't you want to headshot a person?
As for this young master's problem, he decided to test it out on a 'real person' on the 'reality.' He should have been satisfied with the game.
Karma released an overbearing aura before taking off the shirt. Then, he opened his mouth with a dark expression, "Young man, you picked the wrong opponent,"
Of course, Karma has a way or two to deal with this sort of problem. This world on the surface level may be safer than the earth Karma was on before he got transferred here, but the darkness this world contains was much more powerful and dangerous.
Releasing his killing intent alerting the young master, he threw his shirt and... dash off!
Running! That was Karma's secret method of dealing with a dangerous problem. By the way, his 2nd and final method was by 'begging for his life.'
The young master danced his hand at lightning speed and blue light traced his hand. A spell popped out from the blue light and it was the same spell fired before, Fireball.
However, this time, although its size was smaller than before, it cut through the air much faster than before and soared to Karma after swallowing his piece of clothes.
Then, Karma's back took the full blow of a fireball. Fortunately though, maybe because his cloth reduced its firepower or because it became much weaker to compromise for its slow speed or both, Karma managed to survive and keep his consciousness intact.
'Ah...' After a cry of pain, and falling to the ground like the trash he is to society, Karma came into recognition.
'This is how you died...' Karma recalled the past.
Just because of your background as homeless, you are treated like a hideous ant for trying your best to live, then unreasonably killed as a targeting practice.
At the moment, Karma hadn't rebellious thoughts such as 'resisting my fate' or whatnot. He only thought of a single thing, 'if only I was a regular citizen...'
The young master brutally stomped Karma's burnt back, "to think, I would feel alerted against the homeless bastard... I am a magician with a bright future! I can't let this shameful history ever come to light!"
Karma cried in pain more due to the sadistic torment.
At distance not too far, the old person yelled in danger' "Young master, be alerted, I feel danger approaching yo-"
The young master looked behind him in curiosity as to why his butler suddenly stopped making a sound.
Then opened his eyes wide at the sight of a blade sticking out of his butler's throat. The flowing blood indicated the spilling life force as the butler attempted in vain to tell his young master to run.
As a butler, he died failing to teach his young master morals and the sign to run away. The owner of the blade, was, of course, Chloe.
She deemed the butler to be more dangerous than the young master so she sent a dangerous sign to the young master, accomplishing to divert the butler's attention even for a little.
After pulling out the blade, she slowly walked out to the young master, sending out a bloodthirsty aura that the one Karma pulled couldn't be compared to.
Just as the young master tried to run past Karma, he found himself losing balance... and falling over to the ground, hitting his jaw loudly.
'What happened?' fearfully, the young master checked below him only to find his leg cleanly shaved off.
Young master widened his eyes and opened his mouth to squeal in pain. Chloe in contrast didn't even permit him to do so as her experience as a former assassin as she ruthlessly pushed the blade deep into his throat.
Then with [Cleaner], the young master disappeared without a trace like the killed butler from before.
The action behind her killing was very smooth and full of proficiency reminding Karma how dangerous she truly was.
All Karma could do at the moment was turn his burned back to the ground and silently stare at Chloe, observing her actions.
As if to perceive Karma's action, Chloe looked at him and kneeled in front of his head.
Moving that exhausted body of Karma to lay his head over her lap, she coldly smiled at him.
Karma couldn't open his mouth at Chloe's action.
Despite killing two people, one may be innocent, Chloe was unfazed, 'you... had this side? Or is this the original you?' Karma couldn't help but ask inside him.
The countless [Cleaner] then flew out of her hand and devours every single bit of her victim's body. Whether it is their smell, blood, or cells, not a single bit was spared. It's as if the young master and butler never existed in the world in the first place.
The thought of safely crossing the bridge that is about to break as now gave Karma the room to sigh in relief.
Although the taste of sweet terror and the bitter smell of metals that are dissipating bit by bit gave Karma a fear of disappearing one day as if he never existed in the first place, attraction overwhelmed such feeling.
"Are you okay, Karma? Don't worry, whatever or whoever may come, I will always be there to protect you," with a cold light in her pupils, and a smile that didn't understand the value of life, she reassured Karma while playing with his hair.
The childish, always whining Sakamata couldn't be seen anywhere, and right now only existed the cold, ruthless, and loving Chloe.
The warmth of her hand mixed with blood gave Karma a clear sensation of life at the moment as he changed his view toward her.
'Someday, I will repay this owe to you,' Karma hadn't the courage to say this to her right now.
However, this is probably the moment when he dedicated his life to her. Even if it's a 'repay' at the present, in the future, it could be turned into more than that.
A newborn chick wouldn't judge its parent based on the future those parents gave to them.
A newborn chick would judge what such living being in front of them did for them at the present.
---
2023/4/29
"Boo!" I lightly made a sound to surprise my wife.
Seeing my wife whose eyes widened and speechless, I was happy to know that I succeed in surprising my wife.
"Surprised?" Smirking, I walked to sit beside Chloe.
"Surprised... how did you do it? I couldn't detect you at all," Chloe left her widened eyes hanging while questioning me.
SakamataNoLongerMyWife: a fucking magic! Saki-chan just suddenly appeared.
Wanderer: Invisibility Cloak? No, it's closer to teleportation... Interesting.
Chado: Instead, Saki's body seems to be in much better shape than we saw him the last time. As a fellow chad, I support you!
Not to be forgotten, but when I surprised Chloe, the cam was faced to Chloe's face and judging by the reactions from the viewers, it seemed that 'I suddenly appeared.'
I am not invisible but I couldn't be seen in the 'Silence' State. That statement wasn't an exaggeration and looking at the YouTube chat, I learned more about this skill.
If I were to walk straight to the King's Throne with the knights present in a 'Silence' State, no one would probably detect me.
The only problem is the choking sensation and the rejection from Earth.
"A new magic of your amazing husband," I laughed at Chloe in delight.
In response, my wife tilted her head in confusion lacking in understanding.
'Jeez,' truth be told, I wanted more reaction from here so I disappeared from the spot.
In the sight of my disappearance, Chloe widened her eyes once again as the chats accelerated.
'Saki-chan suddenly disappeared!? If not a single noise was made, not a single smell remained, nor is there a change in the flow of the air, is this not invisibility!?' Chloe fell into deep thought with the magic I showed her.
'It's not also a short-range blink because of the delay that's too long, did he enters the shadow realm?' Chloe showed her unusual side due to surprise.
Shadow Realm. Simply said, it was a realm of shadow. By submerging into their or other objects' shadow, they can stay in the same spot without being detected or touched by any being for a long time.
In contrast to its overpowered conception, it is easily countered by a source of light. Players inside the erased shadow would be slowly crushed by the surrounding void and die if they don't get out of the shadow realm.
Chloe shook her head. Although Shadow Realm is a flawless skill above the air, it is easily detected by observing the movement of shadow. Not to mention, the players inside the shadow can't move unless there's another shadow nearby.
Chloe had absolute detection over her 2m radius. Whether it's an odorless, colorless poison mist, unstable footing, or change in the flow of air as mentioned before, she could perceive the change.
However, in my case, I disappeared without making a change. If it's not a short-range blink, it wasn't also a shadow realm.
Chloe began worrying. As if I truly disappeared and won't be reappearing.
It was after 5 seconds had passed that I finally re-appeared. I who was sitting beside Chloe couldn't be seen anywhere. Instead, I was standing and sorting my wife's hair which was messy.
Chloe looked up with teary eyes, "Karm-"
With an uneasy expression, my wife tried to call out my name.
However, it was interrupted by the system announcement.
[New Years Events Announcement]
[Global Events: Apocalypse is scheduled for 2024, 1/1]
The date is 2024, 12/31. Amidst the new year celebration, an unidentified virus spread from the ground to the surface level.
Humanity who was still taken by the anticipation and hope for the upcoming years failed to notice this virus, and when they became aware of it, it was too late.
From regular humans to superhuman. The virus spread at an alarming rate and caused mutations at skyrocketing speed.
Your goal as a player is to survive as long as you can, or will you be the hero that will end the apocalypse?
For further information and application, please visit the link below.
...
After finishing reading the system announcement, my perception was sent back into reality as I felt a strong clenching sensation behind me.
It was a joyful, surprised feeling, yet somewhere sad and longing.
To prevent the broadcast accident, I quickly switched the scenes of the live stream and muted the sound.
I wasn't as devious as to broadcast our drama for my wife's popularity. It's fine if I do cringe shit, but I am not showing my wife do it in public.
"It felt like you really disappeared..." Chloe weakly said behind me.
"I won't disappear."
"Then, stop using that strange technique from now on."
"I will return to useless if I don't."
"Then stay useless."
"No. I have pride as your husband."
"Why won't you understand me! Whatever or whoever may come, I will always be there to protect you, so shut up and get protected by me!"
I was dumbstruck at the nostalgic sentences that came out from the mouth of Sakamata Chloe.
"Listen here, I am thankful for your protection, but at much as you don't want to lose me, I also don't want to lose you. So, could you overlook this for me, please?"
I became out of sight from Chloe once again despite being in front of her.
"Even if you can't see me, even if you can't hear me, I won't leave so... stop feeling insecure every single (chapter) time your husband does a dangerous thing. I am weak but not that weak."
I reappeared as I'd reached my limit and any further in the [Silence], the world would reject my existence.
I sighed as I saw my wife crying loudly.
"Dear satan, just how much do I have to spoil you," my bad habit of the past came as I complained and wiped Chloe's face with the handkerchief.
Judging that our drama ended and Chloe somehow understood me although she has a word of complaint, I resumed the stream.
"Alright. As to not worry you too much, I will explain to you about my skill [Silence]," I mentioned before, but although I wasn't fine with streaming how Chloe humiliates herself, I am perfectly fine with myself.
I began explaining in the clearest explanation my brain could think of.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
R4IN
R4IN 2,700+ words!!
Wowowowowowo!!
I hope this is the final wife&husband drama because it's tiring to write. I've never mentioned it but I am writing what I came up with on the spot while following the plan and I have no talent for coming up at the spot. I'm more of an idea provider so the reason for desperately wanting more writing skills.
I want to have fun accomplishing my ideas...