章 3: Unwavering Determination

"No recycling," Riku shook his head firmly. Shambhala was his lifeline, and he had no intention of recycling for some mere Redemption points.

"I see," the system replied tersely, falling silent.

"The system made this item recognize me as its master directly, which is far more convenient. There's no need to worry about any learning curve," Riku remarked, satisfaction playing on his lips as he held Shambhala in his hand.

"Riku, everything's set. Come out," a clear, feminine voice called from outside.

"Alright," Riku acknowledged. The crisp voice belonged to Couronne, his sister. His original village had been decimated in the aftermath of a racial conflict, and he was the sole survivor. Eventually, he found refuge with Couronne's father.

"Riku, how are you holding up?" Couronne asked, a trace of concern in her eyes. Riku had been distraught in his room earlier, and she was well aware of it. But since then, nothing seemed amiss.

However, another mission lay ahead, and she worried about the immense burden Riku carried alone.

"I'm fine," Riku reassured her, tapping his chest. "I've locked it all away."

"That's good," Couronne sighed with relief. She didn't sense any significant change in Riku's demeanor at this moment. The previous Riku had succumbed and perished.

"This time, we're going to retrieve the Dwarf species' telescope. It'll help us anticipate various phenomena and escape conflict during our transformations," Couronne explained, her tone somber. "But remember, your safety is paramount, Riku. You're our pillar, our leader."

"I know," Riku responded calmly.

To survive, weak humans had to employ every tool at their disposal—strength, decisiveness, intelligence. All were essential.

In this dark world, even with vigilance, villages still lost hundreds of lives each year, and some were obliterated outright by aftershocks of the ongoing conflicts. Thanks to the efforts of Riku and Couronne, their gathering place had seen only 46 casualties over four years—a remarkable feat.

Yet, these 46 had been chosen to die, creating opportunities for the rest to escape. Riku carried the weight of this decision, leading to profound mental anguish and his eventual demise.

"Couronne, you'll be in charge of guarding the collection base. I'll handle the rest."

Without further ado, Riku passed by Couronne and strode down the dark passages.

"Why does he always call me Couronne when I'm the older sister? He's such a rascal," Couronne muttered half-complainingly. But her eyes remained filled with concern for Riku's departing figure.

"Riku, take care!"

"Riku, please come back safely!"

As Riku entered the empty cave, a group of individuals paused in their work to greet him, their well-wishes heartfelt.

Riku acknowledged them with a glance and a nod. In these trying times, no one was a loser; everyone possessed unique talents, even the children yet to come of age.

"Riku, here's your gear," a burly man approached, handing Riku a head-covering dust mask while speaking softly.

"Ivan, where's Arey and the others?" Riku took the equipment and donned it efficiently, inquiring about his teammates.

"They're getting ready too," Ivan replied, scratching his head with a simple demeanor.

This mission required a five-person team.

"Alright, let them know I'll handle this mission alone. You can stay at the settlement," Riku told Ivan. He knew that Ivan had a wife and daughter who would meet an unfortunate fate a year from now if nothing changed.

Ivan was taken aback. "Riku, don't joke around!"

Couronne, who had joined them, widened her eyes and grabbed Riku's collar. "Are you serious?"

"I'm dead serious," Riku said with unwavering resolve, locking eyes with Couronne.

Riku had read the 'No Game No Life' novel before, and this scene was etched in his memory. Despite the mission's success, they had encountered the Demons, resulting in the sacrifice of two companions to survive.

He knew that without intervention, history would replay itself. But with Teigu Shambhala in hand, he could maximize safety by acting alone.

Nevertheless, the mission remained perilous.