First Player

Chapter 404 Chapter 402 · "You are the most competent Knight of Light I have ever seen."

In the southern area, outside the outermost barrier, the sea monster covered the sky and the sun, and the air was dyed light gray with black spots.

Under the city wall, the wounded lay on white cloths, the light of healing shining on them, and the sound of wailing echoed throughout this land full of pain.

The bright knight with blond hair, golden armor, holding a blue pitcher in his hand, and a broken knight's sword, slowly walked into the blood-red snowy sunset.

He held the jar in his arms with great care, as if it were a fragile treasure.

When he climbed the steps of the city wall, his steps were extremely slow at first, but as the steps rose, his speed became faster and faster, as if he was gradually leaving everything behind.

The sticky sunset stained his exquisite armor bit by bit, glowing with a layer of bright white light. He held the blue jar in his arms and carefully hung the necklace on the bottle in his hand.

The sea breeze blew, and the bright red cloak behind him flew up and down, like a flowing fire.

…

【Half an hour ago】

"What is this? Naraku." Su Mingan asked.

"This is Sherrod's sister." Naraku handed over the jar in his hand: "She was taking refuge in the South District and didn't have time to escape...she was assimilated into a sea monster."

Perhaps because he also has the talent of light element, Xie Changying did not lose his mind like other sea monsters.

After turning into a siren, her memories revived bit by bit, and her emotions came back bit by bit. Her figure gradually solidified like other mutated sea monsters, becoming no different from humans.

——She gradually remembered that there was a brother who loved her on that crumbling island.

She disguised herself as a human and swarmed into the crowd during the chaos when the barrier opened. She hid in a jar and was picked up by Naraku who was passing by.

"In order to maintain her sanity, she has lost too much energy and cannot maintain her body, so she can only hide in the jar." Naraku handed the jar to Sherud, who was shaking all over: "Before she died, she wanted to see her brother... That’s your side.”

Sherrod took the jar.

At that moment, there was no light in his eyes.

"Changying?" He called softly.

No one responded.

The Siren fell into a deep sleep and could no longer even respond. He hid in a small jar and made no sound.

Sherrod hugged the jar in his hand tightly.

Like the woman, he hugged the blue jar in his hand like a mahogany box.

His head, which had always been raised, slowly, slowly lowered.

The sea breeze and white snow stuck to his hair, and there was a mist-like sadness in his eyes that could no longer be resolved.

The necklace with the photo attached to it clinked loudly against the jar.

"Changying." He said softly:

"……Happy birthday."

…

…

The wind and snow spread outward.

Under the city wall, Su Mingan stood facing the wind and snow.

The blue, almost transparent Siren's soul rose from his body, and she closed her eyes.

Her energy during her lifetime was completely exhausted, and she was about to fall into eternal sleep.

What can awaken her, apart from a large number of ordinary lives and souls, is the only living soul with divinity.

But if Sherrod chooses to give up his soul, red roses will not be able to save him.

At this moment, Su Mingan finally understood. What does the so-called "brave" mean?

He is the only, most valuable, and most capable of relieving the current disaster facing Praia's hero.

He is irreplaceable.

"Xie Lude." Su Mingan said to Xie Lude, who was walking up the city wall step by step: "You have done enough. This kind of thing does not have to be your turn. Even if there are no other qualified divine souls in Praia, you can still do it. Replace you with the lives of many more residents."

His words were very direct, completely ignoring other people's eyes.

In his opinion, Xie Lude, who has awakened his self-awareness, is far more precious than those machine-like NPCs.

Xie Lude did not have to sacrifice himself for these people, and became a miniature of the Knight of Light among thousands of victims.

…He is clearly a ‘human being’.

Living, breathing, laughing, self-thinking, 'people' living on this earth.

If there must be this victim,

Why does the victim have to be him?

If the "brave" is destined to die in order to save the vast majority of people——

Why does this hero have to be him?

Clifford watched this scene in silence. Finally, even the always rational old man couldn't help but speak out.

"Knight, you don't have to go to this point." He said: "You have given enough to this land. Just leave this kind of thing to others. If we leave it to you again, we will feel sorry for you. "

Sherrod turned back.

He was holding the blue jar in his arms, and the emotion in his eyes could be described as "scorching".

...It was like a bright fire burning in his eyes.

"No one is sorry to anyone." Sheldon said: "If I don't do this, I will be sorry for myself."

He did not look at the injured people who were looking at him, nor at the silent Clifford.

His gaze was fixed on Su Ming'an.

"..." Su Mingan looked at him.

He stopped in his silent gaze.

In the knight's eyes, there was a surge of intense emotions - it was the determination of his decision.

"Captain. I heard other travelers from other worlds mention you in their discussions. They said many sarcastic words and made many remarks about you." Sherlude said:

"They say that you are the 'number one player' and the strongest among them."

"They say that your ranking will always be number one, your clearance route will always be the most perfect, and you will make the most of props, tasks, and NPCs, never leaving any room for error."

"They said that the 'number one player' should lead them and be their leader."

"Logically speaking, it shouldn't be like this. The captain doesn't have to be responsible for these people. The captain will make mistakes and there will be times when he is not his strongest."

"But, as far as I know, captain, you have always done this, you have always remained the strongest, and you have never failed to live up to these people's expectations. Even if you are scolded and misunderstood, you have never given up and left this position. .”

"You stand at the forefront of the war as a matter of course, and become the commander of the battle as a matter of course. It is extremely natural, as if you were born to give a speech as a leader in front of everyone."

"team leader."

"——You are also bound by the system setting called 'First Player'."

Su Mingan's pupils narrowed.

The wind and snow hit his face, making it ice cold.

"But, what does this have to do with it? We all know, Captain, you are a human being. Not an NPC." Sherrod smiled.

The wind blew his golden hair, and his voice became more and more determined.

"Just like the speech before the cross-sea operation, Captain, I heard the emotion in your words. You are not completely calm. You did not say that just to 'attack' us.

...While you are trying to impress us, you are also infected by the 'love' in your mouth.

——So, can I conclude that this restraint is not purely composed of mechanical elements, but also a decision made by your own thinking as a human being? --So. "

The setting sun shone on his shoulders, blood red fell on his eyelashes, and his smile seemed to bloom like a colorful flower.

"...As a 'human' like you, I am willing to be bound by the system settings of the 'Bright Knight'."

"I am a human being. I am... I cannot sit idly by and watch so many residents die for me, human being."

"I am a 'person' set up as a 'Knight of Light'. I am an independent being who can think independently. I am a life that is willing to become the epitome of the image of the 'Knight of Light'."

"I am a character in the story, a microcosm of the image of the 'Bright Knight' on this land, and a 'victim' in the spirit of mission."

"...I am also a free soul, a person who can communicate with you independently."

"The reason that prompted me to say this is not only the so-called 'personality' and 'system' at work, but also because I have a brain that can organize these words."

“The mission, the spirit, the gift of light and affinity, these are all things I was born with.

"I'm like a living being made up of everything I was born with. People say this is destiny."

"I bear this, I accept this, I - think about this."

"I am willing - and still am, to this day - to be troubled by the emotions that stirred up in my heart - and by the chivalry I upheld."

"If someone must die for the greater good."

"——I am willing to become this 'Yongzhi'."

"Captain, this is the result of my careful consideration and proper decision."

Su Mingan stared at him.

The wind and snow gradually subsided, like a thin layer of mist, spreading between them.

The other person's eyes, firm from beginning to end, are full of brilliance at this time, making people think of shells reflecting sunlight on the beach.

Sherrod turned around.

He walked down the steps step by step, walking very fast, and then thrust the blue jar in his hand into Su Mingan's hand.

He knelt down.

With his blood-red cloak trailing behind him, he lowered his head and knelt in front of Su Ming'an in an extremely humble pleading posture.

"I'm sorry, Captain, I failed to live up to your expectations. I...can't go to barbecue with you anymore." He said in a low voice: "...Please, please help me."

Su Mingan sighed softly.

"Have you thought about it?" He said: "The people you saved may just be a group of NPCs controlled by the system. They are completely different from the precious you."

"No. I have gradually understood... In fact, there is no difference between me and them." Sherlude said softly: "Whether it is thinking by oneself or being manipulated, it is all living life... just like mine. My sister Changying. All of them are just like me. They can cry, laugh, get hurt, feel pain, be killed, and die. They also have their own thoughts and beliefs. I...can't sit back and watch so many of them die for me. .”

knightship.

It’s the so-called chivalry again.

It created such a knight of light who was upright and humble to the extreme, gave him space to think for himself, and allowed him to willingly follow the established path.

But at this time,

It is no longer possible to define the "destiny" of such an ending.

"Lemons, TVs, chocolates." Su Mingan asked: "If you don't care about them and only think about yourself...are you not willing to go see a world without war with me?"

Sherrod smiled.

"Captain." He said, "A world without war could also be here."

…

…

[The first day when I met a traveler from another world. 】

[Today, many new people with interesting words came to Praia. They don't seem to be afraid of soul hunting and the authority of the royal family, which makes me feel novel and worried. 】

[They said they were ‘players’. I thought maybe I should find out what the so-called ‘players’ meant. 】

…

[The day after meeting the traveler from another world. 】

[I met the captain. 】

[The captain is very powerful. He completed the task of Flower Street alone. I heard from others that the captain is the strongest 'player' among them. I'm curious what this means. But since the captain didn't take the initiative to ask, I won't ask. 】

[I really want to invite the captain to eat the barbecue at that restaurant. It is said that when the legendary savior hero boarded the airship, they saw him off in this restaurant. This is a beautiful meaning. 】

…

[The third day after meeting the traveler from another world. 】

[The Soul Clan does not exist on Thirteenth Street—the captain and I became ‘accomplices’. 】

[Grandma Garder said that I am the most competent Knight of Light she has ever seen. 】

[My relationship with the captain is getting better and better. 】

[I have understood the meaning of ‘player’. The way they looked at me was strange, as if they were staring at prey. 】

[Only the captain is different. 】

【Only the captain is different. 】

[He has been communicating with me as an equal. He regards me as a soul with him. 】

…

[The fourth day when I met a traveler from another world. 】

[Lakeen told me that lemons can be eaten with barbecue. I want to share this with the captain. 】

…

[But the captain stopped paying attention to me. 】

…

【Why. 】

[Changying’s birthday is coming soon and she really wants to meet the captain. 】

…

[The fifth day when I met a traveler from another world. 】

[Since early this morning, the bright and warm sunshine in Praia has disappeared. 】

…

[Why can’t the peace of Praia be maintained just like this? 】

[The princess looks in pain. 】

…

[Is it necessary, Captain? 】

…

[The captain confirmed my existence. 】

[He said, I am an independent person. 】

…

[The sixth day when I met a traveler from another world. 】

[The princess leaves. 】

[I gradually understood from the conversations among the players that the captain also had his own difficulties. 】

[Listen to them, the captain is the "number one player". 】

[In order to lead them and protect their world, the captain gradually became a knight like me. Everything he did was for a better ending. 】

【I understand him. 】

[The captain told me that I am a legendary brave man. 】

[When Playa faces a disaster, I am the most capable person with a mission to resolve the disaster. 】

【I am willing to take on this responsibility. 】

[Before I was taken away by red roses. 】

…

[I saw Changying curled up in the jar. 】

…

[I suddenly, suddenly want to protect them. 】

…