The Place Where Everything Begins

Half an hour later...

"I still couldn't believe the guy would do something like that."

"Right? I think shoving another person to their death is too much."

"He is so fucking selfish..."

"Out of all people, it has to be Skylar, huh. She always fights very hard for everyone else..."

"But don't you think Eddie is too much either? He..."

"Shh!! What are you saying? If he hears you, I won't help you."

"Still, Eddie has almost killed Benjamin earlier; if not for Joshua, he..."

"We should use him as a meatshield in the next wave. He should be held responsible for his murder."

"What if we tie him up and let him stay near those elderlies and kids?"

"Are you nuts? That is no different from letting him have a fast pass out of this place unscratched."

"Ah! Why haven't I thought of that? I am nuts indeed."

At various places within the tutorial chamber, opinions and discussions regarding what to do with Benjamin were being expressed constantly...

That only meant one thing...

The Bad Mouther, Benjamin wasn't dead yet.

While most people wanted to punish the guy heavily, some still didn't want that to happen as they still regarded the norms on Earth as important.

They were those people with such conservative thoughts who didn't like to adapt to change...

Nevertheless, they were the minority here and could only express their dissatisfaction shallowly.

Well, the hateful perpetrator, Benjamin, had shoved Skylar to her death, after all.

How could he be forgiven so easily?

Even on Earth, the man should be punished heavily and charged legally with lawsuits for his crimes.

*Bam*

*Bam*

*Thump*

*Bang*

The sounds of a certain someone punching and kicking a soft, punching dummy rang out incessantly...

The certain someone was naturally Eddie, who was considered the most pissed-up person of them all currently.

So, he currently vented all his pent-up anger on the unresponsive dummy...

At that time, when Eddie had finally raised his boot above Benjamin's head, intending to crush the culprit's skull into pasted mush with his military boot, Joshua suddenly tackled him with all his might...

Afterward, Mitchell hurriedly ordered more than five combatants to hold him down to the ground, giving no room for him to struggle at all; even for a two-meter-tall-strong guy, Eddie couldn't escape the fate of being outnumbered.

*Bam*

With another punch at the dummy's head, Eddie imagined it as a certain someone's face...

'That bastard, Joshua. How dare he tackled me down like that.'

*Bam*

*Bam*

Eddie continued venting his hot air on the pitiful dummy...

While attacking the soft dummy senseless, Eddie thought back towards his first meeting with Skylar.

...

Flashback...

First talk...

"Hello, the name is Eddie, what 'bout yours, beauty?" Eddie introduced himself with his usual smug face.

"I'm Skylar. Nice to meet you. I will go pitch the tent; let's talk later." Answered Skylar with indifferent expressions before walking away.

...

Second talk...

"How was the fight?" Eddie, who had just finished the fight, came asking Skylar.

"It was awful; I don't like any of this at all." Replied Skylar unpleasantly.

Upon hearing her tone, Eddie suddenly got concerned about her, "Are you tired?"

Skylar seemed to be somewhat touched by his heart-warm concerns, but outwardly she tried to act indifferent, "A bit... but it's not that..."

"Do you want water or a soft drink? How about food? I will buy it from the shop for you; it's my treat. You wait here, okay?" Eddie asked questions to her nonstop.

When she saw Eddie had already prepared to walk in the Crystal's direction, Skylar hurriedly called out to him with some nervousness in her tone, "Wait!! I also have some SP; I will buy those things myself."

But Eddie was stubborn and persistent, "It can't be, a handsome gentleman like me should take care of a soft beauty like you well..."

As she didn't know how to react to Eddie's kindness, Skylar could only change the topic into something else to distract him, "I saw that you had fought very bravely a moment ago..."

Eddie, who had prepared to walk towards the Crystal, suddenly stopped in tracks...

Then with a smug face, Eddie said boastingly, "Guhaha... Right? Earlier I swung like this and 'Bam'; one skeleton soldier broke into pieces. After that, I slashed like 'Whoosh', then another skeleton soldier's body was 'Crunch'; it was..."

"You sure have so much free time, huh."

It was Mitchell's voice that interrupted Eddie's boasting.

Upon seeing the savior finally came to the rescue, Skylar nodded her head slightly with a smile towards Mitchell before using this chance of distraction to escape from Eddie's concerns and kindness.

...

Third talk...

"Hey, beauty! Are you hurt anywhere?" Eddie came to talk with Skylar again.

This time Skylar seems to be feeling better than before, as she replied, "It's you, Eddie. No, I'm still good, and you?"

"Me? I'm super fine. Look here..."

Having said that, Eddie pulled up his sleeve and flexed his bicep muscles for Skylar to see.

"..."

Skylar could only look on speechlessly...

After seeing no impression on her face, Eddie didn't get discouraged, as he tried to find some topic to talk about with her, "By the way, do you have any boyfriend? *Cough* I... I mean a beauty like you shou..."

"No, I don't."

"Ra... Really?"

...

Last talk...

"Hey, how was the fight this time. You look exhausted." Eddie asked concernedly towards the looking-tired Skylar.

"It's nothing much... Wait... Your head is bleeding?" Skylar got startled after seeing some blood droplets seeping out of Eddie's head.

"Hmm? Oh, I see. I got a bit careless..." Eddie replied as if it was nothing much.

"Let me bandage you; please wait a moment."

"Da... the wound is not serious. It's okay... really."

Shaking her head with a light smile, Skylar walked to pick up a first aid kit from the tent area.

Soon, Skylar was seen to be applying some remedies on Eddie's wound while the lucky man could only stare at her face dazedly.

When the first aid was done, Skylar looked at the dazed eyes of Eddie with a hint of a smile...

"Done." Said Skylar.

"..."

Upon hearing no response from the dazed Eddie, who was looking at her face like an idiot, Skylar suddenly called out to the dazzled man,

"Eddie..."

"Wha... What?" Coming back to his senses, Eddie replied.

"Do you have any siblings?"

As Eddie was the only child in his household, he replied, "No, I don't. Why do you ask?"

"I have no parents and was left with only two younger sisters. I'm very worried about them. What if they have to come into a place like this..." Continued talking, Skylar.

"I will help you." Eddie interrupted her even before she could finish her piece.

"Hmm?" Skylar's eyes widened with a trace of shock.

"I will help you find your two sisters after we reach the Ortoos. I promise."

As Eddie had promised with a face full of determination, Skylar felt very warm inside her.

So smile brightly and warmly, she did...

That was when the newfound hope of the two began to bloom...

Afterward, Skylar said,

"It is Ortus..."

...

Fifteen minutes before the newfound hope was lost forever...

"Oy, glasses idiot." Said Eddie while standing in front of the right passageway.

"What?" Mitchell asked.

"I think I like Skylar." Out of nowhere, Eddie confessed sheepishly.

In contrast to the expected shocking face, Mitchell replied casually, "I already knew that, so did everyone else."

"Hehe... Really? Anyway, do you think I have a chance?" Asked Eddie while scratching his bald head bashfully

Upon hearing that, Mitchell asked back instead, "Only she knows that. But let me ask you something. Has she ever refused your approach?"

When Eddie had heard Mitchell's question, his eyes lit up with hope, a newfound hope in this hellish nightmare...

The fifth wave of monsters started...

At last, Skylar died...

Flashback ends...

...

After reminiscing about his encounter with Skylar, albeit very short, it was full of profound meaning, especially when they looked into each other's eyes for the last time, the promise before the fight started, and her loveable personality that captivated his cold heart.

"Noo!! Fuckkk!!"

The enraged Eddie punched out with all his might towards the innocent dummy...

*Bammm!!*

The sound of impact traveled far and wide into the spacious chamber...

Even those people who were doing and minding their own business had to turn their busy heads towards the source of the sudden noise. Some even woke up from their sleep as a result of the loud noise.

Everyone could only shake their heads in helplessness after seeing Eddie like that.

Well, except one person...