Chapter 101: If Only

“I don’t like this,” Ksenia declared.

“Me neither, but money is money and the guild is the guild,” Leon said to her. Ksenia was ticked-off by his response and crossed her arms, glaring at the man in front of her. “Hey, don’t blame me! I serve Spectre number uno! Number one is much scarier than number three.”

Kazi understood. More than anyone, he understood the unfairness of reality. He hated being the one to be responsible for it too. However, in this case, it was to fight a greater evil. He glanced back at Sun-young and the excruciating pain she was in. ’A much greater evil.’

John Smith, slowly getting untied by Booker, his gentlemen smile a permanent feature of his face. Not wanting to chance danger, they kept his arms bound tightly. His hair was slightly unkempt and as soon as John was able to stand he asked for a comb. No one relented.

“I will be watching you.” A thinly veiled threat was at the forefront of Ksenia’s remark.

“Me too,” Nash added. “I might have let it slide for today, but if I ever see your face again, it’s a death sentence. You hear me?”

John smiled. “Duly noted.”

It was done. Everybody agreed to let John go. It was the sad reality of every world: money talked. Money bribed and changed people.

The scenario had not ended yet. It was almost sunrise, the world waking up to the sight of the players. Once the ball of light appeared, he was sure it would be the end of the scenario. Until then, it was up to Kazi, Sun-young, and William to watch over John. The objective was over, so killing wasn’t an option for the elderly man.

“I owe you a tremendous debt,” John said, arms tightly behind him. “So…what is it that you want? I presume it has to do with the murders? Paul perhaps? The light that came from his heart?”

The heart that kept beating despite losing the body. Kazi didn’t understand it, so he stashed it in his inventory, as disgusting as it was.

“Let’s go outside and talk.” Around them were players. Suspicious players who wondered what Kazi was doing. Did he really free him because he didn’t want him to die? Or was it something else?

“You were wise to approach me now.” John lifted his joined hands up and let the flakes of snow fall. “I plan to change my name and rewrite my identity after this.”

“I figured,” Kazi said.

“Seriously?” William jogged to John’s right. “You’re just going to pretend none of this happened? That you planned to kill someone?”

“I’ve killed before, young William.”

“Innocents too?”

His expression fell yet John plainly admitted, “Yes.”

“Paul’s death was a tragedy. He didn’t deserve what happened to him,” Kazi said. “But the mask. Could you give it to me?”

Neither of the men understood his urgency, but Sun-young did. Hanging back, her wound ached and she put an arm around her stomach.

“Why not? Fair warning: Noor damaged it greatly. Oh, and could you loosen the binding?”

“Sure.”

With Sun-young and William observing him intensely, Kazi went back to loosen the rope. Quickly, John opened up his inventory and brought the mask before letting the rope go taut again. The mask he handed over was white with two small black dots and burnt at the bottom-left. A magical aura enveloped it. Its power had been desecrated yet it lingered.

Kazi flipped it over. Burn marks. “Hm. You get night vision with this?”

John nodded. “Indeed. Magic, I suppose. I recall there being symbols.”

’Symbols that Noor’s spell charred away.’

Without being suspicious, he raised the mask high enough for Sun-young to see from behind. The discreet nod did not pass him. This was it. This was the same mask Jack wore.

’But why? Seriously, it doesn’t make sense. How did a player of this modern era gain access to an item a whole Gate beforehand? Is he a historical figure? Could he be Jack the Ripper? A serial killer that’s reincarnated or something?’ His thoughts switched over to the second item he had received today. ’The amulet with the initials A.T. Those same initials were on the random treasure chest John put Paul’s heart in, on the wall, and in the amulet. Is there a connection? There has to be, but what?’

None of it made sense. The connection was so weak that it might not have existed. The mask itself couldn’t have been Japanese. No way. The Gate took place sometime in the early 1900s. Jack the Ripper might have existed but his presence had never spread to Japan. Also, the initials? The photo? Nothing.

’From my memory, Sataro Fukiage is the only noteworthy serial killer in this era of Japan and he didn’t wear a mask. On the other hand, it’s not like the Gates completely adhere to historical accuracy; after all, there were slimes in the forest in Kishkindha.’

Kazi put the mask in his inventory and read the properties. All it did was leave him more confused.

[ Equipment Name: Ripper’s Mask (Burned)

Rank: D

Attack: +33

Current Value: 700,000 PP

Description: A mask belonging to a legendary killer from outside the borders. It has lost its night vision property due to a powerful fire spell. Ordinarily, wearing it spikes bloodlust. ]

’The value of this thing is insane,’ he noted. ’But what’s important is that I was right: it isn’t Japanese. This is a foreign mask and given that it’s called the Ripper’s Mask, it might actually belong to Jack the Ripper. It still doesn’t answer how a Jack from a hundred years after got it.’

Somehow, the amulet’s description was less helpful.

[ Equipment Name: Unknown Amulet (A.T)

Rank: ?

Attack: ?

Current Value: ?

Description: ??? ]

His thoughts were long and encompassing, in reality, less than two seconds had passed.

“Thank you, friend. I owe you for this,” said John.

’Even though I was the one that exposed you?’ Kazi kept his thoughts to himself and opted to nod appreciatively.

“Like we’ll ever need your help,” William replied, disgusted.

“We shall see, young William. We shall see.”

Clunk! Clunk! Clunk! Metal boots smashed against snow and entered their peripheral. The two Templars, Emma and Samuel, appeared before Sun-young.

“Is there something I can help you with?” Kazi stopped to look over his shoulder. They seemed to want something with Sun-young.

“We saw you all before.” Wearing a bucket helm of the Templar Knights, Kazi didn’t expect Emma’s voice to be as girlish as it was. It was scarily similar to a Valley Girl accent. “You guys were with the Chaplain, right? You seem to always be getting into trouble.”

Sun-young glanced between them, puzzled. “So?” Then, as if speaking to their point, she let out a pained noise.

“Commander Cedric can help,” said Samuel. His voice was excruciatingly happy. “He’s the best healer ever! They say he was taught by Prophet Elijah himself!”

“R-really?” William looked over at Sun-young. She seemed to be getting smaller with every passing minute. “He did help us out before…”

“Do it.” Kazi stood in front of Sun-young with his back to the Templars. His voice went low, “Ms. Sun-young, you’ve been acting strong for days. Drinking potions and elixirs nonstop. You can’t live on like this. You have to get it fixed.”

Her voice went lower, low enough so no one but him could hear. “And Jack?”

“I’ll investigate,” Kazi whispered back. “William will tag along with you—”

“I don’t want to be a burden and I don’t want you to be alone,” she replied. “I’ll be fine with them.”

He gave an expression asking, “Are you sure?”

Sun-young nodded.

Inhaling, Kazi turned to the Templars. “Please take care of her.”

“We will!” Emma nodded and he could feel the big smile underneath her helmet. “Trust me, you can count on Commander Cedric!”

’The best healer in the White Abyss, huh? If he can’t heal her, then no one can.’

The locomotive let out a triumphant whistle, a clarion call signalling the journey’s commencement. Slowly, the train began its departure, wheels clacking against the tracks. Slowly, the train unveiled what lay behind it.

A beautiful sunrise.

The chilly breeze seemed to melt away and the players looked upon the new day. The first rays of the sun peeked over the horizon. A radiant orb emerged, casting a warm, golden glow that healed the world clad in frosty white.

“A sunrise of a time before human corruption,” John noted. “It is a wonder.”

“Agreed.”

Kazi’s hazel eyes flickered down and away. ’If only Paul got to see this. If only…I had been slightly faster, maybe…’

It was always like this. The world was impossible to save but people? Individuals? Friends and family? It was always within his power, within his great gifts, to be able to make great change.

But even in the afterlife, that never happened. It would never happen. He just wanted to live in a world where no one was hurt. He was so damn sick of people getting hurt. Whether it was John or Paul, he wished people didn’t have to die. He wished they didn’t have to hurt and kill for selfish reasons.

If only.

If only the world was as warm and kind as the sunrise he was bearing witness to.

[ Scenario ended! ]

[ Returning to the White Abyss! ]

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