Game of Higher Hands - Not Interested

16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs1L1dj2z1a

The room becomes quiet.

Nobody speaks for a few seconds.

We all keep looking at the place where Charly disappeared.

Like he might suddenly come back.

He doesn't.

I let out a long breath.

Then I shake my head.

"...That was cool."

Everyone turns to look at me.

I grin.

"I mean... seriously."

"He walked into a forbidden zone alone."

"Cut through every monster."

"Killed the boss with one strike."

"Took the shard."

"Refused to explain anything."

"And left."

I whistle softly.

"That was ridiculously cool."

Ben looks at me.

"You admire him?"

I shrug.

"I admire strong people."

Then I point toward the empty hallway.

"And he's definitely strong."

Lily sighs.

"He's also dangerous."

I nod.

"I know."

"That's part of why he's cool."

Nobody answers.

Apparently they don't enjoy my sense of humor.

We slowly leave the castle.

There is nothing left here.

No boss.

No shard.

Only monster bodies and broken walls.

Outside, the wind blows across the sand.

The giant castle is already beginning to collapse.

Without the shard, the forbidden zone is disappearing.

I stop walking for a moment.

"So..."

I look at Ethan.

"When is the next forbidden zone?"

He shakes his head.

"We don't know."

"Nothing is certain."

Ryan adds,

"The government predicts about one month."

"But predictions have been wrong before."

I nod.

"So..."

"No work for a while."

"No," Ethan says.

"There is still training."

"There is still preparation."

"There is still research."

I smile.

"I was hoping for a vacation."

Ben laughs for the first time.

"Wrong world."

Fair point.

We walk together for a while.

Not because we are friends.

Just because we are going in the same direction.

After a few minutes, Ethan speaks again.

"Jax."

"Hm?"

"Have you ever thought about joining us?"

I don't even need one second.

"No."

The answer comes out so quickly that even I surprise myself.

The group becomes quiet.

Ethan looks at me.

"You didn't even think about it."

"I already did."

"And?"

"I still don't want to."

"Why?"

I smile.

"Because we're different."

Lily tilts her head.

"Different how?"

"You all have the same goal."

"Save the world."

"Collect the shards."

"Work as a team."

I point at myself.

"I don't have any of those."

Ben crosses his arms.

"So what's your goal?"

I think for a second.

Then answer honestly.

"I don't know yet."

The answer surprises them.

But it is true.

"I just know I don't want someone else deciding what I should do."

Ethan nods slowly.

"I understand."

"No," I reply.

"I don't think you do."

The wind becomes stronger.

Sand moves across the ground.

I stop walking.

Turn toward them.

"You people were chosen."

"You have a mission."

"You already know your road."

I point at myself again.

"I wasn't chosen."

"I chose to walk."

"And I want to choose every step after this too."

Nobody speaks.

Finally, Ethan smiles slightly.

A very small smile.

"I expected that answer."

"Oh?"

"You don't look like someone who enjoys following orders."

I laugh.

"You figured that out already?"

"It wasn't difficult."

We both laugh once.

Just once.

Then the atmosphere becomes lighter.

Ryan suddenly asks,

"What were you doing before all this?"

I shrug.

"School."

Ben blinks.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

"You almost died fighting a forbidden zone boss..."

"...and last semester I was worried about homework."

The whole group laughs.

Even Ethan.

I laugh too.

Because somehow...

It really is funny.

The world changed too quickly.

None of us had time to prepare.

A few minutes later we reach the road.

Military vehicles are already arriving.

Government workers begin placing warning tape around the area.

People in protective suits enter the disappearing forbidden zone.

One scientist notices us.

He points in our direction.

"We should leave," Ethan says.

"Good idea."

I don't like answering government questions.

We walk away before anyone reaches us.

At the next crossroads, we stop.

"This is where we split up," Ethan says.

"Probably."

"If another forbidden zone appears..."

He pauses.

"...we'll meet again."

I smile.

"Maybe."

"If you ever change your mind..."

He holds out a small card.

"There is a number on it."

"You can contact us."

I take it.

Look at it.

Then put it into my pocket.

"I'm keeping it."

Ethan raises an eyebrow.

"So you'll call?"

I grin.

"No."

"I just don't like throwing away useful things."

Ben sighs dramatically.

"I knew he was going to say that."

The group starts walking away.

After several steps...

Ethan suddenly turns back.

"One more thing."

"What?"

He looks directly into my eyes.

"If you meet Charly again..."

"...don't follow him."

I blink.

"Why?"

Ethan's expression becomes serious.

Much more serious than before.

"We've met him three times."

"The first time..."

"He walked out of an A-rank forbidden zone alone."

"The second time..."

"We found an entire forbidden zone already cleared."

"The third time..."

He looks toward the disappearing sand castle.

"...was today."

I become quiet.

"So?"

Ethan speaks very slowly.

"We still don't know..."

"...whether Charly is helping this world."

"...or preparing to destroy it."

The wind blows between us.

Nobody says another word.

I watch the six of them disappear into the distance.

Then I put both hands into my pockets.

I look toward the horizon.

A smile slowly appears on my face.

"Well..."

"Now I really want to meet him again."16Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJhNhdSYgyg

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