Then, i suddenly "woke up".
Im on ours house kitchen, on foot.
Sayuri was petting the cat's belly on the table.
"Ohh whos my little prince? My little, overweight, fluffy furball? Melmelmelmelmel-"
Amari shouted.
"IT DOESN'T EVEN SEEM LIKE YOU WANTED TO SELL HIM 5 SECONDS AGO!"
"Melmelmelmelmel..."
Oh, i went back on time...
This right before the bell...
I looked at my hands, then checked my chest, everything was normal.
I-I was revived? I saw them both die in front of me, and now they're just here like nothing happened? A-And, the masked man is still going to come and-
"Hey Kai, is everything alright?"
Amari said that, looking at me concerned.
My eyes moved to the cat being pet by Sayuri.
I will never be able to look at that cat the same way again, even though I know he is completely innocent.
Oh wait, THE RACOON!!
I quickly left there and shot towards the entrance, running as fast as possible.
"K-KAI?! What's going on?"
Amari said as she saw me just running as fast as possible.
I came face to face with the front door.
I quickly activated Sankalpa in my hands, prepared for anything.
Racoon, Racoon... Are you there?... I need to find out!
So, i quickly opened the door and-
...
There was absolutely nothing, no one, everything was just the trees, and the empty green space of other houses that surrounded ours.
I have never felt so relieved, yet so confused at the same time.
Behind me, Amari appeared walking slowly.
"Hm Kai, you're ok?... You don't seem very well..."
Behind her, Sayuri appeared with the cat on her head.
"Ohooo, This kitty thinks my hat is a nest!"
Amari told her.
"That fatty is not a kitty! And he dont make nests!"
Sayuri petted the cat on her hat.
That cat loved it, laying down and begging for more.
"I think he does! If he trained enough..."
Then she glared at me.
"Uh Kai... Is everything alright?"
I quickly shook my head, trying to get back to normal.
"Oh uh, its just uh..."
I looked at them and i gave a very big smile, trying my best not to cry.
"Im just very happy."
Just like dad told me, always keep smilling, always keep showing others who you are.
They enchaged glares, without saying a word.
"So, aren't we going to do the missions? We really need that money don't we!?"
I honestly don't know if these words were said with false feelings.
I don't know if I just want to lie down and sleep, or if I just want to pretend like nothing happened.
Yeah, I think it's the second option.
I wanted to tell them what happened, tell them to be more careful... But not only did the cat tell me not to, but I know I can't.
When I look at them, I can't get the image of them both dead out of my head... It's so terrifying just thinking that it doesn't exist anymore.
No, actually it's not terrifying, it's actually... good.
I don't know if I should, but I'm just going to pretend like nothing happened.
It's going to be hard to ignore all of this, but I know it's for the best.
But I've learned a lesson from all of this, I need to get stronger, much stronger. And I'm going to do everything I can to make it happen.
Some time later, around 5pm, the three of us are walking towards the guild.
We really don't have much money, and we really need to pay the bills.
So let's just see if the guild has any missions for us.
Now that I think about it, someone could have stayed home, right, but no one wanted to...
I wonder if I'll really be able to erase everything that happened from my mind.
I need to do it, but it's so strange and difficult.
Every time I look at them, that image comes to mind.
But I need to do it, just pretend that nothing happened and keep going.
It's not like putting on a mask, I've always been like this, just keep being who I am.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened.
Nothing happened-
"Kai is everything alright?"
Amari, who is at my front with Sayuri, said that, looking at me.
I shook my head, and nodded with a smile.
"Yes!"
I walked faster towards them.
But I can't forget that Raccoon mask.
What happened to him? Does he still know where we are? Is he going to chase us? Is he chasing us?!
But what did that cat do to him? Did he just kill him?
I should just forget about it, but I can't... But if something goes wrong, the entity will save me? So I'm basically immortal?!
I don't want to think.
"Kai you... you don't just want to rest at home?"
I grinned at her side.
"Hahah, then who's going to stay here to save you two?!"
"Ha! Like if we need!... right Sayuri?!"
Sayuri was just looking out of the corner of her eye, finding something a little suspicious.
"Hm... Actually, im the only one you both need."
Amari started to argue with her.
"Eh?!? You're just a long-range weak wizard! You need a tank!"
"Tank?.. You're saying you're my tank!?"
"Hm... I guess?"
Sayuri looked into Amari's eyes, then simply slammed her staff on the ground and began speaking loudly.
"Ok then! Let's begin the Tank naming ritual. I, Sayuri, will be the greatest wizard-"
"OH NO THAT'S SO BORING!! I WILL NOT BE ANYONE'S TANK!"
While the two were arguing, I put a finger in the air.
"Hey uh, what about me?! What will I be?!"
Sayuri placed her hand on her chin in analysis.
"Hm, you... Well probably something like a brawler."
Amari nodded.
"Yeah, i would call him a slayer or something like that. A DPS!"
Sayuri tilted her head.
"A what?"
Before Amari could answer, I said happily.
"I want to be the strongest!"
They both screamed at the same time.
"THAT'S NOT WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!"
A little while later, just a few minutes to calm the situation.
Amari asks me.
"Hey Kai, you already decided your Sisu or not?"
Sayuri said quietly.
"I was going to ask the same."
I smiled at them.
"Yeah i already decided it!... But like Amari not wanting to tell about her healing powers, I won't tell about mine-"
"WHO TOLD YOU THAT?!"
Amari immediately screamed.
Oops, I forgot I wasn't supposed to know that...
"U-Uhm, well uh... It was random?..."
Amari was really pissed at me.
"AND YOU MANAGED TO GOT RIGHT AT FIRST!?"
Sayuri looked half-excited.
"OH, THAT MEANS HE IS RIGHT!!"
Amari sighed, seeing there was no escape.
"Ahhh... Yeah that's right, that's whay one of my chains do... B-BUT THE OTHER WILL BE A SECRET!!"
I approached her.
"Oh, let me guess, let me guess!!..."
I looked closely at her hand, trying to figure out what that ring did.
Amari shouted.
"Jeez, YOU LOOK LIKE A HANDS PERVERT CREEP!"
Hm, what could it be... what could it be... I KNOW!
I quickly looked away from my hand, and stood up.
"YOU CAN FLY!!"
Sayuri giggled listening to that.
"F-Fly? WITH A RING CHAIN?! HAHAHAH!"
Amari also started to laugh.
"H-How I could fly with this?! Hahaha Kai, you're such an idiot!"
The two of them stood there laughing at me.
For the first time, seeing them making fun of me didn't make me angry or upset, in fact I'm happy.
It wasn't on purpose, I really thought she could fly... But I don't feel embarrassed or anything, just happy to see them laugh.
This is all a mask now and I'm just trying to act like I used to, or am I really acting normal, like before, like nothing happened.
I don't know the answer to that.
Some time later, we finally arrived at the guild.
Today it was pretty full, they were giving a party or something, hearing lots of music.
Amari said to us.
"Ok guys, remember the plan: see the missions, go home and talk to nobody else."
Amari said it loud and clear.
"Understood! We just need to-... Hey Amari..."
Sayuri slowly looked at Amari, and also slowly said.
"Where is Kai..."
Amari quickly looked at her sides, i wasn't there.
"T-THAT IDIOT!!!"
For me, well. I saw something in a corner of the guild that caught my attention.
"Oh hi kid! You want to play too?!"
There was a mid-age man, a very fat one, tied to the wall.
He was only wearing shorts, and for some reason he was smiling, probably loving it.
But the man who called me, he was a well dessed dude holding a big rubber hammer.
I looked at it a little confused.
"Hm, what's that?"
The man in front introduced himself.
"Welcome to the Mr. Pork game!"
Mr. Pork?... I think I've heard that name before.
The man continued.
"In this game, your goal is to grab the hammer and hit Mr. Pork's belly as hard as possible. Simple as that."
I simply blinked twice, without demonstrating any emotion.
I think the man thought that i was thought that was horrible, so he tried to explain himself.
"I mean like, Mr. Pork love this game! It's not like he is just doing this for money or anything, he really enjoys being hit by the hammer-"
I interrupted him.
"This... IS SO COOL!!!"
This caught the man a bit out of guard, but he quickly grinned.
"Well then, don't waste time!! The entry fee is only 1 Shield, and the secret reward is something amazing!... If you want to hear more about the reward, please ask-"
"OH I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT! I JUST NEED TO HIT THAT GUY'S BELLY!!"
The man nodded.
"Well then, 1 Shield please. Only that."
I quickly checked my pockets, and even more quickly my smile disappeared.
"AH IT'S EMPTY!!"
Of course it would be, I've never touched money since I got here!
"WAIT A SECOND! I'LL GET SOME!!"
As I ran away desperately, he said a few last words.
"Take your time! Don't worry, I give you priority! Mr. Pork loves being desired!"
I I quickly ran towards Sayuri and Amari, who were still at the door.
I stopped at their front, and they quickly noticed me.
Amari shouted at me.
"HEY KAI! WERE THE HELL YOU WERE?! WE-"
Then I simply told Sayuri, pointing to a window.
"Hey Sayuri, there's a bird!"
She looked kinda annoyed at me.
"Like ifI would fall for that-"
"Hey Sayuri, theres a... very good and renowned wizard there!"
"Where?"
Sayuri looked back, saw nothing, and then turned back to face the front.
But when she looked, I wasn't already there.
"H-HUHN?! AH GODDAMIT I FELL FOR THAT!"
Amari shouted to her.
"H-HE TOOK SOMETHING FROM YOU AND RAN AWAY!"
Sayuri quickly checked her pockets.
"There there there... W-Wait... T-THAT BASTARD STOLE ME MONEY!"
She then pointed at Amari.
"I-IT'S YOUR FAULT! YOU COULD HAD DONE SOMETHING!!"
"W-WHAT?! WHAT WAS I SUPOSSED TO DO?! YOU FELL FOR THE OLDEST TRICK IN THE BOOK!"
Sayuri shouted back.
"N-NO, BUT YOU COULD HAD DONE SOMETHING!"
The two were silent for a moment.
"We should just look for him."
"Yup."
In turn, I handed over the only Shield I... borrowed without returning, to the man.
"Oh thank you so much! Here it is..."
He gave me the rubber hammer.
"Have fun, because im sure Mr. Pork will."
So I took a few more steps forward, facing that weirdo tied to the wall.
He said with a passionate love.
"Oh? We got a new boy today?! A young one, a very young one, ohhhh how i love this..."
I started stretching, exercising my legs.
"You will hit me right? Then yes, keep doing that, prepare all your strength..."
But suddenly, when i noticed, there was a large number of men around me, observing it all.
I looked at the said, seeing all these guys.
"Hm, something wrong?"
One of the men replied with his arms crossed.
"Of course not, quite the opposite. Don't you know Mr. Pork's story?"
I moved my head in denial, so he continued.
"Mr. Pork is addicted to being hit in the belly with rubber hammers. Every night, he comes here and ties himself to the wall. He says he has a reward, whoever manages to give him maximum satisfaction will receive a special gift from him. Maximum satisfaction means hitting a very high and specific pain point with the hammer on him, perhaps making him loosing his conscience."
I was still stretching.
"And nobody was ever too?"
"No. Over time, more and more people tried and basically over time he became extremely rich just from that. He basically became a casino, where everyone tried to make him feel bad or something. But it's impossible, we've tried everything, we've called the strongest men in the city and so on, but he's always satisfied. So we just gave up, and now it's pretty rare for anyone to try. But if they do, it's either because they're extremely confident, or they're a complete novice. But in any case..."
He opened the hugs and moved away a little, allowing himself to notice the others beside him.
"We love to see it!!"
The "crowd" burst into flames, shouting various things.
"YEAH CMON!"
"BEAT PORK'S ASS!"
"END THIS!"
It seems like everyone has a certain amount of resentment towards Pork, for probably making them lose a lot of money.
But at the same time, I don't think anyone thinks I really have a chance, but they all want to see it anyway.
I made a confident smile, and shouted loud to everyone watching it.
"Listen up guy! I... Im gonna win!"
Just with that words everyone there went crazy, yelling all types of things in support of me.
I turned to Pork, gripping the rubber axe as tightly as I could in my hands.
Pork was just there, smiling like the nest day in his life.
"Oh go on kid! Show me all you got! Please don't hold back!"