(Alex POV)
[You are late.]
I heard her voice, the same system that gave us the tutorial.
I could feel her sapphire eyes on me, looking at me with a squinted gaze.
I could feel it.
She wants me to scream at her, to rage over the fact that I couldn't save them all even though I killed the undead.
She likes torturing. She said so herself, and someone who likes torturing would want to see people despairing.
[Hey, come on, say something.]
Her voice, unlike her divine beauty, was like a thorn, piercing my earbuds, wanting to get a reaction out of me.
Her tone was filled with mocking and taunt.
The voice of the AI that I still don't know what to do, reverberated in my head.
'I know that.'
I knew that this AI could read my thoughts, but I still replied to her.
I could feel its worry, and although it was almost non-existent, it was still there, or maybe it was just the voice, I don't know.
But I still pondered on her question.
I could tell what serotonin was. The moment it mentioned serotonin, I somehow knew what it was.
Maybe this is what it feels like to read the memory of someone.
It was a calming hormone, and although I don't think I'll need it….
'Go on.'
I still asked it to do it.
Being cautious is never bad, I still don't know a thing about the game system, so I should be prepared for the worst.
I can't lose control and do something that might push me toward the path that I don't want to take.
Ah….
I could feel it….
The relaxing sensation, the feeling of lightness.
I can tell that.
Even if it didn't say anything, I was already aware of it.
I'm here.
I was now standing right at the entrance to the village, and the game system….
[Welcome.]
Just smiled at me.
My eyes inadvertently looked for the source of the voice.
Maybe it was my time as an assassin that made it hard for me to ignore any kind of noise, but the same happened right now.
And there she was…
Sitting atop the entrance gate.
Her blue gemlike eyes had glee hidden beneath.
And there was expectation.
I don't know what she's expecting of me, but I would rather not stand true to her expectations-
'…..'
I see….
The moment I stepped into the village, I knew why she was looking at me like that.
However, I kept quiet.
I surveyed my surroundings, and I saw everything, but I didn't feel anything….
From what I know, people are supposed to feel a rage building up inside of them…
But all I feel is a bit hollow.
I looked around, searching for the only people who ever did something for me.
But I couldn't find them…
I couldn't even tell people apart.
All of them were just skin and bones.
Their bodies were mangled.
Their faces were torn apart.
Their clothes were drenched in blood, making me unable to make anything out of it.
Heck, I couldn't even tell the bodies of children and adults apart.
Their bodies only had some parts left, nothing else.
There were blood trails.
The trail was left by bodies being dragged away.
The undead were still eating the villagers.
Two or three undead per person.
And the speed at which they ate was something that I didn't think was possible.
But it made sense. If their speed was not that fast, then how would they have eaten so much in just the time I took to arrive here?
I could see some undead lying on the ground with their heads bashed in.
They are probably the ones that gave points to the others.
If it was a fair one-on-one fight, the villagers would've won.
I know that for sure, but things were never meant to be fair….
*Slash*
*Thud*
My body is working perfectly now.
Killing one of them didn't even take much effort.
With a simple wave of my hand, one died.
I didn't feel anything, but the thudding sound told me that it was dealt with.
Sigh…
I need to get used to this feeling.
This feeling of not getting any sensation while killing these things.
'….'
Yeah, I knew this would happen.
The moment that thud sound was heard, every undead in the area turned toward me.
[Hey! Mortal!]
*Slash*
*Thud*
I ignored the system's call.
She sounded frustrated, but I couldn't care less about it.
[Show me some rage! Show me your despair, you mortal!]
*Slash*
*Thud*
She yelled at me, annoyed about the fact that even after all this, she couldn't get a reaction out of me.
Hah…
It was her fault for thinking that I would feel something because of some people who died because they couldn't fight-
*Slash*
*Thud*
<….>
I could feel the AI's speechlessness.
But then it clicked to me.
The AI can read my emotions….
<….>
All right, fine.
I do have a bit of regret that even after I saved them once, they still died.
But that's all.
*Slash*
*Thud*
Even if the system screamed or my mind was filled with thoughts.
My dagger kept slashing and killing the undead.
One after another, their bodies fell.
*Slash*
*Thud*
Until the last of them fell.
Phew….
The undead, although disgusting, sure are comfortable to sit on.
I feel a bit tired somehow.
Hmmmmm….
I looked at my dagger, its shining blade, its soft yet firm hilt.
Something that had been with me for 3 years.
[Whatever! I don't care!]
My brows knighted.
Since when did the system learn to give up…
My gaze moved up from my dagger, up at the system, and…
Sigh….
I could only sigh as I saw a wide grin on her face.
[I will have more chances in the future.]
I heard her voice, a voice filled with determination.
Was she determined to see me despair?
Or was she determined to make me suffer?
None of them were really good for me, but what can I do??
I live just to keep surviving like I've been doing till now…
I stood up, dusted some imaginary dust off my dress, and then looked up into her eyes.
She stared back with a grin.
None said anything, but as time passed, her grin started to shorten.
And in a while, that grin was gone, replaced with annoyance.
[Arghh! You're wasting my time!]
I know that.
Why else would I be doing it?
I don't have anything to hurry for. I'm free now.
But her reply did prove one of my guesses to be true.
Yes, the system was governed or observed by someone.
And it was a good thing-
[Here! That will tell you everything you need to know.
You can check your status window by calling it out loud, and you can read the information about what is going on in the info tab.]
I could see a screen pop up in front of me.
It was the same blue screen, but the contents it had was an entirely different thing.
[Don't just gawk at it!
You have 15 minutes!]
I didn't question her about anything. I hurriedly opened the information page.
I needed information first. Other things can be seen later.