Over 2,500 km to the center of the wall from the breach. At a rate of about 5 km/h on foot, with ten hours of travelling in a day, we can reach the center in 50 days. Nearly two months until we can even see our destination.

We can’t ride in vehicles because of how dense the forest is. We can’t move faster because many in our group can’t move very fast.

It doesn’t help that we have infrequent battles with monsters.

Of course, it does seem to be much less populated than it would have been a month ago, before Myccysk came. It seems his army was gathered from the monsters within the wall. With that battle decimating the numbers of the monsters that used to be inside the wall, it has become easier to march an army into it.

But, that doesn’t mean that our underpowered army is able to fight well against the enemies we encounter.

Imagine: An army of level 10 people against a level 30 Hyenaraptor.

The monster would be taken down, but not without casualties.

This army, our attack, it won’t end without casualties on our side.

In fact, I think it would be safe to say that most of our army will be gone by the end of this.

Though, like Lys said before we came together, this will be worth it, even if we find nothing, because even a chance of winning against the monsters forever is worth the death of ten thousand. It would be worth a hundred thousand, or even a million. Just for a chance.

A chance to save all of humanity and its future would be worth sacrificing most of it.

Everybody here has accepted that. The people that are now walking through this forest all know this.

Everybody came knowing full well that they may die in the next few months.

Even me.

…………………………………………………………………

[Strength has increased by 3.]

[Dexterity has increased by 2.]

[Swiftness has increased in level. Lv. 30 to Lv. 34]

[Instant Movement has increased in level. Lv. 22 to Lv. 25]

…………………………………………………………………

- Day 10 -

We’ve had many casualties so far.

The weaker people just can’t defend themselves against the stronger enemies. Even if they can, they can’t do it for long. Certainly not long enough for higher levelled people to come to them.

As we come further and further into this zone of nightmares, we are losing more people in every battle.

Near the wall, the strongest may have been level 20. A day’s walk from the edge, and one would find themselves facing a monster at level 30.

While this increase is large, it shortens, with another day’s walk pitting you against an enemy at a level around 38, then another day at about level 44.

The gaps lessen as we travel, but the strength increases exponentially. It’s posible that a fight against a level 20 could be finished with a group of level 10’s with minimal injury, but if they fight against a level 30, someone could easily die. If they meet a level 35, then the whole group in that area might be gone by the time someone else can come to reinforce them.

This increase in power has continued ever since we stepped foot in here. It’s highly likely that we will be facing level 50 enemies and above before we reach the black source.

And by that time, we will have lost the majority of our force.

But… the only thing to do now is to continue onward. We cannot retreat even if we wanted to, for several reasons.

…………………………………………………………………

[Strength has increased by 4.]

[Wisdom has increased by 1.]

[Dexterity has increased by 4.]

[Swiftness has increased in level. Lv. 34 to Lv. 37]

[Instant Movement has increased in level. Lv. 25 to Lv. 27]

…………………………………………………………………

- Day 29 -

We started with 10,000. At last count, we had under 5,000. Over half of our force has been obliterated after just half of the journey.

We’re lucky that it hasn’t been more than that, but it’s also thanks to the fact that we’ve been putting the stronger teams, such as the Squads, in the front. In this manner, they can be the first to fight against the monsters around level 50 or above, the Guardian classes. They can also bring quick assistance to the lower leveled groups in the frontlines, as well.

Squad 1 has been at the front of the fight ever since the beginning, only falling back to rest or help other teams.

It’s been so long now. I’ve almost lost all sense of myself in the nonstop fighting. Every time I start to lose focus, I just force myself to think harder about where to strike a monster. Maybe about what we’re trying to accomplish. It’s the only way I’ll get through two months of this.

Just keep my focus. Keep moving forward. Keep people alive as long as possible.

This may well be a suicide mission, but we won’t let people die needlessly.

We can’t.

Not if we want to win.

…………………………………………………………………

[Strength has increased by 10.]

[Intelligence has increased by 2.]

[Wisdom has increased by 1.]

[Swiftness has increased in level. Lv. 37 to Lv. 41]

[Sturdy has increased in level. Lv. 14 to Lv. 16]

[Mana Blade has increased in level. Lv. 7 to Lv. 8]

[Atlas’ Strength has increased in level. Lv. 1 to Lv. 2]

[Instant Movement has increased in level. Lv. 27 to Lv. 29]

[One With Mana has increased in level. Lv. 1 to Lv. 2]

…………………………………………………………………

- Day 49 -

We’ve passed 2,500 km. This area we’re in now is the center of the wall. At least, as close as can be measured.

This place seems familiar, but I know it isn’t.

It’s only because there’s more forest.

More forest, more monsters…

… It will take some time to find whatever it is we’re here to find.

It could be anywhere in here.

Actually, it would be a stroke of luck if our target is actually here in the center. Let alone, if it actually exists.

No.

Don’t think like that.

It must exist.

It must.

…………………………………………………………………

[Level has increased by 1.]

[Strength has increased by 7.]

[Intelligence has increased by 5.]

[Wisdom has increased by 2.]

[Dexterity has increased by 11.]

[Constitution has increased by 3.]

[Swiftness has increased in level. Lv. 41 to Lv. 42]

[Sturdy has increased in level. Lv. 16 to Lv. 20]

[Regeneration has increased in level. Lv. 15 to Lv. 16]

[Mana Blade has increased in level. Lv. 8 to Lv. 9]

[Atlas’ Strength has increased in level. Lv. 2 to Lv. 3]

[Instant Hit has increased in level. Lv. 2 to Lv. 3]

[Instant Movement has increased in level. Lv. 29 to Lv. 30]

[One With Mana has increased in level. Lv. 2 to Lv. 3]

…………………………………………………………………

I’m still having the dream.

The black orb, eating the light.

The light disappearing in its entirety.

And as we’ve drawn closer to the center of the walled area, I’ve had a sense that I’m too weak. Too weak to win against it. Whatever it is.

Constantly, a pressing feeling that resides deep in my mind that I need to be stronger if I’m going to finish my mission.

So, I’ve been pushing myself harder than I ever have.

Kill one more enemy. Cut it harder. Be faster.

I’ve been getting my skill levels higher, in an attempt to get stronger.

I hope that I can finish this.

That I can finish this without losing anybody else that I care for.

…………………………………………………………………

- Day 56 -

A dark pit, with heavily sloped cliffs on all sides, with a bottom that seems to only be the black.

This perfectly round hole punched through existence is more than ten kilometers across.

I can’t tell what lay in the dark, but what I do know is that this has to be it. The dungeon that contains the source in my dreams.

There could be no other explanation for this void in reality.

There is an unnatural darkness emanating from the bottom, the kind that is unaffected by sunlight. It ebbs and flows through the air near the bottom in a way that can’t be seen by the naked eye.

This is probably it.

I need to make sure, though.

I need to get down there.

I can bring my entire team down with Control. I have enough strength to carry us all, including myself.

…………………………………………………………………

“We’ll go down first.” I say, gesturing to Squad 1.

All of the squads are in a large tent right now, having a meeting. We need to decide our plan of action. We can’t just bring the remainder of the army blindly into the hole. They total around 2,000. We’ve lost a lot, but we can’t lose much more.

“Are you sure? Maybe all the squads should go down.” A tall, bald, dark-skinned and heavily muscled man says. This guy is the leader of Squad 2. His name is Braus.

“Yes. Squad 1 is the strongest team, so we should be the ones to explore first. Using a small amount of people with the highest chance of survival is the most logical.”

“But what if you need backup?” He responds.

“If there’s anything we can’t handle, then we’ll retreat. If we can’t even do that, then it’s obvious that anybody else that comes wouldn’t be able to help at all. In that case, we would have failed completely, and everybody else should just get back to the city.”

He pauses while thinking about what I’m telling him.

His head hangs low while he looks at me and says, “Understood. If you don’t return within a day after entering, then we’ll leave.”

“Alright.” I turn to Lys, Brighton, and Charlie. “Are we good to go immediately? Or is there any reason to wait?”

Lys says quietly, “… You need a break.” Louder, she continues with, “We all do. Just give us a day to recover our strength. We can go tommorrow morning.”

“Fine. Tomorrow.”

I turn to leave the tent. I want to go hunting. Even an hour more will make me stronger.

I can feel Lys’ gaze on my back as I exit the tent.

…………………………………………………………………

[Mana Blade has increased in level. Lv. 9 to Lv. 10]

…………………………………………………………………

The sun has left the sky. It’s completely dark out, without any light from the moon or stars. The clouds are thickly blanketing everywhere I look.

A dense fog is layered on the ground.

I shouldn’t keep hunting like this. Besides, I need to recover my mana before tomorrow. I’ll need to sleep to recover faster.

I really do wish I could stay out and level more, though I’ve already gained a level in one of my strongest skills.

I’ve prepared as much as possible. I won’t delay what will happen any longer.

I start to walk to my tent.

We found a very large area clear of trees not that far from the pit, big enough to set up camp for over 2,000 people.

2,000 people.

We started this with five times as many, only to lose them in under two months.

So many have died for this to happen, but each time we lost someone, we just continued forward.

So many have died at the maws and claws of humanity’s enemy.

Now it’s up to me and the others that still draw breath to save what’s left of this burnt world.

To save what’s left, we may have to sacrifice what little there is.

… But not everything.

Not Lys.

I won’t let her die.

I open the entrance to my tent, and see Lys sittng cross-legged on a sleeping bag.

An electric lantern sits on the ground between the two bags on the ground.

She looks at me with a fervor in her intense blue eyes.

“Where have you been?” She asks.

“I was hunting.”

“… I told you, we needed to rest for tomorrow. Why didn’t you come earlier?”

I sit down on my own bag, across from her, and look straight at her face.

“Because I need to be strong-” I hesitate, and look down at the ground. “Because I don’t think I can keep you alive.” I whisper softly.

I look back at her. She shifts onto her knees, to move closer in front of me.

She takes hold of my left hand after going into a kneeling position.

“As long as I can help it, I won’t die. I want to stay alive. So that I can be with you, if only for a little longer.”

“Then… don’t come tomorrow. Don’t come into the pit with me.”

She takes a small breath. “You know that I can’t just stay behind. I’m the squad leader.” She pauses. “And… I won’t leave your side for anything.”

“Lys, please! Just stay here!” I say loudly, on the verge of tears.

“… No.”

I start to cry.

“Please… just stay here, where it’s safe…” A tear comes down my cheek.

She doesn’t say anything. She just wipes the tear from my face and comes close to my face.

What is she doing?

She brings her lips closer and closer to mine.

Until, they touch.

I didn’t ever think her lips were this soft.

They don’t stay there long, as she retracts herself and stands up. She moves to get into her bag.

“We need to rest for tomorrow.”

She turns off the lantern and gets into her sleeping bag.

Once in, she turns toward me.

“Get some sleep, Hunter. Please.”

I don’t say anything as I fall into my own bag, and face her.

She looks at me for a moment before unzipping the edge of her bag and reaching out for the zipper on mine.

She pulls it down and opens up my bag.

She pulls her bag closer to mine and shuffles closer to me.

Soon, she’s close enough that I can feel her exhale every time she breathes.

Underneath the cover of the bag, she reaches for my right arm. I give it to her, and she places it under her head. She’s using it as a pillow.

I put my other arm around her torso and pull myself into her embrace.

Slowly, she places one hand onto my side.

I look closely at her silhouette in the dark tent.

“I love you.” She whispers.

“I love you.”

I can feel wetness on my arm.

She’s crying. She pulls in closer and puts her head just in front of my chest.

There she stays until she stops crying. Until her breathing is regular, and her eyes are closed.

She cried herself to sleep.

I hold her in the dark of the night until I feel the bittersweet embrace of sleep take me.

…………………………………………………………………

[ALERT: Memory loss. Full Status cannot be displayed.]

Name:

Age: 20

Race: Human

Titles: Old One, Instant Death

Title Effect: Grants Skill Set – Mind Over Matter.

Level: 99

Experience: 41.33%

Condition:Memory Loss (Severe).

Condition Effects: None.

HP: 2104/2104

MP: 280/280

Strength: 293 (143+150)

Intelligence: 70

Wisdom: 72

Dexterity: 138 (+42% Move Speed) (-30% Inertia)

Constitution: 263 (63+200)

Unassigned Stat Points: 170

Skills

Swiftness (Passive) [F] – Lv. 42

Increases movement speed.

Sturdy (Passive) [E] – Lv. 20

Increases constitution.

Dismantling (Active) [E] – Lv. 5

Dismantles the target corpse. Higher levels increase chance for bonus materials.

Regeneration (Active) [D] – Lv. 16

Regenerate HP at the cost of MP. Can restore lost limbs.

Appraisal (Active) [A] – Lv. 4

Appraises the target.

Mana Blade (Active) [A] – Lv. 10

Create a blade of pure mana. Increases damage and cutting ability.

Cartography (Passive) [A]

Maps the area which can be sensed. A map can be applied to a medium at the cost of MP.

Atlas’ Strength (Passive) [S] – Lv. 3

Increases strength.

Mental Influence Immunity (Passive) [S]

Grants complete immunity to mental influences from external sources.

Instant Hit (Active) [S] - Lv. 3

Guaranteed to instantly hit the target. The more difficult the hit, the higher the MP cost.

Instant Movement (Passive) [S] – Lv. 30

Reduces inertia, allowing you to alter your movements much quicker.

Inventory [Special] – Lv. 5

Grants an extra-dimensional space for the storage of allowed items.

One with Mana (Passive) [Special] – Lv. 3

Increases mana capacity.

Mind Over Matter [Special]

Control (Active):

Control what you can sense with Sense and what you can see.

Skill Strength: 586 kg of force

Expert Proficiency (97.74%)

Sense (Passive):

Allows you to sense your surrounding at all times. Focus on an area to sense greater detail. You may sense mana as well as matter.

Skill Range: 7.2 meters

Expert Proficiency (99.99%)

Unassigned Skill Points: 32