Loss

-

The matrix explosion swept across the city. Buildings, houses, mountains. Nothing left.

*Cough!* *Cough!*

The girl stood up, still shocked and in disbelief at what was happening. She looked around and saw that she was on a small island.

"What?!" Despite being confused, she had one bigger worry on her mind. Was the most important person in her life dead? She couldn't accept something like that.

"Where are we?! Were we saved?!" A crowd looked around. They were hiding from the Imps but suddenly ended up on a desert island. Not understanding what was happening, they began to panic.

The girl looked into the crowd, trying to find someone.

"Guys, calm down!" Keiichi suddenly appeared. "I know you guys are confused, but that city was about to explode, so I brought you all here."

People were even more confused upon hearing Keiichi's words, but calmed down soon after.

"Where's my husband? I don't see him here." One woman said as she held a child's hand. Her husband had tried to distract the Imps so she and her son could escape. Although her mind told her he was dead, her heart didn't want to accept it.

"Unfortunately…I couldn't save everyone. Forgive me." Keiichi answered sincerely.

The woman felt a twinge of pain in her chest that she couldn't describe.

"Mommy, where's Daddy?" the child asked.

…

Keiichi clenched his fists so tightly that his nails had pierced her skin.

"...Dad is well, dear. Don't worry." The woman took her son with tears in her eyes.

'Shit! I'm going to kill that motherfucking demon!'

It seems that it wasn't just this woman who couldn't find a loved one, several people ended up losing someone important in their lives. The mood on the island was one of pure sadness and pain. People weren't even questioning how Keiichi managed to save them all, because it didn't seem like an appropriate time to do so.

"You…"

Keiichi felt someone touching his back. He rolled his eyes and saw the girl.

"Come with me." He said as he walked to a certain spot. The girl followed him without question.

After walking for a minute, they arrived at a small hut. The hut was very improvised, there was nothing but walls and a roof. Inside the hut, a woman was lying with a hole in her chest.

"!!!"

"Azumi!!!" The girl ran towards her with tears in her eyes. She still had hope that she could save her, but it was too late. 

"Why?!" Why did you save me?!" She screamed as she hugged the lifeless body.

"You didn't hate the fact that you were forced to serve me?! So… why?" Her tears started to flow.

Keiichi didn't expect this woman to be so close to the girl. He thought it was a common master and servant relationship.

"So many things… so many things I wish I had told you. On those nights when I couldn't sleep, you told me amazing stories, and i loved it! On the hard days of training, you brought the best dishes, and i loved it! comforted me when I felt lonely! (...)"

She told everything she wanted to say, but unfortunately, the person needed to hear it wasn't there. Her tears wouldn't stop flowing as the girl screamed in pain and agony.

Keiichi continued watching with an anguished expression.

'System, isn't there something that can save her?' He asked.

【Yes. However, the Host doesn't have enough points for that】

She was already dead, so Keiichi would have to buy an item that could bring someone back to life.

'Can I apply for a loan?'

Keiichi tried to trade some points with the system.

【Order refused】

"Tsk!"

Keiichi decided to leave the girl alone and went to check on the people he had saved.

-

After hours of crying, the girl finally calmed down enough.

"I brought this." Keiichi appeared at the cabin with a glass of water and some snacks.

"Oh, thanks." The girl took the plate with a blank expression.

"So… why did the city explode so suddenly?" She started to question.

"Before I answer your questions, how about we introduce ourselves? I'm Keiichi Otake."

"...My name is Ayaka Matsuzaki. I am heir to the Blue Dragon Sect."

"Nice to meet you. Well, the city exploded due to a matrix. I saved as many people as i could, but unfortunately, i couldn't stop the city from being destroyed." Keiichi replied.

"And the demon?" Ayaka asked as she clenched her fists.

"He ran away. By the time I got to you, he was already gone. I couldn't detect where he went."

Despite having gained a significant power increase, the demon knew he would die for Keiichi, so he decided to leave as soon as possible. A wise decision.

'I underestimated him too much. Was I confident due to my power increase? Or did I just want to-'

"I will find him and make him pay for killing Azumi!"

Azumi was one of the most important people in Ayaka's life, so she swore revenge. Keiichi understood how Ayaka felt, but he decided to be a realist here.

"Facing that demon in its current state is suicide," Keiichi said.

"But-"

"I'm in a similar situation to yours. I understand your pain, but don't be so rash." Honestly, Ayaka would never defeat Virzarod in his current state.

"Maybe I can-"

*BOOOMMM!*

Just as Keiichi was about to make a suggestion, a boom echoed through the island. Keiichi and Ayaka quickly left the cabin and looked at the middle-aged man floating in the sky.

"Dad?!" Ayaka exclaimed in surprise.