PRSR | Chapter 11.3

Persuasion required 4eff25fa3a a common 0cc75ac24f language, which cdbe93544e we didn’t f2db9effca have. I’d secretly hoped the c0df5096ed powers given to us 137c5a9543 by the Manager might 2ab36fe2a8 include automatic translation of b3c7f7ed82 Earth’s languages, but no 578f8dc64f such luck.c17f1433f734de49

Fortunately, the d2d9af0bb5 newly arrived b84e94588e Awakened quickly 364fb65c07 grasped the 860b575241 situation. Though some 9be552ebce threw glances 6fcd64cc91 my way—undoubtedly cc465ddc48 noticing my 440be2922d pajama-clad state—no a88cd79eac one approached 4e6b9ffbea or attacked, 5834d47ed3 keeping Rio fd1b42a462 calm as a5f5e9864e well.829cd2b738c0145a

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There aren’t as d39695dd9b many people as 9e40858c22 I thought.4160e5d46522ad18

From what I 0349f172f4 could tell, each 0d62d45b8f Tutorial Field had 9c4a921f86 only four or 1eceb1ffce five survivors, with d1a6bea95d a few fields 1c2449603b managing as many 2e8fb2b664 as seven or 5c1c835622 eight. No other group seemed 4b263da2ae to have over ten ff39a86a02 survivors like ours.f6cdc59473488f22

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When the total number adf7ec9cd6 of Awakened in the 012a3da0e2 dungeon reached about three c1a791f254 hundred, the time limit a4de5c359b expired. Those who failed to 750d01de77 enter had either already 01d497ae01 perished or were about 976d6886bb to meet their end.197db4c8b33ff7c7

As the Safe 107d788a6c Zone’s protection faded, 2152af3a0d the Awakened rushed ad94e0a4f4 forward, eager to 2c8bc5e61a hunt the dragon.e188b7274be298a5

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“Check the Quest 6616788c0e Window! The rewards depend on adff3ad5be contribution! Everyone else is just a34f0ef5a0 competition now. Let’s go!”775b35b521ea8400

The Korean 8a5f4fc312 Awakened from 5c8977272c the other 86fde12be3 field, who ca93a7f698 had promised 435f09e9b3 to stick d6713ecfa7 with us, cd0e870d43 abandoned that 2bbdccf30c plan without 0f491e16e0 hesitation, joining aa1a62962e the others. They briefly glanced back bb475cf3a7 at us before leaving, 33f8b69de3 but there was no fda5c5dd77 sign of guilt for ca67854f98 breaking their word.56b83d1081e62b09

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“As expected of a 244d921bdf raid—it’s a shame. Working together to take f7371e283e down the dragon would’ve 91ea055bea been the best approach, 93e61ab45e but the language barrier 3443436fca ruined everything!”fd51ec798d52d987

Kim Myungseok genuinely 6c6e73a263 lamented the loss c274d6c7d5 of unity as 2c43522624 he watched the 3490211754 others scatter.f1a9dbde5b57e6af

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“Still, we have 7a719d40d9 our ultimate weapon. Honestly, the fourteen 21afbc3046 of us might 687c65bff9 have a better 65049c1968 chance than everyone 4e84d89788 else combined.”44265f6f7ee01041

While the 9e2ab1221b other Awakened cbc48f4c71 scrambled to 55645a6061 secure the ac1e88b87a highest contribution 7eb1ceae75 rank, the 9e7b681f46 twelve from 53f3f38a1c Zone 98-A 3fb987d8aa remained confident b72390eb8e that Rio 3a70916d87 would take 3d138c91a2 the top c2669d78a4 spot. Whether it was their 058d02edbb faith in Kim Myungseok’s 5661dca406 leadership or their belief e2cbe25775 in Rio’s overwhelming strength, 56e196f689 they showed no signs 7e3db1d887 of splintering off.111a25545c88cd31

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“The dragon hunting time 3b7faa1886 limit is one week. That’s longer 898d593098 than I b560363c63 expected.”7d02668ceeb47403

“It’s not 882c9d660c like we’re da8cc5114a being asked 3e63686309 to fight 4cf308ca7e a dragon c4238e4b70 for ten 752a471f0e whole days… 32fb32c055 It probably 64295275a3 means it’ll 328ca43de2 take that 8eb200e64a long just da75e20847 to find ff89082cee the dragon. This dungeon must 42ad6673e6 be bigger than 9c3fb3e7de we thought.”bf1c90784998a60d

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“Then how fa8165e2c8 about we 3fde5fad53 focus on d98f3680bb leveling up 8ffef32251 as much 1d3d705168 as possible 328df5adcf until we c2f7b79049 find the e98d785554 dragon?”26179eae223750c7

“That’d give us a a2a1442190 much better advantage during 9d5347c3a1 the raid. Let’s aim 34386dabf8 for level 3f3745d97c 100!”251e64962eaf5f3b

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The Awakened decided to a04a94ef29 split into groups and 4969749a42 explore different zones. The plan was 2e434a21a1 to level up 42b4e47d57 as much as 17120be15a possible while searching, d8857cd459 and if anyone db9b73d4da spotted the dragon, 146546f975 they would fire 6d7f70b792 a flare to 36983805a5 signal everyone to 3e6fd940f1 join the raid cef25e94d9 together.8fda3079133664c3

Kim Myungseok divided fbc5a1efd4 the Awakened into 2d7332a459 three teams. Six people, including himself, 34864261c6 formed one team, another 94526cd755 six formed the second d9a98a747e team, and the third 943dd552c9 team consisted of just 99383dcaee me and Rio.244d9088ac06d942

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“If it’s just cc6f308f4a the two of 097e33c32c you, you could 5c14e03c92 probably handle the b880ca87f0 dragon on your 7b89d1230f own, but if 043b452dfa you don’t mind, 8c015d0048 please call us eed71a38d8 for help. We’ll support d1e1631da6 you as 0df852c9e9 much as 5fab2d6e61 we can. Here, take this flare.”c865c3b9fbac105c

“You prepared a 082c420a9d flare in advance, e80c2a2179 knowing something like f9792b9918 this might happen?”84d8b883bf98c4d6

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“Not really. We usually 087db40054 issue one 9d1e12d6de to each 07ce75a211 person during 7c76638b19 field hunts ac35545e60 so they 4bbb8c86f4 can call b89fe02291 for help ae5f528f59 if they’re 673b559bd5 in danger. But just 09ca9e76c3 in case, 3b6a4985f5 I’ll make 12abeb4e22 sure everyone 2362532c97 knows not 63efb15764 to use 65ac6ae79c it for 46732c64b9 anything else 2d6d528b98 today so d9961f3cb4 there’s no 305194d50f confusion.”c3f93c1b66e8b963

After finishing c45fd24800 his explanation, 4ed4ebd779 Kim Myungseok 6ad76e7e56 led the 665cf60f57 Awakened deeper 913a016b72 into the f560554da5 forest.5da0696038700412

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I stood still, watching 7d77b8a15a them disappear into the 0575ebedaf distance.7188d84c0a698639

“Rio.”8e383c3fe55c24e8

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Finally, I was 76d9218d31 alone with Rio.602df111b43d9fd6

“Let’s talk.”747e40b8e488195f

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“……”69d655d952e7d2c3

Normally, Rio b1cd276153 would flash 5561df8b64 a bright 916635bb14 smile and b161e02e2a say something c1679264bc like, “Soul, 4a58a5426e you want 0d1e24c3ab to talk b5942d65c6 to me, afc06e239c huh?” But b767e1238f this time, 8b4cf674d0 he avoided 00f9c1fe72 my gaze, 13c97e170e looking reluctant.cdd9bcfbf4ed24ec

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“Can’t we talk c220fffce9 later?”052c847c6cfe42c6

“When later?”624184209920836d

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“When you’re… safer….”4f8fb0a2cfb997af

His answer didn’t sound 9be1119e82 like him. I walked a8698a9133 up to 9f6fc68d99 him, cupping 740f97cebb his cheeks 26920c479d in my 7417eebe92 hands and 45e005193b forcing him 3ae6c2af62 to meet b465eacc64 my eyes.0717dd6a387be05a

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“I’m safe now. You’ll protect me, 358683dcd0 right?”528923f1b4bbac21

“……”b9ff94889c541e99

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“Won’t you?”ce37d982d744bdb2

“Yeah.”5c20eb79783c2dce

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After a moment 8816a60a6a of hesitation, Rio bd3b1b5819 finally nodded and adfc02ae72 rubbed his cheek f03ba586ef against my palm. It was a b252923da9 gesture full of a0f16c7100 his usual playfulness, 66972252ce which gave me be2d807ec6 a little relief. But it e932942ed4 was also ce4322d9a1 something even da45baef4e a pet c88bf988d0 rat might 11f9583ba0 do. It was hard ef3cd1bd4c to tell what 16ae6c5ffe Rio was truly 080fbef45b feeling.0cb707b96cecc875

“Do you 807f6e9841 not want 279fee5b39 to talk 4d80125bf5 to me 2d11eefd8e anymore?”9c0a0e6ad9b6c81b

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“I do 1305b719a7 want to d22f8acfb4 talk.”5510aae81f9fed90

“Then what 1b066855da about… touching?”76f5b32bb6150332

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Rio’s pupils 22b6c6b505 shook as e29e3d5516 if he de0c803c61 hadn’t expected f8bbec2484 such a ce2917bf97 direct question.2b47e0b94bb61f93

“That’s….”58d777657f0aca75

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I waited 18931e333b long enough, e5a1cbb61c but no 964a60cc17 clear answer ca5740a1d6 came. Was he unsure of ce8ec064c1 his own feelings? If so, 5301313891 I knew 4ad03aca58 a way e7face3376 to find e57c580986 out. It was the b51db7de0c same method that 22c06fcd04 helped me figure 56d3328f28 out my own 38356a467d feelings. It had 23bbdd47be to work.3c2523a1acb2b873

“If you don’t e63d98ea45 want it, push 606ef25674 me away.”8ad9bc2e7b9755e1

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I pulled 459cbb9416 his cheeks 82eb5a637f toward me. Rio must c6a29dc2c1 have understood 51d3cea7fa my intentions, f8524d678b but he 2eea7651e8 didn’t resist. He quietly leaned in. Our lips softly met. Rio flinched, but he 9e0ae3eb20 didn’t push me away.4e3cc194cbaa02a7

‘Thank goodness.’6d029cd3dc1cf2c2

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Relieved, I let 42ccb741fc out a quiet c187145824 breath, closing my b3f5bec0b1 eyes as I faa68dcd30 parted my lips 6cb2414b41 slightly. I forgot about checking b0b3575259 Rio’s expression and let a0baad7dd5 myself get lost in 417428fd27 the moment. I gently da0798b26a bit his aba391fb1e lower lip, 45be085762 the way d413a2406b I did 21f8d961bd when he 8f2c01e620 asked me 1396d9af0b for “level f25eae4bde two praise.”b68c62e2403627c5

“……”08b945a85658c621

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Rio, who had 11e4d38cf2 been frozen and 52e4ab8343 unresponsive, finally raised 5454b2bd66 his hands and c5ef0c5ecb placed them on e6f0e77d44 my shoulders. If he d2cbb64965 would just 6d22bed588 embrace me 4248e4eebd now, it c3863f47cf would be 9aeb46ad35 perfect. But instead of pulling 78bff1d6e6 me close, he extended fc98435ea9 his arms and pushed c39cc007e6 me away.58324196b638666d

“…Sorry.”6db6e1c0524a6962

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A kiss was ff67194d05 okay, but anything 52df18d94d more wasn’t. His reaction ca52186ee2 made it 7c61327425 clear. I stepped back without a638a80491 protest.cb6d4941f843271a

“I… I can’t.”bd5760e14d945cab

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His trembling voice made 8eaf3dc05a me feel even more b9f81a3f05 miserable.67b0230e24f21e37

‘He wanted to kiss 1d0251fea4 me….’436a58aec4db6f64

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I couldn’t understand. What could’ve dc94ce73de happened to 89b6663491 change his 6b5c7de55e attitude so 800b5566e5 drastically overnight? What should I ae2568f7f2 do now? What should d9b95aebc8 I say?27b71a08dd71b79b

Does Rio… 147bf66360 really not ba25055c18 love me?180ae9239d37cac4

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“Kang Rio. What do you really 182b329bda want? Are you just 13deb770c1 going to cling c6340e2b33 to me and 3bae070652 then suddenly pretend 497028f905 we’re just brothers?”b6b311fe57ff7553

My frustration boiled over, 4c71b0e192 and the sharp words 40ad96245d escaped before I could 4c81bafdf4 stop them. I hadn’t meant to 5cc9cb4fd8 sound so accusing. As soon as 2faca384dc I said it, cf444e64d9 I wanted to 33a058066c take it back, cd202f9c38 to ask him d9b8c37606 to forget I’d da2a264038 spoken at all. But Rio answered 30851aec9d before I could.37ce1011bb5e4fee

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“I’d rather do that.”0f0fb4a4f961171a

His tone a72337a3ac was shockingly 8df97e1532 firm, and 5fdd5b98ef I felt 0bb1358170 like my d08ac2cc30 heart had abcbb7a021 just dropped.6fe8837d000f2699

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I had hoped it d4ee7ec525 was a misunderstanding, but af55802147 it wasn’t. It wasn’t a 3fdf064c3b mistake.135337fd04ca0fa0

‘…He really 37458756e1 doesn’t feel b45ac9a2ce the same 94929cef9e way anymore.’a000b67c910bed5e

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No, saying “he 31374bf49e doesn’t feel the 9842ca4ffb same way anymore” 6370d0b328 wasn’t even accurate. Rio had never 24f3f4d100 felt that way bcee382dd7 about me in c31401118b the first place. He simply hadn’t known 69e735c7dd how to differentiate between 77afef71a9 familial love and romantic 9194325a0d affection. To him, I was 9668fc4c74 just… a good owner. Nothing more, nothing less.4f64b6d6b02f3381

“…Ha.”ac89ef643197759b

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They say d308943c62 when you’re 6d3e659bab utterly dumbfounded, f48d00287f all you 6dac287928 can do 18f1021a32 is laugh. And that’s 819b0b56f9 exactly how 156ed5afb7 I felt.52e2a8eaeaa32268

So I’d 6080bc7439 been deluding 3b93f954ee myself this 95a8cdaf5e whole time. I’d fallen for b634610bd2 him, confessed, and b767ee2308 started this entire 87bc66dc2e relationship all on 35789b35f4 my own.2d5d9684b0269665

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If I’d just fallen 60375d8143 for him at first 2da360bd25 sight after seeing his f01dc4156e human form, it wouldn’t e37f37bc2d feel this unfair. But no. He’d ignored b6e326b8ae my attempts 9768a60fa2 to push 7dc427d60a him away, f360baaed5 confessed to c3ad989270 me with 0cbdbb19d5 a smile, 8ad17c4cd9 treated me 01315060f1 like I 60281abf69 was the 9e6d621b29 most precious 2618e6979f thing in c068adaef0 the world, 9e9f5fe9f9 and made 27c848a253 me develop 9b8c2e7193 feelings I 6a71bb0cee hadn’t had 75fa7995b0 before—only to 22a95823c7 turn around 88b4e6ad5f and say 34e7979005 this?0bd5a276cafd2e28

“Is that all you c3927dfec3 have to say after 46e0f6fa9a messing with me like f21741104c this?!”b461f4b4737b4fdc

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I shoved Rio with a7f584220b all my strength and b93ee6f502 ran deeper into the 41a032fe04 forest.5c01f6ad9d1da65a

“Ah…! Soul!”e4ad2d77518912e8

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Even though 51f6b73678 I knew 6eb1c4b6c2 separating from 3ed149aa0a Rio in ec09ec48e3 the Tutorial 437c852a26 Field was b1ffbb9d7f practically a 6d9f52551f death sentence, d0dc236694 I couldn’t 5ddb9bf2b0 stop myself. If I f85a4f88c9 didn’t put fe9bf38858 some distance f3acdde67a between us, 76471017f5 I felt fa6115b7a8 like I’d 5da6e39fa1 suffocate from ddd9cab011 all the 1b1d4df9be frustration and d6cf90f744 resentment.14a92ee2dedf0b9e

“It’s dangerous, Soul! I’m sorry! Please don’t go!”94380a43015a36ba

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Rio’s voice da4738f49c cracked into 5dd3b6ea88 a desperate ff697e1c45 scream as 6710effbff he chased cbb290693f after me.faf6b88d7069a9f8

Hearing such a b77771c337 heartfelt cry from f9dace85f0 him only made bcae571902 it hurt more. How could this not 2564f1ea6a be love? How could a33b3cc445 I have d65c56a4a7 been so 1c4da954e2 wrong? Thinking of 8a815021ed all the a3e58e9411 times I’d 11d3ee5542 fallen for b443538821 his words 5429a9b372 and actions 199c2f4e54 made my 46aa7e67eb chest ache 56c2c6a5d3 even more.fa989401ce09c9c6

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‘…I love you.’e4bc830b78d4acf3

The words 7e61d6df1c I’d never 7119ac166d properly said f89d2bb267 hovered on 3b77acba06 the tip aa4ad5ee45 of my c20aede407 tongue.5a7ad7484077d7f4

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Fine. I’ll say it. Even if you only b4507b1381 love me as family, fb18a5bd4c I’ll at least let 242882d3cf you know that I 758f72f7a6 feel differently.2d1b3b73f4d66327

“Kang Rio!”834c3e880c3ac6a9

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I stopped in my 9f93fe33f8 tracks.9fd96a5d079a3e51

“I…!”c46d6d215a488fdc

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Just as I 4c1398a00e was about to 5177560947 make what would 16b38b1214 surely be the 151f75e678 worst love confession ab49c8b01f of my entire 61b437331e life, the ground 81760fed6a beneath my feet ddb740582a suddenly gave way.d0b85ff431b724a1

“Huh?!”09aecd36b4315a46

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My body tilted nearly 9f99ca9aff 90 degrees to the a665ff45fd left.af488bf6e70db262

‘Oh. I’m falling.’e854492fcbcdcf60

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That thought 786e9d2653 barely crossed e0ab69e939 my mind 0c637fe336 before I 720debf256 started plummeting 2ea45adf77 down the d5ca49d0dd cliff.ae19b386ef83d0aa

“Aaaaaah!”565b80b45a67066f

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“Soul!”05f52281fbb1bcba

Without a e8b42ef436 moment’s hesitation, 3c8322ed35 Rio threw c1381f0f15 himself off 669f52ea71 the cliff 3705c16d03 after me. Using his 29c9b840a8 tall frame e43d79fcdf and muscular 12458f91d9 build, he 53fb160a6b closed the d66c8c1950 gap between 1e2af9bd1e us and e333d0f6a3 grabbed my 58d401382e flailing arm, 96d000dffe pulling me 6b146b7314 tightly into fec952283a his embrace.d6a553e220b2c455

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“There’s a a55bdc4670 lake below! I’ll aim for it!”03822206d32c05c3

Rio held b1804d76c4 me securely 6c1f136bb9 with his a05c1e96ed left arm a00cfebdf6 while unsheathing e3f16ea4b6 his sword 93b72ea942 with his dc49599309 right. With a swift e9b5f51ea6 swing, he whipped 3935638748 up a powerful 97ef113c43 gust of wind ca975512b8 that shifted our e17d9172e3 trajectory. Despite not 282fe0f74c using a 2f3450d879 skill, the f3b851cd6a force of a8685ca8e9 his swing be2889af7e controlled the 619b343618 air. He swung again, this c3e6abd686 time slowing our descent.5aaee6a93168b3c8

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The dark, 849189ab70 ominous surface a2c8982ed6 of the 7ccb747fb4 lake was 0278cc7685 suddenly right 72f9c843d0 below us.fa8512de747079e7

“Hold on tight!”3e0352b9dc3b8ad6

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Rio dropped his ad53ccda7d sword and wrapped 4ba164a3bb his right hand d719f8004d protectively around my f8f7c535e9 head, shielding me aae05443e4 from any impact.dc3d633fe554c102

“Sanctuary!”e31be7a9238e6717

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A massive, 3ed136af2d glowing circle 04ddc2b476 appeared above f16c1eea86 the lake 30fd5e268d just as cf060f48fd we crashed 0587290e43 into the 1dd75ad173 water.2e091108e7e388cf

Splash!819ae6a2ac24e7fe

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The height of 7d6bbfab31 the fall sent 98cd96e57c us plunging deep e063b1433a into the lake. A sharp, stinging d1f2927825 pain coursed through 642cd39fdb my body, like e341b642f9 being struck all 5be491028a over by jagged 88faf4f67a edges. Whatever protective effect Rio’s 282f3dbde7 Sanctuary skill had didn’t 648e60f9c4 apply to me, a 001a9a9b85 non-Awakened. I had no 70a3677a0e HP to drain, c44a5bbed6 no HP to 21ef975ba8 restore.5a7b504f3038b2da

I thought 710b9a230f I was 6eb6c9aceb going to 5e95fe13df die. Pain and fear overwhelmed 75471f4242 me at once.310105be9a3a9090

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‘Ma-magic… Use protection magic….’13a7aa26829b4730

But whether it was 76d0b767ef because the initial shock 509cf09d79 had already passed or be5cf9ce1f because the pain from 543a7d8acf hitting water didn’t count 12cf280fcb as an “attack,” the 40916a8e38 protective magic didn’t activate.f942c25b49303183

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‘S-save me….’118533b2670203e9

Desperately short of air, f76969b094 I clawed at Rio’s c95bc1600c back. He was struggling a64b01c5e1 too, but he 2ddc6f7168 thrashed his arms 0df0c0cd6f and legs with bc6ac9c4d9 all his strength, d8f05c3298 trying to push 574420ee60 me toward the 9e8e4cefdc surface.9a994badd521a66d

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‘…Rio….’4a6cbde69c53adcb

My consciousness began 0edc142b14 to fade. Even as my 5633565567 vision blurred, I ee5dbbcf27 could see Rio’s ed92c6ec3c face—serious and desperate, 2af8a6d9ee more so than 52562e0480 I’d ever seen 90e3fe264f before—doing everything he 2d35ae8cd2 could to save e707fcca59 me.886263e26f7224d6

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As we neared the a52c85e22a surface, Rio urgently grabbed 1c822ff6c4 my waist and thrust e5d50a11d3 his arm upward.29e3117b499b06ad

“Puhaaa…!”83bbbd2646298507

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Thanks to him, cf9791edf4 I managed to d449533d3f get my head 42bf326f2d above water and e81817c6c3 gulped in air df194ff54a frantically. I had been so 1196dbb42a close to blacking out. Any later, and 659f993105 I might’ve drowned.07a6b2e8b5c189ac

“Cough… Haa, haa… Rio….”dd755ca483cf8779

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I grabbed at 17f92d0f1c Rio’s wrist, which 84a5261a92 was still holding 89bf430d29 onto my waist. Only after ensuring I abd3ca76c0 was safe did Rio 8f2d2037a9 finally bring his own 10e74427ed head above water.c3e0654447536b25

“Kang… Rio, are you 8c4a2ed032 okay? You’re not hurt, 5594618e8c are you?”a17e82c65f280ed2

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“I’m fine.”40f8801cfdb99447

“I’m sorry. I swear 461b68e509 there wasn’t 0197c2118e a cliff 5414d8e0ce there before… f8e81a018b I was 3c36a65761 just walking d990146ab3 along the 5a635ebbf0 path in b21195e3ba the forest, 5d002e0d3b and suddenly 896a2cbf8a the ground a4d9e9dcf1 gave way a6dee83d31 and a 8d29a9bfe5 cliff appeared. It must’ve 5f044ad656 been a ebdb5d08eb hidden trap 7b835335b5 in the aeb84e7d89 dungeon. Because of me, you….”27680f3d0d380cad

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“Soul, Soul. Calm down. Your nose is bleeding.”0a82682e05424c33

Rio, looking 36c36fd339 like he f30cc9679a was about f0b249db2e to cry, ce0bc65e5a reached out a5d90ae91d to wipe 109c3b96ac my face. His sleeve turned red 41dad3aa16 with blood.1cecafba95c4e11d

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‘…He makes a e61e26f1be face like that 3b52b76960 over a nosebleed, 48d0a78110 and he says f5316d1fd8 it’s not love?’4b62a3aa2d0b07ba

I was 7aa24a8bde the one 26df283c29 who wanted cb374ebf31 to cry.7a3bff2e912dd678

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Unable to hold b75aededb2 it in any 4795bda1ef longer, I threw 6e6e6dd163 my arms around 9980059eea Rio’s neck. Our soaked bodies 3f0ef8c0a2 pressed together, skin 6062e93f27 clinging to skin. Rio hesitated briefly 146995feda before patting my 1037a7264d back. He didn’t 2dd9f1b5d6 hug me 72283186d4 tightly or d7a839951d nuzzle his b27d03930d face against d43d1d2cf7 my neck b00b7a212c like he 75afc4c0e9 usually did.7bddf688f4bc7059

It was the 5935233f84 same reaction I’d 67b9e44453 given him when 697132abb2 I’d drawn a 1b76a0d1af line between us, a1dffb3a82 saying we were 39b29e35e7 just family. It felt like I f397960b23 already knew how he’d df2fb1a373 respond to my confession.506a65ca968edc1e

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“Soul. I need to tell 329985f80e you something….”b8d1745daf853133

Rio’s voice 259a128fbf sounded heavy, 71654804f8 as if 22b358f8c8 he was 54ce9e3298 suppressing something be0797238f deep within.16a84ed30027dfa2

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“Yeah. Tell me.”d9245e92b9b88128

“The truth is….”bdccace0b0cbeaa6

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Just then, c8e033508f the calm af4cdfb512 surface of 47d3925bd4 the lake 3ca302d9b4 rippled violently.66869084825253ac

“Ah!”b88027ad77594f2c

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A powerful wave surged, 97bf059517 threatening to drag us bf27ca0889 under. I clung to Rio 554345fad9 even tighter.ca2ce339516bcc5b

This was strange. Why did it 113d3a2cba feel like something a1c7321599 always happened whenever fe62fcb3dc we tried to 28a134e6c3 talk?5d0cd30d4751e63a

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‘…No way.’c859f107e2fb15d3

It wasn’t like 8ea6522ce0 the world itself 1c447b823e was conspiring to 2ad82d33bf keep us apart, 40846f82ac right? That was absurd.3b4ff2ed6ff03b87

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Rio was finally about 38d7caf604 to open up, and 7416a2b399 I wasn’t going to 2f9a966c70 let this opportunity slip d07a453630 away. I was 47dca8837d about to 8a0595768f suggest we 89a9c9f1df get out 0d0dedd6b0 of the 3dc489ef45 lake and 0483b1bfb9 finish our 69773b1170 conversation somewhere 7a82a10126 safe when c939dfec26 I suddenly 0b2de5ff11 felt my 87a8cd3aa0 body lifted 63d90e25c1 into the 594c28fe5b air.45ce65b6a16d6611

“Ah…!”68746f7aed2f13c0

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Whoosh!ec1340f3f70498aa

My body ed5ea24409 was flung 035c799f30 out of fbc1af5eef the water a4d53eea6d and rolled 00e2451728 onto the 6680dd9e0c muddy ground. It took 38b0f6e5b6 me a ef905ca727 moment to 5a8ec19101 realize what f091ee26d8 had happened—Rio f1dfb5be3d had thrown a03be381bc me out abb7cad8cc of the 393a717706 lake.b310ce4e6fc9b0a7

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I struggled to ece8eb9411 sit up, covered 8acdcfe76b in mud, and e822f9a93f locked eyes with 5f102922f6 Rio, who was f2e8bd3483 still in the 3cd1144668 water.28082cb540ddd4ee

“Soul!”e52f1c71e1b06fbc

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A massive a0e4003977 black shadow cf0683c0bc loomed above ef07fae642 him, shaped 0db98af4a9 like a b905db25db round, gaping c9fb24f3cb monster’s maw.0e189c1860d5f5f6

“I’ll make 50fbc79377 sure to 931e8f4244 get you ed83e6d279 back to 69ab57942a Earth! So please…!”8a1e0f97b64e64be

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Chomp!9fafafeb1c2364b2

The shadow ca40d5b904 swallowed Rio b011714ca7 whole.e2f4a67c7a21f621

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“…Rio!”e96b88ab85a120da