—Flashback Dream Start—
September of 1966
Southern Vietnam
101st Airborne Division
"Why do you keep stuttering, son?"
A young and impressionable eighteen-year-old boy nervously looked at his officer, "I-I don't know w-what you mean sir."
A sigh escaped the sergeant's mouth, "I don't know why they bother sending boys like you here, but don't worry, this posting is one of the safest in the war. So lighten up and stop stuttering, you ain't dying any time soon."
The young man remained silent, attempting to steel his resolve. He may have been drafted, but there was nothing he can do about it now.
"So, where are you from, son?" The 101st Airborne Division sergeant asked.
Intimidated by eye contact, the boy looked at the ground as he answered, "Bowie, Arizona… i-it's a s-small place."
"Really now? Well, I'm from Buffalo, what about your name? Huh, son?"
"J-John Rambo."
The sergeant looked at the boy curiously, "John Rambo huh? One hell of a name, I'll call you Rambo from now on."
Deciding that the time for talk was over, the older man stood up, "Well, come on kid, I'll beat that stutter out of you soon enough. For now, we have a mission to do.
Rambo sheepishly followed his commanding officer
May 1969
Southern Vietnam | Dong Ap Bia | Hill 937 | Hamburger Hill
101st Airborne Division
The battlefield was dust and dirt, all baked under an unrelenting sun. Gunfire and explosions plagued the soldiers on the ground. Rambo was hiding behind cover, holding onto his M-16 rifle like a lifeline.
"Rambo! Get your head out of your ass! We didn't come all this way just to die!" The sergeant that Rambo had grown attached to screamed.
"B-but sir, we c-can't! The enemy is too fortified and on t-top of a hill!"
The sergeant glared at Rambo, "I could care less if they're fiddling their dicks in the strongest place in the world! We have our orders from high command and we're storming that fucking bunker!"
The 101st Airborne officer scowled at the rest of his men, "And that applies to all of you bastards too! Grow a pair of balls and follow me!"
Although nervous and lacking significant air support, the men released their individual battle cries and charged uphill. Rambo faltered for a second before bellowing out his own war cry and charging the bunker.
Rambo attempted to wipe all emotion clean away to focus on the task at hand. His gaze lay resolutely ahead, yet he still felt fear. Seeing the various men he had grown attached to over the years ground up like hamburger meat made him hesitate and regret every step he made uphill.
Through one of the holes in the fortified bunker, a machine gun barrel poked out. Rambo saw in abject horror as the weapon released hellfire upon his entire platoon. Never before in his service had he seen the power of a machine gun against men so close. Their bodies became mincemeat. He saw how their bodies fell, limp and lifeless with a few dozen holes, only for another man to fall with even more holes in him.
Rambo wanted to scream, but nothing would escape his mouth, he just kept running uphill through the dense vegetation and gunfire.
In his peripheral, he noticed his sergeant scream orders and shoot his Colt 1911 at who knows where. Eventually, the man had made it to one of the trenches which led to one of the bunkers. John lost track of him at that point, but several of his comrades were following the sergeant into the trench.
Steeling himself, Rambo ran even faster to reach his sergeant, even as numerous men around him were being gunned down.
John had eventually reached the trench, vaulting into it, M-16 rifle in hand. He was greeted with the sight of dead and dying men, mostly the Vietcong though.
"Gargh!" A North Vietnamese soldier grabbed the sergeant's gun, attempting to wrestle it out of his hands. Fatigued and weak, the enemy was close to disarming and killing him, until…
'Bam!' 'Bam!' The barrel of the M-16 was smoking as Rambo shot several bullets into the man wrestling his sergeant.
The soldier's body fell limp and the sergeant ripped his gun out of the hands of the dying man.
"Good work boy! Come on! Most of the men have stormed one of the bunkers further down!" Although he was struggling to breathe, the older man reloaded his Colt and grabbed a machete from one of the dead Vietcong.
Rambo nodded, attempting to ignore the fact that he had killed another man in this hellhole. Several other soldiers had reached his position, all in varying states of health, with only adrenaline fueling them to push onwards.
They were silent as they followed their sergeant further down the trench, constantly being peppered or fought by more Vietcong. Finally, they had reached the door of one of the various bunkers.
The group of men heard horrifying screams from inside, "Our men are dying in there! Go! Go! Go!"
The sergeant ran in with his pistol and machete, killing anybody he saw. Rambo was quick to follow, supporting his comrades.
The Vietcong were well entrenched in the back of the bunker, firing down on the American soldiers. Eventually, Rambo was shot in the arm and leg. He fell, struggling to breathe in the cramped bunker. Falling between two of his dead comrades, John nearly screamed.
Rambo attempted to stand back up, but he couldn't, he was too weak. Hugging his rifle like a scared child, Rambo looked on as his friends were all gunned down in this damned bunker.
John stared as his sergeant went down, the man fell on his knees, clutching his various bullet wounds. For a moment, in the chaos of the battle, the older man made eye contact with the young boy from Arizona.
The sergeant fell on his belly, crawling toward John's position.
"S-sir, what are you d-doing?" Rambo muttered.
His mentor didn't respond, simply crawling until his entire body was on top of John's weakened form. "Boy, don't make a sound, don't open your eyes, and wait till backup comes."
"S-sir?"
"Live Rambo. Live and make it back home."
Rambo didn't respond, he was too shocked. The sound of battle was gone, both sides stopped firing their weapons, primarily since all the Americans were dead or dying and the Vietcong were sure that all of their enemies were down.
Soon, he heard the footsteps of the Vietcong marching toward his position. Rambo panicked and looked back at his mentor who was currently on top of him.
…He was dead, his eyes were lifeless. His mouth was open, a victim of gravity. Blood from the various bullet wounds smothered John.
John was horrified, yet he remembered his mentor's last words, 'live'. So for the first time since he came to this hellhole, he truly steeled himself, throwing away any emotion that may have hindered him.
He threw away all of his shame, fear, and sadness, and closed his eyes. Pretending that he was dead while the corpses of his comrades protected him.
Eventually, a North Vietnamese soldier approached the pile of bodies covering Rambo. He scoffed in disgust before spitting into the pile. A ball of spit found its way onto Rambo's face, but his face remained neutral and stiff as if he was really dead.
Seconds…Minutes… Hours… Days had passed, the bodies began to decompose and the spit on his face had dried a long time ago. The face of his mentor was a mess, his eyes were milky, and flies flocked to it.
Gunfire could be heard outside of the bunker, American servicemen quickly stormed inside and dispatched the depleted Vietcong.
"Quickly! Search for any kidnapped or wounded soldiers!" A man screamed in a New York accent.
For the first time since he pretended to be dead, Rambo opened his eyes. With a blank and emotionless stare, John looked at his fellow Americans in a dejected manner. He couldn't even mutter for help, his throat was dry due to dehydration.
A private discovered John in the corner of his peripheral and exclaimed, "Sir! We have a wounded man!"
The officer looked at Rambo in shock before quickly composing himself, "Well? What are you waiting for! Get a stretcher and bring him back! And don't let him die before he gets some serious treatment!"
"Yes sir!"
While the men prepared the stretcher, the officer returned his attention to the bloody and dejected boy.
"You okay son? I guess you were part of the first assault on this damned hill."
Rambo failed to respond, showing no emotion on his face.
The officer shook his head in a dispirited manner and left the bunker to organize the men.
First assault? How many assaults were there to take this hill? John thought briefly.
"Don't worry pal, you're gonna survive this, what's your name?" A field medic asked as he inspected the extent of John's injuries.
For the first time since he was drafted, Rambo responded without stuttering, "John Rambo, my name is John Rambo."
—Flashback Dream End—
Rambo woke up slowly, scratching his eyes as he sat up.
"Wagh! Y-you finally woke up!"
Did I fall asleep? Since when?
"Explain."
Rishia looked flustered when Rambo directed his attention at her, "W-well when we were setting up camp, Lucy decided to cuddle next to you near the fire and you s-sorta just dozed off."
John looked thoughtful for a second, before realizing why he collapsed. Since he came to this world, he refused to sleep for prolonged periods of time. Recently, however, he refused to sleep at all due to the new Shadows tailing him. He was bound to collapse eventually, he was just glad no one slit his throat.
The war hero frowned, this was a grave error on his part, a weakness. Besides that, he had to endure another night terror, albeit not the worst night terror he had experienced but a night terror nonetheless. Mentally speaking, he felt worse than usual.
"I see… sorry if you got stuck with pulling up my slack."
Once more the green-haired girl got flustered, "Wagh! I-it's no problem! I-I have no problem being your servant!"
Rambo looked at the girl for a second before muttering, "You ain't my servant."
Rishia froze, looking at the ground, "O-of course… I'm not worthy of being your servant."
"Worthy? Nobody is worthy enough to elicit your servitude. No man or woman is greater than the other." John responded, his tone having a sense of finality.
She looked at Rambo in disbelief, making eye contact with the man she adored. Quickly realizing what she was doing, her face blew up in a blush and she looked away.
Rambo sighed, "C'mon, we've wasted enough time, and I want to finish this mission so I can find some sense of peace."
Rishia resembled a scared kitten when she heard her hero say that, "W-what do you p-plan to do after you're done?"
John responded robotically, "Once I get the information I wanted, I'll go back to the wilderness and live there until I'm summoned to fight the waves."
The green-haired girl froze, she knew it was selfish, but she didn't want to leave her hero's side, "D-do you have any party members?"
While Rambo was putting a saddle on his horse and preparing to set off, he glanced at the girl, "No."
Rishia flinched, "I-I see… do you plan to recruit companions?"
Rambo mounted his horse and extended his hand to Rishia so they could continue riding, "No."
The green-haired girl wilted upon hearing the Bow Hero's words and meekly accepted John's hand. She felt terrible but found some small semblance of joy being so close to the Bow Hero.
"...A-are you sure?" Rishia muttered.
Without looking back at the girl, Rambo steered Lucy towards town, "Yes."
The introverted girl deflated even more, if that was even possible.
Ignorant of the girl, John began to ponder the benefits of a new party member. Truthfully, he believed that no one would actually want to join his party, so much so, he never even considered the possibility.
Perhaps the loner mentality had become too ingrained into his psyche. He had always been a bit of an introvert, but past experience had made him dislike the presence of other people to an unhealthy degree. It was less anxiety and more just general discomfort.
But returning to the subject of additional members, he was rational enough to realize that companions would be indispensable for the trials ahead. Yet, at the same time, the thought of party members unnerved him. He didn't trust that the companion wouldn't just slit his throat and rob him blind.
They had a code of honor in his platoon, but here? Hell! On the home front? There was nothing. No honor, nothing! So he'd be damned if he let someone take advantage of his trust.
Rambo spat at the ground from atop his horse, hoping that the ride to town would come to an end so he could sneak away from all the prying eyes.
His wish had been granted after several more hours of riding, and the site of the shabby town entered his periphery.
"Wagh! H-home!" Rishia gasped.
Even though he wanted to smile, he couldn't muster it. The night terror had soured his mood and made him even gloomier. He just wanted to drop the girl off, get the information, and leave.
Sadly, his plans for a quick and quiet rendezvous with the Lord became a festival. Numerous citizens waiting for his arrival at the gates. Even with a hood on, the citizens discerned his identity quickly and spouted absurd nonsense.
More idiotic rhetoric of his heroism and fanatical fools drooling on him. In spite of his hatred of the entire ordeal, citizens continued to hound him as he rode to the Lord's house. Children threw flowers and older women whispered gossip when their eyes fell on Rishia.
Eventually, an idiotic and fanatical old man ran directly in front of his horse, forcing him to halt his trot. The old fool spread his arms as wide as possible and screamed, "Don't pass! Don't pass! Let me look at your glorious visage for just a little bit longer!" The man was wearing a farm hat, a hat similar to the ones that the Vietcong wore.
"Please! Please! Just let me get a closer look!"
Rambo ignored the man's pleas and pulled his hood even more to cover the entirety of his face. Humoring this old man would only embolden others to swarm him.
So Rambo simply waited, refusing to mutter a response as the elder continued to demand his attention. Eventually, the man's family dragged him off the road and John continued his short trot to the Lord's house.
After several minutes, he was greeted with the site of a run-down, yet large house that belonged to the Lord. The front of the house was guarded by several men, all of them wearing the town's colors which distinguished their allegiance.
"Lord Bow Hero! Welcome! The Lord is expecting you inside, don't worry about the crowd following you, we will prevent them from interrupting your meeting," A guard exclaimed.
Rambo dismounted his horse and proceeded to assist Rishia who was currently struggling. In the short time that Rambo got to know Rishia, he learned that the girl had a good heart but was unbelievably clumsy.
"Come on, your dad is waiting for you," Rambo said.
Rishia nodded her head and adopted an anxious smile. Although reserved, she followed the Bow Hero as he entered the house.
It didn't take long before the Lord became aware of their presence and rushed to hug his daughter, "Rishia! You're back, thank god you're back. Thank you, Lord Bow Hero! Thank you!"
Rambo grunted, "Information."
"Huh? Oh yes of course," The Lord stopped hugging her daughter and grabbed a map of the entire continent on his table, which included most of the countries. He promptly walked to the Bow Hero and handed him the map.
"I have marked every significant hunting ground on this map. I signified the level and quantity of the monsters with an X symbol. More X's mean that the area is incredibly dangerous. As you can see, some countries have more hunting grounds than others and far more Xs. This is typically a sign that the country is either in dire straits or has recently suffered from a Wave." The Lord explained in a professional manner.
John adopted a confused expression while looking at the map in his hands, "Waves? As in there are more than one?"
It was the Lord's turn to be confused, "Huh? You didn't know? The Waves aren't just concentrated in Melromarc, they occur everywhere. You can appear in all of them by syncing with the respective country's hourglass."
Rambo frowned and glared at the man to discern if he was lying. Yet he had a hunch that the man was telling the truth. Why didn't they tell me about this in the beginning? Maybe I left too early to receive a full report on our mission specifics… or they chose not to tell me.
The Lord coughed to regain the Bow Hero's attention, "Anyway, I marked the locations that are predicted to experience a wave. I'm not sure of the exact time but I was able to find out which ones will come first. So I marked the various countries in chronological order. Number one indicates which country will be hit first and it goes down from there."
John nodded in understanding and pressured the Lord to continue his explanation.
"These locations will be ideal hunting grounds to gain necessary experience points. And if there are no other heroes fighting in these obscure waves, you'll gain even more experience."
Rambo finished looking at the map, "How come there are no Xs in the vast wilderness? The vast majority of the good hunting grounds are around urban centers."
"Ah, well that's because the merchants I asked didn't have much information on those isolated locations. But you can be reassured that these territories have nothing significant enough to hunt. They're quite far away from any hourglasses and infested with far more wildlife than actual monsters."
The war hero glared at the map, it didn't make any sense. During his Special Forces training, he had to learn numerous languages and other necessary subjects such as human geography. The fact that urban centers were located on flatlands with meager amounts of water and numerous monsters was idiotic. Why not settle on hills with numerous rivers surrounded by non-hostile wildlife? The vast wilderness provided that opportunity but it was untouched by the natives of this world.
"Why are the urban centers located in areas with high monster population density?" John asked.
"Huh? Well, most assume that the monsters are attracted to these urban centers but the real reason is that humans settle near monsters for the resources they provide. That and most cities choose to build around the Hourglass because of the benefits it provides."
Rambo accepted that answer, it was fairly reasonable, but it brought up another question, "What benefit does the Hourglass provide that elicit people to settle around it?"
"Well there are several, for one, it can provide individuals at an appropriate level a class-up. It also allows both the Legendary and Vassel Heros to transport directly to the location of the Wave, which changes every time. There are, of course, religious reasons involved, but the primary reason we settle near Hourglasses is because it provides us with the power and ability to combat the Waves."
John nodded, "I understand. Thank you." He rolled up the map and placed it into his inventory. "I hate to do this, but I have a favor to ask."
The Lord was shocked, "Bow Hero! You've done me and my family a great service, don't worry, if it's in my power to do so, I'll gladly help you!"
"I see… well I wanted you to govern the Northern Territory temporarily. Prevent a rebellion or famine, the last thing I want is anarchy or some useless revolution." Rambo reached into his inventory one more time and grabbed several large bags.
"These are all the coins that the dictator was hoarding, since he stole most of these from you, it seems fitting to give you them. Use these extra funds to your advantage and import enough food to placate the people." John paused before glaring at the man in front of him, "I don't like the idea of giving some noble jurisdiction over free people, but I know that I have no other choice. So for both our sakes, do a good job so I don't have to waste my time hunting and tracking you."
The Lord's eyes widened in shock, "I-I don't know what to say," he muttered in disbelief and fear.
Rambo grunted while reaching into his inventory once more to pull out several pieces of paper, "I made Rishia write a few letters for me, all of which have my signature on them. Send one of them to the King, one to the Queen, and the rest to your respective neighbors."
"W-what do they say?"
"Nothing outrageous, they just explain that you have my support and backing. Hopefully, that'll stop them from attacking you. The last thing I need is another idiot in a position of power, especially since I've gotten myself involved. If thousands of people die or starve, it'll be blood on my hands."
John scratched an itch on his neck, "So that's that, you're gonna do this, right?"
"O-of course Lord Bow Hero! I won't let you down! I promise!" The Lord exclaimed, on the brink of prostrating.
"Please! There must be something I can do! Anything! Anything that's mine is yours!"
Groaning to himself, John responded, "I got what I needed, just fulfill your end of the bargain and I'll be fine."
The Lord was about to refute until his daughter exclaimed, "W-wait!"
The war hero turned his attention to the girl calling out to him, "What."
She flinched and avoided eye contact, "I-I want to j-join you!"
It was Rambo's turn to flinch in shock, "What did you say?"
Rishia lost more of her confidence and began to slouch, "I-I said that I want to join you!"
"I don't think you understand what you're asking for," The war hero glared.
She shook her head, "I-I do! I want to be by your side! I can be useful, I promise I can be useful!"
"No."
Rishia froze.
"You're nothing but a liability, you don't know how to conceal your presence, you don't know how to kill, you're green." Rambo began glaring at the girl, "And more than anything, I don't trust you."
"B-but."
"The last thing I need is more mental baggage."
For the first time, Rishia raised her head and made eye contact with the Bow Hero, "I'm not your baggage! And I may be weak, but I'm willing to get dirty to support you! Please! Let me support you!"
The scowl on John's face remained, "Stop being irrational."
"I'm not being irrational! Let me help you!"
Rambo grit his teeth, "Kid, listen to me. You got a home, a family, you got everything. Stop spouting things out of wistful impulse."
Rishia grit her teeth, "This isn't some childish whim! I want to help you, p-please! Please let me help y-you! Repay you!"
The war hero's glare weakened, he had never met someone so adamant about helping him. A quick 'no' or 'leave me alone' always did the job. But he had to admit, it was a bit endearing.
John contemplated, She obviously won't let this go.
"How about this," Rambo muttered.
Rishia perked up, hoping this was her chance to prove herself.
"I'll give you a trial run and a test. The trial run ends the day before the next Melromarc Wave, so about two weeks. If you give up at any time in these two weeks, you're gone. If you begin to lack motivation or if I believe that you're underperforming, you're gone." Rambo explained, hoping the requirements would scare the girl, or at least make her stutter.
Sadly, the sheepish girl hardened her resolve and looked at the Bow Hero with a new sense of confidence, "A-and the test?"
John frowned, "It will be a verbal test, I'll ask you questions right now and once more at the end of the trial period."
"I'm r-ready for the test!" Rishia once more exclaimed, psyching herself up.
The war hero sighed and looked at the Lord, "This is your daughter you know? Shouldn't you stop her from doing something this dangerous?"
A chuckle escaped the Lord's mouth, "I've never seen Rishia like this before, if she wants to join you, she has my full consent."
John groaned, "Fine, I'll be asking you three questions. It doesn't matter if you're right or not, but it will when you take this test again at the end of the trial period."
The green-haired girl nodded.
Beginning with the first question, Rambo asked, "What is a hero?"
"A noble adventurous p-person who fights all that is evil," Rishia answered.
"Is there such a thing as an objective evil?"
"Y-yes."
"What is justice, and who determines what justice is?"
"Justice is… justice is when evil people are p-punished for their evil deeds. The people who enact justice are good, wise, and just people, h-heroes."
Rambo kept a neutral expression, "I see, well start packing up your things, we ride as soon as possible."
A giant smile found its way onto Rishia's face, this was her chance! She walked toward her room to gather her things, with a new sense of confidence. This was a new life! A new future! A new adventure! A new-
'Slam!'
Her father flinched as he saw her daughter trip and fall face-first on the wooden floor.
Rambo gave her a brief glance, She won't last.
The Lord coughed into his knuckle to regain the Bow Hero's attention as his daughter ran to her room in embarrassment. "Sir Bow Hero, I would like to thank you again."
A sigh escaped Rambo's mouth, "As I said, it's fine."
"No, I'm not thanking you for resolving this whole fiasco… I'm thanking you for accepting my daughter's request."
"Why? Is it politically beneficial for you?"
The noble laughed, "Indeed, it is quite beneficial for my daughter to be a Legendary Hero's companion. But I care little for my position, rather, I'm thanking you for what you did to my daughter."
Rambo adopted a confused expression, remaining silent to hear the rest of the Lord's explanation.
"I've never seen my daughter so fired up, so motivated. You gave my shy little girl a purpose, as a father, I couldn't ask for more. Under your guidance, I'm sure she will blossom." The father explained with a melancholy smile.
The Bow Hero simply nodded his head in understanding and walked toward the door before muttering to himself, "A purpose… hmph"
Lucy greeted John as he walked out of the building, happily rubbing her head against his. "We're gonna have another member join us on our journey, is that alright with you Lucy?"
The unimpressive steed responded with a cheerful neigh, "I see, that's good. Don't overwork yourself though, you may have leveled up, but I don't want you to collapse on me."
Rather than respond, the level 14 horse moved her head closer to John's hand so he could pet her head more. Rambo happily obliged to his horse's demands and rubbed her head with a rare smile marking his face.
—x—
Sharing a horse with the Bow Hero always made Rishia's heart skip a beat. Occasionally grabbing his back if she was afraid of losing balance, it was a girl's dream come true. The fact that the Bow Hero was such a grizzly and handsome man made it even better.
She was still fairly shy and meek but being around the Bow Hero was comforting, even if she couldn't hold eye contact with the man for very long. He saved her after all, no matter what happened, she'd always follow him.
"L-lord Bow Hero, where are we going?"
Rambo kept an eye on the road and surroundings rather than look at the girl behind him, "Just call me John or my surname, Rambo. I've told you this before."
"Wagh! Y-yes of course, I'm sorry i-it won't happen again." Rishia exclaimed.
"But to answer your question, we're traveling to a country that's predicted to be hit by the next wave and has numerous hunting grounds," Rambo explained while showing Rishia the location on the map.
While Rishia inspected the map she questioned, "Ah, b-but didn't you say that you planned to live in the wilderness?"
"I did, but I can't level up properly since I've reached too high of a level. The monsters in the wild aren't enough and I'm not interested in destabilizing the environment any more than I already have."
"I see…" Rishia muttered while looking at the area that the Bow Hero wanted to go to.
The young girl fidgeted, "U-um Rambo? Are you s-sure you wanna go here?"
John raised an eyebrow, "Yes, what's wrong with it?"
"W-well, it's just that there's been a bunch of rumors running around about this small kingdom. Its name is Lydia."
Rambo remained silent but urged the educated girl to continue her explanation.
"Apparently, the king, who has absolute power, has raised the taxes in the entirety of the kingdom to absurd levels. The populace is starving and whispers of revolution have been going around," Rishia explained professionally and without a stutter.
Rambo nodded, "So what are we dealing with? Another power-hungry psycho or did he actually have a reason to raise the taxes?"
Rishia adopted a thoughtful expression, "Well I can't say for sure, but that kingdom has always been plagued by monsters and the waves have only exacerbated the issue." She paused, trying to remember what she was taught about the Kingdom of Lydia, "Most of the monsters actually come from a large hill to the west of the kingdom, it's the primary source of problems in the country. It's rumored that the King hired a bunch of high profile adventurers to deal with a new surge of monsters invading the country from that hill."
John, atop his horse, continued to ride toward Lydia's capital but a frown made its way onto his face, "So, a wave of powerful monsters invade, the King hires a bunch of adventurers, goes into debt, and then raises taxes to an absurd degree?"
The green-haired girl nodded, "That's correct, but the King is also suppressing the citizens who are refusing to pay taxes and revolting."
"Hmph, this is interesting."
Rishia returned to her usual nervous self once she realized the implications of the Bow Hero visiting Lydia, "W-what do you plan to do Lor- I mean, Rambo.
"Nothing."
"W-wha," Rishia muttered.
"We're not doing anything, I don't like politics and we're bound to just make things worse," John said.
Rishia rebutted, "B-but we should save these people! And punish the King for abusing his power!"
A loud sigh escaped Rambo's mouth, "And then what? Start a revolution? Do you realize how many people would die? It wouldn't solve the source of the problem, which are the monsters."
"S-so we're just gonna let him do what he wants?" Rishia muttered.
"Yes."
Rishia questioned, "but what about the Lord you overthrew to save me?"
"That's different, we're dealing with a king here, dethroning him would translate to a large power struggle that will result in the death of numerous people. Kicking off a fat noble that everyone hated from his lofty seat of power results in little to no power struggle, especially when you replace him with someone competent."
The girl began to slouch, "S-so you… you wouldn't have come to save me if it was a king who kidnapped me?"
Rambo remained silent as he felt a refreshing breeze grace his face while atop Lucy, "Yes."
The war hero paused while staring at the expansive plains in front of him, "I would have left you."
Rishia wilted even more upon hearing Rambo's blunt response.
Rambo wasn't blind to the girl's feelings, but he was being truthful. He was pragmatic, only a fool would let a country fall into anarchy for the sake of one girl. He had seen enough countries back home fall into anarchy because dictators or leaders were prematurely dethroned. He had seen enough genocide and mass murder for a lifetime, he didn't want to see another one.
"We're going to visit the capital for resupply and materials, then we're traveling to the hill to exterminate all the high-leveled monsters," Rambo explained after an uncomfortable period of silence.
Rishia meekly nodded, "O-okay… are you sure we can handle that many monsters? I-it might be too much."
"That's why we're going to the capital for a resupply, once I get the materials I need, we'll be able to handle the majority of the monsters on that hill. We'll level up as much as possible and hopefully lessen the burden on the local residents."
A youthful glow returned on Rishia's face, "U-understood, I'll strive to h-help you!"
Rambo grunted while pulling up the map to continue navigating toward the Kingdom of Lydia. If they're lucky, they'll reach the capital in two days and in another two days, the hill.
"Remember, we're going to be keeping a low profile. Have your hood on at all times and don't leave my side."
Rishia wanted to rebut and ask for a task to better help her savior, but the words died in her mouth. So she remained silent while meekly nodding in affirmation.
Upon the horizon, one could see the red and gold of the sunset grace the land as its radiant light retreated from the land.
Rambo stopped Lucy, "It's time to set up camp, you start up the fire, I'll set up the tents and feed Lucy."
"U-understood!" Rishia agreed.
While John pulled out a fairly large hay bale for Lucy, he caught something strange in his periphery. His temporary companion had finished setting up the base of the campfire, but instead of creating a fire in a conventional manner, she chanted something strange that magically lit the campfire.
"Hey, what was that?" John asked inquisitively. Although most people back home would freak or lash out at the sight, he was more curious than anything.
"W-wagh! W-well it's magic, I'm not r-really good at it though, hehe."
Rambo raised an eyebrow at that before reaching into his inventory to pull out the proper materials to set up a tent. "Well I have no idea what that is, so at the very least, you're better than me at it."
Playing with her fingers, Rishia meekly looked at the Bow Hero, "W-well I learned most of what I know today at Faubrey Academy before money became tight."
John was still apprehensive of the idea of having a companion, but he wouldn't deny the benefit of having Rishia around. She was obviously educated and her knowledge was priceless… too bad she'll probably leave before the trial period.
"I see… if you could, give me a rundown on magic," Rambo asked while setting up the tent.
Rishia sat up straight and tried her best to explain, "A-ah, well magic is considered a powerful weapon that can turn the tide of battle, and the type of magic that people use depends on their magical attribute."
"What's your magical attribute?"
"W-wagh! W-well at school they said that I'm capable of Elemental magic, w-which is a synthesis of fire, water, earth, and wind magic. I also have a healing affinity."
Rambo stopped pitching the tent for a second, "that genuinely sounds impressive, what's the average capability of a mage? Or are your skills considered average?"
Rishia blushed at the Bow Hero's unintended compliment, "N-no, most people either have no magical attributes or two. My t-teachers said that I have a lot of potential… but."
The girl shut her mouth and fidgeted.
John finished setting up the tent and glanced at the girl, "What is it?"
"I-it's just…" Rishia flinched, "my mana is really… low."
The war hero rubbed his chin, "I'm guessing that mana is what fuels your magic right? Like what the ancient Polynesians described as their life force."
"Huh? P-Polynesian?"
"It's nothing, but am I correct on my assumption?"
Rishia nodded, "Y-yes, you are correct. I can't cast a lot of magic without using up all of my mana."
"So you're useless in a long-term engagement?"
Rishia flinched at the Hero's blunt statement, "I-I-I"
"But can you improve?"
The green-haired girl stopped fidgeting, lost for words.
John sighed, slightly annoyed by the girl's anxiety, but he'd be a hypocrite to judge the girl for being nervous when she was still green. "I'll ask again, can you improve?"
She steeled herself, and her gaze hardened, "Y-yes! Yes, I can improve!"
Rambo nodded, "That's all I needed to hear, now go to bed. I'll wake you up when we need to go."
"W-what about you?" Rishia questioned.
"I'll keep watch."
The girl shook her head in disbelief, "N-no! You need to sleep! I can't just sleep while you suffer!"
"Don't worry, I wasn't planning on staying up all night. When I wake you up, you'll keep watch while I take a short nap." Rambo paused, considering the risk of sleeping around this girl and several Shadows.
A part of him felt that he could trust the girl, she had a good heart, he knew that much, "I'm a light sleeper, so if anything strange happens, just scream and I'll spring up."
John made eye contact with the girl, "and if I start screaming, wake me up."
Rishia tilted her head in confusion, but she didn't push him about that last part, she knew it wasn't her place to ask. But she still felt guilty about sleeping, "B-but."
"Enough, no more talking. Go in the tent and sleep." Rambo exclaimed with a tone of finality.
The green-haired girl struggled to comply, "... I don't want to be a b-burden… baggage…"
John released a sigh that he was struggling to hold since the beginning of this conversation, "You're not baggage, now go to bed."
Afraid that she attracted the Bow Hero's ire, she fidgeted and reluctantly entered the tent.
Rambo watched the girl until she eventually complied and averted his attention back to the fire that the girl had lit, taking comfort in its warmth.
The rhythm of horse hooves clopping on the ground caught John's attention as his horse trotted next to him and the fire. Like last night, Lucy cuddled next to Rambo, releasing a peaceful neigh as she did so.
John rubbed the creature's head as she dozed off next to him, but he remained vigilant. Always keeping an eye on the expansive darkness around him, waiting for one of the assassins to make the first move.
Although he knew that he'd lose in a fight against several Shadows, even with his new level, he'd be damned if he went down without a fight.
He paused and contemplated, What about the girl? It isn't just me now and I'm not interested in letting others die for my mistakes… already had my fair share of that. John stared at his horse for a second, I could always free Lucy and let her roam but the same can't be said for the girl if I die in combat. I'll be damned if someone captured the girl after killing me.
Rambo averted his gaze to the beautiful night sky, even in the velvet dark there was the light of the stars. If the situation ever comes that the Shadows strike, I'll grab the girl and run. Her life takes priority. John thought.
"Another excuse to keep living, John?"
Adjacent to the campfire, a dark projection with bright red eyes stood. Its entire form was hidden in the dark, only its eyes were visible.
Without hesitating, Rambo shot an arrow directly at the dark projection, sadly, it went through the monster's ethereal body.
John frowned, "what are you and why are you here."
"Me?" the projection laughed, "what? You don't recognize me?" After several seconds of suspense, the projection walked close enough to the fire to reveal its entire form to John.
"I-impossible…"
Standing in front of him was a pudgy man with a sheriff's hat, it was Will Teasle… or at least what he assumed was Teasle.
Teasle laughed, "so… this is what you've become? Glad to see nothing's changed!"
Rambo quickly regained his bearings, "Why are you here, Teasle? You still sour about me crippling you?"
The laughing stopped, "Watch your mouth boy! You killed innocent men like Galt and you still have the nerve to talk to me like that!?"
Pointing his dark finger at John, Will exclaimed, "You're nothing but a homeless failure, little attention-seeking bastard!
What John could only assume was a smile found its way on Teasle's face, "But that's all in the past now… so, Johnny, let's catch up, it's been a while."
Rambo remained silent but kept eye contact with the man that eventually led him to finally break and desire a cop suicide.
"What's wrong, boy? Don't you want me to tell you about all the good places to eat around here? HAHAHA!" Teasle paused to laugh before continuing, "On a more serious note, tell me, John, why are you still alive? Why do you keep finding excuses to live?"
John continued to remain silent but never broke eye contact with the bastard in front of him.
"I'll tell you why… it's because you're a little coward!" Teasle paused before screaming, "Everyone! Your squadmates! Your family! They're all dead, while you still live! You're a little coward that got to live while everyone else died!"
The fire was raging, threatening to burn John. "And what did you do when you were given the chance to live by all those people who died along the way?" The apparition laughed maniacally, "You killed yourself! The cowardly cherry on top of a short life plagued by cowardice!"
The black projection stood on top of the fire, allowing his entire form to be consumed by the fire, "You lived in a world of death! You tried to come back home, but we both know that you never really arrived! Everyone that you loved are now ghosts or looking upon you in shame!"
Before the fire fully consumed Teasle, he muttered, "What would they say… if they saw you now?"
As quick as the loud torrent of accusations came, it left just as quickly. Leaving John in silence as he glanced at the fire.
John's eyes were erratic, staring at the fire in disbelief and self-hate. The worst migraine he had ever experienced since coming to this world struck him. It felt like his brain was slamming against his skull over and over, begging to escape.
-[Sloth Series Unlocked]-
?[XXXxXxXxXxXXxx]?
~~?[ERROR] [ERROR] [ERROR]?~~
[Mental Fortitude Lv. 2] Activated
Benefit: The user has prevented the unlocking of the [Sloth Series]!
Consequence: The user cannot prevent the unlocking of a curse series again unless they level up their [Mental Fortitude] skill!
Rambo steadied his breathing and the worst of his migraine passed after his [Mental Fortitude] skill activated.
Sadly, the traumatized man continued to clutch his head, incoherently muttering the names of long-dead friends and family.
Author's Note: Okay, I don't know what it is, but I really don't like this chapter. I was genuinely debating if I should even post it. I reread it several times and tried to figure out what I hated about it. Maybe I didn't like it because it was such an info dump? I won't be surprised if you guys hate this chapter as much as I do, but I decided to post it anyway. I already wrote up half of the next chapter (which is considerably better) while debating if I should post this chapter. I guess I just hate it because it's so hard to portray a man with extreme trauma interacting with 'normal' people and I feel like I failed to make it accurate or entertaining. I even deleted a 2,000-word scene! That's a first!
Also, I hope you guys realized that Rambo was sort of lying to himself when he said that he wouldn't save Rishia if she was kidnapped by a king. He may be pragmatic, but as we've seen in the movies, he's ready to make a selfless sacrifice regardless of the consequences.
Also, semi-spoiler, but the dark projection of Teasle is exactly that, a dark projection of Teasle. Something produced from Rambo's trauma-ridden mind that accuses him of the things he constantly accuses himself of. His mind simply made Will Teasle, the man who strove him to a cop suicide, the vessel to accuse him of all his 'faults'. It isn't some weird hidden enemy, it's just a personification of his inner demons.
Sorry, last side note, but I'd just like to highlight the fact that if Rambo ever unlocked the [Sloth Series] at this stage of his life where he's had no closure and is still suffering from severe PTSD it would be a death sentence. No, I'm serious, out of all the Curse Series, the [Sloth Series] is debatably the worst. That's why I fought back the urge to give Rambo the [Sloth Series] in the earlier chapter because I knew he already had enough mental baggage. Any more would be writing his death warrant. Badass or not, giving an already mentally unstable and suicidal man the [Sloth Series] is just a tragedy waiting to happen, that's why I'm not gonna do it.