= [Chapter 09] =
...
The world rule of the World of The Rising of the Shield Hero wasn't clearly stated in the novel. Just that all being's capabilities are directly linked with the [Status Magic]. Ignoring the physics of many things and runs more on game logic.
The mysterious relationship of physics and the status attributes aside, what concerns me the most right now is if I could ever get my eye back.
As much of a badass it would be to get an eye patch or magic artificial eyes, I would rather have my original one back in my skull or grew a new one.
"Hmum... Wouldn't sticking it back in would do the trick?"
I blink at Kitamura when he suggested something so idiotic. While he's holding my eyeball aimed at my face at that!
"I ... Hehehe... Ko-hum!"
He got nervous and cleared his throat before continuing.
"I mean we do have HP and most of our injuries fade away whenever we recover back to full health."
Well, he has a point there, but I would very much appreciate it better if the one sticking it back in would be a professional and not a college student with possible PTSD and other mental problems!
"... Had any of the other me done it?"
"N-no..! But it's worth a try!"
Yeah... That just made me more not inclined in doing it. Besides, we don't even know how to place it properly!
"... Just hand me my eye back, please."
I quickly cleanse my eyes with my 'Aura' before placing it in my inventory. It's safer there than any enchanted tubes out there.
We left the area stumbling and slow. Kitamura aiding me in doing so. We of course didn't forget to 'absorb' the corpse of the bastard but it didn't unlock any.
(What a useless piece of thrash till the end.)
So much had happened in this night, not including the time loop, that I would rather sleep... well, forever.
"... By the way, Kitamura. Thank you for saving me. For everything."
Between the two of us, he would be the one bearing the more trauma out of this incident. Not only does he has blood on his hands, but he had also died way too many times.
His eyes had been glazed the entire time he had been conscious. Mind blank and was only moving through instinct and responses.
He didn't reply so I thought he didn't hear what I had said and was about to repeat it when I fell warm tears dropping on my hand that was sling over his shoulder. His face looking away from me.
The tears sliding on his face towards his chin then dropping on my hand, which thankfully has its wound closed. Because if not, that would have stung!
"Keh... D-Don't mention it."
There is a lot of baggage in there that I don't know of, but I hope he'll pass through all of it after this.
"Ah."
Nodding at him is my only answer.
... x 0 x ...
The entire room was left the way it was before all this shit happened. Though the bed is slightly messy... except for Sword Boy. He slept like a dead body. All straight and not much movement.
"Lay there and wait, I'll get a gauze."
I just nod and didn't question where he would be getting the item. He knows more about this place than I do so who knows what had been discovered.
While waiting I decided to clean up my wounds. Though, not the wounds directly, just the surroundings of it. Can't help those that are on my back though.
The left side of my face, mostly near my eye socket, has a lot of wounds. Like a very lot of wounds. Some are small and some are long and deep. I think there are even cracks on my skull!
At this rate I'll be wearing a half-face mask just to be presentable or else I'll be scaring kids with nightmares!
The two-faced shield devil!
He who once walked the path of righteousness has been corrupted by shield's demonic influence and has taken over half of his body! Run kids! Run!
Or something along that line.
"Hah... What am I going to do with this now..?"
I could let my hair down and cover my face with it and just have my right side be open, but that would be too emo? or Chuuni to me. I am past that phase of my youth.
Nothing good had happened this night. Me looting the place is an exception.
(I didn't even gain any exp.)
A bummer to be honest, but that is what'll happen if all of us are in the same area.
[EP - 100%]
My EP fills up, my HP regen would speed up after this then. A pretty side-effect of having EP, it would boost HP regen. Not a surprise there as it is a form of Life Force energy, no matter how limited its utility is.
"Hahaha! Sorry I had taken this long to get back... I just had dealt with a few issues before I got back."
"... Umu... It's not a bother."
He probably had a few flashes along the way, judging by his exhausted and haunted form.
Monster slaying would probably help as a venting activity. Dark emotions that are attached to some memories are very troublesome to deal with. Nightmares would reoccur now and then.
"... Thank you..." I murmured after he had wrapped my head and eye socket with a gauze.
"You're welcome. Though we should probably get you new clothes after this."
"... Hm... You too, Otherworldly items are too eye-catching in this world."
"You think so too? Hahaha!"
His laugh is forced. He needs to sleep to get his mind back in place. But then again, nightmares might surface and cause more mental instability.
Just when I was about to dismiss my thoughts of getting Kitamura some sleep, my mind brought up a fact about time loops.
"Hmm... Kitamura."
"Hm?"
"... Go to sleep."
He looked at me confused. Wondering why I had said that.
"It's already late 4 am it wouldn't make much of a difference if I sleep now or not. Besides I had already taken a nap... and..-"
"Sleep..." This got his attention and stopped him from talking.
"... Physical you had gotten some rest. Mentally though, you haven't."
Every time he repeats he was awake and never had he gotten any wink of sleep since then. If this continues he would break sooner or later.
"I-I'm good, besides I need to look after you guys! Who knows if that guy has any buddies hanging around this place!"
He's right about that and he is probably the strongest among us right now, statistically speaking.
"... Stop and go to sleep, you yellow buffoon. I'm in good enough shape to stall anyone if it ever comes to that."
He didn't budge and continue to argue that he is much better awake than asleep in this whole fiasco, but it didn't take long for me to win and have him tuck in his bed.
It didn't escape me that he was just pretending to be asleep. But that doesn't matter. He would fall asleep anyway. Willpower can only take you so far, but exhaustion will overpower it after his mind relaxes. A bed would just do that.
With that said, he isn't the only one with problems. Phantom pains still jolt and run all over me. This one would probably not go away in a very long time. It is just that impactful to me.
My lone eye drift towards my bed. The blanket was a meter away from it.
I too would be having a nightmare if I ever go back in that bed. Not even my newly acquired emotional hampering can help in it.
... Yes. Something is restricting my emotions.
... No, it is more like my emotions had all receded back inside and thus making me felt less emotional about everything.
It's suffocating. I can still 'feel' but it won't actually let me freely 'feel' it anymore.
"Haa... fuck..."