Reawaken the World

Ghosts of the Old World (part 2)

 

(“That's because you get those parts through illegal means. Anyway, I'm sure you get those parts from looting bodies in the ruins. I'm sure the reason why those people died was also due to a sudden visual impairment.”) 

"Ts: This code is the sign → (“..... ”) to show the conversation bubble."

(“Diam. Renovations are cheaper. So it's okay, isn't it? This is especially helpful when you are exploring the ruins. But because the control device exploded along with the head of the previous owner, it is not easy to move from one function to another. On the other hand, creating a new control device would require quite a bit of money, so I put that down for later. But why are you suddenly asking me that?”) 

 

"Kahimo's expression turned serious."

 

(“I think the girl might be some kind of guide like the destruction feature broadcast by the network. Since you can see it while I'm not, then that means he's not a hologram, but augmented reality. There may still be an active functioning system in the ruins that broadcasts its image, that's why that part of your eye receives that strange information. So in short, he is a ghost from the old world.”) 

 

"Hayya was a bit surprised when she looked back at Alpha to confirm what she saw."

 

(“...The girl looks so real, you know? The girl even cast a shadow. There was nothing extraordinary about her except her dress. Broadcast images tend to have some differences compared to reality, such as having no shadows, or having strange proportions, or having the ability to penetrate walls. Basically they always have strange features. But the girl, except for her dress, she looks very normal.. Well, the dress itself is really strange.”) 

 

"If not for Kahimo's serious expression, Hayya would have taken it as a joke. That's how realistic Alpha's body is. Still with his serious expression, Kahimo said."

 

(“If the girl is really a guide like the ruins feature, then that means her image is being broadcast with old world technology. I want to know what kind of advanced technology they use to be able to broadcast such realistic images.”) 

 

(“...I understand. So it's an old world ghost, yeah. It's the first time I've seen it, it's really something.”) 

 

"Hayya continued to stare at Alpha with curiosity. Because her partner not only believes in a girl that only she herself can see, her partner even gives a reasonable explanation for it. So he couldn't help but be more interested in her."

 

"As if following their conversation or as if just remembering something, Kahimo opened his mouth again."

 

(“...Now I remember it, there is a ghost story in the ruins of Kuzusuhara City. If I am not wrong ... A deceptive ghost. ”) 

 

(“I've also heard of it. It's about ghosts who use relics as bait and lure Hunters to go deeper into the ruins before killing them, right? I heard that there were many Hunters who followed him to the deeper parts of the ruins and never returned. And then the ghost would lure the surviving Hunters by using their dead comrades. I recently heard that, rather than using a human appearance, he even disguised himself as a cat or dog.”) 

 

"After Kahimo nodded in agreement with what Hayya said, he continued the story with his tone and expression."

 

(“Killed in the ruins while searching for relics, such a way of dying is completely normal for us Hunters. The real question is why are there ghost stories that say that no one came back alive?”) 

 

(“...Now after you mention it, I wonder why?”) 

 

(“The answer is because there are people who do not follow him. The ghost only captivated those who could see it and did not captivate those who could not see it. It's not like everyone can see it, you know. So it must be a story shared by people who can see it to people who can't see it. And since everyone tells a different story, there is no way to really be sure of it. That's why it became a ghost story.”) 

 

"Hayya was a little shivering. He realized that following Akira meant they were also following ghosts."

 

(“Wait a minute, then it means we will die if keep following the girl, right?”) 

 

"On Hayya's question, Kahimo just laughed."

 

(“. Why do you think the boy could find such an expensive relic? That's because the boy can see the girl like you. Then if the girl is part of the old world guide function that somehow still works now, then she guides the people who can still see her. The boy must have asked the girl for a place where he could find relics, and the girl must have guided the boy to such a place while avoiding the monster encounters. So what do you think? That's a good hypothesis, isn't it?”) 

 

(“I understand!!! …Wait a minute, if following him alone is enough to get the relic, then why was the ghost story made?”) 

 

(“Following the guide will only lower the chance of meeting monsters, it is still possible to meet them. Moreover, the Hunters who knew about the function of the guide might have spread the rumor to keep it to themselves. By repeatedly coming here and following the guides, they would quickly spend the relics on the outskirts, so they would have to go to the deeper and dangerous parts of the ruins. And while venturing deep in the ruins, one day unfortunately they meet a powerful monster and get themselves killed. That's why only the part 'if you go with him, then you will be killed' is left in the rumors. Basically, this is a ghost story that has been built a long time ago.”) 

 

"When Hayya was convinced by Kahimo's explanation, she laughed."

 

(“So because of that, huh?! Then that means it doesn't matter if we follow him, right?!! Not to mention that the boy could come back alive, we would not be killed as long as we moved carefully. ”) 

 

(“There is no guarantee whether the assumption is correct. But if that were true, then it would greatly increase our chances of finding the relic. But well, the rumors say that it might get us killed, so it's still a dangerous thing. ”) 

 

"Kahimo tried to calm Hayya down. But Hayya was unable to contain her pleasure. He had found something that could easily find him a safe way to explore the ruins and find expensive relics. There's no Hunter who doesn't know how valuable it is."

 

(“It's okay, isn't it? You are too worried!! I won't let this opportunity pass you by!”) 

 

(“Quiet, let's keep an eye on him in a minute.”) 

 

"Kahimo looked at Hayya with a calm look and thought."

 

 

('...People must have killed their own teammates to monopolize it. And the survivor will tell others that his friends were killed by an old world ghost. Of course, the one who could see the ghost was the one who killed them. There is a good chance that this person will do the same. But yeah, this guy's too stupid. It would be fine if I could find a reason for him to get ahead of me ..') 

"Ts: this code is the sign → (‘......’) to indicate a thought or word bubble that appears in someone's mind."

"As he looked back at Akira, Kahimo was too careful for Hayya to be unaware of his plan."

 

"—"

 

"About asking Alpha with a grim expression."

 

(“Do you know what kind of person is following me?”) 

"Ts: This code is the sign → (“..... ”) to show the conversation bubble."

[2 people. Judging from their equipment, they must be Hunters. They are well armed.]

"Ts: this code → [....... ]mark to indicate special speech bubble 'nano' or mechanical device."

(“...Is there a possibility it was just a coincidence? I mean, maybe they weren't really following me, but it was more like they saw a little boy go to the ruins alone and decided to follow him out of curiosity. Or maybe it's just because they're heading in the same direction as me by chance.”) 

 

[No, that's very unlikely. I have been observing them for a while now hoping for such a possibility, but it seems unmistakable that they are trailing us. They kept their distance from us when we stopped to look around us before. So obviously they're following us.]

 

"As Akira maintained his grim expression, he showed a glimmer of hope as he asked."

 

(“...But why are they following me? Even if they attack me, I don't have any money with me, you know. They should be able to see it clearly, right?”) 

 

"The question was phrased as if Akira was hoping Alpha's assumption was wrong. She had already thought about her reaction when she revealed the truth on Akira's face."

 

[My guess is they want to know how a kid like you can bring an excessive amount of relics to the Exchange Centre. The real reason why they are following you is because they hope you will take them to a place full of relics. And while they do, they might as well kill you and take the relic for themselves. I think they have someone standing near the Exchange Center to look for Hunters who seem to be easy targets, easy enough to kill while also carrying expensive relics to the Exchange Center. Or they might also buy that information from someone inside the Exchange Center. They have every reason to see you as an enemy. Actually they have more reason to be your enemy than your friend. So Akira, if you don't treat them as your enemies, you might get killed, you know?]

 

"About finally let go of his naive thoughts and took a deep breath. He felt even more uneasy after hearing Alpha's explanation."

 

 

 

(“...Damn it!! Hunters this time, huh ?! ”) 

 

 

[Akira, just get into the building now. Just do it as naturally as possible and try to be careful that you are not caught by them.]

 

(“...I understand.”) 

 

"About moving carefully as instructed. But he still felt a bit irritated as he dragged his heavy legs into the building. Then after he arrived at the room where Alpha was guiding him, he leaned his back against the wall and sat down."

 

[There are no monsters in this building, so you can rest easy.]

 

 

(“...Yes..”) 

 

"Akira's answer is grim. He was thinking about how he should fight the hunters that were following him, but he was unable to come up with a good idea. He had thought of several scenarios, but they all ended with him being killed."

 

[According!]

 

"About raising his face in reaction to the call with that rather strong tone. He suddenly saw Alpha's face so close, right in front of him, he let out a small scream as he jumped back in surprise and banged his head against the wall. The pain and shock woke him from all the bad scenarios running inside his head."

 

"When the pain and shock had subsided, Akira regained his senses and became calm. With his unfocused gaze, he looked towards Alpha. Seeing that he had calmed down, Alpha gave a strong but gentle smile."

 

[Control yourself. The situation is not as bad as you think. I'll never let you get killed when I give you support. ]

 

"About surprised after hearing that, but it made her even more hopeful."

 

(“Can we run from them?”) 

"Ts: This code is the sign → (“..... ”) to show the conversation bubble."

"But Alpha's answer to that question was completely unexpected to Akira."

 

[We will not run away. We will fight. We'll get it instead. ]

 

"Akira's hopeful expression instantly shattered as she was shocked by that answer."

 

[Can we really do that?!! It's 2 against 1, you know? Not to mention they were Hunters with complete equipment!! This is not the same as when we fight children with weapons.]

 

"Alpha replied back in a confident tone."

 

[These two cases are not much different. You have me with you, you know? By having my own, your total battle power is far above theirs. Besides, you can beat that big gun dog monster with just your gun, remember? Everything will be fine as long as you follow my instructions. So don't worry. It's gonna be fine.]

"Ts: this code → [....... ]mark to indicate special speech bubble 'nano' or mechanical device."

"He gave a smile saying this. While it was true that he was trying to dispel Akira's worries, it felt as if they had a lot of leeway here."

 

(“I-Is that so?”) 

 

"Looking at how Alpha behaves as usual, Akira is somehow convinced. But it was not enough to completely erase the doubts he had when facing such an overwhelming enemy. It can be seen that Akira half doubted him and half believed him."

 

(“...But, there were many differences between monsters and humans. If you are so confident, then we should be able to run away from them, right? I really feel that it might be a good idea to escape instead .. ”) 

 

"Alpha glared at Akira who was being gentle."

 

[That's absolutely fine, they'll be able to shoot you with their guns while you won't be able to shoot back at them and it'll be worse if we go to the open ground. Especially when do you want to keep running away? Even if you run away from them today, then what about tomorrow? What about the day after tomorrow? And even if you can run back to the city, do you think that they suddenly become good and stop attacking you? When that happens, do you plan to run away again? Can you really run away from them? Are you planning to keep running away until you get killed? ]

 

"Alpha locked her gaze on Akira, Akira stared back at Alpha without taking her eyes off. They stared at each other for a few seconds without saying anything. Finally, Akira loosened his expression as if he had just realized something, it was obvious that he had already made up his mind there."

 

(“. All right, I get it now, let's fight them.”) 

 

"About severing himself and standing up. There was no trace of doubt he had just a moment ago. Then Alpha smiled gently at him as if giving him more courage and said."

 

[About, decide for yourself. If you can't overcome something like this, you won't be able to realize your dream, which is to become a great Hunter, you know?]

 

"About a bitter smile, but there was a hint of hope and joy on his face."

 

(“You're right. We have also agreed that willpower, motivation, and determination are my responsibility.”) 

 

"Last time when Akira was about to get himself killed for violating Alpha's instructions, he said that willpower, motivation, and determination were his responsibility. He now realized that he had to show that those words were not lies. If he couldn't do that, then someone without money or skills like him would be pointless to show Alpha. Otherwise, all of his words about accumulating trust and achievement would also become meaningless. That thought alone strengthened Akira's resolve."

 

"Show her determination, gather her ambition, strengthen her resolve. Akira keeps saying this over and over again to make himself feel stronger. Alpha just smiled confidently and said."

 

[And things other than those three are my responsibility. It seems that the time has come to show you my incredible support abilities. So leave this to me.]

 

(“Ya, I'll count on you.”) 

 

"Alpha seemed satisfied with Akira's reaction as she smiled. After all, they wouldn't even have time to smile until this situation was resolved."

 

[.Besides, I never thought that this kind of thing would happen so quickly. It seems like you really used your lifetime luck when you met me. ]

 

(“...I think so too.”) 

 

"About returning an Alpha smile and then Alpha saying in a reassuring tone while still showing a fearless smile."

 

[Don't worry. Since I have taken all your luck, I must take good care of you.]

 

(“Well thank you, it will be very helpful.”) 

"Ts: This code is the sign → (“..... ”) to show the conversation bubble."

"About giving Alpha a light answer while laughing for a while."

 

[Yes, I was very helpful.]

"Ts: this code → [....... ]mark to indicate special speech bubble 'nano' or mechanical device."

"Alpha answered back while laughing cheerfully. The Alpha smile generated from high-tech computing was enough to calm and encourage Akira. Thus allowing him to regain his fighting spirit. Everything went well according to Alpha."

 

 

“Thank you” to read to the end & ask for your support. ️👜 🌹

When Reading Please Remember the Author's Acceptance *Very.Lecsyan-Imut*..🙃