Beyond The World Plan

Finally, we arrive at the town. Still no trace of them coming and it is about three hours since we walk. Our movement slow because there are people with serious wound and we must take it carefully.

At the gate, many of people stand there. There are people from the soldier, adventurer, also the academy. Still, I can not see Ray among them. We pass the wounded people in they care and I rushly went to the inn we live.

I hurriedly go to the room we rent and surprised seeing who was sleep there. I close the door, making a [Silent Field] so no one can hear us. I approach him with angry face and punch him on the head.

"Ouch!! What was that for!?"

He is waked up from his sleep and hurriedly sit up on the bed while rubbing where I hit him. I can't hold it anymore. I burst my anger to him.

"How can you relaxed here when everyone has getting ready to protect this town!? How can you carelessly sacrifying yourself in that cave!? And how can you be sleep in here while you are obviously go with us in the quest!!?" (Lily)

"Woaah...calm yourself Lily. And please ask a question one by one. I only have one mouth here." (Ray)

Once again I hit his head.

"Do you know how I felt when they said they left you behind, Ray!?" (Lily)

Still rubbing his head, he with calm laugh and answer me.

"Hey, don't shout too loud. It will disturb the other. If it's you, I am sure you want to rush in and helped me with your face is crying." (Ray)

"Answer my question before that!!!" (Lily)

"Okay okay." (Ray)

With a sigh he started answer my question properly.

"I use a skill called [Shadow Clone] and make a copy of me. Basically that copy only can do such a basic order like 'take a walk' or 'eat this food'. However while making it, I try to transfer part of my mind because I have an ability <Parallel Thought>. That ability allow me to split thinking at the same time. But somehow another part of mine is not connected perfectly to me. Maybe this is why I have some thought that I myself can't understand. It is going perfect and seems like the thought transferred there is my thought that always thinking in a weird word that I can't understand. The part that I always call it 'something that always come up to my mind'. And for your question why I am here is seems like I overslept while waiting another part of me back to me." (Ray)

Dumbfounded with what he said, I still can't believe that.

"So, basically the one who went with us this morning is your 'Clone' and what inside its head is the one who always come up to your mind?" (Lily)

He nod and in hurry use his coat.

"Let's go, we need to do something else before we meet them." (Ray)

With a sigh, I followed him in the middle of night using [Stealth] and waiting what kind of monster will be sent out and where they come from.

We sat at the roof of the watchpost. We can see anything around if it noon. The darkness of night reduce our far sight.

"Seems like they are ready to anything." (Ray)

He is looking at peoples who gathering down there while hearing the plan of the leader. He is Goriat, one of the senior adventurer that secretly chosen by Zack to protecting the town. Only us that knowing the secret group member besides Zack and their group.

"So, what happen to Crush and your clone?" (Lily)

I began wondering what happened after we leave them and their battle.

"For my clone, he is already vanished and for Crush... seems like I burnt him and his body was buried under the ruined cave." (Ray)

You said your clone burnt him!? I can not hide my shocked after listening to it. Ray it self maybe not wanting to be known for a while so not making a ruckus. He doing his best to hide it even sometimes he revealing it without him knowing it.

"How can you burnt him alive!? Even tough he is traitor at least you can leave him behind!" (Lily)

I shout to him but somehow I felt a chill around my spine. He is making a cold face that he never showing it even to me. It feels like he is not himself now.

"If I just leaving him and letting him buried inside, he maybe still can survived and let the others traitor knows. With that, they will be prioritize to kill the princess even before the monster to be blamed appear. More of it, I can't completely control my clone. Like I said, somehow my connection to that thought isn't connected perfectly. So it can be said that this clone has his own personality that myself do not know what kind of it." (Ray)

I know what he is saying is right. Somehow I felt something different about him this morning. His kind of face that shown to everyone is different from usual. His behavior too is different, somehow he looks like bothered with his surrounding.

"Are you planning to use that again?" (Lily)

I worried if he use that again, his clone probably betraying him and killed him. Making the existence of the original one vanished and replace him. I can't stop worrying about it. But with calm he is answer me.

"Don't worry, somehow I feel like he is not having an intention to replace me or something like that. What I feel is his target is not me but something bigger, even I do not know what it is. But his decision to burnt him is correct as well. Crush has high endurance so something like buried in pile of stones is maybe not killed him." (Ray)

"How can you know that for sure?" (Lily)

Still, even he is saying that I have a feeling that he is doubting what he is saying before.

"His memory when he is a clone is shared to me when he is vanished. He afraid if he is not doing that than the situation now will be worse. He even using many bottles of recovery potion to make it success while knowing what will happen to his body." (Ray)

The recovery potion that made by Ray is made for forcing the body to igniring any pain and made it looks like nothing happen to him. Its effect can last for 5 minutes and can be stacked. However the pain after the effect worn off is the worse. The more he take it, more worse the pain because of forcing his body to the point of healthy while injured is dangerous. If someone is overusing it, he can die because the body can't tolerate the pain.

If he using it then what happened inside the cave is more dangerouse that we thought before. What kind of situation he is in until he dare to use it so much?.

When questioning myself with his clone did, Ray suddenly stand up and looking to the forest.

"It already begin. Someone summoning the monster now. We will take a move before late." (Ray)

The chill wind is blowing with gentle. His white hair and blue eyes is looks like shining under the full moon. Looking at his face it seems like he is the Ray I know. He already move toward the forest. I stand up and following him behind without anyone know what we do.

"The summoning is over. I can <sense> strong monster mana from that direction. It's number is twenty and the summoner itself has stronger mana than the monster. He one is not moving yet." (Ray)

Hearing his explanation, I already wondering the situation they will face. They are not having a single chance to win against their number.

We stopped our movement when hearing the footsteps of something big is coming toward us. It is minotaurs, the monster that classified as B-Rank at the guild. One of the most dangerous monster that can be found mostly in the labyrinth.

The fact that they are here is already look strange. It is clear that someone is trying to make a mess. They probably want to take over the kingdom.

"We will reduce their number before they reach the town. Lily, with your power now you allowed to use it." (Ray)

Hearing it I surprise that I finally allowed to using it. I search in my magic bag and take out another curve sword with black sheath and tied it below my katana.

"But how do you know I am ready for it?" (Lily)

He said I was allowed to use this but what the reason? He never allowed me to use this before because it is told in the book of that the former Hero left, it can not be wielded if someone did not meet the certain requirement. How can he told that I am ready using it without doubt?

"Seems like I forgot to told you but now is not the right time, I will explain it later. Now we must chase them!" (Ray)

I believe him. He is never told a lie to me before. So with determination I nod him and chasing them.

"I will lure some of them and after that you chase them and do the same. We will move separately but don't force yourself." (Ray)

"Got it!" (Lily)

He is rellying on me so I can't disappoint him. The katana he trusted to me, I will prove it that he is right believing this on me. Currently Ray, while running he is focusing on something.

"I call upon a bow that shine under the moonlight! [Summon : Pesforia Twilight]!" (Ray)

Suddenly in his hand appear a bow with dark purple coloured. It has two strings and have a little wing ornament like butterfly on top and bottom of it. When it meet with the moonlight, the bow is shine with adorable purple glow.

That was one of the weapon that the Hero leave it in the cave as a treasure for one who can read what he wrote in the letter that Ray shown to me. The character was unknown but somehow he can read it. In the letter he is allowing him to use anything that left there as much as he like.

He stop his movement and aiming the minos. Even he is using a bow, he can't lure more than one. That what I thought but surprisingly when he is pull the string, a light is appear and gradually turn into an arrow.

The arrow split in five and hit their head. Five minotaurs killed instantly without resistance. He is once again pull the string and the arrow reappear. Seems like the bow collecting mana on the air and turn them into an arrow.

The minos not stopping their movement and continue their run to the town. They not care about their friend. They really controlled by someone.

Another shot is launched and hit another three of them. I look to Ray and he is giving a signal to attack them. Seems like he is too far to able to hit them.

I take out the new katana that I bring out before. Under the black sheath appear a white sword that sparkling in the night. Ray give me this because he is have a hunch that I can use it later. Ray said the word that engraved there is read as 'Ryuufujin'. It means Wind Dragon God, he said that really reflected me who strong and fast like a wind. That words made me feel I really born to wield this sword.

I do not know how can he read it but he put his trusts on me to wield this sword. With strong determination believing his word, I swing my sword with all I got and suddenly a high speed wind blows along with it swings. I thrown back as an impact but it hit five of them and die with their heads off their bodies.

I can not believe my eyes. This sword is more stronger than I predict. The name that carved here is not just a name. It really reflect the power of this sword. As expected of the legendary hero's weapon, its not a laugh material.

Ray run toward me and worriedly ask me while put his hand on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" (Ray)

"Yeah." (Lily)

His word bring me back to reality. The minotaurs is can't be seen anymore. Damn, how can I be this careless. I feel useless looking at that and looking down.

"I'm sorry because of me they can get away." (Lily)

"That's okay. I believe they can take the rest of it. Right now we must change our target to the summoner before. This battle is not over yet." (Ray)

With gentle he held my hand and help me to stand up. I look at his face after I calming my self.

"You are right. This is not over yet!" (Lily)

He smiled at me with a gentle face. He start running to the other direction of the monsters.

"Let's go, no time to waste!" (Ray)

I follow his running and the speed gradually increase. We will arrive at the summoner place in no time.