"So, what are we supposed to do?" Riyu cried.
"How am I supposed to know?" I replied. "Aren't you always reading those novels and watching anime? Anyway, we must find a suitable place to stay."
"Alright, yes, you're right… maybe you should climb this long tree," I said without me even checking the height. Soon I realized I had made a stupid mistake. The tree was… unbelievably tall. As far as I could see, it was the biggest tree I had ever seen—yellow and green leaves, massive branches, even thicker and taller than the trees on Earth.
"It's not a bad idea."Suddenly a long branch stretched out in front of Riyu, and she stepped onto it.
"Ren, will you wait here or come with me?"
I stepped onto it as well. "What the heck is this!!" I yelled as the branch began rising toward the top.Why was it obeying her? Did she get some blessing related to this?
"What blessing did you get?" I asked.
"I got the blessing of the Existence Goddess. Under her blessing, all positive existence will help me, and those who have weaker souls than me will obey me, if I want."
Isn't that way too broken?!
Forcing someone to obey you and getting help whenever you want… I wonder how broken the rest of our class is. This is bad for me. I was waiting for my protagonist moment, but everyone else already seems overpowered, while I haven't even started exploring my own ability.
How cool would it be if I got all the blessings while no one else did? Or if I got nothing at first but became too broken later when everyone discarded me…Well, maybe not everyone. I don't think Riyu would ever discard me.And there is one more idiot I can trust—our class president.
At first glance he looked like an attention seeker, but he was actually a real hero on Earth. I don't know why he ended up in our section. He had everything an average male student would dream of.But yeah, I never really acknowledged his existence. Even when he helped me in exams and studying, for half a year I didn't bother to learn his name.
Suddenly, I felt a hit on my head.
"Why did you hit me!!" I cried.
"I called you many times, but you didn't respond, fool! And look around—how beautiful the forest is."She grabbed my hand and pulled me up.
Only then did I notice that we were at the top of the tree. The forest stretched so far we couldn't even see its end. Many tall trees… and the one we were standing on wasn't even the tallest. But the most beautiful thing was the floating islands. Yes—floating islands. Truly, this world is amazing. But there is no sun here.
Small branches brought fruits in front of us.
"Here, have some fruits," Riyu said while eating one.
"This tree is definitely treating you like a queen," I said while picking one fruit.
"Someone's jealous," she teased.
"I'm stating the obvious. Riyu, why don't you order the trees to send us to any human civilization?" I asked.
"It's not possible currently—not until I get to the 2nd stage of my blessing," Riyu replied quickly.
"2nd stage?" I asked.
"Yes. In simple words, the blessing I received isn't strong enough yet."
She wasn't even at full potential… and she was already this broken.
Suddenly, a huge red sun appears in the center of the sky, erasing every trace of light—leaving only darkness behind.
Suddenly, the branch serving her dropped.
"What happened?" I asked, but she didn't reply.
"Riyu?"I called her many times, and then she suddenly collapsed unconscious in front of me. I was shocked.
Then a sharp branch stabbed Riyu in the stomach.Not just once—stab after stab.
"STOP!!!" I screamed, grabbing the branch. "STOP, YOU BASTARD!! DON'T YOU DARE—"
Another branch struck me and pushed me away, then silently cut Riyu's head from her body in an instant, right in front of me.
"STOP!!!!"
The branches disappeared. I crawled to Riyu's body.
"Sorry, Ren… I don't think I can pay you back for what you did for me. When my parents left me, you were the one who supported me. If I get back to Earth… what will I tell Uncle and Aunt…?"
Tears started pouring from my eyes.I couldn't handle it.I wanted to die. Yes… that was the only way to escape this burden.
I pressed my neck hard, but I hesitated. I wasn't brave enough.So I ran and jumped from the tree.
Suddenly my surroundings shattered like glass.My vision went dark.
['Participant No. 6 and 8 failed trial']
['Restarting trial…']
...
"Who is she?"A 7-year-old boy asked while hiding behind his mother's leg.
"She is your cousin Riyu. Say hello."
"H-Hello… Riyu," the boy said, gathering his courage.
"Hello, Ren," the girl replied confidently for a 7-year-old. "I hope we get along."
...
"Mom!! Why is Ren staying here again?"12-year-old Riyu shouted.
"His parents left him here again. They're going abroad for work," her mother answered from the kitchen.
At first, I hated Ren living with us, but slowly I started seeing him as family—more like a real sibling than a cousin. His parents left him with us multiple times. They didn't seem to care much.
Ren and I always went to the same school. He always had a hard time getting along with everyone. In the high school entrance exams, despite my high score, I purposely messed up my interview and physical test to get into his class.Even then, he didn't change.
No matter what I did, I think my efforts were wasted.I can't support him anymore… since I'm dead now.
...
I suddenly woke up as something like a snail crawled on my face.
I was at the same place where Riyu had woken me the first time in this world.
What the heck happened?
I stood up and was shocked to see Riyu lying unconscious—completely healed.
Didn't she die?What the heck happened?