Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

The ground beneath Hitori started moving, the lower grounds lifted up, the upper ground moved back a little. Hitori’s throne was shifted to the side a little from the middle.

After the ground was done changing and shifting again, it settled down. Reon looked down at the stairs that lead to the top. She took a step forward, the ground beside Hitori started reforming.

“Why sixty percent to me?” she looked at Hitori. Hitori looked beside him, her eyes shifted to her left.

The movement had caused another throne to form beside Hitori’s. Bigger, taller, and stronger throne for Reon. Hitori’s throne’s color fainted to grey, while Reon’s throne turned dark black.

“Do not we have to divide the lair after conquering it with a partner?” Hitori looked back at her and replied.

She shook her head while she made her way up to the throne, “you killed the boss at the end, it should more the other way around or at least, fifty-fifty,” she dropped herself in her throne, “actually, I did not do much so it should be seventy yours and thirty mines.” She smiled at him.

Hitori looked down at the courtyard without saying anything. They were sitting almost twenty feet above the ground, Hitori stared at the empty courtyard ground.

“Let us divide the loot,” Reon was going to break the three-minute-long silence though. Hitori leaned forward and turned his head to her. Anyway.

“Sure,” she leaned forward.

“Take your drops first of all,” Hitori handed Reon her storage belt, lab coat, and a few chemicals.

“Thanks for holding onto them,” she accepted her drops. A few items, and her main weapon- the gun launcher.

Hitori pulled out everything that he had acquired after his battle with Pontianak. This included money, gems, treasures, skillsets, weapons, items, equipment, and potions.

“Ryu-san,” she looked down at Hitori, “what made you so sure that our leader was a traitor?”

Hitori curled his lips, “experience,” he answered simply, “it comes with nine years of gaming experience,” that was enough to shut Reon up.

She was left in awe. Someone who had nine years of gaming experience was not a professional player yet. How is that possible? Or maybe, he is a pro player but is just trying to hide his identity? Many just questions popped into her head.

Just as humans had almost fully recovered through the mana apocalypse wave, E-sports was not really a thing yet. What the term ‘pro gamer’ meant was- a shut-in who makes a living by gaming.

“Would you like to name the lair though?” Hitori asked while he was unpacking his stuff. A table had formed in front of him.

“Ah?” she gasped, “can we do that?” Hitori paused for a second, then nodded.

“Well…” Reon started thinking, “How about ‘Ghost Scientist’s Lair?”

“Suits it,” he leaned back, “uh, I have been meaning to ask you a thing…” Hitori paused, “are you a science student?” those words came out shakingly from his mouth.

“Ah… right, about that,” her eyes swirled around the courtyard, the corners of her mouth dropped, “yes, I am in the second year of the science academy,” she confessed, “And you are a mage, and- and, I know we should not-“

“Actually,” Hitori interrupted her, “no, I do not really care actually.” she went silent after Hitori’s reply, “did not fancy those expeditions either?”

“Hm,” she nodded, “wait, ‘either’?”

“so money and gems, fifty-fifty. You take any equipment and skillset you want,” Hitori changed the topic.

“Oh- h- how about we divide the money and gems to seventy-thirty?”

“Why?”

“Because you-“

“Fine. Let me just keep Pontianak’s mana heart then,” she frowned at Hitori’s words.

“What is that?”

“It…. well, it is like a core… I guess,” Hitori rolled a dark black and white color sphere in his hands, “this is my first time encountering with a ‘mana heart’.”

Reon raised her eyes, “first time?” she stammered. Hitori gave her a nod.

“We will divide the potions too,” Hitori started again, “let me keep the ghost repellent salt, you take the ghost repellent liquid,”

“Thanks, I need that,” she took a flask from Hitori, “I hate ghosts… I really do.” she shook her head with a serious expression on her face.

“And, do I get to keep this ghost killer parang? Or do you-“

“Nah, keep it.” Hitori and Reon spent another ten minutes sorting stuff out.

“That is it?” Hitori nodded to Reon’s question.

“Well,” Hitori got up from his throne and stretched his arms, “could you come online today at noon or evening?” he turned around, “I want you to meet someone,”

“Ah, s- sure.” she nodded.

“Well then, I will log out, feeling sleepy,” Hitori opened his screen.

“Oh, wait!” she got up from her throne, almost stumbled, and fell on her face, “let us say that this lair is attacked, would you come back to defend it?”

“Hm?” Hitori was taken by surprise.

“Although your stake is low, I want to know… will you come to protect this lair if it is attacked, cause, I would not be able to defend this lair alone…” she confessed.

Hitori closed his screen, “you do not have to, no one below level twenty-eight will be able to defeat that Pontianak,” Hitori opened his screen once again.

“But you did,” her counter came like a bullet, “you were only level sixteen, almost half the level,”

Hitori looked at her without answering. He closed his screen and walked up to her. Hitori gave Reon a slight smile.

“Your sacrifice, Reon-san,” he continued, “it was a sensational sacrifice,” Hitori logged out.

Reon kept staring in surprise as Hitori disappeared in front of her. Soon, a smile followed her surprised expression.

Hitori logged out. He looked at the time, it was three in midnight. Hitori played one hour and some minutes more than he paid for.

He tapped the magic circle on his table, his card came out. Before getting up, Hitori turned to the station beside him, ‘I forgot.’ Hitori let out a sigh.

He went near Kamiya’s station. Since Kamiya’s card was not in contact anymore, the safe was basically useless. It was as if your accessories are shut inside a crystal clear box, tempting thieves to steal them.

Hitori opened Kamiya’s safe and took his item before walking up to the counter. ‘Oh, crap…’ a man was standing on the counter, waiting for Hitori.

“You have played hour more and twenty-“

“I will pay. I- I will just pay,” Hitori avoided the formalities of knowing how much extra time he spent and how much extra he has to pay.

“Thanks for your business,” the man did not even bow. Hitori silently walked out of the Vr-cade with a yawn.

The streets at the midnight were more than just silent. No birds, no animals, no humans, not even a single visible insect. Only the dark skies, faint stars, and Hitori alone with himself.

“I should apologize as soon as I enter the house,” he clenched his fist, “she is right… in a way, and maybe I said too much,” he remembered his words to her, “she has been taking care of me since I was twelve and she was still in the academy…”

Kiku’s parents had died. She has enrolled in the academy thanks to the Saibai family. When she was about to graduate, she refused to go away from Hiro and Kaori.

And she had been looking after Hitori even before she graduated from the academy. They decided it would be better if she stays with Hitori, knowing what trouble was coming their way.

He walked for almost thirty minutes before reaching his house. It Vr-cade was within a walking distance of twenty minutes, but Hitori was strolling around and rehearsing his apologies.

Hitori stepped in front of his house and the door was already open. He lifted his eyes, the house was as dark as an abandoned house.

Hitori rushed to the front door, he peeped inside. No sign of anybody. He turned on the lights after stepping inside the house.

“Kiku-san?” when the things had turned suspicious, Hitori forgot all of the embarrassment from before, “are you up?” he called her, “Kiku-san!” he shouted, “are you in the house?!”

His voice rang through the empty hallways. Hitori walked past the drawing-room. On the left was the kitchen and ahead was the staircase which led to the first floor.

“Are you upstairs?” he called. Hitori took a step forward while trying to take a look through the staircase, “Kiku–” his voice faded. He heard a splash sound when he took another step towards the staircase.

Hitori slowly lowered his head down to his feet. A pool of red liquid covered the floor, he had stepped into a blood puddle.

Hitori took rapid steps back. His hair swung along with his head, His jaws refused to move, he could not speak a word, his eyes went wide, and his mouth dropped open.

A pale expression formed on Hitori’s face with a sense of fear. Hitori could now feel his heart slowly picking up the beating pace.