Solo Cultivation in The Apocalypse

Her legs were detached, they were lying lifelessly around her. Her right arm was cut from the elbow too and there was a lot of blood coming out from her stomach like water.

And there she was, lying on the floor with no movements. Hitori was shaking from the fear already but still, he started walking.

His eyes dropped from the eyebrows, his eyebrows started coming closer, Hitori pulled his lips, and the corner of his mouth dropped.

He bent down near her. He was trembling from the inside, his arms, his legs, his whole body but he still stretched his arms to reach for Kiku.

“K- Ki- Kiku-san?” he grabbed her thin shoulders, blood poured out, “Kiku-san!” he stammered.

Her eyes moved. Hitori stopped when he saw a bulging out pupil moving under her closed eyelids. Hitori quickly let go of her shoulders and reached for her neck, he grabbed her wrist and touched her neck.

He could feel the light pulsating beating on his fingers. His eyes widened, his heart beating pace increased all of a sudden.

Hitori got up and started looking around, “wand, I need a wand,” then his eyes fell on her wand… broken wand. His eyes followed the wand’s direction which led to the storeroom.

The package. Hitori quickly rushed inside the room, he grabbed the door and pushed it open with all of his strength. Further inside, he saw drops of blood lying on the floor.

He clicked his tongue, ignored the bloodstains. Hitori saw a box lying on top of a shelf. He pushed through the other obstacles in his way like other boxes and grabbed the package.

He did not bother playing treasure hunt by searching for the wand inside. He turned the box upside down and everything inside came out, a card, a few letters enchanted with magic but… no wand.

The wand was missing. A cold drop of sweat rushed down his neck. Hitori turned around, pushed the door once again, ran out to a corner of the kitchen.

He grabbed a cupboard and pulled it open, he closed it and went for another one. He kept searching every cupboard till he found what he was looking for. A thin flask that had blue liquid inside them.

Hitori turned around, he rushed back to Kiku. But to his surprise, she was moving her hand in the air. He squatted, grabbed her hand, and went closer to her mouth.

“Do not… waste the potions on me…” she spoke in her weak, trembling, dying voice, “I… am- it is too late, I- I am… potions can not save me…”

Hitori felt like crying his eyes out, but he clenched her hand in between his and asked, “who.” his voice shook Kiku from the inside, “who did this to you?” a smile. A smile spread on Kiku’s face, “why? You? Who?!” he shouted.

“My time is over…” she muttered, “listen,” Hitori went closer to her once again.

She looked up at a Hitori with half-open eyes, blood covering her hands, chest, neck, strands of her hair dripped in blood. She lifted her drenched in blood, sweat, and tears face at Hitori.

“Tengoku…” her voice came a light as a feather, “Tengoku Kagaku.” Hitori gritted his teeth.

“Why?”

“For a wand,” she paused, “you should seek help… you are not safe any…more…”

Hitori pulled her hand closer, “why is this happening?” he demanded, “why us? Why you?”

“Well, sometimes… you have to find the answers yourself…” she dropped down on the ground, “acquire your parents’ will, take back your stolen wand.” she told him, “and live. You…” she pushed her up, “…will have to survive no matter what,”

Hitori nodded. He dropped his eyes down and nodded continuously with keeping her hand pressed against his forehead.

“It is my fault…” he said, “if only I had not argued with you, only if I had gone to the school, only if I had not gone to the Vr-cade…” tears that were sitting in the corner of his eyes finally started falling down like a waterfall, “only if… only if… only if I had-“

He felt a cold hand touching his forehead, “I would not be able to rest in peace if you spend the rest of your life blaming yourself, feeling guilt for my death…”

Hitori sobbed, he stopped his tears, “do not go… Kiku-san, please…”

“You are asking for the impossible,” she stuttered, “let me finish this properly,”

“No, do not move-” she pushed herself up and sat on her but with Hitori supporting her back.

“It has been a pleasure to serve you for the past years, young master,” she bowed her head with a broken smile on her face, “and… Hitori-Kun, I love the time I spent with you… but… this is the goodbye,”

Hitori grabbed her from the shoulders, he hugged her and dug his face in her hair. He held her closer to his chest, “please no… Jesus, no…”

She almost closed her eyes when Hitori pulled her close in his chest, “this… is my last wish,” she paused, “become one remarkable wizard your big sister would be proud of.”

Kiku raised her only arm, placed it on Hitori’s forehead, and slowly moved to his head, “big sister… always had, still does, and always will…… love you.”

She cried for the last time in Hitori’s arms before casting an enchantment, “Muishiki…” Hitori suddenly stopped crying. His arms started losing their grip around Kiku, her body gave up and fell forward on her.

“You should not waste time grieving, sweet dreams.” soon, her eyes closed down. Her arm landed on the floor and her body stopped moving.

….

The curtains were pulled closer, the air conditioner was turned on, the lights were turned off. In a dark room, the only light that glowed was the screen of a magic console.

Uragi was sitting in his room and scrolling through the magic browser looking for information regarding a certain someone.

While scrolling randomly, he spotted a request in the bounty and wanted section of the game.

“Wanted: Ryu #1845. DM for more information, if you are serious.”

Uragi took no time to send this person a message. He exactly knew who this Ryu was and the unique code just made it even more obvious.

“Hey, I am I’m Darkness. And I have information regarding Ryu #1845. What is the deal?”

After waiting for one minute, the person who had placed a bounty on Ryu’s head messaged Uragi.

“Give me some information first to verify you are serious”

“He wears a hood, he is a blue mage… and he uses fire and other magic elements.”

Uragi waited for the reply. But when he did not receive a reply, he added, “and he is super annoying, fucking arrogant.”

“The deal’s on. You provide us with more information from time to time,”

“What is the reward?”

“…what do you want?”

Uragi leaned back and grinned at the chat window. ‘Emperor’s Scrap Picker’ strange name, he did think so.

‘Does not matter, I will take his head at the end too.’ he muttered.

“Strike on his gaming account, and a permanent ban on his account,” Uragi replied.

He took time before replying to Uragi, “would you like to ruin him together with us? Would you like to join us?”

“My stakes will increase that way,”

“And so will the rewards.” Kuzu’s reply was enough to convince Uragi.

“Of course then.” They came up with an agreement. Uragi grinned and leaned back in his chair.