Safe Zone

Watching the two for a long time, Nash finally decided to speak and said, "Uhm, you two. What's your relationship with each other?"

Hearing a voice from their side, Grey stop talking and turn his head at Nash, the same could be said on Gin. Both of them look at Nash before conversing with each other.

The first one to speak is Grey, saying, "Hmm… what is our relationship, Hyung?"

"I don't know. What's yours?"

Hearing it made Grey a little bit disappointed that turned into laughter afterward, "Hyung! Di you forget what you said to me at that place?"

From the side, Nash clearly hear it before he said with an expectant tone, "What did he tell you?"

Grey turned his face towards Nash before he said, "Actually, we're complete strangers to each other. Did you know that we really didn't know each other until Hyung comes to me?"

Hearing the two's conversation, Gin felt uneasiness in his heart but he still listen anyway.

While running, Grey continued to say the words with an act, "He said 'can you feel the bond between us? Of course hearing it made me suspicious and said, 'What bond'? He then said after 'You can't feel it? Because I do'. And I became even more suspicious, answering him 'What feel'?"

As he listens, he keeps eyeing Nash's movements about it. Gin saw the eyes of believing in Nash's expressionless face but he knew it was good, so he didn't let Grey stop talking.

Grey continued to talk and seems to be the part where the thing gets exciting, "After that, I felt touched!! I was in awe about Hyung. I immediately said 'Yes, I'll go with you!'. Hyung smiled at me before he said, 'Ok I'll tell you the plan.'"

Suddenly, the uneasiness in his heart that was gone a while ago resurfaced again. Hearing the word 'plan' coming from Grey's mouth made his heart pound.

"Did you know that Hyung is really smart!" Grey said excitedly, "Well, I know he is because of how wonderful his plan is."

Sensing that Grey would really tell that thing, Gin raised his hand up and smack Grey's back really hard. Feeling someone tapping him, Grey turned his head around and saw Gin's head shaking from left to right.

The sweat that formed started on his forehead to fall as he shakes. He doesn't care if Nash is suspicious. If Grey told him it, Nash would become wary of him and eventually lose his trust in him.

Gin doesn't want that.

Seeing Gin's face, Grey had a look of an understanding face and seemed to know what Gin is implying. Grey nodded and began to face Nash again before his voice turned serious.

"As I said, Hyung is smart so first he planned to get as much food and bring it here—"

'Huh?'

Hearing Grey continued speaking nonstop, Gin just looked helplessly at the. His back was drenched in sweat and his hands started to form sweats. He just can't hear the two anymore.

He only had one thing in mind.

Escape if Nash gave him a crazy man look.

The question is...

'Where would I go though?' Gin inwardly said helplessly as he watch a bunch of holes that seemed too endless when you get inside of it.

Gin felt like they're running in circles and thought that Nash was lost in direction. He keeps seeing Nash continue to go in from any holes with an expression of 'he doesn't care' face.

But Gin felt uneasy. He felt like something is amiss from this situation.

He then decided to tell the uncertainty on his mind, "Uhm, Nash. Isn't the things happening are too easy? They're no monster jumping, surprising us or a chase with them. For some reason, It felt like we're going on a trap...'

Gin then turned his head at Nash, continuing, "Is the place you have in mind, safe?"

As he turned around, Nash still had the same face he keep wearing but his eyes were sparkling while eyeing Gin.

Seeing it made Gin perplexed, 'Uh… what did you tell to Nash, Grey? He seemed to be not… mad?'

It was then, Nash came back on his senses and asked, "I'm sorry but what is it again? I was listening to Grey's story."

Hearing it, Gin repeat the same questions he had and told it to Nash. With a low Ah coming from Nash, he began to explain the place they're going in this tutorial.

"I forgot to tell you." Nash scratches his cheek as he paused after. He continued, "Actually the place we all are going is called the safe zone. Like the name implies, a zone where it is safe. It is placed on the deepest part of the tutorial and we're moving towards it. That's why they're no monsters chasing us."

Hearing it, Gin just nodded but what he had clearly heard, sounded unbelievable, 'A route with no monsters? It sounds ridiculous but we don't have a choice. I just needed to stick and follow him.'

He then said out loud, "I see. I thought we're just going nowhere. I'm just scared that something will jump up from the shadows while I remain unguarded. Thank you."

Nash shakes his head and said with a measurement tone, "I should be the one thanking you. It will be problematic if you're being worried for nothing. Just keep running and I assure you that no monsters will be coming.

"Sure," Gin said happily even though what he said was a lie.

His guard was still up from the start and he didn't let it down a little until now.

Minutes passed, Gin and the others were finally at the entrance of the so-called safe zone.

Seeing it made Gin surprised and inwardly said with a shock, 'Huh? This is a safe zone?? I thought it's only a small place for everyone to stay but this…! It's more like a village!'

Not only Gin was surprised but also everyone present.

Astonishment was plastered on their face. Some are even jaw dropped from seeing it.

They looked inside the gigantic area, which is as big as when they had been transferred. Inside, they're huts that aren't large as a house, a cave that is enough for the people to stay. Another thing is tables and chairs are placed everywhere.

It was really like a normal village.

'The entrance is as big as when the tutorial has started. But this area inside is bigger than that place.' Gin said inwardly with a surprised tone. 'Wow...'

At the side, Grey also looked at it with a surprise with his mouth dropping, "Hyung… it's big. Is this real?"

"It's real, Grey." Gin answered him before he roams his eyes around, to see if people are there but no one was inside.

'Eh?'

He then narrowed his eyes at the other side and saw that it had the same entrance as the one they were entering. 'What the…'

Seeing it, Gin began to ponder why it was the case. Just to check, he rubs his eyes but he still saw the same thing. After some thinking, an answer appeared in his mind.

"Is this made by the people who are also summoned on this world?" Gin murmured as he holds his chin while looking at the zone.

At the side, Nash's expression changed into a surprise one.

He then accidentally blurted out the words inside his thoughts, saying"How did you kn—"

But as Nash was about to say it, he quickly closed his mouth tightly, noticing the mistake he just made.

But Gin clearly heard it and stated his deduction, "It's just a guess but I think the people made it. Maybe they deduce that people are also coming here and made this place for the others to be safe. After that, the people maybe find this thing accidentally...?"

Gin paused, "Whatever the reasons they have, it is good finding this Nash."

He then looked at Nash and said, 'So that's why you're turning around every time. It was to find this place. This is good, Nash. This is not a bad place to stay."

Clearly forgetting that he would share his food with everyone inside, Gin gives a thumbs up at Nash and said, "Nice find."

Still surprised, Nash open his mouth slowly and blurted out embarrassing words, "I-I see. You really are a smart guy huh, Hyung."

Hearing it, Gin was surprised for a moment before he looked at Nash with a questioning face, "Hyung??"

It was then Nash realized the thing he said was really weird. Although many people's faces would become red saying it, Nashis is still as expressionless as ever.

But...

"Ah Y-You see when Grey keeps calling you Hyung so that just came out in my mouth. And I think it is disrespectful to call you by name when you are older than me so—"

His mind and face are different. He began to stutter again, Gin began to chuckle.

Seeing it, Nash stopped and said, "W-what?"

Gin smiled faintly and said, "Nothing. Just call me whatever you want."

Gin paused and started to enter inside the zone, "Let's go in. Some people are already finding places to stay, we should do that too."

Nash smiled faintly and said. "Yes, Hey… Gin."

"Hey, hey. What are you two talking about? Smiling and laughing all by yourself. Come on, tell me!" Grey suddenly interjected at the two.

It was then his initial plan was moving smoothly, 'Yes, we all be staying here for 3 months, right? That sounds nice.'

Thinking about it, he then began to ask Nash who he thought he had the same idea as him, "Anyways do you have a plan, Nash? What we will be doing here?"

'Say we're staying here for 3 months…'

But what Gin expected didn't happen.

"Uhm… is it okay for me to do the plan though? I think Gin will be the good one." Nash said with a serious tone, looking at Gin in the eyes.

'Oy, what's with your stare? It's scary, you know? It felt like you're contradicting yourself there.' Gin said inwardly, continuing, 'Well, it doesn't matter, right? I think we have the same thing in mind.'

While walking, Gin said. "I think it would be good if you do the planning. If I do it and tell the people inside what to do, they will just ignore me because you're the one who saves their life, Nash. It's not like I have one in mind, really..."

'I literally have one in mind but I know Nash is thinking the same as me. right?'

Listening to the two, Grey, whose hand is placed on his neck, said his opinion, "Well, if Hyung says so, then I think it is good to trust you."

Hearing the two, Nash smiled faintly before he said, "Thank you."

He paused, "Then, I needed to find 2 more members first. There are two people that I had in mind, so just go to that room and wait for me."

As he said it, Nash pointed his finger to a small room that is good for many people to stay. He continued, "I'll go get them and meet both of them."

The two nodded unhesitantly but Gin still had doubts on his mind. Even so, he still followed Nash anyways.

As Gin walked towards the room, he had a thought about the two Nash mentioned. 'Hmm... does the two he mentioned will be joining cleaning with us? They're dust everywhere."

'Hmm… is the two people he will get here, will be cleaning with us? They're dust everywhere.

…

"Hey, Hyung. Can you guess what kind of people Nash is finding?" Grey asked as he lies down on a sofa inside the room.

Sitting at one chair, Gin answered, "A person who cleans maybe."

Hearing an answer which he didn't expect, Grey began to laugh out loud, "What? Hahahaha! Why would we clean here?"

Hearing the laugh of Grey that is so genuine, Gin turned around and can't help but think, 'Why did he laugh. I'm just telling the truth.'

As he was about to say it, he could hear Grey snorting on his place. He had fallen asleep while talking.

Checking that Grey was really asleep, he goes through his Status Window and saw that only a little had changed.

As he moved his eyes to it, he saw that something is not here a while ago. 'Oh… something is new here.'

Gin could see something besides his occupation, saying that something was available. Curious about it, he clicks it and noticed that jobs are available and all of them are related to the shooting.

Thinking, he then made a choice, 'Hmm… this is the best choice. Not too hard but not too easy either.'

Clicking it, he then felt something change inside him. Although it was faint, he clearly felt it but disregards it after. He then proceeds to look at his stats but nothing noteworthy happened. But the proficiency of his attribute that is zero, was increased to .60.

"Hmm… The system said I can unlock its full potential if I can upgrade it, but how do I upgrade it." Gin said out loud and felt someone answer his question.

] Forced Task Applied [

[It's easy to upgrade it. Kiddo.]

With the screen appearing, Gin froze at the spot when it was the same thing he saw before the task starts. He knew it was not the system so he began to take suspicion on this unknown screen.

'Is this the one who has given me these eyes? Wait for a moment… how this unknown being can do this stuff? If this unknown entity is the one who has given it to me, then is it trash?' Gin mused inwardly.

"Hey, are you the one who has given me this? Is this trash, the same as you?" Gin looked up and asked in the air.

Everyone who would be looking at him right now would think he is crazy, but not himself. As the screen keep showing, he knew that the screen talking to him is real.

One was a coincidence and if become two, it will be not like that anymore.

] Forced Task Applied [

[Your eyes are special so don't worry about it. And what do you mean trash? You're even trashier than me.]

Seeing it, Gin formed a surprised expression and question inwardly, 'This thing doesn't even make sense.'

Then, he tried to call it again but no screen appeared in front of him anymore.

'Did I do something bad on the first—' Gin said and was stopped, when he heard someone knocking from the door.

Knock!

As the knocking didn't stop, Gin paused himself before he turned around to look at the door.

He then said inwardly, 'It must be Nash. Sigh and why would I care about what the screen said? I'll just figure it out on my own.'

Having a decision, Gin walk towards the door and opened it with a smile. Opening it, he saw Nash coming in. "Welco—"

Looking at the two behind Nash, Gin stiffened while maintaining his smile. To be precise, the two good-looking girls he saw earlier, that he wanted to team up with, are now in front of him.

He froze at the door while thinking about the events that happened between him and Nash. The way he talked to him when they entered the safe zone and many more, resurfaced again on his mind.

'Nash don't tell me—'

As the two walk together with Nash inside, Gin's doubts are starting to take over him. 'I thought we're on the same page, Nash…. I thought… We are right… right…right?!'

As he thought of it, his min started to think about the events happening inside the room. And him, he will watch all of those unfolding in his eyes.

'Ah… fuck this.'