8 Chapter 8: The Eyes Beyond
Sweat.
The juice that comes out of your body due to external heat or when your body itself rises in temperature due to extreme usage or fever. More than 97% of sweat is made up of water, leaving the remaining percent to salt and a very minuscule tinge of carbamide.
And right now, Zac's body is currently covered with it. He has been walking with the sweltering heat of the sun as his only companion for a few hours now. It was a wonder that he still even had sweat to release. A few hours more, then he was sure the only thing that would be coming out of his body was sand.
The sun. Day… daylight.
Something that shouldn't exist in the Curtains. Zac has cleared thousands of Curtains, and with all of them, the moon greeted him and stayed with him to his last step. One of his bags was filled with flashlights in anticipation of this.
Zac had prepared for any danger that might swallow him up inside the Gold Curtain; even bringing all sorts of explosives, guns, swords, daggers, and a whole bag of survival tools that he could get his hands on from the internet.
Of course, he knew that no matter how much he prepared for any possible situation; there was almost no guarantee that things would go his way.
But the sun?
And add to that, he had lost every item he had down to his clothes.
What kind of evil shit thought of this?
He had no weapons, no food, and no water.
The only thing he had right now was the [Hobgoblin's Loincloth] as well as [Pigeon Wing] — items that were stored in his [Inventory]. But alas, only things that were received or gotten from the Curtain are allowed to be stored in the [Inventory], if not, then Zac wouldn't even be bringing 2 heavy bags in the first place.
He should have at least kept the goblin's staff with him so that he could have something to support his legs… but alas, he left it with his mother. If it wasn't for the loincloth he was wearing, then he was sure his butt crack would already be filled with sand… that is, if it wasn't already.
"This is enough…
…Open Shop."
A large hologram that had a similar UI to a popular online store instantly appeared in front of Zac.
He had been deliberating on whether to spend some of the Zenny he got as a bonus from being the first to clear a Curtain, but had been resisting the urge to do so for hours now; he wanted to save it to buy [Skill Scrolls] for the Class he was going to get in this Curtain.
Weapons, equipment, and the like could easily be received from the monsters and treasures that the Curtain contained. [Skill Scrolls], on the other hand, were much rarer to come by; with the chances almost being close to 1 percent.
The upside is, the same with equipment, they can be bought from the System's [Shop] as soon as you unlock a [Class], with the downside being they are extremely expensive.
The 150,000 Zenny he got? That would melt like butter on a hot pan as soon as he started buying them. It might not even be enough to buy 4 of them; so he made a promise to himself that he wouldn't use it until otherwise completely necessary for his survival.
Zac had survived worse situations, after all. If something like this was enough to bring him down, then he wouldn't have made it to the end of the Apocalypse. But alas, he seemed to have underestimated the fragility of his current body.
"System, at times like these..." Zac then whispered as he scanned through the myriad of choices that the System's Shop was selling,
"...I wish you sold food and water."
But once again, alas.
[Basic Heat-resistant Robe] x 1
[Basic Goggles] x 1
[Basic Steel Daggers] x 2
[Basic Composite Bow] x 1
[Stone Arrows] x 8
[150,000 Z -> 142,420 Z]
"I have a premonition this is not the last time I am spending my money," Zac then let out a short but deep sigh as he closed the [Shop] and opened up his [Inventory]. And without even missing a beat, tapped some of the things he bought that were now resting on the slots there.
And as soon as he did so, a bright, slightly blue light covered his body; and with their disappearance, revealed Zac now finally clothed. His robes, flailing on the scorching wind; snapping at the daggers hanging on his waist as his eyes stare
He finally once again looked like a survivor in the Apocalypse, but a far cry from the Supreme Mage he once was.
And so, once again, Zac began to walk through the unending desert he finds himself in.
He continued to walk.
...and walk.
...and walk.
...and crawl.
"...I really am fucked," Zac then rolled around and laid his back on the sand; his voice as coarse as his dried lips; his red and almost sunken eyes looking at the moon that has greeted him several times now.
6 days. He has been walking through this endless desert for 6 continuous days now; if it wasn't for his increased [Vitality], then he would have definitely died by now.
"In… Inventory."
Zac's trembling finger tapped one of the items he had inside his [Inventory], and as soon as he did so, a vial containing some sort of red liquid appeared in his hand. And after a breath that almost seemed like it came from a ghost, he gulped the contents of the vial in one go.
Zac could once again feel his body regaining strength as he supported himself up-- this, however, was completely temporary. What he drank just now was something called a [Healing Potion], courtesy of the System's Shop.
The [Healing Potion] is able to recover lost fatigue, and even heal minor wounds. What it did not do, however, was alleviate thirst; as a matter of fact, it even increased dehydration. Pee was also not an option, as with his current state, it was akin to drinking ocean water.
And even with the potion helping him recover from his lost fatigue, the fact that the extreme hunger that felt like it was eating him from the inside out still remained.
In short, he is dying — and the only thing that is preventing him from croaking are the [Healing Potions] that he had been drinking for almost 3 days now.
[82,420 Z]
And they were expensive.
"..."
"..."
"...Fuck!" Zac then once again roared, his voice that reverberated throughout the desert for almost an entire minute made the sand tremble from how hoarse it was.
Where were the monsters?
What was he even supposed to do in this Curtain!?
If it was going to turn out like this, then he should have just kept his [Mage] Class and just used all of his knowledge to become even stronger than before.
But no, his old ass had to be greedy.
The Supreme Mage, dying alone in a desert. Chris and the others would surely be laughing at him if they heard.
"Enough… this is enough," Zac once again opened his [Inventory], his finger slowly making its way towards the [Pigeon Wing].
He promised himself that he wouldn't give up, no matter what.
But this Curtain… something about it was different.
Even if he already gave the [Tome of Mage] to her mother, he could always find one from another Curtain since he was more than capable of doing so… there was no use in staying in a place which had the single purpose of killing him.
"Goodbye, fucking abomination of a Curtain," And with his middle finger tapping the [Pigeon Wing], Zac's whole body lit up; and as soon as the light was gone… he was still there.
[Pigeon Wing is not usable in this zone.]
"Hm… Of course..." Zac closed his eyes as he let out a weak sigh,
...Of course it's not."
***
[Insufficient Zenny!]
"Heh…"
[Insufficient Zenny!]
"Hehehe…"
[In-- In-- Insufficient Zenny!]
"Hahahaha!"
Zac no longer knew if the laughter he was hearing was actually coming from him. His legs were also probably moving by sheer willpower alone; as well as his finger which had been desperately wanting to buy another [Healing Potion] for what seemed like a full day now.
Weeks?
Perhaps even a month?
His mind was now as empty as his stomach; with not even the thought of food emerging from it. He was more akin to a zombie than a human… even his steps would agree.
Seconds.
Minutes.
Hours.
Another hour, then he would probably die.
More than a hundred years, he survived the Apocalypse; only to die once again on its very first day.
"Ha… Ha--"
A peal of laughter once again wanted to escape from his mouth, but before they could continue to whisper in the air; a light thud drummed in Zac's ears.
Zac's eyes then blinked a couple of times as he looked at his finger, which created the subtle thud. He once again tapped it, only for another thud to whisper into his ears.
"A… wall?" Zac then said as he finally realized that something was blocking his path; preventing him from walking any further.
Was this… the end of the Curtain? He thought as his eyes moved from left to right, only to see an almost endless wall covering the entire horizon… no, it was not only the horizon, as even the clouds seemed to be blocked by the weird wall.
Zac once again tapped his finger on it, as it was the only thing his dying mind could think of at the moment... but this time, he felt a warm feeling surrounding his finger.
"...This?" Zac quickly whispered as his nose quickly recognized the scent, and without even hesitating… he placed his damp finger in his mouth.
"Is this…
...Water?"
And without even a pause from his words, his mouth opened up; placing his tongue close so that he would be able to drink this... juice. He was wrong, it didn't taste anything like water.
Zac did not mind, however, as his body was now moving on its own with only one goal — consume. It could be poison, but what does it matter at this point?
He was going to die either way.
"..."
"Oh my..."
And perhaps if he was thinking straight; if he would just looked above him…
...he would have seen the colossal eyes staring at him beyond the skies.
"...now what do we have here?"
