I Awakened With My Dark History - Chapter 02

========== CHAPTER 2 ==========

Amidst a disaster where it was hard to even keep one’s sanity, there was exactly one funny thing.

“You really… don’t let go of that notebook, do you.”

“I think it’s funny, too…”

I was gasping for air, pushing through water that had risen up to my thighs.

There was no one else to be seen around us.

How many forks in the road had we encountered while running this far?

The maze-like path had dumped us somewhere we didn’t even know.

Would they even be able to find us if the hunters arrived?

That question occurred to me belatedly.

“But what are we going to do now that we’re all scattered?”

It seemed Choi Arin had arrived at the same thought as me.

I wanted to bawl like a child, but I was afraid a monster might find us if I did.

“I don’t know…”

I felt a burning sensation inside my nose. The water was cold and getting colder, but my head was heating up.

It was probably because I was on the verge of tears.

I forcibly swallowed the hot lump in my throat and waded through the water.

“Hey, hey. Where are you going?”

“If we stay in this water, we’ll get hypothermia. We have to find a place without water.”

Choi Arin opened her mouth in admiration and stuck close to my side.

We linked arms and relied on each other’s body heat.

Choi Arin, who had been walking diligently beside me, muttered out of the blue.

“By the way, do you know what time it is? How long has it been since we fell into the dungeon?”

“I don’t know. Don’t you have your phone?”

“I left it at home. To charge it. But don’t electronic devices stop working inside a dungeon?”

Still, I should be able to see the time. Thinking that, I fumbled in my pocket.

Even though I had moved so violently earlier, the phone was safely in my pocket.

I took out the phone and turned on the screen.

“Whoa.”

Perhaps the impact when I fell to the ground was significant, as the screen was cracked all over.

“What time is it?”

“Time? I can’t see it… But the date isn’t today’s date.”

I took my eyes off the blacked-out part and focused on the flickering numbers below it.

“Month 29, Day 134.”

“Oh.”

“Year 16,578.”

“Wow.”

The exclamation beside me was too absurd.

Of course, it wasn’t as absurd as the numbers on the phone.

“The phone didn’t just break; it broke in a groundbreaking way.”

I shoved the latest model phone, which had now been demoted to a blunt weapon, into my pocket.

I bought it with a student discount, too.

As if trying to escape reality, only other thoughts came to mind.

Then.

Kya-r-r-r. Ttudeuk. Ttudeuk.

Along with the high-pitched cry of a monster, I heard a sound like teeth grinding.

As soon as I heard the sound echoing through the long, narrow passage, goosebumps rose on my back.

“Ru-run.”

“Hurry. Hurry.”

We grabbed each other’s arms tightly and started running in a panic.

The water, which had risen to our thighs, hindered our movement, but we couldn’t stop our feet.

Aquatic creatures could move without making a sound in the water.

The only way to avoid them was to be diligent.

How long did we run in a formation that reminded me of a three-legged race?

We probably hadn’t run very far. The water blocked our feet, and we were already exhausted.

I said we were running, but it was practically walking.

In the midst of that, we made a whole lot of splashing noise.

The monsters had no trouble finding us.

Kya-r-r-r.

The shrill cry got a little closer.

The movement of something slightly revealing itself above the water surface and then disappearing was nothing but ominous.

It was truly a miracle that the path caught my eye at that moment.

“Choi Arin, there, there! Go that way! To the side!”

“What? What path? Where!”

“On the right! There’s a path! Up! Look up!”

The path that slanted to the right was at a height where the water couldn’t reach.

I didn’t know where it led, but we had to avoid the water for now.

“Where is there a path?!”

“Ugh, seriously! Here!”

“Ah, wait, wait! Don’t push! I’ll fall!”

I forcibly shoved Choi Arin’s body.

Choi Arin’s hand finally reached the path that was wide open above.

Choi Arin looked at me with a brightened expression.

Is now the time to look at me?!

“What are you doing! Get in quickly!”

“Ah, right!”

The path leading upward wasn’t easy to enter, either.

Only after missing her footing several times did Choi Arin manage to crawl up.

In the meantime, the monster was getting closer by the second.

“Grab my hand! I’ll pull you up! Hurry, hurry! Hurry!”

“Okay!”

“Not one hand, give me both! Drop the notebook and give me both hands! Argh!”

“Hey, hey, hey! Don’t slip! Hold on tight!”

While throwing the notebook into the path, I grabbed Choi Arin’s arm tightly.

Now the monster was close enough to be seen.

The monster came rushing toward us with its body completely half-exposed out of the water.

Ttudeuk. Ttudeuk.

With the sound of teeth grinding, it lunged at me.

At the same time, Choi Arin pulled me hard into the path.

Crunch.

“…”

“…”

What was that sound?

Neither I nor Choi Arin understood the situation well.

But it was Choi Arin who turned pale first.

“Kyaaaack!”

A scream rang out loudly through the narrow path.

I turned my head to look at what Choi Arin was seeing.

The monster was chewing on something.

And the water was red.

Even though I recognized that, I didn’t feel any pain.

Instead, I could see the notebook lying far away, spread wide open.

The situation and my thoughts couldn’t align and got mixed up.

The last thought I had was this.

‘Wow, if that ends up being my legacy, I’m truly screwed.’

And so, a dark unconsciousness descended.

In the darkness, a strange sound brushed against my ears.

Ding—

The notification sound kept ringing inside the dungeon where even a cell phone couldn’t ring.

The notification sound kept interrupting my pouring sleep.

Choi Arin blinked. She couldn’t see what was in front of her properly without doing so.

Tears heavily obscured her vision.

It was partly because of the tears that had burst out from fear, and partly because of the overwhelming emotion right now.

Udeuk. Udeuk. Deudeuk.

Unlike the eerie sound coming from below, her friend was slowly rising to her feet.

The light faintly emanating from her body signaled some kind of anomaly.

It was a sight she had occasionally seen in breaking news or videos containing the situation from the early days of dungeon occurrences.

“Cho, Cho-eun? Ha Cho-eun? Are, are you… okay? Did you awaken? Did you awaken?”

Her friend had had her entire lower body gone, but suddenly, she had perfectly fine legs.

Her friend slowly lifted her head.

“Ha Cho-eun?”

And she asked back as if it were strange.

Choi Arin couldn’t help but look at her friend as if she were strange, too.

And at the same time, bright pink petals poured down from above her head, and pitch-black bushes sprouted from under her feet.

The moment she thought the two met in the center, flames swirled, and her friend’s appearance appeared again.

“Cho-eun!”

For a moment, Choi Arin thought of an impression that didn’t fit the situation.

‘…What is this, a magical girl transformation?’

The friend who reappeared looked similar if one were to compare it to that impression.

Crimson eyes, hair flowing down in silver, two pairs of black wings like a dragonfly, and golden triangular ears rising on top of her head.

It was as if all sorts of characters had been messily woven together.

Kya-r-r-r. Ttudeuk. Ttudeuk.

The monster, whose hunger wasn’t satisfied yet, didn’t wait any longer and lunged at her.

Its large body leaped above the water surface, revealing sharp teeth.

But at that moment, a very cheerful and lively voice was heard.

“Oh my.”

Choi Arin reflexively turned her gaze to follow that voice.

And she discovered that the eyes, which had been crimson, were now glowing faintly with a pink light.

“Hey, you guys.”

Vines suddenly grew from all directions at the words shouted with a smiling face.

The plants, which she didn’t even know were there, wrapped around the monster like ropes.

The monster was now in a position where it was tied up tightly by the plants and struggling.

“You’re a bad person. You shouldn’t attack others. If you do things like that, you’re going to get in. trou. ble.”

Watching that scene, Choi Arin thought of a truly absurd, nonsensical, and funny hypothesis.

But her brain, soaked in panic, threw that thought out of her mouth just as it was.

“Uh… Chloris?”

The friend, who had been puzzled when called Ha Cho-eun, turned to look at her.

“Do you know me?”

“Wow.”

Choi Arin reflexively fumbled for her pocket.

She wanted to capture this scene on video, keep it, and present it at her friend’s 70th birthday party.

“Ah, right! I left my phone behind!”

However, unfortunately, her phone was currently sleeping in the rubble of the collapsed apartment.

“Huh? What is that?”

“Oh? No, it’s nothing in particular, really?”

Choi Arin answered awkwardly and shook her head.

Even while doing so, her hand slowly picked up the notebook that had fallen to the floor.

Her friend had made a huge fuss about never letting anyone see it, but she needed this item right now.

Fairy: Flora Anemone Chloris

A fairy born in a flower field.

Very good and kind. Grew up only in a flower field, so has a pure personality.

Actions are cute, so other fairies adore her.

“Ah, this is driving me crazy.”

Choi Arin had encountered a very difficult dilemma at this moment.

If you discover your friend’s embarrassing past, how should you react?

Tease her.

Tease her excitedly.

Tease her enthusiastically.

Tease her until I die.

Pretend I don’t know for the sake of my friend’s honor.

There was one very difficult correct answer.

Choi Arin hung her head low and her shoulders shook. Then, her friend with the peculiar appearance approached her.

“Oh my, is something wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Her shoulders shook even more violently at the voice, which was much more delicate and gentle than usual.

If it were up to her heart, she would have laughed out loud right now.

But Choi Arin mustered up her loyalty and survival instinct.

She didn’t know about loyalty, but her survival instinct led Choi Arin to the clear correct answer.

Pretend I don’t know for the sake of my friend’s honor.

“Sob, hehe, it’s just, it’s just so sad! Sob!”

Let’s cry! I’d rather cry!

Having decided that, Choi Arin sobbed desperately.

“You’re sad? Why? Oh my, is there anything I can do to help?”

“Please, hehehe, stop talking.”

Even in this situation, funny things were funny, and her brain kept working.

‘Cho-eun, Cho-eun. What on earth did you watch to write this down? Girl Warrior? Strawberry Strawberry? Choco Choco? Mysterious Star? Marriage Twinkle?’

Unfortunately, her brain wasn’t working in any particularly meaningful way. Instead, only the sadness grew bigger and bigger.

“If you do not state your reason, this body cannot assist you. Do you not wish to live?”

The tone of voice suddenly changed from the bedside.

The voice also became husky, as if lowered a bit more.

It was as if the person had changed.

There was no way her friend had suddenly developed a split personality.

And there was nothing like that in the ‘settings’ of Chloris written in this notebook.

Choi Arin suppressed her sadness and flipped through the notebook.

Dark Fairy: Black Chloris

Chloris who was corrupted after being betrayed by humans

“Sob sob sob! Is it ‘Choco Choco’ by any chance?”

Let’s flip through it while crying. While crying.

Demon King: Kitreus

Natural condescension and a tone that elevates oneself.

Choi Arin believed in the possibility and opened her mouth.

“Excuse me, by any chance, sob sob sob… are you Kitreus?”

As she lifted her head while sobbing like that, she saw bright yellow eyes.

It was like the eyes of a beast discovered at night.

The entity with those eyes said.

“What is that, that bizarre name? Does this body’s name appear that bizarre to you?”

Is there anything else?

Please…

Choi Arin overcame her doubt and sadness and flipped through the notebook more.

Finally, one more revealed its true form.

Heavenly Fox

Choi Arin now felt unbearably sad and closed the notebook.

The crooked Chinese characters, like a poorly drawn picture, were so pathetic that she felt like her stomach would burst from laughing.

As she lowered her body to the floor and trembled, Ha Cho-eun (someone who couldn’t be called that) crossed her arms.

“Do you wish for me to abandon you and leave?”

“Nooo. Hehehehe. You see, we’re in a dungeon right now… and my parents and family are in danger.”

She didn’t know anymore if she was crying or laughing.

Choi Arin covered her face with the closed notebook and barely lifted her head.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, the other person moved her body.

“Helping humans who betrayed us doesn’t really appeal to me, but I will help you this time.”

“Sob sob, sob!”

Choi Arin ended up bursting into tears once again.