Chapter 66: Should I Go?

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[DAY 5 HAS STARTED]

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The familiar system notification appeared above Nobody’s bed. Sunlight didn’t exist inside the tutorial space. Yet somehow the message alone felt like a morning alarm.

Nobody groaned.

"...Five more minutes."

The system immediately responded.

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[Request Denied] (ᵕ—ᴗ—)

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Nobody stared at the floating screen. "...You’re getting ruder every day."

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[Correction] (｡ᵕ ◞ _◟)

User Is Becoming Lazier Every Day

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"...Fair."

With a long sigh, Nobody sat up. The blanket slid from his shoulders. For a moment he simply stared at the ceiling. His body felt surprisingly refreshed. The benefits of sleeping inside the tutorial space were ridiculous.

Nobody stretched both arms.

CRACK.

CRACK.

"Now that’s a good sleep."

Blossom Bunny appeared beside the pillow. "Atta!"

Nobody smiled. "Morning, buddy."

Blossom immediately jumped onto his shoulder. "Atta!"

The system appeared again.

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[Reminder] 〜⁠(⁠꒪⁠⁠ᴗ꒪⁠)⁠〜

Stage Five Scheduled Today

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Nobody’s smile faded slightly. "...Right."

The next stage couldn’t possibly be normal.

"...Well....No point worrying about it."

Nobody stood up, washed up and adjusted his office clothes.

Then left Room 1308.

The hallway was quiet. Blue lights glowed along the walls.

Nobody walked calmly toward the tutorial chamber. Blossom sat comfortably on his shoulder.

The large chamber doors opened automatically.

FWOOOOSH.

Nobody stepped inside.

Then immediately noticed something unusual.

Ren wasn’t sitting on the couch.

Instead....he was standing looking toward one of the giant transparent walls. His hands were clasped behind his back.

Nobody blinked. "...Whoa. Did somebody steal your couch?"

Ren didn’t respond immediately. Several seconds passed.

Then....

without turning around....

he spoke. "You woke up, huh?"

Nobody walked farther into the room. "Yeah. Had a heck of a sleep."

A small smile appeared on Ren’s face. "Good." The response sounded genuine. Not sarcastic and teasing.

Which immediately made Nobody suspicious. "...Okay. Now I’m concerned."

Ren finally turned around. His crimson eyes settled on Nobody. For some reason he seemed calmer than usual. He nodded once. "Today you’ll train in Stage Five."

Nobody crossed his arms. "Yeah. I figured."

The system appeared.

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[Stage Five Preparation In Progress]

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Nobody looked at the screen. Then back at Ren. Then back at the screen. Then back at Ren. "...Why do I feel like everyone knows something I don’t?"

Ren chuckled softly. "Because they probably do."

"Not helping."

Ren shook his head. Then unexpectedly walked closer.

Nobody immediately became more alert. Not because he thought Ren would attack him. But because Ren rarely acted this serious.

Ren stopped a few feet away. Then spoke. "Bowlcut."

Nobody blinked. "...Yeah?"

Ren looked directly at him. "I know I can be harsh on you sometimes."

Nobody immediately pointed. "Sometimes? You’re basically a professional bully."

Ren ignored him. "As I was saying...I know I can be harsh on you." The rabbit coach folded his arms. "But take care during this stage."

Nobody’s smile slowly faded. That wasn’t Ren being Ren. It sounded like an actual warning.

Nobody stared for several moments. "...Ren."

The rabbit coach remained silent.

"...Why do you sound like that?" Nobody scratched the back of his head. Then laughed awkwardly. "...You’re scaring me now."

For a brief moment....

Ren’s expression changed. Just slightly. But it was enough for Nobody to notice.

The familiar smirk returned. "Don’t worry. It’s nothing."

Nobody immediately narrowed his eyes. "That’s exactly what people say before something horrible happens."

Ren laughed. "Fair point."

"REN."

"What?"

"You’re doing it again."

Ren raised an eyebrow. "Doing what?"

"Being suspicious."

The system suddenly appeared between them.

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[Analysis] ( ≖‿≖ )

Coach Ren Is Acting Suspicious

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Nobody immediately pointed. "SEE?! Even the system agrees."

Ren looked at the floating screen. "...Traitor."

The system displayed another notification.

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[Statement Logged]

I’m sad. Bad Ren(っ╥﹏╥ς)

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Nobody burst out laughing.

For a moment....the tension eased. Well just a little. But even then something still felt off.

Nobody couldn’t explain it. He had spent days training with Ren. Getting thrown into life-threatening situations.

Yet today felt different. As if Ren wanted to say something. But couldn’t.

Nobody slowly adjusted his crowbars. "...This stage isn’t normal, is it?"

Ren remained silent. Which was answer enough.

Nobody swallowed. "...How bad?"

Ren sighed. Then finally smiled. "Let’s just say...Don’t put your guard down no matter what."

Nobody immediately looked horrified. "THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF REASSURING."

Blossom Bunny nodded rapidly. "Atta! Atta!"

"See? Even Blossom agrees!"

Ren laughed. Then snapped his fingers.

SNAP.

Blue particles immediately began gathering around Nobody.

The familiar teleportation effect appeared.

Stage Five was ready.

Ren looked toward him one last time. His expression briefly becoming serious again. "...Good luck, Bowlcut."

Nobody stared. "...You never say good luck."

"There’s a first time for everything."

The blue particles intensified. The teleportation sequence began.

And for the first time since entering the tutorial, Nobody wasn’t worried about the monster. He was worried about why Ren looked worried.

The blue particles continued gathering around Nobody’s body slowly.

Unlike previous teleportations. Almost as if the tutorial itself was taking longer than usual to prepare Stage Five.

Nobody immediately noticed. "...That’s weird."

The system appeared.

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[Stage Five Initialization]

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𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶...

▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓░░░░░░░░░░ 55%

The loading bar moved very slowly.

Nobody pointed at it. "See? Even the loading screen is nervous."

Ren snorted. "You’re impossible."

Nobody folded his arms. "No. You’re suspicious."

Ren sighed. "Here we go again."

Nobody narrowed his eyes. "You know something."

"No."

"You do."

"I don’t."

"You absolutely do."

Ren rubbed his forehead. The conversation felt like arguing with a particularly stubborn brick wall. Unfortunately the brick wall was Nobody.

Nobody took another step closer. "Ren."

"What?!!"

"Look me in the eyes and tell me Stage Five is normal."

Ren immediately looked away.

Nobody gasped dramatically. "HA! YOU LOOKED AWAY!"

The system appeared.

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[Observation Confirmed]

(╭ರ_•́)

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Ren looked at the system. "...Why are you helping him?"

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[Unknown]

It Kinda Feels Fun( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)

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"...Useful as always." Nobody grinned triumphantly.

For a moment Ren looked like he regretted teaching him anything.

Then the rabbit coach crossed his arms. "Listen."

Nobody immediately became attentive. Ren rarely used that tone.

The giant transparent walls reflected soft blue light around them. Even Blossom Bunny seemed to notice.

The little summon sat quietly on Nobody’s shoulder. "Atta..."

Ren spoke slowly. "Everything you’ve faced so far...The orc, the wolves, the centipedes, the brain monster....Those things were dangerous."

Nobody nodded. "No argument there. I almost became dog food on the second stage."

Ren continued. "But they were still tutorial enemies."

Nobody blinked. "...Tutorial enemies?"

"Yes." The rabbit coach walked toward one of the glowing walls.

His reflection appeared faintly against the transparent surface.

"They exist to train people. They exist to test people. They exist to challenge people."

Nobody listened carefully.

Ren looked back. "Stage Five is different."

The chamber became quiet again.

Nobody felt his stomach tighten slightly. "...Different how?"

Ren remained silent for several seconds. Then he answered. "The things you’ll encounter there...aren’t training tools."

Nobody blinked. He scratched his head. "...Okay....Now you’re making it sound like I’m entering a horror movie."

Ren’s expression remained unchanged. "...Maybe."

Nobody’s smile disappeared. "...Oh." He genuinely felt nervous.

The rabbit coach noticed immediately.

And oddly enough he looked slightly guilty about it.

Nobody pointed. "See? That face."

"What face?"

"The one where you regret saying something."

Ren immediately looked annoyed. "I don’t make that face."

"You literally just did."

The system appeared.

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[Coach Ren Made That Face]

(¬ᴗ ´¬ )

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"...TRAITOR." Ren said to system.

Nobody laughed.

Even Ren’s ears twitched in irritation.

Blossom Bunny looked between them. "Atta?"

Nobody patted the bunny. "It’s okay. Ren is just emotionally compromised."

Ren threw a cushion.

SMACK!

Nobody caught it. "...Violence."

"Deserved violence."

"Still violence."

For a brief moment...the atmosphere became lighter again.

Then the Stage Five loading bar advanced another few percent. Everyone’s attention shifted toward it.

Nobody looked at the progress. Then looked at Ren. "...Can I ask something?"

Ren nodded. "Sure."

Nobody hesitated. Then finally spoke. "...Do you think I’m strong enough?"

The question surprised even him. Even the system remained silent.

Ren stared at him for several seconds.

Nobody suddenly felt embarrassed. "Forget I asked."

"No." Ren shook his head. Then walked closer. "You want an honest answer?"

Nobody nodded.

Ren pointed directly at him. "You’re weaker than you think."

Nobody immediately frowned. "...Thanks."

"But." Ren continued. "You’re also stronger than you think."

Nobody paused.

The rabbit coach folded his arms.

"When you first arrived here...You barely survived an orc."

Nobody winced. "...Fair."

"You panicked against wolves."

"Fair."

"You screamed against centipedes."

"...Extremely fair."

"You almost cried against the brain monster."

"...Okay, that’s rude."

Ren ignored him. "But every single time....you adapted."

Nobody slowly became quiet.

Ren wasn’t wrong.

The wolves had forced him to improve his stamina. The centipedes had improved his combat instincts. The brain monster had tested his mind. Each stage had changed him.

Little by little without him noticing.

Ren looked directly at him. "You aren’t strong because you’re powerful."

Nobody blinked.

The rabbit coach pointed again. "You’re strong because you refuse to stay down."

For several seconds....

Nobody didn’t know what to say. Even Blossom Bunny became quiet.

Then.....the system appeared.

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[Statement Accepted]

ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)

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Nobody smiled slightly. "...Thanks."

Ren immediately pointed. "Don’t get emotional."

"Too late."

"Don’t."

"Already happening."

Ren groaned.

The system suddenly generated another message.

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[Embarrassment of User Detected]

(„• ֊ •„)

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"SHUT UP." Nobody laughed.

Even Ren ended up smiling.

For a brief moment, the concern in his eyes disappeared.

Then...

DING!

A notification echoed throughout the chamber. Everyone looked upward.

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The loading bar finally reached completion.

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[STAGE FIVE READY]

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The room became silent.

Blue particles intensified around Nobody. The teleportation process began fully.

This was it.

No more delays.

No more preparation.

No more warnings.

Nobody looked toward Ren one final time. "...I’ll come back."

Ren smirked. "Try to."

"You bet."

"Good luck my trainee. Come Back Safely"

Nobody froze. The words sounded strange coming from him. It felt genuine.

Blossom Bunny jumped onto Nobody’s shoulder. "Atta!"

Nobody took a deep breath. The particles grew brighter.

FLASH!!

And Nobody disappeared from the tutorial chamber entirely.