The Mysterious World

Chapter 7: An Ordinary Day

Selene's POV

Time has passed too quickly, and life has now taken an interesting turn. Today, on a typical windy day, I'm spending time with Gabriel, a new friend who's become important to me. He's a 30-year-old American, and we've developed a strong bond. What's remarkable is that he's now occupying the space that Paul left behind. It's a bit surreal, but it's also a reminder that life goes on, and new connections can be formed.

The fact that Gabriel is my floormate adds a sense of normalcy to our relationship. We're able to share experiences and support each other in ways that feel natural. I'm grateful for his presence in my life, and I'm looking forward to seeing where our friendship takes us.

Timekeeping has become an interesting challenge in this world. We've developed a way to estimate time, but it's not just based on natural observations like the flaming steel's flicker. The digital numbers on our wrists provide subtle cues, blinking four times a day at specific times: 12 noon, 12 midnight, 1:50 AM, and 2 AM.

I recently discovered this pattern, and it feels like a revelation. I'm still getting used to the idea that everyone else knows about it except me. It's amusing how my friends reacted when I confronted them – they laughed and teased me about not knowing something so obvious. A newcomer had to be the one to enlighten me, which added to the embarrassment.

It's not a major mystery, but it's an interesting quirk of this world. The fact that no one seems to care about my belated discovery is a reminder that we're all just trying to survive and make sense of this strange reality. I'll just have to roll with it and make sure to pay more attention to the blinking numbers on my wrist.

The patrol duty was going as usual, with Gabriel and me scanning the area for monsters.

"How's your kill count?" He asked.

"Far from my goal." I replied.

He suggested I switch to guns, but I reasoned that I was using the bow to train my focus and avoid attracting too much attention. I also mentioned that it was safer this way, and I could still hit my targets effectively.

Gabriel didn't seem to buy my reasons, and I could tell he was skeptical. He teased me, saying I was one of the best in the clan and that I should be using a g*n to attract more monsters. I let out a sigh, feeling a bit frustrated that he wouldn't understand my perspective.

When I told him that the bow belonged to Paul, his expression changed. He was amazed that Paul had used this bow, and I shared the story of how I came to possess it. I explained that Paul had engraved a message on the bow, with both our initials on it. Gabriel read the words slowly, 'Sad but happy. Together, there's nothing impossible! P n S' and for a moment, the mood was somber.

"Don't worry, I have a spare g*n in case things go bad. And besides, even if I use a g*n, it will still be so hard to have the kills if you're with somebody as good as you." I tried to lighten the mood by changing the subject. I avoided eye contact, trying to play it cool, but I could sense Gabriel's gaze on me. Despite the teasing, I knew he was looking out for me, and I appreciated his concern.

Gabriel's background is quite impressive. Despite being new to our clan, he's already made a name for himself as one of the best fighters. With nearly 200,000 kills under his belt, it's clear that he's an incredibly skilled fighter.

However, there's an interesting dynamic to his fighting style. Whenever he patrols with someone, they often end up with hardly any kills. It's as if he's absorbing all the attention from the monsters, leaving his partners with little to do. This has led to a bit of a reputation for him, but it's not necessarily a bad thing.

Gabriel's motivation for fighting is rooted in his belief that vanishing occurs when you reach 0 in kills. He's been trapped in this world for over two years, and his ultimate goal is to reach that point and vanish. It's a unique perspective, and one that drives him to keep fighting and accumulating kills.

"Woah! Stop that kind of look. Are you telling me it's my fault to be this good?" he boastfully said and chuckled.

The banter between Gabriel and me is always entertaining. He's confident and boastful about his skills, but I can tell he's also trying to help me improve. When I mentioned that he was too good and that it was hard for me to compete with him, he chuckled and teased me about it.

"I'm not saying it like that. But how can a simple girl like me compete with someone who was a sniper in his past life? You never miss their eye! You have the advantage!" I lowered my head, looking at the ground after saying those things to him. I was trying to hide my smile. I want to make him feel guilty.

"But lately you've been becoming as good as me. I'm sure you will become someone much better than me." He said.

"I'm not buying that compliment. You still have the power to make me feel small." I said, then pouted cutely like a kid.

"You're stirring up my conscience, huh? Not working on me, Princess. But that's why I am personally training you almost every morning to become a sharpshooter. If you could only focus on the guns and let go of the bow. I know now that it's important to you, but it wouldn't hurt if you let go now." Despite his tough exterior, Gabriel's been training me to become a better shooter, and I appreciate his efforts. However, I'm not willing to give up my bow just yet – I've grown attached to it.

"No. I'm not stirring up your conscience, and no, I'm not letting this go." I stared at the bow in my hands and hugged it.

"Fine, fine! Here's what we will do. I'll make a disturbance over there to attract more monsters. I'll just shoot their feet. You go for the kill. Or maybe just toss a grenade." He said seriously, suggesting that he create a diversion to attract more monsters, and I could take care of the kills.

"Are you serious? Promise me you'll let me reach thousands this afternoon!"

"Sure."

It turned out to be a successful strategy. I reached my goal for the week, actually, much more. As the day wore on, I started to get tired, but Gabriel's plan worked, and I had a productive afternoon.

"I thought you were the God of Greediness, but I was wrong." I jokingly said.

"God of Greediness?! Big words, Selene."

"Thank you, Gabe. And don't do this frequently, okay? I might start falling for you!" I said teasingly.

He just raised his middle finger and didn't even bother to look at me.

It's quite amazing how most of the people here found love in this chaotic world we're in. But with the guy I am with right now? I guess it is impossible. He once shared with me how he hated the idea of love even before he was trapped in this place. If I were in his shoes, my heart would reject love, too. So here I am, always teasing him because I know he will never fall for it. But even though that was his stance on love, he was a great friend. Someone whom I wanted to truly love. I already love him, but as a friend. And even if I wanted more, it would only be one-sided, so why bother making these feelings grow?

The conversation took an interesting turn when I asked Gabriel about the possibility that the people who vanished might become the monsters that spawn. He dismissed the idea, telling me to stop stressing about it and attributing my curiosity to fatigue.

"I'm just having what-ifs, you know." I didn't press the issue.

"Let's just go back to the base now. By the way, what's your current count?" He asked.

"Current Count? 638,547" I shared my number.

"Are you happy?" Gabriel asked.

"Yes, I am happy." I answered and enthusiastically hugged him, thanking him for his help. He reacted with his usual gruffness, but I could sense a hint of amusement beneath his tough exterior.

Just as we were about to wrap up for the day, I spotted a monster approaching us, and I quickly grabbed my spare g*n and took it down. Gabriel's reaction was priceless – a mix of surprise and resignation. It seemed like our day wasn't over yet, and we'd be diving back into the action.

Will it be really just an ordinary day?