Chapter 452: Chapter 452: The Strongest
Eren looked at the darkness on the ground, which was connected to the prison realm of the Tower Master. If one was swallowed by that realm, escaping was no different than a dream.
Still, he found it somewhat estranged. Did Devourer save him from a place like that when they were running away from the Tower in the past that the memory fragment had revealed? He wasn't certain.
He could only gaze at the fragment of the recording orb in his hand which was more or less useless.
"If only he had fallen for this trick and showed me the recording, it would've been so much better." He kept the recording crystal fragment in his inventory, wondering if it was because his acting was somewhat lacking.
"I knew I should've been more melodramatic." He could only sigh in disappointment.
"There is no point in crying over spilled milk," the author said, bringing Eren out of his daze.
"Huh? You know the sayings from earth?" Eren revealed slight surprise at the author's words. "Then again, it shouldn't surprise me. You were able to bring me from earth, so it makes sense if you can contact that place."
The author didn't answer.
After taking one last glance at the Tower Master, Eren started walking away.
Even the author understood that Eren had no plans to ask his forced question anytime soon. It was also a wise plan.
He followed after Eren, his footsteps appearing to be slow, yet keeping up with the young man's footsteps.
"I had a question for you. It's not about any secrets of this world so I am sure you can answer it without being forced," Eren told the author after the two of them pasaed through a forest.
As the entire world was frozen in time, Eren couldn't even use any beasts to fly back to the Western Continent. Even the Phoenix was going to be frozen in time if summoned.
He could only travel the entire distance on foot, which was very time consuming. The only positive was that he wasn't lacking time, which had been frozen.
"It would depend on your question," the Author vaguely responded.
"When I came to this world, I was still able to use my phone to contact the people on earth. I could also use internet. I am sure there is no connection tower in this world, so how was that possible?" Eren asked.
"It is because the phone that you brought with you, is just a cloned object. Think of it as a reward for you. Your real phone is still back on earth, right where you left it. As the two are connected at the core, you were able to use one to make a call with the other."
"In that case, is my body also..." Eren asked with a little hesitation.
Only his soul came to this world. He was really curious about what happened to his body on earth. Was his body possessed by Ren's soul in return? Or was it just lying there like a corpse, rotting every day?
Although it didn't matter much at this point. It had already become accustomed to this body with the strength that came with it that his real body felt like a foreigner to him. Still, his curiosity got the best of him.
"Only your soul came here. Your body is on earth," the author answered.
"Does that mean I'm already dead on earth? Did the others find the corpse?" Eren asked.
Even if he was so believe that his body might survive without a soul, it couldn't survive without food and water. It would've long been dead, with the stench of death strong enough to alert the neighbours.
The author grew silent and didn't answer Eren.
Eren also didn't ask the same question again. He was starting a new life in this world, no matter how chaotic.
At this point, he had truly accepted himself as Ren Necroline, not even thinking about returning to earth. A person like him could only be called a monster back on earth.
"If my phone was cloned, couldn't the charger also be cloned?" He changed the topic to something light hearted. "My phone has become no different than a brick with a battery only enough to turn it on one last time."
"Even if your charger was cloned, where would you find a charging socket? After that, where will you find electricity? Did you forget what kind of world this was?" The author rolled his eyes in response.
Eren also realized that the supply chain was an issue. Just a charger wasn't enough to recover his phone and check what was happening on earth.
The two of them kept walking away from the Tower Master, immersed in the conversation about the two worlds.
It was the first time Eren had talked so much with the author. It was also the same for the mysterious existence. The two of them talked as if they had long been friends, which was a strange feeling for Eren.
He didn't understand why he felt so comfortable around the author, who should've been a forbidden existence in this world.
Not just the author, but even the Sword Emperor felt the same. It was as if they had known each other for an eternity.
....
[Weeks later]
Eren had been traveling with the author for a long time. He had increased his speed many times, even flying occasionally as long as he could. Despite that, the author was still able to keep up with him effortlessly.
Soon, the two of them reached the end of the Northern Continent, which was marked by the river of Life and Death, separating it from the Western Continent.
"Are you the strongest existence in this world?" Eren asked the author, feeling the scent of the river that was not far from him.
"I'm not the strongest person in this world," the author answered while momentarily glancing at Eren.
Eren was facing the river so he didn't notice the strange glance of the author.