I have never been this close to death.
Not even in Deep Red.
Not during the sandstorms.
Not when Golden Mimic Beetles attempted to melt my face.
Not even during my brief career as a ryn assistance in Yggdra.
This was different.
This felt final.
After Ryn finished purchasing artifacts on Floor Five, she finally decided it was time to return to the surface.
The cart was full.
Completely full.
So full that several bags had been distributed to Spathian as additional storage.
We departed alongside four veteran hunters who were also returning to Vaultreach.
Everything should have gone smoothly.
Unfortunately, many things in my life should have gone smoothly.
Few actually do.
By the time we reached Floor Four, the atmosphere had relaxed considerably.
Ryn walked ahead with the hunters.
Discussing routes.
Prices.
Guild matters.
Things merchants apparently enjoy discussing.
I walked near the rear with Spathian.
The corridor was long.
Narrow.
Uneventful.
Earlier, Ryn had warned all of us to remain in the center.
According to the map, several sections near the edges contained old traps.
The middle was safe.
At first everyone listened.
Including me.
For a while.
Then the danger faded.
Not because it disappeared.
Because I forgot it existed.
That is usually how danger works.
Spathian and I were talking.
Joking.
The surface felt close.
Old Shard was waiting above.
I had stories to tell.
For the first time in days, I was no longer thinking about monsters.
Or treasure.
Or survival.
I was simply happy.
Then I stepped slightly to the side.
Just one step.
One careless step.
I remember hearing a click.
Very small.
Very clear.
Near my left ear.
Then—
pain.
An overwhelming explosion of pain in my chest.
The world vanished.
Sound disappeared.
Light disappeared.
My legs disappeared.
Everything disappeared.
I collapsed before I understood what had happened.
Somewhere nearby, Spathian shouted.
I think.
It sounded distant.
As though I was hearing him through water.
My vision darkened.
I vaguely saw Ryn running toward me.
Then everything became noise.
Apparently the trap triggered something else.
Abyssal Stalkers.
Several.
Perhaps many.
I never saw them clearly.
Only fragments.
Veteran hunters fighting.
Steel flashing.
Red light moving across stone.
I saw Spathian draw his saber.
I remember that clearly.
For the first time since meeting him, he looked like a warrior.
He positioned himself between us and the darkness.
Without hesitation.
Without complaint.
Without a spoon.
Which somehow made the situation feel more serious.
Meanwhile Ryn was beside me.
Calling my name.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Telling me not to fall asleep.
Telling me to stay awake.
At the time, I thought she was being unreasonable.
Because I was quite certain I was dying.
The conclusion felt obvious.
A trap.
A direct hit.
A chest wound.
End of story.
Strangely enough, I felt calm.
Not brave.
Not heroic.
Just tired.
I remember thinking about Father.
About Mother.
About Isla de la Luna.
And how disappointing it was that after all this traveling, I would die because I stepped slightly to the left.
No prophecy.
No ancient evil.
No glorious final stand.
Just poor positioning.
I accepted it surprisingly quickly.
At least, I thought I did.
Then something strange happened.
The closer I came to death—
the louder everything became.
The hunters sounded louder.
The fighting sounded louder
Spathian sounded louder.
Ryn sounded louder.
And eventually I realized something impossible.
Ryn was crying.
Which made no sense.
Absolutely none.
So I opened my eyes.
Very slowly.
And there she was.
Directly above me.
Tears running down her face.
Repeating my name.
Again.
And again.
And again.
I stared at her.
Thought very carefully.
Then asked what was probably the stupidest question of my entire life.
"Eh?"
A pause.
"I'm not dead?"
Ryn immediately looked as though she wanted to strangle me.
Then hug me.
Then strangle me again.
Instead she laughed.
And cried.
At the same time.
Which looked extremely uncomfortable.
Spathian looked equally relieved.
Eventually the fighting ended.
The hunters survived.
The monsters died.
And Ryn finally showed me what happened.
The trap had fired a large arrow.
Not an arrow, really.
A spear pretending to be an arrow.
It had struck my chest directly.
I immediately became confused.
Because I remembered the impact.
Very clearly.
The arrow should have killed me.
It should have gone straight through.
I briefly considered whether the White Fox Mask had secretly made me immortal.
An exciting theory.
Unfortunately, incorrect.
Ryn carefully pulled the arrow free.
And then I saw it.
The tip had stopped against something.
Something lodged inside the fabric of my robe.
Something round.
Bent almost in half.
My coin.
My lucky coin.
The same coin from Mirage Market.
The same coin Ryn insisted was a scam.
The same coin Old Shard identified as a worthless antique.
The same coin I had used as a shield against Golden Mimic Beetles.
The same coin I forgot to return to my Infinity Bag afterward.
The same coin that remained inside my robe pocket by pure accident.
Or perhaps not by accident.
I stared at it.
The coin was ruined.
Twisted.
Cracked.
Almost split apart.
But it had stopped the arrow.
My first response was immediate.
"Told you."
Ryn closed her eyes.
Slowly.
The way people do when regretting every decision that led them to this moment.
Then she smiled.
Wiped her face.
Called me an idiot.
And hugged me again.
Spathian looked considerably calmer now.
He smiled as well.
Then quietly said:
"Welcome back."
For a moment, none of us spoke.
Then I smiled.
And answered.
"I am back."
The coin sits beside me now.
Bent.
Broken.
Almost worthless.
At least according to appraisers.
Soon we will reach the surface.
Soon I will see Old Shard again.
And when I do, I intend to inform him that his evaluation may have been incorrect.
Perhaps it is not an artifact.
Perhaps it truly is just an old coin.
A piece of forgotten metal from a forgotten age.
But I think there are different kinds of value.
Different kinds of truth.
And whatever anyone says—
this coin saved my life.
That seems fortunate enough.
So maybe Old Shard was right.
Maybe it is not magical.
Maybe it never was.
But for me—
it will always be a lucky coin.
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