Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons

Chapter 79 Wishful Thoughts, Or Harsh Reality...

her eyes darted toward him for a fleeting moment before looking away again, her jaw tightening.

arthur let out a slow breath, his own heart twisting at the sight of her struggling.

he reached out carefully, his hand hovering near hers but not touching. "charlotte," he said, his voice softer now, barely above a whisper.

"i don't know what you're going through, and i can't pretend to understand how hard this is for you. but what i can promise you—what i will promise you—is that you're not going to face any of it alone."

her grip on the armrest loosened slightly, though she still didn't meet his gaze.

arthur's tone grew firmer, not in a commanding way, but in a way that carried his sincerity. "i'm with you. every step of the way. whatever you're feeling, whatever happens next—whether it's good, bad, or somewhere in between—i'll be here."

charlotte's eyes flicked back to him, her expression softening just a fraction. it wasn't much, but arthur felt a glimmer of hope. encouraged, he leaned in closer, his voice steady. "nothing bad will happen to you, charlotte. not while i'm here. i'll make sure of it."

her lips trembled slightly, and though no words came, arthur could see the faint glimmer of tears welling in her eyes.

she blinked rapidly, turning her head away, but not before arthur caught the tiny, almost imperceptible nod she gave.

arthur's chest tightened again, this time with a mix of sorrow and determination to protect her. he placed his hand gently over hers. "i promise," he said, his voice unwavering.

arthur stayed where he was, his hand still resting lightly over hers. he didn't push her to say more or do more.

instead, he let the silence settle between them, offering her the space she needed.

minutes passed, and charlotte's breathing began to even out.

her tense shoulders relaxed, and she leaned back in the wheelchair, her grip on the armrests completely loosened now.

"alright, let's get you into bed now. you've had a long day, and you need to rest," he said softly, his tone warm and soothing.

charlotte nodded slightly as her gaze remained on the window.

he moved closer, his motions slow and gentle, as if handling something delicate.

"here we go," he said quietly, slipping one arm under her knees and the other around her back. "hold on."

lifting her carefully, arthur made sure every movement was slow and steady, ensuring her comfort. she didn't resist, leaning slightly into his chest, her small frame light in his arms.

"the only thing that is tying me to this world is charlotte, otherwise. i wouldn't spend a single minute here, i would rather live in that world even though it's more dangerous."

"if only armageddon was the real world, i would have probably been able to find a cure..."

the moon seemed to shine brighter in that instant as if encouraging him. arthur sat there for a while longer, letting the tranquil beauty of the night seep into his mind, easing his thoughts and strengthening his resolve.

reaching into his pocket, arthur pulled out his phone. the sleek device lit up, illuminating his face as he navigated through the apps. he opened reddit.

his fingers tapped on the screen, and he was immediately greeted by the homepage of the armageddon subreddit. the forum's subscriber count caught his attention.

"already over a hundred million subs?" arthur muttered, his brow raising slightly. "and there's only, what, ten million beta players? the hype is real."

the sheer scale of the forum was both thrilling and daunting.

it wasn't just players posting here; it was spectators, theorists, analysts, and even those curious about the societal and economic implications of an entirely new world.

discussions ranged from in-game strategies to philosophical debates about the ethics of having a second reality.

scrolling through the top posts, arthur couldn't help but smirk at some of the titles:

"found a way to farm common items faster than anyone else! here's how..."

"beta player here: ama about the wolves' territory!"

"is the new world fair? or is it just another grindfest catering to whales?"

"i ran into an elite-boss monster and lived to tell the tale!"

arthur chuckled at the comments under the last post. most of them were either disbelief or sarcastic remarks about how the poster probably avoided death by sheer luck. he skimmed through a few more threads before searching for specific updates from other players.

"hmm, let's see what's happening in other villages," he muttered, typing village news into the search bar.

a flood of threads popped up, and arthur began skimming through them.

"village #5's market is booming! uncommon item prices are skyrocketing!"

"anyone else noticed a lack of mobs near village #12? feels like someone's farming nonstop."