Pretending to be a noob in a world scaled by power level

[67] Kuroko's story

In the perpetual gloom of the underground forest, our group began to set up camp. Our gear, carried by the stoic gaiko, consisted of a variety of supplies necessary for our survival.

The campsite was bathed in an eerie, phosphorescent glow from luminescent plants around us, giving the foliage a ghostly appearance. With no sunlight to dictate the time, we had to rely on our innate sense of time to decide when to rest.

Sera and Kuroko swiftly spread out our sleeping bags on a relatively flat and dry spot, these were enchanted for comfort and warmth, taking into account the varying temperature of the abyss. Lila, with her delicate fingers, untied the parcels of food, setting them out neatly on a makeshift table we managed to set up using some sturdy crates from our supplies.

While this happened, Aurelia worked on creating a protective magical barrier around our site. With a sweep of her hand, a faint blue dome flickered into existence, wrapping around our camp and casting an otherworldly glow onto everything inside. It wasn't impenetrable, but it would certainly deter lower tier monsters from stumbling upon us uninvited.

Meanwhile, Lila found a pristine white apron among our stuff. Pulling it over her tattered outfit, she tied it neatly around her waist, the white fabric a stark contrast against her ruined black maid dress. She then arranged a small circle of stones and, with a nod from Aurelia, a small flame sprung up in the center of the ring, casting flickering shadows that danced over our camp.

As she began to prepare our meal, the scent of her cooking spread through the campsite. It was a comforting fragrance, a beacon of warmth and familiarity amidst the dark, dangerous labyrinth we found ourselves in.

Kuroko sat alone by the dying embers of our campfire, her tail twitching restlessly. I had noticed she had been quiet since we had set up camp, her playful demeanor replaced by a deep introspection.

"Kuroko," I began, crossing the short distance between us to sit beside her. Her ears twitched at the sound of her name, but she didn't look up. "You seem a bit troubled. Anything you want to talk about?"

She shifted uncomfortably, her eyes reflecting the soft flickering light of the embers. "It's...it's nothing, Chang," she muttered, her tail curling around her feet.

"But it clearly isn't," I insisted gently, giving her a reassuring look. "You can tell me if you want."

It took a few moments of silence before she let out a long sigh, her shoulders dropping as if a heavy burden had been placed on them. "I...I just don't think I'm a good sister," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

The confession surprised me. Kuroko was always the confident one among us, always carrying a twinkle of mischief in her eyes. "What makes you think that?" I asked.

"I...I wasn't always the best at taking care of my siblings. We were poor, dirt poor," she confessed, her fingers curling into fists. "Dad... he forced me to steal when I was young. If I didn't meet his 'quota', he would... he would..." her voice trailed off, the implication hanging in the air.

"The man was killed in a drunken brawl one night. Not that I missed him," she scoffed, her ears flattening against her skull. "But without him... things got worse. One of my siblings... didn't make it," she swallowed hard. "The others ended up in orphanages. And I... I ended up getting caught and sent to juvie."

She finished her story in a low murmur, the truth of her past spilling out in the quiet of our camp. I sat silently, listening to her, offering my silent support. I could feel her regret, the guilt that weighed heavily on her. But it wasn't my place to offer empty consolations. It was my place to listen, to be there for her. And so I did, waiting until she was ready to fill the silence again.

"I'm sorry to hear about that, Kuroko," I said, my voice soft against the silence of the night. The confession had caught me off guard, but I did my best to keep my expression neutral, offering a comforting presence.

Kuroko shrugged, a weak smile tugging at her lips. "It's not your fault, Chang," she reassured me, her eyes falling back to the dying embers of our fire. "I've made my own choices, my own mistakes."

She fell silent for a moment, before continuing, "At first, I stole just to make a living, you know? It was survival. But then... then I began to steal for the thrill of it," she confessed, her eyes glittering in the firelight.

"I've become a thief not because I need to, but because I want to. I love the adrenaline, the danger... but what kind of role model does that make me for my siblings?" She looked up at me, her eyes filled with regret.

"I haven't seen them in years... I don't even know where they are, or what they're doing. But I do know that they deserve better than a sister who's a grand thief. What if they find out? How can they ever look up to me? How can I face them, knowing the path I've chosen?"

Her voice broke towards the end, revealing the deep-seated guilt and pain she had kept hidden beneath her roguish exterior. It was a sobering moment, a glimpse into the complex layers of a person I had known to be fun-loving and carefree.

"Kuroko, it's never too late to change," I started, looking at her intently. "Just because you're a grand thief now, it doesn't mean you have to be one for the rest of your life. You have the power to control your own fate. And I'm sure, when you've finished changing, your siblings will look up to you again."

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. "I don't think so, Chang," she said, shaking her head. "I am a thief at heart. I've grown to love the danger, the thrill... It's become a part of me."

I paused, considering her words. She wasn't denying her actions or trying to justify them. She was just stating facts, accepting her identity as a thief.

"Then use your power to do good," I suggested, causing her to look up at me, surprise in her eyes. "Steal from the corrupt, from those who have more than they need. Give to the needy, to those who have less. Use your skills to balance the scales in some way."

There was a long silence as Kuroko seemed to mull over my words. Her eyes studied me intently, as if trying to decipher whether I was being genuine or not. "Stealing from the corrupt, huh?" she muttered, a thoughtful look on her face.

Kuroko's eyes twinkled with something I couldn't quite decipher. Then, quite unexpectedly, she moved forward, her arms wrapping around me in a warm, surprising hug. I froze momentarily, then, recovering, gently hugged her back.

"Thanks," she murmured softly into my chest, her voice so quiet I almost missed it.

"You're welcome, Kuroko." I said, comforted by the sense of camaraderie that had formed between us.

She then pulled back slightly, her face serious but eyes sparkling with mischief. She leaned in closer to my ear, her breath tickling my neck. "Keep a close guard to your heart, boss," she whispered, a playful lilt to her voice, "or I might just steal it too."

I blinked, taken aback by her teasing remark. She just winked at me, pulling back from the embrace. A soft giggle escaped her lips, lightening the earlier heavy atmosphere.

"Get some sleep boss, I will take the shift." Kuroko offered.

"Very well, good night Kuroko."

"Good night." she said.

As I close my eyes, I couldn't help but think:

We all got a difficult past...

Q: How would you comfort someone?