The moment that thought hit him, his chest tightened with excitement. His pulse quickened, and before he could stop himself, he clenched both fists tightly, his fingers trembling.
He could almost feel the rush of adrenaline flowing through his veins.
Even if the system was broken… even if it had been corrupted by that so-called bug… that didn't matter. It still existed. It was still here—and that was enough.
A faint smile began to form at the corners of his lips.
His breathing grew steadier, his heart pounding with renewed energy.
He glanced down at himself again, grimacing at the sight.
"I should find somewhere to clean up first…" he muttered, his voice low and a little more firm this time.
His hands brushed lightly against the dried soil on his arms, but it did little good. He would need water and soap to properly wash them off.
As he began walking slowly, his footsteps soft against the moist ground, another thought crossed his mind.
How was he going to explain this when he got home?
The moment that question formed, he felt a dull ache begin to creep up behind his eyes.
He could already picture his mother's face—the shock, the questions, the tears. His sister would probably cling to him and cry her eyes out.
How was he supposed to face them and explain he got buried by Lloyd which was why he ended up in this state?
He winced slightly just imagining it.
He sighed heavily, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Lloyd…" he muttered, his eyes shining in rage at the image of the young noble.
He soon pushed the thought to the back of his mind.
Right now, cleaning up came first.
The feeling of the dirt clinging to his skin was unbearable, and every step he took made him more aware of how filthy he was.
Still, despite all that, there was one small thing he was grateful for.
The flickering notifications that had been blinking endlessly before his eyes had finally stopped.
For the first time since he woke up, his vision was clear again, and he could finally breathe without feeling disoriented.
At least that much was a relief.
After a few more minutes, he finally left the forest.
He took one last glance behind him, and then narrowed his eyes, walking towards the open path ahead.
He needed to get out, find a stream or a pond, clean up, and then figure out what to do next.
"Damn it…" he muttered, the words barely audible.
He felt very annoyed and embarrassed at the same time.
The idea of being seen like this made him grit his teeth. If anyone were to see him now — completely covered in mud, his hair a tangled mess, his face smeared with dirt — he'd probably die of shame on the spot. It was humiliating.
Still, that humiliation only added fuel to the anger that simmered quietly inside him.
"Lloyd…" he muttered, his voice low and heavy. "Just wait…"
His jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing sharply. "I'll make sure to give you a taste of what you did to me."
His chest rose and fell steadily, his breathing growing sharper with each step.
He gnashed his teeth, the faint sound of his teeth grinding together echoing in the silence.
Then, just as he was about to take another step forward, he suddenly heard faint, rapid footsteps pounding against the ground.
The sound came from the side, cutting through the serene atmosphere like a blade.
Noah froze. His body tensed instinctively, his eyes darting in the direction of the sound.
Before he could even react, something slammed into him with force.
His body lurched sideways, and both of them tumbled to the ground with a heavy thud.
"Ugh!" he groaned, his back scraping against the dirt.
Pain shot through his ribs as he rolled, feeling the weight of the other person press briefly against him before shifting away.
Dust and loose soil scattered around them as they landed.
His mind spun slightly, disoriented by the sudden collision.
He gritted his teeth and winced, a sharp pain flaring along his left side where he had been struck.
'How… fast…' he thought weakly, wincing again as he tried to push himself up.
The force of the impact had caught him completely off guard. It wasn't just that he had been hit—it was that whoever had run into him had been moving very fast.
He glanced down at his side, clutching the area just below his ribs.
It felt like he was slammed by a fast moving rock, the pain making it difficult for him to straighten his back.
Before he could even say anything, a sudden scream pierced through the air.
It was loud, high-pitched, and—strangely enough—familiar.
Noah's head jerked slightly in the direction of the sound, his eyes widening faintly.
The person who had slammed into him quickly stood up, brushing off the dirt from her clothes in a hurry.
Her movements were flustered and clumsy, as though she hadn't fully recovered from the impact either.
Under the dim moonlight, he could make out her features clearly for the first time.
It was a girl—a young one, around his age.
Her long brown hair flowed down to her shoulders, the strands disheveled and tangled with bits of grass and leaves.
Her face was round, framed by a few loose strands that stuck to her cheeks. She had big, soft cheeks and a small nose, giving her a slightly chubby yet cute appearance.
Her round face made her look innocent, but right now, it was twisted in a frown of annoyance.
She glanced down at her shoulder, where a large patch of mud was smeared across her shirt.
She stared at it with clear frustration, her brows furrowing deeper by the second.
Her clothes, which had been neat, were now stained with dirt from the collision.
The white fabric clung slightly to her shoulder where the mud had spread, and the sight only seemed to irritate her further.
She looked up suddenly, her brown eyes locking onto Noah, who was still sitting on the ground, holding his side.
Her cheeks puffed slightly as she scowled at him, her lips tightening.
"You stained my shirt, you creep!" she snapped, her voice sharp and full of irritation.
For a second, Noah just stared at her, blinking in disbelief.
The accusation hit him so unexpectedly that he didn't even know how to respond. He opened his mouth slightly, then closed it again, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and exasperation.
'Seriously?' he thought, his eye twitching faintly.