068: So You Too

Caramel Snail had not been doing well lately. Or rather, ever since Cumin Powder and the other players had breached the Lai Anding Protocol and died in the Real World, he had remained in a withdrawn state.

He kept his mouth shut and leveled like mad. From Azure Planet to the Stratums, wherever there was a society, whether its citizens were Imitation Humans or anything else, he exterminated them all.

Even summoned characters could not withstand that endless slaughter.

After spending nearly ten years on Azure Planet, Saga Akira—the first character Caramel Snail had summoned since descending into Star Abyss, formerly a high school dropout and drifter from Sky Ring—had finally had his body completely worn out by prolonged overuse.

The character you summoned—"Saga Akira"—has reached the limit of his service.

"Sorry, Descender. I can no longer continue fighting by your side."

Caramel Snail's consciousness and Pathway power withdrew from Saga Akira. He turned around and formally faced the character who had accompanied him ever since he first descended into Star Abyss.

By the game's reckoning of time, Saga Akira had fought alongside him for a full eighty-nine years, four months, and twelve days. Once deprived of the Pathway's empowerment, Saga Akira's body rapidly aged. All his hair fell out, and his face became covered in age spots and wrinkles.

Caramel Snail studied the old man before him with complicated feelings.

It was shameful to admit it, but although Saga Akira had been the one to stay by his side from the very beginning of the game, following him unwaveringly through death and battle alike, Caramel Snail knew less about him than he did about General Zhen, whom he had only met recently.

"...You can't keep fighting?"

Saga Akira shook his head. "I truly want to continue following