RETIRED TRANSMIGRATION: The Shadow Loss Chronicles

CENTSHUU

All five strangers looked at Avery, expressions changing for four except the one who was panicking only a couple of seconds ago. He still had worry on his face aimed at Avery, whereas, the rest looked confused, just as Avery was.

The four kept looking at Avery then the second tallest out of all of them said with a commanding voice "What language did he just speak?"

Unknown to Avery and because it had been a language he'd been speaking for over two decades now, after waking up, he said his first sentence in the English language.

The commanding figure looked at the tallest guy in the group who had always been by his right side then asked "Ripply, do you understand the dialect? I know it's not Scrimis and it doesn't sound like Hephsi but I could be wrong. You're the only one fluent in the two languages here"

All four, including the panicking one, looked at Ripply and Ripply looked at Avery who was still trying to process the fact that he could understand a different language now when he couldn't moments ago.

Avery patted his ears a few times then placed his hands on the sides of his head, wondering if he was imagining what just happened. His skeptical nature had reared its ugly head once again.

"It's definitely not Hephsi. Looking at the pug, it's obvious that he's not from around here" Ripply said while doing his best to assess the situation.

"Yeah, he's definitely not from here or Scriiz. We of all people would know if someone his age was from there" said the leader as he crossed his arms and grimaced.

Ripply grunted.

"I can't say I've seen anyone that looks like him while out on one of our ventures but you never know," Ripply said then shrugged "There are so many kinds of people out there that it's hard to tell. Although, the real question that I want to be answered is how did he get here—"

"Centshuu, Ripply, what the hell are you guys doing, talking about useless things, when a monster is right there?!" The panicking member of the group said hurriedly, pointing at Avery and grimacing with disapproval.

"I say we get out of here and leave the guy who for some mysterious reason was lying in the middle of the forest. I know what I felt when I touched that—"

"Shieve, again with that nonsense? How many times am I going to tell you that there's nothing wrong with your hand? Also, we're not in the middle of the forest so don't exaggerate. If you're not going to contribute anything then shut up and let the rest of us handle the situation like we normally do!" Centshuu, the leader of the measly group instructed with an exasperated look aimed at Shieve the complainer.

Reluctant to follow instructions, Shieve crossed his arms and looked away, all the while still grumbling and complaining to himself.

Centshuu who was looking at him rolled his eyes and then turned his head in the other direction. He faced one of his other compatriots, this one a quiet-looking guy with slanted eyes.

"Kove, you're the one with keen senses so help me out here. What do you think happened and how did this pug get here?" Centshuu asked and Kove squeezed his face.

Kove did a little walk around where they all stood, taking note of many things at once. After a short while, he returned to where he was standing.

"So, what did you get?" Centshuu asked, smiling because he knew Kove wouldn't disappoint.

Kove pointed at where Avery was sitting, taking everyone's, including Avery's, attention to the ground around him(Avery) which was littered with freshly broken branches and leaves. Next, he went down to get a pebble.

Avery who didn't understand what the silent man was doing tilted his head and raised a brow. On the other hand, the other four who trusted that there was a method to the madness waited for the result.

Suddenly, Kove threw the pebble directly upward toward the canopy of trees. This was a thick forest so the canopy had very few openings for beams of sunlight to pierce through. However, directly above them was an opening bigger than the rest which the pebble shot right through.

It was a completely vertical stone throw which meant that the stone was supposed to come back down after reaching its highest point. However, no such thing happened.

After waiting a few seconds for the pebble which didn't come back, everyone looked at Kove who brought his arms to his chest area and started demonstrating what he was about to say.

"Just like the stone I threw, the pug must have entered a parallel stream from wherever he was and that's what brought him here. Because of how high the canopy is, he must have slammed into some branches and got pulled him out of the stream, hence why he has broken branches all around him" Kove explained, using his hands and fingers to give a good representation of what he thought had happened.

Centshuu looked up at the opening in the canopy and then stuffed one hand into his pocket.

"Then he must have been the one who created that hole. Hmm… Because of the direction the wind is blowing, it's shrouding the fact that the top leaves and branches are being pulled by the stream in that direction" Centshuu said, using his other hand to point at the opening in the canopy and then sliding it towards the east which is the direction of the parallel stream.

Centshuu placed a hand on Kove's shoulder, smiling proudly as he said "Thanks for the good work, Kove. You're always a great help when needed… unlike a certain, someone"

Shieve smacked his tongue and rolled his eyes, saying "Whatever. I'm helpful when I want to be, you Jackass"

Without meaning to, Shieve's and Avery's eyes locked then he grimaced with concern and looked away. Avery on the other hand looked confused as to why the stranger had such a huge contempt for him.