Chapter 60: Investigation (2)
At a speed far quicker than before, Aerym rushed towards Lancell as she swung her sword with thick killing intent. Of course, for the current Lancell, it was far too slow. However...
"Don't you dare throw bloodlust in my direction." Said Lancell as he also dashed towards Aerym.
The next instant, Lancell appeared in front of her, as he reached out her wrist. He then slammed his other hand into her abdomen, and threw her away along with the momentum she carried.
Lancell had already known that she was a cautious person, but he didn't care why. However, perhaps it had something to do with deception. Maybe she was deceived as a child or something close to that.
However, even if that was the case, Lancell wouldn't care. The past was the past, and she can't change it.
Aerym flew in the air for a dozen meters, before regaining her balance in mid-air, and landed on her feet. She then held her stomach, as she grimaced in pain. She looked at Lancell in a wary, yet somewhat scared manner, and asked. "W-Who are you?! I've never heard of a warrior this strong residing in the kingdom!!"
"I'm not from the kingdom." Lancell shrugged.
"Then why do you know me?!"
Lancell stared at her for a while, and spoke. "Not telling."
Aerym grit her teeth, as she raised her blade. Her body emitted killing intent, as she prepared to rush out. But before she could do so...
"I told you, didn't I? DO NOT ever throw bloodlust my way." A voice resounded behind her, as she suddenly felt something slam at her flank. She was then blown away as she rolled about in the air, and then landed on a trunk of a fairly big tree.
Lancell put down his leg, as he glared at the woman he just kicked. "Hey," he called out, "what are you doing here?"
Aerym groaned, then stood as she glared at Lancell. It seems she learned her lesson as she didn't show much signs of hostility. However, it would also seem like she had no intentions of answering.
Lancell sighed, and then shifted his gaze to Arkenvalle.
"We're leaving, Valle." He instructed.
However, Arkenvalle didn't answer. She just kept observing the ground beneath her feet, and stared at it in a daze. Lancell was about to call her again, but a frown suddenly appeared on her face. Lancell too, frowned, "Valle?" he asked.
But Arkenvalle still didn't answer. Then, her expression suddenly changed as her eyes widened and panic became visible on her face. She turned to Lancell in a hurry, and screamed through their connection, ("Lancell! We need to go now!!")
However, it was too late. The ground suddenly opened up as a massive crevice formed, and then next moment, all three of them was swallowed.
◇◇◇
When Lancell woke up, he felt his body was heavy. He immediately strengthened his body as mana flowed through it, and then stood as the rubbles pinning him was lifted along.
He then clutched his aching head, as he looked around. It was dark, but Lancell could at least make use of the weak glows from the glowstones around in order to navigate his haze through.
He seemed to be underground, but that was all he deduced. He hadn't seen this place before, and he didn't know where he was.
"Tch." Lancell clicked his tongue.
He then stood, and called out to Arkenvalle, ("Valle?")
("I'm inside you.") Arkenvalle answered. Her voice was calm, so she was probably unhurt.
Lancell sighed in relief, ("I see. Are you alright?")
("Yeah. I managed to dematerialize in time.")
("Thank goodness. What about Aerym?")
("She's about 20 meters behind you. She's still unconscious, but also unhurt.")
("Alright. Thanks Valle.") Lancell thanked as he then turned around. He activated Void Sensitivity, and began to perceive nearby things as the world slowed down. He quickly found Aerym, and cancelled Void Sensitivity.
He went to where she was, and then took hold of her hand in order to carry her. However, her eyes suddenly snapped open as a fist sped through the air, as it headed for Lancell's face. Lancell caught it, and twisted lightly.
"Ugh..!" Aerym groaned in pain, as she shrivelled and twisted along in order to lessen the strain on her hand.
"Don't move too much," Lancell ordered, "I'm saving you."
"From what exactly?!" she snapped, but her voice was laden with pain, "the only saving I need is saving from you, asshole!"
"I get that a lot." Lancell stated, and then knocked her out by hitting her by the back of her neck.
Heaving out a sigh of relief, Lancell then looked around. He then inquired, ("Any ideas where to go, Valle?")
("I don't know. However, I'm sensing mana fluctuations in your western direction. It might be worth checking out.")
("I see. Got it.")
And so, Lancell moved on to his west.
◇◇◇
Lancell kicked the ground for the umpteenth time in the dark, and debris-filled underground. He continued to check his surroundings as he moved through the air, as he was boosted with Void Wind Guidance. Dark purple winds circled around his body pushing him forward, decreasing his weight a bit, and providing a boost in speed.
The entire underground was hard to traverse as there were countless blockades of boulders and debris everywhere, but strangely, it also had a lot of glowstones. It faintly illuminated the place allowing Lancell to see a bit of the underground's layout. However...
'No matter how much I observe, I can't get the nagging feeling that this place is familiar...'
The place was familiar, and somehow...unsettling? Lancell didn't know how to describe it. He didn't exactly know where he had seen this before, but he knew he hadn't been here. So probably, this was something that resembled a place he'd been before.
Even so, Lancell never stopped moving his feet, as he then looked at the girl in his arms. Although she had just fallen underground, the idiot actually had the gall to sleep and even snuggle in his arms. However, due to personal reasons, Lancell didn't put her down.
'Yeah...she's already exhausted. In more than one ways...' Lancell though as he then shifted his gaze forward.
In his past life, this stupid disciple of his was an absolute hard worker, to the point she even took care of jobs that wasn't meant for her. During her apprentice days, she practically enslaved herself for all things that Lancell needed. She did all the cooking, all the cleaning, all the observing, and she even did most of the fighting. She was talented, but a bit too self-destructive. Perhaps this was why she was currently sleeping so peacefully right now.
Lancell wasn't exactly the sentimental person, but he at least knew how to keep tools well maintained for better performance. Or at least he thinks so.
And so, with a sleeping girl in his arms, Lancell moved to the place Arkenvalle pointed to.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone