章 39: Fia's Problem
"Yaahh!"
A dagger was swung against a blue rabbit, slicing through it's neck until the head was fully decapitated.
"Hmph!"
Without finishing there, the hand made a rotating motion horizontally and the dagger on the hand was hold in a reverse grip. It pierced through the giant bug on behind right on it's brain.
"Kyiiiiishh!!!"
The giant bug screeched loudly and fell down. The dagger was pulled from it's head and flailed around to disperse the green blood.
"Good job, Fia."
A voice of a boy sounded from behind. And the fox girl, Fia who just fought with her dagger turned around and smiled brightly.
"Fufufu Fia-chan sure is talented. Maybe I should teach her my twin swords art instead I wonder?"
Another voice belonged to a long black hair beautiful woman sounded next to the boy.
"Hmm your swords belonged to the large sword category so I don't think it'll suit her. She's a speed fighter after all."
The boy, Haruto touched his chin and gave his opinion.
"I guess that's true but it's still a problem that she doesn't have enough attack power...."
The black hair girl, Kaori nodded her head but she also murmured her concern subtly.
"I'm sorry....."
Fia hung her head and apologize while her face turned gloomy.
"Ah! No no no, I'm not saying Fia-chan is weak you know?! You're very talented and improved quickly I meant it! It's just, how should I say it? Umm...."
Kaori panicked seeing her dispirited because of her words and tried to cheer her up frantically.
Haruto sighed helplessly and then wryly smiled before he approached Fia and pat her head gently with his hand.
"What she meant was that you have a bright future Fia. You only need to work on your shortage. It may be difficult to solve considering the direction of your [Growth] but we'll definitely help you think of a solution so cheer up okay?"
"...Un."
She nodded quietly while blushing from Haruto's gentle pat. She felt warm inside her heart from his care about her.
Kaori was relieved seeing her brightened up. But that still didn't solve the problem and since she didn't want to mess up again by saying insensitive words she decided to think quietly.
Right now they're inside a dungeon. This early morning they went to the guild and teleported inside together using the Teleport Scroll from Rayne.
It's been a few hours and they're in the 12th floor. The monsters near the surface was too weak for them so they rushed downwards the labyrinth stone dungeon.
The boss on the 5th floor was instantly killed by Haruto using a destructo disc and Fia fought against the 10th floor because she wanted to improve her ability.
She managed to gain advantage at the beginning and improving quickly on her movements until she succeded to wound the bull boss but she still lack power to deal decisive damage and when her stamina started to dwindled she began to lost her momentum and Haruto needed to intervene on the fight.
Her [Growth] was directed towards speed and dexterity that's why her strength was lacking and she couldn't use a large weapon because of it too. Not to mention such weapon will hinder her specialty, reducing her agility.
In regards of ki she didn't have a large supply of it too. That's why she never used large scale energy attacks and focused on using them to sharpen the dagger or launching beam slashes.
It's not much of a problem if she fought against normal monsters but for monsters with boss level her attack power was definitely lacking to deal a decisive blow. If this kept up she would bound to bump on a wall someday.
Haruto glanced at the girl behind him, Kaori. In the original story she too once suffered the same problem although it was because of her job as a healing mage. She wanted to help Hajime fought as one of his companion but fell weak compared to the other girls like Yue, Shia, or Tio so she became depressed with inferiority complex.
But by chance she transferred her soul to the god apostle Noint's body after she was killed by that human scum. She gained the strength she needed and became a powerful companion. At the end of the story she returned back to her original body but Yue managed to alter her body with the power of the apostle, making her a human-apostle hybrid, the current her right now.
If Yue was here then perhaps she could do the same to Fia but unfortunately she's not. That's why he had to think of another way for the solution. The Kaori here may not have the memory of her original world but she still felt sympathy towards Fia and understood how she felt that's why she also did her best to think of an idea.
'Let's think it again later, I guess we should start to head back for now...'
The main reason he went inside was to experience a normal dungeon exploring and to help Fia getting stronger. They let her fought alone mostly at times and only gave help when she's in trouble. They opened some treasure chests but only found some tens of quartz and potions.
"Alright, let's head back to the city. We already grasped the feeling of exploring a dungeon and Fia managed to progress quite some, and Kaori?"
"What is it Haruto-kun?"
"You help much too by watching Fia and kept her safe. With you here I don't need to worry of an accident, it's so assuring to have you, thank you." He smiled gently.
"Hoe? I-I-I-Is that s-s-so!? Y-You're welcome....."
Kaori blushed and answered erratically. Haruto was bewildered by her strange reaction. Now that he think about it she started to act a little odd since yesterday night....
###
Last night after Lumina was 'brought' home by her uncle.
"....So that's how it is..."
Selianna nodded and looked at Kaori. Haruto just introduced his new companion to her and explained her circumstances by saying her as his 'old acquaintance'. He described her transformation to be similar to him and Selianna did not probe further with that. She just thought since they're old relative then it makes sense for her to be capable of doing something similar.
Regarding her swords she just summoned out of nowhere well he just told her it was an artifact, not that he's lying since her swords were truly an artifact made by Hajime or in his case this time, Eisha.
"But still you really are an absurd kind of group are you? One could use her hagoromo to do almost anything and the other two could display bizarre skills with absurd strength, at least on your level."
"H-Hahahaha...." Haruto laughed awkwardly he couldn't really deny that. They both were originated from fictional stories so it's natural if their abilities looked bizarre in her eyes.
"Well putting that aside, it's a pleasure to meet you, my name's Selianna von Grehilde a recently promoted Grand Knight although it was all thanks to the rascal there."
"Hehehe it's a pleasure to meet you too, I'm Kaori, Haruto-kun's childhood friend."
She used childhood friend as her identity huh? But wait did Selianna just call him a rascal? And why Kaori did not deny her?
Haruto sulked from his friends 'betrayal' he certainly did not think of himself as a rascal. Well considering what he done yesterday perhaps he's so but no, that guy's not him!
"Oh yeah."
He hit his palm with his fist with *pon* sound and turned his head against Kaori, approaching her.
"Kaori."
"Yes?"
"Thank you for saving me back there. If it's not for you I would be injured by now." He bowed his head.
"Eh? It's okay! It's not a big deal and it's only natural for me to protect you."
Haruto smiled helplessly and reached out his hand to her head and pat her gently.
"Of course it's a big deal, I'm thankful, really. I'm counting on you from now on too okay? In exchange I'll make sure to get stronger and protected you too."
His smile widened and Kaori was dazed seeing his expression and the feeling from her head. Somehow she started to get embarrassed and her heart was pounding fast.
"Kaori?" He's confused from her absentminded stare.
"...*gasp* Ah, U-Un! Leave it to me!" She gasped and answered while blushing.
###
Haruto shook his head. Maybe she's just nervous because she's recently joined him and his party? Not to mention on the same day an absurd girl suddenly intruded and tried to mess with them.
He noticed they're already back on the first floor. There should be guild staffs guarding the teleportation ward there and they could asked them to send them back to the guild.
Haruto could use Instant Transmission to Elsie's place at Selianna's house since dimensional space could not hinder his connection to her and he could sense her energy outside just fine, only her though. But even so Rayne and the guild would notice if they just exited the place without going through them and they needed additional troublesome explanation like that.
They exited the dungeon and appeared inside the guild. It was crowded since a lot of adventurer were submitting their quest by this time. The sun already almost gone on the west and the sky already darken and dim.
After exiting the dungeon Fia turned limp and she was strangely exhausted. Haruto guessed she must be finally going through another [Growth] seeing her battles inside the dungeon. So after they submit their quests for the dungeon to Rayne, they went out of the guild.
Haruto already asked Elsie to come to their place since he wanted her to take Fia home to let her rest. As for Kaori, well...
"Hey Kaori? Why don't we spar a little?"
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