章 16: Ashwood Chapter 15 – Eleventh Floor
"When do you plan to come out of there? Everyone is worried," Tsunade pulled open the coffin door, seeing a naked Tifa sprawled over the naked Ashwood. She saw Tifa's look, like a deer in front of the headlight, and awkward look from Ashwood.
"We…were planning on wearing clothes first?"
"Oh," Tsuande awkwardly looked away and slammed the door shut. She watched it from the corner of her eyes, seeing the cover bounce a little and bright blue-green-white light come out of it before she took the cover off, "You two…what happened there?"
"Long story," Ashwood sat up, and Tifa leaned on his chest, putting her hand forward, which Tsunade pulled, helping her stand up. The two exchanged a look, like old lovers meeting again, in an awkward situation. The two looked away from each other and Tifa's eyes landed on Sarada, standing along with the group of four. She stepped out of the coffin, stepping towards her and hugging in one fluid motion, "I am so sorry! I am sorry!"
Sarada trembled. After all, this arm was through her chest, having nearly killed her, but she nodded, resting her head between Tifa's soft breasts, "I am alive…and I understand."
Ashwood smiled in relief and a sense of happiness when big blue eyes along with silver hair popped up in front of him, looking at him closely, uncomfortably so. He pushed her face back, raising his eyebrows, pulling her soft cheeks, "what?"
Irene raised the whip sword, broken, "just checking…if you could see…my weapon…."
She saw a blue flash and her weapon restored, making her eyes shimmer with stars when he gently kissed her cheek, "thank you…for protecting 2B."
Irene fluttered her eyebrows. Her face turned red, burning red, and she pulled away, covering her cheeks, "what are you doing! I would have to marry you now!"
"As if," Sienna knocked on her little sister's head, while Ricardo walked to him, smiling, giving him a hand, "Need help?"
"Yeah," Ashwood took his hand, smiling at him, "Thank you…."
Ricardo scratched his head in sheer embarrassment, "Ah…we didn't even last one move. The fact was…she shot blood drops like arrows to nearly kill us. We were lucky that we lost nothing important."
"Yeah…but if she hadn't wasted those blood drops on you…then 2B wouldn't be silently standing behind me…well and good. Thank you."
Ricardo took a deep breath, wanting to say something, yet no words came out, until they did, "that…sounded like an insult…but it warms my heart…I…yeah."
He turned around, hearing few people giggling, and he shook his head, making his way to his best friend, who was warming the food. They were on top of the hill, surrounding by trees which hid them. Benett patted his back, pressing his lips, giving him a nod, which garnered a few more chuckles.
Ashwood turned around, looking at 2B, who didn't seem any different, yet, she was very different, "2B."
"Master," 2B gripped her sword more tightly, but that was the only and slightest movement she made. Other than her, she was calm, even when he stood a step away from her. She raised her chin on her own, parted her lips and their pressed against his, 'Master…'
Ashwood smiled when he heard Irene's voice. He looked back at the girl, who pointed her strange swords at Tifa, "Let's fight again!! This time I will beat you!"
Tifa chuckled, patting her head, "maybe later."
Irene puffed her cheeks. She looked at Tsunade, "Fight—"
"No," Tsunade flicked her forehead, stopping her before she could even complete that sentence. She looked towards Sienna, who apologetically looked at them, and a nostalgic smile appeared on her lips. She looked back at the girl when she noticed a young girl wearing a black dress, holding an umbrella which hide half her face. The moment she saw her, a chill went down her spine, and she wasn't the only one, everyone else froze in place too.
"You survived."
Ashwood breathed out, looking at the witch, "Yeah. I did…strangely. I was about to cry and make you help me…but it didn't come to it."
"Hm…then. What are you going to do? Earn your freedom?"
"No way! I love being under your control," He clapped his hands together, "that's why. I need your help. I need to put a copy of my office in front of the Entrance to Eleventh Floor, and I need to connect my doors to it. One that allows people from the Dungeon who reach this far to enter my room, but actually enter my office that is in the Palace—"
"You want to Superimpose your office?"
"I didn't think you'd know that word."
"What am I? A child?" The Witch nodded, "I'll do that. Prepare whatever you need."
"Wait…why block the entrance in the first place?" Ricardo asked in confusion.
"If I don't," Ashwood looked a deep breath, looking towards the depth of the Dungeon, imagining the young woman with dark pink hair, dull, lifeless green eyes at on a chair. Her wrists were tied down with shackles, like her ankles, "the Strongest of Humans will challenge…her for the Divine Treasure."
"Her? Pirate King was a man…?"
Ashwood let out a short laugh, "Hah. Yeah…not him. There is someone else there, and if they manage to reach her…they will die."
He pointed at the Witch, "I am not sure if the Second Strongest Humanity faces against her, which one will come out at the top…and I still can't grant that ones wish. So I am going to block it. Till the time comes when I could actually face her. Or someone else who is strong enough to defeat me can."
"There are plenty of people like that," Witch scoffed, only to see a confident smile appear on his lips. She couldn't help but narrow her eyes, sensing an oppressive atmosphere.
"Hopefully there are. Be it through force, lie and betrayal or through negotiation. I will take it all on, and if they could get through me, then I can't stop them from dying. But till then? I will block this gate," Ashwood turned around, looking at the mountain at the end of the forest. He walked towards it, disappearing from their sight, along with the oppressive feeling that others felt.
2B looked at others, taking the paper that Ashwood put in her palm before, reading it out loud, "I took the dramatic exit…because…dramatic. And I am hungry, so bring me some food."
Sarada parted her lips, bursting into a laugh, being the first one at that, but not far behind Tifa, and others, who laughed. Not because it was funny, but more of because they needed to laugh. It somehow made the tense situation they were in better, and it relieved them of some pressure. Especially after the Witch silently vanished too.
Tsunade looked at Tifa, who seemed like a different person, "what happened in there?"
Tifa looked up at Tsunade, giving her a reassuring smile, "I am good."
Entrance to Eleventh Floor – it was a gate, at the foot of the mountain, hidden behind by a landslide of a kind. Though right now, there was an office in front of it, and the Witch stood at the door, "The wall of this Dungeon…it is enough to stop the Sea Goddess wrath. You don't think I am anywhere close enough to being stronger than a Divine Being. Right?"
"No," Ashwood tilted his head, "Normally…no. But the world isn't the same as when it was in that Age. It has been stripped…it's a shell of what it was, and that reflects in everything. You know that."
"Question is…how do you?"
"That's the question. It's a good one," He pointed his finger at the door, sliding towards the direction of exit, "make it one way. Connect this to the exit here, and that path to my office. That way, if someone exits or enter the Tenth Floor, it won't trigger, but if they enter this door, it will. And I will make an extra door in my office, which could lead here. In case."
"What if…someone broke the wall to enter?"
"It would be dumb if I didn't think about it."
"Did you?"
"Of course!" Ashwood looked away, hurriedly thinking a solution to that problem, "I know, there is the Dungeon Ore on the Eighth Floor. I will have those four excavate it. I need to make their weapons too."
"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
"Did I tell you anything else?"
Witch sighed, tapping on the door, "For now. I will put a defensive space on the house. Everywhere but the door. Come in."
"Oh," Kal Ashwood followed her, passing through the Dungeon Wall, coming out in his office. He took in the nice air outside the Dungeon, stretching his arms, "Wahh…so alive. I can finally rest in my bed. But first I want to eat something."
"Stay away from the maids! I have heard enough of their complaints!"
"Uh-huh," Ashwood chuckled, walking out of the room. The day was hectic. He had food, and then he designed a bow and armour for Sienna, and Ricardo, a shield was Benett, this was used the same principal as the Mana Blade, creating a Mana Shield. Once this was all done, he looked over the papers Jane put on the table for him to see. He skimmed through the information over who all entered and from which territory, and while he was looking at it, someone silently entered his office.
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