Chương 24: Chapter 24
AN: Hello, everyone. I want to open up with a quick update regarding the story.
From now on, all POV changes will be indicated with the character's name. For example, - YUKINO - will be at the very start of a section after a scene change. But when there's no indicator, it's Hachiman's POV.
Also, to answer the question of whether I'm Filipino, the answer is maybe, maybe not.
Anyways, enjoy today's chapter!
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I came to a halt and took in the sight of the man and the young girl from the caravan. It was easy to tell they were related—a father and daughter, no doubt. Their clothes, made from rough wool and coarse linen, looked like they had been mended and worn for quite some time. The style was reminiscent of mid to late-century medieval Europe, with a touch of age about them. The man had short brown hair and brown eyes. He wore a dark brown tunic and long stockings on his legs while a pair of old leather boots adorned his feet. The girl wore a long, old brown dress while leather clogs rested on her feet.
However, what stood out most from the father and daughter were the looks of awe and reverence they gave Zaimokuza, Riko, and me as the three of us stood next to one another before them.
"We are forever in your debts!" The man said in this world's primary language, the Common Tongue, and bowed his head deeply. The man's daughter then stepped forward and bowed her head even deeper.
"Yes! You three have saved my and my father's lives. Thank you!" The daughter's eyes sparkled with tears of gratitude, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Huh? What are they saying?" Zaimokuza's brow furrowed in confusion, his eyes darting between me and Riko. Riko nodded in understanding toward Zaimokuza.
"They are speaking the Common Tongue, the primary language of the Continent of Flemul." Riko said in Japanese while Zaimokuza's eyes grew wide in amazement.
"Of course! It makes sense that this new world's language would be much different from our own! Amazing!"
I turned away from my party members and turned back to the confused father and daughter. The use of Japanese threw them for a loop. According to the books I learned from the treasure room at Highwolf Castle, there were three languages in this world. The Common Tongue, High Ultranite, and Whispers of the Lost. Unfortunately, there were no scrolls or books on how to speak or learn those other two languages in the treasure room.
"It's okay," I said in the common tongue, gaining relieved looks from the pair. "We're just glad you're both alright. Um, what are your names?"
"My name is Milton, and this is my daughter, Hildred," Milton said while motioning to his daughter, Hildred, whose cheeks gained a hue of red when I turned to her. "May we have the honor of knowing the names of our heroes?"
"My name is Hiki-" Before I could continue, I paused. Giving them my last name first might confuse them. Eastern naming traditions most likely didn't exist in this world. "Hachiman Hikigaya. These are my comrades, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza and Riko." I said as I motioned to them both respectfully. Zaimokuza still looked confused but understood I was introducing him; he smiled awkwardly and nodded. On the other hand, Riko looked uninterested but nodded slightly as well.
"Despite what you say, dear Hero. My daughter and I owe our lives to you and your companions. However, I am but a humble merchant, so I don't have much to offer you all to repay for your heroic act. But you are all welcome to partake of anything on my caravan."
"We don't need anything." I shook my head and looked over at the caravan. "Where were you two heading before you encountered those beasts?"
"Ah, of course. We were making our way to Dirtmill Village, an hour's ride away. I was on my way to deliver much-needed supplies to the village." Milton said while looking off in the direction of the village.
I nodded at his words.
Does the village have some form of defense? These beasts were decently strong. I wonder how powerful the people of this world can become. I looked at Milton out of the corner of my eye. He was looking at Hildred with extreme relief as he pulled her into a tight hug. A sliver of my old, pessimistic self slowly began to creep up on me. Or perhaps he was planning on guiding the Centaur and Tikbalangs to the village to serve as a distraction so he and his daughter could get away.
Off in the background with my party members, Zaimokuza nodded along as Riko translated the conversation between Milton and me. When Riko was done, Zaimokuza jogged over beside me with a large grin.
"Hachiman! We should escort these people to that village! Protect them the rest of the way like heroes!" Zaimokuza said as he grabbed my shoulder in excitement.
I had to hold back my knee-jerk reaction to refuse his request instantly. Instead, I turned my gaze to the distant Mount Chaitizath, looming ahead. The sky was still bright, and if I pushed myself, I could clear that area and strengthen my abilities. Yet, the allure of witnessing a Medieval village intrigued me more than the immediate prospect of becoming stronger—at least for now.
"Sure," I said and pushed his hand off his hand from my shoulder. Riko looked over at me and frowned but remained silent. "We'll escort them to the village. But after that, we're leaving. We didn't come here to sightsee."
"Yes! Uh, I mean, of course."
I shook my head at his barely contained excitement and walked off to tell Milton that we would escort him and Hildred to the village. He beamed with relief and began to thank us all profusely, as did Hildred. But before we could begin moving, Milton's horses needed a well-deserved break after having run so fast to stay out of the Centaur and Tikbalang's clutches. During that time, I pulled out the book that I used to learn the Common Tongue and handed it off to Zaimokuza. He looked at the book with shock and quickly began to try and read through it. I was glad I took the time to add the Japanese equivalents to the characters of the common tongue.
"Riko," I said as I stopped next to my slime companion. She was standing dutifully off beside a tree, her battle axe on her back. "Something on your mind?"
She turned to me and then to the caravan several feet away. After a few seconds, she looked away, her eyes clouded with anger. "...I don't like interacting with the Terran's of this world. I... hate them."
"I understand," I said quietly, my voice laced with sympathy. Her resentment was entirely justified. The way her kind was treated here was nothing short of barbaric and heartless. Slimes were hot commodities, valued only for their utility despite their considerable intelligence. "We can leave. Continue our training. I'm certain they'll manage to reach the village on their own. I don't want you to do anything that causes you discomfort."
Riko looked up at me with a warm smile; the hatred behind her eyes was nowhere in sight as she looked at me. "No... I understand that you're curious about how this world differs from your own. I wouldn't want to be the one who stands in Master's way. I can put up with them if it's for your sake."
I placed a hand on her head and rubbed her tresses gently with a smile. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I'm sure." Riko nodded, leaning into my touch. "It will just be for a short while, right?"
"Yeah. In and out."
"Oi! Hachiman, Riko! The horses are ready!"
We both turned to Zaimokuza and saw him waving us over in excitement. Milton and Hildred were sitting in the caravan behind him. I waved back at him and looked down at Riko. She took a deep, calming breath and nodded.
With that, the five of us began traveling toward Dirtmill Village.
x x x
— SAKI —
As the acting Raid Leader, I had many responsibilities during a dungeon raid. One of them was keeping watch and ensuring that the lower-ranked Hunters working under me didn't die.
"Look out!" I shouted, raising my bow and taking careful aim.
My warning came right in the nick of time as the light brown-haired Mage narrowly dodged a deadly swipe from a jagged sword. The offending Draugr wielding the weapon was shot in the head not a moment later, courtesy of my magic arrow. With its head blasted off its skeletal shoulders, the rest of its body dropped into the cavern's stony grounds.
"Thank you, Kawasaki-san!" The Mage said to me with a grateful smile. His name was Nagata, a B-Rank Hunter who just joined a month ago.
"Stay with your unit!" I barked out, eyes narrowed. "These Beasts will use any opening they can find to kill you. You need your group to watch your back at all times!"
"Ah, y-yes, ma'am." The Mage said sheepishly, bowing his head before running back to his assigned group. I shook my head at him and looked out to observe the battlefield.
The large cave tunnel we were in was dimly lit by the natural glowing stones on the walls and ground of the cave. The walls were rugged and uneven, with various stalactites and stalagmites jutting out at odd angles. The air was cool and damp, carrying with it the earthy smell of wet stone and moss. The sound of dripping water echoed softly in the distance. It was a forbidding yet strangely beautiful sight. Unfortunately, the sight was ruined due to the several dead corpses my party and I had defeated.
The Dungeon we were clearing was a higher tier A-Rank. My Guild Master decided I was finally ready to lead a Dungeon raid of this caliber, thus making me the Strike Team's leader, with a party consisting of twenty-five members. This was a massive step forward in my career as a Hunter. I couldn't afford to fail or look weak today.
"That was a bit harsh," Shimizu pulled up next to me, her enormous battle axe hefted on her shoulder. Her weapon was a stark contrast to her hunter outfit, a cleric-like attire common with the Healer class, though her cloak was a bit more fashionable than most, and her bodice hugged her like a second skin. "New guy just wandered off a bit, ya know?" Her tone was sympathetic, her eyes watching the new Hunter. There was a flush of embarrassment on his face, but at least he looked more alert now.
"I don't care," I replied in a severe tone. "If he doesn't pay attention to his surroundings, then he'll wind up dead. He needs to be careful." I frowned. "He needs to understand that if he's gonna last long."
While most of this Strike Team was made up of experienced A and B-Ranks, Nagata was new, eager for both experience and to make a name for himself. He had volunteered for the raid with a hopeful heart and a touch of ambition. I couldn't fault him for that; we all started somewhere. Despite how green he was, I had agreed to let him join on the condition that he remained on the back line. He did that for the most part, but he had progressively become more cocky over time and began to stray a bit too far.
"Fair enough," Shimizu shrugged at me. "But couldn't you be a bit less threatening?"
"Sometimes, scaring them is the only way the lesson will stick." Takamura chimed in as he walked towards us with a small smirk. He was dressed in a more standard Ranger gear, decked out with weapons befitting his status as an S-Rank. He nodded at me with an approving eye. "I do it whenever I want my students to take a lesson seriously."
"But Taka-chan, can't you see how that scowl ruins her pretty face!" Shimizu argued, pouting at the older man. "SakiSaki's gonna get lines before she even reaches thirty if she keeps this up!"
"Shut up!" I glared at her. She just grinned at me, unfazed.
I'm starting to regret letting her join me today, but she insisted. Shimizu was adamant about being there for her Best Buddy's big day. She's more than earned her keep today, but she kept being annoying about stuff I didn't want to talk about whenever we got a break in the fight.
"Now, now. She does have a point." Takamura crossed his arms and put a hand on his chin as if in thought. "It would be better for you not to be so serious all the time, Kawasaki."
I shot him an annoyed glare, causing him to smile. Great, now even the other S-Rank I personally picked for this raid was piling on me.
Takamura's help was a boon, though, so I couldn't really stay mad at the man. Ever since I started working for Yuki-Ryoshi, he has been really generous in giving advice. Whether it was because he had experience in teaching people or he was just that nice, the older Ranger was never one to shy away from giving me lessons about being a Hunter or helping me with my office work. I wanted him for this raid because of his experience and wisdom.
"It's not an issue," I scoffed, turning away from both of them and back to the other party members. They were noticeably alert, which was good. My interaction with Nagata probably caused them to act like that. "I need to act like this if I want them to take me seriously."
Despite being the leader today, I was also the youngest Hunter in the group. I needed them to see that they couldn't use seniority over me, so I had to keep a serious face all the time.
Takamura and Shimizu shared a look, but I ignored that in favor of thinking of our next move. I surveyed the cavern's expanse with a critical eye, mind racing for my next move.
My Strike Team had twenty-five members divided into three units: eight hunters, each headed by an S-Rank, and one Hunter separate from all these units who acted as the porter, voluntarily carrying our stuff. I was the head commander, and the other S-Ranks would heed my orders. It was time for me to decide what to do next.
We've cleared this area, and it's about time to head deeper into it.
"Mikamoto! Suzuiro!" I called out, and two young Hunters immediately stood at attention. They were both Assassin-type Hunters who were used to scouting. "Survey the next area and see how many enemies are up ahead. Remember to use your camouflage so you won't alert them, got it?" I ordered, looking them seriously in the eye.
"Yes, ma'am!" The two young men nodded and did as they were told. I watched as they disappeared into the cavernous depths of the Dungeon.
When raiding an A-Rank Gate, Yuki-Ryoshi divides tasks into a set of three teams due to how massive the dungeons tend to be. My team was the strike team, with high-ranking hunters. Our job was to clear the dungeon monsters. The hauling team, with middle-ranking hunters, would gather the corpses of the monsters so they can be stripped of useful material for weapons and such. The mining team, with the lower-ranking hunters, would mine the mana crystals inside the cave.
The hauling team and the mining team were currently on standby until we completely defeated all the monsters we came across sans the Dungeon Boss. Being that we are deep into the Dungeon already, it should be possible that the next area will be the Dungeon Boss's lair. If that was the case, we were obligated to hold our position and let the hauling and mining team do their jobs before we fought the Dungeon Boss.
Being so caught up in my thoughts, unfortunately, brought me back to the Spinning Star Guild and their despicable actions. Their conduct was beyond reprehensible. The urge to confront them and hold them accountable still burns within me.
"Geez, Sakisaki," Shimizu's voice interrupted my thoughts. I looked over at her and noticed that there was a measure of concern etched on her face. "Ya gotta relax a bit. You're too tense."
"I'm just thinking... about what we should do next," I replied, covering up my actual thoughts. "I need to make sure we're ready. It's my job as the Strike Team leader."
"You're doing fine," Shimizu assured me, grinning a bit. "Just ease up a little. Being too wound up won't help when we fight."
"I'm not wound up," I muttered, hoping that I didn't sound like a petulant child. "I just don't want things to go wrong, alright?"
"Hmm." Takamura was looking at me peculiarly. "Shimizu, why don't you head back to your unit and make sure they don't need any healing?"
"Eh?" Shimizu shot him a look, which Takamura simply returned. There seemed to be a silent understanding between them because Shimizu just shrugged. "Oh, fine." She walked back towards her unit, smiling at them gaily.
Takamura then continued to look at me in silence for a few seconds, his eyes inquisitive.
"What?" I asked, raising my eyebrow at him.
"I'm glad you're taking this seriously," Takamura started with a warm tone, but then lips quirked up into a slight frown. "But I think this isn't the only thing on your mind." His statement was punctuated with a raised brow. "Does it have to do with the case you've been working on?"
I noticeably flinched. Takamura saw that and nodded to himself. "So it is."
"...has the Guild Master spoken to you about it yet?" I asked hesitantly, eyes darting towards the rest of the party. Shimizu was keeping them occupied by chatting them up, occasionally using her healing on the injured members.
"She has." His eyes sharpened. "What they're doing is unacceptable, and I will make sure that they pay for it." His eyes were colored with genuine gratitude as he found mine. "I commend you for all the hard work and documents you've compiled; they've given me a good baseline to work with. I'll have to do some more investigating to uncover whatever they've hidden away to strengthen our case." He gives me a more solemn and determined look. "You have my word on that. I won't stop until the people responsible are held accountable. They will answer for all the pain they've caused."
"I'll hold you to that," I said, my nod acknowledging his vow. His words brought a wave of relief; with him on the case, I felt certain they wouldn't escape retribution.
"In the meantime," Takamura continued, his tone gentler, "You need to take care of yourself. It's not just about this raid, Kawasaki. When was the last time you took a break?"
"I don't need it," I replied a bit defensively. There were things to do, and I needed to earn enough money so my family could live without worry.
"Kawasaki," His eyes looked at me with a bit of worry. "You told me before that you prioritize your family above everything, but can you tell me the last time you spent time with them?"
"I… um, recently?" I answered, yet even I knew how weak that sounded. I always made time to cook for Taishi or take Keika to school, but I've been busy with the case and Dungeon raids.
"Being with your family is crucial," he said firmly. "I know you're working hard, but neglecting the people you love will be something you'll regret. Take some time off; bonding with them won't hurt."
"... I'll think about it," I said while looking away. He had a point, when was the last time I took a day off?
"That's all I ask." Takamura nodded with a warm smile before walking away back to the unit I assigned to him.
I watched him converse with them easily and sighed to myself. Out of the three S-Ranks here today, Takamura should be the one leading. Shimizu was good at making people listen to her, but she wasn't all that great at taking the lead.
Takamura, on the other hand, was more experienced and a legend in Japan. When things grew tough, the majority of the party often looked towards him for directions rather than me. But the older gentleman always reprimanded them and ensured that they deferred to me, reminding them that I was the Strike Leader today.
I can't screw this up.
I need to clear my head and focus on the right now. The issues with the Spinning Star Guild can wait for later. Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from within the cavern. Suzuiro and Mikamoto emerged, breathless but determined.
"Kawasaki-san," Mikamoto said as they came to a stop in front of me, bowing their heads. "We didn't find any more monsters up ahead, but we did find the Boss's lair."
"Ah, good." I nodded my head appreciatively. "That means we can head back and regroup while the other teams do their jobs." Before that, though, I needed to ask them something. "Did you happen to see what type of monster it was?"
Mikamoto and Suzuiro exchanged glances before Suzuiro stepped forward and answered. "I think it was a vampire type, ma'am."
I kept my face neutral and hoped that it didn't show any reaction because inside, I only had one thought:
Dammit.
x x x
We escorted the caravan through the dense woods, walking in a single file. The thick canopy of leaves above cast dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air was cool and filled with the earthy scent of moss and fallen leaves while the soft crunch of twigs and leaves underfoot was the only sound, punctuated occasionally by the distant calls of birds and rustling of small animals. All in all, it was rather uneventful, and no more magical beasts seemed to hang around the area. Just to be safe, I also kept my senses on high alert for any large mana signatures.
We walked for another half hour in peace; Riko and I kept an eye out for any signs of danger as we made our way through the ancient woodland. Zaimokuza followed close behind me; his excitement quickly died down as nothing attacked us as we traveled. Milton and Hildred, however, looked unconcerned as they rode in the caravan. Having us three guarding them must be a big relief. It didn't take long before we finally reached Dirtmill Village.
The small, battered medieval village of Dirtmill appeared on the horizon as we approached. The village seemed to be tucked away in a peaceful valley, surrounded by rolling hills and lush greenery. Off down the hill was a wide streaming river that flowed silently with clean water. The buildings were made of weathered stone and timber, showing signs of age and wear. The thatched roofs were patchy and uneven, and some of the walls seemed to lean at odd angles.
Narrow, winding streets snaked between the haphazardly arranged cottages and huts. The village square, with its worn cobblestone ground, was the heart of the community. A dilapidated wooden well stood in the center, its once vibrant paint now faded and peeling.
Despite its worn appearance, there was a sense of resilient charm about the village. Smoke lazily drifted from the chimneys of the small, humble homes, and the aroma of cooking and baking filled the air. A few villagers could be seen going about their daily chores, tending to their gardens, or mending fences. Their faces were worn and tired. Several of the villagers had old, dirty, and bloodied bandages around their bodies.
In the distance, the ruins of an ancient stone tower loomed, a relic of the village's past. It stood as a silent sentinel, a reminder of the trials and tribulations the village had endured over the centuries.
Zaimokuza and I were struck with a sense of awe. This village seemed like a scene straight out of our history textbooks, depicting a bygone era reminiscent of Europe in the early eighteenth century.
"Is this real?" Zaimokuza said in a whisper as we continued along the road. I nodded and looked at everything the village had to offer.
"Yeah, it's real alright," I responded. "I can't help but wonder how the Ultrolux Kingdom looks now."
"Hold the phone. The Ultrolux Kingdom? A real Kingdom?! Like castles and all that!"
"Ah, the Ultrolux Kingdom," Milton said with a small smile. "It's a few weeks away by horseback further north. I haven't had the honor of laying eyes on the Kingdom, but friends and fellow merchants say it's a marvel to behold."
"Hachiman, we must go there!" Zaimokuza said with large, childlike eyes. "I want to see a real castle!"
"Calm down," I said as I pushed his pudgy face away. "Remember what I said. We're not here to sightsee. We're here to train."
"But-But-"
"No buts."
Soon enough, we passed through the village entrance. The villagers paused in their activities to watch us with curiosity and cautious hope. I looked around and saw a lack of any warriors or people with any weapons, causing me to frown. Was there no one to defend the place? Was my hunch actually right that Milton would have used the village as a distraction to escape? I sighed and looked at Milton with annoyance.
"Father. We made it! We actually made it!" Hildred said with a wide smile as several of the villagers began walking towards us. Milton nodded with tears in his eyes as he and Hildred stepped off their caravan.
"Aye. That we did." Milton said with a heavy sigh as he wrapped a hand around the younger girl's shoulder. "It's truly a miracle."
Watching them be so relieved and happy just making it to the village made me feel guilty about my darker thoughts.
A parent would do anything to protect their child. I looked away from the father and daughter, my annoyance leaving me. Can I really judge him for that?
Soon enough, Milton and Hildred were immediately recognized, and a wave of relief washed over the villagers as they rushed to greet the pair with warm embraces and expressions of gratitude. Zaimokuza, Riko, and I stood off to the side and watched as Milton spoke to a short, wise-looking man. Milton spoke quickly and excitedly, often motioning to us as he told the story of how we met. Gaining looks of amazement from the gathered people.
Once Milton was done, the wise-looking man from earlier who I heard some of the villagers call "Elder" approached us with a warm, thankful smile.
"I heard of your heroic acts from Milton. He was charged with bringing our village much-needed supplies. For that, we are forever in your debts." The old man said, his voice laced with wisdom that came with age. "My name is Godefry, the village elder. I welcome you to our humble village."
Godefry bowed his head slightly at us three and then gave us a kind smile. "Please, kind Heroes. How can we ever repay your kindness?"
"No, don't worry about that," I said with a shake of my hand. "We just happened to have found Milton and his daughter. We only did what anyone with the power would. There's no need to pay us back for that."
"I see. For such powerful warriors, You have the heart of a Golden Knight." Godefry said to us all. Zaimokuza just nodded at him as Riko translated his words.
"My comrade is correct! We only did as any true Hero would! You need not thank us! Ha-ha!" Zaimokuza said, much to Godefry and a few of the listening villagers' confusion. Riko sighed and translated his words for them all.
"How odd. Is he not from around here? I don't seem to recognize the language he is speaking. Could he be speaking High Ultranite or the Whispers of the Lost?" Godefry asked with wide eyes. "Are you all, in fact, Nobles?"
"Nobles! Here?!"
"What House are they from?"
"Quick, bow down! We can't risk disrespecting them!"
That word seemed to have caused a ripple effect in the village. Everyone, from man to woman and even the children, grew nervous and quickly fell to a knee. Godefry himself was about to take a knee himself, but I shook my head quickly.
"No, no. We're not Nobles. My companions and I are just traveling Warriors. My uh, my friend here doesn't speak either High Ultranite or the Whispers of the Lost." In my words, everyone was visibly relaxed and stood on their feet. I decided to quickly change the subject; I didn't want to delve into how to explain a random new language from popping out of nowhere. "Why are several of your people injured?"
"Was there some sort of attack?" Zaimokuza said with a frown. He looked around at the traces of damage all around the village.
"I'm detecting traces of mana," Riko said as she looked up and down the village. "Magical beasts."
"Aye. We have been under attack from beasts off from the east." Godefry said with a heavy sigh. "It has been happening for a few moons now. We have sent word to the Capital in hopes they would send some Knights to help us, but we've heard nothing so far."
"Goblins." A man with bandages around his head said as he walked over to us, as did several other men of the village. "They and several other damn beasts have been attacking us at night. Killing our people and taking a few of our women and children. We do what we can to ward them off, but we lack the strength or skill. If the Capital doesn't get off its arse, then this village won't last for much longer."
"Aye, that's true!" Another man with a limp yelled with rage burning in his eyes. "Those damn monsters killed my sister! We try to fight them off, but all we can do is make them run off to try again the next night."
"That's right! Those damn monsters won't leave us alone!"
"We can't take too much more than this. Our supplies are running low."
I looked over to Riko and Zaimokuza with a frown as several more of the villagers began to complain or spoke of their own run-throughs with the magical beasts. Despite what she said earlier, Riko had an unconscious look of concern after she finished translating for Zaimokuza. What was happening to this village was very similar to her own. She looked down at her feet with a complicated look, her hands tightened into fists. Zaimokuza walked next to me and looked at me with a determined expression.
"We have to help them," Zaimokuza said with a heavy tone. His gloved hand was on the grip of his sword. "We can't leave knowing what's going on."
"Please, Hachiman." I turned to Hildred, who walked in front of me. "Can you please help us?"
I looked into her hopeful, brown eyes and sighed. Looking away from her, I looked out at the villagers and saw them staring at me with the same look.
When you all look at me like that, Saying no is impossible.
"Very well. We'll help." I said with a small smile, earning a wave of thanks from everyone. "But first, let's heal everyone up."
x x x
As we ventured deeper into the woods, the light of the setting sun began to fade, casting long shadows across our path. The trees towered over us, their branches twisting and intertwining to blot out the remaining daylight. The air grew colder, and an eerie silence cloaked the surroundings. Ahead of us, a gaping maw of blackness yawned in the side of a rocky outcrop. The cave loomed like a sinister creature, beckoning us with a foreboding allure.
"This must be it," I said as we stared off into the dark depths of the cave. I could feel several mana signatures deep within the cave.
"Yes. I feel dozens of mana signatures deep within." Riko nodded with her battle axe in her hands.
"My first Dungeon dive," Zaimokuza said shakily. "I... can do this."
I nodded at him and summoned three balls of light. Each ball flew over above each of us, providing us with much-needed light. "Come on," I said and began making my way into the cave.
With determined strides, we ventured into the dark depths of the cave, the light from my light magic casting long, dancing shadows on the rugged walls. The air grew heavy, and the sound of dripping water echoed in the cavernous chamber, creating a sense of foreboding. I took a quick sniff that caused my nose to wrinkle in disgust. I recognized that smell. It was the smell of death.
As we delved further into the unknown, each step reverberated in the eerie silence. The light from my magic pierced the oppressive darkness, and every shadow seemed to hold a lurking threat. We were slowly being surrounded. Despite that, I had no fear or worry. These beasts were much weaker than me. As we reached a large chamber, several flickering torches lined the rough walls to reveal ominous symbols etched into the walls.
"Cave drawings?" Zaimokuza said as he pressed his hand on the wall.
"No, these are old warding spells," Riko said as she looked around at the symbols. Just as we were about to press forward, a low, guttural growl emanated from the darkness ahead, stopping us in our tracks.
It's about time.
We turned around to see dozens of beasts behind us. They ranged from Goblins, Wolves, and Imps. The Goblins and Imps held small, rusted weapons in their hands as the wolves growled threateningly.
Quickly, Zaimokuza drew his sword and held it in front of him. Riko bent her knees slightly and kept her eyes on the numerous beasts. I looked behind us to see even more beasts come out of hiding. Well, hiding is pushing it. Riko and I already knew they were there.
"Let's make quick work of them," I said, and I walked calmly to the creatures behind us as Riko and Zaimokuza dashed forward.
The sounds of steel and bloodshed echoed behind me as I looked out at the incoming swarm of Goblins, Wolves, and Imps. I raised my hand and pointed it at them without a care.
" Burn."
The cave was soon enveloped in a bright flash of orange light. The echoes of pained yells flooded my ears, and a satisfied smile grew on my face.
x x x
Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on who you ask, we quickly and effortlessly cleared all the beasts in the cave.
Zaimokuza, Riko, and I must have killed at least sixty beasts in the span of thirty minutes or so. Sure, they had large numbers, but their strength was low enough that their numbers didn't matter. I'd say they would scale around C-Rank in difficulty. This meant that even after the groups of magical beasts I'd killed, I was only able to level up once.
"I was expecting more of a challenge," Zaimokuza said with a disappointed frown. "I thought Dungeon raids like these were more exciting and filled with great threats."
"Normally, you'd be right. But you're at around A-Rank in power. These magical beasts are all too weak to pose any real threat to us." I said with a bored tone.
Riko nodded in agreement and finished consuming the last Goblin before shifting back into her human form. Zaimokuza handed her battle axe to her, for which she thanked him.
"I sense two final beasts deeper into the cave. They must be the leaders of these beasts. These two are considerably stronger." Riko said as she closed her eyes. I nodded alongside her; her skill in sensing had grown much stronger.
"Oh? They must be the Dungeon bosses, then!" Zaimokuza said with renewed vigor and punched the air in front of him.
"Possibly," I said as the three of us continued forward. The cave system had become cleaner and easier to traverse through instead of rough rock walls. Smooth stone now lined the walls with burning torches illuminating the long hallway. I looked to the side and saw an old skeleton next to a medium-sized chest. The chest itself was emanating a faint level of mana.
"Another Mimic," Riko said, swiftly cleaving through the fake chest with her battle axe, causing the disguised creature to hiss before it died. Its remains soon dissolved away into black ash. Zaimokuza looked sadly at the old skeleton and offered it a quick prayer.
"Let's hurry up and finish the bosses off. It's getting late, and I don't want Komachi to worry."
"Indeed. It shouldn't be long before the new episode of my favorite Anime airs."
We walked closer and closer to where the boss was located; as we grew nearer, we came across a few more scattered beasts and took them down with ease. We were at a crossroads in the hallway, and the last two beasts were straight ahead; however, what caught our attention were the far-off yells down to our right.
"-elp! It's dark and-"
"Is that... a person?!" Zaimokuza said with wide eyes. Before I could comment, he dashed down the hallway toward the cries for help.
"Zaimokuza! Damnit, let's go Riko!"
"Right behind you, Master!"
We followed after Zaimokuza further down the hall and eventually stopped when we found him standing still in a large room. He had a confused expression on his face as he looked at another Mimic in the center of the room. Riko and I quickly understood why he was so confused.
"It's dark and scary in here! Gah! So dark! Help!"
A pair of legs—small, dainty, and very much stuck—were flailing from outside the Mimic. The rest of her, a child by the looks of it, was wriggling frantically inside the creature's mouth while a wooden mage's staff lay discarded nearby. She whined and cried, desperately trying to escape, but oddly enough, the Mimic's fangs couldn't pierce her and the creature seemed baffled by its unchewable meal.
The three of us just stood there, watching, as one thought crossed my mind:
Who is this pathetic lost child?
x x x
— SAKI —
We all stopped at the entrance of what looked like a massive but worn-down cathedral inside the Dungeon cavern. Tall, shadowy pillars loomed over us, and broken stained-glass windows allowed a glimpse of the light from the dungeon's mana crystals from outside.
If there was one enemy I hated facing the most, it was the vampire-type beasts.
Foul, human-looking creatures with unnaturally pale skin, sharp fangs, and black eyes with blood-red irises. They had a laundry list of supernatural abilities that made them versatile and formidable: the power to transform into beasts, strength to rival giants, and speed that could outrun a speeding bullet. The worst of them all was their higher-than-normal intelligence.
As soon as we entered, my team was on high alert as we heard the thundering footsteps of a massive swarm of bodies rushing forward.
"Full cover!"
At my command, three of our Tankers immediately held out their shields and formed a barricade before our main party, while two other Tankers did similarly to the sides. A wall made of pure mana quickly burst out from their shields, barring the horde of undead charging at us from coming close.
The most annoying part of a Vampire-type beast was their ability to command their minions: Ghouls.
These repulsive creatures always lurked in the shadows of the dungeon boss's lair, waiting for their master's call to rise. They were relentless, driven to obey their master's will, and wouldn't cease until their enemy's heads were separated from their bodies. These minions were some of the most relentless you could find. They didn't care if they lost limbs or were cut in half; they just kept coming. So it wasn't hard to believe that several Raid parties had met their end due to these creatures. If a party wasn't careful, they could be easily overwhelmed by the sheer number of them, charging forward like a tidal wave of decay and death.
Just like what they were doing now.
The Ghouls threw themselves against the magical barrier created by our Tankers with rabid rage, their claws scraping and scratching at the magical defense, desperate to break through. But the Tankers held strong and remained unwavering. But I could see that holding the Ghouls back took a considerable amount of effort due to their clenched jaws and slow-falling beads of sweat on their skin.
Our turn.
"Attack!"
With my next command, the surrounding Mages in my party immediately launched their attacks into the mass of enemies swarming us, pushing the hoard of Ghouls back and giving the Tankers a much-needed break.
With practiced ease, I began channeling my mana into a magical arrow. When it was ready, I pulled my arm back and drew my bow. The arrow hummed with energy as I aimed high, targeting the center of the horde.
Arrow Storm!
A concentrated magical arrow was released from my bow, arcing high over the mass of ghouls at blinding speeds. The arrow exploded over the undead horde. The single arrow multiplied into hundreds, and a shower of arrows eviscerated the Ghouls into mincemeat.
A second volley of the same attack soon followed, courtesy of Takamura. It further cut down the horde, tearing them apart with unrelenting attacks. His volley of arrows was more concentrated on the very back of the horde, where the Vampire was lying in wait. Causing the Boss to narrow its glowing red eyes at us from its position. The Vampire hissed and quickly transformed into a huge bat and took flight over the battlefield, dodging and turning away from several flying arrows sent by my fellow Rangers.
Tsk, sneaky bastard.
"Takamura-san!" I shouted over to the veteran Ranger, who was preparing for another shot. "Keep your eyes on the Vampire. Keep it in the air and away from us so we can focus on bringing down his minion's numbers. We can't risk getting overrun!"
"Got it." He nodded, his keen eyes now locked on to the Vampire flitting among the cathedral's high arches. It screeched at him when their eyes met, flapping its wings more aggressively. Takamura promptly responded by aiming his bow and shot a perfectly aimed arrow at the Vampire. The beast had no choice but to steer right to avoid being struck.
What the Vampire didn't expect was for the arrow to suddenly follow it like a homing missile, causing the creature to screech in pain when the arrow struck its leg. A ghost of a smirk formed on Takamura's face, his bow still aimed at the soaring Vampire.
That should keep it away. I thought, watching it scurry away further from us.
"Shimizu, how's your mana?" I hollered loudly.
"I've got plenty!" She answered with a grin and hefted her large battle axe. "I can keep healing and buffing, so don't you worry."
"Good."
I nodded and then focused on the raging battle on the ground. The Tankers were holding strong, helped by the Fortification buff that Shimizu and the other Healers used on them. I looked off to my sides at the Fighters and Assassins, who were ready and waiting for the Ghouls should they breach through the Tankers wall. The Mages and Rangers at our backs continued firing away at the horde. Taking turns at casting to preserve their mana.
Now that our porter rejoined the collection teams, our strike team, which excludes the S-Ranks like me, was comprised of five Tankers, five Fighters, four Assassins, four Mages, two Rangers, and two Healers, all ranging from B to A-ranks. With a fair balance in many aspects, we are well-equipped to take on most A-Rank dungeons, given a solid battle plan and synchronized teamwork.
As long as we kept our formation tight, the horde of undead Ghouls would be cut down soon enough. Up above, the Vampire was kept occupied by Takamura's quick and deadly arrows. Keeping it away as we cut down its army's numbers.
But I knew it was also biding its time.
One of the things I hated most about Vampire-types was their intelligence. The damn Vampire was holding back, and I knew why:
It's waiting for us to get tired. To run out of mana.
A well-documented tactic noted by the hunters who faced these beasts before was that the Vampires used their hordes to wear down the hunters' stamina. When the Hunters no longer had the same energy as before, the beasts would launch increased, vicious, and unending attacks.
With this in mind, we were careful not to waste our energy in the fight against the horde of Ghouls. The Fighters and Assassins conserved their energy behind the wall, waiting for the right moment to attack, and the Healers weren't tired from casting their buffs yet. I can handle most of these Ghouls on my own with support from the Mages and the Rangers, allowing my team to save their energy. Takamura was doing a great job of keeping the Vampire at a distance with his deadly shots, making it think twice about coming close.
…only a matter of time now. I thought, shooting down another batch of ghouls.
"Uureee!"
After defeating the last of the first group of Ghouls, the Vampire emitted a terrifying screech that echoed throughout the cavern, causing the very stones to tremble. From the shadows of the cathedral's transepts, another wave of Ghouls emerged. This time, there were twice as many as before, their eyes filled with malevolent bloodlust as they charged at us.
I gritted my teeth. "Here it comes! Hold formation—don't let up!"
We knew it had this trick up its sleeve. Hunters who had experienced it before had warned of this ploy, and we were ready for it.
"Shimizu!" I called out. "Time for the big one!"
She grinned and raised her battle axe high.
"Right!"
She slammed the axe into the ground, and a shockwave of golden light erupted from the impact, spreading out across the battlefield. The light washed over our party, infusing us with renewed strength and energy. Our accumulated fatigue vanished, replaced by a surge of power that made our hearts race and our weapons feel lighter in our hands. This action of hers caught the eyes of the flying Vampire Boss high in the air; it narrowed its red-eyed at Shimizu as it continued to dodge and weave around Takamura' 's arrows.
My plan depended heavily on Shimizu's skills.
Our absent S-Rank healer, Minamoto, had the freedom to use buffs more liberally and distribute them across a wider area than any other healer in Japan. His grimoire enabled his spells to cover a larger region more effectively than Shimizu. He was capable of doing this repeatedly as long as he had enough mana.
Shimizu's weapon had a disadvantage compared to Minamoto's Grimoire, as it was not as effective at freely casting buffs. However, her battle axe, made from the scales of a Hydra, had the unique ability to stack buffs within it like a Hydra's head constantly regenerating. She could unleash the spell once during a certain period of time, allowing the buffs to spread over the field and benefit her allies.
And she's been continuously stacking those buffs during the hours it took for the hauling team and mining team to do their tasks.
The second wave of Ghouls slammed into the Tanker's defenses, but this time, they were met with ferocity.
"Charge!"
At my command, the Tankers roared as they thrust forward, driving the undead back with renewed vigor and kept apace by the buffs from the other Healers. The Fighters and Assassins finally leaped into the fray, cutting down several numbers of Ghouls with swift, precise strikes. The Mages followed behind them, unleashing their most powerful spells, firestorms, and wind blasts that tore through the enemy ranks. The Rangers stepped forward just behind the rest, arrows launched with deadly accuracy towards the mass of undead.
The second horde was getting brought down faster than the first wave. It was only a matter of time before all their numbers were gone entirely. I looked up and shot the Vampire a smirk. The beast was quickly growing enraged at the fact that its minions were being cut down so fast.
Can't hide behind your cronies forever.
But, of course, this tactic had a caveat. With the frontline now pressing forward, our backline was left more defenseless. This meant that we were now more vulnerable. And from the way Shimizu dropped to her knees with her axe planted on the ground, visibly fatigued, she was probably the most vulnerable of all. It didn't help that she was alone with no back up around her.
Takamura and I hung back as we were in charge of protecting her. The Vampire could see this and wouldn't dare to come close. With Shimizu's buffs on us, we could counter anything it tried. Its only choice was to watch as its horde continued to get whittled down. Soon enough, the Boss would be the only remaining enemy left on the field.
"Urrreee!"
With another screech, the Vampire transformed, unleashing a wave of putrid mana. Its bat form grew even more muscular, its arms bulging and its claws turning into razor-sharp talons. Its face morphed into a hybrid of a mutated human and a bat, with sharp fangs elongating over its mouth. Wrapped in dark, concentrated mana, its angry eyes then focused on us.
It's coming!
I aimed my bow and shot several arrows at the raging monstrosity, but the Vampire moved faster than it had ever before. Like a bullet through the air, it flew towards us with blinding speed. As fast as I could shoot, my arrows were too slow to catch up.
As expected, it had been holding throughout the entire battle, biding its time and waiting to see a weak spot to take advantage of. Seeing Shimizu exhausted on the ground, the Vampire found its perfect victim to unleash its wrath on, especially after seeing that she was vital in keeping the party up with her buffs.
We wouldn't be able to shoot it down before it reached her.
But we didn't need to.
Just as the Vampire was within meters of Shimizu, her expression changed. The fatigue that she was exuding before disappeared without a trace, and a sly, playful grin stretched across her face. She then winked at the Vampire's surprised face.
Shimizu Akari was an S-Rank. Her mana reserves were exponentially larger than that of an average A-Rank, even though her physical strength was about the same as theirs since she was still a Healer. However, at that moment, her spell wasn't just a buff meant for everyone else; it was also a buff that she cast on herself. With stacks of Vigor, Haste, Strengthening, and Fortification buffing her, the A-Rank strength an S-Rank Healer had would temporarily be upgraded to that of an S-Rank.
And that strength would be enough to kill the Vampire.
"Gotcha!" Shimizu swung her battle axe faster than the Vampire could reach her.
The Vampire tried to veer away from the blow, but it was too late. Due to the speed at which it launched itself and the swiftness of Shimizu swinging her axe, it couldn't get away from the blade that sliced through its arm, legs, and wing.
Seeing our plan succeed, Takamura moved as well. He unleashed his own attack at the injured beast as it was about to crash on the stony ground.
"Entangling Shot!"
The arrow released from his bow split into four smaller individual arrows, all connected by a net that enveloped the Vampire and immobilized it on the ground. Seeing my chance, I unloaded my own attack on the entrapped beast.
My bow was made from the scales of an A-ranked Water Serpent, and it had a special ability that I could call upon into the bow itself. Enhancing my attacks to greater heights.
Hydro Jet Arrow!
A large arrow, made from pristine magical water, flew straight at the Vampire and blasted through the Vampire's head and torso like an ultra high pressure waterjet. An explosion of blood and gore rocketed out of the beast as red mist blew around its remains.
As I looked behind me, the last remaining Ghouls were defeated by the rest of the party. An eerie silence filled the air as I approached to verify that the Vampire was truly deceased. After one last scan, I let out a sigh of relief.
"It's dead." My voice cut through the silence, and a chorus of cheers echoed within the cathedral walls.
"We did it!" Shimizu jumped in joy, her arms encircling me. "Your plan worked!"
"Yeah…" I allowed her to shake me for a bit before I glanced at her with a smirk. "It depended a lot on your acting, though."
She giggled as she let me go. "Well, I'm Japan's best actress for a reason." She struck a pose, face smug as can be.
"Good work, both of you." Takamura smiled at us, his eyes shining with admiration.
"Thanks." I replied with a small smile, while Shimizu just threw up a peace sign, grinning with pride.
I glanced at the rest of my party and saw that they were all tired but filled with pride, cheering and congratulating each other.
No deaths.
Not bad for my first time as Strike Leader on an A-Rank Dungeon.
Now that this was done, I felt a wave of exhaustion hit me. Between the Spinning Star Guild case, this raid, and the months I've been denying myself some time off, the fatigue finally began to catch up to me.
I guess... I should take some time off.
x x x
"Ah! It's not dark anymore! I can see! I can see!"
Apparently, the small pathetic child trapped in the now dying Mimic was actually an Elf if her long, pointed ears were anything to go off by. A fact that drove Zaimokuza crazy with glee after he had stabbed the fake chest carefully to free the trapped Elf. The Elf was a short girl with bright blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She was dressed in a blue and yellow Mages cloak with dark boots. The Elf was around Riko's height if not a centimeter or two shorter. The Elf lifted her arms above her head and leaned back to stretch her back. Despite her laid-back disposition, I remained cautious and ready.
"An Elf... I've only heard tales of them, but no one from my village has ever seen one in a very long time." Riko said from beside me as we watched the Elf go through a few more stretches. She might have been stuck in that Mimic for a while.
"Hm..." I hummed and watched as the Elf's staff floated off the ground and into her left hand. She then looked over the three of us and smiled widely.
"My deepest thanks for freeing me! It seems I had a lapse in judgment and allowed such a feeble creature to trick me once again, hah-hah!" The Elf laughed and rested her right fist on her hip. "One act of kindness deserves another in turn, so I'll give you all one spell as a reward! Doesn't that sound great?"
"What did she say? What did she say?!" Zaimokuza said excitedly, causing Riko to sigh and translate. "Really! I want to learn how to fly!"
I rolled my eyes at him and gave the Elf a pointed look as Riko translated for Zaimokuza. The Elf girl made a baffled expression on her face when she heard Zaimokuza speak Japanese, but she did not comment on it. I expanded my senses and tried to get a feel for her power, but somehow, I was finding it hard to find her level of mana.
What the hell?
The Elf nodded to Zaimokuza's answer, but her eyes flashed over to my own. She smiled knowingly at the fact that I was sizing her up. As if to tell me I was caught, it was her turn to do the same to me. After a second, she nodded to herself and looked back at Riko and Zaimokuza, leaving me with a cold feeling.
Did she instantly figure out my own mana? No, that was too fast. But then again, I still can't seem to see her. Unless...
"Flying, you say," The Elf said with a thoughtful nod and walked over to Zaimokuza. She made a show of inspecting him from top to bottom while humming herself, causing my silver-haired party member to blush a furious red in the close proximity of the admittedly beautiful Elf girl. "Unfortunately, you have naught the aptitude for such magic. Oh! I know! How about a skill befitting someone of your nature!"
The Elf reached out, and a small magic circle popped into existence. Zaimokuza frowned sadly at Riko's translation but quickly smiled at the mention of a different spell. The Elf's forearm disappeared inside and moved around for a second before coming back out with a book in hand.
A Grimoire? No, forget that. She just used spatial magic!
"Here it is! This is a spell rather famous with warriors of your kind." The Elf said with a grin and handed the book to Zaimokuza's shaking hands. "The spell is called Mind Fury! It will allow you to use your mana to inflict feelings of rage into your opponent, causing them to attack you without much thought. It's quite useful!"
Zaimokuza's face practically glowed at the Elf's explanation once Riko was done translating. He instantly opened the book, but his face quickly fell when he couldn't read the words.
"Damn it... I must quickly learn the language of this world!" Zaimokuza said and pulled out the book of the Common Tongue; his eyes quickly scanned the book as he read.
"Your robust companion speaks a strange language," The Elf directed this statement to Riko and me. "In all my years traveling, my ears have never heard the like. How very interesting." She then took a step closer to Riko with her free hand cupping her chin thoughtfully. "What's even more interesting is the slime standing before me, transformed into a very convincing Terran appearance."
In an instant, Riko swung her battle axe through the air in an attempt to remove the Elf's head. I was already moving but stopped when the Elf girl smiled and flicked her staff, causing a magical barrier to appear suddenly between her and the sharp weapon. A loud clang echoed in the room, jolting Zaimokuza out of his reading.
The Elf glided over the floor as she gained some distance from Riko, a look of curiosity on her elvish face. Riko growled and dashed after her in a burst of speed, slamming her axe into another barrier above the Elf girl's head.
"Hoh. A very powerful slime at that, possibly the strongest in the history of your kind." The Elf said, aiming her staff at Riko with a small smile.
In the time it took me to blink, several glowing strands of energy flew out of the ground and slithered around Riko's body, trapping her in their hold. Riko's face twisted into fear and rage as she tried to escape but found herself unable to move at all.
"Now, what to do?" the Elf held a hand to her chin, looking deep in thought.
"Undo the spell," I said with a growl. In my hands, my twin Scimitars sparked into existence. Zaimokuza, seeing the sudden change in situation, had his own weapon in hand. We remained where we stood, afraid that the binds could rip Riko apart in an instant. "Right now! I swear if you hurt her..."
The Elf turned her attention to me with a raised brow, but then smiled. Her staff vanished in a flash as her hands raised slowly. As soon as the staff was gone, the magical binds around Riko vanished, causing her to fall to a knee. She looked up at the Elf with the clear understanding that she was outmatched. Zaimokuza and I ran in front of Riko as she rose to her feet and stood at the ready in case the Elf attacked.
"Be at ease, my actions are not of harm, but of self-defense! Your friend boldly swung at me first, after all!" The Elf said, her hands waving in front of her. "Her acts of violence do not offend me, we elves have long known the repugnant barbarism that the Terrans submit her kind to, and long have we abhorred them."
I looked back at Riko and saw her scared eyes relax slightly. The Elf girl had a point; Riko attacked first. Could I fault the Elf for defending herself in what would have been a lethal attack? No, I couldn't. With that in mind, I dismissed my swords in a shower of sparks that caught the Elf's attention.
"Put your sword away, Zaimokuza."
"Ah, okay."
"You have a point; let me apologize for my companion's actions," I said with a slight bow. "Please don't hold it against her."
"Fret not, I am not so easily angered." Elf girl said without a care, almost as if she had no concern that her head nearly flew off her body. She almost seemed relaxed. This only solidified my suspicions of her.
This Elf is strong.
"No one was hurt in the end, so let's let bygones be bygones!" The Elf said with a chuckle and then pointed at me with a grin. "Now, might I be so bold to ask where you learned spacial magic? You must be a very powerful Mage. Not many in the land know or are capable of using it."
"Ah, well, you see," I muttered and scrambled through my brain to come up with an answer. Think, brain, think! "I just... figured it out?"
Damnit, brain! You failed me!
"...is that so?" The Elf girl said with a hum. I could tell she was unconvinced, but she didn't push the issue. "I see. How impressive of you!"
"Right... anyway. Why are you down here?" I asked as I looked around the barren room. "This Dungeon is, well — was—crawling with monsters. How did you manage to get past them all?"
"Ah," The Elf said with a surprised expression. "You see, I heard that Dirtmill Village was under attack by some monsters nearby, so I took it upon myself to help them out. But then I heard talks from a few traveling folk that there may be a Grimoire in these caves. So I decided to look for it before I took care of the pests."
"That's how you ended up in the Mimic?" Riko said, walking up beside me. "You believed the grimoire to be inside it?"
"Well, no. I thought it was a treasure chest at first. Unfortunately, my curiosity outweighed my caution, and I got tricked by it." The Elf girl said with an embarrassed voice. Her eyes were looking down at the stone floor as her pointer fingers poked one another while her long elven ears drooped. "... that's the twentieth time now."
Seriously?
She then perked up, her embarrassment forgotten. "But I don't sense all the monsters from before. I'm assuming you three must have cleared out the majority of them all. That's impressive! Normally, a Dungeon of this scale would have taken two large groups of experienced warriors or adventurers."
"Well, we're not done yet. There are still two beasts left." I said while looking down the corridor we came through. "We better finish them off before they realize all of their minions are gone."
"I see. I will accompany you then!" The Elf said, her staff flashing into her hands. Then her eyes widened like she realized something. "Oh, but where are my manners? I've yet to introduce myself!"
She then held her head high, her fist on her hips and her staff planted solidly into the ground. "I am Aerisa, prodigious mage of the elven race!" She shot us a boastful smile. "All of you have the pleasure of being in my presence."
…what a sassy brat. I couldn't help but feel my eyebrow twitch in annoyance.
"Now, I think one introduction deserves another." She nods at us.
Right. It would be kinda rude not to tell her our names now.
"Hachiman." I pointed to myself. "Riko." I pointed to the slime in question. "Yoshiteru." Then I pointed to Zaimokusa.
"Eh." She frowned in disappointment, "Such a tepid introduction for such distinct names."
"We're kind of in a hurry," I replied snarkily.
"Ah yes, the dungeon beast!" She perked up and stepped right next to me. "Let us not tarry then." She smiled at me excitedly. "After all, that grimoire may very well be with them. Let's go!"
Riko, Zaimokuza, and I watched as Aerisa walked down the corridor with no care.
"I have no idea what she's saying, but she's very interesting," Zaimokuza said and began following behind her.
I couldn't help but agree and walked behind him. But the lack of a third pair of footsteps caused me to stop; I looked back to Riko and saw her with her head down and her hands clenched into fists in front of her.
"Riko?"
"I'm sorry, Master," Riko whispered. "I... acted without thinking. My actions only brought you trouble. I'm sorry."
I frowned and approached her to place a hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, Riko. You were scared. Besides, no one was hurt, and Aerisa doesn't seem to hold it against you."
"But..."
I sighed and looked back to see Zaimokuza trying to talk to Aerisa further down the corridor. It seemed they noticed we had fallen behind and decided to wait.
"I think you should apologize to her, then," I said, patting her head. "That's all we can do when we make a mistake. We apologize and try to make up for our actions. Just try to learn from your mistakes, and things will get better from here."
"Is it really that simple?"
Riko's words caused me to blink; they were very reminiscent of Yukinoshita's words from that night. I smiled and placed a hand under her cheek to lift her head up. Her purple eyes found my own, and I smiled.
"Sometimes. But you never know until you try." I said and let her go. "Now then, are you ready to keep going?"
Riko stood silent while her eyes looked off down the corridor at Aerisa and Zaimokuza. Taking a deep breath, she nodded and looked up at me with a smile.
"I think so... Thank you, Master."
"Yeah, you're welcome."
------
[Bonus Content Character Sheet]
Name: Takamura Takato
Race: Human
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Eye Color: Brown
Hair Color: Brown
(ooo)
Likes: His wife, his three children, reading well-written essays, reading books, dad jokes.
Dislikes: Abusive Bureaucrats, Disregard for Human life, unequal treatment of Hunters, lazy students, spiders.
Dreams: For his family to live in a world without Dungeon monsters.
Hobbies: Writing Essays, Reading Essays, Watching Horror Movies, Watching legal documentaries, Cooking, Teaching.
Personality/History: Though known for being an S-Rank Hunter, Takato is more famous as one of Japan's most prolific lawyers. Mild-mannered and quick-witted, he champions fairness and equality, shaping key Hunter laws in Japan, including those on equal treatment, unbiased justice, and compensation. His law firm, Takamura Legal, specializes in Hunter cases, where he is noted to be ruthless, fighting tooth and nail for his clients, and his keen eye for detail makes him a force to be reckoned with. When not busy with cases or dungeon raiding, Takamura can be found doing lectures on all things related to law and political science at Tokyo University, where he is popular with the students for his engaging lessons. If a Hunter ever finds themselves in legal trouble, he is the top choice.
(ooo)
Status: Hunter
Rank: S-Class
Affiliation: Yuki-Ryoshi Guild
Class: Ranger
(ooo)
Weapons: Bow made from Griffin bones with strings made from Arachne spider-silk, a knife made from Basilisk fang.
Skills: Masterful Lawyer, Teacher, Knife-fighting expert, Bow-combat mastery, Archery Master, Parkour Expert, Wing Chun, Cooking.
Talents: Cooking, Writing
(ooo)
Image Link: imgur.com/XvQgjsI
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A/N:
Thank you for reading today's chapter,
Please leave a review or comment. It helps me gauge your interest in the story and because I enjoy reading what you all have to say.
Until next time!
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