《Re Istode : Things that kitsune girl do in another world》 Chapter 1 - Prologue Ark Fantasy Online. That is the name of the most played and most famous game today. Ark Fantasy Online is a VRMMORPG (Virtual Reality Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). A game that makes a person becomes an extraordinary figure in the Digital World, in the man-made world. In the digital world, a person or we can call them a Player, can do things beyond reason. Things that can never be done in the real world. Things like winning against Monsters, using magic, or battling using a giant sword. Ark Fantasy Online is a real dream for gamers. To play this popular game, one is required to use hardware called Dream Caster. That tool, Dream Caster, will connect one''s consciousness to the Digital World. It makes someone sleep and they''ll dream of a challenging, thrilling, moving, or even comedic adventure. This game, Ark Fantasy Online is so enchanting. And I... I was also captivated by its charm. Eight years have passed since the first time I played Ark Fantasy Online. In that period, I''ve done and completed all kinds of adventures beyond my imagination. Blood, tears, and sweat poured out when- okay! Blood, tears, and sweat may not count, it''s in the digital world and there''s no way anyone can let out various kinds of body fluids there. But, the point is, I''ve fought all those adventures. Yes, I played Ark Fantasy Online. Unfortunately, I''m not a pro gamer, I''m just a national elite gamer. The ability I have cannot be compared to those who play at the international level. But, I can say, I played pretty well and I wasn''t too bad. I''m not in the Top 100 Players Around the World rankings. But, I ranked 666th on the list of 1,000 Top Players Around the World. As I said earlier, I''m not good at it and I''m not too bad. The title of elite gamers - one level below Pro Gamers - I got one year ago. After the Familia that I and six of my friends made, completed a Hidden Quest. Hidden Quest''s rewards made us famous and stronger. And thanks to it, we''re recognized as one of the Elite Gamers in our nation. Our Familia is called Estoque. It''s not a fancy name but it has a good tone when being said. The reason why our Familia was formed is arguably from such a simple source, which is so basic, and so marketable. The reason six of my friends and I made this Familia is... Money. The work we do in the real world is not particularly promising. We knew we couldn''t have a future if we continued to depend on our job. On the other hand, we know that wealth can be gained by playing Ark Fantasy Online. Faced with the choice - working hard then earning a little wage and get a lot of salary in a fun way - of course, we took the second. Therefore, we decided to left our old job and focus on playing Ark Fantasy Online. The regular salaryman that I work for can only make me live day by day. There''s no chance for me to set something aside. There''s no money to be saved and no money spent on entertainment. That limitation made me able to see and realize, I won''t have a future. Besides all of that, I also have problems at the workplace that I want to stay away from. A job that has small wages and an unpleasant workplace. It deserves to be abandoned. So, in Ark Fantasy Online, I do a trade. Buying and selling items in the game gave me the promise of a future. I am an elite gamer, this is where I am. In the digital world. Right now, I stand in the arena of the largest Coliseum in Dueling City Erletta. I took part in a tournament to promote our Estoque Familia. And of course, winning the tournaments and obtaining the first prize is our biggest priority. To get more customers for our shops, we had to make Estoque Familia to be known. Long story short, we want popularity. An ad is mandatory when someone opens a business. All of which makes the Grade Nine - World-Class PvP Tournament so valuable for an advertising campaign. Who am I? Right... My real name is Giselle, Giselle Gibson. A twenty-eight years old modest woman. I''m a former regular office worker. I love games. And so, I decided to become an elite gamer. Lastly, I''m single. That''s right, I''m not married. In fact, for the last few years, I''ve never been in romantic touch with the opposite sex. I''m so pity... Ehem! I''m just a woman who loves to play games. In the game, Ark Fantasy Online, I use an avatar that has the figure of a handsome young man. The dashing avatar has short golden hair and blue eyes. And Vier - a word that has a meaning of four in German - is my Avatar''s name. Why would I use a man Avatar when I''m a woman? I''ll give you a bitter smile before answering that question. First, I have no desire to do cross-dressing, roleplaying, and I''m not a tomboy. I want to live like a woman should be. Last, errors that appear in dream caster are the main cause of me using a man Avatar. Dream Caster has a function to accurately determine a person''s gender. And because I knew that fact, I became so shocked by what happened. Tears welled up when I made my avatar. Honestly, I said, I cried in the end. Why did that error occur? To answer that question, I had to tell you about my in the real world. In the real world, I... I''m a woman who is arguably unique. Because I joined a martial arts club in high school and do some intense training, I have a pretty big, muscular body. And the lack of assets I have makes me look like a man. And my face which is quite masculine makes this problem get worse. The combination of all those things made me truly look like a man. I suspect those traits become the source of error that made Dream Caster mis-guessed my gender. Then, with anger and sadness, I reported this error to the company that released Dream Caster. And I got an explanation. They tell me that my case was an unlucky one. Dream Caster has a 0,0001% percentage of an error to determine someone''s gender. And by chance, I just got it. My anger rose tenfold! I gave them very, very long, annoying complaints. And in the end, they gave me an apology and a new Dream Caster. But, they didn''t solve my problem! My gender in the digital world is still a man. My brain wave and data have been permanently recorded on their main server. They cannot delete or reset the data because the technology they use is a new experimental technology. And yes, the technology is stable and safe. That was techno version 1.0.0 that will continue to grow and becomes much better. But¡­ eight years already passed and version 3.9.5 still couldn''t solve my problem! I cried in this unfair world. Why do I look like a man! Because of this figure of mine, some people think of me as a sissy. A man wearing women''s clothing. The bad experience of being considered a sissy made me decide to wear men''s clothes. Yes... I''m so aware that I hate being treated as a man. But, to be honest, I assume, wearing men''s clothes and being treated as a man is better than being ridiculed as a sissy. And that''s right. That way of life makes men never come to flirt with me. On the contrary, sometimes, some women come to me to confess their love. Sadly... They mis-guessed my gender. At first, I hated it when a woman convey their love to me. But, as time went on and the absence of a man next to me, a change appeared in my heart. Slowly, I began to like the idea of having a romantic relationship with a woman. And at twenty-four, I dated a woman. We love each other, we have many good times, and we have a thousand incredible memories. But¡­ Unfortunately, our relationship had to end after four years had passed. My girlfriend married a man. And it doesn''t need to be said that my girlfriend and that guy work in the same place as me. I opened up my old wound, it''s complicated, and I felt like this was enough. So... Let''s forget about my sad past. Now... "I have to focus on this final round! I have to beat Herman!" Chapter 2 - Final Round Now, standing in the arena of the coliseum and being watched by tens of thousands of players, I fight against Herman the Fortress. A pro gamer who is famous for his absolute defenses. Our fight is the final round of the tournament. It will determine who is the real winners and losers are. The crowd was so excited and festive when they watched our fight. The loud cheers they made were tinged with a burning spirit. Their cheers shake this Coliseum. Some spectators shouted my Avatar''s name. "Vier! Vier! Vier!" They cheered loudly. And I''d be very happy If those cheers were intended for me. Unfortunately, I know, they shouted my name just to enliven the atmosphere and for the other reason. I suspect, Sub Event called Cheerleaders Event or maybe Illegal Betting is the main reason why they shouted my Avatar''s name. The cheerleaders Event is some kind of guessing game. A Player selects one participant in the PvP Tournament and then gets a prize according to the final rank of the participant they selected before the participant is eliminated. The higher the ranking of participants of their choice, the greater the prize they will receive. As for Illegal Betting... Of course, you already know. That''s a bet between Players. Usually, they use Gold, items, or even RM (real money) when making a bet. And because it is illegal, the participants of the bet who are caught by GM (game master) will be penalized. The spectators'' cheers were not just directed at me. Many of them cheered to support of my opponent. "Herman! Herman! Herman!" Bitter to say, that middle-aged man Avatar with a two-meter tall, muscular body gets more festive and loud cheers. And it''s become more painful when I know that cheers came from his fans. Herman the Fortress is really on a different level. His equipment, the black-colored Armor of Giant Defence that he uses makes him look so formidable. His weapon, the Golden Hammer, almost taken away all my HP (Health Points) in one blow many times. His last equipment, the unknown, black, giant round shield on his left hand was the source of Herman''s nickname. Herman the Fortress. The old pro gamer is famous and intimidating. Oh! My attention is distracted. It''s not good! Especially in this final round. I need all my concentration to fight equally against this old man who is like a monster. Careless for a moment and I''ll be done! I''ll be a loser. I know, none of us intend to give up the title of champion easily. If we just give up the title just like that, what is the meaning of our struggle to arrive at this final round? So, yearning for the title of champion! Holding a blue sword called the Azure Sword, I challenged Herman the Fortress. As for protection, I wore a silver armor called Holy Knight Armor. Both of these items are Legendary Grade items. Without them, I wouldn''t be able to put up a fight with Herman. In this match and for the last twenty-two minutes, we fought desperately. We try to knock down and kill each other. We''re fighting using all our abilities and strength to earn the title of champion. Each of us didn''t want to give up. Therefore, I will defeat Herman. The spirit that burned my soul did not accept the word defeated. And I know, beating Herman isn''t easy to do. Six minutes remain and this final round will be ended. Sadly, I haven''t beaten Herman yet. The HP that we have is in critical condition. Herman''s HP is only 20% of his max HP. As for me, I only have 23% of my HP. In this match we were desperate. If Herman doesn''t attack me, he''ll lose because of our HP differences. That is Herman''s desperation. For my desperation. I have to dodge Herman''s attacks and keep my HP from decreasing. "UOOO...!" Herman shouted. The man was full of spirit and he sprinted so fast to get close to me. Every time he takes a step, cracks appear in the floor he''s stepping on. Herman''s like a tank. And I don''t have to ask how much damage I would get if I received the impact directly. "[Flash Step]" Without delay, I used an Arte to dodge Herman''s attack. I want to play safe. Therefore, I chose to focus on keeping my distance and dodging Herman''s attacks. I''m not going to let my HP decreasing, however¡­ "I''m not going to let you get away!" Herman stopped and instantly turn his body. Wasting no time, he lifted the Golden Hammer high into the air before swing it to hit the floor. "[Ground Shaker]" DUAG! A large blast of air followed by a large crater was created instantly. The damage that was done within seconds decorating the arena''s floor and stopped my step. The Arte Ground Shaker Herman used has an effect that makes the enemy unable to move for five seconds. And five seconds is more than enough for Herman to appear behind my back. "Eat this! [BREMER]!" Herman shouted as he attacked me. The Golden Hammer wrapped in red light swung to obliterate my body. And of course, I don''t want to take that deadly attack directly. Therefore, I raised the Azure Sword. I used the flat side of the sword as a shield. KLANGG!! "Gah!" I shouted as I was thrown like a ball. Twisting my body in the air like a cat, I''m trying to fix my balance. And in the end, I manage to land on the floor safely. Fending off Herman''s attack caused me to lose 3% of my HP. The decision to flee caught me off guard. And now, if I don''t attack Herman, I''m the one who''s going to lose. "[Flash Step]" I moved and appeared behind Herman''s back. A second later, I swung the Azure Sword to slash his neck. KLANG! Unfortunately, Herman stopped my surprise attack using his shield. Pro gamer is indeed terrifying. He had an extremely quick reaction. More impressively, he gave a counterattack in seconds. The hammer he hold swung swiftly into my head. Such a fast and accurate attack gives me a hard time dodging. Swush! I don''t stay silent after dodging that attack. Rapidly, I showering Herman with the slashes of my sword. A moment later, Herman also began showering me with the swings of his Golden Hammer. Every attack he launched was powerful, fast, and accurate. Once again, I had the bitter experience of fending off his barrage of attacks. Klang! Klang! Klang! Our weapons are pitted against each other. I will not stand still to endlessly fending off Herman''s attacks. When a chance appeared, I gave him a counterattack. I''m after his vitals and blind spots. Surprisingly, my attacks worked! I gave Herman troubles. Klang! Klang! "You''re getting better at this Vier." "Thank you." Klang! Klang! Herman''s offensive stance waned and his defensive stance increased. But... Even though I was the one who delivered more attacks, there''s no denying that I was the one who received more damage. Knowing this situation becomes more unfavorable, I dodged and then took two steps back. A second later, I used an Arte. "[Dragon Claws]" This Arte has five rapid and deadly attacking movements. The Arte is also troublesome to countered because it has a different attack pattern every time it is being used. Therefore, I managed to slash Herman twice before... "[Shield of Valor]" Herman fends off the rest of the Dragon Claws attacks using Shield Arte. The sharp decision he take saved the rest of his HP. Regretfully, I can only reduce his HP a little. Now, the remainder of our HP is at the same point. "Damn it! [Holy-" "[Comet Hammer]" "!!![Knight Evasion]" WOSH! The Arte Knight Evasion automatically makes my body moves to dodge the hammer that tears off the air like a comet. I''ll receive major damage if I received the attack. And there''s a chance I''m going to lose straight away. That is something I don''t want. Once again, Herman surprised me with his talent to use an Arte in quick succession. I swing my Azure Sword to attack Herman. I want to win against him as fast as possible. Sadly, I can''t do what I wishing for. Herman is too good at using his shield. He fended off most of my attacks easily! "[Holy Cutter]" "[FALLEN CASTLE]" We use an Arte at the same time.. Because of that, a bright light appears in the arena of the Coliseum. Chapter 3 - The Winner Is Me "[Holy Cutter]" "[FALLEN CASTLE]" KLANG! BLASH! "Gah!" I screamed as I got thrown by the air blast from Grand Arte Fallen Castle. The Arte Holy Cutter I used couldn''t cut the golden castle of light that suddenly appeared. With haste, I stood up after rolling for few times on the floor. I look at Herman who is now inside the golden castle of light. "Today you will lose, Vier!" shouted Herman who then make a confident smile. Herman''s words may be true. Fallen Castel is a Grand Arte of attack and defense type. Fallen Castle''s attack is in a form of a dome-shaped golden wave that grows in all directions quickly. The golden wave is also an AoE that can cover the entire arena, an attack that could barely be blocked. As for defense, Grand Arte - Fallen Castle creates a golden castle of light to envelop the entire body of its user. The castle is so tough that almost all Arte gained from Skills below level four can''t scratch it. Fallen Castle can be called a rare Grand Arte. I heard, there are only ten players who have it in all over the servers of Ark Fantasy Online. If I accept an attack from Fallen Castle directly. I''m sure I''m going to lose, I''m gonna die in seconds especially when my HP is only 13% left. "Damn it!" I don''t have a defense-type Arte that is strong enough to block Fallen Castle''s golden wave attack. Breeze! As I fell silent in hesitation to make a decision, Herman''s Fallen Castle was almost ready to unleash its wave attack. "You can''t escape Vier!" Herman shouted. I gritted my teeth, I''m frustrated by the incompetence I have. I can''t eradicate that golden castle of light. I don''t have the ability to stop Herman. But ironically, the Azure Sword in my hands has that ability. Azure Sword has a Special Skill - Embody of Blue Flame Dragon. This Special Skill is equal with Fallen- no! Right now, Embody of Blue Flame Dragon is stronger than Fallen Castle. This difference occurs because Herman has already thrown his Golden Hammer, he no longer gets a Basic Statistics boost from his weapon. I can win this final round using Embody of Blue Flame Dragon! but... If I use this Special Skill again, Azure Sword that is already in its thresholds will be destroyed. It''s a tough choice. Keep Azure Sword and lose or win and lose Azure Sword. Once again, it''s a tough choice, and if I don''t make a choice now... It will be game over for me and I''m going to disappoint my friends. "..." I''ve decided! I don''t want to be defeated, I don''t want to lose! I had to win this final round even though it meant I had to lose Azure Sword, losing the partner who''s been with me on an adventure for the last two years. With a bitter heart, I lifted the Azure Sword over my head. "Goodbye partner, [Embody of Blue Flame Dragon]!" After I pronounce the Special Skill''s name, Azure Sword emits blue light. Then, it turned into a blue flame that burned my body. A few seconds passed and I began to morph into a mighty dragon made of blue flames. At the same time, a golden wave attack is released by Fallen Castle. Swosh! Blast! The waves hit my figure that half a step into a dragon. I lost 3% of my HP. That attack made the situation becomes worse for me. "Rwaarr...!" I roared and began to give a counterattack. I or the blue fire dragon opens its jaws widely. I started tearing up the golden castle using my teeth. Quickly, I broke through the walls of the golden castle. I have the ultimate goal to win against Herman. Of course, Herman didn''t stay silent. Once again, he unleashed a golden wave attack to kill me, who so brutally tearing up his golden castle of light. Swosh! Blast! "ROAAR!!" I lost my HP again and I went back to tearing up the castle of light. It was repeated several times before finally... "Roarr!" "[Shield of Valor]" I bit Herman who took cover behind his giant round shield. Herman did a good defense to block my attack. But unfortunately, Herman''s defense wasn''t thick enough. My teeth pierced his Arte and shield with ease like a hot knife piercing butter. "Aaa...!" Bite! Bite! I bit Herman''s body a few times before lifting himself high into the air. "[Shi... eld Bash]" Herman launches his final attack. Sadly, his efforts were in vain. The attack that ripping off 3% of my HP couldn''t kill me. I threw Herman high into the air. Stand on the floor and be right under Herman, I gathered all the Mana I had to my dragon mouth while waiting for him to fall. And when Herman fell, I greeted him with an openly wide dragon mouth. Then, when he got into my mouth, I gave him one strong bite and one explosion of blue fire. Bite! Boom! And Splat! Herman''s HP is decreasing rapidly. A moment later, he died. Herman''s body turned into particles of light, followed by mu shouts and loud cheers from the spectators. "RWAARR...!" "Vier! Vier! Vier!" "MATCH OVER!" The referee''s shout that signifies this round is over made my heart beat rapidly. I close my eyes as my point of view shifts due to fading transformation. "THE WINNER IS... VIER THE AZURE DRAGON!" When the announcement of my win was voiced, I opened my eyes. It was a sound I wanted to hear. "UWOO...!" I screamed with all my might to show the happiness I felt. I lifted the Azure Sword high into the sky. And high in the air, Azure Sword - my partner - was shattered to pieces, the sword turn into particles of blue light before eventually disappearing without a trace. "Thank you for keeping me company all this time, partner. Goodbye." Seeing that, I shed tears of happiness and sadness at the same time. Surely, in the Digital World, these tears will not be visible. However, I''m sure that my face in the real world must have made an ugly expression covered with tears and snot. Fortunately. I''m in the Digital World. I don''t have to worry about the look on my face. I''m sure, Vier, the Avatar I used smiled broadly. I felt this sweet victory while waving at my friends in the spectator''s seat. They shouted congratulations to me. They also make a wave full of spirit. Not to forget, I also waved to the spectators who watch this final round. "Congratulations, Vier." That words made me turn around. There, I saw the resurrected Herman, reaching out his hand to me. Without a question, I welcomed that hand. "Thank you, Mr. Herman." "I have to say, that was a good match. I haven''t fought like that in the last few months. If there''s a chance, let''s fight again. And¡­ it''s a pity that you lost the Azure Sword." "...you''re right, it''s a pity, she is meant a lot to me. Thanks, Mr. Herman" "You are welcome and I don''t think there''s any point in regretting what happened. Once again, congratulations on your victory." "Thank you." We congratulated each other. Then, the event for handing over the trophies and prizes begins. I''m in the first place, Herman in second, and Fusion in third. We stood at the podium to receive our respective trophies and prizes. A Master Game gave me a gold trophy and a prize. I received both items with happy smiles. Proudly, I lifted the trophy high into the air in front of the spectators. They then made loud cheers that shake the Coliseum. I feel so happy.. Because today, I became a Champion in the Grade Nine - World-Class PVP Tournament. Chapter 4 - Familia Estoque "Cheers!" Seven people from various races gathered to make a party. They, including me, will do a toast for my victory in the Grade Nine World-class PvP Tournament. Relaxing in the small pastures at the corner of the Voskelirya Plateau are me, Eden, Mathias, Izayoi, Honesty, Dishonesty, and Agnisdesmo. Eden the chief or founder of the Estoque Familia was a woman. In Ark Fantasy Online, she uses an Avatar from the High Elf race. Eden is extremely stunning. Golden hair and eyes, long ears that drop a little, and glorious body comparable to a supermodel. She''s perfect. And because of that perfection, she holds the title of One of The Ten Prettiest Avatars in all servers of Ark Fantasy Online. This High Elf named Eden is so bad at fighting. However, she is so gifted as a merchant. Easily, she can find out the high low demand of an item in the market. Her nose is so sharp that it can sniff out high-quality items at low prices. When it comes to negotiations, one doesn''t have to ask. Seeking great profit was the main reason why Eden decided to establish this Familia. And over the past year, she''s proven her greatness by reaping huge profits from the sale and purchase of game items. Sitting to the right of Eden is Mathias. This man is a Solo Player who has a hobby to explore the world of Ark Fantasy Online. Because of that hobby, repeatedly, he found Gathering Spots containing Rare Items in the form of ores and medicinal plants that have not been claimed by anyone. Mathias is a demon who carries wealth. And why did a Solo Player decide to join our Familia? Mathias considers the Estoque Familia to be home, he considers all the members of this Familia to be his family. And... he was Honesty and Dishonesty''s father. Mathias uses an Avatar from the Demon race. Therefore, he has blue skin, a pair of black horns, pointed ears, a long tail, and a pair of wings. The man''s short hair is black and his eyes are red. Mathias chose the Demon race because he wanted the freedom to move. Flying in the sky, see in the dark, and can transform into various types of beasts. For him, all of that abilities were crucial to have when someone doing an exploration. On the left side of Mathias and Eden, sits one Avatar who has the figure of a girl. He''s called Izayoi. The beautiful girl who has red hair and blue eyes is unique. What I mean here is the fact that the girl/he is truly a G.I.R.L (guy in real life). Everyone knows any player who plays Ark Fantasy Online can only make an Avatar according to their gender in the real world. A man was a man and a woman was a woman. But, because in the real world he has such a feminine face and figure, AFO''s main system considers him to be a girl. I don''t know the episode of how Izayoi become a girl. But basically, he''s got a curse same as me. But contrast to me, Izayoi was brave. He openly said that he was a man. He was strong when he accept the slander from other people and say that his look was who he is. He received God''s gift with an open heart, unlike me, who is condemning the masculine figure I had. Izayoi accepts his figure. But, that doesn''t mean he''s a girl. He still behaves like a man and he''s attracted to women. Unknown to him, he looks adorable when he tried to show a man''s tough side he does own. The G.I.R.L is a PvP (Player versus Player) maniac. So, he always hangs around in Dueling City Erletta. Sadly, since he has just played AFO, he has not been very good at fighting. Izayoi who use an Avatar of the human race also low on the level. Thanks to those things, he had to settle for 212th place in the Dueling Rank. The G.I.R.L is Eden''s secretary. Sitting side by side across from Izayoi are Honesty and Dishonesty. Right, from their names, one could guess that the two youths were twins. A pair of identical twin sisters love roleplaying and acting. And incidentally, they are writers and comic artists. Silver-haired twin girls play AFO with one goal. They want to find references for the novels and comics they create. Their emerald eyes that have shuriken-shaped retinas are always ready to record their adventures and any episodes they encountered in this world. The twins play troublesome personalities. Honesty likes to tell lies. And on the other side, Dishonesty likes to say the truth. The twins became more troublesome to deal with because their behaviour that liked to give false information by outright lying and mislead people by telling a limited truth. I need to mention that those two Flugels are Master Stalker. A person will never know that they are being followed and being observed by the twins. Two of them becomes our spy and assassins. The last member I''d like to introduce is Agnisdesmo. My best friend from school days. He uses an Avatar in the form of an Ancient Dragon. The ancient dragon was black with dark purple accents on some parts of its body that were more than 39 meters long. He''s enormous and therefore, every time we had a party, he would put his giant head on the ground to be able to hear, see, and talk to us. Agnisdesmo is one of the ten strongest players in all Servers of Ark Fantasy Online. He''s ranked third. Agnisdesmo became the spearhead of our Estoque Familia. He had a big role to play when we had to clean up the monsters and players around the Gathering Spot that we wanted to claim. He also took on the task of guarding and patrolling the Estoque Familia''s territories. The dragon can turn intruders into dust in seconds. The Ancient Dragon race chosen by Agnisdesmo has a high Basic Stat but... the race also has many restrictions. Ancient Dragon cannot use weapons or armors, can not consume potions, not allowed to enter the city, participate in PvP Tournaments, and some other restrictions that could drive someone crazy because of it. I was amazed at Agnisdesmo after I learned all restrictions imposed on the Ancient Dragon. He is a Hardcore Player. I say that because he keeps using his Avatar. Considering that he can recreate his Avatar with some money. As for me, the role I do is to be a mascot or If I use a cool term, the role I get will be referred to as Promotion Manager. I''m in charge of promoting the Estoque Familia by participating in different types of In-Game Events. ...not cool? Well, I''m fine with it as long as I get my wages. The six of them was great players, great friends, and great families. I love them and they are precious to me. This was a secret I keep for myself, It''s too embarrassing to say out loud. So, once again the seven of us gathered for a party. "You did an excellent job Vier!" said the excited Eden. "Thanks to you, we''ve got hundreds of new customers. We''ll be busy for the next few days and our pockets will be filled with amounts of money." "Much money and thanks to Vier, the Estoque Familia became more famous. Cheers!" Izayoi cried out while lifting his grilled meat high into the air. "Therefore, we must praise Vier''s greatness! Vier! Vier! Vier!" "Stop it Izayoi! You''re going to make me embarrassed." "Ehh... But I want to tell a tale about how great you are. I want everyone to know how great you are when you fend off Herman''s attacks, your amazing moves at the times you give counterattacks and surprise attacks, and the grand moments when you turned into a Blue Flame Dragon! I want to fight like that! but... unfortunately, I didn''t pass the fourth round." In the last sentences, his voice becomes soft. "Cheer up Izayoi. You''re a skilled gamer. Once you''re used to AFO gameplay and when your level is high enough, you can easily raise your ranking in the coliseum. I believe in that." Agnis cheered. "Thank you, Agnis." Izayoi smiles and Agnis nods. "I''m curious, what kind of prize do you get from the tournament? Show it to us, Vier." Mathias asked me. "People are totally surprised to learn a rumour about the mystery prize from Grade Nine World-class PvP tournament is a Unique Skill. Now, we will know the truth." Honesty says in a flat voice. "It''s not surprising, it''s so shocking! Did you forget how crazy the players were after the rumours were out? They flooded the official AFO forum with hundreds of questions." Dishonesty responded. "Those players are fools who don''t know how to say thank you." Honesty shook her head and ate her grilled meat. "Come on Vier, what are you waiting for? Show us the mystery gift!" commanded Eden. "All right," I replied before I picked up two mystery gifts from inside the Inventory. "Here it''s friends. Take a look! Seed of Life and Gaia Tears!" With that, I put the items onto a flat rock for them to see. Chapter 5 - Around Bonfire Two Items on a flat stone have names of Seed of Life and Gaia Tears. Seed of Life is an Item made of a green jewel in the shape of a rugby ball with a size of a smartphone. At the bottom, half of this jewel is covered by gray roots. Seed of Life allows me to create a second Avatar in Ark Fantasy Online. This item also allows me to freely choose a Special Race for my new Avatar. The following item is Gaia Tears. This item is a light blue liquid stored in a luxurious little glass bottle. Engraving of golden leaf and the complex pattern is the thing that made this bottle luxurious. Gaia Tears is a companion item for Seed of Life. If I pour Gaia Tear''s liquid into Seed of Life''s jewel, my second Avatar will get a Unique Skill randomly. Gaia Tears are not for consumption. If a player drinks this Item, she/he will not get a Unique Skill. The thing she/he will get is death. That happens because this item is equivalent to a deadly poison if being consumed. Under a night sky decorated with millions of stars, I read Flavor Text of Gaia Tears and Seed of Life to six of my friends. "Two items cannot be used separately. The Unique Skill you get will be selected randomly. It was a precious reward. But, at the same time, those rewards make the recipient get distressed," commended Mathias. "If Vier makes a new Avatar, I will no longer be the weakest member!" cried Izayoi who is all smiles. Creating a second Avatar and obtaining a Unique Skill may sound ordinary as the grand prize of a world-class PvP tournament. However, in Ark Fantasy Online, the mystery rewards or both items were extremely valuable. I can say both Items are valuable because despite having a Reincarnation System - a System where a Player can create a new Avatar and get half of Basic Statistics from the previous Avatar after the player sacrifice their Avatar to the God Altar - Ark Fantasy Online does not allow its players to create a second Avatar, one player is only allowed to create one Avatar. Therefore, creating a second Avatar is a valuable reward. And an Avatar must be at level 100 to be able to do the reincarnation ritual. As for Unique Skills. A Player can earn it by completing a Nightmare Quest. A Nightmare Quest, at a minimum, takes one month to be completed. And a normal Nightmare Quest usually takes approximately two to four months. And the longest time a Nightmare Quest able to be completed was is six months. Worse, all of that doesn''t include the time it takes to defeat hundreds of high-level monsters, search for Rare or Legendary Items, complete dozens of Sub Quests, and follow the story of the Nightmare Quest. Nightmare Quests are so complicated to be completed Because of that, there are not many players who take the Nightmare Quest. And if there are players who take it, most of them will give up because the burden of the Nightmare Quest is so heavy. And even if they don''t give up, they will fail because of the challenges given by the Nightmare Quest itself. Therefore, Unique Skills become extremely rare. From the rumors I''ve heard, there are only three players who have acquired Unique Skills since Ark Fantasy Online was launched ten years ago. With that knowledge, I can state that Unique Skill is extremely valuable. As for the reward that allows me to choose Special Race as I please... I can say, this reward is a freebie. This reward is the same as the free drink we get when we buy a set of special menu for today in some restaurant. "I''m will not be the weakest member," I said to Izayoi. "Why or how that can be?" Izayoi asked confused. "Because I still have this avatar even though I made a new avatar." Izayoi freezes. a few moments later he shouted, "THAT IS UNFAIR!" "Poor Izayoi, he will always be the weakest member." Dishonesty strikes Izayoi cheerfully. "Gah!" Izayoi received damage. "That is true, he will always be useless." Honesty launched a sudden attack. "Ack!" Izayoi received a critical hit. "Hey don''t say something like that, he is a good secretary." Eden used a healing spell. "Oh¡­ thank you." Izayoi was healed by 100 points. "Okay then. We can call him a useless in battle secretary." "He is pretty so he can be a good secretary." "No¡­" And Izayoi down. The PvP maniac can''t take that teasing. He didn''t like the fact that he always do the papers work than the fighting when we must defend our territory. "Oh yes Vier, what Special Race would you choose for your second Avatar?" asked Eden who give up to save Izayoi. I want to answer that question with the phrase ''I don''t know'' but unfortunately, before I spoke, the Ancient Dragon had already opened his mouth. "That''s it! Vier! Choose an Ancient Dragon! You can become one of the ten strongest Players in AFO if you choose Ancient Dragon. Isn''t that amazing? Ancient Dragon, you have to choose it." Agnis, who almost bit me, gave me a suggestion that it was an insistence. I''m not a Hardcore Gamer. I don''t want suffering when I''m supposed to be happy when I playing a VR games. That''s why... "No Agnis, I''m not going to choose the Ancient Dragon." "Why!?" asked the black dragon who couldn''t believe what he had just heard. "Because he won''t be able to visit cities in the AFO. It also means he can no longer promote our Familia. And that would be a big loss for us." It was Eden who gave Agnisdesmo an answer with a sharp gaze. The black dragon instantly fell silent. After blinking few times, Eden turned and looked me in the eye. "If there is a possibility to change gender, do not hesitate to be a woman. And make the Avatar as gorgeous as possible. That way, you''ll be the perfect Sales Promotion Girl!" Eden''s proposal made me freeze. My mouth also gaped because of it. The thing she just said didn''t cross my mind at all. Isn''t this mean I can be a woman? And then... Izayoi who heard Eden''s proposal quickly ran to me and grabbed my shoulders tightly. The G.I.R.L. swung my shoulders while saying. "That''s right Vier! Use a female Avatar just like me. You''ll understand how happy this is. You''ll always be surrounded by female players. You''re going to see a lot of beautiful scenery that you shouldn''t see. I assure you, you won''t regret it! Therefore, create a female Avatar. Never hesitate." Izayoi''s gaze is so sharp, as if, she wants to hypnotize someone. And I can say, that gaze is a little scary. But, it''s working on me. I''ve been hypnotized. Honestly, if it can be done, it''s not a bad idea. As a woman who has always been miss-guessed as a man, I want to experience a life when a woman is truly regarded as a woman, not for the reasons that Izayoi said earlier. I''m tired of living pretending to be a man. And that doesn''t mean I feel disgusted when a woman loves me as a man. It''s just, I want those women to see me as a woman and love me as a woman instead of a man. I don''t want to once again experience an episode where a woman rejects me after they knew I''m a woman. My desire to make the second Avatar becomes stronger. Izayoi still looked at me and shook my shoulder. No longer able to tolerate Izayoi''s intensity, I pushed the G.I.R.L. away slowly. then... "I''ll consider your advice. But, you have to remember that male players can only create male Avatars," I replied with a lie. "Aww..." Izayoi makes a voice without passion. He who limp also dropped his shoulder. "I''m sure, female ancient dragons are exceptionally beautiful." The Ancient Dragon made a strong nod after saying his piece of mind. It''s a good thing to ignore Agnis'' words. What he just said is crazy. And... Everyone knows, female Ancient Dragon who have gigantic and scaly body can''t be said to be beautiful from a human point of view. "If you''re going to make a gorgeous woman Avatar, I''m going to raise your salary by a hundred percent." Eden, the High Elf smiled at me and then a victory sign using her index and middle fingers. "Are you serious Eden?" "Of course," she replied confidently accompanied by a strong nod. It was an extremely attractive offer. With double earnings, I can make my dreams come true sooner. It''s a tempting offer, but.... Chapter 6 - Using The Rewards "Two hundred percent," I said, raising two fingers, making V sign for Eden to see. "Ho... You want to make a bid?" Eden made a smile. "One hundred and fifty." "Yes, one hundred and ninety-five." "Sixteen and five." "One hundred and ninety." "We''re not going to end this talk if the bid continues like this. So, let''s take the middle line. One hundred and twenty-five, take it or leave it." "Hey, if we took the middle line, wouldn''t this bid would fall at one hundred and seventy-five?" "No, the bid still falls at one hundred and twenty-five. But I''m also going to give you a small investment," said Eden before she leave her seat. Eden walked then sat next to me. The stunning High Elf is so close, our shoulders even touched! I should have been happy when a beautiful woman approached me. But unfortunately, I feel guilty. I never said I was a woman to her and to all of them except Agnisdesmo who know me since my school days. There''s no point hiding this secret from him. And I''m so grateful to him that he never told the others about my lies. I lied. Thus I''m sure, Eden and Honesty - who is making a move and approach me - assume me as a man. And yes, I''m not going to pretend that I don''t know about both of them have one or two feelings for me. This lie makes me feel uncomfortable. Therefore, repeatedly, I try to stay away from Eden and Honesty. I didn''t want to repeat an episode when I was rejected because I am a woman. And when I know the two of them never give up, maybe it''s time to tell my secret to them. Yes, I will let them know my secret after I got my woman Avatar. "Nurturing a new Avatar won''t be too arduous when I provide you Items and resources," Eden explained. "And if there is a coincidence that the Unique Skill you got give benefits for our Familia, I will not hesitate to increase the investment to strengthen your new Avatar." Mathias throws a wooden stick for skewer into the campfire before look at Eden. "Whatever a Unique Skill you got, Vier. You will make our Familia stronger or famous or wealthy. So, it will do us a good if you can make your Avatar strong as fast as possible." "So that is, Vier... Did you want to accept my offer?" Eden asked me with a hopeful look. Well¡­ true to be told, having Eden as my backer will make it easier for me to raise my level. I didn''t have to worry about weapons, armor, and supplies when I want to hunt or raid some Dungeons. It was very profitable for me and I had no reason to refuse. And in the end, I sighed as a sign of defeat. "Yes, I accept it." "Good answer!" cheered Eden with a smile. "Then, I will help you with power leveling. Come to the Dead Kingdom of Varbanesta," Honesty said. I shook my head. "Varbanesta is too much. The level gap is too high. I won''t get any Exp even though you Power Leveling me." "You a fast and efficient leveling plan after you created a new Avatar. What are you going to do about it?" "Hmm..." That''s a pretty tough question. There are many Leveling Guides on the AFO Wiki. Choosing, organizing, and compiling a Leveling Guide is arguably a hassle. It would take days if I wanted to create an efficient leveling plan. "I don''t think you need to take this make of leveling plan too seriously. You just have to visit Rishtonbell and stay there for a while. Leveling up by exploring the Foltian Great Dungeon is the safest and fastest way. After you reach fifty you can come to Honesty, right?" Agnis''s proposal sounds pretty good. but... "Isn''t Rishtonbell full enough? I''m not sure I can find Exp Spots that are free of PK and Looters." "I don''t mean to say leveling with Solo Hunting. What I''m saying is Dungeon Raid. That event will give you a considerable amount of Exp and Loot. You don''t have to think about PK and Looters if you join a Raid Party." "If you''re going with that plan, I''ll give you the best quality equipment dedicated for Newbie Players. This way, you can participate in Dungeon Raid without any worries or problems," said Eden. "Rishtonbell, I will be playing in that city for a while then. Let''s do some Dungeon Raid repeatedly," I said as I take a piece of meat skewers. I eat it and yeah¡­ even though it looks so delicious, it doesn''t have a taste or texture. Eating in the digital world is a useless act. I hope this Digital World becomes real. "Did someone say Dungeon Raid? Can I join?" asked Izayoi. The G.I.R.L. abruptly came out of nowhere. And strangely enough, for a reason I didn''t know, he was carrying Dishonesty on her back. The white-winged Flugel looks so happy when she munching on Izayoi''s ear. Come to think of it, Dishonesty''s skills l may have a role here. She hid herself and Izayoi to escape from the detection of my Skill Presence Perception. That''s what makes them can appear suddenly. As for the answer to Izayoi''s question... "The Dungeon Raid we''re talking about is low-level. The one that I''ll join after creating a new Avatar. I''m sure you won''t get anything from that raid." "Aww..." "Don''t be too disappointed Izayoi, we can visit Hanging Garden Astimier to raise your level," said Dishonesty. She''s trying to cheer up Izayoi. "I hope, what you mean by "us," is you and Izayoi. I didn''t want to join the two of you because there was something I wanted to do." Dishonesty looks at Honesty after hearing that statements. She gave her younger sister a shocked look. "You''re not coming?" "No!" "Aww¡­" Dishonesty mimics Izayoi''s voice of dismay. Now, the role of encouraging is reversed when Izayoi stroking Dishonesty''s head. "All right! Enough with all of that. We''ll talk about how Vier''s leveling after he created a new Avatar. So, Vier, quickly uses those two Items. And remember, once you''re done with the Avatar and arrived at Rishtonbell, call us right away, okay?" said Mathias. What the Demon said caught the attention of the rest of the members. Right now, they''re looking at me. And indirectly, they told me to act immediately. "All right," I replied. After that, I took Gaia Tears and pour them into Seed of Life. A dim green light envelops Seed of Life as soon as it receives Gaia Tears. Then, after the light went out, I used Seed of Life by touching it and pressing the confirmation button. A moment later, a blinding burst of light appeared. I heard my friends'' shock cry when the burst of light took away my sight. Then, when I could see again, I realized, I''ve been moved to the Avatar creation space. The endless blue sky adorned by white clouds lay above my head. The mirror-like surface of the sea that reflect the sky became the floor I stepped on. Not long after I got to this space, a golden magic circle appeared in front of me. Magic Circle shines and a few seconds later, an NPC (non-player character) who is a female angel appeared before me. The NPC is named Angel. I knew her name because I saw a word of her name floating over her head. And, ironically, this lovely angel is named Angel. Wouldn''t it be nice if she was named Ange? Without L. The lovely angel has two pairs of golden wings. Her long wavy hair and a light ring above her head were also golden. She wears a white dress made of thin fabric that shows a lot of her skin. Bracelets, belts, and necklaces made of gold decorated with the carvings of the ancient letter become accessories that beautify her figure. Angel moved her head. A pair of blue sea eyes look at me. The lovely angel makes a warm smile using her soft, red lips. Then, she said... Chapter 7 - Creating A New Avatar After Angel utters the phrase, she swings her left hand gently. Her actions made dozens of Avatars from different races appear before me. Human, Elf, Dwarf, Beastkin, Demon, Slime, Oni, Dragon, and others. That''s right, Ark Fantasy Online makes several types of Monsters as playable Avatars. Some races offer unique gameplay. Soul System, Evolution System, and others System managed to make hundreds of thousands of Players addicted. That also makes AFO becomes the most popular game in the world. Back to the Avatar. Dozens of Normal Races in front of me can be selected freely without using real money. However, since I got the chance to choose a special race at will, I went straight to where they are. A moment later, I''m in the part where Special Races is. Here, I can choose races like High Elves, Arc Demon, True Vampire, Ancient Dragon, Divine Beast, Titan, and several other races. Choosing a special race at will makes me happy but I''m confused now. "Before coming to this place, I should have asked them for advice, what special race should I choose?" There''s no point crying over spilled milk. Therefore, I choose to read the explanation of each special race carefully before choosing one of them. And I should pay attention to the basic Stat, characteristics, and uniqueness of one special race because it can affect the Avatar Build I want to create. I don''t want to end up like Agnisdesmo. He chose the Ancient Dragon. That special race is the strongest because it has extremely high Basic Statistics. Unfortunately, the restrictions that ancient dragon has are quite a lot. Some of those restrictions made Agnisdesmo unable to enter almost the entire city inside Ark Fantasy Online. He can''t access the features a city has to offer. He can''t use Armor, Weapon, and Accessories. Worse, of all the Events in Ark Fantasy Online, he can only participate in three Events. And no! Agnisdesmo cannot turn into a human because there is no Spell that can help him. Why should a proud Ancient Dragon turn into a lowly human? Amusing themselves? It''s like asking an immortal cultivator to be an ant. I bet, those developers must have thought about that when they set those restrictions on Ancient Dragon. Honestly, there is quite a lot of minus in AFO and game developers never do things about it. They decided to give Avatar restrictions because they want this game to give a real impression of a fantasy world. They want all players to play from different perspectives. Maybe, the game developer wants us to think that there are no monsters - except those who are humanoid - to fight using weapons. Just like, there is no point in giving a gun to a cat. They will continue to fight using teeth and claws. This game is a rather hardcore game considering that this game has more restrictions than the freedom to play. And maybe, this game is like an old moba game where each character has advantages and disadvantages. I hope that the update in the future will do something about that restrictions. Now¡­ because of all of these restrictions, I have to pay attention to the explanation of each special race. Wrong to chose and I will be finished because of the restrictions they had. Lastly, I hope, the unique skill that I will get can support the ability of the special race that I choose and not oppose or even weaken the special race that I chose. Now, what special race should I choose? Should I choose High Elves like Eden? One of the special races that have a large MP capacity and can use different types of magic. Or¡­ Choosing Arc Demon that has dozens of different types of attacks with high damage? They can also transform into wild beasts or monsters. Or... Skeleton King with the ability to summon a battalion of dead soldiers. Flugel, used by Honesty and Dishonesty also looks strong. They can also fly freely in the sky without using a skill. The Divine Beast also looks promising. They have balanced magic and physical attack. A few tens of minutes passed. And in the end, I decided to choose Divine Beast - Nine Tail Fox. I chose this special race because Nine Tail Fox has the seventh-largest Basic Statistics of all special races available. This special race also has the same form as Beastkin. Lastly, the restrictions that Nine Tail Fox has can be accepted by me, unlike the restrictions on the other special races. The restrictions that divine beast - Nine Tail Fox has are as follows. They could not enter territories, cities, and kingdoms specific to the human and angel race. They cannot visit the Holy Kingdom and the Sacred Land - Goddess of Light. Lastly, they cannot participate in local PvP Tournaments and can only participate in International PvP tournaments. I''m not frustrated with such restrictions, It''s quite good. After I selected the special race I wanted, Angel continued the process of creating my Avatar. > Basic Equipment Pack A > Basic Equipment Pack B > Basic Equipment Pack C > Basic Equipment Pack D > Basic Equipment Pack E They say basic equipment pack C is the best choice. Then I''ll take it without hesitation. The Basic Equipment Pack C I chose contained two bottles of potion, a set of starting clothes, an iron short sword, a blue necklace, and forty silver coins. Forty silver coins... No wonder Basic Equipment Pack C is the best choice. The Basic Equipment Pack A I chose before only had ten silver coins in it. After Angel uttered that phrase, the old Avatar I used was exchanged for the Avatar I just created. Right now, an Avatar named Vier is standing to my left. And I, use an Avatar named Eclaite. Avatar exchange is complete. A moment later, a one-meter-wide golden Magic Circle appeared under my feet. Seeing the Magic Circle began to shine, I say, "I can''t wait to go through the Tutorial Quest once again." Along with Angel''s farewell, my body was covered in golden light and a moment later I lost consciousness. Chapter 8 - New World And New Self Opening my eyes, I found myself in front of a beautiful fountain in the middle of a Plaza. The sky is clear and judging by the position of the sun, I can say that noon will come in a moment. Looking down, I saw dozens of Players and NPCs passing by. And seeing the tall white tower in the distance, I understand, I was in Dungeon City Rishtonbell. Btw, the white tower has a strange nickname, that is Denbu, an abbreviation of Dungeon Entrance Building. The tower containing gates to the Foltian Great Dungeon. Back to the moment. Seeing the familiar view of the plaza, there''s no mistake, I showed up at the starting point for the Newbie Players. It makes me nostalgic. But now, there''s something important I need to do right away. I had to mail my friends to ask them to come here. And before that... "I had to add their name to my friends'' list." With that intention, I moved my left arm to make a light vertical downward swing. I intend to open the Game Menu but... "Why doesn''t the Menu screen appear?" It''s quite strange, Is there a Bug? I''m clueless and despite repeated attempts to open the Game Menu, the white screen never appears. I was annoyed and disappointed that the Game Menu didn''t work as it should be. It seems I have to ask Agnisdesmo or the other to send a mail to the GMs. I want those programmers and developers to fix this bug immediately! I want my Game Menu back. "Now, what do I have to do to contact my friends?" I thought for a moment to solve this problem and in the end, I found a solution. Adventure''s Guild has a service to send messages to a Player even if the Player is not on the friends'' list. So I will use the service. Of course, to use that service, one has to pay a fee. And more interestingly, the higher the player''s level, the more expensive the cost of the messages delivery service is. "That means, I have to send a message to Izayoi." And I walked to the Adventure Guild with a plan that''s been decided. I walked southeast, tracing the sidewalk paved with dark blue stones that were cut into rectangles and arranged to form a beautiful pattern. The journey to the Adventure''s Guild can be said to be fun. That feeling comes to my heart because Rishtonbell has an architecture of the medieval-themed buildings in Europe. Not only classic buildings but the city is also filled with people of different races. Humans, Elves, Beastkin, and Dwarfs passed by beside me. Their beauty and uniqueness mixed with the weapons and armor they wear make those people in this fantasy world more memorable to me. Various types of Magic Tools such as Crystal Lamp on street, ornaments floating on the fountain, sculptures that can move on their own, and so forth become a spice that makes this fantasy scene tastier. Wandering in the town of Rishtonbell made me feel like I was on a holiday abroad. Vacation to another world! If there''s a travel package like that, I''m sure, a lot of people are willing to spend their money to buy it. In this fantasy world, I keep walking. At the same time, I observe the NPCs around me. An can say that they''re acting weird. Therefore, inevitably, my attention is attracted to them. The anomaly showed by the NPCs is the fact that they speak normally, they''re so expressive, and they can perform complicated activities. What I just said might sound strange. However, normally and supposedly, NPCs do not behave normally. NPCs are artificial objects, 3D models given a simple program. They can only do a series of activities, give responses, and do behave according to the program implanted in them. Therefore, normally, these NPCs should function by doing simple things and giving repetitive responses. Seeing these NPCs makes me think... "Does Ark Fantasy Online had an update?" Not long after I said that question, I realized another strange thing. Somehow, I feel the heat when walking under the scorching sun! That phenomenon instantly silenced me. And then again, I might say something other strange. But this thing - feeling the heat - should not have happened. I wiped my forehead and there, I saw my palms wet with sweat. "Something like this shouldn''t exist inside AFO!" VR (Virtual Reality) in today ages can not completely replicate the five senses of human and Ark Fantasy Online don''t have details something like sweat. Dhuk! "Hey girl, don''t stand in the middle of the road!" snapped a man who bumped into me. After voicing his anger, he left as fast as possible. Seeing the man''s reaction and expression, I became unsure if he was an NPC or a player. I suspect that he''s a player. but... Why doesn''t he have a marker that proves he''s a player? Besides, when he bumped into me earlier, why did I feel the touch when he squeezed my ass? All of this episode was so bizarre to me and it makes me confused! "...!!" Behavior showed by NPCs, touch, and heat. All of it came out as if to tell me that I''m in the real world right now. This doesn''t make sense considering that right now, I''m in Ark Fantasy Online. Why the five senses- no! I shouldn''t have to think about such a stupid question anymore. "Ouch!" It''s not a dream. The pain that appeared on the back of my palm after I pinched it state that currently, I''m in the real world... colored with fantasy themes? "It''s not good. I started to panic, I had to find a place to calm down," I said, looking around then started walking. Time passed and now... I''m sitting at the dining table in the corner of a restaurant. To calm me down, I visited this deserted restaurant. After all, one will have difficulty getting her composure in a crowded place. So¡­ accompanied by light meals and a glass of fruit juices, I started to find out what happened to me. At the same time, I had to relieve the panic in my heart and set my mind that is in a mess. First, I''ve confirmed that right now, I''m in a world similar to Ark Fantasy Online. For me, the world is not real. But the world itself tells me that all of these were real. I started to consider this fantasy world real because I can feel the pain, my five senses also function well. It scares me that theory getting stronger because I can do things I shouldn''t be able to do in an AFO. I can eat, drink, breathe, inhale the scent of something, and many more. I say sensible things but because I panicked, all of it sounded so absurd. Second, I suspect, I came into this world after I made this new Avatar and get into it. Or, just maybe, I came into this world because of an unnoticed mistake when I was being sent to Rishtonbell by Angel? I don''t know. The theory is dubious because I have no evidence. I just knew the most suspicious situation that probably sends me to another world was when the Angel send me to Rishtonbell. Number three, it''s about my friends. I don''t know if they''re moving to another side as well. They did not create a new Avatar and they were not being sent back to Ark Fantasy Online by Angel. So... less likely, they moved into this world. Last... is a fact that I turned into a gorgeous girl who had fox ears and tails. "... I don''t know what to say to this disaster or miracle." I make a bitter smile when I feel the smooth, soft, tenderness of my arm. The arms were so beautiful and look so fragile. Unlike my quite muscular and rough arms in the past. My body... of course, they become or may be changed into a new, gorgeous body. Now I have a dynamite body of a superstar and it includes the cute ears and fluffy tail of a fox. This stunning body repeatedly attracts the glances of the men I meet. I want to examine my body in more detail but... I''m in a public place right now. I don''t want to imagine what would happen if I did a detailed examination here. This restaurant can get an R18 stamp if I do it in here. And yes. Since this world is the real world, I will no longer use Avatar to call my body. I also try not to say NPCs and Players in front of these maybe people I meet. The last thing that changed was my sense of smell and hearing. They''re getting sharper. And therefore, I can inhale the scents that are usually hidden and I can hear the conversations of people who are more than seven meters away from where I sit. After knowing all of this... What am I supposed to do now? Chapter 9 - The First Obstacle What am I supposed to do now? Honestly, I say, I was confused as to what I had to do. I''m lost and I''m alone. I¡­ I have to eat these snacks and drinks before deciding what should I do. Bite! Nom nom! Slurp! Escape from reality by eating dishes? The answer is yes. Sometimes, things like this are done to protect me, to protect my heart from cracking. Moving my arm, I picked up a wooden spoon. Then, I ate the dish consisting of sausages and grilled bacon accompanied by french fries, boiled broccoli, and red sauce. Surprisingly, this dish was quite tasty. And for the drink, this green juice has a sweet taste with a slightly sour taste. Perhaps, are this is kiwi juice? I''m not too sure. Minutes passed and the dish at my table was gone. I didn''t full but this is enough for me. "Do you want to order more?" asked the waitress. She approached me as soon as our eyes met. "No thanks, how much do I have to pay?" "Three bronze coins, miss." The girl started cleaning the table I was at. She arranged the plates and glasses I used on her trays. At the same time, she did that, I was looking for the money I needed in a small bag hanging around my left waist. While searching for money, I realized that I hadn''t checked the items I had. I felt a little restless when I realized that. What if I don''t have the money? But, in the end, my restlessness was unnecessary. I have money, although I don''t know how much they are. "May I ask you something?" I asked the girl as I gave her the money. "Sure, please ask," she replied after receiving my money. "If you want to do something but don''t know-how, what are you going to do?" "... Isn''t that obvious. You just have to ask someone about how to do something you want to do. And if you still can''t do it yourself, ask someone else for help." "Right... Sorry for giving you such a strange question. ... I have to go, excuse me." "It''s alright, if there is an opportunity, don''t hesitate to visit us again." "Sure, bye-bye." "Bye-bye." I paused In front of the doors after I get out of the restaurant, I did it to look at the signboard. "Aozora, a unique name, I will remember it." And it''s true, as I remember, there is no such restaurant with that name in AFO. This was another sign that confirms, this world is not digital. I left the restaurant. My destination is the west gate of the town of Rishtonbell. As the waitress said if I don''t know how I have to ask someone. And to ask, I need fifty-nine silver coins. One silver per message. That is the price of message delivery services offered by Adventurer''s Guild. Izayoi is level fifty-nine, so, fifty-nine silver coins I needed. I have to ask him what am I supposed to do. And yes, I know! I know they may not have comes into this world. But, can''t I have hope? And who knows, maybe, after I use the message delivery service provided by the Adventurer''s Guild, I can get a reply from my friends. So, with hope, I walked to collect the coins. And, I never know this before, the city of Rishtonbell that getting bigger and realistic will make me annoyed. The long queues in the west gate are truly a waste of time! Tens of minutes passed and finally, I arrived at the place where I wanted to. I was in the meadow outside the western wall of the city, a place before Westwood Forest. I''m in here and this is my plan. First, I will hunt in this meadow, raising my level. Two, after I got stronger, I will hunt in Westwood Forest. Three, doing all of that will give me money. And now, I need to focus when I fighting a Peshroom in front of me. Peshroom is a kind of humanoid mushroom monster. Their height is only half that of an adult''s height. They''re quite cute and they have a big umbrella head. Those umbrella heads are colored red, yellow, green, or even purple. "Suu..." While making a strange noise, the Peshroom dashed to me. I prepared myself and I paid close attention to the movements it made. I have to be careful not to get hurt because this world is the real world now. I don''t want to feel pain. "Suu!" Peshroom attacked and I dodged. The monster''s movements were quite slow! It surprised and delighted me. At the same time, I also came to know that my body movements were also becoming slower! It surprised and disappointed me. I dodged Peshroom''s attack with great hardship! The slow and hard-to-control body reminded me of the early days I played VRMMORPG, the moments when I had to adapt to the new Avatar I created. And... I never thought that having an abundant chest would make it shaky for someone to move. I have a hard time keeping my balance. Time passed as I continued to avoid Peshroom''s attack. At the same time, I observe its attack patterns. "Suu! Suu!" The angry-looking Peshroom launched a punch at me. I stepped aside to dodge it. Then, taking advantage of the moment the monster passed me, I swung my Short Sword. "Hya!" I managed to cut off the monster''s shoulder. But, since I''m still unfamiliar with this new body, I can only make minor injuries. "Su! Su! Su~su!" The monster was finally angry! It spins its arms like a propeller before running towards me. I moved my foot trying to dodge it. Unfortunately, I failed. The monster hit me continuously. "Ow! Ow! Ow!" It was painful! It''s like when someone is hit by a wooden stick! Don''t want this pain anymore, I take a step to the side and then kicked the Peshroom. Lucky or unlucky, we both fell. Peshroom fell because of my kick, while I fell because I throw off my balance by using that kick. I made the wrong stance and slipped. "Amazing!" I shouted as I lay on the grass. I felt a twitch at the top of my head as I heard a strange voice. I move my head and I see the monster trying to stand up. Spontaneously and quickly, I stood up first and approached the monster. I kicked the monster once more as it tried to stand up. Then, I cut off the monster''s right arm. This time I didn''t fall because I made the right stance. "Suu! Suu!" I stepped on that Peshroom firmly to make it unable to move. Not wasting my time, I cut off the monster''s left hand. "Su! Su! Suu!" the monster roared at me. "Oh! Shut up!" I shouted at it. Then, in order not to let the monster escape and to kill it, I stab and chop its body using my short sword continuously. For quite a while, I''ve been torturing the monster. Surprisingly, it''s still alive! I wonder, when will this monster die? ... I don''t know the answer. And what do I expect? There was no HP Bar above the monster''s head. I don''t know how much of its HP was reduced after receiving my attacks. Therefore, I continue to attack the monster, I continue to stab and chop the monster until it finally dies. And luckily, Peshroom didn''t bleed after I cut and stabbed its body. Just imagine, blood flows after we cut out a vegetable or maybe a fruit! It will traumatize someone and make that someone does not want to deal with them or do cooking anymore. "Hya!" I made one loud cry while giving a final attack on the monster''s corpse. Cruel? Of course not! I just want to make sure that the monster is dead. "Suu! Suu!" "Su! Suu!" "Suuu!" "Suu! Su!" The weird sound made me look around. It''s scary when I find out, I''ve been surrounded by four Peshrooms! Defeating one Peshroom takes a long time. Win against four Peshrooms? Yes, I don''t think I''m going to survive in this war of attrition. "It''s a good idea for me to retreat or break this encircle down and then beat them one by one! But, I have to get out of this encircle first before carrying out the plan." Once again I looked around to find a gap that I could exploit. Then, before I could do anything... "Oryaaa!" A teenage boy from the Human race ran over and attacked one of the Peshrooms who surrounded me. "Suu!" A Peshroom fell after receiving a powerful kick made by the teenager. "Now, sis! It''s time to get out of the siege of these monsters!" I nodded then dashed into the gap that the teenager had made. Chapter 10 - Level Up I approached the teenager. And as I passed the fallen Peshroom, I swung my short sword to cut Peshroom''s right leg. Then, the two of us dashed away, leaving the four Peshrooms behind. "What are we going to do now?" "You saved me and you ask me what should we do next? Don''t you think about a plan when decided to save me?" The red-haired teenager turned to me, his blue eyes looking at my eyes. He, who was about fifteen years old, opened his mouth to say, "Actually, I only make a plan to take you out from that encircle, nothing else." I nodded. "Are you able to deal with a Peshroom?" The teenager opened his eyes wide then put on a serious expression. He prepared his short sword and shield before saying, "yes, I can do it!" "Good," said I, who then looked back. Seconds later, I look at the teenager again. "Three Peshrooms! I''ll face the two on the right. You''re facing one on the left, okay?" "Okay." "Let''s split up! Three, two, one!" With my words as a sign, we ran in the opposite direction. The teenager approached his target and I did the same. I quickly knock down one of the two Peshrooms with a kick as soon as I got in front of them. "Suu!" After dealing with Peshroom A, quickly, I swung my short sword to attack Peshroom B. This time I only had a little problem because I was already quite used to this new body and Peshroom''s attack patterns. I can cut off Peshroom B''s arms faster and easily. I kicked the monster until it fell. Then I faced the Peshroom A who had come to attack me. "Su su!" I dodged and we trade attacks. Minutes passed and successfully, I cut off Peshroom A''s right arm and injured its right leg. I knock down the monster and then stabbed its body until it died. I looked around and I knew the teenager handled his fight well. I''m sure he can defeat his enemy. Peshroom B had a hard time standing up because it lost two of its arms. On the other hand, Peshroom C approached me with a limping pace. I still have time before Peshroom C arrives in front of me. So, without hesitation, I walked up to Peshroom B. "Su! Su!" "Your pleas are meaningless," I said to the monster before I stomp on and stab its body. After Peshroom B died, I faced Peshroom C. Like the other three Peshrooms, I was able to defeat this injured Peshroom C easily. "Huff... Huff... It''s quite exhausting." This feeling, the throbbing muscles, reminds me of my school club life in past days. "HYA!" "Suu!" Two screams caught my attention. I move my head and in there, I saw the teenager thrust his short sword into Peshroom''s body. The monster fell to the ground and It did not move anymore. That became a sign that the teenager won the fight. "Haa... Haa..." The teenager fell to his butt. Just like me, he was exhausted. I walked up to the teenager and I said, "My name is Eclaite, what''s your name?" The young man looked at me and whispered, "as I expected." Things he said made me tilt my head slightly. I was at a loss to understand what he meant. "My name is Alan." "Oh! Alan! What a good name." "Right, I''ve heard that phrase a dozen times." "Has anyone else used that compliment on you? What a bit of luck. By the way, thank you for helping me." "No problem," he replied. Then he stood up. "What will sis Eclaite do next?" "Well... I want to make money by hunting down the monsters that roam this place. But now... I don''t think it can be done." "Why?" "Since no Drop Items are coming out of that monster''s body." "What is a Drop Item?" Ah! That''s true... The people of this world don''t understand such terms. Therefore. "Drop Items are Magic Stones, pelts, meat, and so on." "I understand now," said Alan, nodding. "The drop item sis Eclaite is referring to won''t just come out. We have to take it ourselves." Again, I tilted my head slightly. I had a problem discerning the meaning of Alan''s words. "It''s quicker to show it than to explain it," said the teenager who then approached Peshroom''s corpse. He unsheathed his dagger and then began splitting the monster''s body. I was surprised to see what he did. My fox ears twitched and I asked, "What are you doing?" "Take the Magic Stone out," replied Alan who then showed me a red stone. Right and of course! I''m in the real world! To obtain material from a monster, I had to pick it up manually! And it''s a shame, I can''t do that! It''s quite gross! "Can you help me to process the other monster''s corpse, Alan? As a token of gratitude, I will give you forty percent of my total hunt." "Sis Eclaite still wants to hunt?" "Yes, at least until I level up." Alan was silent for a moment before finally nodding. "Okay, I''ll help you." "Good! And by the way, how many coins will we get when we sell that Magic Stone?" "Ten to fifteen bronzes, depending on the weight." So... I need ten Magic Stones to get one silver coin and I need nineteen silver coins! One hundred and ninety Magic Stones... yeah, I don''t think I can get that much today. "Oh! Is there any other part of Peshroom that can be sold?" "This part, the monster''s head can be used as medicine. The Adventurer''s Guild bought it ten bronzes per kilogram. As for his body, ordinary people used to use it as foodstuffs, five bronzes per kilogram." Ugh! I don''t have a bag to carry Peshroom meat! And the money I''ll get is too small! It''s a small-paying job. What am I supposed to do now? "Haa... I can think about it later. Now, it''s hunting time. We''ll start the hunt after you finish taking their Magic Stones." "All right." Thus, Alan and I started looking for another Peshroom. We were going to hunt together but unfortunately, I couldn''t send the Party Invitation to the teenager. I''ve tried different ways and I haven''t been able to open the Game Menu. "Sis Eclaite, it''s good that you stop playing around. We don''t know what danger will befall you if you keep making strange hand gestures while saying... What? Words for a spell? Is sis Eclaite trying to use Magic?" "No... And Alan, please forget what I did earlier, okay?" I turned my reddened face away as I said that sentence. But, my twitching ears, clearly showed my shame. Swinging my left hand while saying Menu Open, Status Screen, Options Screen, and something like that must be weird in the eyes of people in this world. "Okay, I''ll forget about it." That answer made me breathe a sigh of relief. Then, time passed... For a few hours, Alan and I hunted together. With the ability we have, we managed to defeat twenty Peshroom. And yes! That number can''t give me nineteen silver coins. But luckily, because of this hunt, I became more accustomed to my new body. And better yet, my level went up. < Level up! 2 to 3 > Chapter 11 - Unexpected < Level up! 2 to 3 > I''m glad my level went up. At the same time, I was confused. Why is my base level is two instead of one? Moreover... "How do I open the Avatar Statistics Screen?" "Avatar Statistics Screen?" Alan mimicked my words. "Yes, a screen that will tell us about our Avatar''s Level and Basic Statistics." Alan shook his head. "I don''t know about this Avatar''s Level and Basic Statistics you talking about, oh!" The teenager shouted and pointed forward. "Two Peshrooms are moving toward us, sis Eclaite!" I look at the Peshrooms then said, "Alright, let''s defeat them." I unsheathed my short sword and prepared to fight. Alan did the same, his short sword and shield were ready. "I can handle a Peshroom alone." I nodded and our fight began. And after kicking, slashing, and stabbing the Peshrooms for five minutes, our fight was over. I''m satisfied with the progress I''ve made. Now, since I''ve leveled up, I decided to end the hunt. We returned to the town of Rishtonbell. Each of us carried ten kilograms of material obtained from Peshroom. In this hunt, I managed to hunt down twenty-seven Peshrooms and Alan got five Peshrooms. Twenty-seven Magic Stones will give me two hundred and seventy bronze coins at minimum. I promise to give Alan forty percent of my hunt. That means I have to give him, roughly one hundred and eight bronze coins. As for the Peshroom''s umbrella head and its meat which is ten kilograms each of it, we will divide the sales into two. I''m going to get seventy-five bronze coins and so is Alan. Haa¡­ this hunt only gives me two silver coins and thirty bronze coins. I need nineteen silver coins and these coins can only cover ten or maybe fifteen percent of the total percentage of the money I needed! And sadly, this money will be reduced because I have to rent a room in the inn to stay overnight. And that didn''t include the cost to buy some food! And speaking of food... "Why does this Peshroom''s meat have such an appetizing smell?" I wondered when I saw the white cubes I was carrying in front of my stomach. "Appetizing? I don''t smell anything like that." Alan moved his head near to the Peshroom''s umbrellas he was carrying. His nose twitched a few times and then he shook his head. "I don''t smell anything tasty." "Are you sure?" "Yes." That''s certainly weird. It was obvious that the smell was there but Alan couldn''t smell it. What''s going on? "Maybe because sis Eclaite is Fox-kin. Thus you can smell that tasty smell. I heard Beastkin''s sense of smell is sharper than Human." "Ah!" That''s right, I forgot that I''m not human anymore. I was a Beastkin! I have fox ears and tail! And maybe their nose too! If I recall it again, my sense of hearing and smell becomes sharper. I could hear the conversation of the people who is more than seven meters from where I was standing. And for the sense of smell, I was able to recognize a few different smells at the same time. And clearly, I could smell some appetizing snacks sold on the side of the road. That appetizing smell starved me. "Hey, Alan. You don''t mind if we stop by to buy snacks?" Alan looked up and looked at me. "I don''t mind. What snack does sis Eclaite want to buy?" "That snack." I pointed at a food cart with my left hand. "All right." That way, I got my first snack in this world. Barbecue smeared with red sauce can be said to be delicious. Therefore, I bought seven portions without hesitation. "As always, you have a great appetite." "Anyone can eat a dish in large quantities if the dish served is delicious," I said as fast as possible then went back to eat my barbecues. And oh! Just a moment ago, I think, there is something strange in Alan''s words earlier. I''m trying to find that strangeness. But in the end, I couldn''t find it. I''ve forgotten the words he said because, "This barbecue is so delicious! It makes me unable to focus." A few minutes later, the last barbecue disappeared into my stomach. < Strength Stat Up, STR + 1 > "Huh?" Why did my strength suddenly increase? Did this happen because of the barbecues I just ate? As I recall, wasn''t it just high-level monster meat that could increase Basic Statistics? Question after question popped into my head. And unfortunately, I didn''t get the answers to all those questions. I can only guess without evidence. The things earlier did happen because this world is not Ark Fantasy Online. And this is going to be something I have to understand if I want to live in this world. Currently, we walking down the sidewalk towards the Adventurer''s Guild. We''re going to sell the Magic Stones and the twenty kilos of Peshroom materials to that place. And it''s a pity since I''m not an adventurer, I can''t sell the materials I get to the Adventurer''s Guild directly. I have to register first before I can do it. Adventurer... In Ark Fantasy Online, being an adventurer doesn''t have a huge influence. A Player could still obtain resources even though he was not an adventurer. But that is different in this world. From Alan''s story, the influence possessed by the Adventurer''s Guild could not be ignored. Almost everything related to monsters and Dungeons was monopolized and controlled by an organization called the Adventurer''s Guild. The organization also provides various types of crucial services such as the bank, vast information, and communication network, buying and selling monsters materials at prices above market price, etc. If I wanted to raise my level and earn an income quickly, becoming an adventurer was the only available and easiest way for me to choose at the moment. This new knowledge was given by Alan freely. The teenager gave me more help than I needed. "Stop it, sis Eclaite! Don''t pat my head! I''m not a kid!" "All right," I said before making a giggle. Time passed and we arrived at the Adventurer''s Guild. Standing in front of me was a white, huge four-story building. The pillars, frames, and windows of this building are made of dark brown wood. The windows in the building have a unique shape with a half-circle at the top. The roof of the building was red and the building has three big doors. The Adventurer''s Guild becomes more glorious because decorated with statues of dragons, blue banners illustrate with a sword and gold shield, and Blue Crystals functioned as sources of lights. "Truly, this Adventurer''s Guild is more glorious than Adventurer''s Guild in AFO." And¡­ are the people who came in and out of the building were Players? ...no I don''t think so. If there is another Player that comes to this world, there will be commotions where people shouting ''Where is the GM?'' or ''Call the GM immediately'' or other hysterical shouts. Dismissing my wild imagination, I followed Alan to enter the Adventurer''s Guild. Inside that place, I observed the adventurers who paced around doing their business when I was waiting for Alan done with the selling of the Magic Stones and the Peshroom''s material. I tried to find out who is the NPCs and who is the players. But In the end, I can''t distinguish them. "NPC and player, that two words have no meaning in this world." Then, I observed the Adventurer''s Guild and I knew, there was a tavern in here. "It''s not a bad idea to moisten my dry throat with a glass of water or maybe a glass of fruit juice." Thus, I walked towards the tavern owned by Adventurer''s Guild. But, before I got there, two people suddenly hugged me from the left and right sides. "I miss you, sis Lylian." "I found you! Sis Eclaite!" Said two people at the same time. I froze for a while. And when my consciousness returned, I scanned the situation around me. I realized that everyone on the first floor was frozen too. They look at me or precisely at us, and they also didn''t move at all for a moment. All of this made me thought that the time was stopped. But in fact, time is not stopped. I turned to look at two people who hugged me. One of them was a Human youth and another was a little girl Fox Beaskin. Honestly, this situation is so strange and awkward for me. And getting so much attention also made me feel so uncomfortable. Therefore ... "Ahem! Can you two let me go?" The words I said broke this stopped time. Two people who hugged me take their arms off me and moved away. I took two steps forward after being free. Then, I turned to see them. A moment later, I froze after seeing their faces. Chapter 12 - Past Memories 1_2 [Sensitive content assault attempt and slave topic] Time passes. I''m the one who froze finally got my consciousness back. The young man is Vier, an Avatar that I used to play Ark Fantasy Online for years. As for the little Fox Beastkin¡­ I feel so familiar with her. But it''s a pity, I don''t remember where we''ve met before. So to confirm their identity, I asked, "who are you, people?" "Yes! Who are you? Why you hug my big sis without permission!?" The little girl repeated my question. Her tail stood upright and she looked so furious. Receiving our gaze, the young man scratched his cheek with his index finger. Then he makes an awkward smile. "I''m sorry, It seems I got the wrong person. I thought you were my sister, Lylian. My name is Vier. It''s good to see you and I''m sorry." "We don''t feel happy to see you!" The little girl yelled at Vier and looked at me with her big red eyes. "Right, big sis?" The little girl gave me a warm smile. At the same time, her fox ears twitch and her fox tail swings energetically. The little girl asked me for an answer, but... "Who are you, little girl?" The little girl froze. Her joy was ruined by shock. Moments later, her consciousness got back. "Big sis doesn''t remember me?" asked the little girl in a trembling voice. Tears welled in her eyes. "I feel so familiar with you, but¡­ what''s your name?" "No!!" wailed the little girl who ended up crying. A second later, she ran to me and hugged my waist tightly. "No no! There''s no way sis Eclaite forgot about me! I am your sister, Kimi!" The little girl told her name by crying out. Kimi... After hearing the name, a little bit of pain poked my head. It''s not bad so I ignored it to deal with the trouble in front of me. Even though she surprised me by knowing the name of my new Avatar, it won''t change the fact that... "Even if you say so, I truly don''t know you." "Lie! Sis Eclaite is lying! I''m not going to let big sis lie! I''m not going to let big sis leave me! Father Wielth already left and abandoned us! I don''t want big sis left and abandon me too!" Kimi buried her face in my stomach as she wailing out her reason. Then she hugged me even tighter. I don''t know the relationship between us. but... For a moment I heard the name - Wielth - fragments of memories containing numerous episodes appeared to fill my mind. Those fragments of memory flowed into my head were like a strong stream on the river. They hurt my head badly, the unbearable pain made my consciousness thin, my eyesight began to blur, and my body became limp and heavy. In the end, I fell to the floor before finally fainting. -----[?]----- In the dark woods, I kept running. Even though the soles of my feet were bleeding, even though I had trouble taking a breath, and even though my stomach felt so painful, I never stopped running. My mother gave me orders to run and not to get caught. I want to carry out those orders as best I can, but... "Ah!" I tripped and fell. I tried to get up but my body wouldn''t move the way I wanted it to. "Damn!" I cursed myself and then gritted my teeth. "There! The girl''s there! Hurry up and tie her up!" The shout in the distance is a sign that it''s over. I can''t get up and run anymore. This means I will be got caught. "I''m sorry, mom," I said softly. Tears flowed down my cheeks. Shreek! Shreek! Two men show themselves from behind the trees. Their eyes are on me who lie down on the ground. "There she is! Grab the rope and tie her up quickly. Don''t waste time anymore." "I know! I know!" With a grumble as a sign, a man grabbed me and tied me up. I tried to put up a fight but it was all in vain. I can''t move my body well and I don''t have strength. A moment later, they took me away from the woods where I grew up, from the place I call home. -----[?]----- Click! A strange sound rang out when a black metal necklace was attached to my neck. Seconds later, unbearable pain stung my body. "Argh!" While I fell and then convulsing on the floor, the man who put on the necklace on me smiled. "Take this new slave to the confined room." "Yes, sir!" Today, along with five other Beastkin children, I became a Slave. Hatred sprouting in my heart. I want to kill all those bad guys but I knew I couldn''t do it. I''m weak and helpless. More than that, I''m scared. All I can do is accept all this while holding back my tears and sorrows. At the same time, I cultivate my hatred. -----[?]----- A few months passed. Now, I''m in a place so far from the woods that I call home. If I''m not mistaken, I''ve crossed three borders of three different kingdoms. The time that passed teach me that the Illegal Slave - who is me - didn''t have a chance to be free. Once a person is caught and turned into an Illegal Slaves, that person will only get freedom after they die. I saw dozens of Illegal Slaves die because few slave traders want to amuse themselves. Knowing this bitter reality made me feel thicker sorrows. But, as I recalled the figure of my mother and the forest that became my home, I burned that sorrows with the flames of hatred. I''m going to kill all the criminals who took everything from me. I''ll make them pay an extremely high price. One day, there''s going to be a chance when I can be free. Therefore, I have to survive and stay alive. I''m going to get that freedom and go back home, go back to see my mother. -----[?]----- How long has time passed... I don''t know. "I''m going to buy this kid." "Are you sure Gord? She''s so skinny and looks like she''s going to be dead any minute." "Tod, Tod, you''re not looking far ahead. She might look bad today, but tomorrow, after we feed her and wash her, she will look good. I''m telling you, she''s a rough diamond. When she grows up, she''ll be a gorgeous girl. She''ll give us a pile of money." "All right, okay, stop your blabbering, we''ll buy it. Let''s see the other slaves, we still need five more." After almost starving to death in a filthy cage, two men came to prolong my life. They bought and took me out from the stuffy, dark basement. I don''t know the brothel I''m going to live in is a good or bad place. But at least, I hope, that place is better than that basement. I don''t want to starve to death or sleep next to human waste anymore. -----[?]----- I''m not starving anymore. Unfortunately, at the same time, I never felt full. My bed was clean enough even though I had to jostle with other slaves while I slept. Two years have passed since I came out of that basement. Now, I''m thirteen years old. I''m quite big and I''m growing quite well because I''m not starving anymore. Brothels are places where women satisfy men''s lusts. This is the place to breed. For me, this is a disgusting place. But, there''s hope in this place. A courtesan can be purchased by a customer. Usually, those who have been purchased by a person are made to be a wife or concubine. Many sisters who took care of me, seduced a man with the main goal of being bought by them. Sometimes my sister''s efforts don''t come to fruition. But, still, there''s hope. They can buy their freedom with the money they get from the services they contribute to the brothels. This place is quite good. I even made a friend. The girl''s name is Cerene. -----[?]----- A year passed... my first and best friend... die. Cerene, the little Fallen Elf girl, has soft black hair and beautiful golden eyes. She has such a warm smile. She who is a cheerful little girl always melts away the sadness and sorrows I have. But now... She became a lump of flesh that to be burned. Cerene died after a customer treat her as a toy. Seeing Cerene''s gruesome corpse made the deeply drowned hatred in my heart come back to the surface. What a hero from another world! That''s bullshit. Just because he''s a little stronger than the knights in this town, he''s arrogant and selfish. One day, I''m going to kill him. He will feel more suffering than Cerene''s. I swear. That''s why... "I''m going to kill you!" I yelled at him as he toyed with my body. The man fell silent. A second later he laughed, laughing so loudly. After that, he beat me up. But it doesn''t matter, I''m strong, something like this won''t kill me. I''m not going to die before I kill this guy. A man named Scott Bell.. I, Eclaite, swearing to heaven. Chapter 13 - Past Memories 2_2 [Sensitive content assault attempt and slave topic] Two years passed since Cerene''s death. And for the last two years, I''ve been working as a courtesan. I was young. That''s why... I don''t have many customers. But it''s okay, I didn''t like to be a courtesan anyways. The time that passed nurturing the hatred for men in my heart. Every time I serve a customer, I''m reminded of Cerene, I''m reminded of the killer, a man named Scott Bell. I hate men who play with women''s bodies as they pleased. They are so disgusting, especially those who ask for services from a child like me. Bitter days come and go. Then, one day. "I''ll buy you and you''re going to be my daughter." A man named Wielth gave me a statement. There was no hesitation in his eyes. Wielth is an adventurer who comes to this brothel to sell medicines and potions illegally. This guy who comes once every three months is famous for being strong. He''s different from me who is so weak. And he¡­ maybe he will be my hope. A hope for vengeance on Scoot Bell. "I''d be willing to be bought by you if you killed a man named Scott Bell for me." Wielth fell silent after hearing the words which I said with all the courage I had. The man gave me a sharp gaze before finally nodding. "All right," he said, before leaving the brothel. To be honest, I never expected he would accept my request. I''m a Slave, I''m an item. Humans should not listen to or even accept the request of an item. Why bother, I think if I''m in his position. But, the man listened and accepted my request. Maybe¡­ he''s different? -----[?]----- A month and a half later, Wielth visits this brothel again, he carries Scott Bell''s head as a gift for me. The man that become the object of my revenge died. Regrettably, I couldn''t take that man''s life with my own hands. As such, I officially belong to Wielth. I became his stepdaughter. Time passes... Two months later, I saw a change in Wielth''s eyes. Now, I know, I''m not going to be his daughter. The words he said to me before was all lie. Like other men, he just wants my body. Then, I thought¡­ maybe, it won''t be a problem because he''s different. I can let him enjoy my body, I''ll try to bear it. Let''s just say, it''s compensation because he killed Scott Bell for Cerene and me. Besides me, Wielth has another Slave. The woman is named Kokuryo Haruka. She''s from Wa. She''s a Fox Beastkin just like me. The difference we have is the color of our fur, Haruka''s fur is black while mine is gold. Oh, I almost forgot. Haruka has a daughter named Kokuryo Kimi. And of course, Kimi is Wielth''s biological daughter. Kimi is a mini Fox-kin version of Haruka. And she''s not a Slave. -----[?]----- Hate. That feeling came into my heart and it mean for Wielth. Even though the man has avenged Cerene''s death, I will hate him. Wielth is much worse than all the men I meet. This man''s crazy. Once he has me as a tool to vent his lust, he treats Haruka badly. He uses her as a meat shield while he''s fighting monsters. He also uses her as a guinea pig to test the drugs he made. I tried to save Haruka but I always failed. I''m too weak. Therefore, he also made me his guinea pig. And worst of all, he did his experiments while he was playing with my body. If Haruka and Kimi hadn''t been by my side, I would''ve gone crazy because of his torture. Haruka and I lick each other''s wounds. As for Kimi, she''s become our source of sanity. She keeping us from breaking down. -----[?]----- Three years have passed since Wielth bought me from the brothel. We always moved one city to another city and even kingdoms after he became a B-Rank Adventurer. By becoming a B-Rank Adventurer, he can hunt down a B-Rank Monster and work on a seven-star quest. The wages he earned from one of those jobs were more than enough to keep us alive for two months. He no longer needs to make money by selling medicine or potions illegally. No longer tied to a city, he decides to travel. He did that to find raw materials for his experimental potions. That rank promotion also makes him more docile. No longer, he used his experimental potions on me or Haruka when he played with our bodies. Our lives are getting better and more fun. Then, when I think living like this isn''t bad and this life will probably go on for a while, it happens. Wielth killed Haruka in front of my eyes. The man used Haruka''s body - a woman I''ve considered as the second mother - as raw material to make a potion. I''m so angry. I hate him so greatly. I wanted to kill him but I couldn''t do it. I just cried without being able to do anything when he cut Haruka''s body in front of my eyes. "I''M GOING TO KILL YOU! YOU SON OF A B*TCH! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU! I SWEAR!" "Hahaha... Kill me? You''re an expert at making jokes, my daughter. Tell me, how does a girl who has a Level under four kill me?" "SON OF A B"TCH! YOU''RE A HUMAN BEING! YOU''LL DIE WHEN YOUR NECK IS CUT!" "Good words my daughter. Awfully good words. As a gift for your wisdom, let me embrace your body once again. Tonight will be a sleepless night." The man approached. He grabbed my body that I couldn''t move. Again, he played with my body to satisfy his lust. "I''M GOING TO KILL YOU! I SWEAR!" I shouted once again before I voiced a moan. The nightmare continues... -----[?]----- "Uwaaa!!" I screamed for a moment I opened my eyes. Spontaneously, my body rose and I sat on the bed. I saw nightmares. Terrifying nightmares where I become a toy for men to plays with, nightmares where I become a courtesan against my will. "Ugh!" Letting out a weird noise, I closed my mouth with my hands. The nightmares were so disgusting. It made the lunch inside my stomach trying to get out forcefully from my mouth "I can''t take it anymore," I whispered painstakingly. I looked around, looking for a place or something to contain my lunch. And I found it, not wasting time, I got out of bed and moved quickly to the bucket I found. Then... Bleehh!! A rainbow was created from inside my mouth. It took me a few minutes to empty my stomach. And when the disaster was over, I said. "Everything''s fine, I''m fine. It''s all just nightmares, everything that happens in that nightmares isn''t real." I''m trying to calm myself down. Sitting on the corner of the room, I hugged my feet and buried my face on my knees. I''m trying to escape from the reality. Unfortunately, it was impossible, all the events I saw in that nightmares certainly happened. This body knows it extremely well. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: One Tail Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 3/10 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ Slave, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 20/24 | MP: 41/41 | SP: 30/32 [ STR: 9 | DEX: 8 ] [ END: 16 | Luck: 3 ] [ AGI: 14 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood] [Upgraded Hearing] [Upgraded Smelling] [Pain Resistance |Lvl - 4] [Poison Resistance |Lvl - 3] [Paralyze Resistance |Lvl -2] [Courtesan |Lvl - 5] [Cooking |Lvl - 3] [Dance |Lvl - 2] [Charm |Lvl - 3] "It''s not a dream," I said in a weak voice. I can''t help but take a deep breath after I see the Basic Stat and Skills on my Statistics Screen. The words that were recorded there were real proof of the life that I''m going through. No! That was the life of my old self, I''m different! Now, I''m Giselle Gibson! "But... I can''t deny that at the same time, I''m Eclaite. I am her. It''s just... I got an extra memory? memories from my past life?" Confused, lost, and helpless, I sighed then leaned against the wall of this room. I thought I''m being moved to another world with a new body. And never did I know, I was already born in this world nineteen years ago. I was reincarnated and then got my memory sealed. Years later, I get my old memories back. That''s exactly what happened to me right now, maybe... This afternoon, I was panicked. "And now, I was freaked out! And that didn''t include the despair in my heart." Instantly, I felt so weak. I moved my head to look at the ceiling. That guy, is he still alive? Two months have passed since he went to explore the Foltian Great Dungeon. And there''s no sign he''ll be back. "I didn''t know he was alive or dead. But, I hope he dies. I don''t want to meet him under these circumstances. This time, I''m truly going to go crazy if he comes back to toying with me." I''m stuck in a dangerous problem. I have to raise money and get stronger as soon as possible. I need lots of money to take off this Slave Collar disguised as the Blue Necklace and I need strength to protect my freedom. Chapter 14 - Kimi And Two Adventurers Knock! Knock! "Big sis, I heard screams. Are you okay? Are you awake?" The voice of a little girl - which of course belongs to Kimi - was heard from behind the door. Her voice was so faint and I could feel the fear in it. I do forget her this afternoon. I feel so guilty for being the source of the fear that comes to Kimi''s heart. When the jerk disappears and never returns, Kimi begins to think that we were abandoned by him. Kimi doesn''t see this episode as an opportunity to obtain freedom. She saw it as an episode where a daughter lost her father. The little girl never saw her father''s dark side. And I''ll never let her know about that dark side. "I''m awake, Kimi," I replied to the little girl. After that, I stood up to tidy up my clothes. Not until two seconds passed, Kimi opened the door. She didn''t open the door fully, she just opened it a little bit. And she peering into the room from the little gat that the door made. Kimi makes an expression not knowing what to do. The little girl also looks alert. And of course, the mixture of those two expressions is colored by fear. Rejected and forgotten by a sister she so trusted and meant to her. As Giselle Gibson, I can say that''s the thing she experienced this afternoon was quite traumatic. Ugh! Once again, I feel so guilty right now. "What''s wrong, Kimi? Come in and come here!" "Big sis remember me?" she asked in a soft voice. I nodded and said. "Of course, you are my precious sister. I''ll never forget you." "Waa..." She cried and then ran towards me after she opened the door with too much force. "I think big sis will forget me again like this afternoon." Kimi hugged me tightly. Her fox ears and tail hang limply. "There was something that confused me this afternoon. It makes me forget you. But now, you don''t have to worry anymore. I promised I will never forget about you ever again," I said, trying to calm Kimi''s heart. At the same time, I stroked her head. "You promised?" asked Kimi. Her tearful blue eyes looked at me to make sure I didn''t lie. "Of course," I replied. Then, I softly pinched both her cheeks. "Smile, everything will be fine." "Okay." Kimi took off her arms to wipe away her tears. As she was preoccupied with wiping away her tears, I looked around. From the view I saw, I could confirm that I was in my bedroom. A simple room that the jerk gave me. Then I realized that afternoon has become night after I looking out the window. "This afternoon, I was at the Adventurer''s Guild and now I''m here." Aware of something strange, I look back at Kimi. "Tell me Kimi, who brought me home?" "Ah! That''s right! I just remembered brother Vier and uncle Cabal were in the living room! And brother Vier is the one who carried big sis home." That explanation made me frown. Somehow, the presence of those two people made me feel unhappy. I as Giselle didn''t mind that two people become our guests. However, I as Eclaite, feel a little scared and disturbed with their existence. Even though one of them is Vier. Someone who looks like my old Avatar. "Listen, Kimi, never invite strangers home, got it?" "But... but..." "But, you did the right thing this time. I fainted and you someone strong to lift me. Asking someone for help is the right thing to do if you''re in trouble. But, always remember, you have to ask a soldier, a knight, or someone you know for help. Is that clear?" "yes," replies Kimi a little reluctantly. The little girl then turned her face away. From the behavior she made, I knew that she didn''t take my advice to heart and I''m not going to get angry for it. I just need to repeat the advice I gave to her next time. Just like Eclaite did all along. "Good!" I said. Then, I stroked her head again. "Now, let''s meet our guests, I have to thank them." I took Kimi''s hand and we both came out of my room. And I can say¡­ It''s quite fun, joining hands and getting a sister I mean. I''ve never had a sister before. Therefore, after I got Eclaite memories and feelings, I am happy with this and this only. I can''t n help but smile while we join hands. Kimi is so cute and she was adorable when her fox ears twitching and her tail swaying. And yes, she was the saint that healing my wounds. Time passed and we arrived at the living room. Sitting on the chair beside the long table were two men. One of them is a young man and the other is an uncle. Both of them are human. They are different from me and Kimi who are a Beastkin or more precisely, a Fox Beastkin or Fox-kin. This term also applies to other Beastkin. So, one can call Beastkin from another Tribe as Cat-kin, Rabbit-kin, Lion-kin, and so on. Now, back to the moment. The young man, Vier, right? Well anyways, he exactly looked like my old Avatar. His handsome face, short golden hair, and blue eyes. The young also had a tall and muscular body. I can say, he was a fine young man. The man next to Vier was more muscular and older. This masculine uncle who has red eyes may be in his thirty. And not only his eyes, his short hair, mustache, and beard were also red. Lastly, the unce has a friendly smile. Glancing at their armor, I know that they are adventurers. And apparently, they''re adventurers with good morals. They were polite enough to put their weapons near the front door of this house. Nevertheless, that doesn''t change the fact that both of them could kill us easily with their bare hands. What can two weak women do in front of two mighty adventurers? The answer is nothing. Two men looked at me and I smiled at them. "It''s nice to meet you Mr. adventurer, my name is Eclaite." "So are we miss, my name is Cabal and this young man is Vier," replied the uncle with his friendly smile. As for Vier who is being introduced, he became restless. His pupils wandered around while saying. "I''m sorry, Miss Eclaite. I didn''t mean to be rude to you, I lost control because your face was so similar to my sister Lylian''s. I''m sorry for hugging you without permission." For now, I''ll accept Vier''s apologies. Judging from his expression and the look in his eyes, I can say that he didn''t lie or had bad intentions. He was just ignorant. "You don''t have to apologize, Mr. Vier, I''m the one who should apologize. I''m sorry for bothering both of you for sending me back home." "No, you don''t have to apologize, carrying you back to your home is not a nuisance." "Yes, it is true. As this young man said, we have no inconvenience." "What about the rewards? I believed you guys deserve it, so, how much debt do I owe?" "You don''t have to give us anything, we help you not that we want your money," Vier replied quickly. So you want my body? I wanted to ask that question to find out what they want, but I couldn''t say it. Kimi is here and I''m quite sure they have no intention of doing so. But... Still, I don''t feel comfortable getting this kind of sincere kindness. I didn''t know what they wanted and this thing give me the creeps. I fell silent to think of how to repay their kindness. But unfortunately, I had no idea how to do so. Not knowing what to do, I decided to ask them. "But... I can''t just give you guys a thank you. Is there anything you want?" Ah! I shouldn''t have said a question like that. What if they''re asking for something outside of my capacities? I will be doomed. "Miss, you don''t have to worry, we don''t need-" Kryukk~~ And the four of us fell silent. The situation became extremely awkward after my stomach made a howl. I felt so embarrassed and my face got hotter when their eyes fixed at me. Don''t give me stares like that! I screamed in my heart. After that, I made a bitter smile. "What about dinner? The dishes I made were probably simple. But at least, I hope you''ll accept it." "Sis Eclaite! I want grilled sausages," Kimi said with a smile. The little girl also raised her right arm into the air. "We''ll take it, we haven''t eaten yet," Vier said. The young man made an understanding nod. "Home cooking, I haven''t tasted it in a long time. I''m looking forward to your homemade food," Cabal said with a warm smile. With the plan set out, I went to the kitchen to get rid of this shame and to make the dishes I promised. "Tonight dinner seems to be merrier," I whispered then I started the cooking. Chapter 15 - Dinner Chat Simple Vegetable Stew, Sandwich, and Cereal Porridge. It was the list of dishes I could make after seeing the food supplies in the kitchen. And as Kimi said, I might be able to make grilled sausages for her. I took a knife and the cooking show started. Tonight''s main menu is Simple Vegetables Stew and Sandwich. Okay, enough with the joke. There are two men here. And I''m sure they have a huge appetite. It''s a good idea to make extra portions. "So... Are you adventurers or mercenaries?" I asked the two men in the dining room. Yes... in the dining room not in the parlor. I ask them to move to a dining room close to the kitchen. I don''t want to leave Kimi with them in a place I can''t observe. I haven''t trusted them. Besides all of that, I can''t leave guests alone. It was very disrespectful even though I didn''t approve of them being here. "We are Adventurers, not Mercenary," replied Vier. His young full voice is so easy for me to recognize. Especially when that voice has been accompanying my adventures in Ark Fantasy Online for eight years. "Are you strong?" Nice Kimi, very good follow-up. To be honest, I''m a little confused about how to figure out their strengths indirectly. "Of course we are strong. We are A-Rank Adventurers." That... quite surprising. Didn''t expect them to be stronger than Wielth, oh! I mean the jerk! I thought they''re C-Rank adventurer or below. but... come to think of it, A-Rank might be suitable for them or rather, suitable for Vier. In Ark Fantasy Online, the young man''s level is two hundred and forty-six. If that level is brought into this world, I''m pretty sure he''s so strong. ...and maybe, I can use their kindness to help me escape from the jerk''s grip. "That''s not a bad idea," I whispered. then... "Oh! I forgot to ask. Are there any vegetables you don''t like, Mr. Adventurer?" "I can eat all kinds of vegetables," Cabal replied. A moment later, Vier responded with. "So am I." "Good then." Without any foodstuffs to dislike, I took potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, onions, and tomatoes. Hmm... Should I add bacon? No, I don''t think so. If there is meat, this dish cannot be called Simple Vegetable Stew. I''m going to use bacon to make sandwiches. As I cook, we continue the conversation. I can''t be too active in this chat because I''m cooking. I can only give them a sideline here and there. Luckily, Kimi who chatted with them managed to dig up their information with her innocent questions. Thanks to Kimi, I know that Cabal and Vier belong to the Soaring Sky Familia, one of the five most powerful Families in the city of Rishtonbell. Vier was eighteen while Cabal was thirty-two. Vier hails from the village of Falfruh, a remote place north of the Heingarz Kingdom. As for Cabal. He came from the town of Gradovan, a maritime city in the kingdom of Zurasea. "Gradovan, there are no cities with such names in Ark Fantasy Online," I muttered one more time. At the same time, I started frying beacons. Next, I prepare sausages to grill. And not to forget, I prepared the ingredients to make mayonnaise. Gradovan and Zurasea. I honestly say, two names of a place I don''t know make me feel restless. It also makes me wonder, how big is the difference between this world and Ark Fantasy Online? If the difference between the two is huge, I''ll have a hard time collecting treasure. The locations where the treasure was stored may differ from the locations I know of. The shortcut to becoming rich will not be easy to bypass. "It''s going to be troublesome." After complaining to no one, I started frying a loaf of bread that I cut in half in a frying pan that had been smeared with butter. I could have just filled that bread with Lettuce, fried bacon, and the Mayonnaise sauce I made. But unfortunately, it won''t be a good Sandwich as the bread is too hard and cold. I want this bread crispy outside and soft inside. And more importantly, I want this bread to be warm. And because the shape of the bread I use is half a ball, this sandwich could be called a Hamburger or a Doner Sandwich. Not long after I fried the third bread, the Simple Vegetable Stew I made boiled. Due to limited time, I didn''t wait for the broth at Stew''s to be reduced, I used Roux to make it thick. Then, my fox ears twitched because I heard the name of Foltian Great Dungeon in their chat. "The second floor of Foltian Great Dungeon is filled with D-Rank monsters. The monsters are quite ferocious. Therefore only D-Rank Adventurer and above can visit the second floor of the Dungeon," explained Vier to Kimi. "Are there many adventurers who died on that second floor?" Kimi inquired. "Although almost all D-Rank Monsters are quite ferocious, they are no match for a party composed of several D-Rank Adventurers. As for C-Rank Adventurer, they can defeat the monsters on the second floor easily." I don''t like the direction of their talk. The little girl is too clever. First, she figures out who the two Adventurers are by trying to familiarize herself with them. Later, she figures out what they''re doing on the grounds of wanting to hear about their adventures. And now, she''s trying to figure out what happened to the jerk by asking how dangerous each Level is in the Foltian Great Dungeon. The main objective of this little girl is to know the dangers that Level three Foltian Great Dungeon has. She wanted to use that information to guess Wielth''s plight. At least, it was a guess I made about the direction of Kimi''s conversation with them. Now, should I stop Kimi or let her know what she wants to know? Hmm... Even though it hurts. I''ll let Kimi know what she wants. I want her to think that the jerk is dead. ...It was for the good of both of us. But unfortunately... this is not a time to have a pang of sadness or despair. Dinner''s ready and I don''t want Kimi to eat this dish with negative feelings. "All right, you three, dinner''s ready. Let''s stop chatting for a moment. Kimi, please help me bring all these dishes to the dinner table." "Okay big sis." For a moment, both of us worked as Waiters. We delivered the dishes to the guests. And within minutes, all the dishes I made were neatly arranged and served at the dinner table. Simple Vegetable Stew comes with bread, two loaves for each Adventurer, and one bread for us ladies. A sandwich for four. One portion of fried sausage for Kimi. Lastly, one glass each and one pot of lemonade water for the four of us. "Please enjoy, I hope this dish suits your palate." "Then I won''t hold back. Time to dig in," Cabal said. The man then prayed to the Goddess of Light and we followed. Our prayers ended and our dinner began. Two men right away attacked the sandwich. My little sister started with her vegetable stew. As for me, I ate the bread by soaking it in stew first. For some time, no one spoke. Each of us was preoccupied with the dishes served at the table. It''s very strange. Somehow, I felt a longing when we had dinner together. This strange feeling also makes my heart feel warm. "The food was delicious. I love the sandwich you cook, miss. I''ve never eaten a sauce like this before." Vier gave praise and a smile. "Indeed, these delicious dishes make me nostalgic. it makes me miss the city I came from." Cabal stopped moving his spoon and closed his eyes. As for Kimi, the little girl eats her dishes happily. Her tail swings quickly as she eats her favorite grilled sausage. Our dinner continued. And in a blink of an eye, all the dishes I served were finally run out. "Eating together is fun! As if, I feel like mom Haruka is here with us!" Kimi''s innocent words made my body jerk and freeze. Accidentally, the little girl makes me recall the times when Haruka was chopped up by a jerk. That memory squeezed my soul, and something wants to get out of my stomach. Therefore, I immediately put a spoon on the table. "Excuse me, I just remembered that there is something I have to do immediately. I''ll be right back." After saying that phrase, I went and walked into the backyard.. I didn''t wait for the response of the three of them. Chapter 16 - Determination Tears drenched my cheeks. This is weird. There are two feelings in my heart and I don''t know which feelings are truly mine. As Giselle Gibson, I don''t care about the death of this woman named Haruka. I don''t know that woman and we don''t have any relationship. But... As Eclaite, Haruka means so much. She was the second person to show kindness to her after her birth mother. Haruka''s existence in Eclaite''s life cannot be expressed in a word. And when I remember her helplessness when the jerk chopped Haruka... When I remember the fact that she couldn''t help the woman... I can feel that all her emotions and soul are being grounded and then squeezed strongly. "It''s so painful." I lifted my hands and put them in my chest. I made a grabbing motion, tried to grasp something that didn''t exist. There''s nothing I can do to change the past. This is the pain that will forever accompany me for as long as I live. This pain will never disappear, just like the pain that appears when Cerene dies. I saw the reflection of my face on the water''s surface in a wooden bucket. Pair of purple eyes without a light looking at me. And that eyes¡­ that eyes without light made my desire for freedom grow stronger. "I don''t want to see that kind of incident happen again. I must protect Kimi from the jerk, I will protect my happiness. No longer, I let the others take away the freedom and happiness I have." I hardened my determination with that words. "Strength is something that I need to gain and to protect my freedom and happiness. As soon as possible, I have to be stronger." I have to be an Adventurer to raise my level. There''s no other way. I know this world is not an Ark Fantasy Online. As a Slave, I can''t just hunt monsters. In this world or rather in this Heingarz Kingdom, there is a law that binds slaves. The law makes them unable to act at will. And yes, I have to do something about this slave thing. If I didn''t come to be a free person, my life will always be played by that jerk. And of course, I don''t want that. "No... This is not the time to think about being free, I didn''t have the money right now. The first step I have to take is to become an Adventurer." That means I need to find the jerk''s seal. Did he hide that item in the house? Didn''t he say I can use it at will? Ugh, it''s will be so troublesome to find it! But I need it! The seal is a must if I want to make a Special Permit. With that permit, I can make limited independent decisions without orders from a Master. That way, I can register as an adventurer. And... to avoid troublesome inquired about my identity as a slave, I needed a recommendation from an adventurer. "There is no harm in asking for their help. but... before telling them about this, I have to do something to these swollen, red eyes." I wiped away my tears and washed my face. I tried to fix my eyes with cold water. Once I felt that my eyes looked decent, I went back to the living room. Then I was surprised when I got there, I found Kimi crying. Vier and Cabal try to calm the little girl down. "What''s going on?" I asked them. A little panicked, I walked up to Kimi and hugged her. As Kimi cried in my arms, I saw two adventurers asking for answers. "We don''t know for sure," Cabal began. "I told her a story about a fight on the third floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. When I got to the middle of the story, the little girl suddenly cried." Cabal and Vier saw a crying Kimi in my arms with a confused expression. And of course, they will make such expressions. After all, they don''t know about the jerk or his expedition to the third floor of Foltian Great Dungeon. "Ah... third floor. No wonder Kimi is crying." "Is there anything wrong with the third floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon?" I made a bitter smile when I got that question. Then I said, "It''s about our dad, the je- ehem! Wielth. He said he''ll explore the third floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. Two months have passed since he left. Kimi just misses her dad." "So that''s why..." cabal nodded as a sign of understanding. "Wait a minute, did you just say Wielth? Wielth the Night Bearer?" asked Vier, who was shocked. "I believe he has such a nickname. So yes, he is our father." I gave Vier an answer and a nod. "Wielth huh, I never thought that Wielth the Night Bearer had two daughters," Cabal said. At the same time, he rubbed his chin. The man looked into the distance and seemed to be thinking of something. "He likes secrets. So it''s natural for people don''t know about his personal lives." "You''re right," Cabal replied. The guy gave me a stare full of questions before he sighed. If giving Cabal some information that can put the jerk in trouble, I''d be happy to give it away for free. I even thought of a sale, ask for two info and you''ll get two plus one free. And when I think of that weird though, I feel a few tugs of clothes around my stomach. I looked down and found Kimi staring at me with teary eyes. The little girl tried so hard to hold back her tears from flowing. "Big Sis, is father Wielth going to be okay?" asked Kimi in a trembling voice. Before answering, I stroked the little girl''s head slowly. "I don''t know, maybe he''s fine, maybe he''s not. You should know, an adventurer is a dangerous profession. We have to believe he is fine. But we also have to accept that he will never come back." "I can''t accept that!" protested Kimi in a rather loud voice. "You probably won''t accept it now. That''s okay. I just want you to understand what I said earlier." The girl puffed her cheeks. She got upset and then... Bite! "Arh! hey! Don''t bite my stomach!" Spontaneously, I pulled the little girl''s fox ear to tear her away from me. Kimi is a Beastkin. She has a fairly long pair of canines. Therefore, the girl''s bite was so painful that it make my eyes water. It''s pretty scary when I knew that she''s not biting me with all her strength. If she does it, I''m sure, she could get a big piece of meat from my stomach. "Naughty little girl!" I scolded Kimi. Afterward, I hit Kimi''s forehead hard enough with my index finger. The girl who stroked her forehead stuck out her tongue at me. Afterward, she puffed her cheeks once again. The little girl turned her face refusing to look me in the eye. "Sorry about this, Mr. Adventurer." "No problem, you don''t have to think about it." "Thank you." After saying that word, I told Kimi to sit back with a hand gesture. I wiped the little girl''s tears before giving her a glass of lemonade. After making sure she was okay, I started cleaning up the cutlery we used earlier. Vier offered to help but I turned it down, I couldn''t let a guest do what I was supposed to do. I''m not a shameless girl. After putting the cutlery in the kitchen, I went back to the dining room, and... "Miss Eclaite, it''s getting late. Therefore, we had to go back." Vier left the chair and Cabal mimicked him. "What about your reward?" "The dinner from you is more than enough," Cabal replied. "Oh yes! Have you ever thought about finding out what happened to your father using the help of the Adventurer''s Guild?" "He explores the dungeon without taking a quest. He''s doing Free Diving? Therefore, I''m not sure the Adventurer''s Guild knows much about him." "What about Searching Quest? You can make it." Vier gave a suggestion. A little hesitant, I nodded my head. "You''re right. Maybe it''s time for me to make such a quest. I''m going to visit the Adventurer''s Guild tomorrow." "That''s a good decision." Then I escort the two adventurers to the front door. They took their weapons before they walked out of the house. "Thank you for your hospitality and dinner. Good night, miss Eclaite" "Wait a minute, Mr. Adventurer." "Yes?" "Can I ask for help? Can you guys give me the recommendation to become an adventurer?" The question I asked made two adventurers freeze. Chapter 17 - My Stat And Skills "Then let me give you a recommendation, miss Eclaite." "Are you sure Vier?" "Of course Cabal, let''s just say, I paid for the rudeness I did to Miss Eclaite. After all, I hug her without permission." "If that''s your excuse, I won''t say anything." "Then it''s decided. Miss Eclaite, I''ll be waiting for you tomorrow afternoon at the Adventurer''s Guild. I''ll accompany you when you sign up." "Thank you, Mr. Vier. I will certainly pay for your kindness." "No problem and you didn''t need to pay me back. I mean it, you don''t owe me anything. As I said earlier, I did this to pay for my rudeness. Got it?" "... I understand." "Good! And please, you can call me Vier. I''m not old enough to be called a mister." And that''s what he said to me. Now, should I fulfill his request? Or do I keep calling him Mr. Vier? Because he is a strong A-Rank Adventurer. "... Don''t think too much about it. Starting tomorrow, I just have to call his name directly, right?" Splash! I washed my face using warm water to erase unnecessary thoughts. The warm water also makes my submerged body more relaxed. They say, taking a shower at night can make someone sick. And I think that''s true. But I''m not going to get sick. That''s because I take a bath in warm water. I look down at the water surface. Drip! Drip! Drip! Gorgeous girl huh? I never thought I''d be a gorgeous girl. The figure reflected in the water surface is so alien to me. This lovely face is adorned by Amethyst-like eyes, a nose with beautiful curves, and a seductive pink lip. Wavy waist-long hair, cute fox ears, and one bushy, fluffy tail that all three of it was golden. This new body has beautiful long legs, a fairly large round bootie, slender hips, bountiful chest, and soft arms. This perfect body becomes more amazing because it comes with white skin without flaws. As Giselle Gibson, I can say that this girl has a high quality. Her beauty is equal to or may exceed the beauty of all girl''s band members from Kho country. And I would not think twice to say, Eclaite is a high-class courtesan. This girl still has fresh, pink, and perfect assets thanks to the weird magic that the jerk uses. "It''s upsetting when I know, the jerk understands how to take good care of his toys." Even though this is so bitter and I don''t want to agree with it, there''s no denying that the jerk did take good care of Eclaite, the old me who hasn''t got a memory of my past as Giselle Gibson. The jerk is jerk and madman. That''s not going to change. He did use this body, my body now, as a guinea pig! He did play with my body until my body was damaged. Then, once he''s done with all of it, he always uses potions and spells to get my body back to where it was. The only thing he can''t fix is Eclaite mind. Honestly, I said, before I got Giselle Gibson''s memory, my mind as Eclaite is in a state of mesh. And I could say, my mind was on the verge of madness. It''s so scary when I knew, there''s a high possibility that I''m going to scream hysterically and break down instantly when I see an episode or item that reminds me of the torture the jerk gave me. I''m a nuclear bomb that''s going to explode after getting a soft touch. And... maybe... Maybe it''s already happened. I might have been exploded. I remember I was in the middle of the plaza when I got Giselle Gibson''s memory. It could have been, by then, Eclaite had gone insane. Then, things that happened to her made my memory as Giselle Gibson come to the surface. If that was what truly happens, it could explain why my memory as Giselle Gibson appears and then mixed with pieces of Eclaite''s memories. "After the two memories joined as one, I had trouble determining my true self and the true reality. This world where Eclaite was or the world Giselle come from is the real truth? Am I Eclaite or am I, Giselle Gibson?" I''m not sure¡­ and seeing it from the other perspective. Both worlds can be considered real. As for me, I assume I was Eclaite and Giselle. I didn''t feel any personality besides me, myself. So¡­ I can say, me is me, right? ... "Haa¡­ this issue is extremely confusing." I leaned in the bathtub and drowned my mouth. Then, I create bubbles by blowing air out to the warm water. I''d better forget things that are hard to understand and just accept things that have already been done. Now, I''m more curious about the Basic Statistics and skills I do have right now. I need to know my skills before I raised my level and decide on my Avatar build. Moreover, I''m curious about the unique skill that I got from Gaia Tears. "I got a unique skill, right? [Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: One Tail Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 3/10 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ Slave, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 24/24 | MP: 41/41 | SP: 18/32 [ STR: 9 | DEX: 8 ] [ END: 16 | Luck: 3 ] [ AGI: 14 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood] [Upgraded Hearing] [Upgraded Smelling] [Pain Resistance |Lvl 4] [Poison Resistance |Lvl 3] [Paralyze Resistance |Lvl 2] [Courtesan |Lvl 5] [Cooking |Lvl 3] [Dance |Lvl 2] [Charm |Lvl 3] "Thank God. I did get a Unique Skill." The Unique Skill, Heart of Monster is written in red ink and that unique skill surprised me. Heart of Monster, quite an alarming name. Putting aside the unique skill, I decided to look at the Basic Stat belonging to this body. I can say, when compared to humans, Elves, dwarfs, or other normal races on the same level, I have twice as many Basic Stats as them. And maybe, thanks to this, I can survive after receiving all kinds of torture given by the jerk. I''m glad to see my Basic Stat is pretty high but there is something weird... "Why is my race is Beastkin and not Divine Beast? Am I going to be a Divine Beast after having nine tails? Not only that, the tribe that was supposed to be Nine Tail Fox is now One Tail Fox. My Max Level is also extremely low." Max Level that only reaches ten worries me. If my level could only reach ten, my desire to break away from the jerk clutch and to protect my freedom would never be real. It''s going to be a nightmare I can''t accept. Seeing this Max Level made me wish I could evolve just like a monster race. That way, my Max Level and Basic Stats will increase as I evolve. To find out the answer to this problem, I need to level up to the maximum. With that, I''ll know if I can evolve or not. I have to defeat or rather kill monsters to get Exo and... I have a concern, can I defeat a monster? Can AFO''s in-game fighting experience be useful in this world? Yes, my in-game fighting experience is useful. Didn''t I already fight with Peshrooms and manage to kill them? Didn''t I manage to get level up? I can defeat a monster! But still, my body is stiff in battle and I''m not sure I have the courage to fight against big monsters. "I will take a step after step to solve this problem." Now, it''s good for me to learn all my skills. I want to understand the effect they have. I started by pressing Unique Skill written on my Status Screen. Thanks to what I did, another screen appeared above the Status Screen. The new screen contains an explanation of Heart of Monster. "Let''s see the greatness of this Unique Skill." [ Heart of Monster ] [Passive] [ + Earn statistics points after eating a whole body of monster or a certain amount (1,200 gr) of monster meat. - After the tenth of monster meat, Basic Statistics points will not be obtained again + Obtain one of the monster skills (randomly) by eating their Magic Stones. Skill gained from a species of monster is one. After getting a skill, next Magic Stone will be converted into Exp for the skill obtained earlier. - After the tenth Magic Stone, Exp for skill will not be obtained again. + Able to erase the skills gained from the Magic Stones of monsters. + ????? ] I froze after reading that explanation. This Unique Skill is not at the level of a unique skill. More precisely, it''s the equivalent or above of a cheat. If each Unique Skill has such effects, no wonder the quest to get them is so complicated to be done. The unique skill owners can destroy the game balance of Ark Fantasy Online. And easily, they can win every world-class PvP Tournament and many other types of events. Fuuu... This is extremely shocking. I hope the other Skills didn''t have- Ehem! Let''s stop pretending to be naive. Stuck in a situation like this, I should have said, "I hope, other skills also have amazing effects just like the Heart of Monster!" Yup! I should have said something like that. It''s about my life, my death, and my freedom. I have to hope to get Skills that make me stronger. Other than that, as a Player, there is no greater desire than wanting the Avatar they play to be the strongest Avatar. The presence of a chance where I will get a great skill makes my fox ears twitch with gusto. Unfortunately, they do not look beautiful because wet. Well... it''s time for me to look at my other skills. [Natural Mana Circulation][ Passive ] [+ Mana will flow throughout the body like blood. This makes the skill owner''s body will never grow old after his/her/its growth period has stopped. + Reduce MP usage by 50% when using Skill, Spell, or Arte. + Increase MP recovery speed by 50% during rest or meditation.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Divine Beast Blood][ Passive ] [+ Increase the EXP (experience) obtained by 300%] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Upgrade Hearing][ Passive ] [+ Improves the skill owner''s auditory senses by 10 times that of regular hearing. + The upgraded hearing can be adjusted at will.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Upgrade Smelling][ Passive ] [+ Improves the skill owner''s sense of smell by 10 times that of regular senses of smell. + The upgraded senses of smell can be adjusted at will.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Poison Resistance |Lvl 3] [ Passive ] [+ Reduces the damage and duration of negative influences caused by different types of poison by 25%.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Pain Resistance |Lvl 4] [ Passive ] [+ Reduces pain when receiving various types of physical and magical injuries by 35%. + This skill will not eliminate the perception of the dangers gained from various types of wounds.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Paralyze Resistance |Lvl 2] [ Passive ] [+ Reduces the damage and duration of negative influences caused by different types of paralysis by 15%.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Courtesan |Lvl 5] [ Passive ] [+ Increase proficiency in sexual intercourse, increase attractiveness, beautify the body, and increase SP by 10 points permanently.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Cooking |Lvl 3] [ Passive ] [+ Increase cooking mastery, give an ability to appraise food ingredients, and increase DEX by 6 points permanently.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Dance |Lvl 2] [ Passive ] [+ Increase dance proficiency, improve body flexibility, improve learning capacity to understand music, and increase AGI by 4 points permanently.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Charm |Lvl 3] [ MP -3 ] [+ By making eye contact directly, captivate and ensnare target''s mind to do anything the skill owner wants. + The amount of time is needed for the target to fall into the charmed state depends on the mental endurance of the target. + Charmed state lasts for 1 hour. + Before the target falls to a charmed state and when the skill is active, 3 MP will be consumed per 5 seconds.] The first two skills and the last one were impressive, while the other skills are so so. Two of them are Racial Skills and the rest are Normal Skills. That''s right, skill has a type. Starting from Racial Skill, Normal Skill, Advance Skill, Grand Skill, and Unique Skill. "Skill owner''s body will never grow old after the growth period has stopped? Does that mean I''m Immortal?" Hmm... No, I don''t think so. I guess, I only have longevity. I can live for hundreds of years but at the same time, I could die at twenty if someone kills me. Immortal is not a word for me, I''m not going to rise and come back to life after I die. I''m not a Phoenix. Now, I understand all the skills I have. Thanks to it, I was able to come up with some ideas about the things I had to do.. I thought of the first step I would take when I walked out of the bathroom. Chapter 18 - A Purpose In This New World Drying my fox tail was troublesome. And it took me half an hour to dry it. "Adapting myself to this new body will take time." After my tail is dry and fluffy plus I am wearing a nightgown, I trotted around in the workroom, office, or maybe the jerk''s little lab? I don''t know. Anyway, I searched this room intending to look for things such as weapons, medicine, or maybe something I could use. I need resources to start my adventure. Time passed, the night was getting late. I''ve spent a lot of time here and I haven''t found anything I can use. It''s truly disappointing. Giving up, I decided to pick and read some books that were on the small table. Then, the time passed. "These letters and the composition of the sentences are so foreign. Surprisingly, I was able to read them without any problems and It''s so... weird," I said as I moved my hand to open the next page. The book I read had a black cover. The book is decorated with dark gold metal shielding on all eight corners. Dozens of Magic Circle images and explanations of their functions that I don''t understand became the contents of this book. This book confused me but at least, this book is much better than the jerk''s diary that I read earlier. Well... To be honest, I know how to use a Magic Circle. One only needs to pour their MP into the Magic Circle and after they say the keywords, they can use the Magic Circle. But... for the principles and concepts behind the Magic Circle, I can say that I''m too stupid to understand it. Use the Mana that was inside the body to draw the Magic Circle. How do I use the Mana? And more importantly, what is Mana? If the Mana this book refers to is MP or Magic Points, then I know a little bit about it. In Ark Fantasy Online, I know that MP is a kind of energy to use magic. I''ve never considered an MP to be more than a row of numbers. Therefore, I have absolutely no idea of how to use the Mana written in this book. "Haa... for now. It seems like I have to give up on learning magic." I put the book back on the table. Then, I sat in a chair in front of a large table filled with bowls, dry herbs, medicine powder in boxes, glass bottles, etc. I made room at that full table. Next, I rested my head on my arms that I used as a pillow. I played with my fox tail, swing it left then to the right, and vice versa slowly. I tried to take a rest but suddenly, a question came to my mind. "What should I do to take off this Slave Collar?" Using my index finger, I stroke this hard, cold, big black metal collar that rules over my life. Then I remember how to take off this Slave Collar. "Long short story, I do need twenty-seven gold coins, the jerk''s personal seal, and his permission," I said that as I raise my head. I looked at this room and I know, the things I needed to obtain my freedom are not in this place. "The seal may be in his bedroom. As for the coins, I doubt the jerk has it. He is poor, right?" I shook my head because I didn''t know the answer. "And about his permission, I will think about it in upcoming days." Now, to raise money. The only way I could come up with was searching for the treasure in Foltian Great Dungeon. I retain knowledge about the treasures'' location around the world of Ark Fantasy Online. So, I have confidence I will earn that hidden wealth. However, are the treasures'' locations in this world the same as in the world of AFO? I don''t know and I will learn about it later. Now, I have a solid plan to raise money for buying my freedom. Then, what am I going to do in this world? Besides earning my freedom, what''s my dream or purpose? If I didn''t have a solid purpose, I''m sure, I''d be lost in this life. I need a purpose that can keep my desire to live in this world forever strong. The purpose of finding a way back to my old world is out of the question because I''ve lived in this world for over nineteen years. Although I don''t have my old memories as Giselle Gibson when I lived my time as Eclaite. Then again, returning to my old world after nineteen years have passed¡­ was not a good idea. I mean, nineteen years have passed. I''m sure a lot is going on. My family, my apartment, my friends, and my money may be gone and changed. Going back to the old world or living in this world doesn''t have a big difference. In two worlds, I had to start all over again. Thus... let''s find a new purpose or dream. "But¡­ what kind of purpose should I choose?" I asked no one while playing with a small glass bottle. Should I look for them? Eden, Mathias, Honesty, Dishonesty, Izayoi, and Agnisdesmo. All my friends in the Estoque Familia. Did they also experience this problem? Did they also come into this world? I don''t know the answer. However, while I''m in this world, I''m going to search for them. There''s a small chance they''re come into this world, too. I can say something like this because doesn''t a son of b*tch named Scott Bell often claims to be a hero from another world? Maybe he''s a player in Ark Fantasy Online. Okay, this is set. I''ll try to find them. This quest won''t be my main purpose. That would be, akin to sub-quest. It''s not that I didn''t care about them. It''s just that I am not sure that they come to this world. And honestly, right now, I don''t know how to find them. Now¡­ back to the main problem, let''s find a purpose. Looking for a life partner then live a happy life? "..." Well... That was a brave purpose of life. My old self - the one who looks like a man - has never felt a romance with a man. No man has come to seduce me or even ask me out. Instead, many women have come to declare their love for me. Now, when I have this body, I''m sure, I can get a boyfriend easily. But unfortunately, I have no desire to be in a relationship with a man. Why? Isn''t Giselle Gibson having a desire for a husband? Yes, it''s but... I, as Giselle Gibson and Eclaite, was so unlucky to be involved with a man. In my old life, they insulted me and keep their distance from me. Whereas in this world, they treat me as an item, they play with my body as they please. With all that terrible past, a relationship with a man can wait or I will never form it. Especially when I do prefer a relationship with a woman now. With that... Positively, the goal is to find a life partner, a husband, will be crossed out with disgust. What about a happy life? half of the purpose just now. Hmm... I think that''s pretty good, that also sounds fun. Live a happy life while living a normal life. Working hard with the ultimate goal to own a big house, a wife, and eat well every day. It is not a bad idea. However, right now, I''m in the world of Ark Fantasy Online or rather, in a world similar to AFO. It''s a big-scale fantasy world. Magic, monsters, sky islands, flying ships, beautiful Elf, Erofu, and more exist in this world. It would be a waste if I didn''t enjoy it and preferred to live a normal life. I believe that the life I live in this world has to be more colorful. That''s because... "Out there, there is a lot of unknown, thrilling adventure, there is a lot of magnificent scenery I haven''t seen, and there is thousands of precocious treasure to be found!" I said, looking out the window, looking at two moons in the night sky decorated by millions of stars. Ark Fantasy Online is so enthralling and extraordinary when it''s still a game. And I''m sure, this world that is so similar to the AFO must be no less enthralling and extraordinary. The world may be more phenomenal. It would be a pity if I didn''t enjoy all that firsthand. "What''s more, when I live in it" Therefore, a purpose to a happy life in this world was crossed out normally. "Now because I don''t want to live normally... What should I do? What purpose am I looking for?" Questions appear and I leaned back in the chair. I moved my head to look at the ceiling of this room, to look for answers. For some time, I saw dark brown wood plastered on the ceiling. Then, an answer appeared after, accidentally, I saw a miniature of Flying Ship on the bookshelf. "That''s it!" I cried out quite loudly. At the same time, I stood up, got out of the chair. My fox tail made some gusto swings. "Explorer of the sky or sky explorer!" Yes, that''s right, sky explorer! Imagining flying in the sky aboard the Flying Ship made my heart beat rapidly. I want to feel the wind caressing my body, I want to take a closer look at the endless sky, and I want to see this world from high above. All of that sounds so amazing! "Thus, my purpose of life is becoming a sky explorer. There is no doubt in it!" I clenched my fist to show my determination. "Now, I have to work hard to raise money so I can buy my freedom and a Flying Ship. I also have to think about the crew I''m going to recruit." With that, I''ve set my purpose in this world. To get to that purpose cones true, the first step I have to take now is... Sleep! That''s right, I have to sleep. I have to rest and recover my energy to face tomorrow. I left the jerk''s room to go back to my room. I lay in bed, wrapped my body in a blanket, and then I said. "Good night." Oh! I forgot to turn off the Crystal Lamp! Chapter 19 - My Special Permit "Big¡­ is... wak... Big sis! Wake up!" A loud voice was heard and I felt something heavy was pressing on my stomach. Opening my eyes, I saw a hazy figure of someone moving around. After rubbing my eyes, after my vision became clear, I found a little girl with fox ears and tail pouting at me. This scene shocked me so much. I wonder, what''s going on? "Big sis, are you okay? Why would it seem you look so surprised? You don''t have a fever, do you?" She flooded me with questions and then touched my forehead with her hands. "Thank God, big sis doesn''t have a fever!" She said with relief. Her tail swayed full of vitality then she gave me a warm smile. A moment later, I remember that I come to or can be said, I was reborn into another world similar to the world of the VR game, Ark Fantasy Online. I also remember I become a Fox-kin girl with a dark past. This girl has a desire to grow stronger to gain freedom and kill her stepfather. And this little girl, the cute Fox-kin girl sitting on my stomach was Kimi. Her straight shoulder-length hair is black with dark red at the ends, the same color also applied to the fur of Kimi''s fox ears and tail. As for her brilliant eyes, it was red just like a Ruby. Kimi has such a cute face and she is my precious stepsister. "So... Kimi, something''s wrong?" "Don''t give me something wrong! Look!" Kimi who is annoyed moves her arm to point at something to her side. Seeing the movement she do, I moved my head to see what she pointed out. There, to the left of the bed where I lay, there was a window that showed me the outside scenery. "What''s wrong with that window?" "It''s not about the window! What I mean is the morning is long gone!" Once again, Kimi voiced her annoyance. The girl also pinched and pulled both sides of my cheek. "Wake up big sis, don''t be lazy! And also, I''m hungry." "That''s right... I''m sorry. Now, come down please, let me wash my face. After that, I''ll make breakfast for you." "That''s the answer I wanted." The little girl nodded before getting off my stomach. Then, as I said, I wash my face and make breakfast. After all of that was done, I ransacked the rooms the jerk often uses. I''m looking for gold coins, the Slave Contract that binds me, and his Personal Seal. I need those things to make a Special Permit. Then, after I got my Special Permit, I can register as an adventurer. After an hour passed, finally, I found the things I needed. For the money, I got one gold coin, seven large silver coins, and twenty-three large bronze coins. An amount that will ensure our lives for a few months. As for the Slave Contract, I can only hope that this isn''t a fake. Finally, his Personal Seal. "It''s a fancy stamp isn''t it?" The bottom half, the one that will print an image after getting the ink has a complicated pattern. As for the handle, it was made of dark brown wood decorated with gold-colored metal. This Personal Seal was quite amazing especially when I feel something from it. Anyway, I get what I needed. So, let''s make my Special Permit as soon as possible. And I hope the cost of making special permits is not expensive. I mean, I do need twenty-seven gold coins to buy my freedom. That''s not a small amount of money. If someone uses minimum living expenses every day, - that is fifty bronze coins for the cost of renting a room at the inn and buying three meals - twenty-seven gold coins could support that someone for about fourteen years. The currency in this world is similar to the currency in Ark Fantasy Online. Therefore, I recognize and remember it easily. Especially when I have Eclaite''s memories. I even made a chart for quick memorizing. 10 bronze coins = 1 large bronze coin. 10 large bronze coins = 1 silver coin. 10 silver coins = 1 large silver coin. 10 large silver coins = 1 gold coin. 10 gold coins = 1 large gold coin. And 100 large gold coins = 1 white gold coin. I feel so weak When I thought of how much money I needed to buy my freedom. But now is not the time to drown in grief. I have to do what I can do now and then meet Vier at Adventurer''s Guild. So without further ado and immediately, I put the money, the parchment, and the seal into my brown, small leather bag. I intend to go to slave traders after all my preparations are complete. But¡­ Kimi, my sister, held my hand as soon as I walked out of the house. "Big sis! Where are you going?" She asked me. I turned around to look the little girl in the eye. I smiled and... "Remember that Mr. Adventurer promised to give me a recommendation?" "yes." "Good and today, I''m going to accept that recommendation then I''ll sign up as an adventurer. I''ll be back before the fourth bell rings." Kimi narrowed her eyes, her fox ears twitching several times. "Big sis won''t forget me again and come back in time, right?" "Absolutely," I replied. Afterward, I knelt and hugged Kimi for a while. I took off my arms and said. "Let''s make a pinkie promise!" "Pinkie promise?" Kimi was confused then she tilts her head slightly to the right. "We tie our pinkie fingers and then say a promise. Anyone who breaks a promise will receive a punishment. What do you think?" I asked her while putting my pinkie finger in front of her. "All right, that''s fair enough," she replied. The little girl takes out her pinkie finger. So, I quickly welcomed her pinkie finger with mine and in a blink of an eye, our fingers are locked. "I promise I''ll come home before the fourth bell, if I haven''t come back as I promised, I''ll¡­ hmm... swallow a thousand needles." "No!" Kimi screamed then hug me after I did saying my promise. Things she do shocked me and make me froze. "I don''t want big sis to eat a thousand needles! I don''t want big sis to die and leave me alone." She said while hiccupped and with a broken voice. Her trembling body hugged me tighter. Did she cry? I thought when I stroked the back of her head to calm her down. A moment later, she let me go, she showed me her red, watery eyes and sad expression. This piece of episode made me realize the mistake I made. Kimi lost her mother, Haruka, at a young age. Two months ago, her father, the jerk gone and never come back. And now, unintentionally, I say that I''m going to swallow a thousand needles. With the words like that, indirectly, I said I was going to die. And needless to say, this hurts Kimi''s heart. "I''m sorry Kimi," I said, stroking her head. "If I don''t come back on time, what punishment should I get?" "Nothing," replied the little girl in a soft voice. "Nothing?" I repeated out of confusion. "Big sis doesn''t need punishment because I''m sure Big sis will be back before the fourth bell," Kimi explained. At the same time, she gave me a sincere gaze. The unconditional trust she gave me touched my heart. So I hugged her one more time. "I''ll be home soon," I promised her again. Sometime later, I walked down the sidewalk. And for the third time or maybe, the fourth time? I got lost. I can''t do anything about this issue because Rishtonbell''s layout in this world is so different from Rishtonbell''s layout I know. I can''t use my knowledge from AFO and for Eclaite''s memory, this girl never leaves the house because she was bound by the jerk''s orders. Therefore, she also did not know the city layout well. Yesterday was the first time for Eclaite to go far enough from home. She decided to do that exploration after somehow, she felt, she could leave the house without fearing the jerk''s orders would get in her way. And yes, in the end, I, the stupid girl who doesn''t know the streets of the city where she lives have to ask people to get to where I want to go. Moments later, I stand in front of a three-story building with a sign, ''Slaves Trader Red Tail'' on the top of its front doors. "Does the owner of this shop have a red tail?" I wondered as I walked into the store. A small, clean, minimalist lobby greeted me after I passed the front doors. In this lobby, there''s a muscular man who''s maybe a security guard and a beautiful woman who''s a receptionist or maybe, a shopkeeper? I don''t know and I''m not quite interested in their job. I came to this store to make a Special Permit nothing more, nothing less. Not wanting to waste time, I walked up to the receptionist. "Welcome, miss. What do you need from our store?" she asked accompanied by a friendly smile. "I want to make a Special Permit." "All right, for who is this Special Permit intended to?" "For myself." "Are you a Slave?" "Yes." "You brought the Slave Contract in your name?" "Yes." "Is the creation of this Special Permit approved by your Master?" "He said if he doesn''t come back from the Dungeon for more than a month, I can make a Special Permit. And now, two months have passed since he said that." Hearing my answer, the receptionist was silent for a while before make a nod. "Two silver coins are needed as the cost of making a Special Permit. Have you prepared it?" "Yes." "All right. Please wait a minute," said the receptionist. A moment later, she leave her chair to pick up some strange types of equipment and parchments from inside a large shelf behind the reception desk. Minutes passed and the receptionist arranged all the things she picked up at the front desk. When she''s done, she says. "Please give me your Slave Contract." And I did what she asked. The process of making a Special Permit is not complicated. The receptionist just needs to see my Slave Contract and write something on an empty parchment. Then after she has done with the writing, she marked the parchment and my Slave Contract with Magic Tools. My Special Permit finally done after I give my signature, a drop of my blood to the parchment, and the required fee. I got the Special Permit I wanted without using the jerk''s Personal Seal. The woman says the seal will be needed if I want to cancel my slave contract. "Thank you." "You''re welcome." After that small exchange, I left Slaves Trader Red Tail to go to the Adventurer''s Guild. Chapter 20 - Stat Up I''m not lost anymore. And I can say that with pride. Why? It''s because I don''t want to go somewhere. I went for a walk in the city with no desire to visit someplace. That way, I never get lost. I''m so smart! All right, let''s stop joking around. Right now, I went for a walk for three purposes. The first is to memorize the layout, streets, and various areas in the city of Rishtonbell. While the second goal is to raise my Basic Statistics by doing culinary tours. The last one, the third, I want to make sure the places I know are existed in this city or not. I also want to search and greet the NPCs known as Quest Giver. So! My little adventure begins! Yes¡­ of course, I have to visit the Adventurer''s Guild, I need to meet up with Vier. But then I realized something, we promised to meet at the third bell and now, the second bell hasn''t rung yet. Therefore, I have a lot of free time. So, I decided to take advantage of it by exploring the city. I don''t want to get lost anymore. That''s why I want to memorize the layout, streets, and various areas in the city of Rishtonbell. While doing that, I planned to do some culinary tours. That''s right, it''s about raising my Basic Statistics by eating monster meat, it''s about the Unique Skill, Heart of Monster effect. The explanation say I could get Stat Point by eating monster meat at a certain amount that is 1,200 grams. I looking forward to it and It''s a good idea for me to raise my Basic Statistics as soon as possible! So, I do buy one kind of snack in large quantities then ate it with gusto! All the snacks are gone to my stomach but¡­ "Why don''t I get stat points?" I pondered about this issue and decided to conduct simple research. Then, I buy another snack and ate it. < Strength up! STR +1 > I do get Stat Point now. It''s weird so asked a few questions to the snack vendor. I do this for few times and in the end, I concluded. The monster meat I eat must be fresh. I will not get Stat Points if four hours have passed after the meat was taken from the killed monster. Cooking the meat didn''t change anything, I still got Stat points. And¡­ it surprises me. I ate eight different kinds of snacks in large quantities and I didn''t feel full. < Endurance up! END +1 > < Strength up! STR +1 > < Agility up! AGI +1 > Yes, I got five miss but I still get stronger. Now, I don''t know if this also applies to Magic Stones. I mean this fresh, four days limit. I didn''t get an answer to that mystery because I never bought Magic Stones. And honesty, I didn''t dare to eat the Magic Stones. I mean, eating a stone! Who wants to do that? But I know, in the end, I will eat the Magic Stones. It''s just a matter of time before I did it. Now, let''s raise my Basic Statistics first. I will continue this culinary tour for another jackpot. So, for now, I chose a sandwich filled with thick meat and a fairly spicy red sauce. With snacks in hand, I walk. My destination? Everywhere. I want to search the Quest Giver NPCs and some places I know. Ding! Ding! Ding! That''s the ring of the second bell. About this, the second bell I just mentioned. They''re time markers. No tool has a function to tell the time like a watch or a wall clock in this city. So, they''re using a big bell to tell someone the time. The first bell rings at six in the morning. The Second bell at nine in the morning, the third bell at twelve in the noon, the fourth bell rings at four in the afternoon, and so on until it returns to the first bell. One day is divided into eight bells. Now, because of the second bell, I only had three hours before I had to meet VIER. So, let''s go back to explore the city of Rishtonbell. The scenery in this city reminds me of the middle ages. A time when knights were still walking in the streets. Beautiful old architecture, stone-paved streets, unique street lamps, passing horse- no? Yellow bird-drawn carriages? Anyway, those things and others else tell someone that the city is extraordinary. Rishtonbell is also filled with other fantasy things. What I mean here are the citizens that come from different races. Different fantasy races! Elf, Beastkin, Dwarfs, Humans, and several other races live together peacefully. This city was wonderful. < Health up! HP + 2 > "Oh! Lucky! I got an extra HP! Now, let''s buy another snack." This time, I bought a spicy kebab wrapped in white bread shaped like a DVD. Then, with the snack, I admire the beauty of Rishtonbell, and also to memorize the streets in this city, I recalled something. I recall I have to search for places I knew in Ark Fantasy Online and the NPCs known as Quest Giver. So, to the place, I wanted to visit I walked. The first place I found is Arm''s Shop. It''s in the north of the shopping area. This Arm''s Shop was named Hammer Tears. Inside the AFO, the store is famous for its complete stock of weapons and armor. A Player could find Basic Grade Equipment to Superior Grade Equipment. This shop is also famous for its affordable prices. Pieces of equipment grades? Here it is, Basic - Common - High - Advance - Superior - Rare - Unique - Legendary - Ancient - Mystic Grade. Yeah, it''s too much and hard to remember. Often, I forgot about it. Anyway, I walked for some time and in the end, I found the Hammer Tears. Just like the Adventurer''s Guild, this shop in this world was bigger than those in the game. I peered into the store from the sidewalk. Thanks to it, I know that this store sells a variety of weapons and armor. As for how complete the items they sell, I don''t know. I also didn''t make sure of it because I didn''t do Windows Shopping. "Knowing this store exists, is enough to make me satisfied." I nodded and walked back. I went to find other places. Time passed, right now, I''m in front of Green Fort, a headquarter of the knights. I visited this building because I wanted to meet Captain Shen Luck, one of the Quest Giver NPCs. Quests given by Captain Shen Luck have a reward in the form of Prestige Point. Someone who collects quite a lot of Prestige Points could become a knight. They can access the kingdom''s military facilities to obtain a wide variety of Special Arte. To obtain some of that Special Arte, I intend to collect Prestige Points by working on low-level quests. Unfortunately... "Stop right there, miss!" "Except for military personnel, no one allowed in!" "Please leave this place immediately or we will arrest you!" The soldiers kicked me out. Little disappointed, I walked to the next place. The third place I want to go to is Rusty Knife, a hidden shop. In addition to being a store that sells dozens of rare items, this store also becomes the center of underground auctions. Rusty Knife''s location is on the inside of an alley in East Slums. And... umm... yes¡­ that''s right. The store is in East Slums. So... I didn''t visit it. Because of Eclaite''s memories, I become too afraid to step into that slum. That place reminds me of Eclaite''s trauma that she got in her early years as a slave. < Strength up! STR +1 > So... Yes! I turned around and walk away the moment I got that notification. And lucky, again, this snack gives me Stat Point. Rusty Knife is well worth a visit. Therefore, one day, I will come back when I''ve grown strong or when I have a reliable friend. For the next few tens of minutes, I visited the Church of Light, Stone Axe Traven, Ibis Cemetery, and Trixxa Market. I also tried to meet the Quest Giver around those places. But, disappointingly, I couldn''t find some Giver Quests. And when I managed to find one of them, I couldn''t get a quest. In the end, I just made small talk with them. I got nothing and my legs aches. Didn''t want to force myself, I decided to take a rest by sitting on a bench under a shady tree. This place is on the edge of the park. Therefore, every once in a while, I can feel fresh, gentle breezes cooling my body. To recharge my energy, I started eating snacks that I bought along the way here. I bought Meat Bun, Meat pie, and Meat Patty. I bought quite a lot because I liked the scent of these snacks extremely much. And yes, I don''t know which snacks use fresh monster meat. It''s a gamble and it was a meats festival! "Am I going to be fat?" I didn''t know and I will think about it later. Now, let''s enjoy these twenty-one servings of snacks I bought. Can I eat all these snacks? I''ll answer "Maybe" I was able to give that answer because I realized one strangeness that happened to my body or rather to my stomach. My stomach has a great capacity. I had eaten sixteen varieties of snacks before dealing with all these snacks and I was still not full. I feel like I can still eat more. And yes, I didn''t forget to buy a drink to accompany the snacks I bought. "I didn''t want hiccups and I was thirsty. One glass of fresh fruit juice is a thing I need. No further ado, let''s dig in!" And I ate my snacks while enjoying the scenery in front of me. In the distance, high in the sky, I could see some Flying Ships moving around. I also saw a Sky Island moving slowly because it was blown away by the wind. Moving my head to look ahead, I was greeted by a scene where knights, adventurers, and citizens from various races passed by. All of them were so out of common sense. They shouldn''t exist in the real world. But look, in here, they''re alive and they''re walking right in front of me. The day before yesterday, I was still playing Ark Fantasy Online. But now, I''m in this fantasy world. All of this happened so suddenly and I... I still can''t accept this reality. I wanted to find someone to exchange feelings, thoughts, and experiences about this. I want to be open to that person, I want to complain, I want to scream how unfair this is. I want to... Vent to someone else? I don''t know¡­ and I hit miss in all those snacks. Chapter 21 - Little Hunt The snack that I bought was gone, the simple investigation I do was done, and the third bell... "Hmm... I do have, about two hours before the third bell rings. So... what should I do now?" I leaned and look at the sky. I saw a flying ship hovering around in the sky for a while before closing my eyes. The shadow of the tree that covered my body gave coolness, while the sunlight make the day quite warm. The combination of both made me sleepy. "But now it''s not the time to take a nap," I said, who then moved from the park bench. I walked towards the west gate. Let''s hunt to spend time. I need Magic Stone to do a simple experiment. I want to prove whether I truly can get a skill after eating Magic Stone. I have already made a resolve to eat the stone! "But I can''t imagine, what kind of taste or texture Magic Stone have? I hope it''s not that bad." Time passed and I arrived at the meadow, a place where I hunted Peshroom with Alan before. This hunting ground is about five hundred meters from the city wall. And to reach the nearest highway, I have to walk fifty meters from where I stand. In front of me is a green ocean made of grass, there are some bright brown circles which are the open soil. On my left side, there are large, dense trees to form walls. Those trees are part of Westwood. Behind the forest, much further away, some mountains stretches from the corner of the horizon to the other end. Back to the meadow. Dozens of Peshroom roaming around. Few form a group and some are roaming alone. In Ark Fantasy Online, Peshroom is a rather aggressive monster. They will attack the player if they are too close to them. Luckily, Peshroom is a low-level monster that is destined to be an exercise target and exp resource for Newbie Players. They were easy prey. I drew my short sword and walked to the nearest Peshroom. A monster that roams quite far from its kin. The monsters soon discovered my presence when I was quite close. Instantly, the monster took a stance ready to fight Haa¡­ It seems I don''t have the knack to approach a monster unnoticed. "Suu Su!" Peshroom makes a strange sound. It spins its arms like a helicopter propeller. And yes, the monster dashed to me with its spinning arms. I didn''t move, I waited for the right time to give a counterattack when the monster entered my attack range. I had fought with a few of Peshrooms yesterday and I have a fighting experience when I play Ark Fantasy Online. I have confidence. Because of that... Swus and Tackle! I stepped aside to get out of the Peshroom path a second before its attacks hit me. Then, quickly, I tacked the monster''s foot. The monster fall. "Suu!" I ignored Peshroom''s scream and quickly stomp on its back. I prevent it from standing up. What did I do next? Of course, I cut the arms and foot of the monster. Then I stabbed its body until the monster died. I used the tactics that I used yesterday. "Su~~" "Yeah Su~ Please die for me." Unexpectedly, the monster was kind, It truly granted my request, It died for me. ...Okay, let''s stop joking around. I''m not a cruel or sadistic girl. I just want to make sure, the monster will not fight me back while I stab its body. "Now." I turned the Peshroom''s body using my left leg. I want its Magic Stone and If I recall correctly, Alan split open a Peshroom''s stomach to take out the Magic Stone. So... I swung my short sword, I had to do what I had to do. "Luckily, the monster doesn''t bleed. This makes everything easy for me." I split open the Peshroom''s stomach. Surprisingly, cutting its body felt as if I was cutting a solid sponge normally used to make a mattress or a sofa. And a few more minutes later... "Here it is!" I exclaimed at a moment I managed to pull out Magic Stone from the Peshroom''s body. This Magic Stone at the size of a peanut. It is round, like a glass, and dark red. "I can''t believe it but¡­ I have to eat it to get a skill!" I looked around, hoping no one look at me. My fox ear twitched, my tail make bizarre swings, I feel anxious and doubtful. I do still remember clearly the description of Heart of Monsters. And more importantly, that Unique Skill truly works. It''s increased my Basic Statistics after I ate monster meats. Because of that... "Bon appetit!" I put the Magic Stone into my mouth. At the same time, I closed my eyes as an action to prepare for the unexpected thing I will get. But, never did I think, the Magic Stone which I eat has a taste like a Rambutan. It is sweet and so juicy. A little ridiculous, it is similar to candy. The Magic Stone melts in my mouth. < Acquired a skill! SP Regeneration Up |Lvl 1 > "Oh!" A notification appeared at a moment the Magic Stone in my mouth disappeared into my stomach. I do truly get a skill! And it''s the hard obtained Passive Skills! This makes me happy. In Ark Fantasy Online, there are three ways to get a skill. First, a player can search for an NPC who has the title of Skill Master. Then, the player needs to complete the quest given by Skill Master and foila! A skill was successfully acquired. The other way is to continue to do activity within a certain period. For example, if players practices using a sword for¡­ five days, they will get a Skill, Sword Mastery. The last way is to use the expensive Skill Orb or the super rare and super expensive Soul Crystal. "Let''s look at the effects of this skill." [SP Regeneration Up |Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Boosts SP regeneration speed by 5% ] Perfect! With this, I just need to collect HP and MP Regeneration Up to create an Advance Skill, Complete Regeneration. As for obtaining statistics points from Peshroom meat... I can''t do anything about it right now. I can''t eat this monster''s meat when it is still raw. As for cooking it, I did not bring cooking utensils, matches, and more importantly, I didn''t want to collect firewood in Westwood. So, let''s proceed with the hunt, today. I can think about cooking monster meat next time. "Su~ Su~~, Where are you Su~ Su~~?" I wandered around the meadow to find preys that I would hunt. And unfortunately, I can''t hunt until my level up, I have limited time. I want to raise and save up money to send messages to Izayoi but... I''m not sure I can kill twenty or more Peshrooms right now because I hunt alone. Much worse, I ate the Magic Stones. So, yeah, I will handle one problem at one time. "Now!" "Su! Su!" Again, a Peshroom approached me with its spinning arms. This monster is more heated than the one I killed earlier. I use the same tactics to confront this Peshroom. But it''s shame, my trick does not work for the second time. Peshroom who lost its balance and fell rolled before finally standing up in seconds. What it did make me amazed. "Really? What an agile Peshroom this one." Then, for the next few minutes, I experienced a hard time fighting the agile Peshroom.. I got a few heavy blows from the monster before I managed to kill it. Chapter 22 - A Little Adventurer Soon, the third bell will rings, so I run. My destination, the Adventurer''s Guild. I must go there to keep my promise to meet with Vier. With his help or more precisely, his recommendation, I''m going to register as an adventurer. Time passed and when I got there... "Why are you here, Kimi?" That''s right, I found my little sister standing next to the entrance of Adventurer''s Guild. Before I called her name, she peeked inside of this building as if looking for someone. The little girl turned her body to look at me. Her fox ears twitched, she narrowed her eyes sharply, and her cheeks were puffing. "Big sis, where have you been? I''m waiting for you for a long time," Kimi explained. The little black Fox-kin bring her annoyed expression as she walked to me. "Hey little pie, I''m the one who should be angry, not you." I didn''t approve of her attitude to me and her decision to come here. Therefore, I pinched and pulled her cheeks as soon as she got in front of me. "Why are you here?" "I also want to be an Adventurer!" Kimi made the declaration after breaking away from my pinch. That reply shocked me. I stood still, my fox ears twitched and I blinked several times when I look at her. Adventurer is a profession that focuses on exploring dangerous places together with fighting and hunting monsters. It''s absolutely, not a job that kids should do. My tail swung awkwardly as I''m worried. "I''ll be fine," Kimi said. She attempts to persuade me. But I will not fall to it. "Adventurer is a dangerous job. And I''m sure a little girl like you is not allowed to sign up. So no, okay?" Kimi frowned after hearing what I said. "Adventurer''s Guild allows everyone to become an adventurer as long as they are over ten years old. And I''m thirteen, I can be an adventurer." "Really?" I inquired Kimi who is displeased. I''m not convinced by the claims of this little girl. According to Eclaite''s memory, the minimum age for a person to be allowed to sign up as an adventurer is fifteen. "The thing little Kimi said was true, miss Eclaite." The sound made me turn around. There, I saw Cabal. One of two adventurers who helped me yesterday. The man has a tall body, caramel skin, and thick muscles. He has dark red colored short hair, mustache, and beard. The Great Axe on his back makes him look strong and a little scary. One thing that makes me comfortable being close to him was his warm, friendly smile. And of course, his kind heart also included. Friendly smile with rotten heart? That is a big no from me. "See, I am right when I say that I could be an adventurer." "Maybe but still no, okay?" I replied to the little girl and she puffs her cheeks again. Then I look at Cabal. "Good afternoon Mr. Cabal, and, doesn''t someone have to be over fifteen years old to be allowed to register as an Adventurer?" "Good afternoon to you and please Just call me Cabal. Don''t use mister in front of my name," he tells me. "And about that fifteen years old, the rule applies outside of Rishtonbell. Here, ten-year-old kids can register as adventurers. That''s because this city has a lot of harmless quests." After giving me an explanation, Cabal turns to see Kimi. "So little girl, you want to be an adventurer?" "Yes of course!" replied my sister confidently. "No," I told her. As the consequence, she gives me a sharp glare and pouting cheeks. Cabal gives me awkward smile before he talks to Kimi again. "Care to tell the reason that makes you want to be an adventurer?" "I want to protect sis Eclaite!" Kimi made another major declaration. The little girl even clenched her two hands into fists to show her determination. Listening to her words, I sighed. "I''m an adult, I can take care of myself." "Big sis can''t," denies Kimi. She also shook her head to amplify her remarks. "Big sis''s common sense is incredibly strange and big sis is also a coward. I can''t let big sis be an adventurer alone." "Hey, that''s so disrespectful!" "Whatever," replies Kimi. She then held my hand. Afterward, she returned to look at Cabal. "Excuse us uncle, we''d like to register as adventurers, see you later." "Wait for a minute little Kimi, don''t be impatient," Cabal said, stopping Kimi from pulling me into Adventurer''s Guild. "The queue will get longer if we keep waiting." "You don''t have to worry about little things like that. I''ll take care of it, come with me both of you." He said, then walk into the Adventurer''s Guild, and... "What should we do big sis?" "For now, let''s follow Cabal. I want to ask him where Vier is." "All right." Thus, we coming after his footsteps. Cabal took us to the second floor of Adventurer''s Guild, to a luxurious floor, more than the first floor. There aren''t many adventurers gathered on this floor. Therefore, there is no queue in front of the counters. Setting foot on this floor made me notice something. The adventurers who gather here are no ordinary. They look strong and the equipment they use is decent, their equipment is of high quality. For example, that bald and muscular man who is talking to his friends was using Red Devil Armor. An Advanced-grade Armor that has a high resistance against Fire Elements. There is also a female adventurer who owns the Sword of Black. A Rare-grade Weapon that is blessed with dark elements. The sword is so sharp and can give Debuff named Decay. One Debuff that makes wounds inflicted by it hard to heal and becomes extremely vulnerable to infection. There are still many adventurers who use high-quality equipment. But, I''m not going to guess the name of their equipment anymore because it''s just going to make me feel envious. I also want high-quality equipment! Time passed and now, we stand in front of a registration counter. Kimi is in the process of registering as an adventurer. Regrettably, I can''t stop her decision. So, we, I and Cabal accompanied her. We do this also to wait for Vier who is now attending a meeting. And about the meeting, they discussed the plans to explore the seventh floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. Now, back to the moment. Shockingly and unexpectedly, Cabal gives Kimi a recommendation. "You sure about this Cabal?" "Absolutely. When it comes to recommendations and registration fees, you don''t have to worry about it. Think of it as an event when an uncle in neighbor gives snacks to the youngsters around where he lives." "If the snack is worth three silver coins, I do feel hesitate when I receive it." "Hmm¡­ then, when you''re successful as an adventurer, give me a reward, I''ll look forward to it." "...That might take an extremely long time to come true. Are you okay with it?" "Absolutely, I''m fine with that." "Your true intention clearly visible," I told him and he give me another warm smile. He truly didn''t want me to pay anything and surprisingly, he didn''t show any hidden intentions. Or¡­ he is extremely good at hiding his intentions. I''m a little paranoid? yes, and I''m not going to deny it. Because of my experience, I still can''t put my trust in a man. And, I don''t want this kind of kindness and it makes me uncomfortable. Because of it, I will pay him back even though he didn''t want it. Giving a gift after receiving a favor is better than just saying thank you then do nothing. I will do it when I have the opportunity. Right now, I''m a little bit comfortable being near Vier and Cabal because I have Giselle Gibson''s memory. Besides that, Vier is similar to the Avatar I used to be. As for Cabal... he... Hmm... he like a friendly uncle in the neighborhood? I''m not too sure but I can tell you, he''s comfortable enough to be approached. I turned around to see Kimi who is filling out her registration form, the little girl went to great lengths to fill it. "Need help, sweet pie?" "No, I can do it myself!" said Kimi confidently while her tail swayed to show hesitation. A little girl who tries her best, isn''t she adorable? "What are you going to do next, Eclaite?" "...I''m sorry Cabal, I don''t understand your question?" "Then, what are you going to do after becoming an adventurer? What''s your plan?" My plan... I want to hunt to level up immediately but... I don''t think that''s a wise idea. This world is not a game. My battle with Peshrooms gave me two pointers. First, In addition to having the same attack pattern as in the game, the Peshrooms also has a new attack pattern. They can also launch attacks in unexpected positions and situations. If that things also applied to other monsters, I can not be careless. If I made a mistake, death is the result. I need preparations to counter that. The second is the problem with my body. Moving this new body is quite laborious. My body lack strength and speed. I also feel a little uncomfortable when this abundant chest swaying every time I walk. I have to watch my every move so that this chest doesn''t make a strong sway that disrupts my balance. And maybe, I should wear Sarashi. What I am wearing now? Sadly, nothing. I can''t find a bra in my bedroom or in that house. I do need to visit a clothes shop. So, back to moving my body convo. I can''t move well. The thing I feel right now is the same as when I used an Avatar for the first time. I vividly remember the moment I was beaten by a mob of monsters after I tripped because I couldn''t move my Avatar properly. If something like that happened here, I would have died. And obviously, I don''t want it. That''s why... "I intend to work on different types of quests that can be completed within the city. At the same time, I will practice how to fight and use weapons." "Good decision. Do you have any experience in using weapons?" "A little, and I want to learn to use Spear, Naginata, Javelin, Guan Dao, or Glaive." "...color me with surprise. I didn''t think you knew much about medium-range weapons." "Medium-range weapons are the most widely used weapons in the world. I''m sure a lot of people know about that." "A piece of advice for you, you''d better learn two Weapon Skill. One as the main fighting style and the other as a backup. You''re going to need it because you''re not always going to fight in the open and wide places." "Then, a short sword or a dagger could be an option." "Once again, that''s not a bad choice." I have memories that I got from Ark Fantasy Online so... yes, I have experience fighting monsters in all kinds of places. Because of this, I know what kind of practice I should do. "Hey, sis Eclaite." "What''s wrong?" "What should I write in this blank part?" Kimi show me her registration form then she pointed to a little part of the paper. "Let me see... You''re born in the Anima Kingdom. But now, you are a citizen of the Heingarz Kingdom. So, you can fill it with Rishtonbell." "All right," replied Kimi briefly. The girl re-filled out her registration form. As for me, I''m rethinking the Avatar Build I want to use. Avatar Build or commonly abbreviated as Build is a term for a Player''s fighting style. A Build includes the distribution of Basic Stat, Skill selection, and the choice of Arte as well as Spells. A Build has a main goal to defeat enemies quickly and efficiently. I know different types of Builds. And now, in this world, I decided to use Melee Build. but... I have a doubt. And the source of that doubt is... "Cabal, do you know Divine Beast - Nine Tails Fox?" That''s true... I don''t understand Divine Beast - Nine Tails Fox. From the Basic Stat I saw, Nine Tails Fox is perfect for Magic Build. But unfortunately, I never used Magic Build even though I know some types of Magic Build. "Just a little bit. There are some legends about them that I know of." "Legend? Isn''t there Nine Tails Fox who lived in this age?" "No, there''s none," he said. "The last Nine Tails Fox lived two hundred years ago. Now there''s only the Celestial Fox living in the Anima Kingdom, the kingdom you mentioned earlier." "What about their fighting style? Do you know that?" "Hmm... According to legend, Nine Tails Fox is an expert in using Elements Magic. They can make suns, tornadoes, earthquakes, or tsunamis with the flick of a finger." "...I feel the legend is exaggerated." "For most of the legends, I can say yes. However, there is one legend that truly happened. Legend has it that the last Nine Tails Fox split Siranbing Mountain in half." "... if that episode truly happens, Nine Tails Fox is amazing." "Yes, they are amazing." Magic Build... Ugh! It''s extremely complicated to make a choice. I''m used to wielding Melee Build but Nine Tails Fox is better suited for Magic Build. What am I supposed to do? Should I take a Hybrid Build, Battlemage Build, Magic Spearman Build, or just directly choose a Magic Build? It''s extremely confusing... When I thought about which Build I was going to choose, Kimi''s registration was complete. Guild staff offered to give us a brief explanation of the basic knowledge intended for newbie adventurers but Cabal declined the offer. Cabal said we could hear that explanation later after I signed up. After that, I made a quest to search for the jerk''s whereabouts and to make sure of his condition. Not to forget, I also created a quest to gather information about Agnisdesmo and others.. After all of that, we leave the registration counter. Chapter 23 - New Acquaintances "I''m done! Now, I''m an adventurer!" Kimi said. She was full of spirit. My sister, Kimi, put her hands around her waist, she puffed his chest out, she also makes a big smile, and her fox ears twitch cutely. She''s trying to brag or to look mighty. But unfortunately, things she does make her look adorable. "Their meeting is not over yet. I hope you don''t mind waiting much longer" "Of course, Cabal, I don''t mind." "Good, then, let''s wait for Vier at the cafeteria. Sun at its peak and having lunch together is not a bad idea." I nodded. That''s not a bad idea. Thus, the three of us visited the Adventurer''s Guild''s cafeteria on this floor. We didn''t go on to sign me up. We could have done that and Cabal could give me a recommendation. However, we didn''t do it. I have to honor Vier''s promise. I don''t want to betray Vier''s trust. I don''t want to be thankless. That reasoning led me to accept Cabal''s suggestion to eat lunch. So, we occupied an empty table in the cafeteria. "Choose the food you like, I''ll treat both of you." "I-" Cabal raised his hand to interrupt my words. I intended to turn down his offer, but right now, I can''t make a sound. "It''s a punishment for Vier because he''s late. I''ll ask him to pay for it later." "Even so, it still makes me feel uncomfortable." Hearing what I said, Cabal made a warm smile. "Is there a reason why you feel uncomfortable accepting the kindness of others?" "... I just don''t want to accept something without doing anything or without giving something equivalent to what I received. This kind of kindness makes me believe that someone has hidden intentions as more and more people give me things without asking for something." Cabal nodded. "For now, please accept this kindness. I will heed your words when we meet again." I grow silent. It''s still uncomfortable but I don''t want to hurt Cabal''s feelings. So... "... All right," I said with a weak voice. "I''ll take it. I can''t say no after hearing what you say." "Good, good, waitress! We want to order food!" Cabal makes a wave of hands towards the waitress who is putting two wooden glasses to the customer''s table. "I''m coming!" replied the waitress before finishing her task and then approaching our table. Then the waitress took our order and left. As for us, the one who is left behind, we wait while making a light chatting. A few minutes later, our order arrived, our lunch started. When half of our food was gone, Vier appeared. "Hey! Vier! Over here!" Cabal waved and he managed to catch Vier''s attention. Vier turned and walked up to us. "I''m sorry, I''m late," said the young man. And casually, he sat next to Cabal. Honestly for me to say, I''m glad to see him again. I want to ask him questions to calm Giselle Gibson''s side in my soul but unfortunately, I can''t say anything. I didn''t get the opportunity to talk to him because Cabal immediately invited Vier to talk with him. And besides that, I don''t dare say anything when... "Woaa~ who is this beautiful girl? Is she your daughter Cabal?" A Wolf Beastkin girl asked Cabal after she sees me. Three strangers came together with Vier. And needless to say, they look strong. I can think about that because I can feel the pressure they''re emitted. The wolf girl looks like a high school kid. She is cute and has a fluffy, dark blue tail. Her wolf''s ears, short hair, and eyes are of the same color. The wolf girl wears black leather armor with a hint of gold and silver as an accent. The girl gives a strong impression, especially when she says "Ouch!" after Cabal gives her a Karate Chop between her wolf ears. "I is also curious about the identity of this girl," said a woman who has a melodic voice. The black-haired woman is quite mature. By my estimation, she''s about twenty-five years old. The woman is elegant. And I can feel an aura that makes her figure look more beautiful. The woman also gives a deep impression because she wears some kind of bikini armor. Her caramel skin becomes a feast for the eyes. From red tattoos that adorn her body and her ruby eyes, I do know, the woman is an Amazones. "Is she the girl you hugged yesterday, Vier?" The last person to speak was a pretty interesting man. And I was quite surprised when I saw him. The thing is, the man''s entire body except the eyes was covered by a dark blue ninja suit. Yup! I didn''t see it wrong. A ninja suit, he''s a Ninja. This blue-eyed ninja looks so stand out in the middle of this western medieval theme. "...yes." "So, she''s your lover?" The wolf girl asked. "No! Of course, not!" "That was so fast! Did you hear that, pretty girl? He doesn''t want you." "Okay, that''s enough, don''t tease her anymore," Vier warns the wolf girl. "Miss Eclaite, Kimi let me introduce them to you. The noisy Wolffy is Lubov, Miss Amazones is Elizaveta, and the Ninja is Obi Hatori." "Hi!" "Nice to meet you." "Just call me Hatori." "Yes, it''s nice to meet all of you." "And for the three of you, the Miss Fox Beastkin is Eclaite, and her little sister is Kokuryo Kimi." And with that, I got three new acquaintances. "Are you sure you''re not Vier''s girlfriend?" "Ah, yes, that''s right." "Too bad, I want to give Anna something." "All right, stop it, Lubov. And Vier, it''s good for you to register Miss Eclaite as an adventurer immediately. We can''t keep her here all day long." "You''re right Cabal." Vier nodded. " Miss Eclaite, let''s get your registration done." "All right, let''s Go, Kimi." "Okay." Not long after we met, we said goodbye. Cabal, Lubov, Elizaveta, and Hatori say ''see you soon'' and waved to us when we walk away. "Sorry for the commotion." "Don''t mind it, Vier, it''s all right." "Thank you." "You''re welcome," I replied briefly. The three of us left the tavern and walked towards the registration counter- or not. Vier guided us down the stairs to the first floor. And this makes me confused considering the registration counter is in front of us. Why bother going to the first floor, I thought. My fox ears twitch and my tail swings uneasy. "We''re not registering on this floor?" "Someone can register on the second floor. But this place is not a registration place for ordinary citizens like us, it is a registration place for the nobles," Vier explained to us. And that explanation made me and Kimi look at each other spontaneously. The thing we did make Vier see us with a question mark. "Something wrong?" "You see, Cabal registered Kimi on the second floor," I explained to Vier with a stiff smile. "And¡­ are we breaking the rules? After all, we are ordinary citizens, not nobles." Vier shook his head. "You don''t have to worry. Cabal was a nobleman. Therefore, you will not get in trouble." "So it''s like that." "Apart from giving you a recommendation, I also found an adviser for you and maybe also for Kimi because she became an adventurer too." I tilted my head a little because I heard unfamiliar terms. "Adviser?" "Adviser is someone who will advise you as long as you become a newbie adventurer. She''ll give you quests you''re capable of completing. She will also inform you on choosing weapons and armors. And better yet, she will tell you the hunting grounds that suits you." While chatting, we arrived on the first floor. Then, we walk pass the row of counters filled with queueing adventurers. Vier guided us to the quiet part of the lobby in this Adventurer''s Guild. A moment later, we got to our destination. "We''re here," he said. Chapter 24 - Become An Adventurer Vier made a hand sign telling us to come closer. The young man was standing in front of a counter with a beautiful woman behind it. Her long wavy hair has the same color as Vier''s, they are golden. The woman''s eyes are like a bright blue sky. Her lips were seductive red. And I''m sure, the men out there must have glanced at her, once or twice, because of her sexy body that wrapped in Adventurer''s Guild''s tight uniform. The friendly smile she gave me made my cheeks heat up. I know that red, dyes my cheeks. "Her name is Ellis, she is the advisor I told you about." The woman makes a small wave of hand after being introduced. Her smile becomes slightly wider. "Hello, my name is Ellis, nice to meet you, miss..." "Eclaite, my name is Eclaite." "All right, nice to meet you, Miss Eclaite. What''s the name of this cute little girl?" Ellis moves her body to lean against the counter table to look at Kimi. She also gave my sister a friendly smile. And yes, her chest that is being pressed by her weight was extremely tempting. "My name is Kokuryo Kimi! Nice to meet you, gorgeous sister." "Oh my gosh, I didn''t expect you to have a sweet mouth. Nice to meet you too, Kimi." "yes!" "Miss Ellis, have all my request been prepared?" "Of course." Ellis back to her seat. She moved her arms to retrieve the stuff on the counter shelf. Soon, papers, pen, and Magic Tools are ready to use. And Vier, he took out money for the registration fee. "You don''t have to think about this," he said before I could say something. Vier cut off my chances to say no. Now, all I can do is promise myself to repay his kindness in the future. "Thank you." "You''re welcome." "Everything is ready. Miss Eclaite this is your registration form, please fill it out." I received a form and then remembered my Special Permit. So, I took that Special Permit from inside my bag. Then, I gave it straight to Ellis. "I just remembered. Miss Ellis, I think you''re going to need this document to make my Adventurer Card." "Oh, what kind of document is this?" Ellis tried to figure it out after she received my documents. Of course, I made the readable part of the document face down when I hand over it. I do that because I didn''t want Kimi and Vier to know what the document was. And true to my expectations, they couldn''t contain their curiosity. The two of them peeked at my document. I didn''t give her an answer. Therefore, Ellis decided to read my Special Permit. The woman opens her eyes a little wider and makes an "Oh!" sound Before putting the parchment onto the counter table and of course, with the back facing up. She''s waiting for me to finish filling out the registration form then¡­ "Please wait a minute, I''ll make your Adventurer Card." After leaving that sentence for us, Ellis took all my documents to the back room. She returned fifteen minutes later. She put a white card - at the size of an ATM card - containing my personal information on the counter table. "To complete the registration, all you have to do next is drip your blood onto this Adventurer Card." "Drip my blood?" "Yes, once this adventurer card is colored with your blood, the card can only be used by you. That way, this card will turn into a blank card when someone else uses it." I nodded and then I give the adventurer card a drop of my blood. A blue light envelops the card when my blood is absorbed by it. Seconds later, the blue light disappeared and Ellis made a smile. "With this, your registration is complete. Miss Eclaite, welcome to Adventurer''s Guild." "Thank you." I''m an F-Rank Adventurer now. Therefore, I must listen to an explanation of the basic knowledge addressed to Newbie Adventurer. "First," Ellis began. "This is your Adventurer Card. The card contains your personal information such as name, age, race, level, and gender. The card also showed your adventurer rank, the number of successes and failures in completing Quests, the Special Emblem of an organization or noble family, and the title you get. Finally, the card also can be used in trade. The transaction is recorded and the money will be deducted from your savings at the bank or Adventurer''s Guild." That''s quite a surprise, I didn''t know that this card had such numerous functions. "Adventurer Card is reasonably important. Therefore, you have to take good care of it. Even though the card has a security mechanism, there''s a small chance that your card can be used by someone else. And if the card is completely lost, ten silver coins will be taken as the cost of reprinting the card." Kimi and I made an understanding nod and Ellis continued her explanation. "Next, I will explain about rank. It starts from F-Rank dan this rank can go up to E-Rank, D, C, B, A, and finally S-Rank. To get the right to take the Rank-up Test, you need a certain number of quest points and the ratio of the successes and failures of quests. Are you still following this explanation?" A nod was the answer I and Kimi offered to Ellis, who smiled kindly. The woman said "Good," then her explanation continued. "Rank-up Test is held once a month. Working on five quests one rank above your adventurer rank is the test. If you succeeded, your rank will go up. And if you fail, you can take another Rank-up Test three months later." Ellis made a pause to pick up two books and a piece of paper in the corner of the counter table. She put those stuff in front of me. "These books are an encyclopedia of monsters and medical plants, these books are yours. As for this paper, you can call it an example of a Quest Notice. You can pick up papers like this on the Quest Board and always remember, you can only pick up quest papers according to your rank and one level above or below your rank." Ellis made a pause, again. She told me to put the books into my leather bag. I had no reason to refuse so I did what she asked. "Lastly and the most important, Adventurer''s Guild are not responsible or will interfere the fights between fellow adventurers." "All of that was the basic knowledge for newbie adventurers. Is there anything you want to ask?" Those explanations are comparable to the rules for adventurers in Ark Fantasy Online. Therefore, I shook my head. I''ve memorized it. "All right then, do you want to take a quest?" "That''s also no, Miss Ellis. We''re not ready yet and we don''t have the tools we need to work on a quest." "I see." "I''m going to take over from here, Miss Ellis. Thank you for the help you gave to us." Seeing Vier say his gratitude, I followed by saying, "Thank you." Kimi who see us, mimicked. "You''re welcome. And if there are things you two don''t understand, you can ask me right away." Ellis gave a wave and a smile before we left. The three of us walked towards the Adventurer''s Guild exit. Kimi grabbed my left hand and tugged it a few times. "What''s wrong, Kimi?" "We''re going home?" "Maybe after my business with Vier is done," I told Kimi and turned around to see Vier. "So... Vier, there is something you want to talk about?" "I don''t want to take too much of your time. I just want to know your next plans. That If you don''t mind I ask." "I don''t mind it. Cabal also did the same thing." "Cabal asked me something like that?" "Yes, like that. About my plans, I wanted to practice using weapons and practice how to fight. I do need preparation before taking a hunting quest." "You truly take the basic preparation, it wasn''t a bad decision." Vier made a nod to his head. "Oh yes Vier, do you know a Dojo that can teach me a fighting style using spear?" "Hmm¡­ forget the Dojo. How about I teach you how to fight? You said you wanted to use the spear, right? Coincidentally, I''m pretty good at using my spear. What do you think about this idea?" "That invitation is kind of misleading isn''t it?" "Misleading? What do you mean?" I didn''t say anything but smile at him and take a step away from him. A moment later, his face turn red. Then, he tried hard to explain that he had no intention like that. He just wants to teach me a means to fight using a spear. I made giggles at his behavior then agree with his offer. Chapter 25 - Trouble That Comes With His Name 1_3 [Sensitive Content] "What are we going to do big sis?" "Hmm... How about we buy basic equipment for an adventurer?" "That''s... that''s an amazing idea!" exclaimed a passionate Kimi. She even gave me a sparkling look. Then, my ears twitch after remembering something. This is the real world. Therefore, it is possible, the knowledge to choose the equipment that I get from Ark Fantasy Online will not be useful here. It''s a good idea to asking for advice from someone else. And that thought made me smile sourly because I had to extinguish Kimi''s spirit. "We''re going to buy that pieces of equipment. but... come to think of it again, we can''t do it." "Why!?" shouted Kimi. His tail stands upright and his fox ears move irregularly to the right and left. "Because... I don''t know what to buy. We''ll buy pieces of equipment tomorrow after we ask Miss Ellis for advice." "Aww¡­ too bad. So, we''re not going to do anything today?" The little girl''s fox tail and ears now hanging weakly. It''s so hilarious to see how quickly Kimi''s emotions change. It made me smile and at the same time feel guilty for letting her down. Let''s entertain this adorable little girl. "What do you mean by doing nothing? Don''t you remember that we had to buy groceries for dinner?" "But we already have a supply of groceries. We''re not-" Kimi replied without a pep talk. But, she stopped in the middle of the sentence because she realized something. "That''s right! We don''t have any groceries, we have to do shopping." The little girl seemed to realize that I wanted to buy her something. Therefore, it''s time I spoke openly. "What do you want to buy?" "If I may... I want dried blueberries." Kimi gave me a hopeful stare and I stroked her head. "All right, let''s buy the blueberries you want." And we walked into the market. Redmug Market is the name of a market located not far from our home. This market stands on a highway. So, all the shops here are on the right and left sides of the street. Vegetable shops, clothing stores, homewares stores, and other shops have a semi-permanent booth. Red, orange or blue sheets of fabric become the roof for those booths that have wide no more than three square meters. The items sold are displayed in wooden boxes or directly on the carpet. A small wooden board bearing the price of each item adorns the front of each piece of merchandise. And of course, the place called the market is filled with buyers. They come and go. Pick an item and buy. And of course, they bid for the price of those items. The buyers make this market crowded. Not many adventurers stop by this market due to the lack of merchandise that interests them. Only ordinary citizens and especially housewives gather here. Arriving at this market, Kimi immediately pulled my hand to find a fruit seller. The little girl''s eyes sparkle and she makes a big smile when she gets the fruit she wants. Her cute tail swings were full of energy. No doubt, my sister was happy to get a small basket of dried blueberries. We left the fruit seller and continued shopping. I want to make pot-au-feu. so... Bacon and Sausage. For vegetables, I can take carrots, radish, leeks, and onions. I''m not going to buy cartilaginous meat, I don''t like it. and... oh! Right, I also need the ingredients to make bouquet garni. "Do they sell such seasoning here?" I don''t know but I''ll try to find it or find a replacement. Our shopping time continues. Perhaps to answer my question, there are some herbs and vegetables that are not sold in this market. I had to replace them with other groceries. And... There was something strange going on while we were shopping. I accidentally realized this strange thing by hearing it. The weird thing I''m talking about is a few footsteps. That''s right. During our shopping, I heard three footsteps that were always near us. At first, I ignored the sound of the footsteps. But, after some time has passed the sound of footsteps does not disappear. They''re constantly following us. I was scared and decided to go home. I didn''t expect that the footsteps were following us all the way home, I couldn''t do anything other than feel panicked and scared. I wonder, what does the owner of the footsteps want? Realizing there was an imminent danger, I immediately locked the front door after entering the house. "What''s up, big sis? Why to lock the door?" asked Kimi. She gave me a strange look at the abnormal behavior I was doing. "Someone''s following us," I explained as I looked out of the small window at the door. I could see some shadows coming out of the alley near the house. "What does big sis mean?" "Kimi follow me!" I took Kimi''s hand and pulled her into the back room. A room I consider safe. "Hide in here, don''t come out until I let you, okay?" "No! I don''t understand!" I''m trying to explain the dangers that come close to Kimi. But unfortunately... Brak!! A loud bang was heard from the front of the house. Someone tried to break in by force. "Hide and don''t make noise!" "Big s-" I ignored Kimi''s words and immediately closed the door and locked it. I threw the key under the little cupboard before walking into the living room. There''s danger in where I''m headed. I knew there was a chance I''d get hurt or even experience worse. And to reduce that risk, I took my short sword before setting foot in the living room. Bang! Bang! Bang! The sound of the door being hit continues to be heard. And when I got to the living room, the door was broken and wide open, letting five people in without permission. "What do you want?" I asked them. Five men of different races stood there. Two humans, two Beastkins, and an Elf. They wore dark brown leather armor and were armed with swords. The uniformity of the equipment they have makes me immediately think that they belong to one group. One man - a human - smiled as he stepped forward. He opened his mouth to say. "What do we want? All right, first, does this house belong to Wielth?" The name he mentioned made my body jolted. I was wondering, what''s the connection between these five men and that jerk? What did he do to them? I want to know the answers to those questions. But, for now... "... not. I don''t know who Wielth is." "Now sweet girl, don''t lie, it''s not good. He''s your father, isn''t he?" "I''m not lying," I deny it for a second time. And it makes one of them angry. "Argh! Shut up bitch! Elliot doesn''t waste time!" The redheaded man shouted. Just like the color of his hair the man''s face was flushed. He''s like a volcano erupting. "Louie, Bram, caught the girl! Fodell and you, Elliot. Let''s search this house! We have to find a cure or Spell or Magic Tools that can remove this curse! Move quickly!" The redheaded man immediately ruffled a nearby bookshelf. He acted as he wishes, ignoring the homeowner. Well... I know this isn''t my house. But, at least, he doesn''t have to be rude like that. The first man who talks to me sighed. He shook his head as a sign of surrender. "All right! Fine! You guys, do what Lars said! Move your asses, now!" With that order, four men are on the move. Two men help the redhead to search the house. While the other two walked up to me. Without hesitation, I unsheathe my short sword. Inevitably, I have to face the dangers that come near. "Are you crazy! You committed crimes during the day! The patrol knight will not let you go easily!" I threatened them. And this, attracting the attention of the redhead who finished ruffling the bookshelf. He turned around and gave me a hateful stare. "Shut up! Louie, Bram, what are you doing! Caught the girl and silence her!" The man was so angry. His voice was so loud that it made me think that this room was vibrating because of his shout. "We''re doing it!" "Give up, girl! Or you''ll get hurt." "Don''t joke around! You guys walk into people''s houses and then tell me to just give up! You guys think I''m going to accept that without a fight!" Chapter 26 - Trouble That Comes With His Name 2_3 [Sensitive content assault attempt] I took a fighting stance. I intend to use my fighting experience ¨C which I got from playing Ark Fantasy Online and high school martial arts clubs ¨C to fight them. I don''t know their level. But I''m sure I can win by relying on technique. I''ve done PVP battles hundreds of times. That''s why I''m confident. "A fight? What kind of fight can you did?" asked the Cat-kin man who look down on me. "You''re a beautiful girl. Surrender and we will probably give you a good time," continued the Dog-kin guy. Unlike the previous guy, this guy has a disturbing vulgar smile. "Louie perhaps you..." "Don''t you want to taste that girl''s body?" "You''re right," replied the Cat-kin who then made a vulgar smile. Two vulgar smiles on their faces gave me goosebumps. Their intentions made me feel disgusted and irritated. How can they have such low morale? "You rotten scum!" I screamed and attacked the nearest man. "Woah! Be careful, beautiful girl, that sword can kill me." Reality is not as sweet as I thought. I attacked that guy just like when I faced a player in a PvP. But the Dog-kin dodged my attack swing skillfully. I tried to cut the guy''s neck, legs, or arms by mimicking some of the Arte I used to use. However, just like before, the man can dodge it easily. My attacks couldn''t touch or even hurt him at all. He''s too good or maybe... I''m too weak. And moments later... Dwagh! "Arh!" The short sword I used flying after the Dog-kin hit my hand. Soon, the sword changes hands to the Cat-kin. "What are you going to do next?" F*ck! What''s my next move? Of course, I''m going to do what the weak do. "Damn it! She''s running away!" "Don''t bark, go after her!" Right, I escaped with the door to the backyard as the main destination. I was supposed to do this from the beginning, I should have left the house when they were held by the front door. I''m so stupid. "Ah! Kimi!" And I made another stupidity. I locked my sister in the room! I''m a total idiot! What am I supposed to do now? "Isn''t the answer has been decided!" I turned towards the room where Kimi was locked. I have to save her. Then, as I ran to save Kimi, I crossed paths with a redhead who was checking the closet in the next room. Our eyes looked at each other for a moment and I immediately ignored it. I didn''t stop and he didn''t catch me because he was too busy looking for something. "Hey! What are you doing? Why haven''t you caught the girl yet!?" "We''re working on it, Lars! She''s pretty slippery!" I went back to paying attention to them when I try to pick up the keys under the cupboard. "Wait for me, Kimi." "Lars! Someone is running out of this house!" "What!?" Brukk! "Argh!!" "Lars! I got the chick!" "What are we going to do Lars!" "Lars! Lars! Lars! You''re all noisy! Shut up!" Everything that happened so quickly left me confused. But, after the situation becomes silent and I observing the surroundings for some time, I finally understood what was happening. One of them came out of the next room to tell redhead what he saw. Then, I got caught. Finally, the redhead becomes increasingly angry because his name keeps being called over and over again. Amid all that chaos, I tried to escape but to no avail. "Bram and Fodell! Go after that runaway someone! Elliot! Go back to find the key for the curse! Louie! Tie the girl up and help us!" They get orders and they move back. Two people came out of the house, the other two disappeared in search of something, and one last... "Hey, Lars! Can I play with this girl?" The Dog-kin caught me. He locked my hand tightly. I can''t let go of myself because I can''t move his arm. "Are you deaf Louie! Tie the girl up and help us find the key!" "All right! Fine! I heard it!" replied the Dog-kin with a scream. Then he looked at me and gave me another vulgar smile. "I heard it right, pretty girl?" The whispers he gave me made my fur stand up. And spontaneously, I stepped on his feet firmly. I''m also trying to break away at the same time. unfortunately... "Wh*re!" The Dog-kin is angry. He threw my body against a nearby wall and then he hit me in the stomach so hard. "Gah!" The terrible pain stung my stomach. My legs became so weak and I fell to my knees. I coughed up my guts. "Let me teach you a lesson!" Angrily, he grabbed my hair and dragged me to a nearby room, which happened to be my room. I was the one who got weak thrown into bed and... The man begins to satisfy his lust. His hands began to touch my body, touching a woman''s private parts. "No! Stop! Don''t touch me!" I tried to fight back and push the Dog-kin guy. but... "Shut up wh*re!" Duag! "Argh!" He hit me on the cheek hard. The pain stung my cheeks, my vision becomes a blur, and my body became weak. "Shut your mouth or you''ll feel another fist! Understand that wh*re!?" "... aah aa" I lost my voice and I froze for no reason. I never imagined I will felt such terrible fear again. Will it happen again? The moments when Eclaite becomes someone else''s toy. Will Giselle Gibson have her first bad experience? By being someone else''s toy. ..... No! I''m not going to let this happen. I have to do something. I don''t want this guy to enjoy my body. But... What am I supposed to do? I''m weaker than this Dog-kin guy. ..... Ah right! I still have that skill. That skill does not affect the jerk but will it be different if used on others? I hoped, and¡­ "[Charm]" I whispered in my heart I can feel my MP decreasing once the charm is active. I looked into the eyes of the Dog-kin guy who was undressing me so the charm could influence him. Time passed and I felt my MP stop decreasing. Dog-kin guys are finally charmed. He became somewhat dazed and his eyes were covered by a pink soft light. The guy also stopped stripping me of my clothes. "You''re so beautiful honey, I''m willing to do anything for you if you ask me," he said after he stepped away and stood by the bedside. Dog-kin is hypnotized. He stood there like a doll. His eyes stare into the distance. "... really?" "Of course! I''m not lying." "Then kill all your friends." "Why?" Why? That''s a very good question. That question also got me lost, not knowing what to answer to. What answer should I give? .... "Because of your friend... Your friend... will also enjoy my body! Do you want me to be tainted by someone else?" Dog-kin guy''s eyes are flushed. His eyebrows shriveled deeply enough. He opened and closed his mouth quickly. Two hands form a fist. "No! Of course not!" The angry Dog-kin guy made my fear come back for a while. I took a deep breath to calm down. then... "Then kill your friend," I repeat my orders. "I can''t, I''m too weak." "Hey! Louie, what''s going on? Why did it take so long? Have you tied the girl up?" The shout of that redheads makes me jolted. I panicked to find out what to do. I forced my brains to work beyond their limits and... "Tell him... tell him that you''re looking for a rope to tie me up." "I''m looking for a rope to tie my honey." "Don''t play around Louie! If you don''t finish it quickly I''ll kill you!" "Yes, yes. Tell him." "Yes, yes." "Damn it! Hurry up!" After making sure the redhead didn''t make a shout anymore, I sighed. I looked back at the Dog-kin and said. "Now, kill your friend." "I told you, honey, I''m too weak." "Don''t give up, you can do it. You..." I was silent for a moment. Before I said, "that''s it! You can use surprise attacks. Get close to your friends as usual and next, stab them when you''re close enough." "Not a bad idea... it can work." The man nodded several times in an awkward gesture. He then makes a strange smile. "What reward will I get after killing my friend?" I fell silent long enough to think of the answer to that question. Finally, forced, I say. "You can have me. And I''ll play with you as long as you want." Of course, it''s a lie. When he''s done with his job. I''m going to kill him. "All right, wait here my honey," replied the Dog-kin, who then walked out of the room. Chapter 27 - Trouble That Comes With His Name 3_3 [Gore content?] The dog-kin guy walks out of the room. Seeing that, I tidy up my messy clothes at once. Then I came out of my room. "I have to get out of this house," I said of my plan quite loudly. At the last moment, I chose to leave. I don''t want to expose myself to danger. I realize that after I have a hard time killing the Dog-kin. And yes, I know it''s already too late. But whatever, now I must escape, therefore I walked towards the back door. Killing the Dog-kin guy? I don''t care about it anymore. They''re busy looking for the jerk''s stuff, this is my chance. That''s the thing I think about, but... "Oh! I didn''t expect this soup to be better than it looks." Standing there, in the kitchen, right in front of the stove with a pot filled with leftover soup last night, the redhead was satisfying his hunger. Why is the son of a bitch here! I curse. Then, with a slow pace, I tried to get out of the kitchen unnoticed. Kreeet! How unlucky! Of course, the sound of creaking wooden floors I made attracts the attention of the redhead. He turned to see me. His smile disappeared and he scowled. His eyebrows folded deep. The fire was back in his eyes. The redhead is angry. "How can you escape?" he asked in a cold voice. And I, of course, didn''t answer that question. I don''t need to talk to criminals. That''s pointless. Therefore, I ran to the front door quickly, ignoring the redhead. "Hey!" Yes? I''m not going to stop even if you shouting. I''m going to run to the exit, and in a minute, I''ve escaped. That''s what I was thinking, but the truth is, I probably won''t be able to escape. A moment later, I ran, I felt something or maybe someone was grasping the back of my shirt. "Where do you think you''re going?" "Let me go!" "Shut up!" "Ah!" We were shouting at each other and a moment later I fell to the floor. The redhead pulled me back strongly. I''m the one who tripped up to end up sitting on the floor. Standing there looking down, he drew his short sword. His angry eyes looked at me sharply. "It''s been quite a joke. I should have done this from the beginning." My face pales when I guess what he''s going to do. "The Patrol Knight will not stay silent. They''ll hunt you down and arrest you if you kill me." "I can escape. The concern you showed was pointless for me," he explained in a flat voice. At the same time, he raised his short sword high into the air. "Sleep well." He swung his weapon and I closed my eyes. It''s a spontaneous reaction I''ve done. My mind told me to dodge but my body did something else. What happens, let it happen. It''s too late. Bang! Bonk! "Gah!" A series of strange sounds that sounded quite loud made me open my eyes. "Are you okay my honey?" asked the Dog-kin guy. At the same time, he reached out his hand to help me stand up. And his other arm was holding a short sword covered in blood. I ignored the Dog-kin guy and looked around. It didn''t take me long to realize the redhead was lying on the floor. "Cough! Cough!" He''s alive and that''s not good news for me. I''m back to seeing the Dog-kin guy. "Got him!" I told the Dog-kin guy. "You don''t want to kill him, my honey? Killing him is better than catching him. Lars is strong, you need to know that." "Then do what you want." "All right." The Dog-kin guy nods and approaches the redhead. "What does this mean Louie!?" snapped the redhead. "I don''t have any intention, Lars. I''m just fulfilling my lover''s wishes." "Son of a bitch! Are you crazy!" "No, I''m not crazy," replies the Dog-kin guy before he swings his weapon at the redhead. "Damn it!" The redhead screamed and I got up as soon as I could. When they fought, I didn''t forget my mission to get out of this house. I didn''t waste any time, I ran straight away. Clang! "Wait! bitch!" Yes? As I said, I won''t stop even if you shouted. But, this time, I look back to make sure that the redhead doesn''t come after me. "Oh!" I said spontaneously because I couldn''t believe what I was seeing. The redhead cuts Dog-kin''s neck with his weapon. That''s so horrible! And I know I''m the next victim if I stop running. "Damn it!" He came back shouting before throwing something at me. I feel like what he threw was a bad thing. That''s why I dodged. But unfortunately... "Arg!" I can''t dodge it. The pain stings when a knife similar to Kunai pierces my right thigh. I fell in front of the stairs, where the bodies of one of the five criminals were lying. "You''re dead!" exclaimed the redhead who walked up to me. I panicked and quickly, picked up a dagger on the floor not far from me. I stood up, turned around, and pointed the tip of a dagger in my hand at the redhead. The man stopped. "What did you do to Louie?" "We... become a couple?" "Bitch! Don''t joke around! How dare you manipulate my friend." "Why should I be afraid. You broke into the house of an innocent people and tore the house apart at will. You even tried to kill me. Getting such treatment is certainly natural if I defend myself." "Innocent you said!? You''re guilty. You''re Wielth''s daughter, the son of a bitch who cursed us. Wielth''s sin is your sin! You''re clearly guilty." "The jerk is not my father! His sin is not mine!" "Shut up! This conversation is futile. It''s going to get better after I kill you." "You think I''m going to stay quiet." "Huh! What can a weak girl like you do?" The redhead underestimated me. He swung his weapon casually. He doesn''t think of me as a danger. And bitter for me to say, he''s right. Klang! "Oho! Nice move!" He gave me compliments I didn''t want when I managed to fend off his attacks. I''m a weak girl, I''m hurt, I only use a dagger as a weapon, and I don''t experience fighting with a dagger, either in the real world or in the game. Is today the end of my second life? The redhead came to attack me. And damn it! The attacks he gave were getting stronger and faster. I''m having a hard time defending myself. Time passed and my hands began to numb. I can no longer make good defenses. Hence, I got some cuts. And worst of all, my body became weak and getting heavier. "It''s a good fight and I''m tired. Let''s end the game," said the redhead before he made one strong swing. Splat! The pain stung my arm and I froze when I saw my hand that holding a dagger floating and then fell to the floor. ..... "Aaargh..." "So noisy!" Dwag! "Gah!" I was thrown and fell on the floor after receiving one powerful kick in the stomach directly. While lying on the floor, I couldn''t make any noise because I was having trouble breathing. Just for a while, I felt I forgot how to breathe. "Cough! Cough! Cough!" And when I could breathe again, I coughed up and at the same time vomiting blood. My eyes began to blur, dizziness began to strike my head, my body becomes so heavy, and I felt I was going to vomit again. Clak! Clak! Clak! The sound of footsteps caught my attention. After trying hard to move my head, I finally saw the redhead. He''s standing next to me. Once again, he raises his weapon into the air. Don''t kill me, that''s the sentence I want to say. But, what came out of my mouth was just... "Cough! Cough! Cough!" "Good night, sleep well." The Sword Sword swung and spontaneously, I closed my eyes. This is the end for me, I thought. This is a very short second life, I continued. I can''t do anything because I''m weak. What I could do right now was just laying in here and wait for the attack to cut off my body. But... The attack never comes. Bruk! The sound of falling objects was heard and I opened my eyes. From my blurry view, I could see the figure of a young man I knew. "Eclaite hang on." Yup! I made no mistake, he''s Vier. He saved me yesterday, and today he saved me again. "Sis Eclaite! Sis Eclaite! Don''t die! Don''t leave me!" My arm was cut off and my stomach was crushed. That''s a terrible wound. But I''m sure I won''t die. That''s what I want to tell Kimi. But, I''m afraid, I can''t say anything right now. Well... I know! I knew I will die because of blood deficiency if the bleeding on my arm wasn''t stopped. But, shouldn''t I try to make my sister not feel anxious? I didn''t get an answer to my question and I felt so sleepy. My consciousness began to dissolved when I saw two blurry shadows moving around making strange noises. A moment later, I... ... I woke up in my room. I had a nightmare. Five men broke into the jerk''s house. They do that because they want to... want... to... looking for something? I don''t know, I''m not too sure about their reasons. Anyway, they broke in, ruffled the house, tried to **** me, and then tried to kill me. They even cut off my left hand. Ah! That''s true! My left hand! It''s fine? My left hand is fine. My hand hasn''t been cut off from my arm. I can move it as usual even though I feel like the hand is a little stiff. And this is new. I don''t remember that I have some kind of scar-like a bracelet on my wrist. "What a strange nightmare." Chapter 28 - Spartan Training 1-3 A terrifying day passed. Five guys who broke into the house where I lived, got their punishment. Two of them died while the other three - who were still alive - were handed over to the Patrol Knight. And yes. That incident was not a nightmare. In the end, three surviving guys also died. Their heads exploded on the way to Patrol Knight Headquarters. The thing that happened made me, Vier, and the Patrol Knights who accompanied them freeze. And it left us confused. We don''t know the exact reason why the five guys broke into the jerk''s house. Patrol Knight continued the investigation by examining the jerk''s house and belongings using the word, curse - which was repeatedly uttered by five criminals - as clues. And I''m sure the Patrol Knight investigation will take a while to come to fruition. But, still, I''m waiting for the outcome of that investigation. I want to know what happened to that jerk using their investigation. Is he alive or dead? In that incident, I was injured. More precisely, my left arm was cut off, my stomach was crushed, and I have pretty much cut wounds. And arguably, it''s very scary. Arm cut-off. Yup! That''s very scary. But! Luckily, I didn''t become disabled. My left arm is reconnected and healed. This miracle was given by Vier. He used Greater Heal to fix my arm. And yes. I owe that young man more and much more. Forgetting about the jerk''s plight, the break-in incident, and my debt that keeps increased, I focused my attention on dealing with what was in front of me. Now, I''m standing in the Adventurer''s Guild training room. Me, Kimi, Vier, and somehow, Vier''s four friends. Cabal, Hatori, Lubov, and Elizaveta are gathered here. I just want to learn how to fight to defend myself. So... Why are there so many people here? "Are you ready?" Vier''s voice made me turn around. The young man holding a wooden sword. He''s already made a fighting stance and is ready to fight. And I say, "It doesn''t make sense! Why should I fight against you?" That''s right! Vier and I will be dueling each other. I''m using a wooden spear. I know I''m holding a weapon, I knew I had to fight, but I don''t know why I had to fight. "Didn''t I already give you an explanation? This duel was conducted to see your potential." Really? I''m not sure about that? But, what else can I do now? Kimi is in the same situation as me. My sister didn''t hesitate to fight even though her opponent was Cabal, a big, muscular man. I don''t have a choice here. I sighed long enough. "I just have to fight, don''t I?" "That''s right, fight to the best of your ability." With that, I no longer have any doubts. I took a fighting stance and quickly lunged at Vier. And of course, I swung my wooden spear to the full end. Our fight begins and our weapons clash. Thack! Thack! Thack! I had predicted that our fight would be like this. A fight where I''m at Vier''s mercy. I can''t do much. The attacks I launched can be blocked and dodged by Vier easily. I was so helpless in front of him. The young man raised a wooden sword and used the flat side of the sword to change the path of my wooden spear thrust. I pull my spear back and then attacked Vier with three quick swings. The young man took three steps, his body moved like a flow of water, and he managed to dodge my attacks easily. For some time, this fight kept repeating a pattern. I attacked, Vier blocks and dodges my attacks. That''s it! I can''t land a hit on his body. "You can fight well. The various attacks that you gave me are quite sharp and effective. The movement of your body was also quite smooth. Unfortunately, your attack was too weak and slow." I pulled my spear and Vier took two steps back to keep the distance. "Isn''t that obvious? I''m sure you remember, I was just a weak girl at level four." I attacked Vier again. My body performance and specifications in this world are better than my body in the real world and AFO. I feel stronger and faster. But unfortunately... This power is at the bottom of the pyramid of power owned by this world. Ant is a word that can accurately describe my value in this world. Because I''m so weak, someone can use and kill me without glancing at me. I will not be valued, I will be considered an object. Just like in the past, at the times when I was locked up in a cage and worked in a brothel. Well... My life as Giselle Gibson wasn''t too bad. But, that''s not my life in this world and it doesn''t count. Knowing the reality of how miserable I am, made me take a decision. I''m going to get stronger. I don''t want a life as a weak. I''m going to leave a life like that to get my happiness. That''s why... I have to change. Thack! Thack! Thack! I''m going to be strong. I didn''t hold back and I did my best to make it happen. I used the fighting experience I got from the real world and from Ark Fantasy Online to fight Vier. Although my resistance was meaningless, I didn''t give up or stop moving. Vier can easily fend off the attacks I''ve given him. The horizontal swing I made was stopped. The spear thrust I launched was deflected to the side with little effort. He has an impenetrable defense. Vier''s hand can move quickly. So fast that I couldn''t keep up with his hand movements using the eyesight. Thack! Thack! Thack! There was nothing I could do to land an attack on the young man''s body. "Okay! That''s enough," Vier said after he caught the wooden spear I used using one hand. The attack that I make with all my might mean nothing in front of him. UH! I can''t even move the wooden spear. This is so frustrating when I know, I pulled it with all my might. "Monster," I whispered spontaneously. "Wow! That was rude. I''m not a monster," said Vier, who put on a shocked face. "Hahahaha... That''s right! Vier is a monster! I agree with you pretty girl! Hahahaha..." Holding the stomach with her right hand, Lubov expressed her... excitement? "That''s so funny. I think I agree with what she said." Elizaveta makes a smile that exudes teasing. "This is news to me. I didn''t think that my coworkers thought of me as a monster." Vier dropped his shoulder after letting go of my spear, he made an expression that showed sadness. "Cheer up young Vier. At least, you''re a good monster. That''s not a bad assumption." "Hahahaha is right, you are a good monster," Lubov said. The wolf girl wiped away the tears that came out and made some nods. "Vier the good monster. I love that." "Haa..." Vier sighed and I began to feel guilty for the word voiced by my loose mouth. "I''m sorry, Vier," I said in a soft voice. Hearing my apology, Vier scratched his left cheek with an index finger. He made an awkward smile. "You don''t have to think too much about it. Now, more importantly, let''s continue the training." "All right." "You can use the weapon well. Thanks to that, I don''t have to teach you the basic movements of fighting with spears. We''re going to do a duel right away. We''re going to make you more used to a fight." I froze. That statement is something I didn''t expect to hear. This is the first day of my training to learn how to fight. Because of that. "Shouldn''t you teach me to use weapons first?" "I don''t see the benefit of teaching you to use a weapon when you can use it quite well." "Of course there are benefits, what if the movement I made is wrong? Or the movement was too futile. And don''t forget the bad habit of using weapons that can be bad if I keep using them," I protested to avoid a sudden duel. "I think she has a point, Vier. The basics of using weapons are very important." Thank you Elizaveta, you''re the best, I said in my mind to praise the Amazones. After being silent for a while, Vier finally uttered. "All right, we''ll learn to use the spear today." As such, using weapons became the main menu of my training today. And I didn''t expect it at all. The training given by Vier was so strenuous. Vier has absolutely no pity. He kept forcing me to keep moving even though I was so exhausted. He kept pushing me to the limit I had. Thanks to this strenuous workout, I think of Vier as Leonidas. He was a devil-hearted spartan! I can only breathe a sigh of relief after the training was over. "I''m tired..." I complained when I sat on a bench to rest. The training on the first day is done. Therefore, we - me and Kimi - left the Adventurer''s Guild. And now, we rest on the edge of the plaza which is not far from the shopping area. To replenish the lost energy, we decided to take a break while eating lunch. When I bit the burger, I thought back to the advice Ellis gave me. Kimi and I want to buy basic equipment for an adventurer. For that reason, I asked Ellis for a recommendation on where to shop. Unfortunately, when I came up with this plan, Ellis quickly gave disapproval. The beautiful blonde said that buying basic pieces of equipment was too soon for us. As the main jobs of an F-Rank adventurer do not require weapons. Those jobs are also rarely done outside the city walls. From my point of view, the work of F-Rank Adventurers can be likened to the work often taken by freelancers. Attending shops, delivering goods, cleaning the streets, and other types of light work are the main jobs of F-Rank Adventurers. "Strength Status Up - STR +1" Good! A good time. My STR grew as I expected after I finished these three Burgers. Jiii~~ I feel someone looking at me. I turned around. There or rather next to me, Kimi gave me a sharp stare. "Something wrong my cute little sister?" Kimi blinked and shook her head several times. "How could big sis eat those three giant burgers? And, are monster meat tastes good?" "Of course, this burger is delicious. The proof is, I can eat three servings at once." "Really? I don''t think the burger is better than my grilled sausage." Kimi swung her snack in front of me with pride. Her fox ears twitch and she looks so adorable. Can''t hold back my feelings any longer, I pinched and played with her cheeks. Chapter 29 - Spartan Training 2_3 Vier was cruel and has no mercy. Using the word exercises as a reason, he beat me up to the dust. Okay, Vier was not evil. It''s just that he is excessive! The exercise he gave me was really outside the boundary! He kept forcing me to keep moving even though I am at my limit. Now, as usual, I can''t move at all after a duel against Vier. Out of energy, I lay on the floor of the training room. "I... will die..." I complained "Big sis will die!" Kimi shouted. The little girl ignored her practice and trotted to approach me. Blue, coloring her face, and tears formed at the corner of her eyes. "No Kimi, it''s just a figure of speech. I won''t die. So don''t cry okay?" "Really?" she asked, doubting my words. "I will be fine, is that right, Vier?" I asked Vier. At the same time, I also asked for help to ease Kimi''s worries. "Of course, your sister will be healthy after I heal her. Don''t worry Kimi." He smiled at Kimi and then squatted beside me. "Okay," answer my little sister reluctantly. "Now," said Vier who put his hand on a tear wound on my right arm. "[Heal]" The bright green dim light appeared from Vier''s palm. The light then enveloped my wound. Then I feel itchy and ticklish when my wound healed so quickly because of the effect of fast cell regeneration. Within a few seconds, the wound disappeared as if it had never been before. "It''s very relieving," I said. "Now, let''s continue training today!" "You must be joking! I can''t move any more!" "Of course you can. You speak, that means you can still move. Lift your weapon or I will do it for you." "Arrgghh! OK!" And I stood up, drawing my wooden spear to fight or maybe to duel Vier. I''m a little annoyed with this method of training. But, after I remember what happened to me in the past and remembering how weak I was, my determination was burning. I have to go through all this to be stronger. Spartan training for today just started! Tack! Tack! Thwack! Tack! Tack! Thwack! We exchange attacks. I tried to take down Vier with all the abilities that I had. While for Vier, I suspect, he just plays around with me. Given the level he has, it''s cannot be helped anymore. I can see him never serious. And what he did right now is like an adult man pretending to fight to entertain a child. And all that is not a problem for me. I keep dancing with a vier for a while. And when the dance is over, I feel I''m like a corpse. I can''t move my body at all. The wounds I got, gave rise to extraordinary pain as if they chopped my body. "Aaa ..." I mimic a zombie that groaned when Vier healed my wound using Healing Spell. "All good. Take a rest, I''ll be right back." Without waiting for a reply, Vier get out of the training room. And in exchange, Kimi and Cabal approached me. "There is one thing I want to talk about with you," said Cabal for a moment he arrived beside me. "All my ears, Cabal." "To be honest, I was wondering, do you agree that Kimi went to Adventurer''s School?" Cabal asked. "She has a knack for using swords. And if Kimi has an affinity for using magic, Adventurer''s School can help her. For all these reasons, it would be a pity if Kimi did not attend Adventurer''s School." Cabal gave us an explanation. Thanks to him, I came to understand that Kimi has a knack for using swords. but... "What is Adventurer''s School?" Kimi and I asked at the same time. It made us stare at each other before making a giggle. It''s pretty funny when we say the same question at the same time. Cabal made a warm smile, then. "Adventurer''s School is a place dedicated to teaching children, the knowledge to become an Adventurer from the elementary level to the advanced level. I''m sure, it''s a great place for Kimi to grow." "... how about the cost?" "You don''t have to worry about it. Children under the age of fifteen will not be charged when applying to Adventurer''s School. Kimi happened to be about thirteen years old, right?" "Yes, I''m thirteen years old," Kimi replied with a strong nod. "So. What do you think, Eclaite?" "... I will give you an answer after knowing this Adventurer''s School more." "Why can''t big sis answer now?" "My cute little sister, I''m too tired. I can''t accompany you to see Adventurer''s School. So, I hope you''ll be patient for a day or two." "All right." "Good." "This is a document relating to Adventurer''s School. You can read it and I''m expecting a positive answer." "Thank you, Cabal." "No problem." After that, we had a little chat to wait for the missing Vier to come back. Then, in the blink of an eye, half an hour passed. My body was able to move again and Vier finally showed his face. He came back with a few pairs of clothes. "This is for you, Miss Eclaite," Vier said as he handed me the pile of clothes. "For me? Why?" I asked, spontaneously accepting the clothes. "Isn''t that obvious? I ripped off the clothes that you wore. I''m also sure that you don''t want to walk in public when wearing clothes like that." Vier''s words made me see the clothes I was wearing right now. And true to his words, this outfit looks inappropriate and dirty because of the blood. And seeing the many tears in this outfit, I whispered. "I can''t come out with a look like this, can I?" "That''s right," replied Vier. The young man seems to have heard what I''m saying. I saw the young man. "Thank you." "You''re welcome." Then we parted. Today''s training is so tiring. Therefore, I canceled my plan to work on a quest. I decided to do culinary tours with Kimi to increase my Basic Statistics. When we traced Rishtonbell, we visited dozens of food carts and bought many snacks. For a few hours, Kimi''s eyes rarely stopped to see me who chow down dozens of portions of snack. "I can imagine, the beautiful big sis turns into a fat big sis!" What an impolite little girl! I will not be fat because the Heart of Monsters absorbs all these snacks to increase my Basic Statistics. I won''t be fat! Maybe... Anyway! Thanks to all the snacks, today I get... This Basic Statistics increase is really low and I want more! Unfortunately, my stomach has reached its limit. I have to eat seven or eight portions of snacks to get an increase for my Basic Statistics. Eight portions of snacks are more or less equal to one and a half kilogram of monsters meat. Today I get four increases in Basic Statistics. That means I eat six kilograms of monsters meat. I''ve been full and I don''t want to force myself to eat snacks again. I thought of buying Magic Stones to get the skill, but I discouraged that intention. Honestly, I don''t have money. The money left by the jerk is not much. I have to use it wisely. If I just waste the money, I won''t be able to buy weapons and armor. Whereas to get skills from NPC or people who have the title of Skill Master... I also have to pay a fee. They no longer give a Quest. And sometimes, if I want to study the skills they have, I am required to join their suspicious group or cult. Because of that, I can''t increase my strength by eating Magic Stones or studying skills from Skills Master. Of course, I didn''t give up. I''m looking for another alternative to grow strong. And that alternative is to training. That''s right, training. Weight lifting, push up, sit up, squad, and so on. All of that training methods can increase my basic statistics. And after practicing for three hours in the backyard of the house, I get ... Yup! I get stronger. But .... for some reason, I feel I forget something important. Chapter 30 - Spartan Training 3_3 In the blink of an eye, seven days passed. Today is the last day I dueled Vier. My shattered body screams gratitude for this. The hell-like training is finally coming to an end. But... I have to get through this vicious fight before I get out of this hell. Tack! Tack! Thwack! Tack! Tack! Thwack! Wooden spears and wooden swords hit each other so fast and powerfully. At least, that''s what I see from my point of view. My wooden spear swung with the intent to injure a young man. However, the young man defends himself well or maybe very well using a wooden sword. I can''t penetrate the young man''s defense. That''s right, same as before, I fight against Vier. And this fight is more brutal and more intensive than all the fights we did before. At least, that''s what I see from my point of view. Vier swung his wooden sword strongly and quickly. Now and then, I can even see three wooden swords when he attacks me. That terrifying attack cut my body off many times. I can''t fend it off or dodge it. I can say that I''ve grown. I''m used to fighting. I can use my weapons well. Move my body more smoothly. But unfortunately... That change didn''t have any meaning in front of Vier''s absolute power. Tack! Tack! Thwack! Tack! Tack! Thwack! Even so, my wooden spear never stops swinging. I continue to attack, attack, and attack until my goal is achieved. I had to land a hit to Vier''s body before this last training was ended. With a goal as a source of motivation, I never stopped moving. Hands, feet, abdomen, chest, neck, and head. I''m after Vier''s whole body. I''m not focused on one part of her body because if I do, I''ll give Vier an easy time to defend himself. I use all my energy to accelerate and amplify the power of my attacks. A quick thrust to the abdomen. Thwack! The attack was repelled with a light swing. Three swings to cut the wrist. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! In seconds, the path of my wooden spear swings was deflected with three beautiful sword movements. And yes, things like that keep repeating, over and over again. Never managed to hit him makes me feel so frustrated. I also get angry at being aware of the lack of ability when I have to do simple things. But, when I take a deep breath and calm down, I can tell what mistakes I do. Next, I just need to learn from those mistakes to do better. That way, I will improve, get better, and stronger. [Acquired a skill! Spear Mastery - 1] Oh! I got a Skill! and... The flow of knowledge of how to fighting using a spear filled my mind. I also got some knowledge of a few Arte. The magic that happened in this short time made me smile. "Let''s try that move," I whispered to myself. "Huh?" And likely, Vier heard what I said. His face put on an expression of confusion. "A gift for you, Vier. [Red Piercing]" The dim red light envelops the wooden spear I''m using. The thrust I gave Vier became faster and stronger. Vier opened his eyes wide enough when he saw the Arte I was using. He might be surprised, why suddenly I could use Arte? This will be my chance to land a hit on Vier''s body. Thwack! My attack was repelled by Vier''s wooden sword. That leaves his defense a little cracked. I''m not going to waste this rare chance "[Fast Swing]" The next attack I launched was three series of fast swings. Right foot, left hand with sword, and neck. That''s the part of Vier''s body that I''m after. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! I couldn''t hit Vier but I managed to widen the crack he showed. Then, I saw a point with a very thin defense. Without hesitation, I attacked that point with the strongest Arte I can use right now. "[Impale]!" The red light on my spear is getting brighter. My attacks became much stronger and faster. Nothing stood in the way of my attack. And that makes me sure I''m going to make it to my goal. However, the reality is indeed bitter. Vier uses his hand trick. He moved his arm so fast that he could intercept my attack with his wooden sword. In retaliation for what he did, I''m powering up my attacks. The result is... Thwack! Cheers! My wooden spear broke Vier''s wooden sword. Nothing else can stop my attack. I was finally able to land a hit in Vier''s stomach with my spear. My goal will finally be achieved! Grab! What the... "Hey! That''s not fair! This attack should hit you!" I protested. Vier, the young man, caught my wooden spear with his bare hands shortly before it hit his stomach. "I''m sorry about this, miss. I just did it spontaneously." "Cheater!" "Hahaha..." Vier tries to sweep his mistakes with dry laughter. "Nice work, Eclaite. The training we did for six days finally produced satisfactory results." This young man. Does pretending it never happened makes him think I''m going to forget the injustice he did? Never will I forget it. That''s why... "I want a gift for the hard work I do!" I demanded. Vier makes an awkward smile and he scratches his right cheek with his index finger. "Okay, what do you want?" "There are many things I want. But, if I told you and you granted my request, it wouldn''t be called a gift. One thing that is unexpected and makes someone happy. That''s the definition of a gift. Therefore, please choose the gift yourself." Vier nodded. He gave up without a fight. "All right. Wait for the gift I''m going to give you." I froze and blinking for a while. "... I''ll look forward to it," I replied a little late. I didn''t think he agreed to give me a gift. ... ... Okay, okay? Why do we become silent? Isn''t there anything you want to say? Don''t make an expression of thinking! Say something! Didn''t you know that Ellis who just came and stood behind you looked at us with an expression full of question marks? None? You don''t want to say anything? This situation is becoming more awkward because you don''t want to say anything. And look! As soon as our eyes meet, Ellis, who is standing behind you becomes misbehaving and awkward too. And somehow, that beautiful woman turned pale. And now... I become increasingly uncomfortable because I saw Kimi, Cabal, Lubov, Elizaveta, and Hatori fell silent as soon as they walked into this room when they see us. Not knowing this situation, do you want to stay silent? Okay, Fine!!, I''ll say something first! "Vier," I began. "Yes!?" "Thank you for guiding me over the last few days. I will repay this kindness as soon as possible." "No problem and you don''t have to repay me. I''m serious, don''t! Got it." "Bu-" "Got it!" "...okay" "Good. And, there''s one important thing I want to tell you, Eclaite." Okay, I''m curious about what you want to say. and... I''m also curious, why does everyone hold their breath while looking at us with a serious and curious stare? I don''t understand what happened to them at all. Therefore, I tilted my head a little. "I''m listening." "Starting tomorrow I will take part in a Foltian Great Dungeon expedition. We will try to open the gate to the floor that has never been explored before. I don''t know when I''ll be back and I don''t know if I can come back. Therefore, there is one thing I want to tell you." I know you want to say something to me. You don''t have to say it anymore. Just say it! You made my patience thin. And all of you who are standing there! Don''t just stay silent and say something. Why are you guys staying there for? "I..." Oh! Sorry Vier, I almost forgot you wanted to say something because of them. "Yes, what is that? You don''t have to hold it, Vier. You can tell me everything." "I... I hope you become a strong adventurer. I also want to see you again when I get back. Miss Eclaite¡­ I¡­ I¡­." Vier takes a deep breath before he says, "I want you to do not act rashly and continue to survive, okay." I made a strong nod. "Of course, I will follow your wish as best I can." "Good- Arg~" Vier screamed after a boot hit his head. The young man and I turned to the place where the shoes coming from. There, I saw Lubov made a pose after throwing an object. And judging by one shoe that was absent from one of her legs, I''m sure, Lubov was the culprit who attacked Vier. "What are you doing Lubov!?" roared Vier. "Sorry Vier, I slipped," replied Lubov indifferently. As Lubov gave her answer, Kimi ran towards me. "Big sis!" she shouted energetically. "Why are all of you here? And Miss Ellis what happened? Are you okay?" Vier approaches a pale-faced Ellis. While Kimi just got right up to hug me. "Big sis, are you okay?" "Yes." Kimi nodded and buried her face in my chest. And then, I turned to see Vier who is trying to wake Ellis up. From a glance, I saw Lubov walking to her boots that lying on the floor. "I''m fine... Guildmaster... Call you Mr. Vier." "Are you sure, you''re fine?" "Yes, I do. Please see Guildmaster as soon as possible." "Okay," replied Vier who then turned to look at me. "See you later Miss Eclaite," he said, then went with Cabal and others. It didn''t take a long time for us - me and Kimi - alone in the training room. I told my sister that I wanted to rest. And to spend time waiting for me to recover, my sister began to practice swinging her sword. Whereas I took advantage of this opportunity to see my statistics. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name : Eclaite | Gender : Female | Age : 19] [Race : Beaskin - One Tail Fox | Level : 3/10] [Job : Slave, F-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» [HP : 28/28 | MP : 41/41 | SP : 4/34] [STR : 17 | AGI : 15 | Luck : 3] [END : 18 | DEX : 9 | ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster][Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood][Upgrade Hearing] [Upgrade Smelling][Poison Resistance - 3] [Pain Resistance - 4][Paralyze Resistance -2] [SP Regeneration Up - 1]? New[Spear Mastery - 1] [Courtesan - 5][Cooking - 3][Dance - 2] [Charm - 3] ---+ [Spear Mastery]¡²Passive¡³ [+ Gives access to World Memory to gain knowledge about various types of standard versions of Spears Arte. + Increase the damage of attacks when using spears by 10%. + Each time this Skill rises one Level, the damage using the spear will increase by 10%, new knowledge of various types of Spears Arte will be unlocked.] I''ve become stronger. Chapter 31 - Peshrooms Again I prepared my spear and I fix my posture. I''m ready to fight. My opponent and my enemy are Peshroom. Why am I hunting that monster again? I have two reasons. The first was to eat the meat and Magic Stone of that monster as much as ten-wait a minute! I''ve eaten one Magic Stone of that monster and I''ve never eaten its meat. So... Nine for the Magic Stone and ten for the monster''s meat. Anyway, that was my first reason. For the second reason. I want to get used to using the Arte that I get. I want to know my limits when I use those Arte in a fight. How long can I last? I''m looking for answers to that question. "Su! Su!" Ah! Right! "Sorry, Mr. Peshroom. I''m being rude by daydreaming when we''re going to fight." "Su! Su!" With a loud cry, the Peshroom sprinted to me. Both of its arms spun quickly and were ready to harm my body. The monster looked terrifying because of its fierce attitude. I stepped to the left side to dodge Peshroom''s attack. I used the monster to discern my fighting ability and the state of my body. I can say, thanks to the training given by Vier, I became more proficient at evading Peshroom''s attacks. I can also foresee the actions and attacks it will make. As for my body. I can control it well. I no longer encounter any lag, discomfort, or stiffness when moving this body. "Yup! I am satisfied with this!" I nodded as I maintained my distance from Peshroom. "Su! Suu!" The monster got angry and then dashed at me. "Come!" I said. Then, I channeled the energy inside my body into both of my arms. The thing I just did made the spear in my hand emit red light. I moved toward the monster. And when the distance between us was less than four steps, I said, "[Red Piercing]" My spear shot quickly then pierced Peshroom''s body strongly. This attack took the monster by surprise then being frozen for a while. After its consciousness returned, the Peshroom thrashed around trying to break free from the spear that pierced its body. It wants to be free. Therefore I helped it to free itself by giving it a powerful kick right in its face. "Su~~" A strange sound reverberated when the monster fell and rolled on the ground. And surprisingly enough, the monster was still alive after receiving my Arte. Are these monsters strong? Or am I who is weak? "I am weak. And I believe that''s the right answer." I made a bitter smile and then moved toward the monster. "I need to raise my level as soon as possible." With that statement as a sign, I began to stab Peshroom who was trying to get up. Moments later, Peshroom died. I put down my spear and unsheathed my dagger. I approached the monster''s corpse and then started to dismember it. I grab the Magic Stone and the monster''s flesh before walk away to look for the other Peshroom. When I fought against the Peshrooms, I used and tried to master the four Artes I had. Red Piercing, Fast Swing, Throw, and Impale. Red Piercing. This Arte was an attack in the form of a stab. Speed became the core of this attack. Using Red Piercing, I made three holes in the body of a Peshroom before the monster finally died. Fast Swing is an Arte in the form of two cutting attacks using the spearhead. Speed was also at the core of this attack. And I can say that Fast Swing is faster and weaker than Red Piercing. This Arte is perfect for cutting Peshroom arms and legs quickly. Throw. As the name suggests, this was an attack in the form of throwing a spear. This Arte was quite risky to use because basically, one had to dispose of her/his weapon to execute this attack. After I threw my spear to stab Peshroom in the head, I had to use my short sword to kill it. The last one is Impale. Long story short, this Arte is just like Red Piercing but with superior piercing abilities. It was stronger but slower than Red Piercing. Impale is a cool Arte. I can blow up Peshroom''s head using this Arte. For the first time, I managed to kill a monster with a single strike. So yes! I used those four Artes to kill four Peshrooms. And I can tell that I can use those four Artes pretty well. The sun was high in the sky and I was currently carrying roughly ten kilograms of Peshroom''s meat. Therefore, I decided to take a break, this is the perfect time to cook this Peshroom''s meat. I went to Westwood forest to find firewood and make a campfire. This is according to my plan because I will collect medicinal plants that grow within that forest. I took a Gathering Quest. Someone wanted me as an adventurer to collect ten batches of medicinal plants called Green Herb. I''ll collect that Green Herb later. Right now, I''m going to cook my Peshroom''s meat first. I was pretty hungry because I didn''t eat breakfast this morning. I plan to make Mushroom Soup and Fried Mushrooms. Those two dishes will be simple because I don''t have complete seasonings and other groceries. I want to hunt monsters instead of picnicking. It''s already quite silly when I bring pots and pans when I hunt monsters. And of course, I packed them into a leather bag. I don''t hang those two things outside the leather bag because I want to look like crazy. Let''s stop talking about crazy people. Now is the time for me to eat the dishes I make. And to be honest, I''m curious about the taste of the meal. "Wow! I''m impressed! This Peshroom''s meat is more delicious than I thought. I only use simple spices but this mushroom treat is like a dish made using the best foodstuffs." Peshroom''s meat is delicious! It was more than enough to keep my hand that holding the spoon and my mouth that is chewing food keep moving without a break. And after ten kilograms of cooked Peshroom''s meat disappear into my stomach... < Stamina up! SP + 2 > < Stamina up! SP + 2 > < Stamina up! SP + 2 > < Stamina up! SP + 2 > < Stamina up! SP + 2 > I got an extra ten points for my SP. I can still eat five more Peshrooms. That means I can still get another ten points for my SP. Unique Skills are dreadful! Now! Since I''m full enough, let''s round-up that Green Herb! And Oh! I forgot to eat the Magic Stone candy! My adventure this time will be more fun when I enjoy candy. < Skill acquired! SP regeneration up - 1 > < Same skill detected.. New skill SP regeneration up has been converted to Exp for existing SP regeneration up. > Chapter 32 - Prey It can be said that Westwood is pretty scary. I said that sentence after I entered and know the inside of this forest. I can felt the cold and gripping atmosphere that was here. From the other side, I can say that the fear in my heart emerges because I am alone in this forest. I can say I manage to stay calm because the trees in this forest don''t block the sunlight. The forest is quite bright and that''s a good thing. It had kept me thinking positively and not thinking about supernatural things that would only make the fear in my heart grow bigger. Now, let''s find that Green Herb. The first clue says that the Green Herb grew under a large tree, under its shadow. The second clue is that Green Herb has a red fruit as big as a cherry. The fruit has a fairly high selling price for each gram. The last clue, Green Herb''s leaves are box-shaped. "Strange and unique plants, where are you?" I walked towards the place where the Green Herb grew following the clues inside the simple map in my hand. While I walk, I looked at the bottom of the trees I passed by in search of the Green Herb. Ellis told me that Green Herb doesn''t grow other than in that place. But still, I''m looking for Green Herb along the way. I can''t shake the feeling that I might miss the wild Green Herb that grew outside its territory. Inside Ark Fantasy Online, Green Herb grows everywhere. Even in the grasslands where the Peshrooms roamed. So... Yes! I can''t stop the habit of looking around to look for Green Herbs. Especially when there''s no system that helps me to find that medicinal plant. I kept going down the trail. Then, I met the Giant Beetle. A docile insect monster. I can say that because the Giant Beetle didn''t attack me as I stood two steps beside it. Of course, I remain alert. And I''m ready to swing my short sword at any time. I noticed the purple Giant Beetle for quite some time before finally walking away. Why I didn''t kill that monster? What about the exp I''m looking for? Why didn''t I attack him? Magic Stones, meat, Skill, and bonus points from that monster, don''t I want them? To answer all those questions, first, I haven''t gotten the Green Herb I need. Two, I want to save my energy. Who knows, I''ll need it later. I''ll be finished if I get caught up in a dangerous situation without having the slightest bit of energy. Wasting energy before my goal was achieved was not a great idea. Lastly, I don''t want to deal with insects. They give me goosebumps. And to eat it? I hope you''re kidding me. Dozens of trees passed by and in the end, I didn''t get a single Green Herb along the way to where I was going. "I have doubts that Green Herb grew up in this forest," I said as I looked at the place where the Green Herb should growing. This Quest won''t be completed if I just stay here. So, I moved my body to look for the Green Herb in this place. And oh! I found some Green Herbs in seconds. It turns out that the statement about Green Herb only grows in certain places is a fact. I instantly did my job. Picking Green Herb at the bottom of a large tree and wrapping it neatly was what I did. When I finished picking the half of Green Herb that grew in here, I went to look for the other places. Ellis warned me not to pick all the Green Herbs that grow in one place. If I did it, the Green Herb that was growing in there wouldn''t grow anymore. I''ll also get into trouble if I do it. Adventurer''s Guilds could find out who was breaking the rules by looking at their documents and by hearing reports from the watchers they had. Newbie Adventurers usually won''t get any information about those things. Therefore, when Ellis told me about it was something special. I owe her a favor. "I''ll repay that kindness someday," said I, who was putting the last Green Herb batch into my leather bag. "Now, since this Gathering Quest is finished. It''s time to hunt!" I walked away from that place to find prey. Westwood could be considered a unique forest because most of the monsters that roamed here were Insect-Type Monsters and Plant-Type Monsters. Other types such as Humanoid-Type Monsters, Bird-Type Monsters, or Beast-Type Monsters were rarely seen in this forest. And yes, knowing all that makes me didn''t have intended to eat the meat of Insect-Type Monsters. I could have eaten Plant-Type Monsters if the Plant-Type Monster I killed was the same kind as Peshroom. I can''t imagine myself eating trunks or the leaves of Plant Type Monsters. Well... I imagined I could eat the fruit of that type of monster. But¡­ whatever! I will think about it later. Now, since I found my first prey after wandering in this forest for some time, I need to focus on it. In front of me was the Tree Golem. This monster had a Humanoid body made of wood. It was twice that adult human. Dozens of branches grew on his back and some kind of blue fruits hung on that branches. Tree Golem is known to be a powerful monster in Ark Fantasy Online. They are strong not because they are deadly. The Tree Golem had a thick HP. This is what makes this monster strong. Yes, this monster is strong and I''m not afraid to face it. The confidence I have is because the Tree Golem is very slow. I challenged the Tree Golem and I attacked it with my spear. "Hya!" Swuss! Zhrak! My spear can''t penetrate the Tree Golem''s skin! The spear could only scratch it! And more importantly, the scratches aren''t deep! "Hoo...!" The Tree Golem gave a counterattack. It swung its big hand at my body. And yes, I don''t want to accept the attack. So, I dodged it by shifting my body to the side. Then, quickly, I stepped onto the backside of the monster. "[Red Piercing]" Crack! My attack managed to penetrate the Tree Golem''s skin. But unfortunately, the attack could only provide insignificant damages. "Hoo! Ho...!" The Tree Golem turned around and instantly launched another punch to destroy me. I bend my body to the left side to evade that strike. Then I launched a counterattack. "[Fast Swing]" Zhrak! Zhrak! My attack managed to graze the monster''s right knee. I didn''t stop moving. I swung my spear again, making a normal attack to graze the monster''s right knee once more. The Tree Golem didn''t stay standstill, it gave a counterattack. Suddenly, the monster shot towards me at a speed it had never shown before. Monsters managed to surprise me! It managed to hit my body with its big shoulder. Duagh! "Gah!" The Tree Golem attack managed to throw me backward. I fell and rolled on the ground a few times before finally stopping. When I got up, the monster was already in front of me ready to launch another punch. Chapter 33 - Monkey, Thief Monkeys To evade the Tree Golem''s punch, I decided to roll to the right. Then I got up as quickly as possible. After that, I instantly kept my distance from the monster by stepping back. As I prepared my spear, the Tree Golem turned around to face me. It didn''t waste any time and instantly approached me. I want to attack the monster''s right knee to cut it off. I want to take it down. But, the moment I took a step, the unbearable pain stung my right rib, just below my chest. The pain made my body jolted and bind my body, leaving me to stand still in there. "Shit! Are my ribs broken?" I''m not waiting for the answer to that question. Hastily, I picked up a bottle of potion from inside the leather bag in my belt. Wasting no time, I drank it while looking at the Tree Golem. I don''t want to miss the things it did! Luckily, I did the right thing. The Tree Golem attacked me with its big fist when I half drank my Potion. Having no other choice, I forced myself to dodge. And of course, that unbearable pain re-invaded my body. But, the pain disappeared quite quickly as I emptied my Potion. After a few minutes of playing a catch and run with the Tree Golem, my condition improved and I was able to follow the Tree Golem''s movements without any problems. Then, for the next few minutes, we exchanged attacks. Our ultimate goal is to take down the enemy we face. Blow after blow that the Tree Golem launched at me had a danger that couldn''t be underestimated. The monster''s punch was full of strength. The punch could crack the tree trunk and could numb my arms as I tried to block it using my spear. Fortunately, the Tree Golem was slow. Due to that fact, I managed to land attack after attack on the monster''s body especially onto his right knee. And it''s a pity that almost all the attacks I made didn''t do any noticeable damage to the Tree Golem. Making considerable damage to the monster''s right knee already drained most of the stamina and strength I had. I could feel that my body was getting heavier in seconds. Facing the Tree Golem for some time made me understand one thing. I still can''t beat it. It''s very disappointing! Is my level too low? Could it be that my weapons aren''t good enough? Or are the capabilities I have lacking? And could it be that this thing happened because of the insufficient experience I had? ... Should I give up? ... Not! I''m not going to give up! I can do this! I can defeat the Tree Golem! "Hoo! Ho!" The monster re-launched its punch. It tried to destroy my body. My tail made a strong swing and I took a few steps to the side to dodge. At the same time, I shifted my body to maximize the evasive movements I made. As a result, the Tree Golem''s fist passed beside my body. I''m moving my body! I approached the Tree Golem as I channeled energy into my arm. Then, a red light enveloped my spear. "[Impale]" Duag! Crack! "Hoo..." My attack managed to crush the Tree Golem''s right knee and cut off that leg in two. I didn''t want to be press down by the Tree Golem''s body, I stepped up to keep my distance. I managed to take down the monster. But... "My spear was also destroyed," I said as I looked at the broken spear I was holding. The spearhead was gone and only half the spear remained. Seeing that, I knew that this stick that was half of my spear was useless. I unsheathed my Short Sword and I saw the Tree Golem still thrashing around as it lay on the forest floor. Then, I wondered, how do I defeat this Tree Golem? "Should I cut off his head?" I''m not too sure and damn it! I should have read the Monster Encyclopedia given by Ellis more seriously! Inside Ark Fantasy Online, to kill a Tree Golem, I only need to attack that monster until his HP runs out. But in this world, I have trouble affirming when a monster will die. Especially when the Tree Golem showed no signs of its becoming weaker. I circled and observed the thrashing Tree Golem, crawling trying to get close to me as I questioned how to kill it. Then, when I decided to cut off his head, my fox ears twitched. I heard a dozen unnatural sounds around me. I moved my head and I saw dozens of Lotai Monkeys perched on the trees around me. The red eyes of the dark brown furry monkeys looked at me sharply. For a moment, this place became silent and only the Tree Golem''s voice sounded. "Ho... Ho... Ho¡­" Then. "Kakha! Kaa! Kha!" "Oukh! Oukh! Oukh!" The Lotai Monkeys became boisterous, making roar after roar. They shocked and frightened me. I looked around frantically as I tried to find answers, what should I do next? And before I got an answer... Duagh! "Argh!" Something hit my shoulder roughly. The pain stung when I realized that Lotai Monkey was throwing stones at me. "Kakha!" "Kaa!" "Kha!" The monkeys made a roar again. Then, they start throwing stones at me. Dozens of fist-sized stones that fell like rain came to drop on my body. And I can say, that''s so scary! Without a second thought, I protected my head using both of my arms as I ran out of the place as quickly as possible to find shelter. And I didn''t forget to take the Leather Bag that I dropped while running away. "Arh!" Unfortunately, some rocks managed to hit my body before I finally took cover behind a large tree. "What the hell! Why did those monsters attack me?" And I didn''t have to wait long to find out the answer to that question. "Hoo! Ho!" "Kakha! Kaa!" "Kha! Kakha!" Lotai Monkeys attacked the Tree Golem. They tried to try to take down the Tree Golem even though some of them were destroyed by the Tree Golem''s punch. Taking advantage of the events where the Lotai Monkeys didn''t care about me anymore, I observed their fight. Then, I found out that they were aiming for the fruit that grew on the Tree Golem''s body. "They stole my prey!" I screamed in annoyance. How dare they do such a barbaric thing. Don''t they know how big my struggle to take down that Tree Golem is!? And haa... I can''t do anything about this injustice and I know that I will not be able to defeat the Tree Golem. What would do I do now? ... Running into the middle of Lotai Monkey''s group then spending them? Don''t be silly! There were more than ten monsters there. If I challenge them, I''ll die. I haven''t been able to do land severe damage in a single hit to the Tree Golem. That means I''m still weak. I don''t have a long-range attack either. I would be overwhelmed if those Liotai Monkeys decided to shower me with stones as they perched on the tree. And yes, I still have other weaknesses. With a bitter smile, I ran away from my hiding place. The meadow where Peshroom roamed became my destination. I''ll try to hunt down some Peshroom before returning to the city. ... < Stamina stat up! SP + 10 > < Because a skill has been obtained from these monsters, the absorbed Magic Stone will be transformed to EXP for the skill that has been obtained. > < SP regeneration up, level up! 1 to 2 > < Stat points and Exp for Skill cannot be obtained from this monster again. > ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female | Age: 19] [Race : Beastkin - One Tail Fox | Level: 3/10] [Job : Slave, F-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» [HP: 16/28 | MP : 41/41 | SP : 12/54 < Stat Up!] [STR: 17 + 3 | AGI : 15 - 1 | Luck : 3] [END: 18 | DEX: 9 | ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster][Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood][Upgrade Hearing] [Upgrade Smelling][Poison Resistance - 3] [Pain Resistance - 4][Paralyze Resistance -2] [Physical Attack Resistance - 1] [SP Regeneration Up - 2]< Level Up! [Spear Mastery - 1][Courtesan - 5][Cooking - 3] [Dance - 2][Charm - 3] --- STR + 3 because Eclaite uses the short sword. Spear + 4 AGI - 1 because she straps the leather bag on her back. Chapter 34 - Worried Little Sister 1_2 [Kimi pov] "Big Sis?" I whispered, trying to call a girl that curled up in the corner of the bedroom. Her fox''s ears twitch. Slowly, she moved her head. Before long, she looked at me. The girl gets up. She then walked up to me slowly and limply. The girl''s pale lips move and finally, she opens her mouth. "Aaa..." It''s so tragic, only a dry scream could she voiced. Seconds passed and the girl fell to the floor. She''s lying there motionless like a doll. I can''t bear to see her like that. Therefore, I going to help her. I managed to take one step before a hand stops me by touching my shoulder. I turned to the owner of the hand. "Papa Wielth, big sis..." "Don''t worry Kimi, I''ll take care of Eclaite. She will be healed as she was." Leaving the sentence behind, papa Wielth approaches big sis. He lifted big sis and laid her on bed. I walked up to them. When I got to the bedside, I saw papa Wielth feeding big sis a medicine. I felt anxious and I held big sis''s hot hand. "She''ll be fine in a few days," Papa Wielth said before he exited the room. "Big sis~" my whispers are soft. To keep big sis comfortable while she was asleep, I covered her body with a blanket. I then put the cloth - which had previously been soaked in cold water - onto her forehead. When it''s all over and I''m out of the room. I don''t want to disturb her sleep. Papa Wielth said. Big sis Eclaite has a disease called Insanity. A disease that mama Haruka also had. Four years ago, the deadly disease took mama Haruka''s life. I''m so sad and I don''t want big sis Eclaite also leave me behind. So¡­ I''ll do my best to take care of big sis. -----[?]----- Clang! The sound of broken ceramics caught my attention. I stopped washing dishes and walked straight closer to where the sound came from. I went to big sis''s room. As soon as I got there, I saw a pair of shining purple eyes in the darkness. It was a sign that we had an emergency. "Papa Wielth! Big sis goes berserk!" As I screamed, big sis ran up to me quickly. Her sharp claws and canines are ready to tear my body apart. In front of that danger, I''m not afraid. That''s because. "I hear you, Kimi." Papa Wielth will protect me. Shortly before big sis''s claws ripped off my body, a Magic Circle appeared and shone under big sis''s feet. Then, a purple chain made of light emerges from inside the Magic Circle to bind and stop big sis. "AAA...!!" Big sis wailing, trying to break free. Unfortunately, her efforts were in vain. Papa Wielth''s Sealing Chain is too strong. And I never saw big sis break free after being caught by the spell. Lying on the floor, my big sis looked at me sharply. When big sis goes berserk, her purple eyes will glow and her pupils will turn into a plus sign. Her nails and canines will grow longer. And not only that, a tail made of purple light will appear and make my big sis''s tail become nine. "You''re fine Kimi?" "Yes, I''m fine papa." "Good! Now back off, let me treat your sister." "All right." Papa Wielth forces big sis to take medicine. And before long, big sis returned to normal and fell asleep. I hope big sis recovers soon. -----[?]----- "Here you go, your favorite grilled sausage." Cheerfully and with a smile, big sis Eclaite put a plate of my favorite food in front of me. Then she went to the kitchen. Not long after, she returned to the dinner table with another meal. Unlike before, my big sis put the food in front of Papa Wielth without a smile. The happiness she had disappeared. "Eat," says big sis indifferently. "Thank you Eclaite," replied Papa Wielth. Papa smiles at big sis but big sis ignores him. "Humph!" And once again, big sis ignores papa Wielth. It wouldn''t be an exaggeration if I said, big sis hates papa Wielth. I don''t really like big sis''s attitude to papa Wielth. I tried to help improve the relationship between them, but... I never succeed. As if big sis were destined to always be hostile to papa, while papa loves big sis. Of course, I don''t think I''m just giving up. I promised myself that I''d make them both get along. Breakfast was over and time passed. Papa Wielth went to Adventurer''s Guild for work. As for big sis Eclaite... She stood in the corner of the room and saw the wall with a blank stare. Big Sis hasn''t recovered. She also lost some of her memory. And not infrequently, randomly, she would motionless just like that, becoming a statue that would not move and speak. One time, I was so shocked and so terrified when I found big sis transfixed while she was cooking. I can''t forget the big, scary fire in the frying pan that almost burned big sis. Big sis is in the process of healing. Because of that, I''ll look after and take care of her. -----[?]----- "Then I''ll leave. both of you, take care of yourself to stay healthy." Papa Wielth stroked my head and then stroked big sis''s head. Seeing what papa did, I can- Plack! I can guess that big sis would be angry. "Don''t touch me! Get lost and never come back!" snapped big sis, who then walks into the house. "Papa doesn''t need to be sad. I''m sure, big sis is just shy. Just like me, big sis love papa too." "I know," Papa replied with a smile. Again, he stroked my head. "Next month I''ll be back. Please take care of Eclaite, Kimi." "Leave it to me." Papa Wielth nodded. "Bye." "See you, papa, be careful," I replied, waving to papa. I saw papa until his figure was lost in the crowd. Then I get into the house. My ears twitch because I don''t hear any noise while I''m inside. Assuming big sis is back to transfixed, I decided to look for her immediately. I don''t want my big sis to get hurt in an accident. Seconds later, I found my big sis in the dining room. She''s back to be a doll. Sitting in a chair, she was completely motionless and silent. My big sis is so beautiful. Her golden hair was gleaming. Her purple eyes are just like jewels. Big sis''s ears and tail was so soft! She''s so perfect and I want to be like her. I walked and hugged my big sis from the side. I can feel the warm of her body. I can smell her scent. I can hear her heartbeat. Big sis Eclaite was alive. Of course, I''m happy with it but I want more. I was a selfish little girl. Because of that, I want my big sis to recover. I want her to spoil me one more time. "Let''s take the medicine, so big sis will recover quickly." Chapter 35 - Worried Little Sister 2_2 [Kimi POV] "Big sis! Big sis Eclaite!" None, none, none! There is no answer. With this, I''m sure, big sis left the house without telling me, Again! Even though I warned her many times, Big sis should not go out of the house if the medicine given by papa Wielth has not run out. It''s frustrating, she never heard my warning. I left the house for two reasons. Looking for big sis and scolding big sis after I found her. Finding my big sis is easy. That''s because big sis won''t go too far from home. Although big sis hates Papa Wielth, she never ignores what he says. Big sis always obeyed him. Therefore, when papa forbidding my big sis not to go further from the market, I''m sure big sis must have obeyed it. I went around the complex and accidentally met my best friend Chloe and her brother Alan. Realizing where I am, Chloe smiles and waves her arms. "Kimi! Kimi! Want to play?" Chloe invite me to play. It''s feels so fun and so tempting. I want to accept it. But unfortunately, "I can''t play right now. Maybe after my mission is done." "Ohh..." A strange noise comes out of Chloe''s mouth, who feels sad. I feel bad for Chloe. But now, finding my big sis is more important. I''ll cheer her up later. "I''m sure the mission you said just now was to find sis Eclaite." "Huh? Alan, how do you know?" "That''s because I saw sis Eclaite." "Really? Where?" "I saw sis Eclaite in the park. For a while, she stand under a big tree in the center of the park" My ears twitched when I heard Alan''s answer. Big sis must be transfixed again. "Thank you, Alan. Chloe, we''ll play later. I want to pick up my big sis first." "Okay." "Need help?" I shook my head slowly. "No Alan, I''m fine. I''ll see you later." "See you later," they reply together. With that, I go to the park. I went around the place for a while before finally, I found my big sis. I gave big sis her medicine. And after big sis woke up, I forced her to go home. Once again, I remind my big sis not to get out of the house alone. I didn''t scold her because I couldn''t bear it. After big sis fell asleep, I went to play with Chloe, Alan, and the others. -----[?]----- A month passed. The medicine left by papa Wielth ran out. Big sis''s condition is improving slowly. Big sis has rarely been transfixed again. She can do daily activities without hindrance. Unfortunately... Big sis lost some of her memory again and she¡­ she''s become weird. "I''m late for school. Kimi! Where are my books? Did you also see my smartphone?" That''s it! Big sis did it again. She said strange words that I didn''t understand. A smartphone? What is that? "Calm down big sis. You don''t have to go to school. Besides, what is a smartphone?" Big sis turned around, she looked at me and put on a confused face. "A smartphone? What''s that thing?" "How do I know! Big sis who said it!" Big sis tilted her head a little. She put on a thought-in look. Her ears twitch while her tail swings awkwardly. A while later she shook her head. "There''s no point thinking about things we don''t know. Now and better yet, let''s make breakfast. What dish do you want, Kimi?" "Grilled sausage," I replied without hesitation. Big sis nodded and stroked my head. "Let''s make a delicious grilled sausage." That way, our day starts with making breakfast together. And of course, big sis''s weirdness continues. -----[?]----- Almost two months have passed since papa Wielth left. I''m sad that papa hasn''t come home yet. At the same time, I''m glad big sis''s condition is getting better. This opposite feeling makes me restless. "I''ll be home when the third bell rings." Those words were said by a beautiful golden-haired Fox-kin girl when she goes out this morning. The girl''s ears and tail are so beautiful. And this beautiful girl I''m telling you about is my big sis Eclaite! She is my pride and I want to be like her. Beautiful, kind, and compassionate. But... I don''t want to be weird like her. Right, I did say "weird" and it''s the fact that Big Sis is weird. Hmm... How do I say it? Big sis''s weirdness... she um... sometimes she doesn''t understand the common sense that people used. For example, when bathing. As people get used to using cloths and a bucket of warm water to wash their bodies, big sis Eclaite bathes using artificial rain. She named the way of bathing like that ''Shower'' really, the name and way of bathing she uses are strange. Big sis''s other weirdness, she often says strange words. Internet, manga, VR online games, television, smartphones, videos, and many other strange words that I don''t understand the meaning of. And you need to know, those words are not part of a Spell. Papa Wielth is a mage. He knows dozens of Spells and he doesn''t know what big sis''s words mean. Therefore, I''m sure that the strange words that big sis sometimes says are not part of a Spell. There''s one other weirdness that belongs to big sis. This one also I don''t want to copy. That weirdness is the hate that big sis Eclaite has for papa Wielth. In fact, Papa always spoils and almost fulfills big sis''s wishes. Papa also goes to great lengths to heal big sis. Therefore, I don''t understand big sis''s unreasonable hatred. I don''t like that weirdness. And oh! We''re out of topic! I don''t want to talk about big sis weirdness! I want to talk about a promise she broke! Big sis promises to go home before the third bell rings! And now, the afternoon is coming! Big sis''s figure has not been seen at home. This means she''s not home yet. It means, "she lied to me." I said that phrase and left the house. My goal is only one. I have to find big sis Eclaite. Big sis says she wants to visit the Adventurer''s Guild. So, there I''m going. I''m an adult, I was thirteen, so I could go around the city all I wanted. I''m not afraid to go alone either. And more importantly, I''m not blind to directions. I won''t get lost easily like my big sis! Oh! And that, getting lost easily is also one of Big Sis''s weirdness. That''s right, big sis is so weird, she knew that the place she wanted to visit was obviously at the end of the road. And spectacularly, big sis will end up in the opposite direction. Now... I''m worried, did big sis make it to Adventurer''s Guild? Minutes passed. When I got there and I didn''t find big sis. As I thought, big sis is got lost! Ugh... I get dizzy when I think about how long and how hard it is to find my big sis in this town. Of course, I won''t give up. I''ll find big sis by the end of the day. In the middle of the search, I met Chloe. With her help and some other kids, I managed to find my big sis. I never thought that all this time, big sis was adventuring with Alan! Then, I was so shocked and saddened when big sis Eclaite forgot about me. Luckily, big sis regains her memories immediately. And the days after that incident became more colorful and fun. Unfortunately, papa Wielth hasn''t come home yet.. I want him to feel this happiness too. Chapter 36 - A Wound Given By Illusion Today''s sky is sunny. Today was the first day of the Foltian Great Dungeon''s expedition. Today is also the day of departure for the group of explorers. What is a group of explorers? A group of explorers was a collection of the adventuring party from various Familias. Usually, Each Familia could only send - maximum - two adventuring party to join the group of explorers. And the maximum limit of the number of the adventuring party in a group of explorers was ten. In Ark Fantasy Online, groups of explorers are usually called Raid Party. This raid party always had the ultimate goal of conquering the Dungeons they were exploring. Of course, what they''re going to do isn''t an easy job. And it''s not uncommon for them to fail. And... I don''t think this group of explorers will fail! I can say that with confidence because they have a goal to open the gate to the eighth floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon instead of conquering the Dungeon itself. Vier ¨C a young man similar to my Avatar in Ark Fantasy Online ¨C took part in this expedition. For the first time I met Vier, I assumed he had my personality, I thought he was me. Truly, my assumption was a big mistake. I learned of it after having a chat with Vier. That young man didn''t know Ark Fantasy Online and my old world. He is a native of this world. He''s not me or a copy of my personality. That assumption was pretty stupid and quite funny because I thought he knew about my old world, about Ark Fantasy Online, and so on. Vier is someone else. He''s a stranger who happens to be similar to my Avatar. Friend. That word can describe the relationship between us. We getting closer and finally became friends after the two of us train together for a week. "Hey, big sis! Let''s find a higher place. I can''t see the main road from here." The little girl who had just voiced her wish was Kimi. She''s my half-sister. And she is a Fox Beastkin or commonly called Fox-kin. Therefore, she had fox ears and tails. Both of her beast parts were covered by black fur. Kimi''s hair has the same color. But, the hair is a little unique because it''s red at the end of her hair. Red is also the color of Kimi''s eyes. And I can say, her eyes just like a ruby. Lastly, my little sister is so adorable. "How about this?" I picked up Kimi. "Kya~" the little girl made a cute cry as I placed her on my shoulder. Her tiny legs hung on both sides of my neck. "Big Sis! I''m not a kid!" "I never said you were a child." "... Whatever." Seeing my sister who was annoyed and no longer putting up a fight, I made a small giggle. "The plaza is so crowded," Kimi said as she looked around. And I say, she was right. The eastern plaza of the Dungeon Entrance Building or commonly called "Denbu" was filled with hundreds of people. Looking right and left, I could see people, people, and people. This crowd consisted of Adventurers, Merchants, Knights, and residents of Rishtonbell City. They gathered at this plaza to send off all adventurers who took part in the expedition. People were cheering, singing, and laughing. Not only were their emotions were festive, but their actions also the same. Some people wave flags of various sizes, others form a group to play music, and there are many other things they do. To me, all of this looks like a festival or maybe, it''s a festival!? I don''t know. I just know it''s so lively here. At the same time, I felt excited that it made my tail swing quite quickly. One thing that I don''t like about this crowd is the loud noise it creates. The sound made my fox''s ears ringing. I had to fold them up to make the noise stay outside. And... I also have to be careful when walking because this place is so crowded. I didn''t want to do a reckless thing by bumping into people. Dhuk! "Kya!" "Hey!" I cried out when someone bumps me from the side. because of that person, I almost dropped Kimi! Male or maybe female? I don''t know her/his gender because that person was wearing a black robe that covered her/his entire body. The person''s face was hard to recognize as it was covered by the shadow of the hood she/he was wearing. Okay! What I wanted to say was that person look at me. She/He bowed her/his head slightly before saying, "Sorry, I''m in a hurry." Then, she/he left us immediately. And yes, I still can''t tell that person''s gender by her/his voice. "Rude person!" said Kimi and I agree with her. Leaving that problem behind, we continued our journey in search of a high place! Minutes passed and... Tug! Tug! I felt a small tug at the tip of my ear. Therefore, I look up slightly. "What''s wrong?" "There''s big sis! Please go there. I want to meet my friends," Kimi explained. The little girl pointed at someplace. I turned in the direction Kimi pointed at. There, on a place slightly higher than the plaza''s floor and under a shady tree, was a group of children dressed as adventurers. "They''re your friends?" "That''s right, we met at Adventurer''s School," Kimi said. "Okay, we''re going there." "Quickly! Quickly!" "You need more patience, my little sister." I move my leg. My destination is the place where Kimi''s friends gather. And when we got close enough, one of them, a girl same age as Kimi waved to us or¡­ more precisely to Kimi. "Kimi! Kimi! Come here!" called the little girl with a cheerful shout. "I''m coming Chloe!" replied my sister with a no less cheerful shout. Chloe huh? I think that was a cute name. As soon as we got to that place, Kimi exclaimed. "Put me down! Put me down!" Yup! My little sister has short of patience. Fulfill her request, I put Kimi off. And the moment she stepped on the ground, she ran towards Chloe. "Chloe!" "Kimi!" Two little girls put their two hands together and jumped up and down. They make little giggles. Needless to say, they were so happy. "How are you, Sis Eclaite?" I looked at the source of the sound. There, I saw a teenage boy. He smiled at me. And he was someone who helped me not long after I moved into this world. "I''m good, nice to see you again Alan." The teenager put on a surprised expression before saying, "No. You are isn''t okay. Why is your right arm bleeding?" "Huh?" As Alan said, my right upper arm was bleeding. There is a three-centimeter-long wound in there. Blood flowed and the pain began to assault my arm. Quickly, I search for a place to sit. After I take a sit, I took a piece of cloth and potions from inside my small Leather Bag. "Are you okay Big Sis?" "Once I smear this wound with potions, everything will be fine," I told Kimi. I smiled at the little girl to get rid of her worries. Then, I started treating my wounds. "You don''t have to wait for me, Kimi. Go out with your friends, have fun." "But-" "I''m fine, really," I said to cut Kimi''s remarks. If I hadn''t insisted, this little girl wouldn''t have left me. Kimi finally nodded even though she looked so reluctant. "Alright, I''ll be back soon." "You don''t have to rush." "I can''t promise." Finally, the little girl went to join her friends. For some time, I sit in here dealing with my wounds. Then, my ears twitched. Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable. I felt like someone was watching me with bad intentions! I moved my head to observe the surroundings. A moment later, my attention was drawn by someone in black robes facing me. I immediately recognized that person. She/he was the one who bumps into me earlier! What does that person want? Did she/he hurt me? Could it be that that person is after me because she/he has a grudge against the jerk? CHEERS! The loud cheers that the people in this plaza made me surprised. My body jolted because of it and I became dazed for a moment. When I regained my senses, I turned my head back towards the person in black robes. But... "Where''s that person?" No one answered my question. And the black-robed person was like an illusion. Chapter 37 - Departure Festival "They''re coming" "Hobkins look! it''s the Party Red Lion" "Red Fang Warrior!, look it''s Red Fang Warrior!" "Rilia look!, that''s Falma!. Falma, Falma" "Not only Falma, but Vertia is also there. Fight Vertia!" "Knights! Look at those knights!" As soon as I joined Kimi and the others, loud cheers attacked my ears. The children here were so excited when they saw the parade consisting of Adventurers and Knights walk on the main street. I admit the people who participated in the parade looked amazing and strong. But they didn''t impress me. I don''t know who they are and what they had to do. If they were a group of Pro Gamers, I would probably cheer for one or two people. Especially the female Pro Gamers. Now that the parade is already here, I''d better find Vier and the others. Vier told me that he joined Familia called Soaring Sky. He also participates in the Dungeon Raid this time. Therefore, I am curious about the party members who go with him. Especially for the members, I have never seen before. I heard from Ellis. Soaring Sky was the third out of the five strongest Familias in the city of Rishtonbell. Besides being renowned for their combat power, these Familias were also renowned for their good reputation and the high percentage of success in completing quests. Thanks to this reputation, Soaring Sky had members of over a hundred and thirty. While still in Ark Fantasy Online, I had never heard of Familia by the name Soaring Sky in Rishtonbell. This Familia becomes one of the many differences between this world and Ark Fantasy Online. The difference that existed makes me wonder. Is the location of the treasure I know still the same as the one in the AFO? Well... I''ll find out the answer once I''ve sought out information about the treasure. Now, let''s forget about the treasure. I had to find Vier and satisfy my curiosity. I went back to see the parade that went towards Denbu or the Dungeon Entrance Building. In the front row were the Knights. They were wearing silver Full Plate Armor of the same design. They were so similar to the Peace Keepers NPCs. The NPCs were maintaining order within the city. Behind the knights lined up the Adventurers wearing the red Full Plate Armor. Different from the knights, these Adventurers'' Armors were diverse from each other. Most Adventurers ¨C who were from the Human race ¨C were armed with great axes. This Adventure party comes from a Familia named Red Fang Warrior. I knew Familia''s name because I heard the conversations of the kids around me. Vier wasn''t in those Party. The third row was occupied by a Party consisting only of women of various races. Their armor was dominated by a golden color. They use all sorts of weapons. It showed that their Party had a fighting formation that could adapt to the surroundings. Falma and Vertia, who had been mentioned by two little girls, were members of that Party. And yes, Vier wasn''t a member of that party. He will be a Harem King if he was in there. The fourth party in the parade was formed by a group of Dwarves. Their weapons were dominated by Great Hammer. The armor they wore was of high quality, better than the armor that adventurers from other parties wore. There''s no Vier in there. The fifth party in this parade came from Familia that I wanted to see. Familia Soaring Sky. This party is so colorful. Party members came from various races. The armor they wear has diverse designs and colors. And of course, the weapons they used were also different. The only thing that marked those adventurers as a party was the blue cape that covering their left shoulders. And after observing them for some time, I can say that party is strong. The armor, weapons, and Aura belonging to each party member felt so intimidating. And yes, I can see Vier among them. The sixth party was quite mysterious. That''s because each of their members was wearing a black robe that covered their entire body. Hence, I can''t see their Armor, weapons, or race. The Priests and Priestess formed the seventh Party. White and gold dominated the party''s armor. Giant Shield and Mace became their standard weapons. Half of the Party members were from the Human race, and the rest were from the Elf and Beastkin races. In the last row was a group of adventurers carrying large bags. I think they are a party consisting only of Carriers. I''m sure, that Carriers has to take care of the hunted monster and other Party supplies. As they walked towards Denbu, some people who partake in the parade smiled and waved their hands at the spectators. The thing they did made the audience give a loud cheer and a shout of encouragement. I wanted to give Vier support by shouting his name but I abandoned my intentions. I was too embarrassed to cheer and I wasn''t sure Vier could hear my voice. Instead, I waved and smiled at him. I just hope he notices where I am. Minutes passed ... And Vier finally notices my whereabouts. I felt his eyes look on me as he smiled and waved at me. "Big sis! big sis! brother Vier and uncle Cabal waved here!" Kimi shouted. The little girl was excited. "I know it, Kimi." "Brother Vier! Uncle Cabal!" Kimi cheered. She waves her arms fiercely. A few moments later, imitating Vier, Cabal also waved at us. He seemed to notice where we are after a glance at what Vier was doing. The things Vier and Cabal did finally caught the attention of Elizaveta, Lubov, and Hatori. yes, just like Vier and Cabal, the three of them waved and smiled at us. Things that the five Adventurers did then caught the attention of the other members of their party. It was a chain reaction. Those who were interested in the things that five adventurers I knew did start talking to Vier and everyone else. A silver-haired girl caught Vier''s attention and invited the young man to talk. Not long after they chatted, Vier put on a helpless expression. From what I saw, Vier tried to convince the girl about something but to no avail. Things that happened made Cabal intervene in their chat to give Vier some helping hand. But then, the wolf girl, Lubov, spoke to the silver-haired girl. Not long after that, Lubov got a Karate Chop from Cabal and the silver girl came back to talk to Vier. The girl looked so angry and she shouted at Vier who tried to calm her down. Then, suddenly, the girl turned her head and look at me? I wasn''t too sure she look at me because the distance between us was so far. Maybe she looks at someone else? I looked around trying to find the person that the silver-haired girl looking for. And... I found no one. I turned my head to look at Vier and the silver-haired girl. And yes... I''m not wrong, that sapphire''s eyes are indeed locked on me. And... For some reason, suddenly, I felt my back becomes so cold. I felt great horror and terror! It was as if there was such a powerful and ruthless monster standing behind me! I felt I would die if I moved just a little under its gaze! "Is there something wrong big sis?" Kimi''s voice wakes me up, bringing me back to the real world. I looked around, looking for a monster that threatened my life. I let out a long sigh after realizing there were no monsters around me. "Big Sis, what''s wrong?" Kimi''s second question made me turn around and look at the little girl. "Nothing," I replied, stroking her head. "Really? Big Sis daydreamed and suddenly turned pale. Are you truly okay?" "Yes, of course, I am good. Hahaha..." With a dry laugh, I saw the parade once again. I was quite surprised when I realized the Adventurers had already reached Denbu''s front gate. How much time has passed? I don''t know and in the end, Vier and the others walked into Denbu. And for the silver-haired girl, she was being carried under the armpits by Vier. The silver-haired girl''s circumstances were quite funny. Especially when she swung her legs and hands to escape from Vier. She seemed to be trying so hard to fight back. But unfortunately, all the effort she put in was in vain. The silver-haired girl can''t escape. Vier and the other disappeared into Denbu. And now... "What are we going to do next?" I asked Kimi. "Oh oh! Big sis, may I do a Quest with my friends?" "Of course you can." Chapter 38 - Weapon I think I''m getting used to living in this world. Wake up in the morning, prepare breakfast, go to work as an adventurer, go home in the afternoon, make dinner, and finally go to sleep. Such days repeat for a week. People will probably assume it''s a boring life. But for me, it''s weird, it''s real, and it''s fun. I''m no longer feel sad or regretful for moving into this world. I can say I''m grateful. My life became more colorful. And if you think of using simple and stupid terms, I can say that I have fun live inside a game. That''s true... living in the game is a lot of fun. But, I have to remember. The world just resembles a game. At the same time, this world is the real world. The people who live in this world are not NPCs, they are truly alive, they are people. Therefore, I must not take them lightly or treat them as inferior to me. Although, there are one or two of them that deserve to be considered garbage. Now. Let''s go back to the present. As an F-Rank Adventurer, I work on different types of Quests. But it was a kind of Quest that doesn''t have soul-shaking battles and the smell of great adventure. The Quest that I working on was a kind of Quest that is more akin to part-time jobs. But that''s okay. I am aware, I''m a rookie Adventurer. I had to go through a tutorial to adjust and live in this world. I say those things. But honestly, I want to quickly raise my Adventurer rank so that I can have a more thrilling adventure. I can''t wait to fight against monsters. My body itches craving a fight. The Spartan training given by Vier ignited my gamer spirit. I want to hone my fighting ability. I want to know what can I do. I want to get better at playing a game and get on the World Top Dueling List. That''s the kind of spirit that I feel right now. With a burning spirit, I visited Adventurer''s Guild to report on the completed Quest that I take this morning. I went to Ellis. "Let me see... This is the twenty-fourth Quest you''ve completed. So far, you''ve never failed to work on a Quest. So, are you interested in raising your Adventurer Rank?" It was so sudden, unexpected, and so coincidental that it made me feel like this was a plot in the story. But of course, in front of a golden opportunity like this, I''ll not ignore it. "Of course miss Ellis!" I replied excitedly. My tail was swinging happily. "Good, I''m glad to hear it. Now, have you made any preparations?" "Preparation?" I parroted then slightly tilted my head. If the preparation in question is the preparation of the heart, then I am ready. If she means another preparation, then I don''t understand. "Yes, preparation. I wonder if you''ve prepared the things you need to hunt down a monster. Weapons, armor, and potions. That''s what I mean by preparation." "Ah~ I haven''t prepared for that." "Then you''ll take a Promotion Test next time?" "Of course, no! Miss Ellis. I want to quickly raise my Adventurer Rank. A preparation? I can do it immediately." "All right then. I will register you so that you can partake in the Promotion Test which will be held in three days." "Thank you, Miss Ellis. And¡­ do you have a recommendation of a store where I can buy the necessary equipment? With the cheap price and good quality if possible." "Hmm¡­ I think you may want to visit Izgard Weapon and Armor Shop, or Zulith Arms Shop. " "Okay. Once again, thank you, Miss Ellis." "You''re welcome." As such, I have plans to make preparations by purchasing basic equipment for an Adventurer. It''s shopping time! The next day, Kimi and I visited the Zulith Arms Shop. We, two sisters, want to buy basic equipment for an Adventurer. "Big sis Eclaite! I need a sword and armor to take a practice class at Adventurer''s School!" The cute little girl asked when I got home yesterday and I have no reason to refuse her request. Therefore, we agreed to buy it together. The Zulith Arms Shop we visited had a wide variety of weapons and protective suits. In addition to the main merchandise, they also have other equipment such as small leather bags, medium leather bags, large leather bags, and jumbo leather bags. Yup! There''s a lot of leather bags in here. Let''s forget about leather bags. I have to find a weapon, more precisely a spear for me to buy. Why not use a short sword just like the last time? Well¡­ I can say that was more used to the spear than a short sword or sword. Also, I have pretty much experience using a spear in the real world. I am quite good at using a spear in my club days. And truth to be told, I used Azure Sword back then because I didn''t have a good spear. Now, back to this time. My little sister looks at a shelf full of short swords when I look at a wall decorated with dozens of spears. There, exist two spears that caught my attention. The first spear is the Gold Tip. A spear with a golden needle-shaped spear eye. The stave was decorated with spiral-shaped carvings made of gold-colored metal. Honestly, this weapon can be said beautiful. And the Gold Tip I know can raise the percentage the drop of Rare Item by five percent. While the second spear that caught my attention is named Bleed Fair. A spear whose entire part of it was blood red. It has a two-sided sword-shaped spear blade. In addition, it has a white cloth wrapped around the stave right under its spear blade. Bleed Fair can give Debuff or Negative Status named "Bleed" to the enemies. A Debuff makes wounds caused by this weapon to be tough to heal. I want to get a Rare Drop from the monster I killed. But... I remember, right now, I''m no longer playing games. I''m in another world that''s a bit similar to Ark Fantasy Online. Because this world is the real world. The monsters that I have killed will not turn into light particles and then drop items. They''ll become a corpse after they''re killed. Gold Tip has a lack of attack power. But, at the same time, I couldn''t resist the temptation to buy the Gold Tip which is an exclusive item of an Event with a silver coin in my hand. As for Bleed Fair. Even though it has Debuff who might have a big influence on the real battle, I can''t buy this spear right away. The price of Bleed Fair in front of me is twice as expensive as the price of Bleed Fair inside the game. It keeps me holding back my choices. And at the same time, I want to buy it because this spear looks cool. Hmm... It''s a tough choice, my head is spinning. Which one should I choose? That question keeps repeating itself in my mind. A moment later... "All right!!, I''ve made a choice," I said as I clenching my fist. My tail also makes one strong swing. I''m going to take the Bleed Fair. Since Ark Fantasy Online became the real world or any other way, it''s a good idea to buy Bleed Fair. The Debuff this weapon has will be very helpful in a battle. I took the Bleed Fair from the display and bring it to the cash register. After telling the shopkeeper I was going to buy the weapon, I approached Kimi who was still struggling with choosing a weapon. "Haven''t you chosen the weapon you want?" I asked the little fox girl who hung her tail weakly. Kimi turned to look me in the eye. She put up an expression not knowing what to do. "Not yet, and... I don''t know which sword I should choose." "Don''t you just have to choose the sword you like?" "Big sis... we can''t buy weapons because we like them. According to Instructor Wiena, the weapons we use must suitable for ourselves. If the weapon is too heavy, light, long, or short, we will not be able to unleash all our fighting abilities." "So that''s it¡­ leave this matter to me. Soon, this matter will be done in seconds if I handle it." "Ooo~ does big sis know how to choose the suitable weapon?" "No." "Then, how does big sis solve this problem?" "It was very easy.. Watch this Kimi." Chapter 39 - We Are Ready "It was very easy. Watch this Kimi." I turned around to look at the shopkeeper. I waved my hand at the dwarf woman and said. "Sorry miss, can we ask for your help in choosing a weapon?" "Sure, I''ll be there soon." "Big sis!" The little girl yelled at me. The tail stands tall and her sharp glare stabs me. "Don''t upset little pie. If we can''t do something well, we''d better ask someone else who''s an expert at that something. The work done by people who don''t understand anything won''t end well." "Your sister was right, little girl. So tell me, what kind of weapon do you want?" "Haa¡­ well, I wanted to use a one-handed sword but I was too short. Therefore, I want a weapon similar to the one-handed sword that a little girl like me can use." "All right, let''s see..." replied the shopkeeper. Then, she approaches a rack filled with swords. It didn''t take long for her to pick a weapon. "What about this?" Kimi receives a sword from the shopkeeper. She tried to lift the sword and then swung it vertically. Swosh! "Ah!" The little girl screams and drops the sword as a trail of fire appears to follow the swing she made. "Oh! I forgot to say that the sword has been imbued with fire element! I''m a sorry little girl." "Ah! Okay, it''s okay. I''m just shocked by it," Kimi replied. The little girl took the sword on the floor. Then, she looks at me while hugging that fire-imbued weapon. "Big sis! I want this sword!" Seeing my lively sister look at me with sparkling eyes made a little giggle come out of my mouth. "What about the speech of the weapon must be suitable with its user?" "This weapon suits me. I''m sure!" "You sure huh... All right, that weapon is yours." "Yay~" The cute little girl gets her weapon and she was happy. A smile blooms on her adorable face. Bleed Fair and Red Line have a total price of forty-seven silver coins. Twenty-one silver for the Bleed Fair and twenty-six silver for the Red Line. Yup! Weapons are expensive. In the blink of an eye, they took almost half of my savings. Ugh! With this, I have to be careful with the money when I buy other supplies. Our shopping isn''t over yet. Kimi and I went deeper into the store. The next piece of equipment we''re looking for was armor. Our levels are low. Therefore, we have to be satisfied with Leather Armor or Light Armor. Plate Armor or Full Plate Armor is too heavy for us to use. They''re also out of our reach because they''re expensive. I was envious when I saw a male adventurer buy a gray Full Plate Armor. That armor is so cool! For some time, we looked around the shelves and wooden boxes containing dozens of pieces of armor. Where is the armor we looking for? "um... um..." "Found something, Kimi?" I walked up to Kimi who look at dozens of Leather Armor hanging neatly. Leather Armor in there is Common-grade Equipment, they are suitable for Newbie Adventurers like us. I''m pretty sure of my assessor because some of the leather armor that was there appeared on Ark Fantasy Online. "Big sis, what do you think of this leather armor?" "Rock Lizard Leather Armor..." That was a good quality Leather Armor for a Newbie Player. And wow! The price is so cheap. A quarter of the normal price in Ark Fantasy Online. "Do you like it, Kimi?" "That''s right. This leather armor was quite pretty." "Pretty?" Kimi nodded to answer my question. The little girl then looked at me with her sparkling eyes. There''s no doubt that she wants this Leather Armor. "All right, we''ll buy it. And... it looks like we should ask the shopkeeper if they have armor with suitable size for you." "Okay." We approached the cashier and asked the shopkeeper. Luckily, they have Rock Lizard Leather Armor with a suitable size for Kimi. And in the end, we bought two sets of Rock Lizard Leather Armor with the same design. Not to forget, we also buy gloves and boots that are also made of leather, they are black. Two daggers also entered our shopping cart. They will be used as backup weapons and tools to process the Monsters we hunt. "Which leather bag would you choose?" "I like this one." "Then take it. It will be yours." "Yay!" This little girl... she likes shopping and... I''m too. I love shopping. After buying two large leather bags and a belt, we bought three small leather bags that can be worn on the belt. Two for me and one for Kimi. The leather bag became the last item we bought in this store. In the end, I spent eighty-seven silver coins to buy all that stuff. Kimi is a cute Adventurer as she puts on all her pieces of equipment. She tried to look fierce but her efforts were unsuccessful. "What are we going to do next?" "We need medicines and first aid kits. Therefore, let''s visit the drugstore! And incidentally, I know the right drugstore to visit." I guided Kimi and we traced the streets of Rishtonbell. Our destination was Zen Pharmacy. The store is famous for having various supplies of medicines and potions. And the main appeal of the store is their affordable price. Time passes¡­ We finally got to our destination. In front of us stood a three-story wooden building. The first floor of the building is filled with customers, shop employees, and of course their merchandise. I don''t know in this world, but inside Ark Fantasy Online, the second floor of Zen Pharmacy is a place for medicine. While the third floor is a special place to see the famous doctors who work there. "We''re going shopping at this store?" "Yes, is there a problem?" "I don''t think we should have come to this store." "Why? Many adventurers visit this shop. We don''t have to feel out of place. Let''s go in." I took Kimi''s hand and pulled her into the store. We walked past customers, wooden boxes, and merchandise. Our goal is a long table in front of a large cabinet that has dozens of drawers. Some shop employees are busy serving customers. So I approached the available store clerks. "Welcome to Zen Pharmacy miss, can I help you?" "Yes, I would like to purchase two sets of first aid kits for Newbie Adventurer. And, can I know how much a bottle of Basic Potion?" "One silver coin for one Basic Potion. How many bottles do you need? I''ll prepare it with your previous order." "I need four bottles." "I understand, please wait a minute." A few minutes later, the store clerk came back with the stuff I wanted. I hand over five silver coins for the items I wanted and with that, our preparations were complete. Surprisingly enough, I got statistical bonus points when using the Bleed Fair and Rock Lizard Leather Armor. Bleed Fair gave six points on the STR while a set of rock Lizard Leather Armor gave twelve points on the end. Unfortunately, when I used the two types of equipment, my AGI was reduced by two points. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female | Age: 19] [Race: Beastkin - One Tail Fox | Level: 3/10] [Job: Slave, F-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» [HP: 28/28 | MP: 41/41 | SP: 50/54] [STR: 17 + 6 | AGI: 15 - 2 | Luck : 3] [END: 18 + 12 | DEX: 9 | ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster][Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood][Upgrade Hearing] [Upgrade Smelling][Poison Resistance - 3] [Pain Resistance - 4][Paralyze Resistance -2] [Physical Attack Resistance - 1] [SP Regeneration Up - 2]< Level Up! [Spear Mastery - 1][Courtesan - 5][Cooking - 3] [Dance - 2][Charm - 3] Chapter 40 - Promotion Test 1_2 "Miss Eclaite, are you ready for the Promotion Test?" "Yes! I am ready!" "Good! Now, let me give you a quick tour of the Promotion Test. First-" The crux of Ellis''s explanation can be summed up into three points. Promotion Test contains five quests one rank above the rank of participating adventurers. Those five quests contain two delivery quests, one gathering quest, and two hunting quests. I have to complete those five quests in less than a week. And if I fail, I''ll have to wait three months before I can take another Promotion Test. Thankfully, because it is a Promotion Test to get E-Rank qualifications, those quests do not have high difficulty. "Do you want to take it?" "Of course!" And that''s how I got my first biggest challenge in another world. I got those five quests and I also got a Magic Tools loaned by Ellis. That Magic Tools will help me when I hunt in Rishtonbell''s underground waterways, she said. Then, time passes. It took me two days to complete two delivery quests and one day for the gathering quest. Now, I just need to work on the two hardest quests. The hunting quests that I got, require me to hunt down two kinds of monsters in a certain number. Giant Rat and Lizator are the names of monsters that I have to hunt. "It''s time for action!" I, Eclaite, uttered a strange phrase while standing in front of the entrance of the underground waterways. This is a type of underground waterway that often appears in a fantasy game. Its ceiling was half-cylindrical. The walls and floors are made of gray bricks. A small river filled with dirty water in the middle. Two small roads are on the left and right sides of the river. And not to forget, the iron bars that cover the entrance of these waterways. "I forgot that the smell of this place is so horrible!" That awful stench became a big deal for Beastkin like me who has Skill - Upgrade Smelling. The smell became stronger because our sense of smell was quite sharp. It''s tearing my nose! And it makes my eyes watering! Luckily, I''ve prepared. Well... It was Ellis who made the preparations for me. It''s about the Magic Tools, its name was Smell Blocker and it could protect me from this evil smell. I activated Smell Blocker, a red-colored Magic Tool similar to a Power Bank. And yes, the smell around me is gone. This Magic tool was my knight on a white horse. Now, with its protection, I''m truly ready! I stepped into the underground waterways to begin my grand adventure. It''s time I tested my courage and my fighting ability as an adventurer and as a gamer! That''s just a metaphor, I don''t mean it in the way I say it. But I''m not going to deny that my adventurous spirit as a gamer was blazing. It''s an adventure to defeat monsters. Who wouldn''t be excited about it? Clak! Clak! Shess! Shess! Drip! Drop! The sound of boots hitting the floor, the sound of flowing water in the river, and the sound of water droplets that fall from the ceiling become a BGM of this place. The underground waterways were not dark because it has a Crystal Lamp as a source of light. And because of that dim blue light, I could see quite well. With this, I can hunt down five monsters named Giant Rat and Lizator, respectively. Giant Rat, as the name implies, it is a gray-colored rat with a size similar to a dog. And yes, I agree with that thought, too. A rat was as big as a dog. That was scary. Next up is Lizator. They are miniature crocodiles with white skin. They are fast, strong enough, and they have a mouth that contains rows of sharp teeth. Ellis said Lizator was quite dangerous. That''s why I have to be careful when I meet one of them. I traced a dimly lit tunnel that had mossy floors with watchful eyes. I also put up my fox ears to listen to the popping noises. I have to find my prey and I have to always be prepared for the ambush that my prey might do. For a while, I keep wandering in these waterways. Turn around, climb or go downstairs, meet giant rat corpses, and find dark tunnels without a death Crystal Lamp. And unfortunately or perhaps luckily, I haven''t met a monster at all or even heard their voices. "It''s quite disappointing," I commended. And of course, I won''t give up. My quest in this place will be completed. I am sure of that! Few tens of minutes later, the dangerous time finally came. I met my first Giant Rat. Showing its back, the monster was eating another Giant Rat that had already become a corpse. That surprised me a little bit. I didn''t expect this world''s rats to be carnivores that didn''t hesitate to do cannibalism. I drew Bleed Fair and approached the Giant Rat slowly. I''m keeping my footsteps quiet to ambush the monster. And my efforts paid off, I stood behind the monster without it noticing. Bleed Fair shone in dim red light and I say, "[Red Piercing]" "Khii!" Giant Rat turned around after realizing where I was. Unfortunately, the monster was slow to react. My spear managed to pierce its stomach. "Khii...!" Giant Rat screams and trash around. The thing it did make the spear I held got a strong pull from its body. I would let go of my spear if I was a second late to pull it out. "Khii khii! Khi!" The angry monster ran to knock me down. And for me, of course, I dodged its attack. "A Giant Rat that ran closer to me was scary!" I''m no longer playing around. The Giant Rat that has a long whisker, red eyes, and big, sharp teeth disturbing my emotions more strongly. I don''t want to get hurt. That was what I''m thinking when I saw its dirty teeth. Getting hurt because of those teeth in a dirty place like this was terrifying. Infected wounds, that''s a big no! "Khii!" Giant Rat cried again and I turned around to face it. My spearhead is pointing at the monster. Once again it dashed closer and I prepared to greet it with my attack. I thrust my spear when the Giant Rat was only one step ahead of me. Swosh! "Khii!" Giant Rat staggered to the left after its left shoulder was slashed by my spearhead. The monster didn''t stay still, it dashed again, tried to bite my leg. I dodge the Giant Rat attack and at the same time, I give the monster my attacks. Then, I took few steps to keep my distance from it. This pattern continues for some time. Duagh! "Khii!" The Giant Rat stepped back after I hit its head with the staff of my spear. It shakes its head then comes to me again. For its bravery, I give it a wound on its front leg. Vier''s Spartan training, in-game fighting experience, and the moments when I hunt Peshrooms proved useful in this fight. I can see the giant rat''s attack pattern and I got an easy time fighting it. "It''s time for me to end this fight!" Giant Rat approaches me with its sharp teeth. It didn''t tired to trying to bite me. I channeled my energy to my arm and Bleed Fair emits red dim light. I stepped to the right and before it managed to bite my leg... "[Impale]" I stabbed Giant Rat in the head with my strongest Arte. Splat! Giant Rat died, his body just fell to the floor of the underground waterways. The fight was over. "At least for now." Chapter 41 - Promotion Test 2_2 The corpse of Giant Rat lies on the floor of underground waterways. Red blood flowing. It''s a pretty horrible sight. ...This is the first time I''ve killed a living thing that bleeds. This is different from killing Peshrooms. I can say that I never hurt animals before. Monsters are not included. Therefore, after I killed Giant Rat, I thought, I will... feeling shocked, regretful, or guilty. But strangely enough, I didn''t feel anything. I don''t even bother by it. I wonder, does this happen because I still think of this world as a game? Do I still think that this Monster is a soulless 3D model? "... I don''t understand and I don''t know." I don''t want to think too hard about it. That''s why I''m started to move my body. I pulled out my dagger and used it to cut off Giant Rat''s tail. I need five Giant Rat''s tails as evidence to complete the Hunting Quest. Magic Stone became the second thing I needed because it could be sold. Ellis says the only thing that was precious from a Giant Rat was their Magic Stone. The other part of its body is worthless. Cutting off the Giant Rat''s tail was easy. Whereas to pick up its Magic Stone, I had to open the monster''s chest manually to get it. Once again, I can say that it was strange. In my old world, I was scared when I saw a chicken being slaughtered. I felt uncomfortable when I saw the chicken''s body being processed. The blood that flowing and the flesh that bring chopped made my stomach feel squeezed tightly made my head dizzy, and in the end¡­ it will make a rainbow came out from my mouth. But now, when I - with both of my hands - split this Giant Rat''s chest with a dagger, I felt nothing. I did it quietly, there is no fear or disgust. The thing that happened made me think, am I cold-blooded? Again, the questions I don''t know the answer keep growing in my heart. And It makes me feel so weird. Therefore, I hope someone comes and gives me answers to those questions. I don''t want to get confused and getting lost. Leaving giant rat''s corpse, I''m back to explore this underground waterway. Eating the rat? I even didn''t want to dream about it. As for its Magic Stone¡­ I will wait for the right time. I need the Magic Stone to be any evidence for my Quest. Then, I remembered something. In Ark Fantasy Online, this place has a Hidden Area. The place is in the deepest part of these waterways. There is a special event relating to that place. And unfortunately, I can''t remember more clearly about the Special Event. Maybe, I will remember about the special event if I visit the Hidden Area. But¡­ I will say no to go there. I am not strong enough to fight the Flood Dragon. Strongest guardian that protecting that place. So, I''ll explore that Hidden Area in the future. That''s if the Hidden Area has not been found by anyone else. Time passes. and... "Zsraa!" A monster roar loudly then tried to bite me. This monster is not a Giant Rat, it''s Lizator. A one-meter-long White Alligator. Lizator is a dangerous jester. The monster is dangerous because it has long jaws containing rows of sharp teeth. Those teeth can rip off someone''s leg easily and it can be a hook that drags someone to the bottom of the river. It is a jester because it launches a surprise attack by jumping out from the water. Weak prey on the riverbank will surely be wretched after receiving that surprise attack. Now, back to Lizator. The monster is quite agile because it can skate on the floor using its stomach. It can move like a snake but it can only move straight. And yes, this monster is not a penguin! Skating on the floor once more, Lizator trying to bite my leg with its swosh attack! Zwash! I tried to counterattack Lizator from the side after I dodge its attack, just like when I fighting the Giant Rat. Unfortunately, it didn''t work. The thrust I launch always misses its target, Lizator movement was too fast. Zwash! "[Fast Swing]" Ugh! It doesn''t work. The thrust of my spear is too slow and the monster dodges the attack again. If this is the case, there''s only one thing I have to do to defeat it. Zwash! Lizator skated again. And I, who was on its track, decided not to shy away. I''m going to face its attack directly with my spearhead pointed to its mouth. This is the only strategy that can beat the monster. Lizator''s getting closer. I stood still, concentrated, prepare my spear, and waited for the right moment to launch my attack. Then, when I felt this was the time, I moved my body. "[Impale]" Wuss and bam! My attack stabbed the left side of Lizator''s head! And it''s a regret that my attacks couldn''t stop Lizator. I''m the weak one, can''t keep my footing. Therefore, I was thrown to the left while my spear was stuck in the monster''s head. While lying on the floor, I saw the lizator hit a pillar head first. Bam! Lizator convulsed after its head cracked. The monster no longer moved a few minutes later. "I think I managed to beat my first Lizator," I said after standing up. This victory is not pure. But still, I beat a Lizator. This is an achievement worthy of celebrating... or maybe not. I killed a low-level mob. Things like this didn''t deserve a celebration. I approached Lizator''s body to retrieve my Bleed Fair, the Magic Stone, and its tail. As for its skin, I can''t do anything to it. I can''t skin the monster well. Seconds later, I resumed my hunt. Then, the time passes and the afternoon arrived. I managed to hunt down seven Giant Rats and six Lizators. I hunted more than I should have because accidentally, I met a few of those on the way home. And of course, I killed them, I want their Exp. Thanks to today''s hunt... < Level Up - 3 to 4 > My level''s up. "[Stat open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female | Age: 19] [Race: Beastkin - One Tail Fox | Level: 4/10] [Job: Slave, F-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» [HP: 18/30 | MP: 41/43 | SP: 24/56] [STR: 19 + 6 | AGI: 16 - 2 | Luck : 3] [END: 19 + 12 | DEX: 9 | ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster][Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood][Upgrade Hearing] [Upgrade Smelling][Poison Resistance - 3] [Pain Resistance - 4][Paralyze Resistance -2] [Physical Attack Resistance - 1] [SP Regeneration Up - 2][Spear Mastery - 1] [Courtesan - 5][Cooking - 3][Dance - 2] [Charm - 3] I''m getting stronger than I was before. I want to hunt much longer in this place to increased my Level. But unfortunately, there''s something important I have to do. I have to tell Ellis that my Hunting Quest was completed. I want to be an E-Rank Adventurer sooner. With that purpose, I walk to the exit of these underground waterways. I traced the hallway for few minutes until... "Roarrr¡­" A strange, scary roar stopped my steps. My body flinched and I got goosebumps because of it. The voice was near! I look back and instantly, I saw a big, black, humanoid silhouette with two pairs of eyes look at me! A row of white, sharp teeth was seen when he makes a big crescent smile! Every inch of my body say that the silhouette was dangerous and deathly! "Roarr¡­" The roar calls my consciousness back. I turn back to the exit as fast as possible when that big, scary something ran after me! I felt a little tremor when that scary something takes a step! "No! No! I don''t want to die! Run faster Eclaite! Faster!" I run with everything I have. And luckily, a few minutes later, I saw the light and the exit! The steps of that scary something also grows slower! I survive as a reach the exit! When I look back, I saw the eyes of that scary something fixed at me when it stood still. Didn''t have a bit of courage to stay any longer, I run from that place. My destination was Adventurer''s Guild! Chapter 42 - A Piece Of News About Them "This story was the truth Miss Ellis, I''m not lying." Ellis narrowed her eyes after she heard my words. From the expression she showed, I knew, she didn''t believe my story about a four-eyed, scary monster that chasing me in the underground waterways. And yes, I took a quick bath in a public bath before I visited the Adventurer''s Guild. Don''t wanna have a bad smell in public, I am a gorgeous girl after all. So, back to the moments, I reported the terrifying monster to this elegant woman. But unfortunately... "I don''t doubt you. It''s just that if you want to make a report about a new monster, you must have concrete evidence to accompany the report. And of course, we''ll tell other Adventurers to be careful when they want to explore underground waterways," Ellis explained. Then, the elegant woman wrote something on a parchment. After she finished, she put that parchment in front of me. I moved my eyes to read the parchment. At the same time, I asked. "You don''t want to announce that monster?" "We, the Adventurer''s Guild, support and protect the Adventurers. We want to minimize the threats they may encounter. But unfortunately, we don''t have enough personnel to directly confirm every report that comes in." "If you say so, I''m not going to bring this up anymore. I''m already told you, that''s what''s important to me. And... I''m not going to exploring that underground waterways anytime soon," I said. After that, I signed a parchment filled with statements that I participated in the Promotion Test and completed it. I returned the parchment to Ellis and in exchange, I got a stamp on my Adventurer Card. The stamp stated that I was an E-Rank Adventurer. "You are an E-Rank Adventurer now. So, it''s a good idea if you''re thinking of joining or creating an adventuring party. Unlike before, you will face numerous types of dangers from now on. Traveling with others will reduce your chances of death." "You scared me. Wouldn''t it be nice if you said, joining a party would increase the chances of survival?" "Most people wouldn''t carve this advice in their hearts when I use such pronouncing. Now, tell me, do you still want to adventure alone?" Ellis smiled at me but for some reason... "Why do I feel like you''re threatening me?" "This is not a threat but a warm question. I''m waiting for your answer." A party... I guess I''ll be fine as long as there''s no man in that Party. But... Can I trust them? I want to find a treasure with knowledge from Ark Fantasy Online as a clue. I can''t reveal this to the party or ask them for help to find the place where the treasure was. I''m afraid of betrayal. Of course, there''s a scenario where I can familiarize myself with my party members. I can earn their trust and ensure their loyalty. After that, I can reveal my plans to find the treasure. But¡­ forming a friendship where we trust each other takes a long time. I don''t want to wait too long! I want to take off this Slave Collar as soon as possible! I''m afraid that the jerk came home when I was still a Slave! Searching for that treasure became the only way to obtain wealth that could free me. On the other hand, the advice expressed by Ellis can not be ignored. ...so, a temporary outcome I can make at this time, I am still hesitant to create a new party or join an existing party. "Is joining a party an obligation? Will this affect my Adventurer''s career?" "No and no. Joining a party will increase your chances of survival. In addition, you can get advice or guidance from more experienced members, you can learn from them. And... There are still many benefits I want to tell you, but... You don''t seem interested in this, do you?" Ellis looked at me with a look full of questions. I was surprised when I realized that she knew what I was thinking. "You don''t have to be surprised like that. Your question has given me a clue, and... Don''t you realize that your tail shows what you think clearly?" Ellis asked and made a sweet giggle. While I who had just learned the fact about it instantly look at my tail. A moment later, I hugged it swiftly. "We''ll talk about the adventuring party next time. And before you leave, please accept these documents." Ellis put five pieces of paper in front of me and I wondered, "What documents is this?" "This is the documents you requested. Didn''t you make a quest to gather information about something?" "Ah! That true! I remember it now!" I made a quest to gather information about Agnisdesmo and my other friends. My ears twitched and my tail swung full of energy as I picked up the pile of documents. Being too happy, I said goodbye to Ellis and went home immediately. And I read the documents as soon as possible at the moment I got home. ----+++---- Agnisdesmo (Ancient Dragon) Many legends bear the name Agnisdesmo and there is one legend that can be said to be a real legend. Agnisdesmo in this legend lived in the ages of the gods. Agnisdesmo, better known as the Chaos Ancient Dragon, helps the gods of this world to defeat the evil gods of other worlds in the wars of the gods. The Chaos Ancient Dragon had a big role in that war. He and the army of dragons under his command managed to defeat one of the three major Evil Gods. In exchange for that achievement, a third of all the dragons in his army were killed and Agnisdesmo himself received serious damages that left him fast asleep to heal himself. After falling asleep, Agnisdesmo''s figure was never seen again. The continent of the dragons was the place where Agnisdesmo fell asleep. ----+++---- Eden (High Elf) High Elf Eden, Queen of Vytaris Grand Forest. ----+++---- Mathias (Demon) The information about Mathias from the Demon race that matched the description in this Quest was Mathias the Shadowless. An assassin who claimed the lives of many famous figures. This assassin seldom left his mark. ----+++---- Honesty and Dishonesty (Flugel) Two women from the Flugel race are famous for their Flying Castle named Uncertainty. They are also known as Flugel of hope and hopeless. The strange alias they got because of the legend where they always interfered in the great wars. Two Flugels would manipulate both sides or three sides or more by telling the truth and the lies. Those who are wise and make the right choices will gain wealth, victory, and glory. Those who are foolish and make the wrong choices will get poverty, defeat, and humiliation. Uncertainty is always hovering in the sky. This made the Flying Castle''s location uncertain. Uncertainty was last seen in the kingdom of Yustacia. ----+++---- Izayoi (Human) Izayoi or Grace Logia Alheindrein or Berserk Princess. The first princess of the kingdom of Alheindrein. A princess is famous for her beauty and vast knowledge. This princess became famous after the event where she slaughtered the Bellator royal family because the second prince of the bellator kingdom gives her sex harassment at a dance party. Berserk Princess was a nickname she got after the event. ----+++---- Okay! This information was very doubtful even after I summarized it. And there was no other information about Eden other than the fact that she was a queen! The stories about them were so amazing that it made me doubt that they were my friends. And it''s possible, they''re not my friends considering some of them lived more than a hundred years! Almost two months passed after I arrived in this world. So, if they were my friends, they wouldn''t have a long history like this. They should have arrived in this world at the same time as me. Wait a minute... I didn''t move into this world! I was reborn and I got my memories of a previous life! "..." So... Are they truly my friends? Clang! My ears twitched when I heard the sound of the plate fell to the floor. My attention was distracted and I put the documents on the table. Then I looked into the kitchen. "Are you home, little pie?" I asked. Unfortunately, I didn''t get an answer. Didn''t have any choice, I leave my chair then walked to the kitchen. When I got there, I found a plate lying on the floor right in front of the long table I usually used to process foodstuff. There''s no one here and I don''t smell the fresh scent of Kimi or someone else. But, faintly, I smelled the scent of sewage. "Ugh, rat! Are they living in this house now?" I wondered when I picked up a plate on the floor. After putting the plate to the long table, I returned to the living room to read documents about my friends and thought of a plan to eradicate rats that might live in this house. Chapter 43 - Outside The City "See you later, sis Eclaite." "Until then Kimi." We, sisters, bid farewell in front of the Adventurer Guild. We exchanged light waves and then parted ways. Kimi will attend a class at Adventurer''s School. As for me, I will take a quest and work on it as an E-Rank Adventurer. Today I''m going to take a gathering quest that will take me to the outside of the Rishtonbell''s north walls. And there are three goals why I took this Quest. The first goal is the basic one. I want the reward of the quest I working on. The next goal, I want to seek some familiarity on fighting against monsters and earning Exp to raise my level. Of course, I''ll hunt monsters after I collect the necessary herb for my gathering quest. The last goal is the longing to find a place. Lost City Beldea. That''s the name of the place I''m looking for. Lost City Beldea is a low-level Hidden Dungeon that is supposed to be in the north of the town of Rishtonbell, just inside the North Forest. And considering the distance of the dungeon was so close to the city of Rishtonbell, that place should have already been discovered. But unfortunately, the Adventurer''s Guild didn''t know the Lost City Beldea. It made me wonder, why haven''t the adventurers found Lost City Beldea yet? Did the small Dungeon not attract their attention? Or¡­ there is no Lost City Beldea in this world? I don''t know the answers to all those questions. And constantly thinking about those questions won''t get me anywhere. That''s why I have to act. I have to find that Hidden Dungeon. It will give me a fortune that can buy my freedom. That is if I manage to find that Dungeon and then conquer it. "For now, I have to think positively and take a walk." whispering those words, I entered the Adventurer''s Guild. And directly, I moved toward the Quest Board just like the other adventurers. In there, I searched for a gathering quest that could allow me to explore the North Forest. Hunting the Red Boar in the southern agricultural area was a no. Hunting Gray Wolf in the eastern forest, a big no. Collecting Red Herbs in the western forest, nor was it. Collecting Redibri Berry in the northern forest! Here it is! I tear the quest to collect the Redibri Berry from the Quest Board and then took it to Ellis. I need that elegant woman to stamp and record this Quest so I can work on it. "Morning, Miss Ellis." I greeted Ellis who was taking care of some paperwork. Lucky is the word for me today, no adventurers were queuing in front of Ellis'' counter. "Oh! Good morning Miss Eclaite. Can I help you?" Ellis stopped her task then turn around to see me. And as always, her smile was so sweet. "Sorry for disturbing you. But, please process this quest for me," said I, who then gave Ellis the Quest paper. Ellis received the paper and read it. "North Forest," whispered Ellis. "I want you to be careful while working on this Quest, Miss Eclaite." "Why?" "I heard reports that there was an increase in Varg population in the forest," Ellis said. At the same time, she processed my quest paper. "They also become more active. You should always be vigilant and don''t forget to pay attention to your surroundings. If you encounter a Varg, try to escape. Don''t try to fight that monster because, in the middle of the fight, there''s a good chance that the reinforcements for that monster will come, understand?" Seeing Ellis'' serious and slightly intimidating expression, I could only nod. A moment later, I received the approved and stamped quest paper. In order not to lose it, I secured the quest paper into a small leather bag on my left waist. "Thank you, Miss Ellis." "Your welcome and be careful out there." "Of course, Bye-bye." "Bye." I left the Adventurer''s Guild to go to the northern gate of Rishtonbell. "Oh! Before going out there, I have to buy some food. This quest will last for half a day and I don''t want to starve while working on the Quest." With that, I walked to the nearest market. In there, I bought Smoked Meat, Dry Fruit, and Meat Skewer. Following that, I filled my water flask with drinking water in a nearby well. After all of that is done, I went to the north gate. When I got there, I saw a long queue. Therefore, I have to spend quite a long time standing there. Nevertheless, I don''t feel bored, angry, or disappointed. The huge gate, the wide variety of horse carriages, the unique yellow bird that substitutes the horse, the people in this fantasy world, and all those gathered near the north gate caught my attention. They amused me. And in the blink of an eye, my turn to pass the gate arrived. And a few minutes later, I was in the outside of the north wall. I found another scenery of meadows in here. But, different from the meadows in the western part of Rishtonbell, the meadows here are dotted by bushes scattered in various places. There''s no Peshroom roaming around in this place. But there''s a lot of Slime here. In the distance, I could also see groups of Four Horned Cow enjoying their lunch. It''s a part of the world I''ve never been to. My adventuring soul was blazing because of it. I took every step of my adventure with gusto. I traced the highway that was still a dirt path to the place where I was going to do my quest. The gentle wind caresses my body. In this vast meadow, the wind reigned supreme. Nothing gets in its way- Well... I blocked the wind. And because of it, my hair became disheveled. A few strands of my hair even stuck to my lips. "It''s so problematic," I complained before finally taking a string from inside my pants pocket to tie my hair. I tied my hair into a ponytail. After that, I continued my journey while enjoying the beautiful scenery. Time passed and who could have thought, in the middle of a highway, a Slime blocking my path. A blue jelly the size of a football jumped into the middle of the road from inside the bush on the right side of the highway. The monster jumped up and down, dashed to me! Looks like, it''s ready to fight! And of course, as an adventurer, I accepted the monster''s challenge. I prepared my Bleed Fair. The Slime in front of me is called Blue Little Slime. This monster is not dangerous. Unlike Blue Slime, these monsters couldn''t digest someone quickly. These monsters also couldn''t shoot poisonous or acid liquids like Poison Slime or Big Slime. Like Peshroom, this monster was destined as an Exp bag for newbie players or maybe newbie adventurers. And to be honest, I''m curious about the taste that Blue Little Slime has. So... I attacked as the Slime that floated in the air after it takes a big jump. I managed to stab the monster and make it fall beside me. I approached Blue Little Slime as quickly as possible. I stabbed the monster''s body using my hands. Then, I killed him by pulling out its Magic Stone directly. In a matter of seconds, our fight was over! "This is the fastest fight I''ve ever had!" I cried out and put the monster Magic Stone in my mouth. I turned around and continued my journey towards the North Forest. A few minutes later... < Acquired a Skill! Physical Attacks Resistance - 1 > [Physical Attacks Resistance] [Passive] [ + Reduce the amount of damage caused by physical attacks by as much as 5%. + Each time this skill goes up one level, the reduction in physical damage will increase by 5%.] Great! I got another Passive Skill! Now, I need Magic Attacks Resistance and Mental Attacks Resistance to obtain the Advance Skill - All Damage Resistance. Satisfied with the Skill I had just got, my steps became lighter. My journey continued and I returned to fight against Blue Little Slime that blocking my ways. I managed to kill three Blue Little Slimes. I also tried to eat the monster''s meat and I was surprised. Slime meat is similar to mint jelly. Although it''s not very delicious I managed to get... < Endurance Stat Up! END +1 > < Endurance Stat Up! END +1 > < Endurance Stat Up! END +1 > < Because a skill has been obtained from these monsters, the absorbed Magic Stone will be changed to EXP for the skill that has been obtained. > ¡Á 3 Hah! Bonuses that can be obtained easily are pleasing! Blue Little Slime was truly an Exp bag for newbie players. Monsters whose advantages only gave Exp were worthy of being at the bottom of the food chain. Oh! I almost forgot! Speaking of Slime, I remember, there was one very dangerous variant of Slime. That Slime was named Mimic Slime, a skilled and high-level Slime that has a form like Little Slime. Mimic Slime has the title Newbie Killer because of its appearance that can deceive newbie players who first see it. Plop! Oh! Another Blue Little Slime showed itself! Today is truly my lucky day. If this weak Slime continues to appear in front of me, I''m sure, the Physical Attacks Resistance I''ve just got will be able to level up quickly! With a smile, I walked up to the monster that was jumping up and down happily. I''m going to step on this monster to kill it. "It''s going to be an easy fight because this Slime isn''t Mimic Slime." ... "Huh? Wait a minute... What did I just sa-" Swosh! Blue Little Slime who jumped up and down happily suddenly disappeared. My vigilance instantly increased sharply! Chapter 44 - Outside The City Was Dangerous I moved my eyes to observe the surroundings, my ears searched for unnatural sounds, and my nose tried to find the smell of Blue Little Slime that was vanishing. I''m holding my Bleed Fair tighter! I''m ready to parry a surprise attack! ... And the silence came. I could only hear the sound of wind and the sound of dancing grass. Honestly, it scares me! Especially when I can''t feel the presence of the Blue Little Slime that a few moments ago there was in front of me! ... Swosh! A voice came from my left. I turned around to see what was coming to me but I was too slow. Duag! Something hit me! Receiving an attack as a powerful kick directly in the chest throw me for several meters. "Cough! Cough! Argh! It hurts!" I cursed as I got up... I scanned the surroundings, I tried to find Blue Little Slime or something that attacked me but I couldn''t find it. Swosh! Duag! The events that just happened repeated. Something hit my stomach strongly and I was thrown once more! My body bounced several times, hitting the ground before finally stopped. I was helpless because I couldn''t see the monster''s attack. Then, all of this got worse. The monster continued to attack me without ever giving me a chance to give rise to a fight. My body was thrown around because I was constantly being hit by attacks that I couldn''t see or block. For the first time in my life, I became a ball. And it continues for some time. ... "Argh! Cough! Cough!" Blood came out of my mouth every time I coughed. I felt like my body was broken. Unbearable pain bit most of my body. I tried to push my body up but I fell straight away. Why can''t I do anything? Why am I so weak? Boing! I froze. My ears stood up straight and my tail lost its energy. I can''t think of anything when a Slime jumped up and down in front of my face. Dread enveloped my body. In front of this cute-looking Slime, I''m nothing. The monster gave me another feeling that squeezed my heart so strongly. I''m so familiar with this feeling. It''s despair. Is there no place for a weakling like me in this world? "Am I going to die?" Boing! Boing! The slime didn''t answer my question and it jumped into my face. My eyes became blurry and I had trouble breathing. The Slime that enveloping my head went into my mouth and nose. The monster strangled me. "Hiik!" I pulled and gripped the monster to save myself. I managed to steal a few breaths but I didn''t manage to get rid of the Slime out of my face. "Haa... Haa..." Encountering the failure to get rid of that Slime, I tried to look for its Magic Stone. I can kill the monster if I manage to pull its Magic Stone out of its body. Unfortunately, I didn''t manage to kill the Slime! I can only get a few breaths from my struggle. I don''t want to die! There are so many things I want to do! That''s why I will never give up! I will survive! "Haa... Haa..." I continued to fight the Slime event though it was futile. And ugh! I swallowed a part of Slime''s body. Surprisingly enough, Slime''s body has the same taste as vanilla pudding. "Cough! Cough!" The monster was quite delicious but now was not the time to think about the taste of Slime meat! Right now I have to- Wait a minute¡­ That''s it! Swallow Slime! Or more precisely, eat that monster! I still have a chance! The die had been cast, I started eating the Slime as the monster strangled me with its body. Time passed and I was still eating the Slime. None of us want to give up! Therefore, our fight continues! I kept going to eat the monster until in the end... < Endurance, Agility, and Stamina up! END + 5 | AGI + 15 | SP + 10 > I''ve eaten a big chunk of the monster''s body. But, it''s not dead yet! It was still trying to kill me by forcing its body parts into my mouth. I don''t know how long the time has passed since the notification appeared. But, finally, I managed to seize the Slime''s Magic Stone! And without hesitation, I gulped it. < Acquired a Unique Skill! Doppel?????? > "Cough! Cough! Hiikk! Cough! Cough!" For a while, after the Slime was dead, I coughed violently. My throat and the inside of my nose hurt so much. They''re like they''re on fire! And I had a hard time spitting out the sticky liquid that was the Slime''s body parts from inside my nose and throat. Then, after I could breathe normally. I was just sitting right there, in a meadow not far from the highway. I didn''t say anything then I hugged my knee and buried my face in it. I can''t explain the chaotic emotion I''m feeling right now. It''s just, I... I... "Hiks, hiks, uwaa..." I can''t do anything but cry. ... ... Time passed as the magic of the potion healed my body. The injuries I got were pretty severe. Therefore, I need two bottles of potions for my body to heal and be able to move properly. I wipe my tears. Then, after my body was fixed and I regained my composure, I picked up my belongings that were scattered on the ground. The things that happened were completely shocking and so dreadful. Why? Just, why? I know that adventurer is a dangerous profession. But... Does something like this happen so often? No one answered my question. And I know death can come in many forms. That phrase was the truth and I won''t deny it. After all, I''ve experienced it firsthand. All of this made me physically and mentally exhausted. Yeah... I also thought that all of this was so unfair that it made me raise a question; What mistakes did I make? And, this! Why did I get a Unique Skill like this? [Doppel?????? - ? ] [MP - ???] [ + ????? ??? + ????? ??? ] There are lots of question marks! What kind of error is this? "Haa..." I sighed as I picked up my water bag on the ground. "I think, this was the last of all my belongings," I said in a weak and hoarse voice. I looked around once more to look for my belongings. And yes, it seems, I''ve collected all of it. After packing all the items into a Leather Bag, I continued my journey to the northern forest. There''s a quest I need to complete. Don''t I feel scared? Of course, I feel scared. And not only that, but I''m also in distress. Slime or whatever the monster is, it told me the harsh reality. There is no place for the weak in this world. I might think overboard by always assume that I''m weak. This accident was also awful or may be unreasonable. However, I can''t deny that I learned a few things from this incident. I have to be vigilant wherever I am. I had to learn how to measure the strength of the monsters I was about to hunt. Lastly, I need to be strong as soon as possible. And... If I can''t do all that anytime soon, joining a Party or making it myself isn''t a bad idea. Playing solo when someone isn''t strong enough is scary. "..." After tracing the highway for some time, I finally reached the northern forest. This forest is so vast. It had tall trees with dense leaves. Those trees make this forest darker furnished with a cold atmosphere. A VR Game will not be able to gove experience like this when someone is standing in the forest. The game cannot mimic the cold under the shadow of the trees, the strange noises of the forest dwellers, the smell of trees and grasses, and the mysterious vibe in the air caused by the hidden presence here. And all of those things remind me of a forest in a horror movie, a forest where people die because of a Witch. There was only terror and horror in the forest belonging to a Witch! "Stupid! I shouldn''t think about things like that. Because of that... This forest now looks even more terrifying." Right, terrifying. I''m not ashamed to admit that I''m afraid to enter this forest, I''m afraid that there''s a powerful monster like that Slime hiding in this forest. What I''m dealing with right now is different from the adventure in the VR game. When I die then I will die, there is no Respawn system in this world. But... If I remain to be scared, I won''t grow stronger. "Keep going with belief! Don''t hesitate!" After gathering my courage, I stepped into the forest. Chapter 45 - The Taste Of Fresh Meat "This scenery can be pretty memorable," I commented as I walked through trees and bushes. Looking up, I could see a green ceiling made of dense leaves. As for the forest floor, they are made of dark brown dried leaves. Now and then, the sunlight that managed to penetrate the roof of the leaves hit my body. They are warm and became one of the sources of my courage. Of course, I can say, this forest is beautiful even though it is scary and has a mysterious atmosphere. I traced the path for some time before I- Kresk! "Kya!" I screamed, jumping to the left with my ears and tail standing upright! The sound of something moving inside the bushes shocked me! My heart skipped a beat as I pointed my Bleed Fair to the source of that sound. I waited and a moment later, a Horned Rabbit jumped out of the bushes. I remained alert and ready to fight until the monster finally disappeared from my sight by a jump into the other bushes. Kresk! ... I lowered my spear and then heaved a sigh of relief. "Hang on, Eclaite! Calm yourself." I walked away and picked up a simple map from inside the little bag on my waist. This map contains information about the location where the Redibri Berry grew. Redibri Berry is a medicinal plant that has purple flowers with a bell-like shape and has red fruit-like cherry. The plant itself is like a strawberry plant. "In Ark Fantasy Online, I was able to find them easily thanks to the Pointer System. But now, in this world, it seems like I have to try harder." Arrived at the gathering spot, I looked for the Redibri Berry as soon as possible. I don''t want to waste time because I want to go home soon. I must complete the Quest to collect the Redibri Berry quickly. The main quest on this adventure is to find the Lost City Beldea. Collecting the Redibri Berry is a Sub Quest, just like hunting to raise my Level. I wanted to do all my personal Quests but I''m too tired now. I explored the middle of the area filled with bushes. The Redibri Berry plant is quite small. Thus, I had to check all the plants in here carefully. Kresk! Kresk! My fox''s ears twitched as it caught the sound of rustling leaves. My alertness instantly turn off and as soon as possible I prepared my bleed fair. Then, I searched for who or what made the sound. Scanning the surroundings, I found the existence of a Big Mole that was eating Redibri Berry fruit. Big Mole took out the upper half of its body from the ground. Its Fur was dark brown. Its front legs have long black claws. The monster was so smart in picking Redibri Berry fruit using its claws. The monster that was too focused on the Redibri Berry hadn''t discovered my existence. Should I attack or escape? ... I''m going to attack it. Strong monsters would not ignore the humans in their vicinity and preferred to eat such fruit. A powerful monster must be like that Slime. They approach humans because they want to become stronger or maybe because they are hungry. So, after I made my decision, silently, I prepared my Bleed Fair. I intend to kill the monster using a long-range attack. I''ll have time to escape if I attack in this way. I took the throwing position and concentrated on aiming for the Monster. I don''t want my attack to missing the target. I''m pouring my energy into my spear. After that, I threw the spear after I said, "[Throw]" Wuss! The sound of a spear that shot out made the Big Mole turn its head. But unfortunately for it, the spear was already close enough when it turned its head. The Big Mole didn''t have enough time to dodge and the spear I threw pierced its body. Bleed Fair pierced through Big Mole''s body and made it stuck on the ground. The monster struggling to escape from my Bleed Fair. Unfortunately, it didn''t make it. After convulsing for some time, the monster finally quiet down. "Is that monster dead?", I asked no one. Slowly, I walked towards Big Mole''s corpse. And after I checked its condition using a twig, I said, "I''m lucky." Big Mole died and I pulled my Bleed Fair that stuck in its body. Splat! Huh! What''s this? Why did I suddenly smell a scent that arouse my appetite? From where did this sweet scent come from? Turning to the right and left, I looked for a dish that spread this sweet scent. But I never found it. All I found was Big Mole''s bloodied corpse. "Could it be..." With a guess, I crouched down and touched Big Mole''s blood with my index finger. Afterward, I brought my blood-covered index finger closer to my nose. I inhaled the scent of that blood, and... "Ah~ this smell of blood is so delicious," I said in a melted voice. The smell of the monster''s blood made my body weak and hot. My appetite instantly increased rapidly. And unknowingly, I licked the blood that covered my finger. "Sour!" I cried in surprise. The stinging sour taste made me furrow my brows. The sweet smell and sour taste of Big Mole''s blood were so contradictory. "I didn''t expect monster blood to have this kind of taste." I paused for a moment. Then, I again licked Big Mole''s blood on my finger. "Sour like before and I started to think that this sour taste is quite delicious." After licking clean the blood on my finger, I look at the Big Mole''s corpse. "Do I have to eat this corpse?" If I want to get Stat Points bonuses from the Unique Skill Heart of Monsters, I have no other choice but to eat this Monster''s meat. But..... That''s a Big Mole. Don''t they fall into the rat category? Is it safe for me to eat it? I''m not going to get sick because of bacteria or anything like that after eating this corpse, right? I hesitated to eat the meat of the Big Mole. But, at the same time, the sweet scent continued to arouse my appetite. After fretting for some time, in the end, I took out a dagger on my left thigh. "I don''t think one bite will cause any problems." Giving up to my appetite, I cut the Big Mole''s corpse. Seconds later, a slice of fresh meat the size of a ping pong ball was in the palm of my hand. It let out such a delicious scent and I gulped because I couldn''t wait to chew this delicious-looking meat. Then, without a second thought, I put the raw meat in my mouth. "Wow! This meat hides a surprise!" The fineness of the meat I ate made my fox ears twitch and made my tail swing happily. Juicy tender meat with a sour taste. It''s a unique combination. But strangely enough, this unique combination became such a delightful taste. Not satisfied with a piece of meat, I cut the big mole corpse once more. And greedily, I ate the raw meat I had just cut. I enjoyed the meat so much and kept eating it over and over again. My hands and mouth never stopped to satisfy my hunger. And when I felt cutting up the monster''s corpse was too troublesome, I took off my gloves and used both of my hands to tear Big Mole''s corpse directly. Eating food using hands is si efficient. I can get big satisfying bites quickly. I don''t have to cut, just need to tear the meat as much as my hands can grab it. I continued to eat the corpse until... Crack! Crunch! I chewed something different from the Big Mole''s meat. What I just chewed and then swallowed was something crisp, had a strong taste, and more delicious. < Endurance Stat Up! END +1 > < Skill acquired, Heat Perception - 1 > Oh!! I got a one stat point for END and a Skill. If my END increases, my defenses will increase and the damage I got will be reduced. Getting a new skill will make me stronger. The notification given by the system made me regain consciousness. Then... I fell to my butt. Looking at the Big Mole''s corpse that was being torn apart, I said, "what did I just do!?" Chapter 46 - Weird Appetite "What did I just do?" I asked nobody in a trembling voice. I look at my hands that covered in blood. Long sharp nails grow on each of my fingers. Additionally, I felt my canine getting longer, it makes my mouth feel uncomfortable. The blood on my hands became a symbol of the inhuman behavior I had just committed. I looked back at Big Mole''s corpse. Shredded pink meat and puddles of fresh blood. A few seconds passed and something moved inside my stomach. A moment later, I vomited the meat I had just eaten. "Hoek!" A puddle of flesh and blood was created. The pool is so disgusting. Spontaneously, I decided to stay away from it as far as possible. I was silent and froze. For some time, I tried to process what happened. And when I understood that I eat the corpse of a monster, I move my body. I picked up bleed fair and my gloves. After that, I left all the madness that was in there. "..." Time passes... And now, I''m sitting under a tree. "..." I tried to clean the blood on my hands using water without saying anything. My hands were trembling from the shock I got after knowing what had happened. How can I eat the raw meat of a monster, just like that!? After realizing I was doing that inhumane behavior, I couldn''t say or think about anything. Now, more importantly, I have to wash my hands clean of blood. I also need to adjust my breath to calm myself. "Hu¡­ haa..." Time passed and my hands finally become clean. My breathing returned to normal and my heart calmed down. But my mind... My mind is still a mess and confused. "Was this inhuman behavior are the side effect of the Unique Skill, Heart of Monsters?" I think the answer is yes. I couldn''t figure out any other reason that could urge me to eat raw meat. Fox-kin has no instinct or necessity to eat raw meat. Of course, I''m not crazy. And, I''m sure, the experiments that jerks do to my body have nothing to do with things like this. The jerk only cared about how he could satisfy his lust to the fullest. So yes, I''m sure this inhumane thing is the side effect of the Unique Skill, Heart of Monsters. "Can I control this side effect?" The answer to that question is not that I can or cannot, but rather I must. I must be able to control the side effect of this Unique Skill or I will have a bad end. Eating monster corpses is one thing that cannot be shown to others. If someone else saw it, I would probably be considered an anomaly. And there is one worst possibility that I will be considered a monster or a follower of evil. I''ll be tied to a wooden cross and then I will be burned alive like a Witch! That was scary and I probably make an overestimated conclusion. But, it doesn''t hurt to think about the worst-case scenario, right? If I have such thoughts, I can be careful in acting forward. "First was the Slime and now this thing!?" My day was so bad! "I can''t handle this much longer! I''m going home now!" I packed my things and opened a simple map of mine. Knowing where I should go, I walked towards the edge of the forest but for a moment later to stop remembered the Quest I took when I saw the red circle that was the clue to where the Redibri Berry grew! I have to collect that medicinal plant. With a heavy heart, I visited another Gathering Spot. I don''t want to see Big Mole''s corpse. "I can get into trouble if I don''t complete this Quest!" Halfway through the journey, I saw the Skill I got from Big Mole. [Heat Perception] [Passive] [+ Sensing, seeing, and distinguishing the heat that is in the surrounding area. + Detection range as far as 30 m. + Each time this Skill rises by one Level, the Skill''s ability will become stronger and the Skill''s detection range will increase by 15 m.] This skill is quite unique. Thanks to this Skill ability, I was able to feel the heat created by monsters and beasts. Since it hasn''t been tested yet, I don''t know if this Skill also works on humans. Furthermore, this skill also allows me to accurately estimate the distance of a heat I sense from where I stand. With this skill, I was able to find the monsters that were in hiding. And better yet, I don''t need to be afraid of the ambushes of the monsters. "Certainly, this skill will be one that will always save me." I arrived at the Gathering Spot and quickly, I collected the Redibri Berry I needed. In the end, I managed to collect ten bundles of Redibri Berry and one small bag of fruit. Now, since the Quest I took was already completed, it was time for me to return to the city. I want to clear my head by sleeping. Oh!! What''s this? My ears twitched as I sense a strange thing in the distance approaching me. I concentrated and... I finally know. It was an effect of the Heat Perception. Thanks to it, I was able to tell that three monsters were approaching me quickly. Make a quick decision, I ran towards the edge of the forest as fast as I can. Given the event that happened after I killed Big Mole, I didn''t want to fight with the monsters that approached me. I''m afraid I''ll eat the monsters'' meat while their meat is still raw. Such inhumane things should not be done. Other than that reason, the fact that the monsters approached me became proof, they were strong enough to hunt down a human. Those two reasons made me choose to run away. I''m not sure I can fight well when my body and mind are exhausted. I wanted to avoid the fight and reality didn''t grant my wish. A monster caught up with me. The running speed of a monster couldn''t be underestimated! "WOFF!" A monster or rather a wolf monster jumped from behind a tree. His mouth was wide open, ready to bite my leg. I was surprised by the ambush and I tried to dodge. Unfortunately, I wasn''t fast enough. The wolf managed to bite my leg. I lost my balance and fell. The fierce wolf pulled my leg. Luckily, since I was wearing a Leg Guard, the monster''s teeth didn''t tear my skin apart. But, the bite was strong enough to prevent me from escaping easily. The monster also didn''t want to let me struggle to stand up. The wolf looked at me sharply. And I recognized it as a Varg, a dark green furry wolf with long canine teeth and a bushy furry tail. As Ellis said, Varg hunts in groups. Therefore, I will be trapped in a dangerous situation if I don''t stand up right away! The other two Vargs are going to bite my neck off! "Grr!" Varg growled and it had no intention of taking my foot off. Therefore, I attacked it with my spear. I want to stab it in the head! However, it was a pity, the monster chose to dodge. It made my attack tear the skin that wrapped around its left rib. The opportunity was created when Varg stepped away from me. I stood up as soon as possible and instantly prepared myself for a fight as the monster ran up to me. Varg jumped in to attack me. On the other hand, I swung my spear horizontally. Duag! I managed to hit Varg in the stomach. As a result, the wolf was thrown for several meters. The wolf did not fall. The monster was still full of energy. Varg ran up to me again. I swung my spear intending to tear Varg''s stomach. Unfortunately, I didn''t manage to land my attack. I made a mistake in calculating my attacking range. That mistake made me smash Varg''s head using my spear pole. And fortunately, my attack was strong enough to knock down the Varg. The moment Varg fell, I poured my energy into my arm. A moment later, "[Red Piercing]" Splat! A red light-lined spear pierced Varg''s head. The monster died. Fresh blood flowed after I pulled out bleed fair. I don''t want to eat raw meat again. And I don''t want to fight with the other two monsters that are currently approaching me quickly. Because of those things, I ran away. But¡­ before I manage to go far enough, the smell of Varg''s blood stimulates my appetite. The smell erodes my mind instantly. That delicious smell of blood stopped my steps. Then.... My consciousness became thin and faint. Chapter 47 - Seeing Each Other < Agility Stat Up - AGI +1 > < Agility Stat Up - AGI +1 > < Agility Stat Up - AGI +1 > < Skill acquired, Sharp Claws - 1 > < A skill has been obtained from Varg. The Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the Skill obtained from this monster. > < A skill has been obtained from Varg. The Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the Skill obtained from this monster. > I remember when the notification from the System sounded. That soulless voice attracted my consciousness. A bright light appeared in the darkness that covered my vision. The half-eaten corpse of the wolf monster became the first thing I saw after I came out of that darkness. And I don''t need to remember that I threw up again because I saw Varg''s corpse. Then, the pieces of events where I fought brutally and killed two Vargs flooded my mind. I was a barbarian, berserker, or maybe an evil entity. I fight using my teeth and claws without a touch of humanity. After the fight was over, like an animal, I ate their corpses so greedily. I continued to eat, eat, and eat regardless of anything else. Meat is all I want. "I am a monster," I whispered and hugged my knees tighter. Eating pieces of raw meat force me to remember the past, looking for an answer. I don''t remember ever doing that, eating raw meat. Clearly, I remember I didn''t do that when I was hunting Peshroom, Giant Rat, Lizator, and Slime. I asked, what is the difference between all those hunts and my hunts of Giant Mole or Varg? ... The answer that I found was the fact that Peshroom and Slime had no blood. Whereas when I hunt Giant Rat and Lizator, the blood was everywhere. And yes, I used a Magic Tool called Smell Blocker. It made me unable to smell a foul odor in the underground drains or even blood! Smell Blocker can be my savior. I want to find out whether the Magic Tool can truly seal the side effects of the Heart of Monsters. However¡­ after being beaten up to the star by a Slime and then met face to face with the fact that the side effects of the Unique Skill Heart of Monster are terrifying, I don''t have the energy or willpower to do something like doing a little experiment. That event left my ears and tails hanging weakly. I didn''t have any intentions to do something or anything after opening my eyes this morning. Yesterday was the worst day I''ve had since I lived in this world! And the single best thing I gained from that event was the fact I got a skill named Sharp Claws. [Sharp Claws] [SP: 2] [+ Sharpen, strengthen, and increase the range of claws attack. + Each time this Skill rises one Level, the skill effect will get stronger and Sp consumption will increase.] "Not a bad skill. [Sharp Claws]" I felt my SP reduced and I saw one claw of red light appear at each fingertip of my left hand. If I''m in the sci-fi world, it could be said that I got laser claws. For now, I will be sitting here, in my safe and comfortable room while playing with this new Skill. I will pass my time today by drawing something on this floor. Kreet! A sound was heard when my bedroom door opened. "Big sis? Are you okay?" Kimi asked. Worries, coloring her voice. The cute girl showed her head to peek at me. Her ears hung low and her tail swung slowly. I looked at Kimi and I smiled at her. "Yes, I am okay." "yes? It must be a lie." She said. The little girl went into my room and instantly approached me. Standing in front of me, she narrowed her eyes and said, "I truly understand, when big sis being sad or moody, big sis always shuts herself in the room and sits using this pose in the corner of the room." That''s pretty shocking! I didn''t think she knew my habits that even I didn''t know. My ears made a jolt and then I turned my face away. I don''t want to look at Kimi''s eyes. I don''t know why, suddenly, I feel ashamed. "Tell me, what kind of problem that makes Big Sis become like this?" Kimi interrogates me and I chose to be silent. As someone who was more mature and as her older sister, I didn''t want to tell her about my miserable times. Telling her a story that I became moody after being beaten up to the star by a Slime and because I ate raw meat was not a good idea. Especially when I have an image and pride as a big sister to protect. Jii~ Even if you continue to look at me with probing gazes, I won''t give you an answer, I said in my mind. "It doesn''t matter if big sis doesn''t want to answer me." Kimi gave up. However, she then pulled my hand and said, "now, come with me!" "Why-" "Big sis doesn''t need to ask and I don''t accept the word no! Come with me and move your feet, big sis!" said Kimi forcefully. The little girl even pulled both of my hands stronger, she tried to make me stand up. Seeing her behavior and attitude, I decided to give up. I don''t have any plans today. And it''s a good idea if I try to forget about the side effects of the Heart of Monsters for a while. So, I''m going to follow Kimi''s selfishness. The little girl pulled me out of the room. She did a little preparation and then took me out of the house. We walked on the sidewalk and I asked, "Where are we going?" "Keep following me and in the end, big sis will know!" Kimi said in a joking tone. The little girl was trying to be mysterious. But I can make a guess, she has big plans to entertain me. Unfortunately for her, the grand plan failed. My feelings have improved. The effort she showed to comfort me was more than enough to eradicate the negative feelings I had. I can''t break her spirit. So, I decided to follow whatever she wanted to do. In the end, we went for a walk through the city. We visited various places, bought snacks in large quantities, we met people, and more importantly, in the end, we smiled and had fun. The little girl was so adorable when she said she was going to treat me. "I have money from the quest I completed!" She said with pride. Today is so much fun and I want moments like this to continue forevermore. Moments like this became one of the reasons that made me have to resolve the matter about the side effects of the Heart of Monsters soon. "Can we buy dry fruit?" "You want dry blueberries, Kimi?" "No." She shook her head and looked at me. "Today I want Dry Redberry." "In that case, let''s go to the market to find the snacks you want." And we went to the market to visit the fruit seller. Three kinds of Redberries coming from three different regions and the time they are dried is also different. This thing made my little girl had trouble choosing the Dry Redberry she wanted. As Kimi struggled to make a choice, I turned to the right and left to look for fruit or something I wanted to eat today. I avoided monster meat. I looked from one store to another and then, my ears stood up when by accident, I saw someone who caught my attention. For a glance, she looks like someone I know. Her existence made me freeze. At the same time, she walked past us and slowly moved away. Regaining my consciousness from my daze and spontaneously, I turned around. I chased after that girl to finally grasp her hand. Without thinking, I said, "Cerene!" That girl frowned upon seeing me, someone who suddenly stopped her. "What do you want?" asked the girl. Standing in front of me was a young Fallen Elf. She had long black hair like the night sky. The golden eyes that looked at me sharply were like the finest diamonds. This girl was stunning, she was perfect. The girl knocked on my hand. This, makes me realize, she''s not Cerene. But still, there was something that made me pay attention to her. "Tsk!" The Fallen Elf girl voiced her annoyance then walk away. "Wait!" I called her and she didn''t stop. The Fallen Elf girl made me grieve or maybe get excited? I don''t know for sure. It''s just that, right now, I want to be closer to her, I want to get to know her better. "Kimi, follow me!" I said before I walked after the Fallen Elf girl. "Wait! What''s going on? Big sis!" I wasn''t waiting for Kimi to catch up with me. I believe, she will find me.. So, I kept chasing the girl who is carrying the large green leather bag. Chapter 48 - Negotiation 1_2 I blocked the path of a Fallen Elf girl. In exchange, I got a sharp glare from her. "Why are you bothering me? What do you want?" That''s a good question and should I give her an honest answer? "... I want to be closer to you." The end of one side of the girl''s lips twitched. "I never expected a girl to say such a thing to me. I''m not interested, so, go away." The girl ignored me and walked to leave me. A moment later, I realized the meaning of the girl''s words. She thought I wanted to be close to her for a romantic reason. Whereas I... I... Well... Maybe it wasn''t a bad decision considering I hated men. Besides, I''ve been in a relationship with a woman in the past. I can accept a romantic approach. But! What I want right now is to get to know her better. A romantic relationship? I can think about that later. "Wait, miss! Can we talk?" I followed the girl and walked beside her. "Haa... You don''t know the word give up do you?" The girl glanced at me. A moment later she lost interest in me. She kept walking and I followed her. "You won''t leave even if I ask for it, right? So... I will entertain you. However, if you just say carp things or even further to seduce me, I''ll make sure you''ll regret it. Now, tell me, what do you want?" ... I fell silent after getting that question. To be honest, I just wanted to be closer to her. I said my true feelings and she didn''t accept them. Now, I don''t know things to say. Should I say I want to be her friend? No, I don''t think so. If I said it, she would probably assume I was flirting with her again. As for inviting her to chat or to lunch together... It''s no different than flirting with a girl! Think harder Eclaite! Then, do I have to say, I want her to form a party with me? I noticed she was wearing a pretty nice green leather armor. She had a weapon and pieces of equipment that indicated that she was an Adventurer. Hmm... That''s not a bad idea. But, before I could get the Fallen Elf to make a Party with me, Kimi pulled my tail. "Big sis! I understand that big sis wants to hire the services of a Carrier. But, should you abandon me to do it?" She said with annoyance. "You want to hire a Carrier?" asked the girl a little surprised. The words of the two girls brought up an idea in my head! A better idea than to invite her to form a party. At this moment, all I have to do is to follow the flow! So... "Yes! That''s right! I need a carrier!" I told the girl. A moment later, I looked at Kimi. I stroked her hair while saying, "Sorry for leaving you, Kimi." It''s pretty embarrassing and, it looks like I''m doing a bad thing. I left my sister to pursue a beautiful girl. Yup! That''s a bad thing, I thought. I nodded my head and promised I wouldn''t do it again. The Fallen Elf girl gave me a suspicious stare. "Why would you want to hire a carrier?" Good question. Hmm... What kind of answer should I give? And... I just remember, if I hired her, it would mean we were going to hunt together. That''s bad news. I haven''t figured out if Smell Blocker can seal the Heart of Monster side effects. And needless to say, I can''t let her see me eating the corpse of a monster. Ugh! What am I supposed to do now? "Hey! I''m talking to you. Don''t just go silent and answer my question!" "Ah! I''m sorry," I said spontaneously. Then I thought for a while before saying, "I need your services to process the monsters I hunt. To be honest, I can''t process a monster to get material from them." After I said my answer, the Fallen Elf girl and Kimi looked at me with their eyes wide open. They put on an expression as if they heard something crazy. "Big sis..." Kimi said with disappointment. "Your sister is truly unique," said the girl who walked away from us. Seeing that, I quickened my steps to follow her. Minutes passed and we reached the plaza not far from the market. We sat on the edge of a fountain. "What do you think? Do you want to work for me?" The girl didn''t look at me but look at Kimi. My little sister who got the look nodded and face me. "Big sis, what this miss means by ''why big sis wants to hire a carrier'' is not to ask the task she has to do. Instead, she wants to know what kind of quest big sis will take that make you need a carrier." I blinked after getting that explanation. I don''t know that and is it normal? "So... What''s your answer?" the girl asked. "I''m planning to explore the North Forest and I need your help." "Help to process the monsters you hunted in that forest, right?" "Yes, that''s true." "I''m not interested." "Yes?" "I said I''m not interested in accepting the job offer you gave me. The North Forest was a hunting ground for novice Adventurers. And most of the monsters there were low-leveled. I won''t get benefit if I accept a job from you," the Fallen Elf girl explained. The girl then tied her long hair. After that, he started eating Dry Fruits, she mimicked my sister who enjoyed her snacks. "What do you mean by not making a profit? We can get five silver coins if we manage to hunt down ten Vargs." "And I can obtain twelve silver coins by hunting a Leaf Boar within the Foltian Great Dungeon. You need a lot of money to hire my services. Because after all, I am a C-Rank Carrier." "C-Rank Carrier?" I''m confused. That''s a foreign term for me. "A C-Rank Carrier is the same as a C-Rank Adventurer. And usually, the price of their services reaches thirty silver per day." After explaining to me, Kimi looks at the Fallen Elf girl. The girl smiled then said, "Thirty silver is the minimum fee. If you''re willing to pay me fifty silvers a day, I''m willing to work for you. Now you know that I''m out of your reach. So, give up, okay?" Surrender? I don''t think so. And she should have known that I wouldn''t surrender easily. Yes, I would say that fifty silver coins are expensive. But, I have something else that''s more valuable than money! I know the existence of a Hidden Dungeon. That place would give a fortune of more than fifty silver coins. That''s why... "What if I had a treasure map.. Are you interested in finding that treasure with me? We can divide the profits in two." Chapter 49 - Negotiation 2_2 "Treasure?" Kimi and the Fallen Elf voiced that question at same time. "Yes, treasure. A treasure that will make you rich!" I said in a slightly high tone to convince the Fallen Elf girl. "Oh... Treasure! Inside the North Forest, there are treasures and you want to share those treasures with me. You are so kind to give me ample wealth. I feel like it''s all a dream!" The girl said all of it with passion. She even clapped my left hand with her hands. Seeing her smile, my ears stood up and my tail swung around at a fast pace. To make her believe more in the treasure, I said, "That''s not a dream! The treasure exists! Become rich is not a dream!" "Then I''ll help you find the treasure," said the girl with a smile. A moment later she immediately put on a serious expression. "And do you think I truly mean to say that?" "Huh?" I was confused and the girl frowned. She let go of my hand then said, "You think I''ll blindly believe your story about this treasure?" "Why not?" "Haa... Why is this girl so na?ve and innocent," the girl massaged her forehead. "Listen to me. Someone wouldn''t believe your story about you knowing the location of a hidden treasure if you didn''t have solid evidence to support your story." "And it''s too good to be true, a treasure that makes someone rich in an instant. Where? In the northern forest where the beginner adventurers hunt? As I have said, the story is like a dream, too good to be true." The girl''s explanation made me speechless. A moment later, I realized that what she was saying was true. But, is my story also the truth? Wait a minute... I found out the story about hidden dungeons from Ark Fantasy Online! And I, I haven''t confirmed whether the Hidden Dungeon truly exists in this world! If that Hidden Dungeon doesn''t exist, aren''t I in big trouble!? "An you hope someone believes about that story? You are a stupid girl." The girl insulted me and more painfully, things she said were true. As I felt embarrassed after realizing my mistake, Kimi approached the girl. My little sister''s ears and tail stood up. She put on an annoyed expression then pointed at the girl. "Hey! Although it was a fact that my big sis was na?ve, innocent, and strange, my big sis wasn''t stupid! I can''t let you ridicule my big sis!" "Kimi!" I shouted. For some reason, my face heated up after hearing and seeing Kimi''s Bravo. I''m not angry and strangely, I feel ashamed. Where did this shame come from? I don''t know. The girl blinked and from the expression she showed, she seemed to be surprised by Kimi''s attitude. A moment later, "Hahaha... Well, little lady, I won''t ridicule your sister again on a condition, you must teach your this so-called big sis common sense that is being used in society. Your sister is a fat, tasty prey to fraudsters." "I know. But unfortunately, my big sis''s weirdness was beyond repair." "Kimi!" I cried spontaneously. My feelings are really in the mess right now. I couldn''t say anything when I saw the Fallen Elf girl holding back her laughter. Ugh! I want to hide somewhere now. Kimi looked at me and gave me the expression she used to show when she scolded me. "That''s the truth. Big sis common sense is too strange and I do feel worried every time big sis goes to the city alone." "Hahaha..." The girl finally couldn''t help to laugh. She can''t hold it anymore. "Ugh, Kimi!" After saying those words, I caught my little sister. I silenced her in my hug. The little girl tried to run away and the Fallen Elf girl was laughing. It lasted for some time before the three of us finally fell silent. I glanced at the Fallen Elf girl as I let go of my little sister. And yes, I admire the girl. Black glossy hair, gold bright eyes, pink soft lips, and perfect carved nose. She was beautiful, she was perfect. Lastly, a leaf-shaped pin in her hair. It''s give her a childish vibe. That vibe made me nostalgic. Cerene. Even though right now I was Giselle Gibson, I still remember the cheerful little Fallen Elf girl clearly. Does, I, the old Eclaite want to satisfy her longing for Cerene by interacting with this girl? Once again, I don''t know the answer. "So miss, will you accept my job offer?" "I don''t want to hear your joke anymore! So, don''t bother to open your mouth again." "But-" I wanted to give a reply but the girl covered my mouth with her index finger. At the same time, she gave me a menacing look. She tried to intimidate me but I didn''t feel scared. I found myself admiring the charm of those golden eyes. Then, when I being mesmerized, she moved her lips. "You have to pay me fifty silvers a day if you want my services. You can take it or leave it. Make your choice. I don''t want to hear anything else." I started thinking about the offer after the girl pulled her index finger away from my lips. Fifty silver coins per day. Yes, that''s an amount I can''t spend easily. I''m too poor and it hurts so much. I look at the girl''s eyes. With a bitter tongue, I said, "I can''t hire your services." "Then our conversation is over," said the girl. She picked up her bag and walked away from us "What''s your name, miss?" I asked. At least, I should get her name before we part ways. The Fallen Elf girl turned to look at me. She smiled at me. "I''ll tell you my name when you can hire my services." Then, the girl disappeared into the crowd. "It''s very disappointing," I whispered. "Big sis can hire another Carrier, don''t be disappointed." Kimi tried to comfort me. At the same time, she stroked my head. I sighed. "Haa... Let''s go home, Kimi." "Okay!" I''m going to surrender now. I''ll meet and talk to the Fallen Elf girl if I have the chance and¡­ money. I''ve already remembered the scent of her body, I can find her easily. Now, I have to think about the side effects of the Heart of Monsters and how to find the Lost City Beldea. I have to earn money so I can hire the Fallen Elf girl for a few days. ? The next day, I visited a shop called Anna Magic Shop. Anna Magic Shop is a two-story shop made of red brick. This shop looks serene because it is decorated with various types of decorative plants including vines that stick to the walls of the store. In addition to selling the Spells in the form of Magic Scrolls, the store also sells various types of Magic Tools. In Ark Fantasy Online, Anna Magic Shop is very famous for having a beautiful NPC who plays as the shop owner. The popularity of this NPC even made hundreds of Players create a Fan Club. There were different types of quests assigned to this beautiful NPC name Anna. And one of the most famous quests was a quest that could make a Player recruit her into their Party for some time. And honestly, I say. I am one of Anna''s fans. Therefore, I hope to meet her when I buy Magic Tools. I entered the store with hope. I did window shopping for a while. Unfortunately, I didn''t manage to find Anna the beautiful NPC, the owner of this shop. It''s so weird. Usually, Anna will occupy one of the cashier''s tables to serve customers. But today, the figure of the silver-haired half-elf woman was completely unseen. Disappointed, I picked up a Smell Blocker from the display rack. Then, I approached one of the cashier''s tables without customers. A middle-aged man gave me a friendly smile the moment I got there. "Welcome, miss. What do you need from the Anna Magic Shop today?" "I want to buy this Smell Blocker. I also need a Lantern of Revealers," I told the shopkeeper. At the same time, I put the Smell Blocker on the cashier''s desk. "Lantern of Revealers... Please wait a minute, miss. I''ll find the stuff you''re asking for." I nodded and the middle-aged man left his chair. He talked to another shopkeeper for a while before entering a room. A few minutes later, the man returned. "This is the Lantern of Revealers you asked for, miss," said the middle-aged man who placed a small Lantern on the cashier''s desk. "Is there anything else you need?" "No, I only need these two items. How much does it cost?" "Smell Blockers cost one large silver and Lantern of Revealers cost one and a half large silver. All become two and a half large silver." I nodded and paid for the two items. "Thank you." "No, miss. We are the ones who should say thank you." I left Anna Magic Shop to start my new adventure. Chapter 50 - Found! Lost City Beldea Learn Skills - Butchering or hiring a Carrier. Those two things were suggested by Ellis so that I could earn more. Unfortunately, even though I''ve been using Smell Blockers, Heart of Monster side effects still appear if I get too close to blood for a while. It made me stop learning the Skill - Butchering. I don''t want to get out of control at the Adventurer''s Guild''s processing house. My head became dizzy when I thought about the consequences that would befall me if it happened. And yes, Smell Blocker shows its magic. That Magic Tool can thwart the side effects of the Heart of Monsters with the flaws that I can''t get too close to blood for a long time. As for renting a Carrier. As the Fallen Elf girl said, I''m too poor. Well... I can hire a Low-Rank Carrier but I don''t want one. My heart is already attached to that Fallen Elf girl. Form an Adventuring Party. Ellis went back to discussing this to complete the advice she had given me. And I, who don''t know gratitude reject her advice. As a result, I got a scolding from Ellis. The elegant woman finally released me from her anger and worries after I said, "I hope you will understand, Miss Ellis. I have my reasons for why I don''t want to form an Adventuring Party for now. I want someone who can keep a secret, loyal, and they should be women too. I believe, finding someone with those criteria is a difficult task to do." "What about a Battle Slave? They can keep secrets without fail and they are loyal." My body stiffen when Ellis mentioned the word slave. Some bad memories flashed through my mind. Because of that, Instantly, my ears and tail hung weakly. "Oh!" Ellis covered her mouth with her left hand. She showed an expression that had just realized something. "I''m sorry, Miss Eclaite. I don''t mean-'' "No problem, Miss Ellis," I said to cut Ellis''s words. "Battle slave wouldn''t suit me." "... I understand," Ellis replied briefly. Awkwardness engulfed us until Ellis gave me the quest she had already processed. The elegant woman gave me a weak smile. "Once again, I apologize. Be careful out there, Miss Eclaite." I made a strong nod to that advice. "Of course, Miss Ellis. I will always be vigilant and careful." After all, I didn''t want to encounter the episode where I was all-out beaten by a monster once again. I left the Adventurer''s Guild to visit the market. I got my lunch and then, I visited the north gate. Time passed and now, I trace the highway to the North Forest. While walking in the middle of the meadow, I thought; maybe I got PTSD. The Blue Little Slime terrified me. I can''t help but ran away when one of them approached me. No Slime for today! In the North Forest, I did activities that became routine for the past four days. I gathered the medicinal herbs then searched for the Lost City Beldea. I opened my simple map and turned on the Lantern of Revealers. My feet take a step once I''m ready to go. Today I''m going to area D! On my simple map are five red circles marking several places in the North Forest. I suspect Lost City Beldea is in one of them. I''ve checked circles or areas A, B, and C. I''ve found nothing in those places and I hope, Beldea is in areas D or E. Now, we''re going to talk about Lantern of Revealers. This Magic Tool that is as big as a Choco Cola can is made of black metal. This lantern emits a dim green light and that light will tell me where the Lost City Beldea is. If, I was quite close to the Hidden Dungeon. Five days ago, after I met the Fallen Elf girl, I was reminded of an article, made by a Player who discovered The Lost City Beldea. In that article, the Player explained that an illusion concealed the entrance of the Lost City Beldea. The Prayer managed to uncover the illusion because, by accident, he brought Lantern of Revealers. With luck, the Player found the Lost City Beldea. Then, after he explored the Hidden Dungeon and obtained various types of Treasures there, he became rich. "And I want to be rich too!" I exclaimed and my tail made a powerful swing. I filled my feet with energy and hurried pace! I have to get to area D before noon comes! A few minutes later, I notice that three Vargs approached me. "They are so annoying!" I''m irked. Then, I pulling out my Bleed Fair. I''m ready to engage that monster. Why am I irked when monsters come to give me Exp? Don''t I want to raise my level quickly? My goal is to be strong, right? To answer that question, I would say that I''m a little afraid to fight the monsters. And I don''t have to say where the source of my fear came from. I use Heat Detection to avoid monsters. Survival is my top priority for now. I''ll hunt down the monsters once I get a way to measure the strength of monsters. I tried to gain a Skill suited for that role by visiting the Dojo and Skill Master. And truly, unfortunately, to get the Skill I want, I need... Money. The poor didn''t get everything and the rich did get everything. It was a bitter truth. Now, back to the three Vargs that came to eat me. I could have decided to run away. But, after three attempts to do that run away, I knew it was a futile act. The Vargs will continue to follow me by tracking my body scent. And at the end of the day, we''ll fight. Yes, Smell Blocker doesn''t erase my body scent, that Magic Tool can only block my sense of smell. "Woff!" As usual, three Vargs launched attacks from three different directions. They''re going to go after my leg to knock me down. Varg has good teamwork but I''m not afraid of that. My courage comes from my high AGI Stat. Thanks to that, my body movements became fast! And as I fought, I could feel everything around me becoming slower. The miracle provided by high AGI allowed me to kill those Vargs easily. In less than five minutes, I managed to stab their heads. Three Vargs died. Their corpses were lying around my feet. < Level up! 3 to 4 > And yes, I don''t want to eat a chunk of raw meat. However, I still have the desire to obtain a Stat Point from Varg''s meat. Therefore, I took a few pieces of meat from every monster I killed. I''m going to roast the meat or make it a satay for lunch. Eating cooked meat is more civilized than eating a chunk of monster meat raw. I didn''t forget to take their Magic Stones. Unfortunately, I couldn''t stay much longer to take the other part of Varg''s body. I don''t want to take a risk of losing control. Besides, I''m not good at processing monster''s corpses. Three Vargs died and I went back to explore the North Forest. Several tens of minutes passed and finally, lanterns of revealers showed its usefulness. The lantern shone then let out dozens of particles of light that resembled fireflies. They flew to show me the way to the illusion and I ran to follow them. Minutes passed and right now, I was standing in front of a stone wall, just below a cliff. Particles of light gather on one part of the cliff, they merge to form a curtain of light. Then, that curtain of light shone even brighter. After a few seconds had passed, the curtain of light faded away to show a stone gate flanked by two giant statues of knights. Finally, I found the front gate of The Lost City Beldea. After lunch, I will explore that Hidden Dungeon. < Agility Stat Up! AGI +1 > ¡Á 3 < Because a skill has been obtained from these monsters, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill obtained from this monster. > ¡Á 3 < Sharp Claws, level up! 1 to 2 > < Stat points and Exp for Skill cannot be obtained from this monster again. > "[Stat open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female | Age: 19 ] [ Race: Beastkin - One Tail Fox | Level: 4/10 ] [ Job: Slave, F-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» [ HP: 27/30 | MP: 41/43 | SP: 50/66 ] [ STR: 18 + 6 | AGI: 42 - 2 | Luck : 3 ] [ END: 25 + 12 | DEX: 9 | ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppel?????] ? New! [Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood] [Upgrade Hearing] [Upgrade Smelling] [Heat Perception - 1]? New! [Pain Resistance - 4] [Poison Resistance - 3] [Paralyze Resistance -2] [Physical Attack Resistance - 1] ? New! [SP Regeneration Up - 2] [Spear Mastery - 1] [Courtesan - 5] [Cooking - 3] [Dance - 2] [Charm - 3] [Sharp Claws - 2] ? New! + ? Level up! Chapter 51 - Solo Dungeon Diving 1_3 Smell Blocker gave me a bright future. Okay, I know I don''t need to dramatize this episode. Smell Blocker successfully solved the problem about the influence of Unique Skill - Heart of Monster. That''s the point. Now, I won''t lose control after inhaling the scent of monsters'' blood, I will no longer see a future where I will be burned alive, and best of all, I can do adventuring with the Fallen Elf girl! My heart can breathe a sigh of relief. Sitting in front of the campfire, I looked at the stone gate that was the entrance of Lost City Beldea. The joy colored my heart when I found the gate. I even raised my fists into the air. Yes, I didn''t jump straight into the Lost City Beldea and explore it right away. I decided to take a break, eat lunch, and check the supplies I brought first. The noon had passed and right now was almost one o''clock. Knowing this, if I want to go home before nightfall, I only have two or three hours to explore Beldea. I''ve never hunted a monster at night and right now, I don''t want to experience it. Imagining me exploring the forest at night made all the fur on my tail stand up. Now. A Hidden Dungeon filled with treasures. Yup, that sentence tickles my greed and my adventurous soul. I wonder what kind of adventure awaits me in there. This world is different from ark fantasy online games. Therefore, I was expecting something more challenging and not something more deadly. About the treasure hidden within the Lost City Beldea. I remember, the Player who discovered this hidden dungeon gained a blueprint or Magic Weapons. But unfortunately, I don''t remember clearly, what kind of treasure it was. The shape, type, or name of the treasure he got I have absolutely no memory of it. Hmm... If I think about this once again, I think, my ignorance about that treasure is normal. Considering that Lost City Beldea was discovered before I played Ark Fantasy Online. "As long as the treasure is precious, anything is okay." I looked back at the Varg satay I was cooking. Soon they will be done and I can''t wait to eat them. This satay was very simple, only pieces of monster meat were flavored with salt and two types of herbs. But, it had such a delicious taste. Then in The blink of an eye, after all the satay was done, they were gone to my stomach. "A satisfying breakfast. Now, it''s time for me to explore Beldea." I stood up and checked the equipment I had. It would be foolish if I was caught in a precarious situation because of malfunction equipment. Weapons, check. Spare weapons, check. Equipment to disarming traps, check. Lighting, check. Potions and first aid kits, check. Okay! Now, I''m ready to explore the Lost City Beldea. I walked to the gate on the cliff. And then... "This gate is big," I commented. The stone door at the gate was approximately four meters high. The door is decorated with symmetrical carvings that are commonly seen in Sci-Fi movies. But, the gold-colored teks and the four blue gems that became ornaments made the door suitable in this fantasy world. "Okay, this gate looks so heavy. Do I have enough strength to open it?" In the game, one only needs to touch that door and that door will open automatically. Did that happen here too? "Let''s find out!" I walked over and touched the door with my left hand. Seconds later... Creak! Zhaa! Zhaa! Zhaa! Like an automatic door, the stone door opened, revealing the inside of the Lost City Beldea. My adventure begins! I passed through the gate and lit a small lantern that hangs on my right waist. Getting the light, I started tracing this dim hallway. Wow... This place is amazing. Dozens of knight statues made of stone, lined up on both sides of the hallway, they stood among the large, sturdy pillars. A green banner decorated with the symbol of two swords crossed behind a round shield with an image of a dragon inside it, adorned several pillars in this hallway. Chandeliers hang from this ceiling. It didn''t emit light because the Crystal Lamp that adorned it was damaged. Out of curiosity and awe, I approached one of the knight statues. They look so detailed and I want to observe them up close. A surprise greeted me, the knight statues are not stone statues. They are corpses! Mummies! "Oh my God!" I cried out and spontaneously moved away. Those mummies looked like a statue because they were covered by dust! Their existence made my ears and tail stand up. I unsheathed my Bleed Fair, I''m ready to fight if the corpses wake up. But... After a few minutes had passed, they showed no signs of moving. "Aren''t they undead?" I went back to the statue or corpse that was close to me. A dim red light enveloped Bleed Fair. A moment later... "[Red Piercing]" Splat! Clang! Clang! The head of the corpse in front of me was destroyed. The helmet it was wearing bounced, hitting the floor several times before finally stopping. "Eugh~" That''s so disgusting! I turned my face away and then take a step to distance myself from it. Now, I know that the mummies in here won''t move. They are not undead. And speaking of undead, I just remembered that Lost City Beldea was an undead-themed Dungeon. "Ugh, I hate undead," I said as I picked up a long sword from one of other mummies. I checked the long sword in my hand. This sword was not rusty at all, it was still sharp, and still sturdy. Surprisingly enough, this long sword was a High-Grade Weapon named Silver Long Sword. Although it was called Silver, this weapon was not made of silver. According to Flavor Text, this weapon was made from High Steel with a slight mixture of Holy Silver. Thanks to that, this weapon had a Holy Element that was so effective for fighting Undead and Astral Type Monsters. "So... These mummies don''t become undead because they carry weapons that have Holy Elements?" ... I am not a Priestess or an undead expert. So... I don''t know. But, I know that this weapon will play a big part in my adventure in this Dungeon. I left the mummy to go deeper into the Dungeon. I walked on a floor made of blue and black marble. Time passed and I ran to the other gate. Different from the gate that became the entrance, this gate had a half-destroyed wooden door that likes being hit by an explosion. The bottom left part of the doors wide open. A light shone from that wide-open parts. I took a deep breath and went into the wide-open parts of the door. Then... "Whoa..." An amazing sight greeted me. In front of me was a gigantic dome-shaped cave. Right in the cave ceiling, there is one giant Sun Crystal that is accompanied by thousands of small Sun Crystals. Their light illuminated this lost city. And I think... "My lanterns became useless." Under the giant Sun Crystal, there were hundreds of buildings of various shapes and sizes. They formed a small town called Beldea. I say small to this city because according to my estimation, the city in this cave is no more than three square kilometers. Yes, I can make that estimate because the gate that I just went through was built in a high place. Thanks to that, I was able to see the entire city quite clearly. While looking at the city, I''m trying to remember the last time I explored Lost City Beldea when I was still playing Ark Fantasy Online. I want to remember the Treasure Spot''s location on this floor. In the end, vaguely, I remembered three Treasure Spots that had the most treasures. "I have a mission now." Leaving the gate, I descended the long stairs leading to the lost city. A moment later, I traced the street in this lost city. The city was ruined. Several small craters, shards of buildings, damaged horse-drawn carriages, and wide cracks decorated the streets of the city. The word damaged can also be applied to dozens of buildings on both sides of the road. They were destroyed and almost collapsed. The buildings were like they were burned and hit by something big. The architecture in this lost city reminds me of the town of Rishtonbell. The only difference between them is the fact that the buildings in the city of Rishtonbell are not decorated with dragon-shaped statues. I admired this abandoned city for some time until finally, an undead revealed itself to me. Chapter 52 - Solo Dungeon Diving 2_3 "This is one of the main reasons why I hate Undead!" I shouted that phrase as I ran. Behind me, dozens of undead also ran. They don''t follow me, they chase me! And even more terrifying, that undead want to eat me! "Rawr!" "Rawr!" They made strange cries as they moved their legs. Undead named Corpse Walkers ¨C who are corpses of people ¨C can run like living people! And it wouldn''t be an exaggeration if I said that they are faster than an athlete. The Corpse Walkers remind me of a movie titled World War ABC. But luckily, the undead in this world isn''t like the zombies in that movie. What am I talking about? I''m talking about their bites. One bite can turn a person into a zombie. I''m lucky the Corpse Walkers don''t have such abilities. If they have it, then I''m already dead! Rock Lizard Leather Armor along with the Cyan Arms and Legs Guard gave me protection. But, there are still some parts of my body that open without protection. Some Corpse Walkers managed to bite my body or rather, they bit my thighs and my upper arms. One of those lucky ones managed to bite my neck. I got all those injuries after a dozen Corpse Walkers knocked me down. All those undead came out of the darkness simultaneously! They didn''t give me time to give a counterattack or to escape. After struggling. I pierce their hearts, decapitated their heads, and dismembered their bodies using the Silver Long Sword, I managed to escape. But, I hadn''t had time to drink a bottle of Basic Potion, a dozen other Corpse Walkers appeared in the road I''m running in. And that is how I was chased by a dozen Corpse Walkers. "Rawr!" One nearby Corpse Walker pounce on me from the side. Realizing that, I stepped aside to dodge. Then I swung Silver to cut off the undead''s right leg. Slash! Ripp! The undead fell to tackle the steps of the other Corpse Walkers. It gave me time to escape and I didn''t want to waste it. "I have to find a place to take shelter." My eyes moved to scan the surroundings. I want a building that has sturdy doors! After running for a while, the Goddess of Fortune finally smiled at me! I found the building I needed. I turned to approach the door of the red brick building. And yes, I''m so lucky! This door is unlocked. I opened the door and went inside. I closed the door in a matter of seconds before I pushed a cabinet to block the door. Bam! Bam! I know, that door won''t last long. I ran up the stairs to the second floor. When I got there, I went back up the other stairs. On the third floor, I searched for a room with windows. A few minutes later, I found one. Again, I blocked the door using a piece of furniture. Now, I have time to heal myself. ? My attempt to break away from the mob of Corpse Walker made me have to leave my Leather Bag behind, at the scene of the ambush. And unfortunately, I didn''t have the opportunity to take back my Leather Bag. It got even worse because after I killed most of the Corpse Walker in there, my body, armor, and clothes became covered in blood, viscous body fluids, and small pieces of rotten flesh. With all those disgusting things attached to my armor and body, I was terrified of infection. The luck I got from that event was the injuries I got were only minor injuries. They weren''t directly exposed to all the disgusting things like blood, bodily fluids, and corpse walker rotten flesh because they were protected and covered by my armor and my clothes. And yes, my puke resistance increased because of that episode. As for the wound on my neck, it was just a scratch. Yes, the Blue Necklace which is a Slave Collar shows an unexpected function. The Slave Collar became a shield that protected my neck. For once, this thing does something useful. The wounds on my body healed after I drank a bottle of Basic Potion and rested for approximately ten minutes. Now, my condition was improved and my stamina is replenished. I''m ready to fight. "Let''s move." I stood up and approached the door. Putting up my ears, I was trying to figure out if those Corpse Walkers were entering this house. "Ugh! Those undead don''t make a sound at all if I''m not close enough to them." And it seemed, those undead only reacted if they heard a voice. These characteristics that mimic zombies make me troubled. Having no other choice, I walked out of that room while trying not to make any noise. Then, I went down the stairs. I want to find out if the front door has been broken or not. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw that the door was still at anding. But a few minutes later, I held my breath when I saw the dozens of Corpse Walkers still wandering in front of the front doors of this building. I wanted to escape through the back door but I abandoned the plan after I recalled, dozens of Corpse Walkers roamed on the streets of this lost city. "Exploring this city by jumping from one roof to another is not a bad idea. Especially when the buildings in here are pretty close to each other." A plan has been made. And it''s time for me to realize that plan. I turned around and walked up the stairs to the top floor. My journey went well until... "Rawr!" A Corpse Walker shrieked as it appeared from behind the door. "Kya!" I shouted and at the same time, spontaneously, I cut off the undead''s stomach. The attack did not kill the monster. The long cut in its stomach made it ooze out its rotten innards. I hate this! I hate Jump Scare, Thriller, and Gore! The undead here doesn''t have heat. Therefore, Heat Detection was completely useless! I can''t detect the undead at all. Lost City Beldea becomes Haunted City Beldea when the Undead unexpectedly appears from the darkness to scare me! Feeling the anger, fear, and hatred, I behead the Undead. Slash! Ripp! The undead died and I directly ran towards the roof. I ignored the monster. What about the Magic Stone and the Corpse Walker''s meat? No! Just no! I don''t want to do cannibalism let alone eating rotten meat! Without In intention, a sigh of relief came out of my nose as I watched the Corpse Walkers in the street stood still, not following me as I jumped into another building. "With this, the exploration I''m doing will become easier." I went south, to the nearest Treasure Spot by doing parkour from one building to another. In the end, I saw the building that was my target, finish line, and destination after a few minutes had passed. "I''m going to be rich!" I made a shout and approached the nearest door on the roof of this building. I want to get down to the street by passing through the inside of this building. Therefore, I opened the brown wooden door. Then... I froze. After I opened the door, I met the Ghoul that was eating the Corpse Walker! The Gore scene terrified me! But I''m more afraid of Ghoul that looking at me with its red eyes! "SCREEE!" The ghoul shrieked and lunged at me. I''m the one who deals with the danger, dodging the attack spontaneously. The ghoul passed me and I breathed a sigh of relief because I didn''t get hurt. I unsheathed Silver when I turned around. The ghoul silently looked at me. Doubt enveloped my heart. Therefore I didn''t take the first step to launch an attack. Ghouls are humans who become undead. Different from the Corpse Walkers, their bodies didn''t decompose, their bodies looked like they were filled with life. But... They don''t have skin! The pink flesh and muscle fibers which is clearly visible are obviously so scary. Especially when the flesh is drenched by blood! Suddenly, the Ghoul sprinted up to me. Its mouth was wide open to reveal rows of yellow teeth. The monster''s arms stretched forward, the fingers that were decorated by sharp nails were wide open, they showed intent to seize me. I focused my mind. Thanks to that, the Ghoul''s movements became slower. Taking advantage of this situation, I took a step forward. I approached the right side of the monster. The ghoul tried to grab my shoulder and I dodged by throwing my body down. Ghoul''s arm passed over my head. At the same time, I launched an attack. Using Silver, I cut off the monster''s thigh. Luckily, my attack worked! Ghouls were down! As it tried to stand up, I unsheathed Bleed Fair using my right hand. Again, the Ghouls attacked me. It swung its arm, its sharp claws trying to cut off my body! I am grateful for having a high AGI. Thanks to these AGI, I was able to dodge Ghoul attacks without forcing myself too hard. I kept dodging its attacks for some time. Then, when an opportunity came, I swung Silver to cut off the Ghoul''s right arm. As a result of the attack, the Ghoul took a few steps back. I didn''t stop my attack. I discharge my energy and Bleed Fair in my right hand emits a red glow. "[Impale]" Stab! I stabbed the Ghoul in the stomach and pushed it down! Thanks to the attack, I managed to nail the monster to the floor. When the monster tried to pull out my Bleed Fair, I beheaded it. Chapter 53 - Solo Dungeon Diving 3_3 Looking to the right, looking to the left, everything is safe. The Front, back, and top are also safe. No Corpse Walker detected. "It''s time to cross the road." With that words as a sign, I came out of my hiding place. Leaving behind the pile of Wooden barrels, I ran towards the entrance of the building that is a Treasure Spot. "I succeeded!" A smile bloomed on my face when I reached the door. A moment later, I groaned when I found out that the door was locked. I took three steps back to observe this three-story building. From the exterior of the building, I can say that this building is a store. Therefore, I guess, getting into the building was not an easy thing to do. A large store must have tight security. Of course, I won''t give up. I need the treasure in this store. I decided to walk around this store. And in the end, I found a wide hole on its right wall. I can say that something huge came out of this store after I look at this wide hole... "Is the Twin Head Corpse Walker a suspect in this crime?" I asked when I saw the big footprints on the ground. I don''t know the answer to that question. And yes, I don''t want to find out the answer. Judging from the absence of footprints that showed the huge something never returned, I can tell that huge something didn''t use this shop as a nest. The huge something never came back and that was the most important thing. I went into the wide hole. A dozen minutes passed and now, I''m checking out the first floor. I''ve checked some rooms and unfortunately, I didn''t find anything. Now, in a bedroom, I check the closet, bed, drawers, and other furniture. I also didn''t forget to check every corner of the room. I was hoping to find the treasure but in the end, I didn''t find anything. And what''s worse, right now, I feel like a thief. "Thief doesn''t sound cool, I preferred tomb raider." I left the bedroom to go to the second floor. There, I went back to look for treasure. Minutes later, I can only drop my shoulders, ears, and tail when I find nothing. Disappointed, I decided to take a break. At the same time, I tried to remember where the treasure was. "Hmm..." For a while, my tail swung slowly to the right then to the left, and vice versa. "Oh!" My ears stand up when I remember something. I remember the treasure was in the basement! Not wasting my time, I went to the basement. Since the door to the basement was located next to the stairs, I could find it easily. I went downstairs and I found a dark basement! "This darkness is extremely problematic! Because of this, I can''t check the room easily!" A little annoyed, I went back to the first floor. I went into a room to pick up a lantern that looked decent. Then, I was amazed when I saw that the old lantern was working. But... If I look at this room more closely. I don''t think all the stuff here is old. Yes, this room is dusty, fragile, and has a lot of broken furniture. However, this building looks like it was just have been abandoned for few years. With a little renovation, this building can be inhabited again. I shook my head to remove useless thoughts. Then, I searched for a bag or something I could use to carry the treasure I was about to find. And even though the treasure didn''t exist ¡ª even though I wished it existed ¡ª there was nothing wrong if I do a preparation first. In the end, when I didn''t found any bag, I decided to bring a sheet of curtains. With a lantern in hand, I explored the basement. The light of the lantern allowed me to see dozens of wooden boxes, piles of brown sacks, various kinds of rotten foodstuffs, dozens of barrels of wood, and the others else. Unfortunately, the dozens of lanterns that are here cannot be lit. It left a lantern in my hand as the only source of illumination. Now I know, this basement was used as the main warehouse of this store. They''re storing all the merchandise in here. And I think this basement is quite interesting. Especially with large pillars and a small, old human-powered elevator. I checked this room for treasure but what I found was... "Rawr!" One Corpse Walker! When I found it, the fancy-dressed Corpse Walker was sitting in a wine barrel. The undead was a statue as it sat there. But, the moment the undead discovered my presence, it becomes alive! And brutally, that undead tried to kill me! Unlucky for the Corpse Walker, I have a high AGI Stat. I''m fast! And I can kill it in seconds. Corpse Walker''s head rolled on the floor. And for the first time, I found a precious thing! I found a gold necklace decorated with a key that was also made of gold in the neck of the Corpse Walker. My tail made a satisfying swing as I picked up the necklace. It''s bloody but it''s precious. Searches in the basement continued. "It''s weird," I said as I looked at the basement. I''ve checked this place and I didn''t find the room that became the Treasure Spot. What I found was a locked iron box. If I want to open this iron box, I need a key. And I hope the golden key in my hand is the key I needed. Click! "Oh!" The iron box is unlocked! I opened the lid of the iron box and I found three bottles of potions, hundreds of coins with most of them were silver coins mixed with little bronze and gold coins, four small bags, two jewel-embellished bracelets, and a golden dagger. Undoubtedly, all the things in this iron box were precious. Those things will make me rich. But... Now I doubt that all these items can be called treasures. I mean, I walked into a store, I rummage every room to look for valuables. Then, in the end, I found an iron box containing the valuables I wanted. And to open this iron box, I used the key I took from one Corpse Walker that I killed. So, isn''t the thing I''m doing now is thievery? And all these items are my loot? Thump! Thump! Thump! Heavy footsteps sounded before I got the answer to my questions. A moment later, for some reason, the atmosphere in this basement became cold and gripping. I could feel a danger. With no further ado, I took two bracelets from the iron box and put them on. Next, I hung the golden dagger on my hip. And lastly, I wrapped everything else using curtains. I put the sketchy backpack on like I was wearing a true backpack. After that, I run towards the exit. Kreet! And I stopped when I heard the sound of this basement door being opened by someone or something. I can''t use the door. That means I have to use an old-fashioned little elevator. I threw my lantern to the right and I ran to the left, towards the old elevator. As I ran, I heard the sound of the other footsteps that were also running. My heart was beating fast! My footsteps become fast too! I arrived at the old elevator! And when I turned around, I saw a huge figure in the middle to pick up my lantern. I couldn''t see its figure clearly because of this darkness but I could see it was moving its head in search of something. And I don''t have to ask to know that what it''s looking for is me! Why can I think like that? Because that huge figure kept staring at me after it found me! I moved my body straight away, got into the old elevator. Bleed Fair gave me a bit of trouble but in the end, I managed to get into it. Not wasting my time, I climbed this one-and-a-half-meter-wide old elevator. I used all my capacity and energy to climb as fast as I could when I heard the sound of footsteps approaching quickly. I continued to climb even though the sound suddenly disappeared. "What happened?" I asked out of curiosity. Then, suddenly, a light shone beneath me. It made me look down spontaneously. Then, I held my screams. My hair stood up and my body froze. I feel an incredible fear! There, right below me, someone or something with a terrifying face and aura looked at me with two pairs of red eyes. It made a crazy big smile to reveal its tow of sharp teeth. "Get down!" It said in a hoarse voice. Goosebumps, creeping from the tip of my toe to the tip of my head. A moment later, I moved my body to climb as fast as I could. But... "Ah!" I slipped, I who is panicked made a mistake. "Aaaa..." I screamed as my body fell. I''m so scared! And when I thought I was going to die, my body suddenly stopped. Accidentally, the Bleed Fair that was on my back got stuck to the wall. I''m lucky! So, so lucky! Taking advantage of the opportunity, I fixed my footing. "Get down!" The voice resounded and a moment later... Bam! A loud voice announcing a strong blow between the two solid objects sounded. A small earthquake followed. The tremor of this small earthquake made me almost slipped again! Bam! "Get down!" After the same episode repeated once again, I learned that the terrifying figure try to destroy the bottom of this elevator using its punch! I''ll die if I fall or when this old elevator was destroyed! Therefore I climbed as fast as possible with caution For my hand and legs do not lose their footing. Chapter 54 - Heartbeat After getting out of the old elevator, I ran up the stairs. My goal is the roof, just like before. I didn''t hear any sound when I got to the third floor. And after my mind becomes calmer, I realized I could feel the heat of that silhouette! Right now, it''s on the first floor. It''s roaming around there, maybe to find me! "I need to get out of here as soon as possible." One problem is chasing me. But, who could have thought, there was another problem that blocking my way. This shop doesn''t have stairs to the roof! I opened door after door and what I found was a ladder to the attic. "I saw some windows on the roof of this shop. I can use that window to go up to the roof." I climbed the ladder. At the same time, I felt the heat of the silhouette go up to the second floor! I moved my body faster. I looked for the window and after I found it, I went out of it. I stood on the roof of this shop for a while before I finally jumped onto the roof of another building. I turned my head as I felt the heat of the silhouette being on the third floor. Standing there, it looked at me from behind the window. "Ugh, I won''t get used to that silhouette," I made the comment before running away. I still called it a silhouette because I wasn''t sure of the silhouette''s true identity. I remember that silhouette once chased me in underground waterways. How did it get here? I don''t want to know. But, the fact that it appeared in the underground waterways of the city of Rishtonbell and this dungeon stated that it was not a monster. Only a human can get out of the city without trouble. However, its figure stated something else! It had four red eyes, its face was like a mix of several faces, and it didn''t include its wide mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth. It''s big, about three meters tall. And just now, I realized that it was wearing armor. So... Is it a human or a monster? I wanted to pronounce him human but the terrifying figure and aura it had said otherwise. "There''s no point thinking about that silhouette. Now, I need to get out of this Dungeon," I said as I ran towards the Dungeon''s exit. ? I''m thirsty and I want to rinse my throat but I don''t have water! This is torture! I could have drunk the Basic Potion I had to relieve this thirst but I''m not going to do it. It was a stupid act. Potions are required to be consumed when I''m injured. So, with my throat dry like a desert, I walked down a dimly lit alley. I don''t use the main street of this city because I don''t want to be found by the silhouette. The road was open wide and there was almost no hiding place there. "Rawr!" One Corpse Walker came out from the back of the wagon to attack me. I who was in super alert mode instantly give a response. To avoid the attack, I stepped back. Along with that, I drew Silver. I didn''t use Bleed Fair because I will get into trouble launching attacks. The alley is too narrow. "Rawr!" Corpse Walker attacked again and I was ready to face it head-on. I swung Silver as I avoided the Corpse Walker who was trying to catch me. A moment later, the undead''s arm lay on the ground. "Rawr!" Ignoring its severed arm, Corpse Walker re-launched an attack. I didn''t stay silent and swing Silver again. I don''t want to stay in this place any longer than necessary. Therefore, after I cut off the Corpse Walker''s remaining hand, I behead it. < Level up! 6 to 7 > "Great! Level up!" I was happy but then... "Urph!" I made a strange noise when a rotten stench suddenly pierced my nose. The stench made my eyes water. I thought I had enough tolerance when I saw Gore but I seemed to be wrong. I didn''t expect, the stench would make this scene unbearable. I know where the stench came from. Therefore, I walked away leaving the Corpse Walker that I had just killed. A few steps later, I breathed clean air. "It''s not good, Smell Blocker is running out of Mana," I complained. At the same time, I wiped away the tears in my eyes. I walked close to the T junction and... "Found you..." Goosebumps creeping all over my body. That hoarse voice can work well to scare someone! I want to scream when I noticed that silhouette was right on my left but three arms of that silhouette stretched out trying to catch me. Snapping back, I used the full capabilities of my high AGI, I dodged that arms while trying to keep my distance. "Hahaha..." The silhouette laughed as it was try to catch my right arm using one of its arms. Unfortunately for it, I brushed that arm with Silver. Slash! Surprisingly, the silhouette ignored the wound I gave. "Come here!" Of course, I don''t want to get close to it. I still trying to keep my distance from it but... Dhuk! My back bump the wall! At the same time, two silhouetted arms moved toward my legs. Feeling the danger, I attacked those two arms. Slash! Slash! The attack made the silhouette pull back its arms. I tried to seize the opportunity by running to the left to escape but... "Hahaha, got you!" The silhouette managed to catch my right leg! As soon as possible, I tried to cut off that arm with Silver. But, before the sword managed to cut off that arm, my leg was pulled up and it slammed me hard into the floor. "Gah!" Blood came out of my mouth along with all the air in my lungs. Pain pierced my body. And before the pain subsided, the silhouette lifted me again and then threw me. Hitting a few walls and crashing into the middle of the road was the last thing I know before I passed out. ... Ba-dum! Ba-dum! Ba-dum! < Heart of Monster beating! > < All basic statistics up! ¡Á 200% > < HP, MP, SP Regeneration Speed ¡Á 200% > ... I opened my eyes but everything I saw was blurry. I sniffed a delicious scent. I saw a huge shadow approaching. Who''s there? Who are you? I asked but it didn''t give me a reply. My mind became so light and covered in thick fog. I''m having trouble focusing or thinking about something. I wanted to do something but I couldn''t do it. I''m like, I''m trying to make a statue using water. Under these situations, the only one thing I could feel was... Pain! Pain after pain I feel continuously. That huge shadow was the source of the pain I felt. Why did it do that to me? And why it has a delicious scent? Hey! Stop it, delicious huge shadow! My shout is meaningless, it didn''t listen to me at all. I said stop it! Or I''ll eat you! F*ck! It didn''t want to stop at all! I have no other choice. If you don''t want to stop, then I''ll force you to stop! I''ll eat you! With that intention, somehow, I felt I could do anything. ... That hand hurt me. So I cut it. That mouth bit my arms. Therefore, I destroyed it. Those eyes made my body stiff and uncomfortable. So I pulled its eyes out. It can still move to hurt me. Thus I make it stop by destroying its brain. < Level up! 7 to 8 > Huh? Who''s that? Who''s there? ¡­ I didn''t feel any presence. I didn''t find anyone. It''s gone? ...don''t care~ I care about this huge shadow that spread out appetising scents more! This delicious scent made me hungry! Bon appetite! I didn''t expect the huge shadow to have such delicious meat! I can''t stop eating the meat. It''s delicious! So delicious! SO DELICIOUS! < Health, Strength, Endurance, and Dexterity up! > < HP + 25 | STR + 10 | END + 10 | DEX + 5 > Huh? You back? What do you want? Do you want to eat with me? This meat is delicious. You won''t regret it. So come eat with me! ... Hello? ...I think it''s gone. Why? This meat is so delicious. Why it''s gone? It will miss this delicious meat. Nom! Nom! Bite! Crunch! < Acquired an Advance Skill! Enchanted Body - 1 > You''re back! But, I won''t share this meat with you! You refused my offer and ignored me! So, this meat is mine! Get lost! Off with you! Shaa! Go away! Shaa! SHAA! Hump! That''s right! Fear me! Hahaha... ... I''m still hungry. Is there no more delicious meat around here? I''d better start looking for delicious meat. I''m hungry! No! I''m starving! ... What shadow is this? It smells like meat but it''s different. The texture is like meat but different. It tastes like meat... Blech! Blech! No! It didn''t taste like meat! It''s a disgusting meat! So disgusting but it''s meat! Let''s find another meat. The real meat! I found another shadow and it''s meat... Blech! I caught another shadow and it''s meat... Blech! Why? and it''s meat... Blech! Why isn''t there delicious meat here! Why? I''m hungry, starving... I''m hungry-starving but there''s no delicious meat in here! Why? Just why! ... ... I have no other choice. Blech! It''s disgusting but it''s meat! < Strength up! STR + 1 > You again! Begone! SHAA! < Skill acquired! Lesser Strength - 1 > I said go away! SHAA! Blech! < Strength up! STR + 1 > ¡Á 9 < A skill has been obtained from Corpse Walker. The Magic Stone will be converted into EXP for the Skill obtained from this monster. > ¡Á 9 < Lesser Strength, Level up! 1 to 2 > All those meat is big not good! Blech! But I am starving. ... Oh...! A new shadow! A big shadow! It definitely has a delicious meat! Blech! Traitor! Traitor! I trust you but why did you do this betrayal! Traitor! Blech! Hungry... < Strength up! STR + 1 > < Skill acquired! Lesser Strength - 1 > < Same Skill detected! Withdrawing a new Skill. > < Skill acquired! Lesser Stamina - 1 > Blech! Hungry! Noisy! < Level up! 8 to 9 > < Strength up! STR + 1 > < A skill has been obtained from Two Head Corpse Walker. The Magic Stone will be converted into EXP for the Skill obtained from this monster. > Noisy! Noisy! Noisy...! I was sleepy! I want to sleep! Don''t be noisy! Shut up! ... Good! Zzz... ¡­ So noisy! You wake me up! "%#&@#." Huh! What shadow is this? Why does this shadow suddenly appear in front of me? Why does this shadow has such a delicious scent! It makes me hungry! I want to eat it! "+-#@%&!" Why is this shadow so hard to be captured! Hey! Wait! Let me eat your meat! Don''t run! I said don''t run! Huh? Where did it go? Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! Where is it disappear to? Sniff! Sniff! Delicious meat! Where are you? Sniff! Sniff! Delicious meat! Sniff! DELICIOUS MEAT! ... It''s gone... Sad... Sleepy... Zzz... Zzz.... Zzz¡­ Chapter 55 - Escape "Ugh..." I made a strange noise when I felt pain sting my whole body. I raised a question, how can I get all this pain? Then¡­ "Aaa..." I screamed for a moment I opened my eyes. At the same time, I got up to finally sit down. I remember that the silhouette attacks me. I become alert for a moment later I made a sound, "Ugh!" Because of a painful headache jabbing my head. Vaguely, I remembered that the silhouette threw me and as a result, I was lying in the middle of the road. I fainted and after that... What''s going on? I looked around to look for the silhouette. However, what I saw made me hold back my screams. For some reason, right now, I was sitting in the middle of a living room filled with pieces of Corpse Walker''s bodies! A second later, a foul smell attacked my nose. Unable to stand this situation and the smell of this room, I forced my body to move. I walked through the nearest door and ended up in the hallway. I evaded the stench after I walked into the kitchen. I rested my body on a nearby chair before massaging my forehead to relieve the headaches that were tormenting me. What''s going on? Where''s the silhouette? Why does my body feel so heavy? Then, where are my weapons and my treasures? I wanted answers to all those questions but I couldn''t get anything from my memories. I don''t remember anything after I fainted. "There''s no point trying to remember things I don''t remember. Now, I must grasp my current condition before making any decisions and actions. [Stat Open]." ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female | Age: 19] [Race: Beastkin - One Tail Fox | Level: 9/10 ] [Job: Slave, F-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» [ HP: 29/34 (68) (65*) | MP: 26/26 (53) | SP: 46/47 (95) ] [ STR: 23 (56) | AGI: 25 (51) | Luck: 1 (3) ] [ END: 20 (40) + 5 | DEX: 7 (14) | ] >>> Weakened heartbeat [236 Hours : 31 M : 51 S] [ + All Basic Statistics -50% + HP, MP, SP regeneration speed -50% + Unique Skill Heart of Monster cannot be used in the state of the weakened heartbeat.] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppel?????] ? [Lesser Strength | Lvl - 2] ? New! + ? Level up! [Lesser Stamina | Lvl - 1] ? New! [Enchanted Body | Lvl - 1] ? New! What''s this? Weakened heartbeat? Why did I get a Debuff like that and when did I acquire new skills? Moreover, it doesn''t include my three Basic Statistics that increased by a large margin! "My STR is twice as much as it should be. And surprisingly, even though I have a Debuff right now, my STR is more than the previous one, before I got the stat boost." How did all of this happen? Okay! Stop asking questions like that. What has happened let it happen. I don''t have to bring up the past if I didn''t lose something. Now! Let''s take a look at the new skills I''ve acquired. [Lesser Strength | Lvl - 2] [Passive] [+ Permanently give 10 points to STR.] [Lesser Stamina | Lvl - 1] [Passive] [+ Permanently give 5 points to SP ] [Enchanted Body | Lvl - 1] [Passive] [+ Increase HP by 5% permanently.] So... These three Skills are the culprit that made my three Basic Statistics increase greatly. But... There are still some points that don''t fit. Haa¡­ right now is not the time I thought about something like that. I have to get out of here. I don''t know when that silhouette will come back and I don''t want to see it again. After drinking a bottle of Basic Potion, I left the kitchen. A few minutes later I was walking on the sidewalk of this lost city. I was lost for a while before I finally knew where to go after I saw this city from the roof of a building. My goal was the alley where the silhouette attacked me. This may sound like a bad decision - well okay! Returning to the crime scene was a very bad decision. But I have to go there. I need that treasure to take off this Slave Collar. I also need a weapon to defeat the Corpse Walkers that will probably attack me. So, with a clear objective, I walking in this lost city carefully. I want to avoid fighting as much as I can but who could have thought, not a single Corpse Walker appeared to attack me. This situation became more strange when I didn''t hear any voices made by the undead. Silence is a sign of danger. So, I ran, as fast as I could to that alley. Up the alley, I found the coins scattered on the ground. Since I didn''t want to stay too long in this Dungeon, I didn''t pick all the coins, I took one small bag that was clearly in there and picked up silver coins as much as I could put it into the little Leather Bag in my belt. Unfortunately, I couldn''t find my Bleed Fair or the dagger that I picked up from the iron box. Luckily, I found Silver! "This much is enough for me." I ran out of this alley. My goal is the exit of this Dungeon. This silence terrified me and make me uncomfortable. That''s why I ran as fast as I could. But, the moment I came out of the alley, I froze. "How can it be?" I asked when I saw the bodies of silhouette that were torn apart lying in the middle of the road. Looking at that body, I could guess that the silhouette was eaten by a monster or something terrifying. The silhouette is strong. So, if it was lying here as a corpse, it meant that there was a monster stronger than the silhouette. I got goosebumps when I saw the silhouette''s corpse. "I can''t believe that a monster can do such a cruel thing," I said as I turning my face away. "This place is getting more dangerous!" I ran to leave the silhouetted corpse behind. Not once did I look to see it again. A few minutes later, I reached the hallway where all the mummies were. "Haa... Haa..." Running with all your might for a long time was exhausting. A combination of that fatigue, my body still hurts, and the headache forced me to rest for a while. Then, after my condition improved, I took a spear from one of the mummies then walked out of the Dungeon. I followed the trails in the North Forest. And the longer I walked, the more headaches I felt got worse. When I wondered what happened to me, three Vargs came out of the bush. I didn''t realize their heat until the last minute. "Woff!" Vargs let out a bark and I unsheathed the Silver Spear. Our fight begins. Two Vargs attacked from the left and right. While the last Varg lurking around by making use of my blind spot. "Woff!" Varg A jumped to attack me and I swung my spear to hit its head. Dwag! Varg A was thrown away and Varg B ran over from the left. Its wide-open mouth was aiming for my feet. I twisted my spear and then channeled my energy to my left arm. A dim red light coated my spear. "[Red Piercing]" I wanted to stab Varg B in the head but I missed. Varg B dodged to make my attack cut its ribs. The mistake I made brought a result. Varg B managed to bite my left leg. "Argh!" The wolf pulled my leg. It tried to knock me down and I stopped the monster by stabbing its stomach. "Khaing!" As the wolf loosened its bite, I pushed my spear to stab its stomach deeper. The moment I managed to nail Varg B to the ground, Varg C hit my back. My balance was gone and I fell forward. I rolled on the ground once before trying to stand up. Unfortunately, my effort was stopped by Varg A. The wolf that coming from behind managed to bite my shoulder and climb onto my back. Once again, I lost my balance. And this time, I fell with my face first. Varg C didn''t waste the opportunity. It came closer and bit my neck from the right. Splat! Clang! "Argh!" The wolf gave it a strong bite. Luckily, my Slave Collar provides protection. Its fang didn''t cut too deep. As quickly as I could, I move my right arm to strangle Varg C. Luckily, because my STR had increased, I managed to crush the monster''s neck. "Khai-!" Finally, Varg C released its bite. I pulled Varg C''s head away. Almost at the same time, Varg A also released its bite. Varg A tried to bite my neck but I didn''t let it. I released Varg C and then used both my arms to push my body up as quickly as possible. The thing I did was make Varg A off my back. Varg A fell and I unsheathed Silver. Before the wolf stood up, I stabbed it in the neck. "Khaing!" I kicked Varg A to pull silver. Then, I turned to look at Varg C. The monster was lying, convulsing on the ground. I approached the monster to stab its head. I moved my head to look at Varg B and I found the monster motionless, lying in a pool of its blood. The monster couldn''t pull out my Silver Spear. As I was relieved that all the monsters were dead, my gaze became blurry. My body became limp and I had trouble standing up. I tried to look for Basic Potion inside my small leather bag as I recalled the wound on my neck. Unfortunately, I didn''t find the Basic Potion I wanted. I remember I drank that potion earlier. Forgetting the Basic Potion, I picked up the first aid kit. But, before I had time to use it, all the energy is gone from my body. My body fell forward. Then, all of a sudden, I felt someone catch my body. I tried to figure out what was going on by moving my head and I saw Vier''s face. I do prefer that the white knight who saved me was that Fallen Elf girl. But, I think, Vier is okay too. He''s someone I can trust. That strange thought crossed my mind before I fainted, again! Chapter 56 - Little Sisters Chain A few minutes after I opened my eyes, my little sister, Kimi beat my body with her light punch. After she beat me, she cried. And after crying, she scolded me. In less than ten minutes, she showed me three different expressions. Her quick, changing emotions surprised and impressed me. Right now, I''m in my bedroom. Yes... That''s right. Vier saved me. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out, the face I saw before I fainted was Vier''s face. If at that time the face I saw only an illusion and the person who saved me wasn''t Vier, to be honest, I didn''t know what would happen to me. I''m thankful he''s Vier. Why is Vier in the North Forest? Wasn''t he exploring the Foltian Great Dungeon? I wondered and Kimi gave me an answer. The little girl said, when she tried to figure out the last Quest I took by asking Ellis, she accidentally met Vier. Vier who overheard my name tried to know more about what happened. And when he know that I was missing, he offered his help to find me. As for the reason why Vier was in the Adventurer''s Guild at that time, the young man was on a mission to buy supplies and to give a report to Guildmaster. The exploration on the seventh floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon was extended because they had not been able to open the gate to the eighth floor. Because of that, they need extra supplies. And that''s the story behind the mystery of why Vier came back and in the Adventurer''s Guild. The young man was so kind. He searched for me in the North Forest by making the most of the free time he got in the middle of his mission. Three days later, the young man found me. That''s right, when I fainted, Vier healed my wounds. The Healing Magic he used took away my headaches and all the wounds I got from my adventures in Beldea and from the Vargs attacks. At least, that''s what Kimi told me. And yes, Vier is a great doctor. "Do big sis not know how worried I am when you don''t come home for five days! Where have big sis been?" asked Kimi who is sitting on my stomach. The little girl didn''t let me run away by making my body a chair. "I''m trying to find something and you don''t have to worry. Isn''t adventuring for a few days is a natural thing for an Adventurer?" The little girl didn''t give me an answer. Instead, she pinched and pulled my cheeks. "What are you doing?" "Shut up! Stupid big sis!" "Hey!" "... Did big sis not realize it? Big sis is weak-" "What are you saying? I''m pretty strong." Kimi frowned. She pulled my cheeks stronger. "Why is big sis so stubborn? Why wouldn''t big sis listen to someone else''s words!" "You are the same. You never hear what I say," I replied. I''m a little upset. My little sister didn''t want to hear anything I said either. Making a little change so that my story fits into the background of this world and so that my story doesn''t mention too much about Ark Fantasy Online, I tell Kimi a few things. I told her that I could fight. I am pretty good at it because I have the fighting experience I got from Ark Fantasy Online. I know how to make potions, armor or weapons, and Magic Circles because I repeatedly see someone make all those things in AFO. And I''ve even made potions! I know the area around this city and some places in the world because I''ve visited them in AFO. I know how to conquer Dungeons and the secrets they hide because over and over again, in Ark Fantasy Online, I participated in Dungeon Raids to level up and to collect various rare items for Familia Estoque to sell. I told all of that things to Kimi. When we were alone, I tried to tell this little girl about the AFO in my previous life. But... Why doesn''t she believe me? It''s so weird. "Because everything big sis says is weird and ridiculous! Big sis never learned anything but said you could do anything! Do big sis never thought how strange you were?" "That was so disrespectful! Why don''t you believe me when I have a high leveled Avatar in AFO? I indeed have vast knowledge about this world! And you need to know, I''m normal!" "Right..." Kimi said in a flat voice and a blank stare. The little girl also let go of my cheek. "Listen to this story and give a response. There is a woman who has never held a weapon or had any experience fighting decided to become an Adventurer. After becoming an Adventurer, the woman then practiced using weapons for one week. And coincidentally, she obtained a Weapon Skill. The woman became overconfident and took the Hunting Quest, she went into the forest and she met Varg. Tell me, what will happen to that woman?" "Nothing happened because the woman killed the Varg she met." I gave an answer like that because I knew, the woman Kimi was referring to was me. Hearing my reply, Kimi put on an exasperated expression, she pulled her ears down and gave me a sharp look. Then she shouted, "That woman is going to die!" The little girl pinched my cheek again. Her ears and tail stood up straight. "Varg is a strong monster. A city soldier and D-rank Adventurer would have hardship facing one of them let alone an ordinary woman. Big sis lucky brother Vier found you before it''s too late." "But I was the one who killed those Vargs." "Enough!" Kimi said firmly. The little girl then got out of my stomach. "I don''t want to hear big sis''s word anymore. We''ll talk about big sis''s weirdness next time." I''m the one who is free to get up to sit on the bed. "Now!" The little girl who is standing beside the bed looked at me right in the eyes and her two hands on her hips. She puffed out her chest before saying, "big sis should know. From now on, I''ll be on an adventure with my big sis. We''re going to do the Quest together! I don''t accept the word no!" I frowned. It''s something I don''t take for granted. I don''t mind sharing the knowledge I got from the AFO with Kimi. But I do mind if she going on an adventure with me. Especially when I was just freed from the problems related to the silhouette. "Look, the place I''m going to is dangerous. That''s why I can''t take you on an adventure with me." "If big sis wants to go to a dangerous place, my reason for an adventure together becomes even stronger!" She said. She then touched my nose. "Papa Wielth hasn''t come home yet and I don''t want to lose big sis. I hope big sis understands this." She''s cheating! I can''t say no to that. And adventure with Kimi huh... Well! That''s not going to be a problem for me. Lost City Beldea wasn''t going anywhere. Therefore, I will raise Kimi''s level before I explore that place again. All of this was for Kimi''s safety. I''m going to explore the Foltian Great Dungeon from now on. And it seems, I have to consider the advice to make a Party more serious. "Haa... Well okay! We''re going on an adventure together." "Great!" cried Kimi with a smile. "Hey Kimi, where''s my little leather bag?" Kimi pointed to the small table next to my bed. The little leather bag was there and I took it. I put the bag on my lap and opened it. Kim''s who is curious came closer. "That''s a lot of silver coins!" cried the little girl once more. "It''s a lot of silver coins," I said. All these silver coins also made me amazed. But, I was more interested in what was inside the little bag that I took along with all those silver coins. Therefore, I took a small bag and gave Kimi a little leather bag containing silver coins. As Kimi was playing with all those silver coins, I opened the small bag. My eyes opened wide when I saw what was inside. I took one of them out of a small bag. I brought it closer to the sunlight to see it more clearly. "Oh!" I made a sound of admiration upon seeing the sunlight turn red because of that thing. "... That''s a huge Ruby!" cried Kimi for the third time. Yes... This is a big Ruby. And with all the Ruby in this little bag, maybe I can buy my freedom. Chapter 57 - The Easiest Interrogation 1_2 Our drama-filled morning ended. After eating breakfast, we decided to go to the Adventurer''s Guild. Regrettably, Kimi wouldn''t let me carry my weapon. I wanted to test the condition of my body after getting Debuff, Weakened Heartbeat. I want to know the changes that occurred because of this Debuff that will accompany me for the next nine days. I wanted to know that but Kimi told me to rest. "Haa..." I sighed as my ears and tail hung weakly. "You need to know big sis, I won''t let you work on a quest even if you make such a sad expression." "I know." I moved my powerless legs for some time and we finally reached the Adventurer''s Guild. At that place, I went straight to the counter where Ellis was. Kimi and I had to wait in line for a few dozens of minutes before we could talk to the woman. And yes, Kimi followed me and take a break from her school because she insisted on accompanying me. She wanted to make sure I didn''t work. Why does she have such fragile trust in me? "Miss Eclaite! I''m glad to see you''re okay. I wanted to talk with you more but this busy time didn''t let me do it. I hope we can talk later. Now, is there anything I can help you with?" "Thank you Miss Ellis and yes, I would like to ask for a recommendation of stores, places where I can sell these gems." I put a little pouch filled with ruby onto Ellis''s counter table. The woman opened the little pouch and took a ruby inside it. "You never stop to surprise me! I didn''t expect I would hold a Tier 2 Ruby even more with this size!" Ellis looked so pleased as she checked a ruby as big as a ping pong ball from various angles. "Before I give you a recommendation of stores, let me ask you a few questions. I also want you to answer my questions honestly. Are you ready?" asked Ellis, who returned the ruby in her hand into the little pouch. I nodded and said, "Of course." "Good!" Ellis tapped the counter three times with her index finger then moved her lips. "Is all this ruby yours?" "Of course, those ruby is mine." "Tell me you didn''t steal or rob this Ruby." My ears twitched when I heard that sentence. "I don''t think that''s a question." "Your response, Miss Eclaite." "... I didn''t steal or take the Ruby, I picked it up." "Oh! Where did you pick up this ruby?" "I picked it up from the Dungeon." "Dungeon? Did you join a Party and explore Foltian, Miss Eclaite?" "Foltian? Not! The dungeon I''m exploring is Lost City Beldea outside the city." As I answered, Ellis was silent to look at me. The woman went to the little bell located on the left side of the counter table before looking back at me. Seeing Ellis'' strange behavior, I asked, "Something''s wrong, Miss Ellis?" Ellis made a nod of the head. "Yes, something is wrong but I will take care of it later. Now, for a store, I recommend Trixias Jewelry and Hermes Trading. Or, you can sell this ruby to the Adventurer''s Guild." Oh! I didn''t think I could sell this ruby here. This means I don''t have to bother to visit the stores recommended by Ellis. "If the purchase price offered by the Adventurer''s Guild matches the market price, I don''t mind selling all those ruby." "Of course the Adventurer''s Guild purchased Items according to the market price. You don''t have to worry. So, does this mean yes?" "Yes." "Then I will process your request. Tell me, which payment method do you want, cash or payment that goes directly into your savings in our bank?" "Please put the payment directly into my savings." "I understand." Ellis put a label on my little pouch. She weighed the pouch before finally storing it in a drawer. "Can I borrow your Adventurer''s Card?" "Absolutely," I replied, who then gave Ellis my card. The woman took a Magic Tool and did something on my card. A few minutes later, she returned my card. [142 large gold coins.] This row on the back of my card left my eyes wide open. Then I saw Ellis. "This much?" I asked with surprise. "Yes, is there anything else you need?" I blinked and my ears twitched for a while before I finally said, "... yes, I want to know the progress of the Quest I made, one Quest to find Wielth." As I said the jerk''s name, Kimi''s ears stood up. Immediately, she approached Ellis and then said, "Is there anyone working on the Quest? I''d like to see the incoming report immediately if the Quest has been done." Kimi''s intense yearning surprised me. As for Ellis, the woman smiled then said, "I''ll check it out. Please wait a minute." After disappearing into a room for a few minutes, Ellis returned with another female Staff Guild. Ellis made a bitter smile when she saw us. "Sorry, Kimi, Miss Eclaite. Like yesterday, no Adventurer has yet taken the Quest." The news instantly made my sister''s ears and tail hangs weakly. I didn''t say anything and just stroked Kimi''s head to comfort her. "Ehem! Miss Eclaite, Kimi, if you please, come with me. There''s something important I want to ask." Ellis then smiled at her co-workers. "Rena, please handle this counter for some time." "Sure, I''ll do my best." "Thank you," Ellis told the girl named Rena. The woman then guided us to a waiting room. In that room, I was confused. When the woman gave us a cup of tea and snacks, I asked, "What do you want to talk about, Miss Ellis?" "I''m curious and want to know one thing," she said as she sat on the couch. "Please tell me about the Lost City Beldea you said earlier? Why do you consider the place a Dungeon? And is it true that the dungeon is outside this city?" Oh! Crab! After hearing all those questions, I realized that I made a blunder. I let slip the name of Lost City Beldea! "Dungeon? Lost City Beldea? Is there such a Dungeon in the city of Rishtonbell?" Kimi wondered as she picked up a cookie. "I''m trying to find out. And it looks like, big sis of yours know something. Please let us know, Miss Eclaite." The two pairs of eyes that looked at me made me feel uncomfortable. "Dungeon? What do you mean? I don''t know anything about this Lost City Beldea. Hahaha..." I turned my face away and made a dry laugh. As I wish Ellis would forget and no longer dig about Beldea, "Ding! Ding!" The bell''s voice was heard. "Big sis is lying." "Looks like you''re lying, miss Eclaite." The words spoken by Kimi and Ellis simultaneously took me by surprise. "I''m not lying!" I denied it in a panic. then... Ding! Ding! The bell chimes again. Chapter 58 - The Easiest Interrogation 2_2 "I''m not lying!" I denied it in a panic. then... Ding! Ding! The bell chimes again. "What''s that bell sound?" "That voice came from the Bell of Truth," Ellis explained. Then, she picked up a small bell at the end of the table and placed it in front of me. "This Bell or Magic Tool will make a sound every time it detects a lie." For Heaven''s Sake! I didn''t know that this world had such a scary Magic Tool! "I don''t need a tool like that to know if big sis is lying or not. I just need to look at big sis ears and tails. Then, I''ll know if Big Sis is lying or not." "Now you know you can''t lie. Please tell me everything." "No! I want my right to remain silent!" Ellis paused for a moment after seeing my behaviour. "I never thought that you''re quite childish." "I''m not!" "Well... Let''s leave that. Back in this new Dungeon, did you know that you would get rewards if you truly found a Dungeon? The Adventurer''s Guild and Lord of Rishtonbell will be happy to reward you greatly. Therefore, Miss Eclaite, please tell me about this Lost City Beldea." Oh! That''s new. I didn''t know I would be rewarded if I reported the Lost City Beldea! But... There were many treasures in that Dungeon. Is reporting this Dungeon worth it than keeping it to myself? "Please don''t think about keeping that Dungeon to yourself." "Huh?" "Dungeons are a dangerous natural phenomenon. Dungeons could create Stampede of Monsters. The safety of a city and tens of thousands of lives could be threatened if a Dungeon was not properly handled or taken care of. I hope you don''t bow down to the greed and let such a disaster occurred." Ugh! Heavy, really heavy and piercing to the heart. After hearing that, it was hard for me to say no. In the end, I chose to give up. "... Miss Ellis wants to know?" I asked in a soft voice and Ellis nodded. "Okay... But... More precisely, what do you want to know?" "I want to know everything you know. The location of the Dungeon, the type of monsters and the shape of the room within the Dungeon, how many floors the Dungeon had, and so on. And if you''ve already explored the Dungeon, I want you to show me all the stuff you managed to get and take home. We have to make full documentation before we reporting it." "... All right." "I''m listening." To explain about The Lost City Beldea, I took a simple map from inside my small Leather Bag and placed it on the table. "First, the location of The Lost City Beldea is here." I pointed to a circle on the map. Then I started telling her how I found Beldea and my adventures there. This time, I remember not to tell her about the information I got from Ark Fantasy Online. I also didn''t tell her about the silhouette and the strange events that happened to me. I didn''t want to make Kimi who is also listening to my story becomes worried. "That''s pretty much of information," Ellis said as she take a note of my story. When she finished, she looked at me. "Now we need proof. Miss Eclaite, are you bringing the items, magic stones from The Corpse Walker, or so on from the Dungeon back?" "I have the ruby, these coins, and these two bracelets," I said as I placed some silver coins and two jewelled bracelets on the table. Ellis began to assess the two items. "This is a four hundred years old coin. While these two bracelets are Magic Equipment. This could be proof but it''s still not enough." "Then, what should we do?" "Hmm..." Ellis put on a thinking expression then crossed her arms. When she is in thinking mode, I tried the tea served. I smiled when I found out the tea was delicious. Then... "I will enlist the help of some Guild Staffs to conduct an investigation. A dungeon Specialist''s testimony would provide a plus and strong evidence. I''m going to organize this expedition, you don''t have to worry," Ellis said with a big smile. Then I wondered, "Why would you bother doing all this?" "Because I want a promotion!" she replied excitedly. Flames of ambition smouldering in her eyes. "Miss Ellis... I didn''t know you had this kind of personality. I feel like you''re being a horrible person by manipulating and take advantage of me." "Miss Eclaite, we need a high position to have a good life. And I''m sure you know this is not a bad thing and I am not manipulating and take advantage of you, I''m helping you." "That words feels so wrong and not convincing me at all but I understand. Can I know when it all ends?" "Two or three days." "Okay. Oh, miss Ellis, do you know someone who can appraise an item? I want to know more about these two bracelets." Ellis smiled then nodded. "You don''t have to find someone else, I can do it for you." "This bracelet is called the Bracelet of Defense," said Ellis, who picked up the bracelet with a green gem. "A high-grade equipment that will give you ten points for END." "As for this one." Ellis picked up another bracelet jewelled with a red gem. "This bracelet, a Rare-Grade that will give you a Skill? Power Blow? Well, well, isn''t this bracelet quite charming?" "I think you''re the interesting one. How can you get an Appraisal Skill?" "Are you interested in Appraisal?" I nodded because I was extremely interested. I know how useful that Advance Skill is! That skill will allow me to see the names, levels, and skills of the monsters I see. And best of all I can also see the names of items followed by an explanation about them. But... To obtain an Appraisal Skill a Player must obtain a B-rank Permit from the Merchant''s Guild. A permit will be obtained after a Player got earnings over a hundred thousand gold coins from their trades. Because of that, if there was an easier way to learn an Appraisal Skill, I wouldn''t miss it. "I can give you a letter of introduction to my acquaintance in Merchant''s Guild. With that, I''m sure you''ll be able to purchase an Orb Skill containing an Appraisal Skill. And you must know, to buy that Orb Skill you need twenty gold coins." "Skill Orb? Twenty gold coins?" "It''s a yellow jewel ball that will give you a skill. And for your information, twenty gold coins is a cheap price. You will know more about an Orb Skill when you purchase one from the Merchant''s Guild. Now, let''s go back to the counter table.. I''ll write the letter for you there." Chapter 59 - Eclaites Loose Lips Strike Again "Eclaite! Kimi!" Someone called my and my sister name while we waited for Ellis to finish making my letter of introduction. I turned my head and I saw Vier walking up to us leaving Cabal and the others. My ears twitched and a smile bloomed on my face. "Good morning, Vier." "Morning, brother Vier." Kimi followed. "Morning for both of you and how is your condition, Eclaite?" "I''m good," I told him with a nod. Then, I approached the young man. "I already know this but I want to make sure of it. Are you healing me again?" "Yes, with the Healing Spell." The young man answered while scratching his cheek with his index finger. "That means my debt to you is getting more and more." "Why are you making a wry smile? And debt? You have to stop thinking of it that way. I don''t need anything, I just want to help you." "And that attitude of yours makes me uncomfortable. Let me do something for you. I just got a lot of money from my last adventuring. You can ask for something from me. What about dinner or something?" "Okay! Stop this!" The stern voice and the appearance of a third figure made me blink and my ears twitch. In front of me, a lovely silver-haired woman separated me and Vier by pushing our chests. From her long ears, I knew she was a Half-Elf. But I don''t know why she gave me a sharp look with his red eyes. As I looked at the woman for some time, I knew, she was, "Anna?" "Huh? Have we ever met before?" My ears twitched because of that question. I realized this is our first meeting. Of course, I have met her hundreds or maybe thousands of times on Ark Fantasy Online but it was a different story. "No, I only heard about you." "Wait a minute... I know! You are the girl I saw at the parade!" Anna pointed at me before seeing Vier. "What''s your relationship with this impure girl?" "We are friends and impure? You are being rude, Anna." Vier replied. "It''s not rude at all," replied the pouting woman. Friends? That answer makes me happy. After living in this world for a few weeks, I finally had a friend! Impure? Yes and sadly, that''s true. So I''m not that mad. Okay! Back to the friends! I know! I could have made a lot of friends if I had the initiative to get close or want to know someone else. But I didn''t do it. I know AFO. On the other hand, I have a goal to amass wealth for buying my freedom by exploring the Hidden Dungeon. These two things made me decide not to interact with other people. I want to keep that secret and I''m not ready to share it with anyone else except my little sister. "And friend? Really? I can''t believe it." Anna crossed her arms. She gave Vier and me a suspicious look. "Why don''t you believe me?" asked Vier. "She''s a, Ugh¡ª" Stopping in the middle of a sentence, Anna turns at me. "Hey! You! You''re not trying to seducing Vier, are you?" "Why should I seducing Vier?" seducing Vier is absurd. I don''t want to have a relationship more than a friend with someone similar to the Avatar I once used. Furthermore, Vier was a man. A romantic relationship with a man when I don''t want to be touched by a man? Yes, the answer to that question is a big no. "Because you are a-" "Alright, Miss Anna, I think that''s enough." Cut the Cabal that has been watching us from the side. "I assure you, Eclaite and Vier are just friends, there is nothing between them. I was with them when they met." Anna looked at us - Vier, Cabal, and me - one by one with suspicious looks before finally saying, "alright." A second later, Anna pointed at me while putting on a serious and bold expression. "You have to remember, Vier, is mine." The declaration surprised me. But, what surprised me, even more, was the fact that Anna said all of that in this public place. Yes, from our conversation, I know Anna is attracted to Vier. A girl intoxicated in love so, "adorable, you''re extremely adorable!" "What!" cried Anna with a surprised expression. "Why did you suddenly say such a sentence! Why are you saying that I''m adorable? What''s wrong with you!?" "But that''s the reality. Don''t you realize it, when you say, ''Vier is mine,'' you look so adorable! You look so brave! And to be honest, I felt a little blushed when I listened to such a passionate declaration of love." Anna''s cheeks and ears instantly turned red as I said that sentence. Indeed, what I said is not a mistake. Anna is extremely adorable. "Hahaha..." Lubov laughed. Elizaveta covered her smile with her hands. "Ara~ara~," she said happily. "Youth." Cabal shook his head. Hearing all of that, Vier turned his face. He scratched his slightly flushed cheek. My little sister? She looked at Anna with sparkling eyes. I think, unknowingly, she gave the woman damage. And among us, Anna''s body quivered. She looked down, perhaps to hide her face that had become so red. "I don''t accept this," said the woman suddenly. Her sharp eyes were fixed on me. "I don''t accept this insult! We''re going to have a duel." "Why all of a sudden?" "Because you insulted me!" "When? I never insulted you." "You just did it! You said I was adorable!" "I don''t think that''s an insult." "That''s an insult." "Alright, you two stop! It''s all too much for me and the two of you attract too much attention." Vier''s words made me look around. My tail jerked when I found a dozen Adventurers and Guild Staff looking at us. My face warmed up a little. I turn the other way but I meet with those who looked at us. In the end, I went back to look at Vier and the others. "Anna, there''s no duel today." "But-" Before Anna said something Vier cut off the woman''s speech with stern words of, "no, but." The young man then saw me. "And for you, Eclaite, you''ll treat us to lunch as an apology. Although it''s still early enough for lunch." "Why? Is it because I was wrong? " "I''m impressed you know you''re wrong." Vier raised one of his eyebrows and made a shake of his head. "You''re not entirely wrong and didn''t you say you wanted to pay me. So, lunch and I also don''t accept a no." "All right." "Okay. Let''s find a restaurant." "Please wait a minute." After I said the words, I approached Ellis. I asked, "Does my letter of introduction have been made?" "Of course, please accept this." I received a letter from Ellis then save it into my small Leather Bag. "Thank you Miss Ellis and what do you want to come with us?" "You''re welcome and unfortunately I can''t. My working hours are still on. Maybe next time if you want to invite me again." "Of course, I love to invite you again. On the other time, Miss Ellis." "Have fun." So, we went from the Adventurer''s Guild following Vier who walked first, hand in hand with Anna. "Don''t cry beautiful girl," said Lubov, who suddenly appeared beside me. I blinked then asked the wolf girl. "Why should I cry?" Lubov uses her chin to point at Vier and Anna. "Aren''t they a perfect couple?" "Yes, and you need to know, I''m not interested in men." Hearing my reply, Lubov rolled her eyes. Elizaveta, who was beside her, smiled and said, "then I have to warn you, miss Eclaite. Lubov belongs to me." "Don''t worry miss Elizaveta, someone has already caught my eye. And why everyone assumes that I will snatch someone''s partner?" I never get the answer and a few minutes later, we finally arrived at a restaurant, a fancy restaurant. Together, we occupied a table and started ordering large quantities of food. We made small talk to get know to each other. It''s a good chance but It''s a pity, because of what happened earlier, I couldn''t talk or familiarize myself with Anna. That lovely woman always gave me a sharp look. In the middle of this feast, Kimi implores Cabal to tell her about his adventures inside the Dungeon. The little girl listened seriously as Cabal told her about the efforts that the expedition team do try to open the gate to the eighth floor. "... And even though we''ve already found five Elemental Essences, we haven''t been able to open that gate yet." Hearing that story I nodded. In a soft voice, I said, "Of course the gate is not open. You need six Elemental Essences then turned them into a key to open the Celestial Gate." I ate monster Stew after saying what I thought. And yes, this Stew Monster isn''t extremely delicious! It was outright horrible! I think, Weakened Heartbeat completely deactivated the Unique Skill Heart of Monsters. As I faltered to take my second bite, I realized that the people at this table were becoming silent. What''s worse, they gave me a sharp look. I wonder, what happened to them? Chapter 60 - How To Make A Key "Eclaite, can you repeat the sentence you just said," Cabal asked. That uncle put on a serious expression that scared me a little. "What did I say?" My fox''s ears were facing to the right and then to the left because I was confused. "The part about Elemental Essence. Why do you say there are six Elemental Essences? Then, use them to make a key?" Oh! Crab! I did it again! Now, after I know I''m not good at lying. The only thing I can do is, "I want my right to remain silent." ... "Then don''t speak," said Anna who gave me a mocking look. "She doesn''t understand anything and it''s useless to listen to her words." "There''s nothing wrong to hear other people''s opinions. Elemental Essence was not a word that random people knew. When Eclaite said it, I was sure she knew something." Cabal tried to defend me. But, at the same time, he tried to corner me. "As Miss Anna said, I don''t know anything hahaha..." I escaped by eating my Monster Stew. The people at this table squinted their eyes. A moment later I made a sour expression. This Monster Stew is too much for me. "We just need to use the traditional way," Elizaveta said what she thought. The Amazones then placed a rough diamond the size of a big toe onto the table. "This diamond will be yours if you tell us everything you know about Elemental Essence." "Oh! Then I''ll give you this pendant!" said Lubov. The wolf girl placed a silver pendant next to the diamond. "This pendant will increase your Strength!" Playing along with the two women, Vier placed a bracelet next to the two Items without saying anything. "Hey Kimi, is there anything your big sis wants?" Kimi put down her spoon then put on a thoughtful expression. "I''m not sure... But, these days, big sis always complains, why she has to carry a big, heavy leather bag every time she goes on an adventure?" Cabal nodded, moments later he placed a small black Leather Bag. "This Magic Bag will be yours if you tell me information about Elemental Essence." "Come on, what''s wrong with you guys?" Anna asked. "Don''t you think you''re exaggerating the price of her knowledge?" "I have the same thoughts. You guys are overdoing it," I said, then nodded. Anna paused for a moment to give me a sharp look. Then, she looked back at Cabal and the others. "We don''t know that the information she has is valuable. What will all of you do if she utters nonsense just to get all these Items?" "Yes, as Miss Anna said, the information I have is nonsense." Looking at our exchange, Cabal and the others put on mixed expressions. "We can''t trust this girl." Anna pointed at me. "Once again, miss Anna is right, you shouldn''t believe me," I said. I supported the woman to get a good impression from her. But... "Stop agreeing with me, Vixen!" Anna yelled at me again and I don''t know why. "But everything you say is true," I told Anna. Then I saw everyone face. "You don''t have to offer up that precious stuff to hear what I know. You can search the information about the Foltian Great Dungeon in the city library." "I''ve done it," Elizaveta said. "I''ve read all the books about Foltian in that library and I''ve never found an article about Elemental Essence that can be turned into a key." Lubov left her seat to approach me. At the same time, Cabal said, "The information you have might solve our problem. And even if that information doesn''t change anything, you still get all these items." As Cabal finished speaking, Lubov who was standing behind me placed her two hands on my shoulders. The wolf girl brought her mouth close to my ear to whisper, "If you don''t want an easy path, I''ll give you a hard path. I''ll keep tickling your waist until you reveal the secret you kept." That''s an ominous threat! I tried to stand up and run away but I can not even move my body. The wolf girl who hold me was strong. Didn''t waiting for me to make a response, Lubov started touching and then tickling my waist. "Eep! Okay! Okay! I''ll talk! So don''t tickle my waist!" "Good answer!" said Lubov. The wolf girl patted me on the shoulder before returning to her chair. "Haa... Well, I''ll say what I know." I gulped down the fruit juice to wet my throat. "Making a key for the Celestial Gate requires six Elemental Essences." "But there are only five Elemental Essences!" said Anna. "Water, earth, fire, air, and light. As for the last ball that at first we thought was the Dark Elemental Essence is just-" "Ordinary black ball," I said to interrupt Anna''s remarks. Anna just looked at me without saying anything. So, I''m going back to my story. "An ordinary black ball. That''s what you''ll get if you kill the Spirit of Dark Knight then take the Elemental Essence it''s guarding. And I say, that''s the wrong move." "What do you mean by that?" "What I mean, before you kill the Spirit of Dark Knight, you should have taken that Elemental Essence or black ball first. You then must use that black ball to absorb the Dark Element attacks thrown by the Spirit of dark knights. That way, once the Dark Element inside the black ball is enough, it will turn into a Dark Elemental Essence." "There is bad news," Cabal said. "We''ve already killed the Spirit of Dark Knight. And it''s going to take a month for the monster to appear again. That means the duration of our expedition will be longer than it should be, we need more supplies." "If you have a strong Dark Magic user, you can fill that black ball yourself. Attack that ball with the strongest Dark Spell continuously and boom! You guys obtained one Dark Elemental Essence!" The moment I was done saying those words, Vier and the others looked at Anna. While Anna who got all those gazes sighed long. "Next," I said to attract their attention. Then, after they looked back at me, "to make the key you guys need. You need to bring six Elemental Essences to an Altar that has six stone pillars¡ª" "You mean, the altar in the middle of the seventh floor?" "...I don''t know exactly where the altar is." I lied. I know where the altar is but I''m not going to say it. I also won''t tell them about how to make the key in detail. They''d be suspicious of me if I said it. That''s why... "An altar that has six stone pillars with an engraving of each element. You guys need that altar and- oh! Is there anyone in your exploration group who can read the Ancient Language?" "No, why?" "Because you need someone who has that ability." Vier and the others were confused after listening to me. So, I continued my story. "The altar has instructions for making the key and that instruction is written using the Ancient Language. The altar is also the tool to make the key you want. So, you need someone who can read the Ancient Language." ... They remained silent for some time before Elizaveta finally asked, "Where do you know all of that?" "My father told me." I''m lying, again. There''s no way the jerk told me something like this. He even never read a story to me. Kimi made a strong nod. "Papa Wielth is a Mage. I''m sure he knows a lot of things." Kimi said all of that with pride. But everyone at the table was silent. From their movements, I knew they didn''t know what to say. I''m sure, they know who truly is Wielth the Night Bearer. He was an Adventurer who had a dark criminal record. "You''re right, Kimi. Papa is cool and there''s no one out there like him.." And if there were coincidences that someone like him exist, I would kill that person as well. Chapter 61 - Searching For My Girl "Take good care of yourself, Eclaite. Don''t be reckless and don''t push yourself again," Vier said. "Hemp!" Anna sniffed and turned her face away. The silver-haired woman grab Vier''s hand and pulled him away before I could give a reply. Two people left us. "See you again, Miss Eclaite." Elizaveta waved her hand before walking away to follow Vier and Anna. "Don''t cry beautiful girl!" said Lubov, who ran to chase Elizaveta. Seeing the behavior of his friends, Cabal shook his head. "Well, Eclaite. Before I leave, I''ll say this. If all the information you give us truly works, I promise you''ll get another bigger piece." "You don''t have to do that. I''ve been paid more than enough." Cabal made a bitter smile. "You don''t know how valuable the information you gave us. You''ll get paid a decent payment, I''ll make sure of that. See you later, Kimi, Eclaite." "See you later." "Bye Bye, Uncle Cabal." Cabal made a nod then waved his hand before walking away. "Alright, they''ve gone, where are we going?" Kimi asked. Her eyes looked directly into my eyes. I wanted to take this Slave Collar off but I can''t do it right now. I can''t visit Slaves Trader when I''m with Kimi. That''s why... "Let''s find someone," I said then turned back and began walking down the sidewalk. My destination is the south plaza of Denbu ¨C Dungeon Entrance Building ¨C where Bag Carriers offer their services. "Someone? Who?" Kimi asked at the moment she caught up and walked beside me. I turn to look at the little girl. "Remember the Fallen Elf girl we''ve met before?" "Is the girl big sis referring to was the Bag Carrier we met in the market?" "Yes, that girl! We''re going to find her." "Why and how?" "Because I want the girl and we''ll start looking for her from the place where Bag Carriers gathered. I''ve already reminded the girl''s scent, we''ll find her easily." "That''s something that doesn''t make sense!" I didn''t listen to her cries and kept going. After I made dozens or maybe hundreds of steps, I reached the south plaza. There were many people gathered in this plaza. Most of them were Adventurers and Merchants. The rest are the residents of the city. Adventurers ... They gathered here to... Well... Enter the Foltian Great Dungeon! The Solo Adventurers tried to join a Party by offering their services. Sometimes some of them challenged Foltian alone. For an Adventuring Party, they searching for a Solo Adventurer or a Bag Carrier to strengthen or to complete their Party composition. As for Carriers, they offer their services to Solo Adventurer or a Party. The merchants. They gathered here to buy the loot that Adventurers got from within the Dungeon directly. Merchants looking for and try to buy high-quality or rare materials at low prices. There is no Adventurer''s Guild interference here and there is no tax. Therefore, adventurers and merchants each profited. It''s just that, the risk they will be deceived can be said to be big because they depend on the bargaining talent they have. "We''ll never find that Bag Carrier." Kimi made a statement as she looked at the crowd of people in the Plaza. "Why are you so pessimistic? We''re going to find the girl. I''m sure of it!" "And we''ll find the girl by relying on big sis'' nose," Kimi said in a flat tone. "Why do I feel like you''re mocking me?" "I''m not mocking big sis. It''s just- Haa... If we knew the Bag Carrier''s name and characteristics, finding her would be an easier task to do." My ears twitched and my tail made a strong swing. I walked towards the crowd of women who put on a large green bag on their backs. "The girl I was looking for was beautiful," I began to tell her about my girl. "Uhu~," Kimi responded while nodding her head. "The girl has golden eyes, black hair, and white skin." "Uhu~." "She was wearing a green Armor and a large bag that was also green." "Uhu~." "Why do you keep saying uhu?" Kimi didn''t give me an answer. She only looked at me for a moment before turning her face away. "Let''s look for that bag carrier," said the little girl whose ears and tail hung limply. Why does she look so sad? What''s going on? I tried to figure out the answer to that question as I searched for the Fallen Elf girl and I... I didn''t find either of them. We went around the plaza for a long time. I didn''t even see the girl or inhale the scent of her body. It''s very disappointing. "Where''s the girl? Why haven''t we been able to find her yet?" "Why, indeed..." Kimi replied. She sounded disinterested and hardly cared. "My dear little sister. Why are you behaving like that? Can you help this sister of yours who is in distress?" "I tried and I realized, to help big sis, I just have to let big sis do whatever big sis wants. Then, I just need to make sure big sis doesn''t get hurt or get lost." "What are you talking about?" "What, indeed..." Kimi said as she was walking away. "Come on big sis, we have to find that Bag Carrier." "All right." We went back to wander around in this south plaza for quite some time until finally... "Oh! I found it! I found the girl''s scent! Follow me, Kimi!" "Big sis!" Hearing that shout, I squeezed Kimi''s hand. I pulled her slowly to follow me. "Haa... At least, with this, big sis won''t get lost." We continued to walk following the sweet scent! Minute by minute passed and... "I found you!" I said with a smile. There, in front of the Dry Fruits seller''s stall, stood a girl with a familiar figure. I approached the girl and patted her on the shoulder. The girl looked around and saw me. I was happy when I saw the girl again and did not call the wrong person. I smiled and greeted her with, "Hi." "... hey? Who are you and what do you want?" Have you forgotten about me? It hurts. I took a breath to calm myself down. Then... "I am Eclaite. We''ve met before and I''d like to hire your services." "We''ve met?" Said the Fallen Elf girl who then put on a thinking expression. "Yes! We''ve met, at the market. Then we chatted for some time in front of a fountain." "Ah! I remember. You are the silly girl who offered me a job to help you hunt in the North Forest!" Ugh! Why do you call me silly? I am a gorgeous, normal girl! Aren''t you fascinated after seeing my lovely face? When I made a strange rant inside my head, the Fallen Elf girl received a bag of Dry Fruits she had bought. She looked back at me to say, "Listen, if you want me to help you to hunt in the North Forest, you can forget about it. I won''t do it even you pay me fifty silvers a day." "No, this time, I won''t be hunting in the North Forest. I will hunt in the Foltian Great Dungeon and I need your help!" "Oh!" Chapter 62 - A Forced Deal "Oh!" The Fallen Elf girl made a strange sound. A moment later she walked away. I was left speechless. My ears twitched and I blinked a few times until I remembered to move my body. I walked to chase the girl. "Wait, why are you leaving?" I asked for a moment when I walked beside her. "Because I''m not interested." "I have money." "It''s not about money, okay? I just don''t want to accept a job or deal from you." After hearing the girl''s words, I walked faster. I blocked the road then asked, "Why?" "You don''t need to know. Now, if you please," replied the girl as if she didn''t care. Then, the girl walked over to pass me. Unlucky to her, I don''t want to let her go. "Wait!" I said. After that, I grabbed the girl''s hand. I pulled her slowly into a caf¨¦ while saying, "Please come with me for a minute." "Hey! What are you doing! Let me go!" The girl protested and tried to escape. And I still don''t want to let her go. Therefore, I grab her hand tightly. Moments later, we were inside the caf¨¦. I didn''t waste any time and I took the girl to the nearest available table. "Please sit down!" I said after I pulled up a chair for her. The girl put on a reluctant expression before she finally put her large bag to the floor and sit down at the chair I had prepared for her. A moment later, I felt something odd. "Huh? Where''s Kimi?" I looked around to find my unseen sister. "I can''t believe it! You didn''t realize that your sister was going to buy some Dry Fruits?" asked the girl who opened her eyes rather widely. "No, but it won''t be a problem. I believe she will find me in the blink of an eye." I nodded and sat in my chair. "Huh?" "Now." I saw the menu on the wall. "Please order the food you want! I''ll treat you." "Has anyone ever told you that you have a forceful personality?" "Apple pie sounds delicious! What do you think? Oh! Do you prefer blueberry pie?" "Listen when someone else is talking!" replied the girl in a rather high tone. It caught my attention. That''s why I turn around and looked into her eyes. "My ears are always ready to hear to the name of the food you like." "I''m leaving!" "No! Please, I''m sorry!" I said spontaneously. Almost at the same time, I grabbed the girl''s hand to prevent her from leaving. "Please accompany me for some time. Please..." I begged her. The girl pulled her hand to try to escape. Luckily, a few moments later, she gave up. "Haa... All right." "Perfect!" The girl sat back down. On the other hand, Kimi appeared. The little girl instantly us by occupying the available empty chair. "Now, please choose foods that you like, you too Kimi." The girl reluctantly looked at the menu. As for Kimi, she said, "okay!" Excitedly, she looked at the menu mimicking the girl. Time passed and... "Waitress! We want to place an order!" "Coming soon." A female waitress approached our table and we gave her our orders. It didn''t take long for the waitress to go back to the kitchen. "It''s the time for you to say what do you want from me," said the girl who narrowed her eyes. "Huh? You''ve forgotten about it? Didn''t I tell you that I wanted to hire your services?" "..." The girl''s narrowed eyes turned into a sharp gaze. It told me that the girl was getting irritated and it also made me panic. In a hurry, I said, "Oh! Sorry, I didn''t mean to view you as-ehem! I mean, I want to hire your services as a Bag Carrier." "It doesn''t make me feel good. And I say, I''m not interested or rather, I don''t have time to accept a job from you." I shook my head twice. "No, I don''t believe in that. I''m sure you have the time and I hope you didn''t refuse my request because you hate me." The last sentence that I said in a soft voice made the girl raise one of her eyebrows. Then, she crossed her arms and leaned back on the chair. "Oh, that''s right, actually I hate you." The words she said made my ears stand up. I felt restless and my tone broke slightly as I said, "Don''t hate me, please. I can be a better person." "I don''t need you to be a better person. You who are now and you who be a better person won''t be a matter for me." "I''ve fought hard to amass some money and I almost died when doing it. Presently, I already have what you want. Why did you reject me?" My heart trembled as I said that question. At the same time, I felt something in my eyes. I don''t know why this happened. "Look, I don''t want your money and I don''t reject you either, okay? I just can''t. I''ve had quite a lot of trouble on my hands! You can find someone better." "I don''t want anyone else, I just want you!" As I said that sentence, I felt my tears flow. I felt so emotional and sad when the girl rejected me. Doesn''t she know I want to be with her? "Why are you so insisted and why does our chat seem as if I dumped you? And seriously! Are you crying now? What''s wrong with you?" "I just want to be with you..." I answered as I wiped my tears. I want to be friends with this girl just like I become friends with Cerene. "Ugh... Little girl, can you help me?" Kimi''s ears twitched as she looked eye-to-eye with the girl, her tail made a strong swing. "Big sis never had a friend. And after seeing your exchange, I think big sis just wants to be friends with you, sis Fallen Elf. And doesn''t sis Fallen Elf feel sorry after seeing big sis in such a state?" "Ugh! Please don''t say anything like that," said the girl who then put on a sour expression. "That''s right! Please be my friend, Miss Fallen Elf!" The girl didn''t answer. She massaged her forehead and closed her eyes. A moment later, the waitress returned to deliver our order. And in the blink of an eye, our food was neatly arranged at the table. "Enjoy your food," said the waitress. "Thank you Sis Waitress," my sister replied with a smile. "Your welcome." With that sentence, The Waitress left us. "Will you accept a job from me? Please, miss. Please..." "Okay! I''ll take a job from you, so don''t be noisy!" snapped the girl. I''m not angry or scared because of that. I''m happy! "Thank you! With this, we will be on an adventure together for a month!" "No... Not one month but one week." "Why?" "Because I have a job from someone else." "Can you cancel the job?" "Can you not be selfish for some time? If you don''t like this, we-" Sensing the girl would refuse, I interrupted her with, "No! Not! Not! I like it! One week, that''s good, and sorry for being selfish!" "Haa..." Sighing, the girl started eating her blueberry pie. Seeing that, I also started eating my apple pie. As for Kimi, the little girl had been enjoying her blueberry pie ever since. "I''ll tell you, we''ll start exploring Foltian starting from tomorrow. You''re forcing me and I won''t accept refusal, okay?" "Clearly." "So, what job should I do? Which region and what floor will we explore? What kind of items are you looking for? What monsters do you want to hunt? How about supplies? Who are your party members? At which time do we going to start the exploration? You have to pay me thirty silver coins a day or I''ll take forty percent of the loot. You can choose one and I don''t accept! Bargain! Understand?" "Yes and wait a minute, that barrage of questions makes me dizzy." I put my spoon to massage my forehead. I tried to remember the girl''s questions as I said, "First, for your job, I want you to process the preys we killed. Second, I want to explore the eastern region of the first floor of Foltian. More precisely, I wanted to explore the area around Dusn Hill. Then¡­ then..." "What big sis do want to look for in that place? The monsters that big sis wants to hunt, the issue of supplies, the Party, and when we''re going to leave," Kimi said to help me. "Right! I want to find Droplet Red Moss, I want to hunt down..." Oh shit! I just remember, most of the monsters that roam around the Dusn Hill are... "Slime¡­" I paused as I recall that unfortunate episode. "I want to hunt down that monster, Leaf Hound, and Tree Golem. I''ll take care of the supplies and for the Party..." "We can invite Chloe and Alan." Kimi gave me some help, again. "That''s right, Chloe and Alan. That means we''re going to form a Party with five members. Next, we''ll leave in the middle of the first and second bells. Lastly, I''ll pay you thirty silver coins per day. Deal?" "Haa... deal..." "Perfect! Now, what''s your name, miss?" "You can call me Ruciel." Chapter 63 - Lets Go In! "Dungeon, Dungeon, we''re going to explore Dungeon~." Kimi sings. "Dungeon, Dungeon, an adventure awaits within the Dungeon~." Chloe sings along. She connects the lyrics sung by Kimi. "We''ll find the treasure!" Kimi jumped up and raised both arms. "We will find glory!" Chloe imitated Kimi''s movements. "We''ll find a girl! Inside the Dungeon!" Now, the two little girls combined their hands and circled together several times before finally stopping. The two little girls again raised both arms and shook their hands and sang, "Adventure inside the Dungeon... Yey..." Sitting on a park bench, I saw their behavior and I could only smile. Then, I turned my head towards the fourth Party member, Alan. "You don''t want to sing and dance, Alan?" "No, thank you." "Why? That looks fun!" "If that''s fun. Why doesn''t sis Eclaite sing or dance?" I blinked and turned my face away. "I''m too old to sing and dance like that." "I don''t think age has anything to do with singing and dancing. And isn''t sis Eclaite is still young?" "Hmm... Then..." I said as I stood up. I grabbed Alan''s hands and pulled him away from the chair to get closer to me. "Let''s sing and dance together, Alan!" "Wait, no!" cried a panicked Alan. "You''re too late," I said and started pulling him to dance with me. "Dungeon, Dungeon, we''re going to explore Dungeon~." I started singing. "Oh!" Two little girls were amazed to see us. "Dungeon, Dungeon, an adventure waiting inside the Dungeon~, sing with me, Alan," I asked. But Alan whose face was flushed and who was in my arms shook his head with vigor. "We''ll find a treasure! It''s fun! Right?" I asked and Alan shook his head again. It''s strange, why doesn''t he feel happy? Maybe I''m pouring less passion into this dance? It could have happened. Sure by that theory, I wanted to make Alan feel happy by dancing much better. But, before I had time to do it, a familiar voice was heard. "What are you doing?" I stopped dancing and turned to the source of the voice. There, I found Ruciel looking at us. One end of the lips on her pretty face trembled. "Dance!" I said with great enthusiasm to answer Ruciel. And for some reason, the Fallen Elf girl rubbed her face with both hands. "Dancing she said, can you believe that!" Ruciel whispered. The whisper may not be heard by a human. But to me, a Beastkin, that whisper still sounded clear. "You want to dance, Ruciel?" "No!" She cries out. The girl walked up to me quickly. She''s standing right in front of me! Then, she pressed on the top of my left chest with her index finger. "We''re not assembling in here to dance! We''re going to explore the Foltian Great Dungeon! Let the boy go and start checking the equipment you''re carrying!" Ruciel gave the order in a threatening tone. I who was afraid replied with, "Yes ma''am!" Then, I released Alan to start checking the supplies and equipment I was carrying. Mimicking me, Kimi, Chloe, and Alan also checked their stuff. Time passes... "Wow~" Four people voiced their admiration while standing in front of Denbu or White Tower. Well... Dungeon Entrance Building is a term used in Ark Fantasy Online to refer to the tower that became the entrance of the Foltian Great Dungeon. While the white tower is a term that people in this world use to refer to the entrance of the Foltian Great Dungeon. In addition to being an entrance, the White Tower also became a fortress. This tower was meant to block the monsters that came out of the Dungeon when an episode called Monsters Stampede occurred. "Don''t keep daydreaming. Quickly enter the tower, we don''t need to waste time here," Ruciel said. And we walked, up the stairs to the big, dark brown double door. After passing through the entrance of the White Tower, we were greeted by a minimalist lobby dominated by two colors. The lobby floor is made of black marble. The walls and ceiling of this place are white. Dozens of golden-white Lamp Crystals became the lobby''s light source. And some decorative plants in here give a fresh feeling. In short, this lobby is beautiful. And of course, this lobby was filled with dozens of Adventurers and Bag Carriers. Surprisingly enough, I was also able to see merchants, knights, and the citizens. We followed Ruciel who walked close to a queue. We had to stand for a few minutes before our turn arrived. "How many people are in your party? And please take out your Adventurer Card." Ruciel said, "five." To answer the White Tower Staff''s questions. After that, she collected our Adventurer Card. Not long after, she asked for a silver coin from me. The coin becomes an entry fee. Each Adventurer had to pay twenty bronzes to be allowed to enter and explore the Foltian Great Dungeon. After purchasing a permit to enter or some kind of ticket, we were allowed to enter the heart of the White Tower. The part where the Dungeon Gate is located. This place is a great hall. The black floor and white walls were the same as the lobby earlier. But, a dark blue rectangular pillar in the middle of this hall made a difference. That rectangular pillar was a Dungeon Gate! The four sides of the pillar are decorated by a gate that has a light door. Above each gate is a large jewel. The gate with the green jewel is the entrance while the gate with the red jewel is the exit. Dungeon Gate is amazing and we''re approaching it now. We walked among hundreds of people before we finally stood in front of the Dungeon Gate. We saw the beauty and majesty of this gate up close. To use the Dungeon Gate we had to queue again. We had to let the Adventurers in front of us in first before our turn arrived. It''s so unfortunate, I want to admire this Dungeon Gate much longer but... "Let''s go!" Ruciel wouldn''t let me. Together and while holding hands, we walked and entered the Dungeon Gate to pass the light. For a while, everything around us disappeared, replaced with white light. We felt our bodies drift for a while before finally returning as we stepped on the ground. A moment later, the white light disappeared to reveal a completely different scene from the heart of the White Tower. The new scenery we saw was a view of a simple village. And far behind the village was a dense green forest! The vast blue sky surprised us. This sight made us feel doubtful that we were currently inside the Dungeon! But literally, we were inside the Dungeon. And that was proved by Ruciel who said, "Welcome to the Foltian Great Dungeon!" Chapter 64 - Foltian Great Dungeon 1_3 "It''s new," I said. Moving my eyes, I saw a village or maybe a simple settlement in this dungeon. I looked around and I found wooden houses, inns, all sorts of shops, blacksmiths, little Adventurer''s Guilds, and restaurants! I didn''t expect it, this place entirely had complete facilities and this place was also quite crowded. And judging from the structure of this place as well as the presence of a relatively high wooden wall in the distance, I can make a guess, this place was built to protect the Teleportation Crystal. It''s new knowledge for me, this place also looks new and of course, settlements like this don''t exist in Ark Fantasy Online. In that game, there was nothing around the Teleportation Crystal. "People live inside the dungeon?" "That''s right," Ruciel replied. "But why?" "Of course to conquer this dungeon." "How does live inside a dungeon relate to conquering a dungeon?" "They monitoring the monster population, made supply lines, and governed a part of the dungeon. People believed that the combination of that three things would lead them to the goal of conquering the Foltian Great Dungeon." "That''s a great plan." "Yes... Let''s start the hunt today." "With pleasure! But... Which Teleportation Crystal is this?" Ruciel didn''t answer my question but she pointed at somewhere. I turned my head and in there, I saw a wooden board painted with number two. That means we were on the west part of the first floor. "It''s not good," I said. Dusn Hill was near Teleportation Crystal number four, in the east. If we want to get to that place from here, we will go on a long journey, we''ll just be wasting our time. And that doesn''t include the time to face the dangers that existed along the way. And yes, that''s true. The moment an Adventurer entered the Foltian Great Dungeon, they would appear in one of the four Teleportation Crystals ¡ª which were in the north, south, west, and east respectively ¡ª at random. "We''re going to teleport again." We used the Teleportation Crystal, again. And after four attempts, we finally appeared at the Teleportation Crystal number four in the east. We didn''t linger in the eastern settlement and went straight to the Dusn Hill. Our trip was quite fun. Kimi, Chloe, and Alan use their time to admire the natural beauty inside the Foltian Great Dungeon. I knew they were so happy when I saw their glittering eyes. Monsters? Since Ruciel guided us through a safe road, we hadn''t met the monster yet. But that doesn''t mean on this road there aren''t monsters at all. On this trip, several times, I felt the heat of the monster in the distance. Luckily and unfortunately, they didn''t approach us. Feeling a little bored. So¡­ I decided to try out the new Skill I had. The lord, Apprisal. I obtained or purchased the Skill, Apprisal, as I prepared the supplies for this adventure. Yes, I used the Skill Orb. [Appraisal | Lvl - 1] [MP -1] [+ Accessing the World Memory to get detailed descriptions of an object.] Yup! This is a great skill. Let''s try this skill on Kimi. "[Apprisal]" "Oo... What''s that?" My sister asked no one. At the same time, her body trembled. "Why does my body suddenly get goosebumps!" ----+ [Name: Kokuryo Kimi | Race: Beastkin | Lvl: 5] [HP: 15/15 | MP: 12/12 | SP: 20/23 ] ----+ Oh! It was alarming, I never thought that my little sister was so fragile. It''s not good. I have to make her stronger. And... Jii~~ "Is there something wrong, Ruciel? Why do you keep looking at me?" "Don''t try to use Apprisal on me. If you do, I''ll revoke our deal, okay?" Hearing our chat, Kimi turned her head. "Were the goosebumps earlier caused by Apprisal?" "Yes," Ruciel replied. "Keep this in mind Kimi, using Apprisal on someone without permission is disrespectful and it can even be said to be a criminal act." "That''s bad news!" Kimi put on a serious expression then looked me in the eye. Firmly, she said, "Promise me that big sis will not use Apprisal carelessly." "I know! And I promised." "Really? Truly?" "Of course, the proof is, I used Apprisal on you instead of on anyone else." "Okay then." "Oh yes! What''s your level, Chloe, Alan? I''m level nine." And once I reach level ten, I''ll know if I can evolve or not. "I''m level seven," Alan replied. Level seven Warrior then. "... Level three." Chloe''s voice was so soft. A cute level three Healer then. "How about you, Ruciel? The Fallen Elf girl never says her level. And instead, she closed her eyes while muttering, "I''m truly a babysitter now." Our journey to Dusn Hill continued and... "Stop and get ready, there''s a monster approaching," I warned Kimi and the others. "Monsters? Where? I didn''t see anything?" Kimi asked. At the same time, she moved her head to scan the surroundings. Chloe and Alan did the same as Kimi. It''s a shame they didn''t prepare themselves as I said. As for Ruciel, she didn''t do anything. But, she always holding the handle of her dagger. I unsheathed the Silver Spear then raised my right hand to point towards the southeast. "It''s behind the trees." "There''s nothing there." "We just have to wait," I said then walking towards the approaching monster. And yes, I didn''t forget to turn on the Smell Blocker. I know that Heart of Monster was deactivated but I don''t want to take the risk. "I''m going to fight that monster and you guys don''t need to help me." "Ho... Do you want to brag by showing your ability?" "No, Ruciel!" I turned my body to see the girl. "I just recovered from my wounds. I just want to make sure of my condition and strength." "... Do what you want." "Of course, and¡­ If I''m in trouble, please help me." "Sure, just be happy go lucky like you always do." "I am serious, Ruciel!" "Me too." "Fine then." A moment after I finished talking to Ruciel, the approaching monster finally showed its figure. "Roar!" Roaring was a dark brown bear with two and a half meters tall. The monsters are frightening. However, a green leaf at the size of a palm growing on its head made the monster a little cute. "[Appraisal]!" ----+ [Race: Leaf Bear] [Lvl: 11] [HP >: 52/54 |> MP: 10/12 |> SP: 34/40] ----+ Yup! Appraisal is amazing. Leaf Bear sprinted to me. From the movements it showed, I know it tried to ram me using its large body. I kicked the ground to dodge to the side. However, suddenly, Leaf Bear stopped running. The monster stood up and tried to rip off my body using its claws. Now, when my Basic Statistics are reduced by Debuff Weakened Heartbeat, the Leaf Bear''s movements look pretty fast. I also became a little stiff to dodge its attacks. I''m having a hard time following Leaf Bear''s movements. This problem made me receive some attacks. Fortunately, due to the protection provided by my leather armor, the attack didn''t give me any severe wounds. Leaf Bear''s quick movements also made it tough for me to attack its vital point. The monster also had good enough dexterity to defend itself. Often, it fends off my attacks. Caught up in this situation, I decided to take a defensive approach. We exchanged attacks for some time until I finally saw an opportunity! Without hesitation, instantly, I took it. "[Impale]" My Silver Spear that was enveloped in red light pierced the Leaf Bear''s head from its mouth. The Leaf Bear died. Chapter 65 - Foltian Great Dungeon 2_3 "Why is big sis so reckless!" Kimi, my little sister pinched my cheek as I drank a bottle of potion. Her ears stood up straight and she give me a sharp gaze, this little girl was angry. "I don''t think it''s reckless." "Don''t argue!" "Little pie, my fighting style wasn''t reckless. If you don''t believe me, how about we ask Ruciel for her opinion?" Ruciel, the girl I was referring to was processing the Leaf Bear I just killed. A surprising thing occurred, Ruciel pulled and hung the Leaf Bear''s huge body on the tree with ease. The thing she did was hard for me to accept considering her slender and lovely figure. Then, I saw the girl who is skinning the bear, I asked, "Ruciel, can you give an opinion on my fighting style?" The Fallen Elf girl, stopped moving her knife. She moves her head to look at me. "Hmm... I think you''re forcing yourself. You look so desperate to make moves and attacks that you can''t do. It''s like you''re trying to show strength you don''t have. Oh! That doesn''t include your rigid fighting style." After answering, Ruciel continue to processed the Leaf Bear. She no longer cared about me even though I said, "It''s because I''m not in my best condition. If I was at my best, Leaf Bear wouldn''t give me any trouble. I can kill that monster in the blink of an eye." "Look, big sis is weak and reckless. Big sis can''t take care of yourself and that worries me," Kimi explained. She placed her two hands on her hips while putting on a proud expression and knew it all. And for some reason, I was annoyed at her attitude. "Excuse me, little girl, I can take care of myself." "Big sis can''t!" She argued again and I was getting annoyed. "Okay, if I can''t, what will you do?" "I''ll protect big sis!" "You, my little sister want to protect me?" "Yes! Of course!" The girl''s answer made me laugh. Her level is lower than mine. How will she protect me? "Hah! Big talk for a little girl!" "I''m not saying crab! I''m not weak either! I can do it!" She retaliated. The girl''s ears and tail stood up straight. She''s angry! And at the same time, I felt four monster heats in the distance. Maybe, they came to us because they were lured by the smell of Leaf Bear''s blood. And this will be a good opportunity to make Kimi aware of what she is saying. "Okay... Then, please protect me." "Huh?" The little girl jolted then put on an expression of confusion. "Turn around my little sister," I told her. And she turned around as I said. "You see those four Leaf Hounds that approaching? Yes? Defeat them and protect me. Prove that you can do it." Shortly after I said my plan. Alan approached and said, "Sis Eclaite, I think you''re overdoing it." "No, it''s not an exaggeration," I said to the boy. "At the very least, she should be able to do this if she wants to protect me. Why don''t you help her, Alan? I think that''s a good idea." "I don''t need help! I can do it myself! Like big sis did before," shouted Kimi who tried to make herself look big. I rolled my eyes and asked, "Is that the case?" "Yes!" Kimi replied with confidence. But Alan who was beside her denied that confidence. "No! You can''t do it! Chloe, please help us from behind. Don''t get nervous and do as we used to do before." "Un! I understand!" "Alan! I can do it-" "No! You can''t and don''t insist! We''re going to do this together." "The three of you, Leaf Hound is pretty close," I warned. Those four monsters will soon arrive where we are. Alan who saw that unsheathed his sword and prepared his shield. "Kimi, Chloe, get ready!" "Un!" replied Chloe excitedly. "... okay," replied Kimi reluctantly. So, the three children formed their fighting formation. Kimi and Alan are at the front line because they are both Attackers or could be called Warriors. As for Chloe, the girl was in the backline. After all, a Healer was powerless on the front lines. "Wurf! Wurf!" "Woff! Woff!" Four Leaf Hounds came and the fight began! Leaf Hound. The dog monsters were quite large, they were close to the size of or maybe a little bigger than a golden retriever. They can also be said to be similar to leaf bears. I said that because the Leaf Hound has dark brown fur! The monster also had a big, green leaf adorning their heads. And yes, I just remembered that there are many monsters on the first floor of this dungeon that have the same traits as them! Leaf Boar, Leaf Monkey, Leaf Bull, Leaf Giraffe, and Leaf Deer! Yes, I know. The names seemed to be made by lazy someone but let me say, some of that monsters were strong and quite terrifying. Especially Leaf Deer that can control plants. This monster was one of the seven Mid Bosses on this floor. I want to fight against Leaf Deer and get its Magic Stone. But... For now, I''ll focus on Kimi and the others. I don''t want anything bad to happen to them. For that, I gripped my spear, I was ready to help them at any time. Kimi and Alan''s fighting style looks pretty good. Each of them could handle two Leaf Hounds despite having to get a few injuries. "Hya!" Alan attacked. He managed to injure the right side of the Leaf Hound and keep the monster away. On the other hand. "[Power Slash]" "Woof!" Kimi managed to slash the Leaf Hound''s back and make the monster dying. A moment later the monster ran away. My little girl then made a big mistake by deciding to chase after the monster. Leaving Party members and out of their reach was a bad aspect. And it gets worse because Alan and Chloe don''t realize what Kimi is doing. I didn''t warn my sister. I want her to realize how helpless she is. But I got out of my seat to approach them. "Argh!" "[Cure]" Alan is injured and Chloe uses Healing Magic to heal his wounds. Magic... I thought of that word when I saw Chloe heal Alan. Maybe it''s time I learned some Spells. I need a long-range attack and the Healing Spell seems good stuff to me, I don''t need to buy Potions in bulk. I have money now. With it, I''m sure I''ll get some good Spells. "[Heavy Cut]" Alan tried to cut off the Leaf Hound''s leg that is nearby but to no avail. His sword cut through the air. Meanwhile, on the other hand. "[Power Slash]" "Whimper!" Kimi managed to cut off the leaf hound''s stomach that she was battling. The little girl then cut the monster''s neck to end its life. One fell and three Leaf Hounds were still standing. "Wof!" "Wurf!" The three Leaf Hounds barked loudly. The Leaf Hounds grew fiercer after seeing one of them killed. The attacks they launched were getting more brutal! The three little Adventurers had trouble putting up a fight. Those little Adventurers couldn''t keep up with the Leaf Hound''s speedy movements. They are desperate and often receive attacks. It seemed like, they wouldn''t be able to last much longer. A moment later. "Arg!" One of the Leaf Hounds managed to bite my sister''s leg. "Kimi! Damn monster!" cried Alan. The boy left his position to help Kimi! It was another bad decision. He makes Chloe fight against two Leaf Hounds without defense. I accelerated my steps to save Chloe and before I got there. Wuss! Something shot past me! A second later. "Khaing!" A Leaf Hound made a sound before finally falling to the ground. The monster died with an arrow stuck in his head. "You don''t want to help them?" asked Ruciel. "I''m trying to do it," I replied, as I ran up to Leaf Hound. Another one that also tried to attack Chloe. "Big brother!" cried Chloe in panic. Alan turned his head and froze when he saw Chloe in danger. He just stood there, looking at Chloe then at Kimi in turn. The boy finally moved back after seeing me. "Step back Chloe! Run to sis Eclaite who is approaching you!" Leaving that sentence behind, Alan ran to Kimi''s aid. "Sis Eclaite!" cried Chloe. The panicked blonde little girl ran up to me with her watery red eyes. She looks adorable but now is not the time for me to get mesmerized with it. There''s a Leaf Hound I have to kill. I ran past Chloe. Swinging my Silver Spear, I blocked the Leaf Hound. "Wrof!" I and the Leaf Hound fought each other. It became a short fight because I managed to kill the monster with three moves and an Arte. "[Red Piercing]" I shouted before I pierced the Leaf Hound''s left ribs with the Silver Spear. And yes, Alan and Kimi managed to kill the last Leaf Hound.. Now, my little sister was sitting on the ground holding back her tears because of the injuries she had received. Chapter 66 - Foltian Great Dungeon 3_3 "Now you know you can''t protect me." I said that to Kimi as I treated the wound on her leg. Unfortunately, she didn''t care about what I said. She said, "Hmph!" Then look away. She didn''t want to see my eyes. "You are weak and I will do whatever I want. I will protect you now. And after we''ve been on an adventure together in the Dungeon for a week, I''ll be back on an adventure alone." After experiencing what had just happened and hearing my words, I''m sure Kimi would agree. But, who could have thought? "No! I will always have an adventure with big sis!" The girl shouted to reject my idea! "You can''t do anything and the place I''m going to visit is dangerous!" I said in a slightly loud voice as I was annoyed. Then, I voiced my concerns softly. "Please understand, I don''t want you to get hurt." "No no no!" My sister screamed again. Her voice cracked and she cried. "I want to be with big sis. I don''t want to let big sis go on an adventure alone. What should I do if big sis disappears like Papa Wielth? I don''t want that to happen! I''ll follow big sis!" Why did she use that cunning method again? And crying? If she makes fake tears, I''ll reject her. But this! This girl''s tears were sincere. "You don''t want to give up?" "No!" "Alright, if you don''t want to give up, you have to obey my every word. Do you understand?" Kimi cut off eye contact. She looked the other way while saying, "I understand." "No, you don''t understand," I said firmly. "Say to me that you understand while looking into my eyes! You also have to promise! Do it now, or I''ll truly never take you on an adventure again." "All right!" replied Kimi with a shout. The girl then looked me in the eye. "I promise to obey the words of my big sis! Satisfied?" "Of course!" I nodded. "Now, since you agreed to obey my words, let''s make you stronger by leveling up! We also have to do it quickly! Otherwise, all my plans will fall apart! Once I''m done with this wound, follow me, Kimi!" "Huh? Huh?" I ignored the confused Kimi. I healed the girl with potions. Then, after I confirmed she, Chloe, and Alan were in perfect condition, I took them to the Hunting Spot in Dusn Hill. With my help, I forced them to hunt down the Leaf Hound for a few hours. And after we rested, I forced them to hunt down the Little Blue Slime that was on the hill. And yes, this time I didn''t go hunting with them. I''m still afraid of Slime. The second monster hunt lasted about three hours. Thanks to these two hunts, Kimi went up two levels, Alan one level, and Chloe three levels. The kids are getting stronger. After we were done hunting around Dusn Hill, I invited them to visit the Rockleaf Forest. "It''s time to seek wealth!" I started with passion but the other members were not passionate at all. The kids are exhausted. "My feet hurt," complained Kimi. "I couldn''t feel my arm," Alan continued. "Huff... Huff... gulp! Gulp!" Chloe drank her juice. On the other hand, Ruciel, the Fallen Elf girl didn''t show any expression. She also didn''t seem exhausted despite having already processed the monster dozens of times and continued to carry a large green bag on her back. The bag looked so full and heavy that it made me wonder, "Ruciel, what''s in your big bag? "...lot of things," she began. "Tents, cookware, utensils for harvesting different types of Items like a pickaxe, shovel, hoe, and many much other things." "Why are you carrying all that things?" "Haa... Because every Adventurer who hires my services has a different purpose. I have to be ready and have whatever they need." "That''s extremely informative," I said with a nod. Back to the Rockleaf Forest. When we got there, we rested. Half an hour later, we went into the forest, walking past the trees and bushes in search of a place I wanted to visit. Looking at the simple map I had made in a hurry, I walked northwest, towards a place I thought was filled with rocks forming a hill. We wandered inside this forest for some time until finally... "Ho... hoo!" We met a Tree Golem! "Let me fight that monster. All of you, please take a rest." "Are you sure of that decision?" asked Ruciel. She gave me an expression that showed me a question; are you crazy? "Yes Ruciel, I''m sure of this decision. And for the record, I''m not crazy okay? I know what I''m doing." "Whatever, just do what you want to do." So, after our exchange was over, I approached, challenged, and finally battling the Tree Golem. As usual, the monster was so slow. It allows me to easily dodge and attack. But, behind that slow inertia, there was a great power. I can''t let my guard down. If I take a single blow from that monster, I will be finished because of it. Different from before, I''m sure I can kill this monster. I will not lose and run away. I''ve become stronger, I also have a Silver Spear, and I know its weakness. Once again, I could kill the Tree Golem! Then, after dozens of minutes, I managed to cut off one tree golem''s leg and hand. "[Red Piercing]" "[Impale]" "[Red Piercing]" With that Arte combination that pierced through the Tree Golem''s chest, I managed to kill the monster. I have no other choice but to destroy its Magic Stone directly. The death of Tree Golem made my level go up! I''m level ten now. My tail swinging full of energy after I heard and read the notification. < Level up! 9 to 10 > That''s right! I can evolve! A smile adorns my face! And no doubt about it, I feel so good now, I feel satisfied too! And yes, I didn''t evolve here right away. I''ll do it later at home. After processing the Tree Golem, our journey continued. And in the middle of the way, Ruciel suddenly said, "I want to know. Do you realize, you won''t get anything from this hunt?" "What do you mean?" "Seriously? Should I say it to you?" I tilted my head slightly, I didn''t know what Ruciel meant. "You paid me thirty silver coins. And so far, you''ve only hunted Leaf Bear, Leaf Hound, Blue Little Slime, and Tree Golem.You indeed hunt more monsters than a Party in general. But, even so, you won''t earn a lot of money because you don''t get a lot of valuable parts. Probably, you''ll only get thirty-three silver after you sell all of this. You know you made a bad deal." "You don''t have to worry about it because at first, I didn''t intend to hunt them down to make money. The source of my wealth is Drople Red Moss." "And you wish I believed it. Drople Red Moss is a rare medicinal plant. They didn''t grow anywhere and now, you''re saying that the plant grew in this place?" "Yes, that''s true." "You''re crazy." "I''m not crazy Ruciel. I''ll prove it and you''ll be surprised." "Haa..." We explored the Rockleaf Forest for some time before finally, we found the huge pile of rocks I was looking for. My ears twitched and my tail made a powerful swing as I watched the place be here. I feel delighted! With a light step, I approached the pile of stones in search of the cave hidden there. At Ark Fantasy Online, this place becomes a popular source of articles on the Official Website of the AFO. Why is the article about this place so popular? Because the article tells the story of a Player who became rich in a short time because he sold a Rare Medical Plant called Droplet Red Moss. He had a stock of rare medicinal plants that could make others gape! But, in the end, the place from which the Player got the Droplet Red Moss was revealed. The Player who was a Solo Player could not defend his treasure from A-Class Familia. A sad story indeed and I don''t care! Now! This place will be mine! And I wouldn''t make the same mistake as that player. My smile grew wider when I found the cave entrance. Without wasting any time, I invited Kimi and the others into the cave. "Are you sure there''s a Drople Red Moss in this place?" asked Ruciel. "Of course, maybe? Anyway, we have to check it out first." "You''re unbelievable." "I found it! Look at Ruciel! Droplet Red Moss!" I pointed towards the red stones because they were overgrown with moss. Ruciel who saw it gaped. Chapter 67 - Papa 1_2 "Two big gold coins, one bottle containing Droplet Red Moss will give you two big gold coins," explained Ruciel. "And we have five bottles, that means we''ll get ten big gold coins!" I cheered. "Oh..." The three kids also cheered and they did it together. Their eyes were sparkling. "We''ll be partying when we get back to town." I expressed my plan and it got support from the kids who shouted, "OHH...!" For the second time, together. Ruciel? The girl focused too much on a bottle containing Droplet Red Moss in her hand. Then she whispers, "I don''t believe this." Ahe didn''t believe it. But anyway, we managed to get what we wanted. So, we decided to go back. The afternoon came and exploring the Dungeon at night was a bad idea. We decided to take a shortcut to avoid the night. Then, in the middle of the journey, Ruciel suddenly stopped to look at the scenery in the distance. I approached the girl. Standing next to her, I joined in to see the sight she saw. I turned on my brain when I recognize that scenery and I remember. "Isn''t that forest called Gre Forest?" "Right, it''s the Gre Forest." I glanced at the girl and became surprised after seeing her expression. "So, is there something wrong with that forest, Ruciel?" "Why do you ask something like that?" She turned her head and gave me her frightening expression. Her sharp gaze also pierced my heart. "Because you put on a frightening expression and it''s like you''re going to kill someone! And I hope, that person is not me." My words made Ruciel blinked her eyes. Her frightening expression disappeared and she then shake her head. "Forget it, let''s go back." "Okay." With that, we went back to Rishtonbell. -----[?]----- + 3 weeks before Giselle Gibson''s consciousness appears. + Yuyei Volcano, the second floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. A man walks past the stone fangs facing the sky. He continued walking, ignoring some of the rivers of lava that were so hot, poisonous gases, and the occasional small meteor that emerged from the top of Yuyei Volcano. To him, all those things that could kill adventurers in an instant were just the bites of a mosquito. The man is strong, exceptionally strong. Although he was a B-Rank Adventurer, the strength he possessed was equivalent to an A-Rank Adventurer. His name is Wielth, a man who bears the title Night Bearer, he is also known as the Shadow Mage Assassin. While walking on this volcano, his short blood-red hair flutter because of the wind. His dark blue eyes scanned the surroundings in search of the presence of the monsters. His fairly muscular body was ready to face an ambush. Wielth visited this mountain because of an agreement. He plans to meet his old friend. An eccentric alchemist who loves cringe nickname that is Alchemist X. Why would Wielth want to see the alchemist? Because he was meet a deadlock in the experiments he conducted. For the past few months, he had no longer been able to refine the Blood and enhance the effect of his Gold Potion. He made no progress in his experiments. Alchemist X had an immense knowledge of potions. Therefore, once again, he needed help from his friend to pass his deadlock. "You do certainly take your time to come here," said a figure who sit on a large rock. Seeing that figure, Wielth narrowed his eyes. Without saying a word, he prepared some Spells to attack. He became wary because, "who are you?" "What do you mean by who are you? I am Wilxes Lancaster, your best friend, Alchemist X! How could you forget me?" The figure who wears a brown robe that covers her entire body gave a particularly different impression from his best friend. Her face was invisible because it was covered in a robe! And woman''s curves? His friend is an old man. So, yes, that figure who has the figure and voice of a woman is incredibly dubious. "My friend is not a woman." "Ah... Right," replied the cloaked figure. She jumped off the rock she was sitting on to stand up. "About this, there was a blunder that happened." "Give me my answer or all of this is going to be bad." Not only threatening, but Wielth also began to fill his Spell with Mana. The man was ready to launch his attack at any time. "Wow wow, come on Wielth, this is me. My body altered because I made a blunder in my last experiment." Wielth did not respond. He simply narrowed his eyes, he was in the middle of deciding to accept the explanation or not. "What a cautious man." Alchemist X shook her head. "The old way then. Two young children live in Slums because they were dumped by their mother who was a Courtesan. They lived hard lives and ended up almost dying of starvation. But, they get miracles, they are being picked up and being looked after by someone." Alchemist X tells the story while Wielth who heard it did nothing. Alchemist X make a unseen smile then continued the story. "The Courtesan is named Selnia, the two children are you, Wielth and a girl named Arla, while the one who picked you up is Milos. And I don''t need to tell you what happened to Arla and Milos, right?" "Yes," Wielth replied. "That is an answer I was hoping for. So, what do you want this time Wielth?" "I want you to help me," He said as canceled his spell. "That blood, can you refine it to be purer? If you have a better refining method, I''ll buy it." "Ah..." Alchemist X crossed her arms. "About that, I have the perfect refining method and I''m sure you''ll like it." "That''s a pleasure to hear. How much money should I pay?" "You don''t have to pay and I''ll give you that method for free. It''s just, I want the blood. I need it in large quantities and if I can, I want a whole body of the owner of this blood." Hearing the offer, Wielth shook his head. "I can''t do it, I''ll pay with money and that''s the only thing I''m going to do." "Come on Wielth!" Alchemist X raised her voice in annoyance. "That blood is more than you think, it''s blood that brings miracles, and you don''t know how precious it is. Please give me the blood." "I''ll pay with money and nothing else." "..." The tension between the two people increased greatly as they fell silent. "Is that blood coming from S-Threat Monsters? Or do you only have it in small amounts? Then, how about this, say the name of that monster and in exchange, I''ll give you the refining method. This is not a bad deal, right? "I''ll pay for it with money." "Damn it! Weilth! It''s just the name of a monster!" Alchemist X shouted. "..." "Okay! If you don''t want to give me the name, I just have to force you to say it." Alchemist X flicked her finger. And within seconds, dozens of Magic Circle formed. Then a dozen of monsters appeared to surround them. Wielth moved his eyes to look at the monsters. And in an instant, he knew, all the monsters that surrounded him weren''t ordinary monsters. All the monsters were made by his friend. They''re strong. Especially, three monsters that had two pairs of eyes, a wide mouth, and three hands. That monster was much stronger than the other monsters. As for the large lizard with half a human body, the gorilla that had four hands, the lion with the snake''s tail, and Slime, that monsters were not strong but troublesome. "Are you sure of this?" Wielth asked. "No... But, I have no other choice. I need that blood- no! I need that monster. My life would change if I had it and I would do anything to get it. Well, I''ll stop doing this if you tell me the name of the monster." "...No." "Okay then." Alchemist X flicked her finger once more and the monsters began to move. The group of monsters instantly approached Wielth while launching their attack. As for Weilth, he started using his Spell. A few seconds passed and a series of explosions appeared. Wielth jumped to keep his distance by taking advantage of the fog created by the Black Explosion he launched. Re-collecting Mana in his hands, he prepares a Spell for the monsters that pursue him. When Mana in his hand was enough, he used Silent Chant to activate Strom Shadows. The AoE Spell managed to injure the monsters and stop the monsters'' movements for a moment. Wielth didn''t stop, he used the second Spell, Rain of Black Spears. Dozens of black spears formed in the air from nothing. All the spears spinning before finally flashing and piercing the bodies of the monsters. Splat! Splat! Rain of Black Spears managed to claim the lives of several monsters and leave the rest seriously injured. To end that combo attacks, he used the Sealing Chain. The monsters bound by purple chains would die over time. Wielth darted towards Alchemist X, leaving behind the monsters bound by his Sealing Chain. He used the Mana in his hands to use a Spell called Sharp Shadow. A particularly long black line formed from his hand. As quickly as possible, he swung that black line to cut off Alchemist X''s body. Knowing the attack was coming, Alchemist X flicked her finger. A dark green turtle shell emerged from within her robe. Clang! The turtle''s shell managed to block the black line. Wielth didn''t stop attacking. Shortly after his black line disappeared, he used Shadow Spikes. Dozens of a meter-long black spike appeared on the ground to pierce Alchemist X''s body. A flick of fingers was heard. The blue light that overflowed from Alchemist X''s body sweep across the area around her to wiped out Wielth''s black spikes. Alchemist X managed to evade Wielth''s attack. But, "Where is he?" She missed Wielth''s figure. Now, she couldn''t see the man in her surrounding area. Meanwhile, Wielth who is disappeared used Shadow Dive. A Spell that allowed him to dive into the shadows. When Alchemist X was confused looking for him, he gathered a large number of Mana in his hands. A moment later, Strom Shadows reappeared to swallow Alchemist X. "Argg¡­!" Alchemist X receives damages. Then, to defend herself, she used a Spell named Mana Barrier. The blue dome protects her from the black storm. Making the most of the opportunity when Alchemist X defends herself, Wielth came out of Alchemist X shadow and instantly used Sharp Shadow. Realizing the ambush, Alchemist X dodged. Things she did made the veil that covered her head tear apart to show her face. "How could you have her face?" Wielth asked. Alchemist X''s face made Wielth shocked and frozen. And that unexpected opportunity was all the things Alchemist X needed to launch her attack. Four black scaly tails came out of her robe to pierce Wielth''s body and capture him. "So you do recognize the owner of this face. We''re going to have a relatively long conversation Wielth." That phrase was the last thing that Wielth heard before he fainted. Chapter 68 - Papa 2_2 Three days passed and a man named Wielth was now lying in an open area inside the Gre Forest, a small forest on the first floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. The man manages to escape from the clutches of Wilxes Lancaster aka Alchemist X. And right now, he wants to go home to take his two daughters out of the kingdom but he can''t. Something strange happened to his body. "What did he do to me?" Wielth asked as he looked at his hand. His hand or rather, most of his body has been altered. They now look like white-colored tree bark. That''s the change that''s happened to him. Knowing the change, Wielth tries to cure it. However, all the effort he made was in vain. The Scroll of Blessing, Scroll of Purification, Detoxification Spell, and Antidote Potion that he used couldn''t remove or even stop the changes that were going on to his body. Wielth didn''t want to admit this but deep in his heart, he knew, he had been turned into a monster. "I need to get out of this Dungeon as soon as possible!" Wielth moved his body, he traced the forest towards the Teleportation Crystal. But then, on his way, he meets a Man-eater Phora. A Plant Type Monsters that had a wide mouth decorated by sharp spikes, a large cauldron-like body, and dozens of roots like octopus legs. The lid of the monster that became the mouth and head was orange, its body was bright green, and the roots were dark green. The monster was quite dangerous for D or E-rank Adventurers. But for Wielth, the monster was nothing. He killed the monster in a matter of seconds using a Spell. Splat! The monster exploded, shattering into pieces after receiving a black ball the size of a fist. "Annoying monsters." Wielth continued his journey. He doesn''t know that the decision to walk beside the corpse of Man-eater Phora is a mistake that will change his life forever. Like a sponge absorbing water, Wielth''s body absorbed the corpse of Man-eater Phora. It happened fast enough to make him late to jump to getaway. "Argh!" Wielth shouted so loud. Wielth felt unbearable pain tearing his body apart. He couldn''t do anything but lie on the ground convulsing. With a speed that could be seen by the eyes, his body altered. His figure as a human vanished while his figure as a monster emerged. His legs turned into a dozen roots, his human skin turned into white tree bark, his hair turned into leaves, some branches grew on his back, and lastly, his eyes turned completely black. The change of a human into a monster lasted for dozen minutes. From today, Wielth''s life as a monster begins. -----[?]----- As usual, Wielth explores the Gre Forest to hunt down some monsters. He had one goal that was to raise his Level as a monster as quickly as possible. If he wants to come out of the Dungeon with an identity as a monster, he needed decent strength to slaughter all the adventurers in the White Tower. Yes, he had to break through the White Tower before disappearing and hiding in the city of Rishtonbell. If he manages to do so, then he will get a chance to take his most precious treasure and his daughter away from the kingdom. Even better, he''ll have a chance to hunt down Wilxes in the future. And then, coincidentally, as he hunted monsters, as usual, he met a party of adventurers. They fought and Wielth won! "Please, forgive me! I''ll do anything! So don''t kill me!" An adventurer pleaded while kneeling. Seeing that behavior, Wielth narrowed his eyes and asked, "Why should I let you live?" "I have information about the outside world! You are a monster who has intelligence on par with us, humans! I''m sure you''re interested in this information, I can be an eye and an ear for you!" Wielth didn''t care about the information that the adventurer had. However, being eyes and ears, it''s a good idea. So, Wielth uses a new Skill that is Parasite Seed, which he gets after becoming a monster to control and threaten the adventurer. Wielth planted the seed in the Adventurer''s head. As the seed grew and when a leaf appeared on the adventurer''s head, that seed became a plant that was a bomb, a communication device, and a surveillance device. Wielth gets his own man to hunt down Wilxes. And now, he needs more men. -----[?]----- Wielth opened his eyes when he felt five people entering his territory. Without wasting any time, he used a Skill named Spirit of Forest. This skill allows him to possess and moved from one tree to the other tree like swimming. He to approach and observe the five Adventurers. Wielth sent some monsters to the Adventurers. He did that because he wanted to measure the strength and abilities of those adventurers. In the past few days, he had only got weak adventurers and he was dissatisfied. "Incoming attacks!" warned the Fallen Elf girl who was a Scout. "How many, Ruciel?" asked the human Warrior as he draw his Great Sword. "Seven monsters from the south." "Okay! All of you, be prepared!" Five Adventurers prepared their weapons and Spells. Then, when the monsters came, their fight began. Those Adventurers could be said to be expert and powerful. They can defeat monsters quickly without wasting time and energy. Wielth, who became the observer, was impressed. "They''re going to be decent subordinates." Wielth launched an ambush after deciding to take them as his man. He controlled some roots to catch the Healer while those adventurers were busy processing the monsters they killed. "Kya~," the Healer shouted as two roots wrapped around her leg and pull her down. The other adventurers instantly turned towards the Healer for a moment they hear the shout. And before they could do anything, Wielth pulled the Healer away. "Salsa!" shouted one of the adventures. A moment later, the adventurers chased after the Healer. Wielth forthwith to executed his second plan. He controlled several plants to block the adventurers that chasing the Healer. Things he did manage to separate those adventurers. Next Wielth sent another group of monsters. He overwhelmed the adventurers and in the end, he managed to capture them. Sometime later, Wielth spoke with five adventurers he captured. He used parasite seed and then conveyed his intention with threats. "I have two missions and you can choose one of them." "Find and kill a woman named Wilxes Lancaster or take new adventurers into this forest whenever I want." "If you execute one of these tasks, you won''t die." Of course, that adventurers refused Wielth''s orders. However, after Wielth blew up the head of one of them, the adventurers obeyed Wielth''s orders. Wielth released that adventurers. Then, he goes hunting and catches some monsters. Wielth always watched over the forty-three adventurers that become his man. So, he knows what''s going on and he''s the one who''s always in control. Treason? If any one of the adventurers had an intention to betray him, Wielth just needed to blow their heads off. -----[?]----- "Hmm... It''s valuable information but I don''t need it now." Wielth stopped observing an adventurer named Lana, he turned his attention to the three adventurers who were following in Wilxes''s Trail. After three hours had passed, Wielth stopped observing them. He sighed because once again, those adventurers had not been able to find Wilxes. Then, for the next few hours, Wielth observed the other adventurers. "Today is another fruitless day." Wielth decided to hunt. But then, his attention was attracted by the suspicious movements of the five adventurers in his control. Without his orders, those five adventurers visited his home. Their objective? They wanted to find a means to remove the Parasite Seed that was in their heads. Wielth laughed at that objective. Parasite Seed is a Skill possessed by monsters. This skill cannot be used by humans. So, their efforts to find a means to remove the Parasite Seed in his home were pointless. "Hmm... Should I kill them?" Wielth asked no one. Then, when he hesitated to make the decision. "What do you want?" A familiar voice was heard. Using the adventurers'' eyes, Wielth looked at his most precious treasure. "Eclaite," he said as he watched a Beastkin girl fighting against an adventurer. "She looks so free and alive, it means that the Mind Suppressing Medicine I gave Kimi already run out," Wielth whispered as he watched Eclaite being defeated by the Adventurer with ease. "Weak as always." Distracting himself from Eclaite, Wielth uses the eyes of the other adventurer to search for his daughter Kimi. Moments later, Wielth saw the little girl he was looking for getting out of the window and ran away quickly. "Escape? I thought she likes Eclaite so much? Maybe I was wrong?" Wielth continued to look at Kimi until the adventurer''s vision changed. "She''ll be fine, that''s all that matters. And by the time she returned, all these adventurers were already dead." Wielth intended to blow up that adventurers'' heads. But, before he could do so, a scream sounded. "No! Stop! Don''t touch me!" "Ho! It''s quite interesting," said Wielth, who saw one of the adventurers forcibly remove Eclaite clothes. For quite a long time Wielth hadn''t seen Eclaite''s body, he wanted to satisfy his longing. Therefore, even though Wielth hated it, he let that adventurer strip Eclaite and look at her naked body. Wielth will kill the Adventurer when he will taste Eclaite. Wielth was ready to kill the adventurer anytime as he admired the grace of Eclaite''s body. But, he hadn''t time to commit the murder because the connection he had with the adventurer was cut off. With a bit of panic, Wielth tried to figure out what was happening. Then, he remembered that Eclaite had a skill that is Charm. "That girl might use that skill to save herself." To confirm his assumption, Wielth observed the situations in his home using the eyes of the other adventurers. And sure enough, that adventurer who assaulted Eclaite was being controlled by Charm''s influence. The situation went wrong as the second fight was started. Wielth was so angry when he saw Eclaite''s left hand being cut off by an adventurer. He wanted to blow up the head of that adventurer but he can''t. Someone had already knocked out that adventurer first. Then, a conversation caught his attention. "Brother Vier! Big sis was wounded! Please help her!" "Calm down Kimi, I will cure Eclaite using Greater Heal." Wielth was curious and wanted to see what happened but he can''t because all the adventures he controlled fainted. "Vier and Greater Heal, that is a famous name and a Grand Spell. It''s meant only one thing, Vier the Blue Flame, an A-Rank Adventurer. How did Kimi and Eclaite get to know him?" Wielth gives orders to a few of the adventurers under his control to find out more about the relationship between his most precious treasure, his daughter, and Vier. Chapter 69 - Evolution I sat on the bed looking at my Statistics Screen. I''m so happy now. Why? Because tonight, I''m going to evolve! My level is at its maximum and I get rewarded for my hard work. Without delaying it anymore, I chose yes! I was ready for the miracle that was about to happen to me but a moment later, I fainted. ... When I woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Worse, I was tormented by two things that made me feel uncomfortable. I moved my body and sat on the bed. "Ugh my head and body hurt, I''m also starving," I complained as I massaged my forehead. Then I remember, I chose yes to evolve! I jumped off my bed, walked up to the mirror. And without wasting any time, I took off all the clothes I was wearing. Next, I checked the state of my body. A few minutes later. "Not much has changed in my body." I didn''t get a third eye, no horns growing on my head, my chest didn''t get any bigger, my white, smooth skin wasn''t adorned by tattoos, and luckily, I didn''t get any extra hands or feet. The only change that happened was the fact I got an extra tail. Now, I have two tails. The process and the results of my evolution were extremely disappointing. This is an episode when I was evolved. Shouldn''t there be something... Hmm... Grand! Amazing! Or dramatic! I kinda expected some kind of lightning to come down from the sky, a blinding light, or a terrifying aura when I was evolved. I wanted a cool evolution but I didn''t seem to be getting it. "Well... I think what''s most important is the result and not the process. Now, I need seven more tails for me to be worthy of being called Nine Tail Fox and [Stat Open]." ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [Race: Two Tail Fox Beastkin] [Age: 19 | Level: 1/20 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [Slave, E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 10/95 [87*] | MP: 2/85 | SP: 2/112 * True value without an influence of Skill, Buff, and Debuff. [STR: 73 | DEX: 24 ] [END: 61 | Luck: 5 ] [AGI: 72 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelgan???] [Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood] [Upgrade Hearing] [Smelling Upgrade] [Lesser Strength| Lvl - 3] ? [Lesser Stamina| Lvl - 2] ? [Enchanted Body| Lvl - 2] ? [Pain Resistance| Lvl - 5] ? [Poison Resistance| Lvl - 4] ? [Paralyze Resistance| Lvl - 3] ? [Physical Attack Resistance| Lvl - 2] ? [Heat Perception| Lvl - 2] ? [SP Regeneration Up| Lvl - 3] ? [Spear Mastery| Lvl - 2] ? [Courtesan| Lvl - 6] ? [Cooking| Lvl - 4] ? [Dance| Lvl - 3] ? [Charm| Lvl - 4] ? [Sharp Claws| Lvl - 3] ? ? All Skills level up! That''s truly something! Evolution is absolutely great! All of these big changes made my ears twitch and my tail swinging full of energy. I''m so happy! My Basic Statistics are improving greatly! Debuff Weakened Heartbeat is gone! All my skills are leveling up! And most importantly! My Max Level is increasing! "I can reach level twenty now!" I shouted while raising both my hands high into the air. All this overflowing happiness made me dance spontaneously. And for a few minutes, I danced and laughed as I... naked. "Not good... I''m like a mad, perverted woman now." With warm cheeks, immediately, I picked up and put on my clothes. And I didn''t expect, in the middle, I was wearing my clothes, a roar came out of my stomach! It made me remember that I was starving! And I''m sure, my HP, MP, and SP that are at a minimum become the main cause of why I got a headache, my stomach is roaring, and my body feels stiff and painful. I drank a bottle of Potion to fill my HP before coming out of my room. I walked into the kitchen looking for my sister but I couldn''t find her. "Maybe she went out to play?" I''m not sure but, it won''t be a problem. Kimi will be back soon because midday is coming. And welcoming her with a prepared lunch is a good idea. So! I started cooking! I''m intended to make a whole range of dishes in bulk because today we''re going make a party! I was already making two kinds of dishes when I heard a commotion going on in the living room. From the sounds I heard, instantly, I recognized the commotion makers were Kimi, Alan, and Ruciel. Knowing Alan was there, I''m sure Chloe was with them too. It''s nice to hear them so excited. But, I wonder, what is the trigger that set their commotion? "I''m not lying!" Yup! That scream belonged to Kimi. "But the thing you said is absurd. Your sister turned into Crystal? I can''t believe any Mage would bother to cursed your stupid sister." The owner of the voice that said the spicy sentence was Ruciel. And turned into Crystal? A Mage is cursed me? What does she mean by all that? "But that''s exactly what happened!" "yes, yes, that''s what happened and I couldn''t believe it." "Why don''t you want to believe my words at all! This is a serious situation and I need help! I don''t even know what to do now!" Kimi screamed and a moment later I heard, her start crying. That was one thing I couldn''t ignore. I left the meat I was frying to see my sister''s state. When I got to the living room, I saw Alan patting Kimi''s back. My little sister wiping away her tears. Ruciel who saw me raised one of her eyebrows. As for Chloe, the little girl didn''t seem to know what to do. "Don''t cry, Kimi. We''d better see sis Eclaite condition first before we do something." "You''re right." "Does anyone want to tell me what you''re talking about? And why are you talking about me?" "Big sis!" Kimi shouted for a moment she looked at me. The little girl instantly ran up to me and ended up hugging me. Now, she''s crying in my arms. "Why are you crying?" I asked while stroking her head. She didn''t give a reply and chose to keep crying. So, I looked at Ruciel, Alan, and Chloe looking for answers. "The little girl said you turned into a statue," Ruciel explained briefly. I wanted to reply with the phrase it couldn''t have happened but I didn''t. I remember my evolution. So, in the end, I re-stroked Kimi''s head. "Don''t cry, everything''s fine, I''m fine." Kimi shook her head then hugged me even tighter. Now I know what I have to do. "Em... sis Eclaite." "What''s wrong, Chloe?" "There was black smoke coming out of the kitchen." "Ah! My fried meat! Kimi, please let me go, there''s a dish I have to deal with." My sister let me go reluctantly. "You guys gather in the dining room, the dishes will soon be ready," I said then jogged into the kitchen. When I arrived, I found that the meat I fried already turned into charcoal. I had to throw away the meat and It''s sad when I lost a slice of big, delicious meat. But, it''s not time to be sad, I had to go back to cooking because now there were four mouths I had to feed. Tens of minutes later, the five of us sat together at the table. We had a party for the second time after yesterday. "Please, satisfy your hunger, we have a lot of food today." I welcomed them but they didn''t touch their spoons at all. What they''re doing right now is keep looking at me. The things they did make me a little irritated because I had cooked all these dishes with all my love. "I know I''m beautiful and it''s natural that you guys are captivated when you see me. But, I would still be angry if you guys didn''t eat the food I made! Do you understand?" I asked them with a slight annoyance and the response given by the four people was just a few blinks of an eye. A moment later, Kimi asked, "big sis sure, that big sis okay?" "Yes, I am fine. Why do you make a question like that?" "Because this morning I found big sis turned into a statue. Big sis'' body is also enveloped by a coffin-shaped purple diamond!" Ah... Is that the effect of my evolution? If yes, that''s pretty cool. And if I think again, it''s natural for me not to see the process of my own evolution. "I''m fine, truly. I don''t feel anything wrong with my body." "But big sis-" "Listen Kimi." I interrupted Kimi''s words. "Things that happened to me were probably because of Wie-papa. He might do something to protect me. I''m fine. So, don''t ask about it anymore and you don''t have to worry, okay?" I tried to convince and force my sister with a lie. For now, I don''t want to tell her about my evolution. My sister puffed her cheeks and said, "All right! But explain to me, why big sis has two tails now!" After hearing that sentence, I froze, my ears and tail also stood upright. I forgot that I currently have two tails! "I''m waiting for an explanation," said Kimi, crossing her arms. "And don''t lie to me, like earlier." I was cornered and had no way out. But there''s one thing I can do now. "I want my right to remain silent." "Big sis!" "No! Even if you shout, insisted, forced, or even tortured me, I won''t say anything about my tails. But I can say I''m fine. Now, enjoy these delicious dishes I make. I don''t accept the word no." Of course, my sister didn''t give up on finding out and I didn''t give up on keeping my secret either. In the end, Kimi backed down. Today we have a good lunch. Chapter 70 - Magic "If we leave now, we still have time to catch up on the afternoon hunt. Therefore be prepared," said Ruciel who approached her huge green bag. "Oh! Wait a minute Ruciel." Ruciel stopped her steps then turned to look at me. "Is there anything you want to say?" "Yes, about today''s hunt, can we cancel it?" "What? Why?" Ruciel''s ears gasped. "Because I think I''m sick." "You think you are sick!?" asked the girl. And this time, one end of her lips twitched. "Yes, I am sick." "If you want to lie, can you put more effort into it!" Ruciel walked over and slammed her hands at the table. "You should know, even if we didn''t do the hunt today, you should still pay me. And why are you telling me such an obvious lie?!" "I know I''ll still pay you and I''ll also tell you the truth, we''re going to have a date today!" After saying that sentence, I went to my room. "Huh? What do you mean by dating? Wait, where are you going? Hey! Listen to me! Hey!" Yes, I ignored Ruciel. If I keep talking to her, there will be a chance she will reject my plan for today. So, I kept going without saying anything. I need some items before we leave and I have to do something for my two tails. Kimi kept asking about the origins of my tails. And even Chloe said how amazing my tail was, she also said she had never seen anyone else who had two tails in this town. I smell problems if I show my two tails to the people. Therefore, I have to conceal it. I took three ropes which then I used it to tie my tails in tree different places. And it''s work! Even though it''s bit uncomfortable, my two tails become one! Better yet, my tails fur was long enough, they can hide the ropes. And if the ropes didn''t work I plan to use ribbons. But it seems, that ribbons plan is unnecessary. Now, I was ready. Then, I went back to the dining room. I nodded when I saw Ruciel still here. "Ruciel, you can leave that big bag here. You don''t have to bother yourself by always carrying it when we going on a date." "We''re not going on a date and I''m not going to leave my stuff in your house. I''ll take the bag with me." Ruciel took his big bag and put it in his Magic Bag. "If you can do that, why would you bother carrying such a big bag?" "While we do some hunt, I use this Magic Bag to pack all the materials we get from monsters." Ruciel explained and I nodded. "If you guys want to go out together, me, Chloe, and Alan will¡­ perhaps doing a quest," Kimi said. Stammering, she took her equipment. Well¡­ although I kept saying dates, "it''s just a metaphor, Kimi. I''m not going on a date with Ruciel and the three of you will come with us." "Really?" Kimi asked. Her ears twitched. "Of course! Now, let''s go." We left home and I guided them to visit the Anna Magic Shop. Magic Skills and Spells are all I want. I''m used to living in this world. Therefore, it is time for me to fulfill my dream of becoming a Sky Explorer, I need to hasten my plans. I want to buy a Flying Ship, I need a lot of money. Spells will give me a big advantage when I gather the treasure inside the Foltian Great Dungeon. And yes, other than the big advantage while looking for treasure, I remember that this body hasn''t done the Elements Compatibility Test yet. Therefore, I want to know what elements I can use. When we got to Anna Magic Shop, the kids froze. They don''t seem to know what to do and why they''re here. So¡­ "Let''s go in," I said. I have to convince them to move. After all, I was the one who invited them to this place. Dozens of Magic Scrolls and Magic Tools welcomed us for a moment we passed the entrance. The kids and Ruciel went straight window shopping. As for me, I approached one of the store clerks. "How can I help you today?" "I''d like to take an Elements Compatibility Test and buy some Spell." "Sure, please wait a minute." And I''m waiting. Five minutes later, I touched a white crystal ball that was part of a Magic Tool. This tool will tell me what elements I can use. "You can use Water, Light, and Wind Magic with compatibility rates of five, four, and two," said the store clerk who then gave me a catalog for the Spells they were selling. I was so happy when I found out I could use the three elements. But a little unfortunate, I didn''t compatible with the fire or earth element. Those two elements will make it easier for me to hunt because they have high damage and defense consecutively. "Kimi, come here and do the Elements Compatibility Test," I called my sister, and who could have thought. "I already did it at Adventurer''s School. I compatible with the fire and the shadow, five and five," said the little girl proudly. She puffed out her chest with both hands on her waist. "Wow, you''re so talented," I said. Then, I stroked the little girl''s head. "What about you guys?" I asked, looking at Ruciel, Chloe, and Alan. "Two for the earth element," Alan said. "I... I can only use Non-elemental Magic." Chloe whispered as her head was hanging weakly. I approached Chloe to stroke her head. "non-elemental Magic is not a bad thing. You can use Healing Magic, you can be a great Healer." "Thank you, sis Eclaite." "You are welcome," I said to her. Then I move my head to look at a fallen elf girl. "What about you, Ruciel?" "You don''t need to know." I dropped my shoulders and looked back at the kids. "Each of you, choose the two Spells you want. Then, tell me, I''ll buy it for you." "Sis Eclaite is sure of that?" Alan asked with an open wide eye. "Of course, let this big sis spoil you guys, and please don''t reject it." The boy froze for a moment before saying, "...thank you, Sis Eclaite." "Thank you." Chloe followed. "Your welcome," I said with a smile. "Do you also want Spells, Ruciel? I can give you too." "No, I don''t want anything from you. But let me see the Spells catalog with you." "Sure, let''s find an empty chair." I gave Kimi my catalog so she could pick Spells with Chloe and Alan. After requesting a new catalog, we occupied the available empty seats. Why did I buy Spell for the kids? And why did I buy Spell when I didn''t have Magic-related Skills? It''s pretty interesting to explain. I give the kids Spells because I want them to be my crew. I don''t have friends that I can trust in this world. Because of that, I decided to take Alan and Chloe. They are still young, I can manipulate- ehem! I can raise and shape them to be someone I want by giving them some resources and guidance. Now, about the Spells. First, this world is not Ark Fantasy Online. Second. In that game, to use a spell, a Player must learn Magic Skills first. Sadly, those two things didn''t work In this world, to obtain a Magic Skill, one had to practice using and getting used to Mana first. What I just said was the same episode as when I was trying to obtain a Skill, Spear Mastery. I have to train or fight using a spear before I finally get the Skill. Of course, one can obtain a Skill by using an Orb Skill. But, to buy that awesome orb, one had to spend an expense that couldn''t be said a little. It''s twenty-five gold coins per orb! Buying three Skill Orbs for three Magic Skills is like buying me as a slave twice or maybe thrice! So back to Spells. After I spoke to and asked for opinions from Ruciel, I bought two Tier One Spells for each element I could use. All those Spells are; Healing Water Ball, a Spell to create a ball of water the size of a fist that can be used to heal wounds. Water Shoot, a Spell to make a water bullet the size of a ping pong ball. Bullet of Light, a spell to make spread bullets out of light. Sword of Light, a spell to make a lightsaber. Wind Cutter, a spell to make a crescent-shaped wind sword that can be fired to the enemies. Wind Cannon, a spell to create a huge air pressure that can be fired at the enemy. We went straight to the store clerk after each of us had chosen the Spells we desired. "Big sis unfair!" cried my sister as I paid for our Spells. "Why did big sis get six Spells while me, Chloe, and Alan only got two!?" "Hahaha... Of course, I got more. After all, I''m the one who has the money. If you want more Spells, you should become a rich person like me." When I bragging myself to the kids, Ruciel whispered, "so childish." Kimi gritted her teeth and then returned to throw a tantrum. And because she was too noisy and started bothering the other customers, I told her to keep her voice down. To engrave the spells in our mind, we need to channel our Mana to the Magic Scrolls containing the spells. Then, after all of that was done, we left Anna Magic Shop. The place I wanted to visit next was the meadow in the western part of the town of Rishtonbell - the place where I hunted Peshroom before. I have a goal that is to practice using the Spells I just got. And since Ruciel was also coming along, I also decided to have a picnic too. I want to get to know Ruciel better. But unfortunately, she rejected my wish by saying, "I have no reason to be close to you." So¡­ with a broken heart, I practiced using Spell with the boys under Ruciel''s guidance. And I can say, Ruciel is a great instructor. Thanks to her, we could use our Spells quite well within a few hours. In the end, the afternoon came. We decided to go home. I wanted to invite Ruciel to dinner but I didn''t. Even though I want to do it so badly, I can''t. There was one important thing that needed my attention. "Oh! I just remembered that there was one thing I had to do. Therefore, you can go home first, Kimi." "No! I''ll accompany you, big sis." "No! You can''t come with me." "Why?" "Don''t ask me why. Just be a good girl and go home with Alan and Chloe." "But-" "Don''t say but! Move, go home!" I said, encouraging Kimi to keep going and walking. "Okay, okay, I understand! So stop pushing me," shouted Kimi who was then willing to go home on her own accord. And before she started walking, she said, "Don''t go home late at night, okay?" "Of course." "Big sis must keep that promise!" said Kimi firmly. "Of course, little pie, I promised." After the kids walked away, Ruciel said, "Then I will go home. And I want to make sure of this, tomorrow we''re going to hunt like in the deal we made, right?" "That''s right, I will waiting for you at the usual place." Ruciel nodded and walked away. A moment later I also started walked away. I went to visit the Slaves Trader Red Tail. "It''s time for me to take off this Slave Collar from my neck. I will earn my freedom," I said as I stood in front of the store. After taking a deep breath I entered the store.. A moment later, I talked to the staff there. Chapter 71 - Freedom And New Beginning "I am free!" I shouted. Before I made some fouett¨¦s. A moment later, my cheeks heated up and I got misbehaving. Why? Because almost everyone on the street stopped to look at me. They were curious and investigating what I am doing. Feeling so embarrassed and couldn''t stand in here any longer, I ran away to go home. And yes! I managed to remove the Slave Collar that was choking my neck despite getting into a bit of trouble when I bought my freedom. The trouble I mean was I need the documents that state the jerk was dead. That''s right, to buy my freedom I need that documents. And unfortunately, I don''t have it. I don''t even know if the jerk is still alive or already dead. So, I asked the store clerk for an opinion and a solution to this trouble. Who can guess, that trouble ended with me meeting the store owner in person? No... There is no R18 scene going on. Especially, when the owner of this shop is a woman. Scissors? No¡­ the woman was too mature for me. So, after we spoke and because I had the jerk seal, we decided to take advantage of the loopholes that exist in the rules relating to Slaves and Masters. Long story short, we made false documents about the jerk''s death. We can do that because of some of the factors. They were the fact that the jerk is exploring the Foltian Great Dungeon, he''s an Adventurer, he permitted me to create a Special Permit, And lastly, I have his personal seal. It was annoying when I had to spend fifty gold coins to buy my freedom and to create fake documents and use loopholes. It is twice the price it should be! My wallet is now empty but hey! I''m free now. That''s all that matters. When I got home, I was partying for the third time in the last two days. I can''t believe it! And who could have guessed, that night, I fell asleep so soundly. ¡­ Morning in the next day. First floor on Foltian Great Dungeon. "[Water Shoot]" Swosh! Splash! "Khaing!" The water bullet I shot managed to penetrate the Leaf Hound''s stomach and bring the monster to a standstill for a moment. I kicked the ground to get close to Leaf Hound. A moment after I stood beside it, I launched my Silver Spear to pierce the monster''s stomach and nail it into the ground. I was able to do all that because my Basic Statistics became normal. The evolution makes the Weakened Heartbeat curse disappeared. And yes, when the curse disappeared, the Heart of Monsters becomes active. That means I will lose control of my body if I inhale too much the scent of blood. That means a great disaster that I shouldn''t have shown Kimi and the others will occur. I don''t want that episode to happen. So¡­ the Smell Blocker shines brightly again. Now, back to the hunt. I fought against the Leaf Hound cautiously. I''m not afraid of the monster, but instead, I''m being careful because I want to make sure I don''t kill the monster. Why would I do that? Well... I did Power Leveling. I beat a monster to half-death and I told Kimi, Chloe, or Alan to kill it. That way, the kids would gain Exp to raise their level. I intend to make them stronger. Because after all, they are the Sky Explore Crew candidates I want. So... "Come here, Chloe. Kill this monster." "Emm..." Chloe made a sound and then saw the people around her. She seemed nervous and hesitant. "What are you doing? Come here," I called the girl. At the same time, I unsheathed my Silver Long Sword. "Take this sword and stab this monster''s head, come on." Chloe is still hesitant. However, a moment later, after Alan patted her on the back gently, the little girl finally approached me. She took Silver with great anxiety. Therefore, I have to help her prepare it on the Leaf Hound''s head. Once everything was ready, I let the girl kill the monster. "Whimper!" "Epp!" Chloe screamed in shock. The girl then slipped as she lost her balance while stepping backward. Before she fell, I caught her little body. "Good job, Chloe!" "... Thank you." The girl reunites with Alan and Kimi. She got head pats from her brother. I moved my hand to pull the Silver Spear from Leaf Hound''s body as Ruciel walked to me. "Should you do this?" asked Ruciel suddenly. That question confused me. I tilted my head slightly. "Do this? What do you mean?" "Why are you torturing these children by telling them to kill dying monsters? And why did you suddenly become strong?" The girl asked in a high voice. Her long ears made a strong jolt and her eyebrows bent sharply. "You are so horrible, Ruciel. I didn''t torture them, I helped them to raise their level. As for why I became strong, haven''t I said it before? I was weak because I''m hurt. And right now, I''m fully healed." "Alright, I can accept you''ve recovered. But, help the children to level up? Do you truly believe that hunting method like this can raise their level? The way you raised their levels is awfully strange! And I need to say, this hunting method will be mentally damaging to the children!" That''s so weird... This Fallen Elf girl usually acted indifferently. So... Why is she so attentive today? "I think, killing monsters is common practice for adventurers. And yes, this hunting method works well to raise their level. You need to know, someone who lands a final attack to kill a monster will get the most Exp." "Huh? What is Exp?" "Hmm... Something that we needed for our level to go up?" I''m not too sure when I try to explain about Exp. Then, I shook my head. "Anyway! You don''t need to think too much about this hunting method. They''re fine." I looked at the kids and nodded. They were fine, they showed no signs that revealed they were hurt. "But this is wrong and hurting them!" "Hmm¡­ what if we ask them," I told Ruciel. "Hey Kimi, do you not want or maybe hate this hunting method?" My sister''s fox ears twitched. She looked at me while clenching her fists. A strong determination was visible in her ruby eyes. "I will do anything to become stronger to protect the big sis!" "Although I''m not satisfied because I don''t get the experience to fight, I can accept this method," Alan said. "Un! I also want to be stronger! Like Kimi!" "See! They''re fine!" "Haa¡­ okay then! Let me process this monster before we resume our hunt for today." And Ruciel did her job. Sometime later, we returned to explore the first floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon, we searched for monsters and killed them, and of course, we didn''t forget to practice using Spell. We did all that for a few hours until finally, the kids'' level went up! And of course, my level went up too! I''m level 3 now. < Level up! 1 to 3 > < Agility Stat Up! AGI + 1 > ¡Á 5 Oh! Right, I also got 5 points for AGI after eating Leaf Hound''s meat. And yes, I can''t eat Magic Stones in front of them. It was too strange and too inviting questions. As for the kids, Kimi is level 10, Chloe is level 9, while Alan is level 11! They also became more adept at using Spells. And... How well do they fight? I can only say, we need to train for longer. In addition to doing Power Leveling, in this exploration, I also searched. I searched the Secret Area that exists all over the 1st floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. Secret Area. In Ark Fantasy Online, that place is deemed as a Bonus Stage! A place where a Player could obtain Three times more Exp and treasures than would normally be obtained on the first floor of this dungeon. Just imagine! Three times as much! If we hunt there for one day, it''s the same as hunting for three days! Therefore, today I am so excited! I want to find a Secret Area. And yes, the Adventurers and even the Adventurer''s Guilds themselves had already discovered several Secret Areas. That''s right... several Secret Area. They haven''t found all the Secret Areas! Because of that, I still have a chance to obtain my own Secret Area! "Has anyone ever said that you are a dreamer?" "Ruciel, finding the Secret Area is not a dream," I replied before looking back at my simple map. Like two days ago, we appeared in the eastern region of the first floor of Foltian. It''s a blessing. In the eastern region, there are two Secret Areas. The first Secret Area was the Garden of Liora. A place where Plant and Spirit-Type Monsters were roaming around. The place had dozens of precious Rare Items. The treasures in that place contained Superior-grade Weapons and Armor. Even better, the Exp in that place was truly abundant. And yes, I don''t want to visit the Garden of Liora. Why? Because the monsters in there are high levels. Moreover, one needed special equipment to hunt Spirit Type Monsters. So... I chose the second Secret Area. Mist Forest Ebua. It was a mist forest inhabited by Plant and Beast-Type Monsters. And although there was a mist that limited the visibility, hunting in that place was not a dangerous episode. Yes, the monsters in there were equivalent to Leaf Bear. As for treasures and Items, they were neither good nor bad. And the good news, half of the treasures and items in the Mist Forest Ebua were a disaster for the monsters inhabiting the Garden of Liora. The material from Leaf Deer ¡ª the monster that became the Monster Boss in the Mist Forest Ebua ¡ª could be made as a deadly weapon to kill Liora the Great Spirit of Flowers who became the Monster Boss in the Garden of Liora. Knowing all that, conquering the Ebua Mist Forest and killing the Leaf Deer will be a mission I have to complete! Now, I just need to find the Secret Area''s entrance. Chapter 72 - Mist Forest Ebua Wandering in a small forest in the eastern region of Foltian Great Dungeon, we continued to look for a gate or rather, an altar that became the gate to the Mist Forest Ebua. The altar was quite large and it should have been easy to find but¡­ we haven''t found it yet. On the other hand, we continued to find much of Leaf Hounds and some Tree Golems. Of course, we hunt them down. After all, we, or maybe I, need the Exp and materials from those monsters. Then, suddenly, good news appeared! < Acquired a skill! Water Magic |Lvl 1 > [ Water Magic |Lvl - 1 ] [Passive] [ + Gives access to World Memory to gain knowledge about Water Spell I. + When using Water Spells increase the damage by 10% and decrease Mana consumption by 5%.] < Level up! 3 to 4 > Finally, I obtained the Magic Skill after repeatedly using Water Spells! The good news became great news after Alan shouted, "I found it!" The boy found the altar we were looking for! It''s hidden behind thick bushes. "Good job, Alan!" I said with excitement. "Stop it, Sis Eclaite! I''m not a kid!" Alan took a few steps to get away from the head pat I was giving him. If he doesn''t want a head pat, I''ll hug him. But, unfortunately, the boy had already escaped from my reach before I could hug him. He was hiding behind Kimi''s back. Giving up, I decided to approach and check out the altar that Alan had found. The Magic Stone carvings on the stone slabs were familiar to me, the position of the four stone pillars around the stone slab also matched the one I remembered, and the yellow gem in the middle of the altar was not easy to forget. Undoubtedly, this altar was the gate to the Mist Forest Ebua. "Can you tell us what kind of altar it is?" Ruciel asked me as I cleaned the altar from the vines. I turned my head and said, "you can think of it as some kind of gate? And I''m not too sure how this altar works but I''m sure this altar will take us to a Secret Area." Ruciel did not give any reply. She narrowed her eyes and looked at me sharply. The girl became ruder by giving me an expression of disbelief. "Right¡­ then how do we use it? Do we have to dance on this altar to open the gate to the Secret Area?" "What are you saying?" I asked and blinked when I saw the Fallen Elf girl. "I believe no one is stupid enough to create such a ridiculous mechanism to open the gate to the Secret Area. And you''re pretty much something because you can think of something like that. You''re funny. Did you know that Ruciel?" I made a small giggle while Ruciel opened her eyes wide. A moment later, the girl''s eyes narrowed and she. Duk! "Gah!" She used her elbow to attack my right rib. The attack give me an intolerable pain that made me kneel on the ground. "Why are you attacking me?" Ruciel simply replied with, "hmp!" Before joining Kimi, Chloe, and Alan. The kids gave me a gaze filled with disappointment. Once again, I asked, "Why?" And yes, I got no answer. In the end, I prepared the altar so that it could be used without vitality. I placed some Magic Stones at certain points of the Magic Circle engraved on the stone slab. Next, I sacrifice my blood to the Magic Circle. To end all these processes and for the gate to appear, I need to say the chant. "Ancient Spirit that controls time and space, guide this lost soul to pass the right gate." The Magic Circle shone, a moment later, a gate made of dark green roots constructed quickly. White curtains made of fo appeared to be the door. "Oh..." Said the amazed kids. Fallen Elf girl? Ruciel opened her eyes wide and her mouth gaped slightly. From the expression she showed, I knew that she was surprised. I nodded in satisfaction. And now! "Everyone ready? Let''s go in for a thrilling adventure!" I shouted excitedly and walked in through the fog door. "Wait! Ecla-" I heard Ruciel say something. Unfortunately, I couldn''t hear the complete words she was saying because I had already passed the fog door. I intended to go back to hear her whole words but a moment later I threw away that intention. I didn''t want to go back because I was mesmerized by the sight of the Mist Forest Ebua. A forest filled with trees without leaves and enveloped by a white mist greeted me. The cold wind that hit my body made me recalled the atmosphere of the forest in winter. This scenery could be said to be mesmerizing if the blurry, human-shaped shadow that kept waving at me never existed. About that shadow- "Eclaite! You dumb woman!" Ruciel''s scream caught my attention. After I turn around, I saw the Fallen Elf girl approaching me at a rapid pace. She slapped me on the cheek as soon as she stand in front of me. Plak! "Ow! Why did you slap me?" "Because you are so dumb! How did you get into the Secret Area just like that? Didn''t you ever think that if we entered the Secret Area, we probably wouldn''t be able to get out before we conquered it!" Ruciel explained with a yell. "Everything''s fine, Ruciel. We can go in and out of this Secret Area at will, the gate lasts for twenty minutes " I told her. Then, I pulled the girl over to pass through the fog door. A moment later, we returned to the 1st floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. "And if the gate was closed when we are the inside, we can do the same ritual to open the gate again!" But still, after I explained all of that, Ruciel didn''t let me go. She scolded me furiously. Then, after a guidance session for Eclaite using a yell that lasted quite a long time was completed, we officially began exploring the Mist Forest Ebua. We left the altar and went into the forest. A few minutes later, I remembered one important thing about the Mist Forest Ebua. It''s about the blurry shadow! "Oh yes! I just remembered, before we-" I stopped talking shortly after I looked back. The four people have disappeared. "Oh no! I''m too late to give them the warning!" I panicked and looked around. I didn''t find them! In a hurry, I started looking for a fruit called Puppet Lemon that grew in this forest. The mist in the Mist Forest Ebua can be said interesting. According to the story I read in Ark Fantasy Online, the mist in this forest will dig up someone''s memory. Then, the mist will show a figure of someone so precious to the person who set foot in this forest. Mist Forest Ebua became a wicked forest because the illusion created by the fog would guide people to danger. That was a story about the Mist Forest Ebua. But after a Player completed a Quest related to this forest, they will know, the mist that creates the illusion is not made by the forest itself. Instead, the mist was created by rare Plant-type Monsters called Decaying Illusion Peshrooms. That rare monsters are not strong but dangerous. Why? Because the monster will stick to the body. At the same time, the monster did that, it let out the mist that creates an illusion to keep its prey always under its control and to hide its existence from the prey. And using the illusion, the monster instructs its prey to keep going to survive as the monster eats its prey slowly. Long story short, the monster was a kind of parasite. Since I know all that, I''m not fooled by the illusion, I don''t follow the blurry shadow that keeps waving at me. After successfully picking some Puppet Lemons, I started looking for Kimi and the others. When I walked, I ate one of the fruits. Thanks to that, the blurry shadow that keeps waving at me disappeared. I''m relying on Heat Perception to look for them. The scope of detection that spread out over thirty meters, become a big help to me. With this ability, I knew where the four people are instantly. And between the four of them, Chloe was the closest to me. Kimi walked towards the north and Alan towards the northeast. As for Ruciel, she walked southwards. Knowing all that, I walked to where Chloe was. Why didn''t I go after my sister, Alan, or the girl I like? Because Chloe is the weakest among us. The girl was low leveled and she was a Healer! She wouldn''t be able to last long if a monster attacked her. So, I run to the little girl as quickly as possible. And when I found her, I was surprised by what I found! The little girl was so unlucky! And I feel so guilty for taking her to this dangerous place. Especially when I forgot to give her warnings and items she needed to protect herself. A Decaying Illusion Peshrooms managed to capture Chloe! The monster that have a purple umbrella head wuth red stripes and ugly face was glued to the little girl''s head! At this time, the little girl was walking directionlessly, her eyes were unfocused! She''s become a doll and food for the Decaying Illusion Peshrooms that got her. "I have to be more careful in the future," I said. A moment later, I grabbed the Decaying Illusion Peshrooms in Chloe''s head. Then, I squeezed a Puppet Lemon and used its water to soak the roots of Decaying Illusion Peshrooms. "SCREEE!" "Woa..." I never expected this kind of thing! I didn''t know that this monster would make a loud wail when it was plucked! "Ugh my ears are buzzing," I complained as I squeezed Decaying Illusion Peshrooms in my hand with all the strength I got. Seconds later, the monster died. Then I ate it! Never did I expected, the monster was. "Argh... spicy! Extremely spicy!" The monster was extremely spicy! I''m feeling the hell! The spicy Peshrooms burned my tongue, throat, and nose! My tears flowed profusely. Full of suffering, I gulped down the drinking water I have. < Mana Stat Up! MP + 5 > < Acquired an Advanced Skill! Medium Mana |Lvl - 1 > [Medium Mana |Lvl - 1] [Passive] [+ Permanently give 35 points to MP.] That spicy taste was hell but it gave me a precious gift. Although I''ve made a fuss that can be said so noisy, Chloe hasn''t regained her consciousness. Because of that. "PIKA BOO!" I shouted and smack the little girl on the shoulder at the same time. "Kya~~," Chloe shouted and jumped up. A moment later she turned to me. Frantically, she used her Staff to beat my body rapidly while shouting, "Monsters! Monsters! Monsters!" "Ow ow ow, stop Chloe! It''s me, Eclaite!" "Huh?" She said after recognizing me. A moment later she approached and hugged me. The girl cried as she said "Sis Eclaite there is a terrifying monster! I-'' The girl fainted before she could finish her words. I hold her and started treating the wound on her head. "[Healing Water Ball]" Chapter 73 - Find Them I walked to where Kimi was while holding Chloe - who is fainted - on my back. My little sister became the second person that was close enough to me after we separated. Heat Perception told me that she was fighting a monster right now. This useful skill also told me, currently, Alan is approaching three monsters. And on the other hand, Ruciel had already get out of the detection range of this Skill. I have to pick up those two kids as soon as possible and catch up to Ruciel as soon as possible too! My footsteps became faster as this problem got worse. I walk past the trees for few minutes before I got to where Kimi was. "Big sis! Stop it!" Kimi shouted to the monster. Right now, the little girl was fighting against a Gray Head Ape. An ape-like monster that has long fangs and claws. The monster was known for its speed. And right now, that speed overwhelmed Kimi. My sister has trouble following the Gray Head Ape''s movements. She got a wound every time the monster launched an attack. "Argh!" "Khii! Kii!" Kimi gets a new wound and the Grey Head Ape dodges my sister''s Fire Sword with ease. The monster jumped to keep its distance when the little girl''s attack showed danger. Kimi was always late moving her hand whenever she wanted to block the Gray Head Ape''s attack. My sister''s situation became even more unfavorable because she was too slow when launching counterattacks. The fight made me realize how lacking Kimi''s level and Basic Statistics were. "I need to be more serious about raising the little girl''s power," I whispered as I ran to my sister. I raised my left arm and pointed my palm at Gray Head Ape. "[Wind Cannon]" Bwosh! The huge air pressure shot quickly towards the monster. Gray Head Ape can think. Therefore, the monster dodged when it found out an attack was coming. However, it didn''t know that the Wind Cannon had a quite large attack area. So, the monster was thrown a few meters after being hit by some parts of the air pressure I fired. "UKYOO!" "Huh?" said Kimi, who stopped. The little girl moved her head to look at the monster then looked at me. A moment later, her body jolted. She made a mixed expression between shock and fear. And in a hurry, she prepared her Fire Sword. I don''t know why she became so cautious. "Kimi!" I called her. "No! Don''t get close! [Fire Javelin]" In an instant, a fire javelin formed and shot quickly at me! Luckily, thanks to my high AGI and Kimi''s poor aim, I didn''t receive the fire javelin. That''s very dangerous! I and Chloe on my back will become steaks if that fire javelin hits us! "What are you doing, Kimi! That''s extremely dangerous!" "Shut up you wicked monsters! Don''t call my name as if you knew me! Go away or I will burn you alive!" Monsters? Why does she think of me as a monster? And I remember, Chloe also thought of me as a monster. Does the illusion in the forest make me look like a monster to them? As I daydreamed because of those questions, Kimi ran away from me. "Wait," I cried. Then I chased the little girl. "KHI!" The roar of the monkey was heard. And Heat Perception told me that the monster was chasing us. So¡­ I gathered Mana and then pointed my palm at the monster once again. "[Wind Cannon]" Bwosh! "UKYO!" Grey Head Ape was thrown and disappeared behind the trees, again. I nodded in satisfaction when I found out that the monster''s heat wasn''t moving anymore. With this, I can focus on pursuing Kimi. And yes, that little girl was still screaming monsters at me and attacking me using her Fire Javelin. It took me quite a long time and quite a lot of effort to capture Kimi. I even accidentally dropped Chloe to the ground because of my sister''s wild behavior. "NO...! LET ME GO! BIG SIS, HELP ME! BIG SIS!" Kimi shouted hysterically. At the same time, she cried loudly and thrashed with all her might to get out of my clutches. The little girl finally calmed down after I forced her to eat the Puppet Lemon. "Stupid big sis! Stupid! Stupid!" Kimi shouted again and she beat me again. The reason? I don''t quite understand. She suddenly becomes angry like that after I told her about the thing that the mist in this forest could do and about the Lemon Puppet. "If big sis knows all of that, why didn''t big sis tell us from the beginning! I was so terrified when the monster that turned out to be big sis managed to catch me! I had a bad experience because of big sis stupidity!" So she''s angry about that... I can understand it and I made a nod. Then, after I apologized and promised to make a super large portion of grilled sausage to ease her anger, we went looking for Alan. "Is Chloe okay?" asked Kimi. She was peering at Chloe who is sleeping on my back. "Yes, she''s fine. The little girl is just exhausted." Especially after she was captured by Decaying Illusion Peshrooms. Her HP and SP must have been drained a lot. We continued to walk towards the east. Minutes passed and... "Um..." A soft voice that suddenly appear made my fox''s ears twitch. I moved my head and I knew, Chloe woke up from her sleep. "Chloe! Are you okay? Do you still feel pain?" My sister asked, shortly after she approached the little girl. "Kimi..." Chloe replied. She is still half-conscious. A moment later, the girl''s eyes were wide open. And suddenly she jumped off my back to hug Kimi. "Kimi! I''m scared, there''s a creepy monster trying to eat me," she yelled then cried in my sister''s arms. Kimi calmed Chloe down and we continued our journey in search of Alan. And in the middle of this journey, Kimi retells the story about this forest to Chloe. And it didn''t take long enough for the two little girls to give me a resentment gaze. "I''m sorry, okay?" "No!" replied the two little girls together. In the end, to get their forgiveness, I made another promise. I have to treat Chloe to the food she likes as much as she wished. We kept going and we found Alan. The boy fought against three Cone Peshrooms. He fought well and could keep up with those three monsters. He could have defeated those monsters but he didn''t. It''s because. "Mom, Dad, stop it! You''re too Chloe! We don''t have to fight!" Yup! The boy was affected by the illusion. "You two, pull Alan out of the illusion. Use the Cure to make him conscious for a moment and use that chance to give him the Puppet Lemon. Meanwhile, I will face those monsters, understand?" "Yes!" "Clearly." With that, our plan begins! I ran up to the Cone Peshrooms to challenge them. And yes, Alan tried to stop me. But, after he got the Cure from Chloe, he stopped. Alan - who had eaten puppet lemon - decided to help me. Kimi and Chloe don''t want to miss out on their chance. In a matter of minutes, we managed to defeat three Cone Peshrooms. We waited for Alan to retrieve the Magic Stones of those monsters before we started looking for Ruciel. The south is the direction we''re headed. Finding that Fallen Elf girl wasn''t as easy as looking for kids. We had to explore the Mist Forest Ebua for tens of minutes and defeat a dozen monsters before we finally saw her gorgeous figure. Right now, the Fallen Elf girl was standing in the open space in this forest. Around her were dozens of monster corpses! Judging from the arrows that adorned the corpses and the White Long Bow in Ruciel''s hand, I know, it was that Fallen Elf girl who carried out this massacre. And to be honest, I was quite surprised when I saw some of Grey Head Kong''s corpses! The corpses of that monster indirectly told me that Ruciel was a powerful adventurer. I made a satisfied nod. Ruciel is a girl worthy of me. "Ruciel!" I shouted then waved my hand to attract the girl''s attention. A moment later. Swosh and Splat! An arrow stuck in my right shoulder. I froze because of the pain and the shock. I wanted to ask her, why she did this to me but didn''t so say it. I realized, the Fallen Elf girl was ready to shoot another arrow! I need to get ready for the attacks! I unsheathed the Silver Spear. Swosh! Clang! I hit Ruciel''s arrow. "You three! Hide behind a tree! Quick!" I gave the order at the same time I fended off the other arrow. "Okay," Kimi replied. She, along with Alan and Chloe, ran straight to a nearby tree. And in an instant, they got shelter. "Don''t come out of your hiding place!" I warned them one last time before I ran to get close to Ruciel. And never did I expect, approaching Ruciel was such a dangerous thing to do! The dozens of arrows she shot were so accurate. I had trouble avoiding the arrows even though I was already using my full speed and running zig-zag! "Stop, Ruciel! It''s me! Eclaite!" I screamed, trying to tell the Fallen Eld girl who I really was. Unfortunately, my efforts were unsuccessful. Ruciel only raised one of her eyebrows for a moment before she began to shower me with her arrows, again. "Ruciel! You''re so cute! I love you! Therefore stop attacking me!" Shortly after I finished saying those words, Ruciel kicked the ground. She sprinted to get close to me. And that becomes more threatening because she did it while shooting her arrows. A few moments later, an arrow stuck in my thigh. I fell to my knees and Ruciel who was standing in front of me was ready with her bow! And I don''t need to say that the arrow in the bow is ready to pierce my head! Chapter 74 - Please, Made It Clear, Eclaite I made a gulp when sweat poured down my cheeks. "Ruciel," I called out the Fallen Elf''s girl''s name nervously and stiffly. The girl''s eyes were so serious! I could even truly feel that right now, my spine was growing cold. Fear appeared deep inside my heart. "Please don''t kill me, Ruciel!" I pleaded with my palms glued into one. "Don''t be fooled by the illusion made by this forest! I might have a different form now. But, please, believe me, I am Eclaite." Her long ears jolted then she narrowed her eyes. A moment later she pulled her bow''s string. "For a monster, you''re quite chatty." "That''s because I''m not a monster!" I moved sideways, trying to get out of Ruciel''s arrow path. Unfortunately, the tip of her arrow continued to follow my head. "Are you sure? I can''t believe your words. After all, what''s in front of me is a... What''s this? A monkey that had four hands with seriously an ugly face. Monsters like this deserve to die!" "Wait a minute! I am Eclaite, please eat this fruit and you will know the truth! You will see who I really am." I took the Puppet Lemon from inside my bag and thrust it at Ruciel in a panic. This fruit will make the girl get out of the illusions and will make her recognize me. However, the girl did not take or even touch the fruit. "Even it''s true, I don''t want to eat the fruit given by a monster. And this, what you''re trying to give me is an eyeball, not a fruit." "It''s a fruit truly! Not an eyeball," I said. I moved my finger to peel the Puppet Lemon as quickly as possible. After I finished, I showed the contents of the fruit to Ruciel. "Look, this is fresh fruit." "That''s so disgu-" "Big sis!" Ruciel moved her arm to point her Long Bow in another direction as she heard my sister scream. "Don''t shoot!" I shouted and as quickly as possible stood in front of Ruciel to block her Long Bow. "She is Kimi, my sister and not a monster! So don''t shoot her!" Ruciel give me a sharp gaze before she sighed. Then, she lowered her weapon. "All right, enough with -" "An opportunity!" "Wa-" I shouted and jumped straight at Ruciel! Not wasting time and not letting her put up a fight, as fast as possible, I captured her. And finally, I sat on the girl''s stomach. At the same time, I stepped on both of her arms. "Sorry Ruciel, I don''t want to do this. I''m sorry." Done with that words, I forced her to eat the Puppet Lemon in my hand. "What are you doing!" she shouted. Taking advantage of the opportunity when her mouth was open, I put the fruit in her mouth as fast as I can. "Stop!" She shouted after swallowing a bite of fruit. Then, when I was about to feed her again, she shouted again. "Eclaite! Stop it!" "Huh." I made a strange noise when I stopped my body. "You recognize me?" "Yes!" She said while giving me a sharp look. "Then why did you pretend you didn''t know me!" "Because I''m angry at you!" "Why you-" Before I could done with my words, my body lost strength and I fell to the ground like an apple. So unlucky! I should have fallen into Ruciel''s arms! I want an accidental kiss with her! "It''s about the time." Ruciel got rid of my body and stood up. Looking down, she saw me, who is lying on the ground. "Why did I abruptly become so weak?" "Because you got my poison." "Oh¡­ poison! Isn''t that bad? An please call the kids, Ruciel. Right now I''m not sure I can make a loud scream." "All right," replied Ruciel who fed me a pill. "Kids! You can get out! Come here before anything strange happens!" The kids came out of their hiding place. And quickly, they ran up to us. "Big sis!" Kimi shouted. Alan and Chloe followed behind the little black fox. The little girl approached me and examined my body. And yes, many times, she asked me if I was okay or not. Kimi was horrified but we regrouped. A few minutes later we sat in front of a campfire, far from the place where the monster''s corpses were. "Ow ow ow, it hurts! Can you be more gentle, please?" I complained to Ruciel who was trying to pull out the arrow stuck in my shoulder. "Don''t complain! You didn''t say anything when you received two arrows but you screamed when I touched your wound? You''re weird." "The pain I git in the middle of the fight and the pain I got in the middle of medical treatment is extremely different. The latter hurts more." "Whatever," Ruciel said. And as she pulled the arrow, once again, I shouted, "ow ow ow!" Ruciel then cleaned the wound using alcohol before finally washing it with Potions. This wound in my shoulder will gone in minutes! And this is amazing! Then, after the treatment was repeated to pull out the arrow in my thigh and after I drank a bottle of Potion, I can say that I was fully healed! "From your actions and words, including the kids'' complaints, it seems like you know a lot about this forest. So, tell me everything you know." And I tell the tale about the Mist Forest Ebua again. I won''t say no to Ruciel who makes a terrifying expression. "From your story and the things I''ve experienced, I can tell that the illusions in this forest aren''t dangerous." Ruciel nodded. "We can distinguish between illusions and not easily. The person we know and who attacks us without speaking is an illusion. While the figure of a terrifying monster who can talk is our friend." "That sounds right," I commented and I got a sharp look from Ruciel. Satisfied to intimidate me, the girl saw the children. "You guys should keep that in mind if the Puppet Lemon effect disappears, understand?" "Yes," the children replied. "Now, what are we going to do in this forest, Eclaite? I''m sure, you do have a plan, right?" I made a strong nod. "We''re going to search for treasure and hunt down a monster called Leaf Deer." "Leaf Deer? It was a Mid Boss monster! I hope you know that monster are quite powerful. And given the ability of our party members, I can say that we have no chance of winning." "Well¡­ we can decide whether or not to hunt the Leaf Deer later after we explore the ruins!" "Wait a minute, ruins?" Ruciel asked. She looks surprised. "There are ruins in this forest?" "Yes, there are three ruins in this forest." "If you know there are ruins in this place, why don''t you tell me about it!" Ruciel shouted and she pulled my cheek strongly. "Didn''t I say, you should tell me everything you know about this forest! And that includes the ruins you know!" So, after I was scolded again, I told them about the three ruins I know. The first ruin was the Cathedral of Lubiantera. The large white cathedral is in the western part of this forest. The place stored a wide variety of precious treasures. High-quality Magic Equipment, Magic Weapons, and Magic Armor were in that place. All those treasures are so tempting for greedy hearts! But, to obtain them, one had to be prepared to face hundreds of Decaying Illusion Peshrooms, dozens of Nightmare Illusion Peshrooms, and few True Illusion Peshrooms. Next was the ruins of Rionta Prison. That place, or rather that prison does not hold any treasures. Instead, the place provided abundant Exp. Because, after all, that place was a lair of Grey Head Ape! So I always remember not to set foot in the southern part of this forest. The last one is Desmond Cemetery. A ruin in the northwest region of this forest is the ruin that I want to explore. And yes, these ruins are the friendliest ruins among the three even though this place has Grey Head Ape and Decaying Illusion Peshrooms. The treasures of that place were nothing but extremely useful for hunting the Leaf Deer. "All right," said Ruciel, who sighed. "We''re going to explore this Desmond Cemetery." "You heard it, people? We''re going to explore the ruins!" I shouted excitedly. And the children who heard me chanted, "oo...!" together. Once we were ready, our adventure in the Mist Forest Ebua began once again! We started a new adventure and it''s shame, we got into trouble a few minutes after we start it. This forest that was always shrouded by thick mist made it complicated for us to determine the direction. The compass I was carrying also malfunctioned and was wrecked. Fortunately, this precarious situation can be resolved directly. Ruciel, have a better compass! So, in the end, we went to Desmond Cemetery relying on the hints that Ruciel''s compass gave us. We kept going and every now and then, we had to stop to face the monsters that came to ambush and kill us. Inevitably, we have to kill pretty much Grey Head Ape, Grey Head Kong, Ash Hound, and Dry Leaf Wolf! I wanted to eat their meat and Magic Stones but I didn''t get a chance! Time passes... and we reached a meadow shrouded in thick, white mist! We couldn''t even see the sky clearly! And the sun, from here, we can see its shape. "Are you sure the ruins are here?" Ruciel asked. I nodded. "Yes, I''m sure. But, before we find the ruins, we have to look for a stone gazebo first." "Stone gazebo?" "Yes, that''s right and let''s move!" I walked to invite them to explore this meadow shrouded by this thick, white mist. Chapter 75 - Desmond Cemetery 1_3 "[Fire Javelin]" Kimi attacked Grey Head Ape with a Spell. The monster was aware of the danger that came, moved its body to make a defense. I, who saw the thing it do, run to approach the monster that survived with my Silver Spear. I don''t want my existence to be noticed by the monster. So, I always move by utilizing its blind spot. Thanks to that, I was able to get close to the monster unnoticed. "[Impale]" As the monster was caught on fire, I launched the Silver Spear to pierce its left rib. "Ukyo!" The monster screamed. It swung its arm to attack me but I didn''t let that monster hit me. I took two steps back to dodge. Then, I kicked the ground to propel myself forward! At the same time, I unsheathed the Silver Sword. I shot like a bullet! And the powerful swing I made managed to cut the monster''s throat. And yes, I didn''t stop to attack. Shortly after I cut Grey Head Ape''s throat, I stopped then I twisted my body and re-launched a spear attack on the monster. "[Red Piercing]" "Ukyo..." This time, I managed to stab the monster in the head through its eyes. The monster''s body convulsed for seconds before finally falling to the ground. < Spear Mastery level up! 2 to 3 > [ Spear Mastery |Lvl - 3 ] [Passive] [ + Gives access to World Memory to gain knowledge about Spears Arte III. + When using spears increase the damage and speed of attacks by 30%.] < Acquired a skill! Sword Mastery |Lvl - 1 > [ Sword Mastery |Lvl - 1 ] [Passive] [ + Gives access to World Memory to gain knowledge about Swords Arte I. + When using spears increase the damage and speed of attacks by 10%.] Oh! Level up skills and new skills! That was good news but now, I don''t have time to check it out. I need to help the other! I just defeated one monster and there are still six others that still standing. So, I ran once again, I approach three Gray Head Ape faced by Alan and Chloe. "[Rock Skin]" shouted Alan, shortly before Grey Head Ape''s sharp claws cut his arm. Rock Skin is a Defensive Spell from Earth Element. The Spell will make someone''s skin becomes hard like a stone. The Spell works for intercepting low tiers of Arte and Spells. So, thanks to that Skill, Alan didn''t get any serious injuries and just red marks like being slapped by a girl. The boy then gave a counterattack! He managed to injure the monster''s leg and make the monster fall to its knees. Taking advantage of the opportunity created, Chloe uses a Spell. "[Where Rope]" One-meter-wide Magic Circle appeared under the monster''s feet. Dozens of blue ropes came out of it to tie up the monster in its place. Alan turned his attention to the other two Grey Head Ape. Lifting his shield, he fended off their attacks. At the same time, he launches an Arte to make counterattacks. I keep running and finally, I arrived! Instantly, I attacked one of the Grey Head Ape that fought with Alan using my spear. "Thank you, Sis Eclaite," said Alan. "Save it for later, Alan. These monsters are not dead yet, [Flash Swing]" Using flash swing which is the second and strongest form of Fast Swing, I tore both arms of Grey Head Ape. Then, I connected the attacks with a Spell. "[Wind Cannon]" "Ukyo!" Grey Head Ape flew like a rocket after receiving the Spell that I launched from below directly. The monster died after its head hit the ground as it fell. < Level up! 4 to 5 > Level up! Great! But it''s not the time to celebrate! I turned around, to help the kids fight the other Grey Head Ape. However and It seems, my help isn''t needed. They''ve already killed those two monsters! Their growth is pretty scary! I moved my head to look at Ruciel and... Surely, she doesn''t need my help. The Fallen Elf girl had already slaughtered the three monsters using her arrows. That way, our fight is over. We managed to capture the stone gazebo which became the hangout place of these monkeys. Dozens of minutes later, we finished taking out their Magic Stones. And now is the time for us to check out the stone gazebo. And yes, this stone gazebo also existed in Ark Fantasy Online. Then I said, the buildings in the two places were relatively similar. The dome''s roof was dark green, six gray pillars were decorated with dragon statues, and a large Magic Circle was engraved on the gazebo floor. That''s the building I''m referring to. Yup! No doubt, this is the building that will lead us to Desmond Cemetery! "This is an unusual Magic Circle," said Ruciel, who crouched down to carefully examine part of the Magic Circle. "You''re right, Ruciel. This was a special Magic Circle created using ancient language! Isn''t that amazing?" "Maybe I can say amazing, and... Is this Magic Circle some kind of Teleportation Spell?" "Unfortunately not," I shook my head. "This Magic Circle will only show us illusions." I walked over and stopped in the middle of the stone gazebo. Then, in the blink of an eye, the Magic Circle was active and radiating rainbow light. "Look." I pointed to one of the Stone Gazebo''s entrances. In that entrance, there is a curtain or maybe a screen that shows the scenery of a cemetery. Ruciel and the other moved their head. A moment later, they were surprised by the phenomenon. The child instantly approached the illusion. And to satisfy the curiosity in their hearts, the three little ones didn''t hesitate to touch the curtains of illusion. Sadly for them, the curtains of illusion were untouchable. Their hands passed through the scenery that being showed just like that. "That was certainly interesting," said Ruciel, who looked at the illusory curtains with interest. "Speak up, what are we going to do next?" "We go into the curtains of illusion and keep heading straight until we find another stone gazebo," I explained. "Huh? We didn''t get to Desmond Cemetery?" "Unfortunately not, we need to pass through four more stone gazebos before we get there." "Okay... What would happen if we didn''t walk straight?" "We will go back to this place or to the edge of the forest that is the entrance of this misty meadow. Therefore, we will focus on proceeding to keep heading straight. We will ignore the monsters along the way and try our best to avoid the fight. But, we will still need to fight if in the next stone gazebo we meet other monsters. You also have to remember, we have to stay together along the way. Don''t let us be separated! Do you understand?" Four people nodded to answer my question. Then, our journey began. For tens of minutes, we walked from one stone gazebo to another. We avoided and escaped from a dozen monsters. And we were lucky, of the four stone gazebos we had to go through, only two were guarded by Grey Head Apes. We had a journey without much challenge! In the end, we reached Desmond Cemetery after we passed the last curtains of illusion. Desmond Cemetery. This place was similar to the Mist Forest Ebua. A tree with no leaves and a white mist that limits visibility. However, two things distinguish the two places. Here at Desmond Cemetery, there are hundreds or maybe thousands of tombstones of varying shapes and sizes. In addition to the tombstone, the difference that excited is the biting cold. This place was much colder than the Mist Forest Ebua. "It''s an awfully vast cemetery," Ruciel commented and looked at me. "Are you sure there is no undead here?" "Yes, I''m sure," I replied with a nod to my head. "Okay then. Now, where are we going?" Getting that question, I raised my hand to point somewhere. "We''re going to follow that black tombstone!" "Why?" "For that black tombstone will lead us to a place that holds abundant treasures!" "Are there monsters in that place? Do you know what monsters are there?" "Absolutely," I replied with a nod to my head. "We''re going to face those apes monsters again. However, this time, we also have to face Headless Ape, Headless Ape Chieftain, and Decaying Illusion Peshrooms. Those monsters are quite dangerous." "Wait a minute, Headless Ape?" Ruciel asked. She then gave me a sharp look. "You said that this place has no undead!" "That''s right, Desmond Cemetery does not have undead. Headless Ape is a living monster. It''s just that, they have a strange or frightening form. The monster''s face was on their bodies, right on the chest and abdomen. Those monsters can also spurt fire from their mouths." Ruciel''s body trembled and her long ears made a strong jolt after she heard my explanation about the monster. "Can we not go to that place?" She asked in a soft voice. "Why?" I asked back. "Are you afraid?" "No! Of course not! I''m not afraid! I feel disgusted at that monster!" "You don''t have to be ashamed if you''re afraid." "I told you, I''m not afraid, I feel disgusted!" She was screaming and she was cute when doing that. The girl try to convince or rather forced me to accept her claims using her sharp gaze and angry-cute expression. "Okay then. Now, let''s explore that underground tomb!" "No!" "I thought you were not scared." "I''m not scared! The kids are exhausted, so we have to rest. And didn''t you realize it? The night is coming!" "Oh! I just realized that! And that is why for some time the kids didn''t make any noise." Chapter 76 - Desmond Cemetery 2_3 Darkness came and we rested inside a box white stone catacomb. When the night comes, the cold is getting fierce. And we must always be wary of ambushes from the monsters. Those two things are extremely problematic for us. However, Ruciel came to our rescue, she took out a heater that was a Magic Tool. The cold vanished and we felt warmth as we slept. But¡­ we don''t sleep at the same time. One of us had to stand guard for a while and each of us got a turn. Luckily, no monsters came to attack us. In the end, our night lasted in an instant. When the morning arrived, we ate breakfast and prepared our equipment plus our weapons. We went to the place I wanted to go to after those two things were done. We walked, following the black tombstone until we saw the black gate grown by vines. We went straight into the underground of this catacomb with the determination to obtain a lot of treasure and Exp. Now, since we were about to explore a dangerous place, I no longer let the children fight as they pleased. We formed a real party with fighting formations and orders. It''s a shame when I want to take the position of leader, Ruciel and the children strongly opposed my decision. "I didn''t want to follow the orders from a fool like you! And I keep getting feeling we will always get caught up in the problems if you lead us, so no!" Ruciel said and the children supported her with a nod of the head. They''re so horrible. And yes, the role of leader in our Party fell into Ruciel''s hands. As for a fighting formation. The Fallen Elf girl with Chloe was in the back line. They will give us help and support. Kimi and I got the role of attackers. We''re the ones who are going to beat the monsters first. As for Alan, he''s in the middle line to get flexibility in actions to help the front line or back line. Now, back to the underground catacomb. The inside of this place is made of brick and gray stone. This place is similar to a basement but much wider. And you could say, this place is practically a labyrinth. And this place is quite dark. "[Illumination]" A ball of light the size of a fist appeared and floated beside me. Better yet, I can control the ball at will. So... I made three balls of light. Each one for the front, middle and back lines. We explored this place for fifteen minutes until finally, I felt the heat of a monster. "Get ready! There''s a monster coming!" As soon as I finished those words, the children and Ruciel unsheathed their weapons. Four people were ready to fight in a matter of seconds. "Ga! Ga!" roared Headless Ape that showed itself. The headless black ape then darted at us quickly. Its green eyes emitted a desire to kill, saliva flowed from its big mouth, and the monster''s huge hands were ready to obliterate us. "I don''t like that monster," said Ruciel, who then shot her arrow. Swuss! The arrow flashed quickly and ended up piercing the monster''s right shoulder even though the monster was trying to dodge it. That brief of exchange made me realize something! The monster was so fast! Yes, the monster couldn''t avoid Ruciel''s arrow. But that doesn''t mean the monster is slow. Instead, Ruciel''s attack was too fast. As I worried, can the kids could keep up with that speed, the monster was already in front of us. I who had already unsheathed the Silver Long Sword directly confronted the monster. In an instant, we exchanged few attacks! Headless Ape with its fist and me with the swing of my sword. "Ga! Gaa!" Clang! Clang! Then, I never expected, not only was the monster fast, but it was also powerful. I have a high AGI and STR! Never I thought that I will have trouble following its moves. Then, Kimi entered the fight. The little girl tried to cut headless Ape''s thigh using her Fire Sword but the attack never touched the monster. Headless Ape dodges and launches a counterattack at the same time! Kimi who was unaware of the attack did nothing. Instead, I, the one who could see all of the monster movement hurried my arm to fend off the monster''s attack. Clang! In the end, I managed to deflect the Headless Ape''s punch. And yes, I didn''t stop my attack. Instantly, I connected that attack with an Arte! "[Flash Slash]" I tried to cut off the monster''s arm but I didn''t make it! "Damn it!" I''m frustrated with my failures. Especially when Ruciel''s second arrow managed to pierce the monster''s left shoulder. Ruciel''s attack made the monster''s defense wide open for some time. Seeing the opportunity, Kimi and Alan launch their attacks on the monster. But, same as before, Headless Ape can dodge the attacks easily. And as before, I had to try my best to block or change the path of the monster''s attacks that was aiming and unknown to the children. It''s very strange. Headless Ape is a low-leveled monster. These kids should be able to keep up with them. What''s going on? "[Apprisal]" ----+ [Race: Headless Ape | Lvl 27] | HP: 234/290 | MP: 45/50 | SP: 117/140 ----+ Level 27! How did that happen!? The average level of that monster should be 15! "Argh!" Kimi shouted and her body was thrown for several meters. I let my guard down because I was shocked after seeing that monster''s level. And that makes the monster''s fist pass through my defense and successfully hit Kimi''s chest. "Kimi!" cried, Alan. The boy paid too much attention to my sister and forgot about the monster in front of him. And yes, I have to protect the boy. I fended off Headless Ape''s attack then launched counterattacks. "[Cure]" As soon as she could, Chloe used the Healing Spell to help my sister. On the other side, Headless Ape retreated after receiving my attacks and Ruciel''s attack. Everything worked well and I got a chance to catch my breath. Kimi recovered, she tried to join the front line once more but I stopped her immediately. "Stay in the back line, Kimi, Alan! Don''t attack! I''ll deal with this monster!" "But, big sis-" "No, but!" I cut off Kimi''s words. After that, I explained. "This monster is too fast and powerful for you guys." I prepared the Silver Long Sword and then I gathered my energy in my arm. Afterward, I kicked the ground and darted towards Headless Ape. I want to cut off that monster''s arm! But... The monster didn''t give me a chance. It gave me a counterattack in the form of a breath of fire coming out of its mouth! Bwosh! The waves of fire are coming! I who ran, spontaneously kicked the floor to throw my body to the left side. Then I did a tiger jump! I managed to dodge but Headless Ape didn''t want to let me go. The monster moved its body to direct its fire breath at me. "[Wind Cannon]" Blash! The fire and wind collide! My Wind Cannon won! That wind managed to extinguish the Headless Ape fire! Yes, I''m low-level and I won a magic fight with a high-level monster. Why? Of course, it happened because I had a higher MP. The power of a Spell was influenced by how much MP one had. Eighty points on MP shouldn''t be underestimated! Back to the fight! Shortly after the Headless Ape''s flames were extinguished, Ruciel''s two arrows pierced all the monster''s eyes. "GAA...!" The monster lost control and began to attack blindly! Approaching the monster that was in such a state would only invite pain. So, because of that. "[Water Shoot]" I started shooting at the monster''s legs using Spell. It lasted for some time until finally, Headless Ape tried to pull out the two arrows stuck in its eyes. And yes, I didn''t waste the opportunity that appeared. I unsheathed the Silver Spear and approached the monster as quickly as possible. And when I got to the front of it, I launched my strongest Arte. "[Crimson Impale]" The spear covered in red light shot quickly to pierce the monster''s head¡­ or chest right in the middle, in the part that I suspected to be where is the monster''s brain was. I don''t know if my guess is true or not. But, I know that my strongest Arte work! The monster no longer moved! And after I pulled out my spear, the monster fell to the floor. A moment later I unsheathed the Silver Long Sword and said, "[Heavy Slash]" I cut off Headless Ape''s head... chest once again. "Why is it so brutal?" "I just want to make sure that this monster is dead." Ruciel shook her head and said, "I''m sure, after this fight, you''ve realized that the kids aren''t strong enough to face the monsters in here. Therefore, I suggest you stop this exploration." "No, we are not weak," Kimi shouted. "We are strong! Therefore, we don''t need to retreat." Well... I''m pleased she''s excited. But still, that couldn''t change the fact that she was weak. And I know we can''t continue this exploration with that weakness. I wanted all the treasure in this place but I prioritized Kimi and the other''s safety over the treasure. Kimi, Alan, and Chloe are weak. Therefore, I had no other choice to look for and inspect that place first. I truly didn''t want to go to Decaying Illusion Peshrooms nest. But! If the place truly existed, our level would have improved dramatically. "Ruciel is right, Kimi. You guys are too weak and we''re going to get into big trouble if we keep going deeper into this place with that weakness.. So¡­ We''ll go from to visit somewhere else first." Chapter 77 - Desmond Cemetery 3_3 This part of the cemetery is filled with mushrooms! That''s what I was thinking about the moment I arrived at this place. In here, thousands of mushrooms of various sizes sprout and decorated this place. The place where hundreds of tombstones are being piled up dan being planted haphazardly existed. The mushrooms have a white stem and a purple umbrella with red stripes. They are similar to Decaying Illusion Peshrooms. But, these mushrooms don''t have faces, that''s what sets them apart from the mushroom monster. Not only mushrooms and tombstones but this place was also filled with tens of Headless Ape that were being turned into dolls and food by the Decaying Illusion Peshrooms. A combination of those three made a scary but quite wonderful scenery. Anyways, the point is, this place on the south side of Desmond Cemetery is the best place to harvest abundant Exp which we will use to raise our level. Yes, disappointingly enough, this place is not in Ark Fantasy Online. There''s no respawn concept here, the monsters will not keep appearing. However, if we manage to kill tens of the monsters that roaming around in here, I''m sure, we''ll get about five or six levels up. Kimi is level 11, Chloe is 10, and Alan is 12. If they get an additional five levels, I''m sure, at least they will be able to follow the Headless Ape''s movements and can survive after receiving the monsters'' attacks. This will make me not need to protect them too often, I will get more free time that I can use to beat the Headless Ape! And if I also get these additional five levels, it will make things to be easier for me to defeat those monsters. "Before we start hunting, there''s one thing that four of you should pay attention to. I''m talking about Decaying Illusion Peshrooms-" For a few minutes, I gave them a full explanation of the monster. About their ability, their looks, and their weakness. And when I finished, the four people swallowed their saliva. "Are you sure we''ll be okay?" Ruciel asked. Her voice was colored by worry. "Yes, we have Puppet Lemon, once we eat that fruit, Decaying Illusion Peshrooms won''t be able to take over our consciousness and body so easily. Now, please eat your fruit." They do what I say. And once we were ready, I shouted, "let''s start this hunt!" We unsheathed our weapons and approached the nearest Headless Ape. The monster was controlled by a Decaying Illusion Peshrooms and it makes the monster less dangerous. The monster''s movements became so stiff and slow. We got easy times fighting against the monster. The kids even could fight one of them without my or Ruciel help. "[Heavy Slash]" Kimi shouted. The little girl uses Arte to cut off the monster''s leg. Although she couldn''t completely cut off that leg, her attack was already more than enough to make the monster down to its knees. "[Stinger]" Alan ended the monster''s life with a stab in the chest. Then, Chloe got into the fight. "Un!" Making a cute battle cry, she kills the Decaying Illusion Peshrooms attached to Headless Ape''s body using her staff. What about me and Ruciel? Well... I also killed the Headless Ape. I didn''t need much effort to do it because they were so slow. My high AGI did all the jobs for me. Ruciel, that girl is also doing her job. She collects the Magic Stones of the Headless Ape and the corpses of Decaying Illusion Peshrooms as I wanted. So... yes, although Decaying Illusion Peshrooms managed to attach itself to our bodies to absorb our HP and SP several times, I can say, this is an easy hunt. Puppet Lemon played a big part! If we didn''t have that fruit, it''s certain, we''d be one of these mindless doll Headless Ape. After a few tens of minutes had passed, Kimi shout, "My level is up!" Oh! It was faster than I expected. They had just defeated three Headless Ape and they already level up! If it was like this, they would probably get more than five levels. < Level up! 5 to 6 > ... I can''t say anything. Then, for the next few hours, we continued to hunt the monsters in this part of Desmond Cemetery. < Level up! 6 to 7 > < Level up! 7 to 8 > < Level up! 8 to 9 > < Level up! 9 to 10 > It''s so amazing! Previously, it took me a few weeks to reach level 10! But now, I reached it in less than half a day. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [Race: Two Tail Fox Beastkin] [Age: 19 | Level: 10/20 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 100/117 [107] | MP: 80/145 | SP: 68/132 STR: 80 | DEX: 26] END: 66 | Luck: 5] [AGI: 83] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppel?????] ? [Water Magic | Lvl 1] New [Medium Mana | Lvl 1] New [Spear Mastery | Lvl 3] ? Level up [Sword Mastery | Lvl 1] New Yup! I''m getting stronger! And I need ten more levels for my second evolution. After this exploration is done, it might be a good idea if I hunt in this place alone. And there''s a wish to eat the meat of the Headless Ape to get Stat Points. I can''t do that right now because Kimi and the others are with me. Headless Ape meat is not a foodstuff for people, this meat is different from Leaf Hound meat that usually became a food staple to be eaten and sold in slums. I want to eat that horrible monster meat? Unfortunately, yes. Inevitably, I have to do it. The incident where I was beaten by Slime and chased by the mysterious silhouette that turned out to be an ugly monster made my desire to grow stronger became brighter. Therefore, I will try to eat the meat of monsters like this. And yes, I won''t immediately make a sharp decision to eat the meat of any kind of monster. I still have the unwillingness to eat the meat of Corpse Walker and Insect-type Monsters. As for these horrible monsters, I will start eating them starting from their livers or hearts. I felt it was the right choice rather than the choice to eat their meat. As for the Magic Stones. Ruciel took them. That''s right, if I eat those Magic Stones secretly, that Fallen Elf girl will definitely interrogate me. Where are the other Magic Stones? And I can''t possibly answer, I eat it, right? So, yes, I have to do Solo Hunting! "What''s your level now?" I asked the kids as we rested. We''ve already cleared half of this place and we''ve killed dozens of monsters. Therefore, I believe, they gained a lot of Exp. Their level must have increased greatly. "I''m level 17 now!" said my sister proudly. She puffed out her chest and her hands were of course on her hips. Alan made a smile. "I''m level 19 now." "Un! I''m also leveling up! I''m level 19! My level is the same as my brother!" The little girl was more excited than my sister. Chloe''s words made my sister open her eyes wide. Alan who also heard it put on a surprised expression. The little girl''s fox ears stood up as she comes back from her surprising state. Then, she spoke, "how could your level be higher than mine?" "Because I''m great!" "It''s not fair!" And that little black fox started making a fuss. I thought Ruciel would be surprised by their sudden and rapid growth but it seemed, I was wrong. The girl only raised one of her eyebrows then her expression returned to how it was. "It''s quite shocking," the girl said. And yes, the girl''s expression was in no way convincing. "Since they''ve already become stronger, are we going to start exploring that place?" "I want to explore the place as soon as possible but, it''s good if we hunt monsters here first. The higher the level of kids, the easier it is for us to explore the Underground Catacomb. The risk of them getting hurt will also be decreased." Ruciel nodded, her long ears making a strong jolt. "Okay, do what you want to do." Thus, our hunt in this place continues. I decided to explore the Underground Catacomb tomorrow. And we''ll be back in Rishtonbell after we''ve finished exploring the catacomb. Our food supplies and Potions weren''t enough for five or more days of exploration. Now, after we rested, we continued to hunt. And there''s a difference in the hunt this time. Ruciel suggested that we hunt as a team. She said we would have trouble if our cooperation as a team was still in disorder. Especially when I''m acting as I please and don''t understand what cooperation is. "Hey! I can also work on the team!" I protested to Ruciel and the girl ignored my protest. "Then prove you can do it! People want evidence instead of nonsense." She scolds me. So, I, Kimi, Chloe, and Alan made the dream team. Strategy? I and Kimi were the attackers. Alan was in the back row to protect Chloe. The boy would come to fight with us if no monsters threatened Chloe or when we were just fighting a monster. And for Chloe, of course, she would be a Healer and a Supporter. With this battle formation, we finished off the Headless Ape and Decaying Illusion Peshrooms at a fast pace. I also didn''t forget to show that I could work in the team well to Ruciel. Within hours our level went up! < Level up! 10 to 11 > < Level up! 11 to 12 > < Level up! 12 to 13 > Our hunt is unstoppable! But then, I never expected that we would confront a Nightmare Illusion Peshrooms! Chapter 78 - Illusion "[Apprisal]" ----+ [Race: Nightmare Illusion Peshroom |Lvl 30] | HP: 760/760 | MP: 427/470 | SP: 214/240 ----+ That''s truly something! And why is that monster much stronger than Headless Ape even though their level only had a difference of 3 levels! That Nightmare Illusion Peshroom was strong and it was worsened by the abilities it possessed. The illusion made by this monster had a stronger effect and is hard to counter or to be dispelled than the illusion made by Decaying Illusion Peshroom. In Ark Fantasy Online, if a player doesn''t have enough Status Effect Resistance or when they don''t have equipment that provides defense from Status Effect, the Avatar they use will lose control due to being exposed to the Debuff Illusion. And if they can''t get rid of that Debuff within a certain period, their Avatar will automatically die. And yes, Puppet Lemon is not powerful enough to ward off the illusions given by Nightmare Illusion Peshroom. The monster is so dangerous in Ark Fantasy Online! Therefore, I don''t need to ask how dangerous that monster is in this world. The appearance of Nightmare Illusion Peshroom in this place is so unexpected. It surprised me so much! Then, as soon as possible, I stopped our hunt and told Kimi and the others to hide. Now, behind a huge tombstone, we observed the movements of that two-meter-tall mushroom monster. While that huge and more nasty version of Decaying Illusion Peshroom was roaming around, I was waiting for an opportunity we could use to escape. The monster had a vast AoE attack. That''s why we can''t be seen by it. That attack can hit us even though we were quite far from it. "That monster looks scary, is that why you told us to hide?" Ruciel asked. I shook my head. "Not its form, the monster''s ability is what I am afraid of. It''s a good move for us to get out of here as soon as possible before-" "SHUU...!" Before I had time to finish my words, Nightmare Illusion Peshroom screeched. Spontaneously, I turned my eyes to the monster. There, I saw some Headless Ape running up to the mushroom monster! Those ape monsters want to attack it! "That was a bad decision!" I shouted. A moment later I look at everyone to shout again. "Run! Hurry up!" My panicked warning worked flawlessly. Kimi and the others ran out of our hiding place as quickly as possible. "SHUU!" The mushroom monster screeched again. I moved my head to look at the monster and, "PHUFF!" The monster exploded! It created a gigantic mushroom made of dense white mist! It reminds me of the aftermath of a nuclear bomb explosion! And that white mist is extremely dangerous! Like volcanic smoke from erupting volcano, the white smoke approached us so quickly. "Run! Run! Run!" I screamed in panic. I don''t want the mist to swallow us but the reality is vicious! The mist was faster than us! In tens of seconds, I knew we were going to be swallowed by it! But, I didn''t give up! "[Wind Cannon]" A huge air pressure blew away a piece of the white mist. But that air pressure wasn''t enough to blow all that mist away. But, I can hold them back for some time. And of course, I shot Wind Cannon continuously. I tried my best but our hopes faded away in quick succession. And when I feel so desperate, that hope shines once again! "Go to the mausoleum! We can take shelter there!" We went to the closest mausoleum as soon as possible! At a moment we arrived, we immediately smashed the padlock and opened the door of the place. We were able to get in! But, before we could close the mausoleum door, white mist entered and engulfed us. For quite some time, I couldn''t see anything. I feel so weird! Then, when I could see again, I found myself in a room that I didn''t know but felt so familiar to me. I tried to remember where and what this place is but then I had an incredible headache. I became so weak, I had to lean against the wall so I could stay standing. "Lite." I feel like someone called me but I''m not too sure. The sound was too faint and this headache made my eyes blurry, I could barely see anything. "Did you hear me, Lite?" The voice came again and this time, I saw a black shadow standing in front of me. But still, I couldn''t clearly see the shadow''s face because of this unbearable headache. The voice kept calling out to me as my headaches subsided. Then. "Eclaite!" "Huh?" The voice called out to me and as the shadow became clear, I opened my eyes wide. My fox''s ears and tail stood tall. In front of me stood a little Fallen Elf girl. Her short straight hair was glossy black as the light shone on it. Big and beautiful golden eyes looked at me with worry. Lastly, her tiny pink lips formed a healing smile. "Oh! Finally! You responded," said the little Fallen Elf who then put her palm to my forehead. "You''re hot and when I saw what you did earlier, I was sure you had a fever. Take a rest, I''ll tell momma Marga that you''re sick." I just fell silent in there while blinking my eyes as she said and did all that. Then, as I wake up from my daze, I asked in a trembling voice, "... Cerene?" "You are right, it''s me, Cerene." The little girl slightly tilted her head and made a confused expression as she looking at me. Yes... There is no doubt, she''s Cerene. The first and the best friend of Eclaite. But how? How''s she in front of me? Isn''t she dead? "No! You''re not real, you''re not Cerene." That''s right, Cerene is dead. The little Fallen Elf in front of me was not real, this little girl is an illusion. An illusion created by Nightmare Illusion Peshroom. The monster got us and this was a big danger! If I don''t wake up soon from this illusion, I will die! "What do you mean I''m not Cerene? Is there another Cerene in this place?" Plak! "Hey! What are you doing!?" She asked in a high voice when she saw me slapping my cheek. And damn it! It''s painful! What''s worse, I haven''t woken up to this illusion. "Where the pain is not enough?" I whispered to no one. "Huh? Why did you say the pain is not enough? And why you are hurting yourself?" I ignored the illusion of Cerene and faced the wall. I stuck two palms to the wall and then I pulled my head back. "Wait! Wait! Wait!" Shouted the little girl in a panic. And before she could stop me, I headbutted that wall. Bang! I felt pain once again, I became a little dizzy, and I hadn''t yet regained consciousness! "Damn it!" I said with annoyance. Then, just as I wanted to attack the wall once more, Cerene pulled me away. "Stop! What are you doing!?" I screamed while thrashing around trying to break away from the little girl who pulled me to the bed. "I''m the one who should have asked, what are you doing! You''re so weird today, Lite." She said. After a while had passed, I realized a strange thing. Why can''t I escape this little girl''s grasps? I have a high STR but why am I so helpless. A moment later, I realized that my body was turning into a child''s body! I no longer have that sexy body and abundant chest anymore. As I fell silent in shock, the little Fallen Elf threw me into bed. And as I tried to stand up and leave, a pair of hands forced me to lie down. "What are you doing!?" I screamed again. "I told you, that''s the question I should have said! Stop asking the same questions over and over again. Shut up and sleep so that your fever will subside!" "No! Don''t stop me to hurt myself! I need to wake up from this illusion!" "Illusion? What kind of illusion?" "This illusion! This place and you, everything is an illusion!" "Hah! Stupid girl! If all this is an illusion, how can I touch you? And how can your head bleed? Wake up, little girl! None of this is an illusion!" She was screaming out of annoyance. A moment later, the little Fallen Elf pulled my fox''s ears strongly! And of course, I made a sound, "ow ow ow!" When I feel the pain. "Look, none of this is an illusion. You can even feel the pain," she said. The little Fallen Elf then stroked my head. "Sit still and don''t do anything, I''ll take a first aid kit to treat the wounds in your forehead. Do you understand?" I saw the illusion of Cerene without saying anything. Honestly, I can say that right now, I can''t think of anything. I felt a mist enveloping my mind. Slowly, I felt unsure of the life I was living when I was an adult. Is that life was real? It''s not good! I said it in my heart. I shook my head to remove the mist in my mind. I have to stay sober and keep in mind that my life as an adult is real. I must remember that what I see and hear right now is an illusion. "You naughty little girl. I told you to sit still but you shook your head." The little Fallen Elf pressed down on both sides of my cheeks with her two palms. "Don''t do anything understand? If when I come back I see you do strange things, I''ll strip you naked and tie you up in bed! I hope you understand this spoiled little girl." Finished saying all of that, Cerene get out of the room leaving me who is trying hard to keep my mind whole. Chapter 79 - Nightmare 1_2 "Done!" said Cerene, smiling at me. This little Fallen Elf just treated the wounds in my forehead. Is this wound real? No, this wound was just an illusion because right now, I''m in a place that was in the past and I''m talking to someone dead. I felt pain but still, all of this was an illusion. "Where''s the thank you?" "... Thank you." "Your welcome. Now, take a rest so that your fever goes down." "Rest huh, I won''t do it! There are some important things I have to do," I said. I got out of bed intending to get out of this place. I need to search for clues or something that could wake me up from this illusion. Unfortunately, before I could walk out of this room, Cerene pulled my collar from behind. "Wait, you little girl! You''re not going anywhere, I''m not going to let you play around when you''re sick. Take a Rest!" "But I don''t want to!" "There''s no other choice then," said the girl who then caught me. And I didn''t know how, in an instant, the little girl tied my hands and feet and threw me to bed in dozens of seconds. I try to put up a fight but in vain. I can''t win against that little girl! Why? Why can''t I win? "Let me go!" "No!" She said sternly. After that, Cerene left me in this room alone. "What should I do now?" I don''t need an answer to that question. What I should do next is action! I tried to remove the rope that tied my hands and feet. Luckily, the little girl didn''t tie me up strongly and she tied my hands in front. It allowed me to break free quite easily after I bite off the rope that tied my arm. "I am free! Now, let''s find a way to regain my consciousness and get out of this illusion!" And my little adventure in this place began. Gardenia Paradise, that''s the brothel''s name. This place has three buildings consisting of the owner''s house, the residence of courtesans, slaves, and employees, the last is the main building that has six floors where guests come. Gardenia Paradise is the best brothel in town. This place was so famous that the nobles also became customers. This place is vast and I will have trouble finding a way out of this illusion. Now, what kind of exit am I looking for? I can''t get out even though I''ve hurt myself. So... do I have to look for a door, a gate, a portal, a Magic Circle, or something like that? I the worse scenario, should I have to die? No, I don''t think so. In Ark Fantasy Online, to break free from the Debuff, Illusion, one must use a Spell called Dispel or they can use the Healing Spell to remove the Debuff for a moment... That''s true! Healing Spell! Don''t I have it! "[Healing Water Ball]" ... "Huh? Why not work?" Why can''t I use Spell? "[Stat Open]" ... What''s going on? Why doesn''t everything work! I try to use magic and open the Stat Screen for some time but it never works! "I have no other choice then." I started exploring this place. I moved my legs to go down the hallway and then I met someone. From the clothes she wore, which were fancy dresses with a notable design and showed a lot of skin, I knew she was a courtesan. I have no desire to talk to her. Therefore I ignored her, I intended to walk past the woman but I stopped after I glanced at her. I was surprised! The woman didn''t have a face! No eyes, no nose, no mouth! And after I look at the woman more closely, her movements are so stiff just like a puppet doll. With a hint of fear, I left the woman alone as soon as possible. But then, I met another person who was also faceless. I ran back and I went back to meet with another faceless person! This episode kept repeating until finally, I have to accept that everyone in this illusion except Cerene wasn''t normal. Yes, the people here weren''t normal! But behind that shortcomings there are advantages! Since the people here are like that, I got an easy time exploring every corner of this place. I went around and ransack through this place for a few hours but I didn''t once find an exit or a clue to get out of this illusion! "I have to find the exit somewhere else!" With that words, I left Gardenia Paradise. Moving my legs, I began to check the places around the brothel. Tens of minutes later, I stood in front of a wall of mist that stretched out to block the streets and to cut through dozens of buildings. I moved my head to observe the wall of mist and the situations around me closely. The thing I did make me realize was that this wall of mist surrounded this whole place or rather the area around the brothel. "If I pass through this wall of mist, will I come out of this illusion?" I wouldn''t know the answer if I stayed here. So, I went into the wall of mist to find the answer to my question. Inside the wall of fog, I continued walking forward. Tens of minutes later, I finally saw the light! I speed up my pace and it won''t be exaggerating if I say I''m running. I will finally be free! That sentence kept repeating itself inside my head as I headed towards the light! However, never did I expected that when I entered the light, I would return to where I was, to the path I walked before I entered the wall of mist. "Damn it!" I screamed and ran back into the wall of mist. And yes, tens minutes later I returned to where I was before. I gave up on the wall of mist and started ransacking the buildings around Brothel. In the end, after I spent hours exploring every corner of this city and repeatedly passing through into the wall of mist, I still hadn''t found a way out of this illusion! I was exhausted and decided to sit on a bench in front of a shop to take a rest. "What should I do next?" As I thought of the answer to that question, two faceless men approached me. In the blink of an eye, I learned they were city soldiers from the clothes they wore. "What do you want?" I asked when they are standing in front of me. ... They didn''t answer, just stood still in there. And even though they didn''t have eyes, for some reason, I felt they were looking at me. Their presence and the things they did scare me a little bit and made me feel so uncomfortable. So, I decided to leave. However, shortly after I took the fourth step, one of them caught and seized my left hand. A few seconds later the other one seized my right hand. What they did next was dragging me to come with them. "What are you guys doing! Let me go!" I made a protest and tried to get away from their clutches. Bitter for me to say, this little body couldn''t provide any meaningful resistance. All I could do was shouting the words, "I said let me go!" In the end, they took me back to Gardenia Paradise. They put me in a small jail that usually being used to punish slaves. "Argh!" I cried out as my body hit the floor. The two faceless men threw me inside the small jail without feeling. Then they locked the door and left me. And even though I shouted, "Get me out of here!" They didn''t stop. A moment later their figure disappeared behind the door. For the next few tens of minutes, I tried to escape. Yes, I don''t have to say the results of my efforts. I gave up and sat in the corner of the room. I hugged my leg and buried my face to my knees. "Look at this, the naughty little girl gets the punishment she deserved." The sound made me raise my head. There, outside the bars, Cerene looks at me. "What do you want?" I asked, feeling a little annoyed. Why is this illusion here? "You''re so cold, Lite. I''m here to see you and I bring food for you," she explained. Then, she placed three loaves of bread and a bag of water on the floor close to the bars. "Get lost! I don''t want to see you again!" I screamed. The little Fallen Elf froze. At the same time, she opened her eyes wide. She woke up from her daze a moment later. Then, she made a sad smile, a smile I''ve never seen before. "Maybe your wish will be granted, Lite. Someone wants me tonight. I''m sure, once I sleep with him, he''ll fall in love with me and make me his wife." And I screamed. "I don''t care!" "Hmph! If you continue to behave like that, I won''t help you anymore, nor will I visit you after I become the wife of this man named Scott Bell." My body jerked, my fox''s ears and tail stood upright as I heard the name. Spontaneously, I approached the little girl. "Don''t go! Don''t serve that man!" "Why the sudden change?" She asked and smiled. "You were cold with me earlier and now you''re begging me when I say I''m going to be a bride? What''s wrong?" "I don''t want you to be someone else''s wife! I want you to always be with me!" "You selfish little girl," she said then made a sad smile. "I have my dreams, you know that? I can''t always take care of you. And even though it hurts me, you have to grow up, Lite. You can''t be a kid forever." "I''m an adult!" "Yes yes, you are a grown woman." Cerene nodded. "The night is coming soon, I have to prepare myself. I''ll visit you again tomorrow." "No! Cerene! Don''t go!" I asked the girl to stay. However, she keep walked away. I looked at the little Fallen Elf carefully and I realized, she become a puppet. "No! Don''t go! Cerene! Come back here! Don''t go to see that bastard! Cerene! Cerene!" I shouted as hard as I could while trying to open this small jail door. My screaming is meaningless.. Cerene kept walking away and eventually disappeared from my sight. Chapter 80 - Nightmare 2_2 I ran as fast as I could shortly after a faceless man opened the door of this small jail. My goal is the backyard of the main building. I ignored and avoided the faceless people in the hallway who were trying to catch me. I don''t want to be stopped. I have to go to the backyard. Sometime later, I got to where I want to. I moved my head to check the surroundings and immediately, I noticed the presence of a group of people. Once again, I ran, I approached them as soon as possible. Vaguely, I remember, in the past, they gathered at that place because they wanted to see Cerene''s corpse. Seconds later, I broke through that group of people. And in the end, I saw her. There, Cerene lay on top of wooden boxes. I approached the girl and touched her body. "...Cerene ...Cerene, wake up Cerene," I call her name and shook her cold body. I wanted her to get up and open her eyes but she didn''t! She will never wake up again. She died just as she had in the past. My tears flow profusely when I look at Cerene''s corpse that was in a horrible state made. In this illusion, I made the same mistake. I don''t care about Cerene, I just care about myself. In the past, when the momma Marga asked Cerene to attend to the bastard, I didn''t do anything. I keep quiet without saying a word because being scared. If only then, I had volunteered myself to replace Cerene, surely, I wouldn''t have lost her forever. I''m stronger than that little girl. So, I''m going to survive after accepting the bastard''s cruel behavior. At the same time, Cerene will keep alive. This illusion continues. Cerene was buried and the time after that lasted in an instant. I''m too sad to notice the things around me. Then, as night fell, I cried until I fell asleep. ... Morning came and I cried again. "Lite, what''s wrong? Why are you crying?" The presence of that voice made my fox''s ears and tail stands up. I looked up. The little Fallen Elf stood beside my bed. She looked at me with a look full of worry. "Cerene?" "Yes, it''s me, Cerene. What happened to you?" I didn''t answer the little girl''s question that wiped tears from my cheeks. Then, spontaneously, I moved my body to hug the girl, I buried my face in her stomach. I was relieved when I saw her again. I cried in her arms for quite some time. After that, we came out of the bedroom because we got tasks from momma Marga. When we worked together for a few hours, I realized two things. First, this illusion will be repeated after two days and one night. The second thing is, most likely, Cerene is the key and the exit of this illusion. Why do I think so? Isn''t this so obvious? Everything this illusion showed to me is centered on this little Fallen Elf. So, for me to get out, I have to save Cerene. I can''t let her die. Therefore, when momma Marga asked Cerene to attend to the bastard, I volunteered. "Are you sure of this, Lite?" Cerene asked with worry. "Yes," I replied firmly. Then, when Cerene wants to say something, I cut her words with, "I''ll be fine. Don''t worry." After that, we parted ways. I followed momma Marga. While making preparations before attending to customers, I didn''t forget to pick up a knife. I''m going to kill that bastard. Things that I couldn''t do in the past I would do now! But, never did I expected, I would fail. The faceless bastard with his none existed little brother was stronger than me. He stopped my plans easily and he began to enjoy me. And even though I said he enjoyed me, there''s no R18 scene in here because he didn''t have his little brother. For the first time, this illusion does something good. But still, I hate this illusion. I can''t do anything in front of this bastard. I don''t have the strength to put up a fight. I could only lie in bed without power. I let him keep beating me. But, I can accept this. This episode is better than the episode that has happened in the past. This was nothing. And better yet, Cerene won''t die. I can see her again tomorrow. We''re going to have the best day. It was the last thing I thought before I fainted. ... The next day, Cerene continued to be by my side as I lay in bed with the wounds I got from the bastard. And yes, I managed to save Cerene but I haven''t come out of this illusion yet. Why did this happen? What''s wrong? Is saving Cerene, not the answer? Or, should I be the one who... No no no! I don''t think that''s the answer. I have to try another means. I don''t want to use this wild guess. ... The third loop took place. This time, I managed to kill the bastard even though in the end I also died. That''s right, death can''t get me out of this illusion ... In the fourth loop, I decided to take Cerene away from Brothel. "Come with me Cerene," I said, clasping the little girl''s hand. I invited her to run away. "Where are we going, Lite?" "We''re going to get out of this place!" "Huh? Get out?" She asked in a slightly surprised tone. "No, Lite! What if we get caught? We will be severely punished." "Take it easy, I won''t let them catch us." We got out of Brothel easily. Faceless people except for two soldiers and the bastard can''t give us any trouble at all. Without wasting any time, I took Cerene to the wall of mist. Unfortunately, Cerene couldn''t see that wall. The thing she saw was a scene of the city. Without further ado, I invited her to enter the wall of mist. My footsteps never stopped to move forward. But then, in the middle of our journey, the little Fallen Elf I tugged in was gone. Her hand that I was holding disappear just like that as if from the beginning, I had never held that tiny hand. "Cerene!" I screamed and ran back to the place where we came from. As I exited the wall of mist, I was greeted by the sight of two faceless soldiers dragging Cerene with them. The little girl tried to fight back but she was far weaker than that two faceless soldiers. They rendered her helpless. I tried to save Cerene but in the end, I was get caught too. That night and the next day we spent time in a small jail while receiving some physical punishment. ... The fifth loop came. I told Cerene to kill me but she wouldn''t do it. I keep begging her but she never agrees. In the end, we wandering around the town to search for unusual things. Yes, I can''t get out of the illusion. ... I did something else in the sixth loop and I failed. ... Failure also appeared in the seventh loop. ... The eighth loop was the same, I had a failure. ... I hardened my decision after the ninth time I experienced these loops. ... Tenth loop. "Come with me Cerene." "Where?" "Get out of this place." "Runaway! No, Lite! This plan is too risky, we will get severe punishment if we are caught." "Don''t worry, we won''t get caught." And we went to visit the city. For all day long, we did fun things together. Enjoying lunch and snacks, playing with faceless children, escaping the pursuit of two faceless soldiers, do an adventure by exploring the city, and so on. Today is the most fun day for us. As night fell, we hid in the attic of someone''s house to hide and to sleep. "Can we truly escape from this city, Lite?" Cerene asked. We are currently sleeping next to a window. Moonlight entered from that window even though the night sky was shrouded by mist. "Yes, we can escape. I''ll make sure of that." I convinced her. At the same time, I prepared a knife that I hid inside my clothes. "Good then. You know, I''m tired of living as a slave. I don''t want to be held down by orders and I want to do whatever I want. I don''t want to be treated as an item but I want to be treated as a human being." She explained. The girl then held my hand tighter. A moment later, I moved my body slowly. And in the end, I sat on the little girl''s stomach. "I have a dream, a simple dream. I want to live a normal life, have family, have friends, and if I can be greedy, I want to have a flower shop." Her voice became hoarse and quivered. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. And for some reason, my tears also began to flow. My hands trembled as I placed the knife I was holding over the little girl''s left chest. "It was a beautiful dream that I wanted. But unfortunately, I''m caught up in this nightmare. So, Lite. Please wake me up from this nightmare." "I''m sorry," I said in a faint voice full of regret. "Sorry that I couldn''t save you." "Don''t apologize, Lite. I wish we could meet again somewhere better. I''ll wait for you." "Please wait for me." The knife pierced Cerene''s chest easily. The little girl coughed several times before finally breathing out her last breath. At the last moment, she made the warm smile that she always showed to me. Chapter 81 - After The Nightmare The illusion disappeared slowly. Greene and everything around me turned white as if they lost their color. After which, they melted into particles of light then disappeared. Not long after that, I saw the mausoleum door and the Nightmare Illusion Peshroom''s face. I froze with fear but then. < Acquired a skill! Dark Magic Resistance |Lvl 1 > < Dark Magic Resistance, level up! 1 to 2 > < Dark Magic Resistance, level up! 2 to 3 > [Dark Magic Resistance | Lvl 3] [Passive] [+ Reduces the damage and duration of negative effect caused by different types of Dark Spells by 25%] The notification given by the system revived me. I think back to the days I went through with Cerene. I remember the times when I killed the little girl to get out of the illusion. My sadness turned into anger. This ugly monster! How dare it toy with my memories of Cerene! How dare it forced me to kill her! "[Bullet of Light]" My attack was so effective! The Bullet of Light I shot at point-blank range tore the monster''s face apart and made it take a few steps back. "SHUU!" I got out of the mausoleum. And after I closed the door of the place, I pursue the monster. "[Sword of Light]" The spell called a meter-long sword made of light to appear in my left hand. With this sword and my anger, I will chop up the monster into pieces and kill it. But... "SHUU! SHU!" The monster makes loud howls. And a moment later... PHUFF! A blast of white mist appeared once again! "Damn it!" I screamed in panic. I was too careless! I approach the monster and forgot about this attack. I don''t have time to run away or do anything. In an instant, the white mist engulfed me. I was ready to face another illusion but for some reason, I was still here, standing in the middle of the cemetery. The mist enveloped me but I wasn''t swallowed up by the illusion! I don''t know why this happened and I''m not going to waste the opportunity. As soon as possible I ran toward the Nightmare Illusion Peshroom, a moment later I was in front of it. "SHUU!" "Shut up you ugly monsters! [Bullet of Light]" Once again I used Spell to attack the monster''s face. "SHU! SHU!" And when the monster was in pain and couldn''t see clearly, I start to chop off its body using Sword of Light I started with the monster''s feet, then I aimed for its arm, and lastly, its body. And when the monster could see again, I used the Bullet of Light to beat up its face. Never did I expect, the monster was so slow and didn''t have close-quarter combat ability worth of heeding for. Its incompetence allowed me to move freely to crush the monster as I pleased. This monster is so different from the Nightmare Illusion Peshroom in Ark Fantasy Online. In that game, these monsters could still put up a fight by launching fist after deadly fist. Swosh! Oops! Almost! A fist almost hit my body. So... It wasn''t that it didn''t have a deadly fist but rather it couldn''t launch that fist because its face and eyes were injured! "Hah! Who told you to have a big face! [Bullet of Light]" By using the combination of Arte, Spell, and repeating the same tactic for a few dozen minutes, finally, I was able to kill the Nightmare Illusion Peshroom! "It''s an anti-climax, isn''t that right?" Never did I expect, this monster was nothing without its white mist. < Level up! 13 to 14 > < Level up! 14 to 15 > And extremely surprising! I went up two levels at once! Not to idling around, I proceed to split the monster''s body and took its Magic Stone. And without hesitation, I ate the Magic Stone. I was hoping for a clue about the illusion as I gulped that magic stone. Yes, I am fully aware, the Skill I got from the Magic Stone will be randomly chosen. But, shouldn''t I hope for the skill that can create the nightmare illusion? < Acquired a skill! Mist of Nightmare Illusion |Lvl 1 > [Mist of Nightmare Illusion | Lvl 1] [MP -50] [+ Creates a white mist that can cause illusions. + The percentage of the prey being swallowed by an illusion is 100% if the prey does not have Dark Magic Resistance. If the preys have such a skill, -5% for the percentage of the preys being swallowed by the illusion ¡Á the level of the preys'' Dark Magic Resistance. + Area of attack, 5 ¡Á 5 square meters. + The duration of the preys being affected by the illusion is 2 hours. The duration of the illusion could be extended by attacking the prey using this Skill again. ] Oh! Look at that! I got it! And damn it! It was a dreadful skill! I was so lucky I wasn''t swallowed by the illusion when I only had 15% resilience to be unaffected. If I''m being swallowed by the illusion again, I''ll have to kill Cerene again! That''s something I truly don''t want! I''ve eaten the Magic Stone of this monster. Now, it''s the turn for its meat. However, I will eat the monster''s meat after I help Kimi and the others. So, I went back to the mausoleum. I wish one of them had woken up but didn''t! The four of them are still asleep. I approached Chloe and used Spell. "[Healing Water Ball]" I used a healing spell on Chloe. I hope she wakes up for a while so that she can eat Puppet Lemon. And once she wakes up completely, I want her to help me to wake everyone up. Unfortunately, my plan failed. I can''t get that little girl up. The first plan failed. So... It''s time for a second plan. I collected few Puppet Lemons and made juice out of them. When I felt the juice was enough, I started feeding Kimi and the others. Can those who faint be able to drink it? No... They can''t do it alone. I had to force them to drink it. How? Well... Let''s just say that Ruciel''s lips are so soft. That Fallen Elf girl also had an intoxicating body scent! Ruciel makes my body hot! I wanted to do something more but I didn''t. The time and place are so wrong. And if I truly did something, I''d be a criminal, I''d be a jerk like the jerk. So... yes, I didn''t do it. I am not a shameless woman. But, I won''t deny that I kissed Ruciel longer than the others. Shameless? No, of course, not. I HELP Ruciel. Alan? He''s a kid. I had no problem helping him to drink his Puppet Lemon juice. And yes, I''m not denying it, I gave him some help for a brief moment. Now, let''s stop thinking about helping and smooching. With that juice and the effect it has, I hope they wake up quickly. I don''t know the level of the Mist of Nightmare Illusion that Peshroom has. Therefore, I don''t know how long they continued to fall asleep. But, at a minimum, they will wake up after two hours. And yes, when I wait for them to wake up on their own, I have to be on guard and make sure they stay safe. "It''s going to be a long afternoon," I whispered. After that, I started cooking Nightmare Illusion Peshroom''s meat using Ruciel''s cookware and Magic Tools. < Health and Mana stat up! HP +10 | MP +20 > Nice! Extremely nice stat bonus points! After I finished with my meal, I made food for Kimi and the others. I wanted something good waiting for them while they woke up. Then, time passed... "Ukhi khi!" roared Headless Ape. "Shut up!" I shouted as I split the monster''s face using my Silver Long Sword. Headless Ape fell on its knees and I didn''t hesitate to pierce the monster''s body or maybe forehead using my strongest Spear Arte. "[Crimson Impale]" Splat! The monster eventually died. < Level up! 15 to 16 > Another level up? As expected, this place had abundant Exp. And yes, some monsters, especially Headless Ape came to attack us. And this is the sixth? Or maybe the seventh assault? I''m not sure, I stopped counting after the second assault. How did they find out where we were when we hid inside the mausoleum? At first, a Headless Ape approached the mausoleum where we were because it was attracted by the smell of the foods I made. So¡­ I killed that monster. Alone? Yes, thanks to the level-up, I was able to kill that monster. Now, back to the earlier topic. I managed to kill the monster, I got the Magic Stone and the Headless Ape''s meat. And since Kimi and the others were still fast asleep due to the illusion, I ate the meat and the Magic Stone. < Strength Stat up! STR +2 > < Acquired a skill! Fire Breath |Lvl 1 > [Fire Breath | Lvl 1] [MP -12] [+ Spurt fire from the mouth to burn the enemy. + The distance of attack is two meters. + The amount of damage given to the enemies influenced by the total amount of skill owner''s MP, (10% of MP ¡Á Level of the Skill)] Yes, I got quite an interesting skill. But back to the assault. After the first Headless Ape, the other Headless Ape approached because they were attracted by the corpses of their kin. So¡­ I hunt them down. < Strength Stat up! STR +2 > ¡Á 6 < Because a Skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to Exp for the skill obtained from this monster. > ¡Á 6 And yes, not only Headless Ape, but some Decaying Illusion Peshrooms also came to assault us. And I hunt them down too. < Mana Stat up! MP +5 > ¡Á 5 < Because a Skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to Exp for the skill obtained from this monster. > ¡Á 5 Time passed, I had already defeated some monsters but they hadn''t woken up yet. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Two Tail Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 16/20 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 113/141 [129] | MP: 87/202 | SP: 68/144 [ STR: 106 | DEX: 29 ] [ END: 69 | Luck: 5 ] [ AGI: 86 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppel?????] ? [Dark Magic Resistance |Lvl 1] New [Mist of Nightmare Illusion |Lvl 1] New [Fire Breath |Lvl 1] New This is extremely satisfying when I know I''m getting stronger! And four more levels, I will get my second evolution! Chapter 82 - The Underground Catacomb 1_2 The night comes when I return to the mausoleum. And I never expected, a little girl to be waiting for my return. "Uwaaa... big sis!" Kimi who was crying ran up to me. She ignored the expanding darkness. The little girl hugged me tightly. "Big sis won''t leave me like mama Haruka and papa Wielth, right?" She asked while crying. I stroked the head of this little black Fox-kin to calm her heart. "Of course, I won''t leave you alone." If she makes such a question, she might get a nightmare where she sees me die, right? "Did I die in your illusion?" The little girl shook her head while she was still burying her face in my stomach. "Hm-hm, big sis is not dead. Big sis kicked me out, left me, and dumped me to the street after big sis married brother Vier. Then, every day, when I was cold and alone on the street, I saw big sis happy life with brother Vier from the window. And, and, and big sis will always beat me up every time big sis noticed what I''m doing." "Wait, what?" Isn''t that was a plot of the story that is often used in cheesy dramas. Why I''m hearing it in here? And marrying Vier, ignoring Kimi? Yeah, those two things aren''t going to happen. Plus... I don''t have such a bad and disgusting personality! I''m a good gorgeous girl! "Listen to me, Kimi. I will never leave you even if I get married. You are my precious sister, so once again I will never leave you." I stroked her head again. "Let''s go to the mausoleum." Kimi, nodded her head then let go of me. We passed through the door and I was instantly greeted by three people who looked so sad without passion. Chloe even cried in the arms of her brother, Alan. "It''s good to see you guys wake up," I told them. I sat down to directly use the Magic Tool. I warmed up the food I made this afternoon. I''m sure they''re exhausted. And it would be a good idea to eat food to refill their energy and before they go to bed. No one talked when I re-prepared and then served the food. It seemed sadness was too tightly hugging them. I made a wry smile when I saw them hold their bowls without the desire to eat. "You don''t have to think too much about what you see and experience when you are inside the illusion. They were never real," I said, trying to cheer them up. But, my efforts were in vain, sadness still surrounds them. "I don''t know why you could say that statements so easily," Ruciel said. The Fallen Elf girl looked at me with her red eyes. And yes, I don''t need to see the girl twice to know that she just cried, just like Chloe and Alan. Of course, I was so curious about what kind of episode made the Fallen Elf girl I loved to cry. "You will never understand how we feel. I bet, a fool like you doesn''t have any noteworthy memories," the girl continued slightly annoyed. "That was rude, I also have important memories." Ruciel did not reply to my words. She turned his face away and a few moments later, she ate her food. The kids follow her. When our dinner finished, I said, "I know you''re so exhausted, but hang on for a while. We will leave this place after we explore and inspect the Underground Catacomb." "Do you still want to continue this exploration?" "Yes absolutely! We''ve come this far, we''ve struggled with everything we had, and even we got painful experiences inside the illusion. Don''t you think that all of it would be a waste if we left without bringing treasure in this place?" Four people gave me different looks. Ruciel looks fine but the kids, lose their spirit, they look so exhausted. "Listen to me kids. An adventure isn''t always fun. It was full of obstacles and sometimes bring despair. But, when we complete the adventure, we will be even stronger. Just like what''s happening right now. Because of this adventure, you kids already become stronger! Right? And do you not want a hidden treasure in this place?" The words I say to encourage the kids may not be the best. But, those words worked, a small flame of spirit burning in their eyes. "For your sake, big sis. I will finish off this adventure." "If I can become stronger, I will also complete this adventure." "Un! I will fight, I will prove I am useful!" I made a pleased smile and made a strong nod. "Excellent! Now, take a rest. Tomorrow we will face the peak of our adventure in this place." This night, Ruciel and the kids fell asleep soundly. I didn''t want to wake them up so I decided to stand guard alone. Then I was surprised, Ruciel woke up to replace me on guard. I tried to turn down her offer but she silenced me with the words, "I''m not a kid, and taking a guard don''t is also a part of my job." So, I got time to take a rest. The next day, after we prepared, we visited the Underground Catacomb. We are not resuming the plans to hunt down Decaying Illusions Phesrooms because we want to complete this adventure as soon as possible. The level of children almost reached twenty. Therefore, I''m sure we can conquer the Underground Catacomb without getting into much trouble. "Alright, let''s start this adventure!" I said excitedly. "OOO!" replied the kids. Their spirit was bigger than mine. We passed the black gate to the underground. Our main goal was to get the treasures stored within this Underground Catacomb. Once again, we explored this dark hallway. And I didn''t forget to make a ball of light with Illumination Spell. A dozen minutes passed before we finally encountered five Headless Ape! This Underground Catacomb was ruthless! Our fight begins! "Hyatt!" Kimi makes a cute battle cry as she launched an attack using her Fire Sword. And yes, this time, that little black Fox-kin managed to injure the monster, she managed to cut off the monster''s waist or maybe the monster''s cheek. Not only did her ability to attack, her ability to dodge the monster''s attacks, and her ability to follow the monster''s movements also increased. A fists come and my little black Fox-kin dodges. Alan comes from the side to get close to the monster quickly. "[Shield Bash]" he shouted. The boy then hit the monster''s face using his shield that was covered by a red light. "Ukyo...!" The monster staggered and got the Stun Debuff! The monster''s movement stopped for seconds. Seeing the opening, Chloe e shouted, "[Mana Bind]" A meter-wide Magic Circle appeared under Headless Ape''s feet. Then, the monster''s movements came to a complete halt as the blue rope that appeared from within the Magic Circle tied its body firmly. "[Power Slash]" "[Heavy Cut]" Using the Arte, Kimi and Alan best up the monster. It took them dozens of minutes and another Mana Bind before they could finally kill the ape monster. "You guys are amazing!" I said to praise them. But, for some reason, the kids seemed unhappy. "Why is your response like that? Are you not happy after receiving praise?" My sister''s fox ears twitched. A moment later, the little girl pointed at me with her index finger and said, "We won''t feel happy when we get such praise from big sis!" "Why? And Kimi, don''t point at someone carelessly, that''s rude." "Hmph!" She snorted in annoyance. "Why big sis didn''t realize it? Big sis killed three monsters easily while we had to try our best to defeat the monsters that big sis had already wounded! So yes, praise from big sis won''t make us feel happy!" "Little pie, you don''t need to use me as a comparison. And you need to know, what you guys are doing deserves praise because I''m sure, even a C-Rank Adventurer will have trouble defeating the monster." "Big sis lie!" "Then ask, Ruciel." "Why are you pulling me into your trouble?" The girl complained and asked. Then she sighed. "You can accept this stupid girl''s praises because she''s right. You did something amazing and you can be proud of it." "Oh!" And the kids are happy! Why? Why are they happy when they get praise from Ruciel. While in fact, they did not react at all when I praised them. It''s not fair! With a broken heart, I continue this adventure with them. From time to time, we meet headless Ape and we fight against them. We had a lot of trouble because they were quite a lot. But on the other hand, we got a lot of Exp from them. < Level up! 16 to 17 > My level is up again. In addition to hunting monsters, we also searched and ransacked the rooms in this Underground Catacomb. We''re looking for treasure! Now, we found another room. This place is like the inside of a Mausoleum, filled with coffins and bones. We checked this place for some time before we finally got two pieces of Magic Equipment in the form of bracelets and pendants. "[Appraisal]" [Bracelet of Fire] [High-Grade] |+ STR +5 |+ Fire Magic Resistance +15% [Blue Ice Pendant] [High-Grade] |+ DEF +5 |+ Water Magic Resistance +10% We got good Magic Equipment. Our explorations are on the ups. Then, after finding three other Magic Equipment and after killing five Headless Apes, we finally found a gate. The double door made of stone in the gate was decorated with skull carvings. They look creepy. And yes, this is the gate to the Boss Room. And I''ll say, the room behind the gate is the main objective why I want to explore this place. Chapter 83 - The Underground Catacomb 2_2 I saw dozens of torches when I take a peek at the inside of the Boss Room from a small gap I had made by slightly opened the large stone door. The torches lit up the room, making me able to see the inside. Black floors made of stone, thousands of shards and pieces of bones, walls decorated by hundreds of human skulls, and dozens of long red banners hanging on the pillars. More important than the boss room''s interior was a Headless Ape Chieftain that was stood in there. Different from the regular Headless Ape, the Headless Ape Chieftain had a height of almost two and a half meters. The monster was more hulky, had long fangs, and had darker fur. And needless to say, the monster was stronger than Headless Ape. "[Appraisal]" -----+ [Race: Headless Ape Chieftain | Lvl 31] | HP: 640/640 | MP: 230/238 | SP: 457/470 -----+ The monster''s level and SP were higher than the Nightmare Illusion Peshrooms but its HP and MP were lower. Gulp! "It''s going to be a pretty tough fight." Hearing my words, Ruciel raised one of her eyebrows. "How come you-no, tell me, what level is that monster? You can surely see it with appraisal, right?" I nodded and said, "Thirty-one, and I''m sure the monster is strong. Therefore, please help us to defeat that monster, Ruciel." "All right," said the girl, "but you must remember, my help is not free. I want an additional pay." "Of course, we can negotiate it in more detail after we kill the monster." Ruciel nodded then started preparing herself for the fight. She changed her gear and took out her white longbow. I turn around to look at the kids when Ruciel was busy. "Kimi and Alan, always be alert and always pay attention to the movements of Headless Ape Chieftain. If you can''t keep up or even see the monster''s movements, don''t try to attack. Focus on surviving, you understand?" "I get it," replied Alan with a nod to his head. "... Well, I understand too," Kimi said. The little black fox avoided eye contact with me. The behavior she made showed that she had no intention of heeding the warnings I gave. "I''m serious, Kimi! Don''t try to attack if you can''t see the monster''s movements! Once again, do you understand?" I repeated my question and this time, I said it firmly. My sister''s fox ears stood up. Then she looked into my eyes directly and said, "I understand." "Good!" "Un! Sis Eclaite, what should I do?" Chloe asked. The little girl looked eager. "Stay in the backline. Don''t separate from Ruciel and please help us with Healing Spell and Mana Bind." "Okay, I''ll do it!" "We''re counting on you, Chloe." A few minutes later, we were finally ready! "Let''s start this fight," Ruciel said. I replied with a nod. Then I opened the stone door. Zraak! Zraak! The door was finally wide open. Now, we can see the figure of Headless Ape Chieftain. And it seems, it''s not just us who can see the enemy. Headless Ape Chieftain turned around. Its red eyes looked at us sharply. And in an instant, the monster made an angry expression. "UKYOO!" The monster roared then ran towards us quickly. "Why is that monster approaching! We haven''t entered the Boss Room yet!" I shouted and readied my Silver Spear. Ruciel did the same, she prepared her Long Bow. And in fact, the girl started attacking the Headless Ape Chieftain by firing her arrow. The kids? They imitate us, they are ready to fight. "This place is not a Dungeon! Of course, the monster won''t stay in that room!" said Ruciel. "Hinder that monster stupid girl!" "Call me Eclaite, Ruciel." Leaving that sentence behind, I approached the Headless Ape Chieftain that was running to us. "[Flash Swing]" "UUkyo!" Slash! Slash! Clang! Clang! My spear attacks were met with punches covered in red light launched by the Headless Ape Chieftain. Every attack I launch is fended off by that monster! The thing that just happened surprised me! The monster''s movements were fast and its hands were as hard as steel! My eyes were wide open as our attack clashed, spark after spark created. Not only that, but the monster''s punch was also powerful. Headless Ape Chieftain continued its attack! A punch covered in light came to destroy my body. I made moves. Taking a few steps and bending my body, I dodged the first punch. When the second punch came, I swung the Silver Spear to change the course of the punch. "UKKY!" The monster was enraged and a red light appeared to envelop the monster''s arms. I realized powerful attacks were coming, so I prepared. However, I never expected, the monster''s attacks never came. Two arrows that appeared suddenly and pierced the Headless Ape Chieftain''s right shoulder canceled out the monster''s attack. "Ukyo!" The monster roared in pain. And yes, I launched other attacks as the monster tried to pull out the arrow on its shoulder. "[Triple Thrust]" The monster protected itself using its hands. Because of that, I was able to give the monster wounds. "Ukyo!" The angry monster attacked me. Unfortunately for it, I was able to dodge the attack. And when I dodged, I used a Spell. "[Wind Cannon]" BLASH! "Ukk''o!" The monster was thrown for several meters. And as it tried to stand up, some of Ruciel''s arrows pierced the monster''s joints. Then, when the monster tried to pull out some arrows in its body, I attacked it. With that attacks pattern and without interruption from the kids, the monster''s HP was reduced at a quick pace. Within a few minutes, the monster was in a critical state. The monster would die after receiving a few more attacks. However, something unexpected happened. "UKKY! UKYOO!" Headless Ape Chieftain roared. A few seconds later, the monster''s eyes glowed! And not only that, but a red aura also enveloped its enlarged body. "Did the monster just use Last Struggle?" Last Struggle is a skill that boosted all basic statistics when the HP at critical condition. It lasts for dozens of minutes. And after that, the monster will become so weak. Back to the moment. Because I tried to recall about Last Struggle, I got a powerful blow to my stomach. A moment later I was thrown a few meters away. I rolled on the floor a few times before finally stopping. I was careless. I could see the monster''s movements. But unfortunately, I was late to make a defense. My body can''t move fast enough! While lying on the floor, I drank a bottle of Potion as quickly as possible. And when I do it. "[Rock Skin]" "Ukyo!" BAM! "Gah!" "Alan!" "Back off, Kimi!" "[Heal]" The monster reached the backline! It was a bad situation I didn''t want! I stood up as fast as I could when I can handle the pain in my body. Then, I saw bad things and good things. The bad thing I saw, Kimi and Alan were lying on the floor. They''re not moving! However, I could see their chests were still moving, it meant they were still alive. As for the good things, I saw Chloe trying her best to use the Healing Spell to heal Kimi and Alan. The good things don''t stop there. Ruciel, the Fallen Elf girl managed to stop the Headless Ape Chieftain. The girl''s outstanding ability to use the dagger made the monster unable to be careless. I approached and joined their fight. I fought with all the ability I had. And I was shocked when I discovered that I couldn''t keep up with this monster''s movements and strength. I get wound after wound as our fight continues. And can''t rely on Ruciel to land a final blow because she never launches an attack with heavy damage. On the other hand, the Headless Ape Chieftain was getting faster and stronger. It''s not good and I have to do something. If this continues, we will lose. I think to find a way out and to win. A few minutes later I got an idea. I''m sure this idea will work! Therefore, I''m waiting for an opportunity. Then, when the opportunity came, I kicked the Headless Ape Chieftain in the face with all the strength I had. Thanks to that, the monster was thrown for several meters. Of course, I''m not standing still after I did that. The moment I managed to throw the monster, as quickly as possible I ran up to it. I''m ready to use my ultimate plan. What is the ultimate plan of mine? This ultimate plan wasn''t that amazing. It can be said extremely simple because I just wanted to use a Skill. And yes, the skill I''m referring to and the one I want to use is, "[Mist of Nightmare Illusion]" PHUFF! A blast of white fog was created in an instant! I couldn''t see it, but, I''m sure, the fog must have swallowed the Headless Ape Chieftain. This is the only way I can do to stop the Headless Ape Chieftain''s rampage. And yes, my plan worked. As the fog was still in here, I could feel the heat of the Headless Ape Chieftain not moving at all. And when the fog I created disappeared, I saw the monster just standing there with its eyes closed. I approached the monster with my Silver Spear at ready. I poured the energy in my body into my arms. And this time, I poured five times more energy than usual. Then, I took a stand to attack. When I felt it was the time, I said, "[Crimson Impale]" The Silver Spear enveloped in bright red light shot swiftly towards the Headless Ape Chieftain''s forehead. And when the two are in touch. SPLAT! The monster''s forehead exploded! A huge hole adorned the monster''s body. A moment later, the monster fell to the floor accompanied by notifications. < Level up! 16 to 17 > < Level up! 17 to 18 > With this, I can say that the Headless Ape Chieftain is dead! We won this fight! And never did I thought, Kimi and everyone were also affected by the Mist of Nightmare Illusion. Ugh! I felt guilty for having to make Kimi and everyone gets caught up in the illusion again. Chapter 84 - Ending And Beginning The fight against the Headless Ape Chieftain was over. The monster was dead and its corpse was now lying on the floor. Not only the monster''s corpse that lying on the floor, Kimi, Alan, Chloe, and Ruciel were also lying on the floor. No, of course, not. They don''t die, they just fall asleep. Why are they sleeping in the room I assume as the Boss Room? Especially when we fight against the Headless Ape Chieftain. Well... They fell asleep because of my fault. I used the Skill, Mist of Nightmare Illusion and I didn''t expect, other than enemies, that skill also affect my friends as well. Now, the episode after I woke up from the illusion that Peshroom''s Nightmare Illusion gave me repeated. I do protect them from the monsters until they wake up. I''m hunting Headless Apes that are coming to attacks us. And now, I''ve defeated five monsters. They didn''t give me any trouble because I''d be stronger than before. Then, time passed... "Is it big sis who is the maker of the mist that gave us nightmares earlier?" Kimi gave me a sharp look. The girl directly interrogated me as soon as she woke up. Much worse, the girl gets support from Ruciel, Chloe, and Alan. "... You can think of it that way." As soon as I finished answering, the little black Fox-kin attacked me. She knocked me down, gave me light blow after light blow, and she ended her attack by pinching and then pulling my cheek with all of her strength. After Kimi was satisfied, I apologized to them. In the end, they forgave me after I promised to grant one request they made. We waited for Ruciel to finish processing the Headless Ape Chieftain before we finally inspected this Boss Room. Corner by corner of the room we checked and we found a room containing treasure hidden behind a long banner. Lying in this room were two boxes containing gold coins, one box containing a Magic Scroll, one small box containing gems, dozens of weapons of various types, and few set pieces of armor. "Wow!" The kids are crying out. Their eyes sparkling when they saw the pile of treasures. They were excited and eager to inspect the treasure. However, before they could take a step, Ruciel stopped them. "Let me check this room first. You don''t want to be hit by a trap, do you?" Thus, Ruciel did her job. After a dozen, minutes had passed and after Ruciel gave the word okay, we begin to inspect the treasure. Without wasting any time, I used Appraisal to look for something I wanted in the pile of these treasures. I kept looking for some time before I finally found it. In my hands was a black saber. A green line that resembles a blood vessel adorns the weapon. And there is no doubt, it''s a beautiful weapon. [Rot Saber] [Rare-Grade] |+ Attack 150 |+ Rot Attack 270 |+ Durability 179/200 I finally found the weapon I was looking for. With this, I can overwhelm the plants controlled by Leaf Deer easily. The percentage of success I had to kill that monster also increased greatly. I want to hunt down that monster right away to get its Magic Stone. But unfortunately, I can''t do the hunting right now. We''re not in our best conditions. Therefore, I have to postpone the hunt for the Leaf Deer. We spent quite a long time in that place admiring and packing treasures. "Once again, we find an abundant treasure. It was unusual for an adventurer, whenever they went on an adventure, they obtained a treasure. This makes me wonder, from where do you know this treasure was?" Getting that question, I turned my face away. My fox''s ears twitched as I replied, "I''m a lucky girl. It''s natural for all these things can happen to me." The Fallen Elf girl gave me a sharp look before sighing. "Haa... Everyone has a secret." After that, we packed all the treasures. And when there are some good, un damned Magic Equipment, we wear them. We didn''t wear the weapon or armors because Ruciel warn us, too much magic equipment will attract the thief. We managed to get the treasure, we managed to conquer the underground catacomb, and we were exhausted. With all that, I can say that our adventure at Desmond Cemetery is over. We decided to go back to Rishtonbell. We had to rest and be prepare again before embarking on another adventure to hunt Leaf Deer. I also have plans to do Solo Hunting. And I don''t forget, I have to extend the deal I made with Ruciel. After all, a week is not enough for me. I want to go on an adventure with that Fallen Elf girl for much, much, much longer. And if I can be greedy, I want that girl to always be with me. Our return trip went well. And in less than half a day, we reached the settlement built around the eastern Teleportation Crystal. "Aaa... It''s great to see human civilization again," Ruciel said. The girl raised both her arms and relaxed her body muscles. "Let''s go back to the city. We will sell and store materials from monsters and treasures that we get before partying." "I agree with the plan to sell and store. As for the party, I think it''s too much." "Celebrating our success is not an exaggerate decision." "Listen Eclaite, what do I mean here, you''re overdoing it if you throw a party after this. I want to rest at home first before having a party or something." "...then we''ll have a party tomorrow." "Do whatever you want." Ruciel accelerated her footsteps. She walked straight towards the Teleportation Crystal without showing any signs of wanting to stop by. Without saying a word, I chased after the girl. But then. "Miss Eclaite!" I moved my body when I heard someone call my name. My fox''s ears twitched and I widened my eyes, the appearance of a woman that not should be here took me by surprise. "Miss Ellis, it''s nice to meet you and, why are you here? Do you want to go on an adventure?" I couldn''t help but utter that question because right now, the woman, Ellis, was wearing armor and carrying a sword. She looked like an adventurer who was ready to do anything. "I''m looking for you and no, I don''t want to go on an adventure. Miss Eclaite, there are things we should talk about. And can we visit the Adventurer''s Guild branch in this place?" "Sure, but tell me, what do you want to talk about?" "It''s about Lost City Beldea." "Ah..." I almost forgot about the Lost City Beldea. And before I gave an answer, I saw Ruciel. "Can we stay at this place for a while?" "Okay, ah!" Suddenly, Ruciel made a strange sound and a surprised expression. As I wondered what had happened to her, the girl called my name. "Hey, Eclaite." "Yes, Ruciel." "Take this." And so suddenly again, the Fallen Elf girl gave me her big bag. And it didn''t stop there, she also gave me her Magic Bag. "Why did you give all of this to me?" "There''s something I have to do. Those two bags contain material from monsters and treasures that you get. So, take care of them. We''ll meet again tomorrow." Ruciel walked away from leaving us after saying her part. "Wait, Ruciel!" And of course, she didn''t stop. And in an instant, she disappeared from my sight. Truly, what happened to her? "What are we going to do now?" Ellis''s question made me come back from my daydream. I shook my head and looked at the woman. "Let''s visit the Adventurer''s Guild branch as you suggest. I can see Ruciel tomorrow." "In that case, please follow me." And I moved my legs to follow Ellis. The kids? Of course, they came with us. "How long will big sis be chatting with Miss Ellis?" asked Kimi abruptly. "I honestly don''t know." "Hmm... Do we have to wait for big sis?" "Yes, you can wait at the Adventurer''s Guild branch." "About that, big sis. Can we look around this place while we wait for you?" I looked at the little girl and then looked at this settlement. To be honest, that''s not a bad idea this place also looks safe. And I know, the kids will get bored if they have to wait a long time in the Adventurer''s Guild branch without doing anything. I would have made the same decision if I had been in the kids'' shoes. Because of that. "Alright, you can go wandering around. But, never step your foot out of this settlement, especially to explore the Foltian Great Dungeon. Do you understand?" "Of course! We''re not going to do that." Alan nodded. "I don''t want to fight monsters for a while." "Un! Fighting the monsters are scary. I rather like to buy snacks," explained Chloe who look at a restaurant. I nodded then gave Kimi ten large bronze coins. "Visit the Adventurer''s Guild branch in an hour." The kids promised and they left. "They''re full of energy," Ellis commented. "That''s right," I replied. A few minutes later, we arrived at the Adventurer''s Guild branch. Ellis guided me into a room. And in there, we talked about The Lost City Beldea. Well... More precisely, I only listened to the report recited by Ellis. And I was extremely surprised to find out that Lost City Beldea is not a Dungeon, that place is a ruin. Those circumstances forced us to change our plans. There are a lot of things we have to talk about in detail and we agree to discuss them tomorrow. Our chat is over. And never did I expect, just after I exited the Adventurer''s Guild branch, a panicked Alan and Chloe approached me with a piece of news. "Sis Eclaite! Kimi is gone!" Chapter 85 - His Plans "It''s the time." Wielth looked towards the east, towards the place where the settlement and Teleportation Crystal were located. This man who was already become a monster had a desire to break out of the Foltian Great Dungeon. He must pursue Wilxes Lancaster, the Alchemist X as soon as possible. Wielth realized that Alchemist X already knew the source of the blood was coming from. After all, that man or maybe that woman had fiddled and had even changed his body. He must protect and bring Eclaite and Kimi away from this kingdom. He and his daughters must hide. He must accumulate strength before making Wilxes pay for her deeds. But before all of that, Wielth had to get out of the Foltian Great Dungeon first. And to make this escape plan come true, he needed strength. Wolves had turned him into a monster. The change made him lose his level and made him weak. And worse, his appearance also changed. Under such conditions, Wielth couldn''t possibly get out of this Dungeon like always. He didn''t need to think and make a guess that adventurers would directly attack him as he approached the Teleportation Crystal when he was a monster. As for breaking through the White Tower, he knew, he should at least have strength equivalent to an A-Rank Adventurer to be able to do it. He would die if he decided to break out of the Dungeon with the power he possessed as a newborn monster. However, he had the confidence that he could break through the White Tower with his strength as a B-Rank Adventurer. So, to realize his plan, Wielth decided to level up and increase his strength by hunting down the monsters that roamed around on the first floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. And thanks to a stroke of luck and skill, Wielth managed to gather dozens of adventurers as his subordinates. He used the adventurers to search for Wilxes and give the Alchemist X trouble. Unfortunately, until now, those adventurers had never found the Alchemist X. However, on the other hand, the adventurers or one of them meet Eclaite, one of his daughters. Wielth was relieved when he found out that Eclaite, his most precious treasure was fine and had not yet fallen into Wilxes'' hands. But he knew Eclaite wouldn''t be safe forever. Now after he become stronger, he had the opportunity to take his daughters away from this kingdom. So, he''s going to take it. Wielth stood in front of the dozens of adventurers whom he forced into his subordinates. While behind him, hundreds of monsters of various types became his army. "Today, all of you will attack the eastern settlements. Most of you have the task of infiltrating the settlement and securing the Teleportation Crystal. Kill everyone who wants to leave and everyone who comes," Wielth explained. Of course, after listening to that explanation, the adventurers were shocked. They don''t believe what they hear. The man, Wielth, the monster who now looked like a human wrapped in a black robe said such a crazy thing. He told these adventurers to attack and kill other adventurers in the open. Killing some adventurers wasn''t a problem, the adventurers in here could do it to save themselves. However, killing other adventurers in the open, what else in the settlement was a bad decision that brought great trouble. This order can be said to be a death sentence. "You are crazy! You think we''ll just obey that order?" An adventurer shouted. From the man''s voice and expression, one could tell that he was angry. And not only anger but deep hatred was also heard from the man''s voice. "No," Wielth replied. "Not once do I think that all of you will do as I say. But, if you can do your job until I get out of this dungeon, I''ll set you free." "What a nice lie, cih!" Annoyed, the Adventurer spits to his left side. "I''m not lying. Freeing you is the truth I say." "If we don''t do this, what are you going to do?" "I think you already know the answer to that question. But all right, I''ll give you an answer, I''ll kill you." "Then kill me! I''d rather die in this place than have to kill those innocent adventurers." "You sure? You know you don''t have to die here. Once today''s events are over, you can still live as adventurers If you use me as a scapegoat." The adventurers who were there opened their eyes wide. They were surprised by that idea. Although some of them already knew the idea that Wielth had said, most of them did not know it. These adventurers saw hope. "So, what are you going to do now?" asked Wielth to the adventurer who had shouted at him. "..." The adventurer did not answer. A moment later, at an incredible speed, the adventurer unsheathed his sword and approached Wielth. However, before he could launch his attack. SPLAT! The Adventurer''s head exploded after Wielth activated Parasite Seed. In a flash, an Adventurer died. The thing that had just happened made the desire to rebel that some adventurers had lost. The dead of that man also frightened most of the adventurers. "I hope no one else wants to die at my hands," Wielth said as he looked at the adventurers. Wielth was satisfied when no one else put up a fight. He nodded then uttered, "Other than protecting and securing the Teleportation Crystal, I want to surround that settlement using Barrier Magic. I need the help of eight Magicians to do it." For some time, Wielth continued his explanation about his plans to the adventurers. And when he finished, he let the adventurers go to prepare his plans. A moment later, Wielth ordered the monsters under his control to scatter and approach the settlement from all directions. "Now, I just need to spread my roots in that place and all the preparations will be completed." Wielth walked and of course, the place he was going to was a eastern settlement. He would kill all the humans who were there and eat them to increase his strength. This is his real plan. A plan that he couldn''t reveal to those adventurers. Sometime later, while exploring the path in the middle of the forest, Wielth felt a presence. "Finally, you arrived." Wielth greeted the Fallen Elf girl who had just appeared from behind a tree. "What do you want?" asked the Fallen Elf girl who was clearly holding back her anger. The girl also exuded a powerful aura of hostility and a desire to kill. Faced with all of that, Wielth was not bothered at all. To him, the threat shown by the Fallen Elf girl was the same as a threat shown by a child. "I''ve been watching you for the last week. And the two girls who were traveling with you caught my attention." "Why are you interested in them? If you wanted me to bring them here, I wouldn''t do it." "You can''t refuse. I want my daughters back." The Fallen Elf girl couldn''t ignore a word she had just heard. The Fallen Elf girl''s long ears twitched in shock. "My daughters? What do you mean by my daughters? There can''t be Eclaite and Kimi-" "Yes, they are my daughters," said Wielth, who cut off the girl''s words. "And apparently, you''re pretty close to them. So, this is your job. Meet them and catch them. After that, bring them to me." "There''s no way I''m going to do it!" "Why?" "Don''t ask me why!" "Hmm... Do you want to protect them?" "Don''t joke with me! If I knew they were your daughters, I would have killed them and brought their heads to you!" "Aren''t you afraid of death?" The Fallen Elf girl didn''t give an answer. Instead, she prepared her White Longbow and poured all the Mana she had into her weapon. Wielth''s head, the girl wants to destroy the monster''s head. She wants revenge and her freedom. "You know I can kill you before you can release that arrow, right?" "..." "How about this, do your job well. And as the rewards, I will release your friends then you will also be released once everything is done." "..." "I always keep my promise." They fell silent and stared at each other for some time before the Fallen Elf finally lowered her weapon. Reluctantly, the girl said, "I''ll do what you want." "Good, I''m looking forward to a favorable result." The Fallen Elf girl left and Wielth followed her. When Wielth reached the settlement, he planted and spread his roots throughout the settlement immediately. He moved from place to place in search of a strategic point, a point that could maximize the reach of his roots. As he finished with all of that, eight Magicians came to meet him. They reported that the preparations to create the Barrier Magic were already complete. "Good job, now all of you was free," said Wielth, who then blew up eight magicians'' heads. "To die." After that, Wielth waited. Then, after he sees a red flare light fired from inside the settlement, he ordered the monsters to attack. Warning bells are ringing. Adventurers unsheath their weapons to defend settlements and to kill the monsters. The battle begins. When all the monsters under his control entered the scope of the Barrier, Wielth activated the Barrier. In an instant, a gigantic black dome engulfed the settlement. This barrier won''t let anyone in or out. The massacre was truly started. "I can''t wait to meet my daughters." Chapter 86 - Is She My Enemy? I was stood still for a while before I finally woke up from my daze. "Kimi is missing? How did that happen?" "I don''t know," Alan replied. "When we were strolling around, she suddenly disappeared." "Are you sure she disappeared and didn''t just want to buy something?" "Kimi disappeared sis Eclaite, she just disappeared. Puff! Like that," Chloe explained. The little girl made exaggerated explosion hand gestures to describe how Kimi disappeared. "That''s right, she suddenly disappeared. We''ve been looking for Kimi but we couldn''t find her." Getting an explanation from Alan, I nodded my head. "Alright, where and when was the last time you saw Kimi?" "In front of the Blacksmith about half an hour ago." "Did you see anyone suspicious around you?" "No," replied Chloe who shook her head. "Did Kimi say the places she wanted to visit?" "She said she wanted to visit the Blacksmith, that''s why we went there. She disappeared after we left the place." My fox''s ears twitched and I moved my head to look at Ellis. "Miss Ellis." "You want to make a quest?" "That''s right, please make a quest to search for Kimi. I want some adventurers to find my sister as soon as possible and you can write whatever rewards are needed for them to move as quickly as possible. I''ll search for Kimi first." "Okay, I understand." "Thank you." Thus, Ellis entered into the Adventurer''s Guild''s branch to make my quest. I went back to see the kids. I have to give them an order. "You two please stay here." "I''ll help sis Eclaite to find Kimi!" "No, Alan. Stay here, I don''t want to take any risks where you''re going to disappear because you are being kidnapped If there''s a kidnapper. I hope you understand this." "...I understand," he said reluctantly. "Good," I said. Then I stroked the kids'' heads. "Don''t go anywhere and stay within Miss Ellis''s reach." "We will do as you say." "Then, I go first." "Be careful sis Eclaite!" "Of course." I waved to them and went to this settlement''s blacksmith as soon as possible. During my way there, I didn''t forget to pay attention to my surroundings, I did that to look for Kimi''s figure. But unfortunately, I never saw that black little Fox-kin. "Where are you, Kimi?" In my worry, I raise my speed towards the blacksmith. As soon as possible, I looked for Kimi when I got there. I didn''t find her but I found the scent of her body and... "Why does Ruciel''s scent mix with Kimi''s scent?" I wondered while following their scent. Didn''t Ruciel leave first because she had something to do? Could it be that something she was referring to was kidnapping Kimi? "No, it''s impossible." She never showed any ill will when she was with us. So, I''m sure, she wouldn''t kidnap Kimi. It''s just me thinking too much. Perhaps, their scents are mixed because Ruciel helped Kimi to get away from the real kidnappers. Yup, I trust that theory more even though I don''t smell other people''s scents and I do pursue their scent out of the settlement. Phsuu! A strange sound caught my attention. I turned my head and I saw a dot of red light shoot high into the air. "Why did someone fire a warning flare?" I shook my head to forget the question. "This is not the time to be curious. I have to follow these scents." I kept going and I was surprised when I reached the north gate of the eastern settlement. Blood flows to form puddles. Lying on the floor were dozens of adventurers. Most of those adventurers died because their necks were cut off. As for the rest, they died from arrows and wounds caused by swords. "What''s going on in here?" Not long after I said that question another voice sounded. Clang! Clang! Clang! "The sound of the bell?" I asked once more. A moment later, another voice sounded. Blarr! Blarr! This time it was the sound of explosions and they came from the center of the settlement! The chaos that appeared one by one made me restless. Spontaneously, I ran out of the settlement following the scent of Kimi and Ruciel. "I have to find them before this chaos gets bad." My footsteps never stopped as I sprinted on the highway. I continued to sprint even though I saw dozens of monsters approaching the eastern settlement. "Why do monsters come to attack at a time like this! This is dangerous! I need to find Kimi as soon as possible." This chaos that constantly became bad than before left me confused, panicked, and frightened. A moment later, this chaos became worse. In the distance, darkness rose from the ground. They kept moving up to create a screen that locked us up. All directions were closed and before long, we were trapped inside the black dome. "Barrier of Dark Night!?" That''s right, I recognized that black dome as the Barrier of Dark Night. A dark barrier is commonly used to trap enemies from escaping. In Ark Fantasy Online, this Barrier is usually used to trap Field Boss. And yes, this Barrier is not a natural phenomenon, this barrier can only be made by people. The Barrier of Dark Night became a sign that there was a person behind all of this chaos. Someone or a group of people wanted to attack this settlement. However, why did they kidnap Kimi? Unable to find the answer to that question, I kept sprinting. And after a few minutes had passed, I saw Ruciel''s figure. The Fallen Elf girl stood next to Kimi who fainted, sat on the ground, and leaned against a tree. I exhaled a sigh of relief when I saw they were fine. And immediately, I approached them. "Ruciel, I''m glad to see you''re okay. Thank you for saving Kimi and-" Clang! I stopped my words, using my Silver Spear, I fend off the arrow fired by Ruciel. "Why? Why are you attacking me?" My voice trembled as I held back my emotions. I can''t accept the episode that just happened, I can''t accept the fact that Ruciel attacked me. Constantly, I deny it, However, does she actually want to kidnap Kimi? Why did she do it? What''s she going to do next? I feel sad, I feel betrayed, and it truly breaks my heart. Truthfully, I want to hear that all this was just a misunderstanding straight from the Fallen Elf girl''s mouth. "Ruciel? What are you doing?" Ruciel gave me a cold look. Then, she reloaded her longbow with an arrow. The girl aimed her arrow at me. "Ruciel! Answer me!" I screamed. "...I''m just doing my job," Ruciel said after a long time. "Job? What kind of job?" "You don''t need to know, throw away your weapons and surrender." "I need an explanation! Not an order!" I screamed. With anger, I approached the girl. "You really have bad hearing and attitude," said Ruciel, who then pointed a longbow loaded with an arrow at Kimi''s head. Seeing that, I stopped in my step instantly. "Look at that, you can finally make a wise decision. Do you remember the words I said earlier?" Gritting my teeth, I threw my Silver Spear and dropped my Silver Long Sword. "I surrender. Now, tell me, why do you want to catch us?" "Raise your hands and walk closer." "Ruciel!" "I said, raise your hands and walk closer." So, I walked up to the girl with my hands up. At the same time, I thought of a way to seize the girl. I had to approach the girl as quickly as possible when she kept her longbow and arrow away from Kimi. I had to disarm her and nail her to the ground. Now, can I do it? Am I stronger than Ruciel? ... I don''t know, but it doesn''t hurt to try. I''m waiting for an opportunity to launch the attack as I walk closer to her. "Stop!" ordered Ruciel. I obeyed the order and stopped my footsteps. From a distance of four steps, I pay attention to the girl''s movements. Four steps... With this distance, can I approach the girl before she releases her arrow? No! The answer to this question is not that I can do it or I can''t do it but I have to do it. I can approach the girl in an instant using Arte, Flash Step. So, I''m waiting for an opportunity. Then, as Ruciel moved her hand to fetch something from within her Magic Bag, I executed my plan. I poured my energy into my feet and visualized how I use the Flash Step. Lady luck is with me. I managed to use Flash Step and I appeared in front of Ruciel instantly. "How-" I didn''t let Ruciel finish her words. As fast as I could, I launched a punch into the girl''s stomach. And unfortunately, that girl was able to block my attack. Of course, I didn''t stop my attacks or give up. I connected the attack with another attack until I finally made a combination attack. I was able to do all that because of my experience doing martial arts in a school club when I was young. Ruciel put up a fight and several times, she managed to block my attack. However, in the end, she was cornered. The girl''s close combat mastery is below me. And within minutes, I managed to knock and pin the girl''s body to the ground. "Say it! Why are you doing all this? Who commands you to do it!?" "..." "Ruciel!" I''m angry! I want to know everything. Therefore, I will keep asking this girl. However, before I could say the next question, a voice of applause sounded. Clap! Clap! Clap! "Amazing, I never thought you could be this strong. And it looks like, you''ve already removed the necklace I gave you, huh." A voice caught my attention. Although the voice was a little hoarse, I was able to recognize the owner of that voice in an instant. And sure enough, after I turned my head, I saw the jerk! Standing there, dressed in a black robe, the jerk smiled as he looked at me. "You still alive?" "Yes, do you miss me?" "Never! [Wind Cutter]" Chapter 87 - I Thought I Win "Do you miss me?" "Never! [Wind Cutter]" Swoss! The wind sword was instantly created and then shot quickly towards the jerk. That spell would cut off the jerk''s body. That''s what I think. However, an arm-sized green root that emerged from inside the jerk''s robe struck my wind sword. Blast! The wind sword exploded and the root that hit it was cut in half. "You''ve grown quite a lot. I was impressed." "Shut up! [Wind Cutter]" The other wind sword was created and destroyed in the same way. The spell couldn''t hurt him. So, I stood up, leave Ruciel behind, and approached the jerk quickly. "[Blade of Light]" A dense light appeared in my hand to form a sword. With this weapon made from Mana, I intend to cut down the jerk. Unfortunately and never do I expect, Ruciel tackles me from behind. She knocked me to the ground then restrained me, leaving me unable to move. "What are you doing Ruciel!?" I thought Ruciel would forget our fight and join my assault on the jerk who is suddenly appeared. The jerk saw the kidnapping attempt carried out by Ruciel. Therefore, the girl had to kill the jerk to eliminate the eyewitness. I''m sure of that, but I''m wrong. Ruciel looked at the jerk and said, "I''ve finished the task you gave me. It''s time to keep your promise." ... For some time, I was silent. I tried to process Ruciel''s words. ''The task you gave me.'' ''Keep your promise.'' Are the two of them working together? How and why? "No, you didn''t get your job done," replied the jerk. His words wake me up from my daze. Lying on the ground, I could see him moving his head towards Kimi before a moment later back to look at me and Ruciel. "You haven''t brought them to me." "What do you mean, they''re here and you''re here too!" Ruciel shouted. I could feel the hatred from her voice. "You failed and you don''t have to think about catching and bringing them to me. Since it''s already like this, I''ll bring them myself." "Don''t joke with me!" Ruciel who was angry picked up a dagger and placed it on my neck. "Keep your promise or am I going to kill this girl?" "Aren''t you afraid of death?" "I''m serious! Let go of my friends!" "Argh!" I made a sound when Ruciel''s dagger cut my neck. "No one has the right to damage my precious treasure!" Shortly after the jerk shouted, the weight that pressed my body disappeared. More precisely, Ruciel was thrown after she received an attack from a root that suddenly appeared beside us. "Ruciel!" I screamed. I stood up and ran up to the girl. She growled in pain while lying on the ground because of the damage she received after her body hit the tree. "It''s weird." The jerk''s voice sounded and a moment later a root wrapped around my stomach, stopping me from taking another step towards the girl. "That girl tried to kill you and you''re still paying attention to her?" "She''s much better than you!" "Unfortunately she will die." "Don''t you dare! [Wind Cannon]" The air pressure shot up to attack the jerk. Taking advantage of the opportunity when he blocked the Wind Cannon, I took Rot Saber from inside Ruciel''s Magic Bag. Then, as quickly as possible, I cut off the roots that bind my stomach. "Don''t fight back, Eclaite. Be a good girl." "In your dream!" I fill my legs with energy. Quickly, I approached the jerk. Simultaneously, I used, Water Shoot, to attack him. And of course, the jerk didn''t stay silent. He made a shield made of roots to defend himself. Not only that, he walked away to keep his distance from me. "[Wind Cannon]" "[Water Shoot]" "[Wind Cutter]" The spell I used couldn''t give that jerk a serious wound. He has a thick defense and good evasive capabilities. And I don''t know-how, he called some roots from the ground to block my path and try to seize me. Unfortunately, those roots didn''t pose a meaningful threat because I had Rot Saber. This black sword can make those plants wither at a speed that can be seen by the eye. Thanks to that, I was able to get close to the jerk even though the progress I made was quite slow. Sometime later, I noticed the strangeness of the way he fight. That jerk, why didn''t he use Dark Magic? Isn''t he a Dark Magician? Why did he use these roots? Since when was the jerk able to make and control plants? And is he this weak? Something''s not right here! And for some reason, I can follow his movements and I can match his strength. "You have a troublesome weapon to deal with." "Shut up and let me kill you." The distance between us is no more than two steps now. Therefore, I swung my Rot Saber to cut him. This sword will give him wounds that are troublesome to heal and wounds that are easy to rot. And of course, I want this jerk to get dozens of such wounds. I want him to suffer before he dies! "[Cross Slash]" Zrakk! Zrakk! "A pretty good attack but not powerful enough," said the jerk who had just blocked my attack using his root shield. "My attack may not be strong enough but it''s more than enough." We exchanged attacks for-- no! This situation or this fight would be more accurately illustrated that I was constantly attacking a man who kept making a defensive stance. The time that passed told me that the jerk never attacked me. He just withstood my attacks while keep trying to catch me. "You''ll regret to underestimate me!" "I never underestimated you." "Enough! [Power Slash]" The jerk managed to dodge and I didn''t stop attacking. Our fight continues until... "[Bullet of Light]" My Spell managed to tear the hood that covered the jerk''s head. I was silent when I saw his face. That face was indeed the jerk''s face. However, there are visible differences. Now, his skin looked like bark, his eyes turned black, and his hair turned into leaves. In an instant, I realized what happened to this jerk. "That appearance! Did someone use Monster Soul Transmutation on you?" Monster Soul Transmutation. It was a skill possessed by a Player that used Alchemist Build or more specifically a Battle Alchemist Build. The skill was used to semi-permanently combine monsters to the skill owner''s body. It was done to increase one''s fighting strength but it could also reduce one''s fighting strength. The power gained from this Skill depended on the monster used. If the monster used was stronger than the Skill owner, then the Skill owner would become stronger. The opposite of this would happen if the monster used was weaker than the skill owner. And this skill can be used to other people. "... How do you know what happened to me?" "So that''s right! Hah! You deserve it! You will forever be a monster if you don''t make Potions that can separate the monster from your body!" "There is a way to treat this?" The jerk asked seriously. And damn it! My mouth gets loose again! "... No! There is no way to treat this condition." "A bad liar as always." "Enough! I''m sick of you! [Wind Cutter]" The wind sword I shot was destroyed by a root, again. "Spells like that don''t mean anything to me, you know that." I ran to get close to the jerk. And when I got to him, "[Power Slash]" "Stubborn as always." "Stop saying as always! Stop acting as if you know me!" "But I know you, I know every inch of your body." "Shut up! [Bullet of Light]" I''m back to cut down the jerk''s roots. Our fight was going on and he''s still trying to catch me. "Your efforts are in vain. You''ll never be able to catch me." "Is that true?" "Of course, didn''t you realize that almost your entire body was rotting because you kept receiving my attacks?" "I''m fully aware of that. Tell me, my daughter-" "I''m not your daughter!" I shouted to cut off the jerk''s words. A moment later, I cut his stomach, I cut him into two. The jerk was lying on the ground when he look at me. "... Tell me, do you realize that you are now surrounded by monsters that are under my control?" As soon as I got the question I scanned the situation around me. And sure enough, as he said, dozens of monsters surrounded me. "Kimi! Ruciel!" I looked at where they were. I''m worried about their safety. However, I didn''t see their figures in the place where they should be. "Don''t worry, I''ve already secured them." "Return them to me!" I approached the jerk and threatened him using Rot Saber. "I''m not going to give them to you. But you can take them from me. Look at the settlement in the distance." I looked towards the settlement as he said. A moment later my fox''s ears and tail stood up. I was shocked when I saw a giant monster rampaging there. "My daughter, that''s my real body. If you want Kimi and that girl back. Come to me and take them from me. That if you can get out of the siege of these monsters." "Damn it!" I yelled and then cut off the jerk''s head. Then I turned around to face the monsters.. I swore I would kill all these monsters and that jerk to save Kimi and Ruciel. Chapter 88 - The Battle At The Eastern Settlement 1_3 The Plant-type Monsters that surrounded me were not strong. That''s why I can beat them alone and quickly. I ran towards the eastern settlement leaving behind the monster''s corpses. I want to save Kimi and Ruciel. From the distance, as I ran, I saw one huge Plant-type Monster that rampaged and destroyed the settlement. Gigantes Brocchinia Reducta. That name instantly popped into my head after I observed the huge monster that was also the real body of the jerk? I''m not sure but maybe, the jerk''s words were true. Gigantes Brocchinia Reducta in the eastern settlement has differences from Gigantes Brocchinia Reducta that became the Main Boss of the first floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon. The monster''s original form resembled that of a squid. The monster had tens of thorny roots of various sizes that became legs. The monster''s main body was similar to a Rafflesia with the center of the flower being a circle mouth filled with sharp teeth. It was the true form of Gigantes Brocchinia Reducta. But now, its form has a human figure - from the waist up - adorning the center of the flower. And yes, that human figure looks like the jerk or maybe it''s the jerk itself. Not only the human figure, but the monster also had a pair of wings made of tree branches with dense leaves and beautiful bell-shaped large flowers. The monster, the jerk looks strong. And never did I expect, Monster Soul Transmutation could provide such a drastic change. "Damn it! Combination of the strength of Main Boss and his strength as a B-Rank Adventurer! How do I kill him!?" I thought he was dead! And I never think that he''d become a monster like that! If I had known something like this will occur, I wouldn''t have held back from eating monster meat and Magic Stones in front of Kimi and everyone else. "I messed up!!" I regret it, extremely regret it! And I know! Regretting the past is a big waste of time. The only way I could think of defeating the jerk was to ask for help from the other Adventurers. I''ll tell them the monster''s weakness and the jerk''s ability. Then we will kill him for good. With those two things, I''m sure, I can win against him. And not to forget, I had to make a plan to save Kimi and Ruciel. But, what kind of plan should I make? As I was confused about that, I saw Ellis, Alan, Chloe, and a group of people running away from the settlement. "Miss Ellis! Alan! Chloe!" Three people and two men I didn''t know separated themselves from the group of people. They approach me. "Sis Eclaite!" "Miss Eclaite!" "Did you find Kimi, sis Eclaite?" "Yes, but right now, Kimi and Ruciel are in the settlement," I informed Chole and then I look at Ellis. "Miss Ellis, can you tell me the situation in the settlement?" "The situation in there is quite bad. Some parties under the orders of Sir Folcion try to defeat the monsters and dozens of evil adventurers. We don''t know whether they can win given the number of monsters that attack settlements." I nodded at it. I was relieved to learn that there is adventurers who had the intention to fight the jerk and monsters under his control. Well, maybe they didn''t know that the jerk was the mastermind behind this chaos. "Then, why did you guys run here?" "We don''t want to be a burden. So we escaped." "Escape? Here? Why don''t you guys use Teleportation Crystals?" "Some powerful evil adventurers guard the Teleportation Crystal. They killed anyone who wanted to go out and come to the Dungeon. That''s why we escaped to this direction." Ellis gave me an explanation. "But there is a barrier blocking your path. Do you guys have a plan to deal with that barrier?" "The Black Dome Barrier won''t be a problem for us. Destroying it is an easy task," replied a man to the left of Ellis. "Unfortunately, this Barrier is not the Black Dome Barrier but rather the Barrier of Dark Night. This barrier is five times stronger than the Black Dome Barrier." The explanation I uttered made Ellis and the two men open their eyes wide. While the kids make a confused expression. "How do you know that?" Ellis asked. "Because the barrier is formed from the ground, not from the sky." Ellis took a deep breath and then look at the man on her left side. "David, what should we do?" "We can try to destroy a small part of this Barrier with raw strength. I''m sure the Magic Tools we owned can do just that." "If you want to destroy a part of this barrier. You should look for one of the eight Magic Circles that became pillars of this barrier. The part of the barrier that lost the Magic Circle will become fragile and easy to destroy." "Can we trust this information?" asked the man on Ellis'' right side. "Miss Eclaite has no reason to lie to us." Ellis defended me. At the same time, she gave the man a sharp look. I sighed and looked at Chloe and Alan. "Stay together with miss Ellis, okay?" They didn''t say anything and just nodded. "Once again, please take care of them, Miss Ellis." "Of course, and you don''t want to come with us?" "No, I have to go to the settlement." "To the settlement! That was a bad decision, Miss Eclaite. That place is dangerous!" "I know but I have to go. Kimi and Ruciel were there. Besides, I have to kill that monster." Ellis was silent while Chloe and Alan uttered, "be careful, sis Eclaite." I rubbed their heads before I walked away. A few steps later, Ellis says, "I''ll wait for you, Miss Eclaite! The goddess of light will protect you!" "I''ll be back!" I turned around to give a reply. Then, I ran. A few minutes passed and finally, I reached the north gate of the eastern settlement. Chaos. The word instantly popped into my head as I looked at the scene inside the northern settlement. Most of the buildings were burned and destroyed. Large flames gave a red color while a thick fog gave a black color. The symphony of battle was made of the sound of clashing metal, different types of screams, the sound of explosion after an explosion caused by Spells, and the sound of cursing. For the scent! "Oh no!" I shouted and activated Smell Blocker. The scent of monster blood that appeared suddenly and that was so pungent almost took away my sanity! Before the scent of the monster''s blood came, for a moment, I smelled the delicious scent of burning meat, the horrible stench of innards and various kinds of liquids, and the piercing smell that I suspected came from a powerful poison. As for the things I see... The battle that never stops, dozens of Spells that appear and disappear, pieces of human and monster bodies, corpses in terrible conditions, and so on. This was chaos and I didn''t hesitate to dive into it to look for Kimi and Ruciel. This mission to search for them was so problematic because I couldn''t rely on my sense of smell and only relied on my hearing and vision. But then, a thought came to my mind. The jerk takes Kimi and Ruciel hostage. So, he must have held them close to him. That means I only need to confront the jerk to find Kimi and Ruciel. So, I ran up to the jerk. But unfortunately, monsters kept popping up to hinder and stop my steps. "[Crimson Impale]" My Silver Spear pierced through the head of a Leaf Hound. I managed to defeat one monster but the other five monsters approached me quickly. "I''m tired of this and this is so annoying!" Approaching the jerk wasn''t as easy as I thought. I''m stuck here, in the middle of the settlement while the jerk who is rampaging and fighting against the adventurers is on the outer side of the western part of the settlement. "Get out of my way you damn monsters! [Wind Cannon]" Two monsters, Peshrooms, were thrown. A Leaf Bear and a Leaf Hound approached me after they dodged my Spell. "Bark! Bark!" I moved my body to avoid Leaf Hound A that jumped at me with an open wide mouth. A moment later I moved my arm. "[Flash Swing]" My Silver Spear whirled to cut the neck and stomach of the Leaf Hound B that cane to me after Leaf Hound A. I didn''t stop my movement and I threw my spear at Leaf Hound A that was making a U-turn. The spear managed to pierce the monster''s chest and nail it to the ground. "Rawr!" I bend my body down to dodge the Leaf Bear''s claws. As quickly as possible, I unsheathed Rot Saber then took one step forward, approaching the bear monster. "[Cross Slash]" Blood flowed after I tore the Leaf Bear''s stomach. "RAWR!" The monster went berserk. Quickly, it launched blind attacks. Every attack it made was so fast and deadly. If I were the one I used to be in the past, I''m sure I''d die because of those attacks. But now, I''m different, I''ve grown strong. I dodged that blind attacks while giving counterattacks. Within moments, the Leaf Bear''s two arms that filled with cuts ended up rotting completely. Then, the monster''s right arm fell off just like that as it tried to cut me off using its claws. An opportunity appeared and I don''t throw it away. I stepped closer to the Leaf Bear and swung the Rot Saber to cut its neck. A moment later, the monster died. "I finally managed to defeat all the monsters in this place." I voiced that words but then, as if reality was joking with me, seven other monsters emerged from inside the alley. And it was clear that they wanted to kill me. "I''m so unlucky!" I do prepare myself to confront the approaching monsters, I''m ready to kill them. However... "[Ice Binding]" Shortly after the sound was heard. The ground beneath the monsters froze. Ice appeared in an instant to freeze the monsters'' legs and stop them in the place. Flashes of golden light and the figure of a woman appeared so suddenly. Then, in an instant, the monsters became pieces of meat. "What are you doing here! Have you not heard the command given by Sir Folcion?" I don''t know why this red-haired woman who appeared so suddenly scolded me just like that. Shouldn''t she introduce herself first? Chapter 89 - The Battle At The Eastern Settlement 2_3 "Why are you detaching yourself from your party? Where''re the other members?" I haven''t had time to answer the previous question but this red-haired woman has already given me another question? "I''m not detaching myself from any Party or I''ve been in a Party before." The woman fell silent and gave me a probing glance. Seconds later, two women and two girls came to us. Their Full Plate Armor has a similar design and color. It made me recognize them as knights in the blink of an eye. I want to ask the Adventurer for help to save my little sister and my beloved one. But, it doesn''t hurt if I ask these knights for help instead. So, I approached the red-haired knight to take her hand. "Please help me miss knight!" The sudden request I had just uttered made the red-haired knight stiffen and blink a few times when she look at me. This knight may be surprised by my attitude. "That''s what I''m doing, I''m trying to save you," she explained as she woke up from her stiff state. I''m glad she''s willing to help me. But... "No, you don''t understand. The help I asked for was not to save me. The help I need is to save my little sister and the girl I love." "Your sister? Your love one? They still here?" I nodded and gave an additional explanation. "Yes, if I don''t save them immediately. I''m afraid the jerk will kill them." "Wait a minute, the jerk? What do you mean by the jerk? Your sister and loved one isn''t threatened by the monsters but by someone?" "Yes-" I opened my mouth, ready to give another explanation. However, before I could say that another explanation, the blue-haired knight suddenly interrupted me. "Captain Rose, we can''t linger here any longer. There are still a lot of monsters that we have to hunt down." "Wait a minute, Clematis. I have to hear this girl first," said Rose, who saw a blue-haired knight named Clematis. A moment later, the red-haired knight looked back at me. "Please, explain everything briefly and clearly." I nodded, took a breath, and started telling her my story. "The jerk, my crazy and cruel stepfather turned into a monster because of the Skill, Monster Soul Transmutation. He kidnapped my sister and my loved one. I had to save them as quickly as possible because I didn''t want them to get hurt. And we have to defeat the jerk before it''s too late." "Your father turned into a monster? What kind of monster?" I moved my body then my left arm to point at the jerk who is rampaging in the distance before saying, "that monster." I heard five people take a deep breath by the time I finished speaking. I moved my head. There, I saw five people who put on expressions of disbelief, going back and forth looking at me and the jerk in the distance. "That monster is your father!?" Rose asked in a high tone, not out of anger but because she didn''t believe me. "Yes," I replied and nodded. "Please help me defeat that monster, the jerk." The five female knights moved their heads to look at each other before finally, looked back at me. "We wanted to help you but we weren''t strong enough," Rose began. "Our only hope of killing that monster is to rely on the strength of Sir Folcion and the adventurers under his orders." "Is that the only way?" "Eee... We can kill that monster faster if reinforcements from the White Tower come. But unfortunately, we couldn''t call for help since the Teleportation Crystal was taken over by a few evil adventurer''s groups." "Can''t you guys do something to those adventurers?" "To be honest, some of us are trying to defeat those damned adventurers," Clematis said angrily. "We''re stuck in a bad situation. We don''t know if Master Folcion can defeat the monster when he''s being cornered now." "Is the situation truly that bad?" "Yes." So it means we have to defeat the evil adventurers to call for reinforcement. But, how do we defeat them? "We need help as quickly as possible. So it''s a good idea if we help our friends to seize the Teleportation Crystal," the golden-haired Cat-kin knight told Rose. From her tone, I learned she was trying to persuade the red-haired woman. "You know it, Rose. We can give up the task of hunting down the monsters to another group." Rose sighed. "You know it can''t be done because the other group is weaker than us. The monsters that keep coming are too much for their capabilities." "They just need to hinder those monsters. The citizens and low-ranking adventurers had already evacuated. They don''t-'' "Captain Rose, the attack is coming!" The green-haired girl interrupted Cat-kin''s speech. And true as she said, dozens of monsters approached us with killing intent. We drew each of our weapons. And not long after that, the fight began. I''m amazed. That sentence came when I saw how the five female knights were fighting. They''re strong! The ability they showed made me ask about the meaning of my strength. I''m sure I''m getting stronger. I''m sure I''m strong. However, the fight against the jerk and the strength shown by these knights stated otherwise. I''m weak. "Damn it!" I yelled as I cut off the Leaf Hound''s back. That monster tried to bite my leg but it never succeeded. I got a hard time defeating this monster while Rose and the others were able to kill three or more monsters like this in a single strike! I''m weak! And inevitably, I have to accept it. "[Power Slash]" I managed to cut the Leaf Hound''s throat, I managed to kill it. I turned around and was ready to face the arriving Leaf Bear. Once again, I had a hard time killing a monster. "[Cross Slash]" I cut off the monster''s leg. "Rawr!" The monster was irritated, it swung its arm to tear my body apart. Unfortunately, the monster couldn''t hurt me. I''m fast. "Hyaa!" I approached the monster to then rip off its stomach. "Rawr!" The monster launch counterattacks. But I countered using spells. "[Wind Cutter]" "RAWR!" The monster roared after its right arm was severely injured. Leaf Bear''s defense was wide open and I took advantage of it. "[Heavy Cut]" I managed to cut the monster''s neck. < Sword Mastery level up! 1 to 2 > A pleasant surprise greeted me after a tough fight. On the other hand, Rose killed two Leaf Bears with two of her Great Sword swings. Two swings! How could she do that? And not only Rose, but the other female knights'' fighting abilities also made me jealous. The blue-haired knight, Clematis, used two types of Ice Spells to freeze and kill seven monsters in the blink of an eye. Like an Assassin, the green-haired young knight disappeared and appeared in the blink of an eye to cut the monsters'' throats or attack their vital points. The monsters couldn''t break through the defense of the Cat-kin knight. Not only she was the expert in using the Giant Shield, but the golden-haired woman was also gifted in using her hammer. That weapon repeatedly smashed the heads of the monsters. As for the last knight, the pink-haired girl, she used her Spells to bind and absorb the lives of the enemies. At the same time, she helped us by using Healing Spells. In a matter of a dozen minutes, those knights killed dozens of monsters while I could only kill four monsters! < Level up! 18 to 19 > Although I''m getting stronger, somehow, I feel so weak right now. But, on the bright side, I have an idea about how to deal with the evil adventurers. "Follow us," commanded Rose, who then walked westward. "No," I replied. The words I said made Rose stop. She turned to look at me and said, "No?" With a tone showing a wave of minor anger. The fur of my fox tail stood up and hurriedly, I uttered an explanation. "I mean, not before I ask questions first." "Ask? What kind of questions do you want to say?" "Are any of you able to use Disspell, have Dark Magic Resistance equipment, or Debuff Removal Potion?" "We don''t have it," Rose replied and shook her head. "Walk girl." I walked, following the five female knights. "Sakura has a Light Aura. Can this Spell help you?" asked the pink-haired girl who approached me. "Your Light Magic, what level is it?" "Five." "Five! That''s perfect! This plan might work!" "Plan?" Rose who was walking in the front line glanced at me. "Care to tell us your plan?" I nodded. "My plan is to take over the Teleportation Crystal using the Skills I have. I will create a mist that can give an illusion to anyone who inhales it. I don''t know how powerful the adventurers in the Teleportation Crystal are. Therefore, I needed bodyguards to protect me when I approached them. And Light Aura will protect my bodyguards from the influence of my mist." "Do you believe your plan will work?" Clematis asked. The tone she made showed doubts about my plan. "If they don''t have Dark Magic Resistance and Magic Tools that able to deter status effect debuff, I''m sure my mist will swallow them into illusions." ... For some time after I finished speaking, those five female knights fell silent. The situation around us became increasingly awkward and I began to feel uncomfortable. Fortunately, Clematis said something before this situation became even worse. "What are we going to do, Captain Rose?" Getting a question, Rose stopped. She turned to look me in the eye directly. "Are you sure your plan will work?" "I''m sure I can pull some adventurers into the illusion," I replied without hesitation. Rose kept looking at me for some time before finally nodding her head. "We will attack the adventurers who secured the Teleportation Crystal. Elroe and his squad can take over our duties. Bouquet Squad, move." "Yes ma''am!" After the four knights gave a reply, we ran towards the north as quickly as possible. Our mission is to defeat the evil Adventurers. Chapter 90 - The Battle At The Eastern Settlement 3_3 "Hyaa!" "Orya!" Clang! Clang! Dozens of Adventurers fought each other. They trying to take down their respective opponents. Their battles could be said to be amazing because they used various types of Spells and Arte. They made fire and such out of nothing, split the ground with their weapons, and more than that, they moved at a speed that a human shouldn''t have. The battle between people in a fantasy world is completely beyond human common sense in my old world. Let''s leave that ridiculous battle. Right now, the five of us are in an alley not far from the Teleportation Crystal. We got to this place without any problems and without being noticed by evil adventurers because we made the most of the blind spots made by the buildings here. And yes, the five of us. I say it right. One of us or rather, one from Bouquet Squad, Hacquetia, went to meet Elroe. The girl will notify the man, the knights, and adventurers on our side about our plans. And before we executed the plan, we had to wait for the Squad led by Elroe to retreat and wait for Hacquetia to finish telling everyone else. "Alright, after Elroe and the others retreat. You can use your skill immediately," Rose told me. "Not here, we have to go to the middle of the battlefield and we need to gather those evil adventurers to get the best results. All of you should use Light Aura first." "Light Aura is too noticeable with the light it makes. We''ll use that Spell just before you use your Skill." "Ah..." true! I forgot about it. "And do you realize it? Gathering all those adventurers to attack you, us, is a bad idea?" "I know, but, it''s the only way for us to incapacitate all those adventurers without taking unnecessary casualties." "You''re too na?ve but all right," said Rose, who drew her Great Sword. "Get ready, we will run towards the Teleportation Crystal when the signal appears. Those adventurers will approach us because of our actions. And remember, we don''t have to intrude other people''s battle." We nodded, we prepared, and we waited. The signal - a green smoke - eventually appeared after a few minutes had passed. So then, we ran towards the Teleportation Crystal. "Stop them!" "Don''t let them get to the Teleportation Crystal." "Halt their way." The evil adventurers became agitated and alarmed. Some or more precisely, most of them instantly approached us. They had no qualms about attacking for a moment we went into their attack range. Clang! Clang! Within seconds, dozens of attacks were exchanged. "Sakura!" Rose shouted. A moment later sakura replied with, "[Light Aura]" A golden light appeared to envelop our bodies. With this, I hope, Rose and the others will be okay. "You can use your skill, miss! We have a lot of adventurers now." I nodded then uttered, "[Mist of Nightmare Illusion]" A blast of white mist was created to engulf us and the evil adventurers in an instant. And for the next, another few seconds, I saw the Adventurers around us come to a pause then tumble to the ground. At the same time, I could feel the heat of dozens of adventurers in the distance stopped too, although some of them could still move. Rose and the others are not affected by the illusion. Light Aura worked nicely. That''s right, I can still see Rose and the others quite clearly because the mist I made only limited our visibility to three meters. "Miss, how long will it take for this fog to disappear?" Rose asked in a whisper. "Four to five minutes?" "Why the question?" "Because this is the second time I''ve used this Skill. So I''m not sure because of it." I explained. Back then ¡ª when I was fighting the Headless Ape Chieftain ¡ª I didn''t estimate how long it would take for the mist I made to disappear. I was so afraid of the Headless Ape Chieftain when the mist engulfed us. I was afraid that the monster would launch an ambush when I had my vision blocked by mist. Therefore, I remained alert and didn''t move in the slightest. I only killed the monster when the mist was gone and when I found out that the monster was swallowed by the illusion. "Wait a minute, you''ve only used this Skill twice and without hesitation, you proposed a plan centered on this Skill to us?" "Yes." "Oh, my God! I don''t believe this!" Rose''s screaming and the anger that colored her voice made fear appear in my heart. "Are you aware of the consequences of this plan?" "...yes." "That answer doesn''t convince me at all. Miss, we''ll talk at length later. Now, we must use the Teleportation Crystal to send Clematis." "Absolutely ." Even though I feel the danger that comes to me in the future, we continued our journey to execute a second plan, a plan to call for reinforcement. We will take advantage of the protection provided by this mist to send one of us back. And of course, I''m sure, it''s not just us who are executing this plan. The people on our side would have had the same plan if they had been informed by Hacquetia. Sure enough, I could feel a dozen heats moving toward the Teleportation Crystal. "Many people are approaching the Teleportation Crystal," I told Rose. "How do you know that?" Cat-kin asked. "Because I can feel their heat." "Not only does it give the illusion, but this Skill can also detect people. I have to admit, this skill of yours is great," said Clematis who was impressed. "No, detecting heat was done by my other skill. And, we should be able to see some of those people by now." The white mist began to thin out and our visibility increased. Because of that, we could see some human silhouettes in the distance. And... I felt a heat that move quickly. That heat stopped another heat that moving toward the Teleportation Crystal. Not only that, right now, dozens of other heats tried to deter each other. And a moment later, the sound of the battle sounded. "Argh!" "[Cross Slash]" "Be careful! Someone launched-" "[Valiant Shield]" "Red Squad, form a fighting formation!" "Bastard knight!" Calm turned into chaos. "Hurry up, move!" said Rose. As fast as possible, we ran towards the Teleportation Crystal. And never did I expect, the heat that could move quickly was now approaching us. "Wait!" I shouted to warn Rose and the others. I smelled a danger! "There is attack came from the northwest! [Wind Cannon]" The huge air pressure shot quickly towards the quick-moving heat. Unfortunately, my attack was missed. < Acquired a skill! Wind Magic |Lvl 1 > [ + Gives access to World Memory to gain knowledge about Wind Spell I. + When using Wind Spells increase the damage by 10% and decrease Mana consumption by 5%.] Well... This is good news in a dangerous situation. Good combination, indeed. But now was not the time to think about a new Skill. I have to concentrate on that heat that''s now running behind us. "Marigold! Protect Sakura!" commanded Rose who ran after the heat. "Okay!" Clang! Clang! Her battle with the heat started. And thanks to that, I could see the real appearance of the heat. A man armed with a dagger and a sword. That''s what I saw. And surprisingly, the man wearing the gray leather armor was able to keep up with Rose. "Not bad," said the man. "Heis the Poisonous Mouse." From the tone Rose used, she seemed to recognize the man. "Not mouse but rat!" Shouted the man who then launched attacks on Rose. Clang! Clang! Their weapons flickering again. And I can say, they''re so good. Rose had great raw power while the man was so sneaky and fast. "[Agility Blessing]" Sakura uttered a Spell. A green light appeared to envelop Rose. That spell would increase the red-haired woman''s speed. However, for some reason, she fell to her knees. "Cough! Cough!" Rose coughed and then vomited blood. I know what that means! The man used poison as his weapon! ...maybe. "The poison has finally shown its usefulness." My guess is true. Abandoning Rose, the man approached Clematis. Seeing that, spontaneously, I ran up to the blue-haired woman. The man who realized what I was doing smiled. "[Water Arrows]" The seven water arrows were created to shoot quickly towards the man. I thought the guy would dodge but he didn''t! The man blocked those seven water arrows using his Dagger and sword. Taking advantage of the opportunity while he was busy, I launched my attack. "[Triple Thrust]" My spear launched to stab the man''s body. But... Clang! Clang! Clang! The man managed to fend off my attacks. "Too slow little girl," said the man who then swung his sword towards my neck. "[Fire Breath]" Bwosh! "What!" Fire came out of my mouth. It surprised the man and he tried to avoid it. But, unfortunately for him, I won''t let him get away just like that. I moved my head to make sure my fire pursuit and scorched him. And luckily, because the distance between us was so close, he wasn''t fast enough to getaway. I managed to scorch the man''s body. "You damned whore!" He cursed and then kept his distance. The man tried to put out the flames that burned his body. Of course, I''m not going to let that happen. As quickly as possible, I approach the man, I will defeat him. And I couldn''t believe it before I launched my attack, the man was already dead! Hacquetia who suddenly appeared behead the man from his back! Chapter 91 - Old Knight 1_2 "That''s not fair!" I cried spontaneously. "Unfair?" asked Hacquetia. "Ah!" Hacquetia''s question made me aware of something. Just now I fought against humans, just now I had the will to kill humans. Isn''t that was horrible? Maybe yes, maybe no. But, it''s not that I don''t want to kill someone. I''ll kill someone if it''s necessary. It''s just that, I just don''t want to kill someone carelessly. Maybe it''s cowardly, na?ve, and so on but this is who I am. I saw the man''s body, his head, and a pool of blood and then I gulped. I felt uncomfortable and... I can think of killing humans later. Of course, the jerk wasn''t included in here. Definitely, I''ll kill him. And if I recall it again, this is the first time I''ve seriously thought about my feelings about killing humans. "Miss! Don''t go daydreaming! This fight is not over!" Rose shouted. And it wakes me up from my daydreaming. I shook my head and I moved my body, I joined the Bouquet Squad to fight against the evil adventurers, who weren''t affected by my mist. And I could tell, our fight was quite fierce. For all the Time I fight, I stayed in a defensive stance until Rose, Marigold, or Hacquetia managed to defeat or kill the adventurer I was fighting. I want to defeat the adventures by making them faint but I can''t do it. And on the other side, I can kill them but I didn''t want to do it. So, I seek help from Bouquet Squad. In the end, we managed to defeat all those evil adventurers. "Quick! Send someone for reinforcement!" A knight shouted. And not long after that, five knights used teleportation crystals. A bright light was created and those knights disappeared. A second or two later, an episode happened. Rumble! Rumble! The earthquake appeared so suddenly and became stronger for each second that passed! The ground cracked and split! Some people who fall asleep because of my mist are so unlucky. They fall into the cracks that appeared. The people around them didn''t manage to save them. Then, shortly after the earthquake appeared, tens of thorny roots came out from within the cracks. The thorny roots that appeared near the Teleportation Crystal instantly formed a dome that looked so sturdy! In a short period, they managed to secure and protect the Dungeon''s exit. Once again, we are being trapped! But luckily, we manage to send five people out before this disaster happened. If we hadn''t done that, I''m sure we would have had a problem opening that thorny root dome. And that''s right, the other roots are commencing to attack us! They can move like a snake or a whip. And I need to say, they''re deadly. A big, thorny root came to pierce my body. I intended to dodge but before I could do it, Marigold appeared in front of me. "[Valiant Shield]" Clang! Marigold blocked that thorny root. And yes, I could confirm that thorny root was powerful when I saw the Cat-kin shifting backward by half a meter. "[Giant Slash]" shouted Rose who appeared abruptly. The red-haired woman cut through the thorny root with a single strike, as if she was cutting butter with a hot knife. "Move to the west! We will join Sir Folcion," Rose ordered. Bouquet Squad only gave a nod before they began to walk as instructed. And for the next few dozen minutes, the red-haired woman cut off the thorny roots that attacked us. While The Cat-kin was busy deflecting a few big thorny roots that came at us. They paved the way for us. And of course, me, Hacquetia, Clematis, and Sakura didn''t stay silent. Using Rot Saber, I cut through medium-sized roots that tried to pierce my body. And yes, I don''t use the Silver Spear. The spear had poor compatibility with these thorny roots. Hacquetia protects us ¡ª me, Clematis, and Sakura ¡ª from the assault of thorny roots that appear in our blind spots and from inside the ground. Clematis used Ice Magic to freeze a few thorny roots. She also made several Ice Walls that repeatedly saved us from the thorny roots that came attacking us simultaneously. The last one is Sakura. The pink-haired girl used the Buff Spell to strengthen us and her Healing Magic continually healed us. Then, time passed. I moved my head to look at the jerk after we joined the adventurers and knights under Folcion. "He''s really become a monster now," I commented and some Bouquet Squad members glanced at me. In there, the giant Plant-type Monsters were raging. The monster easily deals with dozens of Adventurers. The ten-meter tall monster moved dozens of thorny roots in his body with great mastery to attack adventurers. At the same time, the human part that was similar to the jerk constantly used Dark Magic to defend himself. And every once in a while, he would launch a dozen black balls as big as human heads at adventurers. On the other hand, adventurers get into hardship defending themselves and giving counterattacks. They were overwhelmed by the jerk''s strength. In Ark Fantasy Online, a low-level player can still do damage to the Boss Monster by attacking any parts of the monster''s body. But right now, even though I''ve already destroyed a dozen thorny roots, I feel like I''m not giving any damage to the jerk! Fuck! How do I defeat him!? If I use Ark Fantasy Online as a reference, I know extremely well that I can''t defeat that monster. The same thing will happen even if I get help from Rose and the others. Gigantes Brocchinia Reducta. Although the monster was only around level 40, it was a Boss Monster, it was at the top line of the monster classification, much stronger than Normal, Rare, Unique, Sub Boss, or Mid Boss Monsters. Boss monsters were fifty times stronger than Normal Monsters at the same level. And yes, it was a disaster. To defeat a Boss Monster, normally, players needed fifty people who joined in a Raid Party. And not only that, every Raid Party member ¡ª at the minimum ¡ª had to be on the same level as the Boss Monster they faced. These fifty Players must also be equipped with the best equipment they can get. Bitter to say, even though a Raid Party managed to meet all of those conditions, they only had a sixty percent chance of killing the Boss Monster. And right now, I have a suspicion. Do the people in here meet the requirements I thought earlier? I scanned the people here. The knights look promising. But on the other hand, the adventurers gave me half-and-half. And much worse. Since I don''t know all of them, I don''t know how much strength they have. I''m not sure we can win. Truly bitter to say, the only thing I can do is make a wist and keel destroy the thorny roots that keep coming to kill me. Why don''t I try to attack the jerk? First, the bastard had a large body with dozens of thorny roots as big as a human body. I will die if I get too close. Two, I don''t have Arte, Spells, or Skills that have a Giant Killing effect. Three, the Weapons and Armor I used couldn''t be declared good. Fourth... "[Appraisal]" -----+ [Race: Semi-transformed Human | Lvl 46] | HP: 2,830/3,150 | MP: 2,427/3,450 | SP: 2,514/2,840 ----+ That monster or that jerk is extremely strong! Once again, I''ll die if I''m being reckless. "You certainly take your time to come and see me, my daughter," he said while looking at me. The words spoken by the jerk stopped this fight for a moment and left people confused. With hatred, I took a step forward and shouted. "Shut up! Where are Kimi and Ruciel!" People look at me curiously but I ignore them. There''s something more important than their probing gaze. "They''re here," said the jerk, who then opened up a part of the thorny roots that became his feet. There, in a cage made of tree branches, Kimi and Ruciel were still fast asleep. "Give them back to me!" "As I said, I won''t give them to you. But, you can take them if you can do it." The jerk raised his left arm. The thorny roots attacked again and this battle continued. The knights and adventurers showed their abilities again. "Give them to me and I''ll tell you how to make Potions to cure the Monster Soul Transmutation." "Hmm... It''s quite shocking. You don''t usually make wise decisions. You know you can''t win that''s why you''re negotiating. It was a good decision." "Stop insulting me and give me your answer! Yes or no!" "No!" He said. At the same time, hundreds of thorny roots moved to create a wall. The tip of each of those roots is ready to pierce us. "Vanguard put up the defense! Mage use Mana Shield!" Folcion shouted to give the order. The men under his orders moved as quickly as possible to carry out the order. The jerk who saw all of it made a thin smile. He then said, "Now my daughter. Your attempt to negotiate with me is futile. I will know how to make that Potion after I catch you and talk to you. More than that, I''ve decided to kill everyone here." As he stop talking, a huge wave made of thorny roots came to kill us. Clang! Crash! Crack! The Mana Shield made by the Mages managed to stop the waves of thorny roots. However, at the same time, that blue shield of light began to crack. "I''m going to kill you jerk!" I screamed, filled with hatred. "You''re so weak and I''m sure you won''t be able to do it. But I''m interested to see you try it. So, try my daughter, try to kill me." "I''ll do it!" With an overflowing killing intent, I ran up to the jerk. Chapter 92 - Old Knight 2_2 I ran, straight towards the jerk. There''s one goal I want to achieve as soon as possible. I want to kill the jerk before Kimi wakes up. Never did I want that little girl to see all of this. I am a girl with a purpose. But it doesn''t mean anything. The world will not move according to my will. I am one of the many worthless people in this world. Therefore, when I ran to kill the bastard, someone blocked my path. "Stop!" A man''s voice was heard. Along with that, I felt someone embracing my hips. A moment later, I was lifted and placed on someone''s shoulder. "Huh?" I made a strange noise when I realized, a man was carrying me. "Don''t touch her!" The jerk got angry and instantly, he sent dozens of thorny roots at us. The man who carried me realized the danger that was coming. Therefore, he ran towards the knights and shouted, "protect us, Leonard!" "Right away, Sir!" replied a young knight. "Magicians! Put the defense behind Sir Folcion!" "[Mana Shield]" said three people at the same time. Three large blue shields made of light ¡ª more like hologram shields ¡ª appeared from nothing. The shields stood behind us to block the roots. Clang! Clang! Mana Shield saved us. "Don''t stop me, you worthless pest!" As the jerk done with that words, dozens of black spears appeared around his human body. In an instant, I recognized those dozens of black spears as a Spell, named Rain of Black Spears. "Knights, second defense!" yelled the young knight for a second time. And almost at the same time with that command, the jerk''s dozen black spears shoot and hit the Mana Shield. Crack after a crack appeared in those three blue shields within seconds! And I know, those shields won''t last long. Fortunately, four knights got behind us before the three blue shields were destroyed. "[Shield of Valor]" shouted the knights together. Four golden shields similar to the Mana Shield were created. They managed to stop dozens of black spears that destroyed the blue shields. "All of you will pay for this!" The jerk controlled his thorny roots again. The attacks he launched this time were even more brutal. And ah! "Let me go! I have to kill that jerk!" I shouted at the man. I just remembered that I was being girlnapped and was being taken away from the jerk! "Take a deep breath and calm yourself down. You know, you can''t defeat that monster," replied the man. "Even so, I must, I need to save Kimi and Ruciel!" "We will save them. But now, tell me everything you know about monsters¡ª" "GIVE HER BACK! BASTARD!" The jerk''s scream interrupted the man''s words. A mild earthquake appeared, the ground around us began to crack, and a moment later, dozens of thorny roots emerged from the cracks to surround us. "SIR FOLCION!" The man took me down. He raised his two hands and said, "[Barrier of Light]" BAM! BAM! BAM! Those roots hit a golden box made of light? To be honest, I wondered, are the embodiment of the Mana Shield, Shield of Valor, and Barrier of Light that looks like holograms were truly made of light? Or maybe Mana? No no no! This is not the time to think about such things! I have to focus on the problem that''s in front of me! The jerk''s thorny roots attempting to destroy the Barrier made by the old man knight? Well... This man looks to be in his forties and he is a knight. So, it''s not an overstatement if I call him an old man knight. Especially when white hair grows between his brown hair. Old man knight is too long? Okay then, an old knight will do. BAM! BAM! BAM! Again and again, those thorny roots were constantly beating up the barrier created by the old knight. "We don''t have much time. Young girl, please tell me everything you know about that monster. And if I don''t hear wrong, he refers you as his daughter, is that true?" He finally spoke. And that question? Seriously? After the thing, he did to me, "why should I tell you about him!?" This old knight prevented me from saving Kimi and Ruciel. He even made the jerk angry. All of that was big trouble for me, so¡­ why should I comply? "I wanted to create a strategy to defeat that monster. That''s why I need the information you have." "Please, sir. You know clearly, that monster is Gigantes Brocchinia Reducta, Boss Monster of this first floor, you just need to use common strategy. Give him a barrage of fire element long-range attacks and you can beat him easily." "We are facing a Boss Monster with human intelligence. We used the plan you mentioned earlier but it didn''t work. That human part of the monster has an unknown ability to us knights." BAM! BAM! Crack! Ugh! That thorny roots were strong. In a short period, they managed to create cracks in this barrier. At the same time, they repelled the knights and adventurers who tried to help us. "Then keep using the same strategy until it''s work." "Young girl, we are facing a disaster. This settlement is almost destroyed, many people are dead, and much worse, we don''t know the intention of that monster. We need your help." The old knight turned his head to give me a look of hope. I thought he was going to get angry at me because of my attitude, but this... It''s truly unexpected. "... All right." I took a deep breath. "That human part of the monster is Wielth the Night Bearer, a Dark Magician, Assassin, Potions plus Poison Maker, and Barrier Master. He may have adopted me but I never thought of him as a father." "Wielth the Night Bearer," said Folcion, who put on a thought-out expression. Then he said, "Leonard, listen to me." For a moment, the old knight talks to himself, repeating things I just said earlier. He looks like a madman but I know, maybe, he uses telepathy. BAM! Crack! Crack! And... The cracks in this Barrier are getting bigger and bigger. I can foresee, in a few tens seconds, this Barrier will be destroyed. "Does your father love you?" "Hah! What kind of question is that? And how could you ask such a question!" I yelled. Because of that question, my fox''s ears and tail stood tall. The fire burned my heart, I was furious! Extremely furious! "It sounds, so obvious that you hate him." "Stop talking! If you just want to play around, I''m going to punch your face. Now, please get me out of here, I have to kill that jerk to save Kimi and Ruciel." "Please wait, I want to make sure of something and I still have one question. Why did the monster kidnap Kimi and Ruciel, the people you just mentioned?" "... Isn''t that obvious, it''s because he wants me to save them!" BAM! Crack! Crack! Oh! Unlucky! This barrier will be blown to pieces in a second. I know that those thorny roots were strong. But even so, I''m ready to confront them. My Rot Saber going to be their nightmare. "I think you have the wrong conclusion," said the old knight abruptly. He made my fox''s ears twitch, I was confused. "What do you mean by that?" CRANG! Clatter! The barrier was destroyed. Thorny roots approached us. I''m ready to cut them down. However, before I could swing my weapon, the old knight grabbed me again, taking me running away with him. "What are you doing!? Let me go!" I tried to escape but I couldn''t move this old knight''s arm! I try many things and I still can''t escape! I can''t believe it! "Leonard! Use White Snake''s strategy, take the command, and take over the Teleportation Crystal!" Yelled the old knight. "Sir Folcion, where are you going!?" Yelled the young knight. "Bastard! Let go of my daughter!" Yelled the jerk. "Why is everyone yelling!?" I yelled. All of this is extremely vexing! I didn''t have a chance to save Kimi and Ruciel, I know I can''t beat the jerk, and now, I was being girlnapped and carried to somewhere by an old knight. It''s absolutely extremely vexing! For a few minutes, the old knight ran and never stopped. He came out of the settlement and the jerk chased after him. Unexpectedly, the jerk is so slow. Therefore, the old knight leaves him behind by a large margin. In a short period, we reached hundreds of meters, while the jerk was far behind. The jerk is really upset right now. The expression he made was positively unpleasant to look at. "I think it''s a bad idea," I told the old knight. "You made that jerk angry at you. And you need to know, he never forgives those who stand In his way." "That''s not a problem. I can take care of myself." "So, you''re going to abandon me?" "No! I misspoke, I can take care of us." A moment after the old knight said that sentence, the jerk''s figure turned black. A moment later he disappeared. "If you want to protect me, you better be prepared. The jerk just used Shadow Dive. Therefore, I recommend that you stay away from the trees around us." The jerk showed himself before the old knight did something. The black balls that were a spell, named Dark Spheres came raining down on us. And I never expected, the old knight managed to avoid all the black balls. "Give her back to me, you son of a bitch!" Now, black spears were popping up. "Rain of Black Spears!" I warned. And the old knight said, "[Angel Blessing]" Golden light enveloped us and protected us from those black spears. The Dark Spell disappeared upon contact with the Light Spell. "Another attack came. This time was its thorny roots," I said. The old knight nodded and he''s like a rabbit, he''s agile and quick. In the end, he managed to avoid all those thorny roots. The old knight kept running. I became... Luggage? I don''t know about that but I know the jerk is so angry "Come back here asshole!" He yelled. Chapter 93 - My Feelings "Guah!" "Kyaa!" One of the jerk''s thorny roots eventually managed to hit and take down the old knight along with me. I fell but then I got up as fast as I could. I unsheathed Rot Saber to cut through the other thorny roots that were moving toward where am I. The jerk ignored me. So he just send a few thorny roots. He focused on beating the old knight. When I wanted to help that old knight but these thorny roots obstructed me. The same thing happened to the old knight when he try to help me. "Runaway, miss!" The old knight shouted. The thing he said was a good idea. However, I couldn''t pick that plan. If I escaped, the jerk will kill Kimi and Ruciel. So I replied, "No, I''m not going to escape." "Wise decision, fight me, my daughter! Save your sister and this girl!" The jerk tried to provoke me. "Shut up!" I snapped. Then, the fight continued. There aren''t many thorny roots attacking me. And on the other hand, the old knight was overwhelmed with the thorny roots that attacked him. "[Angel Blessing]" He used a good defensive Buff but still, he couldn''t change things, he was still suppressed by the threat of those thorny roots. I wanted to help the old knight but I realized I couldn''t do much. "I''m sorry, sir," I said. Then, I ran up to the jerk. "Wait, miss!" I ignored the old knight''s scream and continued running. I kept cutting through the thorny roots that were blocking my path. The jerk wasn''t serious when he attacked me. Because of that and maybe, I can use this to kill him. And then, I arrived in front of the jerk or rather in the bottom of the roots that became his feet. "Big sis!" One familiar voice made me lookup. In the wooden cage, taken out by the jerk, I saw the little girl and Ruciel had woken up. The little girl looked at me with an expression of fear. As for Ruciel, the girl looked at the jerk with a hateful look. "Hang on, Kimi! I will save you soon!" I shouted and started climbing on the jerk''s roots. "That''s right, keep trying," said the jerk. At the same time, he made an expression indicating that he was holding back laughter. "Ghrr...!" He set me off! "Bastard! Where are my friends!?" Ruciel shouted. The jerk''s attention was diverted to Ruciel. He moved his body to look at her who was furious, grasping the bars of the wooden cage. "Shh... shh... Relax, they''re fine, they''re in an eastern settlement now. If you want to save them, I''ll give you one more chance." "Chance! Don''t joke with me! The last time you and I made a deal you deceived me!" "That''s not deception. At that time you surely didn''t finish your job. You brought my two daughters, to my clone instead of me." "You are a liar!" "Haa... Well. I''ll give you two choices, fight me and you along with your friends die, or! Fight Eclaite and catch her." The jerk glanced at me after he said that sentence. "If you manage to do so, my previous vow will apply. "I won''t believe you!" "I don''t care if you believe me or not. I gave you a choice and you''ll pick it in less than ten seconds. Your time starts from now." Ruciel seemed to want to say something but words didn''t come out of her mouth. A moment later she made a thoughtful expression. Ugh! I wanted to save the girl but I can''t. I got into trouble climbing these moving roots. Although I can jump from one root to another, I feel like I''m not making any progress! "Fine! I''ll do it!" The decision made by Ruciel made me freeze. "Good! Now, go get her tiger." A door was made in the wooden cage and quickly, Ruciel came out to approach me. "Ruciel, don''t do this!" "..." The Fallen Elf girl didn''t say anything and she started attacking me using her dagger. I had no other choice but to confront her. "Damn it! I''m going to kill you jerk!" "You can try my daughter." The jerk smiled as he looked at our fight. He enjoyed it as if he was watching a sports game. And Ruciel, this girl is fast and strong. She overwhelmed me in seconds. I wanted to give a counterattack and then knock this girl out but I realized, the weapon I''m using right now is Rot Saber. This weapon could give her serious injuries and I didn''t want that. I condemn my misfortune. Why did the Silver Spear have to fall when the old knight carried me around? As for the old knight himself, he was still under the pressure of the thorny roots and the jerk''s Dark Spells. "Pa... Papa Wielth?" A voice brought my fox''s ears to twitch and stand up straight. I glanced at the little girl. And for a while, I saw her staring at the jerk. "What''s wrong Kimi?" "Hii..." "Don''t be afraid, even if I change, I am still your father. Eclaite knows to treat this disaster so don''t worry." "Is... Is that true?" Kimi asked hesitantly. "Yes." "No!" We - the jerk and I - answered simultaneously. "No! Don''t listen to Kimi! He''s a monster! He is not your father!" I warn her as fast as I could before I blocked Ruciel''s attacks. This girl, she became faster and stronger. She show an intent to end this fight and that was a bad sign. "I am your father," said the jerk. "You are a monster!" I screamed. A moment later, I pushed Ruciel''s dagger back. The Fallen Elf girl looked at me without saying a word. "..." She tried to attack me again but I wouldn''t let her. "Please, go to sleep, Ruciel, [Mist of Nightmare Illusion]" The outburst of white mist was appeared to engulf everyone. I was expecting the jerk would be swallowed up by illusions but that''s just hope. Heat Perception told me that the jerk was still awake. I could see parts of his human body moving around as if looking for me. On the other hand, Ruciel and Kimi''s heat stopped. As for the old knight, he was awake and he took advantage of the protection provided by this mist to escape. Taking advantage of the opportunity, I shot the jerk using Water Spells. I don''t use Wind Spells because I don''t want this mist to disappear. I kept attacking and it seems, all my actions didn''t work out. And then, unbeknownst to me, a thorny root managed to sneak up and finally tie my legs. "Ah!" "Finally!" A strong wind blew to wipe out the mist I made. The jerk lifted my body and brought me in front of him. He called another root to tie my arm. "Damn it!" "Calm down my daughter." "Don''t! Don''t call me your daughter." "Why did you become so rebellious? Where is your obedience? And why did you betray the love I gave you?" I don''t know why, after I got those questions, in an instant, the anger I had become overflowing. "I was the one who betrayed you? Don''t joke around! Never once did I betray you! You are the one who betrayed me!" "You killed Scott Bell and I thank you for that." "For some time after you bought me, you were kind, you took care of me, and you gave me whatever I wanted. Therefore, I think you are different from other men. Therefore, I accept if you want my body. Therefore, I thought of accepting all that fate and to become your wife but no!" "That fate never came true! One day you changed! You betrayed my expectations! You''re toying me like any other man! You''re just thinking about yourself! You destroyed my body with all kinds of drugs! And worse, you killed Haruka, my second mother I loved!" "I never betrayed you! You''re the one who betrayed me! No longer do I think of you as a human being and I swear I will kill you!" I was gassing out of breath when I saw that asshole silent with his eyes slightly open. For some time, we fell silent. Spontaneously, I uttered all of Eclaite''s feelings, I said all the things she thought about this jerk, and to complete all of this, I asked, "why? Why did you betray me?" "That''s because I want strength." "Strength! You did all that because you wanted strength!" Once again anger enveloped my heart. "Yes, that''s right," he made a nod. "Have you ever wondered, why your race is one tail fox instead of Fox Beastkin?" "... No." "Hmm... Looks like you finally figured this out. So, as you know, One Tail Fox is a Divine Beast. It''s just that they haven''t grown up yet. And when they matured, they became the legendary Nine Tail Fox. Surprisingly, a Divine Beast''s blood could increase Basic Statistics if being consumed." "Wait a minute, you drank my blood?" "Yes, but your blood loses its efficacy after being consumed several times. I tried to fix this and I found two ways." "Stop talking! I don''t want to hear anything more!" I screamed. "But you have to hear it," said the jerk, ignoring my opinion again and again. "So, the first way is to purify your blood. Whenever your blood gets purer, I''ll be able to get an increase in Basic Statistics. Because of this, I made the medicine." "And you used Haruka to finish it! You bastard!" "... Sacrifice is necessary." "I don''t care about your excuses! You''re a murderer and that will never change!" "The second way to restore the efficacy of your blood is to make you go berserk. And to do so, I must torture you and push you to the edge of death." "You..." I wanted to say something in those words but I couldn''t say anything. Anger paralyzes me. "Before I use that method, I can make you berserk by giving you the blood of a monster. And then, I don''t know why monster blood no longer make-" Blarr! Blast! Blarr! Explosion after an explosion hit the jerk before he could finish his sentence. The jerk was torn apart while I and Kimi were fine because a dozen thorny roots protected us. Seconds passed and, "Smell of blood! No!" I realized my Smell Blocker was gone.. And because of that, the smell of the jerk''s blood, this delicious smell began to wipe out my sanity. Chapter 94 - The End There''s something delicious in front of me. I want to eat it. I''m hungry. Starving might be a much more desirable word. Something''s wrong. My mind became blurry. My body doesn''t listen to my mind. What''s going on? I''m looking for answers. Then, I remember. Blood! Scent! The scent of monster blood! I became like this because of the scent of monster blood! This delicious scent came from the monster in front of me. This delicious scent makes me starve. I wanted to eat it but I couldn''t move. Something binds me. This long, green thing is extremely irksome! They tied my arms and legs tightly. The needles parts hurt me. I tried to escape but I couldn''t. All the work I put in just made my hands and legs hurt. "... Eclaite!" Eclaite? What''s that? Who''s that? Huh? Me? I''m Eclaite? No no no! I''m Giselle Gibson! Giselle? Who is she? "Stop Eclaite!" The voice came again. ...Who called me? No, that is not true! ...The voice came from the monster! This delicious lump of meat can talk! But that''s not a problem. Whether you can talk or not, meat is meat. And it looks so, so delicious. I want to eat it! Lucky, I''m so lucky! I know how to escape from these long, green things. I have skills! I can use it to escape! "[Blade of Light]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[?]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª + 3rd POV "[Blade of Light]" The sword of light or rather, white light with a hint of gold, appeared and enveloped the left arm of a Two Tails Fox girl. The hot, golden light melted the thorny roots that bound her left arm. A moment later, the girl, Eclaite, got a chance to escape the clutches of the thorny roots. The man, Wielth, who is now a monster, noticed things that the girl is doing. He wanted to stop the girl but he is too late to do anything. At a speed that the eyes couldn''t follow, the girl swung her left arm to cut through the thorny roots that tied her right arm and legs. The Two Tails Fox girl managed to break free. Eclaite was freed but she fell. If you look closely, there is a strange thing that happens to her. The girl now has nine tails, she has two tails with golden fur and seven tails made of dim purple light. And she, the girl, had a plus-shaped purple pupil that shone brightly, decorated her eyes. Eclaite''s strangeness appeared because she was in a state of berserk. And that does appear because she inhaled such a delicious scent of blood. The monster blood, Wielth''s blood. Driving by hunger, the girl with her ferocity began to attack the monster. She tore apart the thorny roots that came to catch her. "It''s bad, very bad." Wielth never thought that his daughter would go berserk because of the blood scent. This is something he truly doesn''t want. Some time ago, thanks to the things his daughter said, he was reminded of one important thing. Because of that, he tried to tell her daughter some crucial notes. But! The damned adventurers and knights who formed a Raid Party messed things up! They attacked and managed to injure Wielth. His flowing blood made Eclaite go Berserk. The thing that happened, made Wielth have to catch the girl once again. And now he is in trouble because the girl is getting faster and stronger. He didn''t expect his daughter to grow up to this extent. "She has two tails?" said Wielth when he realized Eclaite''s golden tail had suddenly turned into two. He didn''t believe it or was probably surprised by what he saw. Those tails explain why Eclaite is so strong now. However, that''s not something Wielth should think about. He had to think of a way to catch Eclaite as quickly as possible. He plans to retreat and he has to bring Eclaite to hide with him. That''s right, he had to hide. He must settle his business with Eclaite and he must remake the plan to get out from this Dungeon. To ensure his next plan was a success, he had to raise his level and gather the subordinates again. "It will be a pain in the-" The monster didn''t go on with his words. He raised his right arm to control his roots to create a wall. He noticed a dozen Fire Spells had come to wound him again. He focused so much on his failures and Eclaite that he forgot about the approaching Raid Party. Wielth didn''t want those Spells launched by the adventurers to hit, tear, and burn his body once again. And also, he had a desire to protect his two daughters. Blarr! Blarr! The monster managed to stop those spells. "Damned adventurers!'' Wielth criticized the Raid Party. The attacks that had previously been launched by adventurers in the Raid Party managed to injure his body. And what''s worse, because of the attack, Eclaite was able to escape. Wielth got severe damages and it will take him a few dozen minutes for the wounds to heal. He had no desire to get new injuries. So, he gathered his Mana and then uttered, "[Plants Manipulation]" in his mind. Because of that skill, the roots of dozens of trees around the Raid Party transformed. The roots became bigger, longer, and thorny. More than that, they came alive, just like a snake. Raid Party attained their opponents and for a while, they wouldn''t attack Wielth. Wielth stopped making any thoughts about that Raid Party, he had to capture Eclaite and get out of here as soon as possible. However, after he turned his head, he did not see Eclaite''s figure. The girl just disappeared. "Where did she go?" Wielth looked around to find the girl. But before he could find her... Zhing! Suddenly, Wielth felt danger coming from behind. He moved his body, trying to avoid the danger but he didn''t succeed. Eclaite''s claws coated by red light managed to tear and cut off his right arm. Crunch! Crunch! Wielth''s eyes were wide open as he watched Eclaite eating his hands. Again he was surprised. Wielth shook his head. Again, he controlled his thorny roots to capture Eclaite. A few seconds later, Wielth knew that his efforts were futile. Eclaite made a sword of light and cut through all of his thorny roots. Not only that, the girl began to approach Wielth human body. The girl''s red-light claws looked so deadly. Wielth''s thorny roots moved back and forth, they tried to catch Eclaite. And once again, they failed. Eclaite arrived at the front of Wielth. The girl swung her arm, she intended to tear the monster apart with its sharp light claws. As for the monster, he made a black sword to neutralize the red claws. A few minutes passed as they exchanged attacks. Eclaite truly wanted to tear Wielth''s body apart. The girl was hungry and she wanted the monster''s flesh to fill her stomach. But then, the girl felt danger coming from all-around her. Immediately, the girl made a sword of light, she swung her arms at an incredible speed to cut through tens of thorny roots. Wielth didn''t stop sending root after root to catch Eclaite. And in the end, he caught the girl. "Finally!" Eclaite''s hands and feet were bound but she could still attack. The girl spewed fire from her mouth. "Wha!?" Wielth who didn''t know that Eclaite had such an attack didn''t have time to dodge. The fire burned his body. "Aaa...!" He keep shouting as flames consumed his body. The monster tried to put out the fire but he couldn''t do it easily. And as Wielth''s main body burned, fire spells launched by the adventurers came. Blarr! Blarr! Blarr! The thorny roots and huge flowers that were part of the Wielth monster were severely damaged because being hit by the explosion directly. They were burned, destroyed, and cut off. "Aaa..." Wielth kept screaming. As for Eclaite. The girl managed to escape again by taking advantage of the opportunity. Eclaite bombardment Wielth using Wind and Water Spells. She extinguished the fire that burned the monster''s main body but at the same time, she wounded that body. Later, Eclaite began to mince Wielth''s body using her red claws. At the same time, the girl also ate the monster. She rip open his chest and take his liver, heart, and Magic Stone. Realizing he won''t survive, Wielth collects Mana, he uses the Dark Spell Alter Memory on Eclaite. The spell made Eclaite stood still. A moment later, the girl fainted. She fell to the side of Wielth''s body which is now in a terrible condition. Wielth did nothing and decided to look at the sky within this dungeon. Wielth knew he wouldn''t survive because Eclaite had eaten his heart and Magic Stone. If he still had them, he could still survive by relying on the monster''s regeneration he had. Using the rest of his energy, he brought Kimi who was asleep to Eclaite''s Side. And at the last moment, he looks at his daughters. "Live happily without regret," he said before he took his last breath. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª[?]¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Adventurers and knights finally arrived at the front of Gigantes Brocchinia Reducta. Without hesitation and brim with courage, they used their weapons and magic to attack the monster. Unfortunately, they didn''t know that the monster was dead before they arrived. Amid the chaos, some knights did not participate in attacking the monster. They were running around in that place as if they were looking for something. In the end, they found Folcion and Ruciel. A few minutes later, everything went quiet. They knew the monster was dead. Chapter 95 - Last Messages That man, Wielth, the jerk stood in front of me. He tell a story about why he betrayed me and I didn''t care about it at all. Why should I listen to him? It''s better for him to die And¡­ I can''t believe he caught me! More importantly, and quite irritating, I don''t know how he did it? I wanted to escape but that intention was destroyed instantly. I mean, right now, I''m in a room with no doors or windows. The floor, ceiling, and all the walls in this room are made of gray stone. The only good thing about it was the fact that this room was not dark because there was a large Crystal Lamp as a light source. And worse, I can''t use my capabilities or Spells to do something. Although my hands, body, and legs were not bound by anything, I was unable to move my body. And also I can''t speak either. I can only sit in this chair like a statue. "Listen to me Eclaite!" The jerk scolds me. He made me furious! I wanted to shout, "shut up!" but I couldn''t speak. Therefore, I gave him a sharp gaze. "Listen, what I''m going to say is awfully important. You have to hear it and remember it," he said. He''s absolutely annoying! But all right! I''ll listen. "You know you''re One Tail Fox Beastkin and that''s no ordinary Beastkin. You are a Divine Beast, you are important." Yes, yes, I''m important, what else? "A Divine Beast is a sacred existence. They were considered goddess envoys and often, they were worshiped by the Beastkins. Divine Beasts are also well-known in all corners of the world." ...That''s new news for me. Was the Divine Beast is indeed famous and sacred? "Knowing all of that, I''m sure you understand the consequences if you show people who you truly are, Right?" Unfortunately no, I don''t know. "Hmm¡­ with the lack of knowledge you have, clearly you do not understand it." Wha!? Did you just call me stupid? Is that what you just did!? Jerk! Is that what you just did!? "Listen and remember this. You are a Divine Beast, you are a rare race, and in fact, your blood brings miracles. Besides all of that, you''re so beautiful, have a soft body, sweet scent, warm sheath, and you''re so great in bed." ... Asshole! I''m going to kill you! I''m definitely going to kill you! I''m going to tear your body apart and I''m going to make your meat as pig food! I''ll make sure it becomes a reality! "You are so precious. Now, imagine if a noble, a crazy Alchemist like Wilxes, or a powerful Adventurer with a strange hobby found you, what would happen?" I don''t know and I don''t care you son of a bitch! "They will treat you like I treat you and maybe, they will treat you much worse than me." ...that can''t be true. "Don''t run away from reality. That is true and it will happen even though you don''t want it." ... "Therefore you must hide the fact that you are a Divine Beast. I have a Magic Item, Collar of Concealment. The collar will help you hide your tail using illusions and change your General Information display. I kept that Magic Item in a box, under the floor of my room. Take it and wear it." ...why are you being nice to me now? "You will forever be my pet when you wear it." Son of bitch! Give me back the little gratitude I gave you! You jerk! You are the worst! "Next is Berserk. You can get out of control after inhaling the smell of monster blood. And when this happens, you''ll have nine tails, eight that made of purple light. And this, you have to hide it too. Never show it to anyone else." All right, that''s good news. If you have a way out to solve this problem, I''ll listen. And if you attempt to do anything weird again, I will curse you to have hundreds of itchy that can''t be scratched! "I learned of this ¡ª when you become berserk ¡ª a few years ago. And this is the reason why I hurt you." yes, yes, I heard about it earlier. Now, tell me about this berserk state of mine, you jerk! "In the past, I had thought about treating this berserk state of yours, I had a solution but I never used it. For you to maintain your consciousness while you''re going berserk, you must obtain an Advance Skill, Steel Will. Lucky for you, I am a good father." Hah! Good father? Don''t be kidding! You''re the worst father anyone can get! "I have an Orb Skill that contains that one Advance Skill. You can find it stored with the Collar of Concealment." ¡­okay, that''s good news. "I''ve provided you advice and gifts. Now, I''ll give you a warning." Huh? Warning? What kind of warning? "Someone is after for your life." What!! How!? "Wilxes Lancaster aka Alchemist X. That''s the name and aliases of the person who''s after your life." Tell me jerk! Why is this guy named Wilxes after me!? Why!? "Why is he after you? Of course because of the blood you have. He knows your blood is precious because, over the past few years, I''ve asked for his help in my experiments." So he''s your friend! I should have guessed it. The friend that the jerk has is another jerk! "Be careful and don''t get caught. That man who was now a woman was insane. She will do you worse than I do." Wait a minute, the man who became a woman? Is she a femboy? "You need to know, Wilxes has a face identical to yours." Tell me what! A face similar to mine? You''re positively confusing me now. "How did that happen? My guess is and maybe, she drank or injected your blood into her body." ... So she''s a pervert. "I want you and Kimi to leave this kingdom and hide but, you''re not going to do it right?" If there''s a dangerous person after me in Rishtonbell, of course, I''ll leave this city. But, that I will do after I finish exploring all the Hidden Areas on the first floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon or after I have enough money to buy a Flying Ship. But... I can find treasure somewhere else. This might be a good choice. I''m leaving Rishtonbell. "You''re so beautiful, you know that?" Haa... I''m tired of hearing that and... Why are you being transparent now? Literally. "I made a lot of mistakes, I hurt you, and I betrayed you, just like you said." Yup! You''re the worst! You are garbage! Now, I''m more interested in why you''re being transparent? Are you dead? "You renewed me, made me remember a promise I made." What promise and answer my question jerk! "If I apologize, will you forgive me?" Never, ever. "Yes, I suspect you won''t forgive me." Right, you don''t deserve forgiveness. "...live happily Eclaite. And please, please raise and take care of Kimi for me." I''m going to raise Kimi for mama Haruka, not for you. And are you truly dead? You''re starting to disappear now. And for some reason, I become so sleepy. I... ... ... ... < Health and Mana stat up! HP +30 | MP +20 > < Acquired an Advanced Skill! Nature Vitality > < Level up! 19 to 20 > "Ugh... Noisy," I complained to the notification after notification that disturbed my peace. A moment later. "Ow ow ow!" The intense pain forced me to open my eyes wide. I felt the unbearable pain for quite some time before I could breathe a sigh of relief. Then. "This is extremely strange." Right now, I saw a ceiling made of wood. I no longer see the stone ceiling. I''m no longer in that closed room. Now, I''m in a simple bedroom. And I no longer see the jerk! That is good news. "Ow ow ow, why does my body feel so much pain and so stiff?" I asked then discovered that most of my body was wrapped in bandages. "And why am I half-naked!?" I wasn''t wearing clothes at all and whoever this person was, they were so sinful because they didn''t cover my chest with a blanket that was now covering my stomach! I took a deep breath to calm down. Then, moving my stiff left arm while enduring the pain, I managed to cover my chest. Lying in bed, I tried to remember what happened. We returned to the eastern settlement after we finished exploring Desmond Cemetery within the Mist Forest Ebua. I met Ellis and talked to her. Kimi then goes missing and Ruciel is the kidnapper. Chaos after chaos appeared and, "the jerk showed himself." I fought and managed to kill the clone of the jerk. Then, when I fought against the real jerk, I lost. "I smelled blood and I lost control afterward." And I don''t know how I was inside that closed room. Then, the jerk said things to me. After that, here I am. All of these episodes were extremely strange. "Now, who is the one who gave me this treatment? Where is this anyway?" There were a lot of things I wanted to know but right now, I can only wait. I couldn''t move my body and why did I feel such unbearable pain when I had level five Pain Resistance. Is my condition extremely that horrible? "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Two Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 20/20 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 77/183 [167] | MP: 37/230 | SP: 28/152 [ STR: 114 | DEX: 29 ] [ END: 73 | Luck: 5 ] [ AGI: 90 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelgan???] ? [Nature Vitality] New [Sword Mastery |Lvl 2] ? Level up! -----+ [+ The requirement to evolve has been fulfilled. Do you want to evolve into Three Tails Fox?] [Yes] [No] -----+ [Nature Vitality] [Passive] [+ Permanently increase HP regeneration by 200%] Yes, I''m in extremely bad shape and I''m not going to evolve in this place. And since I have Natural Vitality, I hope I recover quickly. And... Are these Stat Points bonuses and Advance Skill I got from the jerk? If yes, eugh! It''s so disgusting! Chapter 96 - Sadness And Questions I lay in bed for a while before I remembered, "Kimi, Ruciel!" How could I forget them!? This must be the jerk''s fault! I want to see them. So, I got out of my bed. "Ow ow ow." This pain is so tormenting. I''m hurt but I''m lucky. Even though that someone took my shirt off, they didn''t take my pants off. And if they truly did it, that sinful someone will get punishment from me. Now, back to the moment, forcing my body, I picked up a shirt lying on a chair and put it on. After I got dressed and looks decent, I walked towards the door. Not long after, I opened it. Kreet ... "Oh!" I made a strange noise when I found a female knight standing next to this bedroom door. She looked at me sharply for a moment before saying, "Where do you want to go?" "I want to find Kimi and Ruciel, my sister and my friend." "Can you move?" I felt the condition of my body for a moment. Yup! Although it''s a little troublesome, I''m sure I can walk. The unbearable pain also showed signs of subsiding. I nodded at the female knight. "I can move." "Okay, but take this." She gave me a bottle of Potions. "Drink it then we''ll go to the place you want." So I drank the potion. After that, true to her words, the female knight help me to search for Kimi and Ruciel. We do find Kimi in the dining room but we can not find Ruciel. I made observations of the exterior of this building, along the way in this searching quest. Therefore, I can say that right now, I am in an inn. It''s a great place but I''m more interested in my little sister, Kimi, who is now eating a meal with Alan, Chloe, and Ellis. "Miss Eclaite," Ellis called me. The woman was the first to see me because she was occupying a chair overlooking the entrance to this dining room. Kimi turned her head quickly, followed by Chloe and Alan. Three kids put on different expressions. Chloe and Alan had worried expressions. As for my sister, she''s a mess. Small black Fox-kin''s ears and tail hung weakly. Her eyes were puffy and reddened. Whit that, I didn''t have to ask to know that she had just cried. The little girl left her chair. She ran and... "Gah!" That''s pretty painful. She did not reduce her power when she bump me. My legs shifted, I almost fell. Fortunately, I can fix my balance, I didn''t fall. "Can''t you be careful?" I asked Kimi who hugged me. She didn''t give me an answer, instead, she hugged me tighter. So, I stroked her head. Minutes passed. "Is that monster... Is papa Wielth dead?" The question stopped my hand. "How much do you know about this episode?" "Answer me, big sis, I don''t have the mood to hear lies." She surprised me. How did she know that I was trying to lie to her? If I knew the things she saw and heard during this episode, I would tell lies that the monster wasn''t her father. But now, I had no other choice but to speak the truth. I took a deep breath then said, "Yes, he''s dead." "... Where is he now?" "If people haven''t moved his body, he''s outside this settlement." "...Papa truly became a monster, right?" "Yes." The girl tightened her hug for seconds before finally letting me go. Without energy, she returned to her seat. Instantly, Chloe approached her and hugged her. I breathed a burdened breath. I never thought, telling Kimi about the jerk''s death was so awful. But on the other hand, I was happy when the jerk finally died. These two opposite feelings made me feel uncomfortable. Not knowing what to do, I look at the female knight. "Thank you, miss knight." "No problem. And if you feel tired and want to rest, please tell me. I will escort you back to the bedroom earlier." "All right." The female knight nodded then walked over to the empty table. She then ordered food from the waitress. Well... I don''t want to keep standing here. So, I moved my legs. I joined the table where Kimi and the others were. "Do you have an appetite, Miss Eclaite?" I paused for a moment to find the answer to that question. In the end, "Small portions of food are not a bad idea. I also want a glass of water to soak my dry throat." "All right." Ellis made a wave of the hand at a Waitress without saying anything. A moment later, a bowl containing "Buryam," a chicken porridge, appeared in front of me. My fox''s ears twitched when I saw this. Ellis acted as if she knew what was going to happen as if she knew I was going to accept the offer for food. I shook my head to the thought of Ellis was an oracle. So, I picked up the first bite of my porridge while watching Kimi bury her face at the table. She used her two hands as pillows. Haa... How do I cheer up that little girl? The last time, when mama Haruka died, she locked herself in a room for three days. I ate the porridge while thinking of a way to cheer up Kimi. Time passed and in the end, I couldn''t find the answer I was looking for. My incompetence makes me angry. Suddenly, four Knights entered this dining room. Lucky or unlucky, when I saw the knights, I instantly recognized two of them. The two knights I''m referring to are Rose and the old knight. Honestly, I still can''t believe what he did to me. Old knight, I mean. He carried me without my consent and how could he do it without hesitation? I ignored those knights but they wanted my attention. The knights approached the table where I and everyone else were. "It''s good to see you''re okay, miss," said the old knight. I made a wry smile. "Actually I''m not okay. But anyway, is there anything I can help you with, sir knight?" "Yes, there are some things we want to make sure of. Can we talk?" "Is this about th-Wielth?" My sister''s fox ears twitched. She immediately raised her head. The little girl looked at me. "If that''s the name of the monster that attacked this place, then yes. We want to know more about him. Can we talk somewhere else?" "Of course." Kimi approached me as quickly as possible after I finished speaking. She tugged at my sleeve without saying anything. The thing that she did was more than enough for me to know what she wanted. "You want to join us, Kimi?" My sister nodded without having any hesitation. "I don''t think it''s a good idea," Rose told me. "That man is our father. And it''s natural for Kimi to know what happened to him," I said firmly. The four knights were silent for a moment. Afterward, Folcion made a decision. "If you don''t mind, so do we. Please miss, follow us." So we left the dining room. And to be honest, I was a little surprised, the place we were going to use for this conversation was the bedroom I was in earlier. So... In that bedroom, I answered the questions asked by the knights. Who''s the jerk? When was the last time I saw him? The motive that incited him to attack the settlement? Do I know of this attack plan? Why and how did he become a monster? All these questions along with a dozen other questions came to me. And of course, I answered all their questions. In the end, they were satisfied. "Before we leave, there''s one thing I want to say. In a few days, I''ll invite you to the knight''s headquarters. I want you to be a witness and to give testify again. Can you do it?" "Of course and sir knight, can I ask you a few questions?" The old knight nodded. "Of course, please ask." "Can we take Wielth''s human part? We want to bury him." Even though I said that, burying the jerk wasn''t my real intention. I intend to make Kimi feel relieved. I''m sure Kimi will be sadder if I decide to abandon the jerk''s corpse just like that. "... I think you can do it but It''s going to take time. So, let me talk to the other knights to do something about it." "All right." I nodded. "For the second question, do you know what happens to Ruciel?" "Ruciel?" "She is a Fallen Elf girl. I''m sure, she was with Kimi in a wooden cage when the monster left the settlement. "Ah, that girl. We''re imprisoning her now." "Imprisoning her? Why?" "Because she and some other adventurers helped your father." "Help him to attack this place?" "That''s not all. They are also mastermind behind the disappearance of several adventurers and several other cases." "What will happen to Ruciel or those adventurers?" "They will get a punishment that is in accordance with the crimes they committed." "Can I see Ruciel?" "Of course, but not now. You can see the girl tomorrow after we''ve finished interrogating her. Is there another question you want to ask?" "No, that is enough." "Alright, a knight will pick you up and guide to the girl tomorrow. Please, take a rest." "Thank you." Folcion nodded and a moment later, he and the other three knights left us to our own devices. "What are we going to do now?" I asked my little sister. And just like before, she didn''t say anything. The little girl went up to the bed and lay down there. A few moments later, she started crying. I approached the little girl and hugged her. We or I decided to rest, we slept together in this bed. Chapter 97 - About Her "Get lost!" I got a hateful scream at a moment I showed my face to Ruciel. "I don''t understand, why are you always angry at me?" One end of the girl''s mouth twitched after I voiced my question. "Are you truly asking that question?" "Okay, I''ll stop joking," I said as I moved my body to sit in an empty chair. In the end, we sat facing at other. The Fallen Elf girl''s appearance was in bad shape. She was still wearing her tattered Armor, her hair was messy, her face was presentable but a little bit dirty, large handcuffs tied her hands into one, and¡­ this girl hasn''t showered yet. The scent of dried blood, sweat, and some other fluids stick clearly into her body. No¡­ of course, not. I didn''t mean to criticize or insult Ruciel. Instead, I was a little excited because of all the scents. ... Wait a minute, since when do I have a smell fetish? I shook my head to remove this trivial thought. Then, I smiled at Ruciel. "How are you, Ruciel?" The girl narrowed her eyes. "Very bad." I could only make a wry smile when I got an answer with that strong tone of antagonism. "Why did you see me? What do you want? Did you forget that I try to kill you?" "No, I didn''t forget it and I want you to agree to be mine." "..." The girl becomes silent. She looked at me with slightly wide-open eyes. From the expression she showed, I could tell that right now that she was processing my words, she was trying to find the true meaning of those words. "What do you mean?" A question came out of her mouth, she gave up to think. I nodded and then open my mouth. "Sir Folcion told me. Because of this episode, you will be punished and perhaps, you will become a Criminal Slave. So, I decided to buy you. And before I do that, I want to ask for your consent." "..." Ruciel didn''t say anything. She just looked at my eyes in silence. Then! "You want to die, right?" Ruciel''s question confused me. I slightly tilted my head before saying, "I never said I wanted to die." "Do you really understand our position and our circumstances?" "Hmm... Did you mean, I''m Wielth''s daughter, the daughter of a man who got you caught up in this predicament. And because of that, you do think, when I say I want to buy you, it becomes an unfunny joke?" "Yes," replied the girl. "Well... That doesn''t make sense. He indeed gives you suffering. But why should you hate me? You know, I never hurt you." The girl looked at me sharply. Her long ears make a strong jolt. "I don''t care what you think. I hate you, that''s all that matters. And to your question earlier, I don''t want to be your slave." "Oh... It''s regrettable.'' "That''s right, it''s regrettable. Now, get lost, find another slave for you to buy." "Why should I find another Slave to buy? "So, you never thought to make a decision not buy a slave. Good for you." "Well¡­ I do need to buy someone to save that someone." "Whatever, tell me what do you want, truly!?" "Didn''t I say I want to buy you." "Huh?" Ruciel makes a strange noise with shock On the other hand, I imitated that strange voice, "Huh?" to ask for a description. "Didn''t I already say I didn''t want to be bought by you? Didn''t you have another piece of mind in your head?" Said the girl who was angry at me, again. "No, I come to see you ask for your consent¡­ oh! I also want to see your conditions." "Ugh! My head hurt," she said while clutching her head. "Why do you want to buy me?" "Because I want you." "Huh?" Once again, she made that strange sound. But now, she made it accompanied by an expression of confusion and shock. "Why do you look confused? You''re going to be a Criminal Slave and I want you. That''s why I decided to buy you. I asked for your consent first because it would make me feel relieved. And yes, you need to know, I will still buy you even if you disagree." "You know, I really want to kill you!" She said it with deep hatred and thick killing intend. I frowned. "That''s extremely scary. You need to know, I saved you by buying you. If I don''t do this, maybe you''ll be sent to Slaves Trader. And who knows, how many men out there who want a beautiful Fallen Elf girl like you. I''m sure they can''t wait to play with you." "..." Yes, the thing about "sent to Slaves Trader" was a lie. According to Sir Folcion, Ruciel and the other suspects will be sent to the mine or will be used as free labor to build the kingdom''s infrastructure. Thanks to this lie, Ruciel turned pale now. And I didn''t expect that this lie will affect her. So, why am I lying? The girl kept saying she was going to kill me, she hated me, she didn''t care about me, and yes, she said all of that even though I liked her so much, she set me off. That''s why I decided to lie and bully her. And I''m happy when my scheme works. Seeing the girl become speechless with a pale face made a smile bloom on my face. My fox''s ears twitched in happiness. Let''s bully her more. "I''m sure, being their toy is more - no, being their toy is so much better than you are mine. Living in the embrace of lust sounds fun, right?" "..." Ruciel''s pale face became even worse and I couldn''t help but make giggles. "It can''t possibly be true." She tried to deny it and I won''t blame her to do it. "It can be true for you in quite a distant future. But, how about this, if you''re willing to be bought by me, You won''t be a toy and I''ll grant one of your pleas." I showed the index finger of my left hand to the girl. Then I was silent for minutes, waiting for the response she would give me. "Buy my friends," Ruciel said after minutes of silence. "Do that and I''ll be yours." "I can do that but... How many of your friends?" "Two, Salsa and Vyorn." Two people. If their price is the same as Ruciel''s price, it means I need, roughly a hundred and fifty gold coins to buy them. That''s a lot. It will take years for me to raise all that money if I don''t find the Lost City Beldea. This morning, I talked to Ellis and she said, I got a lot of rewards because I found that ruin. That''s right, I being told, Lost City Beldea in this world was not a Dungeon but a ruin. I have a way out and this makes me relieved. "Alright, I''ll talk about it with Sir Folcion." "You better do it. If not-" "I will kill you," I said to finish Ruciel''s words. "I understand that clearly." When I finished voicing all of that, the girl gave me another sharp look. Kreet. The door of this room opened and a female knight showed her face. She said, "Miss, your time is up." "All right," I replied to the knight. Then, I looked back at Ruciel. "See you again, Ruciel." The girl replied, "Hmph!" and she turned her face away. I and the female knight left the room, leaving Ruciel. Sometime later, we ¡ª me, Kimi, Chloe, and Alan ¡ª returned to Rishtonbell. Bad things happen but we have to keep moving forward. We have to go about our days as usual. Yes. Wielth''s corpse finally got home after the knights performed an autopsy. So, we did a funeral. Once again, Kimi became sad. One day after the funeral, I visited the Adventurer''s Guild to keep my promise to Ellis. We went back to discussing Lost City Beldea and long story short, the Adventurer''s Guild wanted me to sell my claim on the ruins to the Lord of Rishtonbell, a nobleman who ruled this city and the Xaliburn region. Actually, I don''t want to sell my claims. The treasures within the Lost City Beldea were extremely precious. I want all those treasures. But, I remember, Lost City Beldea is not a Dungeon. It made me unsure of my knowledge about the treasures buried there. In the end, I sold my claim. Because of that, I earned Prestige Points and money from the Lord of Rishtonbell. And yes, I didn''t forget to negotiate and I managed to earn the right to choose some of the treasures attained from The Lost City Beldea. So... Thanks to that event, my money bag became full. And I wouldn''t be overstating if I said, my money bag is overflowing. I got a hundred large gold coins. And if that money is added with my savings, that is around one hundred and thirty-one large gold coins, I do have two hundred and thirty-one gold coins. [231,3 large gold coins.] Beautifully engraved on my Adventurer Card. Leaving the Adventurer''s Guild, I went to the knight''s headquarters. I visited the place to be a witness, again. And yes, I get dozens or maybe, hundreds of questions in there. And in addition to interrogation, the knights also asked my permission to search the jerk''s house and confiscate items that could be used as evidence of his crime. Then, after all of that, I took care of the purchase of Ruciel, Salsa, and Vyorn. Within a day or maybe a few hours after I gained my fortune, I lost a hundred and sixty-three gold coins. Regret? I can say I do have little regret because I spent money other than to buy Ruciel. But, I think that''s okay. This is my promise to Ruciel. And talk about Ruciel. Right now, the girl approached me with a furious expression. A moment later she stood in front of me. As I wondered what had happened to her, she shouted, "You lied to me!" "What do you mean, I lying?" Chapter 98 - Our First Day "You lied to me!" "What do you mean, I lying?" I asked Ruciel who was looking at me sharply. She looks scary. Now, if she says she''s going to kill me, I''m going to believe her. And yes, I don''t want any problems. Therefore, "I don''t understand what you''re talking about. Now, let''s go to Slaves Trader to settle this slave contract thing." I turned around and walked away. However, when I had just taken two steps and Ruciel stopped me by grasping my shoulder. She turns over my body forcefully. "Give me the parchments of our slave contract, now!" As quickly as possible, I pushed Ruciel away and took steps to keep my distance from her. I hugged three rolls of parchment to my chest tightly. "No thanks," I told her. "You are mine and I will not let anyone change it. Including you." "Don''t joke around, give me all-" A hand patted Ruciel''s shoulder. That stopped her words. "That''s enough, Ruciel," said the man. Yes¡­ he was Vyorn, one of two people that Ruciel cared for. This guy, who is taller than me is quite muscular. Right now, he was wearing regular clothes. Therefore, I can''t guess his capabilities. However, I''m sure, this black-haired man who has green eyes is strong. "Why should I stop? She was the daughter of that bastard. I can''t accept the fact that I''m going to be her slave. It''s so sickening, right?" "That''s true but calm yourself down, take a deep breath and think about it once again. You know, it''s not a bad thing, we''re not going to work in mines or to be forced builders. And more than that, we''re so close to that man''s daughter. We can decide to do something after we observe them." Shortly after Vyorn finished speaking, Kimi took my left hand and squeezed it strongly. I intended to comfort Kimi by taking a walk out of the house but it seemed like my plan had failed. The little girl saw Ruciel and Vyorn that arguing with anxiety. Not long after, she looked at me and asked, "Why are they so angry at Papa Wielth?" Honestly, that''s a problematic question to answer. Should I tell Kimi everything I know when I want her to get along with them? No, I don''t think so. But... What kind of answer I should tell Kimi? I don''t know what to say. And when I was confused, a woman stepped up to stand between Ruciel and Vyorn. "You two, stop!" snapped the woman. That''s right, that woman''s name is Salsa. The golden-haired woman put on a serious expression mixed with annoyance. Her blue eyes that stared at Ruciel and Vyorn were filled with intimidation. And hey! It works. Ruciel and Vyorn fell silent. Then, after she make sure that two wouldn''t make a fuss anymore, she moved her sexy body to get close to Kimi. She crouched down in front of my sister and said, "You don''t need to listen to them. Those two guys are stupid. Your father was a good father. He just got the same misfortune as us. You have to be strong and don''t cry, okay?" My sister nodded and wiped away the tears at the end of her eyes. "Thank you," she said with a thin smile. So, after all that drama, we left the knight''s headquarters and visited Slaves Trader Red Tail. And of course, I didn''t bring Kimi into this store. I don''t want her to know about the things we talked about in this place. Therefore, I told the little girl to wait at a restaurant and I asked Salsa to accompany her. We will do rotation when Salsa''s turn arrives. "Welcome miss," greeted a receptionist with a smile. "Can I help you?" "Yes," I replied and began to tell her what I wanted. The receptionist nodded and then began to process my request. She prepared three new contracts to bind us. Then, as the contract was almost complete, the receptionist spoke. "May I borrow your Personal Seal, miss?" "Oh! Sorry, I haven''t made a Personal Seal yet." "Hmm... What about the Personal Seal you''ve used to buy your freedom? Are you carrying it now? We can use the seal." "I brought it." I took the jerk''s Personal Seal from the bag and gave it to the receptionist. And I don''t know why Ruciel and Vyorn who were silent gave me probing gazes. Are they really planning to kill me? I asked in my heart. Then, with a little bit of fear, I waited for the Slave Contract to be completed. Ruciel, Salsa, and Vyorn become Criminal Slaves. That means they can''t buy their freedom within a certain period. In their case, those three would continue to be Slaves for twenty years. They received lighter verdicts than other suspects because they did not commit murder when they took part in the eastern settlement raid. As for the other suspects, some of them get forty years of punishment, lifelong detention, and even the death penalty. They get severe punishment because, from the beginning, they are criminals. And now, when all the business about the Slave Contract is over, we''re tracing a sidewalk in this vast city. The place we want to go to, or I want to visit is Skyport. A place where dozens of Flying Ships are anchored. It''s time for me to see a Flying Ship up close. "You bought us. Tell me, what are your plans for us?" Ruciel asked, she broke the silence that enveloped us. "Hmm..." I made a strange noise and started thinking. After a minute or two, I said. "I don''t have any plans. I''ve saved... Buying you? Well... I don''t know the exact expression for this but, I''ve done what I want to do. That''s more than enough for me." "Are you serious about that?" "Yup!" I nodded. On the other hand, Ruciel continued to look at me without saying a word. I could see doubt or disbelief emanating from her eyes. "Why don''t you believe?" I started. "If you continue to have feelings like that, how about you give me some ideas about what I should do?" "..." I waited, I didn''t get an answer. Ruciel didn''t say anything and I shrugged. "Where are we going?" Ruciel chose to change the topic of our conversation. I nodded and accepted it. "I want to visit Skyport." "Why?" "Because I''m planning to leave this city." Kimi stopped abruptly after hearing what I said. In a slightly loud voice, she said, "We''re leaving? Why? Papa just died and we''re leaving this town? How could big sis make a decision like this? Does big sis not care for papa? Why doesn''t big sis care!? Uwaa..." The little girl started crying, I became panicked. I approached her and in a hurry, I tried to calm her down. "No, it''s not that I don''t care for papa or anything." "Then, why? Big sis didn''t look sad at all when Papa Wielth passed away." "Because I''m already been prepared. Papa is an adventurer, he can die at any time." I started and I hugged Kimi. I haven''t had time to proceed with my words and the little girl bite my shoulder. I felt pain, I held it. I took a deep breath and said, "I prepared my heart for papa''s death long before any of this happened. And because of this episode, I remember Mama Haruka. So, I plan to visit our mother''s grave. I want to tell her about what happened to papa." "..." "Do you want to visit Mama Haruka?" The little girl nodded, she calmed down, and she kept hugging me without having any intention to let go of me. She doesn''t want to move. In the end, I carried the little girl on my back. Due to this episode, our trip to Skyport was canceled. I decided to go home. And in the middle of our way back, I did not forget to buy the daily needs for ruciel and the others. We visited a few stores to buy clothes, cutlery, extra blankets, and so on... My sister? She fell asleep on my back. "Do any of you have knowledge about Flying Ship?" I asked a question when we bought groceries for dinner. "I know a few things," Vyorn replied. As for Ruciel and Salsa, they showed no signs of interest. "Then please tell me the things you know." "That''s going to be a long story." He said. "It''s good to ask about a few things instead of having to listen to them all." "Hmm... Then, do you know the place where Flying Ships are sold and the price range of a Flying Ship?" Vyorn nodded. "We can buy a small Flying Ship for about four hundred large gold coins in Craftsman City, Cadebre. A city with a distance of seven days by boarding Flying Ship from this city." "Cadebre..." Another name of the city I don''t know. And four hundred large coins. That is cheap for a smal Flying Ship. In AFO, a player needs six to seven hundred large coins to buy a small Flying Ship. "Are you planning to buy a Flying Ship?" "Yes, but I still needed two hundred large gold coins before I could buy a Flying Ship." I explained to Vyorn. And... "Why did all of you look at me with that gaze?" I can''t help to ask because three of them look at me without saying anything, again. Chapter 99 - Three Tails Two days passed and... There''s not a lot of episodes going on worthy of mentioning. However, three things require my attention. The first is Kimi''s improved condition and emotions. Now, the little girl no longer looked sad or depressed. She could even make a smile even though it''s tiny. Sleeping with me for one night seemed to be a powerful remedy for her. Hmm¡­ did I just say something that can cause misunderstandings? No, I think not. Anyway! Number two is about Ruciel, Salsa, and Vyorn. Three people- no! I mean Ruciel, she kept complaining to me or giving me questions, hour by hour. "Why are we here? To be your pet?" "Don''t you have a job for us?" "You didn''t want to order us around?" "No! You don''t have to cook for us! It''s should be is who cook for you!" "This is wrong! We are slaves and not guests in your house! Do you understand the meaning of the word Slave!" Yup! The girl was so noisy. It''s only been two days, she''s already asked tens of questions and keep yelling at me. Did I wrong? The girl said yes and keep talking. In the end, she became calmer after I said, we''ll hunt in two days. The last things that require my attention are the Orb Skill, Collar of Concealment, and my second evolution. I used the Orb Skill and yes, I got the Advance Skill, Steel Will. As for the Collar of Concealment... "Damn it! I can''t take it off!" Yup! As I once shouted, this Collar can''t be removed from my neck at all! This was a Cursed Magic Item! "I shouldn''t believe the jerk''s words just like that! I should have known that he never had any good intentions for me!" Why am I wearing it? To be honest, I wondered if the Collar of Concealment worked as spoken by the jerk. I also wanted to see the illusion of this Magic Item could create. So... I wear it and right now, I regret it. Arg... why don''t I use Apprisal first!? "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!" I shouted my frustration while smacking my innocent pillow. Cling! Cling! Yes¡­ the cling sounds that made me more furious came from the little bell on the collar I was wearing. That''s right, this collar ¡ª which adorned my neck ¡ª is so identical to the collar used to mark a cat as a pet. Made of leather, colored black, and comes with a small round bell made of gold was Collar of Concealment. "Haa... I''ll accept it for now because this thing is working the way it should. In the future, I will take this Collar off. I promised." Now, let''s forget about this collar. There''s something important I have to do now. < The requirement to evolve has been fulfilled. Do you want to evolve into Three Tails Fox? > < Yes > < No > Yup! I''m going to evolve. Different from before, this time I''ve already made preparations. Therefore I or my states in the middle of evolving will no longer make a commotion as it did before. What kind of preparation do I do? Well... It''s a simple preparation. I locked my bedroom door and told Kimi plus the others not to disturb me and wake me up when morning came. I''ll get out of the room when I want to. So... With all the preparations I''ve done, I chose < Yes > a moment later my consciousness faded away. ... ... ... ... ... ... Crip! Crip! The sound of birds woke me up. "Ugh... heavy... My body is extremely heavy and stiff," I complained to no one. Then, moving my heavy body, I took a bottle of Potion from the little table beside my bed and drank it. Then, for a moment I was able to move normally, I checked my body. And as before, the only thing that changed about me was my tail. Now I have three tails And when I used the Collar of Concealment, my tail turned into one. However, a moment later I disabled the Collar''s function. I don''t have the MP to make that Magic Item continue to work. The collar of Concealment takes 3 MP every hour to keep it working. Okay, let''s forget about the collar, let''s take a look at my Statistics. I was curious, how much strength I got this time. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 1/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 60/258 [207] | MP: 4/310 | SP: 4/199 [ STR: 149 | DEX: 51 ] [ END: 113 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 132 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] Updated [Doppelganger] New [Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood] [Nature Vitality] [Steel Will] New [Upgrade Hearing] [Upgrade Smelling] [Lesser Strength |Lvl 4] ? [Lesser Stamina |Lvl 3] ? [Medium Mana |Lvl 2] ? [Enchanted Body |Lvl 3] ? [SP Regeneration Up |Lvl 4] ? [Pain Resistance |Lvl 6] ? [Poison Resistance |Lvl 5] ? [Paralyze Resistance |Lvl 4] ? [Physical Attack Resistance |Lvl 3] ? [Heat Perception |Lvl 3] ? [Spear Mastery |Lvl 4] ? [Sword Mastery |Lvl 3] ? [Water Magic |Lvl 2] ? [Wind Magic |Lvl 2] ? [Appraisal |Lvl 2] ? [Courtesan |Lvl 7] ? [Cooking |Lvl 5] ? [Dance |Lvl 4] ? [Charm |Lvl 5] ? [Sharp Claws |Lvl 4] ? [Fire Breath |Lvl 2] ? [Mist of Nightmare Illusion |Lvl 2] ? ? All Skills level up! Yup! There is no doubt, I''m getting stronger. Hmm... In the previous evolution, I got 2 points for Luck, 10 points for DEX, 15 points for STR, 20 points for END, AGI, HP, and SP, and lastly, 30 points for MP. And now, I got 4 points for Luck, 20 points for DEX, 30 points for STR, 40 points for END, AGI, HP, and SP, and 60 points for MP. For the Stat Points bonus from Skills that went up one Level, I got 5 points from Lesser Strength and Lesser Stamina, 20 points from Medium Mana, 10% HP addition now 25% from Enchanted Body, 2 points for DEX, AGI, and SP from Cooking, Dance, and Courtesan. And yes, If someone peeking at that evolution Stat points bonuses, one could surmise it was intended to Mage Build. I know I have a body with Mage Build. And instead of using it, I literally fought monsters as if I had a Warrior Build. This was a bad decision and¡­ should I learn about magic more seriously? Don''t know and It can wait for a while. Now! This evolution gove addition of a lot of Basic Statistics. Three digits in almost all my Basic Statistics... With it, I can say that right now, I''m stronger than a level fifty pure Warrior without the Stat Points bonus gained from training, Skill, or Doping. I''m strong and I''m satisfied. After Basic Statistics is the new skill I got. The first one is Steel Will. [Steel Will] [Passive] [+ Negate the effect of confusion.] Hmm... Is this skill the next version of Confusion Resistance? If so, this means I can''t get the Advance Skill, All Status Effects Resistance. Grr... That jerk really an expert to make me angry. Anyway, I didn''t get the chance to get All Status Effects Resistance and it''s fine. Why? Because to obtain that Advanced Skill is complicated because I have to obtain a minimum of ten Status Effects Resistance Skills and then combine them into one. So... this is enough about Resistance Skills. Now, I''m curious about the new Unique Skill I obtained, a Unique Skill that previously only contained question marks. [Doppelganger] [MP -300] [+ Completely transform into a living creature that has been eaten before. The transformation cannot be undone by anything except the Unique Skill owner wants it to be undone. + Get all Skills and half the total Basic Statistics of the mimicked living creature. + The Skills and Basic Statistics of the Unique Skill owner will be added to the transformation and will be hidden. + Immune to various types of Analyzing Skills below level seven. + The duration of transformation is 24 hours. - Cooldown 7 days.] This was another crazy Unique Skill comparable to the Heart of Monsters! Completely transformed into the living creatures that were once eaten! This Unique Skill doesn''t explain how much meat of living creatures should I eat for me to turn into that living being. If just one bite of meat was enough to meet the needed requirements, wouldn''t that be amazing!? With this Unique Skill, I can truly become a monster. I could turn into Leaf Bear, Nightmare Illusion Peshroom, or that scary Slime. And if I eat high-level monster meat... Doesn''t that mean my hunt become much more easy? That''s an extremely good idea! I should ask Ruciel if there was a restaurant in the city serving fresh, high-level monster meat. I want dragon meat! Turned into a dragon... "Hehehe... I can''t wait to do it!" But before all of that, I had to make sure that eating a little piece of meat could do the trick. And all right, it''s time for me to see the updated Heart of Monsters. This is the last one. [ Heart of Monster ] [Passive] [ + Earn statistics points after eating a whole body of monster or a certain amount (1,200 gr) of monster meat. - After the tenth of monster meat, Basic Statistics points will not be obtained again + Obtain one of the monster skills (randomly) by eating their Magic Stones. Skill gained from a species of monster is one. After getting a skill, the next Magic Stone will be converted into Exp for the skill obtained earlier. - After the tenth Magic Stone, Exp for skill will not be obtained again. + Able to erase the skills gained from the Magic Stones of monsters. + Monster Heartbeat. Turned on automatically when the unique skill owner is in critical condition. > If turned on, get; All basic statistics up ¡Á 200% and HP, MP, SP regeneration speed ¡Á 200% > Duration, as long as the Unique Skill owner wants it. - Weakened Heartbeat. This Debuff will be obtained if the active Monster Heartbeat is turned off. > All the unique skill effects listed above will be nullified and all Basic Statistics will be reduced by half. > Duration; Triple of the use of Monster Heartbeat. ] It''s strange... If the Heart of Monsters only has all these effects, why would I become out of control after sniffing the scent of monster blood? "Hmm... Is it because this Unique Skill isn''t complete and still has a question mark like a Doppelganger?" I don''t know the answer to that question. But, I can''t wait to find it out; Won''t I get out of control again after I sniff the smell of monster blood? "There''s a lot of things I have to do. This change in my Basic Statistics and with these two, new Unique Skills, my plans changed again." What am I supposed to do now? Kryuukk...! "Alright, it''s been decided! I''ll make breakfast! That''s what I have to do now!" I got out of bed to carry out my plan to make breakfast! Chapter 100 - Flying Ship? No, Its Airship 1_2 "Hum~~ hum~" I hummed when I made breakfast. Today is a meat feast. One large piece of meat that has been soaked in seasoning for one night is in the frying pan. It''s simply delicious! The hissing sound that appears made my ears twitch happily, the smell of slowly cooked meat made me hungry, and lastly, the constantly flowing meat juices made me drool. With this meat as the main breakfast, this morning will be delightful. That''s the thing I thought about a moment ago. But who could have thought, my will be delightful morning was ruined by the girl I loved. "Stupid girl! Didn''t I tell you, let us cook breakfast for you! Can''t you remember this? Is your brain too small to remember it?" One end of my mouth twitched because of those insults. I love her but... couldn''t she be more loveable? I want her to be proper and adorable. Unfortunately, I couldn''t ask her to change her behavior in an instant. "Ruciel... Why did you have to ruin this delightful morning? You know, you have a beautiful face. But, with that noisy mouth of yours, your beauty goes to waste," I told the girl who is standing next to Salsa. "I don''t care about that!" "Haa... If you want to make breakfast for me, you have to get up earlier than me." "You said you didn''t want to be woken up early in the morning. That''s why I thought you''d wake up late. But look now, you''re already here!" Voicing her annoyance, Ruciel approached me and started chopping the vegetables I prepared. Salsa also didn''t want to be left behind, she started mixing the spices that I prepared. "What kind of cooking are we going to make today?" "Steak! Thick steak! Onion soup plus potato salad." "Okay." Salsa nodded then started making potato salad with Ruciel. Then, we made breakfast without saying anything. Honestly, I don''t want to talk to them and this doesn''t mean I hate them or anything like that. It was just for only this morning, I yearned for peace. My Stamina and Mana that were in critical condition made me uncomfortable to listen to the commotion. So¡­ I hope they or specially Ruciel, didn''t go noisy again. Glance~ Glance~ Yup, I realized what those two women were doing. They kept stealing their eyes at me when they do the cooking. At first, I ignored them. But now, I''m starting to get disturbed. "Something''s wrong?" I asked them. Ruciel and Salsa exchanged glances for a moment. Then Ruciel opened her mouth. However, before she could say anything... "Why is big sis tail becomes three now?" My little sister said the question ahead of the Fallen Elf girl. Not long after, my little sister started playing with and hugged my tails. "Stop it, Kimi, it tickles! Wait at the kitchen table, breakfast will be available soon." My sister didn''t answer right away. She keeps playing with my tails for some time before finally saying, "Alright." A few minutes later, we gathered to eat breakfast today. And yes, the we I said included Vyorn. The man came to the kitchen not long after Kimi sit down. In minutes, our breakfast disappear. "It''s time for you to give us a job," Vyorn said. "Being a parasite in your home is not fun," Ruciel added. As for Salsa, she just made a wry smile. Well... Maybe, it''s time for me to give them orders. With the shouts and complaints that Ruciel kept giving me, I choose to give up. I will give them some kind of order. And yes, I know if this situation keeps continuing like this, their mood will get worse. And the already cracked relationship between us will be even more cracked. There is a possibility that this relationship will be scattered and I don''t want it. But¡­ to be honest, I don''t know what kind of orders I should give them. I searched ideas for some time and... "Hmm... If you really want an order from me, how about the three of you hunt in the Foltian Great Dungeon? I''m not going to say how much, you can earn money for me. You can use half the money you get to buy whatever you want. Oh! I''ll give you guys money to buy hunting equipment first." After I finished, Vyorn told me that they had to make a Special Permit and re-register with the Adventurer''s Guild to carry out my orders. They needed my permission and I gave it along with the jerk''s Personal Seal. Vyorn made a nod, Salsa made a sigh of relief, while for Ruciel, the girl gave me a sharp look. The attitude she showed made me spontaneously say, "What? Are you not satisfied?" Ruciel didn''t say anything and chose to look away. My problems with them are solved and new problems appear. Kimi kept asking, why do I have three tails? Honestly, I''m having trouble keeping my secret from her. She knows when I tell lies and the lies I just made crumbled slowly. However, just before my secret was revealed, an idea popped into my head. "You know Kimi, these three tails are an illusion. Papa gave me this magical collar and take a look! My tail is back to one." "Oh..." The little girl made a voice filled with admiration as the Collar of Concealment showed its magic to hide my tails. "I want a collar like that too!" She shouted, full of desire. But, unfortunately for her, I don''t know where I can buy a collar like this. She was sad but came back to be cheerful when I said, I''d buy her a collar like this if she found a shop that sells it. In the end, she went to see Alan and Chloe seek out their help to find the store. "You deceived a little girl, did you ever feel remorse?" Ruciel asked. I didn''t answer back to that girl, I''m too tired now. Therefore, I gave her some gold coins and told her to do her job as soon as possible. And yes, I''ll change that girl''s attitude when I have a chance. I promised to make that girl be adorable and fall in love with me. It''s a promise for the future. Now, I''m alone and decided to take a rest for some time. I do go out after my stamina recovers quite a lot. My destination? I want to visit Skyport, I want information about the Flying Ship and if possible, I want to try to drive it. I also want to compare my knowledge of the Flying Ship that I got from Ark Fantasy Online with the reality in this world. So¡­ time passes... I reached the western district of Rishtonbell, where Skyport is located. The Skyport, the building where dozens of Flying Ships docked was constructed in a high place. Because of that, I had to face one of humanity''s greatest enemies, extremely long stairs. "It''s going to end exhausting," I said before starting to climb the extremely long stairs in front of me. I kept climbing and climbing then I was surprised, I didn''t feel tired when I got to the top, I didn''t even sweat. "It''s amazing," I said. I didn''t think I''d get a huge change after evolution! This episode makes me want to test my strength in a fight ASAP! "Unfortunately, I have to delay that decision. Now, I have to check this Skyport and find the Flying Ship first." So, I strode into the four-story building with a red roof in front of me. I followed a few people and when I was inside, I made a sound, "wow..." This Skyport was quite luxurious. It has gold decoration, a high-quality Crystal Lamp, a shiny marble floor, Magic Items that tell flight schedules, and many more. Observing the pillars, rows of waiting seats, Skyport travelers pacing around carrying suitcases, ticket sales place full of queues of people, and so on made me sure, this place was quite the same as the airport I knew. I looked around this place for quite some time before I decided to approach the information counter. I was queuing for some time before my turn arrived. A beautiful female receptionist greeted me with a smile and a question, "can I help you, miss?" I nodded and said what I wanted. "I want to know more about Flying Ships. I also wish to see the Flying Ship up close and if I can, I want to try to drive it. Can I find those things here?" The receptionist shook her head. "Unfortunately no, miss. This Skyport only serves issues related to transportation. However, if you visit a building on the north side of this Skyport, a place called Seven Wings, you can get the things you mentioned earlier." "Seven Wings in the north of this place?" "Yes, that''s true." "Thank you." "Your welcome." I left the information counter and went to the place where the Seven Wings was. Sometime later, I was confronted by another receptionist. But, different from the previous receptionist, this receptionist was a man. "Can I help you, miss?" I got the same question and I nodded. Then I told him why I visited this place. The receptionist nodded and said, "we have a Piloting Class to teach someone to drive an Airship, not a Flying Ship. We also have a Tech Class that explains knowledge related to Airship. We set a price of two gold coins for each class. Are you interested in taking these classes?" Getting that question, I nodded without hesitation. "I want to attend those two classes." "I understand. In that case, please fill out this registration form." The receptionist gave me some sheets of paper. I was excited and filled it as soon as possible. And yes, in this world, Flying Ships are called Airships.. This is the first difference I''ve found in my knowledge. Chapter 101 - Flying Ship? No, Its Airship 2_2 "Listen carefully, piloting an Airship is not a game but an art, a task!" A man says that explanation seriously. His name was Rach, he''s a Dwarf, and he''s an instructor. This short, muscular man has a dark brown beard and hair. His eyes filled with passion colored blue. And yes, he''s the man who over the past week taught us about how to drive an Airship. Not only that, but he also taught us about how to fix and to do maintenance on a small size Airship. Us? Right, us - me and five other people - became the man''s students. The disciples here consisted of two merchant children, two Adventurers, and a noble young. We may have different backgrounds but we learned the same thing. And yes, I studied hard and I do give everything I could. Because of that, I can drive an Airship now, even though I''m still not good at it. But anyway... Right now, we''re gathered in a class inside the Seven Wings. And over the past few hours, we listened to Rach''s explanation. What did we learn? I can say a lot of things. Some of them are predicting the weather, how to choose Magic Stones as the best fuel, various flying maneuvers, monsters that can threaten us in the sky, safety protocols, identifying good sphere parts sold in the market, and so on. Such knowledge continues given to us nonstop. And I''ll say, all these new experiences have been a lot of fun. Especially when they say, there''s a chance I can get a Skill, Pilot or Engineer. "Okay, enough theory for today. Now, go to the Hangar, we''ll do piloting practice as usual." Here it is! This is the part I''ve been waiting for! I love the piloting practice more than theory lessons that last for hours. So, after packing our things, we left the classroom. Our goal is the hangar. We had to walk for some time to get to the hangar that Rach was referring to. This hangar is large, this place can accommodate five large Airships, some kind of an Airships that require fifty people to operate, and seven small size Airships, an Airship that can be operated by two people. Unfortunately no... I didn''t learn to operate a large airship. I thought, I''m going to operate an Airship like that when I take this class but I''m wrong. Regret? No, although I can''t touch a large size Airship, I have no regrets. Being able to operate a small Airship is more than enough for me. As for operating a large-size Airship, I need a Helmsman, someone who has more Skills than just a Pilot, and some Crew who are also experienced in handling Airships. But yes, I didn''t dream to buy an Airship that big. I wanted an Airship that could be operated by less than ten people. Now, let''s put that problem aside. I need to focus on piloting practice. There are many Airships in this hangar. However, of all those Airships, we were only allowed to pilot Blue Fish, a small Airship with a capacity of two people. As the name suggests, Blue Fish is shaped like a fish or more precisely like a tuna fish. However, the Airship has two two-meter-long fins, the tail is replaced by a large thruster, and at the top becomes the place for the two-seat cockpit. "Are you ready, Miss Eclaite?" Rach asked. "Please wait a minute," I replied. Then, as fast as I could, I put on my flying gear, that is leather helmets, goggles, and gloves. Once I was ready, I boarded the Blue Fish with Rach. As for the other students, they boarded another Blue Fish along with the other instructors. "Turn the machine on," Rach began. "All right," I replied, at the same time, I pressed a button. Blue Fish shook for a while before its main engine turned on. "Good, do a basic check." "Of course." I looked at how much fuel this Airship had, made sure some gauges showed the numbers they should, and last, I checked if the control stick was working properly. "All clean," I made the report. "In that case, fly this Airship." "Eclaite, Blue Fish, take off!" Thus, I pushed the throttle lever. Blue Fish started moving, it accelerated through the track, and after we got enough speed, we flew into the sky. "Should you say that phrase every time we take off?" Rach asked as I pressed a button to fold the Blue Fish wheel. "No... but, don''t those words sound cool?" "... I don''t understand, from which point of view that it can be said to be cool," Rach explained. "Now, concentrate on flying this Airship." And... I concentrated as he said. I''ll say, I''m still impressed by this - flying in the sky piloting the Airship - even though I''ve done it four times. This is one thing I never thought I do in real life. My experience piloting the Airship at Ark Fantasy Online? I can say that the two - operating airships in Ark Fantasy Online and this world - are extremely different. In the game, to fly an Airship, a Player only needs to use a simple controller. But here, there are many things to do before and when flying an Airship. It''s an extremely rewarding experience. And this included the moments where I saw the scenery of the city of Rishtonbell from the high in the sky. The city is so wonderful and I smile every time I see it. "Living in a fantasy world is truly fun," I whispered and we kept flying. Minutes passed, my attention was drawn by the hundreds of people gathered in the plaza in front of the White Tower. They seemed to be waiting for something and I wondered: what they are waiting for. "Why so many people? What happened?" I wondered. "You don''t know? Aren''t you an adventurer?" "That''s right, but, does being an Adventurer have anything to do with that crowd?" "It''s shocking that you don''t know. Let me remind you, it was a festival of homecoming for the expedition team. I heard, that group managed to open the gate to the eighth floor of the Foltian Great Dungeon." "Ah! The expedition, it''s plausible that crowd centered on the plaza in front of White Tower." I made a nod. So, Vier and the others finally came back huh. Hmm... Maybe this is a good opportunity to repay their kindness. I want to leave, if I don''t do it when I can, I feel like I''ll never be able to do it. It''s not a bad idea to look for a gift for them after today''s class is over. < Acquired a skill! Pilot |Lvl 1 > [Pilot | Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Increase proficiency in operating any type of Airship, give a little ability to predict the weather, and increase DEX plus AGI by 2 points permanently.] "Yahoo!" Spontaneously, I shouted for a moment I got the notification. I was so happy that I got the Skill I wanted that all this time just happened. "What happen, Miss Eclaite? Why are you screaming and why did the control stick come off!?" Rach who voiced those questions made me realize what I was doing. "... I... I seem had tore off this control stick with all my might by accident." "How did that happen! That control stick should be sturdy! Miss Eclaite, run the emergency landing protocol now." "Of course, Instructor Rach." As fast as I could, without panicking, I started pressing a few buttons and adjusting a few levers to make an emergency landing. And unfortunately, before I finished making preparations, a strong wind pushed this Airship. "It''s bad," Rach said with unease. "If the emergency landing protocol is in place, hold to something, Miss Eclaite." And I did what Rach said. Emergency landing equipment is working properly. However, due to the strong wind gusts earlier, our Airship fell rapidly towards a building. I can''t change our path because this Airship control stick is broken. Therefore, "Prepare yourself, Instructor Rach, we''re going to hit a building." Crash! Bam! Bam! This Airship landed so roughly. We were thrown inside of cockpit many times in a matter of seconds. Smoke immediately came out of the engine while this Airship was lying on the ground. Therefore, immediately, I pulled Rach out of the Airship and took him away from it. As I did that, I realized we were landed in the main street. And because of this episode, several people were injured. "Please stay away from the Airship! There''s a chance it will explode!" I shouted to warn those closest to the Airship. After giving a warning and making sure Rach was okay, I immediately helped the other injured people, I joined some people who had good hearts to help. For quite some time, I was busy helping people and giving them the first aid using the Healing Water Ball. I breathed a sigh of relief when I learned that no one had died in this accident. Two people were seriously injured but they were good because I help them with my Healing Spell. And they would be perfect after receiving treatment from Priest. And yes, the Patrol Knights showed themselves. Quickly, they took care of this accident. Rach gets questions from them. And in the end, we had to wait here - under the watchful eye of the Patrol Knights - until higher-ups from Seven Wings came. "Sorry, Instructor Rach. All this happened because I broke the control stick," I told Rach, who was checking Blue Fish''s cockpit. Rach didn''t say anything and kept inspecting the cockpit. Then, a few moments later. "It''s not your fault, look at this." Rach showed me the bottom of the control stick. "This control stick lock was not properly installed. What''s worse, the lock itself is already in a worthless state." "Worthless?" "Yes." Rach nodded. "The person who is in charge of maintenance this week seems to have made a mistake.. I have to report this matter." Chapter 102 - Ronove "You can go home now, Miss Eclaite." "Thank you, Rach." "No, we''re the ones who should be thank you. We won''t get into any further trouble because you''re not suing us." "I also don''t want the hassle of suing you. See you soon." "Yeah, see you." With that, I left the Seven Wings, I walked towards the shopping area. I have plans to buy gifts for Vier and Cabal. Shopping for something perhaps will help me to forget about the accident that happened before. And regarding the accident, if I was the one who make a mistake - according to the registration form I filled out - I was required to pay ten gold coins. On the other hand, if an accident happens and it''s not my fault - an accident that happened due to a technical problem or something like that - I''m the one who will get the compensation in the form of medical expenses until I recover. And yes, their insurance is not perfect and is only guaranteed by Seven Wings itself. It''s one-sided insurance, it''s not fair. But now, let''s forget about the accident or the insurance. I have to think and choose a gift for Vier and Cabal. "Then again, what should I buy?" They were Adventurers, buying equipment such as armor, weapons, or Magic Items was the right choice. But unfortunately, they were A-Rank Adventurers. I had doubts that the equipment I buy would be useful to them. At least, I do need Unique-grade or Legendary-grade Equipment to satisfy them. And I''m sure, no one sold it in this town. If there was, I wouldn''t be able to afford it. As for Spells... Vier could grow my hand again and for Cabal, I remembered that he used the Great Axe. An Axeman or perhaps an Axe Champion wouldn''t need a Spell like the Mages. "Uh~~ what kind of gift should I choose." I kept searching for and thinking about gifts as I peeked from one store to another in this shopping area. "I never thought, choosing a gift was a hard task to do," I complained and I kept moving. Clothes, no. I''m not their girlfriend or their wife. Jewelry, no. I''m sure they don''t want to be beautiful. Alcohol drink, no. Gifts like that are too common. Yes, I never quit to find decent gifts but then, I stopped things I did because something caught my attention. It was a small purple tent often used by fortune tellers that caught my attention. I recognized that purple tent especially when it had a striking sign that read, "Ronove The Seer." Ronove is a Quest Giver. This woman has stories related to Necromancy, Zombies, Corpse Walkers, and so on. The end of the story? She tries to revive her long-dead love one but she doesn''t succeed. Her loved one became the Lich King. Now, enough about Ronove. In addition to recalling about her, I also recalled the Gaia Blood Gem, a red gem that triggered one of the Main Quest, The Titans. The Main Quest is filled with adventure, ravaging battles, and precious treasures. That would probably be an amazing gift for Vier and Cabal. They''ll definitely like it! Saving the world, Who doesn''t want it? What about me? I don''t want it because it''s troublesome. Anyway, enough about my opinion. I moved my legs, I entered the tent, and I see someone I search for. "Ho ho ho, I didn''t expect that my first customer was a beautiful girl," Ronove said cheerfully. However, her cheerful attitude was so opposite to the horror vibe that filled this tent. That''s right, horror. Human skulls, bottles containing eyeballs, Potions of various colors, magic circles made of blood in papers, candles that became the source of illumination, and darkness that envelop this tent. Yup! All of this gives the horror vibe. As for Ronove herself, she was wearing a black robe that covered her entire body, her face was hidden inside the hood, and her hands looked like the hands of dry corpses. I know her secret and she''s not Undead. Ronove is a beautiful woman. But she will unfold this secret when her story is almost complete. "What fortune do you want, young lady?" Ronove asked for a moment I sat in a chair. My fortune! It was a good idea but I didn''t come for it. I came to, "Gaia Blood Gen, I met you to get the gen." Ronove fell silent after hearing my words. The woman only regained consciousness a few seconds later. "Ho ho ho, Gaia Blood Gem? I don''t know what that thing is? And I need to remind you, this place is not a jewelry store," Ronove explained. The woman picked up some tarot cards and arranged them on the table. "What about the fortunes of love? A young lady like you would like it, right?" I had expected this and of course, she would pretend she didn''t know. Gaia Blood Gem is her Quest reward. She would only give the gem after someone completed the Quest and give her, "Soul Condense Potion. I''m willing to exchange this Potion recipe if you want to give me the Gaia Blood Gem you have." Ronove''s hand stopped, a moment later she looked at me. Thanks to this, I could see her face that was full of wrinkles. She does truly look like an Undead. Haa... I hope she soon turns into a beautiful woman. I prefer that appearance much more than this one. "How you know? Who are you?" "My name is Eclaite and do you agree with this exchange? "No, wait a minute. How do you know I want a Soul Condense Potion and have the Gaia Blood Jewel? Answer that first, young lady!" "Does that not matter? You get what you want as well as me, that''s all that matters." "Ho ho ho, young lady, my questions are reasonably important," she said monotonously. A moment later and so suddenly, a cold enveloped this tent. Not only that, I felt danger flowing from Ronove. Does she want to fight? If so, that''s bad news. Ronove was level eighty and she used the Necromancer Build. With my current strength, I''m sure I can win if I''m careful. However, that victory I would achieve if Ronove hadn''t summoned her dozens of Skeleton Soldiers. And if she does summon her troops, I''ll lose. "I don''t want to fight, I just want to make a deal. Now, are you willing to accept this deal or not?" The both of us grow silent, staring at each other, and some time passed. "...fine, I accept this deal." Ronove gave me a paper and a quill. "The recipe, young lady." "Certainly," I replied. I started moving the quill to write the required ingredients for the Soul Condense Potion and how to make it. I gave Ronove that recipe after I finished writing it. And without wasting any time, she read the recipe. She spent a few minutes in it and my patience was running low. "Please, my Gaia Blood Gem," I demanded. Ronove finally turned her eyes away from the recipe to look at me. It wasn''t long before she gave me a red gem. However, this red gem was different from the one I expected. "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Blood Gem] [Tier 3] [+ A gemstone created from the blood of hundred monsters.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ "This is a Blood Gem. Why are you deceiving me?" "Ho ho ho, I''m just imitating you. Didn''t you also deceive me, young lady?" "Haa... I have no intention of deceiving you." "Soul Condense Potion is not an ordinary Potion. The technique of its creation was strictly protected by the Alchemist''s Guild. So, for you ¡ª the young lady who came out of nowhere ¡ª to tell me how to make a Soul Condense Potion is a scenario that will only happen in a dream." "Then let''s create a Blood Pact, something that makes you, the Necromancers, trust others." "..." Ronove didn''t say anything. She only gave me a probing look as she prepared the items to make the Blood Pact. And for the next few minutes, she does make the Magic Circle for the Blood Pact. She instantly activated that Magic Circle after it was finished. "We made this deal with honesty. Otherwise, we''ll get the Bleeding Curse for a month," Ronove said after she dripped her blood into the Magic Circle. "Your blood and promises, young lady," she demanded. I pricked my fingertips with a needle. Then, I dripped my blood into the Magic Circle and made the same promise. "We made this deal with honesty. Otherwise, we''ll get the Bleeding Curse for a month." Then, I got another gem from Ronove. "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Gaia Blood Gem] [Tier 1] [+ Crystallisation of the blood of the Goddess of Life, Gaia. This gemstone holds a secret.] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ Yup! Here it is! This is the gemstone I want. We waited and the Bleeding Curse ¡ª a curse that made a person shed tears of blood and made wounds incurable by spells or potions ¡ª didn''t appear on our bodies. So, none of us are lying. "Nice to do business with you, Miss Ronove. If you need something, search for me in Cadebre because I will not be in this city in seven or nine days. Hope to see you again," I told her. "Ho ho ho, of course, see you again, young lady." I nodded then I left my chair. I came out of the tent and my goal was the Adventurer''s Guild. I''m sure Vier and Cabal are there. Now, I''m getting the gift I do feel decent. All I have to do next is to hand over this gift. With this, the thing I had to finish in this city became two. I have to finish the flight class and I have to hunt down Leaf Deer. Don''t forget, I need more pocket money. Mist Forest Ebua will fill my wallet once again. Chapter 103 - Unwanted Party "When two moon become one, give this gem their light then give your blood and healing spell to it. After all of that, wait for the surprise to come," I explained to Vier and Cabal. Yes, I handed them the Gaia Blood Gem. The two men went back and forth looking at the gem and me for some time. Lubov, Anna, Elizaveta, and Hatori did the same. They look confused. "Do I have to repeat the explanation?" "No you don''t have to," said Vier who then shook his head. "I remember your explanation. But why did you give us this gem?" "This is a gift for your kindness and help." "You''ve already paid us, you don''t have to do it again." "This is a gift, Vier," I emphasized. "I don''t pay you guys, I just want to give you something. So, please accept it." Vier grows silent while Cabal makes a nod. The dark-red-haired man then said, "Thank you, Eclaite. We''ll take care of it." My fox ears twitched and a smile bloomed on my face. "Yup! That''s right, you guys should keep it and do things that I explained earlier. You must know, I will not forgive you if you sell or lost the gem." "We''re not going to sell it and we will keep it save." "I''m glad to hear it." I nodded and looked around. "Now, why are we here and why should I come here?" Right now, I was in a vast garden located next to a large and luxurious mansion. And yes, I don''t need to say that this place is in the noble district or the main district of the city of Rishtonbell. How did I get to this place? Well... I visited the Adventurer''s Guild after I left Ronove''s tent. I tried to find Vier and the others in the crowd but I was found by Ellis. The woman then invited me to ride in a bird-drawn carriage after she found out I was looking for Vier and the others. We stopped by the clothing store, the woman told me to try on some dresses, and after she chose a dress for me, she give me makeup. Then, we arrived at this party. All of that is so sudden. As I asked Vier and the others; weren''t they tired to attend a party at the moment they were out of the Dungeon? They replied; we were fine because we had already rested for a few days in the settlement on the first floor before exiting the Dungeon and coming to this party. As for me, I''m a little tired because of the flight class and the accident that happened this afternoon. Worse, I can''t say no to the invitation. This was an invitation from the Lord of Rishtonbell. I don''t want to imagine what would happen if I declined it. And at the end of the day, here I am, wearing a red dress in a beautiful garden filled with party devices. Party devices? Now that was a wrong term. Anyway, this beautiful garden has been properly assembled. The dance floor is in the middle of this garden. Around it was dozens of circle tables containing various types of food and drinks. The Crystal Lamp numbering in the dozens became the star that illuminated this place. That''s right, there were dozens of people or maybe more, gathered in here. A small percentage of the party guests were Adventurers. Then, there were adventurer''s guild employees, merchants were also here, the last and most numerous guests were the nobles. The knights? They became bodyguards who secured this place. They are scattered around the garden. How do I know who''s attending this party? Ellis told me. She was my informant and now, she''s giving me another explanation. "You, Miss Eclaite, along with the others are here to receive the thanks and honors that the Lord of Rishtonbell will give to you." My tail made one strong swing. "I''ve never done anything worthy of the Lord''s thanks." "Now you''re jesting," Ellis said, giving me a wry smile. On the other hand, I tilted my head slightly because I didn''t understand the meaning of Ellis'' speech. "... Miss Eclaite, you must remember that you were the one who discovered the Lost City Beldea. Not only that, but you also become one of the Adventurers who played a big role in the monsters'' attack on eastern settlements. These two things deserve credit." "Lost City Beldea, several times I heard that name," Lubov said. "Can you tell us more about it, Ellis?" "Of course, it all starts from-" When I sold Ruby, then my mouth become loose. And from there, Ellis told Lubov and the other about The Lost City Beldea. Ellis didn''t tell them about my adventures in Beldea, after all, she didn''t know it. So, she told them more about the investigations conducted by Adventurer''s Guild employees and things that happened after I sold my claims to Beldea. I''m curious, so I''m listening too. Although I had expected it, it was still a big surprise when I heard they found hundreds of treasures from ancient times inside that ruin. Ugh! I shouldn''t have sold my claim. However, on the other hand, I was afraid of the wrath of a nobleman. I can only hope that my decision to sell the claim is not a bad one. Then, after Ellis finished speaking... "Pretty girl, how could you find the ruins when a powerful illusion hid it?" Lubov asked me with investigating eyes. "... I found it... when I tried the function of the Lantern of Revealers I bought. The lantern is so unique, hahaha..." "I smelled a lie," Lubov said. The wolf girl brought her face closer to mine, her eyes were glued to my eyes, she made me herried. "I want my right to remain silent!" I said to defend myself. "So you''re lying." Lubov narrowed her eyes. And now, she looks dangerous. "Pretty girl, tell me your secret, or... I''ll tickle you until you say it." Lubov approached me and I stepped back. I felt the horror. Luckily, the horror never happened. That''s because... "Alright, that''s enough." Cabal pulled Lubov''s collar, he stopped the wolf girl. I was saved then time passed. Lord of Rishtonbell shows himself at the party. He greeted the guests, talked to them for some time, delivered a speech, and finally, he gave us ¨C the Adventurers ¨C a thank you and rewards. The Adventurers who took part in the expedition earned gold coins and status as friends of Lord of Rishtonbell. And yes, they didn''t get any other rewards because the Items they found in the dungeon weren''t handed over to the Lord of Rishtonbell. As for me, I got another gold coin, the status of a friend of the Lord of Rishtonbell along with a title of Honorary Knight at the rank equivalent to a Captain of a Knight Squad, and the last one is a mansion in the capital of Heingarz Kingdom, Astawein. "It''s just me or being rich is easy. Someone just needs to find a ruin," said I, still in doubt at what happened. "You know, pretty girl, someone can stab you if you talk like that carelessly," Lubov replied. The wolf girl then pierced my waist with her index finger. And it was quite shocking when I found out that no one try to stop her. Did I make a mistake? I kept thinking that question when Lubov continued to torture me using her finger. The Lord was done giving the rewards. The real party begins. Then, I''ll say, this party is scary. Merchants and nobles approached me intending to get to know each other or to know me better. I try so hard to fight my fears for men when facing them. But in the end, I was overwhelmed and almost lost control when one of the nobles proposed to me. To save myself, I took refuge behind Cabal''s back. I used the man as a shield. "Sorry about this, Cabal." "Don''t apologize and you can count on me." "Thank you." Why do I ask for Cabal''s protection instead of Vier''s? Of course, because Anna is so scary. The silver-haired Half-Elf woman looks like going to kill me when I walked closer to Vier. What about Ellis? She assembled with several other Adventurer''s Guild employees to confront a man who seemed to be the Guildmaster. So, in the end, during the party, I was always near Cabal. I even danced with that man. "You are very good at dancing. It''s quite shocking," Cabal commented. "I don''t think it''s a surprise. Can''t you dance well too?" "I''m a nobleman, remember? When I was a kid, I had to learn to dance. What about you?" I got this dancing skill from the brothel. They told me to learn erotic dances. Yup! I can''t give him an answer like that. That''s why I''m just smiling at him. The night was getting late and I decided to rest at an empty table in one corner of this garden. I am safe from the merchants and nobles because there are many Adventurers and Adventurer''s Guild employees around me. A glass of juice was in my hand, I enjoyed it while looking at the night sky decorated with millions of stars. Alcoholic drinks? Yeah... If I wanted to get drunk and then be taken by someone somewhere, I would definitely alcoholic drink without holding back. "When will this party end?" I asked as I watched two months slowly become one. Ah! Oh! "Cabal, Vier!" I shouted out their names. And of course, the thing I did caught the attention of the other guests. But I don''t care about it, there''s one thing I have to do. I searched for them and they found me. "Something''s wrong, Eclaite?" Vier asked. "What happened?" Cabal followed. "Take Gaia Blood Gem and come with me," I instructed and search for a place that had the brightest moonlight. Then, when I found one, I told them to bathe the gem in the moonlight. After that, Vier and Cabal dripped their blood onto the gem. All of it ends with Vier using Greater Heal on the gem. As time passed, the Gaia Blood Gem began to shine. And moments later, hundreds of green particles of light that come out of the Gaia Blood Gem form a figure of a stunning woman. "The kind one, please lend your help to me," the figure said. Chapter 104 - Leaf Deer 1_3 "The kind one, please lend your help to me," the figure said. After the words were spoken, an uproar emerged. Almost all the guests at this party were astonished. Their eyes couldn''t escape Gaia''s figure, made of green light. And yes, Gaia explained that she is in a critical condition. She also told Vier and the others about how she was in that circumstance. Gaia was seriously injured while she was taking part in the war of the gods. Gaia plans to recuperate by slumbering. However, she didn''t expect that Evil Gods'' followers will assault her when she was in a helpless state. Thanks to the assault, Gaia becomes a hostage to the Evil Gods'' followers. In the end, the goddess of life, Gaia was used as a source of vitality to revive the Evil Gods. The mission for Vier and the others can be guessed easily, they must defeat the followers of evil gods, free Gaia, and revive her And as a Sub Quest, they also had to save Gaia''s children. Vier and Cabal accept Gaia''s request. They know extremely well the crisis faced by Gaia and the consequences that will occur if the Goddess of Life continued to be a hostage to the followers of the Evil Gods. So, with that, Vier, Cabal, Anna, Lubov, Elizaveta, and Hatori get the Main Quest, The Titans. "I wish you guys could complete this Quest," I told them with a smile. Vier seemed to want to say something to me but he couldn''t do it because the Lord of Rishtonbell called him. The Lord was extremely excited when he found out an Adventurer''s Party in his city was about to travel to save the world¡ª no, scratch that. The purpose of the Main Quest, the Titans is to resurrect the Goddess of Life, Gaia. Gaia is one of the six Prominent Gods. So... Saving Gaia is the same as saving the world? ... I don''t truly understand this goal of Main Quest. But! I understand that Vier and the other going on a thrilling adventure. The episode that appeared was prolonged due to Gaia''s appearance. Luckily, I was allowed to leave. I''m sleepy and I want my bed badly. It was so late when I got home. Ruciel was quite surprised when she saw me who was wearing a dress get off the bird-drawn carriage. She even mis-guesses and thought of me as a noble. Ruciel''s reaction was adorable as she tried to be polite to me. I like it a lot. But more than that, I''m happy to see her face and to be back home. Finally! I can sleep. "Let me go!" Ruciel wailed or ordered. My answer to that order? Well... I rejected it. I''ve been at pains to drag Ruciel this bed, forcing her to sleep with me without me having to say command is something hard to do. Therefore, there''s no way I''ll just let this chance go. It''s a rare opportunity and I don''t want to let it end in a blink of an eye. I slept well even though at first I struggled to close my eyes because Ruciel was so noisy. ... The morning came and a week passed in the blink of an eye. I completed my flight class and unfortunately, I didn''t get the Skill, Engineer. I don''t have a compatibility with that Skill. So, finally, I had some free time, I decided to hunt down Leaf Deer. Our Party members are like the previous ones but with the addition of Salsa and Vyorn. This party was ready to shake the Mist Forest Ebua Cabal and the others? After preparing for five days, finally, they began their journey to revive Gaia. I say my goodbye and send them off with a smile. They''re going to make history. I have a plan, when I have some free time, maybe I''ll check their progress in the Main Quest. But now! Back to the issues about Leaf Deer! At this moment, my Party and I were exploring the misty forest. Yup! We were inside the Mist Forest Ebua. We''ve been exploring this place before. Therefore, we will not be lost as before. And I can say with confidence, we won''t be swallowed up by illusions anymore. Why? Because each of us uses Magic Equipment, Accessories that have Dark Magic Resistance. "You know, this is a waste of money, why would you buy such expensive accessories in bulk if you only need them once?" "Isn''t the answer to that question obvious? I bought these accessories because I needed them." "You''re too spend drift, you know that?" "All this is for our safety," I explained. "If we can avoid danger with money. Why don''t we do it?" "Even so, you must learn to use your money wisely. Staying with you made me realize how bad you are at taking care of your finances." "That''s too much trouble." My ears twitch when I think about my financial planning. I don''t want to do that thing Therefore, "What if you do it for me?" "Don''t throw trouble at others!" With such chitchat, we walked inside the mist forest. Our destination is the deepest part of this forest, a place where Leaf Deer lives. The Illusions and Decaying Illusion Peshrooms in this forest are no longer a threat to us. But that doesn''t mean the threats disappear completely. Threats are always there and now, one of them shows up to greet us. My Heat Perception is level three. Therefore, I can detect heat within a radius of sixty meters. And thanks to that, I was able to detect a threat that was in the form of five monsters. They approached us quickly. "Five monsters coming from the north, get ready," I warned my party and I unsheathed the Silver Spear. "How long will they arrive?" Ruciel asked. "Less than a minute." Ruciel nodded. "Salsa, Vyorn, get ready. We can trust the claim of this stupid girl." Ruciel''s words were able to convince our new members. They prepared and drew their weapons. As for the kids, they were already prepared to face the monsters that came. Not long after, five Leaf Wolf show themselves from within the bushes and behind the trees. They send their claw and fang to us with strong killing intent. "I''m going to confront two monsters on the right side. Please take care of the other three monsters." After speaking, I ran up to the Leaf Wolves. I used all my capacity when I ran and I was surprised. I''m so fast! Triple-digit AGI is incredible. Thanks to it, I was able to get close to those monsters in an instant- or no. To be honest, I felt like I was running for quite a while before I got in front of these monsters. However, on the other hand, the monsters moved so slowly as I ran. And even they''re still moving so slowly now. So, in my perspective, I''m not getting faster at all but the world is slowing down. However, I''m sure, the others who see me will believe I''m fast. It''s quite confusing and let''s forget about it. There are monsters I have to kill. I swung my spear to stab the heads of two Leaf Wolf. The monsters couldn''t dodge and I didn''t get any counterattacks from them. They die just like that, in seconds. They''re too slow to do anything. And I can say, this is the easiest fight that''s ever come to me. With my fight over, I decided to take a look at Kimi and the others'' fight. Yes... They were still trying to defeat those monsters. Kimi and Alan team up to face a Leaf Wolf. Ruciel faces one monster and Vyorn does the same. Chloe and Salsa who were in the backline were ready to give support. Minutes passed and the fight was over. "This is so strange, why are you becoming so strong in such a short period?" Ruciel asked. "...because my level is up." "..." Ruciel looked at me without saying anything. At the same time, I didn''t say another answer. I''m being honest here, half of it at last. Our conversation stopped and I could say this is nice. Thanks to it, I was spared from Ruciel''s interrogating eyes. Our journey continued after we retrieved the Magic Stones and the precious parts of the Leaf Wolf. In the middle of our journey, the monsters came in turn. They become training targets for me. I''m trying to get used to the new strengths I''ve got. The explosion of Stat Points that I got after evolving made my body hard to control, again. Often I use inflated strength when attacking the monsters and vice versa. This was a disaster. But in the end, after thirty-eight monsters, my efforts paid off. I managed to adjust myself to my new strength. Not only that, but my level also went up. < Level up! 1 to 2 > < Level up! 2 to 3 > Great! I grow stronger and... "We finally reached the center of the Mist Forest Ebua." In front of me was an open space that was also can be called a grassland. This place is so beautiful. Especially when a huge tree stands tall in the middle of this grassland. The white fog didn''t envelop this grassland, they couldn''t get close to this place. Because of that, they became the high walls surrounding this place. And yes, Leaf Deer, the monster I''m looking for is here. Leaf Deer has horns made of dark green gems. Its body is colored light leaf green with white on the stomach. The monster''s tail was large, its size was almost close to an adult''s body, and it is dark green. Leaf Deer is pretty big. It had a height of three meters and a body length approaching five meters. It was getting more intimidating because its body looked quite muscular. At this moment, the monster was under a huge tree, it was eating the grass growing in there. But the peace was only a moment. The monster moved its head to look at us. A moment later, its horns began to glow. "All of you, get ready!" I shouted. Chapter 105 - Leaf Deer 2_3 Leaf Deer''s antlers glowed. Seconds passed and the ground in front of the monster began to move and crack. Something that moved inside the ground of this meadow come close to us. And I know, that moving thing is the roots made by Leaf Deer''s magic. That''s right, Leaf Deer can grow trees ¡ª a type of tree with brown trunk ¡ª in the blink of an eye. It could not only grow one but several trees at once! Leaf Deer can control those trees as they grow. And if Leaf Deer stopped growing the trees it summoned, it wouldn''t be able to control them anymore. And yes, the trees controlled by Leaf Deer are extremely dangerous. They can catch and crushes our body with extremely strong coils. They could also trap us into a wooden cage which is made instantly. Therefore, we must be wary of the growing trees, we must keep moving so as not to be caught and killed. However, for now, a distance of fifty meters separated us. The trees won''t come soon and we still have time to do something. That''s why... "All of you, get ready and move, never stop or you will be caught." Kimi and the others nodded. They know what I mean because I''ve told them about the Leaf Deer''s ability and the menaces of its trees. And that''s right, once again, I have to deal with the roots and the trees. It reminds me of the jerk after he turned into a monster. How can he control the tree- wait a minute. That wasn''t true, he could only control the roots of his body instead of the trees. And¡­ Let''s forget about the jerk... forever. I don''t need to think about him when I have to kill Leaf Deer. Ruciel released some of her arrows. The target is of course Leaf Deer. Ruciel plays the role of Interceptor and Preventer, she will repel Leaf Deer long-range attacks and disturb the monster when it tries to use a powerful Spell. Kimi and Alan moved together with Chloe and Salsa. They are in charge of protecting the Healers. With Fire Sword and Rot Saber, I''m sure, their task becomes easier. Chloe''s abilities were not good enough, therefore, the healing she would do centered on the back row. As for Salsa, the woman is quite an expert. She''ll be in charge of giving Debuff to the monster and at the same time, she''ll take care of my HP and Vyorn''s. And yes, that formation left me and Vyorn in the charge of attacks. We are the ones who will lure Leaf Deer''s attention, break its defenses, and give damage to the monster directly. The arrow shot out and I ran after it. Vyorn followed me, he wasn''t too far from me. Meanwhile, the back row moved slowly as they followed us. Ruciel''s arrow didn''t hit its target. Leaf Deer who had just dodged made a cry, "Ruu!!" It stomped its front legs into the ground and a moment later, the ground in front of me opened to reveal trees that growing at an incredible speed. "Oops!" I uttered as I dodged the trees that were trying to catch me. And of course, I continued to approach Leaf Deer as I try to stay away from these trees. I didn''t get into too much trouble because of my new speed. And when all these trees no longer moved after they finished growing, I can''t be stopped. Vyorn who was near me did the same thing. He dodged the trees. And I can say, he''s more skillful than me when he dodged those trees. He could even jump from one place to another by utilizing all these trees as a foothold. He''s a Ninja. Our distance from the monster is getting closer and... "[Wind Cutter]" I fired my Spell at the monster. Unfortunately, my attacks can be avoided easily. The monster just needs one jump to getaway. Leaf Deer stomped its feet again. Dozens of trees appeared, growing at a fast pace. Now, they''re forming a wall to stop me from moving closer to the monster. But this won''t be a problem, I''ve prepared something to vanquish these trees even though I don''t use Rot Saber. I took a bottle from inside my Magic Bag. This bottle contained a liquid that had properties like a Weed Killer but was stronger! This liquid is called Tree Killer! An upgraded version of its weed series! Anyway, this liquid can kill a tree at almost the same speed as when the Leaf Deer grows a tree. I threw a bottle of this liquid at the trees in front of me. Then, my fox ears twitched happily as I watched the trees in front of me wither because of the Tree Killer awesome effect. A road was made and I passed through it without hesitation. Here, on the other side of the tree wall, I saw Vyorn who is using his dagger, attack the Leaf Deer. The man ensnared Leaf Deer into a melee fight. This made the monster not have a moment to grow trees. An opportunity was created and I couldn''t possibly waste it. I approached Leaf Deer as quickly as I can. Joining Vyorn, I attacked the monster using my spear. "Ruu ru!" Yes, the monster didn''t stay silent, it gave us counterattacks. It used its antlers to pierce our bodies and used its hind legs to launch kicks at us. The monster was so nimble and fast. I had a little trouble keeping up with its speed even though I had already given my all in this fight. "[Triple Thrust]" My spear flew quickly to pierce the Leaf Deer''s body. But then, my attack missed. The monster moved its body to dodge then jumped backward. Vyorn came with his Dagger from the left side. "[Viper Bites]" He managed to injure the Leaf Deer''s back. But simultaneously, he also got a kick from the monster. Vyorn managed to defend himself. But still, he was thrown because of the power of the kick. Three arrows shot towards the Leaf Deer. One arrow was successfully struck in the thigh of its right, hind leg. As for the other two, they missed and stuck in the trunk, behind the monster. "Ruu!" Leaf Deer staggered, I stepped closer, energy filled my arms and legs, the monster''s neck became my target. "[Crimson Impale]" I''m sure this attack will give it a lot of damage but... CHLANG! A shield ¡ª a thin glass-like form made of green light ¡ª suddenly appeared to block my spear that is covered in red light. "Shit! That Barrier Magic has finally appeared!" That''s right, Barrier Magic. This was the defense that made Leaf Deer worthy of being referred to as Sub Boss. "But, well..." I''ve already made preparations to face this barrier. My fox''s tail made a powerful swing as I picked up a Spell Gem from inside the Magic Bag hanging on my waist. Spell Gem? It was a clear gem - at the size and shape of a ping pong ball - filled by a Spell. Now, what kind of Spell is the inside of the Spell Gem in my hand? The answer is... "Code zero six, release; [Corrosive Dark]" Black water came out from the Magic Circle that appeared in front of the Spell Gem. Quickly, the black water flows, taking the form of a snake to wrap around the Leaf Deer''s barrier and begin to destroy it. The keyword used to activate Spell Gem makes goosebumps? I can''t do anything about it. That keyword had already been determined by the creator of this Spell Gem. And yes, each Spell Gem has different keywords. There is Spell Gem that uses active, open, type one, and so on as keywords. Now, enough about keywords of Spell Gem. Leaf Deer isn''t dead yet, this fight isn''t over yet. Zhrash! Splash! Creak! Pang! The black water managed to break the barrier. Leaf Deer was exposed without protection. Well then, our attacks continue. "[Flash Swing]" I approached the monster and tore its skin. "Ruu!" Leaf Deer didn''t stay silent it gave me a counterattack. It tried to stab my body with its sharp antlers. The monster galloped to me quickly but. "[Binding Ivy]" Salsa''s Spell managed to stop the monster and tie it on the spot. A moment later, two arrows came from the left side to pierce the top of the monster''s front leg. "[Sting Bee]" Vyorn appeared and stabbed the monster in the neck. Thanks to that, an opportunity is created. I moved, gripped my spear tightly, and then filled my arms with energy. I launched an Arte and¡­ CHLANG! A barrier blocked my attack! How could another Barrier appear when the Leaf Deer was under the influence of Corrosive Dark? The answer comes from an unexpected scenario. "Ru ru!" Another Leaf Deer showed itself. Trees grow around the injured Leaf Deer. They forced me and Vyorn to back off. A moment later a golden light appeared to envelop the injured Leaf Deer. And yes, that light healed the wounds on the monster''s body. Then, nightmares came. Two Leaf Deer teamed up to challenge us. They grew trees after trees to attack us. Sometimes, they attack us using Earth Bullet, a Spell from Earth Magic. And yes, they turned this meadow into a forest in the blink of an eye. This instant forest restricted our movements. The trees also continued to grow, to chase us, trying to catch us. Thanks to that, we had to continuously use Tree Killer to save ourselves. Our supply depleted in an instant. What''s worse, I can''t get close to that monster or even use the other Spell Gems to restrict their barrier. The situation was reversed and we were cornered. We were unlucky! And why there are two Leaf Deer here!? The trees that were constantly growing overwhelmed us. If this continues, sooner or later, we will be swallowed up by those trees. It''s not good. We''ll be beaten by the Leaf Deer duo. Death will come to us. I don''t want to use this card but I have no other choice. Gritting my teeth, I said, "[Doppelganger]" Chapter 106 - Leaf Deer 3_3 "[Doppelganger]" I said the word with the intention of transforming into the strongest figure I had ever fought, the silhouette. Transform into the jerk? Yes... Even in a dream, I don''t want it. I''d rather turn into this scary monster that has four eyes and three arms than turn into the jerk. "Wha what happened to you!?" Vyorn shouted then jumped away. He gave me an investigating look and a wary expression. "I use a skill. My form may be scarier but I''m still the same person. And more importantly, those Leaf Deer were approaching! Concentrate on the fight, please!" I gave orders and jumped away from the trees that trying to catch me. I ran, dodged the Leaf Deer''s attack, and then kept my distance from them. The doppelganger works nicely but... After turning into a silhouette, the clothes and Armor I was wearing were ripped and torn apart. Some of them - Leather Belt and Arms plus Legs Guard - tied my limbs so strongly. I''ll worry about the clothes later. Now, I have to absorb the information about this form, provided by my Unique Skill, Doppelganger. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [Name: Product No. 7 |Gender: - ] [Race: Patchwork Corpse] [Age: 6 |Level: 47/80 ] (Name: Eclaite |Gender: Female ¨‹) ¡ºJobs¡» [Minion, Stalker, Assassin] (E-rank Adventurer, Courtesan) ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» |HP: 519/649 (387 + 262) |MP: 240/381 (67 + 314) |SP: 332/470 (267 + 203) [STR: 277 (126 + 151) ] [END: 399 (286 + 113) ] [AGI: 296 (150 + 136) ] [DEX: 65 (12 + 53) ] [Luck: 10 (1 + 9) ] (The Stats of the imitated creature + Eclaite''s Stats) ¡ºSkill¡» [Enchanted Body |Lvl 4] [Lesser Agility |Lvl 4] [Poison Nullification] [Shadow Magic |Lvl 6] [Unarmed Combat Mastery |Lvl 5] [Present Concealment |Lvl 3] (Heart of Monster ¨‹) ( ) = Hidden from any Analyzing Skills below level seven. Damn! My Basic Statistics are double! "So that''s why I become faster ANDDD... GUAH!" The pain stung my face, shortly after I hit a tree in front of me, head first. Once again, I got into trouble after my strength increased suddenly. Although I got assistance and correction from the Doppelganger, I couldn''t move this body to its maximum potential. I mean, right now I have three arms but I can only use two arms well. The four eyes I had also started to make me dizzy. I shook my head and moved again. I avoided the trees that came to catch me. Seconds passed and I will say, this new power is amazing. I can dodge the pursuit of the trees without dripping sweat. And best of all, I was able to get close to one of the Leaf Deer in the blink of an eye. "[Colossus Punch]" CLANG! This is unexpected, the strongest Arte of the Skill, Unarmed Combat Mastery that I launched with my new power cannot destroy the Leaf Deer''s Barrier. My attack could only move the monster three meters away from where it had stood before. I ran towards the Leaf Deer while the monster I approached moved away. The other Leaf Deer ran to hit me but Vyorn appeared to intercept it. "Handle that Leaf Deer, Vyorn! I''m going to go after the other. And if you can, defeat that monster with the help of Ruciel and the others." "Okay, I understand!" Immediately, I chased after Leaf Deer after giving the order. The monster jumped from one tree to another. It''s agile and fast. And not only did it run, but the monster also started showering me with three types of Earth Spells. Spear-shaped stones, dozens of stones the size of a shark tooth-shaped head, and a stone ball the size of a head with thorns. All of that was fired at me in turn. And hence, dozens of wounds adorned my body. Leaf Deer really wants to kill me. And yes, I''m not staying still. I counterattacked using Shadow Spells, my spear, and my fists. Unfortunately, all of my attacks couldn''t break through the Monster''s Barrier. Shadow Magic is not as strong as Dark Magic. Therefore, my strongest Shadow Spells can only erode that Barrier little by little. As for Unarmed and Spear Arte, this type of attack could barely scratch the Monster''s Barrier. Other than feeling irritated at knowing all my attacks were almost meaningless, I was also angry that I couldn''t make the monster stop. It, which was constantly moving didn''t give me a chance to use another Spell Gem. Therefore, what I can do now is continue attacking the monster to empty his MP. It was so exhausting, at the same time, I tried to calm my anger. "Ruu!" Leaf Deer stopped and made a cry. The ground around it shook and then moved to form dozens of shark teeth. A moment later, all of that was fired at me. I amplified the flow of energy to my legs and I sped faster. I want to get out of the spell''s area of attack but it doesn''t seem like I''ll be make it. So, I used another way to dodge. "[Shadow Dive]" I dived into the shadow of a tree I had just stepped on. Then, while I was in the shadows, I moved closer to the Leaf Deer. The monster became wary, it looked around before finally moving to approach the other Leaf Deer. Of course, I won''t let it go. I chased the monster at full speed and with Present Concealment on. I also didn''t forget to fill my arms with energy. We''re moving at high speed. The time passed. Finally, I was able to catch up to that monster. Now, I move beside it. And when the monster stepped on the shadow of a tree, I appeared at lightning-fast speed to catch the monster''s hind legs. "Ruu!" I made it! The monster fell! However, I must not remain still for too long. I have to launch an attack before the monster uses its barrier. "[Dragon Fang]" My spear sped up quickly and in the end... Splat! Zhing! Splat! My spear managed to pierce the monster''s stomach. However, on the other hand, my spear along with my third hand was cut into two by the monster''s Barrier. "Arg... Eh! It doesn''t hurt," I said. A moment later I got a powerful kick right in my chest. "Gah!" I was thrown a few meters before finally lying on a large tree branch. The Leaf Deer fell to its knees as I saw my cut-off hand. It was extremely shocking when no blood came out of the wound. I shook my head and got up. I ran once again to get close to the Leaf Deer. The monster showed no signs of running again. So, I jumped. I raised my two arms up my head, I combined my two hands, then I fell. "[Colossuss Smash]" I shouted then swung my arm like I was swinging a hammer. DONG...!! Loud noises are created and damn it! I can''t destroy this Barrier! So and again, I took the Spell Gem and then used it. Black water bit on at the barrier and eventually destroyed it. After the spell, Leaf Deer''s defense was wide open, it couldn''t stop my attack. Sometime later, the monster finally died. < Level up! 3 to 4 > < Level up! 4 to 5 > < Level up! 5 to 6 > I raised my arm to celebrate this victory but... An arrow pierced me in the shoulder. "Ah!" I screamed out of a bit of surprise. "Aaarrggh!" It was Ruciel''s scream, she sounded so in pain. I turned around and sure enough, Ruciel was lying on the ground. The girl thrashed around while trying to remove her Slave Collar with all the power she had. Why did that happen? Because Ruciel attacked me who was her Master. Of course, because of this imprudence, the Slave Collar strangled her neck as punishment I walked up to the girl and Vyorn was by her side. "What are you doing, Ruciel!? Why are you attacking me?" "She couldn''t believe my explanation," Vyorn said. "She believes, you are a monster." "Well... Now she knows that I''m Eclaite." I made a nod when looking at Ruciel who is right now lay in the ground, exhausted. "What about the other Leaf Deer?" "We killed it." "Good job! With this, our adventure here is over. Sometime later. Kimi, Alan, Salsa, and Chloe show up. And yes, they were surprised when they saw my figure as a monster. But then, they became panicked as I transformed into a Beastkin with tattered clothes. After I wear a robe, we started processing Leaf Deer''s corpse. I can''t wait to eat that monster''s Magic Stone. I want the Barrier Magic it has. Why do I want Barrier Magic? It''s because I don''t have a good match with elements in terms of defense. I can''t use Earth and Dark Magic. Of course, that limit didn''t apply when I used the Doppelganger. But, I can''t continue to rely on a defense that can only be used for twenty-four hours per week, right? The danger is always there and could come at any time. Therefore, I need reliable defense magic. And since I matched the water and light, Barrier Magic became the closest solution I could use. So... "Barrier Magic please, please, please," I said before eating the Leaf Deer''s Magic Stone. Glup! < Acquired a Ski- "WHAT ARE YOU DOING!" Ruciel shouted. Her loud voice made my body jerk spontaneously. It even makes my fox ears and tails stand up straight. I moved my head to see; What kind of thing made the Fallen Elf girl scream and I found, the girl ran up to me quickly. "Spit that Magic Stone! Quickly!" Chapter 107 - Before We Go [Plant Magic | Lvl 1] [Passive] [ + Gives access to World Memory to gain knowledge about Plant Spells I. + When using Plant Spells increase the power by 10% and decrease Mana consumption by 5%. + Increase the power of Earth, Water, and Light Spells by 5%] < Mana and Agility Stat Up! MP +25 |AGI +15 > That''s right, totally right... I didn''t get Barrier Magic, instead, I got Plant Magic. With this Magic Skill, I can grow different types of trees in the blink of an eye. It''s eco-friendly magic. But... Can I use this magic to create a defense? Flashback when Leaf Deer made a tree wall to block my movement and my attack. "Yup, this magic can be used to create defenses. But I have to be wary of Fire Element users." Ruciel? Yes, I remember that girl forced me to spit out the Magic Stone I ate. She was so panicked and started explaining that I could die from Mana''s poisoning after swallowing the Magic Stone. And yes, calming the girl down along with Kimi who was taking part to scold me was such a tough task. It took me two hours to get them to stop worrying about me and make them believe I was fine. "The Magic Stone makes me stronger," I said. But Kimi and Ruciel didn''t want to believe it. They told me not to eat Magic Stone anymore. "With that, I can only eat Magic Stones secretly. For now, I have no other choice. So, [Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 6/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 250/251 [219] | MP: 317/347 | SP: 208/211 [ STR: 152 | DEX: 54 ] [ END: 121 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 156 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger]¨Œ [Pilot |Lvl 1] New [Plant Magic |Lvl 1] New Well... I''m getting stronger, that''s all that matters. After seeing the changes that had happened to me, I inspect my stuff and money. I need to prepare for my journey to Cadebre tomorrow. Look at my money, I can say that I''m rich now. At first, I had a savings of 229.6 large gold coins. Then, the Lord of Rishtonbell gave me another 50 large gold coins. And that''s still coupled with the money I got from Vier and Cabal, which is 200 big gold coins. Why do I get so much money from them? First, due to their random allotment of treasures, I earned 100 large gold coins, the Great Axe of Everwinter, the Gunlance Full Plate Armor, and 6 pieces of Damascus Steel Ingots. Second, since I didn''t take the weapons and armor they gave me - which is I can''t use - I got a replacement of 87 large gold coins. And with a little bonus, in the end, I got 200 coins and 6 Damascus Steel. Now, I have 479.6 large gold coins. Vyorn said I could buy a small Airship with 400 large gold coins but I don''t know what kind of Airship he called as a small Airship. I have to find out what he meant myself. Damascus Steel? What am I going to do to it? I''m going to make a spear. I know a good spear that can be made from this material. And yes, I have to collect other materials to make the spear. So, with all of that, let''s put together my plan. First, I''ll go to Cadebre to look around for an Airship. Then, I''ll visit mama Haruka''s grave in Aestor city. Mama Hakura¡­ she makes me recall Eclaite''s birth mother and that forest. Should- no¡­ it''s not should, I''ll visit that forest. However, I had to find information about it first. My memory of that forest is hazy. Now, after visiting mama Haruka''s grave, I will go to the capital of Heingarz Kingdom, Astawein. I''m sure, in the capital, I can find more information about that forest together with Agnisdesmo and the others. They became one of the reasons why I didn''t want to accept the Main Quest, The Titans. Buy Airship and then find my friends. Yup, that''s not a bad idea. Now that I''ve set my goal, let''s make breakfast. I left my bed to walk to the kitchen. Time passed and the five of us gathered at the table. I''m going to Cadebre and those three guys - Ruciel, Salsa, and Vyorn - already know it. So, I asked... "You want to come with me to go to Cadebre or stay here?" The spoon used by the three people stopped, they exchanged glances, then made expressions of confusion. "You don''t want to take us?" Ruciel asked. "If you come with me, you will become Airship Crew and continue to adventure with me. If you don''t, you will stay and live in this house. I''m not going to instruct you guys to make money for me anymore. Instead, you will take care of this house, and once a month, I will give you money." The three people flunked their eyes and exchanged glances, again. "Then I''ll stay," said Ruciel, who made a strong nod. "Unfortunately, this offer does not apply to you, Ruciel. You will come with me." "What! You said we could choose!" She smack the table and gave me a sharp look. "That''s right, I said ''you guys'' but, what I mean by you guys is Vyorn and Salsa." "Why should I come with you?" She asked with hatred. "Because you are mine." "F*ck!" "Language, Ruciel!" I warned but she ignored me. She ate her food with annoyance. "Your answer?" I asked Vyorn and Salsa again. The two men exchanged glances again. A moment later, Vyorn said, "We''ll take care of your house. As for working as adventurers, can we keep doing it? We also want to ask permission to get married." My fox''s ears twitched and I blinked a few times. After that, I nodded. "Naturally, you can work as an adventurer. And if you want to get married, then you can get married." "Thank you." They said together. After that, our day continues. I told them - Vyorn and Salsa - to pack my and Kimi stuffs. I had Ruciel prepare herself for our departure tomorrow. While they doing all of that, I went to the orphanage. I''ll pick up or maybe adopt Alan and Chloe. Yes, they are orphans, and no, they will not be my children. They will be my little brothers and sisters. Knowing this, Kimi became so excited. She kept saying "hurry up! Hurry up!" We were on our way to the orphanage. The process of adopting Chloe and Alan was quite easy and short to do. I just need their approval along with some documents from the headmaster of the orphanage. And that''s right, after hearing my wishes and plans, Chloe and Alan agreed with my decision to adopt them. With that, Alan and Chloe became our family. Nothing is stronger than family! After my business at the orphanage was over, along with the cheerful children - except for Alan who was a little moody and kept whispering, "I''ll find a way out." - I bought the things they needed to live with us. Throughout the day, we made preparations for our journey. When night fell, we sleep. And the next day, we departed. "Write a letter to us, Ruciel," Salsa said after she hugged Ruciel. "Of course, I will do it." "Take good care of yourself." Vyorn gave her a worrying look. "I''ll make sure of that." After saying the parting words, Ruciel approached me reluctantly. She even sighed and didn''t look happy at all. This girl... "In that case, we leave. Take care of your health," I told Salsa and Vyorn. "Of course, take good care of yourself, Mistress." "Have a nice trip." I nodded and we went to Skyport. When we got there, we booked a ticket and... We''re waiting. We arrived in the morning but our Airship left afternoon. It''s a disaster. With nothing to do except wait, we decided to stroll around Skyport to pass the time. Then, when noon came, we visited a restaurant to grab lunch. "Have you heard of it?" asked a man who occupied the table behind me. "You mean The Scourge?" Reply the other man who ate lunch with him. Oh, The Scourge! If anyone was talking about that disgusting black monster, it meant that the first chapter ¨C The Begining of Chaos ¨C in the Main Quest, The Titans had begun. "I''ve heard it. One Party Adventurer from Soaring Sky Familia found them and is now fighting them," man B continued. Soaring Sky! Vier along with Cabal and others must be on a thrilling adventure. And... Did they find the girl? "Yes, it''s so sudden, I never thought that a disaster in ancient times would appear in this day and age, especially in the city of Strinity. If all goes wrong, my business will take a strong blow." Hmm... The name of the city that became the stage of the first chapter was different. As I recall, Strity was its name. "Don''t be pessimistic, things won''t get so bad. Wasn''t that Adventurer''s Party dealing with the Scourge? I heard they also got a blessing from the Goddess, Gaia." Kind-hearted man B tries to comfort man A "That''s true but I''m still going to take precautions," said man A. Then, they started talking about their trading business. I can say, The Scourge is interesting information. Hmm... Do all merchants here have such interesting information? If so, it never hurts to eavesdrop on one or two chats. I concentrated on my ears and I heard some people also talking about The Scourge and their business. It''s pretty disappointing when I thought there is juicy information. Chapter 108 - Our Feelings 1_2 The kids were clamoring in delight as the Airship we rode left the Skyport. And of course, I''m happy too. Riding an Airship in this world is completely different from the game. Right now, I can feel the breeze of wind, the vibrations as the Airship moves, the fear if I fall from this Airship, and I will say, all of this is completely different. About this Airship? First, the ship has two parts. The dark brown wooden ship is at the bottom while at the top there is a white Zeplin balloon. The length of this Airship is over forty meters and approximately twenty-five meters in high including the Zeplin. It has three floors, complete facilities including bathrooms, a defense system consisting of several Aether Cannons, and a stunning Magi-tech Engine at the back of the Airship. "This Airship is impressive but it also makes me dizzy. I don''t want to imagine how much money it would take to buy an Airship like this." "Please, don''t say something unreasonable. You know you''ll never be able to buy an Airship like this," Ruciel said in a mocking tone. "Let''s go to our cabin, I want to sleep." I saw the girl, who is walking away while looking at a ticket in her hand. "That girl... After she found out that the jerk had a connection with me, she changed and became more annoying than ever." The girl''s attitude sometimes made my lips and ears twitch. "But she''s going to change," I said confidently. "Why? Because I''m going to change her attitude." Yes, that is right. In this seven days journey, I will mend our relationship and if possible, I want to make her fall in love with me. I will make sure this will become reality. I turned to look at the kids who is running around excitedly to see every corner of this Airship. They''re surely energetic. "Kids! Stop running around and come here! Let''s take our stuff to the cabin," I yelled at them. They stopped and Kimi with Chloe shouted, "okay!" A moment later they followed me. We went down the stairs in the middle of this Airship. Our goal is the second floor from above. We walked down the hallway and I followed the Ruciel''s scent. Yes, this is the fastest way to find my cabin. I''m sure that Fallen Elf girl already found it. And I''m right, that girl''s found my cabin. After opening the door with number 08 in it, I could see her lying on the bed with her arms covering her eyes. As for the kids, their cabin is next to our cabin. "Look, Chloe, this cabin is unique! Oh! Look at the beautiful view from the window here." "You''re right," said Chloe, who had just joined my sister who is standing behind the window. "Do I have to have shared a room with them," Alan asked me. He made a reluctant expression. "If you don''t want to be with them, how about with me and Ruciel?" As soon as I finished saying the question, Alan shook his head and said, "Sharing a room with Chloe and Kimi won''t be a problem." Alan went into his cabin and a moment later I went into my cabin. I put down and organized my stuff. After I''m done, I intend to start my plan. The plan to make Ruciel fall for me. "Ruciel, want to look around this Airship?" "No, I''m tired. Let me sleep. Didn''t you hear what I said earlier in the deck?" One end of my lips twitched. A moment later, I sighed. Okay, I''m wrong here. I may lose the fight but I won''t lose the war! I got out of the cabin and started looking around through this Airship. I want to find interesting places for me to show Ruciel later. I spent a few tens of minutes and yes, I found some places that are interesting. Ruciel must have woken up. With that sentence repeated in my head, I walked back to the cabin. And I never expected, Ruciel was still sleep when I got there. I didn''t want to wake the girl up so I waited. Night fell and she was still sleeping! In the end, I gave up. I decided to go to bed after eating dinner with the kids. And yes, I didn''t forget to take the food for Ruciel. I''ll say, that girl truly loves to sleep today. The next day arrived. Once again, I want to mend my relationship with Ruciel. That''s why I invited her to spend time together. However, she refused my invitation again. She prefers to stay in the cabin to read a book? "Since when do you like to read books?" "Since this morning," she replied nonchalantly. "Now, please shut up. I''m trying to enjoy my time reading this book." "Grrr..." I was angry, I tried to take her out of the cabin but she kicked me out instead! She said I was annoying and too noisy. What''s worse, she even locked the door and didn''t want to open it at all when I ask it. The door only opened when night fell. Yes... Ruciel slept well when I got in. "Ugh, how could she dwell in this cabin all day long without eating and the need to use the bathroom?" With an unanswered question, I slept. The next day, Ruciel disappeared. I tried to find her by relying on my sense of smell but I didn''t succeed. I couldn''t find her scent at all. "Did she use an item to hide her scent?" I wondered as I searched for that girl. I tried hard and I failed. I couldn''t find Ruciel at all. She showed herself when the night arrived. She slept without giving answers to my questions. The next day, I managed to catch Ruciel before she woke up. I invite her or much more I force her to accompany me. And as the result, the girl was completely indifferent, and often, she put on an irritated expression. Then, she became so weird when we had lunch at the cafeteria. The girl was sitting on the floor next to the table I had chosen. "What are you doing?" I asked for an explanation from her. "You don''t know?" She asked back and I kept silent. I''m still waiting for her explanation. A moment later, she sighed. "This is the right way for a Slave to accompany their Master to eat." "You''re making it up. The jerk was the worst but he never told me to do something like that. Now, sit in the chair as usual." She was silent for a while and then... "I can''t fulfill that request, I don''t want to embarrass you in front of these people. And look," Ruciel moved his chin to point somewhere. I turned my head and I saw, a slave woman sitting on the floor just like Ruciel did. A man who might be her owner sits in the chair just like me. I shook my head and ignored the Slaveowner who looked at me with hostility. I look back at Ruciel. "I don''t care what other people do. Sit in a chair, now." The words I say can be considered an order for a slave. But no, it''s not. If I truly want to give an order to Ruciel, I do need "this is an order" "I ordered" or something like that in my words. "I can''t, I don''t want to embarrass you." "Don''t be unreasonable, Ruciel!" I snapped. Again and again, she made me angry. Why does she always makes an absurd bond when I want to have a normal relationship with her? "This is not an outrageous thing. It''s normal for a slave," she gave me an explanation but... "I can''t stand this anymore!" I screamed. "Now, I ordered-" "I''M THE ONE WHO SAYS I CAN''T STAND THIS ANYMORE." A loud shout interrupt my words, it also made my fox ears stand up straight. Curious, I turned to the source of the scream. There, I saw the slave-owning man giving me an angry expression. A moment later he leave his table to approach me. "Why do you treat a slave as a human being? They''re a thing, an item! So you should treat them like an item!" The man was yelling at me. And yes, the thing he did surprise me. I blinked my eyes while my fox''s ears twitched. "Ruciel not an item, she was someone who meant something to me. That''s why I respect her," I explained. And for some reason, the man''s face was getting reddened. "Slave is garbage! They are failed human beings! You don''t have to respect them!" This guy truly doesn''t make any sense. Why is he angry at me for unclear reasons? What''s his problem? "Listen, sir, how I treat my Slave is none of your business. If you don''t like it, you can walk away and don''t have to see it," I explained and... PLAK! The man slapped me on the cheek for no reason. "I taught you what you have to do young girl! Don''t argue and just obey what I say!" Taught me a lesson? Nonsense! You came in with a fit of unclear anger and then hit me for no reason! Now, you make me angry! "[Appraisal]" I whispered. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Name: Konrad Sand | Age: 32] [Race: Human | Lvl: 15] [Job: Merchant ] | HP: 45/46 | MP: 19/22 | SP: 26/30 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ Thank God he''s neither strong nor noble. So... I stood up and moved my arm to punch the man in the face. "GEBUH!" The man made a strange noise and was thrown as far as¡­ maybe three meters? Well¡­ I don''t know, I don''t care. And yes, even though I was angry, I still remembered to hold back my strength. I don''t want to kill that man accidentally. The man who was now lying down made an expression of disbelief and looked at me with inflated anger. He opened his mouth trying to say something but unfortunately for him, I grabbed his jaws to silence his mouth. The speed I have should not be underestimated. "Look me in the eye," I said and looked the man in the eye. When he saw my eyes, I said, "[Charm]" Seconds passed, the man was now under my control. I took my hand off his jaws and took one step back. I saw the man who was now dazed. In this episode, I used Mana for Charm more than I should have. And this makes the Charm effect last longer. I predicted the man will regain his sanity after seven days. Now! "Please sir, don''t bother me anymore and ever again. You can go to the corner of the room and act like a dog there." "All right." "You''re a dog, remember?" "Woof!" "Good! Now, get lost." The man ran to the corner of the room using his hands and feet. As for me, I''m back at my table. And yes, people look at me but they turn their eyes away after I give them my furious glare. My business with Ruciel is not done! Chapter 109 - Our Feelings 2_2 "Come with me, Ruciel!" The gaze of the people in this cafeteria bothered me and slowly, it made my anger rise. I don''t want to get into trouble as I had earlier. Therefore, in the end, I decided to return to my cabin. I closed the cabin door and looked at the girl. "Why did you become like this!?" I asked as I held back my anger. "Like this? I don''t know what you mean?" replied Ruciel. Again and again, she was indifferent to me. "Grrr... Why are you so cold and don''t care about me?" "Why should I be friendly around you and care about you?" "Don''t ask me back and answer my question!" "My question just now is the answer you want. I have no reason to be friendly and care about you!" "But I like you, I love you!" I confessed and approached the girl. I tried to hug her but she pushed me away. "Unfortunately for you, I don''t have the same feelings you have." She narrowed her eyes then stepped away. "And... Is that the real reason why you bought me? I hear it a lot but I can''t believe you''re serious about it." "Of course, I''m serious! You are the one who means everything to me." I replied, trying to convince her. "Okay, now I know it. If you''re done, I''ll leave." She pushed me to the side and walked away. But... "No! You can''t go!" I blocked the girl''s path. Not once did I intend to let her go. "Alright, say what you want to say, I''ll entertain you for a while." "Can''t you love me, care about me, or at least be friendly to me?" "No." "Why?" "Because I''m not interested in women''s relationships. Besides, you''re the daughter of that son of bitch who killed my friends and ruined my life," she explained. At the same time, her long ears make strong jolts. "Do you really think I''ll be interested in you when I have all of that? No, not a bit! And you need to know that I despise you because you didn''t do what you were supposed to do!" "The jerk''s sin is not mine! And haven''t I saved you by making my Slave! It''s should have been even." "Hah! Save me? It''s just your delusion! You deceived and forced me to become your Slave! And you think it saved me? You''re absolutely crazy and this conversation makes me sick! I''m leaving, I don''t want to see your face for some time." The girl forced me to get out of her way. But yes, I have no intention to let her pass. I held the girl in the place. "No! I won''t let you go! You have to accept me!" "Can you not be selfish for a moment!? Can''t you stop saying crazy things that don''t make sense? Use your brain for once!" "Shut up, Ruciel!" "You''re the one who should shut up!" The girl pushed me back. This time, she used all her strength. Thanks to that, I fell to the floor. She glanced at me before walking away without a care. The attitude she showed made me grit my teeth. Why would she didn''t want to understand that I don''t want to bring up matters and connection with that jerk anymore? Can''t she forget the sins of the jerk? After all, the jerk is dead. The man''s sins were buried with his body. I just want her to care about me as I care about her, I want her to accept me, to accept my love. Yes, it was a selfish desire but it was also simple. So why? Why wouldn''t she accept it? "No! You can''t go! This is an order!" I screamed. And yes, the girl stopped before she could open the door. Her body shook then she put on an expression of pain. A moment later, she took one step back. And for a while, she tried to organize her breathing. "Finally you used your orders," said Ruciel who turned to look at me. Her expression was now flat without emotions. "What do you want now?" "..." I didn''t say anything, I got up and I approached the girl, and I kissed her. For some time, I hugged her and showed how strong my love was to her. The girl didn''t give me any resistance until our lips parted. A thread of saliva is created and a moment later the thread is cut off. I peek at her face. Her cheeks were flushed but her expression had not changed at all. "Are you going to use charm on me?" She asked. I shook my head and pulled the girl, I pushed her down to the bed, and a moment later, I was on top of her. The girl didn''t move in the slightest and said anything as I undress her. But her cheeks, it became redder than before. Ruciel sighed and closed her eyes. The girl allowed me to see her exposed body. She showed me her spotless white skin, her perfect chest with fresh pink peaks, and her elegant figure. She''s extremely seductive. If she doesn''t want to understand after hearing all my words, I''ll make her understand with worldly pleasure. With level seven Courtesan, making this girl drown in lust was easy. I made a line on her toned and smooth stomach with my index finger. The line went to the lower part of her body. Slowly, I began to take off the girl''s belt. A moment later, the girl said, "Is this the best thing you can do? Forcing yourself on me? Trying to r*pe me?" "..." My hands stopped when my mouth couldn''t say anything. Our eyes met and time passed... "If you really want to use the means that son of bitch used to you, I won''t stop you. After all, I am your slave. You can do whatever you want to me. However, I''ll tell you, none of this will end well. You''ve experienced it, you know the end awfully well." "... How do you know about it?" "Haa¡­ you never gave us any restrictions. So we were able to investigate your house freely. Of course, thanks to that, we found dozens of records belonging to that son of bitch. We know the work he does, the relationship between you two, and things that happened to you." "If so, you should know that I am also the jerk''s victim just like you. And that should tell you how much I hate that man." "I don''t care if you''re a victim or not. All I care about is your bond with that man. Even though he''s garbage, he''s your father." "No! He''s not my father! We don''t even have blood ties!" "You can say any reason to me but that doesn''t change the fact that you once performed a Blood Bonding Ritual with him when he adopted you. Inevitably, you and he are a family, inevitably, you bear his sins." I clenched my hands after hearing Ruciel''s words. I didn''t expect her to find out about this Blood Bonding Ritual either. The Blood Bonding Ritual is rarely done again in this time and year. However, a few years ago, it was a natural thing. It was a sacred ritual and involved a promise to the gods. The ritual will bind people without blood ties into a true family. The ritual has a special meaning to some races, especially for the Beastkin, Elf, Dwarf, and Dragon races. "If you want to mend the relationship between us, you must bear your father''s sins and you must apologize to me with sincerity." That was an extremely hard thing for me to do. I never thought to acknowledge the jerk as my family or even take up his sins. I hate this fact about responsibility in this Blood Bonding Ritual. Of course, there are ways to avoid all of that. I just need to undo the Blood Bonding Ritual I once did. I thought it was a good idea, but... "I will never forgive you if you undo the ritual between you and that man." "Grrr..." I gritted my teeth. Now, I know what I have to do to mend our relationship. Yes, I just have to take the jerk''s sins and apologize for his bad deeds to Ruciel. But unfortunately... "I couldn''t do it, it was too much for me," I told her. "Then get away from me!" The girl yelled at me. Then she got up and pushed me strongly. I fell into the bed and yes, I have no intention of bothering the girl anymore. Ruciel fixed her clothes. A moment later, she said, "Until you accept your father''s sin and apologize to me, never bring this topic to me again!" The girl left the cabin without looking at me. Time passed as I sat at the corner of the cabin. I hugged my legs and buried my face to my knees. Yes, I love Ruciel. However, accepting the jerk''s sins for the girl was one thing I couldn''t do. I kept thinking about which choices I had to take and then¡­ BOOM! BOOM! The sound of explosions was heard and the Airship shocked violently. A moment later... "All the crew and bodyguards go to the deck! Get ready for the fight! Sky Pirates have been detected! All passengers, please take shelter in your cabins! I repeat, All the crew and bodyguards go to the deck! Get ready for the fight! Sky Pirates have been detected! All passengers, please take shelter in your cabins!" Chapter 110 - Sky Pirates Attacks "... All the crew and bodyguards go to the deck! Get ready for the fight! Sky Pirates have been detected! All passengers, please take shelter in your cabins!" The warning sounded and spontaneously I stood up. I took my Magic Bag and put on my equipment. After that, I move my feet, I started searching for Kimi and the others. The corridor was filled with panicked people but they didn''t block my way. They were busy looking their cabins and then entering it. They want shelter. Following the scent of people I knew and a few minutes later, I got to the deck. Here, I could see Ruciel walking towards the group of armed people. On the other hand, Kimi, Chloe, and Alan ran up to me after they separated from Ruciel. "Big sis!" Kimi called me. I moved my hand to make a signal telling them to get closer. Then, after they were in front of me, I said, "take shelter in the cabin. Lock the door and don''t come out until I come to pick you up or there''s another warning that told you everything was safe." "What about big sis?" "I''ll stay here a little longer. I have to pick up Ruciel." "Can we also join the fight against the Sky Pirates?" asked Kimi who put on a brave expression. And of course, the answer to that question is, "No! You guys aren''t strong enough. Now, go back to your cabin." Kimi puffed up her cheeks then said, "Alright." Reluctantly, she walked away. Kimi disappeared by walking down the stairs with several other people. A moment later, a sturdy wooden board sealed the stairs. No one can get in or get out easily. I walked, I approached Ruciel. In the middle of my jog, I moved my head to see the surroundings and the vast sky. The Airship Crews ran around to prepare the Aether Cannons and the defense mechanism in this Airship. They need to be ready for the sky pirates'' attacks. As for the Mercenaries and Adventurers, they gathered in front of a man who might be the captain of this Airship. The middle-aged man looked charismatic and strong. He''s tall and looked robust despite his age. The man used a rapier as a weapon. Meanwhile, in the sky and the distance, there is an Airship that had a black Zeplin approaching and attacking our Airship. Their Aether Cannon fire that hit the Barrier of our Airship caused a strong shock on the deck and the entire of this vehicle. Thanks to the shock, for several times, I almost fell because I lost my balance. Luckily, I never fell. I continued to walk and I see Ruciel turn her face away as I arrived at her side. We grew silent for some time until I said, "Let''s go back to the cabin, Ruciel." Silence keep enveloping us after I said that. The only voice that was heard around us was the voice of this Airship captain who asked help from us ¨C adventurers who were passengers ¨C to join the fight against the Sky Pirates that came to us. The captain is unsure if the Crew under his orders and the Adventurer he hired can defeat the Sky Pirates who rides a medium-sized Airship. Their numbers more than us, he said. "... Going back and taking shelter in the cabin won''t change anything. Fight, Eclaite, for our safety. You can use your strange abilities to look for some achievements. You''re a Knight and you''ll probably become a truly noblewoman if you have more achievements." I look at the girl but the girl looked the other way. I felt that the words she spoke had no deep meaning or a sense. They sound like jokes. But then, I thought that some parts of Ruciel''s words might have a point. If the Airship captain feels unsure of a win, the help of one or two passengers might bring about change! Maybe... "Okay. But you also have to fight," I said to the girl. A moment later I gave her the Green Crystal Longbow and Quiver that I took from inside my Magic Bag. Ruciel received the weapon without saying anything and then she began to prepare herself. As for me, I took the Silver Spear and the Silver Longsword. With these two weapons, I''m ready to fight. We listened to the captain. He gave us a bit of motivation speech and then promised us tasty rewards before finally giving us the task. "Your job is to kill any Sky Pirates who boarded this Airship. Don''t let them take over this ship. Don''t show mercy. We''re up against the Sky Pirate Skull Cross. They always killed everyone except the women in the Airship they attacked. They don''t need mercy," explained the captain. Then, we went to each other''s positions after he has done. Dozens of Aether Cannons were fired. Our Airship and the Sky Pirates'' Airships started exchanging shoots of the red-colored energy bullets. Bang! Boom! Bang! Boom! "Shoot! Shoot! Sink the Airship of that bastards! Target the zeplin and their Magi-engine!" commanded the captain in a loud voice. And all of the Crew who handled the Aether Cannons responded by speeding up their respective tasks. Bang! Boom! Dozens of energy bullets were fired, again. And of course, thanks to those bullets of energies, huge fireworks, the sound of explosions, and smoldering flames were created. And yes, shock after strong shock appears to torment our Airship. Not long after, one part in the back of our Airship got a direct shot. DUAR! An Aether Cannon bullet fired by the Sky Pirates made it through our Airship''s Barrier. It creates a huge explosion. A huge fire is raging violently and the Airship Crew... "Water Magic-user extinguish that fire! Quickly!" They tried hard to put out the fire. I wanted to help them but unfortunately, all the Water Spells I had were Attack Spells. I can only see from a distance while observing the movement in the Airship of the Sky Pirates. And yes, thanks to that explosion, our Airship speed was decreased. The Sky Pirates took advantage of this tragedy to get close to us. "Don''t let them get close! Cannoneer! Targeted for their engine! Gurtmon! Take this ship away from them!" Okay, that''s weird... The Helmsman was in the control room. So, how will that Helmsman hear the captain''s orders? The answer to that question never appeared. But strangely enough, this Airship turns to get away, trying to leave the Airship of the Sky Pirates. Boom! Boom! Yes, the Aether Cannons continue to be used. They fired bullet after bullet of energy to bring down the approaching Airship. Unfortunately, our Aether Cannons shots weren''t effective. They only made fireworks on the surface of the Barrier of the Airship owned by the Sky Pirates without ever being able to penetrate it. A few minutes later, the Airship of the Sky Pirates readied at besides our Airship. Hook after hook was shot by the Sky Pirates who were so eager to tie our Airship with their Airship. I and the other fighters made hard work to cut the rope in the hooks that numbered dozen but we were overwhelmed. There are too many hooks! On the other hand, Ruciel and the other long-range attackers started killing the Sky Pirates who were swinging into our Airship using ropes. And yes, the Sky Pirates give us counterattacks. Because of that, I also have to dodge some spells and arrows that came to me. Of course, I didn''t stay dodging. Many times, I fired my Water and Wind Spells to attack the Sky Pirates. But unfortunately, my Spells weren''t effective as they were blown away by the strong winds blowing around the Airships before they hit their target. Then, in the end, the Sky Pirates boarded our Airship. They came like apples falling from their trees. And yes, the fight begins. The sound of dozens of clashing weapons arose. So did the sound of dozens of Spells, the battle cry, and the screams of pain. Then, a man, a Sky Pirate who was different and looked stronger than the other Sky Pirates showed himself. That man had a large body wrapped by thick muscles. His armor was so notable because it was decorated with skull carvings and excluded a cold aura. He had a Great Sword as his weapon. The man made a big, crazy smile and shouted, "Kill everyone, don''t leave anyone but the women!" "OOO!!" Shouted the Sky Pirates under his commands. The Sky Pirates who boarded our Airship are becoming more and more numerous. This chaos became even worse when the strong Sky Pirate who is a great sword user started swinging his weapon. "He''s Cooper Head!" Shouted our Airship captain. "Kill that man! He must die!" "UWOO!" Shouted the people on our side. They launched their attacks on the Sky Pirates with new vigor. And yes, the Sky Pirates also attacked me. Now, I''m dealing with three men who put on vulgar smiles on their faces. I realized, their eyes were always stealing glances at my chest and hips. "Look at this! The attack just begins and we''ve already found a treasure!" "Damn it! She''s so beautiful!" "I can''t wait to taste her." These men... They make me furious! I know extremely well, these men are so similar to the men who came to the Brothel where I used to live. They are the lowest living creatures in this world. "Be careful, don''t hurt this girl too much. We won''t be able to get a good pleasure if she-argg!" The man will never be able to finish his speech because my Siver Spear already pierced his neck. That''s right, I didn''t want to kill humans. If I could, I wouldn''t kill anyone. However, for a man like this, for a creature who only acts because of its lower sword and was evil, I will kill them indiscriminately. For them, Let there be carnage. Chapter 111 - In The Chaos "Wha..." "Bitch!" Two Sky Pirates beside the man I killed made and showed a different response. One of them froze while the other approached me with a weapon raised high into the air. I pulled my spear out of the neck of that man then I took two steps back. I dodge the swing of man A''s sword. And of course, man A didn''t stop his attack. He approached me again. Faster than before then giving me other attacks to cut off my body. Clang! Clang! Our weapons hit each other quickly and powerfully. With this exchange, I can guess that man A no longer seemed to have any desire to capture me. His eyes were bloodshot while the dense killing aura he emitted made my fox tails swing stiffly. He makes me uncomfortable. I don''t like this and extending the fight is not a wise decision. So, I decided to end this fight as soon as possible. Especially when man B joins our fight after he wakes up from his daze. Clang! Clang! We - three of us - exchanged attacks for quite some time. Wounds appear in each of our bodies. Yes, I''m fast and I''m having a hard time facing them. Why? Because they have good coordination and teamwork. Man A constantly blocks my attacks while man B always sneaks around to deliver deadly attacks to me. Man B who relies upon speed is more dangerous than man A who relies more on strength. "[Power Slash]" Man A launched Arte to cut off my left shoulder. "Shit!" I cursed. Then as fast as possible, I shifted my body to the side to dodge the Arte. Of course, I didn''t stop moving. Instantly, I moved my right hand that is full of energy to take my Silver Longsword. "[Quick Draw]" My Arte flew to cut man A''s throat and unfortunately... Clang! Man A managed to fend off my attack. Coming from the side and taking advantage of my blind spot, man B launched a surprise attack. "[Wolf Fang]" An Arte came and I bent my body to dodge it. The surprise attack failed to hurt me because I had Heat Detection. Even though I couldn''t see man B, I always felt his heat and knew where he was when he keep moving around. I turned sideways to keep my distance from them. But they didn''t want to let me go easily. They approached and attacked me again. Clang! Clang! Again, our weapons hit each other. Time passed and suddenly, I threw my spear at man A with all my strength. Swosh and Splat! The man couldn''t dodge it. He just stood there making a surprised expression as the spear pierced through his stomach and nailed him to the deck. "Damn bitch!" Shout man B. He attacked me blindly. His dagger was moved so irregularly. And his speed increased. He keeps attacking me, doesn''t care about the injuries I give him. His methods to launch attacks make me have a hard time dodging his attacks. I got a few cuts and stab wounds before man B died. As for man A, he died because of blood loss. I picked up my spear and looked around to find Ruciel. However, the things I found and saw made me sick. I''ve seen murder but this, this is an indiscriminate massacre. The Sky Pirates really didn''t care about the lives of others or the lives of their comrades. They keep killing and killing, never stopping. They continued to make a crazed shout in this chaos. Dozen of people''s corpses lay on the deck, blood splattered everywhere, cries of despair and madness appeared alternately, people were dying, and worst of all, the evil side of people was clearly visible. "It''s stifling," I whispered. A moment later I run when I found Ruciel. She was my destination. I have to help that girl who is currently confronting two Sky Pirates. She doesn''t look good in a good position. I passed people who were fighting also dozen of spells. And every time I passed the Sky Pirates, I gave them a gift of slash or two. Every once in a while, I kill them. And now, I killed a Sky Pirate who trying to catch a wounded woman, who is a crew of this Airship. "Thank you," said the woman who then drank a bottle of Potions. I leave the woman and I ran to Ruciel while launching surprise attacks on the Sky Pirates. The work I did give Adventurers and crew of this Airship a chance to kill sky pirates. And yes, my little work didn''t stop this plundering. This nightmare continues. A few steps later, I arrived at the place where Ruciel fought the two Sky Pirates. Yes, the Sky Pirates discovered my presence but they were too slow. "[Wind Cannon]" "Gah!" My spell sent a man flying far enough. As for the other man, he turned away from Ruciel to attack me. Luckily, the guy was slower than the man B I had fought before. Because of that, my Arte... "[Impale]" Splat! "Cough! Cough!" My Arte took this man''s life after penetrating his left chest. "...thank you," Ruciel said. Then, mirrored the woman earlier, Ruciel drank a bottle of Potion to treat her injuries. Yes, Ruciel is strong but she looks ragged now. And I think that''s partly my fault. I didn''t give her a weapon intended for a melee fight. And yes, it seemed like she didn''t get a chance to snatch a weapon from someone else. As for the other reason... "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Name: Kurno | Age: 22] [Race: Dog Beastkin | Lvl: 37] [Job: Sky Pirates, Airship Crew] | HP: 68/116 | MP: 23/30 | SP: 97/130 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ The Sky Pirates who attacked our airship were quite strong. Their average level was at 34, their strength was on par with C-Rank Adventurers. "You look fine," Ruciel said. She glanced at me to check on my condition. Yes, even though my clothes became tattered, I didn''t have enough injuries. It happened because I have Nature Vitality. My wounds heal faster than anyone else''s. "I''ve been drinking my Potions," I told her. Then, I gave Ruciel a Dagger. At the same time, my eyes never stopped to look around. The danger was everywhere and I didn''t want any of them to approach us when we weren''t ready. In addition to the danger, I realized that our allies had suffered a defeat. It happen because, In addition to strength, we were also outnumbered. "It''s not good," I whispered. The Sky Pirates didn''t disappear even though we had already killed quite a number of them. "Can''t you use that annoying mist?" Ruciel gave me some of her thoughts. I shook my head. "That mist targeting everyone, allies, and enemies, it would be too risky if I used it now." "How about turning into a monster?" Ruciel asked and she pulled me into the back of a pile of barrels to hide. "I need two more days before I can transform again," I explained to her. At the same time, I saw the condition of her body. I made a nod when I saw the wounds on her body disappear quite quickly. "What are you going to do now?" "We''re going to kill those Sky Pirates one by one." My ears twitched as I said this plan. To be honest, I wasn''t sure and I lost my way or maybe, I didn''t know what to do in this chaos. The real world didn''t give me the objectives I had to do. "Killing their captain will make things easier. You know that?" I turned to see a man called Cooper Head. "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Name: Tarni | Age: 31] [Race: Human | Lvl: 54] [Job: Sky Pirates Captain, Commander ] | HP: 289/374 | MP: 67/90 | SP: 217/279 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ He''s stronger than me. He''s pretty scary. And he''s fighting the Captain of our Airship in equal ground. I didn''t want to disturb their fight so I shook my head. "We''re going to have a hard time dealing with that guy. We''re going to finish his men first." "All right," said Ruciel, who prepared her Dagger. "Are you ready?" "Follow me!" Out of the hiding place, I ran towards the nearest Sky Pirate. Ruciel was right behind me. Together, we killed those Sky Pirates using a surprise attack. Our strategy worked despite having to try hard to get close quietly while taking advantage of the blind spots of those Sky Pirates. < Acquired a Skill! Stealth |Lvl 1 > [Stealth | Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Hide the skill''s owner presence from the enemies.] < Level up! 6 to 7 > < Level up! 7 to 8 > Leveling up makes me happy. However, for some reason, I feel disgusted now. Obtaining Exp by killing people wasn''t a pleasant thing. And yes, thanks to the work we did, our allies got better in their fight and it seem, we got back the upper hand in this chaos. "If this situation continues, I''m sure¡ª" I stopped talking and as soon as possible, I turned my body around. I prepared my spear and a moment later... Clang! A Great Sword struck my spear strongly. That attack also threw me quite far. I rolled around on the deck a few times before I stopped. I stood up as quickly as I could and shouted, "Ruciel run!" "Run? Isn''t that word fit you better?" That question made my body flinch. I jumped away from the source of the sound. And sure enough, the person I didn''t want to fight stood in front of me. "You look pretty strong. Let''s fight until one of us dies!" Tarni yelled and ran to me. Standing here I shouted, "Why!?" Chapter 112 - Princess On White Horse Swuss! Sounds and strong gusts of winds were created every Time the Sky Pirates Captain, Tarni swung his Great Sword. Those attacks were so terrifying especially when he used them with the intention to kill me! I had a little trouble dodging his attacks because my body was suppressed by the strong killing intent he emitted. My entire mind focused on moving my stiff body, dodging all of his Great Sword swings, and remembering his attack patterns. I don''t want this fight! But it seems, I can''t say no to this. So, I have or been forced to do it. I have to kill the man. I want to live after all. Then again, I was sad that no one from my side or allies trying to help me. And I am happy when I know that the Sky Pirates have no interest to interfere in our fight. I am alone in front of this danger. Ruciel? The girl was preoccupied with five or six Sky Pirates who tried to capture her. I hope she is okay. "What''s the problem? Why do you keep evading?" He asked in a condescending and scornful tone. I''m not angry about getting that provocation because there is something more important that needs my attention. I have to dodge his attacks. I can not do anything else besides that because fending off the man''s attacks directly numbed my hands. Launch attacks recklessly without knowing his strength will get me killed silly. Moreover, my Silver Spear was not equal in durability and strength to his Great Sword. Silver Spear got a deep cut mark after I fended off his first attack. And it could be said, my spear was half broken into two. Yes, I know, this spear won''t last long. Swuss! "That''s so close!" I shouted then kicked the deck to keep my distance from him by jumping backward. "Don''t run! Fight me!" Tarni approached me then attacked me again with his Great Sword. On the other hand, I moved back my body to dodge the dangers he brings to snatch my life. "Damn it! Don''t mess around! [Hurricane]" A small tornado made of sharp wind came quickly to grind my body. And yes, I need a defense to save myself. That''s why... "[Breath of Nature]" I used Plant Spell to create a wall of trees in front of me. A small tornado destroyed the trees and the trees managed to protect me. That''s right, Breath of Nature is a Spell that allows me to grow trees and control them as they grow. The number of trees, the types of trees, where I grow them, and how I control them can be done as I please. However, the more, the bigger, and how detailed I control the trees will drain my Mana in big quantities. If I use my entire Mana to use this Spell, I can create a twenty square meters wide forest with each tree in it having a diameter of fifty centimeters. For the record, this Spell requires me to use it in a place that has natural elements or soil. I can''t use it in places made of thick stone or iron. This was a powerful Spell even with its flaws. Now, back to the fight against Tarni. Time passed and... I''ve remembered some of the attack patterns that become the habit of this man. From few Arte he shows me, I guess that his Great Sword Mastery is at level five. Lastly, this man couldn''t seem to use magic because he didn''t once show any signs that he was using Spells. So okay, it''s time for me to give him counterattacks. My resolve made my fox ears twitch and I gathered my Mana in my mouth. "[Fire Breath]" Bwosh! "The hell!" Like a flamethrower, fire came out of my mouth. I used the fire to burn Tarni. And yes, he tried to run but I chased him. I believed this Skill could give the man serious wounds but I was wrong. "[Blue Devil Aura]" He survived my flames then extinguished them using a blue aura that enveloped his body. It''s an Arte from Unarmed Combat Mastery. Of course, he didn''t stop there. "[Giant Swing]" He made a wide horizontal swing using his Great Sword which was coated by blue light that solidified. The light makes his weapon longer than it should have been. The attack killed three people who were too close to us. And those man distance was five meters from us! The attack was ridiculous! Me? I dodged the attack by squatting. After the danger passed, I kicked the deck to get close to Tarni quickly. I filled my arm with energy and then launched an Arte. "[Flash Swings]" Clang! Clang! Our weapons exchanged hits. And thanks to that, my spear became a little curved. Ugh! This isn''t a good sign. And true to my guess, dozen seconds later, my Silver Spears ended up broken in two. The episode made me unsheathe the Silver Longsword quickly as I can. "Ha ha ha, you''re over now!" The man laughed happily. He made me annoyed. Because of that, I threw my spear at him. But, he managed to fend it off. In the end, my spear killed a random Sky Pirates. "You can''t do anything and you will die." The man smiled then dashed to me with incredible speed. Unfortunately, he was wrong about I can''t do anything. Although I was no longer able to use my main fighting style, I still have Sword Mastery, Magic Skills, and some Attack Skills. I didn''t run out of my ace. Tarni swung her Great Sword while I... "[Wind Cannon]" I used a Spell and I managed to throw the guy away for a few meters. He underestimated me and he become careless. He gave me a furious expression when he stand up. Then... he approached me quickly again. I attack him using other Spells but... "[Water Shoot]" Splash! Splash! Unfortunately, the water bullets I shot couldn''t penetrate his Armor which was coated by a blue aura. "Ear this! [Brutal Severance]!" Shouting Tarni when he managed to shorten our distance. The red light-coated Great Sword came quickly to cut my body into pieces. Yes, I used all of my capabilities to dodge the attacks and my sword to parry a few of them. I succeeded! I managed to keep myself to get serious injuries but I still got minor injuries! This makes me annoyed and more frustrated. The man was stronger than me! I don''t like the fact. Blood flowed profusely from my wounds but it wouldn''t be a problem. I can still move well with Pain Resistance and my HP will return to full at a fast pace due to Nature Vitality. Of course, I didn''t stay still. A moment after I dodged the attacks, I launched counterattacks in the form of a stab and Arte. I tried to hurt the man, drain his HP by exploiting the gaps between the Armor he was wearing but I didn''t make it. The man used the flat side of his Great Sword as a shield. He blocked my attack well. And that blue aura turned out to be tougher than I expected. I can''t penetrate his defense, I can''t give him serious wounds or even drain his HP. However, I didn''t give up. "[Breath of Nature]" A tree grew from the wooden deck instantly to tie Tarni''s right leg, making him stop in place. "Huh?" "[Slash of Madness]" My Silver Sword which was enveloped in deep red light became a flash of bright lines. With this Arte, I intend to cut off the man''s right arm and neck. I thought that this Arte would work but the reality wasn''t kind. "[Swings of Destruction]" Tarni defended himself by using the Grand Arte obtained from level seven Great Sword Mastery. His violent swings of Great Sword countered my attacks. I made a mistake in measuring his strength and now I got the consequences of that mistake. Clang! Splat! Silver Longsword left my arm and a deep wound adorned my right thigh. I lost my balance and then fell into the deck because of my weak legs. "Finally!" He said with happiness in his voice. "You''re strong you know¡ª" "[Wind Cannon]" Bwosh! I wish the Spell could fly him away but... "That''s dangerous," he said shortly after he dodged. "We''ll talk after I cut off all your arms and legs." As soon as that words finished being spoken, I saw his Great Sword coming to me quickly. I realized I couldn''t avoid the attack by rolling over or using Spell considering our close distance. I was prepared to take the attack but... Bang! Bang! The sound of light explosions like gunfire was heard. A moment later, Tarni''s attack shifted. His Great Sword passed beside me and hit the deck. "Bastard!" He shouted and looked in the other direction in search of the one who attack him. He was distracted and this was my chance. "[Breath of Nature]" I tied the man''s legs with a few trees and then I rolled away from him as soon as possible and as far as possible. "Don''t run! Get back-'' Bang! Bang! Tarni shouted but the sound of gunfire cut through his speech. He was being forced to defend himself, maybe. When I saw the man after I stop fleeing, I saw brown gemstones covering his legs and the trees I grow. A moment later... Thud! A girl landed in front of me. "Just in time!" She shouted in a voice that showed happiness and pride. Yes, the girl''s holding a gun, a Magi Firearm. I guess, this golden-haired girl who is wearing a dark brown outfit was my savior. The assumption became true when the girl who was looking at me with her red eyes said, "heal yourself lovely girl, I will kill that man for you!" After that, the girl rushed to approach Tarni. Before she ran, she leave two things for me. The first was a bottle of Potion. The second is curiosity. Why is she wearing such a scary masker? I asked in my heart as I drank the Potion given by the girl. Bang! Bang! "Little bitch! [Swings of Destruction]!" "Too slow!" Bang! Bang! The commotion caught my attention. There, the girl who had just saved me was toying with Tarni, a man who was trying to cut up her body with Grand Arte. And yes, I never did I thought, that girl could handle the man so easily. The girl stopped the man''s movements by continuously covering his body with brown gemstones. Is that the effect of her bullets? Well¡­ anyway, dozen seconds later, Tarni''s entire body except for his head was covered by brown gemstones. The girl approached the man and Bang! She killed the man with a shoot in the head. Chapter 113 - Stupidity Or Bravery < Level up! 8 to 9 > That was Steal Kill but it wasn''t an issue for me. That girl killed Tarni, I don''t need to get my hands dirty. That''s the most important thing. The chaos was still going on and I was again engaged in a fight against the Sky Pirates as soon as my condition improved. "Sky Pirates! Your captain is already dead! Surrender now!" Shouted the mysterious girl who killed Tarni. That announcement made the Sky Pirates pause for a moment. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the Adventurers and crews captured the Sky Pirates. Some of their efforts succeeded while others failed. The fight started again and the chaos was repeated. But then... Woo! Woo! A loud sound of the trumpet was heard. The Sky Pirates abandoned their fight. Those bad guys ran to their Airships. So quickly, they left our Airship. And yes, one only needed a blink of an eye to guessing that those Sky Pirates wanted to escape. Our side doesn''t want those bad guys to save themselves. Hence, some Adventurers and Crews taught them. However, before they could capture more of those Sky Pirates or jump into their Airship, they were stopped by their comrades. As for me... Well... Spontaneously, I chased after a Sky Pirate! And since no one stopped me, now I''m on the deck that''s part of the Airship of those Sky Pirates! I''m here alone, I''m surrounded by Sky Pirates, some of them who are aware of my presence making expressions of confusion, while others are amazed. A moment later... "Catch the girl," a man shouted. Four people reacted immediately. They ran up to me and I... "[Wind Cannon]" I used Spell to send them flying away. Then, this Airship shook. It separated itself from our Airship. And quickly, this Airship flies away. "... I''m stuck in crisis. Isn''t that right?" I asked no one. If I could see my face, I''m sure, I''d see a pale face of a girl. And damn it! A few seconds passed and the distance between the two Airships was already over thirty meters! This is extremely different from the time when this Airship approached our Airship. It took them a dozen minutes but now... "Don''t just stand still! The girl is still free!" That loud yell made me wake up from my daze. I stopped looking at our Airship in the distance. And after I turned around, I saw the seven Sky Pirates approach me. "There''s no choice, right? [Mist of Nightmare Illusion]" An explosion of mist appears to engulf us all. The fog appeared and disappeared in a split second but the fog managed to put most of those Sky Pirates to deep sleep. "What happened?" A Sky Pirate wondered as he looked at his friends lying on the deck. He caught my attention, so... "[Water Shoot]" I shot his body with a water bullet. "Guah!" The man fell to his knee after the right side of his stomach was hollowed out by my Spell. The other Sky Pirates were still confused by what happened. Therefore, I took advantage of the opportunity to pick up a sword near me. Then, I ran to the nearest Sky Pirate. "[Stinger]" My sword managed to pierce the man''s chest. A moment later I pulled out my sword and cut the man''s throat. "One fell and there were still many standing," I said as I looked at the still-conscious Sky Pirates. "Bastard!" A man was shouting. "Kill her!" Another man followed. Within seconds, four people came to kill me, two Sky Pirates in the distance prepared their arrows, and a big part of them chose to flee. I had to pay attention to those archers, I thought when I blocked the sword of Sky Pirate A. "Die you wh*re! [Power Slash]" Sky Pirate B comes with a sword covered in red light but... "[Fire Breath]" He was burned by my fire. "Gyaa...!" That scream of pain made the other three Sky Pirates freeze. They made a big mistake by doing that. Thanks to it, I also managed to burn the Sky Pirate A that was so close to me. "Aaa...!" Two archers who were unfazed by this event released their arrows at me. "[Breath of Nature]" I grew a tree to block an arrow. A moment later, I moved my body to avoid the other arrows. I didn''t stop, I twisted my body, and I pointed my palm at the two Sky Pirates who were melee fighters. "[Wind Cannon]" Huge air pressure shot towards them quickly. One of those who had a quick reaction tried to dodge but... "Gah!" "Gehok!" He''s not fast enough. In the end, the two of them were thrown for a few meters in different directions. I ignored them then ran towards the nearest archer. And yes, when I ran, I had to avoid some of the arrows fired by those two archers. "Shit!" Shouted the man I was aiming for. He unsheathed a dagger. However, before he could use it, "[Lightning Cut]" My Arte had already cut the man''s throat. The man staggered and I gave him a powerful kick in the chest before I ran close to the last archer. "Don''t come closer!" He screamed and tried to escape. Of course, I won''t obey the man''s words. I''m speeding up my pace. Our distance got closer and I prepared my sword. Splat! Blood flowed after I pierced the man''s heart from his back. "Cough! Cough!" I pulled out my sword and then his body fell. Thum! Thum! The sound of a dozen footsteps rang out and a moment later, dozens of Sky Pirates appeared from within the Airship. They came out of the door at the front and back of this deck. The armed men looked at me. "That''s the intruder! Kill her!" One of them shouted and a moment later, all of them dashed toward me. Partake in this episode, I panicked and was scared. Mist of Nightmare Illusion could not be used due to Cooldown. Without that Skill, I''m not sure I could beat these people and I would have died. That''s what I thought but... As I went into fighting mode, the movements of those people became slow. They are much slower than the Sky Pirates attacking our Airship. "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Name: Gord | Age: 18] [Race: Human | Lvl: 16] [Job: Sky Pirates, Airship Crew] | HP: 39/40 | MP: 13/13 | SP: 25/37 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ That''s shocking! I cried out in my heart. Then, I used Appraisal many times while running and dodging these people''s attacks. Most of them are young and low-leveled. Killing them... "STOP!" I screamed and they stopped. "Surrender now! I don''t want to kill you." Those people looked at each other then made a nod of the head. I thought that was a sign that they were going to surrender but I was wrong. They raise their weapons, ran up to me, and attacked me, again! For quite some time, I tried to persuade them once again before finally forcing them to surrender but my efforts were in vain. They don''t want to listen to me at all. In the end... "[Mist of Nightmare Illusion]" They fell into a deep sleep, lying on the deck after being engulfed by the mist I made. I sighed and checked the surroundings. There are no more Sky Pirates who are conscious and want to kill me. Everything becomes quieter when there are no voices of people. Now, what should I do? Two hours wasn''t enough for me to tie all these Sky Pirates then kill the others who were still in hiding. I can''t secure this Airship alone. I went back to see the Sky Pirates who were asleep. I don''t want to do this. But, if I don''t do it, I can''t secure the Airship and I could die. I looked around, hoping to find someone who wanted to help me, give me an idea, or stop me. Unfortunately, the person I was hoping for didn''t show himself even though I had waited long enough. I took a deep breath and steeled my heart. I approached the nearest Sky Pirate who was still asleep. I moved my sword and I pierced the man''s heart. After the man died, I approached the other man. I repeat the things I do many times. And yes, I didn''t kill the young Sky Pirates. Na?ve, pretending to be a hero, too soft... I don''t care about any of that. I just don''t want to get uncomfortable feelings that can haunt my heart and mind. A dozen minutes later, I was done. I killed a dozen or maybe dozens of Sky Pirates that were sleeping on this deck. < Level up! 9 to 10 > My level went up¡­ along with that, I realized that a Helmsman who is controlling this Airship gave me a look full of horror from the control room. That man gave me an idea so I walked up to him. I''m going to ask the guy to take this Airship to the Airship I''m supposed to be riding in. I walked for a while and... Wouldn''t I didn''t need to kill all those Sky Pirates if I wanted to bring this Airship back with me? "Urgh!" I made a strange noise and massaged my nose bridge. "It''s too late and I don''t have to cry over the milk that''s been spilled." With a foggy mind, I walked towards the control room. When I reached there, I found a man behind the steering wheel. "What''s your name? [Appraisal]" my voice was quite loud when I voiced the question but it became soft when I voiced the Skill. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Name: Flaren | Age: 36] [Race: Human | Lvl: 26] [Job: Sky Pirates, Helmsman, Airship Crew] | HP: 80/82 | MP: 56/63 | SP: 32/47 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ "Flaren, I''m Flaren," replied the man in panic. "You have a good name, you know that?" "... yes, I know it." His voice trembled. "Good then. Now, Mr. Flaren. Can you kindly bring this Airship to get close to the Airship that your group attacked earlier?" "Of course, miss! Right away!" Chapter 114 - Unexpected To catch up with the Airship where Kimi and the others are, this Airship takes less than seventeen minutes. Yup! In that period, there were several Sky Pirates who came to the control room to see what happened. But in the end, my sword killed them. Other than the Sky Pirates, another problem arose. As this Airship approached the Airship I came before, several Aether Cannon shoots to hit us. Luckily, thanks to the Barrier, this Airship is fine. Bam! DUAR! Or maybe not! A small part of the front of this Airship exploded then caught fire after receiving an Aether Cannon bullet. Seeing that big fire, I''m sure someone will put it out... Right? ... Damn! I just realized that no one will put out that fire! After all, I''ve already killed many Sky Pirates in this Airship! "Is there any fire extinguishing system in this Airship?" I asked the man who from quite some time didn''t say anything and just focused on controlling this Airship. "I''ll use it immediately!" He replied so suddenly and with a loud voice. And true as he said, the fire extinguishing system turn on and carried out its duties. The big fire was extinguished. Then, sometime later, the Aether Cannon was no longer being shot. Instead, dozens of hooks were fired. And in a matter of minutes, two Airships were bound to one. After the two Airships connected, the Adventurers and Crews boarded this Airship. Seeing that, I decided to meet them. Before I left, I said, "Flaren, keep this Airship parallel with that Airship." "Aye, miss." "Don''t do anything suspicious or I''ll kill- no. I don''t want to do killing anymore, so... Maybe I''ll cut off your legs?" "Please, miss, don''t give me such a scary question," his voice and body trembled. "I''m not going to do anything strange. Therefore please don''t cut off my legs." "Well... If you say so, I''ll believe it." "Thank you." So, with that, I left the control room to go to the deck. When I got there, I found a dozen people examining the corpses together with the Sky Pirates who were still asleep on this deck. After conducting the examination, they would pile up the corpses into one. They tie up the surviving Sky Pirates. And yes, as I walked up to those people some of them became wary and even, they pointed their weapons at me. "I''m not the enemy," I told them. At the same time, I raised my hands. The people who surrounded me showed expressions of doubt. They only became more relaxed when a man said, "Lower your weapons. That girl is right, she''s not our enemy." The man I''m referring to is our Airship captain. Unlike before the Sky Pirates attack, the captain was in bad shape now. The man''s body or more precisely his right chest and abdomen are wrapped in bandages. I could see some blood stains decorating the bandages. Is the captain weaker than Tarni? I wanted to make sure of it by using Appraisal but I remember, Ruciel said that using Appraisal on people without their consent was a rude manner. But of course, I will use Appraisal on the enemy without asking permission from them. Now, our Airship captain and a female Crew approached me. They are followed by Ruciel and the mysterious girl who saved my life. "So, miss. Did you do all this? Killing the Sky Pirates, making them unconscious, and the last is bringing this Airship back to my Airship," the captain asked. I got a question and I made a nod. "Yes, I was the one who did it." "Can you tell me how you did all this in more detail?" "Of course." With that sentence as the start, I began to tell my story of how I defeated the Sky Pirates and ended up taking over their Airship. After I finished, the captain said that he would need my story when we met the knights at Cadebre. Then, the captain gave us ¡ª the Adventurers and the crew ¡ª the task of rummaging this Airship. So, I decided to take part. I along with Ruciel and the mysterious girl we formed a team. We started rummaging this Airship and... "Why are you so stupid?" Ruciel asked. "Okay, that was so rude and so sudden. I don''t remember I did things that deserved the question." I saw the girl I loved with a wounded heart. Why does she have to possess a venomous mouth? I wondered. "You boarded this Airship full of Sky Pirates alone and you said you don''t remember you didn''t do stupid things?" "Well, I admit it, it might be a bit stupid¡ª" "That can''t be a bit stupid," Ruciel interjected. "That''s so stupid. From now on, please think first before you do anything!" "This Fallen Elf girl is right, I won''t give you the word stupid but I will give you the word careless. I just saved you from Warmaiger and you jumped into the mouth of a Dragon mouth without a second thought. You have to be more careful, lovely girl," said the mysterious girl. My tail made a strong swing and I said, "Hello, nice to meet you..." "You can call me Myu. My full name is Myusel if you''re curious," explained the girl or Myu. And yes, this girl is a little unique because her mouth and nose are covered by a mask shaped like a wolf''s mouth along with its sharp teeth. "I wonder, which part of the Airship will we search first?" Myu asked. And I replied with, "The very bottom of this Airship. Follow me!" I guided them to a place full of people''s heat. Are they Sky Pirates or are they prisoners? I kept wondering until we finally arrived in front of a solid black door. "Is this their warehouse?" Ruciel''s voice was filled with curiosity. "No. There are a lot of people behind this door so this room is not a warehouse," I explained as I unsheathed my sword. "What do you want to do?" "I''ll open this door, Myu." Myu shook her head. She approached the door and said, "Let me open this door." Myu picked up the strange tool from her backpack and started fiddling with the door. Sometime later, she managed to open the black door. And to my surprise, I smelled a familiar pungent smell as soon as the door opened. Not only the smell, but I also heard the gentle groans of a few women. "What kind of pungent smell is this?" Ruciel asked while pinching her nose. "Does it a smell of c*m? I''m not too sure," Myu replied shaking his head softly. "Sp*rm, ur*ne, human f*ces, and other bodily fluids," I explain. At the same time, I made a wild guess. And to be honest, I hope this wild guess doesn''t come true. I entered the room in a quick motion. And as per my expectations, I saw nightmares or maybe half of the nightmares because the men were not in this place. What did I find? Dozens of naked women wearing handcuffs. Some of them were even tied to walls and were in cages. What''s worse, those women were injured. Their bodies were filled with bruises, grazes, and even cuts. I can also see some women whose minds have been broken stare at nothing. They were in extremely bad shape. They didn''t even say anything when they saw me and Myu enter this room. "We need healers ASAP," I said. "I''ll call them," Ruciel answered immediately. A moment later, the girl who peeked into this room from the door ran as quickly as she can to leave this place. My fox''s ears twitched as I watched Ruciel who was moving at a quick pace. "It seems, she can''t tolerate seeing all of this," Myu commented. I made a nod to the possibility and said, "Let''s free these women." "Sure, can you use Keys Kit? If so, I can lend you one of mine." "Sure," I gave Myu a reply. "But before that, there are things I have to do first." I walked up to the pile of wooden boxes. Yes, Heat Perception tells me that there''s one heat lurking there. And I don''t feel any positive feelings when seeing that heat. And sure enough, the moment I was close enough to the pile of wooden boxes, the heat came out of hiding. "Die!" A man shouted as he approached me with his Dagger. And yes, the man died before he could hurt me. Using a sword in my hand, I behead him. After that, the two of us start freeing those women and I met a woman who was restrained by handcuffs and chains more than any other woman. This woman had a lot of wounds and her mouth was gagged with a cloth. I feel sorry for her. So, immediately, I free her. "Where''s Tarni?" She asked with hatred just after I got rid of the cloth in her mouth. "That girl already killed him," I replied, pointing at Myu with my hand. The woman moved her head to look at Myu. While Myu gave the woman a wave of the hand. "F*CK!" Her loud screams make my fox ears and tail stand upright in surprise. "Why are you yelling so suddenly?" "Because I can''t kill that man with my own hands!" She explained and I understood the feelings she has right now. I moved my hands again to free the woman. But then, my hands stopped when I saw the tattoo on the woman''s stomach. I recognized the tattoo because of my experience playing Ark Fantasy Online. Therefore, I moved my head to look at the woman''s face once more. After observing that face.. I recognize this woman. She was a Quest Giver and her name was, "Lostria?" Chapter 115 - New Party Members 1_2 "Lostria?" "How do you know my name?" The woman asked me. At the same time, she gave me a sharp gaze with an arched brow. Confusion, anger, and a hint of hatred emanated from her voice and the light in her eyes. Whoops! I did it again. This lousy month! "Did I just call your name?" "Yes! And you also said it with an expression and tone as if you knew me well." "You probably misheard," I replied as I opened the last iron bracelet on Lostria''s left leg. Then, in haste, I said, "You are free now, take a rest while I free the other women." I moved my legs to leave but... Lostria grabbed my shoulders tightly. "I didn''t hear wrong! If I''m wrong, try to repeat the word you said earlier!" "... Lollia?" I said to Lostria. "I believe you said Lostria," Myu said. "I have a sharp hearing so I can''t possibly be wrong." "Wha..." How could you do that, I yelled at Myu but inwardly. I didn''t make a sound but I glared at her, a little hateful. I''m trying to sweep away my mistakes but why are you revealing them directly? "Is it just me or can you see it too?" Lostria looked at Myu and then looked at me. "This girl isn''t an expert at keeping her mind, right?" "Don''t say so," as Myu spoke, she freed a woman from the iron bracelets. "This lovely girl is so adorable when her tail and ears move around stiffly in her lie." "Don''t call me a lovely girl! And I didn''t lie." I replied with a little annoyance. Taking advantage of the opportunity when Lostria''s attention was distracted, I moved away. The woman said, "hey" to stop me but I ignored her. Lostria didn''t chase me because she fell to the floor. She was just sitting there and she looked so frail. "Then, what should I call you with? You haven''t even told me your name." "You didn''t give me a chance to introduce myself. I''m Eclaite." "That''s a beautiful name," Myu said cheerfully. "Come back here, Eclaite! I still haven''t gotten an answer on how you know my name," Lostria ordered. I ignored her once more and pretend to focus freeing the woman in front of me. "Oh! She fainted!" Myu''s screams made me move my head spontaneously. There, I found Lostria lying with her eyes closed. Her breath was so soft. I''m worried. Therefore, after I finished freeing the woman, I approached Lostria and checked her condition. "You care so much about her. Seeing this, I want to ask, why should you go to such great lengths to deny that you know her?" "I... I don''t know for sure either." Why am I trying to avoid Lostria? According to my knowledge, she is a Quest Giver who will give players a Quest titled Wings of the past. Completing that Quest would give the Players an Airship. An airship! Isn''t that the one thing I really want? Then why am I trying to stay away from Lostria? Is it because her Quest is difficult to complete? Or could it be because the monsters that appeared in the Quest were quite powerful? And I''m sure the powerful Boss Monster isn''t the reason why I stay away from Lostria either. Hmm... Am I staying away from her because she has a heart-wreaking story? ... I didn''t get an answer to those questions even after the Healers come and do their duty to heal these poor women. Our job in this room is done. I, Ruciel, and Myu are rummaging this Airship again. However, even after we had been rummaging the Airship for a few hours, we didn''t find anything else that can be said as interesting. The adventurers and crew had already found the treasures stored in this Airship. They had also killed and captured the remaining Sky Pirates who are in hiding. In the end, we didn''t do much and this episode of the Sky Pirates'' assault ended. Ruciel and I returned to our cabin. There, I met Kimi, Alan, and Chloe who were worried about us. Of course, we said we were fine to soothe them. Then, the kids started asking us to tell them what happen. So, we told a story. And yes, Kimi scold me harshly after she found out about the episode where I boarded the Sky Pirates'' Airship alone. After that, our journey to Cadebre went smoothly without any more obstacles. Arriving at Cadebre, our Airship captain named Renestra immediately took care of the aftermath of the attack by the Sky Pirates. He along with some people who had a big role while fighting against the Sky Pirates came to the Patrol Knights headquarters to make a report on what happened. Yes, I was one of the people who reported with Renestra. And I can say, I spent a lot of time at the Patrol Knights headquarters. What about the rewards? I got the reward promised by Renestra. I also got the bonus earned from the sale of the Sky Pirates who become Slaves, the treasures they owned, and their Airships. I got 36 big gold coins. About the women we found? They were handed over to the Patrol Knights. The authorities will assist those women. And I heard, they''re going to help those women to go home. If those women had nowhere to go back, patrol knights would send them to church or would house them until they got a job. As for the women who are broken. They will be given medical treatment before they go through the stages I mentioned earlier. Lostria? For now, I don''t want to deal with that woman. I''m still confused about what I want to do. Should I take the Quest she has or ignore it? So, with all of that was done, I can say we got to Cadebre. The thing we did when we arrived was going to an inn. We''ll rest for a day or two before doing anything else. I want to relax but... "Okay," I began. "Why are you following me?" We are currently at the Tavern of the inn that I and others are staying in. As for my question, it was aimed at the two women sitting in front of me. "I follow you because you''re a lovely girl," Myu gave her reason. "You haven''t told me about how you know my name yet," Lostria replied. Yup! For some reason, since that episode, these two women continued to follow me around. Yes, Lostria refused the help provided by the Patrol Knights. She chose to leave and decide what she would do after getting her belongings back and some of the money given by the Patrol Knights to her as a kindness. As for Myu... Just like that girl said, she''s following me because I''m a lovely girl? Honestly, I don''t know what she wants. She continued to follow me without showing any signs that she had any intention to leave. Yes, I told them not to bother me and to stay away from me. They fulfilled the request but one night later, they went back to me. I clasped my head in confusion to deal with the two women. I thought for some time and... "Myu, give me a clear reason or I''ll certainly ask you to leave!" I told the masked girl firmly. Then, I saw Lostria. "As for you, Lostria. I know you because I also know what you know." I waited for their answers after saying the decision I made. "Honestly," Myu began. "I am an Adventurer who is looking for people to form a Party. I don''t want people with ordinary abilities and after I see you fight, I want you to become a member of my Party." "No, I won''t join your party. I have a business I want to do. I also don''t want to be under someone else''s orders." I gave Myu my rejection and excuses of mine. And thanks to that, Myu became sad. "You know what I know? What does that mean?" Lostria asked shortly after my issue with Myu ended. In order to handle this woman, I decided to take the Quest she had. That''s why... "I''m talking about an Airship called the Red Comet. I''m sure you know this." Lostria immediately stood up and hit our table the moment she heard what I was saying. And just like before, the girl looked at me sharply. "How do you know about the Airship?" "My father had many secrets and that was one of them." My father? Yes, even though I don''t like it, I use the jerk as an excuse about why I know so many things. Why would I do it, wouldn''t Haruka be an option? Because the jerk has a complex, dark past, and is full of suspicious things. That could be a good reason why he had so many secrets and knowledge. As for Haruka, mama has been dead a long time ago and she is a Slave. People won''t or will find it hard to believe if I say, mama has a lot of secrets. "Do you know where the Airship is?" Lostria tried to extract information from me. "Yes, I know it." "What about the key?" "I know that too." "Are you going to take that Airship?" "Yes, I''ll take it." "No! You can''t!" Lostria shouted. She then approached me and grabbed my collar with both hands. "May I know the reason why I can''t take the Airship?" I asked her. Chapter 116 - New Party Members 2_2 "Why can''t I take that Airship?" "Because that Airship is mine!" Lostria''s hands clutched the collar of my shirt even tighter. She''s getting irritated. "The Airship is a treasure. I don''t think it belongs to anyone." "You..." The woman wanted to say something but chose to push me. A moment later she walked away. "Where are you going?" "That''s none of your business!" She responded with a shout. "If you want to find that Airship, you better join me!" I told her. Lostria stopped then turned to look at me. "I have no reason to join you." "Well... I think you''ll probably have it after hearing things I like to say," I told Lostria. Then, I signaled her to sit in her former chair. Lostria looked hesitant before accepting my offer. She returned and sat in her chair. "I''ll say, I''m ready to fund an exploration and can go to search that Airship, the Red Comet in less than a week. I also know the shortcut to where the Airship is located. Lastly, I need a Helmsman, and aren''t you good at it?" I''ve already said things I want to say. Now, I just have to wait for the response of this red-haired woman. Her red eyes investigated me while her pretty face formed a thinking expression. Not long after, she bit the bottom of her seductive lips. Lostria took a deep breath then, "as I said earlier, I have no reason to join you." "Really? Are you sure? If you don''t join me, you''ll lose that Red Comet forever." "I won''t lose the Red Comet, I''ll get the Airship before you can touch it and I''ll make it true," she declared with a strong devotion. And yes, she can make those words real. Lostria is key. The tattoo on her stomach became part of the Magic Circle that locked, hid, and to revive the dying Red Comet. Copying the tattoo? No one could do it because the tattoo wasn''t made of ink, it was made of Mana and it was, as I said earlier, a part of a Magic Circle. If the tattoo can be copied easily, the Lostria family does not need to pass the tattoo to their children for generations. That tattoo is extremely valuable. Without her and the tattoo, even if I get to where the Red Comet is, I wouldn''t be able to retrieve the Airship because I didn''t have a part of the Magic Circle I mentioned earlier. I had to recruit Lostria while keeping her from knowing the importance of the tattoo on her stomach. And to be honest, I never thought, I had the opportunity to almost be able to take the reward of a Quest without having to accept or complete the Quest. With such a possibility, I got the idea to take the precious reward from some Quests that I didn''t want to take. And again, before I do it, I have to ascertain whether the Quests Giver of those Quests exists in this world. Now, let''s get back to my issue with Lostria. "Are you truly sure about that? I know you''re in an extremely unfavorable position right now. You just came out of that hell, you who are a former Sky Pirate are going to have trouble moving around, and you don''t have the funds to form an exploration team, right?" "No, that''s not true. I can still do something..." Her words trailed off. Well... If that''s true, I''m in big trouble. My changes to get the Red Comet will gone. Red Comet is a good Airship, it excels in terms of speed. And even out there, there are still many Airships of equal or better quality than the Red Comet. The reason I want a Red Comet... The airship was better than the Airship sold in this city and I need it to aid my quest to find my friends. And yes, searching for this Airship will delay my Quest to find my friends. But hey! I can still do something to search for them by making quests to gather information about them, again. However, this time, I will make my Quest available in several big cities in this kingdom and the capitals of neighboring kingdoms. With that, I''ll get something. Ugh, once again, I thought something else when I had to focus on dealing with my issue right now. I shook my head. "So, do you want to join or not? If yes, we can start to do some preparations for the exploration to find the Airship as soon as possible." "..." Lostria grow silent. "If you want to do an exploration, can I join?" Myu asked excitedly. "Why do you want to join?" "You need to know, I do this for romance and you lovely girl." She gave me a wink. "Myu, please be serious!" "If you don''t want to join me, I just need to join you. Isn''t that simple? And please let me join!" "... Okay, but before that, what can you do?" "I''m an Alchemist, I can make all sorts of drugs, bombs, or simple tools that are useful during your exploration." Alchemist... That word reminds me of Wilxes Lancaster, a woman the jerk says is dangerous. With that memory, I watched Myu''s face more closely. The shape of his eyebrows and eyes was different from mine. As for her nose and mouth, "Can you open that mask, Myu?" The girl blinked her eyes and then asked, "...why?" "Good question," I said, then fell silent. Moments later, "it''s to build trust." "You don''t want to ask, why am I wearing this mask?" She asked in a faint voice tinged with pain. "No," I replied briefly. I realized that there was a possibility that Myu was wearing that mask to hide scars or something like that. And there''s a chance she''s just shy, she''s ugly, or she has the special traits of a race that she didn''t want to show. Yes, I''m so rude but I have to do this because making sure this girl was not Wilxes is extremely important to me. "All right," Myu said. She then opened the mask that covered her mouth and nose. Thanks to that, I could see burns on her cheeks and cuts that made her mouth stretch to her ears. "Have you tried to heal that wound with Greater Heal?" "I haven''t tried it yet." Myu wears her mask back. "Greater Heal is not a Spell that can be used by just anyone. I know some people who can use the Spell but I need ten large gold coins for their service." "I know someone who can use Greater Heal. We''ll ask for his help when we have free time." "You don''t have to do that. You know that?" "This is an apology because I forced you to take off your mask." "I don''t want to bother¡ª" "I''m not bothered," I cut Myu''s words. Then, emphatically, I said, "You deserve it and I don''t accept rejection from you." "Do you know that you''re too pushy?" "Yes, I think Ruciel once said something like that before," I replied to Myu. A moment later, I moved my head to look at Lostria who was still silent. "Let me hear your answer, Lostria." The woman raised her face and look at me. She bit her lower lip again before saying, "... Fine! I''ll join you in this exploration. But the Red Comet will be mine. You can take the other treasures stored with it." "Hmm..." Giving Red Comet to Lostria. That''s not something I can just do. I needed an Airship for my Quest and I was afraid that Lostria would escape after receiving the Red Comet. So... "We can divide the treasures we find equally. And along with that, I wanted the right to use red comet until I got an airship of my own. Agree?" I will buy time to brainwash her or to make her didn''t want to leave my side. I want to befriend her. "After that, the Red Comet will be mine?" Lostria tried to confirm my words. I nodded. "Of course, the Red Comet can be yours once my wish comes true." And it will take forever maybe. "...fine with me. I agree with the deal." "In that case, we have a deal." I extended my hand to Lostria and she welcomed it. A handshake sealed our deal and I need to remember, I have to make a written statement of this deal to rope her tightly. After that, we ordered the food as a small celebration. We talked about what kind of preparation we needed while eating those foods. Time passed and... Cling! Cling! The little bell in the entrance door of this inn rang. A guest, an old lady whose entire body was covered by a brown robe walked in and approached our table. "I''ve been looking for you, young girl," she told me. I made a smile when Myu and Lostria looked at Ronove with curious gazes. "It''s extremely surprising to see you here, Ronove." "I don''t think you should be surprised considering you told me to meet you in this town. So, I went to you because I wanted to ask¡ª" "About Dulionya Catacomb or where can you find The Despair Tears of The Deaths?" The question I asked made the old woman freeze. Seconds passed and, "... The Despair Tears of The Deaths." Ronove answered. "Alright, I''ll tell you but you have to help me first." "Help? What kind of help?" "I want to do an exploration and I want you to be in it." "I don''t have time." "This exploration lasted less than two weeks. I''m sure you have time. I also guarantee that you will get a lot of valuable things because we will visit a place where thousands of Undead gather. What do you think?" Ronove gave me a probing look for a moment then she let out a long sigh. "Haa... I will obey your wish." "Perfect!" I said, full of joy. Chapter 117 - Lets Rent An Airship We visited Cadebre''s Skyport to rent an Airship that we would use in our exploration. Where is the destination of our exploration? The answer is Death City Vulvanier. Vulvanier is a prosperous city that collapsed hundreds of years ago. The cause of their collapse was the Magitec which was growing too rapidly. They tried to extract the Aether directly from the Ley Line but they failed. Thanks to that failure, the Mana in all parts of the city and the surrounding areas were polluted, became unstable, and became violent. It was this change in Mana that killed everyone in the city. Now, the city was filled with undead and a dozen types of mutated monsters. This is the reason why the Quest given by Lostria was difficult to complete. That was enough for Vulvanier''s Death City. Now, I have to think about what I should do in this remarkable Skyport. The Skyport in front of me was three times larger than the Skyport in the city of Rishtonbell. This place is filled with so many people, the hustle-bustle, and loud noises. And yes, there are many Airships in this Skyport. In addition to the dozens of the kingdom''s Airships, some of the Airships here were owned by Merchants and individuals. That''s right, we couldn''t rent the Airship belonged to the kingdom or the Merchants. So, our only option is to rent an Airship that is owned by individuals. Commonly, Airships owned by individuals would accept a wide variety of jobs ranging from sending cargoes, becoming bodyguards, carrying people to the destinations that did not in the Skyport''s destination list, exploring the middle of nowhere at the request of Adventurers, and finally, they will hunt down the Sky Pirates for the bounty. Why do I want to hire an Airship? Didn''t I have a plan to buy an Airship? Yes, I want to buy an Airship. However, since Lostria said, it would just be a waste of money, time, and energy if I buy an Airship for this short exploration, I held the intention to buy an Airship. Besides those, she also explained that if I bought a new Airship, it also meant that I would have to find competent crews, take care of the engine and fuel problem, register my new Airship to the kingdom, make a flight license, and fill out my Airship with stuff like Aether Cannons, ammo, supplies, extra furniture, and so on. And of course, those things also apply to small size Airships that can be operated by ten people. Out of the eight people in our Party, only me and Lostria had the knowledge and experience to handle an Airship. Disasters would come if I bought a new small-size Airship and pushed ourselves to drive it. Because of that, buying a new Airship is out of the question for now. And, In the end, I accept Lostria''s advice to rent an Airship rather than buy a new one. Why? Because I didn''t want any problems or unwanted accidents. Now. "What kind of airship do we rent?" I asked Lostria. There were only the two of us who visited the Skyport. Ruciel and the kids went to visit the Adventurer''s Guild to create a Quest intended to gather information regarding Agnisdesmo and others. Myu went to buy raw materials and ingredients that she would use to make some items I requested. The items that she will make have an important role in our exploration this time. As for Ronove, she packed her belongings due to this sudden exploration plan. She wanted to leave the horse-drawn carriage she always used to move from one city to another in a safe place. Lostria looked at me. "If we''re going to go past the places you said before. At least we need a medium-sized Airship, armed with eight pairs of Aether Cannons. We need sufficient defense and attack power." "All right," my fox ears twitched. "How many coins will we spend?" "Twenty-five to thirty large gold coins. If you want a good deal, you''ll probably need forty large gold coins." "Well, we''ll take a good deal. However, more than that, I want Helmsman and Crew who are trustworthy plus competent." "Everyone wants that." She replied. "Let''s don''t waste time in here, let''s get into the Skyport and have our business done." "Okay," I said then followed Lostria''s footsteps. From the entrance, we straight to visit a room. In there, we conveyed our desire to rent an Airship to an employee of this Skyport. "So... You want a medium-sized Airship owned by a female Helmsman?" Ask the woman to confirm our desire once again. "Yes, please," I replied. "I understand. Please wait a minute, I''ll find documents of the Helmsman that matches your request." With that, we wait. A female Helmsman? Why? Isn''t that obvious? I hate men and Lostria just became their toy. So yes, we want a female Helmsman. We agree, that crews under the command of female Helmsman have better nature than those under a male Helmsman. The employee of Skyport, Lola, came back with some documents of the Helmsman we wanted. We read the documents and selected four candidates. After that, Lola invited us to meet the candidates. The first candidate, Nindita, turned down the job we offered after she heard a few places we were going to pass through. Her airship didn''t have enough defense and she was sure that her Airship would fall if it passed in those places. As for the second candidate. It was a young man. He said that the previous Helmsman, who is his mother is retired. So, automatically, we don''t hire his services. We got a surprise when we met the third candidate. Kumala''s Airship meets all the criteria we wanted. Her crew looks promising and Kumala herself has quite a lot of flying experience. We plan to choose Kumala. But, before signing the contract, we want to see the last candidate. Unique and delinquent is the word that pops into my head when I see Helmsman named Teria. She had an Airship that was not inferior to Kumala''s Airship. Her crew was a little scary but looked competent. She''s not bad but I''m more interested in Kumala. However, Lostria instantly became familiar with that Helmsman. Because of this, we have disagreements about who we will choose. We quarreled for some time before we finally agreed to choose our Helmsman by throwing coins. The result is, "I lost." The tail of the coin didn''t support my desires. So, in the end, we hired the services of Teria, the slightly scary delinquent woman. "Don''t make that kind of expression!" Lostria scolded me. "I didn''t make any expression." The denial I voiced got a sigh from Lostria. "Haa... Listen, Teria got the flying license from the Skyport. Therefore, there was nothing wrong with her. We can trust her and you shouldn''t judge someone by her appearances." "Okay, okay, I get it," I told Lostria. Then, I looked at Teria and reached out my hand to her to shake hands. "I am in your care, Mrs. Teria." "Sure, leave it to me," said Teria who greeted my hand. "Tell me, do I look bad in your eyes, young girl?" "I''m not going to say bad. You''re just a little messy and scary. If you were a little neater, you''d be perfect." "Neat huh? I''ll ask you for advice on that later. But now, let''s talk about the work you gave me." With that, I, Lostria, and Teria exchanged opinions on the exploration plans to search for the Red Comet. We talked about the route we were going through, how to deal with the monsters that attacked us along the way, choosing some places that we would use as a place to stop and rest, and so on. A few tens of minutes passed and we managed to make a good, satisfactory plan. As for the fee for this job, Teria asked for thirty-seven large gold coins. That already includes the cost of buying ammunition, fuel, and food supplies that she will prepare. Lostria said it wasn''t a bad deal so I accepted it. The contract was made and we will leave in two days after our preparations are complete. Before leaving the Skyport, I told Teria about choosing clothes and some tips to match those clothes. Teria said she was going to try on some clothes and I promised I''d fix her choices when we met again. After leaving Skyport, Lostria and I went to the shopping area. We will meet with Ruciel and the kids to buy supplies together. We need Potions, new weapons along with new armor, and other supplies. After buying the supplies, we bought some new Spells. I bought Water Manipulation, Water Pillars, Swift Gale, Blessing of Holy Light, and Light Aura. The kids got their spells. As for Ruciel and Lostria, they refuse my offer to buy them spells. "I have to get stronger, [Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 10/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 250/254 [221] | MP: 346/355 | SP: 208/219 [ STR: 157 | DEX: 54 ] [ END: 125 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 163 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger]¨Œ [Stealth |Lvl 1] New Chapter 118 - The Start Of Our Journey "Let''s fly, lit up the engine, boys" Teria shouted. "Aye, ma''am!" Reply the crew. The Magi-engine was activated and slowly, our Airship named Zet, left the dock, moving away from Cadebre''s Skyport. With this, our exploration to find the Red Comet officially began. The wind stroked my hair as I walked on the deck. The sky was so vast and a smile formed on my face when I saw it. The feelings that appear when riding a vehicle made my body itch to do something. I want to face the danger that will confront us as soon as possible! I want to fight and get exp! If I could, I''d like to eat meat and Magi Stones owned by various new types of monsters. I have to be stronger than before. I need an increased strength to deal with the monsters in Death City Vulvanier. At the very least, I must reach Level 30 before I reach our final destination. The two Exp Spots waiting for me and I should make the most of it For a few tens of minutes, I formed a plan to hunt efficiently. "Hey." A familiar voice called out to me. I twisted my body to see the owner of the voice. "It''s rare for you to call me. What do you want to talk about, Ruciel?" "I just want to know if you''re okay with all this?" "...I don''t understand the meaning of that question." Ruciel''s long ears made a strong jolt. The girl then walked up to me and brought her face close to mine. "Don''t pretend! I''m sure you know what I mean!" She shouted and her beautiful golden eyes stab me. "Truly, I don''t know it," I replied. Simultaneously, I pulled Ruciel closer and hugged her. "Let me go!" She''s threatening me. "Honestly, I don''t know what your question meant. I''ll let you go once if you tell me what you mean in a way that''s easy to understand." Done with that sentence, I began to admire Ruciel''s beautiful face which was now putting on a drained expression. "I''m talking about those women. Myu, Lostria, and Ronove," Ruciel whispered. "Why did you mention their names? There''s nothing wrong with them, right?" "Myu keeps looking at you whenever she has the opportunity. She even collected your falling hair. As for Lostria, the woman was too suspicious. You need to know, she and the captain of this Airship probably know each other and plan something. For Ronove, that old woman was so terrifying, I could feel the powerful aura of death enveloping her." She gave me a lengthy explanation. She forced the gears in my brain to spin, to process her explanation. And yes, I can say, the things that Ruciel said are true. Myu is too obsessed with me. I''m aware of that. And right now, thanks to Heat Perception, I learned that the girl was peering at us from behind a pile of barrels, which wasn''t far from where we were. I don''t know why she did that and I hope, she is not a Yandere. I don''t want her to kill Ruciel without my knowledge. A woman named Lostria was unthinkable. She cheated when we did Coin Toss. She likes to make small lies. And yes, she did know Teria from the beginning. I realized this because I could smell Lostria''s scent clinging to Teria''s body and some of her crew. That happens when we search for an Airship for us to rent. I know all these things and I hope her attitude just for a while. I''m a little interested in her. That''s why I want to be friends with her. I also need a Helmsman. Lostria is a good candidate. As for Ronove. yes, she''s scary. After all, she was a Necromancer, and probably, she had the highest level among everyone in this Airship. However, she is the one that I believe will not betray me. Necromancers famously kept their promises. I''ll be safe because she and I have already made a deal. Once again, I said, Ruciel was right about those women. However, more than anything about them, I''m more interested in one thing. "You hate me, but you care about me. Your attitude makes me happy." I smiled. On the other hand, Ruciel''s face became flushed. A moment later, she grabbed my face with her right hand and started pushing me away. "Let me go!" She order me and he increased his strength. A moment later, our hugs came off. "Ruciel, hug," I whined. "Never!" She snapped at me. "Ho ho ho, it''s good to see you guys so close," said Ronove who gave us a warm look. The old woman''s arrival instantly made Ruciel stiff and then freeze. It made me wonder, is Ronove truly that scary? ... I didn''t get an answer so I decided to make a question. "Can I help you, Ronove?" "Yes." Ronove nodded then turned her head towards the front of the Airship. "We''re going to the northeast. I wonder, are we going to pass through the Wistras Grand Forest?" "Isn''t that obvious? We have to go through that forest if we want to get to mount Lenmar." "That''s crazy!" Ronove said in a slightly high tone. "Call everyone and meet me in the control room!" "Why?" "Just do it, don''t ask anymore!" Ronove left and I started calling Lostria along with the others. A few minutes later, we gathered in the control room. In the room, Ronove asked us or rather asked me to explain our route of travel. In front of me and at the table, lay a map that would help my explanation to the Enforcement. The image on the paper shows the places within the territory of the kingdom of Heingarz. The place we are going to, Vulvanier''s Death City is in the northeastern part of this kingdom. The city is at the foot of mount Lenmar. To reach that place, we had to pass through the Yo Tee mountains then the Thousand Rock Islands, and lastly the Wistras Grand Forest. Those three places will be our shortcuts. Yes, these shortcuts are dangerous but also have wealth that cannot be ignored. There are a lot of Rare Items in that place and I don''t want to miss them. I want to collect some Ore, Earth Crystal, Magic Stones, and a special metal made by Shadow Elf. That raw material I need to make Spear. My explanation of our route was complete. And yes, I didn''t explain my plan to collect raw materials. "Why are we going through these dangerous places?" Ronove asked in a voice tinged with anger. "Dangerous? I think you mistakenly thought, grandma," said Lostria. "There are indeed some powerful monsters in the places we are going through. But they wouldn''t be a problem for this Airship. Aether Cannon can overcome them." "If you just mention monsters, that means you don''t know the danger I mean." Ronove looked at the people who were here one by one and her eyes stopped at me. "Tell me, who proposed a journey bypassing these places?" Ronove''s question this time was tinged with the killing intent. Thanks to that, the people here besides the children ¡ª who may not have been the target of Ronove''s killing intent ¡ª became frightened and became weak. Of course, they''re some of the people who become wary, ready to fight. Ruciel, Teria, and the three Crew men drew their weapons. They''re ready to fight Ronove. And yes, fighting fellow allies is not a good thing. That''s why... "That is my idea, Ronove. Therefore, please pull back your terrifying aura." My words made Ronove''s eyes sharper. Her body shook violently. A moment later, her anger erupted by shouting, "Did you know we''re about to enter the Shadow Elf''s territory!? Do you want to get us all killed!?" Shadow Elf... These long-eared, blue-skinned people have no sympathy. They were a strong race even though they could only use Shadow and Dark Magic, different from their relatives who could use all the elements except Shadow and Dark Magic. And Oh! I almost forgot Shadow Elf was born to be a great Assassin! And they''re so good at doing that, killing I mean. And that''s the reason why they''re scary. "I''ve never heard of this!" Shouted Lostria who then also looked at me sharply. "Shadow Elf, you''re alarming something incredibly dangerous this time," Ruciel commented with a pale face. And not only Ruciel, but the faces of some people here also turned pale. "Shadow Elf? Is there something wrong with them?" Kimi asked me. "There''s nothing wrong with them. The Shadow Elves were a beautiful race. I''m sure you''ll like them, Kimi." I said as I stroked the little girl''s head. "Don''t mess around, young girl," said Ronove, who then hit my forehead with a tiny Spell. "Arg! It hurts!" "Look, we''re going to change the route of this journey. We''ll avoid the Wistras Grand Forest and take a detour. Do you agree?" Getting a question from Ronove, almost everyone in this room made a powerful nod. "Wait! Wait! Wait a minute! We''re not going to take a detour. We''re going to visit Wistras." "Do you want to kill us so much!?" "Of course not, Ronove. I have business with those Shadow Elves. I know how to handle them and might be able to get permission from them to cross the Wistras. And, wouldn''t we be fine if we stopped before entering Shadow Elf territory? Therefore, please don''t change the route of this journey before I meet those Shadow Elves." "If your negotiations fail¡ª" "We''re going to take a detour!" I shouted and made a strong nod. Ronove looked at me for some time before finally sighing. "Alright, we do what you want." "Thank you!" I ran and hugged the old woman. Chapter 119 - I Leaked My Big Secret "Are you sure the place you''re looking for is in this area?" Teria asked me as she looked at the distance using binoculars. "I''m sure," I replied. In my hand was a map recording the entire territory of the Yo Tee mountains beneath us. I''m trying to find a cave that was an Earth Crystal mine. I remember, in Ark Fantasy Online, the mine became one of Monroe Familia''s sources of income. A Familia that became rival of our Familia. Now, since I heard Teria say there was no mine in Yo Tee, I decided to look for it. If I succeed, I''ll get the Earth Crystal faster than I should have. So, go back to this search. I looked at the map and made a guess based on my memory of the important spots within Monroe Familia''s territory. "Can we stop at this place?" Hearing my question, Teria put down her binoculars. She approached me and then looked at the part of the map I pointed at with my index finger. A moment later, the woman looked south. "We can, there''s an open space we can use," she said. A moment later, she took out and grasped her necklace, embellished with an orange-colored gem. "Ruka, take Zet to the south, right in the open lot not far from a pair of Brume trees, we''ll drop anchor there." There are only the two of us here. Ruka? The helmsman was in the control room. Yes, Teria spoke to Ruka using an intermediate in the form of a Telepathy Necklace. That Magic Item let them speak even when they were separated by a long distance. So, with that order, Zet moved to where Teria was directing. The anchor was dropped and we docked. Setting foot on the grass I looked around. The cave was under a hill of rocks. That''s the thing I remember. But here, in this world, the cave might be in a different place. So... "Let''s split up," I told them, people, who were willing to explore this forest. "Whoever finds the cave, give your signals." They give me confirmation in different ways. Then, we work on this mission, entering the forest. I choose to form a party with the kids and Ronove. I had the opportunity to raise the level of the kids and well... I''m not going to miss it. "[Heavy Cut]" Alan shouted. He managed to kill a wolf whose leg I injured. On the other hand, "[Double Slash]" Kimi also killed another wolf that I had also injured. Afterward, Chloe picked up her Staff and said, "[Mana Thorn]" The little girl, with its blue thorny roots, managed to kill two wolves. Then, together, they defeated three other injured wolves and a Greyback Boar whose two tusks I had cut. The way the kids'' fight is improving. They also became faster and stronger than before. Their level must have increased before we made this trip. They were strong and I''m sure, they''ll become stronger after this hunt. Their levels will increase and the way they fight will become sharper. "What your purpose by doing all of these for them, young lady?" Ronove finally asked after she observed me and the kids for some time. "Help them to raise their level." "By injuring the monsters and letting those children kill them?" "Yes, that way, they will obtain a large amount of Exp." "What is Exp? And didn''t you know, the fastest way for someone to level up is to practice and master the skills they have." Ronove explained. "If the people you''re referring to are a Blacksmith, Chef, or Potion Maker, that was a right way. They could raise their level by continuing to use their skills. However, hunting monsters gives faster results for combatants like us." "How can you be sure about that?" That... Is a good question. The people of this world seems didn''t know what Exp was and its distribution. It makes it complicated for me to explain. But I didn''t give up on making an explanation that Ronove can understand. So, I paused for a moment to think of an explanation. "Big sis, we''re done taking their Magic Stones." Kimi''s words got my mind sidetracked. I smiled as my fox''s ears twitched. "Good! Now, we will go to the northwest, to that big rock. And remember, always be aware of the situations around you." "Okay, this time, we''ll find monsters faster than big sis!" After saying her part, Kimi along with Alan and Chloe led our little exploration. Then, about the explanation for Ronove. I form one! "Have you ever heard of a situation where someone in a Party raised his level faster than the other members because he killed more monsters than the other?" "Never," she replied briefly. It made me drop my shoulders along with my fox''s ears and tail. "In that case, summon three low-leveled Skeleton Soldiers. Order one of them to continue killing monsters while the other two only help in the fight without killing. That way, you''ll understand what I mean." Ronove looked at me sharply. "You know I''m a fortune-teller, right?" "I know you as a Necromancer and the strongest at it." As soon as I finished speaking, my body stopped. I can''t control it to my wish. I just stood there without being able to do anything. "What happened?" I wondered. Then, by itself, my body moved to stand in front of Ronove who made a terrifying expression. "From whom did you know I was a Necromancer? I suggest that you answer honestly if you want to stay alive." Ronove''s soft voice that was so cold made the fur in my tails stand up. It also scares me so much! I realized I was in big trouble. I gulped and then said, "Are you controlling my body with a spell, Corpse Marionette?" "..." Ronove didn''t say anything. At the same time, I felt my heart squeezed by something. I felt tremendous pain for a while. Moving my eyes, I saw the old woman staring at me emotionlessly. "Answer me, young lady!" she asked and I knew, she was serious. Should I lie and say I know her secret from the jerk? Not... That was the wrong choice. Ronove, take control of my body. If she could do it, she would find out if I was lying or not, easily. "...You probably won''t believe it- ARGH!" An unbearable pain interrupts my words. I felt like my whole body was being brutally torn apart. "I hope the next thing you say is the answer I ask for. There''s no second chance," she told me. "I know it from the memory of my past life!" I answered and closed my eyes. I was too scared to see what would happen next. "Open your eyes and look me in the eye! Repeat your words without closing your eyes!" Ronove shouted. Her voice shook my bones and mind. I was so scared. Because of that, I do what the old woman asked as soon as I can. "I know it from the memory of my past life," I said when I looked into her scary, red eyes. Then, the silence grew between us for some time. "Looks like you''re not lying," she began. "If your answer just now was a joke, I would tear your hands and feet and hang you in one of the trees." No please don''t. I don''t want to die in a horrible way like that. A moment later, I fell to the ground. "Ugh..." I groaned. My body was limp and it felt so heavy. Worse, I feel pain every time I make a small movement. So, in the end, I decided to take a rest. I''m relying on Nature Vitality to repair my body. "... In your past life, how did we meet?" Hmm... that was an easy question but I didn''t know how to answer it. We met in the game, she was an NPC, and our relationships, contacts, interactions, or whatever it was were just to the extent that I was using a function of a program. There''s nothing special or profound about that. I thought for a moment to find the right answer. Then, I said, "I did the Quests you gave me. Like searching for the recipe of Soul Condense Potion, The Despair Tears Of The Deaths, and so on." Ronove crouched down and asked. "You take jobs from me?" "Yes." "That could explain why you know so much about me," said Ronove, who was examining my body. Then, the time passed. "... Do you know the end of my journey?" My eyes opened wide after hearing that question. "You seem to know that. And don''t tell me the answer, I changed my mind. [Recovery]" A purple light came out of Ronove''s hand to envelop my body. I feel better. "Take a rest," she told me. Seconds later, my little sister showed herself. "What are you doing, Big Sis? We came across two wolves- Big sis! What happened!?" "She touched a poisonous mushroom," Ronove explained before I could say anything. "She''ll be fine after resting for a while." So we rested. Our search and hunt continued after I got better. We managed to kill a dozen monsters but we haven''t found the cave yet. < Level up! 10 to 11 > < Level up! 11 to 12 > Phsuu! Duar! A strange sound followed by the sound of an explosion was created. Moving my head towards the source of the sound, I saw red fireworks. "Someone found the cave. And it looks like, we''re unlucky," I said, feeling a little disappointed.. "Let''s go back." Chapter 120 - A Cave On Yo Tee Mountains 1_2 "It''s horrible," I said as we walked towards the source of the fireworks that had just been vanished. "What do you mean?" asked Ronove who was walking beside me. "I told my biggest secret to you. That was horrible. What''s worse, I haven''t told this secret to the person I love." "You mean that Fallen Elf girl?" "Yes and¡­ about this Necromancer. Does I have to keep a secret about it and why?" "You work for me and you don''t know the consequences I will get if I told people, I am a Necromancer?" I shook my head to answer that question. And thanks to this, Ronove narrowed her eyes. They have a light of doubts. "Necromancers are not well received by the public. They play with the souls of the dead, make them puppets, and use them as tools. No one will love that." That explanation is different from Necromancer that I know. "Didn''t the Necromancer make a contract with the souls of the dead to obtain their services? It''s like a Tamer tame their monster. Nothing wrong with that." "That was true in the old days. But now, the Necromancers prefer to force the souls of the dead to become their combatants. That becomes the main reason why people loathe the Necromancer." Afterward, Ronove told me the punishments a Necromancer would get if they were being revealed then got caught. And I will say, those punishments are scary. With that chat, we spend the time as we walked to our destination. When we got there, I saw some of Teria''s crews along with Ruciel and Myu standing in front of a big cave. They inspected the cave as I approached them. Ruciel approached me after she realized my presence and the others. "Is this the cave you''re looking for?" She asked as soon as she arrived at my side. Her long ears make a powerful jolt. "We''ll find out after seeing the inside," I replied and walked towards the cave entrance. Ruciel followed me and I told her, "If there''s an Earth Crystal in this cave. We have found the right place." The Fallen Elf girl nodded to my words. "Oh! Beautiful girl! Let''s start the adventure in this place!" Myu shouted excitedly after she caught a glimpse of me. "I''m going to rest," Ronove said. "This old bone won''t last if it has to go on another adventure." "... All right," I said as I looked at Ronove suspiciously. I know that she''s still young. So, when she said she was tired, she must be lying. Ignoring me, Ronove approached a tree trunk on the forest''s floor and sat there. In a carefree manner, she ate some dry fruits. I want her to become our main force but It seems impossible right now. Not long after, Teria together with Lostria and the rest of the crew arrived. Those women approach me. Then, we talked and decided to form four teams to explore this cave. "I''ll come with you, lovely girl!" Myu uttered that sentence with insistent. Seeing her face, I have a hunch, she would say no if I told her to join another team. So... "Alright, you can join me but you have to stop calling me lovely girl, I''m serious." "It''s a pity but all right, Lite." My body was shocked after hearing that nickname. My memory of Cerene came to the surface spontaneously. "Don''t call me, Lite! Use Eclaite!" I said that as my fox''s ears and tails stand up straight. After that exchange, we made preparations and checked out our equipment. When we were ready, we walked into the cave to do our adventure. My Party was filled with Ruciel, Kimi, Alan, Chloe, and Myu. The second Party was Teria and her crew. Lostria was in the third Party. While the fourth Party is filled only by the crews. We lit our lanterns. The light repels the darkness and illuminates our path. This cave is quite huge. The floor was uneven, filled with the pebble. While on the ceiling, there are many sharp, stone thorns of various sizes. We can move freely without having to jostle but sometimes, we have to pay attention to what we are stepping on. The pebble covering the floor could make us slip. And yes, I can say that we won''t get into trouble for swinging swords or even spears in this place either. We can use our weapon at will but darkness limits our range of attacks and vision. "By the way, Eclaite. Do you know what monsters inhabit this cave," Teria asked, her eyes not stopping to look at the darkness around us. "Rock Spider, Rock Golem, Purple Teeth Lizard, Crusher Jaw, and Crystal Cobra. We''ll probably meet those monsters." "I was already expecting we would fight against poisonous monsters when you said we needed an Antidote Potion but a Crystal Cobra? The monster has a different degree of threat," Teria hardened her voice. "The poison of that monster is extremely deadly." "Our goal is to grab out a few chunks of Earth Crystal, we don''t need to defeat or hunt that monster." "Threats and benefits are unbalanced here." "There''s an Earth Crystal in this cave. That means there''s a chance we''ll find an Earth Crystal mine. Imagine how many gold coins we would get if we had a private mine. The threat that awaits us is worth it," I told Teria. The woman became silent and put on a thoughtful expression. We kept walking, minutes passed. I didn''t detect any heat. That''s why I thought we were fine. However, I was wrong. Creak! Zraak! Creak! The pile of rocks around us moved and got up. Within seconds, the stones formed a three-meter tall human figure. We met our first monster and they were the Rock Golems. "Heat Perception doesn''t work on them," I whispered. "Everyone! Get to your position!" Teria shouted. We unsheathing our weapons. Then, swiftly, we surrounded three Rock Golems that appears to attack us. "Big sis! What should we do?" Kimi asked for guidance. Her fox ears twitching showed doubt. "Watch the Rock Golem''s movements. They were slow but their attacks were strong so dodge it. Attack them using Spells don''t use your swords. Always remember to attack their joints or heads." Kimi, Chloe, and Alan nodded. Then, swiftly, they moved into their respective positions. I saw the Rock Golem that walking toward me. "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Race: Rock Golem | Lvl 27] | HP: 850/850 | MP: 20/20 | SP: 614/620 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ Level 27... It wasn''t far from the kids'' level. They should have been able to defeat this monster but their lack of fighting experience made me hesitate about that theory. "Gru gu!" A punch came to destroy my body. I who don''t want to be hurt move my legs to dodge the punch. I stepped to the left side and the punch passed beside me. Another punch came and I dodged it again. I did it easily because of my high AGI. Because of that, the monster''s movements looked so slow in my eyes. "[Bullet of Light]" The balls of light I shot scraped the monster''s elbow. The moment I finished with my attack, several Mana Bullets hit the monster''s head. Myu gave me her support. Ruciel did not remain silent. She fired a Mana Arrow to harm the monster''s right knee. To my surprise, her attack managed to create a huge crack. The Rock Golem fell to his knees and Chloe uttered. "[Mana Bind]" A one-meter Magic Circle appeared under the Rock Golem''s feet. The blue rope made of Mana that come out of it tied the monster in its place. Kimi, Alan, and I approached the monster. "[Sword of Light]" Together, we attacked the monster. Kimi and I cut through its unguarded joints. As for Alan, he tries to crush the monster''s head using a Shield Arte. And yes, the Rock Golem didn''t stay silent as we attacked its body. It gave counterattacks that we had to be wary of. Weapons and Spells continued to be used. In the end, we managed to cut off the monster''s arms. A few minutes later, we killed it. "It was a pretty tense fight," Myu commented. "And there''s still another one that hasn''t fallen." Drawn by that words, I looked around and I saw that the Rock Golem she referred to. But then, the Rock Golem''s life didn''t last long after we joined the fight. We got broken Magic Stones and some Iron Ores from the corpses of those monsters. As the agreement, I kept the Magic Stones directly. Teria and her crew kept the Iron Ore that we will sell later. Our adventure through this cave continues. Then, we found a branching path. "We''re going to take the cave on the left," I told Teria. The woman nodded. "In that case, we''ll take the cave on the right. And Eclaite, bring this necklace." "Thank you," I said as I received a Telepathy Necklace. "Please let us know that you have found the Earth Crystal." "Sure and you should do the same." With that, we parted ways. For the next few minutes, we explored this dark cave. We met some monsters and we fought again. We didn''t meet the Rock Golem but rather the Rock Spider. This monster was weaker than a pile of human-like stones that could move. Therefore, the kids can fight against them without needing my, Ruciel, or Myu''s help. I want the kids fighting experience to increase. So, I told them to fight as they pleased. And since I didn''t need to take care of the kids anymore, I swung my spear as I pleased too. For the record, I did not go berserk. "[Flash Swings]" Scret! Splat! The bodies of three Rock Spiders split apart. Green blood flowed profusely. A moment later, they died. Leaving the corpse behind, I ran to get close to the Rock Spiders in the distance. My spear swung to kill them. < Level up! 12 to 13 > Good! I''m getting stronger. And yes, about Rock Spiders, despite their name being Rock Spider, the monster is not made of rock. According to the Monsters Encyclopedia, they got that name because they could disguise themselves as rocks to ambush preys or enemies. Let''s forget about the explanation and back to the moment. Everyone was busy with their respective battles. So¡­ after I showed my back to them... Crunch! < Acquired a skill! Lesser Endurance |Lvl 1 > [Lesser Endurance | Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Permanently give 5 points to END.] Chapter 121 - A Cave On Yo Tee Mountains 2_2 "Shree!" A Purple Teeth Lizard - which was over three meters long and with a body as big as adult people - made a hiss as it ran up to me. It was fast because it have four strong legs. It opens its wide mouth which is filled with a row of sharp teeth. For so many times in our fight, it tried to tear my legs off. This hard, black-scaled monster is dreadful. But even so, the effort is made to bite my legs was in vain. The opponents it faced were faster and stronger than it. The monster even cannot give a fight when its opponent, me, stabbed it in the head shortly after I jumped over it. An Arte named Impale and my spear made good teamwork! The combination made a big hole in the monster''s head and finally take its life. "Scree!" The monster made a sound before finally stopping moving forever. I left the monster''s corpse behind. I ran to get close to the other big lizards that surrounded us. The fight continues and every time I use an Arte or Spell, a monster dies. Yes, not only me, the kids together with Ruciel and Myu are also fighting against these big lizards. Relying on good cooperation, Kimi, Alan, and Chloe take down three large lizards in front of them. Repel the monsters with a shield, tie the monsters in place with Mana Bind, and then cut the monster''s neck with Arte. They use that effective fight pattern to kill them without receiving serious wounds. Their improvement surprises me. As for Ruciel and Myu, they killed a few Purple Teeth Lizards using arrows and bullets. Ruciel''s way of fighting was more direct. She was always aiming for the heads of the monsters. While Myu, she paralyzed the monsters by attacking their legs before finally killing them with a shoot in its chest. This fight lasted for a dozen minutes until all the monsters in here were killed. We win the fight with light wounds. Yes, we kept in contact with Teria and the other Party. We kept each other updated on what we''re doing. But unfortunately, none of our Party managed to find the Earth Crystal. "Okay... why should we take the hearts and livers of these monsters? And! Why didn''t you help us to process these monsters!?" Myu asked. Her hands that holding a monster''s heart and knife were covered in blood. "Because I want to eat those," I began. "I''m not helping you because I can''t do or know how to process those corpses." "It''s just an excuse," said Ruciel, who is wrapping a heart and liver using big leaves. "She just doesn''t want her hands dirty with blood." I raised one of my eyebrows. Dirty with blood isn''t the reason why I don''t want to touch the monster corpse. I was honest when I said I couldn''t process the monsters. However, more than that, I didn''t want to do the processing because I was afraid of getting out of control. Yes, although the Heart of Monsters was complete and its influence was reduced. Still, sometimes I felt I would get out of control if I got too close to fresh meat and inhaled the scent of blood. Smell Blocker? I didn''t use that Magic Tool because I wanted to accustom myself to the influence of the Heart of Monsters. I want to control it. And yes, I''m making progress. I became more immune to the temptation of the scent of fresh blood. But I wasn''t immune enough to restrain myself from being out of control. "Well... If you do not believe me, so be it." My fox''s ears twitched don''t care. "As you say, I don''t want to touch that monster''s corpse." "This is not fair!" Myu shouted in an annoyed tone. Time passed and they were done with their work. After we were ready, we wandered through the cave, again. Yes, the monsters ambushed us, again. Armed with weapons, Arte, and Spells, we killed them, again. The work of processing monsters repeated. And yes, Myu again uttered protests. It''s repeated. Exploring the cave, the monsters ambushed us, we fought, processed the monster carcasses, and finally returned to the beginning. Our adventure can be said boring but hey! < Level up! 13 to 14 > < Level up! 14 to 15 > My level is up! And then... "Look! A brown crystal!" Kimi shouted. Her left hand pointed at someplace. I looked in the direction she was pointed at and there, in the bottom nook of the cave wall was a large chunk of Earth Crystal. "Is it just me or that Earth Crystal is indeed at the size of a human head?" Said Myu who approached the crystal at a quick pace. We who were being left behind decided to follow the girl. As I walk, I took the Telepathy Necklace and filled it with my Mana. Then I said, "Teria, can you hear me?" We''re not directly connected. For a while, I heard a static sound until I heard a voice of a woman. < Yes, what''s wrong? > "We found the Earth Crystal, what about you guys?" < Sadly, we haven''t found anything yet. So, does this mean our exploration of this cave is over? > "If you agree, then we can come back." < Hmm¡­ Please wait a minute. There are some problems here. > "Okay.." After that, Teria no longer said anything. "Hey! Anyone brings a pickaxe or a shovel?" Myu asked and the four of us exchanged looks. "I''m no longer a Carrier, I don''t carry it," Ruciel said. As for me and the kids, "we don''t have it either." "Great! What should we do now?" "You can use this spear," I said as I gave her my spear. "You have no desire to do menial work, am I right?" "Yes, you are right." Myu froze after she heard my reply. She blinked a few times before saying, "You''re too honest and I don''t know why, it hurt me." With a fallen shoulder, Myu begins her work to retrieve the Earth Crystal. Ruciel who saw our exchange made giggles. A moment later... < Eclaite, can you hear me? > Teria''s voice appeared inside my head suddenly. "Yes." < We''re going to continue exploring this cave. One of my crews found another Earth Crystal. I have a little inkling, we''ll find the mine you said. So, although this is a little inappropriate, I hope you can accept my request. > "Sure, after we''re done with the Earth Crystal here, we''ll go to your place." < thanks, I''ll wait for you> Teria''s voice was gone and replaced by Myu''s voice. "I want a proper reward!" To the girl who looked so upset, I made a nod. "I''ll give you a fancy dinner or a big bonus." "I didn''t want any of those. I want a kiss on the forehead," she replied as she handed the Earth Crystal to me. "That''s too far, Myu," I told her. Once again, the girl dropped her shoulder. "Then I want a fancy dinner with the spice of love." "... I''ll make sure you get it," I said then I look at the Earth Crystal in my hand. "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Earth Crystal] [Tier 3] [+ One kind of minerals imbued with Earth Element. Can be used to make weapons, armor, or Magic Tools. ] ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ "We got some good stuff," I said. Then I put the Earth Crystal into my Magic Bag. "Now, let''s go see Teria and the others." They agreed and we left the place. We walked, time passed, and... "Are you aware that we walked deeper into this cave?" Ruciel asked. I stopped and I realized my mistake I look around. I walked without thinking, I made a mistake. I moved my head to look at Ruciel. "Well?" She asked me. "... Let''s trace our steps back!" "I can''t believe it!" Myu said. "I''m starting to feel that something is wrong with you." "Use the Telepathy Necklace and ask for directions from Teria. I don''t want us to get lost because of the stupidity or whatever you have." Ruciel looked at me sharply. "But... If I think of it again. Let me use that Telepathy Necklace, I will guide you." "You don''t have faith in me?" "No, and give me the necklace." "Haa... All right." I gave Ruciel the necklace. Then, accidentally, I saw an object similar to the Earth Crystal between the rocks. So, I approached that thing. On the other hand, Ruciel started using the necklace to contact Teria. I crouched down as I got in front of the object and yes, "I found another Earth Crystal!" The kids who heard it approached me. "It''s smaller than the previous one," Kimi commented. "Is Sis Myu going to use a spear to dig it out?" Chloe was curious. "No," Myu began. "It''s not me who''s going to dig it but her, Eclaite will do it." "What, me?" "Yes, you can use this spear." Myu gave me a spear. And it seems, I did have to dig this Earth Crystal with the spear. So, I started digging. Sometime later. "Mm... I think you guys want to see this," Alan said. We looked up to see the boy. "I found such an enormous Earth Crystal! Come with me!" He added and gave a call. We were curious so we leave whatever we did to follow the boy. Minutes passed and in a large part of the cave, we saw a truck-sized Earth Crystal stuck to the cave wall. Then I froze. Not that huge Earth Crystal was the cause. Instead, it was a faintly large heat in the bottom of the Earth Crystal. "Get ready! There''s a monster in front of us!" As soon as I said the warning, the large heat moved. "Shaaa!" Crystal Cobra is ready to fight. Chapter 122 - The Crystal Cobra The Crystal Cobra moved its body, leaving its concealment as a part of the huge Earth Crystal. It widened its neck and along with that, it also gazed at us with eyes filled with killing intent. "Shree!" The monster made a hissing sound as it moved its body to form a stance for the fight that might break out at any moment. The monster has its back covered by dark brown crystal with rough form. They look sharp and can be said, they were weapons. Its belly scales are colored white. It has a smooth surface and it looks soft. Its head was shaped like a spearhead and more than fifteen meters was the length of its body. Faced with a terrifying monster like that, our spirit was blazing¡­ or not. After moving my eyes to see the preparations Kimi and the others were doing, I noticed expressions of fear and hesitation adorning their faces. "It''s not good, Eclaite," Ruciel whispered. "The kids won''t survive this fight." My fox''s ears twitched and then nodded. I do have the same thoughts as her. I glance at the monster. "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Race: Crystal Cobra | Lvl 39] | HP: 970/970 | MP: 120/130 | SP: 560/570 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ Yelp! As Ruciel said, this would be a cruel fight for the kids. It''s hard for them to survive this and it''s better for them if we run. "We''re going to get out of here," I told them. Then, immediately, I took a Smoke Bomb from inside my Magic Bag and threw it at the Crystal Cobra. Pshuu! "Run!" I shouted at the same time as white smoke appeared to engulf this place. Five people moved their legs as quickly as possible. We ran to leave the monster behind but yes... "SHREE!" The monster had no intention of letting us go. It chased us maybe because it was finally realized that we are the prey or because it was upset because of my Smoke Bomb. That''s right, I don''t need to say that monsters are fast. I felt I could leave the monster behind if I ran with my all. However, the kids together with Myu and Ruciel didn''t seem to be able to do it. "Oh! The hell with it!" Myu shouted then turned her body towards the monster. She lifts her Magi Firearm and then... Bang! Bang! "Shree!" The snake monster was hissing in pain after two Mana Bullets penetrated its scales. The monster stopped then thrashed blindly. And just as I thought that we will manage to escape, the monster opened its mouth and spewed purple liquid at us. I could foresee that I, Ruciel, and Myu could dodge the liquid easily. Alan and Chloe are out of reach of that purple liquid while Kimi... "Kimi! Watch out!" I shouted and as quickly as possible, I approached the little girl. Crystal Cobra''s purple liquid didn''t hit her body when I managed to hug her. And instead... Splash! Shezz...! The poison drenched my back and burned it? No¡­ the poison did not burn my skin, it''s melted my skin. It''s like acid! "Jerk! It hurts!" It''s hot, sore, and ugh! My vision started spinning! I feel nauseous! Realizing what was happening, Kimi shouted, "Big sis!" "I''m fine," I assured her then drank a bottle of Antidote Potion. As I did that, Ruciel along with Myu distract the attention of Crystal Cobra. Their arrows and bullets that wounded the monster become the lure. Crystal Cobra is fast and it can attack from a distance. Worse, for the next few tens of meters, there were no turns or hiding places in this passageway. Seemingly, we can''t keep running. So, I decided to fight that monster. I can rely on Poison Resistance and Antidote Potion as my protectors. I''m sure I can win this fight. Especially when - I don''t know why - I was so eager to kill that monster. Ruciel and Myu will also help me. I am sure of that and with it, our winning percentage is getting bigger! Maybe. "Hide and stay away from the Crystal Cobra," I told Kimi. However, the little black Fox-kin shook her head. With eyes full of resolution, she said, "I want to fight too." "No until you reach level thirty," I told her and her cheeks puffed. "Besides hiding, you, Alan, and Chloe have an important role to play. You must confront and defeat the monsters that came to disturb us. Can I entrust that task to you?" "... okay. We will try." "Good!" Our exchange was over and immediately, I ran up to the Crystal Cobra with a spear ready. "Support me," I told Ruciel and Myu as I ran past them. "Wait, Eclaite!" Shouted Ruciel. "What about the poison in your body!?" "I''m good thanks to the antidote!" I replied. "Shaa!" The Crystal Cobra slithered to my left side and opened its mouth wide. A moment later, poison liquid was sprayed at me again. Spontaneously, I lowered my body and added energy to my legs. I managed to dodge the poison. Boom! Boom! Small explosions hit and burned the monster''s head. Its attention was directed at Myu. Once again, I was shown by how fast and nimble the Crystal Cobra was as it dodged Ruciel''s arrows. The monster ignored me. Because of that, I can approach it easily. It just noticed me just before I launched my attack. "[Flash Swings]" "Shaa" Crystal Cobra dodged and I chased after it. My spear never stopped swinging. My weapon was a thirst for blood. Time passed and I realized that hitting this snake monster was quite an arduous task to do. The monster bent and shifted its body every time my spear almost tore off its belly. In the end, I could only give the monster minor injuries. Clang! "It''s so hard!" My spear bounced after hitting the brown crystal on the snake monster''s back. Their existence made a good shield and weapon for the monster. Constantly, they made my attacks meaningless. They also made me have to attack the monster''s stomach. It wasn''t an easy thing to do because the stomach was always touched to the cave''s floor. As for the neck, the monster can defend it well. The monster''s head was like a spear ready to pierce anything. "[Impale]" My spear flew quickly and unfortunately... Clang! The monster managed to defend itself by utilizing its brown crystal again. Swosh! Bang! Bang! Several arrows and Mana Bullets that came from the blind spot and aimed at the weak part of the monster managed to give big damages. "SHREE!" The monster hissed furiously and it sent its tail to attack Ruciel and Myu. Now, it''s my turn to make a rescue mission. I attacked the snake monster and managed to create a chance for Ruciel and Myu. Thanks to that, the girls managed to dodge the attacks but they got some minor injuries. "Shaa!" Crystal Cobra tried to tie my body and it was extremely fast while doing so. I had to put in a lot of effort accompanied by some jumps to escape the danger. The fight continued and I got thrilled. My body became hotter while my heart beat faster and faster. Wounds after wounds we got but where else, we also wounded the monster and put it in critical condition. I was able to survive this long because Nature Vitality and Poison Resistance. And with potions and antidotes, the three of us became tough. The potions reminded me of how precious human wisdom is. Yes, when the monster was in critical condition, it became increasingly brutal and deadly. Its speed and power that increased rapidly make us always be vigilant. One mistake and we''re going to be wretched. "Shaa!" A loud hiss is made. The monster opened its mouth and Phsuu! It created a purple smoke that swallowed me instantly. "Eclaite!" "Lovely girl!" Two girls called out to me with a shout. Their voices were tinged with worry. And yes, they deserve to worry because... "Cough! Cough!" That purple smoke burns my lungs quickly. Within seconds, my gaze began to spin while my body quivered and became weak. Boom! Boom! Small explosions were created once again to injure the monster. They also blew the purple smoke away. I fell to my knees when I heard Myu screaming. "Cover me, Ruciel!" I tried to drink antidote but my hand failed me. A bottle filled with yellow liquid fell from my hand. My consciousness became weaker and before the darkness engulfed me, Myu fed me with something. A moment later, my consciousness became stronger. Simultaneously, slowly, my control over my body returned to how it was. "Thank God," said Myu who once again fed me with another liquid. "It''s a Potion, drink it and you''ll get better soon." I made a weak nod and drank the liquid. A moment later, Ruciel''s cry was heard. "Myu! Eclaite! Watch out!" Myu turned around and she saw the approaching Crystal Cobra. Swiftly, the girl stuck her palm to the ground. "[Transmutation]" She used a Spell to turn the ground in front of us into a thick wall. Bahm! Crash! A loud sound accompanied by a small tremor appeared after the Crystal Cobra hit the wall with its head. We got a chance when the Crystal Cobra stopped attacking us to shake its head. From a distance, Ruciel showered the snake monster with dozens of arrows of light. Myu took bottle after bottle and threw it at the snake monster''s body. Thanks to them, another brown crystal of a different kind appeared to tie the monster in its place. I was able to move again. So, directly, I ran closer to the monster. I attacked it with the combination of attacks, Arte, and Spells. Minutes passed and our fight reached its peak. "SHAA!" Crystal Cobra makes a loud hiss. It showed signs of wanting to spout that purple smoke again but yes, I won''t let it! I filled my whole body with energy, I approached the monster, and... "[Crimson Impale]" I pierced its head from its lower jaw. The monster thrashed around. And because of It, the monster managed to force me to release my spear and then throw me away. However, it didn''t matter because I was able to land safely. Then... Boom! Swosh! Splat! Bang! Explosions, arrows, Spells, and Mana Bullets hit the snake monster''s head. The combination of all of those attacks took its life. < Level up! 14 to 15 > < Level up! 15 to 16 > < Level up! 16 to 17 > Chapter 123 - Closer And Stronger Crystal Cobra is dead and I... "Big sis!" A panicked Kimi approached me. She used her hands to check my heat by touching my forehead. "It''s not good," she began. "She''s too hot, sweaty, and pale. Sis Ruciel, what should we do?" "..." Ruciel didn''t say anything but she touch my forehead, check my heartbeat, and studies my eyes? After that, she explained to my sister. "She had a fever because she received too much poison." "She''ll be fine after drinking this potion," Myu added. And true to her words, she gave me a bottle of Potion that make me feel better. My condition improved but I still can''t move well. "Big sis is okay now?" Kimi gave me another worrying question. "Yeah, I''m good," I told her then I patted her head. "Tell us your next plan, Eclaite." My fox''s ears twitched because of that words. "I wonder, why do you always ask for a plan from me when you keep saying that I''m stupid?" Ruciel raised one of her eyebrows. "Do you remember that you were my owner? And I hope, you also don''t forget that your desire is the main reason why we are here." Well... It explains something and all right. "Call Teria, let her know that we need help process the Crystal Cobra. And don''t forget to take the meat along with the Magic Stone of that monster for me." "All right," replied Ruciel, who then used the Telepathy Necklace. Alan, Chloe, and Myu, whom Kimi invites, go on patrol. They''ll go around this area and guard us against the threat of monsters. Ruciel? After she finished talking to Teria, she examined the Crystal Cobra''s corpse. Now and then, she glanced at me maybe to ascertain my conditions. Then, time passed and I fell asleep. ... When I opened my eyes, I found myself in my cabin inside Teria''s Airship. I slept in bed with a blanket covering my body. The dirty armor I was wearing changed into clean casual clothes. "Who changed my clothes and¡­ how can I be here?" I wondered when I massaged my forehead. Dizziness still torments me. I sighed and decided to close my eyes again. Maybe, with a little longer sleep, I''ll get well. ... Kreet! The sound of the open door forced me to open my eyes. There, I saw Ruciel carrying a tray of food. "You wake up? That''s good," she said. The girl then placed the tray on a small table, not far from my bed. I wonder what she''s going to do. Therefore I did not speak and observe her actions with my eyes. My ears twitched curiously while waiting for what the girl would do next. "Can you stop smiling yourself like that?" She said with an annoyed expression. "Please, take a sit." I do what she says. Then I asked, "I''m smiling?" "Yes and that''s a little disgusting." Ruciel took a bowl and gave it to me. After that, she sat in a chair. She looks at me and I look at her. "Why are you staying still? Eat that sup!" "Feed me, Ruciel." The girl narrowed her eyes. "You look pretty healthy and you can move well. I see no reason to feed you." "Please, Ruciel," I pleaded. My desire to be fed by someone I love is growing strong. "... All right," she said after holding something for some time. The girl moved her chair close to my bed. She took the bowl filled with vegetable soup plus meat from my hand. She lifted the wooden spoon then, "open your mouth." And I did just that, happily. Ruciel fed me without saying any sharp words or giving me a sharp look again. Surprisingly, I could say her hatred for me was no longer visible. It makes me curious. "Why are you treating me so nicely now?" I asked and then chomped the tip of a spoon filled with sup in her hands. "I''m not being nice to you. I being forced to do it," Ruciel explained. "Forced?" "Haa... I am your slave. So, whenever you have a strong desire for something I have to do, inevitably, I have to do it. Otherwise, this Slave Collar will strangle me, just like earlier. Didn''t you ever experience it when you were a slave?" "No, never." "Then you''re a lucky slave." "There''s no luck in being that jerk''s slave," I said before eating another spoonful of soup. "Did Vyorn and Salsa also know that I had been a Slave?" "What a repeated stupid question. Of course, they know it. And I think, your sister knows it too." My eyes were wide open and my ears twitched restlessly after hearing that claim. "... Kimi knows?" "She picked up and kept your father''s diary after we read it." I couldn''t say anything, my mind became empty. And when my consciousness back, all the food Ruciel had brought for me ran out. "I''m leaving," she said. "Rest well." The girl gets up from her chair. Seeing that, I spontaneously grabbed her hand. "What do you want?" "... Can you forgive me," I pleaded. Ruciel who probably realized I meant furrowed her brows. "You don''t want to accept your father''s sins and you don''t want to cut the family''s ties with him. Tell me your reasons." "I hate the jerk, you know it well," I said. My fox''s ears dropped. "I don''t want to cut the family''s bonds with Kimi and mama Haruka and I can''t create a new family''s bonds because mama Haruka is already dead." ... "...fine," said Ruciel who closed his eyes and sighed. "I will forgive you on one pact." "What kind of pact?" "I don''t know and I''ll start thinking about it." Ruciel left me after leaving that words. The cabin went quiet and I decided to go to sleep. However, a moment later I was reminded of the Crystal Cobra''s Magic Stone and meat. Immediately, I got out of bed and out of the cabin. The sound of the opening door caught Ruciel''s attention and made the girl stop. "What''s wrong?" "The Magic Stone and the meat of Crystal Cobra, where is it? And how long have I been unconscious?" "They''re in your Magic Bag and it looks like, you fainted for three hours or more," Ruciel explained. I, the one who had just heard that immediately ran back into the cabin. Then, I''m looking for my Magic Bag. After I found it, as quickly as possible, I took the Crystal Cobra''s Magic Stone and swallowed it. Clatter! Clatter! "What are you doing!?" The sound of some stuff falling and Ruciel''s screams rang out. A moment later... < Acquired an Advanced Skill! Venom Essence |Lvl 1 > [Venom Essence | Lvl 1] [MP -55] [+ Create an extremely deadly poison inside two special glands in the mouth. The poison can be injected through a bite, spit out, or converted into smoke.] I''m glad I found out four hours hadn''t passed. Thanks to it, I obtained a new Advanced Skill! And at the same time as that... "Spit that Magic Stone out! And why you did this idiotic thing again!" Ruciel shouted. She restrained me and forcibly, she put her hand into my mouth. She tried to make me vomit. I tried to put up a fight but ended up not being able to do much. My body is still weak due to the Crystal Cobra''s poison. And unfortunately or maybe luckily, in the end, the Fallen Elf girl managed to make me vomit. "Hoek!" I''m spitting out the food I just ate. As for the Magic Stone... "Huh? Where''s the Magic Stone you swallowed?" Ruciel was confused as she pinched her nose. Once again, she looked for that Magic Stone in my vomit and she never find it. Then, look at me sharply. She''s like a predator who finds its prey. I who is panicked and slightly frightened immediately said, "Wait! I can explain it!" "Explain it? Then keep joking!" Ruciel tried to restrain me again and I repeated the resistance I had once put up. In the end, we do some kind of wrestling. We were both lying in bed locking each other''s hands and feet. "I''m serious when I told you, I am fine after consuming the Magic Stone." "You are so weird! Could this have happened because of the experiment that the man did to you?" "No..." I replied. A moment later, my face turned red. Why? Because Ruciel probably read the part where the jerk wrote his experiment and attempt to make me as a S*x Slave he wanted to be. I should have realized that shortly after Ruciel said she had read the jerk''s diary. But I don''t know why I never realized it. "...the experiments he did had nothing to do with this." With a hot face, I began to explain. "I have a Skill that can make me stronger every time I eat monster meat and magic stones. Because of all that, I want you to help me." "To collect monster meat and Magic Stones for you?" "Yes, and I want you to keep it a secret." Ruciel didn''t say anything. Her sharp gaze locked on my eyes. Sometime later, her long ears made a strong jolt. "...fine! I''ll keep it a secret." Ruciel relaxed her body. She stopped trying to restrain me. "Thank you," I said. ... ... "You can let me go," Ruciel said. I can do that but well¡­ we were in bed and you could say, our bodies were extremely close. For some reason and all of a sudden, my body became hot. Therefore, I pulled her body closer and... Smooch! I gave her a passionate kiss. And yes, Ruciel immediately pushed me away. "What are you doing!" She screamed. And I could see, she was so furious. "Can you not kiss me after you vomit!? It''s so disgusting!'' I was in severe shock because of that words. Ruciel left me when I froze. ... ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 17/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 240/270 [235] | MP: 231/369 | SP: 156/233 [ STR: 160 | DEX: 54 ] [ END: 137 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 172 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger]¨Œ [Lesser Endurance |Lvl 1] New [Venom Essence |Lvl 1] New Chapter 124 - Kingdom Building Rute? One day passed... My condition improved and I decided to go for a light walk. I visited the deck to breathe fresh air while looking at the forest and mountain scenery in the distance. The winds caress my cheeks gently. The meat of Crystal Cobra and other monsters? Well, unfortunately, when I ate them, four hours have passed since they were taken from the corpse. Therefore, I didn''t get Stat Points from them. Again, it was a pity and I couldn''t do anything about it. However, because of this experience, I made a promise. I just need to eat the monster meat as soon as I can after I get it. Now, back to the deck. Looking down from this place, I could see dozens of Teria''s crews packing up chunks of Earth Crystal that they had taken from inside the cave into a wooden box. And then, they ship the box into the Airship. "We don''t need Earth Crystals that much right?" I asked no one when I saw six big wooden boxes stacked into one. And those wooden boxes don''t include the other boxes that are being shipped to the Airship. "These people are too active and a little greedy," I whispered. My fox ears are moving in discomfort. And yes, I can conclude that they will sell all those Earth Crystals in wooded boxes. It became a natural outcome when I agreed to the agreement that they could do the Item Gathering as long as they didn''t obstruct or give harm to my exploration. I watched them for some time before finally walking away. I wanted to find and then flirt with Ruciel but... "Hey, Eclaite." Teria found me first. "Can I help you?" "Yes, I want to hear your next plans and I want to tell you about several things that happened in that cave. So, please come with me." I followed Teria. Minutes passed and we reached the kind of meeting room. Ruciel, Ronove, Lostria, and some of the Teria''s crew were already present. I sat in a chair and then, Teria, Lostria, and two of Treia''s crew gave their reports to me. Teria and Lostria find another large chunk of Earth Crystal in another part of the cave. One of the crew said that he found a large and deep hole down to the earth. As for the other one, she told me that the Crystal Cobra was done being processed. The material obtained from that monster was now stored in this Airship warehouse. "We found the Earth Crystal mine as you said. Now, tell us what you think about it?" Teria asked and she looked excited. "Hmm... I want to prioritize exploration to the Death City Vulvanier. Then, for later, I want to mine the Earth Crystal and sell it. Therefore, I want to secure the cave by buying the land around it." "I don''t think you can do that," Ronove said. "What do you mean?" "People like us can''t buy land directly from the kingdom. We are only allowed to buy land in a place designated by the kingdom as a city or village." I fell silent after hearing that explanation. Seconds passed and the thing that popped into my head was, "we seem to have no other choice but to do illegal mining." Different types of gazes and expressions were given to me by everyone in this room after I finished saying my idea. "Don''t do that!" said Ronove firmly. "It''s just going to call trouble. If you get caught, not only will you get punished, you will also lose this Earth Crystal mine." "...I''m I have no other ideas." I gave up and raised both my hands. I leaned back in a chair with my ears and tail hanging weakly. I glanced at people and said the question, "Does any of you have ideas to secure the mine?" They put on a thoughtful expression. Silence enveloped us for some time. "You can pioneering a mining village," said Ronove, breaking this silence. "Pioneering a village?" I repeat. The old woman nodded her head. "Yes, invite people to stay and mine the Earth Crystals in this place. Then, be the village chief. Once the village is made, you just have to register it and pay taxes to the kingdom. After all of that, this land and the mine will be yours." "Is that possible to do?" "Yes, if you''re lucky, you can become a knight or even a noble." "Eclaite is already a knight," Ruciel explained. And thanks to that, Ronove gave me another glance. "If you''re a knight, the procedure needed to pioneer a village will become easier." "Starting a village is not a bad idea," Lostria said. And in support of that idea, Teria nodded. "I have some connections, transportation, and labor won''t be a problem. A village will be done in weeks." "I''m happy you find the way out but it gives us another problem," I told them. "We don''t have the money to fund all those plans." "Didn''t you ever say you wanted to buy an Airship?" Lostria asked. "Why don''t you use that money? I think that''s enough." "I wanted an Airship and not a village. More than that, taking care of a village sounds troublesome." "I can also invest in pioneering this mining village," said Teria. "You don''t have to worry about the money you used for this opportunity because you can get it back in two months. As for managing this new village, I can give some of my friends a call. One of them might be interested." "Hmm..." Yes or no, It''s a tough decision for me to choose. Pioneer a village and earn income from the Earth Crystal mine. It sounds sweet but I''m sure, taking care of the village and mine was complicated and troublesome, different from the system in Ark Fantasy Online. I doubt I can do it. As for entrusting this responsibility to others. I''m not comfortable enough about it. I don''t know anyone I can trust to help me with this. Teria? We''ve only known each other for a few days. I know she''s not a bad woman but I still have doubts about starting a business or whatever this is with her. I haven''t been able to make a decision, so... "I''ll think about pioneering a mining village after we''re done with the exploration," I said my decision. "We have to focus and finish what''s in front of us before we think about anything else." "You intend to leave this place without anyone taking care of or guarding it? That was a bad decision and I think, we should make the village as soon as possible," said Teria. And I wondered, "Why are you quite obsessed with pioneering this mining village?" "Well..." Making a sound, Teria glanced at us. Then, she look at her crew who were in this room. A long pause appeared and we were waiting for an answer from Teria. The woman took a deep breath and said, "This mining village might be able to save us- I mean me and my comrades." "Saving you from what?" "... from being unemployed." The answer surprised me greatly. "I honestly say, I or we are in a miserable situation. There wasn''t much work we could take in Cadebre and it''s been quite a while that we haven''t had a good-paying job. Moreover, taking care of this Airship was not an easy thing to do. If our situation doesn''t improve, we will¡­ unemployed." "That''s heavy background," I commented and Teria made a wry smile. "So, what''s your decision, young girl?" Ronove glanced at me. At the same time, she tapped the table with her index finger. "My decision is still the same," I began to explain. "We''re going to focus on the exploration. We can pioneer the mining village afterward. There is a possibility that the treasures we might get from the exploration can give us a big help. And Teria, if you''re worried about this place falling into the hands of someone else, you can ask friends you trust to take care of and guard it." "Good then," Ronove replied. "I agreed to give you help on your exploration instead of pioneering a village. I want to get The Despair Tears of The Deaths as soon as possible." "And you''ll get it," I assured Ronove. The old woman responded with a nod to the head. "We''ve already decided what we''re going to do with the cave," Lostria began. "Now, Thousand Rock Islands. Tell us more about the place." "Wyvern, Knife Beak, and Blast Moth in considerable numbers. We have to avoid them and we''ll get through the Thousand Rock Islands safely." ... "That''s it?" "Yes, that''s it, Lostria. And if I have to add something, I''ll say, we should also avoid the stones that floating in that place." "...Isn''t there a mine or something like that in that place?" Teria tried to investigate. I shook my head. "There are no mines or other natural resources that we can seize in that place." However, there was a ruin there. And yes, I don''t want to tell them about it because there''s a precious treasure I don''t want to share with strangers. After that, we made plans to deal with the monsters roaming the Thousand Rock Islands.. I also didn''t forget to tell them some routes that could give us protection from the detection or ambush from the Wyvern, Knife Beak, and Blast Moth. Chapter 125 - Hundred Rock Islands Boom! Boom! The sound of explosion after an explosion was heard, fireballs that looks like fireworks appeared and disappeared. At the distance, just outside this Airship''s barrier, the lives of dozens or possibly hundreds of monsters ended in a matter of seconds. Yes, in this sky, at the edge of the Hundred Rock Islands, our Airship was attacked by flocks of monsters called Blast Moth. The monster was green with a little shade of gold. They were at the size of an adult''s head and arguably, they were weak monsters. Someone could kill them with a single swing of the wooden stick. However, even though they were weak, they could kill someone with a single strike. Weak but can kill someone with a single strike? It was a little confusing but the things I said were right. The monster could kill someone with a single strike because they did it by detonating themselves. A Blast Moth is like a Homing Missile. Now, seeing hundreds of Blast Moths hit our Airship''s barrier and trying to destroy it, my back felt so cold! I''ll tell you I''m scared! After all, I didn''t want to die from being hit by hundred of explosions at once. To protect myself and prevent the Airship''s barrier from being destroyed, the crew uses Aether Cannons to blow up the approaching Blast Moths. And that''s right, I also operated an Aether Cannon. I do that because I didn''t have a long-range attack that I could use to kill those monsters. Bang! A Mana Bullet was shot from the Aether Cannon beside me after I pressed the trigger. The bullet flew quickly and then exploded in the middle of the Blast Moth flock. Boom! Dozens of Blast Moths died or may have been triggered to explode after they were hit by the shockwaves of the Mana Bullet explosion. "Don''t stop! Keep shooting!" Teria voiced her orders loudly. The crew, including me, returned to operate our respective Aether Cannons. Fill the big weapon with bullets, target the enemy, and then press the trigger. We repeated it many times and because of it, we managed to protect Zet, this Airship. And yes, I never expected, operating an Aether Cannon was so delightful! I felt so excited after repeatedly, I saw the white rather blue bullets I shot to destroy the monsters badly. The big, hard, and hot Aether Cannon got me addicted! My fox''s ears and tails never stopped twitching and swinging happily as I played with it. "Die you ugly and repugnant monsters!" I shouted then pressed the trigger again. Bang! The bullet shot quickly towards its target. Boom! A big explosion was created in the middle of the Blast Moth flock. Splat! Tens of Blast Moths were torn apart by the explosion. < Level up! 17 to 18 > Oh! Level up! I''m growing strong but the fight isn''t over yet. The endless Blast Moths continued to approach our Airship, they never stopped and they managed to make crack after crack in this Airship''s barrier. "Shit! They managed to break the barrier on the front side!" Shouted a crew member. I turn around in curiosity. And wow! There were a lot of Blast Moths in there and it was a disaster. "Kill them! Don''t let them give great damages to Zet!" Shouted Teria. The woman then changed her bow with a Magi Firearm before approaching the flock of monsters. Gunshots, Bow Arte, and small explosions were created and heard. The sound made my fighting spirit burn brighter. The fight in there tempted me but I didn''t want to leave my beloved Aether Cannon. This thing is better than them and there are still many Blast Moths in the sky. Shooting the bullets is more addicting than that fighting. KABOOM!! The sound of an explosion followed by a strong shock appeared. I wasn''t prepared for it so I fall into my butt. The big fire was the first thing I noticed when I looked around to find out what was happening. The Blast Moth managed to burn the right, front side of the Airship! We''re in trouble, I think. However, I was wrong. Shortly after I saw the fire, another Barrier appeared to block the Blast Moth from approaching the Airship. Ronove is the culprit of that incident. As for the big fire, I don''t know the things she throw and use but white foams appeared, Myu managed to put the fire out. And then, within a few minutes, the Blast Moths that managed to break through the Airship''s barrier was annihilated. Me? Yes, I''m not standing still seeing that episode. I used my Aether Cannon to kill the monsters as I scanned the surroundings. Dozens or more Blast Moths were killed and thanks to that... < Level up! 18 to 19 > My level goes up once again! The Blast Moth''s assault lasted for the next few dozen minutes before it was ended. We breathed a sigh of relief after the disaster passed. "We won''t be able to survive an attack like this anymore," Teria told me. Her voice showed the exhaustion and annoyance she had. "Tell me, we won''t experience anything like that again, right?." "Of course, we wouldn''t get a disaster like this again if we didn''t find another Blast Moth nest," I assured Teria with a nod. "Good then," she said before stepping away to inspect the damage in the Airship. And true as I said, for the next few hours, our journey went pretty well with a little obstacle in the form of an attack from a Wyvern and dozens of Knife Beak. Yes, I ate the flesh and Magic Stones of the monsters that attacked us. Of course, I ate the Magic Stones secretly in my cabin. As for eating monster meat, I did it in the kitchen. And yes, the thing I did caught the attention of the crew. I try not to care about their stares. I do say that I''m a culinary connoisseur to them as an excuse. They were interested when I ate the famously unpalatable Wyvern meat. Then, they returned to normal when I ate Knife Beak meat. Lastly, three female crew members vomited when they saw me eating Blast Moth meat. Their reaction shocked me so much. < Acquired a Skill! Hard Scales |Lvl 1 > [Hard Scales |Lvl 1] [MP -40] [+ Cover the body with scales. + Increased END by 50% for 5 minutes.] < Acquired a Skill! Swift Movement |Lvl 1 > [Swift Movement |Lvl 1] [MP -20] [+ Increased AGI and body movements by 300% for 5 seconds.] < Acquired a Skill! Life is Explosion |Lvl 1 > [Life is Explosion |Lvl 1] [HP -All] [+ Sacrifice all HP and explode the skill owner body to give the enemies damages as much as 50 times the total amount of the HP.] < Endurance Stat up! END +5 > < Stamina Stat up! SP +3 > ¡Á 10 < Agility Stat up! AGI +2 > ¡Á 10 Yes... I obtained some new Skills and I''ll say that one of them is extremely dangerous! I had absolutely no intention of using Life is Explosion so I instantly deleted it. As for Stat Points bonuses, I can only say that they are so delicious. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 19/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 240/270 [237] | MP: 231/371 | SP: 156/265 [ STR: 162 | DEX: 58 ] [ END: 144 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 192 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger]¨Œ [Hard Scales |Lvl 1] New [Swift Movement |Lvl 1] New [Life is Explosion |Lvl 1] Deleted After I finished eating all the meat I went to the deck to see the view of the Hundred Rock Islands. I need something that can help me to digest all the meat. A beautiful view is all I need. Or that''s what I thought before I got an idea after seeing some big rocks and little islands that floating close to the Airship. What''s my idea? I think, checking the little rock islands and some ruins that were on them up close wasn''t a bad idea. How do I set foot on the islands? Isn''t that obvious? I have to jump onto that rock islands. Then, I will explore it by jumping from one island to another. But before that, let''s find out how high and far I can jump. To realize my plan as soon as possible, I did some practice. I''m quite happy when I know I was able to jump about seven meters to the full extent of my ability. How high did I jump? I can say about four or five meters. With that capacity, I can do a lot of things. I nodded then I stood in the middle of the deck for quite some time. I waited for a little rock island to come to flirt with me. "What are you doing?" asked Ruciel. The girl approached me while massaging her forehead. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her long ears jerked in a short interval. "I''m waiting for an opportunity." "Opportunity? What kind of opportunity and can you be normal for just one day!?" She asked in irritation. Getting that question, I raised one of my eyebrows. Later, I told her that, "I''ve always behaved normally." "... Of course you do," Ruciel sighed. "I''m wrong here. I should have asked, can you behave normally like everyone else." "Am I not normal?" "Yes! You are not normal at all!" Ruciel yelled. Simultaneously, I noticed a little rock island floating so close to our Airship. So... "Opportunity has arrived!" I made a loud sound. A moment later I ran on the deck as fast as possible and then I jumped with all my strength onto the little rock island I saw. And yes, that''s right, I ignored Ruciel who shouted my name and told me to stop. Chapter 126 - Naughty Stalker "I believe I can fly!!!" I shouted shortly after I jumped from the Airship. But yes, I can''t fly. My body fell quickly onto a small sky island that was my objective. A moment later, I rolled on the ground several times due to the rough landing. After stopping from rolling and now lying on the ground, I said, "I can''t fly." I got up and then patted my clothes plus armor to remove the dust that was sticking on them. Wounds? Well... I got some grazes. And that''s right, Nature Vitality or my regeneration ability is starting to heal those wounds. "Eclaite! Come back here!" A shout was heard. I moved my head to look towards the Airship. There, I found Ruciel''s furious expression. She''s so scary and yes... "No, I won''t be coming back!" I yelled in reply. A moment later I strode away. "An adventure awaits me!" "Eclaite, stop! Damn it!" Unfortunately, my love, I don''t want to stop. If I did I wouldn''t be allowed to explore this sky island by you. So I decided to have some fun before you caught me. Time passed and I could say, this sixty-meter-wide island had nothing. So¡­ I decide to jump on another sky island. My final destination was a fairly large island with a ruin of big buildings on it. I jumped up and down like a rabbit and passed through some small sky island before I finally reached my final destination. I looked towards the Airship in the distance. "I''m sure they or at least Ruciel will pursue me but it looks like I''m wrong," I said in a soft voice. My ears twitched weakly and then I shook my head to ward off this little piece of sadness. "Zet got a lot of damage. Therefore, I''m sure, they decided to stop there because they wanted to do some reparations. I''m sure they''re waiting for me." My tails swings awkwardly because anxious. I wanted to go back but I was already here, in front of the ruins I wanted to explore. Deciding on the choice I was going to take by myself somewhat hurt my stomach. I took the gold coin and threw it into the air. The head means I have to go back to the Airship and the tail is permission to explore this ruin. Catch and click! I looked at the gold coin I caught and I found a picture of the tail. Well... The picture wasn''t literally a tail but anyway, I got a tail. An exploration I get. I went into the ruins of a building and I began to satisfy my curiosity. There, I found some kind of stuff. An antique Crystal Lamp, a book in good condition because it was protected by magic, some luxurious pottery, and a small treasure box contained several silver coins and a pendant that kept a faded photo. It''s an unexpected fun adventure. I looked around while checking this place and then... Jii~~ I looked back after feeling someone''s gaze and heat. I was a little surprised when I saw a winged woman sitting on a chair staring at me. Her Emerald eyes which had Shuriken-shaped pupils were filled with curiosity. The woman is a Flugel. Above her head was a pair of black circle halo. Two pairs of wings, also black, adorning the back of her hips. The smile she made didn''t show hospitality but rather hid something bad that I couldn''t have imagined what is it. The woman just appeared behind me just like that. That''s true, I managed to discover the woman''s presence just now. But before that, I was completely unaware of her presence. When does she appear? How long has she been watching me? Why is she here? What does she want? My vigilance increased sharply as the silver-haired woman left her chair to stand up. I tried to unsheathe my spear but then I realized, I wasn''t carrying any weapons. "What''s wrong?" She asked with a smile that looked like she was holding back a laugh. She looked so charming but the bad feeling I felt from her grew larger. My instincts screamed, telling me that the woman was a dreadful calamity. Spontaneously, out of fear, I took a step back. And also spontaneously, I decided to run away. However, before I could take a step, the woman appeared behind me in an instant. "Where are you going?" She asked. Along with that, she hugged my waist and then, she stroked my cheeks gently. My body became so stiff, I was so afraid, and I couldn''t say anything as she held my body. "Don''t be afraid," she whispered into my ear as if she knew what I was thinking. "I''m not going to eat-" She suddenly cut off her words and then¡­ she started massaging my chest. Her beautiful hands are so good at playing my chest. Thanks to that, in a short time, my body became hot and weak. I wanted her to stop but I didn''t dare to utter a word of refusal. What came out of my mouth was just, "ah~" sweet moans. Sometime later, two parts of my body became stiffer than before, and finally, I got wet. "You''re ready to be eaten now but, as I said earlier, I won''t eat you." She let me go. I, who was in a state of arousal fell into my butt. My legs were so weak and I was helpless as I sat on the ground. "Look at yourself, all wet and messy," said the woman who then made giggles. "And maybe, you should cover your crotch." I moved my head to look down. What I found were extremely wet pants! I didn''t expect I''d make this much Love Juice! Why did this happen!? My face was so hot as I tried to hide my wet pants and crotch. "Let''s stop joking," she said then crouched down in front of me. "I feel the familiar, unbearable, uncomfortable, and itchy feeling when I noticed you entering my detection range. So... I''m incredibly curious, who are you?" ... ... ... "... Eclaite," I said with a little piece of courage and after some long silence. "Is that your name?" To answer that question, I made a nod. The woman then smiled. "Do you know what a player is? Internet? VR games?" My eyes were wide open and my ears twitched wildly. Hearing those terms spoken by other people in this world surprised me. Along with that, I''m happy too. I found another Reincarnator! Maybe. Once again I nodded but was stronger than before to give her an answer. "If you know that, you also know Ark Fantasy Online, right?" Another strong nod is the answer I gave. The woman smiled. Now, there''s nothing wrong with that smile. Something disturbing that I felt from her disappeared. "Good! When did you come into this world? Do you remember the date before you moved into this world? And speak up, you can''t answer this question with a nod." "Three or four months ago and at 26th of the month, the year was 2107." "Twenty-six..." Said the woman who then became silent. The light of her eyes disappeared as she looked into the distance. I don''t know what happen to her and I don''t know what to do in this situation. Therefore, I also become silent. But at the same time, I observed the woman. I looked at the equipment she was wearing. And in a glance, I knew those were something not to laugh at. Thanks to the knowledge about Ark Fantasy Online, I was able to make guesses, all those equipment was at least in Legendary Grade? Her face came after the equipment had passed. She''s so beautiful and I''m sure no one will deny it. Yes, that''s right, she''s so beautiful but that is not the one that catches my attention. On the other hand, the thing that caught my attention was the familiar feeling I felt when I saw her face. I''m trying to remember when and where we met and... "Dishonesty?" I asked in a whisper. The woman blinked, her eyes that were re-filled by light refocused on me. "No, I''m not my sister. I''m Honesty," she said. "It''s quite surprising that you know who I am. Can you tell me where you know my name from?" She becomes stunning and she looks more mature. It makes it hard for me to recognize her. But wow! It''s so shocking that she''s Honesty! My fox''s tails swung with happiness. "I know you because I am Vier!" "Vier," said the woman who then slightly tilted her head, full of question marks. "Who is Vier?" I was silent because of that question. For some time, my mind became empty. When my consciousness back, I said, "the man named Vier is your friend in the Estoque Familia." "That''s incredibly strange," she said then narrowed her eyes. "The man named Vier that I know is a handsome young man, not a beautiful girl like you." "Have you forgotten about the Seed of Life? This body is the Avatar I created after using that Item." "...Ah that''s right! I remember that Vier had such an Item!" The woman hit her palm with her fist. "I''m glad you remembered it! How are you and what have you done during your life in this world?" "Wait for a minute young girl. Don''t get too familiar with me. I do remember about Vier but that doesn''t mean I accept you as Vier." "What do you mean?" "We need to prove that you are Vier." "How?" "We''re going to see my sister. She loved Vier and she knew a lot about him.. Therefore, I''m sure she can ascertain that you are Vier." Chapter 127 - The Homeland Of The Flugels "Wait! Wait! Wait! Let me walk!" I screamed when Honesty hold me as she flew. "Walking? That was incredibly slow. So, no walking," she said with a firm unwillingness. "Flying is the fastest method of transportation. Except for the teleportation." The woman increased her speed. As for me, I''m desperately clinging to her arms, trying not to fall. "Don''t be too fast! Please fly slowly and safely!" I screamed, again. "But we''ve been flying very, very, very slowly. I could die if we flew slower than this," she claimed then increase her speed, again. I can''t seem to change her decision. So, I try to accept things that happened. I just hope, my pants that have been dried by her do not become wet again. I''ve never thought about this before. But now, I found out that flying in the sky at high speed and without enough safety turned out to be extremely terrifying! Imagining the scenario when I fall to the ground far down there made all the fur in my body stand up! Our trip lasted for a few minutes but for me, it was forever. And yes, in the end, we arrived at the Airship. My mouth gaped as I saw dozens of people lying on the deck. Most of them didn''t move and there were a lot of bloodstains there! "They didn''t die right?" A little panicked, I asked Honesty. At the same time, I saw another Flugel who was now standing on the deck. The woman was the only one who is still standing. That Flugel looks like a Valkyrie. Her powerful aura was so oppressive and her expressionless face made her outright intimidating. I believe, she was the mastermind behind the carnage. Although her face was identical with Honestly''s, that short-haired woman was so different in many ways. "All those people are alive, they''re not going to die. That''s why you can breathe a sigh of relief. And the woman who was there, she was my sister, Dishonesty." I nodded after hearing Honesty''s explanation. I believe her because I also feel the heat of all those people. As we got close enough, the scary woman on the deck moved her head to look at us. When our eyes met, my body shivered. Along with that, my fox''s ears and tail stood upright. My instinct told me not to approach her but¡­ well¡­ another woman who was also no less terrifying brought me to her. I who have no choice are forced to face the fear that envelops my heart. "Dishonesty, I found her!" Honesty said as we floated above the deck. And without warning, the woman dropped me who wasn''t ready. Thanks to that, I fell onto my butt to then say, "ouch!" I stroked my butt as Dishonesty approached us. The woman looked down to take a peek at me. A moment later, she opened her mouth to say, "Is she a Player?" "Yes," Honesty replied briefly. "Good then." Dishonesty sheathed her sword. "I''m tired of playing around with them, we leaving, take her my sister." "You need to remember I''m not your servant," said Honesty, who saw her sister walking to the edge of the deck. "And I need to say, she''s Vier." Dishonesty stopped. Without turning around, she asked, "Vier?" "Yes, Vier. Someone you and Eden love." "Did she truly declare that she was Vier?" "I can''t possibly mishear her words." Shortly after Honesty uttered that, Dishonesty''s figure disappeared to appear in front of me. Then, she observed me from head to toe. Some time passed until she asked, "Is this your Avatar after you used the Seed of Life?" "Yes, that''s right," I replied a little dazedly. I didn''t expect that she-- "You still remember the Item she had after more than a thousand years had passed?" Honesty cut my mind off with the question. And thousand years? What did she mean? "Of course, I remember it. After all, for thousands of times, I suspect that Item is the main reason why we moved into this world." "It was something I never hear and I want to hear it in more detail." "You''ll get it. But we have to go back home first. Take her, my sister." "No, you''re the one who''s going to take her." "... All right," Dishonesty said after a pause for some time. Then, she reached out her hand to take me. Seeing that, in a hurry, I said, "I can''t go." "Why?" "My friends are hurt, I have to take care of them," I explained. A moment later, I scanned the deck, searching for Kimi, Ruciel, Chloe, and Alan. "..." Dishonesty was silent for a moment before she snapped her fingers. Instantly, a huge, green Magic Circle appeared above the deck. A thousand spots of green light resembling snow appeared to then enter the bodies of the injured people. The green light heals them. "They have been repaired. Now, let''s go, there''s a lot of things that I want to ask," Dishonesty said. She stretched out her hand again to take me. But before she managed to touch me... "Stop right there!" A shout was heard. Not long after, from behind the door, Kimi ran up to us. She left Alan and Chloe who is frozen behind. "You can''t take big sis away!" She declared. The trembling little girl pointed her sword at Dishonesty. The Flugel who gets the threat observed her attacker for a while. Then, she looks back at me. "Who is this little girl?" "My little sister." "..." She didn''t say anything. "I challenge you to a duel! Whoever the loser must obey the winner!" Kimi offered a challenge. Dishonesty narrowed her eyes, and that was more than enough for the expressionless girl to show her irritation. Then, suddenly, the atmosphere became noiseless and cold. My instinct felt such a harmful disaster come to befall my little sister. My body trembled with fear but I managed to stand in front of Kimi to protect her. "Okay, calm down, take a deep breath," Honestly said, appearing behind Dishonesty. The woman then pulled and played with her sister''s cheeks. "Don''t get angry, I''ll bring the little girl, and we''ll have a tea party!" As soon as she said all of that, the harmful disaster I felt disappeared. Dishonesty who closed her eyes said, "All right." "Perfect answer! Let''s go home!" With that, the two Flugels took me and Kimi away. We couldn''t go against their will and now, we are like prey carried by an eagle. We flew, leaving the Airship and everyone behind. Minutes passed until I said, "Wow..." I was amazed when I saw a magnificent and enormous Flying Castle emerge from within the clouds. The Flying Castle had a traffic cone-like shape. Twenty statues of Flugel surrounded the bottom of the castle. Meanwhile, at the top, there is a small castle made of emerald-like crystal. The Flying Castle that had dozens of floors could be considered a Sky Island. That''s not an exaggeration. "... Can you tell me the size of that Flying Castle or maybe Sky Island?" I looked at Dishonesty''s eyes with hope. The woman glanced at me for a moment before looking back ahead. She showed absolutely no signs of wanting to speak. It made me give up on getting answers but then... "Uncertainty has a diameter of twenty kilometers at the bottom. At the top, it was around one kilometer. The height was fifty kilometers," Dishonesty explained. ''That''s amazing. I''m sure, there''s no such Sky Island like that when we play Ark Fantasy Online." Dishonesty doesn''t give a reply. And so, automatically, we traveled without conversation. An awkward atmosphere befalls us. Honesty who see this made giggles. Minutes passed and... "We''re here," Honesty said as she set foot in the dock. The woman then released my little sister. Dishonesty did the same to me. A moment later, she walked away from me. And in exchange for her, Kimi ran up to me. The little girl hugged me. I stroked her head to calm her down. "Come on, come with us," Honesty asked. The two of us who have no other option move our feet to follow them. My fox ears twitched with more energy than usual. Again, I was amazed. But why? Because I saw a beautiful city after we passed through a gate. And not only the city, but I also saw the forest and the grasslands. Surprisingly enough, there is a lake in this place. And I need to say, the inside of this Flying Castle doesn''t look like the inside of a building at all. This place is more like a piece of natural area that is put into an enormous room. This place is so extraordinary. And it becomes even more amazing when hundreds of Flugels live here. The beautiful women passed by, doing their activities and business. Yes, Flugel is just like the Amazones and Valkyrie, their race has no creatures called men. A city that contains only women... Living in such a place is like living in paradise! We walked through this paradise for some time before an unexpected event occurred. All the Flugels on the street and in places we could see clearly, kneeling as soon as they saw Dishonesty and Honesty. The thing that happened made me who walking along with them feel uncomfortable. And not only me, but my sister also seemed to feel the same way. She appear so panicked and her hand that was holding my hand became tighter. Amid this situation, Dishonesty walked without care. Meanwhile, Honesty... "Please, all of you don''t have to kneel," she told them. The woman didn''t make a shout but her voice was reverberating all over this place clearly. "Stand up and please treat us as your neighbors." The Flugels got up a short time later. They did what Honesty said. It makes me wonder about the true identity of Dishonesty and Honesty who is now in front of me. Chapter 128 - Sharing Our Stories 1_2 Dishonesty and Honesty guided us to a small building that contained a familiar blue crystal. "Is that a Teleportation Crystal?" Honestly turned to me and said, "That''s right. And as you guess, our home is a Dungeon." "This place is?" "Yes, it''s incredible right?" I nodded. "Do you have monsters here?" "Absolutely, they will help our citizens to be stronger." "Enough with questions and explanations," said Dishonesty, who is currently touching the Teleportation Crystal. "We''re going to change floors, all of you, touch the crystal." We obeyed the order and a moment later, we appeared in an unknown room. Looking around, I learned that this room was like a terminal, a place where people came and go. Yes, there are an interesting moment when we showed up in this room. Some Flugels who looked like knights put on surprised expressions as they looked at us. And yes, seconds later, they knelt. Honesty told them to stand up. Then, she gave one of them an order to go to the kitchen. She wanted the chefs to prepare snacks and tea for our tea party. A dozen minutes passed and now, we sat on chairs, encircling a round table that was in a stone gazebo in the middle of a beautiful garden. The beautiful scenery in this place calms my heart. The fresh air relaxed my stiff body. "Tell us your story." Dishonesty voiced her wish not long after a Flugel finished serving snacks and drinks at our table. They want to confirm who I really am. That means I have to tell them about my old world and my identity as Giselle Gibson. Kimi is here. So, maybe it''s time for me to say all my secrets to her. The little girl has the right to be the first to know this secret. "Before I start telling my story, there''s one thing I want to do first. I hope you don''t mind it." "If the thing you''re referring to doesn''t take a long time, I don''t mind," Dishonesty said. The woman then sipped her tea. "It would be better for you to settle the matter as soon as possible. This woman has thin patience," Honesty explained. Dishonesty glanced at her smiling sister. She then put down the cup and said, "... yes, that''s right." I made a nod. "It won''t be long," I said. Then, I looked to see Kimi. "Kimi," I called her. The little girl moved her head to look at me. Then, she asked, "What''s wrong, big sis?" "I know you may have known this but... There''s something I want to say to you, Kimi." "...I''m listening," she said as her fox''s ears and tail hung weakly. I hesitated to say this but... in the end, "...I am not your sister." "..." The little girl didn''t say anything. She just left her chair to hug me. "Big sis is my sister, it''s absolute because big sis has already performed the Blood Bonding Ritual with Papa Wielth." The little girl started crying she hugged me tighter. And I stroked her head gently. "Don''t leave me. Please forgive me. I never know that Papa Wielth is so mean on big sis. I''m sorry for what he did. So don''t leave me. Please, I don''t want to be alone." Kimi said all of that in a broken voice. I hugged her tighter. "I will never leave you. However, you should know that I have memories from a previous life. That''s what made me say that I''m not your sister." "Memories of a previous life?" With that question, I started giving Kimi an explanation of my life in another world, telling her that I was Giselle Gibson, and lastly, I told her how I got Eclaite''s memories when I come to this world. "Whatever happens, big sis is big sis, that will never change and I love big sis so much. I accept big sis for what it is and whatever happens to you." Kimi told me. Her eyes that wet with tears were filled with sincerity. "Thank you," I told her. A moment later I kissed the little girl''s forehead. After another hug and Kimi back to her chair, I look back at Dishonesty and Honesty. "I''m done. Now, what do you want to ask?" They exchanged glances before facing me again. Honesty smiled. "Since you''ve already explained how you moved into this world, let''s talk about the next problem. Let''s prove that you are Vier! But, how do you do it, my sister, I wonder?" Dishonesty who didn''t say anything, put down a small golden bell to the table. Honesty who saw the object hit her palm. "I forgot that we have this method!" She said it out loud. "Is that the Bell of Truth? And you guys don''t want to ask about things that only we, the Estoque Familia, know?" "The answer to those questions is yes and no." Dishonesty closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. "Honestly I say, I can''t remember clearly the events that happened a thousand years ago." "A thousand years?" Honesty nodded. "Different from you, we came to this world, that has characteristics like Ark Fantasy Online, a thousand years ago." That confirmation left me speechless. Then, I wondered, could events like that happen? I wanted to find out the answer to that question but¡­ "We can discuss that later." Dishonesty didn''t give me a chance. "Are you really Vier?" "Yes, I am Vier in Ark Fantasy Online. In the real world, I am Giselle Gibson. In this world, I am Eclaite." The Bell of Truth on the table doesn''t chime. It shows that I''m, well... Not lying. "Giselle? You are a woman in our former world?" Honesty''s eyes were wide open and shock colored her voice. "Yes, I''m a woman and I''m sorry for keeping that a secret." I lowered my head. "You don''t have to apologize, I guess." Honesty glanced towards Dishonesty who didn''t show any expression or even open her eyes. "You are forgiven but... How could you have a male Avatar? As I recall, our Avatar gender will be matched to our gender in the real world." "... I have a physique like a man. Because of that and an error, my Avatar ended up being a male Avatar." "Okay, I can accept that." That''s it? I thought she would¡­ okay never mind. If she doesn''t want to know the detail, then she will not. "The next question-" Dishonesty gave me some other questions related to the things she remembered about Vier in Ark Fantasy Online. I answered all those questions honestly. Thanks to that, the Bell of Truth never sounded and the two Flugels finally accepted me as Vier. Then, they ask me to tell tales about numerous adventures we had done as a Familia. Honesty made a big smile and sometimes laughed when she heard my story. She looks happy and she''s fascinated by things that happened in the past. She said she felt nostalgic when she heard the stories. As for Dishonesty, she listened to my story with her eyes still closed. Now and then, she asks light questions such as, what happens next? Did I really do that? That must be my sister''s fault, right? And so on. The Bell of Truth sounded several times because of those questions. However, it doesn''t displease us. Then time passed... "I told you things I knew. Then, can you tell your story?" "Our story?" "Yes, I want to hear it. I''m also curious about this Dungeon." Honesty glanced at Dishonesty and she got a nod. So, she started opening her mouth. "As long as I can remember¡ª" Far in the past, after they were swallowed by blinding light, they moved into this world. They fully became the Avatars they used in Ark Fantasy Online. At that moment, they were separated and were on different continents. They traveled around this world for years before finally finding each other. They were so happy when they saw each other. Then, their lives continued. Event after event meets them. A lot of things happened but they survived. Once upon a time, they were so happy when they met Agnisdesmo, Eden, and Mathias. They ventured together for some time before finally splitting up due to a great war. Honesty and Dishonesty discover this Dungeon and turn it into a Flying Castle in the middle of that great war. Then, after the great war was over, they flew around the world by boarding this Flying Castle. "Agnisdesmo, Eden, and Mathias, are they okay? What about Izayoi?" "They''re fine I guess," Honesty told me. "Agnisdesmo fell into slumbering because of the severe injures he sustained In the great wars, Eden now ruled her kingdom, while for Mathias, he became the demon king, right, my sister?" "Yes, he is the demon king and he is in the land of the demons now." "As for Izayoi... We haven''t met him yet." The woman''s voice was colored by the sadness. "I''m afraid he would be dead if he had moved into this world at the same time as us. He''s a human, he doesn''t have ample time." I know Honesty is so close to Izayoi. Therefore, I can understand the sadness she has when she couldn''t meet him. "I heard the news, there is someone similar to Izayoi out there. She''s a princess named Grace Logia Alheindrein and she''s known as Berserk Princess." "Are you sure of this news?" Honesty inquired. I shook my head. "I''m not too sure. I only heard the news and haven''t met Grace Logia Alheindrein in person. Besides, her whereabouts are unknown." "I was so curious," Honesty said. She looked at Dishonesty and said, "I want to find him." "You got it, play around as you please." "Thank you," she told Dishonesty. Then, she saw me. "She''s a princess, Alheindrein is the name of a kingdom she came from, right?" "That''s right," I replied. A moment later, Honesty vanished! In the blink of an eye, only me, Kimi, and Dishonesty remained in this place. "Let''s continue our talk," Dishonesty said. "Sure," I replied to her. Chapter 129 - Sharing Our Stories 2_2 "..." Dishonesty closed her eyes and fell silent after once again, she heard the fact that I was a woman while we were living in the previous world. I don''t know why she ask this story to be repeated. We didn''t speak and the only voice that was heard between us was the sound effects when Kimi eating the snacks. And oh! Sometimes, I hear the sound of the wind that blowing gently. The atmosphere became more and more awkward every time a second passed. Since she didn''t show any expression, I don''t know what she was thinking. Thanks to that, I hesitated to say anything. When Dishonesty doesn''t move, she''s like a beautiful doll. She was an extraordinary piece of art. She was so different from someone I knew. We didn''t open our mouths for the next few minutes. This silence started to suffocate me. I can''t stand all the silence anymore. Hence, "... Are you still making manga?" I started. "Manga? That word brings nostalgia." She opened her eyes to look at me. "Unfortunately, this world doesn''t have good paper. I can''t make manga but I write short stories and make it into a book" "I''m curious and want to read it." "You''ll get a chance. Now, if I remembered, you got an Item that would give you a Unique Skill. Can you tell me the Unique Skill you got?" "... I don''t mind, but why would you want to know?" "I''m just curious," Dishonesty replied. The Bell of Truth doesn''t sound. So, she''s honest. Our eyes met shortly after I saw the golden bell. And it makes me feel uncomfortable. I didn''t want to show my mistrust but it seemed, I couldn''t hide that feeling well. My face heated up after I heard her say, "I''ll also tell you and show you my Unique Skill." "All right." I nodded. "The Unique Skill I got from Gaia Tears is called the Heart of Monsters. That Unique Skill allowed me to obtain some Stat Points and a randomly selected Skill from a monster by eating their meat and Magic Stones. The Unique Skill will also raise my Basic Statistics if I activate it." Dishonesty narrowed her eyes. "Can you use the skills obtained from monsters?" "Yes, look at this." I showed her my left hand before I finally said, "[Sharp Claws]" A claw made of red light was created at each end of my fingers as I used the Skill. "That was amazing," said Dishonesty, who then pinched one of my claws of light. Yes, I tried to pull my hand away because I didn''t want her to get hurt but... She can still catch the claw. A moment later, Dishonesty put a Magic Stones - which she took out of nowhere - to the table. And wow! The Magic Stone was as big as a human heart. And not only that, these rugby ball-shaped Magic Stones are like a starry night sky packed in a glass container. This Magic Stone is so beautiful and I wonder, what kind of monster has a Magic Stone like this. "Eat those Magic Stones and tell me the Skill you got." "When was this Magic Stone taken from its owner?" "Hmm... Maybe two hundred years ago." "That''s been too long and I won''t get any skills from this Magic Stone?" "Why is that?" "Since to get a Skill, the Magic Stones I ate should still be fresh, no more than four hours after the monster that possessed them was killed." "That''s such a binding drawback." Again, she closed her eyes and leaned back into her chair. Once again, silence engulfed us. "Try this snack, big sis. They are so delicious." Kimi gave me a cookie. And I, who don''t know what to do, eat those cookies. Now, I choose to wait for her to start a new conversation. A few minutes passed... "What do you want to do in this world?" asked Dishonesty suddenly. "I want to find all of you, my family in the Estoque Familia." "After that?" After that... I''m not too sure, "maybe staying with you guys or going on adventures together, as we used to when we were in Ark Fantasy Online." "Hmm... That''s pretty hard to do." "Why do you say that?" "Because- forget it." Dishonesty shook her head. Then, she opened her eyes. "Let me show you my Unique Skill, [Abyss]" Shortly after she said that word, thousands of black balls of various sizes appeared and floated around us. Every second, they keep changing their shape. "Wow it''s amazing," said Kimi, who then tried to touch a black ball nearby. "A, a, a, little girl." Along with Dishonesty''s voice, the black ball that Kimi was about to touch drifted away. "Your hands will melt if you touch that black ball. So don''t approach them, okay?" "Eep!" The little girl made a strange noise. At the same time, she pulled her hand which wanted to touch another black ball. A moment later, all the black balls disappeared. "Abyss makes me able to control the dark element at will. This skill isn''t like Dark Magic because I don''t need any Spell to use it. For the record, Abyss is much stronger than Dark Magic." "It was amazing and scary," I said. Kimi who was beside me made some strong nods. "Then I''ll be more careful in using it and... Get ready, a commotion is coming." "What do you mean by commotion?" I wondered and Dishonesty didn''t say anything. A moment later... "Dear mother...!" A scream was heard. I turned to the source of the voice to see a young Flugel flying close to us at high speed. And in a few seconds... Thump! She arrived at our place. The girl then hugged Dishonesty and rubbed her cheeks on the expressionless woman''s cheeks. "Dear mother, when did you wake up? Why didn''t you see me, dear mother? I felt the flow of violent Mana just now. Is dear mother okay?" The young Flugel - who looks eighteen - is beautiful. Her eyes were emerald just like dishonesty. While her wavy hair is black. At first glance, the girl looks like Dishonesty when the woman is in Ark Fantasy Online. And more important to all of that... "Mother?" I asked Dishonesty. Dishonesty nodded. "This little girl is named Yuldra. She is my noisy daughter." "I''m not noisy," Yuldra protested. And yes, it''s quite shocking. I didn''t think Dishonesty was married. If she had indeed lived in this world for a thousand years, marriage was not strange. "Everything has changed, right?" I asked with a smile. "Yes that''s right," Said Dishonesty. A piece of sadness color her voice. "Dear mother, who is she?" Yuldra saw me. Her eyes were filled with curiosity. "She is Eclaite, she is my friend." "Dear mother''s friend!?" Yuldra''s voice rose. She was so shocked and she looked at Dishonesty with eyes filled with disbelief. "Why did you give me such an expression?" "Dear mother''s always cold and- anyway." Yuldra moved her head to look at me. "Nice to meet you, Miss Eclaite." "Same as me, Yuldra." "Oh! I just remembered! Dear mother, there''s an Airship docked at the dock. We have visitors from the surface!" "Yuldra, they are not from the surface. They are from the Flying Continent and they are Eclaite friends." "My friends? Are they chasing us?" "No, but I told some Flugels to guide them here." "Can I see them?" "Of course," said Dishonesty who then saw Yuldra. "Can you take Eclaite?" "... I want to spend time with my dear mother." "We can spend some time tonight. For now, please welcome our guests and guide them to a place where they can spend the night. I can''t do it myself because I have a few things to do. So, can you do that?" "...fine. But we''ll sleep together later tonight." "Alright, we''ll sleep together later tonight." "Great!" said Yuldra full of happiness. "Rest and enjoy your time in my house, Eclaite. We''ll talk again later," Dishonesty told me. A moment later, just like Honesty, she disappeared. "Now, Miss Eclaite, please follow me." Yuldra walked away and I along with Kimi followed her. We''re using teleportation crystals again. And after walking for some time, I met with Ruciel and the others. From the large number of people gathered under the watchful eye of a dozen armed Flugels, I can conclude that everyone aboard Zet was here. And I''ll say, they''re like prisoners of war. They are restless, confused, and frightened. Some of them only breathed a sigh of relief after they see me and Kimi. Kimi come closer to Alan and Chloe, the little girl hugged Chloe tightly. "Knights, thank you for your hard work. From now on, I''ll take care of them. Please, go back to your daily duties." The knights saluted Yuldra before dispersing. "Miss Eclaite''s friends, follow me please." Once again, I followed Yuldra. This time, I was with the others. "Eclaite, what happened?" Ruciel asked. Ronove, Teria, and Lostria accompanied her. "Hmm... You could say, we are currently visiting my friend''s house." "Are you sure of that?" "Of course, and why would you ask such a question?" "Because right now we are captured by the Flugels!" Ruciel''s voice was quiet but I knew she was shouting at me. "Well... There may have been a misunderstanding at the beginning. But I assure you, we''ll be fine. Dishonesty and Honesty will never have bad intentions to us." I tried to calm their hearts but for some reason, their faces turned so pale. Chapter 130 - Their Worries "We''ve arrived," Yuldra said. In front of us was a big inn. And I can say, the building can fit a hundred people easily. The building was beautiful and luxurious it was made entirely of white stone walls. It had windows and doors made of brown wood. Lastly, the roof is red. The inn became even more impressive because it had a delightful little garden on the left side of it. "What a good place is it, right?" "Yes, it''s wonderful," I gave my impression to Yuldra and I got a smile from her. Fourteen Flugels lined up on the right and left sides of the road leading to the entrance of the inn. One of them, who is standing at the entrance said, "Welcome, Princess Yuldra and esteemed guests." The other Flugels bowed with her words as a signal. "Thank you for the warm welcome, Philia." "This has been our happiness," replied Flugel named Philia with a smile. "Let me show you your room." "Ah, wait a minute Philia, there are some things I want to tell our guests," Yuldra said stopping Philia''s steps and getting the woman back to her place. "And sorry, I won''t stay here, there''s a lot of things I have to do." "I understand." After getting another smile from Philia, Yuldra moved her head to look at us. "Please listen," she began. "Dear mother said that I just need to provide you guys with a place to spend the nights and that includes food. So my job is done but, before I leave, I''ll give you guys some explanation." "You came here because of my dear mother''s invitation." "For how long and what you should do here. Dear mother said and I quote, ''Rest and enjoy your time at my house, Eclaite. We''ll talk again later, it''s meant for Miss Eclaite but it also applies to you." "So, with that, I can conclude that you won''t get any restrictions while you stay here. But of course, any criminal acts will get a firm punishment." "Lastly, you must not leave this Flying Castel until dear mother and miss Eclaite''s matter are over. And fuu~ I talk quite a lot. I''m quite tired so I''ll say, see you later, Miss Eclaite and guests." "See you later, Yuldra. And thank you." "You are welcome," she replied with a smile. Then, she looks at Philia. "I leave the rest to you, Philia." "Leave it to me, Princess Yuldra." Yuldra nodded. A moment later, she floated. After she made light waves of her hand at us, she flew away. "Please, esteemed guests, follow me. I''ll show you your room." So we went into the inn. And yes, Philia doesn''t do this job alone. The other Flugels helped her to guide us to each of our rooms. And I will say, the room in this inn is nice, clean, minimalist, and most importantly, it has an incredibly soft, white mattress. "It''s true happiness," I commented as I enjoyed the softness of the mattress with my body. "Ruciel come-" Knock! Knock! A door knock interrupted my words. I wanted to have a little fun with Ruciel but I didn''t seem to have time. Ruciel who breathed a sigh of relief opened the door immediately. There, I saw Lostria, Ronove, and Teria. "We need to talk," Ronove invited me. So, I''m bringing them into my room. Two people occupied chairs, while the other four sat in the two vacant beds. I who was cross-legged in bed hugging a pillow asked, "What do you want to talk about?" "First, what kind of relationship do you have with... Dishonesty and Honesty? They are the Flugels in legend, right?" Ronove asked. I who got the question was silent to think for a while. My ears twitched because, "honestly, I can''t be sure if Honesty and Dishonesty I know are the Flugels that you guys mean." "Why would you say that!?" Lostria said a little annoyed. "Because they never told me they were legends. Besides, I just met them today after a long time. So, I don''t know much about them." "You just met them!?" "That''s right," I answered Lostria. "How long is that? Ronove investigated. "They said we didn''t see each other for a thousand years." "How old are you again?" Ruciel asked. "Nineteen," if not including my age in the previous world. ... They fell silent and narrowed their eyes. And for some reason, even though I had already given them the answers they wanted, they looked even angrier than before. "Haa... All right if you want to keep a secret. We can forget about your relationship with them," Teria said. Then, she put on a serious expression. "However, I want to make sure, we''re going to get out of this place alive right?" I tilted my head a little because of that question. My fox ears make one strong twitch. "Why do you ask a question like that?" "Because we are inside the Flying Castel, Uncertainty and we were surrounded by Flugels!" She replied in a slightly high voice. "Okay, that answer still makes me not understand why we''re inside, as you said, a life-and-death situation." "You need to know, Flugels is notoriously merciless." Ruciel began to give me an explanation. "In war, they never leave their opponents alive. They are also so good at deceiving and manipulating people. They were much more dangerous than Shadow Elf. Therefore, we should be wary of them, especially when they catch us!" Is that true? The Flugels in this place were as vicious and terrifying as she said. I shook my head. "We''ll be fine. Dishonesty and Honesty are not evil and for the Flugels here, I don''t think they are evil either." "You''re really sure of that." "Yes, I mean, along the way, do you see the Flugels look down on us? Showing hostility? Giving a rejection? Making fun of us? No, right? Once again, we''ll be fine." "If the young lady says that, then we will believe it," Ronove said. "We''ll be fine even if we''ll be watched. It''s not a bad idea if we stay in this inn until the young lady finishes her business." "If it can raise our percentage of survival, I''ll make sure my men do that." Teria made a strong nod. "If you are willing, can you tell us the- " "We better not ask about that either." Ronove cut off Lostria''s words. Seeing that interaction, I said, "You guys are too worry ward, you know that?" "It''s about our lives young lady, of course, we''re worried!" Ronove scolded me. "All right, all right, but... Where''s Myu? since I saw all of you, I never saw her." Getting that question they, except Ronove, exchanged gazes. A moment later, Lostria asked, "Isn''t she with you?" That question confused me. "Okay that''s weird, why do you think Myu is with me?" "She''s chasing after you while you''re exploring the Sky Islands, you know that? She said she couldn''t leave you alone." My face turned pale. "We never met." "Then she''s still hanging around the Sky Islands," Ruciel said. "We need to save her!" Ruciel shook her head. "We can''t leave this place, remember? She will be fine, you can forget about her." "Are you sure?" "Yes, forget about that girl. I''m sure she could have survived a week or two in that place alone." "...I-" "Forget that girl!" Ruciel didn''t let me finish my words with her firm command. It was rare for her to insist on something just like this. And seeing her irritated expression, mentioning Myu again might be a bad decision. "All right, I will forget Myu," I told her. And instead, I got a little snort of satisfaction from her. Then, I back to look at everyone. "Are you sure you want to lock yourself in this inn?" "We have no other choice," Ronove said. "Didn''t I already say we''d be fine? Besides, do you guys really want to miss this opportunity?" "What do you mean?" "We are inside of the Uncertainty, in the homeland of the Flugels, and I am sure, there are many foreign things here. Don''t you want something from here?" "We..." Ronove''s voice was trailed off. "I don''t know about you guys, but, after taking a short rest, I want to look around this city. Maybe I''ll get rare Spells, weapons, armor, Magic Tools, Potions, or so on." They were stunned for some time before they finally moved on to leave this room. They seem to be in a hurry to do something. And before they completely vanished, I said, "If you''re still worried, make a group of about four or more people when walking around the city." They gave me their confirmation and they vanished. "What are you going to do next?" "As I said before, I want to explore this city. But, before that, I want to rest first." Finished with that words, I dropped myself into the bed. Then, I patted the empty part of the mattress. I gave a sign for Ruciel to sleep with me. "No!" She told me. "I don''t want to sleep with you! I don''t want to be groped by you!" "Eh~~ don''t you like it. The last time I did it, you made a moan after moan of satisfaction." "I never did it!" Screaming, she gets out of this room. "It''s a pity," I said.. A moment later, I closed my eyes. Chapter 131 - The Hunt 1_2 "[Flash Swings]" My spear swung to cut off Cross Hound''s stomach. I use most of my capability. Thanks to it, the attack was swift. Cross Hound couldn''t dodge it. "Khaing!" A sound is created when the monster falls. I who had no mercy, stabbed the monster''s head to end its life. Cross Hound is a dog monster with a body length of one and a half meters. Their bodies are big and stocky. Therefore, they are not fast, they are strong. This monster has dark green fur and a white cross on the forehead. The monster was ferocious and now, two of them were running towards me quickly. I''m back to reading my spear. And not only that, but I also slightly changed my fighting stance. Both of those I did to deal with them. "Bark!" "Warf! Wharf!" The fangs of those monsters were glowing, covered by red light. And I''ll say, those fangs can tear people''s skin easily. Moreover, the monster''s bite was strong and it''s extremely arduous to release their bite when they managed to bite something. How do I know it, you say? Let''s say, I''ve experienced it in person. No longer did I underestimate those monsters, I used my full speed to dodge and attack them. I didn''t want to get any new wounds and I do prefer to kill them as quickly as I can. I swung my spear and used Arte. The skin was torn apart, blood flowed, and two monsters lost their lives within dozen seconds. My fight is over but¡­ the kids'' fight hasn''t. "[Shield Ram]" Alan shouted. His shield hit the head of a Cross Hound that pounce on him. The attack pushes the monster back for a few steps. From the right side, Kimi came. Her Fire Sword was burning, covered by dense red fire. "Hya." The little girl made a quick swing from below, she managed to cut off the Cross Hound''s front legs and neck. "Khaing!" Making it last sound, the Cross Hound died. "[Mana Bullets]" Chloe shouted. The little girl fired small blue balls to attack the Cross Hound which she caught using Mana Bind. Blast! Blast! "Bark! Whimper!" The spell managed to hit the monster. And yes, Chloe managed to kill the monster after a few blue balls of Mana penetrated the monster''s head. "[Stalwart Shield]" Alan who is not far from Chloe uses another Shield Arte. He withstood the attacks launched by two Cross Hounds. Seeing her brother''s situation, Chloe raised her Staff and then said, "[Mana Bind]" The girl tried to tie the monsters using the blue roots of Mana. Unfortunately, she only managed to tie up one of them. One monster roamed free. It ran towards Chloe after succeeding past Alan''s blockade. The monster jumps to pounce on Chloe but... "[Stinger]" My sister who came out of the shadow killed the monster by piercing its chest using a burning sword. The little black fox seemed to have mastered Shadow Dive well. The kids'' fight is finally over after Alan beheads the Cross Hound tied up by Chloe''s Spell. "Good work kids," I said to praise them. The kids smiled because of the praise and I was happy to see their smiles. "Please help me to collect the monster''s carcasses," Ruciel said. So, without further ado, we started collecting the corpses of Cross Hounds while Ruciel started butchering one of them. As Ruciel worked and the corpses of monsters were already been gathered, I scanned the surroundings. I don''t want any monsters approaching when we are occupied by this work. Where are we? We are currently in a meadow, not far from the city of Miar, which is one of the three largest cities on the first floor of Uncertainty, a city where our inn is located. Why are we here? The answer was to look for Magic Stones or perhaps material from the monsters. We needed those items to buy the things sold by the Flugels. And okay, buying isn''t the right word, I should have used barter. So, anyway, this is where we are, looking for things to get the stuff we want. And yes, our money is meaningless in this place. As for the stuff we have in Airship, I let Teria handle it. I ask her to make a good profit from the trade-in here. "Here, the Magic Stones of those monsters." Ruciel gave me twelve red stones the size of thumbs. The stones were covered in blood but still, I ate them, one by one. Ruciel narrowed her eyes when she saw me eating those Magic Stones. And yes, I ignored her, I didn''t stop to put the Magic Stones into my mouth. Ignoring Ruciel''s reaction, I''ll say, these Magic Stones have a taste similar to Strawberry Yogurt! It''s quite tasty. < Acquired a Skill! Sharp Claws |Lvl 1 > < An identical skill is detected. Do you want to convert this skill to be Exp or do you want to draw another skill? > < Exp > < Redraw > Okay, this is new. Obtaining exp to level up a skill faster was not a bad idea. However, I do remember, all the Skills I had would level up as I evolved. So... < Redraw > < Redrawing new skill... > < Acquired a skill! Strong Bite |Lvl 1 > [Strong Bite |Lvl 1] [MP -5] [+ Sharpen the teeth, strengthen the jaws, and increase the damage of biting attacks by 50% ] < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á 9 < Strong Bite, level up! 1 to 2 > Hmm... Is it just me or is my mouth getting bizarre? My mouth can spurt fire, inject poison, and now¡­ they are getting stronger. Not... I don''t think my mouths are getting bizarre, they''re polished to be better than before. "Are you okay?" Ruciel asked. Her eyes moved to see me from toe to head. "Yes, and didn''t I already tell you, I got stronger after eating Magic Stones." "I find it hard to believe it because all I know is that someone will get sick or die after eating Magic Stones." "I remember you once explaining that Mana in Magic Stones is a deadly poison to people. Which where it can forcibly transform their bodies to become monsters or, make their bodies explode instantly." "That''s right," said Ruciel, who glanced back at me. She looks doubtful. Therefore, once again, I said, "I''m fine, please believe me. Now, let''s cook the meat of those monsters." "Their meat will also make you stronger?" "That''s right," I replied. And yes, I re-told Ruciel - I''ll be fine after eating monster meat - for the umpteenth time. < Strength stat up! STR + 2 > ¡Á 4 I earned Stat Points and along with that, I also got curious stares from the kids. "How could big sis eat so much of that un-delicious meat?" Kimi asked with a sour expression. "They may not be delicious to you but they are delicious to me," I explained. Then, I ate the last grilled meat. We were on an adventure and I didn''t want my stomach full when I had to fight monsters. Therefore, I only ate five kilograms of meat. "Now, our break is over but our adventure hasn''t. The tower is waiting for us." My fox''s ears twitched strongly as I pointed at the blue tower in the distance. From the story I heard from the Flugels, the tower in the distance was called the Tower of Challenges. Yes, the tower will take us to the next floor. The Flugels also told that on the next floor, there were stronger monsters than on this floor. And not only monsters but the next floor was also filled with more valuable treasures and natural resources than on this floor. And yes, that pattern keeps repeating until the hundredth floor, the floor where the small castle made of Emerald is located. The Flugels who wanted to be strong wanted to become knights, or simply wanted a better status and life, would try to conquer the Tower of Challenge on every floor. They will face dangerous challenges but they will earn such large rewards when they complete them. And of course, I, who love fighting, challenges, and exploring new places, will try to conquer the Tower of Challenge here. I wonder how many towers I can conquer before Dishonesty calls me. Having a purpose, I didn''t hesitate to invite Chloe, Alan, Kimi, and Ruciel to create a Party. I invited them to conquer the Tower of Challenge which is two kilometers from the city. And of course, the material from monsters we obtained would be used on the next floor. That, if we succeed. If not, we''ll go back to the city of Miar. Our adventure continues. We left the meadow and now, we''re in a forest. Here, we meet another monster named Yellow Tail Ape. The monster had a body size of a twelve-year-old child. They have a long pair of bottom fangs. Their faces were red, their fur was dark brown, and their tails were, of course, yellow. The ape monster was so nimble as it swung from one tree to another. They''re quick and they were irritating because they attack us with stone throws. We, especially the kids, had a hard time taking down those monsters from the trees. My accuracy wasn''t good enough when I used Spells to fall the monsters. In this fight, we relied entirely on Ruciel''s archery ability to get the victory. In the end, after exploring the forest for three hours, we managed to kill twenty-eight Yellow Tail Ape! < Level up! 19 to 20 > Chapter 132 - The Hunt 2_2 < Level up! 19 to 20 > < Acquired a skill! Yellow Punch |Lvl 1 > < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á 9 < Yellow Punch, level up! 1 to 2 > [Yellow Punch | Lvl 2] [MP -4] [+ Launch a strong and fast punch imbued with Light Element. + Increase physical and light damage by 15%] Yellow punch from Yellow Tail Ape, that''s fine and I''m sure, this skill will improve my close combat ability. < Strength stat up! STR + 2 > ¡Á 4 That''s right, I went back to eating Cross Hound meat while we rested. So, I got a few STR points from it. And I''ll say, my stomach''s digestion speed surprised me. It''s only two hours and I was ready to eat another batch of meals. "Are you done?" Ruciel looked at me with a look of awe approaching the border of insulting. "Can you not give me a look like that?" "What kind of gaze?" "You look at me as if you saw a pig." My fox''s ears and tail hung without power after I said that phrase. Ruciel who heard it raised one eyebrow. She gave me a few glances before saying, "You''re right, you''re a pig. I wonder, when are you going to be round?" "Ruciel!" I was angry but Ruciel showed no signs that she was wavering. Her attitude and emotions to me had not changed at all. "You have a wild imagination, you know that?" I replied with a pout at her. And in exchange for that, the Fallen Elf girl sighed. "Anyway, get ready quickly. If you continue to rest, the night will come when we arrived at the bottom of that tower." She left that words for me before walking away. She helped the kids to pack their stuff up and she ignored me. That girl, when can she change!? I was a little upset when I packed my stuff. A moment later, we returned to explore this forest. We walked for thirty minutes and we met the other two Yellow Tail Apes. The monsters rained us with stones at the moment they saw us. Because of that, we had to take shelter behind the trees. We only fought against those monsters after Ruciel knocked them out of the trees. The children fought against one of them under Ruciel''s care. As for me, I faced the other monsters alone. "[Yellow punch]" "Ukhyy!" Two fists covered in yellow light ¡ª which was mine and the monster''s ¡ª launch quickly. Our fists that contained power connected to create a fairly strong gust of wind. Bam! Bwass! As a result of the impact, our arms were pushed back. What happened was shocking and quite painful. I thought I was going to win in this battle of power but I was wrong. At first, I thought it happened because we had the same Basic Statistics. However, after I think about this again, the difference between our punches might be influenced by the difference in skill levels. Furthermore, the monster might have another Skill that strengthened its Yellow Punch. Skills like Unarmed Combat Mastery or similar to it could be the culprit behind this mystery. "UKYY!" Yellow Tail Ape roared. The monster re-launched another punch, it was aiming for my face. It''s obvious, the monster didn''t appreciate my stunning face and I was angry about it. "[Swift Movements]" Instantly, the Yellow Tail Ape''s movements became so much slower than before. No, I didn''t use skill to make the monster slow down. I used a skill to make myself faster. Thanks to this, I was able to dodge the monster''s punch easily. And not only that, things that happened also made the Yellow Tail Ape''s defense wide open. I could have ended this fight by drawing my spear and piercing this monster in the heart or head but... "[Yellow Punch]" I made an uppercut to hit the monster''s arm that was in the middle of doing a punch. Kreak! Splat! A disturbing sound, a sound of broken bones was created shortly after my fist hit the monster''s elbow. I didn''t expect that the increase of my movements speed could also increase the strength of my punches! Yes, I didn''t stop moving as I watched the monster make an expression of pain in slow motion. I clenched both my hands then launched blow after blow to the Yellow Tail Ape''s body. Duag! Dwag! Dhag! My fists hit the monster''s stomach, chest, throat, and head. They left quite a deep dent on the monster''s body especially in the part that I hit a few times. And yes, the monster''s figure had now become more terrifying than the previous one with blood and torn skin. After Swift Movements were off, the monster''s body was thrown for several meters. "Ukhy!" The monster made another roar while lying on the ground. It stopped moving after convulsions for some time. I left the monster after making sure it''s died. I saw the kids. Their fight isn''t over yet. They also had trouble following the monster''s swift movements. Alan and Kimi had to surround and stop the monster''s movements for a while from two sides before Chloe manages to tie the monster with Mana Bind. Later, the monster dies after Alan stabs its stomach and Kimi cuts its throat. "Their growing speed amazes me," Ruciel commented. I half agree with that opinion. Children are getting stronger, but their growth is not that fast. They were far behind from the speed of the Players when raising the level. And I know, comparing them to players is not fair. After all, we don''t hunt every day. We can''t respawn so we have to be careful. We can not do monster hunts recklessly. "Oh! I reached level thirty," Alan said. "What!?" Kimi shouted. Afterward, the girl approached Alan and shakes his shoulders forward and backward quickly. "You traitor!" She shouted at the poor boy. On the other hand, Chloe who had wanted to say something became silent. She made a wry smile that showed that she was hiding something. "So¡­ all of you have already reached level thirty? That''s good! You are strong enough now, I can put trust in you as we fight monsters." Hearing my words, Kimi stopped troubling Alan. She looked at me with slightly watery eyes. "I''m only twenty-nine," she said, sounding sad. "We will still hunt and we will also fight the Guardian of the Tower of Challenge. With all of that, I''m sure you''ll reach level thirty in the blink of an eye. Don''t be sad, okay?" I patted her head and a moment later, she nodded. Our journey in this forest continues. Just like before, we met again with the monsters. Not only the Yellow Tail Ape, but we also met the Cross Hound, Horned Rabbit, Moshwine, and Red Rabbit. I ate the Magic Stones of those monsters. As for their flesh, I delay eating it because I was still full. Besides, I had to reserve a place in my stomach for the tower guardian''s meat. I only obtained three new Skills without Stat Points. -----+ < Acquired a skill! High Jump |Lvl 1 > [High Jump] [Passive] [+ Increase the jumping ability 3 times much stronger.] < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á 2 -----+ < Acquired a skill! Lesser Health |Lvl 1 > [Lesser Health |Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Permanently give 5 points to HP.] < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á 3 -----+ < Acquired a skill! Fire Magic Resistance |Lvl 1 > [Fire Magic Resistance |Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Reduces the damage and duration of negative effect caused by different types of Fire Spells by 5%] < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á 5 -----+ Yes, thanks to High Jump, I was able to jump over thirteen meters easily. My HP increased thanks to Lesser Health and I obtained another resistance akill, this time it was for fire. I felt satisfied even though the new skills I obtained did not have a big impact or have an amazing effect. After coming out of the forest, what greeted us under the Tower of Challenge was a fairly spacious open arena. The arena floor is lined with neatly arranged gray hexagonal stones. Six stone pillars that resembled a lance stood on the edge of the arena as decorations. And yes, this arena is higher than the ground around it. It was a nice arena. I feel happy when I know I''m going to fight in that arena. My heart was filled with a burning fighting spirit. My eyes narrowed to look at the Guardian or perhaps, the Boss Monster that was at one end of the arena, right in front of the entrance of the tower. The Guardian told by the Flugels and the one we had to defeat was the Yellow Tail Ape King. The monster had a muscular body, with high that reached three meters. Its arms were big like tree trunks. The monster looked fierce with sharp golden eyes and large, long canine teeth. "That monster was a challenge that cannot be underestimated," Ruciel gave her opinion. "I agree." I nodded and looked at the children. "You guys are ready to fight against that monster?" The children exchanged glances after hearing my question. Then, they walked away to discuss something. They tried to keep something a secret but it seemed, they forgot that my and Ruciel''s hearing was quite sharp. So, the whole point of their discussion is... Alan and Chloe were hesitant to take part in the fight. Alan feels that his abilities are still lacking while Chloe is scared. Kimi tried to encourage them and persuade them to fight. Unfortunately, the little girl''s efforts didn''t have a big impact. Their discussions repeated in circles until in the end, Kimi forced Chloe and Alan to take part in the fight. When they finished, they told me they were going to take part. So... "Are you ready?" I asked. The kids and Ruciel nodded. With that, we walked, entered the arena to challenge the Guardian of the Tower of Challenge Chapter 133 - Yellow Tail Ape King We, which is me, Kimi, and Alan ran around the Yellow Tail Ape King, we tried to dodge the monster''s attack, and we tried to attack the monster to kill it. "Uhkyo!" Yellow Tail Ape King, abbreviation, Yellow King, raised its left arm then pulled it backward. From the stance it made, I knew that it would launch another powerful punch. I need to intercept it to protect the kids. However, it seems like I don''t need to do that. The children, Alan and Kimi already preparing to dodge the monster''s punch. More than that, they had already kept their distance from the monster. They are safe. So, automatically, that strong punch would come to me who wasn''t far from the monster. Swoosh! The sound of air being ripped off was heard as the punch shot swiftly. I inhale a breath and filled my entire body with energy. I observe the punch before I moved my body to dodge it. The punch passed to the left side of my body. My heart beat faster and my balance was shaking as the fist scratched the Breast Plate I was wearing. I escaped the danger. As quickly as possible, I moved my arm that gripping a spear. With a burst of energy, I used an Arte. "[Flash Swings]" I used my fastest attack and... Scratch! Scratch! Screech! The three series of attacks were successfully blocked by the Yellow King''s right arm. What''s worse, my attack could only give a shallow tear to its skin. "UUkyo!" The monster pulled its arms back. It was ready to launch other attacks. This time, I didn''t have the freedom to dodge its attacks. I intended to use Swift Gale to get out of these precarious situations but I never did it. Why? Because Ruciel protected me with a few shots of light arrows. The Yellow King chose to dodge those light arrows rather than continue attacking me. The monster jumped a few meters back. "UKHII!" The monster roared then ran towards Ruciel who was with Chloe. I didn''t waste my time and ran as soon as possible to pursue the monster. Simultaneously, I used a Water Spell to attack it. "[Water Shoot]" The four water bullets I fired hit the Yellow King''s thigh and stomach but... Splash! Splash! They just wet the monster''s fur. They weren''t strong enough to penetrate its skin. "Damn!" My fox''s tail made a strong swing. Yellow King kept running, I chased after it, and Ruciel tried to slow it down with a rain of arrows. Seconds passed and I launched another Arte. "[Impale]" "Ukkyi!" My spear that is covered in red light shot towards the monster''s thigh. And yes, the monster dodged my attack by jumping. I was upset but a moment later, I''m happy. Chloe, the little girl uses Mana Bind and she uses it brilliantly. The Magic Circle appeared on the part of the arena floor that would be the place where the monster will land. And as the monster''s legs touched the floor, the blue roots instantly tied up and kept it stay in place. A moment later, flames came out from within the Yellow King''s shadow. Kimi with her Fire Sword tried to tear the monster''s stomach. Unfortunately, the girl''s attack only scratched the monster''s skin and burned a little of its fur. "Uhkyo!" The monster roared, rampaged, and trembled to try to escape. We still have some time before those blue roots snapped. Therefore, me, Kimi, Ruciel, and finally Alan who came a little late attacked the monster. We launched dozens of attacks and yes, most of them didn''t do much damage. Only Arte focused on the attack power that could pierce through the monster''s tough skin. "Back off!" I shouted to give a warning at a moment I noticed something strange happen to the monster. Alan and Kimi retreat. A moment later, the Yellow King managed to break free from the entrapment of the blue roots. The monster instantly launched crazed punches at me. I, who didn''t keep my distance from the monster said, "[Swift Movements]" The Yellow King became slower as I moved three times faster. Punch after punch came to destroy my body. I wasn''t afraid and I faced that horror. I dodged, moved my body as best I could so as not to be hit by those punches. Along with that, I launched counterattacks. When a fist came, I used my spear to tear off the monster''s arm. I used my strength and the momentum of the monster''s punch to give the maximum damage. My plan worked, the Yellow King got serious wounds. But, as a result of that attacks, my spear chipped. When Swift Movements were off, my spear completely became blunt. "UKYO!" The roaring Yellow King looked at me sharply. Hatred, anger, and the desire to kill were clearly visible in its eyes. The monster didn''t attack because it became more alert after getting injuries that shattered its two arms. On the other hand, we didn''t attack it either. Why? Because after taking a peek at the others, I knew that the kids were putting on expressions of fear. The Yellow King''s terrifying expression might be too much for them to handle. As for Ruciel... "Do you have other plans? Our weapons can''t hurt that monster easily," she ask and told me. Well... I could use Doppelganger or Mist of Nightmare Illusion to win this fight in an instant but... Using a Doppelganger on the first floor would be a foolish act. There are still a lot of floors that we haven''t beaten yet. As for Mist of Nightmare Illusion... That skill might be able to snatch the Yellow King''s consciousness in a second. However, I refused to use it. That skill will also swallow my friend and being too dependent on it wasn''t a good thing. My fighting experience will not increase. Other than those two Skills, I still have a Skill that might be able to defeat the Yellow Tail Ape King. Venom Essence from Crystal Cobra. That skill sounds promising, so... "I have a plan and Ruciel, please fight seriously." I looked at the Fallen Elf girl with a sharp look. "I''m sure you''ll defeat that monster without any help but alright, I will support you." I nodded. "That''s good. Kids, be on standby, prepare your defenses along with your Healing Spell." Shortly after I finished speaking, Ruciel pulled the string of her Green Crystal Longbow. The girl then made an arrow of golden-white light. "UKYO!" The Yellow King ran to us quickly. Ruciel released that arrow of light and I ran pursuing the arrow. The Yellow King tried to avoid Ruciel''s attack. But, the arrow fired by the girl broke into a dozen arrows of light. The monster couldn''t completely get out of the light arrow''s area of attack. As a result, the monster got seven arrows stuck in its shoulder and upper arms. "Uhkii!" The Yellow King''s steps slowed down. I took advantage of the opportunity to approach the monster and attack it. My spear is useless but I still have, "[Sword of Light]" < Acquired a Skill! Light Magic |Lvl 1 > [Light Magic | Lvl 1] [Passive] [ + Gives access to World Memory to gain knowledge about Light Spell I. + When using Light Spells increase the damage by 10% and decrease Mana consumption by 5%.] Huh? Okay. I''ve gained a new skill but it''s not a good time to focus on the skill. There''s a fight I have to win. I attacked the monster with a sword of light while the monster attacked me with its punches. For some time, we exchanged attacks. I managed to give some deep wounds to the monster. Sword of Light worked better than I expected! This sword can cut through the monster''s skin when I use more Mana than it should be. Not only did I use the sword of light, but I also spat the poison I made using the Venom Essence onto the monster''s wounded arms. Poison in the open wound. It will have a result that can be seen in a short time. I''m sure this monster will die soon. Especially when a dozen arrows filled the monster''s back and shoulders. That''s right, when I kept the Yellow King busy, Ruciel shot her arrows. She gave me generous support. And yes, the Yellow King isn''t the only one who got hurt, I also experienced the same thing. I realized the monster''s attack had become slower because of the injuries it had. Therefore, I tried to dodge its attacks without using Swift Movements or Swift Gale but this was a big wrong choice. My head, shoulders, and stomach felt pain after getting punches after punches. And I will say that''s a serious thing because I have level five Pain Resistance. "[Wind Cannon]" The huge air pressure became a shield as I moved away from the monster. Without wasting any time, I picked up a bottle of Potion and drank it in one gulp. I can feel the condition of my body getting better. Not only that, but I could also feel that our victory was getting closer. I am sure that the Yellow King will not last long because of its awful condition but... "UKYO!!" The Yellow Tail Ape King''s body began to glow. A dim yellow light painted its body while a bright yellow light covered its arm. A month later, The Yellow Tail Ape King was moving at a speed it had never shown before. The monster appeared in front of me with its fist at ready. Swoosh! A punch came and I could barely dodge it. The blow ended up hitting the arena floor and... BOOM! A crater, wide cracks, and an explosion of air were created in a matter of seconds! It surprised me and a strong gust of wind threw me for a few meters! Worse, some flying pebbles tore my skin! A second after I landed safely, I said, "I could die if I received the attack directly." I narrowed my eyes when I saw the damage created by that one punch. It seemed like, perhaps, or literally, this fight went into the next level in a blink of an eye. Chapter 134 - To The Second Floor Dozens of quick punches coated by yellow light came to demolish my body. I, who don''t want to be hurt or die, strive hard to dodge all those punches. However, even though I tried my best, I still received a few punches. And now, as my attention was distracted for a moment, the monster managed to land its punch to my stomach. "Gah!" I made a sound and I flew for a few meters. I twisted my body in the air to land safely. I wasn''t worried about the attacks from the Yellow Tail Ape King when my defense was wide open because Ruciel was protecting me. Her arrow gave me a sense of security. I landed and I saw the Yellow King protecting its face with its arms. Yes, that''s right, dozens of arrows of light fired by Ruciel were aiming for the monster''s face. I got some free time while the monster was busy defending itself. So, I drank another bottle of Potion. Then, after Ruciel''s rain of light arrows stopped... "UKYO!" The Yellow King who looked so enraged approached me. It didn''t run towards Ruciel because it knew, I would always block its path. It''s been a long time since the monster decided to kill me first. However, unfortunately for it, the monster couldn''t kill me. More than that, I never intended to let it succeed in that task. Same as before, the monster''s movements were fast. It got in front of me in an instant. "[Swift Gale]" As soon as I finished saying that Spell, a gust of wind enveloped my body. I feel light. Thanks to that, my speed increased. And yes, Swift Gale doesn''t provide additional speed like Swift Movements. This spell allows me to move one times faster than my normal speed. However, this Spell has a duration three times longer than Swift Movements. "Ukkyi!" A punch with a bright light came. In an instant, I recognize that the strike was the monster''s strongest punch. This punch was exactly like the previous punch that made a crater on the arena floor. The punch was quite slow so I was able to dodge it without requiring a lot of effort. I just need to take two steps to the right with a little bending to my body. "[Sword of Light]" A dense golden light formed a one-meter-long sword in my left hand. The sword was brighter than usual because I used more Mana than it should be. "[Cross Slash]" The two slashes I made managed to cut off the monster''s stomach and thighs. It''s just that, my attacks just give it insignificant wounds. Clearly to see, the dim yellow light covering the monster''s body increased its defenses. And if that light also increases its resistance skills, that will explain why my poison doesn''t show its effect. And yes, I didn''t give up. I always took the moment to spit poison into the Yellow King''s wounds as we exchanged attacks. In the end, after dozens of blows and slashes we exchanged, my poison showed its effect. The monster''s move to stumbled. That gives me a huge crack to take advantage of. Without a hesitation, I launched an Arte. "[Stinger]" The sword of light that shot like a spear managed to pierce through the right side of the monster''s stomach. "Ukkyi" The roaring Yellow King once again attacked me. This time it used a barrage of light punches. Its punches when using this type of attack were not strong and just slightly fast. However, the attack covered a large area. As a result, I would get two or three punches every time I tried to dodge. The monster always manages to hit me while using this attack. But, along with that advantage, the skill also had disadvantage. The rain of punches kept the monster in place for few seconds. And now, because of my poison taking effect, the monster''s movements have become slower and it stay much longer. So, because of that, I was able to dodge the monster''s rain of punches without getting hurt. And that''s right, Ruciel took advantage of the monster''s long stillness to launch her attacks. And this time... Swoosh! Splat! A huge arrow of light that looked more like a spear pierced the monster''s shoulder from behind. "UKYO!" The monster roared and stopped its attack. I''m the one who just got hit by its punches said, "[Fire Breath]" A big burst of flames created in an instant, began to burn the monster and made it voiced a roar. A second later, another roar was created when another spear of light pierced its left hand then nailed it to the ground. "Kill the ape!" Ruciel shouted. With that words as a signal, I said, "[Swift Movements]" I''m the one who became three times as fast as before approaching the Yellow King that was lying on the ground. As I stepped, I injected more Mana into the sword of light to make it sharper, hotter, and more durable. Then, I launched that sword of light to pierce the monster''s head. Yes, the monster tried to defend itself but it was a futile attempt to made. So, in the end... Splat! My sword of light managed to pierce the monster''s skull and burn its brain. After I repeated my attack once again, the Yellow Tail Ape King finally died. < Level up! 20 to 21 > < Level up! 21 to 22 > < Level up! 22 to 23 > Oh! It''s quite shocking! I didn''t expect that the Yellow King would give me three levels. With the guardian''s death, the six lance of stones around the arena began to shine. Not long after, the light on those poles of stone gathered to create a ball of light that floated at the tip of each lance. The balls of light then flew and seeped into the door gate of the Tower of Challenge to then open It automatically. "Looks like we''ve completed the first challenge," I said as I looked at the opened gate. The kids and Ruciel approached me. They had come to see the Yellow Tail Ape King''s corpse. "We can''t take this monster''s skin. There is too many cuts and this skin burn pretty well. Those make it worthless." Ruciel gave her opinion as she observed the monster''s corpse. "Please help me to flip the body of this monster, Eclaite," she asked as she looked me in the eye. I nodded and said, "Sure." We worked together and completed the task in ten of seconds. The Fallen Elf girl unsheathed her dagger and began butchering the monster''s corpse. In a short period, she managed to retrieve the monster''s Magic Stone. She threw the stone at me and I caught it easily. A yellow Magic Stone the size of a ping pong ball was in my hand. "Are you sure you''re going to eat that Magic Stone?" I made a strong nod. "This Magic Stone will make me stronger," I told her one more time before eating the yellow stone. < Acquired an Advance Skill! > < Yellow King Punch |Lvl 1 > < Degenerated version of Yellow King Punch detected. Yellow Punch will be converted into Exp for Yellow King Punch. > < Yellow King Punch, level up! 1 to 2 > [Yellow King Punch | Lvl 2] [SP - 20 | MP -10 ] [+ Launch an extremely strong punch or six barrages of fast punch or an extremely fast punch imbued with Light Element. + Increase physical damage by 110% and light damage by 55% ] Yellow King Punch!? ... It was an Advance Skill that I will say quite unique. And it seems, that is a skill which is the Yellow Tail Ape King often uses when it tries to kill me. A little curious, I tried the Advance Skill I had just obtained. "[Yellow King Punch]" A yellow light covered my arms. Then, I chose the type of attack I wanted to use. Bam! An air explosion was created after I launched the strongest blow into the empty air. And wow! Advance Skill is amazing! I was impressed and decided to use the Yellow King Punch two more times before taking a break. My MP and SP in critical condition. Ruciel gave me the Yellow King''s heart and I cooked it. After the heart was cooked well, I ate it. I''ll say, the Yellow King''s heart is so delicious. < Endurance and Strength stat up! > < END +20 | STR +10 > I''m satisfied with the Stat Points I got. Then, after Ruciel finished processing the Yellow Tail Ape King and after we rested for some time, we entered the Tower of Challenge. In there, we found a stone slab that could move, mimicking an elevator. Standing on that stone slab we went up to the second floor. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 23/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 240/281 [245] | MP: 231/379 | SP: 156/273 [ STR: 193 | DEX: 58 ] [ END: 169 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 198 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger]¨Œ [High Jump] New [Lesser Health |Lvl 1] New [Fire Magic Resistance |Lvl 1] New [Light Magic |Lvl 1] New [Strong Bite |Lvl 2] New [Yellow King Punch |Lvl 2] New Yup! I''m getting stronger and I''m gaining a lot of skills. Unfortunately, I didn''t get many Stat Points. Sadly, I also can''t do anything to the limited capacity of my stomach. Eating five kilograms of meat every two to three hours is not an easy task to do. Is there anything I can do about this? I wondered as the stone slab lifted us towards the second floor. "You need to buy new weapons," Ruciel said. I nodded, agreeing with the idea. However, a moment later, I realized that "we don''t have any money and I have a doubt, the monster parts we obtained could not give us enough money to buy weapons." Ruciel narrowed her eyes as she looked at me. "If you don''t eat the Magic Stones of those monsters, we''ll probably earn enough money." "... It can''t be helped. I need Magic Stones to grow stronger. Moreover, I will only eat ten Magic Stones from every type of monster we hunt. I also won''t eat Magic Stones from the same monster after I eat ten of their Magic Stones." Ruciel''s long ears made a strong jolt. She said, "very well then and... you do gain a skill from a monster huh?" "Of course, it''s natural isn''t it?" The fallen elf girl made a sigh of exhausted. Not long after, we arrived at the second floor of the flying castle Uncertainty. Chapter 135 - Elderly Is Awesome But Hard To Deal With Different. The word appeared shortly after I saw the natural scenery on the second floor of Flying Castel, Uncertainty. Different from the first floor which is composed of grasslands and forests, this second floor is a savanna. Spots of dry soil, sparse trees, big bushes, and a vast sea of yellowish-green grass. This place smelled of death and was quite hot. "It''s amazing," Ruciel commented. Her eyes looked into the distance. "I''m really curious, what kind of ancient technology your friend used to make this Flying Castle?" My fox''s ears twitched and then I look at the girl. "They don''t use any ancient technology and¡­ this Flying Castel looks extraordinary because it''s a Dungeon." "What!?" Ruciel shouted and she looked at me with her wide-open eyes. "This is a dungeon?" "Yes, that''s true." I nodded. "But how? I mean, the Flugels live in this place, right? How could this place be a Dungeon? Wouldn''t they be attacked by monsters? What about the Monster Stampede? Are the Flugels actually monsters created by dungeons?" The girl who suddenly became a bag, full of curiosity put her face in front of mine, our noses almost touched. She surprised me and... Smooch! I kissed her on the lips. I got the chance and it would be extremely disrespectful if I wasted it, don''t you think so? "Gah!" Ruciel pushed me away and cried out. With a furious expression, she screamed, "Can you not sexually harass me on every occasion!" His golden eyes looked at me sharply. Simultaneously, his long ears made jolt after strong jolt. And I''ll say, that girl is so sweet when she''s angry. "It wasn''t sexual harassment but skinship. And as for the answer to your question, I''ll say I don''t know. However, I have a guess, all of this can happen because either Dishonesty or Honesty became a Dungeon Master." "...that''s impossible. People cannot become a Dungeon Master," she declared with firm confidence. "I know some Dungeon Masters who are people. So, the theory you said earlier is not true." "You know few Dungeon Masters!?" She asked in disbelief and shock. "You hear me, I know six Dungeon Masters," which is famous in Ark Fantasy Online. I told the girl and yes, I didn''t voice the last part. I wanted to tell this Fallen Elf girl about Ark Fantasy Online and my life in the old world but I didn''t have a chance to do it. And now, which is a little awful, I''m starting to believe that my past isn''t important to reveal. Even if others know about my past, I''m sure there won''t be many changes. My past only worked on my friends at the Estoque Familia who was also I considered as my other family. "Okay... Let''s forget about the talk about Dungeon Masters. Now we have to visit a city on this floor to make preparations. Now¡­ which direction is the nearest city?" I asked Ruciel but... "I''m sure we should go south." The answer I got was not from her. The answer was given by... "Grandma Ronove!" Kimi shouted. The little girl along with Alan and Chloe was surprised by Ronove who suddenly appeared behind us. And I will say, I and maybe Ruciel was also a little surprised or maybe not expecting the old woman to appear here. Her wrinkle-filled face plus a brown robe covering her entire body helped her well to look scary. "How did you get here and why were you not being detected by my skill?" I asked as the old woman walked past me. "I''m here because, just like you guys, I climbed the tower. As for answering the other question you voiced, I have to ask first, what kind of detection skill do you have, young lady?" Ronove gave us a hand sign to walk. Us, who have no business in this place - which is in the front of the tower entrance - started to follow the old woman. "Heat Detection," I replied. "That''s a rare skill and quite unique," Ronove began. "From its name, I''m able to guess that the skill only detected heat. If so, it''s natural for you not to be able to detect me. Skills like Stealth and Vanishing or Spells like Dark Blanket and Night Lurking can weaken or even hide one''s heat. Presence Perception could be a good start for you." Presence Perception... I can learn that skill in a Thief or Assassin''s Dojo. And speaking of dojos, I think I once had the intention to visit one of them but in the end, I never did it. So¡­ let''s find a good dojo in the capital! That''s if I don''t forget about it again. "Grandma, are you taking advantage of our efforts to climb the Tower of Challenge?" Ruciel asked. Her long ears made a strong jolt once again. "That would be a good idea," replied Ronove, who then shook her head. "Unfortunately young girl, I was blocked by a barrier when I wanted to approach you who were taking a rest. And when you enter the tower, the corpse of the monster you defeated disappears to be replaced by another monster which is, of course, breathing. This poor old woman had to fight to get her ticket to enter the tower." After hearing that explanation, I said, "Wait a minute, we''re on this floor for nine or maybe eleven minutes. There''s no way you defeat the Guardian in that short period." "You young guys may have energy but I have experience," she replied. "But that''s impossible, right?" Kimi asked. "Yes, It''s unbelievable. I don''t believe that grandma beat that horrible monster within minutes," Alan added. "Sis Eclaite and sis Ruciel took almost half an hour to defeat the monster." "As I said, it''s all thanks to experience," she paused then said, "well... and some spells." "Spells? What kind of spells?" Chloe asked. The little girl then approached the old woman. Chloe was so enthusiastic when she heard things that smelled of magic. And honestly, I said, the little girl paid attention to Ronove after she found out that the old woman was an expert at using magic. In the Airship, she repeatedly tried to approach the old woman but she never did it or even spoke to the old woman out of hesitation. But now, the little girl didn''t hold back. After getting question after question from Chloe, Ronove decided to teach the little girl two Non-element Spells which are Strength Snatcher and Agility Snatcher. The little girl tried hard to master those two Spells but yes, those Spells were incomprehensible within a few tens of minutes. And I''ll say, I pity the lizards that become guinea pigs and training targets for Ronove and Chloe. We walked for some time before coming across an aggressive monster that attacked us without a second glance. Brown Scorpion is the name of the monster. The length of the monster''s brown body almost reached one meter. It had sharp-looking red pincers and an alarming purple stinger. As I recall, the monster was low-leveled. Therefore, I asked the kids to fight those Brown Scorpions. I saw their fight and I can say, their ability improved again They have good teamwork, their movements are quite efficient, and most importantly, they know how to neutralize the monster''s threat on short notice. Cutting off the tail - which has a sharp stinger and contains poison - as soon as possible is a wise decision. Children defeat those Brown Scorpions in a matter of minutes. We got another monster''s corpse and Ruciel did her job. Her dagger danced to butcher the monster. Blood flowed and I smelled a delicious scent. I''ve decided not to hold back with a purpose to grow stronger. Therefore, I have gathered my determination to eat meat from various types of monsters even though they look disgusting. Heart of Monsters made the taste of monster meat delicious. So I know, the meat of Brown Scorpion in front of me won''t make me vomit. I determined to eat it, I''m curious about the taste, and I want to earn stat points along with skill. But... I glanced at Ronove to find she had already been looking at me. Her red eyes that showed curiosity fixed to me. I cut off eye contact with the old woman to look in another direction. "Young lady, you don''t want to eat that monster''s flesh?" Ronove asked suddenly. My fox''s tail stood up. I turned to the old woman once again to say, "Eat that monster''s meat? That''s so ridiculous! I''m sure, no one wants to eat the flesh of a horrible monster like that. Hahaha..." Ronove shook her head. "Didn''t I already say that I saw you and the others resting after the Guardian demise? I see you ate the flesh along with the Magic Stone of that ape monster, right now, your face shows that you want to eat this scorpion monster, and young lady, you''re not good at lying." "Well..." I started but ended up silent because I didn''t know what to say. "I do wondering, why you did it? Furthermore, are you okay, young lady? You ate a Magic Stone of a monster." Ronove''s eyes moved to investigate me. My body became stiff, I was confused by the words and reasons I had to voice to get out of this matter safely. My sweat was flowing profusely as the seconds passed. Chapter 136 - Lets Eat Then "Go on," said Ronove. "You must be hungry so don''t hold back." Getting that words I went back and forth looking at the old lady then Brown Scorpion''s corpse. I was silent not knowing what to do. Ronove peered into my eyes and my fox''s ears twitched uncomfortably because of it. "What? Did you worry that I''ll reveal these, weird eating habits of yours to other people?" She interrogated me. "People might accept if you ate monster meat in front of them. But, I warn you, never eat a Magic Stone in front of them. And you should know, you don''t have to worry about the possibility that I''ll reveal your secret. Did you forget? You also know my secret." I hit my palm with the bottom of my fist after learning that explanation. And yes, I forgot, or perhaps, I didn''t think that the matter she was a Necromancer fall under a word of secret. It happened because, maybe, in my heart, I still thought of her as a Quest Giver, an NPC that was known to everyone. I got the green light from her so... < Acquired a skill! Hard Carapace |Lvl 1 > < Skill of same nature detected! > < Which one will you choose? > < Hard Scales or Hard Carapace? > < Unchosen skill will be converted to Exp for the chosen skill. It also applies to the next Magic Stones from the monster of the same race. > Hmm... Hard Scales give me beautiful blue scales that are capable to form armor. It was different from the Brown Scorpion''s carapace which is overgrown with soft disturbing fur. Yup! That''s right. The scorpion carapace is disgusting and I don''t want my body to be covered by it. That''s the reason why I chose Hard Scales. Seeing the difference, in an instant, I decided without hesitation or regret. < Hard Carapace has been converted to Exp. > Then, I ate another Magic Stone. < Hard Carapace has been converted to Exp. > "Hmm... Isn''t this interesting? The Mana from the Magic Stones you eat didn''t swallow your Mana. Instead, things that happen were the opposite," Ronove said suddenly. My fox''s ears twitched. I won''t deny that I was interested in the true meaning behind that words. So... "You can see Mana in someone''s body?" "By using Spell." "What kind of spell?" "I can''t tell you because it''s a secret I must keep." My fox''s ears fell because of it. I didn''t give up, so I repeat that question sometime later. And yes, I got the same answer from her. So, our journey to the nearest city continues. And that''s right, I don''t eat Brown Scorpion meat. I don''t have time to cook it. As for eating the monster''s meat raw, I didn''t want it even though I could do it. It was too much and I didn''t want the kids together Ruciel and Ronove to know about it. I don''t want to be a monster in their eyes. Because of that, I''m saving Brown Scorpion meat for me to eat later. "You in here to explore this place so, what''s your goal, Ronove?" I look at the old lady on my right. "Hmm..." Making a strange sound, she rubbed her chin. "We have a rare opportunity to wander around inside the infamous Uncertainty. I want to look around to satisfy myself. But then, when I heard this place had monsters I had never seen before, I decided to hunt a few of them down." "Is that all?" "Yes, that''s all. What about you?" "I wonder how many floors I can conquer before Dishonesty calls me." Ronove nodded. "How long will we be here before she calls you?" "... Sorry, I don''t know." "You don''t know?" "Yes, Dishonesty didn''t say when and just told me to wait. I''m afraid this exploration will last longer than it should be. I hope you don''t get angry considering that you have other plans." "I had a rare experience so I will forgive you." "Sorry and thank you." Small talk passed. We walked across this slightly hot savanna towards a small rectangle in the distance. Yes, the small rectangle I said just now is the wall of a city we want to visit. If we keep walking without pausing, we''ll probably take half or maybe an hour before setting foot in that city. Turning my face from the city in the distance, I saw the panorama in this savanna. I could see a huge elephant-like monster - which was a Boulder Mammoth - wandering around a small pond. Not only that monster, but I also saw Zebril, Girgraffe, Devil Horn Buffalo, and Tear Antelope. There were many monsters and that meant there were many Stat Points as well as Skills. I''m in a state of distress, should I follow my original plan or, should I use my time to hunt down the monsters in this place to get the maximum bonus from the Heart of Monsters? "Please give me your opinion on this," I asked Ruciel and Ronove after telling them what I was thinking. "What will you get after conquering a few floors as quickly as possible?" Ruciel asked. "...a sense of accomplishment," I replied, a little reluctantly. "Then you''ve got your answer," said Ronove, who massaged her forehead. On the other hand, Ruciel made a massive sigh. The kids? They fought against another Brown Scorpion. The monster tried to ambush us by hiding behind a rock. Minutes passed and by accident, I noticed a Small Earth Lion in the distance. A monster named Small Earth Lion has caramel-colored fur while its eyes are golden. Its stocky body was close to three meters long. Quite remarkable, the monster could use Earth Magic. I don''t have compatibility with Earth Element. So, if I ate the Magic Stone of that monster, would I get a skill that is Earth Magic and be able to use Earth Spells? To find out the answer to that question, I said, "[Swift Movements]" Then, I dashed towards Small Earth Lion swiftly. And yes, the monster that showed me its back didn''t realize what I was doing. In a short period, I shortened the distance between us to less than fifteen meters. The monster''s ears twitched. As it raised its head with intent, perhaps to look at me, I jumped with a blast of energy I thought was enough. Small Earth Lion didn''t notice that I was looming high in the air thanks to High Jump. And never did I imagine, as I gliding, I discovered the fact that my speed as I fell decreased. Right now, instead of falling from a height, I feel like I''m drowning in seawater. It was extremely strange but because of it, I have perfect control to direct where my body will fall. Along with that, I can aim for my target without having to rush. I saw the Small Earth Lion on the ground, returning to walk casually. The monster never noticed me. It was a golden opportunity. So, I filled my arm with energy. Sometime later and just before I hit or landed on the monster back, I said, "[Crimson Impale]" My spear which is enveloped by a deep red light shot out to pierce through the monster''s back. Bham! Splat! "RAWRR!" The monster roared in pain as I managed to nail it to the ground. Of course, the monster didn''t stay silent. It tried to tear my body apart with its claws that is covered in red light. I who didn''t want to be hurt jumped backward. I left my spear on the monster''s body. Then the monster roared again, "RAWR!" An eerie loud roar made me feel a little scared. And strangely enough, for some reason, my body became a little stiff. A moment later, a dozen thorns made of stone were created in front of me. They''re the dangers that want to stab my body. I dodged to save myself. Lucky or unlucky, I got some wounds because of the stone thorns. Yes, the stone thorns were made by the Small Earth Lion. I, the one who was wounded look back at the Small Earth Lion. The monster thrashed around trying to break away from my spear. I''ll say, the monster was unlucky. "[Sword of Light]" I who have no intention of letting the monster live take a detour. I entered the monster''s blind spot to stay away from its Earth Spells. A moment later, I stood next to the monster''s back. Without hesitation, I used the most efficient way to kill a monster. I pierced its head and burned its brain with a sword of light. After convulsing several times, the monster finally died. Time passed and Ruciel finally came to me. She said, "Can you tell me that you want to hunt monsters before you just run away?" I apologized to her. After that, Ruciel did her job. A moment later, a Magic Stone covered in blood was in the palm of my hand. Yes, I ate it. The kids know what I''m doing. However, I didn''t let them see the moment I ate the Magic Stone. I showed my back every time I ate the stones. < Acquired a skill! Roar |Lvl 1 > [Roar |Lvl 1] [SP -10] [+ Voicing a Loud and Scary Roar to inflict fear to the enemies. + Reduce the strength and speed of the enemies by 5% for 30 seconds if they enter a state of fear. ] Oh! Is this a skill that gave me a stiff feeling some time ago? I never got an answer to that question. Chapter 137 - The Way I Hunt < Strength stat up! STR +4 > < Dexterity stat up! DEX +2 > ¡Á4 We rested in a restaurant. The kids along with Ruciel were thirsty and starving. Therefore, they have quite a big feast right now. Delicious foods and drinks vanished in a matter of minutes. Oh! Yes, I earned Stat Points after eating Small Earth Lion and Brown Scorpion meat. No, I didn''t ask the chef at this restaurant to cook the meat for me. I cooked it myself by borrowing their kitchen. The chef didn''t know how to cook the meat. As for me, I cook it as I like. I don''t have to worry about the taste because I''m not a chef who sells food. I made all that meat into soup and steak. The food I made was delicious, just for me off course. It was proven by Kimi who tasted it. She say that my homemade food was too bitter. And thanks to that bitterness, the little girl made an adorable expression. She has a sour face with eyes closed and fox''s ear standing up straight. I know, this change in food taste is extremely strange. As for continuing to think about it, I will say that it would just be a waste of time. Heart of Monster just does a miracle. Ronove? The old woman left us. She going to the next city to use the Teleportation Crystal. She wanted to tell the others about this second floor. She gets a request from Lostria and Teria to find out if there are any valuables items on this second floor that they can supply for resale. It was undeniable, the old woman just came and went just like that. Now, about where we are, where the restaurant is. I say we are in the city on the second floor of Uncertainty. Then I will say another thing, this city is not a city. Settlement or village is a word that can describe this place. Why would I say something like that? Because this place is smaller than I thought it would be. In addition to that, almost all the buildings and infrastructure in this place are made of wood. Yes, this place is a village but fortunately, this place sells various types of hunting equipment. Weapons, Armor, or Potions, just say it and someone would get the stuff if one had the money or in this case, Magic Stones and materials from the monsters. I want to swap my spear. After fighting against the Small Earth Lion, my blunt spear became completely obliterated. The spearhead was stuck inside the monster''s body. That made my spear into a useless stick. Yes, I was lucky, the spear wasn''t broken at the moment I attacked the monster. I''d be wrecked if that scenario truly happened. So, in this village, I''m looking for a new spear. But unfortunately, we didn''t have enough items to make the exchange. More than that... "If you want to find high-quality weapons, it''s a good idea to visit the next city. They have a supply of weapons made by our best blacksmiths." A Flugel who is the arms dealer gave us valuable information. Getting that info, I ended up buying a standard spear that wasn''t good or bad. With this new spear, I was determined to collect materials from the monsters in large quantities. I want to buy a new, high-quality spear. However, if no spear catches my interest, I will use the Items to buy raw materials. After all, I was planning to make a spear and now I''m collecting the necessary raw materials for it. "We''ve rested well," Ruciel began. She moved her head to look at me. "Tell me, are we going to keep trying to get on the next floor as soon as possible?" As she said, my original plan was to conquer some Towers of Challenge as soon as possible. Now, I don''t think I want to do it. And yes, after defeating the Yellow Tail Ape King, greed appeared in my heart. I want to collect advanced skills or maybe skills from the Guardians'' Magic Stones. The Stat Points they provided were also tempting. However, hunting down the Guardians wasn''t a simple task. We had a hard time defeating the Yellow Tail Ape King. And there was a possibility, the Guardians in the next Tower of Challenge would probably be stronger than the Yellow King. Understanding those things, I knew that conquering the Tower of Challenge as soon as possible can be said dangerous and arduous. We need preparation and we need to get stronger before challenging the other Guardians. Therefore, I thought of hunting monsters in large numbers to obtain Stat Points and Skills as much as possible. "What do you think?" I asked Ruciel after conveying my plans. "I feel there''s nothing wrong with that. We can carry out the plan." My ears twitched with satisfaction after getting that answer. Then, I look at the kids. "How about you, kids? Do you guys still have the energy to hunt? The three of you can stay here if you''re exhausted." The kids exchanged glances. "I want to try the Spells I just learned. I want to hunt," Chloe said. She made fists to show her eagerness. "If Chloe wants to hunt, then so do I," said Kimi who then nodded at Chloe. "They go hunting and I will do the same. Protecting them is my job," said Alan to me. I got answers from the kids and Ruciel. So... "We''re going to hunt around the village. We''re not going to go too far because we''re going to spend the night here. We will visit the next city after I get the ten Magic Stones and the meat of the monsters roaming around this place." "That''s going to take a few days, are you aware of that?" "Absolutely," I replied and nodded. "No longer are we in a hurry to conquer the Tower of Challenge. We will hunt by making the most of our time." With that words as a signal, we began to prepare ourselves for the next hunt. We inspected our weapons, Armor, Potions, and some other hunting equipment before leaving the village. We''re back in Savanna. Amid a vast ocean created by turquoise grass, we searched for our prey. Well... Searching may not be the right word. In this Savanna, choosing a monster that was clearly visible in the distance, would probably be a suitable idiom. And yes, the Brown Scorpion is back attacking us. The children unsheathed their weapons and fought against the monster. That''s right, I didn''t help them because I wanted their level to rise quickly. Automatically, Ruciel observed the kids'' fight. She''s ready to give a hand at any time using her Longbow. On the other hand, I who was standing beside Ruciel scanned the surroundings. I have to make sure there''s no danger approaching us. Along with that, I was looking for another monster to hunt. Time passed and I found a monster. My eyes were on Tear Antelope. It was a monster that had dark brown fur on the back and white on the abdomen. A pair of twisted black horns, forming a drill adorned its head. The monster was quite unusual because it had a tail with dense fur, round-shaped, and size as big as its body. "Ruciel, I want to hunt Tear Antelope." Ruciel turned her eyes away from the kids to look at me. "Alright, don''t be far away from us." "Sure," I replied. Then I walked up to my hunt. A few minutes later and never did I guessed, Tear Antelope escaped by running so quickly. The distance between us was over seventeen meters and it realized my whereabouts. Okay... I confess it''s my fault. In this vast open meadow, I approached the monster without trying to hide. It was a stupid act and I regret it. My first hunt failed before I started. With weak hanging ears, I returned to Ruciel and the kids. After following them to hunt down the Brown Scorpion for some time, once again I found Tear Antelope wandering near us. I approached the monster by sneaking around, I also chased after the monster as it tried to escape but in the end, I didn''t get the Magic Stone I wanted. That scene was repeated twice before I found another Tear Antelope. Yes, I''m sneaking around and using Stealth to get close to the monster. I observe the monster''s every movement, I was ready to run at any moment it run. Time passed and the distance between us shrank. Then, tear Antelope moved its head so suddenly. Because of that, our eyes met. A second later... Whuss! The monster ran. Of course, I''m not staying still. By the time the monster sped off, I dashed and said, "[Swift Movements]" not long after, I said, "[Swift Gale]" Thanks to that Skill and Spell, I was able to run fast. And when I ran to the fullest of my capacity, I felt that I could run at over ninety kilometers per hour. I feel like a Cheetah! I who was chasing the monster raised my right hand, pointed my palm at it. "[Wind Cannon]" Bwosh! Huge air pressure shot up to hit Tear Antelope. Unfortunately, my spell missed the target. The nimble monster made a sharp turn just before the Spell hit its body. It dodged brilliantly. "Shit!" I cursed and as soon as possible, I moved my body to make a sharp turn too. Before this episode, I slipped while making a sharp turn. But now, I can do it well. With confidence, I will say that I can match the monster''s agility. Our game of chase lasted for some minutes before the monster finally stumbled after receiving my water bullet in one of its hamstrings. I didn''t waste any time, I approached the monster, I stabbed it in the head as it lay down on the grass. And yes, I managed to kill my first Tear Antelope. I brought the monster to Ruciel and then I got a brown Magic Stone the size of two index fingers. < Acquired a skill! Medium Agility |Lvl 1 > [Medium Agility | Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Permanently give 35 points to AGI.] Welp! I get a boost in Agility.. Tear Antelopes will have nightmares because of it. Chapter 138 - Our Love Our hunt last for another three hours and... < Agility stat up! AGI +5 > ¡Á3 < Dexterity stat up! DEX +2 > I managed to get Stat Points from Tear Antelope and Brown Scorpion. I will say that Tear Antelope meat was so delicious. It''s the most delicious monster meat I ate so far. Now, back to the hunt that I ended. Why? We''ve only been hunting for three hours. It''s just a half time of the hunt we do this morning. Why stopped? Truthfully, it''s ended because I... "I''m tired..." I made a complaint as I lay down on the ground. Ruciel''s thighs were my pillow. Chasing eight Tear Antelope made my legs numb. I also wouldn''t be exaggerating if I said that the legs become jelly right now. I can''t stand properly with them. Now, we''ve been resting for half an hour but my condition hasn''t improved. The kids? After they drank the water and took a short break, they decided to take a patrol. Kimi who became the leader said that they did it to protect me and Ruciel. They were so excited so I permit them. And now, thanks to Heat Perception, I know that they are fighting a monster. Maybe another Brown Scorpion. This savanna is filled with those. Yes, the kids tried their best and that made me happy. If they continued to have that attitude, they would become strong in no time. I wanted to help them but I was exhausted. Luckily, the chewy, fragrant, and warm lap pillows I used healed my body and mind quickly. Maybe, I can join their fight in a few minutes. When I thought about those things, Ruciel opened her mouth. "Of course, you''re tired, you keep playing ay around with that Antelope monster." The girl looked down. Her golden, fascinating eyes were locked into my eyes. She continued, "more than that, why do you have to chase the monster to hunt it down? You know I can kill them with my arrows, right?" "..." I, the one who put my head on the girl''s lap couldn''t say anything after hearing that statement. The fact that she is capable of doing something like that is something I don''t know. "...you should have told me your full ability from the beginning. If I had known, yes, I wouldn''t have chased the monster." "It''s your fault for never asking," said the girl before she turned her back. "Is this my fault?" I asked in a slightly loud tone. My fox ears made some strong twitch. "Exactly, all the plans that never work and the wrong things that happen in my life are your faults." The girl nodded then put on a satisfied expression. "I think you''re exaggerating it, Ruciel." "I''m not overstating it, you do clearly remember that your father gave me misery. Then, you, who was his daughter made me a Slave. At first, you didn''t do anything to me but lately, you''ve always been toying my body." My face became sour because of her words. "Can we stop talking about that matter and the jerk? Didn''t you promise to forgive me? To this day, I''m still waiting for the conditions I have to complete so that I will get your forgiveness." "As for the Slave issue, I believe that you know, being a Slave is a punishment for your crimes. The kingdom is a suspect in this case." "As for playing with your body. Didn''t I say that it was skinship? I just want to get closer to you." "..." The girl didn''t give anything in return. She cut off our eye contact. Then, she moved her head to look into the distance. Silence enveloped us for some time. All I heard was a gentle gust of wind and soft fighting sound in the distance. "Why me?" She asked so suddenly in a soft voice. "What do you mean by that question?" "You said you loved me. So, why do you love me? What kind of aspects do you find from me to love?" "..." Okay, that''s a question I didn''t expect. Now, it''s my turn to shut my lips. I honestly said, after thinking about it carefully, I didn''t know the reason why I loved Ruciel. At first, at a moment I saw her, I wanted to be close to her, I wanted to be her friend. After all, the girl reminds me of Cerene. I said it again, I want to get to know Ruciel more closely. I want to do things with her just like I do a lot of things with Cerene. So... Then, why do I say that I love her? Since when did I start to have feelings like that to her? Why does the intention to make friends turn into a desire to have a romantic relationship? ... I dug up my memory once again. And yes, I found that I started using love as an expression after I had nightmares. A nightmare where I killed Cerene. The nightmare made me comprehend that in fact and from the beginning, I loved Cerene. The kid version of me didn''t realize that sweet feeling as love but as a friendship. My eyes moved to see the Fallen Elf girl''s face. Yes, although there were some differences, she had Cerene''s face. She reminded me of that girl and this is the thing that seduced me. So... "...your beautiful face," I answered. "You love me because of my face?" I nodded. "Yes, your face reminds me of someone." "Is that someone precious to you?" "You''re right, she''s the one who shows me the light." "She gave me happiness, she healed my soul when it was wounded, she gave me hope along with the purpose of life, and she was the reason why I''m here." "So it''s... Where''s that girl now?" "...she''s dead," I said, closing my eyes. A moment later, I looked into Ruciel''s eyes. "She died to protect me. We promised to do a lot of things together as we grew up. And yes, when she dies, we won''t be able to do all those things." "But one day, you come. I can''t do all those things with Cerene but with you, all those this can come true." Ruciel narrowed her eyes. She looked at me for quite some time before finally sighing. "So, I was a substitute for that girl," she said. The tone she used told me that she was disappointed. "Huh? Not! Of course, no!" "How can you say no after you tell me all of that!?" She said a little loud. Her eyes became sharp and her long ears made a strong jolt. For the first time, in a short period, she showed different types of expressions. This is a bit rare because she always puts up a poker face. "You need to know, you are you, Cerene is Cerene. I love you not because I think of you as Cerene''s substitute, I love who you really are." "Yes, I will not deny that I want to make all our dreams come true by using you as an intermediate." "All of my and Cerene''s dreams that I have realized with you will be a story. The story of my happy life, which, I will tell to Cerene when we meet again on the other side." "..." The girl didn''t move her mouth, she moved her arms to squeeze my face. This thing she did was so unusual that it made me freeze instead of angry. When my consciousness back, I asked, "What happened to you? Did you know you''re being weird right now?" "I''m not acting strange!" She made a declaration with a strong jolted ear. Then, without holding back, she used her other hand to squeeze my face. Yes, she can''t lie to me. Why did she become so weird? I sought the answer to that question but I couldn''t find it. "Tell me about yourself, Ruciel?" "I have no reason to do so." "I love you and I want to know you more closely. If you keep insisting on being quiet, our relationship will never change. We will continue to be Slaves and Masters. More than that, I will continue to see Cerene''s shadow on you." The girl pulled my cheek strongly before she withdraw her hands. Her golden eyes were locked on me. The muscles on her beautiful face moved to form a thinking expression. "I''m waiting," I told her. At the same time, I told her to tell me her story immediately. The girl dropped her shoulder. Then, she moved her mouth. "... I was born in the Vytaris Grand Forest. My family... You could say it''s quite complicated so I''m not going to tell you. My dream was to be an adventurer. I want to explore unknown places, I want to find legendary Magic Weapons or Magic Equipment, and I... I think that''s enough." "Huh!? That''s it?" "For now? Yes..." "Oh come on, Ruciel! I want to know more about you." "It can wait," she said before turning her head to look at the east. I followed her line of sight and I saw Kimi running towards us as fast as she can. Seeing that, I got up and left Ruciel''s thigh. Kimi ran out of breath as she stood in front of us. "Something''s wrong?" I asked while examining my little sister''s body. I breathed a sigh of relief when I found out that she was fine. "Big sis! A Flugel suddenly fell near us!" She explained after catching her breath. "The woman is injured, we need to help her!" Well, that''s unusual. Flugel fell from the sky. That episode made me wonder, what story the Flugel woman had. "Alright, let me see this wounded woman." "You can go first, I''ll catch up with you after my legs can move again," said Ruciel, who was straightening her leg. "You can use Potion," I gave her advice. "I would go straight to the village if the woman''s condition was so bad. Come after me as soon as possible, Ruciel." "I understand and don''t worry." I nodded at her then I walked to follow Kimi''s steps. Chapter 139 - Girls Talk After walking for some time, I found Alan, Chloe, and the Flugel woman Kimi was referring to. "Sis Eclaite!" Chloe exclaimed for a moment she saw me. Yes, the girl is taking care of the woman. "What should I do? Is she fine? She didn''t want to wake up." I approached them and found that Flugel''s condition was good. She had no serious injuries, while her minor, external wounds had already been healed by Chloe. The woman is now fast asleep. "Well... Her body was a little hot but I could tell, she would be fine," I told Chloe after I touched the woman''s forehead and checked her heartbeat. "Good job for taking care of her," I praised Chloe then stroked her head. "Hm''m..." She makes a cute sound. "Can you tell me what happened?" I asked Alan. Then, I look back at the woman. The Flugel who are asleep has short pink hair. Just like the Flugel race in general, this woman had a beautiful face and body. She''s perfect but not for her wings. Those a pair of wings have different sizes. Her left wing was small while her right wing was at normal size. "It all happened so fast," Alan began. "We''re hunting for a Brown Scorpion. In the middle of the fight, Kimi saw this woman, who is flying from far away moving toward us. We thought this woman was going to fly past us but she didn''t. While she was above us, she fell so suddenly." "It was so shocking," Chloe continued. "I was afraid of what would happen if the woman hit the ground but luckily, Kimi ran over and caught the woman! She was cool when she jumped to catch the woman." Chloe''s compliments made Kimi''s cheeks red. My little sister then pinched Chloe''s cheek gently. "Don''t say something embarrassing!" She scolded Chloe. "Eh... That''s not something embarrassing," the little mage refuted. A moment later, she hugged and rub her cheek on my sister''s cheek. "You''re cool," she said once again. And yes, my sister''s cheeks are getting more flushed. "Even though this woman has been cured by Chloe, it''s a good idea if we take her to the village for a better and proper treatment," Alan gave his idea. My ears twitched and then I nodded. I agree with the idea he shared. I also thought this is a good time for us to stop the hunt. "In that case, let''s take her to the village." I lifted the woman and carried her on my back. "Let''s go," I told the kids. "Wait, where is Sis Ruciel?" To answer the boy''s question, I turned to the left and said, "There." I noticed Ruciel approaching because I heard her footsteps. "I''m here," she told the boy. Then, she looked at me and asked, "How''s that woman doing?" "Her body was a little hot while her external wounds had been healed by Chole." The girl nodded. Moving her legs, she approached me to then examine the woman on my back. "Rest for one night and this woman''s fever will subside," she voiced the results of her examination to the woman. So, our hunt is over, we walked to the village. We were lucky, during our return trip, we only faced a Brown Scorpion. Seeing that monster over and over again, I wondered, why are there so many scorpions in this savanna? They were so numerous that every time we encountered ten monsters, seven of them were Brown Scorpions. I thought for a moment and I realized, this savanna is in a Dungeon. The difference in numbers between the monsters wouldn''t be a problem for the ecosystem. Time passed, we reached the village. Our first destination is the clinic. I want the woman to get her rightful treatment as soon as possible. Arriving at the clinic, we were greeted by a Flugel who had a warm smile. And yes, that Flugel immediately guided us to the healing room. She check up on the woman''s condition and fed her medicine. The Flugel told us that the woman would get better after resting for one night. Leaving the woman in the clinic, we went to find an inn. We were lucky, in one try, to find an inn with empty rooms. I don''t have any plans. Therefore, I immediately take a rest after entering my room. The kids have different plans, they want to look around the village. Therefore, they left the inn as soon as possible after changing into casual clothes. "Continue your story, Ruciel," I said to the girl who was in the middle of changing her clothes. Yes, I saw something beautiful. Flawless white skin, beautiful curves, and shiny black hair. For a record, she has fresh, pink peaks and a cave. To me, she was perfect. "Should I tell you a story about me? And stop looking at me with such a vulgar gaze!" She shouted then gave me a sharp look. My fox''s tail made a strong swing. Then, I turned my slightly warm face away. However, I never stopped to take a peek at Ruciel who was now wearing her panties. "Yes, you have to tell me a story about yourself. And you need to know, I don''t make any vulgar stares." "Hah!" She snorted and jerked her long ears strongly. "You always look at me as if you want to lick every corner of my body." "I never had the desire to¡ª" I stopped talking to think. A moment later, I said, "That''s not a bad idea. I want to know your taste, Ruciel." Ruciel who had just finished wearing her clothes gasped. Once again, her long ears jolted strongly. After she turned around, showing her face, I found a pair of golden eyes that emitted killing intent. "Eclaite!" She screaming. "Don''t think of anything strange! And if you really lick my body, you''ll regret it. I''ll make sure of that!" "Okay, I''m not going to." "You better mean it." "Absolutely," I replied and moved my hand. I gave Ruciel a signal to get closer. "I promise not going to lick your body," for now. Yes, the last part I say in my heart. I don''t want her to know that I truly want to lick her. And making a promise to never do that is a grave mistake. "Can you annul this stupid order?" asked Ruciel who was now sitting on my lap. She put on an annoyed expression. Her arms were embracing my neck. We were so close. I was so happy when I saw her stunning face clearly and closely. "You are mine, remember?" I asked back. "Besides, you''re the one who wants this." "I want orders so that I can carry out my duties as a Slave and not this kind of thing. I don''t want to get something from you without doing some work. I don''t want to be a pet!" "And you got it." "I don''t want to be a s**y Slave!" "Huh? Have I ever ordered you to sleep with me? Never, right?" "Grr..." She held her voice in anger. "Forget about the skinship I committed. Now, tell me about yourself, I really want to hear it." "..." She didn''t say anything but she tried to organize her breath. The girl tried to ease her anger. "Cancel this order and I''ll tell you." She made a bid and I... "Fine, you don''t have to do this anymore if you tell me, stories about you" "Good!" She said and then took a deep breath. "What was the last thing I told you?" "You told me about your dream?" I told her. "You said, you want to find legendary Magic Equipment and Weapons. Why is that?" "Because I like it. I want to collect those legendary pieces of stuff." "So, it''s kind of hobby for you?" "It was my hobby and my dream," she corrected. "Tell me more." "What should I tell you? I''m sure you''re not interested in stories about my adventures, right?" "Your adventure intrigued me. I''d like to hear it but that''s next time. Now, I want to get to know you better. What''s your name?" "My name is Ruciel." "Your real and full name!?" "You already know that! My name is Ruciel Starphase. And this, maybe, is a good solution because I don''t know what to say to you! Keep asking, Eclaite." "What kind of foods do you like?" "I like Vegetables Stew, Dry Fruits, and desserts that are quite sweet?" "Are you a vegetarian? And what level are you at now?" "Yes, and I am level sixty-eight. You should know, I''m an expert at using bows and daggers. I am also able to use Spirit Magic, neutralize traps, and stalk someone or monsters unnoticed." "You are a scout and I know that. Now, what kind of woman do you want to marry?" "Woman? Not a man?" "I want you to be my wife. So of course, I want to know about your ideal woman." "I don''t think a relationship between women will work. I don''t want it either." "Don''t tell me that and why? The relationship between two girls is not unusual." "That''s weird, Eclaite. I can''t understand the concept of loving a woman. I know about being friends with a woman. But, loving them? What''s so interesting about a woman as a lover? More than that, even if we get married, we won''t be able to have children." "The woman is nice. They are kind, gentle, warm, and cute as they moan in pleasure. And you like men? That''s ridiculous." "You have to know, Ruciel. They are animals that just want to play with our bodies. They only think about breeding and nothing else. They also don''t have humanity and worse, they never care what we, the women think." "Lastly, who says two women can''t have children? We can drink a potion to get - that sword that the men have - for a few hours. So, yes, two women can have children." "...I never knew that such potions existed." "You never visited the red light district?" "Why should I visit a place like that!?" Chapter 140 - Their First Time [18+] "Why should I go to a place like that!?" Why would someone have to go to a red light district? Well... Isn''t it obvious, "You came there for fun. Drown yourself into lust. There, you can moan without a care in the world or without having to hold back like you normally do." "Shut up! I never held back my moan let alone moaning!" Her statement made me narrow my eyes. The behavior she showed made me a little annoyed. And because I was annoyed, I pinched her pink peak. "Hya~" The girl''s body jolted along with her cute cry. "Wh- what are you doing!?" Ruciel looked at me sharply. She crossed her arms to cover her b*obs. And yes, she put on a furious expression. "A little revenge because I''m annoyed, you always deny my words." "I have never denied your words!" "You just did it," I said. My ears twitched and my hands moved back to touch her body. "Stop! Eclaite!" "I will stop if you no longer deny my words. More than that, I want you to speak honestly," I told her. At the same time, I played with her stomach. I stroked, pinched, and massaged that chewy, smooth stomach. I don''t know-how, my Courtesan skill turns body contacts like this into a strong stimulant that makes someone horny. I can say that because of my experience when I live in a brothel and becomes that jerk toy. This stimulant becomes more potent if I touch someone in his/her private body parts. No... I never fully toyed with Ruciel''s body or even did things related to interc*urse with her. I just touched, pinched, or stroked her body, by accident. Molesting? No, it''s just an intense skinship. And that, it''s more than enough to make the girl horny. I remember her getting so wet after I gave her one deep passionate kiss. "I said stop!" Ruciel shouted and gripped my wrist. Shit! Why did she stop it? I almost touched her b*obs. "Hmm¡­ touches like this seem too much for a virgin girl like you," I commented then pulled my arms. Then, I used that arms to support my body which I pulled back. I observed a girl who was currently, had red cheeks and was a little breathless. More than that, I could feel some kind of liquid soaking my thighs which is her fake chair. Overreact with a little touch. Yes, everyone can say that she is still a virgin after seeing her condition now. Her body couldn''t lie to me and Courtesan had already confirmed that she had never had s*x. "Who said I was a virgin!?" "You don''t have to scream, Ruciel," I told her. "And once again, you don''t have to voice denying. My Courtesan skill told me about it." "...anyone would have the same reaction if their bodies were toyed with like this!" I raised one of my eyebrows because of the claim she made. "I''m tired of convincing you not to deny my words. And I''ll say, such overreaction is only shown by virgin girls." I knew that because I had experienced it in the worst possible way. "If you don''t believe me, you can play with my body to prove that non-virgin wouldn''t have that kind of reaction." "..." She didn''t say and do anything. So, I decided to take the first step. I took off my shirt and showed her my b*obs. "Wh- what are you doing!?" "Didn''t I say the reason why I do something like this? This will be your opportunity for revenge. Aren''t you upset when I touch your body? You can play with my body to vent your frustration." "..." I said all of that to her and I earn a silence. Ugh! I hated it when she made such a hesitant and confused expression in this kind of situation. And yes, the real intention behind my behavior is not to prove a stupid thing about the overreaction of virgin girls'' bodies. My real intention, I wanted to seduce her into having a*x with me. I s*xually abused her to upset her and introduce the pleasure of interc*urse to her. Now I''m giving her a chance to vent her frustration at me. But yes, right now, she didn''t seem to want to take revenge on me. I didn''t want her to miss this opportunity so, activating my Courtesan skill to the maximum degree. Then, I voiced a sweet whisper, "wreck me bad, Ruciel." I showed her the full charm of a Courtesan. No, I don''t use Charm. I took such a decision because I wanted Ruciel to touch my body out of her own accord. I don''t want her to be hypnotized while doing it. This will have bad aftereffects and I don''t want it. The girl''s body twitched, a moment later, she stretched out her hand timidly. And yes, she touched my b*obs, she played with it. Her hands were so clumsy. It was clearly visible from the way she squeezed my b*obs and pinched my pink peaks. Time passed and my body started to get hot. She stayed focused on my b*obs. I didn''t say, ''You''re good at this.'' or ''keep going, Ruciel.'' or ''this is awesome.'' because I didn''t want to make her realize what she''s doing right now. I know that right now, her common sense hasn''t completely drowned in lust. I don''t want her to touch that common sense. So, now and then, I voiced a gentle moan with Courtesan in full potential. It was also used to drag her deeper into this pleasure. Her breathing became more irregular. Her golden eyes suddenly looked into my eyes. The girl launched her body forward to hug me. And never I expected, she kissed me on her own accord. Her tongue invaded my mouth, attacked my tongue. She imitated the passionate kiss I once gave her. I will say, as a beginner, she wasn''t good at this. She is too forceful and she even bit my lips. Our tongues connected for some time before finally splitting up to make a string of saliva. The girl was silent in there, her long ears making jolt after jolt, she looked at me and got lost. She didn''t know what to do next as expected from someone in her first experience in something like this. Again, I didn''t want her to touch her common senses. Therefore, I kissed her and pushed her into bed. Along with that, I played with her b*obs. I attacked ferociously because I wanted to make her body hot as quickly as possible. It was necessary to make her completely focus on this pleasure. She hugged me tightly. However, not long after that, her body - which is under my body - made a slight arch. Surprisingly enough, it was connected with some strong jolts that shake her body. Did she just come? I asked in my heart as I looked at the weak girl who was trying to regulate her breathing. I moved my hand to the middle of her crotch. Without further ado, my hand went into her underwear. The girl''s body jolted once more as I touched the small gem at the entrance of her pink cave. And wow, she''s completely wet. The girl''s beautiful golden eyes which had just been out of focus were now staring at me steadily. The light in her eyes told me that she had already gained her senses. "Sto-" She wanted to say stop but I silenced her with another kiss. I was playing with her small gem as she tried to push me away. She tried hard to get away from me. However, she pulled and hugged me tightly as she came for the second time. The girl showed a silly expression of pleasure to me. It makes me want to feel the same pleasure too. But yes, asking Ruciel to satisfy me with her abilities is an arduous task to do. So, for now, I''m going to teach her to make someone feel an undeniable pleasure. I stripped the girl who was now lying limp. I felt guilty when I attacked this helpless girl but, the devil whispered to me to do so. I gave up on the temptation in an instant because I was weak. For the first time, I knew that defeat was not a bad thing. Thanks to it, I know Ruciel''s taste. "Stop... Eclaite! Don''t... lick that... place! Ah!" The girl gave her orders with a sweet moan. Her thighs clamped my head. What was my answer to that order? Of course, I didn''t obey it. I have a more important task to do. I have to give the girl the pleasure that she wants or maybe, I want to give her. Ruciel kept repeating the words ''stop'' ''no'' and ''don''t'' before she came for the third time. The night was getting late when I made her come for the fourth time. Ruciel fainted as she earned the fifth time. When that happened, I truly felt guilty and regretful. I forced the girl too far to satisfy myself. For that, I promise, I will grant her any request she wants. I hugged the girl tightly and give her another kiss before I fell asleep. Then, morning came. "You! How could you do that to me!" Ruciel who was sitting in my stomach yelled. The girl also punched me in the chest. She used them as punching bags. "You invited me, Ruciel," I began. "I have to accept your invitation or I will be disrespectful, don''t you think that too?" "No!" She used two palms to hit my chest strongly. It was quite painful and forced me to make a strange noise that was, "gehok!" "You can refuse it! And you should have done it!" She yelled again and again. I was curious and wondered, why she liked to yell so much? "Ugh! What happened to me? Why I decided to kiss you!" She covered her flushed face with her palms. "For your first experience, I can say that you are good and have some stamina." "Shut up!" "Gehok!" She attacked me again and I made another strange noise. Chapter 141 - The Flugel We Helped Morning has come. After our session of night battle, we rinsed our body with a towel dipped in warm water. I wanted to fondle Ruciel''s body as we cleaned ourselves but I got a pinch at the waist. "Arh! What are you doing!?" I shouted at Ruciel. The girl ignored me after voicing, "Hmph!" And yes, never once did I get an answer to that question. We put on our clothes and then met the kids. We invited them to the restaurant for a hearty breakfast. And I''ll say, there was one thing that bothered me when we ate that amazing breakfast. The thing I mean is the fact that Ruciel pinches my waist every two minutes that go by. "Arh! Stop it Ruciel!" I scolded the girl shortly after she pinched me for the thirteenth time. "Seriously, what do you want? Why are you acting like an annoying girlfriend?" The Fallen Elf girl didn''t give me an answer. Once again, she moved her hand to get close to my waist. Obviously, she wanted to pinch me again. So, before she did the deeds, I said, "I''ll kiss you badly for every pinch I get." The threats I voice worked beautifully. Ruciel stopped her hand. Then, the girl''s cheeks turned red. Alarmed, she pulled her hand in quick succession. A moment later, she keep her distance from me. She ate her breakfast without saying anything even though a few times, she stole a glance at me. What a troublesome girlfriend, I think when I saw and got a taste of the girl''s behavior. She calmed down. Because of this, I can spend my breakfast quietly and... "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 23/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 240/281 [245] | MP: 231/379 | SP: 156/273 [ STR: 197 | DEX: 68 ] [ END: 169 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 248 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger]¨Œ [Medium Agility |Lvl 1] New [Roar |Lvl 1] New I checked my Stat. It''s quite a surprise that Tear Antelope truly gave me a big boost to AGI. Thanks to this, the Stat managed to break through two hundred. I can''t wait to see the impact of this AGI explosion on battlefields. I''m sure, it will be amazing. We picked up and put on our hunting gear. We left the inn with a craving to wild hunt. However, before we shed blood and took the lives of the monsters, we had to stop at someplace first. That''s right. We need to visit the clinic. I want to know the state of the Flugel woman we saved yesterday. And more than that, I want to know her story. "Welcome," greeted a Flugel with a warm smile. Yes, this woman is the Healer who took care of the woman we saved yesterday. Ugh! That''s extremely confusing. So... "Thank you and... may I know your name miss Healer? By the way, my name is Eclaite." The woman nodded. "You may, My name is Fai, it''s nice to meet you Miss Eclaite." "So am I, Miss Fai." "I''m assuming, you want to see the Imperfect Flugel, am I right?" The woman stood up to leave the reception desk. She gave us a signal to follow her. "Yes, we want to see the woman," I began as I followed her. Then, I wondered, "Why did you call that woman an Imperfect Flugel?" "Well of course, because she has an imperfect pair of wings," she gave me an explanation. "For the record to you, Miss Eclaite. I''m not discriminating against Imperfect Flugels. I accept and treat them just like the Flugels in general." "You sounded suspicious after giving me such an explanation," I commented. "Oh!" She made a sound with shock. "What makes you think like that?" "Because you suddenly try to convince me that you had good thoughts to the Imperfect Flugels. But anyway, since you didn''t mention the woman by name, that means she''s not yet regained her consciousness?" "I never discovered that," said Fai who shake her head. "I never meant badly. And that''s right, the woman hasn''t woken up yet. But take it easy, she''s fine. Her condition improved after her fever dropped. I''m sure she hasn''t woken up yet because she''s exhausted." I nodded and a moment later, we reached the room, where the woman was sleeping. Then, Fai left the room to give us some private time. "What are we going to do, big sis?" asked Kimi, who moved her fox ears awkwardly. "Nothing?" "Nothing?" Chloe mimicked with a voice colored by anxiety. The little girl who had just touched the woman''s forehead also put on a worried expression. "Yes, nothing. Miss Fai said she was asleep due to exhaustion. Therefore we have no other choice but to wait for her to wake up on her own." Hearing my explanation, the two little girls exchanged gazes containing worries. I don''t know why they behave like that. And yes, I don''t want them to proceed to feel worried. I wanted to calm their hearts down so I said, "How about you guys buy food for her? I''m sure she will starve when she wakes up. So, let greet her with delicious foods." "That''s a good idea!" Kimi exclaimed. Chloe who was beside her made a few nods to support my sister''s remarks. "We''ll buy some delicious food!" Once again Kimi exclaimed. "Let''s go Chloe, Alan." "Sure!" Chloe replied. On the other hand, Alan gives them a thumb-up. I''m glad they''re excited but, "I need to warn you, you can''t buy random food for her. Sick people have limited choices of foods that they can eat. So, ask Miss Fai for advice before you buy anything." "Sure!" With Kimi''s word as a signal, the kids left us. Not long after that and for some reason, Ruciel also walked away. "Where are you going, Ruciel?" "Anywhere as long as I don''t see your face," she replied with annoyance then disappeared. She really... "Haa..." I sighed and relaxed my fists, which also discard the complexity in my heart. I just hope that she will turn into an obedient and adorable girl as soon as possible. Now, alone in this room, I can only observe the woman. I finished by looking at unattractive things in this room so I decided to look at the interesting thing, which is her face. She is beautiful. A stunning face carved by the angel, long eyelashes, short pink hair that looks fluffy, sensual red lips that seduced me, and more importantly, big b*obs, bigger than mine. I would have fallen in love with her if, I hadn''t met Ruciel. I continued to observe her peaceful, sleeping face for some time before finally, I saw her showing signs that she was about to wake up. And yes, the woman opened her eyes. She got up to sit in bed. She became alert as soon as she realized my presence. She gave me a look of uneasiness before then moving her head to look around the room. "Are you okay?" I asked and got no response. I have to wait for her to be satisfied with her observations before I get... "Where is this?" A question from her. Normally, I don''t have an issue waiting for someone to answer. But, I don''t know why I became a little annoyed about it. "Miss, it was extremely disrespectful when you didn''t answer my question and instead asked back. You have to show courtesy if you want to get a good impression of the person you just met. More than that, look into my eyes as you speak!" That words just came out of my mouth naturally. To be honest, I want to answer her question. However, for some reason, when I saw her, I wanted to bully her. "Hii~ I''m fine, I''m so healthy!" She replied with panic and a slightly exaggerated reaction. With fear and watery eyes, she asked. "...please good-hearted young lady, can you tell me where this is?" "You''re at the Soan village clinic," I told her. "You need to know, I saved you. That means you have a debt to me. So, don''t expect you to get away from me before you pay your debt." The tears in the woman''s eyes grew bigger as she asked, "How much debt do I have?" "Fifty large gold coins." "Fifty large gold coins? How much is that in Magic Stones?" Ah¡­ that''s true, the Flugels do not know the currency in the form of coins. They only understood Magic Stones and monster parts as the currency. One Magic Stones from Tear Antelope can pay for two rooms at the inn for one night plus breakfast and dinner. In Rishtonbell, that was equal to seventy bronze coins. One large gold coin was equivalent to ten gold coins. One gold coin was equivalent to a hundred silver coins. One silver coin was equivalent to a hundred bronze coins. So, fifty large gold coins equal to... ... ... ... "Seven thousand a hundred and fifty Magic Stones from Tear Antelope," I gave the woman an answer. She got the answer she wanted but she become silent and froze.. Ugh! This woman, she really set me off easily. Chapter 142 - Curse? "That''s too much," the woman said within the tears. "I can''t pay for it." "You don''t have to pay all of it right now, you can pay it little by little, day by day. And before your debt is paid off, you have to work for me." "But, but-" "There is no, but!" I raised my voice slightly to snap at the woman. Then, I whispered, "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Name: Diana | Age: 32] [Race: Flugel | Lvl: 28] [Job: Swordswoman, The victim] | HP: 68/86 | MP: 50/50 | SP: 97/98 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ She''s so weak and why? Why would she dare to refute my words? Why isn''t she aware of her place? She''s been saved! Therefore, she should have paid the debt. "Let me ask you a question, which is more precious, your life or the Magic Stones?" The woman didn''t answer my question but she started to sob. She do just that for some time and then, she wiped away her tears. "...my life is more precious," she answered with a soft, weak voice. "But, but still, the debt is too much, I''ll take years to pay it off. So, please, can you cut it off a little?" "No discount and I don''t care how long you will keep paying for it. What I care about is that you owe me a debt and you have to pay for it." "But this is not fair," she protested timidly. "It''s fair," I emphasized. Then, I pulled out my knife and approached the woman. "Your life for a few gold coins is an extremely fair deal. And you need to know, I''m losing out here. But, if you don''t want to pay with money, could it be that you want to pay me with your life?" Using the knife, I slashed the woman''s arm. And yes, this woman, Diana, showed no signs that she wanted to put up a fight. She just sits right there, keeps her mouth shut, and endure the pain with a trembling body. This woman looks so pitiful and this, so compatible with her. Weak, coward, and pathetic, she was garbage. But, a little lucky, she still had any uses. I slashed the woman''s arm for few times before a hand stopped me. "Okay, what are you doing, Eclaite?" A question from Ruciel - which I don''t know since when she appeared - made the ears twitch. Moving my head, I saw the girl I loved. Then, I said, "Ruciel, help me to convince this woman to pay her debt?" Ruciel narrowed her eyes, her long ears made a strong jolt, and then, she ignored me to look at the woman''s arm. Ruciel crouched down to treat Diana''s injuries with potions. Cih! This girl, she''s doing unnecessary things. Annoyed, I returned to my chair. I observed them after I made a long sigh. "What happened?" Ruciel asked a question. "...the young girl asked me to pay my debt." "That doesn''t help me to understand this situation. Tell me everything from the beginning," Ruciel gave the order in a slightly loud voice. "No, please, please, don''t get angry," the woman said in a panic and a little haste. "I''ll tell you, but please don''t get angry." Ugh! Why did she have to ramp like that? She just needed to answer but why did she make someone angry with her stupid behavior? "Tell me quickly! Don''t-'' Ruciel who suddenly stopped talking to made a strange expression. She looked at me and came back to see the woman. "What did you do?" She asked the woman. "What skill are you using, right now?" "...I don''t use any skills." "Don''t lie." Ruciel stood up then she emitted killing intention. "That''s right Ruciel. Kill her if she won''t pay her debt," I gave the order. Instantly, Ruciel unsheathed her Dagger. "Damn it!" Shouting, Ruciel lay her Dagger to the woman''s neck. She was ready to cut the woman''s throat at any time. And thanks to that, the woman''s face became so pale! Finally, the insolent woman got what she deserved. Hahaha... That was the first best thing I saw today. It makes me satisfied and happy. "Eclaite! Seriously, what are you doing?" "I''m trying to get what''s rightfully mine. Killing that woman is the best solution if she doesn''t want to repay the kindness I gave her." I smiled and nodded. "Miss, say that you will pay your debt!" Ruciel threatened Diana and it was a wise decision. "I am her slave. That''s why I can''t go against her orders. Tell me her now or you''re going to die!" "I''ll pay for it! I will pay my debt!" said the woman in panic and despair. "Wise decision," I said to praise the woman''s foolishness. A moment later, I looked at Ruciel to say, "Good job, Ruciel. You can put your knife away." I gave a compliment however, Ruciel replied by slapping me on the cheek. Horrible pain stings my left cheek. "What are you doing!?" I snapped at Ruciel. "[Fyona''s Compassion]" A ball of light was created in Ruciel''s palm. The ball then shot into the ceiling of this room for a moment later scattered, turning into thousands of particles of light that rain down on our bodies. Those particles of light were absorbed into my body. Then, I felt something powerful hit my reasons. It also destroyed the strange thing that messed with my mind. I learned the strange behavior I was doing after my mind became clear. "Oh no," I said with a pale face. "Why am I hurting and extorting this woman?" "I want to know too," said Ruciel, who then saw the woman once more. "Why are you using a Skill to mess with our minds?" "... I''ve never used any Skills," replied the woman who was crying and frightened. "Don''t lie," Ruciel raised her voice to intimidate the woman. As for the woman, she didn''t say anything but she shook her head many times. "Are you sure, you didn''t use a skill? What about Spells?" I''m trying to investigate. The woman shook her head, again. "Are you sure you didn''t do anything or know anything about this? And please, speak to answer my question." "... I don''t know anything," she replied in a soft voice. "These things, being hurt, threatened, and ignored are normal for me. I understood, no one cares about me." Well... That''s a little too much and a sad backstory. And, is that the reason she has a Job, Victim? I''m not too sure but now... "If all this had happened not because of skills or spells, I guessed that she had a curse." "Curse?" "Yes, curse. An evil thing that makes people suffer." "I didn''t ask about the meaning of curse. The thing I want to know is, what kind of curse she has." "For that matter, we have no choice but to ask the person herself," I replied and looked at the woman. "I''m sorry about what happened earlier Ma''am. My name is Eclaite, it''s nice to meet you." Doubt and a few seconds were the things that Diana showed and needed before she welcomed my hand. "Diana," she said quietly as we shook hands. Then, she made a weak smile. "As I said earlier, things like this are normal to me, therefore you don''t have to worry." "...okay, now," Ruciel began. "Can you tell us the curse you have?" "...that, I don''t know either." Silence enveloped us... If we don''t know the source of this problem, we won''t be able to take precautions. And that''s an extremely dangerous thing considering that when I lost my mind, I hurt Diana without hesitation and even without regret. Yes, without regrets. I do apologize to her but yes, I have no regrets for hurting her, I was just shocked because I did it. "Big sis! We got the food!" Kimi who yelled appeared at the right moment. Because of her presence, the silence that enveloped us disappeared. "Are you okay? Are you hungry? Can you eat?" Chloe flooded Diana with questions as the little girl reached her side. Yes, Diana froze and couldn''t say anything to the thing that came to her. My sister put the food she bought onto a small table next to Diana''s bed. And wow, "You''re buying too much food." "It''s not much," Kimi denied. "This is a normal amount and is not comparable to the amount of meat eaten by you, big sis." "Don''t use me as a standard line, Kimi." "Why?" "Because your sister is weird," Ruciel replied before I could say anything. "Normal is not a word that can be used to describe the madness you call big sis." "Hey! That''s too much." "No, it''s not an exaggeration." "Anyway, Auntie, please choose the food you like," said Kimi to Diana. "You have to eat if you want to recover as quickly as possible." Diana looked around, she looked or maybe, was already lost. It''s easy to see, she didn''t know what to do. "I suggested vegetable soup. For sick people, that soup is the friendliest to the stomach." She looked at me and blinked for a while. Then, she asked, "Can I accept the food?" "Why do you say that? Of course, you can. After all, Kimi together with Chloe and Alan bought all this food for you." I answered.. And I don''t understand why she started crying. Chapter 143 - The Savanna Once Again 1_2 Why did the woman cry after she got food from the kids? The answer is¡­ because she told us, she had never experienced a situation where someone bought her food or what she mean, a kindness from anyone else. Rather than that, she was often in a situation where she was the one who bought people food. Diana''s story about it made me think that she was exaggerating her suffering. Why do I think something like that? Because I believe, as long as a person lives, she or he must have been receiving kindness at least once or twice. It is impossible, a person lives without ever got kindness. But... never did I think, after I heard other episodes of Diana''s life story, I learned that my beliefs were wrong. In the story, this Flugel woman was not loved when she was raised. She was always being compared to her sisters. And worse, she became a punching bag for her mother. Then, when she was old enough to be said to be an adult, she was kicked out of her home. She began to live on the road without any coins in her hands. For a few days after she lived independently, Diana had to endure hunger until finally, she managed to kill her first monster. Yes, she became a hunter and her life didn''t get any better. She had to go through the harsh twists and turns of life to survive day by day. With such harsh life, she became strong and she managed to defeat the Guardian on the first floor. Level 28 and she can defeat that Strong Guardian? That''s impossible, right? I thought for a moment. Unfortunately, that was true, the Guardian''s level did not fix but rather followed the level of its challenger. Thus, anyone with any level who wished to conquer the Tower of Challenge would face off against a Guardian that was slightly stronger than them. Let''s forget about the Guardians and go back to Diana. The woman kept telling us about her life. And I say, to me, she looks more like she''s complaining and trying to convey that she''s got an unfair life. And yes, I can tolerance her long, miserable past story considering, and maybe, she doesn''t have any friends to share with. We heard the story of her life but it didn''t answer the biggest mystery that brought us together. "Why did you suddenly fall from the sky?" I asked to satisfy my curiosity. "... I''m exhausted," Diana voiced the opening line. Together with that, she turns her face away. "I hunted the monsters for a few days before forcing myself to challenge the Guardian on this floor." "Well¡­ that was reckless! And you''re lucky you can fly. Thanks to that, you can get away from the Brown Scorpions that will offend anyone. But then, flying also brings disaster for you. If the kids don''t notice you''re there, you''ll get a worse fate." Diana nodded then slightly bowed her body towards me. "Thank you for saving me," she told me. "The kids saved you. So, you know what you have to do." Afterward, Diana thanked the kids. And yes, the kids made proud and happy expressions. They, especially Kimi, told her to always rely on them. Then, small talk was created. I just realized this but yes, I don''t know why, something in Diana that could affect my and Ruciel minds didn''t work for kids. I was curious, I wanted to reveal the mystery, but unfortunately, we didn''t have time. The morning was no longer fresh because we spent too much time with Diana. We had to hunt so I invited Ruciel and everyone to leave. One thing that surprised me, Diana tried so hard to make us stay with her. From the attitude and words, she showed and said, she didn''t want to part away with us. I''m happy to accompany her but unfortunately, we have a plan to be done. In the end, she was willing to let us go after we promised to visit her again. So, with that, we left Diana to hunt. And yes, we told Fai about the curse or something that Diana had. We prohibited the nurse from interacting with her. If Fai was indeed forced to confront Diana for treatment, Ruciel told the nurse firmly, she would have to use Buff in the Psychic Attack Resistance category first or wait for Diana to fall asleep. As precautions, she told the nurse to use sleep medicine to Diana in the chase, the woman wake up suddenly. After all, we didn''t want Fai to hurt her patients and we didn''t want Diana to get hurt. So, that warnings and suggestions she will have. With a peaceful heart, we left the village. Savanna is the playground we''re going to use. Today, I plan to hunt down Tear Antelope and Zebril. Brown Scorpion? I''m done with that monster. Not long after we left the village, we met four of them. They died to give me meat and Magic Stones. So, with that and once again, I have nothing to do with them anymore. < Dexterity stat up! DEX +2 > ¡Á2 < Hard Scales level up! 1 to 2 > < Hard Scales level up! 2 to 3 > < Stat Points and Exp for Skill cannot be obtained from this monster again. > So, I''m not going to eat their Magic Stones. We, or rather the kids, started to get a steady income on this second floor. I did say ''the kids'' because I didn''t take part in the hunt for the Brown Scorpion. Therefore, they have a right to the money obtained from those monsters without having to share it with me. Ruciel gets a part because she helps the kids to process the monsters they hunt. That''s right, I refrained from interfering in their hunt because I wanted their levels to rise quickly. But of course, I hunted down other monsters. I''m hunting for the injured Tear Antelope. < Level up! 23 to 24 > I was so happy when my level went up after killing my first Tear Antelope for today. And yes, I no longer run around or chase after the Tear Antelope to hunt them down. This time, I asked Ruciel for help to incapacitate them or directly ask her to kill them. The way that Ruciel used to hunt down the monsters was arguably amazing. The girl made a special arrow of light, arrows that could dart so quickly without making any sound. That spell ¡ª which I knew was Spell after asking her ¡ª was a worse nightmare for Tear Antelope than the Medium AGI I had. The spell killed those monsters as if there was no tomorrow. With that, my girlfriend gave me meat and Magic Stones from Tear Antelope. And I''ll say, she looks so cool and dazzling. < Agility stat up! AGI +5 > ¡Á3 Our hunt continued and now, hiding behind rocks and bushes, we surrounded a Zebril. Yes, Zebril is a monster that resembles a horse. However, this monster had six legs, striped skin with a dark black plus brown color, and one horn on its head. The length of this monster''s body is close to four meters and it is taller than us. No, Zebril is not a Unicorn. Yes, Zebril looks more like Glepnir. I looked around and then look at every one. There are no monsters around us and I know, everyone has prepared themselves. So, I signaled to attack. Chloe immediately raises her staff. The little girl used Mana Bind with the sole purpose of, to tie Zebril in its place. Magic Circle appeared under the monster''s feet. Shortly after, Kimi and Alan along with me came out of hiding. We approached from three directions to surround and prevent the monster from escaping. "Hiiegh!" The monster made a voice and tried to leave the Magic Circle. Unfortunately for it, I attacked it. "[Water Shoot]" The water bullet I shot managed to penetrate the top part of the monster''s front leg. The attack took the monster by surprise for a moment and that, was more than enough for Mana Bind to tie the monster with its blue roots. "HIIEGH!!" the monster made a voice again. This time, the monster''s voice was louder. Not only that, the monster thrashed around to escape. The monster was angry and that became a sign for us not to approach the monster recklessly. We have the intention to cut Zebril''s neck to end its life and this fight as quickly as possible. But unfortunately, we couldn''t do that because the monster did a really good job of protecting its neck. Zebril used its horns as swords and spears. And I will say, the horns and their attacks are extremely dangerous. So, the neck is out of the question. That''s why... "Cut off these monster legs kids!" We used another plan. We will snatch this monster''s mobility to render it helpless. For some time, our weapons swung to shed blood and tore through Zebril''s skin along with its flesh. We got it easy because the monster''s legs were bound and couldn''t be used to run or launch counterattacks. And... Our plan worked. When Bind disappeared, Zebril fell to the ground. The helpless monster meets its end after Alan cuts its neck. Ruciel did her job to process the monster and as usual, I got the meat along with the Magic Stone. < Acquired a skill! Long Runner |Lvl 1 > [Long Runner | Lvl 1] [Passive] [+ Decrease stamina consumption when running by 50% + Increase the speed when running by 100%] It seemed, from the Stat Points and skills I obtained, the monsters in this savanna told me to run! But, what do I have to run away from? Chapter 144 - The Savanna Once Again 2_2 "Hiegh!" Zebril made a sound. A moment later, it moved its legs ran away. It wanted to escape from the battle after realizing that it couldn''t beat us. yes, I''m running after it. I who is faster than the two of us have no desire to let the monster go. "[Crimson Impale]" My spear shot quickly, leaving a trail of red lines in the air. Then, blood is shed along with the torn skin and meat. My spear pierced the monster''s left chest. "HIEGH!!" With a loud voice, it rebelled. The monster tried to kick me but it didn''t manage to land its attacks. I saved myself by pulling my spear out and then taking a few steps to keep my distance. A moment later, Zebril''s dead. This monster became the fifth we killed today. < Agility stat up! AGI +4 > ¡Á5 < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á4 Yup! The other five monsters and I will finish dealing with Zebril. Therefore, let''s stay heated to hunt down these monsters until the afternoon comes! Time passes... My wish came true thanks to the help of the cuke kids and lovely Ruciel. < Agility stat up! AGI +4 > ¡Á5 < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á5 < Long Runner, level up! 1 to 2 > < Stat Points and Exp for Skill cannot be obtained from this monster again. > Zebril is the past. So, knowing that, I turned my eyes to a monster called Devil Horn Buffalo. I wanted to immediately put my hand on the meat and the Magic Stone of that monster but I couldn''t. As I''ve said before, the afternoon has come and night is right behind it. More than that, we are exhausted, hungry (not me of course), and we want to rest. So, we went back to the village. We visited the clinic to see Diana and we found the woman sleeping deeply. We didn''t want to disturb the woman so we went back to the inn. Time passes quickly. We, or rather I, didn''t feel it and another morning greeted me. We put on our hunting gear. After that and again, we visited the clinic. We found Diana eating her breakfast and yes, something she owned and I would call a curse from now on, didn''t affect Kimi, Alan, and Chloe. Seeing that a second time, an assumption appeared in my head suddenly. The curse may not work on children. And if I had to be more specific, the curse didn''t affect people under the age of fifteen. I made a confirmation to Diana and yes, the woman said that other children never bothered her. They are more likely to ignore or stay away from the woman. It''s pitiful but the woman herself didn''t mind it. So we don''t have to say anything unnecessary. We put our feet on the savanna after we leave Diana and the clinic where she was. Our playground this time is close to the river and small pools. It was the favorite hangout of the Devil Horn Buffalo. Devil Horn Buffalo. The monster had silver skin with a texture and shape like pineapple skin. Its body was large, filled with muscles, and looked so tough. The monster can be said scary because it had a pair of huge black horns. And not only that, but the monster also had red eyes that hid the intention to kill. So, to hunt the monster, we decided to lure it out of the river or pond. If the monster did play there while we hunt it, we will stand in mud and that was dangerous. I handed the task to lure the monster to Ruciel. But, who would have thought, Ruciel''s invincible-looking light arrow couldn''t pierce through the monster''s skin. Yes, it surprised me. But anyway, the monster came and we had to prepare to fight with and then kill it. Kimi and Alan attacked from the side. I faced the monster head-on. Children will launch surprise attacks on the weak parts of the monster''s body from its blind spot. As for me, I''ll distract and keep the monster''s attention to me. I''m going to use different kinds of powerful attacks to do it. I thought we were going to defeat this slow monster easily but I was wrong. The monster''s silver skin was too tough! Our weapons can''t tear and even scratch the monster''s skin. Our weapons kept bouncing every time we landed an attack on the monster''s body. And yes, Spells didn''t bring much change either. My Water, Wind, and Light Magic are almost useless and can only give small scratches. Ruciel''s light arrows could only give minor injuries. Alan''s Earth Magic had absolutely no effect. As usual, Chloe was able to tie up the monster and weaken it. She did a great job but it didn''t come with any damage. Kimi can injure the monster with her Fire and Shadow Spells but we can''t rely on my little sister. She has a small Mana capacity. We tried our best but we can only make a little progress. We''re exhausted but the monster isn''t. It is getting faster and... "Buffoo!" "[Swift Movements]" The monster ran up to Alan quickly. The monster''s black horns emitted disaster. And yes, I who moved three times as fast saved Alan by pulling him aside. The boy wanted to block the horn with his shield but I knew, it was a careless act. His shield was low quality, it''s my fault, and he wasn''t strong enough. Blocking the attack directly would definitely have an impact that couldn''t be said to be small. "Sis Eclaite, I can block that monster attack!" The boy told me. To that end, I shook my head and told him, "Say that to me after you have a better shield." Our fight continued and in the end... We managed to defeat the monster using the fog and poison liquid I made using Venom Essence. I spat in the monster''s face many times to kill it. < Level up! 24 to 25 > My level went up and I got a question from Ruciel. "Tell me, what liquid do you always spat out?" "It''s a poison and it''s, as deadly as a Crystal Cobra poison." The girl froze for some time then uttered firmly, she forbids me to use the poison on her. And it made me wonder, why should I poison Ruciel? yes, I didn''t get an answer to that question. Now, this fight made us understand, we had to upgrade the weapons we used. Poor quality weapons will limit us in hunting. "Hunting this monster takes a lot of effort. Not only that, this monster was quite dangerous. It''s good if we change the target of the hunt. We will hunt this monster after we get a better weapon," Ruciel explained her reason to us. So, those of us who understood the meaning of her speech well never uttered rejection. We agreed to hunt down another monster and we, set our eyes on the monster by the name of Girgraffe. Before we hunted the monster, I... < Acquired a skill! Medium Strength |Lvl 1 > < Degenerated version of Medium Strength detected. Lesser Strength |Lvl 3 will be converted into Exp for Medium Strength. > < Medium Strength, level up! 1 to 2 > < Medium Strength, level up! 2 to 3 > [Medium Strength | Lvl 3] [Passive] [+ Permanently give 75 points to STR.] < Strength stat up! STR +4 > Well, that''s new. This time, I got extra on Strength and quite a lot for it. With that, we hunted for a target that become our new hunt beginning. We approached Girgraffe who was eating the leaves on a high tree that resembled an umbrella. One word that came up when I saw Girgraffe was tall. For the first, the monster had legs that were twice as tall as ours. And that, too, included its neck at the same tall. In the end, the height of the dark red furred monster easily touched eight meters. Our plan to kill the monster was to cut off his leg. And yes, our weapons worked well this time. We could have injured Girgraffe but had a hard time landing an attack. Ignoring the monster figure, it was so agile and quite fast. Easily, it gave counterattacks in the form of kick after kick. It dodged our attacks while keeping its distance with light jumps. More than that, the monster could use Earth Magic. The stones it shot so many times put us into an extremely dangerous situation. We had to use all our ability to save ourselves. High Jump played a big part in this fight. Using that skill along with Arte and Venom Essence, I managed to corner the monster. Make a wound then cover it with poison. It was a dirty way of fighting but it worked well. Within minutes, the monster fell to the ground. The monster''s life ended after Kimi stuck her Fire Sword into the monster''s head. With that, we got out first Girgraffe for today. Chapter 145 - My Power From Her Perspective < Acquired a skill! Wild Kicks |Lvl 1 > [Wild Kicks | Lvl 1] [SP -5] [+ Launch a barrage of three fast kicks or a powerful kick or an extremely fast kick. + Increased physical damage by 5%] < Dexterity stat up! DEX +2 > Oh! It''s rare for me to get dexterity. This stat will help me to refine the accuracy of my long-range attacks. Thanks to the high AGI, I was able to shoot the enemy on the mark because I used a lot of time to aim for the enemy. If I need a little time to aim, it will help me a lot. Now, forgetting dexterity, I''m interested in the wild kicks I got. Without wasting my time, I tried it on the spot. Batsh! Batsh! Bash! Okay, this skill is pretty good. This was so compatible with the Yellow King Punch. My unarmed fighting is getting more varied and stronger. I practiced using that skill for quite some time... Then, I look at Ruciel who had been watching me since then. My mouth opened to voice a question, "why do you keep looking at me?" "I''m curious." The long ears of the girl who was sitting on the rock jolted strongly. "You can obtain a skill from a monster, right?" "Yes, that''s right." I nodded. "So, I wonder, should you take the skill from every new monster you eat?" My fox''s ears twitched and I tilted my head slightly. "Well... That''s how my Unique Skill works. If I don''t take the skill from the monsters I eat, what should I do?" "Tell me, can you change the new skill you get to a Soul Essence for the skills you already have? From what I''ve seen, you have a lot of skills but all of those skills are awfully weak. It''s good for you to focus on some skills but you''ll become stronger thanks to that. And most importantly, I don''t want to see you use such a disgusting skill." Convert the skill I got into an Exp for my other skills? I never thought about it and... Can it be done? "Okay, that''s a good idea but first, what is Soul Essence and which skill do you call disgusting?" "Soul Essence is something we got from the monsters after we killed them. That''s the thing that makes our level go up." "So that''s Exp." "Yes, Exp or whatever you call it. Now listen to me, for the skill I call disgusting is a skill that makes your body covered by blue scales. Can you stop taking skills like that?" "But Hard Scales improved my defense. Moreover, this skill wasn''t disgusting, it was cool. Every time I use it, I feel like I''m using a Full Plate Armor." "..." The girl didn''t say anything. She just stood there and saw me using a mocking gaze. The weak-hearted me sighed and dropped my shoulder. "Fine, I wouldn''t take such a skill. Now, regarding converting a new skill into an Exp, I''m not sure my Unique Skill can do it." "You should try it first before making such a statement. Skills sometimes follow the wishes of their owners. And Unique Skill, huh? I never expected you to have such an amazing thing." "Isn''t that normal? Dishonesty also has a Unique Skill." Ruciel massaged her bridge of nose then said, "If one in a million people have the opportunity to have a Unique Skill is normal for you, then that''s normal." That''s news to me. Just like in Ark Fantasy Online, in this world, Unique Skill was something that couldn''t be possessed easily. And about this converting thing, I''ll try it when I get a skill from a monster I''ve never eaten before. And yes, the idea of focusing my interest on some skills is a wise one. I didn''t have the interest to be the Jack of all trades and master of none. It''s good if I start thinking about my Build more seriously. All this time, I continued to go with the flow without thinking about anything. The thought of having many skills that will make me stronger was a fog that obscures my judgment, maybe... "Alright, I''ll try your idea if I have the chance." "Good then, oh! And another one. You have an appraisal, right?" "Yes, that''s true." "From now on, use that skill to see the information of the monsters we are about to fight." "We don''t have to do that. When it comes to the level of monsters we''re fighting, I can guess it easily." My experience in playing Ark Fantasy Online cannot be underestimated when it comes to this. "..." Once again, the girl fell silent and saw me using a mocking gaze. A little annoyed, I asked, "What!?" "You know, I never believed your judgment, right?" "That''s evil!" "Use your appraisal and tell me what you see." Ruciel stood up leaving her seat. She saw the kids. "We''ve rested enough, let''s continue our hunt today." "We will hunt as many monsters as possible!" Kimi excitedly made a declaration. "For the new shield and sword," said Alan. After nodding, Chloe said, "to become stronger." We left the resting place. Our feet moved to explore this savanna. Time passes... We found another Girgraffe. This time, the monster was drinking water in a small pond. "Appraisal, Eclaite!" "Okay, okay, I understand!" I replied with annoyance. Seeing Girgraffe in front of me, I said, "[Appraisal]" ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Race: Girgraffe | Lvl 32] | HP: 658/660 | MP: 127/130 | SP: 214/250 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ "Level thirty-two with an HP of six hundred and sixty," I told Ruciel what I saw. "HP?" She put on an expression of confusion. "Those are the health points, the amount of life that the monster has?" "Don''t ask me and you can see their Life Force huh? That''s a little bit of a surprise. More than that, did you also see the Mana and Stamina that monster had?" I nodded then uttered, "One hundred and thirty for Mana and two hundred and fifty for stamina." "For once, you are useful and reliable." "Hey!" Ruciel ignored me to see the children. "The strategy we will use to hunt monsters is the same as before. Eclaite would face the monster head-on. Alan and Kimi will attack from the side and blind spot the monster. Chloe will be with me to give all of you support." The kids nodded after hearing that explanation. On the other hand, Ruciel made a warm smile for them. And ugh! Why!? Why would she just give such a smile to the kids easily!? Didn''t she know that I also wanted such a smile from her!? Without noticing the envy and chaos in my heart, Ruciel continued her speech, "The monster is level thirty-two and your level is close to that monster. So, you don''t need to hesitate or be afraid of the monster. Don''t hold back, bring out your best abilities!" "OOO!!" Answer the kids, full of passion. And yes, I never realized that they were holding back while hunting. I think they''ve brought out their best all this time! It''s a surprise to me! For our fight? I can only say remarkable. The kids become more agile, fast, strong, and dangerous. Thanks to their new strength, we were able to defeat the monster in a few minutes! Again, they surprised me. We hunted all day, thanks to it and the awakened kids, we managed to hunt down thirteen Girgraffes, fifteen Brown Scorpios, and a Tear Antelope. We got satisfactory results but that, the material we got from the monster was not enough to buy new weapons. We need another hunt before we can realize a plan to buy new weapons. And that''s right, Girgraffe doesn''t catch my eye anymore. But I have to hunt down three Tear Antelope before I finish dealing with it. < Agility stat up! AGI +5 > < Dexterity stat up! DEX +2 > ¡Á9 < Because a skill has been obtained from this monster, the absorbed Magic Stone will be converted to EXP for the skill. > ¡Á9 < Wild Kicks, level up! 1 to 2 > < Stat Points and Exp for Skill cannot be obtained from this monster again. > < Level up! 25 to 26 > The stat points and skills that I got make me satisfied! Once again and again in the future, I will be stronger! "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Three Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 26/30 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 250/288 [251] | MP: 201/385 | SP: 136/279 [ STR: 259 | DEX: 78 ] [ END: 172 | Luck: 9 ] [ AGI: 289 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger]¨Œ [Hard Scales | Lvl 3] Level up [Roar |Lvl 1] New [Medium Agility | Lvl 2] New [Long Runner | Lvl 2] New [Medium Strength | Lvl 3] New [Wild Kicks |Lvl 2] New These are the Basic Statistics I had after hunting down 10 Brown Scorpions, 1 Small Earth Lion, 7 Tear Antelope, 10 Zebril, 1 Devil Horn Buffalo, and 10 Girgraffe. With a satisfied heart, I, together Ruciel and the kids returned to the village. And who could have thought, when we visited the clinic, we didn''t find Diana? After we learned more about it, we know that Fai had expelled Diana because she did not want to pay any extra costs for hospitalization. Fai''s face was very pale when she told us about it. She couldn''t believe she was doing such a cruel thing. Yes, we calmed Fai''s heart. We told her it wasn''t her fault. Then, leaving the clinic, we searched for the missing Diana. Chapter 146 - Trouble "Let''s split up," I revealed my idea to Ruciel and the kids. "No... We don''t need to split up in a search for her," Ruciel said. "Use your nose, Eclaite. Following the woman''s scent to find her is better than the plans to split up for later we will be troubled to regroup again." I forgot that I had that kind of ability! So, I sniffed the pillow Diana used to remember her scent. After that, I followed the scent that still lingering in the air. After a few minutes of walking, we stood in front of a restaurant. Is that woman hungry? I thought before I with everyone else entered the restaurant. And no, we didn''t find Diana in there. However, we found a story about a Flugel who was chased out for being a big nuisance for the other customers. We become a little alarmed after leaving the restaurant. That happened because we thought, that Flugel who become a nuisance maybe was Diana. As soon as possible, we continued our search for her. Some of the places we went to and still, we haven''t found her yet. I kept following her scent without any intention to give up. My heart became uneasy when I learned that her scent was leading us out of the village. "I hope she doesn''t go too far." Ruciel narrowed her eyes to see the sun setting in the distance. "Finding that woman at night will drain our energy rapidly. More than that is danger. I don''t know what kind of monsters roam this place when darkness blinds us." "We should find Aunt Diana as soon as possible!" Kimi exclaimed. The little girl pulled my hand to force me to walk immediately. "That''s right! As soon as possible!" Chloe followed. She also pulled my other hand. "Okay, all right, I understand," I told them. So we walked. The sun set faster than I expected. Darkness enveloped us and I had to use a spell, Illumination, to create three spheres of light that helped us see the surroundings. We''re lucky, on tonight''s expedition, we didn''t encounter any monsters. Our journey was safe until we found a humanoid figure digging the ground. That figure is making good progress. The hole she or he dug had already hidden half of her or his body from waist bellow. After we see a pair of wings with different sizes in the waist of that figure, we knew that the figure was Diana. We exchanged glances before approaching her. And not to forget, Ruciel used her spell to neutralize the influence of Diana''s curse. "[Fyona''s Compassion]" The Flugel twitched for a moment after the light illuminated her body. Not only that, her body became stiff as a statue. I could feel the fear emanating from her body. "Diana, what are you doing there?" I asked to satisfy my curiosity. I wish she hadn''t made the hole to bury herself, I thought when I realized that big hole was similar to a cave. Diana turned around and a moment later she closed her eyes. The light must have blinded her. "Whoever you are, please don''t care about me," she told us while shielding her eyes with her left hand. "I''m fine. Please leave me alone." "We came to pick you up. Now, let''s go back to the village." "I didn''t do anything!" Said the woman in a hurry. Her face became so pale. "Please forgive me!" "What are you talking about?" I asked and approached the woman. "We''re looking for you because we''re worried. Let''s go back, I hope your injuries don''t get worse." "No! I don''t want to come with you." Diana shook her head. She also took a few steps back but immediately stopped because she hit the wall of the hole she made. "I don''t want to be locked up and tortured anymore!" "We have no intention of doing such a thing," I told her. "And it''s me, Eclaite, have you forgotten about me?" "I don''t believe you guys!" Diana exclaimed. Then, as fast as she could, she get out of the hole. I shouted, "Wait!" When I saw her running away. "No!" "Don''t go, auntie!" Kimi screamed and chased Diana. "We just want to help you, Auntie Diana!" Chloe followed. A moment later, me, Ruciel, and Alan followed those three women. "You are lying!" Diana shouted once more. "We''re not lying!" Chloe replied. "Has auntie forgotten the promise that we''ll have dinner together every day!?" Mini said a promise I didn''t know about. And yes, I decided to let the kids persuade the woman. I know for sure, their words have more influence on the woman than mine. We continued to pursue Diana. Kimi and Chloe kept saying promise after promise they made with Diana. And sure enough, their words become effective weapons. Diana stopped her footsteps, she turned to look at us. "... You will not lock me up, torture me, or tell me to continue working without rest?" She asked with distraught and fear. "We wouldn''t do things like that, auntie," Kimi said. "We are not bad people!" Chloe made her claims in support of Kimi. "...is- is that true?" "Of course that''s true, we have no reason to do cruel things to you." Kimi approached Diana and took her hand. "We want to make you smile." Chloe took Diana''s unoccupied hand. "...Is that a promise?" She looked at the two little girls with eyes full of hope. "Of course, that''s a promise!" Chloe and Kimi replied at the same time. "Uwaa..." Diana was crying. The woman ran up to me and ended up hugging me tightly. She didn''t hold back, she buried her face into my b*obs then shook her head rapidly. She really enjoyed my b*obs and... "Okay... Why are you hugging me instead of the kids?" "Because you have big b*obs and I feel a great maternal instinct from you." Hearing that answer, I didn''t know I had to cry or laugh. But in the end, after a deep sigh, I stroked her head. And I wondered, why should we bother to help and deal with this woman who has a terrible curse? Is it because we helped her before? Or is it because we already know her? And maybe, because we feel sorry for her? I don''t know the answer to all those questions. But I know, one doesn''t need a deep reason to help others. We hugged for some time until the woman calmed down. "You look better now," I said after I see her face. "Let''s visit the inn, you need enough food and rest to face tomorrow." "Hmm..." She made a sound and nodded. We returned to the village, the inn was our destination. And yes, along the way, we got problem after problem that made Diana a target. And that''s right, Ruciel had to repeatedly use Fyona''s Compassion to get us out of those problems. On the other hand, Diana was hiding behind my back. She used me as a shield. We arrived at the inn and we rented three rooms. We told Diana to stay in her room. That makes her think we want to lock her up. Once again, she became hysterical even though we had already explained, it had to be done so that her curse didn''t affect other people. Diana wouldn''t listen to my explanation. But, she calmed down after Chloe and Kimi said that they would sleep with her. So, Ruciel and I brought three portions of dinner to them before we joined Alan to fill our bellies at the inn''s restaurant. I feel sorry for Alan because he has to sleep alone. So I invited him to sleep with me and Ruciel. But, the boy rejected it directly. He assured us that he was fine to sleep on his own before disappearing into his room. We were full so we decided to follow Alan''s steps. We went back to our room to get enough rest. "We need something to seal her curse. I could die if I continued to use spells every five minutes," Ruciel complained. I who heard this understood what she meant and felt. Therefore, I gave her a lap pillow to replenish her energy. And... Something to seal Diana''s curse huh? I''ve seen the kinds of stuff sold in this village. Therefore, I know, something we need cannot be obtained in this place. Luck will probably greet us when we visit the city. Speaking of cities, maybe it''s time for us to leave this village. Following Ronove wasn''t a bad idea. In addition to that, I also want to know Lostria, Teria, and the Airship crew''s well-being. It''s been a few days that I haven''t seen them and it makes me uneasy. "Tomorrow we will go to the nearest city, Ruciel. There, we''ll probably get something to seal Diana''s curse." "It was sudden but it was a good decision. Honestly, I''m tired of this place," she expressed her feelings. Then, she closed her eyes. Silence enveloped us. I looked at the girl''s face for some time until I couldn''t help myself. Moving my hand, I stroked her head. "Can you stop that?" "Oh! I thought you were asleep. And if you don''t want this, maybe you want something more intense?" "...no, maybe next time. For now, this is more than enough." Next time? Did she want something more intense next time? Does this mean our relationship has improved? Chapter 147 - The Start Of Our Journey To The City "Let''s go," I said after seeing everyone. They got their equipment, bags, provision, and the other at ready. A long journey won''t be a problem for us. Our destination is the next city in this savanna. Now, after gathering some information, I can say with confidence, the city we are going to not have the size of a village like this city, our base camp for a few days. In that real city, there are three things we going to do. Buy weapons, look for some way to dispel Diana''s curse, and then regroup with the rest of our friends. We will collect materials to buy weapons along the way. We already have quite a lot of savings. So, with this one hunt, I''m sure we will get enough materials to make a good barter. So, with plans in mind, we left the village. Ah! That''s right, this morning, before breakfast, I remembered one thing related to the curse. What I mean by that is about catalyst or trigger that makes the curse affect people. The curse has an extremely powerful effect and is hard to be removed after it has been implanted in someone. But, the curse can be easily blocked using simple items. It''s just like Medusa''s eyes that can be countered by a mirror or one simply doesn''t have to see her eyes. In light of that, I did a little experiment on Diana. I suspect and from my experience, her curse will take an effect when other people see her. With that said, I want to cover a few parts of her body using fabrics to block the curse. We would be lucky if the curse she had was being implanted on her body. However, if the curse was implanted in her existence or even her soul, covering one part of the woman''s body would have no meaning whatsoever. If it was in her voice, we just ask her not to speak. We did the little experiment and we know that we were lucky. After covering Diana''s entire body with a robe and a piece of cloth, Diana''s curse no longer worked on us or more precisely, to a Flugel who become our volunteers. Yes, that piece of cloth we used to cover Diana''s face. The curse was back on when we took off that piece of cloth. We were surprised by the discovery and that shorten our experiment. We covered Diana''s lips, nose, forehead, and finally, we discovered that the curse was implanted in Diana''s eyes. If it had to be more specific, I''d say her right eye. Of course, we didn''t just end the experiment after discovering the truth about her left eye. We continued for some time to find another catalyst. In the end, Diana had only one catalyst. That was a piece of great news. With all of that, the woman gets an eye patch. Our goal to seal her curse turned into dispelling her curse. We''re going to help her with that matter and of course, it''s not free. If we or I, manage to find a way to dispel her curse, I ask her to be mine. Diana did not accept the deal immediately. She make a bid, she wanted to pay for our efforts with the Magic Stone and Magic Equipment she had. She showed us treasures she had in her Space Storage. The demonstration of that ability made us freeze for a while. Yes, it was her ability that make us freeze and not her treasures. I investigated how she had such abilities and I knew, her Space Storage was gained from luck. Diana found a Skill Orb containing the Space Storage in a treasure box. Now, back to the deal that we''re going to make. I''m not going to let Diana pay us with her treasures. So, I lured her into my clutches with a pretext, she could be part of my family if she wanted to be mine. The word ''family'' had a big influence on her. Diana''s resolve faltered and in the end, she agreed to be mine. I''m adding too many members to my family? Maybe that''s true but this will be the last. At this moment, I have no other motive to pull that woman into my clutches. Why would I want Diana? I wanted her because she''s a rare Imperfect Flugel. She''s going to be one of the dozens of beautiful women that I will collect. I know that words sound so wrong in various angles and it was a joke. I want her to become my crew. And as long as Diana was happy to live with us, my reason for wanting her wouldn''t be a problem. Yes, I wouldn''t mistreat her. Then, in a fight, Diana surprised us - Ruciel and me - with her abilities. She can manipulate space and she says, she has Space Magic. A type of magic that doesn''t exist in Ark Fantasy Online before. Thanks to that magic, Diana became a short-range and medium-range fighter. Her sword could cut off enemies from a distance of six to nine meters. So, with all that Diana was a good find. The wind blew as we walked on this savanna. "How far is the next city?" Ruciel asked Diana. "Not too far away, we''ll get to the city after walking for an hour and a half. That doesn''t include the time we''ll spend fighting monsters." "Thank you," she told Diana. The girl then saw me. "What do you want, Eclaite? Visit the city and hunt around it or continue to hunt and then visit the city when the afternoon arrives." "Hmm... Let''s visit the city as soon as possible." Ruciel''s long ears make a jolt. "That''s unusual from you." "Okay... What do you mean by unusual?" "You always tend to fight and keep fighting until you are exhausted. So, when you turn down the opportunity to shed blood and kill monsters, it was unusual. Why would you want to visit the city without hunting?" "Because I-" Tremble! Tremble! An earthquake that appeared suddenly cut my words. Everyone became alert because of this episode. I scanned the surroundings to find out what was happening and not far from us, I found a large golden-colored Magic Circle emitting a bright light. "Oh no, it''s Monster House," Diana said. The woman''s face turned pale. Monster House? That term was used to refer to one of the many traps in the Dungeon. A trap that would usually imprison the adventurers inside a place and force them to fight against dozens of monsters appeared from within the Summoning Magic Circle. That was the definition of Monster House. "Diana, does the Monster House in this place have a Barrier that imprisons us?" I asked as I draw my spear. "No, but-" "Then, run!" I shouted, cutting Diana''s words. Everyone followed my orders. We ran away from the great Magic Circle. "Escaping from the Monster House wasn''t easy," said Diana, who was flying low beside us. "One of the types of summoned monsters in that deadly trap can run quickly, they will hinder us and buy time for the other monsters to catch up." "It wouldn''t be a problem, I had a plan to shake them off if they catch up with us," I told Diana. "They''re coming!" Ruciel shouted, giving us a warning. "Seventeen Tear Antelope is approaching quickly!" I looked back to find the Tear Antelopes who usually avoided fighting to emit a killing intent. They were a little scary because they had blood-red eyes. Those monsters will catch up with us in dozen or so seconds. So... "Keep running!" I shouted and reduced my running speed. "Big sis!" Kimi exclaimed. "Eclaite! What are you doing!?" Ruciel scolded me. "I want to swallow them with a white mist. So, keep running, lest you be swallowed by the most too." The faces of the kids and Ruciel turned pale. Without any hesitation remains, they ran and this time, they were faster than before. Diana who didn''t know what to do decided to follow everyone after I said, "go with them." Looking at their reactions, excluding Diana, I couldn''t help but guess that they were more afraid of my mist than the Monster House. Does the mist give them trauma? I shook my head to forget that stupid question. I took a deep breath to carry out my plan. Right, the Tear Antelope caught up with me. Now, they surrounded me. Of course, they started attacking me. The monsters used their small horns as spears. I have no problem dodging two or three Tear Antelope simultaneously. However, for the dozens of Tear Antelope that kept coming and going, inevitably, I had to use Swift Gale. And that still makes me unable to completely dodge the monsters'' attacks. I don''t use Swift Movements because that skill will be my way out. Yes, I didn''t use the Mist of Nightmare Illusion at the moment the Tear Antelope surrounded me because Ruciel and the others were still within the reach of my skill. Taking a peek at my back for a second, I found a collection of monsters consisting of the Small Earth Lion, Boulder Mammoth, Black Cheetah, and Reatle Red Snake. I gulped when I saw the last two monsters, the Black Cheetah and the Reatle Red Snake. They''re extremely dangerous. One could say, they were Sub Bosses. Black Cheetah is faster than Tear Antelope. They can catch up with us easily. I don''t know why they held back but I know it''s not a good thing. Then, after I got tens or more wounds, everyone finally got out of my skill range. Heat Perception already made sure of it... "[Mist of Nightmare Illusion]" A blast of white mist was created from my body. In an instant, all the Tear Antelope and the few monsters behind me were swallowed up by the blast. I made it, we survived, I thought but I was wrong. Tear Antelope and the other monsters did not fall asleep. They were completely unaffected by this mist! Heat Perception tells me that they''re moving around! My mist only limited their vision. This is bad! Extremely bad! Chapter 148 - The Battle With The Monsters The monsters were not swallowed into nightmares. That was extremely bad. I don''t want these monsters to go after Ruciel and the others. So, I decided to lure them and go in the opposite direction. Before I begin the plan and to make sure that the monsters follow in my footsteps, I must shed their blood first. Inside this mist, I approached a Tear Antelope with Heat Perception as a guide. I moved as fast as possible without care. So, because of it, the monster noticed my presence, it came to me, probably wanted to attack me with its horns. Of course, I didn''t let the monster hurt me. I took a deep breath. I observe the monster''s movements and waited for it to get closer. After that, I swung my spear as fast as possible. Swoss! Splat! My spearhead pierced the eye and then the monster''s brain. I managed to kill it with one strike. My hand moved to pull the spear from the monster''s head. My legs moved to bring me to the other nearby monsters. My fox ears moved to catch the sounds of the monsters around me. I tried to get close to a Tear Antelope but I was found by two of them first. No, I have no intention of hiding and this is not the time to put my plan in motion. That''s why I prepared my spear, I channeled my energy all over my body. "Ru!" "Bill! Ru!" The monsters entered my attack range. A moment later, I said, "[Flash Swings]" Red lines were created, blood was shed, two outcries were created, and finally, two monsters fell on the ground. I turned my face away from the corpses to continue carrying out my plan. At the same time, I noticed the movements of the monsters that seemed to be confused inside this mist. Surprisingly, the monsters didn''t split up, they stayed together as they tried to get out of the mist. They could catch up with me in seven seconds but because of their behavior right now, I get extra time. Thanks to this, I managed to kill three other Tear Antelope. As the mist thinned, I approached that group of monsters. I used Water Shot, Wind Cutter, and Wind Cannon to grab their attention. "Shaa!" "Whiii!" "Rawr!" The spells I shot made some of those monsters angry. They approached me for revenge and their friends followed closely behind. I turned around and ran away. My plan to attract their attention was a big success. Now, I just need to herd them far enough away from Ruciel and the others. After that, I''ll escape from those monsters using a combination of Swift Gale, Swift Movements, and Mist of Nightmare Illusion. Time passes... I managed to lure those monsters away. But unfortunately, seven of them broke away from the main group to go after Kimi and the others. That''s something I don''t want. Especially when those monsters that broke away were Black Cheetah and Reatle Red Snake. If the one that broke away from the main group was another species, I can breathe a sigh of relief. I believe, Ruciel and the others could do something to escape from the monsters. And if they were lucky, everyone might be able to defeat the monsters that came at them. But... For the scenario when seven Sub Bosses with an average level of forty vs. five Adventurers with an average level of thirty, it makes me short of breath. Players could die as many as five times in that scenario and yes, I had to do something to stop those Sub Bosses. "[Doppelganger]" Using my other Unique Skill, I changed to Patchwork Corpse under the name Product No. 7. Once again, I was a creepy monster who had three arms, two pairs of eyes, and a wide, filled with sharp teeth mouth. I''m repulsive but I''m strong, extremely strong. My footsteps changed as I turned and chased after those Sub Bosses. And yes, I was extremely fast, and once again, I had trouble controlling this sudden increase in power. Fortunately, thanks to my previous experience and determination, I was able to control that explosion of power when I catch up with those sub-bosses. "Rawrr!" "Shaa!" A Black Cheetah and Reatle Red Snake stopped to greet me. They were extremely thoughtful so I gave them gifts. "[Colossus Punch]" Bahm! "Hiss!" The strongest Arte of the Unarmed Combat Mastery at level five sent Reatle Red Snake flying. Not only that, but the blow also shattered the monster''s lower jaw. A moment later, the flying snake monster landed by hitting the other two monsters. "Rawrr!" Black Cheetahs come with glowing claws. The monster jumped to pounce on me. A monster without wings floated in the air. It was defenseless and that was an opportunity. So, I filled my body with energy and then I blast it up. "[Flash Swings]" My spear swung rapidly to cut off the monster''s stomach. Swoss! Swoss! Splat! Splat! "Rawr!" The monster roared before it fell. A pool of blood was created under the injured Black Cheetah. The monster tried to get up but I didn''t let it. My spear swung and this time, the weapon pierced the monster''s head to end its life. My battle against two monsters caught the attention of the other monsters. They stopped chasing Ruciel and the others. They turned around, came to gang up on me. I''m not afraid of them. I have a new power. I''ve made my determination. So I fought against them. "[Swift Movements]" When using Doppelganger, my AGI broke through the four hundred mark. Then, when I used Swift Movements, the AGI broke through the one thousand two hundred mark. With that amount of AGI, I was able to surpass the Black Cheetah''s speed easily. And I''ll say, everything around me is getting slower, even closer to barely moving! I took a deep breath before I started attacking. I want this fight to end as soon as possible. At the same time, I want the dangers possessed by these monsters to disappear immediately. Therefore, I aimed at the vital points of the monsters. My spear, fist, and sword of light pierced, crushed, and cut off the heads and hearts of those monsters. Then, when the duration of the Swift Movements ended, almost all the monsters around me died. Those still alive are in critical condition. My body moved to kill those helpless monsters. < Level up! 26 to 27 > < Level up! 27 to 28 > I managed to clear the Sub Bosses and my level went up twice. However, this is not the time to be excited, I have to deal with the chaos that is the main group of monsters. They finally came to catch up with me. Facing them head-on and at once is an extremely bad idea. So, I made a plan by utilizing Fire Breath. I burned the grass in front of them. Then, I ran sideways while burning the other grass. My plan is to make a ring of fire. I want to trap them inside it and make them panic. Along with that, I want to drain their HP. The monsters stopped running as they saw the burning flames. They panicked, faster than I expected, and started to run away from the fire I made. I don''t want to let them escape. Therefore, I increased my running speed. But a moment later, I realized, I wouldn''t be able to catch up or even overtake them if I ran while burning the grass. So, I stopped using Fire Breath to use Swift Gale. I ran and managed to get ahead of the monsters. Using Fire Breath again, I created a wall of fire to block them. And yes, the monsters became panicked again, they ran in the other direction. So, I had to stop using Fire Breath to get ahead of them, again. I had to create four other walls of fire before I managed to trap those monsters in the ring of fire. The fire probably wouldn''t affect them too much. However, I''m sure, the thick black smoke and lack of oxygen will have a big impact on them. I''m keeping an eye on the trapped monsters. My Spear, Atre, and Spell are ready to kill the monsters that dare to escape from the ring of fire at any time. A few minutes passed and not a single monster jumped out of the ring of fire. The monsters were inside and chose to gather within a small area. Are they planning on creating a wall of meat to protect other monsters? I don''t know and to know the answer, I have to wait. "Okay, why are you guys here?" I turned around and asked Ruciel and the others using a slightly loud voice. yes, it''s relatively upsetting. I tried to save them but instead, they approached the danger that I wanted to keep away from them. "We''re going to help you, big sis! You''re a big sis, right?" Kimi''s fox ears twitched after she gave an explanation and questions. She, along with Alan, Chloe, and Diana, was on alert. The kids once saw me turn into this figure but apparently, they had forgotten about it. As for Diana, it was only natural that she became wary. She never saw me turn into a monster, this was the first time for her. Ruciel? The girl made a disgusted expression so I''ll ignore her for now. This situation and the attitude of the girl I love made me sigh deeply. "Yes, I am Eclaite. Now that you''re already here, get ready.. Those monsters can come out at any time." Chapter 149 - The End Of Monster House "No... After I think about it again, we''d better get out of here, and quickly as possible at that. We don''t need to hunt down those monsters," I said then I walked away. "Wait a minute," said Ruciel who grabbed my hand to stop me. "We came to help you, those monsters are dying, shouldn''t we kill them? Why did you suddenly decide to leave?" "Because I feel an unpleasant thing and killing those monsters fell so wrong. More than that, I feel like someone or something is watching us." I moved my head to look around. I wanted to find someone or something I was referring to but I didn''t find anything. All I saw was vast grasslands, trees, a clear sky, and monsters that roaming around in the distance. Now and then, I also see some Flugels flying in the sky but I''m sure, they don''t observe us. They did stop to see what happened but it was only for a moment. After that, they continued their journey. "I don''t feel any presence," Ruciel told me. Her eyebrows bent as a sign that she didn''t believe me. "I don''t care if you believe me or not. But now, we have to get out of here. I don''t accept refusal in any form." I''ve said my plan and the next thing I do is carry out the plan with my body. I used my hands to get everyone to walk away. I''m happy when they obey my wishes. Nothing bad will happen if we escape, but I''m wrong again. Not long after we walk, we found a transparent Barrier blocking us from leaving. "It''s particularly strange," Ruciel said, touching the transparent Barrier. "We came from the more further arena and we didn''t encounter any barriers before." "Maybe we get a trap that will activate after some people get into its range," I guessed and explained. Then I turned around to look at the monsters trapped inside the ring of fire. "Looks like we should kill them." Ruciel''s long ears jolted and she immediately prepared her Longbow. "Alright," she said before then firing arrow of light after arrow of light towards the monsters. The girl''s attack peeled off the walls of meat made by the monsters. She could kill a Small Earth Lion with an arrow of light! "Are you getting stronger or are you hiding this power?" I interrogating. "I won''t hold back anymore. So, you can put your trust in me while we hunt." "Hmm... I feel like I''ve heard statements like that from you before." "You must have image things. Now tell me, do you want to hunt down those monsters or not?" "Okay, I''ll hunt them down," I told Ruciel. After that, I looked to see the children and Diana. "All of you stay with Ruciel, hunt the monsters that come to you. Don''t hold back and try your best." Chloe made a strong nod. "I''ll try my best!" "I''ll protect everyone when sis Eclaite is gone," Alan made a declaration. "I I too will try my best," said Diana timidly. Kimi took one step forward. Puffing out her chest, she said, "I''ll help big sis on the front line!" The little girl showed great courage. She always volunteered to help me when we fought strong monsters and she never hesitate while doing so. My little sister is amazing, also Chloe and Alan too. But, courage alone is not enough. They, or especially Kimi need the strength to uphold that courage. Once they have both, they will be perfect. So, for now, "please help Ruciel and everyone, Kimi." "Big sis!" She was yelling at me. Her fox''s ears and tail stood upright. "You are not strong enough. So-'' "Why does big sis always say that!" She cut my sentence. "Because that''s the truth." "Alright, you two, that''s enough," Ruciel said to break up our dispute. "Those monsters are coming so I hope you guys can crack that problem later." I twisted my body. And it''s true as Ruciel said, the monsters came to us. More worryingly, they came quickly. "Stay with Ruciel, Kimi," I told my little sister. Then, I use the spell, Swift Gale and ran towards the group of monsters. While I was running, I discovered that within that group of monsters, there wasn''t much Black Cheetah and Reatle Red Snake left. I only see two to three monsters for each kin. Of course, those Sub Bosses became my main target. My second targets are Boulder Mammoth and Small Earth Lion. I can let Tear Antelope, Zebril, and Brown Scorpio pass by. Those monsters didn''t have any great danger to everyone and I''m sure, everyone could kill them easily. I''ve already decided what I''m going to do. So... "[Swift Movements]" I activated the skill as soon as I got in three meters of the monsters. Without wasting any time, I approached all the Sub Bosses directly. My body moved to kill them. And yes, Swift Movements combined with high AGI is terrifying! Within ten seconds, I managed to stab and crush seven heads of those Sub Bosses! And not only that, I managed to incapacitate two Boulder Mammoths and a Small Earth Lion. If I can transform Magic Stones from monsters I''ve never eaten into Exp, I''ll level up this terrific skill so that I get a longer duration. Now, back to the fight in front of me. I don''t want these monsters to approach everyone. Therefore, I cut, stabbed, or crushed one of their legs with my spear, Sword of Light, and Colossus Punch. Head and vital point? I wanted to attack those two spots but, the head or most of the Boulder Mammoth''s body was covered by hard skin that had a color and texture similar to a boulder. My spear couldn''t penetrate it easily and the spells I had could only make shallow cuts. I can only attack the opening in the joints of those huge monsters. As for Small Earth Lion. The monster used Earth Magic to harden its skin. And yes, this monster ended up having a defense equivalent to the Boulder Mammoth. Those two monsters were tough to defeat with a single strike. I tried my best to block the path of these monsters but¡­ what a woman can do is exceptionally limited. Because of this, some monsters got past me. They ran up to Kimi and everyone. Worry bothers me. Would the kids be able to handle those Small Earth Lions? Are they going to be okay? They''re not scared, are they? Question after question popped into my head. However, in the end, the worry that bothered me was completely unfounded. The kids are fine and they''re strong. Also, Ruciel dropped most of the monsters that came to them. The kids team up to defeat the monsters that surround them. As for Diana, she became a hidden ace. She helped the children and Ruciel perfectly. I focused on my fight after knowing everyone was fine. I took a deep breath. Moving my body, I started hunting down and killing the monsters in front of me as quickly as possible. I want the disaster called Monster House gone in the blink of an eye. But the reality is not kind. Boulder Mammoth and Small Earth Lion couldn''t be defeated easily. For every Boulder Mammoth, I had to thrust my spear into its head eight times or more before I could kill it. Because of that, my spear was destroyed. On the other hand, Small Earth Lion continued to harass me with their roars. Several times, because I was caught off guard, the effect of their fear-giving roars got me. This made me stop for a while to receive attacks from the other monsters that surrounded me. Yes, Ruciel''s light arrows came to save me from peril from time to time. And I''ll say, I''m so grateful to her. Time passed and in the end... < Level up! 28 to 29 > < Level up! 29 to 30 > < The requirement to evolve has been fulfilled. Do you want to evolve into Four Tails Fox? > < Yes > < No > Oh! Ho ho ho... Four Tails are coming! The time to evolve has come! And it''s faster than I thought! That''s right, the monsters are dead. We managed to kill all the monsters summoned by the Monster House with our great of labor. We are faced with great hazards and we get big rewards. I wanted to protest but I couldn''t. Especially when everyone is okay and when I didn''t know to who I should say my protest. "Good job everyone! You passed the test!" Clap! Clap! Clap! A familiar voice, accompanied by the sound of applause caught my attention. Moving my head to look up, I saw Yuldra looking at us with a smile. A moment later, Flugel came down and landed. "Is this all you doing?" I''m trying to investigate. Everyone would have suspicions after hearing her words just now. "Yes, that''s right," she confessed with a nod. "However, for the record, I did it because of my dear mother''s orders. I don''t have the heart to do something like this to an innocent person. Not like my dear mother." "But you did it," I protested. "Since it''s my dear mother''s command," Yuldra replied with a smile. She would do anything as long as it was for her mother!? Yes... That''s extremely scary. "Alright, now, let''s hear what you want to say." "Dear mother called you, Miss Eclaite. So, let''s go back to the city!" Chapter 150 - A Big Magic Stone "Dear mother called you, Miss Eclaite. So, let''s go back to the city!" "You mean now?" I asked Yuldra who was smiling. The girl blinked and then nodded. "That''s right, now. You should see my dear mother as soon as possible, so let''s go." A moment later, Yuldra swung her right hand gently. What appeared suddenly after the girl finished with the action took us by surprise. A horse-drawn carriage without horses just appeared! "Wow..." My little sister voiced her admiration. "That''s amazing!" said Chloe, who didn''t want to miss out. As for Diana, Alan, and Ruciel, they froze for a moment before then rubbing their eyes. It could be said that they were still didn''t believe in something that had just happened. "Everyone, get in, go go go!" Yuldra made an invitation after opening the carriage door. "No, please wait a minute, we''re not leaving now. I mean, look at all those monsters, we have to take the materials and Magic Stones from them." I used my hands to point towards the corpses of the monsters. There''s a treasure there and I don''t want to miss the Boulder Mammoth, Black Cheetah, or Reatle Red Snake''s Magic Stones. I wanted their skills and I had an experiment that I had to do, I wanted to find out if I could convert the new skill I just get to become an Exp. I also didn''t forget about the Stat Points I could get from their meat. They are too precious to be missed. Yuldra looked at the corpses of the monsters and shook her head. "You don''t have to think about meaningless things like that. Forget it, you can hunt those monsters next time." "But, but our new weapon." "New weapon?" "We collect materials because we want new weapons. We need it for the next hunt." "You want weapons? Then I will give you weapons later. But for now, please come in. I don''t want to waste my time any longer here." Yuldra smiled but her eyes didn''t. The girl looks even scarier. I''m afraid to see what happens if I make her unhappy and I don''t want to make her angry either. Therefore, I told everyone to get into the horse carriage. Then, just as I wanted to get into the horse-drawn carriage, Yuldra stopped me. When I was confused by her behavior, I got the question, "Is that permanent? Can''t you return to your former self?" Oh no, I forgot that I''m currently a Patchwork Corpse. I''m a dreadful monster with a large body and a height approaching two maters. And yes, as I transform back into myself, the clothes I wear become tattered. It was ripped off by a big body that shouldn''t be contained. After putting on new clothes, I climbed into a horse-drawn carriage, and then we left for the nearest town. That''s right, the carriage moved without the horses. The inside of Yuldra''s carriage was quite spacious. It has two extremely comfortable long chairs. The exterior that is owned gives a simple impression but still looks luxurious. And most importantly, the carriage was so comfortable to ride. When I was in it, I didn''t feel any shock. And to spend time on the trip, Yuldra asked me to tell her about our adventure time. Yes, I had no reason to refuse so I told her our stories. When I finished, Yuldra''s smile became even wide. "I''m glad to see you enjoying your journey in Uncertainty. A smile immediately bloomed on my face when I found out, you guys are friends with a Flugel," Yuldra said. Then she looks at Diana. "What''s your name, my sister?" Diana''s body twitched for a moment Yuldra invited her to talk. She look at the kids, Ruciel, and then me with eyes that were crying out for help. From the body language she made, it was clear that she didn''t know what to do. "It''s okay, Diana," I told her. "Just say your name." The woman wanted to say something to me but ended up canceling it. She looked at Yuldra, bowing her body and head slightly before saying, "... My name is Diana, Princess Yuldra." A smiling Yuldra nodded her head. She looks so satisfied. "Diana, a good name." On the other hand, Diana became uncertain and misbehaved. Seeing the strangeness made Yuldra say another question that is, "What''s wrong?" "... I don''t think someone like me deserves to talk to you," Diana confessed after being silent for some time. "Why do you think like that?" "Because I''m an Imperfect Flugel." "Don''t think low of yourself just because you are an Imperfect Flugel. For me, either Imperfect Flugel or Flugel is the same. People may not realize this but my dear mother, Dishonesty is an Imperfect Flugel. She has two pairs of wings, remember." The facts spoken by Yuldra surprised Diana including me and everyone. I thought that two pairs of wings for a Flugel was a sign that they were a kind of Flugel of a better grade, just like a Divine Beast but I was wrong. Of course, thanks to knowing that Dishonesty was also an Imperfect Flugel, Diana gained a bit of her confidence. She could talk to Yuldra with a better attitude than before. Ruciel and the kids? They choose to be quiet and listen. They are so trained to evade problems. They made me a shield by letting me keep talking to Yuldra. Time passed and we finally reached the city. I followed Yuldra to the nearest Teleportation Crystal. Since Dishonesty just wanted to meet me, Ruciel, Diana, and the kids separated themselves from me in search of lodging. They''ll rest until I get back. And yes, I tried to figure out why Dishonesty wanted to see me but I didn''t get an answer from Yuldra who didn''t know anything. In the end, I was still confused when I reached the stone gazebo, the place where I had met Dishonesty before. "Oh! There you are, Eclaite," Dishonesty said. From her voice, I''m sure that right now, she''s so excited. But then I felt unsure of it when I saw her expressionless face. "Come here and sit down." I followed her orders and sat in the empty chair in front of her. Kettles, cups, and spoons move by themselves to make tea for me. "What are we going to talk about this time?" "You don''t want to chit-chat first?" Dishonesty slightly tilted her head. "I don''t mind that but... Are you sure you want a chit-chat? I''m sure you''re pretty busy." "I''m not too busy now. But alright, we''ll discuss the main reason why I called you." "I''m listening," said I, who then sipped the tea served. Dishonesty nodded then opened her mouth. "I remember that you can get a skill randomly from the Magic Stones of the monsters. Now, I want to make sure, do you only have a chance to obtain a skill from a Magic Stone? Don''t you have a second chance to gain another skill? Can''t you choose the skill of the Magic Stone directly?" My ears twitched because of the barrage of questions. I took a breath and said, "yes, only one, no, I didn''t have a second chance, and no, I can''t." "Then we should raise your Luck as high as possible." "Okay... This conversation confused me. Can you give me a clear and brief explanation? Why would you ask about the effects of my Unique Skill once again." "I just want you to eat this Magic Stone." Dishonesty laid out the rugby ball-shaped Magic Stone, which was like a starry night sky packed in a glass container. It was a Magic Stone that she had offered me before. "But why? And didn''t I already say that I wouldn''t get any skills from this two-hundred-year-old Magic Stone?" "Isn''t that obvious, I want you to have a skill possessed by the owner of this Magic Stone. For the record, I took this Magic Stone from the monster I just killed. This is a fresh Magic Stone." "Okay, what kind of skill I will get, and what should I do to it or I used it for?" "Hmm..." Dishonesty narrowed her eyes then made a mischievous smile. It was rare to see her make an expression. And I know, this is not a good sign. "Eat that Magic Stone and you will find it out." Shortly after she said that sentence, five Magic Circle with different colors that were on top of each other appeared above my head. The magic circle turned into particles of light that finally entered my body. "Eat the Magic Stone, your luck has multiplied by twenty now." I wanted to refuse but I couldn''t seem to. If Dishonesty''s personality was still the same as I knew, she wouldn''t accept rejection. Even if I refuse, I''m sure, she''ll force me to eat the Magic Stone. So... I ate the Magic Stone. < Acquired a Unique Skill! Soul Eater > [Soul Eater] [HP, MP, SP -150] [+ Eat a Soul and make a portion of their powers as yours. + You can only eat a Soul each day.] Okay... I got such a strange Unique Skill. More than that, that Unique Skill had a frightening name and effect. Eating the soul? Get a portion of their powers? Yes, that''s extremely scary. "Tell me, Eclaite. What skill did you get?" I could feel the curiosity and hope of her voice. "I got a Unique Skill, Soul Eater," I told her. Dishonesty stood up from the chair suddenly, she looked at me intensely.. And honestly, she freaked me out with her gaze. Chapter 151 - A Big Trouble That I Didnt Want To Deal With 1_2 "Soul Eater and not Soul Breaker?" Dishonesty asked in a low voice. The fur all over my body stood up because of her manner. Why does she look so scary now? Ah! Did she just say Soul Breaker? "Do you want me to have Soul Breaker?" "Yes, but unfortunately you didn''t get it, isn''t that true?" "There''s no mistake, I got Soul Eater." Dishonesty sighed. She sat back down and leaned back in her chair. Closing her eyes, the Flugel woman showed her disappointment. For today, I saw her showing pretty much of her expression. "Soul Eater is not a bad Unique Skill. Thanks to it, I was able to eat the soul and take a little power from the soul," I explained and tried to make the woman feel better. "I know that," she said with a little care. The attitude she showed and this situation made me feel uncomfortable. It was as if what was happening now was the same as when parents had high hopes for their kids to pass the final exam. And when the kid didn''t graduate, she or he faced disappointment from her or his parents. I was the kid and what''s worse, I didn''t do anything but I felt guilty. All these strange feelings irritate me. "Really, what do you want from me? Why should I get Soul Breaker? And can you stop being disappointed with me because of what you did!?" I puffed my cheeks and turned my face the other way. As for Dishonesty, the woman blinked before making a faint smile. "I''m sorry." She said to me. "So, what''s the hidden matter behind all this?" "I just want you to destroy a soul of the Fallen God or better known as the Evil God." "Evil God?" "Long story short, they are gods tainted by Scourge. The Evil God only understood destruction and murder. We can''t negotiate or coexist with them. I''m sure, you know, the Evil God is the source of the Scourge itself, right?" I nodded. "I know about Evil God and Scourge from Ark Fantasy Online. And can''t they be killed by heroes? I remember the Main Quest, Save the World, where the heroes kill the Evil Gods." "The heroes only capable of sealing the Evil Gods and unfortunately, there are no Quests in this world." Dishonesty shook her head. "What do you mean there are no Quests? That was indeed true, there were some Quests Giver that couldn''t be found. But, in this world, there were still Quests Giver. I still remember clearly, Vier and the others received the Quest, The Titans from Gaia, The Goddess of Life after they obtained the Gaia Blood Gem. Moreover, I met Ronove, an old woman who has Quest the Pitiful Necromancer. Although I didn''t accept her Quest, she indeed had that Quest. And now, that old woman is with me here, in Uncertainty." Again, Dishonesty blinked more and faster than usual when she saw me. Should she be surprised every time I say something? "You always say things that are harsh to believe. Regarding this Quest Giver and the Quests they have, I want you to tell me everything you know but we both know, it''s going to take hours. So! Stand up, Eclaite." Dishonesty left her chair. The woman stood next to the table, she made a hand gesture telling me to approach her. I took a deep breath and approached her. In a matter of seconds, we went standing face to face. "Okay, what should I do now?" "Just think about all the things related to Quest Giver and Quest don''t think about anything else. I want to copy all the knowledge about those things. Are you ready?" Dishonesty asked. At the same time, she raised her hand to touch the right and left sides of my forehead. "Wait! Wait a minute! Copying my knowledge? How do you do that? Is this method safe? I''m not going to feel any pain, right?" "As long as you don''t fight this spell, you won''t feel anything. Now, just thought the things I want to know, otherwise I''ll probably know your secret memories." "Wait, can we use another method!?" "Too late," she told me. A moment later, darkness enveloped my vision. What happened just now is like an episode where someone turns off the lights in a room suddenly. "Hoo... I didn''t think you''d do such a thing with that Fallen Elf girl. It looks like you guys are pretty close and you''re enjoying your night." Dishonesty''s voice echoed in this darkness. And "huh!? What kind of memories do you see!?" I asked Dishonesty who knows where. Don''t tell me, she saw the memory of my fun night with Ruciel! That''s extremely dangerous! And extremely embarrassing! "Don''t look at someone''s memories like that! That''s personal information!" I screamed in this darkness. "Well... I didn''t do it on purpose. Those memories just come to me because you didn''t think what I want to know. And oh! I didn''t expect that your first love in this world was your cruel father." "Don''t remind me of that jerk! And Dishonesty! Stop looking at my memories!" The screams I made just now filled with hate. "Okay, I''m sorry, don''t get angry. Now, can you think about the Giver Quest and the Quest you remember? If you constantly delay this, inevitably, I will see your other memories." "All right," I said, then took a breath. Then, I concentrated and started to remember all the Giver Quests along with the Quests I remembered. I even went to great lengths to remember some Of the Giver Quests and Quests that I forgot. All of that I did to prevent dishonesty from seeing my other memories. I don''t know how long time passed before Dishonesty said, "that''s enough." And the darkness that enveloped me disappeared. I blinked as I returned to the stone gazebo. My cheeks bulged when I saw Dishonesty. With "huff." I turned my face away. I refused to look and talk to her. On the other hand, Dishonesty makes giggles. She made me even more irritated. "Don''t get angry," she whispered after she hugged me from behind. "When you''re Vier, you look cool when you''re angry like this. But when you become Eclaite, you look incredibly cute." I don''t care. "You''re so cute," she said as she played with my cheeks. Since she was getting more and more annoying, I completely ignored her. "Don''t ignore me and take it easy, I''ll keep your secret. More than that, haven''t I apologized?" She let go of her arms and walked away from me. "... Well. I forgive you but the information about Quest Giver and the Quests is not free," I said when I saw her eyes. "Of course, what do you want as rewards?" "I want¡ª" you to dispel Diana''s curse and give me some weapons. I wanted to say all that but I remember, I got a Unique Skill from Dishonesty. Unique Skill is what made me agree with Dishonesty''s request. Being annoyed and a little angry, I said something unreasonable. "After I think about it again, you don''t have to give me anything." "Oh, why is that?" "You''ve already given me a Unique Skill." "They were a failure, you don''t have to count it. The knowledge to awaken the gods you gave me is precious. Now, what do you want? Don''t say something like I don''t need rewards." Dishonesty looks serious and as she says, she will not accept any form of refusal from me. So, in the end, I told her what I wanted. "Dispelling a curse and you want weapons? That''s it?" "Don''t say, that''s it! Dispelling a curse can change a person''s life. As for the weapons I want, all of it must be Rare Grade and I asked for ten weapons." "Yes, I am aware of that. It still doesn''t mean anything to me and to be honest, I thought, you should ask for some Legendary Grade Weapons." "Don''t exaggerate, Legendary Grade weapons are not things that can be obtained easily. I wouldn''t ask for such unreasonable rewards. Oh yes, why do you need the knowledge to revive the gods?" "Because the world needs them." "Then why would you want to destroy the Evil God''s soul?" "Because the world doesn''t need them." The answer given by the woman made one end of my lips tremble. "Are you teasing me?" "Of course not. But, I just don''t want you to know what I want to do and the problems I deal with when you can''t do anything to help me." She walked up and sat in her chair then drank her tea. I mimicking Dishonesty. Sit in my chair and drink my tea. Silence enveloped us until I said, "About this Soul Eater, are you sure that this Unique Skill doesn''t have any uses that you need?" "You can destroy a soul with that Unique Skill but it won''t do any good if you get the skill that the soul possesses," she explained as she picked up a cookie. "But the explanation of the Soul Eater, claims that I will only gain a little power from the soul I eat. And I consider the powers referred in here as Basic Statistics instead of Skills. And even if I get a Skill, I can turn it into an Exp for the skill I have." Dishonesty froze when she wanted to bite her cookie. Her eyes were on me again.. And same as before, her sharp gaze terrified me. Chapter 152 - A Big Trouble That I Didnt Want To Deal With 2_2 "Can you repeat your phrases!?" It is an order, not a request or a question from her. And from the voice she used, saying rejection to her was not a wise thing. I paused for a moment to remember what I said just now. And when I remember, I said, "but an explanation of Soul Eater¡ª" "Not from the beginning but just the last part, repeat that." "The last part? You mean the part when I say if I get a Skill, I can turn it into Exp for the skills I have." "That''s it! And you''re sure you can turn a skill you got into Exp?" "I''m not sure because I never tried it¡ª" "You never try it!?" She asks in a high voice. I, who is getting the question becomes meek. In a soft voice, I said, "yes." "If you''ve never tried it, then never say a plan based on that! It would just be a waste of time and invite danger. I know you''re adorable but never did I think that you can become this adorable." The fact or maybe the criticism she uttered pierced my heart. And when she says I am adorable, it''s mean that I was stupid. Yes, I''m aware that I was the one who made the mistake here. I''m not going to say a protest, I''m going to put my head down and say, "I''m sorry." "Haa... From now on, you just have to be careful about what you say and think about," Dishonesty told me. "But then, I can''t ignore the possibility in your words. Let me help you to confirm that possibility. Now, to obtain a skill and then turn it into Exp, what do you have to do?" "Well... I need to eat a Magic Stone from a monster I''ve never eaten before." "What kind of monster is that?" "Hmm... Boulder Mammoth, I had a chance to kill it but I didn''t get a chance to eat it." "All right, wait a minute," Dishonesty said. The woman then raised and pointed her right hand in the open field not far from this stone gazebo. A moment later, out of nothing... "Huffoo!" A Boulder Mammoth appeared out of nowhere. The monster looked around for a while before suddenly, its body floated in the air. The monster''s body began to twist ¡ª being like a squeezed wet cloth ¡ª along with disturbing noises. And yes, the monster died after its bones were destroyed, the flesh of its body was torn apart, and it lost a lot of blood. I don''t know how, Dishonesty made a beautiful gore scene in an instant. What happened made me almost vomit the things inside of my stomach. That''s true, I had to look away for some time for me to survive, not to make a rainbow. Gore''s scene ended after Dishonesty took the Magic Stone from the Boulder Mammoth. That Magic Stone floated from the monster''s body into Dishonesty''s beautiful hands. "Eat this and let''s see what you can do." Dishonesty put the Magic Stone that was still covered in blood on my cookies plate. Her eyes gave me an order to act immediately. Okay, so, I have to change the skill I got into Exp. Ruciel said I just needed to wish for it to happen but she didn''t tell me how to do it in detail. That means I have to do it using my way. What am I going to do? My plan is so simple. I''ll imagine that the skill I got will be converted into Exp shortly after I eat the Magic Stone. I won''t use complex Magic Circles, great tricks with Mana, or rely on Magic Tools. What I use are guts! As long as I do something using guts, everything will work and be fine! So, I picked up the Magic Stone ¡ª while earnestly imagining that the new Skill I had acquired would be converted into an Exp ¡ª I ate it. < Acquired a skill! Great Stomp |Lvl 1 > ¡­ ¡­ Initializing Unique Skill modification... ¡­ < Do you want &-''++:$# > ... < Do you want to convert this #$@*%& > ¡­ Ding! < Do you want to convert this skill to become an Exp for the existing Skills? > < Yes > < No > I managed to do it! Or the system that managed to do it!! Yay! Then I chose yes. < Set the skill that will obtain the Exp! > |> Medium Strength | Lvl 3 |> Lesser Health | Lvl 1 |> Lesser Stamina | Lvl 3 ? I don''t need to choose because, from the beginning, I had a skill that I wanted to level up quickly. < Swift Movements |Lvl 2 has been selected! > < Swift Movements obtain an extra Exp! > < Swift Movements, level up! 2 to 3 > [Swift Movements | Lvl 3] [SP -40] [+ Increased AGI and body movements by 300% for 15 seconds.] (For a skill that was just recently obtained after eating a Magic Stone, if changed to Exp, it would be equivalent to ten times the Exp obtained from the second Magic Stone and so on.) It''s so shocking! I didn''t expect that the Skill I chose instantly level up! "How is it? Did it work?" Dishonesty asked. The Flugel''s eyes watched me closely from bottom to top. I nodded and my fox ears twitched. "Yes, I managed to convert the skill I got into an Exp." "That''s good!" She exclaimed. This time, she put a white fireball on my cookies plate. "Eat, Eclaite." "Wait a minute, what is this?" I pointed at the white ball. "I was hoping you''d eat cookies or being confused by my command but it seems, Soul Eater also makes you able to see the soul," she explained. "Soul, this white ball is a soul?" "More precisely, it''s the soul of the Boulder Mammoth I just killed. Eat and tell me what happened. Will you get Skills and Stat Points as I know the skill should be or as you might expect, you''ll only earn Stat Points." I swallowed my saliva and took a few breaths. Once I calmed down and felt ready, I took the soul. I never thought it had a chewy texture. The soul was soft as well as cold. I felt like I was holding the half-melted ice cream in a plastic bag. So, I ate that soul. It''s taste? I''ll just say sweet with a little cold and a soft texture. After I''m done... < Boulder Mammoth''s soul has been consumed! > < HP +10 |MP +5 |SP +20 |END +25 > ... ... ... That''s it? If so, that means the wild guess I made is correct. Eating souls will give me Stat Points without Skills. And it''s quite shocking! The Stat Points I earned were quite a lot. I told Dishonesty this and the woman made a sound of, "hmm..." for some time. And yes, the woman''s eyes were glued to me. "That monster''s soul isn''t nestled in your body. That''s good and it''s a sign that you can absorb that soul. You could say, you destroyed that soul. With all this, you can take a role in my plans." "I''m happy, I was able to live up to your expectations but what do you mean by taking a role in your plans. What plan do you mean?" I asked. At the same time, my ears twitched because I felt uncomfortable. "You know I want to revive the gods. But my plan isn''t just that. There''s an important part you have to do and that is you, Eclaite, have a task to destroy the sealed souls of Evil Gods. We will save the world!" Dishonesty made a declaration. After I heard that, immediately I shake my head. "No no no!" I said. The response I made got a sharp gaze from the Flugel woman. I don''t have to say she''s so scary. "Why did you say no?" She asked quietly. "I mean, saving the world. Such a thing needs a great power to be done and I know, it was accompanied by a scenario where one had to complete Quests with a high level of difficulty. I doubt I can get all that done!" "You won''t have any trouble. You just need to visit the places where the Evil God''s souls sealed and ate their souls." "What about the Guardians of those places? I''m sure they''re strong, right?" "The places used to seal the Evil God''s soul are protected by artifacts or buildings made by us in the past. You''ll be safe there. Of course, you will get abundant rewards for your hard work." "Saving the world, seriously?" My fox''s ears and tail hang limply. On the other hand, Dishonesty uses her index finger to tap the table. "Why are you so opposed and want to stay away from this?" "That''s because saving the world is not an easy thing. I still remember we sacrificed a lot of things to complete the Main Quest we take. And yes, I won''t repeat that even more so when the Respawn feature isn''t there." "So, you''re scared." "You can also think of it that way," I admitted without a second thought. "Then I will say that your fear is not funded. You won''t be doing any Main Quests considering you only need to visit the places where the souls of Evil Gods are sealed. And did you remember that this kind of scenario appears in Main Quests?" ...In retrospect, what Dishonesty just says is true. The thing she asked for me to do had absolutely no connection with the Main Quests. If there''s no fight where I have to fight thousands of monsters, defeat a dozen of Dragon Class monsters, or complete Dungeon after Dungeon just to find a key, maybe, I''ll accept Dishonesty''s request? So, I made a confirmation to Dishonesty about my concerns above if I received her request. Then, when I found out I wasn''t going to have those outrageous episodes, I said, "All right." Dishonesty smiled after hearing my answer. Chapter 153 - Four Tails "That''s great!" Dishonesty exclaimed. "I''m glad you want to take part in my mission to revive the gods." "But why do we have to revive the gods?" "Didn''t I already tell you? We need the Major Gods to maintain the balance of this world, we also need them to keep the peace. I feel the revival of the scourge recently and that was a sign that chaos will come. That was also the reason why I wake up from my long slumber." Scourge revive recently. Previously and as long as I lived in this world, I had never heard the news about the scourge. I heard about them after I gave Vier and the other Gaia Blood Gem after they received the quest from Gaia. So... "Did I-" "Yes, you''re right," said Dishonesty to cut my words. Again and again, her sharp gaze was fixed on me. "From the story, you told me and from the memories, I took from you. I can say for sure, you are the one who started the destruction of this world." "That was outrageous! I didn''t do anything that could endanger this world!" I deny her words with everything I have. As an ordinary Beastkin, I don''t want to be labeled as someone who started the destruction of the world. The pressure from that crisis is too big and heavy for me to shoulder alone. Ignoring the heavy pressure or maybe the burden I felt, Dishonesty made a thin smile. Seeing that, I knew that she thought of bad things. "I don''t want to hear anything!" I cried out then sealed my fox ears at the top of my head with two hands. Truly, I don''t want to hear things that the woman says but... "The destruction of the world arrived and it was your fault." Dishonesty''s voice echoed directly in my head. "You can''t deny it because you are the one who knows how to use Gaia Blood Gem, you are the one who then tells other people to activate it." Hearing those words, I shook my head. "I don''t do anything." Dishonesty raised one of her eyebrows. "I want to say you''re wrong but whatever. You did agree to destroy the soul of the evil gods so I don''t need this blackmail to threaten you. On the other side, I will use it when you tried to run away from your responsibility." "Ugh! That''s extremely suffocating!" I never thought the thing I did to make Vier and others get a thrilling adventure, turned into an event that triggered the beginning of the destruction of the world. "And is that true? This world will be destroyed because I revive the scourge by triggering the Main Quest, the Titans?" "The world right now is not overseen by six Major Gods. It makes the world vulnerable to the invasion from the gods of the other world and of course, the invasion initiated by the Evil Gods." "The world is safe from those invasions because the Major Gods have made a pact with Creation God, the pact where Creation God will protect this world from the gods of the other world." "We can say, we are safe from the outside invasions but not from within, this world has many threats. Twelve Evil Gods still exist and live in this world. Four of them were sealed after The War of Gods. The other five Evil Gods disappeared or hid. And the last three Evil Gods are active and visible but they hardly have power." "You trigger the revival of the Scourge or we can say, you entice the Evil Gods to come out by trying to revive Gaia." As I said, I used Gaia Blood Gem because I want a thrilling adventure, not to destroy the world. I just want Vier and the other to have a taste of the great journey of the hero who will save the world. I want to say those words as a form of protest but I realized, that words were just a motive for me to escape this cruel reality. So, in the end, I didn''t say anything. I just listened to her explanation with my fox''s ear and tail hanging weakly. "I know you did it accidentally. After all, Gaia asking for help from you or your friend. I also know, Gaia doesn''t know that her struggles to revive herself will trigger the evil gods to make a move and also to revive themselves." "Gaia and three other Major Gods did not know our - the Elders - plans revive them in secret. We waited for the right time to revive them so as not to be detected by the Evil Gods. Then, taking advantage of the moments when the evil gods are still in a weak state and being sealed, the Elders along with the Major Gods will destroy them!" "The world will earn it deserved peace but, a plan often runs not per expectations, right?" Getting that question, I can only answer with a weak nod. "Now, about menaces that will destroy this world. Destruction will occur because of the rage of Evil Gods and the pollution that the Scourge have." "The world will be thrown upside down because of the rage of Evil Gods. They will mess with the rule of nature, the reality together with the dream, and the life of any creatures. On the other side, the pollution from the Scourge will turn everything into a mindless beast and will erode their souls. In the end, nothingness will await us." "You are right, when we live, we will be a mindless beast or toy for the Evil Gods. And when we die, we will never be reborn or being reincarnated because our souls were eroded into nothingness by the Scourge. That''s the menaces that await us." "And all of that menaces come to us because of your fault!" She exclaimed with a thin smile. On the other side, I, who was scared by the responsibility yelled, "Dishonesty!" Tears welled up in my eyes. "Okay, I''m joking and I''m sorry. Not everything was your fault, you just accelerated the beginning of the destruction meanwhile the destruction itself has existed from ancient times." After getting all that explanation, I don''t say anything. I''m still shocked by all the knowledge she gives me. I want to deny everything, but I know, this truth can''t be denied. Silence enveloped us for some time until... "The Elders have made preparations to deal with this crisis. So, we can breathe a sigh of relief and maybe, everything will get better if you succeed in destroying the soul of the sealed Evil Gods. Of course, I will assist in your mission to succeed. So, try our best, Eclaite." "...okay, I will try my best." "I expect it," she said with a smile. A moment later, she turn to look at the distance. "Now, you can go back and rest. There''s something I have to do." With that sentence as a sign, our discussion ends. I leave the garden, use Teleportation Crystal to go to the city, after that I went to the inn, where Ruciel and others already waiting for me. They are in the middle of their lunch. My level goes up and now I can evolve. Because of that, when the night come, I asked Ruciel to sleep with Kimi and the others. I asked them not to disturb me and wake me up in the morning. Alone in my room, I chose YES to evolve. My consciousness disappeared, I fell asleep. ... ... ... When I open my eyes, morning arrived. Judging from the high sun, I know I wake up late. Luckily and according to my wishes, Ruciel and the others didn''t disturb me. Thanks to that no panic happened, just like what happened in my second evolution. Now, after evolving, let''s look at the improvement I get. "[Stat Open]" ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Four Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 1/40 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 250/424 [354] | MP: 201/538 | SP: 136/394 [ STR: 343 | DEX: 122 ] [ END: 287 | Luck: 17 ] [ AGI: 401 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Heart of Monster] [Doppelganger] [Soul Eater] New [Natural Mana Circulation] [Divine Beast Blood] [Nature Vitality] [Upgrade Hearing] [Upgrade Smelling] [Steel Will] [High Jump] New [Lesser Health |Lvl 2] ? New [Medium Mana |Lvl 3] ? [Lesser Stamina |Lvl 4] ? [Medium Strength |Lvl 4] ? New [Lesser Endurance |Lvl 2] ? New [Medium Agility |Lvl 3] ? New [Enchanted Body |Lvl 4] ? [SP Regeneration Up |Lvl 5] ? [Pain Resistance |Lvl 7] ? [Poison Resistance |Lvl 6] ? [Paralyze Resistance |Lvl 5] ? [Physical Attack Resistance |Lvl 4] ? [Fire Magic Resistance |Lvl 2] ? New [Dark Magic Resistance |Lvl 5] ? [Long Runner |Lvl 3] ? New [Heat Perception |Lvl 4] ? [Spear Mastery |Lvl 5] ? [Sword Mastery |Lvl 4] ? [Light Magic |Lvl 2] ? New [Plant Magic |Lvl 2] ? New [Water Magic |Lvl 3] ? [Wind Magic |Lvl 3] ? [Appraisal |Lvl 3] ? [Pilot |Lvl 2] ? New [Courtesan |Lvl 8] ? [Cooking |Lvl 6] ? [Dance |Lvl 5] ? [Charm |Lvl MAX] ? [Stealth |Lvl 2] ? New [Hard Scales |Lvl 3] ? New [Strong Bite |Lvl 3] ? New [Sharp Claws |Lvl MAX] ? [Fire Breath |Lvl 3] ? [Roar |Lvl 2] ? New [Yellow King Punch |Lvl 3] ? New [Wild Kicks |Lvl 3] ? New [Swift Movement |Lvl 3] ? New [Venom Essence |Lvl 2] ? New [Mist of Nightmare Illusion |Lvl 3] ? ? All skills level up! Hmm ... in the previous evolution, I got 4 points for luck, 20 points for Dex, 30 points for ST, 40 points for End, Agi, HP, and SP, last, 60 points for MP. And now, I get 8 points for Luck, 40 points for Dex, 60 points for ST, 80 points for End, Agi, HP, and SP, as for MP, I got 120 points. This... This... was unbelievable! I became so strong! Basic statistics I have increased by a bunch. And will I say, now I can face any enemy - under level sixty - easily. I can beat Crystal Cobra without having to struggle badly. I just need to rely on my speed and strength to kill the monster. I''m so excited! Now, I can''t wait to try this new power on the battlefield! I want to hunt hundreds of monsters! Chapter 154 - The Next Day "What is this? You look cheerful but at the same time, you are depressed. The way you smile and then frown and vice versa makes me disgusted." That poisonous word was said by Ruciel. And true at her words, the girl put on a disgusted expression. At times like this, at times when I was stressed because I know that the destruction of the world was caused by something I did accidentally, and when I was happy because I evolved into Four Tails Fox, I wanted the girl to comfort and feel the happiness with me. However, the girl surpassed my expectations with her attitude. Without a shred of hesitation, she did not care about me and frankly insulted me. She is evil but somehow, I love her. Am I am M? I wondered when I cooked my food. Yes, waking up late made me skip breakfast with Ruciel and the others. Because of that, right now I cook my food. With a full stomach, Kimi, Chloe, and Alan decide to explore the city to look for weapons or other items they want. They knew that Yuldra would give us weapons so, maybe they were looking for backup weapons. It''s predictable, Diana took part in window shopping that the kids want to do. They left Ruciel, a girl who now insulted me while helping me cook. I''m at the inn and I cook? Yes, I cook because I have six-level cooking. The food I made was more delicious than the food made by the chef at this inn. To be honest, I don''t like the food they make. The Heart of Monsters changed my taste buds or how my tongue perceives the taste of food. On the other hand, level six cooking twisted my taste buds to be even more refined. As an outcome, I have a high standard for the taste of food. So, I cook for myself. And so, let''s forget about my high standard whatever. "Why don''t you ask about how I feel, Ruciel? Why do you have to insult me at the moment you see me?" I gave the girl a gaze full of tears. The expression of the girl crumbled, her mocking, disgusted expression turn into a confused expression. Her long ears made a few strong jolts while her eyes wandered around. When she freezes because of the confusion and doesn''t know what to do, I hug her. I didn''t hold myself back, I rubbed my face to her b*obs. It''s small but still, they are warm and supple. More than that, I was pleased with the scent of her body. "Stop hugging me, take notice of your cooking, smoke has come out." With that sudden warning, I returned to my cooking. It''s a pity, I can''t savor her body. But then, I do remember, I can play with her body anytime because we are always sleeping together in one room. So, I''m able to hold back. The cooking was done! I and Ruciel occupy a table filled with five types of foods. Three of them are made of monster meat so I can devour most of these foods. "What happened? Why did you act strange today?" Ruciel asked at a little pause when she ate her Vegetable Stew. My fox ear twitched and a soft smile adorned my face. "First," I began. "Dishonesty told me to eat Magic Stone and I got a Unique Skill. Then she told me that I accidentally started the destruction of the world. Finally, she asked me to use the Unique Skill I had just got to save the world from the Evil Gods!" The girl did not give any response. Once again, she froze and this time, she saw me with eyes wide open. "Oh! Right, I''m so happy because today, I get my fourth tail!" I told her then I deactivated the Collar of Concealment. I showed my four tails to her. "Look at this! Isn''t my tails wondrous?" I made two heart shape using my tails several times until Ruciel got her consciousness back. "If you want to make up stories, at least you have to make stories that easy to be accepted. I doubt, out there, there is someone who wants to entrust important tasks to fools like you." "Do you just say that I lie and I''m a fool?" "Yes, I don''t think you will save the world. Now, about those four tails. What exactly are you to have those?" Well... I also didn''t believe the fact that I will save the world. So, I will not bring up Dishonesty''s request in our chat again. As for my tails, I puffed my chest, I smiled when my fox ear twitched happily. "I have been holding back this secret long enough. Now, I will tell you, I am Nine Tails Fox! Well¡­ right now, I just have four tails so I am a Four Tails Fox!" Ruciel did not say anything. Sitting there, she cleaned her ear. She made a gesture that she did not believe what she had just heard. And, is all this alright? Revealing the secret about who I was in front of people. I will answer yes for it. Why? Because these Flugels rarely interact with people on the surface. I heard, they lived in Uncertainty and would die in it or when they defended it. Their closed life made me convinced, they had no intention of hurting me. "You lie," Ruciel said weakly. "Where do I say lies? I always say the truth to you, okay?" Ruciel stays still, like a statue. She just sat there looking into the distance. Is she shocked? Or did she not believe in my words? I don''t know the answers to those questions and I don''t know the right question. So, because of that, I decided to eat my food again, leaving Ruciel to daydream. Two portions of meals are gone and... "Excuse me, is Miss Eclaite here?" A familiar voice caught my attention. I turned to the source of the voice and I was right, Yuldra is there, at the entrance to this inn''s restaurant. She knew me, there weren''t many people here, so why did she ask if I was here or not. I''m confused but, anyway. I raised my left hand to make a few gentle waves. "I''m here, Yuldra." The Flugel girl smiled. She made a little nod then approached our table. Her steps stopped for a moment when her eyes were fixed on the tails I had. And yes, Yuldra still stole a glance at my tails when she sat in an empty chair at our table. "Have you eaten, Yuldra?" I asked. The question bring Yuldra back from her daze. She blinked a few times before she say, "I haven''t." "Then, grab the food you like. I made all these foods and a big one of them made of monsters meat. But I assure you, all of these foods are delicious. I recommend Sauteed Meatballs I made." Yuldra nodded and once again, her eyes peeked at my tails. I felt her eyes follow the swings of one of my tails. "Then excuse me." The girl took a plate then filled it with the foods I made. When a waitress passes by, I ask her to take a note of the drinks we want. When the waitress left, Yuldra began to eat her food. "It''s so delicious!" She said with delight. Another smile adorned my face. We continue to eat our food until, in the end, all the food at the table runs out. "Are you curious, why do I have four tails?" "If I can be honest, I will say yes." Yuldra want the truth so I told her like I told Ruciel. And yes, the Fulgel girl was also surprised by the fact that I was a Nine Tails Fox. However, unlike Ruciel, Yuldra accepted this truth faster. "I know my dear mother''s friend is a remarkable person," Yuldra said with a nod. "Okay, that''s enough about me. Now, what kind of business that brings you here, Yuldra?" "As always, I convey messages from my dear mother to you, Miss Eclaite. Apart from a message, I also bring some items for you." "Messages and items?" "You''re right," Yuldra answered. The girl then put a blue cube made of glass on the table. She took the cube out of nowhere. Maybe, same as Diana, Yuldra can also use Space Storage. "Take the Memories Cube, Miss Eclaite. There is a message from my dear mother inside it." As she instructed, I take the Memories Cube. Then, not long after I held it, some memories or more precisely, a few pieces of the scene where Dishonesty said something, came to fill my mind. I got information about three locations where Evil Gods was sealed. Not only that, but I also get detailed information about the location. Because of that details, I know the traps that protect the location and the key that lock the building where the Evil God''s soul was being sealed. "Have you got a message from my dear mother?" "Yes, I got it." Yuldra nodded. "If you forget the message, you can see it again by using the memories cube. You just need to fill it with Mana and you will see the message." "All right." "Next is the items, the weapons. Please tell me, what kind of weapons you want." "I need a spear, two longswords, two swords, a medium-sized shield, a longbow, and a wand." "I understand," Yuldra answered. A moment later she began to take out then put the weapons that I would say sparkling on the table. Ruciel was so excited when she saw all those weapons. And surprisingly, she insisted on choosing the weapons that will be given by Yuldra. When everything was done, Yuldra said goodbye. Before leaving, she said, "Dear mother expects you to eliminate one of the three targets less than a year. After that, you can eliminate other targets at will. But you must always remember, my dear mother might come to you to hasten your task to eliminate the target." After I said, "Understood.." Yuldra left us. Chapter 155 - The Day Before We Departed "Let''s pack our stuff and proceed with the journey to find the Red Comet," I told Ruciel. "You mean now?" "Dishonesty said we could go anytime, so¡­ let''s greet Teria and the others. I''m sure, they know when we will depart, or rather, I will listen to their suggestions about when we will leave Uncertainty." Ruciel''s long ears jolted. "If you say so." "Say." I gaze into her eyes directly. The serious eye contact that I did suddenly made the girl fidgety, she refused to see my eyes, then she lowered her head. "What?" She asked softly. "What do you think about the idea to stay here?" "Why, why do we have to stay here!?" She asked in panic and alert, a moment after she raised her head. "Because I think, this place is ideal," I started. "This place looks so peaceful, a marriage between women will be accepted easily, and importantly, no human or man here. Someone will not find a better paradise than this place." Ruciel turned her face away, cut off eye contact with me. "You don''t need to think about things like that because I never said, I agree to marry you." "Even though you like when I touch your body?" "Shut up! I don''t like when you play with my body! Don''t think that you have me just because we''ve slept together for once!" Her eyebrows curved sharply, her cheeks reddened, and her ears made a strong jolt. It''s clear, the girl is angry but she is cute. "Being mine is not a bad thing. I will always love you and you can''t run away from me because you belong to me, you are a slave I owned." "You''re very annoying! If it''s not for this slave collar, I-" Click! The sound of the opened lock cut Ruciel''s words. Without words, she touched her slave collar. The girl opened and peel off the iron necklace that clasped her neck easily. She froze when she saw the collar, which for some time controlled her life, now in her hands. That''s right, I never thought that the item provided by Dishonesty to dispel Diana''s curse, can also be used to remove the engraved spell in Ruciel''s slave collar. Seeing this episode, I can conclude that the spell in her slave collar is based on the curse. How can I know that the item can be used on a slave collar? To be honest, I don''t know. Spontaneously, I got the idea to use the item on her slave Collar. I did not expect that the item worked. Yes, this item can be used several times. So, go back to this moment. "If it''s not for the slave collar, what will you do?" I asked Ruciel who was still dumbfounded. The girl raised her head to see me. She opened her mouth to say, "I-" then paused again. After that, he didn''t say anything at all. Her silence continue, even when we looked for Kimi and the others. The attitude she showed me made me assume that she would not leave me. And even if she decided to leave, I will hunt her down, catch her, and finally lock her up in a cage. I don''t want the girl to belong to someone else so I will secure her. We found Kimi and the others with a little effort. My nose is reliable when I have to find someone. The kids and Diana were choosing weapons when I and Ruciel found them. "Let''s go back," I told them. "Where do we want to go back?" Kimi confusion. "Of course to the first floor. We have to meet with Lostria and the others before we leave." "Leave this place?" "Where do you want to go?" Kimi and Diana say their questions at the same time. Their harmony made them exchange gazes. "Yes, we will leave Uncertainty," I told Kimi. Next, I look at Diana. "We wanted to continue our journey to find an Airship named Red Comet." "Will you come back here again?" She asked in a trembling voice. "I''m afraid, we will not be able to come back. Uncertainty always moves and we have no way to track it. The only chance where we have the opportunity to return is when Dishonesty meets me." "No," said Diana who then closed her mouth with her hands. Seeing her response, maybe Diana didn''t want to part with us. And if I invite her to come with us, there is a chance that she will agree. However, is a Flugel allowed to leave Uncertainty? I wonder. "Before we leave, let me get rid of your curse. Please, stay in your place, Diana," I said. A moment later, I took a black ball from my small Leather Bag and then used it. I felt my MP diminish. At the same time, I feel something has been torn off. Seeing Diana''s reaction was astonished, I could say that her curse seemed to be gone. The woman touched her left eye and a moment later she look back at me. She opened her mouth, like wanting to say something but no sound was created. "With this, you can live normally. I''m happy for you," I told her with a smile. "Now, it''s time for us to separate-" "No, don''t leave," she said in a hurry. Her words also cut my words. "It''s time for us to separate but, will you come with us? More than that, can a Flugel leave Uncertainty?" Diana did not give any answer. She hugged me with crying. A few moments passed before she said, "I will come with you. And for me to leave Uncertainty, I have to ask permission first. We can get the permission at the Royal Guard''s headquarters." So, with that, we went to the Royal Guard''s headquarters to ask for permission. Diana''s request was granted for a moment we ask for it. She got a pendant together with her permission from the Royal Guard. The pendant was a tracker and magic tool that contain a Spell, that''s Teleportation. Diana will automatically move to Uncertainty if she is on the verge of death or when she is in critical condition. "I''m happy Auntie joined us," Kimi said, full of smiles. Chloe who is beside her making a nod. "We become family now, we will continue to be together." The woman hugged two little girls tightly. She also showered them with a kiss. Then, after her small celebration, we went to Teleportation Crystal. Our goal is the first floor, to the city where Lostria and the others gather. We returned to the inn shown by Yuldra on our first day here. There, I found Lostria and Teria. The two women were enjoying their food when we arrived. "A few days passed, so, when you see us, that means we will leave this place, right?" Lostria glanced at me to investigate. "The question is, how many days do we get before we have to go?" Teria added. "We can leave for today but I know, you are not ready, right?" Teria nodded. "You''re right, Miss Eclaite. We need at least three days before we can depart. We are in the middle of repairing the ship. They sell valuable raw materials at cheap and I don''t want to miss it." "Then we leave for three more days." "As a precaution, I want to ask," Lostria crossed her arm. "Our aim will not change, right?" "You know it, we will still be looking for the Red Comet." "That''s good," said Lostria who breathed a sigh of relief. "However, before we leave for it, we have to look for Myu first. Teria, do you still remember the place where we met Dishonesty?" "Can we forget the girl?" Ruciel asked so suddenly. That question made me turn toward her with one of my eyebrows lifted. "We can''t leave Myu in the middle of nowhere. How can the girl survive on a sky island surrounded by monsters?" Ruciel snorted to answer my question. She then turned her face away. I shook my head because I didn''t know what happened to her. A moment later I turned towards the Teria. "So?" "You can rely on me. The place is already inside my memory. However, going back there will not be an easy task to do. A few days passed and if we keep moving, we will automatically need a few days to return to that place." "Then, refill the supply we need, if necessary, we have to double it." "The money?" "I have enough gold coins but we can''t use it in here." My fox ear twitched when I turned to see Ruciel. "How many Magic Stones and material from the monsters we get?" "Quite a lot," she started. "If I make an estimate, we might be able to buy four high-quality weapons. You want to use it to buy supplies?" I nodded to answer that question. "Okay, then," said the girl who then began to take out our items from within her Magic Bag. When all items were on the floor, Ruciel turned to Teria. "Have you checked the market price? If yes, you know how many supplies we will get from all this." "We will save Magic Stones as fuel. As for the rest, we can get supplies that will last for a week." "Then buy the supplies." "Consider the task already done," Teria tells me. The woman then told one of her crew to take care of the material we provided. "Oh yeah, where is Ronove?" "The grannie? She said she would go to the fifth floor. But you don''t have to worry, she always returned before the night arrived." "The fifth floor! Seriously?" I asked in disbelief. "She said so and I''m sure, she has no reason to lie." "How can the grandma reach the fifth floor while we only reach the second floor?" Kimi wonders. "I''m sure, she will answer that question with, because she has the experience," I told Kimi. In the end, we waited for Ronove to come back by preparing ourselves for the journey. Chapter 156 - We Found Her "We depart faster than I presume," Ronove commented after she heard that we would leave Uncertainty. At present, we are in Teria''s airship. As she says, this airship is under repair. They, the crew was replacing Sky Core which became one of the three most important parts of an Airship''s main engine. Not only Sky Core, but the main body of this Airship also gets new paint. As for open or cracked parts on the hull, they are repaired with the best quality wood. When repairs are complete, this Airship will be faster and more sturdy than before. That''s the thing that Teria said with confidence. Now, back to Ronove. "Visiting this place is out of plan. So, it''s natural if we have to leave suddenly," I told the old woman. Ronove sighed. "It''s a little unfortunate," she said then looked at the place where the Teleportation Crystal was located. "Do you find something that caught your attention?" "Only monsters. Some monsters in this place are rarely seen in the Heingarz Kingdom and I want to collect it." "Did you have the scheme to change those monsters into soldiers of death?" The old woman glanced at me without saying anything, she made a light wave then walked away leaving me, alone. No longer having a friend to chat with, I continued to tidy up my cabin and items. Ruciel? The girl had tidied her belongings in advance. Not wasting time hanging around, she left me without a second thought. Since her Slave Collar was removed, the girl avoided me and refused to talk to me. She showed signs of wanting to leave me! So, it seems, I have to start making plans to capture and lock the girl up. I need a big cage as soon as possible! "Cage? For what a cage?" Teria put up a confused expression after she heard my request. "You don''t need to ask many questions, just please provide what I need and don''t let Ruciel learn about it." "Well ... I think it''s a problematic request to be granted. We no longer have enough items to do barter for the cage you want." "Can''t you do something about it?" "With regret, I will say it can''t do anything." My fox ear hangs weakly because of that fact. Now, putting aside my strange request, our preparation goes smoothly. Three days later, we are ready to leave Uncertainty, we are ready to search for Myu and Red Comet. Before our airship took off, Yuldra came to see us. "Dear mother can''t come. That''s why I replaced her to send off your departure," she explained with a smile. We made a light chat when Teria and the crew were in the middle of preparations. And when the airship was ready, I hugged Yuldra then said, "take care of yourself, Yuldra." "You too, Miss Eclaite. And, please take care of our sister." "You can count on me." The sister she mean was Diana. Then, after saying goodbye, we left Uncertainty, our airship flew to explore the vast blue sky. Whit a gentle gust of wind, our airship can fly without shocks. In a short time, we left Uncertainty far behind. The enormous and extraordinary Flying Castel disappears into the clouds when we turn away. The appearance and disappearance of that Flying Castle in a short time make the one who sees it as if they were dealing with an illusion. They will never know whether the building they just saw was real. After Uncertainty disappear, our airship became alone in the sea of the white cloud without end. "We do back to the sky and now, two questions appear in my head. Where are we? Where should we go?" Teria asked nobody when she scanned the surrounding. A moment later she held her telepathy necklace. "I didn''t find any clue and markers. Ruka, bring Zet down, we fly too high." With that command, we dive into the sea of white clouds. As a result, we got a limited vision that forces us to move slowly. We did that to avoid scenarios where we would hit flying debris and be ambushed by monsters. Luck is not on our side today. Not long after we dived, a Wyvern came to attack us. Everyone moves swiftly. They quickly used Aether Cannons to attack the monster that is held by this Airship''s Barrier. Thanks to the combination between the swift action and Aether Cannons, we beat the Wyvern in minutes. "It is good when danger can be erased in a few minutes." Teria who was satisfied look at her compass. And after we got out of the cloud she looked around with a map in her hand. A few minutes later, she ordered Ruka to bring Zet towards the south. The journey we made for the few next days could be said smooth sailing. For three days, we got seven attacks made by monsters. This number sounds a lot but according to Teria, it is a small number of attacks. And yes, most of the monsters that attacked us were defeated by Aether Cannons. And even if there are monsters who reached the deck, the monster was defeated by the crew before I arrived. So unfortunate, I didn''t get the chance to try the new power I got. With all that, we arrived at the place where Dishonesty and Honesty attacked us. At least, that''s what Teria said. And to prove the truth behind her claim, I looked around, I tried to find the Flying Island that I remembered. The search lasted for a dozen minutes until finally, I found a familiar flying island. From there, we split to look for Myu. There were several places that we suspected, can be used as a place to stay and a shelter for the girl in the past few days. They are a cave, the ruins in the form of a house, the small forest, the bottom part of a sky island, and the spring that forms a small waterfall. Of all that place, I chose the ruins. The house I''ve visited has no damage caused by the monster''s attacks. This made me believe that the house was abandoned not because of being prone to monster attacks. There must be another reason and yes, the house can be a safe shelter. With a confident guess I made, I arrived at the house. I stand in front of it to do some inspection. Then I commented, "This place looks cleaner." To get to this place, I along with Ruciel must spend a few dozens of minutes walking, jumping, and climb. On the other hand, Diana flew low when she followed us. Seeing the woman looks relaxed on this trip makes me wish I could fly. "Are you sure the girl is here?" Ruciel asked. She made an expression showing doubts. "Yes, I''m sure especially when I smell Myu''s scent." Leaving Ruciel, I approached the entrance and I passed it. When I''m on the inside, I took a deep breath and then shouted, "Myu! Are you here!?" Time passed when I was waiting for an answer. Unfortunately, the answer I wanted never came. "Why do you have to shout!" Ruciel scolded me. "Don''t you think it''s a stupid act that invites danger!?" "Why do you say that? Shouting in this place is the fastest way to find Myu." "But, the person we are looking for doesn''t show herself," Diana commented. "She might be scared because of the stupidity made by this fox girl!" Ruciel began to check this place after she left the poisonous words for me. I sighed and then followed her steps. We checked this place and we found signs that someone did live here. The leftovers of the food, a clean bed, and a warm fireplace became strong evidence that support me. However, we did not find Myu here. "Maybe she was hunting," I made a guess. "Or maybe she is looking for water," Ruciel continued. Diana nodded and asked, "Should we look for her or wait for her here?" "We will look around. If we haven''t found Myu, we can return to this place. And as a note, I will leave a message for the girl. With this, she will give us a signal when she is back." "Do you believe someone will do things in the message left by strangers?" As usual, the tongue of the girl I loved was so sharp. "I left my name in this message. So¡­ it wasn''t a message from a stranger, okay?" Ruciel gave me a mocking stare before walking out of the house. When I finished, I chased the girl but she disappeared! "Ugh! She sucks!" I said with frustration. In the end, I along with Diana decided to look for those girls. Tens of minutes passed and a flare was fired. The flare was so close to us, right in a forest. So we were able to reach the source of that signal faster than the others. I was surprised when I arrived, I found Myu hanging in a tree. No, the girl was not suicide. Ruciel hung the girl in a tree and the rope tied her body, not her neck. "What have you done!" I scolded Ruciel. On the other hand, Diana cut the rope and then lowered Myu to the ground. As soon as possible, I checked the poor girl. I found that she fainted, she became thinner than I remembered, and she was quite messy. Seeing her condition which could be said to be alarming made me want Ruciel to recognize, her decision to leave Myu and not think to look for her was a big mistake. Yes, I agreed to Ruciel''s decision also deserves to be blamed. I felt guilty for not trying to reject her request more firmly. I will say, I don''t want to be alone when feeling guilty, so... "You should feel guilty too," I told Ruciel. The girl snorted and walked away.. She did not give me or Myu a glance. Chapter 157 - Restless "Uwaa... Cruel! So cruel!" Myu cried out as she hugged me. "Why are you so heartless, to leave me alone in that place, waa..." I can''t say anything to deny her words. I also can not be angry at this rude girl who suddenly entered my cabin. I couldn''t bear to drive her away so I stroked her head. Of course, I apologized for abandoning her but she hadn''t forgiven me. Yes, I understand, to forgiving people who abandon us is not an easy thing to do. "I intend to look for you after I heard that you are gone missing, Okay. It''s just that, I didn''t get a chance. Dishonesty invited me to talk for some time after she kidnapped me. When I regroup with everyone, we''ve been far away from the sky island where you are. We ask for help from the Flugels to look for you but they return without you." The masked girl didn''t say anything. she buried her face to my chest more deeply and she but me more tightly. Then I will say, some of the sharp parts of her mask pierced my chest. It doesn''t give me pain but it''s disturbing. A few minutes later, "Well ... Actually, I saw the Flugels that you said when they take this airship away. I want to do something but I''m helpless. They are Flugels, people in legend. I doubt I have the ability to fight them. And when they come to look for me, I can only hide." "Oh poor girl, you must be scared," I said and hugged Myu more intimate. "No, she is not a poor girl," Ruciel said then pull Myu away from me. she did it without hesitation. "What did you do?" I look at Ruciel to ask for an answer. "She was being deserted in the middle of nowhere not because of our mistakes. It all happened because of her selfishness who wanted to save herself. If she helps us, she will join us," Ruciel told me her mind. she then gazed at Myu and said, "Return to your room and rest." "No! I don''t want to! I haven''t gotten enough Eclaitergi!" Myu said her protest then returned to hug me. The action she did make Ruciel''s long ears jolted for few times. her eyebrows also curved sharply. "Don''t be ridiculous! How can someone be so shameless and selfish!?" "As for you, how can someone be so cruel to people who suffer!?" Myu glared at Ruciel. "I''m just saying the truth!" "I also say the truth!" They glared at each other. Their aura also changes to be more dangerous. If left alone, I feel a fight will happen. Yes, I don''t want to see them punching each other, so ... "Alright, two of you, that is enough. Ruciel, don''t be too stern and Myu, don''t tease Ruciel. Now, take a rest. We want you to recover, don''t leave your room until the doctor allows it, understand?" "But I wanted-" "Do you understand?" I repeated to cut her words. I did not accept the rejection or words that were not the answer to my question. "... Alright, I understand," the girl''s answered weakly. In the end, Myu returned to her cabin, she left me and Ruciel alone. After the girl completely disappeared, Ruciel immediately gave me a sharp look. "Did you act like that to her?" Ruciel demanded. Anger painted her face. "Do you mean my kindness to her?" "Yes, I don''t understand why you act like that to a very suspicious person." My fox ear twitched after hearing her words. "Suspicious? How?" "Didn''t I have said, she collects your hair. A few times, she took your blood and she just did it. Don''t you feel pain when a needle prick your skin?" ...I''ve never been aware of that. "My Pain Resistance might be the cause of why I don''t feel anything. As for my blood, maybe she is a vampire? Don''t they need blood to survive?" "She walked under the hot sun, remember?" "It''s only a small amount of blood, it won''t be a problem." Ruciel sighed and massaged her forehead. "Do you forget that you are a Divine Beast? I heard, every part of their body brings a miracle and is so valuable. So you have to be more careful." "I am not a kind of medicinal plant or Mandragora. My body was the same as the body of Beastkin in general. My body and blood does not brings-" (Listen and remember this. You are a Divine Beast, you are a rare race, and in fact, your blood brings miracles. Besides all of that, you''re so beautiful, have a soft body, sweet scent, warm sheath, and you''re so great in bed.) Why suddenly, I remember the words said by the jerk! ...and is that true? Does my blood bring a miracle? ...the jerk is always serious and even though he messes up my life, he never lies to me. He took care of me with everything he had even though he hurt me. With that, maybe I should take note of his words more seriously? I don''t know. "...I will find out why she took my blood. After she is get better, I will interrogate her." "That is a pretty good answer." With a promise that has just been made, she leave me alone. I don''t know what Ruciel will do, as for me, I promise to see Teria. The woman said that there was something she wanted to talk about. Because of that, I went to the control room where she was. "That masked girl, is her condition improved?" Teria asked for a moment she saw me. "Myu is fine. she follows all the doctor''s advice so I believe, she will be healthy in three or four more days." "That is good news." Teria nodded. With a hand sign, she asks me to come closer. After she made sure that I was beside her, she pointed to an area on the map. "We are here now, we will reach Wistras Grand Forest in one day. With that, I''m curious, will we still have to greet the Shadow Elf?" I''ve got a good spear from Yuldra, I don''t have to collect the raw material from them. Thus, I have no reason to meet the Shadow Elf. I do think like that but no, I still wanted to see the Shadow Elf. For someone who comes from another world, I don''t want to miss this rare episode. If I don''t do it now, I might never be able to do it. Set aside my desire, Dishonesty''s request to destroy the soul of the Evil Gods, coincidentally related to the Shadow Elf. They know or more precisely, they guarded a place where one of four Evil God is sealed. "Yes, we will see them. And according to Ronove''s advice, we will land on the border of their territory." "Are you sure they won''t kill us?" "Of course, they won''t kill us after they heard a message from Dishonesty." Teria opened her eyes wide and then nodded. "With the aid of a legendary figure, we don''t need to be afraid." "Is that everything you want from me?" "No, there are some other things I want to talk about". After that, Teria asked me for information about the monsters that we might encounter, places that might hide treasures, and whether there are legendary figures that will come to us again. I answered all her questions with the knowledge I got from Ark Fantasy Online. I know there are differences between these worlds and the game. Because of that, I don''t forget to use a word, maybe. I know, the knowledge I have is not absolute. After our chat come to an end, I went to the deck. I see the vast sky and felt a gust of wind when I thought about it, I had to destroy four souls of sealed Evil Gods. I know that It is not an easy task to do and I''m not sure, the kids along with the others, including me, are ready for the Quest. We talked about Evil Gods, an existence that I can''t visualize. I don''t know how strong they are, what they can do, and who they are. That''s right, Dishonesty never told me in detail about each of the Evil Gods. She just told me their name. The lack of information about those world destroyers become one of many things that make me scared. And seriously, to complete this Quest, Dishonesty only gave me legendary weapons. Everything else must be done with guts. However, on the other hand, all this is not too bad considering I don''t need to deal with Evil God who is still alive. Also unlike Vier and the other, I will not deal with the troublesome Scourge. I just need to visit a place with tight security then use my Unique Skill and bam! One soul of Evil God was destroyed. But yes, I have a hunch, everything won''t run smoothly. Somehow, I continued to get a feeling that the danger would come to me. That made me restless. To calm down, I keep thinking about the means to make us stronger. The idea of recruiting some strong Quest Giver also crossed my mind. "I hope, there is someone who tells me about things that must be done to deal and complete this Quest.. Drifting around without clear purpose makes me restless." Chapter 158 - Shadow Elf "Finally, we are here," Lostria said with a tinge of distress. True to her words, we arrived at the border to the Wistras Grand Forest where Shadow Elf lived. The border itself was the edge of that extremely vast forest We conclude this is the right place because of Ronove''s testimony. The old woman had visited this forest before. Wistras Grand Forest, according to its name, this forest is so vast. As far as the eyes could see, there was a green sea made by millions of trees. What''s more impressive, the trees in this forest have trunks with diameters of more than two meters. As for its height, the trees in this forest can reach twenty meters easily. "It''s strange," Teria started. "Shadow Elf lives in this forest, right? So why don''t I see the village or city where they live?" "We talk about races who are experts in murder and assassination. It''s natural if we won''t find their home with naked eyes. Keep in mind, they are also experts in hiding," Ronove explained. She then looked at me. "Tell us your plan, young miss?" "I want to explore the forest to find the city where the Shadow Elf is but..." my words were trailed off when I saw the forest below us. I''m at loss about how we should search for the Shadow Elf. "It was a bad idea," Ronove resumed my words. "If we just go into the forest, the Shadow Elf will assume that we have bad intentions. It was also an act that broke their rules. It was a poor decision so I proposed that we camped on the edge of the forest. We will wait for a Shadow Elf to greet us. That way, we will not offend them and we will get the chance to negotiate." After Ronove finished speaking, everyone looked at me. They have different expressions but I feel that they are nervous about my decision. I got a rejection before so I will not proceed with my plan. Instead, "we will do the plan Ronove said, we will camp on the edge of the forest." "Wise decision," Ronove said and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. "Lower the anchor!" Teria shouted her orders. The crew moves and we officially docked. With anchor stuck on the ground, the wind will not bring this Airship away. Even though we have comfortable cabins, Ronove told me to make a tent on the ground. So, after making a light preparation, I, Ruciel, and Ronove get down from the Airship. And yes, not everyone will go down and wait for a Shadow Elf to stop by. Of the many people in this Airship, only three of us will go down. Teria and Lostria don''t want to go to meet up with Shadow Elf out of fear. The kids, especially Kimi dare to meet them but I don''t allow those kids to come with us. I worried about their safety after seeing everyone''s reaction to Shadow Elf. So back to the moment, I and Ruciel set up a tent. On the other hand, Ronove handles stuff sent by the crew from the Airship. Our work to set up a tent lasts for some time. When we finished with the tent, we do each of our pastimes. Ruciel examined and took care of her Longbow along with her arrows. While Ronove, sat in front of the campfire while playing with Magic Circle. Me? I drew my spear and then did some kind of practice. I used some Arte and moved my body to do a fight without opponents. I did those things to adjust myself to the new strength I have. I didn''t get the chance to hunt down monsters so this is what I can do now. And to be honest, I was surprised by the changes that arose. My body becomes lighter, faster, and stronger than before. Yes, I know, those things were natural if I level up. However, the intense growth of strength makes the difference between before and after clearer. I''m happy with this development but I''m not sure, this strength is enough to face the dangers that will obstruct us when we work on Dishonesty''s Quest. When I finished, I rested and cook some meat in the campfire. Moments later with suddenly, I felt six heat caught by my Heat Perception. The heat just entered into my skill range so their distance from us was more than fifty meters. Lastly, they come from the north, right from the forest. My ears twitched when I was confused by the actions I had to make. Especially when those heat approached us quickly. "What''s wrong, young girl?" "I felt six heat of people came from the north and they approached us quickly. Maybe they are Shadow Elf?" "How far are they and how fast they move?" Ruciel inquired. "About fifty meters, they move with a speed of a Small Earth Lion." "They will come in tens of seconds." Ruciel nodded then turned towards Ronove. "Are you sure we won''t do anything?" "They are an assassin, they don''t think twice to kill people. Luckily, they just do that to people who violate their rule. Which is troublesome enough, their rule is awfully unclear." "What kind of unclear do you mean?" "Explaining their rules will take a lot of time. I''m sorry because I just realized this. I should tell you about this matter early." "You just need to tell and warn us when we do something that will violate their rules. For now, we have to get ready." With that, we prepared ourselves and waited for the heat to show themselves in front of us. Taking advantage of the free time that still exists, I tried to remember the things I knew about Shadow Elf. They are races born to kill. Even though I said they were born, Shadow Elf was not a race made by god. They were made by other races of Elf to win the big war, they were created to be a weapon. That big war might refer to The War of Gods. With genetic modifications made using Ancient Magic, Shadow Elf became the strongest and the most deadly among the Elf races. Yes, the strength of Shadow Elf terrorizes the Elf who created them. So, out of fear for revenge that will be carried out by Shadow Elf, the Elf put up the mechanism that makes Shadow Elf obedient like a slave. Uniquely, that mechanism is activated with a series of words. Anyone who knows the series of words in the question and their meanings can control Shadow Elf as they like. Rustle! Rustle! The voice of moving bushes stopped my thought. A moment later, one humanoid figure came out of the trees. The figure approached us while the other five heat, which is in hiding, spread to surround us. Now, standing there is a beautiful girl. Sparkling silver hair, soft blue skin, and charming golden eyes. She was no less charming than Ruciel, and will I say, maybe she is more charming between the two. Especially when she has big b*obs, long slender legs, and abs that look so obvious in her belly. As for clothes, I will say she is bold enough. The traditional clothing is worn by the girl only consists of tops that only cover her b*obs and shorts that showed too many thighs. Long story short, the girl looks like a runner, an athlete. "Who are you guys? What do you want?" She asked. I was surprised, her voice was so sweet. After the voice died down, silence enveloped us. I was curious, looked around to find out what happened. Then, I found that everyone, which is Ruciel, Ronove, and the girl looking at me. "Should I, the one who answers those questions?" Swoss! Bwag! "ARG!" The answer I got from my question was a spell that hit my head. Yes, Ronove is the culprit. When pain in my head disappeared, I spoke with the girl. "My name is Eclaite, we are adventurers and sky explorers. We or I, visit your home because I want to trade items and information. Now, may I know your name, Miss?" The girl gave me a probing look and she was alarmed. Even worse, she showed a manner like someone who was dealing with a strange, perverted somebody. It''s true that I have the desire to fondle her body but isn''t she too rude? I have Ruciel so I will not fully play with her body if she allowed me to. "...my name is Stella," she finally introduced herself. "I want to make sure, do you wish to do a trade with us?" I nodded. "Of course, I''m sure, and not just a trade but trades. If I not sure with it, I shouldn''t come to this place and take the risk of negotiating with you, the Shadow Elf." "If you are serious, you have to follow our rules. Tell me about your plans to the people in the Airship?" "Most of us will wait here, only a few people will do the trades." "Six people will get a permit to visit our village. You are also not allowed to carry weapons and use any type of spell. You will accept those restrictions without questions. Do you agree with this?" "Yes, six people are more than enough and we accept the restrictions," I told Stella. Then I turned to Ruciel and Ronove. "Two of you also agree with it, right?" They gave a nod as an answer. "With this, a deal has been made," I confirmed. "You''re right," Stella answered. Chapter 159 - Little Secret [MTL] My fox ear twitched full of enthusiasm when the deal was successfully made. No doubt, I''m happy. "We are ready and can depart anytime. Now, when are you ready to accept us?" I asked Stella. "I''ll give you an answer tomorrow." "Do you want to discuss this with your friends first? And why not call your five friends here? That way we can get a faster answer." Stella narrowed her eyes, her long ears jerked for several times. The girl took a back step when she became alert. Feel something wrong, I looked around. I found that Ruciel and Ronove also squinted their eyes when they saw me. "What''s wrong?" I found out when I was confused. "You''re really an expert in inviting problems," Ronove said. "Problems? How can I invite problems? I don''t remember ever doing things that can cause problems." "What he meant, your stupidity is the problem!" Ruciel gave an unreasonable explanation. "I''m not stupid!" I protested. Then I saw Stella. "Sorry for showing something unsightly like this suddenly." Stella shook her head. "I have never questioned trivial things like that. Now and more importantly, where do you know that there are five people who accompanied me?" "Isn''t that clear?" My fox ear twitched when I answered. "I have a skill that can detect you and your friends." "What kind of skill? I''m sure, my friends use their best abilities to hide. You must have an extraordinary skill." I shook my head. "No, you''re wrong. It''s just a normal- ouch!" Strange sound was created to cut me out. That happened because suddenly, Ruciel pinched my stomach. I glared at the girl when I asked, "why did you do that?" "I want you to think before talking," He gave me an explanation that I didn''t understand. "Now, as you want, if we want to invite our guests to join us, it''s good if we prepare myself. I''m sure, you don''t want them to come when we don''t have anything to welcome them." "You''re right, I have to cook something quickly to welcome them," I made a declaration. Then I saw Stella again. "Please invite your friends to come. I will welcome you with the best cuisine I can make." "Of course," Stella''s answer was brief before she disappeared into the forest. A moment later I started making Barbeque, Onion Soup, and toast. When all the food is ready, Stella returns ... alone. He left two of his friends in the forest while the other three boarded our airship. "Where are your friends?" I wonder. "They said they wanted to secure the circumstances around." "By climbing our airship?" "..." Stella didn''t say anything when she turned her face away. On the other hand, I got another pinch from Ruciel. Meanwhile, Ronove turn up to see our airship. "We do this to ensure that you don''t hide anything that threatens us." "Do you have a little trust in us huh?" "That is a natural thing if we meet strangers." "As long as you don''t hurt us, there will be no problems between us." "Do you think you can defeat us?" "You will never know. So, let''s forget distrust between us for a moment. Join us Stella, all these foods are waiting for you." "..." Again, the girl didn''t say anything. After he put up a complicated expression for a while, he finally sat with us. I gave him the food I had promised. A moment later I smiled when I heard the girl saying a delicious after she eat my food. Our lunch continued and when Stella was busy with her food ... "Ruciel, come here," I called with a hand wave. Ruciel looked at me without doing anything. He forced me to repeat my orders once more. In the end, he approached me after sighing. "What?" He asked without hiding his irritation. This girl ... I promised to repay this attitude when we were alone. I will make him moaning until he fainted. But now, there are important things I have to do first. I whispered my goal at him. Ruciel gave me another gaze. He just did what I wanted after I said, "Do it," firmly. "Stella, have you ever heard of ''total obedience'' or that kind of thing?" Ruciel asked and ... "What is that? I have never heard of it," Stella answered normally. There are no changes or a peculiarity that occur. Say the sentence without knowing that it does not affect the shadow elf at all. This part is in accordance with the knowledge I have. Now ... "Do you really have never heard it? ''Total Compliance'' I mean," I repeated Ruciel''s question. "No, like-" Stella suddenly stopped talking. His body movements became stiff and his eyes lost light. He is like being hypnotized. Yes, I want to make sure the truth of the story where Shadow elf can be controlled by a series of words. Now, I see that proof directly. To ensure that I managed to take over Stella''s freedom, I did nothing. I observed the girl for some time before I knew, the girl didn''t talk or move at all. Sitting there, he became a doll. "Fiu ..." I whistled, being amazed and scared. "Ancient Magic cannot be underestimated. That type of magic makes my hair stand." "... What''s this!?" Ronove demanded an explanation after seeing what happened. From his voice, can I feel panic and fear? It''s unusual. I know Ronove is strong. If he feels scared, the threat of Shadow Elf has greater than I expected. And it should be, I realized this sooner. Didn''t I know that Shadow Elf is the strongest race from the Elf kin? "Eclaite me answer!" Ronove snapped at me. "What''s this!?" "Well ... I just, hmm ... make Stella become my slave?" "Don''t ask me! And what do you mean by that!? Explain everything from the start and free the girl before the problem knocking on our door!" "This story is quite long but long story short, I just want to make sure whether Shadow elves can be controlled by a series of specific words. And as you can see, what I want to make sure is reality." "It''s strange, I say the sentence you mean but he doesn''t become like this," Ruciel said. I nodded and then gave an explanation. "That''s because you don''t know the meaning of the sentence you say." "What is the meaning of that sentence?" Ronove asked. "Why did you ask?" I asked back. "I''m curious." "Hmm ... I feel there is a deeper reason. Unfortunately, I can''t tell you." Ronove sighed and then made a light wave. "Forget it, more importantly, free him before we get a problem. I''m sure, you know how to do it." "I know but wait a minute. Curious I haven''t satisfied. As for the problem, you don''t need to worry. I always pay attention to Stella''s friends. There are no changes in their movements and if any, I will immediately release Stella." "... Do whatever you want and hurry up." "I will do it," I said to him before I saw Stella. "Now, Stella, raise your hand a little, please the left one." The girl Shadow elf did my order. He raised his left hand slightly. "Make a cute pose and say, ''I love you Eclaite.'' Do it with all your abilities. " After I finished talking, Ruciel said, "seriously?" As a comment. And yes, Stella did what I said. In the end, I gave three other commands before freeing Stella. "- I said before, I didn''t know the word," said Stella out of nowhere. A moment later I realized that he continued the sentence he had previously said. Seeing that, I asked, "Do you not remember the thing that happened?" "What do you mean?" Stella is confused. "If he doesn''t remember anything, I can play with his body as I like without worrying he know it, right?" Swoss! Plaak! A spell, a Mana Ball from Ronove hit my forehead. After that, a rough, strong slap from Ruciel hit my cheek to connect the attack. Yes, the combination of the attack became the answer to my question. In an instant, I was sad and felt a little pain when I sat on the ground after I fell. Stella froze because he might be surprised by the thing that happened. On the other hand, Ruciel and Ronove made a scary expression of anger. "What are you doing!?" I demand. "I never thought that you were a lewd girl," Ronove commented. Ruciel snorted and nodded. "You''re right, this thing is the worst when it touches other people''s bodies. Especially when it does that without permission." "I can''t help it! This kind of things I did because I have a courtesan at level eight, okay? The lewd thought just come out of nowhere, I have a strong desire to touch someone I love, and it does not include a strong desire to have s*x because of this skill! And I bet, You don''t know how much suffering I should endured to hold all this and not to lose control! " I shouted the mind that had been hard enough I buried deeply. That''s right, I''m crazy because wanting s*x after the courtesan reach the eigh level. At level seven, everything is still fine and I can still refrain myself easily. But now, holding back not to do s*x or touch Ruciel is a painful torment. And ugh! I thought about doing s*x without me wanting it. "Ahem! Please forget what I just said," I said with a little embarrassment. Chapter 160 - Wistras Grand Forest "No, I can''t forget the things you just said." Ruciel approached me and put her hands on my shoulder. She looked at me intensely. "You have level eight Courtesan?" "That''s right and why did you make a reaction like this?" "How can the level of that skill be so high!?" Her hands squeezed my shoulders more strongly every second passed. "Why do I have to tell you?" "Don''t ask back and answer me!" "Ugh! Why are you so insisting," I said. Then I brought my mouth closer to the ear to whisper, "The skill level rises every time I get a new tail." When I finished, Ruciel immediately pushed me away. "So the skill doesn''t go up because you¡­ you don''t do too much that thing alone?" "What do you mean by that?" I asked, pretending to be innocent. I got a torment given by my skill every day. Now, a few days have passed and yes, I can''t survive the torment every day. So, when I couldn''t help myself because of the torment, I did it. I pleasured myself by mast*rbating. I did it secretly but sometimes, I did it when Ruciel sleep beside me. I got more excited when I thought she heard when I doing it so¡­ When I ask what she means by that, she is blushing. With anger, she exclaimed, "Do you know what I mean!" "I don''t know," I confirmed it, then I brought myself closer to the girl. Our nose almost touched. I want the girl to say dirty things but of course, Ruciel pushed me away again. She turned her blushing face. "Shut up! I don''t care anymore!" She yelled then strode away. Seeing Ruciel''s back who was getting away made me want to call her back. However, for some reason, my mouth did not want to move to voice my wishes. "Young people are indeed full of energy." Ronove''s comments made me turn. There, I found the old woman sipping her warm tea. Not far from him, Stella covered her cheeks which were a little red with her hands. Seeing them made my fox ear twitch. "Please forget the things you see earlier," I begged with warm cheeks. "Will do." Ronove put his glass then turned to Stella. "When will we leave?" The girl didn''t give a response for a while. When she was aware of Ronove''s question, a little panicked, she said, "Ah! We will leave tomorrow if you are ready." "That is good news. Then please tell me how long we are allowed to visit your village?" "Four days and if you have a good attitude, you can extend it to one week." "Thank you," Ronove said to Stella. "What do you think, young girl?" "Four days more than enough to do the trades. But to be honest, there is one matter that makes me unsure, how long it takes to get the matter done." "What kind of business is that?" "A matter that I get after visiting Uncertainty." After I ended my words, Ronove made a sour smile. While Stella bends her eyebrows. "Tell me about your relationship with the Flugels?" "I have no bond with them while for this young girl, she is friends with..." Ronove''s words were trailed off then her eyes moved to look at me. "In the past, there is two but now four Flugels were my friends," I resumed Ronove''s words. "It''s unusual, the Flugels rarely interact with other races," Stella revealed her thought. After that, light chat is created. We spent quite a lot of time until finally, Stella returned to the forest. As for us, we cleared our camp and return to the Airship. We made preparations to visit the Shadow Elf''s village after notifying Lostria and the others about our deal with Stella. I asked who wanted to come with us and yes, most of them declined. Lostria and Teria show interest but in the end, they chose to stay. It leaves the kids and Diana who is excited. So, after a complicated argument, six people will visit Shadow Elf''s village. They were I, Ruciel, Ronove, Kimi, Chloe, and Diana. Alan backed down and willing to stay in the Airship because the slot of our visit was full. Yes, I allow my little sister to come with us because I have a powerful card against Shadow Elf. I can snatch their freedom anytime I want with words. The next day, carrying the stuff we have prepared, we followed Stella. Our goal is the Shadow Elf''s village. Leaving the Airship, we entered Wistras Grand Forest. I said wow when I witnessed how wonderful this forest was. The floor is coated with dead leaves, bushes, and many kinds of plants. The air here is cool, refreshing, and a little humid. Yes, sunlight penetrates the leaves in this forest to make hundreds of small light pillars, giving warmth for a moment, and of course, brightening this a little dark forest. After walking for some time, finally, Stella''s friends showed themselves. One woman and four men jumping from tree to tree, that''s what I saw. They wear traditional clothes just like Stella. However, for men, they wear vests and shorts. Five people carry a matching set of weapons. A sword, short bow, and dagger. Seeing them made me realize, Stella didn''t carry any weapons. She came to us empty-handed. No, she did not mean to show that she came peacefully as she did not carry any weapons. I suspect, she doesn''t need weapons because, "Stella, are you a Warlock or Battlemage?" The girl''s long ear jolted. She moved her head slightly to peek at me. "Why do you know that?" The question she said made me tilt my head slightly. "What does that mean?" "Why did you know the magic jobs that become the norm in our community?" "...I''m just, guessing it randomly?" I lie. Stella narrowed her eyes when she heard it but a moment later, for some reason, she nodded and stopped interrogating me. She walked and we followed her. Tens of steps later... Thud! Thud! The voices of people landed after falling from the height were created. That''s right, the people I mean are Stella''s friends. After jumping from one tree to another like a ninja, they finally went down to the ground. Are they exhausted? I wondered. Unfortunately, my question was wrong. They did not look exhausted at all, they were still fit. I made other guesses and I came to the conclusion, they joined us because they want to monitor us closely to ensure that we didn''t do suspicious things. "Let me introduce them," Stella said. A moment later, she told us that another woman was named Avery. The youngest man was named Ramas. The most handsome man was named Abelhard. A man with scars on his face named Guido. And finally, the most muscular and big man named Oswin. Of course, we also introduce ourselves to them. "We will escort you guys," Oswin announced. From the unusual aura that he emitted and the confidence he showed, I suspect that he was the leader of this party. Now, the men from the Shadow Elf race are muscular, big, and tall. I will say, they give a delightful impression than the men from the Elf race. They are more similar to the ferocious Beastkin Warrior than the delicate, beautiful Elf Mage. "Shadow Elf man is not bad. I''m sure they are strong, hard, and durable. They are better than elf men who are fragile and have little stamina. Spending time with them might be more fun than with an elf man," I commented then nodded. Everyone, except the kids and Diana, blinked their eyes after listening to me. They make unique and distinct expressions. The most interesting expression that caught my attention was Stella''s. The girl''s face suddenly turned rosy. A moment later she said, "pervert girl." "Excuse me, why did you say that words?" I demand an explanation from her. "..." Stella didn''t say anything. There, she panicked and looked around randomly as we look at her. The girl''s face becomes rosier than before. A moment later, she strode away to leave us. Most of the people, not including me, the kids, and Diana, put up a complicated expression for seconds. After that, we followed Stella. That''s right, I could guess what Stella thought. She might think of things related to s*x after hearing my words, which after I thought again, could indeed invite a misunderstanding. But well ... they might forget the words I voiced in an instant. Our trip continues and finally, the monsters showed themselves to attack us. This is a golden opportunity to test my new strength but unfortunately, the Shadow Elf forbade me to hunt down the monsters. They told me to watch. They allowed me to act if the monsters made it past them but yes, I can''t see the scenario where the monsters were able to pass their defense and escape the attack of the strong Shadow Elf. Seeing their fight made me know that they moved slower than me. Their strength was also lost to me. However, their accuracy, fighting experience, and expertise in using weapons are much better than mine. Our trip continued when I admired their abilities.. And not to forget, I have to find out if they holding back their strength or not. Chapter 161 - I Cant Help Myself "Get ready! Another attack is coming! Oswin warned. Stella and two of her friends readied themselves. The girl made a Magic Circle in front of her body. On the other hand, Avery and Abelhard lift their Short Bow. In a matter of seconds, three people were ready to face a monster named Two Head Bear. Yes, it is a dark brown, big, and ferocious bear with two heads. Its limbs were as big as an adult human. When it stands up, It''s tall easily reached three meters. Guido and Ramas? The young Shadow Elf and the scarface patrolled, watching and guarding the area around us. They will eliminate light dangers and make sure that no awful dangers come close. And I''ll say it again and again, the Shadow Elf - Stella, Avery, Abelhard, and Oswin - fought well. The teamwork they do looks so natural. Their tactics in battling were so efficient and effective. Oswin would confront Two Head Bear and keep the monster busy with his sword and Dagger. The man was so competent at attracting the monster''s attention and anger. He will attack the monster with powerful attacks so that the monster wouldn''t ignore him. Long-range attacks were provided by Avery and Abelhard. As the monsters are busy fighting Oswin, those two Shadow Elf will launch their arrows from the monster''s blind spot to pierce the monster''s legs and hands along with the monster''s vital points. Their attacks are deadly and sometimes, I saw them crushing the eyes of their opponents. Many times, their arrows darted to stab the limbs and then immobilize the monster for a while. The last one is Stella. The girl is a Warlock. She used Dark Magic to weaken and restrict the movements of her opponents. Occasionally, she also used the Attack Spell to kill her opponent directly. That''s right, the lives of all monsters that attack us will be ended by Stella''s Spell or Oswin''s sword. Avery and Abelhard rarely kill the monsters. So, with the combination of those roles, they can defeat Two Head Bear easily in dozens of seconds. Those were the things they did while fighting against a monster. If there were many, those Shadow Elf would form a duet to slay the monsters that come from three or four directions. Now, are they holding back their strength or not? To that question, I would answer, they probably used a quarter of their full strength in all the fights I witnessed. They are swift against a monster. Killing four monsters did not reduce their speed. It''s astounding when nine monsters still couldn''t make them sweat. Their speed only dropped a little while fighting twenty monsters! And when I realized that they were killing the monsters while protecting us, I was amazed. They''re incredible and I don''t want to deny that statement. "Okay, our work here is done. Let''s move," Oswin made an announcement and uttered the order after he finished taking Two Head Bear''s Magic Stone. Once again, we walked in this forest. "Sir, sir, when will we get to the village?" The question was voiced by Kimi. The little girl walks next to Scar Face, Guido. Chloe was behind my little sister close to me while Diana was beside her. They put on an expression that showed a hint of fear, different from my little sister who acted normal. "We''ll get there after walking for a day," Guido explained. I didn''t expect, in that scary exterior, there would be such a kind and gentle interior. He treated my little sister well and I hope, he''s not a lolicon. He would die if he was indeed a lolicon. "So this trip will last for two days?" "You could say that if we didn''t walk at night." "That''s too long..." "Don''t complain. It''s better than having to walk for a week to reach the capital." "Is there a city in this forest? That''s very strange." "This is not strange. Yostre is the capital where Elfs, Beastkins, and Demons gather." "Wow, there''s a Demon in that city? Isn''t that amazing?" Kimi''s tail swung excitedly. Thanks to their chat, I learned that the village we were going to was one of eight villages occupying the Wistras Grand Forest. They also talked about the Lunar Festival ¡ª an event where village chiefs and warriors gather to exchange information, conduct trials for criminals, solve problems that plague villages, and hold duels to determine the best warriors ¡ª held every two years. And not only that, but I also got other information such as how many residents in their village, who their village chief is, the prettiest girl in the village, the mysterious capital in the forest which is Yostre, the ruins along with dungeons in this forest, how strong each village, etc. That''s right, as always, Kimi is an expert at extracting information from others. Or, when I view it from another perspective, somehow, people tell my little sister different types of information just like that and willingly. Surprisingly, no one takes notice of my little sister''s conversation. Those Shadow Elf didn''t stop Guido from chatting. Does Kimi have some kind of a blessing? I wondered. I kept listening to Kimi''s conversation with Guido. Then, without me knowing it, noon came. So we decided to stop and rest. To show my politeness and gratitude for being protected, I became a chef who would cook food for everyone. ... ... ... Okay, I''ll be honest. I decided to become a chef because I didn''t want to eat other people''s cooking. I don''t want to eat poor food with terrible taste. It will make me uncomfortable and bother me. So! Our menu this time was steak. We wanted to enjoy the famous and delicious Steam Boar''s meat. I made Vegetable Saute made from carrots, peas, and potatoes as a side dish. As for the sauce, I use the ready-use one. I bought the sauce while we were in Uncertainty. Once again, I heard the word delicious as a compliment. < Endurance stat up! END +3 > I got Stat Points and I can say that our break was quite enjoyable. However, it lasted until a pack of monsters named Silverback Wolf attacked us. The Shadow Elf returned to action. They unsheathed their weapons and fought against the wolves to protect us. Being protected is great but... "I can''t take it," I whispered. I didn''t think being protected by someone else would be uncomfortable and unpleasant. Safe and away from danger when the fights happened in front of me made me itch. For a few times, my hands twitched. Yes, I''m hungry for a fight. No, I never thought I was hot-blooded. And worse, my desire to fight is comparable to my desire to do s*x! I''ve been so tormented when I refrained from doing sex. And now, refraining from fighting drives me crazy! This fact shocked me and now, I literally want to fight monsters more than anything else. I want to hunt them down with my own hands. I want to drink their blood and eat their flesh. I don''t know why, I''m hungry and I will say I''m on the border of starving. I know the Heart of Monsters affected me and yes, I want to hold myself back but... "I CAN''T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" After shouting, I draw my spear and ran towards the nearby Silverback Wolf. No, I didn''t use the legendary weapon I got from Yuldra. I used my spare weapon. A Superior Grade spear colored red. "What are you doing!?" Oswin shouted at me. "Get back to your position!" "Shut up!" I snapped at the man when I saw the three Silverback Wolf coming at me. The monsters opened their mouths wide, their sharp teeth ready to tear my body apart. They knew well about how to make me excited. One of them jumped up to pounce on me. The remaining two split to the right and left, my legs seemed to be their target. They have good teamwork but unfortunately, they are too slow. Their lack of basic stat rendered the tactic useless. I took a breath and filled my body with energy. My mouth moved to say, "[Flash Swings]" My spear swung rapidly to rip off the wolf''s stomach which is floating in the air. Again, my spear swung to tear the neck then the upper arm of the other two wolves. In an instant, I managed to cripple the three Silverback Wolves. Yes, those monsters died a moment later after I stabbed them in the head. Everything was according to my wish, I fought, hunt down the monsters, and shed their blood. However, I''m not satisfied. So I approached the other monsters. My spear swung wildly and the monsters died one after one. This fight tells me that my new strength is tremendous. My body moves more refined and faster than ever. My power is so destructive and yes, my body became so light. I''ve felt the changes that happen to my body when I train but this... It''s so different and it''s so stimulating! My strength has been renewed when I felt that I was wet! Getting more heated, I said, "[Swift Movements]" Everything around me became so slow as if everything wasn''t moving. I can see everything clearly and freely with all of this stillness. But well, it is enough to be amazed and everything else. Now, it''s time for me to hunt down all these monsters. I moved my body to attack the monsters. I made sure to kill them with a single strike to save time. And yes, I managed to kill all the monsters - thirty-two Silverback Wolf - when the duration of the Swift Movements ended. The blood of thirty-two monsters was shed at about the same time when the flow of time become normal for me. And I say, they make an unforgettable, pretty scene. I''m sure, all those frozen people also admired the scene created from this carnage.. After all, it''s pretty. Chapter 162 - Little Sister Tantrum < Level up! 1 to 2 > "Fuu... It''s extremely refreshing!" Especially when I level up. I''m really satisfied now. Then, I will say, nothing can beat the delicious scent of blood like this. After the fight, I relaxed my muscles for a while. My stress has gone completely. The fight was so fun and I wanted more. But... "How long you guys will become statues like that? Do you guys want to take these monster Magic Stones or proceed with our journey as soon as possible? Please state your decision." The words I voiced pulled everyone from their daze. Oswin blinked then said, "Let''s take their Magic Stones first. We''ll continue the journey as quickly as we can after that." The Shadow Elf moves to chop the corpses of those monsters. They shed more blood to fill this place with a delicious scent. The meat they cut seduces my appetite. It''s been a while, the Heart of Monster showed an effect it hid a long time ago. It made me yearn for the meat of those Silverback Wolfs. Now, I''m hungry or maybe starving. I want to eat fresh meat as soon as possible. "Where are you going?" Ruciel asked. At the same time, she grabbed my hand to stop my steps. I turn to her and blinked my eyes. I''m disconnected from the Heart of Monster effect, I can control my body again. The girl I love pulled me out from the other borders of madness. "Thank you," I said, then took a few steps back. Ruciel keep an eye on me as I stopped my breath to calm myself down. I want to banish the smell of blood that tempts me and the hunger that tries to control me. Yes, I don''t want to show them the scene where I eat raw meat. That would give an extremely bad impression. I don''t have to imagine the consequences of that to be afraid. Time passed and calming down is harsh labor for me to do. So, in the end, I leave the battlefield to search for fresh air. "Big sis!" Kimi shouted at me when she was running. The little girl approached me quickly and ended up hugging me. A moment later, she bit my stomach out of nowhere. "Gah!" I pinched the little girl''s fox ears and pulled her head away. She released her bite with a loud-sounding plop. "What are you doing!?" Immediately, I pull up my torn shirt shortly after snapping at Kimi. I have Pain Resistance at level seven. With that, if I felt pain, it would be a thing that couldn''t be ignored. And sure enough, my blood flowed from a fresh wound. "Look at what you did little girl! If you don''t have a good explanation for this, you''ll get into big trouble!" I threatened my little sister but... "Hump!" She instead made an annoyed expression then turned her face away. She ignores me completely. My tails made a strong swing as my face heated up. "Grr... [Healing Water Ball]" My wound healed quickly. After making sure that the tear was closed, I approached the little girl and pulled her cheeks. "Why are you doing that!?" I demanded in a harsh voice. Beyond my expectations, she didn''t answer me and instead, she tried to escape by pulling my hands. Unfortunately for her, my strength is not something to laugh at. Kimi couldn''t move my hands. "Ow ow ow! Stop big sis! It hurts!" She begged as I pinched her cheeks harder. "Ho... So you know pain. If so, you know what to say, right?" My little sister keeps trying to escape from me. Tears gathered at the end of her eyes and yes, she showed absolutely no signs of wanting to apologize. She even made a soft growl to show her anger. Again, she set me off. "Apologize, now!" I demanded. "No!" She yelled. "Apologize now or your cheeks will rip off!" I threatened and slightly increased my strength when pulling her cheeks but... "Grr... No!" She refused again. "Why are you being unreasonable!?" "Because big sis is unfair!" Yes, the explanation she said confused me. What does she mean by unfair? I always treated her with affection. I fulfilled her reasonable requests. I also gave her pocket money. Not once, I ignore her. So, which partly makes me unfair to her? "I can''t understand what you''re saying. What do you mean by this unfairness?" The little girl made another faint growl then says, "big sis become strong quickly! That''s not fair!" I didn''t expect an answer like that, I didn''t expect her to thinks about strength, and I never noticed that she had a desire to be strong. "You, want to be strong? Why?" I let go of Kimi''s cheek and saw her in confusion. "Because I want to protect big sis!" She declared. Ah¡­ I remember she already told me about it before. And at that time, I said, "someone who should have a role to protect is me. You are my little sister and I am your older sister. I will protect you, not the other way around." "No!" She denied it with a shout. "I''m the one who will protect big sis, not the other way around!" This conversation will become a circle if I re-emphasize that I will protect her. So, instead, I said, "then practice and raise your level. That way, you will become stronger." "I''ve done it!" She told me with anger. "I train every day and I always hunt with big sis. But in the end, I still lost to you. And I just remember, when we fought strong monsters, big sis always forbade me to fight! That''s not fair either! Thanks to that, big sis becomes stronger, right!?" "I forbade you because I didn''t want you to get hurt. You''re not ready to face such powerful monsters yet." "That''s why I want to be strong! I''m worried to see big sis fighting monsters like that!" Hmm¡­ how unreasonable Kimi was, she said it all sincerely, I could see it from the light in her eyes. yes, she shouldn''t have to worry about protecting me. I was a Nine Tails Fox and I can become stronger faster. I can take care of myself. As for chasing my strength, this little girl will pass through a steep road. I am a Divine Beast and that has already made me stronger than a normal Beastkin. Moreover, I have a Heart of Monsters and Soul Eaters that will give me strength easily. For Kimi to be stronger than me, "it''s impossible." "What did Big Sis say?" "I say, you, my little sister will never be stronger than me no matter how hard you try." "I can! And will do it the way you did. I will also eat monster meat and Magic Stones!" "No, you''re not allowed to do it," I forbid her with a harsh voice. "Why!?" "You already know it. I have a skill that can neutralize the poison and then absorb the Magic Stones. If you did it, you will die." "Grr¡­" No, I won''t hold back. I''ll tell her the truth. Something like this is better said as soon as possible. I don''t want her to continue chasing the impossible. I want her to understand the limits she has. More than that, if she could get past this truth, she could become stronger as she wished. "Big sis is lying!" "I''m not lying to you. You can''t eat Magic Stones, I keep becoming stronger and you will never be able to catch me up. That''s the truth and you must accept it." Kimi began to cry. A moment later she bit my stomach again. I let her do it and she got a big bite. After she was satisfied, she ran up to Chloe and cried in her arms. Comforting that a little girl is a vain act if I was the one who does it. So, I''m going to let her face this reality alone or together with her friends. It''s for her own good. Time passed and our journey continued. Day becomes evening and evening becomes night. In an open space in the forests, we camped to spend the night. One day later we saw in the village of the Shadow Elf that were our destination. And yes, I hunt monsters whenever I can''t help myself. Thanks to that, I went up two levels. < Level up! 2 to 3 > < Level up! 3 to 4 > I became stronger but now, let''s go back to the village. Honestly, the village was different than I expected. It was also different from the village within Ark Fantasy Online. The Shadow Elf Village that I knew was built on flat ground, had three meters high wooden walls surrounding it, unique treehouses, and of course, large tall trees. Meanwhile, the village we visited was built in a long ravine that splits the ground. The houses are on two sides of the wall as wooden bridges connect them. At the top part of the ravine, there are hundreds of large trees. They became the umbrellas that gave chilliness and blankets that hid this village. This place is hard to be found if it was searched from the sky. After I expressed my thoughts about the Shadow Elf village I know to Stella, I got an answer or explanation that is, "The village you described was the village of the Elf. Unlike those who live together with nature, we live with shadows. We hid but didn''t run away from something, we just didn''t want to be found. Thus, a village like this was created." "Let''s not waste any more time," Oswin said. "We need to go home as soon as possible to explain why we''re late and ask permission for our guests." Stella''s long ears jolted. Then, in a soft voice, she said, "Sorry, we might get troubles for my selfishness." "You don''t have to apologize. You made the right decision when you said, we should check on the people camping outside the woods," Oswin comforted Stella and she managed to get a nod from the girl. Sometime later, I was able to officially say, we arrived at the Shadow Elf''s village. Chapter 163 - Vier And The Other 1_2 "How long does this adventure take place?" Cabal voiced that question out of the blue. Automatically, the question caught the attention of Lubov, Hatori, and Anna who were sitting around the campfire. The three people exchanged gazes before a moment then put on a thoughtful expression. While others do their activities. Vier eats his meat skewer, Elizaveta sharpened her Greatsword, and the beautiful, green-haired woman drinks her tea. "I believe two months and four days have passed since we met." The answer was not said by three people who were reckoning. The answer came from the green-haired woman who just put down her teacup. The woman with green hair was dressed in a black Witch outfit with a gold pattern. She also has a large Witch Hat. The woman had soft golden eyes, a beautifully chiseled nose, and seductive red lips. This gorgeous woman who has a sexy body is Gaia, the Goddess of Life. She was in this human form after Vier and everyone managed to collect another five Gaia Blood Gems. "It''s quite shocking, I don''t realize that it''s been quite a while since we left Rishtonbell." Cabal stroked his red beard. His short hair which was also red swayed by a gust of wind. "I think it happened yesterday," Gaia slightly tilted her head. "Our perceptions in time are relatively different, Goddess Gaia." Cabal crossed his arms and closed his red eyes which were like a burning fire. The muscular man tried to remember what had happened over the past two months. Searching for Gaia Blood Gems along the way, fighting the embodiments of Scourge, helping Gaia to heal the people infected by Scourge, conquering two Dungeons to obtain its Dungeon Cores, fighting against powerful monsters, and searching for items that will later be used to revive the Titans. None of these events can be found normally. And true to her word, Cabal and the others get a thrilling, maybe a dangerous, and also a deadly adventure. "Why did you suddenly ask something like that, Cabal?" Elizaveta put down the Greatsword she had just sharpened. The caramel-skinned Amazones looked at the man with her Ruby eyes and waited for an answer. Cabal opened his eyes. "I''m just curious about what they''re doing." "They?" Elizaveta was confused. Her ponytail-tied black hair swayed as she slightly tilted her head to the left. "The people he was referring to were Eclaite and Kimi," Vier explained. He then threw the twig he used as a meat skewer into the campfire. "And if I''m not mistaken, they''re also with a Fallen Elf, right? What''s her name again?" "They''re together with a Fallen Elf?" Cabal sought confirmation from the golden-haired young man. Vier''s blue eyes glowed before he nodded. "Yes, I saw the girl as Eclaite and Kimi say goodbye in our departure. She and the other two people were quite noticeable because they were wearing Slave Collars." "Ugh! I bet the Vixen did whatever she wanted while her Slaves worked hard." The silver-haired Half-elf girl didn''t hesitate to show her hatred. The girl''s Sapphire eyes were burned by the flames of anger. A pair of wolf ears with dark blue fur twitched. The girl who owned it moved her eyes which were also dark blue to look at Anna. "You don''t have to be antagonistic to the beautiful girl, did you know it, Anna?" "I know, but it just came out of nowhere. From the beginning she was annoying, she kept teasing me and she almost snatched Vier from me," Anna declared angrily. Vier who heard that massaged his forehead. "I''m already saying this, I''m interested in Eclaite not in a romantic sense. She has a face similar to my older sister''s. I didn''t want her to die after becoming an Adventurer so I helped her." "Is that true?" "How many times have you asked that question?" "Many times but it''s still not enough," Anna insists. Vier who heard the answer could only drop his shoulder. He was tired of Anna''s demeanor and was a little disappointed with the little trust the woman had placed in him. "As always, you guys are full of energy." The voice of the little boy who suddenly sounded attracted everyone. They moved their heads to see a Chibito and Human walking closer. Chibito is a race close to the Hobbits and Halflings. They are a race that has a small body. However, unlike Hobbits who had adult faces when they were old or Halflings who had sharp ears, Chibito resembled a two- to a thirteen-year-old child from the Human race. Chibito is one of many unique races in this world. Now, back at this moment. "Leader Gravius, what brought you here?" "It''s as usual, Cabal. I and Miss Celestena wanted to say something. I hope, I don''t interrupt the relaxation time of the Hero Party and the respectable Goddess." The youthful voice he used was full of joy. Like his voice, Gravius had the appearance of an energetic little boy. His short brown hair was disheveled. His black eyes were filled with energy. He has always been deemed to be a little boy and not an adult because he had an innocent smile. Gravius is a frontline fighter armed with a pair of Daggers. The armor he used always focused on flexibility in moving and attached importance to speed. He was so different from Celestena who was wearing silver Plate Armor and was armed with a sword and shield. For people who don''t know, they would assume Gravius ¨C who is the founder and leader of Soaring Sky Familia ¨C came to meet these Adventurers to invite them to play. Unfortunately, he and Celestena didn''t come to play. "Stop the joke, leader. What decisions did the knights make? We need to hear it to plan what we''re going to do next," Vier asked. "Don''t want pleasantries as usual," Gravius commented and sat down in an empty chair. Celestena did the same. "The decision of the knights will be conveyed by Miss Celestena, not me. You can begin with the explanation, Miss Celestena." Celestena, the blonde woman nodded. Her blue eyes narrowed and her red lips made a smile of apology. "I''m sorry, Commander Yordik did not allow us to enter The Dragon Canyon from this region. They didn''t want to take the risk to provoke some of the Beastkin Tribes that lived there. The relationship between them is not good and if they allow us to pass, war will probably happen." "That means we have to take a detour," Cabal said with unwillingness. "Wistras Grand Forest... That means we have to deal with the Shadow Elves." Elizaveta raised her Greatsword. She smiled then said, "I''ve wanted to fight with them for a long time." Lubov''s wolf ears twitched because of that sentence. "They''re Assassins so they''re not a good match for you." "What does it mean not match? I can defeat them with a single strike." "But you can''t detect them if they''re hiding." Ignoring Lubov and Elizaveta''s conversation, Cabal turned to look at Celestena. "Is there a peaceful way that we can pass through that forest without having to fight them?" "We can settle outside their borders and wait for them to greet us. Next, we can negotiate with them about our problems. However, I don''t know how long we''ll have to wait until they come. More than that, I''m not sure our negotiations will be ended in a good deal." "Can you guess how long do we have to wait?" "...If we''re lucky, maybe a week. But, if no Shadow Elves are patrolling around where we settle down, we might have to wait for a month. And I need to remind you, entering their territory without permission will make them attack us without question." "Great! Another problem and this is not fair!" Anna said with annoyance. "It was the vixen who discovered Gaia Blood Gem. Then she force Vier and Cabal to use it. So why didn''t she face all these problems and instead have a slow life in Rishtonbell!?" Lubov nodded in support of Anna''s words. Hatori and Elizaveta never thought that they needed Eclaite on this journey, given that they know, the girl was weak. On the other hand, Cabal and Vier breathed a sigh of relief. They were grateful that Eclaite did not come with them. The young man and the man knew that if the girl came with them, this journey would become more chaotic and troubled than it had already transpired. "Do you hate this journey, Anna?" Gaia asked with a warm smile. Anna gasped. In a hurry, she looked at Gaia. She was panicked when she said, "That''s not what I mean. It''s just that I want the Vixen to face all these trials with us. It''s not fair if she relaxed in Rishtonbell alone. I want her to take responsibility for what she started." Gaia nodded to that statement. Anna who didn''t see a wave of anger from the Goddess made a sigh of relief. "But the girl fulfilled her responsibility." Gaia''s statement caught everyone''s attention. "What do you mean?" "She, Eclaite, took responsibility after she made the Scourge and Evil Gods take actions when you tried to revive me. Now, she must destroy four, sealed Evil Gods under Dishonesty''s orders." Everyone froze after hearing that explanation. Sometime later, Anna opened her mouth to say, "You''re joking, I''m sure of that." Chapter 164 - Vier And The Other 2_2 Anna opened her mouth to say, "You''re joking, I''m sure of that." "I''m not jesting. And if you''re wondering, I''m not lying." Again, silence enveloped everyone who was there. For some time, the sound that was heard was the sound of breathing people and fire burning branches. "Ehem!" Gravius cleared his throat. "Respectable Goddess, may I ask you something?" "Of course, please." "Is Dishonesty, which you mean is one of the twin queens of the Flugels? And how can they meet when Uncertainty never stays in one place?" "For Dishonesty, yes, she is the queen of the Flugels. As for how they met, I don''t know because Dishonesty never told me about it." "Over a thousand years have passed since the War of Gods ended," Vier began. "Is she truly Dishonesty and not her descendant?" "Flugels have a life span of five thousand years and sometimes up to ten thousand years. So it''s only natural that Dishonesty in the past was still alive." "I think Flugels has a lifespan of five hundred years," a confused Elizaveta confessed. Everyone except Gaia nodded to give support. "I am the Goddess of Life, I gave birth to the Flugels, I gave birth to your race, and I can''t possibly go wrong with the life span of my children." "Which is mean that there must be something wrong with the historical record," said Cabal, who was still crossing his arms. "Now the most important part. How Eclaite will destroy the Evil Gods? Where is she now? And does she need help?" "The girl will use a Skill, which I don''t know about, to complete her task. She is currently still in Uncertainty. But then, she''ll go to the Wistras Grand Forest just like us. As for help, we should ask the girl directly." "Did she go to the Wistras Grand Forest to meet you?" Gravius looking for certainty. "No, she didn''t know that I, we''re going to that forest. She went there to ask for information regarding the place that sealed one Evil God on the Shadow Elves, the embodiment of sin." "The embodiment of sin?" "That''s right, the Shadow Elves was not my child or any other god or goddess. They were born from the mischief of the High Elves and Elves. I feel sad every time I see those poor kids turned into dolls by those brats." "Wait a minute, they are not your child and doll? What does that even mean?" Lubov was puzzled by the explanation she just heard. "What the goddess Gaia means is that the High Elves and Elves created the Shadow Elf to be puppets but, what is their purpose in making the puppets and, is this the reason why High Elves and Elves were hated by other races for quite some time?" Sadness colored Anna''s voice. Her not-so-long Half-Elf ears hung weakly. "A High Elf named Eden, created the Shadow Elves as an army to defeat the Evil Gods. Shadow Elves were strong and reliable. It makes the sins committed by the High Elves and Elves forgiven by the gods and goddesses. However, when the High Elves took away the freedom of the Shadow Elves, they gained the wrath of four gods and goddesses including me. They were punished to stay and purify the continent that had been infected by the Scourge. It was at this moment that the High Elves and Elves were hated. And when they managed to fulfill their punishment, the High Elves and most of Elves decided to distance themselves from the other races. I don''t know, at this age, are the High Elves still closing themselves off?" Gravius nodded. "The High Elves are still keeping their distance and locking themselves in the Vytaris Grand Forest. No one entered or came out of the forest." "They are still ashamed to show themselves. But at least, I''m glad to hear that they''re still alive and well. In the future, we will visit them." "Visiting the High Elves!?" Celestena who was from earlier is silent, asked with surprise. And not only her, but everyone was also surprised by Gaia''s statements. "That''s right, we need their help to make the Potion I need. And you need to know, only they can process the Dungeon Core that we have." Everyone''s hearts skipped a beat when they heard an adventure outside the reason waiting for them in the future. High Elves, they never expected to witness one of the legendary races firsthand. They are nervous and excited but... Thump! Thump! The sound of horses running caught Lubov''s attention. She turned her head and saw a panicked knight and his horse approaching quickly. "We got a job," she said and she attracted the attention of everyone. Vier, Cabal, Gravius, and Celestena stood up and walked away from the campfire after they saw the knight. Time passed and now, the knight saluted to them. "Knight Captain Celestena," he said respectfully. "Speak!" Celestena''s orders were short and firm. "Scourge appeared, they attacked the city of Tatio." Hearing that, everyone starts walking. Their destination was a camp that stood not far from where they were now. The knight pulled his horse and chased after everyone. He said the unfinished report. "Based on the information provided by the Scouts, the Scourge emerged from within the ruins not far from the city. The ruins of a mysterious tower in the middle of Barnaby Forest." "What about the city? Their defense? The evacuation process?" "Tatio still stands with a solid defense. Our fifth and fourth knight battalion along with the local knight and militia held the Scourge with the Magic Formation provided by Goddess Gaia. As for the evacuation, as usual, the residents did not want to leave." Hearing the last information, everyone made a sour expression. Without evacuation, things would be ended up in an extremely bad way if the Scourge pass through the blockade and infect everyone. If lucky, those who get a mild infection can be cured by the goddess. Those who are unlucky, those who are fully infected will not be able to be saved. They will die as nasty monsters. None of them wanted hundreds of humans, dead as monsters. So, they moved as quickly as possible. Lubov and Elizaveta went to the watchtower to ring the warning bells. Vier, Cabal, and Anna join the main members of Soaring Sky. Hatori goes to the Scout squad they have this army, they will set out first in search of more information. As for Celestena, Gravius, and Gaia, they walked into the middle of the camp. Clang! Clang! Clang! The warning bell rings loudly. The knights, soldiers, mercenaries, and adventurers who heard it prepared themselves as soon as possible. Once they were ready, they form rows in the middle of the camp. They were waiting for orders from Celestena, their Knight Captain and Commander. Celestena who was standing in front of the army shouted, "Scourge is back on the attack. Our destination this time is Tatio, a city in the southwest with the distance, a quarter of a day from this place. The citizens in the city don''t want to evacuate so we''ll use the Dragon Spear and Earth Turtle Shield tactics. Move as quickly as possible after the goddess gives us a Buff!" Celestena stepped back, she said, "please." To let Gaia use her Spell. Gaia raised her hand and a moment later, an enormous green-colored Magic Circle appeared above everyone. The Magic Circle was not normal, it''s so complex and beyond comprehension. Anna, a Magician who is a genius, always being amazed and fascinated every time she sees that Magic Circle. The Half-Elf tried to understand the Magic Circle but always failed. She couldn''t understand everything and could only understand little pieces. Nevertheless, those little pieces were more than enough for her. Thanks to that, her understanding of the Magic Circle increased, her strength also gained quite a drastic increase. When the giant Magic Circle was ready, Gaia said, "[Wings of the Wind]" The giant Magic Circle was scattered. A moment later, the bodies of everyone and the animals in this camp were shrouded in green light for seconds. After the light in their bodies disappeared, everyone moved at a speed that can be said unusual. The first, second, third knight battalion along with mercenaries and adventurers departed. Instantly, they covered the distance of hundreds of meters in a matter of dozens of minutes. As for the logistics troops, they dismantled and packed the encampment set up in less than eighty minutes and yes, they were chasing the main force at a speed that was also abnormal. In the end, within an hour and a half, they reached Tatio. The first knight battalion under Celestena, Vier Party, and Gravius Party advanced to the front lines to face the Scourge. The second knight battalion helped the knights and militia on the defensive line. Finally, the third knight battalion along with the mercenaries and the rest of the adventurers carried out the evacuation process and protected the citizens. As usual, the invading Scourge had infected the monsters and turned them into more terrifying monsters than the previous ones. The monsters with six heads, a dozen legs, three pairs of arms, or even monsters that were only heads, legs, or hands always appeared when the Scourge attacked. And yes, a person who is fully infected and being transformed into a leg or something, can never be cured. However, if the infection in someone is only on the stage of having black skin that emits purple smoke, they can be saved. To avoid the Scourge''s infection, the people who dared to fight them had to rely on the protection of the Light Magic. However, when the Goddess was together with them, these people could rely on her. "[Armor of light]" With a single series of words, everyone on the battlefield was protected by armor made of golden light. Of course, they will not rely too much on this armor.. They know, there is no absolute power that will protect them. Chapter 165 - The Battle At Tatio 1_2 Lightning is created to hit something in an instant. Hot flames appear to burn flammable things. Ice freezes everything they touch. The ground splits to swallow anything that steps on it. The strong gust of wind detached many things they passed through. Sword, dagger, saber, and the like swung to cut. The shield stands still firmly to block attacks. Different types of shouts appeared one by one constantly. Blood was shed and life perished. All of those are the things that emerge in war. Now, in Tatio, living beings who can be called people, fight against the Embodiment of Destruction that is the Scourge. This battle occurred due to the clash of purposes of both sides. The people want to live and eradicate the Embodiment of Destruction. The Scourge was resolved to swallow and bring all life into nothingness. If negotiations could be made with the Scourge, people wanted to avoid this conflict. However, the Scourge had no thoughts, they simply followed their instinct to swallow everything into nothingness and nothing more. So, a conflict, a war happened. They will kill each other to realize their respective purposes. None of them want to lose and die. "Knight-Captain Celestena, the defense on the left wing is falling apart, they are asking for help!" A male knight reported. Celestena nodded then observed the battle that was going on below. From the top of the city wall, she could see the entire battlefield clearly. This helps her to make decisions quickly. "Send Tatio''s second knights battalion to help them," she uttered an order. The knight who had just made a report nodded. A moment later he closed his eyes to use the Telepathic Spell to inform the leader of the left-wing army and Tatio''s second knight battalion Celestena''s order. The Knight Captain looked back at the battlefield. A moment later, she asked, "Has the Magician Company recovered?" "Yes, they are," replied the female knight in charge of the communication of the company Celestena mentioned. "Then tell them to give support to the left-wing army until Tatio''s second knight battalion arrives. After that, tell them to attack the Scourge''s main force." The female knight nodded then used the Telepathic Spell. "Send my knight battalion to advance while Tatio''s fifth knight battalion and militia retreat. We will surround the Scourge and prevent them from scattering." The knights in charge of the army Celestena mentioned used the Telepathic Spell immediately. They have to send her message as soon as possible for the strategy to work properly. Celestena repeatedly led an army of knights in small or large-scale battles. That''s why she''s had good experiences at making judgments. After Celestena took over the leadership of the armies here, the army''s formation which at the start was fragile became sturdy. And not only that, but the decisions she voiced also made their side start to get advantages. In a few moments, this army was able to suppress the Scourge, make them less dangerous and minimize the damage they cause. Celestena could see, they could win this battle in the near future especially as Vier and Gravius Party raged on the front lines. And yes, even though she knew they were going to win, not once did she reduce her focus or vigilance. Leaving Celestena and looking at the front line, one could see how the Gravius Party was raging. With their strength, hardly any Scourge could stop them. Gravius was a high-level assassin. In his Familia, he ranked the second strongest person in battle after Vier. With abilities that couldn''t be underestimated, he could kill the Scourge easily. That Chibito was moving at a speed that ordinary people''s eyes couldn''t follow. With his small body, he can sneak up and dodge attacks without having to sweat. Since he joined this fight, he had only gained seven cuts because of his speed and capabilities to dodge. Yes, Gravius didn''t just have his speed. His abilities to fight could also be said to be terrifying. His ability to use daggers was praiseworthy. Every time he launched an attack, the daggers he used and his hand movements couldn''t be seen. And not only that, but he was also an expert at making poisons. Making him more deadly. Thus, with his ability, Gravius who fought on the front lines could kill dozens of Scourge in an instant. Every Scourge he encountered as he ran would become small pieces after he passed them. In addition to Gravius, there are Ronalda, Holgeir, Beleg, and Gilraen. Ronalda is a swordswoman. Just like Elizaveta, this Human woman used the Greatsword. However, different from Elizaveta who is focused on strength, this red-haired woman focused on speed and technique. Therefore, she had quick attacks that covered an area of attacks as far as six meters away from the place she stand. So, every Scourge that entered this beautiful woman''s attacks range would be slashed into small pieces. Currently, she had managed to kill over thirty Scourge. A large hammer was swung by Holgeir the Hammerman. This big bald man has thick muscles. He was a Valley Dwarf, one of the three Dwarf races that got a blessing in battle instead of a blessing to make weapons, etc. Yes, this two-meter tall man had a bushy mustache and beard. With his great strength and large hammer, Holgeir had already killed more Scourge than Ronalda. And for the record, they are rivals who are always competing to find who is the best on the battlefield. Contrary to the two front fighters, Beleg and Gilraen is quite harmonious and have good teamwork. In a fight and as a Shield Master, Beleg gets many roles to protect Gilraen who is an Ice Elementalist. Now, on this battlefield, Beleg uses his Giant Shield, Arte, and Spell to provide protection and ensure that everyone behind him is safe. This golden-haired young man with red eyes wouldn''t let the Scourge''s attacks pierce through his defenses. And not only did he withstand the attacks, but he also used his Giant Shield to kill the Scourge even though it wasn''t much. As Gilraen lifted her Wand, dozens of ice spears created from nothing, appear and floated in the air. This sexy silver-haired woman has good accuracy and judgment. Because of that, the spells she used always hit her enemies accurately and had little chance of missing. Being behind Beleg, Gilraen managed to freeze and kill hundreds of Scourge, more than everyone else on this battlefield. With their strength and talents, the Gravius Party that helped one battalion of knights was able to clear the area which had become their responsibility from the Scourge in less than twenty-three minutes. "We''re done here, let''s move somewhere else," Ronalda said with a little hint of vitality. Beleg nodded. As a Shield Master, he approved of her decision. Especially when he wants to protect as many people as possible. "Then let''s move as fast as we can. Gilraen, please follow me," he said before running towards the nearest battalion of knights. "Jeez! This young man!" Gilraen said full of annoyance as she moved her legs as best she could to chase Beleg. As always, the Shield Master was too fast for her. Holgeir shook his head, then asked Ronalda. "Where''s Gravius?" Ronalda sighed then pointed at someplace to answer Holgeir''s question. There, at the place pointed by Ronalda, Gravius who was on a rampage, committing a massacre. "Damn it! We have been left out!" Holgeir shouted then ran with all of his strength to get close to the Scourge. A moment later, Ronalda chased after him. The Gravius Party ran into their second fight. As for the Vier Party, they were in the middle of a battlefield to confront the three strongest Scourge. A deformed dragon''s head, a spider monster with human legs, and a figure of a human without legs but having three pairs of arms, become Scourge that they must defeat. "As always, they are so disgusting!" Anna commented then said, "[Grand Cross]" A huge golden cross made of light appeared above the Dragon Head Scourge. Anna wanted to destroy that Scourge first. After fighting against it for some time, she knew that the Scourge didn''t move much and had little way to defend itself. Dragon Head Scourge is a tank type. It has high HP and defense. This type of Scourge has attacks that can reduce the power of its opponent. If the monsters are left for too long, Vier and the others will get into trouble. Swuss and Blast! The huge golden cross fell to hit the Dragon Head Scourge and create an explosion. That spell was usually more than enough to kill a Rock Giant but now, that Spell could only do a little damage to that Scourge. "I hate this kind of Scourge!" Anna said who then prepared the next Spell. Elizaveta and Lubov who help Anna, get close to the Dragon Head Scourge after Anna''s Grand Cross effect disappears. Elizaveta shouted, "[Giant Killer Cut]" then swung her Greatsword which was enveloped by a deep red light into the Dragon Head Scourge''s eyes. The Amazones intend to blind the monster but she forgets that Scourge sees without using eyes, they see by feeling the life force directly. But, even though she forgot about it, she still gave Scourge great damage. Her attack was not a wasted effort. On the other hand, Lubov, who is clutching two swords, cut the Scourge with a dozen slashes that she launched at a quick pace. Pieces of Scourge meat floated in the air after she was done with her attacks. The Dragon Head Scourge didn''t just stand still after being attacked, it gathered its power then spouted hot flames from its big mouth. Seeing the attack coming, Elizaveta shouted, "the hell!" Before running away as fast as possible to dodge. In the last seconds, she managed to avoid the hot flames that burn everything in a radius of six square meters. "Are you okay!?" Lubov asked Elizaveta in a shout. The wolf girl stands at the top of the head of Dragon Head Scourge. So, she was safe from the hot flames. "I''m fine!" The Amazones replied. Then she whispered.. "This fight won''t be easy." Chapter 166 - The Battle At Tatio 2_2 "[Hail of Swords]" As Anna said that sentence, swords of light which is in dozens, appeared in the air from nothing. All those swords of light then fell to pierce the Dragon Head Scourge. As the name implies, a rain of swords occurred. "Groaa!" Scourge screeched. A moment later, it spouted hot flames from its big mouth to burn its surrounding. The attack did not injure Elizaveta or Lubov because, from the start, the two of them had kept their distance from the Scourge. After all, they didn''t want to be caught by Anna''s Spell. The hot flames continued to be spouted out by the Dragon Head Scourge whose entire body was pierced by the sword of light. Those hot flames made Elizaveta and Lubov unable to get close and launch attacks. "Ugh! The monster showed no signs of losing its life force! It''s still moving vigorously," Elizaveta commented with a little disappointment colored her voice. That dark-skinned Amazones knew, in the Quest to revive Gaia, they would continue to face much Scourge like this. They - Elizaveta, Lubov, and Anna - are fine now that they are up against one Scourge. But... What if they had to fight two, three, or four Scourge at the same time? What''s going to happen? They will be in danger and maybe... they will die. Elizaveta knew that and she was disappointed. She knew she couldn''t do anything to change the outcome of that scenario with her current strength. She thought of various possibilities but in the end, she knew she would die if she fight against more than two Dragon Head Scourge. And even more irritating, she couldn''t see a scene where she could win if confronting one Scourge of this type, alone. "I need strength," she whispered to herself. The Amazones closed her eyes. She was aware, this was a foolish thing to do when she was in the middle of a battle. However, she needed it now. Elizaveta tries to recall how Amazones uses their special Racial Skill. Once upon a time, when Elizaveta was a child, her mother channeled some kind of mysterious force - produced by the special Racial Skill mentioned above - to her. Her mother hoped that she could master that mysterious force. So they trained day by day for three months! Unfortunately, Elizaveta never managed to master that mysterious force. Elizaveta wants to fix that failure, she wants to erase the disappointment from her mother''s face. Therefore, she must succeed now. The sensation which is once forgotten appeared to remind her. The mysterious force flowed to fill Elizaveta''s body. It then gathered and solidify in the red tattoos that were all over her body. When she felt her body was so hot, she said, "[Awaken; Red Lighting]" Spark after spark of red lightning emerged from Elizabeth''s red tattoos. It was a sign that she had successfully used the special Racial Skill of the Amazones race. "Great!" Elizaveta squealed with pride. "Groaa!" The Dragon Head Scourge''s roar caught Elizaveta''s attention. She remember that she had to kill that monster. So... She lifts her Greatsword into the air while remembering an Arte that her mother showed to her a long time ago. A moment after she felt her energy decrease, a huge pillar of red light - encircled by sparks of red lightning - was created with her Greatsword as the base. Elizaveta''s eyes were wide open when she saw what she could do. A moment later she smiled. Finally, she could use one of the many Advance Artes used by his mother. The joyful Amazones stared at the Dragon Head Scourge. She shouted, "[Cut Through the Earth]" then swung her Greatsword down with everything she had. Pillars of red light fell, cutting everything in front of Elizaveta for tens of meters. The Dragon Head Scourge split in two, as were the Scourge behind it and the land they stepped on. Elizaveta''s success in her awakening changed the tide in this fight. The Dragon Head Scourge was defeated. -----+ "[Hi; Crimson Wolf]" When Hatori finished saying the name of his Arte, a ring containing an ancient letter - with the meaning crimson wolf - appeared in front of him. A moment later, from within the circle, a big wolf made of fire appeared. Crimson Wolf then ran, it approached the Spider Scourge - a spider monster that had human legs - so quickly. Its goal is only one, which is to burn the Embodiment of Destruction to ashes. Spider Scourge put up a fight. It fired a black spider web at Crimson Wolf with the intent to stop its movements. However, the plan failed. The Scourge''s black spider web caught fire shortly after touching Crimson Wolf''s body. The way of defending itself possessed by Spider Scourge is not just one. When it failed with its first tactic, it used the second tactic. It fired the balls of black liquid which was poison, at Crimson Wolf. The tactic of the Spider Scourge did manage to extinguish most of the flames in Crimson Wolf''s body. And when that Arte hit its body, it only gave a little damage to the Spider Scourge. The moments when Spider Scourge is too focused on the Crimson Wolf are taken advantage of by Cabal. The muscular man approached the monster, he managed to get close, but the monster didn''t realize it. And when Spider Scourge realizes Cabal''s presence, the man was already in the middle of launching his Arte. "[Golden Cut]" Greataxe covered in golden light came from above quickly! The attack was supposed able to cut the Spider Scourge''s body in half. However, as the Spider Scourge dodged, the attack only manage to cut off three of its eight legs. "Scree!" Scourge made a sound then fired its poison balls wildly. Cabal dodged that wild attack as best he could. Hatori uses Arte, "[Mizu; Azure Snake]" to give aid to Cabal. In the end, with his efforts and Azure Snake''s protection which is absorbing most of the poison balls, Cabal managed to escape after being hit by two poison balls. Spider Scourge does not launch other attacks. It chose to retreat to heal itself with its Super Regeneration. Its decision gave Cabal a chance to drink the Antidote Potion but it also meant that the monster would recover as before. This fight will last for a long time. It was something Cabal and Hatori didn''t want. The two men exchanged gazes then nodded at each other. The fight continues and Hatori doesn''t want to let the monster regenerate itself. Therefore, he threw three Kunai with a piece of paper tied to their handle. The paper is no ordinary paper. The paper was painted with a ring containing other ancient letters with the meaning of explosions. So, when the three Kunai were stuck in the Spider Scourge''s body... Boom! Boom! Boom! Three explosions appeared to destroy and burn its body. "Scree!" Scourge makes a loud noise. A moment later, it shot a needle-like hair that covered most of its body in all directions. Batsh! Batsh! The danger comes and to dodge it, Hatori says, "[Tsuchi; Pale Wall] to make a gray wall using the ground as material. As for Cabal, he covered his body with Greataxe then said, "[Golden Axe Aura]" Those thousands of needle hairs killed dozens of other Scourge within a ten-meter radius. The attack also gave Hatori and Cabal minor injuries. They didn''t expect the attack to be so powerful and could penetrate their defenses. The two men drank a bottle of Potion before they started attacking again. Spider Scourge can move quickly, the monster is also smart enough to use its kin as shields and weapons. That makes it difficult for Cabal and Hatori to get close and launch attacks. They had to kill every Scourge that was blocking their path. Anger arises when their attacks which are aimed to stop the Spider Scourge''s movements, hit the Scourge who was lifted and made a shield by that spider monster. They had to try their best for some time until finally, they found a chance when the Spider Scourge went to a place that had meager other Scourge. Hatori jumped into the air with, "tho!" Then he said, "[Buki; Twin Great Shuriken]" Two purple rings containing ancient letters - the Great Shuriken - appeared on Hatori''s left and right sides. In an instant, the rings turned into two black Shurikens larger than his own body. Hatori took the two Shurikens. He then spins his body in the air several times quickly before finally, throwing two Shuriken in his hands towards the Spider Scourge at the same time. Spider Scourge who felt the danger made a running. The monster tried to evade the two Shuriken that came to it. With its best capability, it tried to escape but the two Shuriken continued to chase after the monster. Eventually... Stab! Stab! "SCREE!" The two Shuriken pierce the stomach also cut three left legs of the Spider Scourge. The attack managed to snatch the monster''s mobility and nail it to the ground. Hatori managed to keep the monster still! Now, it''s time for Cabal to get into action! Cabal approached the monster that was nailed to the ground as fast as he could. As he ran, he constantly filled his entire body with energy. This made a dim red light envelop Cabal''s body. No, the thing he didn''t just make his muscular body glow. Cabal''s strength, defense, and speed also increased. After seventeen steps were taken, he arrived the front of the Spider Scourge. The muscular man gripped his Greataxe more tightly. He then swung it with all his might and a shout that was, "[Unpolished Greataxe Swing]" A flash of black light was created for seconds. The Spider Scourge in front of Cabal split into two. The cut that split the monster''s body was not neat, it was like being made using a blunt weapon.. That horrible cut gave huge damage, preventing the Scourge''s regeneration, and that, killing the Spider Scourge almost instantly. Chapter 167 - Vier As the Six Arms Scourge attacked, three weapons - two purple swords and a purple ax - swung simultaneously. Each swing of those weapons is supported by speed and strength beyond human reason. If a knight or even an ordinary person fended off or even received those attacks directly, their bodies would be destroyed or split apart so easily, in a second! As for, Vier - a young man once named The Mad Azure Dragon - he dodges those weapons flawlessly. He moved his body swiftly as the weapons were ten centimeters away from him. The Six Arms Scourge''s attacks were fast but Vier''s movements were faster. It can be said that of all the people and Scourge on this battlefield, he was the fastest. And not only that, but he was also the strongest. Now, how can this young man - who is only eighteen years old - have such extraordinary power? How could he deal with a Scourge that could flatten an entire city alone? Why wasn''t he hurt in the slightest when fighting against that Scourge? The story of how extraordinary this young man was, began from the moment when he was nine years old. At that time, the village where he lives peacefully was attacked by Monsters Stamped. Almost everyone in the village died and Vier was one of the survivors. And someone could say, he was the savior for those survivors. He became a savior after finding the Azure Sword inside the ruins of an ancient temple, not far from his village. Getting into the ruins of the ancient temple, accidentally finding the Azure Sword, which happened after Vier was escorted and saved by his elder sister, Lylian. Lylian and Vier initially want to take refuge in the ruins of an ancient temple after being forced to abandon their parents who are trying to block the monsters that hunt and want to eat them. The two kids made it to where they were going. However, a monster also managed to catch up with them. Caught in a situation where only one of them could survive, Lylian didn''t hesitate to save her brother by making herself a bait to attract the monster''s attention. Lylian managed to save her brother but as its payment, she died. On the other hand, Vier who was desperately trying to find a way out of the ruins of the ancient temple to save her older sister found the Azure Sword. Then, after he made it out with the sword, he found Lylian already dead. In his grief, he promised revenge for his older sister. And yes, using the Azure Sword and the power it bestowed, Vier killed the monsters that attacked his village. His revenge was done but he wasn''t relieved. His grief becomes anger and hatred when he knows that his older sister and parents will never come back. Vier decides to kill all the monsters in the world. It was the na?ve dream of a little boy who didn''t know about the world he lived in. He didn''t know, killing all monsters in the world was a dream that would never come true. But, thanks to that purpose, he became strong. The tens of thousands of monsters he killed using the Azure Sword made his level rise rapidly. He had crossed the limit of normal people and he wasn''t aware, his journey to kill all the monsters made him a monster himself. Yes, vier became a monster. His life of constantly killing monsters every day for six years and never once stopped, made his mind grow in the wrong direction and made him half crazy. Slayings the monsters were the purpose of his life. Blood is spilled wherever he goes. Death surrounds him. In the end, Azure Sword left Vier. That was a story about how Vier became strong. As for the story of how he became a human again, it happened when he met Gravius, became part of his Familia, and then meet Anna. Now, back to this moment, when Vier fought against the Six Arms Scourge. The golden-haired young man swung his sword to the best of his ability. That makes the attacks he launched becomes accurate, unexpected, and deadly. In their thirteen-minute fight, Vier gave the Six Arms Scourge dozens of severe wounds. However, all that wasn''t enough to kill the Scourge. It heals the wounds in seconds. When viewed from another perspective, its regeneration tells people that the Six Arms Scourge was comparable with Vier. Swush! Swush! The Six Arms Scourge''s attacks came to destroy Vier, again. The young man who saw the coming of danger with his blue eyes moved his body to swing his sword and parried those attacks. Flash of light and sparks was created when their weapon hit each other. Unfortunately, the Scourge''s attacks never destroyed its target but always destroyed anything after it missed. The ground cracked, split, and obliterated, as did all the Scourge around them. The swords, axes, and hammers belonging to the Six Arms Scourge knew no comrades or opponents. They existed to destroy everything. "Oryaaa!" A terrifying scream that shook the heart of who heard it, voiced by three mouths that were in the head of the Six Arms Scourge. The three pairs of the monster''s eyes became redder than before. Its huge, muscular, dark purple body shook violently as it stared at Vier sharply. The Scourge was furious. Why can''t its attacks hit this little human? What''s going on? Six Arms Scourge wondered as it made wild, blind, and out-of-control swings. Yes, this Scourge has thoughts and egos. It was different from the other Scourge who lived just to follow their instincts. This happened because its host, container which is three Adventurers still retained some of their consciousness. This type of Scourge is the strongest Scourge. Evil Gods were also in such a state. However, since the gods had a strong mind, the Scourge that infect them became part of their strength. The Scourge doesn''t take over their reasoning. The Scourge reinforces their negative emotions. The Scourge makes them destroyers according to their desires. "[Stance; Defensive Sword Movements]" Clang! Clang! Clang! Vier fended off a barrage of Six Arms Scourge attacks. From a distance, flashes of light and sparks of fire were only the things that the knights, mercenaries, and adventurers saw from their exchange. Most of them couldn''t see the movements of Vier''s sword and Six Arms Scourge''s weapons. Only a few people could see it. Their battle can only be described as extraordinary. The speed and power of each of their attacks had broken through the border which was referred to as reasonable. They bring destruction. Of course, no one who was still sane wanted to approach them. They would die if they did. As for those who wanted to help the young man, they held back. They understand they''re not strong enough. Giving help without enough strength will only make things worse. Vier launched his counterattacks shortly after a gap appeared in the Six Arms Scourge attacks. As before, his attacks could cut and do great damage to the Six Arms Scourge. However, his sword couldn''t cut off the Scourge''s main body. Six Arms Scourge made a good defense. The Scourge could block Vier''s sword from reaching its target - which is its main body - by relying on six weapons. However, that didn''t mean that the Scourge defenses were impenetrable. Vier took a deep breath. Energy flowed and filled his entire body. The young man blasted that energy as he said, "[Stance; Defense Crusher]" Using that Arte, his sword swings became much stronger and heavier than the previous one. Therefore, the Six Arms Scourge''s weapons were thrown every time it used one of its weapons to hit Vier''s sword. Swuss! Swuss! Four weapons were thrown deep into the Scourge''s rearguard. The weapons destroyed the Scourge that in the place where they will land. Clang! Clang! Their exchange continued and now, Vier was putting much more pressure on the Six Arms Scourge than before. Nevertheless, Vier felt his attack was still not enough. So, he used another Arte. "[Stance; Lightning Swings] Four sword swings that were extremely fast cut off three of Six Arms Scourge''s arms. The Scourge''s defense was getting thinner and its attacks became weaker. Now, Vier can do great damage to the monster using ordinary attacks easily. Unfortunately, the Scourge''s regeneration was able to heal those damages quickly. Vier didn''t want this fight to last much longer. He wanted to get it done as quickly as possible to help everyone. So, "[Shinning; The Six Cut]" A deep red light enveloped Vier''s sword. Everyone who saw their fight didn''t know when the young man''s sword moved. They only knew the Six Arms Scourge was being cut into small pieces instantly and then died. With the powerful enemy he was fighting dead, Vier began to help the weak positions in the battle formation created by Celestena. The fight continued for half an hour before finally, all the Scourge was successfully annihilated. The knights, militias, mercenaries, and adventurers shouted their happiness at today''s victory. They managed to defend Tatio and save the citizens. They succeeded but the source of this attack remained untouched. If they didn''t do something to it, the Scourge would return to attack the city again within a few days. More than that, an unknown danger was observing them. Now, the danger was smiling. Chapter 168 - Another Piece Of Story One day passed since the fight to defend Tatio ended. Now, the knights and Soaring Sky Familia visited the forest not far from the city. They had one goal: to destroy the source of the Scourge that attack the city. They didn''t want to let the Scourge breed and bring about destruction again. Especially when they are this close to the city. The journey to the ruins of the tower where the Scourge make a nest was easy. No monster attacks or ambush them because most of the monsters have become the host for the Scourge. Before their onslaught began, the knights rested and do some scouting. They must be at their best form, knowing the number of enemies, their formations, and the battlefield to secure the victory. They did all of that also to reduce the casualties and eliminate the unexpected dangers or scenarios. They also need time to draw up a plan after getting information for the scouting they do. Things that that happened in the field and vicinity will change their already made plan. Attacking the enemy just like that without knowing anything about them and the place where they are was a foolish act. It will only bring suffering and worse, death. "Wow~ look at that!" Gravius said with admiration. Far in front of him, stood the ruins of the tower. The thing that amazed Gravius was not how big and tall the ruin that almost collapsed, but the hundreds of Scourge that wandered around at the base of the tower. The strange and terrifying creature was there as a guard. They''re going to kill anything, whoever''s approaching them. They were there for one reason. They take care of and guard the Mind of Scourge, an existence that continues to create the Scourge endlessly. The Mind of Scourge came from the Void. Usually, they appeared in a place where the Aether in it become so dense. They utilized that concentrated Aether to create a dimensional gap that they used as an entrance. That''s right, Scourge can sense Aethers from other dimensions and can utilize them from where they are. And not only Aether, but they can also feel the Life Force of living beings that exist in other dimensions or worlds. A place like the earth that had very much Life Force would not be attacked by the Scourge. It happens because the earth does not have an Aether. In the absence of an Aether, the Scourge could use it to make the entrance, the Scourge could only stare at the earth with unbearable hunger without being able to do anything. Hundreds of worlds that don''t have Aethers are safe from Scourge attacks. However, if there was a small possibility that the Aether came to that world, the Scourge would instantly attack the world because of the enormous Life Force it has. They will not neglect a buffet of food that will satisfy their hunger. The gods and goddesses who ruled the world with the Aether always had to make a defense mechanism to block the Scourge, whether by hiding their world, fighting directly, or making an impenetrable barrier. After all, the gods and goddesses didn''t want the Scourge to come to their world and then destroy it. What about Uravia? The world where Eclaite is now. Why the gods and goddesses in this world didn''t create a defense mechanism to block the Scourge? Uravia is a newborn world. With that, the gods and goddesses in Uravia had no experience regarding the Scourge and their menaces. Their young world also not been able to make connections with other worlds. This made the gods and goddesses in Uravia didn''t get any information from the other gods or even meet them. The older gods didn''t want to make a connection with the young gods while they were busy with their respective worlds. They will only make a connection if they need help or they are attracted to the young gods. So yes, the gods and goddesses in Uravia were confused when the first Scourge attacked. They don''t know what the Scourge is. And when they decided to fight the Scourge directly, some of them fell and became Evil Gods. For hundreds of years, they fought against unknown enemies and their crazed kin. They almost give up and their world is almost destroyed when miracles and other disasters come. Yes, their world can finally make a connection with another world. With the miracle they got from the event, they were able to meet the other gods and get guidance from them. But at the same time, that connection also carries another danger that is the Evil Gods. They came to Uravia to join the existing Evil Gods. The god and goddess Uravia realized the destruction of their world was approaching. They seek help from the other gods but¡­ they don''t get anything when they don''t have anything to offer. Amidst the despair, one Minor God, The God of Game who came from earth offers help. He will send the heroes to Uravia in exchange for a wish he wants in the future. The gods and goddesses of Uravia agree and dozens of lucky Ark Fantasy Online players, become hero candidates to be sent to Uravia. One Evil God in Uravia - the Evil God of Red Moon - learned of the deal. She didn''t want the heroes to come to annihilate her and the Scourge. So, she did something about the plan to send the heroes to Uravia. The Evil God of Red Moon altered the Teleportation Magic used to send the heroes into Reincarnation Magic. The changes she made were not perfect, so some heroes came directly while others entered the Uravia''s circle of reincarnation. In the end, in the War of Gods, the heroes along with the Uravia''s gods and goddesses managed to defeat the Evil Gods and the Scourge despite having to pay a heavy price. They also managed to create a defense mechanism to block another Scourge come to this world from Void. That''s right, they defeated the Evil Gods and Scourge, not killed them. They get peace and their world is not destroyed. However, it''s only temporary. Now, the Evil Gods and Scourge revived. The Evil Gods want to rule this world. The Scourge wants to destroy this world. They had different goals but now, they united, or rather, the Evil Gods monopolized the Scourge to defeat the gods and goddesses in Uravia. "There will be a lot of fighting if we want to break in. It was very troublesome but¡­ well¡­ we don''t have much choice." Gravius shook his head. He jumped, coming down from the tall tree he used as a foothold. The Chibito ran in a labyrinth-like forest that had an uneven surface for a few dozen minutes. He had just stopped running and walking after joining hundreds of knights. Gravius, look for Celestena. When he found the woman with the others in an open tent, he asked, "Is everything ready, Miss Celestena?" "Yes." Celestena nodded. "What do you see?" "Scourge troops comparable to ours." Gravius made the report with a smile. He looked at the members of his and Vier''s party. "Isn''t it is exciting? Tough fights are already welcoming us at the entrance of the ruin." "And it''s going to get worse once we get into the ruins," Anna continued. Her Half-elf ears made a powerful jolt. Unwillingness was seen on her face. Vier who was next to Anna moved his hand. He stroked the woman''s head while saying, "Thing will not become much dangerous, don''t worry." Anna lowered her head to hide her red cheeks. "If you protect me then fine." "Alright," said Gravius, who made a few claps to grab everyone''s attention. "This is the plan. As Miss Celestena said, my, Vier''s, and Kaze''s party along with the respectable Goddess, Gaia, will go into ruins to destroy the Mind of Scourge. We can''t go in alone so the knights will make way for us. After successfully sending us in, they''ll hunt down the Scourge around the ruins. It''s a good plan and now, let''s begin!" Fifteen people plus one goddess followed Gravius. They went to their positions in this assault. Celestena that has been left behind did the last check. The moment she knew there was no error and all was indeed ready, she looked at three knights behind her. "Let''s start this assault, knights! Move out!" Following Celestena''s orders, the three knights contacted each of their Battalion Knights. And in an instant, all the knights approached the ruins of the tower in a tight formation. This forest has an unfavorable layout. Fighting against the Scourge in a narrow place, blocked by trees and on the uneven ground would be a nightmare. Therefore, they did not pull the Scourge closer. Attacking the Scourge and fighting in the open area under the tower was a good idea. The Scourge that realized the arrival of the knights attacked with everything they had. A thousand more Scourge ran to a spot. Three thousand knights awaited their arrival. And not only did they wait, but the knights were also preparing for their long-range attacks. As the Scourge approached and entered the area of attacks, the knights launched their long-range attacks and Spells. The knights managed to kill dozens of Scourge in an instant but it wasn''t enough! The Scourge keeps coming! Chapter 169 - White Tower Ruins 1_2 Hundreds of Scourge approached the knights with the desire to kill. They must carry out their duties to protect the ruins of the White Tower and the Mind of Scourge that take refuge in it. Therefore, they will let the knights pass them. The Scourge forces consist of infected monsters, which is; Wolves with two heads, Boarman that have three arms, snake monsters with deer bodies, and many other mixed, patches, horrible monsters. Luckily, this time, there was no strong Scourge in that force. The knights can breathe a sigh of relief and their mission will be easier to archive. To break through the forces of Scourge and then deliver Vier along with the others into the ruins, Celestena uses a simple strategy. She orders the knights to break through the Scourge forces and defense directly. It is a reckless strategy. However, because of the time limit before The Mind of Scourge calls other Scourge from Void, and their limited movements because of this thick forest, this strategy was the only one she came up with. If they don''t break the Scourge forces directly and choose to take a detour, on the worst possibility, they will have to confront the Scourge forces which is four times the numbers that exist in the present. And it still does not include a few strong Scourge that will born from the combination of the Scourge in here. The Scourge that has just been summoned by The Mind of Scourge is still in its original form. A mass of horrible purple blobs just like a moving piece of meat. They may not be strong as the Scourge that has infected and taken over the body of a monster, but their infection is more dangerous and potent. Clang! Clang! The loud voices that come from the collision between metal and hardened meat were echoed in this forest. Tens of Greatshield were raised high when two lines of defense - each of which is formed by fifty or more knights - held up a large wave made of hundreds of advancing Scourges. The two lines of defense formed a formation ¡Ä to penetrate the Scourge forces. At the tip of the formation, there are forty high-level elite knights. With their strength, the Scourge was killed at a fast pace. They will ensure that this formation keeps moving forward and never stops. In the inner part of the formation, there are four types of knights'' armies. They are three platoons of knights consisting of a fifty to eighty Lancer, Archer, and Mage. Whereas the last armies were the extermination squad, which consisted of a party belonging to Vier, Gravius, and Kaze along with Gaia, which is numbered twelve. The Lancers are right behind the Defenders in the defense line. They killed the Scourge that had just hit the line of defense and protected the Defenders. The platoon of Archers and Mages launched their attacks far ahead, passing the defense line to reduce the Scourge. Vier and others also fought but they just use a little portion of their strength. They must save their energy to confront then kill the Scourge and The Mind of Scourge in the ruins. This formation was formed by a company of Knight, a third of the first Knight Battalion. Then, what about two other knight battalions? Where are the other six hundred knights or more, now? The rest of the first Knight Battalion along with the second and third is behind the formation ¡Ä which is formed by the Knight Company. The rest of the first knight battalion made a formation / _ \\\\ right behind the Knight Company. While the two second and third knight battalions made formation ¡ª on the left and right the first Knight Battalion. So, with the Formation _¡Ä_, Three battalions of knights approached the ruins while resisting the attack and killing the Scourge along the way. The knights must strive hard for about one and a half hours before they arrive at the foot of the ruins. When they arrived there, they immediately made a defensive formation to block the Scourge they had just passed. They also had to eradicate the Scourges that were still roaming at the entrance before they send the extermination squad into the ruins. "We will wait for you." The sentence was spoken by Celestena to Vier and the other, a moment before they get into the ruins. With all of that, the extermination squad starts their mission. They must search and kill the Mind of Scourge before everything is too late. "We made it in and now ..." Gravius''s words were trailed off. He then turned to Gaia. The Goddess smiled and said, "Our target is at the bottom of these ruins. So we will use the stairs." Gravius nodded. "You heard it, let''s start this mission! From here, Kaze, I handed it to you. Please guide us." "Of course, leave it to me, " Kaze replied. Kaze walked to the front line and a woman followed him. He and the woman, Renata, was Scouts. So, the two of them will guide and ensure the road traversed by them is safe from the danger called, traps. "Anna please give me a light," Kaze requested. Anna''s Half-Elf ears jolted at his request. The woman lifted her wand and said, "wait for a second, [Illumination]" Ten balls of light as big as a fist are created. One of them floated past Kaze to give him enough light to brighten the surrounding. Kaze nodded with satisfaction and returned to walk. The sun is still high in the sky. However, its light could not penetrate the wall of these ruins to drive the darkness. These ruins have Crystal Lamps which is still functioning. Unfortunately, their number is a little and because they were eroded by time, their light became so dim. It leaves everyone to make their lighting. Anna''s balls of light floated, encircling everyone. Two balls in front, another two for each party, and the last two are in the rear. With that, they have enough lighting. White Tower, the ruins they explored right now have a diameter of sixty meters. It made the inside of it quite vast, filled with hundreds of rooms and dozens of corridors. Thanks to that, these ruins became a natural maze. The complicated layout can make someone get lost easily and that is not the only problem Vier and the others have to worry about. The ruins were made by a famous Sage. This is not an ordinary tower and this place has a strict defense mechanism. There are many traps installed to kill intruders and to protect the treasure inside it but ... "There is no active trap here," Kaze started. The man then pointed to the arrows stuck in the wall. "Look, all the traps have been triggered. We don''t need to guess that the Scourge did it." "Isn''t that good? For once, those Scourge did something useful for us," Anna said. Even though she was in the backline, she could hear clearly if the Scourge was mentioned. "That is good, indeed," said Cabal. "However, we must remain sharp. We don''t know what will happen and the dangers that waiting for us in this place." Kaze adjusted his lantern and said, "I''ll do it." The man then walked back with watch full eyes, always looking for a trap that might still be active. Time passed when they explored the ruins. The absence of the Scourge made Gravius feel uncomfortable. He turned, looked at a red-haired girl in Kaze''s Party, "Nira, please use Life Search. My detection skills couldn''t find where the Scourge was hiding." "Okay," said Nira who then closed her red eyes. "[Life Search]" Ripples of green light appear on the floor to spread throughout the area. Within seconds, the ripples covered dozens of meters. Another few seconds and they passed thirty meters. Gravius nodded with satisfaction. After seeing the ripple, he turned back to the girl to ask the result but, for a moment he saw the girl''s pale face, he chose to shout another thought. "Everyone is getting ready! Unsheathe your weapon!" Crumbled! Crumbled! Instantly after Gravius shouted, the wall on both sides of the corridor in front and behind them collapsed to show the scourge. The ambush made them surprised but... they were ready. "[Ice Wall]" Gilraen exclaimed spontaneously. And in an instant, the hallway on the rear is covered by thick ice walls. "Gilraen, what are you doing?" Beleg inquired in confusion. "You block our only way out." Gilraen''s eyes open wide. "I''m sorry, it happens spontaneously. I''ll cancel it immediately." "No! Don''t melt that ice wall!" Gravius exclaimed. "It''s a good decision and thus, we only need to focus on the Scourge our front. We will advance and Beleg! Go to the frontline, Gilraen doesn''t need your protection now." "Okay," said Beleg who was then running. "What about us, father!?" Vier asked Gravius. "Keep on standby. Don''t waste your and your party members'' stamina, protect the rearguard only if the Scourge can approach you. The Mind of Scourge is not our opponent. And Gilraen, if that ice wall is collapsed, make another." After seeing confirmation from Vier and Gilraen, Gravius ran to the front line.. He unsheathes two of his daggers, ready to help Kaze and the others. Chapter 170 - White Tower Ruins 2_2 "The hell! These Scourge are endless!" Holgeir shouted after he destroyed a Scourge with his big hammer. The bald man along with Renata and Halsim must deal with dozens of Small Spider Scourge that have human faces on its body. They had to defeat those Scourge to make sure everyone''s battle didn''t disturb. It is also done to protect Vier''s Party and Gaia, the Goddess of Life. As Holgeir removed his huge hammer from the demolished Small Spider Scourge, Renata swung her red Dagger to cut off two Small Spider Scourge at once. Those Scourge die after their bodies have been slashed into two, horizontally by Renata. The black-haired woman could do this because she used Arte that could increase the attack range of her weapons. Although she was currently using a dagger with a length of no more than forty centimeters, she could slash down the Scourge which was two meters away from where she stood. Different from Holgeir and Renata, Halsim uses a bow. He had to use arrows to kill the Small Spider Scourge around him. The corridor which only has a width of seven meters and a height of five meters limits his movements and area of attack. However, that''s not a problem for him. Halsim approached the monsters and launched his arrows from a distance of fewer than two meters. The long-range attacks he launched from close range proved effective at killing Scourge at a fast pace. They have to struggle for nine minutes to defeat thirty-eight Small Spider Scourge that ambushed them from behind when Rhino Scourge block their way! Currently, the extermination squad was on the second floor of the ruins. On their way to this floor, they already killed dozens of Scourge. Most of the Scourge they were fighting had already infected monsters while the rest were Pure Scourge. Pure Scourge was different from the ordinary Scourge. They needed a special approach to be killed because they could only be harmed by people who got blessings from the gods. Ordinary people without the blessing were strongly encouraged not to fight them. People who didn''t have blessings could barely injure the Pure Scourge. Their physical attacks and magic were completely useless if there were no Light Element involved. They will also become susceptible to infection in the absence of such blessing and of course, the Light Element. In this case, Vier, Cabal, Anna, Elizaveta, Lubov, and Hatori have the blessing from Gaia. Thus, they could injure the Pure Scourge even if they only used ordinary attacks. And with that blessing, it is they who will defeat the Mind of Scourge that right now was hiding in the bottom of these ruins. Gaia, the Goddess of Life, couldn''t give everyone a blessing due to the limited power she currently possessed. Six people are her limit. And, if she had another Gaia Blood Gem, she could give others a blessing. Now, back to the fight. Five Scourge - a rhino-headed human that has four legs - blocked the path of the extermination squad. Their huge bodies which are three meters tall filled this corridor. They were like a wall. Gravius fights one Rhino Scourge, Ronalda who is aided by Nira also against one Rhino Scourge, the same thing happens to Kaze. Holgeir, Renata, and Halsim kill the annoying Small Spider Scourge. Finally, Fenton, Beleg, and Gilraen kept the two Rhino Scourge from approaching the other. BAAM! Rhino Scourge''s fist shattered the floor. Gravius who was one step beside that arm did not get wounded after successfully dodging it. Chibito twisted the dagger in his right hand to hold it in an inverted grip. Energy filled the little man''s body before he blast it up by saying, "[Snake Slashing]" Gravius disappeared and suddenly appeared behind the Rhino Scourge. A moment later, a spring-like long cut wrapped the Rhino Scourge''s hand that was still attached to the floor. The purple liquid flowed from the wound created. "Roo! Rho!" A strange sound was heard when the Rhino Scourge turned around, chasing after Gravius. Rhino Scourge attempted to attack Gravius with another fist but, it can''t find the Chibito. Gravius disappeared once again. The Scourge moved its head to look around, trying to find the little man but it never found him. Gravius didn''t disappear, he just moved so quickly. The Chibito always avoided the Rhino Scourge''s sight and launched his attacks within the monster''s blind spot. Then, as he showed himself to the Rhino Scourge, he had already finished cutting off both of Scourge''s arms and neck. Rhino Scourge''s head fell as it walked closer to Gravius. Finished with his opponent, Gravius immediately ran to where Beleg was. Swush! Swush! Ronalda''s Greatsword swung at a speed that the eyes couldn''t follow. She attacked the Rhino Scourge with a dozen slashes but all those slashes didn''t give any deep wounds or large damages. Just like Halsim, her fighting potential was limited by how small this corridor was! Ronalda''s vast range of attacks could cover this entire corridor. If she used her abilities without having to think about the consequences, she could kill this Rhino Scourge in a minute or two. Unfortunately, Ronalda couldn''t use her abilities. After all, she didn''t want to cut off her friends by accident or even destroy this corridor to bury herself. So, she limited herself by using ordinary attacks. Nira who became her duet partner provided such good support. The girl used several Spells to weaken and restrict the Rhino Scourge''s movements. Strength Snatcher takes the Scourge''s strength. Agility Snatcher made the Scourge''s movements becomes slow. Endurance Snatcher let the Scourge''s body can be cut easily. Lastly, it was Mana Bind that tied the Rhino Scourge in its place. Nira used some ordinary Spells. People think she''s weak because of it, but she''s not weak. In reality, Nira was strong. Otherwise, she wouldn''t have become one of the members of Kaze''s Party. Why is that? Why is Nira strong? That''s because Nira can use the four Spells at the same time. If it were to be more specific, she created a Magic Circle that could give four different effects when being used. She was a genius who could create new, original Magic Circles. Ronalda and Nira duet killed the Rhino Scourge within four minutes. Kaze is just like Hatori, he is a Ninja. However, their way of fighting was different. Hatori uses Elements and Weapons Jutsu while Kaze uses Summoning and Weapons Jutsu. A ninja named Kaze can summon a monster that forges a pact with him. Right now, he summoned a Steelfist Gorilla to fight with him. The huge two-and-a-half-meter tall Steelfist Gorilla was able to compensate for the Rhino Scourge''s strength. Kaze and Steelfist Gorilla have good teamwork. In this fight, Steelfist Gorilla becomes a Tank that draws attention and locks up the Scourge movements. On the other hand, Kaze becomes an Assassin. He launched his attacks on the Scourge''s joints from its blind spots. Kaze''s attacks didn''t have much damage but his attacks could drain the Scourge''s HP quickly. Steelfist Gorilla and Rhino Scourge exchanged blows and then, they locked each other''s movements at the same time. Those monsters didn''t move at all. Taking advantage of the chance, Kaze blast up his energy. "[Buki; Black Chain]" Five blue rings containing ancient letters meaning; Black Chain, appear around Rhino Scourge and Steelfist Gorilla. A moment later, black chains as big as an arm emerged from within the rings. They were like snakes and they moved to bind the Rhino Scourge. Steelfist Gorilla? Kaze said, "[Unsummon]" and the Steelfist Gorilla disappeared before the black chains could touch its body. In the end, the Rhino Scourge was unable to move with the black chains tied up its entire body. Rhino Scourge dies after Kaze beheads it. Fenton used Barrier Magic to create a blue wall that stopped the Rhino Scourge''s advance. He and Beleg were holding the two Rhino Scourge in their place. Those two people didn''t let those Scourges step past the line they set. As for Gilraen, the woman fired spear after spear of ice at the two Rhino Scourge. She managed to harm and half-freeze those Scourge. Seeing the chance, Fenton made four Barriers on four half-frozen Rhino Scourge''s sides to lock it in place. Then, the man made another Barrier that was so thin right in front of the Rhino Scourge''s neck, he then extended the Barrier backward to cut off its neck. Fenton managed to kill a Rhino Scourge. He turns around intending to help Beleg. However, he discovers that the Rhino Scourge confronted by the man had already been killed by Gravius. "With this, we managed to kill all the Scourge," said Gravius who looked around and then sheathed his Daggers. What he said was the truth and the Scourge didn''t block their path, so, "let''s move!" Everyone moved after Gravius. As they walked, they drank Red and Blue Potions to recover their HP and MP. They were lucky, after fighting against a group of Rhino Scourge, they no longer stopped fighting another Scourge. They managed to reach the deepest floor of the ruins after twenty minutes. In the vast hall, the extermination squad finds the Mind of Scourge that they must eliminate. Chapter 171 - The Mind Of Scourge 1_2 The Mind of Scourge¡­ It was a doom carrier and that was clear. Now, in the great hall beneath the ruins of the White Tower, the heroes ¡ª or those who dared to fight the Scourge ¡ª challenged the monster with everything they have and an intention of killing it. They couldn''t let that doom carrier be here to constantly summon the Scourge from the Void and then ask them to swallow the life force of people or monsters in this world. The Mind of Scourge has an unpredictable form. Sometimes it''s a huge blue glass cube, a lump of flesh like a human brain, a mysterious marble statue, a human, a whale, etc. However, even though they were different, they had something in common that is they had a terrifying aura and purple smoke that always surrounded them. Now, the form of the Mind of Scourge, fought by Vier and everyone is a large eyeball whose back is covered in scales while at the bottom part of it were dozens of tentacles. The eyeball which had a diameter of more than six meters looked soft and easy to dismember but the eyeball was extremely tough. The sound of a blow between metals followed by sparks was heard and appeared every time Vier cut the eyeball using his sword. Clang! Clang! Clang! The sharp sword that was swung so many times so quickly and powerfully could only give shallow wounds and little damage to the Mind of Scourge. Vier''s attacks could split a normal Scourge easily but now, those attacks were completely meaningless. "Vriii!" The Mind of Scourge, Eyentacl, makes a sound that can describe that it is angry. Then, its three tentacles ¡ª which were as big as a human body and over ten meters long ¡ª swung around wildly to hit Vier. They were like whips and snakes, they always followed the young man''s movements. Unfortunately, those tentacles were too slow to catch up with Vier. The Eyentacl''s tentacles made sounds of air being torn every time they swung. And not only fast, but those tentacles were also boosted by powerful forces. Large cracks appeared on the floor and walls that were being hit by those tentacles. Needless to say, ordinary people would be crushed, like a falling egg if they receive an attack from one of those tentacles, directly. Astounding or terrific is a word that can describe what the golden-haired young man is doing right now. There, on the front line, he moved so fast until he left behind after images. he fought back and caught Eyentacl''s attention without fear. A small smile adorned his face when he fought against that doom carrier. For quite a long time, Vier didn''t fight seriously like this. He admitted the monsters within the Foltian Great Dungeon were indeed strong. However, the monsters were less ferocious and had little desire to kill. They lack challenges. For Vier, fighting against monsters is like doing menial work such as lifting wood, stone, and so on. As for fighting the Mind of Scourge, Vier felt like lifting wood, stone, or other heavy objects as he walked on a rope stretching at a height of places, away from ground level. This fight made his heart pound, made him have to concentrate so as not to make mistakes, and most importantly, this fight made him have to try hard with all his abilities. He like likes this kind of thing. Push yourself to the limit you have. Swinging his sword, Vier cut through the tentacles slowly that came at him as well as the tentacles that suddenly stopped moving. Different from hard eyeballs, scourge''s tentacles can be cut with little effort. However, because those tentacles can regenerate quickly, cutting them looks like a wasted job. And what''s worse, they don''t know, does cutting those tentacles hurt Eyentacl? Vier and the others had fought the Mind of Scourge several times before they came here. So, they knew, not all parts of its body were its true body. Sometimes, they can smash the head of the Mind of Scourge all day long and the Scourge who has the head remains healthy. There is a special way to defeat the Mind of Scourge. And at this moment, Gaia was desperately trying to remember how to defeat this Scourge. Again and again, Vier moved his body to avoid the tentacles that had come to kill him. "[Illusion Steps]" Vier''s body became blurry as if it would disappear after using the Arte. Three tentacles coming from three different directions - right, back, and top - managed to hit the blurry figure. Unfortunately, they didn''t hit the real Vier. They hit the illusion and the original Vier had already left the place where he stand just a moment ago. As the illusion disappeared, the three tentacles that hit it turned into small pieces. Nobody don''t know when, Vier had already cut the tentacles. Now, suddenly, he appeared in front of the Eyentacl, just below the Scourge''s jaw, even if the Scourge had it. Vier blew up the energy of his body and said, "[Shinning; Sword to the stars]" In an instant, a huge sword of light emerged from the surface of the ground to glide so quickly upwards, towards the Eyentacl eyeballs. His sword of light was sharp and so hot. It could cut iron like butter, but the sword of light could not penetrate the translucent membrane that protected the Eyentacl eyeball. In the end, the attack looked like it was made using a blunt object. The big eyeball bounced backwards for a few yards. Seeing the attacks that have been made since then did not work, Vier decided to save his energy. He would focus on defense and would only attack the Scourge if the monster''s attention wasn''t on him anymore. Could he do such a thing in an important fight like this? If Eyentacl can be harmed, then Vier shouldn''t do that. After all, if he held back while fighting monsters, he could be wretched or die. If he continued to defend and rarely launch counterattacks, his fight would be dragged by time and he would be exhausted before then dying. So why? Vier did this because he had to wait. Yes, he had to wait for Gaia who was currently to recall her memories about; how to defeat Eyentacl, the Mind of Scourge. Vier decided to wait. Then, what about the others? Cabal, Hatori, Lubov, and everyone else. Those people were around the Mind of Scourge. Vier''s Party handled and destroyed the tentacles that came at them. They also launched attacks on The Eyentacl but just like Vier, their attacks could not injure the Scourge. The Gravius Party secured the surroundings and right now, they were clearing the Pure Scourge who were attacking Kaze and his Party members. And of course, they helped Vier''s Party when they had some free time. Now, what is Kaze''s Party doing? They surrounded a purple round portal with a diameter of six meters. Currently using several Runes created by Gaia and drawing a large Magic Circle, they were preparing a ritual or Spell that would be used to close the portal. Of course, they had to close the portal as soon as possible. They didn''t want the Mind of Scourge to summon another Pure Scourge and make this fight even more crowded. They fight and that''s the reality. However, in this fight, they simply couldn''t hurt the Mind of Scourge. This makes them or Anna uneasy. Vier, everyone, tried hard but not much changed. If this situation continues, won''t danger come to them? "Goddess Gaia, do you already remember how to defeat that monster?" Anna asked worried about coloring her voice. Gaia shook her head. A moment later she made a swing using his Wand. "[Sun Armor]," he said. A moment later, a golden light appeared and enveloped everyone''s bodies. They get the protection that will save them from Scourge infection. "I tried but... My memory is pretty blurry. I remembered how important the other eyeballs belonged to the cursed creature and we didn''t see any other eyeballs at all. Isn''t that right?" Gaia looked around after she finished with her sentence. The goddess searched for other eyeballs related to Eyentacl but did not find them. Anna who heard the explanation and saw Gaia''s behavior became confused. He tried to understand the goddess'' words but he didn''t understand what he meant. Eye? There are no other eyes in this place! Anna thought. Then, a drop of water hit his head. It made the Half-Elf girl look up spontaneously. Anna''s face turned pale as she looked at the other Horrors. Clinging to the ceiling of this hall were dozens of eyes that saw them. The eyeballs were as small as a basketball. Like Eyentacl, those little eyeballs have tentacles. And honestly speaking, for Anna, that collection of all eyes created an extremely terrifying scene. Her back turned cold.. A moment later, her nightmare became even more terrifying as the eyeballs up there began to fall one by one. Chapter 172 - The Mind Of Scourge 2_2 Vier moved swiftly. His figure blurred every time he moved and sometimes, he left an afterimage in a place where he had stood before. Using his sword, he cut off the tentacles that came to destroy him and try to capture him. He can cut off those tentacles easily as he ran close to Eyentacl but... Clang! Clang! He still couldn''t cut off the huge eyes that became Eyentacl''s main body. Different from the tentacles that looked hard but were easy to cut, that soft-looking huge eyeball could hardly be scratched as his sharp sword slash them. "It still can''t be penetrated," said Vier, who filled his body with energy suddenly. Seconds later, "[Shinning; Condense Slash]" A dense golden light enveloped Vier''s sword. He then swung his sword with everything he had. An attack would do great damage if launched at full strength. That''s basic knowledge, common sense. Zwoom! Splat! The attack successfully penetrated the Eyentacl defense. Vier finally shed his first blood - on Eyentacl''s main body - since this fight began. He retreated to gather strength for the next attacks. "Vriii" Eyentacl makes a sound. Purple light gathered on its pupils and in a blink of an eye, a pillar of light, a purple-colored Laser Beam approached Vier quickly. Zhiing! "[Golden Shield of Light]" "[Hexagon Barrier]" A large golden shield and a blue hexagon wall made of light appeared in front of Vier. The two Defensive Spells received the Laser Beam that hit them violently. Unable to penetrate two layers of Defensive Spells, the laser scattered and rained down on the surrounding area, either making fire or directly melting the floor or wall. "Damn it! Take cover!" Gravius shouted. Almost everyone moved to search for cover after hearing his scream. Anna and Fenton can''t move because they have to concentrate on maintaining the Spells they conjured. Knowing that clearly, Kaze approaches Fenton while Beleg runs ahead of Anna. "[Buki; Greatshield]" Kaze took out a blue Greatshield. He used it to protect Fenton. "[Shield of Valor]" Beleg shouted and a large shield made of red light appeared to give Anna, Gilraen, and Gaia protection. Using their respective Arte, the two men protect their friends until finally, Eyentacl''s Laser Beam fades away. "Vriii!" The eyentacl re-collected purple light in its pupils. Remembering the Laser Beam that had just appeared to burn and melt everything, everyone there didn''t need to be told what was going to happen. Vier left defensive spells that protected him. He ran as fast as he could to get close to Eyentacl. He took a breath and prepared his sword. He blast up his energy at a moment he arrived at the front of the Eyentacl and, "[Shinning; Condense Slash]" Vier''s sword turned into a flash of light. Again, blood was shed. And different from before, since Eyentacl didn''t move while preparing its Laser Beam, Vier was able to tear the Scourge''s pupils effortlessly. "VRIII!" The screams that shake this whole place were created. Small earthquakes make walls and ceilings crack. Falling pebbles became a sign that this place was quite fragile. Gravius'' eyebrows were bending as he looked at the ceiling of this vast hall. On the other hand, seeing what Vier did, Gaia finally remembered the thing she had to remember about Eyentacl. "We have to find the other four little eyes which are that Scourge''s body parts. When those little eyes were wiped out, the Scourge''s defense would vanish. That way, we can kill the Scourge. However, the problem is, those eyes were being hidden with a Spell that is quite strong." Half-Elf Anna''s ears jerked and Gilraen moved her eyes to look at Gaia. They were interested in the spell in question. More than that, "What kind of Nature does that strong Spell have?" Gilraen asked. "Nature?" Gaia repeated because she didn''t understand. "Either the Spell hides those eyes by enveloping it using Mana, manipulating the elements, or making it transform to mix with the surroundings, and such," Anna explained. Gaia nodded. "Scourge is never far from the Dark Element. So maybe, they''re using elements to hide." "If that''s true, things will get easier," said Anna who then hoisted her Wand. "[Observing Eyes of Gold]" Anna''s Sapphire eyes turned golden. With those eyes, the girl looked at every corner of the hall. And sure enough, there were four little eyes that were not there before. Anna re-collects her Mana. With Wand held high, she said, "[Dispell]" Krack! The sound of broken glass sounded and a small eye emerged from nothing. Those eyes were not far from Gravius''s Party. "[Blessing of the Sun]," Gaia said. The goddess blessed the weapons of Gravius, Ronalda, and Holgeir with the Light Element. Noticing the appearance of a terrifying eye and their shining weapons, the three people understood what they had to do directly. Gravius disappeared, Ronalda and Holgeir ran close to that little eye. "Anna, tell me where the eyeballs are before you use Dispell," Gilraen asked. Anna nodded then looked at the surroundings once more. She found what she was looking for and uttered, "one eyeball on the left side of the monster, five meters away from it and six meters from the floor." "Okay! Wait a minute!" Gilraen poured her Mana and a Magic Circle appeared on her right side. The woman looks at Anna. "I''m ready." Anna directs her Wand at a hidden eyeball. "[Dispell]" Krack! Again, the eyeball appears out of nothing to then be frozen. Gilraen''s Spells might not have done any damage to the Mind of Scourge or Pure Scourge but, her Spell could stop their movements. "Cabal, Hatori, I leave it to you!" Gilraen shouted. The ninja and the muscular old man ran up to the frozen eyeball. They were not as fast as Gravius and the others because they were quite close to the Mind of Scourge and his tentacles. They must be careful not to get an ambush from those tentacles as they ran. "Anna! Please give us an eyeball to destroy!" Lubov shouted excitedly. Elizaveta who wasn''t far from her nodded, giving support to the wolf girl''s decision. "The eyeball close to you is outside the attack area of the Mind of Scourge, close to the wall. My Spell can''t reach it. Of course, I''ll dispel their Spell but wait a minute, I''ll destroy the Spell of another eyeball near Leader Gravius first. After that, we will attack the eyeball in the distance." "Okay and quickly!" Lubov replied. Mana flowed through Anna''s body, her Wand was lifted again, and then, "[Dispell]" Krack! Another eyeball appeared. Gravius who see it moved closer to him instantly. He left an eyeball he was wrecking to Ronalda and Holgeir. Anna nodded in satisfaction then shouted, "lead the way, Lubov!" "Leave it to me!" Said the wolf girl. Then, using her two swords, she began clearing their way to the place where the last little eyeball was hiding. "Beleg, Gilraen, Goddess Gaia, we''re going to move to the right side about seven meters," Anna told them before following Lubov. With that, six people moved. Sometime later, the fourth little eyeball appeared. Lubov and Elizaveta attacked the little eyeball after Gilraen froze it. They took approximately ten minutes before all the little eyes were shattered, leaving the Eyentacl defense open. Now, Vier''s sword could cut through the Eyentacl''s main body easily! Instantly, the young man changed his Defensive style to Offensive. He used Arte after Arte to injure the Eyentacl. And of course, Eyentacl wasn''t silent. The scourge also launched attacks that were no less powerful. Its laser beam reappeared and this time, the purple pillar of light was fired using its tentacles. But... In the end, Eyentacl was overwhelmed. The damage it received become more and more every second passed after Cabal, Hatori, Anna, and everyone except Gravius, Ronalda, and Kaze''s Party attacked it together. Thirty minutes later... "[Shinning; The star fal]" A huge golden sword of light appeared above Eyentacl. The sword of light fell and the Scourge defended itself by making a shield using its tentacles. Unfortunately, the shield it made couldn''t stop that sword of light. The tentacles were burned, torn, and shattered, turning to ashes as the sword of light touched it. Not long after, it shouted, "VRIII...!" with a loud sound. Then the monster died. Done dealing with Eyentacl, the extermination squad focused their energies on closing the inter-dimensional gate created by Eyentacl. Their task was finally completed after the gate was closed. Before they left, Gaia used her strength. The goddess purified this place, reduced the existing Aether, and then manipulated the soil to bury this place. The goddess made sure that this place would never again connect with the Void. They return to the surface and they discover that the knights under Celestena''s leadership are still fighting the Scourge. The extermination squads are back to fighting. Night fell when they finished handling the Scourge. In this afternoon hunt, there were several Scourge who escaped. Hunting and cleaning them will be done tomorrow and so on. For now, they want to enjoy the resting time, break they deserve. "We''re done here, our next destination is the Wistras Grand Forest," Gaia told everyone gathered around the campfire. Chapter 173 - She Just Wants To Feels Better Is there something wrong with this situation? The answer is no! Although the village chief of Suroin ¨C the village of the Shadow Elves ¨C and six other Shadow Elves who escorting us were now dancing together with me, there was nothing strange here. "Hey! Your hips'' swinging was too slow, it make the timing was off! Move your hips with more vigor!" I yelled, scolding the village chief. The man was quite old so his movement was so slow and leg up. And I don''t know why, every time I see him, I was angry. I feel guilty forcing him to dance with me but I don''t care! yes, I don''t care! I''m so crazy now! The Skill, Courtesan which is at level eighth, made me unable to think straight! My body was yearning for s*x and refraining from doing it was literally tormenting! Now, enough about me. A few minutes ago, I, Ruciel, Ronove, Kimi, Chloe, and Diana are at the village chief Suroin''s house. And yes, we are still in his house right now. We are here, to ask permission to do trades and stay in the village for a few days BUT! In the middle of our conversation, suddenly, my libido rose dramatically! I''m become so horny and not wanting people to see me climaxed along with the aftermath, which is my pants become wet, I used the series of words to snatch away the freedom of all the Shadow Elves around me! Then, I told Kimi, Chloe, Diana, and Ronove to get out of the village chief''s house as soon as possible before I''m out of control. With all of that, no one but Ruciel saw my embarrassing moment where I collapsed to the floor and climaxed. All the Shadow Elves in this parlor became puppets. It makes them not know what''s going on with me and... I didn''t feel good or any relief after I climaxed! Instead, I was so angry! Why can''t I hold myself back? Why without reason I become so horny and then, climax? Why is the effect of this skill so ridiculously irritating!? My pants were wet, my appearance was a mess, and I was so improper, so pathetic as I lay on the floor limply, gasping for breaths. What did Ruciel do when all the disasters happened to me? She stepped away from me and gave me an expression of disgust. She hurt me more than anything. Feeling embarrassed, angry, sad, and desperate, I went crazy. "Hahaha..." I made a dry laugh as I stood up. After I gained my strength, I made the Shadow Elves dance with me. Time passed and now, they still dance with me. "Stop all this Eclaite!" Ruciel shouted at me. Did I give attention to what she said? No! Absolutely no! Why should I listen to the girl who always hurts my heart!? "Keep dancing! We will continue to do so until nightfall!" And yes, we danced according to the choreography that appeared in the music video of some girl band, which I''ve seen in my old world. Do I still remember it? Yes, I am. A Skill, Dance, helped me to remember the per minute movements of the dances I had seen. I used feminine choreography and as the male Shadow Elves followed it, my heart felt better. They''re cute and I smile or more to laughing at them. "Stop all this! Don''t you hear me!" Ruciel who had lost her temper approached me and she gripped my collar. Not holding back, she shook my body forward and backward so violently. "I said to stop all this!" "I can''t stop! If I stopped I would be crazy!" I shouted at her, also gripping her collar. I pulled the girl closer and then kissed her. Ruciel pushed me away then slapped me on the cheek. "What happened to you!?" She asked as she started to seize me. The girl pushed me to the floor, stepped on my ass, and she bent my arms. She took a rope from her magic bag then she tied my bending arms into one. "Let me go!" I tried to fight back but my body couldn''t move! I''m sure I''m stronger than her but why!? Why I can''t put up a fight against her?! "Listen! Why did you become like this!?" Ruciel got away from me. She was gasping out of breath. "Shit! Why do you become so strong when you''re crazy?" "Ruciel, let me go!? If I don''t do something, I could go crazy!" I glared at that Fallen Elf girl as she gave me an annoyed expression. "Then tell me what drives you crazy! You can''t go on like this!" Ruciel looked around or rather saw the Shadow Elves who were still dancing. She then turned and looked at me sharply. "Return them as before! We will get into big trouble if another Shadow Elves find out about this." "If they see this, I just need to snatch their freedom. And if I tell them to forget what happened here, they won''t remember it," I snorted with annoyance. Along with that, my love juice flowed back. "Damn it!" Ruciel grabbed my collar again and then she picked me up. This time, she didn''t bring her face close to me to be kissed. She threw me to a chair, beside a round table. "Don''t be unreasonable and please, tell me what happened? Why did you turn into... A crazy woman who doesn''t make sense? You need to know, we have to fix all this, you and the Shadow Elves who are dancing. Tell me everything, maybe I can help you." "Then, let''s have s*x." Bang! Ruciel hit the table with her two hands. "Why do we have to have s*x?! What does that have to do with all this?". This girl was constantly screaming at me and I was getting annoyed at her for quite a while. "Haven''t I already said it!? My Skill, Courtesan which is at level eight makes me hungry for s*x! I tried to refrain from doing it but it drives me crazy! I feel like I''m using Aphrodisiac every day! Don''t you know how angry, sad, embarrassed, and desperate I am when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I just climaxed!? Haa... Haa... Haa...!" Ruciel opened her eyes wide while I gasped after shouting out all the thoughts I was holding. "Are you serious about all that? I thought that was a made-up story for you to play around with my body." Ruciel tried to make sure. "I''m serious and truly, what do you take all my unusual self as? And ah~" Something that gives me so much pleasure suddenly appeared on the place between my groin. It made my body limp and I can''t help but drop my head on the table. My body twitched as my love juice flowed back profusely. "It''s crazy, someone helps me, uwaa... hiks! Waa..." "Why are you crying!?" "Hiks! Uwaa..." I can''t answer that girl. My body and mind are completely out of my control right now. Everything I saw and anything I thought became blurry. Amid this mess, I just hope that someone helps me. I want someone to toy with my body to make me feel better, fix my mood, and satisfy my lust. "Stop crying!" She ordered me but I couldn''t obey it. These tears flowed as they pleased. "Eclaite!" She yelled at me but I couldn''t care about her. "Uwaa..." I was too desperate to do anything but cry. Ruciel massaged her face with her two hands. Then, as I cried, she paced back and forth in front of me. A thoughtful expression adorned her face. I got another climax before Ruciel said, "Alright! You can play with my body as you please. But, instead, you should fix all this mess as soon as possible, understand?" "Uwaa... No, hiks!" Bang! Once again, Ruciel hit the table. This time, the thing she did make my head hurt, considering I was putting it on the table. "No!? What do you mean by no!?" Ruciel demanded. "Hiks! I want to toy with your body but for now, I''m the one who wants to be toyed. I want you to enjoy me." Ruciel froze. When her consciousness back, she asked, "What do you mean?" "I want you to enjoy me, make me feel good and satisfied," I repeated. At the same time, I looked into her eyes directly. The Fallen Elf girl made a complicated expression. A minute later, "Fine, I''m going to play with your body. But don''t expect too much from me." My fox''s ears twitched and my tail stood upright. I didn''t expect that Ruciel would agree with all this. I lifted my head and wiped away my tears. "So, this is the deal, I will fix this situation and you will play with my body every day." "What do you mean, by every day? I''ll only do it once tonight." Ruciel explained. Not accepting Ruciel''s decision, I said, "You have to do it every day or I won''t fix all this!" "Don''t be unreasonable again!" I won''t budge and my wishes have to be fulfilled. So, I chose to cry again and didn''t respond at all to Ruciel''s words. And in the end. "Four days a week! More than that I won''t accept it! If you refused, I won''t care about all this mess you make either!" She shouted with anger. I? I said, "Deal." Thus, we would have s*x, four times a week to weaken the effect of my Courtesan skill. Chapter 174 - She Breaks Her Promise "Now, fix this mess!" Ruciel snapped at me. My ears twitched because I didn''t feel comfortable. I saw the girl and I was annoyed. "Can-" "Shut up! Fix all this! Now" Ruciel cut my sentence. She also raised her arm to point to the group of Shadow Elves dancing in the parlor. They were so talented at dancing and it would be a pity if I stopped them. I want their talents to bloom but, I don''t want to hear Ruciel''s scream anymore. More than that, I can''t stay here when I can climax at any time with a slight stimulation. So! I made two claps. "Stop dancing." Shortly after I said that order, seven Shadow Elves stopped dancing. They then lined up neatly in seconds. And I will say, they''re a little scary when they''re silent like mannequins. My lips moved again. "Get back to your position before I order you to dance. Don''t forget to make pose the same as a moment before I took your freedom." Once again, they moved to carry out my orders. And in an instant, the scene before I climaxed was created. Then, I and Ruciel joined them. The Shadow Elves together with us sat on the floor, surrounding a small bonfire. And yes, this parlor is like the common parlor in the samurai''s house in old times. This room is even more impressive when there is a pot of hot water hanging over that small bonfire. The round table where I cried? The table was in the next room, in the kitchen. Now, following the scenario before I went crazy, I sat in front of the village chief, Ruciel was sitting behind me. "Once your consciousness is back, you will learn that the village chief permitted us to stay in the village for ten days. You allowed us to leave this gathering first because I was unwell. You''re not going to tell your people to watch over us either. And importantly, you guys won''t bother us, especially me and Ruciel, even though we locked ourselves in a room for two or three days. Do you understand?" I looked at the Shadow Elves and they gave me a nod in response. Ruciel still put on a worried expression while I felt satisfied. A sigh of relief came out of my mouth. Now, it''s all fixed and It''s time for me to enjoy some quality time with Ruciel. "Your consciousness will back in five minutes after we get out of this house. Oh! I almost forgot, you will ignore the liquid that soaks my seat and that is splattered on the floor." The Shadow Elves nodded again. A moment later I turned to Ruciel. "I''m done. Now, please carry me to our home." Ruciel furrowed her brows. "Walk by yourself." "I can''t," I told her. "I''m not saying it because I''m lazy or have any other silly reason. I''m truly tired now. More than that, I didn''t want to go through an incident where I fell in the middle of our journey home because I climaxed. So, carry me Ruciel." "Oh my goodness!" The girl massaged her forehead. "Why are you so out of reason?" "Don''t ask me." Ruciel sighed and she approached. The girl showed me her back. "Climb up," she said. "I want a princess carry," I asked. "Carry what now?" Ruciel turned her head to me with a strange peek. "I don''t know what you mean. Climb up without further ado and... Tell the Shadow Elves to create a new pose. It would be strange if they made the same pose when we disappeared." I puffed my cheeks and said, "All right!" I looked at the Shadow Elves. "Make a new pose." They moved and my orders were completed in an instant. Then, I climbed on Ruciel''s back, allowing her to carry me. "We''re going now," she said as she picked me up. I made a sound, "Hm~m." Then nodded. Ruciel sighed then walked out from the village chief''s house. And I never expected, a few minutes later... "Ah~" I moaned as my body twitched. "Eww! Did you just c*mming?" "Shut up! Ruciel!" I snapped at her. "I don''t want this and don''t put on an expression of disgust! I didn''t expect that my nipples that rub against your back as you walk are so stimulating. My body is getting hot now." "Yuck! My clothes are wet too." "Don''t complain!" I cried out and then bite her long ears. "Auh!" Ruciel made a surprised cry. The girl then pinched my ass and because of that... "Ah~" I climaxed again. "Again? Seriously? And don''t bite me, Eclaite! What if I get poisoned?" Ruciel scolded me. I no longer have the energy to respond to her. With a limp, I rested my head on her shoulder. In a whisper, I said, "No more jokes, please. Just get me home as soon as possible." "You''re the one who started it!" She exclaimed. "And please don''t scream, my head hurts," I whispered to her again and closed my eyes. My suffering melted as darkness slowly swallowed me. ... ... Crip! Crip! "Ugh" I made a noise when a little commotion bothered me. I feel comfortable resting in the dark. So, when something bothers me, I''m not happy with it. I hated it when that little commotion forced me to open my eyes. Crip! Crip! "Oh shut up!" I screamed and closed my ears. But in the end, it was a futile act. I was disturbed already and now, I have to open my eyes. Surprisingly enough, I saw an unfamiliar room. Spontaneously, I said, "Where is this place?" A moment later I massaged my forehead. A painful headache forced me to do it. Then it made me realize that some parts of my memory were blurred. I can''t remember clearly what happened yesterday. It bothered me so I tried to remember it again. Minutes passed and I remember. I''m going crazy because of my Courtesan skill. Something unsettling also happened but it seemed, I didn''t have to worry about it. Now, I remember that Ruciel promised to toy with my body. "And she didn''t do it," I said after I opened the blanket and saw the mattress I was lying on. The mattress is so clean. There''s no stain or any lewd smell there. I don''t wear a bra but yes, my underwear is clean too. All this means that Ruciel didn''t use my body. My madness disappeared because I was asleep. It''s a good thing but I know, it''s only for a while. I''m going to lose control again and I don''t want to uncontrollably climax so many times anymore. Yesterday I lost control when the afternoon came. That means that I only have - if right now is eight in the morning - five hours before I get back into a frenzy. yes, I know that guess was uncertain because I could climax at any time without warning. Maybe I''ll go frenzy faster. This problem will not be solved if my lust is not satisfied. I can feel my body a little hot. Now, dirty thoughts popped into my head. My eyebrows made an arc and my fox ears twitched. I left the bed and left the room. Using my nose, I looked for Ruciel. "That girl must do her duty!" As I walked around this strange place, I realized that this house might be the house that the village chief had lent us. I looked around as I was curious and my mood improved. "The house is quite nice and has a soothing atmosphere. Some dirty thoughts are gone but, this doesn''t make any difference to my problem." My fox''s tails made a strong swing. I kept going and in the end, I found Ruciel in the kitchen with the others. "Big sis!" Kimi shouted for a moment she looked at me. From her voice, I know that she didn''t was worried about me, she seems to scold me. And yes, the shout of that little fox caught the attention of everyone who was there. They looked at me and made different expressions. My little sister, of course, putting on an angry expression, Chloe and Diana''s cheeks flushed red, Ruciel grimaced while Ronove made a curious expression. Unable to stand their gazes, I said, "what?" to give Kimi a reply. "What is big sis doing!? Don''t show off that big chest and put on your clothes! Now!" Kimi scold me again. The little girl also being rude to using her index finger to point at me. "Pointing at naked people is disrespectful, don''t do that Kimi," I educated her. "I don''t want to hear it from the naked person I pointed at!" She protested with annoyance. "I''ll wear clothes later," I told her. Then, I approached Ruciel and grabbed her right hand which she used to stir the soup. "Let me go!" She yelled at me and yes, she set me off. So, I pulled the girl closer. Ruciel couldn''t react or put up a fight and she, letting out, "huh!?" When she was on my shoulder. Her cute ass is on the left side of my face now. "What are you doing?! Let me go!" "No!" Ruciel tried to escape but I didn''t let her. Immediately, I walked away from the kitchen, my room was my destination. "I''m in the middle of cooking!" Ruciel protested. "Ronove can resume your job." "I can''t cook, young lady!" Ronove shouted to tell me. "Then let Diana cook!" I raised my voice so that they would hear what I was saying. "Huh? Me?" I heard Diana outcry but I didn''t answer her back. Chapter 175 - Lets Fix Our Relationship 1_2 "Ah!" Ruciel cried out a moment after she land on the bed. Immediately, the girl got up. Sitting there, she was now glaring at me with her sharp eyes, full of anger. And yes, she has no right to be angry, I am the one who should be angry here. The girl broke her promise and she deserves punishment for it. So, I approached the girl. My intentions are clear. "What do you want?" She asked warily. Her body moved, preparing for a fight. I stopped, my ears made a strong twitch. "Seriously?! You want to fight with me!?" I asked and snapped at her at the same time. Ruciel jumped out of bed, she stood there with steady feet. Her eyes emitted dangerous flashes. "Yes, I will fight against you. I won''t let you mess with my body anymore! And more than that, I didn''t do anything wrong to receive this kind of treatment from you!" "You made a mistake! You broke your promise to play with my body!" "I didn''t break that promise, I said I would do it four times a week. You went asleep and your condition improved. I have no reason to fulfill our promise after seeing that, I''m not a pervert like you who plays with someone''s body when they are asleep!" "Don''t make excuses!" "I''m not making excuses! It was a sensible decision taken by a normal person! And didn''t you hear me? Not everyone is like you!" "Grr..." I gritted my teeth and approached the girl. Ruciel''s eyes narrowed, even more, her long ears making some strong jolts. "One more step and I won''t hesitate anymore to hit you," she threatened me but I didn''t care. I kept going and... Dwagh! A subtle pain stings my nose. I didn''t really feel it because of Pain Resistance but, no doubt, "You hit me! You really hit me?! And in my face!" My cheeks heated up as my anger rose. "I already warned you." Ruciel pulled her arm and fixed her stance. "Why do you always reject me!?" I kicked the floor, closing to Ruciel in a flash with my claws. I tried to catch her but she escaped. Agile and swift, she gave me two punches, on my ribs and in my throat at a moment she keep her distance. Those attacks were deadly and if it wasn''t for me being immune enough to pain, I would have stopped I have a high AGI, I can see her movements clearly, and I move faster than her. But for some reason, I couldn''t dodge or block those attacks. "I give you my love! Don''t you understand that!?" My feet are moving. Once again, I approached Ruciel to catch her. However, the girl fended off my hands with her fists. In the end, we exchanged attacks, my claws against her fists. "Love?" Ruciel started. "No! You didn''t give me love! What you''re doing is forcing yourself on me, you''re using me as your toy, and you, you never think about how I feel!" The last sentence she said made me freeze. Taking advantage of my unguarded moment, she pounce on me and pushed me to the floor. Her soft ass occupied my stomach while her feet stepped on my hands. I looked into her eyes. A voice came out of my mouth, "How can I know how you feel if you never want to talk about it!" "Then ask me you stupid fox!" She made a sound then started beating my cheeks in turn. Punch after punch she launched to crush my cheek. I didn''t feel any pain but my HP was reduced. "You think I-" Dwagh! "-never-" Dwagh! "-asking about-" Dwagh! "-aaargh!" I used all my strength to throw the girl away from me. Her punches that always interrupted my words blasted my anger to a different level. Ruciel tried to stand up but, "[Swift Movements]" I moved my fast body close to the slow Ruciel. I took the rope from inside her Magic Bag. Then, before the duration of the Swift Movements ran out, I managed to tie her hands and feet. "Let me go!" She ordered me. I ignored her and used a Spell, Healing Water Ball to fix my cheeks. I tried to calm down but Ruciel who constantly ordered me to let her go didn''t help me at all! "Let me go!" "Shut up, Ruciel!" I shouted then gripped her lower jaw tightly. I forced her to look at me. "You think I never asked you? Have I never tried to get to know you better? Have I never tried to make you love me? The answer is no! I did everything for you, to get your love, and yes, that includes forcing myself on you! But what?! You never change!" The grip of my hand is getting stronger and... Crack! The sound of broken bones was heard. The Fallen Elf girl made an expression of pain, her body gasped, she tried to fight back, and she seems to say something but I never loosen my grips. I don''t care about what happened to her right now because her eyes that were staring at me sharply still emitted antagonism That gaze, that antagonism made me even angrier, made my strength increase. Crack! Another voice sounded and the girl made a strong jolt. A moment later she became limp, like a marionette whose string is cut off. I retract my hands from her jaw then let her fall to the floor. The skin was torn, the flesh was cut off, blood flowed, and teeth fell. I hurt the girl I loved and I- "Damn it!" I screamed my anger, I kicked the bed with everything I had. Bam! Break! The bed was crushed after making a hole in the wall. I''m raging, I''m making a commotion, but this won''t catch the attention of Kimi and the others. Why? Because I don''t know why they left this house shortly after I brought Ruciel to this room. And now, it''s not the time for me to think about them. My body moved in search of my Magic Bag. I found it in an instant and I took something out of it. I took a bottle of Potion and this one is named High Potion. I approached Ruciel and sat cross-legged in front of her. I poured the High Potion into her wound and then I forced her to drink the rest. Miracle appeared, her wound healed at a speed that could be observed by the eyes and even more amazing, her teeth grew back. Two minutes was the time it took for Ruciel to make a full recovery. The wound disappeared and in fact, no scars were left behind. The girl was panting so I waited for her condition to stabilize. A few minutes later, the girl lay there, staring at me with no desire to speak. The antagonism was still obvious in her eyes. "Why did everything become like this?" I started. "We get closer, you start to open up, and our relationships improved but why? After I removed that Slave Collar from your neck, you became your old self?" "If you hate me then you can leave me alone. Yes, we''re in Uncertainty, Wistras Grand Forest, and in the middle of nowhere but that won''t hold you back from leaving us if you truly want it. You can use one of Teria''s boats and fly low to get to the nearest town. With your strength, I know you can do it." "If you hate me and choose to wait to leave after this expedition is over, you can join others, stay away from me. Yes, I admit I will always approach you but if you keep staying away, don''t want to talk to me, and keep saying no, I''ll give up." "But you don''t leave and stay with me." "Then, you said I had to understand you. Then, you told me to keep asking you so I could understand you. At the same time, you are always antagonistic to me. I''ll say, you''re so hard to understand." The "Tell me, was the matter about the jerk killing your friends still be chains that hold you back? Didn''t you promise to forget that matter after giving me a demand to fulfill? You know, I''m always waiting for it." "Now, I want to make sure directly, do you want or don''t want this relationship?" I used all my courage to say that question. The answers I''ll get will absolutely make me happy or sad. It''s extremely scary but it has to be done. This relationship is broken and I want to make sure if we can fix it or not. Maintaining a broken relationship will only continue to hurt us. Ruciel got up to sit in front of me. She raised her hand and she slapped me. Plak! With this, I know that, "you don''t want this relationship, huh?. Then it''s time for us-" "I don''t know!" Shouted Ruciel who interrupted my words. I turn around and found her crying. Chapter 176 - Lets Fix Our Relationship 2_2 "I don''t know!" Ruciel shouted as she cried. "I hate you and you should know that!" "I hate you because your father killed my friends. She also controlled me and told me to kill people for a while." "I hate you because you are so stupid, selfish, and forceful! You insulted me by making me your slave! You humiliate me by touching me as you please! You made me a tool to satisfy your lust! You always hurt me!" "I hate you, but I¡­" Ruciel hung her head and stopped talking. Her long ears fell as his tears flowed profusely. She made never-ending sobs. And yes, it''s the first time for me to know all her thoughts. I thought I saved her by buying her than making her, my slave. I thought I could get close by doing skinship. And to be honest, she''s so beautiful that I can''t help but eat her. And to hurt her, I never hurt her except for today so maybe, I might have hurt her heart. It''s pathetic, I don''t know how I hurt her. Now, I know extremely well that she truly hates me but, why does she say she doesn''t know the answer to my question? I waited for her explanation while turning my face away out of shame. Seeing her face or eyes was so complicated when I understood how evil I was on her mind. "I hate you," she began as she stopped crying. "... I hate you but... I love you." "Huh!?" I made a strange noise when I heard that statement. I turned my head to then look at her with wide-open eyes. Ruciel looked at me, her long ears making a few jolts. "You heard me! I hate you but I love you!" "How? Why?" I asked in disbelief. "Didn''t I already say that I didn''t know!" Silence surrounded us. For some time we exchanged glances. Words never came out of our mouths. In the end, Ruciel turned her face away. And on the other hand, my fox ears twitched. Curiosity tickled my mind as my body moved to get close to her. I want answers. "Don''t come close to me!" Ruciel glared at me with her sharp eyes. Her screams stopped my body. Unlike before, I obeyed it and didn''t impose my will on her. I sat back, cross-legged. I observe her eyes, antagonism was still there. "Tell me, how and why do you love me?" "I don''t want to say anything," she turns her face away. I crossed my arms and groaned. "None of this will ever change if you don''t convey your thoughts to me. Do you want this uncertainty to continue? I don''t want it at all." "..." She was silent and I waited. A few moments later, Ruciel peeked at me and looked back at her. Her repeated conduct upset me. "Say it, Ruciel!" I snapped at her. Ruciel turned her head, her eyebrows made a deep arc. Her cold sadness turned into hot anger. "Don''t force me! You''ve got the answer so don''t ask for an answer that never existed!" My eyes narrowed, my mouth said, "it''s sucks." "I don''t want to hear it from you!" "Haa... Well now, what is your answer? Do you want this relationship or not? I don''t accept phrases like; I don''t know or I''ll give you an answer later, out of your mouth. And did you do this intentionally? You told me to ask to understand you but you shut yourself back and said nothing." "I..." And she fell silent, again. The girl looked at the floor to hide her face. If she continues like this which is without certainty, I don''t want to force her to stay with me or even kidnap her and lock her up in the cage after she leaves me. It''s extremely sad to part away with her but, for the good of both of us, I''ll forget her, I''m going to give up on loving her, and I''m going to stop looking at Cerene''s shadow on her. I don''t want to preserve this broken, uncertain relationship especially when antagonism still haunting her. I was ready to let the girl go forever but, a brilliant idea popped into my head. This is a simple idea and even if it fails, the result will be the same. I was ready to lose Ruciel So, "If you don''t want to answer my question, then I''ll answer it." Ruciel raised her head. Her beautiful golden eyes looked at me. "What do you mean?" "I will answer the question of whether this relationship should last or not? You stay silent so this is my answer; for the good of both of us, we will cut off this relationship, you can leave now." "Huh?" Ruciel made a strange sound and an expression of confusion. I stood up and loosened up my body. "Let me undo the rope that binds you," I said before I approached Ruciel. I removed the rope that tied her hands and feet easily because Ruciel was sitting still. "You are free and now, let''s pack your stuff. Of course, I''ll help you. And after everything is done, I''ll ask the Shadow Elves to escort you back to the Airship. I''m sure you don''t want to be here with me, someone you hate so much when we''re strangers, right? It will make you uncomfortable. I also hate to see your murderous glare every morning." I pulled the girl''s arm as I stood up so yes, she stood with me. After making sure that she could stand on her own, I moved my body to get out of this room. "Let''s take our Magic Bag. There''s a lot of stuff we have so, we might need a lot of time for your stuff to be ready," I told her as I walked closer to the door. But, before I got there, Ruciel grabbed my hand, forcing me to stop. I turned around and I found her hanging her head. "What''s this? What''s this? What''s this?" Ruciel asked over and over again. Then, suddenly, she raised her head. Her red, bloodshot eyes glared at me sharply. "You threw me away!?" She screamed. "Throw you out? That''s bad phrasing. I didn''t throw you away, I granted your request. You hate-" My words were cut off when Ruciel strangled me. Then, she screamed. "You love me! Why are you throwing me away like a rock on the side of the road!?" I moved my hands to release Ruciel''s choke and it''s surprised me, I can do that easily when she looks like using all her strength. Her arms trembled, she try to fight me back but it was all vain. This proves that my guess about I was stronger than her is true. "You really like to scream," I told her. And yes, as she resisted to escape my clutches, she screamed again, "let me go!" So I released her as she requested. "Why?" She asked, tears returning to her cheeks. "Why did you throw me out? Are you not satisfied to hurt me? Will you never stop until I''m broken to pieces? Don''t you love me anymore? Why don''t you care about me again? I''m no stranger to you!" "As I said, I didn''t throw you away. It''s pain to me but I made this decision because I love you. Did you hear me? I love you. Now, I know the reason why you hate me. Therefore, I don''t want to let you stay with me only for you to get hurt again and again." I approached Ruciel carefully. My eyes moved to observe her. When I was sure she showed no signs of rejection, I took her hand. I held that hand and then I pull her close to me. I hugged her a little tightly. "You hate me and anything I do to earn your love will always be rejected by you. I don''t want to feel the pain of your rejection again." I started stroking her head. A moment later, Ruciel buried her face into my naked chest. It''s quite ticklish. "You know I can''t help but to touch and play with your body because I love you. You don''t like it and you get hurt by it, right? If we continue to be together, I will keep doing those things, and won''t we will hurt each other if that happened again?" Ruciel didn''t say anything but she shook her head. She reject that fact and a small smile appeared to adorn my face. "I love you. But for you, you don''t know if you love me or hate me. And luckily for you, I can see which feelings dominate your heart. I''m sure, you hate me without questions." Once again, she shook her head. It made my smile even wider. "Was I wrong?" I made sure and Ruciel nodded. I pushed the girl away but she was reluctant to let me go. But in the end, we no longer hugged each other, we came face to face. Trying my best, I dyed my smile with sadness. Then, I said the last question, "then tell me, do you want this relationship or not?" "I..." She started and stopped. Again, Ruciel hung her head to fall silent. Her long ears made jolt after jolt. And then, the ears were flushed. Ruciel took a deep breath and raised her head. Now, I could see that her cheeks were also flushed. Her golden eyes looked into my eyes directly. The girl''s lips parted to say, "I¡­ I want this relationship and I love you, Eclaite. I love you so much!" Sadness is gone from my smile. "I love you too Ruciel," I uttered that sentence from the bottom of my heart. Then, I hugged her once more. Ruciel returned my hug, she hug me tighter. And I never expected, she took the initiative to kiss me. I raised my thumb secretly and I shouted in my heart, "reverse physiology banzai!" I''m grateful for remembering it. Chapter 177 - How To Earn A Permit A day has passed since Ruciel and I repaired our broken relationship. A few things have changed. We''re getting closer, she didn''t too much close herself anymore, and her insult lessen. But at the core, although her hostile nature diminished she still hate me. My struggle to conquer her continues. But, I''m happy when - accidentally - she called me darling. Her shy, flushed face was so cute! And yes, the effect of my Courtesan skill that always struck me, weakened after we spent a quality night together. And I will say, she was so delicious when she didn''t resist at all. Spotless white skin, soft and warm body, and her intoxicating scent! I can''t get enough of it! I get carried away and do her too good. Guilty stabbed my heart when I see her fainted with tears and droll. Now, the Fallen Elf girl was too tired and she decided to sleep for the entire day. Overdoing something was no good. Now, there''s something important I have to do today. At a moment, I along with the others except Ruciel are in the plaza of Suroin village. We, along with dozens of other Shadow Elves, took part in the morning market. We rolled out carpets, arranged our stuff, and we made a stall or some kind of shop. We are ready to made trades or do barter with the Shadow Elves. Looking for profit is our goal. I will say, we, or rather me and the kids are beginners in peddling. Diana? Surprisingly, she is accustomed to peddling. She was good at bargaining something because in Uncertainty when she sells her stuff to someone, she is always being extorted or cheated. Didn''t want that unfair treatment, she improved herself and her good at bargaining arose. I want to do these peddling things myself but, I don''t know the market price in this place and even the stuff we have. Besides that, I didn''t know what kind of stuff in this village is valuable to the outside world. So, if I become a peddler, I''m not sure we will get any profits. Well¡­ peddling was not on the list that I have to do while visiting this village. I just wanted a few of Damascus ore to make a spear. However, I''ve already obtained a spear from Dishonesty. So instantly, I don''t have a purpose again. Peddling? That was a spontaneous idea. Now, the point of that long monologue was; I''m lazy to do it. So, "I leave the rest to you, Ronove." The old woman narrowed her eyes. A moment later, she moved her hands extremely quick and... Duag! A Spell, a blue ball hit my forehead! "Argh!" I wailed and then grabbed my forehead while squatting. Although I have a high AGI, I couldn''t avoid that Spell. More than that, I feel the pain even though I have level seven of Pain Resistance. Knowing all that, "Aren''t you too cruel? I''m sure the Spell you used just now can kill a Giant Boar easily." "You deserve it, young lady. You suddenly threw this problem at me." Annoyed, Ronove pointed to the stuff on the carpet that I had wanted to sell myself. My fox''s ears twitched. "It''s not a problem, it''s an opportunity. The items that the Shadow Elves possessed were extremely rare to the people out there. If you do everything well, you will profit a lot." Dwag! Dwag! Loud noises were created when Ronove beat me in the head using her Wand. The old woman''s expression became flat and she became quite frightening. "Okay, okay, I''m sorry!" I screamed as I protected my head with my hands. "I''m sorry for forcing you to take this job, thank you for doing it even though it is against your wishes." Ronove stops swinging her wand. Then she said, "that''s better, and remember, I''m entitled to half of all profits earned from these stuff." "I remember it," I replied then made a strong nod. Ronove sighed and then shook her head. The day was just started but she looked exhausted. "Don''t worry, grandma Ronove. I''ll help you," said Kimi, who puffed out her chest. On her side, Chloe also puffed out her chest. "I''ll help too!" She said with a vigor that was not less than Kimi''s. Lastly was Diana, the Flugel raised her hand and said, "I will help too. "Oh! Aren''t you reliable, different from an irresponsible and lazy fox girl?" Ronove smiled warmly at them. And yes, the fox girl she meant, "That''s me, right? You''re referring me, right?" Ronove ignored me, She continued to talk to Kimi and the others. "In that case, please help me." Ronove breathed with satisfaction. She then plays her part as a shopkeeper. While Kimi, Chloe, and Diana began looking for customers by offering the stuff with their voice. "Looks like you guys will be fine." I nodded. "Then, I go now." "Wait," Ronove said. "You left this matter to us and what do you want to do? Don''t tell me that you want to play around with those Shadow Elves girls." "That''s a quite awful but exciting idea but no. I want to see the village chief." "Village chief? For what?" "I need information about something and permission to visit the forbidden forest from him." Ronove nodded. "If you get permission, invite me to explore the forbidden forest." "Why?" "Simple, I''m curious and it''s possible, I can get some rare Items there. So, invite me." "I''ll try to get permission." Ronove nodded. "Good luck." Thus, I left Plaza to visit the village chief''s house. It only took me a few minutes to get to the biggest house in the village. A black wooden door stood in front of me and I knocked on it. Knock! Knock! A minute or two minutes later, an old Shadow Elf open the door. He greets me with a beaming smile. "Miss Eclaite, welcome. What do you want?" "Can we talk?" "Of course, come in." Once again, I visited the living room, the place where I went crazy, danced together with the village chief and the other Shadow Elves. I also have bad memories which are I climaxed here but this is not the time to recall it. After I sat down, I conveyed what I wanted to the village chief. "Hmm¡­ regarding, information about the place where the Evil God was sealed and permission to explore the forbidden forest, I can''t grant it. " said the village chief. The old man, observed me while stroking his beard. "Do you know? You made an unreasonable request." "I think not, my request makes sense. And for the record, I didn''t say this request because I want it, that''s Dishonesty''s wish," I explained. The village chief''s rise one of his eyebrows. Then, he explained with kindness. "You have to understand, the name you just mentioned is not ordinary. The name appears in legends and has a special weight in it. You can''t say it carelessly." "I understood and I just remembered, please hear this." I put the Memories Cube in front of me. The blue cube glowed after receiving my Mana. Then, a twenty-centimeter-tall hologram of Dishonesty appeared on top of the blue cube. Besides being able to engrave a message directly to the mind, this item can also convey messages in another means. The village chief''s mouth gaped. Hologram Dishonesty moved and said, "village chief of Suroin, I apologize for this sudden meeting. My time was limited so I will just straight to the point, I want you to tell Eclaite the place where the Evil God of Reverse is sealed because she has a mission to destroy the soul of Evil Go. And also, help her as much as you can. Of course, you will get rewarded according to your hard work. I''ll visit you in two days." The message stopped there and the hologram of Dishonesty disappeared. The gawking village chief suddenly prostrated himself seconds after his consciousness returned. "I''m sorry for being disrespectful, Miss Eclaite," he said with fear. My fox''s tail made a strong swing when I saw his quite surprising change in attitude. A friendly old man turns into a timid old man. That''s interesting but... "Raise your head, village chief. I didn''t come to hear your apology. I want to hear the place where the Evil God of Reverse sealed." "Well then," said the village chief after he sat down. "Evil God of Reverse was sealed on the inside of strange ruins, in a part of Wistras Grand Forest called the Unnatural Woods." "Empress Dishonesty give you her approval and a mission but that''s not enough. Our warrior on the border will not let you into the Unnatural Woods or Forbidden Forest. Miss Eclaite, you need a permit and approval from the Elders of Shadow Elves." "Luckily for you, our annual meeting or the Lunar Festival will be held in a week. The Elders will gather in one place and that becomes your chance to see them and ask for their approval. " "I will take you to the Lunar Festival but I''m sorry, I can''t accompany you to see the Elder. My status as a village chief didn''t hold any weight." I nodded and said, "thank you village chief. Then, to obtain the Elders'' approval, what do I have to do exactly?" "A fight. You have to prove that you are strong by entering Lunar Warrior Tournament and winning a top rank. You should get a rank of five or above. Hence, the Elders will listen to your request. And remember, they will not listen to anyone weak. In this scenario, getting an audience was a quite impossible task." "Once again, thank you. And when it comes to fighting, I''ll do it with pleasure!" Chapter 178 - Shape-up "Why are we here?" Ruciel voiced her curiosity as she looked around, looking at the dozens of trees circling us. That''s right, we''re in the woods, we''re here too, "exercise! We or I come here to do some exercise, some shape-up things? Well anyways, I''m going to take part in a fighting tournament held by the Shadow Elves so, as soon as possible, I want to grasp and adapt to my¡­ out of control strength?" "Don''t ask me! If you want to do this stupid exercise, why should I come with you? You don''t need me here," complaint out of Ruciel''s mouth as she walked behind me. "Of course I need you. Tell me, who will process the monsters I hunt?" "Right, I forgot that you are a spoiled girl who didn''t want to touch the corpses of the monsters you hunt down." "I''m not a spoiled girl!" I protested. "It''s just that, I can''t and don''t know how to process a corpse of a monster." "And you have no desire to learn to do it." "I tried to learn it once but in the end, I couldn''t contain my appetite. The delicious smell of blood tempted me, make me hungry." Ruciel makes a sigh then grows silent. Turning around, I found her emitting a don''t want to talk aura. It''s useless to invite her to chat when she is in that mode so, I focus on my hunt. Exploring this forest, I relied on Heat Perception to search for prey, a target for my exercise. Without that skill, I''m sure, I would have a hard time finding monsters in this dense forest. We had to walk for dozens of minutes before finally, I felt a heat of a monster. It''s pretty close! The heat is also quite huge so I''m sure I found a pretty powerful monster. I raised my hand to warn Ruciel. In a whisper, I told her where the monster was. Both of us suppress our steps, trying not to make any noises as we approached the monster hidden behind the trees. I unsheathed my spear. I also muffled the sound of my footsteps more than before. Yes, Ruciel did the same. It was all to ambush the monster. Thanks to it, we managed to get close to the monster without being noticed. We hid behind the bushes, waiting for the right moment to launch a deadly attack. The monster we found was Devil Bear. A three-meter tall brown bear monster that had a pair of sharp black horns. Its red eyes, sharp teeth, ripped muscle, and long claws look so menacing. I''m certain that the monster can kill normal people easily in seconds. He''s dangerous and that''s a good thing for me. That means it''s fit to be my punching bag. "Don''t interfere, Ruciel," I told the Fallen Elf. "Then I''ll keep an eye on the surroundings." I nodded to her words and we parted ways. Ruciel walk away then vanished behind the trees. As for me, I approached the monster silently. When the time came, I jumped from my hiding place. I approached Devil Bear quickly but I was too fast. I miscalculated the strength I had to use to run and thanks to that, I couldn''t control my speed. My ambush failed, I can''t land my attack. In exchange for it, I have to try my best to avoid the monster. I will crash into it If I didn''t take a dodging maneuver. I passed the bear. A moment later, "RAWR!" It roared. It notice me, then in an instant, the bear approached me with the desire to kill. I prepared myself, went into fighting mode. Once again, I realized that the big boost in my Stat after my last evolution brings big changes! In this mode, I was so fast, so powerful, and maybe so tough. But, it''s hard to control this strength. I have to keep reducing my output until I found the right amount. And yes, in the fights along the way to the Shadow Elves village, I also encountered the same problem. At that time I wasn''t trying to control my speed or strength. I followed the flow of that explosion of power and thanks to it, I launched overly destructive attacks. Several times, I hit monsters with my body and my spear just for me to kill them accidentally. I managed to kill monsters brutally but it''s not to my liking. So, here, by taking a breath and relaxing my body, I''m trying to figure out how much energy I should use but... Bam! "Gah!" "Grawrr!" I crashed into the monster''s stomach because I using too much energy. It''s quite hard but I won''t give up until I do it right! Our fight continues. Claws and a spear clash to made a spark of fire. Wounds appear to decorate our bodies. Thankfully, this fight refined my control over my strength. Minutes passed, the spear in my hand pierced through the monster''s stomach, giving it a severe wound. I shed so much blood and this doesn''t mean that our fight is over. Our fight has just begun! "RAWR!" With a roar, Devil Bear caught my arm then threw me into a tree. I twisted my body in the air. So, thanks to that, I didn''t hit the tree. I landed on its trunk before I fell to the ground. My feet moved. This time, I used a little energy. The result? I can say not bad. My movements were still awkward and I still didn''t get the speed I wanted but hey, it''s better than before. After I made some awkward steps... "Grawrr!" "Hya!" I and Devil Bear exchanged attacks again. The monster''s sharp claws came swiftly to tear my body apart. Frequently, its mouth moved to bite me off. And of course, the monster used its horns to launch piercing attacks into my body. The monster tried its best to hurt and kill me. But, unfortunately for it, the bear never land a severe wound on my body! Having a high AGI means I... Well... Can move quickly. That stat also improved my reflexes. So, with all that, I have no problem avoiding the Devil Bear attacks that look so slow. My high END made my skin hard as steel! So, the light attacks of the Devil Bear didn''t hurt me at all. Noticing that the Devil Bear is on the verge of death, I launch an Arte. "[Impale]" Swosh! Splat! My spear pierces the heart of Devil Bear. I kill it and our battle was over. Controlling my new strength is a must. It won''t bother me if I can''t control it when I fight monsters. But, when fighting against people, especially in a duel, this is bad news! I don''t want to kill people accidentally! So I have to make sure, I can use my strength properly after today''s hunt. "Ther is very upsetting!" I said as I made a huff. On the other hand, Ruciel''s long ears jolted. "You did your best as you put yourself in danger but still, look at that," she ordered, pointing to the corpse of Devil Bear. "There''s not much I can take if the carcass is in this horrible state!" As she said, the state of the monster''s corpse was a mess because when it was alive, it receive many of my out-of-control attacks. Its skin was torn in various places, dozens of holes adorned its body, and most of its bones were shattered. "I apologize to you and the monster but, I can''t do much about it. Controlling my strength turned out to be harder than I expected." Ruciel waved her hand after hearing my words. she wasn''t interested in listening to me and started skinning Devil Bear. "I will say this, you need to know, controlling my power isn''t the only reason why I''m doing this hunt. I also want to raise my level." "For a high-level person like you," she said without stopping her hands and knife. "Hunting the monsters in here is a fruitless act. You won''t be able to raise your level even if you hunt for two weeks." "Of course, my level will go up. Didn''t I tell you, my level down to zero for every time I get a new tail?" "Did you ever tell me about it?" "Yes, I believe I have." Ruciel nodded. "Then I must have forgotten about it along with all the stupidity you did and showed to me." "Hey! That''s rude!" "But that''s the reality. Haa... You know, I have a wish and I want it to come true but I know, it''s impossible." "What kind of wish is that?" "Repeatedly, I wish your Intelligence Stat to increase." "But there is no Intelligence Stat." "Exactly!" "Wait a minute," I said then stood up, leaving my stone chair. I approached that Fallen Elf girl. "Did you just insult me?" "Don''t be ridiculous and no," she said after moving her head to look at me. With a smile, she said, "I''m not going to insult my love one." My loved one! My loved one! My loved one! "Okay... That''s good! Hehehe...." Chapter 179 - She Was A Meanie "[Impale]" The spear in my hand pierced through Steam Boar''s head. Certain that the monster died because of it, I pull out my spear. I walk away, leaving the death monster to approach the other two Steam Boars that was moving slowly. What am I going to do? That''s obvious, isn''t it? I''m going to kill them because I need Exp. They are the sacrifices that will make me stronger! I was in front of them after eleven steps, my hands on the move, and my spear pierced through their skulls. I''m able to kill them almost simultaneously because they stand side by side. I didn''t use too much power to pierce through their hard skin and skulls, I just needed to put a little pressure on my spear and stab! I made holes without effort. Yes, my new strength is the cause. And hey! I managed to control my power! Swift Movements is the benefactor. That Advance Skill helped me to sense my new, out-of-control power clearly. It allows me to determine how much power I have to use every time I move or attack in fighting. Of course, I didn''t get that control in a short period. I had to hunt for a day and a half and kill dozens of monsters to get it. My hard work paid off. I''ve gained perfect control over my power. I breathed a sigh of relief because of it. No longer am I worried about the possibility that I might have killed someone during a duel. Now, I''m ready. And yes, the dozens of monsters I killed gave me Exp, Stat Points, Skills, and a Soul. I absorbed all those blessings, I grew stronger, more than ever... At least, that''s what happened... earlier. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ < Level up! 1 to 2 > < Level up! 2 to 3 > < Level--- < Level up! 10 to 11 > ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ < Strength stat up! STR +2 > ¡Á 10 < Endurance stat up! END +3 > ¡Á 7 < Dexterity stat up! DEX +2 > ¡Á 10 < Endurance stat up! END +1 > ¡Á 10 ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ < Acquired a skill! Bear Claws Combo |Lvl 1 > ¡Á 10 < Acquired a skill! Straight Ram |Lvl 1 > ¡Á 10 < Acquired a skill! Tail Swept |Lvl 1 > ¡Á 10 < Acquired a skill! Stone Throw |Lvl 1 > ¡Á 10 < Do you want to convert this skill to become an Exp for the existing Skills? > < Yes > < No > < Yes > < Set the skill that will obtain the Exp! > < Swift Movements |Lvl 3 has been selected! > < Swift Movements obtain an extra Exp! > ¡Á 40 < Swift Movements, level up! 3 to 4 > < Swift Movements, level up! 4 to MAX > ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ [Swift Movement |Lvl MAX] [SP -50] [+ Increased AGI and body movements by 300% for 55 seconds.] ----- < Devil Bear''s soul has been consumed! > < HP +20 |MP +5 |SP +30 |STR +30 > ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ ¡ºGeneral Information¡» [ Name: Eclaite | Gender: Female ] [ Race: Four Tails Fox Beastkin ] [ Age: 19 | Level: 11/40 ] ¡ºJobs¡» [ E-Rank Adventurer, Courtesan ] ¡ºBasic Statistics¡» | HP: 431/472 [394] | MP: 107/563 | SP: 370/444 [ STR: 403 | DEX: 152 ] [ END: 327 | Luck: 17 ] [ AGI: 421 ] ¡ºSkill¡» [Swift Movement |Lvl MAX] ? Level up! ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª+ "That''s so stupid and I''m not surprised about what you do anymore," Ruciel commented after I told her about my new problem. She massaged her forehead and sighed. "So, the point of your story, you do train yourself to control your strength but since you''re eating too much and your level is increased drastically, your power is back out of control?" "...yes," I confess with embarrassment. "..." "Say something!" I called out to that Fallen Elf girl. I felt extremely uncomfortable when she stared at me without a voice. Besides, why did she look so weak and as if giving up on something? What happened to her? I wondered. "Alright, I''ll say something." She nodded. After that, she picked up her bag which is lying on a log. "Let''s go back to the village." Her decision made my fox ears twitch in surprise. We can''t go back now. Was she didn''t understand that my power lost control again? She hears all my explanations, right? "...what about my training?" I asked timidly. "I. Don''t. Want. To do this meaningless hunt again!" Clearly, she''s angry. Her tone went up as she said, "Let''s go back!" "Yes Ma''am!" I said in vigor, with my back straight. For a moment, she looked so terrifying. With that, I didn''t have another chance to do some training for the sake of controlling my power. Yes, it''s not a good thing. We''re going to the main city of the Shadow Elves race, Jeraun, this afternoon! We''re going to see the Lunar Festival and I''m going to take part in the tournament that''s being held there! With my out-of-control power, I could kill someone accidentally! That was not a good thing. Not good at all! "Ruciel, can we-" "No," she cut me off. Her long ears made a strong jolt. "We won''t hunt, I won''t let you do some training. We''re going to Jeraun this afternoon and don''t forget, your friend, Empress Dishonesty will visit the village to see you. We will not neglect those two things to fulfill your selfish and foolish desires. We go back to the village, I don''t accept rejection." "...right." My fox''s ears and tail hung weakly. I''m doomed! Despair colored my heart as we were on a journey back to the village. I was so weak and had no desire to do anything until... A Two Head Bear ambushed us! I just realized this! Although Ruciel forbids me to hunt, I can still kill monsters that ambush us along the road! I can take advantage of this opportunity to grasp my strength! My Stats was reduced by ten percent because I ate Devil Bear''s soul. So, trying to gain control of my power would be even easier! I twist my body to dodge the Two Head Bear''s claws. Then I stepped to its side. My steps were awkward but I began to master my footwork. "[Fast Swings]" My spear became three flashes of light that tore through the Two Head Bear''s left hand and shoulder. I gave the monster severe injuries in an instant and easily! My strength surprised me. "Gawr!" Two Head Bear roared. It approached me slowly. Yes, slowly. I''m sure the monster used up all its abilities but still, it is slow. The difference between our strengths is so distant and it''s so ridiculous. My feet are on the move. I approached the monster as it ran. My actions took the monster by surprise, leaving its defense open. It was an opportunity and I took it. "[Impale]" My spear pierced through its lower jaw and brain without resistance. I won this fight. The monster that loses is dead. With thud! Two Head Bear fell to the ground. "I didn''t have the time or desire to process this monster so let''s put all its bodies in the Magic Bag," Ruciel said. The girl did what she said and our journey continued. Unfortunately, for the next few minutes, no monsters attacked or ambushed us. Our journey was peaceful. I didn''t get another chance to train. Bored, I started swinging my spear. A few minutes later, I started to use Swift Movements. Another idea came up and I made the trees along the road as a target for my training. Of course, I didn''t cut down those trees. I just cut a few twigs and made holes in those trees using my spear. Jumping, running, launching attacks, and using Arte made my control over my power even more refined. I''m sure I''ll make it before we get to the village but... "Can you stop destroying nature!?" Ruciel shouted at me. Her eyebrows arched deeply as her eyes glared at me. "Walk beside me without doing anything else besides walking, now!" I... I can''t go against her orders. I walked up to her weakly along with my hanging ears and tails. "I didn''t do anything wrong." "Shut up!" She snapped at me. "..." So... From that point, until we reached the village, I did nothing but walk. Yes, monsters were coming to attack us but Ruciel handled it. She didn''t let me do anything else but walk. She even told me to shut up every time I started talking. "You''re so mean," I whispered. Ruciel who heard me turn around. She glanced at me then... That''s all. She didn''t say anything then back to ignore me and kept walking. In the end, we reached the village. I knew she was coming but, when I got to the village gate only to see her sitting on a white chair while enjoying a cup of tea, I''m surprised. I couldn''t believe it, she even brought the tables and chairs we had used to have tea together at our previous meetings. Without expression, Dishonesty said, "finally, welcome home, Eclaite." Chapter 180 - Additional Information "Welcome home, Eclaite," Dishonesty greeted me. I who wasn''t far from her waved my hand as I walked closer. When I reached her, I asked, "Why here?" "You could say that I hate crowds," she replied. The Flugel placed her teacup to the table gracefully. She was an empress, such an attitude might already be a natural part for her. In addition to her graceful manner, she also had a seductive beauty. Her emerald eyes with shuriken-shaped pupils emit strength, her sensual red lips look so soft, her sharp nose was like being sculpted by a god''s hands, and her face has excellent proportions. I can say, this silver-haired woman who exudes that mature aura is flawless. The Flugel moved her hand to give us a signal. "Sit down, you too Fallen Elf girl." Following her wishes, I took an empty seat. Ruciel also did the same after stiffly, she said, "thank you." Miracles appeared on the round white table. A teacup appeared in front of me and Ruciel out of nothing. The teapot floated to pour tea on our cup. At the same time, two plates containing different types of sweets approached us. My fox''s ears twitched. "This is amazing! Can I do something like this too?" "If you have a Skill, Telekinesis and master it well, you can do it." "What about the teacup that appeared suddenly?" "Space Magic," she replied briefly then grows silent. She showed no signs of wanting to speak. Her eyes that keep looking at me made me uncomfortable. My tails moved stiffly as I fidgeted. After gathering my courage, I asked, "have you greeted the village chief?" "I have. Together with it, I also learned that you will visit Jeraun to enjoy the Lunar Festival." "I''m not going there for fun, okay? I need to enter a tournament and win the top five position to be able to meet with the Elder of Shadow Elves. I need to ask their permission to visit Unnatural Woods." Dishonesty nodded then become quiet and still. Sometime later, she said, "don''t hold back, enjoy that tea and sweets." "We''ll do it but, can you stop keep looking at me with eyes like that?" Dishonesty blinked and yes, she didn''t stop to look at me. her lips parted to let out the words, "Do you intend to destroy the Evil God of Reverse''s soul soon? Are you sure you''re ready?" I tilted my head slightly. "That''s right, I want to destroy the Evil God of Reverse''s soul as soon as possible. But why do you ask me if I''m ready or not?" "Even though your strength increased in a short period, you are still weak. You''re in too much of a hurry. Besides, where are your friends? Have you found people who are willing to help you complete your mission? You wouldn''t say that the Fallen Elf girl on your side will help you, right?" "I had a bad feeling after hearing those questions. To be honest, I haven''t asked anyone else for help. Now, can you give me the answer to my question?" Dishonesty blinked again then sighed. "Why made a sigh?" "I forgot this part of you." "What do you mean?" I was confused by her words. Seriously, what''s her thinking? Dishonesty crossed her arms then leaned back in her chair, she closed her eyes. In that mode, I knew she was thinking of something and she wasn''t going to speak anytime soon. So I drank my tea and ate a sweet pastry. Sometime later, Dishonesty opened her eyes. "Eclaite, tell me the minimum requirement a Player needs to take the Main Quest, Save The World." "Isn''t that obvious? Their level should reach two hundred or more. And that''s the minimum requirement." "Can a Player complete the Main Quest alone?" "Don''t be silly. Of course not, to complete the Main Quest, fifty of high-level Players is needed." Dishonesty nodded. "That''s right." Knowing that there were no errors in my answers made my tail swing happily. With pride, I said, "don''t underestimate my knowledge." "By the way, can you tell me your current level?" It''s weird. I feel like something''s wrong here. I feel that it''s real. Unfortunately, I couldn''t recognize what I thought was wrong. Dishonesty''s questions were also extremely suspicious. Hesitantly, I said, "eleven." A thin smile adorned Dishonesty''s expressionless face. "Now, if I say that your mission to destroy the souls of Evil Gods has the same tier of difficulty as the Main Quest, what do you think?" My face was pale instantly. That question made me realize the intent of Dishonesty''s barrage of questions. She was right, I was weak, I wasn''t ready to destroy the souls of the Evil Gods. "Looks like you''ve noticed it. Once again, are you ready?" "...no," I replied weakly. "But, I have no choice but to do so. The Evil Gods will revive soon enough. Wouldn''t it be better if we destroyed them swiftly, especially when their souls were sealed? We have to attack them when they are at their lowest point!" "Didn''t you absorb my message in Memories Cube into your mind? And tell me, how quickly do you think the Evil Gods will revive?" "I''ve absorbed it. And you know, It''s quite outrageous when you just tell me the name of the Evil Gods and the three places where they''re sealed. I lack information. Therefore, I use my understanding of Ark Fantasy Online to supplement it. In the story for Main Quest, the Evil Gods will revive within six months. So, here I am, to destroy the Evil God of Reverse''s soul as quickly as possible." Dishonesty didn''t say anything for a few seconds after she heard my explanation. A moment later she massaged her forehead. "I''m sorry," she began. "It seems, I forgot to include the full information of the Evil Gods into your Memories Cube. I made a mistake. Then I will say, you don''t need to destroy the Evil God of Reverse''s soul for now." "Seriously?" "Seriously." "But, won''t they revive soon? And I''m sure, we cannot ignore the destruction of the world that will occur soon." "The Evil Gods aren''t going to revive anytime soon. They did become more active but at the very least, it took them five years to gather enough power for their awakening. As for destroying the souls of the Evil Gods. I would advise you not to do it for now." "Why?" "Because they are strong and you are weak. You need to know, the stronger a being is, the stronger their soul. Although an Evil God is being sealed, their soul is still bigger than yours. If you decide to absorb their souls now, I''m afraid they will take over your soul." "But I absorbed a soul of a strong monster." "The level of monsters which its soul you absorb is not far from your level. The monsters lack intelligence. A twenty or forty levels gap from your current level wouldn''t have a huge impact. Then tell me, what will happen if you absorb a soul of a highly intelligent being with a level gap more than two hundred or three hundred from your level?" "That sounds dangerous!" "You''re right." Dishonesty nodded. "After knowing all this, I''m sure you know what you have to do." "I need to raise my level!"