Chapter 25:

*BANG!**CLASH**BANG!**BANG!**CLASH*

"…haa…haa…"

"How many of them are there?...haa…haa…"

"I don't know, but we have to do something about this"

This is getting out of hand. We have already repelled 6 waves already and I can't seem to see the end. Just what kind of plant are Avenir researching on? If it's something important to monsters then we are in pinch right here. And how are we going to fight these? I can still see monsters coming from the distance. If we continue like this, we might lose our ground. I need a better plan.

"Hey Compa, how far can you shoot that thing?"

"200 yards at least" what the hell kind of needle is that?!

"You sure?"

"I'm sure! I've done the math!" If she did, then we have a sniper over here. I think my options.

Okay, first off. We are going to be run downed of we continue on the defensive. If we talk about offence though, I need some back up. Fortunately, Compa is here with her needle. But she would be so concentrated on covering me that, if I were to let one monster pass. I won't be able to cover for Compa. Dangit.

"Compa, what's the firing rate of that needle of yours?"

"I need a second to fire another" Hmm. I get a second latency if she needs to fire in rapid succession.

"Shit. They didn't give me time to think!" monsters appeared before us again. Two gigantic size Minotaur's with their golden axe appeared before us. I hate seeing them right now.

"Compa!"

"Yes!"

I dash forward. One Minotaur stepped up and raised his axe. I slide down in between its legs and cut its tendons on the back of its knees. I stand up and block the attack of the second Minotaur. I tilt the sword to ground making the heavy attack slide towards it. I run up to its knee and stabbed it as deep as I can go.

*ROAR!*

He roared in pain as he fell to one knee. I quickly pulled the sword out, run towards his head, and beheaded him with a clean cut. Blood sprayed all around us. I look at the other Minotaur and he's already dead without his head anywhere. That was a pretty solid shot from Compa.

"You okay?"

"Mhm" she nodded. I can tell she's getting tired. I really need a better solution for this. Then she falls, I run and catch her.

"Get some rest"

"…but… haa, haa…"

"Don't worry. I can handle them" I put her down under a tree not too far away so I can still see her.

Bodies of monsters everywhere, I can see them from all around me, evidence that we tried our best.

"Haa… Well at least I can get a good work out on top of this" I grip the sword tightly.

Three towering Minotaur's rose up, small ginger like monsters flowed from the ground and surrounded me, plus those chickens are here too. I'm totally screwed; I was in shock by how many they are. But I can't complain right now. I ready myself.

"Well… LET'S DANCE ASSHOLES!" I dash towards my oppressors.

I performed a two-step circular slash to the gingers. I connect that with a fade-slash to the chicken in front. This allows me to move back, and stabbed a chicken behind me. Two chickens came from two sides, and I beheaded the left then the right. I dash towards the opening at middle and uppercut slash a chicken making him fly in the air. I step back and give the chicken a powerful side kick as he falls to the ground, making fly towards one of the Minotaur's face. He looked at me and run towards me with all his might. He threw his axe towards me, I dodge. I see his fist almost touching the ground rushing over to me. I cover my chest with my arms; he gave me a powerful-bulldozer like uppercut punch that I literally flew in the air.

"Oguf-!" shit, that was strong! I immediately spread my arms so that the force would be spread outside of my body.

Then a powerful pressure hit my body. Like someone dropped a truck over me. I slammed towards the ground. It seems that I made a crater. I can still move my body, I stand up upon realizing.

"Jared!" I hear Compa shouting.

"SHUT IT WOMAN!" I need to concentrate.

I have 3 broken ribs, a broken arm, and I've got internal bleeding all over the place. Shit, this is going to get ugly. I run towards the weapon-less Minotaur. He gave me a punch, I dodge to the side. At the same time, the other Minotaur swung his axe down. I rolled over. His axe cuts off the gigantic fist of Minotaur. He wailed a bit and falls on one knee. I run towards him, and without any effort, other than the pain I feel coming from all over my body, I cut off his other arm. Not letting this guy go, I climbed over to his nape and proceeded to stab him with everything I've got. I see the other Minotaur, coming over to me, he raised his weapon. I jumped off when he swung it down. I run up again over the headless Minotaur and jumped towards the other one. I ready my sword and stabbed his heart. I grab his chest hair, and stabbed his heart with vigor. He grabbed my body and throws me away from him.

"...Oah..." I whimper at the pain. I move my head to look at my enemy. I see that two Minotaur's, are on the ground; one more to go. I stand up. The pain resonates more. I'm about to black out.

" 'J-Jared!' " I hear a voice. I turned towards it, by the time I did so, my body starts to collapse. Then someone lifted me up.

"Really now, you're more of a handful than Nep"

"Iffy, that's what boys do nowadays" I look in front of me. A long twin-braid purple haired girl with her black swimsuit- like back turned towards me.

"Give 'em hell Neptune"

" 'Right!' " then I blanked out.

"There, all done! I don't see any more monsters" Neptune said happily.

"Nope. I'm certain the rest ran away. That's all for today!" Compa also said in a happy tone.

"What the hell?"

"Don't ask me"

After a few minutes since backup came, Neptune cut down all the force of monsters by half in an instant. Compa filled me up with bandages then proceeded to help after. Iffy just stayed with me the whole time until I was to stand up again. Now we are coming back to where we met Singe.

"The inspection is complete. Are you kids done, too? You sure you didn't miss any?" Singe came. The look on his face still has a flavor of disappointment towards us.

"It's all good when I'm on the prowl! We even took out the boss-like one, so I betcha they'll stay away for a while" that boss-like one that Neptune said, is just a Minotaur with a golden helmet. It just looked so stupid when he wears it.

"Good. However, if ever one remains and it damages the facility, we will never conduct business with you again"

"Th-that's a bit harsh. Why can't you just repair the damage if that happens?" Compa replied to that. I think she should have not said that.

"You have no idea, do you? Mere humans should never degrade machinery!" say what?

"Have you ever seen a human as detail-oriented or precise as a machine?" Nope. If ever, then he's a robot not human.

"I-I don't know… I'm not a machine" oh my. Compa is about to cry.

"Right. You're just an incompetent human. Who knows when you'll make a mistake? Being human is no excuse for errors!" I walk up to Compa and hand her my handkerchief. She gave a little nod.

"If humans are expected to make mistakes, I'd rather machines do the job from the start"

"Keep that in mind the next time you take a job from this company" he turned his back.

"Heh, that's funny" I talk the moment he took the first step.

"If humans make a mistake, then machines that were made by an imperfect human should be imperfect as well" he continues on walking.

"Remember that! Fridge!" in all honesty, the name Singe sucks.

"Wh-wh-what did I do to get yelled at? Did I really say something bad?" Compa is about cry.

"Don't cry. You didn't do anything. That was pretty immature of him, yelling at us like that" Iffy tried to comfort her.

"M-maybe he thought… I was making fun of machines…"

"But he's mocking humanity!" she then looks at me.

"And on top of that you called him a Fridge!"

"What!? It was a good pun"

"That's pretty immature of you as well"

"Don't play with fire is what the folks always have to say"

"*sigh*… you as much of a handful as Nep here"

"Well, we did do our quest right, so… where's our prize money?"

"Ah, I have it right here" I turn towards Neptune. She has a red pouch on her hands. We open it and we immediately closed it.

"Wh-what the hell was that!?" I could not believe my eyes.

"M-me too…"

"I-It was like someone put the sun in here!"

"Iffy, y-y-y carry it…" Neptune offered her the bag.

"W-w-w-why does it have to be me?!"

"Because you are the most reliable"

"R-r-r-r-reliable!" she turned red to the ears.

"Yes! So be honored that you have been given this fine set of bag!"

"O-okay…" she took the bag from Neptune.

"Well, let's get going now" Iffy led the crying Compa out of the forest while Neptune and I follow.

"J-J-Jared…"

"Hm?" I look towards my side. Neptune's hand is weirdly close to me.

"Just a little while, okay?" she gave me nod and I held her small hand all the way back.