.
.
They spent one more day in Suiren in order to finalize the details of their brand-new official agreement. Or, more precisely, they spent hours upon hours on finalizing a trading contract between Suiren, Kiba, and the Prido Family. With the express agreement of Chenoa, Quinn was named their official representative, which basically meant she was allowed to take charge of things like contracts and other kinds of financial, social, or political agreements that would impact the village, and she ended up signing on behalf of Kiba.
With the financial support of the Prido Family, it was agreed that a route would be built between Kiba and Suiren. Honestly, they weren't so far—about six days of constant traveling on foot, give or take. Once the route was built, though, it would cut down the traveling time in half, since carriages and other means of transport would now be able to be used.
Once that was done, the villagers of Suiren agreed that, while it may not hold pleasant memories, the mine they had been forced to exploit was an important resource that could help them get money, and fast. So, they'd be selling it in priority to Kiba, which needed more iron than Quinn could actually provide and, in exchange, Kiba would sell Suiren its wood so they could build back their village. Sure, they lived near a forest, but the trees were too slim, and they easily broke under the barest impact, which meant they weren't exactly suitable material for building houses. And, once both villages were properly back on their feet, they'd also start trading goods, like furs or food proper to their own locations.
Allen intended to put the iron taken from the mine on the market right away, and absolutely refused to receive a share of the profits made, insisting that the mine and its resources belonged to Suiren Village and, as such, all of the money earned from it belonged to the villagers. He simply stated that, once the two villages were able to start trading goods using proper monetary means, the Prido Family would also join in on the trade agreement, adding magical tools and the likes to the triangular market.
When Quinn asked about how he could possibly benefit from this kind of agreement, he simply shrugged and admitted that, once that happened, he'd up the price of his family's products in Kikka and some other towns mostly occupied by the nobles. The Prido Family was, after all, the main supplier of magic tools in the entire kingdom, so they had a certain monopoly that would guarantee them numerous, wealthy, loyal clients—which would apparently quickly make up for all of the money spent in their three-way contract.
Once all of this was said and done, four copies were produced—one for each party, and the last one to be kept in the official archives of Kikka, where the contract had initially been signed and formalized. Once that was done, they had to spend a while looking over a map of the kingdom and trying to figure out the shortest possible way to connect Kiba and Suiren.
In the end, they managed to plan a suitable route, but a mild issue arose when it came to the territory: about three quarters of it technically belonged to the Prido Family, but the last part of it, the territory that could actually link the two villages, belonged to another noble House. However, Allen was quick to reassure them: the noble to whom it belonged to owed quite a large sum of money to his family and, since he had yet to repay his growing debt, the young man would make good use of his brand-new privileges and force him to give up that part of his land.
Allen announced to all that he would keep his word and take responsibility for his parents' actions: he intended to fund the entire rebuilding of Suiren, meaning he'd actually pay for the material deported from Kiba, in addition to entirely funding the exploitation of the mine and its transport to Kiba. Until Suiren could stand on its own two feet again, he'd also provide enough food, manpower, and any other necessary materials so they could all safely get through the incoming winter.
To say the villagers were overjoyed at the news would be a serious understatement, and Quinn's respect for the man grew quite a bit. She already greatly appreciated all of his efforts, but his genuine and earnest intent to help those who would normally be considered under him pleasantly surprised her. Maybe, just maybe, she'd find other nobles like him—young people who didn't hold the same prejudices as their parents, and who were willing to actually make a difference.
Finally, Allen, Quinn, and Mereoleona met in a more private setting in order to discuss the incoming investigation. A team would be sent in a few days to collect documents, physical proofs, and testimonies, and they had to quickly decide what kind of charges they would press on those who had been arrested.
For the bandits, since they had been officially employed, nothing much could be done, but they would be charged with assault, excessive violence, theft, and accessory to crime. The researchers who were working in the lab would be charged with child abuse, the non-respect of the ethics of their scientific oath, and the development of unauthorized weapons. Thanks to the Lady's list, the staff members who knew about the lab were also arrested as accomplices. Finally, both Lord Fell and Lady Elsa would be charged with enslavement, kidnapping, child abuse, fraud, theft, the creation and use of an unauthorized lab, the failure to report the existence of the iron mine, and finally treason.
With some more digging, Allen was convinced he'd be able to find some more skeletons in his parents' closets but, right now, it should suffice to keep them behind bars for a pretty long while. All in all, they would appear in the Magic Congress Courthouse in a few months' time, at which point Quinn would also have to go and testify, even if she doubted it'd have much of an impact considering the involvement of Mereoleona.
And then, at last… it was time to leave. All of the villagers, along with Allen, gathered to see the Magic Knights off. Honestly, Quinn had lost count of how many people had tearfully thanked them for their help and support.
"Oi, Quinn."
She looked down, only to find a familiar little boy, and she raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you acting a little too familiar, kid?"
Jackie lowered his head, shuffling from one foot to the other. "… thanks. For coming back."
"I told you so, didn't I?" she simply smiled.
"Yeah… Well, you can have it back, now."
Her eyes widened as he handed her back her cloak. "Oh my stars, I completely forgot about my uniform!"
"You're such an airhead," the boy accused.
"Oi, oi, what's up with the attitude, brat?" she replied, quickly putting on her cloak.
"Just don't kick the bucket. It'd be lame if you died like a weakling," he retorted.
"You sure got a bratty personality, uh?" she sweatdropped. She then roughly ruffled his hair, earning a squawk of outrage. "But don't worry, I won't! I'm too cool for that! Ah, ah!"
He rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the smile that graced his lips. Without warning, he gave the girl a quick hug, before running off and disappearing into the crowd. She chuckled a bit at his childish attitude. For some reason, he kind of reminded her of Asta. Shaking her head, she finally joined Mereoleona, who was impatiently waiting for her at the entrance.
"Finally ready to leave, or do you want to go for another round of teary hug fits?" she drawled, half-amused.
"Nan, I think I've got my fill," snorted the teen, readjusting the small traveling bag she had been given over her shoulder.
"Good. And by the way, you better explain what exactly is going on with Kiba because, last I've heard, it had disappeared over thirty years ago," she pointed out. Her usual grin turned a tad dangerous. "I do not like to be kept in the dark."
"R- right…"
And on that note, the two Knights bid everyone goodbye, and then took off so they could finally pursue their journey.
.
.
"Alright, cub: spill."
After literally running for hours, the two Lions had stopped in a deserted landscape for the night. They would apparently reach their destination after two more weeks of traveling, so they needed to rest properly. Once they had set up a fire and had properly settled down, though, Mereoleona decided it was time for the girl to talk.
"It's not that big a deal," Quinn shrugged, taking a bite of the meat that had been cooking over the fire. "On my first mission, we went to the Yume Forest. Long story short, we ended up freeing the villagers of Kiba and some other people who had been plunged into a mana-induced coma by a mana-eating, sentient plant. After that, those people decided to rebuild Kiba from the ground smack in the middle of the forest, and… well, I guess I decided to help them." She sighed, leaning against the lone tree standing just behind her. "I was really angry when the others just decided to leave them be. No support, no protection, nothing! The noble we had been sent to rescue was saved, and the villagers could apparently go fuck themselves." She scowled at that, her fist clenching. "Why was no one sent to help when they all disappeared thirty-three years ago? Why were they saved only now, and only as collateral to the real mission!? They might not be noble, but they're still people! People we, as Magic Knights, swore to defend and protect and aid in their times of need! Right!?"
Mereoleona stared at her for a moment, her face unreadable. Then, she sighed heavily, crossing her arms over her chest.
"People aren't born equal, Quinn. There'll always be someone stronger, someone better, and someone weaker, someone lesser. It's the natural state of things—"
"There's nothing natural about human beings trampling each other," retorted sharply the teen. She gritted her teeth. "You're right: people aren't born equal—but they could be. Already, if we just tried to bridge the gap of power between nobles and peasants, be it by sharing the resources, or redistributing the money, or just by giving some actual education to all of the children, things could be so much better!"
"People don't change so easily."
"They do. They can. It's just a matter of effort and will." She rubbed her temples, growing a tad tired of the argument. "I'm not naïve enough to believe that actual change will happen quickly. But… but I know that if we work together, if enough people raise their voices, then we could make a difference." She gestured to the barren landscape surrounding them. "Peasants aren't weaker or incapable—they simply don't have access to the same kind of resources. They have to focus on actually surviving, while nobles focus on learning and simply living. If you give them access to those resources, though—if they are given the means to survive, and the opportunity to learn, then I honestly believe things could drastically take a turn for the better."
"Is that why you decided to help Kiba?"
"Partly. It simply felt inhuman to let them fend for themselves when they had basically nothing," admitted Quinn, rubbing the back of her head.
"It's not just about helping them, though—you're actually managing the village," pointed out her mentor, raising an eyebrow. "You just spent almost an entire day drafting a three-way, open trade contract, and you were good at it. Not many people have such a flair for politics and economics, and even less people born in the boonies. So, I've got to ask: who the hell were you before becoming Quinn of the Clover Kingdom?"
::
"He needs to sign it."
"He won't."
"This is an official demand of alliance between our two kingdoms! Since the King is no more, Prince XRSXXN has to take responsibility for our kingdom and—"
"My brother may be young, but he isn't stupid, and the same can be said for me: as his official advisor, I advised him not to sign, and he agreed with me. You need to let it go."
"Tche. A woman acting as the Royal Adviser? What nonsense—"
"Fine. You want me to spell it out for you? Had you paid any attention to the actual contents of the contract, you would have noticed that they not only demanded half of our kingdom's coffers as a guarantee, but that they also never specified anything about invasions."
"It's obviously implied that—"
"In a written contract, nothing is implied, you absolute buffoon: it's either written or it isn't. And if it isn't, that means it isn't official. And if it isn't official? Then it means they do not have to follow through with this specific part of the agreement—it's named a loophole, if you weren't aware. In the alliance contract, they only specified that both kingdoms were to help each other out in their time of need. Conveniently enough, their kingdom is threatened as we speak by a foreign enemy coming from across the sea, and they do not possess the necessary weaponry to properly fight them off—but we do. We have the weapons and the means to make more of them. Once we have helped them with this invasion, though, what kind of guarantee do we have that they will not turn on us? Our troupes will be exhausted and few in numbers, our weapons will be broken and rusted, and our general funds will have been completely depleted in order to help our alleged allies. At that point, a new decision will have to be made: do we use whatever we have left of our money to produce more weapons, more armors, more soldiers? Or do we focus on paying back our already existing debts and also protecting our people not from an enemy, but from diseases, famine, and the incoming winter? One way or another, though, we'll have become weak before their troupes, which will have grown stronger thanks to our support—too strong for us to stop them. And then, we'll be the ones with an invasion on our hands."
"This- this—"
"If you have a solution to ensure they cannot turn on us when the opportunity presents itself, then my brother and I will be all ears. Until then, though, I suggest you keep your close-minded, bigoted self away from us. Good day, sir."
"W- wait! Wait, Princess XXXXXX!"
::
The purple-haired Knight shook her head, knowing Mereoleona was referring to her Diamond descent, but her words struck a pretty sore chord.
Who the hell am I?
"… No one important," she finally answered with a careless shrug. "Just an orphaned brat from Diamond. One way or another, though, I'm just trying my best to help as many people as I can. That's really all there is to it."
Mereoleona considered her for a moment, not saying anything, before nodding slightly. "Alright. Though, if you're actually going to do this, you'll need to work twice as hard. You can't do this half-heartedly!"
"I'm taking this seriously," assured Quinn, nodding firmly.
"Good. In that case, though, you'll need to find more noble supporters," pointed out the fiery woman, now grinning a bit. "Getting the Prido Family on your side was a pretty good opening move, considering their influence, but what they lack is connections: they have numerous clients, but no actual social standing. Opening a trade route might not look like much to you at the moment, but it'll definitely draw a lot of attention once it makes itself known, and then some of the ancient families might try and stop the whole project in fear that the villages will grow independent and out of their reach."
"Getting more noble families to back up the project would be a good idea, but it's still too soon to have them involved," mused Quinn, thinking it over. "At the moment, Kiba and Suiren are barely able to keep themselves standing. Right now, there would be no benefit in supporting the trade route. Allen-san only agreed because he didn't want to make any profit right away, and it's honestly a wild gamble as to whether or not he'll manage to get back all of the money he's about to spend on it. No one sane of mind would agree to take such a risk."
"That may be so, but you won't be able to ignore the truth of the matter for too long," warned lightly Mereoleona.
"The truth of the matter?"
The woman's eyes hardened a bit, and she started poking at the fire with one of the branches they had found. "You hate nobles, that much is pretty obvious. You got used to the people in the squad because you've learned to know them as individuals, but you're also quick to judge people on their bloodline. Now, I'm not saying nobles aren't that bad—honestly, we're the worst. However, not all nobles are still anchored in the old ways and, with Julius Novachrono as the Wizard King, new ideas have already begun to bud in the noble youths." She suddenly lifted her stick, pointing it directly at Quinn. "It'll be up to you to make those buds actually bloom. If you're really serious about making things change, then it can't be a one-sided effort—you'll need both peasants and nobles standing by you. Got it?"
Surprised at first, Quinn then nodded again. "Yeah, got it."
"Good. Then, when it's time, you can start with the Vermillion House."
"W- what?"
Mereoleona grinned again. "Think about it: if you have one of the Royal Families on your side, you'll almost instantly receive the support of the Houses supporting them."
"I guess so, but isn't the current Head of the family Fuego-danchou?" pointed out the teen, scratching the back of her head unconvincingly. "If that's the case, wouldn't it be a conflict of interest, to have a contract signed with one of the Knights under his command?"
Her mentor however shook her head. "Being a Knight comes before being the Head of our family. Until he resigns from the Magic Knights, our father will stay as the Head, since I also refused to take the mantle."
"Why?"
"'Cause I hate politics and I couldn't care less about being the Head and whatnot," she retorted, barking out a laugh.
"Should have guessed," sweatdropped Quinn, before remembering something. "You just said being a Knight comes before your responsibility toward your family… I'm guessing it counts for anyone who becomes a Magic Knight?"
"Our duty toward Clover is more important than the one toward our respective Houses," confirmed simply Mereoleona. "Why are you asking?"
"Well, it's just that I now understand better what the other women were talking about," shrugged the teen. "They said they had joined in order to avoid being married off for the sake of forming alliances between the Houses, and stuff like that. So, as a Knight, you're basically emancipated?"
"More or less. Their respective families can still put pressure, but the Magic Knights answer to the Wizard King before anyone else…" The woman suddenly narrowed her eyes. "You've got that look in your eyes. What's gotten into your head, cub?"
Quinn chuckled a bit at that. "Nothing, nothing. I just thought that… Well, it's actually pretty useful to know. All of our members come from different noble families of all ranks and, while they're pretty much independent from their Houses, I'm guessing their title as Magic Knights still grant them a certain influence within their respective families. That means forming actual alliances with nobles once the time comes will be… easier than I thought, is all."
"That may be so, but tread carefully," simply warned the orange-haired woman. "Bringing politics and alliances into the squad might lead to disarray and quarrels. Be careful not to make enemies instead of allies."
"Right."
She's right, I'll have to be careful when the time comes. The last thing I want is to break the squad apart all because of some dumb political debate. I should probably start involving some of the others in the project soon, though, so I can actually get a foothold before taking the jump.
.
.
Traveling on foot took a tad longer than expected but, a little over two weeks after leaving Suiren, the two Knights finally reached their destination: the beach. Or, more exactly, the Eastern Coast of the Clover Kingdom, where the most dangerous Grand Mana Zone in the kingdom was situated: the Seabed Temple. As they started walking along the coast, Quinn marveled at the warm sand under their feet and the clear, blue sea spreading to their right. Honestly, looking at the water sparkling under the sun made her… nostalgic. She had an inkling it had to do with one of her past lives, but she honestly couldn't tell which.
"We're here!"
Quinn stopped, snapped out of her thoughts, and glanced around. Honestly, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except that there wasn't any tourist around. Though, it wasn't exactly surprising, since the resort was on the complete opposite of where they were standing now.
"So… where is the Grand Magic Zone, exactly?"
"Didn't you guess by the name?" drawled her mentor. She then jabbed her finger at the sea beside them. "It's underwater, obviously!"
"I didn't think it was literally a temple situated on the seabed," sweatdropped the teen, before shaking her head to focus. "Anyway, how are we supposed to get there?"
"Usually, underwater typhoons, deadly currents, and even aquatic monsters make accessing the temple itself pretty difficult, if not impossible, for most of those who aren't high-level Magic Knights, at the least," she explained, before gesturing to the water. "It doesn't look like much, but that's because the Grand Mana Zone is literally on the seabed, surrounding the entire temple situated there. That's also probably why you can't feel it right now, even with your strong sensory ability."
"Then, I'll reiterate my question: how the hell are we supposed to get there?"
"Well, the Grand Mana Zone is at its weakest during the nights of full moons. In fact, that's the only time anyone ever managed to enter it—" She suddenly grinned dangerously. "—so obviously, we're gonna go during the night of the new moon!"
"… what?"
"Why take the easy way in? This is the perfect training!"
"You just said that no one ever managed to enter the Seabed Temple any time other than during a full moon, and you're telling me to get through when the Grand Mana Zone is basically at its strongest and most dangerous?" After a few seconds, a grin matching Mereoleona's stretched on the girl's lips. "Alright, let's do this!"
"Bwahahah! That's the spirit, cub!" Lifting her eyes and using her hand to block the sunlight, the lioness stared up at the blue sky for a few seconds. "You've got about three weeks or so before the next new moon. You'll have to be ready then!"
"Yes, ma'am!" But then, Quinn picked up on a little detail. "Wait, you said no one ever managed to get through other than during a full moon… Were you included in that statement?"
Mereoleona snorted at that. "My affinity is fire, cub. As reckless as I can get, I'm not stupid either: no amount of power could get me through this Grand Mana Zone, even less when it's at its strongest. I'll be counting on you to make it through, and then open a portal so I can join you down there!"
"And what if I die before reaching the temple?" sweatdropped the girl. "What'll you do then?"
"Well, stay alive and we won't have to find out, right?"
"Fair enough."
Quinn had never learned to swim. However, one of her past identities did, and so she easily re-learned the basics. She obviously wasn't the best, but it was more than enough for her to do what she had to do: learn a safe way to force a passage open through the Grand Mana Zone, and not drown while she's at it. Contrarily to the Yultim Volcano, however, her mana skin would be of no use whatsoever. After all, she had learned to use it in order to protect herself from both the intense heat and the magical pressure but, in the case of the Seabed Temple, she needed to protect herself from actual, physical pressure, from the violent currents that were sure to await her, and also from the obvious lack of air. After all, she couldn't possibly hold her breath long enough for her to reach the bottom, and even less through all of the trials she would eventually encounter.
When at the Yultim Volcano, her affinity with Fire Mana had grown beyond what she could possibly imagine. In order to control fire, though, one needed a strong body capable of handling it. So, her training had almost entirely focused on developing her stamina, her physical strength, and her overall control on small zones of mana—meaning her mana skin. However, getting past the challenge that was the Seabed Temple Grand Mana Zone was another thing entirely. In this case, physical strength wouldn't be of much use—speed would.
Channeling Water Mana was the completely opposite of channeling Fire Mana: water required steadiness, patience, and flexibility, while fire required strength and almost volatile emotions. So, to say Quinn was out of her element was not only a very bad pun, but also a very annoying truth. While at the Yultim Volcano, she had instinctively learned to unleash almost all of her power like letting a beast out of a cage, but now? Now, she needed to re-learn how to let it out in a steady flow, like she had more or less been doing when she first started using her Mana Manipulation.
Thankfully, Quinn had a fairly good idea of where to start. After all, she had learned to use a mana skin in order to directly protect her body… but what if she developed it into a shield, of a sort? She could try and actually expand it, like creating a sort of bubble around her entire body, which would also allow her to breathe underwater, so to speak. Then, using her inner mana to reach out to the Water Mana of the Grand Mana Zone, it would almost be like breaching a magic barrier, only on a much, much bigger scale with many more intricate layers.
First, though, she needed to actually get down there.
Creating a mana bubble wasn't as easy as first thought. At first, she thought that she could simply create a mana skin, and then slowly fill it with more and more mana until it inflated and literally created a bubble. When she tried it out, though, she soon figured out that while it did allow her to breathe, she couldn't control it very well, and any exterior interference sent her crashing way off course. She couldn't possibly fight off the currents when she was literally trapped in a bubble, let alone the aquatic monsters Mereoleona had mentioned.
However, she didn't let that drag her down. Instead, she decided to focus it all on a single point: her head. She managed to create a very thick mana bubble around her entire head, meaning she was free to breathe and free to move around. At that point, the resistance to magical pressure that she had steadily built up at the volcano became quite useful, since she no longer had to worry about literally being crushed just because of her sensory ability.
However, after a few attempts, she quickly realized that trying to avoid the underwater typhoons and the violent currents wasn't that simple, mostly because the water drastically slowed her movements down. And so, she divided her training time into two parts: one on the beach, where she spent most of her time running from one end of the coast to the other, and another underwater, where she practiced her mana bubble and tested the results of her overall training. Running on the beach for hours with her feet constantly being swallowed by the sand while the bright sun harshly hit her over the head was hard and left her aching and sweating like hell, but it was definitely worth it.
As for Mereoleona, well, she simply spent her time either enjoying the hot baths offered by the resort, either training somewhere around. The only times they saw each other was for their daily spar in the evening, during which neither could use magic nor weapons, and also when they ate together.
At some point, someone from the Vermillion House contacted the fiery woman because of the sudden retraction of the contract with the Prido Family, but she was quick to simply get rid of the communication device altogether, saying that "it was too soon to deal with this crap". Other than that, though, nothing out of the ordinary happened in the following three weeks and, at last, it was time to see if her hard work paid out.
"Ready?"
"More than ever!"
Quinn had gotten rid of all unnecessary baggage, meaning her traveling bag and her uniform. After all, she didn't want them to get inadvertently caught in one of the currents. It'd be a really lame way to die, and she promised more than once to one too many people that she'd come back alive. Plus, she didn't want anything slowing her down. So, she was lightly dressed, simply wearing a tight shirt and a pair of shorts made to go in the water. It was close to midnight, now, and she could feel the entire sea thrumming with power. If she couldn't sense the Grand Mana Zone before when she was on land, it was now simply impossible to miss.
"You better not make me wait for too long, cub," simply grinned Mereoleona.
"No promises," half-joked the teen, stretching her arms as she stepped into the sea. "I'll see you later!"
With a cheerful wave, Quinn then started sinking into the water. It definitely wasn't the same as when she was training, since mana had basically taken over this entire part of the sea, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle with relative ease. Frankly, she was eager to get started. After all, growing past her limits meant she could grow stronger, and if she grew stronger, then she could accomplish her mission, and that was all she could ask for.
Focusing on the matter at hand, she created her mana bubble as her head was submerged, and she then started swimming down. As thought, it was so dark underwater that she couldn't see anything but, after activating her Mana Eyes, she could see as clearly as day all of the challenges awaiting her. She could see each and every current, all of the typhoons spinning around, and even the underwater volcanoes that spat out boiling water here and there. Reinforcing her body, she started swimming faster and, suddenly, she found herself in the middle of the chaos.
Mana was swirling all around in different shades of blue and white and green, making her head spin and her heart go up in her throat, but she focused on the way ahead, where she knew the temple was situated. As long as she could make it to the center of the Grand Mana Zone, she'd get where she needed to in no time.
Take your time to adjust to the flow, she told herself, looking around with acute attention. Find the chink in the armor—and go!
With a powerful kick, she propelled herself forward, suddenly joining the currents. However, just as she tried to break through the first one, she was sent backward, almost crashing into one of the typhoons. A bit shaken, she took a moment to reevaluate her plan: it would seem simply forcing her way through the currents wouldn't be as easy as she first thought.
But then, something caught her attention: there, caught in one of the currents, was a small, silvery fish. However, it quickly became evident that he wasn't actually caught in it, but rather that he was following it.
I'm still trying to use brute strength when I should, in fact, be more flexible, she suddenly realized. I should let it guide me instead of fighting it, just like that fish!
Eager to try out her new theory, she wasted no time and spotted a new current. Instead of trying to pass through it like before, though, she latched onto it. It was almost as if it possessed a physical body, for she easily held onto it, and it started swerving and spinning, dragging her along for a pretty wild ride. After a moment, though, Quinn got used to the speed—only to realize that she was basically running in circles.
I'll need to switch currents. For that, I'll have to be fast, and be able to predict the currents' directions.
So, she tried again. This time around, though, she paid more attention to her surroundings, and soon noticed that the currents never actually collided, but rather brushed against each other—which was obviously the perfect opportunity. Bracing herself, she then let go of the current but, just as her fingers were about to reach the other one, she was practically catapulted backward because of the speed difference. It was too fast for her!
Well, that simply won't do, will it?
So she persisted. It took her a few times but, at one point, she got used enough to the pattern and managed to jump from one current to the other. And, once she managed the first one, the others were much easier. She needed to quickly and carefully analyze her surroundings, which demanded a lot of mental energy, but she was finally able to keep up with the tempo.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the Seabed Temple appeared. It was still pretty far, but she was now literally like a fish in the water, and she was having the time of her life. Being able to keep up with such violent, unpredictable currents was simply exhilarating, she could feel the mana around her thrumming and echoing in her very bones, reaching a high of adrenaline she had never felt before, and—
"Whoa!"
Something suddenly cut off the current she had been holding on, and she barely managed to catch her "fall" in time, grabbing a nearby rock formation instead. Surprised and confused at first, she then noticed what exactly had gotten in her way.
I completely forgot about the aquatic monsters!
It was gigantic, obviously. She was pretty sure that, was it to go to the surface, it would easily be the same height as the seven-story resort on the beach. It looked like a snake, too. A big, dark blue, snarling snake. When seeing her, its pupils dilated, and its following roar almost blasted her away. Gritting her teeth, she started gathering mana in her fists. She couldn't possibly use her grimoire underwater, hence why she had left it with Mereoleona, but she was now starting to wonder if it was such a good idea, after all. However, she did notice how it seem to actually be avoiding getting too close to the strongest part of the Grand Mana Zone, and she quickly understood why when it angrily cut off another current.
It can handle one, but if it's caught in too many of them, it won't be able to get out on its own.
She could work with that.
"OI, SCALY! EAT THIS!"
It didn't hear, obviously, but it did sense her killing intent. Snarling at her again, it started swimming toward her at high speed, but it was laughingly slow when compared to the currents she had just gotten used to. Kicking its tail when it was swung her way, she managed to propel herself upward and hit it right in the nose. Almost instantly, it was blasted away and right into the mess of currents behind it. It let out another screech that she couldn't hear but could definitely feel, before it was suddenly sent flying. It started being shoved around by the different currents, which seemed to grow… stronger?
They are sentient, suddenly paled Quinn. Or at least, to a certain degree. When the currents encounter resistance, they grow stronger in order to get rid of the apparent threat. In the end, I could have tried to force my way in for as long as I wanted, I wouldn't have managed to get a single foot past those.
The giant snake was too big, though, and contrarily to her, it couldn't avoid all of the other threats contained in the zone. Many typhoons started closing in and, as small as they were, they actually dealt some serious damage: like sharp, spinning blades of water, they practically ripped the scales off of its body, while the underwater volcanoes released more boiling water that burned through the unprotected skin. Quinn could only watch with morbid fascination as the creature was dragged further and further away, until it could no longer be seen.
Had I been caught in one of those typhoons, I'd have been literally ripped apart, she gulped, not finding it as fun anymore. And had I gotten too close to one of those volcanoes, I'd have literally melted there and then.
Shaking her head, she then reported her attention on the Seabed Temple just ahead. A giant, protective magical barrier had been raised all around it, with spinning whirlpools all over it that stopped anyone from trespassing, and she guessed it also kept the temple and the people living there actually dry. In that moment, frankly, having Asta's magic-nullifying sword would have been really useful. However, she had gotten this far, and she certainly wasn't about to give up now.
Focusing on the barrier ahead, she used her Mana Eyes to try and find the weak spot. After a few minutes of intense concentration, she finally managed to grasp a steady flow passing through the barrier, between two of the whirlpools.
Well, no backing out now, uh?
She bent her knees, gathered mana in her feet, and then kicked the rock formation to propel herself forward. As she collided with the barrier, she plunged her hands right into it, grasping at the mana and pulling and pulling in order to open it wide enough for her to get through—
Now!
She pushed through… and started falling. Like, literally falling: there was no water. Instinctively enhancing her body, she hit the ground with a resounding crash, but came out of it mostly unharmed, if a little dizzy. She was too high on adrenaline to really mind, though, and promptly jumped back to her feet.
Grinning to herself, she then turned around to face the magical barrier, which was already close. Behind, she could still see the Grand Mana Zone acting up, and she could only feel proud at having managed to overcome it by herself.
"Who are you!?"
"Huh?"
Turning around again, Quinn found numerous people now surrounding her with a certain wariness, but mostly curiosity. They all possessed rather large quantities of mana, probably thanks to growing so close to a Grand Mana Zone, but it felt a tad unrefined, as if they barely used any of it. From the looks of them, though, they were all civilians, and none of them seemed to carry a weapon of any kind.
"Hi! I'm Quinn!" she presented herself with a friendly grin. "I'm a Magic Knight from Clover!"
"Magic Knight?"
"Isn't she a little young?"
"Hi there!" A young girl with long, black hair suddenly joined her. She grabbed her hands, beaming. "I'm Kahono! It's very nice to meet you, Quinn!"
For a moment, Quinn noticed that the girl's mana core was much more developed and refined than the others. It probably meant that she actively trained with her Magic, whatever it was.
"Ah, likewise! I'm sorry for dropping by so late, though," chuckled sheepishly the teen. "I was having a hard time getting past the Grand Mana Zone out there."
"Late?" echoed Kahono, tilting her head in confusion. "But it's morning."
"… beg your pardon?"
"It's already morning, silly!" she laughed good-heartedly. "But you must be crazy strong if you managed to make it here during a new moon night! No one ever did that before!"
"It took me all night…" echoed Quinn, depressed.
Kahono sweatdropped at that. "I- I told you, that's already pretty amazing." She then shook her head, grinning again. "Anyway, are you going to stay for long? Why did you come here? Is anyone else with you? Are—"
"Kahono, let her breathe already," then laughed a boy not much older than her. They had a striking resemblance, and it was greatly accentuated when he smiled at Quinn. He, too, had a fairly well-developed mana core. "I'm Kiato, her brother. Sorry about Kahono, she tends to get a little overexcited when new people show up."
"Ah, I don't mind," chuckled Quinn. "I know a few people like that. If you really want to know, though, I have no idea of how long I'm going to stay here, and I came mostly for the Grand Mana Zone. I'm training to become much, much stronger! And I came with—" She suddenly froze, and her skin turned to a sickly white. "Oh, crap."
"Are you okay?" frowned Kiato.
"I completely forgot!" At once, panic overtook her. "Oh boy, she's gonna burn me to a crisp! Crap, crap, crap, crap, crap—back off! Everyone, step back!"
Getting a little worried, the civilians of the Seabed Temple however did as told, and backed away at once. She then pulled out a knife, startling many, but they relaxed a bit when she completely turned her back to them. She obviously didn't intend on using it against them.
Mentally, Quinn congratulated herself for thinking of summoning her Spatial Knife and bringing it with her beforehand, but it was quickly forgotten as she opened a portal. There was a moment of stillness as nothing happened, before the dark hole seemed to ripple—
"YOU DAMN BRAT!"
Someone burst through and hit Quinn straight in the face. She was sent flying and crashed right into a nearby pillar, which crumbled at the impact. Horrified, the civilians turned to the newcomer, who happened to be a tall woman with fiery orange hair and an enraged expression.
"I told you not to make me wait, you idiot!" she yelled, shaking her fist.
Suddenly, the rubbles moved, and Quinn popped out, somehow unharmed. "And I told you I couldn't make any promises, you absolute madwoman!"
"YOU MADE ME WAIT THE WHOLE NIGHT! IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN EASY!"
"WELL NEXT TIME YOU SHOULD COME BY YOURSELF IF IT'S SO EASY!"
"NEXT TIME, YOU BETTER MAKE IT IN A QUARTER OF THAT TIME!"
"YOU BET I WILL!"
There was a moment of stillness, before the two Lions exchanged matching grins. Then, without warning, Mereoleona threw her backpack.
"Well done, cub. You're learning fast, uh?"
"I'm starting to get the gist of it," shrugged the teen, putting on her cloak with delight. She was soaking wet, so having something to warm herself up was absolute heaven right now. "Oh, by the way, these are Kahono, Kiato, and some other civilians of the Seabed Temple. Everyone, this is my mentor, Mereoleona Vermillion."
"Whoa, you seem pretty strong too!" instantly gushed Kahono. She then ran up to Quinn, and grabbed her hand again. "Come on, come on! We'll take you to the High Priest at once!"
"What for—whoa!"
Frankly, it's not like the other teen was giving her much of a choice—she was practically dragging Quinn away with a strength the girl honestly hadn't expected. In the end, though, she decided to play along. If she wanted them to meet this High Priest, there surely was a reason. And, frankly, it's not like they had better to do. Now that they were here, might as well enjoy their stay, right?
Kahono was an awfully chatty and open person, which led Quinn to believe that she didn't meet new people very often. From what she could gather thanks to her sensory ability, there weren't many civilians to begin with, so teenagers her age probably weren't easy to come by. However, the young Knight couldn't deny she was enjoying her small down-time with the cheerful girl. The last time Quinn had hung out with a girl her own age was when she helped out Noelle with her mana control, which was a pretty long while ago now that she thought about it.
"Oh, we're here!" Kahono suddenly shoved her a bit toward the two gigantic doors now standing before them. "Go on, go on! I'll see you later, okay?"
"Uh? Err, sure. Though, why—"
"Great, later!"
Well, she's awfully eager to leave, all of sudden.
Although it did make her a bit suspicious, Quinn decided not to mention it. Once Mereoleona joined her, guided by other civilians, the two of them entered the temple. As they did, though, the teen felt everyone's stares practically boring into their heads, and a small bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face.
"Say, doesn't it feel like we've suddenly become attractions, or something?"
"They mustn't get visitors from the surface very often," simply shrugged the woman. "I'm guessing whatever is coming up will be pretty entertaining for them."
"What, like a trial or something?"
"Sounds cliché enough to be right."
Quinn wasn't all too bothered by the idea, though she was a little miffed at the thought of having to face a trial just after she overcame the fricking Grand Mana Zone itself. She even fought a gigantic sea snake! She sincerely hoped she'd at least have some time to rest, or even something to eat, before anything else came up—
"ROAAAAR!"
"Oh for the stars' fucking sake."
She wasn't in the mood so, as soon as the flying giant fish with deadly sharp teeth came close enough, Quinn punched it right in the face. She was expecting it to fly back and crash into the wall, but it actually vanished, and she only then noticed the rather high density of mana that was now quickly thinning out, until nothing was left.
An illusion? No, I managed to touch it. A high-level type of Creation Magic? More likely.
"Ah, wonderful, wonderful! I was told our surprise guests were strong, and it would seem it wasn't just some measly rumor!" Grinning literally from ear to ear, which was a little creepy in Quinn's humble opinion, a very old man walked out of the shadows, clapping. "Very impressive indeed. Magic Knights truly aren't to be underestimated, are they?"
"Alright, no need for a side-show," Mereoleona cut to the chase. "What do you want?"
"What I want? It's more of a matter of what you want." His grin widened, if possible. "You came for the magic stone, didn't you?"
Quinn narrowed her eyes at that, though Mereoleona didn't look all that impressed. However, thinking fast, the teen spoke up first.
"Sure, that's why we're here." Her mentor quirked a brow, but she didn't say anything. "So? What do you want in exchange?"
"Oh, nothing much, nothing much… In fact, I only wish to take part in a game of mine!" He started chuckling, now staring—oh no, he is not looking where I think he's looking. "It's a game of breast-rubbing—"
"Try it and I'll rip that beard off of your face one hair at a time," warned Quinn in a flat voice.
"—and as I was saying, it is a game of strength!" he quickly corrected himself, gulping a bit. "I- I would usually suggest a game of Battle Royale, but considering there are only two of you, I suggest… the Labyrinth of Poseidon!"
"… is it as cliché as it sounds or is it actually worth my time?" deadpanned the teen.
"Difficult audience, eh?" sweatdropped the High Priest. "Well, in any case, I am Gifso, High Priest of the Seabed Temple. If you wish to take the stone by force, then I'm afraid you will have to face me and all of my priests. However, if you agree to play this game, then there is a chance you might win it fair and square. So, what do you say?"
"Does it involve actual fighting?" asked the teen, only mildly curious.
"Of course!"
"Then I'm in—on one condition."
"Ooh?"
"Give me an hour to rest. Honestly, I'm exhausted right now since I spent literally hours trying to cross the Grand Mana Zone," she admitted. "It wouldn't be a very entertaining game if I just collapsed from exhaustion before it even began, would it? Also, I want food so I can replenish my mana faster."
"Well, I see no issue with that," he readily agreed. "One hour it is. You may settle in this room, and food will be brought shortly. Is that to your satisfaction?"
"Absolutely. Let's call it a deal, old man!"
They shook on it, before the High Priest left the room with a bounce in his step. As soon as he was gone, Mereoleona decided to speak up.
"What exactly are you planning, cub?" she asked, curious.
"I honestly have no fricking clue of what this magic stone is," she admitted bluntly. "It just sounds pretty interesting, you know? And for him to assume we're after it means many people came by before for that exact reason. Doesn't that make you a little curious?"
"I suppose… Though, are you really in any shape to fight right now?" The woman crossed her arms over her chest, looking at her sternly. "I'm all for overcoming your limits, kid, but there's also a point when getting rest is necessary. You also have to take care of your body, or it won't take you much further!"
The girl simply shrugged. "I'll be fine. While I used up a lot of my mana, I also absorbed a lot from the Grand Mana Zone. I just need some rest to properly channel the mana in this place. It's much denser, so I'm probably going to lose the advantage of speed for a while, but it ought to be a good way to unwind after everything I went through, don't you think?"
"Not many would call that unwind, but sure, whatever floats your boat," snorted the lioness, ruffling her hair. "Might as well take my share of the fun, too. I've been itching for a good fight."
"Just try not to burn down the temple, would you?"
"Don't worry, at least half of it will still be standing by the time we leave."
"… I don't know if you're being sarcastic or actually serious, which greatly worries me."
.
.
When Quinn woke up, her stomach was full and her body was well-rested. Honestly, at that point, she just felt really pumped up for the game. So, it was with an eager grin that she faced Gifso once again, Mereoleona just by her side.
"So? What are the rules of the game, exactly?" she asked.
"They're very simple! Under this temple lies a natural labyrinth shaped by currents and mana resurgences from all eras. You will be transported to a random room, and you will have to find your way to the main one, where your prize awaits. As I said, very simple!" beamed Gifso.
"And I'm guessing you conveniently forgot to mention numerous traps, monsters, and probably priests I'll have to face in said labyrinth?" deadpanned the teen.
"Ah, clever child. You remind me of my granddaughter!" He shook his head, focusing back on the topic at hand. "But you are right. After all, it wouldn't be a very interesting game of hunt if there was no hunter to chase the prey, right?"
"Hunt?"
"Oh, didn't I mention? There is no time limit, but the game will end if you are killed, or if you are unable to continue," he chuckled, now a tad darkly. "The Labyrinth of Poseidon is a hunting game, yes! You are the prey, and my priests are the hunters! And, understand that they are also very motivated to win, so I do hope you run fast! Good luck!"
"Wait—"
But she suddenly disappeared. Mereoleona frowned a bit when realizing that herself was still very much in the same room as the High Priest.
"Oi, why not teleport me too?" she scowled.
"Please, we both know that if you entered this game, you would become its sole hunter," pointed out Gifso, grinning again. "I'm afraid you're simply too powerful for my dear priests. So, how about you simply settle down and enjoy the show?"
"… Ah! You've got good eyes for a decrepit old man!" laughed Mereoleona, dropping on the couch. Before her, numerous bubbly screens appeared. "Fine, I'll watch. Be warned, though: I may be an experienced hunter, but Quinn is my student, and she learns fast." It was her turn to grin a tad darkly. "Let's see how long it takes before the hunters become the hunted."
Hello, just wanted to thank everyone who reviewed and favorited this story, it really means a lot to me!
I'm making up so much shit to make the politics and financials work, it's really hilarious. It was a bit heavy in descriptions compared to my other chapters, but I hope you enjoyed it nonetheless!
Quick question because I'm curious: who's your Top Three OC from this story so far?