Is it Wrong to be the Warrior Captain in the Dungeon?
by oblivon2991
Proofread by the Members of The Usual Gang of Drunken Perverted Idiots
Thank you for reading my fanfic!
My mother language is not English, so please be patient about the grammatical issues.
I don't own the Overlord(オーバーロードŌbārōdo?) novel or anime series created by Kugane Maruyama.
I don't own Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka novel, and anime series, written by Fujino Ōmori.
Thank you!
Chapter 15: Trouble in Rivira (part 2)
"Maan! These things again? This is starting to get boring!" Tiona complained, removing her Urga from the carcass. They managed to catch up with that monster, recovering a really strange crystal from her body.
"You should concentrate on taking care of them fast, instead of complaining." Tione Scolded her, killing another creature.
"Just wait a moment; I will heal you." Lefiya started her chant, healing the nearby injured adventurers. "…Van Alheim!" Everybody did their best to clean this mess up.
"Tha-Thank you!" The nearby formerly injured people watched their bodies, astonished, recovering from their injuries. On this day, they witnessed what a first-grade familia is capable of! How much they need to improve even to reach their footsteps.
"Please, help the others. Or if you can't fight, seek cover." Advised the girl, and the adventurers obliged.
There were still a few of those monsters around, but their number fell to a relatively low level. Something that maybe even the local adventurers can handle.
"Do you think the captain is alright? And Riveria? She and that man left a few minutes ago already."
"I hope Miss Aiz is fine…" Lefiya muttered, reacting to Tione's comment.
"Pff! Are you hearing yourself? There is no way the Captain would lose! Not to speak, Aiz is also there. And we didn't even mention that stranger and Riveria. But maybe, he was the culprit behind all of this." Theorised aloof the girl, coming up with this absurd idea.
"Wha-what!?" Tiona's half-hearted joke froze the blood in the young elf's veins, making her clench her staff harder.
"What kind of absurd theory is that?" Tione glanced at her sister unamused.
"Think about it. He arrives in the city, and shit starts to happen. First, he beats up Bete like it is nothing to speak about. Then chaos breaks loose under the Monster festival. He even refuses Loki's most generous offer — I mean, who the hell does that? On top of this? That floor boss spawns earlier, and now this? It screams suspicious to me."
"Eh? Isn't your imagination a little wild today, sister? Or did you drink too much?" Tione tilted her head after cutting down a plant being.
"You offend me! I only drank seven jugs today!"
"Right…" Naturally, Tione didn't believe her. She saw her drinking a lot more than the flat girl dared to admit.
"But… there is something in what she says."
"Eh?" The sentence leaving her always "rational" sister's mouth was so surprising, the group even ignored the monsters emerging from the ground and lunging toward them. Only for Tione to lazily throw her Urga and behead the creature.
"Should we go to help them?"
"That would be the best, yes. But, what should we do with these things?"
"Oi! Bors! Can you guys handle this?"
"What were you thinking just letting them here alone with those things?" Tione scolded her sister.
"What? If not for their great numbers, these things are weak. Definitely a lot weaker than those things back then."
"Still… to leave them just like that?" It just doesn't feel right.
"Just go! We'll handle the cleanup!" Bors gave them a confirming nod, ordering his men towards another being.
…
"Grrrr!"
"Phew! What a monster."
"Yeah…" Finn watched the redhead woman with some pity. She still struggled to fight back despite missing limbs, being beaten up badly and being covered by deep wounds.
"Definitely an arduous opponent." Even Riveria sweated.
"Who sent you?" Gazef pointed his blade against her face, aiming at the still intact eye — as the other one was gouged out by the tip of a blade.
"Hah! I am but a tool, ready to be used. Not something that the likes of you could ever understand."
"It seems; she doesn't really want to speak."
"As expected." Finn shook his head. "Then we will detain her and interrogate her elsewhere."
"Finn!"
"Ah! Hi guys!" Finn waved to the arriving members of his Familia, seemingly unbothered by the carnage around them. "It is good to see you. How is the situation down there?"
"Bors will handle the rest. We came here to help you. But I guess I didn't need to." Tione said so with a disappointed tone. She really wanted to help her captain. Only a moment later, her eyes widened! "Yo-You are injured!" But seeing her love in that state really filled her heart with dread. "Lefya! Heal him!"
"Ye-Yes!"
"Ah! It is nothing serious." Finn said this, but he was exhausted. Only his will to show a good example as the future of his race, and the Captain of his Familia kept him on his feet.
"A-Aiz-san! Are you alright?"
"I will survive." Aiz patted the head of the worried Lefiya. Though she can't deceive her, Lefiya spotted the slight tremble on her legs.
"Yuck! That looks ugly." Tiona flinched, seeing the sorry state of the redhead woman. Her Captain, Riveria and this Zeff guy really did give her a rough beating.
"Who is she?"
"She attacked Aiz. We arrived just in time to stop her."
"With the help of Zeff, of course. We thank you for your assistance." Riveria gave a small bow.
"I only did my duty."
"Now then! Back to you…" Finn returned his attention to their opponent. "Do not struggle, please. If it is possible, we do not wish to cause you further harm."
"Hmm… do you think you've won, "Braver"? Just like your title, you as well are fake! No matter how much you try, just like you, those pitiful Pallum will remain but weak little no ones. You remain the plaything of gods."
"Think whatever you want." Finn reacted not to the mockery. "I carry the hopes of my people. Whatever comes, I will overcome it."
"Heh… like every hero, you will fall too."
Finn just glared at the woman. His glare mixed both hatred and sadness that he had not yet managed to overcome this prejudice.
"Let's prepare her. We will bring her back with us. Then, we will… huh?" At that moment, his thumb started to tingle.
"Look out!" Suddenly, a hail of daggers flew before them, though skillfully blocked by the two warriors. The daggers carried glass cylinders on their pommel and handle and trigger mechanisms that shattered the glass body.
The trigger shattered the glass body at the moment of landing, mixing the liquid that formed some foul gas around them.
An acidic myst that blocked all the view generated, a cloud that even made it impossible to breathe or properly use their senses.
"Don't breathe it!" Gazef warned the others, who also took a deep breath, listening to his advice. "Some biological weapon?"
Assassins liked to use smoke bombs and alchemical gas on others so they may weaken their defence, dull their senses, then attack their opponents while distracted and vulnerable.
He has survived such attacks not once but many times.
Not only during his service as the King's head warrior, but even as a mercenary, escorting VIPs.
"Where are you?"
With his senses, Gazef scanned the surroundings, trying to find the outlines of the assassin jumping through this thick and foul miasma. His ears sharpened to the very edge, seeking to hear the familiar sound of projectiles cutting through the air, or even someone jumping in their direction.
"Hmmm!" Gazef threw a dagger towards the suspicious shadow, only missing by a hairbreadth, hearing some subtle movement from the side. In return, their group received another hail of knives from the fog, paired with a mocking laugh.
"Fufufuf! ~"
Again and again, this opponent ran around them, throwing daggers in their direction. Daggers they easily blocked and parried. Striking back but never truly find their target.
It all seemed a fool's errand. A sick game this person played!
"Whoever this is. She is playing around with us. Riveria, blow away this…!"
"Captain! The captive!"
Being distracted only for a moment, only now do they realize their disabled opponent was snatched away by the mysterious thief.
"When!?" Even Finn didn't recognise when it happened, less how this stranger was able to "kidnap" their defeated foe before their nose.
"Damn this distraction!"
Before his mind could fully process what really happened, strange balls carrying a trigger rolled before their legs. The balls were all too familiar for Gazef's taste.
"Grenade!"
"What!?"
Gazef recognized them from his days as a mercenary.
"Their appearance might slightly differ, but the basics are the same."
These were evil tools that made fighting under walls an unfair and arduous task, created by alchemists and engineers to kill large amounts of people without the use of magic! If not for their manufacturing cost and the professionals needed to make them, they would be more widespread.
"Get away!"
The Warrior Captain instinctively turned around and tackled towards Lefiya and Riveria, activating his Martial Art under a moment's notice.
"There is no time to leave the blast zone!" Neither for this green-haired magic caster to cast her magical art!
At the moment the trigger hit the detonator, sparks flew all around, making the bomb detonate and combust the surrounding gas with a mighty firestorm!
The explosion shook the whole area, burning the surrounding with green flames, making it visible even from the city down below.
"Cough! Cough! Cough! What the hell was this?" Back in the scene, Tiona coughed, looking around all confused. All her body is aching from the explosion and the sudden change of pressure. Her ears were bleeding, eardrum ruptured. Just like her fellows, she couldn't get away unharmed. "Just what was that thing?!" She shouted deaf.
"What a terrible explosion… Wha-What are you doing?!" Riveria lost her composure for a moment, seeing the Warrior Captain above her and Lefiya.
"A grenade…? Eh? Since when did you get here?" Lefiya shuttered, embarrassed.
"Tch…"
Everything happened at a moment's notice. Even Finn can't react in time and properly jump out of the blast zone.
"I see…" Just now, his thumb started to tingle again, making him lick it.
At that moment, the events played before his eyes once more.
Just before the explosion triggered, Zeff's body glowed up, blurring before them and spreading his arms, blocking out most of the explosion with his own body.
"A truly courageous act." Or foolish, depending on who you ask.
"Guh!" The area around them basically melted from the heat; no surprise, Gazef suffered a high degree of burns, falling on his knees and supporting himself with his arms. His armour smouldered red, rock shrapnel embedded in his back, vomiting blood. "Guah!"
"A-Are you alright?" Tiona watched the blackened skin of Zeff with some disgust and worry. She as well got burned before, it comes with being an adventurer, but it was extremely ugly even by her standards. Not to speak about his red hot armour must feel hellish.
"!" Even Aiz felt bad not reacting in time.
The mix that caused this kind of green flames must be strong enough to bypass even a first grade adventurer's resistance. It was no wonder this warrior looked so beaten. "If not for him, we would have probably ended the same." Riveria allowed herself a slight gulp.
"I… am fine." Gazef tried to force a smile but danced on the edge of his pain tolerance. Any moment and he will lose his consciousness. "You guys?"
"Well…" Riveria blinked. It was a rare sight she here lose that cool face of hers, yet, now it happened. Even with burst eardrums, she can somehow tell what the man said.
How should they answer this? Seeing the man burned who so selflessly threw his body before them, any answer felt inappropriate.
"I was too slow to recognise…" Riveria cursed her own slowness in this matter. If she had just cast her defensive spell at the beginning of the battle, this might not have happened. She felt like a rookie. "No! Against this blast, it might not help at all."
"Just what happened? It was some kind of explosive?" Guessed Finn, still feeling the heat radiating from the environment, watching the Warrior Captain shocked.
He still wondered. Just why did he throw himself before them? He had no reason to risk his life for people he barely knew! Then why?! "We probably would have survived the blast..." He, Tiona, Tione, and even Aiz probably could even make a distance but would still get injured. Riveria? Lefiya? As mages, they were not likely to react fast enough — be Riveria was a level 6 or not. Lefiya would still fall victim to this attack.
"They are not built for that." In their case, he was glad this stranger did what he did.
"Get that armor off of him!" Tiona acted for a moment for her captain's command, getting before Gazef and tearing open the melted shell with her bare hands. "Tch!" Checking on his side, Finn recognised, all the potion bottles shattered from the heat; there was no other choice. "Riveria, Lefyia, heal…!"
"Ufufufufu! ~ These new toys are so fun! I need to thank our sponsors for their generosity!" Their little session was disturbed by a stranger's voice—a cloaked figure who held the red-haired woman under her armpit.
"S-She snatched her!" Tiona pointed out the obvious, spotting the barely alive opponent of theirs, held easily by this mysterious figure.
"Just… who are you?" Gathering his remainingremained strength, the Warrior Captain stood up, wobbling from the pain.
"St-Stay calm until I..." Lefiya warned him, starting her incantation. At least, she and Riveria would have started it if not for witnessing an incredibly disturbing thing right before their eyes.
Gazef's physique remained peerless despite the hellish treatment, only it was scarred with dangerous wounds, almost charred black, covered with blisters and rock shrapnel embedded deep in his flesh.
It was a miracle he could still stand, less ready to combat and alive. Lesser people would already have fainted or even died.
Yet, moment by moment, slowly, these hellish burns and wounds started to heal. Rock pushing out from his muscle-bound flesh, charred skin regenerating and replaced by his usual sun-tanned epidermis.
It was a slow, but sure recovery. Definitely out of normal since she can witness how the skin is replaced before her eyes.
"Some kind of skill?" Riveria guessed with wide eyes. Before raising her hand and starting her healing chant.
"Thanks…" After giving a nod, Gazef returned his attention to their opponent, cracking his neck as he stood up.
"Are you with her?"
"Well! Look at that! You survived! You are standing! You are tough! And what is that? Some healing skill? Or item? Now, this is interesting! Ufufufu! ~" The assassin's laugh was sultry, almost mocking, before her feline smile was replaced with a surprised expression under her hood. "But oh! Your face looks familiar! But where did I see you? ~ Hmm…" Under the hood, their new opponent pondered with a smile, fondling her shapely chin with her clawed metal gloves.
"Answer our question!" Finn's glare moved subtly to the silent opponent they "disarmed" beforehand.
Her limbs steamed, almost like they slowly regenerated, almost like she was not human at all, but some monster.
"Similar to what he showcased, still different. Her regeneration also drastically slowed, Maybe because of our beatdown?"
The limbless woman struggled to get out from the grasp of her own saviour, straining her body to wrestle herself out from the hold.
"Ghhh… let me go." Yet, her struggle was without effect; this newly appeared stranger held her firm.
"Working with her? An interesting concept. Ufufufu!~ Unfortunately, we've never met before."
"Then why? Why would you help her? Just who are you?"
"I can still get rid of them…" The redhead muttered. Under her monotone voice, anger bubbled bottomlessly. "Whoever you are, I don't need your help. Let me go and I will tear them apart!"
"Eheheh! ~ You are funny! ~" Patting and messing up the messy hair of the green-eyed woman like she would be some limbless pet, the mysterious assassin offered a feline grin. "You are in no shape to do anything. I-di-ot. ~ You are too weak."
"Tch!"
"Hmm… Ah! Now I remember! Of course! How can I be so si-ly? ~" Entertained, the woman hit her head with the edge of her palm, almost like she realised something all of sudden.
"?" Gazef raised his brow confused, just as well his fellow adventurers looked at each other the same way.
"But it is no wonder I didn't recognise thee! Now up close, as you recovered, I recognise you. Ufufuf! ~ You look younger, Wa-ri-or Cap-ta-in… ~"
"How do you know that title?"
"Still, just the reports described you. Just as the profile picture showed!" She grinned with a dangerous glee. "But if you are here, that means…"
"Warrior Captain?" Tiona glanced around, stunned. "Is that some title?"
"She just said that." Deadpanned Tione.
"Who is that woman?"
"We will get our answers soon, be prepared," Finn ordered his group.
Something shady was behind all of this. Something that directly connected to this "Zeff".
The question was: should he leave this madwoman to sputter out more information or capture her with joint effort and interrogate both opponents later?
"But seeing our current state and how she played around with us, I am not sure that is possible."
"Ufufufufu! Hahahahaha! ~ This is so fun! I can't believe it! That's so rich! What a reunion! And when I thought I would never find entertaining people in this world, that damn bastard sends me further toys to play with! Hahahaha! ~" Like she would have lost her mind, their opponent burst out in a maniacal laugh.
"Huh?"
"Has she lost her mind?"
"Oh! But don't worry… Once I get back, I will repay that hug generously. ~" Raising her stiletto, the woman licked it with a perverted expression. "I will show him, he can't just crush my spine and get away with it. I will show him true despair…! ~"
"Who are you speaking about? How do you know that title? Do we know each other? Are you from the Theocracy? The Empire? Or Gown-dono sent you to finish the job? Who are you?!" Gazef doubted the latter, but the possibility was still there.
His patience really started to run thin towards this maniac. If not for the fact she can probably know a way home, he would have already cut her limbs down.
"Oh! Right! ~ I almost forgot about it. We never met personally. Ufufufu! ~" The assassin pointed her stiletto toward the man. "But we will get to know each other closer… soon. ~"
"…" Gazef squinted his eyes, starting to have enough of this woman's games. Grabbing his melted sword from the ground, he pointed it against the crazy woman.
"Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! ~ Pff! To think you think you can defeat me with that trash? It is offensive. Even from someone like you…" Her eyes scanned the people behind the Warrior Captain, measuring their worth. "But maybe, it might be an interesting game with the fellows behind you." The stranger licked her lips, almost like she was prepared for a grand meal. Yet, her smile turned down in the next moment, offering a disappointed face. "Or it would be, if not them being beaten that much."
"In that case… why not come at us?" Finn tried to incite the woman, giving a subtle sign to his team to ready themselves.
"Interesting idea, little boy. Unfortunately, I have to decline — for now. But don't worry, little man, I will play with you later. I wonder what colour your insides are. Little ones are always fun to play around with."
"Tch! You have some spunk speaking with the Captain like this!" Tione mumbled furiously.
"Get her!" Finn saw it already; they will not get any further with this person like this. Thus, he gave the order, and his team lunged into action. He heard enough! Either they capture her now, or never. They can hardly get a better chance!
"Want to play? Eh? Ah! I guess I can, a little bit. En-ter-ta-in me! ~" Only using one hand, the woman blocked several opponents at once, playing defensive with her thin stiletto, elegantly blocking and parrying the twins' brutish first wave of attack.
The weapon should have shattered when it blocked Tiona but even Tione's brutish techniques, but strangely, it was able to block them peerlessly, even repelling them and stabbing back. Attacks, the twins barely avoided.
"Ugh!"
"Ehehehe! ~ Very good! Just as expected from top adventurers. In that case… Hold her to me, will ya?" Her body glowed up with a familiar light, grabbing the red hair and throwing her "toy" towards the woods down below.
"That's…!? Martial Arts?"
"Kch!" The green-eyed woman's neck almost broke from the sheer force, body flailing and spinning towards the endless looking forest, flying through it far without slowing even a little.
"Aiz, after her!" Finn didn't have to say twice; Aiz's body was surrounded by her furious winds, shooting out with blinding speed.
"Not so fast! You are playing with me. Gol-di-locks! ~" Yet, her opponent was after her, appearing behind Aiz in just a moment, grabbing her head and smashing her to the ground, creating a deep depression.
"Ugh!"
"Aiz!" The air was pushed out from Aiz's lungs from the sudden impact. Even with the barrier of winds cushioning her fall, she still got damaged, losing consciousness.
Carrying the definite advantage, the madwoman used her drive without hesitation!
"Never ignore your opponent…" The assassin cackled gleefully, pushing her thin blade towards Aiz's face.
"Oh!"
She was stopped just the right moment, as a rain of spells disturbed her act, forcing her to jump back. Following this, she blocked Gazef's quick counter, who in a flash, caught up with her!
"You are using Martial Arts!" They crossed blades for a moment; their eyes met under the hood of this stranger.
"Ah! I see you have eyes. Good! No wonder you were considered dangerous by those old fools."
"What?!"
Kicking the Warrior Captain, she used her momentum to make a backflip, arriving on her four, taking a position akin to a charging beast.
"[Ability Boost]! [Greater Ability Boost]! [Pace of Wind]!" Seeing as one after the other she activated her Martial Arts, Gazef took a defensive position. She was up to something, and it promised no good! Whoever she was, she was probably strong enough to challenge him — if not right away, surpass his power!
"Guuh! We got you!"
"Wait!" The twins rushed forth against the "beastly" woman, before she shot out like an overstretched spring!
"Ehehe! ~"
Amidst her mocking laughter, Tiona and Tione brought down their weapons at the same moment.
There shouldn't be any gap in their synchronised attack. Yet, this person still found it! Like threading a needle while running, her body glowed up, twisting unnaturally and stabbing both through their ribs. Landing on her four once more, she continued her rush towards the mages supporting the group in the backlines.
"Lefyia! Concentrate!" Seeing her comrades injured, falling to the ground, Lefiya froze. Who was this monster?! How come she can take them all at once? The legendary Loki Familia will lose? Seeing her neck-breaking speed, she was filled with dread! "I…I…?"
"Tch!" Riveria had no choice but to grab her, casting her spell while on the move, trying to slow down the attacker.
"I will not allow it!" With red eyes burning with anger and berserk rage, Finn rained a combo of blurry strikes against this opponent! His attack was fierce; even his comrades could barely follow his movement.
"Goooh!"
"[Impenetrable Fortress]!" Activating her Martial Art at just the right moment, Finn was imbalanced from his flow of attack. Befitting an assassin, this gave this "monster" the moment of notice to follow up with a few agile stabs.
"Ugh!"
Everything happened in less than a second, and she passed Finn, lunging after the fleeing mages with neck-breaking speed!
Even Riveria's hail of hasty spells did little to stop her! She just dodged them midair and under the way, cutting through them with her spinning blades.
"Ufufuf! No! No! We don't play like that, rascal little mages! You need some re-e-du-ca-ti-on! ~" The woman appeared before Lefiya and Riveria like some force of nature!
Time dilated for Riveria, seeing as the blade closed on her eyes with each moment!
She can't cast a spell fast enough to save herself! She can't get away in time! Even with her barrier magic activated, she doubted it would be enough to save both of them!
All her years of experience in dungeon dwellings turned to ash as she considered every possible solution and scenario!
This was it! If not some miracle, she will die here — those strange daggers embedded in her sockets!
In her last moments, she recalled her life.
The start of her journey, the friends she made along the way! The good and bad times they spent together! Their tease and every insult — Every little bit that was important to her!
"I regret nothing." Using her last moment, she pushed Lefiya away. Even the little chance for her survival is worth the effort! She gladly sacrifices her life for this youth!
'Clang!'
Yet, in the moment of her imminent death, the recovered Aiz blocked the strike, stopping the thin weapons with just a hairbreadth away from Riveria's eyes, following up with a furious combo!
Her head is bleeding, eyes burning with a will, the air around her blew with fury, blowing farther Riveria and Lefiya to safety!
"Ugh!"
"Tch!" Caught off guard, the attacker jumped back, recognising a few small cuts along her body once she stopped. "Hmm! That's some neat technique here. I may play with you later. Ehehehe… ~" The previously splendid cloak got torn from the furious winds, hood blown away. Revealing their opponent's face and slender, athletic body.
A woman with short blonde hair, and delicate features that gave her a cat-like appearance, her crimson eyes blazed with madness and malice. Wearing skimpy armour, formed from dog tags, designed in mind of maximum movement, and little care of defence.
Despite the small scratches, she showed no signs of concern; moreover, as she raised her stiletto, she was more excited than ever.
"[Sixfold Slash of Light]!"
"Take this!"
Kicking the ground, the assassin barely avoided Gazef and Finn's joint strike, landing on the top of the rock farther back. Her stiletto's blade fell into six pieces in her hand right after!
"Hmmm! Indeed, that's the famed technique, no question. Ehehe! ~ Just as expected from Gazef Stronoff, the Kingdom's head warrior!" She discarded the now empty pommel, cracking her neck. "You didn't disappoint."
"Just as you are using them…" It was no question anymore. That familiar feeling! Those moves! Gazef recognised them as Martial Arts without a hitch. This meant this woman probably came from the same place as him. "Unlike the rest…"
"Ah! Indeed. Poor fellas can't even use them. Hmm! ~ Such pitiful creatures, and they think they can face us? It is almost… offensive. Don't you think?" The red orbs blazed up in her sockets as she raised her chin; disgust sneaked on her always twisted, happy face. "To think they can face the mighty Clementine-sama without it?! To think they can even injure me? Utter blasphemy! Just like that magic caster who sent us to this cursed world, they as well pay for such sacrilege! I will return ever stronger and use his bones as cutlery! Use his skull as a mug, and drink the blood of his servants from it! You will see: not even that monster can stop me!" Her body trembled in rage, just like her tone, displaying her sheer hatred towards the one who did this to her.
"Cursed world? Magic caster?" Gazef froze for a moment, hearing all the information she revealed. "You mean… Gown-dono?"
"Ufufuf! ~ That's rich! So you still didn't recognise what really happened?" Her grin returned, almost like she realised something. "Poor little Warrior Captain, he didn't even yet realized, he was already dead before…"
"Dead? What the hell are you sputtering about?"
"Hmm?" As the Warrior Captain questioned her motives with such mockery, her attention was drawn by a strange verse, recognising it as some ritual chant. "Ufufu! ~ Clever rascal little mages."
"Harbinger of the end, the white snow. Blow with the wind before twilight..."
"Hmm, maybe I was wrong. There are still interesting things here. Ah! In that case..." Taking a big breath, she started to yell. "… Khajii-chan!"
"…Closing light, the freezing land. Blizzard, the three severe winters — my name is Alf! Wynn Fimbulvetr!"
Finishing their incantation at the same time, the two magic caster raised their staff, releasing the freeze of hell over the area! An intense magic circle appeared around the assassin, covering the whole surrounding with a white flash of frost — cold which almost seemed to freeze time itself!
"We have done it!" Lefiya collapsed on her knees, exhausted from the intense mind use that strained her body.
"It is over…!" This woman is really a strong opponent. But like always, she felt like the rest who faced them previously!
"But we also lost the chance to question her." Muttered Finn with squinted eyes, holding his side which now carried several holes, kneeling half from exhaustion.
No monsters, less a human, can survive that kind of spell - Especially if they were cast by Riveria. Adding Lefiya's support was just an additional power in the mix.
"But we also suffered a great blow." His team has seen better days, that's for sure. Each of them received an injury this day. They could barely continue fighting. Adding on top of this the fact, it was one against many; their defeat was clear.
"I need to get stronger!" He clenched his fist, angry at his own powerlessness.
"Wait! Don't let your guard down yet!"
"Grrr…" From the shadows of the icy cloud, four red eyes appeared, giving away the omen of death.
"What is that?"
"Be prepared, it is not over…!"
Slowly, the form of a towering dragon made from bones was revealed, hugging what looked like an egg, made from bones, all frozen into a solid shell.
"A-A dragon?!"
"From bones?!" Neither of the Loki familia members saw such a creature before. But they were sure, judging the humongous crystal dimmed with evil purple haze on its chest, that it must be a strong being.
"A skeletal dragon!?" Alone, Gazef recognised the being, seeing several of them flying over the plains of Katze previously. He knew well; they were opponents simple adventurers can't face!
"Not to speak of their "utter" resistance to magic." It is said, this being was the bane of magic casters. No spell capable of bypassing their defence and magic invalidation!
"A what?"
'Crack! Crack! Crack!'
The ice shell that formed around the creature and the skeleton dome started to crack, finally breaking, releasing the terrible creature from its prison!
"Gauuh!" Its bat-like wings dispersed all the icy mist all around, making the adventurers prepare for another battle. Injured and tired, it will be an arduous task — judging from the size of the crystal in the being's chest.
"Dammit…!" Tiona struggled to stay on her feet, just like her sister. That stab wound aimed at their hearts lowered their combat capability marginally.
"Ufufufu! ~ What a splendid attack! Indeed, only ritual spells were capable of such destruction!" The bone egg that the appeared dragon protected cracked and fell to pieces, revealing the unharmed woman, still grinning unbothered.
"Impossible! That attack was my…!" As Riveria wanted to announce the impossibility of the situation, several bone spears protruded and shot out from the ground behind them, aiming at the people standing behind.
"Lefya, look out!" Pushing the young elf from the way, the bone spikes penetrated Riveria's body, skewering her and destroying her barrier after the first few spikes bounced down.
"Ahhh…!"
"Ri-Riveria…!?"
"Well, it was fun! But it is time to leave. Bye! Bye ~ Gazef Stronoff and the rest! Until next time! I hope we can play more! ~ "
"Tempest!" Seeing her mentor fall, something broke in Aiz. Her already "different" eyes filled with the flames of revenge. She activated her skill without thinking, and intense winds surrounded her, lunging after her opponent!
"Hoo! Now that's the fire! Ehehehe! ~ I will play with you later…"
The bone dragon stood in Aiz's way immediately.
Her winds clashed hard against the dragon, again and again, reignited as the being's magical invalidation disabled her skill.
"Haaah!" Yet, despite her best effort, she just can't get through!
She was exhausted and beaten! But even then, she cleaved, pierced and slashed with her sword. Chunks of bone started to fall from the creature's bony body. All of which the undead being ignored, swiping against the Kenki with its humongous claw and forcing her into defense.
"Aghhh!" Just at the right moment, Gazef brought down his green sword, following up with a flurry of furious strikes, cutting the being at pieces in a flash.
"Pff! How amusing! How radical! ~ A really worthy hunt!" Clementine laughed in the background, throwing sticky grenades at the wall behind her and started to dash towards one of the many crystal caves dotted the place.
"After her!" Gazef ordered with a serious face after finishing with the undead being, and Aiz agreed without any complaint.
At that moment, the devices detonated, raining a massive amount of rubble, shockwave and smoke. The two cut through it without being concerned about the effect, but it was too late! Their opponent was already behind the rubble, which collapsed the entrance of the cave.
"Until we meet again, Gazef Stronoff! It was truly an honor…!" Came the mocking voice from behind the sealed entrance, rapidly leaving their range of hearing. "Bye! Bye! ~"
"Just who are you?" Gazef muttered before glancing at the trembling girl, trying to destroy the massive amount of rocks blocking the collapsed cave.
"Guh! Guh! Guh!"
"Hey! Stop it… I said stop!" Gazeff exclaimed, grabbing the young woman's sword arm mid swing.
"!" The girl turned to him with a glare, trying to pull away her hand. "They hurt Riveria…!" She muttered with some anger in her monotone voice.
"I know. But if you continue this, you will only tire yourself out. By the time we can get through she will have already escaped." It was the sad truth.
Being here for a short time, he already recognised that this place was vast, filled with many places to hide, with a widespread system of these caves. There is no way to find "Clementine" without some tracking enchantment.
"…" Aiz looked down, her hand trembling. "I am too weak." She muttered as her hollow expression returned.
"You did what you could. Next time we will get her," he said finally releasing her.
Returning his gaze to the rubble, Gazef muttered, trying to figure out who this person was. How come she recognised him when everyone else — even those gods — were clueless about his real identity.
"More importantly… that explosion. I remember its sound. Both times when the flooring collapsed under me, and I fell down, I heard a similar rumble."
Was it a coincidence? Or did this woman do it? Or… maybe it was someone else? "She said she got it from someone else."
"Riveria! Riveria! Why it doesn't work! Come on!" Lefiya chanted her healing spell again and again. It was all but useless.
The holes were still present on Riveria's body, starting to rot from inside the moment the bone spears were removed.
"Riveria…" Finn started to go pale, recognising, his friend might not live much longer.
Reaching the surface in time was impossible with such injuries. Moving her to the town was also risky due to her injuries. Even Lefiya's healing magic seemed ineffective! Those people down there hardly had anything that could help.
"Just what kind of poison is this?" Glancing at the bone spears that still glowed in a faint purple hue, Finn started to guess it was imbued with some kind of curse.
But what kind? In all his years as an adventurer, he had never encountered similar things before.
"Hmm… negative energy!" Gazef raised a spike, smashing it between his hand, recognising the familiar dark hue, and the feeling as it burned rotted the skin on his palm.
"Negative Energy?" Tiona looked at him, confused.
"The energy the undead use to sustain their existence. Similar to how the living use positive energy." Alas, that was a really watered down explanation. A priest would give much more emphasis to divines and evil beings.
"Undead? You mean living dead?"
"Don't be ridiculous; such things only exist in old tales." Even the monsters of the dungeons are living beings, sustained by the crystal in their body. There is no way a dead thing can come back to life!
"They exist, I assure you." At least where he came from.
"If you weren't here, we could just…!" For a moment, Finn's grasp hardened around his broken spear, making even the metal scream in pain. "First you appear in the city, then strange things start to happen, then even my comrades get hurt because of you! Tell me one good reason why I shouldn't cut you down!?" Pointing his weapon at Gazef, his comrade's eyes widened.
"Ca-Captain!?" It was unlikely of Finn to act like this. Yet, considering what happened today, he had every right to be angry with the man.
There was a high possibility all was his fault, that everything that led here was because of him — counting even Riveria's dying today.
"I understand why you feel this. And I wouldn't stop you from taking out your rage on me. But we need to do something in order to save your comrade." He pointed at Riveria, attended by the exhausted Lefiya.
Moment by moment, more sweat started to appear on the girl's forehead, starting to run out of Mind after the intense battle. She had already edged closer to losing consciousness; she had used too many spells today already.
"Believe me, if she dies like this, she will come back as an undead monstrosity. You don't want that." Gazef saw it several times.
Unattended dead soldiers come back from the grave to haunt their comrades later. It was a horrible sight to witness, scarring mentally many soldiers under his service.
"And why should we trust you? Gazef Stronoff? Or is that also a fake name?"
The members of the Loki Familia all glared at Gazef, still unable to decide whether they should really trust him or not.
"I understand how you feel. I would feel the same in your stead." As Gazef's hand moved, the Loki Familia prepared to counter, yet, they blinked, stunned as he let Razor Edge fall to the ground. The splendid green blade clanged, its glow dimming, feeling the owner left it behind.
"I am unarmed. If you wish to strike me down, do so. I will not resist. I only ask you to let me inspect her. I may be able to help."
"How can you help if even Lefiya's healing magic can't help?"
"This amulet…" The Warrior removed the ancient-looking necklace from his neck, holding it in his hand. "It is called the Amulet of Immortality. It is capable of healing any injury. It might be able to help her. One of my kingdom's five treasures—I have been looking for ever since I arrived."
"Finn…" Looking at Riveria, who weakly moved her head, Finn started to mess up his hair angry.
"Grr! Fine then! But one wrong move, and we will attack you!"
Accepting the deal, Gazef moved towards Riveria, kneeling on her side. "If you excuse me."
"…"
Inspecting her wounds, then looking at the side where some fragments of those bone spears were still around, he recognised something.
"Hmm. It is serrated, definitely designed to leave behind some shrapnel." This means there might be still some in the wound.
"I don't have the skill for a serious operation… we have only one chance." Placing the medallion around Riveria's neck, the green-haired elf's pained face right away turned relieved, her wounds starting to steam as the effect activated.
"It will keep her alive, I hope… Is there anyone in that city who can operate? Or a divine magic caster?" He always thought such methods were quite barbaric, but now, it may be the only thing that could help.
"Divine magic caster?" Lefiya tilted her head confused. "I mean, according to Loki, they can't use their powers down there."
"I see, so you don't know what that is?" Gazef sighed. He almost forgot the weird magic these people use.
"I mean, I am no expert, but even I can make a difference when someone uses natural or divine magic to heal." It was enough to look at the colour of the healing energy to make a difference.
"Ummm… Where…?"
"Riveria!"
"A-Are you alright?"
"I think… I am better now."
The wounds of her body slowly started to close, just like the rot, which was the sure sign of negative energy disappearing little by little.
"Thank you for helping me."
"I did what I could. Hopefully, the amulet can extinguish those fragments that were still inside you. But still, I urge you to examine yourself with a doctor after your return to the surface." Who knows what malicious curse they can leave behind.
"Do you know that woman?"
"Never met her…" Gazef answered Finn's question. "But I intend to find out who she was."
"Then why does she call you that name? Gazef Stronoff, was it?"
"Yes, that's my real name." Gazef shook his head. He knew well that he had to reveal who he was sooner or later. But to do it so early? He never expected this. "Between us, I used a fake name so I may void possible assassins coming after me."
"So… she aimed for you?"
"She recognised me so the possibility is high. I once again apologize for any harm that came to your comrades and anyone else caught up in the crossfire. I will take full responsibility for what happened here." He gave a full apologetic bow.
"Hmm…" Finn squinted his eyes.
Because of this man, Riveria almost died. Worse, not only his comrades but others as well were possibly endangered because of him. Injured and even died! Innocent people who had nothing to do with the current events were drawn into this mess!
Still, all of this feels off. Why would he help him take out that other opponent? Why did he fight with them against that madwoman, moreover, those plant things if he were against them?
All of this just doesn't add!
For the first time in a long time, Finn was unsure how to proceed. What should he do with this situation?
Is this Gazef just playing the ally, and he was working together with that "Clementine" woman to deceive them? Or did he truly not know her and was just as clueless about the current situation as they were?
"We can blame each other later. For now, we need to tend to the injured, then report to the guild." At this moment, the best way to proceed is forward, just as the man said. And he was right - at this current time, Finn can't do anything with the situation.
They neither have the evidence nor the manpower currently to really fight him without further damaging his already battered group. It was already a miracle every one of them survived.
"You are right."
If this "Gazef" — or whoever he was — worked with these two or not, they can always find out later.
"We are all injured and exhausted. Continuing the battle further makes no sense."
What he saw today proved that he was not an opponent they could take on carelessly. If they find a shred of evidence he was working with the culprits, they need to be well prepared to deal with him — using the full might of their Familia if necessary.
With that, Lefiya used her remaining mind to heal her group, and they went on to clear the mess that was caused.
After this, one thing was sure they could hardly continue their expedition.
Not like this, not after what happened.
"Loki will be angry."
Scene Change: Orario: Hermes' Residence:
"Lo-Lord Hermes, I really am fine now."
"Oh! I see that!" The man with the divinely kind face nodded, measuring the raccoon girl before him. "But are you sure you want to go back? You only recovered recently. I advise resting a little more."
"I'll… manage. But thank you for your kindness." With her big brown eyes, the girl glanced at the always cold gaze of the bespected girl.
As she stood behind her God, her short stature gave away a towering, teacherly presence.
"Hmm… Is that so?"
"Ye-Yes…" The demi-human gulped, slightly nervous. "I would like to get back into adventuring as fast as possible."
"Even after you lost your team down there and almost died?"
"I…" For a moment, she trembled, recalling that horrible situation.
The moment she almost died. The moment when her friends threw themselves in the way of those monsters — just to give her some chance to escape! The moment when that man saved her life!
After such a trauma, would it be wrong to abandon her adventure career just for her safety? Or would it insult her friend's memory to deny herself the chance to get stronger?
The two options tore the girl.
"Lord Hermes!" The woman, with a cold gaze, pushed up her glasses on her nose, her glare burning a hole in her god's head from behind. "I request you not to push her. She has still not yet recovered from the trauma."
"Ah! Asfi-chan. What's that cold glare again?" The silent look that the blue-haired woman gave to her god was enough to exert pressure over him, making the Herald of Gods sweat nervously, but still with a smile on his face.
"It is okay… Captain." Sniffing and wiping a tear from her eye, the demi-human made her decision. "Lord Hermes only wants what's best for me. I am fine now."
"I understand. Still, we have many administrative positions in our Familia, or less dangerous tasks aimed towards the exploration of unknown regions. Wouldn't that be a better fit for your stature?"
"Probably. But…" Looking out of the window, the girl clenched her fists with determination. "I can't just abandon their memory. Not like this. Not after what they sacrificed for me."
"It seems, I can't deter you from this, Nicci." Withholding her sight, Asfi, the Captain of the Hermes Familia, nodded.
"In that case, we have several groups who still need supporters. I will…"
"No!" The supporter shook her head. "I want to find the man who saved my life. If I can, I would like to repay his kindness by service."
Hermes and Asfi looked at each other.
While Asfi looked disapproving, the deity beamed with what looked like satisfaction. The former princess of a maritime nation already knew her deity had planned this.
"Whatever my dear Nicci wants." Hermes patted Nicci's head gently. "I will visit the guild later then, and arrange an interview for you."
"Re-Really?!"
"Yes. That's the least I can do for my children."
"Th-thank you!" To consider someone like Hermes, a god willing to go this far for her? The raccoon girl was completely humbled.
"But I must warn you. That man might not accept your proposal. It will be all his decision. I can only nudge him in the right direction through my own "subtle" means."
"I-I understand. Still, I must try."
"That's all that matters. Now, if you excuse us. I still have a few things I wish to discuss with Asfi-chan."
With a simple nod, Hermes dismissed the supporter girl. The survivor, who Gazef saved after his first fall.
"Lord Hermes, I disapprove!" Asfi, right away voiced her opinion once the supporter left the room.
"That may be… but what can we do? She is a stubborn child." Without losing his grin even a little bit, the man announced. "Even if I disapprove, her conscience will drive her otherwise." Hermes pushed her hat into his eyes, leaning back on his seat. "Her path is already decided by none other than herself. Where it leads, only she can decide. But this is the brave decision of mortals which creates tales of heroes and villains."
"Hmmm…" Seeing no meaning to continue this conversation, Asfi gave up trying to convince her god, but rather let him chase his daydreams — like usual.
At the same time, in a different part of the city, a small smith worked relentlessly.
This workshop of hers was moldy and old; one may call it ramshackle.
Yet, the fire inside her forge burned, blazed like a raging inferno - Fueled by the continuous use of automated bellows that steadily added more oxygen to the fire!
'Clang! Clang! Clang!'
A hammer hit the glowing metal continuously, fixed to a strange contraption, making its movement continuous, rhythmically strong and never faltering.
"Hmm…" Flipping a switch, the auto hammer which was fueled by a crystal, stopped, and a short girl grabbed the metal, inspecting it with great detail.
Holding it with her heat resistant, thick gloves, her purple eyes scanned the surface with ever-rising attention, adjusting the multi-lens goggles before her oculars.
"Still not good enough." Grabbing a hammer, she started to manually compensate for the small unevenness, making sure every little detail is perfectly in place. Finally, placing the piece into the alchemical liquid served as a cooling medium.
"If only I had better ingredients, I could make better equipment. My art would be unstoppable!" Placing the small part back into the heart of the forge, she started the process again.
"I need to ask him once he returns to do another trip to the dungeon." Not only does she need to level up and gain a Forge class in order to make proper items, but she was starting to run out of the materials she could use.
"You know if you ask nicely. We can provide you with what you need."
"I don't need your help." Glas shrugged, only giving a glance to the mustached pallum who stood in the door, leaning against the doorframe. "I told you already. Get lost!"
"Why are you so hostile? Weren't we generous enough? Aren't we friends? Hmm? Or do you forget who protected you when you arrived in rags? Who hid you? Convinced the people who recommended you to your current Familia? Gave you funds when no one was willing?"
"I will never forget…" Muttered the girl with a lowered head. "And I will pay my due. I just need a little bit more time."
Seeing the girl's strained expression, the Pallum in ringmaster attire can't contain his laughter, but a small part of it slips out.
"Pft… Tha-That serious face."
"Tch! Stop mocking me!" She threw her hammer in his direction, which the short figure elegantly dodged.
"Oh! There is no need to be so hostile." He smirked. "We are just having fun."
"Why are you here? Only to mock me?"
"Maybe I just have some free time and wanted to see how my favorite prodigy is doing. By the way? How is the big guy? Your first "real" contracted adventurer? Is he satisfied?"
"I haven't seen him for two days. Why do you care?"
"Just curious. You managed to find quite an interesting figure: Appearing a short time ago, out of nowhere, beating up one of the top members of the Loki Familia barehanded. Then participating in the rumble under the Monster Festival, saving civilians. Some little birds also say he and another adventurer were the ones ruining a part of Daedalus street in their brawl."
"What?!"
"Of course… These are just rumors—nonetheless, quite an interesting figure. And interesting figures usually draw the attention of both gods and other people. You know who I am speaking about?"
"…" The girl stared before herself, her brain rattling about what to do after hearing the new information.
Should she trust him? Or not? The guy was shady but never lied to her beforehand and always kept his promise.
What was his real objective in playing around with her just like that?
"What do you want? Be real with me. Ditch him?"
"Your choice; I am just bringing you the info. If the rumors are true, he can take care of himself."
"…" The girl's deadpanned state betrayed; she didn't buy this. "What do you want?"
"Fine then! You are no fun!" The man pouted comically. "We have some orders for you! Just the usual, under the table. You will find the ingredients outside."
The Pallum walked to her, handing her a scroll scribbled with coded text.
"It will be done… come back in two days."
"A day…" Grinned the small being.
"Tch!"
"Take care, little Glas. until next time." The girl brushed away the hand of the Pallum as he tried to caress her pink hair, leaving afterwards with a satisfied smile.
Scene Change: Twilight Manor: The Base of Loki Familia:
A group of battered adventurers walked through the entrance of the Twilight Manor.
This usually cheerful place was always filled with laughter and the noise of conversation.
Yet now, as the guards and the people around spotted the aces of their Familia walk through the gates all gloom and silent, everyone just stared at them, feeling the bad news that would come.
"What happened?"
"Is Finn's weapon broken?" All guessed the reason behind their paragons' current state of being, can only wonder what can possibly beat them to this state.
"Oi! Welcom' back! Yu' came early!" Loki was before the double-sided door, naturally, as per usual, waiting for her prideful bunch to return — leaning against the doorframe.
"…" As Finn and the rest passed the door, they can only sight, giving her a slow shake of head.
"Wha' tha' gloom? Oi! Answer me!" Loki jumped before her people before they could pass her. "Wha' happened?"
"We almost died…" Finn muttered, straining his hand around his broken spear.
"Di-died!?" Hearing this, even Loki's eyes opened, revealing those deep crimson orbs. "Wha' the meaning of this!?"
"In Rivira, those plant things attacked again."
"Again!?"
"Not to speak, we encountered two opponents we could barely handle."
"Wha' the!?" Loki can't believe what she heard!? Are they jesting with her?
"Better explain things inside the manor." Looking around, Finn decided it would be best to relay the news to the head of their Familia personally, where no unintended ears would listen.
"Ok then…"
Proceeding deeper and sitting inside Loki's office, they explained the situation.
"That dam' rascal!"
"What the fuck!?"
Hearing them out, both Bete and Loki exclaimed as such.
"Who was that bastard?! I tear them apart!" The werewolf basically trembled; every part of his body itched for revenge. "And that man again!? Where the fuck is he?! I bet he is behind it all! Just let me meet him again! This time I will not lose!"
"Bete!" Loki glanced at him slightly, covering her mouth with her folded fingers. "Sit… down."
"But…!?"
"Bete…"
"Tch!" Unwilling to really go against Loki — especially because seemingly she was in a bad mood — but still too stubborn to leave, Bete sat down, grumbling defeated.
"We know not who the red-haired woman worked for or what her name was. It was only revealed the blonde called herself Clementine."
"The assassin, I presume."
"Yes." Finn hummed, confirming.
"The name she called Zeff was Gazeff Stronoff," Riveria revealed.
"Gazef Stronoff? Hmm, never heard that name before." Loki pondered. No matter how hard she wrecked her brain. Adventurers with a similar name never popped up on her radar. Extremely odd considering the feats the man showed. "Is the name also fake?"
Even she considered the option.
"According to him, even he doesn't know how that woman recognised him, as they never met before." Just like that, Clementine revealed. She also told them they had never met before.
"Maybe he is just lying…?" Muttered Loki.
"Or telling the truth." Cut in Riveria. "As he told us, many assassins were after him where he came from. It is no wonder he used a fake persona."
"Riveria!?" Bete's hand trembled. "Even after you almost died, you trust him!?"
"Trust is a harsh word, Bete. More like, he showed no alignment with our opponent until now."
"Until now…" Gareth squinted his eyes, still too suspicious to trust a stranger who might have ties with their new enemy. Too angry to let such a threat go without a hiss.
"Until now." Nodded Riveria confirming. "Also, why he would risk his life not once but many times to save us if he worked with them?"
"Maybe to sow the seeds of discontent and divide us?" Tiona guessed. "He-Hey!? What's with those looks?"
"And how com' he is not here?! How com' he is not here to explain himself!? Hmmm!?" Loki, though, showed an upset expression and was visibly not angry; for Finn and the rest, it was evident her rage reached an extreme height.
"He told us he is willing to undergo our judgement whenever the need calls for it. He just had other things to take care of first." Considering Familia's current state, they had little means to stop him from leaving at that moment. "Something really bothered him while we came back to the surface."
"I call a bullshit!" Bete jumped up suddenly.
"Bete…!"
"Aiz, you can't possibly believe all of this!? After what happened! He just wants to escape!" The werewolf, of course, was right.
Too many things going around that man ever since he arrived. Too many happened in a short time. All of which pointed to him being the culprit!
"And we let him go." Yet, in that situation, what Finn did was a sensible solution.
They were exhausted, battered and beaten. Any rash action might have caused more casualties, even the death of his comrades.
They know too little to act rashly, even if their current knowledge implied he might work with that woman, later evidence might point towards something else.
"Furthermore, seeing him in action, another battle with him might result in more casualties from our side." Seeing that green sword of his and that medalion that healed Riveria, Finn was sure, even completely fresh, a battle with him would go unfavourably — be they win or not in the end.
In their current situation, going against him unprepared was highly unadvised.
"All are aligning too well. First, he arrives. Then those plant monsters appear. Then they also attack us in that reservoir." Loki muttered under her nose.
Zeff was someone even Loki, nor her intel sources have no info about.
From the information she gathered until now, there is no way someone like him is not recognized when he appears! No way to grow this strong outside of this city! No way the guild did not have at least a note from a figure like him before he appeared!
"It is possible he is like Aiz?" As her eyes subtly moved to her "favorite" children, such theories resurfaced in her mind.
"Attacked? What happened?" Finn's ears were sharp enough to pick up his Goddess mumbling.
"Ah! Yeah! I didn't eve' mention. While you wer' away. We also investigated things with Bete boy." Explaining their adventure with Bete, everyone paled slightly.
According to her: they followed the tracks of the monster attack to the cistern system, reaching a dried-up reservoir where more of those snake-like monsters dwelled — where a battle commenced between Bete and those monsters.
"One million Valis…" Loki still mourned the magic item Bete sacrificed in order to defeat those things.
"Loki, that was not a wise move."
"Hey! Hey! Everything was under control! Bete boy was with me!" Loki pointed at the werewolf behind her. "Besides, we gained some big clues."
The amber-coloured stones they found in those monsters were the same they ripped out from the monster on the fiftieth floor. Also, the same type of monsters appeared they fought before.
"Oh! This is the same we recovered from that "octopus" in Rivira!" Tiona explained, recognising the stone.
"Hmm, then let's sum it up. More and more strange crystal appears. All of which started roughly the same time when that Zeff appeared. Or rather call him Gazef?"
"Whatever is his real name, that's exactly the case. Also, people who rival our strength appear out of nowhere. Adventurers, we don't know about anything — people who most likely connected to him."
"Then he is our main suspect."
"Dionysus also up to somethin', better keep your eyes on him too," Loki added. "Maybe they play with the same league." At least, meeting up with the man in that suspicious place and suspicious time and his "goodie good guy" behaviour made him a prime suspect in Loki's eyes.
"Just what are you up to, Dion…?"
"Will do."
"Captain, should we tell Loki about that bone dragon?"
"Bone dragon?"
"Yes, before that assassin escaped. She was protected by an unknown monster, a monster that was even capable of surviving Riveria's spell unscratched." It survived even Riveria's strongest spell — a feat nothing managed to accomplish before.
Recalling that thing, even Aiz clenched her fist. No matter how hard she tried, her winds just couldn't reach it!
"Wha-What!?" Loki hit the table, glaring at the green-haired elf for confirmation. "Is tha' true? Mama?"
"True… I am afraid."
"Damn…!" The goddess let herself fall back to her seat. "But well… aren' ther' numerous bony things in the dungeon? What made it so special — aside it resisted Mama's magic?"
"It felt unnatural. Also, only Zeff recognised it. He called it a Bone Dragon, an undead as he categorised it."
"Undead, you say?" Hearing that category, Loki fell into sudden silence. Like she recognised that category from somewhere.
"Undead? Pfft! Like in those dusty old tales? Don't be ridiculous!" Bete mocked even the possibility.
No matter how a creature looked, they were still living beings. That was the general ruleset of the Dungeon.
"Bete… shut up!"
"Hey!? What's your problem now?!"
"Captain! Should we show her?" Asked Tione, starting to grow worried hearing all of this.
"Yes, that would be the best." Loki's eyes widened as her children recovered a neatly bundled up and packed crystals.
Like the heart of the darkness, the fragments throbbed with infected negative energy — Perfectly cut by Razor Edge,
"Where… Where did you get this!?" The reaction of Loki completely surprised the members. They never seen her like this before. Even her divine aura flared at that moment.
"As said, it was inside of that Bone Dragon "Zeff" sliced apart with his sword."
"…" Silence fell into the room, and with disgust, Loki reached forward. The violet energy violently lashed out against her hand.
"Tch!"
"Loki?"
"Finn! Bundle it up and come with me. The rest search for that man. I have a few questions for him. Bring him before me!" The always cheerful Loki disappeared, standing up left the room. Something really bothered her, something that was connected with this item before her.
Scene Change: Toth's Shop: The day after Gazef returned to the surface:
"Where the hell were you?!" The little puffball of a Goddess shouted at Zeff as much as her tiny lung allowed. Throwing the present, he brought her into his face.
Standing near the towering column of books really made her look tiny in comparison.
"I am sorry."
"Do you know how worried I was!? No warning! You just left! And you come here with that!? I don't need your damn presents!"
"…"
"He-Hey! What's that face?" Realizing something wrong with the mere look of the man, she started to feel bad shouting at him so intensely.
"Not important…" Gazef just shook his head before his shoulder slumped.
A day passed since his return to the surface, and ever since, he couldn't get out of his head the encounter he had down there.
Who was that woman who recognised him? What's the meaning behind her words? How did she know him when everyone else did not?
Was she from the Kingdom, the Theocracy? Or other familiar places?
"He-Hey! I am sorry, ok?" Toth now started to feel bad reprimanding the man that much. "I was just worried. You haven't even visited my shop ever since… you know? The festival. Not even answering the letter I left in the guild. I was worried." The short goddess started to play with her fingers, visibly regretting speaking with the man like this.
"It is complicated."
"What happened?"
"Let's just say, I had a really negative encounter in the dungeon." Remembering the whole ordeal, it was better not to speak about it.
"Still, you should tell me at least what happened during the festival. I was worried. I mean… you just disappeared. I thought you were injured or even died durring the commotion."
"In short, I saw a suspicious figure, followed her, and got attacked. Afterwards, monsters appeared in one of the squares." That was a short summary of what really happened.
"And who was it? Who attacked you?" It seems Toth was too curious for her own good. This was exactly the information Gazef wanted to keep for himself. "If I tell her, she will probably be targeted too."
Freya was the culprit, at least, all things point towards her. Whether Toth was a God or not, she seemed to possess less influence than that other Goddess.
"Her Familia seems to be smaller. Also, if what Freya said is true, she lives in the tower." Which, considering the prices there, was an accomplishment itself. "Not to speak about my possible attacker that day." If the cat person was in her employ, Freya was not only rich but possessed "assets" that makes her an even more dangerous opponent.
Endangering Toth with this information was not a wise step to make. And like similar cases, Gazef knew well how far rich, influential people were willing to go just to keep their dirty secrets under the rug — Even going that far to take out anyone close to him, or blackmail their opponent with them.
"That's… confidential."
"Haah?! I am a goddess! You can tell me anything." Boasted the short goddess confidently.
"I know, but I am not sure if that person is the culprit or just walked there, and everything was a coincidence. I need to find undeniable evidence first."
The fact he saw her there was worth little to nothing. Without rock steady evidence, he can say whatever he wants, and the Guild will stand on Freya's side regardless.
"But even with evidence, her status, wealth and influence probably will sweep away whatever evidence I will bring." In that case, better keep the information, and hold it until he can use it properly.
"Oh! I see, just like in detective fiction novels some children write here. You need more evidence."
"Detective fiction?"
"You know, those novels where some crime happens then comes the genius detective who solves the case! I love them!" Her eyes basically brimmed with excitement just thinking back on her favorite books. "They are filled with twists and turns you wouldn't expect!"
"I may give it a read. But first, in your message, you said your contact is ready to share what they found. Can we visit them in the near future?"
"Ah! Yes! Hmm, I think we can go even after I close the shop for today." In fact, she had no visitors aside from her children today — as usual. "The business isn't going well…"
"Are you sure it will be alright?"
"Yes! Yes! Ra said so. We can visit him any time." She waved away Gazef's worry.
"In that case, I will return in a few…"
"You know, I wouldn't mind if you stay." The girl pushed her fingers together before starting to panic slightly. "O-Of course, only if you want! You can even read books while you wait! Of course, if you have nothing else to do. Of course…"
Seeing her hastiness and having nothing else to do currently, Gazef nodded.
"Hmm! Why not? Of course, if you don't mind. I slacked off my reading and writing practice anyway." If he had to wait anyway, he best rest a little and spend his time with something useful.
"Re-Really!?" It seems, the girl didn't expect this answer.
"Ah! Khm! Look no farther then! The Goddess of scribes and knowledge is in your service!" Puffing out her nonexistent chest, proud, Toth left to rummage some parchment and pen, putting it down the free little space and started her strict lecture.
"Well, you agreed Gazef. You are on your own now."
Chuckling slightly, Zeff went to practice, excited about what the girl's contract found but also dreaded what awaited him: thinking back at what Clementine revealed in the Dungeon.
What discovery awaits the warrior captain? Read further and find out!
A/N:
Well! As promised, here is the second chapter of the double chapter!
I hope it worth the long wait!
Read your fill! And tell me your opinion!
In the next chapter:
Met the God of the Sun!
Will Gazef finally recognize what happened?
Read further and find out!
RnR!
Read and review!
Stay safe! Sail safe! Good night! Good day! Stay away from Corona-chan!
Until next time!
Oblivon2991 out!