Chapter 3: Friend or Foe? Part 2

POV: Agent

Eastern Woods

"H-hey Agent, you're just joking right? Right?" Wolfen nervously asked. I simply smiled and took a deep interest in my half eaten bread. Chiro scooted over next to me.

"So what's the plan? Are we going to go through the forest?" she asked. I bit into my piece of bread and weighed our chances. According to the guide, the forest has these really weird plant mobs, Nepents or something like that. Not to mention that they tend to swarm when one attacks the fruit...

"Hey Agent, we're ready to make a move. So what's the plan? We going through or not?" Kin asked impatiently. Darn brat, I thought. Not like his younger brother but I guess he has first child syndrome. I quickly finished my bread and stood up.

"Well, I'd say we take a detour but let's make this interesting. We are going through the forest!" I said, pointing at the path. Wolfen made a whooping noise while Amy sighed, facepalming.

"That is unless Krystal has no problems with it," I added. Krystal seemed taken aback.

"W-what? W-why ask me?"

"Well, to be frank, you have the lowest level and I have seen you fight. You seem to hesitate and you almost froze up earlier. My guess is, you hate violence. Which, I must add, is a respectable thing," I explained while putting on my kindest smile. She looked at her feet and twiddled her fingers. Huh, so shy people really do that.

"Hey, lay off!" Gin suddenly shouted, stepping in front of Krystal. "Yeah, we know she's like that but you don't have to push it!"

"He's right Agent. As much as I agree with you, this is pushing it too far," Amy added on. I frowned.

"I know I'm being pushy but I remember asking her, not you guys," I rebutted.

"G-Gin... Its ok. Really," Krystal said, trying to calm him down. She then looked at me.

"Agent, I-I'm fine with it. I-I'll use this chance to get stronger," she said with determination.

"Alright then. Well, you guys heard her. We're taking the forest path but first, some arrangements to make." Wolfen groaned upon hearing this. To think that I might make his dreams come true.

"Wolfen and Kin, I need you two to stay close to Krystal. Act as her body guards and weaken the mobs for her. Make sure she gets the final hit for as many mobs as you can. Chiro, Amy, Jess and Gin will take rear. Wallace and I will take point. Any objections?" I asked ignoring Wolfen's happy face. Gin raised his hand. "Yes Gin, what's your objection?"

"Well... I would feel better if there wasn't so many pretty girls with me..." he explained in embarrassment. What. Amy and Wolfen shot him a dumbfounded look while Kin groaned.

"He has a problem being alone with girls. Don't ask," he explained. I really don't want to know either way...

"O-okay... Wallace switch places with... umm... uh..." I had no idea who to pick. I don't mind Jess and Amy would make good backup like always but both their defenses are rather low. Wait a minute...

"Chiro, swap with Wallace. I trust that you're ok with that shield," I said. Chiro looked really happy with this new arrangement. She skipped over, grinning like a little kid who just got ice cream. Strange girl.

"Alright then, skill and inventory check. If you are running low on potions, please say something. Those with extra kindly share," I said, opening my window. I looked at my Parry skill and swapped it out for the Search skill. Might as well.

"You guys ready?" Everyone nodded. No cheers this time? "Alright then. Onwards we go."

The moment we entered the forest, I let my Search skill go off. There wasn't much activity other than a bunch of Harmless Worms moving around the bushes on our left. We continued moving and it slowly got darker from the shade of the trees.

"Man, this place is creepy," I heard Wolfen comment. Creepy was an understatement for players of our level. Sure I may be level 6 but I need to look out for the others. Suddenly someone in our group screamed. I quickly turned around, my scimitar at the ready.

"I-I-I thought I s-saw something over there..." Krystal whimpered, pointing towards a bunch of shrubs to our left. I slowly edged towards it. My Search skill was picking up something in there but I couldn't identify it. I poked my scimitar into the shrubs and it suddenly burst out. A tall pitcher plant like... thing with a wide mouth and a sprout poking out of the top of it. I instinctively stepped back.

"Defensive positions! Remember, don't attack the fruit if it has one!" I shouted as everyone drew their weapons. My shout must have attracted more as a few more burst from the bushes. I silently cursed under my breath.

"I got this one!" Kin roared as he slashed his spear at the closest Nepent. The strong slash almost killed the mob.

"Krystal, Switch!" Kin cried as Krystal yelped in shock. She quickly fumbled with her rapier and blindly thrust the air in front of her. Her attack connected and just barely killed the mob. Alright Agent... Go time. I slashed at the second Nepent.

"Chiro, Switch!" I cried, hopping back. Chiro yelled and did a spectacular Horizontal which bisected the mob and burst into the now familiar shower of crystals. Last one.

I turned towards the last Nepent. That's when I noticed the thing I worried about. Oh crap, it has a fruit! I saw that Gin's axe was bearing down on the fruit.

"Gin! Stop!" I cried out but his axe burst the fruit and all hell broke loose. The bushes flurried with activity a whole hoard of Nepents charged towards us. Damn this!

"Emergency positions! Low level players stay in the middle! We gotta cut our way through!" I shouted over the noise as I slashed wildly at a Nepent. Nearby, Gin was doing his best but one of the Nepents tripped him with its vine and was set to maul him. I quickly charged up my Reaver skill and aimed for the vines. Oh no you don't! My skill struck home and severed the left vine. His brother then dispatched the Nepent with a few quick thrusts of his spear.

"Get up!" he said, pulling his brother up. Gin was still in shock but gathered his wits and was soon back in the fight. My higher level meant that I had to tank blows and man, being hit is unpleasant to say the least.

"Keep fighting! We're almost outta here!" I shouted, trying to raise everyone's spirits but even I seemed doubtful at our chances. Sure, we were advancing up the path but our slow movements as a group meant they surrounded us easily.

"There's no end to these things!" Wolfen shouted as he cut another Nepent down. Come on, think Agent think! There has to be a way... Wait... Screw it.

"Guys... run. I-I'll hold them off..." I said. Krystal and Jess looked shocked. I pressed on, "I SAID, RUN! I'll hold these bastards off!"

"Come on, you heard him. There's no other choice," I barely heard Kin say to Krystal and Chiho as he grabbed their arms and dragged them off. Gin guiltily looked at me before following his brother. Amy's choice was made by Wallace.

"He probably has a plan. Good luck Agent," he wished as he dragged a tongue-tied Amy off. I wish Wallace... I really do...

"You better know what you're doing man," Wolfen solemnly said as he took Jess with him and ran. If only you knew man... I faced the advancing wave of Nepents. Their mouths full of teeth drooling with fluid as they moved. The good die young I guess.

"Hey assholes! Follow me!" I shouted at them, killing one before running the opposite direction of the others. Good it worked... Now what? I soon found myself surrounded. I barely managed to escape but with critical HP.

"To think my life here will be ended by a damned plant..." I muttered as fatigue started to creep up on me. I was starting to slow down and they were slowly catching up. One of them got close enough to trip me up with a vine. I fell down face first and by the time I turned, a Nepnent had caught up and was about kill me. Well, this is the end then... Heh, to think I was the most prepared for this, I thought as I braced for the final blow.

"NO WAY YOU'RE GIVING UP NOW MAN!" a voice shouted. I opened my eyes in time to see the Nepent explode into a shower of crystals and Wolfen extending a hand to me.

"You son of a bitch! I told you to run!" I berated but accepted his hand. He pulled me up and half-dragged me up the path.

"Can't let you steal all the glory now can I? Besides, Amy would kill me if I let you die," he said with a smirk while shoving a potion bottle into my mouth. I felt a slight burst of energy as my HP slowly recovered.

"True, true," I replied as we booked it.

Hardrun Settlement, Outskirts

Soon we emerged from the forest and I collapsed onto the ground, panting. I looked up in time to be knocked over by Amy and Jess hugging me.

"Ow hey, leggo!" I managed to say but they wouldn't comply. Much to Wallace's and Wolfen's amusement and laughter.

"So, you made it," a familiar voice said. Amy and Jess had finally let go of me as I looked up to see Kin standing in front of me.

"Nice to see you too..." I quietly replied. He was about to say something when a third person glomped me.

"Ow! Chiro. Off. Please," I pleaded.

"That's how she thanks people. I was a victim of that once so suck it up Agent," Kin explained with an amused smile on his face. Chiro finally let go but not before punching my shoulder.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"For being a brave idiot," Chiro said, sniffling before looking away and wiping her face with her sleeve. Ok... Not the first time I made a girl cry... I was in the process of standing when someone bowed to me.

"F-forgive me! I got careless a-and I almost got you killed b-but you saved us anyway and-"

"Woah, Gin... Relax..." I said putting my hand on his shoulder. He looked up, his face was red with shame.

"Listen, it's an honest mistake. Alright?" I said trying to assure him. He silently nodded before walking off. The next part, I was not ready. Krystal walked up and gave me a bone-crushing hug.

"Urgh... Krystal, I get it. But you are going to kill me here," I pleaded. Out of the pan, into the fire huh? I thought as felt Wolfen's jealous glare behind me.

"H-how can we ever thank you?" Krystal asked, finally letting me go. I thought about it for a moment.

"Easy. Live," I answered walking back to where my friends are. To think I didn't trust these guys.

"Hey Agent, wait!" Kin called out. I turned to find him offering me a handshake.

"To future partnerships?" He asked sheepishly. I smiled and accepted the handshake.

"To future partnerships."

Player lvl:
Agent: lvl 6
Wolfen: lvl 5
Amy: lvl 5
Jess: lvl 5
Wallace: lvl 5