Chapter 6: The harsh truth. Preparations.
Hajime soon woke up from being unconscious for a while. He noticed his missing eye had a bandage, along with the various areas on his body. Upon waking up, he noticed he was in a bed.
'How long was I unconscious? We were supposed to be in the labyrinth… Why am I in a bed of all places?' He questioned in thought.
Hajime soon felt a supple softness on his right hand. This finally alerted him to realize that he was lying in a bed. The supple feeling from his right hand, much to his chagrin, was Yue's bottom. She was snuggling with Hajime in a joyful dream.
"Hajime…" Yue spoke in her sleep.
This made him self-conscious, due to the fact he was naked under the bed sheets. Yue was as well.
"Wake up, Yue!" Hajime ordered.
This caused Yue to snuggle deeply in Hajime's abdomen, causing her grip to be tighter. This irked the Synergist, resorting him to using Lightning Field.
"Start waking the hell up, you erotic vampire princess!" Hajime shouted in comical anger.
The sudden voltage woke Yue up, causing her to scream erratically from the sudden electricity. This got her attention, realizing Hajime was awake.
"Hajime?" Yue asked in hidden concern.
"Yeah? I'm still alive. About time you woke up." Hajime replied.
"You're okay!" Yue spoke in a tearful smile, hugging the Synergist.
Hajime realized she was concerned for him. He composed himself, rubbing Yue's head to calm her down.
"It'll take more than just a multi-headed serpent to take us down." Hajime said.
Yue still felt concerned for Hajime. She also recalled about Cloud as well, whom was outside.
'I hope Cloud also recovered. He took a lot of damage protecting us…' She thought.
Hajime soon looked around the area. Noticing it wasn't the usual encounter in the labyrinth, he soon turned his attention to Yue.
"So where are we?" He asked.
"We seem to be in the Maverick's lair." Yue answered.
"So we made it in the end… A couple of questions I have to ask. First off, where's Cloud?" Hajime questioned.
"Cloud is recovering nearby. I had to leave him near a wash basin so he can recover. His wounds looked severe, despite him protecting us when you were unconscious." Yue answered.
"That hydra had a nasty surprise from that rainbow beam. It was no wonder why the ambrosia was delayed in healing us. Apparently, that beam it kept shooting at us from before was laced with a special poison that prevents healing." Hajime realized.
"Its body is still there. It hasn't disappeared yet." Yue said.
"That explains one part. What happened after I collapsed?" Hajime asked.
"When you collapsed, I was finished in tending Cloud's wounds. Though he was barely conscious, he kept walking, despite the damage done to him. The doors to the Maverick's lair opened, where I was able to place you in bed and used the ambrosia to heal you. Cloud soon fell unconscious and I had to bring him near the wash basin, where I managed to clean him. That's when I went back to you. I noticed the monster we fought took your eye as well. My powers were also used up." Yue informed with regret.
"Looks like I owe you everything, Yue. You saved us once again." Hajime commented in a soft tone.
Yue gleamed in a smile, happy she was able to protect her new friends. Hajime soon had a serious, but calm expression in his face.
"This brings me up to notice, but why am I naked?" He asked.
"You were dirty all over, so I had to clean you up." Yue spoke with a smile, licking her lips.
"Why are you licking your lips like that?" Hajime questioned comically.
Yue simply giggled as she held Hajime close to him.
"What's with the giggling? I don't like that sound… What did you do while I was asleep?" Hajime inquired.
Yue simply licked her lips again, which made the Synergist uncomfortable.
"Quit licking your lips! It's freaking me out!" Hajime comically yelled.
Yue soon got out a wardrobe of clothes for both her and Hajime to wear. Hajime got his clothes in with difficulty, due to having one arm.
"Quite a wardrobe to have. This Maverick must have been a guy, judging by these clothes." Hajime noted.
"This place is huge. I found more than just clothes." Yue said.
"That means we have time to explore the manor." Hajime commented.
He then had his gaze at Yue, whom looked back at him with a flirting smile. This got him completely flustered.
"So, what kind of look or fashion are you going for?" Hajime asked.
Yue was wearing a large lab coat that was too large to cover her body properly. She soon gave a teasing smile before talking.
"It's not my fault these clothes are larger than me." She playfully spoke.
"Fair point. We should explore, but first, we should find Cloud before we do." Hajime realized.
Yue nodded. When Hajime went outside, he noticed a crystal that was shining in the area.
"That's sunlight? Nah, we're still underground, but at least it helps in knowing when it is day or night down here." Hajime noticed.
"That crystal changes during times. It can become similar to night and the opposite." Yue informed.
"Interesting. That's a way for us to know the time." Hajime commented.
Hajime and Yue soon crossed a bridge, where a river streaming with fresh water was flowing. Following the path onward, they soon found a mansion.
"A mansion, down here?" Hajime asked with surprise.
"I looked around the mansion, but some of the doors have been enchanted with magic, which prevented me from entering." Yue spoke.
"As much as I want to explore this mansion, we should find Cloud." Hajime said.
They soon found Cloud lying unconscious near the wash basin. Hajime and Yue moved up to him to check for his injuries.
"Good, the ambrosia finally healed him. He did took a lot of damage from what he went through." Hajime said.
He began shaking Cloud to wake him up. The swordsman soon groaned in response, waking up from his unconsciousness.
"Ugh… Hajime…? Yue…?" Cloud spoke with a raspy voice.
"Easy there, Cloud. You've been out for a while." Hajime said.
"I see. We owe you a lot, Yue. Thanks." Cloud said to the vampire girl.
"I'm glad you're alright as well." Yue said.
Cloud soon stood up, holstering his sword on his back. The trio was now reunited, ready to explore the mansion in front of them.
The trio soon came up to the wash basin. Cloud remembered waking up in it, having realized Yue brought him here to clean up.
"The water's pretty hot, but it's relaxing." Cloud commented.
"No way, a hot spring? I'm definitely going to use this. It's been a while since I had a bath." Hajime said.
"I can agree with that statement, though I already had a long bath at that… Achoo!" Cloud sneezed.
"Bless you. You should get a new change of clothes, Cloud. The ones you're wearing might end up giving you a cold." Yue said.
"I agree. Not a good time to get sick." Cloud responded.
Yue soon looked to Hajime as he was testing the water temperature from the basin.
"A hot spring?" She questioned to Hajime.
"Yep. From where Cloud and I come from, there are hot springs almost anywhere. It became a norm for the people we know back home to go bathing in one." Hajime answered.
"So get in. I'll join you." Yue said to Hajime.
"I prefer bathing alone, but I'll get in later." The Synergist responded.
Yue pouted cutely from his response. She comically walked to Cloud, demanding he petted her head. The confused swordsman did so, causing Yue to relax, much to his stupefaction.
The trio continued their exploration of the mansion. Several rooms were open to explore, but some were locked. Even with their superhuman strength, Hajime and Cloud couldn't make the locked doors budge. This forced them to explore the open areas first.
"Not like we can unlock them now." Cloud commented with a disdained tone.
"I know. Even with my Synergist skills, I can't transmute the lock to open. These doors might have been enchanted to prevent thieves from robbing this place. Not like there isn't a problem since the monsters at the upper levels can take on almost every being daring enough to reach here." Hajime commented.
"I told you." Yue spoke.
"You weren't lying about these doors. They may hold something in these locked rooms, but we don't have the means to open them yet." Hajime spoke to her.
"We should go and check the third floor." Yue suggested.
"Might as well." Hajime agreed.
"I'm in this one too." Cloud followed.
The trio continued their way up to the third floor of the mansion. They soon noticed a dark hallway, which appeared to have no windows, leaving it hidden from view.
"There doesn't seem to be anything in this floor." Hajime noted.
"Just one big room." Yue said.
"I don't know. Keep your guard up though. No telling what we will find here." Cloud spoke.
"Got it." Hajime agreed.
Yue nodded her head, ready to fight off any threats. Hajime had his gun ready while Cloud held the handle of Yaeko, ready to attack. The trio cautiously walked in the hallway. They soon noticed several lanterns made of a purple crystal glowing bright, illuminating the dark hallway.
"Looks like we're being welcomed in here…" Hajime spoke with uncertainty.
"Weird… Nothing's here…" Yue spoke in confusion.
Cloud, noticing how silent it was, kept his guard up.
The Illuminated hallway led the trio to an inner chamber. They noticed a skeleton wearing clothes sitting on a chair. Though the body was decayed to the bone, the skeleton was keeping a waiting posture.
"Weird… Looks like he was waiting for anyone to come here." Hajime noted.
"It appears so… Still, be ready for anything." Cloud reminded.
The trio kept their guard up as the boys soon walked forward. They noticed a strange red circle symbol on the floor.
"Looks like this room might be the way out to the surface." Hajime theorized.
"How do we know if there's a way? Better to look around." Cloud commented.
"Yeah. We don't have many options to choose since my transmute skill and our strength can't open those locked doors. As Cloud said, be ready for anything. Yue, be ready as well. We don't know what we'll find here." Hajime said.
"I know. Cloud was right to be cautious." Yue said, keeping an eye out for the boys.
Cloud and Hajime soon walked in the middle of the circle. The symbol began to glow brightly in various runic symbols arranged in several rings. The runes were of unknown origin, but this alerted the boys as they noticed this.
"A magic circle?" Cloud questioned.
Soon, the boys noticed various visions and memories flowing into their minds. The process was surprising for them as the information soon flowed into their brains. It wasn't painful for them, but the sudden rush of foreign memories made it difficult for them to process. Soon, the boys saw a transparent male figure that was sitting where the skeleton was. The male figure soon made itself opaque, having his features visible. He appeared young in his mid-20s with long black hair reaching to his waist, tied in a long, straight ponytail. He had glasses on, suggesting he had poor eyesight. The boys were now on alert, holding their weapons ready. Soon, they loosened their grip on their weapons, realizing the figure wasn't moving.
"Greetings. My name is Oscar Orcus. I'm the man whom has built this entire labyrinth." The figure named Oscar spoke.
The boys were shocked to hear the creator of the labyrinth introducing himself to them. They remained silent as Oscar continued to speak to them.
"I congratulate you for surviving my trials." Oscar continued.
This left the boys flabbergasted. However for Yue, she couldn't see Oscar, though she was surprised to see the boys' expression ranging from surprise to shock.
"I assume you've heard the term 'Mavericks'. It should be familiar to you." Oscar followed.
'So he's one of the Mavericks of Tortus…' Hajime and Cloud thought in surprise.
"No doubt I can see that you have a great deal of questions to ask. Sadly, from what you can see, this is only a recording. I apologize to leave your questions unanswered. However, I wish to pass the real truth of the history of this world. This war-torn world had inspired others like me to stand and fight for what we believed was the right choice." Oscar explained.
The boys kept their attention to Oscar's message as they listen to his explanation.
Above the upper levels of the labyrinth, Kouki and his group ventured deep to the 65th floor.
"We're here. Down in the 65th floor." Kouki announced.
"It was a great effort and our training paid off. I have to admit I was worried when we first set out." Shizuku said.
She then looked to her friends, whom shared her thoughts.
"Everyone has gotten so strong. It's crazy." She commented.
"You have been working hard as well. How many levels have you skipped?" Kouki asked to Shizuku.
"Not like you, mister Hero." Shizuku playfully joked to Kouki.
Soon, Commander Meld began announcing.
"Stay sharp, everyone. This floor is only partially mapped. We have no idea what awaits us once we go further." Meld informed.
They were now within the same area from where they encountered the behemoth. The stone bridge was repaired as though the collapse of the bridge didn't happen. Meld soon halted the party as a purple magic circle soon appeared.
"It can't be…" Shizuku spoke in a hidden, frightful tone.
"The behemoth again…" Kouki commented.
"I almost died fighting it before…" Hiyama spoke cowardly.
Memories of the battle, including Hajime's and Cloud's disappearance into the abyss, came rushing into the group. They were still shaken, but held their ground. Meld soon held his broadsword in response.
"No one knows exactly how the spawn rate of the monsters work. However, we do know certain ones like this behemoth can reform after being defeated. Get ready! Leave a path open to retreat!" Meld explained.
Shizuku and others held their ground, not wanting to have the same scenario happen.
"Captain Meld, a lot has changed since we last came here. We have trained diligently and we can help you." Shizuku spoke.
"We have gotten stronger since we last came down here. Trust me in what I say. That behemoth won't take us by surprise." Kouki affirmed.
"I agree. I've also been training hard. We can take this monster down. We're ready for a rematch." Ryutaro spoke.
"I'm ready as well. Time we finally go against this monster." Tifa followed.
"Same here. We're not going to back away from this." Kaori said.
"I'm also staying as well. I can't forgive myself since this monster also took our friends." A young girl responded.
The girl in question had a short stature with brown hair tied in twin tails and light brown eyes.
"I'm with you on this Suzu." Eri continued.
Daisuke couldn't say anything, cowering from the monster. He hid behind a male student, whom was dressed in all black, with shoulder length hair that blocked his eyes. However, his eyes were briefly visible, showing a hazel color.
"You're serious about this?" Daisuke questioned to the boy.
"It's Endo Kousuke and yes! We all are!" The boy named Kousuke spoke.
Meld felt proud of the group. He knew they were determined to fight.
"That's the spirit." He commented with pride.
The behemoth began its attack, roaring fiercely with a gust. Kaori and Tifa got themselves ready for the battle.
"We won't let you take any one of us like last time. We will go with everything we got!" Kaori spoke.
"Same here. I'm going all out to ensure you don't take anyone I care for!" Tifa followed.
Kouki soon followed along, channeling his strength to his sword.
"Heavenly Flash!" Kouki commanded, creating a shockwave that traveled to the behemoth, damaging it.
The shockwave raced to the behemoth at its left shoulder, surprisingly pushing it back.
"We got this. Shizuku, take the left flank. Hiyama watch the back. Captain Meld, take the right. Rear guard, prepare a high level magic circle. Be ready for any attacks!" Kouki ordered.
Meld was impressed of Kouki's commanding tone.
"Not hesitating in leadership skills. Color me impressed." Meld complimented.
Soon, Truam Soldiers arrived. Daisuke cowardly informed the rear of their arrival. Suzu was forming a magic circle, alongside Kaori, whom had her staff glowing. The behemoth began to charge forward.
"I don't think so!" Ryutarou shouted.
He dashed forward, channeling magic from his back.
"I'll stop you with my resilient strength! Herculean Strength!" Ryutarou spoke.
Immediately, Ryutarou's strength was enhanced, allowing him to physically hold back the charging behemoth.
"Don't handle this alone! Let me help you!" Tifa called out, holding the monster back.
"Tifa! Don't risk yourself like this! I can handle it on my own!" Ryutarou shouted.
"Don't worry about me! Worry about yourself!" Tifa remarked.
Meld soon began channeling his mana into a powerful attack, causing his sword to glow sky blue.
"Become dust in the wind as splinters and ash! Overpower!" Meld announced.
The attack forced the behemoth to crouch from the sheer force of the attack. It was barely left a scratch, but it proved to be effective in slowing it.
"Allow me to follow. A surged strike of which nothing can withstand! Obliteration!" Shizuka shouted.
Channeling her mana to her blade, she fired a white-blue shockwave that impacted the behemoth's head. It was sharp enough to cleave one of the horns off. Though it was briefly dazed, it soon knocked Ryutarou and Tifa back. Shizuoka was also forcefully knocked back into the air, leaving them open.
"Damn! I took some damage from its counter! Tifa said.
"No kidding! I took the full brunt of it, but I can still stand!" Ryutarou followed.
Kaori began to channel her mana to her staff. A magic circle the size of a human being was forming behind her.
"Envelop the weak within your merciful light… Gentle Halo!" Kaori commanded.
Orbs of light were channeled forth, creating soft platforms for Tifa, Ryutarou, and Shizuka. They landed without injuries. Kaori began channeling more mana for her next spell.
"O breath of life, grant succor to the injured souls! Heaven's Blessing!" She commanded.
The wounds Tifa, Ryutarou, and Shizuka sustained began healing. This allowed Kouki to unleash another attack.
"This is your gift! Luminous Burst!" Kouki shouted.
Aiming for its right front leg, he struck with his might, crippling it. However, the backlash from the attack, along with the monster's attempt to ward off the assault pushed him back. This forced Kaori to respond.
"O heavenly blessing, please lend them your strength!" Kaori commanded, sending a golden light to heal Kouki.
Soon, the Traum Soldiers were being cut down by Endo and the rear group. Endo proved to be versatile in taking the monsters down. Daisuke struggled due to his cowardice, but managed to take some down. The knights that were with the group helped clearing off the monsters.
"We have to keep fighting! Don't back down!" Endo shouted.
Soon, the behemoth began to focus its attention to Kouki and the fighters with him. Shizuka noticed it was not slowed down despite the losses of its horn and front leg.
"The injuries it sustained aren't slowing it down… Everyone, time we go for the offense and take this monster out!" Shizuka commanded.
The behemoth roared before jumping high to the air. It was attempting to take down the rear group. However, Suzu anticipated the attack and began chanting a spell.
"Enemies of God shall not tread in his domain! Hallow Ground!" She chanted.
A transparent barrier soon formed, stopping the behemoth from its attack. However, Suzu was forcefully overtaxing the spell with her mana. The barrier was shown being gutted with holes till the mana surged to repair it.
"You won't win from this!" Suzu shouted with determination.
Kaori noticed Suzu's efforts and began channeling mana.
"Blessing of heaven, reveal the secret of endurance! Divine Strength!" Kaori commanded.
Suzu felt her mana being restored, repairing the magical barrier.
"Thanks for the help, Kaorin! Love the help you're providing!" She said.
The behemoth was soon pushed from the barrier, flipped to its back. It was now helpless. Eri moved forward to attack.
"Blazing Sun!" She commanded.
A large fireball was soon launched above the monster. It began raining smaller fireballs that exploded upon touching the behemoth's body. Weakened from the magical assault, it couldn't anticipate another attack.
"Barrage it with fire spells, everyone! Do it!" Eri spoke.
A rain of fireballs soon landed on the behemoth, weakening it further. It was still alive, but barely. This prompted Kouki his trump card to use.
"Time to finish this with Limit Break!" He shouted.
Glowing in a faded gold aura, he performed an overhead attack, slicing the monster's abdomen clean, taking its heart out. It gave one final roar before it slouched its head on the ground. Its body soon dissolved in a purple aura, leaving no traces of it.
"We won?" Kouki questioned with surprise.
Soon, the Traum Soldiers began to fall apart. This now left the group a brief moment of respite to see their efforts.
"We truly defeated it!" Shizuka confirmed.
Kouki raised his sword in pride for all his classmates.
"That's right! We have claimed this victory today!" Kouki spoke.
"Oh yeah it is!" Endo agreed.
The whole group was overjoyed in defeating the behemoth with no lives lost. Meld was brimming with pride, knowing the group was well trained. However, Tifa and Kaori were soon staring at the shadow of the behemoth in silence. Shizuka walked up to them in concern.
"Is everything okay, you two?" She asked.
Kaori and Tifa were obviously startled after having their train of thought interrupted.
"Sorry, I was lost in mind earlier." Tifa reassured.
"Sorry, you had us startled just now. I'm just thinking on how far we made it here." Kaori followed.
Shizuka gave a sympathetic smile to the two girls, knowing of why they were staring out. She was still concerned for them.
"Me too… Kaori? Tifa…?" Shizuka said.
Back in the mansion, Oscar was finishing his explanation to Cloud and Hajime.
"I don't know who you are or what circumstances have led you to pit yourself against my labyrinth. Nonetheless, you've fought hard and made it. I shall grant you my power. Use it however you see fit, but hear my request… Don't use what you've gained for evil purposes." Oscar spoke.
"What is this…?" Hajime questioned.
"I don't even know…" Cloud replied.
"It's all I have to say. You'll understand it all soon. Before I depart, I left my diary near my body. You may read it for it contains vital information." Oscar said, looking to his left hand.
He soon turned to Hajime and Cloud before leaving his last words.
"May you remain resilient and don't let destiny be out of your control." Oscar spoke before fading away.
Soon the boys felt a lost knowledge suddenly entering their heads. A mild headache surged in their heads as the information was now processed through their brains. They were surprised of the power Oscar granted them.
"What is this? It feels like something's imprinting my mind with lost knowledge!" Hajime grunted.
"I feel a surge of info I haven't even known yet. It's…very informing…!" Cloud followed.
The boys soon relaxed as the sensation soon faded. They were breathing heavily from the experience.
"Holy shit…!" Hajime commented.
Yue looked at the boys with concern after hearing them grunt.
"Hajime? Cloud?" She spoke.
"We're alright. It's the magic circle from the creator of this labyrinth. It's as though he bestowed us his magical power." Hajime said.
"Not only that, he gave his knowledge of the magic in question. More importantly, he did mention the diary he left. We should read it for more info on what he was telling us." Cloud reminded.
Grabbing the diary from Oscar's skeletal remains, the trio began reading it. After an hour had past, the shocking revelation was all bare for them to read. It became an overwhelming feeling of shock.
"The Mavericks… The legends about them were wrong all along! They were called Liberators and were never evil to begin with!" Hajime noted.
"Plus, there are more of them… If we have any hope, we have to find the other labyrinths to acquire their power." Cloud said.
"What do we do now?" Yue asked.
"Like I said, we don't care for this world or anything all over Tortus. I'm finding our way home, it's all that matters." Hajime answered.
"What about you, Yue? Do you intend to stay here in Tortus?" Cloud asked.
Yue shook her head in response. She soon walked to the boys.
"I don't care for anything else. Right now, I belong with you two. Both of you saved me from my prison." She said.
Hajime soon felt bashful in response while Cloud held a confused look on his face. Hajime began speaking to cut off the awkward feeling.
"This spell that Oscar gave us… It's some kind of ancient magic." Hajime started.
"What does it do?" Yue asked.
"Apparently, it's called Creation Magic. It allows us to give energy to any minerals. Once that happens, they are given special properties like enhancements." Cloud followed.
"You're saying you can make Artifacts?" Yue questioned in surprise.
"Sure can. It helps with my Synergist Job." Hajime commented.
"That's amazing!" Yue complimented.
"It's possible for you to learn it as well, Yue." Hajime noted.
"I don't know how to transmute so it won't be much use." Yue spoke with a depressed tone.
"It doesn't hurt to learn it though. It should come as a backup plan." Cloud noted.
"I agree on that. Just step in that magic circle so you'll learn it, Yue." Hajime said.
"Okay, if that's what you two want." Yue agreed.
Hours have passed and the sunlit cave soon faded into nightfall. The boys were obviously tired from taking their time understanding their newly acquired power. Soon, they heard Yue's footsteps approaching them.
"So Yue… Have you learned the ancient magic?" Hajime asked.
"I have, but I don't think I can cast it." Yue replied.
"Too bad… It seems that certain ancient magics are compatible with some casters than with others. We may have to find out which ones to specialize on." Hajime noted.
"Yeah… We may need to find which ones we can be suited with." Cloud agreed.
"In any case, this mansion is currently our resting place. We should leave the skeleton outside now that its purpose was fulfilled." Hajime implied.
"We should bury it though. Shouldn't we?" Yue asked.
"I think so… Oscar gave us the truth and his words were no lie. He should have at least a place to rest." Cloud spoke.
Hajime agreed with Cloud's statement. Soon after, the trio buried Oscar's remains in a grave with a cairn of stones. Flowers were provided in respect for the Liberator.
"We should inspect the diary further. I noticed a page marker on one of the pages." Hajime said.
(Play Final Fantasy VII OST - Anxious Heart)
The trio returned inside the mansion, inspecting the diary page. It showed a detailed explanation of finding a way back to the surface.
"Looks like this what we needed to find after all. According to the page, there's a magic circle in the surface that this magic circle can lead us to." Hajime said, remembering the magic circle at Oscar's throne.
"In order for us to use it, we need Oscar's ring for it to work." Yue noted.
"Not to worry. We took it." Cloud said, showing the ring.
"Before burying him, we grabbed the ring. It looked important so we held on to it." Hajime said.
The ring in question was made with a silver steel alloy. On its front face, it held an intricate pattern of two circle. The inner circle was divided by two lines, causing it appear split in four parts. The face of the ring was a deep, sapphire blue color that appeared faded.
"We've also learned that Oscar's workshop is filled with artifacts and materials. We could use them to make our journey across Tortus less challenging." Hajime noted.
"Hajime, Cloud." Yue said, showing another section of the diary.
The boys began skimming the page. Improved informative for them.
"So that's how it goes… Make it to the end of the other labyrinths so we can acquire the ancient magic the other Liberators possessed." Hajime noted.
"That means there's a chance we could find our way to our home." Cloud noticed.
"Exactly. Now that we know what we need to do, we should prepare ourselves in overcoming the labyrinths." Hajime agreed.
"I'll be with you two as well." Yue said.
(Anxious Heart OST ends here)
The trio soon went to the workshop of the mansion. Hajime used the ring and brought its face to the door. A magical symbol of the ring soon shined to it, revealing the magical lock. It soon faded before the door's lock was now unlocked with an audible click. The door opened, revealing a vast amount of resources.
"There's more stuff in here…" Yue noted.
The boys soon began to think for a moment. Yue noticed their silence, turning her attention to them.
"Is something wrong?" She asked to Hajime and Cloud.
"Well, we had a thought. We should stay here for a while." Cloud said.
"While we do want to head out to the surface, but there is so much to learn. If we're going to face the other labyrinths, we need to be prepared with what we have." Hajime followed.
"I'm fine with anything as long as you two are here." Yue said.
Hajime was about to enter the wash basin. He soon noticed Cloud, prompting him to ask his friend.
"Say Cloud. Don't you want to take a bath?" Hajime inquired.
"Huh? Oh, I was left here when Yue went back to take care of you. I'm glad she helped me heal, but I was sitting in that basin for a while. I think I'll take one later on." Cloud said.
"Okay then. I'll have the bath for myself." Hajime said.
Soon, the Synergist went inside the water. The temperature was relaxing to him.
"Whew… This feels great." Hajime said with a smile.
Footsteps were heard. Hajime soon noticed Yue coming to the basin, nude. This left him in silence, nervous to speak. She soon went to the fringe of the basin, dipping her legs in the water.
"It's so warm…" She complimented.
"Hey Yue… I'm pretty sure I said I wanted to bathe alone. At the very least you should cover up. There were plenty of towels to use. Hajime said.
"Why should I cover up? I wanted you to look at me." Yue spoke with a teasing tone.
"You're not making it easy for me, Yue." Hajime spoke with a nervous fluster.
"What's wrong? You don't think I'm pretty?" Yue asked with concern.
"No, it's not that. I think you're totally cute and amazing." Hajime quickly replied.
"Then there's no need for me to hide myself. All of me is for you to see. Don't feel shy of looking at me." Yue said, walking in front of him.
She had her arms parted, revealing everything to him. This left Hajime completely flustered in response. His head was no longer able to form complete sentences as his mouth was stuttering from seeing Yue in her full body.
"Yue… You're completely naked here…!" He stuttered.
Yue giggled in response, moving close to him. Her body soon got close to Hajime's, resulting in him reacting in a shy manner.
"Yue, you're touching me there…!" He noted nervously.
"What is it that I'm touching?" Yue asked.
"No way! This can't be happening…! Know what, I'm leaving the bath!" Hajime spoke, completely embarrassed.
Yue soon lunged at Hajime, grabbing him back into the bath.
"I don't think so." She spoke in a playful flirt.
"Hey wait! What are you…?" Hajime questioned.
Soon, Hajime's voice ringed in the cave with a loud moan. Cloud was asleep in a brief nap not too far from the bath site. However, the noise Hajime made didn't stir him from his sleep. He slept quietly, finding a sense of serenity.
The next day, Hajime began to use his Synergist skills and the newly acquired Creation Magic to make new weapons. He started making a magical bionic arm to replace his lost arm. There were several lines that acted as artificial nerves for him to make it move through his thoughts. It took some time to get used to the sensation, but Hajime began to have a better understanding of the new arm. It was enhanced with different ores, including the hardest one known as Azantium. Having realized its density and hardness, Hajime worked with the abundance of the ore to upgrade not only his weapons, but Cloud's weapons as well. In response to the Shtar Ore and Azantium mineral, the blade was soon darkened from the opposite side of its edge. It was now fairly sharp, able to cleave rocks in two with little difficulty.
"So Cloud, think you can use the Creation Magic?" Hajime inquired.
"I think so. Let's see if this works." Cloud said.
Pouring mana to a magical circle, he soon tossed a small Shtar Ore with powdered Blastrock, small amount of Azantium and Taur Stone, resulting it to form a dozen rifle bullets. He kept only four bullets while giving the rest to Hajime. However, the ancient magic was mana taxing to him, since he didn't specialize as a Synergist.
"Not gonna lie. I don't work well as a Synergist, but at least we got more bullets." Cloud noted.
"It's okay, Cloud. You saved the trouble in providing ammo. Thanks." Hajime said.
"Still, your Schlagen was destroyed by the Hydra. Think we should make a new one with Azantium?" Cloud suggested.
"Not a bad idea." Hajime said.
Working through Cloud's suggestion, Hajime made an upgraded version of his anti-tank rifle. It boasted the same appearance, but it was darker. It had a magazine port on its left side, with its barrel appearing rectangular, making it resemble a railgun. Attached on the top was a tactical rail accessory with a scope.
"It'll be called Schlagen AA. This beast of a rifle also has a magazine port, but it can hold five rounds. The bullets you made are able to be used in it. These guys pack a wild punch so we should hold on to them." Hajime said.
The Synergist began making various weapons. He soon made a Gatling gun with numerous bullets to make. The gatling gun was stylized as an M134 Minigun with six rotary barrels. He gave the weapon a name called Metzelei. Soon after, he created a second revolver just like Donner, giving the sister revolver name Schlag. Hajime also crafted the same thing for Cloud as well.
"Hey Cloud, I've been thinking. You haven't named your guns yet." Hajime noted.
"Yeah, I think I know which ones to give." Cloud responded.
After some thinking, Cloud soon found the names for his guns.
"Zack and Angeal… I don't know why, but those names have been in my head for some reason." Cloud said.
Hajime soon paused and looked at Cloud with a comical expression. This perplexed the swordsman of his friend's reaction.
"Cloud, are you starting to act like that same person from a story back in my home?" Hajime comically asked.
Cloud was left perplexed of his friend's questioning. Yue even looked at Hajime with some surprise as well, but she knew he meant well.
The boys had their efforts with progress in preparation for the next labyrinths to tackle. They were now taking a breather at a dining room inside Oscar's mansion.
"We have worked a lot in this. We still have much to make, specially transport and additional gear." Hajime said.
"I know. We're still not ready yet, but we have made progress." Cloud agreed.
Soon, Yue provided the boys with monster meat. They had a comical gaze to the sheer amount shown on the plate.
'So much to eat…' Cloud thought.
Hajime was soon scarfing down the meat to the best of his ability. Yue watched comically till Cloud soon followed, eating at a normal pace. The vampire princess watched with a content gaze as Hajime and Cloud ate at their pace.
'I don't blame Hajime for eating at that pace to get stronger.' Cloud comically thought.
In a moment, Hajime soon found himself unable to swallow the meat he was eating. He was briefly choking as he held his throat. This prompted Yue to rub his lower back in a panic while Cloud managed to tap his upper back. This allowed him to spit out the meat, finally allowing him to breathe.
"Take a sip." Cloud said.
Filling a cup of ambrosia, Cloud provided the drink to Hajime, whom swiftly drank it. He soon felt his throat clear up. The trio soon noticed the amount of ambrosia being produced was slowly decreasing.
"Guys, the Divinity Stone appears to be running dry." Cloud noted.
"Yeah… It has been providing ambrosia for us to survive this far. I can make it to something useful though. I don't want to get rid of it." Hajime said.
"Maybe it might work as an eye for you?" Cloud suggested.
"Not a bad idea, Cloud. I got an idea on what to make with it." Hajime realized.
While Hajime was working on a new gadget to make, Cloud soon began exploring around the caves near the mansion. Upon entering a passage, he soon stepped into a large pond. The water was cold to the touch. Upon sampling the water, Cloud soon realized what it was.
"This pond… It's ambrosia!" Cloud realized.
He soon looked to a large Divinity Stone, which got his attention that produced the large lake of ambrosia. Realizing his luck, he swiftly made it back to Hajime and Yue to inform them of his discovery.
"Hajime! Yue! You won't believe what I found in the nearby cave route here." Cloud said.
The tone from Cloud's voice garnered Hajime's and Yue's attention. Having heard from his tone, it was a surprising discovery.
"Lead the way then, Cloud." Hajime said.
Cloud lead them to the cave passage. When Hajime and Yue noticed the large pond of ambrosia, they were both equally shocked to see a giant Divinity Stone that was producing the liquid.
"Cloud, you've got lucky in finding this. I'll be able to make an artifact to store all this ambrosia and the Divinity Stone so we have healing on the way." Hajime said with surprise.
"Very lucky to find this." Yue followed.
Cloud gave a shy smile as he looked away, silently accepting the praise. Hajime soon created, with Yue's help, special rings that had a small blue gem in the center. The rings acted as a large storage facility, able to store large quantities of items or liquids. Using the first prototype, Hajime ended up taking the large Divinity Stone and ambrosia pond. He held the ring, engraving a first aid symbol that he would recognize as an emergency healing option. Having realized the other Divinity Stone was finally drained of producing ambrosia, he began making his next artifact. It was a spherical crystal orb about the size of a human eyeball. The material used was the Divinity Stone he used prior to the larger one Cloud found. It was glowing in a faint, blue color due to the mana still saturating the stone. Though it won't work like a normal eye, Hajime imbued it with Sense Magic and Foresight. This allowed him to see mana as a different colored smoke or aura. Cloud and Yue tested the artifact's ability, using different magic based skills to determine the elements of magic it can sense and the color of the mana. Thanks to this, Hajime was now able to see the mana in different colors whenever an elemental force was used. He didn't want anyone to rob him of this new artifact so he made himself an eyepatch from the leather of various monsters he and Cloud killed. The eyepatch was a simple black patch, but it was enough to conceal his artificial eye.
"These weapons and artifacts will be handy. Better to prepare than going all out with minimal equipment." Cloud noted.
"That's why I made this." Hajime said.
The Synergist soon showed a large rocket launcher that looked similar to an M202 Flash. The interior mechanism housed a 12 rotating chamber, allowing it to be fired multiple times before reloading.
"What weapon is this?" Cloud asked, feeling the weight.
"That's Orkan, a rocket launcher with a hidden chamber. It launches explosive rockets at any target it is aimed at." Hajime explained.
Another day went by. Hajime was soon working on several vehicles to prepare for the long distant journey. He soon created two in particular. He made a motorcycle that appeared similar to a Honda Gold Wing FóC, but it was made with Adzantiun alloy. The color scheme was black with red highlights. Cloud felt a sense of wanting to try out the vehicle. Knowing his friend's desire, he began explaining its function.
"This motorbike will use your mana to power it. It relies on those whom can directly manipulate mana so all three of us can use this vehicle. Just channel your mana to the handle bars and it'll drive. I'm giving it the name Steiff." Hajime informed.
Cloud followed Hajime's instructions and soon began to practice using the motorcycle. To Hajime's surprise, Cloud was using it to perform extraordinary stunts, even using his sword to attack. The Synergist chuckled as his friend was proving to use the motorcycle skillfully. Having a sense of making another vehicle, Hajime soon began making another. He soon made a Humvee vehicle with a Matte Black color scheme. It possesses a sunroof and the body of the vehicle is modified with Azantium alloy, making it durable. There are two rows of bench seats in the interior, allowing up to six people to fit in. It comes equipped with emergency thrusters and special parachutes in the event the vehicle was falling in mid air. The interior had an air conditioner and a mini fridge to store goods and food.
"That's a larger vehicle…" Cloud commented.
"This is the Brise. It can help transport a group if needed. I've also equipped it with various gun turrets hidden within so it'll help us if we encounter monsters that are dangeroua to fight on foot. It comes with a special all-terrain function, like the Steiff you used. We won't have to worry about the tires being in trouble due to the ground." Hajime explained.
"That definitely will help. We should train ourselves to be ready for anything once we hit the surface. It's better to do so to prevent any chances of our enemies to finding a moment of weakness." Cloud surmised.
Hajime laughed as he understood his friend sharing the same thought. He resolved to train his physical combat, testing out his new prosthetic arm. Having a sense of using it, he began training on using his twin revolvers with deadly accuracy. Cloud helped in providing ammunition with his creation magic, combining the Blastrock, Taur Stones, and traces of Azantium. Cloud also trained with his sword, both on the blade and its gun form. He soon began to swiftly change and deploy it with little to no difficulty.
Hajime, Yue and Cloud soon found themselves back at the room where they encountered Oscar. Hajime was holding a silver ring with a blue gem that was laced with mana. He was about to give to Yue, but she shook her head. She soon pointed to Cloud, whom looked confused at first.
"I think I know you want, Yue." Cloud realized.
Taking Yue's left hand in a calm manner, he led Hajime's right hand to the vampire girl. Their hands interlocked in a loving embrace. Hajime soon smiled in response, knowing what Yue wanted. The Synergist soon held the ring to Cloud, silently telling him to insert the ring at Yue's left ring finger. He gently slid the ring to the vampire girl, whom looked at it with a joyful smile, giggling. Cloud smiled shyly, knowing Hajime and Yue became a couple with him giving his blessing to them.
After weeks of preparation, the trio was ready to finally leave the labyrinth. There were in the room where they found Oscar, with the magic circle now glowing. They now all sported new outfits in place of their old ones. Hajime was now wearing a black coat with red highlights. He a white butler shirt with a black tie under the coat. He also had black pants and matching boots made for combat. Cloud also sported an outfit change as well. He was now wearing a black robe with a high collar sleeveless indigo shirt, black pants and boots, and black cloth covering his left leg and arm. The outfit also includes a sleek pauldron with a wolf badge, and Cloud's chest is covered by two straps, held in place by a badge with a wolf design. Hajime found himself questioning to his friend's new outfit.
"Seriously, are you a character I knew of back in my home…? You literally look like him." Hajime comically spoke.
"Got no idea what you're saying…" Cloud shrugged.
Hajime soon shook his head to rid his thoughts of the comment. He soon focused on finding the way back out.
"We've prepared ourselves for the dangers we'll face in this journey. Plus, we have gained all we needed from eating those monsters in this labyrinth. It may have taken over two months to prepare ourselves, but it was worth it." Hajime noted.
"We'll be ready to overcome whatever is thrown at us. I may have some doubts, but I know we can push through." Cloud followed.
Yue nodded from hearing the boys. She agreed on what they said, having witnessed what they were preparing.
"Yue, Cloud. The weapons and powers we possess will draw attention. We don't want the Holy Church to suddenly come up to us, for I doubt they would accept us. It's best if we stay in a low profile." Hajime said.
"If that's the case, we should remain out of their noses. Still, if the gods are out there searching, I doubt they would leave us." Cloud said.
"Got that right. I wouldn't be surprised if they did target us. It would be one thing for the Holy Church to target us alone." Hajime followed.
"So it's just us three against the world. If it chooses to become our enemy, I'm with you guys till the end of our journey. Even if I did regain my memories, I'll still fight by your side." Cloud spoke.
"We may not have enough lives saved up to overcome such challenges. Still, hearing that you're willing to go this far for my sake is welcoming enough. You've proved yourself to be a true friend, almost like a brother to me, Cloud. Yue, you became someone I cared for. All of us have to look out for each other, so no one can take advantage of our weaknesses." Hajime said.
"We will survive this. I have no doubt on that." Cloud said.
"We will leave this fucked up world, and fight our way home." Hajime declared.
Yue nodded, alongside Cloud. With a strong vow, the trio soon awaited the magic circle to transport them out of the labyrinth. It glowed brightly as they closed their eyes in response.