Chapter 7: Pleading request. A new companion.
The current location was a large maze-like canyon. Miles of rocky cliffs stretch as far as the eye could see. Within the maze, a lone girl was shown. She had sky blue hair that matched the color of the morning sky. Her figure was voluptuous but fit. She had azure eyes that would make a sapphire seem dull. She was wearing a white cheogasm style skirt with white straps as a top. The notable features on the girl was the white rabbit ears and tail. She was looking around the area, all alone.
"Ooooh… How much longer will I have to wait? I'm certain that boy I saw in my future vision would soon show up." The girl commented.
A loud roar soon got her attention. Soon, a heavy footstep caused her to shiver. Nearby, a two-headed Tyrannosaurus rex monster appeared. Its body was red in color, with a light tan underbelly. Its heads had a green fuzz. The roar from the beast scared the girl, forcing her to run.
"Aaaaahhh!!! Please hurry and save me!!!" She screamed.
The girl was forced to climb up a cliff side to avoid getting eaten. She narrowly dodged one of the heads, quickly climbing up the cliff in a panic. The monster began clawing on the cliff side in an effort to knock her loose.
"I'm begging to the heavens! Please, let the person I saw arrive here! I don't want to get eaten!" She panicked.
She soon saw a large magic circle above an outstretched part of the cliff. Her relief soon came.
"He's coming…" She said expectantly.
However, she didn't anticipate a large pillar to flash from the circle, blinding her. She was knocked loose from the cliff side. The monster also sensed the magical aura and moved away, fleeing. From the flash, Hajime, Yue and Cloud have stood up.
'We're here…' Hajime thought with wonder.
'We're finally outside.' Yue thought in joy.
'The surface at last…' Cloud thought in wonder.
The girl soon stood up, seeing the trio that appeared. She soon formed her hands to a heart shape, looking towards Cloud. She soon felt gleeful.
"You're finally here… Thank goodness." She spoke with hope.
The trio didn't notice the girl as they were now feeling a sense of accomplishment.
"We're finally at the surface!" Hajime spoke.
"Yes, we really are." Yue agreed.
"So this is how the sky looks here… It's…relieving." Cloud commented.
Yue and Hajime soon got themselves lost as they stared at each other. Cloud was left looking at the sky, lost in thought. Soon, a female's shouting got their attention. This interrupted Hajime's and Yue's brief romantic daydream, forcing them to look at the source of the disturbance. They saw the rabbit girl heading towards Cloud with a gleeful expression.
"I've been waiting for you for such a long time. You're finally here." She spoke.
"Who is that?" Hajime asked to Yue.
"A bunny girl?" Yue said in question.
However, they soon noticed Cloud was still distracted from looking to the sky. Before they attempted to warn him, the rabbit girl leaped to Cloud to embrace him. The swordsman briefly outstretched his right hand, catching the girl whom tossed herself at him. He soon spun in a full circle, stopping her momentum before settling her down.
"You two had company brought here?" Cloud asked to Hajime.
"No, I'm trying to figure out what she meant when she tried tackling you." Hajime responded.
"Seems like she was expecting us…" Cloud noted.
"More like, expecting you. She had interest in you, Cloud." Hajime corrected.
"She could be trouble, so let's leave her." Yue said.
Hajime soon began to leave with Yue. However, Cloud stood still, feeling as though a leash held him.
"Can you please let me go? My friends are leaving me." Cloud asked.
"Wait, please. I need your help!" The rabbit girl said.
"With what?" Cloud asked.
"When will we help a worthless rabbit?" Yue questioned.
"Please, I'm begging you. I need your help to saving my family." The rabbit girl begged.
Cloud soon felt his head ache, alerting Hajime and Yue. A hazy memory was starting to form in Cloud's head, but it was too fuzzy for him to get an accurate sight. He shook his head in response to handle the pain.
"Your family you said…" Cloid noted.
Yue soon grabbed the rabbit girl's ears, attempting to pull her away from Cloud.
"Stop clinging on to him." Yue commanded.
"No! I can't! If I let go, I won't be able to save my family without his help." The girl said.
"I don't know exactly what the details are as to why we should. If you want to give us a reason, why don't you start talking?" Cloud suggested.
"It doesn't obligate us to help a bunny girl though. Don't get your hopes up." Hajime said.
The rabbit girl fell flat to the ground in a comical way.
"I'm being shot down…" The girl spoke in a sad tone.
"Are you letting that guy abandon a beautiful girl whom is in distress?" The girl asked.
She soon began waving her eyelids to emphasize herself. Hajime merely sighed in response before making a sarcastic comment.
"Someone likes to think she's royalty." He spoke.
"Pretty embarrassing." Yue followed.
"I'll say… How long are you going to keep riding on my body?" Cloud questioned to the girl, peeling her off of him.
Before she could answer, the two headed Tyrannosaurus Rex monster appeared, stopping the group. It roared at them loudly. It scared the rabbit girl, but didn't deter Hajime, Yue, and Cloud.
"Did that monster just roar at us?" Hajime noted.
"It did." Yue confirmed.
"Leave this one to me." Cloud spoke, holding his sword.
"You're the boss, so take it out." Hajime said, moving out the way.
"Wait, stop! You'll only get killed by that monster! We have to run away!" The rabbit girl screamed in concern.
Cloud didn't listen as he walked up to the monster. He soon used Aerodynamics, dashing into the air before swinging his sword with a mighty arc.
"Gale Blade!" Cloud said.
The sword generated a sharp blade of wind that cleaved the two heads off of its neck, killing it instantly. Cloud landed on the ground without wasting a breath.
"He… He took out a Diheador with one swing… That's amazing." The rabbit girl commented in shock.
"How long are you going to keep waiting for us to hear you speak?" Cloud asked.
The rabbit girl soon leaped to Cloud once again, holding him close. This got the swordsman comically angry in response.
"How about properly talking without clinging on to me!?" Cloud spoke, giving a punch to the girl's head to get her off his body.
"Please… I need your help. My name is Shea Haulia. I'm the eldest daughter of the Haulia beast tribe. If you can save my family, we will be willing to help you." The girl named Shea begged.
"You're really persistent on your beliefs… It's almost surprising. Still, we don't have the time to waste since we have our own objectives to take care of." Cloud said.
"I can't leave you… The future of my family tribe depends on me bringing help to them." Shea said in tears.
Hajime was about to use his revolver, but holstered it. Cloud sighed as he hooked his sword on to his back.
"Fine then. Let's hear your story." Cloud reluctantly spoke.
The girl smiled as she soon wiped her face with Cloud's coat.
"Thank you for hearing me out." Shea spoke with a smile.
This caused Cloud to comically use Lightning Field to force her back.
"Hey! Don't use my coat as a rag to wipe your tears off!" Cloud comically spoke.
"Why did you have to do that, to a young lady no less? Doesn't your friend feel guilty on what you did?" Shea asked.
"My friend, Hajime has Yue, whom he cares for deeply. I hold nothing against them since I've been with them due to memory loss." Cloud said.
Yue smiled deeply, knowing Cloud trusted her and Hajime. The same boy smiled in approval from his response.
'Spoken like a true friend, Cloud.' Hajime thought.
Shea looked downhearted before noticing Cloud didn't had any female companions with him.
"Still, don't you feel lonely without a girl? I know that your friends are together with themselves, but maybe I want to be with you. Plus, I have certain parts that I might be good at." Shea said, looking at her own body.
The rabbit girl kept flaunting her appearance, much to the chagrin of Hajime and Cloud. They adopted a poker face in response.
"I'm sure I might have someway to help out." Shea said, flaunting her figure.
Cloud wisely kept quiet, not even showing his face to her. He wasn't even blushing.
"You don't have to be shy so don't feel bashful." Shea said.
Unfortunately, Cloud was anything but bashful. A lightning current soon surrounded him in response. Yue also had lightning surging around her body as well.
"I wish you would stop acting like that." Cloud warned.
"Uuuhhh… Okay, I think I did the wrong action. Please forgive me…?" Shea realized.
"Any last words before you annoy my friend further?" Yue asked.
"Noooo!!! I don't want to die just yet!!!" Shea spoke in fear, being blown by a tornado from Yue's magic.
After calming down Yue and Cloud, this allowed Hajime to talk to Shea. The rabbit girl gave details to the trio as they listened.
"It's not easy for me to say, but I was exiled, along with my family here. We had trouble with the monsters that plague around our homes." Shea said.
"So, what's the deal with you? Your tribe has trouble with monsters, but why were you exiled for that matter?" Hajime questioned.
"Beastmen aren't able to manipulate mana without magic circles. For reasons unknown, I'm able to do so. On top of that, I can use a special magic only monsters can use." Shea explained.
"What makes it special?" Cloud asked.
"It's called Foresight and I'm able to peak into the future. It depends on which subset of the skill I use since the future is not always set in stone." Shea answered.
"So that's how you knew we will be here…" Cloud realized.
"Yes, I knew if I came here, I would meet with you." Shea confirmed.
"But you didn't anticipate with my friends coming, didn't you?" Cloud questioned.
"I did, but my vision mainly saw you in a clear vision. You had two companions with you, but they were foggy so I couldn't see them clearly. You were in plain sight from my Foresight skill." Shea answered.
"I see…" Cloud commented.
"Please help my family… If you don't, the Haulian race will be gone." Shea begged.
"Though I wish we could agree, I won't. There isn't anything that will benefit us if we do help in the end." Cloud said.
"You read my mind, Cloud. Let's just go and find the nearby labyrinth." Hajime said, summoning the vehicles from the ring on his right hand.
"Wait, please! I saw you helping out my family in the future! You even helped with our monster problem!" Shea said.
"Did we?" Cloud asked, intrigued.
"I don't believe that future." Hajime commented.
"Wait, I also overheard you seeking out the labyrinth. There is such a location within the Haltina Sea of Trees. However, the forest is surrounded by a thick fog, and only the native beast men can navigate through it without getting lost." Shea said.
This paused the trio in response. Hajime and Cloid sighed in response.
"Alright then. We'll help your tribe, but we will be needing your help to guide our way through the forest." Hajime said.
"We could use a guide to reach to our destination." Yue agreed.
"Alright then." Cloud said.
Hajime soon summoned Steiff to ride their way through the canyon.
After leaving the maze canyon, a thick fog was shown surrounding a nearby forest. The group was seen riding on Hajime's motorcycle, with Cloud holding the bars. Yue held on to Hajime, while Hajime held on to Shea. Shea held Cloud close, pressing herself on his back.
"Oi… Quit pressing yourself on me. Are you trying to get us to fall off?" Cloud asked.
The rabbit girl soon moved back to provide some space as Cloud focused on driving through the fog ridden forest. Shea guided them through the fog without error.
"Keep heading this direction. Through there, we can get out of the forest and meet with my family." Shea spoke, pointing west.
Following Shea's directions, the group made it through the fog with little trouble.
Inside the thick forest, a group of rabbit people were hiding in the bushes. They were keenly aware of beings lurking nearby. Monsters were seen flying in the skies. They looked like wyverns, but were fiercely aggressive.
'I hope Shea was able to find help with our problem… We don't stand a chance against those monsters on our own…' Rabbitman #1 thought.
Soon, a young voice called out. It was a young rabbit girl, whom was holding various fruits.
"Look everyone! I brought some fruits. Don't they look yummy?" The young rabbit girl said, running to the rabbit folk.
"Wait! Don't come here!" Rabbitman #1 spoke.
"Wait! You'll get caught by them!" Rabbitgirl #1 exclaimed.
The girl didn't had a chance to react as she saw the gaping mouth of a monster ready to eat her.
"Aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!" She screamed with fear.
Before the jaws clamped shut on her, a loud noise got everyone's attention. The monster was soon obliterated from a single bullet. Its body and blood rained on the ground, alerting the other monsters. The young rabbit girl was soon hugged by an older version of herself. It was her mother, whom had the same hair color and style.
"Who saved my daughter?" Rabbitgirl #1 questioned.
Soon, Shea's voice echoed from a distance.
"Father! I'm home with some help!" She called out.
From the distance, Shea was waving her right hand to the Rabbitmen. Cloud was seen holding his Zack on his left hand, with smoke billowing from its barrel.
'So those are the family whom Shea mentioned.' Cloud thought.
A swarm of wyvern monsters soon diverted their attention to the approaching motorcycle. Cloud and Hajime had their guns ready to fire.
"Father! Everyone!" Shea called out, leaning further on to Cloud, causing him to stumble on the handlebars.
This irritated the swordsman due to Shea pushing herself on his back. Having enough, Cloud pushed her back to Hajime, whom held her ears. This got her to briefly groan from the discomfort.
"Since you want to interfere with our business, it's about time we put you to work." Hajime said.
"Work?" Shea questioned.
"A dummy target for the monsters to be distracted so we can kill them." Cloud answered.
The swordsman soon stood up on the body of the motorcycle, keeping it stable with his weight. Hajime moved to the handlebars to gain control of the bike.
"On your mark…" Cloud said.
"Hey, don't go pulling off a crazy stunt here." Hajime warned.
"You want to take care of the monsters?" Cloud asked rhetorically.
"Well then, have a nice flight, you worthless Rabbitgirl!" Hajime spoke with a sadistic smile.
Shea was thrown up to the air, screaming in fear. Cloud followed along behind her, using Aerodynamics to catch up to her. He began slicing any monsters whom got close to Shea, whom was still screaming. Hajime shot a few of them that were far off from Cloud's sword to reach.
"Pathetic dragon wannabes." Cloud commented darkly.
Two more attempted to intercept Cloud, only for the swordsman to perform a rolling somersault, slicing through them with ease. Blood and guts of the monsters rained on the ground, giving Cloud an intimidating image.
"Help me!!!" Shea screamed, falling close to the ground.
"Damn it. Quick Step!" Cloud shouted.
Using the Aerodynamics with Quick Step, he moved quickly to the ground, creating a crater. The swordsman had his right arm outstretched, gently catching Shea from her head. He moved his hand gently down to prevent whiplash, saving the rabbit girl's life.
"That was so scary… I can't take it. Please take good care of me… I'm a delicate flower." Shea whimpered.
"Save your whimpering. This world is not friendly so be strong to fight back." Cloud said, now holding Shea in a princess carry before settling her down.
Shea soon looked to Cloud, whom despite his cold exterior, had a warm heart. She had developed a connection to the swordsman.
Hajime, Cloud and Yue were soon talking to the Rabbitman tribe. Shea was able to introduce the trio to the tribe in question, evident of her jovial manner.
"Thank you for bringing Shea safely and rescuing a child." The Rabbitman leader spoke in gratitude.
"Don't thank us yet. We still got more monsters to deal with." Hajime noted.
"We're only owing a favor from Shea here. She guided us through the forest so we're here on our end." Cloud spoke.
"Still, you all came at the wrong time. Monsters have been plaguing this forest for quite a while. They usually stay away from the fog, but some of them have been stirred up beyond their usual hideouts. They've been getting bolder for weeks and we have struggled to survive." The Rabbitman leader explained.
Cloud looked to Shea in question before questioning her father.
"So, if I'm not mistaken, you're Shea's father, correct?" Cloud inquired.
"Yes. I'm Cam Haulia, leader of the Haulia Rabbitman tribe. There are others like us, but we were forced to live in exile from our homeland when Shea was born." The leader named Cam explained.
"Her ability to use mana without a magic circle…" Cloud realized.
"Yes… She was labeled an Atavist among the beast men. They wanted to execute her the moment she was born, but I'm not a heartless parent. I took her away with my wife from our former home to reside here in the Sea of Trees." Cam explained.
"What about your wife?" Cloud asked.
"She passed away from illness due to a monster attack. It's something that I haven't forgiven myself these past years." Cam replied somberly.
Cloud sympathized with the Rabbitman leader. Though he had lost his memory, the swordsman can tell Cam was genuinely caring for Shea. Said Rabbitgirl overheard the conversation, silently weeping of memories of her mother.
'Mother…' Shea thought in tears.
Hajime noticed Cloud placing his right hand on Cam's shoulder in sympathy. The Synergist was genuinely surprised of his actions.
'I'm not sure why, but it looks like some parts of Cloud's former persona prior to our arrival in Teyvat is slowly coming out. Still, I'm glad he hasn't lost much of himself yet.' Hajime noted mentally.
Shea noticed Cloud's actions, watching him provide sympathy to her father. She could see his caring side, making her admire the swordsman.
"I can see how far you're willing to protect your family. I don't have anything of mine since I lost my memories due to an accident." Cloud spoke.
"What accident?" Cam asked.
"It's not important now. Let's deal with the monster infestation first." Cloud reminded.
Hajime, Cloud and Yue were clearing off the monsters across the Haulia Sea of Trees. Though they were large, they stood no chance against the trio. Some were slaughtered with brutal tactics employed by Hajime and Cloud. Limbs, blood, organs, and guts were spilled across the forest. The sound of the monsters howling their last echoed in the forest. This scared the Haulia tribe in response, hearing the massacre happening.
"So, enjoying your dance with those monsters?" Cloud asked to Hajime.
"I could ask the same for you, Ex-Soldier." Hajime joked back.
"Ex-Soldier… Fitting title though." Cloud remarked.
Hajime briefly paused mid fight before taking out another dinosaur monster. He briefly had a comical expression as he noticed Cloud performing a series of slashes to a monster before stabbing his sword into a monster. The swordsman violently pulled it out, dragging it through its body. This caused a sizable fountain of blood to spill out.
'Sometimes I wonder if Cloud is from that video game franchise… He's acting more like that character with his name.' Hajime comically thought.
The Synergist noticed several monsters attempting to ambush him. Using his self-taught martial arts with guns, he began shooting Donner and Schlag with expert precision. Bullets flew and hit their targets, taking them down with ease.
"I got them here." Yue spoke.
The vampire girl began hurling magic attacks with little exhaustion. Most of the monsters were unable to withstand the attacks, easily being shredded apart. Some were unfortunate enough to provoke her, resulting a magical spear piercing their heads.
After some time, the monsters were either killed or fled with their lives after having their numbers reduced to single digits. The Sea of Trees held the stench of dead monsters due to the forest being heavily drenched in monster blood and body parts.
"Talk about a massacre." Hajime noted.
"That's just a simple flex on what we could do. Besides, we did eat monster meat back in the Orcus Labyrinth." Cloud reminded.
"Yeah, and it was quite the fun." Hajime admitted with a cold smile.
Soon, the Haulia Rabbitmen tribe came by. They all noticed the slaughter of the monsters, fearing they would be next.
"We are now ready to cash into our favor. According to Shea, there's another labyrinth within this region. We intend to go through it." Hajime reminded.
"Sadly, we can't go there ourselves. The entrance to the labyrinth is guarded by our former home town called Verbergen. They hold special defenses both from the forest and their archer groups to ward off any whom wander there. It's also dangerous to get lost due to the fog produced by the forest." Cam explained.
"That means you and your tribe are the ones whom can guide us across the forest." Cloud surmised.
"There's also the matter with my daughter. Since she can manipulate mana without a magic circle, they viewed any whom can do so as cursed individuals. Any whom can manipulate mana were immediately executed, along with any family members." Cam continued.
"So, you're trying to bargain a way through the forest while keeping your tribe protected. Never thought a counter suggestion would come into play." Hajime admitted.
"Either way, we need their help. We should use the larger vehicle. I'll follow via the motorcycle." Cloud said.
"Starting to develop sympathy, Cloud? That's not like you." Hajime admitted.
"Either way, we best follow the Haulia Tribe's direction. Shea herself seems to be quite the expert to navigate through this forest." Cloud reminded.
"Then take me with you!" Shea offered.
"Don't get too clingy on me this time. Just say where we need to go so we can move through the fog." Cloud commanded.
"Got it…" Shea somberly commented.
Hajime soon summoned his vehicles. Cloud got on to the motorcycle before Shea followed along, holding on to Cloud's back for support. With the Rabbitgirl guiding him, Hajime followed Cloud via his humvee.
"Listen Cloud. The way to Verbergen has a line of crystals called Verdren Crystals. They are used to ward off the fog and some monsters." Shea explained.
"Just lead to where the path is so we can follow them." Cloud reminded.
"The crystals look like a like glowing stone with the fog moving away from it. They have a sky blue color." Shea noted.
"Alright then. That should make it easy to spot them." Cloud commented.
The drive through the fog was somewhat slow, but thanks to Shea's guidance, they found the Verdren Crystals that outlined the way to the destination. The group soon found the gates to the hidden town. Verbergen was shown enshrouded by living trees, whose branches soon conformed into a thick fence. The trees were easily over thirty meters tall. There were a series of tree trunks with trip ropes, indicating they were a trap. Another series of branches soon formed, revealing a large array of archer defense weapons. One Rabbitman member accidentally tripped on a trap wire, causing the lid of the nearby trunk to flip. Numerous beastfolk came by, ready to fire their weapons. Immediately, Cloud and Hajime noticed they were ready to fire at them.
"Halt! State your purpose of coming to Verbergen!" Archer soldier #1 ordered.
Cloud and Hajime could see a variety of beastfolk among the population. Lizardmen, cat people, dog people, even wolves and deer folk. All sort of humanoid animals with their animal parts shown were among the population.
"We were owed a favor to come here to reach the labyrinth within the Great Trees." Hajime said.
The soldiers soon noticed the Haulia Tribe with Hajime, Cloud and Yue. They all laughed in response.
"You guys were not thoroughly told about the fog from this forest. Despite our use of the Verdren Crystals, the fog near the Grand Tree Uralt is so thick, it would not dissipate for the next ten days. Every tenth day of the month, the fog weakens." Archer soldier #2 explained with a laugh.
Immediately, Hajime and Cloud soon exhumed a heavy aura. The beastfolk all felt the intense pressure and collapsed to their feet. However, they only had a taste of what the Haulia Tribe truly felt. The intimidating aura was heavily focused on them, forcing them to cower in fright.
"Got any last excuse before we do our next act?" Cloud asked with a creepy voice.
"Would it help to say we forgot about that detail?" Cam replied with a nervous laugh.
Cloud soon equipped his sword, charging it with Lightning Field. He only had a simple shred of decency to warn them with only one word.
"Run…" He spoke calmly.
Cloud soon jumped into the air and performed a powerful slice.
"Blade Beam!" He shouted.
The sheer pressure of his swing created an energy blade that chased the Haulia tribe, forcing them to scatter. The attack didn't hurt the tribe, but they were now scared for their lives. Cloud gave chase, using his Hide Presence skill to terrify the Rabbitmen. He began launching several blades of wind with his Gale Claw skill. Branches of the forest fell, frightening them. The sight of the Haulia Tribe being chased in a ruthless manner made the archer soldiers question to pity the tribe.
"Shouldn't we spare them from what we're watching…?" Archer soldier #3 questioned.
"After seeing that? I wouldn't want to get in their way." Archer soldier #4 replied.
After some time, the Haulia Tribe were all scared from Cloud's brutal chase. None showed any wounds, but they were now terrified of his anger.
"Remind me to not anger you any further Cloud." Hajime spoke.
"I would say let me have my time blowing off some steam one day." Cloud remarked.
'Definitely how he would use his anger to overcharge his abilities like that same character…' Hajime comically thought.
The ruckus soon alerted a tiger beastman. He had a burly built with light brown eyes, and stripped fur with tiger ears. His clothing consisted of brown pants, a green shirt and sandals. Behind him, a squad of the same tiger beastmen came with him.
"Soldiers from Verbergen! What is the meaning of this ruckus and why have the Haulia Tribe returned here?" The leader of the tiger beastmen questioned.
"Forgive us, Captain Gil. A minor altercation with the humans and the Haulia Tribe occurred. It's nothing of concern. However, the group led here were wanting to go the Grand Tree Uralt." Archer soldier #1 replied, looking to Hajime, Cloud and Yue.
"They don't seem like it, but they're stronger than they look, especially that young lad with that giant sword." The leader named Gil spoke, looking to Cloud.
Soon, Gil turned to the Haulia Tribe in question. He had a disappointed expression on his face.
"And why is the traitorous tribe back here from the Sea of Trees? We can kill off their leader's daughter to be over with it." Gil informed.
Before anyone dared to approach the Haulia Tribe, two gunshots echoed. Gil was shown with two grazed marks that drew blood. He was startled to see Cloud and Hajime aiming their guns at him. Hajime held Donner while Cloud held Angeal.
"What was that?" Gil asked, completely startled.
"As of now, the Haulia Tribe are under our protection. Should any attempt to take their lives, we will not hesitate to unleash a carnage that will leave your nation drenched with your corpses and blood." Cloud warned.
"Should you attempt to get in our way, you have been warned. Don't provoke us lest you want to die." Hajime followed.
Gil lowered his hand to signal the soldiers not to fight them. He instinctively knew he and the other tribes would stood no chance against Hajime and Cloud. Even worse, Yue was channeling an extraordinary amount of mana, giving her a ghastly image which frightened the beastmen present. They all knew the trio would not hesitate to fight back.
"Very well then. However, be wary of the other tribesmen. They won't take kindly to see the Haulia Tribe again." Gil warned.
"Better to warn the beastmen not to provoke us. The damages I've done near the gates of this nation are proof." Cloud reminded, pointing to the damaged trees.
Gil nodded, knowing he was walking on thin ice. Reluctant, he led the group inside the nation.
The nation of Verbergen was clear for the group to see. The fog that obscured the nation was cleared off due to the abundance of the Verdren Crystals, allowing any within the nation to see it in perfect clarity. The very nation was interlocked with branches of the tall trees, making them into long walkways. They looked similar to highways across the nation itself. Vibrant plants were also shown growing on the ground as well as near the branches. Several doctors among the tribe were using the plants as herbal medicine. A series of wooden aqueducts were built to provide water from a river at a cliffside. Water was fed directly to the tree sides, where it not only provided for the houses, but also for the trees as well.
'So this nation uses nature as part of their everyday lives.' Hajime noted mentally.
'Why does this feel familiar…? It's making me think I've been to something like this before…' Cloud thought, looking around the place.
'This place is beautiful… I wonder if Hajime and I could find a place like this to live in.' Yue thought.
While Hajime and Cloud observed their surroundings, Shea kept her sights to Cloud while Yue was focused on Hajime. The boys soon noticed a lone Verdren Crystal and decided to pick it up. Hajime began analyzing it thanks to his Ore Appraisal skill.
"Oh? So this mineral has a special anti-fog property that allows it to dispel mists of any kind. Maybe I can work with this to make a new gadget." Hajime noted.
"Perhaps, it would be suitable in the event we find ourselves in foggy places." Cloud agreed.
While Gil lead Cloud and Hajime's group into the nation, a group of Bear beastmen appeared. They soon approached Gil.
"Gil, what is the meaning of this? Why are you leading humans inside Verbergen? And why are the Haulia Tribe here as well?" Bearman soldier #1 asked.
"I'm following our nation's ancient law to bring the humans with us. They have proof of conquering one of the labyrinths." Gil answered.
This caused the squad of Bearmen to immediately allow passage. However, they held a threatening glance to the Haulia Tribe. Cloud noticed this, emitting an intense killing aura to intimidate the squad. Hajime knew Cloud was serious and wisely kept quiet. Before he looked away, he gave them a few words by moving his lips.
'If you continue to threaten them, death will be swift for you and your friends.' Cloud mouthed to the Bearmen, scaring them.
This clearly caused the Bearmen to be intimidated, daring to not attack the Haulia Tribe. Even seeing Cloud's sword and the weapons Hajime wielded made them question if they'll even survive.
The group led by Gil were brought into a small palace. The design immediately alerted Cloud and Hajime of its significance.
'So this is where the leaders go to in order to discuss their problems.' Cloud thought.
'Better to lay low till we got the scope of things. Seeing that the other beastmen are willing to attack the Haulia Tribe without hesitation, I may have to assist Cloud if anything drastic happens.' Hajime thought.
Gil soon alerted an elderly elf, whom was managing documents. The elf in question had wrinkles on his face with long blonde hair that was combed back with bright blue eyes.
"Gil, this is quite the surprise." The elf spoke.
"Forgive me if my sudden intrusion, Ulfric. We have some guests here that are needed to be addressed. There are beings whom have conquered one of the labyrinths across Tortus." Gil spoke to the elf.
The elf named Ulfric was utterly surprised to hear from the Tigerman. However, upon noticing Oscar's ring with the familiar pattern on Hajime's right hand, he soon understood.
"Very well. Let's talk with them." Ulfric relented.
The elven elder soon made his presence known to Cloud, Hajime and Yue. Shea and the Haulia Tribe were worried of the elder's next words.
"Greetings, travelers. My name is Ulfric Heipyst. I'm one of the elders of the nation of Verbergen. Forgive me and the people whom have caused you trouble." Ulfric spoke, bowing respectfully.
"Be at ease, elder Ulfric. We were guided by the Haulia Tribe to seek out the labyrinth within the Sea of Trees. It was an unwilling arrangement for the Rabbitmen to lead us here after hearing what happened." Cloud spoke.
"Ah, yes. The Haulia Tribe… Though I would question as to why they decided being banished, they cared for their young ones deeply. I wish this law of executing any Atavist born from us beastmen didn't exist…" Ulfric spoke with disdain.
"Sounds like you care for every beastmen that live here. It does put into question as to how many others will endure such a fate. However, how many more lives are to be taken within this nation if a person can manipulate magic like a monster?" Hajime asked, showing his quiet anger.
Ulfric knew he was stepping on thin ice. He felt an ulcer develop in his stomach, forcing him to take medicine to alleviate it. Hajime and Cloud noticed this.
"So, you three are aiming to conquer the labyrinth within the Sea of Trees. It does lie within this nation, but the fog right now is too thick. Not even the Verspen Crystals can hope to dissipate the mists. It takes every 10 days for the fog to dissipate before the entrance becomes available." Ulfric spoke.
"That confirms what the guards told us back at the entrance. Looks like their details were solid after all." Hajime noted.
"Still, since you brought the exiled tribe, though I do not like this law, we must execute them for their treason." Ulfric spoke.
The Haulia Tribe panicked in response. Before anything foul happens to them, Cloud stood up, holding his sword in a battle ready stance. Ulfric soon realized the danger, ordering everyone to stop their actions.
"I was giving a benefit of a doubt that you wouldn't go this far to kill off the Haulia Tribe. They risked their lives to protect their daughter from your law, which I find unjust. The Haulia Tribe are under our protection since we're owing them a favor. Should anyone attempt to even lay a scratch on them, I can't guarantee your survival. Care to dare on challenging someone whom can bring death swiftly?" Cloud questioned, charging his sword with Lightning Field.
Ulfric noticed the mana being poured out of Cloud's body. He was shocked to see it creating a coating of lightning on his sword, making it hum with a threatening sound.
"Everyone, do not harm the Haulia Tribe under any circumstances! These beings have shown to be stronger and dangerous!" Ulfric warned immediately.
The surrounding beastmen heeded the elder elf's advice. One however was insisting for a fight. It was a Bearman, whom had an overly muscular appearance. he was wearing a dark brown gi with matching pants. He had grey-white fur on his head with dark gray bear ears shown.
"Who are these people, Ulfric? They're nothing but a bunch of weaklings, though that man with that large sword speaks otherwise." The Bearman noted, looking at Cloud.
"I'd take consideration, Jin. Both those young men and that girl have conquered one of the labyrinths. It's by our ancient laws to welcome any conqueror of the labyrinths." Ulfric reminded.
"I don't follow those ancient customs, elder Ulfric. Why should we follow this ancient law of letting supposed conquerors of a labyrinth come to our nation? I should have my time fighting them instead!" The Bearman named Jin spoke.
Cloud quietly channeled his anger, hanging his sword on the hook on his back. He didn't want to cause a commotion, but the Bearman in front of him looked ready for a fight.
"Hajime, let me handle this one. Save your resources for the labyrinths." Cloud spoke.
"Alright then. I'll take the next chance if any attempts to threaten us would occur." Hajime spoke.
Cloud soon moved to Jin, whom was ready to fight the swordsman. The Bearman knew he was fighting a serious opponent.
"So you're willing to fight me… Despite your heavy weapon, you're still a human being!" Jin shouted, thrusting a right punch to Cloud.
"Idiot…" Hajime commented.
Yue and Shea looked to Hajime, confused as to what he meant.
"That Bearman is all brawn and no brains… He's about to have a crippling defeat." Hajime forewarned.
Cloud, anticipating the attack used only his right index and middle fingers to stop the attack. He barely put an effort to hold the force of it. However, Jin felt his muscles strain from the reactive force.
"Is this it?" Cloud questioned coldly.
The Bearman could only watch with shock and fear as the swordsman merely moved the beastman's hand with his fingers.
"To correct your statement, I'm not human, nor is my friend with the white hair. For that insult…" Cloud paused.
The swordsman drove an elbow strike at the lower right arm. The sound of bone being shattered with muscle and flesh being torn echoed. The beastmen present felt squeamish as they heard the sound across the palace. Jin had to bite back a scream, despite how painful it was. Cloud soon followed by throwing a vigorous right punch on Jin's left arm. The blow was so strong, it sent him flying to a nearby wall. The sound of his left arm being broken was heard. Hajime had little sympathy for the beastman in question.
"Speak of the Devil." Hajime noted.
Cloud shook his right arm, making his right hand form a fist. He soon looked with a menacing glare to the now unconscious Jin, whose arms were twisted in macabre angles.
"You deserve a crippled life." Cloud finished.
Hajime managed to placate Cloud's quiet anger, but he too felt insulted from the Bearman's commentary.
"This should serve as a reminder if you wish to provoke us. Unlike my friend here, I can also hold out on my own as well. If you don't believe me, watch." Hajime spoke.
The Synergist soon punched a nearby wall with his remaining arm. The force of his punch pulverized the wall, scaring the beastmen further.
"Going that far for a demonstration?" Cloud asked.
"I could ask the same." Hajime retorted.
Hajime soon fixed the wall with his Synergist skills. The beastmen were now unwilling to incur the two boys' wrath.
"I see that we don't need to see any further reason to be enemies. Ugh… My ulcers got worse…" Ulfric spoke.
Cloud sighed in response. He looked to Hajime, whom understood the silent gesture. The Synergist soon summoned a ring with a first aid symbol and tossed it to the swordsman.
"Your ulcers won't get better due to the stress. I don't think the remedies provided in this nation will help either. I need your cup so I can provide the necessary medicine." Cloud ordered.
"What kind of medicine?" Ulfric asked.
"You'll see." Cloud responded.
The swordsman soon channeled mana to the ring, causing a small torrent of liquid to fill the cup. Ulfric was surprised to see the liquid, not realizing it was Ambrosia.
"It may look like water, but I can assure you that it is medicine." Cloud spoke, giving the ring back to Hajime.
Ulfric, against his judgment, soon drank the Ambrosia. He soon felt his body suddenly healing. The pain from his ulcers had faded, making him feel relieved.
"My ulcers… They're gone…" He spoke in wonder.
"That medicine is Ambrosia. We only have limited amounts so take better care of your health." Cloud informed.
"Ambrosia!? The fabled Elixer of Life? The legends were true about it." Ulfric spoke in shock.
"I suppose this can make things more manageable than being antagonistic. Since you mentioned of proof of conquering a labyrinth, Hajime, show him the ring." Cloud said.
Hajime showed the ring of Oscar Orcus, which held the Liberator's symbol. Ulfric knew the symbol and was now entirely convinced.
"We shall help with your travel to the Great Tree of Uralt. However, you will have to wait for at least 10 days till the fog gets lighter for easy travel. Even with the Verden Crystals to block the fog, it'll be difficult to navigate through." Ulfric reminded.
"That's fine. It gives time for me to give the Haulia Tribe a moment for training." Cloud said.
"Training?" Cam reluctantly asked.
"Survival training on how to become strong." Cloud spoke.
"I suppose I can help giving them a crash course. It's part of the deal to keep them safe, for they have proven to be less reliant. Not to mention they look pathetically defenseless." Hajime commented coldly.
The Haulia Tribe all felt the intimidating aura the boys were exuding. Shea wasn't spared from the aura, though she was not given the full brunt.