Following where the sound was coming from, they ran as fast as they could. And as they get closer, they felt danger, or rather, a strong amount of mana to where their destination is at.
Immediately, they were able to arrive at the location and see a small army of green humanoid creatures that have large clubs as their weapons. In the race of the weakest monsters - they're hobgoblins. With their many differences with normal goblins, which consists of their taller heights, larger bodies, and sharp-piercing fangs - they appeared on the endless foggy horizon.
And the target of these monsters is a group of a small adventurer party, assembling of youth and small fries that probably still lacking skills and knowledge to be in this certain floor. They crawled on the ground, looking at their enemies, calling for desperate help while waiting for their deaths, their face twisted and their eyes tearing rivers on the dry floor.
[ He-Help... Someone... somebody... ] cries the person who seems to be the leader; boasting a set of armor with much higher quality than the other members. And on his wake, is a single orc ready to smash his head with its large club.
Seeing this, Zero and Will immediately jumped into action. Being fast enough to timely block the attack of the enemy - Zero was able to save the teen from certain death. And following him was Will, who plunges her weapon into the hobgoblin's throat, killing it and turning it to ash.
Looking at the sight of the two of them, they began to shiver, smiles appeared on their faces, but again turned to rather twisted expressions as they saw the incoming army of monsters that are coming towards them.
[ Ru-run! Save yourselves! ] the leaders shout as he stood up and immediately ran away, together with his members, knocking off one of his member that was also on the ground beside him in the process, leaving the words -
[ I-I don't care what happens! Ba-bait those monsters together with those two! We can't let ourselves die like this! ]
[ Ahh... ] Zero could only gasp in surprise to what he just witnessed.
( We've saved some rather stupid people... ) he looks at their group in disappointment, then turns to the member that was knocked on the ground, and surprised to see her ragged appearance. With short-cut orange hair and a petite and small body, she's rather weak-looking. But nevertheless, the large bag beside her indicates that she's a supporter, probably only hired by the runaways, hence why they were able to dispose of her that easily.
Luckily, she was still conscious, and she's looking at the two of them with eyes wetting her ragged, dirty clothes. Zero expected that she would run away, but she did not, she only continues to watch.
[ Zear, try to protect her, okay? ] ordering his pet, it happily follows through and went down on the ground towards the girl. And the girl looking at it with confused eyes as it puts its winged back on her, trying to keep danger out of her.
[ He-Hey! Isn't that amazing, Zero? So you can order it to do stuff for you, huh? But... How will it able to protect that girl...? ]
[ Don't worry, Zear might be small but he's still a dragon, hobgoblins would be an easy enemy for him. ]
[ Really...? ] she stares at Zear, and it also stares back at her with a proud grunt of smoke leaving its nostrils.
[ Let's deal with this fast, Will. ]
[ A-ah... right...! ] still staring with curiosity on Zear, Zero took her attention, and to his call, she immediately readied her weapon.
[ You attack from the front and I'll do the rest. ]
[ Un! ] she nodded and immediately swifts through the hoard of monsters. To whereas Zero casts his spell - [FireBullets].
Balls of small flames invoked in front him which quickly dashes forward to the enemies, exploding on a single touch of their skin, blowing them to ashes as it did - greatly decreasing the number of their enemies down. Awhile Will does what she's best at; shredding and impaling the hobgoblins she encounters with a single motion of her quick rapier.
All of their performance reflecting on the surface of the eyes of the girl laying on the ground. And as if she's witnessing something unbelievable, she awes in their prowess.
Mowing down the large army of the enemy as she had never seen before until it started to rain mana crystals from each killed monster onto the ground.
The sight of the opposite but blending color of Zero's jet-black hair and Will's long silver hair was instantly permanently carved into her mind. And she watches them until it became silent.
[ I'll clean up the rest, Zero. ]
[ Okay. ] they again conversed in a short manner, knowing the intent of each other without further questions. And, as Zero finishes his role, he tends to the girl and spoke -
[ Do you have any injuries? ] he knelt down to match her sight, with the creature, Zear, now on his shoulder, they're both looking at her in equal heights. And as she was lost for words, she stutters.
[ Uh... I-I'm fine...! Ple-please, don't worry about me! ] she denies with a great shout, but Zero only stares at her with inconsistent eyes and forcefully take her arms to look for an injury. And as he had guessed, she has one. On the backside of her left arm is a bruised part, which had occurred when she was forced to the ground by the party who had hired her.
Casting his new gained [Heal] spell, he tries to cure it, and she was able to immediately experienced its effect. As if time itself had moved back, her bruise instantly went back on its former form.
[ Wow... ] she murmurs, looking at her now cured arm. Then, she turns to Zero with sparkling eyes. He had saved her life and had even healed her.
[ Tha-Thank you very much... ] she couldn't be more thankful.
[ Good. ] nodding, Zero stood up, still locking eyes with her.
[ It will take time for the monsters on the lower floor to recover, there are still a few of them, but those guys will clear the path for you. It's safe to follow them. ]
'Leave' - is what he's trying to say. Just like that, their meeting was over, as his stare slowly gaps away from her, she felt as if the light of hope itself was straying away from her. But - she wants to repay him, to repay them, together with Will. That was why...
[ I... Can I please go with you? ] she tried her best to say her selfish request, closing her eyes and gripping her chest tight.
[ I-I'll do anything! I'll work for you for free! Ple-Please! Take me with you! ] she desperately asked as if her life was dependent on his answer - with her eyes wet and body, shivering.
[ Take you with us...? ]
The question made him pause for a moment. Then a thought appeared on his head, and with a hand caressing his chin, he sighs and uses 'appraise' on her.
( Appraise: Result )
Race: Halfling
Level: 2
[ Haah... ] he sighs for the second time as he looks at her stats, now feeling obligated to take her with them.
With her level, she would just not survive the lower floors, even if they have already obliterated most of the monsters there. Even a single kobold might be able to kill her with one or two attacks from its claws.
[ Oi, Zero, fight's already over, what's going on? ] on his back, Will calls, and turning around to look at her, he saw a disappearing creepy smile on her face. Thinking she was probably laughing maniacally again as she massacred the remaining enemies.
[ We're going to take this kid with us. ]
[ Eh...? Aren't we supposed to do this alone? We're partners, meaning there's only supposed to be two of us: Zero and Will Victoria. ] still, with her tomboyish way of speech, she one-sidedly claims. And Zero only stares at her with a blank expression of denial.
[ Haah... Fine. Let's take her with us. ]