[ Please! Just be quiet, Hiro...! As I said earlier, there's no chance she would let herself be touch by someone like you... I don't know what you're getting at, but that attitude of yours won't get you anywhere. You're just being annoying. ]
[ Tsk...! It's already been months since we got here, and I still haven't got laid! Tell me, what am I supposed to do! Dreaming and hoping about it is the only thing that is keeping me going right now! ]
[ Haah... Anyway... Let's just keep going... If we continued raising our voices like that, we could've attracted some unwanted monsters... ]
[ Yeah... I know; I will keep my cool too. ]
Ending with a sigh, the conversation of the two silhouettes under the mysterious darkness has come into its conclusion.
Hours had already past since the two of them had decided to subdue the dark place, but their eyes that are blocked by the darkness haven't found anything yet - not a stone worth selling or a monster worth defeating, all was nothing and everything was black and silent. And without a sound being produced, the darkness became even more desolate than it already was, showing nothing but small hallucinations of the walls, the ceiling, and the ground - to at the very least give any trespassers a little clue to follow, this time, for the two of these unseen faces whose persistent was unmatched.
But soon, just to their seemingly non-existent luck, their effort was soon to be given its reward.
As they continue to pursue their destination, dim lights have started to glow to show them their path with a clear vision. Coming from stones protruding from the earth and the thick walls, the bluish, mysterious lights revealed the faces of its pursuers, and they too, revealed themselves to them.
[ Whoa-ho...! This much! We're going to be rich! ] with a clear look on his face, Hiro had revealed himself with a huge grin, the current emotion swelling inside him, obvious in the glint of his eyes. And just like himself, his companion also showed a smile on his face which almost reaches the base of his ears.
[ Damn! We're lucky we're the ones to be assigned with this task! I was a bit hesitant at first, but this...! This was all worth the worries! ] and just like what he said, the worries that were invisible earlier because of the darkness was still now nowhere to be found as they already have been replaced with smiles of greed and contentment.
[ Yeah! We're going to get all the women in town! My dream of owning a harem...! It will finally come true! ]
[ Of course...! And with these... I will finally be able to buy the most expensive weapons! Fame will finally find its way for me! I will finally become a hero! ]
[ [ Hahahaha~!!! ] ]
Catching shoulders and without any signs of restraint, the two of them have blurted out their desires, laughing maniacally as they let the echoes of their voices travel throughout the entirety of the large cave, only stopping as they have realized what they should do now after they have reached their goals.
[ Say, how about we collect all of these now? ]
[ Obviously! We aren't stupid enough to let these babies slide on our hands! ] with a nod, Hiro agreed to his companion and started to put the glowing stones inside his own bag, picking them up from the ground and walls. Then with a quiet moment of curiousity, he wanted to analyze one of these glowing stones. Kneeling as he does, he focuses his senses to feel the weight and texture of the stone.
( Hmm... It's not much as I thought it would be... ) he ponders as he compares it with the other stones he was able to find in this world. Many of the stones he has collected throughout his short time as an adventurer would be much harder and heavier than steel, but this particular stone won't even compare to the weight of an ordinary brick. What's more, its texture is also delicate, like glass, it felt like it would break if he ever tries to drop it on the ground. Somehow, it felt to him that it should be classified as a crystal rather than a normal stone.
Observing the stone, Hiro's action was suddenly affected by his hobby and curiosity. Grabbing a small tool in his pocket, he took a piece of the stone and put it inside a very small bottle hanging on his waist, becoming a small decoration for his adventuring attire.
He doesn't really know why, but collecting stones and unknown materials from this world had become a hobby for him. Since the very first day he became an adventurer, he had started doing it, unless he stops becoming an adventurer, he's sure this hobby will continue to live.
[ Hmm... I guess this should do it... ] satisfied, he stood up to converse again with his companion.
[ This should be enough, Ced. ]
[ Good, I've also collected mine. ] with a nod, Ced showed his own bag full of stones to him, proud to what he had accomplished. It was as if he just finished robbing a bank full of gold bars, the smirk on his face was just full of both joy and cunningness.
[ With these... Those days of hard work will finally be over! ]
[ I know! ] agreeing, Hiro reminiscent of the first day he and his now companion, Ced, have met.
[ It sure was tough for both Otakus like us, huh? ]
[ Yeah... It sure was... ] after showing genuine smiles, silence came over. It took a while before Ced has decided to continue the flow of their conversation to remove the awkwardness... or at least it's What Hiro thought he had wanted.
[ Anyway, enough with that! Hiro, I've found something interesting! ] with eyes full of excitement, Ced signals him to come over, and without hesitation, Hiro follows through. He usually doesn't see Ced showing any emotions in his eyes, but right now, he was full of it that he too became excited to see what he wants to show him.
And just as he expected, what Ced had showed him did not disappoint.
A deep fall. like the mouth of a huge entity, the never-ending fall covered with spikes of bluish lights reflecting on his eyes was enchanting.
[ This is... amazing... I thought we've already traveled deep underground, but this is on another level... I can't even see its end. ] he just can't help but utter.
[ Amazing, isn't it? ] with a quiet voice void of any emotion, void as it always sounded, he senses Ced from behind. He doesn't' know why, but the excitement he felt from him earlier had suddenly vanished in a flash, it's as if he didn't have any of those emotions in the first place.
[ Hey, what do you say we gather more of them? ]
( ... )
[ I think we've had enough... We don't have anything to carry them with anymore, so it's best to just come back later. ] sensing malice, Hiro chooses to say the right words.
[ Hmm...? Is that so? ]
Why was he so quiet? Despite him being so excited earlier, the tone of his voice suddenly changes that into something unsettling. He doesn't really have any reason to become uneasy towards Ced, so he feels guilty that he does right now... but just as he spoke again...
[ Say, Hiro, you said that this view was amazing, right? ]
[ Yes... I did say that... ] replying, he finally decides to turn around. But...
[ Tell me, wouldn't it be great if it's the last thing you would see? ]
( ... ) hearing his words, Hiro's eyes jolt full of surprise.
[ What do you mean by that, Ced - ]