Chereads / REAPER'S BALLAD / Chapter 54 - Episode 52: CAVE OF KOBOLDS

Chapter 54 - Episode 52: CAVE OF KOBOLDS

What are Kobolds anyways?

Well, they are small creatures that somehow resembles goblins in looks.

Some are good, some are bad.

And some...are just neutral.

One distinctive characteristic of a Kobold though, is their vengeful personality.

They do not like being made fun of.

One incident says that a kid ended up being cooked by the kobold, because the kid made fun of him.

Kobolds are usually found in homes, mines, ships and pretty much any enclosed space that is somehow spacious.

Such as the 'Cave of the Dark Depths.'

It is the entrance to the first layer of hell.

In which some strong demons dwells.

Since the Aka Manto isn't THAT of a strong demon, comparing how many strong demons there are (although its still quite strong), the dark elf predicted that he lies somewhere there.

Now, before one would belittle the little kobolds, they are not weak. They are strong in number, and very very cunning. They are also great dark magic users, AND...they have to ability to turn invisible, although not all the time.

So...how will the trio defeat them?

...

After hiking the sacred mountains of Misaka, the group readies the offering they picked on the way.

It is said that not offering them a gift will make you unable to come out of the said mountain.

After a few discussion, Red volunteered to be the one to give the price of peace.

It's him who had lost someone anyways.

Red looks at the entrance, a tall man, with green skin and three eyes is guarding it.

He looks at Tara, then looks at Mishida, they both nodded in reassurance.

Red looked at the offering in his hand, animal bones and a cup of blood to please the guard.

He takes a long sigh before praying that Gabby is still unharmed.

...

RED: Greetings!

It only grumbled, then looked at the things in his hand.

Red felt nervous, what language do demons speak anyways? Does fairy language counts?

RED: *speaking in fairy language*

(I have come for peace...and for a friend...I...uh...I am not presenting you with...this

gift...

It looked confused. Before rolling its three eyes and deciding to take the presents anyways. He signals them to go.

The dark elf and Tara follows quietly.

...

The dark cave was nothing special.

It looks like any ordinary cave.

Except more spacious.

This cave is invisible to mortals, because it is hidden safe by the supernaturals, to avoid destroying their homes.

Red inspects the area, until hundred white eyes became visible to them.

Suddenly, squeeky voices could be heard murmuring to each other.

It was quite unsettling, even for high rankers like Tara and Red.

Tara this time, decided to negotiate.

She pulled out small berries from her bag and gave them an offering one by one.

But alas! They were so many that she ran out of offerings.

TARA: You said they will only be four hundred!

MISHIDA: Well, I visited this place years ago, they were just three hundred then. I never thought they'll be this many!

The kobolds grew mad that they came unprepared and decided to play their favorite game.

'tag'.

...

They began screaming and running to touch them. In their hands is an explosive tag, that will only activate once touched another entity other than the holder.

Even special spirits like them can be affected, and so they tried their best to outrun the little spawns of the devil.

Red uses his teleportation skill to evade the attacks, he had become much faster than before. And was thankful that red reapers has the special ability.

Tara however, is struggling although she was one of the most powerful, her speed isn't really that much to brag.

Killing the kobolds would also send a signal to other close entities nearby, and they will be perished.

It will also endanger Gabby more.

Mishida, though some considers weak, is actually pretty knowledgeable in using dark magic as well, so he is able to use them to his advantage and summon a protective barrier(exclusive only to him), to avoid the naughty kobolds. But he won't be able to hold them that long.

RED: Where's the damn passage to escape these devils!?

TARA: I...let me check...wait...argh, I can't escape these. Check on the left!

Red teleports to the left hole of the cave and discovered nothing there. He also searched on the right but it leads to nowhere too.

He thinks deeply, then thought that perhaps it's under them.

RED: Check if there are any holes on the ground!

TARA: If there's one, we should have fallen a long time ago!

"Bad. Bad. Bad. BADDDD."

The kobolds chimed. Followed by maniacal laughters.

Red yells back in frustration, only to anger them more. But he was growing impatient, that even if he knew the risk, he decided to hurt the little guys.

He was about to attack when Tara and Mishida stopped him.

TARA/MISHIDA: What are you doing?!

TARA: You're making a bad decision! If you do that, we may never see Gabby again!

Red's fiercesome eyes tamed after remembering Gabby, then he stops.

But over the time they were managed to get hit by explosives, he needs to act fast.

Tara remembered Red's words that there must be a way...an underground escape route!

She jumps to the cave's ceiling then grabbed the stalactite hanging. She did her best to destroy it and drop it to the ground.

The kobolds, seeing the possible danger rushed away to avoid certain death.

Red teleports to Mishida to protect him.

And in a one powerful pull, the stalactite came out. And she dropped them willingly to the ground.

It fell with a loud crash.

But it's not enough to make a big hole, although they could see it. Red was right. The underground, is where the first layer of hell is placed.

TARA: Guys! We need more holes!

RED: Copy that!

Red was about to be tapped by a kobold that managed to get near him, when Mishida summons his last of two barriers left.

RED: Oi, thank you.

MISHIDA: No problem. Now let's hurry and bring those stalactites down!

TARA: GUYS! Hurry! Look, those guys are fixing the hole!

MISHIDA: This is bad. Let's go then. Use all our strength to pull those things out.

Red teleports to the ceiling then with powerful jabs using his scythe, he managed to make a few fell off.

RED: Yes! It's working! Now just a few more!