Chapter 12 - Mana and Blood
-
(11:00PM - 3 Days until Drake's Visit)
"Haap!"
"Gyarrr!"
With a strong slash, the approaching 『Undead』 was brutally cut in half—and the same could be said for the fate of the horde of 『Undead』 coming on her way.
Today, I decided to make Luna fend the monsters while I harvest the remaining 『Mana Flowers』 available. I already expected that Luna had the potential in combats, but her strength and ability sure surpassed my expectations.
She's annihilating those monsters with ease as if, this was all just a walk in a park.
"Haaap!"
Compared to yesterday, there are more monsters than usual. The reason for that is because its currently "Full Moon" right now that the monsters spawn rate have significantly increased.
Fortunately, it doesn't look like it fazed Luna that much. No, if I am to describe it, it looks like she was just toying with them.
Her white robe got stained too much blood that to my sight, she looks like the epitome of an Enigmatic Girl split in Cold and Beauty amidst the Full Moon. The name "Luna" truly lives up to her name perfectly.
And thus, I continued to harvest the 『Mana Flowers』 I see amidst this peculiar night.
* * *
Calling it the day, went to where the [Mana Pool] was located and converted the Fragments into Essence. We harvested a total of 21 『Mana Fragments』 which was thoroughly converted into 4『Mana Essence』.
I thought that it would be better to balance out the strength of the two of us, so I decided to use the 『Mana Essence』 this time. Luna was already stronger after all.
Just like the usual, I crushed the 4 『Mana Essence』 in my hand and its contents went inside me.
"I guess were good now." I stated. "Shall we go then?"
"Yes Master."
* * *
Next Day (11:30PM - 2 Days until Drake's Visit)
Just like yesterday, we went into the Forest to farm the 『Mana Fragments』. Our formation was the same as well, with Luna fending the monsters while I harvest the 『Mana Flowers』.
Luna is gradually starting to get used to fighting and is drastically improving both her skills and experience. She's already this strong without using any good weapons and equipments...
Just how strong would she be if she gets her "Exclusive Sets" in the future?
If you're wondering, in the game, every Main Characters in the game have their own exclusive items in the endgame. This items of them will give them an extreme item bonus exclusive only to them, making them so powerful when equipped.
Now that I've also realized, I wonder who the Main Character will be. Well, we're still in the early progress of the game so I'll think about it later.
"Master?"
While I was in deep ponder, Luna suddenly calls me. Did she already annihilate them?
"Yes?"
"Looks like I got a Monster Drop."
"Oh really? Let me see."
"Here Master." Luna handed me the item.
Oh? Looks like one of the 『Undead』 drop an item called 『Armband』 which when equipped increase your defense by 5. Hm, I guess I'll have Luna use it since she's the one fighting the monsters.
"Thank you Master," Luna starts to head back into the monsters. "Let's talk after were done."
"Yeah, be careful Luna." I stated and went back to harvest.
* * *
I can't help but sigh in disappointment that I only manage to harvest a total of 17 『Mana Fragments』 which I'm currently converting right now into the [Mana Pool].
I was obviously disappointed that Luna can't help but try her best to encourage me.
"I-it can't be helped Master, we're actually kind of pretty lucky that we managed to almost max ourselves in just a span of days," Luna remarked. "So please don't be discourage. Haha..."
W-well, she's kind of right though...
It's just as Luna said, were actually pretty lucky to even get this much in just a few days so It's just me being greedy. Truthfully in the game, you can mostly get a total of 5-6 of 『Mana Fragments』 in the game so you can say that we are too lucky.
I breath out a sigh before I spoke. "You're right... My bad, Luna."
"Mhm!" Luna vigorously nodded. "No problem, Master."
I took the 3 『Mana Essence』 in the Pool and gave it to Luna. She currently has 140 Mana so giving her the last 3 will fully maximize her Mana gauge.
"With this, your Mana has finally been Maxed." I stated. "Congrats Luna."
"Yes Master," Luna pumped her fist. "I'll become stronger than before. Ehehe~"
Luna displayed a very satisfied expression, and so was I. I can already picture our strength which emphasize our improvement. Midnight trip sure is very worth it.
* * *
(11:36PM Last Day until Drake's Visit)
Hello everyone, Sai Crimsonheart here. It my usual night with Luna—currently harvesting some 『Mana Flowers』 as I desperately need to maximize my Mana right now as tomorrow would be my brother "Drake Crimsonheart's" appearance.
"Sigh... What am I really doing..."
I can't help but breathe a sigh of exasperation while I work my way to harvest while Luna fends the monsters just the usual.
"Ugh! I'm bored," I childishly complained. "I want to experience something new..."
"Master! I-It's our last day so please work properly." Luna hesitantly retorted, pouting.
Aw... Even Luna even scolded me... Well, she's the one who's doing the hardest work so I can't really complain.
But yeah, it's good to see Luna is started to get comfortable to me that she even scolds me without thinking of our position. I like it.
Moreover, I'm almost done with the harvest, so I won't complain.
* * *
"Luna, were finally done here," I happily stated. "We got a total of 22 『Mana Fragments』 plus the 3 we got before. So, with this, I can max out my Mana with an extra 1 『Mana Essence』. Lucky us!"
We're finally done with this trip. We won't have to come again to this place every night. Sigh~ Really, I wish we could explore more of every place, but I still need to think about my family.
A plan to which they cannot bother me that is.
"Yes, shall we get into the pool immediately then? So, we can rest early and prepare tomorrow." Luna suggests—fighting some monsters.
"Yeah, let's go. Luna, let's race who can make it to the [Mana Pool] first." I childishly declared, then hastily sprinted towards the location of [Mana Pool].
Luna heartily laughed before she spoke. "Are you a child Master?"
Luna then hurriedly followed after me, playing at my childish game caused of my overexcitement of harvesting flowers for the last time.
* * *
"W-were, here Master."
"Huff, that's so unfair!" I paused for a moment, catching my breath. "How are you so fast?!"
Luna had just outplayed me on my own game. I already know that she had a higher status than mine, but it still felt kind of frustrated on the game you're supposed to be good at.
I approach the pool and throw the 25 『Mana Fragments』, turning it into 5 『Mana Essence』 in the process.
"With this..." I clench my fist, crush the 『Mana Essence』 at my palm and its content went inside me—permanently increasing my Mana to its maximum. There's a piece that's left over so I put it in my pouch just in case I'll need it in the future.
"Were finally done here." I remarked.
"Yes Master," Luna respond, with a moment of pause, she added. "To be honest, I very much enjoyed doing this every night with you, Master. I will miss this moment we had and treasure it in my memories forever..."
With a smile full of memories, Luna truthfully confesses her feeling of our moments in this span of week. I get what she means though, although it was king of boring doing the same things repetitively, our bond together made it very worth it.
But Luna, looks like you're misunderstanding something.
"Haha, you're exaggerating." I heartily said. "I will confidently assure you, there are more adventures coming for us in the future. This is still just the beginning of our story, don't end it suddenly."
I shot Luna a confident smile and a thumbs-up for reassurance.
"Fufu~" Luna voiced a cute laugh. "I expected great things for you, Master."
"Yeah, but first we—"
To our emotional conversation, I was forced to stop my words—too stunned to speak when I saw the beautiful scenery of the [Mana Pool] that illuminate a calming dim light of blue suddenly turned blood red.
The pool— No! everything on my sight had turned bloody red. Trees, grass, surroundings especially the Moon. Damn...! Is this what I think it is?!
"Shit!" I uttered a slur in serious anxiousness.
"M-master," Luna expression was split into fear and bewilderment. "What is happening?!"
"Luna, run as fast as you can," I calmy said, then starts sprinting. "Were still not ready for this."
Shit! It's a 『Blood Moon』 now of all times...!
『Blood Moon』 is a random occurring event which create a very annoying hazard that will continue for the whole night. In this event, the spawn rates of the monsters will drastically increase while also making them several times stronger than normal.
We must get home immediately as were currently not ready for this.
"Come on, Luna!"
We sprinted as fast as we can to immediately return through the Mansion. While sprinting, we begin to see over a hundred horde of 『Undead』 coming towards us.
Both of us started to display a terrified expression seeing the sight of those walking nightmares were currently running at.
After a moment, it didn't take long for us to see the sight of the Mansion. To my surprise, the place was surrounded by Maids fending the 『Undead』. They're using a coordinated tactics to attack the 『Undead』 one by one. By the looks of it, looks like this isn't they're first time.
In any case, it will be bad if someone saw us this very late outside.
"Luna, were sneaking at the back!" I declared.
There's a part near the Forest that's overhang by a boulder near the boundary wall that we can use to jump and pass inside. Luna and my stats were strong enough to jump high, so we'll use it to pass inside the Mansion.
"Luna, let's go." I jumped through the boulder while Luna follows through—successfully went passing the boundary wall. Thank God Luna believed in me. Now we just need to sneak inside—
"Hey Sai," a voice of someone I don't really want to hear started to call me. "What are you doing here?"
Speak of the devil, now of all times...!
I slowly look at the guy who just called me just as we were about to sneak in. Luna went silent when she heard the voice of the guy in front of us.
A red-haired guy a bit similar to mine wearing black formal attire as if it's his casual clothes. He had his both hands on his waist while he looks at us wearing an annoying smirk on his face.
Why is Andrew here? Did he find out?
"Hm... I wonder why You and Luna were outside the wall?" Andrew sarcastically asked, smirking.
"I'm something of a naughty guy, you see? I went outside to get some fresh air." I replied, smiling.
"I wonder about that?" Drake said in a mocking tone, then shifted his attention to Luna. "Hey Luna, is that true?"
Tch! This guy...! This is bad, I—
"Yes," Luna answered with a blank expression. "Master had asked me to come and have someone with him."
To my surprise, Luna straightly answered Andrew in a way I didn't expect. Nice save Luna!
"Hmph!" Andrew breath out an irrigated sigh. "Is that so?"
"We'll be going inside now if you don't mind." I stated, then showed a mocking grin. "There's currently a Blood Moon right now so please be extra careful Big Brother."
"Tch! I'll make you regret having that face." Andrew furiously left, extremely irritated.
The two of us then went inside at the back of the Mansion and quickly rushed into my room at the second floor. I locked the door, and peak through the window to see the situation outside.
"Good, looks like it's going smoothly." I mused.
Thanks to the great coordination of the Maids, the fending of the Mobs was going smoothly. They look so experienced it's kind of cool. It's also my first time seeing something like this during a Blood Moon.
I mostly play the Explorer Mode of the game so I'm often alone during my travels—so seeing such performance was a new experience.
To be honest, I'm a bit of a compassionate person so I kind of wanted to help them but we have more problems tomorrow so our rest is a must to prepare early.
When I shot a look at Luna, she was already asleep. Well, she's been fighting monsters continuously. Moreover, we fully exhausted ourselves running back at full speed through the Mansion. Not to mention the pressure she's been feeling at her first experience during a Blood Moon outside.
"Alright," I gently covered her with blanket and whisper to her ear. "Goodnight Luna..."
I was expecting Luna to asked me to help her fellow Maids and find a way to help them to fend the monsters but surprisingly, she just slept... Maybe she trusts them with their skills?
Well, I guess I got to trust Luna with this. I went to the opposite side of my bed and lay myself to sleep. Since I'm tired, it didn't take me long until my consciousness starts to gradually fades away.
————————————————————————————————————————————
(Andrew Crimsonheart POV)
"That bastard...!"
I furiously murmured to myself—extremely pissed off at that bastard Sai whom I saw at the back of the Mansion.
Before, Sai was a pure loser who do something super pathetic and embarrassing things, that's why we always make fun of him with my Big Bro.
But recently, it suddenly felt like he became a different person.
I noticed that Luna was always with him and often saw the both of them together doing something. The first time I saw them was when they're resting at the canopy. I was supposed to make fun of him because he was playing with a lowly Maid like her but got turntable back to me.
The fact that I didn't manage to answer back makes me feel the one that lost the conversation.
Moreover, I don't remember Luna being that good looking. The Luna that I know was an extremely frail malnourished girl who had a dead eye similar to a fish that looks like she had already accepted her fate of living a permanent hellish life.
"Ugh! I'm so pissed-off!!" I furiously shouted and throw a chair near me to one of the Maids who were fending the monsters.
The chair that was thrown at them made their position collapse—ending some of them to get attacked by the Undead.
"Hmph!" I sigh in exasperation, coldly staring at them. "What a useless bunch of things."
Ah! Now that I've remembered, brother will come and visit here tomorrow, didn't he? I see... Then, I'll just tell everything to my brother and let him handle that bastard Sai.
Ah! Sai sure is very close to that Maid Luna, right? Hm~ I guess I'll also ask my brother to help me do something about that Maid then.
"GAHAHAHA" I can't help but laugh hysterically. I wonder what face that loser Sai will make... Kekeke! I'm sorry, or not! even though you're my brother... I'm really such a bad guy.
"I can't wait for tomorrow... Hehehehe...!" Andrew hysterically mumbled, showing a wicked expression.