Chapter 121 - You Guys Still Haven't Trust Me, Right?
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Sprinting. I went my way towards the hole back where we made our way inside the cave into. There were some monsters lurking on the way, so I kill them as I advance towards. Not long after, I finally reached the hole that's being blocked by a roof of stone.
As I approach the blocked aperture, the sound of the turbulent wind is starting to get stronger. It's the sound of the blizzard raging.
"This is bad. This is..." Clearly, the blizzard hasn't stop ever since we came here. We've been here for a while now. The ceaseless storm must have mean that...
"Khione, huh..." One of the Four Elementals, this one governs and protect the north, alongside with her father, Boreas. Both are a pain in the ass to deal with.
But supposedly, it's appearance should've coincide with the protagonist, Sora being present here. But back from the Capital, with how the things are happening with Sora, he shouldn't even be present here...
More than that, can I even trust the story? With all the things in shambles, the story getting back to its path would be less likely.
"How troubling..." I pondered, but just as I was thinking, the ground began shaking. I kept my guard up, but it seems like it was only a one-time thing.
Now what to do...? The plan is to leave this place tomorrow, but will I still have time to reach the City before Khione does?
"...Sai?" I jerked in surprise to someone calling me. Guard-up. I quickly turned around, to see the girl hiding behind the wall, face exposed, and is looking at me with her beautiful green eyes in wonder.
"Lemuen...?" I called, slightly dumbfounded. I was sure everyone was sleeping back then... "What are you doing here?"
"A-Ah, my bad. Do you want to be left alone...?" She replied in a small voice. "I was wondering when you left the igloo alone, so I came and followed you..."
"I see. Sorry if I ruined your sleep. I was just checking on something, so I came by to see things."
"Is that so? Fufu~! You really are hardworking, huh." I approach Lemuen as she said so. "You always take care of us. Now, I feel even more indebted."
"Nah, don't be." I declined as I shook my hand. "I just do this because I like it. You don't need to feel that way. Being indebted that is."
"I see. If you say so... Well, I guess we just got to do our things to help you at least." As I walk away, Lemuen followed beside me. "So, do you still have another thing to settle?"
"What, you want to follow me around? Aren't you going to sleep?" I paused and waited for Lemuen to answer, but she just went and looks at me, beaming. "...I was planning on mining."
"Eh, mining?"
"Yeah," I nodded. "We'll leave this place tomorrow, so I was planning to mine while I still have time. I mean, it's kind of a waste not to get anything we can get here..."
"You're planning on hoarding everything?!" Lemuen's voice was loud, so I gestured her a shush. It's night. We may attract a lot of monsters. "Ah, sorry. But still, you're a greedy one, aren't you?"
"It's called being efficient." I replied. "It's not like, anything bad will happen if I take it, right?"
Lemuen was left nonplus at my statement and didn't ask further. If possible, I want to take things of what I can possibly get. Would be a waste if I just went and do things one-by-one.
"So, you're going to come or not?" I asked. "I suggest you have a good sleep today, actually. Since tomorrow...will going to be chaotic."
"That's some pessimistic thoughts you got there. But still, I'll come! This is a great opportunity for us to get some closure." Lemuen went in front and blocked me, tilting her head while displaying a sarcastic smug. "You guys, haven't trust me, right?"
...
"Haha, you don't need to make that face. After all, my big sister just forced me to join you. No. She only requested for you to teach me magic." Lemuen paused, shortly, became downcast. "You know, I'm an impulsive woman. I joined this expedition with the plan of improving myself. That way, I can help my sister even if it's just a little."
...
"But you know, after going on adventure with you guys, I had the best time of my life. Everything is just full of excitement. No, not just that. Ever since coming with you guys, I had experienced all sorts of emotions. it feels surreal..."
I was centered on listening to her statement. Lemuen who was sharing all her experience to me with genuine interest, smile even, felt great that I can't help but smile.
"Is that so?" I replied.
"Of course. Which is why, when that time comes where you guys were able to trust me..." Sincerely, Lemuen gave me her biggest smile. "When that time comes, please let me officially join your party!"
What a confession. As the leader of the party, there's nothing for me to refuse, isn't it?
"Will do." I replied. "When that time comes, I hope you're still interested."
Our adventures were still far from over. Like literally, we're still hasn't gone half past the game. Who knows, but in the future, we may become more than our current group.
"I'll start going mining now." I informed. "Are you coming?"
"Of course," Lemuen nodded, a bit energetic than usual. "So, what are we going to mine?"
"Ah, the usual." I rummaged through my Pouch and took a gulp of Spelunker Potion. "It's the Mithril Ore. Do you remember?"
"Yep. It's the greenish-looking ore, right?" Lemuen described.
The Mithril Ore—one of the Ores classified on the 2nd stage of Chaos-Mode Ores. If you remember, this is the Ore that's been blessed by the Dryad after we defeated it. Confused?
On the game's lore, the past hero and the savior of this world, sealed the evil, along with its creation in this world. The evil that she sealed, is what you called the Chaos-Mode before it was sealed. Now that the seal has been released, evil will start appearing in this world as the consequences.
As for the Ores—it has something of a bit relating to the Four Elementals. Basically, before the Ores appear, it must first be unlocked by the Four Elementals by blessing this world within. Thanks to the MODs being an amalgamation in this world, there are many certain bosses that you need to defeat in order for them the bless the world with difference of Ores.
Well, it's at least of how I remembered. It's quite complicated, so you don't need to remember every little detail. They'll just appear in our future adventures so why bother thinking about the bosses we haven't met yet—
"Sai!" What the—?! I jolted out of my thoughts when I Lemuen called me. "Are you okay? Anyways, as I said before, I'll go fend the monsters while you're busy mining. You okay with that?"
"Ah, yeah." I nodded. "Sorry, I blanked-out."
"Seriously, don't let your guard down just because you're strong—one wrong step and you will find yourself in a predicament."
When I came to my senses, there was already a number of monsters towards us: A pair of
"Damn. Lemuen, you go with the two Frozen Elementals," Turquoise Scales started materializing to my hands as the ring in my finger glows. "I guess I'll try this one out..."
⟨⟨Greater Bloodlust⟩⟩
"—?!" Everyone in the radius stiffened as tension assaulted them. Seeing me a threat, the monsters turned their attention towards me. Alright, you guys were doing good.
"Ugh, how brutal..." Lemuen remarked.
The pair of Mahaha charged their way towards me. Once in, they tried and wallop me with their fist. It wasn't fast enough so I just step back as I kite them with a flurry of scales.
"Oh?" The scales were hurting them, but it doesn't seem like they're stopping on their feet. Don't these guys feel anything at all? "The Serpent's Scales were lacking knockback, huh..."
It can't be helped. I took another weapon I only ever used once—a trident masking in a form of axe. As the pair of Mahaha about to swipe me with a fist, I blocked it using the pole of the weapon.
I crouched and swiped their foot with a kick, dropping the pair on the floor.
⟨⟨Glistening Dark⟩⟩
In addition, I locked their maneuver by chaining them with darkness. Last, aiming my Serpent's Tide at the pair, I bombarded them with aquatic projectile that pierced through them as it multiply. Man, I'm really liking Akari's skill, huh. How fun.
I'm done. Now with Lemuen... Ah,
Looks like Lemuen's also done on her part. The place where the pair of Frozen Elemental is standing was now just a dust of ashes. Hm?
"Why didn't you use your new weapon?" I asked. It's that. The weapon that we got by defeating that giant spider.
"Well, they're made of ice, so I thought Ice-themed magic won't work for them..." Lemuen reasoned. Well, technically, she's kind of right, though.
"I see. Well then, I'll start mining then?" I informed. "You got my back."
"Yes! Leave it to me." Lemuen confidently replied. We still have a few hours before midnight. I got to start my part then.
Today's our last. Tomorrow will be the time we left this place. Got to go get ready, huh. I had a feeling, that tomorrow will be pretty chaotic...
Give me a break, damn it!