The dungeon may have appeared different but just as in Beleth's, Sakura was overwhelmed by a pillar of light that grabbed hold and drew her forward with a force she couldn't resist. The handling was just the same as before, but there was now smothering heat pushing down with her as time passed.
"You alright?" Sinbad asked, holding out his hand for her, only to be rejected when she stood on her own to take in the dungeon.
It was like a cave of enchantment, with water flowing from the walls and pooling on the floor like the crystal liquid of an aqua gem. Decorated with rainbow-colored shells and coral, vibrantly pasted on the walls and sitting in the water like plants wanting to bloom with beauty. Despite its icy location, the air was tepid. And then there was the butterfly' splashed with a combination of colors she had never seen before. They were creatures that didn't normally belong in a space like this, and yet seemed to be thriving.
"Sinbad, are you seeing this?" Sakura followed one of the fluttering creatures through an entrance way further down.
"It's different from Baal's dungeon, there was a hoard of dragon's attacking an army of soldiers," He smiled for a moment but his eyes remained firm, "Don't let your guard down though, this is still a dungeon, and stay close,"
Sakura frowned, walking past Sinbad and down to a passageway leading to a door on the other side. "I'm aware of what this place is capable of and I don't need protecting,"
"I'm just-whoa!" Sinbad stepped onto the platform but began sliding along the floor towards a whole centered on the path. He was trying to get a grip of the floor but there was no friction.
"Careful!" Sakura had quickly caught up to him and grabbed Sinbad before he fell off the edge. As a ninja, she had outstanding mobility and balance, as well as using chakra on the floor the same way she would use it to stand horizontal on a tree.
"What were you saying?" Sakura smirked, glancing over the edge of the drop as they circled it. Had either of them fallen it they would've been met with piles of ice waiting to impale.
"SOMEBODY HELP"
The scream that echoed through the cave, made them sprint to the source realizing who the voice belonged to. On the other side, there was a clump covered by a blanket of wings, and it was screaming in pain.
"Hinahoho!" She reached out, but Sinbad held his arm out in front of her, drawing his sword as he told her to stand back. The eight-pointed star illuminating against the metal, sparks growing and then striking at the clump that was Hinahoho and the carnivorous butterflies. The sound of lightning was like birds screeching. And the hefty smell of burnt flesh filled the air.
Sakura inspected Hinahoho's injuries, his body wasn't too badly injured from the lightning attack but there was smoke coming off of him. "That was a bit over the top,"
"He was being eaten alive, I had to act quickly," Sinbad argued.
She placed a hand over the Imuchakk's chest, chakra flowing through and healing the external injuries. Sinbad's stare was like a light jab in the side of her head she couldn't ignore.
"What is it?"
"That healing ability is just amazing," Sakura turned away from his bright smile. Despite being hit with a glimmer of pride for the compliment.
"He's waking up,"
"Hinahoho!"
Hinahoho's breathing became more frequent as he woke, his eyes opening with an alert, clashing with emerald and gold.
"Sinbad….Sakura? Why are you here?"
Sinbad's expression turned stern, "Hinahoho, didn't I tell you that a dungeon is a dangerous place? Once you get in the only way to get out is to conquer it. The reason we're here is to make sure you get out of this alive,"
"I'm sorry, I dragged you into my problems," The Imuchakk looked downcast.
Sinbad waved his hand, "Don't worry about it. I told you I'm just doing what my heart tells me,"
"And it's not like assigning blame is going to get us out of here quicker. So let's just focus on finding the djinn," Sakura said.
Although the dungeons were different in aesthetics, the sensation of danger was a shared factor. And man-eating butterflies wasn't all they had to look out for. Right now the problem was finding the pathway through to the treasury. There was no fork in the road they had taken from where they entered and the space was blocked by a waterfall in the room.
"Nothing but water….." Sakura trailed.
Sinbad was leaning over the edge, "It seems that there's a junction. The water in the lake is flowing. I suspect the lake is connected to another. The problem is we don't know how far the path goes,"
"I was almost burned alive in the last dungeon I was in. So I'm pretty sure drowning is a possibility in another," Sakura didn't have any problems with taking the water route. She was confident she would be able to survive that ordeal, but she didn't know about her current travel companions.
They couldn't determine whether or not the underground waterway was going to lead them out.
Hinahoho picked up the two teens under one arm like sacks, taking them by surprise. "Don't worry, Imuchakk lives by the water. I'll be able to carry you both to the other side,"
Gaining a helping hand from the Imuchakk wasn't as much of an issue as to how closely Sakura was tucked towards the violet-haired boy who was giving a rather irksome girn.
"We'll be counting on you Hinahoho,"
"Don't try anything," Sakura hissed at Sinbad, grasping his shoulders.
The ice and crystals were not just for show they soon realized when they plunged into the water and felt that the temperature was almost numbing making it harder to focus on holding your breath. The crystals were at least acting as a light source to navigate through the cavern.
Hinahoho wasn't visibly bothered by the conditions underwater and remained focused on getting to the other side of the underpass before Sakura and Sinbad's lungs started crying for air. With his speed, there were no delays in swimming. Until his two passengers slipped from underneath his arms too suddenly to have kicked free themselves.
He looked down to the sight of a polyp attached to the bottom of the lake with protrusions coming out like tentacles from its center where an open mouth gaped wide enough to swallow the three in one go. Sinbad struggled against the anemone's tentacles restraining him. Sakura's legs were also being pulled, but she had mustered her strength to break them away before she was wrapped up completely. However, there were still more surrounding her and she had to keep cautious.
'Sinbad!' She swam towards him. For any human fighting underwater was nothing but a disadvantage, if it wasn't the weight of your clothes holding you down, it was the burning sensation in your chest from lack of oxygen. She wasn't going to be deterred and those facts didn't matter to Hinahoho.
The Imuchakk kicked at the water several times, it looked as if he had been skipping across solid ground. While human, the Imuchakk could be considered a different species. Their skin was close to a whale, reducing friction in the water and creating bubbles with their body hair. They could also stay underwater for an hour, breathing with their lungs as their muscles, containing more protein than an average human was able to store more oxygen.
Hinahoho threw his spear down, cutting a tentacle out of his path to Sinbad and Sakura. The pinkette had reached Sinbad and was preparing to pull him free when the tentacles started swinging in her direction. Acting as a distraction. She drew a knife from her pouch, quickly slicing through the tentacles. Only to be blocked by them once again when they regrew as quickly as she removed them.
'Dammit!'
The tentacle that Hinahoho had sliced off from the anemone had also grown back. Fast enough to get revenge on the blue-haired man as he watched Sinbad be plunged into the creature's mouth.
Sakura boldly swimming after Sinbad and entering the creature willingly. A gaping abyss swallowed them as Hinahoho watched. His fury overcame his fear. He drew back his spear, prepared to kill.
..
It was musty and had a stench like dried seaweed on the inside of the creature's stomach but it was dry, offering a pocket of air for Sakura and Sinbad to gain their bearings. However slippery it was.
"Sinbad, you alright?"
Sinbad drew his sword, a triumphant smile on his face. "Now that I'm out of the water I can activate Baal. Sakura, stay close."
Following his instructions, Sakura watched as Sinbad did something she was yet to achieve with her djinn, the ability to activate the metal vessel. Lightening filled her sights, Sinbad's attack pierced through the creature, just as Hinahoho charged as well. The combination managed to destroy the dungeon creature that it wasn't able to regenerate itself from the damage.
And before any more surprises could appear, they took off.
..
..
..
..
..
Hinahoho, Sakura, and Sinbad were able to get to the other end of the lake without further delay and for longer than anyone wanted to admit, there were no more dungeon creatures blocking their path nor were any traps triggered. It was almost eerie how easily they were able to slip through after the battle from the entrance.
With this short reprieve, Sakura was able to contemplate the results of that fight they had. The power that Sinbad wielded with his djinn still left her in wonder. That might have been something that could rival the lightning-style jutsu from her world.
'If that's the case, what could I do with Beleth's power?'
Sakura was grateful for her abilities, with her strength and healing, because it had taken effort and now she was at a point where she could at least defend herself and help her comrades. And yet from time to time, Sakura would wonder if there wasn't something more that she could do? Something more than she could obtain. It seemed like a distant and passable thought to be blamed on the human condition of greed. Yet the thought remained and it was stronger than ever.
'How do I call on that power?' She was brought from her train of thought with Sinbad poked her cheek with a wrapped parcel.
"Sakura aren't you going to eat?"
Startled for a moment, she took the package without comment, "Thanks,"
"I'm glad you came so prepared Hinahoho. We were in a hurry so we didn't pack much."
When Hinahoho and Sakura appeared too consumed in thought to strike up a conversation, Sinbad sought to do it for them. "Hinahoho, do you dislike Imuchakk?" He didn't respond but had turned for attention. "I think it's a fine country. It's abundant in food and water and everyone lives merrily. That's something I don't see in my country,"
"Is it that different?"
"Yeah, everything is different, including the king!"
Hinahoho tilted his head, "King?"
"Your pops."
"No, my father is the patriarch, not the king….or national chief. Imuchakk is a federation, composed of five clans that approve each other's governmental autonomy. Each clan has its law, we formed a federation to avoid conflict. A national chief coordinates all five clans,"
Sakura chided in, "So your country isn't governed by one person,"
"What about your Sakura?" Sinbad asked. "Where are you from?"
That earned a moment of hesitance. Sakura wasn't keen on sharing any information that would hint she wasn't from this world. Yet it didn't seem that outrageous to give a bit. He certainly shared a lot with her even though they just met. While Sinbad's behavior didn't appeal to Sakura, his presence wasn't something she disliked.
"Well in my village there is one person who leads and protects the people and oversees government affairs with some assistance from advisors. Though the title is not something passed down through bloodlines, you required the villagers to acknowledge you as someone worthy of protecting and guiding them. They must consider you to be the strongest."
Sakura decided to keep away from mentioning the leader of her country and the warring periods and tense relations with other villagers due to their military power created through the existence of shinobi. She wanted to get out of this dungeon as soon as possible.
"So your homeland also functions based on strength. It was only recently that conflicts ended for us; as Imuchakk's used to be pirates, for people like that to settle on a limited piece of land conflicts between clans were severe. And thus only the strong can survive. The title warrior has been kept until today and has been applied to maintain peace. So even now in this time of peace Imuchakk remains a nation of warriors. The only way to prove one's worth is to have strength. That's why I want to become strong in this dungeon,"
It was like swallowing a vile of bitter nostalgia; hearing Hinahoho speak about strength and proving one's worth. Her world wasn't exactly kind to those who chose the path of a shinobi only to prove they weren't strong enough to survive its conditions. Sakura had to repeat the same mistakes many times before she was able to find her resolve and strength, after losing Sasuke to the pursuit of power and revenge and Naruto to the pursuit of Sasuke while she stayed behind. That must have been how Hinahoho was feeling. Like he was behind, only watching from the background.
That feeling still wretched her gut even today. It made her crave strength.
"But what is strength?" Sinbad asked, cutting through the bitter thoughts filling his companion's minds. "When hunting you need more strength than your prey, the head of a family must have the strength to protect his family. The use of strength differs from person to person. What's important isn't just to intensify it, but how to and for what reason you use strength. Hinahoho, you saved us in that battle. I think you're already strong enough. Try to use your strength for what you want, if you do that you can't go wrong,"
It was an instant of being overwhelmed. That's the only way Sakura could describe it, looking back at Sinbad, as he stood confidently speaking his words of encouragement to the Imuchakk. There was an odd sensation of familiarity as if a veil was covering her eyes from the image in front of her, and twisting it into something that was the same and wasn't. But it quickly washed before she could understand what she saw and she was brought back to the present. Her head jerked in alert.
"Someone's coming."
In a place like the dungeon, where dangers could easily appear from thin air, dropping your guard could become your last action and it was good reason to act fast. Hinahoho, Sakura, and Sinbad climbed up onto a ledge overlooking the lake and the clearing where they had stopped to rest.
"We should be able to see anyone coming from here," Whispered Sakura.
"Why would anyone besides us come into this dungeon?" asked Hinahoho.
"I don't know, it's bizarre," said Sinbad.
Sakura pulled stiff, leaping up to look away from the lake and upwards, "They're here,"
Five figures stood together on top of the higher ground. Three were quickly placed as the assassins that had invaded Imuchakk and attacked Sinbad. Ja'far, Vittel, and Mahad. Another young man, Dragul, presenting as a soldier dressed in gold armor looked at Sinbad, with cold familiarity in his amber eyes, similar to that of snakes did not hold the same predatory gleam.
The only female in that party made the hairs on Sakura's neck stand. The magician of the group Falan, wore a modest robe, with most of her face hidden behind a veil, and yet when Sakura locked gazes she felt as if she was like looking into the eyes of a fresh corpse. An unpleasant sense that could count as instinct jolted through her.
Dragul smirked, "It's been a while, Sinbad,"
Playing coy, Sinbad asked, "Who are you? I'd never forget a women's face, but a man's….."
The young soldier lost his calm expression, becoming visibly irritated like a child taunted, "You bastard."
"Serious as always I see. I knew we would meet again Drakon." Sinbad addressed the young general with a nickname he had come up with after their introduction in Baal's dungeon. In which Sinbad stated his real full name was simply 'too freakin long' to announce every time.
"So you two know each other." Sakura voiced waiting for Sinbad to explain. Dragul looked like he wanted to hiss a retort for the nickname Sinbad had given to him after claiming his real name was just too long to remember.
"Well he's kind of the general of Parthevia, my home country and we sorta had a falling out in Baal's dungeon."
"Oh, now I remember." Sinbad had mentioned competing against someone for Baal's power. They had to prove their strength to the djinn by brawling. "You really do just cause a lot of trouble, don't you?"
"Hey, I didn't ask you to come with me to the dungeon!"
"I was going to do that anyway, it's the assassins I wasn't expecting!" Sakura jabbed Sinbad's shoulder.
Dragul cut off their bickering, "Sinbad, this time you won't get your way."
Hinahoho and Sinbad's first thought was the make a run for it, Sinbad grabbed Sakura and Hinahoho and pulled them towards the water to dive. For a moment it seemed that retreating had been the right choice, only to discover the reason they weren't being pursued. The water's temperature felt a sudden drop and cracking beneath the surface made the three realize that it was beginning to freeze over.
There was no choice but to return to the surface, where their foes were waiting patiently.
"Too bad. I was hoping to make ice sculptures out of you three." Falan spoke with a voice as cold as her magic.
Hinahoho, Sinbad, and Sakura got into defensive positions as the assassins charged, making it three on three. Hinahoho was able to block the attack of a giant blade falling on him from Vittel, while Sakura and Sinbad were left to handle Ja'far and Mahad.
They fought vigorously, but with his djinn metal vessel, Sinbad was able to fend off the attacks from Ja'far. Cautious against the assassin chief, while Hinahoho, despite holding greater strength than his opponent, was hesitant against the bloodlust that seeped from Vittel. The man's arms stretched like elastic, an unbreakable fabric that threatened to coil around the Imuchakk like a snake and bring him to his demise.
Mahad was no less bloodthirsty in his actions, the beast of a man bared his fists at Sakura. She jumped into the air, avoiding the impact, watching the ground break beneath her and shake up the foundation, giving a fair indication of her opponent's strength.
She was, however, undeterred by this display. "Not bad."
Sakura glanced towards her companions, "Sinbad, Hinahoho, let's end this quickly alright?"
Sinbad smirked, raising his sword, "That's what I had in mind. Baal-
The word that had gathered lightning had fallen from Sinbad's grasp, as his body was impaled with small shots of sparks that went through without showing off external damage as the matter only grazed him. It was enough for Sinbad to drop his metal vessel and convulse from the pain.
Dragul had been watching the fight from a safe distance with Falan, but the young Parthevian general had lost patience and some faith in the assassins hired by the higher-ups. He held up an item, with a barrel shape, similar to a door handle for grip.
"I won't let you use that power, Sinbad." Dragul held up the magic tool pridefully, "How do you like the taste of lightning?"
With his metal vessel out of his hands and off the hilt, Ja'far used his wires to wrap around the sword and pull it right into Dragul's hands. "Let's hold onto this. The power of the dungeon must be presented to his majesty."
It was clear that everyone believed the tide of the battle had changed now that Sinbad no longer had his sword and was left barehanded. Hinahoho and Sakura were determined to keep Sinbad out of harm's way though. Fending off the attacks while shielding him. Hinahoho held his sphere with a strong grip and shattered their offense, but Ja'far was crafty in his movements and agile enough to avoid him.
When they were pushed back, Sakura gave in a plan. "Sinbad, Hinahoho, get ready. Once we've got your metal vessel, we'll escape."
"How are we going to do that?" Hinahoho asked perturbed.
Sakura smiled, pressing down on her knuckles until they cracked. "We're going to take care of this, in one swoop!"
With her chakra molded into her fist, She brought it down quickly on the ground. The mere force shaking the whole area, as it crumbled and cracked like glass. Debris filled the air and in the moment of awe and rapture to concentration, the three made their move.
"Where are they?!" Dragul was unable to see the figure moving behind him, but he was too late to react, as Sinbad tackled him, taking his sword back and dashing without picking a fight.
"What ridiculous strength for a human," Falan muttered, holding her sleeve to her veiled face.
They heard the sound of ice breaking, as Sinbad, Sakura, and Hinahoho dived back into the cold water, escaping. Fortunately, the dungeon's dangers worked in their favor this time, as monsters began appearing from the crevices of the cave, disturbed by the rowdy visitors.
"Pwah!" Sinbad coughed, as he gulped down the air like it was wine. Hinahoho pulling him and Sakura up to the shore after they spent enough minutes underwater for Sinbad to feel like his lungs were about to collapse within.
"We need to find the dungeon's treasury," Sakura said, already up on her feet and looking for their next route to take. There was only one path this time, leading towards a tunnel so she started taking it with cautious steps.
"Sakura, hold up!" Sinbad called back. "What was that before? How did you break the ground up like that?"
"I told you I can take care of myself."
"Based on that attack, your strength is greater than mine," Hinahoho said, fairly impressed and jealous. How did such a small body harness so much power that it overwhelmed its opponents in an instant? "How could you pull something like that off?"
"I eat right." Was her snarky comeback, shaking off the remaining water from her hair. "I just want to focus on getting through this dungeon and to the treasure hold before those other guys if you don't mind."
Although there were plenty of protests, Sinbad and Hinahoho kept that to themselves. They were determined to get a hold of the djinn's power and didn't want to deter from that goal not even to sate their curiosity on the anomaly that Sakura Haruno was proving herself to be.
Sinbad knew they were getting closer to the heart of the dungeon as they reached what he called the 'branch roads'. Inside a dome shape area, paths and stairways leading into closed doors, like ancient ruins perfectly preserved and a giant stone tablet with writing that matched what Sakura saw in Beleth's dungeon and Sinbad saw in Baals. Unfortunately, neither of them could read whatever clues the tablet had to offer.
"If we can't read what's written on the tablet should we just go through that door? It's the only one open." Hinahoho pointed to the closest path, and further inspection did prove to be right. Sinbad was openly skeptical, however.
"Somehow that doesn't feel like it's the right way."
"It certainly seems more obvious." Sakura held her chin. "But if it proves to be a miss, we can just head back.
Hinahoho took the lead, as they stepped through the dungeon's doorway. Sakura cautioned about traps that might have been set, however, the deeper they went, the less likely it felt that this was the correct path.
'I'm lucky I can even speak the same language as the people in this world, never mind being able to understand foreign writing.'
The harsh fluttering against her ears was like razors grinding against metal plates. Sakura couldn't make out any words but she understood the message and Sinbad appeared to have gotten it before her.
"We should go back!"
..
One of the other doors that had been closed, was currently wide open, a door just in front of the stone tablet. A clear indication of two things, the tablet was the key to opening the door and Dragul and his assassins had gotten ahead of them. In a race against time, rushing through the crystal and coral-filled halls, they ran.
Once the hallway ended, the tunnel lead them out into a magnificent city, devoid of souls and at the heart, the most captivating structure that towered the tallest and decorated the most beautiful, with gold and silver, the stone that made it look like new, a fortress of power.
"This has to be it!" Sinbad exclaimed.
"They're probably already inside."
Sakura was proven correct when they entered through the dungeon's threshold into the treasury, a glamour of jewels, flashing silver and gold stacked high around the dome-shaped room, clusters of crystals giving off light. And the most captivating, was the dungeons keeper, the djinn that stood at the center, a tall vestige of blue with a mystical tinge, it moved with intelligence, and had knowing eyes, all six of them, its body resembling a domestic feline. That was the djinn Valefor.
"We finally caught up to you Drakon."
Glancing around to take in their enemies, Sakura noticed that the magician Falan was no longer with them. Perhaps she was met with an accident?
"It seems everyone is finally here," Valefor said pleasantly before moving up to tower over everyone who stood in line before him. "The one to pass the trial among the seven of you will be the king."
The djinn's metal vessel was still such a foreign concept to Sakura that even now she wasn't capable of calling on Beleth's power as Sinbad could. She didn't doubt her power, already aware that humans in this world didn't possess the ability to use their chakra, but she wasn't against gaining the use of Beleth.
What if she was just incompatible because she was a different species of human from the rest? This had been a hypothesis of hers, but she couldn't confirm it. If it was true, however, then the djinn's power was just going to be wasted. And that's not what she needed. It was the shard.
'I need the shard.'
'Just ask the old feline if he has one. He should be aware if a shard emerged within him."
"I would like to ask you something," Sakura said, raising her hand until she was certain all of Valefor's attention was on her only. She gestured to her palm. "By chance, have you found anything unusual lately?"
Valefor held out his palm, and a light resonating with the mirror around Sakura's neck began to shine. "Ah, so that's what it was, some magical item."
"I would like that." She tried to be as polite as possible, but desperation didn't allow her to put in the 'if you wouldn't mind' or 'could you please.'. Not that the djinn seemed to mind.
"After the trial, you can ask for it. No point in receiving anything in a place you may be trapped in for the rest of your days."
Hinahoho frowned. "What does that mean?"
Valefor smiled and squeezed his hand so tight, the purple liquid began to ooze from it like blood and then started to take a solid shape. "This will be your task," Valefor explained as the ooze took the form of a small cat-like creature similar to the djinn present "My double Minifor!"
'It looks like a kitten.' Sakura couldn't help admire the being as cute. It looked tired from birth, swaying side to side.
"Everyone must try to catch Minifor; that is your final trial. The first one to catch him will be the one to attain the king's power."
"WHAT?" The synchronized cry echoed across the room.
Valefor held up an hourglass created from his magic. "But if no one catches him within the time limit, no one will leave the dungeon. Violence is prohibited, and you two aren't allowed to use Baal or Beleth's power to complete this task."
"Catch a cat," Sakura muttered. "How nostalgic."
It was like the D-rank missions she took as a gennin, where they had to find villagers lost pets. An easy mission, if you used the right tactics and something that taught you a bit about hunting. Depending on the viewpoint you decided to take.
Ignoring her comment Valefor turned the hourglass "Now let's begin."
Ja'far was first to attack literally as he threw his wires to snare the cat, hardly a care for the blades jutting first out at the cat. Minifor dodged it easily giving them all a reminder that this was no ordinary cat.
"Hey, I said no violence!" raved Valefor, particularly at Ja'far. "If Minifor didn't have my magoi infused it'd be dead by now!"
"Magoi infused?" Sinbad quipped.
"Yes. This child is created with my magoi, I especially enhanced the strength of its legs. Underestimate my Minifor and this trial will fail. You know what that means, no one will be able to leave this dungeon."
It didn't take long for everyone else to join in and everything went to chaos, as friends and foes alike stood against one another. The prospect of the omnipotent king's power had lit a fire of ambition under them. Push and shove, it was more a race against each other than time. Dragul, Hinahoho, Ja'far, Vittel, Mahad. They were all chasing after the creature, but despite their various reaches and talents, the dungeon creature was proving to be better at playing keep away.
Sakura wanted to observe the creature's movements first to see if she could detect anything in its pattern. Her enhanced speed gave her confidence, but something seemed off with Minifor. It was specially designed to stay out of their reach, but close enough to give them hope. Then she was curious about why Sinbad hadn't joined in the chase as well. It's not as if they'd agreed to sit out.
"Sinbad, what are you thinking about?"
He looked at her with a straight face. "Does this really seem that straightforward to you?"
She had a similar inkling since this was a test, and she had been taught to see beyond what was right in front of her. However, for that, she had to realize for herself what was currently on the surface to determine what could lay beyond.
"Alright," Sakura knelt forward, "Let's see just how fast this guy is."
With a flash-step, she had moved out of Sinbad's sight and instantly appeared in front of Minifor, like by magic. The little cat seemed startled by her appearance, but made a fast recovery, fast enough to move to the other side of the room. And Sakura pursued.
She chased it at a speed that no one else in the dungeon could hope to reach. Barely a blur would be caught before moving again.
'It's actually adjusted to my speed.' Sakura was pumping chakra through her legs to move, but Minifor had magoi infused in its own, giving not only strength but speed matching the pink-haired girls. It was as agile and more nimble than the kunoichi, and stamina-wise, it didn't seem to have a limit.
"W-What is this?" Dragul trembled in disbelief, watching the girl run around after Minifor. "How can there be anyone with that kind of speed?"
Hinahoho bit his lip. "She's stronger than an Imuchakk, and this fast, with healing….."
'Sakura, what are you?' It was a question he just couldn't voice out loud. Although Hinahoho had known her for a short time, he considered Sakura a friend as he did Sinbad. However he had seen Sinbad as an obstacle that he needed to overcome, he hadn't noticed that the girl standing next to him was just as extraordinary.
Sinbad gave a short whistle, smirking. "That's some girl."
Even with her speed though, Sakura still wasn't able to catch the little creature and Minifor wasn't going to just let her chase it around the dungeon treasury either. Ducking into a small hole to hide in a crate, although it didn't bear much when Sakura smashed through it. Minifor kept hopping around.
After observation, Sakura decided to stop chasing, 'If this guy can adjust to my speed, there's no way the others will be able to catch him like this.'
And they had realized this as well, after watching Sakura chase around Minifor. They would not be able to capture it through normal methods, and if they tried to tire it out, they would likely outrun their short deadline which was closing in with every grain that fell through the hours-glass.
Sinbad decided to intervene "Time to stop playing tag everyone. We only have one choice to survive. We need to work together."
"Shut up" Ja'far hissed "Only one will become king!"
"Like hell, we'll work together." Dragul seethed. He was not willing to give up the djinn's power a second time. Especially not when he had stakes higher than anything he ever experienced before.
"Is that what Valefor wants us to think?" asked Sinbad seriously "We just saw it's impossible to capture it alone but if we work together we can defiantly do it."
"What do you suppose we do then?" Dragul asked.
"Surround Minifor and then come at him at once." Sinbad explained "So whoever catches it wins fair and square you can't hate that person for it because everyone had a fair chance. Someone will signal when to pounce."
Dragul frowned "Who will give the signal? Whoever it is will have the advantage and I still don't trust this despite how simple it may be. And that girl," Pointing at Sakura, "Is fast enough to outmatch everyone even from an unfair distance never mind even!"
Sakura shrugged, "Maybe then just be my barriers so I can grab it?"
"Like hell, we will!" Ja'far cursed.
"Then she'll just have to stay out of this." At Sinbad's casual clip, Sakura glared back in defiance.
"Why should I do that?"
"Because you and I already have metal vessels, which you can't even use." He pointed out. Even so, the kunoichi was apprehensive about the offer. So what if she couldn't use her djinn's power? Valefor had given all of them the right to go for his power, and she needed to get that shard.
"That doesn't matter. I need something from that djinn, regardless of its power."
"If you're talking about what happened with my metal vessel, then that's proof you don't need to possess the djinn's power to get it right?" Sinbad remembered the way his sword reacted to the mirror frame.
Biting her lip, Sakura huffed. "Yes."
"Good, then you can just get what you need after someone wins the challenge. I'm going to stand over there and give you all the signal" Sinbad said pointing to her and then to the top of a shelf that held many treasures. "And Sakura will stay a safe distance. We won't join the circle."
Sinbad had a calm smile but there was something about it that was almost charming to the eye; it made you feel as if he was the most trustworthy person you would ever meet.
"It's also more important that we leave here alive."
The stage set, as Hinahoho, Dragul, Ja'far, Vittel, and Mahad came from different directions, slowly creeping up on Minifor to put it in the center. Sinbad had climbed to the top of a shelf to overlook everyone, and Sakura was as promised, safely away from having a chance to grab the dungeon creature before her peers.
Half a minute passed, like seconds before Sinbad gave the signal for them to attack. "NOW!"
Simultaneously, they closed in on the target. Minifor didn't realize what was happening for a second as his escape routes were blocked from all sides and no one realized the triumphant smirk that had graced Sinbad's lips as they jumped forward. Minifor was out of sight again, but they only had to raise their eyes to see where it went.
Sakura gasped, "It jumped!"
With flawless timing and terrible tact, Sinbad had also jumped with his arms stretched out towards Minifor, coming up from behind so it wouldn't see him. His fingers sank into the plush purple coat as he landed on the other shelf.
"Gotcha!"
The celebration had been reserved for himself, as everyone looked on at Sinbad with malice, eyes burning hot with anger. Like watching a thief stroll away with your greatest treasure, while all you can do is helplessly stand still like a statue, powerless.
"Sinbad..." Dragul trailed furiously.
"You tricked us!" Vittel exclaimed.
"Again…." Even Hinahoho seethed, gripping his spear like it was Sinbad's neck. "You stole from me again."
"I was right I should've killed you!" Ja'far exclaimed.
Sinbad continued to smile, putting Minifor down. "Is that right? If I hadn't done this, none of us would leave this dungeon."
"That might be, but I'm not blatantly thanking you for deceiving us!" Sakura joined the crowd, glaring up at Sinbad. She was more embarrassed than furious for not seeing through this deception of Sinbad's. Her pride had taken a hit and her temper would not let her stay silent.
Sinbad winked at her. "How about gratitude getting you out of the dungeon?"
"NO" Everyone screamed.
Valefor himself seemed skeptical about the situation because everyone was ready to forgo his 'no violence' rule and shed blood. "Now, now, everyone I understand your anger but like I said no violence. Killing him breaks that rule and you won't ever be able to leave-
"SO BE IT"
Hinahoho was trembling, his face scrunched tight as if someone had throat sand in his face or rather Sinbad throwing his trust. "We decided to take this trial…but he used our resolution as a stepping-stone and robbed this chance from us! There's no way to calm our anger before we wipe the floor with him!"
Sakura stepped back, she was angry for Sinbad's actions and betrayal but her resolution for the djinn's power wasn't as strong as the other's.
"It's not about who's right and who's wrong." Sinbad argued, "I admit to using you all to get Minifor, but I act this way because I believe it's something that has to be done. Therefore I will not apologize. Because the one who yearns for this power more than anyone is me!"
The statement was outrageous but was built like a stone building, unwilling to bed against the storm. Sinbad looked pointedly at the rest of them "If you have this power what do you intend to do with it?" Create an army? Become strong? Capture countries? With this power, I would create a country to change this world!"
The words were like daggers, each hitting the heart of their target. All anyone could do was stand and listen to Sinbad, watching his face grow strong with determination, washing over their wounds of betrayal, calming the sting.
"After leaving Parthevia, I've been thinking, even though I've left them treasure, I still ran from my homeland without protecting those I should have protected. I am weak. I can't save a country like that. The power of one person isn't enough to change anything."
The tone was like a stone, firm and cold, yet unshakable.
"I know what I'm aiming for after coming here and what's important. Regardless of good or bad what's important is for every person and country in this world to acknowledge one another. The difference in values and cultures brings about conflicts and that brings misery to people. How things are in this world right now is distorted. There is no way for man to walk shoulder to shoulder, therefore someone has to change it! I will create it, a new country to connect the world."
"World?" Dragul spoke, his lips trembled as if he was ready to vomit in disbelief "The things you speak of are nothing but a dream! That's Sophistry. Why do you think countries exist? Independent countries are formed because the race and ideology of different people are irreconcilable with one another. As long as we live in this world we are bound to our country."
"He's right," Sakura admitted, albeit eerily calm. "Everyone, every individual, culture, country, will have a set of beliefs and ways of life that are as deep as blood, and will likely go against acknowledging others."
The kunoichi admitted she had been swept into Sinbad's optimism and his fierceness in his speech. For a moment, she was reminded of Naruto. His ambitions and resolution that was so solid it changed the eyes and hearts of even his enemies. But this person wasn't Naruto, and what he aimed for, really sounded like an insane dream a child would have on a summer night.
Sinbad continued "That is why I will do it. The first dungeon that was conquered and the boy who first conquered it will create a world that changes all countries. I will make it a reality, defiantly."
Like being swept up in a giant wave that you could not swim out of. That was the sensation Sinbad left on the people he looked down at right now. The fluttering was like wind chimes, that even Sakura had slipped in her resolve. It was a warmth, that felt familiar to a point that it hurt. She wasn't sure whether to step forward to leave right now.
"So you guys come with me and create a country! So with friends...people that are good with words, people that are good with business, people good at getting information, and people who want to travel and go on an adventure with me."
There was conflict within everyone at this point. Although Sinbad was being brutally boisterous and outlandish, not to mention greedy for wanting to obtain not only the dungeon and its power but even everyone who had been fighting for it.
'It's like this guy has no end to his greed.' Sakura thought shaking her head; there was nothing else for her. She was not part of this world and he could not make her feel like she belonged to it.
Sinbad returned to their level without a tinge of fear of those he had just blatantly deceived, lied to, and then attempted to coerce into his allies within less than an hour.
Ja'far started laughing, his burst breaking the ice that had formed after Sinbad left everyone silent. "You're an interesting guy, but are you sure you want someone like me to become your ally?"
"Chief?" Vittel gasped.
"You're different from the blue blood hogs I've killed before, however…" Sinbad was soon close to kissing the point of his blade. "I'm not planning on becoming someone's subordinate. If someday you become boring and fail me, I'll kill you right away."
Sinbad lightly swiped the blade away from his neck, "No problem, that day won't come."
Ja'far looked back at his subordinates, "What do you two want to do?"
Vittel looked like he didn't know what to say and Mahad, as always couldn't get out any words. But Ja'far made it clear that he would be taking Sinbad on his offer to go with him, but he had no intention of forcing the other two to follow.
"Do you really want us as friends?" asked Vittel
"Of course; I consider everyone here my friend."
It seemed ridiculous, but then again many of the things that came out of Sinbad's mouth fell in the category. It wasn't long ago they had tried to kill him and yet he was offering his hand.
"He truly is a miracle," Beleth whispered to the pinkette. She was about to board her train of thought when a disturbance outside derailed it.
Ja'far, Mahad and Vittel, were spilling blood onto the floor, coming from their eyes, mouth, nose, and ears, it was so sudden they were barely able to comprehend it. A shrill noise was like cicada's crying in pain, as blackbirds started filling Sakura's vision.
"What is this!?"