Both Alex and Sherry were taken aback for different reasons.
Alex, caught in Gleam's protective grasp, expected the impact of falling to the ground.
Instead, he felt an unusual sensation of floating in mid-air. Turning around, he discovered a giant Crystal Golem had caught him like a ball. "Hmm?"
"That!" Sherry, atop Gleam's shoulder, who had earlier instructed it to save Alex, was equally astounded by the sudden turn of events when she witnessed the dark ethereal dome surrounding Alex.
"You are the one I've been looking for. This is dark magic, and the way this compass reacts to you... it all fits." Sherry exclaimed in excitement, finally finding the person she had been seeking.
Hearing a girl's voice and raising his head, Alex saw a pink-haired girl sitting on the Crystal Golem who had just caught him. He was even more surprised when he recognized her as Sherry.
"You! What are..."
Before their conversation could delve deeper, the Grim Hound roared, diverting their attention back to the immediate danger.
Gleam and Bellio, still vigilant, prepared for the impending battle. Alex, now back on solid ground, assumed a fighting stance, ready to face the Grim Hound again.
His determination unwavering, Alex looked at Sherry. "We will talk later. For now, let's focus on defeating this double-headed monster. And I believe this Crystal Golem and wave-riding blue whale are yours?"
Sherry, a bit slow to respond, said, "...Yes, they are my tamed monsters. And they will also help us."
Alex raised an eyebrow at the new term, 'tamed monster,' but had no time to ponder over it.
Together, with a newfound understanding and a shared goal, Alex and Sherry faced the Grim Hound.
The Grim Hound, previously hit by Bellio's water cannon, was thrown back, sustaining minor wounds.
No longer playing around, it opened both mouths, conjuring a dark energy ball that it launched at them.
Gleam, having put Sherry down, positioned itself in front of them, shielding them from the attack.
Sherry then pointed her hands at Gleam, and it glowed slightly as it charged at the Grim Hound.
The Grim Hound, in turn, charged forward, attempting to bite Gleam's hands. However, the bite proved ineffective against Gleam's robust exterior.
Seizing the opportunity, Gleam lifted the Grim Hound by its neck and repeatedly slammed it into the ground until it ceased moving.
Helpless, the Grim Hound could only howl in pain before succumbing to defeat. Gleam, triumphant, approached Sherry with puppy-like eyes, emitting a happy "Kyunnn!"
It acted as if asking for praise. Smiling, Sherry patted Gleam's head when it lowered itself enough for her. "You did good, Gleam."
Alex, standing on the side, found himself baffled by the whirlwind of events.
The surprises seemed endless—from being baited to a near-death encounter with the Grim Hound and now witnessing Sherry's commanding presence with her tamed monsters.
However, his legs began to lose strength, and he fell to the ground. The adrenaline and fighting spirit that had sustained him were waning, and the toll of his injuries became apparent.
Every inch of his body ached, and coughing up blood, the deep claw wound on his chest stained his clothes red.
Approaching with light steps, Sherry took out a glass vial containing a golden-colored liquid—a high-quality healing potion.
Alex recognized it from the guild's potion store display but lacked the funds to purchase it at the time.
"Um, here, a healing potion." Sherry hesitated, still wary of Alex's earlier scolding, afraid he might reject her help.
Surprisingly, he accepted her help immediately, expressing gratitude, "Thank you".
Alex, in dire need of a healing potion, had no room to dismiss her aid. Recognizing that Sherry had effectively saved his life during the Grim Hound encounter, he appreciated the timely assistance.
The potion, unlike the cheap ones he had consumed before, wasn't bitter, and its effectiveness was remarkable. He felt his body recovering at an astonishing speed.
◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇ ◆
"Now that we can finally have a conversation peacefully without any disturbances, tell me, what do you want from me, Miss Sherry?" Alex raised the question as he sipped his coffee.
On the opposite side of the table, Sherry flinched at the slight interrogative tone, spilling a bit of her drink.
Seated in a corner of a quite café located inside the city, they sought a private space for their conversation upon returning from the red zone.
Back in the red zone, the healing potion Sherry provided proved extremely effective and potent.
Alex experienced a rapid recovery, with the potion's effects almost instantly restoring him to health.
Just when they thought they could finally rest and talk, another person arrived at the same place where they had just defeated the Grim Hound.
However, this time, it was no ordinary person—it was a guard from the city guard. A series of events followed.
The guard had been stationed in the watchtower within the red zone. When the magic formation deployed there registered the arrival of a C-rank monster, he promptly rushed towards the location.
The protocol dictated that any monster above the D-rank entering the red zone was to be immediately dealt with, as their presence posed a potential threat to the city.
Arriving at the last known location of the monster, the guard was met with the lifeless body of the Grim Hound and two youngsters accompanied by a Crystal Golem and a floating blue whale.
Puzzled by the scene, he initially approached cautiously. However, after conversing with them and observing their identification, he finally understood the situation.
Initially vigilant due to his recent unpleasant encounter with strangers, Alex approached the guard cautiously.
However, as the guard presented his ID card and engaged in conversation, Alex gradually lowered his guard, reassured by the official identification and the explanation of the situation.
The individuals who had used Alex as bait turned out to be a party of adventurers, mainly E-rank, with one D-rank adventurer among them.
They were assigned by the Adventurer's Guild to clear the specific portion of the red zone area.
In their greed and overconfidence, they may have ventured beyond the red zone's boundaries and encountered the Grim Hound.
Realizing their inadequate strength, they attempted to flee but found the Grim Hound relentless.
In a desperate move, they spotted Alex and, fully aware they were no match for the creature, attempted to use him as bait to distract it and buy time for their escape.
Their actions violated several laws of both the city and the Adventurer's Guild, including summoning a C-rank monster near the city (red zone) and using a fellow adventurer as bait.
Alex lodged a complaint about the situation at the Adventurer's Guild, and with the support of the official statement from the guard, a case was registered against Rex and his party.
Rex, the person who had attacked Alex, was revealed to be a fire mage—an E-rank adventurer on the brink of promotion to D-rank.
An official investigation was initiated, and depending on its findings, serious consequences awaited Rex and his party.
At the very least, they were assured of facing a minimum suspension of their adventurer's license, with the possibility of losing it in more severe cases.
Instances like these were not uncommon, and assailants faced charges only if caught. Rex and his party likely never anticipated Alex's survival, assuming that someone would eventually deal with the monster.
However, luck was not on their side this time. Alex not only survived but also took action, setting the stage for serious repercussions.
The turn of events was credited to Sherry and her compass, leading her to Alex and ultimately saving him from the perilous situation.