There is a fire crackling at the center of the small hut, its warmth is barely reaching the corners of the dimly lit space. I glance around, taking in the barren interior that once served as a storage room. Lena's resourcefulness is evident in the makeshift fire which is also the only source of light in this seemingly forgotten place.
"We've been in this damned room for several hours now. This is really frustrating," Ban's frustration echoes through the room as he hurls a small stone into the flames, the fiery dance briefly illuminating his frustrated expression.
"Me too, I am running out of gum gum," Gustavo chimes in, gnawing on a brown-looking snack. Gustavo's relentless munching has been going on since we met, and it never ceases to amuse me how his snack supply appears bottomless.
Observing Gustavo's insatiable appetite, I can't help but marvel at the endless stream of snacks disappearing into his mouth. It's as if his mouth is a perpetual motion machine.
"Calm down guys..." Lena's calm voice interrupts our restlessness. She brings out a small device resembling an Earthly clock.
"It's past 7; we have about an hour before the harpies arrive according to my calculations. The main reason why I am still keeping this fire active is to enhance the scents of you males amongst us to create top-tier scents, which will force the harpies to show up since they believe there are different grades of males. And they wouldn't want to miss mating with top-tier males," Lena explains, revealing a mysterious bottle with a flourish. Darkus had mentioned something about space rings and space pouches, and it seems these peculiar items explained Gustavo's infinite snack bank.
"Since there's one hour remaining, let's enjoy the moment to the fullest and whoop the harpies' ass once we find their nests," Lena declares, removing the cap from the bottle. The room echoes with a loud pop as the cap is removed, signaling a shift in tension from frustration to anticipation.
After Lena uncorks the bottle, a pungent scent assaults my nose, causing my eyes to widen in shock. I've never encountered anything like this before. Inwardly, I marvel at the overpowering odor of the wine emanating from the bottle. Seated so close to Lena, the fragrance is particularly intense for me. Simultaneously, she waves her hand, conjuring six small cups before us.
"T-Team leader, isn't that wine super rare? Why are you—"
"Yeah, it's super rare. But hey, we got it for free from the ruins of a castle we cleared. Besides, since we haven't celebrated Owen joining our team, I think this is the best moment to commemorate the new addition," Lena says with a smile, slowly pouring the wine into our cups.
Without hesitation, we grab the cups, raising them in mid-air.
"Cheers!!" Saying this word simultaneously, we gulp down the contents and gently place the cups on the ground in unison, frowns on our faces.
"That wine is strong..." Ban notes, wiping his mouth.
"Fufu, this wine is not just any ordinary wine. It's highly intoxicating, and it also boosts our Mana pool temporarily," Lena explains.
"I see... That explains the strange feeling, but aren't these guys aware that we are planning to use them as decoys?" Sue suddenly speaks up, an evil grin appearing on her face. The same grin also creeps across Lena's face.
"Well, it's only a matter of time till they find out, hehe," Lena replies, rubbing her palms together.
Hearing Sue and Lena's conversation, Ban and I raise our heads in a jerk, followed by Nando and Gustavo, who are wearing puzzled expressions.
"To think I didn't realize this earlier," Ban mutters, putting his palm on his face.
"Should we call this revenge or what? Besides, you didn't even consider the new guy; he might get injured by the harpies," Gustavo says, putting away his snack and wearing a serious expression.
"Hehe, since Owen is inexperienced, this is a way for him to learn that becoming an adventurer is not easy. Moreover, I want to punish him for what he did earlier," Lena replies, her grin growing wider.
Suddenly, everyone freezes in their positions, including me, as an overbearing pressure overwhelms us.
"The harpies are here, and that aura... No way, their queen followed them here," Lena mumbles, a look of horror appearing on her face.
SKREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!
A deafening shriek pierces the air, forcing us to instinctively cover our ears against the assault on our senses.
"Engage in battle but don't go all out! Or else, the Harpies are going to realize that something is off, considering the fact that they can detect our Mana pools," Lena instructs, swiftly picking up her sword. Following suit, the rest of us grab our weapons, while my long dagger remains securely strapped to my waist.
"Team leader, what about the Queen?!" Ban asks, his concern etched on his face.
"Her Mana pool seems to be around Gold Rank 5, three ranks above me since I am Gold Rank 2. I will make sure not to piss her off too much. Besides, she will be more bothered about taking away her catch rather than fighting me," Lena replies, her confidence tempered by a touch of caution.
In the next moment, Lena stretches her left hand towards the door of the hut, her right hand gripping her sheathed sword tightly.
"Burst!" Lena mutters, her eyes glowing briefly.
BOOOOM!!!!
With a thunderous explosion, the door and roof of the hut burst open. Before my eyes, about twenty strange creatures materialize, hovering ominously in the air.
Upon closer inspection, their upper bodies and faces resemble humans, but they have large black wings sprouting from their backs. Their bird-like legs feature razor-sharp talons, and their hands which are seemingly attached to their wings, boast equally formidable talons. Despite this unusual anatomy, they demonstrate precise control as their hands point menacingly toward us, the males.
Suddenly, a peculiar harpy with menacing red glowing eyes and cascading blonde hair emerges, levitating above us. The sight of her sharp talons and barbed wings makes my throat tighten.
Without warning, she points her hand directly at me, a cunning smile playing on her lips.
"Me...you...mate."
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