"Not sure how to put this," Elmo said, trying to order his thoughts, as well as remember exactly what it was that he had wanted to inquire about with his status. He could feel it on the tip of his tongue, but what it was eluded him.
What was it that he had wondered about? It felt like he should know, but with the fatigue he felt, he couldn't be sure what it was exactly. He at least knew that there was something, he just couldn't quite recall what it was.
So, with a quick glance to the rest of his group, he quickly started examining each part of his stats, hoping that something in there would trigger his memory and help him know what to ask his tutorial.
As he thoroughly examined each part of his status, his gaze kept going back to his level. Why that was, he couldn't be sure. It felt like he should know what the problem was, yet his mind refused to fully cooperate.
Then as he could see that the others had finished getting the young women dressed, he suddenly remembered what it was about his level that had bothered him so much. It was the fact that he'd jumped seven levels when they hadn't really fought that much, from what he could recall, yet had gotten such a level jump.
"Why did I move up seven level from this last battle and the time before when I checked my status?" Elmo asked, feeling like the fog of fatigue that covered his mind was starting to dissipate.
It made sense to Elmo as he mulled it over in his mind, but part of it felt off to him. He couldn't say exactly how, just that it did. Like there was something that was being left out. Though, he didn't feel like asking, largely because he seriously doubted that he'd get a response to that. After all, he still remembered that the tutorial had things that it wouldn't tell him, or really anyone who had a system here, and he had a feeling if it could tell him, it would have with what it had just told him.
The frustration with the tutorial part of his system merely added to his depression and desire to leave everyone and just find a place that he could be alone in. It would at least allow others to not be burdened by what he wasn't able to do. After all, what use was he anyway?
+++
Jonas had kept his distance from the young women as Kim dressed the young women, with Elin helping after she finished whatever it was that she had been doing in the hallway.
Jonas didn't feel like asking and Elin didn't like she was interested in telling him. Which was fine with Jonas, as he wasn't really that concerned. What did concern him was getting everyone back to the inn where they could rest. He had a feeling if they didn't do that quickly, the morale of everyone would drop to a point their team would be in danger of falling apart. Even if it didn't, he suspected that they'd start having serious problems among themselves that would be otherwise petty and small, but blown out of proportion due to frayed nerves and general tiredness.
He suspected Kim was aware of this too, but he couldn't be sure. Kim definitely didn't seem like she always picked up on things in relation to other people. Maybe it was just Jonas' perception of her, but he didn't have any evidence to indicate otherwise either.
They were done dressing them and Elin was taking care of treating them of their stats condition. He knew they'd be able to head out soon, although, he wondered if he should talk to Kim about pacing things so it took them two days to get back to the village instead of one.
It would mean spending the night in the forest with monsters that could attack them, but it would also mean that they wouldn't have to push so hard to get into the town, which would mean that it wouldn't be as draining on them.
At least that was his idea about it. Kim might have a different perspective, and of course the young women might want to get back to the village as fast as possible. Especially since he didn't know them at all, and they weren't as likely to be as fatigued as Jonas and his team were. Although, he couldn't really say for sure, since he didn't know what it was like to be under that status condition, and he was quite sure he didn't want to know either.
On the other hand, while the young women might want to get back as fast as possible, there isn't a way to know if they'd be up for the trek. Especially since when they learned how to get Heather and Sonya out from under that status, they didn't try having them walk a long distance, but rather let them rest, primarily because they could. So, he couldn't be sure if they'd be able to make it, regardless of what they'd want.
Jonas merely shook those thoughts from his mind. What would happen would happen, whether or not it was predicted. He never thought of himself as a fortune teller of any variety and didn't feel like trying to start now.
However, as the young women started to stand up, with Elin and Kim helping them, he suddenly realized he hadn't noticed Elmo around much. Of course he'd seen him when he first woke up and then gotten Elmo's spare set of clothing, but that was then. That had to have been at least an hour ago and the light in the dungeon was still becoming brighter, which said it was still early morning.
Then almost as if on cue, the announcer spoke as the light in the dungeon reached it's usual peak brightness.
"Good morning all contestants! What an eventful night that was! Not only was the goblin portal closed, but several other secret challenges were accomplished! First we'll start with the goblin portal. Elmo Garcia, Elin Davies, Kim O'Hare, and Jonas McCain all completed the challenge of closing the portal. Not only that, but they achieved the secret challenge of getting the Goblin Mage to deplete its MP.
"Next we have Patricia McIntyre and Patrick Sullivan who completed a secret challenge by defeating the necromancer that had left the dungeon the first night of the competition! How they tracked him down I have no idea, but they did accomplish that challenge.
"Next we have Frank Winchester, Stanley Clinton, and Thomas Walker who teamed up with Harold Carson at the last minute to deal with the giant anaconda and giant king cobra, completing another secret challenge.
"Last we have Bart McKenzie, Leon and Elwin Bell, and Owen Andrews who defeated the entire ice wolf pack. This was a process that they'd been working at, but as they have completed it, they have completed a secret challenge.
"In total, we now have Elmo Garcia, Elin Davies, Kim O'Hare, and Jonas McCain having completed five challenges total and are in the lead. Bart McKenzie, Leon and Elwin Bell, have completed three challenges. Next we have Frank Winchester, Heather Goldblum, Sonya Harris, Stanley Clinton, Patricia McIntyre, Patrick Sullivan, and Thomas Walker have completed two challenges. With Harold Carson having completed one challenge.
"We look forward to seeing what will happen from here! Don't let yourself get careless no matter how many challenges you've completed! It's not over until someone wins."
Jonas couldn't help but shake his head in annoyance at that announcement. All that it really did was let them know they had a target on their backs from being in the lead. Assuming others wanted to try and knock out the competition. Although, he wasn't sure if anyone would try that, but he couldn't say they wouldn't. After all, the ones he knew best were in his own team and he still hardly knew that group.
Sighing, he waited until Kim and Elin had the young women moving along before he got up and started walking towards the stairs. As he turned in that direction, he was surprised to see Elmo waiting there.
While it made sense to Jonas of why he'd wait there, he couldn't help but feel like there was a distance between them and Elmo. He couldn't say what caused it or why he felt like there was, only that it was there.
Elmo waited patiently until they got closer, then as they started to descend the stairs, he got up and started following. Jonas let himself fall behind the women of the group so he could walk beside Elmo. He wasn't sure what was going on in the kid's head, but he definitely could tell that Elmo looked like he was on the way out from their group. Jonas definitely didn't want that to happen, not with Elmo being an integral part of their group. Yet, he couldn't force him to remain either.
So, he merely put his arm around Elmo's shoulders in a companionable manner, hoping that their trip back to the village would give him the time to convince Elmo to stay with the group. Not that he had any idea how to go about doing that.