...Bang!...
...SCREECHHH!...FLASH!...
"Where are you, Vier-chan?"
Using Vier's Magic Item Flaregun, Mifumi fired a distressed signal in the sky above the Forest Valley Dungeon.
The Magic Bullet that was shot in the sky produced a flare of light along with a screeching sound that can be heard within the forest area in the Middle-Layer of the Dungeon.
But even after firing all the Magic Bullets of the Flaregun to signal Vier and the Neo Heroes that they are done preparing the trap to restrain the Rank 6 Black Weretiger Monster, Mifumi, and Felin still can't see Vier and the Neo Heroes or even the monster coming to where they are.
Felin and Mifumi set up the trap at the place where the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf fought and defeated the Rank 3 Web Weaver Monster yesterday. It's only a 10-minute run from where they were attacked by the Black Weretiger Monster.
It took both of them another 10 minutes to finish setting up the trap. As soon as they were done, Mifumi gave the signal that they were done while Felin climbed up the top of a tree to look for Vier and Neo Heroes using her Spyglass.
"Felin-chan! Did you find where Vier-chan and the others are?"
"I can't find them! What are we going to do, Mifumi-sama?"
"We're going back, Felin-chan! Vier-chan and the Neo Heroes might be in danger! We're done preparing the trap so we will go back to help them."
"Mhm!... We will catch that fake tiger together!"
.
.
.
Explosion Grenades, Fire Grenades, Sound Grenades, Scarlet Grenades, Poison Grenades, and Flare Grenades are all the Magic Item Grenades that Puro-III released and exploded inside the open mouth of the Black Weretiger Monster.
"Ugh!... Cough!...Cough!... Did I pass out again?"
Vier woke up sitting on the ground with her back leaning on the tree, where she got slammed as the Black Weretiger Monster tried to bite her.
Her Aurichalcum Shield is still in her right hand as well as her pet slime inside her belt pouch. However, the injuries that her body received from the explosion of her Magic Item Grenades made Vier unable to stand.
"I wonder what happens to that monster... Huh?... I can hear myself again... And when did the darkness disappear?"
After becoming aware of the sound of her voice along with the light that illuminates everything in her surroundings, Vier found the Black Weretiger Monster tenths of meters away from where she is.
It's still alive and standing.
Yet Vier didn't feel afraid upon seeing the monster that was hunting her. Even though she can't move and won't be able to run away anymore.
"Pfft!... Hahaha!..."
Vier's laugh in the face of the high-ranking monster standing in front of her. Not because of madness or despair but because of how unbelievable the scene she's seeing.
The Rank 6 Black Weretiger Monster is still alive and standing with its wide mouth wounded and bleeding.
Vier couldn't believe that she was able to deal enough damage to a Rank 6 monster and make it bleed.
"Tell me, Mr. Rank 6!... Do you bleed?!"
She was so proud of herself as she mocked the high-ranking monster using the words that she learned from watching a certain movie shown by her Onee-chan in her dream.
...RARWWW!!!...
The Black Weretiger Monster roared in range upon hearing Vier's mockery. And as if its pride got ridiculed by a mere prey who managed to make its mouth bleed, the Black Weretiger Monster charged towards Vier, determined to end the life of its prey.
...RARWWW!!!...
.
.
.
...We found her...
Upon going back to the place where they left Vier and the Neo Heroes, Mifumi and Felin have finally found their friend.
Her clothes is torn all over, her body is covered in wounds and bruises, and there's even a stain of blood in her mouth, but even with all of that, Vier is alive.
But their anxiety and worries that had been erased from finding their friend were just replaced by fear and despair.
...Vier-chan is alive, along with the monster as well...
Mifumi and Felin are still 30 meters away from where Vier is, but they can hear what she's saying.
"Tell me Mr. Rank-6!... Do you bleed?!"
Mifumi, who has heard that certain story from Vier, understands the reference to that remark.
...It's not the time to reference those lines from your stories, Vier-chan. Why aren't you standing up? Are you so injured that you can't move anymore? Is there something wrong with your body?...
As Mifumi became more worried about Vier's condition, the Black Weretiger Monster roared in range in response to Vier's mockery...
...RARWWW!!!...
...And at the next moment, the Black Weretiger charged toward her friend.
"Vier-chan!..."
...We won't make it. Even if Felin-chan uses her Lightning Flash skill, she won't be able to stop that monster's charge toward Vier-chan...
...We won't be able to save Vier-chan...
...This is all my fault...
...If only I had been able to protect our group earlier when this monster first appeared...
...If only I had decided to go back and look for Vier-chan much earlier...
...If only I was stronger...
...No!!!...
...If what I lack is strength then I will have that strength now!...
...If that's all I need to save Vier-chan then I will find that strength right now!...
"Prism Shield!..."
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.
.
...RARWWW!!!...
"Get away from Vier, fake tiger!"
...I was afraid. That fake tiger was scary...
...I couldn't detect it at all. No sounds are coming from its movement and it doesn't have any scent...
...It is really strong. Its attack broke Mifumi-sama's Magic Barrier and hurt Vier...
...When it looked at me earlier all I did was get scared. I thought that I wouldn't be able to do my best, that I wouldn't be able to defeat it, that I wouldn't be able to run away and escape, and that everyone would fall there...
...So I accepted Vier's plan and left, I left Vier to fight the fake tiger alone...
...I hate myself for being scared, I hate myself for being weak, and I hate myself because I left Vier alone to run away and escape...
...So I won't be scared anymore, I will do my best to become strong, and I won't leave Vier again all by herself to fight alone...
"Lightning Beast Form - Saber!!!..."
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.
.
...RARWWW!!!...
...BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...BANG!...
Refusing to accept the fate that stands before her, Vier fights back using her Magic Item Revolver. Even though it wasn't enough to defeat the Black Weretiger Monster or even stop its charge toward her, Vier never gave up.
...RARWWW!!!...
"...Warghhh!!!..."
And at that moment, as she answered the roar of the monster with her war cry before the Black Weretiger's claws and fangs could tear her apart, Vier heard a familiar voice from a distance.
"Prism Shield!..."
It's the same defensive Magic skill of Karna. An advanced skill that is not an original skill from a Monster Core and can only be cast by enhancing the basic Magic Barrier skill using other Magic Attributes.
But even though it's an advanced defensive skill, Vier has seen the same skill shattered by the Black Weretiger Monster. Yet the one that appeared around her withstood the claws and fangs of the monster and saved her.
"Mifumi-sama!..."
...RARWWW!!!...
The Black Weretiger Monster roared in rage because someone got on its way from ending the life of its prey.
Vier watches as the Black Weretiger Monster slowly turns its head to look back at the person who was interfering with eating its prey. But before it can even take a step to charge toward Mifumi...
"Lightning Beast Form - Saber!!!..."
...BOOMMM!!!...
...A bolt of lightning, or more accurately to say, a Sword of lightning struck the Black Weretiger Monster and knocked it tenths of meters away.
That sword of lightning is Felin.
Her whole body is covered with lightning as if the lightning itself is discharging from her body and moving like it is revolving around her.
The impact of Felin's collision with the Black Weretiger Monster caused a massive discharge of lightning and thunder around them that scorched the ground and even the tree behind Vier. But that lightning didn't affect Vier at all. After all, Mifumi's Prism Shield skill is still protecting her.
...RARWWW!!!...
"...ROARRR!!!..."
...BOOMMM!!!...
While Felin is fighting the Black Weretiger Monster all by herself, Mifumi comes rushing to Vier and hugs her.
"Vier-chan!..."
"Arghh!... Wait!.. Please stop, Mifumi-sama. My whole body hurts."
"Sob!... Sob!... Vier-chan... Sob!... You're alive..."
"Sheesh... Control your emotion, Mifumi-sama. You can't lose yourself in the situation we're in right now."
"Sob!... I know!... What happened to the others? Where are the Neo Heroes?"
"All of them were hurt but I'm sure they are alive. So why are you here, Mifumi-sama?"
"Of course, we're here to save you! We're here so together, we can bring that monster to where we set the trap."
"I'm sorry, Mifumi-sama but I can't stand up anymore. You have to leave me here..."
"No!... I won't leave you again!.. We will leave this place together even if I have to carry you on my back!"
"But..."
"I said no!... Hurry up and climb on my back! We will trap and restrain that monster together, Vier-chan!"
Mifumi looks at Vier with her determined eyes, and Vier understands that there is nothing she can say that would change Mifumi's decision.
"Fine!... Let's go, Mifumi-sama."
"Mhm!"