Yeah, I don't wanna go to back to base yet.
I mean, we're already here so why not we keep heading north no? I'm sure Scarface and the others can hold themselves up back at camp. And yes, Scarface will still be Scarface to me. Just cuz they have names now doesn't mean I'm gonna stop with the nicknames (⇀‸↼‶)
Sounds useless, but who can stop me?
So, I looked towards Leah and Titan. I probably should ask for their opinion first. If I just say 'Y'know what? Let's go north!' like that, I have a feeling Leah's gonna kill me...
"I wanna go north." I said directly, if I don't need to beat around the bush, then I won't.
"NO." Leah resolutely said, not even looking my way and continuing to count the glowing fruits.
"We're going back. You're the leader of that tribe, so why do you keep leaving them behind?" Leah asked with an eyebrow raised.
Urk... It's not my fault I'm not cut out to be a leader. I only got to be the CEO back in my old world cuz of the will my dad left behind. In my first few days here, I was still thinking that only those at the top gets to be able to do whatever they want, that's why I was so obsessed with climbing the ranks. I mean, for an illegitimate child of my dad, climbing the ranks was the only thing I could do to stop my siblings from killing me or making my life a living hell.
Haa...
"It's a lesson, I know i'm gonna leave them behind sooner or later. I don't wanna be tied down, I love my freedom, so I want them to learn to survive on their own." I said. If I could, I would've followed the merchant lady and left them. But I guess they grew on me?
"STILL NO. You can do what you want AFTER, I go back. I'm still the adviser of the group, unlike you I take my job seriously." Okay fine.
"Fine!" I said with a pout. Yes, I'm childish, leave it.
So I led the 3 of us with some light stomping towards the path back to base.
Well, that was the plan. Until, I fell into the ground. Yes, the ground. I think it's magic, they probably made the hole look like part of the ground with it.
And well, with me falling of course I grabbed Leah's foot with me. If I'm going down, they're coming with me. By they, I mean Titan jumped inside the hole too after me and Leah fell.
So after free falling and face planting my face with Leah sitting on my back, I can safely say that this monster body is tough, that was a 15 meters fall and yet here we are, just a little hurt.
And now we can't climb back up! Dang it!
Looking at the familiar wall, I knew already where we were.
"Haaa... A dungeon. Just what I needed right now," I grumbled, brushing the dirt off my clothes, atleast what I could since I'm still lying on the ground. "Titan, do me a favor and scout ahead, will you?"
Titan, the literal hunk of sentient metal that he is, didn't respond verbally (he never does), but his helm tilted slightly in acknowledgment. His hollow, glowing eyes scanned the chamber, and his massive armored frame moved with an eerie grace toward the nearest tunnel.
Meanwhile, Leah, still sitting on my back, looked like she wanted to murder me. "Do you ever think before acting?" she hissed, her voice sharper than any dagger she carried.
"Define 'thinking,'" I said with a grin, even as I tried to wiggle out from under her. "Because if you mean 'planning,' then no, not really."
She responded by digging her knee into my spine. "And you're supposed to be the leader. Why do I even follow you?"
"Because you love me?" I offered, batting my eyelashes.
Leah snorted and finally stood up, letting me breathe. "Keep dreaming."
Titan returned from his reconnaissance, his hulking form standing in front of us like a silent sentinel. He raised one massive arm and pointed down the tunnel he had just explored. The faint glow of runes flickered across his armor, his way of signaling danger.
"Great," I muttered. "Of course the only way forward is the dangerous way."
"All ways in a dungeon are dangerous," Leah said dryly, brushing off her clothes. "Now, can we please focus and not die in here?"
"Relax," I said, pulling myself to my feet. "It's probably just a low rank dungeon. How bad could it be?"
Leah raised an eyebrow but didn't bother replying. I think she's tired of me, and it's only been 2 days since we first trekked.
Titan took the lead as we headed into the tunnel, his heavy steps echoing ominously in the confined space. I felt a little safer with him around. After all, it's hard to be scared of anything when you've got a giant suit of living armor as your personal bodyguard.
But then the ground shook.
"Uh-oh," I said, looking around as the tunnel rumbled. "That's never a good sign."
The shaking grew stronger, and before I could even process what was happening, the floor disappeared beneath us.
"Not again!" I shouted as we plummeted down yet another hole.
This time, Titan reacted quickly, anchoring his massive body to the side of the tunnel with his clawed gauntlets. Leah managed to grab onto one of his leg, but I wasn't so lucky.
"Help! Titan, buddy! Don't let me fall!" I yelled, flailing like an idiot.
With what I could only describe as a sigh (even though he doesn't technically breathe), Titan extended his other arm and caught me midair, hoisting me up like I weighed nothing.
"Thanks," I muttered, clinging to his arm as we dangled over the abyss.
Titan didn't respond, but the faint glow of his runes pulsed rhythmically, like he was shaking his head at my stupidity.
Leah, now clutching his other arm, after Titan pulled her from his leg, glared at me. "You're the worst leader ever."
"And yet, here we are, alive and well!" I shot back.
Titan finally decided he'd had enough of this nonsense and started climbing up the side of the tunnel, the claws of his gauntlet digging into the stone like it was paper. He reached the top in no time and deposited us on solid ground with a thunk.
"Okay," I said, dusting myself off. "New plan. No more falling into holes."
"Maybe try looking where you're going," Leah snapped, crossing her arms.
Before I could retort, Titan's runes flared again, this time brighter than before. He pointed ahead, and I squinted into the darkness.
There, standing in the center of the chamber, was a massive figure of jagged metal and glowing red eyes.
[System Inspection... Found!
Name: Iron Fang Beast
Type: Guardian Boss
Rank: C-Class
Recommended Party: 5 to 8 members
Beware!]
"Why?!" I yelled. A fucking boss monster already? We just got here! Where's the mobs, where's the adventure?! Where's the looking for treasures and getting caught in traps!!
...Yeah, the getting caught in traps, we probably already covered that, hehe~
(￣ω￣;)
The Iron Fang Beast let out a deafening roar and started stomping toward us, its massive claws scraping against the stone floor.
Leah unsheathed her daggers, Titan stepped forward with a low, mechanical growl, and I sighed.
"Fine, fine, let's fight. But if I die, I'm blaming both of you!"
Titan didn't respond, but Leah just smirked. "Deal." Is she serious?!
And with that, the battle began.