Rina stood frozen in front of Keitaro, her cheeks blazing red with embarrassment. The chaotic sounds of battle echoed through the cave, but all she could focus on was the absurdity of what Keitaro was asking her to do.
"This is just... too embarrassing," Rina muttered, shaking her head. "It feels like a joke."
Keitaro's voice rang out, urgent and insistent. "Hurry up! Pull down your panties, sit down, and give it everything you've got! It'll work! Trust me!"
Rina stared at him, her green eyes filled with doubt. "Are you... are you serious?"
"Yes! Just trust me! We don't have time for doubts!" Keitaro's voice carried a strange, almost mystical certainty.
Rina hesitated for a moment longer, then sighed in defeat. "Okay…" she mumbled, her voice barely audible over the clamor of the battle. Slowly, she reached down and pulled down her panties, her face burning with shame. She lowered herself onto Keitaro, trying to block out everything else around her.
From across the cave, the remaining adventurers—Dren, Lenna, and Halric—paused mid-fight, their weapons slack in their hands as they turned to watch.
"What… is happening right now?" Halric asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Is she... using a toilet in the middle of a battle?" Lenna's voice was incredulous.
Keitaro, seemingly unbothered by the stares, called out gleefully, "Your ass, my face!"
Rina groaned audibly, wanting to disappear into the ground. "This is the worst day of my life," she muttered under her breath.
But as she sat there, something incredible began to happen. A surge of energy coursed through her body, radiating warmth and strength. Her injuries faded, her muscles felt lighter, and her mind cleared of fear and doubt. Power she hadn't known she possessed seemed to awaken within her.
She stood up abruptly, her eyes wide with realization. "I feel... amazing!" she exclaimed, gripping her staff tightly. The runes on her robes glowed brightly, and her entire presence radiated magical energy. "This is incredible!"
Before she could take another step, Keitaro shouted, "Rina! Pull up your panties!"
Rina froze, glancing down in horror. Her panties were still around her ankles. Mortified, she quickly yanked them up, her face almost as red as the serpent's glowing eyes.
"Don't say a word!" she snapped at Keitaro, her embarrassment turning into determination.
Keitaro chuckled. "Just focus on the fight. You're ready now!"
Rina nodded, her focus shifting to the serpent. With her newfound strength, she strode forward confidently, her staff glowing brighter than ever. The battle wasn't over yet, but Rina was ready to turn the tide.
Rina tightened her grip on her glowing staff, her green eyes locked on the massive serpent. With her newfound strength surging through her, she charged forward, her boots echoing off the cave walls.
"Rina!" Keitaro shouted, his voice brimming with excitement. "When you attack, you need to shout out the name of your move! Something like Fireball Power Strike! You know, like in anime!"
Rina rolled her eyes mid-run. "Forget it! I'm not doing that!" she snapped back, refusing to entertain his ridiculous suggestion.
The serpent hissed and reared back, ready to strike, but Rina was faster. With one fluid motion, she channeled all her energy into her staff and swung it forward. A brilliant surge of magical energy shot out, striking the serpent directly in the chest.
The beast froze mid-attack, its glowing red eyes dimming. With a deafening roar, it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
The cave fell silent except for the sound of its massive body hitting the stone floor.
The remaining adventurers stared in stunned silence, their weapons hanging limply at their sides.
"She... killed it. In one hit," Lenna murmured, her voice filled with disbelief.
Dren, still gripping his sword, nodded slowly. "That was... insane."
Halric blinked, finally lowering his axe. "Is she even human?"
Keitaro shouted gleefully from his spot on the cave floor. "Yes! It worked! I told you it would work!"
But Rina wasn't done yet. Several slimes still squelched and writhed around the cave, their gooey bodies oozing toward her. With a determined look, she spun her staff and launched into a series of quick, precise strikes. Each blow crackled with magical energy, obliterating the slimes one by one.
Within moments, the cave was quiet again, the only remnants of the battle being the faint sizzle of dissolving slime.
Rina let out a long breath and dropped to her knees, exhaustion finally catching up with her. She leaned on her staff for support, her head bowed low as she tried to catch her breath.
"I did it..." she whispered, her voice trembling with relief. "It's over."
Keitaro's lid tilted in what could only be described as pride. "You were amazing, Rina! Like a true anime protagonist!"
Rina groaned, glancing at him with an exhausted smile. "I'm too tired to argue with you right now."
The adventurers slowly approached her, their expressions a mixture of awe and gratitude.
"Rina," Dren said, his tone serious. "You just saved all of us. That was incredible."
Rina nodded weakly, managing a small, proud smile. "We all made it out alive... that's what matters."
Keitaro chimed in, his voice filled with triumph. "And don't forget who gave you the ultimate boost!"
Rina rolled her eyes, but this time, her exhaustion softened the gesture. "Fine, fine. Thanks, Keitaro. Now, can we please get out of this cave?"
As the group began their trek back to the cave entrance, Keitaro noticed Rina lagging slightly behind, her steps heavy with exhaustion.
"Rina," Keitaro said, his tone thoughtful, "you look wiped out. You know, if you drink some of my toilet water, you might feel better."
Rina stumbled at his suggestion, shooting him a glare. "Keitaro, no. Just... no."
The remaining adventurers, overhearing the exchange, stopped and turned toward the magical toilet with curious expressions.
"Wait," Dren asked, scratching his chin. "Is that true? If we drink water from you, will we feel better?"
Keitaro tilted his lid, giving what could only be described as a thoughtful pause. "Well... maybe? I can't guarantee it. But it has worked before. Rina was poisoned once, and I cured her by having her drink my water."
The adventurers exchanged intrigued glances, their exhaustion and injuries from the battle fresh in their minds.
"You're serious?" Halric said, raising an eyebrow. "So you're saying it could help us recover?"
Keitaro nodded. "Probably. Worst case, it's just water."
Lenna hesitated before shrugging. "I mean, we've tried worse things on the road. Might be worth it."
Dren, ever the pragmatic one, laughed and said, "We just fought a horde of slimes and a giant serpent. What's the harm in drinking magic toilet water?"
Rina's jaw dropped as one by one, the adventurers approached Keitaro, who tilted his lid to offer them water.
"Ahhh," Dren sighed after taking a sip. "That's... surprisingly refreshing."
Lenna took a small sip, then a bigger gulp. "Huh, he's right. I actually feel... better?"
Halric followed suit, drinking a bit and nodding in agreement.
Rina pinched the bridge of her nose in disbelief. "You guys do realize you just drank water from a toilet I literally just used, right?"
The group froze mid-thought, their eyes widening as the realization hit them.
"Ummm..." Lenna said, glancing at her empty cup. "You're not wrong. But still... I feel refreshed."
Halric scratched the back of his head, looking at the glowing toilet. "Yeah... strangely enough, I do too. Weird."
Keitaro chuckled, the sound echoing lightly in the cave. "Well, well, looks like Rina's magical bodily fluids have healing properties. Who knew?"
"KEITARO!" Rina shouted, her face turning bright red.
The adventurers burst into laughter, the tension from the battle easing into a shared moment of absurdity. Even Rina, despite her embarrassment, couldn't help but let out a small laugh as they continued their journey back toward the sunlight.
The golden hues of the setting sun bathed the landscape as Rina, Keitaro, and the adventurers emerged from the cave. The cool evening breeze was a welcome relief after the stifling atmosphere inside. They paused to catch their breath, the weight of their battle against the serpent still fresh in their minds.
Finally out, Dren stretched, his armor clinking faintly. "Whew, feels good to be alive. Let's head back and report this to the council."
"Agreed," Lenna added, glancing at the darkening horizon. "We've earned a good meal and some rest."
But just as they started moving, Keitaro's voice interrupted.
"Wait!" Keitaro shouted, his lid flapping urgently. "Didn't we forget something?"
The group turned toward him, their expressions puzzled.
"Forget something?" Halric repeated, frowning. "What do you mean?"
Keitaro paused for dramatic effect. "Torvin. Your friend who died in the battle."
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Dren slapped his forehead. "Oh, damn it! You're right. We should've brought his body back for his family."
Rina let out an exasperated sigh, gripping her staff tightly. "How could you guys just forget something like that? He fought alongside you!"
"Hey, don't pin this all on us," Lenna shot back, crossing her arms defensively. "We were a little busy not dying!"
Keitaro's tone was matter-of-fact. "Still, leaving behind a fallen comrade isn't exactly a good look."
Halric sighed deeply, looking back toward the cave entrance. "He's right. We owe it to Torvin and his family to bring him back."
Rina pinched the bridge of her nose, her exhaustion clear. "Fine. Let's go back and get him. Hopefully, we can still make it home before midnight."
The group trudged back into the cave, the earlier relief of leaving it behind now replaced by a sense of duty.
Dren chuckled awkwardly, trying to lighten the mood. "At least we've already cleared out the slimes and the serpent, right? Should be smooth sailing from here."
Keitaro chimed in, his tone teasing. "Smooth sailing? In a cave? That's a first."
Rina groaned. "Keitaro, now's not the time."
Despite her words, she couldn't help but smirk faintly at his attempt to keep things light. They pressed on, the weight of their responsibility heavy but their resolve firm as they made their way back into the depths of the cave to retrieve their fallen ally.
Hours later, under the dim light of a crescent moon, Rina, Keitaro, and the adventurers finally returned to Willowweil. The village was quiet, most of its residents already asleep, save for the occasional flicker of candlelight in a window. The air was heavy with weariness and sorrow as the group carried Torvin's body, wrapped respectfully in a cloak, through the deserted streets.
Halric adjusted his grip on the makeshift stretcher they'd fashioned. "We'll take Torvin to his family. It's the least we can do."
Lenna nodded, her face somber. "We'll also make sure his sacrifice is honored. He deserves that much."
Rina, standing off to the side with her staff acting as a walking stick, sighed heavily. She glanced at Keitaro, whose usual playful energy seemed subdued.
"We'll meet at Thrynn's home in the morning to debrief," Dren said, his voice resolute but laced with exhaustion.
Rina gave a tired nod. "We'll be there. Let us know if you need anything."
Lenna offered a faint smile. "Thanks, Rina. Rest well. You've more than earned it."
As the adventurers headed off toward the residential quarter with Torvin's body, Rina and Keitaro turned in the opposite direction, walking toward her little house at the edge of town.
The wooden door creaked as Rina pushed it open, stepping inside the small, dimly lit room. She set her staff in the corner and collapsed onto the bed, letting out a groan.
"Finally," she muttered, her voice muffled by the pillow. "I don't think I've ever been this tired."
Keitaro, stationed near the corner of the room, chuckled softly. "You really gave it your all back there. But hey, you won, didn't you? And saved everyone."
Rina turned her head to look at him, her expression a mix of exhaustion and annoyance. "Winning doesn't make up for how embarrassing that whole thing was."
Keitaro tilted his lid, mimicking a shrug. "You're alive, the serpent's dead, and you saved the day. I'd say that's worth a little embarrassment."
Rina let out a tired laugh, shaking her head. "I guess. But let's just forget today ever happened, okay?"
Keitaro grinned. "Not a chance. 'Your Ass, My Face' is going in the history books."
Rina grabbed a nearby pillow and threw it at him. "Shut up!"
The pillow bounced off his porcelain surface harmlessly, and Keitaro's laugh filled the small room. Despite herself, Rina couldn't help but smile a little.
She kicked off her boots and pulled a blanket over herself, her body heavy with exhaustion. "Goodnight, Keitaro."
"Goodnight, Rina," Keitaro replied. "You did great today."
As Rina drifted off to sleep, the events of the day replayed in her mind. The loss of Torvin weighed heavily, but so did the victory they'd achieved. Tomorrow would bring more challenges, but for now, she allowed herself a moment of peace.