"ROOOOAAAAAR!"
A large ape-like monster ruthlessly swung its arm down, aiming to crush the unlucky fool below.
However, just as it was about to, its hand suddenly exploded into a mess of blood and core.
Its blood wasn't ash-grey but deep crimson, revealing the monster's identity as a Magical Creature.
"ROOAAAARRR!"
Letting out another roar, this time one of agony, the ape-like creature looked down at the puny human below it with anger… And a sliver of fear.
The human below it was none other than a certain dual-dagger-wielding woman.
As Lyn coldly stared at the gray ape-like monster, she heard Cecelia's voice cry out from behind her.
"It's a Rank 2 Ogre."
Lyn nodded her head before her figure suddenly disappeared.
Seeing the woman suddenly vanish into thin air, the ape-like beast looked around in confusion. Still, after several seconds, it gave up.
Instead of worrying about someone no longer there, there were plenty of other targets for it.
Namely, the six other humans were standing nearby.
However… Just as the Magical Creature thought this, its vision started to flip.
Up became down, and down became up.
Not only that but somehow, its head went so far back that a giant body covered in grey fur appeared in its view.
The strange this was… This body seemed to lack a head…
(Thud)
As the monster's headless body fell to a thud, Lyn seemingly materialized in front of it.
Plunging one of her already blood-soaked daggers into the creature's corpse, she quickly fished out a round indigo orb from it.
After thinking for a moment, she tossed the blood-soaked orb to Blaine.
After a little one-sided request a couple of days ago, Lyn had gotten into the habit of handing all of the mana cores she collected to the auburn-haired youth.
Since Lyn was the one who killed them, the other group members didn't see any problems with that, but inwardly, they wished that they, too, could have a sugar mommy as well.
Given the age gap between Blaine and Lyn, he was more than old enough to be her son.
Though… The nature of their relationship was strictly professional.
Throwing Blaine an envious gaze, Rick shook his head.
If only he had someone hand him money on a platter, he would be able to give his siblings a better life and finally have enough money to propose to his girlfriend.
…Although getting it from a sugar mommy would be quite awkward.
In a job where dying any day wouldn't be surprising, Rick didn't want to have any regrets.
Lyn bent down as he was thinking this and picked up her backpack.
Considering it would only weigh her down, she dropped it the instant the fight started.
Looking up at the crimson sky, she turned to the group members with her usual impassive expression.
"We'll put some distance between ourselves and the body, lest anything else comes following the stench of blood. After that, we'll set up camp."
Nodding their heads, the group followed her instructions as they made their way through the dense jungle.
This was the second time they'd been attacked in the course of six hours.
Frankly, that was quite an achievement.
Having never traversed the jungle before, none of them knew where the territories of the native creatures encompassed, so all they could do was bumble their way through.
Despite that, they managed to sneak their way, although mostly unnoticed.
But now there was going to be an entirely new problem: surviving the night…, and somehow getting sleep while they were at it.
Unlike the tunnel, where upcoming threats were easy to see, with the safety of a cleared path behind them, the jungle was much more unfavourable.
Luckily, they had a borderline cheat character for situations like this.
Rick sighed as he used his mana art to cave out a large burrow underground.
If the group heavily relied on Lorie for driving, Delsie for sensing, and Ginny for healing, Rick's role was for everything earth-related.
With his nifty ability, they wouldn't need to risk an attack by the jungle's nighttime predators.
Rick could just make them a makeshift den underground, where they could safely wait out the night.
Furthermore, they could also use lights, as they wouldn't be spotted underground.
The group members climbed in as soon as the burrow was created, and the roof was closed behind them.
Although he left small holes in the earthen roof for air ventilation, they were too small to be seen easily, especially at night.
After using his mana art one more time to shift the earth to hide their earlier footprints, their group was in the clear.
With visible sweat on his face, Rick fell to his knees and took off his backpack with an exasperated sigh.
"Done."
Delsie threw him a smile and patted him on the shoulder.
"Good job. Now rest."
A faint smile formed on Rick's lips.
While this was going on, Cecelia was fiddling with a flashlight before turning it on.
Since they were underground in a narrow space, they decided to hold back against lighting a fire.
The last thing they wanted to do was burn off all the oxygen and fill the artificial burrow with smoke.
After consuming another meal's worth of MRE rations, they all collapsed, using their bags as pillows.
The cold night air that seeped down from the tiny holes in the roof felt like a natural air conditioner.
The sweltering heat and the humid air had made them all terribly hot and sweaty.
But unlike in the tunnel, they didn't bother to wash themselves with water from the water bottle artifact.
None of them had the energy.
Unlike back when they had the van, they had to carry all the supplies and walk themselves.
Despite being 2-Stars, the captains had already been pushing themselves to their limit for nearly a week.
And this was just the beginning.
Even Cecelia, who was fussy about her hygiene, didn't have enough energy to care.
As long as she could just... Lie down… Nothing else mattered…
Just as she was about to close her eyes and succumb to the sweet embrace of sleep, a voice called out.
It was Lorie.
"Do you happen to know the exact location of the destination princess? Or are we just supposed to search the vicinity?"
They were still a good two days' travel from the place on Cecelia's map.
However… They carried twenty days worth of rations with them.
Cecelia opened her mouth to speak but instead tiredly yawned.
She quickly clutched her mouth with visible embarrassment.
Not that those nearby really cared about trivial things like decorum at the moment.
Composing herself, she finally responded.
"Truth be told… While we know for a fact that there is, or at least was, a holy ruin there, it was somehow not discovered all these years."
Lorie inwardly clicked her tongue.
"So there's going to be some sort of hidden trick to find it, isn't there."
"Yes… In order to find it, we need to find that 'trick.' I don't know how long that will take, but we prepared for roughly two to three weeks of searching just to be safe."
Lorie sighed.
"All while not being found ourselves, lest we end up being captured or worse…"