Grrr
The orc starts charging towards me. But it didn't even look at me. It ran straight past me. This is no good news. If an orc is actually running away from something..
Creeeeak. Some rocks are sliced clean by this oversized creature. A minotour.
In the earth, the way war is done with mainly brute force, some tatics. First, shower your enemy with explosive shells, then, send in your troops. You can't be just pulling a violin and expect the enemy to have doubt on to attack or not to attack. Oh, if all else fails, there is always a way to send the whole of opponent territory on the absolute kill, if not just kill the earth 20+ times.
A minotaur is considered as a threat not only due to it's size but it is very agile. To top up, it also wears armor. Who actually made such a big sized armor?
Not my business. But whatever armor they make, they cannot be harder than iron. Even if my projectile may be a softer lead. It still penetrates bone. It is decided, then.
I ran towards the minotaur, if that vine really is Selene, she'd have realised my situation by now. Maybe, if she is the only audience, it would be fine. What I am going to do is going to surpass this world's knowledge.
P- and it is a success. A clean hit just a few cm below the knee. Now that this thing lost mobility. I can just keep my distance and fire an arrow.
This time round, I am not going to throw up. Another clean shot, straight to it's eye. The kingdom would actually need this iron armor. They can make 3 smaller armor out if it. More if it is for kids like me.
Now, even when the other orc is still alive, it is no longer blocking the exit. No time to rest, I pressed on and saw the stairs. Hmm, vines are here too. No bodies here. Looks safe.
————
Even when there is rescue mission posted on the guild, it is not the most popular thing people are looking at. They are just doing it along with mapping. Mapping is a more lucrative time limited commission. Once yearly. What would you get from rescuing someone? A burden in the dungeon, a thanks when resurface, and a few silver coins, maybe a bit more than a few. A map data, all member healthy, worth gold coins. A less outsider means all people here are trusted.
"This is about level 2, let's go down to the third." Not everyone have the ability to go deep.
Hmm, burnt mark, clean slash through the walls. Someone or something here have the brute force. That means easier for us to map the area, as long as we get to resurface first.
There it is. Squad secured rest area. In unique situation like this, some kingdom's squad will be deployed to assist in rescue effort. When such a big space is found, they will set up barricades and guard duties for small parties like us to rest and continue to pierce forward. Some merchant will tag along to sell some potions or food. But there is a rule, unless someone is serverly injured, one is not supposed to stay for longer than a day. When it is crowded, a squad may not occupy for more than an hour.
A quick glance on the area. Most people are gathered in fours, or in squad uniform. But there is just one couple there. Less people doesn't mean a good target to bully. It could mean they are so dangerous they earned the permit to operate alone in the dungeon, and there is two of them standing there leisurely, doesn't seem like they have a lost member or two.
————
I followed the vines, no surprise, it retracted along with me. But to a certain point of time, it stopped retracting.
Wow, dungeon marketplace. This world never fails to surprise me. How did the merchant going to carry all those silvers and gold up? Yeah, it seems like cooper is not accepted here.
Wait a minute, isn't that mom and dad? Are they here for me? But only both of them? Where is the party member?
"Oh there is our Kei."
"Hey, isn't that one of the rescue target posted?"
"Now he is in the temporary camp, the rescue mission would've concluded as rescued by squad 109. Since they are the one who did the garrison here."
"Good for us, we can go down without having a kid as burden."
————
I rested quite a bit at the field hospital. The sight of Kei running towards us, worried, still lingers as if it is just now. If he were just a step faster he would be out by now.
"Oh, Mira, you are awake. I've nothing against you but since you are now mobile we'll need you to move already."
"Where is Selene and Mr. Hanbo? They were together with me when we arrived."
"Hanbo has already left. Selene forced her affinity a bit… no. She forced her affinity too much her mana circuit actually got damaged. All of you having fractured bones can be healed easily overtime, especially you kids, maybe in a few months. But the mana circuit damages… Oh, she is now sent to the rest center of Squad 109 since their site is the nearest from where she fainted."
We learnt in academy. Over usage of affinity without proper rest can result in damages. Just like over usage of muscles can cause cramps, injuries. But muscles can heal, the circuit doesn't, it could very well be permanent.
I wanted to go down and participate in the search, but without a party and being injured. I can do nothing but pray, if there is just a god available.
What can I do to this world? What is my purpose? Other than being water affinity. No one understood the other character-my ability.