023 Unprecedented encounter.
Drip... Drip....
Small droplets of white saps was leaking out of the still broken crystal at the east part of the dungeon pantry. These tiny droplets falls down at the now now bloody pool below bringing ripples on its surface.
The battle had just ended awhile ago and the dungeon was still busy repairing itself. Considering how huge the overall damage in this cavern, it will surely take more time to turn this place back into its paradise like scenery from before.
But the good thing is that, this works very well for Bell as it will give him enough time to get his things done.
In the middle of the cavern.
Right beside the small lake, a huge amount of monster corpses was piled up into a small mountain and a white haired boy with rubillite eyes stands on top of it. He had just finished gathering all the corpses into one place and was about to start looting them.
" Small magic stone.... another magic stone.... erm.. a slightly damage magic stone..... "
Bell's now in the process of extracting the monster cores out of the piled up corpses below him.
Slash! Pull. Slash!
One simple sword slash to open up the chest part of the monster, grabbing and pulling out the magic stone from its chest. With a 'pew' like sounds, the imp's body disintegrated into ashes after Bell took away its core and scattered in the air.
Looting monster corpses was simple but it can be a very tiring thing to do especially if there's a lot of monster corpses to loot. There are approximately four hundred to five hundred monsters inside this cavern when the battle started. But now, the total number of monster corpses here might easily passed a thousand. No wonder Bell had a very hard time winning this war despite being fully prepared.
Perhaps it's because he's very busy fighting the horde of monsters so he failed to notice the total amount of reinforcements the dungeon had sent to take his life.
Just a single glance at the still enormous amount of work waiting for him was enough to make Bell helplessly sigh again and again thinking that he should have brought a supporter with him.
But that's only a wishful thinking on his part because if he did brought a supporter with him, it won't be long before they die. As weak as he was right now, Bell can't afford to have a noncombatant person holding him back during his battles because that might cost him his life.
Perhaps it was now the time to start thinking of forming a party with other adventurers? But Hestia familia was still a one mortal one goddess tandem currently so that will be a bit difficult. As for partying up with the adventurers from different familias, Bell wanted to avoid that at the early stages of his career.
" Ahh, enough yapping already and get to work. " he scolded himself while stabbing another monster under his feet. " Oh, a drop item? Lucky. "
* Thud Thud Thud *
" Hmm? "
Bell was busying himself with work when out of nowhere, he heard something.
Though it's not that clear yet because of the distance, Bell was sure that it was a sound of footsteps and a quite a heavy one at that.
" It's coming from... " Bell turned his head towards the dungeon pantry's entrance. The sounds was undoubtedly coming from there and it's getting clearer and clearer as time passes by. " There's three... no, two? "
Two heavy-ass fellows are approaching.
But who could it be? And why would they even come here in all places?
He waited.
One second, two seconds, ten seconds...
Bell just stood there on top of the mountain of monster corpses holding the sword firmly with his right hand. Then at exactly two full minutes later, two silhouette finally appeared at the entrance of the cavern.
A frown slowly formed on his face.
Huge brown hairy legs, thick bulky monster torsos, bull heads with huge long black horns, crimson red savage eyes..
Bell was out of words after seeing the appearance of his two newly arrived guests.
" You're kidding... " O.-.0
At the surface.
The sun was already about to set by the time Hestia woke up. Getting out of bed, she stretches her limbs and body for a few moments and headed to the kitchen.
Arriving there, she saw cooked food on the table covered by lid with a small paper lying on top ---its a note. Hestia picked it up and began reading it's content.
[
Be sure to eat these food first before taking any sweets inside the cabinet.
- Bell.
]
" Hmph! Dumb Bell. Airhead Bell. Treating me like a child again. " she silently complained with a pout before putting the note on the side. " What's this? "
On the table was two pieces of bread and a meat and vegetable soup that is still inside the clay pot. The food had long cooled down so Hestia needed reheat it first before she can eat them.
Sniff..... sniff...
" Urgh....have to take a bath first. Can't let Bell smell me like th-....UWAAH! What am I even thinking??? "
With her face turning red, Hestia run inside the bathroom to wash herself.
" I wonder what was Bell doing right now? " she whispered under her breath sometime after.
..
Huff.... Huff...
" We are almost there, Lefiya. Prepare yourself. "
" Mn. I'm right behind you, Miss Leene! "
Lefiya and Leene unceasingly pursued after the two runaway Minotaurs at full speed. Time was not on their side so they can only try their best hoping that they will make it.
The corridor here was wide and huge part flat, aside from the few low leveled monsters, the two of them didn't encounter much difficulty along their way.
But there's still no sign of the two Minotaurs.
Leene looked at the map and saw that they are almost there, at the pantry. They can already see the light coming from its supposed to be entrance.
Thirty meters... Twenty meters..... Ten meters...
When the two of them was about to reach, something came flying towards their direction.
Bam!
Both Lefiya and Leene nodded with each other before jumping on the side at the same time, narrowly avoiding the collision from whatever that thing that was thrown at them.
An ambush? They both thought while looking at the broken wall behind them. They are both holding their weapons firmly.
" Arrgg.... Pain pain pain... " said the voice from behind the smoke and dust floating in the air. " Haays... What a lame ass way of landing. Not cool at all. "
""....""
As the dust subsided, the two girls finally saw the owner of the voice.
It's a white haired human male. By the look of his face, he's definitely younger than them by one to two years. His eyes was red, like that of blood but a lot more beautiful.
" Ano.... Are you okay? " asked Leene. She has no doubt that this was the person they came here for. It's a good thing he's still alive. She's a healer so she quickly run beside him and and started chanting while ignoring the surprised look on boy's face.
Lefiya on the other hand positioned herself right in front of the entrance, blocking it with her small body. In front of her, she saw two huge Minotaurs both holding blunt weapon in their hands. It's obviously them who had sent the boy flying just now.
' They are only level two monsters, I can do it! I will do it! ' Lefiya reminded herself silently.
" Unleashed beam of light, limbs of the holy tree. You are the master archer. " she also began chanting. Magic circle started forming below her feet.
But the two Minotaurs surely would not simply stand still and wait for their deaths.
"" OMMRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!! ""
With a desperate howl, the two Minotaurs rushed towards Lefiya brandishing their blunt weapons to her. They seemed to have recognized this elf girl as one of the people that are hunting them. But since she's alone, the Minotaurs aren't that deterred anymore.
" !! "
Seeing the incoming attack, Lefiya was force to dodge by jumping backwards, interrupting her chants.
Bam! bam!
" RRRAAAAAAAAAWWWWWRRRRGGGGG! "
The two minotaurs brandished their weapons to her continuously but Lefiya dodged them easily due to her being a level three adventurer.
Looking from the back, the still dazed Bell finally recovered. He didn't expect to see these two beauties from Loki familia here so he was a bit surprised. But when he saw the young elf, Lefiya fighting against the two Minotaurs, he snapped out.
How can he let other people take away his two excelia banks just like that? No way!
" You, what do you think you are doing??! " Leene asked in surprised when she saw the boy in front of her stood up so abruptly and unsteadily making his way towards Lefiya and the two Minotaurs' direction. " C-come back here, your injuries are quite serious and you're still bleeding! "
" I appreciate the help, miss healer but I still need secure my leveling tickets before anything else. " replied Bell as he continue walking forward albeit unsteadily.
"..."
Leene was speechless and wasn't able to react for a moment.
Was this boy had some loose screws in his head? Was he that desperate to seek his own death?
But Bell didn't pay anymore attention to her.
Shing!
He unsheathed the ash colored sword as he walks forward. Playtime is over. He already had proven that he was hopeless against these two Minotaurs barehanded. The fact that he was sent flying just just was the biggest proof of that plus the still numb arms of his due to the impact.
Arriving beside Lefiya, Bell grabbed her wrist with his left hand and gently pulled her behind him.
" Please stepped aside, miss elf. I will deal with these two legged oversized cows on my own. "
"...."
O.-.0