11 Life but with Trees Underground?

Finding our way back was the easy part. Like, in every video game I've ever played, I marked the walls. I picked up a rock from wherever I woke up was. Which I used to chip X's into the walls.

After making our way near the surface ( The air freshened up, so we felt a little confident. But we were still underground, though.), we noticed something unnerving. The geography of the place was unfamiliar for both of us. Also, one thing is peculiar about the place. There were mana-rich areas all over the place. Like beside trees(I don't know why those are underground. There isn't even sunlight, though.) and rocks. And one thing's for sure. In one of the books I've read, it says that more often than not, every place rich in mana in the air, can be and probably is a nest for lesser species or even evolved ones. The "monster" that supplies the place with mana is called a Dungeon Guardian.

Which makes me think that we've just been inside a dungeon. I don't know why bats were the only beasts we encountered, but it may be a dungeon. I think I want to explore it after we go home.

They nurture the place with their mana in exchange for controlling the manifestations of the location's preexisting mana and the overall appearance of the place which in human language are called dungeons. Dungeons which monsters reside due to the mana that has been supplied to the place. Adventurers explore this dungeon in exchange for goods.

You know, classical myth/legend lore. Or just pick up an isekai light novel. Or Wikipedia. I'm not really in the mood to explain it.

I should probably explain how we got here. Remember that loose detail I included earlier about how the temperature at Kythaela's made my nose freeze?

Basically, I've dragged her to where my nose felt colder. Or where the air feels thin. Or to wherever we found signs of civilization.

I know, I'm dumb.

"We have to be careful. We're probably inside a dungeon."

It actually looked like the outside world. Except for the fact that about 30 feet above our heads rested a bunch of big stone bricks mortared together. And they looked like they wanted to fall.

Is mortared a word?

I turned around. She still had my hoodie sleeve upon her face. I pulled it down.

"Finally." I smiled. "We've made it near ground level."

She smiled back, and my heart skipped a beat. I ruffled her hair.

"Wanna take a break?" I asked.

Calm down, she's only 6. Good conscience thought.

Better lay the groundwork-

"You're thinking weird thoughts again." She said. "You should know how to hold it in or you'll never get a wife."

"Hol' up." I froze. "For real, can you read my mind or something?"

"You're wearing your heart over your shoulder."

"Metaphor explanation, when?"

"Stop acting cheesy. It's disgusting."

"Do I be happy that you're back to being a tsundere? Or do I be sad over losing a precious, soft, side of you?"

"Tsundere? What is that?"

"You. Cute, wonderful, you."

She blushed.

"O-of course... t-that is to be expected, but taking comments from you feels disgusting."

"Says the one who's tomato-red right now."

"Hey!"

"I searched a dungeon for you, broke my ankle, cut my hand, drained my mana to near zero, and this is the thanks I get?" I smiled a sh(redacted)-eating grin. "A simple thank you wouldn't hurt, would it?"

"I-I c-could get out on my own too, you know."

"Then shall I go first now? Since you said you can go out on your own anyway." I tried to fake leaving, but it seemed like someone couldn't be honest with herself.

"Do… don't leav...e me… like mother…" She cried like a kid and came kicking and screaming to me. She grabbed my shoulder

Now that I think about it, calling her a kid is inaccurate since she is a kid. But still, she seemed so broken.

"Mother?" I asked.

"Please…"

"Okay, okay, I won't leave, but follow my orders okay?"

I sighed for dramatic effect. Poor Kythaela. I'm not sure why she allows herself to put up with my weird humor.

"Just, please don't leave." She shook a bit, tears flowing down her face. "Please, Zophiel."

Just when I thought I had a good idea of who Kythaela was, I found her difficult to understand again. Seemed like she's like this because of her mom. Sad. I can relate, tho. Can't lie but maybe I'm too biased about this. I know what it's like, having to let go of family.

"Don't call me Zophiel." I hit her with the thumbs-up. "Zoph is fine."

"Then Kate."

Could this be the sacred moment? The moment where I make a girl fall for me?

Assessment: Her eyes look sincere, her body language seems open towards me-

Could THIS BE-

I didn't have much time to reflect on that though. As if on cue, green laser-beams shot out from behind the tree line.

I know, tree line. Underground. Doesn't make sense, but hey, I'm not asking too many questions.

We ducked behind a mossy boulder. I took a peek to see where the shooter was sniping from, but nearly got my face blasted off by a potshot.

"What's happening?" Kate asked.

"This must be the work of an enemy stand user.**" I paused. "I've been waiting for the longest time to say that."

"What?"

"What?"

We didn't have much time to discuss the finer details of Jojos, as our trusty rock got blasted to pieces. Thinking quickly, we split and ran for it.

"Head for the treeline!" I hollered.

"But why?"

"It's safer!" I rolled, as the blaster fire seemed to concentrate on me. "More cover in the trees!"

So far, there seemed to be only one shooter. They, whoever they were, were shooting from an elevated position, about 35-39 yards away.*** And with vicious intent, too. Even though he or she wasn't hitting anything, the mana in the shots was loaded. Stacked. Filled.

Need I say more?

(** Is that a Jojo reference? Jk, this is a Jojo reference. Kono Dio da! uwu)

(***Yeah. After being shot at, time and time again (courtesy of Kate), I've become decent at guessing where shots are fired from.)

We managed to run into the clearing, just as he sniped a tree branch ahead of me. Just as I was about to get crunched, The tree burst into flames and crumbled to ash before it hit my head.

"Thanks for the save."

"I-it's nothing."

No follow-up shots came after that. We just slumped to the floor, catching wheeze after wheeze.

"Hey."

"What?"

"I'm going after the shooter." I picked up a nasty-looking stone. "Promise me you'll stay put?"

"Are you crazy? Do you want to die?"

"Big tree over there. See that hollow? Creep into it. You should fit. Yell if you're in trouble. I'll get you in 30 minutes, yeah?"

"Wait- where are you-?!"

And I ran. No questions asked, throwing logic aside. Wind in my hair, adrenaline in my heart.

I had a target to chase. I needed answers. Simple stuff.

I kicked the spurs of my boots up and reached for my hoodie. Realizing it wasn't there, I slicked my hair back, so that it wouldn't bother me when I ran.

And I took off. And the game was afoot.

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