Eastern Dungeon (Part 3)

Vorbuk's eyes twitched at the familiar sound of the system calling out to him. The sound of its voice was something he had grown use to hearing over time since he came to this world.

[ Mana Stabilized. ]

There was a warm feeling in his body that was new. Yet somehow the feeling seemed natural to him.

[ While you were unconscious the Dragon aided your condition. ]

"That guy did?" Vorbuk asked almost reflexively. Bredret was the last person he would expect to help him in that situation.

Taking a moment to feel the difference in his body he could tell that the way he naturally controlled his mana had changed. It felt as if the flow of energy in his body had gotten stronger and easier to control. Moving his body around now felt much lighter. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from him that he was unaware of before.

"Vorbuk!" "Master!"

Several voices called out to him the moment they realized the wolf had woken up.

Skrree! Skrrree!

Shhkk!

Lifting his head to look in the direction of the voices that called out to him without coming closer he could see the others fighting off a group of giant insects. They resembled something like ants but were as large as dogs. There was not much of a threat when it came to the creatures fighting skills. One after another they were quickly killed.

Hm? After a moment the wolf realized he was not on the ground. He was being carefully held in the embrace of someone. It had taken him a moment to realize due to the lack of warmth. How can a person feel so cold? Connecting his gaze with that of Ashley when he looked up his body immediately flinched.

Grrr... Vorbuk growled as he forced the vampire servant of his to release him immediately. He was not comfortable with being so close to him. Glancing around to quickly find the location of the crown prince, Leo.

[ Name: Vorbuk

Species: Shadow Wolf

Evolution Level: 2

Mana: 999

Titles: Goblin Slayer, Protector of the Realm, Bar Brawler, ]

Vorbuk took a quick glance at his progress the moment his feet touched the cold ground of the cave.

Huh? For a moment Vorbuk thought he had miss judged his sight.

His mana had gone up while he was unconscious because of the help that Bredret had given him to get his mana flow back under control. Although he had not managed to completely break through to the next level.

There was not enough time for him to ponder his thoughts on the matter. His body quickly rushed forward to where Leo was fighting off the monstrous sized insects. Sounds of steel cutting its way through the insects filled his ears. A heavy stench of blood in the air. Mentally he knew he should have felt disgusted. Instinctively, however, his body plunged forward in excitement for the hunt.

Vorbuk's fangs sank into the first insect he could grab. Whipping it to side as the giant ant slammed into the side of the cave wall and was smashed on impact.

"Should you be moving already?" The crown prince asked regardless of knowing the wolf would never be the type to sit and wait because someone asked him to.

"I feel fine.. What's going on here?" Vorbuk asked while trying to understand their situation.

"While you were out of it we had to take our way through an underground dungeon to get to the other side of the mountain. It hasn't been long since we entered to get away from the Crystal Tiger.. You didn't miss very much, honestly." Leo spoke as if the whole situation was being taken lightly. In the prince's gaze the wolf could see he was actually more worried then he wanted to express outwardly and decided to let it go.

It did not take long for the group to end their struggle with the ants. Daryl struck down the last ant while trying to note of the direction they were heading in. His gaze shifting in the direction of the prince when he caught Zoe approaching him.

Zoe stepped over to the cave wall beside Leo and ran her hand along it. All over the cave random clusters of mana crystal could be seen. The light from the crystals that had formed throughout the cave illuminated the place in a soft blue hue.

"... It feels like walking through an aquarium." Vorbuk muttered to himself as the vision in front of him made him recall his past life. Those days when Vorbuk was a human child he would sneak into ocean aquariums to view the sea creatures from below. The large aquariums were something he enjoyed in his childhood. Blue light from the mana stones throughout the cave only brought forward those memories that he had long since missed. A normal human life was something he could no longer have.

I am no longer human and I am not a beast either.. Vorbuk struggled with his thoughts.

"What was that?" Prince Leo could not understand what those words meant.

"Ah! It's nothing." The wolf flinched and quickened his pace to put some distance between them. He was not certain he would be able to explain what one was. If he tried to explain it there was also the problem with explaining how he would be aware of such a thing himself.

From the perspective of the prince it looked as if Vorbuk was avoiding him. He could not understand what reason the wolf would have to suddenly avoid him.

"Did I do something?" Leo thought to himself out loud as Ashley stepped up beside him. A mocking grin on his face as he glared at the prince.

"Rejected." Ashley covered his single word with a cough before quickly rushing ahead.

"Master~! If you get tired of walking just let me know~!" The vampire called out with a delighted smile as he got closer to the wolf.

The wolf snarled at Ashley causing the vampire to halt his ideas on getting any closer to him. Vorbuk's fangs were ready to snap at the sign of any refusal to obey him. If the vampire tried to lift him up without permission he was willing to bite down on those hands.

Vorbuk was not ignorant of the fact that Ashley's kindness towards him was an act. The vampire was simply protecting himself by using loyalty as way to survive in this worlds society. While he knew Ashley might have felt a sense of curiosity towards him it did not mean he truly cared. It was because of this reason that the thought of the vampire being close to him made him uncomfortable. He could not tell where Ashley's true self began nor ended.

"You shouldn't lag behind." Vorbuk forced himself to speak up towards the gloomy crown prince, Leo. If someone was going to walk near him it was most comfortable being someone he could communicate with.

If I am neither man nor beast... I will at least be the best 'me' that I can in this life this time around. After all... There is no going back. I can only move forward. Vorbuk sighed as he accepted that fact.