Monster Attack (4)

I walked along the coastline, heading towards the direction of the camp. After Eleanor fell asleep, I decided it would be better to get moving before another monster showed up while our guards were down.

I was carrying Eleanor on my back, her weight pressed gently against me, and her head rested lightly on my shoulder. She slept silently, her breathing steady and calm.

The oscillating waves created a soothing white noise that calmed my mind. With a clear mind, I delved into my thoughts once again. Although everything ended up alright, the deviation in the plot had almost led to Adriel's death.

We weren't supposed to be ambushed while returning to the camp by taxi. In the novel, the main cast was attacked by that boss monster in the streets of New York City, just before hailing a cab. Yet, for some reason, the creature bided its time, striking only after we had let our guard down inside the taxi. They deliberately waited for the precise moment when we were at our most defenseless.

'However, we did everything identical to the plot in the novel... So the sequence of events shouldn't have been built up in such a way that would result in the ambush getting delayed.'

Every variable that could influence the storyline was identical: the time, the location, everything. Except for one... The characters. The only difference was the presence of an additional character—me.

'I knew that even my mere existence would make a difference, but to think it would completely alter the plot... I underestimated my influence...'

It would have been manageable if I were just an ordinary demigod, but I was the son of Hades, one of the Big Three. Unlike other demigods, children of the Big Three radiated an imposing aura, potent with divine energy. This made it all too easy for a monster to detect the presence of a child of the Big Three.

Monsters, though vastly inferior to humans, possess a spark of intelligence nevertheless. This meant that when they sensed a potential threat, they could resort to a tiny bit of logical thinking, though it was still greatly surpassed by monstrous instincts.

What I presumed happened was that the monsters, upon detecting the presence of three children of the Big Three, decided that their best course of action was to wait until we let our guard down. This was unlike the novel, where there were only two children of the Big Three, Adriel and Eleanor. Without the added intimidation of a third child of the Big Three, the monsters didn't feel the need to alter their strategy to gain an upper hand and were confident enough to attack them directly in the city.

'My plan was to ensure the plot carried on as it was supposed to, but it turns out my existence within the plot is the greatest threat to my plan after all.'

*Sigh...*

'I have to do something about this before the plot turns into an utter mess...'

Just then, the head resting on my shoulder stirred slightly, pulling me out of my thoughts. Eleanor yawned and nuzzled her cheek against my shoulder. When I glanced at her, she blinked a few times before looking at me with a blank expression. As she came to her senses, she flinched and straightened abruptly, almost causing me to lose my balance and fall back.

"Hey, will you just stay still?"

"W-what are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious? I am carrying you."

"I can see that! I mean, why are you carrying me?!"

"You literally fell asleep. What was I supposed to do, leave you there to let the monster eat you?"

"A-Ah..."

Unable to get back at me, she gave up arguing with me and calmed down.

"Alright, I am awake now! Can you put me down?"

"You sure? You've undergone divine energy exhaustion. You're practically running on empty. I doubt you can even stand straight, let alone walk for a while. It's a miracle you can still talk this much..."

"Shut up! Just let me down."

"Sigh... As you wish, I guess."

With a resigned sigh, I crouched to let her get down. At first, she seemed to be able to stand up easily without a problem. Turning to me, she wore a proud expression on her face.

"Hehe... See? All back to normal!"

But as soon as she took a step, her mind seemed to drift, her eyes darkening with fatigue. Without warning, her body swayed and began falling towards me.

"Ahh!"

*Thud*

Her face bumped into my chest as her arms instinctively wrapped around me, trying to find something to hold on to. She struggled to regain her balance and finally gave up on her idea of walking on her own. As she buried her face in my chest, her ears reddened out of embarrassment.

"Hey, um, could you maybe carry me...?∼"

*Pfft...*

"Hey, what's so funny?!"

She lifted her head to meet my face which had a subtle smile on. Her face had blushed with embarrassment.

"Stop laughing!"

But instead of complying, my chuckles turned into lighthearted laughter, echoing along the shoreline. I couldn't help but find the situation amusing, and my laughter only seemed to fuel Eleanor's annoyance.

As my laughter subsided, a sense of relief washed over me, like a heavy burden lifted from my shoulders. It felt as if the weight I had been carrying since I was transmigrated into this world had suddenly vanished. Trouble had been a constant companion since my arrival, and the stress of trying to survive in such a treacherous environment had pushed me to my mental limits. Now, for a moment, that stress bubble had partially popped.

More than that, I couldn't recall the last time I had experienced a genuine laugh. In my past life, laughter was a rare luxury, a fleeting moment of respite amidst the trials of my life. As the refreshing feeling washed over me, even if only for a moment, the crushing weight of my burdens was momentarily swept aside.

"Alright, fine... Get on my back."

I crouched down once more to allow Eleanor to hop onto my back. She wrapped her arms around my neck, settling herself comfortably as I held her up by her legs. With a gentle heave, I stood up, and together we continued along the coastline toward the camp, surrounded by the colorful sky and the sun settling down on the horizon.

Before long, the rest of the main cast appeared in the distance, running towards us. Adriel took the lead, followed by Amelia, Nadia, and a few other extras.

"They are alive!"

"Thank God!"

They hurried over, firing off questions about the monster, how we managed to take it down, and so on. Eventually, Adriel turned to me with a curious look to ask why I was carrying Eleanor on my back.

"Well... I sorta drained my divine energy and now I can't even walk straight without stumbling."

"Ah, got it. Blake, need a hand? You look pretty wiped out."

As if reading my mind, Adriel offered me a helping hand. But before I could respond or ask for assistance, Eleanor jumped in.

"Yeah, that wou-"

"It's okay, Adriel, you don't really have to."

'Really? The question wasn't even directed to you...'

"Yeah, um, sure, if that's what you want..."

We formed a defensive group formation, prepared for any potential monster ambush, but fortunately, our journey back to camp was uneventful, and we arrived safely. As we entered the safety of the camp's borders, the aroma of dinner around the campfire greeted us.

The group split up, with Eleanor and I heading to our cabins for some much-needed rest while the others made their way to the campfire for dinner. Adriel assured us that he would report what happened to Chiron on our behalf. Now that we were back in camp, the first quest was completed, and Nadia had been brought to safety successfully.

The sun had disappeared and the moon had risen up to the sky by now. Bathing in the moonlight, I stopped in my tracks as we were finally in front of our cabins.

"Think you can handle going in on your own?"

"Mmm... Probably not."

"Got it."

I walked up to the entrance of Poseidon's cabin and unlocked it with Eleanor's keys. As the door swung open, a gentle breeze wafted past us, carrying the refreshing scent of the ocean. The interior of the cabin was similar to mine but felt fresher and brighter.

Ascending the stairs to the second floor, Eleanor directed me to one of the bedrooms. Stepping inside, I was greeted by a clean and tidy space. Carefully, I lowered Eleanor onto her bed, watching as she settled herself in.

While she made herself comfortable, my gaze wandered around the room. It landed on a framed photograph resting on the bedside desk, catching my attention.

It portrayed a middle-aged woman with striking features, her black hair cascading around her shoulders and warm brown eyes. Her facial structures had a striking resemblance to Eleanor.

"That's my mom."

Eleanor said softly, her gaze lingering on the image.

I tried to look surprised though I already knew who the woman in the photograph was. Eleanor's mother was one of the few mortals endowed with the ability to see through the Mist without any hindrance, one of her traits that had undoubtedly drawn Poseidon to her.

"I wonder how she's been holding up..."

Eleanor's voice trailed off as she stared at the photo, her thoughts drifting to her mother's well-being. The pain in her voice was something I could relate to. I knew exactly what it felt like to be separated from your parents, to endure the ache of their absence. Although her mother was still alive, it didn't change the fact that Eleanor had been away from her for over a month.

"I'm sure she's fine. Anyway, I'm gonna head out now. Sleep well."

I said, waving goodbye and turning to leave.

"Blake."

But Eleanor called out just as I reached the doorframe. I turned back to see her peeking over her blanket, with her blanket pulled up to her nose and her eyes, a mix of emerald and sapphire, the only part of her face left out.

"Thanks for taking care of me..."

"Yeah. No problem... Good night."

"Good night."

With that last exchange, I left her room and was finally free. My mind was a tangled mess of thoughts after all the things that happened today. The exhaustion hit me crushing like a tsunami as I slouched toward my own cabin. Entering the grand living room, as soon as I reached the couch, I collapsed onto it, not even bothering to change or get under a blanket. Sleep claimed me almost instantly, pulling me into the depths of much-needed rest.