CH. 307: Xenos Village (I)

After teasing Ray for another long hour, Asahi took Ray and teleported to the 20th floor. The pair flew through the luscious corridors brimming with plant-type monsters as well as the groups of lizardmen under the guise of stealth skill. Ray's golden eyes darted in search of the spot with abundant crystals. More than that, she was trying to sniff her scent back to the place.

They flew above a hill before rushing through thick plants. The room on the other side was their destination. The room was a long rectangle about ten meters wide, and the ceiling was just as tall. Tree bark covered the walls and canopy, just like every room they had passed by on the way, and it was all carpeted with Lamp Moss. At the end of the room, the walls were covered with emerald quartz crystals like a blooming iceberg.

"There it is."

Asahi smashed the wall of crystals to find a large opening. As the crystals fell off, new crystals started growing. The abnormal growth was as if the dungeon was trying to hide the village.

"Dungeon-chan, how cute."

Ray couldn't look away from his teasing smile. Asahi patted her head before taking her into the narrow corridor.

Asahi and Ray walked down the slope illuminated by sparkling crystals on both sides. A spring with crystal clear water awaited them at the bottom of the hill.

Ray peered down the deep body of water. "The village is on the other side."

"You can swim?"

She scratched her cheeks with the blue tip of her wings. "I almost drowned…"

Asahi chuckled and ruffled her hair. "We'll do it my way this time."

Before Ray asked what that was, Asahi picked her up and leaped in the air. Ray shut her eyes and hung onto him with her wings. The cold feeling she expected didn't come. She quickly opened her eyes, only to widen them. They were falling instead of swimming as the water was held apart by an unseen force.

Asahi smiled at her shocked reaction. The water element allowed him to manipulate water. Although his control wasn't as refined as Saeko, splitting a water body wasn't a big task.

Asahi plummeted to the bottom and followed the path. He arrived at a dead end and looked up to find a cliff.

"Yes," Ray said in a tiny voice.

Asahi nodded and climbed up in one go.

*Thud!* *Thud!* *Thud!*

The sound of feet charging at them reached him. He let Ray down and pulled out the black daggers. Gae Bolg wasn't suited for the current task.

A red beam charged straight at them, and an incredible killing intent swept through the air. Ray flinched for a moment. As she recognized the red-scaled lizardman charging right at them, she raised her voice.

"Lyd! It's me!"

The killing intent died immediately. Ray took a breath of relief and smiled. Lyd put a brake on his charge and stopped a few feet away from Asahi. He gripped the scimitar and longsword in his hands, his eyes filled with confusion unmoving from Asahi. He couldn't muster any desire to kill him as if all his hostility vanished.

"Who is he?" he asked.

Ray stepped forward and spread her wings. "Don't be mad, please. I'll explain to every—"

Another surge of killing intent enveloped them. A new Xenos rushed at them. This time it was a gargoyle.

"Gros!"

As if he didn't hear Ray, Gros relentlessly darted at Asahi. Ray's mind went blank for a second. Before she knew it, her body moved to block Gros's sharp claws.

"Gosh. You guys are a pain."

Asahi lightly pushed Ray out of the way and blocked the long white nails of the gargoyle with his dagger. Sparks flew and lit up Gros's ashen white face.

Gros and Lyd both stared at Asahi in disbelief. Gros was even a notch faster than Ray when it came to short-distance bursts. Yet, he was held off effortlessly.

Gros felt a strong compulsion to stop his assault and bow his head. Gritting his teeth, he pushed back the feeling and raised his left arm to launch another attack. Ray came between him and Asahi.

With her golden eyes burning with fury, she glared into Gros's red eyes. "Please. Listen to me…"

She hadn't returned until now due to this as the thought of a fight between Asahi and her village frightened her.

"Yes. Listen to her," Asahi said and let go of Gros's hand. "You don't stand a chance even if you two attack together."

Taking his word as a taunt, Gros's soul became ablaze in fury. Just as his arm moved, he found himself imprisoned by Asahi's telekinesis.

"Stay here."

Hearing more footsteps approaching, Asahi sighed and walked toward Lyd. "Yo, Lyd. I told you I'm not here to hurt anyone. Can you stop them from attacking me?"

"Did Fels send you?" Lyd asked while giving Gros concerned looks.

"Kinda."

Lyd's sulfurous yellow eyes formed crescents. He tucked his weapons into the sheaths tied to his waist and extended his hand. "Nice to meet you, friend."

Asahi accepted the handshake without a hitch. The hand covered in hard scales made Asahi curious about his defense.

"I'm Asahi."

"Master is here to escort me," Ray corrected Asahi's lie and pointed the tip of her wing at Gros like a finger. "Don't fight!"

"Master?" Lyd gawked. "What do you mean?"

Just as Lyd questioned, the other Xenos arrived and brightened the surroundings with their magic lamps. A dragon with green scales slowly walked toward them. The scars covering its entire frame told about the life it had lived until now.

"G-Gryuu," Ray said. "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I came to welcome the second guest of our village."

Asahi waved his hands. "It's a pleasure to be here, Gryuu."

Gryuu nodded sincerely while the other Xenos approached Asahi.

"Oho. This one certainly is charming."

"Certainly, Laura. This one makes me want to submit and become his slave."

A mature lady slithered toward Asahi with her long serpentine tail, her long aquamarine hair bobbing left and right. She was a lamia with light blue scales and sharp claws. Accompanying her was a girl with long red hair. She shared Ray's wings and talon-like legs.

"Laura, Fia!"

Ray dove at the lamia lady and hugged her. Laura smiled and patted Ray's back.

"Welcome home, girl. We missed you a lot."

Ray froze hearing the word 'home'. Looking back at Asahi, she hardened her will.

"I'm sorry. I—"

"Ray!"

A melodious voice came as a giant figure appeared around the corner. With eight-pointed legs, the woman rushed at Ray. Attached to the spider half was the beautiful body of a pale-skinned woman with shoulder-length white hair.

'Arachne…'

Asahi gulped his saliva. In his past life, he always squashed spiders whenever he saw one, but a half human, half spider left him with only three words.

"This ain't scary."