Forest of Gaia??? what a cliche name.

The sun shined on my face as I struggled to wake up before heard a beautiful voice,

"Wake up, Ryazu." [Rena]

"Waarrgh!"

Opening my eyes in terror, a beauty appeared in front of me, blue haired, great figure, a big asset *ahem* and a small smile appeared on her emotionless face. This made me frown, what kind of thing made her smile?

"O-oh."

I woke up yawning and stretching before turn back to her in surprise. Hmm.....

"So... what's the thing that made this lady smiling?"

I threw few flattery since it's kinda cruel to break that smile. Moreover, the guilt slapping her still there. Noticing Rena's smile blossomed even more, I had expectation.

"Can you cook for me now? I'm... Very hungry, and your cooking delicious." [Rena]

"ah?"

"What?" [Rena]

Her smile turned to emotionless one, somehow I could even seen there seem anger brimming inside her. I chuckled before went to lake to wash my face and start up fire to cook breakfast for us.

As I was cooking I could see Rena was waiting patiently, which I couldn't help but ask.

"Is my cooking taste good?"

"!?" [Rena]

Saw her surprised face, I was confused. Is my cooking that good? Rena who saw my confused face went to me and say with a serious expression, as her face nearing me. Too close! Too close!

"Your cooking is delicious." [Rena]

"O-oh! I see."

She then return to her previous position waiting for her breakfast with a serene face. I shrugged before continue cooking breakfast.

While enjoying breakfast, Rena started conversation.

"What are you going to do?" [Rena]

"Me?"

"Yes." [Rena]

"No idea, maybe try to find a town near here. Anyway, where are we?"

"Forest of Gaia." [Rena]

"What's with that cliche name?"

"Because it's a forest full of treasure, moreover Forest of Gaia contain a lot of mythical beast, plants and mythical species." [Rena]

"I see."

Nodding my head understanding. So the reason it was name as Forest of Gaia is because it contain a lot of great things from nature. After that we continue eating,

"Thanks for the food." [Rena]

"Thanks for the food."

"Why you said it too?" [Rena]

"Because you killed it?"

"You must be kidding.... I didn't do much...." [Rena]

"Stop sell yourself short. We need to pack our things ready to find town."

After ended the conversation, I packed up all things, remaining blackcurrant, jerky, anything that may helping me on the way to find town. After check all things, we wandered in Forest Of Gaia. Pfft, cliche.

As we wander in forest, Rena was beside me looking around. My mind was thinking if there was anyway to find a way to find town, even village is fine. After a long walk, we stopped to take a rest.

We talked filing our boredom while resting. A loud source came from bush behind us. A dark snake with sharp fang pounced on us. My body was froze a bit before trying to take a metal fragment to defend myself yet I'm a little late.

Rena was using her arm to protecting me from the snake bite. The snake who got a bit instantly release it's dark poison trying to kill anything it bite. Rena who was there was fast to react, swing a lightning blade from her other hand killing the snake. The snake fell down dead as its head being pierced by pure lightning blade.

As soon the snake died, Rena fell to ground her breath was weak scaring me. I rushed to her, holding her body that weak after taking a poison because it's the most logical reason!

"Rena! Hold on!"

I said that but I don't know what to do, making me more pissed. F*ck, what should I do!? After cursing in my mind for a while, I look at Rena before carry princess her.

"Rena, do you know what poison is this?"

"Black kiss..." [Rena]

"Black kiss? What's the antidote?"

"Flame flower and Freeze Flower..." [Rena]

"I see."

I said before changing our journey from finding settlement to Fire element forest and Frost element forest. As I walked with Rena in hand, she spoke.

"Why you not letting me go? Why bother saving me?"

"Girl, we talked this once before, right? I'm not so thick skin to let my savior to die easily in front of me."

"....Thank you..."

Hearing her said it while cover her mouth shyly, totally make my heart skip a beat. Unfair for any beauty do that to virgin me! Moreover her face is cute, WHY!!???? Ranting in my head, we continued journey.

A vast land of frost appeared in front of me who still carrying Rena. I chuckled before cover her with magma bear's skin, she looked at me in surprised.

"Why you don't cover yourself?"

Shaking my head, I look at her. With a firm tone, I said,

"I'm trying to make sure, You're in comfortable position and could focus on holding the poison back."

The kirin beauty was dumbfound before look away cover her face. Noticing she somehow emitted feminine aura. I ignored it by focusing my task in healing her, flirting sound fun except if she is trying to hold out poison.

As soon I step out from Earth element forest. My body shiver in cold, damn this cold is really stinging to the bone. Gritting my teeth as I moved forward while the snow fall upon my body. My body which hadn't face this pain in the past was shaking from the coldness.

"R-ryazu... Should we get a place to rest for a while?"

"No. That can't do, at least until We inside the Frost element forest."

I rejected her suggestion before continue walk in the Frost element forest. The cold seemed to become colder, but I continued until I found a cave to rest for a while. Putting a fragile beauty lied against a cave wall, I took out a few dried branch before started the fire.

"You hungry?"

Seeing Rena nodded, I don't know whether sheepishly or weakly, I fed her a bite size of jerky before taking a slice of jerky to eat. I took out a water flask made from bear's head which I tried to make sure it's already clean and not leak any water.

"Here take a drink."

I said as i feed her the flask properly before taking a few gulps. Later we rest as the snow became heavier right now. I sighed at how lucky we are, I turned to side to see Rena was sleeping with her head on my shoulder.

While resting, Rena seemed to having a nightmare as she was shaking and crying. I hugged her, patting her head and soothing her softly.

"it's okay... I'm here..."

I said softly, stroking her head calming her down before continue sleeping. After seeing her calmed down, I want to changed my leg since sitting cause my leg to numb. But Rena who was sleeping held me pretty tight causing me to stop my action.

Looking at her sleeping face, I couldn't help but smile. Who ever being her partner in future must be lucky. Then thought how harsh I am to her, I stop my wishy-washy thinking in this thing. I may a little bit mind if I die virgin but at the very least, I must make sure those goddess pay a hefty price before killing me.

"Now thinking back, what's with that dream..."

I muttered alone as my mind wandered to the dream I had before Rena waking me up.

~~~

My body was on ground wounded and bleeding hard. Not to mention standing up, even taking a breath is painful. I could see that Rena was wounded and couldn't run away. I saw a big monster stood in front of her with a smirk ready to take Rena away. It had a vulgar tentacle like straight out of some adult comics, with a man in lab coats which I can see it wouldn't end well

"MOVE!"

I shouted as I urged my limp body to move but it's ineffective. I gritting my teeth as I tried to force my body to stand up. The tentacle monster's arms sped toward the gasping Rena.

At that moment, A gust passed me. I couldn't help but stare at the figure. in front of me, the figure was standing in front of rena parry all the attack before swung it's sword back toward the monster which instantly cut it into the middle, making me stupefied.

"Who.... Who are you?"

I asked looking at figure which it's face was obscure. I couldn't see but I believe it was smiling, looking at me properly who is still on the ground.

"Thank you for taking care of my student, young man." [???]

It said with full enthusiasm which further confusing me.

"It's fine, I didn't do anything."

"Heh, humble, aren't you?"

"My name is [ ], was a master of Rena."

It introduced itself. Even though it introduce itself, I couldn't hear the voice properly. I wanted to asked but as if understanding me,

"We will meet again in future, Ryazu."

It said before I woke up.

~~~