The Petrified Forest
Over the next couple of weeks, Eris, Ruijerd and I completed as many jobs as possible. Typically we'd get done with at least one a day, sometimes more if we could split up and each do our own jobs.
We leveled up to rank 'E' in just a couple days. In another week we reached 'D'. At this point we could accept low level collection and slaying jobs. The monsters you could find in the area surrounding Rikarisu were mostly Pax Coyote, Acid Wolves, Great Tortoises, and Giant Stone Turtles.
Each day, we left Rikarisu and Ruijerd used his third eye to hunt for any monsters in the vicinity. We would slay any monsters we found, and then return to the guild and accept a collection job for the related materials. Collection jobs are great, because you can gather the materials beforehand, and complete the job immediately.
Eventually, I saw a job posting that I had been keeping an eye out for. It was a 'B' rank job to investigate a mysterious monster that had been seen in the Petrified Forest. It paid extra if you managed to slay the monster. I took the job listing and brought it to the clerk to accept it.
The next morning, Eris, Ruijerd and I made our way out to the Petrified Forest. Once we made it there, we saw the Blaze, the leader of the Super Blazes, arguing with Kurt, a young adventurer we had met several times in our Inn.
They were arguing because they had overlapping jobs and Blaze, as the higher ranked adventurer, was trying to strong arm Kurt into abandoning the job. Once I approached the two, Blaze looked my way and questioned me.
"Dead End? What are you doing here?", he asked.
"We came on a job to investigate a mysterious monster", I answered.
"You too? We're here on a similar job", Kurt added.
Blaze threw up his arms in frustration. "A triple booking? Are you kidding me? Whatever. In that case it's first come first served." He turned around and started walking deeper into the forest.
"Damn it. Let's get moving", Kurt shouted as he and his party members ran off in a different direction.
Eris began to excitedly run off on her own as well when Ruijerd interrupted, "Wait. I'm worried about those children. They are not strong enough to survive in this forest."
Eris frowned but I agreed.
"Yes, let's follow them", I said.
I quickly ran after the Tokurabu Toughs and yelled out to them.
"Wait up guys!"
They paused for a moment and looked back to me.
"What do you want?", Kurt said back.
"This forest is dangerous. Our parties should work together on this one."
"No way! You're just going to kill the monster and claim the huge payout!", Kurt insisted.
"That's not true. I just want to make sure we all make it out of here alive. Working together is the best way to ensure the safety of all of us", I said. "How about this? Right now we're just focused on trying to raise our ranks and I don't want to fail this job. If you work together with us to complete it, you can have all of the payment to yourselves?"
"That's not fair!", Eris shouted.
"Eris, we don't need the money. I thankfully had my money from Asura on me so we have more than enough. This payment would mean much more to them. Don't you want to raise our rank so we can fight stronger monsters? I thought you wanted to fight a dragon?"
"... Fine", Eris begrudgingly agreed.
"Alright Ruijerd, you and Eris work with the Tokurabu Toughs and keep each other safe."
Ruijerd raised an eyebrow as he looked at me. "And where are you going? I can't let you wander this forest yourself."
"I'm going to follow the Super Blazes."
"Why?", he inquired.
"Because they too are not strong enough to survive this forest either."
"They are warriors. They are prepared to die.", Ruijerd said coldly.
"Perhaps so, but rough around the edges as he may be, Blaze is a good man. He has a family and children of his own. Do you want his children to grow up on the streets without a father?"
Ruijerd scowled but said nothing.
I stared directly into Ruijerd's eyes and said with as serious a tone I could muster, "I don't need your protection, Ruijerd."
Ruijerd looked a little surprised at first, but soon, after he thought about it for a moment, he seemed to understand.
"Very well. I will protect Eris with my life. You have my word", Ruijerd answered.
I smiled. "Thank you. It will make things that much easier so that I don't have to worry."
With that we parted ways and I hurried deeper into the forest after the Super Blazes. Once I caught up to them, I followed from a short distance, careful not to be seen. I watched as they worked together with excellent teamwork to take out an Executioner and later a lone Almond Anaconda.
After about an hour of wandering through the forest, they were ambushed by the Red Hood Cobra. The Red Hood Cobra was a huge snake, measuring over ten meters long. The cobra launched itself at incredible speed at one of the men who was completely unaware. I fired off a quick stone cannon. The cobra managed to dodge a lethal blow, but my stone cannon exploded on impact, blowing off a big chunk of the cobra's hood.
The man I had saved screamed in surprise and fell over to the side. The rest of Super Blaze's members turned around and readied themselves for combat.
"Be careful! This one is strong!", Blaze shouted. "Get into position!"
Blaze and another of his party took up the front line and raised their shields between themselves and the cobra. Two more flanked to the sides of the cobra trying to surround it, while the remaining two members held the rear and began to chant offensive spells.
I was surprised by their efficiency. Perhaps now that I saved them from the initial ambush and they had time to regain their composure, they may actually stand a chance against this monster.
The swordsman to the right of the cobra launched an attack at the cobra, but the cobra easily swayed his head out of the way and made a counter attack with his tail, slamming into the mans side and sending him flying into a tree.
Meanwhile, their second swordsman attacked the cobra from the rear and the two mages launched their spells simultaneously.
Unfortunately, the swordsman wasn't able to penetrate the cobra's thick scales. The cobra easily dodges the stone cannon the mage had launched while it tanked the fireball spell with no apparent damage.
"Retreat!", Blaze yelled out, realizing now that they were outmatched.
The cobra spun around and lunged at the second swordsman, but I intervened. I fired a lightning spell, precisely striking the cobra mid lunge.
The sound was deafening, and the lightning bolt blindingly bright. I had expected this and had averted my eyes and covered my ears. All of the members of Super Blaze had fallen over from shock, temporarily blinded and hearing nothing but loud ringing in their ears.
Blaze was the first one to regain his bearings. He slowly got to one knee and then lifted himself up. He looked around to see the Red Hood Cobra burnt to a crisp, a huge scorch mark in the ground surrounding it. The man the cobra was after was passed out on the ground about 10 meters away.
Blaze then noticed me healing his party member who had been flung to a tree.
"Dead End... was... that you? Did you save us?"
"Yes, that was me. I heard the commotion you guys made fighting this thing. I didn't want to intervene and steal your kill, but when you yelled for retreat I assumed it was fair game."
"Th-Thank you...", he said, still a little shocked.
Thankfully, nobody died, Blaze's whole party made it back safe. Once we made our way back outside the forest, I found Ruijerd and Eris waiting alongside the Tokurabu Toughs.
"That bolt of lightning. Was that your magic?", Ruijerd asked.
"Yes. That was the King tier water spell - Lightning".
"Impressive", he said as his lip curled up into a smile.
"Thanks", I said, giving him a small smile back. "Did you guys run into any trouble?"
"Not really", he answered.
"We got attacked by some zombie monsters and a huge white snake!", Eris shouted excitedly.
"You guys really saved us there. We owe you one", Kurt said.
"As do we!", Blaze yelled as he slammed his hand down on my shoulder. "When we get back to town, drinks are on me tonight!"