3rd Floor — Arctic Wasteland III

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On with the chapter!

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Leandro, despite his outward calmness, was actually getting increasingly irritated by those Yetis. He didn't have an infinite amount of Aura, so he could not even spam his Moonblade Style like he wanted. He had to use a lesser style, something less aura-demanding but just as deadly. 

Ah, he had the perfect candidate in mind. 

He skidded to a halt on the snow, leaving two furrows behind. The incoming Yetis were fearless, but not for long; he'd make sure of that. 

Whispering Wind Style — Breeze Step.

Leandro disappeared like the wind, and just as quiet. 

Eileen's eyes went wide open. She scampered her head left and right before she finally managed to locate her intrepid, young leader. There he stood, at the fringe of the oncoming wave of snow and monsters, like a lone tree about to be swallowed.

Whispering Wind Style — Cyclone Sweep.

Leandro's sword drew a broad, haphazard arc that dislodged a large amount of snow. 

The snow flew into the air, a glittering curtain that momentarily obscured the Yetis' vision. "Damn, human! This trickery won't work on us!" 

Leandro moved through the swirling snow with the grace of a dancer, his steps light and sure. 

Whispering Wind Style — Gale Strike.

His blade flickered out, a blur of silver in the storm. Quick, precise strikes found the Yetis' weak spots, each blow delivering just enough force to wound without wasting energy. 

Blood shot up in the air like champagne. 

The Yetis howled in pain and confusion, their massive bodies lumbering and uncoordinated. Severed fingers, limbs, and heads flew like confetti. Even the biting, howling winds of the arctic mountain couldn't hide the cries of agony. As the crimson spray painted the pristine snow, the air grew heavy with the metallic tang of blood. 

Eileen's heart pounded as she watched Leandro move. He was like a phantom, appearing and disappearing with each breath of the wind. The Yetis were powerful, but they were slow and clumsy compared to his fluid movements. Their bodies were torn asunder by Leandro's blade—like meat on the chopping board. 

The once fearless creatures now writhed in agony, their howls of pain echoing off the icy cliffs. Leandro sidestepped an incoming Yeti, spun around like a professional dancer, and skewered it from behind. 

"Damn… why… why are you doing this to us…?"

Leandro pulled away, his gleaming blade covered in a coat of ichor. His eyes snapped to the left.

Whispering Wind Style — Whispering Parry.

A Yeti lunged at Leandro with a furious roar, its massive claw descending toward him. 

Leandro's sword met the claw with a delicate, almost lazy deflection, redirecting the beast's momentum and sending it stumbling past him. The Yeti crashed into its dead comrade, creating a chaotic tangle of fur, limbs, and blood

"Eileen."

Hearing his voice, Eileen was snapped out of her trance and began to move in earnest. 

There were still many Yetis that Leandro couldn't stop in time. Griffin, Soren, and the rest of the party had already engaged with them, though it was obvious that their efficiency—even combined—fell far short of Leandro.

Eileen didn't want to be the one to drag him down. With her increased stats, she had become quicker with her feet, nimbler with her hands. She began to fire one arrow after the other as she ran around, never staying in one place for long. 

The sharp winds skewed her aim a bit, but she still managed to get a few important hits in. If she had a dog tag for each Yetis she pierced, she'd have a bunch dingling in her hand. 

Whispering Wind Style — Zephyr's Touch.

With a deft flick of his wrist, Leandro's sword darted out like a striking snake, finding the exposed throat of a Yeti and sending it collapsing to the ground, gurgling on its own life juice. 

His movements were so economical, so precise, that he seemed to be barely exerting himself. Two more Yetis made the mistake of barrelling their hands towards him, only for a sweeping, crescent of sharp wind to sever their limbs.

They fell to their knees, watching in sheer agony and despair as their mangled stumps bled.

Leandro's Breeze Step brought him behind them once more, and with another gentle flick of his sword, their heads slid off as smoothly as a guillotine's blade through a condemned man's neck, leaving only a moment of stunned silence before the blood cascaded like dark wine from shattered goblets.

He looked around him.

A ring of death surrounded him. 

There were no more enemies. 

Leandro heaved a deep sigh, his breath condensing in front of him. He sheathed his sword. Eileen was panting, standing in front of a felled Yeti, an arrow precisely burrowed into its eye and straight through its brain. 

She smiled at him, looking completely exhausted yet proud of her kill. 

He returned the smile with a nod.

On the other side, Griffin and Soren had successfully worn a Yeti down before the combination of Benjamin and Wei Chen finished it off. They were growing stronger, more decisive. Leandro's eyes veered towards Christopher, who backed out of the fight after an injury to his arm. 

Leandro made his way over. The rest of the party was already grouping up around him. 

"How are you holding yourself up?"

Christopher looked at Leandro, chuckling. "Tis nothing but a scratch."

Someone had stymied the bleeding with a cloth—losing too much blood in such a low temperature was dangerous. 

"I told you to be more careful." Wei Chen frowned, tying a bunch of clothes together into an arm sling. "Why would you suddenly rush in like that?"

Christopher smiled weakly as he was helped into the arm sling. With his arm now immobile, there was little he could do. "Someone was bound to be injured sooner or later. You should thank me for being the sacrificial lamb."

"At least it was your arm and not your neck. Be grateful that you're still alive." Griffin said, grimly. 

Soren retrieved a canteen of water from his inventory and offered it to Christopher. 

The latter was too tired to speak, and simply nodded his thanks before uncapping the canteen with his teeth, ignoring the pain in his arm. He grimaced a bit as the water washed over his open wound and into his clothes. 

Then he took a swig; he was glad the water was quite warm. 

Leandro leaned down next to him.

Christopher briefly glanced at him with a tired and knowing look.

Leandro smiled, eyes narrowed. 

Christopher chuckled before draining the last of his water, shivering a little as the chilling wind blew over him.

"I think we should find a spot for the night. He can't stay like this." Wei Chen said, his face pulled into a frown. "What if those damn Yetis ambush us again?"

Griffin grunted. Soren simply looked on with mounting concern.

Leandro helped Christopher up.

His injury had stained Wei Chen's improvised sling with red, and though they had stopped the bleeding, he was starting to feel light-headed and shivering from the pain. It made the group a lot less lively, but Leandro couldn't overlook their teamwork, their growing awareness and efficiency in the heat of battle.

"Soren, scout ahead, in that direction." Leandro pointed toward a dark, jagged ridge partially obscured by the swirling snow. 

Soren nodded and took off, his figure quickly becoming a blur in the white expanse. Leandro watched him disappear before turning back to the group. "Everyone, stay close and stay alert. We need to move quickly. Christopher, with me."

Eileen was already gathering her arrows and checking her equipment. 

Griffin and Benjamin helped Christopher to his feet, supporting him between them. Wei Chen adjusted the makeshift sling on Christopher's arm, ensuring it was secure.

The wind howled around them as they began their trek, following Leandro's lead. The terrain was treacherous, with hidden crevices and slick ice patches that made each step a calculated risk. The biting cold seeped through their clothes, gnawing at their bones. 

Leandro moved with purpose, his eyes scanning the landscape for any sign of danger. 

After what felt like an eternity, they reached the base of the ridge. Soren reappeared, his face flushed from the cold but his eyes determined. "Found it!" He said excitedly, pointing to a narrow opening partially concealed by a curtain of icicles.

"Good work." Leandro replied with a nod. "Let's get inside."

One by one, they squeezed through the narrow entrance, their breath visible in the frigid air. 

The cave was small but deep, with walls that shielded them from the relentless wind. 

A sense of relief washed over the group as they settled into their temporary sanctuary.

Leandro quickly assessed their situation. "Griffin, Soren, start a fire. Eileen, help them gather some dry wood. Benjamin, keep an eye on the entrance. Wei Chen, take care of Christopher's wound."

Everyone nodded, moving to their assigned tasks. 

The fire was soon crackling, providing much-needed warmth and light. The flickering flames cast long shadows on the cave walls, and the group's spirits lifted slightly despite their exhaustion.

Leandro leaned against the wall next to the entrance, watching as his party settled down and rested. Christopher was under constant care, and due to his heightened physical abilities, there was very little risk he'd die. 

But Leandro's issue was not that. His eyes glinted coldly, unblinking. 'What's something like that doing down here?'

"Hey…"

He looked down. 

Eileen was in front of him, smiling slightly, her luscious green hair now a mess. Despite the warmth of the fire, her face was still red. 

"Do you need anything?"

She tilted her head, shifting her weight from one foot to the other. "Aren't you going to rest?" 

Leandro cast a quick glance outside. The entrance was partially obscured by rocks and branches. "Don't worry about me. I'm not really tired. Besides, I'm the one who suggested clearing the 3rd floor. You all get some rest. I'll keep watch tonight." 

Eileen blinked, her amber eyes catching the flickering glow of the fire. She looked worried and tired, her hands held tightly in front of her, but she nodded anyway.

"It's time to roast those Yeti meat, aren't you curious to know what they taste like?" He asked, noticing with some amusement the way her eyes crinkled and her lips pulled into a thin line.

"Uhh… do we really have to eat that? I mean… they look like…"

"According to a very credible urban legend I heard when I was a young boy, Yetis' meat is perfect for treating arthritis, fever, clogged noses, wounds, and… ah, yes, it's said that it has moisturizing properties as well. Who'd have thought?"

"..."

Eileen stared at him, flatly. 

"Leandro, just because it has moisturizing properties doesn't mean I'm still going to eat it."

"W-Wait…" Unexpectedly, Griffin chimed in. "You said that it's good for skin?" 

Leandro threw him a look. "So I've heard."

"Even scars?"

"Even scars."

Griffin coughed, trying to pass it off as nothing but mere curiosity. But he still obediently walked up to the fire, stabbed through the Yeti's heart with a stick, and began to roast it. 

"You said it's also good for healing wounds?" Christopher asked, slightly pale. 

"It's very good for healing wounds." Leandro said, smiling.

"Ah, well… in that case trying it can't hurt, right?"

And then he waddled away, trying to steal some of Griffin's meat, the latter of whom noticed and nearly bit his misbehaving hand off. What a pair. "Just eat your own!" The gruff man said, scooting away. 

"Take this, Christopher." Leandro reached a hand into thin air—his inventory—and grabbed a chunk of meat. He threw it at him. "Enjoy it." 

Christopher gingerly held the lump of bloody flesh and swaggered over to Griffin, who snorted at him. 

"I still think you should eat it, Eileen. It might not look appetizing, true, but I've heard that it tastes like chicken."

Eileen frowned, throwing him another flat look.

He merely smiled in response. No, calling it a smile would have been a compliment. He barely put any effort into it. 

She huffed. "Where the hell have you been hearing all of those things?" She jabbed his chest, lightly. "How come I don't know anything about it?"

Leandro regarded her question with a nostalgic smile. "Oh, you know, here and there. I've been around for quite some time, after all. As for why you don't know about it... well, perhaps you just haven't been looking in the right places."

"Hmm…" Eileen pulled back. "Maybe you can tell me more of these stories, yes?"

He hummed. "Sure, under better circumstances…"

She tilted her head, watching him. Then, she reached out her hand towards the bloodstained streaks on his cheek, caressing his face, thumbing away the stains. 

Leandro didn't flinch, remaining completely still. He observed Eileen gently touch the blood on his face and stared back into her warm, amber eyes. 

"Hmm? Not so scared of me anymore?"

Eileen cracked a smile, wiping her fingers on her parka. "I figured that someone as strong as you doesn't really have to be subtle. I was just being silly, sorry."

He simply stared at her, curiously.

And when she reached her fingers for his face once more, he seized her wrist, lightly. 

She stared at him, and he stared right back. 

"Come, let's go eat some of that Yeti meat, Eileen. I'll show you a neat trick to tenderize it." Leandro said, walking past her and joining Griffin, who was roasting the meat with intense focus. Next to him, Christopher longingly eyed the dripping meat. "And wash your hands."

Eileen stood there, smiling lightly. 

••••

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•

The rest of the night passed quite uneventfully. The party woke up at the crack of dawn; not that you could tell it was dawn with how balefully dreary and gray the sky was. The Yeti meat, much to their surprise, showed great restorative and regenerative effects. 

Leandro had meditated throughout the entire night, gaining one extra stat point in Aura. Overall, he was in tip-top condition. 

Christopher looked at his arm, surprised. The wound had healed completely. There was not even a scab, or a hint that he had been punctured by a Yeti's claw. Leandro merely smiled at him, kindly.

"A-Amazing… it actually worked!"

Wei Chen patted him on the back, laughing. "At least you're not dead weight right now!"

"Ha… haha…"

Christopher returned the laugh with a forced one. In fact, he was frowning now, as if he had sensed something wrong but couldn't quite pinpoint it. 

"Alright, folks. If you're all ready, let's set off." Leandro blasted through the rocks blocking the entrance. He looked up at the sky. "Looks like the weather has let up a bit, might as well make the most of it."

Benjamin snorted. The rest of the party resumed their expedition with an elevated mood—minus Christopher, who, despite his healed limb, was pale. In fact, he was shivering. 

Griffin had jokingly suggested leaving him in the cave with a half-hearted promise to pick him up once they cleared the floor. Clearly, he was in no condition to fight. 

Christopher nearly latched onto Griffin's thighs, much to the latter's disgust. Benjamin and Wei Chen laughed so hard they almost triggered an avalanche. 

Once outside, Leandro sent Soren to scout ahead. 

The red-haired man was quick and silent on his feet; a good trait, no doubt, even though the man himself was far from the best example of stealth. 

Eileen occasionally distracted herself by picking off stray Yetis with her bow. 

The number of Yetis that ambushed them throughout the trek was the same as the day before. 

Considering how sparse they were across the entire 3rd floor, the fact that they were stumbling upon more than one meant that they were headed towards a very concentrated area. 

In fact, roughly one hater later, a massive mountain spread out in front of them. Its size was not the indicator that they were in the right place, instead, it was the wide open entrance. Stalactites jutted from the roof, threatening, and more than willing, to fall on any unsuspecting victim. 

Leandro spearheaded the march, hands tucked in the pockets of his parka. The chilly wind made his hood flutter. His green eyes lasered into the abyss beyond. His Aura spread out, and a smile broke out on his face when, like many red lights blinking on a radar screen, he saw one too many Yeti, waiting in ambush.

"Ah, it seems like we've got company." He closed his eyes, momentarily. A grid-like surface spread out in his mind, like an entire 3D modeling. 

Eileen frowned, bowstring pulled back. "How many?"

Leandro shrugged. "A few dozen. Likely more, waiting further in."

His response drew gasps all around. 

'Hmm. This is too much for a mere 3rd floor.'