Chapter 128 - An Intense Aura

After clearing out most of the monsters on the fifth floor we had finally arrived at the doors. The boss was cleared out that morning, so it was a simple task of passing through.

"Floor Six, that's where our monster is," I said while passing through the cathedral-shaped doors.

"You're clearing these monsters rather quickly while avoiding the larger groups. You're quite skilled at this, Mr.Alos."

Mei's warmed up to me a lot more since entering the Tower. She spoke with a soft tone, smiling most of the time as we walked leisurely between Floors. Maybe she was just happy that she never needed to step in while I fought.

I guess when things aren't so crazy like at ASH, she became a pretty sweet girl to talk to. I enjoyed having her with me.

"Thanks, but I'm not all that special. I've just been trying a lot harder lately."

"Oh, I suppose anyone would want to rise to the attention of the whole city." Mei placed her finger on her lower lip, deep in thought regarding her reply.

"It's not that. It's just that a friend of mine recently said I had given up…I wanted to show her I haven't stopped trying." I responded.

Mei's face shone with a childish light of glee as the ends of her mouth curled up. "You're pretty amazing, Rei."

"...?"

Did she misinterpret what I said again? I wondered.

We took the last step out the stairwell and the gloomy caves of the sixth floor greeted us. Blue and purple glares from dimly lit stones hit us from both sides of the tunnel. Stones were scattered throughout and created patches of light across the walls to our sides.

"We've reached the floor, now I've just got to find the thing," I stated.

"I'm sure it'll be alright, you've gotten here a lot faster than most silver ranks would so there's no doubt about your skills." Mei gave a reassuring grin.

She meant well but tracking down one species of monster was pretty tough, especially when the monster was pretty rarely seen.

"Thanks, Mei but I don't think skill is going to help–"

A sudden wave of mana rushed through the tunnel. I felt it the moment it reached me, like a jolt of electricity had run throughout my body.

Mei turned silent, she must have felt what I did. A sudden surge of mana like that wasn't common, especially on the lower floors of the Tower.

No monster on that floor was able to produce a signal like that, at least, nothing that belonged to that should have been there.

"What a massive amount of power…"

That's right, as a mage Mei had a stronger sense of magic. Her abilities, senses and knowledge were all on another level than mine when it came to the inner workings of mana and magic. If that wave of mana managed to reach me to that extent, it must have been a lot worse for her.

Her eyes were as wide as they could go, with her feet slowly backing away from the tunnel. It was the frightened look of someone who wanted nothing to do with the origin of that power.

"It's coming from deeper into the floor," I said.

Mei fumbled for words but managed to collect herself enough to respond. "W-we should report this to ASH…and put out a quest for it immediately." 

She might be right… Even if I wanted to see what's making that kind of magic output, I have to think of Mei too.

"Alright, then we'll head out of here and get one of the higher-ranked guilds to deal with it." 

After reassuring her, Mei's concerned eyes melted down to a softer expression. She let out a deep sigh of relief.

She must have been worried I'd go rushing in there regardless. Not that I didn't think of it.

Mei and I turned back and faced the door. Suddenly a wailing cry echoed through the tunnel from deeper within. Mei jumped in place out of shock and I turned to the direction of the scream.

No matter how much I convinced myself to turn away and get help, none of the ideas I came up with made it past a second of thought. 

Mei was panicked, she had a pale face and trembling hands. I quickly placed my hands on her shoulders and brought her in close.

"Mei, it's too dangerous for you. You have to go alert ASH and the guilds that there's something inside of the Tower."

"W-what–I can't do that …I can't let you go in alone and–"

"There's no time to discuss it! You said I was progressing as fast as other silver ranks, right?" I shouted over her.

Mei's face turned a shade redder as she turned her eyes away, still frightened.

"That's not…"

"Even if it's dangerous, I still have to do something. I'm an adventurer before anything else, I can't just stand around. But you're not, you're an ASH representative, you have to go now!"

I pulled away from her and set my attention on the tunnel. Just before leaving her, Mei's voice shouted from the doors of the tunnel behind me.

"I'll definitely send help, okay! So don't do anything dangerous!"

A small grin appeared on my face as I ventured forth. 

"Yeah. I won't."