Chapter 77: Escort (1) (Patreon)

World: MSS - Loading...

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A kid with a dog… wolf? –some kind of canine ears sat with her legs crossed.  A crossbow –called an Arbalest– that was longer than she was tall lay within easy reach though I had no idea how she’d hoist it in time.  Her eyes were pitch black with amber pupils, the same color as her spiky hair which was shaved at the sides but left long at the top and back; a few strands covering her face.. Young enough to have a twinkle in her eyes but old enough to make it look sly, a lean lanky look about her.  She smirked, flashing me with a fang.

Her partner was the opposite in every way.  Where as the previous kid’s theme was all black and leather, this girl was all expensive white and expensive cloth.  She had long straight white hair, not silver, not gray, pure white that looked like snow, styled in the traditional Miko, priestesses (or maiden) of the Shinto Religion, fashion.  She wore a matching dress-robe of white and black.  The only thing they had in common were their pale complexion.

But the Miko girl’s eyes, they were light blue like a husky's. She had them half-closed, like she was trying not to see too much but I couldn't help but notice that her pupils shone with otherworldly light.

The girl with the Arbalest –by the gods, she was way too young to be in a dungeon– spoke up and I recognized her voice as the one who offered help.  “So? What’s it going to be, Mister?”

I tried to answer but stopped, my brain not sure not exactly programmed to function in a situation so far outside of my expectations.  It wasn’t the fact that I encountered other adventurers in a dungeon, it was the fact that these girls were kids.  All governing bodies in MSS had rules about kids entering dungeons; you couldn’t even get an adventurer’s license until you were 20.

The girl dressed in leather sighed, getting to her feet and grabbing her arbalest with surprising ease.  I saw her ears twitch, a small hint that she had picked up something.

“Welp, we tried our best.  Let’s go, Sis.”  She turned on her heel, putting a hand on her counterpart and pushing.

“Stole,”  The Miko-looking husky-girl didn’t budge, her eyes were so narrow that they looked almost closed.  But I could see the flashes of ice-blue as she shook her head.  “We must help him.”

Stole rolled her eyes.  “But Sis, he looks so stupid, there’s no way he’s the one-”

The other girl fixed Stole with a look.

Watching the two girls bicker kicked my brain into working again.

“I need help.”  I cut in, using my katana as a cane to hold my weight.  Stole eyed my weapons, first the katana and then the Plurality, her eyes widening at the latter, followed by a wicked smile.

The two shared a look.  I saw Stole’s ears twitch again which was both surprising and worrisome.  It was surprising because I didn’t hear anything and I thought my [Hearing] stat was pretty good.  I wasn’t a real scout, not quite skilled enough nor possessing the stats necessary to be a Pioneer or even a Wayfinder.  Still, my experience so far has taught me I was decent and the fact that this girl could hear things I couldn’t, despite it being illegal for her to enter dungeons and therefore have Cores unless she was gifted some, surprised me.  

It was also worrisome because she was hearing one of two things: Monsters… or the Adventurers who followed me here.

“I guess that Gurran guy and Dorothy couldn’t hold their party back.”  If the so called Parthenon was this lacking in discipline, I wondered what that meant for other parties.  

So far, I wasn’t impressed by the parties I’ve seen here.  Always scheming and a noticeable absence of trust.  I wanted to build something different.

While I was lost in my thoughts, the robed girl kneeled in front of me.  “Let me heal you, Mister.”

She put a hand on me and white light enveloped me for a brief moment, not just healing me of my wounds that the potion couldn’t fully heal but cleansing me of Rot Bite.  As I surmised, this girl was a Healer.

“Thank you.”  I breathed.

“Well, we don’t have all day.  C’mon then.”  The girl, Stole, turned around and started leading us deeper into the dungeon.  Her ears started to swivel like satellites, twitching every now and then, and put her nose to the air couple of times.  

For a while, we walked on in silence.  Five minutes, ten minutes and half an hour.  Throughout it all, I studied Stole carefully.  She sometimes forced us to double back, using her sense of smell, hearing and sight to study the path before us.  Sometimes when there was a fork in the road, she didn’t hesitate to point out which one we should take.  

I was sure of it now, this girl was both a [Wayfinder] and a [PioneInter].  A highly skilled one at that.

[Pioneer] fulfilled the role of the party’s scout, with a caveat: they didn’t need to rely on their senses to know where to go.  [Wayfinder] on the other hand, used their senses to figure out where to go.  There were pros and cons to both.  [Pioneer] could find their way out of a maze while blindfolded and their hands tied behind their back; the combination of their Cores gave them an instinct; kind of like how birds that migrate seasonally have an internal compass.  

As long as the [Pioneer] was sure about what they were looking for, the Boss Monster or the exit of a dungeon –even a fellow Party Member– they would always, always know which way to go.

The downside was that they had no idea what lay in waiting en route.  They could bump into monsters, traps and the like.  Kind of like a Compass.  [Wayfinder] on the other hand, could be compared to a radar.  With a variety of Cores that enhanced stats like [Smell], [Hearing], and [Sight]; they led the way, alerting the party of any danger.

Stole finally led us into a tiny crack in the wall, barely wide enough to fit me.  She slipped inside, her slim figure disappearing with fluid grace.  Her sister, the Priestess smiled at me and followed suit.  I had to turn sideways to do it but upon entering, realized that it was a small shelter.  Not roomy at all, it might barely fit Skaris and I together but with two small girls in here, it was barely enough.

“We’ll be safe here for a while yet.”  Stole put a hand on her knee, sitting on the floor like a 40 year old man with a beer can on the floor.  I noted her equipment while she did so, well-oiled leather and signs of use.  While I was staring, I realized she put her hand in front of my face.

I traded grips with her.  “Thank you.  I’m Lock.”

“Stole.”  She jerked a thumb at herself then at her sister.  “That’s my sister.  Her name is-”

“I can introduce myself, Stole.”  Her eyes were half lidded, hiding her pupils from me.  “My name is Shared Stars fall Silently.  You may call me Shara.”

“You’re lucky we found you when we did.  There were a bunch of adventurers fighting near the entrance.  Was drawing all kinds of the wrong attention, they were.”  Stole reached into her knapsack, taking out some bread and munching on it.  Food got everywhere over her mouth, chin and in the surrounding area.

Damn.  This girl had 0 grace and table manners.  But I did note that despite her equipment looking expensive, she had no Dimension Ring.  Something to remember.

Nodding, I faced both of them.  I got straight to the point.  “Were you two looking for me?”

The two shared a look, Stole shrugging and Shara giving a disapproving glare.  

“No point in lying, Shara.”  Stole stretched; reminding me of a cat rather than a dog.  “My sister is the next Kagura of our Village.  During her daily praying she got a-”

“I will explain to him, Stole.”

Stole pouted but did not argue.

“How familiar are you with our ways, Sir?”  Shara asked me, turning her attention fully upon me.

When Shara turned her attention to me, it wasn’t… well, I wouldn’t say it was pleasant.  It was unsettling.  Despite her half-closed eyes, it was like she staring through me and I could’ve sworn there was another set of eyes in here on me.  I thought it might have been Stole but she was looking at the ceiling, pretending to not listen.  This feeling that Shara gave off was nostalgic.  I’d felt it once.

I kicked myself when I put it together.

Oung.

This girl was a Priestess of Oung… and not just any old Priestess.

She was Chosen.

Just like Clover had been.

I shook my head, trying to organize my thoughts.  “I know that the title Kagura is reserved for those chosen by your goddess, Oung.”  I chose my next words carefully, reminding myself that I was talking to kids.  “You’re supposed to be a representative of Oung; sort of a stand-in for her.  Set aside and pure.”

“You’re not supposed to be out here.”  I finished lamely.

The beastman of her village, and all beastman who were even somewhat remotely religious would know the importance to her.  She was a symbol to them, a symbol that showed the people that their Goddess still cared about them.  Shara was definitely not someone who should be trapezing around Dungeons with an underaged adventurer as a bodyguard, sisters or not.

If they sent out a search party and found me with her, I wasn’t sure they’d ask questions first.

“You are familiar with our ways.”  She smiled at me, and the scent of dirt, flowers and pleasant winds all mixed as one reached my nose.  It wasn’t Shara, was it… Oung?

“That saves me some time then.  Oung has commanded me to wait here for you.  That you will help us clear this dungeon.”

I didn’t want to believe her.  I’d been in a Fracture literally just the other day.  Plus, the Nure-onna had nearly handed my ass to me.  This dungeon with its [Mental] debuff was annoying and the monsters here gave a dismal amount of experience.  I also had no need of a Core that any of them dropped.  Maybe I could sell some of the rare items-

“She said that you owe her.”

I froze.

“Owe her?!”  I said incredulously.

Even while I said it, it was true.  Oung’s dungeon, the first one I entered in MSS, had made my build into what I am.  Getting the Core drop of [Unjo] had sent me years ahead.  As tough as the dungeon had been, it made me who I am today: Strong.

Still, it didn’t change the fact that I almost died.

“Did she mention me by name?”

“No,”  Stole scoffed.  “She said look for the ugliest looking guy stumbling around in the dark, breathing so loud that every monster in the dungeon was drawn near.”

I sincerely wished there was a Core for wittiness or quips because the lack of comeback at Stole’s words physically hurt me.

Stole looked at me with a knowing smile.

“Sister.”  Shara scolded.  “As for your question, I knew it was you as soon as we saw you.”

“That’s impossible.”  I shook my head.  “Not the Oung part… I’ve had a run-in with your goddess, so I know she’s real.”

“Another nutjob.”  Stole quipped.

“She’s just a kid.  Be the adult here.”  I told myself and held my tongue.

“If a human’s faith outshines your own, Sister, what does that say to the future of our tribe?”

“I’m telling you Shara, all those weird things they fed you is making you hear things.  This is a fool’s errand.”  Stole spat to the side.

Shara’s eyes opened slightly; the unnatural glow within them standing out against the dark.  “Yet you chose to follow me here.”

Stole said nothing.

I cleared my throat.  “We can’t beat the dungeon boss here.  It’ll be a Grade 6 Boss-class.  With just three of us, without a skilled tank or a mage –even a supporter would do– it’ll be impossible.”

“The goddess will provide.”  Shara replied.

It’s really hard to argue with religious people when 

A. you know that their god is real and 

B. they reply to logic with faith.

I sighed, rubbing a hand through my hair.  “If I leave, what will you two do?”

“The goddess’ command was clear.  With or without help, I must clear this dungeon.”  Shara’s expression was stoic and I knew that there was no changing the girls’ mind.

“Are you going to help us or not?”  Stole was the one who asked me directly, peering at me.

“Of course I will.”  I snapped, surprising myself as I said it.

Shara smiled.

I had to help.  Shara was right.  I owed Oung and though I wasn’t clear about my stance on this whole goddess thing, I knew she was real and way more powerful than I was.  If the divinities of this world could manipulate dungeons in such a way to create Cores and produce monsters; it would be best to err on the side of caution.  And after everything was said and done, even if I took divine intervention out of the picture, the two of them had helped me.

I couldn’t leave two teenage girls to clear a Dungeon alone.

If Skaris found out about this I’d never hear the end of it.  Not to mention Kyrian giving me an earful about adventurer and dungeoneering protocol…

It really would’ve been nice to have them here now.

“I’m assuming Oung gave you a plan?”

“The goddess,”  Shara replied, putting emphasis on the word, “Has provided us with everything we need.  Even as we speak, they approach.”  She shot a look at her sister.

Stole got up, dusting herself off.  “They’re here.  Come on then, I hope you’re friendlier than you look.”

“They?”  I asked, standing up besides them.

“The Goddess has provided us with friends to stand with us in the face of adversary.”  Shara explained, and promptly followed after Stole.

What the hell were they talking about?

I followed them outside and immediately saw what the two crazy sisters had been talking about.

Dorothy was there, fighting alongside her white wolf against three Nure-onna.  She used a combination of throwing knives and needles; which returned to her hand moments later through teleportation.  The gray wolf and black wolf were nowhere to be seen and her wounds were any indication; they’d probably been killed.  Summons never truly died though; they were probably on a cooldown timer.

Gurran looked a lot better than her.

He used his medium-sized shield with pinpoint accuracy; knocking away the trio of Nure-onna’s tails and bites.  If Aurora was a tank who used her huge shield to cover herself and her teammates; Gurran was the type to wade into the melee and draw attention to himself.  Whenever his shield made contact with an attack, sparks of electricity flew out.  Those sparks lingered in the air until Gurran stabbed a Nure-onna with a vicious strike of his axe.  Lightning spewed from the cleave and all the lingering electric sparks in the air surged in harmony; creating an instantaneous web of electricity that shocked the Nure-onna for another instance of damage.

A tank who used a passive to set up the field with electricity, activating them with a strike imbued with lightning.

One of the best Tank Builds in the game that could take him well into hunting higher-grade monsters.

Like I had felt from before, Gurran was different from all the other adventurers I’d met.  He was strong.

His build… I’d give him a 5.5, maybe even 6 out of 10.

Stole kneeled, raising her arbalest to her shoulder not a sniper rifle.  I saw her close one eye.

“This is taking too long.”

I watched as she took aim; then fired.

The bolt made contact with a Nure-onna that had been about to bite into Dorothy’s white wolf.  It left a puncture wound about the width of my thumb and then curved with supernatural ability, leaving similar puncture wounds on the other two Nure-onnas.

｢Stolen Stars Fall Silently casts [Concentrated Aim] ｣

｢Stolen Stars Fall Silently casts [Bounce Shot] ｣

Damn, if I wasn’t wrong that was a [Bounce Shot] and [Careful Aim] combination.  Careful Aim would increase the strength of her shots the longer she aimed; couple that with Bounce Shot, she could do some decent damage even with a slow Arbalest.  Perhaps enough to make up for the lack of usual rapid-fire coverage by ranged builds with sheer firepower.  Even if she was a teenager she had a nice Core Ability that complimented each other.

Stole… maybe a solid 7 out of ten.  Mostly because someone like her was useful even without a lot of combat abilities.

｢ [Static Electricity]: The field is filled with electricity ｣

｢ Gurran Turian casts [Electric Cleave] ｣

｢ [Static Electricity] reacts!   ｣

Gurran and Dorothy made quick work of the injured Nure-onnas with Stole covering them.  The two turned to face us and I noticed that the nodes of electricity were slowly starting to drift towards us.

“She’s a Kagura.”  I said hurriedly.  Goddamit, I really didn’t want to become an enemy of the whole Beastman Tribes in the Jayu States.  I hoped that Gurran, being a bastard of a Great House, knew enough about the ramifications of getting this girl hurt.

Gurran’s eyes widened and the electricity faded away.  He nodded towards me, a gesture of thanks though his eyes were still uneasy.  

Yeah, I understood.  He blamed me for the falling out with his Clan… though I wondered if that even was a Clan.  What kind of Clan falls apart so easily?  It made no sense, there had to be a story in there somewhere.

“What is this?”  Dorothy measured up Stole and Shara at once, walking up towards them.  If the title of [Kagura] bothered her, she didn’t show it.

“Thanks would be nice.”  Stole muttered.  Maybe it was a girl thing but Stole much more subdued towards Dorothy, the older woman, than towards me.

“Bitch.”  Stole finished with a whisper.

I was wrong.  This girl just didn’t give a shit.  Period.

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