Morning came as Ilias group finally arrived. Looking at their exhausted face, I reckon they didn't rest during midnight and move here hastily. The very same reason why they arrive earlier than I anticipated.
Eris, Maiya and other mount lowers their body, exhausted and drained. Eris let out a hollow snort before resting her body completely. I can't help but thanking her for doing a good job.
And as for others, eyebags is clearly visible below their eyes, whilst after Ilias reported to her goddess what happened during then did she lay down her body inside the tent of Artemis Familia, adding that she's the lowest level amongst the group, she slept immediately. Bete, Ais and Allen seemed fine but Ryu-san and Asfi exhaled deeply.
"For now, you guys rest..." I ordered which they followed suit. Walking near of Ryu-san, I patted her head, "I'm sorry for not returning" whilst the elf lowers her head, nodding.
"Thanks, Agwin...I won't be a burden next time!" She claimed in a lower volume. I guess they told her what happened during then.
"Yep, you won't...We'll dive at the deepest floor of the dungeon later along with others, so prepare for the worst" With smile, I patted her shoulder as she and Asfi followed Ilias, after.
Unlike the stoic elf I originally knew, Ryu-san here is quite different. Very different. Indeed, people changed their views differs on an environment they currently lives...For now, I say that I love the current her.
And just like that...before lunch time did everyone finally recovers their strength. Currently I'm still a 'blind' man, so I let either Ilias or Artemis-sama discussed what it needs to discuss and the story of what happens from their different perspectives. Artemis-sama don't know what happen in my party along the way, and Ilias do so the same with her goddess during her absence and with our group----
"Ehh? Agwin did?!" Asfi looked at me, awestruck. Artemis Narrated anything what happened with my fight against Kanda and realizing it was my fight after Amentiu and Khenti did others look at me with respect, envy and fear.
They look at my white pupil in worry, but after I say "It won't be too long", they nodded in response. I'm blind not deaf nor useless so I only listen to Artemis-sama's brief discussion after. L
For now, our utmost priority is to finish this mission faster! So we divided our Orario's party into three teams and I as a solo.
And because, it seems this subjugation is easier than we imagined, adding that Kanda or his Osiris Familia won't escapade this mission of ours. I'm sure this won't take long. Well, its kind of a bet that they won't intrude.
Bur for safety measure, I looked at Asfi's direction as she nodded. Simply because she finished an item I told her to create. It is good to have an item maker in your party. After all, I don't want those events to unfold twice within my watch, so I told her to make a smoke-like fireworks as our signal if something were to happen.
Green for finishing the current mission. Red for encountering any variable enemy. And Black if they realize they cannot win against that enemy, need help or need an immediate retreat. This is a common signal but this will helpful especially in this world where long distance communication is nonexistence.
With that, we part ways. . .
●○●○●○
And here I am alone, monsters are everywhere but I skip passed through them and instead directly destroy an area where this monsters replicated. Yes, this monster is only a replication of its original body and nothing else.
Arriving in a cave where I could clearly witnessed how this monsters are created, I can't help but feel in awe. This is not your typical cave nor a breeding ground or habitat of those monsters but instead, I can describe it in one word. A 'Laboratory'.
There are a transparent glass where the main bodies of these monsters are inserted. And a machinations using hammering stones as its source. The body of this monsters are not fully intact, surely because clones are created using their DNA using a part of their own body to create another batch of monsters.
Not trying to know how this laboratory works as it only damages my brain, I destroy every bit of it and turn it all to ashes. Along the way, I clean all of the monsters it created. And all is done. No sweat at all.
Thinking so, I see now why monsters doesn't have their magic stone after dying and also weaker than their original counterpart.
But because they were too many, low level familia couldn't push them through. Maybe they created to be slightly weaker than a goblin? After all, Bees and dog-like creature and even dragon-like creature was created by it in multitudes.
If I compare it, this monsters is from much deeper floors inside the dungeon, maybe at floor 20th and below. So its not easy to destroy them completely just with low level familia such as hunting-type familia like Artemis even though they're just a replica of the original monsters.
But thinking all of that? I still felt uneasy... If this is connected to Antares thing and Artemis is the [Key], I don't know anymore. What the hell is that, anyway? What's the connection? That...I don't know. Unless Artemis herself told me what Antares was but because she didn't feel like talking about it, I don't have any reason to object. Maybe not for now?
With that, the 'Red Area' of mine is finish. Going straight to my next destination, its nothing unusual. Just that I feel shock that the monsters here are stronger than the last time, and in different scale at that. Even the type of monsters it replicates is different. There's a minotaur, the long legged one at that. The flaming bird and even a slime-like figure.
Good thing it was I who are responsible in this area, I'm sure even if Bete, Ais and Allen combine, they'll be exhausted killing this amount and quality of monsters. I remember Artemis saying about a bunch of minotaurs who annihilate a joint-familia. Good thing there's a cliff that separate this area and the current place of Artemis familia. If not, horde of this fella will destroy them for sure.
Like that, we finish our quota within 2 days at most. There are too many enemy and others doesn't have flight skills that I do, so they find it hard to finish. As for why I didn't work with it and alone. Its their time to shine as an Orario's high class adventurer so why would I bother helping them? Adding that it takes us almost a week to arrived here. If I haggle the fame, better yet I did it alone. Others find it funny and annoying, but as if I care.
Like that, I only talked with Ryu and others after our mission. So I relax for a bit but----
To think another scenario will trigger faster than I anticipated! I can't help but lowers my head, touching it and my neck. Because. The spy I planted, was killed!
●○●○●○
It was at the underground area below the Orario but not inside the dungeon. My [Alter Reality] or I named it Loky who used [Alteration] to make it looks a woman. Wears a dark cloak typical clothings of an Evilus, hiding its presence. There were two voices not far from the alley she was spying. This is the moment where she get all of the information where lower to mid rank Evilus members are aware off.
But because she's in this said rank, she is aware what danger awaits if she try to dig deeper information than what she can, so in this alley while lending her ears and spying, she heard whispers from her back.
"As I thought, there's a rat in our flank" It has a pitch voice of a woman but its silhouette is telling her that it was a man. Looking, she only saw its wide grin and squinted curved eye before its knife finally gushes her throat. She back pedalled but her throat is already cut open with gushing blood, so she lost her consciousness after hearing his last word:
"I don't think, you're not the only rat we have here"
So that's the last memory of her who hammers in my brain. After absorbing it all did I feel my body, shaken to the core!
"Evilus! Haah haah haah..." I breathed "I didn't thought they have that many rat who wanders above the surface!" What I worry is not about what that man's last word, but the memory of my Alter Reality, Loky!
Even in Adventurer Guild's flank!? Those bastard evilus, how much of their influence be? I should have to get rid of them, but...I can't do it alone for now. Should I seek help from bigger familia? Jeez, I don't know right now. Why are problems keep on piling up!?
With that thought, I scratches my head, helpless. Thinking it is not even my forte. So I guess I should seek help for the Braver in the end huh.
But before that, there are many things that should be done right now!