After a long grunt of talk last night, Tokaya and Tenko have reconciled with each other with Tenko approaching her first. She admitted to her mistake and will not do it again, but she didn't expect that Tokaya would do the same as well.

It was a mistake on her part as well for not noticing the Fatigue System in place, even though it was right next to her stamina status. That was a huge blunder, and she has promised not to repeat it.

...

As Tenko opened her eyes, she saw Chika is playing around with her frog. It's only just now she realized it. Since when Chika has that slimy green creature with her, though she didn't question it.

Tenko quickly get her body up and stretches it out, "Hnngh, hmm…"

"You awake, sleepyhead?"

She s.h.i.+fted her eyes around and saw Tokaya is offering her hand, Tenko took it and stood up.

"Here, this is the only one left." Tokaya gave her a fruit, it was the same she ate last night. "Thank you."

*chomp*

*crunch *crunch

With a mouth full of juice and crunchy texture, "Ifh af hhouf hifhierh hathn hie hfoer" (It's a lot crisper than before)

"Heh, you got lucky then."

Tenko's lips tilted.

As her heart soothed, Tokaya then told the group to come together. "So, we concluded that the left path is going to be at least the type of boss room or something, right? It's dangerous for us to go there now. The stats and our gear are quite… pathetic."

"What's a boss? Some sort of leader or something?"

"Yeah, it's a gaming term, I suppose. The monster in the boss room will be a lot stronger than anything else we have encountered, so we will be taking another pathway and look for something there instead."

Tenko nodded, "Okay, let's go then."

"You sure you don't want to warm up first?"

"Oh right, let's do that."

After a while of stretches and warm-ups, they took a break for a while and then head inside the pathway in the middle. Even though they were sure that it's already morning by now, the inside of the mine is still dark as always.

However, the atmosphere is... different. They feel a lot fresher than ever when they entered the mine. The atmosphere gets even colder but they are used to it by now.

The group's position right now has been changed, Anko is now following Tenko from behind, and the distance between them and the other two are closer now. This should help Tenko when she gets into trouble that she can't handle and in need of quick a.s.sistance.

Looking left and right, Anko said, "There are empty torches here, go light them up, Tenko."

"Mm."

Tenko light up the torches as they go.

After a while of walking they found another turn. Tenko peeked into the left and light the area, she found a doorless room.

"Hey, check this out!"

The group looked to each other and then catches up with her. They all went in and check different parts of it. The bed was made simply by using gra.s.s and covered by an animal skin, they also found a lantern. Unfortunately, no oil to light it up, but they took it with them nonetheless with Anko is the one who is holding it.

Tokaya found something on the table, a coin purse, a gem, and a thin book. "Hm, a diary?"

She flips it open and read through its content. It said that the mine has been running for a long time, gathering a much needed and most sought resources, silver.

The man who wrote the diary has been working in the mine for over than 20 years digging up those silvers and selling them to the nearby kingdom. He has been living well and steadily inside the mine along with the other co-workers. They cannot live outside due to their citizens.h.i.+p, which is from another opposing kingdom, hence why they are not allowed to be INSIDE the closest kingdom, Sonata.

They've been doing it for years, and they are comfortable with it.

However, it all changes when a certain monster called "Devil's tongue" appeared. One by one, the workers keep disappearing, and they did not know why. One has spotted a tongue-like creature going around in the darkness of the mine, and it was suggested that it was a creature, a monster. Thus, everyone decided to name it Devil's Tongue and then leave to hire adventures to take care of it. However, none actually came, and all the workers have left and give up. Except for one… the man who wrote the diary.

Tokaya's lips hardened, "Dusty and looks… pretty old."

Tenko noticed something in the wall. As she squinted her eyes and then rubbed the said wall from the dust. Quickly, her eyes widened in terror, "Gyaaaaaaaaah!"

The three startled, Tokaya asked, "Tenko, what happened?"

"T-T-T-That, a Skeleton!!"

Tokaya's eyes widened as she saw it, "That's…"

*Crash*

Loud noises coming from their behind, they quickly turned around and saw some kind of creature, a jet-black centipede with a disgusting goo on its head along with a pair of bone wings on its back. Just like an instinct, Chika quickly appraised it.

[Corpse-Eater Pet.i.try lv. 14]

HP: 235 / MP: 60

Tokaya shouted, "Tenko! BEHIND YOU!"

She quickly turned her eyes around and fell in terror, but she hold her will, not letting fears take over her. She stood up and then attack it right away, swing her polearm around, and vertically swing it down as she stood.

*BAM*

HP: 226 / MP: 60

"Come back!"

Tenko propel herself to the back while the centipede screeching a loud noise, "Kriiiieeeeeeeeeh!"

Tokaya quickly thinking up a strategy to defeat it, a number of simulations instantly formed in her mind. The centipede moves in high speed, she then yelled, "Anko!"

It flew and was about to land on the swing of Tenko's polearm, but Anko has casted her spell and staggered it right away, making the centipede flew back against the wall.

"Tenko, go!" turning her head to Anko, "After a few hits, let it go, we need to preserve your Mana."

Anko nodded.

Tenko quickly went and attack it by its head, completely smas.h.i.+ng it to the wall, repeated banging noise keeps coming from it.

*Bam *Bam *Bam *Bam *Bam

Tenko pulled it away and then thrust it again. Tokaya has also made her move by attacking the centipede's gap of its sh.e.l.ls and pinning it down with her arrows.

*Fwooosh *Fwoosh*

She took one arrow from the back and shoot it right away, repeatedly until Anko is done with her magic. Chika a.n.a.lyzed it again.

[Corpse-Eater Pet.i.try lv. 14]

HP: 85 / MP: 60

"That works all right, but we need more. 85 left, Kinko."

Tokaya nodded.

"Kriiiiiieeeeeeeh"

The centipede breakthrough the stagger and bang Tenko on her stomach. She managed to block it with her polearm, but it cracks right away. "Holy G.o.d!"

"Be careful! We don't have time to go and fetch you another wood!" yelled Chika.

Tokaya shouted, "Tenko! Back away!"

She did what she said, but the centipede keeps following her. Tokaya takes this chance to rapidly snipe its head again and again.

[Corpse-Eater Pet.i.try lv. 14]

HP: 45 / MP: 60

Anko went to a.s.sist her. Noticing that Anko is heading her way whilst steadying her stone club, Tenko quickly catches up what she's trying to do. Nodding to each other, Tenko then slides to the front, fixes her polearm grip, and then tapped the ground with it. Leaping into the air, she then smashed the centipede's head.

*BAM*

Anko pa.s.ses them and then quickly halted her step. Behind the centipede, she turned around and then swing the stone club with both of her hands right to the back of the centipede's head.

*BANG!*

"Kreeehh"

It staggered right away and then stumbled to the wall. Anko stepped over it and bring down the hammer of justice right to its head.

*BANG!*

[Corpse-Eater Pet.i.try lv. 14]

HP: 0 / MP: 60

Chika tightened her fist, shouting, "YES!"

*Pant *Pant

Tokaya breathes a sigh of relief while Anko and Tenko rested their back against the wall, their shoes and hands are being covered by the disgusting goo.

[Details]- Enemy defeated: 1 - EXP gained: 500

[Loot obtained]- Pet.i.try's Legs x8- Pet.i.try's Core x1

With a smile on their face, they know it. They have survived another battle. it was exhausting, especially at their current levels. Soon after, their eyes gleaming so brightly once again when a [Notification] came up.

…