"Is that not heavy?" asked Tenko, pointing out to Chika's backpack which is filled with numerous amounts of items. She responded, "This time, Tenko. No, my strength is as big as skysc.r.a.pers now!"

"As high you mean," said Anko.

"Thank you very much for correcting it, miss Anko."

"You are very welcome, miss Chicken."

"Nuh?!"

Leaving their jokes aside, the group has gotten some new equipment, including the much-needed helmets and hood. Anko got herself a Steel Helmet while Tokaya got a hooded fur.

Speaking of which, they also got a new weapon as well. A large two-handed iron mace for Anko, Steel daggers for Chika— which is still highly doubtful that she will use it—, and Silver Sword with an iron s.h.i.+eld for Tenko.

Tokaya also got herself a new type of arrow too, but very much limited to a few shots. A Silver armament is very much useful against undead type enemies.

They also found themselves a detailed map about the entirety of the cave when they were on the second floor, it's usefulness is uncanny. And with their empty stomach, they went to explore the 4 other pathways looking for food and such.

They still couldn't find any food and their FP keeps decreasing rapidly with each second pa.s.sed by, and they found nothing but more ores and ingots alongside a few gems and coins on all four of the pathways. Tenko said that it might already have been night time, and they don't want to spend another night inside such a dangerous mine.

*Croak*

"G.o.d, that thing is so annoying" Anko complained.

Chika yelled, "Haaah? Don't talk like that to Bubblegum!"

"Bubblegum?"

"It's her name, humph!"

"Right…"

Anko sighed.

They are on their way back to the main area where the three-pathway existed.

"I wonder what that thing was," said Anko, "It was so disgusting."

"That mouth monster?" Chika asked.

"Yeah."

"Hmm…"

Tokaya then responded, "So you didn't have the time to appraise it, huh. The Notification said that we got an Infant Chaos Eater core, so that means that thing's name is that, Chaos Eater."

"Hmm… an infant, huh. So, there is a kid and a more mature version of that thing?"

Anko s.h.i.+vers, "I don't want to know, please."

Chika suddenly got a wild idea and just continue to whisper in her ears, all the thing she has in mind about the monster. Tenko laughed seeing them so cheerful while Tokaya has a smile on her face. They walked all the way back to the main area, and saw that…

There are several people coming down. They're equipped in tattered armor, 8 of them. They're wielding many varieties of weapons and looks very strong just from a single glance. 5 of them are men, while the rest are women.

Tokaya's eyes widened. She knows what they are, mumbling to herself, "Bandits…"

They quickly noticed the group's whereabouts, one of them shouted, "Heyyy, would you look at that. We got some chickens here, boys."

The woman laughs, "Hahahaa, lucky day, huh."

Tokaya's face hardened, she mumbled to Chika to appraised them, and it turns out, all of them are in the upper level of the 60s. There is no way for the group to be able to defeat them.

"Run!"

They turned around and all of a sudden, three more people came out from the shadows. "Bwahaha, look at them. Bet you haven't seen this skill before, huh?"

Sweats dripping from the group's cheeks. All this time, they have fought monsters, but now… they are faced with one of their own.

Aside from that, their level disparity, the gap between them… is enormous.

Tenko and the others raised their weapon, but Tokaya told them to lowered it. She turned to the front and tried to negotiate with the bandits, "Wait! Please, we don't want to fight."

"Hahahaha" The bandits laughed.

"W-We'll give you everything we have, so please, let us go."

A strong looking man stepped up to the front, "Yeah? How about you show me what you got."

Chika swallowed her saliva as she handing over her backpack to Tokaya, she then walked and put it down with her two small hands in front of the bandit. Nervously backing away from him. "T-This is everything. So please" she said.

"Hmm…" stroking his beard, he went and opened the backpack. His eyes quickly widened, "Look at all these loots, boys! We're rich!!"

"What, for real?"

"They must have found a treasure chest or something."

"Bwahahah, this is great!!"

All the while they are celebrating their enjoyment of getting the loot. Tokaya is getting even more nervous. She asked, "So, Uhm, can you let us go now?"

They instantly turned into a paused.

The man glances at her… and then grin. Seeing that expression on his face, Tokaya fell in terror. What did she expect, they are an outlaw. Why would they have to tie to something frivolous as trading? The man quickly grabbed her neck and lifted it high, "Nghf" squirming in pain.

Tenko yelled out, "Tokaya!!"

She quickly dashed toward her, but then… with a speed of light, she got kicked by some unknown force right on the face.

*BOOOM*

Tenko's back crashed on to a rocky pillar, crus.h.i.+ng some of her bones. The man that did this quickly went and vertically smash her back again, down with his feet.

*BAM!*

[Kusanagi Tenko lv. 18]

HP: 43/500

The damage he inflicted on her was ma.s.sive.

The other two have no choice but to raise their hands, surrendering. They were knelt down by the other two bandits behind them.

The bandit holding Tokaya is smirking as he looked up and down, "Hoho, look at that body you got. Even I would… Hehehe."

Tokaya's eyes widened, she fell into despair, thinking with many questions and regret, 'Nooo, what are they going to do to me… why… why is this keep happening to us.' Tears start flowing from her eyes. Her life is completely at their mercy.

"Aww, you pervert. You're going to do that to a young girl, too?" asked the woman.

"Heh, you know me. Not gonna hurt to try."

"Oh, she's going to hurt a lot."

Tenko's eyes start getting blurry and teary, she mumbled her name, "K…"

She suddenly saw someone lowering his body down to her, "Whoa, you're pretty cute yourself, honey. Hey boss, can I have this one?"

"Sure, sure."

A grin appeared on him, he holds Tenko down and mounted her.

"Nngh."

She doesn't know what is going on behind her back, but there is one thing that she knows, something that she sees… and it's Tokaya.

"Gahhhh!"

The man lifted her high and slammed her to the ground. Seeing that Tenko's eyes started to get even blurrier as tears finally coming out of her eyes.

She saw the vision of the man that is going to violate her friend right in front of her. Tenko heard a rustling sound behind her and her pants have been pulled down.

She doesn't care what is happening behind her back.

She only cares… about the one that is on her front. Her eyes already says it all.

…