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Chapter 206: ...Claw's Nest (7)
🕑 Added 2025-08-15 04:32:11 +0000 UTCWorld: MSS - Loading...
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A lot of times, expeditions in the game are mindless travel. Not every single second of an expedition is guaranteed death. The game lulls you into a sense of false safety before it throws its curve balls. That’s why it’s important to keep your guard up and never loosen up on the tension. But that’s part of the intended design too. Being on high-tension all the time tends to have an effect on your party’s mental state.
After the events, we walked for hours. The same mind-grueling march through the ant-tunnel passageways which eventually tapered out into man-made paths.
Carved stone pathways that were paved with shaved stone the hue of blood mixed with forest-green. Same as before, it was ascending. But the footing was easier. No more roots to snag onto the slips of your armor, or rocks that threatened to sprain your ankle.
When we happened upon a room, we stopped.
A room with a chest in the middle. Gold bands with wooden planks, the iconic treasure chest that every videogamer could identify at once.
Loot.
Or a trap.
But there was no dead body this time. It was obvious that this room held some kind of event but…
It was large and relatively warm. Not only that, it was getting late. Really late. We’ve been marching for hours without sunlight, using only mage light and torches as a guide. There were no windows in the room but I knew that it had to be nightfall. Less of an internal clock given to adventurers and more instinct at this point.
“Search everything.” I ordered again. “But don’t touch the chest.”
Everyone obeyed, even L’teya doing her best to prod around with her battleaxes.
Eventually, we found nothing.
Damn it. Did we have to camp here tonight? We didn’t have to but…
“Lock?” Kyrian asked.
I already knew what he wanted. “Ok, we’ll camp here for the night.”
Out of all the rooms we’ve passed, this was the largest and probably the most even. Everyone could take their own corner without intruding on another person’s space.
I watched as the other adventurers set up their own home stations. Freier had an expensive tent that set itself up and could house a whole party if she so desired. L’teya didn’t have one that was as nice, but hers was still loads better than mine or Kyrian’s.
Kyrian and I took out a raggedy set of sleeping bags each and plopped them down on the floor.
“Surely, this is a jest.” Freier was hanging up some kind of religious charms on her tent, which would give her buffs once she woke up with them. Once again, another sign that she was as seasoned adventurer. She motioned to our sleeping bags. “You’re sleeping in that?”
Kyrian shot me a mournful look.
When we had been spending every single last copper coin we earned on Cores, Equipment and Aurora’s impulsive purchases, Kyrian –the defacto accountant of our group– had suggested some better tents and living quarters for all of us. Being a noble, I’m sure he was used to better sleeping conditions. But I couldn’t give the go head, knowing that every coin could mean the difference between life or death.
Well, looking at Freier’s fancy tent that had a magic sink that produced water at the side made me rethink my life choices.
“Slaveborn… I thought your party was successful…” Even L’teya looked shocked.
Why the hell did a barbarian from the Delirious Jungle have a nice tent? Definitely Clover’s influence.
I promptly ignored them, going about my nightly routine.
Taking off my armor, I made sure to take out all the grime and wipe down all the blood and sweat. Taking out a flask of oil and cloth, I cleaned the armor, sword and even my Lunar Shield. Just because the shield was a [Legendary]-class item didn’t mean I could neglect it. Item durability was a real thing and it might not break, but it would affect performance.
The habits came easily to my hands and helped take my mind off of more pressing concerns. Like the fact that another day passed without a clue to the rest of my companions.
Skaris, Aurora, Stole.
Zenom… and Cecilia too.
Arrosh.
Doror.
But not only that, I had to keep track of my enemies too. Arione, Delas, Clover, Tania…
We outnumbered them.
As long as Arione and Delas remained separated, in a straight up party against party, we’d win; nine times out of ten.
That was another reason I was in a rush to find my companions. The enemy would surely have realized this. This was the golden opportunity for them to hunt us down, one at a time.
There was no way they didn’t know it.
Just as desperately as I was searching for my party members…
They’d be busy tracking them down.
Stole. Aurora. The two weakest members of my party.
Then Zenom and Arrosh.
…Skaris.
Then finally, me.
That’d be how I would hunt us down, if I was on the opposing side.
But they didn’t know I have the [Imugi] Core. Which meant that there was a good chance of them coming for me before Skaris.
If only Skaris, Aurora, and Stole had managed to stick together…
All the thoughts made me restless and it made me feel like recanting my order and marching throughout the night. But one look around the camp…
They needed this. Especially Freier and Kyrian who were the backline.
Shit.
I hated to admit it, but resting was the best choice.
I let out a breath I didn’t know I’d been holding, looking down at [Snow Scream].
“Slaveborn.” L’teya called out from behind.
I didn’t yelp, but I almost did jump out of my own skin. I’d been so absorbed in my head that I hadn’t noticed her walking up behind me.
“If, uh, if it’s OK, could we talk?”
Once again, with the timid speech. It bothered me that L’teya, the boisterous barbarian from my memories, had been reduced to this.
“Yeah, let’s.”
I caught Freier watching in our direction but ignored her. The two of us walked into one of the tunnels, not too far from camp, just enough to see the torches and magelights. I doubted either Freier or Kyrian could hear us.
Instead of prodding her, I leaned on the wall, crossed my arm, and stared at her.
L’teya fidgeted.
I sighed inwardly. Maybe I should give her an easier time and just bring up the elephant in the room myself. That way–
“Why did you save me, Slaveborn?”
“I told you, you’re a prisoner.”
“We both know that is not true.”
Skaris often reminded me of L’teya. Behind the crass manner lay an intelligence that most people overlooked. L’teya was proving it today.
“I am a liability. In battle, we kill the enemy. Not make up an excuse.” The Elf continued, “And that is what we are, Slaveborn. Enemies.”
“How so?”
“Clover. Arione.” L’teya looked away from my eyes, at the floor, “I… Arione may not be my friend. But we have traveled together.”
“And Clover?”
“She’s a friend.”
“And we’re not?”
She didn’t answer.
“L’teya, when we find Arione, I’m going to kill him.” I ventured slowly, “And most likely, I’ll kill Clover too.”
I delivered the words with flat, matter-of-factness so that she knew I meant it.
And when she looked up, I knew she believed it.
“If I stop you?”
“You won’t.”
“...You do not know that.”
“I do.”
“How?”
I took a deep breath.
“L’teya, daughter of Agda from the Delirious Jungle.” I extended my hand, “Join my party. Become my comrade.”
Comments
Sir Baka
I honestly really do hope she joins though… L’teya was one of my favorite characters early on, and it’s painful to see what she’s become. Being in Arione’s party doesn’t seem to be doing any wonders for her whatsoever, everyone is on edge on the big Lockborn question. They can’t truly trust each other because of the circumstances of how the party was formed. At the very least, I hope she gets some sort of conclusion by the end of this arc.
Donovan Helx
Now it’s almost a full party of all the races
SlanneshSoldier69
I dont think she will join. She would consider it a betrayal after having joined clover even though that same logic could be applied in reverse from the earlier situation. Espescialy what she allowed to occur by Clover.
Terra
The best way to finish a chapter: recruit a new party member!
