Chapter 254 - Day CMXVIII

After the usual routine, I grabbed one of the carts, filled it with provisions, and was on my way. There was also a bit of waiting involved as other hunters wanted to use the device.

When I was slowly arriving at the goblin cave, a black roster crossed my path. Ki'rei then started moving to my right, leading me somewhere. I followed. We crossed paths with few other people and a bunch of goblins. The first we just ignored, the second I had to slap to death. I left the crystals for lucky finders, as usual.

After a couple more hours we reached the part of the forest I've never been in before. We were clearly heading towards the right side of the canyon, or maybe I should stay that towards whatever was on the right side of the canyon. From the angle, I could only guess that we will end close to the harpy territory, but it could be even further.

I started to wish we knew the directions of this world. Leaving under the bubble it was kinda impossible to ascertain that, and nobody of those who got out of it seemed to pay attention to that at that moment.

We kept walking until it became dark, then Ki'rei stopped, turned to her original form, and said:

- We will camp here.

I stopped as well not too far from her.

- Where are we going?

- To a cave?

- What cave? I need to know where we are going.

- I found a cave with big monsters. You will kill them, collect ten thousand of their crystals, check the price, and bring numbers adequate to how many points you would get for those left by green monsters.

- But I never fou... I need... Damn you Ki'rei. You can't just lead me who knows where and expect me to get you ten thousand crystals from monsters I never even saw with my own two eyes.

- You can do it - She said with such confidence, that I couldn't even argue.

I couldn't deny that I got stronger, to the point even monsters that used to be a threat for the whole city now stood no chances against me. I also had the anchor and could take way bigger risks.

- Fine. But this is the first, and the last time you are doing something like that.

She pouted and kicked a clump of grass under her feet, just to walk a bit off. I just shook my head off, used the 'Eyes of the Void' to set up a camp, eat, and then prepared some barriers around for safety.

I crawled under the cart, and Ki'rei joined me shortly after in form of the chicken. She snuggled closer, and almost immediately fell asleep. I stayed awake for a bit longer, thinking how this whole endeavor with Xuvi could end.

The next morning, after a short breakfast, we departed. She led me even further, but this time in her normal form. We had few breaks to eat, and by the evening arrived at the destination.

The day was nice. Sun was still poking through the thee crowns, and the breeze got a bit chillier. The leaves gently rustled above our heads as she pointed at an average cave, but guarded by two humanoids. Three meters tall, brutes with gray skin, covered in scars, bald heads, and deformed faces. They were muscular, wearing only loincloths, and large clubs in their hands.

- Ogres - I mumbled to myself.

- Go and hunt them - said Ki'rei.

I sighed. She got so bossy and annoying. I ended up slowly approaching them. When they noticed me, they looked at each other but since they didn't find any answers in their ugly smugs, they just charged at me.

As soon as they swung their branches, I shadow walked behind, and with two clean cuts amputated bot legs of the first one before his friend could even react. The wounded fell heavily on the ground and screaming turned into the smoke because of the blood loss.

The other one surprised turned to face me, but I just jammed my blade into his stomach, and dragged it upwards, killing him before he managed to grab me.

- That was easy - I mumbled to myself.

I didn't even use any enhancing skills in this short fight. I turned on 'Eyes of the Void', made the shadow pulling the cart follow me, and pick the crystals behind, then went inside the cave. The entrance was pretty abruptly descending lower.

Because of the skill, I was unable to tell how exactly it looked inside, but the tunnel was wide enough for even several of those monsters to fight at the same time. The ceiling was also high. I didn't have to walk for long to encounter another lovely bunch. They died just as fast as the previous ones.

Further, I encountered a crossroads. I ended up choosing the direction at random. I kept walking for several hours, killing everything on my way. The tunnels were so damn entangled that they created a labyrinth. It soon became obvious to me that I might spend days in that place. I kept hunting a bit more and then decided to attempt to return. It wasn't an easy task. To my surprise, I found even more of those ogres on my path.

Eventually, I got outside, but it was the middle of the night. The guards in front of the cave respawned and died before they even could notice me.

Ki'rei was waiting for me, hidden in the tree crown. I didn't notice her until she jumped down.

- Why so long? - she asked.

- I got lost. There is a whole freaking labyrinth down there.

- I'm coming with you tomorrow.

I sighed - again.

- Why do you want to go? It's dangerous down there.

- Because it's boring up here. Besides I'm learning how to fight when I watch you.

- Arent you a scout, or a spy? Why do you need to fight?

- I want to become a hunter!

- Hunter? -I almost laughed at her. - Why?

- Because hunters are cool! - With those words she turned around, and started walking, to leave the neighborhood of the cave.

I was shocked at first. Not only about what she said, but also about the word she used. Now everything started to slowly come together in my head. She was childish in many aspects and very persistent about me meeting her masters. Maybe she was counting on some kind of alliance that would allow her to use our device and hunt together with me?

I started digging deeper into this line of thoughts. Even when I ate the late dinner, and put the barriers around I couldn't get it out of my head.

The two days came to an end with 41 911 780 points remaining on my account, and 92 ogre crystals.