"Missing?" Aster raised a brow as he repeated Liz's words. "How? And when?"
The camp was protected by Argus, so there was no way he would've missed the two girls leaving. Turning to the white fluff, he asked, "Argus, do you know where they went?"
*Arf!*
Without delay, the little dog barked in affirmation. Then, using his paws, he drew two arrows. One was leading toward the exit portal, their destination, while the other pointed the way back.
"This..."
Aster was troubled. It was dangerous for the girls to roam around alone, so he couldn't afford to delay saving one after the other. They had no choice but to split up and check both directions at the same time!
"Alright. Liz, you go with Argus! Track the one heading toward the boss area. Kali and I will check the path behind us!"
Considering their combat strength and tracking abilities, this was the most optimal split. Liz would be safe with Argus, able to handle any threats they faced. And with their combined abilities, Aster and Kali could surely protect the one they were chasing.
To add to that, Aster possessed strength beyond the monsters of the 16th floor, making him virtually unmatched. With Kali's help, they should be able to catch up to the one on their side quickly.
"Got it," Liz nodded.
Without further questions, she ran with Argus, who was already chasing someone's scent. As they left, Aster turned to Kali and tightened his expression. "We should go too!"
"I know."
Kali answered in her usual standoffish tone, but this time, there was a hint of worry in her voice. She had been the one on watch that night, so she felt responsible for letting the two slip away unnoticed.
If something bad happened to either of them, Kali would surely enter a negative spiral, much like Cassy was currently doing.
"It's this way," she announced plainly.
With her tracking abilities, it wasn't difficult to follow someone's fresh tracks. The only reason they hadn't moved sooner was that they couldn't leave Aster behind without any clue of what was happening.
It had been half an hour since they realized the girls were missing, but the last time either Cassy or Tina was seen was around midnight. That meant they had up to a four-hour head start.
In short, the distance between them was at most four hours of walking.
Kali ran fast, her DEX stat befitting a level 28. Aster followed at his usual pace but was surprised that Kali could already match his speed.
'As expected of an Assassin,' he mused.
Despite the darkness, Kali ran without hesitation—her night vision was good, after all. Aster, on the other hand, was practically running blind. Fortunately, nothing could stand in his way. His forceful steps turned anything that might trip him—roots, bushes, even rocks—into a crushed mess.
They kept up the pace for a quarter hour before Kali stopped. She frowned, looking around, then pointed in a certain direction. "This way!"
The tracks she saw were fresh, meaning they were closing in. Walking alone in a dark forest was hard, and neither of the two girls had their packs, meaning they had nothing on them, not even a flashlight.
*Thump!*
Kali increased her pace, worry filling her heart. More and more traces appeared along the way, but alongside a person's tracks was another—a large, even-toed animal capable of felling trees with its charge.
"A Berserk Boar!" Kali gritted her teeth, recognizing the Elite version of a Rush Boar.
It was a monster that appeared in forest areas starting from the 8th floor, excluding floors 11 to 13. Extremely territorial, it would even fight Field Bosses if they invaded its space.
Cassy was there, her face covered in sweat and tears, glistening even in the darkness. Her expression seemed as if she wanted to say a million things, but bit her lip bitterly, holding her tongue. Aster stared, unsure of what to say.
*Snap!*
But Kali didn't hesitate. She walked steadily—breaking dry branches along the way—toward Cassy, who wore an awkward expression. When Kali stopped a few meters away, Cassy finally opened her mouth.
"You shouldn't have—"
*SLAP!*
Before she could finish, Kali's hand flickered, landing a solid slap across her face. Cassy's head snapped to the side as her hand reflexively touched her stinging cheek. Her eyes, wide with shock, turned to glance at the culprit.
"STUPID RABBIT!" Kali roared, her voice cracking with emotion.
She stepped forward and embraced Cassy, pressing her face against her chest to hide the tears that threatened to spill. "Don't scare me like that!" she added, like a child throwing a tantrum.
Slowly, Cassy returned to her senses, the pain in her cheek reminding her of what she'd done. Hearing Kali's faint sobs, she too started crying and returned the tight hug.
"I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!" she apologized.
The two cried, feeling each other's warmth. It was a heartwarming scene, watching two sisters comfort each other. Aster watched from a short distance away, scratching his head. The atmosphere made it hard to approach and reprimand Cassy.
He had no choice but to wait for them to calm down.
Eventually, Kali gently pushed Cassy and moved far away, sitting under a tree. She buried her face in her hands, embarrassed by her emotional outburst. She regretted letting her feelings get the best of her!
Now that she was freed, Aster moved to confront the troublemaker. With a stern expression, he called. He called her "Cassy" and asked, "Why did you do that?"
Even though his question was vague, Cassy understood what he wanted to hear. She wiped her tear-filled eyes, answering in a soft, guilty voice.
"My presence was just making things worse for everyone, so I thought I should leave and die somewhere far away, but..."
She turned to the shattered remains of the Berserk Boar, frowning. "When I faced death... I ran away. I couldn't even die willingly. I chose to desperately survive in the end." Tears welled up again.
Aster shook his head, smiling wryly as he patted her head.
"Stupid rabbit," he teased, copying Kali's favorite moniker for her. "Even if your death could fix our problems, I would never allow it."
He gently lifted her face, looking into her orange eyes, still filled with self-blame. "No matter what happens, remember that I've got your back. I have everyone's back. Even if you can't trust yourself, trust me. I'll find a way."
"Star...!"
"Hold!"
As Cassy leaned in, Aster placed a finger against her lips, grinning. "You might've stolen a kiss before, but my lips aren't cheap~!"
"... Ehehe, got it."
Cassy smiled, wiping her tears and stepping back, realizing she had almost repeated the same "mistake" from before.
After a few minutes passed, the two girls had both settled down. Although Kali's face was still slightly red, they had delayed more than enough. Aster raised his voice.
"Alright, let's meet up with the others!"