Chapter 123 - Episode 123: A Specter.

I look at Ivonna who's standing next to me at the entrance of the Klagliaad Forest.

"I'll ask you one more time. Are you sure about this? I can help you get the companion with the others when you're a hundred percent ready."

Ivonna nods.

"Yes, I'm a hundred percent ready because she's here with us as well."

We both look back and Chelsea is eating her chips and then shrugs at us with her Amruchi sitting on her left shoulder.

"What? Of course, I'll be here to stay by her side when she's facing her fear. I wasn't by her side yesterday and I felt bad about it. Although, I feel like I'm being a third wheel right now."

Ivonna is furrowing her forehead while staring at Chelsea. Chelsea immediately covers her mouth. I scoff and shake my head.

"Alright then. Let's get going."

Ivonna takes a deep breath and exhales deeply.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

We enter the forest and immediately accept the quest. Even though we won't be able to get the reward again, but we can still take the quest to get the companion. It sounds bothersome to redo the quest over and over so everyone in the party can get the companion, but the truth is, a companion is worth a fortune. At some point, they can be more useful compared to players.

I'm leading the way while both of them are following me so closely. On our way to retrieve the companion, we can see a gigantic shadow like a sunken ship behind the fog. Like Chelsea said earlier, this is her fear and to be honest it's quite disturbing to see something gigantic around us. I can't wait until she sees those things later in the future because I bet she would be terrified.

I see Jessica behind the tree peeking at us, but I'm no longer care about her and I keep ignoring her as if she's nobody. Surprisingly, she doesn't bother us at all and just keeps staring at us from the distance. But, it's not the same with Jacque. He appears in front of us and he's still as hostile as before.

Chelsea walks past us.

"Go. I'll take care of him. I have been waiting for this moment. I want to beat him up for what he did to Ivy."

I'm humming while staring at Chelsea.

"That won't happen. He will keep following Ivonna wherever she goes and he will appear in front of her again. So let's just ignore him and keep on moving. The faster we reach our destination, the faster we can clear the quest. You can handle him when we are there."

Chelsea is humming with understanding.

We finally reach the area. Right now, all we have to do is wait for the Amruchi to come and approach us. The problem is, the Amruchi will only walk towards one of us. It could be me or Ivonna. On the other side, Chelsea is happily beating Jacque because this time, Jacque is not as strong as yesterday since we are not going to the bad ending path. So Chelsea punches him over and over and when he reappears, Chelsea will do it again until she's satisfied. Ivonna is still trembling whenever she sees Jacque near her, so I guess she's still scared of him. I feel bad for her if I'm the one who will get the Amruchi since she has to do this again.

We both hear a rustling sound coming from in front of us. I look at Ivonna.

"Don't make a sudden move. Let it approaches us."

Ivonna slowly nods.

The Amruchi starts showing itself. It looks at us and then walks toward us so slowly. At first, it walks toward me, but then it moves away from me and walks toward Ivonna. It sniffs Ivonna's leg and then yipping at her. Ivonna looks at me and raises her eyebrows.

I nod.

"Pick it up."

Ivonna nods and slowly bends over and opens her hand. Amruchi jumps into her palm and starts rubbing Ivonna's thumb. Ivonna is smiling happily because of how cute and fluffy it is. Thank god it chose Ivonna or else she has to do this again. Then a notification appears. We are all teleporting back to the entrance immediately.

Chelsea runs towards Ivonna who's patting and rubbing her Amruchi. Chelsea looks at her Amruchi with excitement.

"Oh! What kind of Amruchi is that?"

Ivonna smiles while keep rubbing its fluffy fur.

"Shamancraft Amruchi."

I'm smiling and humming at her.

"That suits you. The Shamancraft Amruchi is very good for a support companion. It can heal and removes almost all debuffs."

Chelsea and Ivonna are humming while staring at me.

"Then what about mine?"

I'm looking at her Amruchi.

"Lovecraft is very good in helping players in the battle. Its specialty is to deal a very high AoE damage. Again, even though it's an AoE type, you can make it whatever you want. It can be a tanker with a CC (Crowd Control) type Amruchi. It's all depends on the item you feed them."

Chelsea is looking at her Amruchi and smiling happily.

I look at the forest and sigh.

"Alright, I guess it's time for me to get mine. I'll see you both later."

When I'm about to enter the forest, someone is grabbing my shoulder. I look back and it's Chelsea.

"Where do you think you're going? I'll tag along."

I raise my eyebrows.

"Are you sure? You can do something else while waiting for me though."

Chelsea nods. Ivonna looks at me and nods.

"I'll tag along as well. It doesn't feel right leaving you on your own after you helped me getting mine."

Chelsea and I are looking at each other and then we both look at Ivonna. I shake my head.

"I don't think you have to. You're were trembling back there when you saw him. I don't want you to experience it again for the third time now."

Chelsea is humming in agreement.

"Trev is right. You can wait for us at the house. We can talk about the details of each Amruchi once he got his."

Ivonna looks at both of us and feels bad. I scoff and smile.

"It's fine. Just promise me that you will pay me back later in the future."

Ivonna smiles and nods.

"Okay, I promise. I'll be waiting for you both at the house."

Chelsea and I nod and then we enter the forest again.

Chelsea is pointing at the gigantic shadows on the fogs and explains to me what those things are. Most of them are pretty much a shipwreck, a submarine, and a plane wreck that are pretty much what she saw on the internet. She then tells me the reason why she hates those things, but those things are not the ones that she fears the most.

Chelsea then stretches her arms.

"You know, this quest is pretty much impossible for players who have so many phobias. I feel bad for them because they can't get a companion if they can't complete this quest."

I nod with understanding.

"That's right. But, I think there will always be people who would love to help them until they get their own companion. People are not as ignorant or bad as you think they are."

Chelsea is humming with understanding.

"That's true."

Chelsea then staring at me for quite a while.

"So... you haven't answered my question from earlier."

I raise my eyebrows.

"Which one?"

Chelsea raises her eyebrows while smiling.

"About Ivonna. What do you think of her? Are you interested in her?"

I tilt my head and nod.

"Well, you can say that. But if you're asking me if I'm interested to be in a relationship with her? I don't think I am. It's just that, seeing new faces around me, especially seeing you guys from different countries made me interested in all of you."

Chelsea is humming with understanding.

"Wow, your type must be way higher than I expected."

I scoff and shake my head.

"That's not what I meant. You all are beautiful and gorgeous, seriously. It's just, I don't think I'm close enough with everyone, so I can't say I'm interested in that way, yet."

Chelsea is humming and then she walks in front of me then turns around. She's staring at me while walking backward.

"I see. So, what if I say that I'm interested in you, in that way. Would you like to know about me better? And ask me everything you want to know about me? After all that, would you accept my feeling?"

I tilt my head and raise my eyebrows.

"Yeah, I think I would be glad to accept your feelings. Like I said earlier, you are all gorgeous and beautiful. I honestly have no preference about my partner as long as they're not stabbing me in the back."

Chelsea is whistling while staring at me.

"Wow, really? I thought you would reject me."

I smirk.

"Why should I?"

Chelsea immediately turns around and becomes quiet.

We are currently waiting for the Amruchi to appears. Chelsea is still not saying a single word since then and she's been acting weird by wandering around on her. But then we hear a rustling sound coming from my left. A notification appears in front of me.

[You who has been coming here for many times and succeeded the trial, now has been watched by the Specter Amruchi on accident and is now took interest in you]

A shiny silver fur Amruchi is approaching me. It stares at me for quite a while and then leaps onto me. I open my hands and it lands in my hands.

[Amruchi (Specter) is obtained!]

[Amruchi (Specter): The first Amruchi that has been watching all over Orion. The Amruchi that lends its kind to help the 6 legendary heroes in their journey. There is no more information related to this Amruchi.]

[Amruchi (Specter) likes you!]

[Would you like to give it a name and be your companion?]

[Yes][No]

I look at it and write its name on the screen.

[Amruchi (Specter) is happy!]

[Azrael is now bounded to the player [Trevor]!]

[Name: Azrael (Specter) [Hatchling]

Azrael's Status:

Level: 1

HP: 1000

STA: 400

ATK: 150

DEF: 80

MDEF: 120

Azrael's evolution: 0/3

Intimacy: Loyal

Bonus status(s): All Stats+10]

We teleport back to the entrance. I look at Chelsea and she's walking in front of me and stop while staring at me.

"Let's go on a date."