Chapter 88: Wandering Rain
The two cautiously made their way out of the pile, keeping their eyes peeled.
They threw a glance toward the two chicks that were happily devouring the ogre’s corpse.
"Not even a care in the world that one of them was killed by their mother. Actually, they might be delighted. One less mouth to feed means there is more food for them." Leonard said, exiting the nest carefully to avoid disturbing them any further.
Looking down the steep slope stunned him for a moment, making him realize just how dangerous getting down from the towering mountain was going to be.
"I wish I had wings..." He mused aloud and glanced at Elizabeth. "What about your dragon, Rimy? She might be small, but can’t she call for help somehow?"
She shook her head.
"Rimy is still in her hatching phase and doesn’t possess wings. Additionally, shortly after she finished absorbing the mana core of the Orc Shaman you gave her, she entered her evolution stage and is temporarily inaccessible."
This wasn’t what Leonard had hoped to hear. He also had no means of getting them out of the situation they were in.
Just until recently, he thought his arsenal of Skills and Traits had grown diverse... Now he found himself restricted once more.
Cautiously, the two began climbing downward, their main goal being to reach solid ground.
They tried not to think about the deadly height and instead focused on their limbs, searching for the optimal spots to place their feet and the firm cracks in the rocks they could use to grip on.
After a few more minutes, they climbed down from the summit, stepping onto flatter ground. Their journey had just begun, yet at least they no longer needed to traverse on uneven soil.
"Let’s go down the cave." Leonard suggested, pointing toward a dark entrance not too far away.
"Sure." Elizabeth nodded. "However, the only source of light I possess is Fireball, and depending on how long I use it, my mana will be depleted before we encounter any foes."
"About that..." He chuckled and glanced at his leather armor.
"Here goes nothing..."
[You have applied the Rune of Light!]
Using his Runesmith class, he swiftly engraved the rune onto his attire. His chest began to glow with a soft light.
"This will last for a while. Furthermore, it would be better than using fire to illuminate our way, as it will rapidly deplete the oxygen in the cave, and the smoke could give away our location."
"A rune? ...Commendable." Her icy eyes flickered with rare acknowledgment, and the two entered.
The atmosphere inside the cave was gloomy, though they finally stopped their ears from constantly being assaulted by the strong currents.
At the very least, the passage led them downward, so they knew they were on the right track.
Eventually, the two came to a halt as heavy footsteps resonated from up ahead.
"A monster... Prepare to engage." Elizabeth whispered.
"Wait." Leonard stopped her in place. "Eat this."
She stared at him blankly, then shifted her gaze at the chocolate muffin he was offering her.
"This is Winston’s specialty." Leonard chuckled. "The muffins buff our attributes."
"Apologies. I cannot eat this."
"What? Why not?" Leonard was baffled by her response.
He wondered if she refused to eat it because she was still suspicious of him and the origin of the food, or whether she actually so arrogantly believed in her abilities that she would refuse to temporarily boast her power.
Elizabeth hesitated for a moment, torn between answering or remaining silent.
"Because... my father forbade me from eating chocolate and food besides the bare minimum my body needs to function." She averted her gaze. "Not to mention, if my own powers aren’t enough to save me from my predicament, then I don’t deserve to live."
"..."
’The hell?’ He was at a loss for words.
Leonard knew prestigious families tended to be strict, but to such an extent was unprecedented.
Considering that they weren’t just kids but fully-fledged adults who had already enrolled in the academy, the fact that she still remained reluctant to go against her orders even when her father wasn’t watching bordered on the absurd.
"Okay, I understand why you are reluctant... But the thing is, our chances of surviving aren’t looking too good right now, and even if life can be cruel at times, I still want to live."
He gently set the muffin next to her.
"So, I’m going to leave this here and go further ahead. Nobody will watch you, so not a soul will know what happens when my back is turned, right?"
True to his words, he went ahead, making sure to remain in close proximity so the rune on his chest would still reach her behind him.
[Vitality, Strength, Agility and Endurance have been buffed by 5 points for the next 2 hours!]
"Hopefully this will work..." Leonard sighed after eating his share and waited.
Elizabeth silently stared at the muffin in her palms, her lips pressed into a thin line.
She took a small bite.
"Is... this what it tastes like?" She felt her eyes watering. "Damn it, what is this weird feeling?"
Eventually she went to Leonard’s side.
He threw a glance at her, noticing that she was back in her usual calm demeanor.
"Let’s go."
Before them stood a tall ogre similar to the one the Griffin had caught, its back turned to them.
"We strike fast and true." Elizabeth began to conjure ice spikes.
"Valor, Joker, come forth." Leonard gripped Titanic Oath and charged alongside his two summons.
Valor and Joker targeted the back of the knees, while Leonard clashed against the monster’s torso, disrupting its balance. Elizabeth aimed for the head.
The ambush had been so fast that the ogre didn’t have the chance to notice the light given off by Leonard’s chest.
The creature’s head was pierced by the ice attacks.
[You contributed to the defeat of a Level 18 Ogre!]
[All gained experience and Evolution Points have been doubled!]
[You have gained 500 Experience!]
Level: 12 [Experience: 1,800/2,200]
Exhaling in relief, the two nodded and moved forward.
The exit of the cave led to a massive plateau, where Leonard spotted a horde of ogres.
"Better go around them."
He was about to move until he noticed Elizabeth didn’t follow.
"What’s wrong?"
"Look up... There are clouds above."
He was puzzled. They were so high that all the clouds were supposed to be below them.
Leonard followed her gaze.
"What—"
[You have encountered a Wandering Boss exclusive to the Death Zone!]
[Rain Of Tomorrow]
Before he was able to form a sentence, the seemingly ordinary clouds began pouring everything beneath them in heavy rain.
ROOOAAAAR!
The horde of ogres that had seemed so intimidating just a second ago screamed in agony.
When the raindrops touched their skin, their flesh began to wrinkle, their muscles deteriorated, and their senses dulled at an accelerated pace.
"It’s... aging them?" Leonard realized.
Not even ten seconds had passed, and the monsters no longer drew breath. Their bones lay scattered across the ground.
Leonard gulped nervously, a shiver passing down his spine.
"You know, I think it would be for the best if we wait out the rain... Or whatever it really is..."