Chapter 14: Shield and Dagger (2)

"Damn it Stop!" A voice of a Man screamed.

He was wearing light armor made out of silk from the web of a Peak Spider his body was well tuned for both agility and strength as he moved around cutting down enemies in the battlefield with his special dagger and shortsword. This was the stealthy and quick member of the party, Rogue Frowero His Scarf that served as a mask was also made out of silk from the Web of a Peak spider.

A Peak Spider's web if turned into armor is one of the most ideal light armors for agile adventurers as it has great absorption rate, Magic resistance, hardness harder than steel but flexible as normal clothing and finally light as a feather. It could withstand attacks from a Mid-mage, Great-knight's and also medium horned demons. The only downside is that it wasn't durable enough to withstand multiple attacks from Mid-level opponents.

"Ahahaha come on Rogue it's not like you can't kill them"

A woman spoke.

She had white hair, Red velvet lips, and overall beautiful face and body. She was wearing a white dress made out of high-quality adamantite based silk.

She was the Party's Healer and also Sub-damage dealer, Nicole Aniston.

Equiped with a dress stronger than high-grade armors Nicole leisurely walked along the battlefield while tapping the enemies and the ground with her staff causing them to suddenly deform into something like an unrecognizable lump of flesh.

This was the effect of Healing Overdose, its when a healing power/magic was strongly concentrated within a body part that it actually deforms it along the healing process.

"Crazy Healer Ack!! Stop!!"

Rogue jumped away as soon as the staff touched him.

"Oh come on now I just healed your wounded cheek"

Rogue touched his check that was allegedly healed by Nicole. Indeed the slash was now healed but in place of that slash was a swelling bulge.

"It's-its SWOLLEN!!" His once perfectly normal right cheek was now bulging and swelling as if it was about to explode.

"Ahahaha oops" Nicole the perpetrator of the swelling merely laughed and moved away from Rogue.

"You Crazy Healer!" Rogue shouted out of anger .

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"What?"

Fumi widened her eyes in confusion.

For some reason she could vividly remember something that wasn't her's.

"Fumi are you alright?"

Shizuka asked as she held a spoonful of soup and vegetables in front of Fumi.

Fumi had just freshly woken up and Natashia had quickly prepared a soup for her.

Since Fumi was still weak from sleeping 4 days straight Shizuka was the one taking care of feeding her.

"Are you feeling any headaches?"

Natashia entered the room and asked Fumi.

Fumi suddenly flinched when she heard the calm and concerned voice of Natashia.

*Disgusting!* A voice of a man echoed in her mind once again it was small compared to the first time that Fumi heard it but still audible.

*She's acting all nice this is just disgusting!*

This was Rogue's voice but Fumi doesn't know that and chose to ignore the voice.

"I'm fine"

Fumi timidly replied to Natashia.

Shizuka was relieved hearing Fumi.

"You should eat more, here say aahhh"

"Onee-san I'm not a little kid anymore"

Fumi pouted as Shizuka treated her like a 5 year-old kid.

Natashia watched this siblings talking to each other and smiled gently as she enjoyed the sight.

*That pout was cute* She said in her mind as her heart beats in excitement.

*I want to see more of that pout* Natashia made a goal as she watched the pouting Fumi.

Rogue who was inside Fumi suddenly felt chills.

*The hell?* That was the only thing that Rogue could think of as he felt the chills.

"!?" Fumi also felt the chills but she didn't know the reason for it and the moment she looked at Natashia again she felt the chills intensify.

"Fumi say Ahh again"

Shizuka who was oblivious of the situation kept feeding Fumi with soup.

While Natashia kept watching Fumi and Shizuka with warm smiles.

*Who is it?*

Natashia contemplated as she focused her gaze towards Fumi.

Last time Natashia clearly heard Fumi say 'Nic-' before changing it to 'Natashia'.

*There are only 3 people who'd call me Nicole*

Familiar faces flashed through Natashia's, no, Nicole's eyes.

One was a man with red hair he was somewhat hard headed and was willing to charge ahead even if it was risky this man was the leader of the party.

*First is Alsyel*

Second was a large old man in his forties who'd fight in the frontline overpowering the enemies with his endurance, strength and unreasonable amount of defensive skills this old man treated all of the party members except for one as if they were his grandchild. *Second is Bak*

Third was a man with the most foulest mouth worst than Bak's in the entire party, he was the most agile and stealthiest of them all and always had a bone to pick with Nicole. *Third is that Rogue*

This were the three people that Nicole who's currently Natashia suspected to be inside Fumi.

Of course its just a suspicion that's why she needed some kind of evidence to solidify her suspicion.

*That's why I made soup*

Natashia smiled brightly towards Fumi.

Fumi saw that smile of Natashia and felt another shiver down her back.

*what's she planning now?* The mans voice echoed inside Fumi once again.

"Fumi how do you like the soup that I and Shizuka prepared?"

Although Natashia was smiling kindly her eyes were watching Fumi sharply and her ears listened eagerly for a reply.

*If it's Alsyel he'd say something along the lines like its 'good enough*

*If it's Bak then he'd say 'I should practice more'*

*And if it's Rogue then he'd say—*

"... It's fine.."

*—its fine*

"Hehe I was the one who sliced the vegetables!" Shizuka proudly said as if that part of the job was the most important of all.

"You were always bad at cooking Onee-san"

Fumi stopped Shizuka's proud boasting with a single fact.

Natashia found her answer from Fumi.

Her smile finally became one that was truly overjoyed as she heard Fumi's reply.

'its fine' those were the two words that reflexively came out of Fumi's mouth when Natashia asked her.

She didn't know why she said it but she also felt a sense of horror when Natashia asked her about the soup it was as if something bad would happen if she didn't reply in that way.

*I don't like that smile* murmured the man's voice.

Natashia slowly walked towards Fumi and Shizuka.

She leaned forward towards Fumi.

"I'm glad to hear that"

Her beautiful face with a smile released its full power in front of Fumi.

*Ugh! Disgusting!*

But this time instead of feeling embarrassed or attracted Fumi felt intense amount of disgust at seeing Natashia's beautiful face.

"Eer"

Fumi reacted with a light scrounge face it was very unlike her but she couldn't help but make the face.

Natashia who was the one being directed with that reaction smiled even brightly.

*Yes that face, I know who makes that face*

A face of a party member flashed on Natashia's eyes.

*Found you Rogue*

"Oh yeah by the way I've told Miss Natashia about the radio transmission while you were still unconscious"

Suddenly Shizuka spoke.

Shizuka was talking about the radio transmission they heard back at the convenience store they looted, er, respectfully received resources from.

"I think it isn't too far from here" Natashia interjected.

*Now that I think about it how did they reach this far?*

Natashia looked at both Fumi and Shizuka.

*Their bodies aren't meant for fighting or long travels especially Fumi-chan, I understand that they could've used their L shaped weapons called 'guns' but there's a limit on its uses especially when hundreds of ghouls are walking around*

She then focused her gaze to Fumi.

*Is it possible that Rogue helped? No if he had helped they wouldn't have been collapsed on the street exhausted from running*

Rogue may be one of the uncontrollable within the party but his skills were undeniable. Even if he had lost his acquired skills he should've still been able to hide from measly ghouls, moreover he was the most thorough regarding escape's and back-up plans.

The fact that Fumi and Shizuka barely reached here alive meant that Rogue wasn't involved.

Fumi and Shizuka were still chatting so Natashia chose to give them some space.

She started walking towards the door when suddenly...

"What happened to Al?"

Fumi asked and Shizuka couldn't help but put a grim expression.

Ever since that day when the man named Al told them to run they never saw him again.

The room went silent and the atmosphere became heavy.

Even Natashia stopped in-front of the door although she stopped for a different reason.

*Al? Did they perhaps mean Alsyel?*

She heard Fumi's question and a name that was coincidentally similar to a person she knows was included in Fumi's question.

Natashia who was curious turned around and once again walked towards the sisters.

"You had another companion?"

"Wha-? Yes... I'm sorry for not telling you about him"

Shizuka answered and followed with an apology.

While she was telling Natashia about the radio transmission she didn't include Al in the story as she felt conflicted.

"That's fine but may I ask when was the last time you saw him?" Natashia curiously asked.

A sense of excitement can be felt from her.

Shizuka who was close to her suddenly felt overwhelmed by Natashia's excitement.

On the other hand Fumi reflexively moved an inch away fron Natashia.

*What is she planning?* Rogue murmured within Fumi.

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Night came and the dark night sky blanketed the whole city it was still a little bit bright outside thanks to the Full moon.

"Graawr"

"Graa"

Many Ghouls roamed the dark street.

"Gra—"

Suddenly one ghoul fell to its knees after a hand held its head that was now smoking.

"I'm glad normal 'heal' works even in this world"

It was a woman in white lab coat who mysteriously killed the ghoul.

Her black hair blended with the darkness while the white tips of her hair shone brightly under the light of the moon. This woman was Natashia.

"Shizuka said it was right around here"

Natashia continued walking down the road and finally she arrived at her destination.

The area was littered with dead ghouls and disfigured ghouls, blood splats and stains everywhere and even some insides like intestines were on the ground or on the building walls.

Even the pavements showed some serious cracks.

"There was clearly a fight here"

Natashia had arrived on the place where Shizuka,amd Fumi were separated from Al.

The place had many corpses of did Ghouls as Natashia kept scanning she was looking for something or to be exact someone.

"He isn't here"

But unfortunately the person she was looking for wasn't here.

*Swiiish*

Suddenly a sound of something cutting through the wind reached Natashia's ears.

It was flying straight towards her location it didn't sound like an arrow, it wasn't one of those 'bullets' either instead it was something sharp and shiny as it was reflecting the moons bright light.

It was getting closer at each passing moment and after a second Natashia could finally see the thing that was thrown towards her.

"A knife"

Yes it was a knife a normal kitchen knife a very familiar one at that

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