Ruin

"Ahh. This is the life. Why can't we do this every outing Fuu?" Artemis said as she sank deeper into the natural bath just a few meters away from their newfound dwelling.

"Because...luxurious tree houses don't exist in other zones?" Fuu was extremely content, even as she spread her limbs in the steamy water of the natural bath.

In reality it could be considered more like a spring with special abilities. In this case, an examination of the water revealed a soothing, fatigue curing effect.

"That's true. Ha. I wonder what those two are doing right now?" Artemis thought out loud. She and Fuu had been bathing no longer than fifteen minutes so far, but Artemis could only imagine. She felt half tempted to leave the bath and sneak upstairs. It would have been a simple matter using her abilities as an Archer. Stealth and recon were her specialities, aside from ranged combat.

"Knowing Kaito...she's probably doing all the work. Ugh, he's hopeless in some aspects. But...green boys are also a lot of fun to educate…" Fuu remarked with a toothy smile.

"That's true…" Artemis remarked while inwardly she conjured the memories of feverishly grinding her pussy against Kaito's manhood.

*Soon enough I'll get my hands on him. Ha.* She thought to herself as she reclined deeper into the water, allowing her feet to float outwards.

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"Kaito-kun…" Sylvia said between showing attention to Kaito's body and trying to convey her current mindset. She was currently caressing his chest whilst leaving a trail of kisses against the nape of his neck.

"Fuu told us… you're a virgin right.."

"Did she?" Kaito felt like strangling Fuu currently.

"Ye-yes. I suppose you could say that.." Kaito remarked. Only this line of conversation could have soured the visage of Sylvia's melons pressed against his chest. She'd encouraged him to freely touch her just minutes before and now he'd become used to exploring her body with his hands. He ran his fingers along her back even as she had her way with him.

"Then...you could say it's up to me to take the lead…" Sylvia stated as she sat up, her breasts hanging down in the process. Long strands of blond hair tickled Kaito's chest as well. Sylvia's beauty was unmatched, and seeing her in a natural state inspired both awe and lust within Kaito.

With that statement Sylvia gripped the edges of her skirt and slowly pulled it upwards until it was bunched around her waist. Kaito found himself shocked, he could see Sylvia's bare mound -- she wasn't wearing panties!

*She definitely knew...that she wanted to do this!* Kaito thought inwardly even as he felt the heat between Sylvia's thighs, accompanied by her wetness.

*Nectar of the gods..* Kaito thought to himself as she reached downward and grabbed him by the base of the dick. Despite his growing moans Kaito couldn't help but notice the sight of blonde curls gracing Sylvia's mound.

"I would love to educate you properly on how to please a woman's body but… Unfortunately..I can't contain it any longer Kaito-kun…" Sylvia briskly rubbed the head of his dick against her lips which were thick and clam-like in appearance. Her body consumed a portion of his member even as she positioned him to align with her honey pot. Kaito's body tensed for the briefest of moments, even as Sylvia slid down on top of him -- or at least she tried.

"Uhn. You're so thick. This might...take a while…" She remarked , she slowly squated downward, allowing Kaito's dick to slowly fill her body. The sensation of his head brushing against her G-spot was enough to make Sylvia's body shudder, even as she intently observed Kaito.

Her earlier coyness was gone, replaced by a burning desire to drench the flames of lust. This was a desire she would not be denied. Sylvia's body was so wet that Kaito easily slid deeper, thus she only had to control her descent. A third of the way in Sylvia tossed her head backwards in ecstasy. Halfway there she began to dig her fingernails into Kaito's bare chest with her free hand.

Unfortunately, sliding all the way down would be interrupted by --

"Slyvia!! Kaito!! Get down here!!"

The voice was distant yet it was clear to both that Artemis' voice had come from outside.

"Ahh.. I wonder what she wants…" Sylvia said as much, but it was clear to Kaito that she had no intention of putting a stop to the proceedings.

"WE NEED BACKUP! FUU'S IN TROUBLE!" Artemis' voice had taken on a new hint of desperation as she screamed even louder. The two exchanged worried glances and quickly got to their feet. Something in the urgency of Artemis' voice didn't bode well. Even as he and Sylvia tossed on some of their clothing Artemis' shouts did not relent. Less than a minute later the two made their way outside to a dire sight.

They followed the sound of Artemis' voice just a short distance from the house only to discover a battle raging.

"Oh! Thank God!" Artemis shouted, though she wouldn't have time to even glance in their direction. She was in the nude, nothing but her bow and quiver to dress her. She hopped to and fro, dodging strikes from what appeared to be an exceptionally large slime.

The blows were heavy and thudding as they struck the ground in Artemis' previous locations. Kaito immediately wondered what he'd walked into. However, this wasn't his only concern. He carefully inspected the creature that Artemis was locked in battle with, only to realize something far more horrifying. Fuu was trapped in the creature's body and struggling for all her worth.

"It ambushed us while we were in the bath! It got Fuu first! We have to help her before she suffocates!" Artemis commanded, even as she pulled two arrows from her quiver and nocked them in one fluid motion.

*Shit!* Kaito practically screamed internally. From what he knew of slimes they were highly resistant to physical attacks -- in some cases even impervious. Magic would be the ticket -- but Fuu had been taken captive first!

Even as Kaito watched the young woman struggle she continually fired off magic spells with what little mana she could muster. Each of the flame explosions quickly died within the flesh of the creature's blue gel-like body. Her magic attacks were sealed, deprived of the energy they needed to even be cast. The situation did not bode well.

Sylvia's Healer class focused on healing and restoration. Artemis could only enchant her arrows with mana to increase both the number and ferocity of them. That meant he was the only person left who might possibly be able to save Fuu.

*But will Monk abilities even work?* Kaito thought, even as he gritted his teeth. An impending sense of desperation washed over him as he watched Fuu struggle in vain. It looked as if moving was a laborious task which required even the smallest amount of energy within the confines of the slime's body. The look on her face was even more heart rending, fear mingled with panic. In the end Kaito's body moved without warning or hesitation.

His fists became enveloped in flickering yellow flames, this was the result of his "Spirit Burn" ability. Spirit Burn was a technique that allowed Kaito to channel his mana into his fists and intermix it with his own vitality. This doubled the damage of his strikes and even afforded a higher critical rate. He could only hope this would be enough.

He dashed forward without so much as a word, trusting in Artemis to cover him. The slime was much larger than Kaito originally believed, it had to be of course, to so easily consume a whole adventurer! The slime's mass was easily around three meters in height and nearly just as wide (9 feet by 9 feet). To make matters worse, the monster seemed capable of extending 'slime tendrils' at will. These tendrils often took the shape of spears, blades or hammers and could be used to strike or confine prey.

Kaito bridged the distance quickly, weaving between these same tendrils as he leapt forward and hit with all of his might. The yellow flames surrounding his fist began to flicker wildly, exploding upon impact as he struck.

Kaito could feel the slime creature's flesh burning away -- that is up until a certain point. The blow ceased penetration around his wrist as the fires of his attack were extinguished. Kaito was also filled with a moment of sheer dread as the slime's body began to coil around his hand in a split second.

Only his quick reactions allowed Kaito to escape being captured, he flared his flames intensely to burn away the clinching slime which held him. He then backstepped as far as he could immediately thereafter. Seconds later a "net" of slime expanded and closed on the same spot, Kaito was nearly captured in a single counter attack.

*This has got to be at least a level seven or higher monster!* Kaito thought inwardly as he darted to his right. In this world all adventurers and monsters were ranked according to level, 0 through 10 with ten being the most powerful.

Kaito had no way of knowing this for sure, he could only speculate since he was traveling with two level six adventurers and one level five. The number one rule in combat was to keep moving, especially close combat so Kaito could only dart about as he racked his brain for a proper strategy. A single strike had proven that his technique would damage the slime, if only a little. Now he needed a feasible plan to free Fuu.

He felt a sense of torment overcome him as he watched Fuu struggle, her movements had become even less defined. She was hanging on by a thread! The sight of her distress ignited a fire within Kaito that only served to strengthen his resolve. The Spirit Flames consumed both mana and stamina, but extra stamina could easily be used to amplify the technique's effects even further. It was a technique that allowed the user to burn their vitality at the cost of power. The draw back would be a fatigue backlash of epic proportions once the technique ran its course.

*It's do or die time!* Kaito's eyes lit up with the fire of determination as he decided to hinge his bet on the next skirmish. The yellow flames enlarged while simultaneously rising along the length of his forearms, once this change occurred, Kaito dashed forward again.

At the same time Artemis also dashed forward, intent to act as a decoy. She couldn't risk accidentally piecing Fuu with an arrow, this was the least she could do. The slime released half a dozen of it's tendrils at the same time, splitting their focus between Artemis and Kaito respectively. Most of them were devoid of any distinct shape and instead served the same function as a whip.

What's more, without shape modification, the tendrils were faster!

"Urgk!" It was the sound Artemis made as one such tendril smashed into her abdomen, striking her on the ribcage. The force from the blow was enough to lift her off of her feet and send her flying several meters. Although the blow seemed grievous Kaito knew it wouldn't be enough to do serious harm. He drove the sight out of mind and focused solely on the task at hand , dodging two of the whips which struck downward. Dust and dirt were kicked up, forming deep gouges in the earth by the creature's wild strikes -- even as Kaito bridged the distance.

He ran directly towards the creature, waiting the longest possible time to alter his direction as a way of concealing his true intentions. As a spear-like protrusion extended towards Kaito he shifted his weight, causing the attack to graze his cheek while he moved on. Next he leapt forth, focusing all of his remaining stamina for the strike that was to come.

*I'll only get one shot at this. I've got to free Fuu, otherwise we'll never win!* This was Kaito's sole thought as he hopped upwards and sank his fist deep into the creature's body before releasing his flames wildly. Fuu could be saved, even if he managed to burn her in the process! There was a capable healer in the rear, so Kaito used this to his advantage -- that was at least the plan. The slime's body shuddered as flames burned away its flesh from the inside out. Kaito wrested his hand free and quickly circled around the creature's body as he carefully sought to time his next attack. There would be no way to shield Fuu from the danger, he could only sacrifice his all to help bring the battle to a close.

Kaito came to a halt and sank low, his legs positioned shoulder length apart as he did so. He then bought his hands together, both palms facing outwards only to thrust them forth.

"Wave Fist!" the Monk shouted as fire flowed from his forearms into his palms and outwards into the slime's body. The result was a rippling strike which carried flames throughout forty percent of the creature's foul flesh. The sound of splattering and explosion filled the air, for a brief moment Kaito was blinded by the intensity of his own attack but that would soon pass.

Next came the pain as he burned every ounce of his remaining stamina to fuel the orb of yellow fire which erupted from his palms. The blow back burned his fingers, even as it did the job of freeing Fuu from her inhuman confinement.

The girl's limp body fell forward , having been burned in various places by Kaito's very own fire. He only released the technique to catch Fuu and dart away. His hands were burned and blistered, yet he cradled the young woman with all of the comfort he could muster. A sense of panic was beginning to set in for Kaito as he gazed down at the injured young woman. The entire left side of her body was covered in second degree burns. Her face was the most damaged in particular. Still, she was alive.

"K-Kaito. T-thank you.." Fuu mouthed, her voice sounded so weak and frail.

"Sylvia!" Kaito shouted, so loud that the White Queen was startled even though she saw him approaching.

"Please! Heal her as best you can. I .. I might have overdone it." Kaito said as he knelt at Sylvia's feet with the injured mage in his grasp.

"Leave her to me." Sylvia said as she clasped both of her hands together and conjured a green aura of magic which completely covered her body. She then knelt and placed both hands on Fuu's chest.

"You need to help Artemis. Once Fuu is healed we can finish this thing off." Sylvia said. Her earlier nervousness was gone, she was focused solely on the task at hand. Kaito felt more reassured as he watched the boiled flesh on Fuu's arms and legs begin to shrink and recede.

Meanwhile Artemis was now free to fire her weapon with reckless abandon. She infused arrow after arrow with mana and fired them off in quick succession. Each arrow burst with blue energy before splitting off into several other smaller arrows which pierced the slime's body like spears.

Artemis knew that this sort of attack would do very little damage, but it didn't matter. Her goal was simply to keep the creature occupied -- if even for a few more seconds. With most of its body damaged by Kaito's earlier strike, the slime could barely maintain its shape -- let alone fight back. It began to reform itself into a smaller version while enduring the brunt of Artemis' arrow rain.

Kaito felt drained, he knew things wouldn't be pretty if he forced his body any further but it was a necessity.

*Just move. The battle is almost over.* He repeated these thoughts to himself even as he took a few steps forward.

"Kaito! Don't push yourself too far. You've done enough!" Artemis shouted as she continued peppering their mutual foe with as many arrow strikes as she could muster. Her quiver was now dangerously low on ammunition.

"No… it's nearly defeated. Just one more push.." Kaito affirmed his resolve as he dashed forth once again. He was much slower this time, especially considering that his mana and stamina both were dangerously low. If this were any other situation, Kaito felt he would have collapsed on the spot. Adrenaline was most likely the only thing keeping him up at this point and he intended to use every available moment at his disposal.

The slime, pitiful specimen though it was, quickly reacted to Kaito's encroachment with a series of lashing whip strikes. These tendrils were a fraction of the size but more speedy, the impact was stinging yet Kaito raised his arms in a cross block as he continued moving.

*These wimpy strikes won't put me down.* He thought inwardly as he finally stepped within striking distance. Kaito mustered what little strength he had remaining and began to strike wildly. Each blow caused embers of yellow flames to spark up, but it was little more than desperate blows at this point. He managed to keep up this assault for just under thirty seconds before he was forced backwards by a barrage of whipping tendrils which nearly beat him to the ground.

*Ah. Today was so great. If I had known I'd end up getting the shit kicked out of me, I wouldn't have been so hesitant to enjoy myself. Oh well. At least Fuu's safe.*

These were the thoughts which rolled through Kaito's mind as he felt his body give way. He was now pinned on his knees and forced to endure the slime's relentless strikes. His body wobbled with each blow he endured and soon he felt groggy. He wouldn't be able to endure such an assault for much longer.

Just when Kaito gave in to the lure of defeat Artemis' voice called him back to his senses.

"Kaito!" She called his name, even as she moved to save him. She darted through lashing whips and grabbed up Kaito, hoisting him over her shoulder like a rucksack, before dashing away with him. Unfortunately she wouldn't come out unscathed as several of the tendrils slashed her across the lower back during her escape.

"Fuu! Now!" Artemis shouted between grimaces even as she endured being struck. Fuu, whose body was still covered in a great deal of burns had been healed to the point of functionality. She now forced herself up to her feet and lifted her hands, summoning forth all of the remaining mana she had left.

A series of small orbs began to form above the slime's position before they fused with one another creating one large sphere of fire.

Fuu then bought her hands downwards, signaling the advent of the slime's end. The ball of flames fell and covered the area of impact, creating a sea of flames around the creature.

Kaito watched as the fire consumed the slime, with flames shooting so high that they easily covered the creature from top to bottom.

"Heh. That's what you get…" Kaito smiled, though it could hardly be called as much. His arms were covered with cuts and bruises, he was bleeding profusely from many of them. His face had also taken a significant amount of punishment as well, leaving his left eye swollen beyond recognition.

"Sylvia, heal him please." Artemis' voice was, for once, full of concern as she laid Kaito down on the ground.

"Got it!" Sylvia said as she prepared to hop to it.

"No..no taunts?" Kaito struggled to speak.

"Geez. You're all banged up." Fuu said as she wobbled over to look down at Kaito.

Kaito focused on the wall of flames, which still burned even as he awaited healing.

*It was way too tough. Are all slimes like that?* He wondered,even as something strange caught his eye. A glimmer? Or more like a glint of light?

"What's... that?" Kaito muttered. By the time he realized it was too late. A large javelin of crystalized slime shot forth from the wall of flames and found its target with unparalleled accuracy. The blow was so powerful that it caught Fuu off guard, taking her off of her feet.

A spurt of blood sprayed out, catching Kaito on the face as his voice caught up in the back of his throat.

Fuu, having been caught completely unaware, took the strike to her heart and lungs -- killing her instantly. Kaito turned his head to look for her, only to find her motionless body laying face up with the crystalized javelin protruding from her chest.

"Sylvia!!" This was all the warning Artemis could muster, even as she dashed forward with arms outstretched. Kaito's focus was still swimming, it all happened so fast…

Several more of the crystal javelins were sent and each had a singular purpose, to rend life from the battered party members. Only Artemis could react , she pushed Sylvia aside and in the process took two of the three javelins directly. One embedded itself in Artemis' thigh while the other struck her in the head. The Archer had the strength to issue only one command further as she collapsed.

"Run. Take Kaito and….run." The sight of the two protrusions sticking out of her body was enough to bring tears to Kaito's eyes.

"No. No!" He struggled to move, to do anything -- but his strength was spent.

"Artemis! Ugh." Sylvia winced in pain, she had not managed to escape unscathed as a javelin now pierced her lower left abdomen. Due to its smaller size it was more like a flesh wound, but blood still wet her haphazardly worn shirt.

The White Queen gritted her teeth through both tears and pain as she quickly got to her feet, grabbing Kaito in the process. She cradled him in her arms as she then began to run. It was all she could do, even as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Artemis..Fuu.." Kaito could only look at the sight of the two fallen adventurers, his hand outstretched to them as his vision slowly gave way to darkness.

"No…" Then there was a jolt. The impact forced Kaito out of his briefly subconscious state as he tumbled hard to the ground.

"K-Kai---to.." Sylvia's voice quivered in the air, even as a spear shaped tendril pierced her chest from behind. Blood dribbled from her lips as a smile of regret graced her features.

From this fading sight Kaito could only glean one meaning. "I'm sorry we didn't have more time."