074 ItXBegins

"Wow, quite an arsenal you have there. But kinda lacking on the offensive side. The emission one is good but leaves you vulnerable for a few moments. If you got the chance, copy Marco's ability or maybe Slade's. We don't know Slade's ability is but being one of the top mercenary, I reckon it will be good." Lara suggested. "Let's open an opportunity for you to get them." Plan brewing in Lara's mind.

<6 hours later>

Everybody except Silver is gathered again around dinner. Their food, a deer stew with mushroom and potatoes cooked none other by Nellie.

Lara looked at the pot of stew and wanted to throw it all on the ground. But doing so will alarm anyone hiding from the shadow to move forward with their plans. '*Sigh* Will just have to take another Survivor shot then.' "Where is Silver?" She asked.

"Here I am Big sis Lara!" Silver announced himself with three sets of plate with him. "Here you go, cooked it myself as a thank you for teaching me Nen. It is Silver's very own Rabbit roast in salt, pepper and smoked mushroom. Here you go bis sis Nellie. Thank you for teaching me how to cook." Silver also gave one to Nellie.

"Hey! Where's ours?" Complained Grylls.

"Look big sis Nellie! He doesn't want to eat your cooking. Maybe you shouldn't include him in your cooking again." Silver pointed to Grylls innocently but Grylls could feel the evil smile from hidden from Silver's straight face. 'You son of A-'

Then he felt death staring at him from the form of Nellie. "I- I was just joking Nellie-sis. You know I love your cooking! Look! *nom* *nom* *nom*" Grylls demonstrated by taking a spoonful of the stew. He then tried to seek help from the other guys only for him to watch them eat the stew with their face to the other direction away from him. "You- You guys."

"I'm not your sis. Hmmmph. Maybe little Silver is right, you should cook your own meal." Nellie spat coldly.

"Noooo!"

~~~~~~~

"So we didn't find any entrance from the top. That means will have to go through the Nagas. How many Nagas did you count?" Marco asked Silver.

"Throughout the afternoon, I counted 44 unique moving sources and 10 unmoving at the bottom. Most probably rocks."

"We are out numbered, we should lure them out of the cave first and fight them on our terms." Lara commented.

"I can make traps around the area you can take advantage of." Added Bradford.

"That would be helpful but we should not rely on it too much. They are inherently strong and uses Nen. It is likely they will burrow through those traps." -Grylls.

"We can do that, tomorrow Slade and Bradford will put some traps. Lara you-"

"I'll train Silver. We'll never know if we need his help inside?" Lara stopped Marco from continuing.

"You, plan to let him go with us inside?" Inquired Marco with a raised brow.

"We'll never know when will need his ears." Defended Lara.

Marco looked at Silver and contemplated for a while. "Very well, but you'll take care of him. The day after tomorrow, Jack's ship will be anchoring. Nellie and Jack's crew will wait for us above cloud as we go inside. They'll pick us up when everything is done.

"So you hunted those rabbits? Does it mean you are ready to go?" Lara asked Silver with a knowing look.

"Yes, my first conjecture was correct. I am ready for the next one." Silver nodded.

She didn't suggest offering her ability after learning Silver only has 1 chance to learn unless she improved her ability again. Right now Marco's ability is what he needed the most or possibly Slade's.

"Got it, let's pratice your archery again."

2 days later

"Everyone ready?" Hearing no one complaining, Marco looked at Lara and nodded.

The two of them came out of the forest and walked to the direction of the cave.

"Oh look a river-cave! I wonder what is in there?" -Marco.

"I don't know maybe we should go and check it out? I'm sure it is pretty safe." -Lara.

"Ha ha ha. Right right. Nothing to be worried about." -Marco

Silver and Grylls looked at each other with utter confusion. 'What are those two on about?' Mouthed Silver silently.

The two unaturally bickered with one another further for a minute before the Nagas decided they can't take the provocation any longer.

*Splash*

*Splash*

*Splash*

*Splash*

*Splash*

5 male Nagas came out of the river simultaneously.

Male Nagas are 6 foot tall standing upright. They have muscular human-like upper body and fin-like ears with snake tails on the lower half. They have blue-green scale covering their bodies and fins fan out from their back down to the tip of their tails like a spinosaurus.

They carry with them cold weapons such as spears and bows, the tip of which are their very own scales.

*bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang* *bang*

"So it begins." Muttered Silver.