The Hidden Grotto is... Amazing?

I was unsure how this interaction would go. The creature before us slowly shuffled toward us in the dark, hurling what I assumed was a slur my way. To be fair, there was no way it was a slur, but it was more amusing to me to think that this otherworldly creature learned English specifically to hurl a slur my way. It was the nonsensical distraction needed to calm my rising nerves.

The creature before us was likely powerful if it was associated with the mana crystals, like the Lynx was. The chances of it matching the Lynx's strength were low, but a fraction of its power would still pose a threat to Mikangleo and Claire. That is why I stepped forward to meet the creature.

"Nibba. Nibba. Nibba. Nibba. Nibba."

The creature's growl-like voice slipped out once again as our torchlight illuminated the first part of its features. Large, grey, furred feet poked forward with gnarly claws. Its eyes glistened in the darkness as all three feet of the creature revealed itself with curiosity.

If I were to describe the beast, it would be like a wallaby and a rat decided to do a fusion dance from Dragon Ball. It was bipedal, with long arms, and sat on its haunches. I could tell by looking at it that the god who designed this beast built it for powerful kicks. Its eyes had a faint blue magical hue as it stood to look up at me.

In its hand was a purple fruit, and surprisingly, it offered it to me. Its whiskers twitched as its four-foot rat-like tail swayed behind it. I could sense that it was analyzing my features, and its head tilted as a sign of its actions. There was no animosity from it right now, so I handed my spear to Claire, who watched her mouth agape.

"A Kick-Rat..." She said softly. "Be careful. Kick-Rats are highly territorial creatures. "

I nodded to her before accepting the offer from the Kick-Rat. While I did expect some half-eaten fruit, the one given to me was full and ripe. The Kick-Rat's nose wiggled as it assessed us. I assumed it wanted me to eat it, but that wasn't going to happen immediately. There is no telling what this fruit was and what it would do to me, so I decided to smell it to placate it. The gesture was enough to satisfy the creature.

"Nibba."

Turning around, the Kick-Rat shuffled back into the darkness before returning with two more fruits. It cautiously approached Claire and offered her one, which she accepted hesitantly. It would then move to Mikangleo, and he, too, received its generosity. For a moment, I thought he would reject the offer and the Kick-Rat would deem the act disrespectful, but I was worried for nothing.

Satisfied with its gifts, the Kick-Rat turned around and shuffled forward again with only its tail in the light. It wiggled mindlessly before the creature turned its head in our direction.

"It wants us to follow," I told them.

"You're not serious, are you? Kick-Rats are intelligent hunters. This is some trap. It'll lead us to its den, and its friends will tear into us. Despite their looks, Kick-Rats are omnivores and will eat anything they can get their hands on," Mikangleo protested.

Claire nodded in agreement, "He's right. It is dangerous to follow- why, where are you going?!"

I didn't allow them to talk me out of following the Kick-Rat. While not ideal in most situations, I placed my faith in the creature. If they are indeed territorial, like they say, then the Kick-Rat and I should be engaged in a heated battle right now.

However, despite being territorial, this Kick-Rat has offered us its meal. I associate such a gesture with a way to broker peace, and I am willing to pursue this path as far as it could take me.

"Your concern is noted and justified, but I'm going to follow our new friend. If it does turn into an enemy, then we'll fight. Nothing will change, but the environment. I, for one, am curious about where he found this fruit," I said as I followed the Kick-Rat further into the cave.

It had stopped momentarily, and I noticed the Kick-Rat had begun pulling a make-shift sled filled with fruit. The sound of wood against stone filled the air as the Kick-Rat became my new guide. Without much choice, the other two scrambled to catch up with us. The Kick-Rat was quite a powerful creature for its size, and I could sense a weak magical aura radiating from it. While I didn't think it was from the creature itself, I did pinpoint a similarity between it and the mana crystals from the Lynx's den.

While I did find it odd that I could detect the difference, I wasn't too surprised. Following Fawkes' instructions to discard the one we had previously, I began untangling many of my body's passive capabilities from what I had understood. Absorbing mana from the crystal was the catalyst of change, which happened over time. Despite my battle with the Ravager, I felt lighter and more magically refined. Sure, I could chalk that up to the healing potion Mikangleo gave me, but I could determine that my body was a bit different regardless of that.

I clenched my fist, focusing on the flowing mana within my core. It became natural for me to do that, and the speed at which it happened surprised me. While I'm not a magical prodigy in this world's conventional sense, the fact that I was able to use Talio's minions' spells does warrant further testing when I get the chance.

"Fawkes," I called through our shared connection.

It took the young fox a moment to respond, but when he did so, his excitement was showcased in his tone: "Yes, Old Man. Need some of my wisdom?"

"I do. I am beginning to pick up a weird sensation from this Kick-Rat. Is it a similar signature from the crystal I ate, or am I mistaken?"

"No, you're right. From what I can sense, it is the same, meaning this little magic beast has benefited from magical energy far above its usual level. I'd say that this specific Kick-Rat would be far more powerful than its kin. If you were to fight it, I recommend not holding back," Fawkes explained.

"It isn't here for a fight, from what I could tell, but I'll keep that in mind. Tell me, how far could you sense mana?" I asked.

"Hmm. The way I sense mana is quite simple, Old Man. By sending out my mana, or in this case, your mana, in a pulse around you, I could use it in a way similar to what you would refer to as sonar. While usually, a method like that would be flawed since objects blocking the pulse's path would reflect it, your Astral Art assists with that," Fawkes explained.

"My Astral Art?" I asked, and received a scoff from the fox.

"Correct, Old Man. You shouldn't be welcoming senility at your age just yet. Considering my limitations outside of your body, it is possible for me to sense mana as far as you can see. So, if you're looking in the direction of what you want me to search for, then I can assist you with that with Mana Command," Fawkes explained dryly.

"You should have access to my memories, Fawkes, so you shouldn't be surprised I'm ignorant when it comes to Astral Arts. I only became aware of their existence this morning, and we haven't had time to practice it properly. So, I'll be relying on you, but if I'm unable, please let me know. I'd hate to put you in a position above your capabilities."

A smirk formed on my lips as I felt the fox stir within my mana core. While I can't explain how I felt it, I am acutely aware of his actions despite not being able to see them. At that moment, the young fox was growling under his breath, his tail perked up threateningly. I'm sure he viewed it as intimidating, but he could never scare me. After all, he was merely a tiny fox incubating in his father's mana. However, Fawkes is a proud fox, so I'm sure my words triggered the response I desired.

"This comes from a man who doesn't know how to tap into his own Astral Art! I was born much after you, Old Man, and I learned how to use my Astral Art without guidance. I guess a spiritual beast such as myself is far superior to an antiquated false god such as yourself. I am a son of a powerful goddess after all, so it's only natural that I'm surpassing you already!" Fawkes snapped, pride beaming from every syllable.

"It's easy to surpass someone who's in the tutorial, Fawkes. Once I get into the first stage of my power, then you'll learn why even a God failed to take me out."

Fawkes scoffed: "Mother saved you, and you know it. Otherwise, you'd be staring down the full might of The Pantheon of Lifeweavers."

"Pantheon of Lifeweavers? I take it that's the fraction Valdus is part of. I assume Cyto is the god who leads."

"Cyto is the Chief God of the pantheon. In the same way that my mother is the Chief Goddess of her pantheon!" Fawkes declared proudly.

I chuckled at the fox's words, and I felt him stir out of anger. Keeping my eyes ahead, I focused on Kick-Rat leading us down a different tunnel. I was on guard, considering I no longer knew where I was going, but my concerns were soon relieved.

"It is unorthodox to trust an obvious threat, Old Man, but your intuition is proven correct. Up ahead is an area with a dense concentration of mana. I suspect that this rat-face cretin is leading us to our objective. Also, that fruit is safe for consumption for us." Fawkes said.

"You know what this thing is?" I asked, holding the fruit closer to my eyes.

"It is a Reocot. Usually, they grow in forests enriched by a high mana density. While I never stated one before, I can sense a decent amount of mana leaking from it. If you snack on it, then you could siphon some of that mana into you through consumption. Think of it as an inferior way of obtaining mana rather than the crystals. Personally, I'd rather you consume the crystals, as they are more effective. Those fruits will help lesser magical beasts like Rat Face over there." Fawkes explained.

I nodded to his advice before sinking my teeth into the fruit. There was a satisfying crunch erupting from the fruit as it disrupted the silence of our journey. The Reocot was a bitter fruit akin to a lemon, but its skin was reminiscent of an apple's.

The Kick-Rat must have terrible taste, because I wouldn't go out of my way to pick these unless it was the only option. Then again, we are in a cave, and that might be the only option. As I begrudgingly chewed on the Reocot, I felt a hand quickly snatch my wrist.

"Are you insane!" Claire hissed. "You can't eat anything that a monster gives, Mark! Much less a monster from the Hidden Grotto! It could be poisonous, and yet-"

"It is a Reocot, so there's no need to worry. I have been here before, so I know what to put in my mouth. In this case, this fine Kick-Rat has shared its bounty with us. I am showing it in good faith by partaking." I explained, but she stared daggers at me.

It took a moment of us standing there, looking at each other in the dark, before the familiar husky voice of the Kick-Rat poured out, "Nibba. Nibba."

I nodded my head in the Kick-Rat's direction, and finally, Claire allowed my wrist to go free. Assisted by the light of Mikangleo's torch, we watched as the Kick-Rat suddenly halted in place and began looking at the wall to our left. It was an odd sight to witness. The kick-Rat traced its fingers against the wall as it looked further down the tunnel. After a moment of consideration, I noticed the Kick-Rat turn in my direction and approach me.

The creature stood on its hind legs and wiggled its whiskers. I couldn't tell what it was doing, but it seemed satisfied when it noticed that I was eating the Reocot.

"This lesser rat is... quite odd, Old Man," Fawkes commented. His tone was wrapped in a blanket of sincerity.

"How so?" I asked.

Fawkes didn't immediately respond to my question, but he spoke after a few moments had passed.

"We should follow it."

Considering that was the plan all along, I didn't dignify him with a response. Instead, I crunched into the Reocot, and the Kick-Rat turned and pressed a spot on the wall. A click occurred, and soon the ground shook. Unsure of what was happening, I snatched Catalyst from my companion and tossed her my Reocot, then prepared myself for anything.

My fists tightened around the shaft, but I soon realized that I could relax. Light began spilling from fissures in the wall, forming a large rectangular door that opened. My body was immediately hit with an explosion of energy, causing me to drop to one knee instantly. It was as if vertigo had claimed its consequences against me.

The light from the entrance was blinding, to the point where we had to shield our eyes with our forearms, but that blindness lasted only briefly. A calm wind blew into the tunnel where we were, and when I unshielded my eyes, my jaw dropped. Claire and Mikangleo's gasps of disbelief and amazement filled my ears as my two companions laid their eyes on the inside of the door.

"No way...Heha! A dungeon's entrance?!"

"Are you alright? What happened to you, and what is this place?" Claire asked as she took me by the arm. With Mikangleo's assistance, she helped me to my feet.

"I suspect we found gold while looking for salt," I responded, grinning like a madman.

The blonde elf looked at me with confusion. Her blue eyes locked with mine before she nodded with acceptance.

"I take it that you will explain when we go in?" She asked, and I nodded.

I was sure she knew that I had no idea what was going on entirely, but once again, she placed her faith and trust in me. So, I had to piece together what the hell was going on. Our guide, the Kick-Rat, poked its head into the entrance and then began dragging its loot into the area.

"Nibba," The Kick-Rat said, and I understood its instruction.

After gathering my spaghetti legs, I was the first of our trio to enter the unfamiliar area. Despite knowing that we were inside the Hidden Grotto, which to my knowledge was an expansive cave system, this section was plentiful in trees. A cool breeze was flowing through the area, and the sky above was a deep blue, as if we were outside. The leaves shook with vigor as the Kick-Rat dragged its loot through the underbrush.

Naturally, we followed our guide. I spent the next twenty minutes in silent contemplation during our travel. The surroundings were unfamiliar to me, compared to what I knew about the Hidden Grotto. I was traveling in unfamiliar territory for me, but I knew I had to portray myself with confidence, despite that. I couldn't allow myself to be seen as inept and risk the other two doubting me further.

"So, it appears we have stumbled across one of the secrets of the Grotto. I can sense the expansive mana in this room, and it stretches for miles. There is no doubt in my mind that we have entered a dungeon," I said as I took in the sight.

"There are legends about this place that it was once a home to a dungeon, but no one has seen it in centuries. The creatures that reside within the Hidden Grotto are far too powerful for your average adventurer, and even higher rank adventurers see no reason to risk themselves to explore it. Even if my mother were interested in exploring here, she would find the effort not to be worth it," Claire said in awe.

The blonde woman remained close to my side, her gaze eagerly taking in the change in scenery. Her hand rested on her sheathed sword as we followed our guide. Mikangleo was similarly in awe, but the man spoke not a word. His mind was likely shocked into silence.

"I've heard, but is this place truly that dangerous, Claire?"

The woman nodded, "The sheer amount of powerful creatures present is concerning. At the same time, some may be foolish enough to traverse it. You would not find any sane individual attempting to take on its residents. I only agreed to come here because I am desperate enough to believe in your confidence, and I do not have much choice considering my situation."

"It is good to know that you have some faith in me. That tells me that you are an intelligent woman. Anyone who bets on me will reap the rewards from the work I put in. That is a guarantee!"

"Dungeons are known for their creatures of extraordinary strength. Strength that far outclasses ours. I say this to remind the two of you that we are not in friendly territory. If we are to benefit from the so-called rewards from your work, then we would have to be alive, and the further we go into this dungeon as we are, the less likely we are to walk out of it," Mikangleo said matter-of-factly.

"You're raising death flags when you talk like that. Is it hard to have faith in me?" I asked. I placed my hand onto my chest and feigned a broken heart.

"You are an avatar of chaos. Where you go, distress and trouble follow, and I've learned that from the short time that I have known you," he responds.

Despite the illumination of the area, Mikangleo continued holding the torch. I imagine he had no idea what to do with it, as it was essentially useless now. There was nothing to be done about it, so I shifted my attention to Claire and gestured for her to return my Reocot to me. She did so without voicing a complaint like last time.

"You have a point, but I am a force of change in this world, so what more could you expect?"

Unamused by my sly grin, Mikangleo scoffed.

"You act that way, but you still decided to follow us here. You had the chance to back out, but you were willing to take a leap of faith. It's not like you had anything going for you anyway. You were about to be kicked out of Project Anvil and relegated to your standard, nobody adventurer. Now you're a retainer to the daughter of the city leader," I said before chomping greedily into the bitter fruit.

"I never agreed to be anyone's retainer," Mikangleo retorted.

"Nor did I agree to take him on," Claire added, ignoring the glare from the noble-hating man.

"I do not wish to be a part of the dirty schemes of a noble, much less the infamously corrupt Angea," Mikangleo declared venomously. "One day, nobles like her will get what's coming to them."

There were some things people said that caused an irrational, emotional response out of a usually calm and courteous person. While some may say that Mikangleo had stepped onto a landmine, I would say that wouldn't be enough to describe it.

Mikangleo stepped on the equivalent of an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile when he made that hateful declaration. Before I could say anything to deter her, Mikangelo found himself walking into a slap from a seething Claire.

Her breathing was ragged as rage filled her beautiful, pale face with a crimson hue.

The slap echoed across the forest as the smaller elf walked down on the taller human man. It was such an unexpected act that even the Kick-Rat stopped in its tracks, mouth agape.

"Get what's coming to us?! No one deserves to be killed for their status! No one deserves to have everything they care about burned because of the jealousy of others! My family is comprised of honorable people who have done everything in their power to ensure the prosperity of their citizens, even at the cost of their own lives! We have sacrificed! Time and time and time again, and to be rewarded for our trouble... for our sacrifice... people like you attack us and cherish our deaths! They have killed our friends...my friend, and I will not allow your hateful words to disrespect any of them!"

I had never seen Claire this angry, but then again, I haven't seen much from her. Her voice was raw with anger and pain. However, that didn't stop Mikangleo from returning with a slap across her face. I was utterly flabbergasted when he struck her back, and so was she.

"It is always the same with nobles like you! You play the victim and impose your will on anyone you deem inferior to yourself! I don't give a damn about your sacrifices, and I don't give a damn about your honor! It's always easy to claim you are honorable when you look down on the people below from the balcony of your Golden Mansion, as people like me work their asses off for scraps! We don't have people to sacrifice themselves for us, and we aren't the ones to blame when they do! If anyone died on your family's watch, then that means your family failed them! If anyone sacrificed themselves to keep a spoiled brat like you safe, then you failed them, too!"

That last part appeared to cut deeply into Claire as the woman visibly took a step back. She was shaking with anger, but a stream of tears also seemed to be on the horizon. The noblewoman clenched her fists at her side as she turned her back on the man. The stinging cheek that she was nursing was a foregone thought in her mind.

"You...You shut your mouth. You don't know anything," Claire hissed as she clenched her sword's hilt.

"And you think you know everything. I do know your type. You play dress-up as an adventurer, Angea, but I know you've coasted on your family's coin to get where you are! You're not a real adventurer, and you know it!" Mikangleo spat.

In response to her obviously aggressive action, Mikangleo placed his hand within his coat. I knew that he was going for one of his throwing knives, so I knew it was time to shake off my surprise and take action. Before either of them could commit to their actions, I launched Cataylst in their direction with my full might.

The spear flew through the air in between them and cleaved the thick tree next to them in half. Following the impact, a thunderous boom occurred as the upper half of the tree slammed into the ground.

This had the response that I desired, as the two squabbling individuals froze in their places out of shock and fear. I pushed my glasses onto my face and hit them with the most demanding, most disappointed glare that I could achieve at that moment. It worked divinely as the two instinctively mirrored statues at my approach. My ears twitched as I heard our Kick-Rat guard scamper into the bushes nearby, which I didn't blame it for.

I remained silent for a moment and placed my hands behind my back as I moved to regain Catalyst. I felt their eyes lock onto me as they calmed themselves.

"Normally, that spear would be plunged into your chest for you laying your hands on Claire, Mikangleo, so do not make a habit out of it. I have given her my word that I would protect her, and I will do so with extreme prejudice," I said with a venomous bite of my own.

"You can't expect me not to-"

I turned my steely glare to the man and tilted my head in confusion.

"Who asked? In fact, when did I tell you to speak?"

The man was flabbergasted by my response, and I expected him to respond in kind. However, the threatening sways of my tail paired with the aggravated twitching of my ears likely deterred him. I continued moving toward the cleaved tree and found Catalyst sticking from the severed tree trunk. It took some effort to remove the spear point from the trunk, but I managed to dislodge it after a moment.

Taking a deep breath, I made my way between my two companions and hoisted Catalyst over my shoulder.

"There are several lessons to be learned from this exchange," I said before holding up my index finger. "Firstly, we should all keep our heads cool to prevent unnecessary slapping amongst teammates. Even if what Mikangleo said was assholish, Claire. You have to remember that he isn't aware of your whole situation. Even if he did, and decided to spout that same sentiment, you'll have to learn to deal with it more constructively."

I pointed toward the noblewoman in question and shook my head in disapproval.

"I was under the belief that the two of you could find common ground in our journey, but I'm starting to find the error in that thought process. Every time you two exchange words, there is a pointless class war that inevitably ensues, and frankly, I grow weary of it. Nobles, commoners, that distinction is ultimately meaningless on the path that I'm heading down. I've aligned myself in the hope that the two of you will prove to be valuable allies, and thus I've stuck my neck out there for both of you. However, do not mistake my leniency and patience for weakness. If I find that either of you is a detriment rather than an asset, then I will not hesitate to expedite your deposition."

While my words were said normally, you wouldn't have assumed so by their reactions. Claire's face went pale as the woman's eyes flew wide as saucers. Mikangleo mirrored her expression at first, but the man appeared more eager to resort to violence. In his hand were three knives notched between his knuckles as the man glared intently in my direction.

Suddenly, Claire drew her sword in my direction, which caused me to raise my eyebrow. I took a step back before twirling Catalyst in front of me. Perhaps, my display had overdone, and now the two of them stood against me with shaking defiance.

'Is that how things are going to go? Fine. I'll beat common sense into them. It's time that I show them that I mean business.'

The gazes of the two locked squarely in my direction, and I pointed my spear in their direction. My gaze hardened as I steeled myself to fight Mikangleo once again. Stepping forward, I noticed Claire hesitantly step backward away from me, and that prompted a wide grin to appear on my face.

"Come now, I'll show the difference between you and me."