Day 6 part 3

I slice a giant rat clean in half with a single, lazy swing of Umbra. The blade almost seems to sigh as it sails through the mutant's flesh, much like I do. It's too easy. As long as there are just these crazy mutant critters, there shouldn't be any issue.

Ilka, nestled in my hair like a particularly annoying louse, sighs loudly in boredom. "Oi, since you know about this secret passage or whatever," she starts off, her voice taking on a suspiciously sweet tone. I already know I'm not going to like where this is going. "Do you know anything else? Like, say, where the strongest monster is?"

I decide to ignore her, focusing instead on the next batch of overgrown rodents scampering my way. Yeah, that's right. Just ignore her, V. Don't feed into her madness. But of course, Ilka doesn't take the hint.

"Hey, I asked you a question!" she complains, starting to kick my forehead.

It doesn't hurt or anything, since she's a spirit and all, but the sensation is annoying. Like having a particularly aggressive gnat buzzing around your face.

"Stop it already!" I finally snap, reaching up to grab her. I flick her across the cavern, which is more for my satisfaction than anything else. It's not like she can actually feel it or anything.

As she floats back towards me, looking more irked than hurt, I give her a resigned sigh. "There are two monsters, both of which were probably tinkered with by the professors. I think they would be around the same level of difficulty. Aira and the others are dealing with one of them, and Isadora is probably tackling the second one by now."

I can't help but roll my eyes at Ilka's eagerness. She has no idea what she's asking for. As long as Flora, Rai, and the others stick to the plan, they'll be fine against Whatever monster the professors threw at them. But still, Isadora... Well, she can handle herself, I'm sure they can handle the ghoul.

All of a sudden, Ilka's foot phases through my face again. Ah, she's trying to kick me. How cute. And by cute, I mean annoying. I glance at her, raising an eyebrow. "You do know that doesn't actually do anything, right?"

Without waiting for her response, I look ahead. A group of spike rats is scurrying towards us. Hmm, more vermin. But wait, that gives me an idea.

Turning Umbra into a net, I watch as the rats rush towards me, oblivious to their impending doom. Each hole of the net is lined with large, sharp spikes, and as the rats run headfirst into my trap, I constrict the net, squashing them all in one fell swoop.

Well, that was more efficient. Maybe I should use this form more often. As I shake the last of the rodent remains off of Umbra, I notice Ilka floating next to me. She's staring at me, and I can't help but feel a bit proud.

"What?" I ask, striking what I believe to be a cool pose. "Impressed by my brilliance?"

Ilka snorts, looking away. "As if. It was an obvious move."

I click my tongue in annoyance, rolling my eyes at her nonchalance. "You're just jealous," I say, feeling a smirk tug at the corner of my mouth. "Because I'm over-geared."

Ilka just sighs, rolling her eyes. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, OvEr-GeArEd bastard."

Her words echo in the cavern, and I have to hold back a laugh. Well, I suppose it would be too much to expect her to admit that I'm right. After all, she's got an ego the size of a dragon.

It's funny, how this works. My thoughts drift to Biana and Isadora - a pair as compatible as fire and ice. Biana, with her incessant need for beauty sleep, and Isadora, with her endless patience. I could almost see the sparks flying. I sigh, hoping they haven't killed each other yet. The worst part is that Biana didn't get much sleep, I'm sure she's going to end up causing a scene.

Ilka's scowling at me, arms crossed over her translucent chest. I could see right through her - literally and figuratively. She's frustrated, and it's not hard to see why.

"No more! Stop relying on that- on that thing! It's a useless piece of shit that should be thrown in the trash!" she screams, pointing a transparent finger at Umbra.

I have to bite back a chuckle. Sure, Umbra could be a bit... of a touchy subject for her, even a bit overbearing, but useless? Far from it.

"Sigh, but if I throw it away, you'll end up sealed again... But since it's your wish, I guess I have no choice," I say, holding Umbra over a nearby pool of water. The glint in my eyes must have been quite something, because Ilka's face turns a shade paler - if that was even possible for a spirit.

"No! Stop it! J-Just stop using it! Why do you need that shit if you have someone like me!?" she wails, zipping back and forth in a panicked frenzy. I love it when she panics. It's... refreshing. Something about having egoistic people behaving like this feels so... Amazing.

"But you're a spirit, you can't fight. And you're unwilling to teach me much," I shoot back, a teasing glint in my eyes as I lean closer to the water. I can almost see her panicked reflection in the clear water.

"No no no no no, I try to teach you, you know, but you're just so weak and pathetic that if I teach you anything else at the moment you might explode!" she exclaims, frantically banging on my head. I can't help but let out a hearty laugh at that. The idea of me exploding from knowledge overload is just too hilarious.

I imagine my body swelling up like a balloon, my face turning beet red as steam pours out from my ears. I'd probably make a rather funny sound, like a deflating whoopee cushion. Oh, I'd pay good money to see that.

Laughing, I pull Umbra back, turning to look at Ilka. "Alright, alright. I won't throw it away," I say, still chuckling.

Ilka huffs, crossing her arms again. "Well, good. Because if you did, I'd make your life a living hell," she threatens, but her words lack bite. Just how does someone as experienced as her lack so many brain cells?

"Sure you would," I say, ruffling her hair - or at least, I try to. My hand is bigger than her, which kind of ruins the effect.

We arrive at the first entrance, which to my utmost disgust, is absolutely crawling with spiders. They're giant, gross, and there's a whole lot of them. I swear, the sight alone is enough to give me the heebie-jeebies.

Ilka, who I assume has no fear of spiders because she's a translucent ghost, giggles beside me. "Well, well, looks like you're gonna have a workout here," she cackles. My annoyance flares at her glee, and I flick her away like an unwanted fly. She just laughs harder, the irritating twit.

Before I even consider engaging with this horde of eight-legged demons, I reach into my pocket. I'm not an idiot, and I didn't come unprepared for a situation like this. Webbing is highly flammable, after all. My fingers graze over a glove – not what I need at the moment, although I will use it later – until I feel the cold touch of a certain stone.

Ah, Antrestone. A beautiful thing, if I do say so myself.

Pulling it out, I can't help but grin at the unassuming rock. It doesn't look like much, but it's enough to cause an explosive reaction. Hopefully, with the added fuel of the webbing, it will be enough to clear out these oversized bugs in one fell swoop.

"Huh? You got some blostone?" Ilka suddenly pipes up, floating back to my side after her brief flight.

I roll my eyes at her outdated terminology. "It's called an Antrestone now, Ilka," I correct her, my smirk widening.

She just scoffs in response. "Bla bla bla. It's the same shit."

Ignoring her, I quickly transmute Umbra into a small, pointed dagger. I'm not sure if it's going to work, but it's worth a shot. I toss the Antrestone into the room, watching as it disappears into the sea of spiders and webs.

The room falls silent as I steady my aim, then with a swift motion, I throw the dagger. It sails past the Antrestone, missing it entirely. Shit.

Suddenly, everything is quiet. Even Ilka is silent, probably holding back laughter. I feel my face heat up in embarrassment. Damn it, why'd I have to miss?

But hey, missing is just the first step to getting it right. I take a deep breath, refusing to let a little slip-up dampen my spirits. I resummon Umbra into my hands, taking another moment to steady my aim.

"And remember, Kael," I murmur to myself, summoning a quote from a show I once loved, "this is your ninja way." I chuckle, a wave of nostalgia washing over me.

With that, I throw the dagger once again. As it sails through the air, Ilka finally bursts out laughing. "You can't even hit a stationary target, you loser!" she cackles, nearly falling out of the air.

I grit my teeth, ready to flick her away again, when my dagger hits the Antrestone. A bright spark erupts from the contact, igniting the webbing.

I flash Ilka a smug grin. "I'm not a loser, Ilka. I'm just a slow starter. Slow and steady, after all, wins the race."

Ilka rolls her eyes. "Ugh, don't quote that old tortoise bastard story at me."

Ignoring her, I take a moment to bask in the sight of the flaming webs, satisfied with the chaos I've created. The spiders screech and scatter, but it's too late for them. The flames grow larger, consuming them and their disgusting home.

Ilka floats over, looking surprisingly impressed. "Well, well, looks like you're not completely useless after all."

I turn to her, smirking. "Oh, come on. Admit it, you're impressed."

She scowls. "In your dreams, Kael."

As the last of the spiders perish, I can't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. My plan worked. My ninja way, as it turns out, was the right way.

I glance at Ilka, my smirk growing wider. "In my dreams? Ilka, darling, I'm living my dream. And in it, I'm always right."

She groans, rolling her eyes again. "You're insufferable."

As the last spider gets scorched, I whistle, the triumphant sound echoing throughout the cavern. It's not quite the same as winning a war, but it's close enough for me.

"Oi, watch it," Ilka warns, and when I look up, there's a flaming arachnid dropping from the ceiling. In the nick of time, I turn Umbra into a shield, the spider slamming against it and sizzling.

But of course, the bloody thing isn't done yet. Sneaky bugger tries to crawl over the shield and towards me. Ugh, the audacity. With a swift motion, I conjure a pike from the shield, piercing through the creature and ending its pitiful existence.

"Always daydreaming, aren't you?" Ilka laughs, her voice echoing around the cavern. "One of these days, it's going to be the end of you."

I huff, shaking off the remains of the spider from Umbra. "Just keep your laughter to yourself, will you?" I grumble, setting off towards the next room. It's a rather small one. Perfect for a cozy conversation, if not for the giant scorpions waiting inside.

As I approach the door, I reach into my pocket, retrieving the glove. I pull it on, flexing my fingers inside the snug fit. The glove, specially crafted by Eira, is the only way to operate my darling little invention. Guns are going to cause a mass change when it comes to hunting, however, this gun is different from the rest, it's not just any gun - it's my baby.

Turning to Ilka, I smirk. "Get ready to be impressed, princess."

She clicks her tongue in annoyance. "In your dreams, Kael. And for the last time, I will only be impressed when you learn to use your own damn power."

Well, at least I can try. I swing my gun around my finger, strutting towards the door. Channeling my inner Clint Eastwood, I try to kick the door open, only for a painful shock to run up my leg. Damn, that hurt.

Ilka bursts into laughter, the echo of her voice bouncing off the stone walls. "Is this your 'ninja way', Kael? You can't even kick open a door, you doofus!"

Grumbling under my breath, I slice through the door with Umbra, revealing the room and its occupants. Five lion-sized scorpions stare back at me, their pincers clicking menacingly.

If it were anyone else, they might have had a hard time dealing with these creatures. But not me. Because, as I've said before, I'm over-geared.

With a hearty laugh, I raise my gun, aiming it towards the group of scorpions. The enchanted bullets that Eira and I designed specifically for this gun are not to be trifled with. One by one, I shoot each scorpion, the powerful rounds punching right through their exoskeletons and killing them instantly.

As the dust settles, Ilka floats over to me, her translucent eyes wide. "So that's what the 'Bang! Bang!' does," she muses, looking a little less irritated than usual.

"Well, what do you think?" I ask, turning to her with a grin.

She rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't get too cocky, Kael. It's just a new type of fancy shooter."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Remember, Ilka, a 'fancy shooter' in the right hands is the same as a lightning bolt in the hands of Zeus. The difference is, Zeus can't misfire."

She groans, covering her face with her hands. "I can't believe I'm stuck with a lunatic like you."

"A lunatic with a fancy shooter," I correct, my grin widening.

She scowls, but it lacks any real heat. "Whatever, Kael. Just get on with it."