A Two Man's Fight

"Take this!"

Fiona rummaged through a small pouch, pulling out a long bow and a fully stocked quiver.

The size of both the bow and the quiver seemed impossible, considering the size of the pouch from which they were drawn.

'An item box!'

Aldrich took the bow and arrows, accepting them with a quiet gratitude.

It was no surprise that Fiona had an item box with her, an artifact that harnessed the properties of spatial Art, allowing it to hold far more than its outward size suggested.

Such items could range in size depending on their price, from small to immense, all determined by the buyer's resources.

Though no specifics could be made about the range of objects one could store, living beings were the exception; the clash of mana within the box made it impossible to store the living, though the dead could be kept without issue.

"I appreciate the gesture, but my arrow skills won't do much against their scales!" Aldrich said, the frustration in his voice evident, with bitternesd to admit worthlessness of his skills in a real life mystic battle.

Their opponents had tough exoskeletons that enveloped their entire bodies.

No weak points, no vulnerabilities, just an unyielding shell.

It didn't matter how skilled Aldrich was with his bow if the arrows themselves couldn't pierce such tough armor.

And to make matters worse, their eyes were shielded by the same exoskeleton, making it nearly impossible to replicate the technique he had used on the kraken.

The only way Aldrich's skill could shine here was if...

"Then I guess it's a good thing those aren't just ordinary arrows I handed to you," Fiona said with a grin, her voice teasing.

Aldrich's eyes locked onto the bow in his hand, and with his clairvoyance, he examined it closely.

A faint trace of mana glimmered, revealing it as an artifact.

'An artifact!'

Excitement surged through him.

Not just the bow, but the arrows as well were magical items.

"Oh, you!" Aldrich's voice was filled with unrestrained joy. "I could kiss you right now!"

In his moment of euphoric excitement, he blurted out his unfiltered thoughts. "Wait, no—I didn't mean I could kiss you. I mean, if given the privilege, but I'm not saying I want to... You know what, I'm just going to shut up now."

Aldrich's attempt to explain only made things more awkward, and the silence that followed felt like the safest course of action.

Fiona giggled, playing it cool. "Don't worry, I understand."

Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she added, "Oh, and by the way? If you want to kiss a woman, don't talk about it. Just do it. The surprise is part of what makes it fun and interesting."

Her mischievous smile sent a chill of realization through Aldrich.

He didn't know how to respond to that thrown off guard by her ready to go action, he became unsure of how to react.

"Right… I'll keep that in mind," he said, trying to regain his composure.

Before he could recover from the awkward exchange, Fiona called out, "Here they come!"

With a swift motion, she drew her sword from the item box, ready to intercept the incoming threat.

Aldrich didn't waste a second.

His first arrow flew with precision, a headshot that sent one of the creatures collapsing to the ground several meters away.

His clairvoyance guided him, allowing him to breach the distance and strike with deadly accuracy.

One after another, they fell before him.

Yet, despite his skills bringing them down one at a time, their numbers were overwhelming, depriving him of a complete victory.

"Exactly how many are there!?" Fiona grumbled, frustration creeping into her voice as more enemies surged forward to replace the fallen.

Aldrich shared her sentiment.

Every enemy he shot down seemed to be replaced almost immediately.

His shots, no matter how swift or precise, were becoming increasingly insignificant in the face of their sheer numbers.

"I'll go on ahead!" Fiona shouted, her determination clear as she surged forward, sword in hand.

"I'll cover your rear!" Aldrich responded, moving swiftly to keep enemies at bay from a distance while Fiona wreaked havoc up ahead.

With her small frame and fearless demeanor, Fiona darted into the fray, her sword flashing as she met the armored foes head-on.

They towered over her, ant-like in appearance, their exoskeletons making them formidable foes.

Yet Fiona showed no hesitation.

She leaped, her sword thrusting forward with unrelenting force.

The blade sank into the neck of one enemy, but before she could celebrate, another creature appeared from the side, axe raised high, ready to strike.

Before it could land a fatal blow, an arrow pierced its skull with clean precision, killing it instantly.

Fiona's heart lightened, knowing that Aldrich was watching her back, taking out any threats before they could reach her.

With that reassurance, Fiona became a whirlwind of destruction, cutting through her enemies with ruthless efficiency, her sword drenched in their blood.

Aldrich stood firm, covering her from behind, his focus unyielding.

He dispatched enemies before they could even approach her, ensuring Fiona's blind spots were never exploited.

"I'm done!!" Camelia shouted, signaling that the hole was ready.

At just the right moment, the earth shook beneath their feet as Fiona and Aldrich found themselves increasingly overwhelmed by the enemy's numbers.

Camelia had completed her task just in time.

"Fiona, time to retreat!" Aldrich called.

Fiona didn't hesitate.

She pulled back, trusting Aldrich to cover her as she ran toward the bushes where the hole lay hidden.

Aldrich's shooting intensified, each shot an explosion of power as he loosed multiple arrows at once, striking down four enemies in a single shot.

It wasn't enough to stop the tide, but it created the space they needed to retreat.

Fiona reached him, and they both sprinted for cover, diving into the bushes and into the hidden hole.

Aldrich breathed heavily, his body exhausted, but the job wasn't done yet.

They couldn't just leave, the enemy would track them if they saw them enter the hole.

"Camelia!" Aldrich called, his voice urgent.

She emerged from the bushes, understanding his unspoken command.

Camelia stood before Aldrich, facing the enemies as her hand was already moving on the ground.

"I need time!" she said, her eyes scanning the area.

If she didn't have the time, he was going to make one.

Aldrich looked at the quiver; there weren't many arrows left, but it would have to be enough.

He pulled out all the remaining arrows, setting them on the bow, more than ten on a single string.

Even for Aldrich, it was a risky shot, but it was their only option.

With steady hands, he positioned the arrows, barely leaving room for each one.

Then, with a deep breath, he loosed them, watching as the arrows rained down, creating a barricade that slowed the oncoming enemies.

"I'm ready!" Camelia shouted as the earth began to move.

She was done inscribing.

The ground shook again, and Aldrich saw Camelia's inscription light up as an earth wall rose from the ground, tall and imposing, it stood and blocked the path from the coming foes.

It gave them the time they needed.

With one last glance, Aldrich nodded to Camelia, and they ran, rushing into the bushes where Fiona waited.

"Over here!" Fiona called, her voice muffled from the hole.

Aldrich followed her voice, quickly pinpointing her location.

With Camelia by his side, he jumped into the hole, and she sealed it off behind them.

The area was once again quiet.

As though the hole had never been there at all.