Chapter 24 - Tanker 2.0

Instead of avoiding monsters, it seemed we were actively hunting them this time. The tables had turned, and I wasn't sure if I liked it.

I'd been bruised, cut, flailed, and thrown more times than I could count. Each time, Fae healed me without hesitation. Zild had volunteered to take my place, but Fae suddenly couldn't hear him - or chose not to. She kept pushing me forward, straight into danger, her eyes gleaming with determination.

Raymond, ever the opportunist, finished off the monsters I weakened, gleefully collecting his stat points. When I asked him to take my place as Fae's "experience farm," he just whistled and looked away, pretending not to hear me.

"Stop! Zild, control your girlfriend or else!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the cavern as a pack of corrupted jackals growled at me. These weren't the scrawny jackals from the overworld - these were twice the size, their eyes glowing with malice. Eight of them circled me, their teeth bared.

I took a cautious step back, placing more protective masks over my face. The air reeked of urine and decay, yet the jackals suddenly stopped snarling and began grooming themselves. Why are they so obsessed with cleanliness in a place like this? I thought, baffled.

Fae, undeterred, insisted she needed to raise her stats. "I'll be more useful if I'm stronger," she argued, her voice firm. Zild tugged at her hand, urging her to stop, but she shot him a death glare that silenced him.

The jackals were territorial but predictable. Step into their domain, and they went berserk. Step out, and they acted like you didn't exist. I tested this theory, placing one foot in their territory and pulling it back. They snarled, then calmed. It was almost comical - until Fae kicked me square in the back, sending me stumbling into their midst.

"What the!" I yelled as the pack lunged. Zild and Raymond jumped in panic. The fight was brutal, but we emerged victorious. Fae's eyes lit up as she checked her stats. "Another fifty MP and INT!" she exclaimed, though her expression quickly turned into dissatisfaction. She tapped my shoulder, already eyeing the next group of monsters.

What started as a grim ordeal slowly turned into an adventure. Days passed, and our team dynamics grew more fluid. Fae's area heal became stronger, her range wider. "I'll take you to a good restaurant when we get home," she promised, jumping in the air with her scroll held high like a victory flag. "Thank you, brother. I owe you big time. - And I know you're strong more than you let on."

Her gratitude caught me off guard. I remembered my days as a tank in Markus' team - no thanks, no apologies, just treated like a disposable shield. Fae's methods were savage, but her heart was in the right place. She wanted to be stronger so she'd never be controlled or used to harm others again.

"I'll tell Mom and Dad when we get home," I teased, pretending to snitch on her while rubbing an imaginary wound on my arm. Fae froze, her eyes wide with worry. Raymond snickered, adding fuel to the fire. "She pushed you off a cliff, didn't she?"

Zild looked away, trying to hide his smile. Fae sat on a large rock, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. "Anyway, you need to stop," I said, my tone serious. "I'm not invincible, you know." Overconfidence was a death sentence in places like this.

As we pressed on, we spotted veins of gems and minerals lining the walls. "We're not here to get rich," I reminded the group, though I made a mental note to return better prepared. A yellow ray of light caught my eye in the distance. I dashed toward it, finding a slope leading to the surface.

The others followed, their excitement growing. As I climbed higher, the familiar blue sky came into view, the sun's warmth a welcome relief. We had made it to the overworld.

•••••••••••

The landscape was a stark contrast to the caves - rolling grasslands stretched as far as the eye could see, the air crisp and clean. In the distance, a cluster of houses promised the possibility of warm food and rest.

"Don't make sudden movements," I whispered as we approached. The group walked naturally, trying not to draw attention. A squad of local policemen approached, their expressions wary. We raised our hands in surrender, and I handed them the letter Michelle had given us.

Their stern expressions didn't soften. Instead, they moved to cuff us. Thinking fast, I extended the Clematis vine (they probably thought it's a simple walking stick), which is coiled around the neck of a wolf-like creature from the cave and let it loose. The monster jumped outside the cave, howling and snapping its snout.

The policemen froze, then opened fire on the creature. Even unsure of our identities, they instinctively moved to protect us.

We played along, pretending to be terrified as we fled. Before leaving, I choked the monster with the vine, ensuring it wouldn't follow. The policemen, shaken but relieved, finally let their guard down.

"Sorry, we're tourists. We got lost," Raymond said in broken Spanish, his tone apologetic. The officers eyed our bags, finding no weapons or contraband. Reluctantly, they agreed to take us to the municipal hospital where Michelle worked.

In the police truck, one of the officers struck up a conversation. "It's not a good time for a vacation here," he warned, his voice heavy. "Between the cartels and the strange phenomena, it's dangerous."

We nodded, playing the part of clueless tourists. "We wanted to visit Uyuni," Raymond explained. "But we were ill-prepared. First time abroad, you know?"

Another officer grew suspicious. "Why here? It's not a popular destination."

Fae stepped in, her voice sweet. "Our brother's fiancée works here. We're checking out the country before their wedding."

The man relaxed, even sharing a story about his daughter, who had been abandoned by her fiancé after falling ill. "Mosquito-borne diseases weren't this bad before," he said, his voice tinged with despair. "Now, they're devastating."

Fae offered to visit his daughter at the hospital, her kindness earning a chuckle from the officer. As we arrived, we tried contacting Barry and Michelle, but neither answered. Mom confirmed Barry was on a flight, but Michelle's silence was concerning.

Suddenly, the police radio crackled to life. "The monster has appeared, the Amaru - all personnel to the scene!" The officers tried to dissuade us from following, but we insisted. "We can't face our brother if something happens to his fiancée," I argued.

Reluctantly, they allowed us to accompany them, since they can't entrust or transfer us to anyone as of this moment. Time was running out, and we had no other way. As the truck sped toward the chaos, I couldn't shake the feeling that we're in for a very dangerous ride.