Vol. 1 Chapter 10: Anger

***The Arctic dungeon, two years ago…***

Similar to the Antarctic dungeon when it came to geographical conditions, the Arctic dungeon’s only difference was the presence of the icebergs and ice floes that determined the route of adventuring parties leading to the boss area. While the paths continued shifting, the adventurers also had to worry from the constant encounters with the creature defending the dungeon, such as giant polar bears, ice wolves, Jotunn, ice golems and remorhaz.

“Retreat! Get to the staging area, quick!”

What made running even more difficult in the Arctic was the fact that it was cold, and adventurers had to wear layers of clothing to defend from the cold. Mages could cast insulation magic to help ease the freezing temperatures, but only the most powerful of them, the Sage-ranks, could completely negate its effects.

And in Rico’s second party, GlastHeim, the mage with the highest rank was her…a ‘Wizard.’

“Tsukushi! Cover us, damn it!”

Brought back to her senses by their team leader, she stood her ground and fired a couple of shots towards the attacking Jotunn. As it was a giant monster made of ice, her bullets simply ricochet off or got stuck in its body.

“Have you already called the Adventurers’ Agency?”

“Hang in there, Kloe, a helicopter from Juneau is on the way!

Their injured teammates cries of agony hurt Rico’s ears. Kloe was another scout, the original scout of GlastHeim, which she was supposed to ‘disciple’ because of her platinum rank. However, their raid into the Arctic dungeon was off to a bad start, as they immediately met the Jotunn and Kloe got injured when she set off a trap while they retreated.

“Cast an ice magic on her leg to stop it from bleeding! Hurry!”

“Aarggh!”

Rico served to distract the Jotunn as her teammates moved back to the staging area. While she could handle such monster on her own, the repeated wails and cries from Kloe limited her movements. Nevertheless, when the Jotunn tried crushing her with its fists, it made an opening that she exploited.

“!!!” With the magic on her shoes that prevented her from slipping, Rico counter-attacked. She ran up the arms of the giant, using her anti-materiel rifle to break into its icy exterior, and sever its limb as she went towards its head.

The Jotunn then attempted to shake her off by thrashing wildly, sending the ice floe where they fought quaking over the water.

“For fuck’s sake, Tsukushi! You’ll kill us all!”

Distracted once again by the complaints of her teammates, Rico was forced to jump off the monster as she lost her footing. The Jotunn, taking advantage of her lowered guard, lifted its foot to crush her. But the scout was faster; chanting void magic on her anti-material rifle, she fired a powerful, magic-imbued bullet that blew off the Jotunn’s foot and head.

However, her celebrations were cut short when she realized she made their problems worse.

“!!!”

As the ice corpse of the Jotunn fell into big blocks, it destroyed the ice floe where they stood, sending them into the freezing cold waters of the arctic.

“Tsukushi! Fucking hell, fucking fuck! You do not even fucking know what you are doing!”

“Dude, stop that! It won’t help us that you’re so noisy.”

“What the hell?”

As the group tried to get themselves back into another ice floe, they saw something stirred beneath them, in the deep waters. From its silhouette, it appeared like a siren, a monster that inhabited the tropical dungeons of the Caribbean. But, different from the beautiful sirens, this one had uncanny long nails, and hair…and it was attracted to the blood of their injured teammate.

Rico, who fought this creature when she was with OyasumiSe7en, realized the danger they were in. “Guys!” she screamed. “Get Kloe into that ice floe, quick!”

“You don’t need to tell us the obvious! Get your ass useful; distract that monster while we do it!”

The scout knew that her anti-materiel rifle was not suited for underwater battle, as it would slow the bullets, greatly diminishing its punching power. So, pulling her dagger, Rico uttered a silent prayer before she engaged the Qalupalik in her Void magic bubble.

But the monster was focused on trailing the blood of their teammate, no matter how much Rico tried to attract its attention. She hurled void spells, to no avail. She even destroyed a portion of its tail, but the Qalupalik continued to swim towards her retreating companions.

“Tsukushiiii!”

“!!!”

As the screams of her teammates pierced the Arctic air, another sound echoed. Soon, Rico found herself swimming in blood red water…guts and monstrous limbs floated with her. Above them, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue helicopter hovered, with a mage on the grenade launcher.

-----

***Providence Alaska Medical Center, Anchorage***

A few days after their aborted raid in the Arctic, members of GlastHeim were transferred to the largest hospital in the U.S. state of Alaska. Kloe’s doctor informed her teammates that she would survive, though her foot was already beyond saving.

Of course, Rico was there. She was still a member of GlastHeim, and she also felt guilty of what happened to her companion. However…

“What are you doing here?” their team leader screamed.

“I…I’m just visiting Kloe…”

“Get out!”

“W-Why?”

The team leader scoffed at her. “Really? Do you even hear yourself, Tsukushi? Didn’t we tell you not to scout too far ahead of us? Didn’t we tell you not to bring Kloe with you? Why didn’t you kill the Jotunn immediately when you got the chance?”

“She says she wants to learn how I do things—”

“You’re a platinum adventurer, Tsukushi! A target as close as that is easy for you! Yet, not only did you miss the target, you also failed to disarm the traps! What are you trying to do? Do you really want me to look at you that much? That you will kill our teammates just to get my attention?”

Enraged, the scout sent a slap to the team leader’s face. “I will let any verbal abuse from everyone pass, but to accuse me of things I don’t even think of, like trying to kill Kloe and seducing you…I will not tolerate those. You’re not even close to the man I love!”

She never waited for that guy’s explanation. Rico quit GlastHeim immediately right at that moment.

-----

***The city of Bacoor, present day…***

“Well, hello there,” Rico’s eyes focused on the Qalupalik before her. “You’re the one that caused my slump; it’s good that you’re also the one that ended it.”

The mini-boss grumbled in reply, as if it understood her words. Rico, armed with daggers, took her guard stance.

“Let’s continue the fight we paused in the Arctic!”

“!!!”

Using her skills, Rico cloaked herself as she attacked the monster. However, the catch of her ability was that it wore off whenever she landed a hit, to which, the Qalupalik would counter using its long nails.

“Graaaaahhh!!!”

As Rico took a few steps back, the monster tried to crush her legs by swiping its tail. The scout nimbly evaded its movement, and disappeared. The Qalupalik was visibly dumbfounded and froze; it didn’t know where to focus its attack.

“Got you!” Rico revealed herself just as she stabbed the monster’s neck. As the Qalupalik thrashed, she realized that its flesh closed in on the blade and guard of one of her daggers, effectively merging it on its body. She had to let it go to avoid another attack by its long fingernails.

“Ah…I forgot. You did the same to Alice back then, when OyasumiSe7en was still together…” Rico felt a surge of sadness in her heart; her eyes nearly welled-up, but she held back the tears. Then, she resumed her guard stance. “Tch. Damn it…I should’ve never joined GlastHeim. Come to think of it, those people pushed everything to me because I’m a platinum band!”

“Graaaahh!!!” The Qalupalik’s scream tore through her ears, which began to bleed. Rico wasn’t fazed, however. She stood her ground, looking for an opportunity to attack the monster when it lowered its guard.

But, the Qalupalik was no push-over. It resumed its offensive, sending its nails charging towards the scout. Rico evaded the double attacks, but the monster was relentless; it kept on slashing, thrusting and thrashing against her, to which, her daggers were of little defense.

The assassination method of her family is one not focused on martial skills, but rather puts emphasis of the use of Void magic to kill their enemies.

As such, against a foe that literally attacks and defends from all directions, her stealth skills were virtually useless. What made it worse was the Qalupalik’s scales; it was as tough as the ones from mini-dragons found in the Sahara dungeon. Another swiping of the monster’s tail, and Rico was sent back to the end of the dungeon tunnel.

“!!!”

The scout tried to stand, however, she found that her leg got twisted in a rubble, part of the tunnel walls that collapsed when she hit that part. But Rico wouldn’t give up; in her mind, the voice of her father kept on repeating…

“If your performance doesn’t improve, then I myself will come to get you.”

At that moment, Rico’s surroundings suddenly changed. From the damp, dark and wet dungeon of Salinas, the scene transitioned into the woodlands of her hometown in the United States. The scout stopped, bewildered at what she was seeing. Suspecting that it might be a ploy of her monster foe to distract her, she tried feeling for the tunnel walls. Much to her surprise, however, the scene was real…she could actually walk around the entirety of the backyard of her home.

And feel the bright red, orange, and brown leaves of the autumn trees falling to the ground.

“…”

What the heck’s happening…?

-----

“Child!”

Rico could remember that scene, as well as recognize the stern voice calling for her. This was the time when she returned from Anchorage, dejected. Her party, GlastHeim, sent notification to the Adventurers’ Guild in Alaska that they were ‘dropping’ their platinum adventurer. Rico’s only ‘shelter’ was her parents’ home somewhere in Idaho. Her motorcycle was parked only a few meters away from the dust past, which was covered in leaves.

There is a bittersweet feeling in her heart as she walked towards the log cabin at the other end of the road.

But…

“You dare to show your face here?”

“!!!”

Rico immediately jumped away from the dust path, as a flying knife made of Void magic targeted her. Pulling out her gun, she looked around her surroundings. Though it seemed empty, save for the trees and a few houses away, she knew that the person she feared most in her younger years was around, waiting for her guard to lower.

“Even your detection skills have floundered! And you call yourself a descendant of this clan?”

“!!!” Rico turned around, and she received a hit on her head. Not only that, she was quickly disarmed by the man that suddenly appeared before her. The scout blurted out, “Father!”

“I did not allow you to call me that, as I never call you by your name ever since you left that door,” the man replied, pointing towards the log house. “You’re the descendant of our proud lineage of Void magic assassins, yet you brought shame to us! Your new teammates got injured because you lost focus of your priorities. Reflect on your actions!”

“I tried my best, father!”

“You tried your best, but it isn’t enough! You are proudly displaying your ‘skills’ with guns, but in the end, those things blunt your talents in the Void!”

“That is my role, father! I’m a scout!”

“I don’t care about your role, and I’m not forbidding you to join adventuring parties! I only want you to honor our family, and develop your skills with the Void! Yet those OyasumiSe7en fools led you astray! And with that, you nearly killed your new teammates!”

“I…” Rico’s voice drifted as she realized the errors of her ways.

“Do you know the punishment for your failure during the times of your grandfather? Death.”

“…”

“But death is too honorable for you; I won’t allow it!” Her father turned his back on her. “Come back when you redeemed yourself from the shame you brought our family! Go to your relatives; they might do something about that wayward attitude of yours.”

There was something heavy and suffocating that appeared within her chest. Rico went back to this place to find rest and solace, but she received chiding and embarrassment instead. Nevertheless, as she was taught never to explain herself for her failures, all that she could answer was, “Yes, father!”

-----

“Yes, father…”

The scene changed once again, this time, from that autumn day to just plain black. However, Rico was never afraid. Even when the darkness consumed her, only one thing remained in her heart…

“Yes, father…”

The scout didn’t notice it, but her fists clenched. Her chest was heavy, as if it was being filled, and it wanted to explode. Then, out of the darkness, the Qalupalik appeared. Its arms were raised, mouth was wide-open, ready to deal her the killing blow. But to Rico, it didn’t appear as the monster…

“Yes…”

Instead, the faces of her teammates from GlastHeim and the man she called ‘father’ appeared. Laughing. Taunting. Insulting her because she took the gun, instead of the Void. They said her talents lie in mastering the Void magic, like her forbears…

Is that the only thing that matters?

“!!!”

Something snapped within her. Anger suddenly filled her chest, and Rico shouted, “You want to come at me, huh? You idiots just said as you damn please!” With all her emotions gathered at her fist, she sent it straight to the Qalupalik’s head. “Damn you! Damn you GlastHeim! Damn those people who say they are my ‘family.’ I freaking hate you all!” Unable to use her dagger, she battered the Qalupalik with her fists and legs. A couple of punches was followed by roundhouse kicks. The impacts of her hits created air pressure that chipped the cobblestone walls of the dungeon, sending debris flying around them.

The monster stood no chance. As Rico released her anger, bludgeoning it to a bloody pulp, it barely offered any resistance. But the scout never stopped. Years of frustration and disappointment eventually filled up her heart, and she would never let anyone abuse her like those people did ever again. Even as the nails of the monster pierced her arms and legs in a last-ditch attempt to defeat her, she continued punching, kicking, and head-butting the creature.

Blood splattered on the tunnel walls. Blood trickled down her face. And blood dropped on her lips, as Rico released everything.

Soon enough, the Qalupalik’s crushed head fell on the dungeon floor. The creature was dead.

“…”

The scout didn’t care for the loots that dropped from the corpse, nor was she interested in the sellable monster organs that could be harvested from its body. Within Rico’s mind, only one thing remained…she finally got her ‘groove’ back. She would never become a liability to OyasumiSe7en ever again…

-----

But of course, when the tension dissipated and common sense returned, Rico found herself in an absolute pinch.

“…”

Blinded by her thirst for redemption, she forgone crossing back into the entrance of the dungeon just as the tunnels shifted. The result? She was trapped, and she had to find the new exit.

“…”

Worse, another group of monsters approached. This time, much to her disbelief, it was a gathering of kappa, several Qalupaliks, and a powerful sea-snake known as Cetus…which, based on how the others around it moved, served as the ‘newborn’ boss of the Salinas dungeon. They barred the only route out of her spot; she’d have to fight her way through those if she hoped to get back alive…

Damn it. Just when she found her resolve.

At that moment, Rico felt regret. She wished her teammates from OyasumiSe7en were with her. But she never wanted to burden them with her problem, thus, she reminded herself to solve it alone.

After all, she already held back Temaire, caused Alice to lose her temper, and Yuuki…if the simulation was true, he was dead by now.

The bloodied leg of Kloe flashed through her mind. With all the ugly emotions about it aside, Rico was afraid that would happen to her teammates in OyasumiSe7en. Yes, they were people who mastered their skills and roles, but this was real life. And even experts fall victim to simple mistakes that eventually killed them.

Rico’s body was already in pain, as she strained herself from the earlier fight with the Qalupalik. In the adventuring manuals, scouts were never intended for frontline roles, though it was something she did back in GlastHeim. In OyasumiSe7en, she would just shed off their approaching enemies, and lead them to the line of fire where Alice, Temaire and the others would finish the monsters.

Her muscles are for running, not brawling…yet, here she is, about to die punching and kicking her way to freedom.

“…”

But if she is going down, she will take everyone with her!

“I’m sorry, guys…looks like this is the end for me!” she muttered to herself, replaying the times she spent with OyasumiSe7en, including the recent days with Temaire, Alice and Yuuki. Someone told her before that when a person was about to die, she would see her happy memories.

At that point, Rico didn’t know if those scenes in her head was deliberately, or just playing out automatically. But, defiant, she raised her tired arms, clutching the daggers like her life depended on it. Then, taking a deep breath, the scout summoned all the mana she could, and chanted a spell to cloak herself when…

“!!!”

An explosion destroyed the tunnel walls near Rico, and killed many of the monsters approaching her spot. When the dust settled, she couldn’t believe her eyes…

Temaire, and Alice stood beside her, with the latter holding her by the arm so she could stand properly. Their team leader erected a defensive barrier with her wind magic. And in front of them was Yuuki, with a pistol in hand.

“Someone told us that our scout decided to solo this dungeon,” Temaire explained. “As a team leader, I don’t like my subordinates getting ahead of me.”

“Guys! How did you find this place? And Yuuki…he’s still a green band!”

“You forgot that my family can exert influence over the Agency? I’ll do everything for my teammates, you know? My husband is happy with his harem intact!”

“Oi, Temari, watch your mouth!” Yuuki called out to her.

“Heh, I’m convinced by your speech, rotten croissant,” Alice added. “No one gets left behind in Yuuki’s harem!”

“Shut up! I’m not keeping a harem!”

Ah, this is happiness, Rico said to herself.