Not The Trip We Wanted

Wally: “Arata Sanji. What a pleasure. Haven’t seen you in a few years. So, did you get him?”

Arata: “No. There was nothing there. He escaped. What the hell were you fighting that I had to come here?”

Wally: “I didn’t need your help. I could’ve handled the situation.”

Arata: “Yeah? Explain that to these boys' parents.”

Wally: “Tch! Screw off Arata. I don’t need you here. And I certainly don’t need you pestering me about the past. I screwed up. That’s all that’s to it. I will take full responsibility for what happened here. I couldn’t sense whatever that thing was that approached here. I’m a reverend of the Great Swordsmen. Don’t ever come here and stain my pride. I can fight by myself. That’s what the strong are for. Besides, I heard a little incident that happened with the young master. Tell me right now why I shouldn’t lop your head off?”

Arata: “Grow up you big piece of flesh. I don’t need a Great Swordsman dying from something so stupid. I’d rather something bad happen somewhere else than losing a valued figure. Take that as a compliment.”

Wally: “You’re not all sunshine and rainbows anymore, are you? You look exhausted. When was the last time you slept? What happened in the past few years that changed that look in your eyes? Was it when you scarred the young master for life? I know what really happened with Masaru. That is why I won’t bash you for it.”

Arata: “–Clean up here and get back to doing whatever you were doing. I’m busy.”

Wally: “Don’t make me say it again. Don’t trample on my pride. I’ve been protecting people my whole life. Plus, I don’t work for you. I work for the young master. Go talk to him if you want to start an argument. If you think you’re all that, then go find whatever that thing was that just killed these men. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to bring their bodies back to the ravine. They need to be honored.”

Arata stared off in the distance where Wally was heading off before the blue flash of light rained down once more and he was sent off somewhere else…

Naoki: “There he is. He’s coming towards us. What is he carrying?”

Souta: “No doubt about it. That’s two dead bodies. Can you assume who that is, Naoki? I sure can. Should’ve warned them when we had the chance. Oh well, nothing we can do.”

Naoki: “This is no time to joke, Souta. He couldn’t protect them. He was too late, it looks like.”

The crowd outside of the large ravine that stood underneath their feet gasped in shock. Nobody necessarily cared, at least the adults, but they still felt bad. Nobody knew the men that Wally held in his hands, but the only 3 kids that were on this mission were the ones that cried at the sight. They had never seen death before, so it bothered them immensely.

Wally: “Do not fret my people. Revere these men. It is not their fault that they went against my rules, but it is my fault for not noticing them earlier. They were simply interested in their own craft. I cannot stop passion just as much as I cannot stop the sun from shining down on this world. The young master gave me the honor of protecting you all and I have failed. I apologize from the bottom of my heart. If you all can find it in your own hearts to forgive me. Please trust me when I say this. Nobody else here will die. Not even so much as have a scratch on them…It is getting dark out. I must deliver these two to the Association. Everyone, please start the descent into the ravine. I will be back in less than 20 seconds.”

He disappeared with the men and a Yellow Egress Chaplet in the time allotted before coming back quickly and overseeing everyone. Souta whispered to Naoki, “All that motivational speech and he still left us alone for 20 seconds. What a fraud.”

Naoki: “Shush Souta. He is leagues above us in strength and knowledge. Don’t get on his bad side. Just keep climbing down these rocks and do not fall.”

Wally: “I will meet you all at the bottom. Do not worry about falling. I will catch you easily, but do try your best not to cheap out on this important exercise! Wahaha!”

Wally was like a different person now. He was back to his energetic self as if nothing had happened, but Naoki at least knew that it was a front to keep everyone excited for this chaplet hunt. He jumped down as if to tell everyone that something at the bottom would protect them.

Souta: “The hell is his problem? Nah, screw this. I’m jumping down. Let’s see if he saves me! HA!”

Naoki: “Souta, wait! Agh! Damn brat. I’m going too. Everyone is too calm considering what just happened.”

Souta and Naoki landed on a thick web of blood attached to all sides of the walls that easily stopped their fall and then it dispersed underneath the section they were in until they landed flat on the ground.

Souta: “Oh, that was fun! I’d do that again.”

Naoki: “Stop messing around. Start looking before anyone else does. Check the cracks of the walls before we go deeper into the ravine.”

Souta: “I looked on the way down. Don’t take me for a fool. I didn’t see anything, but we missed a bunch of walls. I only have 2 eyes, not 20. Go climb back up if you want, but I’m only checking the bottom for right now.”

Naoki: “Fine. Split up for now. I’ll go left and you go right. We will check the bottom and I’ll check the middle and top layers when we climb back up.”

Wally: “Please refrain from entering deeper in the ravine you two. There are plenty of chaplets wedged in between these walls. I’ll give you that hint. Just wait 5 minutes when everyone is down here. I will allow you two to enter first. Just stay within my mile radius for right now. Nobody else is dying here today.”

Naoki: “Yes, sir, Wally sir. We greatly appreciate that. We will wait the allotted time for everyone else.”

Naoki and Souta looked up and down the sides of the surface of the ravine, up and down the walls to see any loose chaplets that poked out, but only found 2 chaplets. One was an Alotum Chaplet, which was shaped like a standard clear orb, but with an hourglass filled with sand on the inside. Naoki knew how this chaplet worked, but tested it anyway by flipping it. The sand poured down to the other side and Naoki’s mana lines thickened and even brightened a little. They formed for him without him having to bring them out and gave him the ability to use sword’s powers without the sword until the sand ran out back to the other side, which is when the chaplet would automatically break.

‘Yeah, I figured. I’ve never used it in person, but I’ve read about these. It’s uncommon for a reason. Once the time runs out, then you are manaless for a minute as well. Sure, it strengthens you, but this is really only for weak people fighting off a boar or having to survive in nature under a certain circumstance. People with strong powers don’t really need this. This is a chaplet for desperation. I’ll just sell it,’ he thought.

Souta came walking over to him with the other chaplet that he found. It was plain pink with no design showing its common status. Neither had any luck. This chaplet was the third most common chaplet and many had already found it on this hunt. They were practically scattered across the world for most. When broken on the ground, it randomly gifted a common sword to the user. It helped a lot of people obtain a sword when first starting out. It was called the Knack Chaplet, but it didn’t help them in their goal at all.

Souta: “This sucks. There’s nothing here. Are you sure you didn’t see anything else in that vision about what it looks like?”

Naoki: “You saw it too. I couldn’t make out what it was. It was broken on the ground, so it may be broken when we find it, but we can certainly put it back together.”

Souta: “I’m going to doubt it’s here. If Carmen’s Dungeon didn’t have anything, then I don’t think this will. I’m still mad about that. We could’ve grabbed so many good chaplets, but you insisted that we just run from those stupid monsters and just keep looking.”

Naoki: “Yeah you idiot. We never made it all the way down the two of the colored paths. It’s too dangerous, but for some reason, I don’t think it will be there either. That’s low on my list, but we will get back there eventually when we gather some more chaplets to fight. We’ll hire some people to come with us too once we sell a few.”

Wally: “Okay! Okay! Is everyone having fun? Good, good. You may all stay up here and look along the walls or we may head down to the bottom half of the ravine. What does everyone choose?”

In unison, everybody chanted that they wanted to go down.

Wally: “Perfect. Everybody, follow me this way. This is where the majority of the chaplets will be, but I wanted to give everyone a fair opportunity on the surface. Now, I know this trip is supposed to be longer, but we are also the furthest away from the Association, so after tonight, everybody will have another half day to look for chaplets before we head back. Do not worry too much about anything that can harm you down here. Nobody comes over here because it is abandoned and the climb down is difficult, hence why most of you fell in my web. Okay, let’s go.”

Wally took the lead and led them down a ramp of dirt and rocks for a long time. The ramp was so narrow that it took about an hour to get down to the bottom where the little light they had left in the sky faded. Wally pulled out a Loom Chaplet, which was a plain yellow chaplet with a keychain of an arrow that hung down from the bottom that lit up the area. He broke it on the ground and gave them enough light for 30 minutes when heading down.

Eventually, they reached the bottom when the Loom Chaplet’s light faded. It was nothing like anyone else thought it would be. Everyone had expected a cave-like room with rocks and crevices similar to the ravine where they would have to dig for chaplets. Instead, before them opened up to something that looked almost like its own world.

Rivers ran through the fields of grass. Trees created shade for the bushes that housed small insects and animals. Vines ran up the walls of the side that created an illusion of a mountain. And, clouds stayed stagnant in the sky, creating a feeling of mirage.

Wally: “For those of you that have not been here, there really isn’t a name for this place. Nobody knows where it came from, but historical books have dated it back to over 300 years ago. It seems to be a natural world underneath our own. However, it is not actually as big as you all think. The walls of the ravine still play a factor in this area, but they are outstretched to the sides. You will see them when you get there, but the whole place is less than half a mile, so it is likely that you all will see each other time and again.”

As per Wally’s request, Naoki and Souta had already headed off in front of the group when the Loom Chaplet had dispersed. That 10 seconds of darkness they had before reaching the entrance gave them leisure to where they wanted to go without anyone seeing them. They bolted off to the right to ensure nobody saw them and made their way to the back end.

Naoki: “I see what he means. The brown gravel is still the backbone of this place. Animals must have come in and built this place up over time. Or, maybe it’s just always been like this and isn’t normal to us.”

Souta: “You heard that big guy too? God, he talks so loud. Maybe he should lose some weight so his wide frame goes away and his mouth shrinks.”

Naoki: “Looky here, Souta. We already got a rare chaplet. Wait, 1 of 1?!”

Souta: “Huh? Let me see that…The hell is this? How is thing rare? It’s just the exact image of this place from where we were looking at the beginning inside of a pink crystal ball. There isn’t even a name for it. This has to be fake.”

Naoki: “Souta, this could be it! This could be the lost chaplet! Why is it ranked rare though when it says 1 of 1?”

Souta: “Don’t go getting your panties all up in a jar. Let’s keep looking and see what else we can get before we go home and try to figure out what this thing is. Gimme that thing.”

Souta grabbed it immediately out of Naoki’s hands and threw it on the ground. In doing so, nothing had happened, but Naoki was extremely mad.

Souta: “God, when did I become the reasonable one? It’s fake. Nothing happened you idiot. Calm down and keep looking. It’s not going to be that easy to find a chaplet that isn’t supposed to exist.”

Naoki: “You’re right. I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s head towards the backside more. The trees have to have some. Wally said this place is going to have the most chaplets. We have to find it.”