-Booooom!
When I was thinking of running away in embarrassment, the rocky wall next to us exploded into pieces. The pieces of rocks flew toward us but the bodyguards appeared and a dome made of mana covered all of us, including me, since I was with them.
Shadows could be seen in the smoke of the newly formed hole.
What attacked us wasn't human, that was sure.
I saw Miranda nocking an arrow to her bow. She was already ready to attack. The same was for her three friends. They had all activated their ring's function, the 'Cladding', and were already in their armor.
How I wish I had something like that…
I could buy it if I was still in the Falkrona mansion.
I should have taken some money before leaving. What an idiot.
[<You are shameless for someone denying his identity as that duke's son.>]
'I made his body into an athletic one. I deserve some compensation.'
[<You can, if you survive this.>]
'Thanks for your support, useless Goddess.'
I cursed Cleenah and drew my short sword.
We were all concentrated on the enemy before us.
There he is!
"""""Scanner."""""
With my voice, blended the others' voices.
We all scanned to get an idea of the monster.
~~~~
[Boxing-Kangaroo]
-Rank: ☆☆☆
-Hybrid Mana Beast
-Weak Point: Pouch
~~~~
Shit…
It was going to be dangerous.
Not for them but for me!
Miranda could easily take on one but the problem was that they were five.
And the last one who seemed to be the leader…
~~~~
[Boxing-Kangaroo]
-Rank: ☆☆☆☆
-Natural Mana Beast
-Weak Point: Pouch
~~~~
A four star mana beast…
It was not a hybrid, so less aggressive, but since he was with four of his comrades, it wasn't the same thing.
-Swooosh!
Something flew at high speed next to me before heading toward the five kangaroos.
It was Miranda.
The leader kangaroo jumped in front of his fellows and punched.
-Booom!
His punch exploded the air and destroyed the arrow.
"..."
What the hell?
It was really a boxing-kangaroo…
"Fight the other three. We will take care of the four-star one."
Miranda said to her guards.
"Young Lady we can't-"
"It's an order."
Miranda cut off the guard and went with her friends toward the leader kangaroo.
What about me though?
"Hey kid."
"Y-Yeah?"
I was surprised when the guy who got rejected by Miranda called out to me.
He was a man in his mid-twenties wearing, like everyone, a black suit and useless sunglasses in a dark cave…
"You can defend yourself?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
"Is that your weapon?"
"Yeah."
I nodded when he pointed at the short sword I was wielding, but he seemed annoyed by something.
"If you are in danger, scream, we will save you, princess."
"..."
"Ahaaha, that was a good one, David!"
"Yes, nice one boss."
"As expected of boss."
"Our leader."
"My boss for you."
There was without doubt a vein bulging out on my forehead right now.
Were they really bodyguards?
That was what I thought when I saw the five bodyguards laughing together.
"It's coming!"
David's words made everyone stop laughing and face the four opponents.
"Don't forget guys. No elemental or big-scale attacks! We are in a cave. The ceiling could bury us alive easily!"
""""Yes!""""
Well, at least that David was smart enough to understand the basics in a closed place like that. It was too late to run away to a better place anyway, so we had to fight carefully here.
They all fought together the kangaroos expect David, who took one alone. The five of them were fighting with swords and clashed against the kangaroos' claws. There was a fierce fight happening in front of me.
The kangaroos were fast but it didn't bother a bit the bodyguards, David, even more. He was dealing easily with the kangaroo he was against. Pretty sure he could have fought the leader, Miranda and the others were fighting.
-Yipe! Yipe!
David skillfully swung his sword and already dealt several cuts to the kangourou's thick skin. It was just a matter of time before he killed it.
As for his mates, they were an advantage. It was just a matter of time.
I looked at Miranda's group and they were doing well as well against the leader. It was clearly not the first time they had been fighting in a team. They were backing each other and helping each other like professionals.
I was worried for nothing-
-YIPEEEEEE!
Fuck!
It nearly destroyed my eardrums!
I turned around and saw the kangaroo right in front of me…
[Amael!]
No wonder I could hear his cry that close.
It had the same big body as the four-star kangaroo Miranda was fighting.
"Brat! What are you doing?!"
[<Amael!!!>]
"!"
I moved my frozen body to jump back but it was too late.
I saw in slow motion the clawed hand of the kangaroo reaching my stomach.
-Spurt!
"Cough!"
I spat a mouthful of blood and flew like a bullet at the other end of the cavern.
-Boom!
"Aghh!"
My body was embedded in the wall and blood flowed down from every pore of my body.
F-Fuck…
It freaking hurt…
I continued to spit blood.
Tears of pain started to flow out, blurring my vision.
[<Ama->]
I could barely hear Cleenah's voice.
Ah, shit.
I was just stupidly staring at that kangaroo as if I was still on my sofa with a controller.
The only goodside is that I endured worse when I made the death pact.
"Ah…"
No good.
I'm losing consciousness…
My eyelids felt heavy…
That damn mask as well. I couldn't breathe properly because of it.
"Hang on!"
"Ah?"
"Drink!"
-Crack!
Ah, I couldn't feel the mask on my mouth anymore.
I could hear the faint voice of someone and following that something hard entered my mouth.
-Gulp!
I already felt my injuries healing thanks to that.
Has that person broken my mask in half to make me drink that?
Well, I had really glued the mask on my face to avoid any cliché face reveal like in novels after all, so she had no choice to break it.
By the way, can that person give me a sleeping pill? I'm tired. I want to sleep.
[<Amael! Wake up! This is not the time to rave!>]
"!"
I felt a sudden spark in my body and it completely woke me up.
"AHHH!"
I breathed out heavily.
"Hey! Are you alright?!"
That voice.
I opened my eyes and saw a pair of tangerine eyes staring at me.
Miranda.
What the hell was she doing?
"Hey! Can you see me?! Look at me!"
Though she said that, I can't look at her right now.
I was looking behind her.
The kangaroo that punched me was rushing right behind her.
I raised my hand and used the little strength in me to push Miranda away.
"He-"
-Whoosh!
The kangaroo's thick tail hit the void.
-Thud!
I got myself off the wall and fell on my knees.
My breathing was ragged.
My strength was recovering but slowly.
My whole body was numb.
-Yipe!
I raised my gaze painfully and saw the kangaroo with its foot raised.
[<Dodge!>]
Shit!
I tried to roll on the ground but I wasn't going to make it in time.
-Whooosh!
-Boom!
A powerful green arrow struck the kangaroo right in its body before sending a gust of wind that sent me rolling away.
Using both my hands on the ground, I raised my body and saw Miranda with her dark-green disheveled hair fighting head-on the kangaroo.
She deserved her title as genius. Her way of fighting was so unique that it mesmerized me. No wonder Edward told her she was beautiful with a bow. He was an ass*ole but he at least said one good thing in his life.
She was dodging and firing arrow after arrow at the kangaroo's weak point, the pouch. Even at her disadvantage, as she was near the kangaroo with a long-ranged weapon, she was still holding her ground. Without using her elemental as well, it could destroy the cavern after all.
She needed help. The kangaroo was slowly but surely closing the distance. I doubted Miranda could fight at a hundred percent in such a place. She would never risk the lives of her friends and bodyguards.
I looked at her friends but they were all three of them busy with the other four-star kangaroo.With Miranda gone, it was more difficult.
As for the bodyguards, two of them were knocked out…
Probably the kangaroo that struck me attacked them right after.
David and his two mates were fighting the four 3-star kangaroos. Still, they were throwing glances at Miranda, worried about her.
[<Amael.>]
"What!"
I raised my tone, in both anxiety and powerlessness.
[<Do you recall what Goddess I am? I told you a week ago.>]
"Cleenah, this is not-"
[<Answer! You want to help her?! Then answer!>]
Before I let out my anger again, she cut me off.
I gritted my teeth and spoke.
"The Goddess of beauty…"
I wiped the blood dripping from my lips and stood up.
"...and the Goddess-Queen reigning over Banshees."