CHAPTER 410: ARC 6, CHAPTER 26: DUNGEONS & DELVERS

"DUFF!"

Dust puffed off of the wall as it was sealed shut from ceiling to floor, with but one path ahead. With her legs widened and firm on the ground, she glanced around, "You alright detective?"

Fumeko dispelled the shadows attached on the underside of her shoes. She examined the ashlar walls and took in the sudden stale air, "Yeah, yeah. This is just peachy, we’re separated."

Jotou walked up to the back wall and knocked on it, "It’s kinda like a living dungeon. It learns and makes up challenges—I wonder if it can adapt."

"Even if it can, we don’t need to worry about other parties for now, so looks your paranoia was for nothing," Fumeko replied, placing her hands against the walls.

"I’m more so worried about the other three."

"Aru knows about adventuring and all that, I’m sure she’ll be fine. Sobi and Tiff... I see your point," she walked further ahead. "So what now?"

Jotou looked at the end of the short hallway to notice the door at the other end. "No use worrying about them now. Let’s solve this place and get out of here quickly. Nobody said anything about not being able to re-enter the labyrinth within eight hours."

"You act like we could find them even if we do go back," Fumeko crossed her arms and examined the wooden door with a simple keyhole and a few bars to view out of. She then looked up to the ceiling, realizing the dim magical light was barely enough.

Jotou sparked her hand, providing a bit more light, "I was just pointing out a loophole. Think you can unlock it Meko?"

"I don’t think it’s locked, I think it might be some trap. I could just blink to the other side of the door, but I don’t think a hairpin’s gonna crack this one. I don’t even wear them anymore," she pinched some of her hair.

"Well, we tried to solve it," Jotou shrugged and moved aside with an ’after you’ motion to the brunette.

"Hm," Fumeko shared the shrug and pulled out her dagger to carve around the lock of the door. With several noisy scrapes through the wood, the door slowly swung open while a chunk of the door with the keyhole remained locked to the side of the wall.

With that, both of them waltzed through the door.

_

"You w-wouldn’t happen to know what to do in a l-labyrinth would you?"

"No, not really. This is my first time in one," Asobi held her wand up with a light as her and Tiffany traversed through what felt like endless hallways of lefts and rights.

Tiffany tightened her lips, her brows furrowing a little. Her one eye darted to half-glare at the elf taller than her. She let out a subtle grunt and eyed ahead.

"You aren’t talking all fancy?" Asobi tried to converse.

"What’s the point, it’s not like y-you understand," the blonde told. She then hushed only to herself, "Understand any of what I do. Everyone gets separated and I’m left with the fool."

"Hm? You said something else," Asobi turned to face.

"J-just talking to myself, nothing to w-worry about."

"Hey I have an idea!"

"What."

"Can’t you do your bat thing and let out cool echoes to find out what’s in front of us?"

"I already d-did that, were you not l-looking? My echoes are all wonky, it’s not working. It’s like t-the bloody walls are moving."

"If the walls were moving we’d see or hear it, right?" Asobi peered around the corner.

"I said like the walls are moving—the walls are fine; my m-magic on the other hand," Tiffany sighed.

The raven-haired woman stopped walking and tilted her head, "Are you feeling okay?"

"What do you mean?" Tiffany continued searching for the way out or some form of treasure.

Asobi followed suit, "Hmm, if someone’s spells go kaput, it’s usually cause they’re not feeling too well."

"I feel fine. Though, I’m not sure there’re t-things to f-feel great about in this moment," the eccentric blonde crossed her arms and was met with another wall in front of her face.

"You said you wanted to be an adventurer. This is what adventurers do," Asobi beamed and picked another path to skip into. "We’re not in danger, it’s just a maze. Plus, I have my spectacular tricks and you have your astounding war cry!"

"...Yeah, I agree, we’re not in immediate danger," Tiffany admitted.

"But there’s still something bothering you," Asobi stated with a simple smile.

Tiffany shifted her head away and fell silent.

"I might not understand all the things you say all the time, but I can certainly try. If there’s something bothering you, I don’t think you’re gonna get a more private place than this," the elf glanced up to the ceiling.

"..."

"Trust me, it’s not better to ignore problems. I promise to keep it secret," Asobi whispered.

Tiffany’s lips wriggled, her eye slanting down in contemplation...

_

"Are you hurt young maiden?" an armoured hand reached down.

Hotaru looked up, "Uh, no, I’m fine," she rubbed her lower back a little from having fallen. Her tail flicked left and right as she got up using the aid of his hand. She dusted off her attire, "Looks like we got separated."

"No kidding," the man adorned in bright red armour looked around. "It’s how the dungeon’s decided to load this time I guess."

The redhead noticed the dim light and straight hallway. "I take it you’ve done this plenty of times."

"Every month since I heard about it. Not to brag though, but I’ve got plenty of experience with diving into dungeons—it’s a breeze for me," his words were accentuated by his hands and arms shifting with the armour.

Hotaru’s ears pricked, "Hang on, are you the Scorching Inferno?"

He extended his arm out and hooked the wolf-girl by the shoulder, "In the flesh. So just stick with me babe, I’ll get you through this~" he said, leaning lower to match her height.

The redhead furrowed her brows and wedged her arms in between them, against his armour and pushed herself out and away.

She then took a few more cautious steps away, "I may not have a lot of experience in labyrinths and dungeons, but I’m perfectly capable of handling myself thank you."

The armoured man seemed to take a pause before replying, "Well duh. But it’s clearly made for two people to get through, so we gotta work together here."

"I suppose. Hopefully the rest of my party’s fine."

"They’ll be fine," the man waved away. "I know my party’s doing the best. Quite the team I have," he chuckled to himself.

"Uh huh, that’s great... Shall we then?"

"After you my lady," he tipped his armoured head down.

Hotaru was already walking before he said anything. She murmured to herself, "Would’ve been more enjoyable to do this with people I know."

"Hey so," the clanking of armour caught up to her, "You know me, right? You want like an autograph or?"

"I humbly decline. But if possible, could we arrange a meeting between my party and yourself? There are things they want to ask you regarding a case from last year."

"Well you can ask away babe, I’ll be an open book. What about just you and me after we get outta here—some dinner too?"

Hotaru walked along with a princess-like posture and side-eyed the one accompanying her, "I’m not the one with the questions, they’ll know what to ask. And I’m taken, so you can stop it."

"Oh, who’s the taker?" the two were walking into some maze-like path.

Hotaru turned her head to face him, "The Thundering Blade, so if you really want to try something, you can go on ahead," she bared her fangs.

"Huhh, feel like I’ve heard that somewhere before," he pondered before shrugging it off. "Look whoever he is, I’m sure I’m way better than him and can beat him in a fight, easy."

Hotaru blankly stared for a moment. "Please, by all means. I’m sure she’ll be delighted to hear what you have to say."

"Wait, she?" the man came to a halt. "Oh you’re into girls; sorry, I take it back then," he raised his hands and backed off a little bit.

Her ears flickered and her eyes squinted ever so slightly. "Yes, we’ll go with that. In any case Mr Scorching Inferno, the arrangement is yet to be finalized. My party wants to talk to you, do you accept? It can be considered a verbal contract."

"Yeah, sure, whatever," the armoured man walked past her with a hand behind his head.

"Alright then..." Hotaru walked along ahead-

"Chf!" The tip of her foot caught on something. Right as she did, a metallic arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her forward just before anything occured.

"TF! CHK! PFF!" Three large bolts fired from a barely visible seam in the wall and shot into the other side.

"Tripwire—come on, that’s an easy one," the Scorching Inferno uttered while holding on to her.

Hotaru let out a breath of relief and shifted herself away from him. "Maybe warn me?" her tail spiked.

"Yeah I’ll keep that in mind," he replied without a care and kept moving ahead.

"Yeesh," she shook her head and followed.