Chapter 18 Hook It

The early morning sun filtered through the trees, casting long shadows over the forest floor. Reika stirred awake first, her nose catching the tantalizing aroma of cooking meat. Stretching slightly, she turned to see Alessandra, still lying beside her. Yumi was clinging tightly to Alessandra’s arm, her face buried against it, drooling slightly.

In her sleep, Yumi murmured, “Grandma, I want seconds…” before blinking awake, her eyes fluttering open. She sat up abruptly, realizing the situation. “W-What?!” she stammered, quickly wiping her mouth.

The three of them turned toward the source of the smell. Near the now-smoldering bonfire, Iryoku was fully geared, tending to a roasting wild hog skewered on a makeshift spit. Rhogan, the spirit rhino, grazed lazily a few paces away, his massive frame blending into the forest backdrop.

“Morning, sunshines,” Iryoku greeted with a grin, glancing over his shoulder.

Alessandra stretched as she rose, brushing dirt from her body. “Are you feeling okay now?” she asked, her tone carrying a mix of concern and sternness.

Iryoku waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t sweat it. Everything’s fine. I went out and caught this guy earlier.” He gestured toward the roasting hog. “You girls like pork?”

The three shared a smile before moving closer to the fire. They ate in companionable silence, the fresh meat rejuvenating their spirits.

After finishing the meal, they packed up and began their trek back toward the area where they had faced Léon and the mandrills. Iryoku initially suggested going alone, but the girls quickly shot him down, their collective frustration with his lone wolf tendencies bubbling over.

“Enough of your solo hero nonsense,” Alessandra said firmly. “We’re a team. Deal with it.”

As they approached the site, Iryoku motioned for them to halt. He crouched and signaled Yumi to climb onto his back.

“Why me?” Yumi protested, but she complied, albeit reluctantly. Iryoku hoisted her easily and began climbing a tall tree, smirking slightly as he felt her boobs pressing against his back.

Once they reached a sturdy branch, Iryoku grinned. “What do your elf eyes see?” he asked playfully.

Yumi blinked in confusion. “What? I’m not an elf,” she retorted, shading her eyes with one hand to scan the horizon. After a moment, she added, “I don’t see any monkeys.”

“Good enough,” Iryoku replied with a chuckle before they descended.

Rejoining the group, they cautiously moved closer to the clearing. Iryoku paused, his senses attuned to their surroundings. “I don’t feel any enemies nearby,” he said, his voice low.

Rhogan behind them let out a low growl, as if agreeing with him.

The group stepped into the clearing, finding the remnants of the battle. Léon’s body lay dismembered, reduced to mostly bones. The sight was grotesque, and the stench was overwhelming.

“Stay back,” Iryoku warned, his tone serious.

Alessandra shook her head, stepping forward. “Iryoku, stop trying to shield us from everything. If we’re going to survive here, we need to be able to handle this.”

Yumi and Reika followed reluctantly, their faces pale but determined. As they neared the remains, their stomachs churned, but they managed to hold back the urge to vomit.

“How could he end up like this so quickly?” Reika asked, her voice trembling. “Did the mandrills eat him to the bone?”

Crouching near the remains, Iryoku examined the scene. “Probably,” he replied. “There were a lot of them.” He rummaged through the tattered remnants of Léon’s belongings, eventually finding a small pouch of coins, which he handed to Reika. Yumi discovered Léon’s sword nearby and brought it to the group.

Iryoku inspected the weapon carefully, mimicking the defensive stance Léon had used during their fight. However, no light or energy emanated from the blade. Frowning, he passed it to the girls. “Maybe it wasn’t the sword. Maybe it was his skill.”

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Alessandra studied the blade, nodding thoughtfully. “Whatever it was, it was a powerful technique.”

“Maybe he was just really fast,” Yumi suggested, her brow furrowing.

“Something like that,” Iryoku agreed. “He could parry and deflect almost anything, even the giant mandrill’s strongest attacks. But his counterattacks weren’t as fast. If they had been, we’d all be dead. He could also detect danger like me, but he couldn’t see in the dark.”

They entered the cave together in formation with Rhogan and Alessandra took the lead, her shield and mace forming an impenetrable wall. Yumi followed with her bow and arrow at the ready, Reika illuminated the path with her magic, and Iryoku brought up the rear with his twin daggers.

As they ventured further, the sight of fallen henchmen came into view. Reika hesitated, her voice soft and uncertain as she asked, “What... happened here?”

Iryoku looked at the bones and said in a serious voice, “It was them or us. Don’t dwell on it. Remember our objective.”

They recovered what they could—mostly money—but the weapons and armor were either too damaged or impractical to carry.

Deeper inside, they came across chains and crude cages, the air thick with a foul stench that hinted at the horrific purpose these items had once served. The passage eventually ended in a dead end, leaving them with no choice but to retrace their steps and head back toward the town.

As they walked, Reika remarked, “So, the demon sighting was just a ruse.” Alessandra and Yumi glanced around, their tense expressions easing. “Thank goodness,” Yumi said with a sigh, and Alessandra nodded, her demeanor visibly less worried.

On the way back, Iryoku suddenly stopped, a thought crossing his mind. He turned to Yumi and asked, "Shorty, what happened to the scumbags that jerk sent after you?"

Yumi bristled at being called "Shorty" and was about to snap back, but the mention of the attackers made her pause.

"I forgot," Yumi admitted before gesturing ahead. "Come this way."

As they walked, Yumi explained, "When I was following you yesterday, two guys with swords came after me. They attacked me, but thanks to Rhogan and our combined effort, we managed to capture them."

Iryoku smirked and playfully ruffled Yumi's hair. "Being a shorty really helped—they got overconfident."

Yumi didn’t push his hand away but pouted, her cheeks turning pink. "Don’t call me shorty," she muttered.

Alessandra and Reika exchanged glances, noticing the subtle change in Yumi's demeanor. Reika quipped, "Since when did you two get so close?"

Yumi's face flushed even more, and she quickly pushed Iryoku's hand away, stammering in denial. "That’s… no… I…!" She looked flustered and panicked.

Alessandra smiled warmly at her. "I think you've improved, Yumi. You used to be so closed off. You hardly talked to anyone, especially not to guys." Her words were genuine, though Alessandra couldn't help but feel a small, unspoken emotion stirring within her.

Yumi glanced between the two girls before nervously shifting her gaze to the side, sneaking a peek at Iryoku. He was watching her with a mischievous grin. He winked at her, and Yumi's cheeks turned an even deeper shade of red.

Yumi cleared her throat, trying to change the subject. "Like I was saying, we beat the two evildoers, and I tied them up with a rope," she said proudly.

Iryoku suddenly remembered. "Oh, right, the rope—"

He hadn’t finished speaking when they arrived at the spot where Yumi had left the men. To her shock, only the rope remained. The men were gone.

The group immediately shifted into defensive positions, scanning the area. But after a thorough search, they found nothing.

"Do you think they might attack us on the way back to town?" Alessandra asked, her grip tightening on her weapon.

"Probably," Reika replied grimly. "We don’t know if they have reinforcements."

Iryoku frowned, turning to Yumi. "Where’s the carriage?"

Yumi’s expression brightened at his use of her name. "Don’t worry," she said proudly. "I left it in a safe place outside the town."

"Nice job, Yumi," Alessandra added with an approving nod.

Yumi felt proud at the praise as she led them to a dense area of bushes. "It’s right here," she said, pulling aside some branches. Hidden beneath a pile of foliage, they found the carriage, still intact. Wasting no time, they quickly strapped it to Rhogan and resumed their journey, taking an alternate route to avoid any potential encounters with Léon’s remaining men.

In a secluded part of the town of Venshira, two men knelt on the floor, their bodies bearing marks from bindings. They were positioned in front of a large, muscular man with a bald head, lounging casually on a sofa. Despite his relaxed posture, his presence was intimidating. On his right arm, a tattoo of a cat wearing a cavalier’s hat stood out prominently.

"Now, repeat what you just said," the man commanded, his voice calm but laced with authority.

One of the henchmen spoke up nervously. "We went back to the base outside of town, and it was full of monsters. Mr. Léon and the rest of our people… they’re all dead, sir."

The other man hesitated before adding, "I think it was that short girl who tied us up... and her group."

The large man’s demeanor shifted in an instant. His fist slammed onto the nearby table, splitting it with a deafening crack. "Damn it! The boss won’t like this!" he growled, his frustration boiling over. "I only came here to check on that brat’s faction."

After a moment, he paused, his tone softening but still sharp with menace. "Even though I never liked that brat, he was still one of us."

Rising to his feet, he placed a heavy hand on each man’s shoulder, his grip firm and unyielding as he leaned in closer. "Now, tell me everything," he said in a low, menacing tone that sent a chill down their spines.