*Yawn*
Mateo wakes up early and looks on the surroundings. As usual, his friends are still sleeping so he spends time by preparing their breakfast.
Mateo opens his huge Bag of Storage and brings out a bag of rice and also the gas stove and thick stainless pot. He prepares to cook the rice and after that, Mateo brings out 5 canned food.
As he waits for the rice to cook. Mateo looks at his phone and unlike before where they're just guessing, he finally sees the date and from what he saw in the screen, they're already spent 21 days unlike his previous estimate.
After 30 minutes, the rice is finally cooked and now he brings out a kettle, pours water from the plastic gallon he also brings with him and put it in the stove.
......
"Hmmmfff." Beltrand wakes up after smelling a very unfamiliar smell.
"Hmmmm... Morning already?" Shirna wakes up.
"Uhm... What is this smell?" Sophia also wakes up followed by Claustrine who recognized the smell.
After stretching, yawning and rubbing their eyes. Everyone looks on Mateo who just look at them while sipping on his mug.
"What are you drinking?" Shirna asked.
Instead of answering, Mateo offers his mug and everyone sees a very dark and hot liquid with a very strong fragrant aroma.
"I'm surprised you also bring coffee with you." Claustrine said.
"If you just know how I try to not drink coffee when we're in a missions." Mateo's small rant then he smiles.
"Can I try it?" Sophia is curious.
"Sure."
Mateo offers his mug and Shirna holds it and take a sip, only for her to spit it out quickly.
"B-b-bitter!!!" Sophia screams.
After seeing Sophia's reaction. Shirna and Bertrand also takes a sip on the coffee only to give a mixed reaction.
"Why you drinking perfume?" Bertrand honestly asked.
"That's not perfume though." Mateo's short answer.
"Hmmm... Very interesting..." Shirna's opinion as he looks on the dark coffee.
"I guess black coffee is too strong for you guys. Then how about this?" Mateo says then gives 3-and-1 instant coffee to everyone.
Shirna, Beltrand and Sophia are perplexed on the images in the coffee packs. They can't comprehend the realism of images of the mug, the hand, the mysterious black beans, and unknown language that it can easily beat the realistic paintings of aristocrats.
Mateo gives the instruction on how to prepare the packets. After some time. Shirna choose a Choco Coffee, Beltrand picks Brown Coffee, while Sophia and Claustrine picks the Blanca. The smell is really inticing for the four so they simultanously takes a sip.
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"!!!!!!"
Beltrand, Sophia and Shirna's eyes widen when the unfamliar bitter-sweet flavor gushes into their mouth.
"What in the goddess name is this!? Its amazing!" Sophia is amazed.
"How this drink have a Smoky, nutty and Earthy flavor to it?" Shirna asked.
"I like this drink. For some reason it gives me energy!" Bertrand said like he's slowly getting fired up.
Claustrine just enjoy the taste the coffee. She already drink the same flavor when she visits Mateo's world. But her curiousity really makes him want to try the other flavor the others drinking. So she looks on Shirna's drink.
"Shirna wanna swap drinks?"
Shirna, also curious on the different coffee accepts Claustrine's offer. After both takes a sip, the two are again surprised.
"Wow. This one is creamy with unusual sweetness." Shirna commented.
"Wait a minute. Is this... Chocolate? I thought you give us coffee?."
"Chocolate? What is Chocolate?" Shirna asked.
"It's a very special kind of candy on Mateo's world. It's sweet, mellow and groundy." Claustrine explained.
"I see. Now I want to try the real thing." Shirna said
Sophia and Bertrand also drinks the chocolate coffee.
"This taste nice... It's bitter-sweet." Beltrand commented.
Mateo just watch while drinking his coffee as the four exchanges their coffee until they finish their cups and visibly more awake.
"I'm surprised that Bertrand's drink is so simple." Sophia said.
"Well. There's also charm in simplicity." Beltrand answers.
"Anyway. What are these things exactly?" Shirna asked while pointing on the packet of instant coffee he holding.
"Those are called coffee. A very popular drink in my world."
"But why there's so many variations if its just the same? And it's not like tea that not really that different to each other." Sophia asked. Claustrine flinch a little. As a avid tea drinker herself, she can't accept how Sophia is so wrong.
Mateo gathers all the instant coffee packets. Mateo places the packet of instant black coffee.
"This is the base coffee, the one I drinking earlier. Pretty much the purest form. Well there's also variations but in general, this is the common coffee."
Mateo then places the other packets around the black coffee packet.
"And these are pretty much coffee combined with other ingredients. This is Chocolate coffee, this one is Coffee heavy with milk and creamer thus the creamy taste, and this one is brown coffee with only little creamer added and with brown sugar." Mateo explained.
"Is Coffee a plant?" Shirna asked as he see what looks like beans.
"Yup."
"These things must be expensive especially the chocolate one." Beltrand asked.
"Ah. These are just consumer products."
"Consumer products?"
"Pretty much everyone can buy it. But fancy and expensive coffee are also sold in exclusive coffee shops."
"Ah." Beltrand shuts down for a moment when the concept of what they drink earlier are just easily available for commoners.
"Oy Mateo."
Claustrine is looking on Mateo with curiousity on her eyes.
"Let me guess. About the coffee shops rights?" Mateo asked as he already guessed what caught Claustrine's ears.
"Exactly. Why we didn't visit a coffee shop when I visit your world?"
"Well... I'm not really fan of those expensive coffees so I didn't even bother." Mateo says his side.
"But now you mentioned a fancier versions of these so called coffee. You need to bring us on a coffee shop." Sophia's order. Her eyes sparkles with excitement. Followed by Claustrine and Shirna. The three look on Mateo with puppy eyes which just make him sigh.
"Fine fine. We going to visit a coffee shop."
"Nice!" The three high five each other.
Beltrand returns to his senses and notices what looks like a thick metal pot. He opens it and steam with fagrant smell rushes on his face. Then he saw what looks like small white grains sticking to each other.
"Mateo. What is this?" Beltrand asked.
"Oh... That's rice. A staple food."
"Food? This is food?" Beltrand asked then she picks a spoon and scoops a mouthful then takes a bite.
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"Thats not how you eat that." Claustrine said as she already know what rice is.
"How is this food if it doesn't even have a flavor?" Beltrand asked.
"Because you supposed to partner it with a flavorful food. Like how bread is partnered with soup." Mateo's answer.
"Now I get it. But how we supposed to find food like meat or anything that we can partner with this so called rice?" Bertrand asked.
"Don't worry. I got you covered."
Mateo brings out five cans of pre-made food. The flavors are Kaldereta, Adobo, Spicy tuna flakes, Menudo and Bicol express.
"Pick anything you want."
At first, the four can't decide as the photos of the unknown food in the can are all appatizing but after some time, they finally picks their choices.
Mateo then teaches them how to open the easy-open can. Everyone follows Mateo and pours the content of their cans on the bowls they already put rice on. Their reaction is anticipation.
Then they scoop a mouthful with their spoons and they give the new food a taste test.
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"!!!!!"
Just like the coffee. The four is also surprised on the explosive flavor.
"Amazing..." Sophia's only word then she proceeds to take another bite.
"What is this hot sensation!? It's stings a bit yet it only makes my appatite stronger!" Beltrand says as he was eating vigorously.
"You also feel some hot and stingy feeling!? But mine is for some reason are also have creamy flavor to it." Shirna's reaction.
Claustrine meanwhile have an different reaction. For some reason, she feels like what the adobo she eat is different from what Ligaya cooks for them before she leave Earth. It taste inferior for her.
"It's different." Claustrine said.
"What do you mean it's different?" Shirna asked, curious on why Claustrine say such thing on the unique food.
"Not gonna lie. It's tasty but its just so different from the real deal." Claustrine said.
"Wait a minute!? The real deal!? Are you saying that we eating right now is fake!? I don't understand." Beltrand is confused.
"Yeah... it doesn't make sense." Sophia agrees.
"Well. What Claustrine said is slightly true. I mean, those are not really fake and it surely copy the flavor of the original dish. But..."
Shirna, Sophia and Bertrand just looked at Mateo with curiousity while continuing to eat their food.
"Except from the one Beltrand pick. The real deal dishes uses meat especially pork instead of fish."
"This is fish?" Shirna asked.
"Yup?"
"I see. When I take a closer look. It really looks like shredded fish. And also the texture." Sophia says.
"Then if the meat is the only thing thats changed, then what's the difference?" Bertrand asked.
"Maybe because on the way how canned food works."
"Canned? You mean this circular thing?" Sophia asked while pointing on the empty can in the ground.
"Yes. Canned food is pretty much designed for preservation by adding aditional ingredients to make it stay good longer and putting it on a sealed and heat treated containers in exchange of changing its flavor a little bit."
"Preservation? Wait a minute. How long these things last?" Beltrand asked.
"Depending on the type of food and the location it was stored while not opened. The shortest would last for 18 months and longest can last for 2-5 years."
"I-I see..." Beltrand's short answer.
But his mind are already flooded on how it can change so many aspects of life. Especially Exploration and War.
Beltrand remembers that the only way for sailors, adventurers and soldiers to store food is to either salt and dry them or to create some sort of insulated room and bring a mage specialized in ice magic with them so it can summon ice that they can used to preserve the food inside the room. But not only that the job of preserving food by constantly casting magic really takes a toll on a mage body due to magic restrictions but also only relying in salted and dried food for days really makes everyone sick.
If such food preservation exist in his world. So many things would happen drasticly that can change humanity forever.
"H-how you even manage to get these so called Canned foods? From how you described it, it must be an exclusive army rations or very expensive expedition supply." Beltrand asked.
"Oh. Canned foods is also available for common people. But expensive ones also exist."
"You know what Mateo. I'm starting to get scared on your world." Beltrand's honest opinion.
"To be honest, we should really become scared on Mateo's world. Even with my short time staying there, I'm already flooded with so many things like wagons running without horse and equipment powered by lightning and all of them are not magic." Claustrine's explanation.
"But we also have some similar things powered by magic." Sophia asked as she remembers the some equipment like lights powered by arcane stones and the dimension storage they use everyday are similar to the battery powered lamp they used.
"I think what you thinking is not even comparable on the things about Mateo's world that we didn't even know yet. Like the smart phone for example." Claustrine's answer.
"And all of it are not even powered or created using magic." Shirna's reaffirmation.
"Guys we need to hurry and continue the journey. We can continue the talk later." Mateo's order.
"Sure. But promise us that we going to eat the real thing these canned food is based off." Beltrand said followed by a cheeky smile.
"Oh he's right! If the real deal is more delicious than this. Then we need to try them especially if its a food unique to your world!" Shirna's excitement.
"Just want to remind you Mateo. There's no turning back now." Claustrine smugly said.
Mateo just sigh and scratch his head.
"Geez. Fine."
Grand Ecstasy finishes their breakfast and after cleaning the surroundings. The party continues the journey.
But as the party walks while talking to each other. A small shadowy figure is following them. Effortly hiding itself on the darkness of the cave.
~~~~~°~~~~~
Gilmore is running away and behind him is what look likes a huge dark cloud. But in closer look, the dark cloud is turned out to be a swarm of Colony bees flying with murderous intent.
Earlier, Gilmore kills numerous beasts and few Apex like Apex Octosnaka and Falcrax but unfortunately, Gilmore encounter a flying fortress resting on ground. Sensing a nearby danger, the Flying Fortress sends thousnads of its soldiers to attack the intruder.
Gilmore being a skirmisher specialized on swift and low density fights, doesn't have any arsenals to deal a swarm of enemies, especially Flying Fortress that requires numerous specialized people to defeat. So Gilmore just run and looks like no monster dares to intercepts his escape. Maybe the other beast also knows the dangers of the swarm as it shows when few unfortunate critters are caught on the swarm and for just seconds, the critters are dead with numerous stab wounds.
Gilmore sees hope in form of the entrance to Layer 7. He put most of his strenght to his legs and made an agressive dash to the entrance. Gilmore enters the open entrance with no issue and while catching his breath, just watch the drone bees do a full stop. After few seconds of confusion, the Drone Bees leave and returns to their mothership.
"That's a close one." Gilmore said. He pulls a water canister from his Bag of Storage and drinks a lot before going down on the spiraling stairs.
While traversing the staircase, he encountered an adventurers party of 3. From their looks, Gilmore quickly understood the trials the three endured. Escaping all of the rampaging beasts with low hope survival.
"Hello." Gilmore greets the three who just wave their hand effortlessly due to exhaustion.
But the dual wielder swordsman notices the Adventurers tag hanging on Gilmore's coat. His demeanor changes and seems like hope starts to appear on his eyes.
"Sir! Help us!" The swordsman begs.
"Hey what's wrong with you." The teenage lady cleric is confused on her leader's demeanor.
"Sir you're a Platinum rank right?! You must be sent here along with others!" The swordsman asked.
"Really?!" The lady Archer gets excited alongside the Cleric.
Gilmore feels hurt after hearing the expectations of the adventurers but he wants to tell them the truth in non damaging way.
"All of you must be exhausted so I am. Perhaps we should rest a little bit?"
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"I don't understand what just happened. Suddenly, we encountered numerous Apex beast, also the other beast starts to act agressively." The swordsman said with a grave seriousness on his face.
The four sits on the steps of the spiral starcase.
"We barely escaped all of the encounters and we already used our resources trying to survive Layer 7. We don't even know if we even have a chance to survive and enscape Layer 6 on the way to Layer 5." The lady Archer explained. The fear still lingers on her.
The Cleric starts to sob.
"We're supposedly escaped with the other party but they got brutally killed by an Apex White Stalker." Lady Archer said with a pain on her voice.
"I-I don't understand! Why there's so many Apex suddenly appears?! It's supposedly impossible to happen right?!"
The swordsman clenches his fist.
Gilmore stands up and prepares the bad news.
"I wan't to tell the truth to you guys. But, there's no search party created yet."
The three adventurer's hope sunks rock bottom. They wan't to believe that whatever Gilmore said is just a joke.
"Y-y-you're joking right?" The swordsman said.
"I wish I was lying but thats the painful truth. I was sent here to investigate the recent irregularity in the tower."
Gilmore is not really lying. Learning the truth of the tower is also part of his mission but his main mission is to search and rescue or retrive the Grand Ecstasy.
The swordsman slams the nearby wall.
"Shit! We can't stay here any longer! Our supplies is non-existent and we're not strong enough to deal with those Apex beasts!"
Gilmore understands his wrath. He wish he can personally escort the party to safety but Gilmore can't waste more time if he want to save Grand Ecstasy. So he just do the only way to help with others which he already planned in advance.
Gilmore opens his Bag of Storage and picks a sizable package wrapped with paper and tied by strings. Then he give the package to the party.
"W-w-what's this?" The swordsman asked.
The Archer and Cleric is also curious.
"Everyone listen to me. That's a sizable food supplies that can make you last for 4 days or longer, depending on how you manage it. A walkable distance starting from the right side of the upper exit of this Staircase, theres a source of water you can fetch using your containers. I want the three of you to stay on this staircase as long as possible."
"F-for real!? But why we should stay here?"
"I already asked the Guard to sent an urgent report to the higher ups. And they might probably gathered powerful adventurers that the guild would sent here for extermination and rescue missions. So I want you to wait for them and whatever you do, don't go deeper to the jungles." Gilmore already explained.
"I-I understand!" The swordsman comes back to his senses after hearing Gilmores advice. If it came from a Platinum adventurer, then they can surely trust his verdicts.
"One more thing, there's a Flying Fortress currenty existing in Layer 6 so be careful especially encountering a scout bee. Just escape once you see one."
The three gulps after hearing the warning. Then nods in agreement on Gilmore's warning.
"Ok I need to go. I wish you good luck." Gilmore says his farewell then he walks down the stairs.
"THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" The three shouts their gratitude while waving their hands.
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Unfortunately for Gilmore. He was caught in a snow storm yet still, he continues to traverse the Bloody Landscape
But he suddenly stops when he notices a huge silhoutte in front of him. Gilmore is waiting, anticipating what the shadowy figure is trying to do.
But it turns out the silhoutte is also waiting for Gilmore to move. The two just stares to each othet until the snow storm slowly gets weaker.
An Apex White Stalker shows itself to Gilmore who is surprised but not because of its status as an Apex.
The Apex looks very damaged. Few chunks of flesh are missing on its body and also numerous sheets and shards of ice are visible on the Apex which looks really takes a toll to its body. Half of its face are still frozen and one of its limb is missing with a clumo of ice still intact to its place. Its tail is in complete mess with most of the sharp scales plucked out.
Gilmore is amazed to see something like that survive. But he's also scared a little bit on the the monster that manage to deal such injury.
Gilmore and the Apex eyes meet but they still continue to just observe each other. After 30 seconds of intimidating each other, the Apex White Stalker surrenders and leaves. It sense that their's no way for it to kill such formidable opponent. The beast is seen limping, the damage truly mess its body to not function properly.
Gilmore thinks that it might be the same Apex White Stalker that attack the adventurers he met earlier. But seeing that the Beast doesn't want to engage in any combat, gilmore also ignore it and just hope that the extermination team deals with it.
He proceeds to continue his journey but Gilmore is completely clueless and don't have any way to find Grand Ecstasy. Still, Gilmore is not losing hope as he don't want to waste the opportunity to investigate the Reverse Tower especially in such perfect circumstances.