Taking in the crisp morning air, Mia took a deep breath, letting out a satisfied breath “Finally.” She spoke, looking out into the first layer of the haunt, the familiar groups of young adventurers fighting low level monsters like goblins and slimes in the distance.
She was finally back after a month of being knocked out, her weakness was now gone, and she had a list of things she wanted to try out, and she even had her sister with her.
“Hehe.”
The laughter, not coming from her sister, but other kids that had arrived with them on the transport, ran past them while mocking Mia who was still being held in her sister’s arms.
“Ignore them Mia, we are going to show them what we can do.” Ria smiled “it will be just like back in the village, a simple hit in the head will get them to shut up.”
“…” she shook her head, she didn’t want it to get to that point. ‘Right, first thing.’ Mia had let Ria carry her to this point because this was the last time she was going to let her, as of now with her stats at 100%, she should easily be able to break out of her lower-level sister’s grasp. Not to say she did not like the sisterly attention but… it was getting a bit much.
She prepared herself, tensing up her muscles and with a push that was powered with her full 150 strength, she tried to escape ‘Sorry sis but we can’t battle like this!’ She pushed back, she could feel her sister’s arms move, this was it, with just one final push-!
She found herself still in her sister’s grasp.
“Huh?” she dangled in her arms as Ria walked in the haunt ‘why can’t I break out?’ she didn’t understand, 150 strength wasn’t anything to scoff at, right? For her, it was only that high because she got 50 stat points per level being a hero, she was led to believe most get 10…
’Ok, 15 levels isn’t a lot… what was her level?’ She knew it was lower than hers, but she didn’t recall Ria giving any specifics. She wanted to know, with her interest peaked she asked “Ria, what level ar-“but was interrupted as Ria shoved her status card in her face.
“This is a good spot, accept this~” Ria presented her card “just tap your card on it.”
“Right…” Mia took out her adventurer ID, tapping the card to Ria’s and reading it allowed “Would you like to join the party…Kit Nova?” she looked up at Ria puzzled “Kit?”
“Yeah, like foxes.” She said, her ears wiggling on top of her head “And nova because fire. We are fire foxes!” she proclaimed, looking particularly proud of the name.
‘…better than the last name.’ she sighed, hitting accept ‘hm. Speaking of…’ she wondered what ever happened to Roxie, she didn’t know her for long, but she did save her after that mishap. She wanted to at least thank her.
Mia didn’t have much of a chance to ponder it, as she was gently placed down by Ria, who started to stretch “OK Mia, you wanted to try something right?” Ria bent down, touching her toes then arching her back “We have to get lodging covered, so.” She knelt down, pointing to a few goblins in the distance, huddling next to a large hole in the stone ground.
“Hmn, magic.” Mia raised her hand, and with a bit of effort a blue flame appeared in her palm.
“Oh~ wait, when did you?” she shook her head “Is it that easy?” she questioned, kneeling and poking near it “Cold… is fire supposed to be cold?” she said, then laughed at herself “I mean, of course not.”
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“Bought it before we left.” Mia lied, “Mine is cold, title does it.” She made a ball of ice appear next to it, and willing the fire on top of it “Makes everything ice element…mostly?” she shrugged “don’t know how it works.” The fire was cold, and it wasn’t burning her nor melting her ice, but she had no idea if that was because it was her that was casting it or something else entirely.
With her water magic she’d still get wet, with anything touching it getting chilled including herself, she’d just had resistance to it. With this fire she’d just need to shoot it at something.
She faced the goblin’s in the distance, raising the fire towards them, the fire blazing in her hand ‘already easier than water… the power of affinity.’ She narrowed her eyes, with her ice she could hit them at this distance, with fire… only one way to find out, and she had the mana to spare.
She flicked her wrist, sending the small flame hurdling towards its target, landing a direct hit on the goblin’s waist ‘Was aiming for the head… but I hit.’ The control was a bit hard, but nowhere near water.
“Oh! You hit it!” Ria shouted, her hand clutching her wrist, she had apparently been trying to conjure up some fire while Mia was aiming.
The two watched as the flame grew, the goblin taking notice and panicking, patting it down and managing to put out the fire, its green skin marked purple wherever the fire had touched “Gaw, gaw!” the goblin yelled, clutching its now purple hand while the others laughed at their companion.
“Hrm, didn’t kill it.” Ria pouted “Wonder how much damage that did? Looks in pain.”
“Level 1” Mia mused “Did it burn?” She wanted to get closer to see, but it looked like the goblins had noticed them, their weapons drawn they screamed, rushing towards the two. Mia prepared another spell, but paused, glancing over to her sister after hearing her unsheathing her sword.
“My turn.” Ria dashed forward, stealing the march on her sister. She spun around and stuck her tongue out at Mia “Let me show you what big sis can do!” She then flipped forward, facing the group of four goblins.
Mia lowered her hand, conceding “fine.” Then made a chair out of ice behind her and plopped down in it, taking out a piece of jerky she got from the inn.
Ria stopped a step away from the goblins, letting one swing at her before kicking off the ground, flying over its head and lopping it clean off, landing in between the two “Did you see tha- hey no fair!” Ria yelled, seeing the comfortable state her sister was in “-Whoops!”
The goblins did not miss the chance and attacked, their weapons swinging down on Ria in unison. Ria slid under one of the goblins, cutting their heel causing them to drop to one knee, Ria delivering the finishing blow by stabbing them in the back and kicking the new corpse towards one of their companions, knocking them off balance.
“Gaw Gaw!?” The goblin looked back to his companion and the deceased, confused and frightened at how they were being overwhelmed, it snapped back to Ria, not seeing her it looked around. It felt a chill, then looked down and saw Ria “Gwah!!”
Ria had knelt down to get as close to the ground as she could, then with her sword in both hands she sliced into the goblin’s crotch and brought her sword all the way through the goblin, cutting it in half “Cleaved!~” She shouted, blood spraying everywhere.
The final goblin had pushed it’s deceased friend to the side, charging the now open Ria who’s hands had been raised high in the air from the previous swing, it dashed forward “GWAA!” it shouted, rage fueling its strike, it failed to notice Ria’s face had twisted into an evil grin.
“and…KICK!”
“Gwa? Gwuak-?!”
Ria had twisted in the air, her foot connecting to the goblin’s face faster than it could react, sending it tumbling to the ground. “Already paid off.” Ria landed on the ground; she turned to wave to her sister “See Mia? With big sis here there is nothing to worry about!” she walked over to the downed but still alive goblin, kicking its weapon away.
“Y-yeah.” Mia was surprised, to say the least. Given that she couldn’t escape from her grasp she was already expecting her to be somewhat strong, but she didn’t expect her to be this fast. She could keep up with her but she wondered who was faster “I.. Really need to see her level and stats.” Mia gulped; something was definitely off.
“Now to finish this.” Ria, standing over the knocked-out goblin, pointed her open palm towards it “Die in my flames, FIRE!!!” she shouted, but nothing happened “eh? I said fire!” again, she repeated the pose and thrust her palm forward, but nothing happened. “Fire!” she repeated it, desperately trying to cast her magic but failing each time.
“…”
One thing is for sure, she didn’t have any stats in Intelligence.