CH.12 - Abyss (1)
Enkai was sure that he heard two feminine voice but he was only thinking...
'I should really stop making promise to do something or talk to someone, every time something f*cked up...'
Enkai slowly opened his eyes and only saw water everywhere, not even land juste water. He was laying down on top of the water. For him the atmosphere was peaceful and calm. But suddenly he heard a tremor behind him and when he saw what was behind his eyes couldn't do anything else than widen. A tsunami, no calling that a tsunami was too little. What he saw was a 70 meter high at high speed coming right at him.
He wanted to turned around and run at full speed but no matter what he tried he couldn't even blink his eyes and so the wave came right at him devouring him but instead of getting thrown he just stood in place and began to float in the water. He could easily breath and navigate in it.
After a while a bright light came in sight. He tried to reach it but it only got further away from him and so he increased his speed and without noting that he was sometime "stepping" on something he reached it and instinctively jump to catch it only to woke up with a gasp and coughing water.
'What the f*ck ? What was that...' thought Enkai. He then got up and checked himself. He seemed fine, he even felt refreshed but he didn't know how. Alas he was soaking and felt heavy. He removed them, letting them dry up before wearing them again.
While his clothes were drying he explored his surrounding in nothing but a simple top and boxer, well he didn't really felt cold even tough he could tell he was quite deep inside the dungeon.
What he saw first was an underground river about five meter wide. He couldn't help but feel lucky to survive. During the fall he found many holes along the cliff wall, moreover, jet of water would occasionally spout from those holes. He was thrown in a tunnel with Hajime before losing sight of him and losing consciousness.
'Right, Hajime where is he now ? I need to find him maybe he was also lucky and survived.'
Enkai quickly ran to get back his clothes even if they were still wet to search but he fell down after hitting something, after getting up and seeing what he was he felt relieved. 'At least I have a weapon now'
What he stumbled on was his Katana, crack could be seen on it but even so it could help him for a time before he throw it. After getting dressed he ran around the river to see if Hajime also drift to the edge but after two full lap he didn't saw anything. And decided to rest search further away but when he turned around to get up he saw...a rabbit ? fighting with a twin-tailed wolf.
Enkai quickly hid, he didn't know why but his instinct could tell him that the "harmless" rabbit was actually dangerous and that it would be difficult to kill him. And he was right since not even twenty second latter he could see the same rabbit eating the wolf. He saw his red eyes staring at the meat, Enkai could help but wanting to throw up right now.
As if he could sense could Enkai, the rabbit turned around but saw nothing. Getting suspicious he went toward Enkai and behind the pillar were Enkai was previously hiding he saw nothing but he could smell that someone was here but when he turned around what he saw was Enkai coming at him at full speed swinging his katana down his neck. Even if the rabbit was fast, the concealment plus the high speed Enkai already had he successfully slayed the rabbit.
After dismembering the rabbit and getting the meat, Enkai was in a dilemma since monster meat was normally not eatable but Enkai didn't know anything except being deep in the dungeon and he lost all of his resources during the fall.
When he was in dilemma he heard a loud sound coming from the water and a body appear at the surface, one he knew it was Hajime but a fish was coming in his way and it was not really friendly. Without thinking Enkai throws the rabbit meat to the fish, successfully distracting him and caught Hajime who was unconscious.
'Damn, now the choice was made let's survive...' thought Enkai while looking at Hajime and started to do CPR but it was not working.
'Bro there is no way in hell I would do mouth to mouth with you so I'am sorry in advance' Enkai got ready and brought his hand in the air and gave him the best slap he could do. And damn it was efficient since not even a second later Hajime woke up coughing water.
"Welcome back to the world of the living" said Enkai with a sigh of relief.
"Huh...? What happened ?" Hajime was still in a daze so after coughing a little he asked a question.
"I don't know, we fell from the bridge which was collapsing and here we are now deep in the dungeon" Enkai replied.
"Fell ? The bridge ? OH...right I remember now we are damn lucky to survive now, is there any monster nearby or we are safe...? Damn, also you saw it too right ? It was a fireball which caught us it was not an accident Enkai" Replied Hajime at first confused and remembered with a look of realization which quickly turned to one of anger.
"Yes...yes I saw that and we both know who did it...as for the monster I don't know if we are safe but the monsters here are a lot fiercer than the one up there. I killed a rabbit to eat some meat but I throw it away to save you so you owe me rabbit now" Enkai replied calmly but anger could be seen in his eyes when talking about the traitor but dispersed the tense atmosphere by cracking a joke.
"Anyway let's talk later Hajime, it's not safe let's find a safe zone or we can create one when you recover your strength. I'll help you in the meantime" Enkai then said, offering his help to his friend.
"Alright, let's go, but you need to tell me how can you stay calm in this situation"
"I'am not calm but panicking right now will bring nothing but trouble"
"You're right, let's go..."
***
The way toward the surface was long. The stairs to the upper level was long. It was so dark that they could not see anything as they continued to climb upward. They felt like they had already climbed more than thirty floors, even their magically enhanced bodies also began to feel weary.
No one was talking they only walked, head down...two of their classmates died today. It brought them back to reality, it was not a game, when you die it's definitive. Even if Hajime was not liked in the class and no one help him during his bullying except Enkai he didn't even hesitate to save them. As for Enkai even if he was seen as someone merciless, with some quirk it was only to people which annoyed him they were afraid of him but also respectful. He was also one of the strongest in the class so seeing him die was quite a blow for the class.
Shizuku was carrying Kaori who was ready to jump after Hajime after the fall, she would lie if she denied that the same idea crossed her mind but quickly composed herself outwardly, she couldn't show a weak side to her classmate. She asked help from Meld to restrain Kaori, which was simply knocked out.
Inwardly Shizuku was devastated, maybe at the same level as Kaori or even more, she held feelings but she locked them in for some stupid drama which was her misunderstanding, resulting in her feeling reaching a insurmountable level. Adding to this the guilt and regret she felt one could wonder how could she maintain her facade. But she knew it not a question of how but when would she break ?
Kouki tried to talk to her but she only replied shortly, giving the excuse of being tired and that he shouldn't be here but at the front leading the class. In truth she wanted help but not from him, in this case only Kaori could help her but she was not in any condition to talk.
After coming back to the castle she asked Enkai and Hajime room and entered and put Kaori on Hajime's bed carefully, leaving her with the maids who left after a little check saying that everything was alright.
She explored Enkai's side of the room, touching his clothes. On his desk in a wallet he had a small picture in which there was 3 child smiling. It was her, Enkai, and Enkai's little sister Mia. She had a smile remembering her childhood. She put down the picture and sat on the chair while looking at the moon.
'Where are you Enkai...I know you're not dead, you are too hard to just die like that, come back to me...' thought Shizuku while tears were falling down her eyes.
"Miss ? Diner is ready I'am here to inform you" One of the maid knocked on the door before talking.
"Yes, I'am coming please go before me I'will join after a bit" Shizuku said while wiping her tears off her face. She got up when she suddenly saw a silhouette in the garden mumbling weird things she couldn't hear everything but she heard something
"I-It was his fault! For a small fry… h-he got carried away… i-it was divi--" She heard the voice saying that and couldn't help but narrow her eyes.
'You are lucky I couldn't see who you were but I hope you pray that I will never find you or else...' thought Shizuku with narrow eyes and hostility.