V5.C12 In the ocean, New Pet
Leo covered his eyes in a layer of diamond protection and enhanced his own weight with Gravity Magic. His boots produced bursts of wind to propel faster.
In an hour, he arrived in the extreme depths of the ocean. He narrowed his glare and scanned the area to find nothing but he found an odd place where the surface appeared more elevated than the rest of the sea floor. Map also showed that place as the Sunken Ruins of Melusine.
He swam near the high ground and inspected it carefully for minutes to find absolutely nothing.
I'll ask Miledi for the entrances to these damn Labyrinths.
He reversed gravity magic to decrease his weight and swam up. He used this chance to interact with the only creature following him around. It looked like Dolphin except it had fins way larger than normal dolphins.
He tried to call it with telepathy and surprisingly one of them came near him. He blamed this on his title [Natural Tamer] and mounted its back with his hands gripping its fins. It flapped its tail and shot upward at an amazing speed, leaving a trail of air bubbles. He rubbed the smooth head of the dolphin.
Half an hour later, the dolphin leaped out of the water with Leo on its back. He jumped on the now more than 100m ice platform covered in a thick rug and waved his hands at the cheerful dolphin. It still circled around the platform without showing any signs of leaving.
The girls lazing around on the sofa jumped up with bright eyes and scampered forward trying to touch the cute dolphin. But their hysteria scared it away and it dived back in the water to run away.
Eri hung her head in disappointment. "I don't have any undead now."
He removed the mask and asked, "What happened to that wor… I mean Ichi monster?"
"... … It died."
He placed his hand on her head and stroked her hair. "We will find some strong monsters here if not I'll take you to Orcus dungeon, okay?"
While stroking her hair, he stared at everyone else. "I didn't find anything down there except a place where the surface is high above everywhere else… Anyway, I'm hungry."
Shea grabbed Irene and Tio's shoulders and dragged them to the temporary kitchen. He slumped on the sofa, mentally exhausted after doing so much in a day. Just then all tensions drained from his body and his face melted in a relaxed expression. He tilted his head to see Hearst's smiling face. He smiled and shut his eyes enjoying the soothing massage.
"Leo-san, dinner is ready!"
Shea's energetic voice woke Leo up. His eyes fell on Eri resting her head on his lap. She also happened to be admiring his face with her glowing crimson eyes. He smiled softly and walked toward the small dining table set up in the center.
After eating the meat of the turtle-like monster Hearst found in the Heiligh Kingdom war.
[Skill 'Mana Absorption' acquired]
[Mana Absorption] (Passive skill)
Recovers an amount of mana by absorbing magic attacks.
Good, time to enchant it on everyone's gear.
He enchanted the skill on everyone's clothes then all of them sat on two sofas opposite to each other with a small round table in the middle filled with snacks. Though they intended to discuss, right now they appeared busy gazing at the fiery red orb of light slowly sinking beneath the horizon.
"Eri… still remember the day we met?"
"Yeah, it was the same except the sun was rising…"
"Anyway, we still need to find the entrance to Labyrinth, Tio?"
"Goshujin-sama, this one thinks the place you saw is the entrance. But something else is required that we are missing."
"Hmm… like proof of the Labyrinths?"
He examined the ring on Yue's finger and then the pendant around Shea's neck.
"Oh yeah, Irene?"
She absentmindedly gazed at the sky filled with stars. He remembered a stargazing hobby listed in her status. Her current lonely expression pained his heart, only then did he realize unknown to him the poker faced woman had entered his heart.
He decided to have some alone talk with her later.
"Ha! Leo-san! Look at this!"
He shifted his gaze to Shea or the pendant around her neck glowing with faint silvery light. She hurriedly took it off and held it up for everyone.
Til leaned closer and observed the pendant with great interest. "How peculiar... is this the proof required to enter this Labyrinth?"
"...The hole is being filled with light… beautiful."
Leo scratched his imaginary beard and added, "It never happened before, so it might only work in this location."
"I have the same opinion," said Eri.
Once the entire hole lit up, it shot a torrent of light right beneath the ice platform. Everyone watched in awe as the light pierced straight into the deep ocean
He snatched the pendant from Shea and stood from the sofa.
"I will follow the way alone then open a gate when I find any opportunity."
He twisted his body to dodge the pairs of hands trying to grab him from all directions.
"Wait, like hell I would let you go alone!"
"I don't have much time, the light will fade quickly."
He whistled loudly to call his reliable friend and like he expected it showed up moments later. He waved his hand at the worried girls and jumped on the dolphin's back to follow the silver light.
The girls glared in the direction he went and sighed in unison.
Eri formed a naughty smile. "Hearst-chan, Tell us about your night~"
"...Nn. Hearst-chan…"
"How did Goshujin-sama punish thou? Please do elaborate for this one."
"Hearst…"
Hearst under the pressure of everyone's starry eyes began to talk about her experience.
***
Leo on the dolphin's back activated night vision to its maximum in the pitch-black ocean and gave directions to the dolphin with telepathy. Its sturdy and flexible tail ripped through the water and generated enough speed to outclass any submarines back on earth.
He rubbed its head. "I'll call you Delphy from now on."
The air bubbles around Delphy's beak or mouth increased like trying to make some sound in agreement and the wagging of her tail left afterimages in his eyes.
He once again arrived at the depth of the ocean and pursued the light pointing to a mountain made up of countless boulders. The silvery light hit a part of the mountain and shook the boulders with a loud rumble.
Once the noise stopped, a part of the mountain disappeared and formed the shape of a gate leading to a pitch-black passage.
He patted Delphy's head one last time and rushed inside the passage at his top swimming speed. He wanted to take Delphy but he also didn't want to risk his pet's life because of some cheap traps installed here. Because of the rush, he was unable to notice the faint white light wrapped around Delphy's body. She took a last curious glance at the human then swam away.
(Fufufu…)
'Are you finally going nuts watching me? Too bad you don't have any physical body or we might've spent some quality time together.'
(.....)
He spread his sharp senses in the wide passage. Just as he was about to move, something triggered his instincts. He turned back and hastily cast a barrier around his body. The sudden wave of water took him away with its flow.
Stuck inside the spherical golden barrier, he answered the worried Yue's call with telepathy. The current forced him into a long tunnel. He sensed several presences in front and soon enough he caught sight of the fish-like monster with wings reminding him of flying fish from Earth.
'Analyze'
[??]
Strength: 200
Vitality: 300
Defense: 200
Agility: 450
Magic: 200
Magic Defense: 150
Skills: [Telepathy]
Weak...
The group of fish charged and crashed against the barrier. He got annoyed and opened a part of the barrier and shot beams of ice. After wiping out the weird fishes, he drifted along with the currents of water while scanning the place.
"Found it!"
