"So you managed to get us into a group?"
Lukas asked me, visibly surprised.
"That's right, it was easier than the previous times. I guess the problem was you,"
I said, with the aim of annoying him. My words hit the mark, as Lukas held his face in his hands and looked defeated, even more so than before.
I cleared my throat to get his attention, as well as to prepare myself for what was next.
"The group consists of three women."
"So what?"
he asked, revealing his eye between his fingers.
"They're cow women."
My words had the effect I expected on Lukas. He immediately gave me a smile that can only be described as hateful and changed his attitude, leaning on his leg with confidence radiating from him.
"Now we're talking. Anything else to say?"
I knew that would be his reaction...
"Don't get excited. At least wait until they react like other people."
"That's true..."
Lukas stood up and left my room without hesitation, a smile adorning his face.
"...I need to make more friends besides this guy."
I said to myself, before throwing myself on my bed and falling asleep. Tomorrow we'll start entering the abyss, so we have to be in top condition.
<<---Lukas Pov--->>
"Hey, wake up already, we have to go to a dungeon!"
I shouted, before kicking Hern's bedroom door and opening it violently.
"Shit!"
Startled, he fell out of bed and hit his face hard as he got up in a hurry. This was accompanied by a loud crash that caught the attention of people who were just leaving their rooms.
"Come on, let's not waste time. We have to meet the other group at 2:00 p.m., and it's already 10:00."
"Damn you... Wait, how do you know that?"
He asked as he stood up and threw off the sheets that had been covering him.
"Before leaving your room last night,
I stole the sheet with the information."
My little confession visibly irritated Hern, as he began to mutter some insults, which I ignored.
"Come on, stop grumbling like a child."
After speaking, I left his room, returning to mine to pick up my staff.
<<>>
"Damn you, my life."
"Really, I still don't understand how you have trouble sleeping. In our previous world, you used to wake up super early."
Hern had a habit of getting up early. But for years, since we arrived in this world, he couldn't get used to the schedule. Quite the opposite of me, as I had no problem and even felt more free.
"I still can't get used to this shitty world. Besides the two moons, I think 36 hours a day is excessive."
"Yeah... Unfortunately for you, I never had those problems."
I said, shrugging my shoulders. Hern's gaze stuck to me, with complete envy towards me. To which I responded with a chuckle.
[I don't understand your excitement. Whenever you try to talk to a stranger, you freeze up. What will be different this time?]
Well, what you say is true, goddess, but this time is different. This time I'm confident!
[If you say so. If this turns out badly, I'll be the first to laugh at you.]
You're always the first in these cases... Hey, you're an all-powerful goddess, right? Why do they always look at me like I'm a pariah?
[Hmmm... Maybe I'll tell you later.]
Following her words, the goddess let out an annoyed chuckle. Really, sometimes I wonder if she has anything more important to do than watch my every move.
[No, I don't.]
Seeing that I wouldn't get any respite from the goddess, I concentrated on the road and on not angering Hern more than necessary.
After walking for half an hour, we reached our destination on the map. This was a spot near the entrance to the dungeon, a small secluded place that other adventurers used to plan their actions once inside.
"They're already there,"
said Hern, looking ahead.
Following his gaze, I could see three figures in the distance.
"Yes, I see them..."
"Your confidence is gone... According to what you've said all these years, aren't you supposed to be the opposite of your previous life? Your fear of strangers is only increasing instead of decreasing."
What he says is true... On Earth, I could have short conversations with others. I have to change that.
These words were my oath, supported by a hand on my chest and long breaths to calm my nerves.
To be honest, even though it looked like I had ulterior motives, my biggest fear was ruining the relationship with the only group we had bonded with during all this time. That would affect Hern just as much.
"Hello! You're early,"
Hern shouted, loud enough to get noticed.
This achieved its purpose, as it caught the girls' attention. The trio smiled with... relief? after seeing Hern. But when they turned their gaze to me, their expressions changed, giving me a look of fear...
"It doesn't matter, I can change it, right?"
"Try as fast as you can, otherwise we'll be in an awkward situation in the dungeon."
I had seen that reaction several times before. Sometimes it varied, and instead of fear, people would frown in annoyance or simply look away quickly.
"I hope we're not a problem."
Hernesto said with a smile to the three of them.
"No... You're not."
Said the one who seemed to be the leader, looking me over completely before leading the way. She was the closest thing I expected from a cow woman, with daggers hanging from her waist.
"Come on, we have to go to the third floor. That's where the B-rank creatures start to appear. By the way, I'm Alice."
"I'm Velric."
Hern started walking first, next to Alice and leading the way with her.
Meanwhile, I looked at the two remaining girls.
"I'm Taren."
I said to the duo standing in front of me. One of them stood out for her height and muscular build, as well as her black hair with white tips, carrying a paladin's shield. The other was the same height as Alice, but with brown hair and a staff smaller than mine.
I raised my hand to offer them a handshake, but they both looked uncomfortable and took another step back. The words I was going to say stuck in my throat when I saw their reactions, so I remained silent.
The seconds I stood there blankly seemed like an eternity, so in order not to make them even more uncomfortable, I turned around and followed Hernesto.
The walk to the dungeon was silent on my part; I decided to focus on something else. Or someone.
[HAHAHAHAHA!]
After my interaction with the duo following me from behind at a noticeable distance, the goddess had been laughing the whole way.
[Oh... I haven't laughed like this in a long time.]
I swear, as soon as I can, I'm going to kill you.
Following my words, the goddess's laughter continued. I clenched my teeth tightly in an attempt to hold back my anger.
"Hey Taren, get ready, we're going in."
"Oh, yes."
I had been so lost in my thoughts that I hadn't realized we had already reached the entrance to the dungeon. I took out my staff and stood alert. On the first floor, it was unusual to see creatures higher than rank D, but it was always best to be alert and expect the unexpected.
Something I noticed was that, besides us, there were hardly any other people there. The Abyss was a well-known dungeon, so it was strange that there were so few people entering.
"Shouldn't there be more groups?"
I asked, puzzled by the situation.
"Oh, yes... Today is supposed to be the day the dungeon leader is decided,"
Alice replied, pulling daggers from her waist.
They decide the leader!? Then we'll have to be much more alert.
On this day, creatures from all over the abyss will fight to the death in a pitched battle, with the goal of taking control of the dungeon. In addition to the deepest part of it.
They do this because the parts of the world where there is the most mana are the highest or deepest. For example, the mountains of the north or dungeons such as the abyss are usually full of high-ranking creatures, with the aim of increasing their power.
Some dungeons have creatures so intelligent that they usually hold this 'event'. The problem is that the leaders are often so strong that they wipe out the others, eat their cores or remains, and become even stronger.
"Is there a chance of encountering the dungeon leader?"
Hern asked, halberd already in hand.
"If we stay in these pi-"
Before Alice could finish speaking, a skeleton jumped from the ceiling, conjuring a fire arrow.
I reacted as quickly as I could and stood in front of her, raising several thick stone walls. Even so, this was not enough to stop her, as she pierced several before exploding into the last one. The explosion was enough to push us several meters back.
"Argh!"
Fortunately, the others weren't hurt by the explosion, but since I was the closest, I was thrown even further, hitting the stone wall.
"Taren!"
Hern shouted before lunging at the skeleton. It dodged his blow and moved away.
I quickly got to my feet, checking my condition at the same time.
"Shit..."
I muttered, looking at the arm holding my staff. It had been completely hit by the explosion, which burned my skin and left the flesh exposed.
Without wasting any time, I began to heal myself with healing magic. Unfortunately, I didn't have much practice, and even though I healed myself completely, the pain was still there.
"Get into formation!"
Alice shouted, before getting behind the girl with white spikes. She covered her with her shield.
I was slow to get to them because of the pain I still felt in my arm. When I got behind them, holding my position, the skeleton was still a long way away from us.
Alice shouted, before getting behind the girl with white spikes. While she covered her with her shield.
I was slow to get to them because of the pain I still felt in my arm. When I got behind them, keeping my position, the skeleton was still a long way away from us.
The mage beside me raised her staff forcefully into the air, causing several spikes to shoot out of the ground toward the skeleton.
We thought it would dodge, but suddenly another silhouette emerged from the darkness, destroying the ground in front of its companion and stopping the attack. It was another skeleton, carrying a long sword and wearing heavy armor.
To make matters worse, a scream caught our attention. Above us stood a spider, with a humanoid silhouette covered by a small rag, threads coming out from underneath it.
"Damn it, it's a puppeteer!"
I cursed my own luck.