Flames flare up around Isabella, the girl most likely acting on her own or under the influence of Sophie's skill, assuming she's in danger. Without any hesitation, the flames intensify to the point where we can feel the heat, and then she attacks the three newcomers.
My [Disruption] skill, boosted by a surge, activates, and her flames die off before reaching the trio. Then, before she has a chance to try it again, I smack the back of her head without saying anything.
The little girl looks at me with a hurt look on her tiny face, “I have to burn them, they tried to attack me!” she complains.
God damn it, Izzy. I don't know if it's funny or scary, it's kind of hard to judge it properly while having my [Focus] continuously run in the background ever since the end of the second floor.
“They did not try to attack you, so calm down, okay?”
She pouts, looking somewhat cute while doing so, and without a word, she stops charging her mana. My [Disruption] activates again and it cancels out the tiny flames that flicker around, slowly burning the dusty furniture.
“Soo…” I stop after seeing their cautious faces and turn towards the girl who's completely ignoring me. It's all your fault!
“You want me to use my skill to get you water, that's why you saved us.”
Oh! Finally someone at least slightly smart.
The man who named himself Cipher continues, “There were more monsters back then, did you…”
Ouch, maybe too smart. Poker face time!
“Looks like you did,” he says.
God damn it.
“How do you want me to trust you now?” he continues.
“We don't have to trust each other. I just need you to create water for us, maybe your icy friend can make some ice we can melt too. In exchange, I'll protect you.” I say.
“I know people like you, if we don't agree you will beat us into submission.”
Is something wrong with my face? How did he get it so quickly? Some skill?
“Yes.” I just agree, and that gets a reaction from the icy man and the woman who named herself Goldie. Cipher, on the other hand, seems calm, much calmer than when he was dealing with monsters. Is he someone comfortable in such situations?
“My “icy” friend´s ice isn't able to melt into water. It will only disappear into mana after a while. I'm the only one able to create water,” the look in his eyes is firm and he turns towards me, more confident than at the start.
“Continue,” I tell him.
“Just protection won't be enough, I know how valuable my skill is, especially after some time passes. We saw the side quests too.”
Aren't you a cheeky one?
“I want you to help us to level up and protect us, in exchange, I'll create water for you.” he continues.
Hmm, that much is reasonable. I don't like the way he talks as if he holds all the cards but there is no need to like him or be friends, I just need him to create water for me.
“Deal. Now water.” I throw a small bottle I got from the system at him and he catches it. For a moment, annoyance flashes across his face, and I quickly identify him as the proud type. Damn, from the way he looks I bet he would be stepping all over me if I seemed weaker. But he's smart too, so he opens the bottle, and I feel mana move towards the tip of his finger. An amount of mana feels like half of his reserves, and in difficult patterns, the mana slowly turns into water that drips into the bottle. Of course, the skill is difficult for me to grasp, similar to how Lily's skill was difficult. Dang it.
Cipher´s efficiency seems terrible, and I can see how difficult it is for him, but after half a minute, the small bottle is half full and he stops.
I realize that he didn't spend his entire mana, probably to hide some of his skill, but I do not complain and grab the bottle from him.
Now then, how am I sure that it isn't poisonous? That would be a dumb move from him now after they saw how dangerous it is here, also considering his skills, it might not be something he is able to do.
I can give the water to someone from their party to drink but I can't do it all the time.
“Isabella?” I say while taking a small sip and then putting the bottle away.
“What?” the girl complains.
“If something happens to me, you can burn them, okay?”
She nods, a happier look on her face. It's something I feel bad about asking from a child, but if they poison me or something, she would be safer alone than with them.
Grumpy (Hell, group 4) - Noname, are you here?
Noname (Hell, group 4) - yes, so you finally woke up, is everything fine?
Grumpy (Hell, group 4) - yes, StrongestOne is protecting me, it's scary here.
Noname (Hell, group 4) - just stay close to him and get to me. After we meet again, I'll take care of everything and keep you safe, okay?
Grumpy (Hell, group 4) - okay!
Flames flare up around Isabella, the girl most likely acting on her own or under the influence of Sophie's skill, assuming she's in danger. Without any hesitation, the flames intensify to the point where we can feel the heat, and then she attacks the three newcomers.
My [Disruption] skill, boosted by a surge, activates, and her flames die off before reaching the trio. Then, before she has a chance to try it again, I smack the back of her head without saying anything.
The little girl looks at me with a hurt look on her tiny face, “I have to burn them, they tried to attack me!” she complains.
God damn it, Izzy. I don't know if it's funny or scary, it's kind of hard to judge it properly while having my [Focus] continuously run in the background ever since the end of the second floor.
“They did not try to attack you, so calm down, okay?”
She pouts, looking somewhat cute while doing so, and without a word, she stops charging her mana. My [Disruption] activates again and it cancels out the tiny flames that flicker around, slowly burning the dusty furniture.
“Soo…” I stop after seeing their cautious faces and turn towards the girl who's completely ignoring me. It's all your fault!
“You want me to use my skill to get you water, that's why you saved us.”
Oh! Finally someone at least slightly smart.
The man who named himself Cipher continues, “There were more monsters back then, did you…”
Ouch, maybe too smart. Poker face time!
“Looks like you did,” he says.
God damn it.
“How do you want me to trust you now?” he continues.
“We don't have to trust each other. I just need you to create water for us, maybe your icy friend can make some ice we can melt too. In exchange, I'll protect you.” I say.
“I know people like you, if we don't agree you will beat us into submission.”
Is something wrong with my face? How did he get it so quickly? Some skill?
“Yes.” I just agree, and that gets a reaction from the icy man and the woman who named herself Goldie. Cipher, on the other hand, seems calm, much calmer than when he was dealing with monsters. Is he someone comfortable in such situations?
“My “icy” friend´s ice isn't able to melt into water. It will only disappear into mana after a while. I'm the only one able to create water,” the look in his eyes is firm and he turns towards me, more confident than at the start.
“Continue,” I tell him.
“Just protection won't be enough, I know how valuable my skill is, especially after some time passes. We saw the side quests too.”
Aren't you a cheeky one?
“I want you to help us to level up and protect us, in exchange, I'll create water for you.” he continues.
Hmm, that much is reasonable. I don't like the way he talks as if he holds all the cards but there is no need to like him or be friends, I just need him to create water for me.
“Deal. Now water.” I throw a small bottle I got from the system at him and he catches it. For a moment, annoyance flashes across his face, and I quickly identify him as the proud type. Damn, from the way he looks I bet he would be stepping all over me if I seemed weaker. But he's smart too, so he opens the bottle, and I feel mana move towards the tip of his finger. An amount of mana feels like half of his reserves, and in difficult patterns, the mana slowly turns into water that drips into the bottle. Of course, the skill is difficult for me to grasp, similar to how Lily's skill was difficult. Dang it.
Cipher´s efficiency seems terrible, and I can see how difficult it is for him, but after half a minute, the small bottle is half full and he stops.
I realize that he didn't spend his entire mana, probably to hide some of his skill, but I do not complain and grab the bottle from him.
Now then, how am I sure that it isn't poisonous? That would be a dumb move from him now after they saw how dangerous it is here, also considering his skills, it might not be something he is able to do.
I can give the water to someone from their party to drink but I can't do it all the time.
“Isabella?” I say while taking a small sip and then putting the bottle away.
“What?” the girl complains.
“If something happens to me, you can burn them, okay?”
She nods, a happier look on her face. It's something I feel bad about asking from a child, but if they poison me or something, she would be safer alone than with them.
Grumpy (Hell, group 4) - Noname, are you here?
Noname (Hell, group 4) - yes, so you finally woke up, is everything fine?
Grumpy (Hell, group 4) - yes, StrongestOne is protecting me, it's scary here.
Noname (Hell, group 4) - just stay close to him and get to me. After we meet again, I'll take care of everything and keep you safe, okay?
Grumpy (Hell, group 4) - okay!
