Everybody Gangsta Until Science Meets Magic

31 - Mana Battery

[Why do I have to kill 180 of them? I mean, I can do it. But what's that going to do to . . .  benefit you?] Eara sent Aiden a message, sweeping her gaze on her surroundings to check if a monster was close.

[It doesn't need to benefit me. The point is, you're working hard for what you got.]

[I really don't get it.] 

[Well, the idea of the system isn't really fully fleshed out yet, so it doesn't make any sense. I had an idea about how to make it so that we'll have Experience points and Health points and all that stuff. For now, just follow the system quests if you want to repay me.]

[ (￣ヘ￣) ]

Aiden held back a laughter when he received Eara's last message. It would be weird if he was laughing all alone, away from the rest after all.

"Rindel." Eara strode towards Rindel and asked, "Can I leave collection to you? I'll be the one killing them."

"Eh? Why?"

". . . Practice." Eara lied, her eyes blinking.

"Well . . . okay, then." Rindel shrugged. She wasn't in this kind of job for the combat, but for the money. It didn't make any difference to her if she focused on the gathering role, and someone focused on the monster-repelling role in her position. She would have been worried about Eara, but the monsters were all clucknits.

Eara's lips curved upward as she brandished her dagger, casting Pulse Maneuver. She was going to keep the movement and strength buff to a minimum though, so that it wouldn't look unnatural. She took a deep breath, and began her clucknit killing spree.

Chicken blood blossomed as Eara all killed her targets in one strike. She would target the ones closest to Rindel as she navigated through the battlefield in an circular path.

Her quest progress tally increased by one for every enemy she killed, and when there were no more clucknits in the near vicinity, Eara returned back to the group with bated breath. The rest as well, even Aiden, regrouped along with Eara and Rindel.

"Eara . . . are you angry at them?" Rindel asked, partly serious. Eara didn't reply and just pressed her lips together into a faint smile, her expression seeming to say, 'It's complicated.'

"Maybe she just hates birds." Vren joked, glancing at Einhar and Aiden if they found his joke funny. Einhar and Aiden just smiled out of courtesy for his 'joke'. However, Rindel felt on edge when it came to jokes concerning Eara, so she kicked Vren at his metal boot.

"What? I didn't say anything wrong," He made a face to Rindel, before turning to Aiden, "Didn't I?" 

Aiden crossed his arms and glanced at Eara, who had an indifferent expression on her face. He then chuckled and answered Vren, "Yeah, I think so."

His answer earned him a 'gentle' clap against his back, but Vren's arms were heavy-- not to mention he was wearing metal gloves. It didn't exactly hurt, but it could be considered a 'hit.' He was forced to step forward to stay on balance, after all.

"Told you." Vren smirked at Rindel, who forced a frown and averted her gaze.

Eara couldn't help but smile a little from the two's exchange, finding it somehow cute. Aiden smiled as well, and Einhar chuckled, before saying, "Should we head to the lower layer or stay for a while here?"

"Next layer!" Rindel raised her spear in affirmation, and everyone voiced their agreement except for Aiden and Eara. Aiden was fine with whichever, and that was what he told the group. All that was left was Eara.