Yua screamed in joy as she and Renee flew through the air.
“Goodbye, Yua!” Renee shot a small fireball from her finger, cutting the rope that connected her to the kunoichi.
However, it didn’t affect Yua at all. The kunoichi performed aplex series of movements in mid-air akin to acrobatics and managed to get close to Renee. After that, she used the blonde woman’s body as a foothold to jump farther.
“Hey!” Renee grumbled, but she didn’t have time to take care of the kunoichi. She fired ice magic from her battle hammer, which instantly made a diagonal path towards the ground.
She flipped through the air, but with a movement less fluid than Yua’s, thennded on the icy path she had just created. Her body slid until her feet touched the ground.
Elise walked over to her friend and couldn’t help but smile.
“Because of that friend of yours, I barely managed to make thisnding strip.” Renee wiped her sweat. “My timing and position got messed up after being stepped on by her.”
Yua, whonded on one of the palm trees, jumped down near the two women. “I have to admit, that move was brilliant, Renee.”
“Actually, I’d like to use it when passing through that bunch of tentacles. But I’m sure they’ll be able to easily catch me in the air.” Renee shrugged and sneered a little. “And I have to admit, your ns and moves were excellent, though they might be a bit sneaky.”<sub>.</sub>
“Well, the n came from Sir Raymund,” Yua replied while widening her smile.
“Isn’t it also kind of sneaky to get help from other people?” Renee also put on a smile.
“I’m not really getting any help.” Yua made a ‘quote’ gesture with her fingers. “Sir Raymund is only giving me suggestions.”
“I didn’t see any difference.”
Those two women were smiling at each other, but there was hostility between them. Elise couldn’t help but grimace at that.
“They’re your friends, Elise?” Olga patted the female warrior’s shoulder. “I have to admit, they’re pretty great.”
“Excuse me,dies.” The official came to the women. “Perhaps it’s best if you all wait for some distance away so you don’t get in the way of the next adventurers. Please follow me.”
Yua and Renee narrowed their eyes at each other, then followed the official.<sub></sub>
***
The four women sat on a hill, watching the adventurers who were still struggling to get past the wooden monsters. Some of them seeded and joined those women.
Renee grimaced at Leonov, whose face was swollen and covered in bruises. Not to mention his clothes are filthy and torn in some parts. The man hastily took one of the bottles of water that had been provided and took arge gulp.
“Time is up!!!” An official’s scream rang out in the distance, followed by the fallen wooden monsters. “For those who haven’t made it through this third stage, sorry you can’t continue.”
The adventurers who a few seconds ago were still struggling protested in disappointment.
Meanwhile, another official near the sessful participants also made an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen,e with me to the next stage.”
Except for Elise and her three friends, the other adventurers protested in unison.
“It’s not fair. Some people rest longer than us!” Leonov snapped with a red face. He almost resumed his temper but immediately restrained himself when he saw Renee.<sub></sub>
The official just smiled, turned around, and started walking again.
The nearly twenty adventurers had no choice. They still followed the official, although some of them grumbled.
“The next challenge is that you only need to get past one monster,dies and gentlemen.” The official’s tone became even more mysterious.
“Hopefully, the monster isn’t too strong.” One of the female adventurers sighed. “I’m too tired.”
“Well, it’s a Titan mandrake.”
Some of the adventurers cringed in fear, but othersmented in disbelief.
“What’s wrong, Elise?” Yua asked the female warrior who was looking around.
“It’s nothing.” Elise scratched her head. “It’s just…. If there really was a titan mandrake, we would have seen it already. This ce does have a few hills, but not enough to cover a monster of that size.”
The official cleared his throat, but no one noticed other than Yua and Olga.
“Please, Elise.” Reneeughed a little. “You couldn’t possibly have met the real titan mandrake, right?”
Elise shrugged. “Well… It’s a long story.”
The blonde woman’s eyes widened.
“I don’t think Elise is lying.” Olga joined in. “She’s not that type.”
“If you’ve actually met a Titan mandrake, you’ll have to tell me about it,” Renee whispered into the female warrior’s ear. “Such a thing is a guarantee to be a great story! Titan mandrake is super rare!”
“By the way….” Olga chuckled. “I also have an interesting story about her. When she helped me sell waffles….”
“Please, don’t tell them that, Olga!” Elise cut off the red-haired woman’s words.
Yua rubbed his chin. “Selling waffles? Does that have anything to do with a naked apron?”
Olgaughed again. “Ooh, you’ve seen it?”
“I have to admit, she’s really charming in that.” The kunoichi added.
“P-please….” Elise’s face started to turn red. “D-don’t talk about it.”
Renee shed a mischievous smile. “Hmmm, I’m also curious about that story. Can you tell me, Miss… Sorry, we haven’t met before. I’m Renee.”
“Olga.” The waffle seller gave a friendly smile.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” The official stopped before a twenty-foot-tall rock cave, then turned and bowed to the adventurers. “I, Igor Kozlov, the third son of Niki Kozlov, wee all of you to the final stage. What you will be up against this time is something no one has ever tamed. However, with our family connections, this creature could be brought here. ” The man named Igor looked at the adventurers, then shed a broad smile. “You guys are excited to see a rare monster, right?”
The crystal balls came to the cave in more significant numbers. Some adventurers seem skeptical or nervous, but most look excited. It was as if their tiredness had disappeared.
Only Elise was still confused. She wasn’t sure if the Titan mandrake could be put into that cave.