Chapter 302 Crossing The Border, II
"Can't see the end of it."
"The Border... Might be as large as Yarnha's Forest. If so, we'll have to keep going for a while."
"So I'll have to keep burning Mana like this?" Elisa whispered as she lowered her gaze.
Both were about one hundred meters above the surface of the body of water constituting the Border.
"That thing seemed scary."
"Yeah. It'll probably come for us after it's done with her."
"You think she'll lose?" Elisa asked.
"She might just leave. Since she has no way of crossing."
"Except if they team up."
"Why would they?"
"Yes... It's supposed to keep intruders from crossing. A Commander crossing is a big deal, I guess? Maybe there's a different spot they're supposed to cross from."
"Maybe." Mark shrugged as his wings were folded and spread continually.
"So we won, huh?"
The white-scaled Monster's face, as if it had a mind of its own, wanted to twist itself into a frown. Mark didn't let it.
"I guess. We're on our way, as we were supposed to be."
"Yep." Elisa nodded as she skipped from one platform of solidified wind to another. "We're making progress."
"Slowly but surely."
She pressed her lips and nodded with her head silently for a bit.
"What did you think about her?"
"She was strong."
"Way stronger than Lin, right?"
"Who's Lin?"
"Haha! Oh... You're serious? I thought you were doing what I was... Nevermind. The Commander we fought before."
"Oh. Yeah. Definitely stronger."
"Think Lin could have won against her?"
"No chance."
"Huh... That's what I think too. But then... It doesn't make sense..." Elisa brought a hand to her chin.
"What doesn't?"
"The reason she came for us."
"Isn't it to avenge him or something?"
"Yes... No. I think there is something else."
Mark shrugged.
"Does it matter? We're done with them anyways."
"Well yes, but..."
"But?"
"I kind of like her."
Mark shook his head.
"Whatev-"
Shoot-
"Ugh... Seriously?" Elisa whispered as she gazed below.
"That's annoying." Mark chuckled.
Below them, dozens of Krishrens with their heads barely above the surface.
The white-scaled Monster thought about free falling to them.
The Dungeon's Third Floor.
A rather annoying one it was.
'Bet I could fight better underwater now. But they're way stronger than what I fought underwater there.'
"Think we can dodge those streams without any issues." Elisa argued.
"Yea..." Mark answered absentmindedly.
The water streams weren't a problem.
But the fact that the body of water below seemed to be without end was.
Elisa was using Wind Magic. Turning the Wind into solid matter that could handle her weight, even for a sharp lapse of time, didn't have a cheat Mana cost.
Mark was flying using his wings while Krista balanced herself on his nape and upper back. The wind felt rather pleasant to the Moonlit Feline. Still, flying used up more Endurance Points than running. And after the encounter with the Krishrens and the Commander, Endurance wasn't at a comfortable level. Or at least, it won't remain comfortable for a while.
Stopping on the way to Devour Monsters would be the only way to recuperate those Endurance Points while crossing, but that would leave them vulnerable to the Monsters hiding in the depths of the Border.
The endless sea below wasn't kind to those intruding.
About fifteen minutes passed before it was time to take a break.
Mark and Elisa decided to stop now before Endurance or Mana Points could sink any further. Stopping while they still had enough to fight was a necessity.
As they started descending towards the water, the Moonlit Feline shot a series of Ice Spikes.
The surface quickly started freezing, and an area on which they could stand was created.
They descended upon that area.
Attract Monsters somehow to Devour? Or take the rest you can get?
Mark seemed to sway towards the first option.
Still, there was no way of knowing what waited for them down there.
After a short discussion, they decided not to make a ruckus.
They already couldn't help themselves from imagining a gigantic Monster underwater whose jaws were wide open. Whose jaws could engulf the whole body of ice they were standing on.
The anxiety proved to be too much. They remained focused on their Senses and couldn't get any real rest.
Mark started walking towards one edge of the body of ice while Elisa and Krista walked to the other edge.
Being separated, even by a dozen meters, didn't feel comfortable in such a situation.
Still, it was necessary to keep the body of ice from tipping.
'Just like I did then. Should be able to get them from here if they're weak enough. Their bodies will float. Just gotta find weak ones.' Mark thought to himself as he peeked beyond the edge.
It was evening, but the sun hadn't run away yet.
Still, the water was dark and not much could be seen.
Not much apart from the white-scaled Monster's reflection.
He stared for a while, waiting for something to change.
Ripples, movement, anything.
'Fishing sure is a boring activity...' Mark thought as he scratched his head.
After a couple of seconds, something seemed to change.
There was no effect on the surface, nothing seemed to move, nothing had appeared out of nowhere.
The white-scaled Monster stared at its reflection more intently.
Its hand moved towards its face.
It rotated its neck slightly from right to left. From left to right.
Mark hadn't seen his reflection or face often.
Still, something seemed strange.
[Your Title "Evolving Monster" is perplexed.]
'You too, huh?'
The white-scaled Monster opened its mouth.
'Huh... This is...?'
The Devourer's Fangs didn't seem as frightening as they usually do.
[Your Title "Devourer" is appalled by the quality of those Fangs!]
The white-scaled Monster... Didn't look like a white-scaled Monster.
The next second, it didn't look like a Monster either.
"Mark!" Elisa, who had been staring at the water on her side too, shouted.
Immediately, the three stepped back until their back met at the center of the body of ice.
Splash-
Splash-
Splash-
Their upper bodies left the waters.
They lay their arms on the body of ice and stared at the intruders.
Their eyes filled with fascination, frenzy, and lust.
