It was no secret that Henryk and the other slaves breathed a sigh of relief when the leader of the adventuring party announced it was high time to leave the mana nest and go outside. But despite their enthusiasm for finally getting some fresh air, everyone walked very slowly. This was due to the slaves' packs being so heavy.
Everyone, including the hunters, was tired and sweaty. Even Gill didn't have the strength to urge the slaves on. Apparently, spending several days in the gloomy cave corridors was taking its toll.
"I swear, when this is all over, I'll take a hot bath and stay in the tub for a few hours." He spoke in a tired, melancholic voice, eager to see the outside world again.
Henryk and Someryn, who were following close behind, heard every word. The young man frowned in irritation. He didn't think anything would change for him once he left this cave. After all, he was just a slave.
[I guess I should be grateful I'm still alive...] he thought, feeling the backpack on his back grow heavier with each step. [Surprisingly, there were practically no monsters in this place. Even D-rank dungeons in solo leveling were more dangerous.]
Whether it was fate or just luck didn't concern Henryk. The most important thing to him at that moment was the fact that I was still alive.
With that in mind, he had to come up with a plan to escape with an adventurer once they got out of this mana nest.
He knew he'd have more opportunities to escape outside. However, he still considered the risk.
Before they even entered the mana nest, he noticed five tall, elegant, and healthy horses. These horses had been left outside, and the hunters had left them some kind of provisions. Moreover, these horses were perfectly trained to be loyal and not abandon their owners; otherwise, Henryk doubted the hunters would have so easily trapped them without any protection.
From what he'd gathered so far, their next destination would be a town called Wojtyn, as he'd heard others say it was the closest town.
[Hmmm... even if that town is a day's ride away, we're still in for a tough journey. It's unlikely any of them would be so kind as to let us mount their horses. Besides, these backpacks are too heavy. The slaves will have to walk.]
Henryk sighed. The prospect of a long march with a heavy backpack full of glowing mana crystals didn't cheer him up one bit.
Several hours passed. Even though the adventurers didn't carry as much weight as the slaves, the march was still difficult for them. When Markus suggested they take a break and rest, Kael and Brina flatly refused.
"What in the name of the gods has gotten into them?" Markus wondered, scratching the back of his head.
Henryk simply assumed that the swordsman and the Sorceress simply wanted to get out of here as quickly as possible without tiring the others out. Frankly, he wasn't surprised.
Suddenly, Henryk felt a gentle nudge. Behind him, Someryn poked his shoulder with a finger to get his attention.
"What's up?" the young man asked, curious about what his former cellmate wanted.
"Is it just me, or are those two nervous about something?" he said, pointing at Kael and Brina.
Henryk merely shrugged.
"There's something to this," he said, adjusting his backpack on his back. "Something's going on here. We could definitely dig up more crystals. They must have sensed something... See? They're moving faster than the rest."
"Do you think we're running because they sensed something dangerous?" Henryk asked.
Someryn nodded.
"It could be Demonspawn," the man deduced, clutching his chin. "Or it's just some more powerful creature they can't handle. I have no idea."
"What is a Demonspawn?" Henryk asked Someryna.
"You really don't know, Hen. What in the name of gods do parents teach children these days? Even I know what a Demonspawn is. In short, a powerful, huge, savage monster that devours everything it sees."
"How is it any different from a regular monster?"
"By the gods, Hen. Do I really need to explain it to you? Ten Demons are the most powerful beings in the world. That means their descendants, created with their magic, are also truly powerful."
"I see…" the young man said, narrowing his eyes.
"Hey, Hen?"
"What?"
"If something really happens, let's stick together. It'll be safer that way."
Henryk opened his eyes to the white-haired slave. Someryn's expression was radiant. If only he were ready for the final act. Someryn, always complaining or laughing, now looked into his green eyes with deadly seriousness.
"Fine." Finally, after a moment of consideration, she scurried away. "Let's stick together and keep our eyes open."
"Fine."
...
Several hours of walking passed. The sorceress and the swordsman became even more tense. The powerful aura only heightened their tension. They sensed someone following them.
And then it happened...
With superhuman speed, Kael drew his saber, dodged, and deflected what appeared to be a spearhead carved from ice. But that wasn't the end. Three more bolts flew at him, two of which he deflected like a Jedi Master, but the third, upon impact, struck him squarely in the cheek.
"Woooow! I guess they let you go, you're fast," said a dark, whining voice, its direction unidentifiable.
Suddenly, he fired another ice bolt, but missed its target. As he entered the further corridors of the cave, he was blocked by an ice wall that stopped.
*Step*
*Step*
Dark, terrifying footsteps echoed from where they had come. Everyone turned to the sound.
The temperature in the area dropped. Everyone saw your breathing.
In the end, the ten side effects proved decisive.
It was a two-meter-tall creature with long arms and legs. It had red eyes, piranha-like teeth, and hair that looked as if it were made of ice, like its entire body. The creature held a large, black, two-handed sword in its hand. A terrifying, black-and-blue aura surrounded it.
"Kael!?"
"I know, Brina!" the swordsman replied, frowning at the approaching creature. "This is... an Ice Elemental Devourer!"
The creature, called the Elemental Devourer, took advantage of the wide access it had to its piranha teeth.
"I haven't been here in a while," he said, laughing in the faces of the hunters and slaves before him. "I wonder how you'll entertain me..."
At that moment, the camera zoomed in on Henryk's face, which bore a look of terror. [I'm dead.]
[[Reference Art for Elemental Devourer in comment]]