Novel Full 170 170: The empty boss room
“You look like you are on edge. Did something happen when I was not with you?”
Aurora felt her nerves calm down as once she settled between Natasha and Rita. She had not realized how much on edge she had been because of Rita’s fluctuating aura.
“I’m still pissed off. Can you believe the audacity of that girl? Thankfully, we did not have to meet up with her ever again.”
Aurora heard Rita rant but she did not break her fantasy about not meeting Clove again. No one could tell what the future held and Aurora could not guarantee not having another meeting with Clove in the future.
“So, what is the agenda? How do we head toward the floor? Will we need to clear the boss room? That phoenix will be a problem for sure.”
Rita’s concern was clear in her voice. Since she had faced the beast before, she knew what kind of danger the group was into.
But Rita was also forgetting that Aurora was not like Rita. Aurora did not fear this situation and she even had her powers.
“I can take care of the floor boss so that is not a problem. The main concern is to not run into the tower team that is here for the same reason.”
Aurora did not want to run into Quince and Clove’s team. If she did then the chances of her secret getting out would be much higher.
“Should we wait for the tower team to clear this floor before us? We can’t predict their moment so we cannot respond in kind.”
Natasha’s question was worth considering. But the lack of predictability did make things much more difficult for the group.
“We can’t do that. We don’t have that much time on our hands. If possible, I would like to skip floor 7 altogether and head straight to floor 8.”
“Is there even a way to do that?”
“There is but there is a catch. Only someone from the tower can get us to floor 8th. Since the tower has cleared this floor before, they have a way to travel between the floors without facing the boss rooms.”
Yes, this was the fastest way for a group to travel in the abyss. Aurora used this method in her previous life a lot of times and she even knew where the transporting circles were.
But the main problem would be to get the tower to cooperate. Only someone from the tower who had enough authority could get the gates open and travel in such a manner.
In other words, there was only one person present here who could get them to floor 8.
“I would rather kill myself than ask the tower for help.”
Rita rejected the proposal at once. Aurora was not sure if she did this for her or if Rita did this because of her personal feelings.
“I agree. We can’t trust the tower to not betray us like that.”
Aurora just sighed at the silent agreement her partners were in. They did not even consider asking Aurora’s opinion on this matter.
“If you both are certain then I will toss this possibility out of my head. Let’s just kill the main boss and progress adequately.”
The two others agreed with Aurora and the matter was settled.
===========================
Or, it should have been settled until Aurora and the company reached the boss room, only to find it empty.
“I can’t sense the boss at all. Did the tower reach here before us and kill Beatrix?” Natasha tried to sound logical but her confusion was evident in her voice.
“That can’t be. These people recently entered this floor so they won’t be this reckless. Someone else must have done this.”
Aurora was more logical in her thinking. Thanks to her understanding of the tower and how it worked, she could tell that the person who had killed the boss was not sent by Quince.
Quince was much more cautious about these matters and would not have endangered his team by rushing like this.
“It’ll likely take a few days for the boss to respawn now.”
Rita was disappointed, and so was Aurora. This put their plan a few steps behind what they were hoping for. It was time Aurora could not afford to waste in the abyss.
The sound of footsteps reached the group and it was only because of Aurora’s preoccupied mind that she failed to recognize who they belonged.
“Did you people clear this room before us? But I don’t see a gate to the next floor here.”
Of course, it was Quince who had walked in on the trio. Maybe it was because it had been some time since Aurora had spent time with him but she seemed to have forgotten Quince’s habits.
Quince always made sure to check the boss room early so that he could prepare a strategy to combat it. Turning back the time seemed to not have changed his habit.
“We did not kill the boss. It was already dead when we arrived here. We thought that the tower was behind this.”
Natasha, being the calm lady she was, chose to reply neutrally.
Aurora could tell that Quince was frustrated at the lack of response he got from their group but he did not make the matters worse for them.
“I see. From your expression, it seems like you were in a hurry to leave these floors. In that case, do you want me to help you out?”
Aurora instantly felt her awareness rise when she heard Quince’s words. He never suggested things like this without thinking his options through.
If he was suggesting helping Aurora out then there must be a reason behind this. What kind of advantage did he wish to gain by helping Aurora out?
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s for helping me during that time in the Horax Village. I don’t like to be in other’s debt so I am repaying you now.”
Oh, Aurora did remember that now. She had given Quince that highest-grade potion that one time.
It had been so long that Aurora had ended up forgetting that whole ordeal but the teen in front of him seemed to remember.
“Ah, that? Didn’t I tell you that I was helping you for free then? I do not want anything in return for my good deed.”
Aurora did not want to run her mouth unnecessarily. She could feel Rita’s glare digging holes in her head with a questioning look.
Aurora had not wanted to hide things from others but there had been no reason for her to share her opinions either.
“I know you said that you did not need anything but I still wanted to repay you for that one time. That potion ended up saving the life of someone close to me,” Ah, so it was used on Clove.
Aurora had handed the potion over because she had been worried. Even if she had said that she had no utter motive, she did have a motive then.
But Quince did not know that and he wanted to repay Aurora now. Aurora should take him up on his offer.
“If that’s how you feel then I guess there is no problem in taking you up on your offer. But just this once, alright?”
Aurora could feel Rita’s displeasure at this agreement. It seemed like her firey-tempered teammate did not want to cooperate with the tower.
So, Aurora decided to clear this misunderstanding.
“But just so you know, I am taking this offer up because it came from you and not from the tower. The responsibility of this trade will fall upon you.”
“I understand. I will make sure the tower never knows about it.”
Since Quince was assuring Aurora about this topic, she felt happy to take him up on it. The faster she reached floor 8, the faster she could find the Lake Variety.
“Come, follow me. I will take you to the circle and help you cross before the others from the tower can make their way to this cave. I am sure you don’t want to run into other people on your way ahead.”
Quince was correct in his saying. Aurora did not want to run into other people while moving around.
So she took the younger up on his offer and the party left for the transporting circle.
===========================
Somewhere else, a lone figure with golden hair and blue eyes opened her eyes as she exited the gate.
“I told you to be careful in using your powers. You have not adjusted to your new soul fragments so it will be difficult for you to control them.”
Clove ignored Zoe’s urgent advice as she washed the excessive blood off her face.
She had challenged Beatrix to test out her new powers but it had been too easy for her. The challenge had felt hollow and meaningless.
“I wonder what Quince would be doing. I should head back to him so that the tower doesn’t get a wind of this.” Zoe just sighed at her new queen’s actions but she did not disagree with her.