As they're traveling the sun begins to go down. "We're gonna have to camp this one out." Kaito says.
"Who's turn was it hunting today?" Dante asks. Rika looks away whistling. Dante luckily had made a tally system.
Since the three began traveling they took turns doing the chores. Like setting up the tent, or gathering water, or hunting. They had made a system where each of them would have to do it.
If it was a hunting day, and it landed on Kaito they'd have the best return since he was good at it. If Dante and Rika were on hunting duty however it wouldn't turn out so great. Leaving Kaito to go hunt anyways.
"Looks like it's a Rika day." Dante says and Rika snaps her fingers. "Fine you better not be mad if I flop!" Rika says as she storms off. "You should've hunted earlier!" Dante shouts.
Kaito and Dante set up camp together. "So Kaito how come you never use that bow?" Dante asks. Kaito thinks and then he laughs. "I forgot I had that." Kaito giggles.
Dante shakes his head. "How could you forget about something like that?!"
With a beautiful golden light, Kaito summons his hunter bow. Dante marvels at the equipment and Kaito looks towards a tree with a makeshift arrow. He attempts to knock the bow but he can't even draw the string back.
"What the!?" Kaito questions as he tugs with all of his might but he fails to knock the arrow. "Woah this things impossible!" Kaito says. It would appear that he's too weak to even draw the bow.
Dante nods. "I guess that makes sense, it's a phantasmal weapon so I guess you just aren't strong enough yet." Dante mentions and the revaluation kind of irritating Kaito.
So for the rest of the duration they wait for Rika, Kaito constantly attempts to use the bow. Using even energy fission to strengthen his arms he could only wiggle the drawstring.
As his hands became worn and blisters formed on his palms he decided to call it for the day. "Are you even good with bows?" Dante asks. Kaito shakes his head. "Actually i'm terrible at throwing too." Kaito smiles.
Dante shakes his head. Rika returns as they sit around the campfire and all she has is a small rabbit creature. "Listen I tried." Rika says.
Kaito still does his job and he whips up food. He decided to turn the small morsel of meat into a stew. "Love the innovation Kaito." Dante says as he eats the stew.
Afterall is said and done they go to sleep for the night. Kaito however comes out of his tent and watches. As Kaito is on guard tonight he spends his time still practicing with the bow.
In the morning they arrive at veloria and the sight that greets them makes Rika immediately snap pictures.
Veloria is known for it's massive bridges that cover entire ravines it's known as the only passage from this side of the country to the next.
The bridges both stretch for two thousand meters each. They are truly and architectural beauty.
"Woah I've never seen bridges this big!" Kaito shouts as he looks. The bridges are busy however. With them being the only passage, nobles, merchants, and adventurers crowd the bridge.
As Kaito and his friends cross Kaito gets a look at the beautiful ocean view around them. They're so high up and the water below is filled with both beautiful creatures and terrifyingly large monsters.
As Kaito and his friends enter Kaito catches the feeling of someone strange watching him. His friends continue on but the man approaches Kaito.
"Hey there fella." He says, the mysterious aura covering him. The man is dressed in a black cloak that covers his face. The people of the town just walk around him like he isn't even there. "Hey?" Kaito responds, unsure of this man.
"What're you doing around here?" He asks. Kaito doesn't understand the question. The man laughs. "Right i'm sorry, I didn't even introduce myself, Mal should do for now." He introduces himself.
The mans presence comes with this weird pressure. "Do I know you?" Kaito asks. The man just smiles at him. He gets close to Kaito's face and looks him in the eye. Dante shakes Kaito. "Kaito who are you talking to?" Dante asks. Kaito turns back to Mal but he's gone.
Kaito wonders how weird that was. "It was a guy here." Kaito says. Dante shakes his head. "Dude It was just you staring at nothing."
Shaking it off Dante changes the subject. "We have some leftover money from Nyla, you wanna grab a bite to eat?" Dante asks.
"Since we didn't have any luck with hunting." Dante says. Kaito smiles. "Because Rika couldn't catch anything filling." He mocks.
Rika looks offended. "It's harder then it looks!" Rika yells.
"Why do even take turns anyways, we know you're the best hunter." Dante asks.
Kaito smirks. "It's how we got better at stuff back at home, we always took turns doing it, so if you wanted the entire village happy you would have to be better." Kaito explains.
Dante sweats a little. "That sounds like weaponized peer pressure man." He says. Rika nods. "I've heard of that kind of stuff, it's what some family's do to make everyone strong." Rika adds.
Her mouth then waters. "Could we get noodles?" Rika asks. Dante shakes his head. "We already got noodles back in Trays, I want something else." Dante says.
Rika shakes her head. "What a simpleton, how can you get tired of noddles there's so many ways to enjoy them," Rika says as illusions of noodles appear above her head. "You could get delicious spicy udon noodles, or you could get chicken Katsu on top with miso soup on the side." Rika says as she giggles.
Dante still isn't sold. "No to noodles." He says.
With no ideas they turn to Kaito. "What do you want?" Dante asks Kaito. Kaito just shrugs, "i'll eat anything as long as it's good." He responds and Rika groans. "Hate when people respond with that, how about pizza then?" Rika asks.
"Simple, cheap, delicious." She adds.
Kaito tilts his head. "What's a pizza?" He asks. Dante shakes his head. "You village folk, you've gotta try it it's really good." Dante explains.
As they walk through town they notice a young empire soldier. They overhear the conversation.
"Have you heard of the guilds stirring up trouble again?" A soldier asks. The young man shakes his head. "Nothing new, those adventures don't understand how lenient we've been with them." He says.
The older one nods. "But to deface an empire artifact like that, it's like onslaught wants trouble." He says.
Dante wonders what the onslaught guild has to do with this.
"What's onslaught?" Kaito asks. "It's one of the five master guilds, wonder why they're messing with the empire." Dante wonders.
They arrive at the pizzeria and they take a seat. "I'm happy nothing has gone wrong yet, I was beginning to think I was cursed." Dante says. Rika laughs. "You might be." She says.
The kids get their pizza and Kaito is enjoying the dish. "It's like a sandwich!" Kaito says. "I guess you could think of it like that." Dante responds. As the kids enjoy their pizza the power to the building shuts off.
An alarm blares. The kids run outside and they see the barrier around the town disappear.
Vehicles stop in their tracks, as power around the entire city goes out. "CLASS S CRISIS, THE CRYSTIA WAS STOLEN!" A guard shouts as they panic.
"Hurry to the bridge we must stop monsters from getting in!" The guard yells.
On the bridge monsters begin attacking the caravans as the empire rush outside to try to quell it as quickly as possible. Sadly people caught on the outskirts are unable to escape so lives were lost.
Dante's head drops. "It's official i'm cursed." He says.