The captured fairy, her voice gaining a fragile strength, elaborated on the nature of the "unwelcome visitors." "They are drawn by the raw life energy," she explained, her violet eyes wide with a primal fear. "Creatures of shadow and hunger. Beings that thrive on the very essence of life. They are normally dormant, dwelling in the deeper parts of the forest, but the Bloom's awakening… it stirs them. Makes them bold."
She spoke of shadowy beasts with insatiable appetites, their forms shifting and indistinct, capable of draining the life force from living beings with a mere touch. She described entities that whispered promises of power, preying on the desperation of weaker creatures, twisting them into monstrous servants. She spoke of a creeping darkness that suffocated the land, leaving behind only withered husks. The fairies, though attuned to the natural world, were fragile, their magic primarily focused on nurturing and healing, ill-suited for direct combat against such entities. This annual ritual, while vital for their survival, was also a period of great vulnerability.
Levi, perched high in the branches, listened intently even if he couldn't understand the language. Igris remained a silent, imposing threat, his crimson eyes never leaving the captive fairy, his very presence a deterrent to any rash actions from the others. Both were poised to unleash their full power at Riku's command, ready to obliterate the delicate beings below if the situation turned hostile.
But Riku's mind was already formulating a different approach. Annihilation was a last resort, a blunt instrument that could have unforeseen consequences. He had the information he needed for the System's quest. Now, a more nuanced solution was required.
As the fairy finished her explanation, a subtle blue notification flickered in Riku's vision, confirming the completion of the quest objective. He now understood the purpose of the fairies' gathering and the potential danger it posed.
'Ten days,' Riku thought, calculating rapidly based on the fairy's description of the lunar convergence. 'It will take approximately ten days for the Bloom to fully awaken and release its energy. Ten days until these… shadow creatures are drawn to this location.' That was a critical timeframe.
"Alright," Riku said, his voice calm and authoritative, addressing the gathered fairies. "I want all of you to move fifty meters away from this clearing. Now."
A collective murmur of confusion rippled through the fairies. The captured leader tilted her head, her violet eyes questioning. "Why? What are you planning to do?"
"It's so that Igris and I can leave this area without being easily tracked," Riku stated, his gaze firm. "We have no further business here, but we need to ensure our departure doesn't lead any unwanted attention back to our… home." He deliberately kept his explanation vague, not wanting to reveal the existence or location of his village.
Suddenly, another fairy, smaller and more agitated than the others, cried out in their melodic tongue, "They're lying! They're going to take our leader hostage! They're going to steal the Bloom's energy!" Panic flared in her voice, spreading rapidly through the assembled fairies.
"That is not my intention," Riku said, his voice cutting through the rising alarm. "But you will obey my instructions, whether you agree with them or not. Igris," he gestured to the silent knight, "will ensure your compliance. Disobey, and you will face consequences you cannot imagine." He made no explicit mention of Levi, but the silent, unseen threat in the trees was a clear implication.
Despite their fear and confusion, the fairies, faced with the imposing reality of Igris and Riku's unwavering command, began to slowly, reluctantly, follow his instructions. With a collective flutter of wings and hushed whispers of protest, they retreated fifty meters from the clearing, their luminous forms creating an eerie glow in the surrounding darkness, their eyes still fixed warily on Riku and their captive leader. The clearing, once vibrant with their magical energy, now felt strangely empty, the pulsating Bloom of Everlife sitting unguarded in its center.
At Riku's silent command, Igris moved with his characteristic swiftness. In a blink, he carried the captured fairy, her delicate form surprisingly light in his massive hand, and gently placed her amongst her brethren at the designated fifty-meter distance. He then returned to Riku's side with the same unnerving speed, his crimson gaze unwavering.
"Igris," Riku commanded, his voice low and decisive. "Take me. Now. Maximum speed. Opposite direction of the village."
He then turned his gaze towards the trees where Levi was concealed. "Levi! Follow us! Use your ODM gear. Stay high, stay fast. Don't lose sight of us."
Without a word, Igris scooped Riku up in his arms, his grip surprisingly gentle, and with a powerful surge of otherworldly energy, they bolted into the darkness, moving at a speed that blurred the surrounding trees. Levi, propelled by the familiar hiss of his ODM gear, swung through the canopy above them, keeping pace with their rapid advance.
They traversed kilometers in what felt like mere minutes, leaving the clearing and the bewildered fairies far behind. The terrain blurred beneath them, a tapestry of dark forest and moonlit clearings. Finally, in the distance, a colossal, broken structure loomed into view – the skeletal remains of a vessel of some kind, impossibly large and seemingly out of place in this world. It resembled a colossal, shattered ship, half-buried in the earth, its jagged edges reaching towards the sky like the bones of a fallen giant.
"Inside," Riku commanded as they approached the wreck, Igris carrying him effortlessly. They entered a gaping maw in the ship's side, the interior a cavernous space filled with shadows and the eerie silence of forgotten technology. Levi landed gracefully beside them, his blades glinting in the faint moonlight that filtered through the breaches in the hull.
"What in the seven hells is this place, Dola?" Levi asked, his gaze sweeping over the immense, decaying structure. "And what's the plan?"
Riku, his voice calm despite the rapid pace of their escape, explained his reasoning. "There's a strong possibility the fairies placed a tracking enchantment on either Igris or myself while we were in the clearing. Subtle magic, something we wouldn't immediately detect." He gestured around the massive ship. "This… this wreck is large and contains materials unlike anything found in the surrounding forests. If they are tracking us magically, this should either disrupt the signal or provide us with a clear indication if they follow."
He continued, "If they did place a tracking spell, they will likely follow. If they didn't, or if the magic is too weak to penetrate this structure, they won't. If they did track us but choose not to follow, or are unable to for some reason, any residual enchantment will likely dissipate within a day."
Levi stared at the colossal wreck, then back at Riku, a look of stunned admiration on his face. "You… you thought of all that? Just now?"
Riku simply nodded, a weary sigh escaping his lips. "It's better to be cautious, Levi. Especially when dealing with magic we don't fully understand." The ruined ship, a silent testament to a forgotten era, had become their temporary sanctuary, a strategic vantage point in their unseen game of cat and mouse with the mysterious fey.
Riku, finally remembered the system notification from completing the quest. With a mental command, the reward screen shimmered into existence before his eyes.
[Reward: Anime Character Gacha]
Riku's mind did a double-take. An anime character gacha? Seriously? Of all the useful skills, powerful artifacts, or even just plain old system points he could have received, it was this. A wry smile touched his lips. This was precisely the kind of unpredictable absurdity he had come to expect, and frankly, it was almost funny in its utter randomness.
Against his better judgment, a sliver of morbid curiosity won out. With a mental flick, he initiated the spin. For what felt like an eternity (though was probably closer to two minutes), a kaleidoscope of colorful anime characters flashed before his eyes, their exaggerated expressions and vibrant hairstyles a stark contrast to the grim reality of their current situation. His mind wandered to the sheer ridiculousness of potentially summoning some overly enthusiastic magical girl in the middle of a potential fairy pursuit.
Finally, the spinning stopped, and a triumphant message popped up:
[Congratulations, you won Honami Ichinose from Classroom of the Elite]
[Take]
Riku blinked. Honami Ichinose. Well, at least it wasn't a magical girl. Though, he had to admit, his knowledge of "Classroom of the Elite" was… limited. Normally, the gacha offered a choice: [Take] or [Leave]. But this time, only [Take] glowed invitingly. He figured, even if the [Leave] option were present, he would have instinctively tapped [Take] anyway. The system's forced enthusiasm was almost endearing in its bizarre way.
Levi, who had been patiently observing Riku's strange, focused expression, finally broke the silence. "Oi, Dola? You alright there? You looked like you were staring into the abyss… or maybe just having a stroke."
Riku blinked, the image of Honami Ichinose's calm, collected face still lingering in his mind. "It's… a reward from the system," he explained, a slight smile playing on his lips. "An anime character gacha."
Levi stared blankly. "A what now?"
"It's… complicated," Riku waved a hand dismissively. "Apparently, I've acquired a girl named Honami Ichinose."
"Honami Ichinose, huh? Well, at least Blondie's finally got a companion who might actually understand her… strategic brilliance. Maybe they can have tea parties and discuss the optimal way to arrange flowerpots while we're out fighting giant monsters and sparkly fairies." He punctuated his statement with a dry chuckle. "Just try not to let your new anime friend start lecturing us about the importance of classroom harmony during our next life-or-death situation."