To the Depth of Abyss

Chapter 109: Part of training

Floor 2 / Middle South Region

Thorny Pine Forest / Portal of Dungeon of Kief and Plate court

"Are you ready!?"

One of the two Platinum Hunter, the leader in full control of all parties, raised his sword up. Increased the spirit of his subordinates. 

"Yeaahhh!"

"Woooooooo!"

The whole party members shouted their enthusiasm.

Especially for the twin of the sword apprentices. 

"Woooo!" "Woooo!"

Actually, those who shouted excitedly are those who have high physical strength. For those who don't have high physical strength, they got bothered instead of excited.

"What a vulgar people."

"Hey, shut it!" "You smart physically weak person!" "Can't you feel the tension of the upcoming adventures?!"

"It's a hunting expedition. You are in an adventure if your destination is a great distance."

They are not actually wrong, and only the Sword apprentices group who took issue with their rival's way of thinking, the Priests' apprentices. 

"Don't mind them, Henry, Harry."

Kane tries to calm his member's group. If they make trouble when they just about to start their hunting expedition, they might be sent home right away. 

Henry and Harry hold their anger and calm themselves. 

At that exact time, a male hunter comes at them.

"So the seven of you are the church apprentices?"

The person who came is the second Platinum Hunter from the party. A big man in full armor who carried a large shield and a high-quality sword.

The Sword apprentices fascinated at his great figure.

"Yes, sir!"

They without suddenly give the Platinum Hunter a formal way of calling.

"You don't need to call me with that calling."

The Platinum Hunter is a little surprised. He is a modest man who does not have a formal curriculum vitae like that of the church apprentices.

"My name is Dustin. As you know, I'm a Platinum. Liliana is a good friend of mine. So I will be the one who will take care of you."

Dustin emits a humble aura through his big figure. That fascinated the Sword apprentices once again.

"Yes, Sir!"

"You don't need to be that formal on me. Plus, you are not in the church now, so take it easy."

The Sword apprentices realized their formal greeting has become their habits, and it attracts attention of the atmosphere. 

Dustin also felt a bit embarrassed by their formal greetings.

"We are sorry, Sir Dustin." "We can't help it because it has become our habits."

"That's alright. Also, you can just call me by my name."

After confirming the Sword apprentices enthusiasm, Dustin move to the Priest apprentices. 

"So, the three of you are the Supporters of this party?"

"Yes," answered William, "But us and them are different. We are just coincidentally being sent along with them."

"I-is that so?" Dustin confused for a moment. "Well, we are now in a party and you are our Supporters. I hope we can get along well."

"Don't worry about it. If they don't mess up, everything will be fine."

"O-okay."

After facing the Sword apprentices high enthusiasm, Dustin shocked again by a low enthusiasm of the Priest apprentices. 

The two groups of the church's apprentices seemed given two different kinds of teaching. 

Dustin doesn't want to think too much about it. But he expected that the seven apprentices from the church have the same character and attitude. But it looks like the Sword apprentices is the one given a better moral lesson. 

"Let's go!"

Right after their short introduction, the Leader of the entire party given a command to enter the portal. 

"Alright, we will enter in the last turn," said Dustin.

The portal is 4 meter high and 2 meter length. So everyone must be in a group that will take turns to enter the portal. 

One group can carry 5 to 10 hunters. There were eight of them with Platinum Friendly hunters counted.

"Let's go!"

Dustin becomes the first one who enter the portal. 

The twin jumped to the portal in excitement. 

"Woo!" "Hoo!"

The rest enters casually

__**__**__**__

"What the - !" "Eeeeegggg!?"

They got teleported in the midair and falling. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Labyrinth of Carnivorous Plants and Lizards /

Definition / This hunting place is a former dungeon, [Dungeon of Kief and Plate]. It is the only one of the three former Dungeon that become hunting spot. Inside of this labyrinth is always changing because of the Trap Plants doing. 

Track: Dungeon Portal

Monsters: 

1. Trap Plants

2. Lizards Thing

Huntable results: 

1. Dangerous and useful plants

2. Useful Lizard's body part

~~~~~~~~~~

Those who can use Arts cast: [Wind Arts: Air Blanket]. The Arts wrapped the user, so they can lowered their fall speed.

But those who cannot - 

"We are deeeeeeedd!"

They are pulled by gravity and fall to the surface.

"Ouch!" 

The four apprentices of Sword are falling to the ground. 

"But, it didn't hurt?"

"Hey, get out from there!"

Dustin suddenly shouted at them. 

The four of them looked around. They were in the middle of a very large cave, that the surface is suddenly moving. 

"What the - !" "The floor?!"

They look at the floor. For some reason, the floor colour is changing from brown stone into pink meat. 

"It's actually a pink meat!" "NO! It's a mouth!"

The four of them are inside a Gigantus Venus Planus mouth. 

~~~~~~~~~~

Monster Name: Gigantus Venus Plantus

Difficulty: Level 6

Inteligence: Level 3

Type: Trapper Monsters

Monster Info: 

- Monsters that can fuse/camouflage with surrounding environmental. They only will show themselves when a victim got caught in their trap. Be careful with their adhesive fluid.

Recommendation Party: Platinum. Gold 

Existence: Labyrinth of Carnivorous Plants and Lizards 

~~~~~~~~~~

"Shiiiiiitt!" "Can't get out!"

They can't move their feet. The reason is that strange liquid covered their feet. 

"It's...?"

"Adhesive fluid!"

Adhesive fluid is a glue that all over the mouth of Gigantus Venus Plantus. Once you stepped on that sticky trap, it's hard to break free.

"It's too late!"

They cannot do something other than wait to be eaten. 

But before they are about to get eaten alive, Dustin has words for them. 

"You guys! Start counting to 30 second right after Venus Plantus close it mouth! After that, use your strongest skill to break through that trap!"

The Sword apprentices receive the message well. The twin gives a thumb up to Dustin right before they got eaten alive. 

"Are they going to be okay?"

"They said they are ready to face any battle. So they should be okay, maybe."

The rest of the party waiting for the Sword disciples to get out from the monster's trap. They are waiting for 30 seconds. 

The reason they didn't help those who get eaten because the victims cannot be helped after being hit by the sticky trap. Also, Gigantus Venus outside body is hard like steel. So they need to use a strong strike to destroy Gigantus Venus. 

But there is one simple yet tricky way to get out. 

After 30 seconds, adhesive fluid of Gigantus Venus will become hot liquid to digest food. That is where the victims need to release just one strong strike from inside to kill Gigantus Venus. After they killed the monster, the monster's steel skin will break itself; tada, they escaped the trap!

Right after 30 second the Sword apprentices got eaten:

Boom!

An explosion occurred from inside of the Gigantus Venus. 

That shocked Dustin a bit. But the Priest boys are get used to it.

The steel skin of Gigantus Venus self-destruct. The moment after it, the Sword disciples crawling to get out with their body got wet with hot monster body fluids. 

"Ew!" "Disgustang!"

Dustin runs for the apprentices. The priest boys don't want to get close to the Sword apprentices, because they smell bad. 

"Are you guys okay?"

"We are okay," answered Kane. 

"It's just." "The smell is so bad!"

Of course, a monster's body fluid is stinky. Especially you just come out from it. 

"Then you need a [Purification Air]."

That is an Arts to clean a body from any bad effects. 

"It's the turn of the three of you."

Dustin looks at the three Priest apprentices. But the Priest apprentices somehow giving a 'no' to that order. 

"You guys need our help?"

And asked the Sword apprentices who just got attacked a question of confirming if they should give the Sword apprentices help or not. 

"Nah, we are okay," answered Aiden. 

That is quite a surprise. But the rest of the Sword apprentices seem agreeing at their leader statement. 

"Let's back to our expedition, Sir Dustin!" "Yeah!"

Well, Dustin could just do that. "But, are you guys really okay?"

He worried because he is protecting the lives of the students of his good friends.

"Don't worry, we are okay!" "Yeah, we are considering it as our part of training!"

But the kids themselves are actually rejecting to be given a treatment. 

"It's a really tough way to train yourself. But, when I think your condition is bad, I will force you to accept treatment"

"Yes, sir!"

The Sword apprentices accepted the order with gusto.

"Although it still so stinky!"

Then they continue their expedition in the former Dungeon. 

Faced many Carnivorous Plants. 

Few times get caught in traps.

Rejecting to be given treatment again. 

Then finally meet up with other sub-parties. 

The members of the two parties rested. Especially the Sword apprentices who had put up with everything they received.

Meanwhile, Dustin and the group leader from the next group spoke privately.

"You realized it, Dustin?"

"Yeah, there are not a single Lizard on our way here."

The two of them realized that there is something wrong in the Labyrinth. 

"Then what about now?"

"We should meet up with Tyren first. It's quite dangerous if we move alone, especially when I escorting students from the church."

Dustin is alright if something worse happened to him. But he is an admirer of the Staff Saint, and he always remembered the Staff Saint's first mandate:

1. Protect and Support Children