BONUS Chapter for reaching 1000 PS last week!
Thank you !
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Leonel patted Roz’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Let’s concentrate on the mission at hand.”
Leonel winked though he was sweating buckets inside. The said girl was his idol and her biggest fan until that day in the restaurant, that is. And he couldn’t help but feel responsible for what happened even though he didn’t do anything wrong but like Lira.
Leonel hid his guilt behind his big smile and introduced Isolde to Roz and vice versa. The two just nodded at each other while Isolde shifted her head left and right.
“Where’s Ren?” she asked.
Leonel’s face crumpled, and he waved his hand over his face. “Forget about that guy. He has something to do elsewhere.”
Isolde hid her disappointment behind her confident raspy voice, but it still showed when it quaked a little. “H-he . . . he won’t be joining us?”
Leonel only shook his head. “Nope. That guy said that he’d rather level his life skills. Whatever that is. We can join him in Kartacol if you want after we’re done here.”
Isolde was curious about why Ren would choose to do something so dull instead of fighting a Hidden Boss. Maybe he got bored of fighting?.
Isolde admitted that she felt relieved knowing that they would go to Ren after they were done here. And she questioned, “What about Ragnar?”
“Ragnar is also busy doing his own thing. He said he is in the middle of something so he couldn’t come.” Leonel shrugged. “I guessed everyone is buys. It’s just you, me and Roz now.”
Isolde stared at Leonel before she shifted her attention to the small kid beside them. Roz only avoided her intimidating pair of obsidian eyes while the latter thought that Roz was just a kid.
She then looked left and right. “Then . . . who’s going to be the leader?”
“Me, of course,” Leonel jabbed his fist on his chest with a silly grin on his face.
“You?”
“Yes me.” Leonel nodded. “Don’t worry. With my lead, we’ll be safe and come out from this hunt victorious.”
Isolde suddenly had an urge to back out. “You’re the leader and we’re still two members less.”
“Tis’ fine.” Leonel didn’t care anymore. “I’ll Tank, you attack, and Roz will support us from behind. Easy peasy.”
Isolde sighed. “I don’t think that’s going to work, but whatever.”
There was nothing they could do if it were going to be just the three of them. They only wish that the Hidden Boss was a weak one.
“Hey.”
Leonel and the others’ gaze went to the newcomers. They were three of them, two boys and a girl. Leonel and the others looked at their names on top of their heads.
Ken had beads of gold hair, a lean frame, and a twinkling smile. From his get-up, he was a swordsman. Li was the typical neighborhood boy whose hair was black and eyes crescent with a hunter’s garb. And Jenny was the aloof rebellious girl with curls of neon green hair. The one who was constantly chewing something. She was a dark mage based on the color of her robe.
Ken was the one who spoke and apparently the leader of the two. “I couldn’t help but hear that you’re recruiting members to fight a hidden boss?”
Leonel’s eyes shone. Out of all the players he told about a Hidden Boss, only Ken responded. Most players thought that he was only joking or had ulterior motives for inviting them. No one believe that he had found a Hidden Boss.
“Yes. Are you guys interested in joining us?” Leonel asked in glee, but Isolde wasn’t smiling the least.
Ken nodded while Jenney immediately questioned, “Before that, what is the distribution of loot?”
“Distribution of loot?” Leonel was taken aback before his smile returned to his lips. Whoever had the perfect class for an item would get it, of course, just like what they did in Gargantuan Cave.
However, before Leonel could open his mouth, Isolde stepped forward and crossed her hands.
“Since we found the Hidden Boss first, it is only natural that we get whatever inside the Crystal and Platinum chest. And whatever inside the Gold Chest, we will distribute it evenly amongst everyone.”
Ken and the others looked at each other, and their amiable faces suddenly took a turn.
“That’s unfair,” protested Jenny.
Isolde raised a brow. “I think it’s very fair considering that we all know how hard it is to trigger a Hidden Boss. It’s not like a dungeon that you could just find wherever you want.”
“. . .”
Ken’s group was silent while Leonel nudged Isolde.
“Isolde . . .”
Leonel didn’t finish his sentence when Isolde raised her hand to stop him from speaking.
Leonel was kind, but she was not. Many think that she had a kind face (only she thought of that) but she wasn’t nice the least. Since Ren wasn’t here, she wouldn’t allow anyone to take advantage of Leonel’s kindness.
Isolde was so sure that Ren would have done the same.
Ken shook his head while chuckling at Isolde’s serious face, evident that she wasn’t backing down.
“Sorry, but . . . we thought that the distribution of loot is equal.” He then turned, and his smile dropped while his face darkened. “Good luck with the hunt.”
As they went away, Jenny and Li took a quick peek at them while they were whispering amongst themselves.
“Isolde, why did you say that? Now we’re still two members low,” complained Leonel as he watched the retreating figure of the three.
Isolde faced Leonel and her tight face loosened. “It’s only fair, Leo. You and Ren are the ones who knew about the Hidden Boss, so you should have those chests and items. As for me and the others, we should be content with the EXP, gil, and other loots.”
“And besides,” Isolde added, “You’re the one who said that we would be fine. Just the three of us.”
Leonel grumbled under his breath before he looked at Roz. His imploring face asked for a friend to help him.
But Roz agrees with Isolde. Leonel was too nice for his own good. “She’s right. Those chests should belong to you since you’re the one who found the Boss. I’m just tagging along, so I’m okay with whatever EXP, gil, and loot.”
Leonel scratched his head, and before he could open his mouth, Isolde asked again.
“Leo, did you go around saying about the Hidden Boss?”
Leonel nodded his head like he was a chicken picking grains. “Yeah. Though I didn’t say how to trigger it and what kind of Boss we will face.”
Leonel almost patted himself for a job well done. Since he didn’t tell anyone how to trigger the Hidden Boss, the Boss was still safe for them to get firstblood. Though he himself didn’t know what kind of Boss they would face.
Ren didn’t tell him. He could only wish that Ren wasn’t pranking him.
But Isolde thought otherwise, and her face darkened a little while she massaged her head.
“I see. . . ,” was the only words she said before her eyes wandered to the other players.
Everyone was minding their business, chatting with each other and laughing merely until Isolde’s gaze wandered to Ken and his friends.
Their wide grins and strange looks made Isolde suspicious even more.
Ren wasn’t here, so it was up to her to make sure their hunt would be a success. She did owe him a piece of equipment because he didn’t get one in Gargantuan Cave. And no matter what, Isolde was determined to take home the bacon. Come hail and blood!
“Come on. Let’s go.” Leonel said, and he walked ahead. He was excited at leading the front while Roz stuck to his back.
Isolde took one last look at Ken’s group before she went after the two.