Coerced into Altruism in the Dungeon

Chapter 3

A/N:

My alert system has been glitched so fanfiction wasn't sending me reviews, PM's and the like for a bit. I think it on recently started working again, here's hoping anyway.

As for the long wait time, I spent more time than one should ever spend on this chapter. I rewrote this... many, many... many times. A more skilled author could have given you this level of content in merely a week, maybe even in just a few days. Alas, I am not a skilled author. I write things. I doubt them. I write them again, and only when I'm satisfied with how the words on the page look, sound, and feel, do I feel comfortable sharing it. Also, turns out, taking creative writing classes on how to write formal stories, while writing an informal story like this, makes me want to formal the hell out of it. I know. Shocker. I wonder if any of that will be visible. Eh, it probably won't. You guys just come here to here to see—cover your virgin ears—girls getting objectified, and guys flamed on. Gasp. I said it. Fanfiction in a nutshell right there. The majority anyway, the true greats of this site don't need women in the story to be good. Woah that was sexist. What I meant was, a true story doesn't need fanservice in the first chapter to entice the readers. Ah, but this isn't me hyping up my own writing, it's sharing what I think qualifies for good storytelling.

I'll just shut up now, and gently, just leave you with this:

Enjoy my continued attempt at saving those who should have been saved.

—

Coerced into Altruism in the Dungeon

Chapter Three

—

Ryuu was supposed to be standing watch, just like the others.

It was an important duty that definitely needed a hundred percent of her attention, yet she continued to steal glances at the girl next to her, the one who had just recently returned to them. She was sure Noin noticed, but just chose not to say anything. That was her own way of being considerate, even when she didn't need to be. Ryuu had certainly seen it enough times to know.

Eventually tearing her gaze away from her friend, she looked back to the area that required her gaze, the darkness and fog-filled woods, wrapping their location in a complete circle.

Technically, there wasn't any way to keep an eye out for every entry and exit point that could be used by the two targets they waited for, but that was why they all joined in on the search—only as a precaution, however. Ryuu already had an inkling, just as the others likely did, where they would spot movement, if any. It was impossible not to. After all, when they were still working out the kinks in their plan, and even when the waiting period began, the sounds did not once cease.

Of course, she was referring to the sounds coming from the forest.

Deep roars and banshee-like shrieks rumbled up and over the canopies, launching into awaiting ears, only growing louder and even more enraged as time passed. It was why Ryuu didn't have a doubt in her mind of the intense battle occurring deep within that greenery.

And as if on cue, evidence presented itself in the form of yet another tree way in the distance disappearing from sight, with a deep quake bellowing immediately after. And for the umpteenth time, she couldn't refrain from tightening her grip around her blade's leatherbound handle. It wasn't so much the monster that was giving her cause to fret, though. Yes, that beast in all its demented glory did indeed terrify her—it nearly killed Noin after all—but what truly frayed her nerves was the thought of the person that was supposedly opposing it at this current moment. The very same man who, after coming out of nowhere, seemed to be helping them in their plight.