Reluctant Hero | Amaki Ren

Chapter 15 | Calm Through The Storm

"Everyone needs someone to lean on."

"We're all splitting up in two as we explore the dungeon." Ren stood in front of both parties, laying out his plan for the dungeon quest. Sakura, who still had her arms folded, stood a little behind him with eyes closed. She can't believe she really agreed on going on a dungeon quest with him.

"The problem is how we'll tell each other when we find the beast." Ren looks over his shoulder. "What do you think?"

"Haru has telepathic magic that we can use to keep each other linked. But, it only works on his party members." Sakura opened her eyes to look at the Sword Hero. "Each pair should consist of one of mine and one of yours."

"What's telepathic?" Haru whispers. Ren heard it pretty well and decided to answer for him. Since they are in different worlds, their vocabulary are different too.

"It's kinda the same as mind magic." He says.

"Ah, right!" Haru snapped his fingers. "But, I'm all out of mana regeneration potions, Sakura-sama."

Sakura took out a bottle of the said potion from behind her and tossed it to him. "That should be enough for you to keep us all linked while fighting at the same time."

Haru looks at the potion and drank it all in one go. The feeling of immense mana surging through his system allowed goosebumps all over his body. It was unlike any ordinary mana potions that he drank before.

Sakura noticed the confused expression he was displaying. She looks away, sighing. "I made it with my weapon's added skills. It comes pretty useful in day-long missions."

"So, that's why it has greater effect." Haru gawked. "Memory link," Haru casted his spell. In an instant, Sakura's entire party glowed light blue. It died down as the spell was finished casting on them. "We won't be able to hear each other's thoughts unless we command for the spell to activate."

"Good, then let's split up." Ren placed a hand on his hip. "Welt with Ria, Bakta with Haru, Tersia with Freya, and Farrie with Nami. Sakura's with me."

"Why am I stuck with you?"

"Do you prefer going alone?"

Sakura glanced back at the cave entrance behind them. It was dark, terrifying her and making her overthink of what could possibly be inside the dungeon. "No," she mumbles.

"Then, we're all set." Ren and Sakura let their party members go in first with their specified partners. Each of them supplied themselves with either light from their magic or torches that Ren's party prepared beforehand. Said Sword Hero grabbed his own torch and easily lit it up.

He looks back at Sakura who was feeling uneasy of going inside the dungeon. Her eyes gave her away. Ren knew that there is something about the place that scares her, but he prefers to stay silent rather than to force her say it to him.

"Shall we go?" He asks.

"R-right,"

Ren took the lead and began to walk inside the dungeon. Sakura follows closely behind, arms still folded as her way of protecting herself from the darkness. She kept her eyes on the ground while they walked. She made sure that she can still see Ren's own feet as they delved deeper into the dungeon.

A nerve-wracking feeling remained in the pit of her stomach. Ren was right when he said that there must be a reason why she doesn't like exploring dungeons. None of her members know about it, and neither does Ren. It was a secret that Sakura would prefer to keep to herself.

When they reached an intersection with five tunnels inside the dungeon, the other four pairs split up to occupy the two on the left and two on the right. It left with Ren and Sakura going to the middle tunnel. They stopped in the middle of all intersections for a moment.