A low-level fissure with a giant grasshopper boss—that was the information given to me when we were preparing yesterday. Clearly, I truly couldn't believe that this beautiful world would be destroyed so quickly.
When observed, this world has very little pollution and is incredibly peaceful, filled with the characteristic sounds of summer cicadas.
"Wait a minute!"
"Cicadas?!"
Nox looked towards the bush behind them with a very pale face.
Several huge cicadas were visible behind the party as the portal closed.
KRIEEEEKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The piercing sound of the insects.
Rock quickly blocked the insects.
"FORMATION!" Rock's firm shout.
We quickly lined up according to our plan from yesterday.
Rock was in front, followed by myself in the second position, then Riel and Areta in the third, and finally, Nicolle managing the healing for us.
The once calm meadow became noisy with the battle.
Riel began chanting a stat-boosting spell.
"eins te aleomoure!"
Nox prepared to attack with their scythe.
They charged forward quickly, but also felt the weight of the weapon they had chosen.
"Huaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!"
Nox managed to pierce the heads of the cicadas with their blast attack.
However, due to their low strength, it only caused minor injuries.
"Keep going!!!! Noxy!!!!"
Nox continued to attack relentlessly despite feeling a little exhausted.
Finally, using the technique Rock had taught them, they launched a finishing move and defeated the cicadas.
"Yatta, finally leveled up."
Nox's Level increased to 4.
"Congratulations, Nox, you finally leveled up!"
Nicolle offered congratulations, accompanied by applause from the other members.
Nox felt delighted.
"This is all thanks to you. Seriously, thank you so much."
Rock held Nox's head and ruffled their hair.
"HAHA, GOOD JOB, YOUNG ONE, THAT'S THE SPIRIT I'M LOOKING FOR!"
Nox looked at Rock with a happy yet uncomfortable expression.
"Ehh, my hair!"
"I'm sorry, that's just my habit when I'm proud of my younger sibling."
Rock smiled.
Nox asked Rock.
"Big Brother Rock, do you have a younger sibling?"
While walking to continue the fissure raid, Nox and Rock continued their conversation.
"I have two younger brothers. They have blonde hair like mine. The middle child named Lynx, and my weak youngest sibling named Florest has curly hair like our father. They are good siblings, especially Lynx, who is patient even with seeing my mother go crazy, and my youngest sibling also has the same mental illness as our mother."
Nox's face became slightly glum, feeling a sense of guilt.
Rock interrupted.
"But it's okay, we're happy as long as we stick together. Later, after this fissure, I'll take you to meet them, I promise."
Rock smiled at Nox.
"Really? Promise?"
"Yes."
Rock and Nox made a pinky promise.
Areta was scouting the front. She saw several groups of giant insects like ladybugs and giant caterpillars perching on the giant leaves. Afterwards, she informed Nicolle and the others about the swarm of insects.
Nox suddenly asked.
"Um, are there any ant groups in this fissure?"
Riel happily answered.
"No, Noxy. Ants have a vastly different power level. They are usually found in Rank C to B fissures."
"But don't worry, Nox. Not long after you reach level 150, you'll be able to fight them."
Nox became excited.
Rock and Nicolle smiled with a slight nostalgia.
"Ah, young one~."
With blazing eyes, Nox was eager to continue the journey.
Areta took the lead to quickly apply a debuff over the sea of ladybug groups.
"Hyaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!"
KRIEEEEEKKKKKK
The ladybugs screamed in pain.
"NOX, DELIVER THE DAMAGE!" Rock shouted.
Nox started their preparation to strike.
Nox drew their scythe and then jumped, charging into the group of ladybugs.
The group of ladybugs was successfully fragmented by Nox, causing them to scatter into different parts of the forest. The defeated ladybugs surprisingly dropped low-rarity artifacts.
Nicolle picked up the artifact.
"Wow, for a low-level fissure, mob drops are truly rare. This must be our luck."
Riel leaned in to look.
"Wow, a critical stat! This is really good, even if the rarity is low."
Areta suddenly patted Nox's shoulder.
"Aha, you really are like a good luck charm."
"EGH."
Nox was startled by Areta.
"To be honest, my friends used to say that too."
"Oh, really?!"
Nox began to share their experience.
"I used to be taken by my friends when they wanted to gacha in games or try their luck with exam scores. Afterwards, they would give me money to buy a burger, even though my mother always found the money, though."
Areta nudged Nox's waist with her elbow.
"You must have been very disappointed, weren't you, suddenly eating a burger with extra cheese, hehe :3."
Nox stopped Areta's nudging.
"Don't instigate me."
"Haha, how about I treat you later?"
Nox started to become interested.
"Really?!"
"Yeah, so you have to work harder so we can finish this quickly. I have two discount tickets and a bonus, you know."
Areta waved the two tickets in front of Nox's face.
Nox followed the waving tickets like a dog begging for a bone.
"Huaaaawaw, I shall do it, Your Majesty."
Nox began to bow down before the boastful Areta.
In Balance's heart:
"Forgive me, Father, your son's dignity as crown prince has vanished today for the sake of two burger discount tickets 😭."
Balance inwardly cried in surrender.
Nicolle started walking towards Nox and Areta.
"Noxy, can you check your level for me now?"
Nox showed their fake panel to Nicolle.
"Oh, level 6. You increased two levels. That's great, Noxy."
Nicolle stroked Nox's head.
Nox's cheeks slowly flushed, which worried Nicolle about Nox's health.
"Are you okay, Noxy?"
Nox turned their face away.
"I-I'm fine."
Nicolle touched Nox's forehead with a worried look.
"Are you really okay? No fever, right?"
"I am truly fine >\<."
"Alright :)."
Rock watched them from afar. It felt slightly as though a bullet was aimed at Nox's head.
"Someone seems jealous." Nox thought to themselves.
We continued our exploration deeper into the forest within the fissure.
We encountered various kinds of insects that appear docile in the real world, but that didn't last long.
The atmosphere in the forest grew increasingly unsettling, like a warning to keep away from the fissure boss. We thought, "This must just be our imagination."
However, our thoughts were disproved after seeing a bee that should only be found in Rank D fissures and above.
"Impossible! Why are there bees?" Areta said, trembling.
Nicolle slowly retreated, then whispered to Rock for an evasion formation.
Rock interrupted.
"Nicolle, didn't we fight them before? We can attack them like we did then."
Nicolle rebutted.
"Rock! Back then, we were still with the Hero! OUR DAMAGE DEALER IS STILL A BEGINNER! And besides, I feel something dangerous approaching."
Riel held Rock's armor, trembling.
"Rock, are we going to be okay?"
Rock smiled at Riel.
"It will be fine, Riel, I promise."
The further we went, the screams of other parties began to be heard, and the ferocity of the monsters echoed everywhere.
"EVERYONE STAY CALM! I WILL PROTECT YOU! NOX, ATTACK ACCORDING TO MY CUE!" Rock gave the command.
Riel recited a mantra to calm psychological emotions.
"O devla, de amen pacha thaj entuziazmo, de amen baht te trajis!"
"Good job, Riel," Nicolle said.
A herd of giant wild boars that shouldn't be here ran to our right and left in extreme terror.
"How is this possible?! Monsters like this should only be in Rank D fissures and above, right?!" Areta panicked.
Graaaaahhh
A C-level monster chased us.
A dinosaur-like monster roared in the dense forest. Behind it was a gigantic, three-headed A-level snake.
At that moment, all we could think was... Impossible?!
Nicolle: "Everyone, it seems we can't face this yet!"
Quickly, Nicolle and her party hid behind large rocks and trees on the edge of the area.
The giant snake sensed something strange, and its two heads looked towards Nicolle's party. The snake's aura spread through the air, causing a suffocating feeling, but the snake didn't find anything, and then continued its pursuit of the T-rex.
Nicolle was relieved.
"Come on, everyone, we need to find the nearest cave to hide in."
Nox approached Nicolle.
"Nicolle... I'm sorry." Nox said sadly.
"It's me who should apologize to you, Nox. I'm sorry for messing up your first expedition." Nicolle said.
They then started walking to look for a safe cave.
Meanwhile, outside the fissure.
The fissure portal, which was initially white, turned deep red, signaling a change in the fissure's rank. Officers around the fissure area secured the portal, which made the residents curious about the fissure.
"Mom, why are there so many officers here?" One child pointed.
The mother hugged her child.
"Honey, let's just pray that your father is alright."
Soldiers began to arrive. One soldier went to notify the captain.
"Captain!"
The captain turned.
"Report!"
"Report! Imperial soldiers are asking, did the person in this photo enter the fissure?"
The Captain immediately took the photo.
"Were you told who this child is?"
"NO, CAPTAIN!"
"I see. Is the person an escaped noble child?" the captain thought to themselves.
The Captain then gave instructions to check the CCTV in the fissure area, and then turned back to face the soldier.
"And you, call for young master Jaeger!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The soldier immediately went to carry out the order.
The Captain looked at the CCTV footage.
"We need to identify everyone who entered and retrieve some of their belongings to use for a formal funeral, so at least their families have a memento of the deceased."
"Yes, Captain!"
That day was a day that would bring many major events in the future, for the prince, their childhood friend, their family, and also the world—whether it be the world of gods and goddesses, the human world, the underworld, or the artificial world.
In a world of diverse elements, where some endure, attack, narrate, lead, watch, and tire. The railway track continues to run with time, development continues without knowing when it will stop. The three goddesses of the thread of fate continue to weave the world's destiny, humans continue to walk without knowing the fate they will face, and some gods and goddesses laugh at the humans, some are still wounded, and some are ostracized.
The Dragon Goddess continues to muse during the red lunar eclipse...
Reflecting her golden scales with the blood and tears of enemies...
The smile that had long been lost, the eyes that had long been empty...
Suddenly shone after seeing the thread of future destiny...
...Oh... my child...
...Mother has been waiting for your return....
TO BE CONTINUE created by Nexus Venus