-Vol 3: Enemies in The dark-

-Time to Return!-

That day after Kenshin and the girls returned from their ‘picnic’ in the dungeon, they immediately took a bath and slept like a log. They were dead tired and didn’t have the strength to move around anymore. Not everyone was like Kenshin, who had two skills that could reduce fatigue.

The next day, when the girls woke up, they could feel phantom pains and goosebumps all over their body. Yesterday was a very horrendous day for them. Although they are feeling like this, they still didn’t complain. That was because they understood the significance of yesterday.

Before they only knew about the theory of everything and yesterday, they applied them practically. They realized the difference between theory and practicals. It was easy to speculate and theorize things, but it was many times harder to implement it.

Even though they knew where to strike and how to strike, they still couldn’t do it properly. It was because there are many variables affected the reality which was absent in theory.

After waking up, they all had breakfast prepared by Mrs. Yui. While eating, she noticed the fatigued faces of the girls but didn’t comment on it. These girls were not ordinary. They are budding hunters, who would one day become pillars of the country.

XXX

After the breakfast, the girls returned to Akari’s room and started discussing their experience and exploits of yesterday. It was a habit cultivated in the Hunter’s Academy. After every practice session, the students were to analyze what they had done with their roommates and prepare a detailed report on the after. This practice had become a habit to them, and they are doing it even while not in Academy.

As they discussed everything, the girls realized their mistakes and shortcomings. They understood where they made mistakes and where they had failed.

XXX

It was after 2 PM, Kenshin took the girls to the dungeon again. After entering the first floor, the immediately assumed the most optimal position and started charging towards the monsters. Working together, they managed to kill their way until the teleportation gate of the first floor.

It was time to go to the second floor.

The second floor was, even more, weirder than the first floor. It had a damp and humid climate; filled with all kind of snakes. Some were venomous while some were not. The good thing was these snakes are of the same size as the regular snakes.

Due to their extensive training yesterday, these girls were no longer afraid of monsters, much less these snakes.

They summoned their magic and started bombarding them with it. Some snakes slithered towards them but were stopped by Riri’s well-planned shields. But very quickly the situation escalated and the snakes ganged up on them, forcing Kenshin to step in.

Within a few seconds, he slaughtered all of them. It only took two consecutive Flaming Slashes.

XXX

The next day the same scene happened, with the girls challenging the third floor. The third floor contained spiders, snakes, and frogs. Big mutant frogs who would spit corrosive biles from their mouth.

This floor was tougher than the last two. It contained all the monsters from the previous two floors. But thankfully these girls’ mission was not to clear it but to gain experience. They applied all kinds of strategy and finally manage to kill a frog.

But before they are ganged up by other monsters, Kenshin saved their asses again. Although they didn’t manage to clear it, they still gained valuable experience. In fact, after killing so many monsters, their levels had increased by two each. And their individual magic skills were showing the signs of leveling up.

It was a huge harvest on their part.

XXX

Finally, on the fourth day, the day of departure came. The Academy had sent another teacher to escort them back. At first, Kenshin was preparing to go with them, but since the academy had sent someone over, he relented.

Standing outside, the three girls with all their backpacks, looked sadly at Kenshin.

“Okay girls, remember what you learned these few days, okay? It will come in handy. Akari, take care of yourself and study hard. Become a good hunter in the future okay? You girls too, don’t slack off on your health.” Kenshin said while caressing all three’s heads.

During these three days, Kenshin had become very familiar with them. In fact, they were so close that Kenshin began treating them like he treated Akari.

“Big brother, you also take care of yourself, okay! We will be good, that’s why you must take care of your health. And, you too, don’t neglect your health, okay?”

Then the girls then entered the car sent by the school and left in it. A drop of tear flowed from Kenshin’s eye as he saw the girls going away. It was always harder for him to part with his sister. Suddenly he felt someone's hand on his shoulders. Stealthily swiping it away, he turned around.

It was none other than Mrs. Yui. She was looking at him with a knowing smile. Kenshin embarrassingly smiled at her. She had already seen him crying.

“A bird must leave its nest one day, you know!” she said only those lines as a consolation with a distant look on her face. She was thinking about her own daughter at that time. Right now, Ellie was just a little girl, but one day she would grow up. That day, she would have to leave her and have her own life.

She must prepare herself for that day.

“Yeah. A bird must leave its nest one day.” Kenshin nodded his head while looking at the speedily disappearing car.

‘Akari, fight on! You must be successful in your life. Until then, this brother of your will do anything he can to support you’ Kenshin thought as he smiled while looking at the setting sun in the distance.

After the day, the night will come and after the night the day will come again. Separations are just a form of prelude to the next reunion.

“Kenshin, can you please help me with my shop? I seemed to have too many customers today!”

“Okay!!”