caspian arc

baka di niyo knows, reverse harem to

-chapter sixteen-

FINN

▪▪▪

Congratulations for passing the fifth city and successfully killing the world boss! You have shown great camaraderie and spirit. You cannot escape this game alone!

The game is set in a world where medieval and mythical things are mixed with the current world. As such, magic is present here!

Rogues also wield magic inside their bones. It is the element they possess. Completing the fifth and sixth city will happen, here, in Magus City!

To complete the sixth city, you must be able to master one of the five forces: fire, water, earth, air, and dark arts. To finish the seventh city, you must enter the Magus Arena.

There are two revolution flags inside the city! Each flag will provide large benefits for your magic power. Choose wisely, rogue!

▪▪▪

Ininat ko ang mga braso bago unti-unting idinilat ang mata. The early sunrays peeked through the window, illuminating the small part of the room. Mahina akong napahikab at napakusot sa mata.

I remembered vanishing from the group after the world boss was defeated. After that, I found myself standing in the middle of a medieval-themed city. I wasn't able to study my surroundings closely dahil madilim na no'n. Naghanap na lang ako ng inn dahil talagang pagod na ako. Siguro ay nasa may ala una o alas dos na sa totoong buhay.

I stretched once again before finally standing up. Naestatwa ako nang may matamaan ang aking paa. Lalo na nang may marinig akong mahinang pagdaing. What? Hindi ba't ako lang mag-isa ang sa kwartong 'to?

I'm sure I wasn't that exhausted that I roomed with someone.

Dahan-dahan akong napatingin sa baba. My body was almost completely frozen and I felt fear when a pair of brown eyes pierced into mine. Magulo ang mahaba niyang buhok at napakasama ng tingin niya sa'kin.

"What?" he demanded, voice still groggy from sleep.

Napakurap-kurap lang ako sa kaniya kahit na sa loob-loob ay nagsisi-sigaw na ako. Ano ang ginagawa niya sa kwarto ko? He's certainly the last person who I could ever imagine rooming with me, dahil hindi rin naman kami close.

Kumunot ang noo niya't napatingin sa paligid. He seemed to have gained enough consciousness to realize he was sleeping in the floor.

"Ba't ako nandito?" he asked. "I remembered getting into bed last night."

"My room." tanging nasagot ko.

Nagtama ang mata namin. His eyes narrowed and with an accusing voice, he spat,

"What."

Hindi niya ata ako narinig.

"Kwarto ko 'to." I showed him the card. "213."

Caspian did not answer. Instead, tumayo siya't tiningnan ang pinto ng kwarto. Nanatili ako sa posisyon ko't nakatingin sa kaniya. His brows furrowed when he looked at the doorplate and at the adjacent room's. Isang malakas na buntong-hininga ang pinakawalan niya.

"I must have confused them. My deepest apologies," he turned to me. "Finn. But, how was I able to enter your room? You didn't lock it?"

Hindi ako nakasagot dahil hindi ko rin alam. Maybe I forgot to lock the door because I was so exhausted. All I could vividly remember was the beautiful bed and it's constant invitation for me to sleep.

"Still, I knew I slept on a bed. Why did I wake up in the floor?"

Iniwas ko ang tingin sa nagtataka niyang mukha. Baka nasipa ko siya pababa. I don't sleep on a fixed position and I always kick in my sleep.

"Malikot ba ako." narinig kong bulong niya sa sarili.

Nagkunwari akong walang alam.

Caspian eyes travelled the whole room before landing on me. He nodded, "Lock your door." huling sabi niya bago lumabas.

Malakas akong napabuntong-hininga nang tuluyan siyang makalabas. What a surprise. Ang aga-aga may makikita na agad akong kung sino sa kwarto.

When I left the inn, the street was already busy. People, players and NPC alike, rushed and minded their business. May mga nag-uusap at mayroon ring may hinahabol. I took my time to observe the whole place.

Ngayon ko lamang nakita ng buo ang syudad. Cottages lined up in the busy alley, from taverns to shops to inns. Sa kanan ng maliit na village ay isang gubat na nasa taas ng isang hill. Trees surrounded the place and a wide plain sat upon its feet. Sa bandang kaliwa ay isang malawak na karagatan.

Walking further north, nakaharap ko ang isang bulkan. There were huts along the path. Sa may gilid nito ay isa ring gubat na mayroong isang kuweba.

Tumigil ako sa mismong harap noon. I frowned. Siguro itong mga lugar na 'to ang gagamitin para magpractice ng magic? There really wasn't any helpful information, aside from learn a certain type of magic.

Napatingala ako para muli itong basahin. Completing the sixth city means mastering a magic, and finishing the seventh city means participating in the Magus Arena. Kung gano'n, mula sa limang mahika na namention, isa lang ang dapat naming ma-master. I'm sure it will be our element after and it will be enchanted to our weapons.

Kaya dapat pumili kami ng magic na ayon sa ginagamit at fighting style namin.

Magus Arena could be a fighting event. Hindi ka siguro makakapunta sa susunod na syudad kung hindi ka mananalo. If we need to master our magic before joining, then the event revolves around our magic.

Now... ano ba ang dapat kong kunin? The sea and the volcano obviously means water and fire. The hill and the wide plains would be earth and air. Kung gano'n, ang kuweba na ito ay para sa dark arts.

I don't really see myself working with water and earth. Air is compatible with my kunai, but fire is also enticing. Hindi ba't maganda ang makitang nasusunog ang kalaban mo?

However, now that I have this benefit of stealth, I should pick one that matches with it. Air is too showy and fire is too extravagant. I'm not a fan of both, and since I enjoy hiding in the shadows, I should probably just try this-

Napaayos ako ng tayo nang may marinig na mga boses. I quickly hid myself beside the small cave, crouching under bushes and leaves. Dalawang babae ang naglalakad papunta sa kuweba na humahagikhik. Their fitted skirts had small bottom slits and they were wearing thigh-high shoes. Isang turtleneck na sleeveless ang suot-suot nila sa itaas. Parang magkakambal sila na may assigned colors lang.

"Sure ka bang nandito siya? Baka naman nandoon siya sa water!"

"Hindi, hindi. Sure talaga ako! Narinig ko kanina 'yong bunganga ni Eura. Sabi niya nandito daw si Kairo."

My mind went blank. A familiar, smirking and manipulative man entered my thoughts. Nandito siya sa kuweba na 'to? Maybe this is a sign that I should probably pick fire.

"Siguraduhin mo lang, bes! Ingu ngudngod kita kapag wala siya dito!"

"Ano ka ba, hihi. Nandito siya! Trust me, bessie."

Sabay silang pumasok sa kuweba kaya lumabas ako sa pinagtataguan. I gave the entrance a hard stare before finally turning my back and walking away. Bahala na nga, mas mabuti pang magpasabog na lang siguro ako kaysa magamit na naman ulit sa mga plano niya.

"Oh~? Saan ka pupunta?"

I stopped. Dahan-dahan akong lumingon pero nagulat na walang nakita. Umiling ako't hinayaan na lang ang narinig. My mind must be imagining voices agai-

"I'm insulted, ha! Look down, you dimwit!"

Dahil sa sinabi ay napatingin ako sa baba. A kid with white twin-tails and a bright smile stood before me. I recognized her as Depore. Siya iyong bata na nakasama ko rin doon sa meeting room!

Ngumuso siya. "Ang sama mo!"

"'m sorry?"

"Ba't patanong?" demanda niya.

"I'm sorry."

Depore grinned, all-bright. "It's okay, hehe! I was kidding!"

Blanko ko siyang tiningnan dahil hindi ko alam kung anong isasagot.

"By the way, where were you going?" nakangiting tanong niya.

Itinuro ko ang bulkan bilang sagot. She stared at it with a frown and glanced at the cave behind us.

"Weren't you planning to learn dark arts?"

Tumango ako. Although, I'm more interested why she would pick this kind of magic.

Hindi ko nagawang i-entertain ang iniisip dahil bigla niyang hinatak ang kamay ko. For a kid, she was strong! I immediately panicked when she dragged me towards the cave.

"S-Sandali-!" pigil ko. "'m not- don't want-"

"Ayaw mo na sa dark arts?"

Tumango ako.

Depore halted in her steps and stared at me for a few seconds. Seryoso ang mukha niya't nakakasunog ang titig. Then, her stoic face erupted in a bright grin.

"You're kidding!" she laughed loudly.

Naiwan akong laglag-panga sa kaniya. Kids and their guts.

"No." kontra ko.

Depore waved her hand dismissively, na akala mo siya ang mas matanda sa'ming dalawa. "Please, don't lie to a huge liar like me. Alam kong gusto mo pag-aralan 'to kasi mas compatible sa skills mo! Especially with your kunai."

Well, she's accurate- wait, how did she know all of it? Kumunot ang noo ko't magtatanong na sana ngunit naunahan niya ako sa pagsagot.

"How did I know? Well, I'm in the same alliance as you and, I guess it was just coincidence, pero lagi tayong magkalapit. I think you did not notice me though."

My eyes widened. Iisang alliance lang kami at laging magkatabi?

"It's not surprising, though." dagdag niya at ngumisi. "I mean, I am taking dark arts, not just because it's pretty cool, but because I probably have the highest stealth in all of us. Kaya nga hindi mo rin ako o noong dalawa na napansin kanina habang nakatayo lang ako sa may gilid."

What a scary child.

Depore glared over her shoulder. "And, I'm not a child like everyone thinks. Twenty-five na kaya ako. Sadyang hindi lang ako kasing-taas ng mga kaedad ko at maliit ang boses ko."

Doon ako tuluyang nablanko. She's what- eight years older than me? And I've been treating her as a child this entire time? Dapat pala ako ang mag po at opo sa kaniya. She's a huge trap.

"'m sorry po." mahinang tugon ko.

Depore giggled, so not adult-like. "Hihi. Okay lang. Tsaka secret lang natin 'to." she winked. "Maganda kaya na may matawag na onii-chan at bilhan ka ng kung ano-ano. Pero sa ngayon, subukan mong lumayas at patay ka saking bata ka."

I gulped and nodded. Maybe peace and quiet isn't really part of my life in this game.

Tuluyan akong nagpahatak kay Depore papasok sa kuweba. Kahit na may mga glowing crystals sa walls, the cave was still freaking dark. From the large entryway and towards the narrow corridor, we eventually arrived in the center of the cave.

Malawak ito at siguro'y kasya ang isang daang tao. May mga rock formations sa loob na pwedeng maupuan at ang mga kristal sa kisame ng kuweba ay nagsisilbing ilaw. A floating black stone was placed in the center of the room, a dark and shadowy smoke emitting from it. Isang tingin palang at mukhang delikado na ito.

Medyo marami-rami na rin ang mga players na nakaupo sa paligid. I only followed Depore as she searched for a place to sit on. Hindi niya na ako hinahatak dahil para siyang batang may dalang bato.

Napaupo kami sa may bandang kanan ng stone. Malapit kami sa daanan papasok at palabas. Not two seconds after my comfortable seat and I heard familiar, sultry voices. Curious, napatingin ako sa likuran.

The earlier twin girls were hooking themselves on Kairo's arm. Nakangisi lamang ang lalaki habang nakikipag-usap sa kanila. Hindi ko alam kung anong nakakatawa sa pagsabi niya na 'hindi daw siya masyadong nakapag-almusal' pero malakas na humagikhik ang mga babae.

I briefly wondered about how dry their humor is.

My thoughts, however, were broken when Kairo's eyes met mine. It gleamed even brighter, in interest and possibly, evilness. Mabilis akong napatingin sa harap at inignora ang pagtaas-baba ni Depore sa kilay niya.

The silence went on for a minute before I felt a presence behind me. I felt him breathe beside my ear and I can clearly imagine his smirk, as well as the burning glares of the two girls.

"Well, well, if it isn't Marcella's hated player. What are you doing in this dangerous cave, kitten?"

-chapter end-