Micchi Versus the New World - Chapter 100

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Chapter 100

Jennick, the tailor, had in mind the exact materials needed to make what I wanted. The problem was, he was fresh out of ingredients. So I volunteered to go fetch them myself with some help.

"Uhm… Lady Micchi, can you explain to me why I must tag along in your merry adventures yet again?" Prince Kain asked, trembling as he peered into the gigantic cave opening where a crystal spider was rumored to live.

"You don't get out enough. I'm doing you a favor by dragging you away from all that paperwork and shit. Can't bring Yui, she's got work to do. Kawa's a bad idea, too, since that damn dog'll just run where the wind takes her. If Kawa stays home, Loraine stays home," I said.

"Those paperwork and shit are to make the necessary preparations for the summit! I have little enough time as it is!" he sighed.

Thelesia and Hurai, amused by our banter, followed close behind while keeping an eye for any monster ambushes. The human Jinwan girl was a C-ranked rogue, subclassed as a scout. The other was an elven A-ranked dragoon, just like Kain, but Thelesia's skills were supposedly developed more for support than he was.

The only reason I brought them along was because I needed Hurai, who, by her Jinwan heritage, had some knowledge about gathering crystal threads from the crystal spiders. Since they were both best friends, it was a two-in-one deal.

"Chieftain," Hurai began as she stood at the threshold into the cave. "I know you're strong and all, but crystal spiders are stupid dangerous. Their threads are known to ensnare dragons, too."

"Oh, joy." Kain groaned.

We entered the cave with torches as our only source of light. It was dank and murky. The many twists and turns in the tunnel system made it easy to get lost. Hurai seemed to know exactly where to go just by pressing her palm to the rigid walls. Eventually, we began to head down along a decline and deeper into the cave until a massive cavern system opened up to us.

The stalactite and stalagmites ended abruptly, giving way to somewhat smoother, more moss-covered walls. Rivers, teeming with fish and other small monsters chasing them, rushed past us into holes and crevices. I walked up to a steep cliff led down to an underground forest with creatures jumping from tree to tree.

"Geez. No wonder crystal thread is hard to come by. The damn spider could be anywhere in this place," I said.

"Worry not, Chieftain. Hurai is a talented tracker. We should be able to find it in no time!" Thelesia's praise left Hurai blushing up like a tomato.

"Crystal spiders eat their own webs like any other spider. That's what makes them hard to find. I used to run shipments of these stuff for a bad crew until it all went south. Getting captured by the Rolling Plains orc tribe was probably my punishment," Hurai said, thoughtfully reminiscing her shameful past and still able to focus on tracking.

"Not all of us are born lucky like pretty boy over here." I thumbed over to Kain, who was surprised to hear the nickname after so long. "You did what you gotta do to survive and made it out okay. Now you're with a better crew."

"I won't fail you!" She clenched a fist to demonstrate her determination.

Kain was the only one having trouble keeping up on the uneven and rocky terrain. That suit of armor was really holding him back.

"Say. What's your history with Ririko anyway?" I asked, slowing down to his pace.

"History? I have no history with the Queen of Mou'nan. We've met once at a gala in Amarinth, and she has been fawning over me since. It's quite troubling, because I get an earful of Mildred everytime her name is brought up!" Kain lamented.

"Heh. You're popular with the ladies but shit out of luck when it comes to dealing with 'em."

"They happen to always be the most troublesome kind as well…"

"Chieftain!" Thelesia waved to us from the base of a tall tree where Hurai was inspecting the roots.

When we caught up to them, it looked like Hurai was playing with something invisible in her hand. Twirled around both index fingers, she brought it up to a torch to reveal a distinct glimmer. A single strand of crystal thread.

"Great. So the spider is nearby, right?" I asked.

Hurai and I turned around to find the other two members in our party gone. It wasn't until we glanced up that we saw both of them hanging upside down from a branch, each in a cocoon, mouths covered, and swinging around in a panic.

A blanket of webs rained down on us.

"Run!" Hurai shouted and leapt away.

I spun the web around my arm and generated lightning to surge up the threads. The gigantic spider crashed through the canopy and into the ground. It had purple gemstones and opalescent crystals growing on its abdomen and legs. A spinnerette shaped like a corkscrew at the very back of its body continued to spit web in an attempt to cocoon me.

"That's it! Come to mama!"

Eventually, the spider realized I wasn't easy prey. It stopped spinning webs at me and tried to escape. However, with all that was already coiled around my arm and connected to its spinnerette, I held it back like a leash to keep it from leaving.

"Chieftain?!" Hurai gaped.

"Good timing, Hurai. How do we collect this shit?" I unwound what was on my arm and dragged the spider back toward me. Using the web coming out of its ass like a rope, I tied it around its eight legs to bind up.

"I-I have specialized spools with which to collect them with!" The stunned scout shook herself out of it and brought out wooden spools that were shaped as corkscrews to gather the threads.

"A little assistance would be nice!" Above me, Kain had managed to shake loose the web over his mouth to call for help.

"Yeah, yeah. Just a second. I gotta have a word with this spider." I walked to the front of the crystal spider where four sharp mandibles snapped at me. "Here's how this is gonna go down. Start shitting out more of that web for me, or I'm ripping it out of your ass myself."

Its mandibles retracted. The many black eyes shrunk in what looked to be absolute fear.

"Oh, oooh! Chieftain, I don't know what you did, but we're going home with a whole lot of threads today!" Hurai exclaimed.

After collecting the threads and rescuing Kain and Thelesia, I let the crystal spider skitter away, and we returned to the surface in search of the next material. What I needed next was rainbow dye from the specialized sac of an alraune monstrosity.

Apparently, the alraune expelled something like a vapor to defend itself with and each color represented a different magical effect. Well, we found the damn thing in the forest.

But…

"Thelesia!" Hurai shouted to her friend, who was being flung around by thick vines of the alraune that entangled her.

"Help! I'm getting sick!" the elf cried.

It didn't seem like Thelesia was competent at fighting. This was the second time she was caught. Even Kain was faster to dodge.

"I'm starting to think you're not cut out for this adventuring business. Why are all the A-ranked so eccentric and weird?" I asked, folding my arms.

"Lady Micchi, muse later! Can we focus on saving her first, please?" Kain drew his rapier to slash at the vines.

The alraune was a gigantic flower bulb with vines whipping about. One plant-like appendage spewed a bluish vapor that hardened into icicles. I conjured fire magic to counter it. Another tentacle spat a red vapor that blasted me with fire. Just waving my hand cooled it off.

I grabbed each vine and ripped them from the base of the flower bulb, pulling away ink-filled sacs. The final one I tore off was holding Thelesia, and as soon as it went limp, she came falling down on top of Kain.

Being able to actively control magic as an elementalist was more than just useful. I'd actually become stronger with it. Whether or not it would help me fight Chika was another question entirely. I still hadn't beaten the shit out of Ririko yet either, but if today's fights were any indication, it was that I might stand a chance against her at least.

As we headed back to Cynderace, Hurai was trying to cheer up the moping Thelesia.

"I'm terribly sorry for not being of much help, Chieftain. I'm not the best combatant. I've only gotten to my rank by hanging onto the coattails of those greater than me." The elven dragoon sulked.

"Don't sweat it," I said. "You'll find your place eventually. We all do. Maybe Kain has some ideas? You both are dragoons."

"Rugal's always looking for good cavalrymen. Dragoons are perfect for his units," Kain suggested.

"Ehhh… But that beastling terrifies me…"

I parted ways from the three of them as soon as we returned and made a beeline to Jennick's place. He was pleasantly surprised that we picked up so much. My jacket was going to take a while longer, but the flag he was able to complete today after treating the crystal threads and weaving them into the fabric.

It took Jennick the entire afternoon to finish, but once he was done, I couldn't be more impressed.

"Gotta hand it to you, this is a lot better than I thought," I said, gliding my hands across the flag.

"What do you even intend to use this for anyway?" Jennick asked.

"To show anyone who fucks with me that I mean business."

I carried the folded flag that was four times the size of a bedsheet back to the Cynderace Branch and drew a whole lot of attention. Bogart was waiting for me at the entrance with the metal pole I asked her to make. Together, we fixed the flag to it and raised it high in the air for everyone to see. Stitched onto both sides was the Kanji for the words, 'UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT'.

This was my vow. My determination going forward.

The guild members, Yui, and Frey, all poured out to see what the commotion was about.

"Oh! This is what you were trying to get done?" Yui asked nostalgically.

Hurai and Thelesia came out as well to see what their efforts had amounted to.

"From now on, when we go to battle to crack skulls and break limbs, we're carrying this with us. People are gonna see this and learn not to fuck with us. Not even demons. So, who wants to be my flag bearer?" I asked the guild.

The one who stepped forward surprised me the most. It was Thelesia, both hands balled into fists and chest puffed out.

"I do! Allow me to be your flag bearer, Chieftain!" Thelesia shouted.

"If it ever touches the ground, it means you ain't cut out for this. You sure?"

Thelesia nodded and came up to hold the pole. When Bogart and I let go, she struggled to keep it still against the winds and unwieldiness.

"You can do it, Thelesia!" Hurai cheered and was soon joined by every member of the guild.

The elf persevered, digging her heels into the dirt to stand her ground. After finally getting a steady hold on it, she waved it left and right. Her dragoon skills kicked into effect, filling everyone with enhanced strength just like Kain's magical buffs.

"Well, ain't that a sight." I smirked.