Hours after exiting the dungeon, Shiko and Asuka were quite ashamed because of the situation they just got out of to save Shiko, they contemplated the sea without a word, until Shiko decided to speak.
-Shiko: Hey… now what? That guardian was quite troublesome… and I imagine the difficulty will keep rising… Some of them should obviously be stronger.
-Asuka: …I did notice that in the map, some strange white flags across the continent.
-Shiko: One of the closest is to north from here, want to find out what's all about?
-Asuka: Hmm… What are you planning?
-Shiko: Huh? Exploration nothing else… if we are staying in this world we should know it better.
-Asuka: hm… hmmm… You are right.
-Shiko: What are you assuming about me? Are you still embarrassed about it? It was just an awkward bite? Did you think about something else?
-Asuka: It's nothing! Let's go find the place where the white flag is, let's go!
Shiko was somewhat confused with Asuka's attitude -I will never understand women- he thought, and he went alongside Asuka to investigate. They walked a short distance in the wilderness, then they starred noticing strange things happening inside it.
-Shiko: There's something doesn't add up, just like in the beach.
-Asuka: It's supposed that in this world many monster races exist just like Hydra said, but I only saw a few of them, like the skeleton scorpions, in this path we've only seen a few animals that are similar to our world's.
-Shiko: Do you think the power of the menace is exterminating some of the monster races?
-Asuka: It could be… what it makes it more worrying, I feel like we should we should hurry up.
-Shiko: Aren't you embarrassed anymore?
-Asuka: …! Not anymore… let's keep going…
-Shiko: … I didn't say it before, thank you for saving me.
-Asuka: …! It's nothing!
And then, meanwhile they were talking they arrived at a town, when they saw it both of them turned up to the map and it was the white flag, it pinned the places where towns resided.
-Shiko: If we analyze it, this means there's a guardian's temple nearby next to each town, meaning… that they purpose was to protect them before the black magic menace took over.
-Asuka: And it also means that the towns are filled with all kinds of races from this world… but they are disappearing.
-Shiko; Good, just like any town, there must be a shop somewhere, let's go there, and while we do it, we should ask about this mess.
-Asuka: A shop? But… we don't have any money.
-Shiko: Both of Nancy's dropped items that she left after dying, can be sold a good price… or at least that's the information that the analysis of the clothes gave us.
With that said, both of them went into the town's direction, looking at their environment there were only 2 races, elf's and regular humans. Full of Doubts, they managed to find a shop and entered. Shiko sold the items they carried to get some money and they were able to buy some stuff they needed, in the same shop they bought food and potions.
-Asuka: Is that all you gonna buy?
-Shiko; I'd like to buy more clothes to know if they are similar to this one… but it could risky to spend money on them. It is better to use it elsewhere where we can bath and rest.
-Shopkeeper: Are you from afar?
-Shiko: Eh… it could be said so.
-Shopkeeper: In your land is happening the same as here with the monsters?
-Asuka: What do you mean?
-Shopkeeper: Not so long ago, months prior many monster races used to roam this land until they disappeared, such as Ogres and pupplins, if it they were warped or kidnapped.
-Shiko: I understand… Thank you for the information.
After this, both exited the shop and searched where to stay, luckily, they found a hotel but… they only had some enough for one room and due this, they decided to stay there, while there, Asuka said to Shiko that he must close your eyes because she was about to take a bath and it was inside the same room.
-Asuka: Alright? Are going to stop watching me?
-Shiko: It`s been quite some time I last interacted with a girl, and she is in the same room as me, just about to bath we both share…
-Asuka: So? Aren't you going to give me some respect? If you don't turn back, I will make another hole in your stomach.
-Shiko: Alright, alright! I'll do it!
Doing just like Asuka said, he turned back facing the wall to let Asuka undress and bath, but sneakily he turned back to try and see something for at least a second… He got to observe Asuka unbuttoning her shorts, after seeing her slowly taking off her white socks, when he tried turning back to stop looking, he made a sudden movement that for his bad luck made Asuka notice that he was looking, without saying anything she got close… and with her fist full of magic she landed a blow on Shiko leaving him unconscious for a while. When Shiko woke up, Asuka had already bathed and was ready to sleep – You will sleep on the odd sofa of the room and I will sleep on the bed- She said with an authoritarian tone to Shiko, leaving the poor guy with no choice but to do as said, after this he took off his clothes and started bathing, after finishing Asuka was already laying down on the bed, Shiko just dressed up, and laid on the sofa.
Asuka: Do you have any hobbies?
-Shiko: Just after punching and forcing me to sleep in this uncomfortable couch, only then you want to socialize?
-Asuka: Who started it all? Aside… would you be so mean to let a girl sleep on the couch?
-Shiko: Hmm… I have normal life, I study, I go out and eat sometimes, but mostly I play videogames.
-Asuka: I play videogames too… I play regularly, but I don't let my grades get affected.
-Shiko: My grades are average, if you could say so.
-Asuka: Have you thought about how much our lacking of presence will affect our world?
-Shiko: Yeah… our parents must be worried.
-Asuka: So... you do live with your parents?
-Shiko: Only with my mother… my father died when I was a kid.
-Asuka: Oh... I'm so sorry… I live alone, for some time now.
-Shiko: Are you okay about it?
-Asuka: I'm fine.
-Shiko: I see…
-Asuka: Perhaps… having company isn't that bad, I like your company.
-Shiko: Hmm… I don't dislike It either, why are so distant?
-Asuka: That's something I'll tell you another day.
-Shiko: I understand… alright, I'm sleepy, good night.
-Asuka: Tomorrow we have many things to do, let's rest, good night.
With that settled both started sleeping, they had a peaceful night, with no worries about something attacking them or being alert of possible attacks… Simply, they slept till morning, and around 8'o clock, Asuka woke up and after stretching and washing her mouth to get rid of bad breath, she woke up Shiko too, both had a shower taking turns, this time "without" accidents for Shiko. After this, both got ready, after walking out into the hotel reception they thanked the lodging and left. Not everything was as peaceful as they thought, they weren't many people outside and they were confused due this, and by telekinesis, Hydra spoke to them once again.
-Hydra: Shiko, Asuka, pay attention! It's up of more urgency, the guardian near humble town has lost all control and it is attacking the town, all citizens have been evacuated and sizeable portion of the city destroyed! We need you there fast as you can!
-Asuka: What? How did this happen? How do you know?
-Hydra: I sneaked into the other guardian's temples, but now since I went into a particular temple, I haven't found the guardian in his position and heard explosions in the nearby town, I'm confident that all is because of him, I noticed the evacuation due seeing many villagers running away and saying something about security is trying all they can to save as many people as they can.
-Shiko: That must be the reason of why we haven't seen more villagers in the town skirts… somehow, they must have noticed and hide out of fear.
-Asuka: Alright, no time to lose! Hydra, thanks for the info!
-Hydra: excuse me for not being able to help with the fight against the guardian, but I must help with as much as I can.
-Shiko: Don`t worry, we will solve this.
They were decided and went back to humble town, Shiko and Asuka used their warping abilities to go back to their spawn point, but unfortunately when they arrived, most of the city was on ruins, the beauty was extinguished, no people to be found, only ruble and burning buildings, the city was completely devastated…
To be continued…