n

n

nThe others were stunned, had they seriously come across one of the most rare metal ores in the entire world?

n

"Wait we don't want such a thing. It may be valuable but I value my teams lives much more than some rare ore.

" Laurence realized the danger above all else, riches were much less valuable than a life. He had learned this lesson well during his years in the tamer guild. One day a promising new tamer went chasing a monster the next they had a funeral, it was all too common.

n

"Don't worry I've thought this out. As far as it looks the one carrying this was hiding it. Most likely to try and sell it for personal profit later. Taking that in to account we can increase our chances of success by covering this wreckage back with ice. The trail will run cold so to say until spring when it melts. We leave no evidence. Furthermore the ore stud in my storage away from prying eyes, the second we are in private area with your guild master I'll split it half and half. Of this you have my word as one who bears the hero title.

" Walker meant this with all his heart. He refused to be someone his friends could not trust.

n' special quest: a hero's honor

nSplit the orichalcum ore with the tamers guild equally.

nPenalty for failure:

nLoss of title'

nLaurence and walker both received this system message. It would seem swearing a deal on his system was incredibly binding.

" as I said I swear in my title. Do you trust me?

" A tense moment passed as Laurence weighed the positives and negatives.

n

" you sure are a unique person. I think doing this in the safety of the tamers guild headquarters is smart. The guild master will also feel some shock we have felt every day since meeting you. Hahaha it's a deal!

" The two grasped hands in agreement.

n' special quest accepted.'

nThe system also acknowledged this, taking the stress away from the situation they all decided to take the opportunity to rest. Walker needed to recover his mana as well.

n

"Sometimes I feel like we are super unlucky and other super lucky. Or both at the same time.

" Remey let out an exasperated rant.

"Like we get trapped in the catacombs which is unlucky but we also make it to a place no other adventurer has made it which is lucky. Then we get gifts which is lucky but then we need to run for our lives which is unlucky... it's too much

"

n

"You could say the omnipotent party is the luckiest unlucky party!

" Joining the fun Elise gave them their very own saying.

n

" no no no noooo if you say that too much it will stay this way. Our hearts aren't strong enough!

" Feigning a heart attack Gil stood up. Step. Step. Collapse

"blaaahhhh...I'm dead

"

n

"And that ladies and gentlemen is the comedy king, Gil!

" Walker became the announcer of the antics. They all continued like this for two hours eating some bread and cheese while enough of walker mana recovered.

nUsing his mana manipulation to pull water from the mud and freeze the wreckage in a mound of ice and snow they were ready to be on their way. It didn't take nearly as much mana to cover it all up than to clear a huge area. The wind had long set in to pushing the fluffy snow over the cleared space to retake the plains in the name of cold.

n

"We've traveled far enough to be in the rabbit tribes normal resting area. Keep an eye out for smoke in the distance or footprints. Around this time of year they have sleds they pull behind them so lines and flat patches are also signs they passed through.

" Laurence didn't expect to immediately find them since they were fairly adept In staying hidden from monsters. But at least some signs should remain that they were near.

n

"So basically we just keep walking them, right? No way other than that.

" Gil decided he would take this chance to scout ahead a bit. He hadn't used these skills much in the recent days.

"I'll be running ahead, hopefully I'll be back with good news in a bit!

" Off he went.

nThe group maintained their stride and was a fair bit behind him. Gil was seeing a whole lot of nothing as he scouted onward. The path seemed fairly untouched. Every once in a while he would spot the remnants of animals traveling but had yet to see anything real.

nMaking his way a decent distance away he seems three strange shapes in the ice ahead. The was a slightly flatter area with sharp overgrowths of ice. The snow seemed to drift around it. Taking a lower stance he had an arrow ready just in case. These long spiky things of rostering ice were definitely the ice wraiths walker had told him about. But why did something seem off?

nThe snow around these was being pushed away from them which made sense due to their ice bodies in a constant rotation. But the snow near there little area was too perfectly white. Most other snow was speckled with some bit of dead foliage or dusting of dirt. Wait did that blob of snow just move?

nGil didn't know what was happening, the ice wraiths definitely weren't causing this since they seemed completely immersed in building up their bodies. Focusing in with his eyes as much as possible Gil could see smaller oval shapes protruding from the weird pure white blob of snow. As this blob moved two hands seemed to split from it and pull back a large slingshot. A projectile flung from the slingshot shattering the body of one ice wraith.

nGil was surprised to learn that it was a person blending in with the snow perfectly! Faster than his eyes could follow two more shots were fired shattering the remaining ice wraiths. Their bodies broken and unable to reform the white blob stood tall reveling a very muscular man holding a pure white cloak of fur.

n

"Ah! Ears!

" Gil yelped out loud in his surprise. This extremely build man had two white rabbit ears on the top of his head. He wore tight fitting tanned animal skins. The projectiles handguns from his belt were Shari looking black stones. His hair was cut tight to his head showing off a a tattoo of a small rabbit on the back of his neck. This was definitely a member of the rebut tribe.

nThe man was bending down collecting parts of the ice wraiths body and placing them in a bag. After selecting the ones that he desired his gaze turned to Gil. With a few quick steps he had shown up right by Gil

"what was that about my ears boy!?

" That was when gils soul left his body.

n

"Ahhh holy lord oh no.

" Gil ran it wasn't his most promising moment but an extremely muscular rabbit man had just ran to him faster than he could blink. His instincts screamed run. And run her did, Gil rand toward the others as break neck speed. No arrows drawn just all out break neck speed running.

nWalking along after gils path Su suddenly stopped which in turn halted the party.

"Leader I think I'm unwell, I may need to rest.

" Su thought her eyes were showing her false visions.

"I seem to be hallucinating that Gil is being chased by an extremely buff rabbit man.

"

nThe others had now opened their eyes wide takin in the scene,

"no your not seeing things, if you are we are effected too.

" Walker couldn't fathom what was happening, why was ship being chased? Why was that man so muscular? Weren't rabbit tribe Demi humans supposed to be as cute as a rabbit? Was that just a stereotype he'd made up in his mind after thinking about the small rabbits he saw being sold to nobles as pets?

n

"Tell me boy! Are you going to say something about my ears! Do they look good?! Huh! Hhhuuuhhh!

" The man was yelling at Gil as he ran.

n

"Oh no did Gil say something about the ears? Ugh of course he did, that my friends is the head warrior of the rabbit tribe Otis. He has a thing about people talking about his ears, and he's it's about his muscles. It's a very drastic difference.

" Laurence hadn't seen Otis in two or three years but he swore in that time he'd easily grown in size. It was weird to think that the man was similar in size to Laurence when they first met years ago.

"Otis!!!! Leave him alone and come over here you brute!

"

nStoping dead in his tracks,

"oh joy who told a spitfire like you to come around these parts!

" The two ran over to each other grasping arms greeting each other. This was a welcome sight for Gil who had collapsed in to the snow to recover his lost pride.

n