Travelling through the night was relatively calm for the trio after they secured that fruity treasure off to the side.

They continued to follow the red trees as instructed by the Jägermeister; the trip only occasionally being interrupted by the sound of a Flytte Flapper getting cooked by the light.

MC tried to think of some people he could sell the Drooli to if the opportunity arose. Hmm...there's a fast-food court in Eccles Ville, Murk City, and Florestria they could be good spots. Maybe some places northward bound too?

Horace was trying to come up with some new ideas. He felt as if he had been stalling and not using his creativity enough lately. He wondered if the Drooli could be modified into something useful. THERE ARE not many FOOD BAIT items out still...maybe I can WORK SOMETHING AROUND that...

Dillee was still sleeping. He ruffed occasionally, shaking his leafy appendages around on MC's shoulder. He was dreaming of bashing other sentients trying to attack his best friend. BEGONE, CRETINS! THY BESTIE SHALL STAY HEALTHY; TRY AT YOUR OWN PERIL.

It wasn't long before they eventually saw the sign for the Fish-Bitta restaurant they were told about. There seemed to be something happening outside of it. A group of bandits harassing a man.

"Dillee, wake up bud. Horace, get the turret ready. Let's slap these bandidiots into next week." I took out a large two-handed club, wanting to really give them a clubbing. Dillee, having been commanded by me, woke up ready to get stuck in.

"By jove, look at the state of these wretched sods."

The trio leaned in closer to hear about the happenings at the

Two smaller bandits with their makeshift crude leather armour, stood with worn-out bright brown broken clubs, while a slightly taller bandit with a cheap rusty brown tintung metal armour wielded a sledgehammer in his hand.

"Oi, you ain't running from us, ya hear me? You owe moneh to tha boss mayyyyte. Better pay up, or we start breaking your kneecaps uwahaha."

A weedy thin type was being pushed around by the taller of the two. His feeble physique was no match for the gentle shoving he was given. "I-I-c-can't! I haven't worked here long enough to earn my pay yet. I promise by next week it'll come to you with interest Scally."

"Boss ain't gonna be happy about that. I'd hate to say I don't enjoy doing this, but it's bloody fun ay lads!" He swung the hammer backwards, and Horace took it upon himself to fire a crossbow, hitting the assailant's hand.

"FUCK, who did that! That bloody hurt!" The weapon dropped from his hands to the floor with a loud CLANG, and he rubbed the injured and bloody spot.

MC nodded to Horace, who stayed put hiding whilst MC and Dillee walked over to the cowardly man. "You three should piss off and leave him alone."

The two smaller bandits laughed at him, and one of them replied, "Pal, are you stupid? Take your mutant food stuff and fuck off before you get beaten!"

Dillee began to twitch at people ignoring his beautiful, petaled self. "Sir, may I partake in a bout of pugilism?" Seeing as he was on edge and needed to let loose, the best course of action would be to let him: "Buddy, make me proud."

Dillee walked over to the one who berated him. A club met Dillee's face quickly, and the bandit laughed as his head was bent sideways. "What a fucking idiot. Who just walks up to someone casually like that?"

"May want to hold off on saying that until you know he's actually beaten. Morons." MC laughed at the bandits.

Dillee's head went back into place, and he squared up to the bandit. "Fool of a boy. Prepare for a leafy pummelling, you petulant codpiece!" A leaf-fisted uppercut met the chin of the arrogant bandit, sending him crashing up onto the roof. Dillee quickly jumped in the air, and a rooty kick sent the other bandit flying down the path a few meters.

"Ugh stoopid venturers. What makes you think you can just interfere with bizness?" The bandit rummaged through his pockets as he moaned. He drank a suspiciously red potion and began to grow and rage in front of us. Bigboi angry broth? Haven't seen that in a while. Probably shouldn't drink something that changes you like that… but whatever, you do you pal.

*Double in height and weight

Damage dealt 100%

Damage recieved 50%

Attacks anything on sight, intelligence reduced to 1*

I turned to Horace, waving at him not to do anything.

"I do not care how I appear. My appendages shall deal with you regardless. Show me your fists, you gutter slut!"

Dillee ran over to the bandit who began angrily trying to swing at him. He effortlessly ducked and weaved the attacks further annoying the bandit who let out an "ARGH" as he failed to land a blow.

In a moment of comedic madness, their fists met each other's.

But since this isn't an anime, whatever the fuck that is. An unstoppable force meeting an easily movable object, Dillee held back enough just to break the bandits hand with a disgustingly brutal SNAP.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

The shock of the breakages sent him into shock even in this angry form. All he could do was shout ARGH repeatedly as he held his broken hand.

"Alright Dillee that's enough." MC stepped forward passing the screaming individual. Though Dillee gave him a right hook, knocking him out and began shimmying his stem around like nothing happened. MC just shook his head as he turned back around approaching the weedy guy they just saved.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BOYS!"

God sake what now!? MC turned around to find himself looking up at a Bandluchadore. Shirtless, even more jacked than the slam champ he faced previously, and the guy was pissed off to the moon and back.

"Uh…helping this poor guy out from bandit harassment? Is that a crime?"

"My boys, bloody and beaten...do you know how much paperwork this is going to take!?"

Horace fired off a speed shell at MC and Dillee. The blue mist was all the sign MC needed to know that he should get the hell out of there ASAP. He grabbed Dillee by the stem and rushed down the road.

"I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET YA LITTLE SHIT. WATCH YOURSELF~."

Crashes and bangs were heard by the trio as they darted away from the scene. They ran nonstop; an hour had passed by the time they did. Tired and trying to catch their breath, Horace and MC wheezed out a conversation when they could.

"Ah, gasp, Fucking hell, what are the chances, Wheeze, that we would run into a tough one like him?" MC Tried to catch his breath after a solid run while his lungs felt like collapsing.

"I KNOW, gasp, what you mean, hnng. At least he DIDN'T GET us."

"Sirs, you appear to be on the verge of dying. Lay down for a moment."

How dare you suggest such a useful idea little buddy, MC took the advice, though he was much more tired than he realised and drifted off to sleep.

***

Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Realm

"We meet once again. And this time I expect to find out what the hell was the cause OF ALL MY STRESS!" Serilia's face lit up the room, causing the seven to wince in pain.

Chanaq spoke out, "Your Grace. We have finally been able to gain some information in our investigations."

"AND? What did you find?" Serilia, in her hidden vision, was scrolling through Astralgram. Laser focusing on a picture of Mark and Mel, 'The perfect couple' #bestlife #dreams do come true.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace, I am not sure what you are talking about." Chanaq questioned the divine one, who seemed to be rambling to herself.

Serilia lit the room in response to Chanaq embarrassing her.

Chanaq, struggling to stand up again and barely able to speak, told her, "It-I-It would seem your Grace, that a man from Earth is responsible. Yet he did not do this without help. We are still trying to understand it, though we have narrowed it down. Something old. Something from the old war.

Serilia stopped giving half her attention to the situation and turned to the speaker, "...What did you say?" Chanaq trembled in response, "Gaia's Young Astral Tactical-force Team (G.Y.A.T.T) has found traces of magic on Earth. It would seem it somehow involves that man and the device on the vessel.

Furious at hearing the words, Serilia stood up and screamed the name "MARK!" causing tremors in the heavenly realm.

"That cannot be...magic has been sealed off and restricted. Do you ALL WANT TO FEEL MY WRATH!?"

The gods in unison shouted aloud, "No your Grace! We only wish to serve thee!"

***

A brief pass-out nap and my lungs are back to normal. Sitting up to see Horace and Dillee staring at the sky, I called out to them, "Hey buds. Whatcha doing?" The sudden jolting up was all the answer I needed; they were awake the whole time.

"You were only OUT FOR 15 mins, bud." Horace was smiling after he piped up at me.

"Good to be back in the room. Oh, wait, field ey." It was still dark, and the smells of sea air were faintly carried by the nightly winds.

I wonder where we are. I pulled out the hand-drawn map and sat next to the other two. Dillee spoke up to tell us, "From a small wandering off of my own accord, we are between Bamps Bench overlooking the Sod Sea, and there is some sort of well to the east in Erlim's Upper."

I looked at Horace, and he looked at me confused. "What IS IT?" he piped at me.

"I don't remember any wells around Erlim's Upper? It's just a flat, endless field apart from Zekka's Rest. Dillee, lead the way."

"With pleasure, good sir."

Why is there a random well in the middle of Erlim's Upper? Surely, he's mistaken. And why have we still not heard from the others? What the hell is going on these past few days? It's just one mad event after the other. MC was burdened with many thoughts repeating in his head; slowly but surely, this was not going to bode well for him.

He snapped out of it when they could see the silhouette of the well. Horace threw down a C-more shell.

*C-more, see in the dark, without the need for military-grade stolen equipment, 30 ft. radius. Duration: 10 minutes*

When that little light of Horace started to let it shine on the well. More surprise came. On top of it was a bookie, one we hadn't seen before. It looked angelic, yet it had no face either.

"Hey, we are here to, uh, try the...dungeon?"

No face did form upon it, and no movements occurred as they questioned it.

Yet a voice came. Not from it, but echoing around within their minds,

"Only the worthy may enter."

"…Did you two get the same message?" Horace and Dillee both nodded.

Dillee took an attempt, hoping it might get him some happy points with his bestie. "Miss? May I ask what exactly one must do to become worthy?"

"Return in due time, lest you face the wrath of he. This is a place most wicked."

"Why is everything related to the gods, so unbelievably vague?" Mc groaned at his friends.

MC was angry at the bookie's avoidance of the question. It only further reinforced his position that not becoming a sentient was a good idea.

"Thanks for your time." MC said, trying not to piss off the nutter upstairs if she heard him.

***

The trio left, travelling south once more. Peaches Beach was only a day away. They had an easy scrap or two as Ground Gulpers and Minion Crabs took potshots at them. At this stage in their career. They were far beyond overpowered in comparison. One-shotting them like it was whack-a-bat.

Two hours had passed since they left the well, and the faint signs of morning light were appearing to the west. It was 4am, after all.

A shock came from a surprising tap on Horace's shoulder, "AH WHAT?" He aimed the crossbow into the face of someone familiar. The weedy man from earlier.

"Oh, it's you...what's up? That Bandluchadore isn't behind you, is he? I can't see that far. Wait, how did you find us anyway?"

I noticed he was in better shape than I was, sweating, though not breathing that heavily. Maybe he wasn't far behind when we ran.

"You three! You've got me right in it now! Why the hell did you go and do a thing like that?

***

Serilia had tuned in to see what MC had been up to in the past few minutes. She thought maybe the random chasing after them was going to do something. "YEAH, I SEE YOU DOWN THERE, YOU LITTLE SHIT. GO ON WEEDY, BLAST HIS STUPID FACE OFF, RUIN HIS DREAMS ~."

"I am cherub number 70 your grace, here to attend to your needs."

Serilia and her short fuse, mentality flipped once again. She barked at the cherub, "PISS OFF!" Snapping her finger. I am Cherub 71, and I'm not going to speak for fear of my own health & safety.

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