Re:The Worst System Leveling Turned Me Into A Zombie

Chapter 39: Losing Your Light Pt.1

"Sierra? Rita? Hei?" Tepis's voice calls out. "Anyone hurt?"

"N-No...I'm okay. Rita? Where are you?" Sierra replies. She pauses waiting for a response. But for the longest time, no one answers, "Rita?"

"S-Sis! HEEEEELP!"

My head is ringing. It takes me a second to realize that the high-level must have ambushed me and destroyed my brain. Relief floods my body.

I...I came back here. Not all the way back to Tiendas...thank you...thank you...whatever you are, thank you for not sending me back to that place!

Maybe I'm praying to no one. Maybe my thanks go unnoticed by whatever deities there are above. But I am grateful.

If I had to repeat that loop...no...it's done now. I'm here. I'm still HERE!

Sierra leaves before I can get my bearings together. Tepis is looking back at me in the chalky rubble as he decides whether or not to go after her. However, this time I won't let us separate.

"W-Wait...go...together!" My raspy hoarse voice breaks into coughs and he looks at me doubtfully.

"There's no time. You can't keep up, Hei. Stay here and I'll come back for you once I..."

*Cough....Cough*

"J-Just...wait. There is...damnit...someone above. Dangerous." I manage to choke out something which gets through to him. Goddamn my throat!

"Someone dangerous...is up there?" He points up to the surface with a strange expression. "How do you know this?"

"I...just...do. Wait. I'll track the others for you."

"I can't wait. Sorry, Hei! Sit tight for a bit!" Tepis shoots off like a rocket with a regretful glance over his shoulder and annoyed as I am, I'm still just relieved that I didn't respawn back in Tiendas. Shaking my head, I immediately do my absolute best to cough out all the dust in my lungs. Slamming water down my throat like it's New Years and I'm trying to forget a bad girlfriend; I stagger off in hot pursuit.

Damn...I hate it when people won't listen to me.

Vague memories of which turns to take speed up my pace and soon I'm almost on Tepis's heels. As he stops to dispatch a Feral Goblin, he notices me behind him and freezes with a nonplussed look on his face.

Yea that's right! Not so fast now, huh?

I wave him onwards, giving him permission to keep chasing Sierra. However, his shock holds him in place long enough that I actually get right beside him and start examining the footsteps on the dusty cavefloor.

"H-How are you so fast?" He stammers. Instead of answering, I just point at the trail and take the lead. Using my Basic Tracking, I intend to find Sierra and Rita before the high-level upstairs can collapse all the tunnels.

With any luck...we'll be able to sneak out before he even knows we're here.

It's a solid plan.

Now that I'm paired up with Tepis, even though he's slowed down a bit by my lower Agility Stat, our strengths compliment each other. My Basic Tracking skill lets me keep us directly on Sierra's tail while Tepis's combat power means I don't have to worry about errant goblins.

*Shing*

The youth carves through a Goblin Desperado like most people deal with Feral Goblins and I sigh.

If we had just stayed together like this last time a lot of troubles could have been avoided. Although, I suppose now I know what's waiting up there so that's a plus.