“What is this disgusting tension I’m feeling from them?” Ken said, glancing between these two. “You two know each other or something?”

At the same time;

“Something like that,” Leo replied.

“Not at all,” Atwell said.

Both were contradicting one another as their staring contest was far from ending.

“I’m leaving. So sort this out before we go,” Ken said. “And get a room if you need one.” Ken left, after pouring more oil into the fire.

Leo gave a brief glare to his fleeing friend before staring back at those grey eyes. “Are you just going to stare or is there something you want to say?” Leo asked.

Peggy Atwell narrowed her eyes. “Whatever the circumstances are, I am still your boss. So you are still inclined to follow my orders,” Peggy said.

“If that’s your attempt in asking a favor, then sorry to say that’s a big failure,” Leo replied.

“Do you think this is a joke?” she said. “If you still want to your job after getting out of here, I’ll advise you to strongly heed to my words.”

“A threat, Peggy? You seriously threatening me with a redundant job in the middle of a fucking jungle?” Leo muttered. “I don’t know how you’re still in denial after what Kareena said to you, but remember this, there are things out there more threatening than being jobless.”

Leo went past her and intentionally bumped his shoulder with hers. She almost stumble and she glared at him with her clenched fist. It was a lowbrow coming from a man, but after what she did to him, he at least deserved that single childish act.

He left the roof and rendezvoused with Ken at the lobby.

“Had enough fun jerking off in front of each other?” Ken said with a smirk.

“Fuck off,” Leo replied.

Ken laughed it out and smacked a few slaps on Leo’s back. “Come on,” Ken said. “Let’s hit the road.”

***

“You sure we’re going the right way?” Leo asked as the bat in his hand crushed the skull of a python that dared block his path.

[Statistic Inheritor activated; +1 Agility]

This was the third one he encountered, and despite their low levels, the extra boost in agility was more than enough to compensate for it. He felt he was getting quicker, and his body was lighter.

“It’s pointing east,” Ken showed the compass. “So, we’re probably right on track . . . And I notice you got faster, are you dumping points in agility or something? Because the Dodging Healer does have a nice ring to it.”

“They’re just the two of us. You can’t really expect me to go full-on support mode without any backup plan,” Leo said.

“True,” Ken nodded. “And a battle priest class isn’t that uncommon. Have you played Fire Emblem? The battle priest class is pretty sick in it…”

Ken continued his admiration of the Fire Emblem series as staying quiet all the time was getting too dull for him. Leo, on the other hand, took the job as the unofficial scout. Perceiving everything around him, taking note of any possible ambush from any lurking stalkers.

“Heads up!” Leo’s cry turned on Ken’s battle instinct. The sword was unsheathed, and the bat readied to pummel their enemies to death.

The chatters of a troop of baboons rang high in the trees above them. They were leaping from branch to branch as their eyes were set at the two humans on the jungle floor. Their numbers were close to twenty. And with their constant screams overlapping with one another, it was definitely an earful for Leo and Ken.

[Chacma Baboon][Lv.4]

[Large, heavy, dark brown, and has black feet. A social creature that lives in troops. Alone it might not be a threat, but in a troop, it is a force to be wary with.]

“Level four. All of them,” Leo muttered.

“Disappointing,” Ken said. “But better than nothing.”

Ken knocked his sword at his chair buckler a few times, and at the same time, he shouted. “Bring it on, you stinking monkeys!”

He riled them up, and the screams got worse. The primates bared their yellow fangs at them. Then they leaped off the tree branches. Most went for Ken as he was the most aggravating out of the two. At least the loud warrior gave some leeway for Leo.

Leo’s eyes glowed in green, and his bat took the first strike. Swinging with one hand, the aluminum bat knocked one of the baboons right at the head. Bones cracked, and the limp monkey went flying at the tree trunk. It was an easy target as the baboon couldn’t dodge in mid-air.

But it wasn’t the end. He leaned back and dodged as a baboon went past right in front of him. It was just for a brief moment, but the repulsive smell of the baboon made him frown.

Yet before he could give chase another managed to latch on top of him. It scratched him with its dirty nails, scraping the skin of his face. He yelled as the pain prickled his nerves. Leo grabbed the baboon by the neck and threw it down to the ground. His aluminum bat was swift as a sword, burying its blunt surface right at the dog-like muzzle. He heard the crack, and once was not enough. A flurry of blows rained over the unfortunate baboon and what was left of its head was a pile of reddish-pink mush.

There were more behind him as the constant screams and chatters of these aggressive baboons kept hollering in his eardrums. He turned and looked around.

Ken’s situation was a lot graver than he was. The man with the sword was getting covered by numerous baboons. They were climbing him like he was a tree and yet Ken fought even harder. He threw these baboons away, but they came back, pouncing with more force. His blade danced, shedding blood and fur. Ken slammed his chair buckler right on the face of a baboon then followed with a stab right at its belly. It fidgeted on the ground but a good blow at the head with his buckler did the trick.

“Heal!” Ken yelled.

Leo got closer, minding the baboons that kept their distance from him. It seemed his ruthless action of turning their kin’s head into mincemeat carved a deep fear into these primates. Leo cast the words and a white glow surrounded Ken. At the same time, an opportunistic baboon went for it, and Leo swung his bat up high. It was a nice knock below the jaw as the baboon’s fangs pierced its own mouth. It dropped to the ground and started fleeing in pain.

He wanted nothing more than to give chase, but he couldn’t stray away from Ken.

“Hey, want to see something cool?” Ken said out of the blues.

“I don’t think this is the right time,” Leo replied, giving a mighty blow right at the flank of another baboon.

“No, this is perfectly the right time,” Ken said, adamant in his decision. “Duck when I give the signal.”

“Here we go again,” Leo muttered as he felt Deja Vu all over again.

“Taunt!” Ken’s voice rang through the jungle, and the baboon’s eye lit up. They rushed and leaped towards Ken then the gladius started to glow in a splendid yellow radiance.

Leo immediately ducked. Then he saw it. The yellow light of Ken’s sword extended three times its length. Then Leo heard Ken’s voice.

“Whirlwind!” the warrior spun around like a top, slashing his foes horizontally. And it happened in an instant. It was a quick three hundred and sixty-degree turn, and the result spoke for itself. All the baboons were cut. Most laid dead while some were missing a limb and tried to flee. The yellow light died down returning into its original state.

Leo looked around and saw the devastation made by his friend. Then he gazed at the man who did this. Ken was smiling, ear to ear as if he had shown something to be prideful about.

“How did you get a new skill?” Leo asked. It was the most logical explanation of how this friend of his executed such a sword skill.

“I reach level ten,” said Ken. The meaning behind those words was enough for Leo to know that he would be awarded a few points after reaching level ten. But Ken couldn’t have chosen his skill that fast not while fighting against so many.

“But how? You can’t choose that quick unless…” then Leo realized it.

“As expected of my brother-in-arms, you’re quick in the uptake,” Ken said. “I’d already had a few choices in mind after getting our class. And it won’t be an RPG if you don’t have an area of effect type of skill.”

“You’re ahead of me again,” Leo grumbled. He noticed that Ken was usually the first to reach a new level compared to him.

“Cheer up,” Ken said, grabbing Leo by the shoulder. “It’s just one of the perks for being a close combatant. You fight harder at the front line, and you get more experience. Simple as that . . . Perhaps you should take an offensive type of spell when you reach level ten. It might do good to you, but if you’re going that path, you’ll definitely be more of a jack of all trade like a Red Mage.”

He took note of Ken’s suggestion. Becoming a class like the Red Mage did cross his mind, but he was still wasn’t sure about it.

They went further into the jungle. With Ken at the lead, he paved a path with his gladius chopping down shrubs and foliages. Looking back, the trail behind Leo was pretty clean and visible. And from the look of it, backtracking wouldn’t be a problem.

“Stop,” Leo said. Halting Ken on his step.

“What is it?” Ken said. His eyes darted around as Leo’s warning was something that shouldn’t be ignored.

“I don’t know,” Leo replied. “But I think there’s something behind that tree at two o’clock.”

Ken stared at the tree. It was big and tall with a wide trunk enough to hide a few people behind it. And without delay, he shouted, “come out! I know you’re hiding behind that tree!”

They waited for a response. Leo readied with his bat, and Ken readied with his sword up high and chair buckler shielding his front. A minute passed, and yet no one was coming out.

“You sure about this?” Ken whispered.

“I’m sure,” Leo said. This subtle feeling he got was telling him something was behind that tree.

“This is your last warning! Come out, or we will come to attack!” Ken shouted once more.

This time their wait wasn’t long. From behind the tree, one by one they emerged. They were three people, one guy, and two women. Their casual clothes were signs they were normal people like them. And at first glance, they looked Hispanic. Then Leo noticed the scalpel in the hand of the guy.

“They’ve got a weapon,” Leo whispered.

Ken noticed a few seconds later and stared at the guy. “How should we do this? Friendly or . . . Non-friendly?” Ken whispered back.

“Let’s be civilized,” Leo said.

“Boring, but fine,” Ken replied.

“Now who the fuck are you? And where did you come from?” Ken said with his own interpretation of being civilized.

Leo gave a brief glare before turning back to those three people.

“Me. English. Not. Good,” said the guy, shaking his head. He tried conveying his message while the other two gals stood there listless as if they didn’t understand a word.

“Ah, fuck,” Ken swore. “Here comes the language barrier.”

But out of nowhere, the person behind Ken started spurting out these Spanish words. And he stared in disbelief.

“Who are you? And where did you come from?” Leo asked in Spanish. He was a bit rough on the edges, but it was better than nothing.

The guy who held a scalpel suddenly smiled. “We’re Colombians, and we—”

“Woah, there buddy,” Ken aimed his sword at the Colombian guy who was approaching closer to them. “You can talk, but coming closer is a no, no. You get me, hombre?”

The smile was gone, and the guy backed away slowly with a hardened face. Then one of the gals that kept their lips tight suddenly hollered at Leo and Ken. Her tone was commanding and fiery. And coupled with her furrowing eyebrows she meant what she said.

“Bro, what did she say?” Ken asked.

“She said, they came to help after hearing the commotion of us with the baboons. But we ended it too fast, and they were stuck not knowing what to do,” Leo said. “Then she said, she doesn’t have time for a standoff as they had no time to waste.”

“Waste for what?” Ken asked.

“I don’t know,” Leo replied, then looked at the gal with bronze skin with wavy hair cascading below her shoulders.

“Why are you in a rush?” Leo asked.

She kept silent then looked at the other Colombians. They went back and forth for a while then they made a decision.

“One of ours needs help back at the clinic. The three of us try to find some herbs, food, and help. Then we found you,” said the woman.

“So?” Ken couldn’t wait any longer for the translation.

“They said they’re from a clinic, and someone back there needs some help,” Leo said.

“What kind of help? They’re already in a fucking clinic, they got all the things they need,” Ken rationalized, and it was true. There was no need to look for herbs and whatnot since a clinic had all the modern medicine they needed.

“I’m not buying it, man,” Ken said. “All of them look sus as hell.”

As if she understood what Ken said, the gal who got fire in her eyes started roaring at Ken. The man with the sword flinched a bit, yet he stood his ground.

“We got to help them, Ken,” Leo said.

“Why?” Ken questioned. “Are you forgetting the quest? We need to go to Mount Akrat.”

“It’s a kid, Ken,” Leo looked at his friend in the eyes. “A kid is dying, and we need to help them.”

Ken fell speechless.