Ford and the rest of the team hid beyond the tree line looking at the massive city covered in snow on the side of the mountain. She turned to Ee and asked, “So, the dungeon is just outside the city?”

“Nope, it’s right in the center.”

“The center of the city? The middle?”

“Not the middle exactly, but it’s in the central part of the city.”

“In the city?!”

“Yes, now stop bitching and get us in there!” Ee said, ending the conversation.

Ford groaned and looked at the walled city, trying to think of a plan, “What can you tell me about the city?” she asked.

“It’s a Giant’s city named Stonewort; there are also Dwarves and humans who live there. Several hundred thousand people live there, and it is known for being one of the most secure cities in the world,” Ee explained.

Ford whirled on Gimble, who stood two meters away from her; she jumped and landed on his arm. He looked at her confused and said, “What are you?”

“Tell me everything about Giants! What is your culture like?”

“Well, umm.”

“Are there jokes?”

“Umm, yeah-”

“Do Giant girls have massive boobs?

“Wh-”

“How many?!”

“Uhm.”

“HOW MANY!? ANSWER THE QUESTION!”

Gimble’s face turned redder and redder with each question to the point that he collapsed unconscious. Ford stood over his limp body and turned, “I don’t think he knows anything.”

Ee, Max, and Farah, rolled their eyes while Lilly was off in her own little world, staring off into the distance. Then Ee said, “Giant’s value strength and fighting potential. If you don’t have those, you’re screwed. And Giantesses tend to be flat-chested.”

Ford bit her lip and looked at the city, “Well, there goes plan double D.”

“What was plan double D?” Farah asked.

“I would very much like to know that too. With details, though,” Benet added.

“Doesn’t matter now,” Ford said, making a snowball with her numbed hands and then throwing it at Gimble’s face, waking him with a start. She thought for a few more minutes, then an idea came to her, and she activated linchpin. Looking at the city, she saw a highlighted path to the city's south gate. “I got a plan,” she said confidently, “Helmets on everyone and follow my lead.”

“Do you mind walking us through the plan?” Farah asked.

“Yes, it involves everyone being quiet and Gimble looking intimidating,” Ford said, looking at Gimble, trying his best to look as small as possible.

“Yeah, this’ll work,” Max said sarcastically.

“It will. Do you have a helmet?” As Ford asked this, the metal flower in her hair shifted and morphed into a red version of Lilly’s leaf-like helmet. “Cool helmet,” she said approvingly.

“Thanks.”

“Now, Gimble,” Ford said, turning toward him, “stand up straight,” Gimble stood and made himself as straight as possible, “hands clasped behind your back ready to pull out your shields,” Gimble did as he was told, “Now, helmet on and scowl,” Gimble pulled his helmet from behind his back, put it on, and grimaced. “No, no, you look like you just ate rotten fish. Less lip curl. There you go, perfect, now let’s go.”

She then shifted her clothes into the black cloak and helmet from Mammoth and led the way to the city’s south gate, closely followed by everyone else. Once they made it close enough to see a line of people trying to enter, one level four female knight with brown hair was highlighted. Ford picked up the pace slightly and marched straight toward the man. Once within earshot, she yelled, “Move aside! This is an emergency!”

The knight jumped slightly and turned, “Um, I’m sorry,” the knight said in a high startled voice.

“You heard me. This is an emergency! Now, let us through before more people die!”

“Uh, um, what kind of emergency?” the knight asked, and the rest of the people in line began to ask the same.

“Do you know who this man is?!” Ford said, pointing at Gimble.

“Uh, um, no?”

“Well, not surprising,” Ford said, “But I’ll explain anyway. He is one of the greatest monster hunters of all time. Known far and wide by many names. Mountain grinder, Master of monsters, sir thunder thigh, but to those who help him, he allows them to call him Sue. You could be one of those select few,” with every title, Ford took a step forward till she wrapped an arm around the lady knight.

“Yeah, Sue. V-very manly name,” she said.

“It shouldn’t be. It’s a women’s name. Anyways, we’ve been tracking a monster for a week now, and we’ve tracked it to this city. Now, you need to let us in before anybody else dies.”

“Anybody else? But we haven’t-”

“Gotten any reports of missing persons,” Ford said, leaning in close, “That’s just how this thing wants it. It’s smart, you see. It will only take people that won’t be missed for a long time. Like these people here,” she said, gesturing to the people in line.

“If-if what you say is true, then we should alert the city guards-”

“NO! Don’t you see! It’s smart. If you alert anybody, it’ll just run to the next town over while we’re still searching the city. Sir thunder thigh needs to quickly and quietly hunt this thing down with just us. Now, will you open that gate, or do I need to talk to your superior?”

People in the crowd began to shout, “Let them through! Let them kill the monster!”

The knight looked between Ford and the crowd, then said, “Alright, go. I’ll keep things quiet for you.”

“Thank you very much, madam knight,” Ford said as she walked past and into Stonewort.

“How did you know that would work?” Max asked.

“Also, thunder thigh? Isn’t that a derogatory term?” Farah asked.

“I didn’t know, and if you’ve seen my thighs, you’ll know it’s an accurate description,” Ford answered.

“Thighs,” Lilly mumbled, causing Ford to turn her way. Lilly blushed, turning her pointed ears red as she looked away.

Ford spoke over comms, “Ee, where’s the dungeon?”

“This way,” Ee said and ran off down one of the streets, closely followed by puppy Ace and everyone else. The city was a maze of backstreets, making Ee have to backtrack multiple times. Till she finally found a large open courtyard with a statue of a Giant clad in skeletal armor, she pointed at a building that had dozens of Humans, Giants, and Dwarves going in and out of it. “The dungeons under there,” she said.

“That…building?!” Max said, gasping for air, “That’s…the adventurers guild.”

“Yes. Yes, it is,” Ee confirmed.

Ford looked at everyone and noticed that only herself, Ee, and Lilly were the only one’s not out of breath. “Why are you all tired right now?” she asked.

“Because we’ve been running all day!” Morgan said, irritated.

“I think it’s because they haven’t been cultivating their soul like you and Lilly have,” Ee guessed.

Ford sighed, “Well, shit. Fine, we rest and then try and find a way under or into the adventurer’s guild. Once we’re in and complete the first challenge room, you all are going to cultivate that soul and level up.” They all agreed then collapsed to the ground to rest.

***