Escapia: A VRMMO

Chapter 8: The Cave

Daemon, Lockheart, and Nyaru sat on the grass of the Main Floor, engaged in conversation. Lockheart appeared weary, her expression marked by fatigue. Nyaru, on the other hand, had lost interest in the discussion and rested her head on the grass, observing the ants crawling on the ground.

Daemon took on the role of explaining the cave dungeons on Floor 3 to his companions. He began by describing their first dungeon battle.

"We'll be venturing into the Cave Dungeons on Level 3 for our upcoming battle," Daemon started.

"As you may know, each cave dungeon has its unique theme. There are ice caves, fire caves, underground caves, and so on. The particular cave we're about to enter is the Undersea Dungeon," Daemon continued, glancing at Nyaru.

Nyaru, having abandoned her observation of the ants, turned her attention to Daemon. "Yes, nii-chan?"

"If we encounter any enemies in the dungeon that resemble octopuses or have tentacles, make sure to keep your distance. We never know what tricks the creatures programmed by the Kuudere Dev might have up their sleeves," Daemon cautioned.

Lockheart frowned, a mix of concern and curiosity etching her features. "Daemon, what are you planning?"

Ignoring Lockheart's reaction, Daemon proceeded. "Lockheart, as usual, I'll rely on your buffs. However, this time, there's an additional task. Use the weak Area of Effect attack of the Buffer class on ranged sea creatures while I handle the melee ones. And be mindful of your MP usage."

Lockheart stepped back, concealing her confusion. Daemon then turned to Nyaru with instructions.

"Nyaru, your main responsibility for now will be healing us as your MP replenishes. Can we count on you?" he asked.

Nyaru nodded eagerly, a bright smile illuminating her face. "I'll do my best to protect you all!"

After teleporting into the cave, Nyaru and Lockheart surveyed their surroundings. The cavern seemed like an ordinary cave, with stalactites hanging from the ceiling and a stony ground. Daemon directed their attention to a red ring situated in a corner of the cave.

"Place your teleport crystals inside the red circle to initiate the dungeon," Daemon instructed.

Following his command, they dropped their crystals within the circle, causing them to vanish instantly. The stalactites and stones disappeared, replaced by corals and sea sand. The walls of the cave were adorned with starfish, creating an undersea ambiance.

Nyaru clapped her hands, filled with delight. Daemon continued to guide them.

"Equip your weapons! Enemies will soon make their appearance."

Giant crabs materialized within the cave, emerging from huge mossy boulders that sprouted from the sea sand. Perched on the rocks were mermaids brandishing wands tipped with blue crystals.

Daemon unsheathed his Mythril sword, issuing a command. "You two, take care of the mermaids. I'll handle the crabs."

As the mermaids raised their wands, aiming at Daemon, blue triangles formed beneath his feet, signaling an incoming attack. Lightning began to descend upon him, but he managed to evade the strikes, tumbling to the ground.

Lockheart targeted one of the mermaids with his wand and unleashed a green light. The mermaid fell from the mossy rock and tumbled to the ground. Lockheart addressed Daemon with excitement.

"Daemon, it seems like your strategy of focusing on the mermaids is effective for this battle. At the moment, your damage output is less crucial."

Meanwhile, Daemon sprinted toward the giant crabs. He swung his Mythril sword, aiming at one of their claws. As the crab attempted to close its claw around the blade, Daemon leaped and sliced the crab's claw before it could fully tighten its grip.

The creature shrieked in pain and charged aggressively, swinging its other claw. Capitalizing on this opportunity, Daemon vaulted onto the crab's second claw and dashed toward its head. Reaching the top, he thrust his sword into the crab's eye. As the creature writhed in agony, Daemon remained perched atop its head.

Soon, the crab ceased its screams and disintegrated into amber particles, vanishing completely.

"One down, Lockheart! How are you faring?" Daemon inquired.

"I've dispatched two more mermaids, but they keep respawning, and avoiding their attacks is proving challenging," Lockheart responded, her voice filled with determination.

In an instant, lightning from the mermaids' staff struck Lockheart. She swung her meter, unintentionally hitting her head on the mossy rock. Her health bar shifted from green to orange.

Daemon turned to Nyaru, issuing a command. "Nyaru, heal Lockheart!"

Nyaru extended her fingers, aiming her hand at Lockheart. A red string of light emanated from Nyaru's fingertips, rushing toward Lockheart and enveloping her body. Lockheart's health bar transitioned from orange to yellow.

For the first time, Nyaru, Lockheart, and Daemon were fully engaged in a battle that truly challenged them. Lockheart and Nyaru occasionally displayed fleeting smiles, indicating their enjoyment of the moment. In contrast, Daemon remained focused and serious, fully understanding the gravity of the situation. He exerted his utmost effort to lead Lockheart and Nyaru, ensuring their safety.

Observing Daemon, Lockheart's smile faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. "Why can't he simply loosen up and enjoy a moment with us?" she pondered to herself. She had grown tired of this dynamic. Whenever she interacted with Daemon, the conversation invariably gravitated toward the game itself. Lockheart chuckled inwardly, realizing that Daemon's Neet otaku nature no longer bothered her as much as it did when they first met. She had gradually become accustomed to his eccentricities. Furthermore, she had come to understand that Daemon was not an "incel." If he were, he wouldn't even consider forming a friendship with her. The root of Daemon's behavior stemmed from elsewhere.

However, Daemon's perception of herself and Nyaru as mere killing machines in the game, rather than individuals with emotions, bothered Lockheart. It was starting to push her to her limit. She had endured being dragged along thus far, but now, she reached her breaking point.

As Nyaru, Lockheart, and Daemon defeated all the creatures within 20 minutes, the moss rocks vanished from the surroundings. Lockheart and Nyaru rejoiced, celebrating their victory. Yet, Daemon silenced their jubilation.

"Hold on, the battle is not yet over," Daemon warned, pointing to the center of the cave. Slowly, a single mossy boulder began to rise from the cave's depths, growing in size until it reached a height of five meters. Three mermaids appeared atop the boulder, emitting shrill cries. The cave trembled, causing Nyaru to tremble in response. Lockheart and Daemon tightened their grip on their weapons, prepared for what lay ahead.