Of course, go figure the recommendation is using magic that I suck with. Gavin grumbled internally as he concentrated on his mana. He ducked underneath another glob of acid and rolled to the side, his back slamming into the sidewall of the hallway.
He gritted his teeth and groaned from the impact. He cupped his hands together as he scrambled to his feet. Erza laid down a stream of fire while Gavin formed a ball of white light in his hands.
Rays of light illuminated the hallway, leaking out between Gavin's fingers. He kept his eyes locked on the acid creature as Erza darted left and right, drawing its' attention from Gavin. "I hope this works!" Gavin shouted and threw the ball of light magical energy at the slime creature.
It impacted without a sound. The light magic purifying through the acid and revealing the grotesque creature hidden. Gavin's jaw dropped as he covered his ears. The shriek from the slime was deafening as it writhed against the light orb that was slowly purifying through the layer of acid that covered its body.
"Now Erza!" Gavin called out.
Erza didn't hesitate as she extended both arms, ignited the flames and directed the energy straight into the opening provided by the purifying magic. The flames rolled underneath the slime's acid armor, illuminating it in a horrifying fashion from the inside. Erza's flames burned it's real body while Gavin's light magic purified its acid armor. The two spells worked together and brought the creature down with a sickening squelch.
Gavin panted and rose to his feet. His nose wrinkled from the smell of charred flesh and putrid acid. "Damn. The games have it all wrong. Slimes are terrifying in confined quarters."
Erza sighed and shook her head. "Do you really have to make a joke right now?"
Gavin cast her a sheepish grin. "You love my jokes."
A message appeared in his vision.
One of ten slimes on this floor defeated. Defeat the remaining nine and acquire the totems. Reward. One instant level up for the entire party.
Gavin's grin widened even further. He told Erza about the system quest and reward and her smile was more hesitant.
"I'm still not sure how to feel about this so called system and dungeon thing. It feels too much like a game. But, the battles we go through and practice we experience are real enough to help us improve," Erza said.
Gavin nodded, his smile fading. "Yeah, I understand. If I didn't have instant access to the system to see my stats and level every time I'd proll'y be as suspicious as you are about it all. But, I've seen the evidence and the proof that it does help. Now," he paused and walked over to examine the slime. "Let's hope Helena and Jackson are able to come up with their own solution for taking out these creatures."
Together they made their way down the hallway. They moved slowly, checking for rigged tiles on the floor, loose stones, columns, anything that could spring another trap on them.
The floor shook under their feet and a loud, muffled explosion could be heard in the distance.
Alert. Quest updated. Three of ten slimes have been defeated.
Another message from the system.
Gavin let out an impressed whistle. "Looks like they got some." Gavin said.
Helena, Jackson, you guys alright? Gavin sent the thought communication through the pack magic link.
Jackson replied. Busy, can't talk. Explain later.
With those words, Jackson ended the communication and Gavin got the impression they were in the middle of another fight.
Erza looked back at Gavin. "Everything okay?" She asked.
Gavin nodded. "Yeah, things are getting busy for them apparently. Come on, let's keep going."
A brilliant light flashed in a dorm room and four figures appeared out of the light.
Gavin stepped forward, his arm wrapped around Erza's waist. "Well, we went farther than I expected for the first time."
Jackson groaned as he helped Helena over to the couch. Their clothes were blood stained, torn and in tatters. "That last boss was such a cheat. I mean come on, we should have had that last fight."
"Yeah, maybe. But hey, we learned a lot for this first time," Helena said.
Gavin nodded. "Exactly. We've all learned how to start working together as a unit." Gavin looked at Jackson. "You, started seeing through the pack link. You somehow were able to see what everyone else could see, like a bird soaring over head. It gave you instant knowledge of the fight on all fronts."
Jackson sat up a little straighter.
Gavin turned to Helena. "And you, your magic limit was incredible. You kept going long after the others spent their mana each floor. That's incredibly useful for support and backing up the pack."
Helena beamed, a slight blush creeping up her neck. "My magic wasn't very strong yet. But, I know with more training I can be so much better."
Gavin flashed her a grin. "Exactly. I see so much potential in fights with this team so far. With the right training, I know everyone will be strong enough to stand with me. That I won't have to worry about protecting everyone."
Erza snorted. "Quit sounding so arrogant."
Gavin turned to face her. "I'm probably saying it all wrong. I'm trying to say, that everyone is growing so strong. Strong enough that we can work, fight, and evolve as a pack. To fight as a true unit, a true pack."
She sighed. "Can you stop thinking of fighting for five minutes? We just spent," she paused and looked up in thought. "Hell, I don't even know how long inside that dungeon fighting through floors, beasts, traps. Barely surviving every day."
She narrowed her eyes on her boyfriend. "And the first thing you wanna do when we get back is talk shop about more fighting."
He held his hands up in surrender. "Okay sorry. You have a fair and valid point." He blushed as he noticed just how torn everybody's clothes were from the dungeon.
"Now. I'm going to take a hour long, burn my skin off hot shower, and get a fresh change of clothes. Then we can go find food and discuss the future plans." She glared at him as if daring him to argue.
For once, Gavin chose to keep his mouth shut. Erza stood up and went to the front door. "Coming, you dumb wolf boy?" She invited him, her tone lacking any real venom.
Gavin grinned with excitement as he nodded. "I would be a dumb wolf boy indeed to turn down that invitation."
He look at Helena and Jackson still on the couch. "See you guys in a bit." Gavin winked at them as he followed Erza out of the dorm room.
Erza turned and frowned at him. "Go get your change of clothes and bath supplies then meet me at the showers." She pushed him back towards the door to his dorm.
Gavin blushed at his over eagerness. "Oh, um right." He turned and went inside the dorm while Erza continued walking down the hallway with a sly smile across her face.
After she grabbed a fresh change of clothes, she walked down the hallway to find Gavin was already waiting outside the communal showers. First year dorms didn't separate male and female shower rooms and instead each floor had multiple shower rooms. Inside each shower room were single stalls with a door that could be locked from the inside.
He leaned against the wall, scrolling through his phone with his shower bag under one arm. He looked up and gave Erza a bashful smile. "Took you long enough," he said.
"Don't be cheeky," she replied. She opened the door and led the way inside the shower room.
Several people were already inside, draped in various states of undress or moving in and out of the shower stalls. Erza led the way to an empty stall in the far back of the room and opened the door for Gavin to go inside. "Now, no funny business," she warned him with a grin. She entered behind him and shut the shower door, the lock clicking.
She began stripping her clothes off, and Gavin watched with a goofy grin on his face as she peeled off each layer.
"If I'm dreaming, I will slaughter anyone who wakes me up," Gavin said. He began to pull his tattered clothes off as Erza walked past, pulling her long red hair out of its pony tail and let it fall free down her tanned back.
She chuckled as she blew him a kiss, her bare feet slapping against the water on the floor. She reached up to the controls and started the running water, adjusting the temperature until steam quickly started building in the room.
Gavin stepped under the shower behind her, kissing the nape of her neck as he pulled her hair to the side. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing himself close to her. "The way you moved, the way you fought. I could watch it all day," he whispered in her ear.
A shiver went down her spine at his intimate actions and words. "Oh hush. I said I didn't want to talk shop right now, didn't i?" she said, turning in his arms.
Gavin sucked in his breath as she reached down between their bodies…