"Note, don't you think they're two young?" The girl Note hugged asked, named Alice.
But before Note could respond, the smaller guy with long hair spoke, named Fillepe. "If they can complete a B-rank job, they're good enough."
Even the taller, gentlemanly guy spoke to their defense, named Thain. "You shouldn't judge a book by their cover Alice. I think they're both stronger than you."
"Huh, how is that possible?! Their so young." Alice blurted.
"Thain's right Alice, they're both about as strong as me." Note mentioned.
Surprising both the guys as well as Alice. It seemed Note was one of the strongest members of this team
Though if Menchi's aura was as strong as Notes, then Roman was certainly stronger than Note.
"Okay guys let's go, we can chat for hours on the blimp." Note acted like the group's leader, dragging everybody aboard the blimp, showing their tickets to the airport staff along the way.
The blimp was slow and the flight took hours. Roman and the others ended up traveling the entire day, just to travel to the center of a nearby continent.
Back on earth they could have reached the other side of the globe by now.
Landing Menchi was very tired, Roman had to give her a hand and Roman would be lying if he said he wasn't as well.
Exiting the blimp, they were blasted by a gust of cold air, making all the passengers shiver.
But hunters were different, they didn't react, but it did make them a little less sleepy. Though not for Menchi, who was used to the freezing temperature of her cauldron.
Though this time when they exited the blimp everybody followed Filepe.
The longhaired man was the hunter familiar with this place, and he quickly escorted everybody in the group to a hotel.
Personally renting a room for everybody, such comonadies were pennies for hunters.
But Roman and Menchi shared a room. The others believed they weren't used to being separated.
Still acting like they were kids. But it was the correct decision and Roman didn't interfere.
Bringing Menchi to their room and plopping her on a bed.
She mumbled. "I'm gonna sleep for days."
"Not so home sick are we." Roman drowsily said.
"Too tired to be." Menchi mumbled into a pillow, but Roman understood.
Turning in for the night, and not interrupted.
Early in the morning before the others had woken to find them.
Roman and Menchi were in leisure clothes, outside in the cold.
Roman sat on a log once covered in several feet of snow.
While Menchi cut up a bunch of ingredients on a block of ice, before throwing them into her red cauldron.
Roman and Menchi sat just outside of the hotel. Close enough for their group to sense them.
Shortly later that same group walked toward them, all in winter clothes except for Felipe.
"What are you guys doing outside?" Alice asked.
"Waiting for breakfast." Roman replied, seeing Menchi a little preoccupied.
All of them looked toward her in curiosity.
"A gourmet hunter right? Ha, this might have been your best call yet, Note." Thain chuckled.
Everybody finding a log to sit on, waiting for Menchi.
Who soon brought out a bunch of food, teasing the group with the aroma before placing it all into her small blue cauldron for a moment.
Not long later everyone was feasting on Menchi's food. With Alice and Thein struggling to chew the food. Making it apparent who was strong in the group.
But everyone noticed the magic of Menchi's food, surprising them greatly. But everyone chose to not mention it and enjoy the food.
Finishing their meal, Filipe spoke. "Is everybody ready, the hunt will last three days."
Causing everybody to look at Roman and Menchi.
But then Roman looked at Menchi who put her hand into her red cauldron, retrieving an extra layer of closing for Roman and her.
The clothes already warmed, they both put another layer on just in case. They were the least experienced afterall.
With Menchi unsummoning her knives and cauldrons, they set off.
A rental car taking them out of the small town, and into the wilderness.
It wasn't long until they abandoned the car and set out on foot.
Unlike Romans adventure at the coast where he could move relatively fast, in the deep snow they could only walk.
Using snow shoes, to walk on snow a dozen feet tall.
The snow shoes worked, but using more force wouldn't let them go much faster but instead it would make them sink.
Taking their time, all day to be exact. They finally saw the cavern.
Pausing, Thain, Alice and Note began building a large tent for everyone to rest in. Meanwhile, Menchi was silently on dinner duty.
Filepe and Roman just sat back and relaxed. The only other thing needed was to clear some snow to set up the camp.
But Filepe used an ability to clear the snow instantly
When Roman caught a glance of it, he realized it was an emission ability.
With a wave of his hand a gust of wind blew away all the snow in a perfect square.
An hour later the tent was set up and everybody was digesting warm food.
The next day came, but they left the tent constructed. It was a part of the plan to come back and rest there later tonight.
Not wasting much time they entered the cavern, it was devoid of snow. Everything was covered in ice and rock.
But the most defining feature was the wind, it was strong and cold. Suppressing all life, but they continued onward, until they ran into multiple paths.
But Filepe knew the way and everyone followed silently. Otherwise their voice would echo throughout the entire cavern.
From everyone's demeanor and the information they had of the place. Everyone was expecting a battle.
Nobody knowing when they would run into a threat.
They descended for a few hours before reaching a vast chasm.
Though oddly the place was illuminated, as if noise wasn't the only thing echoing, but light.
"This is where we part. Meet back here for everyone." Filepe said.
"Stay safe Note, Roman and Menchi, the crystal gliders are definitely hiding around here." Alice waved.
Roman watched as the two guys and one girl jumped into the chasm. But they landed on an ice pillar a few dozen meters away. Before they kept going, onto another ice pillar. Slowly descending to the right side of the chasm.
"Ready?" Note asked with her signature smirk.
Earning two nods, Menchi and Roman followed Note leading them to the left of the chasm. Jumping from ice pillar to ice pillar. Always going left, they descended in a spiral shape, as if a staircase. But instead of steps, it was both massive and small ice pillars.
An hour into the spiral, the terrain flattened out and what greeted them were crystal like bat creatures.
All hanging from icicles above them.
They paused for only a brief moment, already knowing what to do.
These creatures weren't like normal bats with echo location.
Instead they had light location.
They didn't have eyes, but their crystal skin sensed changes in the light with terrifying accuracy.
Even now, with Roman and them, just entering the new section of cave, some of the bats were stirring.
But note quickly took out a flute, it wasn't conjured but hidden in her shirt.
Putting it up to her mouth, her aura converged on the flute as she blew.
Roman instantly thought enhancer or emitter.
With music echoing all around the cavern and into all of their ears. The bats kept still, not moving for some reason.
Note quickly motioning to move, they crossed the dozen or so crystal bats. Entering another cave section, letting Note end her song.
Roman had questions, wishing to know more about this song and her ability.
But everyone kept quiet, because even though light was the cause for concern when it came to the crystal bats.
Noise even in the slightest would cause certain icicles to fall from the ceiling. Rumored to cause a symphony of light that would alert every single crystal bat in the blizzard caverns into an unstoppable rage.
Continuing they didn't run into any other crystal bats, but found another chasm. This one though didn't have any ice pillars to jump on to.
But ultra thin and long icicles, descending over a hundred meters. From the ceiling of the cavern into the unseen depths of the chasm.
It was a beautiful sight, but Roman knew these strings were why they were here.
Glancing at Note, she seemed to be looking right back at him. Expecting him to retrieve a sting for her.
Sighing internally and think a method beyond the obvious.
A brute would jump into the ice strings, plucking one and using the rest of the strings to swing back.
But Roman was sure the strings weren't strong enough to hold some, even if all were bundled together and used.