Dungeon Raider System
Chapter 688 - 688: Obscure meetings Part 1

If it was up to him, Uriel would have liked to go back to the library to resume reading in a last ditch attempt to trigger a response from the system or make the preparations for a future expedition. Uploading a Vlog entry also didn't sound bad, but even sleeping was a better alternative than leaving the campus on the first day.

There were many things he wanted to do, others he really needed to do and there was people he wanted to meet as soon as possible.

Unfortunately to him, he knew he didn't have a choice and left the premises rushing his steps to make it before curfew. He knew exactly what kind of creatures lurked in the shadows past curfew and wasn't afraid of them but actually considered them small fries unworthy of his precious time.

He made his way across the city on foot at a speed possible only for heavenly rank hunters and smiled faintly when the system rewarded him with his daily physical training trites. Nowadays such reward felt akin to picking up a dime on the streets, but it made him happy nonetheless.

Uriel stood in front of the previously abandoned factory he called home for a brief time and twisted the keys on the keyhole with a swift movement. Before stepping in, he deactivated a deadfall trap awaiting for any unsuspecting trespasser, then crouched to dodge a crossbow bolt that triggered as soon as the door opened.

"Love what you've done with the place," Said Nika from behind oozing sarcasm with every word. It was only thanks to her heavenly rank reaction speed that she managed to catch the bolt mid flight, yet if it wasn't for the shadow armor enveloping her hand up to the forearm that she remained unscathed. She then examined the crossbow bolt confirming its tip was coated in poison. "Paranoid much?"

"You would be surprised how many people have tried to break in while I'm out." Uriel shrugged.

"Yeah, right. We lived here for how long and we never..." Nika fell silent as soon as she realized the changes that took place in the old Dungeon Raiders headquarters. The first floor that was mostly occupied by Medusa's gadgets and materials, apart from all the machinery, was now filled to the brim with exotic artifacts that seemed taken out from a museum.

Below each artifact there was a small bronze sheet with carved letters painted in black that acted as informative signs and explained in detail everything Uriel knew about them.

"I needed a place to store all the artifacts I found inside the crater. Thanks for helping me with that by the way." Uriel snorted.

"I can't believe you're still mad about it! The city disappeared and with it, all the gold vanished into thin air too. All this stuff can't possibly match the importance of finding out what happened to Luna." Nika rebuked.

"So you did find her? Where is she?" Uriel leaned over Nika to see behind her, though the tiny huntress he wanted to see was nowhere to be found.

"After we parted..." Nika began her explanation, but Uriel cut her short with a scoff.

"Don't you mean after you abandoned me?"

"After we parted," Nika insisted directing a meaningful glare at Uriel. "I went to Hollywood's Cryptid hunting agency to find out what happened to Luna where they sent me to various places."

"Let me guess, they were stalling for time."

"Exactly. It took me a while to notice."

"That's because you're a dumbass," Uriel said unamused by Nika's incompetence. "if you were going to drop me like a bad habit, at least you should have made it worth it."

"Sure, you're smarter than me and you would have likely noticed way before I did but guess what? You weren't there and you don't get to criticize me!" Nika growled more than said.

"And if you stayed with me I could have grabbed everything in less than a week and we could have gone looking for her together!" As the argument became more heated both hunters had unwittingly gotten closer to the point where their noses almost touched.

Feeling Uriel's breath made on her face made Nika want to kiss him almost as much as she wanted to punch him in his 'smart' face, but then she composed herself and heaved a sigh as she took some distance.

"When I wanted to notice they were playing games with me I infiltrated the Cryptid hunting agency, but it got me nowhere. The only thing I learned was that the head of the agency passed away suddenly and she was the only person who knew Luna's whereabouts."

"And you got squat." Uriel's remark irked Nika who saw all her efforts being disregarded just because she failed, but in the end she knew Uriel was right. If before that they had been close to fighting now things took a sudden twist as Nika became a crying mess.

"Uriel, I'm so lost without her." She held on to his shirt as she buried her face on his chest.

"I know, I miss her too." Uriel placed a comforting hand on Nika's back and the other on her head to let her cry as much as she wanted.

"I did everything I could, but her track has gone cold. No one saw her leave and I looked around in the wilderness, I even hired people to help me investigate but it's as if the earth swallowed her." Nika sobbed some more and they remained like that for a few more minutes.

"Make yourself comfortable here, this is your house for as long as you want. Just don't touch my stuff and don't forget to pay rent or I'll kick you out."

"But I don't have any money. I spent up to my last credit looking for Luna." Nika said, shocked by Uriel asking her for money.

"There's other ways you can pay." Uriel grinned with malice as he went to grab the maid costume he got jokingly for Nika when they first moved in together.

"You heartless jerk!" Nika pushed his chest, yet the insult came accompanied by a chuckle and a faint smile.