The party discussed animatedly, but ultimately Silver Bde doused their enthusiasm.

  “I don’t know if we beat a level 9 or 10 elite.”

  Liam nodded his head. The level difference was too much. They wouldn’t be able to do a lot of damage.

  “So we just let it go?”

  Cye looked unwilling. She was eager to test her lucky hands on a treasure chest.

  “We have no choice.”

  Everyone was ready to accept it when Liam spoke up:

  “You don’t necessarily have to fight all the time.”

  “Expert, do you have a way?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Liam smiled as Cye and Balm put their hands on their hips, staring at Liam angrily.

  “Tell us!”

  “Yeah, tell us!”

  “Take a look around.”

  Silver Bde headed Bleary Mirage’s advice, sing the surroundings.

  “What’s there to see?”

  Suddenly Silent Acacia excimed:

  “Bananas!”

  Quickstep looked at him strangely, holding a hand against his forehead.

  “Strange, no fever.”

  “No, look!”

  The young thief poi a rge palm tree a short distance away. Everyoched as one of the red-furred monkeys climbed up to grab a few fresh, green-yellow bananas, a foolish grin on its face.

  Silver Bde’s eyes lit up.

  “This might work!”

  “Luring monkeys with bananas. A trick as simple as it is genius.”

  “Speak like a human!”

  Sun’s Knight had enough as he hit the back of Radiant Shield’s head.

  “Yo, are you crazy?”

  “Am I crazy, or are you?”

  “Hehehe.”, Cye’s chuckle let the two men stop, embarrassed.

  “Guys, we should figure out how to get those bananas down.”

  “Easy, I do it!”

  Silent Acacia put away his bow, a childish joy in his eyes as he ran at the ree.

  With smooth movements he climbed up, even faster than a monkey.

  He reached out with his hand. But the banana didn’t move, a progress bar appearing in his vision.

  Meanwhile Liam smiled faintly as he approached the same tree, using his gathering skill from the ground.

  After a few seds both men held a banana in their hands.

  Silent Acacia looked strangely at the ground. A moment ter Cye and Balm couldn’t hold back, breaking out in ughter.

  “Hahaha, I didn’t know you could be so mean, Bleary Mirage.”

  “Yeah, look at him climbing like a monkey.”

  Only Quickstep waved at her boyfriend in support:

  “Babe, you look great! Not everyone climb such a tree. Don’t listen to them!”

  The entire group was amused as they began copying Liam, using their gathering skills on the nearby trees if they had it.

  Soon, a pile of bananas was collected.

  Silver Bde had her eyes on the ground, p how to proceed. As she raised her head, she looked at two i faces, their cheeks bulging.

  “Cye, Balm? Did you take bananas?”

  The two women shook their heads heavily.

  “Really? Then why aren’t you talking?”

  “I am dalging.”

  Silver Bde let out a bell-like ugh as white pieces fell from Cye’s mouth.

  “You two monkeys…

  Apparently, the bananas work on you. Let’s hope the same is true for the elite.

  Silent Acacia, do you think you approach the elite ih and drop bananas to lure it away?”

  “It might be possible. Dropping doesn’t t as use, so it shouldn’t break my stealth.”

  “Let’s try it.”

  “Good luck.”

  “You have my blessing, young friend!”

  “You got this.”

  Silent Acacia smiled as everyone enced him. He took the bananas into his iory and sneaked away.

  The young thief was indeed a pro, his footsteps careful, trying not to disturb the foliage.

  He weaved between groups of monkeys until he reached a rge tree not far from a small river.

  A tall monkey with fists like hammers leaned against the tree, enjoying life as two female monkeys ed its fur.

  Silent Acacia stopped a short distance away, carefully dropping a banana on the ground.

  Suddenly the surrounding monkeys stopped making any sounds. Their heads carefully turo the elite.

  The tall monkey watched for a sed before waving its hand gernerously. One of the female monkeys immediately jumped iement.

  Silent Acacia took a few steps back, watg with a frown as the female monkey grabbed the banana, peeling it and taking a big bite.

  It fell backwards, pnting its butt on the ground with a satisfied expression.

  Suddenly another banana appeared.

  But the same routied, this time with the other female monkey.

  Silent Acacia stared angrily at the elite.

  Is it not good enough for you?!

  Somewhat impatient the young thief scattered a dozen fruits on the floor.

  Instantly all the monkeys’ eyes opened wide. The elite stood up from its fortable chair.

  That’s it!

  Silent Acacia uood. He retreated, throwing e amounts of bananas on the way.

  A craze broke out among the monkeys. They hastily scrambled for the golden treasures. Whot their hands o on the ground, enjoying themselves without moving.

  Silent Acacia quickly returo the group.

  “It worked, but I don’t know how much time we have.”

  “Quick, take Cye with you and open the chest.”

  By now everyone was vinced by Cye’s luck, agreeing with Silver Bde.

  Thus, Cye and Silent Acacia ran as fast as possible. Notig that the monkeys showed no signs of chasing after them, they grew bolder, not taking a detour.

  Soon they passed the elite, arriving before the treasure chest.

  “It’s bronze!”

  Excimed Cye with a grin. Silent Acacia was surprised that she khe grade at a g had no time to discuss.

  “Quick, open it!”

  “On it.”

  Cye reached out with her hand, a progress bar appearing.

  [Opening Treasure Chest. 10 seds remaining]

  “So long…”

  Silent Acacia looked anxiously at the elite. He took out the st few of his bananas and threw them over.

  “e on, big monkey. Just eat. Ignore us.”

  The seds ticked by and Cye soon pulled her hand back. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the blue light.

  “It…”

  “Roarr!”

  A loud roar interrupted Cye. She looked over at the elite monkey, smiling wryly as she watched it stand up, its rage-filled eyes staring at the two thieving nephilim.

  “You watched us steal, but now you react?!”

  “Don’t talk, run!”

  Silent Acacia urged Cye as he ran explosively, disappearing down the hill.

  “Hey, wait!”

  Unfortunately, a thief was much faster than a mage. Silent Acacia looked back; his heart anxious.

  He turned around and tried to help Cye, but movement speed was a fixed attribute.

  The ground trembled as the elite monkey followed with big jumps.

  “It’s catg up!”

  “I don’t want to die!”

  Cye looked distressed, proud about her deathless record so far.

  Suddenly a person appeared before the two.

  “Mirage!”

  Cye smiled brightly, instinctively trusting Liam to save them, trary to Silent Acacia.

  “Careful, Mirage! Run away!”

  “It’s alright we just trade.”

  “What?”

  Silent Acacia didn’t uand Liam’s words.

  The tter waved his hand leisurely, more than a hundred bananas appearing out of thin air.

  The elite monkey was already close, but it suddenly stopped. Its eyes stared at the mountain of delicious yellow snacks before it.

  It was calg in its braiually it decided that bananas were more important than some items it couldn’t use anyways.

  The elite monkey indulged itself while the pyers got away safely.

  Cye sighed in relief as they regrouped.

  “Puh. This was a bit too exg.”

  Silver Bde had a flicted expression.

  “Sorry. I should have thought about it. Without Bleary Mirage you would’ve died.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up, I only saved us some time. We would’ve gotteems anyways.”, enced Liam.

  Quickstep checked her boyfriend’s state while the group began gathering around Cye.

  “Brave panion, please, reveal the treasure to us.”

  “What did you get?”

  Cye ehe attention, smiling brightly. She flicked her wrist, and a beautiful boeared, surrounded by green sparkles.

  Everyone looked enviously at Silent Acacia, knowing that he was the only bow user present.

  , Cye built some tension before revealing a piece of paper.

  Everyone quickly ied it.

  “A recipe for fire resistaion? Not bad.”

  “Who wants to take this?”

  Balm was somewhat hesitant as she was still o the group. But after no one showed a strong desire, she raised her hand.

  “I… I would like it, please. Is it ok?”

  Liam looked at the red-haired woman in surprise.

  “Are you ied in being an alchemist?”

  “Yes. I always liked it in ames.”

  “Not bad. I have another recipe. Let’s talk about it sometime.”

  “Ehm, sure.”

  Balm was somewhat fused, not sure what Liam meant. But if she could buy the recipe, it would be good for her.

  However, as Cye hahe recipe to her friend, Quickstep intervened.

  “Suys. Don’t take this the wrong way, but a recipe is clearly worth a lot.”

  Everyone showed a differeion with Radiant Shield and Sun’s knight being the most offended.

  “Treasures go to whoever hem. The young dy wants to bee an alchemist, so she should have the recipe.”

  “No. Quickstep is n.”, agreed Liam. “We should find a solution which satisfies everyone.”

  Fortunately, Liam already knew how groups in his old life hahese problems. Thus, they quickly agreed on a certain pertage Balm had to hand over from the profits made through the potion, up to a cap.