Chapter 18: The gate

The investigation began with the battle.

Minato faced a massive black bear standing on his two legs.

He wasn't alone as his family cautiously followed him from behind. One lady bear protected three small bears from any human or monster approaching them.

However, a problem was that they were hungry as well.

All drooled, including the bear who had raised his paws at Minato.

Minato faintly smiled.

He had been fighting with those monsters and humans daily, and he learned how to control himself. His Overlord Aura also oozed out, but that only alerted the bear and made it more prepared for whatever was to come.

Minato still had a lot of work to do with his strength!

"It's all for survival. If you win against me, let my women go. If I win, I will leave your family stranded," Minato's offer pleased the bear.

Its eyes flashed, and he dropped onto its four.

After growling, the bear and human crashed into each other.

It was a devastating loss for the bear, but Minato honored his promise. He left the family bear alone, and these four had lost their needs.

Four of them ate the dead body of their family head so that they all could survive a few days longer.

Minato's spirit, Aya, had been looking at them with narrowed eyes. She didn't close her eyes, even after the bear family no longer was in her reach.

"It was a different battle," Aya whispered, then hugged her master.

"It was..." Minato patted her back, then the investigation began.

Although Minato's party was endowed with a powerful force and reliable teammates, it was Minato and Aya's time.

These two went around, and each did their own task.

Minato asked dungeon raiders for their progress, and Aya's eyes never stopped moving around as that was her only weapon.

Their work didn't bring any fruits until the earthquake swept.

BOOM!

A powerful wave strong enough to knock off any ordinary villager! That nearly caused Minato to drop onto the ground, but Yuna supported her husband and his dignity.

She smiled lovingly at him, then stepped back.

Indeed.

That was The Overlord's time!

Aya's eyes gleamed in hope, "I think I know where it comes from!"

"For real?" Minato sneered, "No dungeon raider could find the source! So much for their love for treasures! How do they even enter the dungeon?!"

"Would Husband Overlord find it without me?" Aya curiously asked, but Minato urged her to find the source!

Bei burst out laughing after hearing his words, then followed the duo while trying to calm herself down.

After a few minutes of running, Aya tilted her head, "Hmm... I lost track, I think." She hit her head with her tiny fist and apologized, "Sorry!"

"Haha! It's fine! We will find it soon! Those earthquakes happen regularly, so we have to wait for them. Let's prepare a small tent. No need to go around the mountain," Minato stroked his spirit, then let her stomp on the ground.

He took out a tent and began a small camp that was one of the experiences one would like to have in such an environment.

It was nothing but wild nature here.

Bei commented, "Don't take too much stuff out, or the earthquake will break it, idiot."

"She's right, Minmin," Yuna replied.

"I know, I know."

The sisters supported him, and it was yet another pleasant camp.

That camp stopped after an earthquake swept through them. Minato pushed all his stuff to his world in no time, then ran after Aya, who had found another clue!

Her second try was much better since the family ran for a little more miles. It still ended in a failure, but no one was discouraged.

They cheered on the spirit, and Aya swore to find the source.

At last, she did, and the gate toward an unknown place unfolded itself before them!

However, her struggles gave enough time for Baron Rudy.

"I reckon you are more than just a hard-working man! You also have luck on your side, young man," Baron Rudy appeared with an army behind him.

He wore a pleasant smile, but only for outsiders.

Anyone pressured by him saw a different expression, and that was the face of an impatient and greedy lustful dog!

Yuna and Bei scoffed.

Minato turned around and smiled, "I reckon you must be Baron Rudy. What brings you here? Surely, you can not be one of those fools who think with their little dicks? Well, I really hope not. If you have mistaken me for a pharmacist, then I am not. Sorry, I don't have any viagra."

"..."

A deadly silence ensued after the husband's words.

Had Yuna not covered Bei's lips, ringing laughter would further embarrass the baron.

He was pretty livid, shivering from Minato's words.

"Blunt... Blunt, I see... I shall be straightforward with you too, commoner. Your luck has ended here, and your women will become part of my collection!" Baron Rudy waved his hand, and his army stomped at once!

That conjured an earthquake but much weaker than a natural one.

Minato wasn't deterred, either.

He smiled and entered the gate!

His family entered another dimension, and Baron Rudy didn't dare to miss the chance! He followed them with his army!

After Baron Rudy entered the unknown dimension, his eyes expanded.

"What the hell.. is this?" He stared at what towered before him.

His army wore the same expression!

Their faces paled after an army from another dimension did the same thing as they had done beforehand to intimidate the husband!

BANG!

The army from another dimension was like a giant army.

They were just armor, but their stomp was precisely the cause of haunting earthquakes! Furthermore, that army kept going forward, and they surely would leave this dimension at some point!

Baron Rudy gulped down, "R-Retreat... We have to call the kingdom!"

"You aren't going anywhere," Minato smiled, "I will keep you all here!"

[Author's Note: Please, leave a power stone to support this story in WPC Contest! Thank you!]