Chapter 329: Grisha Violet
Even with the rain that was starting to fall, Elin hadn't expected anyone to return. She'd expected Elmo and Bart to have stayed with the others, since she was confident that they'd been interested in going after the bear. Or at least had been pulled into the part of the sub-group of their group that was to pursue the bear, if nothing else.
However, not only had Elmo and Bart returned, but now they were with another person. Elin couldn't see who it was, but could at least make out their shadow's silhouette in the failing light. Yet, Elin also couldn't help but wish neither of them had returned.
Somehow it felt like they were intruding, despite there being nothing for them to intrude on.
"We came back in case something attacked while you were taking care of Sonya," Bart explained before Elin or Heather could ask. "And we met Grisha on our way back. He's apparently looking for his sister... uh, what was her name again?"
Elin was confident that the question was for Grisha rather than himself or Elmo. Though, Elin was wondering if maybe Grisha should have been the one to explain what he was doing there. If only because he would at least be certain to know the details of what he was doing were. Though, it was a little late for that at this point.
"Elysia," Grisha replied. "I've been able to confirm the rest of my family is safe, but I haven't been able to locate Elysia."
Elin cocked her head. "I met someone who said their name was 'Elysia Violet' a week or two back," she said, wondering if that might be the same person Grisha was looking for.
"Where was that?" Grisha asked, his tone telling Elin that the girl she'd encountered on her walk that one time likely was this person's sister.
"Good evening contestants!" the announcer's voice suddenly burst around them. "What a shocking turn of events! Not only was the power of the stellar bear shattered, but then what was left over was killed without any care to the fact that it was just a regular giant bear. What bloodlust! What savagery! What disgusting method of getting out of that bear!
"While we had instructed our contestants to avoid the stellar bear, that was primarily because the defeat of a stellar creature, like the stellar bear, had never been recorded before. As such, it was generally assumed they couldn't be defeated. So, as a reward, all contestants who participated will be allotted three completed challenges each. Even those who were merely on the periphery of the battles.
"Meanwhile dangers are starting to gather for the creature or creatures who you will need to capture. Will anyone manage it? Or will this be the first failed set challenge of this competition? We're all eager to find out!"