《Land of Mirriam》


 Chapter 1 :: Prologue: Shadow in the morning light

    Winter was harsh in the northeastern parts of the frontiers. The cold wind coming from the mountains would bring a chilling breath that would paint the hills and fields white.


    These conditions would go on for the whole span of the season and though the temperatures would go up after the time passed, the winds would become more harsh when the changing of seasons began.


    Amidst the biting wind and frigid air, a teenage girl was running. She had forgotten to wear proper clothing to protect herself from the cold, dressed only in a velvet duster, the one worn by medicine practitioners in her village.


    Clutched close to her chest was a baby, wrapped in thick clothes to shield it from the freezing air. Her hair, once tied in a butterfly knot, had come loose, falling along her face, while her brow curved with the weight of her sorrow.


    She was tasked to end the baby¡¯s life. A task given to her by her teacher whom she assisted during the birth of the child. She could still remember the face of the Explorer who sought help from them.


    The word of her teacher rang in her mind as she remembered the scene when she gave her the order.


    It was a dimly lighted hut. The doctor¡¯s hut in the Ahas village was the closest one on the frontier that could be described as a medical center.


    As the mother of the child lost her consciousness the apprentice and the doctor wiped the child off of blood.


    It was mandatory for the doctor to check out the baby¡¯s condition. Its limbs, fingers, and feet. Ensuring that the ears and the nose were cleared of any mucus. The baby was not crying so the doctor had to slap the baby¡¯s feet to make it cry.


    ¡°Uwaaa!!!¡± and it was a good effect.


    The baby was alive, but there were still a few checks that the doctor had to do, grabbing the candle that was close by he began waving it in front of the child. Although a baby couldn¡¯t see as it had just been born, it could still detect light.


    ¡°No!¡± the doctor muttered. Her student was already cleaning up the used clothes paused and approached her.


    ¡°Sierra, take a needle and the yellow bottle please!¡± but before the student came close, the doctor threw her a task.


    Dropping all she was doing, she followed the order. She knew that the yellow bottle was a container that contained the sleeping drugs concocted by her teacher.


    It was just in the cabinet in the same room.


    She took it and a needle and then immediately gave it to her teacher.


    ¡°Thank you¡­ sorry Sierra but I have another task for you¡­¡± with practiced hands, the doctor opened the bottle and dipped the needle a little into the contents of the bottle.


    ¡°You have to kill this child, he is an abomination,¡± the doctor declared as she pricked the feet of the child. The baby instantly slept after a few seconds, such was the effect of the inflicted needle.


    ¡°Teacher¡­ please repeat,-¡± but even after she finished her sentence her teacher tapped her feet on the wooden floor.


    ¡°Make sure to kill it, I don¡¯t care how, just kill it and come back, or don¡¯t come back at all!¡± it was an ultimatum coming from the doctor.


    Still, the apprentice wanted to know why she had to kill the baby so she stood there motionless, she was thinking of the next words she wanted to say.


    ¡°Look at this!¡± the teacher said as there was a small steam that was coming from the spot where the teacher pricked the baby, the wound was healing all by itself. She covered the baby expertly packing the child with thick clothes.


    The student just silently stared at her teacher as if she was waiting for the packing to finish ¡°Look at his eyes, it''s different, something that Lady Zhisata had warned me before,¡± the doctor said as she handed the baby to her student.


    The baby was fast asleep in her arms. By her master¡¯s orders, she used her hands to open up the baby''s eyelids. ¡°Snake eyes?¡± she muttered.


    ¡°Go on now, I will fix things here,¡± her teacher said as she resumed the cleaning job her student was doing earlier.


    And now back to the present.


    She was already far from the village and the mountain¡¯s feet were approaching. She stopped to think of how she would dispose of the child.


    Looking around she surmised her options.


    ¡®A rock? Cover the baby in snow and let it freeze to death?¡¯ as she began to weigh her options tears uncontrolled began flowing from her eyes.


    She knelt down as the weight of the actions she should do came crashing her, she kept on thinking. ¡®Why! Why me!¡¯ she was studying to be a doctor to save lives not to take it. ¡®The pure innocent child?¡¯


    As a student, she had studied the possible mutations a human could have during birth. There were times when babies were born with something that altered their humanity, something akin to atavism.


    ¡°Awooooo!!!¡± and then a sound that sent shivers down her spine echoed from the mountains.


    ¡°Wolves¡­¡± Maybe it was better this way.


    Steeling her resolve, she stood up and began walking again closer to the mountain. The mountain was called Mosspeak, there had been legends that a pack of wolves would sometimes visit there.


    Upon reaching a large rock she stopped. This was the spot. Every fiber of her being was saying ¡®This is it.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t know why she had positioned the child behind the large rock, shielding them from the wind and cold.


    "Goodbye, little one," she whispered, before walking away with heavy steps.


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    The child was bundled in thick clothes, offering protection for a time, but the biting cold and relentless snow would soon penetrate the layers and chill the baby¡¯s skin. As the wind howled, a four-legged, furry creature cautiously approached the scene.


    It was a large, lone she-wolf, with braids woven into the fur on her face¡ªtwists made from the hair of her cherished family. She approached the child with the purest of intentions.


    A knock on the doctor¡¯s hut. The doctor had just finished cleaning up. The mother was still asleep in the bed at the doctor¡¯s clinic.


    She dropped the reddish towels to be cleaned tomorrow. She immediately opened the door and saw her student shivering in the cold.


    ¡°Come inside,¡± she said making way for her student to enter the hut.


    ¡°Change into dry clothes, I have prepared a calming tea, hurry up!¡± the doctor¡¯s demeanor as if nothing happened brought chills to her student.


    ¡°Master, it''s done,¡± she said as she entered, wallowing in what she had done.


    The doctor didn¡¯t have the heart to ask her how she had done it, but the pallid face and the suffocating guilt that the student had shown her screamed for everything she had to know.


    ¡°Sierra, everything is my fault, don¡¯t blame yourself, it was my order, not yours,¡± words that she could think of to at least lessen the guilt that her student was feeling. ¡°But savor it, make it your last, in our career, we fight against death, we will lose sometimes.¡±


    The student paused looking at her teacher, she then continued her way to the second floor of the hut to change.


    Though the weather outside was harsh and cold, the doctor and her student sat by the fireplace, sipping tea the doctor had prepared. The warm, soothing aroma filled the small house. Silence lingered between them, heavy with exhaustion and guilt, despite the hours they¡¯d spent delivering the baby.


    ¡°Years before you were born, a monstrous flood swept through just south of our village. You must¡¯ve heard the story from your parents,¡± the doctor finally spoke, breaking the stillness.


    But Sierra shook her head. ¡°No, my parents left me when I was still small. That¡¯s why you adopted me, right?¡± She glared at her teacher, her irritation obvious.


    ¡°Of course, of course, I¡¯m sorry,¡± the doctor replied quickly. ¡°I¡¯m just getting older¡ª¡± she paused to take a sip of her tea before continuing, ¡°¡ªback then, we had to decide who would live and who could live. The rest were left to die.¡± She was making a point, but Sierra¡¯s silence suggested she didn¡¯t fully grasp it.


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand someday, Sierra. You¡¯ll inherit this hut.¡± The doctor smiled, the deep lines on her face speaking of the years of hardship she had endured. ¡°It¡¯s tough, really tough,¡± she added, her voice almost pleading. ¡°I should¡¯ve quit, but my friend died¡­ I wished for this and now look at me. I didn¡¯t even marry¡ªjust an old fool!¡± She laughed, though the sound was hollow, trying to laugh her sorrows away.


    Sierra knew how the selection of a doctor¡¯s disciple worked. The doctor would choose two potential candidates, observing them for a time before officially selecting one as their protege. In Sierra¡¯s case, she had been raised to be the doctor¡¯s heir. She also knew the reason there was only ever one doctor was deliberate¡ªto protect the knowledge and prevent new ideas from forming.


    ¡°I¡¯ll change everything once I get the hut,¡± Sierra declared with a smile.


    ¡°Do whatever you want. I won¡¯t be around to stop you when I¡¯m gone,¡± the doctor replied. Just then, a painful moan echoed from the clinic. ¡°But as long as I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll make you do the hard work. Give the mother a drink and tell her the baby didn¡¯t make it.¡± The doctor poured another cup of tea and handed it to Sierra.


    Sierra understood her task and took the cup. ¡°What if I told her the truth?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Sierra, my dear, that¡¯s up to you. But this woman is an Explorer from the north. If we¡¯re lucky, she¡¯ll understand. But in her state, she might kill us before searching for her baby,¡± the doctor explained in a flat tone.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Sierra murmured as she headed to the clinic to deliver the news.


    Time passed like winds blowing leaves. In Sierra¡¯s words, she inherited the Doctor¡¯s Hut. Along with it, she was training three students under her tutelage.


    It was another cold night. As the winter had just ended, the wind was beginning to act up again. She sat in front of her fireplace.


    Her students were now allowed to sleep in the hut, which had already been remodeled to her liking. She had changed the system for selecting proteges, believing the village would benefit from having more doctors. However, she was currently alone in her house, as the students were still permitted to stay with their parents during their apprenticeship.


    ¡°It''s cold,¡± she muttered while she was knitting a scarf. In times like this, she would remember that child that she left in the cold.


    ¡°Knock! Knock!¡± and a knock resound from the door of her house.


    She checked out the time on the wall. It was 3 hours past midnight. Sierra stood up, she had grown old, around her 40s already, it was still considered young because normal humans tend to live up to 150 years.


    ¡°Knock! Knock!¡± another knock again but she was already in front of the door.


    She opened it up and was surprised by what she saw. A few warriors of the village, 2 horses, and then Lady Zhisata who was standing in front of her.


    ¡°Sierra, pack up your things and my medicine too, you have to come with us!¡± the old Lady Zhisata was already hunched. Her age was one of the greatest mysteries in the village.


    Lady Zhisata wore a red duster with a coat covering her from the cold, her face was filled with lines that showed her age. As far as Sierra could remember, Lady Zhisata already looked like this when she was still young.


    ¡°I will be outside in a few moments!¡± she said and closed the door back.


    There was a small path that led into the mountain range that was adjacent to the Mosspeak mountain. The trees ensured that the band of villagers were invisible. Although there was no wind because of the trees, it was still cold and the damp path was leaving a trail of mud.


    ¡°Lady Zhisata, where are we going?¡± Sierra asked as she quickened her pace, Lady Zhisata was riding the horse.


    The darkness fought the small torch that the warrior in the front was carrying, it was the only thing that gave guidance to them, because of the hood of the Old Lady she couldn¡¯t make out her face ¡°Just wait for a while Sierra, we are almost there,¡± the old lady answered monotonously.


    In the hours of their walking, the clearing finally showed itself. The warrior in the front who was holding the torch pushed it down to the ground killing it.


    The light of the sunrise began to flash. Sierra who walked out of the clearing saw where they were now, she had been feeling the change of altitude but what surprised her was the sight of the village.


    ¡°Lady Zhisata, it''s starting,¡± one of the warriors used his hands to point out the cloud that was approaching from the west of the village. He was using a telescope to look at it.


    ¡°The village is under attack?¡± Sierra muttered as she gazed at the face of the old lady. ¡°You¡­ we escaped?¡± and she did realize what the situation was.


    ¡°Little one, you will understand someday but for now, I must survive!¡± the old lady then grabbed a pouch on her stomach.


    ¡®But my students!¡¯ Sierra clenched her hands. She was feeling relief and at the same time the guilt.


    ¡°Lady Zhisata! There is a shadow there! A man! Holding a sword!¡± the warrior then reported his sightings.


    ¡°Keep on watch!¡± the old lady said.


    Wearing rugged clothes, worn because of travel. A strange sword that was hand made by him. A backpack full of rations of dried fruit and dried meat along with his favorite condiments of salt.


    His name was Simon, although he had very unkempt hair he was sure that the sword that he was holding was sharp enough.


    ¡®20 of them¡­ no maybe more?¡¯ he was trying to count the approaching horses with armored men wailing their swords. ¡®I just have to stop their approach!¡¯ finally deciding on what he was going to do.


    He didn¡¯t need to think that much, the wind and the sound, every piece of information was enough to tell him how far and when they would be in contact.


    As he stood gripping his sword with both hands, he calmly waited. Though they were still distant, he could see the riders were either confused or enraged. The horses began to charge at full speed¡ªbattle was inevitable. ¡®It¡¯s enough,¡¯ his instincts seemed to tell him. He stepped forward slightly, which only deepened the riders¡¯ confusion.


    Putting the strange sword in a high stance he swung down into the ground. It burst, creating a cave in while the debris flew in the direction of the charging horses.


    Some horses were struck, while a few armored riders managed to evade, but the lead rider couldn¡¯t escape. The collapse would seal their fate. Unable to stop their charge, the horses and riders tumbled like a stampede, their bones breaking, spirits shattering, and casualties mounting.


    ¡®That was effective!¡¯ Simon smiled, his snake-like eyes gleaming with satisfaction at the success of his plan. The surviving riders were horrified by his smiling visage. The bloodbath had begun.

 Chapter 2 :: Old Man and the Child

    Years ago...


    Ahas Village was a human settlement that was situated on the far eastern continent. Although it was a village on the far outer regions of the frontier, they still had a pub a place to party and go drunk to the pleasures of alcohol. Explorers who passed through and adventurers who ventured into the dungeons were their main customers, but it happened rarely.


    However, for the last few weeks, there had been a visitor¡ªan old drifter passing through. He claimed to have come from the central region.


    Old and battered was the description, and anyone who saw him would likely agree. The bottles in front of him and the savory smell emanating from his breath indicated how much he had already imbibed.


    Despite this, he appeared to be in good shape. His hair, a mixture of gray and brown, was spiky, suggesting infrequent baths.


    His sword still hung from his waist, and there was a smaller blade on his back.


    Last night, the old man scored himself a good bounty; he had dispatched a group of goblins. Though it appeared to be merely a group to him, it was, in fact, a colony of the creatures. He had even been imbibing while carrying out the deed. After trading the goblin ears for coin, he promptly embarked on a drinking spree.


    The old man remained slouched at his table, passed out. The owner approached him to rouse him, giving him a shake.


    ¡°Old man, it''s already morning. Time to go,¡± the owner urged as he began clearing away the empty bottles.


    ¡°Got it... Well, I''m off... Thanks for the hospitality,¡± the old man mumbled as he sluggishly rose from his seat and exited the bar. He stretched his legs and back, eliciting a few cracks in the process.


    The owner''s son trailed behind with a bucket to collect the bottles. ¡°He drank the night away... Was he a skilled swordsman?¡± the owner''s son asked naively. Since visitors to the village were treated like celebrities or noteworthy events, the old man had been bombarded with questions by the villagers the previous night, and, for some reason, he had been amiable enough to respond.


    ¡°Shut up... He might be old, but he''s the real deal... Remember that news about a goblin raid threatening the village? He single-handedly put an end to it... Even the village founder knows him.¡±


    ¡°If you say so.¡±


    As the conversations between the owner and his son faded, the old man, who had paused for a moment, began to reminisce about his past glories. He still possessed that small metal tumbler... He removed the lid and took a whiff. Then, he sealed it once more and concealed it.


    <--->


    ¡°It''s still early... Hmm, time for bed,¡± the old man decided instantly. He had managed to build a small hut in the mountains; he relished staying close to nature and felt out of place sleeping in inns or similar accommodations.


    As he strolled through the village, he exchanged greetings with the locals, some of whom had been his drinking companions the night before. Passing the well, he noticed the village doctor¡¯s apprentices drying clothes, evidence of the previous night''s cold weather and his own alcohol-induced haze.


    The village elder''s house was still illuminated as he passed by; she served as the representative of the adventurer¡¯s guild, where he had accepted the mission of Goblin Subjugation.


    Exiting through the village entrance, he exchanged greetings with the warriors on guard and savored the morning breeze as he made his way toward the base of the mountain.


    Having spent a considerable amount of time in the area, he only descended to the village for a drink or when summoned by the old lady.


    In contrast to the central region, there was little demand for an old adventurer like him. Perhaps his friend up north would welcome him; that place might fulfill his desires.


    The Northeast Explorers also seemed promising, but his waning confidence in his magic abilities and the peculiar, thrifty nature of the explorers gave him pause.


    Suddenly, he caught a scent and observed a figure heading northeast, towards the explorer''s guild. He had collaborated with them in the past and knew them to be diligent workers. He smiled to himself. ¡°No, I couldn''t be an explorer... that''s asking too much,¡± he muttered. Resolved, he continued his walk into the mountain.


    <--->


    The mountain air was cold. After a few strides and jumps, he found himself nearing his hidden hut. Yet, even from a distance, he sensed a change. With a hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword, he pressed onward. As he drew closer, he noticed the door of his hut slightly opened and heard faint noises emanating from within.


    ¡°Thud..!!¡±


    The noise ceased abruptly. Though he detected no immediate danger, he remained cautious as he approached. With wary steps, he entered his hut. Inside, he found a wolf¡ªa creature of remarkable size, the stuff of legends his friends had spoken of. The wolf held a pouch in its mouth, placing it slowly on the ground.


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    ¡°What the¡­?¡± The wolf''s features were obscured by the darkness of the night, but he discerned some braided fur on its head.


    The old man was taken aback. The northerners referred to this wolf as the mother wolf. It approached him closely, almost brushing against his feet. ¡°This is very strange.¡± Such an encounter had never happened to him before. Suddenly, a sound emanated from the pouch on the ground. In an instant, the old man had an idea¡ªit was a familiar sound. ¡°Come on, what do you want me to do? I can''t feed a baby! I''m a man!¡±


    The wolf started to lay down near the child, and the child, upon feeling the warmth, began to hungrily suckle on the wolf''s breast. ¡°Whoa!!! Okay! Okay! But what should I do?¡± The wolf started gesturing, licking its teeth. ¡°You mean food?¡± The wolf nodded as if it understood.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± He realized he would have to feed the wolf, and in turn, the wolf would feed the baby. His face twisted in discomfort. He had an idea of what he was about to endure¡­ He was still bewildered by the situation. Though he had cared for children before, mostly training them to fight¡­


    He resigned himself to his fate. After all, he had nothing to lose, what could be worse?


    ¡°Well, I would have to call him something,¡± the old man said, kneeling on the ground to check the baby. It was sucking hard, indicating hunger. The wolf looked at the old man as if trying to convey something.


    ¡°I¡¯m not enjoying this, dog! Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± The she-wolf clearly took offense and bared its teeth. ¡°The morning sigh¡­ and with an eye for a monster¡­ Simon then.¡± He christened the name of the boy.


    <--->


    Years passed again.


    Somewhere south of the eastern frontier. A cavern on the western side of the coast. The waves that crashed muted the screams and shouts of the old man and the boy who was sparring hard.


    ¡°Smack!!!¡± The boy received a good attack, he had to use his feet to stop it, the old man¡¯s sword was really hard to parry, the old man went out of stance and the boy immediately noticed it ¡°Was I really fed by a wolf¡¯s milk?¡± the boy asked, he had a chance to extend the brief pause and he took it by asking a question.


    ¡°Yeah, you sure were. I was really surprised. This might be why you are abnormally strong,¡± the old man answered, as they practiced with wooden sticks. A normal kid his age should have fallen down from the old man¡¯s attack. Simon was built differently.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, you are still much stronger than me, old man. I can¡¯t beat you,¡± the boy remarked.


    The old man smiled. The boy was already 10 years old and he was already giving him a very hard time.


    ¡°Experience teaches something you don¡¯t understand right now¡­ remember-,¡± the old man chuckled a little.


    ¡°Think first from the beginning of your movement and into its end, then move without hesitation¡­ I know¡­¡± the boy recited the teachings he now learned and understood.


    He could have taught him more, but the boy had an uncontrollable naivety¡­ all he could do was to instill those words so that the boy would always believe in himself and his instincts.


    The old man returned but stumbled a bit from his stance; the boy when he first saw him, the boy when he first landed an attack on him, and the boy in front of him now. He was not ready for a child, but the past years¡­ were probably the best time of his life¡­ that now was almost over¡­ he could tell.


    ¡°By the way, where is that she-wolf now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She suddenly disappeared when you had already started eating solid foods¡­ she might have gone back into the mountains or back to her pack¡­ I don¡¯t know. One thing is for sure, you were a glutton even back then,¡± the old man did his best to answer. Simon and the Old Man left the hut after Simon was already a bit trained and knew the basics.


    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ll attack now,¡± Simon started to focus.


    They began swinging at each other again.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! There is no right form or right moves for any moves, all you can do is intercept and interpret!!! Let¡¯s go faster!!!¡± the old man started doing low swings that were aimed at the kid¡¯s overall openings, which were usually his knees or stomach. The old man would occasionally throw some jabs and kicks.


    ¡°Ouch!!! Hey! No cheating and stop kicking me in the stomach!!¡± the boy protested while rubbing his stomach.


    The old man smiled. ¡°Your enemies would do everything and anything when it''s a life or death situation!!! Come on, boy, move it!¡±


    But the boy slumped down as he rubbed his stomach. ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°We will eat afterward. You have to finish training first¡­ you sleep like a log after eating anyway,¡± the old man said as he launched an attack without any mercy.


    The boy dodged the attack by rolling and started to counterattack to create spaces between them. The cave was cold and dark, Simon was still covered in bruises, but the shouts of the two livened up the cave.


    <--->


    Years passed once again.


    ¡°I¡¯m going back, old man¡­ I want to know where I came from. Just rest now¡­ And your sword is too light! I can¡¯t swing it properly!¡±


    The boy, now 14 years old, spoke to the rocks marking the old man¡¯s grave. ¡°I don¡¯t even know your name¡­ I don¡¯t know what to write on your tombstone¡­¡±


    He stood up, packed a sword and a few clothes into his backpack, and walked away from the tombstone. Near the house where they had stayed, he found a rack filled with dried food, and he took some with him.


    He was on an island called Whirlpool Islands, east of the central continent. They had traveled for a long time, moving to different villages and towns¡­ The old man said that their destination was the center of the continent, but after he lost his feet, he wanted to go to this island. He said that this was where he was born.


    No one lived on the island, though there were ruins of a destroyed village there. The boy knew nothing about the old man''s past.


    <--->


    For the last years of the old man, they lived in one of the abandoned houses, which Simon transformed into a respectable hut.


    As the old man¡¯s blindness progressed and he became bedridden, they spent their nights engaged in deep conversation. This continued until his passing. Simon chose to remain on the island afterward, feeling a need to gather his thoughts. Simon was just 11 years old when the old man officially died.


    Although the village where the old man found him, Ahas Village on the eastern frontier, had been mentioned to him only a few times, Simon''s memories were too vague to recall. As he pushed the same boat they had used years ago, he heard a clatter and discovered the tumbler the old man had been searching for.


    It seemed the old man had left it on the boat years ago. Smiling, Simon recalled the days spent searching for it at the old man''s insistence. Memories flooded back, bringing a rare tear drop to his eyes. He stopped the boat, hurried back to the old man''s tomb, and buried the tumbler a little deeper into the ground. He breathed in and out for a few times. Now, he felt ready to move forward.

 Chapter 3 :: The Traveller

    Simon enjoyed the wind, rowing under the warm sun, a smile playing on his lips as he caught the scent of the salty sea. Despite its serene appearance, the area he traversed, known as ''Alimpuyo-an'' to local fishermen, was notoriously treacherous. While larger ships often passed through without incident, smaller vessels like his were vulnerable to sudden whirlpools that appeared out of nowhere.


    Having crossed this perilous stretch with the Old Man before, Simon was somewhat familiar with its dangers.


    The Old Man, with his keen understanding of the sea, had taught Simon how to navigate these waters. Instead of scanning the surface for whirlpools, they relied on sensing the wind''s subtle cues. The journey typically took between 12 to 16 hours, depending on the whims of the swirling currents.


    <--->


    There was a cove along the southern beach of the eastern continent. Using a small oar, Simon guided the boat onto the sandy shore of the cove. It was a spot where he and the old man had once stayed for a while, leaving behind a few crates that still served as makeshift tables.


    He wore a leather backpack, heavy with all his necessities inside. His jacket, fashioned from green leather, showed signs of amateur stitching, yet it served its purpose well, shielding him from water, cold, heat, and exposure. His clothes were cotton, and his boots, though unevenly made, were durable, crafted from monster scales. Patches of the same scale adorned the elbows of his jacket.


    Next to Simon''s destination was a small fishing village to the west of the cove. He followed a familiar path, worn rugged by many footsteps. The journey to the village took about four hours, but Simon didn''t mind the trek. Upon arrival, some of the villagers recognized him, and he exchanged greetings as he bartered some salt for a few dried fish. Throughout the interactions, he kept his eyes closed, lost in thought.


    Opting to stay in the north outskirts of the village, where merchants and carts gathered, Simon settled in for the night. Feeling hunger gnawing at him, he began to cook the dried fish over a small campfire.


    The savory aroma soon attracted the attention of passersby, drawn by the allure of this delicacy. As merchants flocked to his fire, they expressed interest in trading for a taste of the fish.


    Simon recognized the villagers'' attempt to be frugal, so he decided to request something he urgently needed at the moment.


    Fortunately, luck was on his side when he spotted a cart destined for the main roads the next day.


    Taking advantage of the opportunity, Simon hitched a ride on the cart. The driver, content with the dried fish Simon had offered him as a meal the night before, welcomed him aboard. It was a fair trade, considering the value of dried fish. Although Simon had to perch atop a pile of seaweed during the journey, he didn''t mind the discomfort.


    However, after less than half a day, he found himself disembarking to continue the journey on foot. The cart was bound for Elford territory, while Simon''s destination lay further to the east. Walking the rest of the way, he arrived at Creek Village by midday.


    <--->


    Creek Village.


    As far as the boy remembered there were new buildings and storage house¡¯s and it seemed that the village had expanded. It¡¯s a village that made its living ferrying travelers and shipments on the Black River. He was a bit familiar with the village but he doubted that the villagers still knew of him.


    The village upstream is called East Mouth Village; the road there connects to Simon¡¯s destination and was the easiest and fastest way.


    This was his first choice for going further, the same way he and the old man went, or simply walking into the black forest.


    He also had the idea to use the small boat to ride all the way to the south side of the eastern continent, but that was probably the worst idea he ever thought of; the current would break the small boat in half.


    He went straight to the small dock and asked for the fare, even though he didn¡¯t have any money on him right now.


    ¡­


    ¡°Two slivers, kill a thief or four goblins, how old are you, kid?¡± the sailor asked scanning him from head to toe.


    He was trying his luck on the ragged plank in the port of the Creek Village.


    ¡°Just... 14,¡± Simon answered truthfully. He had an idea of how to earn some money, he could go the adventurer route.


    ¡°You are too young... and clearly can¡¯t see. Go back where you came from,¡± another sailor, busy with his routine, said.


    Of course, the old man would be the one who usually took cared of the guild matters, now that he had remembered it, he didn¡¯t have any problems with money. ¡°How about trading salts?¡± Simon persisted.


    ¡°Hmm... pink salt... hey guys!¡± The sailor''s call attracted people around them. Pink salt had a unique flavor, and Simon was carrying around five kilos of it. Connoisseurs and famous chefs liked it.


    ¡°Three silvers,¡± a merchant who was attracted by the call offered. ¡°Three silvers for three cups.¡± The merchant finished his sentence.


    ¡°Seven silver for all of that,¡± a sailor countered. It seemed they were haggling over the price of the salt.


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    ¡°Are we sure it''s really pink salt?¡± another sailor questioned.


    Simon could tell they were trying to reduce the price of his salt, although he had no idea of its value. He started packing up the salt.


    ¡°Hey! Where do you think you''re going, boy?¡± the sailor said this with authority, making it sound deeper to intimidate the boy.


    Of course, it didn¡¯t affect Simon, he rather finish this early, and he immediately drew his sword. Though his eyes were closed, he exuded a bloodlust beyond his age. ¡°I¡¯m not going to say it again... I¡¯m gone,¡± Simon threatened.


    The crowd was instantly dissolved, and the bloodlust directed at the sailor who tried to stop him made the Sailor shake in his boots, the boy was satisfied and sheathed his sword, and he began walking away.


    <--->


    He walked away out of the town. Out of its wooden gate, his eyes gazed into the path but he opted to go off-road and changed his heading into the green forest.


    His mind lingered, the feeling of familiarity and nostalgia overwhelmed his mind as he began to make plans.


    It would take one to two days to go up north, spanning the length of the Black River that was on the east side. The one where he should have crossed if he had the money. Had some good memories there it''s sad that he didn¡¯t have the chance to cross there again by the ship.


    At the end of it was the Dark Forest, going around would be a journey of about a week. He had to start walking now, before attracting more attention.


    The long trek would be dangerous, but encounters with thieves, monsters, and harsh conditions were the norm during his travels with the old man, it was a part of their everyday life. He just had to follow the bank on the east, and he would arrive in the black forest.


    ¡°We''ve traveled there before,¡± Simon thought, as he made his plans.


    <--->


    It was another long walk. Following the old man¡¯s instructions, Simon avoided the main roads, opting instead to trek off the beaten path with a clear direction in mind, keeping the river on his right side. The dark forest loomed in the distance, its tall trees distinguishable from afar.


    As he ventured closer, cluttering sounds and voices reached his ears. Mostly men, he hastened his pace, seeking higher ground or perhaps a tree for cover.


    Surveying the area from a vantage point, Simon spotted the source of the noise. ¡°Thieves?¡± It always stirred a thrill to encounter them: ragged clothes, an array of weapons... ''The Hood and the Mood.'' It was easy to discern their intentions. The main road lay a few meters from their direction.


    There were about 40 thieves in total. Simon hadn¡¯t fought in a long time, hoping instead for monsters or beasts that could be hunted for food. But given this opportunity, he wanted to test his strength.


    ¡®Thieves are there so you can try killing humans,¡¯ the old man''s words echoed in his mind. As long as the thieves behaved, Simon would spare them. Still, he hoped they were the worst kind; he despised thieves.


    <--->


    <Thief¡¯s side>


    The leader of the thieves smiled; the information they received was good, and even the boss gave him the go signal. His greed and ambitions propelled him, this was a chance that he would never let go.


    Though it sounded a bit shady. The only intel was: ¡®A traveling caravan is carrying some important artifacts,¡¯ and it came from a dark-hooded man. It didn¡¯t have to be that true, their job was to ambush merchants and travelers and steal their valuables.


    He heard cluttering sounds, the bushes and twigs created noises to warn them someone was approaching. It was a familiar face, it was one of them.


    ¡°There are three carriages¡­ but there is a noble in front, bearing the crest of the Elford,¡± the scout returned with new information. They were already in position. The intel was somewhat both bad and good news. First of all, the Elfords were well known in the eastern continent. The good news was that the information was legit¡­


    If they attacked, some of them would certainly perish, but if he played his cards right, he could get away with it.


    ¡°We better not mess with them,¡± one of the thieves commented. The Elfords: world-renowned nobles, could represent the entirety of the eastern frontier. They were the ones who maintained and managed the whole eastern continent. They were not to be trifled with.


    Doubts began to circle around ¡°Trust me, guys¡­ you don¡¯t have to fight them. Just buy time and try to run away if your life is in danger¡­ we strike at night¡­¡± the leader confidently smiled.


    Still, the group was silent. The leader was a known deviant; the reason he became a leader was that he used some shady, backstabbing strategies to climb his way up¡­


    ¡°Hey!! Who are you!!?? Aargh!!!¡± There was a scream from the far end of the group of thieves. The leader of the thieves was at a high vantage point, so he immediately saw the direction of the scream.


    The thieves at the back started fleeing. It was a single kid, using punches and throws to incapacitate the thieves who were still conscious. ¡°What the hell??!!!¡± the leader screamed in surprise.


    He always made sure to take the higher ground to oversee the group he was leading. He immediately spotted the commotion and pointed it out, as far as he could see it was just a boy.


    ¡°That¡¯s just a boy!!! KILL HIM!!!¡± the leader screamed.


    <--->


    The caravan wheels made cluttering sounds, and although they were traveling on paved roads the suspension system was not enough to cancel the shaking carriages. They are heading south back to their origin.


    A princess was in one of the carriages, she had blonde hair with a color of golden yellow, and she was driveling as she was sleeping. Her tiredness canceled the noises and the shaking and kept her asleep.


    ¡°My lady¡­ there is a commotion nearby¡­¡± The princess, who was on escort duty, was still sleeping. Her attendant woke her up by opening the window; the attendant was riding her horse near the carriage.


    ¡°What was that? Huh?¡± a very slobbery face, well, it was her true face; only her family and her attendants knew of this.


    ¡°A commotion is happening; the birds are flying away from the south,¡± her attendant reported again, her voice was clear and crisp, the sign of insurance and confidence.


    Their mission was to deliver a certain artifact that was from the newly found dungeon near the dark forest up north. ¡°I see¡­¡± She then took a map from the top of the carriage shelf. She traced the road going south; there was a sharp curve since they would have to ride around the mountains as per the main road.


    ¡°Thanks, what do you think is the distance?¡± she asked for more info.


    ¡°There is still no sound, and the birds didn¡¯t spread that much¡­ maybe around the curve since it is close to the Creek Forest east¡­ more or less,¡± the attendant answered. She was probably the most experienced among the attendants that she currently had, and her input was really well received.


    ¡°We will arrive there at nighttime. Don¡¯t change the speed; it must be thieves¡­ Alert the caravan. Wake me up when the sun is almost down¡­ (Yawn) I¡¯m still tired¡­ let me rest¡­ thanks for the report.¡± The princess then instantly fell back, clearly exhausted. She probably had only three hours of sleep.


    The attendant nodded and smiled, she got the order, and she then respectfully bowed while closing the window of the carriage. By no means was the princess lazy; the family she belonged to actually had a special magic trait that ran in their blood. The artifact they were transporting was a broken piece of a dungeon core.


    The Elford had the magic technology to bring these pieces of dungeon cores to use as vessels of magic, much like batteries, and the eastern frontier flourished because of this.


    That magic of dungeon core harvesting would take a toll on the body. Though the princess was 18 years old, she had already been tasked multiple times. This was her fourth one.


    The attendant began spreading the princess¡¯s command.

 Chapter 4 :: Assassin

    Simon dodged another knife, arrow, and rusty sword. The thieves were by no means trained swordsmen; few of them knew how to throw or swing properly. The old man was right; through experience and practice, he had improved. He didn¡¯t even feel the need to use his sword.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?! He already knocked a bunch of us! Kill him!¡± the leader of the thieves screamed, manically.


    Simon smirked at them, and the thieves who saw his face instantly grew angry. Simon was literally testing the limits of his dodging skills. ¡°Weak,¡± he said as he started counterattacking, instantly knocking out four thieves. The combination of footwork and positioning did the trick. ¡®The old man was really good then¡¯ was a validation on his mind, comparing what he was doing to the old man¡¯s training.


    The leader finally grasped that Simon was no ordinary opponent. What was worse, he noticed Simon was accomplishing all of this with his eyes closed. ¡°Monster!¡± the leader screamed as he attacked as well.


    ¡°...,¡± Simon thought to himself. He was certain they were weak¡ªor perhaps he had become strong? Recollections of previous encounters with the thieves flashed through his mind. He had once struggled to overpower even one of them.


    Danger passed a chill behind his back, he used fancy footwork, dodging an attack from behind. Simon realized it was the leader of the thieves. With a swift motion, he twisted the leader''s arms and forcefully threw him to the ground. ¡°Are you targeting the village south?¡± Simon questioned the leader.


    ¡°FUCK YOU, BOY!! AAAAAAARGHGH!!!¡± The leader screamed, but then Simon broke a few of his fingers, releasing a wave of bloodlust.


    The leader, who had shouted, almost fainted, but Simon made sure that the leader maintained his consciousness using the pain. (Playing with the broken finger) ¡°Answer me, please. Are you targeting the village south?¡±


    ¡°NO!!! Aargh¡­ we are waiting for a carriage!! A carriage!! AAAARGH!!!¡± The leader''s response was strained by pain. Simon then snapped his broken fingers back into place.


    ¡°I see... you keep your life then.¡± Simon smiled at them and finally opened his eyes. ¡°Is that all I need to know?¡± Simon added another question, gesturing to the other hand of the leader.


    The leader shook¡­ the boy was terrible, had no mercy, no emotions in his eyes he was very sure of it.


    <--->


    It was nighttime, and as the princess predicted, they arrived near where the commotion was. There was a patch of forest on the east side of the main road where the caravan was traveling.


    The caravan is made up of three carriages. The first carriage was a dummy, while the piece of dungeon core was on the second carriage, where four knights guarded it. The princess''s carriage was at the front.


    They assembled a five-man party along with the princess. As it was the frontier, nobles were actually used to fighting, especially against monsters. So everyone was an experienced fighter.


    Her attendant was a hunter before; she scanned the forest, and the deafening silence of the usual bustling forest registered to her, something was going on in the forest and they were about to find it out.


    Princess Diana Elford; wore a chain armor on her upper body that flowed into a mini skirt, a shoulder protector left and right then a breastplate added by a complete set of protection for her limbs. She looked the part of her nobility, with a sword in her hand. She and her attendants commenced a search in the forest with their torches. The hunter attendant was at the front guiding them.


    The party dressed lightly, opting not to wear their heavy armor. The princess was tired, it was a hassle to investigate it, she rather sleep, but it was her duty; her father would scold her if he knew she had let thieves go. But her father was not at home right now, he was on a dive along with his trusted knights. She would try to enjoy it while she could, this gave her the drive to finish early.


    ¡°Aeon Buff!!!¡± the princess raised her hands.


    Her party of five glowed with renewed strength, their body became lighter, and they began traveling through the forest. With the lead of the ex-hunter on their party, they started jumping forward using the tree branches as footholds.


    It didn¡¯t take that much time before she noticed something, she felt a presence. She saw the Ex-Hunter¡¯s hand signaling, there was something ahead. She began smelling a pungent smell of human scum.


    They saw around a lot of thieves tied to the trees, as the party began scanning their surroundings, they found some hanging from branches as well, it seemed that who ever did this left torches so that they could be easily seen.


    Assured it was safe to proceed, the hunter who was leading them approached the first thief closest to them. The Ex-Hunter shook the thief¡¯s shoulders ¡°Who are you? Who did this?¡± the hunter asked. The thief remained unconscious even though she shook one of them, and she immediately felt a chill on the back of her neck; the hunter knew someone was watching them.


    A shadow emerged from the darkness, slowly revealed by the flickering light of the torch. The party of five tensed up and automatically prepared for battle. They took a step forward blocking the princess¡¯s body with their own.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡± it was the princess''s turn to ask.


    The princess contemplated a never-ending list of possibilities. Her family possessed a special secret coveted by nobles from both the central and surrounding areas. There was also the possibility that someone desired the artifact.


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    ¡°The question is... can you survive the night?¡± the shadow said all clad in black with only his red eyes exposed. He made strange signs from his hands and magic flowed, from his shadow, new shadows sprouted in his image (Kage-bunshin!!). The shadows were clearly nonhuman.. They began moving to attack.


    ¡°Oh... so it''s true... at least he was honest.¡± It was an unknown voice, sounding young. A young boy jumped out of the trees, and with a sword in hand, he aimed to land a sword slash. The shadow that had spoken first was instantly cut with a sword from the boy¡¯s hands¡ªthe blade taken from one of the thieves. The ground was painted with blood.


    The other shadows, about to attack the princess''s party, stopped and instantly changed targets. ¡°Kill the boy first.¡± The voice came from another direction; the shadow man had managed to survive Simon¡¯s surprise attack.


    The shadows that were on human shape began attacking Simon with forceful strikes. The sounds echoing through the forest indicated the intensity of their assault. ¡°Let¡¯s help the boy!!!¡± the princess screamed, but¡­


    ¡°No!!! Their knives are poisoned!!!¡± the boy warned them with a roar. The five-man party of the princess was unable to move, the hunter leading them had better eyesight than the norm, she instantly noticed. There were more of them, the shadows. Other shadows were free and started to encroach upon their range.


    Simon noticed this and said ¡°Hmm¡­ so I¡¯m not enough, right?¡± the boy opened his eyes. The shadow man was instantly alerted, knowing that the boy was not a normal human. Its yellow eyes dimly glowed in the dark as it stared at him.


    ¡°4 o¡¯clock!!!¡± the hunter screamed, alerting Simon to the direction. He finally spotted the controller of the shadows, bloody from his encounter. He hadn¡¯t escaped Simon¡¯s ambush unscathed. Simon initiated the chase, and the shadows that were supposed to attack the princess¡¯s party redirected their target to him again.


    Simon was sure that he was faster than the shadows. On this note, he predicted their positions and drew a thief''s ragged blade. He started a combo, effectively clearing out the ten shadows, and the shadow man was surprised by Simon¡¯s skills.


    ¡°Kid¡­ not here!!!¡± the shadow man protested, removed his cloak, and conjured shadows as claws. Simon was quite surprised, but he managed to dodge the attacks. In the process of breaking the thief¡¯s sword, he was holding.


    ¡°BOY!! Be careful!!! He''s an assassin!!!¡± the hunter, who was watching from a bit far away, exclaimed. There was a crossing sickle and stiletto tattoo on the assassin¡¯s head; it¡¯s a famous clan of assassins, but Simon didn¡¯t care that much.


    He dodged the attacks. He was now really reluctant to use the old man¡¯s sword to deflect the shadow claws after it broke the thief¡¯s sword, but he had to use it.


    The assassin could sense the boy¡¯s doubt and if he was right¡­ ¡°If you give up, boy¡­ I will make it painless¡­ you are all going to die anyway!!¡± a grumbling plea from the black-clothed assassin.


    ¡°You are fast¡­ I give that to you¡­ but I¡¯m more skillful,¡± Simon smiled and taunted the assassin. The assassin remained calm; he knew it was just a taunt. The two started a deadly rondo of dodge and slash.


    ¡°Princess, we can fire some arrows to support the boy,¡± a knight suggested.


    ¡°No, princess¡­ the boy looks like he is enjoying this,¡± the hunter, who could see the battle precisely, said. The princess was a bit confused about what she was supposed to do.


    After a few trades, his speed and agility advantage immediately diminished ¡°... Who the hell are you?¡± the assassin noticed how the boy was slowly adapting in the battle. ¡°Boy, let me do my job and I will reward you. The artifact that they have is worth a mountain,¡± the sweating assassin said.


    ¡°... that attack¡­ I¡¯ve seen that before,¡± Simon said. He was right; Simon precisely predicted where the assassin¡¯s head would be when it dodged; he just had to place his sword there.


    The assassin¡¯s head was cleanly severed. The expression of the severed head showed shock but no pain.


    Simon looked at the princess. There was a moment of silence before Simon attempted to leave. ¡°Hey, wait!!!¡± the hunter who was watching tried to call out to Simon, but the princess stopped her. ¡°No¡­ that boy¡­ he is a monster!¡± the princess said.


    She had never seen the princess act so afraid.


    <--->


    The thieves were alive; they kept their lives¡­ the only thing they lost was their supply of food. After this, they were going to be slaves. The boy just vanished. The assassin¡¯s body slowly melted; it was part of their dark magic ritual to dispose of their body automatically.


    ¡°46 of them¡­ that¡¯s a lot. Luckily we have enough ropes for them¡­¡± the knighted hunter said as they rounded up the thieves. Diana sighed; it would be a lot of explaining with her father.


    She could actually just execute them, but she didn¡¯t have the heart. The thieves called themselves the Bloody Axe, newly named thieves that terrorized the eastern frontier. They were probably the lowest of the low in the thief''s group.


    ¡°Princess... we are ready,¡± one of the attendants kneeling said.


    The caravan started to move with 46 thieves in tow. They would be made into working slaves for the rest of their lives, in mines or probably on the construction of the kingdom¡¯s buildings.


    <--->


    It was already dark. Three cloaked men visited the site of the operation where their comrade had died. The three started going around, inspecting the traces of the fight. The assassin who died was one of the #10th and above number of the assassin guild.


    Twenty numbers down are considered elite assassins in their guild. ¡°Can¡¯t believe #15 died,¡± one of the assassins started a conversation. ¡°But the info said that the princess would be weakened whenever she finishes a ceremony¡­ did that villager lie?¡± another assassin spoke.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter now, check everything and anything. We are the Assassin¡¯s Guild; we will trample anything that would threaten the guild,¡± another assassin said.


    They immediately traced the fight of number #15, but to their surprise, there were no other traces of magic, only of number #15. This would mean that number #15 fought and lost against someone who didn¡¯t use any kind of magic.


    This was bad since they won¡¯t be able to track down whoever was responsible for the death of #15.


    <--->


    After a bit of detour, Simon planned to sleep on top of a tree branch. He should not have shown his eyes. He actually forgot last night when he was fighting with the assassin. The adrenaline and the fact that he was having fun erased his awareness¡­ it''s been so long since he had a good fight.


    ¡®Oh, I should have picked up some of their silvers too¡­¡¯ Simon thought. He was still broke and was just living through hunting and scavenging in the forest. Their food supply made him smirk as though he was going to have a feast.


    The assassin was really good; it''s rare to find that caliber of fight. He checked out his sword, and it was really in bad shape. If only he could use the magic edge technique, then it would reinforce his sword.


    ¡®Probably going to break this sooner or later,¡¯ Simon thought as he put back the sword in its scabbard. He reminisced about the old man using the sword; it would usually light up dimly.


    But that night it started to rain, and he had to take out his cloak and cover himself up; he had to preserve the heat of his body. He then took out a rope and tied himself to the branch to make sure that he would not fall.


    It was a bit of a downer that he couldn¡¯t prepare his spoils for a feast, but he would do it after the rain.


    ¡°Time to sleep then,¡± he verbally spoke. Deep in his heart, he was feeling something strange, something that he didn¡¯t feel when he was traveling with the old man. It must be because he saw that girl¡¯s eyes that were full of fear. It was loneliness, a word expressing the feeling that was on the top of his head but he couldn¡¯t realize it.

 Chapter 5 :: Dark Forest

    The boy blinked groggily, his eyelids heavy and his limbs slow to respond. He pushed himself up from the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. With a yawn, he reached for his bag and began placing his belongings inside, his movements deliberate and unhurried. He paused occasionally to stretch and yawn again, but still managed to meticulously double-check each item, ensuring nothing was left behind. He had a blast yesterday, feeding himself from the spoils from the thieves.


    He could function normally for two days without rest easily, and five days at max, but he was trained to have rest every day. Walking off-road did make the travel a bit complicated, but it was a great way to train oneself to be always on the edge.


    He stopped his feet as he saw the dark forest; a small area of foliage actually marked the change in the area. It was almost noon, and going in now or later didn¡¯t matter, as long as he could find a source of water he would be okay.


    What he was worried about was his food supply. The old man had warned him about his eating habits, and he did have a feast after his sleep, something that he felt he should do to cover up the feelings of emptiness inside him; rather, it felt instinctual (stress eating).


    The worst thing was that he immediately fell asleep after eating, which is why he had to waste one more day.


    <--->


    Simon smiled, at the familiar scent of the forest, his feet and boots against the ever moist ground and the first step. He began the long walk into the forest, estimating it would take around a week or more. Judging from the days they traveled with the ship, but that was if he went in a straight line, which he was planning to.


    Simon was taught to trust his instinct, he had confidence in his judgment but reality hit really hard when things began going south.


    The topography, the lay of the large forest of giant trees, their roots that created corridors, the uneven rock formations, and vegetation¡ªhe tried climbing up, but the trees offered no good branches to jump around. The monkey monsters hated his guts; they were weak but knew how to be as annoying as possible, throwing rocks and banana peels, taunting him, and even throwing their own shit as an insult. He had killed a few already, killed more in spite, but they didn¡¯t seem to decrease in numbers. He wouldn¡¯t last.


    There were also times that he was harassed at night; it seemed that the monkeys were attracted by the fire he used to cook. Luckily, he finished eating already before the tragedy occurred. He hated the monster monkeys, even vowing to cleanse the land of them somehow.


    Two days immediately passed. Simon was literally worn out.


    The light was a bit delayed when the sunrise came, it was because of the tall trees that covered the entirety of the dark forest, that the rays had a hard time penetrating the canopies of the large span of trees. The boy was packing his things when he thought of a good idea, he would now travel at night since he could see in the dark. This was so that he could cook in the morning and finally, because of the annoying monkeys, he chose to walk on the ground.


    ¡­


    In a few hours of walking, a problem literally walked into him: it was around two meters tall, the abysmal eyes that landed on him as large as the boy¡¯s head, rigid claws that were used to carve and kill, it was a giant mantis.


    ¡°No shit¡­¡± Well, the scythes look really sharp. He drew the old sword from the old man. ¡®I¡¯ll target the joints first¡­ what does it even taste like?¡¯ he thought.


    The mantis didn¡¯t waste time; with a shriek, it extended its blades aiming to injure the boy. Simon pivots his left foot checking out the form of the large insect¡¯s arms. He landed a slash on the joints, but it was really hard. He dodged another flurry of attacks and landed another hit on the other joint, and he felt his sword cringe.


    Simon sighed. Well, the old man would use magic edge to cover and protect the sword, but he didn¡¯t learn it. ¡°Sorry, old man...¡± Simon said. There was a small crevice from his first slash; the next one should do the trick.


    He concentrated now. The large mantis attacked him; it all happened in a moment. He dodged again, watching the blade and joints move. The blade came back as the giant mantis pulled it... the joints were weaker when doing the returning slash. Another side does the same, and he aimed at the right timing.


    <--->


    The sword broke, but he had a new weapon. After some cleaning and using a few blocks of wood, he created a sword out of the mantis¡¯s scythes¡ªtwo of them, to be exact. The meat was not edible; Simon confirmed it after trying some... he was really disappointed.


    ¡°Yuck,¡± was Simon¡¯s rating after trying some but he didn¡¯t spit it out.


    He had to hunt for a wild rabbit or a huge boar. He stayed in a cave for a few days to create a bag and a weapon so that he could bring the dried meat he acquired; luckily, he had a large collection of salt.


    He had a handy knife and a matchlock in his bag, the only tools he needed for food.


    He remembered the merchants in the Creek Village; they were lions.


    Salt was life; that was what the old man used to say to him. You can use salt to preserve meat; you can use salt to cook food.


    ¡®Living on the island was good after all¡¯ He was taught how to make salt coming from the sea, which accidentally was pink salt too.


    He then proceeded to practice the sword a few times, adjusting the blade.


    After a while, he finished fine-tuning the two blades, one with a longer handle and one that was shorter overall. He looked at the broken handle of the old man¡¯s sword. Memories flowed as he stared at it, he couldn¡¯t muster the courage to throw it away¡­ he would keep it in his bag.


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    <--->


    Soon, the boy understood that the mantises were a natural part of the ecosystem of the dark forest; there were actually many of them all around. What he was wary of were the eagles that ate the monkey monsters.


    He saw one once; the eagles would hunt down the monster monkeys using some sort of wind magic. Magic was a natural ability for animals and monsters. He was told again and again because he didn¡¯t have magic, ''Be aware of those who use it.'' Monsters used magic effortlessly, as if they were born with it.


    Finally, before his day ended, he heard the sounds of water. He followed it and found a lake. It was large, but the trees of the dark forest hid it. For some reason, there were no animals around, not even monsters.


    But it didn¡¯t matter; the old man said that if he boiled the water, it would be safe to drink.


    The boy slowly approached the water. There was no smell, no signs that it was acidic. He took a sip. It was really spring water. But why was it so big, and why were there no animals around?


    He drew some water and started a fire to boil it. Then, he began going through his inventory again: his sword, a small knife, a pot, and a fire starter, along with bags of salt, two sets of clothes, and a spare cloak that doubled as a blanket when he slept. That¡¯s everything he had when he left. He divided them since he had a new bag.


    The boy stared at the dancing flame under the pot. When the pot began popping sounds he immediately placed some of the herbs he picked up on the forest. It would take a while for it to properly be cooked so he decided to bathe on the spring water.


    He stripped off his clothes and jumped in, bringing his self-made sword with him just in case there were any fish in the water.


    <--->


    <Deep in the springs>


    Lights would barely touch the deep part of the well, it would be always cold and the temperature barely changed on the deep. A creature lay in the bottom. Its body was smooth. In the shape of a swordfish but akin to a shark.


    It was springtime, and the monster would awaken in summer. It lay in wait at the bottom of the spring, where the heat often lured unsuspecting young calves or deer... they were incredibly crunchy and juicy. Sometimes, unsuspecting monsters who hadn''t been warned by their group would wander around the lake.


    Hmm... it was still spring, and it could feel some vibrations in the water. Perhaps it was just leaves and branches, but what stirred it awake was the heavy splash. The monster, a colossal fish, stirred, its fins moving as it sensed the disturbance.


    Its hunger propelled it, the only motivation it had at all ever since he understood his existence; it was to consume perpetually. Excitement surged through it as a new prey entered its domain.


    <--->


    Simon was enjoying the water, free diving and searching for aquatic foods, he had been going around but not even a single fish were found. His senses shot up, vibrations from water sent a warning on him.


    Looking from below, it remained dark, but after a while, he spotted a large swordfish-like creature darting towards him. Reacting swiftly, he timed his movements, sliding his feet on its sword-like appendage. He sustained a few cuts from its protruding scales.


    Of course, it all made sense now. There was a monster in the large spring. Surprisingly, Simon didn''t feel startled once he realized this fact, though it was his first time fighting in the water. Perhaps he could find a way to launch the fish out of the water, but as he contemplated, the creature descended again.


    It would rush again. He could tell that he would be in a very disadvantageous fight if he forced it. His instincts were screaming too.


    He jumped out of the water, and as he did, the water began to move strangely, slowly flowing into the air and forming a large bubble. Simon planted his feet on the ground as the water continued to rise, it was magic. Finally understanding its intention, he swiftly gathered his belongings and dashed away, even grazing his hand on the hot pot in his haste. The water dropped with a splash, sending ripples across the large lake. Anything near the lake''s edge was drawn back into the spring as the water receded.


    Magic and intelligence showed how dangerous the monster was.


    There was no way to win this fight, so Simon decided it was much better to retreat. ¡°Oh... it fell¡­¡± he instantly noticed the change in weight in his bag. The broken hilt was gone, a memento of the old man.


    The boy disappointingly sighed. Should he take it? Just leave it? The boy stared at the dark spring, it was there waiting for him¡­ waiting for him to come back. Annoying as it seemed his whole being was calling for him to go back.


    The sword hilt bore an original magic signature. Simon, though unable to use magic, was still sensitive to it. It lay beneath the lake, alongside the monstrous fish still lurking in the water. Diving back in would mean contending with limited time, harsh conditions, and an unfair match-up.


    Simon took two of his hand-made swords, then took a deep breath a few times. He had plenty of experience swimming around the island. ¡°I should have tried harder to learn magic,¡± he thought before plunging into the water.


    Of course, the fish monster was waiting for him. It swiftly rushed toward him, its bladed trout aimed directly at him. It promised to be a challenging sword fight underwater but Simon was prepared, he attempted to use his two swords to deflect the attack.


    However, instead of deflecting the attack, Simon found himself pushed back. The monstrous fish didn''t even bother targeting his swords as it carried Simon away with its powerful thrust. Now, it was the fish''s turn to twist him, and it succeeded; Simon found himself dragged into the deeper part of the lake. If it wasn¡¯t his eyes that could see in the dark he would be fighting blind.


    The next attack was imminent; he had to utilize the fish¡¯s momentum against itself. However, there was a problem - the sword he wielded wasn''t particularly sharp. The fish launched itself at him once more.


    He employed the shorter sword to deftly slide along the bladed trout. Successfully, he severed the right side of the fish¡¯s pectoral fin. The monster silently wailed in the water, losing its composure as it began to maneuver for another attack. Same tactic¡­


    Another strike to the left pectoral fin, another surge forward, and he managed to nick some of the fins on its head and make a slice in its tail; the fish was gradually losing its speed.


    The monstrous fish floated aimlessly as its blood painted the water with red. After a few seconds, it finally stopped moving and put its trout back in the boy¡¯s direction. It emanated hatred¡­ intelligence too.


    The fish began to utilize its magic. Though he couldn''t see the water blades, his heightened magic sensitivity aided him in evasion. Only receiving and dispersing the magic was within his capability... until the shorter blade snapped in two.


    Ideas began to form in his mind. Another water blade surged towards him. Riding the water blade with his sword, he spun and deflected it back toward the fish monster. The creature was caught off guard, resulting in a gash that began to bleed.


    It was now destined to bleed to death.


    For a moment, Simon''s eyes met the monster''s... it was poised to attack with full force next. Water blades began encircling the fish''s body. Utilizing its tail, the only appendage functioning properly, it propelled its body with all its might.


    ¡®Think first from the beginning of your movement and into its end, then move without hesitation,¡¯ Simon reminded himself.


    Simon began rotating. The fish observed, yet it persisted in its attack. Exerting power underwater surely took Simon¡¯s air from his lungs. Their distance rapidly decreased as the fish, with water blades in tow, approached... The water blades started to be drawn into the underwater vortex he was creating.


    With a swift swing, he deflected and guided the water blades into the fish. With no room to maneuver, the fish had no chance to dodge them. It was struck and sliced by the very water blades it had launched. Simultaneously, with the swing, Simon evaded its final attack.


    It was the end... the boy wouldn¡¯t let it suffer any longer.

 Chapter 6 :: Water Blades, Wind Claws and Elves?

    The boy used his all to pull up the carcass of the monstrous fish, although bloody he forcefully opened the mouth of the fish to let air enter it so that it would remain afloat. He only had one more sword remaining as he climbed out of the reddish water. He searched for his bag, there was still some dried meat that was ready for consuming, after taking some he began to fall asleep. Still blood drifted on the air, the water in the spring was still in red. His wounds started healing by itself.


    In the morning the boy woke up with all of his wounds closed and fine. He was really hungry and his stomach rumbled. He stared at the carcass of the large fish floating on the spring. A few ideas started floating in his head, he enjoyed processing his hunts.


    The fish''s fins were exceptionally sturdy, and one side was particularly sharp... not to mention he had four pieces of them from the fish. He decided to stay near the spring for a while to make another weapon from the fins.


    He then gazed at the broken hilt of the old man''s sword. Annoyed, frustrated, or perhaps unwilling to accept it¡ªalthough it was just a broken hilt, he couldn''t bring himself to let it go. He secured the broken sword hilt in his bag, ensuring it wouldn''t come loose ever again.


    Half a day had already passed, he already finished 3 swords and he was practicing the latest one fine tuning it. Along the practice swings he tried to use magic edge but he ultimately failed. The boy could feel something from the monster blade. He imbued it with magic. It created water that soared into the air. He could control it too.


    ¡°Cool as hell,¡± Simon said, smiling as if he had found a new toy. He swung the sword and it created a water blade. The boy smiled celebrating his new weapon. There were four pieces of it, each of different sizes. Now he had a piece of the mantis sword and four water fins, as he named them.


    Simon sighed... then he looked at the carcass of the large fish. He would probably stay for a while. He began preparing for a fire, though he needed to go far from the water since everything in the area was wet.


    ¡°You should at least taste good...¡± Simon said to the corpse of the fish. He was well-practiced with fish carving.


    <--->


    Days passed. Simon''s trek continued, with some troubles along the way that he managed well.


    One of the most annoying things about the dark forest was its denizens. The monkey vermin that would annoy the hell out of him, the giant mantis that was everywhere, and a larger mantis that was tinted with red. There would be spiked boars that would release spikes when attacked, actually the only ones that were edible.


    ¡®Luckily, I can see in the dark,¡¯ he thought as he walked into the blinding night. He could see enemies clearly, evading the annoying ones. Slaying the yummy ones, but there was something he had been evading for the past few days. He had seen it only twice, but it was in the shape of a human.


    A very tall human.


    <--->


    A few days ago.


    It was inevitable that the large birds which fed on the monster monkeys would start preying on him. It seemed they were in search of stronger enemies. Two confronted him, taunting him into a fight.


    The eagle was big, wings of dark and brown on the outer side of the edges, it was majestic as it landed on the ground. The eagle cawed and pecked at the ground, flapping its wings to appear larger. No words were needed; it was an obvious challenge.


    He set down his things and drew a water blade. It was time to put it to the test.


    Beak against sword, claw against wit. The eagle remained grounded, playing to Simon''s advantage by engaging in battle on equal footing. Simon answered the respect by battling against it equally.


    The eagle wondered how the boy was evading his claws ¡°CAWW!!!¡± Of course, it was enjoying the battle too.


    The two locked, beak and sword ¡°Aw yeah! My blade is cool, eh?!¡± Simon enjoyed the challenge. He was overpowering the eagle and the eagle was surprised. It broke their standoff by deflecting his sword while hovering a bit to make distance against the boy.


    The eagle began launching wind blades and Simon with water blades respectively. The dance of death played out beautifully. The other eagle, witnessing the fight, understood the duel and watched intently.


    Despite accumulating cuts all over its body, the eagle didn¡¯t stop. It intensified the fight, hovering a little as it sent wind blades with its left and right claws. Simon parried and counterattacked with a water blade.


    Their ranged magic battle continued as the two closed the distance between them, until finally, they engaged in melee combat again.


    Claws, beaks, and swords clashed relentlessly.


    ¡°Aargh!!!¡± Simon''s cry echoed amidst the chaos. Blood trickled from cuts on his shoulder and leg, the latter wound deeper than he realized. ¡°It hurts!!!¡± he yelled, the pain searing through him. Aware of the perilous stakes of wild duels, Simon swiftly leaped away from the melee.


    He was enjoying the waterblade launching and it made him a bit reliant on it, the old man warned him before but old habits die hard. Despite the pain, he managed a smile. The other eagle watched, flapping its wings in what seemed like a celebration. Getting more injuries would be a problem for his journey.


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    Simon focused intently. The eagle quickly noticed the change in his demeanor; he was ready to end the confrontation with his next move.


    He assumed a standard stance, with his sword held forward and his feet firmly planted on the ground. Then, he swiftly dashed forward, lowering his position. The eagle unleashed wind blades, but Simon''s quick, low dash left no room for the eagle to adjust its aim, enabling him to dodge them. ¡°Thanks for the lesson!!!¡± he exclaimed.


    The water blade from his sword could take on various shapes. As he thrust forward, instead of a blade, a piercing stream of water shot from his sword, creating a fatal wound in the eagle''s body, causing instant death.


    Turning to the other spectating eagle, Simon emitted a powerful bloodlust, causing the eagle to cower and flee. ¡°I''ll have some chicken then¡­¡± Simon remarked. He had recently discovered that magical creatures tasted delicious when barbecued.


    <--->


    It took him 3 hours to prepare the bird meat. He was now grilling a portion of it, planning to turn the bird''s claws into a knife. He had obtained 4 pieces, but 2 broke during the battle.


    ¡°Hmm, the salt really makes all the difference¡­¡± Simon remarked as he began cutting into the large piece of meat on the grill. He intended to stay in the area for a while, having found a suitable spot among the roots of the trees, which formed natural corridors, including a small hidden pocket of space with a spring of fresh water inside.


    He began to eat, aware of the necessity to extinguish the fire before nightfall. Given the wound on his leg, which he anticipated would heal in just one night, his regeneration was impressive; even the old man would be astonished by how swiftly he recovered after their intense training sessions


    <--->


    <The Watcher¡¯s side>


    ¡°I''ve never seen someone kill a Hounded Hawk solo,¡± remarked one of Simon''s observers. Ever since a commotion near their holy spring, the three had been tasked with investigating the situation.


    Earlier, they had come across a young boy feasting on a large fish. Knowing that anyone who had defeated the Grim Fish that inhabited their holy spring couldn''t be a normal human, they quickly abandoned the idea of resolving the issue through violence.


    The Grim Fish had been residing in their holy spring for fifty years already, and they didn''t mind its presence since it would perish in another hundred years or so. In fact, the boy''s slaying of the fish was seen as a great service to them.


    Their secretive clan had always struggled with interacting with humans, which left the three in a predicament. They didn''t know how to approach the boy, who was impressive but also quite intimidating to them.


    ¡°We''ll continue to observe him,¡± their leader, the son of the clan chieftain, decided. The other two simply nodded in agreement.


    <--->


    After a while, Simon recovered, taking four days to do so. During this time, he managed to craft the eagle''s claws into small knives. What made them particularly interesting was that whenever he channeled magic, the knives would also emit some form of air magic.


    Then, one day, he was finally confronted by three cloaked beings, the ones he had sensed following him.


    ¡°There were three of you?¡± he questioned.


    One of the cloaked figures stepped forward, revealing a tall, dark-skinned being with long ears and a slight hint of fur. Clearly armed with either a sword or a bow on their back.


    ¡°I am Afara... And you? Who are you?¡±


    ¡°My name is Simon, and I''m heading into the eastern frontier. They said this was a good route to take.¡± The three who heard his reason appeared visibly furious at the casual manner in which he walked through the trek; he didn''t even attempt to conceal his presence. Although it wasn''t his intention, they perceived it as a clear mockery.


    ¡°You don''t know what you''re saying! This is the Black Forest, unless you¡ª!¡± Simon drew his sword. ¡°Stop agitating him!¡± Afara warned one of the cloaked forest folk who suddenly burst out.


    Simon began to exude bloodlust. ¡°I don''t want any trouble. I tried riding a ship, but they tried to rip me off¡­¡± The latter part was a quick excuse. Simon knew there were trust issues between humans and nonhumans, and he hoped it would paint him in a favorable light.


    ¡°We want your weapons. We''ll guide you out to the east, but in exchange, you''ll leave us your weapons to make¡­¡± Afara said.


    ¡°That''s extortion... You know I can travel alone¡­¡± Simon''s bloodlust diminished.


    ¡°If you let us guide you, it''ll take less time.¡±


    It was a sensible offer. ¡°Hmm... I''ll give you the others, but not this one... Out of all the battles, this one was the toughest... This one''s mine,¡± Simon declared, displaying the fin blade.


    Afara and his group understood his sentiment. He then extended his hand for a shake. ¡°I can''t believe this human child is¡­¡± Afara hit the head of the same person who burst out earlier.


    ¡°Check his eyes¡­¡±


    <--->


    One stroke, perfectly timed, and landing perfectly. That was how Simon described the slashes he executed to bring down the monsters they encountered. Despite the forest folks'' attempts to avoid the creatures, Simon insisted on engaging in combat.


    ¡°Young one... you are very strong,¡± Afara remarked as he watched Simon dismember the slain monster''s parts. The forest folks knew Simon would attempt to eat, as he did with all the monsters they encountered along the way. ¡°And perpetually hungry,¡± Afara added, observing the large snake Simon had felled with one strike.


    ¡°This sharp tail would make a good weapon... take it!¡± Simon offered him the bloody tail.


    ¡°Teach me how you do that!¡± demanded one of the hooded forest folk.


    ¡°Forgive him, he is very young... he hasn¡¯t seen much of the world,¡± Afara apologized for the forest folk''s cocky behavior.


    Simon smiled. After traveling with them for a while and engaging in conversations, he realized that their concept of time differed greatly due to their longer lifespans. Recalling the words his master, the old man, had taught him, Simon shared, ¡°Think first from the beginning of your movement to its end, then move without hesitation.¡±


    <--->


    Simon waved goodbye as he departed. Despite having plenty of meat on his back, the forest folk declined his offer. ¡°Are you sure you don''t want any meat?¡± he asked once more, just to confirm.


    ¡°No... these weapons are what we want... thank you.¡± Afara reassured the boy.


    With a few strides, Simon left, disappearing into the clearing.


    ¡°Don''t forget the leaves!!! You''ll ruin our ecosystem if you keep slaughtering animals and monsters!!!¡± Afara''s voice echoed after him. Simon glanced back and waved once more. The leaves served as a special signaling tool for the forest folk to guide him through their forest.


    <--->


    The three carrying the weapons they acquired from Simon began their trek back to their village.


    ¡°How can he do that... even thinking about it, it seems impossible to cut down the monsters in one swoop,¡± remarked one of them.


    ¡°Well, for his age, he was really good... but with these weapons, we stand a chance. We can defend the village, or even expand it,¡± Afara said, smiling at the thought.


    ¡°If we can figure out how the kid is using the weapon as a magical catalyst, we will be invincible,¡± the cocky forest folk declared, a fiery glint in his eyes.

 Chapter 7 :: Slaying the Knights

    Simon saw the change in the field, the bushes ended and the scent around inflicted a new sensation; it marked the end of the dark forest, with trees still lining the other side.


    Since it wasn''t yet dark, he decided to continue his journey. By the time he reached the forest''s edge, the sun had already begun its descent, casting a warm glow over the landscape.


    High grounds on his left side, suggesting that the forest folks had indeed saved him time. Simon decided to rest for a while before proceeding to the village, but first, he needed to find a suitable spot. Unsure of the distance to the village of Ahas, he aimed to conserve his food supply.


    He began to ascend the mountain, eventually finding a good spot with a tree growing alongside it. Grateful for the new cloak provided by the forest folks, Simon made a sling bed with it. Having some more dried meat, he chewed on it before settling down to sleep.


    <--->


    He awakened to the sound of horse hooves. Despite the darkness, he could clearly discern the figures approaching¡ªit was knights on horseback. The old man had briefed him on the knights and their crests.


    Knights typically displayed a coat of arms on their shields or cloaks. A shield emblem indicated affiliation with the Central continent, while those bearing Leaves belonged to the eastern continent. Meanwhile, a castle emblem signified association with the western continent.


    Silently, Simon descended, finding a perch on a part of the cliff. Looking down, he confirmed the coat of arms displayed a shield¡ªthey were indeed from the central continent.


    Curiously, the knights appeared to prefer resting in the spot directly below Simon.


    <--->


    The knights began setting up camps. ¡°The village is close by, and the mountain provides good cover,¡± one of them remarked.


    ¡°We need to rest before launching our attack at dawn,¡± the leader added.


    ¡°I sense that we''re being watched,¡± another knight interjected. Having been a hunter before, he was keenly attuned to his surroundings.


    The leader stood up, ready to give his grandiose speech ¡°You''re overthinking it... My father has promised us great rewards for this mission, and I''ll ensure we all receive our share!¡± the leader proclaimed, attempting to inspire the knights. Still, there was silence, the leader had a bad reputation even back in the central.


    <--->


    Simon¡¯s next actions were logical¡­ if he let the knights raid the village then there might be a chance to lose all the trace of his birth if there is.


    ¡­


    And back to the shadow of the morning light.


    The knights were dumbfounded. There was no one left to command; their leader''s neck cracked upon impact, and he never moved again. A few of the riders behind the leader heard the sound as they tried to calm themselves or survive, but a strange blade swung around, killing them.


    Riders who were in the back had no idea what was happening. Some managed to stop their charge, but most fell as a traffic of horses clashed from front to back.


    The next thing they heard were voices screaming and blood splattering through the force of the swings. There were thirty of them, enough for the raid on the village. Only their leader knew their objective.


    ¡°Retreat! Fall back!¡± one screamed.


    While another shouted, ¡°It''s him! Kill him!¡± It was utter chaos.


    <--->


    They lost eight in the fall, including the leader. There were only a handful of men left. One, who was still sane from what he saw, had lost his right arm¡ªit was an exchange for his neck. He sacrificed his arm to deflect a sword swing, and his bone did the trick.


    ¡°Only thirteen of us?¡± he said. They were the elites of the elites back in the central. Being sent for this top-secret mission was the last thing on his mind. All of their magic users were on the front¡ªand they were utterly annihilated.


    It should have just been an inspection or a raid. He had once heard from the vice-captain that they were looking for a relic in the village.


    ¡°We should fall back. It''ll take a few days at our best speed. Are you okay?¡± One of the knights, concerned for the knight with the amputated arm, asked. That knight immediately took a small knife and put it in his mouth by the handle; he needed it. Then another knight retrieved a clean bandage from his backpack. The bloody knight clenched his jaw on the knife, ready for the pain, as the other knight tied the cut, stopping the blood from pouring out.


    ¡°I will make it. Let us go!¡± The next port town is in the west.


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    <--->


    The villagers cheered as the hooded boy walked, they murmured and talk each other happy for the accomplishment of the boy and because they were safe. Slaying the knights like butter and cheese was how the villagers and warriors described the massacre. Some were literally afraid, but the shrouded boy was very polite. He only asked for spices and some water to wash his bloodied clothes.


    He was led by one of the villagers to one of the village''s wells. The villagers started gathering around him, asking questions and such. Throughout his actions, his eyes were closed, making the villagers think that he was blind.


    During his talk, he even started trading meat for fruits and vegetables.


    The villagers who saw his sword were in awe. He cleaned it with a piece of cloth. After washing the bloodied cloak, he took out a new one and wore it. He hung the wet one on his sword and put it behind his back, effectively elevating it. It would dry under the sun, and his backpack was made of water-resistant material with patches of skins.


    He approached one of the villagers, the same guy who had led him to the well, but he was quickly spoken to before he could even ask. Visitors and travelers were a rare occurrence in the village. ¡°Why did you come here?¡± A common question for travelers who ventured to the far end of the frontiers.


    ¡°I''m looking for my mother... I was born here,¡± he said, hiding his eyes with his hood, only his mouth effectively visible.


    ¡°You should meet the village doctors; they have all the records!¡± one of the villagers listening to their conversation said.


    ¡°I see... thank you.¡±


    He started walking around the village, guided by a villager. The villagers began to speculate about the attack. It was really strange that a company of knights would attack a village on the far frontier.


    <--->


    The village founder and the village doctor arrived back in the village. The village founder''s house was made of stone near a hill, with a secret path behind it leading a short distance into the hidden mountain. The village doctor thought that the founder had no shame.


    The old lady noticed her gazing at her.


    ¡°Don''t look at me like that... we all have a part to play... this is my part,¡± the old woman said, while she caressed something in her stomach pouch.


    The villagers didn''t even know they had left. They only noticed what was happening when they heard the warriors clamoring in a hurry. The village doctor exited Lady Zhisata''s house nonchalantly. She looked around and proceeded to go home.


    When she returned to her house, one of her students was already waiting for her in front of the door, along with a hooded boy and some of the old patients sitting on the veranda.


    ¡°Teacher, I would like to borrow the records... please!¡± the student smiled at her. She didn¡¯t even ask where she went... Innocence is bliss, she thought. The door was already open, and some of the apprentices were already starting their work of making salves and potions.


    The teacher smiled at her, and the two of them went inside. She was familiar with the patients already waiting for their daily dose of medicines and oils, but the visitor, she wasn¡¯t sure what he needed.


    The teacher signaled her student to follow her to the second floor where the records were.


    ¡°It''s on the right shelf... you may take it,¡± their teacher said.


    <--->


    It was the only medical house in the village. It was old, having been passed down for generations, about three. The doctor lived on the second floor, and the disciples would go home after working for the day.


    The hooded boy and the girl sat on the veranda along with the patients. The apprentice started searching on the rerecords after the boy said his presumed age.


    ¡°Ah! Its here¡­ check it out!¡± the female apprentice said showing the hooded boy the book. She used her fingers to point out it out on the page


    ¡°I see... there were eleven of them,¡± the boy said in a sad tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if you only give me a year, then this is all we can come up with from this record.¡± Eleven babies were born that year. Four of them were unsuccessful, with no details as to why the births failed. The record only contained the mother¡¯s name and the baby''s name if it was a successful birth.


    Simon scanned it again. He was sure that he was born in winter, but there were no records of babies born in the winter which was strange, did the old man lie to him? It was impossible, it was not in the old man¡¯s nature to lie.


    ¡°Then I will be leaving. I¡¯ve got a place to stay for the night. Thank you.¡± The boy picked up his bag and weapon.


    The disciple went to the second floor of the house to return the book of records.


    The village doctor asked, ¡°That boy... he was the one who slew the knights? What¡¯s his name?¡± as she fixed the bottles by their labels.


    ¡°He didn¡¯t mention his name... he said he was looking for his mother... that¡¯s why I asked for the records... he came from the west, in the direction of the central,¡± the disciple replied.


    ¡°So who was it, the mother?¡±


    ¡°The records only had years and a few names. He said that he was born 14 years ago in winter. That¡¯s Theron''s 32<sup>nd</sup> or 33<sup>rd</sup> winter moon.¡±


    She almost dropped one of the bottles... memories of that night flowed into her again, and blood began pumping faster as her heart rushed, she still tried to calm down but how could she have forgotten? ¡°Where is he now?¡±


    ¡°He already left... he was pretty strong, even though he was still younger than me... he is weird,¡± the disciple said. The student who returned the record smiled at her teacher and started leaving. She didn¡¯t even notice her teacher¡¯s distress.


    Her teacher''s butterfly knot swayed as she turned to her student ¡°His eyes... did you see it?¡± she asked, stopping her student in her tracks.


    ¡°No! The villagers too, said that he was blind, he never opened his eyes.¡±


    Although there were 11 mothers, 7 lived and 4 died. It was a small chance that it was him... the baby she left at the mountain¡¯s feet... ''She can¡¯t know...'' Lady Zhisata cannot know.¡¯ She firmly said to herself¡­


    <--->


    The next day, the warriors in the village began pulling the remains of the knights. Only around 15 warriors were living in the village, along with the families, including the young ones aged between 15 and 52 years old.


    If fully armored knights reached the village, there would probably be little to no resistance against them. They started burying the knights one by one, lighting a candle for the souls that passed¡ªa tradition in the village. They actually let the remains stay for the night because their comrades might want to take them.


    ¡°Did you see the guy that did this?¡± One of the warriors who was carrying out the burial started a conversation.


    ¡°No... but they said he was trying to hide his identity,¡± it came from one of the villagers who were watching around the strange visitor.


    ¡°Well, he saved us... I don¡¯t really know their motives... but they clearly showed their intentions,¡± one of the warriors who was involved in the burial said, gesturing to the body he was pulling.


    ¡°I can feel the heat! I hate summer,¡± another warrior said, sweating profusely. Their village is surrounded by mountains and is usually cold, and the people in the village have quite a high sensitivity to heat.


    ¡°Summer is coming, eh?¡± another warrior agreed with him.

 Chapter 8 :: Where to go?

    So many things happened, but there were still familiar things that he could feel. The mountain in front of him was recognizable, he began climbing it. He didn¡¯t have the memories; he just followed his instinct and some kind of nostalgic feeling.


    It took him a few hours before he was back in the small hut. He opened it and lay down his things on one side of the door. Dust flew covering the whole shack with dust, he begrudgingly sighed. He immediately saw a handmade sweeper hanging on the door; made out of dry leaves. He began cleaning the shack. He lay in the bed when he was already satisfied.


    For some reason, the boy felt empty... after losing the reason for his travel, it seemed that there was nothing for him to do now. Simon was not the type to dwell too much on things he had no control over. He would still need a few more years to join the adventurer¡¯s guild... maybe he¡¯d just stay in the mountains and train until that day came... but that was just plain boring; he had been training all his life.


    ¡°Hmm... where to go, huh¡­¡± a breath of vexation escaped from his mouth as he was cleaning.


    The word echoed in his mind repeatedly... his vague memories of the shack cracked a smile on his mouth, nothing was changed... not even ransacked... the familiar scent of the herbs and oils the old man made was still lingering. The shack was on the leaning side of the mountain and was very well hidden by the forest.


    ¡®I should have taken their hospitality, but that¡¯s not my style,¡¯ he thought, but interacting with people was a bane that he hadn¡¯t got over with, especially with his strange eyes, it''s annoying to talk to people with his eyes closed.


    Thinking of these things he didn¡¯t even notice that he had already finished cleaning the whole shack. He changed into new clothes and with a smile lay down on the bed of hays.


    His mind continued to race. ¡®Where to go?¡¯ he was very close to the eastern frontier. A few miles east, and it would be the Sea of Mountains... it¡¯s at the edge of the known world, and explorers are stationed there; the old man called them the true cutting edge of the humans. Exploring the unknown would be exciting.


    The old man would often tell stories when he worked together with the explorers. They were really good... much better than the heroes that dived into the dungeons... they were of different classes, though they didn¡¯t shy away from their weaknesses.


    How about going around and just trying foods he hadn¡¯t tasted? Out of all the ideas, this was the most appealing that he could think of. He imagined the tastes he could discover along the way and remembered a friend who showed him how important it is that one can cook. He ought to visit her.


    ¡°Is this freedom, old man?¡± the boy was talking to the ceiling of the shack.


    The comfy bed and the fact that he was thinking too much began to take away Simon¡¯s consciousness.


    <--->


    The shack was in total darkness. The wind blew but the shack¡¯s foundations were enough to withstand it. The boy inside who hadn¡¯t had any shelter for a while slept soundly.


    Near his hand was his sword, tucked in the side of his bed, handle just a few inches from his hand. His hands automatically touched it. He opened his eyes upon hearing the sounds of footsteps, he sprang up into a sitting position. The hut¡¯s door was just a normal wooden type, made to cover against the cold winds. There was no lock or reinforcement on it.


    ¡°A boy?¡± it was a deep voice as the door opened. It was a man in a fur cape. He had to hunch over to enter the shack.


    ¡°Who are you¡­ how did you find this place¡± Simon was instantly wary but he was sure the man was alone. Although it was dark, Simon could clearly see the man. He was large, and although his body was covered in fur Simon could tell that he had a huge frame. His beard and blue eyes were the first sight for the boy. He began thinking of ways to deal with the large man. ¡®Cut his throat?¡¯ ¡®Go for the lower extremities and bleed it?¡¯


    The big guy felt the blood lust from the boy, not intimidated by his sheer size ¡°This place¡­ only a few know this, where is the old man¡­?¡± he felt shivers on the back of his neck but remained calm. Still, he was ready for anything, he had a good amount of experience in dealing with beasts.


    ¡°He is dead... he took care of me¡­¡± The heavy air that the man instilled suddenly disappeared. ¡°Are you his son? What???!! That old man who only loved and messed with swords?¡± The sentence was full of surprise and mockery, but to Simon, it was enough to dispel his bloodlust and finally lower his guard. Although Simon knew the old man''s nuances, the boy didn''t know any of his past.


    Simon excitedly smiled and then took something from his bag to show a sword hilt; it was the broken sword of the old man. The big guy''s eyes widened.


    ¡°... Who are you?¡±¡¯ Percival exclaimed. For a while, he was lost in words from Simon¡¯s smile. ¡°Oh... sorry... I¡¯m Percival of the Wolf tribe... we lived in the northern frontier... sorry for intimidating you... but I''m looking for the old man... if he was still alive, that is... your eyes¡­¡± Percival was taken aback... the darkness made the eyes seemingly glowing. A pair of snake eyes stared at him.


    ¡°It''s normal... I was born like this... This is my first time meeting someone who knows the old man.¡± Well, he didn¡¯t even know or probably remembered the old man¡¯s name.


    ¡°Do you live here in this hut?... where is his grave?¡±


    The boy''s eyes instantly changed, he was an open book to the northerner all of a sudden ¡°It will be a long story¡­¡± Simon said sorrowfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m all ears,¡± Percival nodded with affirmation.


    <--->


    Percival left. He said that he would be going into the village to get some supplies before traveling as far as he could towards the central.


    Simon and the old man took their sweet time, even staying for years in some towns along the way; sometimes, they would stay in a cave for years, training every day.


    Percival, without stopping, might only reach the far east of the central continent... He must be back on the northern wall before the next winter moon, Simon started thinking to himself. Along the long story and talk between the two of them, he said that he actually had nowhere to go right now.


    ¡°Then come with me... an extra hand is much needed... if he really raised you, then you must know how to fight, right?¡± That was what Percival suggested to Simon.


    ¡°It''s cold there, and everywhere is white. It''s beautiful but at the same time deadly,¡± Percival described the north. It started fueling Simon¡¯s curiosity.


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    ¡°Plus, us northerners make the best noodles in the whole realm, and eating it hot in the north is the best feeling you will ever have,¡± Percival added. And the boy really loved food, he wasn¡¯t sure if the big one knew it.


    Simon really liked that idea... It seemed that the boy had already decided.


    <--->


    The village chief¡¯s hut was immediately discernible, it stood on high grounds with its backside into the forest and its structure was very like a witch¡¯s hat, it was also the only building that had four floors on it.


    It was the first destination of Percival of the wolf tribe, the villagers watched him as he walked. He inspired fear and curiosity. He was a towering man, his head was leveled with the wooden houses and huts around him.


    The old lady was already on the top of her wooden balcony, lay her eyes on the even. Percival noticed that sharp gaze and waved at the old lady. A few moments passed and were already inside face to face with Lady Zhisata.


    The room was not that big, flowers and drawings adorned the room but it was simple enough. Seeing the two inside the room would make one think that it was a David and Goliath stare-down.


    ¡°Lady Zhisata, it has been a very long time,¡± Percival bows his head with his hands on his chest the old lady bends her neck in response. After the gesture Percival didn¡¯t waste time ¡°We require your help... the north walls are going to be sieged... would you send a message to the central to send a hero to the northeast?¡±


    ¡°... Too bad... we have been cut off from the central for a few years now... one of the nobles is trying to isolate us... clearly, the central has not yet changed for the better... I cannot help you... how about the old man? Alphecca, if you can find him then¡­¡±


    ¡°He is already dead... my source confirmed it¡­¡± Percival said it straight staring into the old lady¡¯s eyes¡­ he was not lying that¡¯s for sure.


    There was little to no change on the face of the old lady, stone cold as she reached for a fan to hide the lower part of her face¡­ some things raced on her mind.


    ¡°But... I can offer you help,¡± the old lady stood up. In the next room, she entered, and after a few minutes, she came out with something in her hands. ¡°Take this... this is an artifact of the holy beast of the snake... it can be used to borrow the power of the holy beast, but the user would expend themselves afterward¡­¡±


    It was covered in some kind of cloth; the cloth is a special garment that blocks off magic and spirit.


    She showed a glimpse, and the malice it produced made Percival sweat and gulp. ¡°Use this with no ally around... the user would lose himself and all reasons then kill anything alive,¡± Zhisata put the cloth back on the artifact. As soon as Percival took it, Zhisata firmly held his hands. ¡°Give me your word that you will return this no matter what... I don¡¯t care if you find another one to sacrifice... you must bring it back to me.¡±


    ¡°My lady... I¡¯m of the Wolf tribe... I will sacrifice myself and send someone to return this... you have my word,¡± Percival was firm. The old lady smiled and left the artifact in his hands.


    The lady watched Percival¡¯s back. The tooth of the snake had been growing anxious for a long time now. It was thirsting for blood. Like the last time, if she could quell it, then everything would be alright. ¡°This is all for everything''s good.¡± At least she didn¡¯t need to sacrifice the villagers anymore.


    <--->


    Medicines and food¡ª a whole sack of it. With his body, he easily lifted two sacks and started moving out of the village. He noticed a knight¡¯s sword on one of the warriors standing as a guard in front of the village entrance. ¡°That sword... how did you get that?¡±


    He started with a question to one of the warriors. ¡°We were hostilely approached by knights yesterday; one boy slew them all... I got this one from one of the knights¡¯ possessions. It would be a waste to bury it... we also got some of the armor, but no one can wear it right now.¡±


    ¡°A piece of advice, my friend... you can¡¯t wear or use those. If some knights from the central visit your village, you will be investigated... but if you melt it down and forge it into another, it would be no problem.¡±


    Percival thought he looked intimidating, his smile and the way he greeted the warrior put them at ease. The warriors of the village knew of his kind; they were the northerners who lived on the northern wall in the far north, and they would heed his advice.


    <--->


    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you~!!¡± Simon said as soon as Percival arrived at the hut.


    ¡°You were the one who slew the knight... am I right?¡±


    Simon nodded.


    Percival saw the shack was already cleaned up and tidied and the boy¡¯s things already packed up. ¡°We don¡¯t have to hurry...¡± Percival said as he grounded the sack he was carrying.


    ¡°I thought the north is under attack?¡± the boy pondered.


    ¡°Yes, but the next attack won''t be until winter... it''s only summer now... I will be going closer to the central continent to find help... as far as time allows.¡±


    Going around and spreading the word of the siege was a total waste of time, but it was the only way because of how nobles and their politics worked. If the northerners had a surplus of gold, then it would be a different scenario.


    Simon was a wanderer, he often forgot things that weren¡¯t that important to him but the recent events were still clear for him. ¡°I have an idea... let''s pass by the Black Forest...¡± Simon said and he hands a shake. The two then grabbed and shook hands.


    <--->


    <Spirit in the artifact>


    The spirit of the holy beast wailed from within the ancient artifact. Bound by the shroud that rendered it blind to the outside world, it could only sense the shift in its destiny through raw instinct. The artifact hummed with an eerie energy, vibrating subtly as the spirit''s fate drew near, a palpable tension that seemed to pulse through the air around it.


    The old lady who sealed it... the humans who hurt it... the humans who slayed it. They will all pay. Consuming their blood, and feasting on their souls would bring it pleasure. Its purpose still burned in his mind, but for a time it had existed outside the influence of the creator and master. It had developed sentience. Now that it was self-aware, it shrieked in joy for its moving fate... and gritted its teeth for the things it hated.


    <--->


    Simon felt cold slithering on his spine. There was something on the back of his head that told him something was happening, but it was of no use thinking like that. His head was now on the journey in front of him. Simon and Percival trekked down from the mountains.


    As soon as they reached the bottom of the mountain, they started heading southwest, going past the Ahas village following the path Simon took. It would take half a day to arrive at the same foliage before the dark forest.


    ¡°Are you sure about this? Even my father told me to stay clear of that forest,¡± Percival warned Simon. The boy¡¯s face distorted, and he stared at Percival. Is the big intimidating guy afraid of the forest?


    The boy inserted his hands in one of his pockets ¡°I¡¯ve got my ways... If I blow on this leaf, they will come,¡± Simon said, assuring Percival, showing him the leaf that was in his pocket.


    Although they were carrying sacks of food and provisions, the two actually enjoyed the leisurely walk.


    ¡­


    Simon recognized the path as he led Percival around. As far as Simon could remember, there should be a town west of the path he took. He barely remembered how it looked, but he remembered it was called the town of ¡®Pharsha.¡¯ He had friends there. Simon wondered how they were now. His thoughts were disturbed when they found a good place to camp; they were already in the foliage near the dark forest.


    Percival, after learning that Simon was the one who killed the knights, wanted to gauge the boy. The two engaged in a bit of a showdown fight, a spar. Halfway to the spar, the boy began launching water blades. The fight immediately shifted to Simon¡¯s favor.


    ¡°You are good, kid, but that weapon is a cheat though!¡± Percival dodged some of the water blades from Simon¡¯s sword. Percival could tell that Simon was not using any magic when he was swinging the water blades.


    ¡°Time to go in then!!¡± Simon said and entered the range of the northern man. The axe swing was deadly and powerful. Simon knew by instinct that his weapon would break if the northerner landed a clean blow on it. So he completely accepted that he could only dodge the axe swings. The big frame of the northerner surely gave a backing on his swings.


    Percival had to attack and parry while the boy smoothly attacked and dodged in one motion. Even the northerner could tell that the boy was going easy on him. Because if not he would be already full of cuts¡­ Percival gritted his teeth, it was time to go into a different approach. He was big so he had something in mind that would totally nullify the skill of the boy with his sword.


    As Percival was about to launch his surprise tackle. ¡°Humans!!!!¡± a voice came out. They were close to the dark forest but not yet in its territory. It was a forest folk.


    Simon, who could see quite clearly in any given situation, instantly realized who it was, but he hadn¡¯t blown the leaf yet.


    ¡°AFARA!!¡± waving smilingly at the acquaintance.

 Chapter 9 :: The Nobles that you can Trust

    The forest folks of the dark forest are known to be very territorial; the infamy of the place and the fact that they really kept their matters private spread a typical notion on them. But it didn¡¯t mean that they wouldn''t go out to trade.


    It only took them a day and a half to cross the whole span of the dark forest from east to west. The special paths the forest folk knew of are really not noticeable to the human¡¯s naked eye. The paths are passed down, and marks of magic from their ancestors are the only way they could identify the paths.


    They would swing and glide using leaves to travel faster. Percival actually struggled at first, but Simon knew how the forest folk traveled.


    ¡°We are here,¡± Afara said as they walked closer to a nearby town, located north of the port town Simon tried to ride the ship. Luckily, the dark-skinned long ears joined for the call. They promised to send two companies of warriors.


    ¡°We thank you for the help... I shall remember this!¡± Percival smiled and bowed with great gratitude.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to if you bring us some of the Pyre ores you have,¡± Afara answered mockingly... the two of them smirked. Simon thought it was awkward. Pyre ores are combustible materials that can only be found on the northeastern frontier.


    <--->


    The cluttering noises, lively chatters. Smell of the different spices, aroma¡¯s to tease appetite. The town was lively, Simon really loved the town, but he had to closed his eyes pretending to be blind whenever he was in a town.


    Afara and Percival noticed this but didn¡¯t said a thing, half humans had been branded for a long time. Simon must have some bad experiences regarding to his eyes.


    Afara led the two even buying them some meat skewers which Simon really appreciated as he gobbled it down with a smile. ¡®It was easy to please him¡¯ the two adults thought as the boy exuded with positive aura.


    Using his fingers he pointed the mansion that they would be visiting.


    <--->


    The mansion had vines on it, but it didn¡¯t take away the majestic look it exuded. Rather it added depth to its old structure. There were sounds of metal reverberating and shouts of people working. The place was under renovation.


    As the three approached a red boy was already waiting in the veranda of the mansion.


    ¡°Sir Afara!!! I welcome you into my abode!!! Come in!!! Hey, please get some drinks for my friends here!¡± It was a young noble, a bit older than Simon probably. ¡°Please have a seat, refreshments are coming in a while.¡±


    Afara stopped and pointed his hands to the red-headed boy ¡°Everyone¡­ this young man here is Count Gallo Marcia¡­ Gallo¡­ a good day to you,¡± Afara offered a slight nod, following the noble''s lead. The young man had red hair, and handsome facial features with a glint of intelligence on his eyebrows. He bowed with his hands on his chest while maintaining eye contact.


    ¡°I was practicing swords when I heard you were coming. Sorry if I¡¯m a little bit sweaty here¡­ let''s be seated...¡± he said with a composure that was beyond his age.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to the point. The north walls on the frontier will be under siege in the next winter¡­ we would like some reinforcement or such¡­¡± Percival took the lead of the conversation as soon as the silence permitted him.


    ¡°I knew it¡­ those furs¡­ it''s a timber wolf, right?¡± Gallo smiled as he pointed out the fur on Percival¡¯s back.


    Although annoyed that he had to play to the conversation the northerner had experiences with nobles ¡°Yes,¡± Percival confirmed, while Gallo then stood up.


    ¡°I cannot give you warriors and knights¡­ my father died just 2 winter moons ago¡­ as you can see, I¡¯m barely maintaining the economy of the town¡­¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ then we will try to find help elsewhere¡­ we will finish the tea and leave¡­¡± Percival sighed and drank the tea that had just arrived. Simon tried it but couldn¡¯t down it in one gulp; it was too hot. Percival then stood up.


    Afara held his arms to stop him. ¡°I believe that everything is possible¡­ I know of the old rules. What can you offer me?¡± the young noble smiled.


    He couldn''t show the special crest since he was a boy; he didn¡¯t want to demand support. Percival started seeing the young one in a different light, a gray light.


    ¡°I will not supply you with warriors; rather, I will supply you with cannons and engineers¡­¡±


    He guided the three into his backyard, and a pungent smell of saltpeter permeated the air.


    ¡°Young lord! Good day to you, how may I help you?¡± one man instantly rushed to Gallo.


    ¡°A test fire if you will,¡± the man nodded, and he suddenly blew the whistle. A group of men and women emerged from a barracks that was also in the backyard of the lord¡¯s mansion.


    ¡°This noble is weird...¡± Percival whispered.


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    ¡°Sir, I heard that¡­ oh¡­ I haven¡¯t gotten your names yet,¡± Gallo answered the doubt, as he took a towel from his back, wiping his sweat off.


    ¡°Percival of the Wolf Tribe¡­¡±


    ¡°Simon¡­ just Simon¡±


    Gallo''s eyes lingered on his closed eyes. He paused for a moment before waving his hands, summoning more servants who brought earplugs and a chair for the lord.


    ¡°Put it in your ears like this and cover your ears if you don¡¯t trust me,¡± he said while demonstrating it himself.


    It was a large barrel with a strange shape, loaded with an iron ball. With a small wheel, they pushed it into the front of them, then with a rotating mechanism, they aimed it in the far direction of the backyard, where a wooden dummy served as a target. It was a cannon.


    ¡°My lord, it is ready¡­ your command,¡± the same guy who blew the whistle said.


    Gallo scanned the area and it was clear. He took a cylinder-like thing from his pocket and looked through it.


    ¡°Make it a 36 and bear right 5,¡± Gallo said. The engineers immediately followed with clicks of the rotating mechanism.


    ¡°On point, sir!¡± as soon as they finished.


    ¡°Fire!!!¡± Gallo screamed.


    ¡°BOOOOOM!!!!¡±


    Simon instantly hid back in the mansion while Percival placed his axe in front of the cannon as if he were blocking himself from it.


    ¡°Sir! It''s a miss around 3 clicks,¡± one of the guys who were on the upper part of the mansion screamed.


    ¡°I see¡­ well¡­ we still have time-¡± Gallo removed his ear plugs ¡°-I will increase the precision by the time we are there¡­ what do you think?¡±


    The display changed Percival¡¯s perspective of the boy though he was still reluctant about the trade at hand ¡°But I can¡¯t give you 100 kilos of Pyre ores that easily; what you are asking is impossible. It''s not that easy to get,¡± Percival complained.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be instant¡­ I¡¯ll give you 3 winters to pay me 100 kilos of Pyre ore,¡± Gallo said, his smile was lively but had a hint of cold, he was on his businessman mode.


    ¡°But,¡± Percival still wasn¡¯t sure of his decision. Simon came back like nothing happened.


    ¡°Then I will throw something more¡­ I¡¯ll send you a tactician too,¡± the red haired boy said aiming to finish the deal.


    ¡°A tactician?¡±


    ¡°Me,¡± Gallo gladly pointed to himself. ¡°I¡¯m probably worth 2 armies,¡± the gesture of confidence almost made Percival believe at the boy.


    It was the first time Percival saw a noble like him. Not only did he have a strange way of doing things, but he could see that even if the young noble seemed like a child, his servants served him more than his age showed. It was strange¡­ he believed what Gallo said was true. He looked at the servants and engineers who were watching their conversation. There was confidence in their eyes.


    ¡°You said that you were training with the sword, right?¡± Percival probed looking at the noble, up and down.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I think I know where this is going,¡± with a flick of his hands, a servant took a sword and gave it to Gallo.


    ¡°I want to test your skills¡­ even if you can at least defend yourself.¡±


    ¡°I understand... but also bear in mind... I have no intention of perishing in your campaign... Allow me to make it clear: while I will serve as the strategist, if the choice comes down to the fortifications or the lives of my subordinates, I will not hesitate¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course... in that case,¡± Percival stepped back, his gaze shifting to Simon. ¡°Simon, show restraint.¡±


    ¡°Understood¡­¡± Simon unsheathed his sword from his back. Unlike Gallo''s slender blade, Simon''s was broader and longer, seemingly incompatible with his age; it appeared to be crafted from a monstrous creature''s part.


    ¡°Gosh¡­ that really hurts my pride, are you saying that this is the gap?¡±


    ¡°No... I perceive his abilities as on par with or even superior to mine,¡± Percival remarked solemnly.


    ¡°Well, I''ll be damned... let''s proceed¡­¡± Gallo assumed his stance. For reasons unbeknownst, Simon thrust his sword into the ground and bowed. Even Percival and Gallo were taken aback; it was an antiquated custom preceding duels between swordsmen. Gallo grinned and followed suit.


    ¡°Commence,¡± Percival declared.


    <--->


    The red-headed boy was finally alone in his room. He stared at his large mirror, his face was gloomy. He got the deal but he didn¡¯t feel happy about it. Gallo sighed, he lay down on his bed... he began reminiscing about the fight against the boy.


    It was not even close, the skill and the strength were far against each other. The boy he fought was silent, cold, and calculated. Simon parried and dodged all of his attacks; he wasn''t sure if he was blind or not, but Simon kept his eyes closed. During their mock fight¡­ if it was a real fight, he should have probably died 30 times or more. Simon would point out all of his openings.


    His sword style specialized in pin-point stabbing and dodging at paper-thin margins. He had already mastered the footwork, coming from his master who had approved of his skill. Even his master, who was watching the fight, was dumbfounded. He would be entering a noble¡¯s school in three more winters, but his fame was already spreading in the central, which gave him a composure beyond his age. But the difference between them was so great... his pride and confidence were totally damaged... it was humiliating.


    ¡®The world was really big.¡¯ His territory was located very far from the central. If it weren¡¯t for the port town south of them and the safe path they offered, they wouldn¡¯t prosper that much. He had been developing a product that could only be produced on his lands, but he was having a hard time. Rather, he had been stuck on developing the cannons.


    But the Pyre ores were a great deal. His dreams and ambitions were the main fuel for his actions, the only thing that propelled him, and the only thing he was holding dear now. He had a dream... ¡°It''s a long way to go... I''m going to be a hero¡­¡± Gallo muttered with affirmation.


    Gallo¡¯s noble family had once been hunters, a branch stemming from the central hunters. However, as rulers changed, it seemed their core identity shifted as well.


    <--->


    They departed from the Marcian lands, heading south along the main road. Their next destination: the castle of Elford, the governing kingdom dominating the entirety of the eastern frontier.


    It was Percival¡¯s original destination. Afara had returned to the forest for preparations.


    With the generosity of another kind man who allowed them to ride in his cart, they comfortably lay down on the stacks of clothes that came from the Marcian Town. Simon watched as the castle grew closer, his excitement mounting. During his travels with the old man, they had not had the chance to approach it before. Meanwhile, on his journey to Ahas Village, forests and hills obstructed his view.


    The Elford castle was colossal, the word ¡°humongous¡± barely did it justice. It loomed over the eastern frontier, visible from far and wide on clear days when no mountain or terrain obstructed the view.


    ¡°Calm down, kid. We still have half a day. Rest for a while,¡± Percival said, growing annoyed at Simon''s constant standing and scanning of their surroundings.


    After a few more hours, Simon caught sight of the castle walls.


    ¡°Built to withstand monster parades and sieges, it was considered the very epitome of frontier fortification, now serving as the legendary Elford family''s home.¡±


    The old man driving the cart proudly explained that he was a citizen of the Elford lands. Simon, though expressionless, couldn''t help but clap with his hands.

 Chapter 10 :: The Elford’s Castle/Kingdom/Fortress/Bastion

    The Elford¡¯s Castle was really big. Describing it as big was actually an understatement. (Like Dark Souls 3 castles) A castle that was built on top of a fortress. That was the easiest description if one opted to understand more. While the towering castle was the cream of the top, there was also a towering structure of bastions in the four directions of it. (North, South, West, East)


    The rich history of the castle came along with the illustrious fame of the Elfords. It was originally a fortress as the place was the first real eastern frontier when the time of exploration of the eastern frontier was in progress.


    It had survived many monster sieges, and been fortified hundreds of times. They said that as long as you could see this towering structure it meant that you were still on the Elford¡¯s land.


    <--->


    Percival and Simon who were riding in the cart entered the northerly gate. It was actually easy to go inside the castle¡¯s fortress part. Simon marveled at the towering structure, the old man tried to reign his curiousness but the boy just wouldn¡¯t stop, the carriage driver also fueled Simon¡¯s curiosity.


    As they neared the center, Simon and Percival disembarked from the carriage. Percival attempted to offer coins to the driver as gratitude, but the driver refused, simply bidding them farewell with a wave, he was a rare one.


    The castle of Elford was vast¡ªtruly immense¡ªhousing thousands of families within its confines. Originally constructed as a fortress, it now boasted a three-tiered structure, with the tallest towers reserved for the higher nobility. Despite Simon''s fervent desire to explore every nook and cranny of the castle, Percival found himself repeatedly reining in the boy whenever he wandered astray.


    There was a large crystal that illuminated the entire castle town, situated beneath the 3rd level. Large square openings allowed sunlight to filter down, creating patches of natural light, and where it hit; those spots were used as farms.


    Percival remembered the place; he knew their destination. After a few minutes of walking, they reached the teleporter station. The whole kingdom was so big that they saw the need for the installation of a teleporter¡ªan ancient magical device that, despite its hefty cost, was freely accessible to the public.


    It was a cobblestone structure, a guard house that was located at the center part of the kingdom. Percival led Simon there.


    Presenting his crest to the guards, Percival gained instant entry. They were directed to step into a magic circle, which, after a few moments, glowed and transported them to their destination.


    ¡°What the!!!¡± exclaimed Simon, experiencing teleportation for the first time. The walls of the room they materialized in were adorned with paintings depicting past rulers and heroes who had brought fame and wealth to the family.


    As they stepped out of the room, they found themselves in a hallway bustling with knights lining up. At the far end, another room awaited. Simon noticed the change in elevation from the way he breathed and the windows along the corridor.


    Entering the spacious room, they were promptly served tea. Moments later, a lady accompanied by her assistants and maids entered. Percival rose and knelt down, with Simon following suit.


    ¡°Percival? I can¡¯t believe it¡­ you¡¯ve gone old?!¡± remarked the lady, recognizing the large man.


    ¡°And you''re still as pretty as I remember,¡± Percival replied. The lady tapped his shoulders, prompting him to stand up, with Simon following suit.


    ¡°Is that your boy¡­ oh¡­ is he blind?¡± the lady asked, noticing Simon''s closed eyes. He had adopted this habit after training with the old man. Whenever he found himself in public places where he might be recognized, he pretended to be blind.


    ¡°No, he''s a son of a friend,¡± Percival explained. ¡°My queen, can we talk now?¡± He wished to move the conversation along. The queen took her seat, her attendant standing beside her, and signaled for Percival to sit.


    ¡°You''re as impertinent as I remember... speak, barbarian,¡± the queen said.


    ¡­


    "... I see," the queen said. Simon, already aware of what was to unfold, occupied himself with a cookie, striving to keep himself awake.


    ¡°At present, I am unable to mobilize any knights at my disposal... Three of the dungeons under our control are scheduled for a dungeon dive as planned... We are, in fact, stretching our knights thin,¡± the queen stated firmly.


    The knights of Elford regularly ventured into the dungeons to maintain them. The current king, along with the prince and the princess, led these expeditions. Many secrets surrounded the Elford family, and their trust was bestowed upon only a select few. The youngest member of the royal family was currently on hiatus. In total, there were five members of the royal family, including the queen, who had married outside the kingdom.


    ¡°I see... How are your children?¡± Percival, aware of the queen''s compassionate nature even from her days as a traveling princess, swiftly changed the subject.


    ¡°They are doing well. Denver is excessively modest, while Raquel is industrious. Diana, however, is rather careless; she is currently on break... I apologize for the unfortunate timing,¡± the queen replied.


    Had the request been made before the Elford family had delved into their tasks, they would have come to the aid of the northern wall. The crest Percival carried symbolized a special insignia reserved for such emergencies.


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    ¡°... Percival, you''re still the same old. My husbands would love to meet you again... Haa... I hate being the queen sometimes.¡± There were special circumstances behind the queen¡¯s long sigh. Percival knew this, but he didn¡¯t know the exact problem.


    The queen gazed out of the window, seemingly lost in memories of her days traveling. Percival had been a part of those adventures, along with his husband and two others.


    ¡°But... the hero of the era is here. He''s actually lending us a hand; he''s a very hardworking young man,¡± the queen added, as if sharing a tip. ¡°And to make you feel better... as soon as any of our knights completes their dungeon dive, we''ll send them to the north. You have my word,¡± she said, smiling.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Percival bowed in gratitude, with Simon following suit.


    <--->


    His mission had ended in somewhat of a failure; all he had was an empty promise. Yet, he clung to the queen''s words. Percival pondered this as they exited the teleporter.


    Percival intended to stay overnight before resuming his journey. He needed to visit the adventurer¡¯s guild to gather more information about his next plans. Although the queen had offered him residence at the main castle, Percival respectfully declined.


    They found an inn on the eastern side of the main level of the kingdom, conveniently located near the guilds and markets.


    ¡°Simon, you can explore now, but return by night,¡± Percival instructed. He himself was heading to the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    <--->


    The Elford castle, resembling more of a city than a mere fortress, stood as a kingdom in its own right. Its upper buildings resembled bastions. Simon stood outside the inn, studying the castle map posted nearby. The entire kingdom comprised three levels. The main level, situated in the middle, housed the walls and towering pillar buildings.


    Beneath lay the lower level, hidden underground. Here, a vast dungeon sprawled beneath the castle, renowned as the largest in the eastern frontier. The lower levels also housed underground farms and served as the domain of Dwarven smiths.


    Simon lamented that the castle was too vast to explore entirely. However, he found himself particularly intrigued by the concept of underground farms. How were they cultivated? he wondered.


    The upper level held the main castle. Four towering towers, one at each entrance¡ªnorth, south, east, and west¡ªserved as residences for various branches of Elford nobility.


    ¡°Sky Garden?!!¡± Simon exclaimed, perplexed by the unfamiliar term as he looked at the castle map. It appeared that there was also a museum on the third level.


    "Underground Farm, Sky Garden, and the museum!!!" Simon exclaimed excitedly, though his hunger reminded him it was time to eat at the inn first.


    <--->


    Nine pillars supported the upper level, known as the 3rd level or what locals referred to as the Sky Terrace. The main castle stood beneath the largest pillar at the center of the 2nd level, with the four towers, each supported by two pillars, stationed at the entrances.


    To provide a clearer picture, the Elford kingdom resided within a fortress, with the castle constructed atop it. The four towers overlooked the entrances, earning it the title of a castle, as travelers often perceived it towering like a mountain.


    Simon utilized a teleporter to descend to the underground level. As he wandered, he found himself inexplicably trailed by a group of dwarfs. Initially dismissing them, he grew apprehensive as their numbers increased, prompting him to break into a run.


    Finally arriving at the underground farm, Simon was startled when one of the dwarfs spoke up.


    ¡°Boy, wait! Please! Wait!!! Sorry for scaring you!!¡± the dwarf exclaimed.


    ¡°Do you need something from me?¡± Simon asked cautiously as the dwarfs caught up.


    ¡°Please, let us have a look at your weapons... We would even pay you!!¡± they requested eagerly.


    The dwarf begged with its puppy eyes¡­ of course it didn¡¯t look appealing to Simon. (Imagine the mustache)


    ¡°You should have told me before!!¡± Simon complained, but he retrieved the fin blade from his back.


    ¡°Sorry... we are just too shy without... oh!!! OOH!!!¡± Before he could finish his explanation, the dwarf began marveling at Simon¡¯s handmade sword, crafted from the fins of a monster he had encountered in a lake.


    ¡°Amazing... we would like to see you activate the magic on it!!!¡± the dwarf exclaimed, gesturing to the others while handing the sword back to Simon. Simon was surprised they could discern its magical potential.


    ¡°I can produce water by channeling magic through it,¡± Simon explained as he swung the sword, creating a shower of water with each stroke. The Dwarves erupted into applause.


    Amidst the applause, Simon produced another weapon: a knife crafted from the feathers of magic-wielding eagles. The Dwarves went wild at the sight of it. ¡°Use it!! USE IT!!!¡± they cheered, as if rallying for a cause.


    ¡°Do you want to have this? I''ve got plenty in my stock,¡± Simon offered. The Dwarves eagerly agreed.


    The dwarf to whom he had given the knife happily presented Simon with a badge and some silver pieces. It seemed odd, but Simon accepted them, realizing he could now purchase food from the stalls.


    The guard, observing the exchange, approached Simon. ¡°He gave you an all-pass badge. With it, you can access any area using the teleporter and enjoy its additional features... Those careless Dwarves seem to give it out as a reward.¡±


    Simon was pleasantly surprised; it seemed that Dwarves were a generous bunch. ¡°Can I use this to enter the underground farm?¡± Simon inquired of the guard, who also happened to be stationed at the entrance of the underground farm.


    ¡°Of course, You can also access the free samples area, where you can try out different crops,¡± the guard added, opening the small door for him.


    Simon stepped inside, descending the long staircase until he emerged in a cavernous underground space. It was expansive, with about four acres of land teeming with crops. Workers bustled about, tending to their tasks.


    ¡°Amazing!!!¡± Simon exclaimed, his voice echoing through the space. One of the workers approached him.


    ¡°Are you here for a visit?¡± the worker asked. The boy rummaged on his pocket and pulled out the VIP badge to show to the worker.


    ¡°Ah, a VIP then? Allow me to guide you around!!!¡± the worker said enthusiastically.


    Not only were edible plants cultivated in the underground farm, but it also boasted healing herbs and special varieties of flowers. In the center of it all stood a small tent, serving as the sampling area. Here, guests were permitted to cook some of the crops or even eat them raw. Simon found himself encountering some crops he had never seen before.


    ¡°This cavern was actually a dungeon, transformed through the use of Elford''s special technology and magic,¡± the worker explained. While Simon grasped some of the concept, much of it remained beyond his understanding. After a tour of the four-acre expanse, they made their way to the sampling tent. A few farmers were lounging inside, using it as a makeshift pantry.


    Simon and the worker who had been guiding him began cooking some of the crops there.


    ¡­


    After spending nearly a day touring the underground farm, planting, and harvesting, Simon felt satisfied. Now, he was ready for his next destination: the Sky Garden.


    ¡°Oh, since you have a badge, you can actually use a teleporter here!¡± the worker exclaimed. He guided Simon to the west end of the cavern, where a small cave housed a teleporter.


    ¡°I''ll input the settings. The view from the Sky Garden is amazing at night,¡± the worker added. Simon stepped into the circle, and within minutes, his surroundings changed.

 Chapter 11 :: The Sky Garden and the Museum

    The view of the twilight sky was very beautiful, a rare sight for Simon. He had seen this before when he was living in the mountains... Some memories flowed to him.


    ¡°Who are you!?¡± Then the voice of a girl drew his attention from the sky. Luckily, he was looking away from the direction of the voice.


    It was a girl, lightly dressed, and the wind was really picking up in the sky gardens. She hugged her body, clearly cold. Simon scanned the area, squinting slightly. He spotted a coat hanging high on a carving on the wall. There seemed to be no feasible way to reach it.


    ¡°I¡¯m Simon, are you cold?¡± Simon asked as the girl instantly raised her eyebrow.


    ¡°Ha?¡± she replied. Simon set down his bag and discreetly examined the wall, avoiding the girl''s gaze. With his eyes averted from her, he took out a knife, causing the girl to become instantly wary of him.


    He made sure to face away from the girl before opening his eyes. Positioning himself towards the wall, he began dashing and jumping onto it, essentially running vertically with the wind knife''s magic providing an air cushion to keep him flat against the surface.


    With skillful agility, he successfully retrieved the coat, using his momentum and the carvings on the wall to propel himself and change direction, swiftly returning to his starting point.


    He landed, ensuring his eyes remained closed. Slowly, he approached the girl, extending the coat towards her. ¡°What the... how did that? What just happened?!¡± the girl exclaimed.


    ¡°I took your coat?¡± Simon replied casually.


    The girl frowned, puzzled by how a seemingly younger, blind boy could accomplish such a feat. Despite the uncertainty, she felt a flicker of recognition. ¡°Are you a noble?¡± she inquired. Simon shook his head.


    Simon then retrieved the badge from his bag, a token gifted to him by the Dwarves. ¡°Ah! I see... you are a friend of the Dwarves... hmm,¡± the girl remarked, smiling. ¡°Too bad for you, being blind¡ªyou would have seen the greatest view of all times!¡± she taunted, tossing her hair. She was in her late teens, flowing blonde golden hair, a body that boasted an hour-shaped glass, her face carved by the goddess of beauty herself.


    ¡°Hmm... I can still smell you though,¡± Simon retorted. The girl attempted to strike him, but Simon deftly evaded her blow.


    ¡°How did you see that coming? Are you really blind?!¡± the girl demanded, making another attempt to hit him.


    ¡°Please just leave me alone,¡± Simon said, dodging another slap. He swiftly shouldered his bag and ran away.


    ¡­


    The sky garden was beautiful, but Simon''s desire to take in the sights was hindered by the girl following him. In just a few minutes, the sun had already set, casting darkness over the scene. Opening his eyes, Simon gazed down at a balcony, observing the kingdom below illuminated by magical lights, a breathtaking sight.


    The lights also brightened the Sky Terrace, adding to its beauty. The pathways glowed with the illuminations.


    ¡°I saw you!! You opened your eyes!! You are not blind!¡± the girl suddenly accused, noticing Simon''s downward gaze. Despite her assumption, Simon was certain he hadn''t revealed his sight, knowing she would hate of fear him.


    ¡°I''m not blind... but I have to close my eyes since I''m cursed,¡± Simon explained.


    The girl, Diana Elford, naturally didn''t believe him, but as strangers, they were both wary of each other. ¡°My name is Diana Elfo- hey! Where are you going?!¡± Diana protested as Simon attempted to leave while she introduced herself. With darkness enveloping them, Simon knew he had only a few more hours to explore, and he headed toward the museum.


    ¡°TAP-TAP¡±


    Simon paused, feeling Diana''s presence still trailing behind him. With a resigned sigh, he saw an opportunity. ¡°Can you guide me to the museum?¡± he asked her.


    ¡°What? It will be closed after a few hours?!¡± Diana exclaimed, surprised by the request.


    ¡°I see... it''s probably the last time and the first time that I¡¯ll be visiting this kingdom... that¡¯s a waste. Can you at least send me back to the main ground... I have to be back at the inn we are staying,¡± Simon explained, his words more than he had spoken in a while.


    Diana felt guilty for inconveniencing him. ¡°Tsk... okay!! Okay!!! Let¡¯s go to the museum! They''ll let you in if you''re with me!!!¡± Diana said.


    <--->


    The museum stood one side of the sky garden, magic lights was positioned to accentuate its majestic carvings on its wall, it was depicting a bit of history of the castle. The two entered and the guard that was watching the entrance almost jumped off his seat.


    Simon felt the tension among the museum staff as Diana entered. Her mere presence injected excitement and energy into the atmosphere. ¡°Please, feel free to stay as long as you like, Lady Diana!¡± the chief caretaker insisted, despite the museum''s impending closure.


    Diana, ever polite, turned to the caretaker. ¡°My friend and I would love a guided tour. Would you be our guide?¡± she asked graciously.


    ¡°Of course! It would be an honor, Pri-¡± the caretaker began, before Diana swiftly interrupted, her hand covering the caretaker''s mouth.


    ¡°He can¡¯t know that I¡¯m a princess, understand?¡± she whispered urgently. The caretaker nodded vigorously, realizing the importance of secrecy; she had to inform others too.


    Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    Due to museum regulations, Simon reluctantly surrendered his bag and weapons at the entrance.


    It was Simon¡¯s first time going into that kind of establishment. The museum had 2 floors; the second floor was more of a balcony, and some parts of the rooftop were made up of glass. The clear glass allowed one to see what was in the sky.


    The first floor displayed large artifacts from the dungeon and some statues of past rulers of the Elford Kingdom. The paintings on the second-floor balcony depicted the history of the Kingdom. From the start, their tour guide explained that everything in the museum was a replica and none of it was real.


    The museum''s interior was adorned with magically operated lights that were positioned to illuminate each exhibit, casting a mesmerizing glow that heightened the allure of the artifacts on display.


    What caught Simon¡¯s attention was the weapon of the first emperor. It was a sword with swaying curves. ¡°It is called the Howling Blade,¡± their guide explained. Simon wondered how the sword worked. After all, it looked quite hard to use because it was a curvy blade. ¡°The real one is made of the legendary Star Ingot¡± she added watching the face of the 2, Simon had a clapping reaction but Diana was silently nodding.


    In the center of the museum, a large table displayed a replica of the kingdom of Elford, skillfully crafted from clay.


    ¡°In the old days, this entire continent was called the Kingdom of Talmas,¡± the guide explained, gesturing with her hands. ¡°It was named after the first Elford patriarch before they were officially recognized as the main nobles governing the entire eastern continent. However, due to the popularity of the Elford family, it became more commonly known as the Elford Kingdom.¡± She then picked up a piece of clay to show more of the replica''s inner workings.


    It was another replica of the kingdom, this time depicting its former appearance. Initially, it resembled a citadel, later evolving into a fortress. The bastions atop the walls were strategically positioned as a defense against the monsters that once flooded from the dungeons.


    The castle of the Elfords were constructed later on, stood as the crown jewel of the kingdom. ¡°The last king wanted the Kingdom to be visited more that¡¯s why during his time he was more focused on creating attractions to draw more people into the eastern frontier¡­ but there are still more cons than pros on going to the eastern frontier¡± It was Diana who spoke.


    The guide nodded, she was right, as expected of the princess. The princess noticed that she disrupted the guide.


    ¡°... Oh sorry please continue,¡± Diana said.


    ¡­ Couple of hours passed¡­


    The tour ended.


    ¡°This is a freebie, a token of our gratitude for visiting the museum!¡± the chief caretaker of the museum gave them a replica of the Castle. It was like a toy that could be picked apart: the fortress, the bastions, and the castle could be removed, and the underground part could be twisted and removed also.


    The two left the museum. Diana looked more refreshed than before. It was a feeling that she had done something good that day.


    ¡°You like swords, do you?¡± suddenly Diana asked while titter-potting her steps.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Simon answers this like a question.


    ¡°Follow me!¡± Diana started walking faster. Simon sighed... he should be back in the inn now.


    <--->


    On the Southern side of the sky garden, there was a small stage there, usually nobles in the morning would train there. Since it was already dark, there was no one there, unlike the busy city below them the sky garden was silent, only the dim lights from the magic lamps illuminated the stage.


    ¡°Have a spar with me!!!¡± Diana excitedly said as she jumped onto the stage.


    Did she already figure out who he is? Simon recalled her from their first encounter in the forest (CH3-CH4). Squinting, he stole a glance at Diana, who retrieved a wooden training sword from a bunch hung at the side of the stage. She tapped it on the ground, producing a sharp sound, then casually rested it on her shoulder.


    ¡°Come on! Are you afraid I''ll beat you? I''m sure you''ll need 500 years of training to defeat me!¡± She taunted, tapping the wooden sword on her shoulders. Simon dropped his bag, and Diana immediately tossed him the wooden sword. Impressed, Diana nodded and reached for another wooden sword.


    ¡°There''s an ancient custom among nobles, a Sword Dance between swordsmen. Typically, it starts with a salute. Put your sword near your chest and¡­¡± Diana demonstrated as she spoke.


    Simon finished her sentence ¡°Wave and bow,¡± mimicking the action. ¡°You know the winner is free to ask for anything, right?¡± Simon smirked, igniting a spark of pride and curiosity in Diana for some reason.


    ¡°¡­How did you know that?¡± Diana''s curiosity about the stranger she''d encountered began to stir, though at this moment, she was more focused on her desire to engage in combat.


    ¡°Then you''ll be the challenger... but you''ll never beat me, not even in a thousand years,¡± Simon declared suddenly.


    Diana not boasting, she was the best swordsman in her family in terms of techniques and skill. The words from Simon were enough for her to launch a sudden attack. ¡°The old man taught me of this¡­ he was a good swordsman,¡± Simon said nonchalantly as he received the sword strike from Diana.


    Not even a dent in his stance. The boy was powerful. ¡°I see¡­ your technique¡­ timing and the sweet spot of the strike¡­ but not enough¡± Simon said. He mercilessly pushed Diana from their weapon¡¯s lock, Diana was nimble enough to land on her 2 feet.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Diana asked seriously.


    ¡°Simon... just Simon,¡± the boy replied, planting his feet in the customary stance he always assumed.


    ¡°You''re going to serve me until you die,¡± Diana declared, adopting her own stance, pointing her sword with one hand and placing her palms forward.


    Simon smirked silently in response¡­


    In a sword dance, the champion adjusts against the challenger, determined by the first strike. The goal of this dance is to disarm the opponent; both hitting and dodging are not allowed.


    Only touching swords in a pure battle of skill and wit, Diana exudes confidence in her abilities, while Simon, being a boy, naturally possesses greater strength. However, Diana currently holds the advantage in height, allowing her to potentially pin him down in close quarters.


    But Simon didn''t even flinch. Using her momentum, timing, and skill, Diana could produce a slashing force without exerting much effort, but Simon effortlessly parried it. Dodging, Simon shifted his stance to the left, poised to attack without encountering any resistance from Diana, but instead, he simply stepped back twice.


    ¡°... Are you belittling me?¡± Diana immediately noticed.


    ¡°No... I''m giving you a chance,¡± Simon said, finally flashing a smile. Diana snapped; it was time to get serious. She reentered Simon''s range and began sweeping her wooden sword.


    ¡°I win,¡± Simon suddenly muttered, swiftly advancing towards Diana with his sword held high. Instantly, Diana braced herself to defend against Simon''s strike.


    Instead, Simon twisted his sword deeper while spinning, weaving a bewildering attack. With a sudden shift, the slash transformed into a diagonal uppercut, striking a sweet spot near Diana¡¯s hands and sending her wooden sword spiraling from her grasp. She stood disarmed, momentarily stunned by the precision of Simon''s maneuver.


    Diana lost. She was in shock. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± she suddenly asked, her tone resembling that of a maiden in distress.


    ¡°Why are you acting like I¡¯m going to do something bad to you?¡± Simon asked, noting Diana¡¯s reaction after losing.


    ¡°You know that I was the one who challenged you... although it was just for fun, it was a valid sword dance... I will listen to your request,¡± she bashfully covered her body indicating a worry that was out of the boy¡¯s league.


    ¡°Can you send me down using the teleporter?¡± Simon said as he picked up the wooden sword, placing both back on the rack.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Diana sighed, disappointment evident in her tone.

 Chapter 12 :: Encounters

    The adventurer¡¯s guild, as ancient as the merchant¡¯s guild, holds perhaps the highest esteem, owing to its illustrious history and its archives filled with the deeds of legendary heroes. Legend has it that among all major settlements and towns, the adventurer¡¯s guild building always stands as the oldest building out of it all.


    The interior design throughout the branches of the guild remains consistent to provide adventurers with a sense of familiarity. The left wing houses the cafeteria, while the right wing spans two floors of the inn, doubling as a sick bay for the injured. One of the rooms is designated for the resident healer, Pam. In the center, the entrance leads to a display of the guild''s trophies, serving as the hub for taking quests and interacting with the receptionist. Adjacent to the quest board, a large map of the world adorns one wall. Upstairs in the left wing are the staff''s quarters and the guild master''s office.


    In some of the largest kingdoms and towns, the guild houses may be much larger, but this layout serves as the standard for the adventurer''s guild interior.


    Percival was no stranger to the guild; he had once been an adventurer, traversing the world and delving into dungeons. Checking the quest boards had become an ingrained habit from his adventuring days.


    Most of the quests seemed to involve slaying monsters, delivering goods, or escorting. However, two stood out as particularly challenging: one involved slaying Mad Bulls for their meat, while the other required delivering supplies to the dungeon. Both were classified as rank A, indicating their difficulty level.


    Percival''s mind refocused on his task. Having failed to secure the kingdom¡¯s official support, he knew he must rally more people to aid in defending the northern wall. He entered the reception area, finding no queuing lines since it was already lat in the morning.


    ¡°How may I assist you?¡± the receptionist greeted with a practiced smile.


    ¡°I would like to post a job,¡± Percival began, detailing the urgent situation unfolding in the north.


    ¡°Wait... is that real?¡± the receptionist asked, seeking confirmation from Percival. He nodded solemnly.


    ¡°Can you wait here for a moment?¡± the receptionist requested before swiftly leaving her post and ascending to the second floor of the building.


    <--->


    ¡°We will post it... at all adventurer¡¯s guilds in the world,¡± the guild master declared. Percival was summoned to the guild master¡¯s room.


    ¡°But even with such widespread distribution, the limited time may not suffice. You understand the precarious nature of adventurers'' lives,¡± the guild master elaborated. Adventurers often lived from paycheck to paycheck, struggling to manage their finances, with travel expenses always a concern.


    ¡°I can contribute some of my own funds, but my influence extends only as far as the eastern frontiers... I''m sorry. With a larger sum, we could achieve more,¡± the guild master conceded, bowing his head.


    The guild master understood Percival''s purpose; it perfectly aligned with the adventurer¡¯s guild''s core mission¡ªto slay monsters.


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Percival sighed, aware of his financial limitations and the thin spread of available adventurers. The timing of the siege up north couldn''t be worse.


    ¡°Then I would like to ask for one more favor,¡± Percival added, his tone determined. "Anything," the guild master nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Can you point me in the direction of the hero of the era? I''ve heard he''s somewhere around the eastern frontier,¡± Percival inquired.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the guild master affirmed. The adventurer¡¯s guild prided itself on its comprehensive knowledge of the world.


    <--->


    Percival exited the guild, he understood even from long ago, that nobles and the guilds acted separately. Nobles acted for their gains, and the guilds acted for their purpose in the first place. It would be funny if humanity were destroyed because of their lack of unity.


    An idea that made Percival smirk. They are going to the town near a dungeon south of the castle. If he can¡¯t recruit people, better try talking to the elites then. He sighed, and then he breathed in deeply, the air in the main level of the castle wasn¡¯t to his liking, he ought to drink a bit tonight.


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    He does miss the ale of the adventurer¡¯s guild but he wanted to try some different beverages at the inn.


    <--->


    Simon entered the inn, arriving rather late. He made a beeline for the reception, inquiring about Percival''s room.


    ¡°Oh, you''re his companion? We actually have a bit of a problem,¡± the inn''s receptionist explained, leading Simon to the cafeteria where he found Percival slumbering at a table. It seemed he had imbibed a bit too much.


    ¡°We''ve already prepared a room, but as you can see, he''s too big to be carried,¡± the receptionist remarked, gesturing to Percival who already had a blanket draped over him. It appeared they had given up trying to move him; after all, the northerner was quite heavy.


    ¡°I understand. Can you show me the room? I''ll take care of him,¡± Simon replied, ready to assist.


    The receptionist was taken aback as Simon effortlessly carried Percival onto his shoulders. ¡°Huh?!¡± she exclaimed, surprised by Simon''s strength.


    ¡°Oh, okay... let me show you the room!¡± she quickly responded, leading the way. The weight of the hefty northerner must have been considerable, yet Simon showed no signs of fatigue.


    As they made their way down the hallway, the heavy thuds of Simon''s steps reverberated loudly. Despite the noise, they reached their room on the upper floor without incident. Simon deftly ascended the ladder, carrying Percival with ease.


    ¡°Here is the room! Let me open it!¡± the receptionist announced, unlocking the door with the key from her belt. As the door swung open, a musty smell filled the air. The receptionist quickly opened the windows to let in fresh air.


    Inside, Percival''s belongings were neatly arranged, indicating that the inn was indeed trustworthy. Simon gently lowered Percival onto one of the beds in the room, which boasted two beds.


    ¡°I''ll just remove his boots. Give me a moment!¡± the receptionist offered, displaying her expertise in hospitality. She carefully took off Percival''s large boots and placed them neatly near the door, while Simon helped him onto the bed.


    ¡°Thank you, ma''am,¡± Simon expressed his gratitude with a bow.


    ¡°If you need anything, just ring the bell,¡± the receptionist pointed out the bell by the door, to which Simon nodded in acknowledgment. With a bow, the receptionist left the room.


    It had been a while since Simon had slept in a proper room, and he felt a bit uneasy. Nevertheless, he began to prepare himself for sleep.


    <--->


    Early in the morning, the queen awoke from her slumber. With a sigh, she braced herself for yet another day of managing the affairs of the kingdom, marveling at how her husband handled the ceaseless workload day after day. As she sat up, a maid awaited her, swiftly drawing back the curtains to flood the room with morning light.


    Stretching her arms, the queen yearned for a glimpse of the Sky Garden. Though her husband''s absence left a tinge of loneliness, her spirits lifted at the sight of her daughter below, practicing swordsmanship with a radiant smile.


    ¡°How much time do I have until the work of the day starts?¡± the queen asked away.


    ¡°My queen¡­ you still have 2 hours and a half¡± the maid answered, she also acted as the secretary of the queen, usually there were 4 of them shifting the hours.


    ¡°I see¡­ prepare me my training clothes, I want to work out some sweat,¡± the queen said.


    Usually, she would read some documents during those 2 hours of free time but she wanted a change of pace.


    ¡­


    In moments, the queen found herself outside, reassured by the absence of nobles. She habitually rose before everyone else. Her daughter noticed her presence.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you seem cheery today,¡± the queen remarked. Diana appeared more refreshed than when she returned from her expedition up north, where the Marcians had requested an early dungeon culling.


    ¡°Do you want to spar?¡± Diana suddenly proposed, having already observed her mother''s attire and understanding her desire to exercise.


    ¡°I''m up for it. Let''s go,¡± so the queen said, Diana immediately used her sword to tap another wooden sword on the direction of her mother whom caught it effortless.


    The two engaged in a one-hour spar.


    Their activity was abruptly interrupted when a maid approached the queen. ¡°My queen, an artifact has been stolen,¡± the maid reported, halting the mother-daughter bonding time.


    ¡°... Zach... What the hell?!¡± the queen exclaimed, her mood swiftly soured.


    <--->


    Simon and Percival were preparing to depart. Despite the events of yesterday, Percival couldn¡¯t recall how he ended up on the bed. As he searched for his boots, he found them tucked behind Simon¡¯s backpack. He reached for them, attempting to move the backpack out of the way, but was surprised by its weight.


    ¡°Simon, your backpack is too heavy!¡± he complained, though he could still carry it in one hand.


    ¡°Well, I''ve got dried meat and plenty of salt,¡± Simon replied. Percival recalled Simon''s fighting style¡ªfast and agile, even with his heavy bag.


    ¡®Just how much explosive power does this boy have?¡¯ Percival wondered as he put on his boots. ¡°We''re heading south, to a town near a dungeon,¡± Percival briefed Simon on their destination.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Simon nodded in response.


    ¡°Where did you go last night?¡± Percival inquired as he noticed that the boy was exuding a good positive aura.


    ¡°Sightseeing... It''s beautiful here,¡± Simon answered without looking back, the big man new it was a girl, probably?


    In a few minutes, the two were ready to depart.


    ¡­


    After settling the bill, the two stepped outside and made their way to the southern gate for their exit. An Ox Carriage, often stationed there for passengers, awaited them. They boarded it and set off southward. However, since the carriage only traveled along main roads, they still needed to walk a bit to reach their final destination. The journey was escorted by two parties of adventurers, adding an extra layer of safety.

 Chapter 13 :: Hero of the ERA

    In a tavern lay near the entrance of a dungeon, Percival caught sight of the hero and his companions. With a glint of recognition in his eyes, Percival approached, his steps echoing softly on the worn wooden floor.


    After feeling their presence, Percival knew it was the hero¡¯s party.


    ¡°Sir hero, what fortune to find you here,¡± Percival greeted, his voice tinged with relief. The hero nodded his head in acknowledgment, his weary party of three seeking respite after their latest dive into the depths of the dungeon. ¡°If you have a moment, might I speak with you?¡± Percival continued.


    The town they were staying in is called Beson, situated southwest of the kingdom of Elford, and is still considered a part of Elford¡¯s lands. This town serves as a hub for adventurers delving into the dungeon, the very same dungeon the hero was assigned to.


    Beson is just 10 years younger than the Elford Kingdom. It is your typical town, complete with walls, gates, and stone structures. The marketplace bustles with activity, offering an array of weapons and rations tailored for adventurers.


    At the heart of the town, one can find the standard Merchant¡¯s Guild and Adventurer¡¯s Guild. These guilds are prominently located in the middle of Beson and can be easily spotted upon entering the gates of the wall.


    The hero was carrying a spear, wore his jumpers that was made out of monster leather, a head band on his head and the spiky hair made him stand out. Two of his party members seemed to be mages, judging by the staffs they were holding.


    One was dressed in light greenish clothes that was akin to a poncho, his hair was well kept in a letter of M, he was handsome a kind of a pretty boy. Female that was on the tavern would immediately notice him.


    The last party member was a tall man with Black Hood, his face displayed a much older grit probably because of stress.


    ¡°Of course¡­ can I take a bath first?¡± he said, scratching his head.


    ¡°Sir hero, I will be submitting our spoils in the adventurers guild; I¡¯ll just follow you after,¡± one of his party members said. It was the black cloak with a small staff hanging on his waist.


    ¡°Of course. How about you, Raphael?¡± Raphael was a green-haired young man, probably the youngest of the three of them. His poncho fluttered but his face was clearly on a diminished state.


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat first¡­ I¡¯m beat,¡± he said, his face deathly pale.


    <--->


    It was a middle-class to upper-class type of inn. Even though he was the hero, it seemed that they took care of their expenses. The inn was an extension of a more famous inn in the central continent.


    They were currently in the hero¡¯s room, which was a bit large since it housed the three of the party.


    ¡°My name is Paramour; they call me the Searing Fire¡­ how can I help you?¡± Paramour introduced. Percival and Simon were inside the hero¡¯s room. The hero was drying his hair.


    Simon noticed the awkwardness after the hero introduced that he was called the Searing Fire. ¡°Oh! Of course, you are from the real frontier! Well, the guys in the central love it when we announce our call names. Sorry!¡± the hero broke the ice.


    Percival sighed. ¡°I will get straight to the point¡­¡±


    ¡­


    ¡­¡±So, this next winter?¡± The hero stroked his chin thoughtfully. Suddenly, the silence was shattered by a vibrant entrance.


    ¡°Hello there! Ah, I¡¯m feeling rejuvenated and refreshed! Back to life and full of vigor! Para-mi! What did I miss?¡± Raphael''s presence was unmistakable, radiating with newfound vitality.


    ¡­


    ¡°What? A siege... right?¡± Raphael said.


    ¡°Yes... we haven¡¯t properly ventured outside the wall. We cannot confirm their origin, and they are intelligent enough to retrieve their comrades'' corpses-¡± there was a frustrating tone on Percival¡¯s voice ¡°-preventing us from gaining any information from them.¡± The monster siege on the northern wall had been ongoing for a long time, but it has never been this intense in recent years.


    ¡°You call them Spike, right?¡± Paramour said, standing up. He approached closer to Percival.


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine it... a black tiger-like creature that has six legs, six tails that shoot out corrosive spikes... what the heck?¡± Raphael verbalized as he tried to imagine how it would.


    ¡°I¡¯m a hero... I will lend you my help... but I need to finish my quest here.¡± The hero¡¯s duty is simple: they do not fight in human wars; rather, they are the ones who cull the dungeons to prevent an overflow. He was close enough to hand out his hands to Percival.


    ¡°Thank you so much... that gives me peace of mind,¡± Percival bowed then shook the hero¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t do that! My successor actually did a really good job on his time. We don¡¯t have that much going on right now because of him,¡± the hero said finishing the hand shake. He then took his spear. ¡°Well, there is a training area next to this tavern. I have been fighting with monsters for a long time, and I would like to fight with a human once in a while.¡±


    The hero wanted to test his strength against the people who actually lived in the frontier. Some stories said that life there is harsh... fighting monsters was a natural event, unlike in the central and the continents around it, where dungeons were the only place you can find monsters.


    ¡°Then it will be a pleasure,¡± Percival menacingly smiled.


    <--->


    The hero of the era was the stuff of legends. From the tales of his exploits to the stories of his glories, even his weapons had their own stories. Percival hailed from the north; he would not back down from an honest challenge. There was a small open area outside the inn.


    Spectators began to watch as the two started swinging at each other. The screams and clashing of their weapons could be heard even by the customers eating inside the tavern. Simon stood on the side, continuously helping himself to sandwiches since the hero said he would pay.


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    Although the weakness of a spear was the axe, Paramour, the hero, skillfully maneuvered his spear.


    ¡°So this is the spear made out of the branch of the tree of life,¡± Percival was amazed as the spear kept changing its form, resembling a bamboo dancing in the wind.


    The tip was covered with leather clothes so that it would not cause a wound.


    ¡°You are good too; your swings are deadly!¡± The two suddenly stopped and bowed to each other.


    Paramour quickly noticed the excited glare of Simon. ¡°You want to try, boy?¡± the hero smiled and invited Simon.


    He set down his belongings and finish off his sandwich before drawing forth a formidable sword crafted from fins.


    ¡°That sword is certainly strange,¡± remarked Raphael, observing from the sidelines.


    ¡°Come at me¡­ give me your best shot¡­¡± the hero shot a taunt at the boy and he grinned, wiping his mouth.


    The duel commenced. To Paramour, the boy fought in an unorthodox manner... Simon was merely toying with him, which bruised Paramour''s pride. Rarely did someone show mercy in combat with him, yet the boy seemed to do so effortlessly. Though skilled with the blade, Paramour wanted to spice things up.


    ¡°How about I pay for your dinner today if you win? Hmm?¡± The change in mood was perceivable among the onlookers, yet Paramour maintained his smile.


    Percival facepalmed, recalling both the kid''s trainer and his fervent love for food. Having spent time with Simon, he knew food ranked above all else in the boy''s heart.


    ¡°Hey Simon, this is just a mock¡­¡± Before Percival could finish, Simon launched himself straight at the hero, his determination clear.


    The hero quickly intercepted at the right moment as soon as Simon entered his range, the spear swept down.


    Simon dodged, but the hero was clearly waiting for it. He bent the spear''s body, causing the entire weapon to curve in another direction. Although the spear tip seemed to follow through Simon, it was a feint. Simon, having observed earlier that the spear only bent in one direction, swiftly moved without hesitation in another direction. The hero was visibly surprised.


    ¡°Paramour!!!¡± Raphael''s voice echoed with concern, he was worried for his friend.


    There was no way he could dodge the attack aimed at his right torso. The sound of Simon¡¯s sword whipping through the air was horrifying.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Paramour then released his left hand, which gripped the other end of the spear blade, now bent. The normal spring of the wood snapped back into its original shape, creating a powerful force. Simon saw it coming and attempted to defend himself with the hilt of his sword, but the wooden part of his sword broke upon impact.


    The blunted side of the spear struck him on his right cheek, sending the child tumbling to the ground.


    ¡°Oh shit!!! Sorry!!! Call Pam! I might have shaken his head or something!¡± Percival and Raphael were visibly shocked by the incident. If Simon weren''t a normal child, his neck might have snapped from the force.


    ¡°Paramour, you dumb ass!! You know how hard that spear snaps back!!¡± Raphael complained, torn between wanting to pick up Simon and fearing for the boy''s safety. (His neck might be broken)


    <--->


    Simon woke up, finding himself already lying on the bed. His broken sword lay nearby. A strange numbness tingled in his jaw, hinting at a possible break. He felt a pang of sadness realizing he had only three water blades left, but what saddened him more was the realization that there would be no free dinner tonight.


    Still, Simon couldn''t shake the feeling that his neck might be broken. However, he brushed it off, feeling surprisingly okay.


    Glancing out the window, he saw that it was already nighttime, and hunger gnawed at his stomach.


    Descending from the second floor of the inn, Simon was met with applause and cheers from the people below. Some whistled, but most clapped enthusiastically.


    Gathered at the tables of the inn, the party of the hero sat alongside the imposing figure of the large northerner, all occupying a single table.


    Suddenly, the hero approached Simon, attempting to hug him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!! I messed up!! But you were actually going to slash the hell out of me!!¡± There was a distinct smell of alcohol on him. Simon pushed the hero away.


    ¡°It''s okay, I''ve been trained to fight with a broken shoulder and knee sometimes,¡± Simon replied. Percival actually believed him; it was plausible given the old man he knew. He felt a twinge of pity but also recognized Simon''s potential as a valuable asset.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± the hero begged for mercy.


    ¡°I would still like to spar properly sometime, though,¡± Simon meant it, and the crowd fell silent.


    ¡°Percii his a different beast oh mam more meat please and a lager!!!¡± it was Raphael and unlike the hero, he could actually hold his alcohol.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for his actions; he''s just a bad drunk,¡± the black hood said to the innkeeper, who simply shrugged it off.


    ¡°So he''s the keeper of you two. Lucky you!¡± Percival remarked to Raphael, who continued to eat his favorite skewers, unfazed.


    <--->


    A few days later...


    The merry party of Percival and the hero found themselves outside the town¡¯s gate, with Paramour explaining them to where they could recruit more adventurers to join their cause.


    ¡°Then we''ll be on our way now, hah! Back to the dungeons again,¡± Paramour said, letting out a big sigh. The two parties had stayed together at the inn for a few days, growing closer to the point where Simon felt comfortable with their presence.


    ¡°Oh, how will we traverse the Dark Forest?¡± Raphael suddenly asked.


    ¡°The forest folk will guide you, just please don¡¯t disturb their forest,¡± Simon replied, explaining the route they had taken to save time. He showed Raphael a piece of a knife.


    ¡°I totally forgot... Blow on this leaf, and they will come to you. Then show this knife as proof,¡± Simon activated its special effect, and a gentle breeze emerged.


    ¡°Oh! Amazing! Give it to me!¡± Raphael eagerly took it.


    <--->


    ¡°Wind Blade!¡± Raphael merrily played with his newfound toy, channeling magic into the small knife and effortlessly creating wind blades with each swing. It was remarkably convenient.


    In annoyance, the black hood took it from him. ¡°Don¡¯t fling wind blades around; this is a common road!¡± he warned Raphael as they walked the path west back to the dungeon.


    The black hood then curiously examined the small knife, realizing it was some part of a monster of sorts. ¡°How do you activate the magic on it?¡± he asked.


    Raphael snorted as if mocking him. ¡°Just tell me, you clown!¡± the black hood raised his voice a little.


    ¡°Pour some magic on it¡­ but it''s not that simple,¡± Paramour answered. The black hood tried but nothing happened.


    ¡°Only those with good compatibility with wind magic can do it!¡± Raphael confirmed.


    ¡°But¡­ he was using a water blade when you sparred yesterday,¡± the black hood said, finally realizing Simon''s compatibility with wind and water elements.


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t use spells; it''s all his physical abilities. That boy is ridiculously strong,¡± Paramour said, surprising the black hood.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t activate magic enchantment when he attacked you in your first spar; that''s why I warned you,¡± Raphael said, showing his expertise in such matters.


    The two stared at Raphael. Didn''t he call Paramour''s name with a worried tone?


    ¡°In terms of raw physicality and skill, he is leagues above me. I wouldn¡¯t stand a chance if I weren¡¯t using this spear¡­ that kid is a monster,¡± Paramour said. The first spar and the second spar were good experiences for him.


    ¡°I want to spar with that kid more. Let¡¯s get to work! Elford would pay us more if we pushed the borders of the dungeon farther! I¡¯m going to be a billionaire!¡± Paramour said excitedly, getting pumped up.


    ¡°Oh, I actually donated some of the money we got to the orphanage in the town. They have some big eaters there¡­ especially that girl Sandy, one big girl,¡± the Black Hood said, causing Paramour to almost fall down.


    ¡°What?!¡± Raphael and Paramour simultaneously exclaimed.


    <--->


    Percival and Simon continued south, riding in a cart and lying down on a stack of hay. It was raining, so they covered themselves with their water-resistant cloaks.


    ¡°What do you think of the hero?¡± Simon, usually silent, initiated the conversation.


    ¡°He is a good man; he will probably honor his words,¡± Percival replied.


    Simon wasn''t asking for that reason. It was the first time he wanted to spar with someone again since the old man passed away.


    During one of their sparring sessions, when he caught the hero off guard, the hero started using some kind of magic and became stronger.


    It was probably enchantment magic, the thing the old man had told him to learn. The world is still vast and unknown, Simon smirked as he enjoyed the chilly rain at the back of the cart.

 Chapter 14 :: South end Bandits

    Simon was familiar with the view; the two had been leisurely traveling in the cart. Paramour suggested heading south to the fisherman village, where he had an acquaintance who could recruit adventurers.


    It had rained the night before, so the morning was a bit cool.


    It had been almost a month since he left the islands to return to the village of his birth. It was fascinating how time flew when traveling. For some reason, the cart had already stopped, and there was a long line of traffic on the main road.


    Facing south, there was a large expanse of farmland, considered the largest in the entire eastern continent. The main road passed through the middle of it, supplying not only the entire eastern continent but also sending some of its produce to the central continent. Simon had traveled east on an off-road route, particularly near the Black River, when heading north.


    The rain had just subsided; the land was moist and wet, but there was smoke ahead to the south. The carts on the left side continued flowing, but after a while, a traveling cart came screaming to the carriages heading south.


    ¡°The Blood Axe Gang is attacking! Don¡¯t go south!¡± he screamed at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°What the heck¡­ but it''s interesting,¡± Percival said. He looked at Simon; the boy had too many experiences with bandits. There are generally two types of bandits: those with a cause and those who simply want to survive. Depending on what type they were, they must be dealt with immediately.


    Judging by the direction of the smoke, it was not on the main road; they had burned something on the farm. ¡°We should take a look at it,¡± Simon said as he jumped down. Percival followed suit.


    ¡°Sir, we would like to check ahead. Can we leave some of our sacks here?¡± Percival politely asked as he handed some coins to the cart driver.


    ¡°Okay, I won''t be going anywhere with this traffic... Be careful, or I''ll keep your things,¡± the driver said. He then dismounted and started cleaning his horse¡¯s muddy legs from walking in the rain.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you too cool?¡± Percival asked.


    ¡°We all die someday. If I worry too much, I won¡¯t be able to live my life properly. Just take care and come back. I can see that you are not a normal traveler, eh?¡± The cart driver, somewhere around 30, looked at him as someone enlightened.


    Simon took his two water blades and three pieces of wind knives. Percival was just carrying his axe and his coat.


    <--->


    Three groups of four bandits were ransacking the carts and carriages, even taking the horses and leaving only the humans inside.


    ¡°We are finished here, next!¡± one of the leaders of the three groups said. They would skip two after raiding a cart; it was efficient, and they wouldn¡¯t miss a single one. The four laughed, knowing that the people inside were just waiting in their place after making an example of the first and second carts they raided.


    The words ¡°We will leave you unscathed if you follow us¡± were too effective; humans really are easy, they thought.


    They passed one carriage and checked with the leader who was taking the cart¡¯s valuables. They passed another cart, and there was no one there. The driver was there, shaking in fear.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡®The second team should already be there ransacking,¡¯ he thought. He looked back from where they came, but the next carriage back was already finished; it was strange.


    ¡°Kid¡­ you, not even a sound, huh?¡±


    He heard a voice, but it was not familiar. He looked behind him and finally smelled blood. All of his three parties were dead.


    ¡°The old man said that I should kill bandits indiscriminately if I can¡¯t subdue them¡­ especially if they are the bandits that fight for a cause,¡± Simon said, standing there among the dead bodies, his demeanor cold.


    ¡°That¡¯s how it should be, then?¡± Percival commented.


    The bandit, upon seeing this, tried to run to warn the others in the carriage behind them, but for some reason, he fell down, his view divided into two until he finally saw the ground on his face.


    ¡°You sliced him down in half? You are much more brutal,¡± Simon said, observing the one-cut display.


    Simon instantly knew that they were bandits fighting for a cause because of their stature, the appearance that they were well-fed, and their clothes not ragged... Some of them even had good weapons.


    <--->


    Sebas, the commander of the bandits, was now studying a map, running scenarios through his mind.


    ¡°Sir, we already have the first storage house and burned it. The second storage house is fighting much better than we expected,¡± a man wearing knight¡¯s armor reported to the leader of the Bloody Axe.


    There were about 20 members of the fallen knights once known as the Golden Axe. Fourteen years ago, these knights were stripped of their crest and sent to the eastern frontier to serve under the Elford clan.


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    There was quite a huge fuss about a certain mission gone wrong; few names leaked out, but as per the noble¡¯s society and rankings, blame needed to be pinned, and they were the ones who took it.


    They were a 60-man honorable knights order. Forty of them retired upon the said banishment, while the others followed the command to go into the eastern continent. Their commander retired too, refusing to go into the eastern frontier.


    Sebas, the vice commander, had a different plan, though. He went with the migration together with the 20 who remained. He had to build a reputation for a while, which is why he created a pseudo group called the Bloody Axe.


    The names and theatrics really did their work; they immediately gained fame as the counterpart of the largest rising bandit group in the eastern frontier.


    By no means was he using the knights to commit crimes; he was recruiting villagers, outcasts, and sometimes criminals to do his dirty work. However, he had to reveal everything after some time and then do a bit of a purge.


    The purge consisted of several actions, like flushing out some members who were against him and promoting some of the better criminals.


    Sebas knew that loyalty was running low around him and had to rely on a carrot-and-stick approach. The last master of the Golden Axe had always put loyalty as the most important trait a knight can have; pride and honor were what lay behind it.


    ¡°Just continue. If we control the farmlands of the eastern continent, we would be able to control everything in the eastern frontier¡­ then we could wage war on the central,¡± Sebas said. He was sure of his plan; he even waited for the Knight Order of the Elford to do their yearly dungeon push.


    He even set it up to be harder, since the knights of the Elford, including the Golden Axe, would rotate in raiding the dungeons by schedules. He purposely didn¡¯t do his part, making the yearly dungeon raids earlier and harder.


    Now, instead of going to the dungeon they were assigned to, they attacked the farmlands. The noble who was protecting the farmland didn¡¯t expect them, but after losing the first storage room, they were eagerly fighting back.


    <--->


    ¡°Hold the lines!!! Hey!!! Don¡¯t overextend; use the goddamn spear!¡± The commander of the soldiers defending the second storage was fuming, also holding a spear and commanding the small forces under his family¡¯s name.


    ¡°He killed Maya!!! Argh!!¡± a soldier followed a female soldier.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s why I hate romance in a group! This shit happened when I was an adventurer too!!¡± a soldier complained bitterly, taking it out on the bandits attacking them. The few 25 were now 23, including the commander.


    The bandits numbered about a hundred. For a long time now, the Bloody Axe Bandit group has been gaining infamy, and its members too.


    ¡°...?!¡± Although he was fighting, his height made him able to see better in battle. He could see that there was a commotion behind the lines of the thieves attacking.


    ¡°Damn it, finally brother is here with reinforcements!¡± he said, but there was spraying in the air, coloring the moist ground red... It was raining blood behind the back lines of the thieves. The commander instantly realized that it was not his brother.


    <--->


    ¡°Oh, you are more brutal than I thought. What the hell did that old man teach you?¡± Percival was in awe at how high the blood sprayed each time Simon cut. Actually, the blood only came out a few seconds after the cut.


    ¡°Yours are just grimy and not even clean¡­¡± Simon answered back. Percival was literally splitting enemies in two: horizontally, vertically, and sometimes diagonally.


    Simon never really bothered with blood¡­ the smell of death and the faces of those he had slain¡­ didn¡¯t even flash back in his mind. He was a cold killing machine that didn¡¯t even pause or feel remorse.


    Even the old man praised him for this trait since he was little.


    ¡°Who are you!? Are you knights?!¡± Among the bandits, Simon and Percival immediately noticed that the one who screamed was an elite.


    The field captain of the bandits attacking the storage house had to send one of the elites to check it out. The few elites in the bandit group were actually knights and some of the better criminals.


    ¡°Sir Trundle¡­ be careful, sir¡­ they are really strong,¡± one of the bandits who saw how Simon and Percival slaughtered their comrades warned.


    Trundle was a criminal known as a party slayer. When he was an adventurer, he would lure a party of adventurers by joining them. He didn¡¯t take pleasure in killing; rather, he wanted to have a battle with lives on the line.


    ¡°Fuck off, weakling¡­ continue the attack¡­ I will enjoy this.¡± Trundle was a large man with many scars on his face.


    ¡°Oh crap, he is holding a spear¡­ yours, kid.¡± Percival knew from the bloodlust the man that arrived was emanating; he was in a different league and he was holding a spear too¡ªa good coincidence for Simon it seems.


    The boy smiled. He was looking for a fight with someone who is a spear user.


    ¡°I see practice then¡­¡± Simon said as he acknowledged the bloodlust Trundle was showing.


    ¡°I would enjoy it too if the two of you would come at me, but a boy? Let¡¯s see what you got.¡± Trundle knew that the enemies in front of him were not normal, but he didn¡¯t care. Knowing that he was going to be fighting against strong enemies put his heart on thrill.


    <--->


    The noble commanding the defense of the storage house noticed that the enemy was thinning out. Of course, there could be a chance that the entity slaying the bandits was an intelligent monster. The frontier was never too safe a place.


    He had to decide now. If he brought the fight into the storage house, then it would be a problem. He had to find a way to lead the monster away from the storage house.


    ¡°They are thinning out!! We will launch an attack at my mark!!¡± the noble screamed. The soldiers knew they would have to lay down their lives; the storage houses contained the food that supplied the whole eastern frontier. If it burned like the first one, they would not survive the winter¡ªespecially their families.


    But the soldier at the front noticed the sudden change in atmosphere coming from the attacking bandits.


    ¡°Run!! Run away!! Let¡¯s get out of here!!¡± one of the bandits screamed.


    ¡°I HAVE SLAIN YOUR LEADER!! FUCK OFF!!¡± It was a large man wearing a fur coat. He was bloody, and his axe was bloody; he was holding the head of the field captain of the attacking bandits.


    ¡°Crap!! We have to run!! The captain has been slain!!¡± another bandit said, and confusion consumed the bandit.


    ¡°SOLDIERS!! ATTACK THE BANDITS!! DON¡¯T LET THEM GET AWAY!!¡± the noble who was reading the scene screamed, and the soldiers, although tired, lunged into attack.


    <--->


    Trundle finally understands what is happening. ¡°Is that all you got? Why did you stop?¡± the boy said. For the record, he was not tired; rather, he was enjoying the first few minutes of their fight.


    But there was something that didn¡¯t register with him¡­ something that was missing. Usually, when fighting the adventurers that he lured, he would land cuts and wounds¡­ although he would struggle in the fight, every time he got hit, it gave him more fuel.


    The fight was just cold and calculated. Then he remembered some of the words the boy said¡­ ¡°Practice?¡±


    No, he must be joking. For some reason unknown, he knew he had to fight seriously; there was no time for him to be tilted in the situation. ¡°So you still have some more?¡± the boy said.


    Trundle started swinging his spear like he meant it. Simon smiled as he parried and dodged the attacks.

 Chapter 15 :: Out of the NORM

    Trundle¡¯s spear was heavy, sturdy to the fact that it wouldn¡¯t vibrate that much whenever he hits another weapon. The heavy pierces and swings were sure to wound any man it hit... but that was an if.


    ¡°I see¡­ that was a good angle, didn¡¯t see that,¡± Simon said as he deflected another piercing attack from the armored enemy.


    Trundle was sweating¡­ he was starting to breathe really hard. The armor, the spear¡­ the weight of himself all slugging his muscles. From the moment he knew how to fight, how to hold a spear, he knew he was out of the norm, he would allow his enemies to strike first, akin to getting a first taste. He was confident of his skill, power and ability.


    The in front of him was out of the norm too, that¡¯s why he wasn''t even fighting back.


    ¡°Shit!!!¡± his spear slipped and flew away¡­ it dropped to the ground. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± the boy was in front of him, and whatever the boy did, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. He tried to run, but for some reason, his feet remained planted in the ground.


    The boy¡¯s steps sounded terrifying to him. Trundle knelt firm, ready to lose some limbs, but the boy just passed. Upon reaching the spear that slipped he kicked it back to Trundle.


    ¡°How about you remove your armor¡­ it will make you fight faster¡­ the mud just makes it heavier to move,¡± a suggestion from the boy, the boy was not mocking him.


    ¡°If you''re going to kill me, just kill me already¡­ you''re stronger, just kill me,¡± Trundle said. It seemed that he had finally given up.


    ¡°You have the scent of a murderer¡­¡± Simon spoke in an intimidating way. ¡°When you commit it, didn¡¯t they struggle? Don¡¯t give up¡­ struggle.¡±


    Trundle opened his eyes widely. He started removing his armor. He had been a coward all his life. The battle to the death was just an excuse. He could have chosen more powerful enemies. Hell, he could have just gone to a deeper level of dungeons but he didn¡¯t.


    ¡°Whenever I kill, I make sure they have the chance to struggle¡­ or make it painless,¡± Simon said. He learned it from the old man. ¡°But thieves¡­ slay them like animals¡­¡± It was a cold additional comment.


    ¡°So I would not survive? Why are you dragging this out?¡± Trundle asked.


    ¡°I would like to see the totality of your skills with the spear. I want to beat someone who uses a spear,¡± Simon answered truthfully.


    ¡°Practice, eh?¡± Trundle was ready now. Only wearing his clothes, no armor. He would at least show everything he had. He felt his heartbeat, blood boiling into his muscles¡­ he was still evolving, if he won the fight then it would be a breakthrough. He psyched himself up, ready to trade limbs for his life.


    He had never felt as much clarity had he ever had. He focused and looked at the boy, but all of his pumping up disappeared¡­ as he noticed Simon¡¯s eyes¡­ it was closed.


    <--->


    The soldiers shot arrows to maim the thieves that were escaping, finishing them off as they passed. The noble commanding them demanded that they leave no one they reach alive.


    The escaping thieves went in a different direction. Their leader must have been dead already. Some of the thieves threw their weapons on the ground, but the soldiers still killed some for more examples.


    Loud clangs of metal were heard. The soldiers instantly realized what it was: there was still a battle going on ahead.


    After a few more steps, they saw a half-naked man and a boy duking it out. The boy calmly parried and dodged the man¡¯s attacks.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you''re getting better¡­¡± the boy spoke. The naked man was sweating profusely. ¡°AARGH!!!¡± he screamed, giving it his all, but he was slowing down. There was a serene look on his face, even as he screamed his lungs out.


    Simon didn''t need words; they spoke clearly with their weapons. ¡°I see¡­ thanks for the lesson,¡± the boy said.


    In one slash, the spear broke into two, and the boy conjured a water blade with some kind of magic. The man¡¯s head cleanly lifted off, and the blood didn¡¯t spurt until after the body touched the ground.


    The act inspired fear and terror in those who watched, but to the noble, it was both amazing and awful.


    The large northerner approached the boy ¡°Simon!? Why do you look so disappointed?¡± Percival asked.


    ¡°Is it over now?¡± Simon asked. The noble who arrived immediately approached them.


    ¡°Wait... not yet. The Bloody Axe bandit group is still out there! I implore you to help us. I will offer you generous rewards!!¡± The noble appeared distraught, his tone neither demanding nor bossy.


    ¡°You led the soldiers in defense... good job. Can you provide more details?¡± Percival inquired, seeking further information.


    ¡°They''ve been plundering the main road for the past few hours, emerging from the hills to the north,¡± the noble responded, having witnessed the events firsthand. He glanced at the burning storage house a few kilometers away.


    The northern hills lie directly south of the Elford¡¯s castle. The queen must have spotted the smoke. The attack occurred at a time when the kingdom couldn¡¯t deploy troops. Something is at play here, Percival pondered.


    ¡°This one was wearing knight''s armor, despite not being accustomed to fighting in it,¡± Simon added, contributing more details.


    ¡°The leader wore a ragged cloak over a quality armor. Some among them aren''t typical bandits,¡± Percival observed, directing his gaze at the noble, who had no immediate explanation.


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    ¡°I beseech you. I, Peron Wiseman, stake my name on rewarding you generously,¡± the noble said, even kneeling down in earnest.


    ¡°We will do what we can... The new generation is quite different, isn''t it?¡± Percival remarked, noting the noble, half his age, kneeling before them.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually from the central. My brother and I were sent here to extend our reach into the eastern frontier,¡± the noble disclosed quietly.


    ¡°I see... that¡¯s good. Then we will be going now,¡± Percival said.


    ¡°Wait, can at least one of you stay here? My brother was supposed to provide support, but he is late... Please, stay until they arrive,¡± the noble pleaded. His reasoning was logical; there were still many bandits around, including some elite ones.


    Knights are generally considered stronger than soldiers. Soldiers are typically conscripted farmers or young adults, not accustomed to fighting, though they undergo basic training. Despite the danger, these soldiers would still join in due to the benefits.


    ¡°You should make a perimeter... Simon, I know you''re eager to go, but please stay here. You''re on guard duty,¡± Percival ordered. The noble nodded, having witnessed what the boy was capable of, even with his eyes closed.


    <--->


    Percival, an expert hunter, was among the scouts patrolling the northern walls. Despite his slow pace, he moved silently; not even the birds in the trees took notice of him.


    It was almost nightfall, the sky transitioning into hues of deep purple and dusky orange. Percival''s steps were deliberate, his senses attuned to the subtle shift in the air as darkness crept closer. As he moved, the flicker of torches illuminated the surroundings, casting dancing shadows across the forest floor. Each glimmer of light served as a beacon, guiding Percival''s path forward while also revealing the presence of the bandits. His eyes scanned the area, noting their movements and positioning with keen observation. Every detail mattered in the approaching night, and Percival remained ever vigilant, prepared for whatever challenges lay ahead.


    ¡°Hmm... that''s a good idea,¡± Percival thought. He observed that the sentries were strategically positioned to maintain sight of their comrades'' lights, even in the darkness of night. They served as a barrier to alert others.


    Percival never grew complacent. Though he trusted his comrades, he remained cautious. After all, attacking in the dark presented far fewer obstacles.


    He began to move, plotting his path of attack. Unlike previous missions where he had a partner, he was now alone. Without someone watching his back, encountering a formidable opponent would put him at a significant disadvantage.


    ¡°250¡­ no, 300 feet,¡± he muttered, gauging the distance to each sentry. A flicker of light marked the boundary of their watchful gaze. If any light were to extinguish, it would set off a chain reaction of alarms. With practiced stealth, he closed the gap, drawing nearer with each silent step.


    Arriving behind his first target, he surveyed the shadowy hills, their dense foliage offering ample cover for his approach. Gripping his axe firmly, he prepared to strike with swift and precise movements.


    He has to do it without dropping the light.


    <--->


    He harbored an intense hatred towards his brother, so deep that he was willing to betray the empire just for a chance to settle the score. For years, he had regarded his brother as nothing but a rival.


    However, when his brother volunteered to accompany him into the eastern frontier, he was met with an expression he could never forget. It was one of pity... If his brother truly wished to avoid conflict, why had he agreed to join him?


    This realization only fueled his resentment further, driving him to follow the orders of the Blood Axe commander. He had dispatched one of his men to lead the bandit group in the hills, orchestrating a surprise attack on the storage house.


    As the night fell, the smoke began to dissipate into the darkness. He found himself wishing that his brother had been caught in the blaze along with the storage house. Despite his intense hatred for his brother, he couldn''t muster the courage to end his life¡ªhe was a coward.


    For some reason, he felt a surge of anger, tightening his grip on his sword. The next phase of the plan was to assert total control over the economy and information flow in the eastern frontier. However, a significant problem arose: the raiding party that had been targeting the main road had vanished. This meant that the flow of carriages, carts, goods, and information would continue uninterrupted.


    Furthermore, there was the debacle of the failed attack on the second storage house.


    ¡°Good job on the attack... how about the main road?¡± It was the leader of the Bloody Axe approaching from behind, the two of them watched from the hills.


    Unlike his family members, Sebas would appreciate anything that he did. ¡°I really don¡¯t care about that¡­¡± Like a madman, he spoke.


    Sebas just smiled; he knew what was happening since he had all ears around.


    The noble was useful in getting more inside information. Without him, they couldn¡¯t have the information about the layout of the guards and the number of troops in the storage houses.


    This is why the 1st storage house immediately collapsed. Unfortunately, the brother of the noble was a much more capable defender. As far as Sebas remembered and understood, during this time, the traitorous brother should send reinforcements led by himself.


    ¡°We will have to make some changes to the plan. We will execute a pincer attack: you go from behind, and I¡¯ll lead the charge forward,¡± Sebas said, tapping the shoulder of the noble. ¡°I will get your brother, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Stop messing with me!! Your plan failed!¡± the noble slapped his hand away.


    ¡°That is why we are here. We will attack, all of us, with you by our side. We will win, 100% chance,¡± Sebas said to assure and boost the confidence of the noble, who glared at him.


    ¡°I will lead the attack. Just match me. They will never expect us. We will strike when the night becomes darker!!!¡± the noble commanded, asserting himself as the leader.


    Sebas simply nodded, knowing how to handle this type of noble. He looked at the soldiers who were supposed to be reinforcements; they didn¡¯t know what was happening. It was a bliss of innocence. They would be fighting tonight against one of their own.


    Some of the escaped bandits reported to him that there was a monster in there. The noble who would lead the charge would be perfect bait to check out what kind of monster it was.


    Sebas surveyed the land of wheat and corn. It would provide effective cover to hide their approach.


    <--->


    ¡°ATTACK!!!¡± x3 was a scream followed by a rapid ringing of the bell. The captain of the soldiers guarding the 2nd storage house woke up unexpectedly. Peron thought at first that it was the reinforcements, but he was sure he heard the word ¡®Attack.¡¯


    The storage house had a sturdy wall, so he rushed out of his quarters. Rather than his own, the next storage house was under attack.


    It only took him a few minutes to guess what was happening. There was a route on the east side. The nobles of the frontier had one thing in common: they would never help each other. That''s why he devised a plan. The route was cleared by none other than him and his brother. His brother was the only one he considered a comrade. It was behind the cornfields. Only the two of them knew about it, created so they could help each other in times of need.


    He slammed his fist against the walls.


    Betrayed by his own brother. But why? He had helped him and cleaned up after him.


    Another bell rang, this time from a different direction. Another attack on their side. If the storage house behind them fell, it would be a pincer attack.


    He truly underestimated the bandits. He heard a step behind him. It was the boy that the bigger guy left. ¡°Can you hold the front?¡± the boy asked. Wasn¡¯t he thinking of slaying one side?


    ¡°I¡­¡± Although his brother had betrayed him, he couldn¡¯t kill him. He would have to choose. ¡°I''ll take care of the ones behind us. We''ll reinforce the next storage house,¡± Peron said, swallowing hard. The boy was a killer; he could see it in his eyes. He noticed that the boy¡¯s eyes were closed¡­ well, the dark wouldn¡¯t hinder someone without sight, right?


    The boy just nodded and left.

 Chapter 16 :: In Battle they Thrive

    Simon was not blind; he just needed to hide the fact that his eyes were different. He could see in the dark, and he noticed the bandits moving along the farmlands, their heads low as they trampled the crops.


    Simon glared at them. He had endured the worst winters, lived on the mountain, and even got stuck in a cave with only cave roots. The one thing he really didn¡¯t like was wasting food.


    After two more wheat fields, they would meet. Simon didn¡¯t want to waste more food, so he waited at a place where there were no crops. It was a straight, open ground that was not used for farming, serving as a common path¡ªa cart-wide path.


    <--->


    <Blood Axe Side>


    One of the knights, following the command, detested the idea of destroying as many crops as possible. Why hadn¡¯t the commander voiced this to the initial wave that attacked the first storage house?


    In the event of failure, their directive was clear: inflict severe damage on the economy of the eastern continent. This rationale stemmed from their leader. This knight had endured hunger, having been a commoner before.


    Despite their banishment to the eastern continent, he had risen through the ranks with diligence. He remained loyal to the captain, foreseeing greatness in him, having himself once been a commoner. The captain shared this background.


    He gritted his teeth, resolved to follow whatever the commander ordered. The ground was hardening; they were nearing the cart-wide path. He could smell blood; the first attackers had failed because someone had attacked from behind.


    But to kill that murderer, Trundle, and the field captain who was commanding¡ªthey were considered among the best. There were also a few elites among them. These enemies must be powerful.


    ¡­


    ¡°He told us to trample the fields in case we fail?¡± It seemed he had realized something; the commanding captain was the type to plan meticulously. They had won many battles in the past because of him.


    He wouldn¡¯t issue such an order if there was a chance of failure.


    He waved off the wheat, leading the first charge from the front. There were about 40 of them, comprising what remained of the reserves and some deserters who had decided to return.


    As soon as he stepped out of the wheat field, he spotted someone¡ªor rather, heard the sound of footsteps. His eyes didn¡¯t have a chance to follow the shadow he glimpsed. It took him a few seconds to light up a lantern, but for some strange reason, his hands disappeared even before his match touched the scratch pad.


    <--->


    <Simon¡¯s side>


    The bandits had utterly destroyed the wheat fields. Simon was furious. ''Well, they will be good fertilizer¡­'' he thought, determined to ensure he chopped them up well. He was acutely aware of how close the enemies were. As soon as he spotted one enemy emerging from the wheat field, he began to move.


    It was an armored bandit who stepped first onto the road.


    The air was still filled with the scent of blood and death. A few meters from where he waited to lay the corpses of the bandits, left behind as the thieves had not had the chance to remove them.


    Drawing his sword swiftly, Simon made a quick swing. The wheat field they had destroyed would serve as their graveyard; that was Simon''s decision. With one swift motion, he severed a hand. It seemed the armored bandit had been trying to light a match, but it didn¡¯t even reach the scratchpad. Simon initiated the onslaught.


    The armor didn¡¯t matter; he broke through it and split it apart. Chaos ensued as darkness created confusion.


    ¡°Stand your ground, know your position! Use your shield!¡± someone commanded some of the armored bandits. Simon knew they were not common bandits. For the first time, Simon¡¯s attack was properly parried; the shield was enchanted. He found himself surrounded.


    There were twelve of them and a commander just behind. The knight was quite surprised; it was a boy holding a strange-looking sword. He could sense that the boy was not releasing any kind of magic aura, but the immense bloodlust he felt... He knew the boy was not normal.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a kid!¡± one of the knights complained, but without mistake, he would kill the boy in front of him. Many of his comrades had been slain by the monster in front of them. Sebas was sure the report mentioned two. There was still a distraction he left in the mountain, and it would occupy the other monster for a while.


    ¡°A wheat field could feed a village for years... You destroyed it... Well, you will help them at least,¡± the boy said, seething with anger. Sebas knew it was going to be a tough fight.


    ¡°Don¡¯t break formation! All others not in formation, switch to long range! A bow or a rock will do!¡± Sebas commanded.


    Suddenly, the boy released a suffocating bloodlust. Sebas felt it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret! We are the Bloody Axe! In battle, we thrive!¡± Sebas shouted it like a battle cry.


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    ¡°I can¡¯t see Legka!¡± one of the armored bandits said.


    ¡°He was in front... The boy must have already butchered him,¡± another knight answered. The knights were instantly riled up. Sebas had set it this way to give the knights an extra boost of morale; now they would be fighting for revenge.


    The boy didn¡¯t care¡­ he was ice cold of the cries of the knights.


    Simon swiftly darted to the left, prompting the knights on that side to snap into a defensive stance. In a daring move, the boy landed his feet on the shield held by one of the knights, using it as a springboard to propel himself higher into the air. With precision, he hurled a knife directly at their commander.


    ¡°Barrier!¡± Sebas cast a spell. He instantly noticed that the knife was not normal just by looking at it; it resembled a monster''s horn or claws. As the knife spun, it created a blade-like wind. The barrier dispersed the wind knife, but at the same time, it seemed that the boy threw two more in different directions.


    The formation instantly collapsed, and two died, leaving ten more. Upon seeing this, the other bandits, who were waiting for a command, started attacking the boy. ¡°Wait! You''ll hit each other!¡± Sebas screamed, but the wind created by the knife numbed his voice.


    And he was right. As the bandits formed a circle around the boy, they started throwing and shooting different things. The lack of light and sound instantly created a hellish scene.


    As the barrier faded, the whole battlefield was already in chaos. But Sebas didn¡¯t give up; he started creating order by controlling those who were close to him.


    <--->


    <The forest on the hills>


    For the many years of serving as a knight, Themenos felt pride. He would carry out any orders without question, the once-celebrated knights of the central, known as the Golden Axe, took pride in him.


    Now, as his most trusted commander asked him to fight someone, it seemed just like any other day. Following the command and fulfilling it, he didn¡¯t think too much¡ªthinking was not a part of his skills.


    The name of the order derived from the axe he carried behind him, passed down by the strongest axe wielder of the order. ¡°The Golden Axe, passed down from his honorable retired brothers¡±¡ªrepeating it gave him confidence.


    He stood ready as a man emerged from the woods, a man larger than him, carrying an axe. Sebas had already foreseen this scene, knowing that the monster the reports spoke of would safely reach him.


    ¡°This is the reason I¡¯m here,¡± he kept telling himself. The big man approached slowly. Themenos finally saw him properly, and his knees began to shake. The man wore a fur cape, blood staining his hands¡ªhis very appearance inspired fear in Themenos.


    For the first time in his life, he felt afraid.


    Without a word, Percival delivered a deadly blow to the armored bandit, who retaliated with the golden axe strapped to his back.


    Themenos immediately activated the magic edge on his axe, causing it to glow slightly, but...


    Themenos experienced a sensation unlike any he had felt before¡ªit seemed he had broken his wrist. ¡°A golden axe... You know that gold is softer than iron... Fool,¡± the big man mocked, delivering a straight punch to Themenos''s face.


    ¡°You are not the leader,¡± he added.


    Themenos lay on the ground with a broken jaw, slipping in and out of consciousness due to the excruciating pain.


    <--->


    <Back to Simon>


    Dying screams... the sound of metal ripping apart... the voice of the commander trying to handle the chaos. Hours passed, and lives were taken. Simon continued almost like a machine, butchering the thieves.


    ¡°Snake Eyes... Who are you, kid? Who the hell are you?¡± Sebas was frustrated. There were many of them, but now they were down to the last ten bandits and six from his knight¡¯s order, including himself. The boy was a cold-hearted murderer; even when his enemies pleaded, he would still kill them. The boy didn¡¯t show any signs of weakness.


    Sebas was both in awe and fear, pondering what the boy would become in the future.


    ¡°Boy! Boy! We are here... Huh?!¡± It had only been a few hours when Peron, the noble guarding behind, arrived for the boy with reinforcements. Sebas saw the noble, his face bloody but still alive.


    ¡°You pussy! You couldn¡¯t even take on your brother!¡± Sebas taunted the noble.


    ¡°I will pay for my crimes... That¡¯s all I could say,¡± the noble looked down after speaking.


    ¡°Fucking central nobles!!!¡± Sebas was completely losing control. All his life, his family... he lost it to the empire... the injustice... ¡°I cannot let you win. My justice will prevail. I will struggle with everything I have!!!¡± Sebas started shouting.


    ¡°If you are weak, you die. Violence is stronger than words.¡± It was the boy who said it, but it didn¡¯t come from his mouth; it was from the old man who taught him everything he knew, how he saw the world.


    ¡°Please... Let¡¯s stop this bloodshed!!! Just give up!! I will try to at least prevent your execution!!!¡± Peron pleaded. He seemed to be a different kind of noble; even Sebas''s eyes widened.


    There was then a great silence in the field. Sebas was never a risk-taker in the first place; he would only take risks if he was cornered or forced. He always cared about the order of the knights.


    ¡°My friends... at least let them go. You can do anything to me,¡± Sebas said after thinking for a while.


    The bandits who heard him dropped their swords, but those who didn¡¯t understand their cause started running away. ¡°Captain, are you sure... What about Trundle and Legka... Themenos? If he defeats the other monster, then we can turn everything around! He is our ace!¡± a knight tried to talk Sebas out of his decision.


    ¡°I can guarantee their lives if I pin the blame on you,¡± Peron suddenly spoke.


    ¡°It''s impossible... The man that went to the hills is probably one of the strongest warriors I have seen after my master... He''s probably taking his time going down,¡± Simon said.


    Sebas slumped down. He started grabbing his head... He had lost. The sanity of his plans going down into the drains.


    <--->


    Two days later...


    The carriage where they left their sack and things had already departed as soon as possible after the incident, leaving them with no supplies.


    Simon and Percival decided to spend a few days recuperating, gathering supplies, and finding allies to aid the northern wall.


    Simon wanted to acquire more swords, and the noblemen they assisted allowed him to choose from the armory or smithy. However, the weapons were not up to his standards, and he didn¡¯t find any appealing.


    Peron¡¯s brother was sentenced to be Simon''s slave. The bloody knights would wait until Elford emerged from the dungeon.


    On the morning of the second day, Percival decided to head further south, where the hero Paramour suggested they seek help.


    ¡°I promise you, I will return before winter arrives, and I''ll bring supplies!¡± Peron chatted with Percival while Simon waited on the main road, attempting to secure a cart or carriage for their journey.


    ¡°I''ll see you there... If we survive the siege, I''d be happy to show you outside the wall,¡± Percival replied. ¡°During winter, the fields may look like heaven, but it''s total hell,¡± he added scoping his hands to draw the picture.


    ¡°Percival! He said he''s heading directly to the fisherman¡¯s village!¡± Simon called out, each of them now equipped with a new sack of supplies on their backs.


    ¡°Then let''s go now,¡± Percival replied, pleased to have encountered another good nobleman. Peron and Percival shook hands, and the two departed. Peron felt saddened by his brother''s fate, but he still did his part.

 Chapter 17 :: Sailors of the Fisherman Village

    Wolland loved the sea. He was born on a ship, but there was a time in his life when he ventured outside the village and lived as an adventurer. However, upon returning, he found himself longing for the life he left behind.


    Now, they were on another voyage to catch some fish. The village fleet embarked on two voyages each year¡ª one near the end of spring and the other at the end of summer. The fleet consisted of four smaller ships and the mother boat. The small ships would catch fish and deposit them onto the mother ship.


    Wolland was on 12-04 duty, sipping tea specially brewed from the fisherman village, and even enjoying a few dried squid.


    As they sailed back to the village, a journey that would take 3 to 4 days from their current location, they traveled from the far south of the known seas. A lighthouse on the northeast edge of the first island of the Whirlpool Islands served as their marker, indicating their approach to land.


    ¡°Wolland! It''s my turn now. Take a break!¡± another fisherman climbed aboard the mother ship. The four small boats were now being towed by the mother ship, filled to the brim with their catch, even needing to fill the small boats.


    ¡°Okay... I''ll be going now. Keep a good watch,¡± Wolland stood up, the wind blowing quite favorably for them.


    <--->


    Simon and Percival finally arrived at the fisherman''s village, still early in the morning. The driver mentioned that the boat on the fish trip would arrive the next day.


    The village was bustling with activity¡ªmerchants and individuals who were looking to stock up, especially nobles. Carts and carriages filled the fields surrounding the village.


    Seafood was considered a luxury item across the continent, and the fishing trip only occurred twice a year. This would be the final voyage of the year, with the next one scheduled for early summer after winter.


    The driver who dropped them off planned to sleep outside the village. Percival decided they should explore the village. They encountered numerous stalls selling dried seafood.


    Despite their limited time, Percival made the most of it. Simon couldn''t help but notice similarities between him and the old man.


    Simon and Percival sampled food at the stalls; the dried fish was particularly good, though it required soaking in vinegar, creating a complex flavor. After perusing the market, they headed to the village chief''s house.


    It was an old house made up of large wooden planks, these planks were a material from large trees called Mangaron that populated the southern ridge of the Craig Mountain range. The two had to climb up since it stood on top of a large dead coral mass.


    A few knocks and an old man went out to meet them.


    ¡°Simon... You''ve grown, huh?¡± The village chief recognized him. Simon recalled that the old man had asked a favor from the village chief during their previous visit before they crossed to the island where the old man''s grave lay.


    ¡°I presume that old bastard is dead?¡± the village chief asked. Simon simply nodded with a blank expression. He then used his hands to guide them inside, down the stairs. The lower floor was literally a hall inside the dead coral.


    ¡°So, what brings a northerner here?¡± the village chief directly questioned Percival, the village chief still had to bend his head upwards to look at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a man... Wolland of Cold Heart,¡± Percival replied. The nickname ¡®Cold Heart¡¯ made it clear he was seeking an adventurer.


    ¡°He retired recently, so you''ve come to talk him out of retirement?¡± the village chief inquired.


    ¡°Not quite,¡± Percival replied, launching into a detailed account of the impending siege in the north. It took some time for him to lay out all the facts. Finally, he showed the crest, hopeful for a favorable outcome.


    ¡°I can send you some of my men, but only those who are willing. That crest you''re carrying is only for nobles... We are not nobles; we are villagers. That''s why this place is called a village,¡± the village chief mocked Percival and the crest.


    ¡°Of course... The hero of the era said he could greatly help us,¡± Percival persisted.


    ¡°They will be arriving in the village tomorrow, and it will be busy. If you have time, you can meet him then. You can stay at my house for a while,¡± the village chief offered with a smile.


    <--->


    Night time.


    ¡°Hah! Alcohol and dried fish! I¡¯m a northerner, but I¡¯m loving this combo!¡± the wife of the village chief poured him some drink.


    ¡°You can hold your liquor, northerner! Haa! How about the boy?¡± the village chief was already red, he breathed a stingy odor that the boy didn¡¯t like.


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    ¡°I don¡¯t drink... It dulls the mind,¡± Simon answered with a straight face.


    The two suddenly burst into laughter, Simon didn¡¯t know if they were mocking him but he just didn¡¯t care. ¡°You are right, boy... Don¡¯t you ever drink!!!¡± the wife of the village chief added. The two would probably continue drinking the whole night.


    After finishing his meal, Simon stood up, he bowed to the only lady inside the hall, and left to go up stairs. The fisherman¡¯s village consisted of straw-like houses built on beach rocks and a strange formation of rocks they called corals. The village chief''s house basement was actually a cavern.


    The boy walked outside, inhaling air to remove the annoying smell of alcohol.


    Simon had been in the village before, so he knew his way around. The cavern where he hid his boat was just northeast of the village along the coast. He wondered if it was still there...


    After finding a good spot, he began a shadow fight, combining his experience against the armored bandit that used a spear and the hero of the era. After a while, two children started watching him. He noticed them from afar since the boy was carrying a lantern, and he hid his eyes again.


    ¡°Brother, what are you doing?¡± the boy asked. Another little girl was sucking on a dried fish, they were holding hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m practicing swords?¡± Simon said, but he couldn¡¯t explain it properly since he wasn¡¯t holding a sword.


    ¡°Brother, you are strange. Mimi, give him some octopus legs,¡± the boy said, and the girl named Mimi reluctantly gave Simon a dried leg of an octopus.


    ¡°Suck it!¡± Mimi said.


    ¡°My name is Ron... You?¡± the boy introduced himself, even extending his hand for a shake.


    ¡°Simon... Why are you two here? It''s already dark,¡± Simon asked. The village was actually dark, and he used his eyes to navigate to where he was now.


    ¡°Brother... Are you really blind?¡± the boy asked again.


    Before Simon could answer, Mimi burst out.


    ¡°Papa!! PAPA!!!¡± Mimi suddenly pointed out into the sea. Simon and the kids were actually standing on a plank that served as the port for the fisherman¡¯s village. With his back to the kids, he opened his eyes... There was nothing in the dark, but after a while, he finally saw a small light on the horizon.


    It was just below the familiar lighthouse on the Whirlpool Islands.


    ¡°Brother, just wait with Mimi for a while. I will go tell the village chief!¡± the boy said. Mimi nonchalantly held Simon¡¯s hand; she was a good girl who did what she was told.


    ¡°I can give you more. I will have more octopus legs tomorrow,¡± Mimi said. She was around 5 years old, while the other boy was 7.


    ¡°Are you two siblings?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°No... He will be my husband when I grow up,¡± Mimi answered.


    ¡°I see. Good for you,¡± Simon replied.


    ¡°I love him...¡± Mimi said, not even bashful, and Simon didn¡¯t have any words to answer that.


    The two then continued to suck on the dried octopus leg.


    <--->


    The ship arrived, and four small boats were taken to the dry docks just a little bit west, on the wide beach of the village. Even though it was dark, the sailors started unloading baskets of seafood from the mother ship. Mimi and Ron excitedly watched the sailors, who were even singing as they worked.


    ¡°We are tough¡±


    ¡°So tough¡± ¡°Heave ho¡± ¡°Heave ho¡± ¡°Heave ho¡± ¡°Heave ho¡±


    ¡°We are the man of the seas¡±


    ¡°Proud man of the seas¡±


    ¡°Break the waves¡±


    ¡°Bring home to the babes¡±


    The village was practically thriving, even though it was almost midnight, thanks to the freshness of the catch the village was preserving. The village chief cast ice magic to create storage for the fish.


    Along with the village chief and his wife, more villagers started creating boxes of ice for storage. The whole village was using ice magic. Even the two very young couples, who were also singing along with the sailors, created small boxes of their own.


    Simon watched from a roof. He had been in the village many times before, but this was the first time he had seen the community work together. It was amazing. The two kids waved at him.


    ¡°Amazing... This is the first time I¡¯ve seen something like this,¡± Percival said, already sober from the alcohol.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± just one word from Simon.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get some sleep. The village chief said he would arrange the meeting tomorrow,¡± Percival added, pointing out where they would spend the night.


    <--->


    Ron knocked on Wolland''s cabin, which was more of a floating boat with a room. Wolland, who loved the sea, lived on this boat. Opening the door while scratching his head, he had been taking it easy for a day now. A small girl handed him a paper, which he opened and read.


    Wolland tried to complain, but when he looked at Mimi''s face, he just couldn¡¯t. The appointment was already set; it was a promise made by two drunkards, but a promise is a promise. The meeting had been waiting for two days already. Wolland sighed, walked out of the boat, and started heading for the village chief¡¯s house.


    The whole village was silent, everyone already resting after a great haul yesterday. The village saved food for consumption and traded the rest to merchants and some nobles.


    With everyone resting, Wolland didn¡¯t have much motivation, but still, he followed the small footsteps of the two kids.


    ¡­


    It''s not his first time seeing a northerner... but that man was large. The boy beside him seemed to be blind since he kept his eyes closed the whole time... or was he asleep?


    Wolland sat along with them at the table. The village chief was also there, and his wife instantly served him warm water, for which he thanked her.


    ¡°Wolland, this is...¡± but even before the village chief could start.


    ¡°Whatever it is, I refuse,¡± Wolland instantly denied.


    He then drank the water and tried to leave, but the chief¡¯s wife instantly refilled his cup, and he lost all his momentum. ¡°Listen to them first. Sir Percival is quite a prominent man!¡± the lady said.


    ¡°Thank you, my lady,¡± Percival smiled at the chief¡¯s wife, and she blushed a little.


    ¡°Did you just call him Sir Percival?!!!¡± the chief asked his wife, but she just shrugged him off with a glare. The chief looked at Percival for answers.


    ¡°It was just a hot topic... you''ll thank me after a while,¡± Percival said.


    The village chief was completely confused.


    ¡°Okay... for the sake of the lady, I will listen!!¡± Wolland said after a few moments of silence.


    <--->


    Hearing the dilemma made Wolland think. He was already retired, but he was a hero once. He could understand why Percival would try to go to villages instead of directly to nobles... Actually, he was saving time by asking for help from those who had a higher chance of aiding him.


    This problem has persisted for a long time now: the people¡¯s loss of trust in the nobles who were supposed to govern them.


    ¡°But... I don¡¯t fight anymore,¡± Wolland said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not even asking you to fight... It''s about your clan... You led a famous clan before,¡± Percival said. Wolland opened his eyes wide. He was also a clan leader. Clans were actually very rare these days because adventurers tended to wander wherever they wanted. He was one of the few who created a clan and became famous.


    ¡°I... understand, but NO!¡± Wolland still denied.

 Chapter 18 :: The Real Problem with CLANS

    There was an awkward silence in the room. Wolland clearly denied, but his face was different. It was a face of worry... of uncertainty. Percival was a good reader of that.


    ¡°How can I change your mind?¡± Percival asked.


    ¡°Damn it... it''s complicated... I don¡¯t really want to waste your time... hmm...¡± Wolland was a bit reluctant to answer, but he just sighed and gave up.


    ¡°I created the clan before... I broke it up too... all because of a girl,¡± Wolland said with a straight face. Percival found it interesting.


    ¡°Please elaborate. You¡¯ve never told me anything about the reason you came back,¡± the chief then said, also curious.


    ¡°It started years ago after I left...¡± Wolland scratched his head.


    <--->


    Wolland started as a fledgling adventurer. He wanted to see the world, and being an adventurer allowed one to go to different places without much hassle at all. Given that an adventurer must go to dungeons 2 to 4 times a year, depending on their ranks.


    While on his travels, he managed to create a party. There was a girl there that he fell in love with; her name was Narnia. She was lovely; that was the only description from Wolland as he wouldn¡¯t go further to describe her.


    Wolland was a good fighter, and together with his rare ice magic, their party immediately became widely known. Adventurers, veterans, and fledglings started to gather to join them.


    Wolland was quite charismatic too. His upbringing and the culture of the village he brought with him created a bond like brotherhood. After a while, the large party decided to create a clan, and Wolland was unanimously chosen as their leader.


    Wolland accepted it, but after a few years, a problem arose. It involved another girl. He didn¡¯t disclose her name, but the girl would try to pair up with the guys around the clan, and she immediately became popular because of it.


    When Wolland tried to control it, she targeted him, creating malicious rumors. Just as he was building a strong bond with Narnia, this destroyed him and the guild along with it. The other guild members still respected him, but it seemed that he clearly lost his way after Narnia started ignoring him.


    <--->


    ¡°You are a weakling,¡± it was the village chief who spat the words. The room fell into an uneasy silence.


    ¡°Just be a man and seize her... get straight to business... ensure she never forgets you,¡± Percival offered his straight forward advice.


    Simon, puzzled, simply reached for some anchovies dipped in vinegar. Mimi and Ron followed suit, the tension thick in the air.


    ¡°Can you rally adventurers to the north?¡± Percival inquired. Wolland¡¯s eyebrows shot up, his confidence evident.


    ¡°What¡¯s the meaning behind that question?¡± Wolland asked, curiosity piqued.


    ¡°Can you gather adventurers to the north? What I need is your influence; Paramour said everyone would heed your call,¡± Percival clarified.


    ¡°The hero of the Era? So he still recalls me... I could possibly muster... 15 to 40 people, I reckon?¡± Wolland responded.


    A clan typically boasted 100 or more adventurers under its banner.


    ¡°Then you should depart, you likely have an inkling of her whereabouts,¡± the chief declared, he had an assertive look at the big guy.


    ¡°We are departing,¡± Percival rose to his feet. An affirmative ¡°Aye¡­¡± murmured from the village chief¡¯s wife, suggesting an unspoken understanding between her and Percival. Simon gently patted the heads of the youngsters as he followed Percival.


    ¡°Where are you off to? Huh?!¡± Wolland interjected, but Simon and Percival seized him by the arms, left and right respectively.


    ¡°Simon, did your old man ever speak to you about romance?¡± Percival probed. Simon pondered briefly, then shook his head. ¡°Consider this a valuable lesson, don¡¯t end up like this fool,¡± Percival said as he began to drag Wolland away, with Simon following suit.


    <--->


    Percival had to give up a few pieces of the fish gifted to him by the village chief¡¯s wife. The carriage they found was willing to travel as swiftly as possible to the northwest of the fisherman''s village. The merchant knew of a donkey path, a safe route nestled between the walls of the eastern frontier¡¯s farmlands and the Craig Mountain range.


    Despite this, it still took them less than a day, as they had to navigate the ascending hills and traverse them to at least reach the main road of Trist Valley, the western port of the eastern continent.


    The location Wolland guided them to lay just along the northern side of the mountain of Trist Valley, slightly before the mountain ends in the eastern direction. There, a path ascended, leading to a small dungeon. This dungeon was unregistered with the adventurer¡¯s guild, making it illegal. Any newly discovered dungeons were required to be reported to the adventurer¡¯s guild; it was one of the rules for adventurers.


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    Percival, Simon, and Wolland paused, examining the dungeon entrance, when suddenly Wolland motioned for them to hide.


    ¡°She¡¯s not some kind of promiscuous girl, is she?¡± Percival asked, his tone tinged with mockery.


    ¡°Impossible... she has a bad insecurity regarding her height... This is a dungeon that''s infested with magic slime; our clan basically made a living in this dungeon... it''s like a hidden gem, but only a few knew of its existence,¡± Wolland explained.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know if she''s still here. Can we just leave... I¡­-¡± Before Wolland could finish his sentence, the girl in question emerged.


    ¡°Oh... crap, she''s huge... beautiful... How can you fall for other girls when you have her by your side?¡± Percival remarked after getting a good look at the girl.


    ¡°She has the blood of giants in her... oh, she grew her hair!!¡± Wolland lost in awe, disregarded Percival''s comment.


    ¡°Simon, restrain Mr. Lover here. I''ll speak with her,¡± Percival instructed, swiftly stepping out of the bush they were hiding in. Wolland was slow to react, giving Simon the opportunity to grab him. The boy''s strength surprised Wolland.


    <--->


    It was an unregistered dungeon along the high lands of the northern part of the Trist Valley. The dungeon was just a small cave opening.


    Narnia wiped her sweat; the haul from the dungeon dive was good, but the dungeon was growing increasingly perilous. It wouldn¡¯t be long before they would need to report to the guild about it. If the clan hadn¡¯t disbanded, maybe their leader could have done something.


    ¡°Hello¡­¡± a large man suddenly appeared behind her. Naturally, she became instantly wary; the dungeon was a secret place known only to a select few trusted ex-clan members, so she reached for her large sword. ¡°Wait! Wait!!¡± the large man pleaded, attempting to calm her down.


    ¡°Who are you? How did you find this place?!¡± she demanded, her voice verging on a shout.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone¡ªWolland. His name is Wolland. He told me about this place!¡± Percival responded, trying to maintain a calm demeanor.


    ¡°You know Wolland? Who are you?!¡± Despite her wariness, the girl remained poised, her sword ready to strike. The sword was as long as her height, and confusion flickered in her eyes.


    ¡°My name is Percival. Well, actually, I lied... he is right behind me, observing this conversation. It''s actually the other way around¡ªhe¡¯s looking for you,¡± Percival admitted.


    Her eyes began to tear up. ¡°He¡¯s here?! Hic... call him!!¡± she exclaimed, then swung her sword nonetheless, narrowly missing Percival¡¯s feet.


    <--->


    Percival and Simon yanked him out of the bush, but upon facing Narnia, he visibly withdrew.


    ¡°...¡± Narnia''s eyes welled with tears, while Wolland couldn¡¯t muster the courage to meet her gaze. ¡°Bastard, at least look at me!!¡± Narnia¡¯s cry pierced the tense air, yet Wolland remained stubbornly silent.


    ¡°Why did you break the guild!? You promised to help me and my sister!¡± Narnia''s voice cracked with emotion as she unleashed her frustration on him. ¡°¡­¡± Wolland''s gaze remained fixed downward.


    ¡°Why are you so silent!!! Speak up! Talk to me!!!¡± Narnia''s frustration reached its peak, echoing in the clearing. Percival checked Wolland''s expression; his face was flushed, frozen in silence.


    ¡°Hmm, this is a problem. Let¡¯s snap him out of it,¡± Percival decided, prompting surprised looks from Narnia and Simon. With a nod from Percival, Simon swiftly rendered Wolland unconscious by deftly striking a nerve with the back of his hand. Percival settled down, retrieving a handful of herbs, and began grinding them.


    ¡°Okay¡­ miss, do you have any water there?¡± Percival asked Narnia, who nodded in response. Dropping her sword, she retrieved a jar of water. Percival placed the crushed herbs into Wolland¡¯s mouth, and Narnia poured the water, coaxing him to swallow them.


    <--->


    ¡°Why did you break up the clan?¡± Narnia sat on a chair beside the dungeon, a small shed now repurposed for interrogation.


    ¡°She wanted to know the location of this dungeon¡­ she pressured me using the other members of the guild¡­ they would leave the guild or I would reveal the location of this dungeon,¡± Wolland answered without hesitation, his speech slightly slurred from the drugs.


    He appeared visibly affected. ¡°So¡­ the two of you weren¡¯t in a relationship?¡± Narnia, blushing, finally asked the question she had been waiting to pose.


    Wolland: ¡°No.¡±


    Narnia: ¡°They said you broke up the clan because you guys found a treasure!¡±


    Wolland: ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about that.¡±


    Narnia: ¡°... Do you like me?¡±


    Wolland: ¡°Yes.¡±


    Narnia: ¡°Do you love me?¡±


    Wolland: ¡°With all my heart. I want to marry you.¡±


    Narnia: ¡°Aren¡¯t I too tall?¡±


    Wolland: ¡°I love you just the way you are.¡±


    Narnia: ¡°But what about my sister¡­¡±


    Wolland: ¡°I would bring you back to my village¡­ I would take care of you and Sandy forever.¡±


    ¡°Sir Percival, I would like some more of those herbs, please,¡± Narnia suddenly requested, breaking the awkward silence inside the shed.


    ¡°Of course¡­ What is your plan now?¡± Percival smiled as he handed the herbs to Narnia.


    ¡°Actually, I would like to ask you guys a favor¡­¡± Narnia smiled, embarrassed, finally acknowledging the awkward situation her questions had created.


    <--->


    Wolland woke up on a cart, his memory hazy and his head spinning. As he started to drift back into unconsciousness, he suddenly noticed Narnia sleeping beside him.


    Startled, Wolland nearly leaped from the cart as memories of their conversation in the shed flooded back to him. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t feel remorse; instead, he felt a sense of relief.


    ¡°Brother!!! Sir Percival said he¡¯s expecting you to honor the deal!!!¡± It was Sandy, her voice booming. Narnia stirred awake upon hearing her sister''s voice.


    ¡°Honey¡­ you''ve made some good friends now, good for you!¡± she exclaimed, planting a kiss on Wolland''s cheek.


    ¡°What the hell is happening? Is this a dream?!¡± Wolland exclaimed, his excitement palpable. ¡°


    This is all real! You should thank Percival and the little kid. How are you going to contact the clan now?¡± Narnia inquired.


    ¡°Remember the pendant I gave you guys?¡± Wolland revealed a pendant hidden beneath his shirt.


    Narnia and Sandy revealed their pendants as well. ¡°Oh¡­ I''m touched you kept it... I still have a connection with the guild, and these necklaces can locate our core members,¡± Wolland said confidently, a smile spreading across his face.


    ¡°He said that you should send reinforcements before mid-autumn for preparations,¡± Narnia added. She was the only one Percival could talk to when Wolland was drugged.


    ¡°I have some ideas. We should ask the chief for help too; we need some money, OOF!.¡± As a stone hit the carriage they were riding, Wolland suddenly realized they were already traveling. ¡°Where did the two go?¡± he asked. ¡°


    They''re heading to Port Town Trist. They left as soon as they helped get Sandy out of the orphanage,¡± Narnia replied.


    Sandy, her sister, was actually living in Beson Town¡¯s orphanage, where Simon and Percival met the hero.

 Chapter 19 :: The Transport

    The Trist Valley stretched west of the Elford Lands, culminating in another fishing port at its western end. Simon and Percival strolled along the valley''s main road.


    Merchants and carriages would typically traverse these roads, especially during the summer season. However, after the incident with the Bloody Axe Bandits, there was a temporary halt in activity, particularly within the valley. The Adventurers'' Guild intervened at the request of the Elford, as adventurers were urgently needed to hunt down remnants of the Bloody Axe bandit group. They were also tasked with warning travelers and carriages traveling along the main roads.


    Despite being cautioned by patrolling adventurers, Percival and Simon pressed on, with a determined destination in mind. Their current dilemma was the absence of available rides, leaving them with no choice but to walk.


    ¡°A cart is approaching,¡± Simon alerted Percival, who was a few steps ahead. Soon enough, a carriage came into view. They could spot it from miles away, given the valley''s slight incline as it sloped westward, leaving only two visible directions.


    ¡°Doesn''t it seem odd?¡± Percival remarked, squinting his eyes for a clearer look. The cart appeared to be moving at an unusually rapid pace.


    ¡°It''s being chased... monsters,¡± Simon added, noticing small clouds trailing behind the cart. He was certain the cart couldn''t produce that many dust clouds.


    The two readied themselves, and after a while, they recognized the cart¡ªit was the weed cart they had ridden when they were attacked by the Bloody Axe.


    ¡°Help!!! Help!!!¡± The driver instantly recognized them; a large man with an axe and a boy with a sword were not easily forgotten. He immediately turned his cart, making a beeline towards them.


    ¡°Simon, I''ve got this,¡± Percival said. Simon nodded, then veered into a side road. He started nibbling on a piece of dried meat, wearing a blank expression on his face.


    ¡­


    With his axe held firmly, he stood ready. It was only moments before the contact.


    ¡°Do a hard left now!!!!¡± Percival screamed. The driver complied, swinging his arms left and pulling the horses in that direction. The monsters pursuing them were Red Horned Bulls, and the horses appeared terrified.


    Five bulls were in pursuit. While the eastern continent had long been inhabited by humans, such events still happened from time to time.


    Unlike the central continent, where main roads were regularly patrolled, there was limited manpower for road safety in the east. The Elford, the main nobles governing the eastern frontier, lacked sufficient manpower.


    As Simon nibbled on his food, he wondered how Percival would stop the charging bulls. He''d probably use a similar tactic to when facing a knight''s charge.


    Percival sprang into action, positioning himself in the path of one of the bulls. With a forceful strike, he halted the bull by attacking its head directly. The bull died instantly upon contact with the axe, yet Percival remained unscathed, astonishing everyone.


    ¡®That worked alright!!¡¯ Simon thought.


    The other four bulls attempted revenge but failed. Percival deftly dodged their charges while dispatching them one by one with precise strikes to the head. By the time the third bull fell in the same manner, the remaining bulls began to show signs of fear.


    ¡°Hey¡­ that¡¯s my style!!¡± Simon said. It seemed that the northerner had integrated something from their sparring, but he was not agile enough, Simon thought.


    ¡°Simon, have you ever tried steak?¡± Percival smiled just thinking of how the bulls would taste, it seemed that the boy had affected him in some way, he was enjoying food too. ¡°These bulls actually taste great when cooked as steak!!!¡± He added as the fourth bull charged at him.


    ¡°... I''m hungry now,¡± Simon said as his stomach growled. They were going to have beef tonight.


    <--->


    From dismembering to draining blood, Simon moved with the efficiency of northern hunters. The task took time, and dusk was settling by the time they finished.


    The merchant they rescued decided to travel with them for a while, their paths aligned.


    ¡°Simon, how old are you now?¡± Percival struck up a conversation as they settled near the campfire. He could see the familiarity of adventure in Simon''s demeanor.


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    ¡°I''m 14. Why do you ask?¡± Simon seasoned the meat he was preparing on a stone slab Percival had found. He was surprisingly large for his age.


    ¡°Nothing... How about another match before dinner?¡± Percival suggested. Simon simply nodded, and their attention turned to the driver they had saved earlier.


    ¡°We won''t give you any food if you don''t contribute something,¡± Simon declared suddenly.


    The cart driver was taken aback by Simon''s assertion. The tall man accompanying him nodded in agreement. It was evident that the two still remembered him. He had departed as soon as the main roads were safe to travel, taking with him the baggage the two had left on his cart.


    He sighed and took out wine and cheese from his cart, inspired by Simon¡¯s words and his guilt.


    ¡°Let''s bet on the cheese. How about I get some of your share?¡± Simon proposed. ¡°Hmm... that''s a deal, boy,¡± Percival smiled as he stood up. Removing his cloak, he towered over the small kid, making Simon look like a baby¡ªa comparison the driver made as he opted to watch their spar.


    Simon and Percival had sparred before, so they were familiar with each other''s fighting styles. They assumed their stances, and the lone onlooker knew it wouldn''t be an ordinary spar. Simon initiated with a lunge and a quick slash, but Percival parried it effortlessly.


    He counterattacked, but Simon spun and launched another attack from the side. Percival had seen Simon''s dodge and slash moves before¡ªthey were beautiful and efficient, but one word came to Percival''s mind: "annoying." It was unlike his graceful maneuver against the bulls.


    The way Simon dodged while launching an attack, the momentum he built¡ªit was remarkable. The boy didn''t even need to strengthen his attack, as the momentum was already doing its trick.


    But the world was wide, and Percival, in his age, had many tricks up his sleeve. The northerner''s battle style with the axe was simple: strike as hard as you could, then think afterward. Simon''s annoying style countered his approach entirely, but it also depended on the situation and the difference in size.


    In just one step, he opted for a weapons lock, and he was successful.


    ¡°Oof!¡± Simon grunted as he felt the full weight of Percival''s strength, given that Percival could exert much more force due to his taller stature.


    ¡°Resist it, kid,¡± Percival taunted and pushed more force using his upper body¡¯s strength and muscles.


    ¡°Oof!! Ooh!¡± Simon broke the lock with brute force, opening up another chance for attack.


    ¡°Really, kid?¡± Percival was quite surprised. Where did that strength come from in his small body?!


    Then Percival smiled and let go of his axe, tackling Simon with his full strength. The two went down to the ground, and Percival immediately found Simon''s arms that were holding the sword. ¡°I got you, kid. You lose!!¡± Percival declared. Simon smiled as he tried to break free from the lock, but he sighed... it was impossible. The difference in body size made it impossible; he tapped out.


    The two were crazy strong, and probably a bit off in the head. The driver heard the clashing of their weapons and the grip of Percival''s arms. It was all for the cheese.


    Maybe these two could do it... No, he was the one burdened with it; he must be the one to do it. It was all his fault. He opened a bottle of wine and drank to his vow. The sound of the wine popping made Percival look his way.


    ¡°Oh, someone is eager to feast now!¡± Percival said as he helped Simon stand up.


    ¡°I don''t drink though,¡± Simon answered.


    <--->


    The meat from the mad bull tasted delicious, earning even Simon''s approval, and the carriage driver had a sauce to complement it.


    The 3 savored the meat, too bad Simon didn''t drink. ¡°You know, we still remember your kindness,¡± Percival remarked suddenly, causing the carriage driver to freeze mid-bite.


    ¡°Don''t worry, it''s forgiven. You shared your wine and mead with us. But why are you heading here? Haven''t you heard the warnings issued for merchants and travelers?¡± Percival inquired.


    Though it felt somewhat shameless, the driver had to try. ¡°Hey... what if I offer you a ride westward again?¡± He didn''t want their conversation to end.


    ¡°Are you being chased by someone?¡± Simon interjected. ¡°He might be carrying something dangerous,¡± Percival added astutely. The two seemed to hit the mark, leaving the driver feeling uneasy. But deep in his heart, he hoped for assistance.


    ¡°Well, my legs are weary from walking. Let''s ride...¡± Percival proposed, raising his cup in a toast. Simon opted to raise a bone with meat instead. The driver smiled and mirrored the gesture.


    <--->


    The next day...


    The three were now traveling together. The two were riding behind the cart, which was full of food boxes and such. While lying down, Simon suddenly sat up from a reclining position. After a while, the horse started to sound nervous; the driver could tell, having been with the horse for a long time.


    ¡°Someone is coming,¡± Simon said. Percival, who was still lying down, understood how Simon could tell. Simon had a sense that was as sensitive as, or probably even more so than, animals. He couldn''t tell how the old man trained him, but to be this perceptive at his age was remarkable.


    ¡°Don''t increase speed... they have two options now: they could attack now or wait until later at night... Stop shaking; we''ve got a good detector here. We''ll know if they''re coming towards us,¡± Percival reassured the driver, pointing at Simon with his thumb. The driver just gulped and followed the instructions.


    <--->


    ¡°Got any info about them?" a man fully shrouded in black clothes asked. There were four of them. Their mission was to steal something, a very important artifact. Their master claimed it was worth a whole country, though they didn¡¯t know exactly what it was.


    ¡°The big guy is a northerner for sure, but the other one with him... we have no information about him,¡± another one of the four answered.


    ¡°I''d say we test the waters first,¡± suggested another.


    The four nodded in agreement and continued to follow the carriage.


    ¡°Be careful, there''s information that there are members of the assassin''s guild in the eastern frontier... they targeted the same relic too but failed,¡± the last of the four said.


    ¡°You should have said that in the beginning... we scout for them then,¡± the leader of the team spoke; he was the first one to speak.

 Chapter 20 :: Trist Port Town

    At the eastern frontier, at the end of the western roads leading into the Great Guran River, lay the port town of Trist. Yes, it shared its name with the Valley of Trist.


    The carriage neared the port town, which was already in sight. Strangely, the shadows that had been following them did nothing against them; they didn''t even attempt to attack.


    Finally arriving at the city gate, they found it closed. The driver immediately dismounted. Usually, there was a small window for the guard on one side of the gate.


    ¡°Knock! Knock! Guard! Hey!¡± the driver shouted, familiar with the town''s usual open hours, which were still in effect this afternoon.


    The wooden slide opened, and a guard poked his head out. ¡°Who are you?" he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m a merchant looking to trade. Why is the gate closed?" The driver''s urgency was evident.


    ¡°Show me your papers,¡± the guard demanded.


    The driver hurried back to his carriage, retrieving his documents from a small compartment under his seat. Returning to the guard, he presented them.


    ¡°Hey! You changed the magic stone inside right?!¡± It seemed that the guard was talking to his companion inside. ¡°Yeah!!!¡± the other guard answered and the guard in the window took the papers presented to him.


    ¡°I see, Zach Seron¡­ touch the stone,¡± the guard instructed, pulling out a stone used for truth verification. ¡°Speak¡­ I¡¯m human,¡± he said, prompting the driver to place his hands on the stone.


    ¡°I¡¯m human?¡± the driver repeated, sounding uncertain. The guard nodded.


    ¡°You may pass¡­ the two of you should come here too,¡± the guard urged for the other two to come closer to the window.


    Percival placed his hands on the stone and declared, ¡°I¡¯m human.¡± The guard nodded in confirmation.


    Finally, it was Simon''s turn. Simon, noticeably sweaty, hesitated. He wasn''t a normal human, and he knew it. As far as Simon remembered, the security had never been this strict before.


    Percival and the driver exchanged glances. ¡°What''s the matter? Just place your hands and say ''I¡¯m human,''¡± the guard prompted.


    ¡°Just gonna get over it then¡­ I¡¯m human,¡± Simon said reluctantly, and the guard nodded. Percival raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can we pass now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course¡­ Open the gates!!! Coming through¡­ sorry for the trouble. There have been monsters posing as humans trying to get inside the town¡­ ''fucking mimics.'' We needed to increase our security. Sorry again,¡± the guard explained as the gate slowly opened.


    The driver sighed with relief, finally feeling safe. But as the gates opened, they were met with a silent town. As it was a port town, Simon and Percival expected it to be bustling with activity, but there wasn''t even a sound. The guards who had been opening the gates were blankly staring at them.


    ¡°The hell¡­ hey, what''s the schedule for the ships going into the central?¡± Percival asked. The guard silently stared at him and shook his head, indicating a negative response.


    ¡°It usually goes twice a week¡­ maybe it was because of the mimic attacks that they shut down the operations,¡± the driver said, and the guards looked at him. The driver felt that it was starting to get creepy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s spend a night in the inn then. We will check it out tomorrow. Simon, keep your guard up,¡± Percival said. Simon nodded. The driver, Zack, knew of a good place; he was one of the patrons of it. He also needed to go to the central as his contact was there.


    ¡­


    The town had several inns to choose from. They opted for the one closer to the port. The inn owner and her two children happily guided them to their rooms. They had dinner that night and tucked in. They actually stayed in a single room since the driver was afraid to sleep alone.


    <--->


    The four shadows then started moving, infiltrating the town to test the waters and attempt to take the relic from the driver. They were well-informed about the town, excelling more in urban environments than in open fields and forests.


    The main gate lay east of the town, so they headed south in search of a smaller gate. The four could blend in anywhere, especially in human settlements, having been trained since childhood. They referred to themselves as the Leaves.


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    Armed with knowledge and skills for sabotage, theft, and interrogation, they differed from the assassin''s guild, which focused solely on killing. The Leaves were capable of any unsavory task and had the support of one of the great nobles, the Sen-ran.


    Finding the smaller gate closed, their leader produced a small piece of metal and began blowing it. It was a silent sound that only could be heard by the members of the Leaves. Within minutes, the smaller gate opened, revealing a guard who nodded to the four as they entered.


    Their footsteps could be heard from behind the gate, eventually turning into a run, a struggle, and then silence.


    <--->


    On a dark place underground.


    A boy awakens from his slumber. He finds himself in a dimly lit facility, likely situated beneath the earth''s surface. The shard core embedded within him stirs, urging him to venture north, away from the darkness of the facility.


    However, he realizes he doesn''t need to go personally. With the allies he has cultivated, he can accomplish his goal more efficiently, conserving his energy as he begins to assimilate the entire facility. Instructions within his core guide him on how to proceed.


    ¡°Attack,¡± the boy murmurs, and from the shadows, movement stirs.


    <--->


    Back in the Inn.


    Simon immediately jumped to his feet, rousing the two companions from their slumber. He hadn''t realized he had fallen during his sleep, but the urgent footsteps echoing through the inn jolted him awake. Percival, too, sprang into action, swiftly preparing for whatever awaited them. Within moments, a loud knock reverberated through the room, and Percival hastened to answer it.


    The innkeeper stood on the threshold, panic etched across her face. ¡°We''re under attack at the gate! You''re adventurers, aren''t you? Please, we need your help! We''ll pay you!¡± she implored, her desperation palpable. Her husband, a soldier in the town, likely faced the threat head-on.


    ¡°We''re on it, Simon! Let''s move!¡± Percival declared, turning to the driver. ¡°Remember your mission?¡± he reminded him. The driver groaned inwardly, realizing he had left the special item in the cart below. Hastily correcting his oversight, he joined the others.


    As Simon and Percival dashed outside, they found no signs of intrusion in the parking area. The driver hurried to catch up, and Percival made a decision. ¡°I''ll head for the gates,¡± he announced, gripping his axe firmly.


    The northerner looked at Simon and the boy instantly understood that he had to stay if anything happened.


    <--->


    Percival could hear the screams of commands and brave guards mustering themselves. The guards were on the upper walls. Percival, familiar with sieges from his time on the northern wall, immediately looked around to find the ladders to climb up; there were stairs on the sides of the wall. He ascended them, noting that the siege hadn¡¯t started yet.


    ¡°Who are you? You are not allowed here!¡± One of the soldiers noticed him; he was really big, so it was impossible to miss him.


    ¡°It''s okay, let him be!¡± The mayor of the town was there, commanding the defense of the wall. The wall was armed with arrows, magic, and spears.


    But what was attacking the walls? Percival thought as he looked downwards to the ground. It was standing like a human, but even from afar, one could tell it was not human.


    ¡°It''s starting,¡± the Mayor said without a hint of doubt. He was right, and in a few minutes, the shadows started moving closer. When they were close enough to the wall, Percival finally could see them: a strange shape with limbs, a body at the center, and the face of a child on its head.


    ¡°The hell, that¡¯s disgusting,¡± Percival said.


    ¡°We will last the night! They only attack at night! Brace yourself!¡± the mayor of the town screamed to psyche up the people on top of the wall.


    <--->


    Simon was bored, though the battle''s sounds reached him even while perched on the inn''s roof. ¡°Hey, boy! Want some hot soup?¡± the innkeeper called out, both awaiting the battle''s outcome, but Simon declined with a shake of his head.


    The sounds of battle persisted for two to three hours before finally ceasing. Simon stood up. ¡°It''s over,¡± he muttered, and the innkeeper nodded.


    Then, the innkeeper slumped as Percival handed her a helmet. She recognized it¡ªshe had cleaned it every time he returned home. Overwhelmed, she didn¡¯t know how to continue.


    ¡°You still have a child to raise; don¡¯t make that face,¡± Percival reassured her, restoring a glimmer of light to her expression. ¡°He was one of the ones that was caught first,¡± he added.


    Percival waved at Simon and the driver. ¡°Simon, we have to help them. This town will perish if we don¡¯t,¡± he said, locking eyes with Simon.


    ¡°How about your objective? You want to get more help from the central, right?¡± Simon confirmed. It wasn''t that he didn¡¯t want to help, but he was more concerned about the north, anticipating a larger battle.


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave it like this,¡± Percival insisted, it was in his nature to help, from his countless adventurers and exploits, spreading a bit of good would make the world better, that¡¯s what he learned having seen both ends of the spectrum.


    Percival wasn''t known for thoughtfulness or sympathy. Simon couldn''t understand the northerner''s mindset. Something must have occurred at the wall earlier; the man was filled with vengeance, and Simon was sure of it.


    ¡°I will reward you if you help them!¡± the driver interjected suddenly. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a millionaire after I deliver this! I will pay you! Help them!¡± he added, brandishing a metal box.


    <--->


    The Mayor was still atop the walls when Percival and Simon approached him. They began inquiring about the monsters with childlike faces and their origins.


    ¡°They come from the south... these cunning creatures used the forest to conceal their whereabouts, but one of our scouts confirmed their southern origin,¡± the Mayor said with disdain for the creatures.


    ¡°We''ll look into it,¡± Percival declared. The Mayor''s face brightened.


    ¡°Oh! Are you going to help us? I will gladly reward you! Please!¡± The Mayor reached out to touch Percival''s hand, but Percival withdrew.


    ¡°We''ll assist, but please refrain from touching me,¡± he said with disgust.


    After returning to the inn to gather more supplies, the two departed from the town heading south.

 Chapter 21 :: Artificial Dungeon

    Percival and Simon stumbled upon something man-made within the forest south of Trist Port Town. When they laid eyes on it, they recognized it immediately as a dungeon¡ªa surprising find for Percival, who had never encountered one that wasn''t a natural formation or an ancient ruin.


    ¡°Simon, you''ve ventured into dungeons before, right?¡± Percival inquired.


    ¡°Yeah, twice during our travels,¡± Simon replied. Percival remembered that Simon''s guardian, an old hero, had conquered numerous dungeons in the past.


    The boy was not lying ¡°Good to know. Let''s check it out,¡± Percival said.


    ¡°I''ll lead the way. I can see in the dark and scout ahead,¡± Simon offered, stepping forward. With weapons drawn, they prepared for whatever lay ahead.


    The man-made tunnel of stairs was already covered in dungeon moss, a common growth found in such environments. It provided some illumination, pockets of darkness remained.


    As they reached the end of the stairs, they found themselves in what resembled the first floor of a dungeon, reminiscent of a prison cell. ¡°Enemies,¡± Simon warned as they entered the corridor, and monsters emerged from the walls. It was unmistakably a dungeon¡ªbut one crafted by human hands?


    What emerged were four children, all bearing identical faces, though their bodies were shrouded in darkness. Simon recognized the ominous sensation they emanated. ¡°We have to defeat them quickly, or they''ll replicate you!¡± he urged, launching an attack with his fin blade. The quartet of children charged toward them in response.


    ¡°They''re fighting barehanded!?¡± Percival exclaimed, bewildered by the sudden change from their previous encounter in the town¡¯s siege. What could be causing this shift?


    The two swiftly engaged in combat.


    In mere moments, the four vanished, leaving behind a small dungeon stone. Simon picked it up, noticing its stark difference from the ones he knew¡ªit was much dimmer in color.


    ¡°Let''s press on,¡± Simon declared. Percival could discern that despite his youth, Simon possessed a clear understanding of the situation, and he followed his lead.


    ¡­


    The dungeon''s layout was relatively simple; each floor mirrored the first, but as they delved deeper, it expanded considerably. Along the edges, natural cave formations began to emerge. However, one constant remained: the stairs leading to the next floor were always positioned opposite to their descent.


    The real challenge lay in the dungeon''s forced modifications, with their paths frequently obstructed by cave-ins or collapsed walls. They had to navigate around these obstacles, searching for alternative routes.


    Yet, the atmosphere was reminiscent of a horror story. Bones littered the ground¡ªboth animal and human, the majority belonging to non-humans. Occasionally, they were ambushed by shadowy monsters bearing the faces of the same child. While Simon remained unfazed, Percival grew increasingly uneasy at dispatching these eerie creatures.


    Despite the unsettling surroundings, they remained resolute, prepared to descend for days if necessary. Surprisingly, before the day''s end, they had already reached the dungeon''s deepest floor. However, Simon found the eight-floor depth disappointingly shallow by his standards.


    In the depths, they stumbled upon a boy in ragged clothes standing near an operating table, surrounded by numerous skeletons.


    ¡°That''s probably the guardian of the core,¡± Percival suggested.


    No... that''s the core itself... that boy is infused with it,¡± Simon corrected, drawing from his experience with such adversaries.


    ¡°Are you here to save me?¡± the boy asked, his gaze fixed ahead into the darkness, still seemingly aware of his surroundings. Simon noticed that his lower body was fused with shadows and flesh, all lumped and melded into the ground. The room began to brighten, as the dim lights etched in the ground shone, signaling impending danger.


    Shadows began to emerge from the ground¡ªfour of them. ¡°Who''s going to target the core?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°I will... just buy me some time,¡± Percival replied.


    The two sprang into battle. While Simon cleared a path for Percival, the northerner made a beeline for the boy in the middle of the room. At one point, Percival cast a spell, summoning an earth barrier.


    Earlier, he had noticed that the shadows avoided a certain area in a circle around the core. The dim lights etched into the ground seemed to offer a clue about this too¡ªthe core couldn''t summon the annoying shadows near it.


    ¡°Earth magic... amazing,¡± Simon muttered as he witnessed the earth barrier being erected. It was the first time he had seen Percival use earth magic. Initially, it seemed like the battle might conclude swiftly, but a sudden foreboding sensation sent shivers down Simon''s spine. Trusting his instincts, he quickened his movements, swiftly dispatching the emerging shadows with his water blade.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡­


    Percival was wrong and, at the same time, right with his observations. A single shadow emerged directly from behind the boy.


    Percival could tell... the single shadow that emerged inside the barrier was different and powerful, but somehow familiar... so damn familiar that his instincts were telling him to run. ¡°Who the hell is that now¡­?¡± This time, the shadow that emerged didn¡¯t have the face of the child.


    It didn¡¯t matter now; Percival could control his emotions. He initiated an attack. A sword appeared in the shadow''s hand, and it started fighting against Percival. ¡°Kill him!!! Don¡¯t play with him!!¡± the child in the middle commanded the shadow that was fighting against Percival.


    ¡°Percival!! Are you okay!?¡± Simon screamed from outside the barrier.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay!!! Are you finished?¡± Percival answered with a question.


    ¡°No!!! They still keep on coming!!!¡± Simon answered back.


    It was a bit embarrassing for someone not even half his age to be worried for him, but he did appreciate it. Still, the shadow was fighting evenly against him while he swung mightily at it... after a quick weapons lock, he pushed the shadow off and readied his stance... but the shadow didn¡¯t attack back.


    ¡°Who the hell are you¡­¡± Percival muttered.


    ¡°Simon¡­¡± for some of the strangest reasons the world has ever had¡­ the shadow spoke. Percival had heard stories before; this was no ordinary shadow. It was a doppelganger. It was starting to make sense; if only he could figure out who the doppelganger was.


    Percival gritted his teeth and engaged again. For some reason, the doppelganger would only receive his attacks and never initiate. It was ever graceful in dodging Percival¡¯s deadly attacks, but then it performed a flash step in and out of Percival¡¯s swing range. ¡°Aargh!!!¡± and the doppelganger kicked him in the stomach. Percival slid a bit... it almost broke something inside of him.


    ¡°Did he kick you in the stomach?!!¡± Simon suddenly asked. He knew how one would sound getting hit.


    ¡°Do you know who this doppelganger is?¡± Percival responded with another question.


    ¡°We have to trade!!!¡± Simon requested. Something about Simon''s voice suggested that he knew who the doppelganger was. Percival opened up the barrier, and Simon instantly entered. ¡®How did he know where I would open the barrier?¡¯ Percival thought as he moved into the opening.


    ¡°Tell me about it later,¡± Percival said, and they tagged out.


    Percival, as soon as he emerged from the barrier, closed it. The shadows that kept appearing were slowly regenerating. It seemed that Simon had figured out that only four shadows would emerge from the ground. Since the shadows would regenerate themselves if not completely slain, they would remain stunned for the duration of their regeneration. The four were neatly lined up in front of Percival; he just had to maintain the damage.


    ¡°That¡¯s genius,¡± Percival said as he grasped the idea.


    ¡­


    Simon smiled... a doppelganger... probably the same doppelganger that he fought before... the old man fought before... the doppelganger instantly recognized him... it started releasing that familiar fierce bloodlust, like how the old man did when they were still together.


    Simon was happy... a match against the old man now. It''s time to measure his growth now. For the first time, the doppelganger went into a stance. Simon did too, adopting the stance he had self-taught.


    A step forward... sword tip pointing in the direction of the target. Lining it up diagonally, resting his arms on his body.


    ¡°Simon...¡± the doppelganger spoke. Simon was sure that it was mimicking the old man from before.


    The doppelganger started the attack, doing what the old man did: flash steps, feints, and swings. Simon, relying on instinct and the back of his neck, began parrying the attacks.


    ¡°Fast!!!¡± Simon muttered, but he was smiling; he was starting to get small cuts, nothing serious.


    The doppelganger stops for a while... it checks its hand... it seems that it was cleanly lopped off.


    ¡°I landed a hit, old man... I landed a hit!!!¡± Simon said, smiling. For some reason, the doppelganger couldn¡¯t control it. It was smiling back too; Simon was sure that it was.


    The two continued the bout. The doppelganger could tell that his opponent was getting used to his speed. Simon was dodging while landing a cut four out of ten slashes the doppelganger was launching; the boy didn¡¯t even move from his spot.


    ¡°Release!!¡± the doppelganger muttered, and though it was made up of shadows, it started emitting a glowing light that bathed the whole place. Some of it even escaped from the earthen barrier Percival made.


    ¡°Oh... getting serious, of course,¡± Simon smiled excitedly.


    The two resumed their stances again.


    Simon finally left his spot as he dodged the doppelganger''s attack. Simon landed on the ground near the boy in the middle, and the boy instantly cowered.


    ¡°Get away from me!!!¡± the boy immediately screamed, but he had no more magic in him. That was how much the doppelganger he was using cost.


    ¡°I will deal with you later on... we will save you,¡± Simon answered nonchalantly. The boy with the shard widened his eyes.


    ¡°You will save me?¡± he asked again. Simon looked over his shoulder and nodded. For some reason, the boy with the shard smiled brightly.


    ¡°Please!! Hurry up!! My body hurts,¡± the boy complained.


    Simon didn¡¯t understand how the doppelganger worked. The background of the boy with the shard? Nor how the doppelganger was using light magic even though it was made up of shadow and darkness.


    What he understood was... ¡°If it uses its magic on its release mode... I will die.¡± That was Simon''s only concern right now.


    But once he knew who he was fighting, he already had a plan in the back of his mind. It was time to switch to plan B.


    Simon placed his sword on his chest, waved it down, and bowed his head. The doppelganger, upon seeing this, stopped its release, put its shadow sword on its chest, and waved it down. The two looked at each other for a while.


    ¡°Aw... I¡¯m still the challenger?!¡± Simon said in complaint. The doppelganger taunted him by swinging its finger and beckoning him to come over.


    <--->


    Percival was starting to get bored... was it already over? After that light? What the hell was happening inside his barrier? Although Percival was a proficient user of earth magic, he mainly used it only to create small advantages on the battlefield for himself. He then chopped off a part of the regenerating shadows in front of him.


    After staring at the darkness for a while, he finally remembered the visage of the old man that the doppelganger was mimicking. ¡°No way...¡± he said.

 Chapter 22 :: Sword Dance and Celebration

    Since ancient times, the sword has been a weapon of choice for heroes, kings, adventurers, and knights. As simple as a long blade held by the hand, as complex as many possible ways to be swung and played with. Many old customs were passed down, and many styles, forms, and techniques were written, learned, and taught.


    This one custom that the old man left Simon, a dance with the sword. Sword on chest, wave down, and a bow. It''s a salute to invite one to start a sword dance, only the old noble clans and the ancients knew of this, a custom long gone.


    The challenger must swing a hit with all his might to the champion. The champion must match their strength and speed to the challenger based on the first hit the challenger does. And thus, their sword dance begins. The goal was to disarm each other; they could only touch swords. Using only skills and techniques, no magic, no fancy tricks, only swordsmanship.


    Simon was smiling. After he landed the challenger¡¯s strike, he jumped back to check out the reaction of the doppelganger. The doppelganger went back into its stance. If it was really mimicking the old man, it would perform the sword dance... he was so sure.


    The two started walking closer, moving into their range. ¡°Percival!!! Open the barrier!!! You have to watch this!!!¡± Simon screamed. There was a tinge of fun in his voice; he couldn¡¯t help it. There hadn¡¯t been any challenges around. Percival followed suit, and the barrier went down. To the northerner¡¯s surprise, the two were standing close with their sword stances. He was now sure that the doppelganger was the old man; the form of the stance was clearer when seen from the side.


    The sword dance began. A dance of parry, sliding blades, feints, and wide slashes. Although Percival was not an expert with swords, he could tell that the doppelganger was matching Simon¡¯s pace.


    ¡°Simon¡­ can you do it?¡± Percival asked. He was ready to help him.


    ¡°Actually, this is the only way to do it,¡± Simon answered.


    Why did the doppelganger of the old man match Simon¡¯s skills? That was the question in Percival¡¯s mind. It was not doing the same thing it was doing when he was fighting it earlier. Well, the dungeon is filled with mysteries, and this one is where he chalks it up to that, and Simon¡­ he was enjoying it.


    Maintaining the weight of his sword and the speed of his momentum, the two were going at it. Simon knew that he was at a disadvantage. First of all, the doppelganger didn¡¯t need to breathe like him. Second, it didn¡¯t have eyes, but it was reading Simon¡¯s feints using his eyes. Still, it was fun. It really felt like he was fighting against the old man... but the language of the sword was gone... it was only skills that remained.


    Simon executed a parry, then allowed the shadow''s sword to slide down and, in momentum, used it to land a strike to the hilt of the shadow¡¯s sword. It tried to recover its stance but was too late.


    ¡°I win,¡± Simon muttered, and the doppelganger stopped moving. The winner was allowed to ask anything of the loser; that was the consequence of doing a sword dance. Simon took on a high stance.


    ¡°You have to disappear...¡± he said, swinging his water blade down, dividing the doppelganger into two... diffusing it.


    Simon immediately walked over to the boy who was infused with the ground. ¡°No!! What are you going to do?!!!¡± the boy said worryingly. Simon skillfully cut off the meat that was on his lower body.


    ¡°Aargh!!¡± the boy fell to his knees.


    ¡°You are free now,¡± Simon said... the boy looked at his face as he started crying.


    <--->


    Although Percival offered the boy his back, the boy didn¡¯t want to be carried; he wanted to walk. The two were polite enough to give him some rest. The boy would talk about the town he came from; the two were sure that it was not the port town of Trist. He was sold by his own family.


    Every day, different creatures would be brought into the place. They were being ¡®studied on¡¯; that was the term the people inside used when they would do cruel things to them and him. Then they placed something on his chest, and after that, his memories became cloudy.


    But one day, that day when everyone needed to be thrown, they forcefully tried removing the shard that was infused with him... hearing the screams of the creatures he befriended, he snapped and using the power inside the shard started summoning his copies.


    Time passed, and he didn¡¯t know how much, but he wanted to go outside. But he was different now; that¡¯s why he was sending scouts around to act as humans, but they failed, and here they are now.


    Although Percival offered the boy his back, the boy didn¡¯t want to be carried; he wanted to walk. The two were polite enough to give him some rest. The boy would talk about the town he came from; the two were sure that it was not the port town of Trist. He was sold by his own family.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Every day, different creatures would be brought into the place. They were being ¡®studied on¡¯; that was the term the people inside used when they would do cruel things to them and him. Then they placed something on his chest, and after that, his memories became cloudy.


    But one day, that day when everyone needed to be thrown, they forcefully tried removing the shard that was infused with him... hearing the screams of the creatures he befriended, he snapped and, using the power inside the shard, started summoning his copies.


    Time passed, and he didn¡¯t know how much, but he wanted to go outside. But he was different now; that¡¯s why he was sending scouts around to act as humans, but they failed, and here they are now.


    Finally, Percival and Simon stepped outside of the man-made dungeon. The boy was behind them, hesitating. The two faced him while the boy was still inside the dungeon.


    ¡°You have to go out, kid... it''s time,¡± Percival said. The boy¡¯s body was starting to fade. His dungeon core, which has a dark-based element, would weaken once he comes out of the light.


    ¡°... You don¡¯t have to come out... you can stay there and live. I will visit you sometimes,¡± Simon suddenly said. Percival was surprised at Simon¡¯s words. The boy was a monster; it must be exterminated. But Percival remained silent. The boy with the shard smiled, his face seemed resolute.


    ¡°I want to be free like my friends,¡± he said as he stepped into the light. ¡°Thank you for saving me!!¡± he said one last time as the shard dropped off his fading body.


    Simon sighed. Percival used a cloth to take the dungeon core shard. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, Simon,¡± Percival said. Simon was still looking at the spot where the boy disappeared.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Simon answered back, and the two started heading back to the port town.


    <--->


    The gate was still closed; Percival had to knock on the same window that the driver knocked on earlier. ¡°THEY''RE BACK!!!¡± the guard screamed as soon as he saw the northerner¡¯s face. The gate was immediately opened, and the guards were already there, eager to see the faces of their saviors.


    Praises of thanks and cheers were thrown at the two. In a while, a carriage arrived; it was the mayor of the town. ¡°Please come with me!!!¡± the Mayor said, smiling. Simon and Percival rode to the mayor''s house.


    ¡­


    There were two of them at the table: the mayor and the guild master of the adventurer¡¯s guild. Simon was sure he had seen this scene before, the same dungeon core shard on the table.


    ¡°This is the first time I have seen something like this,¡± the guild master said. He was also a Sam (Examiner) before, so he had the knowledge to examine the shard.


    ¡°We thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!¡± the mayor said. The guild master slammed down a bag full of gold.


    ¡°This is the reward for helping us in our time of need,¡± the guild master said, smiling.


    ¡°Actually, I have a request for the adventurer¡¯s guild,¡± Percival said. He opened up the money bag and took out some gold and silver coins.


    ¡°Use what is left. I would request you to post on every adventurer¡¯s guild... we are recruiting for a siege up the north walls. We will reward the participants, and you can take the down payment from that,¡± Percival said with a nod. That was a damn good idea.


    ¡°I got it¡­ the problem has been going on for a year; it''s just that this year it escalated so much that we had to close the gates. We are actually waiting for adventurers to come, but this year has a season for culling dungeons,¡± the guild master said.


    It happened every five years, with dungeons getting pushed back deeper. This only applied to the dungeons that hadn¡¯t been conquered. There are currently nine dungeons in the eastern frontier that haven¡¯t been conquered, all under the supervision of the Elford.


    ¡°Well!!! I will shoulder the celebration tonight!!! Let¡¯s celebrate!!¡± the mayor stood up as he said it. Finally, the trades would resume; there were actually three ships tied on the port of the town.


    <--->


    The town of Trist celebrated the duo¡¯s triumphant return. Although it hadn¡¯t opened for trades yet, they still had a surplus of food in their storage. The Mayor declared a one-day feast in honor of the two who conquered the dungeon south of their settlement.


    With a few who knew how to play instruments, the townspeople started dancing. Music and the jolly laughter of the people permeated the air. From morning into the night, they feasted. Simon, keeping his eyes closed, was then thanked by the soldiers and townspeople around.


    The driver told them that he would be staying in the town for a while... that¡¯s when the owner of the inn was clinging to him while they were drunk. ¡°My good man¡­ you¡¯ve got guts Hahahaha!!¡± Percival, who also had alcohol in his system, tapped the driver on his back.


    The driver just laughed it away. The festive mood allowed him to do this with no awkwardness.


    Percival then checked out Simon, who was silently drinking juice.


    He approached him, ¡°Simon¡­ you should learn how to drink alcohol, you know. I was already drinking at your age,¡± Percival offered a swig, but Simon refused by using his hands.


    ¡°Alcohol dulls the mind,¡± he said resolutely¡­


    ¡°Hmm¡­ then what¡¯s on your mind?¡± Percival asked¡­ he could tell that Simon was thinking about something.


    ¡°The old man told me once that he was sorry that he can¡¯t leave anything for me¡­ only freedom..¡± Those were the words of the old man. Even when Simon told the story of him and the old man to Percival before, he didn¡¯t mention this.


    Simon didn¡¯t have a family or a place where he belonged. He was a drifter raised by a shady, old, grumpy man. ¡°You don¡¯t realize this right now since you have that freedom¡­ but freedom takes a lot of strength¡­ I somehow understand why the hell you are thinking about that,¡± Percival said as he took a swig.


    The boy with the shard had to choose either to live inside the dungeon or to be free outside and die.


    ¡°It''s sad, but we have to leave tomorrow. Let¡¯s sneak out when the townspeople are knocked out!!¡± Percival declared as he raised his cup, and then he suddenly screamed, ¡°CHEERS!!!¡±


    ¡°CHEERS!!¡± the townspeople responded too, raising their cups.


    <--->


    Although the town was in a festive mood, the guards still had to do their work. They shifted from time to time with three cycles and eight hours of guard watch per day. The guards passed on their duties and any necessary information to each other.


    ¡°We have a new resident,¡± one of the guards said, relieving the guardsman who was on the window.


    ¡°I see.¡± The guard being relieved stood up, but he hit the table and the Stone of Truth rolled down. It didn¡¯t break, but its parts came off, dividing it into two pieces.


    There was no magic stone inside. The next guard picked it up as if it were nothing.

 Chapter 23 :: Rumour, Stories and Legends

    Wolland arrived at the Castle of the Elford. It had been a long time since he''d been there; his destination was the adventurer¡¯s guild. As in his old days, it was his impulse to look at the quest board as soon as he entered the building. ¡°Owl Bear subjugation,¡± he read the latest paper on the quest board, which would require 3 to 4 parties of 5 members, depending also on the number of the Owl Bears. Owl Bears are classified as class B and class A if it¡¯s a group.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s interesting,¡± he said and proceeded to the reception.


    The receptionist knew who he was and immediately some members of his clan greeted him on his way to the receptionist''s counter. ¡°Good afternoon, I would like to speak with the guild master,¡± he said politely. The receptionist nodded.


    The receptionist opened up the counter table, letting him inside, then guided him to the second floor where the guild master¡¯s room was.


    The guild master was busy reading reports; now he had to deal with another.


    ¡°Wolland¡­ what are you doing here? I thought you retired,¡± the guild master asked as he was reading a paper.


    ¡°I would like to send a message to my ex-clan members,¡± Wolland said. He sat on the chair, and the receptionist bowed and left the room as she closed the door.


    ¡°What message would you like me to send?¡± the guild master said, finally putting down the paper and looking Wolland in the face.


    ¡°I want them to go to the north to help with a siege,¡± Wolland answered. The guild master¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°So you have met the big ass northerner, huh? Well, we also received a quest from the Port Town, even saying that we can pay the adventurers going north with gold for their expenses! It seems that they received a big reward after conquering an artificial dungeon there,¡± the guild master said, nodding with each accomplishment he mentioned.


    The two were working fast, it seemed. ¡°Are you also going north?¡± the guild master suddenly asked.


    ¡°Nope, I¡¯ve left the adventurer life for good. This is me returning the favor to them¡­ I¡¯m finally getting married.¡± With that, Wolland blushed a little.


    ¡°Oh!!!! OOOOOH!!!! Is it who I¡¯m thinking of?¡± the guild master asked, and Wolland nodded.


    The guild master ran outside of his room. The balcony on the second floor provided an overview of the entire guild grounds, from the reception area to the entrance. ¡°HEY!!! WOLLAND IS GETTING MARRIED TO NARNIA!!!¡± he screamed. The guild staff and adventurers who knew Wolland clapped.


    Their relationship had been followed by adventurers and guild staff alike. ¡°Hey!! You didn¡¯t have to scream it!!!¡± Wolland, who was late in following the guild master, protested.


    ¡°When is it?¡± the guild master asked.


    ¡°Next first week of the month, in my village,¡± Wolland timidly answered.


    The guild master made a funnel using his hands ¡°THEY ARE GOING TO BE MARRIED NEXT MONTH, FIRST WEEK, IN THE FISHERMAN¡¯S VILLAGE!!! EVERYONE IS INVITED!!!¡± and the guild master just added more fuel to the fire.


    ¡°Congratulations!! Finally!!¡±


    ¡°I knew it!!! Good job, man!!¡±


    ¡°Wolland, you asshole!!!¡±


    ¡°She has been waiting for a long time!!¡±


    ¡°You piece of shit!! I¡¯m so jealous of you!!!¡±


    ¡°Die! You lucky bastard!!!¡±


    At first, it was compliments, but it started changing in the middle.


    <--->


    Elford¡¯s Castle¡­


    ¡°My queen¡­ they already have the relic; it''s safely returned to the adventurer¡¯s guild,¡± the maid reports to the queen. The queen looks at her. ¡°And?¡± she added, urging the maid to continue her report. ¡°It was brought by the Sen-ran of the central.¡±


    The queen, who was sitting in her office, really wanted to slap the table, but she endured. ¡°Give me the report.¡± The maid handed over the piece of paper she was holding.


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    ¡°And they were here a few days ago!¡± she said, seeing the name of the adventurer responsible for returning the relic. The shard of the dungeon core is usually called a relic since it can be used as a catalyst for about anything one can think of for its uses. The application and use of the dungeon shard were still a gray area even for the researchers of magic.


    The queen felt much more at ease knowing where it was than if it vanished into thin air. The Sen-ran is one of the oldest nobles of the central; they know what they are doing even though they run the most shady underground organization in the whole realm. They are still trustworthy and won¡¯t do anything to harm the realm.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± the queen asked.


    ¡°The first raid party that will be finishing is probably the king¡¯s; the adventurers who delivered the supplies sent this message.¡± The maid finally bowed and left.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± the queen muttered.


    The queen was growing weary; running the kingdom was too much for her. She was reading the paper about the report of the Golden Axe. Percival and Simon were there again; it seemed that she owed them so much for the Golden Axes incident. The leader of the Golden Axe was a very talented man.


    She shuddered thinking of what he could have done after successfully overthrowing the control of the farmlands. She has to review the layout of the farmlands and must make changes. There was also this trouble with the Rock Turtles years ago; it totally changed the donkey path to the point of it turning into a slanted path.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Vish is with them, she can be the captain when I send them to the north,¡± the queen muttered as she remembered some of the knights that were together with her husband.


    Then a knock on the door; it was the same maid.


    ¡°Sorry, my queen, one more report.¡± It seems that she just received a paper that was in her hands.


    ¡°The adventurer¡¯s guild¡¯s report on patrolling the main roads; the main roads are now as safe as they were before,¡± she said, and she placed the paper on the queen¡¯s table.


    The queen smiled; finally, she could reopen the roads. A bit of relieved worry made her sigh.


    <--->


    Back to Percival and Simon¡­


    Simon and Percival¡¯s destination was now the dark forest. They were currently walking on the main roads, having silently departed from the Port Town of Trist four hours ago; the sun was starting to rise now.


    It was amazing how Percival¡¯s constitution against alcohol worked. The drink he had at the inn back in Elford¡¯s Castle must have been really strong. ¡°That was a good drink!¡± Percival said as he stretched his whole body. ¡°Though I enjoy the dragon¡¯s temptation more,¡± he added.


    The lord, by all means, wanted to transport them to the center for free, but as a port town, they needed cargo to be loaded on the ship, and it would take about half a month before their ship sailed again. Percival couldn¡¯t wait that long; summer was almost at its end. That¡¯s why they had to leave. However, helping others brought a rewarding feeling, especially for Percival.


    ¡°A carriage,¡± Simon said.


    From afar, another carriage was approaching. If it was headed for the main road through Trist Valley, it only had one destination. Unlike the first one they helped before, it was not in a hurry, and they would meet it after a few minutes.


    ¡­


    ¡°The ban on the roads has been lifted! Take care!¡± It was the same adventurers who warned them earlier when they were heading to the port town. It was a caravan of about eight carriages, with adventurers posted on each one. The merchants must have missed the end of summer, but autumn was still coming, and it would be busy. The adventurers waved at the two travelers as they passed by.


    ¡°Simon, I''m itching for some battle. How about going off the main road? I know a shortcut going north,¡± Percival said.


    Simon nodded. ¡°Yeah, I like that idea. A battle would keep us in shape.¡±


    There were other roads that existed in the eastern frontier, but they were a lot more dangerous than the main road. Both roads had a chance of being attacked by monsters, but the other roads had twice the chance of monsters appearing. It was like the donkey road they used when they were with Wolland. They traveled using a carriage at full speed. The shorter they stayed on the open off-roads, the less likely they would be attacked.


    But now, going on foot, there was a high chance of monsters preying on them, and that''s what they were looking for.


    As soon as they passed through the Trist Valley, the two started heading north off the main roads. The road was called the Beryl Pass, an off-road path that could accommodate a carriage but had an infamous reputation for dangerous beasts lurking around.


    After a few hours of walking, monsters approached them. Simon saw them miles away, but since the two wanted to fight, it was perfect. The first encounter made Simon realize that it was much safer to travel through a forest because he was covered all around. However, the flat road of the Beryl Pass meant they could be easily seen by enemies.


    ¡°Oh, Owl Bears! They''re rabid!¡± Percival exclaimed excitedly as he prepared his axe. There were three of them.


    ¡°Do they taste good?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Really? You ask me that? I don''t know, but we better find out!¡± Percival led the charge.


    To Percival''s knowledge, the Beryl Pass was territory controlled by the Owl Bears.


    <--->


    A few days passed.


    A staff member placed a paper of complaint on the guild master''s table. ¡°Sir, a complaint about a job,¡± the staff member notified the guild master before leaving the room.


    The guild master was required to handle things like this since his vice was gone, and he was busy raiding dungeons with a group of adventurers as part of Elford¡¯s yearly culling.


    ¡°Hmm... that''s really strange,¡± the guild master remarked upon reading the complaint.


    It appeared that a day ago, a party of three or four accepted the subjugation job for the owlbears in the Beryl''s Pass. However, when they arrived, they didn''t encounter a single Owlbear. Instead, there were signs of fighting around the pass.


    ¡°That''s concerning... perhaps a stronger monster than the Owlbears?¡± The guild master''s headache flared up, and he massaged his temples with his thumb. ¡°Annoying,¡± he muttered. He knew he''d need to assign another staff member to investigate, despite their already heavy workload.


    ...


    The Beryl Pass was declared a restricted area for a few weeks. However, three months later, it was reopened after a northerner provided clarification about what had occurred there.

 Chapter 24 :: The Northern Wall

    Autumn arrived, painting the ground with hues of orange and brown as the tree''s leaves fell. Percival and his party, now numbering three (Percival, Simon, and Afara), ventured into the Dark Forest to meet up with the other forest folks before heading to the northern wall.


    They traversed through the dark forest and emerged in the far northwest, onto a slope leading down toward the wall. The north was actually a large slope descending toward the wall, with hills and mountains on the right side that extended further down. They waited there for a few days.


    Percival and the other groups communicated via letters carried by doves. The meeting point was a triangular formation of stones near the northern border of the dark forest.


    After some time, another group, accompanied by adventurers and some of Gallo¡¯s people, joined them, increasing their numbers. Percival dispatched another dove, informing them that they would now head to the northern walls, with someone remaining at the meeting point.


    ¡°Sir Percival¡­ the cannons will be delayed a bit,¡± one of Gallo¡¯s people informed him. ¡°I see¡­ There will be a group of adventurers coming from the west and south of the frontier. I''ll ask them to assist with the transport,¡± Percival replied, smiling upon receiving the report.


    If Percival could lessen the burden with the transportation of the cannons, it would be worth it. On the 3rd day, the whole group started moving with Percival and Simon at the head.


    The walk began in the morning, and by the afternoon, they could already see their destination.


    ¡°We are almost there! After we pass the slope, you will see it too¡­¡± Percival acted like a tourist guide; it was actually the first time he would be bringing visitors to the northern wall.


    For almost all of them, it was their first time laying eyes on the large wall. It was majestic, beautiful... awe-inspiring, but thinking about its purpose made Simon shiver. What were those Spikes? Why the large wall?


    Simon smiles seeing the wall. It was wide, the northern wall stood majestically, seamlessly merging with the eastern and western northern mountain range as if it were a natural part of its range. Its grayish-white surface glistened, reflecting the rugged beauty of the mountains, creating a breathtaking sight.


    After a few more steps, they finally glimpsed the town nestled beneath the northern wall. To the west and right of the wall, the majestic mountains loomed, their peaks crowned with large towers of enchanted design that seemed to pierce the sky. These towers, adorned with intricate patterns and shimmering with a magical aura, stood proudly atop the rugged mountaintops, creating a stunning and surreal landscape.


    The slope was like another ecosystem, the landscape was still brownish but hints of season changing polluted it. Massive antelopes, each as large as a house, roamed the landscape with a commanding presence. Nearby, litters of koalas scurried about, eagerly collecting any food they could find. The slopes were dotted with an abundance of berry shrubs, their vibrant colors hinting at both nourishment and danger, as some berries were poisonous while others were not. The scene was a lively tapestry of wildlife and vegetation, teeming with the raw, untamed energy of nature.


    Percival like a tourist guide screamed as he pointed the tower on the mountains ¡°Those towers are actually wards... They cover from the north into the eastern mountain ranges,¡± Percival explained as they walked. ¡°They were made by Dwarves to protect the continent... Though I¡¯m not sure if they are eternal; it''s a lost technology,¡± Percival continued, and his breath started to fog.


    ¡°Why not just put those all around the wall? Then it will not be passable by monsters, right?¡± Afara queried.


    ¡°There is a reason why. It was to funnel the attacks and siege,¡± Percival explained.


    The slope down to the northern wall was quite high. There were zigzag paths that curved down the steep slope, making traveling there quite easy. Even the monsters that lived on the slope stayed clear of it, as if they were accustomed to it.


    The wind was already very cold, and it only got worse as they traveled the long way down. There were hundreds of them: forest folk, adventurers, Gallo¡¯s servants. The northerners watching from the town walls could see them descending.


    <--->


    The town was situated in the middle of the wall. Surrounding the town was yet another wall. Upon entering, one could quickly discern three tiers of walls with gates in the middle. The gate farthest led into the wall, while two ramparts on the east and west of the gates led inside. In ancient times, when the walls were built, they were designed to house those who would defend it. However, over the years, it was deemed safer to live outside, and only the warriors on duty would remain within. Many secrets were lost since they abandoned living there.


    The surrounding town was filled with ruins, including collapsed buildings. Despite this, the town still appeared intact as they approached the wall.


    ¡°This town is actually a remnant of a kingdom that is buried underground,¡± Percival continuously informed them.


    ¡°Father!!! Father, you''re back!!!¡± a child greeted them, or rather his father, who caught the jumping child.


    ¡°I¡¯m back!!! We got reinforcements!!!¡± even the town''s keeper greeted them moments later.


    They were shown their quarters and given a tour around the village. The forest folk were enchanted with the humans, who showed no trace of racism.


    ¡°Settle down, let us meet at the town hall. The bell will strike as a call. Please come,¡± Percival said with a smile.


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    The town hall was situated on the west side of the town, constructed from bricks. Clearly, it was built ages after the wall, as that side also exhibited some ruins. Ornaments depicting the history of the wall adorned its walls, along with murals. The forest folks were particularly fond of it. There was a large stone table on each side, appearing much older than the building itself, and finally, a stage in the middle.


    After a while, the bell chimed¡­


    <--->


    The wooden gate stood tall as 3 stories, The gate creaked and groaned, its ancient hinges protesting as they slowly gave way. A low, metallic rumble echoed through the air, followed by the heavy, resonant thud of the gate settling into its open position, scores of people already waiting inside.


    ¡°We welcome you to the northern walls!!! We thank you for the support,¡± said the mayor, Percival¡¯s brother. He had been managing the town and overseeing the messenger birds, knowing when the party would arrive and preparing accordingly. The townspeople who had organized the feast welcomed them warmly.


    A humble yet sufficient feast had been prepared. As the evening grew colder, they enjoyed warm drinks of goat milk and cheese, which brought smiles to the faces of the forest folks as they sampled them.


    ¡°Enjoy the humble feast we''ve prepared. After this, we will have an official meeting, and tomorrow there will be an introduction to the spike,¡± declared the mayor, initiating the festivities in the town hall.


    ¡°Simon!!! The noodles are here!!¡± Percival called out, waving to Simon. The boy smiled and followed the invitation.


    Although it was a feast, everyone retired early for the night. Simon sat by the window in his room within the wall, gazing at the stars while finishing his third serving of noodles, which Percival had enticed him with. It wasn''t the first time he had seen such clear skies, but they were still beautiful.


    Feeling restless, he stood up. He hadn''t had the chance to use his sword yet. Percival had brought along an anti-monster incense that repelled the creatures.


    Despite his desire to hunt, he reasoned that it wouldn''t be wise for the group. After all, the slope was home to peaceful monsters.


    Instead, he began practicing shadow fighting, imagining himself as the hero of the era.


    <--->


    There was a drawing of it. Percival, while pointing to its parts, explained, ¡°It''s black¡­ all of it. It has 6 limbs and 6 tails. Each tail shoots out a spike-like projectile, corrosive and deadly. It could pierce iron armors. We prefer to use chain armors to dampen the impact of the projectiles, but it would still wound you if you get hit point-blank.¡±


    And thus, Percival began explaining about the encounters and how the spike attacked. He recounted the battles of their predecessors and such. The sieges were not that hard, but the scouts told them that the numbers of the horde gathering were something they had never seen.


    ¡°We are accustomed to the soldier monsters, but once in a while, a powerful mutated spike would come¡­ We saw the first and the last one 30 years ago, and it was a disaster. There was a town that was actually outside of the wall, and that battle, along with some natural disasters, reduced the northern walls to this state¡­ If you see one, we recommend you to call for backup. It will be easily discerned. It''s a Spike that walks on two feet, with its four arms. We call it a walker.¡±


    The adventurers and forest folks were silently listening to Percival, gathered again in the town hall.


    ¡°In the next full moon, we will be going with the scouts for a first-hand experience. I can¡¯t guarantee it''s safe, first of all, but¡­ I would suggest that you all come. But if you don¡¯t want to, it''s okay,¡± Percival said, concluding the meeting. Although it was already very cold, winter would start in 8 days, as per the forecast of a scout.


    <--->


    After 5 days¡­


    Another group arrived¡ªit was a company of engineers, cannons, and more adventurers. They were all wearing light gear, so they were probably from the south. Gallo waved with a large smile on his face. They had arrived at the triangle stones a few days ago, and Percival had to meet them to guide their way up the slope to the north. The transfer of the cannons truly took some time, even though Gallo was devising some inventions. There was not enough time.


    ¡°Oh! It''s cold up here in the north! Hello, people of the northern wall! We are here for the cause!¡± The townspeople cheered lively at the redhead¡¯s waves.


    ¡°I really appreciate it, truly!¡± Percival said in a low voice, tapping Gallo¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°I bring news! The hero party, they are on their way now and will be arriving a few more days later, with more backups!¡± Gallo reported as they walked into the town walls.


    ¡°Thank you. This favor will be remembered by us¡­ Thank you,¡± Percival showed a respect that was beyond Gallo¡¯s age.


    ¡°Now I would like to go to work. If you would allow me to go all around the walls, the town, and a little bit outside, I would like to gather information,¡± Gallo said cheerfully.


    ¡°Of course, the walls have unused quarters. They have already been cleaned for you. It''s a small thing the townspeople can do for the helping hands.¡±


    ¡°Oh! A representative from Elford came! We brought more food supplies and some weapons too!¡± Gallo added. He purposely said this loudly to increase morale and sell the name. He would capitalize on this later. The people cheered upon hearing this.


    ¡°The queen wishes us the best of luck!¡± Gallo then bowed, and the crowd applauded more. Of course, the queen didn¡¯t say anything like that.


    <--->


    The large wall was made of living stones, hard and impenetrable. There were a few secret passages that allowed access outside the wall, but the main gate was usually used for entry and exit.


    ¡°The gate is just the visible point of entrance,¡± Percival said as he toured Gallo around the walls.


    The area they were shown was very large. They had no problem pushing up the cannons; even the townspeople helped, so it was easier but not a breeze.


    Percival showed Gallo the main gate of the wall. The carving on it resembled a coat of arms, similar to those in the Central Continent, but its design was more ancient. ¡°Is that a wolf?¡± Gallo asked. Percival smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Looks cool, huh? On the other side, it''s depicted as angry, with its teeth out,¡± Percival added. Gallo¡¯s eyes glowed with excitement.


    The tour continued to the elevator at the top of the wall. ¡°If you turn this lever, it will take you to the upper walls,¡± Percival explained.


    Gallo and the rest hopped into the elevator. ¡°This is amazing! How does it work?¡± Gallo asked happily.


    ¡°There is a river deep underground in this town with a very strong current. They said there is a mechanism to turn pedals¡­¡± The elevator ascended.


    ¡°An ancient mechanism? I like it¡­ Can I see it?¡± Gallo''s curiosity was evident in his eyes.


    ¡°Too bad¡­ The way to the water wheel has been lost for a long time now. The passages under the town are like labyrinths to us. We only use what is maintained, and there have even been cases of townspeople getting lost for days,¡± Percival explained regrettably. Gallo sighed, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.


    There were sentries manning the wall. Additionally, there was a higher wall on both the left and right parts. Its entrance was also located on the top of the wall. It was apparent to Gallo that the walls were carved with different murals in ancient designs.


    ¡°This is the northern wall. For centuries, we and our ancestors have been defending the north while the central region bickered among themselves¡­¡±


    It was true that for a long time, the wall had protected humanity from the unknown north. The spikes were just one of many monsters that attempted to breach the wall, but the years hadn¡¯t been kind to it. Its decline was evident.


    Gallo smiled slightly, acknowledging the truth of the statement. ¡°In the next moon, we will be venturing beyond the true frontier. Care to join us?¡± Percival asked Gallo.


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡±

 Chapter 25 :: Weakness and Vulnerabilities

    The northerners have their own customs and culture. At the first drop of snow, a bell rang throughout the entire town. The town consisted of only 50-plus families, with each family typically having 6 to 10 warriors.


    The scouts were different; they were specially selected from birth. Only around 8 of the families would have a scout among them, and the scout''s training was very rigorous.


    Sometimes, unforeseen casualties would occur, something that the northerners accepted, or perhaps even embraced. They are considered to be the toughest on the continent.


    <--->


    Simon woke up to the bell and walked outside his quarters. It was the first time he had his own room, so he felt a bit strange, but after a few days, he was already accustomed to it.


    His room was on the walls. He grabbed some clothes as he had been sleeping half-naked. Percival had gifted him two fur coats made from bear fur.


    These large bears were found in the mountains east of the northern walls. Sometimes, a bear that was near death would come down seeking its end. Other warriors claimed that Percival''s wolf pelt was a much tougher opponent.


    Unlike the bears, the large wolf pelt that Percival was wearing was from a Pyre Wolf. This wolf is intelligent and mutated, unlike its normal counterparts (Timber Wolves). It doesn''t hunt in packs and is always a loner.


    This wolf would typically inhabit areas near Pyre ores, so finding and tracking them could lead to discovering pyre ore deposits.


    The scouts in training rose early, a deliberate choice by the seasoned veterans to expose them to the first chill of the day. Half-naked, the recruits gathered in the plaza, while the seasoned warriors, unfazed by the cold, engaged in casual conversation.


    The scouts spotted Simon and waved him over. ¡°Hey, kid! Strip down and join us for a cold air bath!¡± It was an old man. Percival who had just gone out of the house and had run into the plaza half naked too, he was really sociable.


    As snowflakes began to drift down, conversations turned to the town''s readiness¡ªthe storage, defenses against the spikes¡ªall ahead of the looming full moon just three days away.


    ¡°Hey, Simon! We''re throwing the rookies in for a warm-up! You in?¡± Percival tapped Simon, almost sending him off balance.


    ¡°Count me in!¡± Simon replied, eager to join.


    ¡°This kid''s something else. Blind, yet he moves like a pro,¡± remarked one of the veterans. Simon¡¯s dedication to the morning training sessions had left the scouts and warriors thoroughly impressed. The rookies, however, weren''t quite as enthusiastic.


    ¡°Alright, let''s dive into the Percii 4 Quick Special!¡± announced one of the seasoned men.


    It involved a series of rapid-fire muscle exercises followed by a four-minute break, repeated four times. ¡°Oh, man... Percival''s really putting us through it,¡± ¡°Ugh, this is brutal!¡±'' The group echoed various complaints.


    <--->


    A few days passed and as per a planned schedule, a group of humans were out there in the Desolated Lands with only ice trees and hills decorating the fields. A group of roughly two dozen people trudged through the snow, donned in white fur coats and elf boots designed to keep them from sinking into the snow. These boots, enchanted by elves or the forest folks, were a lifesaver in these harsh conditions.


    ¡°We''re nearly there. Follow my lead closely; our safety depends on it,¡± Andy, one of the elite scouts tasked with patrolling the wall''s surroundings, cautioned the group.


    Their mission was perilous but vital for the wall''s defense. Scouts would always move in pairs. They scouted the area meticulously. Percival, a former scout himself, teamed up with Andy to guide the others.


    ¡°I can smell it now,¡± Percival remarked, the air thick with the pungent scent of decay.


    Andy led the way with cautious steps, moving slowly and quietly. At times, he would halt abruptly, as if hiding from an unseen threat. Despite being far from the safety of the walls, they remained visible in the distance.


    ¡°If you ever find yourself alone out here with them, remember this: they don''t have keen eyesight. As long as you''re wearing camouflage, you''ll blend in. See that hill to my left? Look closely,¡± Andy instructed.


    There were a few black figures, but the snow blurred them from afar. ¡°Those are their scouts,¡± Percival explained, gesturing toward the distant shapes. ¡°They look for valuable sources of food. Once a scout returns successfully, they''ll launch an attack to pillage.¡± It was a group of three spikes.


    ¡°The horde hunts down deer. I once saw them try to hunt wolves, but they failed,¡± Percival added.


    ¡°If you''re going to kill them, make sure you take out the whole group of three, or you''ll be in trouble,¡± Andy warned. He waved to Percival, who began moving away from the group. ¡°As an example, we''ll try to eliminate them.¡±


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    The group climbed to higher ground as Andy commanded them to stay put, anticipating the movement of the spikes downhill. ¡°Watch and learn,¡± Andy said. The two scouts, Andy and Percival, exchanged nods before descending the hill.


    The two positioned themselves to anticipate where the spike would run. It was a methodical attack; they threw iron spikes, and the two spikes fell, leaving the last one confused about the source of the attack. Andy finished off the last one.


    ¡°Subtle, not like how you would do it,¡± Afara suddenly said, with Simon beside him.


    ¡°...I''d kill it with a water blade... probably could burst its neck with a wind knife,¡± Simon guessed. ¡°But I could try doing what they did and do it the scout way,¡± Simon finished.


    ¡°I would blast the hell out of them even before the battle becomes melee... they look disgusting... I wonder if there is any usable part on them?¡± It was Gallo, another boy who was chilling and already had a runny nose. He was writing something on a piece of paper.


    The forest folk and the adventurers thought the two boys were really weird.


    <--->


    A few more spike scouts were successfully killed by Andy and Percival. Sometimes they would let others handle the third one, but still had assurance in case the others failed, as they watched the action with much care. It was Simon¡¯s turn.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother cutting its tails... go right through its heart... hold this, kid. I don¡¯t know why Percival brought two kids here. This place is not for you,¡± Andy said as he handed a long iron pike to Simon.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been away far too long, Andy. When are you going back home?¡± Percival asked.


    ¡°No shit... it has been busy after you left... you''ll have to pay me for my vacation, ha! Ulra is waiting for me at home,¡± Andy replied with humor.


    The explanation was brief but repeated every time someone attempted the hunt.


    The heart was located in the abdomen. The head was very small, and the neck sturdy. They said that even if you tried to cut its neck, a normal human wouldn¡¯t have enough force to cut through it in one swing; it would usually take two to four swings.


    ¡°Stay low, strike sure... we''ve got your back in case you fail,¡± Percival advised Simon.


    ¡°I understand,¡± the kid nodded. He was now in hunting mode. It was the same strategy: find scouts, cut off their escape, and completely kill all three of them. They left the party in training on another hill, using their coats as camouflage. The place was a safe spot.


    <--->


    The wind blew, frigid air of the north would chill down hot coffee in a few minutes. The desolated land was white, two silhouettes of humans huffing together to make their bodies warmer.


    Another team of scouts was working in the area that day, comprising about four members. Their task was to continuously monitor the movement of the horde and report back using birds. They had just finished scouting a group of hordes on the far west side of the wall.


    ¡°Damn it, Bibs got his vacation. Too bad for Andy; he has to babysit,¡± one of the scouts muttered in a low voice.


    ¡°Shit happens. They should be close by. The participants should be terrified, eh? Although this place looks like heaven... it''s literally hell here,¡± remarked another, noting the irony of the snow whitening the field like a blanket of clouds, while black spikes lurked everywhere.


    The other scout nodded in understanding, and they both sighed. After resting for a while, they started to detect a foul odor. They exchanged nods; it was time to get to work.


    It was just a short walk, following the familiar scent of something like salt and a tinge of blood. They used the hills and terrain to cover their movements, dressed in their customary white scout suits. As they approached a burrow suspected to be a nest, they were met with a shocking sight.


    ¡°Holy shit... what the hell happened here?!¡± one of them exclaimed. The area was littered with Spike corpses, many with smashed or severed heads.


    Their grotesque faces conveyed horror, and some even bore expressions of solemnity. Though not human, the scouts could still identify the terror on the faces of some of the corpses.


    ¡°But they should be around here, right? We''re supposed to recon at point 45, damn it!¡± The two were instantly worried. Failing to scout properly could result in some of the most devastating effects. They immediately crouched down as they heard footsteps in the snow, a sound they were very familiar with.


    ¡°Hey,¡± but it was a familiar face¡ªit was Andy, his boots bloody. The other two scouts ran toward him, embracing Andy.


    ¡°You''re not a ghost! What the hell happened here?¡± one of the scouts was emotional. Andy was considered one of the most elite scouts, and his trust and contributions were highly valued. He was the one who predicted the siege.


    ¡°I don''t know how to explain it... but let me start from the beginning. Follow me. We might have just found a glimmer of hope.¡±  Andy said as he recalled what he saw a few hours earlier.


    <--->


    A few hours earlier. Just beside a bulging hill of snow. A scout; Andy panicking and looking around.


    ¡°Where''s the kid?¡± Andy exclaimed, noticing signs of struggle and a bit of blood. He wasn''t sure if it was from the kid or the spike Simon was targeting. The plan was the same but with three Pikes instead of two. They planned to attack all three simultaneously.


    Percival, who had successfully dispatched one of the spikes, arrived at the scene. The spikes were spread out about 20 to 30 meters apart.


    ¡°Don''t tell me... damn it, this is a mistake. The old man''s going to visit me in the grave... but it''s impossible!¡± Percival''s face paled. He trusted Simon and couldn''t help but feel worried.


    Andy sighed in disappointment. He''s just a kid. What was he thinking? If he was in his right mind, he wouldn''t have trusted Percival''s evaluation. Even the other kid didn''t want to kill one hands-on. Simon must be brave or very stupid.


    ¡°We should move now. They''ll be investigating,¡± Andy said, as the scent of blood filled the air. In the north, strong winds carried scents across the snow fields in winter.


    A well-spilled blood... a discerning nod came from both of them, but then... ¡°SCREEE...CH!!!!¡± a terrible sound, drawing nearer.


    It was the first time in a long while, just as their predecessors described it¡ªa signal the spikes sent when there was a threat grave enough to justify their annihilation. But the sound was muffled before reaching its crescendo.


    They were close to what they call a colony of the spikes¡­ there should be a recon team coming to their area they named Point 45¡­ There are a total of 5 mothers that sprouted in the field of the northern wall outside, a place that they called desolated land since only ice trees would grow there¡­


    The colony at point 45 had been spotted two winters ago, making it around three years old.


    The two scouts rushed to a decision: one would investigate and gather information, while the other would lead the group to safety and call for more scouts.


    ¡°I''ll tell them to bring as much meat for distraction! Take care!¡± Andy said to Percival, who was staying behind. He wanted to confirm if Simon was alive, guilt gnawing at him for bringing him to the north.


    ¡°If I... just tell my family what happened,¡± Percival trailed off, the specter of death looming. The two of them shared a smile; Percival had been Andy''s trainer.


    ¡°Let''s do this,¡± Andy said, giving Percival a reassuring pat on the back.

 Chapter 26 :: The mother

    Simon crouching, he slowly approached the target, stopping for a while if its head would turn to him, he was sure that Andy¡¯s and Percival¡¯s way of doing this was much easier. Or maybe it just looked easier when one was watching. Simon was not complaining, it was better to produce results.


    The smell was really terrible... It was tall, long-necked, with six limbs and six tails. Surprisingly, it was actually cuter than the giant mantis, and its face was ten times better. His feet dug some snow as he produced a low sound on his steps, it was an almost perfect stalk, but as soon as he reached a certain distance¡­


    It raised its head, immediately identifying Simon. When it saw his eyes, the spike emitted a shivering sound. Then, it suddenly ran. Simon quickly followed its direction with his eyes.


    ¡°Is it afraid of me?¡± he wondered aloud as he started dashing. This reaction was different from what Andy and Percival had described earlier. They hadn¡¯t even noticed Andy and Percival until the pike was lunged into the Spike¡¯s torso. Simon must have done something wrong, but he wasn''t sure, so he kept chasing.


    The snow was no match compared to the old man¡¯s dirty tricks when they played sword tag, a brutal game devised by the old man to make Simon suffer (Train). It was a simple game of tag, but with swords; if you were ''it,'' you had to hit the other with a sword. While on defense, one could parry and escape as long as the sword didn¡¯t touch them. The old man was untouchable.


    The smell was getting stronger... There must be a lot of them, he thought. He planned to kill the monster before it reached their base or something.


    ¡°He said the heart was around here,¡± Simon said, then threw the pike at the spike.


    ¡®Bullseye! Oh no! It''s still moving!¡¯ Simon realized he had done something wrong or was just not good with the pike, as the Spike continued moving towards its destination.


    ¡®I probably missed... I hate throwing, damn it... I''ll go for its neck,¡¯ he decided.


    After gaining more speed by dashing through the snow and then launching from a single iced tree, his distance from the target started to decrease. The field began to blur.


    ¡°Time to end this,¡± he declared, conjuring the water blade. But his initial attempt proved feeble, lacking the usual magic. The second try sent a water blade forth, only to be frozen by the wind. With no other option, Simon prepared to confront the monster head-on.


    His sword bounced off the neck; it wasn''t sharp enough. The Spike staggered, though, as Simon managed to create a wound on its neck.


    ¡°Hard... one more time,¡± Simon muttered. This time, he wrapped his sword with a water blade. Instead of relying solely on the strength of his swing, he used the water to sharpen his slash, creating a continuous, pressurized water slash.


    With a quick swish, the head cleanly lofts off. He recalled the time when the old man had tried to teach him how to use Magic Edge, but he failed. It felt similar to this, he thought.


    ¡®Muscle and sword... won¡¯t betray me,¡¯ he mused, reminiscing about the past. However, he was late to realize that he had already wandered into the Spike¡¯s colony. The ground vibrated, and Simon felt the spikes emerging from the burrows. There were around thirty burrows surrounding the area where Simon stood.


    ¡®Hmm... lucky I have my Wind Blades,¡¯ Simon said. The wind blades were the talons of the eagles he had slain back in the dark forest.


    ¡®But I''m going to miss lunch¡¯ Simon thought.


    <--->


    Percival was surprised. He had seen two in his lifetime; he was sure this was a mother. A mother was the one who propagated a colony. The headless corpses of the spikes were strewn across the bloody field, with Simon in the midst of it. It seemed they had tried to make their mother escape but were instead massacred by Simon.


    ¡°Fucking hell, Simon!¡± Percival screamed as he began hurling pikes. But the mother deflected them with three of its remaining tails.


    ¡°...Damn,¡± Percival muttered, noticing the missing tails.


    ¡°Sir Percival, their heads are not that hard, I think,¡± Simon said with a smile, looking back at Percival. There were still a few guards standing between Simon and the mother. These guards were taller and had short tails, totally different from a normal spike. Percival was terrified, confused, and in awe of the scene. How could this boy be so serene in such a situation? (Had the old man messed him up?)


    Slaying humans is understandable, since the eastern frontier is littered with bandits. Usually, criminals wanted in the central would come to the eastern frontier to either change their identities or continue their criminal streaks. However, monsters were different; Percival was sure it was Simon¡¯s first time venturing beyond the walls.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Fluid and clean, like the old man showed me,¡± Simon muttered, rushing into an attack. With each number entailed a swing and evasion on one move. one, two, three¡ªa tail flew along with the pike fluid it failed to shoot, wounds carved on the meat his sword flicked. Four, five¡ªthe body and head kept severing, dodging, and cutting through.


    ¡®He''s a sword master,¡¯ Percival thought as he watched Simon effortlessly dance through the Spikes, each one falling under his blade. Simon would stride forward, cutting with his weight while deftly dodging attacks. It was incredibly effective; the Spikes were being butchered.


    ¡°One left,¡± Simon declared. The water blade he wielded was now stained with blood, yet it seemed that the water itself cleansed the sword. Simon had been performing this cleansing magic every time he felt resistance in his swings. Over time, he had grown accustomed to the water blade enveloping his sword.


    The Spike Queen fought fiercely, especially as her guards fell one by one. Simon continued his relentless assault, inflicting wounds all over her body. The Queen grew desperate, but Simon finally analyzed her movements enough.


    Simon¡¯s senses sharpened with each passing moment. ¡°Okay, I''ve learned all your moves. Time to finish this,¡± he announced, causing Percival to facepalm. He wanted to scream at Simon, but he hesitated, not wanting to disturb him as the boy smiled amidst his bloodied coat.


    ¡°Oops... looks like I''ll have to try piercing you with a pike. I''m not sure where your heart is, but I don''t have a pike on me. Oh, Percival! Can I borrow your iron pike?¡± Simon grinned at Percival. Without a word, Percival threw him his iron pike.


    ¡°Just think of it as a larger type of spike,¡± Percival advised him.


    ¡°I see... makes sense,¡± Simon nodded in agreement. He released a sharp bloodlust, causing the queen to instantly lose her will to fight. ¡°Good... uh, creature?¡± Simon hesitated, unsure if ¡®girl¡¯ was the right word, then he threw the pike.


    <--->


    The four scouts watched as Simon lay on his back, cleaning his clothes. His boots were bloody, but there were no wounds on his body; he confirmed it himself. With Gallo''s help, who heated the cold snow into a pool of water using a portable heating device powered with magic, Simon plunged his hand in and started cleaning.


    ¡°A no-need-to-wash sword would be a good one,¡± he thought, looking at his clean water blade, though the handles still had blood on them. Simon glanced back at the scouts, feeling their stare. He tried to be friendly, but for some reason, Simon didn¡¯t close his eyes.


    The three scouts began to show fear, their eyes betraying their unease. Percival noticed it when he looked at Andy and the other two. ¡°Simon, good job out there. Are you tired?¡± Percival initiated a conversation to ease the atmosphere.


    ¡°Not that much. I learned a trick to cut through their necks,¡± Simon replied, finishing cleaning the hilt of his sword. He thanked Gallo, who was starting to feel nauseous.


    ¡°I¡¯ll smell some rosemary to alleviate myself. Good job, Simon. Glad you''re on our team!! You should (Barf!!) take a bath soon, okay? Oh, and don¡¯t worry about the eyes; they look creepy but cool!¡± There was no fear in Gallo''s eyes; rather, he didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Simon noticed this and smiled back.


    They would be heading back; they weren''t far from the wall, but the two teams of scouts wouldn''t arrive until the next day. They needed manpower.


    Percival went to the other scouts to calm them down. ¡°Who the hell is this kid, Percival?¡± Andy asked.


    ¡°I told you, that''s why I vouch for him; he''s really strong!¡± Percival replied.


    ¡°He''s a monster... what''s with those eyes?¡± another scout questioned.


    ¡°I''m not sure about his background, but do you remember when the past hero of the era helped us defend the northern wall?¡± Percival explained. Andy and the other two scouts nodded. ¡°He raised this boy,¡± Percival added.


    Andy¡¯s face distorted upon hearing it ¡°That old guy who would only fight with a sword?!¡± he exclaimed.


    ¡°I heard he''s a lunatic trying to create a cult of the sword!!¡± another scout chimed in.


    ¡°He damaged Bibs and his sister¡¯s brains... but he was a good scout now, though,¡± another scout who knew the old man said.


    The eyes filled with fear instantly turned to pity. He was raised by the old man? The boy might have been growing up with a few screws loose. (Oh they are right!!)


    They carried four corpses with the help of the other scout teams in the area. It was valuable since the teams of scouts couldn¡¯t bring corpses themselves; they were far more concentrated on watching their backs and surroundings. But the elimination of a colony instantly opened up a safe route for them, and the screams would make the Spikes wary of the area.


    Simon gazed into the white fields of snow. It was truly beautiful, as Percival had said it would be. But right now, more than ever, he felt empty. ¡°I''m hungry,¡± he muttered.


    <--->


    The next day, they had a meeting.


    Simon began to explain how he slew the Spikes, but it seemed inhumane, impossible for a normal human. Those listening¡ªscouts, adventurers, and warriors¡ªbegan to wonder if he had a few screws loose.


    ¡°We can''t do that... flicking a tail with just the warning of a sound we haven¡¯t even heard?¡± one of the adventurers exclaimed.


    ¡°The neck is thin, but it''s too hard!¡± another warrior complained. Simon sighed, then requested something from Gallo and Percival. A few days later, the engineer came up with a solution to suspend the Spike''s corpse.


    The next day¡­


    They were back at the town hall.


    Simon began explaining. ¡°This is a blind spot, but you need to be closer to execute it... They can''t see properly, but they can see in the dark.¡± Simon explained this while standing below the belly of the Spike. Then, he suddenly flicked his sword up, and the beheaded neck was cut, cleanly severing a part that fell down.


    ¡°It''s possible to cut it like this... There''s a sweet spot... One of the engineers, a normal human, tried it, and he said he can do it too... But we have to prove it.¡± The sweet spot is about 6 inches long. The same engineer attempted the same maneuver Simon did.


    Rather than a flick, it was not a trained slash; the slash almost cut the neck. The engineer had to try it twice before managing to sever a part of the neck.


    The listeners started to accept Simon¡¯s story. ¡°If you hear the sound, cover your face, or, even better, dodge with your head... They will try to aim between your eyes... They can see our eyes for some reason,¡± he continued explaining. Some of it made sense, especially from the point of view of the warriors and scouts that manned the northern wall.


    ¡°Well, they say that our eyes are the reflection of our soul, so it''s probably true,¡± Andy proclaimed as he listened.

 Chapter 27 :: Preparation and fun

    After the news of a Spike colony being destroyed, the northerners began celebrating Simon¡¯s accomplishments. The celebration was held after a series of meetings.


    From that day onwards, the kids would come to Simon¡¯s quarters and talk to him, urging him to tell stories. All the stories he could recount were of his battles against bandits and monsters in the dark forest.


    The kids and even the warriors loved it.


    The days were spent preparing for the siege, with warriors and scouts starting their training early, along with range testing for Gallo''s cannons. Adventurers also joined in, the training needing to acclimate to the cold.


    The town¡¯s activities would halt midday due to the extreme northern weather. If there was no blizzard, there would be cold drizzles, especially as the sun began to disappear.


    The town was constructed atop ancient ruins, with tunnels running beneath the houses, allowing everyone to navigate around town even during extreme weather. Although some sections of the tunnels had been forgotten, there were townsmen and women who regularly roamed them. Their non-combatant duty was to ensure the tunnels were illuminated and unknown passages sealed.


    In one of these tunnels, there were several wide halls used as a training area when the weather was too severe.


    ¡°Simon, I would like to spar with you,¡± one day Percival invited Simon for a spar. With snow pouring heavily outside, the training session was moved underground.


    ¡°Of course, let¡¯s fight,¡± Simon smiled.


    <--->


    During this bad weather, the engineers were also working indoors. They were conducting tests on the corpses of the Spikes.


    ¡°Eureka!¡± one of them exclaimed. It seemed they had discovered a weakness against the Spikes. It was a chemically induced weakness¡ªa perfume, actually. The engineers immediately reported to Afara, who then relayed the information to Gallo, who was in his quarters calculating ranges.


    ¡°Crap, but that was the last of it. I only have one bottle on me,¡± Gallo lamented after receiving the report. He began thinking of counter-strategy, he could scourge the northerner¡¯s house but he doubted that he could find one.


    Afara was amazed that Gallo was still thinking forward ¡°Sir, the Spikes... can we win this siege?¡± Afara inquired.


    ¡°Well, probably yes, but on thin margins. The cannon¡¯s ammunition is not infinite. I''ll start damage control early. Oh, are they still training in this weather?¡± Gallo remarked, sipping tea at his table.


    ¡°The scouts, warriors, and adventurers are actually in the underground training halls, but I heard Simon and Percival are having a spar outside,¡± Afara informed him.


    ¡°Oh, that''s interesting... but I can¡¯t watch in this weather. Uh, can you tell the guys to get me some more warm tea?¡± Gallo requested, a hint of sadness in his tone.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Afara replied before leaving.


    <--->


    The town was already filled with snow, and people were nowhere to be found but then there were these two eager to spar in the snow.


    The snow was annoying, the mist blocking the senses: hearing, sight, feeling, smell... touch. ¡°Try to find me, Simon,¡± Percival said. The two of them were going to spar in the town, but to add color to it, they would do it in a hide-and-seek manner.


    ¡°You want me to find you in this snow? That¡¯s easy,¡± Simon said. The old man had actually trained him in caves. Simon had fallen into dark pitfalls that he had to navigate blindly. It was entirely true and not a bluff.


    ¡°It''s different... I don¡¯t know if you''ve felt it... I just can sense it in you... you adapt to your surroundings very quickly,¡± Percival said. Unlike the other adventurers or the forest folk, Simon had become adjusted to the climate of the north after just a few days.


    ¡°Blur,¡± Percival said, and he disappeared from Simon¡¯s sight. His eyes, which could see in the dark, didn¡¯t help him because it wasn''t even dark. The two were holding wooden swords.


    ¡°You can probably tell for yourself... you''re not a normal human,¡± the voice of the northerner echoed without a known direction.


    ¡°Yeah, I know it myself. The old man always told me so. I know... why do you think I close my eyes whenever there are people around us?¡± the boy ridiculed a bit as he checked the snow around him.


    ¡°..¡± but there was no reply. Simon could feel that it was about to start now. He began to expand his senses, using his senses to detect any movement. However, he failed, and a strike landed on his shoulder.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Simon let out a small grunt. Percival hadn''t held back on that one. Simon went with the momentum and knelt down, minimizing the impact.


    Percival''s presence disappeared even before Simon could counterattack.


    ¡°You mitigated the damage by kneeling along with the momentum of my strike... good one,¡± Percival remarked. Simon wasn''t sure where the voice was coming from; the snow was muffling his senses.


    He slowly fell into a trance-like state. It seemed that at least he could still feel a bit of magic. He evaded the next attack by ducking.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Percival was surprised. Unsure if it was luck, he tried again, and this time Simon counterattacked. Percival dodged his attack; it was a slash from a very strange angle. ¡°You... you adapt really quickly,¡± Percival observed.


    ¡°Adapting is the best way of fighting... the old man told me that,¡± Simon replied as he started moving.


    ¡°Damn kid¡­¡± Percival muttered as he saw Simon running in a beeline towards him. The two began trading blows.


    ¡°You''re strong... easy on the wooden swords; they''re made for the kids to train with,¡± Percival said. They had sparred before, but it seemed that Simon had grown even stronger. He was definitely not as strong as this when they sparred outside the forest before (Chapter 13).


    The wooden sword was meant to limit Simon¡¯s strength. He could still remember how Simon slew the Spike, leading to the queen¡¯s demise. ¡°Just don¡¯t tell anyone that the reason I beat you is because you''re not using an axe,¡± Simon taunted.


    ¡°You competitive little brat...¡± Percival was starting to get annoyed, an image appeared in his mind, it must be the old man who trained Simon, that annoying old man who always trash-talked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to attack now,¡± Simon declared, and he suddenly disappeared. Not only were the boy¡¯s senses limited by the snow and wind, but this also applied to Percival.


    Simon then swung at the open air, and Percival was right there. The two started trading attacks. ¡°How can you detect me?¡± Percival asked.


    ¡°I can feel your magic... the vibrations too... I learned many things when the old man threw me into a cave that was like a maze!¡± Simon answered, his eyes gleaming. Percival slowly appeared out of the Blur magic. ¡°That was just 10% of it... there are marks in the snow from your steps,¡± Simon smiled.


    ¡°I''ll at least knock you out once,¡± Percival said, smiling in a really annoying way.


    Simon was the real deal. Although Percival was a good swordsman too, he could tell that Simon was leagues ahead of him. He should have brought his axe; he usually used it to slay monsters like the Spikes.


    Simon finally disarmed Percival after a parry.


    ¡°You win, you little brat... you''re lucky I''m not using an axe,¡± Percival said, smiling.


    ¡°Hmm... of course, of course,¡± Simon smiled. He knew Percival was testing him.


    ¡°Want to try fighting me with my axe?¡± Percival asked. Simon smiled and nodded he was a true battle junky.


    But the snow and the axe were on the side of the northerner and as per his words earlier. He truly did knock out the boy a few times using grappling techniques.


    <--->


    The Dark Forest was teeming with life. The annoying monkeys, the giant pests of a mantis. Humans would be wasted traveling on these parts.


    The hero of the era, Paramour, along with his party, was hauling a few more adventurers and even some additional supplies. They were traveling with the forest folks through the dark forest. It had been three days since they began the journey, using the special paths known to the forest folk.


    Upon exiting the dark forest, a northerner was waiting for them. It was supposedly his day off, but he was there. ¡°Sir hero, next time please don¡¯t bring that much. The paths are meant for light travels,¡± the forest folk said, looking visibly exhausted. Well, as long as the supplies arrived, it was all good.


    ¡°Sorry, then we will continue heading north! Guys, let¡¯s go!¡± Paramour shook hands with the forest folk and resumed their journey.


    The exhausted forest folk clicked their tongues. Hina, their leader and Afara¡¯s sister, expressed her frustration. ¡°That fool... it''s just my unlucky day... we''re going home now!¡± She was the leader of the group that assisted travelers crossing the dark forest, as long as they were for the northerners'' cause.


    <--->


    It was a rare sunny day in the months of wintertime, which usually lasted 3 to 4 months in the north, much longer than in other parts of the continent. The bell started to ring, and the warrior on watch screamed, ¡°They are here!!! THEY ARE HERE!!!¡±


    The gates opened, and Percival and Gallo were there welcoming the newcomers. ¡°Oh!!! The hero of the era!!! Sir Searing Fire!! Can I touch your hands?!¡± Gallo said, reaching out his hands. Paramour gladly shook them; Gallo was such a fanboy, silently screaming.


    ¡°It''s good to see you¡­ and more backups too!!¡± Percival said as he waved at the newcomers.


    ¡°There are around 30 of us. I don¡¯t know if our numbers would make a difference, but these are rank A and B adventurers. We will make it up to you with quality!!!¡± Paramour said confidently behind his smile.


    ¡°We also have some supplies coming from Elford and the south,¡± It was the black hood who was speaking. He crossed his fingers on both hands as a way of greeting, and Percival bowed in gratitude.


    ¡°Now that you are here rest for a while, we will start a meeting tomorrow,¡± The large northerner said as he picked up some of the heaviest boxes with ease, the adventurers who saw this were in awe.


    Paramour nodded still he was looking around, he was actually excited about meeting his favorite sparring partner ¡°Oh, where is Simon?¡± Paramour wondered.


    ¡°Gallo, how about you show the hero where Simon is? I will show the others to their quarters,¡± Percival suggested.


    ¡°Oh, then it will be my pleasure,¡± Gallo said, turning on his businessman smile.


    <--->


    The town was bustling with life; even the warriors atop the wall could hear the laughter of the scouts and warriors below. It was a snowball fight, a rare event on sunny winter days.


    ¡°That boy is flanking us!!! Fire to the right!!¡± shouted one of the veteran warriors, commanding a group of mixed villagers and off-duty warriors, they began throwing snowballs. Simon rode on a piece of board propelled by magic¡ªa simple wind thrust written on the board that could be manipulated to propel him swiftly.


    It was made by Gallo¡¯s hands in an attempt to make the transfer of cannon¡¯s easier.


    ¡°Simon, we will support you!!! GUYS, COVER FIRE!!!¡± another scout in training commanded, and the boys initiated a cover barrage of snowballs for Simon. The game was simple: the team whose snowman was destroyed first would lose. There were originally 8 teams stationed around the town, but Simon had already demolished 2 snowmen.


    ¡°That looks so fun!!¡± Paramour exclaimed.


    It was the first time Simon was enjoying something purely for fun. Although he enjoyed eating, his primary joy came from fighting. Simon laughed as he dodged the snowballs.


    If someone got hit, they had to restart back at their base, which was the snowman.


    Paramour was certain that Simon''s eyes were fully open; it seemed he had truly bonded with the townspeople.


    ¡°Can I join the fun?¡± Paramour suddenly asked.


    ¡°Of course! Just don¡¯t get hit by the snowballs, or you''ll restart at your team''s snowman. Other than that, there are no rules¡ªjust declare your side!¡± Gallo said. He had been with Simon, but as soon as he heard the hero was coming, he joined the game.


    ¡°Can you please watch my things?¡± Paramour asked. Gallo gladly nodded as Paramour laid down his bags and spear. ¡°Break the veterans apart!¡± Gallo cheered thinking who¡¯s side the hero of the era would join.


    Paramour jumped into the middle of the snow-covered town. Simon immediately noticed him and approached. ¡°What team are you on?¡± Paramour asked.


    ¡°We are the young ones,¡± Simon said, gesturing to the boys and girls behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯M JOINING THE VETERANS!!!¡± Paramour declared, and the fight restarted. Cheers from the veterans erupted.


    Simon knew it was a bad sign ¡°Damn!!! GALLO! GALLO!!!¡± Simon called out, seeking Gallo''s strategic guidance, but Gallo was preoccupied with Paramour¡¯s things and didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°We will support our new man here!!! HIT THE BOY!!!!¡± the veterans suddenly screamed after cheering on Paramour¡¯s declaration.


    It was total war. The day after Gallo''s day off, there was a great demand for the snowboard.

 Chapter 28 :: Holiday 1

    Even though he was inside the thick walls, he could still hear the wind blowing fiercely. Gallo had been working nonstop for two straight weeks, and now he was trying to relax, but the sound of the wind kept waking him up.


    He decided to stand up and walk around the wall.


    Yesterday, the Mayor declared a day off for all duties on the wall. Even though they were preparing for the battle of their lives, they needed rest. Gallo could see the fatigue on the adventurers and forest folk, especially considering the harsh weather conditions almost every day.


    The northern wall was massive. Its height was half that of the mountain it was mounted against, standing at about 40 meters, with a length of around 300 meters. The space on top was also wide, spanning about 20 meters, with the same width from the top to the inside.


    There''s very little to adjust here; your writing is clear and engaging. However, I''ve made some minor tweaks for consistency:


    ¡°There was no way Gallo would pass up the opportunity to explore it. Like the curious kid he was, he decided to scale the walls, starting from the top.


    ¡°Hey, kid! I thought you were supposed to be resting?¡± one of the warriors greeted Gallo with a smile as he tapped playfully on the snow. Gallo lingered at the top of the wall, chatting with the warriors.


    ¡°I see some of the designs on the wall''s railings... It''s usually consistent, but look at some!¡± Gallo began sharing his observations with the warriors, but they didn''t seem to care.


    ¡°Oh, that symbol? It''s actually a number, 13 to be exact,¡± the warrior said.


    This sparked Gallo''s curiosity. ¡°It means 13?¡± he asked, seeking confirmation. The warrior nodded, and Gallo dashed down to the next floor.


    <--->


    ¡°The crescents represent tens, while the marks in the middle indicate ones... why the hell did they make this numbering style so complicated?¡± Gallo exclaimed, though he found joy in decoding it. He was fairly certain of his interpretation but decided to double-check. Descending from the 12th floor, he made his way down again.


    On the 11th floor, Gallo ran to the next floor, noticing stairs on both ends of the walls. Although they typically used the elevator, this was his first time exploring each floor via the stairs.


    Their rooms and cabins were situated on the lower floors.


    The 11th floor consisted of an empty hallway with only cannons, and Gallo had been noticing those strange marks for quite some time. Since it was their day off, there was no one around. He took his time examining the area.


    ¡®They really took their time moving the cannons with the elevators,¡¯ Gallo thought, but his mind was once again consumed by the puzzle of the walls.


    Gallo was surprised to see someone standing there. It was Simon. Simon was quietly staring out of the window where the cannon was peeking through. The window was very large, with some open verandas on that floor too. ¡°Hey Simon! What are you doing here?¡± Gallo asked.


    ¡°I... I''m bored,¡± Simon said, chewing on some boiled corn. He usually walked around lightly, with only two knives on his left belt when he was on downtime, roaming around the town and the walls. If he wasn''t sparring with someone, he was eating or sleeping. ¡°Oh, that''s good! Come with me! Let''s explore these walls!¡± Gallo invited him, smiling.


    Simon, without a word, started following Gallo around. They descended to the next floor, Gallo intending to continue jotting down the marks around every floor they visited, but the 10th floor had stairs blocked by collapsed debris. Since the stairs were very close to the mountains, the debris likely came from there.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try the other side,¡± Gallo said, and the two of them climbed up and went to the other side, but it was in the same situation.


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    ¡°Dang, we need to go back up and ride the elevator down!" Gallo said. "How about breaking through it?¡± Simon asked. He finished his corn and put its remains in his pocket.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing? Just throw it away,¡± Gallo said upon seeing Simon¡¯s actions.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to plant it,¡± Simon answered straightforwardly. Gallo scratched his head; it was actually disgusting.


    Simon then proceeded to walk to the debris and drew his small knife, which produced a wind blade. He started to slash, and the whole area from where they were up to the upper floor was filled with sand. Gallo coughed from the dust and smoke.


    ¡°What the hell, Simon!¡± he complained, but Simon continued to clear up the debris that was broken apart.


    He threw the debris out of the closest window on the next floor. Gallo followed suit, but it seemed that Simon could do it more efficiently. In just a few minutes, they had cleared as much debris as they could to finally open up a way.


    ¡°We should have ridden the elevator¡­¡± Gallo said.


    ¡°The elevator skips two floors... this is the only way we can reach this floor,¡± Simon said. Gallo then began to search for the elevator to verify Simon¡¯s statement.


    He was correct. They were currently on the 10th floor. The elevator didn''t stop at all floors; instead, it skipped two floors, and the floors where it did stop had stairs that only ascended or descended one floor.


    It seemed he had underestimated Simon, assuming he was merely a brawn-over-brain type. However, Gallo didn''t have time to observe further due to his busy schedule.


    With his piece of paper, Gallo sketched out the diagram.


    13 top


    12 stairs


    11 elevator


    10 stairs


    9 stairs


    8 elevator


    7 stairs


    6 stairs


    5 elevator


    4 stairs


    3 stairs


    2 elevator


    1 stairs


    Now it was starting to change into a mystery.


    <--->


    They had to spend a few hours moving around the floors, Gallo writing down the numbers, while Simon kept asking if it was already lunchtime.


    ¡°Why the hell did you come with me?¡± Gallo asked, it''s probably Simon¡¯s X-th time asking when it''s already lunch.


    ¡°I¡¯m bored¡­ but I will never miss a meal if possible,¡± Simon spoke with a certain conviction. Gallo didn¡¯t know how Simon was raised, but he could tell that Simon was a foodie.


    They were already on the elevator, waiting for it to stop at their final destination, the ground floor where most of their rooms were. Gallo quickly located the number carving for the floor; it was number 2. He went up one level and immediately found the number 3 carving.


    ¡°So, there is still the underground floor,¡± Gallo thought. There was a tunnel underneath the town, which villagers used to travel around when it was too snowy outside. There were pathways being maintained underground and pathways that were permanently sealed.


    But the underground didn¡¯t have the same carvings as the floors on the wall¡­


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it''s lunchtime, let¡¯s eat,¡± Simon suddenly said, disturbing Gallo''s thought process. In a few seconds, a familiar bell rang.


    ¡°Well¡­ can¡¯t think of anything better when I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat¡­¡± Gallo finally agreed, and the two went down to the lower floors to eat.


    <--->


    There was a pantry for the town; whenever winter came, the town would implement a rationing system for food. This ensured that everyone was fed while also maximizing food consumption.


    The pantry was located in the town hall, which also served as the town''s kitchen. Additionally, there was another large hall underground with chimneys installed. This served as the second pantry, almost directly under the wall.


    The two were now sitting at the stone tables inside the town hall.


    Simon and Gallo were enjoying warm vegetable soup. Simon sighed in contentment as he gulped it down, while the watching warriors applauded as he finished his second bowl.


    It was the duty of the Forest Folk to cook, as most of the food they had consisted of crops and vegetables. They considered themselves experts in cooking plant-based food. They appreciated Simon''s enjoyment of their soup, as the warriors on the northern wall were constantly seeking meat.


    Gallo examined the note he had written down. The numbering of the floors was normal, but it was the drawing that caught his attention; they included the detail of the moon on the counting symbol. Gallo stood up with his bowl.


    The town hall had large tables on both sides, made of ancient stone that appeared much older than the hall itself. As he ate with one hand, Gallo studied the murals adorning the walls.


    One peculiar carving caught his interest: a mural depicting a man hammering the moon. It showed people carrying a large moon and a man dividing it with a hammer and chisel, before placing it inside a building.


    ¡°What the heck?!¡± Gallo exclaimed as he glanced at the table where they were eating, then at the opposite side''s table. The tables were identical reflections of each other, and when combined, they would likely form the shape of the moon.


    Due to the blunted edges, the carving was barely recognizable. Gallo quickly finished his soup, prompting applause from the warriors and Forest Folk. ¡°Has anybody seen the Mayor?!¡± he suddenly called out loudly.


    Simon stood up and returned to the food station for another bowl of vegetable soup. ¡°Do you have noodles?¡± Simon innocently inquired.


    ¡°Of course they have it; it''s a staple food in the northern town,¡± remarked Simon. The forest folk promptly prepared a serving and filled Simon¡¯s bowl. He stared blankly at the bowl, but everyone could feel his enthusiasm.


    Gallo, who hadn''t noticed immediately, glanced at Simon''s back. ¡°You''re still eating?!¡± the red-haired exclaimed.

 Chapter 29 :: Holiday 2

    ¡°It''s your day off, and you''re busy with what? What¡¯s happening?¡± the Mayor¡¯s eyebrow convoluted as he tried to understand what was happening.


    ¡°Just answer the question... Is the moon depicted in the mural the same as the table we use to eat every day?¡± Gallo insisted on an answer.


    ¡°Yep, the great-grandfather of my great-grandfather was the one who split that. Why do you ask?¡± the Mayor wondered, with a hint of annoyance since it was a rare day off.


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Gallo then left the Mayor¡¯s house. Simon was still holding the trap door for the underground tunnel, and Gallo went back again. Simon simply waved at the Mayor and followed Gallo, leaving the Mayor confused.


    All of the buildings had trap doors leading to the underground tunnels, allowing safe travel underground even during heavy snow, which had happened before.


    Such rare occurrences happened only once every 200 years, and the last one was just 150 years ago, so it was still a long time coming.


    Gallo, followed by Simon, rushed back into the town hall using the tunnels.


    He started looking around the tables that had been used; lunch had just finished, so they were already cleaned, and there weren''t many people there¡ªonly the townspeople who were helping the Forest Folk with their daily chores.


    ¡°Why the hell are the forest guys doing the chores around here?¡± Simon suddenly asked, stating the obvious.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say they don¡¯t really like the snow and they owe me!¡­ Simon, please stop asking random questions,¡± Gallo, who was busy inspecting the tables, complained.


    The top part was smooth, but the lower part had them¡ªthe carvings. ¡°Simon!! Flip the table slowly!!¡± Gallo commanded. Simon scratched his head; he was sure he didn¡¯t owe Gallo anything.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Just pick it up!¡± Gallo insisted excitedly. Simon complied and raised the stone in the air, flipping it. Gallo knew how strong Simon was because of the heavy weapons he used. No wonder he sometimes overwhelmed the hero.


    Raphael arrived back at the pantry; he had forgotten where he put his favorite cup and had been looking for it since morning. ¡°Whoa!!! Simon!! What are you doing!!¡± he exclaimed, quite surprised.


    Gallo was on the ground, drawing the carving he could see under the table. ¡°Okay!! Let''s go for the other one!!¡± Gallo said, and Simon carefully placed back the table and flipped the other one.


    <--->


    Raphael gave Simon a dried fruit. Simon gladly sucked on it as per Raphael¡¯s instruction, while Gallo was at the table, figuring something out.


    ¡°I understand it now! This table is like a signage for the clans on the wall!¡± Gallo exclaimed, raising his hands in excitement.


    ¡°Sign? What?¡±/ ¡°Signage?¡± Simon and Raphael repeated, respectively.


    ¡°For each floor, a clan owns it! Though there are only 2 emblems recognizable! You could find these 2 emblems on some of the coat of arms in the central!¡± Gallo pointed out 2 emblems. Of course, Simon didn¡¯t recognize them, but Raphael, who was raised in the central, knew of them.


    ¡°The Crown Emblem, it''s on the imperial coat of arms,¡± Raphael said, and he was correct. The second emblem was not familiar, though.


    ¡°The second one is on the carvings in the main gate of the wall¡­ the wolf emblem,¡± Gallo answered.


    The man on the green poncho nodded ¡°You know, the imperial family has special doors that only they can open¡­¡± Raphael added. ¡°I¡¯ve been in the imperial palace once, and there are a lot of those ancient carvings. Sometimes, among the carvings, there are secret doors that allow royal blood to pass through and move around the palace,¡± Raphael continued.


    ¡°Secret doors?¡± Gallo muttered. It was possible, but where did they lead?


    ¡°Raphael, where do you think I can plant this?¡± Suddenly, Simon asked the most random question.


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    ¡°A corn? Hmm, somewhere a bit dry and warm!¡± Raphael answered his question with enthusiasm. The boy nodded after the answer.


    To that note Raphael remembered a chat with a scout as he was walking around ¡°A scout said that it would probably be sunny tomorrow,¡± Raphael added as he started heading back to the trap door that leads to the tunnel. ¡°I¡¯ll be sleeping!!! Bye!!¡± Raphael said as he left the two boys alone.


    ¡°I¡¯m bored now,¡± Gallo said. ¡°Me too,¡± Simon agreed. There was silence as the two boys tried looking for any stimulus but Gallo breaks the silence.


    ¡°Simon¡­ wanna spar with me?¡± Since the two of them were left alone, Gallo suddenly muttered.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Well, since they both said they were bored, why not?


    The sparring room down the tunnels was empty that day since it was a holiday for everybody. The two arrived there. ¡°Simon, what would you do after this?¡± Gallo started a conversation as they both picked up wooden swords for training.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep¡± Simon said. ¡°I mean after the siege¡­¡± Gallo spells it clearly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but after one more year, I can join the adventurers. It''s actually my birthday around winter,¡± Simon said nonchalantly. ¡°Really? You should have said that, and we would have celebrated it!¡± Gallo was surprised by the sudden revelation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not actually sure when I was born, but the old man that raised me said it should be around winter¡­ and I prefer not to celebrate¡­ for habitual reasons,¡± Simon said.


    ¡®Habitual reasons?¡¯ What the hell was that? As much as Gallo wanted to pry more about Simon, he didn¡¯t. He actually had a proposition for Simon and he proceeds to his objective. ¡°How about serving my house¡­ I¡¯m going to inherit my title officially at 20 years old.¡±


    Gallo was to inherit his father¡¯s title as a Count, but Simon remembered when they met before. ¡°But you introduced yourself as a Count before¡­ or am I imagining things?¡± Simon said it without any doubt.


    ¡°I was faking it until it became real,¡± a flat toned answer from the red hair as he smiled, the boy was stone faced .


    ¡°... No¡­ you are weaker than me,¡± Simon suddenly said, in a much more serious tone.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you didn¡¯t have to be so blunt and refuse politely, you know that? Is there any way I could change your mind?¡± Gallo really saw Simon as a great asset.


    ¡°If you can beat me in a sword dance, then I would think about it,¡± Simon answered.


    ¡°We are going to dance with swords? Is that some kind of metaphor for sparring?¡± Gallo wondered.


    ¡°It starts with a salute, sword on chest, waves down, and a bow,¡± Simon did this as he spoke, and Gallo followed. ¡°The challenger then lands his best strike against the champion, and the champion will adjust according to the challenger¡ªno magic, no dodge, only the wit of the sword,¡± Simon added after the salute.


    It was as the old man had taught him.


    ¡°The first lesson is free¡­ the next one is not¡­ strike me your best,¡± Simon smirked.


    It just got on the nerves of Gallo; he remembered how he lost against him. It seemed that he was the challenger. But what was the difference between a spar and a sword dance? Gallo wondered. Well, if Simon said to land his best strike, then he would do it. He had been practicing swordsmanship since he lost. He was just planning to refresh himself with some exercise.


    ¡°Eat this,¡± Gallo puts his back into the attack. It was a piercing attack.


    ¡°Thwack!!!¡± the sound of the 2 wooden swords resounds in the hall.


    ¡°Nice hit.¡± Unlike before when they sparred, Simon received the wooden sword strike on point. Gallo was sure he put enough strength into it to break one of their wooden swords, and he purposely used a piercing attack because a sword is stronger at its peak than on its side. Still, Simon received the piercing attack relatively easily.


    Simon broke the contact between them and then went into his stance. Simon hadn¡¯t even gone into a stance when they sparred earlier. ¡°We can only touch swords¡­ you may start anytime,¡± Simon said.


    Gallo smiled and attacked, starting with a piercing attack again. Simon would parry it, playing with his pierce by disrupting it before it gained momentum. Gallo was getting annoyed. Finally, Simon attacked him, and as per the rules, Gallo parried it. It was true¡ªSimon was using the same force that Gallo landed on him with the first strike. Simon was fighting on Gallo''s terms.


    The two had the same power but different sword styles. Gallo was now confident that he could pull this off. ¡°The goal of the sword dance is to disarm the enemy,¡± Simon muttered.


    Gallo, of course, knew some of the best disarming techniques. Since the rules stated that they could only touch swords, that meant he could predict some of Simon¡¯s next actions.


    ¡°You will serve me,¡± Gallo said as he initiated an attack. This time, it was a slash rather than a pierce.


    ¡°You showed the back of your hand,¡± Simon muttered as he straightened up his sword. His sword specifically aimed on the bottom of Gallo¡¯s wooden sword where he held, causing him to lose his grip, and his sword flew away from his hands.


    ¡°!!!¡± Gallo was clearly surprised; it was as if Simon had been waiting for it.


    ¡°I won¡­¡± Simon said, raising his hands for a shake. It was the same thing he did after defeating Gallo during their earlier spar.


    ¡°¡­How far am I from you?¡± Gallo said as he took his hands.


    ¡°... You will never reach me in sword skills¡­ sorry,¡± another blunt statement from Simon.


    Simon felt a small shiver on his back, it was some kind of instinct¡­ Gallo was angry¡­ but it immediately faded as he stood up. With a resolute face, Gallo met Simon''s gaze. ¡°Someday¡­ I will surpass you¡­¡± He declared, a smile playing on his lips, his determination reignited.


    ¡°Whatever you say,¡± Simon replied coolly, stepping back to put some distance between them.


    ¡°... You do realize I''m on holiday, right?¡± Gallo remarked as he observed Simon returning to his stance. ¡°I''m bored¡­ entertain me with your struggle,¡± Simon retorted, goading the redhead into action.

 Chapter 30 :: Prologue to siege

    It was a cold, snowy day, yet the town was bustling with activity. Percival, Simon, and Paramour''s party found themselves in the midst of town, engaging in a spar. Sparring in the cold was an effective method to quickly acclimate to the chilly weather.


    As Paramour breathed the frigid hair his heart raised trying to activate the heat from the fuel from his body, they could use magic but it would defeat the purpose. The party of the three was already defeated once by targeting the core of their party who was Paramour. The snow was just too effective as a for Simon and Percival.


    ¡°Simon!! Are you deliberately targeting only me?¡± Paramour''s voice echoed through the snow as he searched for their two opponents.


    ¡°Paramii!!! Simon''s not from the north, is he?¡± Raphael chimed in, equally perplexed by the situation.


    ¡°The detection parameter is shaking... but I can''t determine the direction... the snow is interfering with it¡­¡± The figure cloaked in a black hood was diligently at work, manipulating the Detection Parameter magic, fondly referred to as ¡°Paramber.¡± This magic created a thin barrier that reacted to any touch, proving particularly useful in navigating environments with limited visibility.


    ¡°That''s helpful... that Blur magic from that burly northerner is quite vexing¡­¡± Paramour grumbled, a rare occurrence, much like him attracting the attention of a girl, which had never happened before.


    ¡°The boy isn''t even using magic,¡± Percival''s voice echoed through the air, its source unknown to the others.


    Silence followed, punctuated only by the whistling of the wind through the snow. Paramour sensed it, his instincts alerting him to impending danger.


    ¡°Above, Paramii!!¡± Raphael''s sudden scream shattered the quiet as Simon''s sword descended from the sky, its blade enveloped in water. The water seemed to maintain its form by drawing moisture from the air, creating a mist around the weapon.


    Paramour and his companions leaped away, but Simon landed amidst them, swiftly utilizing his sword to generate mist, Simon spun around to spread the mist of his sword, the cold made it so effective. ¡°Ouch!!!!¡± Raphael''s cry rang out as snow stung his eyes.


    Percival seized the opportunity to launch a low attack out of nowhere, forcing Paramour to evade once more. ¡°We''ve got you¡­¡± Percival declared, plunging into the mist created by Simon. ¡°Paramour!!! They''re trying to divide us again!!!¡± the black hood shouted a warning.


    Struggling to locate his opponents through the mist, Paramour moved toward the source of the warning, but Simon emerged from the haze before him. ¡°It must be this way, Mr. Hero,¡± Simon grinned, and Paramour returned the smile. Although it was just a mock battle, he felt honored to be treated with such respect.


    ¡°Did you get better¡­ hmm¡­ is that a Magic Edge Level 2?¡± Paramour inquired, observing Simon''s sword emitting a mist.


    ¡°No¡­ I don''t even know how to use Magic Edge,¡± Simon replied.


    A brief silence followed. Paramour cast a Magic Edge spell on his spear. Simon smiled, and the two began exchanging blows, parrying and dodging.


    ¡°I see¡­ it''s not Magic Edge¡­¡± Paramour concluded, certain of his assessment. Magic Edge was a distinct type of magic that enhanced the effectiveness of weapons or equipment when properly utilized.


    But what Simon wielded was different¡­ magic indeed had numerous applications... or perhaps it was the sword itself? In just one exchange, Paramour immediately noticed the difference.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ in just a month or so¡­ you''ve evolved¡­ you''re so different,¡± Paramour remarked with a smile. ¡°But I''ve got something for you too!!¡± With a change in stance, Paramour signaled a new tactic. Simon smiled¡ªthere was always a new lesson to learn.


    The two resumed their exchange, but instead of thrusts and sweeps, Paramour began spinning his spear. It was akin to a dance, yet Simon struggled to properly parry the attacks, hindered by the absence of Magic Edge.


    ¡°Annoying¡­¡± Simon muttered, limited to dodging and deflecting. ¡°Have you heard of the academy in the central?¡± Paramour initiated a conversation amidst their exchanges.


    ¡°What about it?¡± Simon inquired.


    ¡°After the siege, you should come there. I''ll vouch for you,¡± Paramour suggested.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I''ll think about it¡­ but if I beat you, I won''t even consider it,¡± Simon replied, taunting once more. Deep inside his mind some memories about the old man tried to resurface, the old man told him of this academy once¡­ but the spar was just too entertaining.


    ¡°I see¡­ then I will beat you eagerly,¡± Paramour responded, a hint of annoyance evident in his tone. The taunt had stirred him, causing him to abandon the restraint that he had planned. He enveloped his entire body in magic enchantment, adopting the same approach he used in dungeon battles.


    ¡°That''s more like it,¡± Simon smirked. He was aware that Paramour had been holding back. In their previous sparring sessions, whenever Simon sensed an opportunity to gain the upper hand, Paramour would suddenly renew his strength, nullifying Simon''s physical advantage. It was likely magic at play, a fact Simon confirmed with his own eyes.


    <--->


    From the gates of the wall, down a slope was a large white dessert called the Desolated Lands, this deserted lands was populated by Ice Trees, the larger Ice Trees borders this land... Continuing north past the Desolated Land was the Kern Valley. It''s usually thriving all year except in winter; this was as far as the scouts have reached, going farther from the end of the valley was the unknown.


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    On the edge of the Kern Valley, two white camouflaged scouts were working. It was Andy and his childhood friend Bibs.


    After a few days of vacation, Andy was back in the field, this time he was partnered with Bibs which the two welcomed very well. It was snowing but the wind was not too strong, making it tolerable.


    ¡°Andy¡­ your aura is different¡­ what happened back in town?¡± Bibs observed Andy as he worked, plunging the wooden mark into the snow to ensure it reached the ground. They were currently planting some marks, far off from the wall. As elite scouts, it was their job to mark places far from the charted fields.


    ¡°I''m going to get married when I come back home next time,¡± Andy replied. The two exchanged a silent look before shaking hands. Bibs was almost moved to tears for Andy.


    ¡°My sister would be heartbroken; she had a crush on you when we were little,¡± Bibs mentioned as they hugged each other, and they both laughed. As scouts they were accustomed in with the cold weather and with just a few change they could forecast the weather.


    ¡°The wind is getting heavier; let¡¯s go back to the shelter,¡± Andy said to Bibs. They stood in an open field near the edge of the valley''s northern side so it was discernible.


    The two nodded in an agreement. There was a hill just a five-hour walk from where they were, and atop it stood a small igloo that the two of them had built. They would use it to rest for a while. Positioned on the hill, the igloo offered a view of the large field downhill, which served as the entrance to the Valley and where they had left their latest mark.


    A rope was tied to the mark, leading to other markers. They used this rope to navigate even when it was dark, although they didn¡¯t risk it during the night; emergencies were always a surprise. Following the rope back, they made their way through the snow and wind, which had started to limit their visibility.


    As soon as they entered the igloo, Andy began clearing the small hole on the top for an exhaust. Meanwhile, Bibs started making a fire; they were going to have a small meal for the night.


    The two chattered lively and Andy remembered something that he brought.


    ¡°Oh¡­ this is from the noble kid in the wall; it¡¯s a wine from their territory,¡± Andy announced as he opened a bottle of wine.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ smells good,¡± Bibs remarked. The two really enjoyed the company of each other, the dried pieces of wood started crackling. ¡°The fire is ready; let''s have it!!¡± Bibs exclaimed excitedly.


    As Andy previously predicted, the enemies would be coming in two weeks. There was no need to worry about everything when one couldn''t do anything about it; the scouts were trained to think like this. Scouts didn''t have fixed schedules; as long as they fulfilled their mission, they were on their own.


    The wine really helped the two sleep in the cold snow.


    <--->


    Andy suddenly woke up to tremors in the ground. It was strange; Bibs was peacefully sleeping, and seeing his calm face eased Andy''s tension.


    ¡°Bibs¡­ wake up¡­ hey¡­ hey!!!¡± Andy exclaimed, sprinkling some snow on Bibs''s face to rouse him.


    ¡°What the hell, Andy!!! It''s not morning yet?!! The fire is still burning!¡± Bibs complained.


    ¡°The ground¡­ it''s shaking. The tremors are a bad sign,¡± Andy explained. Though still groggy, they knew they had to act. They began packing up their belongings and extinguishing the fire. Crawling out of the igloo, they were met with darkness, the snow reducing visibility.


    ¡°Where do we go now?¡± Bibs asked, his lips stiff from the cold.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the mark earlier¡­ follow me; it''s dark,¡± Andy replied, leading the way. The night was especially dark during this time. ¡°Let¡¯s follow the lines forward,¡± Andy suggested, and they both started pulling on the rope.


    ¡­


    Walking in the dark and snow was like trudging blindly through mud. The rope that guided them to different destinations was incredibly convenient. However, as the two continued following the rope''s path, they suddenly felt the tension disappear.


    ¡°It''s too loose¡­¡± Andy remarked.


    Bibs, also holding onto the rope, noticed the same. They had yet to see the end of the rope.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back... to higher ground,¡± Bibs suggested.


    The two started retracing their steps along the line toward the igloo, where they could choose to head to another marker or ascend to higher ground. They needed to move faster.


    Finally, back at the igloo, instead of going inside they continued their plan to reach the higher grounds¡ªa safer haven, especially in sunny weather but merely a refuge during darker times.


    ¡°The ground is still shaking,¡± Andy noted.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I hate it when you say that; it''s too foreboding!!!¡± his placed on of his hands on his waist nodding his head up.


    The three-hour walk was a battle against the wind and cold snow. Eventually, they arrived at the next igloo, a bit larger one, greeted by the familiar smell of cooking food.


    ¡°Looks like someone¡¯s already inside,¡± Bibs observed as they crawled in. ¡°It''s Andy and Bibs!!!¡± Two more scouts inside waved at them.


    ¡°We''ve got some hot food ready!¡± another two said, also greeting them.


    The igloo was larger than the last one, able to accommodate more scouts.


    ¡°Let¡¯s dig in!!!¡± Bibs exclaimed, rubbing his hands eagerly, while Andy still harbored worries.


    ¡°There are still vibrations!!!¡± Andy expressed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good¡­ Can we just rest for the night?¡± suggested another scout. Despite Andy''s concerns, the weather and darkness hindered them from confirming or taking any action.


    <--->


    It was morning, and Bibs woke up feeling well-rested from the previous night. ¡°Hey guys! Andy is gone!¡± he exclaimed, noticing Andy''s absence from his bed. The other scouts began waking up upon hearing his voice.


    Bibs crawled outside, feeling the cold air but seeing the promised sunny day. ¡°Hey, Andy! You''re up early!¡­ What the...?¡± Bibs trailed off as he noticed Andy staring into the distance. On the horizon, there was steam... and it was moving.


    ¡°It''s spikes... spikes down the valley, lots of them,¡± Andy said, his tone grave.


    ¡°Andy, what are you staring at!? Let¡¯s send some birds!!!¡± Bibs suggested urgently.


    ¡°We won¡¯t survive... see that?¡± Andy pointed to something closer, about 8 to 10 clicks from the mark they had placed yesterday. It was a wave of giant spikes they called wall crushers.


    ¡°Damn it!!! I''ll wake them up!!! Let¡¯s get out of here!!!¡± Bibs exclaimed, pulling Andy''s arms. ¡°Crap¡­ okay,¡± Andy reluctantly agreed, though he felt hopeless.


    Andy was one of the few survivors of the outpost town that had been destroyed by the spikes.


    <--->


    <The Northern Wall>


    Hours after receiving the message from the bird, Paramour, and his party were preparing to depart.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you accurately guessed it, but you''re damn right... well, we don¡¯t need to slay them all; we just have to make time for the scouts to come back into the walls,¡± Paramour said to Simon as they rode on magically powered snowboards. This was a new prototype developed by Gallo during his break.


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Simon replied. He was accompanying Paramour''s party of three, four warriors, and four adventurers, along with Gallo''s developed 15 snowboards, though Paramour insisted that 12 were enough.


    ¡°Be careful, guys! Sir, please open the gates!!!¡± It was Gallo, using some kind of funnel to amplify his voice without magic. The warriors atop the walls heard it and confirmed using drums, signaling the warriors below to open the gates.


    ¡°I will make the preparations; we will be ready when you get back,¡± Gallo assured the departing team.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!!!¡± Paramour screamed, rallying the team.

 Chapter 31 :: Battle in the snow Valley

    30 years ago.


    Kern Village was the inaugural name of the small village located outside of the northern wall. It was the time when the northerners were at their peak. It was created ten years after a great battle held on the Desolated Lands, in exchange of a great sacrifice, the northerners destroyed 2 colonies of Spikes.


    This was the first Village outside of the wall. The Kern Village was also named following the Valley next to it. Whenever the winter ends, this valley actually becomes lively, full of life. The blessing of the earth overflowed totally different from the Desolated Lands.


    Andy and his family were one of the pioneers. It was a great honor and their names were carved on a large monumental statue in the middle of the village.


    The village was just consisted of 9 families and they continuously had a chain of supply from the northern wall. Although every day was hard the materials of hunts and natural resources they brought back into the northern wall would create immediate trade trends in the whole continent.


    ¡­


    That day.


    It was just another day in the northern frontier, Andy was doing his daily chores. The children of the village would help their households to prepare food. Sometimes their mothers would send them to get some herbs near the valley, just a few hour''s walk from the outpost.


    The fall was ending so the village was really busy gathering and preparing. Andy''s father was away, he was one of the warriors who did the delivery job from the wall to the village.


    They would be arriving the next day. He could tell that her mother was excited¡­


    That night after the And and his mother finished their jobs, his mother started knitting while Andy started practicing with his sword. ¡°Andy, try to sleep early!!¡± his mother warned him.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I just can''t fall asleep at night¡­ there are these tremors on the ground¡­ it keeps me awake¡± Andy said. His mother knew that Andy was really sensitive as a child. He had been speaking of these tremors for days.


    This was the night before the village was destroyed in a 4-day battle of survival. Only the monumental stone and some ruined buildings remained. Spike¡­ they wreck them, taking the lives of every living thing.


    His father arrived but the northern man had to buy time with their lives and it was still not enough. He was the only survivor at that time. Saved by the hero of the era: The sword of light.


    If they only had a few more years then they could have pushed everything to the limit and created a deterrent and it wouldn¡¯t be like this. The Spikes that have been pestering the walls for a long time now stopped for a couple of decades and the northerners prospered.


    If it wasn¡¯t a trap or just circumstances they would never know but it was too late now.


    ¡­


    And after 30 years he was still looking at it again reliving that night.


    <--->


    Present time in the northern frontier. The same spot of the village ruins of Kern.


    The wall crushers were slowly moving¡­ they had already sent the spike scouts as the frontline to test the fields forward. These Spike Scouts had no regard for their lives and were willing to die for their brethren.


    The northern harsh weather was blowing frigid, and the wall crushers that pushed through tirelessly pushed the snow so that the armada of Spikes would retain their strength. Doing everything for their species was a true testament to their selflessness and their unity. It was for the Queen.


    ¡­


    Ruins of the Kern Village.


    Although it was utterly destroyed there were still some stone ruins on the site and it was a good place to meet, there were around 24 scouts in the northern frontier at all times and 3 of those teams were already on their way back to the walls.


    There were still 18 of them that were taking shelter in the ruins where there was a makeshift shelter. They used that spot as a gathering place.


    ¡°We will need just 6¡­ if we activate the trap then we can delay the siege for more days¡± Andy was automatically the leader since he was the most elite of the scouts present.


    Bibs was cursing in a low voice but he knew what was going to happen and already had accepted it.


    ¡°I¡¯m behind you brother,¡± Bibs said. From Bibs¡¯s words all of the scouts actually raised their hands.


    ¡°You guys are making it hard for me to pick¡­¡± Andy said.


    ¡°The message will be arriving in a few hours,¡± one of the scouts said¡­ the problem is that their window before the wall crushers get out of the range of the valley. The boys back in the wall have to decide on what to do while the scout on the valley will be on their own, they won¡¯t wait, they have to do it.


    During this time of the year, the snow that accumulated in the hills of the valley would lean on one side, the scouts of the northerners devised a plan, they would make an explosion on each side to create an avalanche to block the path in the valley or better bury them under.


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    The bombs were made up of pyre ore and were always maintained by the scouts as part of their checklist every 3 months. They only needed 3 pairs of explosions to cover the whole length of the valley.


    This is the only chance they could do it since the lay of the land after the valley was just an upward slope into the walls and there were not many hills that were large enough or tall enough to block the large marching army since the spike would just probably crush down the bushes Ice Trees.


    The army behind is only as fast as the wall crushers that were clearing the snow¡­ They were slow, a week maybe, and a few more days because of the slope when they were out of the valley. That was the estimated time limit that the scouts came up with.


    But after staying back on his vacation on the northern wall¡­ the new visitors were capable, and he knew that the time they would be buying would be spent properly. It''s not like it was a suicide mission, the bombs are already set and the scout has just checked it a few days ago. They just had to go light it up.


    The problem would be the aftermath, the bomb would create a change on the field¡­ spikes buried in snow. As much as Andy prayed that the Spikes would die and freeze under the snow, the Spikes had already learned how to stay warm. And Spike buried under the snow¡­ that was the dangerous part.


    ¡°We will start immediately, the others just retreat back to the wall¡­ please bring back as much information as you can¡± Andy gave the orders. The village was constructed on one of the higher ground, east side of the valley.


    The scouts nodded and went on their way.


    The party that was left started their preparation and their planned route double checked, as usual, Andy and Bibs would take the farthest bombs.


    Andy looked at the old monument that was one of the few structures left in the village. He was born here, he was the first child of the first generation from the pioneers of the village. His mother was right about him. He was hyper-sensitive. His hypersensitivity to the tremors coming from the ground helped him in his career as a scout.


    He swore at that moment when he watched her mother and the villagers of the satellite town die on their feet. He would use all of his powers to save lives. That''s why he became a scout in the first place.


    <--->


    The birds of the northern people are only of one breed. Messenger Birds they called Elm Bird. It could fly so fast that they could go back and forth from the northern wall to the northern frontier 8 times a day.


    By that count, the message was 3 hours old and it only took a few minutes before it reached the northern wall mayor. The northern wall mayor immediately summoned everyone who should be involved.


    There are actually 2 spots where an emergency summon was mustered, the first one was in the town hall and the 2nd one when the situation was bad was inside the walls itself, the underground training room.


    ¡°3 hours and 13 minutes¡­¡± it was Gallo the one who was reading the contents, the mayor immediately gave him the original copy while he started reading a copy for the people in the room.


    For the few weeks that Gallo had stayed there, he proved to be of great intellectual value as he shared some of his knowledge in governing. The mayor and even the warriors respected him even though he was younger.


    The letter was as follows: ¡°Siege is coming a week from now at the earliest, we will deploy delaying methods¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ if they have a plan why would they send us a letter like this?¡± Gallo asked. Although he was a smart kid, he didn¡¯t know everything.


    ¡°It''s for us to decide if we are going to aid them or not¡± it was the mayor who answered.


    ¡°The delaying strategy is devised by a survivor from the outpost, they would blow out left and right hills on the Kern¡¯s Valley using a charge of pyre ores, effectively blocking the pathways in the downhills¡± followed by Percival answering.


    The information was enough to set Gallo into thinking.


    ¡°... We will use the boards to travel fast¡­ not as fast as the birds but we will arrive immediately this day¡­ but the field will be an unknown variable¡­ I see, spike under the snow is bad shit,¡± Gallo immediately started thinking, the Mayor had an idea of how Gallo thinks, and how he processed things, it was a bit shameful but small things like the snowball fight and his everyday actions earned their trust.


    Gallo was a mentalist. It took him a few minutes to get to a decision. The time was 6 in the morning.


    <--->


    Hours after the rescue party launched.


    Just after a few tweaks, the board was working seamlessly, even the magic consumption was lessened. It was already almost 7 and a half hours when they left the northern wall. The snowboard riders grew accustomed with it, one foot forward and one foot on the control board, they would change their feet sometimes.


    From the horizon a flash flickered. It sent shockwaves and mists that the riders endured with their hands or cloak. After a few delays the thundering sound followed. It actually cleared the weather breaking the snowstorm.


    ¡°BOOM!!!!¡± there was a loud sound¡­ ¡°BOOM!!!¡±, ¡°BOOM!!!¡±, ¡°BOOM!!!¡±, ¡°BOOM!!!¡±, ¡°BOOM!!!¡± followed by other sounds.


    ¡°There! That¡¯s the explosion!!!¡± the hero screamed, he was briefed down by the warriors of the northern wall of the areas outside the wall since he was chosen to be the leader of the squad that would do the rescue, it was his party¡¯s first time of going outside the wall.


    They were supposed to have a tour outside the walls and they were scheduled at a later date and this incident happened.


    ¡°Scouts waving at us!!¡± Simon screamed, the explosion and shock wave were numbing the sound so they had to scream.


    4 of the adventurers changed their direction bee lining to the scouts that were escaping.


    ¡°Godspeed!¡± the warrior screamed, they would be in charge of the escaping scouts, they were carrying a snow cart that would be pulled by the snowboard, another one of Gallo¡¯s bright ideas.


    It was create supposedly to help the transportation of the cannons.


    <--->


    A few more hours passed and the snow and mist subsided, the valley was closing in front of them. The pyre ore detonation is remotely controlled, with a range of half a click so they were sure that the ones that detonated it were safe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go as planned!¡± Paramour commanded... Simon was going to be together with the Black Hood while an adventurer together with a warrior. Going west and the other into the east respectively. (Simon and Black Hood to the west, Adventurer and Warrior to the east)


    The others would be on stand-by and would act depending on the situation.


    <--->


    Western Mountain of the Kern Valley.


    Andy safely tied himself on an ice tree, the problem was that he passed out when a few rocks hit his head. He was awake now, luckily the cold numbed the pain in his head, and still, there was blood on him.


    The worst part is that it was already dark, lighting up a fire would invite bad things. He reached out for a knife and noticed that the moon was really good that night, the brightest he had ever seen.


    He cut the rope he used to tie himself. He was on higher grounds so he could see the outcome of what they had done, he was on the farthest side of the span of the valley and he could see how far the swarm of spikes was.


    The wall crushers are now effectively under the snow. They would take time to gain the momentum again, the wall crushers have to dig themselves out of the snow. Though he wished they would freeze and die under the snow. The problem now was how to get back. He hadn¡¯t seen a single scout of spike before he detonated the pyre ore but he was not sure how much time had passed since he passed out.


    He started walking. The elf boots were made not to sink in the snow. It was really effective in this situation¡­ but he started feeling the vibrations¡­ stronger. There must be some spikes near him. He started running enduring the cold on his head.


    ¡°Shit¡­ no¡­ shit!!¡± he was right it was a few clicks behind him. The spikes that were supposed to scout the valley were running. It seemed that they took the way on the high grounds.

 Chapter 32 :: Line them up

    Western Mountain of the Kern Valley.


    ¡°That¡¯s him¡­ lucky the (Spike) black scouts have just started to move close to him¡­ DASH!!!¡± the Black Hood said as he cast a spell on Simon, increasing his speed. Simon squatted down to control the sudden acceleration. While Simon could see in the dark, the Black Hood had to cast a spell to allow the others to see in the darkness.


    ¡°ANDY!!! Watch out!!¡± Simon screamed. Andy immediately jumped down flat in the snow, while Simon swiftly drew his sword, slashing two of the scout spikes with a single stroke.


    ¡°Cover your head! I will drag you!!!¡± Simon yelled, quickly executing a U-turn with the board. He grabbed Andy by the feet and pulled him into the snow. Andy had never been so relieved to be dragged through the snow.


    ¡°What about the others?!!¡± Andy asked, still concerned about the other scouts closer to the detonation point.


    ¡°They are waiting!!! A few more clicks and they will be there with a readied snow cart!!¡± the Black Hood answered. The ¡°Snow Cart¡± wasn''t the official name of the clothes used to pull rescued scouts for faster travel.


    ¡°I see!!! Let¡¯s go!!! Cough!!! It''s cold!!¡± Andy smiled, even though his face was being pelted by the dragged snow.


    ¡­


    In a few more minutes, the two scouts who already had the clothes spread out waved. Simon threw Andy into the cart, and the two caught him safely. Simon and the Black Hood grabbed the left and right ropes, respectively, that were connected to the clothes.


    ¡°HOLD ON!!¡± Simon screamed, and the two started pulling.


    The Black Hood even cast the same magic he used to increase their speed, and it did the trick.


    ¡°Something is following us!!!¡± Andy immediately warned pointing his fingers in a direction.


    Simon didn¡¯t have to stare in that direction, he already knew it.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pull them as far as we can; let¡¯s fight it if it reaches us.¡± The Black Hood was in charge of the west duo, his experience and insight were much better.


    ¡°If we can recreate the avalanche again¡­ it''s possible to lose it,¡± one of the scouts suggested.


    ¡°Fire?¡± the Black Hood asked, and the scout still had something in his pack to light a fire. He took it out in a hurry, and the scout and the Black Hood nodded.


    The igniter on the scout¡¯s bag is something of a problem solver when the remote detonation of the pyre ore fails, but a deadly one.


    ¡°Stop for a while!!!¡± the Black Hood commanded, and they slowly decreased their speed on the slide. The Black Hood instantly took out three pieces of a cylinder. ¡°Light it and count to three, then it will explode¡­ I repeat, light it and count to three, then it will explode¡­ no, just light it and throw it.¡± It was a quick explanation to the scout; these were small bombs adventurers would bring to clear up small debris.


    They continued the escape after a few moments.


    ¡­


    ¡°IT''S HERE!!!¡± / ¡°Watch out!!!¡± Andy and Simon warned almost simultaneously, respectively. A scout lit up a bomb and threw it. After 3 seconds, it exploded, creating a wave of snow into a small avalanche.


    They were fast enough to escape the sliding snow, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    ¡°A Walker!!!¡± the scout screamed as the spike, standing on its two feet, jumped out of the snow. It was chasing after them, using its tail as a snow pick to hold itself against the sliding snow.


    ¡°Ready!!! We will throw one more on my timing!!¡± Andy screamed.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready!!!¡± the other scout answered eagerly.


    Simon and the Black Hood started riding the snowboard for their lives. Simon was clearly surprised by the amount of bloodlust the walker was emitting. ¡°There is a slope¡­ half a click!!!¡± Simon screamed, informing the team.


    After a few more moments, the walker was out of the sliding snow, increasing its speed and slowly catching up to them. ¡°SLOPE!!¡± Simon screamed again.


    ¡°Throw one now!!!¡± Andy screamed, and the scout threw another cylinder but something was wrong, it didn¡¯t explode after they mentally counted for its detonation.


    ¡°I forgot to light it!!!¡± it was a scream croaking with frustration and guilt, the scout gritted his teeth as he took out the third cylinder.


    ¡°Calm down!!! We still have time!!!¡± Andy reassured the scouts of his mistake. The scouts were well-trained elites; the problem was the amount of bloodlust the walker was displaying. Even Andy himself was shaking.


    The scout lighted the small bomb with his lighter, focused on his job ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m ready!!!¡± the scout screamed.


    ¡°Throw it!!¡± Andy urged.


    The scout wanted to redeem himself, so he counted in his head. ¡°Three,¡± the scout said.


    ¡°EAT THIS!!!¡± he spitted as his mouth opened wide, a smile cracked on his face as it exploded in the face of the walker.


    But they were not out of the trouble yet¡°Weight on the right!!!¡± the Black Hood screamed; the explosion actually created a large area of snow to slide. It was a small avalanche again.


    The two were barely making it out, with one side almost sliding off.


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    <--->


    Eastern Mountain of the Kern Valley.


    The warrior and the adventurer arrived at the scene. The two scouts were really close to them, but it seemed they didn¡¯t notice them. Using the common spell Umbra¡¯s Aspect, they could properly see in the dark. The adventurer, a veteran who knew his way around, led the way.


    They found the two scouts lying on an ice tree. The warrior started to approach them, but the adventurer stopped him. ¡°Something is wrong here!¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s go higher,¡± he advised. Though the warrior wanted to save his brothers immediately, he listened. The two started snowboarding up...


    It was a trap. There was blood everywhere; the adventurer was sure of it as he saw one of the bodies. ¡°They are already dead¡­ look,¡± he said. Some of their lower halves were missing, but the cold had stopped the blood from spreading. The east side was a failure.


    ¡°BOOOM!!!¡± An explosion from the west side brightened the valley for a moment. Suddenly, a tail blasted out of the snow close to the ice tree where the bodies of the scouts were.


    ¡°It''s scanning the area,¡± the adventurer said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a walker¡­ we have to get out of here before it detects us!!¡± the warrior, who knew his stuff, immediately warned the adventurer.


    It was probably the best decision he ever made.


    <--->


    South Entrance to the Kern Valley.


    Paramour and Raphael began constructing snow walls. The warriors were highly proficient at it, using magic to reinforce the structures, creating a solid defensive perimeter.


    ¡°BOOM!!!!¡±


    Explosions reverberated from the west side of the valley. They had been operating for almost an hour.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± one of the warriors remarked. The warriors and the adventurer were worried but their field leader was too cool, Paramour quickly surveyed the walls. He smirked as he was satisfied with their construction. He checked behind too and he was ensured the snowboards were ready.


    The snowboards, initially crafted for leisure, had become invaluable assets in practical use. Percival remained unperturbed, focused on the next steps and his potential reactions.


    ...


    ¡°Paramii¡­ to the east,¡± Raphael said, spotting the eastern group from a distance, but there were only two of them, nothing in tow. They braced for bad news. A few minutes later, the East team confirmed their suspicions. Simultaneously, from the west...


    ¡°It''s a walker!!!¡± exclaimed one of the warriors, though it was still distant. Its flickering bladed tails and the spikes on its feet matched the descriptions.


    ¡°Action¡¯s imminent! Raphael, let''s prepare a blast!!!¡± Paramour said confidently, unfazed.


    ¡°BOOM!!!¡±


    Another explosion from the west triggered a smaller avalanche this time.


    <--->


    Western Side of the Kern Valley.


    The walker was relentless, and the situation worsened as a cloud of snow dust trailed the valley''s east side.


    ¡°There are 2 now?!!!¡± the scout complained. The one that was pursuing them had some of its tails torn apart, sacrificing them for its head.


    ¡°COME STRAIGHT!!!¡± Raphael''s voice, enhanced by some form of magic, echoed through the valley.


    The two were devising a plan, opting for strategy over magical theatrics. ¡°Let¡¯s try luring the other one,¡± the Black Hood suggested. Simon simply nodded, and they altered their course accordingly.


    <--->


    South Entrance to the Kern Valley.


    ¡°When I simply told them not to change direction, what the heck?!¡± Raphael complained loudly, his frustration palpable.


    ¡°No¡­ to the east,¡± the warrior interjected, pointing in that direction, where snow dust lingered in the air.


    ¡°It''s likely the same walker we encountered earlier, it''s going for the the explosions,¡± added the adventurer who had ventured to the east.


    ¡°Paramii!!! Look ahead!!¡± Raphael warned once more. Though not as pronounced, there was new snow dust billowing from the north.


    ¡°They''re probably the spikes that got buried!¡± the warrior speculated.


    ¡°Oh¡­ alright¡­ mic me up, Raphael!¡± the hero exclaimed, ready to take action.


    <--->


    Western Side of the Kern Valley.


    ¡°LOOK DOWN!! BAIT THEM ALL INTO A STRAIGHT LINE!!!¡±


    Now it was the hero screaming. The Black Hood scanned the snow dust down in the lowlands of the valley; it was probably the spikes that were supposed to be the scouts.


    ¡°Tough job,¡± the Black Hood muttered, still ready to tackle it, he looked around quickly assessing the situation.


    ¡°So, we''re going down?¡± Andy asked.


    ¡±Afraid so¡­¡± Simon coldly replied the scout who was listening gulped.


    They began descending the hill. Luckily, the downward slope and the fact that they were sliding helped them put some distance between themselves and the pursuing spikes. After a successful glide into the slopes, in just a few moments, around 15 to 20 spikes were following them, with 2 walkers chasing them relentlessly.


    ¡°Damn¡­ I wanted to have at least 2 kids,¡± Andy muttered. Despite tightly holding onto the clothes that Simon and the Black Hood were pulling, he couldn''t shake the feeling of impending danger if the ropes were to break or the clothes were to get damaged by a random sharp rock.


    ¡°Almost there!!!¡± the Black Hood screamed.


    <--->


    South Entrance to the Kern Valley.


    ¡°That¡¯s just too perfect,¡± Paramour remarked as he activated his level 2 magic edge, causing his spear to become engulfed in flames. Raphael stood just in front of him, chanting.


    Raphael¡¯s poncho floated as he infused a ball of wind with magic, he didn¡¯t need a chant since they had been doing the combo ever since ¡°How wide, Paramii?¡± Raphael inquired before completing the chant.


    ¡°Make it 5 meters wide; I¡¯ll compensate,¡± Paramour replied, the blade of his spear glowing brighter as he assumed a stance.


    ¡°That magic?!¡± one of the adventurers exclaimed, excitedly observing the famous magic combo of the pair known as Spear Flare.


    A wind sphere materialized in front of Raphael, and he quickly stepped clear of it. ¡°Warn them to dodge by my word,¡± he instructed, though it was more of a formality.


    Simon¡¯s party and the horde behind them drew closer. Paramour calmly waited for the right moment; once the Spear Flare was unleashed, it would be difficult to alter its trajectory.


    ¡°Tell them to keep clear,¡± Paramour said calmly.


    <--->


    Black Hood and Simon¡¯s side.


    ¡°GUYS!! KEEP CLEAR!!!¡± the familiar voice of Raphael echoed in the valley.


    ¡°We jump!!! Simon, You take the lead, I¡¯m not a good jumper!!!¡± the black hood said upon hearing the next instruction.


    ¡°In 5 we jump!!!¡± Simon said and he looked back at the scouts. ¡°We will hold tight!!!¡± the scout said. Simon started looking ahead and there was a small mound of snow that could be used as a ramp. When he started counting the black hood instantly knew of his plan.


    1, 2!!


    The black hood cast magic on his feet, they had to jump, he is not an athletic type, and he needed the magic to compensate.


    3, 4, 5!!!


    ¡°JUMP!!!¡± Simon and the Black Hood used the mound of snow as a ramp and their feet to make a long jump, the board was fastened on their waist so it was no problem.


    ¡°Guys!! CLOSE YOUR EYES!!¡± the Black Hood warned as they flew into the air.


    A bright red lasered out from the direction of the hero and his team. They softly landed on their feet continuing the slide but they were clear of the line of fire of the Spear Flash.


    It created a flash that enveloped the whole valley.


    ¡°What the hell is that magic!! My eyes burn!!!¡± Andy screamed as he held his eyes with his hands letting go of the Snow Cart, the Black Hood cast magic on him making him pass out the 2 scouts immediately grabbed him before he fell.


    <--->


    The Spear Flare was a combination magic that harnessed the powers of Fire and Wind. The wind, by its nature, bolstered the fire''s potency. Once unleashed, the hero could maneuver within the fiery line using his spear. With a thickness of 5 meters, it proved more than capable of obliterating the horde tailing Simon and his party.


    ¡°Shift to the right!¡± Raphael urged, donning shaded glasses to shield his eyes from the blinding flash that accompanied Paramour''s spell.


    ¡°I forgot my glasses!¡± Paramour grumbled, though he promptly followed Raphael''s directive. He couldn¡¯t tell what was happening but he trusted his friend.


    ¡°You''ve wiped them out!¡± Raphael cheered, jubilantly leaping like a child as the Spear Flare gradually waned.


    ¡°My eyes... How are the guys?¡± Paramour inquired.

 Chapter 33 :: Desolated Lands

    Hundred years ago, from the darkness, she was born of the urge to consume and propagate her species. She was not the first of her kind; rather, generations had already passed before her time. The Spike Queen, in all her glory, resembled an ant with six tails. However, her tails possessed a mutation, resembling frog-like toes, giving the appearance of a skirt.


    After generations of battles, she finally defeated the guardians of the forbidden gate. Now, she could harness power from it. However, the dweller behind the door demanded things in exchange for this power. She accepted the terms, and within a few months, using the same power and the corpses of the guardians she devoured, she conceived.


    It was the first of its kind ¨C a spike, born of her union with the forbidden gate''s power. The queen, empowered by the forbidden door, shrieked in joy. Now, even the guardians of the door could not oppose her.


    The first mutated spikes she conceived were twins. They resembled Walkers, but their evolved exoskeletons and the presence of hair on their bodies marked their uniqueness. Their minds functioned as one, yet they were two.


    This could be attributed to her consumption of the guardians, who possessed hair only on their heads, or perhaps it was due to the power bestowed upon her by the forbidden door. She vowed to nourish them properly.


    <--->


    As the years passed, they reached the peak of their species.


    Now, the queen had fused herself with the forbidden door, permanently drawing power from it. By all means, it wasn¡¯t safe; sometimes, she would feel the power she drew go into a rampage.


    The second mutated spike was born, but it was more of a slime. The queen was utterly disappointed, but its cuteness appealed to her motherly love, and she accepted it. His brothers would feed him anything, and he gladly consumed it. She could also sense its slow growth.


    Along with the slime she conceived was the production of the mothers. Akin to her they could propagate a colony, it was time to test the waters so she sent these mothers to the surface.


    Years passed again¡­ the mothers she sent to the surface were destroyed but it laid out every information her twins needed to launch another expedition into the surface. Ever since the twins assumed command the spikes had started to learn.


    It was time to open the wall to the surface. Whoever seized power of the land would dominate. They had deployed numerous of her daughters to create small colonies; a bit of biding time and she would send her twins to lead the battle that would change their lives.


    She was saddened to expend her children, but this was necessary for the propagation of their species.


    ~¡°Necoralia¡­ your promise is never forgotten,¡±~ came the voice from behind the forbidden gate. She shrieked; she had promised access to the land beyond. They shared the same goal; the dweller couldn''t move while the queen lacked power, truly a symbiotic relationship.


    ¡°Of course¡­ never shall we forget¡­¡± the voice slowly faded. The queen proudly watched her army move.


    <--->


    Presently, two hours had passed since the successful escape, and the party entered the desolated region of the north. The rescue operation had been completed in just an hour. The party was silent¡­ the desolate lands of the north were truly beautiful, especially that night but the party didn¡¯t have the time to appreciate it.


    The moon really shone intensely, it was a blessing that they could see the lay of the desolated lands as clearly as possible¡­ but it just made the intensity of their escape greater.


    ¡°Paramii!! I can detect them everywhere!!!¡± Raphael screamed in panic, releasing some of his tension.


    The party, consisting of Simon, Paramour, and his companions, Andy, the surviving scouts, warriors, and adventurers, continued their harsh journey back to the wall. There was a better route to navigate after Simon had wrecked a small colony. But as per Raphael¡¯s comment, there was still something out there.


    ¡°The colonies¡­ they''re activating¡­ I can hear the call,¡± Simon suddenly said. The entire group now traveled was aware of it, the black hood¡¯s magic continuously reapplied as the speed buff expired.


    What would have taken a week to cross became just less than half a day with the snowboard ¨C truly a miracle given the circumstances.


    ¡°My magic is running low,¡± one of the warriors stated, prompting a scout to take his place. It had been a long operation, and fatigue was setting in, but survival necessitated their continued efforts.


    ¡°...Where is Bibs?¡± Andy, regaining consciousness, noticed the absence of some friends.


    ¡°They''re¡­ dead¡­ mutilated,¡± the adventurer who found them replied. He was accustomed to such grim sights, having risen through the ranks as a veteran. Andy sighed, his expression reflecting the somber reality. It was not yet time to mourn; their priority was escape.


    ¡°We are still six hours away from the wall¡­ no, just five, then we can do it,¡± Paramour voiced his thoughts, and the group silently concurred.


    ¡°RIIIIP!!!!¡± a simple sound of tearing, but it likely sounded more terrifying to the men pulling the snow cart. The cloth they were using tore apart on a random sharp rock protruding from the snow.


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    Andy, a scout, and an adventurer tumbled into the snow. The entire party halted. ¡°I will try to repair it!!¡± the Black Hood immediately went to work, but the adventurer who went to the east side stopped him.


    ¡°We have some extra!!!¡± It was the additional clothes intended for the east side scouts. ¡°I should have been more careful¡­ damn it,¡± Paramour cursed.


    ¡°It''s not your fault, Paramii¡­ accidents happen,¡± Raphael offered some comforting words, but they were hardly enough to ease Paramour¡¯s troubled expression. They couldn''t abandon them; they were the mission.


    Thirty minutes passed. The wind started to change, and soon, snowfall began. They had been fortunate that fair weather had held until now, but asking for more was pushing their luck. Their magic to see in the dark became totally useless since the falling snow and wind would still blind them.


    ¡°We must look for markers¡­ our scouts would leave markers when the weather becomes bad, it''s to help the others,¡± Andy suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Scouts¡­ damn¡­ the northerner frontier is really harsh,¡± Paramour commented while smirking. He was neither complimenting nor complaining about the place, though his tone sounded like a compliment.


    The party continued, and anyone could tell that the wind was carrying something they didn¡¯t want¡­ There were still no markers either. Still, they continued the ride until the snowfall started going heavy, and visibility began to diminish.


    Simon and Paramour were in the front. Simon¡¯s eyes still had a good chance of detecting things, but¡­ ¡°Paramour¡­ there is something happening ahead,¡± Simon notified Paramour. Half an hour had just passed since.


    In a few minutes, Simon found the marker; he stopped the party. ¡°This is the marker, right?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Finally!! We just follow it; the other team must be ahead of us,¡± Andy answered. The scouts rejoiced, and the adventurers too.


    ¡°What¡¯s the problem, Simon?¡± Paramour was very perceptive. Simon was looking ahead¡­


    ¡°We can¡¯t follow it¡­ they are out there?¡± Simon literally answered Paramour¡¯s question with another question since he wasn¡¯t sure himself¡­


    ¡°What now?! Just follow it, and we will be safe!!!¡± Andy urged them¡­


    Paramour was now faced with a choice¡­ but it was an easy one for him.


    ¡°Simon, you lead in front; we follow you,¡± Paramour suddenly said. There was no clear basis for why he said that.


    ¡°But!!!¡± Andy protested.


    ¡°We have no time; it¡¯s a hunch, but he is probably right,¡± Raphael also agreed.


    ¡°...Well¡­ I will follow,¡± Andy sighed and agreed. They were the ones who rescued them to make this scenario and choice even possible. It''s not too much to put trust in them.


    ¡°Follow me,¡± Simon smiled as he guided the party from then on. He began by riding away from the markers. The scouts were baffled, but they still followed.


    Simon, on his own, was falling into a trance. The snow and the cold were not there, only dots of himself in a pseudo radar that were coming from the ground, vibrations, and strange sounds. Sometimes he would curve, but after a few hours, he stopped.


    ¡°The wall is ahead,¡± Simon suddenly said. They couldn¡¯t see it because of the worsening snowfall that was turning into a storm.


    ¡°But the other guys are probably 2 to 4 clicks in that direction, and there,¡± Simon pointed a direction somewhere they had come from.


    ¡°You are going back?¡± Paramour asked. ¡°I¡¯m going to save the others,¡± Simon answered.


    ¡°As long as there are no walking spikes (Walkers), I can handle anything,¡± he added as an assurance. There was weight to his words and everyone believed in it.


    ¡°I will come with you, Raphael; bring them in!¡± the hero as the leader said, he passed on some of his things to the Black Hood in exchange the Black Hood gave him some potions.


    ¡°You guys are crazy!!!¡± Raphael exchanged with Paramour for pulling ¡°Simon! The direction again please!!¡± he was usually the second in command in their party of three.


    ¡°Just a few minutes in this direction!!!¡± Simon said, pointing again.


    Andy was just silent¡­ he was still confused about what was happening. Andy, too, trusted Simon, but it seemed that after knowing Bibs was gone, he had become negative¡­ or he was afraid?


    ¡°Take care, guys; please come back before midnight, don¡¯t overshoot,¡± the Black Hood warned. Simon and the Hero nodded.


    <--->


    Somewhere in the desolated lands, blinded by the snow and darkness, the scouts, adventurers, and warriors who should have gone back first were trapped in battle and snow.


    The warriors were fighting a couple of spikes, and the adventurers were also holding their own. The problem was the snow; it was reducing their senses. They formed a circle, but they had been fighting non-stop for an hour now and didn¡¯t know which direction to go.


    ¡°This is hopeless,¡± one of the scouts said. The spikes from before had evolved in the way they fight; it''s like they are learning as they fight. They were intelligent enough to take the bodies of their comrades so that they wouldn¡¯t have a chance to study them. It was only recently that they have brought home a sample.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope!¡± the adventurer screamed. He knew the purpose of the markers; it was to lead the other party to them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, adventurer. Now that we''ve formed a circle, they would start spraying bullets that would melt you to the bone,¡± the scout informed them.


    ¡°I will die fighting. I would rather run in one direction and try my luck,¡± the veteran adventurer said. He was a veteran; he had been in this situation many times, and he had the right to say it.


    ¡°NO NEED! WE GOT YOU!¡± It was a familiar voice, a voice they trusted. After a few moments, screams populated the wailing snow. After a while, a boy appeared with a bit of blood on his shoulders, followed by the hero of the era.


    ¡°I will be damned!¡± the adventurer screamed in excitement.


    ¡°The road is clear. Simon, what direction?¡± Paramour asked Simon since he was the only one who could navigate in the snowy storm.


    ¡°Just ride the boards this way; the dead bodies will guide you. When there are no more dead bodies, you are already very close, so just continue,¡± Simon respectfully answered.


    ¡°The kid is saying that there are still some guys outside the wall. Tell the guys on the northern wall that we will save them,¡± Paramour told the most veteran adventurer.


    The veteran adventurer and his party immediately left after setting the Snow Cart. ¡°Thanks, guys, drinks on me!¡± the veteran screamed as they faded away into the snow and dark.


    ¡°Where to now?¡± Paramour asked. ¡°Maybe 20 minutes that way; the queen is already out,¡± Simon pointed in another direction. The two immediately went on their way.


    The veteran adventurer urged the guys in his party to hurry up. He had a charisma that kept the party cheery.


    ¡°You should thank me; I¡¯m the luckiest adventurer alive!¡± he said with confidence. He was actually nicknamed Lucky Rabbit.


    <--->


    Somewhere underground.


    Bibs was already dead. They had learned from their enemies to take the bodies of their comrades, although it was for feeding; it was actually the first time they would try to check out the enemy''s weaknesses.


    The sad thing was it was already dead, so they couldn''t try anything on it anymore. (Lucky for him)


    The walker was huge, totally different from the other walkers. It was holding the body of a human as it walked through an underground tunnel connected to its lair¡¯s tunnel.


    It finally stopped at a large gate. Its mother had told it stories about the humans, especially the guardians that tried to kill their kind. It despised them with all of its being, but it learned something from the stories: when humans touched the gates, it would move. He was now carrying it for that reason.


    He tried it¡­


    ¡°Cree!!!!¡±


    It was a delighted sound. A gate opened underneath the dark tunnel.

 Chapter 34 :: Detection and the Hero’s Magic

    It was hard to see during a snowstorm, but the warriors still had to man the walls. They had a special light that allowed them to penetrate the storm, but its magic requirements were a bit high; it was only activated every hour.


    Due to pure coincidence, as the warriors scanned the nearby area around the wall, they found them. It was the Black Hood and the party; the bell started ringing three times.


    ¡°OPEN THE GATES!!! IT IS THEM!!!¡± the warrior immediately screamed. The scream could reach down, but still, there was a repeater on one of the wall floors; the warriors at the bottom of the wall started opening the gates.


    The gates were being moved by clutching gears to the same motor that runs the elevator of the wall. Warriors stationed at the gate were on the ready, nobody could tell what might happen.


    The Black Hood and his party immediately saw the light, and the warrior operating it used the light to guide them exactly to the gates of the wall. The party immediately went inside as soon as they could fit in the gate.


    Gallo and the Mayor had already woken up. They rushed into the gate to meet the returners.


    ¡°Where are the others?¡± the Mayor asked. Percival arrived a little late; he was carrying some blankets and brought some of the villagers who could do first aid.


    ¡°Open the gates for a while; others will come. They are probably behind us in a few minutes!¡± the Black Hood said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gallo asked for further explanation.


    ¡­


    ¡°I see, then we will be ready to receive them¡­please tell me if anything comes up¡± the Mayor answered.


    <--->


    Desolated Lands¡­


    The snow and the dark, visibility clearly diminished, but the light from his spear shined like the sun in the dark. Paramour raised his spear, and the spikes knew where he was.


    ¡°Ugly little shits¡­ I will butcher you,¡± Paramour said in a low voice.


    This was for the guys they failed to save.


    He began a dance¡­ the snow around him started to melt as he arrived at his first stance. He performed this dance as part of a ritual when he graduated as a disciple of a famous hero. Something he would never forget as long as he lived.


    It was called the ¡°Sun Dance,¡± and his body started emitting heat.


    ¡°This would feel good,¡± he muttered, and he started dancing.


    Spikes started swarming towards him, but as they approached, a searing fire would cut them¡­ dismember them. He didn¡¯t have to worry about the corpses that much since as they fell, they started to burn even in the snow.


    Song of the Sun:


    ¡°The dark is so cold, the wind has no life¡±


    ¡°We scream against the odds, lie against strife¡±


    ¡°Hold your head high, feel the warmth of the sun¡±


    ¡°We feel our lives, we never stop the run¡±


    ¡°For the lands hold the origin of life¡±


    ¡°For the lands, ye hold the ending of life¡±


    ¡°For I carry the trident of the fire¡±


    ¡°A flame that¡¯s bursting with magic and ire¡±


    The hero of the era literally sang while performing the dancing spear. The spikes that were attacking continued, but the Mother who was among them started to worry. There were two Mothers leading the attack. The snow hid them but the chaos of the hero¡¯s light inspired fear in them, the Mother had never seen a magic that was too effective against them.


    <--->


    Amidst the snow.


    Not only did the queens reproduce, but they could also heal the spikes as long as they were in a safe place and their armada was within range. However, since the spikes that were getting torn apart were melting, it posed a problem.


    A boy approached the mother in silence, his sword was flowing with a spray of water, and what was left of the reddish tint slowly diluted with the water his sword was producing. He vaults making an arc near the Mother¡¯s head.


    ¡°You are a Mother¡­¡± It was Simon, he landed in the snow.


    The queen''s head instantly dropped off. She, who was so focused on commanding her army, died with no sound at all. She didn¡¯t notice that the wall crusher guards around her were already dead but still standing.


    ¡°One more,¡± Simon said. He was in a trance; everything looked like a plane with dots. The ground was telling them their locations; it was all in his mind. If they could clear the other horde on the right side, there would be a clear path for the stranded scouts to escape.


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    <--->


    Andy was quite frustrated; the three teams that went back first were still outside. He was sure that they didn¡¯t see them. Even the Black Hood said that they didn¡¯t see them when they went outside of the wall to the valley.


    ¡°But they were going home because of the shift change,¡± Andy muttered.


    ¡°How much distance have they made?¡± Gallo asked.


    ¡°They should be two days earlier,¡± another scout answered. In a few moments, the warriors from the top started screaming, then bells rang three times.


    ¡°They are here!¡± another warrior who heard the message that was on the ground screamed. It was the other team that was supposed to be an hour and a half earlier than them. That team immediately entered the wall with the help of the magic light on the top of the wall.


    ¡°The hero and the kid saved us but they didn¡¯t come with us; they are still outside the wall! They are saying that there is still somebody outside!¡± It was an adventurer known as the Lucky Rabbit who reported the situation.


    The Mayor, Percival, and Gallo were present, still waiting for what would happen. ¡°I trust them; the hero is really strong.¡± It was Gallo who immediately broke the silence.


    ¡°Then we wait for them¡­ close the gate for a while, turn the light scan into 30 minutes,¡± it was the Mayor¡¯s command.


    ¡°Brother, I can come to them,¡± it was Percival who suggested. He was one of the few scouts who could navigate through a snowstorm. The reason he had to stay is that if something happened, he must be there to command and defend the wall.


    ¡°You stay¡­ can you feel it¡­¡± the Mayor suddenly spoke, and his eyes brightened¡­ the adventurers felt it too, the warriors, and even Gallo. The effect on the boy was much worse as he started jumping in excitement.


    ¡°Let¡¯s climb up the wall!!¡± Gallo screamed in excitement.


    <--->


    It had been 7 minutes since the hero started the dance. The plan was simple: Paramour would lure all enemies and slaughter them, while Simon would kill the queens that were outside. Simon actually detected 2 queens roaming around with her colony.


    With Simon¡¯s new detection abilities, he had been weathering the colonies, but the second queen was totally on guard. Simon made sure that the other queen didn¡¯t have the time to scream or anything.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ something higher is commanding them?¡± It was Simon¡¯s hypothesis.


    They probably knew that the other queen was dead. Simon stopped for a while and smiled; he was actually appreciating the magic the hero was releasing. He had seen the old man do these things in a different way; it seemed that everyone had their own ways of using magic.


    ¡°I will muscle it out then,¡± Simon said. He started running; the queen¡¯s guards were around her.


    He circled around, checking them out. The boy was just 10 meters away from them but they still couldn¡¯t detect him¡­ the training in the snow really paid off¡­ He stopped and found it¡­ There was a small gap between the 2 guards. He started bee-lining there.


    The guards didn¡¯t even notice him slip with his speed; he was then behind the queen. The water blade was really effective, and he really loved it. He had experienced his blade getting dull because of too much fat, but now that the water blade was under his better control, he could use water to cleanse it. Additionally, he activated a pressurized water blade for better cutting.


    The queen¡¯s head fell; he then landed on the ground and dashed into a circle, cutting the guards before they even turned around. Although they knew that the queen was dead, they didn¡¯t have the chance to see who even did it.


    The desolated lands are now a bit safe. Simon and Paramour just needed to rescue the other scouts who were hiding in a cluster of Ice Trees.


    <--->


    A few moments earlier.


    The 6 unlucky scouts felt hopeless as they watched the colonies move. They had been staying on top of the trees for hours now. They had no idea what was happening, but it was probably bad. They were not even that close, but they had already noticed the moving steam. They still needed 2 to 3 days to cross the desolated area.


    It became worse when the snow fell, and the fall turned into a snowstorm.


    ¡°We have been here for hours¡­¡± one of the scouts spoke. The others were still silent. One of the scouts saw an Elm Bird with a red tie on its feet. He remembered, but he didn¡¯t tell the others; he didn¡¯t want to create confusion.


    They still had provisions that could last them another week. There was a sudden change in the light.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± It was another scout. They saw a ball of light from afar, a majestic phenomenon they had never seen before. The scouts had been far from home and had only heard a few stories from Andy.


    ¡°It''s probably some kind of magic¡­ but it''s amazing. I can even feel the change in temperature from here,¡± another scout commented.


    <--->


    The Northern Wall had spectators watching from above. The burst of light only lasted for 20 to 30 minutes, but it was a sight to behold. ¡°We are usually near him when he does this¡­ that looks so epic,¡± Raphael, who also climbed up the wall, shared his impressions.


    In a few moments, the wind covered the whole view again, and darkness started to shroud everything.


    ¡°Maintain watch!!!¡± the Mayor commanded the warriors on the wall, instructing them to do the same as earlier.


    ¡°Wake me up when they return,¡± the Mayor said to Percival, who was already in his full armor, ready for the night watch.


    ¡°Of course, brother. Hey kid, you can sleep too,¡± Percival tapped Gallo, but the boy was still hyped.


    ¡°AMAZING!!!¡± he exclaimed. It seemed that he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep for a while.


    <--->


    It was already 3 in the morning when the weather started to get better. After a few more hours, even though it was still a little dark, they saw a shining beacon from afar. It was Paramour¡¯s spear in his back. They were pulling the 6 scouts who were stuck on a patch of ice trees a little bit farther north.


    They actually used the tails of the spikes and some of the ice tree branches to make a makeshift snow cart.


    ¡°Oh, how beautiful the wall is,¡± Paramour exclaimed as he saw the weather improving. It was the first time he had a proper look at the northern wall. It was a rare sight for him since he usually lived in the central region.


    ¡°Kid¡­ Simon, can you really not use magic?¡± Paramour started a conversation with Simon, who still wasn¡¯t fazed or didn¡¯t even look tired.


    ¡°No¡­ after casting, my spell usually fails and the magic I used disperses,¡± Simon answered, recalling how the old man described his failure to use magic.


    ¡°Your magic disperses? But you can use the snowboard without a problem at all,¡± Paramour continued to investigate. The water blade and wind blade, the wind board they were using right now, are all powered by channeling magic into them.


    ¡°Channeling magic is easy¡­ using it for spells is hard¡­ I don¡¯t really understand how the visualization works,¡± Simon replied. Paramour scratched his head.


    ¡°Dear hero, just my suggestion, but this kid probably can use a different element, some of the void types maybe,¡± the scout being pulled by Simon suggested.


    ¡°Void¡­ hmm, interesting. How about we find that out, Simon?¡± Paramour smiled at Simon.


    ¡°How?¡± Simon asked since traditional methods had failed him.


    ¡°We spar until something happens,¡± the hero nodded, the idea was just too novel that he smiled.


    The hero and the old man had the same mind about this. The old man said that in due time, Simon would learn how to use magic or that he really sucked.


    ¡°I like how you think. Let¡¯s get it on once we go back,¡± Simon smiled.


    The boy was actually asking for a spar; isn''t he tired?


    The scouts were literally too tired to react anymore; the 2 were monsters.

 Chapter 35 :: Monster Siege

    Simon and Paramour were true to their words. The following days were filled with intense sparring sessions. They pushed each other to their limits, often practicing in the plaza. Despite the harsh weather conditions, they didn¡¯t let it deter them. Paramour even started developing a technique to navigate through the snow more efficiently.


    On that particular day, the two of them were engaged in a fierce spar in the plaza. Their bouts had become somewhat of a spectacle for the townspeople, who gathered to watch. It had been five days since the incident.


    ¡°Sir! Urgent report!" An engineer rushed in, waving for attention. ¡°A meeting has been called!¡± The spar came to an abrupt halt, and a restlessness spread through the crowd.


    <--->


    The warriors, adventurers, and scouts, along with the Mayor, Percival, and the hero of the Era, gathered on the stage. Simon watched from the crowd. Some had to be left outside due to lack of space. The number of defenders had increased from just over 400 to nearly a thousand, excluding Gallo¡¯s engineers, improving the odds.


    ¡°The scouts have been sighting them frequently,¡± Percival, leading the meeting, announced.


    ¡°Andy said it will be a day or a day and a half from now on.¡± Despite the Mayor allowing Andy time to mourn, he refused and immediately returned to work.


    ¡°It''s probably tonight,¡± Simon, near the stage, spoke up, easily heard by the crowd. He had earned the title of expert scout after participating in the mission outside the wall. Gaining respect from the northerners, the hero, and the adventurers, his words now carried weight.


    ¡°The ground is restless, but the feeling is not of marching,¡± Simon continued, though nobody could confirm it.


    ¡°Not marching?¡± Gallo repeated.


    ¡°Since it is snowing, we cannot see dust, but there is a way to check, as per Andy¡¯s advice. Since the Spike''s body is warm and there are hordes of them, it will take some time to be seen, depending on the distance and wind speed. Oh, and all of our preparations are finished, just to report,¡± Gallo, who had been measuring distances from the wall to the desolated lands for the past weeks, reported confidently.


    Andy before explained how the Spike hordes traveled; they are not immune to the cold. In fact, there were sightings of frozen dead spikes. It''s the reason the spikes traveled together as three, acting as a scout. They still need heat, and crowding was the best way to preserve heat, creating a warm air that can be seen miles away.


    After a few warnings and a bit of question and answers the meeting was concluded and everyone now is on an alert mode.


    ¡°Just follow the plan; we''ll keep an eye on the horizon. We already have the plan for them scaling and breaking the gate,¡± Gallo said, crossing his fingers.


    ¡°We will survive this!¡± He screamed, igniting cheers from the crowd.


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Gallo. Of course, they will try to scale the wall, and we will proceed as planned,¡± Percival concluded.


    <--->


    Most of the warriors who have defended the wall for the last 10 years were accustomed to the siege. The tense atmosphere could be felt among them. Half of them were now atop the wall, with Gallo, as usual, standing on his favorite wooden box to get a better view of the bigger picture. The cannons were mounted into the walls, with engineers fully equipped to battle wind and cold, wearing thick gloves for the work ahead. There were even markers of distances outside the walls, he had done all the things he could do¡­ it was time to relax.


    ¡°It''s cold¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll have some tea to warm me up!!! Want some, guys?¡± he invited the others. Raphael went with him, but the others didn¡¯t. Afara was there in the shelter Gallo made, preparing tea. The shelter was on the top of a tower on the right side of the wall.


    It had been almost 10 hours since they started the preparation. The townspeople unable to fight were evacuated from the town. Gallo made another version of the snowboard, a larger one, which would at least help them cross the slope until there was no more snow. He had already sent a message to the forest folk to allow them shelter for a while.


    The night was pitch black, but the half moon illuminated their surroundings. Unlike the snowy early morning, the weather was clear now. Gallo enjoyed his tea as he was looking into the moon.


    ¡°RIIIIING!!!!!¡± A rapid ringing of the bell interrupted Gallo, who was having tea, quickly ran back to his box and extended his spyglass.


    ¡°Ooh¡­ the steam, just like how Andy described, yeah?!¡± he exclaimed as he started scanning around. To his amazement, a shadow was moving quickly on the snowboard, it was Andy along with his partnered scout, heading to the gate.


    ¡°Oh!!! Andy is here!!!¡± Gallo screamed into the funnel-like device to magnify his voice. The warriors started screaming to pass on the message, and in a few seconds, they felt the gate open.


    <--->


    ¡°They''re here! Please prepare! They suddenly sped up!¡± Andy exclaimed, evidently having rushed back as fast as he could, though he instantly sensed a change in the town.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°Don''t worry, man! We''re already ready!¡± reassured the warrior who greeted him. Andy sighed in great relief.


    ¡°The Mayor said that your job is not yet over, but rest for a while,¡± the warrior continued, acknowledging the need to keep busy to combat sadness.


    Andy''s partner for the mission tapped his back, pointing out several empty houses in the town. They settled in one close to the residential area, where they found scouts, warriors, and adventurers taking it easy.


    ¡°What''s the face, Andy? Us relaxing here is part of the plan. Don''t worry and rest,¡± a scout greeted Andy, handing him a blanket and a bag of food.


    He should have tried to meet his girlfriend, but he didn''t want to. Instead, he immediately went to a room but couldn''t calm down. He started preparing his bed, then opened the bag of food and saw a familiar bottle. He was sure they hadn''t finished it.


    There was a small cup on the table already, and he poured one into it. ¡°Just to sleep,¡± he muttered.


    <--->


    Gallo went down the tower where his shelter was, the wall was finished preparing for the impending siege. With some time to spare, he began discussing the strategy in a nonchalant manner. He used his funnel to discuss, it has already been said but he just had to do it one site.


    The Spikes would always attempt to scale the wall, a challenge the veterans had experienced many times. The wall defenders would try to fend off the scaling enemies with long spears. But now the verandas and windows were now covered with fortifications, making it impossible for the Spikes to enter. Through Gallo¡¯s assurance the only a few of the Spikes would reach the wall.


    And if any Spikes successfully reached the top of the wall, they would be dealt with by the warriors above. This task was made easier because the defenders could gang up on any lone Spikes.


    In addition and improvement based on the records of attacks; about 20 years ago, a mutated large Spike had attempted to damage the wall. Fortunately, it had never breached it, but the walls had been severely damaged, requiring years of hard work to repair. Gallo therefore devised a new strategy.


    With the hero present, Gallo proposed sending an elite squad to deal with any wall crushers spotted before they could breach the wall. Additionally, a group of adventurers would buy time for the hero.


    ¡°This would also be done for a walker,¡± Gallo said as he explained the strategy once again.


    ¡°I won¡¯t guarantee that there will be no enemies that can scale the wall, but the cannons will thin them out. The archers'' main focus now is to support the elite team outside. Hold your ground and follow your duties. We can do this!¡±


    ¡°YEAH!¡± the allied force cheered. Well, after some demonstrations from Gallo over the past month, he may have seemed a little crazy, but the pure destruction caused by the cannons and how he mathematically controlled it assured them.


    Simon had encountered a wall crusher in battles with the colony; they usually acted as guards for the queen. It had a shorter tail in exchange for its monstrous size. It had the same weakness of a blind spot under its belly, but its neck was a thick load of muscle.


    Of course, Simon cut through it, but it was impossible to bring the mass of the spike into the wall. The problem also lay in its head, encased in a very solid, skull-like helmet. Cutting through it was not possible, and that''s coming from Simon.


    He would pierce their heart, though. It was very effective since he was using his blade covered with water. However, for the warriors and adventurers, it would be hard, although some of the veterans could do it too; it would take practice.


    ¡®We could crush it,¡¯ Simon suggested during one of the meetings, but he was not sure how much force they would need to use for this to be done, so it was just a suggestion. That''s why, along with his spear, the hero was also carrying a large hammer.


    <--->


    ¡°It''s here... it''s them... damn it, sound the alarm!¡± One of the warriors manning the wall snapped to attention at the eerie sounds emanating from the darkness. He was a veteran and he hated those sounds.


    The bell rang out, its urgent clang reverberating through the night. In moments, the wall was transformed into a fortress, prepared for the imminent onslaught.


    As the ground trembled beneath their feet, signaling the approaching danger, Simon, eyes sharp in the darkness, tapped Gallo urgently on the shoulder.


    ¡°They''re in range, I see,¡± Gallo declared, his voice tense with anticipation. With a solemn nod from Simon, the young warrior stepped onto a small platform and unleashed a thunderous command:


    ¡°FIRE!¡±


    A rotating 3 groups of cannons, with one group firing while another readied to fire, and the third reloading¡ªa vicious cycle for the engineers manning the cannons. The explosions could be heard by the people who were still evacuating in the morning.


    The warriors were furious with Gallo for suggesting that the townspeople needed to be evacuated, but he convinced them by saying, ¡°It''s true... letting them stay behind your backs would make you fight harder... but knowing your loved ones are safe no matter what would give you more peace of mind... and would make you fight harder all the same.¡±


    It was entirely true¡ªan impromptu speech from Gallo with a touch of wordplay.


    The horde started thinning out, but horrifyingly, the spikes continued to trample through the bodies of their own species.


    ¡°What that kid said is true... with those, it''s much easier to handle the walls!¡± remarked one of the warriors as they watched the spikes being reduced to smithereens.


    <--->


    The defense of the wall is what follows.


    At the top of the wall, where cannons and warriors are stationed, there is a division between the back row of cannons and the frontal warriors. The wall stones are decorated with long piercing spears and swinging axes.


    There are also two towers on the left and right sides at the top of the wall, where Gallo and a mix of humans and forest folk archers stayed; it¡¯s a 4-story high building. Guiding lights are also installed on both sides of the tower. These lights can penetrate through the blowing storm. Gallo made a small tent on the left tower where he designed his calculations and also served as the commanding center.


    The next floor houses another set of cannons, with the veranda left open but fortified with magic when a siege occurs. This barrier allows the cannons to be fired safely while preventing anything from entering. They call this one-way barrier ''Barria''. The barrier is mounted in the center and is perpetually supplied by a deposit of pyre ores below the next floor.


    Finally, below, on the level of the gate, there are also warriors and adventurers on standby in case there¡¯s a breach.


    The next three smaller walls are manned with eight archers on the left and right of the gate, along with a group of warriors specially assigned to defend it.


    Gallo designed this defense with a few tweaks to the original plan of the Mayor. The original plan was for a constant stand, but Gallo¡¯s plan utilized the fact that the cannons would thin down the enemies, thus allowing for minimal personnel in the operation of the wall¡¯s defense.


    Gallo then created a shift that allowed everyone to have a rest.

 Chapter 36 :: A wave of change

    There were no casualties and their defense was going great. But something was still strange; the Spikes, who would typically retrieve their fallen comrades'' corpses, instead left them on the field. There were hundreds of them if not thousands, their bodies painting the snow red as fresh snowflakes continued to fall from the sky. They were relentless¡­ the wave would sometimes break but only lasted an hour.


    As the battle continued, the stench of the battlefield permeated in the air. The burnt meat was not a pleasant smell but they were getting used to it¡­ after a while the red color in the field would be buried under the falling snow. The defenders knew that this cycle would continue for a while.


    And then the sun rose.


    ¡°There were no Crushers,¡± Gallo remarked in a tense atmosphere. Even though the attacks had stopped, he couldn''t shake the memory of reports indicating that the wall crushers were clearing the path for the main army.


    The ground still shook beneath them. Gallo recalled the records of past sieges, where mentions of crushers were always intertwined with the movements of the main army. The sheer scale of those reports made him apprehensive about the current siege.


    ¡°Tomorrow¡­ try to conserve the bullets¡­ I have a feeling that something is amiss,¡± Gallo instructed as he tallied the cannon bullets.


    He had brought enough ammunition to sustain continuous firing for a week. Afara, always by his side in his forest folk attire was always beside Gallo ready to prepare his favorite tea. Not only that, the tall forest folk had been acting like his assistant.


    ¡°I will pass it to the engineers,¡± Afara said in agreement.


    Lowering the fire rate might lead to the wall being more easily scaled, but it was a necessary adjustment. They decided to send the hero to the top of the wall to assist, allowing the warriors on the wall to rest.


    <--->


    ¡°It''s our time¡­ the rest can relax for now; we are the fresh batch!¡± Paramour arrived at the top of the walls.


    He directly reported to the commander of that watch, Percival. Together with some of the warriors below, they exchanged greetings. They could clearly see the cannons firing below the floors they were standing on; they were lined up on the veranda below, and there were some on the walls too. The cycle of the cannons from the veranda and top walls was effective. The smoke never died on the exhaust chimneys that were all around the top of the walls.


    The hard work of taking the cannons up on the wall was really paying off.


    ¡°We will be going now then¡­ at your leisure,¡± Percival said, tapping the hero on his shoulders like a tap out. Although they were not tired yet, Gallo recommended a shift for the warriors on the upper and lower walls.


    ¡°We got the walls¡­¡± Paramour said.


    The fresh batch of warriors and adventurers started to trade places with their stations; some were still fighting with spikes that reached the top. Simon was included in the newly arrived replacements. There were 3 batches to change watch. Simon arrived by slicing the Spike''s head; although the spike that he felled already had iron spikes on its body, it was still moving before he sliced its head.


    Some of the forest folk were together with them; they were the logistic team that carried ammo and food around. The reason was because they could run on the wall and they didn¡¯t need the elevator to go up and down.


    ¡°Son¡­ although I know you''re very strong, please still be careful,¡± the warrior who traded places with Simon said, the boy just nodded. The warriors who stood on the wall the whole night were to eat and sleep until the next shift in the afternoon.


    ¡°Okay, guys, let''s continue! Remember their weaknesses, ask for help¡­ you can especially disturb me and the little guy on the west side of the wall!!! Stand firm!!! Actually, you don¡¯t even have to move as long as you call him.¡± His allies cheered; Simon scratched his head.


    The boy wasn''t sure if it was a compliment or something else but for the first time, he was feeling something inside his heart. (Happy getting the compliment)


    <--->


    The 3 watches would take turns on wall duty for around 4 hours each, allowing for up to 8 hours of rest for each batch¡ªa clever strategy devised by Gallo. This rotation would continue until dusk, with the hero and the elite forces handling the 4 to 8 watch.


    Time really passed so quickly as the busy schedule of the siege kept them busy as hell. The cycle went on and another day began, it was the elite team''s turn for duty again (4-8 a.m.).


    ¡°Oh, shit! It''s them!¡± one of the wall watchers screamed. The wall crushers had appeared, prompting an immediate wake-up call for Gallo.


    Through the ringing bell and swift relay of messages, Afara, who was by Gallo¡¯s side, roused him from sleep. Gallo, who had been resting on the left-side tower with a suspended sling bed and ear muffs, quickly grabbed the wooden box and peered through his spyglass.


    ¡°It''s a 3-layered front line! Stop the cannons!¡± Gallo bellowed through his voice magnifier.


    The elite team, still on watch, was promptly alerted and the shift rotation adjusted¡ªthey would now execute a 6 to 6-hour shift, with the elite forces on standby at all times.


    ¡°Call the Mayor too! We have to discuss something!¡± Gallo added, laying out his plan.


    <--->


    They were now conversing near the gates of the wall. A few minutes after the call had been made, the elite team was already on the stand by just waiting for the final instructions. They were talking about the uncertainties that could probably happen.


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    ¡°That is a problem¡­ I¡¯d say the strength of the crushers is around a B-class monster from the dungeon¡­ if we get lucky I can slay one in around 5-10 minutes depending on how it struggles, and a flash without sparing my strength¡­¡±


    Paramour was asked about the crushers and his take on their strength. As a veteran adventurer, he could gauge things like this by eyeing and feeling the magic in their bodies.


    Gallo looked at Simon. ¡°I always ambush them, so... 4 slices on the vital parts, takes a long time if they struggle hard, but if I cut with weight it was actually easy,¡± he said. As vague as it gets Gallo took it with a grain of salt. But there were clues there and Gallo didn¡¯t miss it.


    ¡°Okay¡­ that¡¯s good to know¡­ we will change the objectives now¡­ how about disabling them?¡± Gallo asked, considering another perspective. The talk started revolving around the three of them. (Gallo, Paramour, and Simon)


    ¡°It''s possible¡­ I can hammer down their bones and such,¡± Paramour answered.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s what we will do¡­ and to finish it up, Simon¡­¡± Gallo called.


    ¡°You said 4 slices, right?¡± Gallo had a terrible idea in mind¡­ Simon nodded.


    ¡°Then cut them enough to bleed them to death,¡± Gallo coldly smiled.


    Those who were listening were quite awestruck at hearing his next strategy. It was genius but horrible.


    ¡°Wait for my signal¡­ this will greatly change the battlefield in our favor. Hero, it''s in your hands now,¡± the meeting concluded just like that.


    ¡°Para-mi¡­ we might be seeing the future right now¡­ he is only a kid, imagine when he grows up¡­ I don¡¯t want to see him on the other side of a battlefield,¡± Raphael said.


    The man with the black hood, together with Gallo, approached the hero, tapping his shoulder to get his attention, then walked over to the Mayor.


    ¡°Sir Mayor¡­ can I talk to you privately?¡± the Black Hood respectfully said.


    <--->


    The siege was a big problem, imagine fighting against something that would affect the whole realm of humans and the humans who didn¡¯t care at all. And now another problem arises.


    ¡°So they are coming¡­ how sure are you?¡± the Mayor asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ the empire has eyes here¡­¡± Gallo was a little bit pissed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you take them in, don¡¯t worry I will not leave¡­ I assure you that you have me until this is finished¡­¡± The hero affirmed his intention. The black-hooded man nodded at the hero. As the 3rd member of the hero party, he has the position to gather intelligence and back up the hero as a mage.


    An ambassador coming from the empire was arriving at the northern wall a few more hours later, the nobles had their ways of traveling in any kind of weather, they would usually have someone with them who could teleport.


    On that note, teleportation magic was a rare magic and is considered void magic.


    It was a rare visit to the north and it was just for a pity reason, to get the hero¡­ the black mage said that he was to be summoned to attend a ball in the central.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir hero¡­ as a noble, I ask for forgiveness,¡± Gallo said while bowing with great sincerity.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever ask for forgiveness for other nobles¡­ you are different, I trust you, we will get through this,¡± Paramour smiled at Gallo¡­ the ambassador would be arriving that day too while they were defending the northern walls.


    ¡°I will treat them with great respect, I assure you that.¡± It was a devious face coming from Gallo.


    ¡°I like how you smile, kid, tell me the details,¡± the Mayor was humored by the talk.


    <--->


    ¡°It''s the signal¡­ open the gates!¡± a warrior who was watching the top of the wall started the series of signals that would get into the gate below where the hero''s party was waiting, it was a simple message of how bad the proximity of the wall is.


    There were four of them: Paramour, Raphael, Black Hood, and finally Simon¡­ Gallo concluded that they didn¡¯t need too many people for the mission¡­ the archers on the top of the wall would provide the support if they needed it.


    ¡°Here we go!! Simon¡­ if you are not sure, call me,¡± the hero instructed. Simon nodded.


    ¡°It''s easy¡­ don¡¯t worry,¡± Simon assured the hero.


    The gates opened up.


    ¡°Fire! Delay them!¡± it was Gallo screaming on the top of the wall using a funnel-like tool, it resounded on the whole wall, and cannons were fired.


    The markers he left in the field were really doing their job, without the need to just blindly estimate the distance from the wall to the enemy spot, he made it easy to just anticipate and control the angle of the shot.


    As the cannonball hit its intended spots, it made the crushers stagger; some fell down when they got hit in the head.


    ¡°That is the signal!¡± the hero said.


    The hero party dashed northeast of the gate, and in minutes, their objective was visible. The black mage enchanted Paramour¡¯s hammer, and Raphael conjured the earth to firmly hold a few crushers.


    Not only was the hero an expert spearman, but he could also use any type of polearm. ¡°Down you go!¡± the hero spun and used the momentum to draw the pole hammer on his back. With a loud smack, the hero broke one leg of the crusher and with a spin, another one. The crusher generally uses four of its legs to walk since it''s like an elongated large ant.


    He had to break at least a pair of forelimbs or hindlimbs. The hero was not satisfied with the first hit so he decided to cover the hammer with magic edge.


    Raphael¡¯s earth magic totally made the next hammer attack more effective since it was holding it in place. The wall crusher screamed in pain.


    ¡°Next!¡± the hero said. Raphael caught four wall crushers that were unable to move, and after that, he kept watch.


    He also conjured light magic so that the people on the wall could see where they were. Raphael then checks at the boy who was in charge of bleeding the wall crushers to death ¡°Simon, do you need light?¡±


    Simon shook his head. ¡°I can catch up with you, don¡¯t worry!¡±


    <--->


    Elford¡¯s Castle.


    Elford¡¯s army had finished their yearly dungeon dive. In the castle courtyard, they were having a small party, and there were no casualties, so everyone was really happy.


    Still, the bad news about the Golden Axe that betrayed the empire has circulated, and even now, the criminal Sebas of the Golden Axe is in the dungeon under the castle.


    Still, their king¡¯s jolly humor drowns down the bad rumor. ¡°Well, I will not kill him, I will let him rot, though, but he will be well-fed,¡± the king said. The knight captains knew what he was thinking. Although the king was really jolly he was the unmerciful type¡­ to that; they would need to do another dive after a few days of rest.


    Vish was one of the knights that went on the dive. She was a large woman and wore a wolf skin for her cape. During the small party, she was watching the queen go around, and for some reason, after talking to some of the knights, the queen laid her eyes on her.


    The queen approached her.


    ¡°Vish¡­ you are from the north, right?¡± the queen said, not asking. She finally realized that the queen was just talking to northerners earlier when she watched. Vish nodded in response to the queen¡¯s question, starting to get nervous.


    ¡°I will be forming a small team to go up north¡­ a siege is happening there right now,¡± the queen said. Even her husband had already been informed and was on the go for it, they would be dividing the diving party and would just focus on maintaining the next dungeon rather than culling it down.


    ¡°You should rest; your guys will be the first ones to go. The others will follow after a few days of rest,¡± the queen instructed further. There were only a few northerners serving the Elfords


    Vish hadn¡¯t visited home for years. She would exchange letters with her brother, though.


    ¡°It will be exciting to see my brother, Bibs¡­ my queen, he is a big fan of yours,¡± Vish said.


    ¡°Oh, tell him my regards,¡± the queen smiled in a very royal way.


    ¡°On that note, you will bring some company and their supplies up north. His name is Peron Wiseman; take care of him,¡± the queen added before she left.


    ¡°Babysitting¡­¡± Vish muttered as the queen left.

 Chapter 37 :: Wrongs

    Gallo was watching through his telescope, almost halfway. He couldn¡¯t see Simon, but the blood in the snow left a track of his movements. He was thankful that it wasn''t snowing heavily; he had never appreciated the sunlight until now.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ he''s not letting up,¡± Gallo thought. The world was truly vast. The hero and the northern soldiers had already recognized Simon¡¯s abilities. A tinge of jealousy was sprouting in his heart but he didn¡¯t mind it, Simon was just too amazing.


    ¡°It''s really a long way to go¡­ probably I have to give up.¡± Gallo thought that achieving feats before his school years started would put him far ahead as a hero candidate. It was one of the reasons he was here, along with acquiring Pyre ore as an upgrade for their cannons.


    ¡°My lord, they are here now,¡± one of the engineers informed Gallo.


    ¡°Is everything prepared?¡± Gallo asked without putting down his spyglass.


    ¡°Yes, my lord¡­¡± Afara answered, Gallo noticed the word ¡®My Lord¡¯ but was still busy on his own, he continued watching the movements through the lens.


    ¡°Wait a moment¡­ he''s slowing down¡­ no¡­ fire two more shots after 15 minutes. Archers! Check on Simon, I think there''s something wrong! Track him by watching the blood on the snow! Keep watch! I''ll be back in 30! Sir Percival is the commander for now! Follow his orders even if they contradict mine!¡± Gallo ran down from the plank where he was commanding. He slid on the straight ladder and went out of the wall.


    He quickly located the elevator and began running, dodging a Spike that one of the warriors was handling, and went straight into the elevator nonchalantly.


    ¡°Down!¡± the warriors who were operating the elevator shouted as the mechanisms started to spin.


    ¡°Two kids on the battlefield¡­ the world''s getting crazy,¡± the warrior thought as he watched the elevator descend.


    Percival was aware of his surroundings and of what was happening on top of the wall. All along, he was fighting the spikes too. It was actually the first time he was fighting without exhaustion; he immediately killed the spike he was handling.


    Percival''s eyes met Gallo''s for a brief moment as the elevator slowly went down, and the two nodded to each other.


    Percival assumed the commanding responsibilities. He also had a spyglass, immediately moving closer to the wall''s edge as he bashed some spikes, he took a look.


    The boy was right¡­ it seemed that Simon had stopped shedding enemy blood. Something was definitely wrong. Percival really appreciated the spyglass that he received from the boy, it was better than a normal one and could see on a much longer distance. He scanned the horizon of the battlefield. Afara stood near him.


    ¡°I can translate your commands; just tell me the idea,¡± Afara said, knowledgeable of Gallo¡¯s specific cannon commands.


    ¡°Damn¡­ that kid really thought everything out,¡± Percival smiled.


    <--->


    The town¡¯s gate opens. It revealed five figures in a cloak. Gallo and the Mayor stood there waiting for the gates to fully open. But the brat in the party of five didn¡¯t wait and she approached the two, clearly annoyed by the situation.


    ¡°It seems that the northern walls are belittling the empire, even at war we would hold a party if the emperor wishes it.¡± It was a woman rather than a girl; she was quite developed at an early age.


    They were busy; Gallo couldn¡¯t even care about who it was but¡­ the straight and golden yellow hair, she was probably around 16, as per Gallo¡¯s guess. She was a nefarious existence among the circle of the nobles in the central, and he had heard of her before.


    It was the 3rd princess of the empire, Carla Felafel. ¡°My brother the 5th prince will be debuting, the hero of the era¡¯s presence is needed in the central¡­ what the hell is that?¡±


    Finally, Carla, who didn¡¯t even look at Gallo, noticed that he was filthy. The Mayor was also there; he had bed hair and was still wearing his sleeping attire.


    ¡°You came to greet me looking like that!!! I could kill you for this!!¡± Carla was enraged.


    He smiled and bowed nonchalantly and guided the ambassador¡¯s party of 5. They walked through the empty town; she could hear screams atop the wall, the boy and the man were laughing on their own while ignoring her presence.


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    The path was not even cleared of snow; for some reason, the boy''s and the man¡¯s boots were not sinking in the snow. The knights behind her grunted as they were having a hard time walking the snow with their heavy iron boots.


    She sure did announce her arrival a day before she arrived. (She usually does this to harass/test the ruler of the place she is visiting) The other nobles would at least arrange an entourage and prepare their town like it was a festival.


    But the northern town felt cold. Finally, they arrived at an empty house. There was a chair there, a crate for a table, and another makeshift bench of what she could describe as a pile of wood.


    To add insult, Gallo immediately told the Mayor to take the chair and offered the pile of wood to the princess and her escorts. But it was totally Gallo¡¯s smirk that made the princess snap.


    ¡°This the last straw; how dare you disrespect me¡­ disrespecting me means disrespecting the empire itself!!! You are¡­¡± Gallo suddenly raised his hands before the princess ended her sentence.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot the tea!!¡± he said, and he opened the crate; there was already a teapot there, it was not even warm¡­ totally cold. He took out 2 beer mugs. He looked at the princess.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ do you have mugs? Looks like you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t give you then,¡± Gallo said mockingly. The Mayor almost laughed.


    ¡°Execute this little piece of ¡­¡± the princess became furious but Gallo¡¯s hands stopped her sentence from finishing. The princess¡¯s escorts were already grabbing their weapons.


    ¡°Princess¡­ this is just how severe our situation is¡­ I remember I sent a letter to request reinforcement for the battle in the northern wall as per Sir Percival¡¯s request¡­¡± Gallo then clapped his hands, and a servant came down from the 2nd floor of the house and quickly spread a map into the ground.


    ¡°Princess¡­ the enemies are called the spike; from here to here, the field is covered with enemies¡­ even without command, they looked like an army in a square formation but moving at the speed of a cavalry,¡± the knights who were together with the princess were surprised, but the princess couldn¡¯t care about it.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care; it''s your problem, I¡¯m here for the hero! Where is he?¡± she had a bratty tone that Gallo really didn¡¯t like.


    ¡°He is currently holding the enemy''s front wall... Also, he said it would be impossible to retreat right now... He hopes that you forgive him.¡± Before the princess could retort, Gallo cut her off. ¡°As you have seen, we are fighting a losing battle here. Didn¡¯t you see any townspeople? There are none. This is because there is a high chance that the wall might fall. I requested backups, but it seems that the empire doesn¡¯t care at all.¡±


    The princess, of course, didn¡¯t know anything about it. She was just there to get a gift for her brother, but she was not a fool. The princess puts her hands on her waist and glares imposing her attitude.


    ¡°But the northerners have handled it by themselves, and they have never asked for help!¡± Gallo was a little late to stop Carla¡¯s retort, so he let her speak. It had been a long time since the northerners asked for help, and it was true. The princess was not that clueless at all.


    Gallo knew the reason. It was because the request didn¡¯t penetrate into the central continent. He had talked with the Mayor for a while now, and although the Elford clan answered their request, sending a message for help into the central was like sending a message into a black hole.


    To further explain, when the message asking for help is passed through, the nobles, who tend to be opportunists, would find ways to capitalize. The help would be totally tainted with political or greedy schemes. On that note, the time the help arrived and its qualities were either late or bad, respectively.


    Gallo was an opportunist too. It was a noble¡¯s good trait, but for Gallo, he would always make sure that both sides profit. Trust builds long-lasting bonds, and it thickens the circulation of wealth.


    ¡°True, but why would they ask for help right now? It''s because they can¡¯t handle it on their own!¡­ Tell this to the kings and the emperor, postpone his parties , and prepare for war. If we fall here, the whole north will fall to the Spikes¡­ Well, at least the nobles will have one common enemy from now on.¡± The princess could not retort; the cannon fire shook the whole room, dust falling from the ceiling.


    Gallo looked at the princess¡¯s face; it seemed that she couldn¡¯t retort. It must have been the first time someone had talked back to her face.


    ¡°Take the princess away¡­ If you can¡¯t help, then at least be out of our way,¡± Gallo steps back¡­ The Mayor is totally flabbergasted with Gallo¡¯s answer. Gallo had to get back into the field now; it must have been around 45 minutes already¡­ A surge of magical power started filling the room.


    ¡°A damn mere boy of the frontier tries to scold me?¡± Carla was flowing with magical energy. Her hair started floating while her dress fluttered.


    ¡°Princess, please be calm; remember your goals here,¡± one of the knights together with her reminded her.


    ¡°Shut up! You! We will stay here, and you, by the authority bestowed on me, send a message to Father now! Call for the army! It will take a long time, but I will stay here to even the battle!¡± With pride, Carla declared so. Gallo was not really expecting that. Carla was just also around Simon¡¯s and his age.


    ¡°You are lucky I¡¯m joining the battlefield¡­ Now show me the enemies, and I will turn them to dust!¡± Carla was a powerful mage.


    Her firepower rivaled that of 10 imperial court mages. She used fire for offensive magic and earth for defensive magic. She can also use wind¡ªa triple elemental at her age, considered the peak of magic potential for growth.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that... Well, with all due respect, I would like to ask for forgiveness for being rude, but it seems that the princess is much more than the rumors... With you by my side, it will make things much easier!¡± Gallo bowed. Suddenly, the princess walked to him and hit him on the head.


    ¡°Ouch!!¡± Gallo grabs his head, the princess specifically timed the hit as his head was going up after bowing.


    ¡°Enough with the pleasantries... I don¡¯t need you to be formal with me... I¡¯m actually pent up, you see... Show me some targets!¡± The princess then drank the tea that was not even served for her. ¡°Disgusting!¡± she screamed. Gallo rubbed his head.


    ¡°By the way, how would you transfer that army?¡± the Mayor suddenly asked. The princess, who was coughing off the tea, looked at them and blushed a little. Talking about human capabilities, it was impossible to mass teleport.

 Chapter 38 :: Terra forming the battlefield

    The snow was failing his vision, as Simon fought and performed his duty. Amidst the hordes of Spikes, he was navigating swiftly.


    ¡°... Hmm,¡± Simon made a sound after cutting another Wall Crusher to bleed it to its death.


    It took 2 slices on the meaty parts for a wound to bleed effectively, that was what Simon observed, but along the way¡­ something started following him. He could see it at the end of his sight but never actually found it.


    The darkness of the smoke created by the cannons was effective, daylights dying¡­ all that, add to that the thing that was following him. The hero¡¯s party was already far in its progress.


    The crushers who were moaning in pain with their broken limbs were totally not ready¡­ their muscles were still tense but their neck was fully open. Simon quickly observed this and he just had to try cutting it. To the boy¡¯s surprise, it was easy for him to slice through it. But the thing that was following him kept bothering him, ¡®Danger¡¯ in the back of his head, and his instincts screamed.


    ¡°It¡¯s strong¡­¡± Simon thought¡­ it was a familiar feeling, that magic intensity that he felt back in the valley. It wasn¡¯t the first time his senses were screaming to run away but he could not¡­ there was an objective he needed to complete¡­


    He remembered the old man again, the old man would give him impossible and dangerous tasks, even add time limits for its completion. The pressure was not new to him¡­ he would lag but he was sure he could do it. ¡®Stand your ground and fight¡¯ Words from the old man.


    He didn¡¯t stop doing his work as he was thinking, another wall crusher with a case of a broken leg, Simon carved its meat with the purpose of bleeding it. Gallo was right, doing it like this was much faster, and although he was not a fan of killing something slowly he had to follow the plan, as per Gallo¡¯s word their actions would change the battlefield in their favor.


    His decision was firm¡­ but he had to confirm what was following him. He dashed to his next crusher to bleed out but it was a fake, he jumped back to the direction the presence was coming. It was a Spike¡­ but it was standing in 2 legs¡­ it was a walker. Its tails are much longer and instead of barrel-like tips¡­ it was blades. The Walker instantly launched an attack.


    ¡°CLANG!!!¡± 6x, Simon was quick and methodological with his sword effectively deflecting each blade in one flowing movement of his sword. He was now sure that the tails were blades¡­ how about its speed?


    Simon stepped back a little showing his impeccable footwork¡­ the walker had no intentions to move since the tails were enough.


    The flailing tail blades attacked him again. He dodged a few while watching the tail, he kept on dodging until he instantly grasped the length of the tails. He went out of range, the walker tried to keep up with its attack¡­ Simon jumped back again, ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m faster?¡±


    He remembered that the walker that was chasing them in the mountain was really fast. It seems that the walker is slow when it''s standing on its 2 feet. Faster when it used its bladed tail to chase.


    Simon smiles¡­ he loves fighting, even the old man told him this¡­ but what he enjoyed more was fighting a better enemy. A battle uphill, the sensation of danger was overwhelming him and he was starting to get back to that trance-like state¡­ he stood still and the walker immediately noticed the change in his demeanor.


    To the walker Simon disappeared without a sound¡­ the help of the smoke and screams of the crushers muffled his movements. The walker knew that Simon was gone but he was still around.


    <--->


    The hero¡¯s party continued their work, almost already methodological, Raphael stopped the wall crusher¡¯s movements, and the Black Hood maintained the enchantment on Paramour and Paramour breaking the limbs in a 2-way combo, they had been working together for a long time now and already knew how to sync immediately.


    ¡°Para-mee!!! The kid¡¯s progress has slowed down! I don¡¯t hear his swings anymore!!¡± Raphael informed the hero who tirelessly pounded the crusher''s limbs.


    ¡°I know¡­ something is following him probably¡­ the one they called walker, that same shit on Valley,¡± the hero spun and another limb was crushed.


    ¡°Should I back him up?¡± the Black Hood asked.


    ¡°No¡­ he will ask for help if he is in trouble¡­ we must stop the march of the crushers first¡­ that was what Gallo said¡­ he will do what he is told to do¡­ he¡¯s not a normal kid¡­¡± Paramour smiled and it was full of confidence from his words.


    Maybe it was the spars, the 2 mages backing up the hero thought of this. Sparring between warriors was like a conversation that was what the last hero of the era told them. They probably knew each other as much as that for them to trust each other.


    ¡°Actually let us double up!!!! Hoodie give it to me!!!!¡± the Black Hood cast a much stronger buff that increases muscle speed and power but it would backfire later as muscle strains.


    ¡°Paramii! You are shivering?!¡± Raphael noticed as Paramour cocked up his shoulders. ¡°Yeah! Someone must be thinking about me!! I wish it would be a woman!!¡± Paramour said.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Nope¡±/¡±Nah¡± the Black Hood and Raphael reacted respectively.


    <--->


    The walker was pissed¡­ really pissed. Simon after adjusting through the dodge and slice was now smoothly cutting through the necks of the disabled crushers. Rather than 2 slices he was now doing it with one. The deeper he fell into a trance-like state the better he moved¡­ the slower the world moved.


    He was not thinking of anything but he knew what was his goals. On his mind was the plain with dots, he could feel the whole field.


    ¡°ROAAARRR!!!!¡± the walker raged through¡­ but Simon smirked¡­ though the bladed tails started to move sharper he was dodging it with ease.


    ¡°I¡¯ve adjusted¡­ I can do this¡­¡± his sword started to glow but it was very faint. This must be what the old man had been trying to teach him¡­ Magic Edge. He dodged another tail blade¡­ Simon checked out his sword¡­ it was true, it was a magic edge, he could tell since he had fought stronger opponents that were using the same magic¡­ but the water coating the blade was glowing too¡­ was it supposed to be like that?¡­


    But thinking too much was not Simon¡¯s forte, he would just try it out later against the hero, (Paramour felt the shivers this time) right now he concentrated on his job.


    The next cut made the head of the crusher fly into the air. The Walker was quite surprised. Then Simon looked at the walker and started rushing into its range. It was time to test it¡­ there was no more best test subject in front of him.


    The walker who was clearly surprised attacked him in reaction, Simon for the first time aggressively parried the attacks of the 6 bladed tails while lunging forward for the walker. The walker started feeling danger and unconsciously started stepping back.


    ¡°Big mistake,¡± Simon said he didn¡¯t let the misstep slide and 2 of the walker¡¯s tails flew into the air.


    <--->


    It took 3 hours until the hero¡¯s party disabled the last moving crusher. The crusher¡¯s corpses made a good array of walls on the field. This also instantly thinned down the waves of spikes that were coming, this was all in the insight of their strategist. It was like Terra Forming but in a bloody way.


    ¡°We will be tracking back follow me!!!¡± the hero commanded. He switched his weapon into a spear again and mercilessly cut through the disabled wall crushers. The Black Hood and Raphael were still faithful to their duties to support Paramour¡­ but after just a few necks they met up with Simon.


    ¡°Holy!! Kid you scare the shit out of me!!!¡± Raphael said. He was really surprised since there was no sound coming from him.


    ¡°Sorry, I run into some problem¡­¡± Simon was not facing them rather he was facing in the direction where he came from.


    ¡°It''s a walker?¡± Paramour asked for confirmation¡­ Simon nodded¡­ well it was a real problem.


    ¡°Let''s clear the place up so that they can see us!¡± the hero declared as he covered the tip of his spear with flames.


    ¡°Got it!!!¡± then Raphael waved his staff and the wind blew the dust and smoke away. Finally, they saw the walker¡­ there were cuts on its body and some of its tails missing.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I couldn¡¯t cut deep enough to weaken it¡­¡± Simon apologized but without empathy, Paramour noticed Simon¡¯s sword which was glowing faintly it was the magic edge.


    ¡°Even with magic edge?¡± the hero asked.


    ¡°Yeah... it''s good with its tail, I can make a hole in its eyes but it''s really good with blocking¡­ I baited it once that¡¯s why it lost some of its tails¡­ it will probably be more wary now¡±


    Raphael¡¯s eyes glowed¡­ ¡°The reason why you can¡¯t cut its skin is because he is using a barrier-type magic¡­ I can nullify it but it will take time¡±


    Raphael was sure that the 2 walkers on the valley that they hit with Spear Flare didn¡¯t wear this barrier magic. It seemed that the walkers were learning, the barrier magic could probably make the walkers withstand a single flash Spear Flare.


    ¡°Boost us we got this¡± Paramour commanded. ¡°Don¡¯t boost me! Please¡± Simon answered back.


    <--->


    Walker¡¯s side.


    The walker really looked furious, 2 of its tail blades were already gone. It immediately locked on to the boy that it had been fighting earlier but there were new strong humans in front of it. It suddenly remembered the magical signature of the one holding a long stick.


    For the walker it would be an honor to probe the enemy''s strength, its life would be the foundation for the others to bring the enemies down. Although the walker knew that it would die someday, it knew that the colony would live forever and that¡¯s what¡¯s all worth fighting for, laying its life for.


    ¡°It''s fast when it''s using its tail to move, slow when on its feet¡± Simon commented not that the walker can do that anymore because of its missing tails.


    ¡°CREEEEE!!!!!!!¡±


    The Walker made a dissenting sound against its situation¡­ Simon can tell it was feeling joy. ¡°The bastard¡¯s taunting us or am I just imagining things,¡± Raphael said, he was a good reader of the wind¡­ he could sometimes sense the feelings and moods of a creature that is howling wind.


    ¡°... Of course¡± Paramour nodded and the battle began.


    The walker started whipping its tail and Simon and Paramour went on left and right sides. After a few parry, Paramour immediately noticed the strange pattern of the attack. ¡°It''s walking closer!!¡± Simon immediately screamed.


    Simon knew the range, the walker was trying to extend his range to the 2 back liners behind them. It''s not that Paramour is slow but the spear that he was using is not as versatile as a sword for deflecting the whipping blades.


    ¡°I will defend them!!!¡± Simon immediately went a bit back. Raphael was currently casting the spell they needed to break the magic barrier the walker was wearing. It was not a complicated spell but Raphael needed to decode first how the walker was using the magic barrier.


    ¡°You monster¡­ let¡¯s see which one would go first, my spear or your damn barrier getting breached¡± Paramour started raging with his attacks.


    The walker would use 2 tails to fight against Paramour, then the other 2 tails to attack the back line. ¡°¡­ Want to change?¡± Simon for some reason annoyed Paramour. ¡°Shut up!!!¡± Paramour smiled after saying this.


    The rhythmical deflection of the tail blade resonated with the field. Raphael is already halfway casting his magic. The black hood was keeping a lookout and was using wind magic to blow approaching spikes.


    The walker was starting to feel that the hero was slowly getting used to its tail blades and its patterns of attacks and in a few moments, not only that the hero was deflecting the attacks, he was already launching counterattacks too.


    And a few more moments passed¡­ the walker was using all its tail just to survive. ¡°You adjusted¡­ I will attack too¡± Simon already expected it, so he left the backline defense.


    <--->


    ¡°You know¡­ that sword is really good, sorry that it has to break here¡± Raphael apologized. ¡°When we get back, I will introduce you to a famous blacksmith, the Seyers would really love you¡± Paramour added.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Simon said as he walked closer to the corpse of the walker. He knew how sharp its tails were, he had been the one deflecting it for the party. ''He probably saved us more than 10 times during the fight¡¯ That was what the Black Hood was thinking watching Simon¡¯s back.

 Chapter 39 :: Out of the Walls

    The hero defeated another walker, a true accomplishment, especially from the point of view of the warriors defending the wall. There were reports about the hero killing some during the rescue in the valley, but this kill, done in front of them, was a true foolproof.


    Using a large cloth and the snowboard, they dragged the body of the walker. It took 4 pulling and another 2 pushing.


    They laid the corpse on the ground, and Percival confirmed that it was a walker. It would be put to good use. ¡°But where are its tails?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Oh, Simon took 4 of them while we don¡¯t know where the others are¡­ you see, he broke his weapon,¡± Raphael answered nonchalantly, pointing out Simon''s sword that was embedded in the walker''s mouth.


    ¡°So that¡¯s the mouth¡­ gruesome¡± the Mayor commented.


    <--->


    The Black Hood was with Simon and they just made it inside the northern wall. Although the Black Hood usually posts as a mage, he has this small side class called Mage Craft.


    Paramour personally endorsed him to Simon. The two found an empty room with a table inside it, it¡¯s the room of one of the adventurers but since the resting place is farther back from the ancient wall, it was empty. The 4 tail blades were laid on a stone table.


    Simon¡¯s idea of turning the blade of the walker into a weapon was noble. His first idea was to use the whole tail and its blade like a rope dart. He had seen that type of weapon before and fought against it. The problem was the tail was all sliced up. So he was hoping for this idea to work.


    ¡°This is possible¡­ give me a moment,¡± The Black Hood said as he started rummaging through his things.


    On dungeon dives, the ability to create weapons or potions out of an enemy''s spoils lengthens the party¡¯s ability to stay in the dungeon, improving efficiency. From the Magic Academy, he was one of the best; he even had the certificate to prove it. He finally took out a pouch from his bag; it was called magic lime. It is a powder that came from dungeon slime or was sometimes made out of mosses from the dungeon.


    Filling up the magic lime with magic, it started forming into whatever shape the Black Hood commanded, colored green.


    ¡°This is a better magic lime¡­ this will last you a while. Please remove the skin parts,¡± following the request from the Black Hood, Simon removed the skin that was still on the blade.


    ¡°Try to smooth out the parts too,¡± the Black Hood suggested as he watched Simon remove the skins. Using Simon¡¯s wind blade, he started shaving the bony parts.


    ¡°I like your idea¡­ it would also be better if you make the pieces fit together,¡± the Black Hood commented again. Simon arranged the 4 blades on the stone table. He started cutting some of its parts, making the bone part easily rest on the shaped tip of the blade.


    Some of the forest folk who were supposedly delivering some supplies up the wall started watching the two of them.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I think this is okay,¡± Simon said. The Black Hood started controlling the magic lime carefully, casting the blades together.


    ¡°This is a big long sword,¡± the Black Hood said as he put some magic lime between the bone and carved blades. He carefully twisted and fit the magic slime into the possible gaps between the monster''s blades. When he was satisfied he retracted his hands and looked at Simon.


    ¡°Do note that after I use heating magic, it will be in a molded state and it can¡¯t be removed anymore,¡± Black Hood warned. Simon nodded; it was looking like a sword now.


    ¡°Finishing touches now¡­ Molden Flame,¡± the slime started glowing a bit redder as it grew hot. The green color started to fade, and a bit of burnt lime scent came out.


    Simon tried to touch it but got a bit burnt as he pulled his hand away as a reflex. ¡°Just wait for a few minutes¡­ I wonder though, isn¡¯t it really hard to use?¡± the Black Hood asked after a second look.


    ¡°Not that much¡­ I¡¯ve used monster weapons for a bit of time; it''s just getting used to it,¡± Simon said.


    The Black Hood totally didn¡¯t understand how the monster weapons worked. He looked at the wind blade Simon used to carve the walker¡¯s blades. During the battle, he saw how many times the walker deflected the wind blade and the water blade.


    But just earlier, he used the wind blade to cut the walker¡¯s tail blade.


    The water blade, the wind blade, and the walker¡¯s blade. He started to wonder which one was better.


    <--->


    (Additional Info)


    Water Blade: Crafted from the fins of a monstrous fish dwelling in the dark forest, this blade, when infused with magic, enables the manipulation of water magic.


    Wind Blade: Fashioned from the talons of an avian creature native to the same dark forest, this blade grants control over wind magic.


    Walker¡¯s Blade: A uniquely crafted blade formed from the hard casting of magic lime, boasting superior quality compared to standard blades.


    Magic Lime (Similar to Duct Tape): A prized resource in mage crafting, magic lime is harvested from dungeon slimes or their nests. Its versatility knows almost no bounds, making it a staple for adventurers and craftsmen alike, often among the first quests undertaken in dungeons, and a vital resource for survival in the wild.


    <--->


    ¡°I''m going to try it now.¡± After a few minutes, Simon picked up the walker''s blade, and the Black Hood watched, eager to see what kind of power lay within the blade. It started glowing faintly red, and the Black Hood instantly recognized the telltale sign of Simon activating the magic edge.


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The blade was a bit longer than most of the swords currently in Simon¡¯s room. ¡°¡­ It''s only the magic edge?¡± the Black Hood inquired, expecting some additional magical properties, but Simon''s response surprised him.


    ¡°Watch this¡­¡± Simon smiled and slashed in one direction, leaving behind two streaks of red slashes.


    ¡°What was that?¡± the Black Hood queried.


    ¡°I can swing it faster, and¡­ when in magic edge mode, it can execute four different slashes,¡± Simon explained, demonstrating a spinning slash that created four horizontal slashes around him.


    ¡°... Can I try it?¡± the Black Hood asked.


    Simon handed him the walker blade, and it felt noticeably heavier. The Black Hood activated the magic edge and attempted the same slash, but nothing happened.


    ¡°Simon¡­ you''re a strange kid¡­¡± he remarked, puzzled as to why he couldn''t wield the blade in the same manner as Simon.


    <--->


    The siege continued late into the night with the same 6-hour shifts. The hero party was well-rested. As midnight approached, the shift changed. Hot meals were being prepared by the forest folk, including meat dishes. Some northerners had to teach the forest folk how to cook meat, as they were not accustomed to it.


    The Mayor and Gallo would change shifts on a 6 on 6 off basis. (Gallo is 6-12 while the Mayor is 12-6) It was Gallo¡¯s watch that time and he was planning ahead. But he was missing too much information that he was now staring blankly at the horizon. A message finally arrived from an elm bird, indicating that backup would be arriving in a few days from Elford. Percival was thrilled to see the names of those who were coming to aid the northern wall.


    However, there was still no reply to the princess''s message. Gallo wasn''t expecting much, given the distance to the northern wall. He had no idea how they would transport an army on such short notice.


    <--->


    Vish was now traveling north, leading the first wave of backup. She rode a horse, and it would take just a few days to reach their destination. There were currently 30 of them riding through the Marcian Lands.


    They carried supplies to be shared with the northern wall. As they passed by, Vish noticed some familiar figures wearing fur coats they were going out of the Dark Forest to her surprise ¨C she was sure they were northerners. She stopped to ask about the situation.


    ¡°The wall is under attack right now¡­ it''s the largest attack that''s happened there!¡± the villager acting as the representative said, a woman with four children.


    It had been a long time since Vish had heard anything from home. That was bad news. Vish knew how difficult it was to seek help from the unwilling nobles in the central.


    ¡°Oh, Lady Vish, do you know them?!¡± It was Peron on his horse, following Vish northward.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I can¡¯t believe that a Wiseman would go to the north to help,¡± Vish suddenly started being sarcastic, but she was just curious. There was no ill intent behind it; rather, it was a compliment for him.


    Peron, the businessman that he was, smiled. ¡°Well, some debts must be repaid. Money is nothing¡­ On that note, I didn¡¯t know that my family¡¯s name is famous in the eastern frontier?¡± Peron inquired.


    ¡°Of course, the Wisemans are the most ambitious nobles there are. There are rumors that you guys want to overthrow the whole empire with your business schemes¡­ and that your patriarch is a womanizer!!!" It was the longest sentence Vish had ever told Peron.


    ¡°...Well, we were trained to be like that¡­ A bit of the womanizer part too!¡± Peron took the insults with noble composure, but Vish glared at him. ¡°I''ll keep my eye on you, Wiseman. I''ll knock you down a peg if I feel anything off about you,¡± It was a total threat. Peron gulped as his words backfired on him.


    ¡°Sorry, Lady Vish, I''m just trying to be friendly, you know,¡± Peron scratched his head.


    ¡°...It''s not working!¡± Vish said this, but she was smiling.


    ¡°Let''s continue north!!!¡± Vish suddenly commanded the small troop she was leading.


    <--->


    Simon was still awake. There were no cannon firings, only screeches and the sounds of warriors battling it out. He was waving his new sword; it was heavier than before but it actually felt much better. He activated the magic edge, and it felt much easier.


    He started reviewing the things he had gained from the journey from the island, the Dark Forest, Elford¡¯s Castle, to the walls¡­ he had grown. Though the fights had become organic to him, there were still things that stuck with him.


    That move he used to beat the monster fish underwater. If he could recreate the same conditions in the water, then he could execute the counterattack again, but it seemed impossible. He was underwater in the first place, and there was no substance around him¡­ but what about air?


    As Simon was about to have a breakthrough with his ideas, he heard some familiar footsteps.


    Suddenly, Gallo entered his room, looking exhausted. The red-haired boy didn''t even bother to knock, not that Simon never cared about it.


    ¡°Simon¡­ I actually have oh!? Is that your new weapon? That looks cool!!!¡± Gallo and Simon admired the newly formed blade.


    It was one of the few times the two showed child-like excitement. Simon happily waved his sword while Gallo clapped his hands. He gave the sword to Gallo for him to try and swing it, but it was heavy... ¡°Well, I actually have a job for you,¡± Gallo broke in¡­


    <--->


    ¡°So you want me to scout out¡­¡± Simon answered. Ever since the monster siege started, there has been no more information coming from the walls outside. The scouts like Andy were now warriors defending the walls.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to risk you, but you are the only one who can run away from walkers¡­¡± Gallo listened to Percival''s unofficial report.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, don¡¯t worry about it. But what about if a walker attacks the wall?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°According to your story and the heroes, I have come up with a plan. Do not worry about it. I¡¯ve received another trump card earlier. You may come and go anytime you want¡­ take this, tear the red paper if it is an emergency. It will help us locate you, but it will release a magical signature. Enemies might trace you for it¡­ And for the white one, write on it first, then tear if you want to communicate¡­ The black one will tear itself if you die,¡± Gallo explained.


    Gallo looked away, then remembered something. It was in his pocket; he still had three pieces of these bottles.


    ¡°This too¡­ This thing will blind them permanently. It''s a strong perfume,¡± Gallo said as he gave one bottle to Simon.


    ¡°I see. I understand¡­¡± There were three pieces of red and ten pieces of white, and a single black one, Simon accounted for it. ¡°I¡¯ll be going in the morning,¡± Simon said.


    This was called Magic Paper of Lutra. It is an explorer device. The three colored pieces of paper needed to be torn, and the other part was given to the one you wanted to communicate with.


    <--->


    The siege continued the next morning, with mist starting to settle in. Using the long spears and harnesses of Gallo¡¯s device, the warriors effectively defended the wall. Though some spikes would reach the top, they were immediately surrounded and dealt with.


    The six-hour shifts were proving to be effective.


    ¡°We are opening the gates¡­ ready, kid?¡± the warrior on gate duty asked Simon. He only nodded. Carrying the same bag he used when traveling alone in the Black Forest, he now had three extra swords he obtained from other soldiers, along with an iron pike and three more weapons he had handcrafted.


    The Black Hood was waiting for him and gave him some special provisions. ¡°This comes from the Church of Light. Drink one, and it will restore your stamina. You won¡¯t even feel hungry for a day,¡± he said, handing over four bottles of stamina potion.


    The warrior on gate duty nodded at the Black Hood, who nodded back respectfully.


    ¡°BANGG!!!¡± the cannon fired.


    ¡°OPEN NOW!!!¡± came a scream from Gallo, who was currently commanding the wall from the top. His shift would end in just an hour, and Percival would take over from 6 to 12. Gallo now would be always on call.


    The gate opened, the path clear with cannon fire, though there were still some survivors. Simon dashed out. In a few moments, he heard the gate closing behind him, and two spikes that survived the cannons approached him. With two swings, he dispatched them both. The gate was quickly closed.


    ¡°Can¡¯t imagine how he will be when he grows up¡­¡± the warrior who opened the gate mused.

 Chapter 40 :: Elites

    Simon squinted his eyes and blinked a few times as he ran. After gaining some distance, he started using the snowboard. Quickly arriving at the corpse wall, spikes attempted to attack him, but all was futile, Simon was too accustomed to the Spike¡¯s anatomy, he just needed to throw the iron pike and the 3 swords and the spikes that tried to attack him instantly died.


    The coast was cleared, Simon took some pyre ores from his bag and placed them around but of course it was not easy, he had to jump off his snowboard as he cut his way through the spikes. He had to drop them off away from the board since the concentration of the spikes was worsening.


    He tore a white paper as per Gallo¡¯s instructions. He jumped back to his snowboard and pushed through. Then he heard those whistling arrows. It was a warning for him to get away from the pyre ores.


    The archers were skilled enough to burn the Pyre Ores with fire arrows; it was one of Gallo¡¯s schemes to blind the attacking spikes, instantly nullifying their range and visibility.


    Simon closed his eyes for a while, gaining a new ability. Inducing himself into the trance-like state he had earlier through his will, he started checking out the field. There were plenty of spikes coming from the direction of the valley.


    ¡°BOOM!!!!¡± 3-4x


    The exploding Pyre ores created quite a smoke screen for Simon, and the bodies of the unsuspecting Spikes flew around scattered.


    ¡°Time to work,¡± Simon thought, his trace disappearing as soon as he jumped off the snowboard. He planned to use it if he was in the clear; the spike didn¡¯t notice him.


    <--->


    For the next few days, Gallo would only sleep, check out the battlefield, eat, and have some sweets, especially when his head was low on sugar. The princess would nag him sometimes, but he handled it properly.


    The princess and the red-haired boy now shared a wooden table in Gallo''s messy room.


    ¡°A wave of crushers again? That will be better for us! Somebody, after 4 hours, tell the hero to get ready for battle!¡±


    Gallo read Simon¡¯s messages; he had already been out in the field for two and a half days. It was the second message from Simon; the first one was: ¡°There are thousands of them, and he was trying to find where they came from¡­¡±


    ¡°I wonder when this ordeal will end¡­¡± It was the princess; the few days of not having a bath and eating bad food were taking a toll on her. The female knights who were also together with her were on the same page.


    Gallo was quite surprised by the princess¡¯s determination. He had been planning to send her outside together with the hero but was quite reluctant to send her into danger. After all, she was a princess, and he would probably be executed. They were now eating lunch; what was served to them was served to everybody.


    ¡°Princess, I would like to request a mission if it''s possible,¡± Gallo spoke. The knights that were with the princess glared at Gallo. Well, it came from the princess''s mouth herself that she wanted to fight too.


    ¡°You expect me to go out there and fight??!! I¡¯m stinking, and your food sucks!!¡± She started berating, but Afara, who was serving food, stopped her with a sentence: ¡°You still smell good though.¡± The forest folk were known to have good noses.


    ¡°... Okay, I will fight,¡± Princess Carla said, confused if she should smile or glare.


    <--->


    Simon¡¯s side.


    It had been three days since he went out... the snow and his cloak blended smoothly... he would move in the morning rather than at night... evading the waves and dodging their sights... he kept on going in the direction from which they came... the smell... he was following it. He tried the stamina potion Black Hood gave him. He didn¡¯t sleep for a day when he had it.


    Most of the time he would walk near the hordes of Spikes... he would push too close, testing the limits of his ability to remain undetected; he did this to train. He would sometimes use the snowboard, especially near the borders of the desolated lands, where the ice trees formed like avenues and provided good cover, along with the fact that the spikes were busy moving in one direction.


    The scouts had warned him about the ice trees on the borders of the desolated lands. They warned him to keep away from them, but after a closer look, it was not that dangerous.


    He finally arrived at the valley. It seemed that the wall crushers had already cleared the snow that was blocking them. The spikes continued marching¡­ he had to go further to find where they were coming from.


    ¡°Still far from here,¡± Simon muttered. He had to cross the valley. He needed to be on high ground. He chose the left side of the valley.


    ¡­


    The valley provided the high ground; there were some spikes, but Simon, together with his snowboard, silenced them. It was the first time he had seen the other side of the valley.


    ¡°It''s starting to get colder,¡± Simon sighed, his breath forming smoke in the air. There were just mountains after the valley, as far as his eyes could see. He started sliding down from the high ground of the valley; unlike the desolate land, there were trees there that were not ice trees.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Ice trees were trees with bluish leaves. They were really hard and were said to drain out the nutrients and magic of the land. Usually, when there are big patches of these ice trees, it would be hard to grow things in the land around them.


    Simon started sliding down; he didn¡¯t need magic to slide the snowboard down the slope of the valley. Although the mist from the snow was failing his visibility, from afar he immediately noticed something strange: there was a path going up the mountains.


    It was close by; he started moving more stealthily, jumping off his snowboard. Simon felt them; there were 3 walkers. He quickly hid his presence in the trees and observed. The Walkers were not moving; they were just standing still, knee-deep in the snow. They must have been there for a long time already. They might be guarding something. There was an entrance cave behind them.


    But the walkers were not coming out of there; they were arriving from a mountain path away from the entrance the walkers were guarding. It was strange, really strange. The fact that Gallo once said that these creatures could learn scared the life out of him.


    He drew out his new sword; it was time to try it out. He had to make sure that it would be a surprise, so he held back his magic edge. The walker¡¯s blade had a better feel, that was what he quickly noticed when he was trying it out. Not only that, but the magic edge also activated the 4-slash effect; the sword itself became sharper.


    He quickly approached and was finally close enough to confirm the entrance cave to the mountain. The path going up naturally covered him from their sight. He activated the magic blade and dashed upwards.


    The 2 walkers didn¡¯t even know what hit them. All they saw was their own feet and knees. The other one reacted to the attack and tried to use its tail, but it was hopeless; its tail was cut, and in a few seconds, its head.


    ''Success¡­'' Simon thought, and he continued inside. His senses started to sharpen as the light faded; it was a long natural shaft tunnel, and the entrance was really wide. It continued deeper into the mountain, and he immediately felt that his ability to detect things was hindered. Finally, at the end, there was a cliff, and below, it was a ruin, something that could be found around the continent. He and the old man explored one once¡­


    Simon climbed on the edge of the cliff. And there they were, hundreds if not thousands of spikes pouring from the same ruins. Why were they coming out from the ruins? He hid on the cliff by lying flat. The ruins from which the spikes were coming were pitch dark. The spikes that were coming out would just line themselves up like waiting for a command.


    Simon knew something was strange, and he had to report it. He began writing on the white message paper. The air inside the large cavern was a bit warmer than outside, but suddenly he felt the temperature of his body drop.


    From the ruins, a large walker comes out. All of his senses screamed, and it made him stop writing. He checked with his eyes; it was dark, but its red eyes were gleaming. Simon quickly regained his composure as he tore the white piece of paper.


    There was suddenly a low screech; it was coming from the large walker. The Spike glared in a certain direction.


    ¡°¡­ Really¡­¡± Simon said as their eyes barely met. The shiver on his shoulders made him freeze a little.


    He needed to escape; he should have listened to Gallo¡¯s warning about the white paper. He was an idiot, he thought, quickly climbing up, and jumping on the rocks. He heard the 6-legged creatures moving; he reached the tunnel but stopped; it was a bunch or more of them again; walkers, they came from the entrance whence he came from.


    ¡°It called for them..?¡± he thought, but he had no time to think too deeply; the Spikes were already behind him. The sound they made echoed in the tunnel. Two ways to pick¡­ the spike or the walkers.


    He picked the walkers, but with just a few swings of his sword, he realized their intentions; they were helping each other to defend from Simon¡¯s attacks. He was being pushed back; the 4 slashes were not enough. It felt different too; it felt like they had learned his sword.


    ¡°Spike it is!¡± he changed his plan. As soon as the Spikes saw his eyes, they were petrified, but it was just a second as they started pouring from the tunnel; they were frenzied. He would be flooded down.


    He jumped into the wall, skillfully running over the flooding of the spikes. He was back in the cave; he jumped onto the cliff, swung his sword down, creating a stop against the flow, and then spun, carving a crater into the ground. The spikes ran into the crater and he ran over them again as the spikes fell down into the cave-in.


    In no time at all, he was already face to face with the mutated spike. He started the assault like he had the choice, parrying the tails; he instantly limited the range by shifting his posture lower.


    He aimed for the neck with a sudden jump.


    ¡°CLANG!!!¡±


    But his sword with the magic edge was not enough to put even a small wound. A tail was already behind him; he used his sword, which was placed on the mutated walker¡¯s head like a pivot to change his direction in the air, dodging the blades at the same time.


    He dived into the ruins; he quickly tried to write on a white paper, but he changed his mind as his nose detected the thick smell that the Spikes produced in the next part of the ruins he was facing. It was probably where they were coming from. He took a red paper and tore it without looking back. He dashed quickly, taking care of the spikes that were too surprised to see him.


    A screeching sound behind him brought shivers to his neck too.


    ¡°It must be the mutated walker,¡± he thought, but what terrified him was that he felt intelligence from the being, though it was a monster.


    <--->


    Back in the northern wall.


    The strategy was simple. The hero would stop the wave of crushers by crushing their feet and knees, and if a walker attacked, the princess would seal it with earth magic. They had already caught 2 walkers. The princess¡¯s earth trap was powerful enough to hold down a walker.


    ¡°It should be like that, did you think I was all talk?¡± the princess said, swaying her hair, impressing the hero¡¯s party.


    After the first trip, the hero''s party was getting accustomed; even the black hood started using an enhanced sword to cut and bleed the crushers. Although the cut was not as deep as Simon¡¯s, they would bleed out much longer. It was a terrible way to die, but as long as it did the trick, it counted.


    ¡°Sir Hero, slow down!!! Something¡¯s coming again, it''s the 3rd one!!!¡± Carla said, her insight using her earth magic proved to be useful too, and she was already the eyes of the field for the party.


    ¡°Can you tell its direction??!!¡± he said as he kept on breaking knees.


    ¡°Yes!!!¡± Unlike before, the hero party would rush and evade, and only kill Spikes which would hinder them, but as the Black Hood had to do something else, they had to wait for the black hood to catch up.


    ¡°We have time!!! Raphael, let''s create some space!!!¡±


    The hero changed his hammer into a spear, and it was instantly clad with fire. Raphael conjured a wind ball, and then the hero swung on it, creating a flare of waves in the field. It was a beautiful display of magic and might, a different combo from the Spear Flare. The spike was burned, the walker was quickly revealed, and Carla sealed it.


    ¡°Let''s leave it¡­ we continue!¡± the hero said, and the party strived to continue.

 Chapter 41 :: The mutated walker

    Gallo was still asleep when he suddenly felt a shaking hand; it was one of Afara¡¯s kin. He was in charge whenever Afara and Gallo were asleep.


    ¡°Sir Gallo¡­ a red paper is glowing,¡± the forest folk said.


    There was only a single meaning behind it: Simon must be in trouble. As per his instructions, the hero should still be out there in the field¡­ they should be finished in about an hour or so.


    <--->


    The hero¡¯s party came back. They successfully created another wall on the battlefield; some of the walkers they sealed were confirmed to have escaped, but they didn¡¯t go closer to the walls. Everything was good and according to plan.


    But there was bad news¡­ an emergency. They were quickly called by Gallo.


    Gallo was just behind the gates when the hero''s party arrived back safely in the wall.


    The hero¡¯s face distorted when he heard it, there was a certain glare of worry on his face ¡°When was this received?¡± Paramour asked.


    ¡°2 hours ago¡­ it¡¯s a red piece. I¡¯m not sure of the location, but as long as you bring this red paper, it will glow if you are closer to him,¡± Gallo said.


    ¡°Can you handle the front line for a while?¡± Raphael knew what was going to happen so discerningly asked.


    Gallo nodded. The earlier they go, the better the chances to save him.


    ¡°I will come with them! I can use earth magic to guide you!!! We can evade them safely!¡± Carla suggested while smiling.


    ¡°Princess¡­ this is a favor I will not forget¡­ we will leave after a few hours¡­ please bring only necessities,¡± Paramour smiled and handed a shake with his hands, to which the princess gladly responded.


    Gallo was still a bit sleepy; he only had 3 and a half hours of sleep. It was now his time to command on top of the wall; well, he was busy tinkering with the snowboards, he was messing with the wind propel formula, and he had just a breakthrough last night.


    ¡°This is a good chance to test my new snowboards,¡± Gallo said to the hero''s party.


    <--->


    The gate that leads outside loomed to the party that was getting ready in front of it. The wolf carving of the gate showed intimidation. The hero¡¯s party was together with the princess and Andy; they had just gone out of the gates earlier and they had to go out again.


    Gallo needed to do the same thing he did when he sent Simon outside; to fire cannons to clear out the horde of spikes. All 4 of them were going to use the new and improved snowboards.


    It took a little while navigating into the battlefield full of corpses and large meat walls, but with the help of the princess, they quickly found a safe path into the ice forest east side of the mountains, just following the ice tree borders.


    With the camouflage they were wearing, the spikes were oblivious to them. The princess said that there were also walkers nearby, but it seemed that they didn¡¯t detect them.


    In just a few hours of sliding on the border of the ice forest, they went past the desolated land.


    They finally reached the valley. The princess was already used to the snowboard and was enjoying it, but she had to stop for a while because to activate her magic she needed her feet in the ground, but not necessarily soil. They found a good spot to stop for a while.


    However, sometimes they would need to dig a little bit since standing on soil extremely increased the efficiency of her magic.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe the knights allowed you, my princess, to come with us,¡± Andy said while stopping for a while and using his shovel to dig through the snow. The hero was doing this effectively by using his spear with fire magic on it.


    ¡°The hero is actually very popular; being a hero of the era would take you so far,¡± the princess answered. ¡°Oh, Paramii is actually at the age where he wants a girlfriend; in a few years, the princess will be a looker!!¡± It was Raphael; Paramour hit him lightly with the blunt edge of his spear.


    ¡°Shut up, please,¡± the hero said. ¡°I¡¯m not particularly interested, and getting tied with me comes with royal problems,¡± the princess coldly said.


    Andy looked at the princess and spoke. ¡°You do know that you are a child, right? Ugh!!!¡± and he got hit by a snowball, a full swing that came from the princess. ¡°The princess is at the right age to entertain suitors,¡± it was the black hood that answered.


    ¡°Maybe I will execute you when we come back,¡± the princess glared at Andy, who was really confused. Paramour and Raphael laughed; Andy came from the frontier, so he didn¡¯t have an idea of how girls her age think. Girls in the central continent would like a certain degree of respect that reflects the older ladies, but the older ladies would like to be treated young ironically.


    The digging was then enough; the princess stepped into the soil.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s a lot of them,¡± the princess said. She then pointed down the valley. ¡°I can¡¯t pinpoint it very well, but they are coming further up north,¡± the princess said in her assessment.


    ¡°We travel on the high ground¡­¡± Andy said. Paramour then takes out the red piece of paper; it was glowing slightly better than before.


    The weather in the valley was completely different; it began to snow, and even Andy mentioned that it would likely worsen. Traveling on the higher ground of the valley wasn''t smooth, as they encountered some spikes they couldn''t avoid.


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    They even encountered a walker twice and engaged in battle. Paramour knew precisely how to defeat them, and Raphael''s break magic was nearly instantaneous, as he already had analyzed the walker''s magic.


    The princess could clearly sense the movements of the spikes moving in waves; it helped them select a route. Andy noted that the place the princess said they were coming from was totally unexplored, and the snowstorm didn¡¯t allow them to see further where they stood.


    The party continued on until the princess stopped them, and they started digging again for the princess. She jumped off her snowboard and laid her feet on the ground¡­ ¡°This is weird,¡± she said¡­. there was a mountain in front of them and a large cave and some kind of structure underneath it.


    ¡°There are¡­ thousands of them¡­ is it still possible to rescue him?¡± Carla asked. It was a negative question, but still, the hero party didn¡¯t waver.


    ¡°What about their movements?¡± Raphael asked.


    ¡°... There are some who are standing; they are walkers¡­ and the 6 legs just keep on flowing out of some kind of underground ruins, while more flowing from the bit far east, there is a path there¡­ there are 6 legs as far as I can sense.¡± The princess started calling the normal spikes as 6 legs.


    The magic Carla was using is called Earthen Sense; the earth¡¯s vibration is interpreted to her so that she can tell the layout of the field or even the living things that produced any vibrations.


    But she noticed something; a single spike was walking in their direction.


    ¡°One is coming¡­¡± Carla said. The party quickly got ready. Carla pointed forward.


    ¡°6 legs?¡± Paramour checked. ¡°6 legs¡­¡± Carla answered back.


    ¡°Para-mee!!! The red paper is glowing,¡± Raphael reported, pointing to the red paper that was clipped near the hero¡¯s collar. Paramour took it with a terrible face¡­


    ¡®Was he already consumed or something?¡¯ They thought the worst of the worst... The Spike continued to walk towards them until it was visible... It was bloody, with a shadow looming over it... The party was ready to attack, but as it approached... riding behind it was Simon... his body covered in blood.


    ¡°Simon!!!¡± the party exclaimed, except for the princess; she hated the smell, so she covered her nose.


    Raphael quickly took some potions, and the Black Hood was ready to heal him.


    ¡°I¡¯m not wounded¡­ I just slayed too many spikes¡­ now I¡¯m covered in their blood,¡± he explained further; the smell of the meat that was sticking to his bag permeated.


    ¡°Now I¡¯ve got a way to go around with them,¡± he broke the neck of the spike. Simon started removing his cloak and using his water blade, he created running water. The party was confused as Simon nonchalantly cleaned himself.


    ¡°If you put a knife under their head, they would continue to move forward¡­ then turning it will change their direction,¡± he quickly explained how he rode on the spike.


    ¡°But you tore off an emergency signal?!! What the hell happened?¡± Raphael asked but it was more of a complaint.


    ¡°I need backup¡­ we can end this siege here I think,¡± Simon sighed and sat, the white snow around him instantly turned red as he started washing, and he started telling his side of the story.


    <--->


    A few hours back.


    Simon ran into the endless ruins.


    It was dark inside the four-sided ancient walls, the tunnel in front of him, and an endless number of spikes chasing him. He could outrun them¡­ but there were also spikes emerging from the other side of the tunnel, he kept on killing as he dashed but the warm air told him that there was more coming.


    He had to do something or he will be pincer-attacked. On his back was the water blade he held with his left hand and the Walker x4 blade on his right hand that he used to slay spikes in proximity, he began charging the water blade.


    The spikes chasing him were frenzied; when he cut down a few of them earlier, they had no regard for their life unlike the spikes he dealt with on the surface; he would feel fear from them when he cut them down. It was annoying how far one could go if one disregarded their life.


    The waterblade has begun to glow a dim violet. A combination of the blue color of the blade and the magic edge. If he understood even a tiny bit of the magic edge¡¯s theory of how it works¡­ it''s all about imagination. Simon slayed down another frenzied spike behind him, from the slash he continued his momentum into another swing this time using the charge waterblade. ¡®Should work like Paramour¡¯s¡¯ Simon thought as he swung it.


    A water blade slices through the air, clearing and cleaving spikes in its path. It was sufficient, and Simon sprinted forward, unaffected by the red splashes. He didn¡¯t know how far that water blade had flown, but he wouldn¡¯t overlook the space and advantage it created for his escape.


    A few more meters, and he could hear them¡­ the spikes emerging from the ruins itself¡­ but there was also a strong air coming. He immediately noticed the varying temperature of the air¡­ warm going up¡­ cold going down.


    He sped up and arrived at a four-way crossroads. The cold air was to the left, and warm air blew in from the front. Traces of movement were etched on the ground, leading to the right. This must be where the spikes are emerging from. If he could seal this path, it would be over. Glancing behind him once more, it seemed he had emerged from a large door.


    Spikes started emerging from the darkness in front of him; it was not that cold inside the ruin. He charged and launched water blades multiple times, and the dying sounds of the spikes filled the tunnel.


    Simon smiled; he missed doing that waterblade attack.


    ¡°Tuk!! Tuk!!¡± it was faint, but he didn¡¯t miss the chipping sound on his left.


    It was a bit far, but he started feeling the bloodlust in all directions except on his left. It was Walkers; he had no choice but to go left and follow the cold air.


    He arrived in a large cavern again¡­ spikes were hugging the wall, and another mutated walker was standing there in the middle.


    ¡°Crap!¡± Simon immediately stuck to the wall, making sure he was small enough; then he quickly traced where the cold air was coming from and noticed that the cavern had a hole in the ceiling. He quickly scanned the cavern¡¯s walls¡­ the mutated walker didn¡¯t change its demeanor¡­ Simon started moving. He trusted his instincts.


    The mutated walker did not do anything; the spikes who were there just kept on with their work; it seemed that they were excavating some kind of carvings in the cavern. The mutated walker just stared at him¡­ he could feel it sensed him but¡­ it was not acting on him. Simon then saw the corpse of a dead scout that was just lying near the wall the spike was excavating.


    He wanted to take it, but there was no time; the walkers were closing in.


    Simon quickly reached the hole exit¡­ before that, he scanned the whole area one more time¡­ It had a resemblance to the door he went from earlier¡­ it seemed that the spike was excavating some kind of a large door¡­ the walker then arrived at the scene and Simon made his escape.


    The escape hole was very deep. He didn¡¯t know how far it was, but he kept on jumping on the rigid rocks. He then heard the flood of the spikes below¡­ it seemed that they didn¡¯t fit the hole.


    <--->


    ¡°So you are telling me that this large walker is the one who commands this siege?¡± Simon nodded at Paramour¡¯s query.


    ¡°They are intelligent¡­ they baited me and pincer me first on that cave tunnel¡± Simon then pointed out the cave that was leading into the mountain. ¡°The second is that they are trying to open a gate down there in the tunnels¡±


    ¡°The tunnels of the ruins¡­ I think they might have found a way to travel underground through those¡­¡± Carla who was listening touched her arms as she shuddered.


    After contributing to the defense of the northern wall, she was now terrified by the spikes; if it wasn¡¯t for the hero and his party leading their group, she wouldn¡¯t feel assured.


    ¡°You know the legends about the underground roads¡­ where all of humanity came from, right?¡± Carla was telling them a story that if you went to any kind of church, would be taught to children as common knowledge.


    ¡°That is very scary¡­ you are saying that there is an underground tunnel that leads behind the northern walls?¡± Raphael started to sweat.


    ¡°Simon¡­ you came to us¡­ do you have a plan?¡± the hero was expecting it.


    ¡°But we will have to climb the mountain for a while; the Spikes are good for it, we have to catch some on the east side,¡± Simon answered with a smile.

 Chapter 42 :: Riding a Spike

    Back at the northern walls. Gallo was on the top of his tower that was covered with tents, it was the command center of the whole battle. On his hand, he was reading a piece of white paper, a part of a set of the Lutra Magic Paper. He smiled upon reading the message.


    ¡°So they found it, the source of the enemies¡­¡± Gallo read the message from the hero party who already successfully found Simon.


    Gallo celebrated silently in his mind¡­ with this, they could possibly end the siege earlier. The message said that they were asking for some kind of distraction, the red-haired tactician had instantly a few ideas on his mind.


    But it would be much better if more brains would think about it ¡°Call the engineers we are going on a brainstorming!!!¡± Gallo commanded another warrior who was on the post with him.


    In his mind he promised that he would make more types of items like the Lutra Papers, he was so fond that it was so handy. Then Gallo suddenly noticed dust and snow but it was not from the front of the wall rather it was from behind the slope.


    ¡°Reinforcement?¡± he said like a question and full of hope.


    <--->


    The wind raged, from afar Vish and his entourage weathered it. The sound of the cannons can be heard. The gates were already starting to open when they were getting closer, they must have seen them from afar.


    Vish finally arrived at the northern wall, not much had changed, she remembered her brother waving on top of the guard wall at the gate of the town when she left.


    Upon arriving, a familiar face was waiting for them, it was Percival and the Mayor, and a red-headed kid was also there.


    ¡°Vish¡­ it''s good to see you,¡± the Mayor greeted. He looked around and it seemed that the company that arrived first was northerners; some of them had visited the northern wall in the past so the Mayor and Percival were quite familiar with them.


    Vish was a towering high of a human, she also used an axe like Percival. ¡°Miss Vish¡­ it''s an honor,¡± Gallo greeted her like a noble should. Of course, she knew how to greet back.


    ¡°The queen is also sending more; they will be here 3 days from now on,¡± Vish reported and handed over a scroll of paper to Percival. ¡°¡­ I¡¯ve got bad news,¡± Percival said with a serious tone.


    ¡°... Bibs?¡± Vish asked, it''s some sort of a feeling¡­ Percival just nodded. There was a bit of silence for a while¡­


    ¡°I will mourn for him after the siege¡­ where to now?¡± Vish seemed to swallow all her feelings.


    ¡°We will be launching an all-out attack in a while; for now, have a rest, this kid will explain everything,¡± Percival pointed to Gallo.


    ¡°So¡­ he is not your kid?¡± Vish asked it in a mocking tone.


    Vish and Percival shook hands. Followed by Gallo.


    The company of the 30 knights that was also northerners was a great addition to the fighting force that they would launch. These knights are clearly already adapted to the harsh climate of the north. To add that they were dungeon divers, humans who do dungeon diving are known to grow much stronger and faster.


    After a while Gallo went back to his quarters, there were a few engineers there, they already had created a replica of the battlefield using the most random objects in addition to clay and housewares they found cluttering around. Gallo needed to run different scenarios of what if.


    ¡°Something is amiss,¡± the red-haired boy scanned the data that was presented to him. On a paper.


    ¡°What is it? we still got some plates here,¡± Afara said, expecting something he shouldn¡¯t.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯ve been tallying the kills of the warriors and adventurers on the top of the wall¡­ the estimated kills of the cannons¡­ it''s getting lower¡± Gallo said.


    ¡­ ¡°So this plan is a gamble if the enemy really has a commander,¡± Afara said upon analyzing Gallo¡¯s plan.


    ¡°It''s actually a safe bet, if the commander is intelligent he would fall into the trap, if they are really getting low on numbers then it¡¯s a good sign,¡± Gallo said.


    <--->


    A spike somewhere in a high ground.


    The mutated walker kept some spikes on a higher ground¡­ it was to watch the humans¡­ their reactions and strategies¡­ they were formidable¡­ his plan to flood them with spikes was a failure, the swarm of wall breakers was stopped twice¡­ but he had the go signal from the queen¡­ he can spend as much as he could to tear down the wall.


    The queen had said before that the humans were one of the weakest beings. They used to go to roads under the earth because almost everything preyed on them, they were the bottom of the food chain¡­ if it wasn¡¯t for the mighty dragon¡¯s blessings that they were protected. She added that the mighty dragon didn¡¯t favor humans¡­ it''s just that the humans were the first ones that find it¡­ which was why they received its blessings first.


    If they can break through they could claim the land itself and the blessings itself.


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    ¡°SCREEECH¡± he cannot be bothered. He kept watch. Even if there was a human in front of him¡­ he didn¡¯t care. They pose no threat¡­ what was important was the wall. He was just waiting¡­ would the wall fall first or the underground tunnel be dug first. His twin brother was in charge of the army and he was in charge of the plans.


    Time passed¡­


    The twin mutated walker¡¯s mind was always connected, they knew of each other''s plan, the brother that was in charge of the army sent a spike to act as its eyes on the battle field. Finally, the foolish humans made a wrong move¡­ he was continuing the siege but he was slowly reducing the numbers of the waves at small paces¡­ it was to trick humans that they were thinning out. Humans would surely fight and attack back!


    The gates opened¡­ the humans seemed to launch their own attack; his joy vibrated in the air as he commanded every spike to attack into a single point. It was time!


    ¡°SCREEECH¡± it called upon its twin saying that he would lead the charge. His twin contradicted him, suggesting to just complete the ritual in the ruins but he didn¡¯t listen.


    <--->


    Back to Simon and the Hero¡¯s Party. They already had moved closer to the slopes of the mountains that they would be climbing on. The downwind from the mountain was fierce and add the snow, and it was truly a frigid north.


    ¡°It''s starting¡± Simon warned the group¡­ they were only 6 of them. 3 front lines, Simon, Andy, and Paramour, then the 3 mages at the back. The black hood could use enhancement magic while Raphael specialized in wind and light magic. The princess is a master of earth and fire magic; she said that she could use a little bit of wind magic but she was not that good with it.


    ¡°Simon¡­ how can you be so calm¡­ if you can¡¯t cut through it¡­ what am I supposed to do?¡± The hero asked; he was unsure. The princess looks in disbelief at what the hero said.


    ¡°Its¡­ a belly feeling¡­ I think your fire spear techniques can but it''s¡­ can¡¯t you see how fast the spikes die when you use fire?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°So you are saying that fire is effective to them?¡± Raphael then asked.


    Simon nodded. The truth is that fire magic was considered to be the most destructive magic in the elements¡­ since everything can be burned by fire.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you with that¡­ oh¡­ by the way she is Carla¡­ a princess, she uses earth magic!¡± Paramour introduced the 2.


    ¡°Fire magic too!!! Here¡± She then raised her hands to be kissed as a sign of respect but since Simon didn¡¯t have any concept with it he shook it.


    ¡°What the!!! That was rude!!! AND YOU ARE FILTHY!!!! And your EYES ARE WEIRD!!!¡± Carla exclaimed while she put her hands to her nose to deny the scent from the blood-soaked boy earlier.


    ¡°¡­ I already cleaned¡­ and I was born with it¡­ I think we should go now!¡± Simon changed the topic.


    Just one look from the hero Carla quickly scanned the area. ¡°They are much thinner now¡­ how the hell did you know?¡±


    Simon raised his shoulders in a gesture; Carla totally didn¡¯t know what it meant but Paramour, Andy, and Raphael laughed a bit. They started traveling into the east side of the mountain.


    Simon then pointed out in the direction of the small crack he went out from.


    ¡°Did you know that spikes are very good mountain climbers,¡± Simon said as he used his thumbs to point a bit away from the small crack.


    <--->


    They had to kidnap a few of the spikes to be ridden on. With Andy¡¯s help and Simon¡¯s ideas, they immediately captured some spikes, using the earth magic of the princess the spike was pinned down, and Simon used his wind blades to specifically cut the voice box of the spikes.


    ¡°Using anything sharp to pierce directly between the head and the bone, twisting it makes them walk, turning the head changes their direction¡­¡± Simon was showing it live to them; riding a spike. ¡°Carla please remove the earth seal¡± Simon requested respectfully but Carla the imperial princess frowned, she still did it at Simon¡¯s request.


    As Simon twisted the wind blades that were stabbed on its head the spike stood up and started to walk. Even Carla who was watching felt bad for the spikes. The spikes who were seeing what would happen to them shouted in silence since their voice box was already removed.


    ¡°Do we really have to do it like that?¡± Carla asked. ¡°Climbing down the mountain was easy, but climbing up is hard, these monsters are good at climbing¡± Simon answered Carla¡¯s question.


    ¡°Okay, you can release mine!¡± it was Andy already riding on the spike, the princess just sighed as she gave up. The hero then jumped on one of the spikes and followed Simon¡¯s instructions.


    The princess was riding together with the hero, Andy with Raphael, and Simon with the Black Hood. During the climb Simon pointed out another opening up in the mountain, it was a path hidden by the mountain walls. It was a larger cave where the Spike was pouring out.


    ¡°If you saw the cave the walkers were guarding, they were gathering there but I can¡¯t tell the reason why,¡± Simon said. The party was silent. The cold air shut them up.


    ¡­


    They had to climb up into the mountain, after 40 minutes of climbing there was a small path where they could stand, one by one they finished off the spikes dropping their bodies and rolling them down the mountain, Carla really hated Simon for this.


    Simon led the group from the small path into a small cavern opening that was on the western side of the mountain. He enters and the party follows. He warned them that it was really dark there, the Black Hood conjured a night vision for the party except for Simon.


    It was narrow but the entrance was okay, it immediately led downward. The princess said to them that she would kill them by pouring fire downwards if anyone looked up. It was a given, she was wearing a skirt¡­ Simon who was sliding down first arrived on the scene and it was still in the same state only with an abundant horde of spikes, but he only needed to give space for the party behind him¡­


    Since Simon can see in the dark he went first quickly slaying the surrounding spikes. The spikes that were digging didn''t care about their comrades.


    The same goes for the mutated walker that was silently standing.


    The clean-up should really be quick¡­ Simon said that they shouldn¡¯t use fire magic yet and keep it until they fight the mutated walker. Simon immediately requested Carla to close the path to the other tunnel with her earth magic¡­ and she answered back; ¡°The other way is already closed¡± Carla said as she summoned earth pyres piercing spikes to their death also at the same time closed off the area that led to the deep ruins at Simon¡¯s request.


    Simon watched in awe as the earth pyres precisely created a hole in almost the same spots. She cannot be underestimated he thought.


    The hero¡¯s party went ballistic and started slashing down the remaining spike that was trying to dig the large door¡­ until the only one remaining was the mutated walker who wasn¡¯t even responding to their work.


    ¡°It''s not responding,¡± the Black Hood said; he has been keeping watch of the surroundings, especially the large spike in the middle of the cavern.


    ¡°I think it''s controlling them¡­¡± Simon responded. Everybody totally didn¡¯t get what he was saying but ¡°Let us finish this one¡­ there is still another one right?¡± The hero with just a look signaled, the black hood and Raphael started conjuring their magic. They were going to do that combo again, the sphere of wind with the hero¡¯s spear of fire but this time with the enhancement of the black hood.


    ¡°It''s noticed us!!! Continue casting¡­ miss please protect them!!!¡± Simon quickly noticed the change in atmosphere. The tails of the mutated walker who were also surprised started moving.

 Chapter 43 :: Sacrifice

    Deep in the unknown mountains of the north a battle that would decide many lives happened. The cavern was dark, air was sipping through the smaller cracks and it was the only thing that was good at the place.


    A boy stood still, he breathed the cold air, forcing the blood to his muscles, and a smile cracked on his lips. It was supposed to be like this or it won¡¯t be a thrill. He knew that the lives of his companions were in his hands but seeing a challenge coming just made him smile, it was how he was raised and made into what he was today.


    As his companions moved to fulfill their duties, he was calm keeping a good eye on the next actions of the monster in front of him.


    ¡°Swish!!!¡±, ¡°Swish!!!¡±, ¡°Swish!!!¡±


    It was a rhythmical sound of whipping tails.


    Everyone heard it. It was coming.


    Simon immediately dashed, continuously reading the movement of the tails as they whipped through the air going into different targets and locations. Simon threw a wind blade from his knife and it deflected one of the tails from afar. The range of his new sword was just four meters from where his body was.


    His footwork would play the most part. ¡®Think from the beginning of your movement and go through with it¡¯ a saying that echoed in his mind. He vividly pictured his next actions¡­ he just let his body do the work.


    To the ones who saw how he did it and to the mutated walker himself. Simon¡¯s mastery of the sword was on par with a god-like ability. His skill didn¡¯t miss a single tailblade.


    Through that single exchange alone Simon immediately understood the range of the tail and it encompasses the whole cavern. ¡°Dangerous,¡± Simon muttered... but he was not giving up. He stared at Carla.


    Carla noticed this and by instinct, she cast a shield wall encasing the whole party except for Simon, she shook at how well a single stare communicated her next actions. ¡°Will he be okay?¡± Carla asked the hero, but the hero remained silent as he continued the charge of his Level 2 magic edge, it was a flaring spear and heat could be felt inside the encasing.


    ¡°Para-mi, that is too much!¡± Raphael said as he noticed the hero¡¯s spear glowing and heating up more and more¡­ past the usual.


    ¡°He is buying us some time¡­ I¡¯ll take it all and make this strike a true quality¡­ I would be ashamed if the kid¡¯s effort failed¡­ I will answer with the same risks!!!¡±


    Simon outside the wall could feel it. The battle was going to end in one strike. Simon kept on parrying and dodging the tail blade. He had no way to cut the tails, but the earthen pyres and the battlefield that the princess drastically changed gave him an idea. He parried one tail, guiding it in a direction.


    ¡°Got you,¡± he then hit it successfully, knotting the tail on one of the spires.


    ¡°Carla, more spires but leave space!!!!¡± Simon screamed, he was sure that they could hear him.


    Carla hesitated, but the hero¡¯s face and Andy, who tapped her shoulder, told her to trust the boy. She cast another earthen spire randomly growing it.


    Simon¡¯s instinct, his sensitivity increased in each passing moment, it was to the point of seeing the future. His body lifted up as he dodged the spires while parrying the tail blades.


    The tails that kept him dancing on dodge and parry were lessened¡­ the intensity of magic inside the protective wall flickered¡­ Simon smiled¡­ then dashed to the front of the mutated spike, throwing a bottle of perfume directly to its face¡­ it screamed in pain ¡°GRAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!¡±.


    ¡°Paramour!!!¡± Simon screamed¡­ the earth shield went down and Paramour launched like a cannonball¡­


    The mutated walker was helpless, it was blinded, and its senses dulled but it still thought that it could jump to dodge but changed its mind since it was more confident with its defense¡­ and it was the end of it.


    The attack was critical¡­ there was no explosion or such, the hero just pierced through it with one thrust of his spear, and it melted into 2, already indistinguishable¡­


    ¡°SCREEEEEEEEEEECH!!!!!¡± was its dying sound¡­ on its last strength, it swung its tail blade.


    ¡°Simon watch out!!¡± Andy screamed but the attack didn¡¯t hit anything.


    Now they just have to collapse the part where the Spikes came from and the endless stream of them would end but¡­ it''s not going to happen.


    ¡°Para-mi, a red one and a white one!!!¡± Raphael screamed as he read the white message ¡°It said they are coming back!!!!¡± the party looked at each other.


    The party instantly looked back from where they came from. It had already collapsed. ¡°Oh¡­ that last attack¡­¡± Andy said.


    ¡°Send back ''We are trapped in a cavern near ruins.'' Please hurry,¡± Paramour instantly said, and Raphael started writing it on the white paper, and he immediately tore it.


    ¡°So we can¡¯t go back from there?¡± Simon said the obvious.


    The other entrance to the cavern loomed and warm air blew from it, echoes of the movement trembled, and the party¡¯s silence doubled its sensations, but the Black Hood was not out of his mind yet ¡°Double seal it! Just in case!!!¡± the black hood screamed pointing the other entrance to the cavern where they were.


    The ground started shaking¡­ the princess quickly doubled the seals on the path that led to the ruins with earth magic .


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t wanna pass there anyway,¡± she said like a comfort for herself.


    ¡°We should have collapsed the tunnel where they were coming from first¡­¡± Simon said¡­ the hero glared in frustration¡­ it can be felt for the others too. Well it was too late.


    The hero and Simon instantly looked at the large door the spikes were opening earlier. Another white one shined. Raphael read it¡­ ¡°It''s saying ¡®Find a door or a gate!¡± he screamed out of panic. The other way that leads into the deeper ruins Carla sealed started shaking¡­ it was collapsing, they all knew what was destroying it¡­


    The princess had an idea. She quickly ran into the large gate and started looking for something.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    ¡°Princess what are you looking for?¡± the hero asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know but there are doors in the empire that only royal blood can open!! It''s some kind of a doorknob or something¡­ I don¡¯t really know!!! But it should be what Gallo is thinking,¡± She kept on touching the door going up and down. ¡°


    Paramii, she might be right! It''s breaking!!! Should I cast one?¡± Raphael asked; the hero just nodded.


    ¡°It will buy time¡­ make it larger, I¡¯ll spread the whole room!¡± the hero declared.


    ¡°It''s opening!!!¡± Carla screamed it seemed that she touched a carving on the wall and a door started opening¡­ but it was slow. ¡°


    Stay sharp¡­ tell us if it''s possible to enter,¡± Simon said as he got ready for the battle too¡­ he then points on a direction ¡°Bibs,¡± he said. He was not staring at anyone but he knew who the message for was.


    10 seconds¡­ 20¡­ 30¡­ probably the longest time of their life. The princess again cast a reinforcement for the earthen seals she made; she had to hold it for a while. As the tick of the opening gate echoed to the cavern so was the echoing movement from the other tunnel.


    ¡°Bibs¡­¡± Andy saw the corpse of Bibs, he had extra clothes in his bag, and he decided that he would bring him home.


    Finally as the gap was enough to be accessed the Black Hood declared ¡°Let''s go inside!!!!¡± it was a scream of panic and relief¡­ the party instantly went into escape mode. As they walked inside, the princess looked back.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to close it!!! Damn it!!!¡± she said frustratingly¡­


    ¡°There must be a way¡­ we don¡¯t even know where this would lead but if this road leads back behind the wall then we will be in trouble¡­¡± the Black Hood said so.


    They would have a choice to collapse the tunnel but¡­ there is a chance that they will be buried under, rather it would be a hundred percent.


    ¡°Let''s go¡­ we will find a solution along the way,¡± Simon said as he pulled the princess ¡°Kyaaa!¡±. They started running¡­ they were really far from the walls; it was a long descending road, they were lucky they still had the snowboards, they rode on it.


    ¡°Can we use magic to reinforce the boards? we are not sliding on snow,¡± Andy said as he advised, and the black hood agreed and cast reinforcement magic that is normally used for defense.


    ¡°Miss¡­ activate your earth magic¡­ detect the structure if possible,¡± Simon said as the party was riding.


    ¡°I can¡¯t I will need to land my feet on the ground first?¡± the princess was literally complaining; her skill earthen sense is not that convenient.


    ¡°I know what you are thinking Simon but if worse comes to worst I will seal this tunnel even if it means being buried alive!!¡± the hero declared¡­ the princess nervously gulped.


    ¡°I would go down with a bunch of them for Bibs,¡± Andy said his determination, the men were willing to die, and Carla knew the dangers when she came with them¡­ that¡¯s why the hero said that it would be a great favor.


    The boy who was riding in the front was younger than her and was silent. But unlike the others, Carla could tell that  he was still calm.


    A crashing sound bellowed from behind them; they had probably broken through the seal the princess created. ¡°I will put more seals along the way, it would be weak but it would buy us some time!!¡± Carla feeling a little bit guilty said.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay princess, even just putting obstacles would be enough¡± Paramour added.


    <--->


    A few minutes back. In the northern walls.


    The gates loomed on the Knights, Warriors, and adventurers that was on a ready for a charge. A large northerner woman was on the front staring at the carvings of the wolf in the large gate, it was Vish, a large northerner woman, she was leading the charge; being a vanguard in a battle had always been an honor for a knight.


    The complaining sounds of the gates and the resistance of the its weight echoed¡­ as soon as it was opened full, Vish raised er axe in the air.


    ¡°Charge!!!¡± she screamed her lungs out as she started cutting down the head of the spike. They have told her about their weakness but as long as you could cut something¡¯s head it would die.


    All the knights have been educated to a bare minimum of fighting strength. The knight¡¯s weapons that had magic edge on them would fix any enemy problems and their leader; Vish was one of the prominent knights on the eastern frontier. They were full of confidence as they charged. A knight was comparable to a class B adventurer and Vish could be ranked at A.


    She immediately created a row of invalids with just one swing of her axe. Percival and the Mayor¡¯s cheering could be heard even from the top of the wall.


    ¡°They are pouring!! Miss they are pouring!!!¡± it was the lucky rabbit screaming, after a few moments when their charge started the spikes started really pouring in.


    ¡°Shift formation!!!! Do it forcefully!!!¡± she screamed again. The warriors and adventurers started making an arrow formation; they would try to sweep as much as spike as possible there was already a small platoon of adventurers and warriors already standing by at the gate.


    The small noble¡¯s strategy was quite elaborate.


    They are now to do a defensive retreating formation buying as much time for Paramour and Simon¡¯s plan.


    ¡°Damn it!! I haven¡¯t had a wink!!!¡± Peron screamed, he was on the left wing of the arrow.


    <--->


    <Mutated Walker''s point of view, the 3rd one.>


    It seems that one of the twins has died. Pity their mother really loved them, their ability to read and know each other¡¯s mind was amazing, totally capable of leading the horde on 2 fronts.


    It could feel the anger and the anguish of its other brother when it died. It was time to make a move. It could give what his brother wants. It slowly approached its brother who was fuming in anger.


    Forming a part of its body into tails he made a make-shift needle and inserted it. Injecting substance that would make its brother stronger.


    Its brother relished the feeling.


    As its magic resounded, its control of the spikes increased. It can tell that now it could remove their limiters in exchange for their body. The best part of it is that it didn¡¯t need to be close to them¡­ its mind can project its magic enhancement to its kin.


    <--->


    Almost an hour passed and the descending tunnel never stopped.


    The spikes were getting closer¡­ they were flooding in. It must be some kind of mechanics when the mutated walker died it summoned the spikes¡­ but to the speed of their boards, the spikes shouldn¡¯t be able to catch up to them.


    A familiar smell started lingering. Simon could see that the spikes were literally running above their capacity¡­ they were dying as they ran¡­ they were frenzied more than before.


    Carla rode the board close to the tunnel walls with her hands sliding on the wall, it was so that she could continuously activate her Earthen Sense.


    ¡°It''s here!!! I can collapse this space without¡­¡± Carla stuttered¡­ spikes were behind their trail.


    ¡°Collapse it!!!¡± the hero screamed at the hesitating Carla and she collapsed it. The ground started falling¡­ they quickly passed through the collapsing area then Carla kept on watch using her detect magic.


    But there was a problem.


    ¡°They are using their bodies to make a tunnel out of their corpse!!!¡± Carla noticed it¡­ Simon quickly moved into the falling debris diving into the dust and started cutting.


    They knew he was going to be buried together with the spikes. The hero instantly realized this but Raphael stopped him.


    ¡°No! I will do it!!¡± he said as he dived into the falling debris.


    <--->


    Simon was effective on his targets, he kept his movements to a minimum strictly slashing the joints of the spikes. He released a deathly bloodlust but it seemed that the spikes didn¡¯t even feel scared of him a bit.


    Their frenzy state allowed them to focus on their goal until the life left their body. He felt Raphael who followed him into the falling debris.


    ¡°Simon!!! You rascal get out of here!! Wind Barrier!¡± Raphael with a small barrier of wind pushed off the dust, then the dust and debris were getting torn apart with his wind barrier but allowed Simon to enter inside.


    ¡°I can handle it¡­ you shouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Simon was speaking and he instantly noticed the demeanor of the spikes. They were glaring at Raphael.


    ¡°Something is wrong!!!¡± Raphael noticed it too. The attack stopped¡­ Simon continued the attack but became as wary as possible and that¡¯s when it happened.


    Something penetrates the wind barrier and hits Raphael on his left and right shoulder.


    ¡°NOO!!!!¡± Simon screamed, he didn¡¯t had the chance to react to it¡­ that moment when he stopped slashing, the spikes capitalized forming a pillar out of their own bodies.


    Raphael almost knelt down.


    ¡°Get out of here!!!¡± Raphael said, his magic grew stronger and with all his might stood forward, and then with a burst of Raphael¡¯s will Simon was expelled out of the barrier.


    <--->


    In a few minutes, Simon flew out¡­ he was hit by a wind magic ¡°Carla Shoot your most powerful flame!!¡± Raphael¡¯s voice was bright and clear, Carla didn¡¯t hesitate, Simon who immediately got to his bearings tried to stop her but ¡°YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!!¡±, it was a scream from Raphael.


    Carla finished her incantations and fired a spell, an explosion was created making the cave fall collapse faster giving the spikes no time to react. Simon instantly tried to jump back in but a furious Paramour stopped him ¡°NO!!!¡±

 Chapter 44 :: Fight and live

    ¡°They are retreating!!!¡± the mix of warriors, knights, and adventurers cheered¡­ but Gallo, who was keeping watch on the entirety of the battle, instantly noticed ¡®a small stone in the wave¡¯ of the retreating spikes¡­ it was walkers¡­ around 20 of them, rushing¡­ even mowing down some of the spikes who were responding to the retreat.


    ¡°Come back inside!! Retreat!!¡± Gallo screamed immediately, the urgency was in his voice. There was no way to handle them¡­ the hero or Simon was not with them. Gallo¡¯s face twisted, he knew that some of them wouldn¡¯t make it but just to make better odds he calculated ¡°Aim the cannons, array of 45, 30, 15!! Bear it to the center!!!! PERCIVAL!!! GET THE WARRIORS DOWN READY,¡± it was an immediate command.


    The engineers followed the command followed by rhythmical clicks of metal against metal. Gallo closed his eyes and followed the sounds of the clicks through the screams and rumbles of the earth. As soon as it stopped the red-haired boy screamed ¡°FIRE!!!¡±


    Percival, who was on the rear guard, rallied them to go inside.


    ¡°Hurry up!!¡± he screamed. The cannon hit the specified spot.


    ¡°ESCAPE!! ESCAPE!!¡± Gallo, who was watching the aftermath of his command, screamed, using the funnel that increased his voice¡­ but it was too late.


    The explosion from the cannon was not enough to cover their path of escape. The Walkers finally rushed¡­ a path was created from the bloody bodies of the warriors and adventurers.


    It seemed that the walkers specifically targeted the weaker sides. Vish was quick in her response as she divided the knights into 2 groups going left and right; the screams were a great cue for her.


    Back on the smaller gates of the northern wall. Specifically the last 3 lines of defenses.


    The warriors and the forest folks on the last lines of defense tightened the grip of their weapons¡­ they were hearing the screams. They cannot close the gates now since the retreat is still ongoing¡­ It was coming¡­ they praised the gods that their families were not in the town.


    The battle was unfolding, and blood was spilling. The adventurers fell down, the knights breaking their shields, the walkers attacking regardless of their defense. It was chaos as it should be.


    ¡°Miss!!! Do what you want!!! I will manage the center!! Rascals with me!!¡± it was the adventurer who called himself Lucky Rabbit. Vish nodded at him, a smile of confidence on the battle field was rare. But as soon as they did this, the walkers changed their attack point into the center.


    Gallo, who was observing up the wall, noticed this and he started scanning the horizon with his scope and saw a spike that was on the east mountain of the wall.


    ¡°4 cannons far east bear right 30 degrees, check me when ready!!!¡± Gallo screamed to the engineers down. After a few seconds, the engineers replied. ¡°We are ready!!!¡±


    ¡°Fire 2 rounds!!!¡± Gallo screamed into his instrument in a tense voice, the heat of the moment all over him.


    <--->


    The walkers were crazy powerful. They would be ranked as an S class because of the destruction a single one could cause. Unlike the adventurers in the central, the warriors and scouts that were fighting didn¡¯t have the same quality.


    The warriors and scouts on the northern walls were trained to use various weapons depending on the situation. Their training focused on defense rather than charging into enemy ranks, which wasn''t their forte. Their prowess in coordinated battles ranked around class B. Adventurers and knights had their own specialized styles, with using magic edges being the minimum requirement. While skilled, the sheer number of walkers posed a significant challenge, highlighting the vast difference between class A and class B.


    The battle against walkers would take 2 good A-ranked adventurers to take one out. According to the hero of the era¡¯s words, if the party had a kind of magic break magic, then it would be a lot easier. But the magic break was not easy magic. It required analyzing the enemy¡¯s magic essence first and copying it a little, then using it to penetrate the magic and break it from the inside.


    ¡°Ah, probably doomed,¡± the Lucky Rabbit said as he saw some of his comrades die from the tail blades of the walkers.


    It''s actually annoying to explain so he didn¡¯t think of it too much.


    He has some kind of a special sword he got from one of his lucky dungeon dives. It''s called the Magic Eater. Contrary to the name, this sword could disperse magic when it hits. He could practically cut flying fireballs and slice winds apart.


    ¡°Boys, you are lucky!!! You are lucky because I¡¯m here!!!¡± the Lucky Rabbit screamed, and the adventurers and scouts who were together with him during the rescue cheered. It made the dire situation easier to take.


    ¡°Charge and survive!! We will die someday anyway!!! Fight and live!!!!¡± the veteran screamed, boosting the morale of his team.


    <--->


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    Somewhere in the deep roads.


    The deep roads were dry, with the walls and road oddly well-preserved¡ªno signs of erosion or damage. The party journeyed through the seemingly endless passage, fortunate that the snowboards held steady among the stones. Nonetheless, they still employed magic edges to reinforce them.


    ¡°There is water here¡­ let''s follow it!¡± Simon said. He was guiding the party. It seemed that the hero was still out of his mind.


    ¡°We are past the wall¡­ I can feel it¡­ there¡¯s an exit,¡± Carla said.


    The black hood continued to push the hero. They finally found another door with strange carvings. Carla quickly tried to open it, but Simon stopped her.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s the exit,¡± he said instead. Pointing to another crack in the tunnel, it was dark but since Simon could see in the dark naturally, he immediately recognized this.


    There was a sound of streaming water coming from a large hole in the wall. Simon remembered the underground river Percival told them about before.


    ¡°I will open it up!¡± Carla said, activating magic to enlarge the crack. Even going as far as making it a half-circle hole. They went inside and found the river¡­ and a path on the cliff. She seals back the hole she made just for insurance.


    It was a large cavern with ancient carvings on it, from the sculptures and stairs, murals, and indiscernible carvings. The group was clearly surprised seeing this.


    They followed the river and finally found the mechanism that turns by the river¡¯s flow. ¡°What a large wheel¡­¡± the Black Hood said, but nobody cared.


    ¡°Can you guys see that?¡± Simon said but of course, they couldn¡¯t, although the wheel was turning because of the river flowing down and the waterfall on its side. It was also bringing up water. Simon who noticed this smiled. ¡°We have to go there.¡±


    The cavern had already made paths and stairs; it was quite slimy. They had to go through highly inclined stairs with only a carved handle on the cavern¡¯s wall side.


    In a few hours, they arrived at the bottom of the water wheel. It was ancient and mossy. The water was coming out from the top, the wheel had scoops on it that turned when the water flowed, it scoops when it got deep. There were holes in it so that it would only take a specific amount of water.


    They had to do a little swim to go to the other bank where the side of the water wheel goes up.


    Simon was the first one to go up. There at the top, the scoops would mechanically flip and spill into another canal that was high on top, this was where they would be going. It took a few tries since they needed to remove the water on the scoop. They had to because the wheel would stop turning if the scoop was too heavy.


    The canal was long, it was a little bit inclined to ensure that the water that the scoop brought would go down.


    To their surprise, they arrived at a dead end. It was the bottom of a well and one of them was familiar with it. ¡°We are in the town already!!!¡± Andy, who was familiar with the layout of the town, said so.


    Cluttering sounds, whipping and screams could be heard at a low volume from where they were ¡°Can you hear that?¡± Simon, who was leading the group, said again.


    ¡°There is a battle above?¡± Carla answered.


    <--->


    A few hours earlier¡­ in the northern wall battle.


    The core fighters who engaged where the walker concentrated managed to hold the line, and the retreat proceeded smoothly, albeit with some casualties.


    Vish was impressed by the lucky rabbit veteran, but she couldn''t dwell on it. They were currently in combat with four walkers. After a few exchanges, Vish could gauge that the walker fell somewhere between A and S rank in terms of strength. Engaging in team combat against an S-class monster was commonplace when delving into dungeons, especially the harsh ones on the frontier.


    The knights split into two groups, rallying other warriors and adventurers around them.


    ¡°Three escaped!¡± the Lucky Rabbit yelled, his movement followed blood trails from his lost arm that was first aided by tight clothes and magic.


    Percival spotted the walkers and prepared to intercept them. Percival, unlike typical northerners, had traveled extensively and picked up a few tricks, such as using the Magic Edge. His axe gleamed as he jumped into the air, using ''Blur'' to erase his presence. Descending, he swung the axe, a shield strapped to his back. Although unnecessary, he carried it for added weight. His strike took down one walker, surprising the other two, who quickly evaded him.


    The remaining walkers leaped high, aiming for the next gate. They began attacking it to break through. The walkers were methodical, targeting weak points and slicing open the gate. Percival swiftly launched an attack from behind. One walker engaged them while the other continued onward.


    Percival and his group launched a defensive attack, focused on preventing their escape. Two more gates remained before reaching the town''s exit.


    ¡°MORE WALKERS!!!¡± Gallo''s voice rang out.


    <--->


    Deep Roads.


    The well was as deep and as wide as one and a half times an adult''s body. The party walked, standing on the water within the well, while the bucket remained suspended above. Simon planned to propel himself upward using his wind and water blades, dropping down the pail for the others to climb up.


    Glancing back at the party, Simon noted their exhaustion.


    The water in the well was icy cold. Having grasped how the magic edge functioned, Simon could now distinctly differentiate between using the wind blade and the water blade.


    ¡°I''m going up now,¡± Simon informed them. They nodded in acknowledgment. Despite Paramour''s audible sighs, Simon remained unfazed.


    Riding atop the water blade, with the wind blade in hand, Simon began manipulating it. He utilized the water blade to carve a path in the air and the wind blade to propel himself upward.


    The rest of the party watched as he dashed upward.


    ....


    In a few moments, the pail dropped along with a rope. ¡°Walkers breached the wall!¡± and Simon screamed.


    Paramour¡¯s senses snapped like he was suddenly awakened. ¡°We have to get up there!! Follow my lead!!¡±


    Paramour rode on a snowboard and literally aiming sideward, he started a rotation that was going up. He used the rope of the pail to guide himself upwards, and after that, he started climbing while he would still use the rope to align his board properly.


    Andy totally got it and followed his lead. The same with the black hood too¡­ but the princess had a bit of a hard time. ¡°I¡¯ll just climb up¡­ normally,¡± she said. The black hood nodded as she left the princess in the well.


    ¡­


    ¡°They really left me¡­¡± Carla said like it was a curse. She stomped her feet twice before starting to climb up¡­ but then as she was beginning to climb up, the rope started ascending, and she gripped it tightly. Slowly it got faster and faster.


    ¡°TOO FAST!!! YOU IDIOTS!!!¡± she screamed. ¡°Aim for the farthest walker!!! it was the voice of the hero she heard. In a few moments, she was literally slingshot into the air, and she saw the situation of the battle.


    2 of the gates in the town had already been destroyed, and 10 to 15 more walkers were going in of the wall¡¯s gate. ¡°Shit!!! FIRE BALL,¡± she started firing fireballs all around aiming for the farthest walkers.

 Chapter 45 :: For Raphael

    Years ago.


    The school on the central would always thrive all the year, as students and teachers roam around it. It was always lively. The spring air was slowly fading and the heat was blowing from the eastern side of the continent. It was summer when Paramour and Raphael met. It was their 2nd year in the academy.


    Raphael was a social butterfly for his own good, totally good with girls and popular with everybody.


    While Paramour was the silent type, he had a hard time socializing especially since he was a bastard of a noble. His estranged background scarred him while growing up and girls? He had difficulty talking to them.


    It was out of sheer curiosity and being a rascal Raphael was the first one to approach the ever-loner Paramour, gloating as he had a few girlfriends here and there. He said that the innocent smile would always do the trick. But Paramour was not a good pretender; there would be scuffles between the two. But Paramour¡¯s honesty was the main reason Raphael loved hanging out with him.


    And now¡­ Paramour wallowed in the memory of his best friend. The underground settlement of the northerners was cold, but his feelings felt much colder.


    They didn''t have the chance to bring any part of his body. He was still there in the underground tunnel, buried in the debris along with the Spikes. Just thinking of it made Paramour burn.


    Paramour was eating alongside the warriors that survived the long fight that night when the Walkers almost broke the last gate.


    Simon suddenly sat in front of him. The boy had a steel on his face, he knew how to rouse the hero¡¯s spirits.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back,¡± Simon said, and in one sentence, the hero stopped eating.


    It would be suicide to go back there again, but Simon really had his mind set on what he would do next, he knew what words he should say.


    ¡°I buried the old man in the island where he was born¡­ he wanted it there¡­ how about Raphael, what would he like?¡± Simon added.


    It ignited the small burn in the hero¡¯s heart. He had been feeling bad and was now feeling worse¡­ how could he let his friend stay there¡­ cold and alone? His self guilt eating his heart out.


    ¡°... I would bury him near our school¡­ he loved it there?¡± Paramour spoke. It was the first time Simon saw the hero make that kind of grim face, trying to smile.


    ¡°Let us kill the ugly walker too in Raphael¡¯s honor,¡± it was the black hood who was listening along with the warriors and adventurers that were in the pantry eating. He stood up and looked at the hero and Simon.


    The warriors knew that they were not joking. They would come back.


    <--->


    The lucky rabbit, the lucky man that he was, was now on the bed. They had to properly cut his right arm as it was carved and ruined by the walker¡¯s tail blade. He screamed all night, and now he was at peace, looking at the ceiling.


    He didn¡¯t remember why he agreed to go to the north. He had just heard from a well-respected acquaintance that there was trouble up north and help was needed.


    ¡°Adventurer, you did good, rest,¡± for some reason, a large knight was together with him. It was Vish, the leader of the knights. She saved him when he almost died. As far as he could remember, she was also the one who fixed his arm.


    ¡°You should retreat now¡­ we will probably lose. The 6-legged enemies are totally on berserk; they are fighting intending to die,¡± Lucky Rabbit warned.


    ¡°What would you do?¡± Vish asked him.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I would stay, use all the luck in my body¡­ we are all going to die someday¡­ the wall is important¡­ probably,¡± the Lucky Rabbit smiled.


    Vish stood up and glared at Lucky Rabbit. ¡°Hmm¡­ find me when this is all finished,¡± was the only word she said, and she went outside the room. There were others there inside screaming in pain.


    A hall under the town was instantly turned into the sick bay as per Gallo¡¯s instructions, the Forest Folk were there tending the wounded, easing the dying.


    <--->


    Gallo was at his desk, with a frustrated face. He was calculating, minimizing the damage, the ammo of the cannons¡­ they would only last a few more days. When would the enemies end?


    There were so many uncertainties but not enough information at hand. Afara, who was by his side, placed another warm tea beside him.


    Gallo snapped; he needed air. For the first time, he felt nausea from the smell of the salt pepper they were using, or it was probably the scent of the burnt spikes outside of the wall.


    He then walked outside of his room, inhaling and exhaling. Afara saw this, but he let him be; he needed it.


    Gallo finally knelt. ''Maybe I should escape¡­ I can still make it¡­ I can¡¯t save them all¡­ I¡¯m just a boy,'' he thought¡­ guilt¡­ despair, and losing lives for the first time¡­ he was just a boy¡­ the pressure was breaking him apart¡­ he started walking left and right, feeling restless.


    And he thought everything in war was simple.


    He could still smell the smoke and blood everywhere, his vivid mind was backfiring on him¡­ he was frustrated¡­ he kept walking.


    ¡°Tie it!!! I will stay!!!¡± he then heard a familiar voice. And before he realized it, he was in front of the princess¡¯s quarters¡­ she was together with her knights.


    <--->


    The room was cold, totally different from her room back in the central continent. They only had two wooden boxes as stools. Their own cloaks were the only thing that they could use to sleep and rest. It was the most un-royal type of place the princess shouldn¡¯t be on but she felt attached to it. She would not leave until all was finished.


    ¡°Princess, please¡­ I can mend it, but it would still sting!!¡± the knight with the magic of healing said.


    ¡°Just tie it!! And go in the sick bay and help the wounded¡­ don¡¯t waste your time on me!!!¡± the princess was demanding like the princess that she was.


    ¡°Princess¡­ we must retreat¡­ if the wall falls¡­ Samara is not here; we have no magic to escape!¡± another of her female knights pleaded with the princess.


    ¡°For long we nobles have lived in the comfort of our riches¡­ we are born with it¡­ entitled with it¡­ the history of our ancestors¡­ the name of our blood¡­¡± the princess then stood up.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°The Nobles Oblige: We Lead, We Protect, We Fight.¡± She then tapped her sprained ankle, and finally, the healer knight tied it tightly. ¡°If I backed down from this¡­ if my ancestor backed down from anything¡­ I would not be here,¡± Carla smiled¡­ the healer started sniffing for a bit.


    ¡°Then allow me to escort you¡­ let me be by your side,¡± one knight said, and all of the knights in the room knelt to her.


    ¡°I will see this to the end... don''t worry, I will not die here,¡± Carla said.


    <--->


    Gallo was listening, it was uncouth for him to do it but those words from the princess were what he needed right now.


    It''s been a long time since Gallo has heard it¡­ Noble Oblige. Because of the exceptional commoners that have risen in the ranks and the hero system, the nobles have forgotten why they were nobles in the first place.


    Gallo then stood up¡­ he was surprised to see that Simon was already standing there, he didn¡¯t even hear him coming. ¡°You are crying?¡± Simon asked, just to be sure.


    ¡°... No, I¡¯m not¡­ it¡¯s the smell of the salt pepper¡­ it''s stinging my eyes and nose,¡± Gallo answered.


    ¡°... We want to go back there,¡± Simon suddenly said, this was the reason he approached Gallo.


    ¡°...¡± Gallo looked into Simon¡¯s eyes¡­ he was serious.


    ¡°SLAM!!!!!¡± the door of the princess room suddenly opened hard.


    ¡°What the hell are you 2 doing in front of my room!!!¡± Carla screamed with a tinge of embarrassment.


    ¡°Boobs Oblique?¡± Simon suddenly asked. Carla instantly blushed as she tried to smack Simon, which Simon dodged effectively. ¡°Don¡¯t move!! By royal decree!! Don¡¯t move!!! Let me smack you twice!!!¡± Carla''s face was hot and the pain in her feet disappeared as she had a new goal to smack the boy, and Simon wondered why.


    Carla then saw Gallo standing there¡­ ¡°Hello¡­ ouch!!!¡± and she smacked Gallo on the head before the redhead even reacted.


    <--->


    They were in the room of Gallo in the wall. Papers were stacked everywhere, and cluttered things of random use were displayed on the floor. It was not the updated state of the field but Gallo used it to emulate on his mind.


    Simon was a boy of unknown origins. He tuckered his hand in his pocket while he was chewing meat on his other hand.


    Carla Felafel was a princess that was from the central continent, an imperial princess to that. She glared at Simon because he was uncouth, stupid, and a bullock. She waved her hair that hadn¡¯t been properly washed for days. Still, she was confident with herself.


    The Hero of the Era Paramour was just on the opened door leaning and silently pondering. He was waiting for the red-haired boy. He knew what they were asking was a bit of crazy.


    Was there any other way? These words have been circling around Gallo''s mind for a while. It was suicide... It was the first time he''d be sending soldiers to die.


    Yesterday¡­ and into the night, the attack was so devastating. If the hero and his party who arrived out of a well were late, they would have been annihilated. Percival led the defense; if it wasn¡¯t for him, more lives would have been saved¡­ the knights really respected him after the battle.


    Even then the princess''s knights have been endorsing her to retreat, which she ignored. ¡®I will see this to the end... don''t worry, I don''t plan to die here,¡¯ her words flashed back on Gallo¡¯s mind.


    The attack of the walkers destroyed 2 of the layered gates inside the wall. Some of the walkers even upscaled the lower walls and attacked the warriors on top.


    ¡°And it was all going smoothly¡­¡± Gallo sighed... he started stating the plan, his voice was shaky, and it was the pressure that made him stop and gulp sometimes. Lives were within his words.


    ¡­


    Gallo finished stating the plan but he was just staring down waiting for any objections... the representatives of warriors and adventurers were letting him be, and nobody was insensitive enough to tell him anything¡­ after the battle, they had 4 hours of peace but after that, the siege continued, and was still happening¡­ but their side had dwindled¡­ some of the walls'' storage were even destroyed. Gallo should have moved the new stores to a safer location.


    They would not last much longer. Gallo actually expected this but¡­ the walkers are starting to mix with the waves. He had devised a plan to counter them but it was taking a toll for the knights, adventurers, and the warriors. 4 days more¡­ if everything goes fine.


    ¡°You heard the plan... what do you think?¡± Gallo said while scratching his head.


    The plan was simple: the princess would open the same collapse she made during their escape, go back there to attack the mutated walker, and the princess would be on standby at the seal to open it for their escape, but the problem is what comes after. There is a 50% chance that they will be flooded by spikes.


    Once was enough to take caution... they lost Raphael through that, and his sacrifice will be remembered.


    ¡°I will go... but just for the record how is the survival chance?¡± Percival asked.


    ¡°20 percent chance, even with the hero and Simon¡­ we don¡¯t know much¡­ I don¡¯t know that much,¡± the red-haired boy answered without batting an eye from Percival.


    It was an honest answer. ¡®It might be the right time to use it,¡¯ Percival thought... it was time to use the relic Zhisata gave him.


    <--->


    Preparation, was the key to everything, the reason for a time to be well spent. But not everything could be predicted which means everything couldn¡¯t be prepared against. A truth that Percival embraced. They were just near a guard house a few walks into the wolf-carved gate.


    ¡°I don''t want to... just don''t use it,¡± It was Simon''s answer to Percival''s request.


    ¡°But we will¡­¡± He tried to persuade Simon to be the carrier of the relic to Zhisata after he died.


    ¡°... Okay... but only use it when there''s no more choice,¡± Simon sighed.


    Percival smiled and tapped his back. ¡°It would be an honor to fight together with you,¡± it might be their final talk as they were going on the suicide mission.


    Simon left him be to prepare¡­ Percival realized that even though Simon was showing no fear, the boy knew that he was needed¡­ he was not sure if the boy was just brave or just had his emotion dulled¡­ he was needed to do the mission and that¡¯s all it is¡­


    <--->


    Back into the deep roads.


    The more they wait, the more warriors and soldiers die. As soon as they were ready, they went down the well again¡­ it was where the hidden tunnel was¡­ they exited from there the day before and they will be coming back.


    After a few hours, they found themselves on the same collapse, it was around 10 meters but to Carla it was easy to create a path, she left the entrance sealed as she created a tunnel in the collapse turning it into a closing and opening block, she reinforced it, it only took her 20 minutes to do it.


    ¡°There are still enemies there¡± one of the knights who was using magic sense warned them.


    The princess looked at the elite team. It was composed of the Hero, the Black Hood, Percival, and finally Simon.


    ¡°Good luck... if you can break through and buy a chance to stop the flooding then I will use all my power to undo this seal and let you through then seal it back again... use the sticky notes!¡± Carla wanted to go with them... if she wasn''t a princess of the empire.


    She then cast another magic¡­ a corpse comes out of the collapse. It was half burnt, Paramour glared as he saw the body. The tattered clothes were a familiar green¡­ it was Raphael¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°We will take care of him¡± The knight immediately took out a large clothes and wrapped the body in it.


    Carla was quite a sheltered princess¡­ though she would sometimes go with his older brother in the dungeons she had been fighting together with adventurers, and their goal was always one of the 2. To raise money or become more efficient in battle, gaining power is the natural way in the emperor¡¯s family.


    She have never felt regret about parting with those adventurers¡­ but this group here¡­ they were amazing¡­ they were a bit crazy as they are good too¡­ she sniffed up a little thinking that she would probably not see all of them again.


    She opened the collapse by pushing the block, it revealed the path she created. Spikes emerged from if as if they had been waiting for them, Simon and Percival quickly cut down the spikes that tried to pass, there were a lot of them.


    ¡°Buy me a minute!¡± the princess screamed as she prepared to fire a large fire magic.


    Simon nodded while the hero who¡¯s first to act continued mowing down like a madman, the continuous butchering made two minutes short.


    ¡°I will see you all soon,¡± Carla¡¯s magic reached its peak and turned it into a giant ball of fire. Using her hands to direct the fire it turned into an arrow and flew into the hole.


    Simon and Paramour didn¡¯t need the warning, the two went to their opposite side letting the magic fly. A space and burned meat was created from the fireball that flew.


    The air inside was completely depleted and out of her good will, she used wind magic to make the airflow while closing the hole.


    ¡°Princess! You are using wind magic amazing!¡± the knight exclaimed.


    Carla was actually not good with wind magic but for some reason after feeling frustrated because she couldn¡¯t go together with them, she was able to use this magic.


    As soon as they were inside the collapse was closed down. The Black Hood immediately activated buffs except for Simon then he shared his magic sense with them¡­ since Simon can see in the dark they started seeing too¡­ the black hood would still maintain a small orb of light.


    The hero was pumped up and the others shared his sentiment. He had no word but Simon just had to say it.


    ¡°Let''s do this for Raphael,¡± Simon said, he stepped up in the front¡­

 Chapter 46 :: 2 Front Battles

    They were a party of the 4. Paramour; the hero of the era, Black Hood, Percival of the Wolf Tribe, and Simon. They will have to trust each other¡¯s back to succeed.


    The hero tapped Simon''s back¡­ ¡°It''s been a short while¡­ we will survive,¡± the Hero said firmly. Simon looked at the hero... the party. Their face was calm but their eyes showed determination. The black hood and Percival noticed Simon''s face... it was serene.


    The situation didn''t reflect on Simon''s face. He must had balls of steel.


    They were quick, they had no idea how far the princess¡¯s fire spell reached but it would probably buy them a few minutes before another wave arrived.


    They followed the wake of the fireball. The heat of the magic still lingered in the air.


    They quickly noticed the enemies... Spikes... 1...2... 11 of them. Simon started moving. The hero was following behind. He had to conserve his strength... of all the uncertainty that might happen... he was the only one who could kill the Mutated Spike.


    Simon made quick work of the Spikes... the 4 Bladed sword was just too effective.


    Gallo said that if the Spikes were really intelligent then they knew that they would be back to finish the mission and would be waiting there¡­ and Gallo was right¡­ it was scary how accurate Gallo''s predictions were.


    After a few meters of walking they stopped, they rode on the snowboard cast with magic edges, these snowboards were upgraded by Gallo and could travel much faster. While Simon and Paramour were at the back they were holding a chained weapon made out of the walker¡¯s blade, the black hood, and Percival was in the front holding a shield forward.


    The chained walker blades were Simon''s idea.


    In this way, they immediately traversed the ascending tunnel. The combination of Simon¡¯s Magic Edge that activated the effect of the walker¡¯s blades and the hero¡¯s Magic Edge Level 2 created a chained blade that literally butchered whatever it touched.


    ¡­


    Hours into their travel¡­ it would be in sight¡­ as soon as they passed the gate the princess opened Percival and Simon moved into the front, they threw the chained blade forward killing more spikes, the other mutated walker should be on the end of the tunnel.


    There was a problem though.


    If the flooding broke the seal Carla made it should be there¡­ it was dark, and the light coming from the black hood and the shared senses was the only thing they had for now. The Black Hood sends the orb of light forward revealing the massive count of spikes inside the cavern. The 2 front liners Simon and Percival cleared a path, Simon cleaved, and Percival fortified the space.


    ¡°I''ll buy you all the time you need... push forward!¡± Percival exclaimed, he then used earth magic to elevate the party, he created a way forward, and the swarm of spikes coming from the broken seal poured in. Simon quickly disappeared, and as expected there were walkers inside the cavern. The hero ran forward, behind him was the black hood. Simon made sure the path was clear.


    Their formation instantly shifts and Percival was the rear guard, he would kill the lesser spikes. ¡°I will blind them!!!¡± Paramour said as he moved forward, the tip of his spear flashed with fire.


    The swarming spikes were blinded by the light since they were accustomed to seeing in the dark, the black hood reinforced this light more, and even Simon who was battling with the walkers had to squint his eyes.


    The battle march continued forward.


    A few meters¡­ it was there as if it was waiting for them¡­ as the bodies of Spike flew¡­ Paramour smiled he had never been that excited fighting against monsters in the dungeon but this fight¡­ he would totally savor it, it was revenge.


    <--->


    The attack on the wall became intensified. The spikes had suddenly evolved¡­ but they were attacking with everything they had¡­ one of the spikes fell down, and the warriors left it as it looked dead... the spikes would usually stop moving after a slash on its belly but this one¡­ it stood up.


    Vish was on the top of the walls fighting too.


    ¡°Defend the cannons!!! If we lose them they will be flooding us!!¡± it was Gallo screaming on the top of the tower on the east side of the wall. He was accurately pinpointing the archer¡¯s targets.


    But then it appeared. On the right side, were the dying screams of the humans that were standing on the wall.


    ¡°WALKER!!!!¡± a walker climbs up into the tower. It quickly felled some adventurers and a knight, Vish screamed in anger as she covered for the walker.


    Gallo saw this but he couldn¡¯t do anything but assist using the archers. The plans were failing.


    <--->


    A few days backward. Somewhere in the central continent.


    Tenma was a western mage of origin, few of the mages that could use teleport, in her capacity she could do a 5 person teleport including herself.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    She was sent days ago to bring the message to the empire¡­ but she knew nothing would happen even if the princess requested it. Any decisions or pieces of information would always go through the ministers first, this would take about a week. The ministers were hard to summon, even the emperor would have to wait for some time after summoning them.


    But Tenma as a noble and a knight had many connections. It took her 14 teleports to arrive, she could only cast 7 teleports per day and side effects would consume her. Teleport magic was a complex magic that consumed magic depending on the distance and calculation of travel, including the face check if you were going to teleport on a wall.


    On the eastern part of the central continent lay a large forest that extended to the southern ends of the world. A clan of hunters lived there, they were one of the newly promoted commoners into nobles.


    <--->


    Neward Clan.


    They are famous around the world, their clan has a lot of renowned hunters. Throughout history, they were one of the outsiders who came from the seas on the unknown west. Now with the new patriarch, they were one of the rising nobles in the central.


    Tenma knew of the patriarch of the Neward. They spent some time as party members before¡­ she blushed as she remembered a bit of their past but had to thicken her skin for the princess.


    The Neward Clan''s house was literally fused with a large tree, there were few more structures up but she knew where the main door was, she had been there once upon a time. The first floor was still above 4 meters high, the hunters would usually hang ropes there but it was winter, and their activities ceased to exist during this season.


    ¡°Regrin!!!¡± she screamed. After a while the door of the house opened and a woman came out, she dropped a rope that was just on their veranda, and the woman slid down.


    ¡°Who are you knight?¡± the woman appeared with a mean demeanor to her. ¡°Good day to you mam, My name is Tenma Hikari, I would like to talk to your patriarch, Regrin Neward?¡± Tenma still showed her respect worthy of her being a knight. The woman smiled and she looked up¡­ it seemed the person in question was there peaking on the windows¡­ there was also a boy there looking down.


    ¡°Well, well!!! Tenma!! Long time no see!! Lars, stay here for a while!¡± Regrin said and he went out of their house¡¯s veranda and slid into the rope down the ground. Regrin had brownish hair, a trait of the man of their clan. He was of a normal height and a build leaning to a thinner one. He was handsome and made Tenma remember some things that she shouldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°I need help¡­ the northern wall is under attack!!¡± Tenma immediately spoke.


    ¡°Slow down¡­ If you are low on magic, come inside and have something to drink, it''s cold outside¡­ Uhm this is my wife Maricela¡­¡± Regrin said pointing using his hands.


    The 2 women just looked at each other¡­ Regrin felt that there was something awkward between them. ¡°Uhm¡­ let¡¯s get inside?¡± It was a question from Regrin.


    <--->


    After summarizing what was happening in the northern wall Regrin and Maricela immediately agreed to help.


    ¡°Lars stay here¡­ if you want to feed your birds then hunt, stop taking from the storage you rascal!¡± Regrin was getting ready while he was warning his boy.


    ¡°Yes, father!¡± The boy nodded ¡°Good boy¡­ we will be back after a few days¡± Regrin smiled and patted his boy¡¯s shoulder.


    Tenma can tell that Lars was the mirror image of Regrin when he was young. She just wished he wouldn¡¯t grow up a womanizer like his father.


    ¡°We are ready miss?¡± Maricela put an intonation on the ¡°miss¡± word turning it into a question, Tenma hadn¡¯t introduced herself properly. ¡°My name is Tenma Hikari, I¡¯m from the western continent¡­ your husband and I were acquaintances before¡± Tenma answered in confidence.


    ¡°Is that so¡­¡± Maricela looked at her up and down and looked at Regrin¡­ Regrin was sweating buckets. ¡°Please¡­ we are actually in a hurry¡± Tenma broke the awkwardness with her words. ¡°We are ready let¡¯s go!!¡± Regrin raised his fist as a gesture.


    The 3 went out of the house into the veranda. ¡°Hold onto my shoulders please,¡± Tenma said, she then drank a magic potion. ¡°Doesn¡¯t that taste bad?¡± Maricela asked as she watched Tenma drink the potion in her bitter face.


    Tenma had no choice but to swallow the potion, she would probably need to consume more to send the 3 of them back into the eastern frontier.


    ¡°Teleport!!!¡±


    <--->


    Gallo couldn¡¯t help but bite his lips as he saw the warriors on the top of the wall struggling in the fight¡­ another walker was coming, he could hear the screams of it but Vish and some of the knights were still busy dealing with another one.


    ¡°Die!!! Just die!!!¡± Vish was raging on as he kept on hacking into the walker. The walker was already filled with wounds but it was still fighting.


    ¡°Sir Gallo!!! Behind!!¡± while Gallo was lost in thought, Afara who was together with him the whole time warned.


    Something was glowing in the middle of the tower where Gallo¡¯s shelter was. It was the first time he saw this, the archers who were together with him saw it too and they pointed their arrows at it.


    ¡°FLASH!!!¡±


    ¡°No!!! We are not enemies!!¡± it was the same knight that the princess sent days ago to get reinforcement¡­ but she only brought 2 people, a male and a female.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got back up!!¡± she screamed as she raised her hands, the knight then knelt dropping her hands onto the ground¡­ she was feeling nauseous, she actually did 9 teleports from morning to evening, although the magic potion refilled her magic the exhaustion of her brain still hits her.


    ¡°Are you okay Tenma? Oh, my boars!!! The hell is that ugly shits!!!!!!??¡± a man that was carrying a bow saw the situation below. ¡°Regrin do your job! They need support!!!¡± the woman said like a slave driver.


    ¡°You are¡­ The Owl!!! The Owl of the Neward!!¡± Gallo immediately noticed the emblem on the man¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Oh, you know me? Well, this will be much easier¡­ my wife Maricela in a few moments would start singing¡­ it will buff the people that can hear it, is there a place where she could sing safely?¡± Regrin was humble and courteous in the way he spoke.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ use this¡­ and sir Owl¡­ can you kill those standing bastards?!!¡± Gallo instantly regained his anchors, he gave the tool that increased his voice to the woman, and one of the engineers that was there instantly explained to her how to use it.


    Regrin was quite surprised, it was true, the commander of the battle was just a child¡­ not far from the age of his son who just enjoyed hunting in their forest. ¡°I will try but I¡¯ve only got limited arrows¡­ what is your name?¡± Regrin asked.


    ¡°Gallo Marcia of the Marcian lands,¡± Gallo did a quick noble¡¯s gesture of sincerity by putting his hands on his chest and a bow¡­ Regrin did the same. ¡°Regrin Neward¡­ let¡¯s get to work!¡± Regrin smiled¡­ the red hair was quite familiar and he already had an idea, he just had to make sure.


    Regrin immediately went to the side of the tower and he fired an arrow directly hitting the walker that just came¡­ he specifically aimed for the head and it burst. ¡°Hmm¡­ that was my best arrow¡­ I¡¯ve got a 150 on my 3 quills¡± Regrin said. Then he fired another arrow at the one Vish was fighting against and it died.


    ¡°Please sir Owl just aim for the walkers that would climb up the wall!!¡± Gallo said in excitement¡­ finally¡­ hope was here.


    He just wished that the Hero¡¯s Party would be successful.


    ¡°Hmm, how about putting it on a stand so I don¡¯t have to hold it¡± The tension was drained by Maricela¡¯s request. (It would turn out to be the first microphone magically engineered though)

 Chapter 47 :: Mutated Walker

    Excerpts from the Book of Heroes ##


    Paramour of the Searing Flame - 5th Passage


    ...the battle was in darkness... with only the light from the hero¡¯s spear, he fought against numerous monsters that emerged from the abyss... until finally, the largest one remained. The strongest of them all against the strongest of humanity.


    It scorned the hero for killing its brethren, but it was the hero¡¯s purpose, to protect his own species; the monster from the darkness must fall now.


    <--->


    The light in the cavern instantly faded. The eyes of the Spikes and Walkers burned. Even though it was just a moment, the party saw their target looming in the dark, unscathed by the light.


    The mutated walker looked different... it had linings all over its body dimming on and off as it was breathing. Its exoskeleton was now much more apparent. The magic and blood lust it was exuding was more sharper.


    Paramour¡¯s sudden flash of light really did a number on the spikes and walkers. To add to that, there were walkers everywhere who were also enraged... to the point that they would attack anything in front of them. Since they were enraged, they continued their attacks; most of them were attacking blindly... they didn¡¯t know if it was an enemy or a foe.


    Simon jumped away from the blinded walkers that butchered themselves. ¡°If I have a longer weapon I can kill the two,¡± Simon said, with a bloody walker¡¯s blade in his hand, each one coming from the different walkers he had slain.


    He approached the black hood that was in the middle of the formation, without words Simon showed him the tail blades he had collected on the fight.


    ¡°You want me to make this into a sword?!¡± the Black Hood was surprised, but he got the idea that each walker tail blade would produce a slash on Simon¡¯s hands. ¡°What if I make you the same sword that you are using?¡± the Black Hood asked.


    ¡°Can¡¯t use two swords at once,¡± Simon answered, and he went back to the battle as soon as the walkers regained their sight.


    Paramour and Percival were close by, so they could hear what they were talking about.


    ¡°You got 15¡­ minutes, Hoodie,¡± Paramour said. It was rare for Paramour to agree to almost everything someone suggested; that was how much trust he put in Simon.


    ¡°Fucking Spikes!!! Eat this!!!¡± Percival dropped his shield and held his axe two-handedly; he then jumped from the raised earth into a fray of still-blinded spikes, and he started spinning widely. The spikes were instantly dismembered. He then threw his axe at one of the walkers who was battling with Simon.


    Simon dodged the axe, and the walker instantly died with its brains spluttered. Simon quickly took the large axe and threw it back to Percival, who was now holding his shield.


    ¡°What the hell is that combo!!!¡± The Black Hood said as he was still aware of his surroundings.


    Paramour could hear the battle but he was in a stare-down with the mutated spike, which was still not making a move.


    ¡°Simon!! LINE UP!!!¡± Percival suddenly screamed again. Simon reacted by baiting the spikes forming a lined-up group, the boy was using his footwork and it was effective.


    The large northerner threw his axe again in the direction of Simon; it literally killed dozens of spikes and another walker on Simon¡¯s side. Then Simon caught the axe in the air by the handle, and by its momentum, he spun, changing his position. Then he threw back the axe; it killed another bunch of unsuspecting spikes.


    ¡°That¡¯s the combo!! Thanks, kid!!¡± Percival happily caught his axe. Paramour glanced in their direction; the boys were clearly enjoying the fight.


    ¡°Simon, how did you place the blade next to each other?!!¡± suddenly the Black Hood asked.


    ¡°Carve the top of the blade or the bottom!!!¡± Simon answered as he continuously parried the attacks of the walkers.


    ¡°Got it!!¡± the Black Hood took a silver knife from his bag and started carving.


    The hero holding his spear was still on the stare down ''Why was it not doing anything? Is it planning something?'' These things ran on Paramour¡¯s mind. He was steadily watching the mutated walker... he could tell that it was also staring at them.


    ¡°SIMON!!!!¡± the Black Hood screamed as he threw the newly crafted weapon. Simon removed his bag, throwing it to an area he thought was safe, along with the 4x Walker Sword he was using. He caught the 6x Walker Sword in his two hands.


    ¡°Perfect¡­¡± Simon had been using only one hand ever since... but he was trained by the old man to use his two hands when in swordplay.


    The 6x Walker Blade glowed a bit more red. He then performed a wide slash.


    Unlike when he was using the 4x Walker Blade, the slashes he created whenever he swung looked like wind slashes that had a tint of red on them.


    But the six slashes he produced created red-like slashes around Simon; the surprised walkers died, some lost their tails, some their limbs. Their fluid sprawled into the air.


    The walkers that evaded used their upper limbs to defend themselves; few lost their arms. Simon smiled; it really felt good doing that move. Ideas began to flow into his mind.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Simon, watch out!!!¡± Paramour warned. The hero was caught off guard as the mutated walker moved at a low stance at an extreme speed.


    Unlike the normal walkers, the mutated walker attacked not only with its tails but also using claws on its hands. A spike that evolved to imitate human¡¯s versatility.


    Simon jumped away, and the three-fingered claws created a vacuum of slash on the ground. Some gashed his clothes but there was no blood... he tried parrying them but realized that it was not possible, so he threw a wind knife. It produced a wind blade spinning, but it deteriorated when it collided with the vacuum slash from the claws. Both of its wind blades dispersed. Simon was safe.


    ¡°I got 2 more,¡± Simon said. He only had six in the first place.


    Paramour was already bee-lining to the mutated walker; he launched an attack. His spear was already on a magic blade, the mutated walker parried with his claws. They had a standoff for a while. ¡°I¡¯m going to slay you,¡± Paramour said, face-to-face with the mutated walker.


    The mutated walker was taller than Paramour.


    Paramour¡¯s spear slowly glowed more intensely; it was the magic edge level 2, giving the weapon an elemental value.


    The heat seared the mutated walker¡¯s claws; it used brute force to break the standoff. The two began a series of clashing attacks, Paramour relying on his spear play while the mutated walker on its instincts.


    Simon was back again, fighting against the walkers... ¡°Eight more,¡± Simon said as he slayed another walker, slashing its head. The walkers helped each other when fighting against Simon when he was attacked in the tunnels.


    This time they were just mindlessly attacking him, with his new sword, its weight, and the six focused slashes that could break their tails... he was killing one walker at a time.


    ¡°Guys!!! I¡¯m gonna do Cleaving Earth! Two minutes!!¡± suddenly Percival screamed. The party knew of this move. It¡¯s an earth magic combined with Percival¡¯s swinging axe. To put it simply, he just used a magic edge level 2 and swung it as hard as he could.


    Earth mages are usually good carpenters and builders outside of their fighting, and earth mages use this skill to excavate. It was just this skill combined with Percival¡¯s ridiculous strength.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready!!!¡± Simon confirmed...


    ¡°A bit to the left, Sir Percival!!¡± Black Hood said.


    ¡°Do it!!!¡± Paramour screamed.


    Percival jumped into the air; Percival had this Earthen Sense too but not as prominent as the princess¡¯s but it was enough for him to be aware of his surroundings. He had already determined the direction of his Cleaving Earth.


    ¡°Hurrah!!!!¡± he screamed; northerners are known screamers when in the heat of battle. The Cleaving Earth traveled, creating a bursting fissure that released whatever was below; rather than cleaving enemies, it actually pulverized them.


    The Black Hood was watching Percival¡¯s back; he was on fending-off duty, as attacks from behind can be very brutal.


    ¡°Thanks for the assist!! I¡¯ve got space!!!¡± Paramour says. The attack made the Mutated Walker jump back, and it was a fatal mistake against Paramour; he went into a stance. Simon knew what skill the hero was doing, and the Black Hood knew the dance he was about to perform.


    The Sun Dance.


    ¡°The dark is so cold, the wind has no life¡±


    ¡°We scream against the odds, lie against strife¡±


    ¡°Hold your head high, feel the warmth of the sun¡±


    ¡°We feel our lives, we never stop the run¡±


    ¡°For the lands hold the origin of life¡±


    ¡°For the lands, ye hold the ending of life¡±


    ¡°For I carry the trident of the fire¡±


    ¡°A flame that¡¯s bursting with magic and ire¡±


    This skill is actually a double effect; it reinvigorates allies and melts enemies. Simon basks in its warm feeling. ¡°He should have done this from the start...¡±


    The Black Hood instantly canceled the Umbra Eyes as the whole cavern was basked in the hero¡¯s light.


    Simon sometimes never understands why Paramour or Percival would do the things they do; they have sparred many times, and sometimes he doesn¡¯t understand their actions¡ªsome were effective, some were not.


    The Mutated Walker felt the heat, but it didn¡¯t melt; rather, it changed targets. As the room was cleared of its allies, it saw Simon, Percival, and the Black Hood.


    ¡°Dodge!!¡± Simon screamed. The Black Hood and Percival instantly became wary and both jumped away; the Mutated Walker assaulted them, specifically the Black Hood.


    ¡°Simon, help!!! Paramour can¡¯t stop the dance now that he has started!!¡± the Black Hood screamed. Simon swiftly moved. Percival used his axe to deflect the claws of the Mutated Walker as the monster landed at the earthen elevation of Percival.


    He wasn¡¯t successful,  and he couldn¡¯t move as the two made a stand-off. Percival was not an avid user of strengthening skills; the Black Hood tried to cast it, but... ¡°NO!!! It will attack you from behind with its tails!!!¡± Simon warned the Black Hood. The Black Hood hid his staff and took out a sword.


    The Mutated Walker¡¯s tails flew to him. He deflected 2 tail blades out of six. ¡°Aargh!!!¡± Percival screamed; he cast another earth magic, creating a defensive barrier for the Black Hood. It was enough; Simon arrived in time and deflected the tails.


    The Black Hood upon seeing the opportunity successfully cast a strengthening magic on Percival, and Percival pushed the Mutated Walker a little. That was really dangerous, Percival thought; there were only four of them if one of them got hit, they would be in deep trouble.


    The three began their teamwork in surviving the onslaught of the Mutated Walker. Unlike Simon, who was accustomed to deflecting the attacks, the other two were not as good as him. Simon instantly noticed a smell; the Mutated Spike was excreting some kind of liquid on its tail...


    ¡°Be careful! The blades are poisoned!!¡± Simon said.


    Percival used his shield and axe to block and parry the attack. The Black Hood was dodging and parrying with his sword while keeping track of Paramour¡¯s dance.


    ¡°The song is almost over!!! I will cast Umbra Eyes again, Sir Percival!!¡± the Black Hood spoke his intentions. The buff was needed for them to see in the dark.


    ...


    Paramour clearly eradicated every enemy inside the cavern... except, of course, the Mutated Walker, which was still alive. But along the lines of openings, mistakes, and opportunities, the few seconds of blindness before the Umbra Eyes effects are one of the opportunities the last Walker was waiting for. That¡¯s what it was observing earlier.


    ¡°It''s attacking!!!¡± Simon warned; he was the only one who could act as their eyes during the few seconds of opening. The Mutated Walker timed its attack as soon as the Black Hood cast his magic; it would only take a few seconds for the Umbra Eyes to affect them, and it was enough.


    ¡°Sir Percival! let¡¯s jump back.¡± The magic was cast, but the delay of the effect was still there, the two had to do something and Black Hood suggested the jump but...


    ¡°No!!! You will be in range of its tails!!¡± Simon, who had been fighting them, knew that the tail was deadlier than the claws. Simon screamed, but the two already were on the move; Simon was on the move too. He must do something.


    ¡°What is happening!!!¡± Paramour, unable to move as his eyes were still blinded by the dark... for any level of adventurers, this was bound to happen... mistakes.


    The tails were flexible; the two were not the monster¡¯s target... it was the boy... if it eliminated him... then it would be hard to parry its tail attacks. Its tails instantly shifted direction into the boy who was running to the rescue of his two brethren.


    Simon finally realized... as the moment proceeded... he could not change what would happen next... he could only confront it. ¡°Think from the beginning of your movement until its end and move without hesitation.¡± Those words resounded in Simon''s mind.

 Chapter 48 :: Slime Walker

    Deep in the heart of the unknown northern mountains. Screams of desperation diffused by the winds raging and cold whispering. A boy was now faced with something that one would call fate.


    He has been in this helpless situation before; he fell into a trance, deeper and deeper. He held his sword firmly in his hands. He started hearing the blades whipping.


    Simon then stood in his position steadily, he was firm and his determination shone through. The attack was faster than that of the normal walkers, given the Mutated Walker was in a more powered-up state.


    As soon as the tail blades were in range, Simon began moving in reaction. It was just a horizontal sword swing, but it created a swirling motion of air. He felt his swing become heavier and heavier; the tails were getting swept with his swing. Everything was in slow motion.


    The tails were literally sucked into the circle that Simon created, twisting and breaking one of the tails. The Mutated Walker was surprised as its body began leaving the ground. When the slash finished the Walker flew away on one side of the cavern.


    But...


    ¡°Simon!!! Paramour, Simon is poisoned!!!¡± Percival screamed; he was the first one to recover his eyes in the dark.


    The one tail blade Simon tore hit him in the shoulder. Simon immediately removed it, but the poison was already there.


    The boy knelt down, and he immediately found the remaining stamina potion that was in his belly bag. He gulped it down in one go.


    ¡°I¡¯m still okay! Paramour, we have to finish this!!!¡± the boy¡¯s eyes glimmered fiercely.


    It was dark, but Percival could tell through the smell; that the wound was infested with poison.


    Their time was now limited.


    ¡°GaaaaaaaaAAAARGHHHH!!!¡± the Mutated Spike screamed in anger, pain, and rage.


    It had to end now, or they would probably lose Simon. The more he moved, the more the poison moved.


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± Paramour was furious. He shouldn¡¯t have done the dance immediately. It was out of his expectations¡­ Raphael...


    He took out a small magic stone. Rather than for use, it was actually a remembrance of how Raphael and Paramour created the Spear Flare combo, and they have been using it ever since the accident in the Weeping Mines.


    It was a wind stone. He accidentally hit it with his level 2 magic edge during one of their adventures, and the Spear Flare was created.


    The Mutated Walker immediately understood his surroundings; the hero was coming to him. It had to happen now. The walker ran into an attacking frenzy, claws and tail blades. He has to bring down the boy, now that he was poisoned it must be much easier.


    It seemed that the stamina potion given to him by the Black Hood was doing the trick. Percival and the Black Hood ran to Simon to help the boy but they knew that they won¡¯t make it. The Black Hood though began buffing the party, he just needed to see them and he could apply it.


    The boy was aware that his moves were now limited, he had to choose wisely, not only that he was being targeted ¡°I¡¯m going to do it again!!!¡± Simon screamed. As the tail blades hit him, he did the same spinning move he used earlier, changing the angle of his sword, tilting it a bit upwards.


    The slashes from his 6x Walker Sword flung the monster upwards.


    ¡°Retreat!!!¡± Percival commanded. The three followed. The Spear Flare created using the Wind Stone is not the same as the Spear Flare of Raphael and the Hero.


    Paramour threw the wind stone to the Mutated Walker in the air, who helplessly tried to correct his posture, but it was too late.


    ¡°DIE!!!¡± then the hero of the era threw his spear, which was with a level 2 magic edge. Instead of the usual laser-like effect of the Spear Flare, it was an orb-type effect. The whole cavern flashed in a while and the magic it produced obliterated the Mutated Walker in just a few seconds, it never had the chance to struggle.


    In a few moments, parts of its torn body dropped to the ground.


    <--->


    Back in the Northern Walls


    ¡°The subjugation was successful.¡± That was the message. The princess and Gallo received it. Instantly, the Spike started retreating¡ªor rather, the ¡®flooding had¡¯ started. Gallo, who read the message, was grieving, but the most terrifying was that even the Walkers started retreating too...


    Gallo almost fell off the plank he was standing on as he screamed!


    ¡°Don''t let them retreat unscathed! Empty the cannons!!! All archers fire at will!!!¡± It was his command.


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    The gate took time to open but as soon as it did the raging army below did deliver. Everyone was informed, they all knew of the plan and the risk the elite party was taking. They have to lessen it somehow.


    ¡°Boy, what is happening?¡± the Owl asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s the flooding. After their leader is defeated, the spikes would pinpoint and try to eradicate the one that killed their leader¡­ it''s some kind of mechanism,¡± Gallo explained.


    ¡°Maricela!!! My favorite tune, please!!!¡± Regrin the Owl called for his wife. Maricela jumped down the tower; she then threw a roped claw onto the balcony of the tower, and she safely landed.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am we have lad¡­¡± Gallo was going to say that the tower had a ladder but the Owl put his hands on his mouth.


    ¡°She loves the theatrics let her be,¡± the Regrin said. She was carrying the upgraded Mega Phone that one of the engineers installed on a stand. It didn¡¯t look good, but it was working.


    ¡°Well, well! You placed marks on the field¡­ you are good,¡± Regrin said. He started off by putting magic edge on his bow. Gallo could tell that it was a level 2 magic edge since the bow was flowing with wind magic.


    Maricela started her performance.


    The wind on Regrin¡¯s bow started to become intense. ¡°Here we go!¡± Regrin said as he began rapid-firing the special arrows in his quill.


    The onlookers were quite surprised; they didn¡¯t know that arrows could be fired that quickly. There was actually a bad stigma for the archery skill and was just considered a side skill, but Regrin, known by the name the Owl, was showing that it''s not the case.


    ¡°The farther it flies, the stronger and the wider it penetrates,¡± Regrin said. His skill with the bow was impeccable, draw the arrow, pull, and release in one fluid motion. It only took a few minutes before he emptied his quill.


    It was true; Gallo was confirming it with his scope. His arrows were literally creating large holes in the populated movements of the spikes that were retreating.


    ¡°Please be safe,¡± Gallo muttered.


    <--->


    Back into the deep roads.


    The flooding has started. Paramour clenched his hands over his spear; he had no wound, but the continuous battle of hack and slash was wearing him out. The Black Hood handed over a potion; it was not a healing potion but a stamina potion.


    ¡°It''s coming,¡± Simon groaned. He was still moving and perpetually in pain.


    The Black Hood tied a tight rope on his shoulder to at least slow down the spread of the poison. He even gave him an antidote, but it was just doing nothing¡­ the cleanse potion, however, erased some of the poison from his veins, but it was not enough. It was just buying time. They can see through the Umbra Eyes; the veins on Simon¡¯s shoulders were turning violet.


    The kid was really helpful, not to mention the walkers he slew. The kid was amazing; the three adults thought so. The weird thing is that even though in that state, his moves were just getting sharper, his battle instinct getting polished throughout the battle.


    They were still fighting against the flooding spikes. They made their stand at the crosspaths; they had their escape way behind them, back into the descending tunnel that leads into the northern wall well.


    They were waiting for Percival to break down the tunnel.


    But¡­ Simon felt it; even the hero¡­ something was coming out there.


    ¡°Prepare to retreat!! PERCIVAL!!!¡± Without hesitation, the hero screamed; he launched a fireball on the path that he was defending. Percival was on the path that leads into the abyss, the path deeper into the underground tunnel.


    He was safe, but he was frustrated. He ran back to the crossed path; they could tell that there were also spikes coming behind him. ¡°There¡¯s so much of them! I can¡¯t collapse it; I didn¡¯t have time to search for a collapsible area!!!¡±


    The hero glared at the spikes. The four started their retreat.


    They quickly entered back into the ruins to track the same path where they came from. Paramour would blindly fire a fire spell behind them, and they would smell the stench of the burning spikes. They immediately used the snowboards with magic edges to travel again.


    Time passed¡­


    If not a fireball from Paramour, Percival would launch his Cleaving Earth. Each moment that passed, Simon¡¯s poison was getting worse¡­ The Black Hood could tell that they were tired but still able to fight, he was ready to cast the rebuffs anytime.


    ¡°Something is here,¡± Simon said to them.


    It was annoying but after coming this far, the whole party of four knew of his gut feeling; it was not a joke, and he was facing forward where they had to retreat, where they were heading. It was probably the smell¡­ even the magic sense that the Black Hood was maintaining didn''t register anything. He drank a magic potion; it was the 2nd to the last of it, but the Black Hood just had to make sure.


    ¡°It''s sad... so sad.¡± It was a scrambled word, a voice that was not from any of them.


    ¡°It knows how to speak?¡± the Black Hood said.


    ¡°I want to be... friends but the urge... it will not let me... prepare.¡± a scrambled voice again.


    ¡°Oh shit... don''t tell me it has been waiting for us in here,¡± Percival exclaimed.


    Flooding behind their back, another walker that spoke in front of them. The hero did not waste any time and charged, he jumped off his snowboard. Simon anticipated the timing, and the others too. They have been fighting in life-and-death situations; this much was a given.


    Their battle resumed again. Finally, they had a good look at what they were fighting; it was a slime-like creature, but it had the form of a walker.


    ¡°You¡­ be my brother¡­ mother¡¯s womb!!¡± the Slime Walker spoke, but it sounded more like bubbly sounds.


    Paramour could tell that this one was much more powerful. The battle resumed the Slime Walker attacked with its slime-like tails.


    Rather than tail blades, Percival was blocking powerful slime tentacle blows. The Slime Walker was fighting like a walker too. The hero kept on parrying and attacking with his level 2 magic blade, effectively cutting the slime-like tentacles.


    The problem was Simon; the poison was getting in the way of his fight. Simon flew as he was hit by a slime tentacle. ¡°Kid, go behind me!!!¡± Percival called out to Simon. Simon quickly rolled over them.


    He drank another Stamina Potion given to him by the Black Hood before. ¡°Drink this too¡­¡± the Black Hood gave him another kind of potion; it¡¯s a cleansing potion. It erased some of the poison again, but its effect was clearly diminished.


    ¡°Simon¡­ we could cut your arms¡­¡± the Black Hood suggested. ¡°No¡­ how am I going to fight that way?¡± Simon said in a sarcastic tone.


    The hero was still fighting on. ¡°I will push him away, and we break for it!!!¡± it was his plan. They will make the escape now; the smell and the sound of the flooding spikes were already permeating and resounding behind them.


    ¡°Release,¡± the hero said, and a burst of magic flashed. Spears of Flame sprouted on his back. He grabbed the sprouting fire and threw it to the Slime Walker.


    It''s been a long time since Simon felt that kind of magic. It was an Armas; the peak of combat and magic fused together to its totality. The tunnel glowed from the hero¡¯s Armas.


    ¡°Screech!!!!¡± It totally dealt damage to it since it couldn¡¯t verbally express its pain.


    The party immediately rode back on the board. The hero then throws another one, but the Slime Walker dodged it this time, already wary of it.


    ¡°Seal,¡± Paramour said, and the fire on his back disappeared.

 Chapter 49 :: The Holy Relic

    Paramour of the Searing Flame 6th passage ##


    The light was lost, and the mission failed. They were escaping with their lives under the earth. Chased by the ¡®flooding¡¯, fighting an unknown.


    Fate called again for a sacrifice¡­


    <--->


    Paramour of the Searing Flame was the present hero of the era. Many heroes existed but at any point in history, only one hero was crowned as the hero of the era.


    Paramour had been the hero of the era for 10 years already but he was not all mighty rather it was his accomplishments that made him who he is today. Still, he lost many comrades in the process¡­ it took him a while to have a steady party, the only constant during those times was his camaraderie with Raphael. They had been together ever since they graduated from school.


    But now¡­


    ¡°...¡± he glanced at Simon¡­ the Black Hood and Percival, he had their backs. Tilting his head again backward on the darkness behind them, he made a pained glare.


    He was not perfect¡­ a far cry from the last hero of the era. His predecessor lasted over 70 years. To that note, the last hero of the era pushed back the dungeons so deep that it would probably take another 100 years for another dungeon flow to happen.


    Paramour could tell from his countless experiences. The dire situation was begging for something he didn¡¯t want to give, one must sacrifice.


    Time was running out, the Slime Walker that was hunting them was very strong. He remembered the story of heroes who fought the holy beasts.


    ¡®Na¡­ it is strong¡­ but not as strong as a holy beast,¡¯ thinking like this made his heart and mind more steady. What could be worse? His senses heightened and his magic spurned out from his body.


    ¡°Release!¡± he muttered once more, the whole tunnel was enveloped by light. Paramour took a flaming spear from his back and hurled another fire spear. It conjured a pillar of flame in the direction it flew, but he was certain it missed the slime. ¡°Seal,¡± he commanded, and the spear behind him vanished once again.


    Paramour¡¯s Armas was named as the 10th Flame. When activated, he could conjure 10 fire spears, each with its strength reflecting a tenth of the hero''s magic capacity. Upon striking a target, it left a mark, amplifying the potency of subsequent strikes.


    Many formidable monsters had succumbed to this Release. However, resetting it only replenished the 10 spears; it did not restore the magic he had already expended. Having thrown it three times already, he was gradually depleting his current magic reserves.


    Although his spear didn¡¯t diminish the threat it was buying them time. Their escape continued as they were riding on the snowboards, he had to speak now, they had to decide.


    ¡°Guys... someone has to be the rear guard... I could take on that role,¡± Paramour suddenly spoke in a solemn tone. A hush fell over the noisy tunnel as Percival and the Black Hood turned to look at him.


    ¡°I can still fight,¡± Simon responded, not turning back. Simon had been raised never to surrender, no matter the circumstance.


    ¡°Our ancestors were said to be the most brutal warriors,-¡± Percival interjected. ¡°They believed it was better to die in battle than to wither away in old age. I will be with you all the way.¡± then a fierce smile cracked on his face.


    ¡°We''ll survive... and once we do, I''m leaving your party,¡± the Black Hood declared.


    Why was he even hesitating? ¡°Release!!!!¡± No words were needed as Paramour leaped off his board, followed by the other three, the boards drifting slightly forward.


    Paramour charged ahead with his spear and his flame spear on his other hand. Simon ran beside him, ready to strike. Percival, grounded and resolute, advanced with a shield charge. Meanwhile, the Black Hood bolstered the party with his buff. ¡°Hero''s Parade,¡± he cast, a spell that Raphael specialized in.


    Simon led the assault, he dashed from the hero¡¯s side into the Slime Walker. The hero was surprised by his explosive speed, the boy literally appeared in front of him in a blink of an eye.


    The Slime Walker attacked with an unlimited number of its tails whipping in the air. Simon painted the air twice with his sword, twelve magic edges flowed out creating a screen-like effect. But the boy was not finished, in one fluid motion as he spun he drew his last two wind blades to target the Slime Walker''s feet.


    The Slime Walker, taken aback, was too slow to react as different forms of attack were swung toward it. The hero uses his first spear to vault out of the screen of magic blades into the air. He threw down his flaming spear directly hitting the slime¡¯s whole body.


    The whole tunnel flashed it was a direct hit.


    Paramour before landing saw something ¡°IT HAS A CORE!!!¡± he screamed.


    Everyone in the party, all of them heard it. Simon continued as the onslaught of the magic blade faded.


    The Slime Walker tried to move but realized his legs had already been sliced down by the wind blades thrown by the boy.


    Simon keenly observed this and hypothetically knew that the enemy didn¡¯t feel any pain. The scream must be because of the flaming spear hitting its core thus revealing it earlier. Ideas sprouted in his mind.


    Simon sent another magic edge on its legs and the others on its body, he had the opening. The slime-like tentacles were already dispersed by the twelve slashes and the hero¡¯s flame strike that landed first.


    It provided another opportunity for the hero to strike, but the core was elusive this time, the hero landed an attack twice using his world tree spear. The problem was that it didn¡¯t land on the core.


    Simon observed glowing lines on the Slime Walker''s body every time Percival landed a hit. These lines seemed crucial in pinpointing the core''s location.


    Paramour who had his senses heightened saw the boy¡¯s face, the boy actually smirked, ¡°Simon!! You have to land the final blow!!!¡± he screamed.


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    Simon had already deduced this after spotting the lines, and he aimed his sword at the intended target instantly after the hero finished his scream. However, a tentacle emerged from the same spot, deflecting the attack, it skewed Simon¡¯s arm almost bending the wrong way.


    ¡°Simon!! Combo!!!¡± Percival screamed as he threw his axe, Simon was currently in a staggered moment as his sword was deflected by the tentacle, he should have used a 6x Slash attack but it was too late now. The heavy sword backfired, he didn¡¯t have enough time to propel it for another swing.


    Simon decided to let go of it. He couldn¡¯t change its momentum anyway, instead, he pulled the momentum propelling his whole body until the hilt reached his feet, he stepped on it, and used his heavy sword as a foothold to traverse to the other side of the Slime Walker, leaving his sword (Walker Blade 6x) lodged in the ground.


    The axe that flew grazed the slime, and Simon deftly caught it, checking the lines on the slime¡¯s body he immediately suspected where the core was, and he hurled it back in the same direction, inflicting a graze on the core.


    In a respite from its injuries, the Slime Walker let out a protest with a screech, its body wildly extended and it immediately began a spin.


    Simon caught one of the slime-like tentacles with an ¡°Urgh!!!¡± and used it to go back to safety.


    Paramour was thrown onto his back, but he quickly retaliated by hurling a fire spear. This was the second time the Slime Walker had been struck, with the damage multiplied by 1.5.


    As Simon, who had just landed back to the team, adjusted his position and prepared for another attack, the boy breathed and began a run but he suddenly coughed up blood dropping into the ground. Percival, witnessing this, immediately moved to defend him. The Slime Walker seized the opportunity, attacking the prone boy with its shape-shifting tentacle.


    A spear-like Paramour¡¯s weapon.


    ¡°Simon!!¡± Percival made it¡­


    But it was not enough. Percival, defending Simon, managed to deflect the attack but broke his shield in the process. The spear morphed into a ball, it released a vibration for an impending attack. It shot out a smaller version of the spears. (Like a shotgun)


    ¡°Shit!!!¡± Percival groaned in pain as the attack punctured holes in his shoulders, he used his body to protect the boy.


    Paramour reacted swiftly, firing a small fireball that severed the tail, which grew back as the Slime Walker retracted it. The creature then aimed its arms at the northern and the boy.


    ¡°It''s going to use Siphoning Magic!!!¡± the Black Hood screamed. A dim light emanated from the Slime Walker''s hands.


    ¡°Give... back life,¡± it spoke again. Percival and Simon, both wounded and unable to move, were used as shields by the Slime Walker to prevent Paramour from hurling his fire spears.


    However, Paramour had already committed to an attack.


    The Black Hood rushed forward, casting a barrier. The Siphon Magic began draining the magic barrier first, and the Black Hood had to continuously supply magic to sustain it.


    ¡°Will he make it? Cough! Cough,¡± Simon asked, concerned. The Black Hood clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Hey, I''m still awake! I''ll make it!!!¡± Percival shouted, knowing Simon''s sarcasm stemmed from his poisoning, which should be rendering him unable to make such a statement.


    Percival began rummaging through his belongings on his belt.


    ¡°Nice lie,¡± Simon remarked, noticing the attack''s movement and Percival''s posture. It likely hit an artery, meaning Percival would bleed to death.


    Simon had an inkling of what Percival intended to do. Although uncertain how the relic worked, Percival had mentioned earlier that the user would sacrifice their life. However, Simon felt strangely unafraid, knowing he was already poisoned and would likely die soon anyway.


    Finally, Percival retrieved the object, concealed in cloth.


    ¡°Take me,¡± Simon heard a voice. Maybe he was hallucinating since he had been feeling light-headed. He began reaching his hands.


    Was it instinct?¡­ rather than the voice that started calling for him to take it?


    ¡°Simon give it back to me!!!¡± Percival shouted again as Simon forcefully took the relic that was on the cloth.


    ¡°Meet your family,¡± the kid said as the flash engulfed the dark tunnel.


    It happened at the same time when Paramour¡¯s Flaming Spear hit the slime walker.


    ¡°SCREECH!!!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Paramour and the Black Hood tried to break the flashes in their eyes using their hands. The patches of lights on their eyes didn¡¯t allow them to assess the situation more clearly, they didn¡¯t know what was happening anymore.


    ¡°CRUSH!!!!¡± the area was instantly covered with dust¡­ it seemed that Simon threw the slime walker on the opposite side of the tunnel.


    The flash just remained at its peak for a short few seconds. The talking walker was already gone in front of them. ¡°Move!!! I can¡¯t hold it for so long!!!¡± it was Simon screaming¡­


    ¡°Let''s go!!!¡± Paramour screamed, urging the others to escape without hesitation.


    The four immediately bolted, swiftly making their way to safety. They quickly located the board they had leaped from and wasted no time in hopping back onto it.


    It was a miracle. ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Simon made a strange sound, catching the attention of the party.


    Percival glanced at Simon, who still clutched the relic¡ªa small piece resembling a tooth¡ªas he rode the board with his head down.


    ¡°We can make it, Simon! Cover the relic with the cloth,¡± Percival urged as he held his bleeding shoulders. But Simon just stared at him. ¡°I lost it,¡± he spoke softly.


    His eyes were dimming, face already pale. It must be the poison that was in his system.


    ¡°No worries... we''re almost there,¡± Paramour reassured them, listening to their exchange.


    Although they couldn''t yet see where the sealed collapse was, they knew they were close. The hero, now leading the party, tore a red paper, sensing they were nearing their destination.


    ¡°Urgh!!!!¡± it was a voice full of pain¡­ followed by a crushing sound of wood.


    At that instant Paramour noticed that Simon was not riding with them, it was already at a distance where the limit of Umbra¡¯s Eyes allowed them to see, he stopped to look back and saw just a dim silhouette.


    ¡°Simon!!! What happened!!?¡± Paramour screamed.


    The whole party halted their escape again.


    ¡°Paramour we were already close!!!¡± Percival informed the hero but it was still darkness on both sides for them and it was just magnified because of the light that was coming from the hero¡¯s release.


    The hero clicked his tongue, he couldn¡¯t see the boy properly. The dark eerie place was just too much of the Umbra Eyes to handle.


    ¡°No don¡¯t come closer!!! I can¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m losing control. it''s overpowering me¡­ it wants blood,¡± Simon was walking closer to them until finally, they saw it with the little light coming from the hero¡¯s release.


    It was like a dark wave coming from Simon¡¯s arm¡­ it was slowly floating like smoke¡­ taking the form of a sword.


    ¡°Go now¡­ while I can still hold on!!!¡± Simon was walking slowly toward them but he stopped.


    Percival¡¯s tears started to probe ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have brought you here¡­ I failed my friend¡­¡± the hero and the Black Hood pulled him.


    ¡°Message her!! Tear a white paper!!!¡± the hero said. He didn¡¯t turn off his release, the fire spear still burned on his back.


    The Black Hood immediately complied. They started moving with the boards again even dragging Percival who was losing himself.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡± Simon was screaming in agony.


    They didn¡¯t know what was happening but the terrifying feeling of bloodlust¡­ magic and the crumbling sounds¡­ the voice of Simon in agony forced them to not look back¡­ even the hero and the Black Hood who fought much stronger enemies felt it.


    ¡°Don¡¯t approach him¡­ he can¡¯t recognize friends or foes¡± Percival warned them in tears.


    ¡­


    In a few moments ¡°HERE!!!¡± it was Carla¡¯s worried voice¡­.


    Using the light from Paramour¡¯s spear he found the hole the princess opened, they were not that far, they jumped from their boards, it was just at a close distance on foot.


    ¡°Retreat back into the hole! Cast all the buff you can make and make her shut the hole!!!¡± the hero commanded the Black Hood but it sounded more like a plea. The Black Hood knew what the hero was thinking¡­ but he still followed.


    ¡°Percival¡­ go,¡± Paramour said to Percival.


    ¡°I will stay¡­ I can buy you some time maybe¡­¡± Percival was adamant about leaving, he was the one who brought Simon to the north.


    A wave of dreadful energy burst¡­ the pressure was suffocating. Even Carla from the other side of the hole almost fell on her knees.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHA I¡¯M BACKKKK!!!!¡± it was a scream¡­ a scream with a shockwave of magic power released¡­ it pushed the hero and everyone into the hole¡­ the princess did not hesitate even though her knees started buckling after sensing the terrifying magic power.


    She used wind magic to guide the 3 that were flying from the burst of magic, the Black Hood hit his head on the side of the hole while Percival landed on his face.


    The hero immediately landed on his feet.


    ¡°NO!!! DON¡¯T CLOSE IT!!¡± It was the hero¡¯s protest but still the hole was closed.

 Chapter 50 :: The Siege at its END

    The northern wall stood majestically, the damages it sustained were small holes and carved slashes. Its structural integrity still stood firm. The wind was still howling on the top of the wall. A red-haired boy coated himself on the balcony, with his scarf tucked up.


    Gallo was watching both sides of the wall. He halted the advance of the pursuing enemies when the flooding spikes entered the desolated lands. It would be a waste of time since Regrin the Owl already did numbers on them.


    That was 5 hours ago.


    The Mayor approached Gallo. ¡°You have to rest, boy¡­ we will wake you up if anything happens,¡± he said.


    Gallo just nodded¡­ he then looked for Regrin¡­ he was together with the warriors on the top of the wall¡­ they were celebrating¡­ celebrating that they won¡­ that they were alive.


    The cheery mood could be felt below too as the adventurers and even knights started dancing¡­


    But Gallo just didn¡¯t feel that way. He went to Regrin.


    ¡°Thank you for the assist¡­ if you were not there, then we would have fallen¡­¡± It was to give thanks to Regrin who immediately agreed to help the siege.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, kid¡­ humans must help each other¡­ you are a different noble, I suppose,¡± Regrin said, even Gallo knew of the Neward Clan that was promoted to a noble 15 years ago.


    It was part of the emperor¡¯s decree to promote commoners into nobles. One can imagine how many accomplishments The Owl of the Neward has accomplished.


    He was immediately granted the title of a Baron after three years of multiple successful expeditions on the southern frontier, he was already in the history books.


    Although a noble, Gallo¡¯s rank was that of a Baron too, it was because of age limitations. He would be a Count when he came of age by claiming the title of his Father but it was still a long time.


    ¡°... Now if they safely return I can¡­ I¡¯m going to rest for a while excuse me,¡± Gallo said with a weary heart. He had been waiting for them¡­ any message would do.


    <--->


    Half a day had passed¡­ it was already almost nighttime, the gates were already closed, and the warriors, adventurers, the knights, and even the two hunters partied and danced the night away. It was then, during the festivities, they received the message.


    Important persons were awakened.


    Warriors and adventurers celebrated as they went into the crowding around it, eager to celebrate the heroes of the siege. The people already had installed a pulley on the well for ease of access and the rest were happy to pull up.


    The jolly atmosphere painted the air¡­ but Gallo and the Mayor; were the ones who bore the brunt of the message, they had an idea of what happened. Luckily, one of the knights was a healer, and Maricela was currently mixing herbs for the wounded. They were already waiting on one of the vacant houses.


    Regrin was outside in the wild looking for some ingredients for cleaning the wound (Not outside of the walls); the hunters were known as apothecaries around the world, and Maricela was famous for it.


    A warrior was keeping watch on the well, he saw the ropes of the pulley move and he screamed ¡°They are here!! PULL!!¡± the warriors heartily pulled the rope.


    ¡°Heave!!! Ho!!¡± the rhythmical sounds of the mix of warriors and adventurers.


    ¡°Princess!!!!¡± the knights who were among the crowd screamed, but along with the princess was the bloody Percival. ¡°Please help!!!¡± she screamed. They were the first two that came out of the well.


    Percival was still conscious¡­ he knew from the smell that the town was celebrating. He was not carrying anything with him. ¡°WE WON!!!!¡± he raised his fist, and although the crowd knew it was a bluff, they still cheered.


    ¡°YEAH!!!!¡± the crowds clapped.


    <--->


    Down the well¡­ the cold weather and the place where they were standing. It loomed down the atmosphere, a contrast from what was up the well.


    ¡°... They are cheering¡­¡± Paramour said¡­ he was looking at the clothed body of Raphael. ¡°Sir Hero¡­ I could take it up¡­¡± the knight who was together with the princess offered.


    ¡°No¡­ please go first¡­ just tell them to disperse before I go up¡­¡± Paramour said. The knight just nodded.


    The well could only fit two people, the Black Hood tapped Paramour¡¯s shoulder, and the Black Hood and the Knight would go first.


    The ride finally arrived, and the two stepped on the wooden board.


    ¡°PULL UP!!!¡± the Black Hood screamed.


    ¡°HEAVE HO!!!!¡± the warriors started the rhythmic pulling.


    Paramour was just looking at what he was holding; he couldn¡¯t let it touch water or there would be problems¡­ but he could be at ease for now, lower his guard, and let it flow¡­ the emotions that he was hiding.


    He just let it flow¡­ tears¡­


    Not only that he lost his best friend¡­ he lost the kid too¡­ the fucking annoying kid¡­ the best rival he could ask for¡­ the kid¡­


    ¡°YEAH!!!!¡± he could hear the cheers from inside the well¡­ it drowned his tears and silent whines. ¡°Simon¡­ I will come back for you I promise,¡± he swore on the body of Raphael.


    <--->


    The crowd was dispersed; of course, the Mayor told them to party, and only a handful of warriors were there pulling the last ones.


    Paramour emerged holding a clothed body. The warriors knew that somebody had died. Some of the warriors immediately ran to Paramour offering help. One of the warriors asked.


    ¡°Is it the boy?¡± the warrior knew Simon; he had been staying with them for months, the fun they had on training and the hope he brought to the town, the warriors really loved the boy.


    ¡°No¡­ that is my friend¡­ Simon¡­ he is still down there,¡± Paramour tried to hold on to his tears¡­ his face told it all. The warrior just gulped down. ¡°Well¡­ he is a tough one I say you,¡± the warrior smiled as a consolation.


    There was an eerie silence and Paramour went on.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    <--->


    In a private room, Paramour, Gallo, and the Mayor watched Percival writhe in pain. As soon as they removed the tie that was tied by the Black Hood, he started screaming. Percival was hit on a major artery.


    ¡°Heal the artery first or we will have to cut from his shoulders!!!¡± Maricela told the knight who was helping her. Maricela had already prepared some blood pills for the aftermath since Percival was losing blood according to the message.


    Peron suddenly opened the door; he was together with Regrin carrying hot water.


    ¡°Mayor¡­ you can send a message for the townspeople; they were with us when we prepared, we have to celebrate with them,¡± Gallo said. The Mayor just nodded; he was worried for his brother, but he chose to be busy.


    ¡°Sir Hero¡­ can you tell me what happened?¡± Gallo asked.


    Paramour looked at him and sighed; he started telling the events that happened underground. It would take a long time for a battle that lasted just for a few minutes.


    As the celebration of the victory went on outside of the house, cheers erupted for different reasons. Their warm celebration shielded them from the cold outside. Finally, the long-standing battle against the Spikes ended that day.


    <--->


    Time passed. (Wink)


    As the snow storms passed the greenery of the slope going down to the wall started to sprout. The never-ending cycle of seasons persisted and the change was inevitable. The town of the northerners were flourishing.


    There was no church in the northern town. The ceremony was held in the town hall. Adventurers, warriors, scouts, and the townspeople were in a humorous mood.


    It was a joyous occasion. Four months after the siege, Vish was getting married in the old northerner''s way. She was decorated with her bridal dress of fur and cotton wool inside. Flowers and knives hang on her long grayish skirt. While bones decorated her shoulders.


    The lucky guy there stood blushing as he saw his beautiful bride. He was shaking, worrying that this was too much luck for him.


    ¡°You fucking lucky rabbit!!! DIE!!!¡± it was Paramour the hero, he hadn¡¯t left the north in the past three months, together with him was Gallo, he left the north two months ago and was there because he was invited to the wedding.


    The curse of Paramour just made the crowd happier. Vish stood a bit higher than Lucky Rabbit, whose name was actually Robert. Ever since the celebration of the siege, the two were inseparable.


    Peron Wiseman was invited too¡­ he was drinking alcohol.


    Another man gulped as the second bride came out of the house. Andy was getting married too. It was a double wedding. She had the same design for her wedding dress but less decorated but it didn¡¯t remove Andy¡¯s smile.


    The crowd cheered again. The townspeople began throwing leaves at them as per their tradition, they are now to walk inside the church for the official ceremony.


    The town was back on its bearings again. The Mayor did a good job with its recovery along with Gallo¡¯s help, and with the reward they were receiving from the princess, the town was getting better each day.


    There was even an adventurer''s guild being constructed and was already on its finishing touches.


    The Mayor acted as the priest, and the two couples entered the town hall and stood before him. They started the ceremony. Killing two pieces of chicken and putting a moon sign on the wedding participants using its blood, the Mayor started the chants and vows.


    ¡°... That¡¯s it¡­ you may kiss!!!¡± the Mayor said, and the two couples kissed, and the crowd went wild. The town hall erupted from the cheering of the townspeople. Northerners were great screamers especially when they were excited.


    <--->


    In another room with the Mayor, Gallo, and Paramour, they sat there talking. The mood outside was great as people were loud; they were celebrating outside, and some of the memories of the siege came lingering along with the smell of the alcohol the Hero was having.


    ¡°The Princess is coming back¡­¡± Gallo said.


    ¡°So, they are going to explore the deep roads huh,¡± Paramour said.


    The two already had experienced going back and forth into the well. The ancient roads underneath it are now called The Deep Roads.


    <--->


    After the battle, two weeks later, they went back there again with a small platoon this time. Together with Gallo, Paramour, and the Princess. That earthen gate that the princess created was only a few kilometers from another ancient gate.


    By Gallo¡¯s deduction, they needed to find a Crown Emblem. The princess just touched it, and the gates opened. It could be closed too by touching the same emblem on a different spot.


    The smell of carcasses of Spikes permeated the air. They needed wind magicians to continuously blow air.


    They took a month to prepare and they explored the tunnels. Properly drawing its map, it was not a straight path, it was actually a curving path arcing eastward.


    But that was not the reason they were exploring the dungeon. Their aim was actually to go farther up north. They did have the time, so the platoon walked properly and used earthen sensory magic to scan each area they passed. Boy, they found many secrets along the way. There were never-ending litters of carcasses of Spike, brutally mutilated.


    At the end of the tunnel, they found the same cavern where the hero of the era and his party had once fought, the carcasses of Spikes festering were still there. It followed into the tunnel that had a broken seal.


    They continued following the bloody trail until they arrived at a familiar crossroads, emerging from the west. They took some time exploring the paths.


    They found some sort of ruins going south.


    An exit out of the mountains to the east.


    Finally, through the north they found a river and a broken bridge¡­ the other side was too far to be seen. The hero fired a few fireballs, but it was not enough, it was just an endless abyss.


    There were ideas of crossing the underground river, but the currents were strong, and there were monsters in the water too. They tried fighting one, but its hides were too hard, and it was dispersing magic too. These cold-blooded creatures almost ate one of the knights.


    They tried feeding it the worst poison, but it didn¡¯t work¡­ the river was considered impossible to cross...


    <--->


    Back to the present.


    ¡°The emperor has created a branch of explorers that would explore the ¡°Deep Roads¡±¡­ it¡¯s the official name now¡­ the princess is the head of this branch,¡± Gallo added.


    The Mayor and the hero were silent.


    ¡°They are going to explore the southern gate the princess opened,¡± Since there was no response Gallo continued his words.


    Paramour just sighed. ¡°You know that he is still out there,¡± he declared and took another sip of the bottle he was holding.


    ¡°She wants to invite you for the first few dives,¡± Gallo finally conveyed the message from the princess.


    ¡°Of course¡­ I would go, tell her¡­¡± Paramour just smiled at Gallo. The red-haired looked down; for some reason, he was feeling shame.


    The hero stood and walked out of the room.


    ¡°He went back there alone many times just you know¡­¡± the Mayor said as soon as the hero was gone in the room.


    ¡°I see,¡± Gallo¡¯s lonely words.


    <--->


    There was this graveyard just east of the wall. The northerners call this place the Bear¡¯s Yard. This was where the bears that want to die fighting go when they are calling for a challenge. This place has been maintained for a very long time. It was on an ancient contract between the northerners and the large bears.


    It''s just an hour walk from the town. Paramour strolled this with ease feeling the cold wind, enjoying it.


    When he could finally see the small hut with a small fence, he was close to his destination. He found the gate and went through it. There the biggest northerner he had ever seen, Percival was digging. There was a dead bear on the ground near the pit. The winter was almost over, and the spring was blowing cold winds again.


    ¡°Paramour¡­ Andy and his wife are there too¡­¡± Percival said. This was actually his duty whenever he was in the North. He would trade with another warrior by moons; it was just his time right now that¡¯s why he didn¡¯t attend the wedding.


    There were only a few capable warriors that could handle the bears that were coming down from the mountains and he was one of them.


    ¡°How¡¯s the shoulders?¡± Paramour asked.


    The big northerner paused and smiled at his friend ¡°It''s good now,¡± Percival answered, and he went back to digging.


    ¡°When are you going to travel again¡­ just asking?¡± Paramour offered a bottle of alcohol, and Percival happily took it, he decided to stop the work to enjoy the swig of alcohol.


    ¡°Next year, next winter moon probably¡­ GULP¡­ AHH, this is good shit,¡± Percival said after taking a huge gulp.


    ¡°It¡¯s from Gallo, he visited for the wedding,¡± Paramour smiled, the two then shook hands. ¡°That¡¯s a large bear, you killed it?¡± Paramour suddenly asked as he lay eyes on the large carcass of the bear.


    ¡°Yeah, I will take a break for a while. Whew, this babe hits hard,¡± Percival said, his face turning a bit red. He sat on the mound of soil he had dug up.


    Paramour tapped his shoulder twice and continued walking. Along the way, he saw familiar faces.


    Paramour saw Andy and his Wife in front of the grave of Bibs, Paramour¡¯s presence commanded attention to the two. Both parties bow in respect.


    A little further ahead was where Raphael¡¯s grave was. Paramour first wanted to bury him near the school where they met but was disheartened by the look of Raphael¡¯s body. Percival was the one who offered him to be buried in the Bear¡¯s Yard.


    ¡°... Raphael¡­ I will be leaving soon, the Black Hood is still going to join me, he just needs some vacation,¡± Paramour said and he poured alcohol on the grave. He then took out the Black Paper from Gallo¡­ this was the only proof that Simon was still alive.


    ¡°Gallo: the black one will tear itself if you die¡±

 Chapter 51 :: Epilogue: Time Continuous

    ~Time goes on~


    The Marcian Mansion was busy. The bustling sounds of renovations and the unending work of caretakers of the Mansion echoed. A red-haired boy watching on his balcony, scanning the Mansion¡¯s newly trimmed garden yard. He nodded as he was satisfied with it.


    His name was Gallo Marcia, and the red-headed boy grew handsome and considerably taller now. He had his favorite sword on his waist at all times. He tapped it like it was a habit.


    Three winters have passed. Gallo¡¯s time to attend the academy has come. He was already prepared; his accomplishments had already been spread out in the central. His help in successfully defending the northern wall and his cannons drew an unceasingly endless invitation from other nobles.


    Not only that, he had successfully established a good line of company that was now known as the Laso company; he was one of the leaders in the explorations of the deep roads. It was like he was at the forefront of a new era.


    Gallo nodded in the mirror; he was the shit, he thought. It was time to go, he walked out of his room and into the exit of his mansion.


    The carriage was waiting for him outside his mansion¡¯s doors. His attendants brought his things and loaded the carriage. ¡°Sir, we will await your return! Please take care of yourself,¡± his butler said with concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Gallo stepped into the carriage.


    His carriage shook while the attendants loaded his things.


    Gallo would leave his mansion from time to time, doing business where the money called for him; he was now renovating his mansion¡¯s west wing. He sat on his carriage; unlike most nobles, his carriage was of a modest design; it leaned more towards comfort, and it was his favorite. Well, he would be going into the Central, so he needed to leave his favorite carriage.


    ¡°We are finished loading!! Thanks for waiting!!¡± the butler declared and the single carriage began to move. They passed through the gates, his attendants and even the gardeners were waving at their lord.


    The carriage didn¡¯t clunk that much, the suspension was meticulously crafted and Gallo¡¯s smile reflected its effect.


    They were finally out of his estate and into the town.


    The lord of the Marcian Land was very popular; the people in his town waved and stood on the roadside for a glimpse of their lord; it was as if he was on a parade with a single carriage. Gallo happily waved at them, which made the crowd cheer¡­ but he noticed something¡­ it was a forest folk.


    ¡°Stop the carriage!¡± Gallo said. He waved at the familiar face¡­ even the people knew who it was since the forest folk would frequent their town¡­ he invited him to go inside his carriage with a smile.


    ¡°...I have the reports in,¡± Afara said.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Gallo smiled.


    Afara handed over a brownish envelope with the report for Gallo¡¯s Laso Company and another black envelope with the reports of the intel they had collected. ¡°Good work,¡± Gallo said as he began reading it.


    ~Curse of Zhisata (The old lady in the village of Ahas) (Ch 1, 7, 8)~


    AN: Happened at the same time when Simon activated the relic.


    The Ahas village of the eastern continent was a place that one could call a true frontier. The humans that lived there had already experienced so much. From the harsh weather to the sudden monster attacks, there would also be bandits from time to time.


    Still, the village stood the test of time.


    The village chief¡¯s house was the tallest building in the village, it could be immediately noticed even from the entrance of the village.


    An old woman slept on her bed. The bed croaked as she moved her body. Moans and gasps escaped her mouth. Her face contorted as pain began spreading from her head and into her body.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Zhisata could feel it¡­ she was unconscious but she still suffered. In her dreams a snake was coiling on her body, hissing through her pain as it watched her writhe. Zhisata was a normal human before¡­ that was a long time before. She had been using the relic of the Holy Snake and she had been cursed already.


    Forbidden powers tend to bite back as always. She thought that this was the same night as the others. She believed that the pain would subside if she just held on.


    But that night was different; she was burning. Her head felt like it was cracking open. At the point where all of her pain was at its peak and when she couldn¡¯t recognize anything anymore, the change began again. Her body crackled, pain numbed her senses¡­ then she gained a bit of her sense back.


    She was now wide awake, her eyes shook as the pain consumed her body. The pain suddenly disappeared.


    She tried to sit up; she was not wearing her usual robe. She was just wearing her sleeping robes.


    Part of her body has already been mutated. Most of her skin was already outgrown by scales¡­ She had been having a bad time sitting properly because a tail sprouted on her tailbone and it had been bothering her since forever. She had to wear the large robes to hide her deformities.


    ¡°Aargh no!!!¡± she felt it; the scales painfully moved, sprouting new scales, covering more of her skin¡­ but the relic was far from her, how could it be?


    Well, it was because of the holy relic that she was still alive until now. The white hair was the proof¡­


    ¡°Aah¡± then she felt as if her youth was getting restored¡­ but her tail was growing longer; it literally punched a hole in her bottom¡­ her lower limbs were now getting shorter. ¡°NO!!!¡± she screamed in despair.


    ¡°... But I played my part!!! You can¡¯t do this!!!¡± she was muttering to someone who wasn¡¯t there.


    ~Down the fall goes endlessly and your life flashes back~


    Simon POV


    I can¡¯t remember what happened¡­ Percival and Paramour¡­ Black Hood guy¡­ can¡¯t feel my hand¡­ oh¡­ it''s gone¡­ my body feels numb¡­ I¡¯m probably going to die if I hit the bottom¡­ why am I even falling?


    This shit has happened to me before, when I fell down in an underground dungeon, that dark chasm that eats light.


    I remembered the old man screaming to close my eyes¡­ but I don¡¯t hear it now. Still, I closed my eyes as memories began flowing.


    <--->


    Simon 5 years old.


    ¡°Simon¡­ is it hard? Sparring against me?¡± for some reason the old man asked Simon who was down again after getting hit in the head.


    ¡°Hard? I enjoy it though!¡± Simon said as he stood up again.


    ¡°I see¡­ let¡¯s go at it again¡­ find my weak spots okay?¡± the old man urged Simon to attack again, the training was simple, it was to find good spots to attack by looking at the old man¡¯s stance.


    FLASH.


    ¡°8 days'' worth of food¡­ see that village, that is where you are born,¡± the Old man said as they were walking down the mountain, there was an open cliff where one could see the fields down the plains.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± the boy said.


    ¡°Of course, you were still a baby before then¡­ we will be taking the shortcut!¡± The old man smiled as he urged Simon to follow him.


    FLASH.


    ¡°Spread the salt thinly, that¡¯s right¡± he was instructing the boy in preparing the fish.


    The old man then checked out the boy¡¯s face, he was already salivating¡­


    ¡°Eating it raw makes it taste gummy and the stench is horrible, you have to cook it so that the flavor that comes out becomes juicy,¡± the old man said and like an open book, the boy stopped salivating.


    FLASH.


    ¡°Simon¡­ I will now lay down the rules you need to follow¡­ only 3 of them,¡± the old man said.


    Simon nodded as he was stuffing his mouth with meat and vegetables cooked from the stone slab.


    Rules:


    <ol>


    <li>Never panic</li>


    <li>Conserve everything</li>


    <li>The old man¡¯s words are always right</li>


    </ol>


    <--->


    I finally remembered why I fell down, I gained consciousness again. I WILL NEVER GIVE UP!!! The rapid fall makes it hard to discern where am I¡­ but I will survive!!! I will continue to live on.


    ¡°Curse you child!!!!¡± a voice in my head tilting my consciousness into pain. ¡°Suffer for eternity!!!¡± and it resounded again but nothing was much more louder than the next sound I heard.


    SPLAT!!!!!!!!!


    <--->


    It was dark¡­ deep¡­ like hope is to light nothing was in sight. Still, steps of tattering joy could be overheard in the whole abyss.


    ¡°Hmm~Hmm~!¡±


    A man humming walked by, there had been some movements from above, and his curiosity was getting stirred. Then there was a splattered sound.


    ¡°They threw something in the bloody abyss!!~¡± the man said and he started dancing, finally something new, something fresh from his 400 hundred years of self mumble. From the sound that stirred his sleeping mind, he could tell where it landed. He trotted excitedly.


    ¡°Oh!!! Crap!!! It splattered!!¡± the man said disgustingly, it was a splattered body of a human. Not sure of its age since it was mangled and splattered in a bloody pulp. Its arm was missing, the man started looking around and saw it. ¡°Oh there!!! Lucky!! I can use see-in-the-dark magic!!¡± he said comically.


    But he didn¡¯t bother taking it, getting closer to the bloody splat, he sat there staring at the mangled body ¡°I wonder how it would regenerate?¡± he said. Then a smell of burnt salt started to permeate the air ¡°WOAH!!!!¡± the man said clearly amused with little to no things.


    He then decided to take the arm and placed it near the body specifically to where he thought the missing arm should be¡­ ¡°Same type as Taya!!!¡± he exclaimed as he clapped his hands, the part that looked like a head that had hair was starting to lose its dark color¡­ he smiled and had this insane look on his eyes like a boy that found a good toy.


    ¡°This is too exciting!!!¡± he said. He excitedly stares at the regenerating body wondering what it would look like when it''s already back in its shape.

 Info Dump!

    ~State of the world~


    The Lands of Merriam, ever prospering has now entered a new era, the discovery of the Deep Roads and the technologies underneath it opens up a new veil for adventurers and heroes to venture deep into it.


    Unlike dungeons, these roads are of Dwarven made but even the Dwarves have forgotten it. Instead of just monsters adventurers venturing the Deep Roads must also fight against conjured constructs like golem and gargoyles not to mention the traps on the ancient roads.


    ¡­


    *The Marcian Lands were rapidly changing, by the lead of their future count Gallo Marcia, he had used his accomplishment and momentum to push for more prosperity on his lands. As one of the fronts in the expeditions of the Deep Roads, he was one of the first who had access to the advanced technology that the Dwarves left underneath.


    Still, there is much left to discover underneath the deep roads. Mysteries and treasures to uncover.


    ¡­


    The Laso Company that the Marcian lord created is now deeply rooted in all corners of the realm, he is probably just 4 steps behind the richest clan in the whole realm.


    ~More World Info~


    *Dungeon Raids - its main purpose is to cut down the monster population and harvest materials. It''s important to raid dungeons since this lowers the chance of a dungeon overflow.


    *Dungeon Culling - almost the same as a dungeon raid but has a different purpose, adventurers visit the deepest part of the dungeon to take a look at the shard, they would take actions according to the state of the shard, and they could break some part of it or leave it as it is. Dungeon Culling¡¯s main objective was to maintain the dungeon¡¯s difficulty.


    *Deep Roads - an ancient road deep on the bowels of the earth. Its purpose is still unknown. It is made of anti-magic materials, almost indestructible. Unless one could produce hundreds of tons of pressure or force to physically break it down.


    Adventurer Guild Terms!


    *Sam - a term used for an examiner. An examiner could appraise anything and give value to almost anything. They are managed by the guild and they strictly abide by the rules. They are usually users of earth magic.


    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    *Pam - a term used for a medical staff or officer. They are the resident healer of the adventurer¡¯s guild, there are 4 of them on every adventurer¡¯s guild sometimes even more. They are usually users of water and wind magic. A rarity of its kind are the Light Magic users.


    *Hero - an institute of any school could declare up to 3 candidates as a hero. It''s like the valedictorian of the graduates. The adventurer¡¯s guild could also declare a hero by their accomplishments. The main job of a hero is to dungeon dive. They couldn¡¯t be a part of a war as per the new rules of the adventurers guild.


    These new rules were made after the guild officially became independent from the Empire. That means even the empire can¡¯t affect the adventurer¡¯s guild¡¯s politics.


    *Hero of the Era - a special title given to the most elite of them all. The title carries more weight than it sounds. Not only did one would gain instant respect, but they could also use the title to demand support from nobles and such.


    But the responsibility could be anywhere from non-existent to the most important ones.


    *Adventurer Rankings - estimated by the party¡¯s potential output. Note that I said potential. Adventurers actually have the hardest job. They could actually be sent to the mission that they could potentially complete. I said potentially again, right?


    Here are the rankings and some monsters to equal it.


    E - Basically fledgling that could do the most basic jobs of item collection and deliveries.


    D - From large rats to goblins. They are essentially the pest control rank!


    B - From body guarding and dungeon diving for support. They were allowed to go to dungeons as long as they could pass tests.


    C - This is the rank that would dive dungeons. The entrance rank is where the real dungeon adventuring begins. Its equivalent is monsters off the dungeons and low-level monsters.


    A - A rank that is cut above the rest. Each adventurer guild would have 2 to 3 class A¡¯s on stand-by. But the frontier had far fewer of them. This is where the adventurers get stuck for a long time. They are called for fighting ogres, large packs of monsters, and sometimes wyverns.


    S - Heroes are instantly considered as class S. They are given a certain type of freedom and authority in different situations. But rules become harder for them. Some that are not a hero could be considered class S.


    SSS - No one has this rank but an example enemy for this one is the Holy Beast. Actually, any enemies that couldn¡¯t be ranked properly!


    ~Nobles and their politics~


    Sad to say but the nobles in the land of Mirriam are the corrupt ones. I won¡¯t get into it but just state some facts on it.


    The nobles are only propelled by three things.


    <ol>


    <li>Preservation of their family</li>


    <li>Greed to gain more power</li>


    <li>Religion</li>


    </ol>


    To that note, three religions exist in the land.


    1. Faith of The light - most of the noble¡¯s religion. The richest and the most influential of them all.


    2. Jubaicists - like atheists in real life, you know, they believe in explainable facts.


    3. Syldans - they worship the forest, the lake, mountains, and even rivers. They are the nature type religion and most Half Beast had this religion.


    That¡¯s all! For now, it''s better to show than to tell. The next part begins!!!

 Chapter 52 :: Simon and the Old man

    A boy wearing some clothes that were already akin to rags, faithfully maintained by an untrained seamster. His hair was not combed but it was still soft since he was trained to take a bath now and then. He walked carrying heavy baskets like it was nothing. His name was Simon.


    Along with him was an old man, although old he was still in very good shape, he carried some meat on his shoulders along with a sword on his back and an empty sheathe with it. He was wearing something akin to one a pirate would wear. He already had his whole head covered with gray hair.


    His name was Alphecca, an old hero with a decorated past. His face had a fierce-like feature that even when the old man tried to smile would still look terrifying.


    Simon and the old man have just arrived at their old shack, they just finished hunting and foraging in the mountains.


    ¡°She is gone! Simon, it seems that you won¡¯t have milk now!¡± the old man said mockingly and he entered his shack. Simon didn¡¯t care at all as he placed the wild berries they collected. He was 4 years old.


    The old man began doing his fire, and Simon started putting meat in the skewers, it had been a custom for the 2 to leave the carcass of their hunts and only take the valuable meat they would eat, they would still have to bury it though.


    ¡°She left as soon as you started eating solid food¡­ ha¡­ hmm¡­ I would love to wander around again!¡± the old man muttered as Simon gave him the skewers. ¡°I¡­ want to see around too,¡± Simon added.


    ¡°But it would be very harsh for you¡­ hmm¡­ I¡¯ll train you for a while,¡± the old man laughed.


    <--->


    ¡°Think of your action from the beginning and into the end and move without hesitation¡­ the mind is a much more powerful weapon¡­ but to be able to do that you have to have a clear mind¡­ and more experience, stand up now,¡± Alphecca preached to the 5 years old Simon.


    ¡°You are using a weapon and I¡¯m using my hands¡­ what the hell are you talking about?¡± Simon said while he was lying on the ground.


    ¡°Learn to use your body before holding a stick, I taught you how to punch right?¡± Alphecca said mockingly.


    ¡°Yes¡­ and kick too¡­ but I can¡¯t get into range,¡± Simon sighed, and he tried to get up.


    ¡°This is your true lesson now¡­ you have to get me in range¡­ you are not a normal kid¡­ you have strong bones¡­ you were born special¡­ or maybe it¡¯s the wolf¡¯s milk?¡± Alphecca moved to start another bout.


    ¡°Check out my stance¡­ where should you attack¡­ what is the range of my attack¡­ what spot can¡¯t I react to?¡± Alphecca continued the harsh schooling.


    ¡°I guess here¡± Simon rushed low.


    The old man was quite surprised, Simon was only above his balls and he dashed really low. He didn¡¯t expect that and jumped back. Simon smiled and threw a rock he got when stood up, it flew precisely where the old man¡¯s back feet landed and he stuttered.


    The old man smiled lovingly¡­ Simon¡¯s hands flew into his cheeks


    ¡°Ow!!!¡± the old man flew a little but used his spin to correct his posture. ¡°Good job that hurt¡­ and you are 3 years old?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m 5 years old, old man,¡± Simon complained.


    ¡°Now we have to advance the lesson eh¡± the old man smiled fiercely and attacked.


    <--->


    The meat they hunted would usually last about a week but for that night the old man wanted Simon to eat as much as he wanted, it was for landing a hit on the old man¡¯s face. Before the old man would quickly grow bored of the place where he was staying but it was not like that the last 3 or 4 years of his life.


    For some strange reason, he was not feeling the passing of time. The winter had just passed and the old man was still feeling it in his bones, he was really getting old.


    Simon fell asleep where he was eating, he really was harsh on the boy, looking at the boy he got bruises everywhere, he really went hard on him after landing that hit on his face.


    ¡°Oh¡­ what the hell is happening?¡± the old man mutters as there were small steams going out from Simon¡¯s bruises¡­ he was healing himself up.


    The old man knew that Simon was not a normal human rather he didn¡¯t even know what he was. His snake eyes and now this abnormal regeneration, it was his first time seeing it.


    The next day¡­


    ¡°Old man¡­ I¡¯m really hungry,¡± Simon¡¯s first words when he woke up.


    ¡°The hell but you ate everything last night!!!¡± the old man complained. For some reason, Simon just stared at him¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­!!!¡± he just repeated the words and stomped his feet. For the first time in his life, Simon was actually throwing tantrums.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    When he hit him hard or even pushed the boy down he never complained or did something childish like the thing he was doing right now.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I will get some food for you stay put!!!¡± the old man for some reason felt for the boy¡­ he went back to their shack to get his sword.


    <--->


    ¡­ after 3 hours the old man came back with his hunt, four rabbits hanging on his shoulders. The smell of blood was in the air, the old man¡¯s nose picked it up, and he hurried immediately.


    ¡°Simon¡­ what the hell!!!¡± there was blood everywhere and Simon was on the side sleeping again.


    The carcass of a deer showed its bones and its flesh was almost none existent. The old man stared at the boy sleeping soundly. Something was wrong with the boy. He woke up Simon but the boy won¡¯t wake up. Finally, he slapped the boy¡¯s face.


    ¡°Huh! Old man!!!¡± the boy woke up sluggishly.


    ¡°What did you do? What happened?!¡± the old man was worried questioning the boy trying his best to check if the boy had any wounds.


    ¡°You were taking a long time so I hunted it myself and ate it!!¡± then Simon smiled innocently¡­ but the old man glared at him and slapped his face.


    ¡°Remember this Simon¡­ never eat any uncooked food,¡± the old man said like it was a warning.


    Simon touched his face, he felt that. ¡°But it was really good and juicy¡± Simon answered.


    But the old man was stern ¡°I will never repeat it again boy,¡± and he inserted a tremendous blood lust that made Simon pee himself. The boy even backed down. ¡°Wash up yourself, you stink¡­ GO!!!¡± the old man was angry.


    Simon hastily followed the command and ran in the direction of a small spring just down their shack.


    The old man watched Simon leave in a hurry. He facepalmed¡­ there was the fact that he was raising some kind of monster¡­ was this the reason he was given to him? Flashes of Simon''s innocent smiles came to his mind. He had to educate him well¡­ train him well.


    ¡­


    The rabbit meat was ready but Simon was eating slowly, rather he was feeling awkward with the old man after what happened earlier.


    ¡°Sober up boy, that was nothing, just remember not to eat food raw especially meat¡­ it seems we will start from the basics¡± the old man spoke.


    ¡°¡­ You are not going to leave me?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°I will be with you till the day I die¡­ don¡¯t worry¡± the old man speaks his words true from his heart.


    Simon for some reason smiled and began eating happily. The old man didn¡¯t notice much.


    <--->


    The boy was really strong, Simon¡¯s strength was on par with someone who used strengthening enchantments. The main problem now was the control of his strength, the old man actually wanted Simon to learn swordsmanship as soon as possible but he would break the wooden sword the old man spent making and it was just disappointing him, this was the reason the boy was fighting the old man barehanded during training.


    The next thing is about his eating habits. During the days when they were really going hard at it Simon would become really hungry in the evening and the next day though his body was fine after a night of sleep, it was some kind of inhumane recovery for a boy his age.


    On that note Simon couldn¡¯t think properly if his hunger was not satiated, the old man had a few ideas on how to fix this but the next problem was Simon¡¯s motivation to learn how to read and write. The old man was strict, he made Simon stand straight as he read the letters the old man wrote in the ground¡­ It really did take the time before Simon finally wrote his name the first time in the ground, the old man was so happy that they had a feast that night.


    But the next day Simon overslept, he was like an animal that slept hard after eating. The boy received an earful because of this.


    ¡­


    ¡°Simon¡­ is it hard? Sparring against me?¡± for some reason the old man asked Simon who was down again after getting hit in the head.


    ¡°Hard? No!¡± Simon said as he stood up again, the boy was dirty but he didn''t have any bruises on his body.


    ¡°I see¡­ let¡¯s go at it again¡­ find my weak spots okay,¡± the old man urged Simon to attack again, the training was simple, it was to find good spots to attack by looking at the old man¡¯s stance.


    The boy was good at this. He was more of an action learner than a theoretical learner. By the time the old man had decided to leave, he was sure that Simon wouldn¡¯t lose against low to mid-dungeon bosses.


    A/N: (In terms of strength SSS S A B C D E, low to mid dungeon bosses are somewhere around C to A)


    <--->


    Insects cringing echoed through the forest on the mountain. These sounds made the old man¡¯s heart beat slower. He felt clarity as he sighed.


    The old man was looking at the stars, another day of harsh training ended, Simon was already inside their shack sleeping, he was just silently staring far away farther than the stars. He had never been bored together with the little boy unlike before when he went to the eastern frontier for a different reason.


    ¡°We have to leave here¡­ I wonder if he would remember this place,¡± he thought¡­ his eyes were finally telling him to sleep. He went back inside the shack.


    <--->


    A few more months passed. Finally, it was time.


    They have been preparing for their journey for a few days now. Their bags were filled with necessities and their rations were composed of dried food and fruits. After packing as much as they could, the two now stood in front of the shack.


    The old man wanted to leave the shack as it was. Simon was already behind him ready to leave for the first time, he was a bundle of energy and the old man felt his years getting drained watching the boy¡¯s smile. After making sure that the 2 didn¡¯t miss anything else to be brought with them the two began walking down the path down the mountain.


    But after a few walks the old man then stopped.


    ¡°Simon¡­ wait for a while I forgot something,¡± the old man suddenly said and he sighed, it''s as if he had given up on something. Simon stopped and sat on a rock, they were not even far from the location of the shack.


    Behind the shack the old man retraced back, he started digging on the ground there, he placed it there when he started taking care of the boy¡­ he promised that he wouldn¡¯t take it with him no more but a voice in the back of his head said that he couldn¡¯t leave it there. He took out a small metal tumbler with carvings and designs.


    ¡°God damn it¡­¡± he said like he was cursing the gods, he instinctively tried to open it but he stopped mid-way as he felt himself panting really hard for it¡­ ¡°No¡­¡± he muttered and put it in his bag, then he went back to Simon.


    The boy was there silently waiting for him. The old man approached him like nothing happened. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± the old man said and they resumed their walk.


    ¡­


    ¡°8 days'' worth of food¡­ see that village, that is where you are born,¡± the Old man said as they were walking down the mountain, there was an open cliff where one could see the fields down the plains.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember,¡± the boy answered.


    ¡°Of course, you were still a baby before then¡­ we will be taking the shortcut!¡± The old man smiled as he urged Simon to follow him.


    The air smelled different or rather it felt different, the boy felt that he was breathing much easier.


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡­ you can run you know¡­¡± the old man said and Simon started rushing down the mountains.


    The old man would leave sometimes but the boy had never walked down the mountains, this would be the first time. The leaves of the trees had just begun to change their colors in preparation for their slumber.

 Chapter 53 :: Down the Mountains

    The mountain they were going down was a bit perilous, the sharp rocks and the slippery slopes, the old man was familiar with it, along with him was a small boy, the boy was excitedly jumping around the rocks following the old man.


    ¡°Do not underestimate the rocks!! Simon!!! I told you!! You god damn idiot!!!¡± and just after the old man¡¯s warning, the boy falls upon slipping as he lands but like nothing happened the boy just stood up and continued going down. He was tough.


    The old man clicked his tongue, it was annoying that the boy was wasting his concern.


    The boy was a bundle of joy laughing at anything he finds fun but the boy would do something that was more annoying.


    ¡°Stop putting everything in your damn mouth boy!!! I will tell you if it''s edible!!!¡± the old man warns the boy again.


    It was his fault in the first place that Simon only knew how to eat some berries and mostly meat¡­ but why would the boy test taste everything? He was annoyingly weird.


    Just before they reached the feet of the mountain they were already losing day light, the old man decided to rest for a while, they made camp near a small river and caught some fish¡­ it would be Simon¡¯s first time eating it.


    The two sat on stones and logs. By finding a large stone and cleaning it, they instantly had a stone table. The old man''s and the boy''s heads were bent over the table as they prepared their meal.


    ¡°Spread the salt thinly, that¡¯s right¡± he was instructing the boy in preparing the fish.


    He then checked out the boy¡¯s face, he was already salivating¡­


    ¡°Eating it raw makes it taste gummy and the stench is horrible, you have to cook it so that the flavor that comes out becomes juicy,¡± the old man said and like an open book, the boy stopped salivating.


    ¡°From now on while we travel, you will only eat what we cook at night¡± the old man added more looking at the boy¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°We will only eat this much?!¡± the boy had a disappointed tone in his voice.


    The old man stood up and went back near the river where he created a blockage made out of stone to catch the fish.


    Simon actually said ¡°Aw¡± as the old man let go of the fish that was getting caught by the blockage of stones.


    ¡°Don¡¯t aw me¡­ stand up Simon, we will do a hand to hand training before our dinner tonight,¡± as the old man said Simon stood up, the old man was actually kneeling for them to have the same height.


    ¡°You will going to have the same length of arms and height as me after you grow¡­ or probably more because of how you eat,¡± the old man began their training, the boy chuckled when he said ¡°Because of how you eat,¡± the old man smiled too.


    ¡°Stretch out your arms in front of me,¡± the boy followed the instructions of the old man. He told of how one''s arms work, what could bend and what couldn''t.


    ¡°By planting your feet in the ground and using all of your muscle core you can produce enough strength at one point, remember to have a stable footing,¡± this training was called arm¡¯s bridge.


    ¡°What¡¯s this for old man? Just teach me the sword!¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°You have too much strength in your body and you don¡¯t know how to control it, you have to learn hand to hand combat first before you hold a sword or you are going to hurt yourself, break your sword then hurt yourself¡± the old man straightly answered and the boy just nodded, the boy wondered why the old man repeated ¡°hurt yourself,¡± twice.


    They did the arm¡¯s bridges for a while and when the fish started to smell good they stopped and had their dinner.


    <--->


    In the morning, Simon woke up early easily. They had some fruits and berries and after that, their walk began again.


    As soon as the 2 arrived at the feet of the mountain they started heading south.


    A few kilometers and they would reach one of the main roads of the eastern frontier but the old man has other plans, they head into off road continuing south.


    ¡°Remember to try to always go off roads if you don¡¯t want any trouble don¡¯t follow the roads,¡± it was a stern warning from the old man, Simon nodded as they walked off the main roads into the forest.


    Simon looked to the east, he was sure it was the village he was born in, the one they saw during their walk down the mountains, he could see smoke coming from there, they were probably cooking something nice. The old man stopped for a while and looked at him.


    ¡°We will stay here for a while, you will learn how to live with nature,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we already living with it?¡± Simon asked innocently.


    ¡°You will see¡­¡± the old man just smiled as the 2 walked again.


    ¡­


    The forest unlike the one in the mountains was actually a bit more complicated, the old man was right with his warning, unlike in the mountains where there are good places to camp, the forest was always damp. There were places where they could start fire easily but they would always sleep on tree branches where they fasten themselves not to fall.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    At first, Simon was really struggling to sleep but after a few days, he was sleeping comfortably while hanging on the tree. After that the old man taught Simon some rope tricks like the bow line and the slip knot, additionally he taught him how to create a sling bed out of the large cloth on their bags.


    It was the first time in a while that the boy really slept well on a sling bed. Not only did it protect them from insects, but it also preserved their body heat¡­ though the old man explained it, Simon didn¡¯t understand it anyway.


    As they were staying in the forest they were slowly going westwards.


    <--->


    A few days later as the 2 were searching for prey they found something interesting.


    Simon and the old man were hiding in the shadows of trees each of them standing on the top of a branch. It was still mid-day. They were watching a carriage and a scene unfolding.


    ¡°Simon this scene is what you call thievery, forcefully taking things from someone using violence or probably leverage is in some way or form of stealing,¡± the old man explained as the 2 watched the scene of thieving.


    The merchant was still on his carriage with his family, he was holding a sword and his wife a bow. Two of his children were at the back shaking on their boots¡­. the thieves outnumbered them.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Simon naively asked.


    ¡°Wait for awhile¡­ but don¡¯t let anyone die or it will be a tragedy-¡± but the thieves were starting to riled up because of the shaking children and the driver¡¯s wife ¡°-Oh! We should help them now!¡± the old man said and it was the signal for the 2 to rush out of hiding.


    Before the fight began the two jumped down of the tree rushing to the area.


    ¡°Simon go for their necks it''s easy!¡± the old man pointed to his neck as he instructed Simon. ¡° Hello, sir you are safe now!¡± the old man said it like it was a promotion. The merchant and some of his daughters sighed but when they saw the old man and child¡­ even the thieves started laughing.


    ¡°An old man and a child? What the hell are you guys gonna do?¡± one of the thieves said.


    ¡°Oh I¡¯m gonna hurt you so much that you won¡¯t be able to chew for 3 months¡­ boy this one''s mine!¡±


    ¡°Is he lucky?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Yeah, he keeps his life¡± the old man answered.


    The battle didn¡¯t even last that long.


    Simon was now lining up the bodies. The old man stared at the boy, it seemed that the boy didn¡¯t even feel anything about killing humans. Was that good? The old man thought but then the merchant grabbed his hands.


    ¡°Sir thank you so much! I would like to offer you anything we have here feel free to take it!!! Thanks for saving us!!!¡± the merchant who was traveling said with heartfelt gratitude, his family was safe and his merchandise was just a second of his concerns.


    The merchant was shaking the old man¡¯s hands out of gratitude as a father¡­ the old man felt something from the merchant¡¯s hands, he knew that he was not a normal merchant.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, actually if you would like, we would like to escort you to your destination¡­ hmm perhaps the west?¡± the old man said probing.


    ¡°Yes we are going to trade to the town just west of this forest and continue traveling¡­ but the highway right now is¡­¡± the merchant was quite hesitant to say but it seemed that the tax on going into the main highways was getting higher to the point that they had to relocate themselves. They were looking for opportunities in the west.


    The old man instantly knew that the man was lying, the magic he felt from him, and the way he carried himself, he knew that the merchant was a noble, he must be a fallen noble from the central continent.


    The old man smiled as an idea sprouted in his mind, he began writing on a piece of paper, and even the merchant was surprised by the sudden action of the old man.


    And while the old man was writing he began speaking ¡°Don¡¯t even try to live in the eastern frontiers, it would be hard for nobles to get used to there, rather go back to the central continent and try the west side but you need to go south first.¡±


    The merchant was quite surprised that the old man figured out that they were nobles.


    ¡°Uhm sir¡­ how did you know?¡± the merchant asked but the old man just raised his hands to stop him from his curiosity and then continued writing.


    Simon was checking out the last thief''s body¡­ only a single one was kept alive but got a black eye on both sides, the old man was planning something for him.


    Simon got some blood on his face, the fight was a total slaughter, after punching the first head that broke with a crunch the faces of the thieves turned souring fear.


    One of the daughters of the merchant jumped down and wiped the blood off Simon¡¯s face.


    ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± she softly said.


    ¡°Shelia, be careful, one of the thieves might still be alive!¡± the father warned her. Shelia finally noticed the strange eyes of Simon¡­ she retracted her hands dropping the handkerchief she was using to wipe blood.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure¡­ only one is alive¡­ though another one is on that tree over there watching?¡± Simon said nonchalantly.


    Knowing that he was already busted the thief that was hiding revealed himself with guts.


    ¡°We are the Red Raiders!!! The boss wouldn¡¯t like this!¡± the thief began to run away even after declaring their band¡¯s name.


    Simon was prepared to rush him down but the old man stopped him ¡°Boy, no need to chase let him go,¡± the old man said as he finished up his letter.


    Simon noticed the last thief that has 2 black eyes ¡°Old man you forgot to break his jaw¡­ I¡¯ll do it?¡± Simon asked. The thief almost peed his pants and the Old man just nodded.


    ¡°BREAK!!!¡±


    ¡°Simon¡­ you killed him!¡± the Old man exclaimed¡­ the merchant and his family who were watching were starting to get afraid of Simon.


    Even Shelia who loved children felt fear from him.


    ¡°Looks like this is your limit¡­ we will go now¡­ could you send this to the fisherman¡¯s village it''s for the chief, just think of it as an exchange for saving you,¡± The old man handed a paper to the merchant.


    ¡±Yes of course¡­ but¡­¡± the merchant surveyed around the bloody mess.


    ¡°We will burn them don¡¯t worry¡­ Uhm do you have match sticks?¡± the old man asked with a tone calming the merchant.


    The two dug a small pit and burned the bodies there. After the fire ended they buried them and collected some of their belongings as proof that they were taken out, the adventurer¡¯s guild would pay them for that.


    ¡­


    In the evening. The two just finished their dinner, they actually found a good place to rest and they didn¡¯t need to hang themselves in the tree as per usual, it was a dry cave that was deep enough to house the 2 of them. The two were watching the fire as they were talking.


    ¡°This is a good cave old man,¡± Simon said as he nibbled some of the berries on his hands, the merchant gave them a few bags of food and berries as thanks.


    ¡°You forgot to give back the lady¡¯s handkerchief Simon, that¡¯s bad manners,¡± the old man said as he noticed a white redden cloth hanging in Simon¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°She said I can have it,¡± Simon answered.


    They still had that bunch of meat that came from the mountains, the old man was checking it out.


    ¡°The frontier has gotten worse¡­ Simon¡­ who¡¯s scarier¡­ monsters or humans?¡± the old man asked as he was packing the meat carefully, they could consume it or sell it in a village.


    ¡°Monsters¡­ they are stronger¡­ humans are weak but you are strong?¡± Simon answered ending with a question.


    ¡°Remember this¡­ Monsters are simple¡­ they will kill you to eat¡­ to survive¡­ Humans are different¡­ the hell you are sleeping?¡± finally the old man noticed Simon who was already tuckered and sleeping. He didn¡¯t even notice him taking out his blanket from his bag.

 Chapter 54 :: Hunting Bandits

    The old man and the boy were lying on their belly on each of a tree branch, the old man was on a higher branch while Simon was just below him. They were still in a forest, southern part of the eastern continent.


    ¡°Have you counted them right? What¡¯s your bet?¡± the old man asked in a low voice, it had been three days after that incident. Simon and the old man finally found the thieves'' hideout, it was a ruin.


    These ruins; many of them were scattered all around the continents. The similar and common thing about them was it''s impossible to use external magic when inside it. Buffs and some enchantments were possible though.


    The old man taught Simon how to track bandits, it was the reason they let one get away, it was actually easy since humans leave much more traces than animals and monsters who would live among nature. The location of the ruins was a walk going south of the forest where they met the merchant and his family.


    They have been observing them for 2 days already. ¡°20 plus¡± Simon guessed.


    ¡°Oh you are getting better at counting I see! We will have to tackle some math sometimes but for now, let¡¯s check your answer!¡± the old man said laughingly.


    ¡°How about you, your bet?¡± the laugh made the boy doubt his own answer.


    ¡°26¡­ 2 captives probably they have some women,¡± the old man answered. He deducted it from the dirty smiling face of the thieves.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate, boy, break their arms, their neck¡­ don¡¯t get hit by anything¡­¡± he added as he stood up. It was time to act. It was an autumn thing when bandits became active because it was time to gather bounties from the lands and such.


    <--->


    The inside of the ruins was dark. A lone man sat on a wooden chair, there were clutters of treasures and sacks of food all around him.


    A forgotten hero. A son of a fallen noble. How far has he fallen? Now he was the leader of a band of thieves the Red Raiders. He blamed fate, he blamed his peers. He suddenly started to hear something strange.


    The dim light and his broken conscience were slowly eroding his mind and senses.


    There was still some fresh meat ready to be violated tonight, they found these 2 girls in a nearby forest; foraging, and the boys took them, one was still young and the other was in the right age. He ignored the noise as he started to salivate on what they would do tonight. His creepy smile made the two girls tied in front of him shiver.


    Suddenly his back hairs stood up, all of his senses screaming danger. He was one to trust his instincts, he rolled as a blow missed his neck.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± he muttered.


    His eyes squinted trying to make out what tried to hit him. The dim lights didn¡¯t help that much.


    ¡°Boy¡­ this is your chance¡­ try fighting him, he might offer you something good,¡± an old man said following the child¡¯s direction, he nonchalantly walked and went to the tied girls who were tied shivering in fear.


    ¡°Who the hell are you!!!¡± the bandit leader grabbed his sword and unsheathed it but as soon as their eyes met his blood ran cold, sweat began dripping from his face and his back shivered.


    ¡°Old man¡­ don¡¯t break his mind,¡± Simon said.


    t was the same suffocating blood thirst that the old man used to Simon that made him pee and weak in the knees, Simon knew that for some reason, the ways of the old man were extreme.


    ¡°You¡­ if you can beat the kid¡­ I will leave you with your life,¡± the old man said as he freed the captives. ¡°Follow me, let me guide you outside, it''s safe now!¡± the old man said and the girls hugged him. ¡°Now! Now, let¡¯s go girls!¡±


    The bandit leader just stood as the old man and the girls passed him by. There was a part of him telling him to let them go, he was sure that if he tried anything he would die. ¡®Who the hell was this old man?!¡¯ he thought as they passed by him.


    He guided the girls out and looked at Simon and the leader of the bandits. ¡°He is strong Simon¡­ but I¡¯m probably stronger¡­¡±


    The leader of the Red Raiders was silent. He couldn¡¯t understand what just happened. As soon as the old man said that he would leave him with his life he felt scared and relief.


    ¡°The old man is lying¡­ he is probably going to kill you¡­ he just said that to make you fight me seriously,¡± Simon said reading the man¡¯s face.


    The leader smiled, he was a wind magic user, a sword master too, he swung his sword and it instantly killed the dim lights in the room. It was not magic, rather it was a show of force.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter kid¡­ I will kill you and I will kill the old man,¡± the leader said but a hard hit landed on his face.


    Another one on his stomach then into his knees. Finally, he rolled out and he kept moving. Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He saw a yellow glimmering eye¡­ snake eyes.


    ¡°You are not human?¡± the leader asked.


    And the blood on the child¡¯s body was not his¡­ how old is this child? How could he be like that? He felt coldness from the eyes of the boy.


    ¡°Magic Edge¡­ Strength Enhance-¡± There was a slight glow on the leader¡¯s body and sword. Although the ruins expelled any kind of magic fired, enhancement and enchantments or any magic that was inside the body were somewhat allowed. ¡°-I hate demi-humans,¡± he muttered and began an onslaught of attacks.


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    Simon quickly felt the danger escalate as he dodged the slashes.


    Simon got caught on the slashes a few times and there was already blood splashing everywhere.


    ¡°It hurts, ouch!!¡± some on his arms and a little on his hip. He should have spun off from that last 2 slices.


    ¡°Who the hell are you kid!!! Grahh!¡± the leader still got kicked on his sheen which made him grit his teeth.


    ¡°Left and right¡­¡± Simon muttered. It was the same move the leader did and he dodged it¡­ the boy was starting to adjust in the fight.


    ¡°You damn¡­ kid¡­¡± the leader started glaring and releasing an endless blood lust.


    Simon easily got overwhelmed and almost jumped back but he held his ground, planting his feet properly¡­ It was the first time he had ever felt it. He controlled his emotions, it was different knowing that the old man would just hurt him unlike the one in front of him that was out to kill him.


    ¡°I will kill you kid¡­ even if you try to run or not¡­¡± he attacked with a swarm of swings, wild swings to be exact.


    ¡°Feels like a wild boar¡­¡± Simon muttered again. He dived into the slashes, using his small body to dodge it.


    ¡°Not enough kid!¡± the leader said and he landed a kick on Simon''s stomach.


    The boy flew his back into a wall, he broke some parts of his body. The leader didn¡¯t hesitate as he tried to attack the child. Still, Simon utilized everything that he had to dodge it and he survived the finisher, the boy immediately rolled away from the wall so as not to be cornered.


    Simon stood up with his knees shaking. For some reason the leader of the bandits felt a chill as he was looking at the boy¡¯s eyes¡­ it was snake eyes¡­ he paused admiring the boy¡¯s eyes but resisted it as he began attacking again.


    As he was relentlessly attacking, the boy was slowly getting slashed but he was deflecting any of the attacks that were deemed to cut off his arms. The leader of the bandits then started throwing pierces in the mix of rapid slashes and the boy got hit on his arms a few times before he started adjusting to his attacks. The boy was a monster but still, a fight to the death meant everything could work.


    He kicked the boy again on the stomach making sure that he would hit the wall hard, Simon flew into the wall gasping air as it escaped his lungs, the kick to the stomach and the hit on the wall almost made him puke, but the leader of the bandits didn¡¯t care as he dashed a lunge aiming on Simon¡¯s neck.


    ¡°CLANG!!!¡±


    As the blade almost touched Simon¡¯s neck the old man stopped it with his own blade.


    ¡°You would really try to kill a child?¡± the old man queried with contorted eyebrows.


    The old man then checked at Simon, he was really in a pinch.


    ¡°Simon¡­ this why you have to learn magic¡­ he is using enhancement and Magic Blade¡­ see the faint glow? You can match them as far as you could with your own body strength but it would now be enough¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn you old man! Who the hell are you!!!¡± the leader screamed, he couldn¡¯t push through the blade that his sword was touching.


    The old man¡¯s sword was glowing a little bit. He swung it and pushed the leader off his feet, the leader made some distance from where he was standing¡­


    The leader was shaken by that, had no idea¡­ but for some reason, he was sure that he couldn¡¯t beat the old man¡­


    ¡°Gregory¡­ the wind blade¡­ how far have you fallen?¡± a cold voice from the old man.


    The leader of the bandits stopped for a while ¡°You know me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter¡­ I will end you now¡­ look at the kid¡­ we have to make a great show¡­ in the least¡± the old man smiled.


    He finally remembered him, how could he not remember that unique way the old man smiled, a suffocatingly intimidating smile? Flashbacks in his mind began, it was the same face, and he could still remember when he was once saved¡­ the old man was the legendary hero of the era¡­ the conqueror of the hundred dungeons. Alphecca the sword of light. He instantly regretted his past actions¡­ the light in his eyes turned clearer.


    He was the reason he became a hero¡­ his life was forfeit now.


    ¡°I see¡­ Release¡­¡± Gregory muttered and his sword radiated brighter¡­ it was impossible to use external magic in the ruins. The ruins around the continent were like that.


    But Armas was different. Each Armas technique was different¡­ for Gregory who was once a hero his release was a wind-like armor around his body.


    Simon¡¯s eyes glowed, as he felt the wind move the stagnant air inside the ruins, the boy took everything in as he watched what was unfolding in front of him.


    ¡°Nice¡­ at least you have the decency to use it in front of me¡­ I will honor it too¡­ release,¡± The old man transformed, 3 swords floated on his back and he was covered with armor of light.


    ¡°You were my hero¡­¡± Gregory said.


    ¡°Fuck off kid¡­ I won¡¯t show you mercy,¡± the old man smiled.


    <--->


    The ruins were already void of life. The two young women who had been saved saw the remains of the thieves and, despite everything, felt sorry for them. However, the old man reassured them that it was okay. Now, they were waiting outside the ruins.


    Suddenly, a howl of pain reverberated from within. ¡°Graaaaaah!!!¡± The sound made the two women run away in terror.


    The echoes of the voice led deeper into the ruins. Inside a room within the ruins, an old man, a wounded swordsman, and a boy were gathered together.


    A broken arm, his left eye is already gone¡­ left ears pierced and shattered apart¡­ he was going to die today it seemed¡­ this was the prize he had to pay.


    ¡°Stand up¡­ you have to struggle,¡± the old man said.


    Simon was just on the side, trying not to pass out as pain engulfed his whole body.


    The old man was a reckoning force for his age, the fight was like the old man was on a different plane. Still, Gregory didn¡¯t let go of his consciousness.


    Gregory had read it before, the old man¡¯s release was some kind of light emitter, it would leave his slashes in the air, and he could activate it as a slash again anytime, truly a monstrous ability¡­ he was one of the few figures that was still alive and was already written down the history, a true living legend.


    Forcing him to struggle must be some kind of way for the old man to cleanse him¡­ in exchange for his life. Gregory still bravely attacked upfront, his release was some kind of an upgrade for his technique it, allowed him to charge in safely, he called it the Wind Charger. From the tip of his sword to his body, he became covered with wind that protected and increased his speed.


    But it was useless against the old man, by activating the slashes that he left the wind protection becomes nothing. The old man would specifically activate the slashes behind the wind wall that the fallen hero generated.


    This was the summary of their whole fight.


    ¡°This is the last one sir¡­ a final charge,¡± Gregory said as he stood steady. The wind converged to gather going through him.


    ¡°So you are ready now¡­ are you sure, your Armas is good but you never explored the possibilities didn¡¯t you?¡± the old man smiled and he finally held his sword with 2 hands.


    The old man was right. The Armas technique had an unlimited application. It was totally on Gregory why he got stuck to his level now.


    Simon was quietly watching the fight. If anything he was not getting anything through the fight, what the boy felt was just he wanted to know how it would end.


    Gregory charged into the old man.


    ¡°Well done¡­ I call this skill the 2nd phase,-¡± the old man spoke and he disappeared¡­ even Simon couldn¡¯t follow what was happening. The old man then reappears just beside Gregory who just stopped his charge. ¡°-I can retrace all of my attacks before,¡± the old man said¡­ he was sure Gregory was not there.


    The body of Gregory turns into ribbons¡­ slowly falling down. He dropped his sword which was also broken into pieces except the hilt.

 Chapter 55 :: Hunger and Regeneration

    The ruins echoed each time the old man moved. There were no more lights that eased the darkness so the old man was using light magic to illuminate the room.


    As soon as the fight ended Simon lost consciousness. The old man heard a thud as he took the sword of Gregory, he will be submitting this to the adventurer¡¯s guild, there should be a large bounty for someone like him.


    The salty smell permeated in the air. The old man smiled as he checked on the boy.


    The boy¡¯s regeneration was starting, it was quite outstanding and for some reason very convenient for the boy. He picked up the boy¡­


    ¡°Growl¡­¡±


    The boy was getting hungry while he was passed out. The old man had been dubious of Simon¡¯s origin or if he was a normal human at all.


    Actually, he was just getting annoyed since he would have to hunt and cook food before the boy woke up. The old man began to think, luckily the bandits won¡¯t need their food, don¡¯t they?


    <--->


    A few meters away from the ruins. Smoke was fuming up into the air. A quick camp was already prepared. A boy was sleeping soundly and an old man cooking.


    Simon¡¯s nose started moving, he was slowly getting his consciousness back as the smell in the air roused him up. The boy''s instincts forced him to grab something warm and he bit into it.


    ¡°Hey!! If you are going to eat wake up!!! HEY!!¡± finally he felt a smack on his head, a familiar smack, Simon was suddenly awake, and there was roasted meat in his mouth that was watering as hell.


    ¡°You should learn how to control yourself!!!¡± the old man complained, he was searing the meat on a hot stone slab.


    Simon literally sleepwalked himself into eating the first batch the old man had finished cooking.


    Simon¡¯s wounds were gone even though it was a bit brutal. The problem now was that he was really hungry that it was making his head spin.


    ¡°Control it!!! BOY I SAID CONTROL IT!!!¡± it was a warning that comes with blood lust.


    Finally, Simon snapped out of it and calmed himself down controlling his hunger.


    Simon realized that he was eating naked.


    ¡°Get on your clothes first then eat, eat slowly dumb ass!!!¡± the old man scolded. Simon followed, it seemed that his clothes were somewhat already stitched up.


    He wore it and came back to eating.


    ¡°Boy! Watch me!!!¡± the old man suddenly said as he finished another batch, he started slicing the meat into bite-size.


    He gave Simon another small knife, it was a good knife he had taken from the treasure room of the bandits. Simon imitated the old man.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, now put it in your mouth, this way you don¡¯t have to eat so messy,¡± the old man said smiling.


    Simon followed the old man¡¯s teaching until finally they finished the meat, it was actually from the stock of the bandits.


    ¡°Where are the girls you saved?¡± Simon then asked while wiping his mouth with a cloth.


    ¡°They know how to go home by themselves, they are already gone but we have to stay on this spot for a while, they will bring us some food supplies as thanks¡± the old man answered, he was also about to finish his meal.


    After eating the old man noticed Simon drooping down while he was sitting. The calm face of the boy showed the calmness of the night, although the old man would want nothing more than to sleep now he couldn''t.


    ¡°Don¡¯t sleep, it''s still too early to sleep, stand up!! We will do arm bridges!!¡± the old man said as he urged Simon by pulling him up.


    The two began, the old man could tell that the boy was already doing the exercise by just instinct and reaction. He began going faster, the boy stuttered a bit but immediately adjusted. The boy had a very good instinct and could fight proficiently with his fist, it was time to add another arsenal to the boy''s skills.


    Though the boy didn¡¯t know how to fight the thieves the first time, he just adapted so fast. The sight of him destroying the thieves made him laugh. The boy would be a monster when he grew up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop¡­ follow me,¡± the old man said and he stood up, with a wave he urged Simon to go near a tree.


    ¡°You can¡¯t punch everything with your fist do you know that?¡± the old man then asked a question.


    ¡°¡­ Shouldn¡¯t it be like that?¡± Simon wondered, what the hell did he know? The old man nodded.


    ¡°You can also use an open hand strike like this,¡± and the old man showed a palm strike into the tree. ¡°Use open hand strike on hard targets and then close hand on soft targets,¡± the old man instructed.


    ¡°Try landing an open strike in the tree¡± he wanted Simon to try now.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Simon tried it too on the tree.


    With a ¡°Thud,¡± the leaves fell down. With a bending sound, the tree complained. The boy was really strong.


    ¡°That¡¯s it¡­ let¡¯s have sleep,¡± the old man said and they went back to their spot.


    <--->


    The old man didn¡¯t see the girls when they went out, he just wished that they were already safe. They resumed traveling eastwards through the forest. The two were literally hunting any kind of monster or beast they found, from bears and tigers to wolves and even the large goats. The forest was teeming with life.


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    Simon practiced the open and closed palm and the result was actually very sad, especially for the beast that got hit. The boy was beginning to understand the difference between the two. The problem was how they would dispose of the carcasses. The boy would specifically target good edible beasts. The old man could see the species go extinct and he had to hold the reigns for the boy. It was just another day of their travel.


    ¡°Old man, why won¡¯t you teach me sword?¡± Simon suddenly asked, he was cleaning himself on a river. He had blood all over his arms.


    ¡°I told you¡­ if you can control your strength then I would teach you,¡± the old man said as he was having a hard time salvaging what was left of the boar Simon palmed strike to death.


    Strange noises registered to the old man and the boy. It was the old man who reacted first. He stopped what he was doing scanning the area around them.


    ¡°Simon don¡¯t move,¡± suddenly the old man warned Simon, the boy followed but his eyes were looking around. ¡°They must have been following our kills¡­ get ready boy,¡± the old man warned him more. Simon gulped, he didn¡¯t know what monster the old man was talking about.


    Then Simon felt a bit of vibration behind him. He instantly jumped away from his position. Two giant tadpoles appeared out of thin air, rather they were on camouflage, it was trying to trample down on the boy.


    ¡°I probably fucked up in our direction of travel,¡± the old man said as he saw the monster. He was right, rather than going west, they were slowly southwest.


    And on to the southwest part of the area was a dungeon that was made out of a cavern. This tadpole-like monster that could camouflage would usually come out of there.


    There were 6 tadpoles circling around the 2. He heard this information long before when he met the boy.


    The old man clicked his tongue, this reptile enemy was not that strong but they were sneaky, even veteran adventurers had trouble dealing with them. Although they were only seeing 6, there was probably more of them. There should also be a pair of parents. They should be nearby.


    The old man needed to use magic, but as soon as he touched his sword in preparation to dispel their camouflage his hands shook in pain, and he froze. The battle against Gregory of the wind blade actually took a toll on him, for a long time now his magic had been unstable


    ¡°Shit,-¡± the old man complained, he put his hands on his waist, the metal tumbler was there ¡°-It''s fucking empty¡­ I¡¯m an idiot!!!¡± he muttered in a low voice.


    But he was just going to use a dispel magic to dispel the effects of the camouflage¡­ when did he become so worrisome? He glared at the back of Simon¡­ it was goddamn obvious.


    The old man smirked ¡°Simon close your eyes I¡¯m going to¡­¡± and he noticed Simon was actually fighting toe to toe with the 3 tadpoles. The annoying boy was practicing the open and close-hand strikes.


    ¡°HAHAHAHA!!!!¡± the old man started laughing, he was really the idiot it seemed, all the tension was drained down.


    ¡°Old man, why are you laughing¡­ you enjoy fighting?¡± Simon even had the time to ask.


    ¡°Yep! I do!! Let¡¯s kill them all!!!-¡± The old man drew his sword and waved it, it dispelled the camouflage of the tadpoles, which made it clearer that they came from the south¡­ their parents must be there. ¡°-Simon take care of them, I¡¯ll go and have a talk with their parents!¡± and the old man dashed off.


    ¡°Ah¡­ okay,¡± Simon muttered as he dodged a tackle from a tadpole. He countered with a punch puncturing a hole in its stomach. ¡°Disgusting!!!¡± Simon said.


    A tail strike came from behind and from a closed hand strike he opened his fist. He broke the tail and the tadpole screamed in agony not that the boy cared, he finished it up with another punch puncturing its body.


    The tadpole was as big as a grown human and a single boy was eradicating them. Simon for some time now had been using vibrations to locate them even when they were in camouflage earlier.


    <--->


    The old man¡¯s flash step was out of the norm, not only did he command light. He embodied its abilities, like how light fast travel. He hadn¡¯t used this for a long time now so his knees were crackling, he instantly located the 2 parents. The ugly frog with barked skin was the female while the frog that had a small bait on its head was the male.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± the old man appeared in front of the 2 monsters, they were quite surprised and even tried to camouflage but in one swing the old man canceled their ability.


    The old man couldn¡¯t explain it but even from a long time before his magic edge level 2 could dispel illusion magic.


    The large frogs are called Tugak. This monstrous frog was a sign that the dungeon in the south had a stronger species in it. They have a variety of mutations pertaining to their abilities. The barked-skinned female is an acid spitter while the one with the bait on its head was an ambusher. It was clear who was his target first.


    ¡°Oh¡­ more eggs¡­¡± he noticed then that there were eggs around the female frog.


    That was really bad, if these monsters were discovered a week late they would have an army and could potentially subdue human settlements. He promised himself that he was going to scold the adventurer¡¯s guild the next time he came around.


    His first target was the male Tugak. The old man dashed and cleanly landed a slash on the body of the male Tugak, the Tugak didn¡¯t even have the time to react, still, it tried to attack using its tongue and body but to no avail, fighting on an open field against the old man was suicide, in few moments the male frog died with too much bleeding wounds.


    The old man approached the female that was at the center of the colony of eggs.


    ¡°Oh¡­ you didn¡¯t even react to that¡­ sorry¡­ I can¡¯t let you live,¡± the female Tugak seemed to have accepted its fate as it was not moving but that was not the case, it spouted acid and it caught the old man off guard, still the old man managed to dodge it.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even care about the eggs eh?¡± in his surprise the female frog lunged into the air trying to trample the old man. It crushed some of the eggs in process but the female didn¡¯t care at all.


    A sharp pain throbbed in his right hand, some on his shoulders. He checked his body... it seemed that when he dodged the acid earlier he was not unscathed, it was some burn on his shoulders but his right hand which was his main hand in fighting had been occasionally getting this uncontrollable pain. The old man smiled, it was something from getting old.


    His magic edge level 2 began to get unstable, he switched to level 1 from a white gleaming glow into a faint reddish one. He used his flash step to get closer but his feet started to throb in pain too. He was making mistakes on his landing spots and when he landed a slash, his level 1 magic edge wouldn¡¯t give him enough time to cut deep and he was just landing shallow wounds to the Tugak due to the fact that the blood that was oozing out of it was also acidic¡­ it was bad.


    ¡°Old man!!!¡± Simon suddenly appeared with blood all over his body.


    ¡°Simon¡­ you sure did it quick¡­ look at their mother it can tell you slayed all of its offspring!!¡± the last remaining Tugak clearly showed hostility to Simon.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got something new!!¡±


    Simon rushes into the large frog-like creature aiming for its stomach. The old man instantly knew what Simon was going to do.


    ¡°Simon!! Don¡¯t hit its belly!!!¡± the old man warned but Simon was already going in, he was not listening at all, he was in his battle frenzy, he was evading all of the Tugak¡¯s attack in paper-thin margins.


    ¡°You are in front of me!!¡± Simon touched the belly of the Tugak with an open palm and like a statue, it stopped moving.


    ¡°What the hell!!!¡± the old man was surprised but then the Tugak burst out from its mouth all of the acid in it. Simon who was under it tried to get away but the spread of the Tugak¡¯s acid was too wide.


    ¡°Shit!!! you little!!!-¡± The old man tried to use his flash step but he fell down, his knees were getting weak. The old man watched as Simon¡¯s lower extremities got caught in the acid. ¡°-SIMON!!!¡± the old man screamed.


    ¡°AAAAAARGGHHH!!!!¡± Simon screams in pain.


    <--->


    His knees were buckling as he ran, the old man was carrying Simon¡¯s body, the boy had already passed out but he was not regenerating, he covered Simon¡¯s wound with his own cloak that was also melting a bit, that¡¯s just how much Simon¡¯s skin has been doused by the acid.


    The old man was not running at full speed but it was not the problem.


    ¡°Why am I hesitating¡± the old man muttered as he looked at Simon¡¯s pained face.


    It didn¡¯t matter if his legs broke¡­ he needed to do something now. Without care of his surroundings, just a direction on his mind the old man used his flash step to its maximum uncontrolled potential. He left their things in the forest. Fixing Simon¡¯s flesh was of utmost importance.


    In a few minutes, they already arrived at a town northeast of the black river just south on the borders of the dark forest. The town of Pharsha.

 Chapter 56 :: Spoils

    The town of Pharsha is located just southeast of the Dark Forest. It¡¯s a town solely for the purpose of catering to traveling explorers as their rest and for the facilitation of the adventurers.


    Inside the adventurer¡¯s guild, the Pam¡¯s were in a bit of panic mode. The peaceful guild house was now dirtied with blood spots.


    The flesh melted almost into the bone, the Pam (Healer) that was stationed in the small town of the frontier bit her lips as she tried to heal Simon¡¯s lower extremities.


    The old man had a small burn on his shoulders and arms but it was alright, he was watching them fixing the boy.


    ¡°He will not be able to walk anymore,¡± the Pam said with a very sad tone but she was still trying her best, her hands became reddish green because of blood and puss.


    The old man though had a cold stare at her. he was listening silently as he drank a mug of beer, he was just too relaxed.


    ¡°Just remove the poison and the corrosive fluids,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Are you crazy!? I will be slicing some of his flesh¡­-¡± the Pam looked at the old man but the old man was dead serious. ¡°-Okay,¡± the stare made her continue, she almost dropped a tear as she continued the operation.


    Another Pam was checking on the old man¡¯s legs. His legs gave away as soon as they arrived at the adventurer¡¯s guild house. The old man was sitting on a chair in a room inside the guild house.


    All the while the guild master quickly rushed down the medic area.


    ¡°Alphecca!! I thought I would never see you again¡­ you look bad¡­-¡± the guild master said and he checked on the boy ¡°-oh crap poor boy!!!¡± the guild master saw the situation of the boy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry he will recover¡­ he saved me¡± the old man said.


    The guild master was quite surprised with the face Alphecca was making.


    ¡°Oh for your information, they will vote for your next successor¡± the guild master added the information out of nowhere.


    But the old man didn¡¯t care about it, rather he was not listening.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing sloppy work, we found Tugaks, a swarm of it just outside the dungeon south¡­ the hell are you doing!!!¡± the old man scolded him.


    ¡°Come on man, heroes have been scarce in the frontier after you retired!!!¡± the guild master complained but that alibi was not enough for the old man.


    ¡°Then leave it to us, we will raid that dungeon south,¡± the old man declared.


    He must be crazy, the other patients and the Pam¡¯s doing medical treatment could tell that the old man was insane, how about the boy that he brought? What¡¯s he going to do about him? Leave him in the guild house?


    ¡°I can¡¯t let you go there alone¡­ Alphecca¡­ we are getting old!!¡± the guild master was at least in the sane to say this.


    ¡°Now, now, I will be bringing that boy with me so don¡¯t worry,¡± the old man specifically pointed out to Simon who was unconscious.


    The guild master knew that Alphecca was quite not right in his brain but the sorry state of the boy made him question how he treated the boy.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the look? Don¡¯t worry, tomorrow please cook as much food as you can¡­ we will pay for it, cook as much meat as possible please,¡± the old man smiled fiercely.


    ¡°Why does it sound like a threat?¡± the guild master asked.


    ¡°You will see later,¡± the old man then laughed.


    <--->


    They had to rent a room in the adventurer¡¯s guild. The alcoholic smell permeated in the air. It mixed in with the smell of the blood. The bed in the room was enough for two people.


    The old man was drinking again after a long while, but he was not taking it well, the alcohol didn¡¯t taste much better¡­ maybe he ought to stop drinking now? He was watching Simon as he slept¡­ the regeneration was not yet happening. He was fidgeting with his metal tumbler, looking at it silently.


    Finally, the boy snored and the faint smell of burnt flesh and salty-like smell permeated inside the room, the boy was regenerating his wounds. ¡°There we go! Felt quite worried there¡± the old man said and finally tuckered for a night of sleep, he was just beside Simon.


    <--->


    The next morning. The sound of cluttering plates, knives and the lively gobbling of food in the cafeteria was actually produced by a single boy.


    The boy was really eating hard¡­ the old man warned them to cook as much as they could but it wasn¡¯t enough, the boy¡¯s stomach was growling as he was swallowing food as soon as he could.


    ¡°Slow down kid¡­!¡± the old man said but Simon kept on eating, he had already recovered much of his flesh that was removed by the Pam that fixed him up.


    The old man was eating his share of meat too.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never felt this hungry before¡± Simon paused for a while, stared around with a blank face, and started going at it again.


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    ¡°From now on you are not allowed to get hit by anything¡­ do you understand me boy?¡± the old man suddenly declared.


    ¡°It''s okay¡­ I heal up the next day,¡± Simon answered. It seemed that the boy was aware of his regeneration, that answer colored the old man¡¯s face in surprise but he was already resolute


    ¡°I said, from now on you are not allowed to get hit by anything¡­!¡± the old man repeated it and Simon just nodded.


    ¡°We will be training here for a week and we will go raid the dungeon south,¡± the old man said, he made sure that everyone that was eating in the cafeteria heard it.


    ¡°Boar meat incoming!!¡± the adventurer¡¯s guild staff served the 7th plate of boar meat sliced into its finest.


    ¡°Ooh!! Delicious!!¡± Simon said as he began digging into it again.


    The old man began to notice that the boy was not eating the side greens that were served along with the meat


    ¡°Simon!!! Eat the fucking vegetables!!!¡± the old man demanded. Simon nodded and wolfed down the vegetables easy, the boy resumed eating again.


    ¡°Is that your boy Alphecca?¡± suddenly the adventurer''s guild master came to them.


    ¡°Nope¡­ let''s just say he was entrusted to me,¡± the old man answered. Simon was too busy eating to listen to the 2 old men talking.


    ¡°He is not human¡­ is he?¡± the guild master asked more.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but he has different eyes and he regenerates as fast as hell,¡± the old man answered. ¡°But he does look like a human?¡±


    The old man was thinking of ways to make Simon blend easily in towns since his eyes totally set him apart¡­ but there were still many things he must address. A reward too for the boy, he shouldn¡¯t use the stick approach all the time, shouldn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Oh, I want to commission a carving knife to a blacksmith, give me a discount,¡± the old man said and it came out of nowhere along with a haggle. The guild master nodded his head, the old man would haggle at everything.


    ¡°How much do you have?¡± the guild master asked, seemingly knowing how the old man operated.


    <--->


    The next 2 days.


    The 2 would start their day early rather; the old man literally dragged Simon out of the bed.


    ¡°Wake up you slob!!!¡± the old man¡¯s words, he had been taking a notice about Simon¡¯s peculiar sleeping habits. He had been training the boy for some time now but the boy was still true to his nature.


    He released some blood lust as he was really starting to get angry and the boy instantly woke up. Simon was looking around to find where it came from. The old man smiled, it seemed that he accidentally found a way to wake Simon up properly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go boy, we will have to go a bit far for today!!!¡± the old man said and Simon smiled back at him, the boy excitedly prepared his things. They are going to get the baggage that they left in the forest south.


    Simon was totally recovered, even the Pams and the guild master couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, the boy was now full of energy and raring to go.


    ¡°Thanks for everything, as an exchange, leave the Cavern Dungeon to me¡­ we will push it deep after a week of training, rest assured, also could you save this room for us, we will come back at night¡± the old man handed his hands for a shake and the guild master happily shook it.


    ¡°Understood, Is the boy going to be alright? Don¡¯t be harsh on him okay?¡± the guild master said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever tell me how to raise that boy¡­ I¡¯m going to do it my way¡­ see you later,¡± the old man said. The guild master worried for the boy and even the Pams who was listening to them.


    ¡°Sir, who is that old man? Why are you so respectful to him?¡± one of the guild staff members approached and asked this.


    ¡°That is Alphecca of the sword of light, the last hero of the era¡­ the man who pushed the dungeons so far that its effect can even be seen now¡­ we live in these peaceful times because of him¡± the guild master answered.


    The guild staff and the others were quite surprised. It was rare for the guild master to speak of praises. The guild master knew that the dungeon south was a new dungeon that sprouted. It was just 10 years old. He had sent for heroes in the central but no one came, the Elford was too busy in maintaining the lands, and their forces were spread thin.


    ¡°That boy¡­ he will survive for sure¡­ probably¡± the guild master muttered as he went back to his room for paperwork.


    ¡°Sir actually I found something strange when I was healing the old man,¡± the Pam suddenly opened up a conversation, Pam usually did a quick scan on their patient before healing them, it was just an SOP


    ¡°What¡¯s it?¡± the guild master asked¡­ his eyes widened as he heard it ¡°Send the findings to the magic tower,¡± That was the order of the guild master.


    ¡°But it would take weeks or even months, we don¡¯t know how long,¡± the Pam said complaining he was concerned with the condition of the old man.


    ¡°Trust me¡­ put my name under the letter,¡± the guild master sighed as he left the scene and went back to his office.


    <--->


    Their things were still there, the old man left them in a hurry for Simon a day before but the meat bag was already ransacked, probably of a beast. The smell of the bodies of the tadpoles was bad, the 2 began cleaning up, it is important that Simon understood the purpose of this.


    It was an emergency earlier but usually, adventurers or even knights would bury or burn the carcasses of the monsters they hunt. Since there was a water stream nearby the old man decided to burn them all to avoid contaminating the water, like the ones they did with the bandit¡¯s corpses but before that, they had to extract usable parts of the monster like its skin and the fluids.


    They finished around mid-day.


    They had to carry a lot especially the rough skins and armor-like hide from the 2 large Tugak, it was an impossible task. Instead, they built a small shed to put it inside for a while and they would hire adventurers to collect them later. The old man really knew his thing as he taught Simon the basics of carving and weathering monster skins.


    It was already deep in the night when they arrived back in the adventurer¡¯s guild. They sold the parts they brought back and posted a job for tomorrow. In this opportunity, the old man went to teach Simon the currency.


    The old man lined up the coins they had. There were 3 Large Gold Coins, 1 medium Gold Coin, 2 small gold coins, 60 silvers, and 10 bronze. The currency that was generally used in the whole continents was called the Imperial Crown system some call it crowns some Imper for a shorter term.


    l Large Gold Coin = 100 silver coins


    l Medium Gold Coin = 50 silver coins


    l Small Gold Coin = 10 silver coins


    l Silver Coin = 50 bronze coins


    ¡°You look like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about?¡± the old man checked Simon''s face... Simon stared at him while scratching his head.


    ¡°I want to take a bath,¡± the boy was not even listening.


    ¡°Little shit!!!¡± the old man lightly tapped Simon¡¯s head.


    After taking a bath near a well just outside of the guild house the 2 ate, it was really late in the night so the old man had to cook their own food, so he taught Simon some of his culinary knowledge.


    They were eating outside looking at the stars.


    ¡°Tomorrow we will resume training again, it seems that you are quite good at dodging boy,¡± the old man said as he took another sip of the soup he made.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I can feel something in a direction then when it''s coming I dodge it!!!¡± Simon said trying to explain what he experienced during the battle with the Tugak.


    The boy learned well in action rather than theory which was quite annoying since the 2 were the same. Unconsciously the old man was fidgeting with his metal tumbler again, tracing its carved designs as he was listening to the boy.


    Simon had been noticing this ¡°Why do you always touch that thing?¡± the boy suddenly asked, The old man smiled and put it back on hanging on his waist.


    ¡°Nothing boy¡­ force of habit¡­¡± the old man said this like an excuse.


    The old man needs a ball¡­ no... a lot of it, a small room and a stick¡­ the training will start tomorrow. The old man had a plan on his mind.

 Chapter 57 :: Dodge Ball and Dungeons

    Under the building of the adventurers guild, there was an underground battle arena, it was not as sophisticated as arenas used in tournaments. On that note, all adventurer¡¯s guild was always built in the same way, it was always been the first one to be built when a town was established so it was always been the oldest building in the villages and towns in the frontier.


    However in some of the cases, there were some like the small clan village of the Ahas which didn¡¯t have any building for adventurers and only had a representative, there were some political issues behind it, such as the way of the nobles.


    Simon and the old man Alphecca were in an underground room, the guild master along with two staff came down carrying two boxes of balls each, the balls were made up of leather from monsters and rubber from the rubber trees that were plenty around the town.


    There was a separate room for meditation and that was where they were. The training was simple it was to dodge the ball blindfolded.


    ¡°Alphecca you are too harsh on the boy!¡± the guild master said he already had the idea. That training was actually in the curriculum of the adventurer¡¯s free training for beginners.


    ¡°Nah, he is good to go, it''s okay!¡± the old man said as he put the blindfold on the boy¡¯s eyes. ¡°Dodge anything that comes okay!¡± he said and the boy nodded.


    Simon guided by the old man stood in the middle of the room and the old man threw a ball, Simon dodged the ball but got hit when it bounced back.


    ¡°I¡¯m hit?¡± Simon said¡­


    The old man glared at him, the boy could not see it but he felt the cold stare.


    ¡°Each time you are hit I will reduce your food¡­ be careful,¡± it was a cold word from the old man and Simon finally felt that he had to go serious.


    The old man wittingly threw the ball downwards making it bounce, Simon dodged it by bending his neck up.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± as soon as the old man threw the ball he knew it would bounce back, so to add to that he threw another curving ball to Simon aiming at his stomach, the old man would always go for the stomach of the boy when training.


    ¡°He dodged it!!!¡± the guild master said as he saw Simon go out of the way.


    The old man smiled fiercely, it would not be easy, it should not be easy.


    ¡°You are not watchers here¡­ throw him some ball!!!¡± the old man said and the 3 followed suit throwing balls at Simon.


    <--->


    3 days had passed and Simon was still under the program of the old man.


    ¡°Growl¡­¡± It was Simon''s stomach, it was already the 3rd day and he was just having a minimum amount of food.


    ¡°You have to dodge it boy if you want to eat more,¡± and Alphecca the old man was there eating a good full meal along with a mug of beer.


    Simon just sadly ate, they were going to go at it again after breakfast.


    On that 3rd day, even some of the town kids and adventurers joined in throwing the ball at Simon, the kids were good¡­ really damn good and they were giving Simon a hell of a time dodging, not that it was random, their intentions was all for fun, not unlike the adventurers who show a hint of blood lust when throwing the ball at him, Simon could then dodge it.


    ¡°Come on boy!!! Feel it!!! Feel it!!!¡± the old man really loved tormenting the boy, the children kept on throwing the balls, and even some of the adventurers too. Then unlike before, Simon started moving.


    ¡°Oh¡­ he figured something out?!!¡± the guild master who was also having fun said.


    The balls began missing. What Simon arrived at was that he needed to make space for the balls to miss¡­ he would miss the balls from the children and dodge the well-aimed balls from the adults. It was effective.


    ¡°Oh finally!! I¡¯ve been waiting boy!!!¡± the old man stopped throwing balls, took his wooden stick, and attacked Simon, the boy dodged the first attack¡­ the 2nd and the 3rd. ¡°Excellent!!¡± the old man muttered.


    The 2 were dodging the ball in the middle of the room all while training Simon more by trying to hit him with a wooden stick but the boy was leading the old man¡¯s attack.


    ¡°Oh boy¡­ you¡¯re going to make me go serious on you!!!¡± the old man who was now having a hard time hitting Simon said this with a glare.


    Simon just gulped as he kept up but he was getting more hungry.


    ¡°The hell should we continue?¡± one of the staff stopped and asked.


    ¡°Continue!! One bronze if you hit any of the 2!!!¡± the adventurer¡¯s guild master said and the motivation was back the participants cheered.


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    ¡°Orera I heard that you''re on!!¡± the old man who heard the guild master¡¯s command smiled.


    <--->


    After the training. The two stay-ins were having lunch in the cafeteria.


    Simon was quite happy, the food on his plate clearly increased. The staff members that were together felt happy for the boy, especially the Pams that operated on his leg, the boy¡¯s regeneration was some sort of a miracle.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡± and he started wolfing it down.


    ¡°Simon¡­ eat slowly so that you will feel more full, that¡¯s the trick in eating,¡± the old man said to Simon, the boy nodded and did what he was told.


    The guild master was also together with them eating. The old man Alphecca and the guild master Orera chatted as Simon wolfed down his food.


    The boy was eating 8 fried eggs and 2 pieces each of bacon, cheese, and bread, a reward for doing great.


    ¡°I can still remember when you did that to us¡­ your training methods were weird but effective,¡± the guild master said, he was one of the adventurers Alphecca had trained before when the old man was campaigning for free training on the adventurer''s guilds.


    ¡°Did the free training stop already?¡± Alphecca asked just wondering, they were eating lunch in the cafeteria and even some of the staff had begun joining them when they did.


    ¡°It''s not that we stopped, fewer adventurers are coming out already, most opt to be knights or magicians on the Magic Tower, the adventurers just thinned down,¡± the adventurer¡¯s guild master said.


    Well, Alphecca had something to do with it too since he did an outstanding job during his time. Back in his time when the dungeons were out of control. Not only that there was a surplus of adventurers, the adventurers of that time were bolder and were not afraid of anything. He was one of the guys that campaigned and created a special course for the adventurers to at least train them in basic.


    But times really do change. During the old man¡¯s time, there were hundreds of adventuring clans but now it was rare. Only 8 of the major clans were still surviving right now and most of it was based on the central continents, there was none in the eastern frontier.


    The 2 started eating silently, Simon instantly noticed the silence but didn¡¯t care as he was busy with food, the old man said they would be training in something different after the 1-hour break of lunch.


    <--->


    They were back in the same room but this time the old man had something different for the boy.


    In just a few tries, Simon was already adjusting to the speed of the ball as he caught it. The next training was catching and deflecting balls. Not only that it would increase one''s reaction time but it would also build his reflex. It had just been the 3rd day and the boy was making quick progress. Then Alphecca noticed Simon¡¯s clothes, he was outgrowing him. (Well, he was eating really hard)


    ¡°How old is Simon?¡± the guild master was also together with them throwing balls, it seemed he had a lot of free time in the frontier especially since his town is located in the farther part of the eastern continent.


    ¡°5 years old¡± Alphecca answered.


    The guild master was shocked ¡°You are kidding me!!! You are too cruel!!!¡± the guild master threw balls at the old man, and the old man slapped it off.


    ¡°He can take on mid-boss dungeons with his strength!!! He will be a good fighter in the future!!!¡± the old man said so proudly.


    But then the guild master stopped as he wondered why he was not teaching Simon swords.


    <--->


    The 4th day came, in the morning, the first round of training proved that the boy was already good at dodging and deflecting the balls. It was a good chance for the old man to teach the boy other things.


    In the afternoon the old man decided to stop the dodgeball training. He urged the guild master to teach Simon about the map. There was a map located in the adventurer¡¯s guild, posted on its wall was the largest map of the whole realm humans have ever known and then a smaller map for the vicinity of the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    The boy and the guild master stood in front of the large map.


    ¡°See those large letters? Read it!¡± the guild master said, Simon was standing straight, he was trained by the old man to stand like that when he was training him how to write and read.


    ¡°Izenda, Glandor, Merriam, Shamal,¡± Simon said without stuttering, it seemed that the old man was good at teaching Simon. He looks at Alphecca who nods in a proud manner.


    ¡°From the upper left Izenda is the northwestern continent, Glandor the southeastern continent, Merriam the central continent, and finally Shamal the eastern continent, It is also where we are right now¡± the guild master explains.


    ¡°... I don¡¯t understand¡± Simon suddenly said.


    ¡°Oh¡­ so I need to start with the definition of a map,¡± The guild master was quite surprised, the boy could read and write but it seemed that it was not enough¡­


    <--->


    It was finally the day that they would go into the dungeon cavern. They have done their preparation yesterday.


    ¡°Simon, did you listen to the guild master?¡± the old man asked as the 2 of them went out of their room.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Simon smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Then you will be the lead, if we don¡¯t arrive in the dungeon before nightfall you will not have dinner!!¡± the old man said threateningly.


    Simon immediately ran down to the ground floor to check the map again.


    The old man followed him, the guild master was there also waiting for him.


    ¡°It was fun seeing you¡­ how many days do you think you would stay in the dungeon?¡± the guild master asked.


    The old man looks at the back of the boy.


    ¡°Depends on how well and fast he develops¡­ 3 months at the minimum, the Tugak¡¯s that are not too mutated are edible! We will last! What else would we find under that cavern I wonder!!!¡± then the old man sounded laughing like Har-har-har


    The ones who heard this thought of the old man¡¯s idea as insane¡­ was the Tugak even edible?


    ¡°Simon!!! Let¡¯s go!! You better bring us there!!¡± the old man called the boy who was staring at the smaller map, the boy quickly went to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready!!!¡± Simon said it like his life depended on it.


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit, then off we go!!!¡± the old man excitedly said.


    <--->


    <Info Dump!!>


    Dungeons were probably the most mysterious thing in the world, not only that their spacing and floors didn¡¯t make sense, but the more you mapped it, the harder it made sense. A method existed of mapping it by floors and by planes, not considering the height and the dimension the dungeon took.


    There are also instances when dungeons would shift, changing their whole form inside. It would affect the ecosystem of the living things inside.


    Dungeon monsters; are different from the monsters on the surface, they would remain at the same level of power when they were born out of the dungeon¡¯s walls. There would be some that would be born mutated, this monsters unlike the conventional dungeon monsters could change the ecosystem of the whole dungeon, making it harder or easier, depending on the situation.


    The part of its mystery is that it just suddenly appeared¡­ and with no signs and warnings it suddenly changes.

 Chapter 58 :: Dungeon 101

    A few miles southeast of Pharsha Town. A dungeon that was born out of a cavern. The greenery hid it well but there was already a stone installed there by the adventurer¡¯s guild. This means that it was already mapped.


    The old man and the boy arrived at the front of the dungeon, Simon was successful, and they would eat their good share for tonight.


    ¡°Good job Simon but before going into the dungeon, you have to follow rules,¡± the old man said. Simon was celebrating by waving his hands by himself.


    ¡°Rules?¡± Simon then stopped wailing his hands in joy.


    ¡°Yup! Rules,-¡± the old man nodded. ¡°-but before that let¡¯s prepare for the night¡­¡±The 2 then began preparing for camp.


    The old man already knew how to make Simon¡¯s lessons as much as efficient as he could, it was through food. Whenever he taught Simon when eating it seemed that the boy absorbed it otherwise he would go to sleep almost immediately. He would also use the reward and punishment system but he was feeling nice today.


    As the old man rummaged on his pack the boy came back with a stone slab. They had to use some water from the dungeon cavern and then rinse it with their clean water.


    The old man laid down meat on the stone slab and he started tenderizing it. He was a good chef that he was (Self-taught).


    ¡°Simon, I actually got something for you,¡± the old man said as he continued his work. The old man took out a knife, made out of obsidian. The one he commissioned from the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    Usually, there would be blacksmiths stationed in the adventurer¡¯s guild, they would fix or sharpen weapons and replenish supplies of arrows and such.


    It was a small knife.


    ¡°This is your Carving Knife, you don¡¯t use it to kill something, it is used to cook food, slice vegetables, carve meat, you know the drill,¡± The old man had shown Simon as much as he could so he knew that Simon knew what he was talking about.


    Simon wondrously took the knife that was sheathed on the same Tugak¡¯s pelt they sold earlier.


    ¡°Now follow me, you will now prepare meat with me,¡± the old man said, Simon excitedly followed the old man, it was his nature to be able to absorb anything in regard to food.


    <--->


    The two were eating the meat they cooked. The old man watched the boy eating and reminisced a bit. At first, the old man was worried about Simon¡¯s food habits since the boy would always eat too much, but the boy smiled as he began eating the food that he prepared on his own. Not only that, the boy was now eating slowly using the knife he got, it seemed that he was really fond of it.


    ¡°Simon¡­ I will now lay down the rules you need to follow¡­ only 3 of them,¡± the old man said. Simon nodded as he was stuffing his mouth with meat and vegetables cooked from the stone slab.


    Rules:


    <ol>


    <li>Never panic</li>


    <li>Conserve everything</li>


    <li>The old man¡¯s words are always right</li>


    </ol>


    ¡°I understand¡­ but what is panic?¡± Simon asked.


    The old man looked at Simon¡­ ''Really?'' It seemed that he needed to start from that.


    ¡°It¡¯s a state where your logical actions and reason turn bad, that¡¯s why we train so that you will not be in a panic for anything,¡± the old man answered from the very best of his knowledge but still Simon panned his head right, that totally meant he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°It''s much better to show you in the morning¡­ after you eat we will do arms bridges again!!¡± the old man said and the 2 started really digging into their meal.


    <--->


    In the morning, as the dew had just begun to drop and the forest still shaded the light, a deer was walking around just a few kilometers to the south of the dungeon, a short distance from the camp. It was curiously looking around, keeping its feet on the ground. Wary of its surroundings, the deer knew that its only way to stay alive was to run as fast as it could if danger arose.


    The deer felt the presence of two. The deer was already old enough and its parents had taught it well. It started getting away from the range of them.


    ¡°Simon¡­ jump on it and release your blood lust!¡± a voice of an old man.


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    The deer felt one of the presences disappear and a human appeared in front of it. The animal didn¡¯t understand how it went from there to here.


    It tried to fight off the momentum the deer already made but as it did its eyes widened. The presence of death ever-growing stopped its knees as it froze. A gentle warm embrace enveloped its body. It was the boy that caught it.


    ¡°Let it go boy¡­¡± another voice came from an old man and the boy released the deer. The deer upon overcoming its instinct and fear began to run away as its life depended on it.


    ¡°I see¡­ too much fear,¡± Simon said by himself, the boy understood what was panic¡­ he had probably experienced it before when the 2 had just begun training back in the mountains.


    ¡°Boy¡­ It''s not only fear... it''s any kind of feeling that clutters the mind. But it''s usually fear... it''s okay to feel fear, to feel threatened but never panic¡­ it would lower your chance of survival¡­ lower your thinking process, and freeze up your muscles,¡± the old man said as he tapped Simon¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°Get ready now we will be going into the dungeon,¡± the old man then began walking back to their camp.


    Simon looked back at the back of the deer¡­ for some reason something had changed for him¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry?¡± Simon said.


    ¡°You are always hungry,¡± the old man said and the old man began walking, the boy followed.


    <--->


    Conserving food, water, and energy. It was essential for adventurers. Preserving weapons, and equipment and being resourceful was also a must, the adventuring business was a high-risk, high-reward job.


    Dungeons were twice as dangerous than traveling on the surface. Multiplied more if it was uncharted. That was the kind of dungeon the Old Man and Simon were going.


    Contrary to the first time the old man went to the dungeon for some reason Simon was enjoying it. The boy kept on asking things like¡­


    ¡°Why is it bright here inside the dark?¡± the old man answered: ¡°Because of the green moss that lights up the walls. ¡°


    ¡°Where are the monsters?¡± the old man tried to answer but monsters began appearing, they were born from the dungeon walls.


    The small Tugak was no fight to the two. Simon only needed to punch them and they would die.


    ¡°Why are they disappearing?¡± Simon asked again after slaying the monsters that were in small pieces, their body started to disperse. The old man said that it was because the dungeon needed to recycle them.


    ¡°That is so weird,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the old man agreed to that. Then the old man pointed out Simon to take the small magic stones that were left from the dispersion of the monsters. In general, the monsters that Simon blew apart dispersed but some of the monsters that the old man killed didn¡¯t.


    ¡°It''s much better to hunt for food in the forest than go to a dungeon¡­ can we eat this?¡± Simon said it like it was his conclusion.


    He was right again, the boy was totally right, the old man thought too but there was a reason humans needed to go into dungeons. A dungeon that is left on its own could cause a dungeon overflow¡­ and it was really catastrophic, not only it would introduce new species of monsters, but it would also destroy kingdoms and populations.


    To the old man¡­ the dungeon was there to cull humans. An adventurer could gain fame and wealth by going into the dungeon, and at the same time may lose something or their life but those who thrive in dungeons are considered heroes.


    The old man smirked, for a long time he had never been able to question anything, it was really weird that the bodies of the defeated monsters dispersed but what¡¯s more weird is that some didn¡¯t. The monsters that dispersed dropped a magic stone while the monsters that didn¡¯t leave its corpse.


    On the surface, there was a great difference between a monster and a beast. Both are generally the same, the difference was that the monsters could use magic while the beasts didn¡¯t, to that note monsters would usually have enchanted parts with them that could be used as a catalyst for magic or even weapons.


    It¡¯s a rule of thumb for adventurers to hunt first; named monsters on the surface rather than cull the dungeon since the named monsters would just go stronger along with the time it survives learning and adapting while the dungeon would show signs of overflow before it even happened.


    The 2 continued their descent after picking up the small magic stone and carving up the small Tugak¡¯s, they got 3 of them. A small magic stone was equivalent to 1 small bronze coin and as the quality of the magic stone and size increased so thus the price.


    The cavern dungeon was true to its name, it was a naturally formed cave with slippery parts and water patches everywhere, it was not safe to drink water in the dungeon since dungeons are designed to kill humans. Still boiling makes it possible to be consumed.


    Since the dungeon they were diving was not yet charted, the old man would stop sometimes to draw up the dungeon. The caverns and the slants are really well drawn in the map, the old man takes this chance to also show Simon how to do it.


    ¡°It''s¡­ not like that¡­ we passed this like this and here it will be like this,¡± Simon said.


    The old man raised his eyebrows. ¡°How can you tell?¡± the old man inquired.


    ¡°I can hear it¡­ something like that?-¡± Then Simon tapped his feet. ¡°-The stronger the sound¡­ the better I feel¡± and added that.


    The old man gave Simon the paper and Simon began drawing the map as the old man had shown him. After walking for a while Simon stopped and tapped his feet or sometimes he would throw a rock if he found some. The boy was doing great at the mapping, it seemed his ability to detect is around 5km.


    The old man could tell that Simon was using sound to tell the distance and structure of the cavern but only finite details.


    ¡°You could make a fortune for just mapping the dungeon¡­ did you know that?¡± the old man said.


    The 5-year-old boy of course didn¡¯t know what was ¡°Fortune¡± and he shrugged it off with ¡°I don¡¯t like dungeons¡±


    <--->


    Time passed...


    The guild master was getting worried¡­ it has been 5 months since the 2 went to the cavern dungeon in the south. He wanted to trust the old man but the odd boy was together with him. The guild master was really getting worried.


    ¡°And he said 3 months at the minimum, 3 months minimum my ass¡± he cursed as he tapped his desk.


    He opened up his drawer to make a smoke as he sighed it was in the late weeks of autumn when they left and now it was already winter.

 Chapter 59 :: The deep levels

    The Cavern Dungeon on the southeast of Pharsha Town was always damp. A natural characteristic of the dungeon. The ceilings and most of the walls were covered with dungeon moss that lit its pathway. In the deepest part of it, two figures were nonchalantly talking.


    After months of diving the old man and the boy finally arrived into the deepest part of the dungeon. The dungeon core room was usually located at the center of the deepest floor of a dungeon.


    The old man pointed to a glowing stone that was filled with magic ¡°This is your birthday present Simon,¡± and the boy had just turned 6.


    ¡°What is that throbbing stone?¡± Simon asked, there was a large stone covered in rock formations and such, it was releasing an incredible amount of magic.


    ¡°That¡¯s the dungeon¡¯s core,¡± the old man said. He was an expert on those things.


    There are 2 actions that they could take. One was to destroy the dungeon core, 2nd is to shave it off a little. The first one totally kills the dungeon and the monster would stop spawning and the other one was to make sure it wouldn¡¯t cause another dungeon overflow for a good 100 years.


    The cons would be that when the dungeon is killed, it would increase the spawn rate of dungeons and the second option is that it would be needed to be supervised as long as it is active.


    ¡°Let¡¯s shave up the core boy, don¡¯t try to destroy it, just crack a part of it,¡± the old man said to Simon, Simon jumped into the core and used an open palm strike to break off a part of it.


    ¡°It''s glowing,¡± Simon said, then he jumped back down on the ground. The boy raised it against the ceilings of the dungeon where there were crystals that illuminated the room, he stared at the crystal core he broke off... strangely beautiful.


    By no means their travel down into the deepest part was easy. The Tugaks got tougher as they descended down, they encountered many varieties. From the scaled and armored ones to the ones that used bones to fight.


    The dungeon boss was a swarm of Tugaks, and its leader was the largest of all their encounters.


    The leader of the swarm dropped a red large magic stone. The old man said that selling it would allow one to live freely for 30 years. It was very expensive.


    ¡°We gotta go up now, don¡¯t drop your guard until we are out of the dungeon,¡± the old man warned, he took the dungeon core shard and he stashed it along with the other magic stone.


    ¡°I want to eat something different other than frogs,¡± Simon said. The old man was silent because he too was on an agreement with the boy.


    From the dungeon core room, they went back to the boss room, where all of the monster corpses had already been dispersed. Still, there was a problem ahead. Well, they just need to dig out of the wall that collapsed during the fight.


    The collapse totally blocked the path where they came from.


    ¡°Simon you better start digging,¡± the old man said in annoyance, it was the boy¡¯s fault in the heat of the battle Simon would sometimes go over his head, smile, and follow his instincts.


    ¡­


    In the evening they actually finished digging up the hallway out of the boss room.


    ¡°Let''s rest for a while boy... it''s already night,¡± the old man suggested.


    In the dungeon; the crystals on the ceiling or even the moss would change color, it signaled the passing of the day so it was quite convenient. The two started preparing their camp to rest. There was a spring water spot just outside the boss room. Simon took some to be boiled back in their camp.


    Some of the supplies they left outside were still there, he carries one with the Tugak¡¯s meat, this will be their supper for the night. The boy was getting better at preparing food and already was a good meat carver.


    ¡°Simon it seems that you have mastered the arm bridges, we will do something different from now on,¡± the old man said as the 2 were preparing their food.


    Simon was absorbed in cutting the meat to perfection but still heard it and nodded. The meat cut into thin slices when cooked becomes crispy and juicy, Simon and the old man love it. (Bacon Stripes: but frog meat)


    ¡­


    The old man and Simon were standing in the middle of the boss room. The old man instructed the boy to hold his carving knife.


    ¡°Watch this,¡± The old man disappeared and appeared in a blink of an eye. He was already holding Simon¡¯s carving knife in his hands.


    ¡°Whoa!! It¡¯s the quick move you¡¯ve been doing!!!¡± Simon excitedly said.


    ¡°Unfortunately you can¡¯t do it like that¡­ that was flash step¡­ I will teach you now the basic watch me again,¡± the old man spoke and he walked closer to Simon.


    He then threw Simon¡¯s knife on a high curve and the boy caught it.


    ¡°Got you,¡± and the old man was already behind Simon and he placed his hands on his head.


    ¡°Old man¡­ you just quickly moved behind me right?¡± Simon said offering his thoughts.


    The old smirked, of course, he did, that was all it was. The basic flash step was distracting an enemy and moving away from the line of sight by going low.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    ¡°Looks easy right? How about this, try to tap me even once, just touch me anywhere with a tap!¡± the old man said, then he went and distanced himself in just one step.


    Simon smiled and tried to tap the old man but the old man evaded it. Left and right side stepping, as Simon missed the old man pivoted and baited, he would throw in shifting steps to mess up Simon¡¯s instinct. Instead of going left or right or vice versa, the feints were doing so well.


    After a few minutes of playing tag in the middle of the room, the old man raised his hands. It was time to start the train.


    ¡°All in all this is called footwork¡­ the flash step is a bit more advanced now stand straight and make sure your feet are just as far as your shoulders¡­ put a lead foot forward and there you have a stance,¡± the old man said as he showed Simon.


    ¡°Old man¡­ I can burst a Tugak¡¯s body in just one punch what¡¯s the use of this?¡± Simon suddenly asked.


    ¡°You rely too much on your strength, the strength of your arms specifically but you¡¯ve grown better at controlling it¡­ after this training, you will be able to produce as much force without any effort,¡± the old man explained.


    ¡°And do you remember what I said earlier?"


    The boy just scratched his head¡­ ¡°Oh¡­ conserve everything¡­ I understand,¡± the boy remembered.


    ¡°Also that... the one I told you back in the guild!¡± the old man glared at Simon.


    ¡°Ah... I can''t be hit by anything¡­¡± the boy said evading the old man''s sour mood.


    The old man nodded as he knew what he was expecting ¡°Hmm... I will let that one go... let''s get into it!¡±


    The 2 began doing drills of sidesteps, pivots, weight shifting, step back, and feints.


    ¡°Remember that the trick is to evade or get in a better position to launch an attack,¡± the old man explained¡­ of course Simon was struggling to understand this but he was following the example of the old man.


    <--->


    The dungeon cavern is about 40 to 50 floors down. From the 34th to the 15th lies a large chasm that was as deep as the span of those floors. The old man tried doing the shortcut by climbing down the chasm but it was really too deep and keeping his magic up for a long time is hard. The 34th floor was a ravine that goes all the way to the deepest part of the dungeon boss room.


    It had been four days since the 2 departed from the bottom of the dungeon, they were already climbing up the path in the side of the chasm that had some light on it coming from the dungeon¡¯s luminescence moss.


    The dungeon¡¯s activity has been less compared to when they were going down, it was as if it was saying to the 2 that they had to get out now.


    On an afternoon day, they were climbing up the endless natural stairs¡­ for some reason, the old man slipped down because of the moss and moisture on the steps.


    ¡°Old man are you alright!?¡± Simon worryingly walked down, he was the one leading since he had good detecting skills.


    He rushed and found the old man lying on the ground.


    ¡°Fucking moss¡­ ouch¡­ got some scratches on my knee other than that my bag fell down, would you pick it up?¡± the old man said, clearly he was annoyed that he slipped but what happened already happened.


    Simon began picking up the luggage of the old man putting back the things that fell down from the bag.


    ¡°Old man it''s gone!!!¡± Simon suddenly exclaimed.


    ¡°What¡¯s gone?! Oh shit!!!¡± the old man immediately stood up as he felt it. There was already something standing behind Simon.


    Simon by instinct dodged as the shadow with the shape of a human attacked the boy¡¯s neck, he rolled down making some distance.


    ¡°It''s a doppelganger!!!-¡± the old man said as he drew his blade. He knew by the form of it¡­ it was copying Simon. ¡°-Crap¡­ but how did?¡± the old man muttered


    Usually, this high-level enemy would appear in dungeons that had been housing a powerful monster but as far as the old man knows there was no powerful beast in the cavern dungeon. The old man was baffled but still smiled.


    ¡°We need to attack and disperse it now or else¡­¡± but the old man was too late, the doppelganger began to change, its height adjusted, the arm part becoming longer. There are only two possible targets it could change into.


    ¡°Damn it!!! Simon run!!!!¡± the old man said, and as for the rules, the words of the old man must be followed.


    The 2 began running back up the stairs, they could not stop but it was impossible as the doppelganger arrived in front of them blocking their pathway.


    ¡°The dungeon core shard is inside it¡­ it ate it!!!¡± Simon said.


    Of all the things that it could take it took the most dangerous thing out of the old man¡¯s bag. It would take a few minutes more for the doppelganger to completely morph into the old man and when it does they would be in deep shit.


    The doppelganger was a shadow-type monster that would read its target¡¯s memories as it tried to copy it. All of the target¡¯s experience, skills, and knowledge... Cramped into a monster with an unlimited capacity to use magic adding to the fact that it absorbed a shard of the dungeon core.


    The dungeon that was dimly lighted by the luminescent moss was swallowed by a gush of light that blinds all.


    ¡°DUCK!! BOY¡± the old man screamed. The old man gritted, it was how he would do it, always aiming at the neck, aiming at the weakest one.


    Simon followed he ducked down jumping, it seemed something had just missed his neck.


    After the light, the old man was now standing toe to toe with the doppelganger. They were of the same stance and of the same strength but not of the same durability. The 2 then began exchanging some swings. The old man was slowly getting pushed by it until the old man staggered.


    At this point in the battle the doppelganger actually tried to attack the boy when the old man was staggered for a while, Simon dodged it since he had no way to parry the shadow sword. This was bad.


    The old man could tell, they were in on it with their lives.


    ¡°Old man what now?¡± the boy asked after rolling away from an attack, a composure out of his age.


    ¡°Damn, boy¡­¡± the old man muttered in a low voice.


    The boy was right, there was no point in overthinking things, the old man glanced at Simon and the boy was firm on his feet¡­ no fear on his face. The old man smirked, too ashamed of the way he was thinking right now.


    ¡°Simon!! Support me!!!¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°How?!¡± but the boy didn¡¯t have a way to attack the doppelganger.


    ¡°Throw something on it, anything would do!!¡± the old man said.


    The boy nodded and he started picking up rocks and stones. The old man was steady against the doppelganger. In a flash, the 2 began swinging against each other. The boy upon seeing this started throwing rocks and stones aimed at the doppelganger.


    ¡°Thud!!!¡± it was not effective but the rocks were doing their work, stuttering the doppelganger¡¯s flow. The boy noticed it immediately and began throwing harder.


    The doppelganger was losing against the 2 of them¡­ but it had already absorbed enough information.


    The doppelganger¡¯s body flashed¡­ ¡°Release!!¡± the doppelganger said in a very low voice.


    ¡°Shit!!!¡± It left the old man¡¯s sight as it jumped into the air and went for the boy.


    ¡°Simon!!!¡± the old man screamed warning the boy. The doppelganger from the air proceeded with a piercing attack.


    Simon actually didn¡¯t see it jump but his instinct screamed as the boy rolled out of the attack but¡­


    As the piercing attack hit the ground the ground started collapsing¡­ even the doppelganger was surprised, they were near the edge of the path. The collapsing ground shook and broke leaving Simon and the doppelganger falling off the cliff¡­ into the chasm.


    ¡°Simon close your eyes!!!! Do not open it!!!!¡± it was the old man¡¯s scream as the boy fell down. The old man knelt and punched the ground in frustration.


    ¡°You won¡¯t fucking get away,¡± the old man muttered as light flickered in his eyes.


    He hadn¡¯t felt that much power for a long time now¡­ but it faded as he calmed down¡­ he couldn¡¯t properly control it. The old man sighed as he resigned to his fate.

 Chapter 60 :: Doppelganger

    Deep in the chasm of the cavern dungeon where everything was wet and dark. Slippery and cold. A boy walked staying close to the wall, using it as a guide.


    Simon was walking blind using only his hands as he guided himself to the rigid walls of the dungeon, he was a little bit bruised but his body overall was okay, he was walking with his eyes currently closed.


    Although he could see in the dark the old man screamed to him ¡®Do not open your eyes at all times!!!!¡¯ as he fell down together with the doppelganger who followed him.


    He fell down 5 floors deep, luckily the walls were a bit slanted and he managed to roll over it while reducing his fall¡¯s speed. He could tell that the doppelganger did really follow him while he was rolling on the cliff along with it, he promised himself that he would always be aware of all of his surroundings from now on.


    He checked on himself from time to time as his skin hurt but no broken bones¡­ a chill behind his back¡­ he was sure as he memorized the vibration of the monster''s steps; it was the doppelganger. It was upon him.


    Simon began to move by stepping his foot to his right¡­ the doppelganger immediately reacted and started assaulting him. It meant it could hear him, Simon started dodging using the footwork he had just learned. He was not allowed to get hit or the old man would scold him.


    Slowly while dodging, Simon was shifting his weights until he was not making a sound anymore, and like that the doppelganger missed him¡­ he was gone for the monster. Simon started walking silently making sure that he would get as far away from the doppelganger. He didn¡¯t know what direction he was walking but knew he had an advantage against it, he could tell the lay of the path, the lay of the ground. The boy will survive.


    <--->


    The old man punched the ground in frustration¡­ he could have followed them down but¡­ the dungeon chasm usually was a home for another type of shadow monster. But how could that be? This dungeon was just 10 years old. How could an advanced monster be housing on it?


    He immediately placed his baggage down, he noticed that Simon also left his baggage, the kid was a genius. He gathered their baggage and placed it in a spot where it would be safe. He took out his metal flask.


    His hands began shaking, there was a reason that he could last longer on a dungeon than anyone else. The old man¡¯s stomach rambled as fluids tried to escape from his esophagus but he controlled it by forcefully gulping down¡­


    ¡°I know this is an excuse¡­ I must do it,¡± the old man muttered. He started walking¡­ then jogging then running, he had to find a flower that usually bloomed on dungeons.


    The Dragoon Blood Flower.


    <--->


    Simon carefully threaded the uneven ground¡­ the ravine was annoying, although the boy could tell the lay of the ground, walking with his eyes closed was really difficult. With the pressure of the one following him and the fact it was his first time walking blind, the boy was sweating.


    He could tell that it was not only the doppelganger he must be wary of, there was still something in the ravine. He remembered that the old man didn¡¯t want to take the shortcut by climbing down the chasm, he said it was because of the darkness and that he had to activate his magic all the time.


    Simon then stopped for a while, he didn¡¯t feel it coming but something was staring at him dead in the face, a cold sensation ran through his nose¡­ it must be some kind of floating monster because it was not registering any vibrations. For some reason or a sort of instinct, he knew he was still safe to proceed, he walked again passing through against a misty feeling that enveloped his body and he continued walking, he was walking in the opposite direction of where he fell, away from the doppelganger.


    ''Don¡¯t panic¡­ never panic,'' the boy kept repeating in his mind, it was the old man¡¯s 1st rule and he was now learning it at heart. It was easy when the old man was together with him, 10 times harder when he was alone but he steadied his heart, the old man would come for him he knew, he just had to survive, what could be more easy¡­ then Simon¡¯s stomach growled¡­ he was getting hungry.


    He then felt the only creature he was wary of reacting to the sound. ¡®Stop, Stop!!¡¯ he thought but it was his nature to be hungry well it was already mid-day what else he could do? He finally calmed his hunger and he hid carefully. The doppelganger was getting close to his position but stopped moving when the sound disappeared. ''Old man hurry up!'' Simon thought.


    <--->


    Somewhere around the dungeon, it was like a hidden sanctuary, a safe place. The old man knew the place existed by heart, it was always there when a dungeon was there. A moist place where the Dragoon Flowers would grow. The old man sat there waiting.


    The old man was tapping his feet¡­ it has been 3 days. He was worried but much more frustrated about how slow the process was in making the Dragoon Blood Flower consumable¡­ his tumbler was a special container that could process anything and would turn it into alcohol. Although it was originally meant for something greater; for the old man it was good as it is.


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    There was a pile of flowers that was squeezed and crushed beside the old man as he sat on the rock watching his tumbler. He had to manually squeeze each flower and crush it to get the most out of its extract.


    The Dragoon Blood Flower was a reddish flower that has a tinge of color yellow as the petals go into the middle. This flower bloomed on some parts of a dungeon but it was always somewhere around a dungeon. More than a hundred years ago a scholar discovered that consuming this flower allows one to become temporarily buffed, turning it into an extract also makes it more potent.


    Mind, magic, and spirit buffed to the limit while reducing pain and some of the natural human desires like sleep and hunger.


    But there were side effects. First of all, continued use of this would weaken the body, joints, appetite, and the ability to digest food. The worst side effect was, its addictive.


    It showed why the old man was tapping his feet. The guilt and the pleasure, the plausible excuse and the ease of access to the drug were making him mad.


    The carvings on the tumbler would show how much was already processed. To that note, when the process started it couldn¡¯t process a different liquid and the normal process of the Dragoon Blood Flower would usually take months but his tumbler was special.


    As a part of the tumbler¡¯s carving glow, he immediately took it to take a sip but as the tumbler¡¯s mouth touched his lips he shuddered¡­ it was really hard to stop¡­ Simon¡¯s situation might be an excuse but¡­ guilt and pleasure surrounded his brain. Should he just not use this? Try saving the boy with the power that he could still muster.


    He could tell that he would die when he encountered that other shadow monster that was on the ravine as how he was now.


    He took the drop.


    <--->


    Hunger, pain, and the lack of sleep, Simon was still hanging on. His stomach had stopped growling for a long time now, his senses on its edge, in just a few days of dodging he had mastered all of the footwork the old man taught him. He had no way to fight back. He tried hitting once but instead, he got a cut on his shoulders that the doppelganger failed to cut off.


    Right now he was kneeling down, calmed and relaxed, the doppelganger was just behind him on a corner of the ravine. He did his best but he was already losing space to run. He had to conserve himself¡­ the second rule of the old man.


    Well if he just thought of it like he was training it would probably be okay.


    ¡°BOY!!! SIMON!!!¡± and the voice that he had been waiting for.


    ¡°OLD MAN I¡¯M HERE!!!!¡± Simon screamed back.


    The doppelganger that was looking for the boy immediately located him.


    ¡°CLANG!!!!¡± but the old man was there to intercept.


    He deflected the attack of the doppelganger. Simon couldn¡¯t open his eyes but he could tell that the old man was overflowing with magic.


    ¡°Simon!!! Reach me your hand!!!¡± the old man said and Simon did, the old man touched his hand and Simon felt magic instilling in his fingers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t open your eyes, find an opening on him and hit him on a flank!!¡± the old man said.


    Simon nodded ¡°Good boy, let''s have a good meal once we are out,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Release-¡± the old man muttered and he burst with magic as his sword was enveloped with light, he was going to use it again¡­ it seemed that the doppelganger did the same. ¡°-There are 2 of us monster,¡± the old man said.


    The 2 began a series of swordplay. The doppelganger was clearly imitating the old man¡¯s deed. The old man could tell that the buff would only last for a limited time, the flash step he was doing was weakening his knees. Unlike the doppelganger who had all the resistance it needed to beat down the old man.


    ¡°Annoying!!¡± the old man screamed, it was strange that the doppelganger was using light magic even though it was a shadow property monster, the fact that it couldn¡¯t be explained is one of the mysteries in dungeons.


    Simon was silent, the old man was fighting with all that he had and Simon could tell it wouldn¡¯t last¡­ he needed to attack, find a good spot, good timing, and a hard blow. Although he was just 6 he knew he had all the tools to do that. As the 2 clashed swords and got absorbed in the fight he was starting to notice patterns.


    Simon began moving. ¡®It should be around here,¡¯ Simon thought, the old man quickly noticed Simon, since the boy couldn¡¯t keep up with the speed of the 2, the boy had been predicting and waiting on a spot.


    ¡°All yours,¡± the old man said as he activated his 2nd Phase, strangely enough, the doppelganger did it too.


    Simon went to the right, it would happen in just a flash but he knew where the doppelganger would land.


    ¡°You figured it out on your own huh¡­¡± the old man said, his release vanishing as he landed on his spot.


    ¡°Old man!! This is my new technique!!! Puncration!!!¡± the doppelganger was right where Simon wanted it, like the weakness of the old man¡¯s 2nd Phase the doppelganger staggered for a few minutes.


    Simon was there. As soon as Simon landed the fingers that the old man enhanced earlier with magic it created vibrating waves, the shadow quickly dispersed as the light erased it.


    ¡°Nice one!!!¡± the old man muttered as he was out of breath. The core shard dropped from the shadow, still, it tried to take hold of it in its last seconds, and Simon took it.


    The boy grabbed the shard even though his hands were injured because of the technique he used.


    ¡°Come here, boy!! Quickly!!!¡± the old man screamed. Simon ran to the old man¡¯s side.


    ¡°You can open your eyes now!!!¡± the old man said.


    As soon as Simon opened his eyes he was terrified¡­ a legion of shadow monsters all around them and it seemed that the old man¡¯s shining body was the only thing that was keeping it away from them.


    ¡°Those red-eyed shadows are called nightmares, they invoke nightmares through their target¡¯s eyes¡­ nasty but it''s all they can do,-¡± the old man said. The boy finally understood why he had to close his eyes. ¡°-Well¡­ time to fix this ravine!!!¡±


    The old man then raised his sword into the air.


    ¡°Oh light¡­ banish the darkness¡­ invoke your will and let them disperse,¡± it was the first time Simon had seen the old man use some kind of magic.


    Usually, he would just cover his sword with some kind of light and swing away, right now it was different, Simon could tell.


    ¡°Thanks for training my boy,¡± the old man said as he swung down his sword. The whole ravine was covered in light, dispersing any shadow-type monsters. Even the boy tried to cover his eyes. Magic sparked on his skin, making all the strands of his hair stand on end. The light then faded quickly, and the old man stood there with his back straight and his sword lowered in front of him, assuming a Fool¡¯s Stance.


    ¡°Did you see that?¡± the old man asked before instantly dropping to the ground.


    Simon, worried, tried to pick up the old man like a piece of baggage.


    ¡°I can walk on my own!¡± the old man complained, but he still stumbled.

 Chapter 61 :: Up to rest

    The dungeon made out of caverns was dimly lit, any movements would echo sounds, from the drip of the water from the moist, blowing of the air and the footsteps of the two dungeon divers. But didn¡¯t sound like a steady step.


    Simon was supporting the old man as they climbed up the ravine slowly. The old man finally gave in when the boy persistently offered his shoulder for support. Together, they limped back near the dungeon boss room and began climbing up again.


    After a day of nonstop walking, they were back in the spot where Simon fell. Their things were still there.


    ¡°Simon¡­ you are in charge for now until I recover¡­ I want a medium-seared frog leg,¡± the old man jokingly said.


    The boy smiled and immediately started preparing, the old man slept for a while as he lay down on the cold stone. His consciousness was taken away by the tiredness and soreness of his feet.


    <--->


    ¡°Old man!! Let¡¯s eat!!¡± Simon woke up the old man.


    The old man sat up. He noticed that there was already a blanket over him. He didn¡¯t deserve it¡­ he thought.


    ¡°Here!!!¡± Simon pointed out the frog leg meat, the old man¡¯s knife was already near the stone slab Simon used to cook.


    The 2 began eating now.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ juicy¡­ you are getting better,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°I see!!!¡± the boy smiled and began eating happily.


    Contrary the old man shuddered¡­ he had been trying to savor the food in his mouth, feeling the savory juice on his tongue¡­ he couldn¡¯t actually taste the meat at all.


    ¡°Simon, we will rest here for a while okay?¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Okay!!!¡± Simon nodded while stuffing food in his mouth.


    The spot was not a safe place, monster could appear anytime. The old man noticed Simon¡¯s hand that was ruptured¡­ he remembered that the boy called it Puncration. The old man proudly nodded, the boy had a knack for naming things.


    After having their fill the old man rested and Simon was now on duty. He was worried that the boy hadn¡¯t slept for 5 or probably 6 days now, he was probably nearing his limit.


    <--->


    After a few hours of sleep, the old man felt refreshed. He woke up seeing Simon practicing his footwork.


    ¡°Simon¡­ you can rest now¡­ I got the watch,¡± the old man said¡­ the boy nodded and lay down near the old man¡­ he took his bag and took out his clothes to be used as a blanket¡­ he lay down his head on the bag as a pillow and tucked in¡­ in a few minutes, Simon was already asleep.


    The old man was sure since he could smell the burnt-salt smoke that was coming from Simon¡¯s hands that was healing¡­ he should forbade Simon from using the technique again.


    ¡­


    Their travel upwards was longer this time, the old man had to rest pretty much every day. He was slowly recovering, the problem was his knees and sometimes he would lose his appetite for food which troubled Simon greatly.


    ¡°Simon¡­ let¡¯s stop for a while,¡± it was the old man¡¯s 2nd rest for the day.


    His knees were starting to give up. Simon slowly placed down the old man. They would take another few hours until the old man could move again.


    ¡°Boy¡­ don¡¯t make that face,¡± the old man said as he noticed Simon staring at him.


    ¡°Old man¡­ your breath smells weird,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°Really? How so?¡± the old man asked but he knew what Simon was smelling, it was probably the Dragoon Blood extract.


    The boy just stared for a while.


    Sometimes the old man could not understand the boy¡¯s thought process ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep boy¡­ rest your body but be alert.¡±


    ¡­


    Days passed. Finally, they reached the 21st floor. The old man had recovered enough to walk, though he still took frequent rests. However, they were now traveling much faster. Occasionally, a monster would appear, but Simon could handle them alone. He had grown by leaps and bounds since the first day they dived.


    More days passed. After a few more weeks, they finally emerged from the dungeon. It had taken them five and a half months to come out, and it was already the end of spring.


    <--->


    The town of Pharsha was still the same. From afar a silhouette drawn by the haze of the falling sun. It was of a tall and short shadow. The guards on duty immediately noticed who they were.


    The guild master requested to notify him of their arrival. One of the guards went to do that.


    At the guild house, the guild master and some of the Pam were waiting for them.


    The guild master of the adventurer¡¯s guild was so happy to see them, he actually teared up.


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    The old man didn¡¯t waste time and immediately called for the guild master for a private talk, he was in tatters but still, he had to report what happened in the dungeon, and it''s best when it''s fresh. He let Simon go to the well to clean up himself and probably get food after.


    ¡­


    Then the two old men found themselves in the guild master¡¯s office.


    ¡°Alphecca¡­ are you sure you don¡¯t want to do this tomorrow?¡± the guild master asked just to be sure, the old man was pretty worn out.


    ¡°Take a look at this!!!¡± the old man took out something from his bag and slammed it on the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen something like this!!¡± the guild master of the adventurer¡¯s guild exclaimed as he touched the shard of the dungeon core.


    ¡°Somebody call Sam!!¡± (Sam = Examiner) the guild master screamed at one of the staff.


    The old man was sitting on the guild master¡¯s sofa and the shard in the middle on the table. The room was decorated not lavishly but the trophies of the guild master were there, the head of a Winter Deer, a dragon¡¯s tooth, and the web strings of a large black spider, these monsters are known to live on the deep levels of some of the most dangerous dungeons in the frontier.


    The old man nodded and was quite impressed with the guild master.


    In a few moments, Sam came and sat with them.


    ¡°This is a shard of a dungeon core but¡­ it''s somewhat mutating,¡± the Sam offered his insight.


    It was releasing some kind of magical aura¡­ it was of the shadow alignment.


    ¡°It actually got absorbed by a doppelganger,¡± the old man answers.


    This explained why they were tattered when they arrived.


    ¡°Just a question, this is mine, right? I don¡¯t have to give it to the Elford right?¡± the old man was asking it in a way that he was hinting something, the guild master knew it. The Sam looked at the guild master.


    ¡°What are you planning?¡± the guild master asked.


    ¡°I would need you to send a letter for me, to the Trist Port-¡± the old man requested. ¡°-Elway Sen-ran, you should know him,¡±  the old man added.


    The guild master knew that the old man and Elway were way back and were part of the legendary 8 man party that the old man led. The guild master sighed, no point thinking.


    ¡°The shard is yours, leave the letter on the counter,¡± the guild master answered.


    ¡°Can I also have a Tar Silk to cover the shard¡± the old man requested, the Sam looked at the guild master and the guild master just nodded, the Sam left to fetch a Tar Silk cloth.


    ¡°Well¡­ the dungeon core has been culled that¡¯s good, now tell me all that happened in the dungeon,¡± the guild master said, the guild master has pieces of paper already on the table and an inked pen.


    Thus the old man began reporting about the dungeon.


    <--->


    After a night of full rest the old man was feeling good, Simon was already awake and was just staring at the window of the room. They were still in the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    ¡°Boy, you could have awoken me¡­ let''s take it easy for today,¡± the old man said, the boy just nodded. The old man went back to the bed to sleep a bit more.


    After a few minutes the old man didn¡¯t hear any steps or feel any movement, he opened his eyes and saw Simon still staring at the window¡­ ¡°Growl¡± and his stomach growling. The old man sat up¡­ of course, the boy didn¡¯t know anything to do other than train, fight, eat, and sleep.


    ¡°Simon¡­ let''s go down and get some food,¡± the old man said, Simon smiled upon hearing the word food.


    ¡­


    After eating the old man and the boy went to the guild master¡¯s office to get some money, the 2 were practically rich now, that¡¯s how much a shard of a dungeon core is worth, and more than that, actually the old man has much, much more money that was deposited in credit on his account on the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    ¡°Give me all the denominations of the lower coins, only one of the gold ones,¡± the old man requested, the guild master called for a staff.


    ¡°You could have gone to the counter you know,¡± the guild master said.


    ¡°Nah, waste of time to get into line, I use my privileges whenever I want,¡± the old man said.


    In a few moments, the coins arrived.


    ¡°Oh¡­ Alphecca, we have to talk later if you have time,¡± The guild master notes this to him.


    ¡°I will bring you some Sirloin and wine of course,¡± the old man said in return.


    ¡°We have to be alone,¡± the guild master added in a solemn tone.


    The old man smiled at him and nonchalantly waved as the 2 exited his office.


    <--->


    Where the 2 headed was the market. The old man ordered Simon to close his eyes while going around, the boy hadn¡¯t been there even before. The market was located on the west side of the town. Since it was an easier access to the main roads.


    The old man gave Simon 3 pieces of Silver and 40 pieces of bronze.


    ¡°You can buy anything you fancy, let''s see if you learned anything at all,¡± the old man said, it was always a test.


    ¡°¡­You said go easy today,¡± Simon suddenly said so with a doubtful look on his face.


    The old man smiled ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything just go around and have a look,¡± the old man said. Simon nodded and left.


    ¡­


    The old man was checking out some vegetable store when he noticed Simon walking closer to him and what the boy was carrying. The bag of money he gave him was gone and one of the boys that was following him was juggling it purposely making a sound.


    6 pieces of skewered meat on a wooden stake, a knife of poor quality, goat milk and cheese¡­ at the least it was fresh but too expensive, and all of his money was gone, Simon smilingly returned to the old man.


    ¡°Old man they said they want to meet you!!¡± the boy said as he brought along 6 boys in their teens who in all and all looked like thugs.


    ¡°Old man! I heard you have the money to spend¡­ mind you talking with us?!!¡± one of the 6 thugs said so.


    ¡°Of course, thank you for taking care of my boy here¡­ Simon¡­ didn¡¯t you feel strange when you brought the things you brought?¡± the old man then faces the boy.


    ¡°Yep¡­ hmm¡­ they can¡¯t be trusted¡­ I don¡¯t even know how much this cheese was but it is good,¡± Simon innocently said.


    ¡°Simon¡­ my boy, trust your instincts, don¡¯t trust the words of merchants,¡± he then tapped the boy on the shoulders.


    ¡°And money is just something you use to get to an objective¡­ everything else is greater than money¡­ don¡¯t forget that,¡± the old man said as he stood up.


    ¡°Come on old man!! I know a good place to talk!!!¡± the same thug that was talking at him from the beginning said.


    ¡°I know you do,¡± the old man answers smiling.


    <--->


    The 6 thugs were kneeling down, each one with a broken finger, specifically the smallest finger, the pinky. It was their punishment for tricking Simon.


    ¡°Old man, someone has been watching us,¡± Simon suddenly notified the old man as the old man was thinking of what to do with the 6, he already had noticed the girl that had been watching them ever since they entered the small alley.


    ¡°Girl!!! Come out now¡­ we won¡¯t hurt you!!!¡± the old man said, he could tell that the girl was somewhat related to the thugs.


    ¡°Sorry!! Sorry!! It was all my plan, I wanted more money!!!¡± the girl shakily came out of the corner she was hiding.


    The way she was dressed was familiar¡­ she was an orphan.


    ¡°You fucking idiots¡­ you picked the wrong target didn¡¯t you?¡± the old man said threateningly.


    Simon noticed that the girl and the thugs were skinny, so he started giving them the skewers¡­ that¡¯s why he specifically brought 6 pieces of skewered meat, the girl he just met was not accounted for so he just gifted her the cheese.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to give you the milk,¡± Simon said as he gave the girl the cheese.


    The 7 who was kneeling down was now totally confused.


    ¡°See¡­ my boy here knew you were hungry¡­ Simon, fix their fingers so that they will totally learn their lesson,¡± the old man smiled menacingly.


    The boy started snapping back their fingers even though they tried to protest and they screamed in pain, the little girl shuddered in fear.


    ¡°You lot¡­ you know we are supposed to be resting for today and now we got something to do!!!!-¡± the old man said angrily ¡°-Come with me!!!¡± he said.


    Simon immediately followed but the 7 was really confused.


    ¡°I said COME WITH ME!!!¡± the old man threatened them again and finally the 7 followed.

 Chapter 62 :: Problems

    The old man was again back in the office of the guild master.


    He was waiting for another commissioned report.


    ¡°You of all the trivial things you come to me¡­ what did you get into now?¡± the guild master was busy but the old man kept on asking of him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet that¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°AAAAAAAARGH!!!¡± it was a terrifying scream, the girl that was together with the 7 was now sitting in the guild master¡¯s office shuddering in fear thinking of what happened to the 6 that was brought underground of the adventurer¡¯s guild, that scream, its voice was familiar, and that just multiplied her fear.


    ¡°The orphanage? Just let the church of light do their thing what¡¯s the matter with you,¡± the guild master annoyingly said as he noticed the dress of the girl.


    Well, it was a no-brainer since the old man specifically asked for the orphanage¡¯s financial situation. It should be a public document since the orphanage was being maintained in tandem with the town¡¯s government and the Church of Light.


    ¡°Kid what is your name?¡± the old man without paying attention to the guild master started a conversation with the girl.


    ¡°Gabriel¡­ 10 years old sir,¡± she said with her voice shaking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry everything will be alright¡± the old man assured her.


    ¡°Grahh!!AAH!!!¡± and another scream echoed from below.


    ¡°That damn kid¡­ I hope he didn¡¯t break any bones¡± the old man muttered, Gabriel just lost the little assurance she felt it seemed.


    ¡°Sir!! Here are the reports¡­ it was awful,¡± a staff member immediately entered the guild master¡¯s office. He started stating his reports.


    The Church of Light governed the running of the orphanage, there are usually orphanages in every town and major city all across the continents since adventurers tend to die a lot. According to the report, the mayor of the town has never failed to pay the donations¡­ still, the orphanage was in tatters.


    It must have something to do with the priest who ran the orphanage. The orphanage served as the main representative of the Church of Light with its small chapel there in the town of Pharsha.


    ¡°I see¡­ you are a fast one, Orera, how much did you price the Tugak¡¯s meat we surrendered to you?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°It''s actually quite edible and has a good taste, 2 silver per meat,-¡± the guild master said. ¡°-Oh poor boys¡­¡± the guild master suddenly said as he realized what the old man was going to do. Gabriel and the staff member shuddered as the old man smiled¡­ the features of the old man¡¯s face were fierce.


    ¡°Oh, but they would remember me forever,¡± the old man said as he left the guild master''s office.


    <--->


    In the evening, the old man and the boy escorted Gabriel back into the orphanage after eating dinner, Gabriel felt relief and guilt; relief that she had food on her stomach and twice the guilt because the boys that she requested help with were left in the adventurer¡¯s guild and that she was the only one who has food on her belly.


    The orphanage was close to the market so they had the chance to buy things first, mostly food. It was almost dark when they arrived and they arrived with a borrowed cart. How did she wish she had that money to buy food for her brothers and sisters in the orphanage?


    She understood that adventurers tend to stock up a lot of food for their travels and expeditions. Well at least on the dinner that night, she actually put up some bread in her pockets when they left, to the point it was bulging full and she was acting like it was nothing.


    The orphanage was a two-story building. The windows were blinded, signs of failed repairs of wooden planks not properly placed, and holes still open, the old man wondered how they survived the winter.


    When the old man knocked a nun tended to them and allowed them to enter in light of escorting Gabriel, the nun actually looked gloomy and that annoyed the old man.


    ¡°Show me the kitchen!!! Wake up the skinny brats!!!¡± the old man shouted to the nun, the nun was quite shocked by the old man¡¯s loud voice.


    ¡°Yes sir!! Uhm who are you sir?¡± the nun asked.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now we are going to feast for the night!! Simon!! Take everything in!!¡± the old man in good spirits said fiercely.


    Gabriel was gaping her mouth, she was a bit confused. To the nun¡¯s surprise, there was a ton of food outside the door which she didn¡¯t see at first. Simon happily took the sacks of vegetables, flour, and meat inside.


    <--->


    The dark gloomy room of the head priest of the orphanage stank of alcohol. It was located on the ground floor while the rooms the children were in the second floor. He was sleeping half-naked on his bed.


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    The head priest of the orphanage woke up with the sound of laughter, joy, and children burping. For some reason, the nuns were singing too.


    He walked out and screamed. ¡°It''s in the middle of the night what are you doing!!!¡± he was angry, always angry.


    The celebration stopped for a moment, and along with the orphans and the children, an unfamiliar old man stood up. The priest shuddered.


    ¡°Continue the party!! The priest and I will have a man-to-man to talk,¡± the old man said.


    The priest cowered as the old man placed his hands on his shoulders pushing and pulling him back into his room. The party went on as their celebration for food and that they wouldn¡¯t have a problem with it for a year. Simon was also there, still his eyes closed as he was trying to sing with the nun and the children but it was hard and awkward.


    <--->


    The priest and the old man entered back to the priest¡¯s room and the old man immediately pushed him into the wall and punched him twice in the stomach, the old man really loved doing this.


    ¡°What!! Urgh!!¡± and another one right on his stomach again, and he hasn¡¯t even handed a question.


    ¡°The brats are skinny¡­ why!!!¡± the old man threatened with his fist as he asked in a low voice.


    The priest immediately confessed; he was lured in by the promise of rewards through gambling. To worsen it up he actually gambled under a Sen-ran establishment. Usually, Sen-ran establishments were considered to be high-class facilities and just the entrance fee was really expensive.


    ¡°I just wanted to earn more money for the kids¡­ sorry¡­ SORRY,¡± the priest lowers to his knees, just a few punches on the stomach before asking was the key to his confession.


    ¡°Are you still in debt?¡± the old man asked.


    The priest shakes his head for the no answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s the card isn¡¯t it?¡± the old man spoke and it was right on the mark, as the priest shuddered.


    The old man had seen so much of this, adventurers and merchants falling into the Sen-ran¡¯s reward system card.


    The card gets stamped whenever the owner of the card plays and without counting the losses, all you have earned will be calculated based on some percentage and the owner of the card will receive money from that, not only did it spurred the gamblers to play more, it doubles the sensation of winning after all the lose.


    ¡°Give it to me¡­ I know how you feel but¡­¡± Before the old man finished his sentence the priest immediately ran to his desk. The reward card was on his cabinet.


    ¡°Take it!! PLEASE TAKE IT,¡± the priest said like he was begging.


    The old man nodded and went closer to him to take the card but the priest couldn¡¯t let it go¡­ the priest started sweating.


    ¡°I see¡­ that bad huh¡­¡± The card suddenly turned hot and the priest let it go¡­ infusing the reward card with magic it started to melt down.


    The priest started to cry.


    ¡°Come and eat with us dumb ass,¡± the old man said.


    <--->


    For the next 2 days, the old man began training the 6 boys who were already out of the orphanage because of their age. They were taught the basics of stances and weapons too. He even included the priest to nullify the priest¡¯s withdrawal syndromes. All while having Simon train his footwork.


    And on the 3rd day was a mock battle with Simon.


    ¡°Fuck sake!!! He is just a boy!!! HIT HIM!!!¡± the old man was getting angry, the underground hall of the adventurer¡¯s guild was lively again.


    ¡°But sir!!! He is just a boy!¡± the priest said, the 6 other boys were still trying to hit Simon as Simon tried to parry, Simon was not allowed to attack and to get hit.


    ¡°Simon!!! BREAK HIS NOSE!!!!¡± the old man screamed and Simon did a flash step of his own, the boy¡¯s footwork was already at good work. He broke the priest¡¯s nose, the priest was instantly taken out.


    ¡°PAM!~!!¡± the old man screamed. The 6 boys looked at the priest, it just made the old man snap more.


    ¡°Keep attacking boys!!!!!! KEEP ATTACKING!!!¡± the old man screamed again. The 6 boys maniacally tried to hit Simon.


    ¡°BOY!!! If you get hit even once there will be no food!!!¡± and he was harsher to Simon¡­ Simon was in full concentration now.


    Some of the adventurers who were lured by the screams went down to watch. They were terrified of the old man.


    ¡°GOD DAMN IT!!! IT''S NOT EVEN A CHALLENGE!! I¡¯LL JOIN!!!¡± the old man finally snapped. This was only the first day after the 2 days of basic sword fight.


    ¡°Old man!! I don¡¯t have a weapon¡± Simon protested. ¡°You learned to complain now, boy!!! Attack!!!¡± and the old man commanded the 6 boys again. The priest was getting healed on the side while glaring at the old man. Of course, the old man felt it and glared back.


    ¡°After I train you, you will never feel pleasure from gambling again,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± the priest muttered as the Pam was healing his nose back.


    ¡°CRACK!!¡± and the priest almost fainted with the pain in his nose being put back into place, he didn¡¯t have the time to scream¡­


    ¡°Fucking gambler!!¡± the Pam said. (She is a product of the orphanage too hahaha!!!).


    <--->


    The next day, Gabriel visited to check up on his older brothers. She was led to the underground level of the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    ¡°Keep the front intact!! There are 6 of you!!! Use your advantage!!! HEY!! Don¡¯t back down you are the main tank!!!¡± and she saw a hell of a scene. The old man was commanding the 6 boys in a formation.


    Gust was the main tank and was holding the largest shield, he was really large for his age, Tint was another shield user but a smaller one like a buckler, his job was to protect behind and the sides, he was also holding a sword.


    Dawi was now holding a spear, he actually looked much fiercer than a thug now, he could launch an attack from behind the shield and was quick on his feet, he was also chosen as the party¡¯s leader because of his wide vision, Law used a slingshot as the main range attacker, but he was carrying heavy loads of weights he was wearing on his body, he will be the manager and carrier of items.


    Al was the mage, the only spells he could use were flame thrower and body warmth and all were used in close range, and finally Winar, he had the largest pool of magic out of the 6 and he was in charge of healing his party mates.


    They were now fighting against Simon, treating him like some kind of monster. Simon was a bit annoyed by the idea but whatever training worked for him.


    ¡°Simon!!! Flank them!!! Flank them!!!¡± and the old man was pushing them to their teeth.


    They could tell the difference between Simon and them, and they were still struggling even though they had already formed this adventurer¡¯s formation.


    Gabriel shuddered as she saw the scene. The priest was then behind her. The priest had already changed by the way his face appeared to the child.


    ¡°Gabriel, come here, you don¡¯t want to get hit by miss fires okay?¡± the priest then guided Gabriel to the side.


    ¡°Did you come here to check on them? How¡¯s the orphanage,¡± The priest in a warm manner began talking to the child, well he hasn¡¯t been back in the orphanage for 3 days now.


    ¡°Head priest¡­ you look better now,¡± Gabriel said as she smiled at the priest.


    ¡°Really¡­ sniff¡­ stay for a while, after they get annihilated we will have our breakfast,¡± the priest said but Gabriel was sure it was already past lunch time now.

 Chapter 63 :: Leaving

    The underground training grounds were silent. It was mid-day. The scene was military-like fashioned, the young ones standing straight and an old man inspecting them.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I love that look on your faces¡­ you learned well unlike this stupid brat,¡± it was the 5th day, and the 7 were aligned in a military fashion.


    ¡°After breakfast, we will go into the market to buy things and tomorrow we head to the dungeon south¡­ if you survive a night there you will be full-time adventurers!! Now!!! Let¡¯s go to the cafeteria!!!¡± the old man declared.


    The 7 finally breathed a sigh of relief, Simon was the happiest of all of them and rushed steadfastly into the cafeteria part of the adventurer¡¯s guild. Their breakfast now was lunch.


    ¡­


    A staff member handed over a piece of letter while they were eating in the cafeteria, the old man received it and opened it up.


    ¡°Also¡­ the guild master is asking for your time alone,¡± The old man remembered that the guild master wanted to talk with him just the 2 of them¡­ and he promised sirloin and wine to him.


    ¡°I understand¡­ I¡¯ll come by,¡± the old man smiled. It seemed his plan was on the go in regard to the relic, the letter of reply said so.


    <--->


    In the afternoon after their trip to the market. The old man personally brought some wine and sirloin using the credit of the adventurer¡¯s guild of course. The old man knocks on the door. And the guild master spoke, ¡°Come in!!¡± He went straight to the guild master¡¯s desk and presented the receipts to the guild master.


    ¡°Buying me something means getting it out from your pocket, you cheapskate buffoon,¡± Orera scratched his head.


    The old man knew where he kept his wares and took glasses, plates, forks, and knives all in pairs.


    The sirloin was packed with banana leaves, its smell wafting up the room as the old man unpacked it after placing it onto the plate.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m working up an appetite,¡± the guild master said upon smelling the steak.


    ¡°This is mad bull steak, seared 15 minutes ago, I had to make sure it was packed tightly, the boy almost ate it¡­ let¡¯s eat,¡± the old man said as he sat down.


    The guild master using only his hands opened up the wine.¡°Oh!! Beautiful, really beautiful¡± he said and he started pouring.


    ¡°Where are the boys now? Can you still wolf it down?¡± the guild master asked as he poured wine into the old man¡¯s glass.


    ¡°I¡¯m still raring to go actually, thanks for the letter we will be leaving after 2 or 3 more days,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°... Remember before you visited us-¡± the guild master began talking, it was the topic he wanted to discuss even before. ¡°-We found something and the results came out already, it''s also verified by the magic tower¡¯s research institute,¡± the guild master added, he then put a slice of the steak on his mouth and savored it, then dropped his fork and knife looking at the old man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°8 to 10 more years, judging from the magic scan we did to you¡­¡± the guild master said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ tell it to me properly,¡± the old man said and he gulped down a sip of wine.


    ¡°You only probably have 8 to 10 more years to live,¡± the guild master spoke it fluently. He had been on the job for a long time, being a herald of bad news was nothing new.


    The old man stopped for a while and looked at the guild master ¡°I see¡­ what¡¯s the cause again?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°The Pam that healed you when you brought Simon found something when he scanned you using magic¡­¡± the guild master said as he resumed dining.


    ¡°A magic stone in my head right?¡± and the old man finished his sentence and threw a look at the guild master.


    The guild master Orera was keen on his observation ¡°You knew?¡± the guild master asked to make sure, the 2 were dining in properly like there was no problem at all.


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    ¡°Why did you think I went in the eastern frontier,¡± the old man threw him a clue, it was not a question.


    The old man visited the guild of Pharsha years back when he arrived at the eastern frontier. Orera can remember that the old man was asking for a Dungeon that hadn¡¯t been culled.


    ¡°You were looking for a place to die,¡± the guild master declared his conclusion and nodded.


    It totally made sense, only that when the old man arrived it was still too early for any dungeon culling.


    ¡°At first I actually wanted to die in a dungeon, fighting hordes and hordes of enemies until I fall,¡± the old man was speaking from his heart. ¡°But now¡­ I want to live longer, I want to see what would become of the stupid little shit,¡± but he cursed Simon for changing how he thinks.


    ¡°Does the boy know?¡± the guild master asked. The old man calmly shook his head saying no.


    ¡°Let¡¯s keep it that way, and I already promised that I will be with him until I die,¡± the old man added.


    ¡°It''s been a good run huh?¡± the guild master poured another into the old man¡¯s glass, it was not even empty.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± There was no hint of worry from the old man.


    <--->


    2 days later.


    Gust never tasted food so good¡­ but he was sure it was just a slice of normal dried meat; seared on both sides, a normal way to prepare food in the town. He was chewing it like it was the greatest thing he ever had in his life. They survived the old man¡¯s training, and they could now proudly say that they were adventurers.


    They are now eating back at the guild along with Simon and the old man.


    ¡°Boys we will be leaving tomorrow, Dawi¡­ guide your brothers well!!¡± the old man suddenly began speaking.


    ¡°Sir¡­ thank you¡­ thank you very much!!¡± Dawi said and tears started dwelling in his eyes.


    ¡°The hell? Are you little shit crying!!! You should be proud!!! You survived my training!!!¡± the old man smiled. ¡°We will feast tonight!!!¡± and declared.


    Simon happily clapped.


    ¡°Simon¡­ sorry for everything¡­¡± Dawi said he said it like it was everyone¡¯s words.


    ¡°It''s okay¡­ I enjoyed it too!¡± Simon''s answers made Dawi and the rest of his party feel guilty and sorry for Simon. The way the old man trained them was the only way they could have survived.


    They heard the old man and Simon went to the Tugak¡¯s Dungeon and conquered it. They stayed there for months. The boys only stayed there for 2 days and it was terrifying but they have adjusted to it now. Even the old man approved of their growth.


    The staff members who knew them started clapping, they had seen how the old man trained them, it was brutal but too effective.


    The priest and Gabriel arrived, and it seemed one of the staff had informed them ¡°Boys!! You look so strong now!!! I like the look on your faces!!!¡± the priest said.


    Gabriel happily clapped as the boys hugged their comrade(The priest).


    ¡°Father you should have been there!!¡± Gust said as he was the main tank and was always in front of the enemy.


    ¡°Father!! I learned a new spell!!!¡± Al said crying, the lives of his party were in his hands, and he had to fire his spells precisely, this birthed a new spell he invented all along their ordeal.


    Winar just closed his eyes and covered his face, he was crying a bit, he was not tired but he was happy that he didn¡¯t have to use healing, well he only knew 2 spells of detox and healing.


    Law and Tint were already blushing as the old man forced them to drink alcohol, Law was tired as hell as he was the sentry and the scout of the party and Tint was just muttering ¡°Forward, back¡­ left¡­ right¡­ flank¡± as he was under the influence of the alcohol.


    Simon smiled as he watched the scene. Suddenly Law landed a pint in front of Simon, the smell of the alcohol wafts on his nose, he was interested in the drink the old man kept on chugging.


    As he placed his hands the old man took the pint and chugged it down ¡°Simon¡­ alcohol downgrades the mind¡­ and your mind is already so low so please never ever drink it¡­ promise me,¡± The old man was already a bit drunk, he was alternating between the heavy hitters and the light ones (Alcohols).


    ¡°... I will never drink it,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°Good!¡± the old man nodded, and their celebration continued into the night.


    ¡­


    In the morning only the priest and Dawi were awake, they were saying goodbyes to the old man and Simon. The Guild Master came out of his office still wearing his pajamas.


    ¡°This is the official quest paper, you forgot it,¡± the guild master said. The guild master should have given it to them yesterday when they arrived in the noon but they just began celebrating.


    The quest paper was not that important but if they didn¡¯t bring it with them, it would take time before they could receive the rewards for the quest because it still needed to be verified.


    ¡°Thanks, Orera¡­ I¡¯ll never forget this,¡± the old man said.


    The old man checked the paper rolled in. It was a job to deliver the core shard to the East Mouth village where a contact of the Sen-ran clan would meet them. The old man never left the dungeon shard and always brought it along with him, since it was covered with Tar Silk it was not emitting any magic, it was safe to bring around.


    After some words, the 2 began to depart. Simon looked back one more time. Maybe he would see them again someday?


    ¡°Boy just this time we will be going through the main roads, you have to at least be familiar with it,¡± the old man suddenly said disrupting Simon¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°The paved ground?¡± Simon confirmed.


    ¡°Yes!¡± the old man answered along with a nod. They will be heading west to the small village of East Mouth. The old man also passed through here to get to the edge of the frontiers.


    It was sad that they were leaving a place where Simon was starting to get comfortable but the people they would meet and the adventures they would be experiencing put a smile on the old man¡¯s face. When he was young, he thought that life was too long, too boring, or sometimes too hard.


    Now he just wants to enjoy life to its fullest. Not thinking about the future nor remembering the past, just what was in front of him, the present. The old man looked at Simon and muttered in a low voice ¡°This little shit...¡±

 Chapter 64 :: East Mouth Village

    It was high noon the spring was breaking up, the summer heat was urging the air to blow as hard as it could. Simon felt strange walking on the paved roads but the occasional passing carriage and adventurers distracted him and walking on paved roads was much better.


    ¡°Simon look at that,¡± the old man suddenly pointed out southerly, he was not pointing by the land, he was pointing into the sky. The boy didn¡¯t easily notice it but there were shadows in the sky¡­ looked like flying things.


    It was Sky Hounds, 2 tailed and with the face of a dog, much easier to describe as a dog with wings. They were one of the monsters that occasionally roamed around the eastern frontier, the number one cause of random encounters for those who lived in the frontiers. They live on the Craig Mountain ranges located in the southern part of the frontier.


    The Craig Mountains were an impenetrable fortress because of the monsters that lived there. Even now it has not been thoroughly explored and considered as a natural habitat of monsters.


    ¡°Prepare for battle Simon, they''re going to attack us,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°But how would I fight against a flying enemy?¡± Simon asked.


    The old man just smirked, it would be of no use to explain it to the boy, he should just show it.


    ¡­


    Sky Hounds would hunt humans for food, such was the devastating truth. As years went by it seemed that the Sky Hounds had learned that humans usually go through these paved roads, the open field made it easy for them to take on humans. That day was just another day of the hunt and another day on the frontier.


    They usually pestered the eastern farmlands, which led to the construction of a large wall to fend off monster attacks from the Craig Mountain range to the south. This mountain range was home not only to the Sky Hounds but also to various other monsters that plagued the area.


    ¡°Hurry up!!¡± the guards of the East Mouth village urged the carriages and adventurers to go inside their walls.


    ¡°Old man!!! Please go inside!!!¡± the guard noticed the 2 just standing waiting for something.


    ¡°We are alright!! Please close the gates,¡± the old man screamed back. The guard was surprised with his answer, if the old man was looking for a place to die he should have sent the boy inside first.


    Still, the guard gritted and he closed the wooden gates. Their walls are made of stone, about 4 meters tall, the guards lined up on the upper walls, and the village chief was there.


    ¡°Find a good rock and throw it at their wings. Do you still remember the doppelganger?¡± the old man said as he searched for a suitable rock to throw. He found a smooth stone instead of a rough one.


    To the Sky Hounds, the two of them were prime prey. The guards on top of the wall and the adventurers hiding in the bushes south of the gates watched the scene. Though they wanted to help, they hesitated, knowing the old man had chosen to be outside the gate on his own.


    In one fell swoop a greedy Sky Hound plunged down shortening the distance into the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s big!! Does it taste good?¡± Simon innocently asked, not even disturbed by the blood lust the Hound was emitting.


    ¡°Nope¡­ they are not good, they have bad meat,¡± the old man answered. The Sky Hound¡¯s meat was really bad, not only that, a parasite lived in their blood.


    ¡°Aim for their head if you want to kill them in one shot, or aim at the wings which is easier!! Your choice!!!¡± the old man said, his hands glowed a bit, it was a magic edge, he swung his arm throwing the stone.


    The stone literally shot so fast, that the Hound that tried to attack them got hit on the base of its right wing.


    ¡°Oh! I thought I was going to hit the head¡­ my bad,¡± the Sky Hound crashed down on the ground its momentum damaging it.


    It landed near the 2. The adventurers and the guards that were watching cheered from what they saw, there were 8 more in the air.


    ¡°How about you try it boy?¡± the old man said and he picked up another rock, one that was rough on all sides.


    The old man glanced at the gate, he started hand signals, and the chief immediately understood it. He was asking if the chief could fire arrows at the old man¡¯s command, The two had successfully made a bait in the middle of the road. The sky hounds began descending, all of them going down in an arrow formation.


    ¡°Use your leg to carry more weight and power to the throw, stomp it,¡± the old man advised.


    ¡°How does that work?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Raise it up boy,-¡± Then the old man did his pose, his knees raised as far up on his chest, hands curved ¡°-This is the right way to throw stones at long range,¡± the old man did a mock throw. The boy nodded after seeing it again.


    The old man then drew his sword and slashed the Sky Hound that had fallen by his stone, it instantly died when the old man landed a slash on its neck, it even failed to react.


    Simon as per his usual learning skills did the same pose, he then threw the rock hitting the right wing of the leader of the charge.


    ¡°Nice one boy!! FIRE!!!¡± the old man suddenly screamed, the guards on the wall complied and started raining fire. The Sky Hounds fell down one by one since the arrows punctured holes in their wings if they were not getting hit in the body.


    As soon as the sky hounds fell the adventurers that were hiding in the bushes came out and started their ambush.


    ¡°Whoa!!!¡± Simon¡¯s first time seeing an assault like that.


    ¡°Hey you can open the gates now!!!¡± the old man screamed to the chief of the village, he signaled the gate bearers behind the wall.


    ¡°Thanks, old man!! We appreciate it!!!¡± the chief screamed on the top of the wall.


    ¡°It''s okay!!!" the old man waved.


    As soon as the gates opened, the 2 could smell different kinds of aromas, the East Mouth Village was the home of spices.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go boy¡­ oh crap I forgot, we haven¡¯t had any breakfast,¡± the old man said as he noticed Simon¡¯s drooling face.


    <--->


    The East Mouth village was almost closer to being established as a town but since nobles and government officials wouldn¡¯t prefer going to this most remote place, the promotion of the settlement has been at bay for a long time now. The 2 upon entering were given applause by the guards and soldiers of the wall, the soldiers that were carrying shields should have been the baits.


    ¡°Old man!!! Thank you!!!¡± the village chief came down, grabbing the hand of the old man and petting the head of Simon which the boy didn¡¯t like as he squinted. Simon kept his eyes closed as soon as the fighting started so everyone thought that he was blind, but how did he hit the sky hounds?


    After the 2 passed the gallery they immediately found an inn, they were not there to sleep since the sun was still high in the sky, but the building was familiar to the 2, the inn was an adventurer¡¯s guild before, it was transferred into Pharsha since it was a better spot.


    A better spot meant it was less likely to be attacked by monsters.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.The 2 began eating their supposed breakfast, Simon was enjoying his fill while the old man was looking around, he needed to find themselves some ship or fishing boat, depending on the schedules they would have to stay in the inn for a while.


    Another plate of meat landed on their table and the innkeeper who was serving food smiled at them. ¡°Compliments from the chef, his son was among the soldiers you helped earlier!!¡± then she turned to leave.


    But before she walked ¡°Do you know the schedule for the ships going down the river?¡± the old man asked making the innkeeper stop in her tracks.


    ¡°Oh, are you going west? To the Creek Village huh¡­ a ship should be leaving tomorrow!¡± the innkeeper said as if she remembered something.


    ¡°Oh¡­ can we rent a room for the night?¡± the old man asked politely.


    ¡°Of course! Please come to the desk later, I¡¯ll give you our best rooms!!¡± she said and she continued her tasks.


    For reasons Simon couldn''t quite explain, his eyes were fixed on the old man.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, boy speak?¡± the old man inquired, his voice a gravelly whisper. The face of the old man would usually look intimidating when he asked this question.


    But the boy was used to it ¡°Are we really going on a boat?¡± Simon asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.


    ¡°Indeed we are!¡± the old man replied, his smile spreading wide.


    The boy¡¯s oily mouth curved into a smile. The guild master had taught him a bunch of things back in the guild and the old man of the guild said that boats were fun.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the market after eating!¡± the old man decided on what they were going to do next.


    After that the old man and Simon went to the market in the East Mouth, they were given discounts at every stall because they helped in the defense against the sky hounds. The old man; the haggler that he was bought and took as much as he could.


    They would stay in the Inn after this while he schooled Simon about money.


    <--->


    The small port on the East Mouth village could house 3 ships of around 40 feet. (means the port is as long as 150 feet) The Village would usually export spices that were procured by adventurers. The economy near the Dark Forest was a treasure trove of rare natural bounties.


    Though it was cold, the old man and the boy were already on the port in the early morning.


    Simon and the old man rode on a ship, that cost 30 silvers, leaning on the side of expensive a bit. The boy was extremely excited, well he had never been on a ship before, they were just waiting for the shipments to be loaded on board.


    When the ship left the boy stood in the nose of the ship feeling the wind in his face but 30 minutes into the travel Simon immediately felt sick. They were not even on the sea but the Black River was shaking and rocking the boat badly.


    ¡°Boy you don¡¯t look good,¡± the old man said, all the excitement was gone now.


    ¡°Take this!!! Relieve yourself!!!¡± one of the crew members of the ship handed over a piece of candy. It was wrapped around a paper, Simon upon receiving it opened it up.


    It was a white like stone, it had a certain smell and Simon could tell that it was edible.


    ¡°Eat it, boy,¡± the old man said, he knew what it was.


    Simon did, and as soon as he swallowed it, an aroma spread through his mouth, nose, and lungs¡­ his stomach suddenly felt alleviated.


    ¡°Huh?¡± the boy was quite surprised, it was some kind of cure for his sickness.


    ¡°Thank you for that,¡± the old man thanked the crew member who gave them the candy.


    Simon was now smiling and the boy started looking around the ship again. Looking at the water and the surrounding lands.


    The river was 9 to 11 km wide but curved around at some point, it was indeed a very large river but it was normal for the people living in the frontier because the largest river known to man was around hundred and ten kilometers at the minimum, it was the river that splits the eastern and central continent, its called the Guren River.


    The ship¡¯s crew said that the trip to the Creek Village was about 8 to 9 hours on an estimate. They were not using the sails, rather they were using the current downstream from the Black Lake to travel.


    The boat would drift and would be needed to steer from time to time to correct its course. On the contrary, when going back they would need to use the sails in par of wind magic.


    The journey¡¯s time would pass quickly since the passengers that were together with them started a fishing spree.


    Simon and the old man even joined them. Two adventurers, a merchant, and a traveling knight, along with the old man and Simon, there were 6 of them hanging their baits in the water 3 on each side. The fishing pole was borrowed from the merchant.


    A few moments ago.


    The merchant was the one who actually started the fishing spree by commenting: ¡°I could catch 4 around 20 minutes,¡± while two adventurers were talking about the types fishes that could be caught around the river.


    The ship crew who was listening instantly prepared a large bucket, by drawing water in the river they filled it with water.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some charcoal!!¡± the adventurer suddenly said, there was still no fish in the tank though.


    ¡°We are going to eat again it seems,¡± the old man muttered and he looked at Simon¡­ the boy was smiling, he was eager to catch food, didn¡¯t they have their breakfast of bread and cheese back at the inn?


    The old man sighed ¡°I¡¯ve got some salt here!!¡± he said. He opened up his bag and took out a vase full of salt. It was not an ordinary salt, it was called ¡®Pink Salt¡¯ The ship crew did a big ¡®Whoa¡¯ upon seeing this.


    It was one of the things they brought at a discounted price, from the East Mouth village along with the dry meat and pickled fruits.


    ¡­


    The fish buckets in the middle of the ship were getting filled with different kinds of fish, the ship crew with trained hands started slicing them up for a prep, and with a tinge of pink salt, they started cooking it on the charcoals that the adventurer offered.


    ¡°Seer it properly boys! I don¡¯t want any parasites in our stomach!¡± the captain of the ship screamed.


    ¡°Aye! Captain!¡± all the crew answered, they really did know what they were doing but the captain just wanted the others to hear it.


    They were having a fish barbecue on the ship, and the captain of the ship smiled as he watched the scene, the fishers were enjoying their time and the merchant was proving his words, he was really catching 4 fish every 20 minutes, it was crazy.


    After a few hours, the captain who was also nibbling on salted fish saw their destination.


    ¡°Boys!! We are almost here!!! All hands prepare!!!¡± the captain screamed at the top of his lungs. It was a shame but the fish buckets still had a lot of fish there.


    The boy slumped down as he was watching the ship crew throwing the fish back into the river. ¡°Come on boy, you had your fill,¡± the old man complained.

 Chapter 65 :: Jedilyn 1

    The Creek Village had the same layout as East Mouth, except that Creek Village had an anchorage area on its southern side.


    The old man nonchalantly stepped off the boat and onto the plank. The boy with him jumped from the boat, causing it to rock slightly.


    ¡°Why¡¯d you jump, boy?¡± the old man asked irritably.


    ¡°He-he! I just wanted to!¡± the boy replied with a grin.


    The old man waved at the crew, who didn¡¯t seem to mind the boy¡¯s antics, though the other passengers had to hold onto the boat¡¯s handrails to steady themselves. The passengers were supposed to disembark first before the crew began unloading their cargo.


    There was another adventurer¡¯s guild in Creek Village. Simon and the old man headed there directly after saying goodbye to the travelers they had shared a barbecue party with. The old man¡¯s quest would be completed upon meeting the contact and delivering the shard.


    It was almost twilight, and the two were already full, having eaten non-stop on the ship.


    ¡°If they were just riding the streams, how would they come back?¡± Simon asked the old man as they were walking.


    ¡°They use wind magic and their sails,¡± the old man said, it was possible to propel a small ship doing that.


    ¡°I wanna ride it again!!!¡± Simon said, but the old man knew what the boy was thinking, another barbecue party.


    The two continued on their way, the boy was humming as his stomach was full. On their way, sounds of craftsmen hitting wood and needles resounded from afar as sawdust was created from the saws flew in the air.


    ¡°They are constructing a new building¡± the old man muttered as the adventurer¡¯s guild appeared on their sight.


    In a few moments, they were inside the building. The layout was familiar to the 2. A cloaked man immediately approached them.


    ¡°Black Braided cloak¡­ a typical Sen-ran symbol,¡± the old man spoke.


    The cloaked man removed his hood to show his face ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be recognized by you sir¡­ I assume you have it with you?¡± the cloaked man was very polite.


    ¡°I have it,¡± The old man then used his thumb to point out a more of a private spot.


    They went to a corner of the cafeteria of the adventurer¡¯s guild. The old man revealed the core shard. The face of the contact changed¡­ he nodded and took out another Tar Silk clothes, one of a better quality.


    ¡°Can I take it now?¡± the contact asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­ can you at least give us 2 large golds worth of money?¡± the old man requested.


    ¡°Sir¡­ we have transferred the fund on your credit but¡­ of course!!! Here, I would even give you 8 gold coins!!¡± the contact said, and he took out 8 large gold coins and 4 small gold ones lining them up on the table.


    ¡°Thanks, send my regards to your master,¡± the old man said and he put the coins in his bag.


    ¡°Will do¡­ I will be leaving now, contact us if any matter arises thank you,¡± the contact put back his hood and left.


    Simon was just beside the old man staring at empty spaces.


    ¡°Hey, let''s train underground!!¡± the old man awakened Simon¡¯s blank thoughts.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I want to work up some appetite,¡± the boy said, the old man smiled fiercely, he would be thorough, he promised. The 2 started a mock training with Simon bare-handed and the old man using a stick.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    <--->


    Early in the morning, the 2 were in the cafeteria eating their breakfast.


    Those who recognized them from their screams last night thought ¡®The boy is still alive?¡¯ that was how intense the sparring of the two.


    As the old man ate his breakfasts he felt a stare ¡°Hmm¡­ what¡¯s up with that kid?¡± the old man pointed to a child standing on the adventurer guild¡¯s glass window.


    ¡°Maybe she is hungry¡­¡± Simon said without even stopping eating, for him breakfast was the most important meal of the day.


    It was totally not the old man¡¯s style but after staying with Simon for a while he had a little bit of knack for this situation. He decided to go out and invite the red-headed girl for a grab.


    <--->


    Her hair was disheveled, yet she remained clean. Despite missing one of her shoes, she still wore a sock on the foot where the shoe was absent.


    It was the first time she had that food¡­ it was a commoner¡¯s food but after not eating for a week this was probably the warmest¡­ most delicious¡­ the most clean food she had ever had. Tears began to flow from her eyes, the old man touched her red hair to calm her down.


    ¡°Swallow it slowly,¡± the old man said.


    Simon then took his own food and gave it to her. ¡°Here have some more?¡± the small boy said and the red-headed girl happily gobbled food.


    ¡°What happened to you?¡± the old man asked, something are better stated while its still fresh¡­ the girl cried a little as she recalled the things that happened to her but she didn¡¯t stop eating.


    ¡°Hey! A beer and more food here!¡± the old man screamed.


    ¡°Blu-urgh!¡± she started coughing and almost vomiting what she had eaten.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s why I told you to eat slowly!¡± the old man complained.


    He touched the girl¡¯s back¡­ he instantly noticed something, a magic signature¡­ its probably from a monster. ¡°Hey! Somebody call Pam!¡±


    <--->


    In one of the private room at the adventurer¡¯s guild, Simon and the old man sat as they watched the Pam checking on the the red headed girl.


    ¡°She is marked by a Kaveron¡­¡± Pam (Healer) an elderly woman said¡­ she cast a dispel on the girl. A dim light coming from the hands of the Pam surrounded the body of the red headed girl.


    ¡°Ah, Kaveron¡­ its meat tastes really good,¡± The old man said rubbing his chin.


    He finally had a hunch¡­ the red hair of the girl was actually quite familiar¡­ he partied with an adventurer before that also had that red hair.


    ¡°Old man¡­ I haven¡¯t forgotten what you have done for the continent¡­ this one is just a dispel¡­ free of charge,¡± Pam the old lady said and left them from their table¡­ the red-haired girl began nodding off¡­ she was getting sleepy.


    ¡°Simon¡­ we better sleep then, huh?¡± he noticed Simon getting his head closer to the old man¡¯s lap.


    ¡°Damn it kids¡­¡± the old man exclaimed¡­ Pam who was watching the scene laughs at the old man. The old man used his two shoulder to carry, the old man needed to use body strengthening magic.


    Usually sleeping after a good meal would calm a normal person but this deep sleep would trigger dreams. And one would never have any control over it, at least not the normal ones.


    <--->


    From the darkness, dreams conjured scenes from the red-haired girl''s memories. Suddenly, she found herself back in the meadow, where crimson hues painted the grass. Her mother lay on the ground, and a monstrous figure loomed over her, its weight crushing her fragile form. The sight repeated, each time more horrifying than the last.


    ¡°NO!!!¡± Her father''s cry pierced the air as he fell before her, his life snuffed out in an instant. Shock coursed through her veins, numbing her to the chaos unfolding around her. Her feet turned to ice, rooted to the spot.


    ¡°Jed!!! Run!!¡± Her mother''s voice shattered the silence, but it was too late. The monster''s wrath spared none, and her mother''s desperate plea rang in her ears as she was mercilessly trampled.


    She ran, driven by fear and despair, her mind reeling with disbelief. Just moments ago, they were supposed to be enjoying a picnic with her uncle, following their usual routine. Now, the only thing she could focus on was escape, any shred of hope slipping through her fingers.


    Lost and disoriented, she fled in blind panic, the monster''s presence a looming shadow behind her. With nowhere else to turn, she found herself teetering on the edge of a cliff, her heart pounding in her chest. As the monstrous figure closed in, she trembled in terror, her body betraying her with fear-induced tremors.


    Then, a sickening realization washed over her as she caught sight of the necklace hanging around the monster''s neck. Her father''s and mother''s hands, severed and preserved as gruesome trophies. The horror of it all overwhelmed her, and she doubled over, retching uncontrollably.


    The monster reveled in her anguish, its twisted delight evident in its every move. With a final flourish, it raised its arms, conjuring a dark magic that left her trembling with dread.


    Driven by a primal instinct, she made a split-second decision. With a leap of faith, she plunged into the abyss below, her scream swallowed by the wind as she plummeted into the unknown.


    In the depths of her despair, flashes of her mother''s voice echoed in her mind, a bittersweet reminder of happier times. The memory offered a fleeting sense of solace amidst the chaos, a brief respite from the nightmare that threatened to consume her.


    Then, with a jolt, she was torn from her reverie, thrust back into the chilling reality of her nightmare. The deafening sound of a door slamming shut reverberated through her consciousness, shattering the fragile illusion of peace.


    ¡°SLAM!!¡±

 Chapter 66 :: Jedilyn 2

    ¡°SLAM!!!¡±


    She woke up, Simon was on the ground, and the old man was still asleep. The old man¡¯s snore echoed in the room. For some reason it made the red haired girl calm.


    ¡°My body hurts!!¡± Simon complained, it seemed that he had fallen off the bed because of Jedi.


    Simon immediately noticed that the red-headed girl was awake and looking at him. She finally noticed his eyes¡­ unlike other normal adventurers who hated demi humans she thought that his eyes were pretty.


    ¡°Hello? What do they call you?¡± Simon tried to stand up but he staggered a little bit because his body was a bit worn.


    The red-headed girl helped him to stand up, ¡°Jedi¡­ Mar¡­ just Jedi¡± she said sadly. Simon nodded and smirked. The girl was afraid to speak of here family name.


    ¡°It''s Jedi then¡­ I¡¯m hungry let us wake up the old man!¡± Simon declared with a happy tone. But the boy didn¡¯t even had a last name.


    <--->


    There was silence on the cafeteria, as other adventurers ate the table where the old man, and Jedi sat was really silent, though Simon brimmed with excitement even though he had that same stone faced. The ice broke when the food landed in front them. They began eating. The old man checked on the girl.


    ¡°It seems that you recovered pretty well, mind telling us what happened to you?¡± the old man asked.


    The girl finally nodded she was ready.


    She began the story, her voice trembling as she recounted the day they went outside for a little bit of fresh air. They had planned a picnic, a suggestion from her uncle. It seemed like a perfect idea. Her uncle had even volunteered to take on her father''s responsibilities for a while so the family could spend some quality time together.


    They chatted happily in the carriage as they rode out to the meadow just south of their territory, everybody from the family knew the place. Jedi could smell the delicious food her mother had prepared inside the basket¡ªsavory meats, fresh bread, sweet pastries. It was going to be a beautiful day.


    After parking the carriage, they walked a short distance into the meadow, finding the perfect spot. They laid out their cloth and sat down, laughter and joy filling the air.


    But their happiness was short-lived. In an instant, their world was shattered. From the sky, it appeared¡ªa monstrous creature, descending with a deafening roar. Chaos erupted as it attacked without warning. The picnic basket toppled over, the carefully prepared food spilling onto the ground, mixing with the dirt and blood.


    Her father stood up to defend them, but the creature was too fast. With a single swipe, it struck him down. Her mother screamed, trying to protect Jedi, but the beast was relentless. Jedi''s uncle tried to intervene, but he too was overwhelmed.


    Jedi''s heart pounded in her chest, her body frozen in terror. The meadow, once a place of peace and joy, was now a scene of unimaginable horror. The monster''s growls and her family''s screams filled her ears. She could see her father''s lifeless body on the ground, her mother''s desperate attempts to fend off the beast, and her uncle''s futile struggle.


    The sun that had shone so brightly now seemed cruel and mocking. The scent of food was replaced by the stench of fear and death. Jedi felt a deep, wrenching sorrow as she watched her family being torn apart. In the midst of the chaos, she could do nothing but run, her legs carrying her away from the nightmare that had descended upon them.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    She told the story as vividly as she could, the trauma from the dreams she had last night amplified the emotion in her voice, it made Simon gasp as she told the story.


    ¡­


    ¡°I see¡­ take it easy for a while, do you want us to bring you back?¡± the old man asked.


    Jedi shook her head, ¡°I want revenge,¡± she spoke in a low voice. It was understandable.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Simon muttered, the only reaction from the boy. They were almost finished eating their breakfast.


    The old man looked out the window, revenge was probably the best motivation for any kind of goal. Didn¡¯t he just finish training some boys before? Why was he getting himself into this kind of situation?


    ¡°We will be training underground, want to join us?¡± the old man said without removing his sight from the window.


    ¡°Yes please!!¡± Jedi nodded.


    ¡°Have you ever used a weapon before?¡± the old man asked. ¡°


    No¡­¡± Jedi answered apologetically.


    ¡°No problem¡­ so you will have to start from scratch¡­¡± the old man smiled.


    <--->


    ¡°Spread your legs!!! Make it stable!!! the power of the spear is on its reach and trust, piercing attacks are deadly and can finish a fight immediately 1000 pierce per day!!¡± the old man turned into a demon upon coaching Jedi, but the girl was taking it.


    ¡°Hya!!!¡± she followed the instructions of the old man.


    The old man smiled, unlike the boy he had been training since little Jedi was well motivated.


    ¡°Girl we will be leaving after 3 days, you will come with us is that okay with you?¡± the old man asked Jedi as she kept on practicing her pierce.


    ¡°You will train me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Yes, but how much you can do will be up to you,¡± the old man said smiling fiercely.


    ¡°I will come with you!! Hya!!¡± she said with a determination on her face.


    ¡°How old are you right now?¡±


    ¡°13!! Hya!!!¡± she was starting to sweat.


    ¡°I see, you are not yet in that annoying phase¡­ I understand, Simon!!! Don¡¯t slack!! I saw you almost getting hit!! It''s just 4 adventurers!!!¡± the old man was still managing Simon, and he recruited some adventurers; for 10 silver they would hit the boy for an hour, and for every hit on the boy 5 silver was rewarded to them.


    Using his footwork was the goal of the training.


    Simon hadn¡¯t been hit yet but the adventurers was a party of class C and they were good at fighting as a team.


    Jedilyn can tell that the old man was much more harsher to Simon but the boy younger than her seems to enjoy the fight.


    ¡°Girl!! Don¡¯t stop¡­ from now on every morning we will run around the town¡­ full speed,¡± the old man was still on top of her training and was watching her every movement.


    ¡°Yes!! Yes sir!!!¡± Jedi answered with conviction.


    ¡°The path of your revenge begins here¡­ welcome to hell,¡± The old man smiled at Jedi and she shivered.


    The old man wanted her to give it up and live her life in a better light, revenge was so good a motivation but in the long run, it would ruin anyone.


    <--->


    In the evening the old man and Simon went to the well and started cleaning up, they were half naked, and although the 2 were very rough it seemed that the 2 maintained some kind of hygiene. The boy fetched them water, he was still energetic after the training.


    It had been a long time since Jedi had a bath. Doing it in a public space is a first time too.


    She was still wearing her tattered clothes. She started pouring water on her body and she felt pain in her feet, it seemed that she had some small skin burns on her feet. ¡°Urgh!!¡± she sounded in pain.


    Luckily it was a bit cold at night and it numbed some of his pain but she had to do it slowly. She washed her hair and her body. It took some time but she was getting there.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ we will need to buy you some boots¡­ I forgot you are on your bare feet sorry,¡± the old man said it seemed that he was a bit sorry for the girl by his tone. ¡°I¡¯ll get you some clothes too,¡± the old man said, he had finished cleaning himself and went on inside the guild.


    ¡°Jedi!~ Jedi!!¡± then Simon suddenly approached her with a new bucket of water, the old man told him that the girl needed more. Now that she had a look the boy was always keeping his eyes closed but the precision of his movement was amazing. It was like he was still seeing properly even though his eyes were closed.


    ¡°What¡¯s your favorite food?¡± Simon asked. It was a strange question coming from the boy.


    ¡°Spaghetti¡± she answered.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Simon urged her to describe it.


    ¡°It''s some kind of pasta with sauce and meat on it, with some grated cheese and¡­ huh?¡±


    ¡°Growl¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ it must taste good!!¡± Simon smiled though his stomach was growling, she was sure they already had dinner. The boy left.


    Jedi knew it as it was a common. Humans would discriminate demi-humans, especially nobles but maybe it could a part of the old man¡¯s training. She was left there thinking by herself.

 Chapter 67 :: Forming of the Trio

    Another day in the Creek Village, Jedilyn was starting to get well accustomed to the 2, the old man was a strict instructor, he would use a stick to hit her if she went off stance and the boy that was being trained along with her was a glutton, it seemed that all his motivations came from food.


    In the morning the 3 of them ran around the town at full speed, it totally took away Jedi¡¯s drowsiness but Simon was taking it good not even sweating, ¡®is he human?¡¯ Jedi thought. The old man then would highlight to her what were they going to do while he just threw Simon on sparring and battles.


    Jedilyn was quickly grasping the idea behind the spear usage. Not only is more longer than a sword, but it''s actually much better at attacking in exchange for its flexibility.


    ¡°It seems that you actually understand how a spear works¡­ outstanding¡­ we will now proceed to the next part,¡± the old man said, Jedi was just on 451 thrusts of her daily 1000. ¡°Footwork,¡± the old man said.


    On the other hand, Simon was in the middle of 8 adventurers dodging his way out. He was always not allowed to counterattack. He could only dodge.


    ¡°Watch the boy¡­ look at his feet,¡± the old man said ¡°Don¡¯t stop thrusting, 1000 thrusts is your friend continue practicing while watching the boy¡± The old man then went to the side and he was eyeing the 2 of them.


    Following the old man¡¯s instructions she kept her eyes on Simon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose focus on your thrust, feel every fiber of your muscle as you do it¡­ be on point¡± It seemed that the old man was asking something very hard but Jedi complied.


    She continued to watch Simon.


    Unlike yesterday the boy was struggling; with 4 adventurers surrounding him, there were bound to be gaps on either side but 8 adventurers could plug his surroundings.


    ¡°5 Silver!!!¡± an adventurer said as he managed to land a clean hit on Simon¡¯s shoulders.


    Although it was a wooden sword it hurt a bit.


    ¡°Boy!! Looking around is not enough¡­ rather than look for gaps create them¡­ or you won¡¯t have any dinner tonight,¡± the old man fiercely smiled, this was the best way to train the boy.


    Of course, Simon didn¡¯t understand it, how the hell was he supposed to create gaps from 8 directions that were currently sealed in by the adventurers? What was different and what was the correct action? Then he remembered something about the dodgeball training. (CH 57)


    Unlike in the dodgeball, the space was clearly smaller¡­ for them to keep him on his toe the 8 adventurers would need to maintain spaces and be aware of each one. The only reason they were hitting was because of their coordinated attacks¡­ the old man didn¡¯t say that he couldn¡¯t move around, rather he just told the adventurers to hit him for silvers.


    Simon started moving, he was not allowed to counter-attack but touching and grabbing were probably allowed.


    ¡°Oh you''re using some brains now aren¡¯t you?¡± the old man smirked waiting for what the boy would be showing him.


    Simon¡¯s dinner was riding on this. He jumped over one side and the adventurers started chasing him.


    ¡°Wait!! Wait!!! STOP!!!¡± the plea of the adventurers as he began swiftly running around.


    Why didn¡¯t he do that earlier? He didn¡¯t even need his footwork, he could just outrun them.


    The old man scratched his head, it seemed that the boy found a loophole in the training.


    ¡°STOP!!!¡± he screamed and the 5 boys running around stopped. ¡°Simon, you are not allowed to get your feet out of their circle,¡± the old man menacingly smiled.


    ¡°Unfair¡­¡± Simon complained in a low voice.


    ¡°What the fuck did you say?¡± the old man pretended that he heard it.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± the boy said and they went back to their original positions. The 8 adventurers were laughing.


    Simon was starting to get annoyed¡­ but he had another solution on his mind.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get more money!!¡± the adventurer on his 6 o clock began the attack.


    Simon dodged left, a faint but right, it drew out the attacker on his 9 o''clock and it instantly missed, but the adventurer on his 3 o''clock didn¡¯t miss the opportunity. Simon using his hands swiped the sword strike.


    ¡°The heck!!¡± the adventurer was shocked by the boy''s reaction time, and the others attacked again, using the adventurer at his 6 o''clock he used his shoulders to elevate himself.


    The attack missed and Simon didn¡¯t break out of the circle. By tapping his feet back in the circle of the 8 he was not breaking the rules.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ fair enough,¡± the old man was satisfied although it was not the solution he intended. ¡°Did you see that girl?¡± the old man asked Jedi.


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    ¡°Yes but I can¡¯t do that!!¡± she said still thrusting her spear.


    ¡°Of course, but the first 3 moves were the 3 basic foot works, what number are you on now?¡± he asked Jedi as he walked closer.


    ¡°632, 633¡± she was speaking as she counted.


    ¡°We will do something different tomorrow, it''s time for footwork basics,¡± the old man fiercely smiled.


    <--->


    The next day, Jedi rose from her sleep automatically, the boy and the old man were already awake by the time so the old man decided to make the run earlier, Jedi¡¯s body was feeling lighter than before.


    ¡°Let¡¯s run¡­ Jedi¡­ try to keep up okay?¡± the old man said and the 3 started running around again. From the adventurer¡¯s guild to the fishing port, market, and gates.


    Before Jedi struggled but Jedi was starting to get accustomed to the training.


    ¡°We will do something different today, Simon, Jedi, you will do the footwork in front of each other, try reading what the boy is going to do and copy it,¡± they were back in the adventurer¡¯s guild. Jedi unlike yesterday was still on her feet.


    The old man left them be.


    ¡°No problems, I¡¯m going to do Shift, Pivot, Side Step left, right then step back!! Just remember!¡± Simon instantly gave her the script she had to follow, Jedi nodded and smiled.


    To the ones passing by the 2 kids looked like they were dancing in front of the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    ¡°Shift, Pivot¡­ side step, back step, oh!!!¡± it seemed that she couldn¡¯t keep up with Simon.


    ¡°The trick is keeping your feet alive, don¡¯t rest it¡± Simon advised Jedi.


    ¡°He means to keep your feet springy,¡± the old man suddenly muttered, he was carrying a pouch of water.


    The 2 started going at it again. Following the old man''s advice instantly made her improve with her training.


    ¡°Stop¡­ let¡¯s rest for a while and have some breakfast.¡± the old man concluded, satisfied with their effort.


    <--->


    After breakfast, they had a bit of training, as soon as she completed the 1000 thrust their training stopped.


    ¡°It is already past noon, we will be going to the market, you need things to travel,¡± the old man says, passing the water pouch to her.


    She drank on it. It''s really so good to drink water after a hard training.


    ¡°Simon!! Training¡¯s over, we will be going to the market!!¡± the old man called up the boy. he could hear the disappointing sighs of the adventurers the old man paid for the training, and he smiled proudly.


    ¡°Old man, why are you smiling?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ let¡¯s go!!!¡± the old man said smiling fiercely, though it seemed that only Jedilyn understood the reason behind the old man¡¯s smile.


    <--->


    The market was still busy even if it was getting hot. Summer on this part of the eastern continent was very hot but it would cool down when going a bit north. The large cluster of trees of the Dark Forest was in a play of lowering the temperature on a wide part of the north.


    The trio began going around. To the old man¡¯s surprise after buying some food the girl asked him with a scorned face.


    ¡°You eat this?¡± she said. With disgust.


    ¡°Little girl¡­ what do you mean?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°There is a much better choice of food for travel¡­ the dried meat and pickles are not a good way to go, you¡¯ve got too much salt on your body,¡± she complained.


    ¡°I like strong flavors that¡¯s why,¡± the old man answered.


    ¡°No¡­ let me handle the food,¡± she suddenly burst in with a decisive tone.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ well let''s see what you got,¡± the old man smiled fiercely.


    Rather than buying the already preserved food she started buying fresh ones which were more cheaper¡­ the old man was damn impressed. She used the same amount of money they spent while increasing the food she brought.


    ¡°I will process this in the guild¡¯s kitchen, look forward to it!!¡± she said with confidence.


    ¡°Are you going to make the spaghetti?¡± Simon excitedly asked.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I can¡¯t find good flour for it," She answered Simon and then looked at the old man.


    ¡°Hey! Old man give me more money, I need to buy some cooking pot!!!¡± she demanded, the old man sighed and gave her some silver.


    ¡°Nice!!!¡± she smiled.


    The old man could see her future. Imagining it;


    ¡®A decade or more later Jedi becomes a famous chef in the central continent. Even the kings and Imperial subjects would need to line up to get her cooking.¡¯


    ¡°That would be far-fetched¡± the old man muttered as he thought of a headline. He watched the confident back of the girl as she strutted on the market.


    ¡­


    That night Jedi spent some time marinating and preparing the meat and fruits. What she generally brought were condiments and spices that would prolong the shelf life of food. Along with the pot she brought 5 pieces of glass bottle which was a bit expensive, but it had a resealable lid that she was quite fond of.


    <--->


    The next morning, Jedi showcased her work, having poured her heart into it to make a good impression on the old man. She knew the boy, Simon, would be impressed by anything that tasted delicious. Sitting at a table in the cafeteria, Jedi watched intently as the old man and Simon began to eat.


    ¡°Kid¡­ did you really cook this?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°Yes¡­ how¡¯s it taste?¡± she asked for the old man¡¯s impression.


    ¡°It''s excellent¡­ makes the other food I¡¯ve been munching so far pale,¡± that was the old man¡¯s honest reaction.


    Simon was silently gnawing his food, the egg and ham combo was just too good to be true, there was no need for Jedi to ask Simon¡¯s impression of her food, it was written all over his face.


    ¡°I could eat this every day!!¡± Simon still paused just to say that.


    ¡°Balanced meal is a need for everyone¡­ I will manage the food we eat!!!¡± and like landing the final blow she put on the table a piece of the glass bottle.


    The old man took the glass bottle and checked it out ¡°What¡¯s these?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°Jam!!! Oops!!!-¡± she said confidently tapping the lid to stop the old man from opening it ¡°-Not yet!!! You will know the taste of heaven once you¡¯ve tasted this.¡±


    ¡°Pretentious brat¡­ I will look forward to it¡­ but if it''s not good, I will increase your daily thrust to 2000¡± the old man threatened her.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ understood!!¡± but she knew that the old man was kind¡­ kind enough to look after a stranger like her.


    ¡°We will leave after a few hours get ready!!¡± the old man declared.


    ¡­


    After breakfast, they were already ready to leave, only that since Jedi brought too much food and condiments along with her pot, her bag that they brought yesterday was too heavy for her to lift.


    ¡°Give me some of that¡­ Simon take half of it¡­ be careful it''s food,¡± the old man noticed this and took some from her bag.


    ¡°Wait¡­ I brought this, it''s too heavy for Simon,¡± she said.


    ¡°You are a child too, and Simon is not normal, you¡¯ve seen his eyes right?¡± the old man answered her query.


    ¡°I will be careful, really careful¡± Simon then approached her and turned his backpack to her.


    She placed some of the glass bottles and a pack of already marinated meat.


    ¡°See¡­ he is not even bending,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°I see¡­ Simon thank you¡± she said to the boy and the boy just smiled. ¡°It''s okay¡­ it''s not that heavy!!¡± Simon said so.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go¡­ girl we will be not traveling on the main road just so you know¡± the old man warned her and she gratefully nodded.


    ¡°I understand,¡± she said smiling and they were off to go.

 Chapter 68 :: Off road again

    Finally, Jedilyn could understand why the old man warned her. Not only that the step she was taking was uneven¡­ the damp weather and the summer heat were making her sweat. The forest just north of the Creek Village is thick, she can¡¯t even tell where the sun is.


    The old man and Simon were fine though.


    ¡°Sir¡­ why would you travel through the jungle? Not that I¡¯m complaining,¡± she suddenly asked, the last part of her sentence was to make sure that she didn''t get berated, stressing the point that she was not complaining.


    The old man smirked as he was leading the group up front, it seemed that the girl was starting to open up.


    ¡°Simon¡­ how about you answer that,¡± the old man probed on the boy.


    ¡°The monster knows that humans travel through the paved roads, they learn,¡± that was the answer of Simon.


    Jedi was a bit shocked, monsters learning?


    ¡°We sometimes encounter monsters in the forest but it''s much more on a lower rate than on the paved roads, have you been on the central before?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°No, -Kya!!!-¡±, she almost slipped but Simon grabbed her shoulder ¡°-Thank you Simon¡­ sorry¡± she apologized.


    ¡°It''s okay!! Old man, she slipped too so is she also an idiot?¡± Simon asked innocently.


    ¡°A bit on your level I think¡± the old man with his teeth showing.


    Jedi didn¡¯t like that, she was actually a noble¡¯s child and had received education from tutors. ¡°Humph,¡± she just shrugs it off though.


    They strolled on the tropical lush green, and the leaves and branches would sound each time they stepped on. As they sweat they slowly acclimate to the temperature of the forest. It was not immediate but they found an open space with not that many trees and bushes, there were also good stones to be sat too.


    ¡°Oh¡­ this is a good spot, Simon look around we will be camping here for a while,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Okay!!!¡± Simon answered, after the dungeon dive in the Tugak¡¯s Dungeon it had been Simon¡¯s duty to check around. Looking for a good spot; the boy put down his bag.


    ¡°Drop your things near the boy¡¯s things-¡± the old man said as he dropped his things near Simon¡¯s ¡°-That spot is a safe spot against insects,¡± the old man said.


    Jedi stopped for a moment to analyze what the old man said, wasn¡¯t that too convenient ¡°How could Simon know that?¡± the red-haired haired wondered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know but I noticed it while we were traveling, insect less likely to appear where that boy lands his things¡­ trust me,¡± the old man said, he stood up and started shaving off some of the foliage putting it on one side, it will be their bed for awhile.


    The old man was placing it near the spot where Simon landed his things. The girl followed the advice and placed her things near the same spot too. She began unpacking the things she would need.


    ¡°It seems you have tried camping before,¡± the old man commented as he saw the girl quickly taking out her things, it must have been organized.


    ¡°Of course!!! Can we make a small place to cook?¡± she asks the old man. The old man nodded.


    <--->


    Using stones as the placement and the stone slab Jedilyn started cooking, she has been camping since she was little, and her family are mostly hunters. She just had to remove the meat from the bottle and place another one inside, she took out 3 cuts and placed it on the stone slab.


    ¡°Meat!! Meat!!!¡± Simon said it like he was part of a cult. The boy of all the simplest things he could conclude, Jedi was good at cooking food.


    ¡°We are going to eat some vegetables and fruits too!!!¡± she said and she took out some berries and started cutting them.


    ¡­


    In a few moments the food was ready and done, by using the wooden plates she brought she gave Simon and the old man their share.


    ¡°Oh this smells good¡­ good job little girl!!¡± the old man praised Jedi.


    Simon happily took the plate with a smile ¡°Thank you!!!¡± he said in deep gratitude.


    ¡°Then let us eat!!!¡± Jedilyn said so with gusto.


    It was only a few minutes until the sunset and after a few minutes of rest after eating the 2 started their evening training.


    Jedilyn with her 1000 thrust and Simon as the dishwasher.


    ¡°Okay!! I¡¯ll make sure it''s sparkling clean!!¡± he said as he took the plates, he had to conserve water since they could only refill it every now and then. Using a cloth the boy began cleaning.


    As the girl took her wooden spear, she watched the boy who was happily cleaning the dishes.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Old man¡­ why won¡¯t you teach Simon any weapons?¡± Jedilyn asked as she started doing thrust.


    ¡°He cannot control his strength yet,¡± the old man answered. He was forming up the bed that they would be using to sleep.


    ¡°Do you know any kind of magic?¡± the old man asked changing the topic.


    ¡°Oh¡­ magic¡­ unfortunately I can only use some ''body enchantments'' and some daily life magic,¡± she said.


    ¡°What magic?¡± the old man asked her to be more elaborate.


    ¡°Strengthen¡­ see in the dark and clean... whew,¡± she said without stopping her spear thrusting but she gasped for air.


    ¡°That¡¯s why even though you looked ragged you don¡¯t smell that bad,¡± the old man said recollecting the first time she saw her drooling in the window of the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    ¡°... I don¡¯t smell¡­¡± Jedi said¡­ it was with conviction.


    The old man just nodded. ¡°Of course, you don¡¯t¡± he agreed immediately.


    ¡°I¡¯m finished what are we going to do tonight?¡± Simon ran, he was finished with his task.


    ¡°We are going to talk about magic,¡± the old man said smiling fiercely.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ boring,¡± Simon said and he was met with a smack on the head.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t remember anything that I¡¯m going to talk about¡­ we will eat your portion¡­ right Jedi?¡± the old man coerced Jedi to say: ¡°Yes¡­ sorry Simon¡± Jedi smiled apologetically¡­ and Simon; with ''losing his world'' face.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    <--->


    There is magic in about anything. It''s everywhere and it''s nowhere too. There are 4 applications of magic.


    ¡°The most common is Spells and Enhancements,¡± the old man was explaining to the children, Jedi just finished her 1000 thrust and Simon had been there fighting with his all just to stay awake.


    ¡°The other 2 are Rituals and Oaths which are dangerous and you won¡¯t need them unless you must fight an uphill battle, magic can be as high as one''s visualization in the first place,¡± the old man continued.


    The basic rules and laws of magic:


    <ol>


    <li>Magic would always have an element. Fire, Wind, Water, and Earth are the 4 basic accepted elements while light and dark magic are the Void elements, and among all others that weren¡¯t with the 4 basic elements are considered as a void element.</li>


    </ol>


    2.¡°There is no correct verse in casting spells¡­ words are there to help the caster visualize his magic¡­ so if I say light¡± a small orb floats on the old man¡¯s hands and floats up and disappears. ¡°It¡¯s the same as when I say glow ball¡± and the same orb floats again. ¡°Or if I say nothing at all¡± and the 3rd orb floats and disappears again.


    ¡°Do you get it? Simon!!! Stay awake!!!¡± the old man scolded Simon who was starting to doze off.


    ¡°I understand¡­ magic is everything, everywhere and whenever,¡± clearly the boy was listening.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± and Jedi¡¯s body lightens up and fades quickly. It seems that she casts her strengthening magic without her usual chant.


    ¡°Seems that you understood quickly¡­ unlike this idiot who is half awake,¡± the old man said really impressed with the girl.


    ¡°Oh! It came off¡± she said, the strengthen magic disappeared.


    The old man wanted to proceed ¡°Okay¡­ to continue on¡±


    <ol start="3">


    <li>Magic spells have 3 steps before it would manifest.</li>


    </ol>


    Visualization - includes the understanding of the spell or magic one was about to use. Imagination was a key part too. Studying and meditation help one to increase this.


    Control - the ability to control magic before it disperse. By firing the basic elements or just being on enhancement longer, control increases.


    Capacity - how much one can expend magic to activate a spell or achieve the spell. Using stronger spells has a conjunction with control.


    Recovery - how fast can one replenish magic¡­ totally different from Capacity. To increase recovery one must expend magic until it''s gone.


    ¡°Gulp¡± Jedi gulped as she heard the ways of how to increase magic.


    ¡°Oh¡­ it seems you totally get it¡­ so before you go to sleep¡­ you have to expend your magic¡­ totally all of it,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it bad to do that?¡± Jedilyn asked with a doubt.


    ¡°It is bad yes¡­ but at least it''s not deadly and doesn¡¯t have detrimental effects¡­ you continue casting strengthening until you fall asleep girl¡­ Simon wake up!!!¡± and a bash on Simon¡¯s head.


    ¡°Ouch!!!¡± Simon said regaining his consciousness.


    ¡°For you, you little shit, you will have to learn the hard way, you have to thank Jedi, I was planning on teaching you magic at least when you become 10 years old,¡± the old man said.


    Then Simon smiled at Jedi ¡°Thank you!!!¡± it seemed that the boy didn''t understand anything.


    ¡°Wait... you are younger?!¡± Jedi reacted.


    ¡­


    Since Simon didn¡¯t know any spell his first training was called ¡®Flow¡¯ it¡¯s a simple release of magic at its maximum and then slowly decreasing its output. The problem is that the old man needed to teach Simon how to even feel magic around him.


    ¡°So¡­ it''s like the small vibrations,¡± the boy said after listening to the old man¡¯s explanation.


    ¡°Vibrations? Oh, Jedi¡¯s out¡­ you can sleep now,¡± the old man said as Jedi¡¯s head started aching, she was holding her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry girl¡­ you will get used to the magic starvation, have a good night¡¯s rest,¡± the old man smiled.


    Jedi just nodded and she unsteadily went to the spot where their things were, now she understood why the old man prepared the bed already.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to show it to you now¡­ do it after me!!¡± the old man said. The 2 were already sitting in an Indian pose.


    The old man immediately released his magic out of his body in a maximum output, a bit of floating rocks and a dim shine were all around the old man, the old man was strong, and starting mages would only release something that was compared to a fart.


    ¡°Whew¡­ now¡­ you,¡± the old man smiled fiercely.


    Simon smiled back and followed the instructions.


    The boy¡¯s body started to dim a bit¡­ but the area of the magic he was releasing was larger¡­


    ¡°The fuck,¡± the old man said¡­


    It seemed that the boy had a much larger magic capacity than him¡­ and finally, the boy breathed out.


    ¡°Whew!¡± slowly controlling the release of magic and turning it down.


    ¡°That¡¯s nice¡­ I envy you Simon¡­ now do it until you can¡¯t do it!!!¡± the old man said vindicating his envy.


    <--->


    The three kept on traveling northwest while maintaining their daily training. It seemed that Simon was getting the hang of it. Fainting after the training was the norm to him now but Jedi now that she was a bit accustomed to the spear as per the old man¡¯s word was awarded to add 1000 more thrust each day.


    Now after the 2000 thrust, she still needed to expend her magic at night.


    After 2 more days, she was getting the hang of it, and the next day, the 2 were dancing to a nonsensical tune as they went around, it seemed that the 2 were starting to hit off. Well, Jedi¡¯s food was taking over both of their hearts¡­ but she was a female. The old man understood the problems rooting from the opposite sex and he despised it. (That¡¯s why he was single now)


    After another day of traveling, training, and eating, Jedi, the small girl was experimenting with food flavors especially when Simon asked her if a mushroom, berries, or a plant he found was edible.


    The 2 would dance around like the children that they were if the food was edible and would vomit when not, additionally the old man would chop their heads when the two vomited, they were in for the pain.


    And just like that, it was already a week that had passed when they left the Creek Village.


    Then one day, Simon heard something, they were getting closer to the main roads, it seemed that the old man¡¯s direction was getting dull but that¡¯s when they found something strange on the main roads.

 Chapter 69 :: A holiday in her name

    Another day on the eastern frontier, two travelers who were riding on a cart watched the shadows of the trees grow thicker, they were heading south with their cargo for delivery. The driver kept watch on the anti-monster scent. It was working fine, but if they were not careful there could be a possibility of the scent running out if they didn''t change it immediately and that small time frame of carelessness would be a big problem for the travelers, that''s how dangerous the eastern continent is.


    ...


    It was just getting dark when the carriage went to the side of the main road.


    ¡°Feed the brats, I don¡¯t want them to hear crying because they are hungry,¡± the driver of the carriage said, the conductor who was sitting at the back nodded.


    Their cargo was covered in clothes, he opened it up¡­ it was children¡­ 9 of them.


    ¡°Time to eat boys and girls,¡± just a bit more and they will be out of the Elford¡¯s lands and it will be a breeze going into the Port Town of Trist.


    But little did they know, that there were some eyes that were laying on them.


    <--->


    ¡°Children?¡± Jedilyn muttered in a bitter tone¡­


    The trio, Simon, Jedi, and the old man were hiding in the trees. She shivered, how could these men do something so cruel? What if she met them instead of the two?


    ¡°It seems that the children have been pacified,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Pacified?¡± Simon asked, not that he knew the meaning of the word but Jedi did.


    ¡°Let¡¯s save them,¡± Jedi said with determination.


    ¡°¡­ You¡¯ve never killed before,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°¡­ No¡­ and I don¡¯t want to,¡± Jedi said.


    ¡°Then stay here, how about you go with Simon and get a good spot, cook for them¡­¡± the old man said. There was a good plan forming up on his head and it cracked a smile on his face.


    ¡°I understand¡­¡± Jedi nodded.


    ...


    Simon led her to a spot and the boy landed his things. Jedi did the same then Simon began leaving.


    ¡°Where are you going?!¡± Jedi asked Simon.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to save them!¡± Simon said.


    There was a bit of silence while the two of them stared at each other... Jedi noticed Simon''s serene face. Simon nodded and left¡­ judging by the time she was together with them, Simon was a simple-minded boy¡­ and he never minded the violence from the old man. But that serene face? Aren''t they going to kill humans?


    <--->


    A boy approached the carriage. The boy was blind but walked steadily.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± the driver warned his partner who was feeding the children in the cage, his partner took a glance and smiled.


    They always appeared when a family starved, when orphans fled the grim confines of their refuge, and when the forsaken roamed the roads alone.


    ¡°Do you have food?¡± the boy asked¡­ he was blind but it seemed that the smell of food lured him.


    ¡°Boy! Come here, we have some food here¡­ did you come from the town north?¡± the driver asked keeping the boy lured in.


    He was the one cooking and he had a pot piping hot. He took some of the wooden bowls he scooped up the soup¡­ rather it was just hot water with floating things that one could call food. The boy upon smelling it closer steadily walked closer to the driver.


    ¡®Fish on the bait¡¯ he thought. It was so easy. 10 children would net him 10 large gold and depending on their ethnicity the ¡®Leaves¡¯ a hidden organization would be willing to pay as much.


    ¡°Here,¡± finally, the boy was in his range, he grabbed the boy by the shoulder, no need to immediately resort to violence.


    ¡°You can sit safely with the others in the carriage, how about sleeping with us tonight, it''s dangerous here at night,¡± the driver added as he gave the boy the soup.


    The blind boy smiled and he followed the instructions while he was holding onto the plate.


    The partner of the driver was there smiling at the blind boy. He helped the blind boy ride into the carriage.


    ¡°How about taking a seat over there!¡± the conductor said literally inviting the blind boy inside the cage.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    The boy stood steady pausing for a moment.


    <--->


    Simon squinted¡­ he saw the children inside the open cage shuddering and dirty, some of them had bruises on their faces.


    ¡°What are you waiting for? Go on!¡± the conductor seemed to be eager to coerce him to go inside.


    Simon tried the soup he was holding and in just one sip he knew it wasn¡¯t food¡­ it was a food waste. ''Not a shred of mercy''¡­ that¡¯s what he felt for the 2 adults.


    ¡°Your soup tastes like crap,¡± the boy said.


    The driver was a bit mad with that comment ¡°You can¡¯t complain about free food,¡± he said and with a nod, he signaled his conductor. The conductor had a small wooden stick hanging on his waist.


    The conductor took it, he was going to hit Simon in the back, Simon could hear the shuddering fear of the children and felt the blood lust behind him¡­ though it was weak.


    ¡°Time to teach you a lesson!!! Never trust adults!!!¡± the conductor said but what met him was the wooden bowl with the hot soup on his face.


    ¡°Aargh!!!¡± he screamed. Then the boy kicked the conductor in the chest pushing him off the carriage and falling into the driver.


    ¡°You made me eat scraps¡­ time to teach you a lesson,¡± Simon said¡­ he was vindictive. He walked to the 2 with the goal of cracking up their hips. The old man instructed him to do this.


    ¡°You little shit!! I will show you no mercy!! You will be the example for the... AARGH!!!¡± before the driver finished his words Simon broke his hips.


    His lower extremities instantly go numb. The conductor who was still regaining his composure shivered. It was too late to run since the screaming conductor pinned him down, Simon did the same thing to him.


    ¡°Aargh fuck!!!¡±, ¡°I can¡¯t feel my legs,¡± the driver and the conductor were screaming in pain.


    ¡°Simon how about feeding them the soup,¡± then the old man who was hiding in the shadow of the trees appeared¡­ the 2 didn¡¯t even hear him coming.


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Simon menacingly smirked.


    The old man goes into the carriage. The children with a mix of 3 girls and 6 boys were shuddering in fear, it seemed that the 2 were good at keeping children (Irony), they didn¡¯t even try to go out of the cage and were just there cowering.


    ¡°Come out you little brats!!!¡± and the old man knew how to invoke fear into them¡­ it was much easier that way.


    The children came out one by one, they saw the 2 as they were getting fed by Simon.


    ¡°Simon, I¡¯ll let them finish the soup, go and guide the kids to Jedi,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Okay!!!-¡± Simon agreed immediately but still wondered ¡°-They are not eating properly how would you do it?¡± before leaving with the kids Simon asked since he was just forcing the soup through wooden bowls while keeping their mouths open.


    ¡°You could have broken their jaw, it much easier,¡± the old man said, upon hearing this the 2 adults shivered.


    ¡°Okay!! I will go to Jedi!!¡± Simon smiled innocently, he was instantly detached from the two adults and now he wondered what kind of food have Jedi prepared for them.


    ¡°Now you pieces of shit¡­ this will be your last meal tonight¡­ you better eat up¡­ monsters love marinated meat from the inside,¡± the old man said.


    The forest loomed waiting for a scream that never came. (Since they were drowning in their pot)


    <--->


    ¡°Please follow me!!! There are beasts and wild monsters in the forest,¡± Simon who was guiding them said.


    The children were cowering in fear, since they didn¡¯t have a choice they would just follow the old man. The stick of the conductor was used to pacify the children into submission, that was how vulnerable children were.


    And the waft of the wonderful aroma urged Simon and the others to walk faster.


    ¡°Oh you are here¡­ oh!¡± and Jedi was there. She knew some of the children, she had seen them in the town before not that they knew her. Waving her hair with a gusto ¡°Let¡¯s eat!!!¡± she says!!! The children who were there looked at each other in confusion.


    They are not going to hit them? Not going to eat more scraps? What the hell is happening? Those were the questions of the children in their minds.


    Simon went ahead and took his share that was already on a wooden plate. The children¡¯s portion though was on leaves on a stone, it was cleaned using magic so Jedi was confident that it didn¡¯t have any dirt on it.


    But the children were not moving. Jedi went to them and cast a spell ¡°Let us be cleaned!!!¡± she cast it with Simon in mind.


    The children instantly felt refreshed. She can only do it to herself but after those two days, her magic and control have increased allowing her to cast it to all of them.


    ¡°We will not hurt you¡­ come on eat!!¡± She smiled¡­ finally the children started moving taking a seat on the ground with the stone and leaves as their table they went around.


    The first taste was all they needed to keep the food going into their mouth, Jedi didn¡¯t have enough fork and and knife to go around the children.


    She placed small sticks on the table but the children didn¡¯t even bother using them, they were eating with their hands¡­ some of the children started crying.


    She remembered the first time she was fed by the old man¡­ she also cried¡­ there was a tear in her eyes.


    ¡°Jedi!! This is good!!!¡± Simon said. The boy never asked for more but she just wanted to give him more food so from the wooden plate she gave some to Simon


    ¡°Just don¡¯t tell the old man,¡± she winked.


    To Simon, she was a goddess ¡°Yeah!!!¡±


    <--->


    The children instantly went to sleep, she cast clean again on them. They were sleeping on the spot where their things were¡­ but how were they going to get them into safety? Them the trio were traveling using the off-road, it would be harsh for the kids.


    She realized that she had been traveling with the 2 and although she knew that it was not how one normally traveled she had been getting accustomed to their walk in the forest like it was just normal.


    ¡°Oh¡­ the brats are asleep¡­ why the hell is Simon sleeping with them too?¡± the old man arrived with 2 horses in tow, he tied the horse to a tree stump and then urged it down to rest, he knew how to handle this noble animals.


    ¡°Here¡­ some food¡­ old man, how are we going to get them to safety?¡± Jedi asked the old man.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it no problem¡­ it seems that you are waiting for me,¡± the old man said. Jedi haven¡¯t eaten her part yet.


    ¡°Yeah, it''s much better to eat food with someone,¡± she said.


    The old man smiled fiercely. ¡°Hmm¡­ then we will have a holiday tomorrow¡­ in your name,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Really?!!¡± it was Simon who was fake sleeping.


    ¡°Yes boy!!!¡± the old man who was probably a bit annoyed said.


    <--->


    In the morning, the old man in the lead went back to the spot where the kids were saved. The carriage was still there and along with the horse he placed them back in front.


    ¡°Old man, where is the 2?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Oh, they are already on their way home, they felt sorry for what they have done¡­¡± the old man answered the children were happy to have heard it.


    ¡°This pot is still in good condition, can I take it?¡± Jedi said upon seeing the emptied pot.


    ¡°You do what you want,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Okay kids we are going home!!¡± the old man said facing the children. A bit of tears and joy on their faces. The old man knew where they were taken as the driver and the conductor confessed to him.

 Chapter 70 :: The Marcian Lands

    The children were still asleep. Now that they had felt safe they were more relaxed, a few more hours and they would be home. A day has already passed since they were saved. Since they were already a large group they had to travel a short distance and prepare camp earlier.


    It seemed that the old man was nice to the kids, only harsh to the ones he was training. Just taking care of the kids and training was already taking time. That¡¯s why instead of arriving earlier they were just taking their time.


    They were also attacked by some wolves once, they were fended off by the old man and Simon with ease. Jedi was the one who guarded the cart.


    ¡­


    ¡°Girl, continue your pace, I will leave Simon there with you¡­ I have to go on ahead¡­¡± the old man suddenly said. Jedi nodded¡­ although the old man was really not clear about his ways, she had developed a strong trust with him.


    Simon was on the back of the cart also sleeping along with the kids, they had grown closer to him. Still, the boy didn''t open his eyes around them, he didn''t want to scare them.


    Jedi knew how to drive a carriage since he was taught by her parents before¡­


    ¡­


    After a few more hours of travel, Simon suddenly sprang out into action, it spurred the children as he jumped into the front of the carriage.


    ¡°Jedi!! STOP!!!¡± the boy said, it seemed that Simon accounted for the distance for the horse to stop moving so she had the time.


    ¡°Boy!!! Who are you!! Those kids?!! Where did you get them¡± a voice suddenly came out of nowhere.


    Simon was calm looking around. He was reacting to the blood lust he was feeling, using his eyes he started pinpointing the location of the voice¡­ there were 4 of them.


    ¡°He is not human!!!¡± one of the voices echoed in the air, but its direction remained obscured.


    They started firing arrows at Simon. The first batch of arrows was dodged by just bending his neck a little and sidestepping in one move, it spurred the hunters to fire more but it missed, all of it. The boy was dancing through the stream of arrows.


    The arrows landed on the ground, Jedi saw the arrows and were familiar with them.


    ¡°Stop!! Stop!!!¡± she screamed. Finally, Simon¡¯s dance stopped.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jedi!! Jedilyn Marcia!!!¡± she screamed.


    Simon felt the danger dispersed out of the air. Finally, the four hunters registered to the boy, he could now tell where they were and they were actually close by. The boy shuddered at the ability of these hunters to hide themselves.


    Four shadows jumped down the trees, they began running towards her, although they ran at such speed Simon didn¡¯t stop them from approaching them, he didn''t feel any ill intentions from them.


    ¡°Jedilyn Marcia!?-¡± one of the hunters asked to confirm but her hair was enough proof, the nobles of Marcia had reddish hair, a unique trait to them. ¡°-This is bad¡± one of the hunters spoke.


    Simon noticed a trotting of the horse. It was the direction where the old man left. There were 2 of them riding a horse.


    ¡°Simon take Jedi away!!¡± the old man commanded the boy pointing his hands to the east


    The boy complied carrying the girl like baggage. Kibas the leader of the hunters was riding the horse along with the old man, he had tribal clothes and ornaments hung on his neck. He whistled, and that whistle was immediately understood by the hunters.


    One of the hunters rode on the carriage, he urged the horses by flicking the reigns. It provoked the horse into snorting as they immediately responded.


    He checked the kids ¡°Hold on!! Hya!!!¡± the children grabbed onto their seats. The children were quite shocked but the red-haired girl¡¯s demeanor kept them calm.


    The other 3 hunters with the lead of Kibas¡¯s first arrow started firing in a direction westerly.


    ¡°Sir Alphecca¡­ sorry for getting you in this shit,¡± Kibas apologized, he knew of the old man.


    ¡°No problem¡­ this would be good training for Simon,¡± the old man spoke.


    It must be the small kid that took Jedi away Kibas thought from the words of the old man.


    From the forest emerged a hulking, sheep-like beast with an unnervingly thick coat of matted fur. It was a Kaveron. Its body was devoid of arrows, a chilling sign that either the shots had missed or, more likely, the arrows had been swallowed whole by its impenetrable hide.


    But the worst thing was the things that were hanging on its neck.


    ¡°Fucking hell¡­ it''s wearing its trophies!!!¡± the old man said in a disgusting voice, it seemed that it would not be a simple hunt.


    ¡°It''s going to chase Lady Jedi!!!¡± Kibas screamed.


    The old man was already on his way, although the curse mark was removed by a Pam, this Kaveron was in a different league than normal ones. ¡®Why the hell is this thing here anyway?¡¯ the old man thought.


    <--->


    The forest inside the domain of the Marcian was large. It was almost as large as the Dark Forest and there was even a dormant dungeon that was on its northwestern side. The Marcian were originally hunters of the eastern continent.


    In this domain, the hunters and adventurers that the Marcia''s employed were experts and knew the forest as the back of their hands. These hunters had been working under the Marcia family for a long time now.


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    A few weeks earlier. Kibas and his group of 5 hunters including him began hunting down the Kaveron. The Kaveron; was a very intelligent sheep-headed monster. (Looks like Mareep in Pokemon but has brutal facial features). The hunters had been going on for weeks even before that had tracked down the monster.


    Not only it did kill the head of the Marcia family, the wife brutalized, but it was also the cause of the disappearance of their daughter.


    After discovering its tendencies and speculating on its thought process, they were ready for an ambush. He sent the four hunters ahead; he would lead or even chase the Kaveron toward the direction of the ambush. Kibas had been taught to think like his prey.


    He could tell that the monster understood it was being hunted, and if Kibas were the monster, he was certain the Kaveron would head to the main roads to use humans as shields. This sheep was despicable like that.


    While he was getting ready he noticed an old man directly approaching him where he was hiding. He was thinking about his next actions but as the distance decreased he knew who it was, he was quite surprised to see him.


    ¡°I knew it¡­ Kibas,¡± the old man said, he knew exactly where he was hiding.


    ¡°Alphecca? You are still alive?!!¡± to his surprise. The old man would be a great addition to the hunting.


    ¡°We found some children¡­ I assume they''re from your town,¡± the old man immediately informed him.


    ¡°Children¡­ what do you mean?¡± Kibas wanted some clarifications.


    The old man began telling him the situation.


    Kibas placed his hands on his waist ¡°... That¡¯s bad¡­ oh and we are in the middle of the hunt for the Kaveron,¡± he widened his eyes, the situation was calling for a disaster.


    ¡°You said they are coming with a carriage right?!!! (Whistles)¡± with Kibas¡¯s whistle horse stomps were coming closer. ¡°We have to warn the guys!!! They set up an ambush south!!¡± Kibas said.


    2 horses arrived, and the old man flexibly grabbed one of the horses and rode on it, the same was done by Kibas.


    ¡°I see, we better hurry!!¡± the old man said but he was calm since Simon was there.


    Then the two noticed on their right, to the western side of the main road (They are facing south)¡­ a shadow moved like it was racing with them¡­ it must be the Kaveron, was it listening to them?


    <--->


    Fast forward to the present.


    The Kaveron was running at its peak¡­ it was having fun¡­ it loved hunting humans¡­ especially the children. The red hair¡­ the scent¡­ it was hoping to break its bones and hear its screams and of course, a chance had appeared.


    The boy was running together with its prey¡­ the boy would be a good addition to his spoils. He could hear the adult humans screaming behind him, they were also running since they couldn¡¯t use the horses to chase him in the forest, all by his plans. Running through the forest was a big mistake for the boy who was taking his prey.


    Then the boy threw the girl far¡­ the Kaveron immediately stopped and the boy tried to attack him¡­ was the boy trying to be heroic? Well, crushing small boys was a pleasure the Kaveron would surely enjoy, it showed its teeth smiling.


    And a sharp pain in its forward right leg. ¡°Grahh!!!!¡± the Kaveron screamed in pain. One of its legs just broke.


    ¡­


    A few moments back.


    ¡°Simon!!! Bait it! Don¡¯t run!!! Buy us time!!!¡± the old man was screaming as the hunters together with him tried to catch up.


    Simon heard this, he looked farther away¡­ there was an open spot where there were no stones¡­ relatively safe for Simon.


    ¡°I¡¯ll throw you away!!!¡± Simon warned Jedi.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready¡­ KYAHH!!!¡± but still Jedi was quite surprised as she was thrown really far.


    Simon using his feet drifted and stopped¡­ upon confirming how the Kaveron looked he immediately aimed for its right leg. The Kaveron smiled showing its yellowish teeth, it was underestimating him.


    ¡°Jedi!!! You will kill it!!!¡± Simon screamed, although he was a bit asleep when Jedi told her story, understanding that the girl wanted revenge was easy for him.


    Simon made the Kaveron scream with ¡°Grahh!!!!¡±


    Jedi gained back her feet after she stumbled around to a surprisingly grassy field that cushioned her fall, she was not hurt, her spear which was at her height was still safely on her back.


    The running she had doing had been paying off. Her legs were strong enough to stand again.


    ¡°Hya!!!¡± She screamed as she took her spear to her hands and as she practiced a thousand times already (Literally) using her footwork, positioning, and the sweet spot. She ran making sure that her momentum and weight would be at one point. In one strike.


    Simon held the Kaveron making sure that the attack won¡¯t miss.


    She broke her spear in smithereens as it hit the left fore-hinds of the Kaveron it almost made the Kaveron slip as pain spread to its body.


    ¡°Outstanding!!!¡± the old man screamed seeing this.


    Jedi gritted as she felt the pain on her wrist¡­ she overdid it but she did it. She checked on the aftermath of what she did the Kaveron¡¯s eyes looming at her. The trauma was still there as she felt her knees weakening.


    That was the only thing the Kaveron needed, it was gaining its composure. The spear was not enough to enter the sheep¡¯s coat. It saw red haired face and there was fear in her eyes. The sheep smiled even though one of his limbs was in pain, it released a malicious blood lust and it made Jedi stay on her feet frozen.


    Then by that chance, the Kaveron tried to claim its prey using its mouth¡­ Jedi couldn¡¯t move out of fear.


    ¡°I will break you,¡± Simon suddenly muttered, and a bloodlust that was overpowering the Kaveron stopped it in its tracks.


    The Kaveron noticed the boy''s eyes¡­ snake eyes¡­ it had never felt fear but the eyes and the bloodlust were suffocating it.


    It instinctively attacked Simon, it was so easy to kill something small. Simon parried the stomp of the sheep by crossing his arms and making it graze, redirecting it, letting its limb slide on one side, then using his momentum went closer and hit the forward right limb of the sheep making sure it would never heal.


    ¡°GRAHHHH!!!¡± the sheep screamed its pain into the air.


    Simon parried the attack but it hammered some blunt trauma on his arms.


    ¡°Break its other fore hind!!¡± the old man screamed and Simon followed but the sheep was already on guard with the small child and it started countering Simon¡¯s attack by using stomps.


    The boy needed to hold his ground because Jedi was behind him. He did it by defending the stomps with his arms.


    The old man instantly noticed its reactions and screamed another command ¡°Make it look up!!!¡± the old man instructed again.


    The old man then made eye contact with Kibas, he instantly understood and stopped the hunters with a hand signal, and the hunters were in position.


    Simon spun to dodge stepping in closer to the Kaveron, he used his palm strike on the sheep¡¯s chin doing an uppercut that made its half body float in the air while its hind limbs were still on the ground, and the boy didn¡¯t hold back.


    ¡°Fire!!!!¡± Kibas said as he led, they were aiming for the ears or eyes of the Kaveron as it was wailing in pain.


    ¡°The only one who can abuse the boy is me you little shit!!!¡± the old man was already in the air¡­ it was a downward slash to end it all on its neck.


    But the Kaveron was a genius, he still had something on his sleeve¡­ it was an instantaneous teleport, and its fur began to glow a little¡­ magic from its fur dispersed the sheep then disappeared instantly as the old man¡¯s blade bled its neck.


    It wasn¡¯t that far but it was enough to escape. The arrows missed and so thus the old man¡¯s sword.


    Jedi finally lost her knees and buckled down. The old man checked on her and then checked on Simon, the boy was okay and nothing was broken but the blunt trauma was coloring the boy¡¯s skin with dark spots on his arms.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± the old man asked Simon¡­


    ¡°Yeah,¡± the boy said rubbing his arms.


    The old man then looked at Jedi¡¯s face¡­ she couldn¡¯t continue now.


    ¡°That was the first time I saw it use that¡­ bastard!!!¡± Kibas said as he came closer to the trio¡­ the Kaveron¡¯s running sound faded into the forest.


    ¡°Simon¡­ can you track it?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°I can¡­ it''s going up north,¡± the boy said.


    The hunters were a bit surprised not sure if it was true or not.


    ¡°Boys¡­ I will leave the boy in your care¡­ just track it down, Simon lead them,¡± the old man said and he carried Jedi on his shoulders.


    ¡°What are you going to do old man?¡± then Kibas asked.


    ¡°I know a perfect hunter for this one,¡± the old man said.

 Chapter 71 :: Tracking the Kaveron

    It was probably some kind of instinct, Simon was walking¡­ following something that even the hunters couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Where are we going kid?¡± Kibas asked.


    ¡°There,¡± The boy just pointed out the direction going north, of course, the hunters were baffled, ''how could the Kaveron go north when the sheep they saw fleeing going east?'' the same thing was in the mind of the hunters except Kibas.


    ¡°Let¡¯s follow the boy,¡± it was Kibas''s decision, when the old man asked the boy he said he could do it so he probably could.


    ¡°It is hunting something,¡± Simon said as he stopped. He moved again and after running around they crossed the main roads, they could see from afar the silhouette of the carriage with children.


    ¡°Is it hunting them?¡± one of the hunters asked.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Simon answered and he continued his walk into the left side of the main road, into the forest, they were now going northwest.


    <--->


    Eastern Frontier Main Road. Heading South.


    Jedi was together with the old man, the old man cast a buff on the horse and the horse was running really fast.


    ¡°Good horse¡­ keep the pace¡­ I will give you the best carrots later,¡± the old man was speaking with the horse, and the horse answered with a snort.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Jedi asked the old man.


    ¡°Little lady¡­ you have to stay in a safe place,¡± the old man said.


    Silence loomed, Jedi was not naive, she immediately understood what was happening, though, with her heavy heart, she forced herself to ask.


    ¡°¡­ Am I a burden?¡± Jedi asked in a sorrowful tone.


    ¡°It''s not like I¡¯m going to throw you away, I know the guild master of the adventurer¡¯s guild in the Trist Town we will head there,¡± the old man said, though the wind was breaking his words.


    There was silence for a while. It wasn¡¯t the words Jedi wanted to hear. She didn¡¯t want words of consolation¡­ she wanted the truth.


    ¡°¡­ Am I a burden?¡± and the little girl asked again¡­


    This time it was the old man¡¯s words telling the blunt truth ¡°Afraid so,¡± the old man said coldly.


    Then Jedi pinched the old man on his sides.


    ¡°Ouch,¡± the old man said in a downward tone. ¡°It''s not your fault¡­ I can¡¯t take care of the 2 of you¡­ and I¡¯m choosing the idiot since I can tell that you can stand on your own feet,¡± the old man spoke what''s on his mind... his real intentions.


    ¡°You are damn strong¡­ I will make sure that you will be back in your house after a few days¡­ you have my word,¡± the old man spoke with a resolute tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to come back¡­ being a noble is annoying¡­ I just want to cook¡­ do some new flavors and watch Simon¡¯s face when he gets surprised with my food,-¡± Jedi said excitedly but with a tinge of sadness. ¡°-I wanna go around with the 2 of you¡­ freedom is amazing,¡± Jedi added.


    Another silence again. The trotting of the hooves of the horse was the only thing filling the silence between them, ¡°I still can¡¯t take you with me¡­ I¡¯m dying,¡± the old man finally confessed.


    There was a sign that the old man had already accepted it, not even a shred of doubt in his voice nor movements¡­ ¡°And what about Simon?¡± Jedi asked.


    The old man twitched, Jedi felt it faintly ¡°I will leave him to someone I trust, the principal of the Hadrian academy is a decent man¡­ but I will train the boy first as long as I can,¡± the old man said looking into the far road... into the future with a small smirk on his face¡­ there was a lonely feeling inside his heart¡­ but this was the resolve he had made and reached by himself and he had always followed this and seen through it.


    ¡°That¡¯s sad¡­ isn¡¯t Simon already a monster? Is he even human?¡± Jedi asked more, she wanted to know more about the 2 of them.


    ¡°He is probably human¡­ with mutated eyes¡­ I don¡¯t really know since him falling in my hands was pure bad luck¡­¡± or maybe fate? The old never muttered these words and kept it to himself. The old man felt Jedi''s head on his back.


    ¡°Hold on to me properly, we will be taking a shortcut,¡± the old man said.


    An hour into their travel they already reached a forked road, obviously it was a donkey path or the main road to choose from. The name of the pass was called the Beryl Pass.


    It was home to the Owl Bears. ¡°Here we go,¡± the old man said and he started to radiate with magic, monsters that lived outside of the dungeons were actually intelligent and they did know not to meddle with someone stronger than them.


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    It only took about 2 and a half hours to cut through the Beryl Pass and they were already back into the main road, the old man steered the horse into the west, lining themselves into the Trist Valley¡¯s highways. The merchants and the carriage were perturbed by the passing horse that was running at an abnormal speed.


    ¡°We are almost there¡­¡± the old man said but there was something else on Jedi¡¯s mind.


    <--->


    Simon was right¡­ the Kaveron was hunting¡­ it was hunting forest deer. Lots of them, cornering and massacring them like the animal they were.


    ¡°Simon¡­ take this,¡± Kibas went to the boy giving him a small whistle.


    ¡°That¡¯s a hunter whistle, we will try to limit the hunting grounds of the Kaveron by driving away the animals around,¡± Kibas said, this was his instant decision.


    Kaverons love to eat animals. It would hunt humans for sports though, this was the reason it was wearing its trophies on its neck.


    The boy took it and stared at it ¡°What should I do?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Keep an eye on the Kaveron and blow the whistle from time to time, try it!¡± Kibas urged Simon to blow the whistle¡­ it was of a low sound, even when Simon tried blowing it hard it was the same low sound. ¡°Hunter can hear it but monsters don¡¯t,¡± Kibas said.


    Simon nodded and the four hunters started going on their way. ¡°Monsters can¡¯t hear it,¡± Simon said while he was rubbing his ears. (He didn''t hear it)


    <--->


    The old man and Jedi arrived at the Trist Port Town, showing his adventurer¡¯s registration card to the guards allowed him to enter immediately.


    ¡°Platinum 2 slashes?!!¡± the guards were quite surprised, it was really rare to see a platinum card with 2 slashes.


    ¡°Sorry boys I¡¯m in a hurry!!¡± the old man said not letting them admire the platinum card.


    The 2 arrived at the adventurer¡¯s guild. He immediately went to the receptionist to lead them to the guild master¡¯s room.


    ¡­


    ¡°You flashed the card didn¡¯t you?¡± the guild master of the adventurer¡¯s guild, it was another old man probably older than than the old man.


    ¡°Jimmy¡­ I thought that the last time I saw you would be the last time,¡± the old man said teasing him a bit.


    ¡°Sure¡­ I¡¯m just 20 years older than you, what do I owe the visit?¡± Jimmy Clatter, another highly decorated adventurer, and probably the only one of the old adventurers alive that could talk down to Alphecca.


    ¡°I want to send a message¡­ the Owl Boy,¡± the old man said.


    Jimmy was reading his paperwork using eyeglasses. He finally glanced at the old man as he dropped his work down.


    ¡°Neward? Oh¡­ you look like you are doing well¡­ who¡¯s the girl? Your daughter?¡­ tell me its yours¡­¡± Jimmy said but after looking at Jedi he immediately noticed her red hair.


    There was a bit of pause after asking the question.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t kidnapped her didn¡¯t you?¡± Jimmy said.


    ¡°No¡­ and take care of her for awhile¡­ I will be back,¡± the old man said tapping Jedilyn¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°... You know this is not a daycare center don¡¯t you?¡± the 2 looked each other in the eyes. ¡°Okay¡­ go on now, I¡¯d do a favor for you,¡± Jimmy said.


    The old man smiled and knelt in front of Jedi. ¡°Stay put and don¡¯t make that face¡­¡±


    ¡°... Why did you help in the first place?¡± Jedi suddenly asked still not over it since she knew that the old man was leaving her in the end.


    ¡°Cause Simon said that you were hungry¡­ and probably because I¡¯m getting old,¡± the old man spoke.


    ¡°Whoa¡­ Alphecca¡­ you have changed,¡± the guild master who was seeing the scene was quite surprised. Is the cold, calm, and collected Hero of the Era showing kindness?


    ¡°I¡¯m getting old¡­ if you haven¡¯t changed after all these years that means you have stayed stagnant,¡± it was some kind of boast or some kind of pride pushing from the old man.


    ¡°The hell are you saying? I¡¯m already a great-grandfather¡± Jimmy said smirking, totally looking down at Alphecca. Alphecca totally regretted what he said.


    ¡°Also I would like to take the world tree¡¯s bow, as far as I remember it''s here right?¡± the old man added.


    ¡°¡­ Are you going to use it?¡± Jimmy asked, the bow was some kind of a national treasure but its ownership was to the hero of the Era: Alphecca.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna give it to the owl as a reward, he can¡¯t come home without anything,¡± the old man said.


    Jimmy the guild master nodded ¡°Take it down the vault, let me just make a note,¡± the guild master wrote down a note, signed it, and slam a mark with his official stamp. He handed it to the old man.


    ¡°Then I will be leaving,¡± the old man said and the guild master nodded.


    In a few moments, the old man was gone and it was only Jedi and the guild master. ¡°Girl¡­ do you know how to do household jobs?¡± the guild master asked.


    ¡°... Sob¡­ yes¡­¡± Jedi answered as she tried to stop her tears.


    ¡°Go get yourself busy¡­ you are young, you will get over it,¡± the guild master said. He went closer to Jedi and patted her head.


    ¡°Can I cry for a while?¡± Jedi asked, her voice trembling as if seeking permission.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the guild master¡¯s empathy was kicking him high¡­ he understood how Alphecca was feeling.


    As an old guy, he understood that knowing that you will leave something into the future is the best feeling ever¡­ it seemed that Alphecca would die before him.


    <--->


    Alphecca came out of the gates again, the guards who saw his card immediately opened the gates, it was not even an hour since he went inside, he went out after buying some of the best carrots that he could find, took his horse and went on. Alphecca could have waited for the hunter he summoned back in the adventurer''s guild¡­ but he had to go out of the town¡­


    While traveling back at a slow pace he kept on feeding the horse.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± the old man muttered as his hands started shaking¡­ he had been suppressing it for a while now, and now that he was alone he was starting to feel it again. Using its tail, the horse hit the old man¡¯s back urging him to continue feeding it ¡°Sorry¡­ here have some more,¡±


    Hours into the travel he was back to the Beryl Pass. ¡°Sorry¡­ you have to run again,¡± he said to the horse, the horse just snorted, and he cast his magic into the horse enhancing it.


    ¡­


    3 hours into the travel they were already on the border of the Marcian Lands¡­ looking for a good spot he guided the horse into an off-road spot and then went off the horse. The horse started biting his hair.


    ¡°Just leave me be,¡± the old man said. The horse; like it understood what the old man said stayed put. The old man didn¡¯t even need to tie the horse to a tree.


    The old man sat¡­ his hands were shaking again¡­ pain spreading from his head into his body. He then output his magic to the max then slowly controlled it seeping it down¡­ he was doing the Flow exercise he taught to Simon and Jedi.


    Finally, he collapsed down. ¡°Shit¡± the old man muttered¡­ it would be embarrassing if Simon saw him like this. The horse walked closer to him lying with him¡­ his bag was still with the horse, it hit him and the carrots were scattered in the ground near the horse¡¯s head.


    ¡°Are you punishing me or are you sympathizing with me?¡± the old man asked the horse and the horse while lying with him started eating his fill of the carrots. It lazily lay down just using its head and tongue to reach the carrots.


    The warmth of the horse spread to the old man''s cold skin¡­ ''Why did it still feel cold when it was summer?'' The old man thought and his consciousness faded away. The old man slept, a rest that he really needed.

 Chapter 72 :: The Owl

    A horse galloped down the main roads of Trist Valley, its hooves echoing in the crisp air. The wind blew what easterners called summer but those from the central would still consider it cold. A father and son rode the horse all covered in their cloak.


    If one first saw him, everyone would agree that he was easy in the eye. His black hair waved as he rode his favorite horse. A decorated explorer, if it wasn¡¯t for his wife he wouldn¡¯t be tied down in one place, god knows where he would go. His wanderlust and exploits were already a legend that was written in the books, few of the living legends.


    He was known as the Owl, his name is Regrin Neward. A hunter among hunters.


    Regrin lived in the central, while the season was really hot in the central, on the eastern frontier up north it was different. The climate was really different, it was cold up northeast. According to the general map on his mind, the Beryl Pass is next to the end of the Trist Valley¡­ they were close.


    His favorite horse and companion, a Quick Silver horse breed named Pana, along with his son, have been traveling for days. To the request of the Hero of the Era whom he worked with a long time ago. He wonders how the old man looks right now.


    Meeting him was one of the most unforgettable experiences when he was an adventurer and the things they did in the southern frontier left a mark in history.


    His son is asleep as their horse runs past the Trist Valley¡¯s main roads. He opened up his pouch taking out a smaller one. He opened it and it started releasing scent.


    ¡°Neigh!!!¡± the horse reacted, humans can¡¯t smell the scent but animals and monsters do.


    ¡°If you run fast enough it won¡¯t go into your face¡­ sorry Pana¡± Regrin said to his horse.


    ¡°NEIGH!!!¡± and the horse complains but the horse starts to speed up, they will be crossing into the Beryl Pass.


    The two shivered while feeling the eastern temperature, the temperature lowered as they proceeded northwards. Hunters would usually wear leather garments for ease of movement. Hemp cloaks to protect themselves from exposure. Regrin was as tall as an average human and with a body leaning on a thinner side. Two bows hung on his back, the quiver on his horse''s saddle. They were traveling light.


    <--->


    Days later¡­


    ¡°Regrin¡­ you look good,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°You have grown old¡­ you don¡¯t smell lazy though,¡± The owl answered. The old man had been waiting on the border of the Marcian territory.


    ¡°I sent my disciple to the scene already, and he is tracking it, we had the beast cornered once but we failed to take it further, this one uses some kind of teleportation magic to escape,¡± the old man explained as he started to trot along with them. The two horses snorted at each other like a greeting.


    ¡°I see¡­ A mutated Kaveron¡­ has it killed already?¡± the owl asked.


    ¡°Yep¡­ it killed the lord of Marcia¡­ and some knights¡­ the nobility of this land is totally shattered¡­ it even got the wife,¡± the old man talking from the story of Jedi.


    ¡°The hunters of the Marcia are already on it¡­ but we got tangled up on it for some unforeseeable reasons,¡± The old man then tapped on Regrin¡¯s shoulders smilingly.


    Kaveron was an intelligent monster that looked like a sheep. It had a magically charged wool. It would store energy on its wool which fuels its instant magic, usually, it would be some kind of electric magic but the one they were hunting was using teleport. The magic the sheep would usually wear its nature on its sleeve so this one was a coward and a sadist because every time it killed something, it tears off a part of its hunt. It clearly could discern a hunt between a food.


    ¡°I see¡­ oh, this is my son, Lars, I¡¯ll wake him up after we come to a safe spot,¡± the Owl said with a little bit of boasting in his voice. The old man smiled fiercely and ruffled the child¡¯s hair gently not waking it up.


    ¡°We should go to Simon, the local hunters are together with him,¡± the old man said taking the lead.


    <--->


    The Owl woke up his boy on his back. The boy woke up, he saw the strange people in front of him. He knew some etiquette since some of the clans in their forest frequented his father to visit or to form alliances. He instantly knew that he had to introduce himself...


    ¡°I¡¯m Lars Neward, son of Regrin Neward, I just turned 9 a few days ago¡± Lars bowed.


    ¡°Oh damn, this kid has been trained!¡± Emerging from the depths of the throat, the old man¡¯s laugh sounded like a lion''s growl for the hunter¡¯s son.


    After the boy bowed he looked at the old man¡­ the old man¡¯s face was scary even though he seemed to be trying to smile.


    ¡°Simon you should introduce yourself too! You can be friends!¡± the old man commented to the small boy with the hunters.


    The small boy that the old man was talking to was on rugged shirts and pants¡­ his eyes were glimmering differently, a different tinge of yellow with a sliced iris, Simon was in his natural state because he was hunting and he unknowingly had his eyes opened.


    ¡°I¡¯m Simon¡­ I¡¯m cold and hungry! This old man abuses me!¡± the 6-year-old Simon said as he sniffed back a dropping snot from his nose, the abuse part came from when the old man attacked the Kaveron earlier. (CH70-Old man said: ¡°The only one who can abuse the boy is me you little shit!!!¡±)


    Regrin¡¯s boy walked and gave his coat to Simon who was barely wearing anything but a T-shirt and something that looked like a muffler. Simon¡¯s t-shirt was just patched clothes.


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Owa!!! That¡¯s much better thank you!!¡± Simon smiled at Lars, unlike in the central, the wind was still cold up northeast.


    ¡°Old man, you had a child? Did someone carry your baby? But you only worship swords? Is it a sword that can aargh!¡±


    Regrin before finishing his sentence gets chopped on his head.


    ¡°Shut up! Let¡¯s go now, the Kaveron tried to kill Simon when we were baiting it, we injured it greatly but it escaped using that teleportation magic,¡± the old man said.


    The Owl looks at the local hunters who were listening to them, it was true, the old man really did use a small child to bait the Kaveron¡­ he was crazy. A sound instantly alerted the group, sound signaled for hunters that has been passed down from the central is known by both adventurers and hunters alike.


    There was even a familiar face, the old man instantly noticed Regrin¡¯s eyes laying on an old rival. He knew of their rivalry.


    ¡°Kibas is damn good¡­ I don¡¯t want the 2 of you to fight right?¡± the old man said to Regrin who was a little bit grinning.


    The 2 met up ¡°I know we are grown-ups¡­¡± Kibas answered as he approached the 2.


    <--->


    A few days earlier.


    Jedilyn didn¡¯t have the time to wallow in her future¡­ the guild master of the adventurer¡¯s guild tasked her¡­ with cooking and washing clothes. Of course, it was not done for free, the guild master paid her 10 silvers per day, actually a very high salary in the eastern continent.


    ¡°Whew¡± she sighed, she had been working for days now and as she was moving her body her mind didn¡¯t have the time to think especially since she had the whole kitchen to be taken care of.


    ¡°Jedi!!! They want more of the soup! Do you have more?¡±


    ¡°The backbone ribs!!! 2 orders!!!¡±


    ¡°Mayonnaise salad!! The guild master wants some too!!!¡±


    Surprisingly after cooking on the 3rd day, the whole kitchen became her station. The 2 chefs approved of it after tasting the food that she supposedly cooked for herself, she just had a taste and the chefs gobbled it up.


    ¡°I got backbone ribs Jedi, just continue the soup,¡± the chef that was together with her smiled and did what he said.


    Jedi already wrote the recipe on one of the papers hanging in the middle of the kitchen where the small bowls for portioning were.


    ¡°Unfair!!¡± a boy in the middle of the kitchen whose job was washing said, he has been working as the dishwasher since he was 8 but he never had a chance to cook, but the girl that just arrived 3 days ago was now cooking¡­ to make it worst he was older than her.


    ¡°Do you want to cook?¡± Jedi upon hearing him mutter asked. ¡°Don¡¯t pity me¡­ continue your work!!¡± the boy was still prideful.


    ¡°How about cooking after the rush hour, show us what you have learned!!¡± suddenly the chef intervened with the 2 who were talking, ever since Jedi showed up the 2 chefs who were rotating every 6 hours had been in a good mood.


    ¡°Yes!! Yes chef!!¡± the boy said smiling, he never did stop washing his dishes. Another batch comes as the guild staff brings more.


    Jedi was now wondering how was the 2.


    ¡­


    The cluttering sounds and the screams of orders continued and it slowly died as the rush hour ended. Still, the adventurer¡¯s guild was having a boon because of the recipes Jedi was experimenting with. The Backbone ribs and the mushroom soup were especially popular.


    Jedi and the 2 chefs were now waiting for the boy to finish his masterpiece as per his words. ¡°Tada!!! Have a taste!!!¡± he was confident and Jedi did like this trait of the boy.


    It was a vegetable dish. Mixed in with garlic, onion, and some kind of grass, the boy loved cooking vegetarian types of food. The 3 started tasting it.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I like that it is salty¡± Jedi said.


    The 2 chefs tapped the boy¡¯s shoulders. ¡°But it was not cut professionally¡­ it means you still need to practice chopping¡± one of the chefs commented.


    ¡°And the proportion is a bit uneven,¡± the other chef said after taste-testing it.


    ¡°But it''s actually good!¡± Jedi smiled as she took another taste.


    She was totally right. ¡°After refining it we can add it to the menu,¡± the chef said agreeing with the lady. The boy was really happy, finally his efforts were having results, he was getting recognized.


    A guild staff member suddenly arrived. ¡°Jedi!!! They¡¯ll be coming back now!!!¡± the guild staff member said.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they!!!?¡± Jedi instantly smiled.


    ¡°Oh the little lady is happy!!!¡± the chef already had been relieved by another chef smiled.


    ¡°Finally!! I can shine now that she is gone!!!¡± the boy said clenching his fist.


    <--->


    Jedilyn was excitedly waiting for the 2 to come back she solemnly brushed her hair to the right as the sun shone into her eyes, Simon and Alphecca waved at her from afar, 2 more were together with them.


    Her feet automatically moved and her strides moved faster.


    ¡°Jedi! I got it! Kaveron meat! It''s tasty!!!¡± Simon ran as he waved a leaf-packed roasted meat of the Kaveron.


    It took them around half a day to return, the old man was nice enough to send a message so that Jedi would know.


    The 2 danced and for some reason, Lars joined the 2, their dancing around in the middle of the street took away the attention of the old man and the owl¡­ but it was time, and the old man after talking a bit with Regrin approached the 3.


    ¡°Life is about meetings and partings¡­ it''s what gives it meaning,¡± the old man said firmly tapping Simon¡¯s shoulders.


    The old man then shifted his head to the red-haired girl.


    ¡°We already found you a family to stay with¡­¡± the old man looked at Jedi¡¯s face like he was memorizing it.


    The little lady already knew and had the inkling so she just nodded.


    ¡°Simon¡­ what¡¯s with the face?¡± the old man instantly noticed the boy¡¯s reaction and his face changing.


    Jedi faced Simon, it was time to officially say goodbye. Her heart was filled with sorrow, she tried to stop her tears but it was failing.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay Simon I understand, I will¡­ sob¡­ sob¡­ just visit me sometimes¡­ sob¡­¡± Jedi sobbingly spoke¡­ she began tearing up¡­ the old man already told her but it was still sad.


    She has been saved by Simon and the Old Man¡­ She never felt alone when he was with them 2 and the freedom she had when they were traveling was something she really understood.


    Noticing the 2 Lars stepped up ¡°I got her Simon¡­ I will protect her¡± Simon who was rubbing his tears just nodded. He gave the bundle of meat to Lars.


    ¡°We got you¡­ I heard you were the one who made the sauce it was delicious,¡± Regrin said. Jedi smiled ¡°Thank you!¡± Regrin rubbed her redhead¡­ it was a warm scene that even the hard-headed adventurers who Jedilyn fed smiled into.


    They loved the girl, she would probably make a great wife when she grew up. She helped in the guild¡¯s tavern by cooking and washing dishes. She will be missed by the hard-headed adventurers that she had their hearts melt with the hard work and the small things she did for them.


    The kitchen staff was also watching along with the guild staff. Even the guild master sniffed a bit but nobody noticed, they were watching the scene on the adventurer¡¯s guild¡¯s veranda.


    It was time to part ways.


    Simon waved at them. They start walking to the west in the direction of the port.


    ¡°Simon¡­ ah¡­ I would miss that girl¡­ she cooks so good,¡± the old man said¡­ he was quite teary too. He remembered the moment the hunters failed to finish off the Kaveron when Lars was about to get charged¡­ he tried to help but he quickly stopped as his magic started to collapse¡­ his hands shaking.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I will miss her¡­ Jedi! Bye! Take Care!!¡± Simon screamed and Jedi who heard it waved back.


    ¡°Okay let''s eat breakfast and have a sparring again!¡± Alphecca said to change the mood.


    ¡°I¡¯m still full but if it¡¯s the food on the adventurer¡¯s guild¡­ I¡¯d rather not?¡± Simon answered wiping his tears.


    <--->


    Presently... on an abyss. The darkness was maddening, any sound would echo to the emptiness of the large space under the earth. There was a sprawled boy, half his body regenerating from a bloody mess that he was a few weeks ago.


    ¡°Old man¡­ Jedi,¡± the boy was dreaming, although his body was tattered his mind was still comfortably in the dream world. A man who had been watching over him for weeks smiled as he heard the muttering of the boy, he sprang up.


    ¡°Oh, you are muttering!!! Oh my god!!! An immortal like me!!! I¡¯m in heaven!!!¡± it was a rugged man maniacally jumping in joy. ¡°400 hundred years!!! 400 hundred years!!! I will slay them all you god DAMN GUARDIANS!!!!!!!!¡± he had a manic expression.

 Chapter 73 :: Down the snake goes 1

    Deep Roads: A few hours after the successful defense of the Northern Wall. On a long bridge that crossed the wide underground river, the sounds of meat getting carved resound as the bridge was painted with blood and decorated with meat. A boy walked there with an ominous blade in his hands.


    His mind was weary, a creaking bridge above madness and consciousness. His body was completely detached from him and each time he swung the blade on his hand, blood and meat painted the scene.


    ¡°Is this all? You insects! Die!!!¡± the voice was different, a guttural growl, resonating with primal ferocity.


    He kept on slashing; there was no logic behind the strikes, no emotions to interpret. It was just pure, brutal carving of flesh. His senses sharpened as he surrendered to his instincts, the darkness no hindrance to his sight. From where he stood, he could see the figure of a Spike pinned against a wall-the queen of spikes. Its body seemed fused to a large stone surface. The mutated spikes, desperate, tried to halt his progress, putting their lives on the line.


    ¡­


    The queen of spikes hated the idea of borrowing power but she still did¡­ that was the point why she chose to fuse herself into the wall¡­ a tingling flame scorched the back of the queen as she forcefully extracted power from the stone wall she was fused into.


    The queen¡¯s head glowed infusing power from her back as lines of magic connecting her from the wall became more apparent. The magic concentrated and with ¡°Gar!!¡± it blasted a laser-like magic illuminating the darkness.


    Not only did it eradicate its kin on its path. Though the bridge was made of a material that suppressed magic, due to so much pressure from the magic of the Queen the bridge began to crumble, and the sound of the bridge breaking resounded to the whole underground.


    The bridge fell into the underground river along with the body of the dead Spikes. The denizens of the river sloshed as they became active.


    The queen of spikes regretted destroying the long bridge, it served as a safe haven for her children but everything was a pawn for the queen to survive¡­ and the spikes happily continued to fight while the laser was turning them into nothing.


    The queen could hear the screeching and crushing sounds of the reptiles feasting below. The bridge was something of a big loss for them but she could do something about it as long as she was alive. She had to survive¡­ she vowed that she would eradicate the creatures above, the creatures behind the wall... to consume the power that was greater than what she has now but¡­


    ¡°That was a good try¡­¡± a voice that shouldn¡¯t have resounded penetrated the peace of the queen.


    It was just a boy¡­ it landed in the front of the queen, his hair was slowly turning into white, pieces of it while his right arm were beginning to regenerate. In the dim light, his smile seemed to glow with a sinister light, a cruel twist of lips that hinted at unspeakable horrors. He pierced the queen¡¯s chest with his sword.


    ¡°GRAAAAAHAAAH!!!!¡± the queen roared¡­ she knew that it was her last breath.


    Then the boy twisted it, the sword began to throb like it was sucking the life out of the queen¡­ it began to grow a bit more, with a satisfied grin he withdrew the sword then he rapidly dismembered the queen¡­


    ¡­


    Not even a distinguishable trait was left¡­ it was just a lump of meat¡­ when Simon realized where he was he quickly smiled but his consciousness was of like another person watching from another perspective.


    The stone wall where the queen had been pinned was smeared with blood and chunks of flesh, yet it resembled an ominous gate. Flames seemed to flicker around the edges, casting an eerie glow. Murals of human backs, twisted and contorted in agony, decorated its surface, each one etched with excruciating detail. It was a door of fire and torment, a nightmarish portal adorned with gruesome depictions of suffering, beckoning anyone who dared to approach.


    Simon tried to raise his consciousness to take control of his body back.


    ¡°Stop nagging me, child! Let me have my fun! It has been decades!¡± he spoke to himself.


    The gate resonated with the voice, a wave of magic seemed to have made a query. He could feel it¡­ the immense malice of hatred, heat, and flame¡­ he knew what the other one was thinking¡­ he was going to open the gate¡­ but then creatures appeared that looked like humans surrounding him.


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    They wore masks and were clad in full armor of steel, adorned with gold and gems. Each had their own duties, reflected in the details of their outfits.


    ¡°Seal him down!!!¡± the group immediately moved clearly creating a front and back line. The boy smiled¡­ he attacked as the group of shielded warriors readied to receive his strike.


    The warriors with the shields stopped him. ¡°Oh!! They can take me!!!¡± the boy laughed, 3 warriors rapidly exchanged swords with him on both his flanks.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any skill with the sword! He is just using pure brute strength! We are sword masters we can do this!!! Buy them more time!¡± The warrior in the front roared.


    ¡°You mere humans!!!¡± the boy¡¯s voice seared hatred from his throat¡­


    The boy attacked them after finishing his words.


    The warriors in front tightened their shield wall, it received the slash to the right well earlier but not on the left side, the boy upon reaching them slashed right again and quickly swung left never letting the 3 regain their stance again and the warrior on the far left¡­ his shield was torn apart and so his shoulders. It was the weakness of a shield wall formation, the side where they held their swords.


    The boy grinned in the aftermath of his attack, relishing the fear that emanated from the warriors, a twisted smirk etched across his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t falter!!!¡± another warrior immediately exchanged places with the one who fell.


    ¡°We are ready!!! get out of there!¡± the leader behind with urgency commanded.


    The 3 warriors who were currently holding back the boy jumped out of the way but the boy caught one of the warriors by the leg, and the warrior was ready to resist fighting to the end.


    ¡°Do it!!! For the guardians!!!¡± the warrior screamed ready to die.


    The leader bit his lips¡­ ¡°Hearst Awaken!!!¡± from the body of the leader, chains started floating¡­ it danced in the air a few seconds and with the caster¡¯s will he launched it piercing the body of the boy. It was not of magic made rather more of a spiritual made.


    The boy tried to evade some but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t move properly he finally noticed the other magician who was trying to constrict him, a force around his body was not allowing him to move but he only needed his wrist and the weight of the sword¡­ he raised his sword in above his head and eyed the magicians, he then swung his sword and air pressure sliced some of the mages.


    ¡°No!!! Monster!!!¡± the warrior that the boy was holding in his other hand screamed. It was the sword, he had to separate the sword from the boy.


    The warrior knew that he was the only one who could do it, he drew his axe and with 2 swings he tried cutting off the boy''s fingers that was holding him but the boy used his bones to deflect, and the wound immediately closed.


    The warrior gulped and chose to cut his own leg that was being held by the boy, he needed two swings. The boy enjoyed his action and choice and just watched him.


    Another magician sent a magic directly aiming at the boy¡¯s head, the boy dodge by bending his head out of the way¡­ but it was all that was needed by the warrior.


    The warrior jumped on the boy¡¯s hand with the sword, he performed a grapple, it was easy because it was the body of a young boy.


    ¡°Cut it!!!¡± the warrior screamed and the leader of the warriors gritted.


    The leader of the warrior glanced to the leader of the mages, no words were needed as he launched an attack. The boy tried to reposition himself but¡­ he couldn¡¯t move. Another magician was pinning him down.


    He cut the boy¡¯s arm together with the warrior that was holding him cutting him from the leg. The struggle instantly finished. There were 20 of them the guardians now only 15 remained. The boy¡¯s sword flew away from him along with his arm.


    The warrior was still alive with no legs at all he tried to move away from the battlefield, he was coloring the field with red.


    Although the boy stuttered, who couldn¡¯t even support his weight was still moving, the other mage conjured chains, and the boy was simultaneously pierced by the chains.


    ¡°This monster!! He can still regain his consciousness!!!!¡± the leader screamed in awe of the boy screaming in pain.


    ¡°Aargh!!¡±


    <--->


    <To Simon''s POV>


    It was a dark place¡­ he couldn¡¯t feel his body but he could see it from afar¡­ he couldn¡¯t do anything¡­ a large snake was coiled upon his body¡­ large enough to devour him. It was laughing as if it was enjoying.


    He tried to move but it was impossible.


    ¡°Give up child¡­ this is my body! If the natural way of my revival was done you won¡¯t even have your own mind!¡± the snake spoke but not with its tongue¡­ it was through the mind.


    ¡°Let me go!!!¡± Still, Simon struggled to move.


    ¡°I said stop you little shit! I¡¯m the true owner of this body your just¡­ a fucking human!!!¡± the snake suddenly got thrown away off of Simon¡¯s body.


    ¡°Aargh!!¡±


    <--->


    As soon as Simon was back to himself the extreme pain made him pass out though his other hand was trying to grab the sword that was just a few feet from him.


    The leader was not a fool to realize this ¡°Throw his sword into the river!!!¡± one of the guardians ran to the sword and tried to pick it up but he couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°It''s too heavy!!!¡± he said in his dismay.


    The chains on the body of Simon extended by the magician¡¯s command ¡°Pull him away!!!¡± the surviving guardians together with the leader pulled the chain pulling away Simon from the sword. They could feel the magic leaving his body as he was slowly getting pulled.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡±


    The pain¡­ the longing for the sword¡­ pushed Simon''s insanity to the limit¡­ until he finally passed out and heard the words ¡°KILL HIM NOW!!!!¡±


    But then, from the sword, a black mist, comprised of energy and spirit, emerged. It extended, coiling around the hilt of the sword and the severed limb. Suddenly, it launched another tendril, sinking its teeth into the boy''s shoulder. There was no scream, but the warriors felt the danger looming.


    He was back¡­ ¡°Humans!!!! I¡¯ll feed on your souls!!!!¡± the boy screamed from his gut.

 Chapter 74 :: Down the snake goes 2

    <To Simon POV>


    The snake''s fangs sunk into Simon''s arms, and he was certain they had been cleanly severed. In an instant, he found himself back in the dark space.


    ¡°Stop struggling!! This is my body!! Die!!!¡± the snake was screaming through his mind and soul. Simon teetered on the brink of unconsciousness as the snake writhed in protest and its spirit coiling his body. Its primal instincts driving it to consume him.


    ¡°No¡­NO!!!¡± He began flailing around¡­ pushing his mind and soul to the limit, resisting the gripping coil of the spirit of the snake, it was a battle of wills in the battle of spirit and mind, finally the boy opened up the coils getting out of grasp.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this shit!!! Come to me! You are mine!! You came from me!! You are a part of me!!!¡± The snake demanded.


    ¡°No!!! You¡­ whoever wins this struggle is the owner of this body!!!¡± Simon screamed and for some reason, a sword appeared on his hands¡­


    ¡°Curse you, child!!! Curse you!!!!¡± the snake whipped its tail in anger.


    If only he had died when his spirit was devoured, this would not have happened. The boy was initially just a fragment of his spirit. However, over time, it appeared that he had developed sentience.


    <--->


    The boy thrashed wildly, his movements fueled by sheer instinct and desperation. As his arm reattached itself, he continued to fight, each movement a battle against the chains of confinement that held him captive. Every muscle strained against the bonds, his heart pounding with the primal urge to break free.


    ¡°I can''t hold on anymore!!!¡± The caster of the sealing chains collapsed, his strength failing him. Yet, in a desperate bid for survival, another figure swiftly took his place, grappling with the chains to maintain their grip.


    ¡°Throw it to the immortal¡¯s abyss!!!¡± the leader immediately made the call.


    3 mages knelt down and began drawing magic circles, they needed a stable ground to cast the magic. As soon as they finished a dark space began to puncture a hole out of the air, it began expanding.


    The warriors began pulling but the boy was immovable.


    Suddenly the sword was thrown into the air by the boy. It cleanly landed on the ground piercing, standing up.


    ¡°Do something!! GET AWAY from it!! GET ME AWAY FROM IT!!!¡± the boy with all his might screamed.


    The leader was confused but the 3 warriors who were pulling the chain continued to pull the boy¡­ it started to get lighter but¡­


    ¡°ITS NOT THAT SIMPLE!!!!¡±


    It was not a scream but a powerful voice that spoke directly in the mind. The same shadow of pure magical energy launched in the shape of a snake and started biting off the boy¡¯s body.


    <--->


    <To Simon POV>


    Back to the dark space¡­


    ¡°BOY YOU DEFEATED ME!!! BUT YOU WILL COME BACK FOR ME!!! A PART OF ME WILL ALWAYS STAY HERE!!!!¡± The snake was clearly pissed off¡­ it was dying¡­ rather a part of its spirit is dying. The snake was not immortal but a powerful spirit that was impossible to disperse.


    ¡°Get away from me!!!¡± Simon screamed as he flailed his sword but the snake divided and started gnawing on his body.


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    ¡°YOU WILL COME BACK TO ME!!!¡± and finally the snake crumbled.


    <--->


    ¡°Throw him now!!! Get him away from the sword!!!¡± the leader screamed¡­ it was close¡­ the immortal¡¯s abyss was just ahead.


    ¡°Heave ho!!! NOW!!!¡± the 3 warriors threw the boy into the dark space that was conjured by the mages. They were sure that the boy was unconscious when they did.


    ¡°Monster!!¡± the leader said¡­ he lost too many a good man.


    <--->


    Time passed¡­ back to the present. Back to the manic man that was watching the boy regenerate.


    ¡°Old man¡­ Jedi¡± the boy was dreaming, although his body was in tatters his mind was still comfortably in the dream world. A man who had been watching over him for weeks smiled and suddenly the man sprang up.


    ¡°Oh!!! you''re muttering!!! Oh my god!!! An immortal like me!!! I¡¯m in heaven!!!¡± it was a man maniacally jumping in joy. ¡°400 hundred years!!! 400 hundred years!!! I will slay them all you god DAMN GUARDIANS!!!!!!!!¡±


    He adorably does manic appreciation of the boy that the guardians dropped that day¡­ he was in a very bad state but he was regenerating. Jubaic has never been happy in his whole life¡­ finally, someone to talk to.


    ¡°Oh wait¡­ a bed!! Oops! I only have my coat here!!!! Okay, Jubaic!! Calm down!! This is not a fantasy¡­¡± with a flicker of his finger pointing up, he suddenly created an earthen spear and pierced the boy on the shoulder ¡°AAAARGHH!!!¡± although unconscious the boy felt that!


    Then he stabbed his shoulders too. ¡°I¡¯m not fantasizing HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! OUCH!!!¡± it was a manic laugh, he began removing his coat and placed it near his favorite rock.


    It was the rock where he would lie as he watched monsters down below that he considered as pets. It was a rock close to a deeper cliff.


    The man then like conducting a musical recital. Water was created from the air and moisture around. He guided the water to himself and healed himself with water magic. He also went and used the magic to clean himself.


    He glanced at the boy¡¯s pained face. Using his hands he guided the water to the boy¡¯s body and tried healing the boy too. Then suddenly the boy¡¯s hair with some strands of white began turning more white.


    ¡°Oh!! OOHH!!! I¡¯m not doing THAT!! That¡¯s so cool!!!¡± the man said in a panic. It was the first time he had seen someone turning immortal.


    But that panic was actually a result of something else and the man was too amuse to notice this but he still did.


    ¡°OUCH!!! ITS DRAINING MY MAGIC!!! AMAZING!!!¡± the man said with all his stirred heart, he had been wanting any kind of stimulus. Finally, something was happening in the abyss.


    <--->


    The Dark Abyss stretched endlessly, a yawning chasm of unfathomable depth and impenetrable darkness. Its depths concealed mysteries untold, whispers of forgotten secrets echoing in the abyssal void. A sense of foreboding hung heavy in the air as if the abyss itself hungered for the souls of those who dared to gaze into its murky depths.


    Few inhabitants resided there, among them, a man and a newly inducted boy.


    ¡°Where am I¡­ aargh!!!¡± the boy woke up¡­ his whole body felt pain. He could remember that his hands were cut off but it was there¡­ was it a dream¡­? Then he finally opened his eyes and saw another one in front of him.


    He wasn¡¯t scared that easily but it was the first time he felt fear¡­ the black eyes that looked like the depths of hell¡­ ''Oh, it was human.'' He tried moving but it seemed that he couldn¡¯t, he felt faint and weak.


    ¡°You¡­ you are inte~~~eresting!!!!¡± The man''s voice twisted into a singsong tone, sending shivers down to the boy¡¯s numbing spine as he withdrew his gaze, his movements began morphing into an eerie dance of elation. With each step, his joy seemed to ripple through the air like a sinister melody.


    Simon could barely turn his head as he witnessed the man with hair as white as bone gyrating in a macabre dance. Then, it hit him like a physical blow¡ªthe overwhelming, suffocating aura of terror emanating from the man. What had started as mere fear now transformed into sheer, paralyzing terror, gripping Simon''s heart in a vice-like grip, rendering him unable to move or even breathe.


    The man abruptly stopped and he laid his eyes on the boy. The boy could feel like his soul was being stared at.


    ¡°The eye of truth is amazing!!! So you are a holy beast and a human too!!! How would I like to try to look a holy beast in its glorious form eye to eye!!!! Crap!!!! I¡¯m cumming with joy!!!!!!¡± the man screamed manically.


    ¡°The eye of truth? Who are you?¡± Simon with all his might started speaking but little did he know that it was the legendary Jubaic.


    Jubaic was a genius, a vanguard at the frontier of magic research¡­ but add a pinch of immortality, a cup of loneliness, a teaspoon of boredom, and finally the main ingredient of madness¡­ he was quite insane.


    His visage contorted as though experiencing the euphoria of an angelic choir for the first time. Simon''s mind screamed with the realization that he was in a really deep shit. Despite his inner resilience, a suffocating sense of dread gripped him, rendering his body motionless, a prisoner to unseen forces. The gaze fixed upon him seemed to bore into his soul, a bottomless pit of hellish darkness.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ did you just asked a question?¡± Jubaic''s smile stretched across his face, a grotesque parody of warmth that sent shivers down Simon''s spine, each toothy grin feeling like a dagger in the dark.

 Chapter 75 :: The Madness Behind Ones Eyes

    Jubaic smiled... a twisted grin that curled unnaturally at the corners of his mouth, eyes gleaming with a sinister delight. It was as if he had found a new toy, one he could play with.


    ¡°I think I changed my mind¡± Although he felt faint on his head, Simon was in the right mind to say that¡­ but he knew he shouldn¡¯t have asked for it. The sensation of madness was screaming on Jubaic¡¯s smile.


    ¡°Come on you asked me what is the eye of truth! Aren¡¯t you curious!¡± Jubaic waved his whitish hair glamorously.


    It annoyed Simon but he had no energy to spare¡­ the boy didn''t know where he was, or who it was but the eyes and the way the man spoke, it was dangerous. The boy just actually wanted to sleep and rest... he didn''t have a choice though he couldn¡¯t move properly he started crawling away, even dragging the piece of clothing he was sleeping with.


    ¡°Come on!! It''s been 400 years since I got company and you already asked the question!!!-¡± Jubaic''s eyes widened, shimmering with a desperate, childlike innocence. He clasped his hands together, his voice quivering as he begged, his entire demeanor transformed into that of a pleading, helpless child. ¡°-See it through the end!!! SIMON come on!!!¡±


    Simon, who was squirming away thought ¡®How did he even know my name?¡¯


    ¡°Stop looking at me like that!!! I¡¯m not some kind of mad scientist!!¡± Jubaic tried to convince the boy though his eyes were as dark as deep as hell.


    Simon who made a second glance tried to squirm faster until in panic he dropped¡­


    ¡°Hey come on!!! That¡¯s a pitfall!! Although you are immortal it would still fucking hurt!!!! Crap I need to go down there or he will be on one of my pet¡¯s stomachs!!!¡± Jubaic quickly jumped into the pitfall he worried that he would be alone again for another week as he waited for Simon to be resurrected from the low bowels of the monsters.


    <--->


    In the depths of the abyss, a hairy beast savored its meal with evident pleasure. The echoes of its grumbles and growls filled the darkness as it relished the taste of something meaty after what seemed like an eternity. Yet, in mere moments, its prey stirred.


    Simon struggled back to consciousness, only to find himself unable to speak. A sharp pain throbbed across his face, and he sensed a hairy presence looming before him. An eye blinked open, revealing the grotesque sight of his own flesh being consumed by a monstrous creature. He recognized it instantly¡ªa Kaveron. And to his horror, he realized there were two more of the creatures gnawing at his limbs.


    He slipped back into unconsciousness, only to be jolted awake by another wave of agony. The cycle of torment continued unabated, trapping him in a relentless nightmare.


    ¡°Assholes!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MY FRIEND!!!¡± a quite familiar voice and finally the pain stopped but he passed out again¡­


    ¡­


    When he regained consciousness he saw Jubaic slaying the Kaverons actually a flock of them¡­ and it was a one-sided massacre¡­ he finally saw himself¡­ although slowly he was regenerating his body¡­ it was a horrendous sight for the boy and he passed out again.


    ¡­


    Simon woke up¡­ he inspected his body¡­ it seemed he was still missing his left hand which was slowly regenerating.


    ¡°Hello there!! Boy!!! Hey!!! Don¡¯t look at me like that I saved you twice already!!! Okay, just once, and it''s also my fault for putting you there¡­ come on don¡¯t run away you are an immortal so no problem at all!!!¡± Jubaic tried to convince Simon but it was not convincing at all.


    Jubaic made sure that the boy was far away from the cliff as he sat on a rock watching over him.


    But still, Simon tried to crawl away as his body hurt like hell¡­ it seemed that some parts of his head hadn¡¯t yet regenerated. His struggle was painting the ground red.


    ¡°Aw you leave me no choice¡­ although I wanted to talk to¡­ ah I¡¯ll just put you to sleep!!¡± Jubaic said as he stood up¡­ he conjured some kind of needle in his hand.


    Simon didn¡¯t even know what happened as he passed out¡­ finally, there was no pain at all.


    ¡­


    Simon woke up to find no pain coursing through his body. Instead, a disturbing numbness had settled in, rendering him paralyzed. It felt as though his entire body was encased, locking him in a rigid posture.


    He tried rotating his eyes, though his nose remained inert. The feeling on his skin resembled the texture of soil, akin to the sensation when he used to dig pits with the old man. His body truly seemed to be encased in an armor fashioned from the earth itself.


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    ¡°Who¡¯s awake there!! Simon!? Hey¡­ you look like you are feeling better now¡­ are you back in your right mind now?¡± Jubaic who was watching Simon the whole time smiled.


    ¡°I can''t feel¡­ me body... What happened to me?¡± Simon struggled to ask, his words forming clumsily as he battled to move his jaws properly.


    ¡°I placed a needle in your spinal cord¡­ if you put something between the parts that regenerate and make a hole there, as long as you don¡¯t remove it, it will stay apart¡­¡± Jubaic answered¡­ it was a terrifying answer¡­ it seemed that Simon was in a constant state of slightly beheaded.


    Simon began to cry. He didn''t understand a single thing about what the madman had said. But his tears weren''t just confusion; they stemmed from a flood of relief that his body was no longer in pain. It was a mix of helplessness and terror as if experiencing this depth of emotion for the first time.


    ¡°Aw come on¡­ I could hug you but you won¡¯t feel anything¡­ rest for a while!~~ we have time!¡± Jubaic excitedly says so!


    <--->


    After fainting from crying, waking up to numbness, then fainting again, it took two days for Simon''s head to finally clear. Jubaic, his scrutiny unwavering, observed every subtle shift and sign of change.


    ¡°Oh, you recovered quickly! You have a mind like steel!!!-¡± Jubaic clapped with his hands¡­ he tried to look glamorous but his shaggy white hair prevented it. ¡°-I can remove the pike on your neck¡­ it will be painful¡­ hmm¡­ the pain would last for 2 hours¡­ are you ready?¡± Jubaic asked.


    Simon nodded¡­ he couldn¡¯t feel anything right now¡­ he could move his neck only in a very limited way¡­ he was also having trouble with speaking. Jubaic went closer and a small whipping sound¡­ every pain in his body went live¡­ Simon didn¡¯t even have the chance to scream as he fainted out again because of shock.


    ¡°... Well, it would be much worse watching yourself recover and feeling it slowly¡­¡± Jubaic smiled, as he covered Simon again with his coat.


    <--->


    A month had slipped away. Jubaic remained faithfully by the boy''s side throughout, his anticipation for the boy''s recovery palpable. Then, on a day that would etch itself as the happiest in Jubaic''s memory, he heard the boy''s voice calling out, beseeching him to remove the earthen cast enveloping his body. With unbridled joy, the madman eagerly complied, his heart swelling with hope and relief.


    Simon was finally awake¡­ though the heaviness on his body¡­ the feeling of his limbs¡­ it felt like all the vigor he had before was gone¡­ actually it felt like he become old.


    ¡°You look bad¡­ really bad¡­ immortal but cursed!¡± Jubaic said as he finally saw Simon trying to stand.


    ¡°What happened to me?¡± the boy asked.


    ¡°... A curse is draining part of your soul¡­ though you are immortal and cannot die¡­ you will probably remain in a weakened state forever¡­¡± Jubaic said¡­ it was just a simple analysis.


    ¡°... I see¡­¡± Simon remembered the words of the snake¡­ the snake said that Simon had to come back to him.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the complicated face? Relax!! Welcome to the Immortal Abyss!!! We have 8 residents here including me and plus you making it 9!!! Though we 2 are the only ones that communicate through verbal speech!!!¡± Jubaic welcomed Simon warmly.


    ¡°What should I do¡­ I want to go back¡­¡± to my friends? Simon thought¡­ in the first place he had no goals after the old man died¡­


    ¡°I see! I see! Me too! I would like to smell books again¡­ well shit, after the guardians caught me sniffing around¡­ here I am¡­-¡± Then Jubaic pointed up with both his hand before saying angrily: ¡°I¡¯m totally going to enjoy killing them!!!-¡± then smile at Simon¡°-Well, how about studying magic with me!!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡­ I will be remained weakened as you say so¡± Simon answered resolutely.


    ¡°Come boy! Magic is a miracle! There are holes and loops you can abuse! Just trust me¡­ how about starting from the eye of truth?¡± Jubaic slowly walked into Simon.


    Simon felt the chill. ¡°Wait¡­ why are you looking at me like that?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Well unlike the other immortals here you are very likely to be abused¡­ I mean receive teaching¡­ just receive my teachings I promise you we will find a way to work around your curse!¡± Jubaic hands glowed faintly and they landed on Simon¡¯s head.


    ¡°I give up¡­ I won¡¯t die anyway right?¡± Simon remembered what he saw earlier¡­ it was amazing that he was still alive.


    ¡°There are worse things than dying kid¡­ hmm¡­ why did I even say that? Well, bottoms up that¡¯s the spirit kid!!¡± Jubaic smiled¡­


    A few moments after Jubaic touched Simon¡¯s head, he withdrew and smiled at the boy.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡­. huh? What is happening?¡± Simon didn¡¯t feel anything rather he started seeing moving things¡­ astral things but it was not spirits¡­ he immediately understood that it was magic in the air¡­ and it was very scarce.


    ¡°You are very lucky, when I accidentally activated it, I was still on the central continent¡­ it was a mess¡­ in here you can slowly understand it¡­ let your brain adjust to it¡­ can you see it?¡± Jubaic muttered as he watched Simon¡¯s pained face.


    It was true, there are 8 residents in the area that they are¡­ even 3 of them are watching him and Jubaic with curiosity and great interest.


    ¡°My head is starting to hurt¡­?¡± it was a slight pain that was getting worse as his eyes adjusted to the realm that he was seeing.


    ¡°Can you hear it¡­ once you hear it you have stepped up into the realm of truth!!¡± Jubaic said prophetically as he carefully watched Simon¡¯s face getting distorted.


    ¡°... What is happening¡­¡±


    The boy was starting to get aware of things around him¡­ everything around him.


    ¡°Listen to the world¡± a solemn broadcasting voice.


    A voice that was not a voice rather, it could be directly heard in his mind¡­ this was familiar¡­ he had heard this before but he couldn¡¯t remember.


    ¡°Oh¡­ you are coping well¡­ actually too well! This is rare!!! I did it to one of my friends a long time ago but he killed himself after a while¡­ well he was not coping that well!¡± Jubaic added a terrible remark while watching Simon carefully.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ can you see me?¡± Jubaic asked Simon who was staring from the far off side. He was like in some kind of trance¡­ his pupil kept on scintillating¡­


    ¡°Come back! Give my body back!!!¡± it was another voice¡­ a voice that was full of hatred and rage.


    Simon knew where that voice was coming from. It was coming from above him.


    ¡°Boy!! Focus¡­ I said can you see me?¡± Jubaic enforced his voice and Simon stared at him.


    He was still that same annoying white-haired man¡­ but something was hiding deeper in those eyes of black hell.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ probably you broke through the first layer¡­ no problems! Time to sleep again! I will take care of you!!!¡± Jubaic said as he smacked Simon¡¯s neck¡­ the boy¡¯s body dropped like a puppet out of his strings, he was knocked unconscious.


    A dream¡­ a reality. One''s perception could be easily swayed. But the feeling of nostalgia and the feeling of yearning could evoke memories that one would want to relive, over and over again.

 Chapter 76 :: Requirements for the sword

    <Simon dreaming again>


    The boy lay nestled in the cozy embrace of the bed, enveloped by the warmth of the room within the adventurer¡¯s guild. As real as the world around him, he snored softly, lost in deep slumber.


    Jedi just left yesterday, Simon woke up as per his waking up schedule, and the old man was already up on his feet stretching, he could tell that Simon was a bit gloomy.


    ¡°Meet me down boy, stretch up!¡± the old man said as he left the room same demeanor as ever.


    ¡­


    The pair found themselves in the cafeteria. The old man had some pieces of eggs on his hand and the boy wondered what they were going to do. It was still early so it was only staff that was passing through.


    ¡°You are lucky boy, it seems that Jedi made a good impression here,¡± the old man nodded, he was actually impressed the 2nd time by the red-haired girl.


    ¡°Simon hold the egg,¡± the old man said, Simon laid out his hand and the old man placed an egg on his hand.


    ¡°¡­ Should I eat it?¡± the boy asked.


    ¡°No¡­ try throwing it just above your head and catch it,¡± the old man instructed Simon and he did.


    ¡°Splat!!¡± ¡°Old man it got crushed!!!¡± Simon said regrettably.


    It was just a bit early in the morning and they were just about to get some breakfast.


    ¡°That was supposed to be your breakfast, the fried egg,¡± the old man said with a menacing smile painting his lips.


    Simon totally froze in disappointment, but then he remembered, he would usually eat 5 fried eggs in the morning especially when they were staying at the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    ¡°No way,¡± and Simon knowing the old man; he knew that the next training would be a despicable one. It seemed that the old man found another way to make him suffer. (Train)


    Training Description: Egg Catching without crushing.


    A simple game of throwing eggs and catching them. The problem was catching it without crushing it. They were in the length of two tables in the cafeteria. Since the chefs of the guild happily provided the egg and even guaranteed that the old man could control what the boy would eat this training formula was born.


    The next 4 eggs were caught by Simon by carefully catching it. ¡°Bonus round,¡± the old man said, ¡°Throw it back to me without crushing it,¡± the old man smiled. Simon felt despair.


    But the old man¡¯s smile made him do it.


    The first throw was too short, it broke just in front of the old man¡¯s feet ¡°Too bad boy,¡± the old man said, now the boy only got 3 more eggs. The old man smiled fiercely he loved the look on Simon¡¯s face as he was struggling on how to throw the next egg.


    ¡°Please, clean the eggs!!¡± one of the guild staff said as she was passing by the two.


    ¡°Of course¡­ the boy would clean it,¡± the old man smiled nodding. ¡°C¡¯mon on Simon, give me the next egg!¡± he urged Simon to throw the next one.


    Breathing it all down the boy threw the egg with all his grace and prayers.


    ¡°That was a good one,¡± the old man commented, the old man caught the egg properly without putting a dent in it.


    It seemed that the boy figured it out. He confidently threw the next two and the old man caught it, he was satisfied.


    ¡°Good¡­ let¡¯s have breakfast,¡± the old man said, he had to return back the egg and make Simon clean the splattered ones.


    <--->


    The next day the training was from the 2nd floor of the adventurer¡¯s guild, the old man waved as he was dropping an egg. The boy below dreaded it as he tried to do all he could to catch the egg.


    ¡°Splat!!!¡±


    ¡°Old man this is impossible!¡± Simon complained as another egg got crushed in his hands. The drop from the adventurer¡¯s guild into Simon¡¯s spot would totally crush the egg.


    ¡°Shut up!!! You know the drill, this is the eggs that you¡¯ll be eating for today, crush it and say goodbye to your fried eggs!!¡± the old man screamed from the 2nd-floor veranda, he was enjoying it.


    The staff was watching the two like it was a normal everyday occurrence, the guild master, some of the staff, and even adventurers reported the grumpy old man and the boy. Still the guild master, Jimmy said that they could do anything they wanted.


    They knew that the old man was really hard on the boy, their training yesterday was a spar where the boy was not allowed to counterattack attack and the old man would post a job in the quest board stating that he would pay anyone to spar with the boy for 10 silvers. Those 10 silvers were enough for a normal adventurer to last for a month.


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    The old man went far as to award the adventurers that could hit him with 5 silvers.


    As the 2nd egg got crushed again, and Simon despaired, he didn¡¯t know what he was supposed to do.


    ¡°Why do you always panic when it''s about food?! Feel the egg as it falls in your palm!! IDIOT!!!¡± the old man berated Simon as he threw another egg.


    Simon tried to catch it softly but still, the egg got crushed as he accidentally grabbed it too hard¡­ finally, he felt it, the egg was coated with magic¡­ it was breaking because of his grip.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ looks like you figured it out¡­ catch!!¡± the old man said as he dropped another one from the 2nd floor of the guild, Simon this time properly caught it.


    ¡°Nice¡­ here¡¯s more¡± and the old man continued throwing the other 2. Simon successfully caught it without breaking it.


    ¡°Good¡­ let''s have some breakfast,¡± the old man said, Simon was totally relieved that it was all finished for that morning. The old man really knew how to push his buttons.


    <--->


    Weeks passed since Jedi left, they stayed on the Trist Port Town for a while, training every day while Simon was mastering his strength using the eggs. The boy didn¡¯t even have the time to wallow in Jedi¡¯s absence as the old man continued to make him busy with some of the ridiculous training methods the old man devised.


    Before the summer ended the 2 walked out of the Trist Town Port. The old man and Simon were now heading to the south. The old man accepted a quest, a mutated wyvern seemed to have settled in the southern plateau.


    The southern plateau is called the Sky-chime Plateau. It was called like that since whenever there is a strong wind the unique structure of the Plateau would create unique chimes. It was a nest for wyvern that hunted down the Sky Hounds further southeast. The appearance of the mutated wyvern could cause a change in the balance of the ecosystem around the main roads.


    This meant, that instead of the much smaller sky hounds, the larger wyvern could start preying on the main roads. It would be a damn disaster.


    The immediate extermination of the mutated wyvern was a must since, unlike monsters from the dungeon that have fixed strength, monsters outside of the dungeon could grow and learn. The longer it waited the worse it would become.


    Currently, it would require 2 parties of class B''s to kill it, and it would be a pain to spread the adventurer''s thin, luckily the old man was there. The request was also made personally by the guild master of the Port Trist town Jimmy.


    <--->


    In just half a day they were already on the southern white beach. It almost looked like a desert that was just beside the estuary, the mouth of the Guren Great River to the south. Simon ran through the beach taking the sight of the wide white beach and catching the wind from the river.


    ¡°What is this PLACE!!!¡± Simon screamed into the water.


    The old man laughed¡­ he put down his bag it had been a while since he had seen the place. There was a reason this place had become a beach and the old man knows of it.


    ¡°Simon!!! Let''s go swimming!!!¡± the old man said.


    ¡­


    (Notes: Swimming on estuaries is dangerous so take note please)


    The 2 were half-naked and their things were on the beach. The boy created bubbles on the surface of the water while the old man was having fun watching him struggle.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to die!!!¡± Simon complained as he sank into the salty water.


    ¡°The trick is to think that you are playing on the water!!¡± the old man said.


    No matter how much strength the boy generated, he would still sink.


    ¡°BOY!!! Remember how you caught the egg?¡± the old man watching Simon flail in the water kept on giving the boy clues.


    ¡°This is different!! Blurb!!!¡± Simon said as he sank again.


    ¡°Flick your feet¡­ use your hands spread it wide,¡± the old man continued.


    Simon tried to do what he was told but he was failing, he totally regretted riding in the back of the old man as they went farther into the deeper part of the estuary.


    Staying faithful by spreading his limbs as he sank he then noticed that his face was already on the surface of the water ¡°Breath¡­ sway your hands and feet,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°I can swim!!!¡± Simon said and he was totally floating.


    ¡°Use your hands and feet, direct your body!!¡± the old man instructed again.


    ¡°I will be waiting for you on the beach, don¡¯t stray too far!! If the water gets more salty come back!!!¡± the old man said as he began swimming back in the direction of the shore.


    Simon was completely enamored that he was swimming, after a few minutes of playing around he could finally say that he was in control of his body in the water.


    ¡­


    The old man got out of the water, he looked around. Some sticks were washed onto the shore. He went closer there and took a fancy on one of the sticks.


    ¡°This is good¡± the old man muttered.


    He could hear the boy''s laughter as the boy was getting better and better at swimming, he would probably go back if he grew hungry.


    The old man sat beside their things, sinking his feet into the hot beach. It''s probably time to teach the boy the sword. Now that he could control his ridiculous strength he had passed the minimum requirements for the sword.


    ¡°It''s getting colder now,¡± the old man muttered, his face relaxed as he savored the feeling of the sands.


    He could feel it in his bones, Summer was ending he then remembered that season when he met the boy. In winter Simon would turn 7. The old man was taught swords when he was 8, he remembered some of the students that were with him¡­ barely¡­ his teacher? Couldn¡¯t even remember his face. That was a long time ago... really long time.


    <--->


    Night time, after eating the fish that Simon caught barehanded the old man stood up, with only the campfire as their light the old man took the stick that he fancied earlier. Simon was still alive and alert, it seemed that his training paid off.


    ¡°Simon watch this,¡± the old man said as he went into a stance and looked at Simon¡¯s face who were watching him eagerly. ¡°From now on you will be learning the sword!¡± the old man declared smiling at Simon, the boy was stoked, of course. The boy had been wondering when he would be taught the sword.


    The old man went into a high stance by holding the sword above his head, he stepped a bit and swung it down.


    ¡°Simon¡­ what did you see?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°You swung the sword¡± Simon answered. He gave Simon the wooden sword.


    ¡°Do it¡­ but don¡¯t break it¡± he said.


    Simon did the same.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± the old man asked again.


    ¡°I swung the sword,¡± of course, the boy would answer that.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct¡­ that¡¯s the sum of it¡­ but let me break it down for you, knowing what you do makes you more aware of it¡± the old man said and he took the sword from Simon.


    ¡°A sword attack is made up of 3 parts, Position, Momentum, and Target¡­ the initial position of the sword from any form of stance is where your attack will come from, the momentum is the power generated by your arms¡­ your step and body weight, the weight of the weapon and the target is where you place all that power on a sweet spot¡­ are you even listening boy?¡± the old man suddenly stopped as he saw Simon¡¯s face¡­ a face of wonder and mystery.


    ¡°I understand?¡± Simon said but it was on a questioning tone.


    ¡°... Any of the 3 missing can¡¯t be called a true sword attack¡­ remember that,¡± the old man just sighed, he was too old for it.


    Better beat it to the boy through hard work. ¡°Old man you are smiling¡­ that¡¯s bad,¡± Simon who knew the old man knew better of what the old man¡¯s face meant¡­ ¡®training¡¯ was a hard one at that.


    He made Simon repeat a few times. Did the Flow training until the boy passed out.

 Chapter 77 :: Slaying Wyverns

    The next day, Simon woke up, he felt sluggish but the discipline of the old man forced him to rise.


    ¡°Simon¡­ take up the stick,¡± the old man was already awake, stretching his arms again, it seemed that he found more sticks around the shore it was just scattered around the beach.


    ¡°You''ll teach me sword now?¡± the boy asked although he knew what was going to happen next.


    ¡°No¡­ it''s impossible to teach you¡­ you are an idiot¡­ rather it would be much more of a guidance¡­ you have to discover your own sword style,¡± the old man said, he took up another sword.


    ¡°... I don¡¯t understand,¡± the boy said, of course, he didn¡¯t.


    The old man walked a bit farther from where they slept, he started drawing a circle.


    ¡°Stand in the middle,¡± the old man said, Simon went into the middle.


    ¡°I¡¯m inside,¡± the boy said as he excitedly went inside the circle along with his stick.


    ¡°The footwork, arm bridges, and fighting without counter-attacking, you should naturally able to arrive at something,-¡± the old man said. He then pointed to Simon his sword. Then he released blood lust, and Simon naturally tensed up. ¡°-Don''t go out of the circle,¡± the old man said.


    The old man attacked with a horizontal sweep, and Simon dodged by sidestepping just on the edge of the circle.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over,¡± the old man said, using the shift Simon instantly faced the old man¡¯s attack. It was another side sweep.


    This time Simon parried using his stick, and the attack goes over his head.


    The old man smiled, he gazed at Simon, it seemed that the boy was already in a stance and he didn¡¯t even notice it, it was a natural stance that Simon came to.


    ¡°That¡¯s just perfect,-¡± the old man said, Simon, holding the stick in 2 hands, one hand forward with wide open feet. A stable stance. ¡°-Boy remember that stance,¡± the old man smiled tapping his sword on his shoulder.


    ¡°This is my stance?¡± the boy asked innocently.


    The ability to immediately react to the attack in any direction was from the daily training against the adventurers and with the old man sometimes, how to read attacks was from the arm bridges, the arms and shoulders could only move at certain angles, and Simon not breaking the stick was from the egg training.


    ¡°Simon¡­ do you remember what makes a sword strike?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°Position, Momentum, and ¡­ spots?¡± Simon answered but he was not sure of the last one.


    ¡°Close enough¡­ you are an idiot, so I will have to train you in a hard way, from the daylight into the twilight we will spar¡­ you should be able to slay the wyvern after 4 days,¡± the old man said.


    Simon gulped¡­ finally, he was a swordsman. ¡°Oh¡­ and you breaking the sticks means that I will decrease your next meal,¡± the old man added at the end. He smiled looking at the boy''s reaction. It was always food.


    ¡°I see¡­ are we going to start now?¡± the boy asked, he was ready determination of not losing food stirred him.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± the old man went back to his stance, Simon had seen his stance during the time he fell down the dark chasm.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± the old man suddenly asked, catching the gleam in Simon''s eyes.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Simon replied, puzzled, unable to see his own expression.


    ¡°You''re smiling, you idiot. Are you enjoying this?¡± the old man demanded, his own face breaking into a fierce grin.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you enjoying it too?¡± Simon shot back, his voice tinged with a mix of challenge and camaraderie.


    ¡°You bet I do...¡±


    The old man attacked, but Simon parried it, the old man began doing his flash steps without magic, and the boy was taking it well.


    ¡°You can attack too boy,¡± the old man instructed.


    ¡°You are too fast,¡± the boy spoke his honest opinion.


    ¡°You have to commit¡­ remember¡­ Think first from the beginning of your movement and into its end then move without hesitation,¡± the old man kept giving instructions as he was attacking.


    Of course, Simon remembered this¡­ he was just waiting for something.


    ¡°What is your next move boy?¡± the old man asked as he kept on overwhelming Simon with his quick attacks.


    ¡°Got you,¡± the boy spoke with certainty, he dodged the attack and hit the old man in the shoulder¡­ the stick broke apart though.


    ¡°No!!!¡± Simon disappointingly grunted as his stick scattered into the air.


    ¡°That fucking hurt¡± the old man glared at Simon¡­ the old man was vindictive, and the boy knows it.


    The boy immediately ran into the spot where the other sticks were but was too slow.


    ¡°OUCH!!!!¡± and Simon got hit on the shoulder too.


    ¡°But you said I can attack!!!¡± the boy complained without remorse.


    ¡°Shut up, take a stick and we will go at it again!!!¡± the old man was clearly pissed, the boy almost teared up but he still took a stick.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°... Sorry,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°No problem¡­-¡± the old man said so. ¡°-And I will never say sorry to you, you little shit!¡± The old man smiled, was it a fluke? Did the boy foresaw that move? Is he training a monster? The old man went back to his stance and Simon too.


    ¡°Time to play dirty,¡± the old man said. Simon gulped again.


    Their screams echoed at the beach.


    <--->


    Two days later, a boy ascended up to the Sky-chime Plateau, the way to the plateau was actually easy, it had a path to follow so one could walk on it though it would take a bit much longer.


    On the other hand, one who was used to climbing mountains could take the straight-up climbing to the ridge side.


    Simon took the easy one, the old man said that he would be following after him as he was packing up their things so that they could move quickly.


    Clutching a wooden sword carved into a smooth curve, slightly longer than his own body. His clothes were ragged, and his body was bruised all over, the telltale signs of his earlier training sessions.


    The wyvern who noticed his approach warned him with a screech but it was to no effect.


    ¡°Think from the start and follow through? No that was wrong¡­ Think first from the beginning of your movement and into its end then move without hesitation¡­ yeah that was it,¡± the boy smirked.


    To add more difficulty to his mission, the boy had to down the wyvern in one strike. Well, the wooden stick that would break with a hard hit was instilled with enchantment with ''just one strike.'' it won''t break. ''Isn''t that interesting?'' the boy said as he examined the wyverns.


    Since their warning was not heeded the wyverns started scowling, the largest of them all finally reacted and flapped its wings. Simon was already on his stance. The wyverns started floating into the air, since Simon was just a small boy the wyverns were totally underestimating him.


    They flapped their wings in a regal fashion and scowled at the boy waiting for it to run away¡­ but the boy stood his ground.


    Since the mutated wyvern was the leader, the largest of the pack, the first attack was for it to take, it began flying higher and higher, and with a good angle it glided down, it would end in one fell swoop.


    ¡°... It''s not even thinking,¡± Simon muttered.


    It''s just that the sword spars against the old man were just harder¡­ fiercer and trickier.


    The monster approached, and its glide down created sonic sounds, the boy dodged by a wide sidestep, and by the second step, Simon was already floating into the air, he aimed at the wyvern¡¯s neck. The wyvern¡¯s attack missed and Simon landed a blow on its neck.


    The wyvern lifelessly crashed into the rough edges of the plateau. It was dead.


    The wyverns that were flying along with the mutated wyvern were surprised, they started expressing their anger, and they were going to get revenge. Then another human appeared nonchalantly walking into the plateau.


    ¡°That was good Simon¡­ no need to kill the others,¡± the old man approached Simon who was still in his stance.


    He had just arrived taking his sweet time, he didn¡¯t need to say words, the mutated wyvern¡¯s face said it all. He then gazed at the other flying wyverns.


    ¡°Use your blood lust¡­ drive them away,¡± the old man said.


    Simon glared at the wyvern releasing his intention to kill. The wyverns shivered and they began flying away.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a part of the claws and take it with us,¡± the old man then walked closer examining the landing crater of the wyvern.


    It would be enough proof to show in the adventurer¡¯s guild. The achievement would be under the name of the old man, the adventurer¡¯s guild would be so surprised if they knew that this boy fell down a wyvern, a mutated one at that.


    Simon and the old man followed the trace of the crash landing of the wyvern. Half of its body is about to fall off the plateau. The old man used his sword to plant the wyvern¡¯s tail into the ground, the boy carefully threaded on the side of the edge of the plateau, he needed to flip the wyvern around for its claws to be exposed.


    ¡°Check the bones¡­ the space where it meets has a soft bone, let your carver do its job,¡± the old man instructed Simon in cutting off the mutated wyvern¡¯s claw, they didn¡¯t need the whole one only one of the 3 claw on one foot.


    ¡°It came off!!¡± Simon said raising the claw in the air.


    The old man raised his thumb and Simon walked back into safety. It was impossible for them to bury the large monster, rather the old man released the tail letting the body fall off the plateau, there were ridges there, it should do the trick.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back, that claw could be exchanged for a good amount of money, let¡¯s buy you a sword,¡± the old man said.


    It had been almost a week since they left, and the boy now had the basic knowledge of sword fighting in terms of the old man¡¯s standards.


    ¡°I want a large sword,¡± the boys said.


    ¡°Large sword it is,¡± the old man smiled fiercely, well as long as the boy doesn¡¯t break it immediately then it will be all good.


    <--->


    They were back on the beach again, the battle didn¡¯t take that much time. The 2 decided to celebrate since Simon slayed the wyvern with no sweat at all. He allowed Simon to fish around, the boy was already good at swimming.


    In a few moments, there were fish on the sand. The old man had to clean it again through the seawater.


    ¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of fish,¡± Simon said, the old man had already begun cooking the fish over the campfire he made.


    The fuel for the fire was already prepared earlier, a day before Simon went for the wyvern, they had to dry down the leaves of coconuts and wood they picked up on the beach.


    ¡°The hell are you saying boy, you are the one who caught it all,¡± the old man said.


    In a few minutes, the fish started smelling good. It was a sign that it was already well cooked, the 2 had been eating fish since they stayed on the beach so they could tell with just the smell.


    They began eating, there was no need for condiments although the old man still had them in his bag. Fresh fish just tasted so good.


    ¡­


    ¡°Are we going to train again tonight?¡± Simon asked, it seemed that the boy had his fill.


    The old man smiled, ¡°You like the sword Simon?¡± the old man asked as he was putting the sticks they used to eat into the fire.


    ¡°It''s fun¡­ I think I like it¡± Simon said so with a smile.


    The old man stood up. ¡°I see¡­ take your stick¡­¡±


    The old man instructed Simon though Simon already knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to teach you the sword dance,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Sword dance?¡± the boy repeated.


    The sword dance is an ancient custom.


    Sword on chest, swing down¡­ the challenger has the initiative to attack the champion.


    ¡°Thwack!!!!¡±


    ¡°That was a good strike Simon¡­ the goal of the sword dance is to disarm your opponent,¡± the old man said, he pushed Simon back, and the boy retreated.


    ¡°This is the most profound way of fighting between 2 swordsmen¡­ you can¡¯t hit the opponent, only disarm them¡­ come,¡± the old man went into his stance, his eyes inviting Simon to start the attack.


    ¡°Disarm¡­¡± Simon said he didn¡¯t know how the hell to disarm a swordsman.


    ¡°Oh by the way, the winning party is allowed any request against the loser¡­ don¡¯t worry boy, the first one is a freebie¡­ but the next one is not,¡± the old man spoke with an intimidating voice.


    They began trading blows, unlike before, the old man was skillfully parrying the sword strikes from Simon, though the boy knew he was stronger than the old man, the old man¡¯s footwork and skill with the sword so far exceeded him. The sword dance made this more predominant.


    ¡°Don¡¯t stop thinking Simon¡­ when you landed a hit on me was that a fluke?¡± the old man kept on talking.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± but the unfamiliar way the old man was fighting was making Simon lose his momentum.


    ¡°And that¡¯s it,¡± the old man predicted a horizontal slash from Simon on his right side.


    The old man stepped in and put his wooden sword¡¯s other end (The Hilt that he was holding) directly hitting the same spot on Simon¡¯s sword, the wooden sword slipped off Simon¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Huh!!!?¡± Simon was sure that his grip was strong enough to hold the sword.


    ¡°That is one way to disarm an enemy,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± the boy said so¡­ of course he didn¡¯t understand what happened.


    ¡°How about another one?¡± the old man said, using his stick he flicked Simon¡¯s stick back to the boy.


    ¡°Okay!!!¡± the boy excitedly agreed.


    The old man smiled¡­ after that hit on his shoulder earlier it changed something inside him¡­ the thirst that he had been looking for, the reason he couldn¡¯t stop being an adventurer¡­

 Chapter 78 :: Magic Containment

    <Back to the abyss>


    The boy awakened¡­ still his body was paralyzed.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± he held his head, as he felt pain, but the same pain was filtering out his thoughts making his mind more clearer.


    The dreams he had been seeing seemed to be the only comfort he had¡­ those happy days but he needed to go on¡­ he tried moving but he felt his limbs were too weak.


    ¡°Oh you had a short nap, are you feeling better?¡± it was the white-haired man, he was smiling.


    Simon shook his head in an answer of ¡°No¡±.


    ¡°Try enforcing your whole body with magic¡­-¡± he said while pointing his own body from head to toe. ¡°-if you know how to use magic edge, do it like your body is the weapon¡­ it''s different for enhancing though! Try it!¡± Jubaic instructed.


    ¡°You can use magic edge on body parts?¡± Simon asked, it was the first time he heard this.


    ¡°Of course! Totally different from body enhancement and such¡­ I¡¯d say body enhancements are for babies while the magic edge is for the big boys¡­ watch me!!!¡± a dim glow covered Jubaic¡¯s body and he sliced a rock for reference into 2 using his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good with magic,¡± Simon said it like an excuse and Jubaic smiled at him.


    ¡°Give me your hand¡­ I mean-¡± Jubaic noticed his wording to be wrong ¡°-I¡¯ll take your hand¡­¡± he came closer to the boy and sat beside him, he then took his hands.


    ¡°Feel it¡­ that warm tingly feeling¡­ feel it¡­ can you feel it?¡± Jubaic said as he slowly transferred magic from his hand into Simon¡¯s.


    ¡°Your hands¡­ are really dirty,¡± Simon said noticing the ragged hands of Jubaic.


    ¡°Really boy? Oh¡­ Oh!!-¡± the mad man felt his magic getting sucked ¡°-Oh!!! It''s sucking my magic!!!!¡± Jubaic quickly withdrew his hands from Simon¡¯s.


    It was the curse, it seemed that thing¡­ it even fed on magic. ¡°That tingly feeling you say¡­ it seems it''s getting sucked by the snake,¡±


    ¡°The snake? Aren¡¯t you the snake?-¡± Jubaic asked for clarification but Simon just stared at him wondering. ¡°-What boy?¡± it had a sarcastic tone.


    ¡°... So I won¡¯t be able to move¡­¡± Simon muttered¡­ there was no sadness or hint of anger as he was just staring at the far end of the abyss¡­ looking from below the ceiling seemed to be endless.


    ¡°No! There is a way¡­ watch this!!!¡± Jubaic smiled and he seat comfortably as he began to meditate¡­


    Simon knew something was happening but he couldn¡¯t tell and he was not in the mood to think about it.


    Jubaic then touched Simon¡¯s hands.


    ¡°It''s¡­ it can¡¯t take your magic...?¡± Simon could tell through feeling it.


    The old man who took care of him taught him a lot but when it came to magic the old man didn¡¯t teach him that much, rather he didn¡¯t have the ability to. Since the old man used magic only through instincts¡­ Simon even failed to learn about the magic edge from the old man which was also considered as one of the simplest magic.


    ¡°You can tell right?¡­ okay now you try¡­ since your body is in a constant state of magic depletion I will give you some¡­ oh¡­-¡± Jubaic noticed some blood was dripping on the ground ¡°-your skin is bleeding?¡± as he began transferring his own magic through Simon¡¯s hand, the boy¡¯s skin from his hands into his arms and probably into his shoulders began bleeding¡­ Simon was clearly in pain.


    A smile slowly spread across Jubaic''s face. ¡°Okay... you can''t even contain it... what a curse!¡± His voice carried an intricate blend of disappointment and joy, as if he were savoring the bittersweet irony.


    The curse contained constant magic depletion and disallowed the body to hold magic¡­ added to that the constantly weakened state¡­ he was barely alive and was immortal. Jubaic¡¯s analysis made him sigh¡­


    ¡°What a great subject!!¡± he said with sparkling eyes.


    <--->


    After 2 and a half days of rest¡­ actually, the 2 didn¡¯t even know what time it was, so it was morning when they were awake and evening when the 2 slept. Jubaic would lecture Simon on magic while Simon tried to understand it¡­ he actually couldn¡¯t¡­ but the pleasure of talking to somebody wouldn¡¯t stop Jubaic¡¯s mouth from speaking.


    ¡°Just try to make a container of magic so that you can use magic edge on your body!¡± this was the final theory of Jubaic after 2 days of spluttering theories and ideas to overcome the curse.


    ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Simon muttered faintly as he was starting to get sleepy through the lectures of Jubaic.


    ¡°Ah¡­ wait¡­ I have something you can use as a container!!!¡± Jubaic started looking around, trying to remember something.


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    <--->


    Three days immediately passed...


    Simon was on edge. The denizens of the immortal abyss were closing in while Jubaic was away. Though the sensations were faint, Simon could feel their eyes upon him¡ªpiercing, searching. He shivered, sensing the malice behind some of those gazes. Most were driven by a morbid curiosity, but the bad intentions were unmistakable. Every passing hour heightened his unease, and Simon couldn''t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.


    Finally, before the day ended, or rather before he fell asleep, the madman arrived trotting. He felt the presence dispersed upon his arrival.


    ¡°Here you go!!!¡± it was a metal tumbler¡­ actually it looked familiar.


    ¡°I created 9 of this and gave it to my students!!¡± he happily handed it to Simon. ¡°This will be your container¡­ although it is limited at least we have to start with something! Now fill it with magic!!!¡±


    Upon touching it Simon knew that it was made of a material that could contain magic rather, it was really familiar but looked different. Jubaic held the same hand that was holding the metal tumbler. He had that same mad smile he had when they first met, it made Simon¡¯s eyebrows curve in doubt.


    ¡°Follow my guide¡­ as I pass my magic into you try to get a hold of it-¡± he then moved and was already behind Simon¡¯s back ready for the transfer ¡°-make it yours¡­ exert your will¡± Jubaic instructed.


    Jubaic began the transfer but got too excited he poured too much. ¡°Aaaarghh!!!¡± Simon screamed out of pain before he lost his senses.


    DROP


    It seemed that Simon passed out because of pain¡­ there was blood coming out of his nails¡­ his hands had ruptured skin.


    ¡°Well, magic absorption is hard and he has to do it together for my idea to be implemented¡­ training! Training!!¡± Jubaic clapped his blood-soaked hands.


    <--->


    <Another day in the abyss>


    Simon was choking on his own blood, the pain of his throat stirred as he fought for his consciousness. It was another failed attempt.


    ¡°Why would you make the magic flow into your body!!! Put it on the container!!!¡± Jubaic was clearly pissed off.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t control it!!¡± Simon almost fainted as he tried to speak up.


    ¡°Imagine that the container is the box that you can use to store magic¡­ where the curse can¡¯t touch it! Imagine me pouring my magic into you and you filling inside of it!!¡± Jubaic instructed and explained¡­ but to Simon, it was just a blur of voices.


    ¡°Try to put it on your limbs or other parts! Not the body or else we will lose time!! Now I have to wait for half a day for you to recover!!¡± Jubaic continued to lecture Simon¡­ to Simon, it was like a lullaby as he started to fall asleep.


    <--->


    ¡°Before we start¡­ can you explain to me what you don¡¯t understand?¡± Jubaic and Simon on another day lying side by side on the ground under the immortal¡¯s abyss. It was another day of practice.


    ¡°How can I contain your magic in this small thing¡­ why do I have to do it¡­ why do I feel so weak¡­¡± Simon started speaking and it was like a complaint.


    ¡°Really? Hmm¡­¡± Jubaic couldn¡¯t tell if Simon was not right in the head rather¡­ the boy couldn¡¯t theorize, totally not a scholar¡¯s mind.


    ¡°There is a village that lies in the mountain¡­ spring, summer and fall¡­ when the bounty of the mountain keeps them prosperous but before winter, they have to save food to survive it¡­¡± Jubaic began telling a story.


    ¡°They have to fend off bandits¡­ the men of the village have to work hard to ensure that their food storage is in good condition against the cold and stray animals¡­¡± Jubaic continued


    ¡°It''s normal to save food before winter or you will starve?¡± Simon answered like it was the norm.


    ¡°Imagine that your body is the village¡­ but in a constant attack of bandits which is the curse and all the people in the village are just children that can¡¯t defend themselves¡­ that is the state of your body,¡± Jubaic said this on a tone that questions himself if he said the right thing.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ really bad¡± Simon¡¯s eyes widened¡­


    ¡°You understand it? You understand my analogy?¡± Jubaic was quite surprised too but what surprised him the most was the metal tumbler was starting to glow faintly.


    ¡°Where are you getting that magic?¡± Jubaic asked in wonder as he sat up.


    ¡°The kids just need to hide things in the other parts of the storage house¡­ and the bandit won¡¯t find it¡­ that¡¯s what this container is for right?¡± Simon smiled.


    ¡°You get it? I¡¯m a genius!!!¡± Jubaic sprang up suddenly then jumped with joy.


    <--->


    <Days of hard training passed>


    ¡°Continuously apply the magic edge on your body¡­ refinement is just the first step¡­ try to change the nature of the magic I¡¯m transferring to you¡­ make it yours¡­¡± Jubaic continuously instructed Simon who are now sitting with his back behind Jubaic.


    Jubaic¡¯s hand was on Simon¡¯s back transferring magic.


    Simon fell into a trance¡­ like he was in battle when he was concentrating.


    ¡°If the kids cook the food first although it''s not that much it would be much more delicious and nutritious especially if it''s meat¡­¡± Simon muttered¡­ it seemed that he was still using the analogy 3 days ago.


    Jubaic can tell the rapid change of magic that he was transferring¡­ it was starting to get more purer¡­ it was actually the first time he saw a refined magic that getting purified.


    ¡°Stop transferring food¡­ its getting filled too much¡­¡± Simon said and Jubaic followed. Simon¡¯s body started to glow dimly¡­ his body was all in magic edge. The light dimmed more and it started to disappear but Jubaic was sure it was still there.


    Jubaic smiled¡­ he took note of how Simon breathed¡­ every time he took a deep breath, magic was refined and every time he exhaled the magic was slowly purified.


    ¡°I see¡­ of course¡­ quality vs. quantity,¡± Jubaic nodded¡­ the boy was an instinctual learner¡­ he knew what he had to do.


    ¡°Crap¡­ he found some¡­¡± Simon suddenly said as he vomited blood a little as the magic he had not yet refined was taken away by the curse.


    ¡°Transforming magic for your use¡­ that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve thought of it¡­¡± Jubaic said as he watched Simon writhe in pain.


    Simon clutched his chest, his breath coming in ragged gasps. ¡°Take the container! It found it!¡± he cried, his voice strained with urgency. In his trembling hands, he held the tumbler, its surface pulsing with a sinister, magical energy.


    Jubaic lunged forward, but as he grasped the tumbler, he recoiled slightly. The container seemed to resist, its grip unyielding, the magic edge searing through his fingers. It was as if the tumbler had a life of its own, throbbing with dark power that sent chills down Jubaic''s spine.


    ¡°The hell is this!!!¡± Jubaic cursed.


    Jubaic checked Simon''s face and the veins that were bursting were starting to crawl from his shoulders and into his hands.


    ¡°Oh!!! Sorry, I have to cut it out! Don¡¯t worry it will be put back again!!¡± Jubaic using his hands with a magic edge chopped Simon¡¯s hand that was holding the tumbler.


    ¡°Aargh!!!¡± Simon finally passed out again.


    ¡°Oh crap his gone and sleep again!!¡± Jubaic muttered but then an idea sprouted in his mind as he looked at the tumbler that was filled to the brim with refined magic. ¡°How about I analyze this? It would keep me well occupied!!!¡± he said laughing to himself.

 Chapter 79 :: Magic is hard

    Simon began to cherish his dreams, those gentle visions that brought memories of the old man. These dreams allowed him to immerse himself fully, letting go of the troubles before him. In these serene moments, he felt safe and at peace, enveloped in a comforting sense of nostalgia and tranquility.


    <--->


    <Simon''s dreaming of the past again>


    ¡°Crack!!!¡± A sizable chunk of the large sword shattered, splintering off with a resounding crack. Shards of metal flew in all directions, glinting in the light as the weapon''s formidable blade was suddenly reduced to jagged remnants.


    ¡°But that was my first sword!!¡± Simon was almost seven years old, and he was fighting in an underground arena somewhere on the southern side of the Trist Valley.


    Just after receiving a few attacks from the warrior, his 2-handed sword cracked.


    ¡°Boy¡­ just finish it, it''s too cold!!¡± the old man that was one with the crowd screamed.


    His voice thundered through the arena, cutting through the deafening chants of the crowd. The arena itself was a crude construct, nothing more than a wooden cage surrounding a muddy pit. The sheer mass of spectators packed tightly together, created an insulating barrier that trapped the cold, making the air inside the arena feel warm.


    Well, since the old man complained he had to finish it now.


    ¡°Come on little boy, don¡¯t think you can strut here and beat a bunch of my friends and get away unscathed!!!¡± it was a large warrior who was holding an axe.


    ¡°... I can,¡± Simon taunted, provoking the warrior into attacking.


    As the warrior lunged, Simon swung his own broken sword with precision. The impact shattered what remained of his blade, but it served its purpose. The broken sword deflected the warrior''s axe, diverting its deadly path. Simon ensured the maneuver, even though it meant destroying his weapon entirely.


    ¡°You are strong¡­ not stronger than my teacher though,¡± Simon said as he flew into the face of the warrior, the warrior knew he was going to get hit in the face. The boy had been struggling to keep his sword intact while parrying the axe blows.


    The warrior¡¯s axe swings were so refined that it was impossible to parry it without receiving the full brunt of its force. This was the reason his sword broke off.


    He landed a punch on the warrior¡¯s face and the warrior fell down, in the arena, it was allowed to kill their opponents but Simon could tell that the warrior didn¡¯t have that kind of intention so he didn¡¯t even think of it.


    ¡°The boy wins!! Against the champion, ODDS!!! 15 to 2~!!¡± The announcer''s voice rang out, slicing through the air as he screamed the result.


    Instantly, a wave of disapproval erupted from the crowd, a cacophony of boos and angry shouts filling the arena. Simon stood at the center as if nothing happened at all. This was his sixth consecutive fight, and the tension in the air was palpable. The crowd¡¯s hostility seemed to wrap around him, pressing in from all sides, their disappointment and frustration almost tangible.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go boy, they don¡¯t have anything to offer now,¡± the old man called. Simon sighed, this was the 2nd underground arena that they had gone through.


    As Simon exited the arena, a group of men approached them.


    ¡°Wait!!!¡± it was the proprietors of the underground arena stopping them in their tracks, 5 of them surrounded the 2, armed guards and bouncers, ready for a fight, trying to intimidate the 2, a much older man with a walking stick followed out too... the crowd who knew who they were started scattering, in a few minutes it was already cleared.


    ¡°Old man and a boy¡­ you¡¯re also the ones that fought on the arena north of the Trist Port,¡± It seemed that the leader of the underground arena knew of them.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± one of the guards that was surrounding the 2 asked.


    ¡°Let them go¡­ they didn¡¯t kill anybody,¡± the leader said.


    ¡°Elway says we can go around and try the underground arenas as long as we don¡¯t kill¡­ it''s much more peaceful than from my time,¡± the old man said then he threw a bag of gold.


    ¡°For all the troubles,¡± the old man said and threw a glance at the man who had a cane.


    The leader nodded, and the guards who were surrounding the 2 stepped back, opening up a path for the 2.


    ¡°Sir¡­ are you sure¡­ it seems that they are still going to look for more¡­ we can¡¯t let them go,¡± one of the 5 armed guys complained.


    ¡°Hey! Sir Alphecca!!¡± the leader called out to the old man¡­


    ¡°Yes?¡± The old man''s eyes blazed with fury, emanating a suffocating aura of bloodlust.


    The six warriors felt a chill crawl down their spines as they realized this was no ordinary old man. His intense glare promised danger, making it clear that they had severely underestimated him.


    ¡°Head south, just a few kilometers southwest of the farmlands. A young fighter was named champion there,¡± the leader instructed.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ve noted it,¡± the old man replied. With that, the two parted ways.


    ¡°Alphecca¡­ the Sword of Light?¡± one of the younger men mused, recognizing the name.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ so that¡¯s his protege?¡± another speculated, eyes wide with awe.


    ¡°They¡¯re monsters,¡± the leader said, tapping his boys'' shoulders with an all-knowing smile. They had earned enough that day to afford a well-deserved rest for months. All was well.


    <--->


    Weeks ago¡­


    When Simon and the old man went back to the town, after reporting the subjugation of the mutated wyvern they rested for the night, and on the next day they immediately went around the town to find a good sword for Simon. Although the shops would recommend beginner swords to the boy, it just didn¡¯t sit right with Simon.


    After spending almost half a day looking around the old man decided to get a custom order for the sword. It was a long 2 two-handed heavy sword, the boy held it at ease although it was longer than the boy''s height. They received it after 2 weeks when the autumn was starting to break out. For those weeks the old man and the boy would spend their time sparring with Sword Dance almost every day.


    After receiving the sword, Simon and the old man immediately went to the indoor arena under the adventurer¡¯s guild to test it out. On the first sword dance, Simon almost won.


    Taking it gentlemanly while saying, ¡°I will have to fight seriously now,¡± the old man said, and from then on he didn¡¯t even give the boy any quarter.


    ¡°You¡­ you fought so much better when we were using wooden sticks,¡± the old man suddenly said after Simon¡¯s 55th loss.


    ¡°But¡­ it''s much easier to fight you with this heavy sword,¡± Simon said.


    It seemed that Simon was starting to develop preferences.


    ¡°Simon¡­ there is no right way to win a sword fight¡­ you can use what you are used to but it would not always be effective every time¡­ a swordsman must be flexible¡­¡± The old man started preaching but Simon didn¡¯t understand it.


    It would be a different story if Simon could use the Magic Edge technique. It¡¯s a magic that coats an object amplifying its efficiency. It was quite the old man¡¯s fault that Simon hadn¡¯t been practicing magic.


    ¡°You have to fight different fighters to understand it¡­ Let go up north,¡± the old man gave up explaining and suggested this, the old man knew some of the underground arenas run by the Sen-ran nobles.


    <--->


    Back to the present¡­


    Simon''s heart sank as he gazed at the mangled remains of his sword. Not even the handle remained recognizable. With a heavy sigh, he made a decision. Gripping the ruined weapon tightly, he hauled it back, muscles tensing as he prepared for the throw. With a fierce motion, he launched the shattered remnants into the mountains, watching as they disappeared into the distance with a sense of finality.


    But the old man said that he knew more underground arenas around the frontier, was he going to fight bare-handed again? Simon thought.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been practicing ¡®Magic Flow¡¯ Is the sword much fun?¡± the old man while walking on the main roads in the Trist Valley started a conversation.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± the boy answered honestly.


    Well, it''s partly the old man¡¯s fault since he was also using Simon to distract himself, it seemed that Jedi leaving did affect him a little.


    ¡°From now on use a wooden sword,¡± the old man says smiling fiercely, he had some ridiculous ideas again.


    ¡°But if the enemy is using a real weapon like the warrior and the swordsman earlier¡­ I can¡¯t parry it,¡± Simon suddenly commented, after fighting against really seasoned fighters twice Simon could tell that a weapon was as important as his skills.


    ¡°You can actually dodge it, idiot,¡± the old man said, the boy was stuck with the rules of the Sword Dance, the old man could tell since it was the only thing they had been doing before Simon got the new sword.


    ¡°I want to get better with the sword dance¡­ I want to beat you,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat me¡­ not in a million years,¡± the old man said with a boast. Simon was quite annoyed with the old man¡¯s comment.


    ¡­


    The 2 continued walking in silence, there would be carriages that would pass, some coming from the east, and sometimes it came from the port town.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take a hitch¡± Simon suddenly said.


    ¡°I actually have an idea¡­ Let''s go on foot, we should be seeing it soon¡± the old man says smiling.


    He was looking into the south of where they were walking. The Trist Valley main road was a west-to-east path that connected the port to the totality of the eastern frontier.


    ¡­


    It was getting dark already and at the lead of the old man, they began going south off the roads again. Rather than face a forest the 2 were going into the mountains, it was just past 20 km after the turn northwards the Beryl Pass.


    ¡°Simon¡­ you can see in the dark right?¡± the old man probed. Then he pointed upwards ¡°That¡¯s where we are heading.¡±


    What Simon could see were trees of reddish leaves. Since it was autumn the leaves were turning orange or brown but the reddish leaves could easily be discerned.


    ¡°You will be the one guiding us up, let¡¯s go,¡± the old man smiled.


    Simon nodded and leaped first into the mountains.


    ¡°What are those?¡± Simon asked while walking.


    ¡°Since you aren¡¯t that sensitive with magic yet you can¡¯t feel it, those are spirit trees, a mystical tree that can assimilate any kind of magic, some call it the Witch¡¯s Oak,¡± the old man said.


    They finally reached the feet of the mountain, it was still technically a mountain south of the Trist Valley.


    With that, Simon led the old man traveling up into the mountain.


    ¡°Simon! Let¡¯s not jump around, we might cause a landslide!!¡± the old man complained, then Simon followed and started climbing up crawling, rather than jumping on the corners of some protruding stones.


    It took a few, almost an hour until the 2 reached a certain cliff on the mountain.


    ¡°Red trees,¡± Simon breathed into the darkness, his eyes piercing through the night with an otherworldly clarity.


    Though the sun had long set, leaving the world shrouded in shadows, Simon''s vision remained sharp. The crimson foliage glowed faintly in the moonlight, casting eerie shadows that danced across the forest floor. Despite the darkness, Simon found himself captivated by the ethereal beauty of the scene, each detail illuminated in stunning clarity by his nocturnal sight.


    ¡°Yep Witch¡¯s Oak, let¡¯s go inside,¡± the old man urged, this time it was the old man¡¯s turn to lead inside the canopy of red trees.


    But as soon as the old man stepped a bit inside, a voice resounded coming inside of the reddish forest. ¡°Leave the forest!!!¡± it was the voice of a woman.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ we just want 2 pieces of the Witch¡¯s Oak!!! We would like to take a couple of twigs and we will leave!¡± the old man screamed, Simon was not sure who he was talking to.


    ¡°¡­ This magic¡­ state your name!!!¡± the woman¡¯s voice asked as it resounded the whole reddish forest.


    ¡°I¡¯m just an old crippled man!!!¡± the old man was mocking the woman.


    ¡°Old man, the trees are moving,¡± Simon spoke what he was feeling, it was true, in a few minutes the trees started moving, basically it was opening apart.


    ¡°Oh¡­ the owner of the trees is coming to greet us!¡± the old man smiled tapping Simon on his shoulders.


    ¡°Old and cripple¡­ true¡­ but your spirit and the magic you have cultivated is amazing¡­¡± a woman that was riding a large deer comes out. She had white hair, a paint on her face but Simon and the old man could tell that she was really beautiful.


    ¡°If you promise your body to me after you die¡­ I would grant you your wish,¡± the woman spoke.


    ¡°Oh witch of the red forest¡­ can¡¯t do that,¡± the old man answered.


    ¡°Then you can leave¡­ or are you going to take it by force?¡± the witch smiled at them, there was something behind her smile that gave shivers to Simon.


    ¡°How about we play a game¡± the old man said with a tone of a taunt.

 Chapter 80 :: Playing with a Witch

    ¡°A gentleman asking me to play Card Teri¡­ is what I hear right?¡± the lady of the red forest asked.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t expect that didn¡¯t you?¡± the old man smiled fiercely.


    But what exactly is a Card Teri? Simon who was listening to the conversation just shutted up.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ at least entertain me¡­ ¡± the witch flicked her hand and the large deer turned into a red mist. Her two visitors could tell it was made up of blood.


    The witch landed gracefully into the ground, the old man quickly moved to hold her hand as if to support her.


    ¡°What is happening old man?¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°Ladies need to be treated as one Simon,¡± the old man spoke smiling at the witch.


    ¡°It seems that you know how to handle our kind,¡± the witch said smilingly lovely.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got experience,¡± the old man smiled. The lady waved telling them to go into the forest.


    They stepped in and after a while, the forest began moving again closing. They walked for a while, the eerie place made Simon think that they were lost.


    Then they arrived at an opening hidden by the canopy of the trees.


    The witch would flick her hands, wave them up and a table came out¡­ the red leaves began falling down then floating onto the table, and it changed into cards.


    ¡°You know the drill¡­ you have to pick your army,¡± the lady spoke.


    ¡°Simon¡­ you could rest for a while, this would take some time,¡± the old man warned the boy.


    ¡°Is it okay to sleep here?¡± the boy asked.


    With a flourish of her hands, the witch wove her magic into the earth, causing the ground to tremble and stir. Slowly, a bed emerged from the soil, its frame intricately crafted from twisting vines and enchanted roots. As it rose, tendrils of ivy unfurled, weaving themselves into a canopy of leaves that shimmered with an otherworldly luminescence. The bed seemed to pulse with a life of its own, exuding an aura of comfort and enchantment that beckoned to the weary travelers.


    ¡°You could sleep there for a while boy¡± the lady smiled. Simon didn¡¯t know if he can trust the lady but the old man just nodded. Simon sat on the bed.


    ¡°I will pick the Human army,¡± the old man said as he took a deck from the table.


    ¡°Then I would take the Elven army,¡± the lady said and the cards floated into her side, chairs started to sprout on the opposite sides of the table.


    <--->


    Card Teri - it¡¯s a card game with cards representing a part or section of an army.


    The cards are mainly, Melee, Range, and Magic all in 3 pieces then a wild card called King or Hero, the single one.


    A deck is just made up of 10 cards.


    Each deck is assigned as Humans, Elves, and Beast.


    <ul>


    <li>Humans</li>


    </ul>


    Knights - Attack 1/Defense 3, Flip: Can¡¯t be destroyed the turn it was flipped


    Scouts - Attack 1/ Defense 2, Range 2/3, needs to reach ally front lines.


    Engage - Def 1, Range 2/3, Flip: Ends the round into a fight without further flips


    Hero -  Attack 3, Range 1/2, Passive: Wins a contact if it¡¯s of the same points


    <ul>


    <li>Elves</li>


    </ul>


    Warriors - Attack 2/Defense 2


    Sniper - Attack 2/Defense 1, Range 3/4, needs to reach ally front lines.


    Mage - Flip: Kills one open slot and can only be activated at the start of a round, Range 2/3, needs to reach the targeted card.


    Hero - Attack 1/Defense 1, Range 3/4, Flip: shifts any card without flipping it if only the slot allows


    <ul>


    <li>Beast</li>


    </ul>


    Berserkers - Attack 3/Defense 1


    Bane - Attack 2/ Flip: Cancel any mage, needs to reach ally front lines.


    Shaman - Flip: removes 1 point to the other side, needs to reach enemy front lines.


    Hero - Def 3/ Flip: Saves a card, Range 2/3


    Card Ratings: depends on the position of the card. Both sides could open any possible card to support the front lines. This would depend on the range of the cards.


    Positioning: one slot could contain 1 card in a defensive position and 2 cards if it is in attack position. It is also possible to leave a single card in attack position to occupy a slot.


    Melee can only support each other when side by side while the mage and the archers can support if the range is enough.


    Range is determined by position too, defensive is on a lower range while an offensive position is on a farther range.


    Flip Effect: cards would sometimes have special effects, especially the magic and the range cards. It is also not allowed to use a mage in the first round and when a mage card touches the front line it would be instantly removed.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    1 slot: a slot should only contain 1 defensive card and 2 cards if it''s in attack position.


    How it works?: Depending on the players the first one could start putting down the cards face down. The first card as the base the opponent would place would be his first slot, then the next player could only place his card next to the opponent''s first slot making it his own first slot.


    The placing of the cards will go backward, at the end of it when the 10 cards are already down they can start opening the cards activating and flipping it.


    Rounds: a round is considered ended if cards are thrown because of a points difference.


    <--->


    The old man and the witch finished checking down their cards and a brief moment to think.


    ¡°Ladies first,¡± the old man said.


    The witch smiled she started with her card in an attack position. The old man placed one in the defense position. The lady smiled she knew how the game worked, she placed another in the attack position on the same slot in the attack position.


    Another defense position from the old man.


    Left Side Old Man Vs. Right Side Witch


    ¡°Whatever you are planning I already know it,¡± the witch said, she was older and had been playing this game since forever.


    ¡°Let''s see what happens¡± the old man smiled¡­


    It ends with:


    Left Side Old Man Vs. Right Side Witch


    All cards were in place now the flipping could begin¡­


    How did the game work?


    ~Round 1 Witch¡¯s first flip.~


    Since it was the witch that placed the first card face down she was the first one to open up the card in the front lines (the purple line) she opened up a warrior card. The other side must open the card that was closest to the front lines.


    The old man opened up a warrior card in defense position.


    Old man 3 points, Witch 2 points.


    Both sides could open all the possible cards to increase the points in the front, with a rule that warriors could only add points when they were on a single slot in attack position.


    Which ended up with: Old Man 5 points, and Witch 6 points.


    <ul>


    <li>Old man card first-round breakdown.</li>


    <li>Warrior on defense position 3 points.</li>


    <li>Archer on defense position 2 points.</li>


    <li>Witch card first-round breakdown.</li>


    <li>2 warriors on attack position 4 points.</li>


    <li>Archer on attack position 2 points.</li>


    </ul>


    The old man threw his archer card. The warrior card couldn¡¯t be destroyed the turn it was flipped unless it''s some kind of magic.


    ¡°Damn of course that was a good trade¡±, the old man commented.


    ¡°Tee-hee-hee your turn¡± the witch playfully said, the front line moves now.


    ~Round 2 Old Man¡¯s first flip.~


    He flipped up the hero and the mage cards. It became a 6 vs. 6 and since the hero¡¯s effect is to win when it¡¯s the same points the witch discarded 2 warriors and 1 archer.


    Which ended up with: Old Man 6 points, and Witch 6 points.


    <ul>


    <li>Old man card second round break down.</li>


    <li>Warrior on defense position 3 points.</li>


    <li>Hero on attack position 3 points. Wins even situations.</li>


    <li>Witch card second round break down.</li>


    <li>2 warriors on attack position 4 points.</li>


    <li>Archer on attack position 2 points.</li>


    </ul>


    The witch had to discard 3 of its opened-up cards and the old man threw his mage since it didn¡¯t have position points. With them ending up like the following.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ my turn,¡± the witch smiled bewitchingly it was her round to play now.


    ~Round 3 Witch¡¯s first flip.~


    She flips 2 mages and destroys the knight and the hero, then she flips her front line which is also an archer card.


    The old man had no choice but to open his next front-line card as his cards moved closer to the center (Purple Line). He opened up another warrior on defense position then followed up by a mage immediately ending the round.


    Which ended up with: Old Man 3 points, and Witch 2 points.


    <ul>


    <li>Old man card third round break down.</li>


    <li>Warrior on defense position 3 points.</li>


    <li>Mage forces the round to end (Throw cards)</li>


    <li>Witch card third round breakdown.</li>


    <li>2 warriors on attack position 4 points.</li>


    <li>Archer on attack position 2 points.</li>


    </ul>


    ¡°Oh, am I going to lose,¡± The witch waved her hair but she was smiling.


    ¡°It''s your turn now¡± the old man smiled fiercely his probably going to win, he thought. Since it was the old man that flipped last then it was the witch¡¯s turn again.


    ~Round 4 Witch¡¯s first flip.~


    The witch used her hero card making the warrior change its position into attack, its point became 1 then she opened up a warrior card that had 2 points.


    The old man didn¡¯t have any card to open up technically making him lose the warrior card and the next attack position card which was a mage since he had to open any contact card in the front lines and a mage was instantly thrown out when it contacted front lines and it couldn¡¯t activate its effect.


    The front lines pushed forward again the old man now had to open up his cards. He opened up a warrior and an archer. This turns his front line points into 5 vs the witch¡¯s which was only 3, the witch needed to open her last possible card which was an archer and it added another 2 making it 5 vs 5, the old man finished this with another archer in defense position.


    Which ended up with: Old Man 7 points, and Witch 5 points.


    <ul>


    <li>Old man card fourth round break down.</li>


    <li>Warrior on defense position 3 points.</li>


    <li>2 archers on defense position 4 points.</li>


    <li>Witch card fourth round break down.</li>


    <li>Warriors on attack position 2 points.</li>


    <li>Archer on attack position 2 points.</li>


    <li>Hero on attack position 1 point.</li>


    </ul>


    Since the Mage in the last slot couldn¡¯t be only activated at the start of a round, it would instantly be thrown because after the front line moves the mage card will touch the front lines.


    ¡°You beat me Hahahaha!!!¡± the witch started laughing¡­ although it was a laugh, it sounded scary for the old man, he could tell the witch was a bit annoyed by the result.


    ¡°Now should we continue?¡± the old man said in a gentlemanly manner.


    ¡°Hmm next round then,¡± the witch said, she was planning on continuing the use of the elf deck but the old man smiled.


    ¡°I want to use the beast deck,¡± he said laying down the human deck on the side of the table.


    ¡°So be it,¡± The witch smiled at him


    <--->


    The old man''s smirk deepened as he clinched the win for the second time, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. Across the table, the lady of the reddish woods feigned annoyance, though her lips curved in a sultry smile.


    ¡°Old man... you''re quite the cunning player,¡± she purred, her fingers tapping the table in a rhythm that matched the racing of his heart.


    ¡°You ought to dabble in a bit of bluffing. When your opponent levels the field, it becomes a battle of wits,¡± the old man suggested, his voice dripping with seductive charm. They had danced this dance before, a flirtatious exchange of strategy and innuendo.


    ¡°Hmm... I might just take that advice,¡± she conceded, rising from her seat with a graceful sway of her hips. With a flick of her wrist, two wooden sticks sprouted from the earth beneath her command.


    ¡°They''re yours... you''re free to go or¡­¡± she trailed off, a coy smile playing on her lips as another corner of the forest unfurled before them.


    ¡°Stay with me for a while,¡± she whispered, her cheeks flushing with a warmth that matched the fire in her eyes.


    The old man chuckled softly, a twinkle of desire flickering in his gaze. ¡°In all honesty, my dear, I''m not sure if my aging body can keep up with you... but you''re a vision of beauty,¡± he confessed, his grin widening at the playful challenge.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± she reassured him, her voice husky with desire. With a flourish, she conjured a bottle from thin air, its contents swirling with a crimson mist.


    ¡°It¡¯ll grant you the vigor of three Orcs,¡± she promised, stepping closer to him and placing the bottle in his hand.


    ¡°And you''re not planning to do away with me afterward, are you?¡± he quipped, his tone teasing as he met her gaze.


    ¡°I wouldn''t dream of it,¡± she giggled, her laughter ringing like the chime of a young maiden.


    ¡°Well then... I suppose I''m ready to... engage in some... vigorous activities,¡± the old man stammered, his cheeks flushing with a mix of anticipation and excitement.


    With a knowing smile, he followed her into the depths of her chamber, ready to explore the depths of passion and desire.

 Chapter 81 :: The gimmick of the magic stick

    A cold air blew into the old man¡¯s face, and Simon noticed the peculiarity of the old man¡¯s demeanor.


    ¡°Old man you look strange¡­ and you smell like the witch,¡± Simon said as he was following the old man, they were about to go out of the red forest.


    ¡°Is that so¡­ let¡¯s just say I faced a very hot night last night that we got mixed up¡± the old man said with a resolute face while nodding.


    ¡°Tee-hee-hee,¡± and a laugh resonated on the whole forest.


    ¡°You are weird,¡± Simon the innocent cannot comprehend.


    ¡°I will open up the trees¡­ you are almost there,¡± the voice of the witch that was guiding them out of the forest sounded a bit lonely.


    ¡°See you again!!¡± the old man said so but there was no reply, the red trees opened up. Four sticks were hanging behind Simon¡¯s backpack. The old man was quite in a good mood.


    ¡°We will not see each other again,¡± the witch''s voice resounded, it seemed that she knew something about the old man.


    ¡°I see,¡± the old man said smiling fiercely as he nodded. ''Then that would be a good memory doesn''t it?'' the old man thought.


    The 2 finally came out of the forest, the air was again ¡®cold¡¯ as the 2 described it at the same time. Simon did love smelling the air and some memories from the mountain hut came back to him ¡°I¡¯d like to eat some deer¡± the boy muttered.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ but not raw okay,¡± and the unusually good mood of the old man made Simon wonder what happened last night.


    <--->


    They were already down the mountain, in a forest opening just near the main roads, sadly a deer was already on the fire pit that Simon prepared. The boy was rotating the deer, while the old man was making the side dishes, and the old man was humming himself.


    Some of the glass bottles Jedi left them were opened up, they were going to have a feast tonight, and Simon was happy that the old man was happy evident from the bustling hum that was getting produced by the old man¡¯s mouth.


    The old man could notice the boy¡¯s gaze ¡°The hell are you staring?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°You are making a sound in your mouth,¡± Simon told what he noticed.


    ¡°Let me be boy,¡± The old man said as he quickly finished his preparation continuing his hum.


    ¡°Okay¡­ let¡¯s eat!¡± the old man urged Simon to eat.


    The deer meat was seasoned with pink salt, pickled cabbage from Jedi¡¯s bottles, and some of the sweetened fruits. Even the old man wondered how that little girl got her hands on sugar since it''s considered a luxury product.


    ¡°I bet Jedi could cook something better now,¡± Simon suddenly muttered remembering his friend.


    ¡°Give her years and she would probably own some eatery or a restaurant,-¡± the old man said. Eatery was for commoners and restaurants were a place for nobles. ¡°-Or probably become a Royal Chef,¡± the old man added.


    ¡­


    It''s been a long time since Simon had a meal like that, although he was already feeling a bit sleepy, the old man¡¯s training was preventing him from sleeping, habit was winning against his nature.


    The boy just finished cleaning their wooden bowls, there were still leftovers of the deer meat that had already been removed from the fire pit to cool down, the old man was planning to pack up the parts of the deer that could last a bit more for their travel consumption.


    ¡°Check this out boy,¡± the old man said, he then lined up the pieces of wood coming from the witch¡¯s woods.


    ¡°What do you think? You¡¯ve been carrying it ever since,¡± the old man asked but the boy wasn¡¯t particularly very perceptive.


    Simon just stared at the sticks. ¡°It''s heavy although it''s small,¡± he said. He was right, the old man thought but it was not that.


    ¡°What happened to the vibrations that you feel?¡± the old man asked this like he was complaining.


    ¡°...OK? I remembered,¡± Simon nodded, still the boy couldn¡¯t tell anything about it and the old man was sure Simon was saying this in a question mark.


    ¡°The witch was nice enough to give us 4 different kinds of sticks,¡± the old man explained as he gave up.


    The Witch¡¯s Oak was one of the types of wood that could be used as a magic staff. Not only it is a good catalyst for magic after a while the wood would get soaked with the magic of the user and it would become more efficient.


    The wood would adjust and tune itself to the elements.


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    One of its properties too is that it would become harder when magic was supplied on it.


    ¡°Take a stick and fill it with magic¡­ I mean transfer the vibrations inside of it,¡± the old man instructed Simon.


    The boy of course followed like it was the normal thing to do. He held onto the first one to the right.


    ¡°It''s warm,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°Try swinging it,¡± the old man urged the boy.


    Simon tried it on a few swings. The old man watched carefully as the boy did it, he was watching the stick.


    ¡°Is it already filled with magic?¡± the old man asked just to be sure.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Simon nodded.


    ¡°Okay the next one then¡± the old man encouraged Simon to continue.


    ¡°It''s cold¡± Simon inputs his comment.


    ¡°Swing it,¡± the old man said and Simon followed.


    And then continued into the next.


    Simon: ¡°It''s too light¡±


    And next¡­


    Simon: ¡°This is the best, it''s heavy¡±


    ¡­.


    There should been an effect when Simon swung, an element should have been produced when he swung it but nothing happened, even some kind of manifestation out of the 4 basic elements but there was none. It seemed that Simon¡¯s element was some kind of a void.


    (Warm: Fire, Cold: Water, Too-Light: Wind and the Heavy: Earth)


    ¡°That¡¯s really weird,¡± the old man said. Not even a trace of an element, he made the boy do it one more time cycling the sticks.


    ¡°Which one do you fancy?¡± the old man asked after Simon did a round on the sticks the 2nd time.


    ¡°The heavy one,¡± the boy blatantly answered.


    ¡°Let''s try a spar,¡± the old man took a stick too.


    Simon took the Earth-Stick as his weapon since it was the heaviest when it was filled with magic.


    ¡°Simon, try spreading the vibration (Magic) to just coat the wood, the intention is to increase its efficiency and durability,¡± the old man instructed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t what I¡¯m doing the same?¡± then Simon asked wondering what was the difference.


    The old man was quite surprised by the question, at least the boy was thinking ¡°You are just using the property of the material, it is not enough, real magic must be a part of the will of the user manifested through a miracle¡­ that¡¯s what is magic edge,¡± even though after explaining, Simon scratched his head¡­ of course Simon couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Okay¡­ just attack,¡± the old man gave up, it would be understood due to time and hard work.


    Simon landed the first strike.


    ¡°Oof!!! Heavy!!!¡± The old man received it even using his knees to cushion the attack.


    Simon instantly knew that the old man was using something different than the one that he was using. The old man smiled, something was on his mind.


    ¡°Old man¡­ what are you going to do?¡± Simon asked upon seeing the old man¡¯s face.


    ¡°This¡­¡± From the sword lock the old man guided the weight of Simon¡¯s sword into the side, then shifting his stance with a pivot he used the wood with magic edge to cut Simon¡¯s wood, he specifically targeted near Simon¡¯s handles.


    ¡°Magic edge is different, although you have a hard weapon if it''s not coated with magic it wouldn''t be enough,¡± the old man explained, he showed his wooden sword to Simon.


    The boy instantly noticed that the wood coated with magic edge had some kind of extended form. The dim red, a part of the magic edge had a blade on it made out of the magic.


    ¡°See that?¡± the old man smiled.


    ¡°I¡­ can see but how to do it?¡± Simon asked.


    Pouring magic through his hands was simple but as the old man said it, imagination and the will of the caster were also important, that thing that he called visualization.


    The old man stared at Simon¡­ his face told it all. ¡°¡­From now on you have to do the flow until you can¡¯t,¡± the old man could teach Simon the sword by showing but magic is different, he didn¡¯t have enough skill to teach it.


    The old man learned magic and understood it through instinct and self-taught. His magic is one of a void nature, the element of light was quite rare so there was almost little to no one who could teach him.


    ¡°Old man¡­ you shouldn¡¯t have broken it,¡± Simon was quite sad as he stared at the wooden stick.


    ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t worry about it, it''s still on a good length, start your Flow training,¡± the old said.


    ¡°Magic is hard!!¡± Simon muttered, still, he went into an Indian position and started it anyway.


    The old man smiled, he took the broken Red Oak Wood and started carving it into a better shape for a sword.


    ¡°Better make it 3 of it,¡± the old man said.


    <--->


    The journey of the two continued, they were now on their way to a donkey road going into the south.


    The donkey path passed through the west and into the south of the Farmlands this small path was usually safe from summer until the early start of spring, the sky hounds would usually hunt intensely during spring (Mating Period, more spoils more girls).


    The donkey path¡¯s southern part would always cast in shadow, the Farm Land Stone wall on the north side, the Craig Mountain Range south, a solstice peak called the Sun God¡¯s Peak to the east, and the western Mesa where the Sky-Chime Plateau.


    Some of the travelers they met knew the place of the underground arena. Day by day their training increased in intensity but the old man today wanted more.


    ¡°Lead the attack, you can use the feint in the first move, eyes, feet, the stance, everything is possible,¡± the old man was instructing the boy in an open field near the roads.


    ¡°How¡¯s the new sword?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°It''s good¡­ the magic that makes it hard is working,¡± Simon said.


    The old man then kicked Simon on his stomach, and he flew with an ¡°Oof!!!¡± the boy needed a few seconds, still the old man dug his wooden sword into the ground and used it like a shovel to send some ground flying into the boy.


    Still, the boy didn¡¯t relax, he cut up the soil that was thrown into him while kneeling.


    ¡°That¡¯s the face¡­¡± the old man said, Simon although was in pain he was still calm. ¡°You think I would only use the sword? In a life and death situation, anything is viable as long as it increases survival,¡± the old man smirked.


    Simon stood up ¡°That¡¯s cheating, Oof!!¡± the kick in the stomach really hurt.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop for a while and¡­¡± Before the old man finished Simon attacked, ¡°Thwack!!! Thwack!!!¡± this time it was a stronger attack. ¡°You getting feisty boy? You are open here!!!¡± the old man commented and Simon continued attacking and dodging still getting hit with some.


    The spar continued late into the twilight.


    Simon was totally beaten and battered. His stomach and sheen especially hurt since those were the openings that the old man kept on targeting. It was annoying but it was his fault and he knows it.


    ¡°It seems that you''re really into it. Aren¡¯t you?¡± the old man looked at the boy, still on the ground.


    ¡°Old man¡­ my body hurts,¡± of course Simon would say that. The motivation of getting back to the old man made Simon really go out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest here, we still got some of the deer meat¡­ oh, it''s getting cold,¡± the old man said and he started making camp.


    The old man smiled, they should have arrived south a bit earlier. ¡°Hey boy-¡± he was going to ask Simon something but Simon was already doing the Flow in the Indian position again. ¡°-Make sure you still have magic, we are still going to eat,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Simon answered.

 Chapter 82 :: Champion of the south

    On the southern part of the eastern continent, there was an arena that was constructed of patches of wood. For those who knew this place, this place served as their entertainment.


    The old man and the boy were among the crowds watching the battle inside the pit.


    The boy was young, even the old man felt some pity for him but after a while, he changed his mind, the boy used a sword and shield, a totally self-taught warrior, watching his opponents and observing them in action he kept on learning, increasing his skills but what was the most impressive was that even though he was around the same age of Simon he was a bit more taller and the fact that he didn¡¯t fight using brute force since it would be impossible for a normal child.


    ¡°See that Simon? You should learn from him,¡± the old man commented, they were watching the boy who''s at Simon¡¯s age fight someone a mile old from him.


    The boy rolled down, the adult warrior literally tried to attack him after catching the boy still on the ground, it''s easy to overpower the small boy.


    ¡°Idiot!!!¡± the boy screamed as he planted his sword and shield on the ground.


    The boy didn¡¯t need to use any strength, he just needed to hold the sword and shield firm, and the attack of the adult warrior slid down. The boy kicked the warrior¡¯s feet making him slip down.


    ¡°Aargh!!¡± it totally looked like an accident but the warrior bled on his right shoulder.


    ¡­


    ¡°So am I going to fight that guy too?¡± Simon asked.


    The boy was raring to go, like all the last 2 underground arenas, after seeing somebody fight he totally became excited. The old man liked that trait in the boy.


    ¡°How about tomorrow, the boy is losing gas,¡± the old man said and he was right, the boy has been fighting for 5 straight fights, so fighting against him right now when he is out of gas wouldn¡¯t be so much of a challenge.


    ¡°And you are not allowed to break his shield,¡± the old man placed a condition for Simon. He had been doing this after the boy learned a bit of the sword.


    <--->


    Just behind the wooden pit, a boy sat there, trying to make all of his time worth it to recuperate.


    Joshua was tired, he was sitting in one corner of the arena outside, finally, the 5 fights were complete. The master of the arena came to him.


    ¡°Here, you earn this,¡± the fat guy said.


    ¡°Its only 2 silvers¡­ not even enough for food¡­¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°You still owe me a debt,¡± the fat master smiled.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Joshua said as he took the coins and put them in his pocket. The fat guy smirked and left.


    Joshua stood up. He knew he was good at fighting, he lived as one of the serfs in the farmlands. He knew that he would be a farmer forever if he stayed there but this was just unfair. The fat guy and the lord of the farmlands tasked him with delivering some food back and forth and when he had a chance he fought in the arena.


    The problem was that he didn¡¯t know how to count nor knew the value of the fight he was providing. World¡¯s like that but he had a determination on his mind.


    ¡°Boy¡­ how about a meal,¡± an old man approached him handing over something that was on some kind of leaf. It was a piece of sandwich.


    Joshua stared, the old man had a scary look but he was not intimidated at all ¡°Huh?¡± the boy was surprised but he would not turn down a free meal. ¡°Thanks,¡± He took the sandwich that was inside a leaflet. He began gnawing it down.


    ¡°If you make it a good fight tomorrow¡­ you will get you out of here¡±, the old man said.


    ¡°Who are you old man¡± Joshua asked. A familiarity began booming inside his heart, his blood was telling him something.


    ¡°No one¡­ sleep well¡­¡± the old man then left Joshua.


    ¡­


    The sandwich was really good though the bread was a bit hard, the meat was still fresh.


    His father told him plenty of times before that they come from a line of fallen nobles, a great one at that. He was told that he should do everything in his power to restore their house.


    Then he got separated from his parents when they were supposed to go to the farm lands to work as farmers there, it was only him that made it.


    But of course that¡¯s not why he was here, he was here because he didn¡¯t want to farm¡­ world is calling him for another thing. He was just 6 and he already knew what he wanted.


    The boy staring at nothing began to fall asleep.


    <--->


    The next day.


    Joshua started early,  stretching and readying his weapons. His shield was big but his sword was some kind of short sword rather than a proper sword.


    ¡°Joshua!!!  Come now!!¡± the master of the underground arena called to him.


    Joshua thought it was strange¡­ wasn¡¯t it a bit early? Well, he didn¡¯t have any say on this, another day to complete 5 battles.


    He walks to the back entrance of the pit and the master of the arena smiles at him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare lose¡­ ¡± the fat guy warned him.


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    Unless a really good warrior he couldn¡¯t outwit comes then it won¡¯t be a problem. He would stoop as low as he could, the opponent wouldn¡¯t mind it since he was a kid.


    In a few moments he finds himself back in the pit again¡­ but what surprises him is his next opponent, it was a boy, a bit smaller than him.


    ¡®Is this a joke?¡¯ Joshua thought, but it would be an easy win so he didn¡¯t say it.


    He looked around the pit, there weren¡¯t that many spectators which was weird because the fat guy would only call him if there was enough crowd.


    ¡°A kid versus a kid!!! Fight!!¡± there was a mocking tone to the umpire.


    The boy was blind¡­ his eyes were closed. Joshua smiled¡­ at least he would be gentle, he thought and he started walking closer to the boy. The boy revealed his weapon which was a wooden stick, it was hanging behind the boy¡¯s back. Joshua raised his shield in caution.


    The boy suddenly stepped and landed a strike on his shield.


    ¡°Urgh!!!¡± Joshua used his knees to receive such a heavy blow, heavier than a normal adult¡¯s attack.


    Although he received the attack that backed him down he kept an eye on the boy and as soon as the boy pulled back the stick Joshua immediately rolled to the right to flank an attack.


    The boy did some footwork and Joshua missed again.


    ¡°¡­¡± Joshua admitted now, the boy was good, well it wouldn¡¯t make sense why he was here, that footwork though, he would remember it.


    ¡°Boy¡­ watch his shield!!¡± an old man¡¯s voice coming from the crowd, it was very familiar but Joshua was too busy thinking of his next move that he didn¡¯t bother thinking. He finally noticed that the boy¡¯s face changed, it seemed that the voice had some kind of effect on him.


    Joshua tried again and attacked closer looking to shield bash the boy but the boy used the point of the stick for him to not initiate the shield bash, the crowd that was watching was quite surprised and amazed by the stunt.


    The tip of the wooden sword stopped Joshua from opening his shield, Joshua immediately spun inward using his other hand to land an attack, the boy reacted but it was a feint and Joshua continued with his shield bash.


    ¡°Feint¡± the boy muttered but he caught the shield supporting the blow by jumping and using his arms to stave it off, it created a distance between the 2, and the boy immediately rushed an attack as soon as he landed on the ground. Joshua didn¡¯t have a chance to move, the boy was already cutting an inch close to him.


    From his stance, it was a horizontal sweep to the left but what he received was a hit on the right. ¡®He used the stance as a feint¡¯ Joshua thought, the boy was the same as him, they absorbed new things and grew while they fought.


    Joshua immediately angled his shield to make the wooden stick slide, he was sure that that attack was much lighter than the first one but he still got into his knees to make the the range of the boy closer.


    Joshua launched a trust attack twice but the boy used his footwork to dodge the attack. The boy instantly stepped back twice and this created another distance.


    Joshua stood up¡­ the boy didn¡¯t attack, actually, the boy was smiling at him.


    ¡°You¡­ are you holding back against me?¡± Joshua asked.


    The boy nodded¡­ ¡°Old man¡¯s words are rules¡­ can¡¯t hurt you,¡± Simon answered this as a matter of fact then went into stance again.


    ¡°I¡¯m not holding back though,¡± Joshua said then he raised his shield and started rushing with no doubts at all¡­ when they were on range the 2 started swinging at each other.


    ¡­


    ¡°Look at them¡­ going at each other¡¯s throat,¡± The old man was quite impressed with the fight, the crowd that was there was cheering for the fight but the old man was sure they couldn¡¯t hear them.


    But it had to end¡­ although the 2 were dancing in a fight they were burning up gas and the advantageous one would come out. Of course, it was the boy, Simon could fight as intensely as possible for almost a whole day and would still train his magic through the ¡®Flow Training¡¯ afterward until he almost passed out enough to go into a bed.


    ¡®How¡¯re you going to win?¡¯ the old man thought not because he was hoping that Joshua would lose, but rather because he wanted the 2 of them to push off their limits.


    ¡­


    Joshua was losing gas, and the boy just kept on doing the fancy footwork, Joshua started doing the same footwork, and just after a few seconds of it he stopped and stood firm¡­ he couldn¡¯t sustain it, how does this small boy do it?


    He should finish it before his strength ran out¡­


    His shield started glowing in a bit. He was feeling something else¡­ it was magic¡­ he had done this before last year when he and his family were attacked by monsters but he didn¡¯t know how to use it¡­ but now he felt that he could somewhat use it.


    Rather than doing the fancy footwork, he started parrying with his shield, receiving blow by blow. The boy was starting to find an opening but operating on wider angles was much more harder than just parrying on smaller angles.


    The shield was getting heavier but not literally, it was getting filled with magic¡­ potentially.


    Joshua surprised Simon by using his short sword to parry the attack, and then all he had to do was make sure that Simon got hit with his shield. To Joshua''s surprise, it was really hard to parry but he absorbed it and spun while his shield aimed at Simon''s vulnerable part.


    ¡°Oof!!!¡± Simon grunted as he flew away even almost breaking the walls of the underground arena pit. Simon fell down like a collapsed doll with his face on the ground. The boy¡¯s face couldn¡¯t be seen but he was not moving anymore.


    ¡°Our champion is still the winner!!! Joshua Varus wins!!!¡± the umpire declared.


    Joshua knelt down, he was experiencing a loss of magic for the first time, and his head was on an ache. Joshua suddenly shouted a scream of glory.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t that great?¡¯ the old man said he was the only one who was clapping his hands.


    <--->


    A few minutes later the old man approached the fat arena master.


    ¡°You lost¡­ you are going to have to pay me 3 gold for the extra trouble you will cost me,¡± the arena master said and the old man complied.


    ¡°Then you free the child and pay him right?¡± the old man said, there was some kind of threat in those words, especially the last part.


    The fat guy knew in his guts and he was sure he would be in deep shit if he broke the promise. ¡°Of course, I would pay him his winnings,¡± The fat guy had no choice but to comply too.


    The old man placed 3 large gold coins on the table near the fat guy. He gazed at the faces of his bodyguards smiling fiercely, a curved lips that intimidated them.


    The fat man froze¡­ The old man then left with no words.


    <--->


    He was finally out of the pit, money in his pocket, and he was free. But he never realized how vast and daunting the road ahead would be.


    Joshua found it strange. He had been given thirteen gold coins in a small bag. ¡°You can go now, you don¡¯t owe me anything,¡± the fat man had said. Yet, they had taken his shield and short sword¡ªthose very weapons were why he owed the man in the first place. The interest on that debt was what he had been paying off all this time.


    Joshua set his eyes on the road, it felt scary¡­ freedom that was. He looked around, maybe he could go to the central continent with the gold in hand. Suddenly the old man walked into him.


    ¡°13 pieces of gold is a lot of money, you could buy land here in the frontiers,¡± the old man said, he was holding some bag, it seemed that he brought something from the merchant stall near the arena.


    ¡°How¡¯d you know it''s 13 pieces of gold?¡­ I mean, old man can you teach me? I could give you some,¡± Joshua was not an idiot, he could tell that the old man did help him in some way. Since he didn¡¯t know anything about the world he had to be thick-skinned.


    ¡°How about eating with us, we can talk about it at a campfire,¡± the old man said.


    The 2 started walking northwards, for some reason, Joshua felt that the old man really did want to help him, a feeling in his blood that said he could trust him.


    ¡­


    ¡°Old man!!¡± and the same kid he fought earlier was there, of course, they were together, that was the face Joshua was making.


    ¡°Simon, I¡¯ve brought some fresh food let¡¯s cook it!!!¡± the old man said.


    It was just only past lunchtime and the spot where they were was not that far, ¡°You are okay?¡± Joshua asked Simon and Simon just nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay but I¡¯m hungry!!¡± the boy said and the small campfire was ready to be lit, it seemed that Simon was just waiting for the old man.

 Chapter 83 :: South isn’t a nice place

    The old man was writing down on the ground near the campfire, the light was enough to read it. It seemed that Joshua at least knew how to read.


    Large Gold Coin = 100 silver coins


    Medium Gold Coin =  50 silver coins


    Small Gold Coin = 10 silver coins


    Silver Coin = 50 bronze coins


    ¡°Then this is a lot of money,¡± Joshua said, he felt shivers that he had that amount of money on him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret it kid¡­ how old are you?¡± the old man asked in wonder.


    ¡°I¡¯m 9 winters old,¡± the kid said but he was large for his age.


    ¡°¡­ I see, you wanna travel with us for a bit?¡± the old man offered.


    In the back of his mind, the old man wondered if he was fated to run into troubled children.


    ¡°You are not going to steal my money and leave me dead aren¡¯t you?¡± Joshua said¡­ the old man was too nice to him, to the fact that the old man was a stranger, Joshua was thinking somewhere between ¡®a very rare kindness or the old man has an agenda behind it.¡¯


    ¡°I saw your fight¡­ you have a good intuition¡­ follow your hunch, it''s up to you,¡± The old man left the decision to Joshua.


    But Joshua just had to ask that, he had already decided.


    ¡°Old man I¡¯m going to go and practice Flow,¡± suddenly Simon said, he had already finished cleaning the wooden plates and bowls.


    ¡°Yeah, we are still going to talk for a bit,¡± the old man said, Simon then went near where they already laid out their bed, his going to practice Flow until he passed out.


    ¡°Does he do it every day?¡± Joshua asked, his curiosity of the boy called Simon grew.


    ¡°Yeah, everyday¡­ we were doing sparring earlier too after he passed out¡± the old man added.


    ¡°So he was holding back against me?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I told him that he can¡¯t break your shield,¡± the old man confessed and the old man stood up.


    <--->


    The 3 woke up early, they were already traveling north before the first light was waving in the sky. The little boy was carrying so much and the old man was travelling light. Joshua only had the gold bag and his clothes.


    Joshua was still sleepy, while Simon was literally a bond of energy. They were busy walking but Simon still kept watch around their surroundings, his eyes scanned the horizon for anything at all.


    ¡°Old man¡­ check that out,¡± Simon suddenly notified the old man.


    There were small hunch-like stones that were walking, northwest of them, west side of the donkey path to be exact. It was moving very slowly, really slow. The donkey path was a bit inclined going up into the north that''s why it was immediately noticeable.


    ¡°Ooh! Crap we have to run before it passes the road!! Boys we gotta run!!¡± the old man immediately said as he started running. The 2 began gaining speed, and Joshua tried to keep up. ¡°This is bad we are too far!!!¡± the old man commented, it was really far.


    ¡°What is that old man?!!¡± Simon asked.


    ¡°It''s Rock Turtles, they would block the road when they pass, they can¡¯t be slayed!!!-¡± It was Joshua the one who answered. ¡°-A single one blocked me once when I was delivering some crops to the fat fart in the arena!!¡± Joshua added more.


    That time Joshua had to wait until some adventurers lured it using large amounts of food out of the donkey path, that single Rock Turtle was really troublesome, that was 3 moons ago. The Rock Turtle attack was inevitable, the Rock Turtle probably reported its finding to its bale.


    The 3 rushed as quickly as possible.


    ¡­


    But of course, they were late, the Rock Turtles were already on the road. They could still force to cross but the old man stopped. It was a bale of turtles around a hundred of them crossing the donkey road. On the east side are some of the humans preparing in a formation to defend the farmlands. There was a formation of knights and some more adventurers.


    Rock Turtles usually hibernate for 3 to 5 years near a body of swamp or water but never near the sea, the larger it was the longer it hibernated. They usually go out pre-winter times, during those times this cluster of disasters would go around and eat some meat or plants, they are omnivores. The farmlands suffered these attacks twice every 10 years and it was this year again.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    These large monsters would try and eat anything that was moving. ¡°¡­¡± The old man then remembered something, when he arrived here at the eastern frontier he took on a quest. It was also to defend the farmlands against the Turtle Rocks. That was around 8 to 9 years ago.


    ¡°Follow me!!!¡± the old man said as he continued heading into the east, in the direction of the knights forming a line of defense.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too close to the turtles or they will try to attack you!!!¡± the old man warned the 2 boys. He was right, the Rock Turtles were already aware of them.


    Some of the knights in the front could see the 3 rushing into their front. The message was quickly passed, knight to knight, and finally in just moments, it reached their commander. The commander who was standing up on the wooden plank used some binoculars to look at them.


    He might look older but he immediately noticed who it was. It was the old man, he was also here when the turtles attacked years ago.


    The 3 was faster than the Rock Turtles (Well they are Turtles) they immediately arrived at the front lines, and the commander rushed into the front, very glad to see the old man.


    His hands landed on the shoulder of the old man ¡°Alphecca!!! Alphecca!!! Please!! Help us!!!¡± the commander hailed, he was a man in his early 40¡¯s. By his attire and armor, he was of a noble lineage.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you how to resolve the Rock Turtle problem? Why is this happening?¡± the old man asked. The two already knew of each other.


    The commander felt a bit of shame that his ears blushed a little after a while the noble glared at the old man. ¡°I will pay, You have to kill the damned turtles!!!¡± the commander said but now he was saying this with authority.


    The old man stepped on closer to the commander getting closer to his face, intimidating him. ¡°I hate nobles¡­ you know that right?¡± the old man said. It was known widely around the realm, as a matter of fact, it was even written in history how the hero of the era hated nobles, and he was infamous because of it.


    ¡°Please¡­ help us¡­ Sir Alphecca,¡± from behind another noble came closer, she was the wife of the commander the old man was talking to.


    ¡°Lady Farris¡­ can you explain to me why this shit is happening again?¡± the old man asked comfortably without honor, the commander was clearly agitated.


    The commander¡¯s name is Sir Wilfred Seldon, his wife 6 years younger than him is Lady Farris Seldon, Wilfred holds the title of a Count and so the Lady is also a Countess too. Unlike the nobles in the central, the nobles of the eastern frontier would fight every now and then. Lady Farris was in her armor, she was a good user of the spear.


    ¡°We actually failed to hire a ranger that would protect the forest¡­ it seems that the Marcians have a problem inside their family,¡± Lady Farris answered this with her knowledge. The old man immediately believed but then he looked at her husband.


    There was still something behind it all. The rock turtles when slayed have plenty of minerals inside their shells and it''s not shy with gold showing up. He looked around, the Count¡¯s weapon and armor looked brand new even the Countess¡¯s too.


    The Countess sweat, she knew that the old man was not an idiot.


    ¡°Old man¡­ there is something bigger coming,¡± suddenly Simon tapped the old man¡¯s back.


    The old man scanned the bale of the rock turtles which was like a moving mass of land. ¡°Ah crap¡­ it has awaken¡­¡± the old man said. The Count and Countess were perplexed with the comment.


    ¡°You should have followed my advice, you better use all the gold you have collected and call for an emergency quest¡­ the ancient turtle is on the move,¡± the old man said as he pointed out far away to the west, there was an utter disappointment as he bent his neck on one way.


    ¡°Boy, if that continues to move at that pace when would it arrive here?¡± the old man asks Simon.


    The boy gazed out far into the horizon¡­ ¡°3 days probably but the small ones will arrive any time now¡± the boy said.


    A rock turtle was as big as a normal house and seeing lots of it move would make one think that the earth was moving, Simon was actually enjoying the view of the moving land masses.


    ¡°Are you sure!!!? Little one! Are you sure?!!¡± the countess asked a bit panicking.


    Simon just nodded. ¡°Preposterous how could you believe a little boy?!¡± Wilfred was clearly in denial. If it was real, then the whole farmlands would be trampled down.


    ¡°Your great-grandfather took its eyes, you know that legend right? That¡¯s where your crest came from¡­¡± the old man said¡­ he met his great-grandfather when he was still little. Wilfred put his hands on his head, all he wanted was a little bit of wealth, if the farmlands got destroyed then the whole eastern frontier would fall.


    Wilfred for some reason fell his eyes into the shield of one of the knights, the old man was right, he shouldn¡¯t have slayed those Rat Fox, they were the natural predators of the Rock Turtles, he would send knights and even post-quest on the adventurer¡¯s guild for slaying the those damn Rat Fox.


    ¡°Their blood is in your hands¡­ you thought that you would only lose a few didn¡¯t you?¡± the old man said. ¡°We will help you¡­ send for the adventurer¡¯s guild¡­ Joshua come here!¡± then the old man suddenly called for their party''s guest.


    ¡°You have to get out of here,¡± the old man told him in a very sincere manner.


    ¡°No, I wanna try fighting it,¡± Joshua said so with a smile on his face.


    ¡°I see¡­ watch behind the lines first, you will change your mind quickly,¡± the old man said so.


    The faces of the knights were pale, the old man was right, a single Rock Turtle needed to be taken down by 20 to 30 knights, and still, 2 to 3 would die, but a hundred? Just calculating it through those facts would totally make the knights turn pale.


    First of all Turtle Rocks are very slow, it was easy to be surrounded the problem now is how to damage it, magic that isn¡¯t at least in the level of magic laws wouldn¡¯t do anything against it.


    They only moved when they were hungry and hunger was a great motivation. They would eat anything they see alive. To that note, they could tear through armors of almost any kind. This is one of the nastiest monsters that populated the eastern frontier even before.


    The large one that they called the ancient turtle had lived for god knows how many winters and eons already. There were even legends that some more of these ancient turtles still exist but nobody knew where they were.


    Although it was already written in the history books and the adventurers guild had the information on this large rock turtle on the western side of the Farm Lands, the named protector of the farmlands didn¡¯t do the right thing and now they are in a really bad situation.


    It would be possible to ask for reinforcements. The problem was that the politics of the nobles would always go in the way.


    A noble won''t expend its resources without an exchange or an agenda to follow through.

 Chapter 84 :: Hit them soft where they are too hard

    The knights'' screams pierced the crisp morning air, a haunting chorus of agony and rage. The battlefield was a gruesome tableau, awash with blood that pooled and mingled with the churned mud under the first light of dawn. Crushed rocks, glistening crimson in the early sunlight, littered the ground, painting a vivid picture of the relentless chaos of war.


    The western side of the farmlands didn¡¯t have a large wall like the southern side. Instead, it was just wooden barriers. The few hundred knights served as a human shield.


    Joshua was standing on the wooden plank together with the commander and his wife.


    Occasionally throwing spells, the single element that was effective against them, the water element weakens the rock turtle (Pokemon Logic) but taking it down with a physical attack would still be hard. Hammer was the friend of the knights, it was effective but it would still take a lot of effort and strength to break the rock shell down.


    ¡°Make way!!! Another one is lunging!!!¡± one of the captains of the knights screamed, 2 knights got crushed as they didn¡¯t have the chance to move away from the direction of the jumping attack of the turtles.


    Indeed, the turtles could jump. The monster wielded a devastating blend of earth and wind magic. When the turtles leaped and struck some of the knights, they devoured them instantly, without any preference¡ªsplattered, broken, or crunchy, it consumed them all. This gruesome feast also enabled the turtles to heal themselves.


    ¡°This is hell,¡± Joshua muttered as he watched. He had some friends in the farmland. He looked back toward the farmlands and saw knights on the walls to the south watching the battle. Some were in the barracks, while others were patrolling around. Why wouldn¡¯t they come here and help?


    ¡°Farris¡­ rest for a while, it''s my turn,¡± Wilfred said, his wife sat for awhile. There were boxes of magic potions on the wooden plank.


    ¡°My lady¡­ why won¡¯t they help,¡± Joshua suddenly asked.


    ¡°This side is ours¡­ we defend it like the south is their part they defend it¡­ asking for help would stain our name,¡± Lady Farris said with conviction, she then drank a magic potion but it would still take time for it to be ingested.


    But just watching the fight he could tell that they were already losing, wouldn¡¯t it be much better if they fought alongside themselves? Thoughts racing through Joshua¡¯s head¡­ ¡®Nobles are idiots.¡¯


    He would not be one of them.


    <--->


    The battlefield was chaos. The old man was clearly annoyed by the situation, the knights were moving really badly, they were disorganized, and the captains didn''t have enough training either.


    ¡°You numb skulls!!! HIT ITS LEGS!!!!! LEGS!!!¡± the old man was screaming on the battlefield, unlike the knights he had fallen 3 already. He couldn¡¯t see the boy anymore. But the loud crunches were the sound that said that he was still alive.


    The knights are totally confused. In the heat of the battle, even the trained ones were losing control.


    ¡°His dead!! He is dead!!¡± one of the knights is screaming.


    Some of them took the opportunity to attack a turtle that was eating a lump of crushed meat.


    ¡°Old man!!! 3 Hits!!!¡± a boy was screaming just in the right direction of whichever direction the old man was facing. The old man immediately found Simon, dirty with mud and some blood but he was not fazed rather the boy was smiling.


    ¡°You killed one?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°No!! 4 already!!!¡± Simon smirked pumping his fist just above his face.


    ¡°The hell¡­ how¡¯d you do that?¡± the old man asked. If only he could muster a proper control of his magic the fight would have been much more easier.


    But his health was failing him. Failing his control and his reign with magic.


    ¡°...¡± and the thought of consuming the drug made him smile¡­ but no he would not.


    ¡°You found out something didn¡¯t you? You little rascal,¡± the old man smiled fiercely.


    The boy smiled back too. ¡°The hardest part is easier to crack,¡± the boy said.


    ¡°How did you know that?¡± the old man asked in wonder.


    ¡°I tap their back and I find it¡­ sometimes I don¡¯t,¡± Simon tried to explain as clearly as possible but that¡¯s just what he had to say.


    This was enough for the old man to think of a plan capitalizing on the boy¡¯s ability to discover the weakness of the Rock Turtles.


    ¡°Okay, boy¡­ I have a plan¡­ wait you are not using the wooden sword?¡± the old man noticed that the wooden sword behind him was still clean.


    ¡°Hit the hard part with Palm and hit the soft part with a Fist¡­ you said it,¡± Simon answered while nodding¡­ the old man was quite impressed. All his hard work seems to be working now.


    <--->


    A messenger approached the wooden plank. It was a rugged Knight, some of his fingers were missing because rocks caught it.


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    ¡°My Lord¡­ the old man¡­ he wants some paint, 2 colors!! He said that if you don¡¯t bring some he will use the blood of the knights to mark it!¡± The knight was clearly tired, losing some blood.


    ¡°I will take care of it¡­ Joshua! Your name is Joshua right?¡± Sir Wilfred immediately found the boy that was together with him in the plank. ¡°Could you go to the carpenter¡¯s shop do you know where it is?¡±


    Of course, he knew, he was one of the workers on the farmlands ¡°I understand, 2 paints it is,¡± Joshua dropped all his bags and started running down the plank in the direction of the farmlands, the boy smiled, while he was at it he must notify the others, at least try to ask for more help.


    ¡°What is the old man¡¯s plan?¡± the commander asking for more explanation. His wife quickly put some bandage on the knight¡¯s fingers to stop it from bleeding in the least. Her hands quickly turned red.


    ¡°He says that; hit the spots with an X mark in the middle¡­ then go all out to the ones that will be marked in a single line,¡± the knight explained.


    ¡°Sir!!! The adventurers guild have sent some reinforcements!!!¡± another knight reported. The knight pointed out north. A few 10 to 20 of them which is a lot for the adventurer¡¯s guild to send. It justified the emergency request.


    The commander sighed, this news was one of the best things he had heard today. ¡°Brief them and send them to fight¡­ let them decide on how they would do things,¡± the commander said.


    He knew how adventurers operate. They could cooperate with them or do their own thing. It''s better to be like this because, unlike the knights that were trained in a military fashion. They are bound to follow orders and adventurers were not like that.


    <--->


    Hours into the fight. Finally, they have developed a system to fight the rock turtles. The old man was crazy with his ideas but it was working. The boy was a monster too¡­ when the paint came and the plan to organize the front lines started the boy began checking the rock turtles by jumping around.


    2 captains are taking turns in watching the front. The first few hours were a struggle because they were overflowed by monsters but after the old man really got serious he pushed that rock turtle¡¯s flood. The old man fired some kind of laser magic.


    ¡°Cross marked!!! A cross mark is coming!!¡± The captain warned the knights. A rock turtle approached the front lines.


    ¡°Single line mark!!! Left of it!!¡± the same captain said. The knights that were resting formed up.


    ¡°Lure it to the left side of the lines!!¡± the captain added another command and the adventurers that were resting up went to the left side.


    The adventurers just needed to go into range and make the rock turtle lunge at them, it was very dangerous. Of course, this was all part of the plan.


    On the left side of the front lines, a group of adventurers and knights was waiting to launch an ambush. While on the other side, the knights were already equipped with large hammers.


    The old man was now sitting on the plank where the commander was standing.


    ¡°The paint should be running out soon,¡± the old man said.


    The commander was still on the plank assessing the situation and listening to any words of wisdom from the old man as he was thinking hard.


    ¡°It should be here anytime soon,¡± the commander said. His wife is together with the knights who would be taking care of the lined-marked turtles.


    ¡°How¡¯s the calculations? Is it finished?¡± the old man asked. Sir Wilfred was actually on a map drawing circles and such.


    ¡°Old man, you are sick¡­ but it is possible¡­ is this the same tactic my grandfather used?¡± Wilfred asked wondering, the old man just nodded and looked at him.


    ¡°If you are indeed on a caliber of at least your old man then it''s possible,¡± The old man was clearly challenging him.


    ¡°I will not fail you this time¡­ thank you for the advice,¡± Wilfred bowed to the old man out of respect.


    ¡°Oh also bring food. Lots of it okay?¡± the old man smiled as if he remembered something.


    <--->


    A bit far from the frontline a boy was on the top of a rock turtle. Carefully skimming the surface, tapping around, and checking it twice. There was no fear on his face, he was just faithfully doing his work.


    Simon was getting hungry. But the old man said that he must empty the bucket of paint. He was earnestly following the orders.


    ¡°Here¡± Simon muttered as he painted a cross on the back of the rock turtle. He looked around and there was still a lot of them. He smiled since he was enjoying painting crosses and lines.


    The old man taught him a trick to be able to be not seen by the turtles. He just had to empty his magic low enough and he would not be detected by these large turtles. And he was actually good with it.


    After being satisfied he checked for the next turtle he would be jumping on¡°Next¡± and Simon jumped.


    As per the program he just had to tap around the rocky shell of the turtle. ¡°Oh¡­ here maybe¡± Simon smiled again but his paint was only good for 3 or 4 markings more. He will have to go back after a while.


    <--->


    The knights were working hard to clear up the space on the front lines. The Rock Turtles was just a chunk full of minerals. Using pick axes and carts they distributed and took the minerals dumping them near the farm lands.


    A boy arrived walking with a stride with his bucket in hand, his silhouette totally didn¡¯t look heroic but the knight and the captains that were watching over the battlefield recognized him.


    ¡°Boy!!!! Simon?! The old man is over there!!¡± one of the captains that was on the watch informs the boy.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Simon immediately closed his eyes. It was like an instinct whenever there were people around.


    ¡°Good job boy!!!¡± some of the adventurers and knights that were on the operation commended the boy. The boy just nodded but he was happy hearing compliments like that.


    ¡­


    The old man was there together with Joshua. Another bucket of paint and some food it seemed. ¡°Boy¡­ you will have to continue until you have marked all of the turtles¡­ how much more do you think?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± Simon truthfully answered. Of course, he was just not counting.


    ¡°If you walk out there again with this bucket¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be enough?¡± the old man asked again.


    The boy nodded. Lady Farris who was listening to them smiled. It won¡¯t be long it seemed.


    ¡°Thank the light,¡± the lady said with a release of tension from her voice. She closed her hands like she was praying. A typical act from the believers of the faith of Light.


    ¡°Lady you know we still have a problem¡­ you know there is still the ancient one,¡± the old man just loved to break it to the nobles.


    ¡°Boy, get some food and rest for a while,¡± the old man said.


    Simon nodded. The boy then proceeded to eat the food that was already on a table specially prepared for the boy. The boy laid eyes on the table and saw foreign objects. He knew the spoon, fork, and knife with all of it with different varieties but all else was something of an alien to him.


    The old man was staring at Simon wondering how he would eat and he did it like he was taught. Then the old man approached him.


    ¡°Simon, do not approach the big turtle okay?¡± the old man said. The boy just nodded because his face was stuffed with food.


    ¡°You are crazy old man,¡± Joshua suddenly commented, he was just sitting near the wooden plank.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ this is nothing¡­ we¡¯ve been through worse,¡± the old man said. In just one look Joshua could tell that the old man was not well. It must be the large magic spell he used to push the flood of the rock turtles earlier.


    Staring at the old man closer¡­ his hands were shaking.


    ¡°Are you okay old man?¡± Joshua asked. It seemed that he was the only one who noticed it.


    The old man smiled and left the spot. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked some adventurers, you will go with them into safety,¡± the old man left this comment before he went on.


    ¡°Wait I¡¯ve got a request¡­¡± Joshua said as he tried to catch up with the old man.

 Chapter 85 :: Lasers and Beams

    Amidst the battle and struggle against the Rock Turtles, Joshua, and the old man stood still.


    ¡°I want to know what happens if we fight for real,¡± Joshua said staring straight into the old man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You want a real fight against Simon?¡± a baffled reaction from the old man. He stared at the boy¡¯s face. He was serious. There are things that a man would meet things on his life. The most important thing was to not regret anything.


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat him¡­ I¡¯m sure of it,¡± The old man said as he curved his eyebrow in annoyance.


    Joshua stood there, shoulders slumped, as the harsh words cut through him like icy daggers. The sting of rebuke was sharp, branding him with a sense of insignificance. Even the confidence he once held in his abilities, the belief that he excelled in the fight he thought he could win, now crumbled like fragile glass under the weight of reality.


    A tumultuous storm brewed within him, a tempest of emotions swirling relentlessly in his mind. Helplessness gnawed at his core, a bitter taste of inadequacy poisoning his thoughts. With each passing moment, despair tightened its grip, squeezing out any semblance of hope.


    In the suffocating grip of despair, Joshua found himself at a crossroads. The shadows of selfishness beckoned, promising an escape from the torment of his current reality. It was a tempting offer, a fleeting respite from the relentless onslaught of disappointment and rejection. And so, with a heavy heart and a clouded mind,  he surrendered to the selfish impulse, seeking solace in a decision tainted with desperation.


    ¡°I want to fight him either way¡­¡± Joshua said regardless. He won¡¯t regret anything.


    <--->


    After a few hours of Simon¡¯s rest he was back up and running, instead of immediately going back to his job he was now standing face to face again with Joshua. The old man told him so he followed.


    ¡°Sorry Simon¡­¡± Joshua apologized to the boy. He was actually asking for a spar. With a small buckler in his hand and a short sword. Provided by the Lady Farris.


    ¡°Boy no need to hold back-,¡± the old man said ¡°-Just get over with it,¡± he added totally making Joshua glare at the old man.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m holding a better shield¡­ and I¡¯m very good,¡± Joshua said, wasn¡¯t sure if it was a bluff but Joshua began hopping left and right. The old man smiled. The boy had something new to show off.


    Simon took up his sword and went into his stance. ¡°¡­ It''s impossible to beat me¡­¡± Simon innocently smiled.


    Joshua was prideful but he was not full of himself. What Simon said was probably true. But so what? It was just a spar. The two locked eyes for a while. There was silence, the spectators knew that they were not normal kids. The tense atmosphere between the two was strangely genuine.


    Joshua rushed. Although he had his shield, doing the things the enemy least expected was his mandate and it was his advantage. He went in with his shield up.


    ¡°Oof!!!¡± but then Joshua bounced off.


    Simon did the same thing he did. Pointing at the sweet spot of the shield he stopped Joshua¡¯s push.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that already,¡± Simon said. Joshua gritted his teeth and started shifting with his feet just as he saw Simon do it.


    Simon immediately knew that it was the moves Joshua stole from him. ¡°¡­ Nice isn¡¯t it?¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Simon nodded in agreement.


    Joshua did the same move again this time he shifted his shield letting Simon¡¯s same counter move slip through the shape of his buckler. Simon used footwork to compensate for his loss of balance but the shield tackle was followed up by a sword sweep. Simon dodged it by hair¡¯s breadth.


    Simon wouldn¡¯t let a chance or misstep go.


    Joshua knew that he was at a disadvantage and tried to pivot himself to dodge the oncoming attack from Simon. But Simon already predicted it.


    ¡°How¡¯d¡­¡± the first attack; a diagonal slash; split the shield and with his next step he swung again. The second slash was done near the handle of Joshua¡¯s short sword like how the old man did it to him.


    Simon swept down hitting his feet with his sword. It was enough to make him fall down.


    ¡°I win,¡± Simon said as he pointed his sword at Joshua¡¯s neck.


    ¡°You broke my shield, a wooden sword splitting iron shield,¡± that was the only thing Joshua said.


    Simon put his hand out to help Joshua stand up. But Joshua didn¡¯t grab it and just stood up on his own. ¡°I will leave tomorrow¡­ I just want to know what happens when you don¡¯t hold back,¡± Joshua said as he glared at the old man.


    Joshua totally felt like an idiot. Although he knew that Simon was a monster he just wanted to try it out¡­ probably because of pride or he couldn¡¯t accept that he won against Simon while the boy held back (Back in the arena).


    Joshua looked down trying to stop his tears.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry boy, you will make it. Stick to your guts and keep working on your style,¡± the old man tapped his shoulder, it''s probably the last time they would be conversing. He would be leaving tomorrow together with an adventurer who would be reporting back to the adventurer¡¯s guild.


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    ¡°Simon go on finish the job tonight,¡± the old man then as cold as he was ordered Simon.


    The boy just nodded and then he tapped on Joshua''s shoulders like the old man. Grabbing the paint bucket he left for the front lines.


    ¡°Alphecca! We have the shovels we will start now!¡± Wilfred informed the old man.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to make it deep. As long as you make the borders deep enough the the ancient rock turtle will do the rest for us¡± The old man smiled fiercely.


    It was getting colder so their plan would be much easier to accomplish.


    <--->


    After a few hours¡­


    Simon continued his job. Jumping around the backs of the rock turtles. Tapping around it, locating the weaker part where it could easily be destroyed. The boy was getting a better feel as he continued his work. The vibration was doing its work.


    It was really getting dark but he could clearly see the moving mass of the ancient turtle. The vibrations it produced were impossible to miss. The old man warned him, he shouldn¡¯t approach it. Simon jumped away from the rock turtle he was standing on. He started moving away, he had to go back now.


    ¡°...¡± But as he landed on a hill. He looked back¡­ it was really big. Things started swirling in his mind. Whenever the old man would unleash his blood lust on him he feared for his life. Rather than that he had never felt frightened about anything. The battle on the ruins with that powerful thief, the battle against the wyvern, and now.


    Maybe something was wrong with him? He thought¡­ but for some reason, he couldn¡¯t explain, he wanted to fight the ancient turtle. A weird feeling as his instincts were telling him.


    ¡°My heart is beating fast?¡± Simon said as he placed his hand on his chest. What was happening to him?


    The boy was confused¡­ but his orders were absolute, the old man¡¯s instructions were absolute. He decided to go back.


    <--->


    Back to the frontline of the Farm Lands.


    Although they had been fighting effectively it was really exhausting. The continuous bashing of the crossed mark; rock turtle''s shell. Going ballistic on the rock turtles that had the line mark. Added that they had to clear up the carcass of the rock turtles that were slain. (They were literally rocks) Some of the shovels were starting to wear out, and some of the carts were breaking down but the work continued. Although the turtles were slow, they would surely arrive.


    Simon was already back with the old man. He was inexhaustible, just a few hours of sleep then he would be okay. The food continued to be supplied, and the minerals the rock turtles were providing were boosting the reserves of the nobles and their spending so much for the food. Sometimes it would be gems and a shy of gold, the knights and the adventurer smiled as they pushed the worn-out carts.


    ¡°I can see it!! There are no more rock turtles!! only the big one!!¡± one of the captains who was keeping an oversight screamed.


    The adventurers and the knights cheered. The counter plan for the ancient turtle was still ongoing. That news totally lifted the spirits of the whole army.


    ¡°Double up!!!¡± the noble in command screamed, Wilfred was exhausted but was in high spirits.


    Some of the knights were already starting digging. The plan was simple, they just had to dig a trench as wide as the ancient turtle. Simon provided the measurement by just showing it since he didn¡¯t know the right concept of it.


    ¡°From here to there¡± that¡¯s what the boy said.


    ¡°Use the rock turtles!!! If it¡¯s not gold leave it!¡± it was the old man screaming along with the commander.


    The fight continued into the night, it would go on until the early morning the next day. More adventurers arrived from the adventurer¡¯s guild from the north.


    ¡­


    ¡°Boy!! Wake up!!! You don¡¯t want to miss this!!¡± the old man woke up Simon who was sleeping somewhere along with the adventurers.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The boy looked around. As far as he could remember, they had a few fun hours ago after they finished digging the trench, he was together with the adventurers merrily celebrating.


    ¡°Hey!! Boys!!! Wake up!!!¡± the old man woke the other adventurers too.


    The army was ready. Sir Wilfred and  Lady Farris standing on a plank near the trench. There was a large lump of meat down the trench, it was supposedly the bait for the ancient turtle. The adventurers who were feeling a bit naughty even placed a salad dressing ¡®to make it more appetizing¡¯ according to them.


    ¡°It launched!!! It fucking launched itself!!!¡± an adventurer who specialized in seeing far screamed with all her might. She started running back to the trenches. She had to make it clear.


    ¡°Raise the barrier!!!¡± Wilfred screamed in response. Everyone around started chanting, erecting a large barrier. Wilfred and his wife Farris knelt and started chanting too.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming!!!¡± the same adventurer screamed her lungs out, she passed through the barrier that moment too.


    Anyone who could use wind magic started casting Air Cushion layered as wide as the trenches. It was a simple magic but seeing it done by many mages was a sight to behold.


    Simon couldn¡¯t see that old man but then the old man¡¯s magic spiked up. It totally took the show from the magic that was getting activated all around. As the magic in the air concentrated, the old man¡¯s magic still surpassed it all.


    Finally, the turtle that was as big as 2 gallons started falling down. The pressure it created could be felt. It made the others cower. Simon gulped, he embraced the pressure.


    ¡°Do not falter!!!! You are the frontier!!! Thrive!!!¡± the old man¡¯s voice, crisp and clear, motivated the whole army of knights, nobles, and adventurers.


    <--->


    The old man raised his hands. Everyone could feel their power effectively increasing. It was a buff. It was of a light attribute. All magical effects were multiplied by a hundred. Would it be enough to catch a falling mountain? The old man smiled, he had never been as excited as this for a long time now. His blood was boiling. Knowing that he could fuck up his magic anytime made him smile, luckily the dragoon flower extract was doing its trick.


    Magic on his head. His imagination of how he would fry the rock turtle swirled in his mind.


    And the mountain of a turtle fell. Penetrating the Air Cushion they have set up. The heavy resistance of the Air Cushion reduced the impact of the Ancient Rock Turtle. Each layer dispersed as its massive body reduced the distance from the ground. The old man smirked. The Air Cushion did the trick. Still, the kinetic energy from the weight blasted the army. The barrier sustained some crack but it was not penetrated.


    ¡°Tidal Wave!!!!!!¡± a scream from the noble that was below. Together with his wife, they created a large downpour of water from thin air.


    The old man could tell the two were overwhelmed by the power that they were feeling. The water that came out gushed powerfully and in a few moments the Ancient Rock Turtle complained with a ¡°ROOOOAAAR¡± as it was already wet.


    ¡°Keep it on!!!¡± the old man screamed as he used flash step to arrive at the back of the turtle.


    ¡°Time to eat this¡­¡± the old man from his hand a ball of light as huge as a human head. He raised it and it started scattering and floating downwards the water. ¡°Refraction Beams,¡± the old man muttered. It was magic at the level of magic laws. The law of light. The old man fully understood the properties of the light.


    As soon as it touched the water, laser beams sprouted like spires, the water refracted it multiplying it to a thousand.


    It pierced the ancient turtle. Its sturdiness didn''t mean a thing when the light pierced through it. The water did the trick. It was genius and at the same time cruel, the ancient rock turtle died in just a few minutes. To the ones who saw it, it inspired fear and awe.


    A shadow escaped from the body of the rock turtle. The old man smiled, he had never seen it, only had red of it from books. A horned humanoid species scampering to escape.

 Chapter 86 :: Blue Blood

    His anger seething, cursing the world, cursing the humans. He was now storming off back to the ruins to the west. Near the small lake, his hideout should still be there. He was supposed to bring home glory¡­ get celebrated, but then this happened.


    The plan should have been flawless, all the time the demon spent was drowned into nothing. Influencing the nobles that were true to their greed. Making sure of the success of the adventurers slaying the Rat Foxes.


    His blood boiled, and his head throbbed in frustration. He failed. Then to add to the insult. The clan of the Light users was still there. The demon had both missing arms and his right horn disintegrated. The light magic was their weakness, it was their bane. But he was sure another demon reported that the clan had already perished. Knowing that the light users still exist he felt fear.


    He tried running as fast as he could to escape, as long as he was still alive then he could still plan. Navigate the human weakness, he was a demon. It was their mandate to install the demons back on the top of the food chain. The demon who never knew how to smile smirked. He was going to get back to them. Plan more carefully¡­ plan more sophisticated.


    Drips of his blood blood splattered the ground where he was traveling. Demons don¡¯t die that easily. Given time he could regenerate his limbs by absorbing magic in the air, it was slow but he could live even a thousand years. Then the demon began feeling something on the back of his head. His instinct warned. He dived without knowing what was going to hit him.


    ¡°Missed?-¡± It was the old man, the user of the light magic that ended the ancient turtle. ¡°-Your blood is blue¡­ you are a demon,¡± The old man spoke. His face was clearly agitated. The demon saw his life flashing in front of him as he saw the old man¡¯s light.


    ¡°You are a Varus¡­ bringer of light!!!¡± the demon spoke glaring.


    ¡°I¡¯ve thrown that name a long time ago¡­ my family had been abolished a long time ago¡­ demon,¡± the old man¡¯s sword glowed. His eyes flowed with magic and a flowing light. He went into a high stance. ¡°I was told¡­ even by my grandfather if I find one of your kind¡­ I must eradicate you¡­¡± the old man was high on magic, probably because of the Dragoon Root Extract? Or maybe because his blood was screaming.


    ¡°On that note¡­ any more of you?¡± the old man smirked. His eyes blazed with more light magic than ever.


    ¡°Do you¡­!!!! GRAAAAAAH!!!!¡± but before the demon finished his sentence. The intense light coming from the old man¡¯s swing disintegrated him. Every fiber of the demon turned into dust and into nothingness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really care what you say¡­¡± the old man said.


    As the light subsided not even the shadow of the demon remained. ¡°Boy¡­ you followed me?¡± the old man said immediately noticing Simon who was just a few meters behind him hiding on a rock.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Simon asked wondering what the blue-blooded species was.


    ¡°The scum of the earth¡­ bane of the humans¡­ never mind that, go back first, the drug is doing great, maybe I would help them carve the road back to normal again while I still can,-¡± but Simon just stared at him, the boy could tell that he was not well. ¡°-Boy¡­ don¡¯t look at me like that¡­ go on,¡± the old man said.


    Simon nodded and followed the old man¡¯s words.


    After the boy left the old man smiled. The feeling of his magic overflowing¡­ and under his full control. He savored the feeling. The donkey road was trampled by the rock turtles, he was going to clear it.


    <--->


    The party was a total blast. The adventurers were singing and eating the night away. They would resume work tomorrow in clearing and fixing back the rock turtle carcass would be a long process. The noble that was commanding was planning to use the lump of soil and rock to just extend the southern wall going up to the west side.


    Wilfred and his wife Lady Farris just sat by the plank with a beer in hand. The two couldn¡¯t even move. After the boy screamed that the ancient rock turtle was dead, all of their tension drained down, the knight even needed to escort them back to the plank and from when the party started they hadn¡¯t moved away from the plank.


    The old man arrived, and a few of the knights who were still stationed on the borders instantly noticed him. Compliments and applause were on the go as the adventurers and knights saw his visage. The old man smiled at the warm welcome, it''s been a long time since he had basked in the light of applause after his glory. He had in his mind where he was going next, he was going to the commander.


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    ¡°Finally!!! Alphecca of the sword of light!!!! Please enjoy the feast!!!¡± Wilfred said as the old man approached the two.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the boy?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ we don¡¯t know where is the boy, when the party started he said he would eat some and left,¡± it was Lady Farris who answered, the old man raised his brows, the lady was speaking to him normally unlike the tone of a noble.


    ¡°I see, I will find him, I¡¯m also planning to drink the night away, oh and by the way,¡± the old man took a glass of rum which was lying near the plank. ¡°I have cleared the western donkey path, add that to the expenses¡­ enjoy the party,¡± the old man said as he left.


    ¡°He really rambunctious,¡± it was Lady Farris the one who spoke. But she was smiling, she didn¡¯t mind how the old man acted or spoke. Others would say the most beautiful things in front of you but leave you at the moment of your weakness¡­ the old man was different, he would say the most honest remarks one could possibly hear, using the most efficient words like ¡®Stupid¡¯ or ¡®Idiot¡¯; to her surprise, those words were effective for her husband.


    ¡°Stop smiling¡­ Farris¡­ do you fancy the old man?!¡± Wilfred the jealous man that he was glared at his wife.


    ¡°No, I love you¡­ but he just reminds me of my great grandfather, tee-hee¡­ rather, I¡¯m in the mood tonight¡­ if you are?¡± the lady bewitchingly smiled at Wilfred.


    All Wilfred¡¯s worries drained and he forcefully finished his drink and with all his might stood up and took the Lady Farris in a princess carry.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got some lovely pills in the bedroom that I think will be to your liking!!¡± Wilfred declared full of determination. Farris laughed.


    ¡°Okay! Men I will be leaving for a while! See you tomorrow!!¡± Wilfred declared. For the captains that heard them, they knew it and they cheered for their lord, they were all men.


    <--->


    Simon was silently doing the Flow exercise, the old man skillfully found him on one corner of the western border, an elevated ground on a hill. The boy was in an Indian seat position. Simon instantly opened his eyes when he felt the old man getting closer.


    Simon stood up but the old man stopped him by waving his hand waving down.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to train tonight, the adventurers are celebrating along with the knights, it¡¯s a rare sight,¡± the old man said and he gulped down a shot of the wine he opened with a pop.


    ¡°Old man¡­ that blue thing you killed¡­ what was that?¡± the boy asked. The old man smirked, innocence was bliss.


    ¡°Remember this Simon¡­ if you see one¡­ do everything you can do to kill them¡­ these blue creatures in humanoid form are demons,¡± the old man explained.


    ¡°Demons?¡± but it was not enough for Simon.


    ¡°Remember my words¡­ but don¡¯t tell anyone about it¡­ don¡¯t think about it actually,¡± the old man concluded putting his fingers on his chin while nodding.


    ¡°Old Man¡­ you are really strong¡­ I want to understand more about magic!¡± Simon exclaimed, the boy was clearly excited.


    The old man smiled and sat along with the boy. ¡°Unfortunately I can¡¯t teach you properly¡­ I actually learned by instinct and self-taught¡­ and the years really built me up,¡± the old man explained.


    ¡°But when you trained me with sword¡­ you said I should learn my own style¡­ doesn¡¯t it work like that with magic?¡± Simon wondered.


    The old man shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m actually better with swords¡­ if you have seen how the old magicians used magic¡­ my magic would be incomparable. They would probably say that it was a child¡¯s play,¡± the old man said and he took another swig.


    The old man could tell. When peace came, it forged weak humans but when it was their era where everywhere was survival, it forged stronger humans. He looked at the boy. The boy would have thrived during those times in the past. It would be so good to see that. How far could this boy climb up?


    The old man¡¯s hands began shaking, the alcohol was numbing his pain. Simmering it down to be almost unnoticeable.


    ¡°Where should we sleep?¡± The old man asked the boy.


    The boy used his thumb. The bed and their things were already set up a few walks behind them. The old man gazed around finally understanding why Simon wanted to stay there.


    ¡°Do you miss the mountains boy?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ yeah, I do sometimes, especially when I see the sky,¡± the boy said smiling a bit.


    The wind breeze was cool. The sky was cleared, it was because of the turtle¡¯s fall. It totally cleared all the clouds around the area. It reminded me of the nostalgic feeling on the mountains they stayed¡­ where Simon grew up. The two stared at each other.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go down and get some more meat, it''s okay for today,¡± the old man said smiling fiercely, Simon nodded, of course, he do love eating meat.


    The two jolly went down back into the festivities.


    <--->


    A few weeks later, Joshua found himself in Trist Port Town. He would never forget his time spent on the eastern frontier; the world seemed so vast, and so much had happened in just a few days that his life was changing rapidly. Now, he was waiting in the cafeteria of the adventurers¡¯ guild in Trist Port Town.


    A group of adventurers from the Farm Lands had escorted him to Pharsha, the closest town to the Farm Lands. After a day, Pharsha¡¯s Adventurers Guild had arranged for escorts to take him to Trist Port Town, where he had been training.


    ¡°You are a Varus? Joshua Varus?¡± the guild staff member at what she was seeing.


    ¡°Yes¡­ do you know me?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°No¡­ wait for a while here-,¡± the lady was supposed to leave but she glanced back to Joshua ¡°-do you know Alphecca Varus?¡± the lady asked before leaving. Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°I see¡­ you can eat for a while, order anything on the menu,¡± She said.


    ¡°I just had breakfast thank you,¡± Joshua smiled and the lady left.


    As he sat in the guild cafeteria, he heard clattering sounds and shouting voices from outside the guild. Curious, he wondered what was happening and decided to investigate it. He followed the sound and went out of the guild building.


    To his surprise, it was behind the next building after the guild¡¯s house. It was an underground arena. Where people were screaming watching the two fighters in the middle fight. Joshua smiled. He still had some money and wondered where he could buy a shield and sword.

 Chapter 87 :: Memories Behind

    After the rock turtle invasion, the old man was in some sort of a weakened state. The ragged boy that was together with him, Simon could notice it. The old man¡¯s appetite clearly diminished.


    They stayed in the Farm Land¡¯s western outskirts. They would help with the restoration of the donkey paths in the morning then spar in the afternoon and in the evening Simon would practice flow. The boy was getting stronger in terms of magic but he didn¡¯t have any applicable usage for this. Still, the boy didn¡¯t stop.


    Until one day an adventurer approached them.


    ¡°Sir¡­ a letter from the guild master of Pharsha,¡± the lone adventurer said and gave the said letter to the old man.


    ¡°Thanks, tell him that I really appreciate this,¡± the old man said, they were currently sparring.


    Simon took his sweet time resting and just silently watched the quick conversation. The old man stared at Simon and then opened up the letter. After a few reads he crumpled it and smiled.


    ¡°We are going to the Sun God¡¯s peak, a blacksmith I know lives there,¡± the old man said. It was not the only good news he read.


    Joshua had safely gone into the central continent. He wasn¡¯t sure what the future would be for him but knowing one of his own was alive made him smile.


    ¡°Sun God¡¯s Peak?¡± the boy said as he stood up.


    ¡°Ready our things, I would just say goodbye to the couple,¡± the old man said and he began to leave, Simon proceeded to prepare their things.


    The old man walked Eastward. During that time the knights were still busy. He could see the quick progress of the new western wall of the Farmlands. In a few moments he arrived at the ridge they dug earlier. There were now made stairs¡­ a monument was also there where the names of the fallen were etched, going up, the gate that was still under construction.


    Wilfred was on the top of the gate. Magic and human ingenuity were truly a marvel to behold when in action. The old man smiled, in a few more weeks the wall would be finished. Wilfred saw the old man and waved, the noble jumped down and using earth magic cushioned himself.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I like that,¡± the old man said and Wilfred smiled at him brightly.


    The Seldon clan was known as the holder of the Earth and Water magic element. They were originally from the central continent and specialized in constructing magic. But the noble¡¯s society swallowed them whole, nicknamed as the Dirty Nobles they opt to move to the eastern continent and try their luck on the eastern frontier.


    The old man showed his hands. Wilfred shook it.


    ¡°We will be leaving now, take care and I would like some money too,¡± the old man shamelessly said.


    Wilfred smiled, he was beginning to understand how the old man thinks. The glory he had experienced in the fight against the rock turtle would be a lesson he would never forget. He wallowed remembering Lady Farris¡¯s story about Joshua.


    His wife said that the boy actually tried to ask help from the other nobles of the farmlands to fight against the turtle but he was reprimanded.


    ¡°I will give you some, just give me a few moments,-¡± Wilfred smiled, he would gladly comply with the old man. ¡°-Thank you for everything¡­ where is the boy now?¡± Wilfred asked for the boy who was always together with the old man.


    ¡°He is back at our camp preparing for our leave¡­ don¡¯t even think you could handle the boy,¡± the old man had an idea of why Wilfred was asking for the boy.


    ¡°He would be a monster in the future, where did you find him?¡± Wilfred wanted to know more.


    ¡°No¡­ he actually found me¡­ let¡¯s leave it at that¡­¡± the old man said.


    <--->


    Trist Port Town.


    The news of the Rock Turtle invasion spread. The hero of the era¡¯s name was heard again after a long time. Jimmy glared, the Guild Master of the Adventurer¡¯s Guild in Pharsha wondered how did it happened. One of the few requests of the old man was to make him anonymous as much as possible.


    The doors of his office opened up and a staff entered ¡°Sir¡­ Joshua Varus has been successfully delivered into the Central Continent, but he disappeared,¡± the staff said, Jimmy, the old man pinched his eyebrows. Well, delivering him was the only request of the old man.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Now to deal with his paper works that was at hand.


    ¡°Knock- Knock,¡± the office door sounded. It opened.


    A figure emerged from the opened door, his presence commanding attention despite his unassuming stature. With a frame of average build, he carried himself with a quiet confidence that spoke volumes. But it was his visage that truly captivated the two onlookers¡ªa face weathered by time and trials, bearing a scar on his face. His most striking feature, a vacant socket where an eye once resided, served as a haunting reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of his adventures.


    Long strands of hair, silvered with age, cascaded down his back like a waterfall of memories. Each strand seemed to whisper secrets of distant lands and perilous journeys, weaving tales of heroism and hardship. To the untrained eye, he appeared as a veteran of countless escapades, a living legend shrouded in mystery and legend.


    But to the old man Jimmy, there was no mystery surrounding this enigmatic figure. He knew him by name, a name whispered in hushed tones by those who dared to speak of him¡ªRedgar Nigel.


    ¡°Jimmy it''s good to see you¡­¡± Redgar smiled, and with him, a few daggers were hanging on his waist. The famous rainbow daggers. The staff that was together with the guild master gulped. Jimmy waved at the staff so that she could leave.


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± Redgar''s voice boomed, a commanding force that froze the staff member in his tracks. His gaze bore into Jimmy, the guild master, with an intensity that hinted at the raw power he wielded. Jimmy''s smile faltered, a thin veneer of confidence cracking under the weight of Redgar''s presence.


    ¡°Redgar... what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?¡± Jimmy''s attempt at nonchalance belied the unease that simmered beneath the surface. The staff member could feel a chill creeping up her spine as the tension between the two men thickened, each word laden with an unspoken threat.


    ¡°I have come for you, but before that¡­¡± Redgar''s voice rumbled like distant thunder as he closed the distance to the desk, his eye boring into Jimmy''s with an intensity that seemed to pierce through flesh and bone. ¡°Don''t you dare lie to me, Jimmy Clatter¡­¡± His words were a whispered threat, laced with the promise of consequences. ¡°I''ve held you in high regard, respected your integrity... but now, tell me... Where is the old bastard?¡±


    ¡°Man of my word, my ass!!¡± Jimmy''s defiance cracked like thunder against Redgar''s looming presence. ¡°Then why are you here?! Why resort to threats and¡ª¡±


    ¡°SLAM!!!¡± The desk quaked under Redgar''s wrathful fist, cutting Jimmy''s words short with a jolt of primal fear.


    ¡°Are you stalling for time?¡± Redgar''s voice was a growl, dripping with menace. ¡°I will uncover the truth, one way or another... Speak now, or watch her suffer,¡± he threatened, his knife glinting in the dim light as it pointed dangerously to the trembling staff member. A stifled gasp escaped the staff member''s lips, her throat dried with terror.


    ¡°You''d sacrifice an innocent bystander now?¡± Jimmy''s smirk dripped with disdain. ¡°You disappoint me... and you''re becoming a rarity.¡± Despite his age, Jimmy''s irritation burned hot beneath the surface, fueled by the audacity of Redgar''s actions.


    But Redgar wasn''t seeking approval; he demanded compliance. With a coldness that sent shivers down Jimmy''s spine, he hurled the knife towards the staff member, a merciless execution of his demand. Jimmy reacted instinctively, flinging his pen in a desperate attempt to alter the blade''s trajectory, but it was futile. Although it hit the knife found its mark, embedding itself in the staff member''s shoulder, eliciting a gut-wrenching scream of agony.


    ¡°REDGAR... YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!¡± Jimmy''s fury ignited like wildfire, crackling with unrestrained rage. Lightning crackled around him, a manifestation of his wrath. ¡°How dare you commit such an atrocity in front of me!?¡± His voice thundered, shaking the very foundation of the room.


    ¡°You hypocrite! Lenaya died, and you were there too! That damned old man was there too! I played my part, yet I''m the one who suffers in the end!¡± Redgar, undeterred by Jimmy''s outburst, retrieved another knife from his waist, his resolve unyielding. ¡°Don''t expect me to back down now,-¡± he growled, his gaze unwavering. ¡°-If it''s a fight to the death you seek, then so be it.¡±


    Jimmy knew that the whole town would be destroyed if they fought. ¡°He''s heading southeast¡­ if you have heard of the Sun God Peak, they are going there,¡± Jimmy clenched his fist after answering it.


    A smile cracked at Redgar¡¯s face.


    Blood started flowing out of Jimmy¡¯s chest. His shirt was getting drenched on it, he checked it out but there was no hole in his shirt. What was happening?


    Something was wrong, his strength was leaving his body, ¡°What is this?!!¡± Jimmy said. He tried using his magic but he collapsed as sparks tried to leave his body.


    ¡°Jimmy, Rolling Thunder¡­ you command lightning, you mentored the old bastard for a while¡­ you survived the most dangerous era in history¡­ but you are not immune against a demonic spell,¡± Redgar said.


    To Jimmy, the scene changed. He was on his bed, his chest already punctured. ¡°You are going to die now,¡± Redgar stood beside his bed and a demon was holding his head.


    ¡°Demon¡­ let go of me!!!¡± Jimmy told in spite.


    Redgar knew that the Old Jimmy would die¡­ slowly, he stared at the eyes of the old man. ¡°I could end this faster,¡± Redgar offered his mercy but¡­


    The dying Jimmy smirked. ¡°I want to feel my life escaping out of my body¡­ just watch me die please¡­ and get this fucking demon away from me,¡± the old man said. Redgar looked at the demon who scowled at the old man. ¡°Please leave¡­ I will fulfill the contract¡­ my soul at stake,¡± Redgar said solemnly.


    The demon left the room of the old man. To Redgar he still felt sympathy as he watched the old man begin his final breath. ¡°You should know this¡­ those demons were the ones who eradicated the Varus clan¡­ Alphecca¡¯s clan¡­ they are the only ones that could fight against them, the only one who could¡­¡± Finally, Jimmy died.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care¡­¡±


    Redgar said as he started to leave, he was on the second floor of the adventurer¡¯s guild. He went outside of the windows jumping on the ground. The demon was there waiting for him while it was already wearing a disguise.


    ¡°Was the information enough?¡± the demon asked.


    ¡°It''s enough,-¡± and Redgar began to walk, his purpose and destination were clear¡­ he had been waiting for years¡­ and years. Now that he heard that he was still alive it was time to fulfill his promise, Redgar touched his scar and glared. ¡°-Alphecca, I¡¯m coming for you!¡±

 Chapter 88 :: Sky Hounds are ‘Annoying’

    Simon was really worried about the old man. Something was clearly wrong with him. The two were now sparring on the side of the southern walls of the farmlands, the guards would even notice them since they were so loud in their spar.


    The old man''s once hearty appetite had dwindled to almost nothing. Simon, who had once eagerly accepted the old man''s leftovers with gratitude, now found himself unable to muster even a shred of joy at the meager offerings.


    Despite the old man''s weakened state, there was one thing that ignited a flicker of vitality within him: the relentless clash of wooden swords as they sparred. The worn-out wood swords, weathered by countless duels, bore the scars of their fierce battles, each splinter and chip a testament to their dedication.


    As they faced off day after day, the intensity of their swordplay soared to new heights. What had once been a casual practice now evolved into a relentless dance of wood and determination. With each swing and parry, the old man''s movements defied his frailty, his muscles remembering the strength they had once possessed.


    It made Simon doubt his skills, although the old man was in a weakened state he would still sweep the shit out of him. The wit and the experience played a huge part against the boy.


    The rhythm of their fight echoed through the air, a symphony of clashing wood and heavy breaths, punctuated by the occasional grunt of exertion. Time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in the art of combat, the outside world fading away to nothing but the sound of their own heartbeats.


    For the old man, the thrill of battle was a temporary respite from the weight of his troubles, a fleeting moment of freedom amidst the chaos that engulfed them. And for Simon, watching the old man''s determination blaze anew with each swing of his sword, it was a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there was still hope to be found in the strength of their bond.


    <--->


    It was clear skies, maybe two or one and half days before the old man and the boy would see the Sun God¡¯s Peak. The two would walk around the donkey path for eight hours and train in the morning and at night. They still had some rations that the Farmland nobles gave them.


    Simon happily walked with his over-inflated bag. It was quite annoying for the old man though as he watched the boy trotted leaving heavy foot marks on the ground.


    The old man immediately saw some shadows that were floating in the sky. skyhounds.


    ¡°Boy! We have company!! Drop your bags on the side of the road, be careful or it will burst!!!¡± The old man warned Simon, the boy immediately walked to the side dropping his bag on the ground and soon after that, he started collecting stones. The old man smiled, at least the boy remembered how to fight the skyhounds.


    Simon counted at them, there were eight of them, not a surprising number for the old man since on their right side was the ridge of the Craig Mountain range.


    ¡°One¡¯s coming!!!¡± the old man said to Simon and the boy immediately went back to his side sharing the stone he got. As the skyhounds started their descent the two literally enjoyed throwing stones at them. The old man could hit much more better than Simon, and the boy showing his competitiveness tried eagerly but only hit 2 of the skyhounds that attacked them.


    Six survived the fall. skyhounds who had become unable to fly were already ready to throw their lives away to get back at the two, the skyhounds were proud of their wings and their ability to fly. After losing it they would consider themselves invalid and just waiting to die.


    The old man drew his sword. Simon had the Earthen Wood Sword. Simon could tell that the skyhounds were looking to get back, as they lay bare their teeth and growled, the two humans enjoyed the blood lust that they emanated.


    ¡°Simon¡­ the one with the green fang¡­ it''s poisonous be careful, and remember the smell,¡± the old man warned the boy even though he was sure that it wouldn¡¯t land at the boy. A beast that was cornered and ready to lose its life was one of the most dangerous encounters.


    The skyhounds barked and glared at the two as they prepared their final resistance or probably vengeance. It started with one of the skyhounds running into them, surprisingly, the skyhounds were slow. It was because they would always use their wings rather than their limbs.


    The first attack was aimed at Simon and the boy dodged while hitting the attacker on the neck with his wooden sword, his proficiency of the move was already tested by that encounter with the large wyvern. Surprisingly as the final assault of the skyhounds, four assaulted Simon including the skyhound that had the green fang while two attacked the old man.


    The old man felt pity for the four who attacked Simon since they wouldn¡¯t be granted an instant death. The boy broke their necks, unlike the old man who sliced the head of the skyhounds that attacked him instantly killing them. The battle was over instantly.


    ¡°Simon¡­ why didn¡¯t you cut their necks?¡± the old man asked, Simon was capable of doing this, the old man was sure. Simon divided Joshua¡¯s shield during their spar. It was the effect of the wooden sword. The earthen-based wooden sword would become heavy and solid when filled with magic.


    The old man shaped and carved it like a one-sided bladed sword so it would be like a sword.


    ¡°Do I need to? Should I have cut them?¡± the boys asked innocently.


    Finally, the old man¡¯s eyes widened from the boy¡¯s answer, he was starting to understand Simon¡¯s nature. The boy didn¡¯t have a conscience, no empathy, or whatever. It was his nature to have no empathy it seemed. Also the boy¡¯s temperament of death around him. The thieves that they killed. Nothing mattered to the boy. It was as simple as swinging his sword and wiping off the blood.


    If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    The boy was a stone-cold killer. The old man who had been doing his shit for a long time didn¡¯t realize this immediately. A grave mistake on his side. But wouldn¡¯t it be much easier for the old man? Wasn¡¯t it okay for the boy to be like this? In the frontier, in this dog-eat world wouldn¡¯t it be better if the boy stayed like this?


    ¡®Of course it''s not¡¯ finally a sound voice resounded on his mind.


    ¡°Old man¡­ how should we clean them?¡± the boy asked looking at the old man. Well, he was still the idiot boy that he had been raising ever since.


    <--->


    The Sun God Peak rose proudly from the landscape like a sentinel of ancient times. Its triangular form dominated the horizon, a testament to the enduring power of nature''s handiwork. Jutting sharply into the sky, its edges are weathered by countless seasons, bearing the scars of time with an air of dignified resilience.


    As one traversed the donkey path on the southern side of the Eastern Frontier, the Sun God Peak would command attention, drawing the eye with its majestic presence. Bathed in the warm hues of the setting sun or standing stark against the backdrop of a clear blue sky, it inspires awe and reverence in all who behold it.


    A man was living his hermit life there. He was once a proud blacksmith of renown, already legendary, and his name was already written on the history. Ezagon Belled, a legendary blacksmith who created weapons that up to this day considered on par with legendary weapons.


    He was the man who discovered the Star Ingot. A metal that couldn¡¯t be processed no matter what. He theorized that the legendary weapons that were on record today were made up of this mineral. He made proof and found more evidence but the way to process this metal couldn¡¯t be researched.


    He spent his life studying this metal. Even now, his dwelling which was a cave was filled with carvings of writings. He made sure that even if he couldn¡¯t finish it this lifetime it would be here. All of his work was immortally etched on the walls of the cave.


    The man was old now. Too old to bother thinking too much. He would now spend his time looking down into the sights that the Sun God Peak offered. He was eating from the small plants and animals that would sometimes get lost, and drink water when it would rain.


    He remembered some of the faces of those whom he called friends. Faces flashed on his mind and one was particularly approaching closer to him. It was strange, he hadn¡¯t seen a human for a long time now. Seeing one moving closer to him, and someone he knew, he was thinking he was hallucinating.


    ¡°Re¡­ cough¡­ Red¡­ Redgar Ni-¡­ Redgar Nigel, am I hallucinating?! It would be so good if it was Lenaya instead, you ugly mug!! hah- cough, Hahahaha!!¡± Ezagon laughed by himself but he was sure there should be no one together with him.


    ¡°I¡¯m real you mug fuck!!!¡± Redgar smirked, it was so good to see an old face. A face he knew, a face he worked with. Two of his knives were forged by Ezagon. The man shaking so much tried to stand up be he couldn¡¯t. His body was shaking, well he hadn¡¯t eaten anything for the past 3 days. He was actually just waiting for his death.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stand up,-¡± Redgar sat in front of him. ¡°-So you could still see me huh?¡±


    ¡°Now¡­ that you are near me¡­ I could now smell you¡­ you smell so bad,¡± Ezagon said, the mocking tone was relentless even though he was in a weakened state.


    ¡°Do you need anything from me?¡± Ezagon asked. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t do smiting anymore so you should know,¡± the old man said. It was told like a joke.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not here for more weapons, what have you been doing here Ezagon?¡± Redgar asked.


    Ezagon smiled and now he really tried standing up. Redgar immediately followed up, he then took a potion and gave it to the old man.


    ¡°Is this a poison? Aren¡¯t you still asking me something?¡± the crippled man seemed to be so detached from his life.  ¡°Just to remind you, you were the one who suggested this place for me, if you just remembered,¡± still a tint of guilt on his words.


    ¡°No you damned ass, it¡¯s a stamina potion, it would fix you up so that you can move properly,-¡± the Redgar smiled, ¡°-When I gave up this place I actually didn¡¯t really care about it!¡±


    Should Ezagon trust him? Well, nothing¡¯s gonna change if he drank it or not. So he drank it up. In a few seconds, he felt his strength going back. His paled face returned to its natural color.


    ¡°The fuck is that drug?!! It seemed that alchemists back at home are getting better with this shit,¡± Ezagon smiled as he stood at his own strength. ¡°Come let me show you what I¡¯ve been doing!!¡± he was energetic, Ezagon led Redgar as they went back to his dwellings.


    There was a small opening on the Sun God¡¯s Peak, it was just a small crack. It led to a tunnel that went deeper into the mountain¡¯s intestines.


    As the scarred man followed Ezagon he stopped seeing some pile of bones ¡°Oh is that your dog?¡± Redgar noted.


    ¡°Oh that¡¯s actually two of them, when my dog died I found another one,¡± the old man answered.


    They left the bones and continued going down. After a while, there was a large cavern. There were carvings on the walls, and a small crack from above made up some lights inside, it flowed into a crystal in the middle of the room. It illuminated the room.


    ¡°You are crazy,¡± Redgar said as he saw the state of his ancestral cave.


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m just thinking, what do you think?¡± Ezagon asked for Redgar¡¯s comments but the man didn¡¯t understand a damn thing.


    Still, Ezagon seemed to have avoided writing his scribbles on the murals of the cave. It was a heritage of Redgar¡¯s ancestral roots. The last Red Monk was a title that Redgar was born with.


    The two sat down as Ezagon tried explaining the scribbles, after a while from the explanation of the carvings, they started talking about different things, especially what was happening around the frontier. It continued to the part when he told him about the new accomplishment of the last hero of the era; Alphecca of the sword of light.


    ¡°That reckless bum is still alive¡­ I thought he was already dead!! He should have been the first one to go!!!¡± the old man Ezagon smiled and clapped.


    ¡°It seems that you haven¡¯t met him ever since,¡± Redgar said and it was true he was the first man that he had seen for almost thirty years.


    ¡°No¡­ cough I¡¯m really glad that I¡¯ve seen you before I¡­ cough¡­ go,¡± the stamina potion effect was starting to diminish its effects. Ezagon continued¡­ he started coughing¡­ coughing non-stop. ¡°I would like to¡­ cough¡­ I mean I would like to request you something,¡± the old man looked at Redgar eye to eye.


    ¡°No¡­ you can¡¯t ask me of that¡­¡± Redgar knew what the old man would be asking.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ why did you come here cough!! anyway?¡± the old man was starting to get annoyed.


    ¡°Alphecca was supposed to find you here,¡± Redgar said.


    ¡°Oh¡­ that¡¯s a big problem¡­ he always has a problem, I don¡¯t wanna even think about it, bout¡¯ it, how about you kill me now so that I won¡¯t suffer for his problem,¡± it was like a joke, just a joke but Ezagon was really serious.


    There was a suffocating silence ¡°I would even send a message to Lenaya that you still love her,¡± the old man said. Redgar slapped the ground.


    ¡°That¡¯s the most convincing thing you have ever told me¡­¡± Redgar said and he drew to knives, the knives that the old man made.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about¡­ make it painless,¡± Ezagon said.

 Chapter 89 :: Past inside the dream (Alphecca)

    Just on the feet of the  Sun God¡¯s Peak. Through the dark a dead campfire crackled as the air from the mountain blew. Two figures were sleeping on a tree just next to it.


    It was an old man and a child. Their hair was quite in disarray since they hadn¡¯t taken a bath for quite some time now. Each of them was tied to a tree branch covered by a blanket.


    But the boy woke up. He was awakened because of the noises of the old man. It had been happening for three days already. Was the old man alright? The boy had just been letting him be but tonight he decided to wake him up.


    <--->


    In the northern reaches of the central continent lay a dungeon shrouded in mystery and peril. Though often referred to as the Dungeon of Ice, its true name was Frost-fire Grotto. This subterranean maze became increasingly stunning and treacherous with each descending level, a beguiling blend of beauty and danger.


    Maintained by the northern Kingdom of Horando, also known as the Mountain Kingdoms, this frigid expanse was perpetually cloaked in white. The mountains themselves said to be colossal magical stones, exhaled frigid air, a testament to their icy nature. These towering monoliths, hypothesized to be composed of rare ice stones, dominated the landscape.


    Within this realm, a clan revered the mountains as deities, worshiping it as their icy majesty.


    As one ventured deeper into Frost-fire Grotto, the dungeon''s ethereal beauty unfolded, with crystalline formations and shimmering ice sculptures, while lurking threats grew ever more formidable, challenging even the bravest adventurers.


    Deeper and deeper to the floor, to the level where the Frozen Waterfall was. This was the deepest part a party had ever been into and the party that was pushing was there fighting their way but this was to survive, their limit had already been passed, and they were already exhausted.


    A party of six.


    Alphecca Varus, the sword of light. He was a man whose confidence bordered on arrogance, yet his impressive accomplishments justified his lofty self-regard. His presence commanded attention; he exuded an air of authority and self-assurance that was difficult to ignore. His success in dungeon diving spoke volumes, providing a solid foundation for his seemingly inflated ego. He carried two articles of swords and wore a closed leather jacket while wearing some armor inside the jacket


    Elway Sen-ran, silent hands. He was a prominent noble in the central region, yet his reputation as an adventurer was nonexistent. Nevertheless, he held legendary status within the underground society. His notoriety instilled both fear and respect wherever he went. He was the clandestine operative of the group, the shadow lurking behind the glow of the limelight.


    Redgar Nigel, The Fearless. Renowned as a collector of knives, he maintained a reserved demeanor, yet harbored a profound passion and empathy within. This inner fervor defied his outward appearance. He steered the party''s moral compass towards righteousness, advocating for non-violence unless absolutely essential, this was rooted in his ancestral origins. He was the last blood of the Red Monks, his name was a testament to it.


    Lenaya, Flame Charmer. One of the females in the group, she was a master Fire Mage. Her magic transcends into the highest form and only one of the few users of Fire Magic at the level of Magical Laws. That was the only Flame part of her title. The charmer part was because of her beauty. She was as tall as men at her party and every part of her was seductive. Through her golden flowing hair, her hourglass body, and the way she spoke. The strange thing was that she wasn¡¯t married yet.


    The Black Hood of the Church of Light. A mysterious figure perpetually at the Hero''s side across every Era was a master of Magic Craft and could seamlessly fill any role within the party. Clad in the distinctive black vest and hood, a unique uniform from the Church of Light, his presence was both a symbol of unwavering support and a beacon of mystical prowess.


    Tristana Spina Glacialis of the Ice Blade. The best user of ice magic of her time. She could conjure any type of weapon from her magic and was said to be on par with the Hero of the Era¡¯s swordsmanship. The duel between the two was legendary. Her hair was short, bob-cat and with a tinge of highlights of blue. A modest body inside her leather armor that was made for quick movements and flexibility.


    ¡­


    The party was escaping but on Alphecca¡¯s mind, it was a tactical retreat. The Black Hood and Tristana were tired. They were the healer of their party. They had been dungeon diving for almost three months now.


    There was a safe floor four levels above where they were. The 78th floor was a den of Hoarfrost Spiders. Like spiders, they shoot webs but there''s icy fluid that could instantly freeze flesh. This was the farthest dungeon dive in the Frost-fire Grotto.


    They were running on thin shallow ground. The liquid could inflict permafrost on any organism it touched except for the Spiders that kept on spawning from it. (It was Liquid Nitrogen and was kept from becoming gas by the temperature)


    Lenaya was in the lead, she kept her party warm by casting heat enchantment to keep their body warm.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to cast one again!!¡± Lenaya screamed as she raised her staff. A dim reddish glow basked their party.


    Alphecca was the rear guard as they ran. He would shoot laser beams just by quickly drawing his sword. The magic would effectively destroy the spiders dissolving them.


    ¡°We are almost there!¡± Alphecca screamed.


    The women glared at him while the boys continued running.


    ¡°I hate your optimism,¡± Lenaya complained but a beautiful smile cracked on her lips. The optimism of their leader was the reason he was the leader in the first place.


    ¡°Aw common! I¡¯m just raising your spirits!¡± Alphecca screamed full of life and he sent another laser slash. It killed clusters of spiders as the beam jumped around the ice particles that had good reflections.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°It should be close!¡± the black hood screamed, he was the one who was doing the mapping so he had the idea.


    They passed the thin shallow ground and now had the space to maneuver but they continued the straight line formation with Lenaya on the lead, Redgar, Black Hood, Tristana, Elway, and Alphecca.


    ¡°I see it!!! Three enemies waiting at the stairs!¡± Lenaya screamed as she was on the front lead.


    From their party lining up in a straight line formation, Redgar went out of the line and dashed forward to attack. With a wave of his to hand four knives floated from the pack that was behind him. It landed on his hands by holding two handles at the same time it would look like a double-sided knife.


    The enemies waiting on the stairs to the next floor were Large Rabbits with armor and weapons made out of ice. Glacial Rabbits were their name and can be found on the mid-levels but as the level went deeper they became bigger and better.


    ¡°Just go on straight! Elway!!¡± Redgar said and proceeded to attack.


    Elway threw two pieces of magic stones. It even floated for a few seconds in the air allowing Redgar to hit it with his Fire Knife making it explode a little (Same method for Raphael and Paramour¡¯s combo) its explosion effectively created a smoke screen and Redgar did his work.


    Rabid Elements 4x was the name of the technique Redgar used. It was easy to dodge when used on a straightforward attack but its power speaks volumes. The large rabbits died immediately. The earth element broke their armor, the water element enhanced the wind that cut them and finally, the fire element seared their flesh.


    The party passed through. Between the two lumps of meat. Finish with his work Redgar fell back in his position in the right timing.


    They immediately went up the stairs and began climbing up. There would be monsters there but rarely.


    Every adventurer understood that the dungeon was, in some way, a living organism. It had a core that functioned as its heart, suggesting that the dungeon was aware of their presence. Moreover, the older the dungeon, the more it evolved, becoming a better version of itself.


    Dungeons were dangerous and it would force its will when it saw its chance. One could call it fate or even coincidence, but the dungeons were there to kill humans. It was a fact that could never be changed.


    The party went up the stairs and dungeon monsters began spawning out of the walls. The rarity was just in a very good timing. From the white-haired yetis and crystalline scorpions and the mix of a few greater ice elementals. It was trouble even for the greatest party in the whole realm.


    As they had practiced hundreds of times they immediately went into formation and began the fight.


    ¡°This does not look good!!¡± the Black Hood said, it was more like a comment rather than a complaint.


    ¡°There!! That¡¯s the weak side!¡± Tristana who was conserving her strength pointed out the left side of the monster parade. Her advice though was well taken.


    From the rear side, Alphecca immediately attacked. His flash step totally removed the concept of distance. Meat and blood began painting the frozen stairs staining it, beautiful but deadly.


    ¡°Stop wasting your energy you show off!!¡± Redgar screamed, unlike Alphecca he was just aiming for the monsters that would need to be killed for the team to move forward.


    ¡°The spiders are coming!!!¡± Tristana who was now in the back said.


    Elway immediately fell back then threw some bombs, he then screamed ¡°30 seconds!!!¡± his quick thinking and solid decision had saved the party many times.


    From the slippery stairs, the team began their ascent. The real problem was the Ice Elementals. The way they manipulated the ice was second to their nature and any kind of water was vulnerable to them. That meant that it was a natural bane for humans whose body was composed of water.


    ¡°I¡¯m increasing the Fire Enchantment!!¡± Lenaya who was in charge of the enchantment warned them.


    Rather than the warm enchantment it was a hotter version of the magic. A barrier of flame surrounded the bodies of the party. This time it was Lenaya¡¯s turn to lead the charge.


    Elway who was now in the rear kept check of their distance from the bombs to make an assessment ¡°We are still in range!! Rubble would hit!!¡± he also warned, 10 seconds had passed from when he threw the bomb and a lot of the spiders were already over it.


    ¡°I will conjure an Ice Wall!! Don¡¯t worry!¡± Tristana said. Her magic was already running low because she had to revive the Black Hood earlier in a brutal battle against a denizen of the Frozen Waterfall level.


    They had successfully defeated Mist Dragon (It''s like an oriental dragon, which means it¡¯s the long one a ¡°Wyrm¡± basically) but after that, they were swarmed by the Hoarfrost Spiders like they were waiting for them to be on their weakened state.


    The rules of the dungeon could ever change as they go deeper and it was an accepted fact that¡¯s why they were in their situation right now.


    Tristana as she said conjured an ice wall by just flicking her hands. Lenaya and the two fronts, Redgar and Alphecca fought valiantly, only the 5 Ice Elementals and they were free to go but it was not that easy.


    <Alphecca the hero of the ERA POV!!>


    The dungeon of ice, Frost-fire Grotto was famous for its beauty but its infamy rose as it was one of the hardest dungeons for a party of an adventurer to dive in.


    I even heard that a clan was cleanly wiped out when they did their dive.


    The cold was starting to sting my fingers. I should have followed Elway¡¯s advice to wear gloves but I just couldn¡¯t feel my sword if I did that.


    ¡°SCREE!!!!¡±


    A dying sound of one of the Ice Elementals, this lump of ice was probably the most annoying type of enemy I have ever encountered. I¡¯ve already fought the four basic types of elementals and this one which was a combination of two proved to be the strongest of them all.


    Redgar¡¯s knives were amazing, I couldn¡¯t believe that he felled the first one before me. Although it was annoying, it was just my elemental magic was not compatible with this enemy.


    ¡°We are still in range!! Rubble would hit!!¡±


    I heard that musky voice, Elway just had to put the bombs. Well, I trust him and the party trusts him too. Should I use the Dragoon extract now?


    ¡°Alphecca!! You have used too much already in the fight against the dragon!! Stop it! We can make it!¡±


    Her voice was warm and crisp like the fire she was conjuring. Lenaya warned me as I touched my chest pocket, am I really that predictable? I continued the fight using my flash steps and level 2 sword edge I¡¯m slowly chipping off 3 of the ice elementals.


    There are currently 5 of them, I¡¯m managing 3 while Lenaya and Redgar had one each. I saw Redgar staring at me after he beat his ice cream. ¡°Help her!!¡± I said to him. He just nodded to me and went on his way.


    I felt cold biting in my limbs, Lenaya¡¯s Flame Armor was effective but against three Ice Elementals it would be hard to keep up. It''s their aura, the magic properties they exude. No wonder this dungeon hadn¡¯t been pushed as far as we had.


    It was just luck that there were no doppelgangers in this dungeon so far. I had to up the ante and increase the tempo of my attacks. I could feel eyes behind my back. I wasn¡¯t showing off, but the sooner this shit was finished, the sooner we could go.


    ¡°You are going to break your knees sooner or later,¡±


    I heard his ragged voice, Redgar really loved dissing me.


    ¡°Shut up! It''s finished! Let¡¯s proceed!¡± I answered with results and smiled at him.


    The Ice Elementals which was basically a lump of sentient Ice began to disperse.


    We would still need to scale up floors so that we could rest. Yeah, it should be like that.


    ¡°BOOM!!¡± the explosion of Elway¡¯s bombs resounded from behind and we were just out of its range, that meant Tristana wasted her magic a gain. Now we could safely cut off from the Hoarfrost Spiders.


    ¡­


    I felt my shoulders shaking. A voice pulling my feet to sweep off my weight.


    ¡°Old man!! Wake up!!¡± A familiar voice. A god damn annoying voice


    ¡°I¡¯m still sleeping, shut up!¡± I said.


    Wait am I dreaming?


    As the dream in front of me collapsed I forced my eyes to wake up and I was back into reality. The face of the brat was on a worry and I was sweating buckets.


    ¡°Brat don¡¯t look at me like that,¡± I said with a hiss.


    I felt a cold wind soon after followed by trickles of water¡­ it had begun to rain.

 Chapter 90 :: Past inside the dream (Redgar)

    Redgar stood still as his lonely visage stared at the tomb he had created. He had already buried his old friend. Ezagon even gifted him a knife that was on his satchel, it was not a combat knife rather it was his favorite carving knife.


    He plunged it mound of Ezagon¡¯s final resting place. ¡°I don¡¯t need it my friend why did you give it to me¡­¡± his voice was ragged and a sense of empathy in his tone.


    In solitude, he swung his head, catching sight of a solitary stone barely reaching knee height. It seemed a fitting perch. With deliberate movements, Redgar approached, brushing away the dust that clung to its surface. Settling upon it, he fixed his gaze upon the mound before him, with a knife pierced on it.


    He shut his eyes, savoring a fleeting moment of liberation as he exhaled a deep sigh. Then, with a fluid motion, he extended his hands outward, palms facing down. With a subtle flick of his wrist, his knives stirred to life, rising gracefully from their sheaths at his waist. Seven gleaming blades hung suspended in the air, shimmering in the dim light. With a decisive sweep of his arms, he brought them down in a symphony of motion, each blade finding its mark upon the earth with impeccable precision, forming a line with uniform spacing between them.


    Each knife bore the essence of a past conquest, a silent testament to the foes he had vanquished. Each blade hummed with its own unique magic, infused with properties drawn from the creatures it had once bested.


    He paced himself in meditation as he slowly fell into the empty void state. He began relishing his past¡­ the reason for his revenge.


    <--->


    <Redgar The Fearless POV!!>


    Lenaya was beautiful, I stared at her back as we ran to the next floor. I couldn¡¯t wait to hold her in my arms again.


    ¡°Redgar!! I can feel your stare!! Stop staring at my ass!!!¡±


    She complained but I knew how she felt about me and I could see her ears blushing, it was giving it away.


    ¡°Get a room you two! Who could have thought that you two would become love birds¡­ I don¡¯t understand it!¡±


    It was Tristana, already at her ripe age but didn¡¯t understand how love works. It''s just as she said, I usually quarreled with Lenaya when the first time we met but we grew to love each other.


    ¡°You could have chosen a better one, the staff member back in the guild stares at you.¡±


    Alphecca glanced at me with a teasing smirk. ¡°Someone who sleeps with swords wouldn¡¯t understand¡­ wait why am I acting like the strange one here?!¡± I retorted but with the wrong mindset.


    The party laughed at me. That laugh quelled the urgency of our escape. I could see my Lenaya glaring at Alphecca and the man tried to brush it off by running faster.


    The flight of stairs finally finished, we were temporarily out of danger but we could still not rest.


    ¡°Break!!!¡± Alphecca screamed.


    I took a look at everyone and except for Alphecca everyone was losing their steam, even Lenaya, she was looking down caressing her hair behind her ears. I gulped as she sighed, she immediately felt me staring again.


    ¡°Idiot,¡± she complained but it seemed that she didn¡¯t mind my gaze.


    ¡°We should drink stamina potion¡­ combine it with the recovery potion¡­¡± Elway immediately suggested and the black hood took out a combination of potions in response.


    One by one we took our share except for Alphecca.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it¡­ I¡¯m fine,¡± there was no doubt he still had a lot of gas on him. I could tell it from the magic I was feeling from him. He was a monster in his own right.


    It would take a bit of time before the dungeon would correct itself. That meant that the blockade Elway made using the bombs would disappear. I haven¡¯t heard of monsters going out of their levels but everything was possible.


    I went to the Black Hood and took my potion then drank it. It was bitter, my throat scratched as it went down. I immediately felt the effect spreading into my body. I sat on the ground, I saw Lenaya raising her staff to change the cold protection into a weaker one.


    ¡°Wait¡­ don¡¯t include me just cast it to everyone else,¡± Alphecca said before Lenaya launched the magic.


    ¡°Alphecca, you are strong but you are a human, you have to rest your senses too,¡± Lenaya said with concern, I totally agree with her comment.


    ¡°You could never rest easy inside a dungeon you guys know that!¡± Alphecca was firm in his decision. He had been like that ever since we knew him.


    ¡°Take it easy pal-¡± and he only listened to Elway. The two glanced at each other after Elway began speaking ¡°-We¡¯ve got 30 minutes to an hour of assurance trust me,¡± Elway then sat on the icy ground to show his words.


    ¡°Okay¡­ I understand,¡± Alphecca finally yielded and sat, the other followed suit while Lenaya remained as she cast the magic.


    An orange light glittered down into the party. Lenaya didn¡¯t need the chants, her intentions and imagination was enough to convey and shape the magic into its intended use.


    I could feel the warmth inside of me wallowing from my skin to my bones, a respite from the harsh cold in the dungeon. The side effect of the spell though was to blind us in the perception of strong elementals.


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    The confidence of Elway came from the fact that we had already surveyed this whole level and found none.


    We were probably the strongest party that had ever been created. To be included in that was a great honor. I bless my fate for knowing these faces, for meeting Lenaya.


    But of course¡­ it was still a dungeon and a dungeon did ever change. I stared forward without focus at all. I still felt restless, the feeling like there was a target on my head never left me.


    <--->


    Redgar opened his eyes. He could feel fate approaching, a palpable presence in the air. Outside, the rain began to fall, its rhythmic chimes echoing through the cave where he sat in meditation. In the silence, his reason for revenge grew clearer, like a light piercing through the darkness.


    <--->


    <What Really Happened in the PAST>


    It might be his sixth sense that Alphecca couldn¡¯t calm down. Staying on guard had been his mandate ever since he began his career in adventuring. Just relaxing while getting numbed from the cold didn¡¯t sit well for him.


    Constantly feeling the state of the dungeon, hot or cold, and getting senses attuned to the dungeon was a must for any adventurer to survive and detect properly. Any change caught could be a warning that could lead to a much worse outcome.


    One mistake was the only mistake needed by the dungeon. Too bad it was this one time.


    As the party silently rested, a few minutes passed since they calmed down.


    The mist began crawling on the ground. A cold demise grasping the air in their surroundings. The group was oblivious to it¡­ but the first one to notice was Tristana. She was the most attuned to the dungeon.


    ¡°Somethings happening,¡± She spoke to notify the party and everyone immediately stood up.


    Everybody¡¯s senses were on the edge. ¡°We should move away from here!¡± Alphecca not even taking a minute decided. The team followed and they began running but¡­


    They came out of the stairs again. ¡°What is happening!¡± Lenaya said. She was the last one to come out of the stairs and she swore that she was running to get away from the place they were resting.


    ¡°We are caught in a loop,¡± Elway said, the obvious.


    But the real problem had just begun showing up. They watched a mist floating up in a rotating manner. The mystical happening made the party stand still as they watched.


    Lenaya was still aware of her surroundings. She rotated her sights even seeing the faces of her party. She was calm but the face of Alphecca surprised her. It was the first time he had seen the unmovable visage of the man distorted. For the first time, he saw fear on the face of probably one of the greatest heroes who ever walked the realm.


    A large fox appeared on the same spot where they rested. The product of the mist that gathered. The surroundings also became enveloped with a wall mist at all sides except in their party¡¯s direction, it made it look as if it was telling them to go closer, but they did know better.


    ¡°Is that a holy beast?¡± Elway asked.


    ¡°No,¡± ¡°Probably not,¡± ¡°No,¡± Tristana, Alphecca and the Black Hood spoke respectively. There was terror in their voice.


    ¡°But the magic it exudes is probably one of the greatest I¡¯ve ever felt,¡± the hero of the era said as he drew his sword. ¡°Elway, how about checking the path below?¡± Alphecca just wanted to make sure.


    Elway nodded and he threw a bomb behind him. He heard the canister tumbling around and he began counting for the 30 seconds.


    The manifestation of the fox finished, it had 6 tails. It stared at them. The mist that surrounded it flowed outwards creating a wall of mist.


    ¡°So we are going to fight it to get out of here,¡± Redgar waved his hands up and the knives floated directly into his hands.


    ¡°Any take Trist?¡± the Black Hood asked not even looking at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she answered honestly. It was impossible to know something she had seen only the first time.


    ¡°Something is wrong¡­ it''s too strange¡­ my skin is telling me something,¡± Alphecca said before launching an attack on the fox.


    The tail of the fox glimmered and conjured icicles. With the growl of the fox it launched the icicles. Alphecca didn¡¯t stop on his attack as he dodged the icicles with ease. He landed in front of the fox delivering a downward slash but the fox immediately went out of the way of the slash fading into the mist wall.


    ¡°You are not following?¡± Redgar asked.


    ¡°No¡­ I won¡¯t go into enemy territory!¡± Alphecca said it as a complaint.


    From the mist, icicles began emerging. Alphecca began dodging. He was a god of it. Lenaya began casting magic and Redgar and Tristana stood beside her.


    ¡°There is no explosion!¡± Elway screamed but the information was not relevant. Elway was the brain of the team. As the third senior of the team, he knew how tolerant Alphecca was. He could dodge the icicles the whole day and still do it the next day.


    He began rummaging in his backpack. His backpack was special, it had a large space inside and many things could fit inside. He finally found some Fire Stones.


    ¡°I will have to thank Blake for this!¡± he muttered a friend¡¯s name. He got 34 pieces of it and he began throwing it into the mist. Elway was an expert at throwing things.


    ¡°The mist is spreading!!¡± Redgar warned and it was true. The mist flowed below them. As far as their concern was, this was really bad. As in bad of the bad.


    In reaction Elway began throwing the Fire Stone below too not thinking how much they cost as long as it worked, it would be okay.


    ¡°Blazing Devastation¡­ I evoke you¡­ slay my foes¡­ protect my friends!!¡± With the first word of her chant, Lenaya used her mastery of fire magic to control its target.


    From her body, a large reddish magic emerged like a spirit and transformed into a blazing fire. Lenaya closed her eyes, her body burning with magic. When she opened them, her eyes glowed red, and she began directing the flames she had conjured.


    Like solar flares, she guided the flames into the misty walls. Though the dungeon was cold, her magic did not waver. Despite the substantial drain on her magical power, its effect would undoubtedly be brutal.


    Lenaya went down to her knees. She had never felt this cold in her life she began vomiting blood. Redgar who was near to her immediately went to her side and checked her. She was severely weakened.


    ¡°Something is wrong! It shouldn¡¯t be like this!! The mist!! It''s draining my powers!!¡± Lenaya complained.


    Elway who was waiting for the explosion shuddered, the loud noise didn¡¯t come, like the one he should have expected before. He checked his items, it was important to know how much he had since he worked like the artificer of the party. To his surprise, the canister he threw behind them was still there. He double-checked the Fire Stones and the same 34 count was still there.


    ¡°Alphecca!! We are in an illusion!!!¡± he screamed. But the state of Lenaya didn¡¯t explain why she was vomiting blood. To that note how could he feel their presence and her magic depleting it was really weird.


    On the dance of the dodging the icicle Alphecca heard it. ¡°Tristana!!! You were in front of me when we sat right!!!?¡± he was trying to remember something.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know?¡± she said then Icicles began emerging on the ground where the mist was too.


    Redgar immediately took Lenaya in his arms to help her.


    Alphecca closed his eyes. He was sure that Tristana was just in front of him when they rested. ¡°Conjure a spear straight!!¡± he commanded, it was a demand.


    ¡°Are you crazy!! I¡¯m also in an illusion!!¡± she said.


    ¡°You can find your center anywhere¡­ illusion magic is my weakness, you are the only one who could break us free¡­ start with me,¡± it was a very rare appreciation coming from the man.


    ¡°...I¡¯m flattered¡­ you ought to say that to me from time to time¡­ prepare I will not hold back,¡± although the situation was dire, her lips curved. She glanced at Elway and he nodded, rummaging again in his bag he threw a clothes that began floating in the air.


    Tristana flipped and stepped to it. It gave her the sweet time to close her eyes. Elway and the Black Hood proceeded to block any icicle shards that were aimed at the floating Tristana.


    Tristana¡¯s hand glowed ¡°Grit your teeth Alphecca!!¡± and she conjured a spear and trusted it to the air.


    (Note: The clothes work like Aladdin''s magic carpet, it floats! But just for a few moments!)

 Chapter 91 :: Past (Gin-Kitsune = Silver Fox)

    Pain seared on Alphecca¡¯s shoulders but it worked as it knocked him off the illusion. He opened his eyes and finally saw reality. His party was still asleep and the Fox¡¯s Tails was looming above their head.


    Tristana really didn¡¯t hold back, her conjured spear from her hand pierced through his shoulders. He grabbed it and then broke it. The fox was still in its dream world.


    He stood up. He immediately noticed Lenaya. It seemed that her magic was getting sucked up. A violet-like color was spreading on her veins like venom. Alphecca was compelled to immediately kill the fox.


    He drew his sword with a swift, fluid motion, and in an instant, the blade flashed through the air, severing the fox''s head cleanly from its body. The fox''s head tumbled to the ground, eyes went wide with surprise. Moments later, the lifeless body slumped and collapsed, its many tails dissipating into a swirling mist before vanishing entirely.


    The mist that surrounded the party instantly disappeared too. Still the party was asleep, Alphecca waved a light magic to dispel the effect of sleep and awaken them.


    Alphecca glared¡­ it shouldn¡¯t be that simple, his instincts were telling him there was still more to that. Although he did cut the fox, he didn¡¯t feel right. There were monsters that were in spectral forms but they could be immediately identified since they would be usually was formless. Still, the dungeons held many secrets and as time passed it could evolve too. Nothing was truly certain.


    Redgar upon regaining his consciousness took a look at Lenaya. She was groaning, clutching her neck in agony, but she couldn¡¯t vocalize it. She was back in reality but something was already coursing through her veins.


    The Black Hood and Tristana held her hand. Trying their own healing magic. Left and right they channeled magical energy in an intention to fix her but Tristana immediately let go of her hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?!¡± Redgar was clearly not okay with everything, he clutched Lenaya¡¯s head as if it were the most precious thing of all.


    ¡°It''s like a curse¡­ it''s sucking her magic, we have to get out of this dungeon!¡± Tristana gasped the air as pain struck her hands, she then showed it to Redgar and there were also purple veins spreading on her.


    ¡°We better move!¡± the Black Hood also had it but he was strong enough to at least slow down the curse. ¡°Lover boy, I have to hold her hand as we transport, take my things,¡± the Black Hood said.


    They immediately exchanged, Redgar giving Lenaya¡¯s limping body and trading it for the Black Hood¡¯s baggage.


    Redgar¡¯s face glared as he saw her face. ¡°Lenaya¡­ hold on tight! We will save you!!¡± he said.


    ¡°I¡­ I will make it¡­ do not worry my love¡­¡± Lenaya¡¯s voice was dried as she tried to speak the words. She then smiled.


    They must begin their climb up but Alphecca who was silently staring around suddenly spoke ¡°We can¡¯t leave¡­ we have to kill the fox first¡­ or she will die,¡± he said like he was sure of it.


    ¡°What are you saying!! We should hurry up!!¡± Redgar glared at Alphecca.


    Alphecca then unsheathed his sword not even halfway through and cut himself on his arms.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing!?¡± Tristana who was watching the madness complained but the man just smiled at her as he went closer to the Black Hood who was carrying Lenaya.


    He didn¡¯t need to be that closer. He then waved his hand with blood dripping on it ¡°Light¡­ guide me,¡± Alphecca muttered as a light resonated from him.


    It was thin¡­ the light that flashed revealed a thread that was made out of magic. It was floating in the air¡­ directly escaping from the mouth of Lenaya.


    ¡°It is draining her magic,-¡± Alphecca said, and using his hand that had the wound he placed it on the thread and he was instantly inflicted with the same curse. ¡°-I have to kill it¡­¡±


    Tristana¡¯s eyes widened. The party didn¡¯t understand Alphecca except for Elway who sighed. He knew what his old friend was planning. He would hunt the fox alone, it was possible if it was him.


    ¡°I would go alone,¡± Alphecca smiled.


    The title he held was something that couldn¡¯t be obtained easily. Magic capacity, ability, and martial prowess. Backed by accomplishments and numerous feats. The man was already legendary and he was still active. The party he had now was already his 3rd one. There were rumors and bad stories about him but the party knew that it was not all true.


    He was a brutish one, someone who loved to fight. Bold in his words but wisdom in his every decision. He was a natural-born leader and would lead through his actions. If anything he was the best model for a hero.


    The party silently stared at him. Lenaya mustered all of her strength to move her neck and look at Alphecca¡¯s visage.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    ¡°I calmed you down that''s why we end up like this, you know that it would be my fault if you die you know?¡± Elway spoke but he was ready to leave, he threw a copy of the map of the dungeon. As far as he wanted to die with his friend he couldn¡¯t. The only thing that he promised his family was that he would come back no matter what.


    ¡°Nah, you will all be in my way with your state, I better go on alone, take care guys,¡± Alphecca said, although it didn¡¯t sound good they knew that he didn¡¯t mean anything bad.


    The party began to leave. Redgar who threw a gaze back didn¡¯t see Alphecca. He was already gone. A waterfall of inferiority crushed his spirit. But he had to remain focused, all he wanted to do was to save the love of his life. He will make sure that she survives.


    <--->


    A lone man moved with unwavering purpose, his steps deliberate and swift. At times, he would vanish, reappearing moments later in a burst of speed, his flash step slicing through the silence like a blade. His eyes darted sharply, scanning the area before he would disappear again, a relentless predator honing in on his prey. The searing pain in his hands was his compass, a burning reminder of his mission.


    He would check the map Elway gave him from time to time. He was approaching a dead end, but the pain in his hands was pulling him toward the end of the passage. Arriving at the terminus, he saw mist continuing to flow out from a crack in the wall, and the thread he was following extended inside. He followed it and discovered a path that led to a hall of ice.


    The frigid corridor loomed ahead, its walls glistening with frost, beckoning him forward. The icy air wrapped around him, pulling him in, urging him deeper into its frozen embrace. His resolve hardened, the chilling path drawing him closer to his goal. He was sure that the crack was not there before.


    He breaks the ice making it wider, then began his lonely stride slowly as things ran through his mind.


    Being on the top alone was probably the loneliest thing. He had been walking the path of the sword for a long time now. All of his adversaries that his time had to offer were already bested if not defeated. After accumulating his prowess he had just been looking for a better fight that¡¯s why he continued his career as an adventurer.


    It was truly a thrill although it was not the fight he was looking for, he wanted to test his swordsmanship to the limits of possibilities, to feel the edge of his mastery, as sword master vs sword master. The solitude he felt was suffocating and more ever he felt lonely.


    Still, he had to go on. Continue and fight despite the losses and challenges.


    He could feel the presence of the one he was hunting; the curse on his arm throbbed with a fiery intensity. The pain, sharp and unrelenting, served as his radar, guiding him with each pulsating beat. His target was near.


    The dungeon room opened up before him, revealing a mesmerizing sight. It was like stepping into a garden of crystalline flowers, each petal catching and refracting the dim light, casting prismatic glimmers across the field. The soft, eerie illumination highlighted the delicate beauty of the flowers, turning the field into a sparkling wonderland.


    In the midst of this enchanted field sat a gallant figure, its fur shimmering like polished silver. A fox, majestic and ethereal, held its ground with an air of regal defiance. The man¡¯s breath caught in his throat; he knew without a doubt that this was the one he sought. The real one.


    Its tails were like streaming in the air with a life on its own. The curse that he was following was flowing into its mouth, a mist was also slowly releasing out of its mouth and a growl like it was chanting. It blinked twice before laying its eyes on the human that found it.


    Its tooth showed up like it was smiling.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll erase your smirk on that stupid mug of yours¡­¡± Alphecca threatened and drew his sword.


    The fox stood up and, by spreading its tails, it reared, releasing a very intimidating aura. It could suffocate normal humans and drive them insane, but not Alphecca. He smiled, recognizing the fox''s attempt to intimidate him. It wasn¡¯t that scary now that it was really in front of him; its strength was probably part of the illusion too.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that cute?¡± the man muttered and rushed into an attack.


    He used the flash step but the fox followed suit. Claws, bites, and tails lashing them like a whip. The man dodged and countered the openings like clockwork. The fox¡¯s limbs were getting carved up. The man was a beast and the melee proved to be the man¡¯s forte.


    The fox began a quick spin even creating a vortex of small blizzard. It flattened the flowers on the field, it sprayed glitters beautifully and the magic of the fox flowed out. Alphecca evaded by doing a flash step.


    The fox hissed in frustration, its eyes narrowing as it decided to rely on its magic. Suddenly, shimmering ice particles began to float around the fox, swirling in a mesmerizing dance.


    Alphecca silently marveled at the breathtaking scene before him. Witnessing a new monster in its epic glory was a rare and magnificent sight. He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath, savoring the wonder of magic and the crisp, invigorating essence of ice.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be fun if it is not like this¡­¡± he said. He could actually end the battle by drinking the Dragoon Flower extract in his pocket but he had to heed and stop himself. He want to fully immerse himself in the fight.


    The particles turned into icicles, the same magic it used back on the illusion. The man began moving to the right encircling the monster.


    The fox released a gekkering sound as the icicle launched itself rapidly flying. The man just needed a bit more adjustments to dodge it but the wolf launched an attack too. It began by jumping sideways diagonally left and right, with each tight turn it would leave some kind of floating orb.


    While dodging and parrying the icicles the distance shrank between the two until Alphecca was close enough to make an attack but the fox was now cautious so instead it jumped off the air firing icicles from its mouth, it was more precise than the floating ones.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ being a monster is a convenience¡­¡±Alphecca said. He didn¡¯t have the time to attack, the fox was clever. Of course, it¡¯s a battle of life and death, it would use everything in its power.


    Alphecca executed his flash step to evade most of the icicles. Still, a few managed to reach him, forcing him to cut them down. As soon as the large fox landed, it launched crawling icicles across the ground.


    The man immediately jumped up, but the fox''s follow-up attack caught him by surprise. The fox dashed again, hopping left and right, leaving ice orbs in its wake.


    ¡®It''s trying to limit the ground,¡¯ Alphecca realized, understanding the fox''s strategy to confine his movements. Sooner or later, he would run out of space to move into. A smile cracked on his face¡ªthis monster was actually thinking of how to defeat him. The idea was both terrible and amusing.


    ¡°You''re showing me something, so I have to reciprocate,¡± he said, raising his sword into the air. ¡°Release.¡±


    His entire body flashed with light. His eyes glowed with the magic of light, and his hair floated from the particles of magic, putting him in a higher state.

 Chapter 92 :: Past (Mist Dragon)

    The Frost-fire Grotto, shrouded in icy mystery, held a reputation as one of the realm''s most treacherous dungeons. Its depths whispered tales of chilling challenges. Only the most famous adventurers were allowed to go in there. The access to the dungeon was opened only every two years.


    In the frostbitten realm of Horando, gaining entry to the grotto was a feat in itself. The kingdom, wary of the dangers lurking within, allotted just three of the precious permits for access. One beckoned through the esteemed recommendation of guilds, another by the kingdom''s own endorsement, and the final coveted spot reserved exclusively for the era''s chosen hero.


    As spring unfurled its icy grip, three intrepid parties braved the frigid labyrinth. Yet, within a mere 20 days, the kingdom''s recommended group had bowed out, unable to withstand the grotto''s relentless challenges.


    Now, amidst the echoing caverns and shimmering ice, only two remained: the valiant Party of the Hero of the Era and the renowned adventurer, Jimmy ¡°Rolling Thunder,¡± their fates intertwined within the frozen heart of the grotto''s depths.


    By no means that they are competing. Dungeon diving prevents monster overflow, they were lucky that the monster build-up on the Frost-fire Grotto only intensified during winter time. This was the reason they could have 3 to 5 years of assurance. The 2 years were just a safe barrier if any complications happened.


    As one of the remaining parties in the Ice Dungeon. Jimmy led his party, his party was a ten-man party. He had four scouts, two healers, two fronts that included him, one item manager, and their main magician whose job was to nuke enemies.


    By all means he respected Alphecca. His individual skill could match his whole party and his release was some kind of god mode for an hour. Jimmy smirked as he thought of his disciple once and now his rival.


    Since the first party¡¯s job was to push the levels of the dive, their job was to sweep the floor, they were the clean-up team. There was a five-floor distance between the two of the party.


    ¡°Encounter west side!!¡± the west side scout informed the team and they were instantly ready. It was a parade of Shiver-wing Moths. They are not that powerful, it''s that their wings have some kind of freezing powder. Inhaling it would freeze up ones inside.


    ¡°You know the drill!!!¡± he screamed as the leader. Their mage who was the nuker was specialized with earth and fire magic so he would be the VIP in the fight and guarding him was all¡¯s job.


    Jimmy clenched his fist. Sparks began covering his limbs, he was wearing rings and it was the weapon he used to conjure the thunder fists. This was why he was called the rolling thunder. Ground or air battles, it didn¡¯t matter for him. The natural properties of thunder allowed him to punch first even before its sound came.


    He launched himself into the chaos of fluttering wings, his movements swift and purposeful amidst the swirling mass of moths. With each strike, he met their frenzied flight with calculated precision, his blows landing with a force that left no room for doubt. The air filled with the sickening crunch of chitin as his strikes found their mark, rendering the insects motionless in his wake. Already, eight fell vanquished in a flash, their delicate forms crushed beneath his relentless assault.


    As the tension in the air mounted, a distant rumble reverberated through the cavern, signaling the impending storm. But here, amidst the fray, there was no sky to unleash its fury¡ªit was him. His movements became a symphony of violence, a tempest incarnate, each strike echoing with the force of thunder as he waged war against the encroaching horde. In the flickering light, his silhouette danced amidst the chaos, a harbinger of destruction amidst the fluttering shadows.


    As the cacophony of his blows resounded through the cavern, the title of the Rolling Thunder followed in their wake, a testament to the sheer force and ferocity of his assault. Each strike echoed long after it landed, reverberating through the depths like the aftershocks of a mighty earthquake. In the midst of battle, his name carried weight, a symbol of power and prowess that struck fear into the hearts of his adversaries.


    ¡°It''s ready!!!¡± one of the scouts screamed.


    Jimmy returned to his party with a nod. Though he had the stamina to press on, unlike the monstrous Alphecca, his magical reserves were limited. Preserving every ounce of energy in the dungeon was imperative. Efficiency was key, and the acknowledgment that anything could happen was the norm.


    Their spell caster removed his hood, he stepped and raised his hands like forming a prayer from the gods, he then returned his hand to his chest and opened it. From his hand a red light emerged, he blew it like how one would blow daffodils scattering the red light into powdered crystals. ¡°Garden of Inferno¡± the spell caster muttered.


    The crimson shards hung suspended in the air, a sinister tableau against the backdrop of darkness. Their numbers seemed endless, a seething mass that blotted out the faintest hint of light. With each passing moment, their ranks swelled, multiplying until they numbered not in the hundreds, but the thousands¡ªa relentless tide of malevolence.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    As a moth brushed against one of the scarlet fragments, it detonated with a deafening roar. The explosion tore through the air, unleashing a wave of searing heat that shredded everything in its path. The hapless creature was engulfed in a fiery inferno, its shrieks of agony drowned out by the merciless onslaught. In an instant, its existence was reduced to naught but smoldering ashes, a grim testament to the horrors that lurked within the shadows.


    The party of ten watched the magic unfold. It made sense why the spell was named as ¡®Garden of Inferno¡¯ the mage who cast it cracked a laughter, maniacal at some point.


    ¡°Jimmy!!! White Paper! Alphecca¡¯s party is asking for help!!¡± the one in charge of the items said.


    ¡°Well, well, well¡­ isn¡¯t that great!!¡± Jimmy smiled at the news, it would be a good chance to make Alphecca the hero of the era owe him some.


    <--->


    It was really strange. The enemies won¡¯t stop appearing. Elway who was on the lead carefully navigated but monsters kept on finding them rather the monsters were spawning on where the party was. They had the choice of fighting against them but they won¡¯t last.


    Even at the supposedly safe spot three levels above where they left Alphecca, monsters continued to spawn despite the expectation that they wouldn''t. That¡¯s why he asked for help and help was coming, they just have to keep moving.


    It''s already been hours ever since they left Alphecca. ¡®That man must be having fun right now¡¯ Elway thought but his thinking process was interrupted when he heard Lenaya moaning in pain.


    He remembered that during the illusion, she used a large scale of magic. It seemed that the curse was cast when she used her magic. He was not an expert in this field but he was sure of it. The curse was infectious too, the Black Hood¡¯s face showed it all, he was in pain, the hand and the arm that held Lenaya¡¯s hand must be hurting like hell.


    The case of Alphecca purposely inflicting his arms with the curse confirmed that. He rummaged through his magic bag again and this time he immediately found a light crystal, crushing it he sprinkled it on Lenaya and the Black Hood. He recreated what Alphecca did earlier. The thread was still there, extending endlessly probably to the direction where they came from.


    Alphecca might probably be right about the curse.


    While wallowing at his thoughts he kept a sharp eye as they travelled¡­


    ¡°We are losing them!!!¡± Tristana who was in the rear reported, it''s true, the ones that were chasing them were jumping. They were like kangaroos and they were officially named as Ice Boxers.


    The Ice Boxers are literally sluggers and good jumpers. It was annoying to deal with them since they preferred one-on-one fights but boy did they have pride and wouldn¡¯t jump on a single enemy.


    ¡°Alphecca loved fighting against them for fun, bare-handed, waste of time¡± Elway spoke. There was a tight turn ahead, as the scout and the leader he would be the first to take a turn so he dashed and remained springy on his feet.


    Finally, he saw some silhouettes as he made a sharp turn. the ice dungeon was moderately lit so it was probably morning. The crystal parts of the ice would spread the light properly so after a few more walks the silhouettes waved at them.


    ¡°Where is the bastard!!¡± it was Jimmy screaming at them.


    ¡°Jimmy¡­ Alphecca would hate this,¡± Tristana muttered but the party was silent.


    Redgar was focused solely on Lenaya and the Black Hood trying to control the curse, Elway was waving trying to keep faces so no one was able to retort to Tristana¡¯s comment.


    ¡°We will continue the escape!!!¡± Elway said as he was the temporary leader. He knew how the party of Jimmy worked so he already had the premise on how to act when they met up.


    Jimmy¡¯s party began moving out just before their teams were at contact. In a few minutes of running they already running in a formation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see him,¡± Jimmy ran closely to Elway, they had been exchanging messages using the white paper, it was the first time they would actually talk face to face.


    ¡°He is hunting down the fox that cursed Lenaya¡­ he will be fine!¡± Elway answered.


    The whole party could feel the monsters that were spawning on their way. Elway immediately went in the front to take the lead. ¡°We go to a line formation!! Tight bridge ahead!!¡± he screamed.


    They had already arranged everything so Jimmy and his party followed.


    After going into a line formation they found the bridge that would lead them to the next upper floors, it was located on a large abyss, strangely it was still possible to see the other side.


    ¡°Aargh!!!¡± suddenly Lenaya screamed as the pain in her body intensified. It captured everyone''s attention.


    ¡°Lenaya!! Please¡­ endure it! We are almost there!!¡± Redgar immediately responded. The Black Hood that was carrying her was silent, he was enduring the curse on his own.


    The party heard the scream but they didn¡¯t stop the bridge was just ahead.


    They were currently on the 74th floor of the Frost-fire Grotto. There were many paths going up and Elway specifically picked this path because dungeon monsters didn¡¯t spawn on the ground.


    The ice bridge would do the trick.


    As the leader of the party, he was the first to cross but he began slowing down.


    ¡°Stop!!¡± Elway screamed then he pointed. ¡°Can everybody see that?!!¡±


    What he was pointing at was some carved pathway in the upper walls of the dungeon. It was like a long path and it began to move like it realized that the party had detected it.


    ¡°It''s a Mist Dragon¡­¡± Lenaya muttered. She was also the only one who had detected it two days ago on the deepest floor. This was also the monster that made them retreat.


    They were lucky that after the battle Lenaya shared how she detected it and that Elway quickly adapted it to his scouting prowess.


    Elway shuddered thinking of what would have happened if it attacked while they crossed the bridge. He then checked behind them, monsters were beginning to come out of the dungeon walls. In just a few moments they were cornered.


    ¡°That creature is strange¡­ I don¡¯t feel magic coming from it¡­¡± Jimmy said. His rings flickered and he was instantly in his battle mode. ¡°-How¡¯d did Alphecca beat it?¡± he asked Elway who was just a few steps ahead of him.


    ¡°We had to materialize it¡­ Tristana produced a  lot of magic power to freeze it,¡± Elway answered.


    And the fact that she had to heal the Black Hood, It explained how drained Tristana was.

 Chapter 93 :: Past (Too Late)

    Lenaya''s body was pale, drained of life. She knew her time was near. Summoning all her strength, she tried to stand but could only manage to get onto her knees.


    Just a few meters to the left, she glimpsed Redgar, the love of her life. With a determined breath, she began to crawl, every movement an agonizing effort. She had to see his face one more time.


    She wasn''t sad about dying; what broke her heart was knowing she''d never see him again, to never hold him, to never touch him. She remembered those nights when they talked until they fell asleep, when they held each other as if nothing else mattered. More than anything, she felt an overwhelming loneliness.


    Her hands began to change, twisting and enlarging grotesquely. She growled and cursed in despair, but she still pushed forward, desperate to see his face one last time. It was the only thing that mattered to her now.


    ¡°Redgar¡­ Redgar,¡± she whispered urgently, her voice trembling with desperation as she called out to the last person she wanted to see.


    The slick ice allowed her to slide forward, her movements labored and slow. She felt the last of her strength slipping away with each pull of her body. Inch by agonizing inch, she drew closer until, finally, his face came into view.


    Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gently caressed his face with her mangled arm, the weight of impending loss heavy in her heart.


    ¡°Redgar¡­ I want to hear your voice¡­¡± she muttered as sweetly as she could, usually he would respond immediately when she did it that way.


    The echoing footsteps reverberated, their weight both familiar and comforting, stirring memories from the depths of her consciousness. Despite teetering on the edge of awareness, she couldn''t ignore the distinct cadence. It was a stride she knew well, one that often prompted her to redirect her offensive magic when in battle.


    ¡°Lenaya... I''m sorry... I was too late¡­¡± another familiar voice whispered, heavy with guilt and frustration, seeming to hover just behind her.


    It was Alphecca.


    ¡°Hurry... I don''t want him to see me like this... I don''t want him to cry!¡± Her plea came out weak and trembling, betraying the depths of her desperation. She was still under the control of herself.


    Alphecca glared, though not with disgust but with a deep sense of self-hate. He berated himself internally for holding back against the fox earlier, knowing all too well that this outcome was entirely his fault.


    Lenaya''s body had already morphed grotesquely, from her waist down to her feet, taking on the form of the beast he had just recently slain.


    ¡°I will make it painless,¡± Alphecca said.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I don¡¯t think you can-¡± Lenaya spoke as her voice changed becoming deeper. ¡°-You think you could kill me again?¡± there was a familiarity in her words.


    Alphecca smiled. She was dead¡­ she should be or his conscience wouldn¡¯t let him sleep until he lived. He reached out into his pocket. It was a metal tumbler, he then proceeded to drink it.


    ¡°Release¡­¡± he said, and his power flowed out of his body as he morphed again into his saintly visage.


    The half-fox Lenaya felt death again creeping up to her. She will not survive now. She stared at the bodies on the ground and extended her hands to inflict them with a curse but like it was a fact her magic was stopping itself from harming them.


    She had to escape¡­ she had to live but as the man¡¯s power crackled¡­ overflowing she knew she didn¡¯t had any chance.


    <--->


    A few hours ago. Into the deepest parts of the Ice Dungeon, the Frost-fire Grotto.


    A man was enjoying his fight against the fox beast of ice. He could tell that the beast was already on its last leg as it had become more desperate with each passing moment.


    He felt a pang of sadness realizing that even a creature as formidable as the beast couldn''t match his strength.


    The beast began charging another icicle spell. Alphecca sighed, noting that the beast''s battle instinct remained unchanged throughout their fight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that already¡­¡± Alphecca said as he deflected a large Icicle. It had been only been an hour since he activated his Armas but the monster couldn¡¯t keep up with him already.


    Though the fox remained eager to fight, Alphecca saw only a cornered beast, its desperation evident in every move. It was time to end it.


    ¡°Seal,¡± he removed the Armas.


    By overpowering the monster fox with his Armas he carved up its body, it could heal itself but that¡¯s akin to expending its magic on self-preservation.


    He raised his sword. The fox stared at him, he could feel the gaze, but he didn¡¯t care, it had no way to defend itself from the next attack that he would be unleashing. The magic of the fox was almost diminished.


    ¡°You are a¡­ monster,¡± Alphecca heard words and he was sure that it was only him in the garden of ice.


    ¡°A monster conversing?¡± Alphecca asked.


    Slowly the fox began to change. It changed into a form of a woman. The fox covered her body with mist.


    ¡°Handsome man¡­ a seed of yours would produce an amazing off spring, give me your seeds and I will let go the woman,¡± the fox woman said, there was seduction in her voice.


    But Alphecca was already firm on killing it.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°How did you get that form?¡± he asked just out of curiosity.


    ¡°I was once a monster outside¡­ humans brought me here¡­ now I consume them,-¡± but she felt pain on her shoulders into her hips. Blood spurted from her mouth. ¡°I steal their bodies¡­ you will kill me but I will still live.¡± she fell on her back.


    The man was already behind the fox.


    ¡°You monologue?¡± Alphecca had a smile on his face. He swept his sword flicking the blood off its blade.


    He then stared at the human fox. He immediately noticed a tag on her neck. It wasn¡¯t really evident earlier since her body was covered with mist.


    ¡°I will still live¡­ the transfer is complete¡­ I will live¡­¡± the fox woman kept on speaking until there were no more signs of life in her eyes. At the last moment she placed her hand in the ground, magic creeps out of her.


    Alphecca¡¯s eyes widened. The fox¡¯s body didn¡¯t fade like how do monsters do. If he was correct she was a human before a beast. He had heard from some of the old adventurers that holy beasts were humans too. Was it a holy beast?


    Probably not he had seen one before and this one didn¡¯t exude the danger of instant death. Or probably after too much dungeon diving his senses had already been dulled of danger. He then checked his hands¡­ the pain and the curse was already gone.


    ¡°Lenaya¡­¡± he muttered, he still couldn¡¯t relax, he had to check on her. He grabbed the name tag of the woman and began moving. He didn¡¯t have the chance to bury her properly but the dungeon would probably take care of it.


    The tags that adventurers wore would never melt in the dungeon. It was the only thing that would remain of their existence if they didn¡¯t make it back.


    He began his run, back to his party but on his way out there was already a thick wall of ice in the icy hall he traversed to get there. It must have been the last magic the fox did when her hands fell into the ground.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Alphecca had to cleave his way out of the ice wall now.


    <--->


    Same time on the 34th floor of the Frost-fire Grotto. Bodies of the adventurers were down on the ground, half shrouded in mist, their face was a picture of struggle as they were lost in the illusion that the fox made. One female stood up despite being one of them.


    Lines of purple desecrated her body as she was just staring upwards and her magic rapidly changing.


    Lenaya was in her own world of void. She could see herself as she was standing on the frozen ground. She was just standing still, there was no pain in her body but her mind was filled with emotion that she knew that she didn¡¯t own.


    She could remember that after she felt a tremendous pain the whole party that she was with fell down almost at the same time, she stood up and now she had been in this void.


    ¡®What is happening to me?!¡¯ she tried to muster her voice but nothing came out.


    ¡°Human¡­ your body is mine¡­ your body has already assimilated my magic¡­ you are mine!!¡± it was a voice directly speaking in her head.


    Then in the blink of an eye, a human appeared, from her attire, Lenaya could tell that it was a high-class adventurer. She blinked again and it changed into a small fox, another blink and it was the same large fox they met and with another blink it became her.


    ¡°I¡¯m you,¡± the Lenaya that was in front of her spoke.


    Since the memory of the fox began flowing into her mind she understood what she meant.


    ¡°No!!¡± finally her voice resurfaced.


    ¡°Don¡¯t struggle and I will let you pass easy, just let my power consume, surrender your body to me!¡± the Fox Lenaya said.


    ¡°What is happening!!?¡± Lenaya asked as the pain was gradually leaving her body.


    ¡°When you cast your magic in the illusion you left your body opened up¡­ I attacked by inflicting you with my magic, you should have died much earlier but your resilience and the magic of that individual allowed you to resist more¡­ just at the right time when my body had been slain¡­¡± the Fox Lenaya said, there was no doubt on her mind.


    ¡°So Alphecca had already slain you¡­ did he smile?¡± Lenaya¡¯s grin totally made the fox worry.


    ¡°... Your facade is amazing¡­. I will accompany you until your last second¡­¡± the fox Lenaya said.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid of death? I have already accepted that I would probably die in a dungeon¡­ but not without a fight,¡± Lenaya smirked and she raised her hands into the air. ¡°You¡¯ve been buying time¡­ that time is enough for me,¡±


    ¡°What are you doing!! How can you still control your body?!¡± the fox Lenaya¡¯s frustration was visible in her voice.


    ¡°You found your chance when the mist encroached on us¡­ second was when my scream took their attention,¡± Lenaya began a chant¡­ this was probably the last magic that she would ever cast.


    ¡°Magic is all about will¡­ magic is all about me¡­ a miracle from one''s mind¡­ a gift of the gods¡­¡± She was also sure that if she cast this the takeover of her body would be over.


    ¡°This is my body¡­¡± she said.


    Her body that was in the physical world stood still, magic shrouded her body, and it was the last time. Lenaya was back in her body, she raised her hands and chanted a prayer to the gods and to her loved ones.


    ¡°As long as this body moves¡­ I will never hurt them,¡± she muttered. Mist dispelled from the ground. The groaning faces of the one who was in the illusion steadily became serene.


    She had done her part¡­ still, she had a longing, one last chance to look at the face of her love. She fell down on the ground¡­ her eyes was searching for someone, a face that she really loved.


    <--->


    Days had passed, and Redgar found himself in his dream world, where Lenaya''s presence enveloped him. He lay on her lap as she delicately traced the scars on his face.


    ¡°Where did you get this one?¡± she asked, her voice carrying a seductive tone.


    ¡°Hmm... When I was a rookie, I encountered a wyvern. I got this scar when I managed to escape, but sadly, the rest of my party didn''t survive. It was only my first year of adventuring,¡± Redgar recounted his story.


    ¡°I see... Well, it''s time to go now. Let''s have a picnic again sometime... See you later,¡± Lenaya said softly, pulling him into a tender embrace.


    Despite the warmth of her affection, Redgar stood firm, knowing it was just a dream. ¡°I will miss you,¡± she whispered as the dream began to fade.


    FLASH!


    ¡­


    Redgar awoke from his slumber, opening his eyes to the sight of the crystal ceiling above him. The chill of the dungeon lingered in the air, yet he felt an inner warmth, as if he were under a perpetual blessing from Lenaya''s magic.


    ¡°Redgar¡¯s awake!!¡± but the one who was with him was Elway.


    Elway immediately notified the party. They had been staying in a safe zone in the dungeon waiting for everyone to regain their consciousness, Redgar was the last one who regained it.


    Redgar immediately sat looking at his worn out friend, his clothes had blood on it. Memories began resurfacing on his mind, the vivid dream reminded him of something.


    ¡°Where is she? Lenaya?¡± his voice trembled. She should have been the one who was with him.


    A figure approached with resolute steps, and as he drew closer, Redgar recognized him as Alphecca. One of Alphecca''s hands was swathed in bandages, while the other held a bundle of clothes.


    ¡°Alphecca, stop it! Let''s get out of here first!¡± Jimmy''s voice cut through the tension, his palpable anger echoing off the walls. But Alphecca, undeterred, continued his determined stride forward, heedless of Jimmy''s plea.


    Redgar''s desperation boiled over. ¡°Where is she?¡± he demanded, his voice trembling with emotion as he looked to Alphecca for answers.


    Alphecca lowered himself to the ground, placing the bundle of clothes before Redgar. Adventurers gathered around, but Elway, ever protective of their privacy, shooed them away.


    ¡°It was all my fault... I let this happen. This is all I can offer you... She passed painlessly,¡± Alphecca confessed, his voice heavy with guilt as he slowly unraveled the bundle.


    Redgar''s expression contorted in horror as he beheld the familiar face of Lenaya, her features frozen in serene repose.


    After saying his piece, Alphecca rose to his feet, his gaze fixed forward without a single glance back. It was a necessary action, a choice to confront the truth rather than conceal it. Only the head remained untouched, while the rest of the body lay charred and discarded, cast into the chasm below.


    Jimmy approached Alphecca, his words heavy with warning. ¡°This may come back to haunt you someday. He is a Red Monk.¡±


    ¡°I don''t care,¡± Alphecca replied, his face resolute as he stared into the distance. Returning to his spot earlier, he resumed eating, though the ration seemed strangely bland compared to the flavorful meat he remembered.

 Chapter 94 :: Sun God’s Peak

    ¡°Old man¡­ are you okay?¡± Simon had been talking and calling the old man but was not responding, a strange demeanor that was out of the usual.


    ¡°Boy¡­ I¡¯m okay, we are almost there aren¡¯t we?¡± the old man answered.


    They ascended the rugged mountain slope, each step was a cautious negotiation with the treacherous terrain. A moment''s distraction could spell disaster. The old man, his face etched with the lines of countless memories, as he occasionally muttered to himself. The past clung to him like a persistent shadow, dragging forth fragments of forgotten times and half-remembered dreams. His mind would be randomly lost in the labyrinth of yesteryears, it pulled him away from the present danger. The memories called to him, like a relentless and unbidden monster, they kept on leaving him vulnerable on the perilous ascent.


    The boy could tell that something was wrong with him. He was too used to him that he could tell the subtle change that the old man would show.


    ¡°Old man stairs!!¡± and the boy who was ahead of the old man screamed down.


    The stairs that the boy found were made by the long-lost monks of the Sun God¡¯s Peak. An old cult that revered to the Sun as their god, their trace were almost gone lost in the sea of time. The only remnant was the peak where they prayed and worshiped before.


    ¡®It would all be a waste if that old crook has died now,¡¯ the old man thought as he remembered his estranged blacksmith friend, he huffed twice as he was finishing the climb.


    He could see Simon¡¯s feet as he climbed toward the edge. He remembered a proper flight of stairs that once led directly to the Sun God¡¯s Peak. The reason they were climbing now was that the stairs were gone, likely destroyed. He had some ideas about why they had been destroyed, but the details remained frustratingly out of his mind¡¯s reach.


    The boy was waiting for him silently, the wind was really picking up where the flight of stairs began.


    The old man gazed at the breathtaking panorama offered by the mountain''s lofty height. Beside him, the boy also took in the view, as he was patiently waiting for the old man. The view was probably the reason for the boy¡¯s silence, it was truly captivating.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go boy!¡± the old man like regaining his bearings said with excitement.


    The boy couldn¡¯t help but smile as he heard it. ¡°Yes!!¡± and they continue their travel up.


    The flight of stairs was etched to the side of the mountain, although rigid it was still climbable. The old man began to curse as his knees began buckling. Well, they had been climbing since the first light of the day, not feeling his knees would be a miracle by now.


    He glared at the boy who was so energetic and was already ahead of him by probably a hundred steps now. After cursing for a while he finally reached the boy who was just there standing.


    ¡°Old man¡­ there is a knife here,¡± the boy said as soon as he knew that the old man was already beside him.


    The old man¡¯s eyes widened¡­ the knife was familiar, truly familiar like his soul shook as if he was beginning to feel the next event that would be happening.


    ¡°Try pulling it out,¡± the old man said.


    Without questions, the boy tried to pull it out, but even his strength didn¡¯t do much of it, and the boy was much stronger than the old man, as his the master of the boy he knew of it.


    ¡°Then it''s probably for me,¡± using his hands to gesture the boy to stand down he walked closer to the knife. Surprisingly, he didn¡¯t need that much force to pull it out of the ground.


    ¡°Simon¡­¡± the old man muttered but he then resumed climbing up.


    The old man¡¯s follower just continued to follow him.


    The old man began to climb up steadily, the boy was just behind him. There was a deafening silence that was produced from the old man¡¯s demeanor and the wind that was blowing cold air.


    ¡°Simon¡­ I would be facing someone ahead-¡± the old man suddenly began a conversation ¡°-Even I wouldn¡¯t be able to defend you¡­ you should go down now,¡± the old man said as they walked, a solemn tone in his voice that brought shiver to the boy.


    ¡°...You said that you will be with me until you die¡­ you are not dead yet¡± the boy said.


    It made the old man pause. It was a shameful thing for him to say that, as much as he wanted to bash the boy''s head so that he would not remember what he said he wanted to bash his head first for saying that.


    The boy didn¡¯t even think of running away¡­ not even a shred of doubt in his voice.


    ¡°I did say that didn¡¯t I,¡± the old man answered and he continued his steps.


    ¡°Yes,¡± the boy answered like it was the right thing to do.


    It''s funny how simple words could remove all the doubts and fears that the old man began to feel. The old man regained faith in himself again. Why did he feel fear in the first place? Redgar was just Redgar no need to worry too much. Still, words coming from Jimmy resounded in his mind.


    Jimmy: ¡°This may come back to haunt you someday.¡±


    And he replied ¡®I don¡¯t care,¡¯ it cracked a smile on his face as he remembered that scene. ¡°Yeah I don¡¯t care¡­¡± the old man said.


    ¡°You said something old man?¡± the boy that was following him checked on him.


    ¡°Shut up boy, you better watch carefully later, this is one of those fights, remember that thief that uses wind? You think you can beat him now?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°No¡­ if I can use magic then probably¡± the boy answered honestly.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± was the answer of the old man as they continued to walk.


    <--->


    A man was meditating in front of a grave he had made. He opened his eyes as he sensed his nemesis approaching. This was their fate otherwise.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.


    ¡®Finally¡­ he is here,¡¯ Redgar thought. He could feel the presence of the old man, and the knife being pulled out of the ground confirmed it. But he also knew the old man was not alone. A stronger wielder of magic was walking beside him.


    Well, it didn¡¯t matter that much; he had been preparing for this for a very long time. With a single wave of his hand, the knives embedded in the ground lifted, hovering in the air and glinting ominously. A second, more deliberate gesture sent the knives whirling back to his waist, each one sliding smoothly into its sheath with a soft, metallic click.


    ¡°Lenaya¡­¡± one name from the past that kept haunting and pushing him to the path of revenge.


    <--->


    After burying the love of his life, he became obsessed with monsters, especially the ones with the power of possession. After a few more dives with the hero of the era he quit the party to fulfill his obsession.


    At this point, Redgar¡®s and Alphecca¡¯s relationship was already in shambles so nobody really stopped him.


    From researching into hunting them, his intention was initially to ensure that it would never happen to anyone again. However, as he delved deeper into the mysteries of dungeons and monsters, he discovered many potential ways to save Lenaya. It consumed him, but it wasn''t enough to drive him to seek revenge against Alphecca.


    Until he met the healer. A healer living in a village near the Dread Bone Craig just southeast of the central continent. Redgar followed rumors and hearsay to find the cave of the healer.


    Redgar found a man who was chopping wood. Redgar knew that the man was already aware of him. Still, he approached steadily not showing any hostility.


    ¡°Traveler¡­ you are not from around here aren¡¯t you?¡± the man spoke while continuing his work ¡°Thwack!!¡±


    ¡°You are hard to find, why a cave in the Craig?¡± Redgar tried to approach friendly.


    The man stared at him, staring eerily. ¡°How can I help you?¡± the healer then stopped for a while, it seemed like he was counting the chopped wood, and then he began collecting it.


    ¡°I would like to talk to you, about possessions and spirit monsters,¡± Redgar said as he moved closer.


    ¡°You know that I¡¯m a healer right? I fix and mend flesh, I have no knowledge about monsters and such,¡± the healer said as he headed for a small shed that was just beside the cave.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t deny the possession part¡­¡± Redgar smiled and followed the healer.


    After dropping the stack of wood in the shed he guided Redgar not that deep into the cave, he could still see the light out of the cave.


    ¡°Ask me anything, you are lucky that I¡¯m really bored¡­ shoot your questions please,¡± the healer said, using his hands to guide Redgar¡¯s attention to a rock, then the healer sat on another rock too.


    Their conversation began, from the problem of the spirit to the troubles of the mind, Redgar even began to give examples of his encounters and finally began the exposition of his final example.


    ¡°That¡¯s the clearest story you¡¯ve ever told me so far¡­ like you were there,¡± the healer said with a mocking tone.


    Redgar smiled at him ¡°That¡¯s right, I was with them¡­ I was a part of the Hero of the Era¡¯s party,¡± he spilled the beans.


    The title carried more weight and was known to every part of the realm. Their exploits were legendary and even the names of the party were already passed down through the news and the hearsays.


    ¡°So you knew the Hero of the Era¡­ Alphecca Varus?¡± the healer asked and Redgar nodded.


    The healer understood the context of the last case. The case of the fox was really interesting for the healer. The healer smiled. It was probably fate that the man had found him in the cave.


    ¡°If I tell you that I¡¯m a demon¡­ would you believe me?¡± the healer suddenly said and Redgar was immediately on guard. ¡°Relax friend¡­ don¡¯t you want to exact revenge?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Redgar pulled out a knife from the ones that were hanging on his waist.


    ¡°You¡¯ve probably researched it yourself,-¡± the voice and the way the healer spoke began to change ¡°-but there were many possible ways to save her¡­ he didn¡¯t have to kill her didn¡¯t he?-¡± there was a venomous sting from the words of the healer and it was sipping right into Redgar¡¯s ears. ¡°-Or he was just too late?¡±


    Words began to ring in Redgar¡¯s mind, the day Alphecca offered Lenaya¡¯s head.


    Alphecca: ¡°It was all my fault... I let this happen. This is all I can offer you... She passed painlessly.¡±


    The hero of the era¡¯s words were worthy of its weight.


    What should he do with his feelings? What should he do with his life?


    ¡°If you could bring me any part of her body, then I could show you what really happened,¡± the demon said this and it rang in Redgar¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Demon¡­ your word I will remember it,¡± Redgar¡¯s face immediately contorted in pain after hearing those words.


    ¡°Wait¡­ a parting gift for you,-¡± the demon summoned Redgar¡¯s attention once more handing a piece of token. ¡°Hold on to it, the gem in the middle would glow if the one you are talking to is lying, a lie detection stone in simple terms, good luck to your endeavors.¡±


    ¡­


    A few years had passed and he returned with the skull of Lenaya. The demon was surprised to see the once glorious man was now missing an eye and had a new scar on his face, still, the demon remembered his promise as he began depicting the final moments of Lenaya using magic.


    The demon held the skull and placed his hands on the neck of Redgar, like a dream it projected Lenaya¡¯s POV into his mind.


    ¡°Not even a shred of doubt¡­ you truly are the hero of the era,¡± Lenaya spoke but those words felt like they came out of Redgar¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Fox¡­ you have to die now,¡± Alphecca in all his glory was emanating magic that was beyond his years.


    ¡°What if I say to you¡­ that she can still be saved¡­ will you still kill me?¡± the fox said.


    ¡°She is already gone, don¡¯t fuck with me fox¡­¡± Alphecca said.


    ¡°Alphecca she might be right!¡± it was another voice but Redgar was limited to what he could see.


    ¡°Your words are poison¡­¡± that was the last words from Alphecca as he disappeared from sight.


    It totally broke his heart watching Alphecca swinging his sword to cut Lenaya¡¯s head.


    Before dying a head¡¯s consciousness would last a few seconds. He saw another man that was standing and it was Jimmy, his face contorted with dread witnessing Lenaya''s death.


    ¡°I want to see the battle between the Fox and Alphecca¡­ is that possible?¡± Redgar muttered as he came back to reality. He didn¡¯t trust the demon and it was what the demon wanted.


    The demon¡¯s face painted the most menacing smile behind Redgar¡¯s back, it seemed that the token he gave him really did the trick.


    ¡°I could help you¡­ if you trade your soul I will help you,¡± the demon said, like a fish already caught on his bait.


    ¡°Have it,¡± Redgar stood up.


    <--->


    Back to the present. Redgar was already attuned to his senses and his reasons for his revenge. They were almost there. He stood up and began his walk to come out of the cave he was staying in.


    Making another glance at the grave of Ezagon he bid farewell with a nod. From the Ezagon¡¯s dog¡¯s grave until he could start to feel the breeze on his face. He could hear his steps resound through the cave.


    Until the light began to shine on his face. He was out, the air and the breeze of the cooling seasons blew through him. He loved the feeling and smiled as he heard footsteps that weren¡¯t his.


    ¡°Redgar! Long time no see!¡± it was the old man Alphecca, still as brazen as ever began the first dialogue.


    ¡°Is that your kid? Really, you who only loved swords? Lenaya would laugh her ass out!¡± Redgar answered like he was still friends with him.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you look good, and could make jokes now, amazing how time flies, I remembered I told you before, when I etched that scar in your face, I would kill you the next time I see you,¡± the old man said nonchalantly.


    Redgar could feel no animosity from the old man and it made it more scary. The old man was Alphecca, the hero of the era. He was cold and really articulated in shaming nobles. Strongest human he had ever known. If he didn¡¯t feel fear then he would be numbed to any form of danger.


    That sentence made Redgar touch the scar on his face.


    ¡°Oh, you remembered huh?¡± the old man smiled at him, then gesturing a wave he told the boy that was beside him to go in the side.


    ¡°Your tongue is still sharp as ever¡­ but your magic had been in decline¡­¡± Redgar said with his sheer confidence.


    ¡°Yeah, you are right, if the best scout I had ever known said that then it''s probably true, what took you so long?¡± the old man still bantered with him as he began placing down his things.


    ¡°Jimmy told me that you were dead¡­ he said that you are sick and that you won¡¯t last that much but you still look good¡­ Jimmy is dead by the way, he slowly died.¡± Redgar said this like a provocation.


    ¡°Of course¡­ he would like to feel his life draining out of him, that man was a beast,¡± and as usual the old man was on point, he was just too old to care about him dying.


    ¡°You better not beg for your life old man!!¡± Redgar screamed. He was ready to begin.

 Chapter 95 :: If its god’s will then so be it

    Years ago. The central continent, southwest, just above the borders of the Kingdom of Malandry. The Great Dungeon of Dune. It was a large subterranean dungeon that was under the arid desert of the Asharan Land.


    This dungeon was managed by the Ashara Clan of Nobility. This clan was a master in navigating the desert and the dungeon beneath it.


    The Hero of the Era, the Black Hood, Elway, Tristana, and their new resident mage Jain Sybil were now on rest, for a week after doing the first draft of their diving on the Great Dungeon of Dune.


    On the third day of their rest, they scheduled a meeting at the Adventurers¡¯ Guild cafeteria for dinner, although the nobles gladly let them stay in one of the biggest mansions owned by the state they still opt to eat the food the cafeteria of the adventurers guild offered, something that cannot be easily replicated.


    That night they had an uncanny visitor. Although disheveled Alphecca immediately knew who it was the moment he approached their table, it was because of the skirt of knives that he wore.


    ¡°Redgar¡­ it''s probably me you want to talk to?¡± Alphecca stood up. Elway tried to stand up but the hero¡¯s hands stopped him.


    The visitor removed his hood showing his face in the crowd, ¡°Can we talk outside?¡± it was really Redgar, the familiar mug was there but he was far from what he was before.


    Alphecca took a glance at the party ¡°Meeting¡¯s canceled, we still have time so don¡¯t worry,¡± he said as he took his sword that was lying diagonally on the chair.


    Everyone knew except Jain what was the beef between the two. Their last meeting was when Redgar left and it was a good one but they knew that their last words were not enough for closure. The two must talk with themselves tonight.


    They watched the back of the two as they left the cafeteria.


    <--->


    Alphecca followed Redgar to wherever he wanted to go. They hadn¡¯t stopped walking for a while and there were no words that were exchanged between them yet.


    Although it was dark, there were candles on the lamp posts that at least lit up the way. Alphecca could tell that this was not a friendly visit. He began hearing the sound of water. Redgar heard it too and followed it, knowing where they were going. It was down a small flight of stairs just before the bridge ahead.


    Then, all of a sudden, Redgar stopped moving. They were now on a riverbank. The river was man-made; most of the people in the Asharan domain were earth and water magic users, and they were good at making these waterways and bridges.


    Finally, Redgar faced Alphecca. Clearly, the man had aged so much.


    ¡°How long has it been?¡± it was Alphecca the one who began the conversation.


    ¡°2 years¡­ 2 long years,-¡± Redgar spoke as he began rummaging in his chest pocket, after grabbing the right object that he was searching for he threw some folded papers at Alphecca¡¯s feet ¡°-Read it.¡±


    Alphecca didn¡¯t like the way Redgar had thrown it, he glared but still knelt, took the paper and flicked a light on his pointing finger, ¡°Where did you find this?¡± he said as he began to read it.


    ¡°She could be saved, there were many ways, as long as we could take her outside, restrain her, it was possible,¡± Redgar spoke and each word gutted his ability to think rationally.


    Alphecca dropped the paper, he was cold. Staring directly into his eyes as he spoke ¡°So what¡­ adventurers could die any moment inside the dungeon¡­ what do you want me to say?¡± on Alphecca¡¯s side, they already had these conversations before, the ¡®what if¡¯s, the ¡®what were,¡¯ and the possibilities.


    Redgar smiled as if he finally had accepted everything. ¡°I already understand why I was looking for answers¡­ I wanted to find a reason not to answer the call of my ancestors¡­¡± he knew what he should have done 2 years ago but delayed it.


    Redgar stared at Alphecca¡¯s face, the man was really amazing. He was strong, ahead of his peers, he had a mind of steel. He was the definition of the title he was holding.


    Opposite him stood Redgar, the last of his kind. His parents had died fighting for what they believed to be the greater cause. The Red Monks were notorious for their rituals and culture. They worshiped the sun, followed strict rules, and only ate meat. The best part of their faith was the mandate to help others without expecting anything in return and to always do what was right. However, the worst aspect of their faith was their rituals and belief about vengeance.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    But it was already far from the mind of Redgar. Although he was the last of their faith he won¡¯t commit revenge for shallow reasons at all. He had learned to accept only the positive aspects of his fate.


    While wallowing in his thoughts he remembered something, he took out a token that the healer gave to him and showed it to Alphecca.


    ¡°It would glow red whenever you lie-¡± Redgar said and held it out so that Alphecca could see it ¡°-I hate you!¡± and the token glow red.


    It made a smile crack on Alphecca¡¯s face.


    The more Redgar processed things the more he wallowed in regret. Regret that he was weak, regret that Lenaya died, regret of his feelings. He truly tried to end himself a few times but just thinking that he was saved by Lenaya he felt that he couldn¡¯t take what was not already his. Truly love would build someone up and destroy someone down.


    Keeping all his feelings mixed in his soul truly did break the man that he was. Redgar was desperate, he was still logical but he didn¡¯t know what to do with his rage. It must flow out. Believing in a simple truth was much better than thinking of it complicatedly.


    ¡°Is it your fault that Lenaya died?¡± it was the only question Redgar could ask.


    ¡°It was all my fault, I was late¡­ I didn¡¯t kill the fox fast enough,¡± Alphecca said as he turned his back but he didn¡¯t move to leave, he turned his back because he couldn¡¯t watch the man changing, falling deeper in the abyss of his emotions.


    The token didn¡¯t glow, It was the only thing that he was waiting for. Redgar cracked a smile as he decided on what he was going to do next.


    Although it was impossible to beat the strongest hero of his time, gazing at the hero''s back invited him to take the chance.


    In a flash, he launched a literal backstab but¡­


    ¡°You should have done this before, you really waited two years?¡± Alphecca spoke. He used his sword to block the knife.


    Redgar immediately created a space between them.


    Redgar¡¯s right eye began to turn red. His power and magic increased as his eyes turned darker red. It was one of the abilities the faith of the Sun uses. One of the reasons why they were called the Red Monk.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ let it all go¡­ let¡¯s see what you got, Redgar Nigel!!¡± Alphecca said taunting. ¡°It was all my fault¡­ I know it¡­ how about you? Do you really know why you are here? Why you are doing this? Red Monk my ass!! You didn¡¯t even have the chance to save her!!! Did you?¡± Alphecca continued to provoke him. If Redgar was going to let it all out then he was ready to receive it.


    This fight should have happened 2 years ago but Redgar just avoided the confrontation.


    ¡°I will not say sorry to you!! I also lost her!! She was a friend to me! And a lover to you! You weakling!!¡± Alphecca seemed to have a piece he wanted to say but the fight began.


    It was Redgar who attacked first.


    Alphecca effortlessly evaded the first attack and then countered with a slash on Redgar¡¯s back. As the pain seer it totally woke him up, he waved his hands and made 6 of his knives float.


    Redgar¡¯s fighting style was a mix of mid-range and calculated melee attacks. Still against the hero of the era, he dodged it with ease even breaking some of the knives.


    ¡°You tried to fight me without coating your knives with magic edge? Pure recklessness!!¡± Alphecca continued to mock Redgar.


    Redgar was not in his full power, he had been neglecting his body, not even practicing his knives. It was totally reckless that he even activated his Red Eye to buff his powers. His eyes hurt but his rage was washing it away.


    Using the red eye was the only way to stand toe to toe against the greatest man he ever knew.


    Redgar retracted all of his knives and one by one held them, placing magic edge each time he touched them.


    ¡°Lenaya died because of you¡­ so I will kill you¡­¡± Redgar muttered the only words he could come up with that were fueled by rage and nonacceptance.


    ¡°That¡¯s more I like it, how about this, I¡¯m going to carve a new scar in your face after a beat you!¡± Alphecca smiled.


    Hearing those words made Redgar grit his teeth, he would do it. That¡¯s how he was, a man of his words ¡°If it¡¯s the god¡¯s will then so be it.¡± he smiled.


    The two knew that this night was going to change their lives.


    <--->


    Presently at the Sun God peak.


    Alphecca and Redgar stood face to face with a space of 15 paces. Their long-awaited fight was not scheduled that day but it had to happen now.


    A boy was watching on the sides.


    The two locked eyes, each gaze a silent declaration of war. The old man stood poised, his weathered face etched with determination, his sword gleaming in the dim light. Every muscle in his body was coiled, ready to strike. Opposite him, Redgar''s single eye burned with a fierce intensity, his grip tight around the knives in each hand. The air between them crackled with anticipation, a moment suspended on the edge of violence.


    At the exact moment, the two began their rush. The spaces between them instantly disappeared and the blades that they were holding began rapidly exchanging with strikes and parry. Although the old man held a single sword it was enough to deal with Redgar¡¯s two blades. Still, Redgar was efficient, he made sure that the old man would work for every parry and counterattack he would launch.


    ¡°Getting old? Old man?¡± Redgar suddenly threw some insults.


    ¡°Your age is the only advantage you have¡­ and you know that,¡± the old man retorted, he then landed a kick on Redgar¡¯s stomach. It was one of his newly developed techniques that he had been using on the boy.


    Redgar flew, surprised by the explosive strength of the old man. Still, he managed to throw two of his knives, and the old man evaded it with ease.


    The scarred man landed by rolling ¡°I think warm-up is finished¡­ time to get serious,¡± Redgar said waving his hands calling the two knives back to him floating and another wave making the three other knives float around him.


    Alphecca knew of the knives and their different elements. He had broken two before so he was not familiar with the two of his new knives.


    The two began to use Magic Edge, which would radically change the flow of battle.


    Simon just stood there watching intently, the boy knew in his heart that something was wrong with the old man but still fully placed his trust in him. He could tell that the scarred man was really strong, he was not afraid, but rather he began formulating ways to fight and kill him.

 Chapter 96 :: That piece of heaven

    The Sun God Peak was truly beautiful, especially as the sunset approached. The peak cast a stunning shadow that formed a perfect triangle. From its summit, the sound of clashing magic and metal echoed from the cave where a lonely graveyard lay and across the ground where the Sun God stood atop the mountains.


    A boy was the only witness to what was likely one of the greatest duels of old times. The old man, Alphecca, the Sword of Light, was a faded hero from a past era. Opposing him was a scarred man who controlled seven knives with a dance of perpetuity¡ªRedgar the Fearless, the last of his faith.


    Their deathly battle has been going on for hours. Both were already wounded, blade and burns, exhaustion and psyche already at their limits.


    The two were clearly fighting on a squared foot. Alphecca fought with his swordsmanship and flash steps, while Redgar had become more refined with his use of floating knives and the elemental magic they could utilize.


    The two without words stopped.


    ¡°You tired old man?¡± it was Redgar who spoke first breaking the ice between the two.


    ¡°You look tired¡­ how about a rest¡­ let¡¯s talk for a while,¡± although the old man was trying to act tough his face totally showed it. He was already in bad shape even before the duel began.


    ¡°... I will take that-¡± Redgar then sat and his knives pierced down into the ground. ¡°-I never thought that our second duel would be not that climatic¡­ no screams, just a fight.¡±


    ¡°We change through time¡­ we should be already past this revenge stuff. I just don¡¯t understand how could you keep up this long¡­ and I wonder, why did you kill Jimmy?¡± the old man asked, he then signaled Simon for a drink. ¡°Give him some too.¡± the old man added.


    The boy immediately followed and took their pouch of water, he then used two wooden bowls to serve the water to each of them. He gave it to the old man first and to the scarred man.


    The two then raised their bowls and drank it down.


    ¡°I¡­ I saw what really happened¡­ a demon helped me to see, in exchange for your life,¡± Redgar confessed, a crack of a smile painted his face showing his yellowed teeth.


    ¡°A demon¡­ but I don¡¯t feel anything from you¡­ that¡¯s so unlike you,¡± the old man said, a glare was in his eyes¡­ it''s those demons again. Joshua¡¯s face flashed in his mind.


    ¡°You¡­ said before that I didn¡¯t know why I was trying to kill you, I came back now that I know why-¡± Redgar said then he stared directly into the old man¡¯s eyes, ¡°You held back that¡¯s why the fox successfully finished her possession into Lenaya, I saw it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s true¡­ you are right, I¡¯m just sad that you had to sell your soul to the demon-¡± the old man nodded. ¡°-I admit it¡­ I was lost in my power back then¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have held back, it was true that I fucked up that¡¯s why Lenaya died,¡± the words from the old man were from his heart.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I must kill you, not only that my ancestors would laugh at me if I didn¡¯t do this¡­ it would be injustice for me¡­¡± Redgar said. He was ready.


    It was true that once one had reached the limit of themselves, then they would see their true nature, their true purpose.


    ¡°... But why did you kill Jimmy?¡± Alphecca just wanted to clear up something that didn¡¯t make sense. Redgar didn¡¯t clearly answer it earlier.


    Redgar smiled, he stared directly into the old man¡¯s eyes ¡°For two reasons, 1st, when you disappeared he didn¡¯t tell me where you were,-¡± Then Redgar stood up. ¡°-2nd was¡­ he could have stopped you from killing her but didn¡¯t.¡± the knives floated together with his hand waving up.


    ¡°That was a short break. In my defense¡­ she was already gone when I killed her, I could tell,¡± the old man followed suit as he stood up. ¡°-That¡¯s what I believe¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah just believe on that¡­ and I will believe in my truth,¡± Redgar said. His scars began twitching, from the cold or probably a memory, he wasn¡¯t sure.


    Their battle would resume now.


    <--->


    Back in the past.


    A shattered stone bridge lay in ruins, its once sturdy arches now reduced to scattered debris jutting out from the waterway below. The stream, disrupted and misshapen by the fallen stones, gurgled angrily around the wreckage. Amidst this desolation, a man stood, his eyes fixed on another who lay sprawled on the ground face down.


    The standing man gripped his unsheathed sword tightly, the blade glinting menacingly because of the coat of its magic edge. His hands bore several cuts, blood seeping through his sleeves, but otherwise, he appeared unscathed, his breathing steady and his stance unwavering. He hadn''t even broken a sweat.


    ¡°Stand up!¡± Alphecca commanded, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife.


    ¡°Alphecca¡­ fight me properly! You didn¡¯t even use your Armas! Use it!¡± the man on the ground screamed. His name was Redgar Nigel. He was already missing an eye on his right.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Although he was already out of breath he tried to stand up, trying to take a look at Alphecca¡¯s face but he failed. As he breathed through the ground he remembered Lenaya¡¯s face, when she was smiling in his dream¡­ when her head was delivered to him, by the same man that killed her¡­ the reason she was dead.


    Then he heard Alphecca sheathing his sword with a ¡°Clack!¡± then followed by the steps that suggested that he was leaving. Was he really no match? Even though he had already given up so much. He didn¡¯t want to end it like this, ideas began sprouting on his mind.


    ¡°Alphecca!! You told me that you would carve my face! Come back here!!¡± it was a taunt from Redgar who couldn¡¯t even move.


    ¡°Stay down¡­¡± Alphecca said and continued to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you back down on your word! You spineless bastard!¡± Redgar screamed at the last of his voice and it worked.


    Alphecca stopped and sighed. Redgar should have stayed down¡­ he didn¡¯t want to take it further but he really said that earlier. He walked back with a steady stride. Upon reaching him he pulled up Redgar turning his whole body around then a pain struck on his knees.


    It was a knife from Redgar¡¯s grip. ¡°Got you!!¡± the scarred man said, his half-face already covered in blood.


    Alphecca gripped the knife firmly and yanked it out. He shoved Redgar''s body violently to the ground and started carving into his face using the same knife. Beginning at the forehead, he made a horizontal cut.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Do it! Do it!¡± Redgar was already out of his mind.


    ¡°You like that? How about this?¡± Alphecca cracked a maniacal grin. With sinister precision, he dragged the blade from the mangled forehead down across the shredded cheeks, slicing through the hollow where his eye once was.


    The two were laughing maniacally, their deranged cackles echoing through the night like the howls of madmen.


    ¡°I will come back for you¡­ I swear on this scar!¡± Redgar said as he was bathing in his own blood.


    ¡°I will be waiting,¡± Alphecca smiled ¡°Don¡¯t take too long.¡±


    <--->


    Back in the present.


    ¡°Release,¡± / ¡°Release,¡± both said at the same time the two spoke it like a prayer.


    Alphecca¡¯s eyes blazed as brilliant light poured from them. His hair billowed, radiating a luminous glow, while his sword shimmered with potent light magic. This was the reason he was called the Sword of Light.


    Redgar¡¯s knives had tripled; in their past confrontation, his Armas would only double the knives. As far as Alphecca could remember, Redgar¡¯s knives possessed different types of elemental magic and special effects. He had broken two knives the last time they met. Alphecca could still remember the five knives that were floating.


    One for each of the basic elements and another one had the power of sound, the one he mainly used for detecting.


    Knives further descriptions:


    Fire: Made out of Phoenix bone wing.


    Wind: A normal iron knife that has wind crystals embedded on the hilt and the tip of the blade.


    Water: Made out of a coral from the western part of the continent.


    Earth: It looks like a Vajra or a Dojre, just search it on the internet, there are earth crystals inside that work like bells.


    Sound: Looks like a Tuning Fork that has blades on each side.


    The two new knives were a mystery. It had a black and white blade and they were akin to a carving knife.


    ¡°Simon!! Boy! Watch carefully!¡± the old man screamed then glared at the boy.


    ¡°Really? Alphecca, you are thinking of that?-¡± Redgar felt insulted but still in his element. ¡°-Watch each of the knives!¡± he added following the old man¡¯s lead.


    The two began another series of exchanging attacks. Redgar didn¡¯t have to move, he was controlling the knives perfectly anticipating and and countering the old man¡¯s move.


    After two clangs the old man immediately knew what was the black and white knives. The white was for parrying his light magic attack while the black one was to break the slashes he was leaving.


    ¡°You found a way to break the effect of my Armas¡­ amazing!¡± the old man muttered.


    Redgar smiled. Of course, he would immediately notice. The Armas that the old man was using turns his sword into a light saber and by activating his 2<sup>nd</sup> Phase he could rapidly retrace all those slashes he did when attacking in the Armas state.


    Now, what he was thinking was how the old man would counter it. By all means, he knew that the old man wouldn¡¯t go down that easily.


    ¡°I¡¯m probably going to use my ace to you¡­ damn, my body would hurt later,¡± Alphecca said without even stopping the dance and dodge.


    He began looking around and found the same wooden bowl they used to drink the water earlier.


    ¡°Did you know that it rained earlier?¡± the old man spoke.


    The old man then pointed his fingers firing a laser beam. Redgar was keeping a dark knife close to him and he used it to cancel the attack, he couldn¡¯t and was impossible to dodge anyway. After that flash of the laser beam the old man fired another one on rapid succession and Redgar finally began moving.


    ¡°I knew it¡­ it can¡¯t take everything,¡± the old man smiled, he then flash-stepped near the wooden bowl and he hit it. Surprising even Redgar.


    ¡°That drink was for this? This is your ace?¡± Redgar taunted.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ like this¡­¡± The old man began firing laser beams in rapid succession. As he embodied the element of light his perception of time led him to heighten his reaction time.


    The lasers with precision hit the droplets of water refracting it.


    Redgar felt the terror as he saw the magic dispersed in different colors of lasers. It was truly terrifying to fight someone with power on the scale of magic laws.


    Author¡¯s Note: Magic laws are in layman¡¯s terms, the scientific properties of elements. Although light does reflect, refract, and disperse, understanding an element until it''s on the level of magic law allows one to bend its properties. Well, it''s magic!


    Redgar snarled at the old man¡¯s cunning and he summoned the black blades. It was impossible to dodge the beams of light. It was like the old man was mocking him. It was of different colors, the same as one of Redgar¡¯s nicknames, ¡®Rainbow Knives.¡¯


    Using the black blades as a shield then the white ones to at least create a room. The white ones did the trick as they limited the movements of the laser beams.


    This all happened in a split second and after the flashes faded Redgar still remained on his feet. The 3 knives crumbled as the original got destroyed. The scarred man¡¯s body was smoking, the heat created by the laser beams fried him a bit.


    ¡°Good one¡­ that was a good one, you¡¯ve clearly grown,¡± the old man smiled. His hands began shaking, it was uncontrollable, and then his sight became blurred.


    Redgar blew the smoke on his body using the magic on one of his knives ¡°And I thought I already had you, that drink, did you plan it?¡± he was clearly annoyed.


    The old man smiled, and he then took a look at the boy who was still watching, he wondered if the boy saw what happened but Simon was just silently watching. He couldn¡¯t afford to go down like this in front of the boy. He gave up and sighed finally reaching into his pocket the metal tumbler.


    Redgar watching the old man¡¯s action smiled. If he could beat the old man on his highest form then it would be that piece of heaven he had been dreaming of.

 Chapter 97 :: Couldn’t Remember That

    The Dragoon Flower extract was a potent medicine to increase one''s magic and abilities but only for a span of limited time. The old man upon taking it immediately felt his power surge. It must be instinct but he could tell that if he used it at the later part of their battle then its effect would diminish.


    A tinge of pain on his head began throbbing, it persisted for a bit but after a few seconds, it disappeared, his hands that were shaking became stable then his eyes were again focused. He probably had 20 minutes before the effect ran out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for that! Are you feeling high? Using that means that you are going to go serious on me? Really?¡± Redgar was beginning to get excited.


    The old man¡¯s magic began to crackle. He was going to go all out. It won¡¯t be a simple battle anymore. The boy who was watching from the side began to take their things. It totally drained the tension as Redgar saw the boy doing that.


    Out of Redgar¡¯s floating knives, only 18 remained. It floated serenely all pointing towards the old man.


    ¡°Here I come,¡± the old man muttered and he disappeared creating a flash and a low crackle. The old man was much faster, stronger, and sharper. The old man began his relentless attack.


    Redgar gritted as he began deflecting attacks from the old man, he then sent one of the knives into the peak. Only aiming to deflect the attacks that could dismember or break him he quickly garnered some wounds.


    ¡°Shit!!!¡± Redgar screamed and he jumped into the air using the knife with wind element to propel him up.


    The old man followed him with blinding speed, conjuring floating steps using his magic of light.


    Redgar, unable to cancel the effect of the old man¡¯s Armas, tried to escape from the ground, but it was not enough. The relentless attack continued even in the air, yet Redgar¡¯s face showed no worry or doubt¡ªonly relentless grit and a smirking mug. It seemed the scarred man still had his own plan.


    Redgar then used the wind and water knives to use another kind of magic. As one of each knife collided the sound of metal hitting each other resounded and mist was created, it flowed out as it exploded. Then he used the sound knife to hit another knife creating a sharp sound.


    The old man tried to disperse the mist using the swing of his sword but to his surprise, it didn¡¯t work. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± the old man muttered as he felt that his sword hit none.


    ¡°You remember this mist?¡± the voice of Redgar resounded in the mist. Then the mist opened up with the scarred man in the middle.


    Alphecca instantly realized what was the plan. He tried to get out of the mist but collided with the mist preventing his escape. The whole space inside the mist flowed with heat as magic from Redgar¡¯s knives became more vivid.


    ¡°Blazing Devastation!¡± it was the same magic Lenaya used in the illusion back at the dungeon years ago.


    Alphecca finally realized he was under some kind of hypnosis. The moment the mist had parted, he should have snapped to attention and attacked, but instead, his thoughts had remained hazy and unfocused. It was as if a fog had settled over his mind, dulling his reactions and clouding his awareness. It must have been the sound he used.


    ¡°Feeling lightheaded? Alphecca!¡± Redgar taunted and he began controlling the solar flares just by using his hands and his mind.


    The old man smiled ¡°That¡¯s really sweet of you,¡± the old man couldn¡¯t dodge and as much as he understood he must fight this off with his own magic.


    The old man created a platform of light under his feet as his base to float. Redgar glared as he saw the posture of the old man. As he expected, the old man would try to counter by launching an attack against the flares of the Blazing Devastation.


    ¡­


    Simon was watching outside the mist. The mist churned like a tempest, its swirling depths illuminated by an eerie, inner glow, it looked like a flickering dome. He could feel the magic between the both of them colliding. The old man was moving as fast as usual and the scarred man was probably in the middle of the dome.


    His eyes twitched, the boy had never seen so much magic being used at the same time, usually, when the old man used his Armas it would be immediately all over. Then he heard the mountain rumble.


    The boy wasn¡¯t sure if he was hallucinating but he could see the peak beginning to move. The trembles and vibrations were telling him that it was really happening. The atmosphere then became hotter and hotter.


    ¡°Aargh!!¡± and a scream coming from the old man resounded through the mountains.


    The boy immediately noticed a build-up of pressure in the mist. He immediately took their things and hid three steps down the stairs whence they came from.


    The large ball of mist exploded while the heat waved in the whole summit. The old man flew down but landed on his two feet. Even stuttered as he tried to regain his posture, this time it was the old man who was smoking, there were burns on his shoulders and back.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The boy was just watching what was happening and by his observation, the peak really did begin to move. It was falling in their direction.


    The old man tried looking around and he saw the boy. He thought ¡®Good boy¡¯ and then raised his sword into the air. Light burst as the manifestation of his power.


    ¡°How much time has passed old man!!¡± Redgar began screaming, he lost some of his fingers, the pinky, and the ring finger on his right hand. He used the same hand to point to the old man.


    The peak began to fall and the old man stood there silently as he summoned the magic on his sword. 15 minutes had passed since the battle began¡­ It is funny that when he was young, he thought that his magic was endless with even limitless possibilities now he needed the drugs to summon the magic he would be needing to break the falling peak.


    Redgar used his wind knives to propel up as the peak began to fall. The summit of the mountain trembled.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna cut you into two!¡± the old man said as he catapulted upwards.


    The peak slowly fell as the momentum built up.


    Redgar was on the air feeling the wind on his face, he would now end a legend tonight. He summoned back the knives close to him making it rotate. Slicing the peak using his earthen knives really did the trick but he was rapidly losing magic in his body. As the knives rotated around him he drank some potion to recover his magic.


    He knew that the falling peak would block the old man to buy more time. Although the old man¡¯s flash step was really fast it had a limit and a distance. He even experimented using the white knives, everything has its limits, the old man was also old and even sick.


    Redgar was already at the level of Magic Laws on both fire and wind elements. Unlocking that level of mastery added so much to his magical prowess. Still, The old man could probably dodge all of the things he could launch at him. Redgar smirked as he plans failed. The mist he made earlier was a plan that he knew would never work twice against the old man.


    The actions and magic he was doing were all practiced, losing his arm was actually the worst outcome at their exchange inside the mist rather the old man was not as sharp as he used to be.


    When the old man launched an attack he just used magic in his sword and not in his body, which was why the old man was burned.


    Redgar repelled that attack in exchange for his few fingers which was the far better result.


    Three of the floating knives went in front of him. Dirt and earth began floating covering the three earthen knives. Infusing it with a combination of wind and fire he began rotating the three knives. This is a magic combination of Earth as the projectile, wind as the propellant, and fire to increase its power.


    (Author¡¯s note: In short it''s really a very fast rocket!)


    Charging it infusing magic of whatever he had left. He had the time, the old man could either save the boy or crack the peak, but neither of the two would buy him time.


    Then trickles of light caught his attention. ¡°No way¡­¡± Redgar muttered.


    The peak that was falling was literally diced. It seemed that the old man activated his 2nd Phase, he understood why the old man was waiting for it to fall.


    ¡°Redgar!! That was too much!!¡± the old man''s screams reverberated and sonic booms were created.


    ¡°Sorry is the boy still okay!?¡± Redgar said with his voice cracking for a laugh. He couldn¡¯t care about the boy.


    The old man was standing on a platform of light that was floating in the air, still inside the dust and crumbles of earth he made himself.


    He smiled, it had been a long time since he had to actually rely on his skills rather than bursting enemies with his magic which was far simpler. This was the thrill he was looking for, now that he was running out of time he had to formulate every last sword strike he could muster.


    The first was to create an unpredictable path. His sword that was made up of light extended then the old man spun to send the rubble of the beautiful peak flying upwards. It cracked the old man¡¯s shoulders when he did, he was really getting old.


    As the rock and earth floated he made sure that there would be debris that would be floating close enough to Redgar¡¯s position. Looking around he found it, the path was complete. In connecting the dots of debris and earth he would be using his flash-step.


    The old man disappeared from the platform of light that slowly faded.


    ¡°No!!¡± Redgar saw the rubble rise up into the air, it was dangerous, he knew what the old man was planning, and he only got 3 shots of the earthen projectile he charged.


    Although the situation was dire Redgar smiled, it should be like this or it wouldn¡¯t be satisfying at all. If he could survive the few more minutes of the old man¡¯s god-like state he would win. It would be all snowball from there.


    His senses were polished. Although the old man was very fast his flash step was actually a flashy move and could be easily noticed when he used it. He caught a glance of the flash step that came from the smoke of rubble. He didn¡¯t need to use his eyes¡­ his instinct was more trustworthy.


    ¡°There,¡± and Redgar using his fingers fired one of his charged projectiles.


    ¡°Aargh!¡± it hit the old man, the sound of him gritting was enough proof of it.


    Still, knowing that he landed a hit was a total increase in Redgar¡¯s confidence. The white knives glowed as they created a shield-like surface emission of light. It floated as close as possible over his body, although it was probably not going to stop the old man¡¯s attack he was hoping to limit the damage he would receive.


    ¡°Lucky shot!¡± the old man muttered. Then the movements and flashes rapidly increased.¡¯


    Redgar glared but his instincts were still on point. The scarred man then used three of his knives to create a sound, it worked like a radar, to his surprise two objects were moving in the air. One was probably the decoy, using his fingers he pointed out. His prediction was crisped cut. Probably it''s because of his impatience, he should have waited, or anything else he could have done but it was already too late.


    His adrenaline must have blocked his pain receptors but pain began spreading on his chest. All of his knives began falling down one by one¡­ magic was leaving his body. Redgar then checked his body and the tip of the blade was already protruding out of his chest.


    ¡°When did you get there?¡± Redgar asked as he felt his blood running out of his chest.


    ¡°That first shot, it hit me on the shoulders, I actually endured through it, threw some decoys while at it-¡± the magic on the old man¡¯s body began to fade too ¡°-I was already behind your back when I said lucky shot.¡±


    Redgar¡¯s eyes widened ¡°Why¡­ why¡­ did you hold back?¡± wondering why the old man stood behind him all this time before stabbing him.


    ¡°No, my sword was already in your chest, this is the 3rd Phase of my Armas¡­ I could actually turn invisible, you might have seen me use it twice,¡± the old man then smiled.


    ¡°An invisible attack? Couldn¡¯t remember that,¡± Redgar said.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use the same boost when we fought the first time?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°I want to bring my other eye¡­ or I won¡¯t be able to see Lenaya,¡± Redgar said gasping the last of his breath.


    ¡°That totally makes sense¡­ sorry¡­ I¡¯m a man of my word,¡± using the same 3rd phase the old man cut Redgar¡¯s body in half. ¡°4th Phase¡­¡± the old man muttered and traces of Redgar¡¯s body disappeared¡­ it disintegrated along with a warm flash.


    ¡°Seal¡­¡± the old man muttered as he fell down from the air.

 Chapter 98 :: A stranger at the Fisher Man’s Village

    The Fisherman''s Village, perched on the southernmost tip of the eastern continent, stood as a remote outpost. True to its name, the villagers lived and breathed the life of a fisherman, their existence intertwined with the sea.


    They are currently in the off-season, and the village is calm. From the cold months of autumn to early spring, the village''s activities come to a halt.


    An old man was sleeping in the basement of the Village Chief''s house. However, it was more than just a basement; it was a cavern formed from a dead coral reef. The cavern was large and sturdy enough to support the two-story structure of the Village Chief''s house above.


    The waves that were beaching in the walls of the cavern were gentle but it was enough to revive the hearing of the old man. He slowly opened his eyes, he was actually surprised that he was still alive. As his mind slowly returned fully he remembered the boy that was always beside him.


    ¡°Simon!!¡± the old man screamed.


    Four figures immediately went down into the basement. It was the Black Hood, a Pam identified by her uniform, the village chief, and his wife.


    ¡°Sir Alphecca, how do you feel? Does anything hurt?¡± the Pam was concerned with his health. She began checking the old man¡¯s eyes and placed her hand on his shoulders to scan him with magic.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, where is that idiot?¡± the old man asked as he stared to the people that answered his cry.


    ¡°And we thought you would never wake up!¡± the village chief asked.


    The old man stared at the Black Hood but he knew that it was not the one he knew of. ¡°Black Hood! Where is the boy?¡± but he was sure he had the information he wanted to know, that¡¯s how it usually works.


    ¡°He is not here, I will go to him personally, we will be back two days from now,¡± the Black Hood answered like clockwork then stared into his eyes. ¡°You are not going to live that long anymore,¡± the Black Hood did his own assessment with just a look.


    The Pam stared and glared at him.


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ve already known it for a long time, Urgh!! Stop it!¡± the old man muttered as his head began to hurt as hell, the Pam removed her hand.


    The Pam stared directly at the old man¡¯s face ¡°The magic stone that is in your brain became more larger, every time you use magic or even channel magic to any part of your body it will react like that,¡± the Pam said.


    The old man just smiled at her. ¡°Can anybody tell how we made it here? How long has it passed since I was asleep?¡±


    The four had a face of surprise widening their eyes in the old man¡¯s query. The one who immediately answered was the village chief.


    ¡°You weren''t just asleep,-¡± the village chief said, his face grave. ¡°-You''ve been in a coma for three years!¡±


    The old man¡¯s facade cracked, losing three years was big. ¡°Where is the boy then, what has been happening?¡± the old man was noticeably in a hurry to know the answers.


    ¡°Alphecca¡­ does the boy feel anything when it kills?¡± the Village Chief asked the old man. It awakened the old man¡¯s mind and he began to worry about the boy.


    ¡°Since he was little he never felt remorse about killing anything at all, especially for the sake of food¡­ he would never eat humans though,¡± the old man said as a matter of fact. The old man remembered some things back in the mountain shack. He was really glad that he taught Simon how to cook early on.


    The Village Chief''s face paled aghast.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± the old man immediately noticed that there was something wrong.


    ¡°He is currently on a wanted list he killed two nobles that were visiting the village,¡± it was the Black Hood who answered. ¡°And he has been hunted, this had been going on for the past few years.¡±


    The old man smiled, those who hunted the boy must be already 6 feet underground. ¡°Isn¡¯t it getting cold already,¡± the old man muttered. Winter must be already around the corner.


    <--->


    Years ago, strangers arrived at Fisherman''s Village. A young boy, not even struggling under the weight, carried an elderly man on his back. The village, lacking any imposing fortifications, was encircled by modest wooden walls that barely reached the height of an average person.


    At that time, two nobles from the central region attempted to hijack the next voyage of the fishing vessels, intending to charter them and monopolize their catch. Seafood was considered a delicacy throughout the entire realm, and Fisherman''s Village, located on the eastern frontier, was the largest supplier.


    They blocked any passage going inside the village, it was in a form of harassment to their side, and that harassment had been going on for months, the Fisherman¡¯s Village was in a remotely far place and it was easy to block all the attempts to ask for help.


    Not only that the Village would suffer for their food supply but also their next trip would be jeopardized since they couldn¡¯t collect or trade supplies in preparation for the trip. The nobles knew of it and were taking advantage of it to put more pressure on them.


    That midday the boy arrived, knights in the village that were guarding the road tried to block him.


    ¡°I need help¡­¡± the boy said.


    He was rugged, with streaks of blood smeared across his back. His strength was undeniable, for while carrying the elderly man, he also bore a hefty bag. The old man perched atop the bag, securely fastened with branches and ropes, transforming the boy into a living, moving chair.


    The knight tried to intimidate the boy by drawing his sword.


    ¡°Leave!¡± as the knight pointed his sword to the boy.


    Now that he was closer, he noticed that the boy was blind. He felt pity but only for a moment. The knight used his hands to summon another knight closer.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°An old man and a child¡­ that¡¯s pitiful, this is the frontiers, killing them would be a much better mercy,¡± the knight that approached said, he was not wearing his helmet, it was a sign of his experience or probably overconfidence.


    ¡°Kill them?¡± To his surprise, the much more veteran knight suggested a brutal solution.


    ¡°Look at him, do you think he will survive? We are ordered not to let anyone inside and sending him back after he had gotten so far would be brutal¡­ we will bury them properly,¡± the veteran added.


    In a reaction, the boy placed down the bag with the old man, and he took one of the sticks that helped with the balance of the old man.


    The two knights felt pity but what surprised them was that the boy rushed into an attack. The younger knight who already had his sword drawn out tried to block it.


    He was wearing full armor as per the requirement of the noble, still his hand broke and his own armor punctured his head instantly dying on his feet as he fell down like a puppet. The boy literally denied the block by hitting the arms of the knight before he successfully guarded and then landed a blow on the knight¡¯s helmet. All was done with a stick.


    The veteran knight was confused about what he saw as he tried to draw his sword too. ¡°Shit!¡± he said he should have worn his helmet, the stick entered through his eye, and he instantly died too.


    The boy could sense that there were three more knights inside the village, he checked at the old man and then rushed inside.


    ¡­


    The village chief of the Fisherman¡¯s Village was threatened inside his own house, two cocky nobles pointed their sword at him to intimidate the man.


    ¡°Give us your word! Sign the damned contract!¡± the noble said.


    Still, the man was persistent. The nobles of the centrals were untouchable, killing one would be a big problem, the government had many loopholes that could be abused and these nobles knew of it.


    The noble glared at the old man, he was of the house of Faramis, another big shot in the central, ¡°Bring her in!¡± he didn¡¯t want to do these kinds of things but his father forced him to do it.


    His brother went down from the second floor with a nervous smile as another knight dragged the wife of the village chief.


    ¡°You goddamn assholes!¡± the village chief muttered in disgust.


    ¡°Then just sign it! You should have complied immediately when we were still asking you nicely!¡± the noble said.


    The village remembered how these noble boys paraded their authority and threatened them, if that was asking nicely then these boys knew nothing.


    They were currently at the main hall of the village chief¡¯s house, it was the first floor of the house. The village chief looked around, the nobles really did a number on him. There was still a hidden sword on the back of his drawer and a grappling hook on the second floor.


    The village chief was ready to die as he breathed in putting clarity to what he was about to do. Then suddenly they heard something outside, the village chief remembered that he ordered the village to stay at their home to not be caught up with the noble¡¯s scheme.


    The door opened it was a boy. The village chief was unfamiliar with him.


    ¡°Kill that boy!!¡± in annoyance at the disruption of his negotiation the noble screamed. There should still be two knights stationed just outside, it seemed that he failed to wonder how the boy arrived in front of the house.


    His brother took the village chief¡¯s wife as the knight followed the command to attack, the noble clicked his tongue as the menial task of holding a commoner was passed to him.


    The boy reached to his right, it seemed that he had a bag there, it was a bloody wooden stick.


    ¡°Sorry boy!¡± the knight said, it was not his job to kill innocent lives but he was ordered to.


    The two nobles smiled as they watched the knight land a strike on the boy, the boy was probably cleaved into two.


    ¡°The old man said, beware of magic users¡­¡± It was the boy¡¯s voice and the knight collapsed to the ground. A vertical dent on his helmet and blood pouring out of it.


    ¡°Brother! What is happening?-¡± Then a wooden stick punctured the neck of the noble who was holding the wife ¡°-Agck!¡± the boy pushed through the neck scattering red on the air.


    The last noble pointed his sword but it was already too late, he should have used magic immediately. He fell down as his knee bent in a strange way, the amount of adrenaline his brain was pumping was not enough to make him stop from screaming in pain.


    The wife immediately ran to his husband and the two hugged each other. They were both confused about what was happening.


    The boy landed a blow on the noble¡¯s head totally mushing it into pieces.


    The boy then looked at the wife and the village chief. ¡°I need help please¡­¡± was his words. He opened his eyes and it was snake eyes.


    ¡­


    Wide burns on his back, some lacerations on his arms, and an unexplainable reason why his magic was totally oozing out of his every pore.


    The wife of the chief did everything that she could but it had limits, they were treating the old man on the lower floor of the Village Chief''s house, and the boy was just on a side watching the struggle.


    The other villagers were now cleaning up the bloody mess in the village as per the chief¡¯s orders. He already sent some of the villagers to message the nearest adventure guild which was located in the Farm Lands, the village chief mourned that he didn¡¯t allow the installation of messenger birds.


    As the old man was in a better state the village chief went close to the boy.


    ¡°What is your name boy?¡± he asked, still terrified about what the boy did earlier.


    ¡°Simon¡­ is the old man okay?¡± the boy asked, his eyes were closed as they were making the conversation, the chief could understand why he was keeping his eyes closed.


    ¡°We are going to ask for help, he is not yet that stable but he will survive,-¡± Then the chief knelt in front of the boy ¡°-You have to leave the village for now, they will be investigating since a noble¡¯s blood is spilled here, we will take care of the old man.¡± the village chief said apologetically.


    ¡°Hon! His just a boy!-¡± the village chief¡¯s wife complained. ¡°-And it''s already dark outside!¡±


    Still, the boy stood up. ¡°Thank you¡­ I will just be around,¡± the boy said and after one more look at the face of the old man, ¡°I¡¯ll be staying at the forest, near the Sun God Peak¡­ also it''s already gone,¡± then he began to go up of the basement.


    ¡­


    As Simon walked out of the village chief¡¯s house, the sudden light blinded him, forcing him awake from the dream.


    <--->


    Back to the Abyss.


    Simon opened his eyes. His eyes could see in the dark the ceiling of the abyss and thought it was the sky. It glittered for the ones that could see in the dark. To his surprise, there was a source of light near him.


    He turned his head to take a look around him, it was the madman who seemed to doing something that he enjoyed.


    ¡°Simon! My boy! Good morning! How¡¯s life?!¡± the mad man said without stopping his work, he was drawing lines of magic circles and symbols, some were words that Simon understood but everything didn¡¯t make sense.


    The boy glared a bit, he couldn¡¯t tell if the madman was mocking him or what.


    ¡°Hey, actually while you were asleep, a denizen, I mean a friend of mine, now, wanted to know you more!¡± Jubaic said, snapping his fingers and all of the lines and symbols disappeared. ¡°I introduce you to the queen of the Jumas, Lady Diamelle Gemstone!¡±


    With just one look, Simon could tell that the woman who appeared in front of him was not human, she had a cover of cloth on her face covering her nose and mouth. She wore a simple Beledi type of dress, it was made of silver-like fabric. With a feature of a V-neck line and articles of diamonds decorated on her chest. She was ¡®beautiful Simon thought.


    ¡°My name is Dianna Gemstone, the diamond of the Caneon Kingdom, the queen of the Juma, the¡­¡± but before she continued on Jubaic jumped in front of her.


    ¡°My queen, we will not finish the day and you will still be stating your titles can we move on?!¡± Jubaic was rude but the queen didn¡¯t care about it at all.


    ¡°Of course, sorry, just call me Dianna or Diane,¡± she said and made a courtesy bow.


    ¡°Simon! My boy! She is a master of controlling magic, she could help you in your training!¡± Jubaic said clapping his hands.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ sir Jubaic, the exchange please, tell him what I want!¡± Dianna or Diane bashfully urged Jubaic. The madman sighed, the queen was really shy.


    ¡°She is bored so she wants to hear your stories how about that?¡± Jubaic said making a funny gesture and pointing to the queen.


    ¡°Sir Jubaic! I¡¯m a Gemstone! I never get bored! Waiting is my specialty!¡± Dianna complained as she stomped her feet.


    Simon sighed, it seemed that he met another weirdo in the abyss.

 Chapter 99 :: Denizens of the Immortal Abyss

    The queen of the Juma relished the stories that Simon began telling. After a few days, even Jubaic started to listen to him too.


    His training was not going smoothly though, the boy struggled as the curse was uncontrollable and would often affect him on the most impeccable timing. It was actually getting worse as if it could tell that the boy had already found a loophole against it.


    And it was another day, though the denizens didn¡¯t understand neither it was already morning or night. Time was already a blurred concept to them.


    ¡°Simon, keep the magic steady¡­ it''s flickering¡­ your magic is your own! Own it!¡± Jubaic said. He was a disheveled man with white hair. He had been coaching the boy whenever he wasn¡¯t researching. He was standing in front of the boy and the woman.


    A woman was holding onto the boy¡¯s back, continuously transferring magic. The boy¡¯s practice was simple. It was to refine the magic that was going inside of him while he was on a continuous state of magic edge throughout his whole body. The goal was to make this process the same as human breathing.


    ¡°He found me again!¡± Simon muttered as blood began flowing from his nose.


    This has been their problem, the curse kept on disrupting the practice and it was defeating the purpose of it.


    This is where Diamelle comes in. Diamelle came from a race that had a very good concept of controlling magic. In their lands, magic was some sort of a life force and it has been engraved to them to use every ounce of it properly.


    Unlike before, when the first time they tried Jubaic¡¯s theory, his magic was instantly sucked out of him from the hands where he transferred magic to the back of the boy.


    ¡°Feel my magic¡­ copy its state¡­ trust your instinct,¡± this time it was Diamelle who was speaking. She puckered her lips, the curse was trying but it was to no avail.


    The boy opened his eyes as he felt it. The woman was not only pretty, she was also amazing.


    ¡°Simon! You like her don¡¯t you?!¡± Jubaic who noticed the subtle change in the boy¡¯s magic said.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ she is really amazing~!¡± the boy, Simon said smiling. He then again closed his eyes.


    Following the instruction from Diamelle, Simon steadied his breath. Breathing in took in the magic, breathing out purified it. The disruption of the curse whenever it found his magic. ¡°I won¡¯t let you take it!¡± Simon muttered in a low voice.


    Jubaic and Diamelle who was watching closely immediately felt the sudden change in the property of Simon¡¯s magic.


    ¡°Simon¡­ try moving¡­ stand up!¡± Jubaic said, urging the boy.


    ¡°I can¡¯t-¡± the boy said. It was taking his all just to maintain the state of his magic. Processing magic, putting it on the container, using magic edge through his whole body then solidifying his magic from the curse.


    ¡°~YOU CAN¡¯T DO THIS!!!~¡± a voice resounded from the bottom of Simon¡¯s mind.


    Blood began flowing out of his ears a pain that was surging through even making him unable to speak. Now his nose and eyes were bleeding too.


    ¡°Simon!¡± Diamelle worryingly muttered and she immediately tried to contain the curse but.


    ¡°Stop¡­ please¡­ let me¡­ let me stay this way!¡± Simon muttered. Pain and suffering were clearly echoed through his voice. It stopped Diamelle from moving.


    Simon was sitting in an Indian position with the tumbler in his two hands.


    ¡°Diamelle, let¡¯s leave him be, he is an immortal too!¡± Jubaic said stepping in and gallantly reaching his hands to pull the beautiful woman to stand up.


    ¡°... Okay¡­ be careful Simon,¡± Diamelle said removing her hands from the boy¡¯s back. ¡°You still have to tell me more stories okay?!¡± the woman said as she grabbed Jubaic¡¯s hands.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him! How about we discuss some magic theories? I would love to know more about Jumas!¡± Jubaic said unfazed by how he looked vs. The beautiful woman in front of him.


    ¡°Of course! Tell me some of your stories too!¡± Diamelle smiled kindly.


    Simon heard the two. His whole body was shaking, but it was the only way to move forward. He has to master his own magic.


    <--->


    The Guardians as the name itself were guardians of the Inferno Gate. The Inferno Gate that was under the Deep Roads was a gate that held back a Great Demon. This fire demon has sought after the lands of Mirriam, threatening to destroy it.


    Not only did they protect the gate from anyone, but they also protected a secret pass into the Deep Roads. In one sense they were also a defender of the lands known to men.


    But the Guardians were a long-forgotten entity. The humans that they used to live with and protect have forgotten their vows. Still, the Guardians persisted.


    The ancient martial arts and knowledge of magic were still passed down to them through countless generations. The Guardians were a long-lived race and incredibly powerful beings, part human and part elf. They built a village on one side of the mountains near the secret pass.


    Although they were really strong, there were some enemies they could not defeat. Sealing them was sometimes the only way, either letting them rot or trapping them if they were immortal. This abyss was located in the bottom of the mountain they called Uraga.


    This was the reason the guardians called it the Immortal¡¯s Abyss.


    The warriors and magicians were always divided into two duties. One was to keep watch of the Inferno Gate and one was to keep watch of the Immortal¡¯s Abyss.


    The Guardians of the Inferno Gate monitored it, while the Watchers of the Immortal Abyss maintained a magic gate. This magic gate had been used by the Guardians to send enemies into the abyss.


    It was another day for the guardians for their daily routines.


    An Abyss Watch was usually done in a pair. They would change their watch every day at noon. During the Abyss Watch, they would live in an underground dwelling. The time to travel from their village to their watch was almost a day.


    They already had magic equipment there to be used in case of emergency or when they wanted to communicate.


    ¡°Something is happening,¡± a guardian who just has traded a shift commented as he took a look at the Sentinel Orb. This ball encompassed the totality of the Immortal¡¯s Abyss where the dots represented the denizens and their colors marked what type of denizens it was.


    It had been 3 months since the Chimera Queen was defeated (Chimera Queen = Spike Queen, they call them differently) they had lost men, elite men too.


    ¡°What happened?¡± the partner approached and also looked at the Sentinel Orb. The guardian who commented first began manipulating the Ball. It had zoom-in functions.


    ¡°The immortals are gathering in one place¡­ this has never happened before, we should report this!¡± he said while looking at the reaction of his partner.


    ¡°I understand, I will be reporting it.¡± his partner said and went back to their dwelling.


    Upon entering he immediately went into the communication room. He checked it out and checked the logs. It seemed that the last pair used it to communicate with their family.


    ¡°Still have to wait for a while,¡± the guardian who entered the dwelling muttered seeing that the magic battery was still charging. It would take half a day before the charging was finished. He decided to walk back outside.


    ¡°It''s still charging,¡± he reported.


    The guardian who was keeping watch of the ball sighed. There was nothing that they could do. It was a mandate not to leave their watch until they were relieved.


    <--->


    A month had passed again¡­ the boy had clearly become accustomed to the process. Although his body was in pain, his mind was already far exhausted he began standing up.


    Diamelle and Jubaic who were drawing magic circles and such felt the movement of Simon and they were really happy seeing him standing up. The two clapped as the boy began his first steps.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± each step, the boy disgruntled in pain. His feet, against the hard stone, were pushing the magic edge into his feet deeper, the curse kept on activating as blood escaped his toes. It seemed that as he progressed the curse also did. ¡°Stabilize!¡± he muttered forcing the magic that was under his control to follow his command and ego.


    It was a relief¡­ finally, the pain was gone.


    ¡°Simon! My boy! You are standing and walking now!¡± Jubaic humorously said as he walked closer to Simon.


    Diamelle didn¡¯t utter a word. For her, Simon¡¯s existence was actually a miracle. She had seen many strange cases but not one as hopeless as what the boy had.


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m going to walk around for a month then,¡± Simon said, looking forward to the next thing he had to master. He had never thought even once that walking would be hard.


    ¡°I like your determination boy!¡± Jubaic said then tapped Simon¡¯s back which caused him to fall down.


    The boy was not ready and the magic edge that was on his body hit the ground causing the magic edge to move and press into Simon¡¯s body activating the curse.


    ¡°Aaaaaargh!!!¡± the boy screamed his heart out and glared with his bloody eyes at Jubaic.


    ¡°Shit¡­ sorry boy¡­ sorry!¡± Jubaic apologized sincerely or not for his actions but he did try to pick up Simon.


    ¡°No! It hurts!¡± Simon muttered as Jubaic carelessly grabbed his shoulders and then let him go. ¡°Aaargh!¡± and pain spread to the boy¡¯s body.


    ¡°Jubaic you asshole!¡± Diamelle who was not a good slur said as she ran to stop the madman.


    ¡°Please¡­ just leave me alone!¡± Simon begged as he gasped for air. Blood was puncturing his lungs.


    ¡°Sorry!¡± Jubaic apologized again.

 Chapter 100 :: A Monster Hidden in the Forest

    A boy was in the middle of the forest. The forest¡¯s landscape was already changed. There was wreckage of the Sun God Peak all around the whole forest. The boy had been sitting on the rock for days now. He had his meal 2 days ago.


    The boy stood up. There were 3 squads of knights that were surrounding him. He could tell because these knights had been hunting him for years now, these guys were a different batch, unlike the knights and adventurers that came before.


    There was something from their smell that told Simon that they were not from the frontier, rather they carried a suffocating presence in terms of magic and demeanor.


    The boy¡¯s name was Simon. He had seen worse and been in much more bad situations before. He was hungry, it was because of the circling of the knights that he didn¡¯t have a chance to go around and hunt for food, and they denied him that.


    Simon was sitting on the biggest rock that fell down from the Sun God¡¯s Peak. That spot where the wreckage fell created a clearing in the forest. He had been sitting there for days because he wanted the knights to confront him.


    Finally, the knights were ready to take him on. Simon was in a relaxed position feeling his wooden sword in his hand, letting the magic flow into it.


    ¡°Boys! We have a plan! Follow it!¡± one of the knights in the front screamed, he was the captain of the knights in the northern side.


    ¡°The boy is already weak! Let¡¯s get this over with!¡± another knight in the southeast direction screamed, he was already out of patience.


    The squad in the southwest direction was silent.


    ¡°ATTACK!¡± the captain on the north screamed and the scrimmage began.


    The boy opened his eyes and he immediately threw the wooden sword that he was holding in his hand. He threw it in the direction of the southwest squad. The knights in the direction dived as they evaded the attack.


    ¡°He is unarmed now! Attack!¡± a knight screamed again.


    The captain checked and kept an eye on the southwestern squad. The leader of that side raised his hands and screamed ¡°We are okay! Attack!¡± the captain of the knights smiled. It was time to hunt down the monster with the snake''s eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate him! Keep attacking his blind side!¡± the captain screamed again.


    The boy didn¡¯t move, he stayed still on the rock. The knights began forming a circle of shields around the boy.


    The reason why they were in the frontier when they should have been taking it easy back in the Central was because of a noble that would pay them thousands of gold to hunt down this monster of a kid.


    They weren¡¯t the first that were sent to kill the boy. Before that, the noble sent adventurers to kill the boy but the ones they sent were never heard of ever again.


    After a few more years of trying it seemed that the noble finally was pissed and personally sent hand-picked knights. They were led by a genius boy. Although the boy was bratty he had displayed his skills.


    Starving the monster and preventing him from hunting was a plan devised by their Kid Commander to weaken their prey.


    The advantageous situation where they were in now was the effect of the boy¡¯s plans.


    ¡°We are set!¡± one of the knights screamed. Even he was baffled that they had to do all this preparation just for a boy who was even now unarmed.


    The captain¡¯s eyes never left the boy¡¯s visage on top of the rock ¡°Fire the arrows!¡± the captain screamed pointing his fingers up front.


    As the arrows flew, 2 knights from each direction broke away from the formation, they were wearing heavy armor but still moved like it was nothing, they even had the ability to jump into the air to slam their swords down.


    But to Simon¡­ it was slow. Everything was moving slowly, it was probably hunger ¡°I¡¯m hungry,¡± the boy muttered. His eyes moved, he could see their next actions a few seconds before they hit, the arrows were fired in an arc, while the knights fearlessly jumped to attack him, he trusted his instinct.


    Even though the knights jumped together, their attacks did not land at the same time. The first one landed on his protracted hand, the sword guard to be precise, he pushed the sword away aiming it to block the other strike.


    ¡°Clang!!¡± the sound reverberated. Simon in one motion pulled the same hand pulling it closer. The boy was basically toying with the heavy knights. The knight was positioned above the boy, since he didn¡¯t have his feet on the ground he didn¡¯t know how to generate any force to combat the boy¡¯s strength.This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    The arrows finally landed and bounced away against the knight''s armor. The third knight rather than finishing his attack pierced his sword to get a footing, he then drew another sword.


    ¡°Slow!¡± the boy said throwing the body of the knight into the knight that was drawing the sword.


    The two fell down off the rock and Simon found his sword, he pulled the same sword that was pierced into the rock. ¡°This would do,¡± a small mutter as he attacked the 2nd knight who was in an awkward stance trying to recover from his sword bouncing from the first parry.


    Although the knights were wearing full armor, there were still small weak spots one could aim. The groin, the back of the joints from the underarm, and behind the knees.


    The boy cut off the arm of the knight, its limbs flying into the air. ¡°AAAARRRGGGHHH!¡± the knight screamed out of pain.


    As the knight fell down he followed up with a palm strike into the chest. Blood spluttered inside the armor. He landed in the front of the southeastern squad. The knights that were holding their shields felt fear as the boy¡¯s bloody face stared with his snake eyes.


    ¡°Hold your ground!¡± the captain who saw everything screamed. ¡°Move closer!¡± and commanded the rest, it was a part of their strategy to corner the boy.


    It was supposedly the plan. The boy immediately rushed close by, he only needed one chink from their formation and he could operate properly. Precisely entering his sword between one of the two shields, he levered it with a step to open the formation, the boy''s strength surprised the shield bearer.


    ¡°Aargh,¡± it was followed by the slashed knights, their hands kept falling short.


    The boy passing on behind the back of the shields was a fatal mistake rather than something that they couldn¡¯t stop.


    The squad only had 8 personnel in each direction. The members quickly turned into 4 and into two. The boy was cutting them like butter and cheese, the blood was spraying everywhere.


    <--->


    (Commander¡¯s POV)


    Our commander, the tactician of our platoon said the loss was inevitable, he wanted to limit it as far as possible but what was happening in front of me was pure massacre.


    The boy didn¡¯t stop, he was even changing his swords as the sword that he was holding had already become dull because of blood and fat. He started from the southeast squad and steadily made his way north side circling around the circle we made.


    The screams of terror of my comrades reverberated on the battlefield, the sound of meat chopping made a rhythmic beat as it continued on and on.


    ¡°Faraoh! Any time now!¡± I screamed informing the boy that was our commander, he better make sure that the magic that he was going to use would end the madness in front of me.


    As the bodies piled up the monster was getting closer to me. ¡°Strengthen your shields! Put magic edge on it!¡± I commanded the fools that were thinking that it was going to be an easy hunt, easy money.


    Sometimes I doubt the knights, although they were trained to the bones their mindset was just full of stupidity, why didn¡¯t they enforce their shield with magic edge in the first place?


    Finally one of the knights stopped the onslaught as the sword of the boy bounced off the knight¡¯s shield that was veiled with magic edge.


    ¡°Counterattack! Don¡¯t go out of the line!¡± I commanded but then the boy jumped into the air. The archers were ready, they released the arrows, it seemed like the boy was spinning, using his own body and sword to create torque to dodge the arrows.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let him land attack!¡± I ordered again, it was a great chance. For our fallen comrades, we must slay it!


    ¡°Slow¡­¡± I heard the boy mutter. That was slow?


    The knights that launched an attack had their heads stabbed, the boy aimed at the helmet¡¯s visor, a small hole was all that the monster needed. I worry now if we have enough lives to buy time for the magic to finish.


    <--->


    Simon was unscathed, he immediately found the point where he threw his sword at the beginning of the battle. There was a boy there, he was already dead. He pulled the wooden sword that was lodged in the boy¡¯s neck. Simon wondered why someone so young was on the battlefield but he knew from the start that the boy was casting some kind of powerful magic.


    That was why he threw his wooden sword first.


    ¡°No!¡± a crippled knight walked behind him. He was the captain of the whole platoon of knights. He was still holding his sword but one of his eyes was already missing.


    Simon reflected, the stab he made seemed to be not deep enough. He proceeded to walk into the captain to finish him off.


    ¡°You are a monster! I will not die like this!¡± the captain muttered mustering all of his strength just to lift his sword, he was losing his life slowly.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry¡­ just tough¡­ just tough,¡± the boy muttered as he left the captain.


    The captain died on his feet, his body fell down lifelessly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll eat first then bury them after,¡± Simon said.


    <--->


    The black hood was traveling into the forest, just south of where the Sun God¡¯s Peak was. Before he even entered he looked up, it was true that the Sun God¡¯s Peak was already gone, he had seen this before when he passed through.


    The Black Hood was an agent of the Church of Light, he directly reported to the Pope of the faith. The Black Hood¡¯s Order, their mission and reason of existence was to record the lives of the Heroes of the Era. He was sent to find and search for Alphecca to confirm if he was dead or not.


    Him finding the boy was just a sign of gesture so that the old man would trust him. As the Pope warned him, the old man knew some of the hidden secrets of the Church of Light, especially about the Order of the Black Hood.


    As soon as he entered the forest, he felt an eerie atmosphere. ¡°Spirits,¡± he said. He slowly threaded the forest carefully keeping sight of his surroundings.


    A few hours into his travel he found a clearing. There were evident indications of recent burial activity. The ground appeared disturbed, with loose soil and displaced vegetation, suggesting that something had been recently interred beneath the surface.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± a voice surprised the Black Hood. He immediately located the voice, it was on the top of the largest debris of rock that was probably from the Sun God¡¯s Peak.


    ¡°Are you Simon?¡± the Black Hood asked.


    The boy instantly jumped from the rock, landing in front of the Black Hood.


    ¡°I¡¯m Simon.¡± the boy was expressionless and seemed to be blind.


    Still, the Black Hood had shivered, the boy¡¯s clothes were ragged but clean, and his hair was unkempt but was still in good condition, this must be him ¡°The old man has awakened, he is looking for you!¡± as soon as ending the sentence the disturbing feeling he felt from the boy faded.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± were only the words the boy muttered. He wondered when the old man would wake up, he already had 3 harsh winters without him.

 Chapter 101 :: Conscience

    Diamelle and Jubaic were silent. Hearing it from the one who did it was chilling. The details that Simon provided while telling the story were vivid.


    ¡°This really happened?¡± Diamelle asked in terror.


    Simon just nodded, never stopping to walk around in circles.


    ¡°Simon, just a question, how¡¯d you feel when you kill someone?¡± Jubaic asked a pondering question. This was just his inkling, the boy had something wrong with him, normal beings don¡¯t end up immortal and stuck in the abyss of the immortals.


    The boy stopped, stared at the two of them, then he resumed to move ¡°Nothing¡­¡± true to what he said, there was no hint of emotions from his words.


    The two looked at each other.


    ¡°I¡¯ve met warriors and knights before that felt nothing when killing something but they followed a code of not killing children or women,¡± Diamelle spoke this, Jubaic¡¯s first time hearing the woman¡¯s comment.


    ¡°My queen, remember that he was a child too!¡± Jubaic the mad man that he was loved to contradict. He then smirked as he saw the queen beginning to think for herself.


    ¡°You kill because you have to eat, you kill to survive, you kill to defend, what else matters?¡± the boy suddenly said, he had learned by example from the old man and his past experiences. He didn¡¯t feel empathy towards thieves, lesser than the nobles whom he didn¡¯t learn how to respect, ¡°-I won¡¯t kill for no reason but I will kill without mercy,¡± he ended with those cold words.


    The two felt shivers as the boy said that, he was young and probably had only experienced the worst part of life. Diamelle thought ¡°Poor child,¡± while Jubaic thought ¡°Shit happens,¡± no more words escaped from their mouth.


    ¡°Should I continue the story?¡± Simon asked.


    <--->


    The old man was asleep, the Pam that was sent by the adventurer''s guild was just standing by beside him, ready with a bed beside her.


    Suddenly the old man rose. ¡°He is here,¡± he muttered.


    The Pam who was silently watching over him was not surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t stand up yet!¡± he warned the old man.


    Steps against the wooden stairs began echoing, it was the Black Hood who came down first followed by the boy.


    ¡°Simon¡­ long time no see¡­ you grew,¡± the old man said seeing the figure of the boy. The boy didn¡¯t have any facial reaction, he just steadily stared at the old man.


    ¡°Thank you for taking care of him,¡± it was the only words the boy muttered upon sitting beside the old man.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to die yet, don¡¯t you say that!¡± then the old man landed a hard tap on Simon¡¯s back. ¡°It seemed that you were still doing your training, that¡¯s good!¡± the old man could tell just by tapping the boy¡¯s shoulder. His hard-inflicted lessons worked well.


    ¡°Old man, my sword is already torn,¡± the boy said showing his wooden sword.


    The old man smirked. There was joy in his eyes that even the Pam was surprised.


    The Pam smiled and stood up, she then gestured to the Black Hood. The two of them went up giving the two time to catch up.


    <--->


    It was a harsh winter that year. A ship was wrecked on the western coast of the eastern frontier. What it contained in the cargo were trade supplies that were supposed to land at the Trist Port.


    But usually, the ship would bring more than that, there were prisoners under it too. Sometimes it would be military criminals or adventurers who did something hideous but that didn¡¯t matter.


    The water was cold, and the flow of the Guren Great River drowned out the sounds of the men trapped underwater inside a prison cage. They struggled to lift themselves up, but there was only a small space at the top of the cage that remained above the water.


    The ones who were already dead beneath the feet of the other prisoners had already given up. Those still alive saw the cage''s position as a rare miracle. It was standing on fragile, frozen ice that could break at any moment.


    Still, one of the prisoners pushed himself up and commanded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move! Take turns breathing in!¡± some of the prisoners listened and of course, some did not.


    Some of the prisoners who followed began the rotation. Some began killing those who were greedy for the air.


    ¡°We will fall if we move too much!¡± another one screamed. He was one of the few who listened.


    From afar, the sound of oars plowing into the water could be heard. The prisoners who heard it struggled just to see a glimmer of hope but it was too misty between the water and the air.


    ¡°Huddle together! We can survive!¡± the same prisoner who shouted first said. His voice and words gave hope to the prisoners but they were all at odds.


    The cold water, the losing space, the pillar of ice that supported them ready to break anytime. It was a slow type of hell.


    ¡°Hold on boys! We are coming!¡± it was another voice. There was a small boat approaching them, and the prisoners cheered.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Captain Rod here! Hold fast!¡± the man looked like a pirate. His hair was full of beads. He dressed lightly even though it was really cold.


    ¡­


    The prisoners were brought to the shore, somewhere south of where they were found. Most of the prisoners died because of the cold, still, there were survivors easily counted by the hands.


    The prisoners were made to meet the ground on their knees while their savior the captain of the small boat looked at them one by one.


    The captain was quite disappointed that there was no female among the prisoners but that was okay, anyone would do, he didn¡¯t care about their past or whoever they were, ¡°Okay boys! Your lives are in my hands now! I¡¯m only going to ask you a question! Just one question!¡± he had a charm in his words.


    Of those who were still in his proper mind among the prisoner knew that the man that was standing in front of them was not a normal man. Evil seethed in his eyes as he smiled at them.


    ¡°Are you willing to work for me?-¡± he said pointing his hands to himself. ¡°I treat my boys well and fairly, I beckon you to join our brotherhood or else you are on your own!¡± Captain Rod smiled again.


    Immediately one of the prisoners raised his hands ¡°I will join!¡± then followed by another. Out of the 13 that survived, 7 immediately joined.


    ¡°Oh! Great! That¡¯s good!¡± the captain said gesturing his hand on one of the boys that was under him.


    The man took out a cutter. The chokers on the prisoner¡¯s neck sealed their magic. One by one, the chokers were removed by one of the Captain¡¯s men.


    ¡°Okay, now let¡¯s leave them be!¡± the captain said as he pointed back to his boat. His man began laughing. They were rugged, dirty, and a ragtag group of men of all sizes.


    ¡°Wait! How about us!¡± one of the prisoners screamed.


    ¡°You are on your own!¡± the captain said and the crew laughed. ¡°No takebacks!¡± the captain added as he rod into his boat along with the new gang he acquired.


    ¡°Row it, boys! Show how it is done!¡± the captain grandly screams inspiring the rowers ¡°-Back to our cavern!¡±


    Their vessel was just a medium-sized boat, the captain didn¡¯t even have the sail to install on it which was why all of the crew were rowing their boats. It would take about 2 to 3 hours of rowing to reach back to their base.


    Pass the Fisher Man¡¯s Village into the eastern cavern.


    He was cooking something big. They were going to attack the Fisher Man¡¯s Village a few days from now. The supply that he had from sinking the small cargo ship was not enough to last them to the next year.


    Rather, attacking the Fisher Man¡¯s Village was the only way to survive.


    Captain Rod looked at the sky but there was no moon or stars. It was probably going to be a hail in a few days, this means that there would also be a haze in the sea.


    ¡°That would be a great cover,¡± he muttered as he felt the wind. ¡°Easy boys! We are passing the Alimpuyo-an! Hear my commands!¡± the captain once lived as a slave and escaped from the underground prison of Elford¡¯s Castle.


    Ever since he had escaped he was living as a bandit. The past years they have been laying low but now that he had a bigger crew he wanted more.


    <--->


    It was finally the fated day. The air was cold while the southern coast of the eastern frontier was covered in haze.


    Captain Jon sent men to attack directly at the Fisher Man¡¯s Village while he used his boat to do a sneak attack into the port of the village. They would never know that they were coming.


    As per his observations and the hearsay, the village didn¡¯t know that they had their own ship. The attack by the land was a distraction while they were launching the real attack. He smiled, he was just waiting for the signal.


    ¡°Small boat!¡± one of the lookouts who was using magic to see in the dark screamed. ¡°One boy and a man!¡± he added what he saw.


    ¡°Still no? Signal?¡± one of the newly recruited crew asked.


    It should have been anytime now but there was still no signal.


    ¡°The boy threw something!¡± the crew who was on the look out reported. Something landed on their ship and everyone took a look at it.


    ¡°Gyaaah!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a head!¡± ¡°Throw it away!¡± the crew members panicked seeing the head roll around.


    The captain kicked the head off the ship. The ship rocked a little because of this.


    ¡°The boy is gone!¡± another report then suddenly the ship stopped rocking.


    It was the boy staring at their soul, he was not human, there were two eyes that were glowing yellow.


    ¡°Balask!¡± Captain Jon muttered. There was a legend that a monster began living just south of the Sun God Peak. Among the stories that were said in the hearsays of the adventurers and such.


    When the Sun God Peak was destroyed, something that was sealed under it was released. The adventurer¡¯s guild sent numerous parties to subjugate it but everyone failed to the point that no one returned. For some time they restricted the area and it ended a month ago after the church reported that they had slain it.


    The monster was named ¡®Balask¡¯ because of its yellow eyes.


    Captain Jon didn¡¯t mutter anything, there was nowhere to go.


    <--->


    A day ago. On the balcony of the Village Chief¡¯s house in the Fisher Man¡¯s Village. 3 silhouettes were there standing, looking into the horizon.


    ¡°Simon will deal with the ship, he just needs someone to row him into their ship,¡± the old man said, looking into the horizon of the village while rubbing his arms.


    The village chief who was listening shivered ¡°I understand.¡±


    The old man included the boy in their plan to defend the village, even though the boy was not present.


    The Black Hood who also stayed in the village told them of the impending threat, the Church of Light had an excellent system of gathering intelligence even on the frontier.


    ¡°So we will deal with the attack from the land,¡± the Black Hood muttered.


    The old man looked back by turning his head in the Black Hood¡¯s direction. ¡°This is a good time, how about you just write down that I have succumbed in my fight against Redgar?¡± the old man said.


    He knew that the Order of the Black Hood had a specific mission, they record the lives of the Heroes of the Era. The Black Hood was silent, he stared at the old man.


    ¡°... Anything else?¡± the Black Hood asked.


    ¡°The bounty on the boy, make it go away, make sure nobody could find him, erase every rumor, that Balask thing,¡± the old man smiled. He knew that the task that he was giving to the Black Hood was actually easy.


    ¡°I understand, then after the defense of the village I would be going¡­ nice meeting you,¡± the Black Hood said.


    The old man nodded along with the Black Hood.


    ¡°You are not going to kill me aren¡¯t you?¡± the village chief asked.


    ¡°No,¡± the Black Hood was the one who answered. ¡°-I know you can keep a secret, that¡¯s why we are talking in front of you,¡± he added as he suddenly disappeared like a mist. He had things to prepare before the thieves arrived.


    The old man tapped the shoulders of the Village Chief. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside, the boy must have already finished the training,¡± the old man went in first.


    Pam had already left by the time the old man could stand up again. The old man was grateful to Pam for taking care of him, so he secretly gave her a letter to deliver to the guild master. He wanted her to be rewarded properly so it contained instructions that the Pam would be handsomely rewarded.


    The two went inside, the Village Chief sat to calm himself down while the old man went down to the basement. The village chief¡¯s house was erected on a dead coral mass that also served as the basement of the house. The boy was there, meditating, practicing the Flow exercise of magic.


    ¡°Boy! We will be slaying some thieves! Probably tomorrow night?¡± the old man said smiling.


    ¡°Thieves?¡± the boy repeated the old man¡¯s words.


    ¡°Thieves are there so you can try killing humans,-¡± the old man¡¯s wise words as he sat down to watch the boy. ¡°Have you already tried the new sword?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°It''s too light,¡± was an honest answer from the boy.


    ¡°Thought so,¡± the old man commented.

 Chapter 102 :: Development and the immortal’s seal

    ¡°Oh¡­ you can run now, can you? well, it''s just been months and you are rapidly improving!¡± Jubaic clapped his hands as he saw Simon trying to run around. He was sitting on a rock watching the boy¡¯s training, supervising if needed.


    The boy then stopped and returned to his sitting position, the magic edge dispersed. He was getting the hang of it.


    Continuously refining magic¡­ purifying for easier use, solidifying it against the curse, and finally, maintaining the magic edge to move¡­ Simon¡¯s mind was slowly adapting. Diamelle advised him to turn everything into a system where he used his breath to mechanically activate all the aspects of the process in his body.


    Breathe in to produce magic, store it and purify it, and breathe out to supply magic edge. It was really hard in the first few days but he was in this state now because of the struggles he had been through.


    Still, he was feeling strange¡­ rather than void.


    ¡°It''s weird¡­ it''s been so long but I don¡¯t feel hungry¡­¡± Simon sighed as he said this.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a perk of being immortal! Who needs eating?¡± Jubaic said. He conjured a large earthen wall and was writing some kind of formula on it.


    Simon felt always tired but he was finally back in his bearings, the fog that had been in his head ever since he fell had already disappeared. For no reason, he stared at Jubaic. Although it was dim, there was a magic that was coiled in Jubaic¡¯s neck. It was not visible to the naked eye and Simon only saw a glimpse of it. As his eyes blinked it disappeared.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your neck?¡± Simon probed as he started to resume refining the magic that was inside the tumbler.


    ¡°... You can see it now?¡± Jubaic looked back at Simon but his hand never stopped writing ¡°It''s a sealing collar¡­ it denies anyone to get out of here¡­ maybe around a hundred meters up, it will start weighing tons effectively crushing one''s neck upon fall¡­ it¡¯s a very effective magic tool for us immortals¡± Jubaic answered and he was a little bit pissed.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± as his body naturally recovers magic, Simon set aside a part of it to be refined¡­ he started filling his body again with magic edge. He began touching his neck, unlike him, he didn¡¯t have any collar but the boy was not really sure. ¡°Does Diana have it too?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ you don¡¯t have it by the way,¡± Jubaic said hinting at Simon.


    Simon understood something rather it was a realization of why the madman was training him and helping him. Jubaic has a plan to escape. The boy smiled, nothing to do now but to resume.


    Using his breath as the timing¡­


    breathing in refines magic¡­


    holding it in purifies it¡­


    breathing out he stores it¡­


    Simon was making sure that these 3 actions became the same as he was breathing. He activated a magic enhancement to his body, a magic he learned from Jubaic.


    He stood up, and began his first step ¡°Ugh!¡± but the magic edge dispersed along with the enhancement he cast, pain was mixed in the sensation. Simon fell flat-faced. Simon was clearly trying something and Jubaic could tell even without looking.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call this Refining Method,¡± Simon muttered.


    ¡°Magic Forging is much better!¡± the madman answered as he heard the boy¡¯s naming sense.


    The boy stared at the Jubaic, he was doing something on a lump of earth that he conjured earlier, he actually liked the sound of it.


    ¡°What happens if I use magic enhancements?¡± Simon asked Jubaic who was busy now writing down. He should have asked first.


    ¡°As I¡¯ve told you before¡­ enhancements only multiply¡­ it means the base should be strong enough for it to be effective¡­ it doesn¡¯t fix the fact that you are half weakened and paralyzed¡­¡± Jubaic explained without stopping his actions.


    ¡°What happens if magic edge and enhancement are combined?¡± Another question from the boy.


    ¡°... Well you will probably break your body since you are in a weakened state¡± Jubaic answered back.


    There was silence for a while, the boy flipped himself using his arms.


    ¡°Where is Diamelle?¡± Simon asked, she hadn¡¯t seen the woman for days now.


    ¡°She is just around, fulfilling the deal that we made,¡± Jubaic said. He stepped back looking at the formula he wrote on the earthen board. ¡°That¡¯s it,-¡± Using his hands, he waved it and the earthen board went back into the ground ¡°-Simon, I¡¯m bored,¡± Jubaic suddenly said as he sat down.


    ¡°... You are always bored,¡± the boy answered back. The madman would only teach him things when he was bored.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ how about I tell you some information outside of the walls? I¡¯ve been with Explorers before, damn they were bad asses!¡± Jubaic then using magic began carving a shape on the ground, it was the map of the whole realm known to man. ¡°-This is the Land of Mirriam,-¡± then he weaved north easterly of the map. ¡°-This is where I have explored!¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    The boy silently stared at it, curiosity pulled him in and Jubaic could tell. Well, Simon didn¡¯t had the choice in the first place.


    ¡­


    The boy knew of the continents, the large bodies of waters that divided it, and the known places he has been on. What picked Simon¡¯s interest was the lands that were outside the map, the last parts Jubaic conjured through the earth.


    ¡°The continent extends up to here-¡± he pointed north past the Northern Walls ¡°This large icy mountains is where the immortal¡¯s abyss is,¡± Jubaic then conjured more, it was a tower. ¡°-I¡¯ve reached this tower where Diamelle¡¯s kin lives, his name is Rex Arcstone.¡±


    Then from the north, he pointed to the east. ¡°This large mountain range is called Mountain Labyrinth by the explorers, it¡¯s a mountain range that is infested with flying monsters, pass this is the sea,¡± he then conjured earth laying more of the lands. ¡°And I saw a port being built there.¡±


    Then Simon¡¯s mind wondered ¡°How did you end up in the abyss?¡± Simon asked.


    Jubaic laughed, it was more of a chuckle and a beat of madness coming from his belly.


    ¡°I was with the explorers, we were exploring to the eastern side-¡± he pointed to the wide mountain range, ¡°-We were attacked by these flying monsters and we were scattered, for a year I was on my own there but I survived!¡± Jubaic smiled.


    ¡°I continued going easterly finally passing the whole mountain range, that¡¯s where I met the humans that were building the port town, I was so surprised that there were humans outside of the Land of Mirriam,-¡± Then on the eastern coast he conjured a town as how he remembered it. ¡°-But they were in constant threat of large humanoid monsters they called Orcs, I¡¯ve helped them establish the base but then I decided to leave, I wanted to explore more.¡±


    Jubaic knelt down, then he conjured the northern part from the eastern coast ¡°There is a small kingdom there up north, they are miners, they mine special minerals there,-¡± Then he raised his hands conjuring how the mineral looked, it was conjured out of earth but what surprised the boy was that it changed colors ¡°This minerals are akin to a dungeon core,¡± he said passing the conjured mineral to Simon.


    Simon received it but it scattered, the madman was teasing him.


    ¡°But they don¡¯t give their trust that easily so I decided to come home by taking the northern route, you know, I wanted to explore more,-¡± Jubaic continued conjuring northerly ¡°-As I went up north, it became much colder, I spent time there mastering the elements of fire to survive, water and air to deny cold then earth so that I could climb up the frigid mountains.¡±


    Then he pointed to the tower on the north. Simon knew of the Desolated Lands, the Kern Valley, that large mountain range. What Jubaic was pointing was somewhere he had never known before.


    ¡°For some reason, there was a tower there, a man lived there, his name was Rex-¡± Then Jubaic conjured a figure of a human, it was how he looked, his height and face all vivid to the madman ¡°His name is Rex, he is also a Juma like Diamelle,¡±


    Rex''s hair was long, bearded, and he wore thick clothes. His arms looked like a patch of metal works and he had an eye patch on his right side.


    ¡°Rex Arcstone was probably the same as me, he is a genius, a prodigy, and also was cast off by his kind¡­ he is probably still there waiting for Diamelle,¡± Jubaic smiled and then he yawned. ¡°-Ooh! I haven¡¯t talked for that long! I¡¯m feeling sleepy now!¡± using the figures he conjured he turned it into bed and lay down.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question, how did you end up here?¡± Simon asked again.


    The madman nodded ¡°After spending some time navigating the frigid mountain-¡± Jubaic pointed upwards ¡°-I stumbled upon an underground path, I think it was inside the body of this mountain,-¡± then he rubbed his ears like he was annoyed, ¡°-That¡¯s when I met them, I tried to talk to them but they thought I was an outsider, my mistake was that I let them trick me when I was being friendly,¡± then he pointed his neck.


    ¡°Or probably because I tried to open the Gate of Inferno, out of my curiosity, you know, you can¡¯t blame me can you!¡± Jubaic smiled like the madman that he was. ¡°Then I¡¯ve been here¡­ for a very long time!¡±


    Simon knew that there was something wrong with the man but if what he was saying to him was the truth then Jubaic should be a very old man, but how did he become immortal?


    ¡°How did you become an immortal?¡± he was infected by Jubaic¡¯s curiosity he just wanted to know.


    Jubaic¡¯s eyes widened, it was rare for the boy to ask something that wasn¡¯t about magic or the lesson they were talking about, ¡°I attained it while I was mastering the 4 basic elements. It''s something that has to do with the Eye of Truth?¡± the question was in the last part of the sentence asking if the boy could still remember it.


    ¡°That thing you did to me¡­ the first time we met,¡± Simon remembered, how could he not? His head was breaking apart at that time.


    ¡°That is correct, so you remembered, it''s the same reason that you could barely see the magic collar that¡¯s in my neck, maybe next time, we should try activating it again? How about it?¡± Jubaic said prodding.


    ¡°Does it make me stronger?¡± Simon didn¡¯t care if it was painful, what he wanted was to gain more power to fix himself, and pull him out of the curse.


    ¡°Probably yes or probably no, depends on how you use it!¡± Jubaic playful said, ¡°But there¡¯s a lot of harm trying and we are immortal aren¡¯t we?¡±


    Spending time with Jubaic gave Simon deeper insight into the madman¡¯s true nature. He shared many of the old man''s traits, but one difference stood out¡ªJubaic had the ability to discard anything that didn¡¯t matter to him, detached yet all-knowing, kind and harsh at once.


    ¡°I want to try,¡± Simon said, the words tinged with a hint of regret. Then something clicked¡ªa memory of something he should have when he fell. ¡°Jubaic¡­ can you show me exactly where I fell?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± It was the first time Simon had asked anything of him.


    ¡°There¡¯s a seed in my pocket¡­ I want to plant it,¡± the boy replied.


    Jubaic¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ¡°Plant it?¡±


    <--->


    Jubaic¡¯s request to Diamelle was simple, she just had to go around the immortal abyss. Jubaic wanted to know the measurement of the abyss, from the bottom of the abyss to the limit of the ceiling.


    And Diamelle, the queen of the Jumas was the embodiment of earth magic. She could easily escape if it wasn¡¯t for the collar that was on her neck.


    The idea of measuring the abyss was something she never thought of. Not only did the madman have a plan to escape, but she was also having a good time listening to the boy¡¯s stories that was two birds in one stone.


    She was now looking for the highest ground where she could create a large pillar to measure the abyss.


    She immediately felt someone or something approaching her as she was walking in the darkness of the abyss.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide I could feel you,¡± she said without stopping her walk.


    ¡°I want to talk to the madman,¡± it was a grunting voice.


    Diamelle who was familiar with the denizens of the abyss instantly knew who it was. She stopped and looked in a direction. The voice revealed itself, it was a werewolf that was one of the denizens of the immortal abyss.


    Kaibot was his name, a half-wolf that fought the holy beast in the hope of becoming one too but what he had become was something he didn¡¯t want to be. Now he was also trapped in the abyss of the immortals.

 Chapter 103 :: After The Winter

    It was a hazy day, although the sun was already up the haze kept the seas dark.


    There was a single boat there floating where a man dressed for the cold shivered and stayed.


    It was the village chief who was waiting for the boy, he could smell the salty sea. He covered his body with his coat while shutting his ears with his hands. He couldn¡¯t take it, hearing the screams of the bandits that were getting massacred.


    The salty smell of the sea began to be filled with a pungent smell of blood. The village chief could identify its smell as the visage of the boy flashed in his mind.


    A few minutes passed and finally, the silence showed the end of struggle. The village chief had to remove his hands from his fingers to double-check.


    ¡°Should I sink it?¡± a question from the boy. The village chief could hear it although he could only see the silhouette of the bandit¡¯s ship.


    ¡°SINK IT!¡± the village chief screamed. He would be insane to take that bloody ship.


    ¡°THWACK!!¡± a sound of wood getting slashed. That sword that the village chief¡¯s father had hidden in the basement was well-used. The bandit¡¯s boat slowly sank, the sounds of bubbles and planks were the clear signs of it.


    The Village Chief¡¯s boat rocked a bit, it was Simon who had landed back on their small boat.


    The village chief though it was dark could tell that there was blood on the boy¡¯s body, but not his.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back now¡­ thank you for defending the village,¡± the village chief said as he began rowing the boat.


    Simon also took the oar that was on the right side of their boat and began rowing too.


    To the village chief, Simon¡¯s back felt distant, he was in a different league. The old man really raised a different one, he wondered how many lives the boy had taken already.


    ¡°He is too young,¡± the village chief muttered.


    <--->


    It was the end of winter that year, Simon just turned 10, and they were standing just outside of the fisher man¡¯s village. The boy now was clearly larger than how the old man remembered him, while the old man himself had totally aged.


    Together with them were the Black Hood and the Village Chief, it was time to say goodbyes, to move on, time doesn¡¯t wait for anyone.


    ¡°Thanks for defending the village again, take the sword away with you too,¡± the village chief said. If the 2 stranger didn¡¯t visit their village he didn¡¯t know what would have happened to them.


    ¡°We are going to take it anyway, I¡¯ll let the boy use it until he breaks it,¡± the old man said reaching his hands for a shake. The village chief held and shook it.


    ¡°Be careful, out there but it must be the other way around,¡± the village chief¡¯s final words as he looked at the boy and threw a wave at him, the boy just nodded.


    The old man smiled, thinking to himself that he should have trained the boy a little bit about socializing. If what the boy was saying was true then he has been isolated for some time now.


    The village chief also shook the hand of the Black Hood, the old man and the Black Hood subdued the bandits that were attacking by the land, the two were monsters in their own right.


    ¡°Thanks for the hospitality,¡± the Black Hood said as he was shaking the chief¡¯s hands.


    The Village Chief with one final look waved at them as he left going back to the Fisher Man¡¯s Village. ¡°Please don¡¯t come back! I don¡¯t want any trouble!¡± he said ¡°Though I have no choice but to help you aren¡¯t I?¡± but he was not one to forget debts.


    The old man and the Black Hood appreciated those words, it was rare for adventurers or those who walk in their path to find someone like the village chief.


    ¡°I thought you would immediately leave after fixing the bandit attack?¡± the old man suddenly asked the Black Hood.


    ¡°... He said that of all the Heroes of the Era, you had the most lonely back, he said to me that I should take care of you, but you look fine now¡­ officially you are dead, try not to steer commotions-¡± then the Black Hood formed a C using his hand ¡°-Doesn¡¯t matter now does it?¡± the Black Hood said before he began vanishing in thin air.


    ¡°Is he still alive?¡± the old man asked.


    ¡°No, he failed the ritual,¡± the Black Hood answered before he completely vanished.


    There was a still silence in the air before the old man faced the boy. ¡°You got a good sword after 3 years?¡± the old man said remembering why they went to the Sun God¡¯s Peak after all.


    ¡°It''s still light,¡± Simon said.


    ¡°You know, I ran out of gold, how about visiting the hideout of thieves?¡± the old man suggested, it was a piece of information that the Black Hood had given him earlier.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Simon smiled.


    The old man smiled back, they were back on their journey again.


    <--->


    The cavern was located east of the Fisherman¡¯s Village, even the chief didn¡¯t know of such a place.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    The two arrived, it was just half a day of slow walk.


    The first one who noticed the Caverns was Simon.


    ¡°I can see it!¡± the boy said even though he was a few steps behind the old man, his snake eyes did have some special perks on them.


    ¡°Slow down boy, we have all the time in the world,¡± the old man wittingly said.


    The two were walking following the southeastern shores. The shore continuing east became a slope and it divided the path, one that led to the higher grounds and one to the cavern.


    The two arrived at the spot, the bandit¡¯s base. It was well hidden but the boy immediately found the entrance that was only blocked by a wooden makeshift door.


    ¡°Simon, just crush it!¡± the old man said while he was watching Simon¡¯s back, the boy was trying to open it up.


    The suggestion was well taken, the boy drew his sword and cut down the door in 2 pieces.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go now!¡± the old man who was getting annoyed by the weather entered first.


    Simon who could see in the dark immediately found a torch that was hanging on the walls of the cave. The boy immediately noticed that there was something strange with the torch. He poked the old man using the torch¡¯s end.


    ¡°Oh! That¡¯s a magic tool, these thieves have it good! Let your magic flow into it!¡± the old man said.


    The boy followed and the torch did brighten up.


    ¡°It''s made out of monster parts! Give that to me and lead the way!¡± the old man again made a command and the boy followed.


    The cavern was wide but the ropes were their guide inside. After walking for a while they finally found the base of the thieves. Although it was a bit slippery and dark the base was well organized.


    The thieves had dried quarters where they could sleep, it was located on the west side of the cavern¡¯s natural slopes, another spot for their food stash on a higher ground and loots on the lower.


    ¡°Oh! This is a treasure trove! I¡¯m going to check the stash!-¡± Like his spirits have been ignited, the old man pointed at the lower boxes that were closer to the lower part of the slope. ¡°-Go check the food storage!¡± he said to the boy while he pointed upwards.


    It was logical that the thieves would put their food stash on a higher ground, or it could be wet but Simon didn¡¯t think and just followed the old man¡¯s instructions.


    In a few moments, the two began building a fire. The beds were still clean, and some were usable but rather than being used, the old man used them to create a fire.


    ¡°I¡¯m starving! Let¡¯s have a feast today! In honor of my recovery!¡± the old man said as Simon placed a large rock that they would be using for cooking.


    ¡°Boy! I saw a spring of water at the center, take a bucket! I need to clean the meat to be sure!¡± the old man said, he was holding a wooden bucket he got from the loots of the bandits.


    ¡°Also I found this!¡± then from his other hand, he placed two wooden swords on the ground. ¡°Let¡¯s practice after eating! Let¡¯s see how far can you go now!¡±


    It was a high-quality wooden sword. It was for training.


    <--->


    It was another day and the Old Man and Simon were on it again early in the morning.


    The old man rushed into an attack and the boy was in his natural stance.


    ¡°Smack!!!¡± The boy received a good attack, still, he had to use his feet to stop it. The old man¡¯s sword was really hard to parry. The old man withdrew his attack and went off stance and the boy immediately noticed it ¡°Was I really fed by a wolf¡¯s milk?¡± the boy asked, he had a chance to extend the brief pause and he took it by asking a question.


    ¡°Yeah, you sure were. I was really surprised. This might be why you are abnormally strong,¡± the old man answered. The old man had an inkling about the boy, the eyes were all the clues he needed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, you are still much stronger than me, old man. I can¡¯t beat you,¡± the boy remarked.


    Even though the old man had just recovered, in terms of skills and abilities when holding the sword he was still sharp.


    ¡­


    Every day the two would practice. Days became weeks and weeks became months, as the old man sharpened the boy¡¯s skills he was also getting back in shape.


    They didn¡¯t have problems with food because not only that they have some food stash from the bandits, the boy would sometimes fish the whole day.


    Still, the old man had his plans, he wanted to bring the boy to the central. If they could only reach the Neward Clan then everything would be taken care of¡­ he knew that he was losing time.


    On one of the nights that they were eating the old man had decided to inform the boy of his plans.


    ¡°We will be living after a few days. We will be going into the central,¡± the old man said, he was already cooking and Simon was excitedly watching, something really never faded.


    ¡°Okay!¡± the boy said, he didn¡¯t think of anything too deeply.


    ¡°Maybe we will visit Newark,¡± the old man continued. The fish that Simon caught were starting to smell good now, their freshness and sea flavor at their best aroma. ¡°If I¡¯m lucky enough, I could accompany you up to the Hadrian Academy. I¡¯ve got a friend there who would take care of you.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ when are you going to die?¡± there was no tone of worry in the voice of the boy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know¡­ maybe I¡¯ve got 4 to 6 years more,¡± the old man said as he tried to remember what the Pam said to him.


    The boy was silent but his demeanor didn¡¯t change he was still excited for the fish.


    ¡°This one¡¯s finish, you get one first,¡± the old man said.


    The boy happily took it, he was using the carving knife that the old man gifted to him. Memories began to flow into the old man¡¯s mind. Memories that would evoke some things that he shouldn¡¯t have thought about.


    <--->


    The human frontiers. An uncontrollable region. These lands evoked the unknown and the ever-changing perils. Unlike the tamed lands in the central continent, these lands made it look like life was so cheap.


    Nobles sent from the center to the frontiers were initially considered an honor to their families, camouflaged as a service to the emperor. However, as times changed, it became more of a death sentence for them.


    The rate of nobles dying in the frontier was really high.


    It was not only nobles that were being forcefully sent to the frontier. Criminals too were sent to the frontier, to be eternal slaves to work on the eastern frontier farm if they were lucky or in the underground mines on the far eastern end of the world.


    While the farms were managed by frontier nobles the mines were managed by the Explorers, it was their main source of income.


    Now for the ones reading the papers of a rider that was in front of the Castle of the Elfords, it was strange that he was here. He was a noble, and he was on the frontiers with a clear purpose in his mind.


    He had 2 pieces of spear that were hanging on his horse¡¯s back, bringing weapons was a norm to the frontier so the guards didn¡¯t mind it. He was all covered with thick clothes as the cold weather was not suitable for him.


    The fortress was of free entry but the boy himself went and approached them. He was asking for some information about a noble too.


    ¡°We understand, you better go to the adventurer¡¯s guild,¡± the guard said.


    ¡°Thank you, the frontier is a black hole to me,¡± the rider said. He then removed his cloak, he was still young which surprised the two guards. But he was really tall and his voice didn¡¯t say so.


    ¡°The noble I¡¯m looking for looks like me, does anything ring a bell?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Sorry, many people pass these gates, it''s impossible to remember his face but we will remember yours,¡± the guard said.


    ¡°My name is Elijah Yearno¡­ please remember my face, my twin''s name is Daren Yearno, he brought his personal knights with him,¡± Elijah was tall for his age, and his voice was deep too.


    ¡°Sorry, if he really did bring knights with him then we would have known, try asking the other gates especially the southern one,¡± the guard then returned the papers.


    ¡°It''s refreshing to know that throwing my title doesn¡¯t work in the frontier doesn¡¯t it,¡± Elijah had already been in the frontiers for a week now, nobody cared that he was noble.


    ¡°Nobles had a very bad reputation in the frontier, the only name that carries weight in the whole frontier is the Elfords,¡± the guard said, he was proud that he was a knight who served the Elford Clan.


    ¡°I will keep that in mind, thank you for your time,¡± Elijah put back his cloak and resumed his walk inside the Elford¡¯s Fortress.

 Chapter 104 :: A noble out of place

    The old man was dreaming again. The two were sleeping in the forest hanging themselves on the branches as usual.


    Alphecca was the best of his time, he proved it in the Hadrian Academy during his tenure there, proved it time and time again, setting unbeatable records, dominating the tournaments¡­ but the fact that he was a bastard hindered him so many times to glory. Even though he had accomplished so much it was still how the nobles would see him.


    His enemies were the same society of the nobles that he must protect while his family too was always after his throat. He was under constant pressure to maintain himself, letting the nobles disgrace him and his family¡¯s silent treatment of him.


    He hated everything around him¡­ his mother whom he had never met and who left him in that situation, his family who didn¡¯t care about him, the nobles that were elitists.


    The only thing he held on to was his sword. Because of this, his faith in his sword grew stronger with each passing day and it gave him so much edge that he was even recognized as the next sword saint.


    But then again, there was a time when the call of the frontier fell onto their family, the Varus Clan was a clan of Light Magic users, and their abilities were immensely needed in the frontier because of the appearance of a supposedly demon.


    He was gladly cast off by his family to the eastern frontier¡­ but it was the most peaceful time in his life.


    At that time the frontier was at its worst. Monsters spawned everywhere, corrupt nobles that ran down the government and adventures who didn¡¯t adhere to what they were.


    Still, it was in that place that he found peace.


    The last scene he saw was him traveling east in the Trist Valley.


    ¡­


    The old man woke up in the middle of the night, he was quite sad that his dream was broken. He woke up because of the rain that wet his face. He looked below and the boy was still sleeping peacefully.


    He tried remembering his mother. Of all the things he could think of, he was thinking about the face of her mother. Fate brought them together during his stay on the frontier. It was one of the reasons he wanted to die here.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± the old man with his eyes closed tried hard to remember. He could remember her voice but not her face anymore.


    This made him regret waking up, wouldn¡¯t he be able to see her if he continued dreaming?


    <--->


    The two resumed traveling in the morning.


    Since the two had begun traveling from the Fisherman¡¯s Village they had been going slower. It was the old man, he had changed after waking up from the comma. He had been walking slower and the magic Simon could feel from him was weaker.


    They were now entering the forest just south of the Sun God¡¯s Peak. It was where Simon stayed a while before. The boy was the one leading and he really knew the forest like it was the back of his hands.


    As usual, the two traveled off-road following a major direction.


    ¡°Simon, slow down, aren¡¯t you cold?¡± the old man complained as the boy was gaining distance from him.


    From time to time, the boy kept forgetting the weakened state of the old man, well he could still sweep the boy¡¯s feet during sword practice. It was not that cold actually.


    ¡°I will go slower, don¡¯t worry, there is no monster here,¡± Simon said assuring the old man ¡°-I could carry you in the back if you want,¡± the boy offered innocently.


    But the old man didn¡¯t want that. ¡°Fuck off boy! I will walk by my feet!¡± the old man then began to walk faster. He was clearly pissed off.


    The two were silent as they were walking in the forest.


    Simon suddenly then stopped. There were voices in the forest. There was a battle going on in the forest. Just one look at the old man and the two nodded.


    The two started running, subtle but fast, the boy immediately located the fight as the old man was following him.


    <--->


    3 adventurers were walking down the road south, and on their back was a rider. The rider covered himself with his cloak while the 3 adventurers wore lighter clothes, oblivious to the spring¡¯s cold.


    ¡°Boy! We are almost there!¡± one of the adventurers said as they were nearing the forest. Just southeast of the farmlands and north of the fisherman¡¯s village.


    A few days back, they met the rider at the southern gates of the Elford¡¯s castle. He was looking for his brother in the eastern frontier and the 3 had an idea of where the brother might be. To their surprise, the rider was a young noble that was tall for his age.


    The adventurers told the story of a monster: a few years ago, a powerful creature was unsealed beneath the Sun God¡¯s Peak. It drove countless adventurers into the frontier. Nobles from the central regions also pursued it, but none made it out alive. Therefore the forest under the Sun God¡¯s Peak was declared a prohibited territory, and only high-ranked adventurers were permitted entry. Adventurers were stationed around the roads warning the travelers and such.


    The party together with the rider was one of them. Their party stopped and then pointed into the forest. ¡°It should be here boy!¡± the adventurer said.


    Elijah Yearno nodded and went down his ride, he had to take the two spears on the side of his horse so he had to turn back away from the adventurers when his neck felt the shivers.


    He dodged a sword attack by rolling and his horse was instead hit effectively slaying it down. He quickly turned around and as expected it was one of the adventurers who attacked him.


    ¡°Oh, he is tough! I missed!¡± the adventurer said smiling at the boy.


    ¡°Why?¡± the boy asked as he unveiled his two spears.


    ¡°You are a noble right? Just passing on your remains would grant us a good amount of bounty,¡± the adventurer said, the swordsman seemed to be the leader of the party.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    Their motives were truly simple and petty but that aside Elijah smiled at them. ¡°Just tell me one thing¡­ this is the forest you¡¯ve been talking about right? This Balask monster you are saying?¡± the noble wanted to know.


    ¡°We actually guided a platoon of knights, their leader was a brat that looked like you, strikingly similar! Must be your twin or something!¡± the adventurer waved his hands gesturing to the other two to prepare for an attack. ¡°Unfortunately they didn¡¯t pay us enough!¡±


    The 3 man-party adventurers were the guides that guided different parties that tried to hunt the monster of the Sun God¡¯s Peak.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the boy began spinning two of his spears, he was a practiced spear user. To the adventurer¡¯s surprise, it was the boy who rushed in first.


    The boy fearlessly engaged the swordsman, the other two were an archer and an axe user who was probably a warrior.


    Elijah carefully parried the swordsman''s sword using one of his spinning spears, it was successful and gave him an opportunity to attack but the warrior who was holding an axe timely entered preventing him from landing an attack while then an arrow almost grazed his head. The noble jumped back.


    ¡°Man! Don¡¯t shoot his head! We need his face!¡± the warrior who was holding his axe screamed warning their other member.


    ¡°Sorry! Force of habit!¡± the archer answered preparing another arrow on his bow.


    ¡°... The boy is tough, he almost had me! Fucking nobles!¡± the swordsman cursed.


    Elijah gulped¡­ He was in the far frontier now fighting for his life¡­ but he had to know what happened to his twin brother. An idea flashed in his head¡­ setting his sight onto the forest. ¡®They are cowards but they would probably follow me.¡¯ but he must make a bet now.


    Elijah dashed an explosive move that surprised the adventurers. The noble boy used his long frame to make the sudden movement. He then threw one of his spears in the direction of the archer.


    ¡°Damn!¡± the archer had no choice but to jump away from the throw.


    The axe wielder and the swordsman prepared to intercept the boy.


    Of course, Elijah was prepared he immediately spun his spear. ¡°CLANG!¡± ¡°CLANG!¡± and the attack of the axe and sword was repelled. This opened an opportunity for an attack on the axe man.


    But rather than going for an attack, Elijah opted for the archer who just finished scrambling himself. In swift attack, the propulsion of the spear only needed its edge to touch the neck of the archer.


    Although the slash was not deep it was enough to kill the archer.


    ¡°Shit! He killed him!¡± the axe man screamed, it seemed that he was a friend to the archer.


    Elijah though never looked back and began heading into the forest.


    The two adventurers looked at each other and then looked at their dead friend. They must take vengeance or their friend won¡¯t forgive them. The two rushed and followed the nobleboy.


    The three were heading to the forest that was forbidden by the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    <--->


    Simon and the old man hid beside a tree, the boy located the sounds of battle. They were fighting in a small clearing in the forest.


    It was a tall boy wearing a dark gray cloak against a swordsman and a warrior holding an axe. One of them should be bleeding as Simon¡¯s nose caught a scent of blood.


    ¡°That boy is wounded in his arms,¡± the old man said. He was quite familiar with the style that the boy was using. The boy was spinning his spear, using the torque of the spin he was attacking and deflecting the attacks of the 2 men.


    ¡°Old man¡­ look at that!¡± Simon who was beside the old man used his fingers to point up. Something was making the shadows of the trees darker, Simon who could see in the dark instantly noticed it.


    The old man knew what it was, it was as long (30 Meters) as a large snake but had 6 small limbs ¡°That¡¯s a Sylvan Wyrm!¡± the old man muttered in a low voice. He followed the shadow and noticed the eyes of it. ¡®¡­It''s looking for its master¡­ I thought they were already hunted to extinction!¡¯ the old man thought.


    ¡°Boy¡­ I can¡¯t fight it but you can¡­ I will leave it up to you!¡± the old man said smiling.


    ¡°You are still stronger than me!¡± Simon muttered.


    ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t use magic anymore¡­ and when we spar you never overpowered me,¡± the old man said sitting on the ground ¡°I will coach you though, our fate is in your decision,¡± the old man made a fierce grin.


    ¡°Let¡¯s fight it!¡± Simon said as he took out his newly acquired sword.


    <--->


    Elijah was in a pinch, he was really good with the spear, even his master said that he was probably the most talented student he ever had but it got to his head. When his master said he must build his stamina, he didn¡¯t listen.


    Now he was on his last breath, wounded in his shoulders but not yet ready to die. Elijah breathed deeply; he was ready now. Whatever would happen, he was going to do his best.


    ¡°STOP FIGHTING!¡± a voice coming from the forest, the three who were so focused on fighting instantly found where the voice was coming from.


    An old man emerged from the forest. He was cloaked, behind him was a boy carrying an abnormally large bag, holding a sword in his hand.


    Elijah felt that the old man was not normal even the boy beside him. Why were they in the forest after all? But what made Elijah shiver more was the eyes of the boy, it was normal, it was snake eyes.


    The 2 adventurers noticed it too, they were true adventurers of the frontier though they were a bit crazy in the head. A large monster was trailing around them. They didn¡¯t survive that long if they could not avoid dangers like this.


    ¡°Shit! It¡¯s the Balask!¡± the adventurer that was holding the sword muttered. His party member gulped upon hearing this.


    Elijah felt all the bloodlust that was directed at him fade away.


    ¡°Boys, we can¡¯t escape it now and my boy here decided he wanted to fight it anyway¡­ any of you would be good bait,¡± the old man said smiling. The two began approaching them.


    Although the 2 adventurers were ready to fight, the old man passed through them stepping closer to the noble. The noble didn¡¯t move rather, the demeanor that the old man imposed was crazy, now that he was closer he had never been afraid of something that looked like a human.


    ¡°Show me your wounds, we will need you to fight against the monster,¡± the old man said, he showed his hands, he was already holding a bandage and a few crushed herbs.


    Elijah placed his spear down and showed the wound on his shoulders.


    ¡°It''s coming!¡± the other boy warned. Using his sword he directed the gaze of the adventurer on the right side relative to where Simon was facing.


    ¡°Support the boy guys! Just land an attack when you can!-¡± the old man instructed as he began doing some first aid. ¡°-It¡¯s a Sylvan Wyrm!¡± the old man added.


    The boy grounded his bag. He was ready now.


    All of them were beginning to hear the movement of the monster. The tremors on the ground, the leaves moving restlessly.


    ¡°Boy! It can blow water balls!¡± the old man screamed warning him ¡°And it''s hot!¡±


    The boy, Simon rushed in a direction, the two adventurers were surprised by his actions and they immediately felt the tension. Following the boy¡¯s movement they quickly found the monster. Its eyes were looming in the shadow. Its mouth opened and magic infused behind its teeth.


    ¡°BOOM!¡±


    A water ball flew towards the boy. The adventurers, who were watching, thought it was the boy¡¯s end. However, the boy sliced through the flying water ball, causing hot water to spray over a wide area.


    ¡°It''s hot!¡± the boy screamed and he changed his direction, he was following the head of the Sylvan Wyrm as it was moving around.


    ¡°Attack now! Try cutting its limbs!¡± the old man instructed the two adventurers who were watching.


    The boy entered the range of the monster and began swinging his sword. Simon struck the monster''s face. The Wyrm countered by attempting to bite and tackle the small boy using its head, but it kept missing. Each miss was met with a counterattack, causing the wounds on the monster to grow deeper and deeper.


    ¡°GRAAAAAAA!!!¡± the monster then screamed, it turned its head to look behind its body, and to its demise, one of its legs was chopped off. The adventurer was the one who cut it off.


    ¡°Simon! FINISH IT!¡± the old man screamed but the boy was already in the air ready to launch a fierce attack.


    The Wyrm immediately felt the bloodlust behind its head. It felt fear and familiarity upon laying its eyes on the boy. The Wyrm began its escape.


    ¡°No!¡± Simon muttered.


    ¡°Hey, you! Throw your sword to the boy!¡± the old man who was watching while bandaging the noble screamed.


    The 2 adventurers who were getting away from the path of the Wyrm heard it. The swordsman heard it and followed throwing the sword in the direction of the boy.


    ¡°Here!¡± Simon muttered landing a cut on the back of the Wyrm, it was deep, really deep but it was not enough to cut the whole Wyrm. ¡°I¡¯m stuck!¡± and the surprise was that Simon couldn¡¯t pull out the sword.


    A glint of hope literally made Simon look up. A sword was flying in his direction. With no hesitation, he let go of his sword to go for the other one.


    ¡°Pierce it behind the ears! The brain is closer there!¡± the old man coached the boy but while shouting he accidentally pulled the dressing of the noble he was working on.


    ¡°OUCH!¡± the noble grunted.


    Following the comment of the old man, Simon located his target, the back of its ears specifically at the right side of the the Wyrm¡¯s head, upon landing on one of the tree branches.


    With all his might the boy launched himself aiming his sword.

 Chapter 105 :: Weakened Knees

    It was already night. A campfire lit the side of the road, 5 shadows were created around the campfire, and just 20 meters away from it was a newly made grave, 2 of it.


    The five were a strange combination of campers.


    An old man, first of all, was cooking the meat carved from the Wyrm, its aroma wafting through the air and it kept taking away the concentration of a boy who was practicing magic.


    The same boy who was meditating couldn¡¯t properly concentrate because of the smell of the meat. Simon was trying hard but the smell was failing him. Another boy was watching him wondering what he was doing.


    The noble sighed, the frontier for him was a strange place, the boy who was practicing Flow was stupidly powerful, he actually still had the energy to carve up the Wyrm. He glared at the two adventurers who tried to kill him but the two were totally already behind it.


    The Swordsman¡¯s name was Quirt while the warrior who was using an axe was Uzi, the archer¡¯s name, the one that was killed was named Piper. The 2 melee fighters were members of a peddling family before but they were left on the road because of food shortage, while Piper the older one helped the 2 of them. The trio had been together ever since.


    Although they were registered as adventurers they would steal and even commit heinous acts as long as money was involved.


    ¡°Boy, you can stop now and continue later, let¡¯s eat,¡± the old man said. There was a ton of meat just beside him ready to be seared on top of the hot stone.


    Simon who was clearly starving took out his carving knife and used it to pick up the meat. He directly plunged his mouth into the meat biting it without mercy and began chewing it.


    ¡°Oh¡­ hmph! Good!¡± Simon said while his eyes were closed, he was savoring the meat.


    By the reaction of the boy, the other 3 gulped and their stomach grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you some don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s a lot to go around!¡± the old man said.


    The noble suddenly stood up, he was young, just a bit older than Simon. ¡°They tried to kill me! They killed my horse too! You shouldn¡¯t give them anything!¡± the boy demanded even stomping his feet.


    ¡°Sit down boy or I won¡¯t give you some! Sit down!¡± the old man said forcing the noble boy to sit down back into the ground, well he was really hungry.


    The old man placed another well-sliced meat and began cooking. He divided it into four pieces using his carving knife, he did it like clockwork. Like that last meat, he sprinkled some salt and spread it using his knife.


    ¡°If any of you could use wind or fire magic, can you increase the heat?¡± the old man asked.


    The noble raised his hands and then pointed his palm at the flame, he knew what the old man wanted, Elijah¡¯s main element was wind. Using his magic he blew through the flame creating a draft making the flame go larger.


    ¡°Hmm, you have good control with magic, why didn¡¯t you use it earlier in your fight?¡± the old man asked, in a few seconds the meat began sizzling.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ my magic capacity is very low,¡± Elijah said regrettably but he smiled ¡°-That¡¯s also the reason why my magic control is good.¡±


    ¡°You know you can increase your capacity by expending all of your magic,-¡± the old man then pointed to the boy who was eating meat, it was almost finished ¡°-After this, he will be emptying all his magic reserves by practicing magic Flow, he has been doing it since hmm¡­ he was little?¡± the old man was not sure anymore but all he could remember was it happened when Jedi was still traveling together with them.


    Elijah looked at Simon. If what he was saying was true then the boy must be a very powerful individual by now. Remembering how the fight went on earlier in the morning, it was the boy who finished the Wyrm by lodging a sword on the back of its head. ¡®The old man must be his teacher, a mentor perhaps¡¯ Elijah thought.


    ¡°You are really good, this one is done now, use your knives to get one slice!¡± the old man smiled offering the meat on the frying stone.


    The two adventurers immediately took out their own utility knives and took a slice of the meat. The noble was baffled, he didn¡¯t have any knives on his person.


    ¡°Is this your first time going outside picnicking aren¡¯t you?¡± the old man asked.


    The 2 adventurers began eating the meat. It made Elijah a bit annoyed that they were the ones who got to eat it first.


    ¡°Hey, boys! Give this boy a spare won¡¯t you?!¡± the old man said to the two adventurers.


    Quirt, the swordsman glared at the boy because he killed their friend but they did try to kill him and their party were ones that lived and understood how life was in the frontier. He still had a knife in his back, he handed it to the noble.


    ¡°Make sure to heat it up first, you don¡¯t wanna know how I¡¯ve used it before!¡± the adventurer teased.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry boy, it''s clean I assure you,¡± the old man said countering Quirt¡¯s words.


    ¡°Tsk,¡± Quirt clicked his tongue but he didn¡¯t glare at the old man.


    Elijah grabbed the knife, it was actually a well-maintained knife.


    ¡°That¡¯s yours, remember to never trust strangers,¡± Quirt¡¯s words of wisdom.


    The noble grabbed the knife tightly, engraving the lesson he learned from the adventurer¡¯s words. The frontier was really dangerous but in some turn of events, it seemed that the monster that probably killed his brother was already slain as from the words of the two adventurers. Elijah took a piece of meat using the knife that was given to him. His senses told him to bite on it so he did.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°It''s¡­ so good!¡± he muttered biting a small piece of it.


    ¡°Why are you here boy?¡± the old man suddenly asked, he took a new slab of meat and placed it in the heated stone, he was planning to cook another one for Simon who had already finished his meat but was still ready for another, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± the old man followed up since the noble just silently took another bite.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for my brother¡­ he came to the frontiers to hunt a monster¡­ a monster that your boy killed,¡± Elijah said and took another bite.


    The old man smiled, somehow he knew what the noble boy was looking for, he then stared at Simon, the Black Hood said that he killed plenty of those who tried to hunt him down. ¡°...Simon! Does this boy look familiar to you?¡± a sudden question from the old man.


    ¡°No!¡± Simon said.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Elijah said after the smaller boy answered then he realized something ¡°Does this monster eat the humans it hunts?¡± he asked with wide-open eyes, there might be a chance that he had just eaten the monster that ate his brother.


    ¡°No¡­ Sylvan Wyrm eat animals but would never eat humans¡­ they hunt them though,¡± the old man answered.


    With a sigh of relief, the noble turned back eating again.


    ¡°-And in the case that they did swallow one they would vomit it out of their system,¡± the old man suddenly added a piece of new information.


    The noble almost tried to spit when he heard ¡®swallow one¡¯ from the old man then the statement of the old man turned out to be still safe.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to go home tomorrow¡­ but these idiots killed my horse,¡± Elijah said.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, Simon this one is good to go!¡± the old man said pointing that the meat he had just placed was already sizzling.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± the noble boy suddenly said.


    In reaction, Simon reached something from his bag, it was a bunch of herbs. ¡°Use this, put it on your wounds!¡± the boy said.


    ¡°Boy, that¡¯s a Hawaran Herbs, where did you find them?¡± the old man suddenly asked.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t found them, it had the same smell of the herbs the chief in the village put on you!¡± Simon answered.


    The boy who was listening put the herbs on his wounds.


    ¡°Just cover it up so it could be effective,¡± the old man added.


    The boy followed and teared some of his cloak.


    Hawaran Herbs were things that beginner adventurers collect, they grow all year round as long as one find a spot where it would always grow.


    <--->


    It was dangerous to travel alone in the frontier, one must at least have a ride to escape and evade monsters or a good party to survive battles against monsters. The young noble and the 2 remaining adventurers decided that they would be partying for a while until they reached Elford¡¯s Castle.


    The old man and the boy still needed to dispose of the body of the Wyrm that was still lying around the forest. The 2 adventurers actually offered help but the old man just gave them a tooth, rather than just getting the rewards for reporting it the old man wanted them to say that they were the ones that killed the Wyrm.


    The old man gave them a piece of tooth from the Wyrm.


    Now the old man was sitting on a rock while instructing Simon on how to dismantle more of the body of the Wyrm.


    ¡°Simon! Don¡¯t try to cut the bone! Use your knife and trace it!¡± the old man said while he was watching Simon make mistakes.


    It was the first time Simon had encountered that kind of monster, although he was not that bloody since they let the blood drain yesterday, the smell of the corpse was getting on his nose.


    A few hours into the work, Simon extracted a good amount of meat and organs from the Wyrm.


    The old man then hung the skin of Wyrm in makeshift branches. Simon laid the meat into the stone putting some salt to turn it into a dry meat.


    ¡°How about a spar?¡± the old man asked as he was busy putting up the skin. He turned his head and the boy was already looking at him. All he needed was a nod and the boy nodded.


    <--->


    Late in the night. The 2 decided to sleep this time on the ground, after the battle earlier, there were no beasts or monsters that were around, unlike the normal monsters found in the dungeons and such, monsters that lived outside the dungeon could feel fear and they were not programmed to attack dungeon divers.


    They even had a campfire burning so their sleep was quite comfortable, they had sufficient heat on them.


    The boy was sleeping soundly but not the old man, his face kept on twitching.


    The old man woke up again to a dream from his past. It had been like this for the past few days, dreaming about the island.


    He tried to rise up into a sitting position but his body was in pain. Still, he grunted as he forced himself up.


    The boy was really getting better, the boy did land some hits on him. Too bad his sword was fucked up again. ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t teach him that,¡± the old man muttered. If the boy¡¯s weapons would always get fucked up because he couldn¡¯t use magic edge then he could just take monster parts to make one.


    The old man nodded but then a searing pain emerged on his head, he didn¡¯t scream but it felt like his head was being split apart, his ears were attacked by a sharp sound. He tried to regain himself holding his head up.


    If he could only use magic to diffuse it a bit he would but the Pam that fixed him last time said that he couldn''t use it because it would be too painful and that could probably shorten the life span that he didn¡¯t graciously have.


    After shaking for a while the tremor and pain finally stopped. The old man immediately looked at the boy, it seemed that he was still asleep. He didn¡¯t want the boy to see him like that.


    <--->


    Simon kept on checking at the old man, it was morning now, they stayed in the forest where he slayed the Wyrm for days and now they were walking down the road.


    Unlike before the old man told him they would need to travel by the main road different from how they usually travel off-road.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± the boy asked as the old man was beginning to fall far behind him. He was getting really slow and was sweating hard.


    The old man then stopped moving and just stared at the boy ¡°I can¡¯t move¡­¡± the old man said then he sat down like his knees and feet collapsing under him.


    The boy immediately ran back to look at him. Something was wrong with him, was he already dying? The boy was a bit panicking.


    ¡°Simon, stop making that face¡­ I¡­ want to go back into the island¡­ let¡¯s go back to the Fisher Man¡¯s Village,¡± the old man said. As he tried to stand up, he failed then he reached out to Simon. The boy pulled him up easy.


    ¡°We¡¯ll just wait for a passing cart here,¡± the old man notified the boy as he tried to find a good place to sit on.


    ¡°You are going to die?¡± the boy asked.


    ¡°Probably but not yet¡­ I¡¯ve still got something to teach you, you brought it with you, right? The dulled sword?¡± the old man pointed at the back of Simon.


    The boy immediately took out the sword that got stuck in the Wyrm¡¯s body. It was dulled now, the hot temperature of the Wyrm¡¯s body melted the sharpened edge of it.


    ¡°You are an idiot because you can¡¯t use Magic Edge even though I taught you so I¡¯ve got a better solution for you,¡± then the old man showed his palm and Simon placed the dull sword on the old man¡¯s hands. ¡°-You should just take monster parts that you can sharpen and turn it into weapons!¡± the old man smiled.


    The old man then took out his own sword. Then he took out two pieces of whetstone from his pocket. Simon had seen the old man do this before in the dungeon when they dived before.


    ¡°Follow me, I will teach you how to sharpen a weapon!¡± the old man¡¯s fierce smile made it look like he was feeling well.


    ¡°What if the monster part is already sharp?¡± the boy asked watching the old man check out the dull blade.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s fine as long as you craft it for you to be able to use it!¡± the old man then began sharpening Simon¡¯s sword. ¡°Watch closely, the shape of the blade and your movement must match or you will alter the blade, you don¡¯t want that.¡±


    The boy watched silently.


    ¡°Simon¡­ the Wyrm¡¯s meat tastes good right?¡± the old man began a conversation.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Simon could still remember how it tasted.


    ¡°Since you can not use magic edge, try to avoid fighting monsters who can use magic, unlike humans, monsters have a natural ability to use magic by their instinct¡­. though their meat tastes really good,¡± the old man was back to himself.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± the boy drooled.


    The old man glared at Simon making the boy concentrate on what the old man was teaching him. They kept it up until night, and they camped very close to the main roads but it was not until the 3rd day of waiting did a carriage passed on the main roads.

 Chapter 106 :: Whirlpool Islands 1

    In the darkness of the abyss. Time was not an issue, although there were minor changes especially when there would be unannounced tremors in the abyss everything remained the same at least for Jubaic who had been watching Simon going around running.


    He was happy that the boy could run now but it was just too boring for him, he wished his plans would move forward too¡­ but it''s just been a long 3 weeks and Diamelle wasn¡¯t back yet.


    Then a familiar feeling made Jubaic stand up on the rock where he was lying.


    ¡°Diamelle is back!¡± but it was Simon who reported what was happening. Although it was dark he could see far. The boy stopped for a while and waved. He was not sure if the woman could see him.


    Diamelle answered back with a wave. The boy was happy to see the girl and began running to meet her but he stopped halfway noticing that there was someone together with the lady.


    ¡°Simon! No need to be wary, he is a friend!¡± Diamelle who noticed Simon¡¯s immediate change of demeanor screamed to let him know.


    Jubaic landed softly beside Simon and tapped the boy¡¯s back. ¡°His name is Kaibot¡­ he is not human, he would be your new instructor!¡± the boy looked at him and he smiled warmly as he could.


    Simon knew that Jubaic was crazy, and even though he had just met Diamelle she was right in the head and probably the only one that treated him nicely. (My boy¡¯s a simp)


    Simon did have some far encounters with the other immortals earlier when Jubaic was gone looking for the metal tumbler. Although those immortals didn¡¯t try to approach him, he felt their malice and his impression of them was really bad.


    As Diamelle and the stranger together with her approached, Jubaic and Simon stood still.


    ¡°Jubaic the crazy human¡­ long time no see,¡± it was the stranger who first approached. He was hairy like a human, much better described as a demi-human of half wolf.


    ¡°This man¡¯s name is Kaibot, he tried to fight a holy beast before but failed, I read him in the books before but the reason for him falling, here I have no idea,¡± Jubaic introduced the half-wolf.


    ¡°He agreed!¡± Diamelle smiled at Jubaic.


    ¡°I see, so you are going to train the boy right?¡± the madman''s hands a shake but Kaibot slapped his hands.


    ¡°I agreed not because of you, it was because of this nice lady here,¡± Kaibot said showing his teeth nodding at the lady.


    Jubaic smiled, there were things that had to be said and things that should not. That smile was dark, a void behind his eyes. The boy could not see it but the two immortals who were standing in front of him saw it but they didn¡¯t back down rather the three smiled at themselves. A chilling sound.


    The boy began to notice the change in the air.


    ¡°Okay! How are you gonna train our boy here?¡± Jubaic intention was to break the deafening silence.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see first what he got, ready boy? I know you couldn¡¯t move as per Diamelle¡¯s words, but you look better now,¡± Kaibot smiled showing his large fang. As he saw from afar, the boy was running to meet them.


    ¡°Wait! I want to know what happened to the old man first! You stopped on a good part and I had been waiting to hear what¡¯s next,¡± Diamelle was literally begging them.


    ¡°Well the lady asks, I¡¯m also interested in the story, the lady won¡¯t stop telling it to me on the way here!¡± Kaibot answered and he sat down where he stood.


    ¡°Simon, you know the drill!¡± Jubaic said and he conjured a seat made out of earth. Prompting the lady to sit first.


    Simon began moving around in circles, the movement really helped Simon reminisce about his past, after a few laps he was ready to continue the story.


    ¡°Is he going to tell the story like this?¡± Kaibot suddenly interjected.


    ¡°SHH!!!¡± 2x


    <--->


    The old man and the boy were almost back in the Fisherman¡¯s Village. With the help of a carriage that was going to deliver some supplies to the village.


    It was still early morning.


    The villagers who saw the carriage afar immediately summoned the chief.


    In a few moments, the carriage arrived and parked just at the entrance of the village. A boy and an old man went down the carriage.


    Simon was carefully helping the old man who was having a hard time with his knees. Some of the villagers recognized them.


    The village chief who came running was surprised to see the two of them.


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want any problems!¡± the village chief said, it had only been a few days and the two were back again, but what widened his eyes was the old man, he grew really old.


    ¡°Simon, help them carry the boxes,¡± the old man said. He was using his sword to stand up properly.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± the village chief asked.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be even alive¡­ sorry but we need another favor from you,¡± the old man smiled as he walked closer, he found a good rock to sit by ¡°-But I will let you do your job first, you have to boy to help you.¡±


    Simon was literally lifting the boxes like it was nothing.


    ¡°He is really strong!¡± the village chief commented. He knew that Simon was not a normal boy but he sure was useful in carrying things.


    <--->


    With the village chief¡¯s blessing, he gave them a boat also some ciders, and alcohol at the old man¡¯s request. The same boat he used to sneak Simon closer to the thieves¡¯ ship. The two immediately left as soon as they got the ship. The old man didn¡¯t want to inconvenience the village chief.


    ¡°Take care old man!¡± the village chief waved at them, it was already noon when the two left the Fisherman¡¯s Village.


    ¡°Take care too!¡± the old man waved back while Simon just stared blankly at the village chief. The old man knew that this was the final time he would ever see the chief.


    ¡°Boy, how¡¯s the rowing going? Don¡¯t use too much force okay? Let it flow, like how you swim before,¡± the old man instructed, it was actually the first time for the boy to row a boat.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    ¡°I understand,¡± the boy answered, he maintained a steady pace as he rowed.


    ¡°You can steer the boat by playing and changing the direction of your rowing, follow the bank. We will go back to the cavern,¡± the old man continued his instructions while watching the waters ¡°-We can¡¯t cross the Alimpuyo-an this time, it must be morning.¡±


    ¡°Alimpuyo-an?¡± Simon repeated the words of the old man.


    ¡°It''s a straight between the southern edge of frontier and whirlpool islands,¡± the old man then pointed southwards ¡°-See that shadow of land there?¡±


    The boy followed the direction of the old man¡¯s fingers. ¡°There¡¯s a tall shadow there!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the lighthouse, it''s on the northern cliff of The Whirlpool Island, it''s an ancient building, the lights would turn on in the first sign of darkness and turn off in the first light,¡± the old man answered, he knew everything about the island.


    ¡°Have you been there?¡± Simon asked.


    The old man smiled and nodded. He then set his eyes forward relative to the direction of their boat, the shadow of the caverns was getting closer.


    <--->


    Alimpuyo-an was an old name for the straight that was between the southern shores of the eastern frontier and the whirlpool islands. Because of the jagged formation of the underwater lands any time of the given day, a whirlpool would suddenly form out of nowhere.


    Before there was a village there but was destroyed during a monster attack. It was really long ago and the name of the village has been already forgotten.


    The early morning of the day a boat was crossing the waters of the Alimpuyo-an. A boy and an old man.


    ¡°Simon! Go a bit right? Right!¡± although it had been a long time, the old man still knew how to navigate through the dangerous waters. It would take half a day at most to cross this waters.


    Following the words of the old man, the boy tried to stream down the boat going to the right. From where they were supposed to head a whirlpool began forming.


    ¡°Watch the waters, be familiar with the stream, a small change could mean something but do not stop, you have to keep moving or your boat would be sucked into the whirlpool and get crushed underneath,¡± the old man kept on schooling the boy in rowing. ¡°Go back to the left!¡±


    The boy followed again.


    ¡°If you have nowhere to go do not stop the boat, you can turn around but be sure to do it in a timely manner!¡± the old man touched the waters, it was still cold, and the boat rocked slowly which meant that the boy was getting accustomed with the rowing and the their ride was actually a good boat.


    From afar the old man finally saw a familiar wooden plank. It was a small port that the destroyed village used. It was in tatters and one could see the protruding pieces of wood even afar.


    The old man smiled as memories came back to him, he wanted the travel to be faster ¡°Almost there boy!¡± was a comment of motivation from the old man. In his excitement he almost stood up, he dropped something, a sound of metal tumbling down in the boat but he didn¡¯t care about it.


    <--->


    The dilapidated port was unusable so the boy had to beach the boat and pull it off the waters as the old man instructed.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, let¡¯s go!¡± the old man said, it seemed that his spirit was back as soon as they landed on the island.


    The boy carried the bags and some boxes too, it was light for him. The old man smiled watching him, the boy really had grown. Far from the boy he remembered before.


    By the old man¡¯s lead, they walked upwards. There was a path in the ground although it was not that visible because of the overgrown grasses.


    ¡°Follow the stepping stones,¡± the old man muttered. He knew the place, he lived here once in his life¡­ probably the best years of his life.


    The two continued walking on the slant going up. In a few minutes, they finally arrived at the village. The old man¡¯s memories flashed when the village was still alive, villagers were still around bustling with activities, enjoying the sun¡­ it was such a place but now it was just a ruined village.


    Still, the ruins of the village remained. The old man began walking around, looking at the ruins like it was still in good condition, he could hear the voices of the laughing children and the whispering women. Walking up onto the paved stones and finally seeing the 2 familiar faces, the fact that he had been trying to remember¡­ but it was blank¡­


    ¡°CLANK!!¡± but it was all a ghost. The ghost of memories faded as soon as the boy accidentally fell down.


    ¡°Come on boy! Are you okay!¡± the old man didn¡¯t even try to look back as he was engrossed in remembering. He was looking into the only building that was still standing. There were holes in its roofs but it was still livable. ¡°It''s still here!¡± the old man then smiled.


    It was the first time Simon had seen the old man like that.


    ¡°We will be staying here for a while, let¡¯s clean this house!!¡± the old man said as he tried to open the door.


    ¡°Crash!¡± but as soon as he inserted any force it collapsed down.


    ¡°Damn¡­ of course it''s made out of wood! Let¡¯s go boy!¡± still the old man didn¡¯t back down and just entered anyway.


    ¡­


    Before nightfall, Simon had already cleared the house, and the old man using the scraps of wood had begun making fire.


    The 2 story house was old, with weathered wood and walls overtaken by creeping greenery. The house was elevated by stones, it featured a veranda made out of sturdy wood. It was a perfect spot for naps and hanging out. Inside, the staircase cascaded beautifully, still strong and usable. In the middle was a hearth on the top of it was a hole that passed up into the roof to exhaust smoke where a canopy was situated to protect the hole when it rained. The roof, woven from dried coconut leaves, was intertwined with etched vines.


    ¡°It''s still too cold! We will need to patch up the roof tomorrow-¡± the old man spoke, then Simon landed a stone he found near the beach, it was a good stone to be used for cooking. ¡°-Oh! I forgot, we don¡¯t use that inside here but it''s already here!¡± the old man was really in a good mood.


    ¡°Old man¡­ you are really acting very weird!¡± Simon suddenly said.


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m just happy that I¡¯m back in this place, in this house,¡± the old man answered as he began unpacking the meat of the Wyrm.


    The boy didn¡¯t really care as soon as he heard the sizzling sounds of the meat.


    <--->


    The village in The Whirlpool Island was really cold, the winter was almost at its end but every day the village would still be covered in freezing fog. Still, the old man was on the roof fixing the holes, and patching the insulation. He was lucky that there was still monster wool on the second floor that could be used. He also found some good stuff there, even a wine.


    He sent the boy to clear up the wells that were filled with rocks, that was a few hours ago.


    ¡°Old man! It''s clear!¡± the boy shouted from below.


    ¡°See that scraps of wood in front of the house? Clear it on the other side!¡± the old man gave another task to the boy. The boy didn¡¯t ask questions and followed.


    In the afternoon the old man went down the well, he found a shovel behind the house, and he dug a bit of the well turning it into a basin. It was muddy so he made the boy take some stones to be paved in the well. The old man knew how to make the well. The stones would make the mud stay in shape while the water accumulates on the higher level, and the dirt would come down.


    In a few while after double checking the make of the well he went out. The boy was already practicing flow. The fields that he told Simon to clear were already finished.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have some dinner!¡± the old man said.


    ¡­


    Another day passed and in the early morning, the two were on the northern cliffs, just near the ancient light house, the two were fishing. The old man found some fishing road while he was patching the 2nd floor yesterday.


    They used bugs as bait.


    ¡°Simon, remember this, be careful in eating these sea creatures, you¡¯ve probably seen me prepare and cook them right?¡± the old man said, rhythmically pulling the fishing rod.


    ¡°Yeah, we ate it during our boat trip,¡± the boy just nodded reminiscing with a blank face.


    ¡°Some of them might have parasites inside them¡­ you must properly cook them, you don¡¯t want those little shits eating your gut, remember okay?¡± the old man continued teaching the boy.


    ¡°I understand,¡± the boy muttered while gulping. He remembered he had already eaten so much of the sea creatures.


    The old man¡¯s rod began tugging ¡°Caught one!¡± the old man said and he immediately stood up grabbing the fishing rod firmly.


    ¡°Watch carefully! Pull the rod if it slacks! And watch the tension or it will break!¡± the old man was the master of the rod, he learned so much from the best.


    In a few minutes, the fish was already out of the water, and the old man rapidly spun the mechanism of the line to pull the fish up.


    ¡°Whoa!!¡± the boy excitedly clapped his hands as the old man pulled up the fish.


    ¡°Boy! Your rod is moving too! Hold on to it!¡± the old man warned the boy as he took the fish by its mouth. It was a tuna.


    Simon immediately held on to his road but as soon as he began pulling the line snapped ¡°NO!!¡± a crushing scream from the boy.


    ¡°Damn you idiot!¡± the old man complained. He checked the rod¡­ in the least, the mechanism was not broken.


    The boy was a bit brokenhearted but the old man still wanted the boy to learn how to properly fish.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, it''s still repairable, let¡¯s do this fish first!¡± it was comforting words from the old man, rare coming from the old man.


    The boy just nodded, the old man then pointed near the head of the fish. ¡°Insert your knife here to kill it!¡±


    The boy followed no questions asked.


    Tonight they would be dinning on the fish while the other parts would be dried.

 Chapter 107 :: Whirlpool Islands 2

    A year had passed and the old man recovered some of his health. The two were now running around the beach, in a game of sword tag. It was a simple game of hitting each other but were not allowed to fight back until a hit was landed.


    IT: should chase the other one and could attack freely as long as he was the IT.


    RUNNER: cannot counterattack but could use the sword to block the sword, once hit by a sword he would become the IT immediately.


    Simon has always been the IT ever since this training began. The boy ran while the old man stood still.


    Although the old man was not moving, the boy was using his feet to create different angles of attack and since then he had never successfully landed an attack.


    ¡°You are getting better boy¡­ but it doesn¡¯t work on me¡­ if you want to hit me, you have to work for it!¡± it was words of pure confidence and the boy knew that the old man could back it up.


    The boy began a zigzag move in an attempt to confuse the old man but the old man cleanly parried his attack, it was aimed at a strange angle. The old man held his sword backhanded.


    Before the boy could quickly retreat the old man used his own arms and Simon¡¯s wooden sword to lock it in place effectively touching the wooden sword, and twisting it off the boy¡¯s hands then he kicked the boy in the stomach creating space then landing a hit on the boy¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°OWW!¡± the boy muttered as he fell down. ¡°Arms bridges!¡± he said, realizing what the old man had used on him. The wooden sword was already in the hands of the old man.


    ¡°Yep! Hahaha! What now boy?-¡± The old man threw the wooden sword back to the boy catching it properly. ¡°-You could read the attacks because of the arm¡¯s bridges but it could still be used in other ways!¡± he smiled, he knew that when the boy widened his eyes with his jaw falling he was probably learning something if it''s not about the food. ¡°Last one, stand up boy!¡±


    The boy stood up. Although he learned something, it was impossible to apply it to the old man. Simon knew that the old man was in a weakened state but the display of his swordsmanship never dulled rather it was getting sharper each day.


    Rather than finding angles to attack¡­ ¡®Think from the beginning of your movement and go through with it¡¯ words from the old man that flashed from his mind.


    Simon has been using the sword for quite a time now, the boy has gained experience. High-quality experience coming from the old man.


    The old man felt it. The boy had some breakthrough, he smiled and raised his stance ready for the next actions of the boy.


    Slowly the boy walked closer. Once their wooden swords were almost touching he stopped.


    ¡°I can see your snot boy!¡± the old man teased. The boy was obviously thinking, a strange or probably a rare feat from the boy but the old man was glad.


    Simon moved his wooden sword gently gliding on the old man¡¯s practice sword. He was aiming down into the handles. The old man reacted by pushing off the glide to his surprise he couldn¡¯t move it.


    ¡°Arrgh!¡± he used his whole body but the gliding won¡¯t stop. Eyeing the boy¡¯s stance, Simon¡¯s back feet were raised ensuring the flow of the glide not to be stopped. The old man was annoyed, especially with the boy¡¯s smirk.


    Against the unstoppable glide, the old man decided to move into the side letting the attack slide through but the boy followed the shift of his blade to force it closer to the old man. In the old man¡¯s reaction, he pushed against it turning the sword lock platonic, or rather the boy was under control of it.


    The boy let go of one of his hands to land a sucker punch to the old man¡¯s face.


    Simon could see that the old man twisted his sword, without forcing so much, the old man wittingly used the wooden sword to block the punch.


    ¡°You are open to the right!¡± the old man notified and then with one step to the right and his stance he was ready to exploit the opening.


    Using the same glide Simon used before the old man forced the half of his sword to twist and poke the boy¡¯s shoulders. It was another quick step generating a hit.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t hit you yet!¡± the boy smiled and muttered, it made the old man stop.


    Instead, the old man withdrew from the lock and then hit Simon¡¯s sword twice creating a space for another wide swing.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    The boy flew a bit but landed on his feet. The sand blew behind his feet, the boy checked out the old man and the old man just used a proper sword strike.


    ¡°Told you, you don¡¯t need to have to use too much force, remember the three parts of a sword strike, Position, Momentum, and Aim,¡± ever the teacher was the old man, he wanted to make sure that his lessons would be drilled on the boy¡¯s head if not, on his body.


    ¡°... I understand,¡± the boy spoke as he dashed in for another strike.


    <--->


    At night time.


    The 2 had already adjusted to life on the island. A year really flew by like it was nothing.


    The fireplace crackled as it produced enough warmth to make the sleep without the use of blankets. It was summer season and the island¡¯s temperature didn¡¯t change that much all year round. It was always cold and damp during the night. The village was hidden against the weather by its naturally formed surroundings.


    Simon slept soundly, since it was summer he kept his coat on his stomach. The old man was the same but he was dreaming something. Grunting and murmuring words, his face contorted as he saw familiar faces and faces he didn¡¯t want to remember.


    Suddenly the old man snapped out of his dreams, he opened his eyes, and using his hands as support he sat up. Looking around, checking if he was still inside the house.


    Tensions diffused as he saw the boy sleeping soundly ¡°Damn brat!¡± the old man muttered.


    He knew by himself that he could not sleep back again. He stood up and breathed deeply, it should still be dark outside, the windows told him. Still, he found the door that led outside, taking his sword that was hanging near the door he went outside.


    The chilly wind was a welcomed feeling. He was currently dressed lightly. He drew his sword¡­ checked its condition and began swinging. He could tell that his life was already fleeting. This thought made him calmer.


    But he started remembering things¡­ the reason he was in the frontier. He wanted to die¡­ not peacefully, not like this. He could tell that there was still a fire burning inside his heart it would be a shame to let it fade away along with his death.


    He looked back at the house. Was the boy ready? A question that plagued his mind. He suddenly sat down, not because he was tired, but rather because his feet and knees felt weak. He cursed the gods of his feelings.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die like this,¡± he finally said it himself, who would want to?


    <--->


    Simon was starting the day, his chores included collecting wood, preparing the dried fish that hung outside their house, and collecting salt that was dried up on the wooden board at the back of their house. Usually, the old man would still be sleeping if not he would see the old man sit by the veranda of the house and sometimes would begin a sword practice by himself.


    But that morning when he went out, the old man was not in his usual place. The boy still began his routine, checking out the dried fish and in a moment he headed into the small forestry above the cliffs of the house, he used the roof of the house to jump into the higher elevation. There he would spend time looking for a good wood.


    By the time he was finished, he was expecting the old man to be sitting on the veranda. The boy began to feel worried for the old man, he planned to search for the old man but he didn¡¯t need to because when he finished storing the dried wood the old man arrived, it seemed that he had come from the direction of the beach.


    The old man upon seeing him waved at the boy ¡°Simon! Have you seen my tumbler?¡± the old man asked as he walked closer to the house.


    Simon knew what the tumbler was, he had seen the old man hold it or even smell it a few times. ¡°No! Isn¡¯t it not with you?¡± Simon retorted.


    The old man sighed and continued into the house where he planned to search into.


    Simon didn¡¯t mind as he continued his chores but then the old man tapped his shoulders. ¡°Try to find it if you have the time¡­¡±


    The boy nodded as he went back to the house, he could tell that the old man was shaking. He remembered that time when the old man used his magic after drinking a drop from the tumbler.


    Simon walked into the back of the house to collect the dried salts but then a crash came from the house. The boy immediately ran to check out the old man. The old man was on the floor while some of their utensils were scattered. The boy immediately ran to his side to try to pick him up.


    ¡°Boy¡­ I can¡¯t see¡­¡± the old man muttered, he struggled as Simon tried to pull him up.


    ¡°Just sit¡­¡± the boy said.


    The old man followed and sat. Calming himself down, his head began hurting followed by his blackout and collapse. ¡°It seems that our training will be canceled today,¡± the old man frowned.


    ¡°It''s okay¡­ do you need anything? Can I do anything for you?¡± the boy asked but he was calm.


    ¡°No¡­ just continue your work, I will be sitting here on the veranda,¡± the old man said as he began copping around to know where he was. The boy guided the old man until he reached the edge of the veranda. ¡°I will be here.¡± the old man said assuring the boy.


    ¡°... Okay¡­ tell me if you need anything,¡± the boy stood up and went to the back of the house to continue his work.


    When the old man felt that the boy¡¯s presence was gone he began crumbling. He was not crying but his face distorted. He thought that he wouldn¡¯t be afraid but look at him now¡­ his time was running out.


    <--->


    It was another day, Simon was on a fishing trip in the boat together with the old man. The purpose of the fishing trip was to familiarize the boy with how to read the waters.


    ¡°Simon¡­ feel the wind, watch the water,¡± the old man said as Simon slowly rowed navigating. He then raised his hands to stop the boy from rowing ¡°This spot is good, see that to your left?¡± he pointed and in a few moments, a whirlpool was made in the spot the old man was pointing.


    ¡°The wind¡­ I see¡­¡± the boy carefully watched and used his skin to feel it.


    ¡°Good boy, you must use your senses and instinct, now let¡¯s get to fishing, the fish here is much more bland but putting some sauce and salt it will be more tasty,-¡± he then began preparing their things. ¡°Fish here also has a low chance of having parasites, but better cook them properly okay?¡±


    The boy nodded, there was a certain mood to the old man and the boy understood it¡­ time was running out for the old man. But he didn¡¯t feel sad, rather he was just looking forward to spending the day with the old man that raised him. He promised himself to remember the things that he taught him, the experiences he had¡­ the deadly battles that he had had with the old man.


    The boy snapped back to reality as the old man swung his rod. This was one of those moments.

 Chapter 108 :: Last Lesson

    Simon and the old man were on a boat, their destination was to the southern side of the whirlpool islands.


    In the morning, rather than the boy doing his daily chores the old man demanded to be brought there. The boy obediently complied.


    ¡°Simon¡­ come back tomorrow after dropping me off,¡± the old man said, tapping the boy''s back. Simon had already become skilled at navigating the waters around the island; they were even using the whirling currents within the cluster of islands and they were moving really fast.


    ¡°Really old man? But you can¡¯t even move,¡± Simon said, he was clearly worried about the old man. He didn¡¯t know why the old man wanted to go there, did he intend to die there.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ in a day I will probably be in my best condition to give you the final lesson,¡± he said smirking. ¡°By the way did you find the tumbler?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± a quick reply from the boy.


    The old man¡¯s legs have given up on him and for a month now he has not been walking. The boy was silent¡­ it just made the old man feel lonely. ¡°Life is about meetings and partings¡­ it''s what it gives meaning,¡± the old man said sensing Simon¡¯s demeanor, it was the second time he said that, he said that too when Jedi left.


    After hours of rowing the old man signaled the boy by pointing out their destination, the southern island was a very small piece of land, and most of its edges were sand. There were few trees there but what stood out was a small large monolith standing in the middle of it.


    The boy beached the boat, jumped down, and pulled it higher into the beach.


    ¡°Help me, boy, just near the rock!¡± the old man smiled.


    The boy pulled him up, then the old man used the boy¡¯s shoulders as a support to walk to the spot he wanted.


    ¡°There,¡± the old man said as he found a smaller rock to sit on.


    The boy carefully guided the old man into the rock. The old man sat there smiling. He took a deep breath enjoying the smell of the open sea.


    ¡°Are you sure old man?¡± the boy asked as he stood in front of the old man ¡°Maybe I should just wait with you here?¡± the boy asked.


    ¡°No¡­ you will understand why, come back tomorrow, please,¡± a rare please from the old man.


    It made Simon step back and he left the old man.


    <--->


    The boy silently stared at the ceiling. It was already dark, he had some meal as per usual but a void feeling was on his stomach. He sat up looking at the spot where the old man used to sleep.


    The old man didn¡¯t tell him what to bring. He stood up and checked on his sword, which was gifted to him by the chief of the fisherman¡¯s village.


    Rummaging on their things he found the same sheathe stone that the old man used to teach him how to sharpen his sword.


    Simon began sharpening it. Getting lost in the sound of the blade and the grind. He could feel that the old man wanted something from him. Uneasiness was keeping him awake.


    If he could give the old man what he wants then maybe he could return the favor of the old man raising him. He understood that he himself was a pain to deal with but the old man stayed with him.


    The boy pulled a water basin on the side poured a bit of it into the sheathe and continued sharpening his sword. He didn¡¯t know why he was doing it all he had in his mind was tomorrow¡¯s last lesson.


    <--->


    The boy woke up really early, he brought his sword with him that he sharpened last night. Went down to the beach where the boat was tied. He pushed it down until it floated. He rode it and began rowing.


    It took him a bit of time to get back from the southern island but it was already a short travel as long as he rode the whirlpools properly.


    A few hours into the ride he finally saw the island. The old man was there standing. Simon could feel the intensity of the old man¡¯s concentration. He had never seen this before.


    He beached the boat and pulled it off the waters.


    ¡°Boy¡­ this is the final lesson¡­¡± The old man checked out the boy, he brought his sword with him. It made the old man crack a smile. ¡°If you brought wooden swords I would be very disappointed.¡±


    ¡°I just felt it¡­ you don¡¯t want to die in a bed,¡± the boy was right on the mark. There was no thought behind it.


    The old man pulled out his sword. In a different light this time. Simon pulled his sword in response.


    Old man: ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    Simon: ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    A slow step, full of confidence, a stride that didn¡¯t falter. The old man moved to close the distance between Simon and him. There was no magic in the air and the boy understood all of the old man¡¯s movement.


    The boy parried the attack to the side but the intentions of the old man¡¯s attack were clearly sent out to him.


    ¡°Are you really trying to kill me?¡± Simon asked. It was the first time the old man attacked him like that.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually feeling lonely that I would be dying alone, I¡¯m thinking of taking you with me,¡± the old man said smiling.


    He must be crazy Simon thought¡­ but he was crazy from the beginning.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you off¡­ with a slash,¡± Simon said his aura started changing.


    ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ I¡¯m serious this time¡­ I¡¯m taking you with me¡­¡± the old man smiled.


    Simon started to believe his words but believing meant to stop thinking. He has to do it now¡­ a technique he has been developing to beat the old man.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you die without beating you first¡­ I will beat you,¡± Simon said as he made a stance that the old man had never seen.


    ¡°You got something to show huh? Come on kid show me! No regrets!¡± the old man was taunting.


    ¡°I threw away the bottle that you have been searching for¡­ your favorite metal tumbler when I found it,¡± Simon then confessed a lie hoping for some good provocation from the old man.


    ¡°You little devil!¡± the old man screamed as he raised his sword.


    There was silence from the waves of the waters and the flickers of the leaves.


    The two began moving slowly getting closer to each other. At some point, they stopped. The old man was staring daggers looking for the openings that the boy always had, in return Simon was calm.


    ¡°Calm boy?¡± the old man asked before he launched an attack.


    The two began the dangerous dance of blades. Each step and slash moved with the intention to further their next action to harm each other. A pure dance of skills and sword art.


    In a few moments, the best of the two immediately emerged in their battle. The boy got cut on his torso, it was not deep since it was a stolen cut from the witty use of the old man¡¯s sword plays.


    ¡°Does it hurt?¡± the old man taunted again with a cold face staring at the boy¡¯s face.


    The two never had the intention to stop the exchange, the rhythmical sounds of their blades clashing mixed with the sands that were splashing because of their steps offered a good visual of what was happening.


    If one could only witness what was happening then it was probably the most calculated battle of swordplay and wit.


    Another cut landed on the boy¡¯s face, this time it made him tilt his head. This shifted the boy¡¯s balance on his stance and feet, the old man was all there to exploit it.


    ¡°No!¡± the boy muttered, he knew what the old man¡¯s next actions would be. He had to be brave, stupid, or probably out of his instincts. He used the shift of his body to dodge the old man¡¯s horizontal attack, shaving a part of his clothes in his shoulders.


    The old man was clearly surprised. The boy launched another attack at a strange angle. The old man knew of the boy¡¯s strength, the old man stepped back to evade the last-ditch attack of the boy.


    This created another draw between them but rather than letting the boy regain his feet, he launched a pierce aiming at the boy''s knees.


    The boy using his feet touched the flat surface of the sword making it miss and even landing his other feet on the old man¡¯s face.


    The force of the kick made the old man stunned, even creating a space between them.


    ¡°Fuck boy¡­ that hurts!¡± the old man complained.


    ¡°You¡­ you tried to kill me, what are you saying?¡± the boy said.


    Without even noticing the spaces between them the old man found the monolith that was already just behind him, that was how far Simon¡¯s kick pushed him.


    ¡°You are lucky that I can¡¯t use my magic,¡± the old man spoke. He tapped the large stone. ¡°Do you want to know why I picked this place?¡± the old man suddenly began a conversation.


    The boy was silent. He didn¡¯t care at all, he was thinking of how to deal with the old man. There was no other choice, he was raised this way¡­ to keep thinking in the face of danger.


    ¡°Calm down boy,¡± the old man stood there with his sword pointing at the ground ¡°This stone¡­ this large monolith, legends say that this was the gate to the realm of the gods.¡± the old man took his eyes from the boy he looked at the stone. ¡°What do you think happens when one dies?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡­ we just die¡­ we live and then we die,¡± the boy answered.


    The old man¡¯s eyes widened, he was sure that the boy¡¯s answers was not from him rather it was from the boy himself.


    ¡°You are thinking about things huh¡­¡± his eyes fell back to the boy ¡°They say that the gods absorb our souls, cleanse them then use them again.¡± it was a teaching that was a part of the Church of Light. ¡°You think it''s true?¡±


    The boy began moving closer, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ but when we die then it''s over,¡± he was technically right.


    The old man began laughing. His voice crackled in the whole island. ¡°Whew... You pass¡­ what am I thinking¡­ leave me alone,-¡± the old man then sheathed his sword. ¡°-You may go now,¡± the old man said again.


    All of the blood lust coming from the old man dispersed. The intention to fight, the fierceness of air around him.


    ¡°Old man, what are you doing? Although I can¡¯t understand you¡­ I can¡¯t let you die in this place!¡± the boy muttered.


    ¡°Just leave me here¡­ I wanted to pray to the gods myself, maybe they would grant me my wish,¡± the old man said and he sat back to the rock.


    Simon glared, it was really getting really hard to understand the old man. ¡°I will be back¡­¡± Simon said he went back to the boat to rummage, it seemed that he took a fishing rod and some dried fish bundled in leaves. He placed it in the old man.


    ¡°Thanks, I was starving,¡± the old man said. ¡°Sorry¡­ I will be here don¡¯t worry.¡± Somehow he understood why his old friend wanted to be a hermit in the Sun God Peak.


    But the boy then just stood there. ¡°Then what was supposed to be the final lesson?¡± the question that had been ringing in his mind ever since the old man said it.


    ¡°... I want you to think for yourself¡­ it seemed that the time I spent in a comma you grew¡­ you began thinking,¡± the old man spoke with a sigh.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand¡­ why do we have to fight to the death? You could have just told me to learn to think to myself!¡± the boy didn¡¯t want to end it like that. He wanted to know more.


    ¡°Boy¡­ before I met you¡­ my sole purpose of going into the eastern frontier was to die in battle¡­¡± The old man smiled ¡°Then you came and changed my life, I¡¯ve realized so many things,¡± the old man learned how to cook efficiently, learned how to care more.


    ¡°It made my life the worst but probably the most meaningful time in my life¡­ I thought that I just wanted to fight and die but your existence made me better¡­¡± the old man was speaking directly from his heart, it totally gave the chills to Simon but at the same time a warm and fuzzy feeling. Words were truly a spell that could change one''s heart. ¡°But I still want to die in battle¡­ in your hands if possible but¡­ I know you can¡¯t kill me¡­ and I can¡¯t kill you¡­ sorry boy I¡¯m an idiot too.¡±


    ¡°Old man¡­ thank you for putting up with me, sorry for not meeting your expectations,¡± the boy said with composure while looking at the old man¡¯s eyes. He understood that the old man was not disappointed with him.


    There was silence for a while. The old man began to blush even Simon too. It was really an embarrassing moment for the two.


    ¡°Buuu hahahaha!¡±/ ¡°Hahahaha!¡± and the two burst out laughing at the same time.


    ¡°Be careful on your way back¡­ sorry¡­ let me pray to the stone for a while.¡± the old man waved dismissing the boy.


    ¡°Pray?¡± the boy muttered.


    ¡°Yeah, Pray.¡± it was a word that he never taught Simon. The only thing he could do in his impending end.


    The boy finally gave up and left, he will probably be back to check on him. The old man proudly watched the back of the boy, he never had a child and Simon was probably the closest one he could call.


    But he was still not satisfied. This day was the peak of him and it will probably never happen again. For the old man who has mastered his swordsmanship and climbed to the peak, he wanted someone to defeat him. To test his sword with his life in the line. At first, he wanted to die against a powerful foe but as he taught Simon with swords he began hoping that Simon could surpass him.


    He tightened his grip on his sword. It can¡¯t be the end of it. He was frustrated and his heart grew weary.


    The boy looked at him one more time before riding the boat. After a while, the boy disappeared.


    ¡°It''s going to rain,¡± the old man muttered as he felt the change in the atmosphere.


    <--->


    Simon was back to the main island. There was an impending rain behind him. He was worried for the old man but first, he quickly beached his boat and ran into the house. He needed to take the dried fish and the pink salt.


    He quickly took action. He took all of it inside the house then he climbed up into the roof to close the canopy in the tip of the roof. Upon finishing it he laid his eyes through the horizon, it was not a simple rain, the dark clouds brought some lightning with it.


    ¡°Old man¡­ should have dragged him.¡± the boy muttered but it was too late now. Even the old man warned him once that it was impossible to row around the whirlpool islands during bad weather.

 Chapter 109 :: Dying Days

    Simon was sleeping. The storm was something normal that he would easily sleep through. There were worse times when the old man and the boy had to sleep.


    The lightning didn¡¯t bother his sleep, the house was vibrating, its walls still held its own. It was made to go through tougher storms. The shape of the house was made visible by the hard pouring rain.


    Then again the boy¡¯s eyes opened. He heard something strange. He immediately stood up and took the sword that was just near the door.


    ¡°Knock! 2x¡±


    The loud knock reverberating was dimmed by the falling rain but the boy heard it. He opened the door and to his surprise, it was the old man. He was on his knees but what surprised the boy was the man was in his fleeting existence, too different from the visage he saw when he was waiting for him on the small island.


    The boy quickly moved to support the old man.


    ¡°Boy¡­ slowly¡­ my knees hurt!¡± the old man complained, the words calmed the boy down. ¡°Stop looking at me like that!¡± another complaint from the old man though he couldn¡¯t see already he could feel the stare of the boy.


    ¡°Old man what happened to you?¡± the boy asked with a worried tone.


    ¡°It''s okay, just lay me down near the fire and put some Hawaran Herbs on my knees!¡± the old man said.


    The boy was really strong so he didn¡¯t have any trouble carrying the old man. Still, he carefully carried the old man inside putting him on the floor near the fireplace.


    Simon was going to start a fire but forgot that it was still raining.


    ¡°Close the door first!¡± the old man said as he began removing his clothes. The ones he was wearing were different from the last time that the boy saw him.


    The boy followed and noticed that the old man¡¯s sword was still at the entrance of the house, he took it and then closed the door.


    ¡°Boy, you can start a fire as long as you just half open the canopy in the roof,¡± the old man said upon hearing the boy close the door.


    <--->


    The dark abyss loomed an endless night. Days could not be noticed passing and it was the internal clock that the denizens followed by themselves.


    Loud noises of battle were resounding in the totality. Most were made out of shouts and grunts, screams of provocation and encouragement.


    ¡°I¡¯m training you to do it all by instinct! Stop thinking!¡± a deep voice came from the deepest of his lungs, his screams were terribly grumbling. His name was Kaibot, a demi-human, he was a beast kin that was half wolf.


    Simon was in tatters after training non-stop. Though he had recently mastered the Magic Forging, he had pushed himself far beyond the state he was in when he first achieved it. Now, the Magic Forging flowed as naturally as his own breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue,¡± the boy said.


    It made Kaibot smile. ¡°Nope we take a break, their back!¡± the werewolf said using his thumb to point out a direction.


    Jubaic and Diamelle were back but another one was together with them. It was another denizen of the abyss.


    The presence of the denizen was blurred by Simon. The three approached Kaibot and Simon.


    ¡°How are you doing guys? We got a new comrade in the ranks! Masamune, introduce yourself!¡± Jubaic was the first one to break the ice.


    The man behind the two took a step forward. He was wearing some traditional clothes from the far eastern part of the world.


    ¡°As you have heard, my name is Masamune, I¡¯m from the far eastern island that they call Krona Islands, nice to meet you!¡± he then respectably bowed showing a caliber that was so far from the past introduction of the other immortals.


    ¡°I¡¯m Simon,¡± the boy said trying to imitate the bow that Masamune did.


    ¡°Kaibot¡­ so you are the spirit of the sword right? Can you cut the barrier above?¡± Kaibot asked with a puny smile.


    ¡°If I could reach it then it''s possible,¡± Masamune answered.


    The two began laughing at each other, a strange or not strange happening between the two, Simon knew that there was something between the two of them.


    ¡°It was chaos when those two met each other, they even accidentally killed another immortal because of their fight,¡± Diamelle spoke while getting closer to Simon ¡°Hey! Simon! I want to hear what¡¯s next!¡± and there she began begging again.


    The boy stared at Kaibot. Seemed that he knew that Diamelle would ask him for a story, and that¡¯s why he wanted some break.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it, I want to know how it ends!¡± Jubaic in some sense knew that there was a connection between him and the old man who raised and taught Simon.


    Kaibot nodded in agreement while Masamune was just staring at the boy intensely.


    ¡°...¡±


    Then Simon sighed, he sat on the ground as he began to recall the dying days of the old man


    <--->


    Unlike before, the old man didn¡¯t recover his knees, rather he was severely weakened, there were days that the old man would regain his sight for a few times but most of his last days were spent in the darkness.


    Simon was emphatic with the old man, he would talk to him deep into the night, the boy didn¡¯t want to wake up and find the old man dead, he wanted to be with him until the final moments.


    Day 5


    Simon was going around the house looking for the old man¡¯s tumbler, he was rummaging their things and putting it back.


    ¡°Boy did you find it already?¡± the old man asked. He was sitting in the veranda of the house.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t find it,¡± Simon said and finally he stopped looking.


    ¡°And you said you hid it didn¡¯t you?¡± the old man teased.


    ¡°It was¡­ a joke,¡± Simon knew the importance of the metal tumbler for the old man, and that¡¯s why he used it to provoke the old man.


    ¡°It''s okay, just try to find it if you have time¡­¡± the old man said. He was currently blind and like years passed rapidly, his face was far aged than before.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    The weather was still dim and it would rain frequently, it was the day after the old man arrived back from that monolith island.


    The boy sat along the old man, they had the hearth running and the door a little bit opened making a good exhaust of heat that was focused on the old man.


    ¡°Simon¡­ take me with you if you want to go fishing,¡± the old man suddenly muttered. The boy smiled in reaction.


    ¡°Of course!!¡± he answered.


    Day 4


    It was one of those days when the old man had regained his sight. He had dimmed sights before especially after getting weakened when using magic but in those times it just glared at his sight. The two were now on the northern cliff, a few walks into the lighthouse.


    ¡°That¡¯s one! Got 4 already!¡± the old man said as he pulled another fish.


    The boy was silent, he was a bit frustrated but he really loved the way the old man smiled as another one took the bait.


    ¡°Boy! Yours is moving too!¡± the old man warned Simon as the boy was staring at him.


    ¡°I understand!¡± as per practice Simon began tugging.


    ¡°Easy boy! Watch the tension of the line!¡± the old man kept on coaching Simon as he was doing his thing.


    ¡°I! I got one!¡± the boy was now better than the last year. When the boy said it he knew that he got the fish but what he pulled was a monster of a fish. Rather it was a long eel.


    The old man was quite surprised ¡°It¡¯s a King Eel!¡± the old man said in wonder. ¡°Pull it! Put it in the ground!¡± he said.


    The boy pulled and pulled until he could finally touch the eel¡¯s teeth. He pulled it though the large eel was struggling. The boy¡¯s sword was not with him but his carving knife was on his back.


    ¡°Find the gill! Pierce it!¡± the old man instructed and Simon followed up.


    ¡­


    The eel was 10 meters long. If it wasn¡¯t for the boy¡¯s strength they wouldn¡¯t be able to pull it near their house.


    ¡°Okay boy, let¡¯s prepare a basin first before you cut the head~!¡± the old man was jolly, it was a special delicacy that even in his lifetime only had 4 to 6 chances of him encountering it.


    The two began digging, they turned the ground into a basin. Then in the middle, they put a large pot.


    As soon as the boy cut the head with one slice the blood gushed with its head pointing to the basin the blood began to flow. It was still mid-day and there was still time.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ it will take some time probably¡­ oh¡­ I¡¯m getting blind again,¡± the old man calmly said as he tried to reach the veranda of their house. Simon helped him.


    ¡°We can cook the meat on the closest parts of the head or do you want to let it all drain out and eat our stocks?¡± the old man asked as he was sitting down.


    Usually, he would be the one who decided, Simon stuttered and smiled ¡°Let¡¯s eat it tomorrow,¡± the boy smiled and the old man nodded.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s do that!¡± the old man laughed heartily.


    Day 3


    Simon woke up, he was sleeping beside the old man, they kept on talking until they got to sleep. The boy held the old man¡¯s hands. Rough, battered and it was really cold.


    With a pained face, Simon asked ¡°Old man are you still alive?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still alive¡­ I would want to have a taste of that alcohol,¡± the old man answered and he opened his eyes. ¡°Crap can¡¯t see a damned thing!¡± the old man complained, he knew that his eyes were already opened but he still couldn¡¯t see.


    The boy just smiled and stood up. He still had things to do.


    ¡­


    The boy spent the whole day processing the large eel. Cutting it, parts by parts then wrapping it in leaves.


    Simon then dug the ground basin taking out the large pot. As per the old man¡¯s instructions, the boy dropped some rocks inside it and began boiling it with its lid on top.


    The old man for the whole day was the one who managed to process the eel¡¯s blood, he occasionally opened the lid letting the steam come out of the large pot.


    By the evening they already had two different kinds of Eel meat ready for cooking. One was marinated with pink salt, the other one was a sun-dried eel that was how the old man preferred.


    They were eating outside watching the black starry sky. The bones and fins would be buried tomorrow since they were already losing the daylight when they were about to finish.


    The fire pit was a few meters from the veranda, two logs were placed near it for the old man and the boy to sit into.


    ¡°Aah! This is good! It¡¯s been a long time,¡± the old man gladly declared as he put one of the smoked eel meat in his mouth. ¡°Ah if I got the tumbler then I could have processed the eel¡¯s blood much faster!¡±


    The large pot was now underground, buried in the same spot where they made the basin.


    ¡°Does it taste good?¡± the boy asked out of curiosity.


    ¡°Yep, but you probably won''t like it. Don''t even try drinking¡ªit dulls the mind,¡± the old man smiled. Then, he took a swig from a bottle of cider. He was in a blind state, relying on the boy''s voice to guide him as he tried to eat.


    The cider was already ripe for the drinking, these were ones of the alcohol the old man brought when they left the fisherman¡¯s village.


    ¡°I ought to drink this all, probably won¡¯t have the chance yeah?¡± the old man said gesturing the boy to take more of the bottles in their stocks.


    The boy took some then he fried another eel meat into the stone slab.


    The old man was still proficient with his knife, even though he was blind he knew how to use it, the boy just had to point where to stab and without fail the old man would land it.


    ¡°Boy, try frying the eel¡¯s skin! Put some oil on the stone¡¯s surface though!¡± the old man said.


    The boy followed and after a few minutes, they had a crispy skin of the eel.


    At the same time the 2 bit on it the crunchy sound took them by surprise.


    ¡°Good!¡± / ¡°Nicely done!¡±


    The boy and the old man said respectively.


    Day 2


    ¡°Boy¡­ when I die don¡¯t burn me¡­ you bury me okay?¡± the old man blurted while the boy was working with the eel¡¯s bone.


    The boy stopped for a while and looked at the old man. ¡°Anything else?¡± the boy asked. The man was currently blind and couldn¡¯t see the boy¡¯s sudden change of face.


    The old man didn¡¯t smile, he knew that the boy was feeling sad ¡°Cover my body first with my cloak, like the way we bury the enemies we killed, make sure it''s deep enough-¡± There were thorns in the the old man¡¯s voice. ¡°-Maybe as deep as my height¡­ put a stone for a marker too, so that you will not forget,¡± after the old man spoke Simon resumed working.


    ¡°I understand,¡± he answered back. Ever the obedient boy to the old man. ¡°-I will never forget you.¡± the boy added, his voice crackling with sadness.


    ¡°I bet on it¡­ I¡¯m going to sleep for a while,¡± the old man said. He felt the boy walking closer to him ¡°No need, I¡¯m just going to sleep in the veranda¡­ continue your work.¡±


    The boy stopped in his tracks and resumed digging.


    Day 1


    That day the old man didn¡¯t wake up but his face was in pain. The boy worried and watched the old man thinking that he was going to die today.


    They have been talking all night ever since the old man had lost his eyesight. He couldn¡¯t remember what they were talking about last night as his worries fell on his shoulders.


    ¡°Old man¡­¡± after a few hours ever since the boy woke up, this was the first time he muttered something.


    From the morning into the midday he stayed by his side, not even eating until the old man was okay. By the evening the old man woke up.


    The old man opened his eyes, he found the ceiling of the house then the face of the boy ¡°Boy¡­ stop making that face,¡± like some sort of a miracle the old man¡¯s eyesight was back.


    ¡°Old man¡­ I thought you were already dead,¡± the boy spoke with worry.


    The boy¡¯s face seemed aged, he had been on the old man¡¯s side, probably ¡°Relax, this is normal,¡± the old man cracked even though his head was really throbbing in pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­ old man¡­ what should I do?¡± the boy asked, face almost about to cry rather the boy didn¡¯t know how to cry.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ how about you go around the world, see the world for me,¡± the old man¡¯s eyes began to get blurred again. ¡°Go north, find the explorers and try to join them, or you could go find your mother, whatever you like boy, the world is yours!¡± still he tried to motivate the boy. The last light he saw was the boy smiling at him.


    ¡°The world is not mine¡­ I was thrown away right?¡± the boy answered. It was the first time he thought of himself about what happened to him.


    ¡°But since you were thrown we met each other right?¡± the old man smiled. ¡°You were born as an idiot, now look at you¡­ you are a decent human now aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t understand!¡± Simon complained.


    ¡°Shut up! If you don¡¯t know what to do next then move on! Continue and don¡¯t ever be stagnant!¡± the old man smiled. The boy¡¯s face screamed of confusion.


    The old man knew how to diffuse the boy¡¯s confusion ¡°Boy, put some more clothes on me, it''s getting cold, it''s probably going to rain tonight!¡± the old man said and the boy immediately followed.


    The two spent their time talking the whole night until finally, the old man calmed the boy down¡­ but it was the last time.


    Day 0


    Birds were chiming while the day was a bit gloomy. A dead body covered by clothes lay on the ground. It rained last night so the ground was soft, good for digging.


    The boy was silent as he was doing his work. After a few hours, he finally placed a dead body into the earth.


    Simon looked at the dead body and stared at it silently. Time passed as he stared, the rain that was hanging in the clouds like it knew the right time it began falling down.


    The boy knew it was time to bury him. He began burying the body of the old man. One shovel at a time.


    He didn¡¯t know how the old man died, he was asleep. When he woke up he found the old man¡¯s cold hands lying on his head.


    The boy couldn¡¯t contain his feelings as his shovel began to shake, he had to stop or there was a possibility that he could destroy it. All the training the old man gave him didn¡¯t help as his hands began to shake.


    Simon sat on the ground for a while¡­ finally, the tremors on his hands stopped. ¡°Isn¡¯t it cold old man?¡± the boy spoke as he continued to bury the old man.

 Chapter 110 :: Epilogue: Bonus Scene/The Denizens of the Immortal’s Abyss

    <The following scenes is something that Simon didn¡¯t know>


    The old man couldn¡¯t sleep. He could tell that he won¡¯t last tomorrow. He sighed¡­ after all he was still afraid of death. But it was not only fear that he was feeling¡­ it was also loneliness and sadness that he had to leave the boy behind.


    But this was it. The pain on his head was slowly fading the same in his whole body. He was lying on his back as he was grasping his last breath he was already blind so he couldn¡¯t see anything¡­ this just multiplied the feeling of loneliness, a feeling that he didn¡¯t want to die with.


    With all his might he began muttering words but his voice won¡¯t come out. ¡®Simon,¡¯ he thought. Forcing all the muscles in his body he tried to move, and finally, his right shoulders moved. It seemed that blood was still flowing there.


    The two of them were just talking a few hours ago until the boy calmed down.


    As the warmth of his body faded he could still feel warmth from his right arms. He began to use his hands to touch the warmth that he was feeling. Touching around it was hairy, warm, and fuzzy.


    The boy was just beside him. ¡®It was enough.¡¯


    ~Jubaic - the Madman~


    Jubaic didn¡¯t sleep ever since he fell into the abyss, rather he couldn¡¯t do it for he would see some faces that he didn¡¯t want to see. So he remained awake ever trying to amuse himself with different ideas he loved to think about.


    One of the craziest ideas was about escaping the abyss. He couldn''t understand why the Guardians didn¡¯t put a collar on Simon¡ªit should have been automatic. When he was sent into the abyss, he felt magical shackles clamp around his neck. But for some mysterious reason, the boy didn¡¯t have them.


    A few of his conjectures were because of the curse that was gnawing at the boy. Not only that the curse was the one that kept him immortal, but it also shielded him from the automatic neck spell by the guardians.


    But making the boy suffer while he was alive was quite brutal. The boy was a holy beast and by the eyes that he had, he was the reincarnation of the Holy Beast of the Snake.


    The holy beasts had roamed the lands of Mirriam for as long as Jubaic could remember. The snake, a Holy Beast, was slain two or three decades before his time. It had lived in the Guran Great River and was defeated under the leadership of the first Mythical Hero of the Era.


    The magic known as ¡°Soul Divide,¡± was used to defeat the holy beast of the snake, it was devised by a man named Edgar Valence, a mage who far surpassed his peers and was truly ahead of his time. He was also the one who established the title of Hero of the Era.


    The holy beasts were like the part of the natural order, a natural calamity. There were 3 confirmed records of them dying, 2 because of age while one which was the most recent was caused by humans. As if the world was playing with the humans, a holy beast would always reincarnate after a few hundred years.


    Edgar Valence said that the Holy Beast did serve a purpose for the world they knew but he never had proof, the formulation of the Soul Divide was a direct order from the Emperor at that time.


    Jubaic right now was watching Simon getting pummeled by Kaibot the half human half wolf.


    The boy was getting better. The way Kaibot taught was through pain and experience. They had been doing their hand-to-hand combat nonstop and would only stop whenever the boy would empty his gas. During his recovery time, Diamelle would pester him for a story.


    It was all nice and dandy for Jubaic, his plans were slowly getting formed. It was because of the boy and the negligence of the Guardians.


    If he was not watching them he was doing some calculations. But make no mistake, he had already finished the plan for their escape, what he was planning now was different. A far more sinister than one could think but he will keep it to himself until the right time.


    ~Diamelle - Queen of Jumas~


    A beautiful woman that came from the far ends of the planet. She said she was the queen of a kingdom there and was looking for diplomatic alliances.


    She called her race as Jumas. She could use earth magic just by waving her hands.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She still hasn¡¯t revealed any information as to why she was sent to the Immortal¡¯s Abyss but as per Jubaic''s words, the Guardians would send enigmatic individuals to the abyss if they did have any pose to the endangerment of the lands.


    Like the crazy demi-wolf who riled up the holy beast of the wolf so many times in the process of destroying some towns along the way.


    How Simon viewed her was a warm person who loved hearing stories but to the other denizens, she was one of the most powerful denizens inside the abyss.


    They respected her and feared her at the same time.


    ~Kaibot - Ambitious Half Wolf~


    Kaibot¡¯s exception was immediately shown when he was born among his litters. More than being bigger than the rest of his siblings, he was the most feral.


    He began creating his own legends and his long list of legends included carving mountains, picking a fight with the infamous Red Monks, and then the most absurd, creating his own clan by impregnating hundreds of women in one night.


    He was a beast. He didn¡¯t have to learn how to use magic since his Magic Edge was akin to iron. He was feared and the women kind loved him though more on the side of hate.


    He already owned land in the western part of the central continent and was even promoted to nobility because of his remarkable achievements. Though his fame brought him problems, including tricksters and madmen trying to take advantage of him, he truly loved his life. He was living a life every man envied, yet he still wasn¡¯t satisfied.


    On a day when the Holy Beast of the Wolf appeared in one of the dungeons. In his glory, he went there to fight against it and he had never been heard.


    Jubaic told them once that Kaibot and he seemed to have something from their past. Jubaic was one of those who tried to trick him and he actually succeeded.


    He made the Legendary Kaibot eat a special fruit that turned him into an immortal but turned him impotent.


    When Jubaic landed in the abyss they fought for weeks, as part of their reunion.


    ~Masamune- Sword Spirit~


    Another different race. He could summon different kinds of swords. The reason he was sent to the abyss was because he was a warmonger. A spirit that was looking for an endless battle.


    Though he could control himself, there were times when he couldn¡¯t and usually, he would look for a fight among the denizens of the immortals. Kaibot was one of them, he gladly fought against him in many occasion thus developing a rival-like relationship with him.


    ~Techniques~


    Kaibot¡¯s way of teaching was different. Unlike how the old man taught Simon, he was made to do a set of actions depending on what Kaibot would do to him.


    As Kaibot¡¯s feet broke a stone sword conjured by Diamelle, Kaibot kicked Simon flying away, ¡°Your stance sucks! If you put your sword down then it will be harder to reciprocate and attack! What the hell!¡± and if Simon could compare the two, they were both sadistically mean and rough with their teaching style.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand¡­ why do I need to memorize my actions, why do I have to change my stance?¡± Simon asked as he stood up. He held his torso, Kaibot¡¯s kick may have forced his Magic Edge too close to his skin that he had almost lost control.


    Kaibot scratched his head. ¡°You are an idiot! I listened to your life story! You can¡¯t think! You just have to experience everything before you even goddamn learn something!¡± the half-wolf was clearly mocking Simon.


    ¡°Try it!¡± Jubaic who was discussing something with Diamelle screamed.


    Diamelle threw another stone sword in front of Simon.


    Kaibot glared at the two of them, well he ought to try, they have all the time in the world ¡°I think the old man trained you lazily, he allowed you to develop your own style in the most natural way,¡± in a surprise of Simon, Kaibot was talking with eloquence that was out of his looks.


    ¡°But rather he trained your strengths, your natural instincts, and your battle sense. That¡¯s because you were probably born with it¡­ but now, all of your abilities are suppressed by a curse¡­ you are fucked!¡± he then pointed at the small metal tumbler that was in Simon¡¯s pocket.


    ¡°You have a limited capacity to attack and losing your magic would probably result in the worse possible scenario you could imagine and you won¡¯t be able to escape it because you can¡¯t fucking die! That also means that you can¡¯t take a hit, look, your goddamned skin is bleeding!-¡± Kaibot told this like he was not the one who caused it ¡°-You are weak! So you will have to learn how to fight like the weakling that you are!¡± he was mocking Simon but the boy didn¡¯t care at all


    Then Kaibot raised his hands as if he was making a point. Jubaic and Diamelle were laughing at the scene ¡°And humans, normal fucking humans would pick prevention first rather than experiencing something and countering it¡­ this will be your mandate from now on!¡± from Simon¡¯s stories, he only learned things really well from experiencing it, by all means, this was his strength but his natural abilities were completely diminished, far from what he had originally had.


    ¡°You keep your normal stance!¡± then Kaibot perfectly replicated Simon¡¯s stance showing it to the boy. ¡°But you will have to create a special one! Your normal stance will be the normal way of fighting while the special stance will be the mode in which you will base and create your techniques! You don¡¯t even need that much! It will be a one-hat trick!¡± he then began making different kinds of stances.


    ¡°... I don¡¯t understand,¡± Simon said and a punch landed on his face coming from Kaibot.


    ¡°You fucking wasted my tongue!!!!¡± and Kaibot screamed in frustration.


    This triggered Jubaic¡¯s and Diamelle¡¯s laughter.


    ¡°Simon! He¡¯s just saying that you don¡¯t need to memorize too many moves! You just have to have some few techniques!¡± Jubaic said.


    Kaibot glared at Jubaic but that was what Kaibot wanted to say.


    Simon¡¯s face was bleeding but he didn¡¯t fall down. ¡°I get it¡­ a new technique.¡±


    ¡°The better the quality of your technique the more you don¡¯t need more!¡± Jubaic added.


    Simon nodded, finally understood it. He then took the stone sword that Diamelle threw close to him then crossed his arms just below his face, he stepped his forward foot like how he did when he was in his natural stance.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ okay that¡¯s original,¡± Kaibot commented as he saw the stance. ¡°Let¡¯s begin the trials!¡± and he launched an attack.