《Riverdale Village》 Instructions Greetings readers! I decided to write a different kind of novel this time where the readers determine the ending. Royal Road has many genre''s... But I have yet to see a choose-your-own adventure fiction novel! Thus, for the sake of the genre list, I have decided to write one myself. I''ve been planning this for a while now... And I''m still struggling here... I intend to post the entire novel when it''s truly completed next year. I think I''ll write a few short novels later on this year though. Now then, trivial matters aside, this novel has a few rules to follow. First rule, bring a pen and paper! Write down your path so you don''t get lost. What decisions you made, items you have, your current conditions, and what page you currently are! If you''ve read some Choose-Your-Own adventure novels, there is combat and the like, but there will be none here. Don''t worry... Just use common sense! Well, common sense in fantasy games! Second rule, the words in bold are those stating conditions. There are stuff written like this...The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Proceed to 067. This is pretty simple. Just go to page 067. So keep the contents open at all times. Choices are also like this. Kill the Man(Proceed to 072) Spare the Man(Proceed to 073) That will do for choices. There are also... Gloria has died! Notifications like this should be written down. They''re like flags. There are warnings where choices where that character is necessary like this... (If Gloria is alive) Proceed to 126 (If Gloria is dead) Proceed to 128 These are conditions. There are also stuff like... You have obtained the Bandit Leader Melo''s Head(Q)! There are two kinds of items though. Quest items and regular. The(Q) will be your guide so don''t worry. Third rule. Don''t cheat by going to any page as you please! At least until you finish the game! Fourth rule. Think carefully. This novel is also like a game. Except that it''s all words. Think carefully and proceed with caution. There are dead ends here you know... And that''s pretty much it. I can''t think of anything else... Since I''m still not done. I can only post the tutorial later on. Sorry, I''ll give a reasonable explanation soon. So, please wait in anticipation for the tutorial and the eventual novel! 001 "Hm... I hope this isn''t something too troublesome..." I muttered as we returned to town via a carriage. "Hm? What''s up, Leader? You look a bit down." Beside me wearing leather clothing was a young man with light green hair and black eyes. He had two daggers on his waist and he seemed like a rascal. He was Chako. Our team''s rogue. "It''s just that the Guildmaster spoke to me sometime earlier before we took on the quest to collect these Venom Snake Glands... He had a task he''d like us to do after we finish our job..." I replied as I was thinking of what we''re up against this time around. "You should lighten up a bit, Jules. You''re too stiff and rigid. You should let off some steam once in a while." "As he should be, Adrian. A leader is responsible for the lives of the men under his command. I find nothing wrong with his conduct. But I do find something wrong with you." The other two men beside us replied. One was wearing leather clothing with a different design that emphasizes lighter clothing while the other man wore iron armor. These two were Adrian and Julian. Adrian was a gunner and skilled in dealing with various machines. The other one was the knight in our party. A party is what you call a group of adventurers who take on tasks from other people. We''re a small party consisting of four members. We''re called the Blue Feather. Ah, that''s putting the cart before the horse... Adventurers are those skilled with either blades or magic and do battle against monsters and travel to distant lands. Although it''s a respectable trade, it''s also very dangerous. You must be prepared to die at any time. "Ahahaha... You should lighten up as well, Julian. You two used to be nobles and all but there''s no longer a need for that, is there? This isn''t a knight''s order." Adrian gave an off-handed reply. "Hmph. That carelessness will one day take your life, Adrian." Julian snorted. " Calm down... He''s right after all. Still, we''re still alive and doing well, aren''t we?" I tried to calm him down. "Even if we are no longer nobles known to the crown, we should still act as such. Our blood is the proof of our nobility, Lloyd." He spoke in a chiding manner to me. "Sigh... You..." I spoke in a tired voice. "Just give up, boss. You know how this guy is. I''m satisfied enough that he fights well and all. I mean, he used to from a family of nobles. No offense to you of course." Chako said as he laughed.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "I guess so..." I replied. Julian and I are former nobles. Our parents were guilty of various crimes that had them imprisoned while we were kicked off the streets. I detested them for many reasons... As the third son, they didn''t treat me well... Rather, they held me in contempt. But my siblings were another story. They treated me kindly... I considered them my family. My sister helped me study magic and sent me to where I could study magic while my brother treated me warmly and always stood up for me. Their deaths were a grave blow for me... My sister died of illness while my brother died in a war. I won''t go in detail but... My parents were partly responsible for the reason they died... Julian didn''t have such problems but his parents... no, father was a cowardly and greedy man. In the midst of a fierce battle, he betrayed the country but was eventually killed. As for how he died, Julian''s brother opposed him and sacrificed his life to ensure that his life of crime ends along with his ambitions. Due to a complex number of reasons, we could no longer call ourselves nobles but we managed to retain our lives along with our belongings. That''s enough... It would be interesting to continue telling the story of our past but that is a story for a later date... Furthermore, what''s buried in the past, should stay buried. I shift my focus and return to the topic at hand. "If the Guildmaster is going to issue us a task, it would no doubt very difficult. We may even lose our lives..." I spoke to my comrades. The rest wore grave and serious expressions. "You all know the Guildmaster''s character... And you know that when he assigns a particular task to a team or individual personally, then it has a serious meaning to it... This is our chance and opportunity... But it would be the most dangerous task we''ve ever set out for... One that might lead us to death..." The rest nodded. The Guildmaster was an amiable but stern man. He was someone with a good eye for talent and character. A man of integrity. One of his duties is to test certain groups or individuals if they''re worthy of being promoted to A-Rank or S-Rank. Ah yes, adventurers and parties are given a rank or rating to determine what quests they could take or monsters they could take on. Lower ranked adventurers aren''t allowed to take on those higher than them usually. This is a safety measure to ensure that young adventurers don''t rush off to their own deaths. Individuals are ranked according to their role, abilities, personality and achievements. Of course, the main emphasis here is combat ability. Most A-Rank missions require elite adventurers to complete. Elite adventurers are very famous. They lack neither intelligence nor strength. Thus, they each have trump cards of their own making them formidable foes. They''re elites whose mettle were tested through countless battles. But adventurer party grades are quite different. Given the right circumstances, you can easily take on quests to fight creatures higher than your level. Party Grades are more emphasized by coordination, intelligence, balance and combined ability than individual strength. A party of C-Ranked adventurers could take on a B-Rank monster with great difficulty. On that notice, all four of us are B-Ranked adventurers. Our rank is also A. We''ve already passed a test once given to us by the Guildmaster. That task was...quite dangerous. But it was a great opportunity at the same time. The Guildmaster is a fair person. He would only give a dangerous mission to those he believed had the ability to succeed. Now then, after some more light banter, we finally arrived. The city was bustling with activity. There were plenty of people going in and out. Adventurers heading out to slay monsters and those returning with their blades stained with blood and dirt on their armor... Merchants peddling their business... And many others... I can see a few shady looking folks too. I don''t bother with them though. They''re usually more trouble than they''re worth. "Let''s get going." I spoke to my team. We joined the crowd and made our way to the Guild. But before that, I went and checked my belongings as well as recount the spells I know. You possess a wooden mage''s staff, mage''s robe''s, Venom Snake Glands(Q), B-Ranked Adventurer''s License. Magic Spells include - Fireball - Hurls a ball of fire Firewall - Raises a wall of flame Ice Ball - Hurls a ball of ice Ice Wall - Raises a frozen wall Water Ball - Hurls a ball of water Earth Bullet - Fires a bullet of solid earth Earth Wall - Raised a wall of earth WInd Blades - Summons razor sharp winds that cleave any foe Magic Barrier - Erects a barrier made of mana capable of protecting the caster Mana Arrows - Fires arrows of pure mana Minor Heal - Heals minor wounds Paralyze - Paralyzes enemies rendering them incapable of movement through an electric shock Lightning - Unleashes a lightning bold towards a foe Greater Lightning - Unleashes an extremely powerful bolt of lightning Light Ball - Lights up an area Blind - Deprives someone of their sight Darkness - Unleashes a dark fog that hinders sight Scrying - Allows a person to see an area or location within a distance of 10 Kilometers Proceed to 002 002 We stood before a large building. There was a sign that says ''The Guild''. "No matter how I see it... The design for this sign is quite good." Chako said. "True...Still, I''m not too pleased how a bird is the logo of adventurers." Julian responded. "Calm down you two, we''re here for official business. Not to argue." Adrian stepped forward to stop them. The two nodded and looked away at each other. "You two really don''t get along that well..." I muttered. Regardless, they''re dependable comrades in battle. Still, it would be nice if they stop bickering like this each time... I thought. Now, let''s go inside. *Creak* We open the door to see a lively room with adventurers all over the place. Some are at the board checking out the requests while some are discussing the quest with the clerks. Aside from them, there are waiters handing out the food and drinks to adventurers. It was a lively scene. "How noisy." Julian commented. "You''re a stick in the mud!" Chako called out. "Now now..." Adrian intervened yet again. I cleared my throat. "Ahem." The two quieted down soon. "I''ll handle the official business for our current request. After I''m done turning in the reward, let''s head over to the Guildmaster." I said to them. The three nodded. Nodding back, I headed over to one of the receptionists.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "Hello. How may I help you?" She greeted me with a beautiful smile. "I''m the leader of Blue Feather. I''m here to turn in a quest..." I told her a few more details. "I see... The quest to collect Venom Snake glands... Well done. Please hand over the materials to perform an inspection." "Here." I handed over a small bag. - You''ve lost Venom Snake Glands(Q)! She took it and opened it. "Hm... These are definitely Venom Snake glands... But the quality..." She turned over to me. "Please excuse me. I need to speak iwth one our appraisers." She bowed to me. I nodded. She left immediately. "Appraisers..." I said. Appraisers are an important part of the business. They''re here to check the quality of ingredients as well as appraise unknown artifacts. Given the nature of the job, skill and moral character are very important too. There have been cases where some appraisers gave wrong evaluations to materials to lower or raise the price for their own benefit. There are even some who threatened other adventurers to give them good money for a proper evaluation. Of course, those who committed such acts were heavily punished and fired. New rules were placed to improve the quality of such work and people who are placed into that role are studied for their background and their character. I''m not too worried about what happens next but...I hope that there won''t be any funny business here... I have stuff I need to do after all. Sometime soon, the receptionist came back. She took out a small pouch. "The materials have been appraised. They are of top quality. This is your reward." She passed it to me. I open the pouch to find gold coins. I check their number. "Hm... All good. Thank you." I nodded to her. "It was a pleasure serving you. Good work." She smiled at me. I merely nodded. "Is the Guildmaster present?" The receptionist nods. "Yes. He''s in his office." I nodded. "Excellent... Excuse me." I discussed a few more things with her and received some news. "So a gem mine was discovered near here?" I asked. "Yes. It was recently discovered in an old cave. It was discovered by a pair of adventurers when a crystal beast popped out of there somewhere." Gem mines... They''re a place filled with rare gems but are also quite dangerous. Gems are crystallized sources of magical power... Mages would pay a handsome price for some. But their quite dangerous places. The great amount of mana attracts powerful magic beasts and spawns powerful crystal beasts. Crystal beasts lack any type of intelligence. They possess tough hard bodies made out of crystals and are resilient towards magic. Thus, despite coveting the gems, magicians prefer to get adventurers to procure them. "As a mage, I''m deeply interested in those gems... Perhaps it would be a good idea to go there sometime." "That''s a good idea. But as a mage, won''t you be helpless there?" She asked me with some measure of concern. I nodded helplessly. This is a troublesome matter that many mages are very interested in. There are plenty of researchers attempting to find ways to go around the problem or solve it somehow... The allure of those gems is simply too great. Still, crystal beasts are A+ Ranked Monsters. Given their tough crystal bodies, high resistance to magic as well as their intelligence, they''re well above B-Ranked Adventurer Teams. Only parties specializing in physical combat are capable of dealing with them. Mages are essentially a burden there! This is something I find difficult to bear. Mages wield magic. A tremendous power... Mages are treated with respect and admiration. Playing key roles in many wars, sieges, adventures and many other events. Yet, in this battlefield, we''re nothing but a burden! Nonetheless, this is not the time nor place to express my view on the matter. "Now then... Please speak to the Guildmaster and inform him of our arrival." To see the Guildmaster, you first need to go through the receptionists. This is a guild policy so no matter the event, unless it''s an emergency, protocol will be followed at all times. And this is definitely not an emergency. The receptionist nodded then left through the door once more. Several minutes later, she came out. "The Guildmaster will see you." She nodded. I nodded back. I went towards my companions. Proceed to 003 003 003 I returned to my team and told them the news. "Let''s go." I spoke to them. Julian nodded but the other two did not. "About that... Well, can we be excused for this meeting?" Adrian called out.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "Hm? You two have other opinions?" I asked curiously. Adrian went forward. "We won''t really be any help even if we came so it''s best left to you two or rather, you alone." Chako spoke up to assist him. "We''ll just hear about the details later on. We have some things we need to do first." He said. Julian glared at them. "You two... Just how irresponsible can you get!? It''s your duty as member s of the team to know the details of our task to better respond to it. It''s sheer folly to not do so!" He spoke in annoyance. The two merely shrugged. Hm... It''s best for all of us to go but it seems that those two have something to do. Should I allow them or not? Just go with Julian(Proceed to 004) Go together(Proceed to 005) 004 004 Before Julian could speak further. "Although it would be best for all of us to gather, they''re not really the kind that could help out in such a situation. However, the consent of all members is necessary for this quest." I called out. If a leader decides for the party without gaining their consent, it could form rifts between the team and it could cost serious problems. The two merely shrugged and said.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. "I trust your judgement. Besides, we''ve adventured together for a while now. I''m confident you''ll make the best judgement." Adrian said. "What he said." Chako merely nodded. "Sigh... If that''s how it is, then we''ll just fill you in on the details later." I said. "You two... Hmph!" Julian snorted. He disapproved of their attitude but didn''t say more since they made that decision out of trust for me. "Well, we''ll see you later after we finish our business." Adrian waved then turned around and left with Chako. "Those two... They really are..." i placed my hand on Julian''s shoulder before he could say anything else. "It''s proof that those two are reliable comrades who trust us. That''s enough for now." After that, we headed towards the Guildmaster''s office. (Adrian and Chako did not attend the meeting with the Guildmaster) Proceed to 006 005 005 It''s important to trust your members and allow them to do what they want to but sometimes, there are matters that''s best dealt with as a team. "No, as much as I respect your decisions, it''s necessary for us to deal with this as a team. This is the mission for us to become a Gold-Ranked Adventurer party... It''s far too important to miss."The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. I spoke firmly. The two looked towards each other and sighed. "When you''re right, you''re right. I guess we should go." Adrian muttered. Chako grumbled a bit but he''s reluctantly following along. "Good. At least you have the knowledge of what responsibilities you should fulfill." Julian spoke in approval. "Well then... Let''s go." (Adrian and Chako attend the meeting with the Guildmaster) Proceed to 007 006 Julian and I climb up the stairs pass three floors to the floor where the Guildmaster is. The last floor where the Guildmaster is has several rooms. One room is the Guildmaster''s office while the rest are storage rooms keeping various important documents. Neither Julian nor I care that much though. Even though some of those documents are records about us. Within moments, we stand before the door to his office. "Let''s go." I said to Julian. Julian replied with a nod and I opened the door. Light shone through several windows towards a room filled with the scent of old books. This is similar to a library. The Guildmaster is well-known to be a bookworm so he''s filled the room with books. Inside the room were numerous book shelves filled to the brim with books. There was a map of the kingdom as well as surrounding nations plastered on the wall. There were a few tables and chairs as well. It was a rather spacious room similar to that of a library. I''m quite fond of this atmosphere and this scent... I love reading books after all. But that is neither here nor there. In the center of the room was a large rectangular table where an aged scholar was reading a blue book. He wore rimmed glasses that complimented his wrinkled face. An aging man whose years are finally catching up. His finely sculpted figures as well as his face shows the cruelty of time. He was Ascrein Armida. The Guildmaster of the Adventurer Guild in the city. "Hm... So, only two of you? The other two did not come? Well, I suppose it''s good that cheeky brat didn''t come here." He said. "Yes. I respected their decision and allowed them to go." Ascrein stared at me with deep eyes. Does he think lesser of me for doing so? I wonder. "I see. If that''s their choice then it can''t be helped. Despite their flaws, they are indeed good people. I only wish they know better manners. Regardless, I suppose this conversation would proceed on a pleasant note." He nodded. "Still, for them to allow you to come here with only you two means that either they don''t care or that they trust your character." He closed the book he was reading. "Given your character, I believe it''s the latter case. That brat does have a good head on his shoulders after all. He wouldn''t trust you blindly." He spoke approvingly. I smiled in relief. "I''m grateful for you praise."You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Julian merely watched on. Though he did seemed slightly pleased as well. I suppose it''s his rigid nature as a knight that they can''t intervene when their superiors speak. "Now then, let''s cut to the chase. You and your party wish to become a A Ranked Adventure Party. Correct?" He asked. I nodded. "Then you are surely aware of the procedures before being approved. You applied to be an A-Rank Party two weeks earlier, correct?" I nodded again. "Following the procedures, ''Any party that wishes to apply to be promoted as an A Rank party must complete a quest befitting that difficulty. The quest shall be given two - several weeks later'', I will now brief you on your quest." He spoke solemnly. I listened attentively while Julian did the same. "In a certain village west of here, there is a village known as Riverdale Village. It is a rather large village housing over 3000 residents. It''s basically a small city by now but without proper walls. Yet. There were various issues why it couldn¡¯t be promoted to the level of a town but when those issues were fixed, it gained the necessary qualifications to be a city." He paused. When people gather in an area and build a community starting from simple huts, they are formally known as a village. If they grow and fulfill the requirements starting with walls, safety, population and other matters, the kingdom formally considers them a town then a city. He stands up and takes the map off the wall and spreads it in the table. "The village mayor intends to raise up walls and formally promote the community as a city. There is an inspector there who came and after some thorough investigations, they''ve been granted approval. However, trouble soon came." He points to a certain area. "This is Riverdale Village." He points to an area in the map. "The area is mainly a forest but there are a few farmlands located near there. There is a group of bandits located near the area but they are merely a medium sized group." He looked up and said. "As you can see, this might seem like an ordinary village going to be promoted to a town soon but... Certain events happened here that sent the town into panic." Julian and I listened intently. "One day, the villagers discovered that all living things in the forest were dead as dried corpses. The bandits survived somehow though. The village chief was alerted and he sent a report at once. Guards were soon dispatched and they arrived two days later. But then... The incident has already escalated despite the safety measures the chief employed." He took a deep breath. "Of the 3000 villagers, more than 700 had died due to a strange disease. Furthermore, 400 people had disappeared. The guards decided to stay and made some investigations while sending out messengers to report the incident. This was merely 3 days ago... As of now, the guards are dead. They were investigating the forest but were murdered and the perpetrators are still unknown. Though it''s likely done by bandits." Julian and I looked at each other. "So, the situation is continuously getting worse?" I asked. The Guildmaster looked grim as he nodded. "As of present, various major forces have taken notice of this incident and suspect that foul play is involved... Demons, another county or some organization... The scale is growing larger as the incident escalates." He took a deep breath then said. "Your task is to investigate the situation. Gather as much information as you can and deliver it here alive. Also... Take care. This might even grow to be an S-Rank mission." He warned me with a grim face. "So, will you accept this mission?" I began thinking seriously. This mission is definitely complicated. It might really turn out as something we might not be able to handle but the rewards here are definitely great. Should I...? But there''s a very serious chance of death here. "Can I ask a question?" Julian spoke which disrupted my thoughts. "Speak." The Guildmaster replied curtly. "Why did you decide to make such an important quest our test?" He asked. True, this mission is far too dangerous and might exceed A-Rank. He smiled. "Very simple. I know your parents well... They were truly trash. However, you two are different. Basically, while your parents were trash they''re children weren''t. You''ve proven that quite well before but it''s unfortunate that your parents ruined your futures. I value competence and ability. While some nobles are trash like your parents, there are some who are quite capable. I can''t tell you much, but there are dark times ahead of us. We need all the capable men available. I''m simply giving capable people the opportunity to take back their rightful place. In other words, regain your former statuses." Both Julian and I widened our eyes. "Regain our status as nobility...? That''s unheard of!" The Guildmaster, Ascrein, merely smiled. "It is but it''s not like it''s impossible. The king himself is interested in this incident and certain interests are depending on it. Simply put, this is something very vital to the kingdom. Right now, an army is being prepared to investigate the issue." I began to think once more... After thinking it through, I decided to accept. "Fine. We''ll accept the mission." Julia seemed to want to say something but decided against it. "Excellent choice. The army will arrive within two weeks. Stay alive and gather as much intel as possible. Your rewards and whether or not you pass depends on the intel you gather." He took another deep breath. "Also... This era of peace is soon coming to an end. This incident won''t be the last of things... We need capable leaders to lead the others... Jules, you''re a capable mage and you''re quite cautious. Julian, you''re a stalwart knight. You''re abilities are best suited for combat and would serve the kingdom well in the dark days to come..." I immediately began thinking... What does those words mean...? How is this incident related to the future of the kingdom? Many questions but this is surely an opportunity for me as well. The Guildmaster stared at me then... He gave me a smile and held out his hand. I shook it. "Stay alive and I hope to see you promoted to A-Rank." Proceed to 010 007 My companions and I climb the stairs towards the floor where the Guildmaster is. "As usual, there''s that moldy smell again..." Adrian muttered. "I like this scent you know..." I replied. "That''s cause you belong to the library! I don''t get what''s with you folks liking dark and cold areas filled with this moldy old scent..." He said appalled. "You just don''t know the joy of reading a book." I answered him. "And I''m glad I don''t." He retorted. "That''s actually a waste you know. Books have all sorts of important contents. As a rogue, I''ve chanced upon some ancient libraries before. The books have some important secrets that are very useful. Even if it''s useless, some old people would pay a ton for it especially if it came from ancient ruins." Chako interjected. I agreed with him on that point but I don''t like books being treated as a source of income but it''s money that attracts various explorers to traverse ancient ruins regardless of the danger to bring us those tomes of ancient knowledge. Since it''s how some knowledge lost in the pass were regained, I can''t really condemn this kind of behavior... Especially given the benefits. "Well, enough banter for now... Let''s go in." I pointed towards a wooden door. "Sigh... I really don''t like that guy..." Chako muttered. "He''s a good guy, you know. But he likes the same moldy smell as the leader." "And I keep telling you there''s nothing wrong with that..." Perhaps tired of our banter, Julian put a hand on my shoulder. "It''s rude to keep him waiting." He spoke sternly. Letting out a sigh, the two of us acknowledge that this is pointless. We head towards the door and enter the Guildmaster''s office. Dressed in a scholarly robe, there stood an aged gentleman reading a blue book on his desk. The room was filled with numerous shelves filled with books. There was also a map on the wall as rays of light lighted up the room. He was Ascrein Armida. The man took his sights off his book and gazed at us and gave us a warm smile. "Ah, good. I was expecting you. Hm? I see that cheeky brat with you again. I suppose you haven''t change at all given your expression." Adrian gazed at him with a scowl. Julian went towards him and spoke sternly. "Adrian, stop that. It''s rude." He merely shrugged it off. "Hmph. Very few youngsters nowadays know proper manners." He cleared his throat and said. "Regardless, this is neither the time to speak of such matters. Let''s carry on to official business." The atmosphere tensed up as my companions and I listened carefully. "In a certain village west of here, there is a village known as Riverdale Village. It is a rather large village housing over 3000 residents. It''s basically a small city by now but without proper walls. Yet. The reason why it¡¯s still a village was due to various issues that prevented the kingdom from formally acknowledging it as a town. When those issues were addressed, it had the qualifications to be called a city." Chako and Adrian seemed shocked. He paused.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. When people gather in an area and build a community starting from simple huts, they are formally known as a village. If they grow and fulfill the requirements starting with walls, safety, population and other matters, the kingdom formally considers them a town then a city. He stands up and takes the map off the wall and spreads it in the table. "The village mayor intends to raise up walls and formally promote the community as a city. There is an inspector there who came and after some thorough investigations, they''ve been granted approval. However, trouble soon came." He points to a certain area. "This is Riverdale Village." He points to an area in the map. Chako and Adrian weren¡¯t acting well¡­ Concerned, I question him. "Chako? What''s wrong?" "Are... are you sure the village is called Riverdale Village...?" With a pale face, Chako asked Ascrein in a stuttering voice. I was alarmed... I''ve never seen Chako act this way before. Noticing something, Ascrein put a hand to his chin. "I''m sure. The village in question is undoubtedly Riverdale Village. Are you perhaps from that area?" Paling further, Chako nodded. "...I was born in Riverdale Village and left to be an adventurer." He answered in a weak voice. "...I see... There are many things you should know then." Ascrein looked serious then resumed speaking. "The area is mainly a forest but there are a few farmlands located near there. There is a group of bandits located near the area but they are merely a medium sized group." He looked at us and said. "As you can see, this might seem like an ordinary village going to be promoted to a town soon but... Certain events happened here that sent the town into panic." We listened intently. Especially Chako. "One day, the villagers discovered that all living things in the forest were dead as dried corpses. The bandits survived somehow though. The village chief was alerted and he sent a report at once. Guards were soon dispatched and they arrived two days later. But then... The incident has already escalated despite the safety measures the chief employed." He took a deep breath. "Of the 3000 villagers, more than 700 had died due to a strange disease. Furthermore, 400 people had disappeared within a single day. The guards decided to stay and made some investigations while sending out messengers to report the incident. This was merely 3 days ago... As of now, the guards are dead. They were investigating the forest but were murdered and the perpetrators are still unknown. Though it''s likely done by bandits." Chako nearly collapse once those words were spoken. Fortunately, Adrian grabbed him and helped him up. I was worried here... "So, the situation is continuously getting worse?" I asked. The Guildmaster looked grim as he nodded. Chako looked even more shocked. "As of present, various major forces have taken notice of this incident and suspect that foul play is involved... Demons, another county or some organization... The scale is growing larger as the incident escalates." He took a deep breath then said. "Your task is to investigate the situation. Gather as much information as you can and deliver it here alive. Also... Take care. This might even grow to be an S-Rank mission." He warned me with a grim face. "So, will you accept this mission?" Julian stepped forward to ask something. "Wait. Have they gathered any intel beforehand such as suspicious people entering or some unusual activities?" Ascrein shook his head. "Unfortunately not. Before setting out to gather more people, they did some preliminary investigations. According to the townsfolk, they didn''t spot anything suspicious." This alarmed Adrian. "Nothing? How about a common point between all the people who died or those who disappeared?" Ascrein thought for a moment. "The investigative team only did some basic investigations. So, they''re not very reliable. The ones who died all at once and were in different places at the time. Furthermore, they didn''t find out any common point between them. As for those who disappeared... The common point is that all of them were young. Most of them are young girls. Teenagers." This had bad implications. "Wait... Young people...? This is bad." I muttered as I paled. "Yes. What you fear is highly possible." Ascrein nodded. "What is it? Tell us." Julian nudged at me. "Young people... Especially women are the common sacrifices for demon summoning... That and many other vile magic practices... All such acts are cruel and horrible and involve acts such as rape, murder and cannibalism. I won''t go into detail of how they''re done... But it''s enough to warrant a death sentence." All the people in the room except Ascrein turned dead silent. Chako looked as if he would faint. After a painful moment... "Scum! Those heretics are actually doing such blasphemy!?" Adrian shouted furiously. "There is little you can do by rampaging about. Still, that''s the conclusion various forces thought off. You''re not the only ones going there... Various forces such as the kingdom and the church are mobilizing their forces to launch an investigation." Ascrein took a deep breath. "So, there you have it. Your task is to gather as much information as possible then hand them to those forces so they could deal with it. Sending out an experienced team could reduce the number of casualties before the various forces truly mobilize. You''re also not the only party that set out. Many other parties including A-Rank parties mobilized and set off there. Of course, their missions are different from yours. They have much more difficult missions to handle." We fell silent. "Everyone, let''s head out for a moment." I proposed. We need to discuss this privately. It would be rude to discuss this in front of Ascrein. The other three nodded and went outside the room. Chako could walk now despite being badly shocked. "This is a truly dangerous task." I said to them. They all nodded. "This mission is related to my hometown, I''m obviously going to come. But... I can''t drag my emotions into this. What about you guys?" "This kind of mission... It might be best to decline." Julian spoke. "This mission is clearly very dangerous... I fear the worse. Chako, this might seemed heartless... But we should decline this mission. Despite the consequences." He finished heavily. All of us fell silent. "... This mission... is somewhat related to us. We have enough reasons to go... The A-Rank promotion and personal matters. But there are even greater reasons not to go. The danger here and lack of information is such that we might even be walking into our graves... We might need to prepare for death here...If we just rush over there, we''d just adding up to the death count. The final decision is yours, Leader." The three looked at me. Our stances are... Chako is determined to go even if he has to do it alone. Adrian abstained from any decisions but given his relation with Chako, he would most certainly go. Julian is against it since he perceived great danger from it. ...They''ve made their stances clear. What I say will decide how things go. What should I say...? Accept the Mission(008) Decline the Mission(009) 008 Gazing into the eyes of my companions, I made my decision after a long moment. "I...accept the mission." Chako''s and Adrian''s eyes lit up. "I''ve thought it over and considered all the variables including those that are unknown and those that we may face." I raised my staff. "In my time in the Academy, I''ve read up various legends and stories regarding this... So, I have a general idea what''s going on. Furthermore, I have a rough idea on what we may face. So, our chances of success here isn''t small. Rather, it''s quite large." I state confidently. Julian looked skeptical but he believed in me. Adrian and Chako knew our past so they didn''t doubt me or rather, they don''t want to. Since if I''m correct, that means we''ll definitely accept the mission. "I think that Ascrein gave us that mission because he knew my past and that I had some knowledge regarding the task at hand. Our primary task is to simply confirm if what I think is happening is what''s happening there." Upon those words, Julian finally decided to trust my judgement. "I trust your knowledge. I believe that it''s time to put what you''ve learned to good use. I would naturally object with all my might given this kind of mission where we don''t know where to start... But if you know what we need to do, then I will give my approval."This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Since Julian has decided to accept, the other two had no objections. "I guess it''s time to put what''s in your head to good use. Thank you." Adrian said with a laugh. "Thank you... I''m truly glad to be a part of this party." Chako said emotionally. He would join unconditionally. After all, it was his home at stake here. "Let''s go." With a simultaneous nod, all of us re-enter the Guildmaster''s room. "So, you''ve come to a decision?" He asked. "Yes. We accept." He nodded. "Good, I have high hopes for you..." He went to a shelf and took out some documents. "This is the information gathered and sent here. Other adventurers have already departed and arrived there. They might have updated information. This is a joint quest. If you succeed, you all get rewarded. Your priority is to gather information and do what you can. Stop what you can and save who you can. Failure is the destruction of the town or even more deaths." He handed them to me. I carefully handled them then passed them to Chako. "Chako, we''ll check these out later at the inn." He nodded. "Speaking of which... Why do you have confidence we can succeed?" I asked him. He didn''t look too surprised at my question. "Simple. You were formerly a top student at the mage''s academy. You''re rather well-read and should be familiar with these situations... You''re the best option we have to send as an expert here. The others... Well, this situation seems too dangerous to send in any top student and other experts are simply too far away. You''re pretty much the only option we have here." He said. "Ah, so you''re really the best option here." Adrian said nodding. "...The pressure just gone up..." I said while shaking a bit. "Don''t worry too much. Your priority isn''t to stop them. That''s the army''s job or specialists. Your duty is to ensure the death count doesn''t rise any higher than it already has." Ascrein told us. The group lightens up. Ascrein passed a few more documents to me then we bade him farewell then left. Go to 011 009 I decided... To decline the mission. "I''m sincerely sorry for this, Chako... But I agree with Julian." Chako looked dejected. Adrian seemed disappointed. Julian agreed and didn''t show any expression. "This mission... might possibly be an S-Rank mission. Furthermore, there are various unknown factors at play here... Far too many in fact. Demons... Heretics... Another country... Any of these three are beyond our current abilities." I took a deep breath. "Adventurers are an unruly mob in the eyes of the government. They''re deterrents. They are like mercenaries but mainly focused on monsters and treasure." I looked at them in the eyes and said. "Julian and I should know... We''re former nobles after all. Given the situation, they should send out elites of the church but they did not. To the nobles, only S-Rank Adventurers are worthy of consideration and A-Rank adventurers are only slightly better than famed knights. They''re more like talented commoners who lucked out and got strong... They treat them like hired thugs." I look up and remember old memories. "Nobles hire adventurers for mostly dangerous jobs with rich rewards. But it''s often the case that adventurers are sent out as cannon fodder or scouts." I gaze at Chako''s eyes and said... "This is a good example of that. A-Rank adventurers are just slightly stronger mercenaries. Life and death of their kind means nothing to nobles. So... All of us sent there are most likely there to test the waters. This theory hold greater weight since B-Rank Parties like us are being sent out as well..."Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. I see the fading hope and budding despair within Chako''s eyes as I said. "I decline this mission. The risks and dangers are far too grave. We''re just getting sent out as cannon fodder here..." As I said this, I felt as if I forgot something important. Nonetheless... Despair hit Chako as he collapsed. "I... I see..." "I¡¯m sorry." I said as I gave a deep bow. "I''ll go ahead and report our decision." Julian spoke carefully. With a heavy heart, I join him. .......................... Soon after we reported our decision, Adrian and Chako left our party. With a sorry face, he said he can''t abandon his home and his family. Adrian joined him. Without sufficient members in our party, Julien and I began looking for new members. I didn''t have the heart to stop those two. We each had our own circumstances... And neither Julian nor I can afford to risk our lives here given the duties and burdens we shoulder. Thus... we parted ways with heavy hearts. Within days, we soon gather up new members. And we continued our adventures. It was sad to part ways with old friends but we had no choice. A few weeks later... We hear news of the event. The entire town was killed. There were no survivors. Since this matter was connected to two friends of ours... We exerted some effort to discover news about them. And we were in grief when we learned the truth. The bandits were in cahoots with demons under the command of a merchant. They led a horde of demons to assault the town along with the adventurers assigned there. The adventurers there fought to the bitter end but were ultimately annihilated along with the townsfolk. Adrian and Chako were among those who perished. Julian and I grieved their fates. Afterwards, the church and various kingdoms sent out armies to destroy the great evil. Julian and I saw this as a great opportunity to distinguish ourselves. As we prepared for war, I can''t help but think back to that day. Had I accepted, would I have been able to prevent that calamity? This faint regret followed into battle. I can''t afford to be careless. This war is something far greater than all of us and concerns the fate of the entire human race. And so we went into battle. Yet every now and then, I can''t help but wonder how things would have played out if I had accepted that task. Some part of me is relieved since that quest truly was something beyond our ability but another part of me insists that I could have done something. And perhaps the four of us, two pairs of young men dreaming of making a name for themselves would have achieved our dreams. And perhaps they would still be alive. Beginning of the war 010 As Julian and I went downstairs, my mind was shaken by what the Guildmaster revealed. "Julian... I think the Guildmaster is aware that demons are indeed the cause." I spoke to Julian quietly. Alarmed, he asked. "What evidence proves that assumption, Jules? Perhaps you''re just a bit shaken." It''s normal to doubt my words. "...I have plenty of evidence to show but this isn''t the time... Let''s meet up with Adrian and Chako first."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Julian nodded. After several minutes, we head out of the Guild. "I''m uncertain where Adrian and Chako are... But it''s necessary that we make some preparations." I told Julian. "What kind of preparations?" I thought for a moment then said. "We need to improve our equipment and gather some means against demons or creatures of evil... I''ll need to consult the library first though." After thinking some more, I said. "Julian, you need to repair your equipment as well. Aside from that, if you find Adrian and Chako, tell them to meet me. We still have some time before we head out." Julian nodded. "Understood. We need to make as much use of our spare time as efficiently as possible, right? I''ll do my utmost." "Prioritize repairing your equipment though. Adrian and Chako would meet us later at the inn. So, there''s no need to rush. Still, the more work we do today the more time we have in the next days to prepare." He nodded again. We parted ways and I headed into the library. Proceed to 012 011 "Things are turning out quite big. This trial is undoubtedly a great risk for us." Once we left the room, I spoke to my team. "Be that as it may, we''ve accepted the task so there''s no turning back." Julian spoke. Chako and Adrian nodded. This conerns their home. There is no path of retreat here. "I already know... First things first, we need to make proper preparations. Chako, Adrian, you two are to gather as much intel on the situation as possible while gathering anything that would help us out. Don''t be sparing with the gold." The two nodded seriously. Given the situation, I can count on them to give it their all.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. "Julian, you should gather our equipment and have the blacksmith repair or upgrade them. Remember to get some holy water as well. If you two can gather some, please do." Julian nodded. "Holy water? Why?" Chako asked. "...You should read up some books in the future. Holy water is effective against demons. It is like poison to them and can help cure curses for us." I said after a brief moment in silence. Although it is a rather awkward moment, Julian and Adrian don''t join in. It''s a rather serious topic after all. "Wait, what will you do?" Julian asked me. "I need to do some research in the library. We need some intel on demons to better prepare for them. As much as possible too... We need to prepare everything we can. Wealth means nothing to the dead. So long as we live, we can easily earn more." I answered. "Looks like you already have a plan." Adrian said with an amazed tone. "Naturally. I wouldn''t have accepted the mission if I didn''t see a chance to win." I do pick my fights carefully. That''s how I didn''t get implicated in that plot and managed to find a living for myself. "Let''s go. We''re need to spend our time as efficiently as we can. This concerns the lives of your village after all." Adrian and Chako looked grim at those words then nodded. We went on our separate ways after that. I headed off to the library to gather information... Proceed to 012 Authors Notice To start things off, I''m sorry for the delay up to now! I was busy with work since it''s the Holidays after all. Furthermore, I''ve had a lot of bad luck recently... To start things off, this late October, I was playing with my dog when I accidentally injured myself with a dog bite. My dog didn''t bite me intentionally of course. It was my fault. So, for a month after that, I took some anti-rabies treatment via injections. Apparently, the treatment lasts a month. There are four injections as well as some observations... But... Soon after my third injection in November, I suffered a calamity. Some crazy dog owned by neighbors went and attacked me! The story here is that I often bring my dog out for a walk. I often pass by that neighbor''s house. Dogs are territorial you know. That dog saw my dog and for some reason was angry at it.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. That anger was also transmitted to me. That night... The owners had that dog chained outside. I just happened to be walking by to purchase some things when the chains snapped and it attacked me. ...I was forced to visit the hospital and was unable to walk properly for several days... Urk... Conclusion, my luck was horrible. Why? The anti-rabies treatment was rather expensive... It it wasn''t the third injection, the fee would''ve been payed by them instead of just some consolation and payment for anti-bacteria medicine as well as consultation. After that, my father and little sister soon visited the hospital but I don''t need to say why other than extremely bad luck. Another factor is my screen... This old laptop is pretty much busted... The screen with 75% filled with white lines takes my motivation to write downhill. Furthermore, I need to write carefully so as to not repeat mistakes. I''m nearly done with the prologue. Given the difficulty of writing this story... I''m dividing the story to chapters. Each chapter is a checkpoint of some kind. Just make sure you head to the page you need to head to and not the next page. Also, some pages may be disorganized and confusing but it''s meant that way. It''s so there won''t be anyone just clicking to the next page over and over. I just hope I can finish the prologue soon... Well, please enjoy this prologue that serves as a tutorial first. Also, I do have vague thoughts of putting this novel in my blog after all is said and done... Urk. I really have a lot of problems still. 012 012 After half an hour or so, I''ve reached the library. The library was a large building found in the outskirts of town. As an avid reader, I''ve visited this place many times before and I''m quite familiar with the place. I speak to the guards and show them my card which granted me passage. There are actually two libraries. The first library is found near the Guild and has some basic knowledge and other useful information. This is a rather casual area and pretty much anyone can enter it. The second library has guards stationed and only allows people with certain status. As an adventurer leading a B-Rank party, I''ve gained access to it and checked the books there. This is one of the reasons why advancement and promotions are quite difficult and very strict. Because libraries like this hold a number of important information. In-depth knowledge of various locations... A and S Rank monsters who once wrecked havoc in the country... Information on various races as well as some basic knowledge on forbidden and occult lore. During the times where I did some research here, I found some books mentioning demon lore and other related incidents. It contains the historical documentation of times when Demons attacked the country and other locations as well as the incidents that were resolved. I need that book. I proceed to the catalogue which is a rather large book and check the contents to see where the books I need are found. "Found it." I memorize the information then walked away after carefully putting the catalogue away. "Section 23... Third shelf... Here it is." I pass the numerous book shelves to find the one I need. Bringing books out of this library is forbidden so I need to write down the information I need. But I don''t really need to. I have a rather special ability... It''s called photographic memory. I don''t forget things. I gather ten or so books and place them in a nearby table then I start reading. Incidents of demon attacks... Possessions... Types of Demons... Incidents of humans working with demons...Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Weaknesses... I use magic and drastically increase the pace in which I read books. After two hours, I''m done. I close the final page of the book then let out a long sigh. I close my eyes then begin organizing the information I gathered. The Black Skull Uprising... A gathering of cultists attempt a demonic ritual to summon a vile demon using the lives of slaves they bought. Cuvar''s Revolt... A powerful and influential duke stages a rebellion while heretics join him. He uses the lives and souls of soldiers both his own and his enemies to summon demons. From the number of incidents involving demons, these two are the most helpful examples that relate to this incident. There are other incidents but those were merely heretics or witches using demons to fight in small-scale battles. Though rare they''re not that uncommon and even now, such hunts are still on-going. Although I believe that this incident would soon be recorded within the pages of history and would soon be recorded here. Next, the kinds of enemies we may face. According to these books, the demons come from a demonic world are are separated from this world via a powerful barrier constructed by Heaven. Nonetheless, as inhabitants of another world, they can''t simply come to this world as they please. Even before the barrier was erected, a steep price was necessary to summon a demon. This barrier simply restricted the number that could get through as well as drastically increasing the price that must be paid. Therefore, it''s safe to assume that low-level demons would be appearing with a small number mid-tier demons. These are the most common... Imps - Small winged creatures with the body of a child, red skin, horns, a pointed tail and wings of a bat. They are foul, less intelligent and serve as foot soldiers or servants of higher demons. Often used as scouts. Hellhounds - Vicious wolf-like creatures with large bodies and sharp fangs. They are fast and are often in packs. They are similar to wolves. They are vengeful and cunning hunters. Each pack is led by a leader. They also have a sharp sense of smell and their eyes glow red like blood. Succubi - Demons with beautiful appearances but demonic hearts. They have bodies similar to human women but they have purple skin, red horns and a long pointed tail. They are cunning and deceitful, often tricking foolish men to lure others to their graves. They use sexual intercourse to suck men dry of their essence as staple food. Once a human male is drained of essence, they eat them. They are skilled spell-casters and can control monsters. Demon Brutes - An evolved form of imps. If imps are children, then these are the size of adults. They possess large muscle-bound bodies capable of crushing even armed men to a bloody pulp. Their intelligence is even lower than that of imps though. Heretics - Evil men who follow the demonic teachings. They are vile villains who think nothing of human lives for their goals. They are often in groups commanding groups of demons and monsters alike. Heretics vary in strength. Some were swordsmen and some were mages. Regardless, they are a threat to all of mankind. Witches - Evil women who forged a pact with demons for the sake of power, eternal life and other benefits. They are cruel beings who are no longer human and they love the taste of human children the most. I believe that these creatures and lunatics are the ones who are a threat to me. Although there are indeed other creatures but they are restricted by various powers and summoning them comes at a grave cost. If there were such summons, then the death toll should be much higher. In terms of weaknesses... There is a paragraph that a paladin who once fought in a war against demons wrote regarding their weaknesses. Demons are indeed vile creatures. They possess great cunning to lure men to their deaths, deadly demonic magics and terrifying battle prowess. The vile spawn of the Underworld! Beware their blood. It is poison to mortals. The color of malice! But they have weakness as well. Just like us, they live and breathe. Creatures of flesh and blood though cursed they may be. Holy water blessed by our God is like poison to their kind. We have coated our weapons with holy water with great effect. Simple wounds easily heal for them thus special means are important. Alas, holy water has little effect against their curses. Only our priests can hope to avert our suffering and undo their curses. - Sir Sielamn Archron, 3rd Captain of the Fourth Holy Order. ...So goes the story. Hm... I believe it''s time for me to go. I''ve gathered as much intel as I could. When I gaze outside the window, nightfall has arrived. I return the books to their designated areas then head out. Proceed to 013 if you didn''t bring along Adrian and Chako to meet the Guildmaster. Proceed to 014 if you did bring them along with you to meet the Guildmaster. 013 013 Since it''s getting late, I headed back to our base. Our so-called base is actually a small house we rented near the outskirts of town. Which is convenient for me since this library is here. This library has plenty of sensitive information so it should be placed near the center of town but it''s actually safer here. There''s a very powerful magical barrier placed here... Furthermore, it can kill the people who attempt anything unlawful here. Furthermore, if it detects anyone bringing a book outside, it would self-destruct. ...It''s not a pleasant thought for those reading here though. Taking out those thoughts, I walk faster towards our base. After half an hour, I arrive. I can see a lighted wooden hut. I see the lights up and I can hear some sounds inside. ...That means they''re here. I open the door to find all three of my companions in casual clothes. "You''re here." Julian said as he turned to me. I can also see Adrian and Chako nearby. "Good to see you, boss. Julian didn''t say anything about the mission." "It''s better for all of us to gather before we speak of it. Furthermore, Jules knows much more about it in-depth. Besides, we might miss some stuff about it and we''d have to start all over again when Jules arrives." They said. I didn''t bother beating around the bush. I took a sit then went straight to the topic at hand. "This mission is particularly dangerous and has plenty of undercurrents around it. Our task isn''t that difficult when said but it''s plenty difficult when needed to be done." I started off with that. "To be specific, our task is to gather information and do what we can. Prioritize our lives and return alive with the information." Chako and Adrian seemed surprised. "Well, isn''t that too easy?" Chako muttered. "No, it isn''t." Adrian refuted him.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Just intel gathering would be our A-Ranked mission? The Guildmaster would never give us such a mission for us to be approved of as A-Rank." Julian and I nod. "Right... This mission is related to demons." I spoke gravely. Adrian and Chako looked alarmed. "What!? Isn''t that too dangerous?" "...Is it truly alright to accept such a task...?" Chako was deeply afraid while Adrian was deeply worried. "...Sigh... I''ll explain the task first..." I look to Julian then asked. "Julian, please bring out the map." Julian nodded then took a map from his bag. "Listen here. Some time ago, strange and bizarre incidents occurred here." I point to a place in the map. A certain village called Riverdale Village. "It''s called Riverdale Village." The atmosphere changed as Adrian and Chako suddenly looked unwell. "Hm? What''s wrong...?" Chako opened his mouth to say something, but couldn''t find a word to say. Adrian spoke in a graver tone. "Riverdale Village... That''s where we come from." He spoke. Julian and I widened our eyes in shock. "...Please. Continue first." He said seriously. I continued where I left off. "Riverdale Village experienced events such as disappearance and the sudden deaths of several hundred villagers. It has been prospering lately and is soon going to become a city but this happened." The colors their expressions showed began to darken. "Sometime later, they began investigations but... Things took a tragic turn. Deaths happened soon after and a formal request was issued. So, an official troop began investigations and demons were sighted. Things started turning hectic afterwards but..." I took a deep breath. "Things didn''t improve. Deaths still happened. Word spread out to other areas. They''ve sent out adventurer parties first while taking the time to prepare their troops. It can be said that an official army would soon come. Led by paladins, priests, demon hunters, knights, high-ranking mages as well as learned scholars from the Academy. But it takes time to prepare them. So, they''ve sent out adventurer parties like us to scout out the situation." I explained things to them. "Our main task is to gather information. Our side objectives are to protect the villagers as much as possible, to stop the heretic''s plan as much as possible and simply to do anything we can to help." Adrian then spoke. "That''s easy to say but difficult to put into practice." "I know." I agreed with him. "Frankly, the most realistic outcome for us is to stay alive, gather as much information as possible on what their plans are, who are the culprits and stop them from sacrificing the rest of the village as offerings to the demons." They nodded. "Our first task is preparations. Prepare everything we can starting from tomorrow. Gather intel, ready equipment, scrolls, potions and anything you can think of. After we set off, we need to head to the village as soon as possible. Then, we need to meet up with the other adventurers and see what they managed to find out. Adrian, Chako, you two know the area well as well as the people there. That''s the benefits of being locals. Find people you don''t find familiar and speak to some of the villagers to gather info. Julian and I would speak to the other adventurers in the meantime. After that, we can slowly figure out what to do next. There''s little we can do with so little information after all." The three of them nodded. "Understood. Leave it to me. I''ll leave no stones unturned and get as much intel as I can!" Chako replied proudly. "I''ll handle gathering resources such as food and potions. Aside from that, Chako, draw a map for us later. You''re pretty familiar with the place since you like to travel around. You should be able to draw a rough map for us later on." Adrian patted his chest in confidence as he raised a request to Chako. "Sure I can. But it''s probably greatly different than before though. That ok?" He asked. "Sure. There shouldn''t be any too drastic a change with the topography so a map would be helpful and it would be useful to use it to make a comparison with the current area." I replied confidently. Julian stepped forward. "In that case, leave the equipment to me. I''ll see if I can have the blacksmiths improve them. I''ll make sure our equipment is in its best condition." Julian spoke confidently. "Good. This might be our last mission as well so it''s best to do our utmost to raise our chances of success even a little. If not, then our chances of survival." "Don''t worry and leave it to me." As I looked at their confident faces, I felt assured. With these guys by my side, we should be able to succeed if not survive till the army arrives. Right... This is for our victory! Proceed to 015 014 014 I gather my things then start heading out towards our house in the outskirts. Though I say house, it¡¯s just a wooden house we purchased as our base. It¡¯s rather crude but it¡¯s quite warm. We don¡¯t leave our valuables in it. It¡¯s just a place for us to rest and sleep after all. I see our base with the lights on from the distance. Good. They¡¯re here already. I knock on the door. *Knock* *Knock* I hear footsteps. A few moments later, the door opens to reveal the face of a rascal. ¡°You¡¯re finally here.¡± Chako greets me impatiently. ¡°Yes. I¡¯m finally done. Is everyone here?¡± I ask calmly. ¡°They¡¯re waiting inside.¡± I nod. I enter and proceed towards the living room. I hear Chako close the door behind me then walk towards the same room where I¡¯m headed at a brisk pace.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I enter a warm room to find my team wearing casual clothes while sitting near a round table. They nod towards me. ¡°Good to see everyone here.¡± I took a seat. Chako follows after me then takes a seat as well. Facing my team, I ask them. ¡°What are your results? On my part, I¡¯ve gathered the necessary intel as well as records of the various incidents that are similar to this.¡± I reported my results first. Chako follows. ¡°I managed to gather some rare intel. Apparently, the bandits from regions near Riverdale Village have shown some abnormal movements. Moreover, a merchant with the same features has also appeared in those regions in the months following the events surrounding our hometown. I couldn¡¯t get his name.¡± ¡°A merchant and bandits? A shady connection. Noted. What was that merchant¡¯s features?¡± ¡°He had a rotund belly and black hair. There was also the symbol of a serpent on his left leg.¡± ¡°Hm. We should take that in mind.¡± I note those details to myself then proceed. ¡°I did find some intel but not that much better than Chako¡¯s. Still, I did find out that there¡¯s an old demon hunter that lives in a village on the way towards Riverdale Village.¡± ¡°Oh? Good. We should meet him then.¡± I proceed to note that down in my mind. ¡°So, what did you achieve, Julian?¡± I ask my good friend. ¡°I managed to turn in our equipment to a trusted blacksmith. It¡¯ll take three days until he finishes his work.¡± I raise my hand to my chin. ¡°Three days? That should suffice, I suppose.¡± I took a deep breath. ¡°There¡¯s no need to confirm anything else. We¡¯ve already discussed what we need to do. For now, I¡¯ll say what my plans are.¡± I lean forward. ¡°First is our preparations. But that¡¯s already taken care of. Our move for now should be to meet that old demon hunter on the way. After that, we will head to the village. Julian and I would meet with the adventurers already present there. Chako and Adrian, you two should meet the other locals. Given your origins, they should be more willing to talk to you and divulge more details. Also, please draw a map of the area. The maps they¡¯re selling is far too outdated.¡± I told them my plans. ¡°Our objective is gathering information and returning alive. But our secondary objectives are to save as many as we can and stop their plans as much as possible. But that¡¯s not realistic. We simply need to gather as much information and prevent any more deaths at least until the army arrives.¡± ¡°Any objections?¡± They shook their heads. ¡°Good. Then, let¡¯s proceed!¡± I place my hand in the center of the table. Julian follows. Chako is next. Adrian is last. ¡°No matter how, we shall succeed!¡± We chat a bit more before heading to bed. With these members, I¡¯m confident of at least retaining my life. Proceed to 015 Temporary Hiatus ...Hello... Hah... I don''t really want to say why, but for two serious reasons, I won''t be able to write and I probably lost a lot of motivation in writing... Still, I owe an explanation. Thus, by my obligation as a writer, I''ll give a short summary. You see, I''ve suffered one of the worst ways to start a year and suffered a very, very severe blow mentally...The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Even worse than when I lost my chances of fulfilling my dreams. My father died this year. It was unexpected and came suddenly. This left us with serious issues to deal with... Furthermore, my laptop finally kicked the bucket as one would say. My father promised to buy me a new one since our last one was old but... he died before fulfilling that promise. ...I won''t quit... But just give me time... To set my life on track. Once again, I''m sorry. Hiatus Hah... It''s been some time... I''ve felt quite miserable as of late... My father''s deaths threw a wrench in my plans... My laptop finally bit the dust too... I''ve checked and it''s pretty much busted. It''s an old laptop after all. My father promised to buy me a new one next year but died... Promises... can''t be fulfilled by the dead. It''s a painful fact to realize... I''ve seen people asking for money as condolence as charity. I did give money as much as I can but... I never understood how they felt until I had a try. I felt tears in my eyes when I saw people my dad and I used to talk to. Memories... and all... It was painful. I was at a loss for words then... This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Anyways, I can''t write without my laptop. Until I get a new one within 2-3 years, I can''t write. So, this is a hiatus for now. But I don''t intend to give up... I once mentioned being an author at this site to my father... And he supported me and gave me some advice. That''s why... when the day comes, I''ll write and finish this story one day. Until then, farewell.