《This Hero is Sleeping!》


 Chapter 1 0: Prologue

    ?"So, you''re saying¡­ we died?"


    The red-haired boy''s eyes hung low like fallen drapes as he posed the question to the nun in front of him.


    "That is correct," not a wrinkle appeared on her face hidden underneath the white hood embroidered with goldences.


    "All thirty of us?"


    "Yes, to be more precise, there were thirty-four of you who died. Unfortunately, the adults were not brought here."


    The boy nodded and looked around himself. The golden satin embroidery on the nun''s white robes with their intricate stencil patterns did not look like something he would be seeing back at home, but the marble walls of the church with their ferric alternations and the many statues of a woman more beautiful than the word beauty could describe gave weight to her ims.


    "You had bright futures ahead of you, just sixteen years of age," the nun continued, her long eyshes looked downward and her small lips trembled slightly. "Our gods took mercy and brought you here."


    "Right, right," the red-haired boy pursed his lips and nodded. "To this otherworld."


    "It seems you are able to understand now."


    "Yeah, so¡­" He raised his eyebrows and leaned closer to the nun. "Where''s the camera?"


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom The nun sighed and pushed herself off the chair. She ced a hand on the boy''s shoulder. "Mr. ude, I know this is a confusing situation for you, but you need to get a hold of yourself. The others that havee here with you are also waking up, you should go and be there with them."


    ude didn''t get a chance to retort as the nun walked away from him, leaving only the young boy in the small prayer room.


    A handful of oak desks and benches were in the room behind a short wooden divider separating the seats from the pedestal. Lofty atop the pedestal stood the figure of the goddess, her stone hands sped and fingers intertwined as the wings behind her back spread out.


    The curves with not a sharp edge and the cuts with not a grazed slope made it seem as if a real person was sealed in the stone. Had it not been for the beauty of the goddess, ude would have assumed that to be the case.


    What had happened?


    As he looked at the statue in front of him, the questions surfaced in his mind. No, he couldn''t think up any questions as that one thought came crashing into the train in his mind.


    What had happened?


    ude sighed and turned away. His feet moved on his own, carrying him out of the room.


    The faint dawn light illuminated the ce as he passed through the giant wooden gates. ude walked down the empty passageway under the dim light. He passed by the rows of paintings and murals on the abrasive walls, his feet nged against the wooden floorings, and stopped in front of the room at the very end of the passage.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Not a change appeared in his breathing as he pushed the handles of the door and opened them.


    Some sat up on the beds while some were kneeling on the floor. A wide room with dozens of beds and students. The heads of the kids snapped toward the door as it screeched open.


    "C-ude!"


    "Hey! ude! Wh-what is going on? Where did you go?"


    A few students turned to their friends with surprised faces. A sense of relief clouded their eyes, but their expressions didn''t betray their confusion or awkwardness.


    ude wordlessly walked inside the room, closing the doors behind him, before walking to the nearest empty bed and setting himself down.


    He gazed at the other students in the room. Some of them winced and looked around in confusion while the others held their heads on the beds, having just woken up. Of the thirty that were in his ss, only twelve had woken up yet.


    "Hey ude," one student called out to the boy. "What is happening here, dude? Where is this ce? When did we get off the bus¡ª"


    "¡ªAH!"


    The student''s words were interrupted by the scream of another. They all turned around to see a girl at the back rubbing her eyes over and over.


    "I-I can see¡­ I can see without my sses¡­"


    Another was staring at her legs with her jaw dropped in surprise.


    "My scar¡­ where did it go¡­"


    Some of the students who had just woken up approached the screaming ones, but three of them stood still in their ce, unable to tear their eyes away.


    A strange feeling washed over ude as he saw the others reacting to what could only be called a miracle.


    "J-just what is happening? Are you guys pranking us?" The child that had first called out to ude looked at the leg of his friend in surprise.


    "No," ude said. He took in deep breaths as his mind slowly epted the situation.


    "We died," he said. "We died and got reincarnated."

 Chapter 2 1: Another World? Id Rather Sleep

    ?"I am d to see more people in here today. This makes twenty-two of the twenty-three in the church."


    A priest in silk white robes extended his hands outward as he spoke to the rows of children in front of him. A kind smile stuck to his bearded face as looked over the gloomy students.


    "Since eleven of you have woken up only today, let me exin things from the top. You all, have died."


    Gasps and sighs rang around in the room as the students sitting at the front heard the priest''s words. Some held their heads and the others shook them in disbelief, only the kids at the back bit their lips and watched their friends.


    "Hey, what kind of joke are all of you cooking here? We were on a fucking field trip!"


    "Mr. Christos, I can understand your confusion. Death is not a light matter. Though you have died in your world, the benevolent Gods took mercy and reincarnated your souls here, in this world."


    The priest ced his hand on his chest and continued.


    "You students have been incarnated into this world with special favor from the gods. Your bodies were made again, your wounds were healed and scars were mended. Moreover, great power was bestowed into your souls by the gods, fitting the title of their chosen¡ª"


    "¡ªWhat do you get from this?" The priest''s words were interrupted by a red-haired boy sitting at the back of the ss. "Most of us are awake now. You can spill it, right?"


    "Mr. ude," the priest said. The kind smile on his face turned t. "The gods seem to gain nothing from you. The word of your arrival was sent to us, and we of the Ephis church took on the responsibility to host you. It pains me to say this, but the world we live in is not free of dangers, and sending you out without any guidance will be nothing short of repeating the same fate as before."


    ude clicked his tongue.


    "Dear Reincarnators of Earth, great evil lurks on the horizons, but we seek not your help. Our onlymandment was to teach you the ways of the world. We will teach you to defend yourself and think for yourself in this world. We hold no control over you, so you may do as you please, but we request, that you try to trust us."


    ***


    It had been four days.


    ude remembered the events of that moment as if he was living through them right now.


    It all seemed normal. He could hear banter from his friends as his clique talked and made fun of each other at the backmost seat of the bus. As always, he sat at the very center and was having fun with his friends, they would share snacks and jokes or talk about this or that. Further in the front, some of the other students talked in their groups, some chatted in small circles, others yed games on their portable consoles, and a few of them read books or drew something, though that must have been tough in the shaking bus, one was even sleeping a seat ahead of him.


    The teacher was in the front, turning his eyes away from the racket behind, and three other adults were around too, including the driver of the bus.


    It was all just like any other day.


    Until it, all changed.


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom A white truck came crashing into their back. ude could almost feel his bones jotting again as he recalled the sensation. The sudden push on his back sent him away from the seat. The screams of his confused friends. The way everything seemed to have stopped as the sky came down and the ground went up.


    Over and over again.


    And then, the impact on his head, the sound of the breaking ss before it was suppressed by the incessant buzzing.


    ude gulped and shook his head.


    It had been four days since then.


    He woke up here in this very room, where he was told that he and the rest of his ss were ''chosen'' by the gods of this world and granted a new body for their souls. They were supposed to be Otherworldly Heroes with great power in their hands. It was too fast, too confusing, too strange, too uneptable.


    He didn''t ept it, he couldn''t, but even then, this was his reality. Even if he refused to ept it, everything wouldn''t go back to as it was.


    More of his friends had woken up yesterday. The vast room with multiple patient beds was mostly empty now, everyone had been assigned quarters inside the vast church of Ephis. It was only him and the person still in the bed in front of him.


    Right then, a light touch on ude''s shoulders. He turned around to see a ck-haired girl standing there, her eyes on the person in the bed.


    "Erika..."


    "Were you close?" Erika asked without turning to face the boy.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ude looked at Erika and she gestured at the one on the bed with her chin. Auburn hair draped down the head of the person, almost reaching the shoulders despite spreading out on the sheets like rows of wild grass. The person''s pale hands sticking out of the cover looked thin and dainty, as if they had never touched the rough surface of a problem. The sharp jawlines, thin rosy lips, and long eyshes formed an enchanting androgynous look that both men and women would stop and stare at.


    "Lived down the street," ude said. "Same elementary school, same middle school, and high school."


    "Oh? You never seemed that close in ss..." Erika muttered, shifting her gaze to ude.


    "We never talked."


    Erika furrowed her brows in confusion as if sensing it, ude shrugged his shoulders.


    An air of silence covered the two of them afterward as the afternoon breeze made its way inside through the windows in the room. The petals of the vase next to the bed swayed in the breeze.


    "Do you know what they said was happening?"


    "You can only wake up in this world... once you die in the other, right?" Erika said.


    "Yes, even aa would send you here. They said our death was confirmed, after all."


    "Does that mean..."


    "He must be suffering."


    "It is cold enough to suffer, can you close the windows?"


    "Sure."


    "Sure."


    ude and Erika left their spots and walked up the windows in the room. They grabbed the iron handle of the wooden frames for windows and pulled them shut, before stopping in their tracks.


    Their heads creaked to the side with widened eyes.


    Who had just spoken?


    They looked at each other first, then down on the bed again.


    A rustle spread in the room as the person turned to the other side and mumbled something before making a peaceful face of drowsiness.


    ""HHAAAAAH!?""


    A coordinated scream spread in the room. ude and Erika''s jaws dropped to the ground as they saw thest student that hadn''t entered the world casually turn around in his sleep


    "Shush! Someone''s sleeping!" A soft voice snapped at them.


    "Wh-what!! You''re alive!?"


    Annoyed by the incessant shoutings, the person turned around again and faced ude. As long eyshes spread away and the alluring silver eyes revealed themselves, the person answered back.


    "Yeah, for four days now."


    "Four days!? H-how?" ude stumbled on his words as he tried to make sense of things. Unable to hold back his confusion, he started spilling out his thoughts. "We died, you know! A-and! And we ended up in another world!"


    "I know?" the person said.


    "Another world? I''d rather sleep."

 Chapter 3 2: Awake All Along?

    ?"S-so you''ve been awake for the entire four days?"


    The head priest''s voice cracked as he faced the child in front of him. He ran his hand through his beard as he saw the androgynous beauty not bother with the priest but instead curiously look all around the ce.


    "Mhm," the child answered in response, still looking all around the ce.


    "Why did you never inform us?"


    "You never said I had to."


    The priest was taken aback at the child''s words. Fortunately, it seemed he wasn''t the only one who was surprised as even the two otherworldly heroes and the rest of the clergy in a simr reaction. Taking in a deep breath, he continued the line of questioning.


    "Did you not get hungry or thirsty?"


    The child raised his eyebrow and reached into the pockets of his garments,ing back out with arge piece of bread. "There was food everywhere¡ª"


    "¡ªAh! That''s the fruit bread I was saving!" One of the sisters standing behind the priest snapped when she saw the bread in his hands. "That''s my bread! Why?!"


    Seemingly ufortable at the sudden usation, the child alternated his gaze between the bread and the sister. He furrowed his brows and tore off a granule from the bread and reluctantly extended it toward the sister.


    "No! Give me the bigger piece!"


    When the child frowned and reached out to tear off another granule from the bread, the head priest realized this wasn''t working at all. He sighed and took a step back, he gazed around as if he could see the strange atmosphere filling the special prayer room of the church. The priest rested his hand on the wenge wooden divider that separated the benches from the pedestal of the room. His face wrinkled slightly as he turned to the other two otherworldly heroes in the room.


    Talking to the first one was like chasing a fly, his experience told him enough to not even attempt it.


    "Come to think of it, Sir ude, Miss Erika, we never got to hear thest of your friends'' name."


    ude and Erika shifted their gaze up at the priest''s words as if thinking. Their thoughtsted a second too long for the priest to befortable with, though. Sweat appeared on their foreheads as they next looked at each other.


    "What''s his name?" Erika asked.


    "Is ''he'' even a guy?" ude doubled down on the question.


    "Wasn''t he your neighbor!?" Erika snapped in a whisper.


    "My name?" A helping hand came in to diffuse the awkward situation, but the priest saw this as throwing fuel on the fire. "It''s Elric, Elric Wald."


    "Elric... Wald?" the priest muttered. "But, those are just twost names!"


    The child, no, Elric Wald stared at the priest with an open mouth and widened eyes. The strange silence and theck of reactions coupled with his creepy face grew to make the priest very ufortable. Worried he might have offended Elric, the priest apologized at once.


    "I meant no insult," Elric''s face returned to normal and he turned his gaze away. "Please forgive me, Mr. Elric¡ª"


    Elric''s dropped jaw and widened eyes returned.


    "U-uh... Miss... Elric?"


    It showed no signs of going away.


    "Elric?"


    As if there was never a reaction, Elric turned away again.


    "I-in any case..." the priest continued. "We must move on with the pressing matters."


    He turned around and a sister handed him a tray. The tray was covered with a velvet maroon cloth with golden seams on its edges. Atop the cloth rested a te of stone, its edges cut in fine lines with intricate markings drawn over its center. The priest carefully extended the te toward the child, who looked at it with a curiously head-tilt.


    "This here is an empty God Stone. It is the providence of the gods in the heavens and shows you your status. Please nick your thumb and let a drop of your blood touch the stone, and then pray to the statue of Goddess Ephis."


    The priest was excited at the prospect of seeing thest reincarnator''s abilities. The status of the other students here was extremely jaw-dropping, to the point that he started referring to some of them as ''sir,'' instead of ''Mr.''


    Bodies made by the gods'' hands, and a soul rich in experience from another world. He could only wonder what kind of skills and growth the heroes were capable of.


    "Why?"


    ''KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!'' The priest held in the urge to shake the disrespectful sixteen-year-old right then and there and took in a deep breath instead. An old man as he was, he was experienced. After the Oracle of the goddesses was bestowed down and the Ephis church in the Zarak duchy imed to be looking after most of the otherworldly heroes, he was the one chosen by the head church of Ephis toe down here and handle the more important matters.


    He had seen a couple or two of these kids.


    It made him hopeful, since all the arrogant brats, especially ones like Elric whose nature was arrogance and not his actions, always turned out to be great geniuses that made a big name for themselves in the world. So he would deal with it simrly.


    "Isn''t it interesting? You could find out how strong you are, you know?"


    "Huh... I don''t care about that."


    "U-um..." It wasn''t his loss yet! "You can also show others your worth and make them grovel at your feet!"


    "What the. Old man, are you sure you are a priest?"


    "I am saying this because of you!"


    Elric Wald yawned.


    A tant show of disrespect.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The others in the room frowned at the distasteful behavior in front of the statue of their goddess, they wanted to take objection to it but were interrupted beforehand.


    Without a warning, Elric had bit his thumb and let down a drop of his blood on the te.


    The reason was simple.


    He was getting sleepy now.


    Elric took the te in his hand before the priest could react and turned to the statue of the goddess.


    "Uh... I pray to you? Something like that¡ª"


    A bright light emerged from the God Stone in Elric''s hands. The blinding light spread all over the room, taking everyone inside by surprise. The other sisters and priests along with ude and Erika covered their eyes, only two people stood unfazed.


    ''Yes! This! This amazing, brilliant light! I knew it! This arrogant reincarnator, maybe he might even be stronger than Sir ude!'' One was the priest.


    ''Hell. If I close my eyes now I''ll probably fall asleep on the spot.'' And the other was Elric Wald.


    The light dissipated away in the air and calm returned to the room of white marble.


    "Ooh!" An excited hand reached out and took away the te from Elric''s hold and leaned in toward the stone. The others in the room closed in on the stone as well out of excitement including Erika and ude.


    [Name: Elric Wald]


    The name wasn''t a lie! That was already a big enough surprise for ude and Erika, they knew there were quite the antique characters in their ss, but Mr. Two Surnames here was going a bit wild.


    [Age: 16]


    [Gender: Male]


    He was a guy after all.


    They skipped over the basic details, though they were curious about it too. The stats of the Reincarnator took precedence here.


    [Strength: 4]


    [Agility: 8]


    [Magic Control: 5]


    [Endurance: 3]


    .


    .


    .


    [Mana: 3]


    .


    .


    .


    "S-skills. The Reincarnators also have unique skills, and aptitude matters too!"


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom [Skills: [Hex Magic: Beginner (Charm)], [Water Magic: Beginner]]


    [Unique Skills: [Awakening]]


    "O-oh! The unique skill. Even if the skills are bad, this is new." The priest was clinging too hard to his hope. He tapped lightly on the word ''Awakening'' on the te.


    [Unique Skills: [Awakening - Force yourself to stay awake for 5 more minutes.]]


    "N-no way..."


    "H-hey Erika, what were your starting stats?" ude asked. bbergasted at the sight in front of him.


    Erika gulped and answered. "An average of 30... The lowest of us was 17 in strength..."


    "A healthy child''s stats average at 10..."


    All the people in the room turned back to the root of all the mor. But the person who should have been standing there... was nowhere to be seen.


    After shocking the people of Ephis church and two of his ssmates with the worst stats they had ever had toy their eyes on, Elric Wald had gone back to sleep.


    Losing all interest, everyone in the room just left his God Stone lying around and left the ce. That was why they never noticed the remaining stats that appeared after a while.


    [Intelligence: 52]


    [Unique Skill: [Awakening] [Adaptability - No matter the situation, you remain calm and collected. Absorb knowledge like a sponge. EXP Multiplier: 101%]]

 Chapter 4 3: Elric Wald Plays

    ?Two weeks had passed since Elric was found to be awake.


    Two weeks and four days had passed since everyone in ss 2-1 died. In the time that had passed, the people of the Ephis Church continued to treat them all with great care. They educated the students on the ways of the world, taught them to use their skills, and helped them develop their stats.


    From magic to swordsmanship, the church in Zarak was well equipped to teach the kids everything and anything that they could need. Unfortunately, though, the otherworldly heroes chosen by the gods were not just any kids. It didn''t take long for them with their superior skills and innate talent to pick up on most practical skills.


    Elric''s hand rested on the sill of the window in his room. His hair swayed lightly in the breeze as he gazed down at one such group taking the practice of these skills to a different scale that he couldn''t have imagined back at home.


    Seven temrs wearing ck leather armor took low stances with wooden swords in their hands. They stood in a formation, circling one single red-haired boy in their center. A bulky man with a scar running down his face watched the sight from the side with some other faces that looked like those of the students from his world.


    "Go!" One of the temrs screamed.


    The encirclement of seven jumped into action. They all raised their swords and charged at the boy in the center.


    A glint of light blinded Elric.


    When he opened his eyes again, all seven of them had fallen over.


    The others standing down there pped, but the culprit of the sight treated it as if it were natural.


    ude, the swordsman who had taken down seven others in a sh, walked back to the bulky man and stood quietly.


    "Hey! Are you nning on skipping training, Micheal!" The bulky man called out to another student who was walking away and dragged him back to the field.


    Elric''s eyes met with the man''s below, but he didn''t receive even a nod. He put up the fluttering strands of hair on his ears and walked away from the window.


    His face remained se as his light weight fell on the feathery mattress with an oomph. Elric closed his eyes, but after sleeping for two weeks straight, he was feeling pretty awake.


    For the two weeks, the child had simply slept his days away. Not a single member of the church came to bother Elric with his abnormally low stats, and not a single of his ssmates had ever talked to him so they never mustered the courage toe and say hey.


    Maybe if he had a roommate like the rest of the students, he would have been disturbed a bit and had still been sleepy, but a few sisters and his ssmates took objection to let him sleep with another guy.


    Turns out, the church was not very open with matters that required maturity, so they found it "preposterous" for him to sleep in the same room as a guy.


    He was a guy too, though.


    As he was lost in thought, two knocks rang on his door. It was a familiar sound that he had heard many times over the two weeks.


    His favorite moment when he wasn''t asleep was the knocking on the door.


    Food hade.


    Elric tried his best to suppress the childish grin on his face as he skipped over to the door and pulled it open. Like always, the lower-ranked sisters of the church had left him food outside the door,pletely against bothering him. As he bent down to pick up the te, the sound of some people chatting from the sides reached his ears.


    "Head-Priest, I hope you understand that the matters regarding the heroes do not concern a single country."


    "Y-yes, certainly, general. Do not worry, the church will ensure a small kingdom like Epheseal can''t intervene in these matters. It is integral to the future that the heroes be nurtured well."


    Elric picked up his food and turned around.


    "The Hero ude¡­ I am looking forward to seeing him¡ªOh? Who is this?"


    At that moment, the eyes of the armored man fell on the beautiful person walking into a room with a te of food. The man with streaks of white hair flowing through his neatly trimmed hair walked closer to the retreating child, his mythrite armor glistened red as his imposing figure closed in.


    Sweat dripped from the head priest''s forehead. Worst timing.


    "Hello, Otherworlder¡ª"


    A m sounded out.


    General Volfram of the Empire, one of the key military and political figures of the world, had a door shut to his face.


    "Did that just¡­"


    "¡­ Yes."


    ***


    Elric''s days continued with rxation and ease. He would sleep most of the day, and eat at other times, when he was up during the daytime, he would peek out the window and watch people train, and if he couldn''t sleep at night, he would sneak out of his room.


    Even though he was stuck inside at all times, curiosity got the better of him now and then, and he would hide behind the marble pirs or sneak into the library. His lifestyle ofzing around at the expense of some random religious folk of another world continued without any hups for two more weeks.


    On a certain spring night, around one month after the death of the students of ss 2-1, Elric was yet again sneaking out of his room in the night.


    The soft breeze came flooding in from the sides as he walked over the stone passageways on the ground floor of the church. The white paint of the walls on the left and the pirs on the right were tinted with a hue of blue under the glow of the full moon. His body barely weighed anything, and having left his boots back in the room, Elric''s footsteps were barely as loud as the rustling of the leaves in the courtyard.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''Ninja¡­ If it''s a different world, I can be a real ninja and no one can object.''


    Elric''s thoughts were interrupted when he heard light footsteps and giggles creaking closer. Some of the sisters working in the night were approaching from the other end of the passage.


    Still in the mood to y ninja, he rolled on the ground and stuck himself against the wall. Elric held his breath and tried his best to "remove his presence," whatever that was, and waited.


    The footsteps grew louder.


    It was tough to hold his breath, so Elric just ignored that part.


    A shadow appeared on the path in front of him. Two sisters d in their ck gowns appeared in the corner of his vision.


    "Sir ude is very dashing, don''t you think?"


    "I hear he can already use Sword Arts and Fire Magic! In just a month!"


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom The two sisters giggled and talked about someone as they passed by. Elric stood on his toes and tried to stick as close to the wall as he could.


    "The goddess truly favors him! Even General Volfram finds Sir ude to be the most talented reincarnator to have evere here."


    "Do you think he would be wed off to the Empire?"


    "Isn''t it settled? It might only not be an option if he insults the gods or something, hahaha!"


    "Hahaha!"


    "What about Sir Devon and Eugene¡­"


    Elric let out a sigh of relief as the two passed him by without noticing him. This had never worked back home! Was the ce just wide, or had he truly be a ninja?


    Then, Elric''s eyes fell in front of him.


    Out in the courtyard of the church, it stood there. On all fours. Its tongue lolling out and its ears drooping down. The eyes of the dog peered straight into Elric''s own.


    ''Wha! This is no time to rx!!''


    Elric froze in ce as he thought of his next actions. It should be safe as long as he keeps hiding. The dog will stay quiet, and the ones that just passed by won''t notice him.


    Elric continued staring at the dog as he shook his head from side to side, staying as quiet as he could.


    Unfortunately, the derpy creature in front of him only grew more excited with each shake of his head.


    The dog opened its mouth.


    ''No, no, no, no! Stupid mutt!''


    Its eyes, like ck buttons, flickered as its breathing grew fast.


    And then.


    "WOOF!! WOOF!"


    The two sisters turned around immediately at the sounds. Behind them, a furry dog with a cartoonish face was gnawing at the footboard of the passageway as it jumped and barked.


    "Oh dear," one sister said as she saw the ce the dog barked at. She walked up to the dog and shooed it away. "Go! Don''t bark at the statue room!"


    "Woo¡­f"


    The two sisters sighed at the dog and went back on their way under the moonlit night.


    ***


    For the first time in one month, the door in Elric Wald''s room had visitors that stood in ce after knocking on it.


    The priests and temrs standing outside expected they would have to cave the door in after hearing of Elric from the head priest, but to their surprise, the door opened up on its own.


    Standing there with lustrous auburn hair and piercing silver eyes was an androgynous beauty. Elric''s casual motion of covering his mouth while yawning and pushing his hair behind his ears made the ones outside stop and gulp in admiration. It was only after he titled his head to the side did the priest in front collect himself enough to speak.


    "Reincarnator Elric Wald¡­ We would like you toe with us to the church''s courtyard,"


    "W-why is that¡­?" Elric asked back, avoiding the priest''s gaze.


    "Someone¡­ has smashed the statue of the Goddess."

 Chapter 5 4: Crime And Punishment (1)

    ?The gentle spring breeze of the temple''s courtyard was cold today. The yellow petals of the coreopsis'' had darkened, and the pink of the azaleas seemed to have taken on a shade of light red. The singing birds and theughing squirrels were nowhere to be seen today.


    Had the Goddess of Beauty, Ephis, seen the state of her church in Zarak, she would have winced in pain. Unfortunately, the members of the church did not share that thought. For today, a disrespect that none of them could let go of had urred in the temple.


    "Dear Reincarnators and Members of the Church¡­" The Head Priest''s voice resounded in the courtyard. His white robes gently swayed as he held his hands behind his back and walked in an ellipse. The Head Priest''s gaze remained to the ground as only the top of his forehead peeked out to the rows of clergy, temrs, and students standing around in a semicircle.


    Anyone could tell from the dozens of wrinkles on his forehead that the priest was splendidly pissed off. Had it not been for the sour moods of everyone else, they would have been shaking in their boots, but today, only their clenched fists and teeth shook in their shared rage.


    "Last night," the priest continued. "A shameful, unforgivable incident urred on the grounds of our very church. Yesterday, the statue of our Goddess Ephis. The Structure concocted with the God Stone and blessed with the great holy-power of the gods, the priceless relic that connected us with the goddess and was kept hidden away, was brutally smashed!"


    Gasps and screams rang out from all over the courtyard.


    "Which bastard!"


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Oh, Goddess! Forgive us! Forgive us for this sin!"


    "The eyes of the gods were taken away! Only evil could do this!!"


    The temrs got on their knees and apologized to the heavens for their mistake while the priests and sisters openly shed their fangs. Even General Volfram and his knights hadrge frowns on their faces as they heard the words of the head priest. The students of ss 2-1, with ude and Erika in front, shook their heads with nervous looks on their faces. They held their tongue and some covered their mouths in shock.


    "As if that wasn''t enough," the head priest continued, and the crowd came to an immediate silence. "The criminal tried to frame others!"


    Another round of loud gasps spread in the courtyard.


    The head priest stepped back, and General Volfram, the General of the Imperial Knights from the Empire took the front of the crowd.


    "It is true. The person who broke the statue snapped it into two pieces from the center. The two halves of the statue were discovered this morning¡­ One in my carriage, and the other in the Head Priest''s room¡­"


    "What!?"


    "Which fool!"


    Out of everyone the culprit could have tried to frame, the ones least likely to have done anything had the me pinned on them. The Head Priest who was the one in the lead of the ce, and though not a follower of Goddess Ephis, the General of the Empire, suspecting whom would lead to great repercussions.


    It was a bad move by all means.


    Even the students, who were not very familiar with the working of things were shocked at the stupidity the culprit disyed. It was so stupid, even, that they wondered if there was any ulterior motive behind it.


    "One chance."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The head priest''s voice rang like toiling bells.


    "We will give the culprit one chance toe forward now, and we would be willing to listen to your reasoning. Just one chance."


    Silence hung over the courtyard. Everyone swayed their gaze around, waiting for someone toe up to the front.


    ude and Erika looked back at their friends, then at the priests and the temrs and the knights. Maybe they were too shocked, so none of them noticed Elric with his gaze averted as sweat dripped from his forehead like a waterfall.


    "You won''t?" The head priest''s fists tightened. He sighed and walked closer to the group of students. With his eyebrows deeply furrowed, the head priest stepped up to the group of students with General Volfram following in tow. "Even though we found your hair on the statues, the dust of the statue in your room, and on your clothes?!"


    The sweat dripping from Elric''s face grew more and more as he even started whistling.


    "The culprit of the incident¡­" the priest''s hand flowed out of the robe. "Is you! ude Almstedt!"


    "W-Whaaaaoaoat!?!" Elric screamed as he stepped back while waving his around. He stopped after pulling the bottom of his shirt with one hand and the chest with another while his thighs were spread in a low stance.


    The people had their attention detracted from ude by Elric''s extraneous actions. They processed it for a second.


    "WHAAAT!?"


    Then all of them screamed and stepped back.


    ude Almstedt.


    The de-facto leader of the reincarnators.


    The red-haired boy looked around with a shocked gaze. Everywhere his eyes went, the people standing around stepped back.


    "No way¡­ ude¡­" Erika muttered.


    "W-what¡­ I-I didn''t! I didn''t do anything!"


    At that time, the head priest stepped in front of ude. His previously enraged expression turned into a pained frown. "Why, Sir ude? We ced our hopes in you! The Oracle is on her way to meet you! How can you?! Please, tell me it was a mistake¡ª"


    "No, Head Priest," Volfram interrupted and pushed the priest away. "Your education wasn''tcking, especially not for him! There''s only one exnation for taking away the god''s eyes! He is trying to be a Devil worshipper!!"

 Chapter 6 5: Crime And Punishment (2)

    ?"No, Head Priest," Volfram interrupted and pushed the priest away. "Your education wasn''tcking, especially not for him! There''s only one exnation for taking away the god''s eyes! He is trying to be a Devil worshipper!!"


    Another set of gasps and screams rang out at Volfram''s words. The colossal general grabbed ude by his cor and lifted him.


    "You bastard! For all the trust! Our gods give you a second life and you do this!?"


    "I-I truly didn''t¡ªAhk!"


    ude mmed against the ground as Volfram''s fistnded on his jaws. He slid back from the impact and rolled on the ground before falling limp. Blood trickled down from his ruptured lip and streaked over his immediately swollen cheeks.


    ude coughed and tried to push himself up. He took the support of the ground, but his hands were kicked away, and fell back down.


    "Devon!" Erika screamed.


    The Bruno child with tanned skin, Devon, shook his head from side to side. "How much more are you going shame us? In front of our benefactors, ude?"


    ude looked at his ssmate with eyes dyed the color of disbelief.


    "Just stay down."


    Strength seemed to leave ude with his every breath as he sunk back down, unable to believe what was happening.


    At that moment, the Head Priest spoke out again.


    "ude Almstedt, and his pawn!" the Head-Priest then swung his hand again as his fingernded on the one person looking away from the entire scene. "YOU! Elric¡ªNo, Mr. Elric Wald!"


    The order of respect was wed.


    Elric''s head creaked as he turned to face the Head Priest. "I-I D-O-N-T K-N-O-W W-H¡ª"


    "You liar! ying ignorant?! Even after two of the sisters saw you standing suspiciously outside the statue room!?"


    Elric''s jaw dropped to the ground. His ninja! It had failed! He couldn''t hide his presence!


    The students again stepped back and looked at Elric. Some in confusion and others in disbelief¡­ and confusion. Devon grabbed Elric''s hands and pinned him to the ground, next to ude.


    Elric sighed and decided to ept his fate.


    He knew about the broken statue.


    He saw it all transpire. It was all the fault of one derpy dog that Elric had to sneak away and ended up breaking the statue. He was kind, though, he didn''t want the dog to suffer, so he took it upon himself to hide the statue, one part in the room right next to the statue room, and another in a carriage he thought would be going out of the temple.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric didn''t know how ude''s hair got on it, though. He had dropped the statue once more in the training grounds, and had taken the remaining small bits of dust and spread them in a random room among where his ssmates were given board. The locked rooms had been used in other ces, so it was easy sneaking around.


    He may be condemned here. But the dog that barked and ultimately caused the breaking of the statue, at least the dog was safe. Elric could rest in peace knowing that.


    The head priest clicked his tongue and looked at the two with enraged eyes. "Heretics," he muttered, his voice cracking. "What you''ve done is heresy. Destroying the god stone statue¡­"


    He stopped to take in a deep breath, and then another.


    "But you reincarnators were brought here by the gods. A punishment of lifelong torture¡­ we can''t give you that. So disappear. Disappear from our sights and never show yourselves again."


    Everyone in the courtyard nodded at the priest''s words, some temrs spat at the two, and others cursed,ining about the punishment. The other students of ss 2-1 could only gulp and watch.


    ude was about to speak out, but a foot mmed on the back of his head and pushed his face to the ground. "Just ept your punishment, traitor," Devon said. "Don''t make things any more difficult for us."


    "Head Priest," General Volfram stepped forward and said. His voice carried a tone of respect and understanding toward the priest that was nowhere to be seen two weeks back, or even two days back. "Let us, the knights from the Empire take care of these rats,"


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "General, they are still children of the gods. How can we kill them?"


    "Don''t worry," the General shook his head. "I''ll make sure they repent."


    ***


    The clip-clops of horseshoes merged with the rattle of the wooden wheels as the hinges of a ck carriage squeaked over the scruffy forest path. The bulging roots and the haphazard rocks came under the wheels over and over as the horse-drawn carriage passed through a sea of trees.


    ck reins tied to the bit whipped the horses to a sudden stop and their neighing filled the silent forest.


    With a thud, the gate of the carriage snapped open.


    "Huut!"


    Two more thuds rang out and a small cloud of dust rose in the air. Two children tied up with rope were thrown out of the carriage and sent flying face-first on the forest grounds.


    An auburn-headed androgynous beauty, and a handsome red-haired child, both wriggled around in a futile attempt to break free from their ties.


    "We will kill you if you show us your faces again, though, you''ll never get out of the Mystic forest, fucking heretics." With those words, the doors of the carriage shut again. "Let''s go! Hiya!"


    "W-wait! Wait! You can''t leave us in a forest like this! Wait!" The red-haired boy screamed at the fading carriage. "At least free us! What if something attacks!!"


    "Yeah!" the other child chimed in. "At least give us a bed!!"

 Chapter 7 6: The Mystic Forest

    ?"Elric!" ude called out to his tied-uppanion as he slowly crawled toward him.


    Elric was struggling to free himself at first, but got slightlyfortable on the deep green grass as time passed by and decided to close his eyes a bit. Before he could drift away, though, ude''s head mmed into his feet.


    "Elric, I''ll try to untie you, alright?" ude said. His hands were tied up behind his back, so he had to bite the rope open. "Untie me, and then we can go back on the path¡­ Mystic forest, I don''t like the name."


    "Yeah, yeah, do that."


    ude squirmed a bit and then bit on the rope tying Elric''s hands. He struggled a bit, but thanks to Elric''s bony hands, it became easier to pull on the knot. As the red-haired boy did his best, Elric took the chance to look around the ce.


    des of green had grown tall all over the forest with stony, fine pecan soil. The roots of the many trees stretched deep within the ground and pushed it up in bumpy bits. Opposite the growing thicket of old trees, a thin, worn-out path of sand stretched all the way out of the forest. The path that they had juste in from and the carriage had left from had a rebellion of grass trying to take back its ce from the tyranny of sand, a sign that the path had barely been used in recent years. For the ominous name that ude had just taken, the forest seemed strangely normal.


    "Ummf!"


    The rope around Elric''s hand loosened slightly.


    It was then, that his eyes fell on the encroaching shroud of mist from the north.


    "H-hey¡­There''s a thick misting close¡­" Elric said.


    ude stopped pulling on the knot and turned his gaze up.


    There, breaching through the bulwark of trees came flooding in the thick, dense mist. Everything that it grazed over was eaten away from sights, a mist so dense that ude wondered if he would be able to see his own hands inside it.


    "T-that''s¡­ mist? Fog¡­?"


    "The lord of shadows!" Elric eximed. "It''s the mystic forest because this is the ce they offer sacrifices to the lord of shadows! Ahhh! We''re done! It''s over!"


    "L-lord of shadows!? W-what the fuck is that!?" Panic colored ude''s face as the mist came closer and closer, it was just nigh of reaching them. "They never said anything like that in the sses!"


    "Aww¡­ There''s no lord of shadows in this world?"


    "You¡ªAHH!!"


    The two were swallowed up by the mist.


    ***


    The flood of white slowly dispersed as the sight of the forest returned.


    Elric raised his eyes to see the same tall and thick trees with their brown stumps standing proudly in a formation as if the mist had never broken through them. Left and right, the number of trees seemed to grow in all directions the deeper his gaze went. He looked down.


    It was gone.


    The path that they had been brought over on, was gone.


    No signs of sands, no mauled des of grass, no marks of the horse''s footsteps, it wall gone.


    "Ow-ow-ouch¡­"


    A soft groan sounded from behind Elric.


    "Did you have to pinch my ears like that?" ude asked.


    "The anti-shadow lord energy sealed in my left hand saved you."


    "You know what? I am not even going to argue."


    When ude didn''t y along with his games, Elric clicked his tongue and exined things normally. "I just thought we''d separate, then it''d be tied up you against the forest. And see, I was right. The path that we came from is gone. Or should I say, we were moved away? No idea"


    ude''s eyes widened at Elric''s words. He engaged his core and sat up with his hands behind his back to take a look around the forest. It was just as Elric had said.


    "Mystic forest¡­" ude muttered.


    The Mystic Forest had swallowed them up.


    Many questions streamed through ude''s mind, but he shook them all away. Most important right, it was to break free and find a way out. Sighing, ude squirmed back to Elric and went to loosen the rope again, when he stopped in his tracks.


    "Hey, Elric¡­"


    "Yup?"


    "Your hands are not tied up anymore."


    "I know," Elric said with a nod while still lying on the ground, his hands in the same position behind his back. "It stopped touching me when you loosened it a bit, I guess the Shadow Lord took it."


    ude could feel veins pop up on his forehead. Things were already too confusing for the poor child, and this bastard was not helping at all. Taking in a deep breath, ude asked, "Why aren''t you getting up and untying me, Elric¡­"


    "Eh¡­ My muscles are sore¡­ Just wait a bit, ok?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    After a few minutes passed, Elric finally sighed and moved his hands back to the front. His sedentary lifestyle of eating, sleeping, and looking pretty wasn''t very kind to his muscles, or his personality. After struggling a lot to stand up, he walked behind ude and started untying the ropes on his hands.


    Finally untied, ude stretched his hands and back. He looked around the ce, touching the trees and the grass. He and Elric looked around in a circle through the woods and peeked around.


    "As expected¡­"


    "The Shadow Lord''sbyrinth traps us,"


    Fear was trickling up ude''s back, but he did his best to ignore it. Strong or not, just one month ago, he was merely a school student having fun with his friends.


    He was so kind all the time. So helpful. He did his best to not make the people of the church antagonistic, and he was also always there for his friends.


    And then?


    This is what he got.


    ude clenched his teeth and turned to Elric.


    "Hey," he said, his voice tinged with a poison he didn''t know he had.


    Perhaps sensing the darkness in ude''s mood, Elric stayed shut and stared back at ude.


    "Did you do it? Did you break that statue?"


    Elric almost stuck his tongue out with an oops but held it in on time. He could feel sweate flooding out again from his forehead.


    But, Elric was different.


    The Elric that he was this morning, wasn''t the same as now.


    This Elric had already settled on the narrative that it waspletely the dog''s fault. He was so hell-bent on ming that dog that if he was put on a lie detector and asked if he broke the statue, the ''false'' answer would be saying yes.


    And so, Elric shook his head.


    "I didn''t break it."


    Did he dispose of it? Yes. But that wasn''t ude''s question.


    ude''s eyes narrowed. "Then what were you doing outside the statue room, huh?"


    "D-dog¡­"


    "What?" ude asked.


    "Dog."


    "You¡­" ude leaned closer to Elric. "You were there because of a dog?"


    Elric averted his gaze away from ude. The gentle red-haired boy seemed truly pissed with his sharp brows furrowed together and his soft eyes and softer smile scrunched into a big frown. Elric gulped and nodded softly.


    The two stood in ce like that for a few seconds.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Then, a loud pping sound reverberated through the air.


    Elric nervously looked in the front again to see the boy with red hand-shaped marks stuck over his cheeks.


    After pping himself, ude let out a deep sigh. As his swollen chest let out the air, his brows loosed and his eyes softened.


    "Elric¡­ I believe you."


    The boy that no one trusted.


    That boy decided to trust today.


    His bright smile with his cheeks reddened from the p looked like a blooming flower to Elric.


    "So, what now?" Elric asked. He wasn''t sure if ude had more eye-opening events in line or if he could just go to sleep.


    "Quite the forest, right?" ude ignored the question and looked around.


    The far-reaching branches of the tree and the leaves standing on their toes covered enough of the sky to form a canopy above. They could see things well for now, but the night wouldn''t be as kind.


    And the beings that dwell in such ces.


    Monsters coulde up at any time.


    "Elric," ude said. "Let''s find a way out, two of us."

 Chapter 8 7: Forestscape?

    ?The reddybugs feeding off of dew in the Mystic Forest were forced away after a long time as the des of grass bent underneath the light feet of two people coursing through the forest.


    A rhythmic tapping rang out alongside the sounds of footsteps.


    ude boldly stepped through the forest, looking for anything they could eat or any ce they could rest at. Behind him, Elric followed in tow, with each of his steps he rested his body on the cool long branch he had picked up.


    "How long has it been?" Elric heaved. "A day? Two? I don''t even remember anymore. In this merciless forest where each step only leads to the next until you can''t walk anymore¡­ My memory is fading from walking all this time."


    Elric paused and looked down. A drop of water trickled down his forehead andnded on a de of grass. "How long has it been, since I''vest touched water? A week? Two?"


    "Fifteen fucking minutes. Fifteen," ude snapped back. "We''ve been walking for fifteen minutes!"


    It had been fifteen minutes since Elric and ude set off in search of an exit from the Mystic Forest.


    Hearing the horrid record his stamina set, even Elric couldn''t make the joke about the Shadow Lord sapping his powers.


    ude turned back to see Elric following quietly behind. His Auburn hair stuck to his forehead as Elric took in deep breaths.


    "Haah¡­ Just follow along for five more minutes, ok?" ude said. "We have to make some progress before night. We''ll take a break in five."


    "Yup," Elric nodded and pushed his stick ahead again.


    The two of them continued walking in silence when Elric opened his mouth again. Maybe it was the exhaustion, or perhaps just his curiosity, he said the one thing he thought should be avoided in the situation.


    "You''re handling it pretty well."


    ude''s feet came to a slow halt.


    "Handling what well?"


    "You know, being kicked out and stuff."


    ude scoffed and started walking again. "What do I care about their gods and their customs? I''ve only been here for a month."


    "Ooh!" Elric said. "It''s a shame though, they were nning to marry you off to some princess. You could''ve lived a life of sleeping all the time."


    ude turned his head and narrowed his eyes at Elric. "They were?"


    "I heard so," Elric shrugged.


    "Those people¡­ They kept saying their gods don''t expect anything from us and then went on and on about some great evil. We even had meetings with the entire ss about these things, and yet¡­ I don''t care about being kicked out, but the betrayal sucks."


    Elric was slightly surprised when he heard about the meetings. The few times he had stepped outside were more than enough for him to notice how the church and that general had no ns of leaving the reincarnators alone, but he didn''t think his ssmates would notice they were being manipted, though it was in the most basic way. They were smart enough to notice that.


    "If I were in that one guy''s shoes, I would''ve done the same," Elric said.


    "Whose shoes?"


    "That guy."


    "No¡­ Who?"


    "Ahh! That one that pinned me!"


    "Devon?" ude asked, then, narrowed his eyes at Elric again. "Done the same?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric''s sides started hurting so he stopped and leaned on the stick for a second. He took in a deep breath and clenched his thumb in his fists. "Maybe, it''s not betrayal," he said in between his breaths. "You''re the one expelled, but those guys have to stay. They couldn''t have defended you, someone who broke their god''s statue, and expect to be treated well." He pushed himself off the stick and started walking again. "I would''ve even beaten you up."


    ude and Elric continued walking in silence.


    The statue and its fragments in the Head Priest and the General''s rooms were probably seen less as framings and more as taunts. There were no arguments that his ssmates could have brought up. For a second, ude wondered if Elric''s thoughts were what truly happened. But¡­


    "It''s too hopeful¡­"


    His whispers were only heard by the forest.


    Time passed, and Elric and ude continued their journey through the forest. They walked for twenty minutes and rested for five. Unfortunately, five minutes were not enough for Elric whose stamina would be outdone by a forty-year-old office worker with back pain.


    The two of them were sitting down in a small clearing after another walk. Elric had spotted some fruits midway and they had feasted on them which seemed to have eased their faces slightly. Knowing food was around set their hearts in peace and they even pocketed a few. Elric tried to stretch his hand out like rubber after eating the fruit which made ude worried about his mental health, slightly.


    Though they had found food, water was still an issue. ude had been trained meticulously since the day he stepped into this world so he was still fine, but Elric''splexion seemed rather pale as his forehead dripped with sweat even when they were sitting around.


    The humidity was a concern for ude too.


    Many thoughts were running through his mind as the two of them rested in the clearing.


    "Hey," Elric, who had been keeping his mouth shut to avoid getting thirstier suddenly called out to ude.


    ude looked at Elric and pumped his eyebrows.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Do you think¡­ The name wasn''t ''Mystic'' forest, but ''Mist-ic'' forest?"


    "What?" ude tilted his head in confusion, his entire trail of thoughts was broken at once. "Why?"


    "Cuz, you know?" Elric pointed behind ude. "The mist is here again."


    ude''s head snapped to the back. The same thick white mist was just shy of the seams of his clothes as it impinged over to his skin.


    "Fuck!"


    Screaming, ude dived ahead toward Elric. He grabbed the boy''s feet with one hand and the stick he had been walking with another.


    In the blink of an eye, they were swallowed by the mist.


    Elric woke up with a damp, distended feeling on his tongue. The minty, almost herbal taste spread through his mouth, but the texture made it unbearable. He pushed his head up and broke through the ceiling of the bush trapping him. A branch rested on the top of his head as he spat out the many leaves he had bitten in.


    A low growl sounded from his side.


    Elric slowly turned his face to the left¡ª


    ¡ªHe froze.


    Not a sound emerged from his lips, not a shake on his hand. The branch that was on top of his head stayed there, bnced like a machine.


    Slowly, softly, Elric reached out with his other hand and patted around, not moving his head or eyes. He finally found the head of the person he was looking for and tapped on it.


    "Argh, what do you¡ª"


    Elric gulped. "It''s¡­ a Goblin¡­"

 Chapter 9 8: Elric And Claude Vs Goblin

    ?Pointed ears gazing skyward. A pulpy, crooked nose ring down. The green being''s brows were covered thick with hair and a jagged road of yellow and rot formed its teeth. Four bony limbs and a round face protruded out of its stout stomach as if they were pinned on it. Its scant fingers clenched a barbed club of stone, holding it next to the brown leather loincloth wrapped around its waist.


    A coarseugh rang out as its eyes widened. Theugh that would make milk sour and unripe fruits fall from trees sent Elric and ude''s blood curdling through their flesh, leaving behind goosebumps all over their skin.


    A goblin.


    That they had only seen in movies and shows, that they had read of in books and heard of in tales of old, that goblin stood in front of them.


    The scant sunlight bouncing off its green, the grotesque blend of maggots and saliva dripping down its mouth, the small shakes of its hands, and the trembling of its irises.


    Everything just drove the fact further in.


    The goblin screamed and raised its club high up.


    Not a thought entered his mind as ude grabbed the stick. In one fell swoop, he gripped the stick with both hands and pivoted on his knees. The thin log of wood formed a wide arc in the air¡ª


    "KWA!"


    ¡ªAnd crashed into the jaws of the goblin.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Elric! RUN!!" ude''s scream was a beat toote.


    ude saw Elric dive to the ground just as the goblin raised its weapon. He scrambled against the dirt and the grass as he crawled away from the bush and the goblin. At ude''s scream, Elric turned back and saw him on his knees and the goblin swinging to the ground after the strike.


    ude''s breath hastened at once as the plop of the Goblin hitting the ground sounded out in the forest. He ced a hand on his chest and used the stick to stand up.


    A raspy growl spread from the goblin.


    ude once again froze in ce, and so did Elric.


    A bone-chillingugh emerged as the goblin pushed the ground and stumbled to its feet.


    ude gulped and held the stick in front of him. His heart raced again as he saw the infernal creature pick up the stone club.


    A breeze passed them by.


    The goblin charged at once. The grotesque face of the monster was contorted with rage as it dragged its club from the side and swung it forward.


    ude jumped back and created arge gap between the two. He held the stick like a sword, in front of his eyes while staring at the goblin. The goblin charged in again, but it was too slow. ude''s weapon swerved and mmed on the corbone of the monster.


    "KWA!"


    The goblin reeled back in pain at the impact as ude pulled his stick and stepped back again.


    He heaved over and over, not letting the goblin out of his sight.


    It was different.


    It was different from when he fought the temrs of the church, from when he trained with practice swords and weapons.


    The goblin charged in again. It swung the club from below and the boy immediately parried. He pushed the club back and stepped closer to the goblin, the stick tore through the air and thrust into the monster''s stomach.


    ude could feel the flesh of the monster bending under the impact, as if it were a part of his body, he could feel the stick ram into the bones and the muscles quake under the pressure.


    It was unsettling.


    He was fighting something.


    He was attacking with the intention to kill. His every swing held his strength.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ude stopped going on the assault. With each swing, he would parry the goblin''s strike and step back as he went deeper and deeper into his thoughts.


    The idea of fighting. He had to strike the enemy down again and again. He had to batter it with attacks until its skull was crushed.


    ude, a child, a student, for him to kill anything was unimaginable. The thought pressed down on his heart and sped the way to his chest, his breathing got shallower the more he fell into thought.


    And then, he made a mistake.


    A small stone came under ude''s feet, and he slipped.


    ude''s eyes widened as his center of gravity shifted to the back. The ground was swept away from underneath him. His vision jerked upward.


    A spiky mass of ck approached from the top. A club,ing straight for his head.


    Time seemed to have slowed down. At once, ude''s mind cleared away.


    He was a fool. A mere fool.


    He had trained with the knights, he knew his way with a sword, and so he took it lightly.


    A goblin, he thought he could win, so he hesitated.


    It was never about fighting. It was never about attacking the goblin and battering it.


    It was about killing¡­


    ¡­ or being killed.


    The club had been swung down, he couldn''t dodge anymore. A sharp pang spread through ude''s heart when he thought of Elric.


    "<CREATE WATER>!"


    A pailful of water came flooding in from above ude. The mass of water sshed onto the goblin''s face and knocked it back, the same water bounced off andnded on ude''s face.


    This was it.


    His chance.


    ude dropped the stick, twisted his body and broke his fall with his hands. He swept his legs back and hit the back of the goblin''s knee. The goblinpletely tripped over from the sudden attack.


    In an instant, ude shot off the ground. He stomped his foot down on the goblin''s wrist, making its hand snap open. Before the abhorrent green monster could realize it, ude had snatched its club.


    There was no hesitation in his movements.


    There was no dy in his actions.


    "AAH!" ude screamed and swung the club down. The spikes of the jagged stone club punctured through the goblin''s head as blue-ck blood gushed out of its wound.


    Then, the club was raised again.


    And again.


    And again.


    Drops of blood tainted ude''s face and his clothes. The red-haired boy panted as he dropped the bloodied club down on the ground, right on the mush of flesh and blood at his feet.


    "Kill¡­ or be killed¡­"

 Chapter 10 9: End Of The First Day

    ?A banal screech jerked ude out of his trance.


    Behind him, Elric was leaning against the ground. Vomit poured out of his mouth as his entire hands quaked. Swear covered every inch of the boy''s body with tears of stinging pain filling his eyes.


    "Elric!" ude rushed over to his friend''s side. "Dude, what happened¡ª"


    ude stopped midway as the answer dawned upon him.


    The water magic spell.


    A memory from the early days in the church of Ephis shed into his mind.


    "Mana depletion¡­"


    Mana made up the essence of one''s life in this world. To some degree, everyone could absorb and store mana in their bodies and when that mana was emptied, their bodies would be put under immense stress. This adverse effect was even worse for magicians.


    He had heard from Erika that an intermediate mage would start facing mana depletion when they only had the equivalent of ten mana points left.


    Elric had¡­ only three. He was already traipsing on the line that led to mana depletion.


    ude patted Elric''s back as the boy struggled to even puke out. "You saved us, Elric¡­ thank you¡ª"


    A snap rang out.


    The crunching of leaves, and the breaking of twigs.


    ude''s eyes flitted around as he searched for the source of the sound. The dead goblin remained in the corner of his vision. Maybe it was because of the exhaustion or the shock, but ude couldn''t focus on the now, so, his mind drifted back to another lesson.


    The time when he was learning from the chief of the temrs in the church. The words he heard back then.


    "Goblins never hunt alone¡­"


    As if his mutterings were a cue, the bushes on their left and right shook wildly and two more goblins emerged from both sides. The grotesque monsters cackled when their eyesnded on the tired ude and the unmoving Elric. Their eyes remained a second too long on Elric for ude to befortable with.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Two more.


    Could he take them on?


    Just one had him heaving.


    ude steadied his mind and took in deep breaths. Running away with Elric in that state was impossible. With the red of the setting sun gleaming in his eyes, ude prepared himself for battle once again.


    "AAAH!"


    A scream rang out from beside him. Elric had got off the ground screaming his lungs out. Both ude and the goblins froze as the man who seemed on the edge of death quite literally jumped to his feet. Before they could even blink, a trail of dust was left in the air and Elric had dashed off.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "The shadow lord can never catch me!!"


    ude blinked.


    He rubbed his eyes, and so did the two goblins behind.


    Then, the three remaining gazed at each other.


    ude took in a deep breath and dived ahead. He grabbed the bloodied club, pivoted on his feet, and dashed off too. "Wait for me!!" He shouted from the back.


    Only the two goblins were standing on the spot, confused. The realization that their prey had escaped dawned on them a secondter¡­


    ""KRAAA!""


    ¡­ and they set off too.


    ***


    ude chased behind Elric as the two of them dashed through the forest. They curved around the trees and hopped over the leaves. The bushes and the grasses were trampled beneath their unceasing charge as they mindlessly rushed through the forest. Everywhere their feetnded, insects would buzz away, and from the trees they passed, the screams of birds would echo out.


    At first, ude could hear the Goblins chasing the two of them, but it didn''t take long for that sound topletely disappear into the forest.


    Yet, Elric didn''t stop.


    ude''s sides hurt from the running and his pace slowed down, but Elric still ran at full speed, almost in a trance. There was no shaking in Elric''s breathing and no sluggishness in his feet. Thankfully, Elric''s full speed was still a bit slower than ude''s tired quarter speed, so he wasn''t paced out.


    The red glow in the sky disappeared, the sound of the bugs fluttered and the chirpings of the birds scuttled away.


    "Haah¡­ haah¡­ stop¡­ already," ude''s hands swung to the sides, and he fell.


    Elric took another step with full force, and as his next onended, he slipped on the ground and fell face first.


    A thud rang out as Elric nted into the ground, and fainted immediately.


    Atst, the grueling five minutes that felt like five hours to ude came to end with the setting of the sun.


    ude''s muscles screamed into his ears as his throat burnt off from exhaustion, yet, he summoned all the remaining strength in his hands. The mist, the mist coulde up at any moment. He tapped on the ground and stretched further.


    "Fuck."


    He grabbed Elric''s feet and fainted.

 Chapter 11 10: Change (1)

    ?The sun hade overhead when Elric woke up. His silver eyes glistened and his pale skin glowed under the scant afternoon dye as he turned over on his back and slowly pushed himself up.


    Not too far away, ude was working out below a tree. There wasn''t a single blemish in his push-up form as he dipped down and came back up in a smooth motion.


    "You look like garlic."


    "What even?" ude asked back, not stopping his push-ups.


    "That''s exactly what garlic would say."


    Elric stretched his arms above his head while yawning. At the same time, ude finished his set and stood up. He didn''t exactly know what he was doing. He did go to the gym now and then back in his original world, but the experience of modern weight training waspletely different from the regimen he followed here. For now, he had just been following the workouts General Volfram had cooked up specifically for him.


    ude walked over to the other side of the tree and picked up a fruit. The pome had russeting yellow skin and looked rather scrumptious even from afar.


    "So, I didn''t know you could use magic." ude tossed the otherworld original fruit over to Elric who grabbed it with a smile.


    "I didn''t know either," Elric answered. He scratched the skin of the fruit, the waxyyer seemingly a topic of great interest for him.


    ude crossed his legs and sat in front of Elric. He dropped the other four of the same yellow fruits from his hand and picked one up.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "What do you mean?" ude asked.


    Elric''s nails tore into the skin and the yellower juice of the yellow fruit dripped out. "I just read the basics in a book once," Elric said as he decided to tear the whole thing open and dig in. "Did whatever I remembered. Couldn''t have done it without you, though."


    The sarcasm in Elric''s words flew over ude as his eyes widened.


    "Wait, you mean that was the first time you even tried?"


    "Hmm? Yup."


    An air of silence covered them.


    "Hah¡­" udeughed.


    "Hahaha¡­"


    "Hahahahaha!! Nice one, Elric! Good joke!"


    "¡­"


    The smirk was wiped off ude''s face in an instant. He leaned closer to Elric and narrowed his eyes.


    "Erika''s ss was an archmage, and even she took a whole day to get a feel of mana enough to use a primary spell."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric bit into the fruit and shrugged. "Sounds like a skill issue to me."


    With no retort left, ude pursed his lips and looked away.


    It didn''t make much sense to him. Using magic required a strange amount of understanding and calctions being run simultaneously, the requirement was to the point that many magician families in this world had their brains adapting to performing arge number of calctions in their minds.


    He remembered how badly Erika struggled each day trying to implement basic physics into things, and even after that, she couldn''t pull something off without getting a feel of things. She had to be able to actually use her mana and the mana in the world to apply the calctions and use a spell.


    There were chants and keywords that people of this world used to visualize and calcte things, and most importantly, help with that sixth-sense-ish concept of feel for magic that came with mana-control. ude remembered Elric''s stats again, 5 was such a small number that even using magic scrolls required a higher mana control. On top of that¡­ the intelligence required. The priest that taught Erika could multiply two-digit numbers in a breeze.


    Suddenly, ude snapped out of his thoughts and turned to Elric.


    "Hey," he said. "What''s 367 multiplied by 244?"


    "89548, why?"


    Immediate.


    "It must have been a one-time thing¡­" ude pressed his nose bridge, trying to exin the sudden answer when something seeped into his skin.


    The cold sensation ran through his back and set his spine up straight. Right above his nose, a mass of water about the size of a small cup kneaded into a circle and moved back and forth from his face.


    ude''s jaw dropped down.


    "T-this¡­"


    Beyond the ball of water, Elric had a small wrinkle running below his eyes and his lips were pursed into a slightly pained smile. The beautiful face of the boy seemed to have had its beauty enhanced by sweating a bit.


    With a wave of his hands, the floating ball of water rushed backward, and then with another, again to him.


    ude blinked, he rubbed his eyes, but that thing was still there.


    The mass of water suddenly elongated from the center. It was about to separate into two halves when it suddenly lost strength and plopped to the ground.


    "Hmm, still tiring," said Elric. ude was frozen with shock at the sudden magic Elric had pulled off casually.


    One-time thing. Definitely not. He had just managed to break the simple spell to the point where he won''t be out of mana.


    "So, you." Elric wiped his face and dusted his hands. "Shall we set off again? The lord of shadows probably has a sacred fountain in here."

 Chapter 12 11: Change (2)

    ?Elric and ude were once again walking through the forest. The birds that were running away from the foreign sounds just yesterday now epted the grimy visitors as their own.


    In the lead, ude pushed away the trees and bushes in the path with the club he had taken from the goblin while Elric followed right behind.


    Having slept for fifteen hours straight, Elric was barely sleepy at all. The two of them passed over the roots and under the vines as they wandered around the forest in no particr direction.


    The two of them were walking around a small thicket of elm-like trees when ude noticed something odd.


    "Hey, are you not tired?" ude asked, pushing away a thin branch.


    "No?" Elric ducked under the same branch and strutted ahead.


    "Really? It''s already been 20 minutes though."


    Had it?


    Elric looked to his side as he thought things over. It had been twenty minutes already? But he truly wasn''t tired at all.


    He wondered what might be the case, but definitely wasn''t going to let ude do the same.


    "Hmph." Elric scoffed and ran his hand over his bangs. "I unleashed the powers sealed in my right hand. You. Don''t think I am the same person as yesterday¡ª"


    Elric ended up out of breath at around the forty-minute mark. He hoped no one would bring up his sealed powers, not knowing ude was rather proud of the performance that was twice as good as yesterday.


    They had crossed the rows of Elms and were now leaning against a pine tree. Long pines and firs stretched out into the sky, blocking arge part of the blue sight above. They could see the gigantic clouds fluttering around through the gaps in the cover of leaves.


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom With his neck bent backward and his sight staring straight up, ude sighed. "We couldn''t find any sign of water¡­ or an exit¡­"


    Though they couldn''t find any water, there was a strange abundance of fruit in the forest. ude was usually hesitant about eating any but would give up and indulge as well when Elric would eat them without a care. Thanks to the fruits, the duo weren''t feeling particrly thirsty or dehydrated, but their throats were still begging for the sweet taste of water.


    "We have to change things up," Elric said. He took in a deep breath and extended his hand toward ude.


    The red-haired boy looked confused for a split second, but then handed Elric the spiked stone club he had taken from the goblins.


    Club in hand, Elric went up to the tree closest to him and scratched its bark with the club, creating an oddly shaped ''0'' on it. He then dragged the club with both hands over to the left. ude crossed his arms as Elric started marking the trees in all directions one after the other.


    Elric coded the trees. The ones on the left from the start were written the right way up, and the ones on the right were flipped upside down.


    ude, curious at first, watched how Elric started marking them all. Just left and right wasn''t satisfying enough, so he also started marking trees front and back with Roman Numerals. It wasn''t easy to flip that upside down, so he made a cross on each one behind the starting tree. Any amount of information on how the spaces, and how much of them, were disced by the mist would be a big help in figuring a way out. Elric had made himself a small Cartesian ne with the trees.


    He came back to ude and ced the club down on the ground.


    ''This guy is actually smart, huh?'' ude thought to himself, slightly curious about Elric''s n on analyzing what was going on.


    "Now, we wait," he said, pushing his body weight ahead, but the club was way too short and almost made him trip ahead. "What the heck! Where''s Pandora''s sword?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''I take that back.''


    "Hey, you," Elric called out. "Let''s also test things out with a tree."


    ude tilted his head while Elric handed him the club. Instead of exining things, he held his hand and dragged him to the tree that had been marked with a zero.


    Elric''s one held the tree, the other ude, and ude''s other hand held the club.


    They had already seen this effect once with the ropes that tied them, but it was good to confirm if just touching something was enough to move together with it by the mist.


    The two of them stood there for a while.


    ***


    A soft creak rang out.


    The wooden door softly opened up, calling everyone''s attention with it. Right after, a blue-haired boy jumped inside and closed the door behind him, taking care not to make a noise.


    "The mood outside is fuckin'' cray!" The blue-haired boy said. He walked away from the door and hopped on the bed in the room. The mattress under him caved slightly and the blonde girl lying down had her bnce broken. She punched the back of the boy but was ignored as if her touch didn''t even register.


    "Eugene." Erika looked at the ninth addition to the already cramped room. "Did you hear anything?"


    "It''s nothin'' but trouble," Eugene leaned back and further pushed the blonde girl behind. "udy was filling up quite the role. But well, the old fogey has already rmended a recement."


    "Recement?" Reba, the blonde-haired girl behind Eugene rested her face on her palm and asked.


    "Yup, he rmended me to be a guardian knight instead, and well¡­ for ude''s role of the hero¡­" Eugene locked his fingers and leaned ahead. "The general wants our silent prince¡­"


    With his words, everyone in the room turned to face the boy standing at the very back.


    With brown hair neatlybed to the side, the sharp-faced child did not say a word, only looking at everyone with a pride-filled gaze.


    "¡­ Devon."


    ***


    .


    .


    .


    "The mist¡­ It''ste¡­"

 Chapter 13 12: Other Side

    ?Elric opened his eyes with great effort. Each time they were enshrouded, the mist remained so thick that even keeping one''s eyes open was tough.


    And if Elric closed his eyes, he would have to resist the urge to sleep. Thankfully, it was still bright out and the light of the sun kept his eyes open.


    He checked his hands first. ude was still there. Then, he tapped his other hand and turned to face the tree.


    "The mark is here."


    "Just touching anything is enough to transport with it."


    The two of them nodded, they then turned to look at the other trees when they both froze in ce.


    Sunlight.


    Bright.


    The two of them slowly, very slowly raised their gaze upward.


    The tree that had been marked with a zero had its leaves bent downward, folded away from covering the sun and its bright beams. The trunk of the tree was swaying from left to right as nests of birds and treasures of squirrels dropped down with each sway.


    On top of the giant tree, was another tree.


    Upside-down.


    "Ahahaha¡­" ude let out a shocked chuckle.


    "AAAAAAH!!!"


    The two of them left their hands and dashed away from the trees. Behind them, the tree on top made a final sway and came tumbling down. Its branches intertwined with the one below.


    A snap rang out as the other tree broke into two halves.


    The two of them dived forward to the ground at once and covered their heads, scrunching up as much as they could¡ª


    ¡ªTHUD!


    A cloud of dust and leaves fluttered up into the sky as the giant trees fell t against the ground all at once. Twigs and leaves came crashing into the heads of the two and a breeze of wind climbed up their shins as the impact spread out.


    Elric sighed and stood up, with a hand on his chest, he turned around. ude stood there with a horror-struck gaze. Another world, fake usations, one-on-one with monsters, and it was tree that almost killed him.


    Sensing the fear in his eyes, Elric covered his face with one hand and posed. "Hah!" he scoffed, his voice creaky. "How did you like killer technique, Mist falls?"


    "Crazy¡­" ude yed along. "You are quite the schemer," he heaved out each word, trying to calm himself down. "But, I dodged it with my splendid technique."


    The two of them together rambled on the most nonsensical words as their solution to losing their fear became a collective escape from reality. It was only after they praised each other''s moves for a couple of minutes that they calmed down enough.


    Elric and ude set off once again, this time sticking closer than ever before. The reality of how lucky they had been all this time dawned on their heads and the fear of being swallowed up by the mist increased manyfold.


    "Do you see anything? None of these trees have the marks," ude said. The two of them looked around the ce


    "I did though? It''s pointless anyway, it''s all random." Elric muttered back with a rather normal voice. ude was surprised that even Elric could behave like a human being when talking about things that required him to use his head. "Didn''t you notice? The rocks, the type of grass growing down, and even the insect that I had trapped between my hands and the tree, all of them disappeared or changed."


    "Hm!?" ude did a double-take, he turned to Elric with widened eyes and asked. "Y-You remember the rocks and the grass? And insects?!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "It''s just the basics, just the basics."


    Elric shrugged the matter away and spoke again. "There is, a silver lining though."


    "Silver lining?"


    "Look around." Elric moved his fingers all over the ce, tracing out all the dents and bumps in the ground around. "All this remains the same, the topography of the ce."


    "Hm?" ude checked things again, gazing over the path Elric had traced over and over. He didn''t remember things but felt that Elric was onto something.


    "In that sense, I believe that this ''mist'' only disces things above the ground."


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Above the ground¡­"


    ude kneeled and picked up some of the soil. He rubbed the dirt in his hands. The soil was already a fineyer of small particles, moreover, he was sure the roots of the trees remained intact, or the forest would have long been gone.


    "How does it decide what''s above the ground?" ude asked.


    "Haah," Elric shrugged. "No clue."


    The two of them continued on their search for an exit and some water when a wet sensation trickled into Elric''s feet.


    Elric''s gaze turned downward.


    A clear, transparent stream flowed over the umber dirt below, seeping deep into the ground. The scrawny stream of water jumped past the dam of orange-brown leaves and clear tawny tinder sticks.


    "Water."


    "What?"


    ude froze. The two of them bent their heads to the ground, their eyes bulging right above the flowing stream.


    "W-water!!"


    With a scream, ude and Elric ran ahead. They followed the trail of the stream, going past the bushes and trees as the flow of the stream widened. It was clear from a single look that the stream flowing had not dug into the ground but was merely passing over it. Arge amount of clean water was likely pushed up in some parts of the forest


    Elric and ude giggled wildly as they chased the stream of water, it was fresh and was put up in a spot where it could trickle down. They jumped out of a bush, and then another and then another as the sunlight that had been faint all this while spread its arms wide open at them.


    Then, as the two of them jumped out of another bush, the glimmering glow of the sun gleamed in their eyes at once.


    Spread wide in front of them was arge crater in the ground, and inside it, water was filled to the brim, overflowing in all directions. The water ebbed and flowed in rippling waves, brushing behind the long des of grass and moss that grew around them. Lilypads floated in the water as butterflies and moths gathered around the abundance of flowers. The reflection of the clouds above in the pristine water peered into them as the smell of fresh air wafted into their noses.


    A smile bloomed on the face of the two.


    It was ake. Ake in the middle of the forest.


    Spellbound, Elric and ude shifted their gaze further and further upward, and with each movement, their hearts throbbed. Atst, their eyes fell on the other side of theke.


    The smile''s withered into horrifically gaped mouths.


    Staring back at them from the other end of theke, was a gathering gang of orcs.

 Chapter 14 13: Orc Settlement

    ?Elric and ude froze in their tracks. The sappy grins on their faces from seeing a beautifulke dispersed at once as sweat fell off their foreheads in buckets. On the other end of theke, the Orcs too seemed confused at the sudden appearance of the humans on the other side.


    Taking in a deep breath, Elric took a step forward.


    "E-Elric¡­" ude muttered but stopped when Elric shook his head. The auburn-haired child walked up to the edge of theke and cupped his hands in front of his mouth.


    He had to confirm something.


    "ARE¡ª" Elric screamed. "YOU HIDING ANY PRINCESSES?!"


    "Princesses~"


    "Cesses~"


    His voice echoed through the waterbody, reaching even the other side.


    The Orcs all tilted their heads to the side.


    Then, the green monsters with rotund faces spread open their mouth. The tusk-like fangs sticking out of their deformed lips gleamed menacingly as their split tongues stuck out.


    "GRAH!!" The orcs screamed right back and jumped into action. Two ran in both directions, trying to circle theke.


    "I guess not," Elric said.


    "Y-you bastard!" ude grabbed Elric''s shoulders and shook him back and forth. Right then, thest and thergest of the orcs leaped into theke and swam toward them.


    "H-hey! We were nning to drink that!"


    Elric wailed on, his words ignoring the shaking of the ground with each step the two-meter hefty giants took toward them. Before he couldin any further, his hand was sped tight and ude ran off with Elric.


    The two of them were on the other side of the vast river, with the forest right behind their backs.


    The orcs couldn''t chase them.


    ***


    "Grrr! Garra!"


    "Grgr!"


    Nasal grunts were exchanged like words between the two giant pig-faced monsters. The two orcs waved their hands around and turned their backs. The first one pulled back the leather skin hung from a rope and pulled it aside as the other orc crouched slightly and walked through the door of the weak house. Straw and wood curved upward to create a small but tall house.


    The stench of manure cementing the houses wafted through the air, but even that wasn''t as bad as the natural body odor of the orcs moving around with their bodies barely covered by the rotting hides of their game.


    "Smell it, you bastard. Still think boiling would work? Huh!?"


    ude averted his gaze at Elric''s words. He covered his nose with trembling eyes, the stench was that bad. Elric, on the other hand, was still offended by ude''s nonchnce at the corruption of theirke water, not thinking that many creatures might have used it in the ages.


    The two children found the presence of the many orcs a big incongruence when they got to thinking. Since they had established that the mist separates anything and everything, multiple orcs being around could have only been a coincidence, but upon investigating, things couldn''t have been further from the truth.


    Beyond the bush they had taken refuge in, more than two dozen huts of mud and manure stood tall. The giant pig-faced orcs moved around in the clearing of the huts with a trodden path from the center leading to another clearing full of huts.


    Adjacent to theke, in the ever-changing mystic forest, there was an entire settlement of Orcs, immune to the mist and its whimsical changings.


    "Elric," ude muttered, scouring the huts with his eyes. "We can''t leave this ce."


    "Right," Elric nodded, doing the same. "We have to stay here¡­"


    "¡­ For a clue to escape."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "¡­ For revenge of the water."


    Elric and ude blinked. They turned to their sides and faced each other with a scowl.


    "Fuck is wrong with you, man? Revenge? Water revenge?"


    "What would you understand? You are not a water attribute! Do you think your escape is as important as water?"


    "Hell? You can''t do anything but create water and then faint! And it''s just oneke! Heck, do YOU not care about escaping?!"


    Before they could grab each other''s cors and start a chain of ''Hmmm!''s with each other, the two of them clicked their tongues and looked away.


    "Anyway," ude said. "These Orcs know something about the forest. Before the mistes in, we should follow at least one of them."


    "That and the water," Elric nodded. "And, we don''t need to follow, it seems some of the huts are upied."


    "Does that mean the entire area moves at once?"


    "Hm, I don''t think the entire ce is being counted as one and then being moved normally. Everything except this ce moves? That makes more sense, or the structures would have copsed long back. That and, it exins how they found it."


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom ude raised his eyebrows and nodded. The changing terrain below would have caused a lot of problems for the state of the houses. Convinced, ude slowly got on his feet, he looked around the ce once and then dashed out of the bushes. He jumped over the roots and the rocks and bent low against the gate of an empty hut, the one that one of the orcs standing out just now had upied.


    ude slowly leaned further toward the gate and peeked inside the door. He looked to the left and right, then turned back to Elric, beckoning him over.


    Elric stood up straight and casually strode over to ude.


    "Fucking hell! What do you think you are doing!?" ude screamed in a whisper, a superhuman feat only the most annoyed of people could perform.


    At ude''s nagging, Elric finally crouched down too and the two of them slowly crawled their way inside the hut.


    The stench of the manure only increased inside as the windowless hut with its door covered by skin umted a lot of stale air. The structure inside the hut was simple, a pile of hay stacked up to form a bed on the left and a legged table with a hollow bottom on the right. Lighting in through the door shone on the table, revealing all the disheveled cuts in its making, the pitcher on the table as well as the small firece made of stone and sand right next to it.


    Elric and ude walked around the room for a few seconds.


    "Nothing particrly important," ude said.


    "Are you serious? You think someone can live like a monk here?!" Elric was going on a different tangent as he tapped the ground and the walls. "Look, there might be a princess or two underground or hidden somewhere!"


    "I don''t know if I should be worried about your obsession with orcs and princesses." ude tapped the hay, then smelled his hand and frowned, taking his hand away. "Ew. They don''t live like monks. Orcs just don''t have the mental capacity¡ª"


    A shuffling sound rang out as the cloth covering the door was pulled to the side. ude and Elric did not even turn to the door as they dived down to the table.


    An orc,ughing nasally stepped inside the hut.


    Its eyes shifted through the room. Right as two pairs of legs scuffled under its bed, its eyes fell toward the table.


    ude''s head banged on the bottom of the table in his rush.


    The orc looked away.


    It hadn''t noticed.


    It stepped toward the hay.


    In front of Elric and ude''s eyes¡­


    ¡­ The pitcher of water fell off the table.

 Chapter 15 14: Orc Cleansing

    ?The pitcher of water fell off the table¡ª


    ¡ªAnd stopped midair.


    The pitcher turned upside down and froze at a height while swaying from side to side. Despite its top facing the ground, not a drop of water came flooding out of it.


    The Orc hadn''t noticed anything odd as it nervously walked up to the pile of hay. Instead of lying down and going to sleep on it, the Orc picked up the pile of hay and started stacking it up in front of the door. Before it could turn toward them, ude softly grabbed the pitcher and pulled it under the table. He turned the right side up and looked at Elric with a curious and scared gaze.


    Elric was covering half his face with one hand and had his other palm stretched out toward the pitcher. He scoffed and looked at the pitcher with an unyielding gaze.


    "What the heck was that?" ude mouthed. His voice didn''t reach out, but Elric could tell what he asked.


    "My secret ability," Elric mouthed back and posed, crossing his stretched arm over his chest and arching his back to the side. "Ruler of Water!"


    "What!?"


    Despite his silence, Elric was rather sad about hisck of mana. He hade to a different world and fainted after making a single ball of water. That was the extent of his damned abilities! How could Elric ever face someone and say ''Your fate is in my hands'' with just that much? He thought it was useful for when he couldn''t sleep, but there wasn''t a time when Elric couldn''t sleep.


    But that disappointment changed when he tried to control pre-existing water. The water inside the pitcher was forced together so well that not a single drop fell, and he didn''t feel more than a drop of mana leaving his body. It was finally his time to shine.


    ude and Elric engaged in a bewildering exchange as the Orc continued with its business. It piled up the hay in a tall stack in front of the door, blocking the entrance.


    Just as thest of the hay was being piled up, Elric and ude''s gaze fell on the white mist wafting outside the hut.


    The Orc was blocking the mist froming side.


    The two of them stopped their bickering and exchanged gazes.


    ''Do you think hay would stop it?''


    ''Probably not? But it should help a bit.''


    They nodded and quietened down. The orc paced around the ce, and before long, the mist started permeating into the hut.


    Just as they had expected, the hay didn''t help avoid it, but the mist that came in felt like wisps of white smoke and not a storm as it would have outside. Visibility inside the house had dropped considerably, and the light of the sun was barelying as well, making the ce darker.


    The Orc walked up to the edge of the room, right opposite the table, and sat down.


    ude looked down at his hands. The stone-spiked club of the goblins was still in his hands, as for Elric, he turned his gaze to see Elric had formed a tiny needle from the water he had controlled. ude had no idea how Elric had managed to learn and absorb the technique of controlling water to this extent already. He could only hope that the fact it wasn''t something Elric had generated was what made it easier to control.


    "Say," ude spoke up after considering for a few seconds. His whisper was soft, but it was considerably bolder than before. "Should we bring this orc down? In the mist, we won''t have to worry about others."


    The mist would usuallyst for about thirty minutes in their experience.


    "These Orcs know something."


    Elric lowered his gaze at ude''s words, the needle still floating in front of his hands. After a few seconds, he nodded.


    The two of them turned their gaze forward again. The Orc seemed to have noticed the whispers and was slightly on edge.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® At that moment, ude pulled up the club of the goblin.


    Soft ngs rang out as the club lightly tapped against the table.


    The Orc raised its head.


    The nging got louder and faster.


    "GRRAR!" The Orc screamed and stood up. It shook its head around as its heavy feet fell one after the other. It made its way to the table. The Orc took the next step, its feet rose to the air and came stomping down to the ground, where a thin puddle of water formed a sheet. Instead of moving aside, the sheet of water maintained its form for a split second before breaking apart.


    Surprised, the Orc lost its bnce and reeled back. It raised its other foot to step backward, but as it fell, a round object of wood came under its feet.


    The pitcher of water that was on the table rolled over at the perfect time, making the Orc further break its bnce. The hefty body of the pig-faced giant was pulled backward as it started falling.


    "GET THIS!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    A club of stone came swinging toward the falling Orc. Its spikes swerved through the air and rammed into the two tusks sticking out of the monster''s mouth.


    Stinging pain coursed through the monster''s nerves as its two long ivory tusks snapped in half from the impact. Before it could even react, the club swung upward and came crashing down on its neck.


    The Orc mmed against the ground and winced in pain.


    A giant monster was naturally too slow.


    In the blink of an eye, the much smaller ude swiftly swung the club again and mmed it into the Orc''s face.


    Elric and ude hadpletely left the cover of the table and assaulted the Orc.


    ude was absurdly strong for a student from a peaceful world, but that was all.


    The Orc tanked the next hit.


    "GRA!"


    It growled and stretched its arm out in a p. The swing of the monster''s arm pushed away ude''s oing club and rammed into his stomach.


    "Ugh!" ude was pushed back. On top of the sheer force of the strike, the swing of the arm sent burns of pain all over ude''s skin.


    The Orc''s hand mmed down and it was about to turn toward the child when a blunt impact smashed into the back of its head. Elric had grabbed a stone from the firece and hammered the Orc''s head down. In the barely visible space, it was tough to see things one wasn''t focusing on.


    The Orc turned its gaze toward Elric who had raised his hand for another strike. It was about to punch the kid.


    A needle of water shot into its eye. The needle flooded the Orc''s eye at once, it pushed the Orc back and blinded it, but couldn''t tear through the eye.


    "Fucking Orc!"


    The swings of the Club returned, this time at a much faster pace than before. Elric watched dazedly for a few seconds as ude thrashed the giant Orc''s face with each swing of his club, as if he had been using one his entire life.


    They were winning.


    It was time to end this.


    Elric raised the heavy stone high again and jumped over to the Orc''s bottom. He aimed it right below the torso and between the legs of the monster.


    "Secret Move!" Elric screamed. "The NUTCRACKER!"


    "GAAAR!"


    Pain iparable to ever before climbed up the Orc''s spine as the stone found its target andpletely cracked its nuts. As if an electrifying sensation spread through its body, the Orc''s limbs stretched out wildly while bumps rose all over its green skin.


    ude pulled the club back again.


    "STOP!!"


    ude and Elric both stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. The two kids were heaving out each breath.


    ude raised his chin.


    Elric shook his head.


    ude''s brows furrowed.


    "Stop¡­ Please¡­ Grabar Begs¡­"


    Their eyes creaked over back to their target. With droll dripping down its mouth and tears flooding its eyes, the Orc begged them to stop.


    "It was a monk..."

 Chapter 16 15: Grabar Speaks

    ?Three sets of sighs and heaves spread all over the room covered with mist. One voice heavy, the other soft, and thest and the loudest, disgusting.


    Despite being shocked out of his wits, ude did not lower the club but tightened his grip even further.


    "Grabar begs¡­ stop¡­" the crying Orc''s voice cracked as it shook its head from side to side, bloodied drool seeped out of its mouth as its stomach crumpled tight in a knot. The Orc wanted to protect its crotch but didn''t have the strength to even move.


    ude tried to calm his breathing as many thoughts ran through his mind, the speaking Orc and its fearsome strength at the center of them all. He had managed to knock down an Orc after struggling against a Goblin, but the same Orc now spoke and begged them to stop. He couldn''t decide what to do, he didn''t even know if he was safe or not.


    Unfortunately, his friend and partner wasn''t a man ofmon sense.


    Elric smirked and walked closer to the Orc''s head. He pulled the Orc''s face toward him from its forehead and leaned into its eyes.


    "Grabar," Elric deepened his voice, he simmered it down and spoke in a strange way that didn''t suit his face. "Is that your name?"


    The Orc nodded frantically. "Grabar name Grabar."


    "Good. I am Elric, the ruler of water." Elric turned toward ude and narrowed his eyes. He thought for a few seconds and turned to Grabar again while pointing at ude. "And this my sidekick, Redhead, the redhead."


    "Hey!" ude clicked his tongue out loud and frowned. Still, seeing Elric''s instant guts in front of the Orc, he decided to stay put. Information was necessary and Elric was getting it for him.


    Grabar nodded again at the two of them with tears still flowing down its eyes. It waspletely cornered, but Grabar didn''t seem like one to attack either ways.


    "Now then, Grabar. I am going to ask you some questions and you will answer them, is that clear?"


    "Yes, Grabar answer. Grabar answer. Don''t hit."


    "Perfect," Elric bobbed his head for emphasis and slowly looked. Then, he snapped back toward the Orc and leaned closer than ever. "Which of you fucks take a dip in thatke outside, huh!?"


    "Bastard! What are you asking?!"


    "¡ªUh, all Orc bath."


    "You shut up!"


    "Now, now, Redhead. Grabar did what it was told!"


    ude hissed at both of them and shook his head. He raised his club again and turned toward the Orc.


    "You, what is this mist?"


    Grabar alternated its gaze between Elric and ude, in the end, it realized ude was the one he had to answer to and sighed. "Mist bad. In the entire forest. It change everything."


    "Why doesn''t this ce change then?"


    "Ancient God blessing. Hold Orc together."


    Blessing? Hearing about the Gods again soured ude''s mood a bit.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "What blessing?" he asked.


    "Blessing in the chief house! In Altar! Chief house is in center."


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Oh, so it''s a physical object"


    Grabar tilted its head to the side. ude thought on things again, it didn''t seem Grabar knew much about the mist or the forest, so there wasn''t much he could ask. It was clear that the ''blessing'' he talked about held a clue about this ce, and hopefully, a clue to the exit.


    "Fine,st question. How can you speak?"


    Grabar tilted its head again before flusteredly shaking it around. "Haha, Grabar smart!"


    A white glow veiled the club in ude''s hand. Streaks of light spread out from his weapon as Grabar looked at him with a confused expression.


    "Thanks, and goodbye."


    A single swing iparable to any before. The club pushed away the very air andnded on the monster''s face. Its skin was pushed backward, its eyes bulged out. The spikes of the club dug through its tendons before the fierce stone crushed the bones below, the jaw caved in and the Orc fell back to the ground.


    Dead.


    "I can still use the Gods'' skills, huh?" ude muttered as he spun the now normal club in his hands. He raised his gaze and met with Elric''s.


    "Let''s take that ''blessing,'' Elric¡­" Not a shred of hesitation surfaced in ude''s gaze. "Let''s get out of here."


    Elric''s hand rose to his nose, he dabbed it lightly and brought it in front of his eyes. Blue-ck blood had sttered on him.


    Another.


    Another being had died through their hands.


    For some reason, Elric didn''t feel a single ripple in his heart.


    For some reason, he was already used to it.


    "Yes¡­ Let''s."


    ude and Elric stood at the hay-covered door.


    The body of Grabary limp on the ground of the hut as the mist covering the ce slowly started to fade away.


    "Ready?" ude asked.


    "Yup."


    With a push of ude''s hands, the hay toppled down, and the two set off.

 Chapter 17 16: The Curse Of The Mystic Forest (1)

    ?Soft shuffles rang out as Elric and ude crouched their way ahead. From hut to hut, they took cover and moved through the settlement.


    Thankfully, none of the Orcs had stepped out of their homes yet.


    In a few seconds, the two of them were at the other end of the clearing and had dived into the woods again. They walked a bit further and settled down at a spot.


    "Shit¡­ that Orc almost broke my bones¡­" ude winced and held his burning stomach.


    Elric ignored ude''s words and traced his finger over the dirt on the ground. He drew a circle in the shape of theke and then drew a small amoeboid to represent the clearing. "We came around from the east, no more clearings or huts this side." Elric dragged his finger ahead toward the center of the part below theke. "There''s only space for one more clearing of huts between this ce and the center. If it''s there, it''s there. If not, well, we''ll be able to find an altar or a chief''s house, I think."


    ude looked at the makeshift map on the ground and nodded. The path that Grabar had mentioned was right behind them, but they would have to be vignt and follow it through the woods.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Elric continued onward and made a line further back from the center, away from the drawing of theke. "We escape like this," he said.


    ude''s eyebrow raised in surprise, he was rather impressed that Elric still had the sense to n an escape. "Why that way?" he asked. "We don''t know how far behind their settlement extends."


    "We do, actually. The stream formed was visibly new, remember?" The boy then pressed his finger on the other end of theke and formed a circle with the settlement as the center. "Even if we consider the whole thing in its radius, there''s only space for a single settlement behind, that too notpletely. This would be the ce where we can escape best."


    "I see¡­ you''ve thought far, huh. Not tired?"


    "I am. But I can hold on." Elric finally raised his gaze from the ground and looked at ude in the eye. "Sidekick, what was that thing back there? The white glow thing?"


    "S-sidekick¡­ you bastard, you don''t remember my name! Do you!?"


    "W-what bullshirap!" Elric frantically shook his head sweat dripping from his forehead again. "Just answer!"


    Sighing a defeated sigh, ude lifted his club. "It was an effect of my ss."


    "ss?"


    "Right, you didn''t have one," ude remembered Elric''s stats, he didn''t remember that the child in front of him had never seen the god stone holding his stats in the first ce. "My ss is¡­ [Light Hero]¡­ It gives me the blessings of the goddess of light. Enchanting my weapons with light and being able to use light magic is part of it."


    "Pfft." Elric cackled. "Hero, lol, who uses something like that? What are you, a middle schooler?"


    "Should you be saying that!?"


    Elric giggled at ude, but a question came up in his mind. "Use magic with the ss? That means you can''t use it without?"


    "Nope." ude shook his head. "My attribute is called [Trinity]. No idea what that means or is supposed to do. The people in the church said I should focus on my skills as the [Light Hero] first since that is a big deal."


    "Huh, look, redhead here is a big deal."


    This time, both of them broke into a peal ofughter.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    After a final look at the makeshift map Elric had drawn, they stood up and set off again.


    Elric and ude coursed through the trees with nimble steps. With ude in the lead, they crouched low and hid behind the woods and the bushes as they followed the thin path of worn-down grass and continuously trampled dirt through the woods. Before long, another clearing filled with huts came in front of them. A couple of pairs of Orcs moved around the huts, with nks of woods or blunt weapons of stone, likely setting out for a hunt.


    The two of them did not exchange any words as they tiptoed around the perimeter of the clearing. Softly, very softly their every step pushed them a little bit further. They had witnessed a single Orc''s ability firsthand, earning the air of many armed ones was thest thing they wanted to do, so they avoided every little crunch of dried leaves and every little snapping of small twigs as they slowly made their way around the settlement and toward the road leading further in.


    Elric was surprised that there was another clearing before the central one but did not let it show. The longer he looked at the sight in front of him, the sooner he realized how this settlement wasid out.


    Unlike the clearing before, the Orcs here held weapons and even their huts looked bigger. He was a little worried about his escape n, if the central clearing was meant to house Orcs even higher in status, chances were that their clearing would be smaller, making enough space for two settlements in the range he had guessed. In the end, even the range that he came up with was a guess, so he decided to not worry about it much.


    Just as they approached the path, ude suddenly grabbed Elric''s head and pushed him down to the ground. The two of themy t on the ground, sticking as close to the dirt as they could.


    "Gra!"


    "Gardar! Gardar~!"


    Screams and thumps approached from the path. A set of about seven loud feet trampled the ground with each step as they passed through the path and toward the clearing. ude pressed down on Elric''s head further while raising his just a slight bit.


    The green monsters that wereing closer couldn''t bepared to the ones he had seen before. Their heads loomed at least a couple of inches above the previous ones while their protruding bellies stuck out far from their chests. The weapons they held were sharper and sturdier, making the ones he had just seen look like toys.


    The Orcs were scary on their own, but the one in their center was terrifying from just a look. Three streaks ran down its left eye to the one broken tusk on its right, scarring its face. The shoulder of the giant Orc about two and a half meters tall was padded with a stone guard as the leather of many dead monsters armored its body.


    Facing it¡­ was impossible.


    ude couldn''t believe how lucky they were that this Orc that looked the most like a chief would be leaving the ce. But nervousness also crawled up in his heart, worried that they would find Grabar''s corpse at any moment.


    With bated breaths, ude lowered his head again and waited.


    He waited and waited, until the sound of the feet simmered down.


    His heart panicked, too scared to be noticed, but even more afraid of the Orcs finding their dead friend.


    Finally, when the Orcs were on the other end of the clearing, ude lifted his hand off of Elric''s head and crawled ahead. Elric followed right behind ude, they shuffled ahead on all fours toward the path, and then, they got up and ran ahead at once, not looking back even for a second.


    Nothing noticed them running away.


    But it wouldn''tst long.


    Their pace didn''t fall.


    In a few seconds which felt like a few hours, they came across the final clearing that was their goal. Huts made from logs of birch and oak spread around them in a clearing even bigger than the ones before, and at its center, stood a hut wider than any other.

 Chapter 18 17: The Curse Of The Mystic Forest (2)

    ?"There''s nothing around."


    "Still, let''s be careful. We don''t have much time."


    ude and Elric slowly stood up from the cover of the low-growing bushes and leaped over them, into the central clearing of the orcs. The huts here were held up by nks of birch and oak with wetted wines and limestone insting the walls. Unlike the previous clearings with about two dozen each, there were only ten huts set up in therge clearing, taking up the entire space with what could be called majesty for the Orcs.


    "Still smelly." Elric frowned and pinched his nose as ude took the lead in scouting the ce and leading him to the biggest house in the center. On the way, Elric''s gaze fell toward the side of theke. The growth wasparatively scarce from the center to theke and a small path was trampled over the ground to the water body, theke was likely used by the Orcs to bathe.


    Elric swallowed his anger and followed ude. The struggles of a water attribute weren''t light.


    ude rushed ahead and took cover against the frame of therge hut. He first checked the left and the right, and then, he ced his ear on the wall. When he was sure that there wasn''t anything off, he beckoned Elric over.


    The two of them peered into the gate of the hut that waspletely covered by leather.


    "Hmm," Elric''s eyes swept over the inside of the hut of the chief. y brought over from theke outside was padded on the ground of the hut to create floorings while a bed of sticks and hay was set up in one corner. Just like the hut before, there was a firece and a table in here, the woodworking much better than the previous. Chairs made from the stumps of trees were ced haphazardly over the ce while ivory totems made from the bones of many games filled the ce like paintings in a museum.


    "There¡­" ude muttered, directing his and Elric''s gaze to the back of the hut. Halfway through the wide ce was a podium of old stone with girthy moss and mold growing in their cracks. The polished stone of white and gray rose higher than the ground of the hut. No matter how one saw it, the tform existed much before its roof did.


    At the center of the stone tform, atop a lofty altar, slumbered two pitch-ck gauntlets. Not a sign of rust nor a trace of wear was present on the gauntlets as their scaled frame and intricate casting absorbed every bit of light.


    An ominous feeling crept down their spines the longer the two looked at the gauntlets.


    In a daze, they walked inside the hut. Slowly looking around at the shining bones of imps and elks alike as their feet carried them toward the altar. Softly, they stepped on the podium of stone.


    ude''s eyes shifted down as the cold feeling of the cracked rocks and strands of moss tickled his feet through the tears in his boots. Elric, on the other hand, went up to the altar at once. His eyes remained fixed on the gauntlet as his hands reached out. Carefully, as if trying to pick up a newborn child, Elric stretched his hands to touch the gauntlet.


    "Ahk!"


    A crack of ck lightning struck the tips of Elric''s fingers.


    "Hey!" ude called out.


    The boy reeled back and stepped away from the gauntlet as he winced and bit on his fingertips.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "My, my. You shouldn''t be so reckless."


    Elric and ude snapped to the back at once. Standing there, in front of the entrance was a giant green monster. White hai cascaded from the top of its head and down its chin as the monster hunched its back with the support of a cane. Two scars ran down its closed eyelids, likely tearing deep into the eyes. The monster smirked at the two of them, the brown rot in its teeth gazing into their eyes.


    ude gulped and took a step back while Elric tilted his head to the side.


    "To think humans woulde this far into our settlement, we would have dly greeted you at the gate," The Orc''s words were refined, yet they dripped with the wild sense of hate in every syble. "Let us do that now, yes? A grand wee?"


    The old Orc snapped his fingers.


    A thundering thud resounded in the air as the walls of the hut all around them squeaked. ude looked around in fluster.


    Log after log, the walls of the hut fell in. The roof shook and dust fell from it as the support hoisting it up broke apart.


    From each part of the wall that fell,¡­ stood an Orc.


    Before they could barely touch the altar in the house, they were surrounded. ude looked to his front, his back, Orcs everywhere. Even from the left and the right. That was when he noticed another thing.


    Elric was gone.


    ude''s eyes snapped to the old Orc in front of him before he followed its gaze and turned to the table. Under the legs of the wooden table with his hands covering his head sat the Elric whose beauty hadn''t faded by a drop from the days he had spent in the forest.


    ''What?'' he seemed to be asking through his eyes.


    ude looked at Elric, and then at the Orc. The Orc seemed to be doing the same, alternating his gaze between the two of them.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Ahem," the Orc coughed. "Then, human! Let''s begin your wee party!!"


    The decision to ignore Elric''s existence was unanimous.

 Chapter 19 18: The Curse Of The Mystic Forest (3)

    ?"The Altar of the gods is not to be corrupted by the filthy hands of you humans." The old Orc''s voice spread out in the broken husk of the hut that remained. The Orcs all around stayed in position, surrounding ude from all directions.


    "Thousands of years ago, the world faced the wrath of the being that suppressed all. None could stand against his power, none could stand against his might! It was then, that the one chosen by the gods surfaced."


    The old Orc took a step forward.


    "Their battlested for seven days and eight nights. The shape of the continent was changed by their abilities! Atst, the evil was defeated and sealed here. In this forest that touches the tips of threends¡­"


    Another step.


    "Sealed into the very armor he wore."


    Another.


    "His own ability his curse, his own mist the thing that keeps him from revival!"


    Step.


    "Was the Lord of the Shadows!!"


    "Take a step back goddamnit!" ude winced and stomped his feet on the ground. "There really was a fucking Lord of Shadows?! Elric, are you listening to this crap?"


    The old Orc stood in confusion at the child''s over-the-top reaction. The confusion was reced by anger in a moment and the Orc narrowed its eyes. It got even closer to ude standing against the altar.


    "That gauntlet you dared touch! The Lord of the Shadows'' gauntlet! It can''t be picked up by unworthy scum like you!" The old Orc growled and all the orcs surrounding them mmed their feet on the ground. "That gauntlet can only be touched by the Hero of Light! You will be sacrifi¡ª"


    "But like¡ªAaahm" Elric''s voice suddenly cut into the Orc''s words. He yawned and covered his mouth,pletely forgetting the reason he hid in the first ce was his fear of being crushed. "Why are you rambling on like this? Who cares? It''s making me sleepy as hell¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "KILL THEM!!"


    The Orcs dived inside the house. They raised their hands and ran toward the center. The old Orc at the forefront pulled its stick to the side and swung it toward ude.


    A rattle rang out as Elric jumped out from under the table. The roof had stopped falling, he had no reason to stay hidden anymore. At once, he grabbed a pitcher of water from the top of the table and sshed the water ahead. Before it could hit the ground, the water coalesced in midair and formed a sharp spearhead of water.


    "Die human!"


    The Orc screamed.


    "Revenge for theke!!"


    Elric screamed louder. The spearhead zapped through the air and toward the Orc at an insane speed. Before the monster could even notice it, the weapon held by magic had already crept up to its back. The Orc tried to swing its stick further, but it was toote.


    The spearhead had torn through the Orc''s skin and had pierced into its groin.


    "Aaah¡­kh¡­"


    The Orc hunched over in pain. The others surrounding the ce froze for a second before growling in anger. They pounced toward the red-haired boy standing next to the altar¡ª


    ¡ªA sh of great light spread out through the air.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    As if the god of the sun had descended to the ground, the great white light swallowed everything.


    White.


    Everything had turned white.


    Their eyes burned, threatening to fall off. A sense of fear climbed up their skins.


    And then it went back to normal.


    As if the void of white were an illusion, the green vines circling the altar, the grey stones, and the mint green moss returned to their original color as a merciful darkness reemerged.


    "It''s gone¡­"


    The old Orc, wincing in pain, couldn''t stop its mouth from muttering the words out loud.


    In front of it, the red-haired boy¡­ and the two gauntlets that sealed the Lord of the Shadows¡­ were gone.


    "Good work, Elric. Quick thinking." A soft voice spread from the back of the Orc.


    "You could do that light thing all along? Impressive."


    The Orcs turned around with stiff moments.


    "It''s the only thing I managed to learn."


    ude and Elric stood side by side behind the Orc as they chatted away. Grasped tight in the hands of the red-haired boy were the gauntlets of the Lord of the Shadows.


    "How¡­" the Orc''s jaw dropped. "How can you touch that¡­"


    Then, as if unable to believe its eyes, the Orc shook its head from side to side.


    "There''s only one possibility. Only one being can touch the Lord of the Shadows'' seal¡­ You must be¡­ the Light Hero!?"


    "Hmph," ude scoffed and took a step back. His eyes darted around the ce in search of any gaps in their formations. They had taken hold of the ''blessing'' but that alone wasn''t enough. Though they had achieved their goal, he was hesitant to leave alone the gold mine of information that the old Orc was.


    "Why¡­ if you are the Light Hero, then why do you take the seal!? Leave the sealed parts alone! If you gather the entire armor of the Lord of Shadows."


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® ''Yup, this is exactly why I don''t want to go.''


    "The mist will end! The Lord of Shadows will be resurrected! Is this the will of the gods?"


    ude smirked and turned his gaze to the gauntlets. The way out¡­ was by gathering all the parts of the armor. The mist would end, and he would finally be out of this ce.


    And he could only imagine it.


    The work of an ancient hero of the gods being undone.


    "¡­ It would piss off the wretched gods."


    "What¡­" the Orc''s eyes widened. "sphemy¡­"

 Chapter 20 19: The Curse Of The Mystic Forest (END)

    ?"¡­ It would piss off the wretched gods."


    "What¡­" the Orc''s eyes widened. "sphemy¡­"


    Elric, on the other hand, broke into a small smile at ude''s words. He didn''t think that this friend of his would be as bitter as he was. To openly bare his fangs against the gods who seemed to have brought them here, he didn''t imagine ude to be one capable of something like this.


    The Orc did not miss Elric''s actions.


    "I get it!" It screamed and pointed at Elric. "Y-you! You must be the¡ª"


    "¡ªThat''s correct," Elric intervened. "I am¡­" He raised his hand over his head and posed. "The Ruler of Water!"


    "You must be the bastard trying to manipte the hero!" The old Orc screamed. It banged its stick on the ground a final time. "Do it! Kill them! Someone go and call Gardar!"


    The Orcs charged ahead again. ude had already heard everything he wanted to. With the gauntlets in his hand, he lowered his posture and dashed away. Elric followed right behind as the two of them ran through the now broken door and out of the hut.


    Orcs had jumped out from the walls of the broken hut and were circling them. The path that led behind theke waspletely blocked by the encroaching Orcs.


    ude alone could have broken through, but Elric was slow and weak.


    "What should we do¡­ It seems they also left to call that scary scarred Orc from before."


    Elric nodded at ude''s words as he assessed the situation. The two of them kept running back to avoid the Orcs.


    One Orc pounced at them. ude and Elric rolled on the ground and moved to the side to avoid the Orc before taking a wide distance again. It was just one for now, but if they slowed down, all of them would catch up.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® With no other choice, ude and Elric bit their lips and continued dashing forward. They leaped over the boulders and ducked under the trees as they ran toward theke, their eyes not stopping for a moment in search of any escape.


    "Over there!" ude shouted. Amid the woods on the side, a narrow path not wide enough for the Orcs stretched ahead. The trees would hold them back as they ran through it. He pivoted on his feet and rushed toward the path in the woods.


    Elric followed after ude, they ran into the path of the trees. Leaves and branches smacked their faces, but they ignored it all and continued running ahead. The thundering sound of the Orcs slowly faded away as the giant monsters had no choice but to slow down to pass through the trees.


    This was it.


    They had managed to get away.


    ude ran past thest of the trees, and his feet came to a screeching halt.


    Blue.


    An almost transparent shade of blue stretched out ahead. The path of the forest, lead toward the banks of theke.


    ude snapped his head behind, further from the trees, the Orcs were slowly squeezing inside the path. He looked around, but the growth was so dense that running anywhere else was pointless, they would be caught in no time.


    The Orcs wereing from the front.


    Theke was behind him.


    They were stuck.


    Elric ran out of the woods after him and stopped in his tracks too. The boy heaved at the sight of theke, the fight with Grabar and the constant running around from even before that hadpletely tired him out despite his increasing endurance, on top of that, to be faced with theke that was corrupted by the Orcs.


    "GRA!"


    "E-Elric¡­ we''re stuck¡­"


    "I can''t¡­ use the water either. Theke is uncontroble¡­"


    The Orcs wereing closer. The slow tapping of their feet like the ticking of their clock. Swimming in theke, they had already seen one Orc swim, it was impossible to outdo those monsters in the water.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The steps of the Orcs loudened.


    The trees shook.


    The ground trembled.


    The first of the Orcs emerged, in a line behind it, were the dozens others.


    ude clenched his teeth and pulled up the goblin''s club. It glowed white as his magic power seeped into the club.


    The Orc swung its hand down on them. ude parried the attack with his club¡ª


    A crashing sound rang out.


    ¡ªThe club broke into pieces and fell to the ground.


    "N-no way¡­"


    "GRARARA!"


    The Orc swung its fist down again when a burst of white smoke emerged from the Gauntlets. Responding to ude''s mana, the gauntlets created a boom of mist. The wisps spread past the Orcs and into the woods, it seeped into the trees and nketed the top of theke. The mist thicker than a pile of snow-covered anything and everything around them in the blink of an eye.


    And in the very next second, the world around them changed.


    The path in the forest was covered with trees. Theke behind them had been reced by a crater in the woods. The approaching Orcs, the settlement, the dead end, everything disappeared in a moment.


    Only ude remained the same, with the broken hilt of the club in his right hand, and Elric holding onto his shoulder from the back.


    "Ahh¡­" A sigh escaped ude. His knees caved in and he fell off his feet.


    With the glowing gauntlets in his hands, udended on his knees before letting his body fall to the ground. Each breath was painful, and each muscle in his body pained.


    Behind him, Elric too fell on his back andnded on the ground with his eyes facing the sky.


    "Is it over¡­?" Elric asked.


    "I don''t know¡­ Hasn''t it, only started?"


    "Is that so¡­"


    Through the veil of leaves, Elric''s eyesnded on the moving clouds above.


    Clouds.


    "Hey, ude¡­" Elric called out.


    "Yeah?"


    "You alright?"


    "Yes¡­ just a tiny headache."


    "Is that so¡­"


    The two of them closed their eyes.

 Chapter 21 20: Strangers In The Woods

    ?The ngor of the ox''s hooves hitting against the ground merged in one with the rattle of the swaying cart. With each rut in the path, the cart would bend on either side sending the hayden on it shaking alongside the two men seated against the rims of the cart. Only the hatted farmer pulling the reins of the ox had some semnce offort in his seating.


    It was a rough ride, but the two men weren''t unversed with it. Long and ufortable rides in such carts, longer and more ufortable walks through worse terrains, and even more long and even more ufortable battles with their lives on the line all for a measly gold coin that they may or may not get, that was the life of an adventurer.


    "Whatcha thinking, Quinton?" The bald adventurer asked hisrade as he tried to oil his axe in the shaking carriage. Hisnky friend was unusually quiet today. "Afraid of the quest? You do remember we just have to scout, right?"


    "Yeah, yeah, it''s not that." Quinton shook his hands from side to side. He turned his gaze up and stared at the lines of the golden sunlight passing through the cracks in the leaves of the forest. "The news of the Otherworldly heroes¡­ I am having a hard time believing it."


    "Ah¡­" Jamie, the bald adventurer, nodded his head and lowered his ax. "Two and a half years, huh? Who would have imagined that there would be heroes chosen by the gods living amongst us for two and a half years."


    "I hear they studied in the Empire''s Ayn Academy and graduated as top students," Quinton''s gaze remained elsewhere as he half-heartedly muttered what he had heard. "The hero even managed to outdo the sword saint''s son. And that one of the Heroes had the [Archmage] ss¡­"


    "Heh¡­" Jamie rested his elbows on the rims of the cart and let his head hang back.


    They were but two C-Ranked adventurers in a small town of a small kingdom, heck, their kingdom wasn''t even a proper one, being a vassal state of another. Heroes¡­ it was a word unimaginable to them, a life so different that they couldn''t help but imagine what it would have been like to be in their shoes.


    Jamie and Quinton sat in silence for a short while, maybe they were daydreaming, or maybe they were cursing their luck, or maybe they were not thinking of anything, knowing that it would get them anywhere.


    "Hey pops," Jamie called out to the hatted farmer as he stretched his neck to see around the hay. "How much further do you go?"


    "Ay sonny," the farmer answered. "It''s safe ''round these parts. Lotsa fresh weeds in this forest ye never seen before."


    "And just to confirm, it''s been three days, right?"


    "Aye¡­" the farmer said. "Three days, since west seen the mist."


    Jamie hummed and leaned back again. "Three days since the Mystic Forest''s mist surfaced. Something like this hasn''t happened in a hundred years¡ª"


    "¡ªThousand," Quinton interjected.


    "Fucking thousand."


    Jamie and Quinton couldn''t shake off the bad feeling from the Mystic Forest, and neither could the higher-ups of all the kingdoms that the forest connected to. If the Mystic Forest opened up, a vast amount ofnd and resources would follow, but just what kind of horrors lurked in this ce that no one dared cross for a thousand years now?


    "Woop!"


    The ox bellowed as the farmer pulled its reins back and forced it into a sudden stop.


    "Tsk." Jamie clicked his tongue and clutched the axe in one hand as he jumped off the cart. Quinton, at the same time, picked up his bow and took a knee stance on the cart behind the cover of the hay.


    "What is it?" Jamie asked the farmer.


    "A-a body! It''s a body!"


    Jamie''s eyes fell on the limp body against the ground a few gaits away from the cart. The golden sunlight gently passed through the veil of the trees and caressed the auburn hair and rosy lips, as if wrapping the pale skin in its embrace. As a lock of hair fell off from the top and swayed in front of the closed eyes, Jamie''s heart skipped a beat.


    His eyes traced downward, at the soft, unblemished fingers supporting the head, the slightly worn down, yet beautifully fitting clothes that veiled the person, as the slow movements of the chest as the person in front of him tooknguid breaths.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "It''s not a body¡­" he muttered, slowly walking toward the person. "S-she''s alive¡­"


    Jamie kneeled next to the auburn-haired person and pushed back the locks of hair falling in front. Had a goddess descended? That must be the only exnation. Jamie''s mind somehow geared back to when he was just a wee kid of fifteen when he had first seen the daughter of the first duke of the Empire. He thought that was the most beautiful person he had seen in his life, so surely, the one in front of him must not be a person.


    "Jamie! Step back!"


    Quinton''s voice cut through the air and snapped Jamie out of his head.


    "Why would someone be here? In the middle of the Mystic Forest?"


    A chill ran down Jamie''s back at Quinton''s words. He was so enamored that hepletely lost track of the ce he was in and the mission he was on. Unfortunately, Quinton''s voice seemed to have snapped someone else out of their head as the sleeping person''s eyshes fluttered. The person slowly pushed against the ground and sat up, the sunlight gleamed on the person''s shoulder as the shoulder of the shirt slid off to the side.


    A blink.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Another.


    "HAH!? Humans!??"


    A soft voice, the perfect pitch neither high nor low.


    Jamie clutched his axe and jumped backward as the person in front of him awoke. What was it? A demon? A mirage monster?


    "Hey, you¡­" the person called out to Jamie, innocently staring at him with an upturned gaze. "Is this the end of the Mystic Forest?"


    "M-Mystic Forest¡­ Yes, it is¡ªUMF"


    Like a warhorse ramming into an unsuspecting infantry, a force akin to a wrecking ball smashed into Jamie''s side. The experienced adventurer twisted his body to mitigate the damage, but even the little impact that hurt him sent him flying through the path and into the trees on the side.


    A ck rang out.


    Jamie groaned against the tree.


    A pitch ck cloak fluttered in the wind.


    Slowly, the red-haired man with a nasty grin lowered his feet after kicking the adventurer.


    "Morning, Elric," he said, his eyes boorishly looking at the fallen adventurer.


    "Oh. Morning, ude," the auburn-haired beauty responded, stretching his hands above his head while stifling a yawn.


    Right then, a whistle spread through the air as an arrow zapped toward ude, aiming straight for his brain. Without as much as turning his head, ude swung his hand in the air and grabbed the approaching arrow.


    "What¡ª"


    The arrow snapped in his hand. The tail fell to the ground while the head spun toward his thumb. In one fluid motion from grabbing and breaking, ude pulled his hand back and threw the arrow to his side.


    The arrowhead coursed through the wind the way it came over. It passed by the crouching farmer and tore into the stack of hay before grazing cleanly through Quinton''s cheeks. The adventurer held his breath and stopped in his track.


    ude yawned too after seeing Elric as he trudged his way over to the bald adventurer nted inside a tree. His ck coat fluttered once more as he raised his leg and rested it on the adventurer''s chest.


    Jamie slowly opened his eyes through the pain. Staring down at him was a gaze he had never faced before. A scar ran down one eye of the red-haired man while his lips were frozen in a grin. Despite the yfulness in his face, his eyes showed not the slightest hint of interest. As if they had seen through everything, as if it was all inconsequential.


    "You," the man called out.


    "Y-ahk¡­ Yes?" Jamie coughed up some phlegm and blood as he answered the man in a weak voice.


    "Is this the end of the Mystic Forest?"


    "W-we are near the edges¡­"


    "Did youe from a town?"


    "Yes. Two viges over¡­ from the Leunderk Town¡­"


    "Is there good food and a bed in that town?"


    Good food and a bed?


    "I-I believe so¡­"


    The man closed his eyes and crossed his arms, not lifting his feet off Jamie''s chest. "Alright. Take us there."

 Chapter 22 21: Welcome To Leunderk, Lads

    ?Jamie and Quinton, fearless C-Ranked adventurers from Leunderk, who formed the two-man party, Kone.


    The two had braved many dangers, though not the top of the crop back in Leunderk, word of their feats was notcking in any manner. From scouting a nest of Mananteaters, a nest of Orcs, and even a nest of a wandering Griffin! Such great, brave adventurers, were shaking in their boots today.


    With each bump the old farmer''s cart drove over, Jamie''s fear would rise and his heart would quake. Quinton wasn''t any better off either as he sat in alert and stretched his arms around the pile of hay with each jostle the cart sent over.


    Laying atop the pile of hay was a young red-haired man with a rowdy gaze and a dandy smile, and next to him, a transcendental beauty they still couldn''t wrap their minds around.


    The cart shook again, a few strands of hay fell off this time, sending a shudder down Jamie and Quinton''s spines.


    "Ay sonnies up there," the farmer''s voice reached them. Up there? Was he talking to the two who barged in?


    "Ya mindin down? My feed''ll get ruined at this rate¡ª"


    "¡ªAAH!" Jamie screamed. "Pops! We''ll pay you for more ok? Please shut up!" Quinton nodded frantically from the side.


    "Yes, sure, sorry about that." The red-haired man said and sat up on the hay before sliding off to the cart, next to Jamie and Quinton. The two adventurers widened their eyes, they didn''t think this one would agree.


    The man didn''t bother Jamie and Quinton as he shook the other person. "Hey. Hey, wake up."


    Despite his attempts, the other one didn''t wake up. Jamie and Quinton would honestly have not minded letting that one sleep, but they didn''t have the guts to speak up against the one who had thrashed them without batting an eyelid.


    "Haah." The man grabbed his head and sighed. Then, he held the other one by the feet¡ª


    "WAKE UP!"


    ¡ªAnd threw him off the cart.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® The person flew through the air and mmed against the ground before rolling behind. Even the Ox seemed to have been shocked as it slowed down and all of them turned their heads.


    The red-haired man smiled widely and dusted his hands as the person he threw slowly sat up.


    "He''s a bit stubborn when ites to sleep."


    "He¡­?" Jamie muttered.


    His voice caught the man''s ears. With a pitying gaze, the red-haired man patted Jamie''s shoulders and showed him a wry smile.


    "Yup¡­ He."


    ***


    "So, I tell that portly man, ''Boy, this farm don''t belong to ma father, it belongs to yours.''"


    "Oh?"


    "''And daz me. I am your father.'' How''s that?"


    "Ooh! Cool as hell, pops! You are truly the manifestation of the word cool! Mind if I use this line sometime?"


    "Sure sonny, it''s all yours. Ima look forward to hearing tales of you saying this, boy."


    "You bet, pops." Elric held the farmer''s hands and nodded. "I won''t let you down!"


    "Ahaha!" The farmer smiled and pped Elric''s back.


    The cart was rather ufortable, so Elric went up and sat next to the farmer, leaving Jamie and Quinton with the most difficult one around. ude sat with his arms and legs crossed and eyes closed, he seemed to be deep in thought and Jamie and Quinton couldn''t muster the courage to look away from him.


    Hearing the conversation of Elric who had immediately be old pals with the farmer, ude decided he should use hismunication skills too.


    s, for thest two years, his onlymunication partners had been trees who were waiting for him to die, monsters who were out to kill him, and Elric whose antics had already killed him inside.


    ude awkwardly opened his eyes and stared down the two in front of him. The stare worked well to make the angry monsters stop and have a talk.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    A chill ran down Jamie and Quinton''s spines.


    "Name?" ude asked.


    "Y-yes?"


    "Name."


    "Oh, uh¡­. I''m Quamie, t-this is Jinton¡­"


    "Heh," ude smirked. "Silly names."


    "¡­"


    "¡­ sorry¡­"


    "Oh, don''t worry, your parents should apologize," ude said. "Not your fault."


    Jamie and Quinton did not think it necessary to correct the misunderstanding. Their wounds were still fresh, after all. He could even insult their parents and get away with it for now. After another short bout of silence, ude spoke up again.


    "How do you make dough?" he asked.


    "¡­dough?"


    Instead of answering, ude rubbed his thumb over the tips of his index finger.


    "Aah¡­ money!" Quinton said.


    "Well, we''re adventurers¡ª"


    "¡ªWHAT DID YOU SAY?" Elric''s scream interrupted Jamie. He popped his head out from the other end through the hay and stared at Jamie and Quinton with widened eyes. "What did you say?" he repeated.


    "M-money?" Quinton asked, his voice high-pitched on the verge of tears.


    "After that."


    "Adventurers¡ª"


    "¡ªCLAUDE!" Elric turned to his friend with an excited gaze, his friend, on the other hand, was stretching his neck away to avoid his eyes.


    Elric tapped him.


    A bead of sweat fell from ude''s forehead.


    "ude! ude! ude!"


    "Haah, fine fine." ude sighed and raised his hand in surrender. "We''ll look into it, ok?"


    Despite theckluster response, there was a bright glimmer in ude''s emotionless eyes. A glimmer that Jamie and Quinton did not miss. A glimmer that reminded them of their youth when they were enamored by the life of adventure, when they would hop excitedly at tales of the old adventurers during their childhood and vow to be one like them.


    Quinton and Jamie gazed at each other and broke into a rxed smile. They were on edge the entire time, worried about the monsters that hadtched onto them from the Mystic Forest, but the humanity in those monsters melted away all their worries.


    "Oh, we are here," the farmer''s words snapped all of their attention to the front.


    The overhead sun shone down on the sandy road mixing in with the stone pavements. In the distance, huts of straws and wood erged and expanded until they turned into brick houses of two to three stories reflecting the bright light with their gypsum and lime coverings. Wooden finials stretched out of the tilings of the roofs and touched the blue skies above the houses, weing the cart into the townscape.


    An enchanting sight Elric and ude would have never imagined back at their homes.


    "Wee to Leunderk,ds."

 Chapter 23 22: Enter, Leunderk Town!

    ?Cheery sounds andughter rang out in the air as the ox-cart moved over the stone roads. Peopleughed and giggled as they went on with their days in the small town of Leunderk. White gypsum and lime held together the short brick buildings in their oak-nked frames one after the other, creating a neatly arranged block of houses in the streets.


    Flowers and vines reached up and down the windows as their leaves swayed in the gentle morning breeze, the chirpings of birds and theughs of the children sounded like a harmonious score made only for the town. The smell of fresh bread being put out by the bakers wafted to their noses as the cart moved on, only to be reced by the scent of sizzling meat, of vegetables, fruits, earthenware, people, and the streets, the whiffs of homely cooking and the aroma of the streets, all of theming together to form the scent of Leunderk.


    The tromp of the ox came to a slow halt in front of arger building aspared to the rest. Windows were on every floor of the ce as a signboard hung out from the fashionable door.


    "This your ce fes?" the farmer asked.


    "Ah, yes pops." Jamie said as jumped off the cart, Quinton nodded at ude and the two of them followed down as well.


    Jamie walked up to the farmer and tried to hand him a pouch of coins, but the farmer shook his head.


    "Ay, I told ya, I was going that way in the first ce."


    "Still pops, you always help us out with this stuff."


    "Just keep it," the farmer tapped Elric''s back and smiled. "Buy a meal for thisd for me or something."


    "Oh! Thanks pops!" Elric intervened.


    "Anytime,d. Come over to house someday, my wife nags a lot, but a good cook."


    "You bet, I''ll be there!"


    With that short exchange, the farmer pulled on the reins of the ox again and rolled his cart and the stack of hay away. The group of four watched the farmer''s back for a few seconds. Then, Jamie and Quinton turned around.


    "Alright then, this is our ce," Jamie said.


    "Fun hanging out with you guys, bye!" Quinton added, and the two started walking toward the gate of the building when a hand scruffed them by the cors and pulled them back.


    "Did you think you can get away with that, Quamie, Jinton?" ude asked.


    "Pfft, what''s with those names?" Elricughed. ude thought Mr. Two Surnames had no right to speak like this but focused on the other two first.


    "W-what else do you need? Leunderk is here and ready!"


    ude smirked. "Heh, the bed and the food."


    Jamie and Quinton were let go of ude''s grasp. In a bind, they huddled up together and talked amongst each other. ude watched them with crossed hands as they whispered and then turned back to him.


    "Um, so¡­" Jamie said. "Do you have¡­ any money?"


    "Nope."


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom An instant answer.


    Jamie and Quinton knew it! They fucking knew it! The two of them looked down in thought.


    They were trapped from all ends, but was it really necessary? Did they have to give up their money like this just to house these strangers? There was no reason¡ª


    A snap resounded in the air as ude cracked his knuckles, and then his wrists.


    There was a reason after all.


    "Alright then," they said. "Why don''t you two live in the same inn as us for the time being? A day?"


    "Hm?"


    "Two days¡­"


    ude walked closer to them.


    "F-fine, we''ll cover you for a week, okay? Just for a week!"


    ude smiled and nodded. "Yeah thanks, we wouldn''t want to overstay our wee either."


    ''Overstay!? You aren''t fucking wee at all! Go back!'' Jamie wanted to scream those words out but managed to keep them in.


    "T-then, let''s go in."


    Jamie and Quinton led ude and Elric inside the inn. Mahogany nks covered the walls of the inn with smallmp stands sticking out of them. A velvet couch with silk upholstery was set on one end with an empty firece in front of it and a ss table in between. At the other end of the reception was a door leading further into the building and a staircase to the floors above. Right across the gate, a chip-carved table of brown greeted them with a middle-ageddy behind it.


    The group walked straight to the counter, two with nervous steps and the other two with curious ones.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Oh? You two are back already?" Thedy greeted Jamie and Quinton with a friendly smile, skipping over all formalities.


    "Yeah, something came up," Jamie said. "Anyway, innkeep. Can you get us two more rooms for these two?"


    Thedy looked at ude and Elric and froze for a second. ude nodded at her, which seemed to have gotten her herposure back. "Good afternoon," she said. "Wee to the Laughing Blue inn. I am Rena Blue, I run this ce with my daughter."


    "ude, this one''s Elric." ude nodded at thedy''s polite greeting and returned a curt one.


    "There are two empty on the second floor, is that fine?"


    Jamie and Quinton sighed in relief. Theirs was on the first floor, they could at least breathe in peace for a bit.


    "Any will do," ude said. "Do you also do food?"


    "Only dinner and breakfast, sir." Lady Blue answered with a bright business smile. "There are paid, though. Then, I''ll put you down for the rooms."


    "Wait, Lady," As was norm, Elric did not let her go without getting a word in. "Do you have beds?"


    "Huh? Yes. All our rooms have beds."


    "Tsk, tsk." He shily shook his index finger around and clicked his tongue. "I am not talking about just beds, but beds."


    "Hoh," thedy smirked. "I see, you know your stuff, dear guest. Alright, I''ll give you two on the first floor, right next to the other two''s"


    Lady Blue and Elric smiled as she handed him the keys to their rooms. A smile that almost made tears drip down from Jamie and Quinton''s faces.


    Without wasting any time, ude took the keys from Elric and had the other two show them to their rooms. They passed by the lines of paintings and the unlit candle stands as they walked up the spiraling stairs of wood and came up to the second floor. Just like below, the walls were covered in Mahogany nks while a blue carpet ran over the length of the passage on the second floor. Despite the slightlycking exterior, the inn was a cozy and rich ce.


    Jamie and Quinton led the two curious guests to the rooms at the end of the passage. ude and Elric had their rooms right next to each other on the side opposite Jamie and Quinton''s. They excitedly twisted the keys, and then the knobs, and pried the door open.


    The edges of the blue curtains fluttered slightly in the winding from the open window. Sunlight barged in at the perfect spot and dimly lit the wide room. Carpet-covered flooring stretched from end to end as a small study table sat in one corner of the room with an intricatemp on top. A closet was ced next to it, wide enough for Elric to fit inside if he scrunched up a bit.


    Opposite the closet was arge full-sized bed. A wooden board made up the head of the bed, twisting in fine cuts. White sheets draped off the bed, curving over the fluffy mattress that fit snugly on top of the frame of the bed. Drool dripped out of Elric''s mouth as his eyesnded on the bed, not even noticing the side tables next to it.


    "C-ude¡­" Elric called out to his friend, taking a weak step out of the room.


    "I know," ude answered. "Knock yourself out¡­"


    His voice cracked.


    "We are finally at a safe ce¡­"


    A smile covered Elric''s face as he walked inside the room and dived onto the bed. His body sunk inside the soft mattress, almost carrying him away to heaven. Elric didn''t bother with the grime that had settled on his body or the sweat he worked up in the sun, he pulled the pillow on the bed under his head and closed his eyes, drifting off to sleep right away.


    ude watched his friend with a smile, he had forgotten to shut his door in his excitement. Stifling a chuckle, ude shut the door behind Elric and turned to face Jamie and Quinton.


    "D-do you like it¡ª"


    Jamie''s mouth stopped and swung open.


    In front of him, the red-haired man that had kicked his ass not that long ago, bowed deeply.


    "Thank you," ude said. "We''ll remember this favor and pay you back."


    Jamie and Quinton could only nod. ude smiled at them for the first time since he met them and walked into his room, closing the door behind him.


    The two C-Ranked adventurers were left sighing in the passage of the inn.


    "I don''t know if we helped someone or were extorted here," Quinton said.


    Jamie and Quinton stood in silence for a short while, maybe they were daydreaming, or maybe they were cursing their luck, or maybe they were not thinking of anything, knowing that it wouldn''t get them anywhere.


    "That''s just our lives, huh? Adventurers¡­"


    With that, the two of them retreated to their rooms too.


    ude and Elric were fast asleep in mere moments.


    That time, they slept for three days straight.

 Chapter 24 23: Another World Means Adventurer Guild, You Fool! (1)

    ?Elric woke up as the twilight of the dawn scattered inside his room. His eyelids were stuck together, but he managed to pull them open and feast on the sight around.


    A headache.


    His lips were chapped and throat parched, sleeping for three days straight was tough even for the Sleeping Hero. Stifling a yawn, Elric pushed against the bed and sat up. A few strands of his wild hair draped over his eyes while the rest cascaded down his back, all the way to his mid-back. He pushed the blue sheets away and stood up.


    Water flowed out from the bottles kept on the side table and swept over Elric''s face, without as much as looking at the water he controlled, Elric washed his face with some and drank the rest. He walked up to the door of the attached bathroom while the pile of used water went out of the window on its own and was disposed away.


    There was no need to worry about things in here.


    Right as they came in, ude had used his skills and scanned the entrance, then the rooms, and then the rest of the inn, not a hint of hostility. Even if something came up, Elric and ude had developed more than enough perception to escape most things that woulde their way, they were confident.


    The headache subsided slowly but steadily.


    Elric''s first morning, technically the third, in the town of Leunderk.


    He found it exciting.


    ***


    After freshening up, Elric stretched his arms and back as he walked down the stairs of the inn back to the ground floor. The paintings set up on the staircase were varying, vivid enough for at least one of them to catch the eyes of whoeveres around. The abstract paintings of monsters, monochrome coal portraits of gods and goddesses, highly detailed art of battles from legends that Elric knew naught about, and childish drawings of the inn.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® His hand brushed over the glossed wood of the railings as he turned to the reception desk on the first floor. An old gentleman in a full cream suit was reading a newspaper next to the firece, a pipe in his mouth, and coffee in his hands.


    ''Cool. I want to buy a suit too.''


    Elric scrutinized the man''s suit as he walked up to the reception desk, his head facing away from his body. The old gentleman noticed, but did not say anything out of the awkwardness.


    "Ahem," thedy at the reception coughed, taking back Elric''s attention.


    "Oh, Miss Blue, you are a make-up wizard!" Elric eximed.


    "Yes? What?"


    "It''s like you''ve be twenty years younger!"


    Elric was pleasantly surprised at the sudden change. The Lady Blue in front of himcked the slow forming wrinkles and the slightly receding hairline, her forehead was smaller and her lipspact. Was she maybe a spy doubling as an innkeeper? How cool was that? Elric decided to y the role and shoot up random keyphrases next time.


    "Uh," thedy tilted her head. "Did you perhaps meet my mother, dear guest?"


    She was more in the role than Elric assumed. Right, if she was a spy he should have never tried to oust her in the first ce! For all Elric knew, the man behind was a bigshot from a different ce and she had to keep her cover.


    "Hah¡­ Haha¡­" Elric covered his eyes andughed. "Don''t mind. Where''s the restaurant?"


    "Through that door right there¡­ guest."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric nodded coolly and walked away from the reception. Thinking about it now, finding the restaurant was actually a no biggie.


    Elric passed through the door and came up in front of another small passage that led to a wider dining hall. The dining hall was set up just asvishly as the reception with mahogany nks boarding the entire walls. A chandelier hung from the center of the room and the tables were arranged in a spiral around it. Blue sheets wereid over the tables with fine silverware he would have had a hard time finding in his old world.


    It was just after the break of dawn. The people back in the temple of Ephis used to wake up around now, but not all of them. Elric assumed the dining hall would be empty and hoped to snag a quick bite, but the grunts and hustle of the waiters and the chefs reaching out from the kitchen begged to differ.


    On the table closest to the kitchen, a line of empty tes were stacked up in a tall pile, many other tes were syed over the blue cloth, being lifted one after the another only to have all their contents vanish in the blink of an eye. The culprit was a familiar red-haired man.


    Elric sighed and went up to the seat next to ude. He snatched a te before ude could and lifted it. Sausages, bacon, omelets, and toast, this was a breakfast for sure, but it looked like ude had just single-handedly sat through a ten-person all you can eat feast.


    Well, someone else was paying anyway, they had to make the best of it.


    Still, Elric hoped he could enjoy such luxury for a long time. Sleeping covered in blood from their day''s hunt, lying on a bed of stick rocks with hopefully enough leaf to keep you warm, and then waking up the next day with rashes and bug bites.


    Elric picked up a strip of bacon and nibbled on it. Unlike ude, he had only one single human stomach and had a rather small appetite on top of being a slow eater, the one te he had stolen was enough to keep him upied.


    The two of them did not share any words as they continued eating. The speed of the running waiters slowed down to a tired walk as ude finally showed signs of being full.


    He stabbed his fork in one of thest few sausages on his te and lifted it. Before he bit in, a tear glistened on his eyelid before dripping down.


    Followed by another, and then another.


    ude couldn''t stop himself from crying as tears flooded out of his eyes, his mouth did not change for even a second despite his crying.


    "C-ude?" Elric muttered. "Sidekick? Are you okay? Did you eat something¡ª"


    ude bit the sausage and mmed the table with his other hand. He took in a deep breath and turned to his friend.


    "Elric," he sniffled. "I have decided. After living in that hellhole for two years¡­ there''s no way I am leaving this lifestyle. No way."


    "O-oh¡­ ok?"


    "We have to get money. Let''s find a way to make money."


    Elric smirked at ude''s words.


    Money.


    He stood up and leaned on the table. "Then, let''s do that!"


    "That¡­?" ude asked.


    "Let''s be adventurers!"

 Chapter 25 24: Another World Means Adventurer Guild, You Fool! (2)

    ?"Adventurer¡­ huh?" ude repeated.


    "Yup!" Elric nodded his head. "Just think of it, imagine how cool it would be!"


    "Well, I was thinking of a more realistic job." ude stopped crying and went back to his food. Elric thought his mood shift was incredible but was more caught up on the adventurer thing.


    "Realistic job? Like what?"


    "Dragon yer."


    "Fuck, sounds cool." Elric believed himself to be a great judge of things. Keeping materialistic matters on a scale offort and spiritual matters on a scale of coolness was his dao. "But wait, what''s the point of killing a dragon if people don''t know who you are?"


    "Right¡­" ude muttered. "Adventure is important with dragon ying¡­"


    "Are there even dragons in this world?"


    The two looked at each other, and then decided to ignore the question. They weren''t ready to face the truth if it was going to be a ''no.''


    "So adventurers¡­ do you think we can get any money?"


    "Well baldie and friend are adventurers, and they are kind enough to fund us here. I''m guessing there''s some serious money."


    ude ate thest of the food on his te and wiped his face. "They are old. And strong too, they could take on an Orc each, bet."


    "What? Oh yeah, definitely. I could tell at a nce¡­ That strong?"


    "Yup. Strong, but more importantly, experienced."


    "Well, I did think a bit about that," Elric said. "Remember, ude. Where did we meet them?"


    "Mystic Forest¡­"


    "And prithee, what would¡ª"


    "They are investigating the forest because we got rid of the Mist¡­" ude cut Elric off. It was a chance to make a lot of money for the two of them, after all, they were what spurred this investigation in the first ce. Elric and ude knew the Mystic Forest like the back of their hands, if the adventurer guild asked them to dive into that ce, it would be as good as cheating for them.


    "Sounds like a n, Elric. I was thinking of going back to the forest sometime anyway."


    Elric frowned deeply.


    "Go back? Why?"


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "To tie some loose ends," ude leaned back on his chair and crossed his legs. He raised his hand and tapped the long scar running down his eye.


    "Gardar¡­"


    "Don''t interfere when ites to it. Even if it looks like I''ll die."


    "Hah!" Elric scoffed. "Then don''t be on the edge of death against that bastard."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The two of them grinned and sat back rxedly with the pile of tes in front of them. The gentle breeze of the morning washed into the room from the windows and sent therge chandelier swaying lightly. Red wooden walls, blue clothing, there were many more colors in here than Elric and ude had the chance to witness in thest two years.


    "Feels weird, huh?" ude said.


    There was no need for him to borate, Elric knew exactly what he meant. It had been more than three weeks since they had aplished their goal. Over the two hellish years, it was their drive, their purpose to get out of that forest that had kept them going¡­


    ¡­ But now?


    There was the matter about their ss and the church, but ude did not feel any hostility toward them at all. He didn''t care whatever they did or happened to them, and Elric¡­ he was the one responsible for the situation. While he never let ude know the truth, he never med the others either.


    Earning money for the inn was not a necessity. Even revenge against Gardar¡­ countless scars on their bodies was a small price to pay for everything they had done in the forest. It was just ude grasping at straws.


    "It feels weird," Elric said, resting his chin on the table.


    Right then, the door to the dining hall swung open, and hurried footsteps rushed inside. At the perfect time, Jamie and Quinton entered the hall and fell to their knees after seeing the long pile of tes on the table.


    "O-our savings¡­"


    "It''s all gone¡­"


    "Oh! Perfect timing, Quamie, Jinton." ude dusted his hands and stood up from his seat, he looked down on the two adventurers with a wide grin as he spoke up. "Take us to the Adventurer''s Guild."


    "The guild¡­? Why?"


    "To register, of course." ude patted their shoulders and smiled wider. "Take good care of us, seniors."


    ***


    A gloomy pair of C-Rank adventurers trudged their feet through the streets of Leunderk. Behind them, two cheery young fellows smiled and walked excitedly, matching the mood of the morning town, ready to face the new day head-on.


    ude was looking forward to the prospect of making money. He remembered that one of his ssmates used to run an online business, leaving that and maybe some others aside, even in their previous world they had never had any chances to be responsible for their finances. Having no experience, ude was slightly disillusioned with the power of money, not knowing the amount of blood, sweat, and tears that go into earning it.


    Elric, on the other hand, had a much simpler thought going through his mind.


    He wanted to be hassled at the entrance. Elric could not give up on the romance of such a situation.


    The group turned through the stone streets of the town and soon came in front of a wide building. The structure covered an entire block as it spread over the ce, forming a giant square a few streets away from the center of the town. A small crowd of people wearing full-te armor and robes carrying weapons and staves constantly went inside the giant entrance of the two-story guild house.


    The logo of a sword and a staff with a coin in the center was etched on top of the entrance with the words ''Adventurer''s Guild'' embossed underneath.


    Jamie and Quinton nodded and slowly opened the doors of the building, and of the mor and racket of the adventurers. Burly men and women screamed and shouted as they talked with each other. Some of the more serious ones read books and newspapers at one end of the ce while the others started their mornings with fresh bread and beer.


    Excited, ude grinned and took a step inside.


    And a quiet filled the adventurer guild.

 Chapter 26 25: Another World Means Adventurer Guild, You Fool! (3)

    ?The hustle and bustle of the rowdy adventurers came to a stop. All of their eyes shifted to the door of the guild.


    Leunderk was a small town, almost everyone had some idea about everyone else. So for adventurers, who thrived on connections, knowing about the people who would have business in here was natural.


    "Who''s that behind Kone?"


    "Why is Kone back already in the first ce?"


    The sight of a new person was enough to stop them for a bit, maybe have a little fun or something. But the man that just entered looked nothing of the sort.


    Wild red hair that fluttered with the wind. A sharp jawline framing his sharper features. A nasty grin on his face and an evil curve in his eyes with a deep scar on them. The man''s chiseled muscles not hidden well by his tunic and ck cloak did not help and neither did his bnced posture.


    A strong and handsome man, it was a sight one wouldn''t expect to see in Leunderk, so the people watched with interest, some of thedies with more interest than the others.


    Then, another person stepped in.


    Weak. Compared to the first, this person was crazy weak. A constitution not much better than farm child''s in the countryside and skin smooth and unblemished as if bathed in milk. This was just a protected person blessed with an alright physique. But the looks.


    If the first one was a handsome man on the level of a noble, then this one''s beauty transcended people. It made the hearts of some throb and the eyes of some burn.


    But the adventurers decided not to bother these ones.


    They were adults, and they seemed to know how to handle their weight.


    There was no need to rough up people not disillusioned by adventures. These guys were not here to forfeit their lives.


    And so, all of Elric''s reason foring to the adventurers guild was blocked from him in mere moments.


    Elric and ude followed the two adventurers of Kone to the reception desk. Elric''s mood had taken a strange turn, the people around were quiet, but no one came up to them and tried to rough them up.


    "C-Ranked Jamie and Quinton,"


    "Who''s that?" ude whispered to Elric at the receptionist''s words.


    The wide desk of the reception couldn''t hide her perfect posture as her long brown hair tickled the top of the desk, cascading down her charming face. The receptionist greeted the party Kone with a short bow.


    "Are you here to pick up a new quest?" she asked.


    "Uh, no¡­ We''re here to rmend these two¡­" Jamie pointed at the two behind him with an awkward smile.


    The receptionist noticed ude and Elric and nodded as they stepped forward to the desk.


    "It is great to see new people interested in adventuring. You all look strong too, with a referral of one of the best parties of the branch, it would be possible to increase your starting rank if you''re strong enough," the receptionist recited in one breath as she pulled out some files and documents from underneath the desk. "You may already know, the ranks start from F to A, and then proceed onward to Gold, Diamond, tinum, and Mythril ranks, based on your achievements."


    "Ooh!" Elric wowed and pped, perfect fantasy, very cool, approved.


    The receptionist giggled at Elric and extended her hands. "Can I see your soul stone, please?"


    "Soul stone?" ude tilted his head.


    "Yes, the stone with your abilities. Do not worry, you can set it to spectator mode and only show me the stats."


    ude raised his chin in understanding. He remembered it being called God Stone back in the Church of Ephis. Was it something different, or were they just called differently due to being in a different kingdom?


    "Unfortunately, neither of us has one."


    The receptionist looked slightly stuck for a moment but quickly retrieved her smile. "Then, as a special consideration, you can register with a Soul Stone from the adventurer guild, free of cost, of course."


    "Register now? Don''t we have to pray to a statue or something?"


    The receptionist visibly tilted her head this time as the people in the guild started gossiping.


    A screeching noise sounded out as a burly man stood up. The greatsword on his back nged against his iron pauldron as he smirked and slowly made his way toward the desk.


    "Looks like you guys are greenhorns who know nothing," he said with a smirk.


    ''It''s here!! YES YES!'' Elric cheered internally as the wild man walked up to them, a condescending look on his face.


    He stood right in front of ude, narrowing the distance between them to zero. ude stared back into the man''s eyes, not backing down for a second.


    Then, the man reached into his pockets.


    ude readied his mind.


    Out came a small book, the size of a pocket diary, with a hand-drawn stick man carrying a sword on the cover.


    "This is my guide for new adventurers," the man said. He smirked and walked back to his desk. "It''s a freebie from a senior."


    ''FUCKING FIGHT US INSTEAD!''


    Yet again, Elric''s dream was crushed.


    The receptionist sighed and tapped on the desk to take ude''s attention. "Then, you two. Here is the Soul Stone. There is no need to pray as this one is linked to your soul and not defined by the gods. It''s less urate and cannot show as many details or aptitude, but it updates as your stats and skills increase."


    "Oh?" ude picked up the white stone b and inspected it in his hands. There was an aptitude tab in his stats back at the temple. He remembered his being an ''All Aptitude.''


    As for Elric, though the person himself had notid an eye on the god stone, ude had seen it well. A ''Zero Aptitude.''<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ude picked up the knife from the receptionist''s table and shed it across his palm. Red blood glistened out of the shallow wound. Clicking his tongue, ude clenched his fist over the stone b and let his blood drip on it.


    A bright light gleamed out of the stone, filling the ce with brightness before dissipating into the air. Strange characters jumbled around on the b,ing together in a line.


    And ude''s status revealed itself.


    [


    Name: ude Almstedt


    Age: 18


    ss: Light Hero | Vessel of the Lord of Shadows


    Title: Fallen Hero


    Stats:


    Strength: 72


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Agility: 75


    Endurance: 90


    Vitality: 120


    Intelligence: 56


    Charm: 68


    Perception: 60


    Spirit Control: 12


    Mana: 114


    Mana Control: 40


    .


    .


    .


    Skills: [Weapon Mastery: Beginner], [Wild Swordsmanship: Advanced], [Trinity Magic: Unutilized], [Spirit Talk: Unutilized], [Hero''s Strength], [Hero''s Constitution], [Hero''s Growth]¡­


    .


    .


    .


    Unique Skills: [Possession Resistance: Intermediate (Active], [Light Hero''s Potential], [Acquisition], [Stat Absorption], [Skill Acquisition], [Shadow Control (+)], [Light Hero (+)]


    .


    .


    .


    Equipment: [Armor Set of the Shadow Lord(???)], [Shadow Lord''s Soul (Hostile) (Constant Danger)]


    ]


    The list of skills just kept going and going.


    "Hey," ude hid the b and called out to the receptionist. "What''s the plus sign after my skills?"


    "Oh, that means you have derivative skills. Amazing. Your skills epass a further number of skills."


    "Is that so¡­" ude looked at the b again.


    Everything else seemed pretty normal to him. Yup, it was all urate, a bit too much. In any case, there was no way could he show some of the stuff on here to people. At the bottom of the b was a small sigil of an eye. That was likely the spectator mode she talked about.


    ude seeped some of his mana from his fingertips into the button. Another bright light emerged from the b as the Skills, Unique Skills, Equipment, ss, and Title sections disappeared from the stone, leaving only his name, age and Stats open.


    With a shrug, ude pushed the Soul Stone to the receptionist who epted it with a graceful smile.


    "Let''s see here¡­" she said as she held the Soul Stone in front of her eyes¡ª


    "WHAT!"


    ¡ªAnd dropped it right after.

 Chapter 27 26: Another World Means Adventurer Guild, You Fool! (4) [Bonus ]

    ?"T-this¡­ are you truly just eighteen?"


    "That''s what you''re surprised about?"


    ude narrowed his eyes at the receptionist''s remark.


    "No, I mean, these are insane stats for such a young person," the receptionist waved her hands in front of her. "With stats like this, can''t you easily join a knight order or something? Why an adventurer?"


    "Are you saying adventurers don''t have stats like these?" ude asked. If that was the case, not joining the guild would be for the best. He didn''t want to associate himself with weak people after all. Putting his skills to good use was important for personal growth, he guessed so.


    "No, there are¡­ This is at the level of a veteran B-Ranked Adventurer. I don''t understand the deal of strong kids like you."


    The noises in the adventurer''s guild rose at the words of the receptionist. B-Ranked was a great deal, especially for the branch in Leunderk, which had only two such parties. The adventurers were very curious about the stats that the person had, but decided to stay quiet for now.


    ude, on the other hand, was slightly dissatisfied. Two years of life-and-death situations, and he could only match up to the B-Ranked? There were five more ranks above this.


    The receptionist shook her head lightly and handed the soul stone back to ude. "I have verified everything. Unfortunately, adventures are not all about strength. Your experience with different situations and quest clear rates count too."


    She filled in a few documents and handed one to ude. "For now, with your stats and Kone''s referral in count, you will be set up as C-Ranked adventurers with easier conditions to rank up."


    ude eyed the document carefully. It contained normal information about him and about the kind of job being an adventurer entails. Naturally, there were no statements on the duration or work benefits. He could register as an adventurer and never even ept a quest if he wanted to. There was a use about emergency mobilization by the kingdom for C-Ranks and above, so he read that extra carefully.


    At the bottom was a ce for him to sign, next to the signature of the deputy guild master. He simply tapped his thumb on the blood in his palm and sealed it on the page before handing it to the receptionist.


    "Oh well¡­ this would do too, I guess¡­" The receptionist ced the document in a file and smiled again. "It would take half a day for your guild card to be made. Till then, can the other person please step up?"


    Elric grinned and walked up to the receptionist. "Do you have a string?"


    "Yes?"


    "String?"


    The receptionist was slightly confused but handed him a string. Holding the string between his teeth, he pulled his hair back and gathered it in his hand. He moved his long auburn hair to the back, revealing his side of the face and the nape of his neck as if it were a curtain. He tied his hair up in a ponytail with a string, making everyone around him stop and stare.


    "The soul stone, please?" He said with a smile.


    "Yes? Right, yes." Even the previously unfazed receptionist was flustered for a second. She handed him the soul stone and a knife, different from the one she had given to ude.


    Elric took the knife and lightly nicked his thumb, rubbing the blood on the stone b. Just like before, a white light shone in the room, and his stats appeared on the b.


    [


    Name: Elric Wald


    Age: 18


    ss: -


    Title: Two Surnames | Ruler of Water (Self Proimed)


    Stats:


    Strength: 24


    Agility: 23


    Endurance: 23


    Vitality: 35


    Intelligence: 76


    Charm: 108


    Perception: 58


    Spirit Control: 4


    Mana: 3


    Mana Control: 201


    .


    .


    .


    Skills: [Hex Magic: Beginner (Charm)], [Water Magic: Beginner], [Chantless Casting], [Gestureless Casting], [Water Usurpation], [Water Maniption: Saint]


    .


    .<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    .


    Unique Skills: [Awakening], [Adaptability]


    .


    .


    .


    Equipment: -


    ]


    Elric''s hands trembled lightly as he held the soul stone in his hands. ude noticed and ced a hand on his shoulder.


    "What happened?" ude asked, peeking over into Elric''s soul stone.


    Elric hesitated, making ude more concerned. "Why, can I read this stuff? It''s a foreignnguage¡ª"


    ude punched the top of Elric''s head. "Bastard," he said in a whisper. "You notice after two years? We were brought here like that."


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Elric clicked his tongue, turned on the spectator mode on the soul stone, and handed it to the receptionist.


    "Oh, a normal person," she said. Her eyes scanned the stone and went lower. Air wheezed out of her nose and her mouth as she broke into a coughing fit.


    "Ahak! Twohak! Two fucking hundred?!" The receptionist blurted out loud.


    "What! A two hundred stat?!"


    "What in the world? What is he, a warrior, a mage?"


    "No way, isn''t it just charm? It has to be!"


    Elric quite enjoyed the reaction and puffed his chest out. The receptionist wiped her face with a towel and sat down again. After taking in a


    deep breath, she looked at Elric, then at his stats, and lost her cool again.


    "Why is magic control over 200 and mana just 3? What kind of person are you!?"


    "Huh, you really want to know?"


    "YES!"


    "I am¡­ the Ruler of Water!"


    "NO!"


    The professionalism of the receptionist had disappeared. A few others came rushing out of the break room and tried to calm her down calling out ''Deputy Master'' over and over.


    Atst, the receptionist calmed down and wiped her face with a towel again. The two people that had just rushed out of a break room were ring at Elric with animosity but did not say anything. Their eyes widened slightly when the receptionist tugged at their clothes and asked them to calm down.


    "To get over two hundred in a stat, even if there is no limit, it takes significant effort," the receptionist said, her breath slightly heavy. "It is a tough situation to judge. Two hundred plus stats is at the level of A or S, Maybe even Gold-ranked adventurers. Actually, I doubt any of them would increase their magic control that much¡­ Considering your other stats, a D or C ranked¡­ I can''t be sure."


    The receptionist mulled over it a bit and then shook her head again. "I''ll prepare a card nheless. The documents will change, so please sign them then. You two cane together to get your card."


    With nothing else left to say and no one to talk to, Elric and ude decided to leave for now ande backter. They stepped out of the adventurer''s guild house, the mor returning only after they werepletely gone.


    Standing outside the doors of the once again boisterous guild, Elric and ude looked up to the sky.


    "So much attention," Elric smiled.


    "That was embarrassing."


    "Embarrassing? Are you a fool? It was cool as heck! We became C-Ranked in an instant!"


    ude clicked his tongue and red at Elric. "Everyone looked poor in there, and there wasn''t anything cool like you said! No one even came to beat us¡­ I feel like we shouldn''t have registered here."


    "Are you having second thoughts?" Elric red back at him, but gave up with a sigh. "Look, ude, we had no other choice."


    "Why?"


    "Because another world means adventurer guild, you fool!"


    "What?"


    "Let''s go eat something."


    "Yup."


    And so, the two cashless idiots headed out to eat.

 Chapter 28 27: Rankings And Quest

    ?The next day rolled over in no time. ude and Elric made their way to the adventurer''s guild on their own. The streets of Leunderk seemed a little emptier as they came over a bitter in the morning. Most people had set off to their works, from adventurers on the way to their quests to people of the town sitting around in their shops or farms, leaving the streetsparatively empty.


    ude wasn''t wearing his cloak today, but had instead taken a sea green tunic that reached a third of his hands and brown trousers. His wild red hair wasbed to the back, the scars on his eyes and hands in for people to see. The straw sandals he had borrowed from the vige tapped against the ground as he went around the town dressed rather modestly, the only thing different being the amulet of the lord of shadows with a purple-ck stone hanging from his neck.


    Elric, on the other hand, was wearing a white tunic with blue seams and his leather boots from two years back. His hair was tied up neatly in a high pony as it swayed slightly with every step.


    Elric pushed open the doors of the much quieter adventurer guild than yesterday, the grainy wooden door creaked as it opened up and showed the inside of the adventurer''s guild. Just like before, the adventurer''s guild was divvied into different sections for a diner, a group of conference tables, and the reception on the left, right, and center. Behind the reception desk was the door of the break room, and on its left a passage that led further into the building.


    Elric''s worn-down boots tapped against the hardwood floor as he made his way to the reception desk with ude. The people around hadn''t quietened down after seeing them this time, instead, the ones that were around yesterday were bbering about the two of them to those that came here today.


    Paying them no heed, ude tapped his fingers on the reception desk, despite the receptionist looking at him. It wasn''t the woman from yesterday, but an older man likely in his forties.


    "ude. I came here to get my adventurer card."


    "Oh?" the man said. "So you are ude Almstedt?"


    ude smiled and crossed his arm. He was already famous.


    "Then the person behind you must be Elric Wald."


    He wasn''t, his friend was.


    "Great, then. Please wait here for a second, I''ll get your cards." The man got up and turned around as he spoke and went into the breakroom.


    ude leaned against the desk and looked over at the setup of tables on the side. Many bookshelves were lined up on the perimeter with hundreds of maps and logs filling them to the brim. Information was key for an adventurer, for anyone at all. Had ude and Elric known how to control their techniques beforehand, had they known how monsters worked, had they known some more basics than they got to, they could have easily be much stronger and have avoided a lot of pain.


    He would put the books to good use.


    The old man of the reception came back out to the desk with a bunch of documents and two wooden boxes in his hands. He ced them all down and then beckoned Elric over from the quest board beforeying them out in front of the two.


    "Elric Wald, sign these first," the man said, pulling out a quill and a bottle of ink.


    Elric coolly picked up the quill and waved it over the paper, of course, he ended up signing them all in thenguage of his previous world. They were gifted by the gods to be able to understand thenguages of the people here, but they did not ''know'' them.


    "Whatnguage is this?" the receptionist asked, yanking the papers from Elric''s hands.


    "Uh, we''re not from around."


    "I know, where are you from?"


    "Another world."


    "Hah, fine. I don''t want to know anyway."


    The man collected all the papers and kept them away before pushing the wooden boxes up front. He opened up the boxes at the same time. "Congrattions, both of you will start as C-Ranked adventurers."


    Cotton padding pushed up the two cards kept sqaure on the box. ude picked up the card in a go and flipped it in his hands. Made of an alloy he had never seen before, the card held the emblem of the adventurer''s guild on its back, the front of the card disyed his name, rank, and a few other details.


    "Usually," the receptionist continued. "A C-Ranked adventurer would need a crazy clear rate to rank up, but considering your stats, I''ll let the two of you have it easy. Twenty C-Ranked Quests in a party, and twenty solo."


    Some of the people around perked their ears up at the receptionist''s mention of solo C-Ranked quests, but Elric and ude did not know what it entailed.


    "Take the cards," he said, nudging Elric to pick up his card as well.


    "Good, with this, you two are full-fledged adventurers¡ª"


    "¡ªPerfect, we take this quest." Elric cut in on the receptionist''s words and mmed a sheet of paper on the reception. The receptionist chuckled and looked at the paper.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Very eager," he said. "C-Ranked quests right off the bat. I''ll register the Rammer Serpent Subjugation quest in Koror Vige under your name."


    "Serpent subjugation?" ude tilted his head. "What about the forest?"


    "Eh, this is cooler though!" Elric answered back.


    ude''s words had piqued the receptionist''s curiosity. "What forest? The Mystic Forest?"


    "Yeah, we want to investigate it too."


    "The Mystic Forest has already been scouted though. Its status has been changed from Forbidden Dungeon to Eternal Dungeon."


    "Scouted already!?" Elric asked. "By whom!?"


    "Kone? Didn''t they say you guys came with them after they were returning from the forest?"


    "Wait, wait." ude interrupted. "What is this Eternal Dungeon thing?"


    The receptionist sighed and shook his head. "It changed from a ce you couldn''t even enter to a ce you can''t conquer even if you do. Though it isn''t swallowing people anymore, we don''t have any information on things."


    Can''t conquer? What bullshit was that? The conquerors of the forest were standing right there, though they hadn''t killed everything inside either. Many were stronger than them, magnitudes stronger, from the Wyvern to the Harpies.


    "So, we can''t try it out?" ude asked.


    "Nope, Eternal Dungeons can only be challenged by Gold or above ranked Adventurers, after being approved by the Kingdom. All its rights belong to the kingdom."


    Their money¡­


    Their money-making ns¡­


    Was there still hope? Could they sell maps or something? Even if they could, they didn''t the shape it held now, they only knew what everything was once they saw it and not after the mist had beenpletely stopped by them.


    ude was lost in his thoughts when the receptionist spoke up again.


    "So, will you be doing this as a party?"


    "Yup," Elric answered in a hushed voice.


    "What''ll be the name, then?"


    ude''s ears perked up.


    "Ruler of Water and Sidekick!"


    "Twilight Lord and Sidekick!"


    "You! Behave, sidekick!"


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® "Shut it, bastard, you are the sidekick!"


    "Pfft." The receptionist wheezed and then immediately covered his mouth, but hisugh wasn''t suppressed. "What kind of¡­ pfft, ahahah¡­"


    To preserve some of their dignity, ude and Elric gave up on that kind of name.

 Chapter 29 28: Koror Village

    ?"Aight, let''s go." Elric exaggeratedly lifted his feet and started walking toward the door of the guild when he was captured by the scruff of his neck and pulled back.


    "No. We have to get information first."


    Saying so, ude mercilessly dragged Elric to the bookshelves and meeting tables like a mother dragging along a tiring child.


    They picked a table and forced Elric to go out and pick the books and documents on the Rammer Serpent while he checked in on the locality and terrain of the Koror Vige on different maps.


    There was no reason for them to start on a quest right away, they still had time.


    But ude and Elric had picked up something troublesome after living in the forest, trying to find a way out when the ce they were standing at could change at any moment, for two years straight. Every waking moment, every sleeping moment, every single of their breaths were filled with desperation, and that desperation was all gone the moment they gathered all the pieces of the Lord of the Shadows'' armor. They had be way too used to being desperate to enjoy a life of rxation.


    If they wanted to rx, they would have had to learn how to all over again.


    And so, Elric and ude immediately picked up a tough quest and busied themselves, their bigger goal for now to earn money. They weren''t unaware of it themselves, they knew that they had be short-sighted, but it was what kept them going.


    They were only ready to set off after two more hours.


    The receptionist that had tended to them looked at the backs of the two new adventurers walking out of the door with a smile.


    "Not bad¡­"


    Elric and ude coursed their way through the streets of Leunderk once more. The vige of Koror was westward from the city in the same direction as the Mystic forest, and the east of the town led further into the county and the small kingdom.


    Elric''s feet tapped against the stone bs. Their slight bulgings and cavings annoyed Elric a little, but it was a much smoother road than any forest or sand and dirt could make up. Step after step, he continued through the paths as the houses around them diminished in quality. From the craftfully spread ster and paint in the more central buildings, the ones near the edges lost their color, the damp sters fell off in hardened coverings while the wooden frames had mold growing on them.


    The further they walked, the lesser the houses around. At least the road was well maintained, though Elric didn''t understand why they would have to do so considering this side faced the Mystic Forest.


    From the documents they had read, the Mystic Forest bordered five kingdoms and empires on its giant scale and position smack-dab in the center of the continent. It was like a single mold growing on a small part of bread, ruining the entire loaf. The Mystic Forest had been around for hundreds of years.


    Just what kind of ce were they abandoned at? Elric wondered. The reality of how lucky they had been dawned on him now and then, but that was a thing of the past for him now, he didn''t bother much with it.


    As thest edges of the houses nearby were crossed over, the roads of stone were slowly reced with paved sand and dirt. The sights on the sides were reced by distant yet gigantic fields. The soil on the ground below was still visible under the shades of the small sprouting leaves and stalks of trees under the wide white clouds and an even wider blue sky.


    The harmonious sight that would make anyone warm earned a few words from Elric.


    "I am bored."


    "The heck? Already?" ude asked. "Weren''t you the one excited about it?"


    "Listen now, ude," Elric said, his feet not stopping. "I am excited, not about going on an adventure, but about having gone on an adventure."


    "You want results without work?"


    "Exactly."


    "How shameless," ude said. Elric knew, though. He knew he was shameless. He was an upstanding shameless person. Shame was for the people who could be bothered, he couldn''t!


    With the sound of ude''s sandals tapping against the ground, they got further away from the fields as well. The bright noon sun, the fresh breeze of the clearing, the rich scent of trees, moreover, theck of noise from the townscape, all just added up and made Elric sleepy as heck.


    A rattling sound rang behind them. Likezy deers standing in front of a headlight, the two of them turned back and stared at the ox running toward them and the cart that it pulled behind. Sitting on the cart was a familiar old man, his ragged clothes fluttered in the air as he held on to his straw hat with one hand and the reins of the ox with the other.


    "Aye, ain''t ya theddies from that day?" the farmer screamed as his cart came closer. Elric and ude watched as the farmer pulled on the reins of the ox and stopped it in front of them.


    Miss out on a ride? No fucking way.


    "Woah pops! How have you been?" Elric asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Ahaha, been goodd. Y''all kicked outta the town already?"


    "No way!" Elric shook his hand and leaned closer to the farmer, his voice lowering. "I promised you, right? I''ll be using that line?"


    "Aye?"


    "So we became adventurers."


    "Ah! That''s really good,d, real good!"


    Elric wrapped his hand around the farmer''s shoulder and closed the distance even further. "In that case, pops, give us a ride, yeah?"


    The farmer furrowed his brow and tried to make some distance, but failed against Elric''s persistence. "W-where to?"


    "Koror Vige."


    "It''s in the opposite direction¡­"


    Elric widened his eyes and smiled brightly, grabbing the farmer''s hands. "You''ll make such a big detour for us, pops? You''re the best! The best!"


    "My wife''ll nag at me aga¡ª"


    "Get in the damn back, ude. We''re getting a ride."


    ude didn''t say much and quietly got on the back of the cart while Elric jumped in from the front. The farmer was right there, he remembered well how ude had made a joke out of two of the best adventurers around. Holding back his tears, the farmer whipped the ox and set off again.


    The overhead sun had gone a bit further down to send its rays into Elric''s eyes from a funny angle by the time they arrived at Koror. Elric was bored, so he slept for a bit on the way, and then for the rest of the journey, he produced a small droplet of water the size of his nail and tried to shape it into different things. For now, he could only do polyhedrons and not make any intricate curves with water that small, aside from a sphere.


    "This is it,ds, Koror Vige right in front of ya, can see it all."


    The farmer announced their arrival as Elric and ude hopped off the cart. In front of them, the stretches of the Koror vige spread out wide. A single road passed through the center of the vige before dividing into two at the head of arge abandoned manor.


    People few and far between stepped out of the mud and wood houses with their thatched roofs to go out and work in the farms, fallows, and pastures set behind in their back yards.


    On one side of the road was a house slightlyrger than the rest with arge chimney peeking out of the ce, while on the other side of the manor was a small mill.


    A single creek ran from the trees and out into the vige, cutting off the main road to the manor in two with a small wooden bridge going over it.


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Then, I''ll set off, aye?" the farmer said. "My wife''ll nag a lot."


    "No? Why don''t you take us back with you?" Elric answered. "We''ll be done in a jiffy!"


    "No way,d!" the farmer screamed, his face twisted like a small child seeing its pet cat maul a live rat. In an instant, he smacked the ox and forced it to run away.


    "Pops! Pops!!!" Elric didn''t bother chasing after the cart, though he could have easily done so. With a smirk, he turned away from the retreating farmer and looked at the vige again. They still weren''t close enough since ude had asked the farmer to take them to a high point overlooking the ce first, and the farmer brought them to a ledge up a small mound near the vige.


    "See anything?" Elric asked.


    "Nope," ude said, not tearing his eyes away.


    "Can''t you scan the ce?"


    "With the mist? That wide a ce? Not happening." In the end, ude sighed and stretched his arms above his head. He twisted his torso and then jerked his legs as well. Taking in a deep breath, ude stepped forward and jumped down the ledge.


    "Haah, always so feisty," Elric sighed. He ran forward and followed down as well.

 Chapter 30 29: Where The Snakes At?

    ?Elric and ude made their way to the sandy paths that led inside Koror Vige. Elric winced as he walked, screaming ouch and rubbing his ankle at every chance.


    "Did you have to catch me like that, bastard?" he asked.


    "Why did you even jump in the first ce?!" ude countered it with a question. The bastard was good with his tongue.


    The two of them passed by the rows of fields with their half-grown crops. Green stalks of wheat swayed in the grass as some farmers walked around, pulling out any wild weeds and smacking out any feral pests. It had been thirty years since the vige saw a small revolt against the lord and got rid of him, Koror was one of the only ces with a lord ced by the previous count, so the current one just let it be.


    Since then, there had been quite the growth in the vige, thanks to its location as well as itsnd features, Koror became thergest vige in the eastern parts¡­ so said the books.


    A few people from the farms noticed them but did not do more than stare at them. Elric and ude crossed the farms and the houses with light feet, reaching the wooden bridge over the meadow.


    The water coursing under the bridge as it streamed past the stones and pebbles underneath looked rather calming to Elric as he slowed down a bit. A small, gray fish floated with the water, trying its best to avoid the rocks with masterful maneuvers.


    "Why are we going to the abandoned manor?" Elric asked, looking at the fish.


    "We have to report to the vige head first. The manor is being used as an office of sorts."


    There were barely any people around here. Maybe forty houses? Elric wondered if such a small ce needed an entire building as an office. He slowly tore his eyes away from the fish and walked ahead again. The doors to the manor''s house were rather out of shape. The white brick walls had cracks running through their length while rust had settled on the iron gates.


    ude slowly pushed open the gates and walked ahead while Elric followed. Elric''s feet were slightly thankful for the stone path leading to the door of the manor from the yard. He was definitely going to buy boots after getting some money.


    They trampled over the weeds and wild grass growing in between the cracks on the path and knocked on the door of the manor. After getting no response, ude simply pushed them open and walked inside. Sunlight came gushing in from the sides of the residence, illuminating the ck and white marble hallway of the ce. From the other end, a young man was rushing toward the door.


    "Yes? Who are you guys?" he asked,ing closer.


    "Who are you?" ude asked back.


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom "Huh? Oh, I am Remel, the vige''s ountant. Nice to meet you."


    The guy was a total pushover, Elric thought. But well, ude wasn''t any less, even if he acted rude.


    ude returned the greeting with a nod and said, "We''re adventurers from Leunderk."


    "Adventurers?" The man stopped. "Oh! Are you the adventurers here to take down the Rammer Serpent?"


    "What kind of name even is that?" Elric blurted out loud before walking ahead. The man hadn''t said anything, but he didn''t care. Elric guessed the vige''s head was probably in the room behind the wide gate on the other end, hepletely ignored Remel and mmed the doors open.


    Sitting there, as expected, was an old man with a scraggly beard. His wrinkles folded a bit as he smiled at Elric and ude.


    "Are you¡ª"


    "Where the snake''s at?" Elric asked.


    "Yes?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Snake. Where."


    "Dumbass," ude smacked the back of Elric''s head and went up to the old man. "You the vige head?"


    The old man coughed twice and nodded at ude''s words. "Yes, yes¡­ that''s me,"


    "Alright, we are adventurers." ude reached into his pockets and pulled out the metal card from the adventurer''s guild. He took Elric''s card too and handed them to the old vige chief.


    The vige chief took the card down and looked at them, his hunched head covering them from the top. "C-Ranked adventurers, amazing!" he said as he looked up at the two. His eyes narrowed and brows furrowed as he looked at them like a young child trying to tell a male cat from a female by looking only at the face.


    The vige chief''s starested a bit too long, so ude tilted his head to the side. Elric, on the other hand, was getting bad vibes from the old coot. Hunched back and position of power? That guy was a witch. The kind that gives rotten apples to pretty girls witch! The contents of subjugation were to be changed, they weren''t hunting a serpent but a snake!


    Of course, he kept it to himself. He wasn''t not used to people''s stares either. There were times in his childhood when many old men used to stare at him. His parents had moved houses to a much richer neighborhood immediately after he told them about it.


    ude and Elric exchanged gazes without taking much attention. Elric gestured at the cards in the chief''s hand.


    ''You can just ask for the cards back to not seem rude,'' Elric tried to say.


    ''Kick this old coot in the nuts,'' ude interpreted.


    "Ay, old man. You got something to say or should I kick you in the nuts?"


    "Huh?"


    "Ah, ah¡­ sorry¡­"


    Elric eximed while the old man got back to his senses and stepped back in fear.


    "I was just wondering," the old man stared ude and Elric up and down. "Will you be taking on a subjugation like this? Don''t you need armor, or weapons?"


    "We have weapons," Elric said with a grin. He lifted a wooden canteen of water out from his pockets and held it up. "This here''s my sword."


    Then, Elric patted ude''s shoulders and grinned wider. "And here''s my shield."


    "Right¡­" the old man said.


    "Well then," ude intervened in the conversation with a rxed expression. "Where''s the Serpent?"


    "That¡­ we don''t know."


    "Oh ok¡­ Wait what!?

 Chapter 31 30: Koror Villagers

    ?"What do you mean you don''t know where the serpent is?" ude asked.


    "It''s a trap, the real enemy is the snake-like old man."


    "No, no, dear adventurers. That is not the case."


    "Why did you ask for our equipment then? Huh!?"


    ude''s ears perked up at Elric''s words. That made sense. Why did these bastards ask for their equipment in the first ce? That wasn''t normal.


    "It''s totally normal! You''re dressed worse than our farm boys!" The old man snapped back.


    "Oh¡­"


    ude looked down at his clothes. Well, maybe wearing sandals all the way to the vige was slightly bad.


    "Ok fine. Now exin, why do you not know where the serpent is?"


    "That¡­" the vige chief slightly lowered his head. "We are sorry for withholding information. We are not sure if it even is a Rammer Serpent."


    Tsk.


    All that book hunting and reading gone to waste.


    "Why?" ude asked, heaving an annoyed sigh.


    The old man hesitated, like a child nervously asking its parents for money to buy some ice cream. It was a disgusting sight. After a bit, he finally spoke up. "The serpent was seen and identified by all the vigers. We tried to confront it, but it was too terrifying¡­


    "Still, our numbers seemed to have worked as it got scared and¡­ ran away underground."


    "Underground¡­" Elric repeated his words as he ced a hand on his chin and covered his face. The vige chief seemed to have received an idea of him being quite the intellectual from Elric''s pose and strained eyes. Little did he know the boy was only trying his best to suppress a yawn.


    Right then, the doors of the room rammed open once more.


    "Vige chief!"


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Elric and ude turned to their backs and saw a group of other vigers standing at the door. The one at the forefront wiped the sweat on his head and the bits of dark mud as he tried to catch his breath.


    "You people¡­" The old vige chief''s voice lowered. "I am sorry¡­ I had to tell them everything. These young ones are just kids."


    "Chief¡­" The people at the door lowered their heads, so did that one guy who had met them at the front that Elric had forgotten the position of.


    "You didn''t tell us jack yet," ude clicked his tongue and said.


    It was clear they had something to be guilty of, and Elric wasn''t going to pass it by. He strode over to the desk of the vige chief and pulled back the chair before slumping down on it. His feet rose, with a bit of effort, and he mmed them on top of the desk. ude seemed impressed for a split second before he grabbed another chair and sat down on it as well.


    "Exin," Elric said, raising his chin. Calling them appalled wouldn''t be the beginning of it, but the people of the vige still held their tongues and tried to exin, the guilt in their eyes still strong.


    Their match wasn''t considerate of that stuff though.


    Before they could begin speaking, Elric snapped his fingers and pointed at one of the people standing at the back. "You, I am parched. Something to drink would go well."


    Exasperation colored the faces of the vigers, but they weren''t going to call the kettle ck now. They soon took to the front of the desk and started exining the situation.


    Elric almost nodded off right as they began, but pinched himself to stay awake and hear whatever they said. Soon enough, the man he had sent away came back with some tea and snacks for everyone in the room, which Elric dived right into.


    "Sho bashically," he said with his mouth stuffed. "Yho din''t hab enough mhoney?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ude pped the back of Elric''s head and thetter gulped down everything in his mouth. "You didn''t have enough money to hire a higher rank adventurer and were nning to use a freebie from the guild? Since if the adventurers die or get injured the guild would send a higher-ranked one for free?"


    The vigers lowered their gaze with guilt.


    "Hmm¡­" ude hummed, crossing his legs with a hand on his chin.


    "I-it''s a very desperate situation¡­" the one that had barged in first groaned. He was clenching his fist hard enough to turn them white as the ones behind him patted his shoulders with pitying gazes.


    "You guys can go back and report it to the guild¡­" the vige chief pitched in. "We''re sorry. We were mistaken, and should face the consequences."


    "Vige chief¡­"


    "Chief¡­"


    Elric pursed his lips in annoyance. He turned his gaze to meet ude''s and pumped his eyebrows. ude thought for a few seconds before raising his chin, earning a smirk and a shrug from Elric.


    "Fine," ude said. "We might not seem it, but we''re pretty crazy strong. We''ll handle the snake."


    "W-what!?"


    "You, it''s not something C Ranked adventurers can handle¡­ There''s no need to go out of your way¡ª"


    "Shush it. We said we''ll do it, so we''ll do it."


    The vigers exchanged nces, and then nodded. "Fine," the one at the front said. "It''s toote today, though, so rest for now and go at it tomorrow. Please, don''t do anything reckless."


    ***


    "So, how much do you think they''re hiding?"


    ude pulled the desk from a side of the room and ced it right in front of the door, blocking it shut.


    "A lotaahm¡­" Elric slumped down on the couch, and yawned as he spoke. His eyes moved to the sides as themps around the room flickered from left to right, tinting the wood around in an orange glow. "It was a simple y on pride. They wanted us to go in, didn''t even look guilty or discuss it at the end there."


    "They did look guilty, didn''t they?" A final check over everything. ude''s eyes swerved over the room as he looked for ces one could barge in from, they were all blocked, including the windows, except one.


    "Being guilty about what ''could'' have happened won''t make you that amodating towards strangers. It was all a ploy, a ruse."


    "Hm," ude walked over to the couch as well and sat across from Elric. "That''s why you pushed their buttons, huh?"


    "No? I just wanted tea."


    For some reason, ude did not doubt that at all.


    "Then, if that was the case. Why bother with the whole higher-ranked adventurer bit? I am also confused about how they know the capabilities of a C-Ranked adventurer in the first ce. I don''t imagine they hire many with the money they have."


    "That bit confuses me too¡­" Elric''s voice lost strength as he snuggled on the couch, going deeper into its cushion. "Something''s fishy¡­"


    ude crossed his legs and started thinking again. "Sleep for now," His voice naturally came out. "I''ll take the first wa¡ª"


    "Zzz¡­"


    "Bastard."

 Chapter 32 31: Creepy

    ?ude sat alone on the couch in the lodgings the Koror Vigers had provided them. It was a modest house with a single kitchen, bedroom, and living room. The pair were unsure of the vigers, though, so they decided to knock themselves out in the living room, close by for any emergency.


    As he sat with arms crossed, ude''s eyes went to the flickeringmp light in one corner of the room. They had pulled all the blinds and had kept a singlemp burning to avoid any suspicion from the vigers, it made the room dark, but ude didn''t particrly mind the darkness.


    Combing his hair to the back with his hands, ude leaned back on the couch, his head drooping on the end. Things were quite a bit fast-paced. Before he realized that he was out of that forest, he and Elric had alreadye up for an adventure to make some money.


    "And this seems ratherplicated as well."


    He found it displeasing that solving things won''t just be as simple as knocking the monster down a peg. The lying vigers would probably make sure it won''t be that simple. That said, ude was still looking forward to how he would fare against a monster for C-Ranks, it being stronger than that was another thing that ended up washing his ns away.


    He didn''t think he was extraordinarily strong. Even with all the skills he had cultivated to survive, there were many monsters he couldn''t ovee. One of those was much closer than the rest. But he didn''t think he''ll only be evaluated as ''Strong enough for a B rank.'' How strong B-Ranked adventurers were, was something he didn''t know. Seeing as there were many ranks above yet, it was definitely a pain to think about.


    Thought after thought muddled in ude''s head as his outstretched shadow flickered on the ceiling with themp''s rhythm.


    His eyelids grew heavy.


    Like the shot of a silenced gun, a poof rang out in the air.


    The orange tint of the night room was swallowedpletely by darkness.


    ude''s eyes snapped open. He jumped to his feet and looked around. Nothing. Not a single thing came within his sight as the darkness filled everything around. He could make out the faint sensation of Elric still sleeping on the couch next to him, which kept him a little calm.


    "Scared?"


    A voice.


    Loud, yet quiet.


    "Are you scared, my dear ude?"


    His chest clenched.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® Far, yet close.


    "Oh? Are you looking at the one outside?"


    ude hardened his gaze and navigated to the windows.


    "This ce, it has a strong stench of blood. You can''t risk it, not with that child here."


    Stern, yet fickle. As if it would stay forever, yet as if it would disappear at any moment.


    "Why don''t you, let me take over?"


    So vile, yet tempting.


    "Shut up." ude howled. His hands finally found the cotton blinds. ude''s hands did not betray his desperation as he pulled the blinds open.


    A stream of moonlight trickled inside the house, the voice fading away with each ray that bounced through the ce. He let out a half-sigh.


    The faint light of the moon raced with the flickers of the stars, trying their best to scarcely illuminate the dark night sky. The curtain of ck, the glimmers of blue, and the dancing slivers of silvery clouds.


    At times like these, ude couldn''t help but think he was away from home at all.


    No matter how much he looked, he couldn''t tell the difference. Were the skies truly connected?


    A soft giggle entered ude''s ears. The boy''s eyes scuttled about before a white apparition reached the corner of his sight.


    He held his breath and faced the being. Long blonde hair and a sinister smile, no matter how much he narrowed his eyes, ude couldn''t make out the glowing face of the child-like being.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The apparition paused and turned to ude, its white dress fluttering in the night breeze.


    ''What¡­ the fuck?''


    Another giggle. The being waved at ude, as if calling him closer. Before ude could process anything, the apparition turned away and started running.


    "Holy hell was that a ghost!?"


    "Should you even be saying that?" ude snapped at the owner-less voice.


    "Well, I don''t like ghost¡ªOW! OW!"


    The boy pulled the amulet hanging from his neck and flicked his fingers on the purple stone. After hitting the Lord of the Shadows till it shut up, he then looked back at the boy sleeping on the couch. He decided against waking Elric up. Monstrous as that kid was, when he was sleepy, ude couldn''t see him as anything but a serious pain.


    "Ghosts don''t haunt pretty things, do they?"


    "With this one, isn''t it an instinctual issue for all beings?"


    "Hah fine, I''m sure he''ll manage."


    Sighing again, ude lifted back the wooden boards holding the windows locked and pushed them open. Like a young priest calling on a prayer bead, he held his amulet and closed his eyes. A ck mist flooded out of the amulet and crawled down to his feet.


    ude immediately leaped over the windowsill. The ck mist coalesced and throbbed near his feet as they formed a pair of pitch-ck boots. Not a sound emerged when ude trampled on the des of grass in the wild yard of the house.


    The matte boots had muffled every sound as they glistened in a purple hue under the moonlight. ude held half a smile as he set off, following behind the ghost.


    As he reached the turn leading away from the houses around, he heard the youthful giggle again. He lowered his stance and rushed out again, hiding below the windows of the few homes on both sides of the dirt street. The horses trussed against the stables and the dogs keeping an eye did not as much as notice ude in his stealthy movements.


    Every time the road would curve, the apparition''s white dress would stretch out in the corner, leading ude again.


    From the fields to the houses, the creek, and the repurposed mansion.


    Lancets with stained sses stood tall in front of him, the ck woodwork reminiscent of a demon''s beauty. The long and narrow building with steeples at the edges had its door creaking against the wind, its sound merging with theughter of the child.


    "Creepy."


    "Hearing your voice is creepier."


    ude bantered and walked toward the church. He pushed the abrasive doors, and the floorboards squeaked as his weight fell on them, but there was no sound of his footstep, earning a click of the boy''s tongue.


    He waved away the dust from his nose as he carefully tiptoed through the church. Not a statue remained at the altar nor a single piece of teaching or prayer on the walls. It was impossible to tell which god the church served among the list that had as many entries as there were followers.


    "It can''t be one of the major gods¡­" ude swiped his finger over the benches. Dusty.


    Where had that ghost gone? Searching for it, ude moved around the church. The ghost held his attention, but the church mustered his unease.


    It was strange to think that in a world where even Orcs held faith, an entire vige would let their church be this unmanaged.


    Then, his eyes fell on it.


    Near the eastern end of the wall, an end of the floorboard was lifted and ced on the next one over.


    ude''s half smile widened as he crouched at the board and pulled the entire thing aside.


    Below the church was a tunnel leading away.


    "Well, well, well, did they say the snake went underground?"

 Chapter 33 32: Underground Snakes

    ?"Hey dude, this is ce is too dark. Ghosts won''t jump out, right? Right?"


    "Lord of Shadows my ass." ude annoyedly smacked the amulet over and over as he paced through the underground path. He pressed one hand against the erratic rocks sticking out from the sides and followed the path close. It was too dark to see properly, but he could still sense things around him.


    The high perception had great benefits.


    ude''s gait remained vignt as he walked deeper and deeper inside. He left a small bit of his mana on the walls to be able to navigate back in case something went wrong. It was a handy skill that Elric hade up with when they explored a giant ant settlement back in the forest.


    "Where did that ghost go, though? Weren''t you following her?"


    "Who cares, this is more curious. The ghost was likely leading us here in the first ce."


    "Hmm, did your old world have ghosts too?"


    "No."


    "You''re strangely calm after seeing one."


    Did this thing not realize it was practically a ghost too? ude shook his head and decided to ignore the Lord of the Shadows. Friendly as it was, the words were nothing but an act. The soul of the Lord of the Shadows was not something he could trust, It was more than a hassle having to steel himself every waking and sleeping moment to avoid it taking over his body.


    The ''Hostile'' word in his soul stone was proof enough.


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Soon enough, a faint light entered ude''s eyes, illuminating the damp ground below and the rocky walls around. He was reaching closer to whatever was hiding here. ude clutched the amulet again, and this time, the cape of the Lord of the Shadows emerged from within.


    The cape was ude''s favorite equipment of them all. Handcrafted by the ghost haunting him all the time, it was one that not only nullified a wide range of magic proportional to how much mana he could put in, but it also worked to hide his presence with the correct patterns.


    Through his shoulders, the boy''s mana seeped into the cape and slowly hid his presence. He could feel himself hiding away from the world, like a dwindling me. Ready, ude walked on ahead deeper into the cave. After following another curve, the light seeping in brightened. He hid behind a stone spike stretching out of the walls and peeked ahead.


    "Divine beast! Your feast will begin soon. Your feast will begin soon!"


    "Fucking hell..." A curse slipped out of ude''s mouth.


    Crimson blood covered the sides of the widening in the passage. Almost as if it had been used as a ster to hold the stones up. Bones and flesh had muddled in with the rocks around while entire skulls warily looked at the entrance of the cave with their eyes thatcked sight. It The muscles on the ground still throbbed, a sign of their freshness, while some of the blood on the walls had turned ck under the air.


    ude held his breath. A hundred bad stenches must have been offered to gods before they made something smell this repugnant.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    At the center of the room, with chains of gold and silver decorating its width, stood lofty a snake. The giant monster''s tailthed around the blood all over the room, its sepia scales soiled by the pool of human soup with every flutter.


    The snake hissed. "You... Meal! Richer... hisss.... Or, I kill!"


    "Oh, divine beast!" The man kneeling in front of the snake screamed in passion. His fanatic voice sent itches over ude''s back. "Your meals shall only be richer from now! We have secured two adventurers of a high rank! Once you kill them, they''ll only send stronger ones¡ª"


    The snake''s tail wrapped around a skull beforeunching it to the head of the man. It knocked him down and he fell on his back as the skull rolled over to ude''s feet.


    ''Vige chief...'' ude remembered the face of this man rather well. He had seen him just this morning, acting meek and helpless.


    "I kill? Insolent! I tell mummy!"


    The old vige chief scrambled to his feet and mmed his head to the ground, the puddle of blood sticking to the sides of his face. "Apologies, oh divine beast. We''ll bring them. We''ll all catch and bring them!"


    ude frowned deep at the sight.


    "Hungry... NOW!"


    The vige chief straightened his back at the snake''s words. He jumped up and started running away from the passage¡ª


    ¡ªThe snake''s tail stretched out like a whip and wrapped itself around the vige chief. The meters-long giant pulled the hapless chap closer to its mouth.


    "D-divine beast? I am sorry! Please, don''t eat me¡ª"


    The snake''s tongue reached out and stroked the vige chief''s face, licking away the blood that had stuck to him. The old man trembled in fear as the snake enjoyed itself, slowly savoring every drop. Once it was done, the snake flung the man away. He flew past ude andnded inside the dark passage. ude closed his eyes, still hidden in the darkness of the cave. The sounds of the man''s feet clicking against the ground reached his ears before fading away.


    "Mummy! Daddy!" The snake''s infernal screams were the only thing reaching ude''s ears for the time being. The giant monster danced again and licked the blood, eating away at the wild bits of meat around. ude shifted his gaze down to his feet.


    The skull on the ground. It was small, tiny.


    A child''s skull.


    ude pushed in the wave of unease and anger swelling in his heart as hepletely hid his presence and rushed out of the cave. He had an injured old man to outrun.

 Chapter 34 33: Do You Know Love?

    ?A loud st woke Elric up.


    It was annoying. He really, really didn''t want to wake up.


    A beautiful dream of a king-sized fantasy bed was awaiting him, but instead, he was pulled away from the king-sized bed made with the leather of a dragon and was smacked back into reality.


    On a fucking couch.


    In the boonies.


    A boony couch.


    Trash upholstery. Absolutely garbage suspension. A wack job in the name of leveling and padding. And one wasn''t to even get him started on the choice of material and maintenance. Which fucker would use jute for a couch? Which one? Bring them out and bring them out right now! He''ll only talk, with fists, that is.


    Elric was still lying down when a loud bang entered his ears. It was different from the explosive sound before. More like someone banging on the door. Elric sat up and pushed his hair back. He tied his long hair in a ponytail that reached the ends of his shoulder des and stood up. The anger from being woken up hadn''t even peaked and someone was now also forcing him to get off the bed. The banging sounds continued, from the door, then the one at the back. Eventually, loud bangs came in from the windows and the walls as well.


    "OPEN UP!"


    "OPEN THE DOOR, YOU BASTARDS!"


    They were the vigers, no doubto.


    Elric carefully walked up to the windows and peeked outside. For some reason, the blinds were open on one of them and the frame was only shut. The meticulous ude was nowhere to be seen as well.


    A picture painted itself in Elric''s head, the events that had gone by falling into ce one after another. He was a genius, after all. Weak andzy as he was, they were none other than the defining qualities that the race called genius'' shared.


    He could tell everything that had transpired with a single look.


    "ude, you fucker. You betrayed me!"


    He could tell everything... to an absurdly inurate degree.


    "Fine. Come." There was only one ce to escape from, which was the window that ude had used and the vigers hadn''t noticed yet, but instead, Elric went back into the room. And soon, that escape route was taken too.


    ***


    ude pushed away the floorboard and lifted himself. With a simple twist, he found himself sitting on the ground of the church with his legs dangling down below. The bastard vige chief had left first. It sucked, but no way could that old coot outrun him anymore. ude carefully ced the floorboard back and rushed out of the church.


    Not so far away, he could see the figure of the old man, sping his hands together in a prayer of sorts. Right next to him were firecrackers that had been set off.


    "Fuck. They were on standby?"


    "Not much you can do." The Lord of the Shadows'' voice reached ude''s ears again, earning a frown from him. "Think of it," he said. "Why would the vigers try to attack a C-Ranked adventurer? Do they truly have that much confidence?"


    Those words sent a soft jolt through ude. "No... they were nning to make the snake fight us."


    "They wouldn''t have agreed to bring you guys." Tempting. The voice tempted ude to end things, but he was too used to it to pay that desire any heed. "The snake is childish. It will work should one ask."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ude had been feeling great unease from the snake. It did make sense, now that he thought about it. They didn''t only about a C-Ranked''s performance, but also decided to fight.


    "This is bad, isn''t it? Maybe you should hand over your body and I''ll help that kid?"


    A chuckle escaped ude as the old man walked away. The Lord of the Shadows had a way with words, too bad, his mind wasn''t sharp. Within moments, distant bangs and screams flitted to ude''s ears.


    "Help Elric?" He shook his head and walked in the direction opposite from the houses and toward the mansion instead. "Fool, I wanted to save those vigers."


    "Hm?"


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom ude decided to let the old man go. There was no need to put his hands in mud when the mud was about to obliterated.


    "That aside... the ghost and the snake bother me more. What kind of sick freak would speak like that?"


    ***


    As if choreographed beforehand, the mobbing vigers all tore through the doors and windows of the house at once. Crashes and stters mixed with screams and groans as the ss windows broke into bits while the wooden doors bent and broke under their weight.


    "T-there...


    "G-get her¡ª"


    The vigers all froze in their tracks as their eyes fell on the person in front of them. Long auburn hair fashioned into a ponytail draped down his face and softly caressed his shoulder, as if afraid to offend it. His rosy lips glistened temptingly while his pure eyes shone brighter than the moon itself. The skin that would make even the proudest of estheticians and alchemists beg for the secret of glowed under the moonlight as if the moonlight itself had onlye down to meet him.


    Slowly, softly, the man swayed the Bordeaux ss in his hands. The half-filled water circled the rim of the ss, taking the attention of the vigers around with each of its movements. What could they do? Staring at the beauty of that man for too long was too much for them to handle, the ss was their only reprise.


    The thought of capturing and mauling him for their ''divine beast'' left everyone''s mind and¡ªNo. They couldn''t think of anything. As if they were ced under a curse, as if the man in front of them was the forbidden apple and the will of the person their evil queen, their Grimhilde. Not a thought entered their mind, they could see him and only him.


    "Do you..."


    He said, softly twirling his ss to a stop. With graceful movements akin to those of the most gorgeous flowers, he lifted the Bordeaux ss to his lips and slowly drank but a drop of water.


    "Do you," he repeated. His eyes shifted to the ones all around him. The vigers gulped under the man''s fierce gaze. His fingers loosened.


    The ss fell, with it, the eyes of everyone around.


    Like the first drop of rain in a draught-struck world, the unrelenting ss sshed against the ground with all its might. Tiny shards of ss rolled about the floor.


    "Know love?"


    "Huh?"


    The water coalesced into a spike and tore through the head of the one closest to Elric. The boy stood up and dusted his hands.


    "Bad luck ude isn''t here," Elric''s voice rang through the room. The devil down below had rung his knell in the form of this man in front of them. "You might have just lived."

 Chapter 35 34: The Words Of A Wise Man

    ?"A-AH!"


    "GET HIM!"


    Women and men, old and young, all of them charged right at Elric as they tore through the walls and windows. The first one to fall did not even enter their sights.


    Elric clicked his tongue and snapped his fingers. The water that had turned into a spike previous came gushing back toward Elric. The ssful of water split up into many sharp droplets that glimmered around Elric in a protective shield. A few of the vigers dropped their mouths at the sight.


    "What the hell? Is that even possible?"


    "What kind of spell is that?!"


    "Oh?" Elric raised his brows. These guys talking about spells so casually made him pissed slightly. It was definitely not because he couldn''t use any except create water. It truly wasn''t


    Elric snapped his fingers again, and the orbs of water around him shot through the ce. They weren''t narrow and sharp, but fast and numerous. The orbs of water-like balls of ss mmed into the vigers surrounding him and sent them reeling back. A smirk escaped Elric.


    This was going to be easy.


    He snapped his fingers again and collected the orbs of water. He had lost control of about a fourth of the total water after it stuck to the others'' skins, but didn''t let it hinder him. "Bring it," he said.


    "[WOOD DOME]"


    A scream rang out. In the next instant, long stumps of trees came flooding out of the ground below and formed a circr wall around Elric. Surprised, the boy tried to use the water to get rid of it before itpletely surrounded him, but the water ended up seeping through the wood instead. A few droplets that tore through the wood were rendered useless as more wood immediately reced the broken bits.


    "Don''t let your guard down!" One voice screamed. "He''s a strong mage!"


    "He''s insane too! What does he mean by ''know love?''"


    "Someone, bring the sleeping potion from the alchemist."


    The wooden dome stretched to the top andpletely surrounded Elric from all sides.


    The boy flicked his hair, crossed his legs, and smirked. Cold sweat started dripping down the back of his neck. "I-I didn''t think you all could use magic, now!" He screamed from inside, trying his best to not shake his voice at all.


    "Is he trying to get our guard down?"


    "Don''t stop until the potion is here. This man killed Ximenia without batting an eyelid"


    "Wha¡ª!" Elric wanted to argue but stopped himself. He DID kill someone without batting an eyelid after all. If ude found out he would be pretty pissed at him. That guy hesitated to kill monsters when they were weak, let alone humans. Moreover, Elric couldn''t help but wonder if someone named their child Ximenia here? Was that why the guy was skinny?


    "L-look. We should y fair and square like real folks, ok? You do not want to face me at my weakest right? Give me a month to train, you can even ce a ring on my heart!"


    "What is he chanting!?


    The words of a wise man were gibberish to a fool!


    "The potion is here!"


    "Damn, shitty water magician. Who thought that trash element could hurt us."


    Elric heard something snap. He thought that it must havee from outside, but his heart knew otherwise.


    Shitty.


    Shitty?


    SHITTY WATER MAGIC?


    They had crossed a line one shouldn''t even tread near water types. He was as pissed as he imagined he would be once he met a fire-type. Once again, Elric had no reason other than his delusions to be as attached to water as he was.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric clicked his tongue. They would have to make an opening in the wooden dome to send their sleeping potion in. Moreover, he knew from their reactions that their magic control wasn''t precise enough. Foolish bastards were nning to fight a water type with steam.


    "I''ll show you what living in mist does to a person, you fuckers! [Create Water]"


    A blob of water came gushing out in front of his palms. A wave of sleepiness hit Elric as only one mana point was left with him, but that was more than enough to control almost eight quarters a cubic meter of water, or one hundred and twenty-five cubic decimeters, a one hundred and twenty-five-liter capacity!


    Like a moth to a me, Elric''s eyes were drawn to the slight movement in the bottom half of the dome. Idiots didn''t even know to push it in from above. Elric snapped his fingers and the water was divided into two parts. One of them went crashing toward the hole at the bottom but stopped right before touching it. The sleeping potion tried to seep in, but the water clogged itpletely, creating a small air pocket inside the dome. He had enough to breathe.


    "Hm? What''s this? Why isn''t the gas going in??"


    "Hey, don''t breathe it!"


    "HAHA," Elric cackled. "IT''S CALLED REVERSE OSMOSIS, BITCH!"


    It wasn''t. It wasn''t called that.


    "M-make the hole somewhere else!"


    Elric smirked. The other half of the water broke apart and formed javelins of water. Just as the first hole shut and the next opened up in a fluster, Elric sent his javelins coursing through them. His precise and confident control sent the javelin ripping through the air before the hole could evenpletely open up and dropped the person directly outside.


    "Your fault for giving me a shield and then surrounding me. Idiots."


    The people outside panicked at the sudden death. For added effect, Elric made sure the water squirmed around outside. Make them feel the fear of water.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® The panic was exactly what he aimed for. Magicians panicking was thest thing they were allowed to do, itpletely broke apart their spells after all.


    And it happened, the structure of the dome weakened.


    The first half of the water was never retracted, but instead, let seep into the wood around. Just as the control of the dome spell weakened, Elric used the water to break apart a section of the dome from within. Using it from outside was impossible with hiscking mana andcking water, but this was easy enough.


    The cracks spread.


    So did the screams of the vigers.


    The structure of the dome copsed from the side. Without missing a beat, Elric jumped out.


    The vigers stopped in their tracks as Elric''s long auburn hair fluttered in the night breeze carried through the broken windows. His eyes and lips moved just slightly, enough to enchant anyone who looked at him. The sweat and the tense situation had just made him more charming. Elric too swept his gaze over the vigers.


    An instinctive fear crept up their backs.


    The demon had stepped out of its cage. Were they going to be eaten? Killed?


    They gulped.


    Elric moved toward the broken wall, the ce with the fewest people surrounding him. Nervousness was about to burst out from the vigers as he stepped closer.


    Before their breath could give out.


    Before they could gather their courage and jump him.


    "Ok bye!!" Elric screamed and broke through the line of people. His cool and scary image broke apart in bits and pieces, and he ran right through it and into the distance.


    Silence enveloped the vigers as they all stared at his fleeting back.


    "Ah..."


    "AH!! GET HIM!!"

 Chapter 36 35: Pictures Tell Stories

    ?Elric''s feet soared through the ground. With every step, he kicked back the dust and the pebbles on the ragged paths. The screams of the people behind him filled his years, but after two years, he had managed to push his agility up to the level of an average adult.


    Fighting them with just a bit of water wasn''t going to work. He thought he could take them on one after the other while kicking back and pulling out some fantastic one-liners, but since they had prepared well, he had to crush that n.


    Luckily, there was water around.


    Nope, there was a fuck ton of water around.


    "Huehue¡­ huehuehuehue!" Elricughed as he thought of some more cool one-liners to strike them with.


    "That evil person isughing!"


    "What a wretch!"


    These water magic deniers, they were going to be fucked up.


    Elric jumped to his side and dived into the rows of fields. Long des of maize corps stretched out in between the fields as many other crops filled the sides.


    With his head almost fitting inside the length of the crops, Elric shuffled through the farm and took a closer path to the river.


    "That demon''s taking our yield!!"


    Did these guys have toin about everything?


    Elric was almost distracted by a cool blue bug feeding on the crops but managed to collect himself on time. He passed by the line of maize and peeked backward. All the chasers were stuck in the crops, and since he had taken many turns, none of them were on his tail.


    A smirk left Elric and he rushed again. After crossing another field of a root crop, he skidded to a stop.


    His feet pivoted and he smiled as the group of people finally came closer.


    "For the divine beast!!"


    "Haha¡­ ytime''s over."


    A ripple spread through the air, forcing the vigers to stop in front of the auburn-haired beauty.


    The beauty himself simply raised his hands in the air.


    "Behold, the rage of the God of Water."


    Behind him, stood theke.


    ***


    ude''s muffled footsteps continued as he slowly followed the old man of the vige. His pursuit could have ended ages ago, but he decided to see what the old man was up to.


    "Should I give them Elric¡­?" ude thought, his hand resting against the stump of a tree as he sat on its branch. In front of him, the old man was rushing through the jagged paths, a hood of brown on his head.


    It would be interesting to see exactly what they were up to. ude didn''t want to risk it with the snake, but he was sure he could handle the vigers before they could harm his friend.


    Well, that was a thought that came toote.


    The sound of water sshing resounded from the sides. ude slightly turned to his side, an enormous pir of water streaming out into the skies.


    The old man seemed to have noticed it too as he stopped in his tracks. Then, he quickly shook his head and rushed ahead again.


    ude ignored the fight and followed behind the old man.


    Eventually, he was led back into the abandoned manor that now served as the office building for the town.


    "Interesting¡­"


    His people were facing big trouble, yet he went inside this ce.


    The old man scrambled as he unlocked the paddle and shoved the door open. Loud thuds echoed through and out of the mansion with each booming step.


    "Go, follow~"


    "Shush¡­"


    ude hissed the Lord of Shadows shut and closed his eyes. He channeled his mana toward his ears and expanded his senses.


    Mana resonated with the world. The one and only force of nature. And those who could control it were people who could control nature.


    ude enhanced the ''nature'' of his hearing. Like a ripple spreading through a silentke, his senses expanded all over the mansion.


    ''Haah''


    Loud heaves.


    ''Tak Tak.''


    The sound of hands pping against the walls.


    ''Thud thud thud''


    The rumbling of the staircases as feet shed against the stairs.


    "He''s at the top floor." ude slowly opened his eyes and looked ahead again.


    In a swift move, he took a long run-up and jumped. His feet took to the skies as hended on the fence of the mansion, and then kicked off again.


    ude reached out and grabbed the eaves above the windows of the first floor. Soft, quiet, his body dangled in the air before he sped his other hand down too, and pushed himself up.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Slowly, he climbed over the building and reached the edge of the top floor. ude pulled off his cloak and pressed it against the window before breaking it in with his elbows. He undid the hatch and jumped inside.


    ude''s eyes flitted over the room he had entered.


    Tiny spiders danced around in their webs illuminated by the moonlight. Dust bunnies scuttled all over the creaky wood boards while the borate wallpapers seemed to be falling off from the walls.


    He moved over, his hands grazing over the rotting bed and the closet with its cutesy carvings.


    ude''s eyes narrowed. The old man was in a room on the same floor, but this one caught his eye.


    "A child''s room?" He thought as he gazed at the different toys. Dolls with their heads snapped off, plushies with mold sticking to their cloth. Drops of water dripped from one end of the room at all times, as if counting its days of abandonment.


    ude''s eyes fell on a few sheets of paper syed over the bed. Ayer of dust hiding it.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® He gently picked up the sheets and brought them in front of his eyes. The browned, jaded sheets were rough to the touch.


    "Drawings¡­"


    Stick figures etched with crayons.


    A young girl with blonde hair, ady holding her hand, and a stick man next to them. Behind the trio stood a house that bore a strangely intangible resemnce to the ce he stood in.


    ude switched the pages, checking the different drawings.


    Some in a flower garden, others with a dog.


    All of them had the same blonde girl, and all of them were set in somece inside the vige.


    Childish, young paintings told a story. They told the story of a young blonde girl living with her parents. In a far-off vige, the young girl yed in the fields of the farmers or with the fish of the rivers. Sometimes she would visit the streets with her mother and other times she would spend the day in the firece with her father.


    A peaceful, young life of a child. The child that should have lived in this manor.


    And then, he saw.


    A page with dozens of stick figures.


    Haphazard lines of red scribbled over the image, as dozens and dozens of figures circled the house, their hands holding stakes and ploughs.


    ude''s mind rushed back to the sight he had seen not long ago. The ghost girl with blonde hair.


    "My dear ude, did you notice?"


    The Lord of Shadows spoke up, his voice a suppressed giggle.


    ude felt a deep sense of unease climbing up his stomach and gripping at his throat. Urgently, he flipped the pages back.


    The rivers were drying up.


    The fish were running out.


    The flowers were rotting away.


    With each drawing that happy child made, the world around her was losing its color.


    ude pursed his lips and looked away. Then, his eyes fell on the final drawing. It was iplete.


    One of the child''s mother and father. But before the child could draw the father''s face, drops of dark red had scattered on it while the line of the crayon stretched outside.


    "Blood," ude muttered.


    Frowning, he shifted his gaze toward the door of the room.


    More.


    A dried-up puddle. And a few buzzing flies.


    Not even stench remained in this ce, but the signs of death weren''t gone.


    He could see clearly the head of a man, the skull that was wiped clean.


    "What the fuck man¡­ I didn''te here for this¡­"


    Deep difort filled ude''s chest.


    That damned old man, what was he up to?


    ude dropped the drawings in his hands and shoved the door of the room open.


    Rustlings rang out from the room adjacent to this while the old man''s lowugh spread through the air.


    ude''s feet pushed him on their own as he reached the next room over. There, under the grim moonlight, he could see.


    The old man with his hunched back, reached his hands out on the table.


    "Damned snake. I am bringing¡­ hehehe¡­ I am hehe¡­ bringing your mommy¡­ehehehe."


    And on the table.


    Was the ripped head of a blonde woman.

 Chapter 37 36: Stop The Villagers!

    ?Bald spots shone through the haphazardly yanked-out blonde hair.


    Gouged eyes, maggots dancing where sight should have been.


    Dried blood stuck under the red nostrils.


    A mouth, curved open in horror.


    Scratches covering the cheeks and the chin.


    And a neck torn apart like paper. Small threads of dried flesh still dangling on its edges.


    The head bore an uncanny resemnce to the ghost he had just seen.


    "Hehe¡­ hehehe¡­" the vige head''sugh resounded in ude''s ears.


    "God fucking damn it. I didn''t fucking sign up for this."


    "Eeeek!" The vige head screamed and turned back at ude''sment. His eyes red up and body trembled. "Y-you! It''s you!"


    Without a word, ude scrunched his face up in a tight frown and walked over to the old man. His fists clenched.


    A tap sounded as his feet fell on the ground, one after the other.


    The old man shrieked. He grabbed the decapitated head in his hands and stepped back. With each step ude took, the old man''s trembling grew.


    "Y-you won''t¡­ you won''t be spared! The beast! T-t-the divine¡ª


    ude twisted his hands.


    ¡ª"AHH!"


    And punched the old man in the face.


    The old man flew back and crashed against the window, breaking it into bits.


    Without hesitating, ude walked ahead.


    "What is that fucking thing? And what is that head?"


    His cold voice pierced through the vige head''s ears like a hundred sharp needles. The concussed old man barely managed to set himself up.


    ude didn''t miss the madder tint in his eyes.


    "J-judgement¡­ You¡­ judgment!" The old man spun on his heels. He pulled the head of the woman back and screamed. "REMEL!! BRING THAT BEAST AND KILL THESE RATS!"


    ude rushed up to the old man. His eyes fell outside the window.


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á n?¦Ía| §ãom Standing below with the same crazed tint in his eyes was the vige ountant he had met in the beginning.


    The head. The old man was already snapping out the hair off this head, it was all to lure the snake from the underground spot.


    The old man tossed the head ahead.


    "As if."


    ude casually pulled the old man''s cor back and knocked him down. His hands stretched out and grabbed the hair of the decapitated head before it could fall.


    Remel, not having thought they would fail, yelped out loud.


    "Stay there, bastard. I''lle right now¡ª"


    "CLAUDE! Found you, you traitor!!"


    A chill ran down ude''s spine.


    In that very instant, with the speed of a meteorite out to wipe out an ancient race of lizards, a cannonball of water rushed at ude''s stomach.


    The intense mass struck him and sent him flying back into the room before flooding it with water as well. The head that ude held fell off from his hands and right down the window.


    Standing below was an auburn-haired beauty, and flying behind that beauty was a mass of water with dozens of people trapped within it.


    The beauty, Elric,ughed as he watched ude get knocked out. He spread his arms and cackled out loud when something from the sky and into his hands.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric grabbed it almost by instinct.


    As he peered into it, his eyes fell on the bunch of maggots slithering about the dried-up head of a woman.


    "Uwaa! Yikes!" Elric tossed the head into the sky and slithered back, covering his body out of disgust.


    The head spun in the air. The disrespect shown to the dead made even the maggots disappointed as they left their abode and fell to the ground.


    The spinning head twirled, and fell right into the hands of the bespectacled ountant of the vige. Young Remel.


    "Ah¡­" Remel, confused, looked at the beauty in front of him, and then at the wall where ude had just been pummeled to oblivion. The redhead was gone, and the beauty was too busy washing his hands with the truckload of water he had brought around.


    "Beast¡­" Remel muttered. "Divine beast! Judgment!"


    Leaving those words which Elric found to be too damn cryptic and fitting, Remel turned on his heels and ran away.


    Unfortunately, Elric was too grossed out to give chase before he finishes thoroughly washing his hands.


    Scrub front and back, ten seconds each, his water moved to his will so no problems there.


    "Gah, fuck¡­" ude held the edge of the window and peered out. His hair dripped with water and his face contorted in pain. "Elric! What in the world was that for?!"


    "Oh? You still walk, traitor?"


    "When did I betray you?"


    "You didn''t?"


    "I didn''t," ude replied with utmost calmness.


    "Oh, ok then. Sorry about that¡­" Elric lowered his head. It seemed his superb high-iq theory was wrong this time. Then again, maybe the Rothschild paid him once and he was going split the money now. Elric would do the same.


    "Elric, dude, where''s the damn head?"


    "Oh? That thing? You have weird tastes."


    ude took a look at the unconscious vigers floating in Elric''s sphere of water. As beautiful as his friend was, he was also an idiot. Those vigers had long since keeled over after drowning alive.


    Shaking his head, ude continued.


    "So, basically," he said, the pain stinging his stomach. "The snake seems to be some divine beast, and I believe that divine beast was originally a child, and that head which you just saw belonged to the child''s mother."


    "Oh, that''s horrible. Why would anyone do that?"


    "Right?" ude pursed his lips and nodded. "Well,ing back. It seems that bastard just now took that head away to lure the snake out and try to attack us. For reference, it seems that everyone in this vige was involved in making that little girl a snake and killing her parents, who were likely the lords of this vige."


    Elric crossed his arms and peered up at ude. Hundreds of thoughts rushed through his mind.


    Help. Save. Justice. Retribution.


    He could bring it all, but beyond everything.


    Only one thing took priority. Their safety.


    "Can we kill that snake?"


    "Hm. I don''t think so. Not without a tough fight. If I had to say, it''s about five Gardars strong."


    Gardar, the chief of the Orcs that they had fought in the Mystic Forest. On a Gardar scale, the enemy seemed to have a high value of five.


    "Then, shouldn''t we stop him before he can?" Elric asked.


    ude raised his palm up.


    "Exactly."


    "Right. Well, then move, ude!"


    ude jumped off the building, and the two of them set off.


    Naturally, they were way toote.

 Chapter 38 37: Youre On

    ?ude and Elric rushed through the city streets and neared the abandoned church that ude had previously found. Following right behind them was a giant ball of water, now deprived of the dozen corpses it carried.


    Not a soul remained that could stand in their way, Elric had taken them all out at theke itself. Now, through the empty vige, they soared as fast as they could. A glimpse of Remel''s back met ude as the vige ountant shoved the creaky doors of the church open.


    "Elric!"


    "Righto!"


    At ude''s scream, Elric raised his hand ahead and pointed it at the fleeing ountant.


    ude trusted him to knock the ountant before he could leave.


    "Listen to my call and converge. The Trident of Poseidon! The ark of Noah! The rage of Neptune!


    Naive, naive, ude.


    "We don''t have time¡ª"


    "Leviathan!!"


    A booming wind spread through the skies. The mass of water floating behind the boys contracted and expanded before breaking off into two halves. Trees fluttered from the sheer force that the movement of water brought about.


    The second half coalesced. All the water, forming a dense, concentrated spear.


    And with the wave of Elric''s hands.


    "STRIKE!!"


    The water rushed through the skies. The spear tore apart the creaking door, the ss panes, the rose window, and even bits of the roof as it arched through the air and crashed right into the fleeing Remel.


    Remel flew away and the decapitated head fell from his hands. The head rolled over the dusty wooden floors before being kicked ahead by the aftermath of Elric''s attack. The disced wooden nk broke apart, and flushed along with the water was the head, going straight into their of the snake.


    "ELRIC! THE DAMNED HEAD!"


    Yup, he had totally missed his actual target.


    "Wait, I was supposed to aim for that? I can''t subject pure water to such torture! I mean, it''s filled with maggots."


    The maggots held no part in Elric''s disrespect.


    "Oh, you fucking!" ude, unable to keep his cool anymore, grabbed Elric''s cors and flicked his forehead. "You are always testing my patience, aren''t you."


    "Ow, ow! Why didn''t you take it yourself then, idiot!"


    A rumble spread through the ground.


    The two grumbling idiots stopped in their tracks and turned their gazes to the side.


    The ground quaked, shaking their footing.


    And then, a voice boomed.


    "MMMOOOMMMYY!!"


    Elric''s neck creaked as his head turned toward ude. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his hand pointing in the direction of the underground passage.


    ude nodded.


    He let go of Elric''s cors and stretched his hands¡ª


    "WHO KILL MOMMYY!!!"


    "RUN!"


    The church was crushed into pieces as the ground tore apart. As if searing through paper, an enormous snake came gushing out of the ground, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Blood haphazardly filled its figures as its dark scales were hardened. The snake''s fangs gleamed as a constant stream of tears came pouring out of its eyes.


    "Oh, hey! Whack-a-mole!"


    "What?"


    The other half of the water that he didn''t waste formed a giant hammer, and smashed into the head of the snake.


    At once, the snake''s tongue came sticking out as its head curved under the pressure, forcing it to the ground.


    "Oh, fun!" Elric giggled like a child while the snake''s eyes turned to them.


    "Y-you!" The snake screamed. Its body slithered as its scales hardened yet more. "YOU KILL MOMMY!! RETURN MOMMY!!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Way to go, Elric!" ude pped his hands. "Now, pummel it!"


    But, no pummeling followed.


    ude turned to his side, and there stood Elric, deted like a balloon, or maybe a mosquito sucked dry.


    "N-no manaaahm¡­ I''m sleepy¡­"


    "Why do I even try."


    Sighing, ude grabbed the amulet hanging from his neck. The purple stone glimmered as he closed his eyes and a mist spread through it.


    The snake approached, running right at them.


    "Sword of the Lord of Shadows. Gauntlet of the Lord of Shadows."


    The mist coalesced around his arms, expelling yet more parts of the Armor of the Lord of Shadows. His left hand was covered by a single gauntlet, while a long, pitch-ck sword formed in his hands, curving at the tip.


    The cape, boots, gauntlet, and the sword, this was the second time ude had pulled out these many equipments.


    He opened his eyes.


    The snake was right in front of him.


    Right then, a flood of mist spread through the air. The dense mist took away all visibility as it spread over the face of the snake.


    And in the blink of an eye, ude was gone.


    [Hero''s Strength]


    [Hero''s Magic]


    [Hero''s Constitution]


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Three skills activated in a row. ude found himself standing above the head of the snake after using the mist to teleport.


    "ude¡­ give me¡­ your body¡­"


    The voices rang in his head, now stronger than ever. Without caring, ude pulled his sword back.


    "[Light Magic: Light Aura]"


    The ck sword shone white, filling it with his magic. The ck color was almost gone as the sword whirred from the ingress of light magic.


    "We all gotta leave mommy someday, kid."


    ude swung his sword. Sparks spread as the de crashed into the scales of the snake.


    The snake grunted in pain, but the de seeped through the scales and lodged into its head.


    "There you go!" ude smiled and pulled the de back. "Eh?"


    It was stuck.


    The scales started forming again, and the hole in the snake''s head healed around the sword.


    ude stomped his feet on the head of the snake, trying his best to yank it out. At that, the snake swung its his body around.


    "Woah!" ude screamed, grabbing onto the hilt of his sword. His feet lifted off their footing as the snake kept pushing around, but the boy didn''t let go of the sword.


    "DON''T BULLY ME!"


    The snake rolled its body on the ground. ude clung to the de yet as the ground slightly crushed his back but also sent the sword deeper in. As soon as the snake stood upright again, he used the fresh wound and yanked the sword out.


    With the assistance of the snake, the sword came gushing out and flew away with ude on its toes.


    The redheaded boy mmed against a distant tree with the sword in his hand.


    "Ow, ow, ow¡­" He groaned, dusting his shoulders as he winced in pain.


    His eyes turned to the snake, the snake ring right back.


    "You''re on. You little bitch."

 Chapter 39 38: End The Snake

    ?"[Fire Magic: Fire Arrows]"


    "[Light Magic: Light Aura]"


    ude chanted multiple spells as lowered his stance. He still had enough mana to pull some off. Even though the drain from the armor set was crazy, he was able to manage it well.


    His sword grazed the ground. And ude shot ahead.


    Not a single sound spread as ude charged toward the snake. He could have used the mist again, but the sounds in his head made him think against it.


    The snake dived in front of ude.


    ude swung his sword back and was about to swing it ahead when he jumped back in a faint out. The snake that had lowered its head to face the swing didn''t notice the rows of ming arrows right in front of its eyes.


    ude clenched his fists, and the arrows tore through the air as they barged into the snake''s eyes.


    "KRAH! MOMMYY!"


    "Hah, you''re just a wild beast at the end!"


    The young boy jumped ahead. He slid onto the ground and reached under the snake''s body. The glow of the light hero filled his de to the brim. In a wild fit, ude started swinging his de.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Uneven, untamed, his sword left obtuse wounds as it gaped through the flesh of the snake.


    "KRAAAH!"


    It screamed, but the boy''s attacks didn''t stop. A smile spread through his face as he kept swinging. Even if the snake regenerated the wounds, ude didn''t stop. Flesh hung and fell while blood dripped on his forehead, but none of it fazed ude.


    Kill or be killed.


    Kill or be killed.


    Years. For two entire years, that principle had dictated his existence.


    Now, be killed wasn''t an option for him.


    All the threatened him was to die. It was as simple as that.


    And so, the boy swung. His de tore through the snake''s depths until even the regeneration couldn''t keep up anymore. With every hit, the Light Aura seeped deeper and deeper into the wounds and eventually, started taking over its constitution.


    "Die! Stupid snake!!"


    "MOMMY! SAVE ME!!"


    The voices in ude''s head grew, and he tried to suppress them with his own. Screaming louder and louder.


    And then, the snake''s eyes changed.


    It rolled on its back and coiled its body around. ude jumped up and hopped off the snake to avoid it, but the snake was a step faster.


    Its head was already behind him.


    Mid-air, ude was knocked away from the snake and sent reeling through the skies yet again.


    Faster than before, he bounced on the ground and got back on his feet. Blood poured from the top of his head while his muscles creaked.


    His sight went hazy for a second, so he pped his head hard until it returned. And then, he saw. The snake''s head faced the sky as magic power trembled in the air.


    As he thought. It had some ability that made these rats worship it.


    ude narrowed his eyes and gripped the de again.


    A wet sensationnded on his hand.


    "Hm?"


    He gazed up. Like the sight underneath a waterfall, a stream of raindrops was on its way down the sky.


    Lightning roared and thunder shed.


    The hailstorm of rain came closer.


    A smirk left ude.


    "That''s your trump card? Dumb animal¡­" Shaking his head, he screamed into the air. "ELRIC!!"


    A pond flooded faster than the ocean.


    A cup filled quicker than a bucket.


    Low mana filled much faster than a whole ton of it.


    Low mana, that Elric Wald hadplete control over.


    A chill spread in the air.


    And the falling drops stopped in their tracks.


    "Kra¡­?"


    Nothing, nothing moved. As if time itself was frozen, like a myriad of mirrors, the shining orbs of water remained studded into the skies.


    And then, they flowed up.


    "Ahh¡­ rain is just too much¡­"


    Elric''s weak groans resounded in the air, but ude didn''t think it was aint at all.


    The snake had handed the worst person some water. It was time for round two.


    The rainwater whirred as it started flowing back up.


    "KRA!?" The snake was startled.


    Drop after drop, all the water merged into one and formed a giant sphere of water yet again. This time.


    "Elric! Make a dragon!" ude excitedly screamed, but his friend was in no mood.


    Whack a moles were to be whacked.


    The water formed the same giant hammer as before.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Screaming, the snake tried to find the controller of the water, but it was toote.


    "Face the rage, of the Ruler of Water."


    The hammer swerved back.


    "Judgment falls, the water rises. Truth¡­ remains constant."


    Elric''s word sd served as the precursor to mayhem as the hammer flipped above and came crashing down at the snake.


    "KRAK!"


    Once.


    "KRAA!"


    Twice.


    Thrice.


    Over and over, Elric cackled out loud as his hammer crashed into the snake. He pummeled it straight into oblivion, sending it flying behind with each hit. The snake''s scales cracked, its teeth broke apart and fell off but the pummeling did not stop.


    ude knew.


    Eventually, it would regenerate. But there was something he held that could handle it.


    No matter how much it regenerated, ude could defeat the snake.


    "[Light Hero]" He called upon his main unique skill. An ability that existed for him and only him.


    The sword of the Lord of Shadows creaked in pain as an opposing force flushed through its very being.


    The sounds in his ears cleared away while his eyes glowed. A white aura appeared around his body.


    ude hated it.


    Even more than the Lord of Shadows.


    Even more than spending years in the forest.


    His heart, at this very moment, was filled with hate.


    For having to use the skills of those damned gods again. He hated it.


    Day after day facing horrors he wouldn''t have dreamt of had brought him revtions about his own abilities. Unlike Elric, ude was filled with skills, and he knew just what to pull after seeing the beast unable to regenerate from his attacks.


    A strong, swift attack to chop its head off.


    "[Light Hero''s Aura]"


    A level above Magic. A skill only for heroes.


    The Light Hero''s aura filled his sword, and ude rushed off the ground.


    His mind trembled as agony worse than the Lord of Shadows could ever bring emerged from the depths of his heart.


    The snake was constantly being struck by the hammer of water.


    "Elric!" ude called, holding his sword down with both his arms.


    At that time, a small glimmer appeared in front of his eyes.


    Standing in front of the snake, was the same blonde ghost he had seen earlier. The ghost spread its arms wide, as if trying to protect the snake.


    "What¡­?" ude muttered.


    "Holy is that a ghost!?" Before ude could react, Elric''s scream reached his ears.


    And in the very next moment, the hammer struck the ghost. Like a grown man kicking a football, the ghost was sent tumbling through the air by a single hit of Elric''s hammer.


    ude couldn''t suppress the sensation of it being something important, but honestly, he couldn''t care anymore.


    The hammer mmed down on the snake again, pinning it against the ground.


    ude jumped high into the sky.


    A grunt escaped his lips as he brought his de down.


    And the white aura fell against the snake''s head.


    "KRAAA!" It screamed, sparks flying through the air as the sword shed against the metal-like scales.


    "DIE!!"


    The screams merged into one.


    Seconds that felt like days passed by.


    And atst, the de passed through the snake''s head. In a single, swift arc, it tore through the entirety of the monster''s neck and chopped it off.


    The sparks disappeared. ude fell from the skies and back to the ground.


    The snake''s head rolled over the ground. But this time, not a single bit of flesh squirmed.


    It couldn''t regenerate anymore.


    Tears streamed down the snake''s eyes.


    Drop after drop, streak after streak.


    The tears didn''t stop.


    "Mo-mmy¡­ help¡­ me¡­"


    Its eyes flickered.


    "M-ommy¡­"

 Chapter 40 39: Want To Know

    ?ude fell from the skies and straight to the ground. His head smacked against the dirt as a stone went into his mouth.


    Tension left his body as his strained muscles rxed all at once. Like a stretched rubber band, he felt that every pore in his body had met a sudden rxation as strength seeped out of him.


    Tiring.


    A five in the Gardar was too tiring. No, it would have been impossible without Elric.


    With superhuman strength, ude pushed his arms against the ground and flipped over on his back.


    His eyes turned to the skies above.


    Stars had filled the dark canvas to the brim. He spat the stones in his mouth as his eyes remained fixed on the skies, now clear of the clouds.


    "The sky is always the prettiest on the worst of nights."


    "You only look at them on those nights." A beauty not iparable to the night sky appeared in the path of ude''s gaze. "You alright?"


    "Yeah," ude nodded. "Just a small headache."


    Elric looked as if he had someins, but didn''t say a word. He just touched ude''s cheeks with his shoes.


    "Get rid of those things."


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® ude pulled his hand up to the amulet hanging from his chest and muttered something. All the items that he had summoned, including the cloak, turned into mist before flowing into the amulet.


    And with them, went the voice asking for his body.


    With a much clearer mind, ude looked at the sky again.


    He couldn''tpare anymore.


    He hadn''t seen the sky on a good night.


    Elric yawned as he twisted his body. Sensing danger, ude raised his legs and stopped Elric before he could fall on the ground.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Going to sleep."


    Here? In the middle of the blood soaked battlefield? Right next to a decapitated snake? ude didn''t know what Elric''s guts were made of, but if he let him lie down right now, Elric truly would go to sleep.


    "Stay up a little longer."


    "You already ruined my sleep once. I can''t"


    "Please."


    "No."


    ude wracked his mind for an excuse. At least he won''t be able to spend the night like this, and he had no strength to carry Elric along.


    "D-don''t you want a good bed? We''ll look for the house with the best bed together, so just wait, will you?"


    Elric was tempted at that offer. After a few seconds of consideration, he stopped pushing his weight on ude and stood upright.


    "Deal," he said.


    ude nodded and closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh.


    All this was too much, way too much. From the snake to the vigers, the head, the drawings, and even the corpse. He couldn''t understand why, but he could cook things up. Horrors he didn''t want to imagine flooded his mind.


    Yet, at the end of it all.


    It was that he and Elric were alive, that mattered. The rest, he didn''t care about it as much.


    A couple minutes passed and ude felt some breath returning to his muscles. Right then, a tap rang out.


    The pair turned their gaze to the side, and saw a young blonde apparition walking toward them. Dust had filled the apparition''s dress and its hair was in a mess as the tiny figure leaned against a stick to walk.


    "Ghost again?" Elric raised his hand. The ghost stepped back and wildly shook her hand.


    Elric found it amusing, and threatened her in different poses, all of which ended with her shaking her head even further.


    "Hehehe¡­" Elric let go after he left the ghost girl panting.


    The ghost rushed over and grabbed their sleeves.


    "What the heck?" ude muttered as the ghost tried her best to pull the boyying on the ground.


    Wordlessly, she pointed at the debris of the church.


    "She wants us to follow," Elric said. "What a drag¡­"


    "The underground passage¡ª"


    "What did you say!?" Elric''s eyes twinkled. "There''s an underground passage!? Let''s go, ghost girl! That''s cool as hell!"


    Elric almost set off, more enthused than the ghost.


    "Hey, at least help me up."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Ah, right."


    Elric walked back and lended a hand to ude. ude leaned against Elric''s shoulder and the two of them made their way behind the ghost.


    She led them past the debris of the church. After kicking a small wooden nk aside from the mound of dirt and ss, an encasing in the ground revealed itself.


    The underground passage had turned into a simple hole in the ground, which made Elric rather displeased. Yet, he followed behind the ghost.


    The two carefully descended the rocks and the dirt and followed toward the end of the hole.


    A deep stench of blood assaulted Elric''s nose. His eyes flitted about as he saw bits of flesh and blood sticking against the debris of rocks.


    The ghost pointed behind a small stone, but did not move there herself.


    "Elric, take a look."


    Elric let ude rest against the edge of the hole and walked ahead. He passed by the ghost girl and peered behind the stone.


    Turned upside down, was the head of the blonde woman they had previously seen. Elric picked it up and turned back, only to see the ghost girl looking away.


    He sent a gaze toward ude, and the two of them nodded.


    The ghost girl set off first, trying to find her way out of the hole.


    Elric moved over to ude and supported him with his shoulder.


    "If we had that head, we could have used it to distract the snake."


    "Come on, ude, I didn''t expect you disrespect the dead like this."


    "What? Heh?"


    "Tsk. Tsk. Disappointing."


    Elric was thest person to say anything about that, but he wasn''t going to realize that. Just as the two took another step, ude''s feet struck against a small stone. He looked down, and saw a ck tome sticking out of the ground. Blood and dust had smeared its cover, but there was no doubt that it was a book.


    ude leaned down and picked it up.


    As he flipped the cover, he saw a small drawing.


    A drawing made with crayons. Of a familiar group of blonde stick figures.


    A sigh left him as he ced the book in his pockets, and the two of them moved out.


    The ghost girl had already gone ahead. Elric pushed ude up first, handed him the head, and then carefully climbed out of the hole.


    Then, the two of them scaled the debris with the head in their hands. As they stepped out, they saw the young ghost girl standing quietly in front of the snake, her head low.


    The two of them shared another gaze, and decided to walk away. As they passed her by, the left the head of the blonde woman.


    Of the ghost''s mother, behind her.


    That night, a cry that reached no mortal spread through the night skies.


    ***


    The night deepened as the two of them let the ghost have her time. After exploring the huts around, they found the best andrgest one. It apparently belonged to a merchant that frequently went out of the vige.


    Elric found the bed in the room and pushed ude on it first, before moving over to the other side andying down himself.


    Trash suspension. Stupid upholstery, almost worn out. No maintenance. At least the material wasn''t jute. Slightly ufortable, Elric closed his eyes.


    Next to him, ude grabbed his aching head with one hand. Then, he reached into his pockets and pulled out the book again.


    "Elric. Do you want to know¡ª"


    "I am not interested," Elric answered.


    ude closed his eyes.


    "There were too many clues. I already know."


    A sigh left ude.


    Elric turned away and faced his back toward ude.


    Even if he had. ude hadn''t.


    No, maybe he had his theories.


    But ude wanted to know.


    How it happened. The vigers. The mansion. The corpse


    The head. The snake.


    The ghost.


    ude flipped the book open.

 Chapter 41 40: A Lost Diary

    ?Today, mom made steak.


    It was good. I don''t like bell peppers. Mom made me eat it.


    ***


    We went to a flower //G/a/r// Garden. There were pink and yellow and red and blue and green and white and pink flowers.


    Mommy also made sandwiches. I gave mine to a dog. The flowers were pretty. A bee came to bully us, but papa fight it!


    ***


    Mr. ountant came to give us fish. It was very tasty fish. Mom made good fish.


    Mr. ountant has many cows, and many chickens, and many corns grow in his backyard. He always gives us some. Papa said our vige is the best for carps, but I never saw carp fish. Papa is dum dum sometimes.


    ***


    I made friends with Mr. ountant''s son. His name is Remel.


    Remel and I yed for a long time.


    I met a cow. Moo.


    ***


    Mommy and me went shopping. Everyone is always happy. They all thanks Maris.


    We buyed a lot of vegetables! I said no bell pepper, but mommy didn''t listen.


    ***


    Today we¡­


    ***


    I¡­


    ***


    Me and¡­


    ***


    T¡­


    ***


    W¡­


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® ***


    ***


    ***


    Today, we again went to the market. Maris'' festival wasing up soon.


    Mommy brought a bunch of things. I asked for toys, but she refused.


    ***


    Everyone was happy. Papa said our abun-dance in thanks to Maris. I wonder what abun-dance means. A bun dancing? I asked Remel, but he didn''t know too.


    Maris'' festival wasing up soon.


    ***


    The day of Maris'' festival was tomorrow. Papa would be going out to see the first rays of sun tomorrow for a happy harvest.


    Mom and dad don''t n to sleep tonight, like everyone in the vige. I want to stay up too, so I''ll y with them.


    ***


    I fell asleep.


    But Mom''s scream woke me up.


    I saw Mr. Priest hitting mommy. I was so scared. Mommy kept telling me to run, but I couldn''t.


    Mommy looked in pain.


    Why was Mr. Priest doing that? He tried to push her down, but mommy hit him.


    There was a lot of blood. I was so scared. Papa cameter.


    I was so scared.


    ***


    Everyone came to our home. They were all making scary faces.


    Many people told my mom she did well. Even dad.


    When no one was around, mommy would cry.


    I didn''t like it.


    ***


    Mommy cried again¡­


    ***


    Again today¡­


    ***


    I didn''t like it. I saw nightmares of that day¡­


    ***


    Mommy stopped crying¡­


    ***


    ***


    ***


    Mommy smiles again now. I am happy too.


    It hasn''t rained in a long time. Maybe to show her that everything is still bright.


    ***


    It doesn''t rain anymore. The sun is always strong.


    Papa looks troubled, but he always smiles when he sees mommy smiling.


    Everyone is doing good.


    ***


    Many people from the vige came to discuss things with papa again. It seemed scary.


    But at least mom was doing better.


    ***


    We decided to go out, just like old times.


    In the flower fields, I made a drawing.


    There were no bees, and no pink or blue or yellow flowers. But it was still pretty.


    ***


    Remel said his cows died.


    It doesn''t rain anymore.


    ***


    Many people came to the house again. There was a lot of shouting.


    I was scared, but Mommy held me tight. It was going to be okay.


    ***


    Remel stopped ying with me. He doesn''te over anymore.


    We went to the market, but no one was happy. Everyone was frowning and sad.


    Many grannies and grandpas weren''t around in the shops. It was a little lonely.


    We see saw theke too.


    There used to be a lot of fishes.


    ***


    I went to Remel''s house, but he pushed me away. He was very thin now.


    When I asked him if he was eating, he said its all because of my mom. I don''t what happened.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    I was sad. I wanted to y again.


    ***


    Papa was very troubled. Many people came again.


    They said Mr. ountant''s baby died.


    They broke many vases and tables before they left. I hid in the corner with Mommy.


    I was scared. Maybe it should rain.


    ***


    Papa and mommy started sleeping with me. They always hold me tight, it''s hard to sleep, but I like it.


    Nowadays, papa doesn''t go out.


    ***


    There are a lot of screams from the window.


    I don''t what they are saying, but I stay with mommy and papa anyway.


    I am scared.


    ***


    Their screams were louder every night.


    It was getting scarier and scarier.


    Mommy cried again and told me it''ll be okay. She was so hurt.


    I didn''t like it.


    They said it is our fault. Our fault.


    I don''t know.


    Maris abandoned us?


    I wanted the screams to stop.


    ***


    They came inside the house.


    ***


    ***


    ***


    Papa''s gone.


    He won''te back. Mommy said he won''te back.


    There was always blood on her head.


    I don''t like this dark ce, but it is under the church where Maris was. There''s no statue, but Maris will protect us.


    Mommy''s hurt. I am scared.


    I want papa back.


    ***


    The ce is still dark.


    We hear bugs moving, which makes mom scared. She always holds me in fear.


    I am scared.


    ***


    There''s nothing to eat. Mommy''s bleeding has gotten worse. It''s scary. So scary.


    She''s always heated and tired.


    I am hungry too.


    ***


    Mommy is having a hard time standing. She looks as if she''ll burn up.


    There''s nothing to eat here. They are still outside.


    Papa¡­


    ***


    I am hungry. I don''t want to move.


    I am scared.


    Mommy still says it''ll be okay.


    ***


    Mommy says it''ll be okay.


    ***


    It''ll be okay.


    ***


    Okay¡­


    ***


    M-mmy¡­


    D-snt


    Say anything¡­


    ***


    I am so hungry. So scared.


    Mommy still doesn''t say anything.


    She''s scary too.


    I hate her. I hate mommy.


    ***


    Mommy stinks. Why doesn''t she talk anymore? Why? Why?


    ***


    They came inside again.


    They found us.


    I hid, but they took mommy away.


    They took her away.


    Give me my mommy back.


    Please.


    ***


    I want mommy back¡­


    I am so scared. I am so thirsty.


    If only it rained.


    ***


    If only it rained.


    If only it rained.


    If only it rained.


    If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.If only it rained.


    If only it rained¡­.


    ***


    The sound of a book closing shut spread through a hut.


    A hand fell on a young boy''s head.


    "My head hurts..."

 Chapter 42 41: Revenge [Bonus ]

    ?Holding his head, ude slowly moved away from the bed. His eyes fell on Elric, sound asleep.


    ude hesitated a lot, but then sighed in resignation.


    "Why am I like this?" He spoke to no one as he ced the book in his pockets and walked out of the room.


    Through the many houses with their oak frames and ebony lines, the huts of straw and mud ceilings, and roads made of studded stone and sand, he visited a bunch of them and grabbed ropes before putting all of them in a wheelbarrow.


    After tying the handle with a rope, ude pulled the wheelbarrow along as he made his way through the vige. Past the herd of huts, the thicket of trees, and the files of fields.


    His gazended on the emptied body of water in the distance. The reflection of the sky urged his head upward.


    A chuckle left ude.


    "It really is pretty¡­"


    ude moved over to the many people Elric had left near theke. From the pile of over sixty, only about twenty were still alive.


    "That guy kills without a thought."


    Humans. Orcs. Goblins. Harpies.


    They were all the same. They all lived the same, and they all died the same. It was only hypocritical of them to hesitate from killing humans after ughtering in the forest for two years.


    Forcing through the pain that assaulted his body, ude yanked and pulled the still breathing few to the trees before snugly tying them up around the stumps.


    ude then picked up the dead by their feet and forced them up on the wheelbarrow.


    One after the other, until it filled up.


    Many trips would be a hassle, so the boy stacked them one over the other until a giant pile of corpses was left on the wheelbarrow.


    He didn''t know if it was their fault. Or if it wasn''t.


    And¡­ he couldn''t care less.


    He didn''t me any of the people here. He didn''t have that right.


    Weak groans spread around thekeside as ude ced his arms on his waist and looked at his handiwork. Since the pile had be toorge for the wheelbarrow, he used the remaining rope to firmly hook them down.


    Dusting his hands, the boy grabbed the handles of the barrow and pulled it along.


    The night was still long.


    Near the church that had been demolished was where the vigers buried their dead. ude took a longer route and circled the church, not willing to face the ghost girl yet.


    As he neared the cemetery, his steps came to a halt.


    The sound of dirt and stones hitting around resounded in the air. Amid the cemetery, a young auburn-haired beauty with piercing silver eyes was digging graves.


    "You''re up," ude muttered. Elric looked up and red at him as if he was staring at trash.


    ude knew it was only because he couldn''t leave things behind that made Elric step up. He was definitely annoyed for his sleep was disturbed again.


    "You forgot a shovel," Elric said.


    ude nodded and pulled the wheelbarrow. He took another of the shovels Elric had brought and moved to a different spot.


    His friend had barely scratched the ground.


    The pain of being thwacked around like a rag doll was still fresh in his bones, but he managed nheless.


    After a few grueling hours, ude finally finished digging up forty-four graves, and Elric one.


    The two of them moved to the wheelbarrow and loosened the ties. ude held the torso while Elric took the legs as they started moving the corpses in the graves.


    "I¡­" ude spoke, dropping the first into the ground. "I want revenge."


    Elric dropped the corpse.


    Sweat poured out of his head as he slowly picked it up again and moved to the next grave with ude. "Go on," he said, hiding his fear.


    ude''s heart thumped.


    The images of the two years he had spent here filled his mind.


    His friends, his family back home. Everything flooded in all at once. The field trip, The flipping of the bus.


    The usation, the betrayal.


    "Not for the abandonment," ude said. He hated it, yes. But there was something more fundamental. A deeper reason that had ruined his life. "I want revenge for being brought into this world."


    "Hmm¡­"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric nodded, pulling out yet another corpse.


    Foul pitch. Batter safe.


    If it wasn''t about him, Elric was more than willing to help ude with open arms.


    ude stopped as he looked around himself.


    "See it, Elric¡­ If that god hadn''t abandoned this ce, this kind of thing would have never happened."


    Elric stopped too.


    "Do you know why things worked well back home? Because it was fair. But not here. A god that is pissed off from self-defense, a god that would feel its world copse from a mere statue, a god that would bring kids from another world and throw them in this hell¡­ That''s not god."


    Was this omnipotence? Such frailty?


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® Was this omniscience? Such insensitivity?


    "I don''t care about this vige¡­ or that fucking snake¡­ I¡­"


    ude looked at his friend. His only friend. The only person he could trust in this damned, ursed hell he was pushed into.


    "I care about us."


    "You say you don''t care, yet you dig their graves." Elric couldn''t stay quiet anymore.


    Insensible as he was, Elric wasn''t one to stay quiet. Not when some hormonal bastard was not just disturbing his sleep, not just making him engage in physicalbor, but was also treating him as a roadside psychologist.


    His drowsiness would blow away at this rate!


    "Do you think a world would survive where all is hell?" Elric asked, his gaze fierce. "Do you think you''re smarter than all those who died for this¡­ this god or whatever? Do you think you''re the first to think it? What gives you the right to judge?"


    ude lowered his head.


    Elric''s words resonated to the thoughts he held deep within.


    What''s wrong would survive, it wouldn''tst, it wouldn''t flourish.


    People could be controlled, but they couldn''t be unhappy.


    Maybe the god never helped this vige? Were there no droughts back at his home?


    Maybe it was a vile snake that had set its eyes here? Was there no evil back at his home?


    "I know nothing¡­"


    ude muttered.


    His heart screamed. Lord of Shadows? Spirits? Magic? Betrayal? Evil? This¡­ this thing¡­ he was just an ordinary school boy. He didn''t deserve all this. Yet.


    Yet, to demand revenge so righteously, he knew nothing of this world.


    His revenge was selfish.


    "You can learn now, ude."


    The boy looked up. His friend was looking at him with a gentle gaze.


    "We''ll learn together. I have no where to go anyway."


    Those weren''t words he needed to hear. ude already considered himself a package with Elric.


    "Learn what?"


    "Whatever you want¡­ Another world or not, this is still a life we have."


    They weren''t in the forest any longer.


    They weren''t weak any longer.


    "And well," Elric shrugged and pulled out another corpse from the pile. "That revenge, whether''s its selfish or not, deserved or not¡­ What''s stopping you from having it? God''s fair, remember?"


    The motives didn''t matter. Kill or be killed, that was the principal that had guided his life.


    Why would it stop now, for some seemingly higher beings?


    "Take revenge against this whole world, I''ll lend you a hand."


    A sigh left ude.


    The night sky truly was pretty.

 Chapter 43 42: End Of Koror Village

    ?Elric was in a cheery mood as the duo started filling up the graves with dirt.


    One of his lifelong dreams hade true. His mental list of cool lines I absolutely must say had shrunk by one entire unit. Lend a hand? How fucking cool was that? And well, it seemed to have helped his friend suffering from a teenager''s hormonal misbnce, he worried a little about how it would develop, but the risk was worth it.


    After filling up thest of graves, the two of them fell to the ground.


    "There''s like, five extra¡­" Elric said.


    "The old man, the ountant, and those three."


    "Who three?"


    "Haah,e along."


    ude pushed himself up. The kid was biting through the limits of his body, but he had done so more than a couple times already.


    The night was fading away. Elric skipped over the ground, stretching his arms wide as he followed behind ude. The two found themselves in front of the lord''s manor.


    ude pushed through the front door, creaking it open. He ignored everything below and climbed straight up to the top floor with Elric in tow.


    He had entered from the window before, and this time, the door was already open. In one room was the dead old man that had been hit by the aftermath of Elric''s attack on ude, while in the other was a skeleton that had rotten over the thirty years.


    "How did that head not melt?" ude asked as he heaved the old man over his shoulder.


    "Magic? I don''t know?" Elric explored the girl''s room. He found some dusty sheets half eaten by moths. Then, piled up the skeleton into it and carefully dragged it out of the mansion with ude.


    Assembling it again would be a huge pain.


    The two of them returned to the cemetery and ced the skeleton away.


    "I guess he''s breathing?" ude said, cing his head against the old man''s mouth.


    "Really?" Elric asked. He walked over to the old man and ced a ear on his chest before backing away. "We already dug a grave. Toote."


    ude agreed whole-heartedly and the two threw the old man into the grave.


    It seemed he used to be the ountant of this vige, that would make him Remel''s father. And also the father of the child that passed right after the drought started. ude didn''t feel a tinge of guilt, but there was a lot of bitterness.


    The sun had started peeking out by the time they finished, dying the night sky indigo.


    It was then that the ghost girl appeared in front of them again.


    With her head peeking low, the ghost girl walked over to the two and held their sleeves, nudging them along.


    ude pointed at the skeleton they had retrieved, turning the blonde ghost pensive. But the young one regained her cool right away as she pulled on them again.


    Elric wanted to summon another hammer and fling her away, but decided against it. The two of them followed the girl along to the debris of the church.


    Right where they had left it, the body of the snake and the decapitated head of the woman still remained.


    The young girl pointed at the head, but ude waved his hands.


    "Not like this," he said.


    He didn''t think there were any criminals here. But there weren''t victims either.


    None, expect this little girl and her family.


    He moved into the debris and searched for Remel''s corpse. It had been deformed grandly as the church had copsed.


    When the young ghost saw it, her eyes turned pensive yet again.


    Needlessly making another trip. ude insisted on buying everyone else first before he came back to the debris.


    "I''ll bury your mom and dad together," he said to the ghost. The young girl nodded grandly as he picked up the head. Before turning away, ude looked at the snake.


    The young girl gazed at it too.


    "Is that you?" He asked.


    The girl nodded.


    She hadn''t bothered them to find the rest of her mother''s corpse. ude had no doubt that the snake had eaten it.


    "I can''t bury that. It''s evidence, they''ll need to investigate things."


    The ghost girl nodded her head.


    Elric and ude yet again moved to the cemetery. Atst, the two of them ced the head and the skeleton together in the ground and started filling the graves up.


    The shy sun hade out, announcing its presence with wild rays of light. With every second, Elric''s mood soured further.


    The whole night had passed and he couldn''t sleep. He didn''t know about ude, but he was damn ready to take his revenge on this world for that.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "It''s done¡­" ude leaned on the shovel as he looked at the dozens of filled up graves. He had brought out a tooth of the snake and buried it in thest one as well, right next to the girl''s family.


    "It''s done, but¡­" Elric added. His eyes fell on the ghost girl staring right at them. "You, go on. Pass away. RIP. Get lost now."


    The ghost girl puffed her cheeks.


    "What? I am serious. Go rest, leave us alone."


    ude scratched his head. This one wasn''t easy.


    Seeing as the girl kept staring at him, he reached into his pockets.


    "This?" He asked, pulling out the diary. "I can''t bury it either, it''s great evidence. It''ll show everything."


    The ghost girl''s mouth fell open.


    "Haah, I really can''t okay? I don''t want any damned trouble here."


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® The ghost girl clenched her fists. Her body trembled as she lowered her head, and then, she ran away.


    ude and Elric watched her go before sighing. ude scratched his hair and fell on his back.


    They could just walk away¡­


    They waited for a while, but the ghost girl showed no sign of returning.


    To dig the diary now and tell retrieve itter, ude didn''t want to do something that insincere. He was certain the ghost girl would see right through it.


    The sun started making its way further into the sky.


    Atst, Elric sighed.


    He snatched the diary from ude''s hands.


    "Don''t run that thing¡ª"


    A rip sounded as Elric tore off the first page of the diary, the one with a small crayon drawing of their family.


    Hearing the sound, from behind the distant trees, the ghost girl peeped at them.


    ude watched as Elric took the piece of paper along and moved some dirt with his hands. He dug into the loose grave and found the skeleton of her father holding the head and the tooth. Without a word, Elric ced the page in the skeleton''s hand and filled the dirt again.


    "Elric¡­"


    "Let''s go, that girl can decide things by herself."


    Elric tossed the diary to ude and started walking away.


    ude watched his friend go before turning back to the girl.


    Tears streamed from her eyes. Long, many tears.


    She looked back at ude, and her figure slowly started to disappear.


    His friends footsteps.


    The ghost girl moved over to her grave as her hands started into ash. She slowly ced her body down and closed her eyes, her tears unceasing.


    ude stood up and turned away, leaving the ghost alone.


    "Wait for me."


    "Hurry. And bring that bag along."


    The legs of the ghost disappeared.


    "What''s in it?"


    "I hit their houses while you were tying the corpses. Made us some money."


    "¡­"


    "What? They were dead anyway?"


    The girl''s torso slowly dispersed into ash, her tears stopping.


    "Ah fuck, it snapped. I shouldn''t have worn sandals."


    "I am going to sleep for four days straight."


    Her lips curled into a smile.

 Chapter 44 43: Painting?

    ?A four-wheeler rattled down the rough roadsden with bumps and stones. Mana filled the air as the wheels churned over every obstacle in their path with a pace faster than a horse and afort better than a carriage.


    The giant vehicle sped under the swaying trees as ady rested her hand against the windows of the backseat.


    "The automobile sure is convenient, right ma''am?"


    Slow.


    p¦Ánd¦Á,no¦Í?1,§ão§® It was painfully slow to be called an automobile.


    "Ah, my bad. The Inventor Hero''s creation is much faster than this¡­ Were there a lot of automobiles in your old world, ma''am?"


    Sighing, thedy sitting in the backseat shifted her gaze further out the window.


    The icy wind stung her cheeks as she clenched her fists.


    Much further than the covering of trees, thedy''s gaze fell on the swaying sea of gold. Her eyes widened as she stared at the expanse, and with the next turn of her vehicle, the trees disappeared and the fields of gold spread all over like an ocean.


    Maize, wheat, all kinds of grains filled thend as far as her sight went, abundant like the sea. A gasp of admiration left thedy as she saw a sight she had never had the chance to witness in the modern world.


    Far in the distance, tiny birds fluttered over the crops while a single scarecrow spread its arms wide.


    "Quite the sight, right ma''am?" Her driver asked. "All of Maris Kingdom looks like this. This yield makes up for thirty percent of the entire continent''s export!"


    "Thirty?" thedy finally talked, intrigued. "Is all of the kingdom like that?"


    "Not at all! About a third of the kingdom is focused on trade. The capital city, Soleda is even richer than all of the Zarak''s territory that you had seen."


    "Hah, that''s not a high bar. But it''s still amazing."


    "Yes. Such a small ce, yet it is so important. Goddess Maris is one benevolent deity."


    "Maris¡­ isn''t this where that incident happened?"


    The driver suddenly lowered his voice and gave thedy a wry nod.


    Thedy held her breath and turned her gaze outside. Word of trouble had started spreading with the top brass of all kingdoms, and that included herself amongst the many summoned heroes.


    A god''s powers had been snapped out by an evil being¡­ that was the exnation they had received. But the heroes knew of a greater mystery lurking behind these incidents.


    "How is the search for the other heroesing along?"


    "We believe to have made some progress, ma''am. General Volfram''s men are looking into the solvers of this incident as well. The adventurers who reported it were unique."


    "What did they look like?"


    What was a better way to recognize her ssmates than their looks?


    "One of them was a redhead, and the other¡­ no one could describe the looks, they all kept saying very pretty."


    Thedy''s eyes jerked open.


    "Is something the matter?"


    "Nothing¡­ let''s keep going. We have to reach the north before the others."


    "Yes, ma''am¡­"


    Thedy sighed again as she stared out the window.


    An archmage''s life was quite hectic.


    ***


    "Um, sir¡­"


    The red-tinted lobby of the Dreaming Blue Inn was dark yet again. With the firece burning bright and the suited businessmen smoking their cigars while gossiping over the uing celebration for the Maris festival pped on the front page of the newspapers, the ssiness of the inn never left.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Except for a certain part, right in front of the couches where the businessmen sat.


    The sudden change in theyout of that ce made all of them sweat enough to douse the mes of their cigar. The change was so weird that had the editorial of the newspapers been around, their god would have been pushed back on page two.


    "Sir¡­" the young innkeep said. "You''re bing a hindrance for the other customers, sir."


    A drop of sweat dripped from the girl''s forehead.


    "Sir¡­"


    "I am a painting¡ª"


    "Ahak! Ahahak!" Violent coughs overtook the room as one of the suited men choked on his cigar. Another one patted his back while all of them stared at the¡­ the painting¡­


    "Sir, well," the girl continued, now beads of sweat tracing her forehead. "Paintings don''t speak."


    "Magic."


    "Paintings don''t hold up their frames either."


    "It''s 3D."


    "And what about legs spilling out of the frame? Paintings don''t have that either."


    The painting averted his gaze before sighing. He let go of the wooden frame and shook his head.


    "It seems I still can''t match up to, Mrs. Blue."


    "Match¡­? What?"


    "Just look at yourself!" The painting, Elric, moved away from the wall and left the girl staring at him. "Your make-up skills are shining again, you look like a kid."


    Saying that, Elric shrugged and tossed the frame to his side.


    "Ah!" The girl yelped as she dived ahead and grabbed the frame before it could hit the walls. She sighed and red at the auburn-haired man, but her re melted away when she focused on his face. In a calm tone, she spoke. "Sir, as I said thest time, you must be confused with my mother."


    Elric stopped.


    "Ahaha, so it''s the dedication that''s key."


    She had a feeling it won''t be easy to stop this man the next time he pulls something.


    "Don''t worry, though, Mrs. Blue. I am on your side in this spy business."


    "I am really not my mom¡­"


    "Right, right, and I am a painting."


    Elric nodded at her and looked at the clock behind the reception desk. The pendulum of the long case ticked as the hour hand was just nigh of hitting eight.


    "Ah, I have to meet ude," Elric stuck his tongue out. His sleeping for four days straight had made even ude annoyed. Unpunctuality would be rather ugly.


    "Then, goodbye, Mrs. Blue." The boy said as he made his way upstairs.


    "Uh, your friend already went out."


    "I know," Elric nodded. He wasn''t to meet ude for a few more hours. "I am just going to sleep."


    Soon enough, he would be reaping the rewards of that sleepless night in the form of cold hard cash.


    As Elric left, the young innkeeper sighed. She bowed to her guests who told her not to worry about it for a second.


    Right then, the door to the inn opened.


    "Are there any... adventurers living in this inn?"

 Chapter 45 44: Brewing Troubles

    ?A pair of coats pped as the two hatted men stepped inside the Dreaming Blue inn. cks rang with their movements as the innkeeper''s eyes fell to their waists.


    Revolvers.


    "There certainly are, how may I help you?" The girl stepped out of the reception desk and moved toward them. Keeping them at the door would be much better for her customers that were still seated in the lobby.


    "We are here to meet some adventurers. Can you tell us what room they are in?" One asked, tipping his hat.


    "Ah, then going to the adventurer''s guild right down the street would be much better."


    "That''s fine," the other intervened. "Does one of them have red hair maybe?"


    The young innkeeper gulped.


    "No. I cannot answer your questions as it is a breach of my guests'' privacy. Please let me know who you are and I shall inform them of your visit should I see them."


    "Look missy." He stepped forward.


    "This is an important matter," Another.


    "Not. For. Kids."


    The other customers noticed and were about to step up when the door to the inn opened again.


    In full-ted armor carrying spears in their hands, a row of knights stood at the door. At their forefront was a young man in sleek military robes.


    "You two, are you from the Volfram Knights?"


    The two hatted men stepped back, clicking their tongues. Even though they had hidden their identity, sticking to it would have them trapped in this ce.


    "That''s right, we are here to investigate something."


    "Unfortunately, you didn''t provide any warrants or notices to the count. Please follow us out of town for now. I am sure you will cooperate¡ª"


    "This is an urgent matter!" The other appealed.


    "Please don''t worry, any problems rted to security will be handled by the Leunderk PD. We''re confident in those matters."


    At the strict rejection of the inspector, the two hatted men had no chances left for rebuttal. They groaned inwardly as they reluctantly stepped out of the inn.


    The inspector smiled at the Young Ms. Blue and bowed apologetically before stepping out.


    ***


    "Elric, you son of a bitch. It''s already six."


    A soft yet threatening growl seeped into Elric''s ears. Sitting on the window of the third floor was ude, who had been practicing his ability to scale buildings after thest time.


    "Umnum¡­. Six¡­ so early¡­?"


    "Six in the evening."


    "Eveninggghnn¡­"


    ude sighed.


    He stepped inside Elric''s room and started lighting up themps. He had woken him up before leaving in the morning, and that was at seven. Knowing Elric, he must have pulled something stupid and gone back to sleep, so probably around eight.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He had just slept another day away.


    Massaging his forehead, ude heaved a sigh and picked up Elric by his leg.


    "Yay¡­ slide¡­"


    "Yes, slide indeed." And with a smile, he tossed him out of the window.


    Out of the window, from the third floor.


    A gust of air struck Elric''s face, forcing his eyes open.


    "Ah! ude, you bicch!!!"


    Elric continued screaming, but the impact never came. Instead, the soft enveloping of a nket surrounded him. In shock, he raised his head and looked around.


    ude peeked out of the window of Elric''s room, resting his chin on his palm. He had tied a new towel nket that he had brought for Elric against a tree and a window breaking his fall yet not falling through.


    "T-this¡­" Elric muttered. "This loop threaded lock-stitched material that increases its tensile strength by leaps and bounds! This amazing high-quality magically enhanced cotton fabric with perfect cuts and feathers to make it wrap around your skin and wick away all moisture, coupled with the reinforced edges and theyers that make it warm yet fluffy! This warmth andfort can only be achieved by getting the perfect spacing in between theyers! A nket that''s lightweight yet warm and cozy, it''s perfect for snuggling up on the couch or using on the bed! No, I can even wrap this around myself on the move!!"


    "Woah¡­" ude was at a loss for words.


    "D-did you bring this¡­?" Elric looked up at ude, tears filling the edges of his eyes.


    "Uh¡­ yeah?" ude answered, his brows furrowed.


    "Is¡­is it for me¡­?"


    "Who else would use a nket?"


    "Uu¡­." Like a river flowing downstream, a streak of tears dripped from Elric''s eyes.


    "Heh!?" ude leaned out of the window in shock.


    "Waaah¡­."


    "OI! Why are you crying!? What the heck?! Elric! Elric stop!"


    "Uwaaah¡­"


    In no time at all, people gathered from the windows to the streets.


    "What happened?"


    "Did he throw out that little girl? Oh my god."


    "What a terrible man, how can he do that to someone so pretty?"


    "Someone call the police! He needs to get arrested."


    "Ah, fuck¡­" ude sighed. "And here I thought we should get our cash from the adventurer''s guild."


    Elric immediately stopped crying. "Oh! Money!! Let''s go."


    Naive, naive people.

 Chapter 46 45: Escort Quest

    ?The doors to the adventurer guild swung open.


    "Dun dun dun dunnn¡­ Dun dun dun dunnn¡­ dun dun dan dannnnn¡­."


    And along with the opening of the doorte into the night, came a very strange piece of music.


    "Na, nanana na! Na naaaaa¡­. Na, nanana na! Na naaaaa¡­"


    "What in the world are you doing?"


    The receptionist was left with her mouth hanging low as the two adventurers making waves in the guild appeared just a bit before closing time. The red-haired wild beast, ude, and the prettiest weirdo, Elric.


    "It''s my theme song. Mysterious and catchy, right?"


    "Why are you singing the theme song yourself?"


    "Well, I don''t see an orchestra here, ude."


    "Uh¡­" the receptionist intervened. She wanted to rub her eyes and confirm that one of them was here in a nket, but the customer at the desk did it for her. "A-adventurers ude and Elric¡­"


    The receptionist had never faced them head-on, but the others had already made a perfect guide to handle them. They were the quickest amongst all the adventurers in Leunderk to get their names added to the list of most difficult adventurers and how to deal with them.


    The first advice on their specific page was, drop everything and handle them. Thankfully, the receptionist didn''t have to drop something this time.


    "Perfect timing!" She screamed, letting out a strainedugh as she turned to the customer at the desk. "They are currently the strongest party we have avable. Unfortunately, the B-Ranked adventurers are on a different quest, but these two can more than make up for them!"


    The man in the gray trench coat tipped his gray hat at the two, and ude answered with a nod.


    Elric, slightly intrigued by the customer walked closer to him.


    "Hmm¡­" Elric hummed, circling the man as he clenched his nket.


    ''Oh no.''


    The second rule that was highlighted twice over.


    ''Don''t let the pretty one interact with anyone no matter what. Especially not with customers here to make a request. Under. No. Circumstances.''


    "Hmm." Elric stopped in front of the shocked man. In a second, he hissed. "You''re not getting my nket, cold boy."


    "¡­ What¡­?"


    "Ahhhh!" The receptionist swooped in between. "I apologize sir! I''ll get you a different nket so let it go!"


    "No? What?"


    "Now, now, she''s even overlooking it for you, least you can do is ept it, cold boy."


    "Excuse me???"


    He was talking more! The receptionist rushed into the first aid kit that was kept behind her desk and pulled out a nket before wrapping it around the confused customer. She wiped her forehead, crisis averted.


    "Coming back, these guys are perfect for your escort request, sir!"


    "Escort Request?" ude asked. "What''s this now?"


    "Yes, adventurer. This man here is about to set off for the Soleda City for the Maris festival after retrieving an important item. The pay is good and your costs for staying in Soleda will be covered too. It''s a great deal!"


    The man nodded at the receptionist''s alluring summarization.


    "There''s a festivaling up?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Uh¡­" the adventurers themselves didn''t seem worth it to the man though.


    The receptionist immediately waved her hands. "T-they are very inexperienced with ways of the world, but their skill is certain! Their stats can even be counted in the B-Rank and they also solved a major incident in Koror vige recently!"


    The man slightly flinched at the mention of Koror. The incident had be a topic of gossip amongst the rich and the faithful. A smile appeared on his face.


    "Perfect!" He said. "Would you be interested, adventurers? Since you say you''re inexperienced, it will be a good chance to see the biggest festival in Soleda. The poption and size is not high, but the ce is surely one of a kind!"


    "Festival¡­" ude mulled over his thoughts. It was the same festival he had heard of not that long back, which made him hesitant.


    "Are the beds there good?"


    "Yes?"


    "Beds."


    "I¡­ guess¡­ so¡­?"


    That sealed the deal for Elric.


    "Well, before we decide. How far is it?" ude asked. "And also, why do you need someone strong?"


    The man gulped lightly and smiled. "It''s only three days away, the route is very safe too. As for why I need someone, its because of protection while inside Soleda. I have to hand over the item about 11 days from now. The city is big, so of course it will house thieves."


    "Is that really something to be worried about? How many people are stolen from for you to say that?" ude was skeptical. "Are you hiding something as a requester? Should I punch you?"


    "N-no¡­ I mean, thieves who might be after this thing¡­ I promise that most of it is my paranoia due to the importance of this matter."


    ude stared at the man for a few seconds, and then nodded.


    He wasn''t going to ask what it was, that was rude for an adventurer. And anyway, this requester was more sincere and honest than many.


    "A festival doesn''t sound bad. Since Elric''s in, I guess we can go."


    "I am not in. Go alone. Three days without a bed? Are you kidding me? There won''t even be somece to sleep¡ª"


    "I have a car."


    "When do we leave?"


    ude shook his head. His friend would never stop being simple.


    "Um¡­ you still want to more people, right sir?" The receptionist tapped the desk as she thought of who she can recruit. "It would be ok topromise a little in skill since Mr. ude is a train wreck¡­ someone experienced."


    Experienced, yet fairly skilled.


    "Hmm," ude raised his chin as he thought of something. "I might know someone perfect for this."


    ***


    "Well then, once again. I am ude Almstedt. This is Elric Wald."


    ude tried to force a smile as he pointed at his friend. And then, at the back where two more adventurers stood with tears flooding their eyes.


    "And these guys are Kone. Quamie and Jinton. We''ll be escorting you in this mission."


    "Thank you! I am Puzo, I look forward to working with all four of you!"

 Chapter 47 46: On The Road

    ?A gust of wind swept through the windows as a giant four-wheeler tumbled from side to side. Going past the walls of Leunderk, the car''s motor whirred and kicked up a trail of dust down the sandy paths that led away from the small town.


    With the wheel in his hand, Puzo, the requester of the quest was the only one driving the vehicle as he donned the same coat as before. Next to him on the front seat was a bulky bald, and behind them were the three remaining adventurers. Skinny, wild, and weird.


    "This car is pretty cool though, I didn''t think I''ll ever see one here."


    "I know right? What does the engine work on?"


    "Haha!" Puzo chuckled when he heard the two speak admirably. "Isn''t it amazing? The car is one of a kind, you won''t see this even with rich people."


    "That''s right," added the bald. "I''ve heard there is only a handful in Maris."


    "The engine uses a magic stone topress air in pistons, like a motor. It''s a marvel of magical engineering! Isn''t it crazy how fast it is?"


    "It''s slow," said Elric.


    "S-slow¡­? Maybe a little slower than a horse, but it doesn''t tire ever!"


    "Nah, it''s just slow."


    "I agree."


    Poor Puzo had no point to present at their persecution. Pacifying his pain, he proimed, "There have been reports of bandits in the shortcut I am nning to take, I hope you guys can take care of things then."


    "Of course," the Kone members swooped in to the rescue. "That''s why we''re here, sir. Leave it to us!"


    "Yeah! Not a scratch will fall on your car."


    "Not the car, me."


    "Your car will be untouched, sir!"


    Capitalism was unchanging everywhere.


    A few hours passed by in the quiet ride. When Elric stuck his head out of the window and somehow got deer chasing them remained a mystery as the sun went past overhead and started nearing night time.


    Soon, the sky darkened and the group made a stop for the first day. After setting up tent on the side of the road near a clearing that could house the car, the group sat around a campfire.


    "We should take the first shift," Kone said together. "You guys don''t mind the second, right?"


    "Of course," ude nodded, biting into the skewered meat. Puzo seemed to want to speak, but decided not to. He was kind enough to want hispanions rested and also smart enough to know he was paying them and that intervening would only hold them back.


    Since there wasn''t much to worry about in that field, ude decided it time bring up an important issue.


    "I''ve been wondering¡­"


    At his low voice, everyone stopped except Elric who continued nibbling on a small piece of meat.


    "Which one of you is Quamie and which is Jinton?"


    "What?" Elric suddenly raised his head. "That''s their names? How stupid."


    Jamie and Quinton bit their lips, even if the wanted to speak out, ude would just beat them up.


    "How are you sote at this bit? Don''t me them, though. It''s their parents'' fault."


    "You two must have been hated¡­ was it tough?"


    At that time, noticing their teary eyes, Puzo swooped in. "You two, aren''t their names Jamie and Quinton?"


    "They are!?"


    The two nodded.


    "What the hell? Why didn''t you ever correct me?"


    Jamie and Quinton lowered their heads.


    "W-we were scared¡­"


    "You''d beat us up¡­"


    "I ought to now." ude narrowed his gaze. Then, he sighed. "Don''t worry, I wouldn''t ever do it. Don''t we owe you a lot?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric nodded in unison with ude''s words and the Kone members expressed relief.


    "So, who is who?"


    "Isn''t that obvious, ude?" Elric said. "The buff baldy is Quinton, and Scrawny McBones is Jamie."


    The three couldn''t react to Elric''s tant insults. ude, too, found it to be too rude and smacked the back of his head.


    "It''s the other way around¡­" Puzo muttered.


    "Oh¡­"


    Well, with no hups, the night passed well. Puzo stepped into his tent and as the song of the crickets grew louder with half the night gone, the two members of Kone went over to the wake up the other two adventurers that had postponed selecting a party name.


    "Guys, it''s your watch¡ª"


    "Oh, Quamie¡­ Jinton¡­ yes, sure. Thanks."


    ***


    ude had tossed Elric to a tree and now the two of them were up. Sitting slightly away from the camp, ude narrowed his eyes and spoke to Elric.


    "What do you think?"


    "I was thinking that fast low bass in the background will go well with a soft slow melody. Like, ''Dun dun dun dun dun dun,'' and ''na¡­na na na¡­na¡­''"


    ude was stumped. Never did he think the sound of night wind howling and the night cricket''s screamings would be apanied by the stupid sounds his friend was making.


    "I am not talking about that. I mean Puzo and this quest."


    "Well, talk about this. Don''t you know how important my theme song is?"


    "Just use crazy frog or something!"


    "How can you!"


    The two stared at each other with daggers in their eyes before sighing and looking away.


    "The car is super rare. And even assuming he''s rich enough to have one, why would he take a car along and worry about the safety of his ''items''?" Elric crossed his legs and rested his chin on his palm.


    ude was of the same opinion.


    Something was fishy.


    "We''ll have to wait for him to slip up and show his intentions. Though, I doubt he wants to harm us."


    ude sighed. They had already had a bad experience with requesters once, second time and it won''t be just a coincidence. "Can''t you figure it out? Like you didst time?"


    "My extreme wealth of knowledge says¡­"


    "Says¡­?"


    "He''s a mecha."


    "Just fuck off."


    The night watch continued with a strange mood as Elric kept working on his theme song.


    Soon enough, the second day passed over to and before they could reach Soleda on the third, the group came to a stop near the shortcut that Puzo nned to take.


    Crouched on the road was Quinton, checking the tracks in the sandy path.


    "There might be some trouble¡­ We should go and scout, and then ude can handle it."


    ude crossed his arms.


    "Instead, I''ll go with you. Let''s take care of whatever we run into right away."


    "Then here¡­"


    "It''s alright, Elric can protect Puzo and the car."

 Chapter 48 47: How To Fight In A Different World (1)

    ?Leaning below the shade of the trees and the coverings of the bushes, a group of three made its way around the sides of the unused paths. One held a quiver of bows straddled to his back, the second a giant halberd, and the only things worthy of mention on the third were his fluttering ck cloak and his fresh, unscratched leather boots. They crawled their way ahead, not making a single snap nor a rustle as they passed through the veneer of green.


    Finding a sudden sag in the ground, Quinton at the front raised his fist and the two following behind stopped.


    He closed his eyes and pressed the dent in the ground with his fingers. As soon as he touched the dirt, a surge of mana spread.


    "[Track]"


    A faint green glow emerged around Quinton''s hand before disappearing. Quinton slightly raised his body and moved.


    "Let''s go."


    "What was that?" ude asked. Not many of the other students had managed to use their skills in just the little time they were there, so he barely knew of anything aside from his own and Elric''s skills.


    "It''s Quinton''s ss Skill, He''s a [Scout Ranger]," Jamie answered as the two followed behind Quinton, keeping as low as possible. "He can single out the traces of his target. It''s more of an increased perception than anything, but it''s useful."


    "Ahh¡­" ude nodded.


    Skills had to be practical, but also realistic. Unlike in video games, he couldn''t end up seeing an illusion of his target nor could he single out its mana or something, but he could instead increase his perception only to the tracks of a single target. It would impossible to use such a skill without knowing about tracking, and even with basic knowledge, its efficiency would be nowhere good enough. That was the same reason more than half of ude''s skills were unable to be used.


    "What''s your ss?" He asked Jamie.


    "Me? I am a [Halberd Warrior]," Jamie smacked his chest as he spoke. "Cool, right? Jamie and I are the only ones in the branch with specialized sses."


    "Ok."


    ude nodded.


    "What''s yours?"


    "I don''t know."


    He didn''t think he could say Light Hero now. And for making an excuse, well, ude wasn''t going to work that hard.


    "Huh? Hey, what''s your ss?¡­ ude! ude!"


    Soon, the group neared a slight clearing in the forest.


    A rusty smell tickled at their noses as the sounds of small bugs and flies increased. And then, their eyes fell on a line of corpses.


    "What the fuck¡­" Jamie winced.


    In front of them, lines of bandit corpses spread through the forest. The red and ck clothing of the bandits was torn through while bits of their flesh and blood spread over the ground. Some of their necks were torn through while others had peeks of the skulls looking out of their heads.


    "The trail doesn''t end here¡­" Quinton muttered. "There must be something else¡­"


    It was a gory sight. Even other escorts wouldn''t have left mere bandits in such a state, no, they wouldn''t be able to. As if every second inch of their flesh had been tasted, the bandits werepletely bitten through.


    "What could have done this?"


    "Reminds me of dogs¡­"


    "Dogs?" Both Jamie and Quinton were a bit shocked at what ude muttered.


    "Yeah, aren''t dogs pretty gnarly?" ude observed the two for a few seconds before shrugging. He had seen plenty three-meter tall dogs in the Mystic Forest. "I guess you city boys wouldn''t get it."


    "No, what kind of dogs have you been seeing?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Hah¡­ well, anyway, it''s definitely some kind of monster. The trail is slightly worse, but it''s not gone. Let''s continue ahead."


    The two nodded and followed.


    ude found their way of doing things rather tedious, but he was willing to soak it all in like a sponge. If he had known such techniques when he was weak, it would have been much easier to survive in the Mystic Forest.


    They continued walking.


    And before they could stray far enough, the culprits of the sight revealed themselves.


    The three peeked their heads out from behind a tree as they gazed at the clearing slightly downhill.


    "Goblins¡­"


    Dozens of the green monsters danced around. Their protruding tusks yellow with rot and their slimy mouths wet with saliva were disgusting enough to creep out the toughest of soldiers.


    "It''s an entire settlement¡­"


    If that wasn''t enough, they had created dozens of huts and were all living together.


    "Quinton, how many do you think there are?"


    At the center, a single,rger goblin sat straddling its hands against its chest.


    "That hobgoblin¡­ maybe around forty? No, even sixty¡­"


    Fighting a goblin or two wasn''t a problem, maybe even fighting a dozen could be done. But taking down forty at once was a little difficult even for splendid scouts like the two members of Kone.


    "Let''s go back," Quinton said. "If we push the car we can manage without any sound. I am also worried that some of them might have already gone over to our spot. Um¡­ Elric, won''t be able to handle it, right?"


    "What do you mean? He''ll kick all of theirs and then all of our asses and still not break a sweat."


    Jamie and Quinton were slightly amused at ude''s words. They didn''t think the pretty one had anything other than his looks going for him.


    "Well, even so¡­" Jamie spoke.


    "Let''s fight. It''s annoying to push the car and still risk being found."


    The distance wasn''t far enough from the road for them to rx. If they were going to do it, they had to now.


    Jamie and Quinton weighed their options.


    A lot depended on their third member.


    "You''re a warrior, right? You use your bare fists?"


    "You might be strong, but it''s not a good match-up¡ª"


    The two had no choice but to shut up.


    From thin air, the boy in front of them had pulled out arge sword in hand, and an orb of mes danced in his other.


    "You were saying?"

 Chapter 49 48: How To Fight In A Different World (2)

    ?Low grunts and whistles echoed in a turbulent cacophony as the files of goblins busied themselves with different tasks. Some of them fanned the hobgoblin leader while others prepared the meals for the night, which was nothing but dried up, rotting rounds of raw flesh.


    A pair of goblins holding arge boar skewered into a stick on their shoulders moved closer to the mes when.


    "Grah!"


    "Kukk!"


    The two of them fell to the ground and the boar tumbled over. Tworge holes were lodged inside their head, but no weapon came in sight.


    All the other goblins stopped and stared in alert as the dead boar rolled down the incline and crashed against one of the makeshift tents lined around.


    "Kieek?!"


    "Kieek! Kieeek!"


    The monsters screamed.


    Enemy.


    An enemy was around.


    They rushed to grab their stakes and clubs as the goblins gathered in a circle. The hobgoblin smacked its hands on its chair and screamed at them to look around.


    At that very moment, the goblins noticed a slight rumble in the bushes.


    Their attention shifted to the side. In a group, about seven goblins tiptoed to the edge of the settlement, walking up the incline with their bodies lowered and their weapons raised.


    "HIYAAH!"


    Like a bull rushing out in a ring, a muscr man came charging through the bushes. The spear tip of his halberd lodged itself into the stomach of the closest goblin.


    "KIEEK!"


    "KIEEEKIEEK!"


    Startled, the other goblins dived toward the man.


    The man swung his halberd to the side, tearing apart the goblin''s small frame as the axe end of his halberd sliced through two goblins at once.


    The hobgoblin scream and ten more stood up.


    "COME HERE!" Jamie, the Halberd swinging adventurer screamed out loud.


    With his every swing, the very air trembled. He twisted his torso and clenched all the muscles in his arm to strike down the approaching goblins, but the numbers weren''t to be underestimated.


    Just as one of the goblins came close to his back and raised its club. A piercing arrow zapped through the air and lodged itself in the goblin''s head.


    "Nice cover!" Jamie screamed and swung his halberd again. His every swing managed to take at least one goblin down or injure another, and each time his back was revealed to his enemies, his partner would lodge an arrow in their heads.


    "KIEKIEK!" The hobgoblin screamed again. Of the sixty four goblins in the ce, neen were already about to die. At the hobgoblin''smand, everyst one of them mobilized themselves. Some approached the halberd warrior while others looked for his backer.


    Now came the tough part.


    "Jamie! Aggro!" Quinton shouted from the trees.


    Jamiended a kick on the goblin in his way and shuffled ahead. His practiced footwork made it easy to even slide down on such an incline. As he neared the scattering numbers of goblins, he raised his halberd up high.


    "[EARTH SPLIT]"


    Jamie''s halberd came thundering down the skies, and an earth-shattering roar sent the wind tumbling down.


    In a single hit, a wide crack spread through the ground. Slithering below the goblins'' feets, the wide crack danced down the incline and split the earth below in two halves for ten meters straight.


    The goblins that were about to scatter all gulped down their saliva and screamed.


    "KIEEK!"


    "KIEEEEK!"


    They screamed and raised their weapons, all the goblins, just shy of fifty in number, rushed toward Jamie.


    "Ah¡­ fuck! ude!"


    "Sheesh, aren''t you excited?"


    From above in the trees, where the light of the sun created a silhouette of a single man, a gentle voice sounded.


    And in the next moment, ude jumped down the trees and rolled on the ground,nding smack dab in the middle of the crowd of gathering goblins.


    "Haha, stupid goblins never change."


    "KIEEK!"


    "KIIEEK!!"


    ude tightened his grip on his pitch ck sword and lowered his stance till his body neared the height of the goblins'' waists.


    And then, he kicked off.


    A cloud of dust formed midair as ude rushed down the incline, right amidst the gathering goblins.


    The goblins could only shriek as he charged down their path. Like a bullet zapping past the skies, ude rushed down the line of goblins without bothering to avoid. His sword haphazardly swung on the sides and chopped down whatever was near.


    "HAHA!"


    "KIEEK!"


    "KIEEEK!"


    A high damage artillery shell. ude culled down the numbers of the goblins by hitting one with every move as he charged ahead. His attacks would either chop off a goblin''s head or its arms, either its stomach or its legs.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    This was the power of [Wild Swordsmanship: Advanced]


    As if a tango dancer tapping his feet, ude relentlessly ran ahead and cut off every goblin. He neared the end of the group as thest one came right in front of him.


    ude jumped in the skies. His body performed a full flip as he turned upside-down¡ª


    "KIEEK!"


    ¡ªAnd chopped off the head of thest goblin.


    ude''s cape fluttered as hended, but his charge didn''t end. As if he hadn''t even stopped, ude warped his lips in a terrifying smile and ran ahead again.


    "KIEEKEIEE!!" His target, the hobgoblin.


    Arching around the huts, ude rushed into the goblin from the sides.


    The hobgoblin stood from its spot, and ude''s vision darkened.


    "HM!"


    The hobgoblin had thrown a pot straight at him. ude moved slightly to the side when an arrow came speeding through the air.


    A loud crash resounded as the arrow and the pot tangoed and broke into bits.


    His charge undisturbed, ude widened his smile and pounced on the hobgoblin.


    The monster screamed and met ude''s sword with his club. A small spark shed as the two weapons shed.


    ude''s lips raised upward in amusement.


    He jumped back down to the ground and looked at the towering hobgoblin, thrice the size of normal goblins.


    The monster swung its club down, and ude lowered his body to dodged. The club came swinging back at a lower angle.


    "Woah," Waving his hands, ude bent his body back and avoided again. His handsnded on the ground, and ude pushed himself ahead.


    ude kicked the hobgoblin square on its tusk before wrapping his feet around its neck.


    "KIEEK!" The hobgoblin squealed in pain. Taking the opportunity, ude pushed his body up. Now straddling the hobgoblin''s neck, he flipped his sword to the back and started hammering it down the monster''s head.


    "There you go!"


    "KIEEK!"


    The hobgoblin, even in its confusion, managed to pull ude''s cape and yanked him back.


    ude jumped out andnded on a single foot, he leaned forward and then backward before stably stopping on the ground.


    The hobgoblin had already raised its club.


    Grinning, ude twisted his sword and shed with the monster''s attack. Even though their positions were changed and the smaller one was on defense, there was no problem in blocking the attack.


    "Kie!?"


    The hobgoblin screamed in realization.


    This human was just ying around.


    "KIEE!"


    "Haha, bring it!"


    A crazed melee began as the hobgoblin and ude shed weapons with each other. Sparks constantly flowed out as their weapons crashed into each other.


    Stones on the ground trembled as they stepped around, the huts to their sides copsed with kicks flourishing. ckish blood sttered over the ground as the hobgoblin was constantly bombarded by ude.


    Range and experience were one thing, but the hobgoblin was severely outssed even in skill and strength.


    The hobgoblin swung the club, ude leaned back to dodge and raised his sword in a counter, but instead of avoiding, the hobgoblin dived in.


    With a smirk, ude urately aimed a kick at the hobgoblin''s groin.


    "KIEE!"


    "Not bad," the boy raised his sword and smiled wider than ever. "I rate you 0.1 Gardars!"


    And stabbed the de through the hobgoblin''s neck.


    "KIEE¡­."


    The monster squealed and tried to reach out to ude, but the boy wasn''t done yet.


    The jungle wasn''t so kind to leave a mortal wound and walk away.


    ude pulled out his sword and punched the monster. In a hefty barrage of swings, he chopped off every part of the monster and ended it with a stab straight to the heart.


    "W-way to go, ude!"


    A scream sounded from the distance. Quinton was showing him a thumbs up from the trees.


    When ude shrugged off the blood on his sword and looked back, only a dozen or so goblins were still remaining.


    "Heh."


    He hadn''t used any, but it was quite interesting to see a fight with skills. Instead of just being used as an enhancer like he did, skills were useful to change the shape of the battle.


    "Fun," he muttered and dived ahead again.


    Whatever they were, bloodying his own hands was the best.

 Chapter 50 49: Chocolate Drive

    ?"That brings me back to my first point, what people need today is to dive in. Chase after their dreams. You can''t sincerely be something if you don''t sincerely want to be it. Dive in, Mr. Puzo. Give it your all. You''ll either win, or you''ll die. It''s that simple."


    "But isn''t that irresponsible? You need to look after your family, yourself! Imagine an artist, Sir Elric. Not many artists win, isn''t it better to pursue a stable life than to just give up on everything and work on your art?"


    "Hah, that''s where you''re correct, but that''s not the point I am making. Those who give up on everything to chase after a fleeting dream are not chasing after that dream. It''s insincerity, Mr. Puzo. Insincerity."


    "Oh¡­ you mean¡­ by not keeping themselves stable people are being insincere?"


    "Correct. There is a difference between sincerely pursuing your dreams and a childlike dive into an ideal. Those people are not prepared for the journey but are attracted to the results."


    "M-my¡­" Puzo sighed and shook his head. Leaning against the car, he spoke. "I mistook you, Sir Elric."


    Elric had already evolved into Sir.


    "I hope you forgive me. I should have realized that you were such a dedicated and insightful man long ago."


    Elric gently ced a hand on Puzo''s shoulder. Since he was light, he could easily sit atop the roof of the car without worrying anyone.


    "I don''t mind it at all," said Elric. "I am happy as long as I could help you."


    "Sir Elric!"


    "That said," Elric reached into his pockets and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. "Why don''t you sign up for my self-help course? For a small monthly fee of 15 gold, I''ll answer whatever questions you may have and even send letters highlighting things you can change."


    "M-monthly fee¡­?"


    "It''s a steal, Mr. Puzo! A steal. You don''t want to miss out on this. Just sign here."


    Sweating profusely, Puzo averted his gaze. Elric wedged himself as close to the poor man as he could while waving the paper in front of his eyes.


    "Eh?"


    "Come on. Sign it."


    "I¡­ I am sorry, that''s too expensive¡­ How about reducing the cost on a different agreement when we get to town?"


    "Hm¡­"


    Elric thought for a few seconds and then backed off. He wasn''t sure how expensive expensive was in this world since he never paid shopping a shred of attention. Convinced, he decided to follow the man''s suggestion for now.


    The two of them remained at their ce, waiting for the other three toe back.


    The leaves rustled and the wind blew as almost no other soul came around to the shortcut that Puzo had decided to take.


    After waiting in silence post the subscription awkwardness for a few minutes, Puzo turned to Elric.


    "Still, Sir Elric. I now know you''re wise, but what are your skills?" It wasn''t kind to ask an adventurer about their stats and skills, no it wasn''t kind to ask anyone, but Puzo didn''t think a general question would hurt at their current distance.


    Elric smirked and picked up his sk of water. Shaking it lightly, he removed its cap.


    "Do you want to know? Then hear. I¡­ am the Ruler of Water!"


    Yup. Puzo was never going to ask him anything ever again. Never.


    Elric smiled, satisfied with himself, and started sipping down the water when¡ª


    "PFFFT!"


    He shot it all at Puzo''s face


    "Ah?" Puzo screamed in confusion, but the water that wet his face had already disappeared. He turned to his front and saw a giant stone rushing toward him. But before the stone could hit, it crashed into a transparent wall of water and sshed it away.


    The stone fell to the ground and the ball of water scattered as Puzo held his chest and leaned back on the car.


    "W-w-what?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Rx." Elric snapped his fingers. In a sight that sent shivers down his spine, the scattered water all came back and formed an arrow right in front of him.


    The arrow shot through the air and coursed ahead. Going past the lines of grass and behind the trees, it found the monster that had thrown a stone at them, a goblin.


    The arrow swerved in the air and stabbed right into the goblin''s chest. It didn''t stop there as the arrow dug right into the heart of the monster and came pouring out the other side, and the goblin copsed.


    "G-goblin¡­?"


    It all happened too fast for Puzo to realize. He held his chest and took in deep breaths. A goblin wasn''t scary, nor was being attacked so abruptly, but it was the guy next to him that scared him.


    "D-did you use normal water to save mana? And, did you just, gather an already-used spell and redo it!? From a shield to an arrow, with the same water?"


    "Rx, Mr. Puzo," Elric smiled and picked up the sk again. "It''s nothing big for the ruler of water¡ªPFFFT!"


    "AAH!"


    Puzo was spat on again!


    As the man opened his eyes, yet again, the water on him was gone and another arrow was fluttering in front of his eyes. Beyond it, the goblin that was just shot through the chest had stood up again, the gaping hole in its chest clearly showing the heart that was torn through¡­ still beating.


    "How strange¡­" Elric muttered. With a wave of his hands, the arrow shot forward again. Like a bullet razing through a target, the arrow stabbed itself into the goblin''s foot, then it''s hand, then the torso and then the neck, atst, the arrow made its way toward the goblin''s head.


    And the monster finally fell down.


    "I-is it dead?"


    "Seems so, what a weirdo. I bet that guy was chasing after some choctes."


    "C-choctes?"


    "It''s called the Chocte Drive. It acts like a nitro booster in an F1 Race."


    "F1...? Nitro...??"


    "Chocte Drive."


    Elric nodded and lifted his sk ast time.


    "Anyway, Sir Elric, to think you could use water like that! Are you perhaps an Archmage or something? A Saint-Ranked wizard¡ª"


    "PFFT!"


    Puzo immediately lifted himself up and looked around. "Enemy! Where?"


    But unfortunately, the water didn''t move away from him this time.


    Drenched, Puzo turned to his side and red at Elric. "Where is the enemy?"


    "There''s none."


    "Then?"


    "I just felt like spitting at you."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Sir Elric, you basta¡ª"


    Well the gang regrouped and they crossed the shortcut to reach Soleda that afternoon!

 Chapter 51 50: Soleda

    ?Buildings stretched around like trees in a forest as the rattling four-wheeler now ran as stable as a horse. The brickid roads stretched far and wide as the people around in a variety of clothes walked with hearty gaits and merry smiles.


    "ude, look! Water!"


    "Hah? Of course, there''s water?"


    "No, like! Water! A lot of water!" Elric shook his head and grabbed ude''s hair. "Just look for yourself."


    ude leaned out of the window, and a gasp of admiration left him. Amidst the blocks of small buildings held up by lime and gypsum mortars,rge canals bordered with white baster cut through the city.


    "That''s like, an indoor river? Artificial?"


    "Haha," Puzo''sugh reached their ears as the man slightly leaned out of the window too, his hand still on the wheel. "Isn''t it beautiful? Soleda is one of the richer ces after all."


    "Does this have any significance?" ude asked, amused.


    Elric, on the other hand, was nodding with pride. His opinion of the residents of Soleda had shot through the roof. Anyone who appreciated water was a friend of water types like himself. Of course, this sentiment did not even exist in his wildest imagination before he learned he was a water type too.


    "Look, doesn''t this ce remind you of fields?"


    "Does it?"


    "They are like canals flowing through your fields, perfect for watering your crops. Maris is all about agriculture!"


    It seemed to have been highly stylized to maintain the clean aesthetic of the city, but ude could see the resemnce.


    "Where does the watere from?" He asked. He was about to sit back down, but Elric held his hair and made him stare at the water. "Let go, bitch."


    "Watch! Watch and worship."


    "Get lost! Sit back down!"


    "Such disrespect for water! You trash!"


    The two tussled while still peeking out of the windows, earning augh from theirpanions.


    And soon, their antics stopped to a sight like none other. The canals seeped through backward and converged into an enormous fountain in the center of the city. With the statue of a beautiful goddess holding a plow and a pot, the canals that tore through the city met at the feet of the city''s goddess.


    "Is she the god of water?" Elric asked.


    "Uh, no. But Maris has a strong rtions¡ª"


    "I don''t care then."


    Elric sat back down.


    ***


    Passing through the streets of Soleda were two hatted men donning dark coats. The brim of their hats and the cors of their hangs hid away the sight of their faces as they strolled down the lines of canals.


    Carriages would frequently pass by the roads adjacent to the pavements as merchants made their way inside the city to get in time for the festival scheduled just three nights from now.


    It was the worst-case scenario. The absolute worst.


    Marcus and Tomas, the two hatted men couldn''t decide what was worse. The fact that somehow the damned count from Zarak had sniffed up their lord''s schemes. Or that he hadtched onto their tails the soldiers of Maris, taking them away from the town where their work was.


    Just as the two men were biting their lips, a strong breeze of air stroked their skin and their gazes jumped to the sides. Beyond the lines of brick that made the ground and the walls of baster that covered the canals, was an automobile running at its max speed.


    A max speed that was much slower than carriages, but that wasn''t what mattered.


    "Marcus, do you hear the sound of bagpipes?"


    Who wouldn''t?


    Peeking out of the window of that very automobile was a wild redhead and a beauty that words couldn''t describe.


    "I hear it loud and clear."


    When the very goal that had been pulled away from your graspes running at you, who wouldn''t hear the sound of bagpipes?


    Smiles bloomed on their faces.


    "Oh, those foolishw holders," Tomas muttered, tipping his hat down to hide his smile. "They were taking us away, but only brought us closer to our goal."


    "It''s fate, Tomas. Fate! That said, isn''t the bagpipe getting screechy?"


    "It sure is."


    The two of them shifted their gaze, and standing right behind them was a man ying the bagpipe straight into their ears.


    "Well, it is weird to hear bagpipes I guess?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Right? Isn''t it usually a trombone or something?"


    "I mean¡­. More like a lightbulb?"


    "Lightbulbs make a sound?"


    "Marcus¡­"


    "Alright, Lightbulb it is."


    "Yup."


    ***


    Near the fountain at the very center of the city were rows upon rows of grand chambers housing the richest of the merchants in Soleda. Where grains flourished, so did trade, not facing ack of money at all, Maris had more than enough space dedicated to luxury.


    And in one very such luxurious hotel where ceilings were lined with chandeliers and doormats were cleaner than a farmer''s bedsheets, the group of Mr. Puzo and his escorts had taken their abode.


    Puzo quickly divvied them up into three rooms, one for himself, and one each for both parties before leaving out for the city with Kone.


    And so, with the sun looming around the horizon, Elric and ude sat next to the windows while looking down at the fountain from their hotel room five stories high.


    "Dun dun dun, dudun, dun dun, dun dun dun dun dudun!"


    "Isn''t that Hotel Cal*fornia?"


    "Damn thieves."


    "If you''re going to be like this, just tap the percussion and focus on the melody, you have a fine table here."


    "You want my, the GREAT Elric''s theme song to be yed on a table?"


    "It''s in development, isn''t it fine?"


    Of course, their conversation was anything but befitting their location.


    "You won''t get it. It''s too dangerous for mortal ears to hear my theme song."


    "What''s the point of it then!?"


    Elric and ude red at each other and then sighed. They leaned back into theirfortable chairs padded with the finest feathers and their stiff frowns faded away. Who could be angry in front offort?


    "By the way, I think Puzo might be someone involved with heroes or something."


    "WHAT?!"


    "Yeah."


    "BITCH WHY ARE YOU TELLING ME NOW!?"


    There was someone right her who could be angry in front offort!


    Elric looked at ude as if he was a child and shook his head.


    "Don''t give me sass! Haah, why do you think so?"


    "Well I changed the shape of my water and he thought I was an archmage. I don''t know much, but you did act as if an archmage was a big deal, right?"


    "Archmage¡­" ude crossed his hands. "It is a big thing I believe. But that doesn''t say much."


    "People won''t throw such words around until they were used to it. It doesn''t confirm anything, but I guess there''s no harm in being vignt."


    Elric was right. Being exposed as the exiled hero was something ude wanted to avoid the most right now. If word went out and these fanatics heard of their reputation, then even after escaping that forest they would still be trapped.


    He didn''t want that.


    Absolutely not right now, when he could live in rtivefort.


    "We''ll have to think of something. But for now, we should avoid being alone with Puzo."


    ude hummed and Elric followed. One thought about how they could hide their identity, and the other about when would be the best time to ring in the cello.


    Before either could reach a decision, their doors were knocked on.


    ude moved to open the doors and found the threepanions for his journey at the door.


    "I have scheduled a drop-off for the item I needed to deliver. Mr. ude and Sir Elric, I would ask you two to apany me tonight for the drop off, and then you guys can freely enjoy the festival."


    There goes that.

 Chapter 52 51: Reunion In The Dead Of Night

    ?Leres was a young man of humble origins but grandiose ambitions. For when he was born, an old sage d in brown had appeared in his home and professed.


    "Oy wey, this young boy may¡­ be quite great, mate. I guess."


    Fishy it was, but who loved fish more than a fisherman''s family? For one, Leres would say he absolutely despised it.


    Well, it was that very loathing Leres held that had got him kicked out of his home. Their love for fish extended a tad more than their love for their children.


    No biggie, Leres was still fated for greatness! And now, to cash in on his fate, the young man found himself with arms crossed right outside the fountain of Maris smack in the center of Soleda.


    The festive mood for the uing event just three days away wasn''t lost on the city with fluttering lights of yellow and green illuminating the deeply shaded bricks. The houses and stores all around disyed their wares and their cribs with pompous embellishments. Banners and triangr gs connected the buildings while a dozen different troupes and stalls called over the pedestrians for a show and a bite.


    The sun had set but the streets were bright with tinkering lights. Working hours had passed but people were filled with energy.


    A festival was right around the corner. It was the time of spirit!


    And Leres hated that.


    He was so nervous seeing all the city folk he could puke. Why was he here anyway? That sage was shady as hell! Hiding the pain in his stomach behind crossed arms, Leres decided it best to set off. Too many people. Too many.


    His eyes closed, Leres killed off his surroundings and walked away¡ª


    "Hey ude, look fish cakes¡ªDah!"


    ¡ªWhen he crashed into someone. The person walking past him fell to the ground and out of his hand slipped the steaming hot fishcakes, whichnded right on his eyes.


    "Gahh!" Leres grabbed his eyes and jumped back. The burning sensation of the heated fishcakes carried straight through his eyelids and seeped right into his irises.


    "Woah, dude! What the hell?"


    "My eyes! My eyes!"


    He stumped back and fell right on the edge of the fountain. This close? Even through the pain, Leres realized he wasn''t the one who bumped into someone else, especially not when he had barely moved from his position.


    "You ruined my fish cake!"


    "Ouch, ouch, you bumped into me!"


    "And now you whine?"


    The disdain in the culprit''s voice was too much for Leres to bear.


    "Grow up man."


    "W-what? What??"


    "Tsk."


    "No seriously, what?"


    Leres'' cries were unheard.


    Fish - 117, Leres - 0


    ***


    "What was with that guy, ruined my fish cakes."


    "What even are fish cakes?"


    ude and Elric shot at each other while following behind Puzo. Dressed in his long trench coat over his usual suit, Puzo was being much more secretive and cautious than they were used to seeing him.


    "Does he want to use the bathroom or something?"


    "What?"


    "Up youreback game at least."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "No seriously, what?"


    Poor Elric decided to give up for now. They crossed under the rows and rows of triangle gs and banners being set up everywhere and the tiny lights that came along as the group moved towards one of the emptier parts of the city.


    The crowds waned and the din was reced by the howling of the wind as they scurried through the rows and rows ofvish buildings. True to its name, though, the shorter the structures around them became the wider their arms stretched, and soon, the group of three found themselves facing the enormous storage houses of Soleda.


    With many rich merchants and farmers came many big warehouses. Lined up neatly in blocks around the fourth channel that spread from the fountain, these warehouses were stocked to the brim with grains and wares of the merchants.


    Elric curiously looked around. The festive mood didn''t reach the edges of the city as every spot around him was dark. Dirt had filled up the brick streets, ckening them a step further in the night.


    Unlit streetmps stood tall, and behind them the numbers of the warehouses they passed.


    "You''ve chosen quite the spot for your exchange," ude muttered.


    "We have to meet my boss first," Puzo answered without batting an eye. A slim scroll rested in his hands as he alternated his gaze between it and the numbers on the warehouses.


    "Should I put up a light for you?" ude asked, annoyed by the darkness. It wasn''t the dark that bothered him, but the fool lurking in his amulet that did.


    "It''s fine. We can''t bex. I''ll count on you to protect me till we meet my boss."


    "Ya got it, treat us to some food in return."


    "You''re being paid, dumbass."


    "Oh¡­"


    Eventually, Puzo stopped.


    "23¡­" he muttered. With a wave of his hand, Puzo beckoned the other two to follow him and rushed to the front. Passing by the main steel gates of the warehouse, he went to the service door at the back and reached into the pockets of his coat.


    Pulling out a bundle of keys, Puzo carefully looked around before inserting the key into the door and twisting the lock open.


    A loud creak sounded.


    The door mmed against the wall and a booming thud spread through the warehouse.


    Tap.


    He stepped in.


    Tap, tap.


    ude and Elric followed.


    Standing at the center of the empty warehouse was a robed figure, a smallmp in its hands.


    "Ma''am, we are here."


    "Ah, good work, Puzo," the figure answered.


    A chill ran down ude''s spine.


    The figure slowly turned to face them, knocking off the hood when¡ª


    A loud gasp.


    "Y-you¡­ are¡­" ck hair flowing like rivers, a sharp and alluring countenance that spoke of her status. Her eyes widened and jaw dropped when she noticed the two adventurers standing behind her aide¡­ "ude and Elric Wald¡­?"


    "YOU!" Elric gasped. "Uh¡­ who are you again?"


    "It''s me! Erika!"


    "¡­ who¡­?"

 Chapter 53 52: Encounter In The Dark (1)

    ?"It''s me! Erika!"


    "¡­ who¡­?"


    Erika''s surprise and shock at a sudden reunion was lifted high by Elric and smashed straight into the ground. Her brows knit close in frustration.


    "How do you not recognize your own ssmates!?"


    Puzo gasped at those words, but no one cared about him for now.


    "E-even if not you!" Erika turned, her hair waving with every movement. She still had the other one here. She had never said a word to Elric, but the other one could be called her partner! They were together in every incident the ss raised. "ude! You remember me right?"


    "Don''t act like you know me, bitch. I have never seen your face in my life."


    "Haaah!?"


    That was a lie!


    ude one hundred percent knew the bitch and he one hundred percent was ready to wipe her from the face of the earth.


    Revenge.


    Those feelings weren''t gone. His heart was pounding with rage and his bones trembled from within. The only thing holding him back from killing her was that he didn''t know if she could kill them first.


    In the end, he decided to follow in Elric''s footsteps. Pretend that you don''t know her.


    Well, actually, there was a fifty percent chance that Elric wasn''t pretending¡ª


    ¡­ who was he kidding? There was no way Elric knew.


    "Well, it''s not like I don''t understand why you''re being like this," Erika shook her head and sighed. "Since you are adventurers, surely you''ll apany us till the mission ispleted."


    "Right. We''ll keep Puzo safe and sound, he is signing up for my subscription service after all."


    "No, Mr. Elric, like I said¡­"


    "Hm? So you don''t want to be an upstanding citizen?"


    "That''s not¡­"


    "I might need some details on this subscription service, Elric Wald."


    "Strangers are wee if they cough cash."


    ude smirked. The wind of change had not hit just him. Even Erika seemed to have gotten more cunning. Who wouldn''t after betraying their friends?


    "By the way, if you''re not the person I am looking for, then howe share the same name?" Erika wore a smug smile and closed in on Elric.


    ude couldn''t believe she thought it would work.


    "Can''t people have simr names?" Elric answered.


    "No not really, who would have twost names!?"


    Right¡­ that was true too¡­ She had him cornered!


    "Just admit you''re from Earth already."


    As if he ever would.


    "Oh? I am from Earth!"


    ''ELRICCCC!'' The scream of ude''s heart was only audible to him and the lord of shadows, who was smacking the ground out ofughter.


    Erika seemed slightly stumped at the admittance, and so did Puzo.


    "Another¡­ hero¡­?"


    "So¡­ you''ve dropped the act?"


    "Nope. I still have no idea who you are. Why are you so persistent anyway, do you like me or something?"


    ''ELRRRRIC!!'' ude''s cheers were just for him too! Way to show that bitch.


    Erika frowned and pulled back.


    She then sighed in resignation.


    "There''s no winning against this guy." She raised her hand and her mana was channeled into one of the many rings on her fingers. Three robes simr to the one she donned fell to the ground emerging out of seemingly nowhere.


    "Put those on, all three of you."


    They were still adventurers. Enmity, friendship, revenge, all of it came after business, that''s what being adults meant.


    ude also thought it to be a good chance to see what she was capable of.


    Two years in that forest, against two years with the best educationid out for heroes¡­ ude wasn''t going to lose.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    The robe and its hood covered all of them up to their faces just like Erika''s. They gathered around Elric while Erika produced a small me on her palms.


    "I can''t see him, but Elric Wald is still pretty."


    "That''s just Elric, you can''t do anything to fix this."


    "The incongruence in Sir Elric''s personality and appearance¡­"


    Elric shed them a beaming smile. "Thanks for thepliment!"


    The three melted, he sure was sweet and innocent at times¡ª


    "I know it takes effort to suppress your jealousy, uglies."


    ¡ªYeah no.


    "Let''s just go."


    Unknowingly, Elric was making the other three get along to some extent.


    ***


    Two men in long coats and hats found themselves at the far end of Soleda whererge buildings stood tall, each housing the fortunes of dozens of merchants and firms.


    They were walking like shady goons in the dark alleys of the city, but that didn''t let them lower their image in their heads.


    For they had just seen their targets move into a warehouse.


    "As we thought¡­ Tomas¡­"


    "You''re right.. Marcus¡­"


    Just then, two young adventurers had followed their client inside the warehouse. Adventurers all the way from Leunderk, and none other than the ones that had solved the snake incident.


    The two coated, hatted men locked arms and cheered.


    "We seeded! They definitely have it!"


    "Now we just have to stay hidden and steal it, then General Volfram will give us a raise!"


    "I can already hear bagpipes in my head!"


    "Me too!"


    ¡ªDun dun duuuuun!


    A sudden sound made them both shriek. They turned back.


    With a beret on his head and a pipe in his mouth, a man smiled at them.


    The bagpipe man was always around.


    ***


    Dark streets passed them by as the quartet stepped beyond the streetmps. The sound of water sloshing about in the canals seemed to have grown louder with the distant bustle of the city.


    With Erika in the front and the two adventurers in the back, it was Puzo who had the safest spot in the ce.


    Perhaps unable to stand the silence, Erika spoke up.


    "We''re going to meet people who support Devon''s party."


    ude flinched, and Elric didn''t give a damn.


    "M-mydy¡­?" Puzo intervened, worried if it was alright to speak up like this, but he couldn''t do anything in front of the wave of her hand.


    "A few are doing their own thing, but all our ssmates are deeply involved with the upper echelon of this world."


    Erika stopped and turned.


    "Aw." Elric bumped into Puzo and was promptly ignored.


    "Almost all of them are on Devon''s side."


    ude stared at Erika for a few seconds. He wasn''t sure what she was implying, but it wasn''t lost on him either.


    No matter what she said¡­


    The facts of that day didn''t change.


    "I don''t even know who you or this Devon guy is. Let''s finish this quest quickly, we are here for Mr. Puzo, not you."


    Erika stared back at ude. She lightly pursed her lips and turned back.


    "You''re right."

 Chapter 54 53: Encounter In The Dark (2)

    ?The group had found themselves standing in front of another warehouse, this one muchrger than thest.


    Erika raised her hands and stopped them at the entrance.


    "We''ll be going in now. Puzo, let me handle the conversations, you have the thing, right?"


    "Safe and sound," Puzo answered, sweeping a nce over at Elric and ude.


    "You two, since you''re adventurers you must know a thing or two."


    ude''s brows twitched at her remark. What did she think of herself again?


    "It shouldn''t, but the tension between my backers and the ones we''re meeting is unnaturally high, so it can devolve into a fight." Erika looked at the three of them one at a time. "Take Puzo and run. Leave any fighting to me, and don''t even think of helping, you''ll only get in the way."


    "Sure," ude said. If she said all that, she sure must be something at the very least.


    Erika went to the service door and knocked thrice, after a beat she knocked four more times.


    She stopped and knocked on the door three more times.


    Then twice.


    And twice again.


    "My god is this childish," Elric said, the knocking still going. Erika seemed to have heard it as ude felt her sighing in embarrassment.


    "I thought you''ll be all over something like this?"


    "I would have, but it''s interfering with the beat of my theme song."


    ude pumped his brows. He didn''t think Elric was stillposing that stuff.


    "Alright, we''ve announced our presence. Let''s go¡­"


    A creak resounded as the door opened, the moonlight spilling in could brighten no more than two tiny steps.


    ude found it weird that there was no response, but it was likely what they had set up.


    Erika took the lead and the three followed behind. As he passed, Elric closed the door, making the ce dark again.


    Their every step resounded faintly in the warehouse.


    Small slurps rang out.


    Elric curiously looked around the ce. Neither the howling of the wind came in nor the distant din of the festive city.


    Everything was quiet.


    Eerily quiet.


    "A-are they not here?" Puzo posed, his voice a whisper.


    "Could be," Erika answered without batting an eye. "Stay alert¡ª"


    A loud ng boomed.


    All of them flinched and turned to the top. Through the dusty windows that showed the cramped alleyways between the two buildings, a small creature was red eyes was constantly hitting itself against the ss pane.


    "W-what is that¡­?" Puzo muttered.


    Nothing was visible in the dark apart from the red eyes.


    "It''s a bat¡­" ude said. "Don''t mind it."


    Erika nodded and their footsteps boomed again. The bat kept smacking at the window, reverberating through the entire warehouse, but there was still no response.


    Right then, Elric sniffed the air.


    "I smell blood."


    Nervousness draped over the four at Elric''s words.


    Blood.


    Theck of responses.


    Something was greatly off here.


    "[Light]"


    ude muttered and a sphere of bright light appeared in front of them. Erika turned to ude with a frown.


    "What are you¡ª"


    "We protect Puzo. That''s our deal. I don''t care about your item or your life."


    ude didn''t have time to bother with Erika''s words. He gently gazed around the ce, not even sparing her a nce even as she bit her lips and cast her gaze downward.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Sidekick, there," Elric pointed further into the vast warehouse and ude shifted the light in that direction. At the ce where the furthest raysnded, a grimy red liquid flowed.


    Blood.


    ude cautiously eyed his surroundings before walking closer to the blood. As light swept over the darkness, a clear trail of blood was formed.


    Soft slurps sounded, followed by the faint smell of chewing.


    The bat pounded into the window.


    Near the walls of the warehouse, sat a figure. Its clothes a rag and its hair a mess, and below it¡­


    "M-m-my¡­" Puzo was about to say something, but Elric covered his mouth before he could.


    The threebatants stiffened up at once.


    Below the figure¡­id a limp body with its stomach torn open¡­ and its contents dangling from the figure''s mouth.


    Puzo stepped back.


    The figure stopped in its tracks.


    The bat hammered the windows.


    Slowly, very slowly, it started turning back.


    Eyes redder than a sea of blood, lips tore all the way back to the ears, numerous wounds filling scathing at its body. With flesh and blood stuck in its teeth, the monster held a liver in one hand and an intestine in the other as it looked back.


    "A-ahh¡­ M-monster!!"


    The monster jumped off the ground.


    "GRAAAH!!"


    A feral scream. The monster hopped off its knees and charged ahead at the group.


    Erika and ude took to the front while Elric pulled the Puzo back.


    The two raised their hands high and chanted their spells.


    "[Mana Spear]"


    At the same time, dozens of gears turned into Elric''s head. The goblin.


    "It''s a zombie!" Elric shouted. "Go for the head!"


    Erika''s eyes widened, but it was toote.


    The spear made of pure mana dug into the zombie''s chest and tore through it, but other than slightly pushing it back, it did nothing.


    "[Fire Arrow]"


    Right then, a single arrow swallowed by mes appeared in mid-air and lodged itself inside the zombie''s head.


    The zombie croaked and fell limp on its back.


    "Haah¡­ haah¡­"


    Puzo held his chest and sighed, while Erika wore a deep frown.


    Undead.


    The people she thought were the worst to deal with had somehow exceeded her expectations and had turned into literal zombies.


    "This is such a fucking mess¡­"


    ude ignored her mutters and moved toward the dead bodies. Leaving Puzo on the ground, Elric hopped over to ude''s side to inspect the zombie as well.


    "These guys don''t look cool unless it''s a full apocalypse, right?"


    "I mean, is an apocalypse worth anything in a magic world?


    Erika was stunned at their nonchnce. Shaking her head, she decided to check the corpses as well, she could use whatever they were using to report to Volfram.


    "Uglies¡­" Elric spoke up again. "It''s been pretty quiet for a while."


    Their eyes widened.


    A second.


    Two¡­


    "KIEEEEK!"


    With a loud shriek, the bat came crashing into the warehouse.

 Chapter 55 54: Encounter In The Dark (3)

    "KIEEEK!"


    A screeching scream echoed through the lightless warehouse as the bat broke through the windows and rushed inside. It cared not for what it had broken through and made its way straight for the quartet.


    "Chocte! We need chocte!" Elric shouted. "That thing is in Chocte Drive!"


    "What?!" Erika turned at Elric''s words and asked. She had missed her chance to listen to him the first time around and had realized his value all toote. Chocte he had said, so chocte it shall be.


    Sweet-tooth Erika reached into the folds of her cloak, pulled out a bar of chocte, and tossed it at the bat.


    And naturally, the attack didn''t as much as blind it for a second as the bat evaded without batting an eye and shot itself at Erika with speeds that mere bats could never scratch.


    A ng resounded.


    Erika jumped back, and in front of her stood ude, the de of the Lord of Shadows in his hands.


    "When did you¡­?" Erika muttered, shocked at the sudden appearance of the sword.


    "It''s not a normal bat! Erika step back and protect Puzo," ude swung the de and the bat evaded again. But he wasn''t one to take it seated.


    With the snap of his fingers, a dim light spread, and ude could track the bat again. He stabbed wildly and swung the de up. Like a monster or a beast, his every swing held aggressiveness and intent to rip his enemy to shreds.


    The bat hastened even more. ude''s loud, formless swings could only chase the smart so far.


    "Elric! Trap it!"


    Erika thought it was a word for her and started chanting a spell, after all, how helpful could Mr. Mana three even be?


    Before she could as much as begin her chant, though, Elric had already popped open his sk of water and sshed it ahead.


    "He''s ying around again!¡ª"


    The blob of water shot through the air and wrapped itself around the bat. The bat tried to break through, but before it could, the water spun at great speed and whirled it back inside.


    "Now!" Elric shouted.


    ude held his de up high and charged.


    Small bats or giant orcs, anything that threatened his life had to go. That was ude''s creed and what had led him to survive.


    In a disy of grand teamwork, Elric slowed and moved away the water in ude''s path just a second before the sword could pierce it, making a path straight to the bat''s heart.


    That was their first and only mistake.


    "KIEEEEK!"


    The bat shrieked again. From the narrow gap that appeared, the bat turned into ck mist and disappeared. ude''s sword pierced through the empty prison of water and stabbed to the other side, but nothing came in its path.


    "What in the world?"


    "ude! Look above!" Erika screamed.


    ude and Elric shifted their gaze to the top, the dim light stretching far enough.


    Hazy ck mist converged under the roof of the warehouse. A dreadful, despotic, domineering air mped down on their lungs and held their every breath.


    The group could only blink, unable to fight against the pressure that stabbed into their skin and trickled into their veins.


    A fluttering crimson dress that clung to her body. Its color and fabric like screams of dying men. Hair blonde like the sun, clear like the sky. And eyes, gleaming like the moon, cold like the night.


    The woman, if its beauty could be called that, if its dread could fit one, licked her supple lips and stared down at them.


    Puzo and Erika were left stunned. They were unable to react, from the transformation to the pressure she exuded.


    But there were two others here who knew better. People who had lived not with just one foot, but their entire bodies in death''s mouth. Having looked at their end straight in the eye dozens and dozens of times over the two years, they had developed an otherwordly instinct against danger.


    And those two had the same thought filling their head.


    The creature smiled.


    "RUN!!" Elric screamed and sent waves of water rushing toward the woman. At the same time, ude pivoted on his feet, mped his sword in his teeth, and shot toward Erika and Puzo.


    Elric ignored them all and eyed the woman. With every flick of his wrist, the ball of water would rush toward her.


    He snapped his fingers.


    The blob turned into a spear.


    Right before it could hit, she turned into mist yet again and narrowly avoided it all. Dozens upon dozens of gears turned in Elric''s head, from her clumsy dodges to her feral screams.


    It all connected in his mind.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ''She is feral.''


    And he reached a conclusion.


    Letting out a deep sigh, Elric used one mana point and summoned another blob of water before sending it at her as well. His eyes were fixed on the woman while he slowly stepped away.


    Like cats chasing after a sly rat, his two balls of water swirled and shot at the woman. They hit, but she would block, they missed, but she would fall.


    "Elric! Move!"


    At ude''s words, Elric started tracing his steps back. Guided by his shouts, he moved by ear alone while his eyes remained affixed to the woman.


    Could they run?


    So what if they leave this ce, she would just chase them.


    He needed an opening. Something to strike her down and make their escape.


    It was toote.


    Elric''s spear of water spun in the air and stabbed the woman''s hands.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® A sliver of hope appeared in Elric''s mind.


    "Ka¡­ KAAA!"


    Before dying out.


    The blood that should have dripped down rose in the air, just like his balls of water. Like an arrow shooting into a target, the drop of blood rushed into the blob of water. Slowly, it was dyed red. All the water turned a faint red.


    And Elric lost his control over it.


    "Ah¡­"


    There was no time to think.


    Elric turned on his heels and ran toward the door, where everyone else already stood.


    "Elric! Erika is chanting a teleport so just run!!"


    ude''s screams took away thest of Elric''s hesitation as he hastened his stride. ude himself chanted a dozen different spells of light and mes in an attempt to hold the woman back or even kill off her sight.


    Without turning back, without thinking back, Elric just ran.


    Behind him, the woman screeched again.


    She raised her hands¡ª


    Elric was just about to step outside.


    ¡ªAnd stabbed herself in the stomach.


    In the blink of an eye, tens, no, hundreds of spears of blood formed all over the ce. The spears shot out haphazardly in all directions, their every inch enough to tear through a wall.


    The spears pinged around.


    ude knocked off all he could, but it was nowhere enough. His legs were sliced through, his sides. Puzo stepped up and used his body as shield for Erika who was chanting her spell.


    The haphazard spears continued to dance around.


    The running Elric''s cheek was grazed.


    And everything stopped.


    The spears, the woman''s screams, the pressure holding them down.


    As Elric''s blood streamed down his cheek, all of it stopped.


    They were left standing in their spots.


    The woman''s eyes followed every trace of his blood. It slid down his cheeks, off to his chin, and then, on the ground.


    "B-b¡­"


    Under the light of the moon seeping in through the holes over the ceiling, the endearing, enamoring, enchanting woman smiled.


    "Blood," she said.

 Chapter 56 55: Contact

    "Blood."


    Elric could only blink his eyes at the moment the woman disappeared from the skies and appeared in front of him. He tried to take a step back, but she sped her hands around his cheeks and pulled him closer.


    Like a mother easing her child, like a lover caressing their other half, she gently pulled him closer.


    Elric''s eyes widened, he felt a pang of anticipation before his fear could hit him.


    The woman''s lips spread apart. Her glistening fangs filled his sight.


    The boy squirmed, the woman leaned in closer.


    Her tongue grazed over his nape.


    And her teeth sank closer.


    "Elric!" ude was left shouting, but no answer came.


    A prickling sensation drowned into Elric''s neck, blood almost spilling out.


    A drop seeped out of his skin and neared her lips.


    "GAHH!" The woman seethed. She held her head and stepped back.


    "W-what¡­?" Elric muttered as he was let go. The blonde woman fell on her back and continued struggling.


    "Elric! Over here!" At ude''s call, the boy ignored the woman and dashed away. ude grabbed Elric''s hand and yanked him over to where Puzo and Erika stood.


    p¦Ánd¦Á`no¦Í?1--§ão§® "Erika the spell!" ude screamed.


    "It''s ready!"


    "W-wait! The chocte!" Elric chimed in too.


    "Who fucking cares!? Erika go go go!" ude and Elric jumped into the range of the magic circle that spread below her. Erika closed her eyes.


    "[Spatial Magic: Teleport]"


    "Chocteee!"


    A blinding sh of light spread.


    And they were gone.


    ***


    "Marcussssssss!"


    "Tomaasssss!"


    "Pun pun puuuuuun."


    Marcus, Tomas, the two cloaked hatted men, and Mr. Bagpipe at the back, all three of them were left standing with their jaws on the ground and their eyes wide open.


    They peeked through the many holes that had formed in the once-tall warehouse.


    Chasing after the adventurers they were sent to meet, they had followed them to this spot.


    And before they knew it, those adventurers had started battling against a bat turned mist turned woman in what could only be called a battle between the upper ranks. A sea of blood attacks then began followed by inhumane dodging by the pretty adventurer and even more inhumane counters by the rough adventurer. Then, as if it was an illusion, that group of four just disappeared.


    It was tough to hear their words over the sounds of the battle, but they were almost sure it all happened over chocte.


    Marcus and Tomas had only seen such fights when a file of ten would be sent out to battle behemoths.


    "Do you think that woman was as strong as a behemoth?" Marcus asked Tomas, his back against the wall and his hand against his chest.


    "Haha¡­ haha¡­" Tomasughed.


    Right then, a loud bang erupted from the distance followed by the tooting of a bagpipe.


    The bagpipe stopped, but the banging continued. Tomas, Marcus and Mr. Bagpipe summoned all their courage and slowly, very slowly, peeked over the broken walls and inside the warehouse.


    The blonde woman was still there.


    She smacked her head on the ground over and over, it was only the ground that was being hurt though. The woman''s entire body clenched tight and loosened up over and over. She tried to move but held herself back at the same time.


    Slowly, very slowly, she crawled over to the ground.


    The ground where a drop of the beautiful adventurer''s blood had fallen.


    Her tongue came stretching out as she neared the drop, before smacking her head on the ground again.


    The three could only stare as the woman crawled back. Then, in the blink of an eye, she turned into a bat again and flew off.


    "Pupupupu pu puuuun!"


    "Shut up for a second, Mr. Bagpipe."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Puuun."


    With the bagpipe blowing away their tension in its harmony, the three jumped through the holes in the walls and rushed inside the warehouse. What was previously dark enough to be invisible was now lit up bright by the night moon.


    They tiptoed past the lines of debris and stopped in front of the most suspicious thing in the ce. The spot that took them off guard.


    "This chocte¡­"


    "Do you think it''s something special? It looks normal to me."


    "Puuun puun."


    "H-hey Marcus! T-there''s corpses here!"


    Shocker as it was, the three only noticed the shocking bit shockinglyte. All their eyes turned sharp as they rushed over to the bodies and started inspecting their cases. It


    Marcus ced a hand on their neck to search for a pulse, it was unfortunate, though as only one of them was intact enough for hope. One had its stomach gouged and bit through, and the other had a hole through its head.


    Mr. Bagpipe and Tomas, on the other hand, looked through their stuff for any clues on what may have happened.


    "This¡­" Tomas raised an emblem from from the bags behind the corpses.


    "These are our seniors?" Marcus answered. Undoubtedly, this item was only bestowed upon members of General Volfram''s own knight brigade, much like themselves.


    "H-hey, Tomas, search for amunication orb."


    Tomas nodded at his partners words and flipped through the luggage of the two people that had passed away.


    Soon, he found a small ss orb with a magic stone next to it. The stone engraved with the skill necessary to operate the device, it was a high-end tool that could only be found with the top of the top brass, the creme de creme.


    The two activated the device right away and stepped slightly away from the screen.


    It rang just twice, and deep in the middle of the night, General Volfram''s graying locks of hair and sharp features filled their sight.


    "Did it go¡ªHm?"


    Volfram''s voice, slightly buzzed by the device, urged them to remove their hats.


    "Marcus and Tomas? What, do you want another bail? What is happening there?"


    "Sir," Marcus spoke. "We have an emergency situation. We had located the previous adventurers and followed them to this ce along with their clients. It seemed a battle with a strange creature took ce here. The other regiment you had sent to this ce has fallen, as we observed the battle, we believe it must have happened before the arrival."


    Volfram''s eyes widened.


    "Impossible¡­ That means the trade-off failed. We were lucky you got to me before that woman, we were saved from a great loss." Volfram nodded. "The battle, what kind of strange creature is this?"


    "Sir, we''re unaware, but by situation..."


    Tomas continued Marcus'' words.


    "It seemed to be a battle for chocte."


    "Excuse me?"


    "Do not worry, sir." Marcus said. "The item you were looking for is already in our hands."


    "What?! It is? Show me right now."


    Marcus nodded and Tomas raised the chocte bar.


    "Here it is¡ª"


    "Stop. I have time not for such filthy jokes, especially when yourrades have died."


    "No, sir but¡ª"


    "Shut it!" Volfram screamed. "I don''t even have any other choice... You two. This is an urgent situation, you are to take over your predecessor''s duties. No wait, you three? Who is that man!?"


    "Puuun!"


    "This is Mr. Bagpipe, sir."


    "He''s very loyal. He won''t let you down."


    "What? This is a highly confidential¡ª"


    "PUUUUN"


    Volfram''s brows clenched and then loosened.


    "You three are to take over the duties. The thing I sent you to find, that is what you''re to get."


    "Sir!" The three nodded in acknowledgment


    "The person you''re making a deal with¡­ is the archmage hero, Erika Arkwin. No matter what it takes, make sure she has a great loss in this deal. It is all for the great gods..."

 Chapter 57 56: Evil In The Horizon

    ?


    A white light shed around the fountain at the center of Soleda, and in the blink of an eye, four people sshed over the bricks like a dropped fish-cake.


    "Woah?"


    "Hah!"


    The passerby gasped and shuddered, but no one approached them. The crowd had waned thanks to the night and the lights had been dialed down a good notch, leaving them with a much smaller audience than their stunt would have attracted.


    Groaning, Elric hopped off from above the group and stepped to the side. He stretched his back and then his hands above his head as the others winced from the sudden teleport.


    "Haah, I''ll kill for a bed right now."


    ude was the second to recover. His body was riddled with cuts, shallow and deep, in his attempt to protect the other three. He had beenrgely sessful, but it came at a cost.


    Nheless, the young man, already used to such pain, stood up and stretched as well.


    "I am hungry¡­" he muttered.


    "WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT!?"


    Coming in with a curveball was Puzo! Still covered in his cloak, the man had just a few scratches on him. He immediately got to his feet, did a panicked little dance in all three-sixty degrees, and then lent his hand to thedy on the ground.


    "Mydy, are you alright?! J-just what is going?"


    Wiping her forehead, Erika took Puzo''s hand and stood up.


    "That thing¡­ we almost died."


    Perhaps, it weren''t these two that threw the curveballs but Elric and ude that weren''t throwing straights.


    Being scared for your life was normal!


    "That thing¡­" Elric, taking the opportunity, wore a mncholy smile and flicked his hair for suspense when Erika interrupted them.


    "Wait. Let''s talk elsewhere."


    And with thatmand, off they set toward the hotel that Puzo had booked. It wasn''t ways off from their spot and was quitevish, enough to house the archmage hero and Puzo''s liege.


    Puzo walked up to the counter and asked for another room, the hoteliers dly indulged for a hefty sum and booked they had their fourth room.


    From their way up the lift to their journey toward the rooms, Elric kept up his mncholy look to not fall out of character and miss his chance.


    "I am too bloodied, let''s meet up in five. Elric,e on."


    He kept up the pose up yet.


    While waiting for ude and even bathing on his own, his pose didn''t fall. They changed, had some tea, and then went over to Puzo''s room along with Erika, all the time his pose still up.


    "Then¡­" Circled around the table, all of them sat together.


    Atst.


    At longst.


    He could drop the pose.


    "Humph." Elric scoffed. His face muscles were about to start twitching. "That thing¡­ wash chocte drive¡ª AK!"


    He flubbed it nheless!


    Elric grasped his chest and fell on the table.


    Man down, man down.


    Well this one, they were just going to let be.


    ude faked a cough and the other two promptly ignored theirstpanion.


    "Erika," ude said. "You know that thing was, right? Bats, mist, and blood, there''s only one thing thates to mind."


    Erika nodded.


    "Vampire."


    "V-vampire? You mean those creatures?" Puzo asked. "W-why would those beings be here! Aren''t they immortal?"


    Elric''s ears twitched.


    Immortal? Vampire? Cool as all hell! Reinvigorated, Elric sat up at once and crossed his legs.


    "So it was a vampire. How did the chocte attack not work?"


    "You fucker! You wanted me to die didn''t you?" Erika snapped. He was the one who told her to throw a chocte at the vampire.


    "No, it''s probably because you didn''t use a good brand."


    "Excuse me? There''s barely chocte in this world, I used the best!"


    "Ahem," Puzo coughed this time and brought them back. "W-well, mydy, shouldn''t we run away and tell the knights of this city? A vampire before the Maris festival¡­ it''s going to be inane."


    Erika shook her head.


    "We can''t. It is a shame, but the princess of Zarak needs this deal to go through."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Politics ude wasn''t aware of seemed to be in y here. But he didn''t truly care. Whether these other heroes died or were killed by him, it was all the same. Erika was included in that.


    That the vampire running about had already killed three, he was also certain that whatever Erika had in hand was rted to many lives as well.


    It was.


    Suffocating.


    It was all because of those damned gods. If they could bring them here, why were they turning a blind eye to such problems?


    ude covered his face with hands.


    There were not only negatives to this. He could probably get a read on the movements of his enemies and n his revenge out well. Even if not on the heroes.


    On those damn gods of this world.


    He wanted to get revenge.


    But before that. Before it all.


    What mattered was himself and Elric. As long as they''re good, as long as they''re alive, as long as they''re alright.


    He would take any steps to ensure that it won''t change.


    As long as they won''t be hurt, he was willing to stay.


    "ude?" Erika called. "Are you alright?"


    "That deal," ude said. "What is it about. Tell me now, and then I''ll consider apanying you. Or both us and Kone are going away. Adventurers are allowed to abandon missions if the contractor is hell bent on dying."


    "We can''t tell you that¡ª" Puzo tried to speak up, but stopped when Erika raised her hand.


    She took in a deep sigh, and tapped the top of Elric''s head too to bring him back to attention.


    "Since both of you are heroes, you should hear me out."


    "Huh? Me?" Elric muttered, he was annoyed and being distracted. "Yap to yourself, why would you disturb me?"


    "Excuse me?" Erika asked.


    "This woman has some serious problems."


    Erika looked around in exasperation before shaking her head and turning back to ude.


    "Fine, I''ll tell you as much as I can. You must already know, but just like there are humans, elves, dwarves and whatnot with their gods¡­ there are also, demonic races and their own demonic gods¡­"


    ude nodded. He had heard as much in the church of Ephis when he was still a hero.


    Just like gods flourished on the prayers and hopes of humans¡­ demonic gods cherished desire and pain.


    "A great evil lurks in the horizon¡­ The demonic races far in the northern continent are selecting a new demon king¡­"


    They were here to battle the evil that lurks in the horizon.


    "So this demon king¡ª"


    "¡ªIf you said you''re going to tell us the truth," Elric intervened. "Then do that. Don''t hide stuff thinking we won''t notice."


    ude was stunned by Elric''s sudden sharp remark.


    That boy was always much smarter than him.


    Erika seemed to have flinched too at Elric''s remark. It was clear that something was being hidden.


    "What do you mean, Elric?" ude asked, perhaps, hoping to understand what nudged him onward.


    "Demons and humans, gods and demonic gods, they are in equilibrium and that''s why this civilization has flourished as much as it has. It''s an assumption, but if beings like gods were so bothered by a demon king then there is no way that this world would havee even halfway to where it is."


    "You mean?"


    "There''s something else, isn''t it?"


    Erika sighed.


    And then, she nodded.


    "You''re right. There''s something deeper, a much worse problem."


    "Mydy¡ª"


    "Puzo, I am telling it to them."


    "You can''t¡ª"


    Puzo was shut down sternly by Erika, and forced to quieten down. After all, she was the one in power.


    "You guessed right. This trade is about the thing that prompted us to be brought here¡­ the ''danger'' at the horizon¡­ The gods call it¡­"


    A gulp sounded in the room.


    "Demonic Dark Desire."

 Chapter 58 57: Demonic Dark Desire

    ?


    "Demonic Dark Desire."


    Elric reeled back at those words.


    Cool? Edgy? He couldn''t decide. But he sure was interested. Interested as hell, that is. It seemed right up his alley. How amazing would it be to cackle in front of an entire city under glow of the night moon, standing atop the spire of a clock tower. A mask covering his face, a hat his head, and a cloak his figure.


    ''Hoho, it''s all over!'' He would say. ''This is, my Demonic Dark Desire!''


    ps.


    One hundred percent ps.


    Just imagining it gave him chills. He added yet another thing to do in his checklist.


    Yes. Cool. Anything can be cool given the situation. He would make it.


    "Demonic Dark Desire? What''s with that cringe name?"


    ude swooped in just when Elric had finished justifying the name in his head. No tact.


    "It''s funny huh? That''s what the Oracle of the Sun Goddess proimed it," Erika leaned back and spoke. She seemed in mood for a good conversation now. Realizing there was nothing he could do to stop it, Puzo shook his head and went to fetch her some tea.


    "So, what does this do that has those rats in a twist?"


    "HEH!?" Puzo yelped at ude''sment, and Erika shook her head.


    "It''s simr to what it sounds like. I¡­ it''s not an object or a thing, but a natural phenomenon."


    "Natural phenomenon?" Elric raised his brow as Puzo returned with the tea. He didn''t really want rification, all dots had already connected in his head. He just wanted to steal the cup smoothly.


    He reached out for one, took a sip, and frowned. It was bitter.


    "Natural phenomenon is the best way to put it. Gods, ours or demons'', all of them work on the principal of faith. When a follower believes, the god gains strength, simrly, when a demonic follower believes, the demon does. It''s only the form of belief that''s different."


    Puzo shook his head and pulled Elric''s cup back. He then put in a sugar cube.


    "Elric mentioned bnce. That is right, the two races have lived in bnce for long. But with the existence of this new natural phenomenon, the bnce is at risk of being broken."


    When Puzo tried to hand the tea back to Elric, he shook his head and raised a finger.


    "You still haven''t exined what it is."


    Another sugar cube.


    "Haah¡­ that''s¡­ because¡­


    Another sugar cube.


    "Are you seriously hesitating now? I don''t care, but consider me out."


    Another sugar cube?


    "We don''t know either¡­"


    Another sugar cube.


    ude frowned, and so did Elric.


    "You don''t know either?"


    Erika shook her head. Her fingers clenched the hem of her coat as she spoke with a downcast gaze.


    "The oracles said the gods cannot tell us. It is something we need to find out ourselves¡­ the only clue we have received is¡­"


    Erika reached into her bag, prompting yet another reaction from Puzo. She pulled out a box like the container of expensive jewelry and opened it up in front of them.


    Arge orb with a purple and ck glow inside was held inside. It''s shade like the sky and its glow like the stars, strands of magic moved around haplessly inside the orb while a murky air filled the space around it.


    "This¡­ is the only clue we have received. It is an object taken from a snake-like monster that was killed over in a far off vige. Koror."


    "Ah¡­"


    ude fell back on his chair.


    So that''s what was going on.


    The snake that he had killed ended up being connected to them somehow.


    "And you''re nning to use this to figure out what this Demonic Dark Desire thing is?"


    Erika nodded.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Why can''t those bastards tell you themselves? Are they messing with us here?"


    "E-eh!"


    Puzo was shocked yet again at hearing ude''s brazen remarks, but yet held no choice other than being quiet.


    "They can''t do that. We have to figure it out ourselves."


    "Tsk."


    Elric finally took the chance to take a sip of the tea.


    "Uwak too sweet."


    Puzo wanted to sincerely cuss someone out for the first time in his life.


    "Anyway, you still didn''t tell us what the deal is about."


    Erika nodded again.


    "We hand this over to Volfram is the deal. We should be sharing these clues amongst the entire alliance, but General Volfram ns to crack the case himself with his own team without sharing it with the other countries."


    "And you''re giving it to him?" ude asked. "I remember that little fucker, he sounds even worse now than before."


    Erika smiled a wry smile.


    "I am."


    ude and Erika had a small stare off.


    "Suit yourself."


    ude turned to Elric now. He passed over his own tea to Elric. Just the perfect level of sweet and bitter.


    "What say, Elric?"


    "I do what you do, hasn''t that been the deal forever?"


    "No. You''re the one getting me in all sorts of trouble!"


    "Don''t mind the small things."


    ude leaned back on his chair again and gazed upward. His wild posture betraying every hint of his self as a simple student from the modern world.


    All this trouble.


    Helping out the heroes with their own thing.


    He could probably use Erika. It didn''t seem like she was happy to hand things over to that cunt of a general. And it also didn''t seem like she was going to harm them. Not like she could considering how useless she was against that vampire.


    "I''ll do it," ude said. "But. In return¡­"


    "What is it?"


    ude leaned over and pulled Erika by her cors. Puzo stood up in surprise, but he couldn''t as much as move when ude''s eyes bore into him.


    Murderous, wild, monster-like.


    "You are going to make sure we''re never found out. Not until I make it known myself."


    "Hah¡­ I can''tpletely stop things¡­ but I''ll do my best."


    "Great. Then, we''ll help you finish this trade¡­ and if that vampirees in¡ª"


    "ude." Elric intervened right then.


    The group of them turned to face Elric, and stopped too.


    Just like ude''s.


    No, almost worse.


    His grin was more like a beast''s.


    It was not just one person that had spent years in the forest.


    "If that thinges again, it''s my game."


    "Hah, sure. Have your fun."

 Chapter 59 58: A Little Longer

    ?


    A dim light spread in Erika''s room. With the magic stone in hand, she activated themunication device she had received from Volfram, and the old general''s face appeared in the orb.


    "The deal will continue. My men are already present there. Do the exchange at the break of dawn day after tomorrow. The crowd from the festival will make it easier to handle."


    "And the festival will continue? There''s a vampire here, we have to stop it at all costs¡ª"


    "You don''t worry about that, hero Erika."


    Volfram''s cold, indifferent voice was the same as always.


    "I have already sent my knights. They will handle the situation. There is no need to inform a city that can''t figure such stuff on its own. Anyway, didn''t you say it refused to drink blood? The vampire''s miasma can only cause so much trouble."


    "But it can be pushed over at any time¡ª"


    "Hero Erika¡­ I am already doing you a favor. It is unfortunate enough that the itemnded in your hands, but don''t think it ends there."


    Like a mouse being red down by a hawk, Erika lowered her head.


    "Do as I say. If you want your wish toe to true, that is."


    A buzz rang out, and the orb disconnected.


    The moon gradually hid behind the clouds, leaving Erika alone in the dark room.


    Anguid thud resounded as her head plopped down on the table.


    "Just a little more."


    She just had to hold on a little more.


    Erika bit her lips, clenched her fists, and stood up from her seat. The breeze spilling in from her window seemed quite charming, but it was still covered by the other buildings around.


    The corridor of the hotel, it had a veranda.


    Erika considered going to sleep, but it seemed like she couldn''t.


    A lot had happened.


    The craziest of it all.


    Was ude and Elric.


    They were alive. Her one best friend, the person she thought she could always lean on wasn''t gone from her world.


    No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn''t lean on him yet.


    She didn''t want any danger to fall on him, not after what happenedst time.


    Erika needed some fresh air. She needed to wring her head dry and let it air out on the veranda, to be honest, but she would settle for letting her hair hit the breeze for a bit.


    As she picked up her keys and snapped the door shut behind her, she moved past the ivory walls and the red carpets of the hotel. True to its name as a ce for the posh, paintings and sculptures filled both sides of the walls.


    Soon, she neared the stair case, and the veranda across it.


    Leaning against the rails on the veranda up high was a young man with deep red hair fluttering in the wind. His arms crossed, the boy looked outside with a solemn gaze.


    Erika stopped and stared for a while.


    A scar ran down the side of his face she could see, piercing through his eyes. His neck was riddled with scratches and below the hem of his sleeves were even more scars.


    Just what kind of life had he gone through?


    No one. Not a single hero of the twenty-one she was with had even as much as a blemish on their skins, let alone a scar. If it even seemed like they would be scratched, they were stopped. If a monster broke their defenses, a dozen knights would swoop in to take their blows.


    Erika held in a sigh and turned away. She didn''t want to disturb him¡ª


    "If you want to look out here then don''t mind me."


    She was noticed.


    She didn''t know herself, but tricking both ude and Elric''s perception would take people like her ten hard years of training.


    Erika stepped back, she almost turned away, but came over to the veranda.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Next to ude, she rested her hands on the rails too and look up to the sky.


    The clouds that had covered the moon started breezing away and a light gust hit her hair, sending them floating behind her like the seeds of a dandelion.


    "I didn''t get to see stuff like this a lot," ude broke the silence, his eyes stuck at the stars.


    "It looks nd," Erika answered. Clouds everywhere, there was hardly much to see.


    "It seems you had a good day."


    "Excuse me?"


    The two spared each other a nce and then turned back to the sky.


    The more time passed, the more Erika''s heart stung. Was it guilt? Or was it the pain of reunion? Did she have any right to feel other of those?


    Coming out for rxation was a bad idea.


    "ude¡­" she called. "What are you nning to do next?"


    "Hm?"


    "I mean¡­ what¡­ here¡­ Do you n to go back?"


    ude looked at her, and then turned away again.


    "For now, I just want a roof over our heads and food on our tes. Both Elric and mine."


    Erika bit her lips.


    Guilt it was.


    "After that¡­ I guess I''d like to open a patisserie."


    "A what?" Erika asked.


    "A patisserie," ude held the railings and leaned back. "And then maybe I''d like to travel too."


    Erika was deeply confused.


    Those were words she never sawing.


    "D-do you not¡­"


    "I do," the air around ude changed again. "I want that too. No. I will have it, I just know better than to make it my life''s purpose."


    Erika gulped.


    "I treat it, like a chore."


    Chilling.


    It was deeply chilling.


    The gaze that was away from her bore into her soul. The words that were quiet banged in her head.


    What kind of revenge was a chore? No, was something like this even on that level?


    "I''ll go sleep for tonight," ude said. "When''s the adjusted date?"


    No response came his way.


    So ude, walked away.


    It was only when his footsteps left, did Erika speak.


    "Tomorrow morning," she said.


    Just¡­


    Could she really hold on, just a little bit more?

 Chapter 60 59: Sleep

    ?


    The night was fleeting and the sun was on its way up. As if inst, desperate struggle, the night sky shined its deepest, most beautiful shade of indigo, making the darkness pleasurable yet more.


    Under such a sky, a lone bat fluttered past the buildings and the alleys on the outskirts of Soleda. Its wings failing it and its breath too rough for itself, the bat''s flight lowered and lowered, and before it knew it, the bat crashed into a pile of boxes in an alley between buildings.


    "Haah¡­. Haah¡­"


    With each breath, a ck haze spilled out of the bat''s mouth.


    The ck haze lingered and tolled around it, and within moments, the length was the bat covered through.


    Strength was distant, will, a luxury.


    The bat heard.


    It heard voices of children crying in the night.


    "Oh dear, what happened to my son~"


    The parent waking up from their sleep.


    "Are you hungry? Hungry?"


    "Kraaaa!"


    The bat screeched.


    Its wings slowly started to turn into hands, hair grew on its head and a red dress formed around its body.


    "Uwaaa! Uwaaa!"


    The child''s cries continued.


    A mouthful of blood sshed out from the bats, no, the vampire''s lips.


    "Stop¡­"


    Images shed in its head as the vampire writhed in pain.


    [We must live like humans]


    The words of her lover.


    [Mom! I am going to y with my friends!]


    The shouts of her child.


    In a distant vige filled with humans. Where humans themselves didn''t know what made a human.


    In those flowery fields and fluttering farms.


    [Isn''t that family slightly weird?]


    [I''ve never seen the missus step out in the sun]


    The whispers.


    [Mom¡­ I¡­ hurt my friends]


    "Gyaaaah! Kaaaaa!" The woman screamed louder. She banged her head against the wall and shouted, but none could help her.


    [Why are we different? What did we do, Mom?]


    [Vampire! This man married a demon! A vampire!]


    She could see it vividly.


    The way those robed vigers pulled up their pikes and shovels, the way they tied her human husband and her darling son to the stakes.


    [Burn in hell! Demons!]


    [Burn! Burn! Burn!]


    The way those vigers set them on fire.


    Only she had run away, like a coward, she had left them behind, like a rat, she had fled the scene, like a human¡­ she had ignored their pain.


    Why?


    Why had she not fought back?


    Deep in the corners of her heart, the screams of her lover resounded.


    [We must live like humans¡­ don''t drink any blood now]


    Strength left the vampire as her legs stopped iling and her heart stopped screaming.


    From the entrance of the alleyway, a man neared.


    "Excuse me?"


    The voice of her lover was slowly fading away. Yes, what was the point of living anymore? Whether as a human, or a vampire, none of it held any significance.


    "Mam, are you alright?"


    But¡­


    But if she was going to die¡­


    "Mam? Can you stand up? I''ll help you there."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Then she didn''t want these bastards that stole away her child''s cries to remain. She didn''t want these humans, that took away her happiness without batting an eye, to remain.


    "Mam?"


    The vampire opened her mouth.


    "Ah! Ah! W-what are you?"


    Her fangs glistened as she licked her lips and pulled the stranger''s neck to the side.


    Yes.


    The humans that killed her love, her child¡­


    They had also killed her humanity.


    And so,


    "AAAAAH"


    The vampire bit.


    And so,


    Under the watchful gaze of the rising sun.


    The vampire drank. She drank and drank until she couldn''t, and then she drank some more.


    And so,


    Far from where the crying child was soothed quietened down, far from where they fell back to sleep.


    Slept, a mother, a lover, and a human too.


    ***


    Elric woke up early.


    "sphemous. Five more hours."


    Oh, he went back to sleep.


    ***


    Elric woke up. The sun was overhead and no one came around to disturb him. If perfection was unattainable then this was the closest that came to it.


    He rolled around on the bed humming and tapping for his theme song, but the feeling of just waking up and stretching his muscles that he barely used was too distracting.


    After rolling on the bed for a while, he finally rolled off the bed and stood up.


    Instead of taking a step ahead, he looked back.


    "Ummmm."


    The bed was calling him again. It was the flower to his bee, theser to his cat, like a ck hole, it pulled him closer.


    "Haaaaa!"


    Elric struggled to walk away, but the bed''s pulling power was way too high.


    "As expected of a magical world."


    He was also an idiot.


    A long struggle that was too gruesome to describe yed out and emerged victorious Elric. On all fours against the ground, the winner of the war muttered his soliloquy.


    "The battle may be won, but this war is a lost cause. I may have resisted the bed, but how will I sleep?"


    Words, words, Elric may speak, but says, he doesn''t.


    The young boy then got up from the ground and dusted his knees, as if all that drama was nothing but in his eyes too. He stretched his hands and then his waist before moving over to the window. Just how nice would it be toze around all day and all night?


    As it stood, he couldn''t exactly rest right now.


    Elric slowly walked over to the window in his room and pulled apart the drapes, revealing the outside world once again. A fresh, new morning with pigeons and magpies cooing and howling in the distant skies. The fresh scent of the flowing water from all canals just enhanced the experience of the morning.


    His gaze lowered down to the ground. Limping across the alleyway, an old man in a white tunic dyed with crimson walked on one leg. His gait slow, his air stale, his clothes bloodied.


    "HEY!" Elric screamed. "You ok, old man!?"


    The man heard the voice and turned upward.


    There, Elric saw¡­


    Half of his face, eaten apart, the skull visible.


    "Gahhhh!" The old man screamed.


    "Guess not. Do you have to be so rude?"


    The old man stretched his hands toward Elric and walked closer.


    So, he clearly, visibly, wasn''t ok. But Elric didn''t think that warranted such a reaction toward him! Rude much? And so, Elric did what he did best, and ignored the old man.


    "Those are type of guys that need chocte."

 Chapter 61 60: Zombies Zombies

    ?


    The door to Elric''s room swung open with a bang.


    Like a roon that was just casted a light on, the young boy stopped with one foot mid-air and a hand above his head.


    The invader, ude, was slightly stunned by the sight. The urgency in his eyes almost disappeared beforeing back in. It was just status quo for Elric, there was nothing to worry about. ude shook his head and barged into the room.


    "Elric, what the hell is that!?"


    "Ew, don''t step into a maiden''s room!"


    "Shut up, this my room too!" ude ignored the ''maiden'' and dashed toward the window. He pulled the blinds away and leaned outside. Right there, banging his head on the backside of the building was the same old man that had just half a face. Something like those coffee and caramel candies that people just licked the coffee part of. "What in the world¡­"


    "That? That''s a rude old man! So what if he''s injured, doesn''t excuse rudeness."


    "Injured!? Half his face is gone!"


    "Oh, must hurt huh? Still, he shouldn''t be rude."


    "YEAH, HE SHOULD BE DEAD!"


    "Wow, ude. I didn''t you were that petty."


    ude wanted to object, but that would just take more energy away. He took in a deep breath and looked down at the man again. No doubt about it, it was just like the creature he had offed back in the warehouse where he met Erika.


    How did Elric put it?


    Chocte Drive, yes.


    "That guy is in chocte drive¡­"


    The door swung open again.


    "It''s obviously a zombie!" This time, the neer was Erika. "This brat is rubbing off on you, ude!"


    Right, Zombie. No way ude forgot. No chance.


    The fear of bing like Elric was slightly scarier than bing a zombie in the first ce. Heaving a sigh, ude turned back to Erika and red at her. His red eyes were like a trap which made Erika feel like a hapless rabbit.


    "Why is there a zombie on the streets?" he asked.


    "It''s not just on the streets," Erika muttered. "Come along."


    At the girl''s urgent call, ude stepped out and followed her.


    "Great, you guys do that and I''ll take a quick nap¡ª"


    "Not this time."


    Elric was dragged away.


    With Erika at the lead, the two dashed down the unnatural wide stairs and their red carpets four times over. After pushing open a door, the lobby of the hotel came into view.


    Closest to them was the reception desk, hiding underneath which were the two receptionists on duty. A wall of people had formed in front of them, all of them d in theirvish nightsuits or morning gowns, the attire that announced rxation was worn by faces that screamed anything but. The people were shriveled against the walls, quaking in their boots.


    The ornate lobby wascking furniture as the rugs below were haphazardly shifted away. Anything that held even a slight weight was being dragged over and ced against the doors and the windows by a few braves ones. Block their movement even if it could, the furniture was unable to stop the rattles that spread through the room from the doors and the windows.


    The constant bangs.


    The loud, pained groans.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Party?"


    "How do you even see it as one?"


    "Fight then?"


    ude and Erika chose the best option, which was to ignore Elric. The red-haired boy, frowning, moved to the front of the room. He pushed away the gutless snobs and walked over to the few in the front, amongst which were Jamie and Quinton, the two adventurers of Kone, and Puzo, their contractor.


    "Quamie, Jinton, were you able to see outside?" he asked. "What''s the enemy like? Numbers?"


    Quinton, the smaller one of the two, shook his head. "I don''t know, I''ve never seen things like these. They look like people, but gravely injured. Something like ghouls? Numbers were around twenty in the beginning, but the sounds and the bangs have increased since then. About¡­ fifty?"


    ude clicked tongues. More zombies.


    Right then, a voice from behind interrupted them.


    "H-hey! Are you guys adventurers!?" The high-pitched voice came from a man with a stout belly and a long handlebar stache. "What is all that outside, huh!?"


    The man''s nightgown fluttered as he stepped ahead, revealing the overgrowth of hair on his body.


    "You! If you escort me out of here, I''ll pay you thirty, no, fifty gold! It''s an amount you can''t even imagine! You just ensure my life."


    The three adventurers tilted their heads to the side. They took deep offense at the man''s words but knew arguing would just be counter-productive.


    "Oh, what''s with this guy? He looks right out of a cartoon! The type that dies first!" Elric''s squeal wasn''t unheard.


    The stout man turned and red at Elric in anger before his furrowed brows loosened and a snappy grin spread on his face.


    "Hoho, you seem to be mistaken, youngdy. Are you trying to get my attention?"


    Elric squirmed.


    "Haha, don''t worry! I''ll keep you safe too, it would be best toe over here right now."


    The man could only take a step before a ball of fire fluttered from the front and knocked him away. Erika put a hand in front of Elric and red at the man with a gaze as if she was looking at the worst of trash that wasn''t only unusable but also stinky. She then grabbed Elric''s wrist and pulled him along.


    "I knew I was right about not leaving you with the guys back then."


    "Haah, so you were the prude!"


    "Great way to say thanks, Elric Wald."


    "Ah well¡­" Elric looked around with a faint blush before turning back to Erika. "You didn''t have to, but thank you¡­"


    Erika felt her lips loosening when she saw the undoubtedly drop-dead gorgeous Elric smile and blush, but managed to hold herself back.


    "So, what''s all this?" Asked ude when those two stopped in front of him.


    "This man thought he could hit on me so Erika taught him a lesson¡ª"


    "Not that!" ude sighed. "Erika."


    "I think¡­" the Archmage spoke. "It''s the vampire."


    Elric didn''t feel that sleepy anymore.

 Chapter 62 61: Zombies Zombies (2)

    ?


    "I think¡­ it''s the vampire."


    Erika''s words silenced the group.


    She took a look before shaking her head. "I mean, I don''t know. I know this can happen, but we saw the vampire''s zombie. It shouldn''t be like this!"


    "There''s another then?" ude posed. That seemed like the most usible exnation to him. "It couldn''t have powered up all of a sudden now, could it?"


    Spections were afloat, but they were just that.


    "Then, how do we solve this?" Jamie asked this time. "Do we take them all down? How?"


    Elric saw that Kone had already been introduced to Erika, but didn''t say anything.


    "I am not sure¡­ We''ll need to talk to a priest."


    "Then let''s go to the church!" Elric suggested.


    A frown spread on ude''s face at those words. He wanted to avoid any interactions with these gods whatsoever. It was then that the amulet hanging from his neck started to shake, like a small trapped bird trying to struggle free.


    "OH!" In a voice that only he could hear, the lord of shadows called out yet again. "Is that a vampire I smell?!"


    ude''s brows popped up.


    "You know about vampires?"


    "I do, it seems like you want to know, little ude."


    "Yeah. Spit it."


    "Don''t wanna."


    "Hm?" Erika thought it was her he talked to, but was stopped by Elric before she could intervene. Elric had a bright smile on his face as he closed in toward ude.


    "ude, ude, is it him?" Elric asked.


    "Ah! AAH! This boy is still around?" The Lord of Shadows screamed. "ude! Do not, I repeat, do not hand me over to that man!"


    ude started removing the amulet.


    "ude! ude! Child, stop! Imand you to halt right now."


    "Here you go Elric, he wants to have a chat."


    The others could only stare at the two, who might as well be performing a circus routine or exhibiting what delusions were like. Someone else, though, was suffering deeply.


    "CLAUDE! Stop! Stop!! I''ll tell you! I''ll tell you everything, so not that boy, please!"


    ude brought the purple stone to his eyes and muttered.


    "I''ll hold you up to that."


    "Yes¡­ yes¡­ phew¡­"


    ***


    ude brought his gang to a different spot, away from the eyes of the guests in the lobby, and crossed his arms.


    "Now, speak."


    "Who are you talking with, seriously."


    "I told you, Jamie, he''s not normal. How can a normal person be with a crazy like Elric for so long?"


    "You''re right, they''re both gone in the head. Completely."


    The red-haired boy ignored the mutters like he would the barks of dogs.


    "Ahem," the lord of shadows faked a cough. "It is a tale, from the time those wretched beings'' paws weren''t enough to reach mine. When both, the demons and the humans feared me as the greatest evil¡ªACK! STOP! SPINNING! ME!"


    ude obliged and instead smacked the amulet against the wall. It wouldn''t break, so he could go all out.


    Tears seemed to be streaming out of the stone at the center as the Lord of Shadows cried in fear.


    "To the point. What are those zombies, how do we defeat them? Now."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Yes. Alright. Just wait till I get my hands on your body." The Lord of Shadows heaved a sigh while Erika and the rest continued staring, bewildered.


    To think that an item was cursed with a soul was already an absurd thought to even enter their minds. Erika held faint suspicion that ude held Ego Equipment, but those were so rare that even Devon, the leader of the heroes, couldn''t get one.


    "I don''t think there''s a new vampire, for one. You see, there''s amon thought that vampires get strong when they drink blood, but that''s not true. There are two ways to change a person into a vampire''s pawn, by extreme exposure to their mist, or biting their neck."


    ude felt the need to confirm this.


    "Hey, Erika. Do vampires make zombies through their mist?"


    Erika nodded meekly.


    "That, and bites," she said. "They also grow stronger with blood."


    So Elric had almost turned into a zombie back there. Probably not.


    "Alright, continue."


    "Yes, so, it''s not the vampire that grows strong, but it''s pawn. A pawn made from a bite will not just lose all control, but it would also start rapidly consuming flesh and turning more into the same type."


    "Zombies¡­"


    "Strange name," the Lord of Shadows remarked. "Your best bet is to kill the vampire, they''ll stop moving soon too. In control or not, they''re still pawns."


    A sigh left ude.


    Fighting the zombies would be useless now. As they thought, killing the vampire is the best method.


    "The vampire dying will leave us free of these zombies." ude announced. "If I knew this was going to happen I wouldn''t have stayed here."


    Puzo leaned forward at those words.


    "Mr. ude, the entire city is at risk."


    "There''s more at stake here," Erika intervened. "If we don''t hand over that thing now, who knows when we''ll get another chance. Even if not hand it over, we can''t let things be ruined at this ce. Even if it means I have to die."


    This was getting more and moreplicated. ude didn''t really want to be involved in all this.


    He turned to look at Elric, and found Elric staring back at him.


    Whenever things mattered, whenever times when both of their lives were at stake came around, Elric only trusted ude''s words and decisions.


    Things were beyond just them. A whole city''s worth of people was dying, and from Erika''s words, it seemed to be even worse than just that.


    But¡­


    But he didn''t have any responsibility to look after them. He only had to look after himself and Elric.


    Just himself¡­ and Elric.


    No one else.


    "We''ll help." Quinton and Jamie said. "We don''t know what you''re upto, miss, but we can''t just turn a blind to this city."


    "Thank you," Erika said. "I am ready toy my life down here too. But I''d prefer not to die."


    The group then turned toward ude, but that boy looked at no one but Elric.


    "Haah¡­" ude sighed. "Let''s go and get that vampire. But the moment I think we''re in danger, we''re getting the fuck out of there."


    Smiles spilled from the rest as ude grabbed his head.


    "So, how do we move? There''s way too many of these zombies around."


    Quinton''s words brought a sombre air again.


    "How about the windows?" Elric said.


    "Good idea, there should be any back there."


    Just wait, rude old man.

 Chapter 63 62: Zombie Shenanigans

    ?


    The group gathered after bringing along their weapons and equipment. Jamie with his axe, Quinton with his quiver. Puzo donned his coat and Erika carried along a long staff of wood. ude, as always, strode down in casuals, except this time he had not sandals but boots! All new ones at that, bought for a steep discount of 5%! A once in a lifetime deal. Andstly, came Elric covered top to bottom with pillows and nkets.


    The other five could only stare and blink at the sight as Elric came down and ced his arms on his waist, or tried to, the small pillows stuck to hists made it impossible to lower his arms much.


    "What, are you doing?" Erika snapped. Before she could get an answer, though, ude pulled her by her shoulder and shook his head.


    "This will take all day. Let''s just go."


    "No, what are YOU doing too?! Where''s your weapons? Armors?"


    ude reeled back.


    "I''ve got boots." He then pointed at Elric. "And there''s my shield. Works especially well against flesh-eaters."


    Erika was left sighing, but had no choice.


    "See, bonkers."


    "Totally, James, totally."


    And so, the group of six set out of the hotel, from the back.


    ***


    "Grrrr¡­ grrrr¡­."


    In a pub at the dusty backs of the city of Soleda, where sailors and porters spent the night just as well as merchants and wastrels did, three odd humans hid behind the counter.


    Rows of Chateau''s with differentst names shone in front of them as they filled the racks, below them sses hung upside down.


    And far behind the counter, at the spot where the drinkers should have been drooling from intoxication.


    "GRRAAA!"


    Strange creatures were walking drooling over flesh and blood.


    "Marcus¡­ Bagpipe¡­"


    "Tomas¡­ Bagpipe¡­"


    "Pu¡ª"


    "D-don''t!"


    Even the slightest sound was enough to send that thing after them. Bagpipe was technically a mute now, now that his bagpipe couldn''t be yed.


    "Why is that man so angry anyway?!" Tomas asked.


    What were they to do? After being given the thumbs-up by their grand superior, the General Volfram himself, they decided to knock it out the park and go for a drink or two or twenty. And after getting hammered so far that they couldn''t even bag the pipe anymore, someone entered the shop and crashed on the table they were ying poker at.


    ''Heathen! Hand over all your cash if you want to leave peacefully''


    They only said that, so nice, helpful, kind.


    But lo and behold, if only we still lived in the age of kindness. That bastard didn''t only hold them down but bit one of the yers. Amotion rang out as he called his gang over from outside and as if someone was just running a cannibal parade, all of them came in and fucking went down to town on the bar-goers.


    Tomas, Marcus and Bagpipe Man all had the danger detection senses of a beast. When you''re an idiot or when you can only speak through bagpipes, those were necessary.


    And detect danger they did.


    Like rats scuttled into the sewers, they ran behind the bar and hid under. The screams continued and the night passed. Almost the entire ce was emptied out and the ones that were bit through woke up and ran outside. Or maybe they were taken away for the feast after the parade. Who knew!?


    "We have to move, somehow. These cannibals can''t rule us forever!"


    Marcus proimed.


    "Freedom, Marcus. Yes!"


    Tomas burnt with mes.


    "Puuun!"


    Bagpipe tooted.


    "Grr?"


    Zombie heard.


    THEY.


    FUCKED.


    UP.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "GRAAA!" The zombie like a toddler chasing after candy dashed over the counter and fell on the other side. It knocked down the lines of wines and their Chateau whatevers shoving ss shards into its face while spilling wine all over.


    The trio scuttled back, a thud rang out as the three men walked into the bar, counter and smacked their heads.


    "Graaah!" With a scream, the zombie tried to get up but slipped on the puddle of wine, smacking its already disfigured head on the ground.


    All four stopped, rubbed the back of their heads and smiled in embarassment.


    "Haha¡­"


    "Grrr¡­."


    "Puun Puun Puuuun."


    "GRAAA!"


    As if! The zombie screamed again and tried to grab Marcus. The man rolled on the ground and came over to the right while the other two went to the left.


    "That''s not a person!" Marcus screamed.


    "What in the world is that!??" Tomas screamed louder.


    They flipped over the barcounter''s top and stepped out to the other side. Blood had filled the murky brown grounds and the bulbs andmps were crushed, their shards mixing in with the remains of the tables and chairs and ceramic tes.


    All good as long as nothing was jumping out at them.


    "GRAA!" The thing behind them screamed again.


    The three yelped and scrammed out of the remains of the store, Marcus shoved the door open and the rest followed.


    And stopped in their tracks.


    "GRR?"


    "Grrr?"


    "GRaaaaa"


    Dozens of zombies stood outside.


    "Heh¡­ hehe¡­ hehehe¡­ Let''s just go back."


    ***


    A dry, dusty wind breezed through thenes behind the hotel where the group had lodged.


    A creaking sound spread, and following it came a thud as ude hopped out of the building.


    Quiet. Eerily quiet.


    He was certain that people would be wrecking a havoc long back, but either all of them were too scared to step out¡­ or most of them were already gone.


    His gaze turned to the left, where a single old zombie was constantly banging his head against the walls of the hotel.


    ''One.'' He gestured, cing his fingers on his lips, he shushed and urged them out.


    Nice and slow, the group followed outside. The banners and gs that decorated the furthest streets were now torn and on the ground, while broken windows and discarded weapons were syed around, signs of the struggles that must have taken ce overnight.


    Soon, all of them stepped out of the window from the ground floor, the old zombie still not noticing them.


    At the end, the pillow d Elric was out. The group decided to move along, but Elric broke off.


    "Elric!" ude whispered but wasn''t heard.


    Sticking his tongue out, Elric tiptoed closer to the zombie that still banged its head. Elric came all the way behind it before the zombie could even notice.


    "What''s that guy doing?"


    Elric rolled his hands.


    "HAAH!"


    And pped the old zombie''s head.


    A loud bonk sounded as Elric dashed back toward the group.


    "Go go go!"


    "This fucker!!"

 Chapter 64 63: Sentimentally Stupid

    ?


    "You dumb piece of shit, why did you do that?"


    "It was deserved, ude."


    ude shook Elric in rage. The poor old zombie, it didn''t even try to attack them. It was shocked, stunned, and stupefied, just as much as all of them were! The poor old man didn''t even have a mind anymore and it was still that stumped! The only instinct that it held to go and eat flesh was overriden by the sheer absurdity of the experience.


    "You wronged him much more than he wronged you, Elric."


    "Oh no, I''ve be what I hated?"


    "Can you two shut the fuck up?" Erika snapped. In front of them was a stage being set up for the Maris festival, the chairs and tables all around were razed to the ground as if a roadroller had just been driven over it. The stage itself was filled with drips and drops of blood and flesh that the many zombies had scattered around. Barely gaining enough cover behind a set of trash cans, the group peeked out.


    The clearing was the first ce they ran into after leaving behind the hotel. With the fountain of Maris in the center and the canals flowing all around it, they expected many people to have been stuck here.


    But, unfortunately, only zombies remained in the ce where people would have been celebration a festival of life and yield.


    "Can we somehow burn this ce?" Quinton asked, remembering how he had fought along with ude previously. "The chances of someone running into this is high¡ª"


    "¡ªAAAH!"


    A short yet loud scream shattered their ears and their line of thought. All of them stared at each other with widened eyes.


    It came from further down the alley where they stood.


    Their fears came true without a second''s dy.


    "Grrrr¡­."


    "Kraaa¡­"


    The vast group of zombies behind had heard it too. The ants had found their sugar, the scream had likely called together all the zombies around and toward who it came from.


    "C-ude¡­ we should probably help¡­" Quinton said again, hesitant.


    "I agree, maybe the vampire would have caused it."


    It was tough to decide anything, but ude shared both of their sentiments.


    "Before anything," ude sighed. He turned to Erika and asked. "Can you use the [Create Water] skill?"


    "Spell, you mean. And yes, of course I can?"


    "How much water can you create if you use all your mana?"


    Erika tilted her head.


    "I''ve never tried¡­ Maybe, enough to drown a building or two?"


    A smile spread on ude''s lips. That much water solved most of his worries in a single go.


    "Let''s move," he said.


    The zombies behind, the group jumped off the ground and went deeper into the alley. Their stances low as they took the cover of the buildings all around to navigate. His bow nocked, Quinton scouted every turn as fast as he could and urged them ahead. Taking the rear were ude and Jamie, the two strongest members, while Elric and Erika handled the front, and useless Mr. Puzo in the center.


    Quinton tried his best to locate the trail of the woman, but there were just so many it was impossible to single out. Relying on his instincts as a scout, he guided them toward where the sound came from.


    "Q-quinton¡­ I think those things would catch up!"


    "There''s a whole parade of them, move faster!"


    Quinton gazed around the streets, cover was running out too. He found an alleyway at one end and smiled. Since the city wasid out in blocks with the canals in between, the geography could be guessed to some extent. Thin at the center and widening out at the rear, all the blocks were likely simr in shape. The structuring of the buildings was a problem that could be different everywhere, but the streets helped more than enough in providing the right breathing spaces between each building in the blocks.


    If he put all of it together, it was rather easy to guess where the next alleyway would lead as long as he knew the directions.


    "Come along, we''ll take a shortcut."


    With Quinton in the lead, they set off again in the narrow alleyways.


    "ude, to the front!"


    The formation changed into a needle as ude and Elric guarded the front, Quinton and Elric in the center, and Jamie and Erika at the back. ude smirked and tapped the gem on his amulet twice. A mist spread in the alleyway before a sword appeared in his hands.


    "ude," Elric muttered. "Don''t waste anything."


    "Hah, look who''s talking. I am saving up for that vampire bitch¡ª"


    "Shush. That one''s mine."


    "ude, to the left!"


    The took the left turn in the alleyway.


    A growl sounded as a zombie stood right there. Kicking it''s stomach, ude pushed it back and sliced cleanly through its head without much effort. cing Quinton here would havergely slowed them down.


    As expected, more zombies were behind them as well, having broken off the horde that chased the noise.


    With Quinton''s every intruction, ude sped through the alleys and smashed down all the zombies in the way. Some even neared Elric, but none were able to bite him through his cushion armor. They had no choice but to eat the cushions in the face, then pissing Elric off for sullying the mighty and holy pillow.


    In almost no time at all, Quinton screamed for thest turn and they found the exit. The alleyway blocked in all directions with narrow boxes, and on the other side, a zombie and a young woman holding it off.


    "There we are!" ude screamed and jumped out first.


    Elric followed right behind¡ª


    "Eh?"


    ¡ªAnd got stuck against the wall.


    "Sir Elric!??" Quinton screamed. "Move!!"


    "I-I am stuck!"


    "T-the zombies are behind us, move!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Push from the back!"


    "This little bastard!!"


    ude looked back and raised a brow. "Huh. Idiots."


    With those words, he turned away. Not his thing to deal with. For now, he walked over to the zombie that was pinning the screaming woman down.


    "Ah¡­ ah¡­ stop, please stop¡­" tears fell off the woman''s eyes as she tried to hold the zombie back with all her might. For all themotion, she hadn''t as much as noticed them.


    There were other things off.


    She could have easily kicked it away, but as if that option didn''t even exist, she barely did anything.


    ude, frowning, kicked the side of the zombie.


    "Gah¡­" A groan rang out as the zombie mmed against the wall.


    "No! No! Honey!" The woman on the ground crawled up and moved toward the zombie. ude frowned deeper as the woman slowly moved over to the zombie, stretching her hand out. The zombie saw her hand and opened it''s mouth.


    ude mercilessly stomped the zombies face.


    "AH!"


    "OOMPH! FINALLY!"


    "Ah! They''re behind us! Jamie, Jamie!"


    A sound came from behind him as well as from the woman, but he ignored it for now. Those idiots can unidiot things by themselves.


    "Move! What are you doing!"


    With tears and snot clinging to her face, the woman pulled ude''s leg back. "Leave him alone! Don''t touch my husband!"


    She smacked her fists on ude''s foot, who only drove it further into the monster''s face, trying his best to not let it graze anyone.


    "That''s not your husband," ude coldly answered. "It''s a zombie. A monster."


    "No!" The woman screamed. Sniffling through her tears, she spoke. "That''s my husband, that''s my husband¡­ ah¡­ let him go¡­ don''t¡­"


    ude''s frown deepened.


    These zombies.


    They weren''t just zombies.


    Not long ago, they were people too. Just like the people in that vige, and the people here and everywhere else.


    That vampire wasn''t just attacking others, she was stealing them.


    How many people must have been like this woman? To see their dead move, how would one ept it as death?


    A strange thought ran in his mind as he imagined Elric having been bitten that night. Would he have turned into something like this too? Would then, ude, have epted him as a monster?


    Holding his amulet again, ude closed his eyes.


    "Is there a way?"


    "You can be sentimental at times, huh? I just wish you''d only be sentimental and not stupid as well."


    ude''s grip tightened.


    "There''s no way. Get over it."


    A sigh left the young boy as he heard the Lord of the Shadows'' words.


    He raised his sword.


    "No¡­ what are you doing¡­?"


    Without a word, he moved his leg back.


    "No!!!"


    And stabbed his de through the zombie''s head.


    "Kuh¡­."


    The zombie groaned, it''s lips spread open, it''s hands reaching for the woman.


    "Honey! Honey! No, no no!"


    She grabbed the zombie''s hands.


    It pulled her closer, trying to reach her hands with its lips.


    And the zombie fell limp.


    "No¡­. you killed him! Why? Why! What did we ever do to you!? Why did you kill my husband!?"


    A monster.


    To the end.


    It was just a monster and not a person.


    "Good. As long as you''re not stupid."


    ude cursed the Lord of Shadows in his mind. The woman''s screams didn''t stop for a while.

 Chapter 65 64: The Legendary Legend

    ?


    A group of residents were stuck in their buildings at the outer corners of the city of Soleda. Unknownst to them, this was the very ce where the vampire had bit her first target and made her first pawn. The crack of apocalypse at the crack of dawn, in the stinky of the streets.


    Zombies had huddled around the buildings, leaving the ones inside stuck and up to their fates. No matter how many shelves they stacked at the doors the hinges would still rattle, no matter how many desks they shoved at the windows, the panes would still crack.


    "Are they still outside?" asked a burly man.


    The one at the door climbed on a couch and peered down the shelves. The few residents in the three-storey building had huddled all of their stuff together to make these barricades.


    "Still there Suk, many of them."


    "Damn it. There''s even a baby in here," the burly man spat on the ground. They had enough food for a few days, but how could anyone live like this? And what would happen when it runs out?


    None of them would have as much as had these thoughts had it not been for thendlord running out of the house and getting ripped to shreds in front of their eyes, by a single zombie at that. And eventually, the numbers grew further than they could imagine.


    Sounds of screams and the scent of blood had filled the night, and now the morning remained quiet and dry.


    Two elderlies, seven adults, a child, and a baby. This group was the worst as well. The burly man, Suk, stood up from the ground and started to dash up the stairs.


    "Suk? Where are you going?"


    "We can probably hit them from above. It should be worth a shot," Suk answered, not slowing down for a second.


    "Damn it! Don''t do something that will just bring more of them!"


    The man on the couch screamed. Right then, the door started rattling harder. The ones that were about to run after Suk stopped.


    The mats pushed back, the desks trembled.


    "Fuck!!" One of them shouted and mmed himself at the desks. The others joined in as pressure from the outside increased, all of their might going into holding the doors back. If more came at this time, their defenses would copse.


    "SUK! Get back here damn it! SUK!"


    "Miss Parker!" They called out to the woman with the baby in her hands. The woman, trembling, ced the child down and nodded.


    "I''ll stop him," she said.


    The woman dashed up the stairs, their creaky thuds filling the room. She rushed past the rooms on the second floor and to the third where Suk''s breathing still lingered. An ominous feeling filled her heart the moment she left her child behind, but this had to be done, all the others were already at the door and the windows trying to hold those back.


    One wrong move, and they would be gone.


    She pushed the door of the first room that looked down the front of the building. "Mr. Suk! Please stop!"


    "Miss Parker?" Suk shouted back. "Perfect, bring me the kerosene from there! Hurry, there''s way too many of them!"


    Miss Parker dashed past the messy room and peered down the window from next to the burly man. Right below, dozens upon dozens of monsters with their bodies bitten off were constantly banging around the doors and the walls. The more they screamed, the more the zombies around came over.


    It was the worst. The very worst.


    "We''ll burn them down, Miss Parker! Hurry!"


    Parker clenched her fists and bit her lips.


    It was no time to dally. In a rush, she dashed to the back of the room and brought up the two canisters of kerosene over to Suk who was already pouring down a third. The two of them leaned against the window and doused all the monsters below in kerosene.


    "There''s just more and more!"


    "Mr. Suk! There''s moreing from the other buildings!"


    Their hands swung faster and wider, and finally, the cannisters emptied out. Suk threw it at the head of one trying to reach for the windows and grinned.


    "Miss Parker! Light!"


    Parker reached into her pocket, then stopped.


    "I don''t smoke¡­"


    "Oh¡­"


    The two stared at each other.


    "What are you looking at, Mr Suk? Use a match."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "I don''t smoke either¡­"


    "Haha, I don''t buy it."


    "No, I don''t eat meat either."


    "Truly?"


    Suk nodded.


    Parker reeled.


    Zombies groaned.


    Color drained from the faces at once as both of them screamed in full-blown panic.


    "Light light! From the other rooms or something!"


    "Can''t anyone use magic here!? Damn it, Mr. Suk, run now!"


    The two of them were about to dash away, when their eyes fell down again.


    Standing there, behind the horde of zombies with hair on his head was a young man. Not just any young man, but one destined for the greatest of greatness.


    "Gah¡­ drank too much, those guys paraded all through the city as well¡­" the young man groaned and the zombies that were smacking at the doors turned back.


    "M-miss Parker? Do you see a person too?"


    "I do¡­" Parker answered.


    There was a person standing down there, alright?


    The zombies all slowly turned back and looked at the walking food in front of them.


    "Gaah¡­."


    "Grr¡­."


    "KRAAA!"


    The man widened his eyes and looked at them with great surprise.


    "The party animals are here too?"


    "KRAA!" One lunged at him, but the man stepped back with movements that would leave gymnasts drooling.


    "Not anymore, party animals. I am not going again."


    More lunged, but the man dodged them all yet again. The others could only blink as he slipped away from the zombies like fish in a river would slip away from inexperienced fishers.


    The boy dodged and dodged as he backed away from the streets.


    And the zombies all followed.


    "H-he was helping us¡­"


    "Oh dear¡­ what a brave soul¡­"


    The bangings ceased, the zombies decreased.


    And thus began, the first page¡­.


    In the legend of the legendary legend of a man. Leres.


    ***


    [A/n]: If any of you find this too contrived, it''s definitely more fishes trying to defame Leres. They could be controlling your minds. Beware.

 Chapter 66 65: Gather Ye For A Performance

    ?


    "O Vampire! Vampire!"


    Elric screamed as he pulled up the lids of the trash chutes.


    "Wherefore art thou, vampire?"


    He screamed into the sewers.


    "Deny thy hunger, and cast thy species!"


    He called to the skies.


    "''''Tis but thy species that is my enemy!"


    "Please, vampire. I can''t listen to this bitch anymore. Please show up!" Erika poured water down on all of Elric''s dreams and hopes, sending him reeling in fear and tears.


    They had searched up in the skies and down in the sewers, out in the alleys and in on the buildings. But they only found zombies, and more zombies, and them some more zombies.


    Of course, there were a bunch of people as well, so they picked them like pebbles off the street, and just like pebbles, they became too burdensome to carry along, so they ditched them back at the hotel over and over again, making it evening sooner than they had hoped.


    "Why!? Why are there only zombies! It''s almost like this is a zombie apocalypse or something."


    "It is," ude sighed and shook his head, theirst target back near the warehouses.


    If that was truly the case then they sure had speedran through the apocalypse since the zombies barely scared them anymore. They were numerous yet, so not avoiding them wasn''t an option.


    This annoyed the others even more as with each of Elric''s screams, more zombies woulde running over as if they were his dogs and his voice their toys.


    Stretching his hand above his head while casually strutting through the streets, Elric being the only one that casual, he yawned and muttered.


    "You know, if everywhere we look we only find the zombies, won''t it be better to remove them all in a go?"


    "How so?" Erika asked as she kicked down a door at the back of the warehouses. Inside the dark wideness, seats moved up like rows in a theater while arge stage with yet more steps stood at the other corner.


    Luxury oozed out of this ce, a ce where one would expect it the least.


    Golden chandeliers hung from the top and spotlights brightened up the sets of instruments at the edge.


    "What in the world is this?" she said, her voice strangely loud yet without echo.


    "Eek!" A yelp sounded from the other end of the hall at her words. The group''s eyes widened again and they rushed over to the stage. Beyond the small climb, a whole troupe of men and women, young and old, in suits of ck and red sat under the seats on the stage, all of them huddled together and quaked in their boots as the voices of the group neared.


    "Hello," Erika spoke, but her voice only scared them away.


    "Tch. Elric."


    The young boy grinned, he passed by Erika, but not before flicking her forehead. "Let masters handle this."


    He leaned down the chairs, and after making a particrly soft face, spoke out loud.


    "Hey, are you guys alright?"


    Like the chimes of the finest lyres and the strums of the grandest harps, his voice reminiscent of that of an angel''s made all of them look up, and then when they saw his face, all of them blushed. Such was the power of charm above the hundreds.


    "I can never get used to this."


    "Cocky brat."


    The others with Elric could only sigh, imagining the disillusionment one would feel if they knew what he was truly like. No, they didn''t even need to imagine.


    "I have already felt it before."


    "There, there, Quinton. You avoided a bullet I say."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    He had.


    "U-um¡­ are you guys the knights? Adventurers?" the man at the front of the huddlers spoke. "T-there are strange monsters outside and¡ª"


    "We''re the bringers of justice. I am the Ruler of Water and behind me are my cronies."


    "Excuse me?"


    Of course, he pulled this every time too.


    "It''s the truth. Now, were any of you, perchance, bitten or grazed by those monsters?"


    The man shook his head, Elric''s beauty and voice pulling every of his ws under the rug where they hid too.


    "Great, now, can you tell me who you all are, and what this ce is?"


    "Hm? Why''s he asking that?" Puzo pondered, but didn''t get an answer.


    "T-that¡­ we''re an orchestra preparing for tomorrow''s show, this ce is a broken hall where wee to practice."


    Bright smiles spread on Elric''s face, he barely pinched his thighs and kept it together.


    "Alright, why is this ce broken?"


    "Um, uh¡­ It should dampen the voice with the spell but only amplifies it. We practice here before the major event to give some pleasant sounds to the people too! But! Now the entire city is filled with monster¡ª"


    "Alright, alright, shut up. How good are you? Can you y something impromptu?"


    "Oh no¡­" ude muttered, but was ignored promptly.


    "P-probably? Can you please hel¡ª"


    ",  shut it!"


    Elric mercilessly turned back to his group, smiling brighter than ever. He truly looked like the most beautiful of the gods'' angels as he smiled. They all knew even Satan would cower from his smiles though.


    "Remember how I said we can make the zombiese over instead?"


    The group nodded.


    "They are attracted to noise. We''ll make a lot of noise and bring them all over. We have all the tools, this would also help us stop others from being harmed by the zombies when we gather them, this ce also makes the sounds louder than they should be."


    "Fuck, now that you say it¡­"


    Elric was gaining some ideas about how things were moving, but didn''t say anything for now.


    He was being handed lemonade straight up. Instead of inspecting it for rat poison, he was going to savor every sip.


    "No choice, huh?"


    "Fine, let''s do it."


    Elric smiled and turned back to the instrumentalists. "All of you, crawl out."


    "We''re going to y something with a lot of duddududu and bang bang bang, sombre yet ssical, fast yet elegant. My theme song¡­ is a little bad to premiere here."


    Elric crossed his arms and thought.


    "Alright, let''s call it, Chocte Drive."

 Chapter 67 66: Chocolate Drive Symphony

    p¦Ánd¦Á---no¦Í?1,§ão§® ?


    The musicians took their seats in the expansive hall, the yellow lights shining off their faces like kisses of the sun, drowning them in splendor and mor one could only see in such luxuries ces. The sounds of them tuning their instruments filled the room while the conductor of the orchestra talked with Elric at the side.


    Having gained some semnce of calm, the old conductor was now sane enough to doubt Elric''s sanity.


    "So you should go dudududu, and then pampamapamapam!"


    Elric smacked the air drums and banged piano keys on the air cymbals.


    "Bring in a soft melody after that, all nanana naaaa!" He tooted the air trumpets and then even yed the air violins. With every passing second, the shape of the conductor''s face changed over and over.


    Elric''s melody had such a great effect that the thoughts in the conductors head were never stagnant.


    ''Should I be doing this''


    To,


    ''Should I have be a conductor.''


    To.


    ''Should I have let my wife go?''


    To!


    ''Should I have not cheated in ninth grade?''


    TO!


    ''Should I have been born at all!?''


    Truly touching.


    If music was the voice of the soul, then Elric wasmunicating to it with his mouth alone.


    "Haa, do you get it?"


    "Yes, I am a waste of breathing space."


    "Eh? That was your takeaway? Wait, I''ll tell you it again¡ª"


    "AAAH!"


    ***


    ude and the rest were outside the hall, their gazes spreading over the blocks where the warehouses stood. The sun was fast setting and time was of the essence.


    Warnings of the danger increasing exponentially during the moon''s reign had reached them well from the Lord of Shadows.


    "Is this really going to work?" Quinton asked as he finishedying thest of the nks they had broken off.


    Below it gouging into the ground was arge pitfall, much like the ones they hadid on every other street that led the way to the hall.


    "It will, you have an archmage enchanting it alright?"


    "A useless archmage."


    Erika flinched at ude''s words that cut deep. She coughed and ignored the boy before kneeling against the ground and chanting a spell.


    Her mana surged and seeped into the ground as stctites formed at the bottom of the pit. A long, grueling process that took well over 15 minutes to finish.


    "You''re really useless aren''t you?" ude asked.


    "Useless? I''ll have you know that it''s only because my skill levels have not increased. No one with intermediate magic skills can use spells like these so fast and rapidly!"


    "Excuses."


    "It''s not! I have the greatest magic control you''ll ever see you bastard!"


    ude was familiar with that term.


    If Elric was at 200s then an archmage should be well into the 500s.


    "How much is it?"


    Erika poked her nose out and gazed upward, her ego stroked grandly already.


    "It''s 75¡ª"


    "Pfft!"


    "What!?"


    Puzo, Jamie and Quinton screamed in surprise while ude broke into aughing fit.


    "Mana control nearing hundreds?"


    "I''ve heard it''s extremely difficult to increase. At this rate she''ll reach the chantless spell realm. It''s phenomenal for her age."


    "Hah! As expected of mydy! Hear that ude. Bet you''ve never seen something that high huh? Mana control at that!"


    Erika was not as happy as Puzo though, since the other three''s reaction was far too mild.


    Quinton and Jamie lowered their heads while ude continuedughing.


    "Hah, I thought you were just hiding your strength, but you''re actually useless."


    "W-what¡­ is it because you''re inexperienced. Tell him, Mr. Quinton and Jamie."


    "That¡­"


    "Uh¡­ sir Elric¡­"


    "Elric?" Erika asked. "How much is his? 75? With a three in mana?"


    "Hahaha! Don''t even ask useless mage. You''ll give up on magic."


    "No way is it in the 80s! Hey, Kone. How much is it?"


    "That is¡­"


    "T-two hundreds¡­"


    Color drained from Erika''s face.


    "HAHAHA!" ude''s gratingughter only made things worse. "It''s 204!"


    "Impossible! No way! No way does anyone have that patience, not in two years!" Erika screamed out loud. "Not that guy! He has a toddler''s head on his shoulders, a literal toddler! I peeked into the orchestra hall before this and the conductor looked like he would rather be a zombie than listen to him for another second. Fuck! All of them looked like that!"


    "SEETHE YOU PEASANT!"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "It''s impossible! No way! I don''t buy it!"


    "Didn''t you see it yourself? That was nothing, that kid can multiple four digits numbers in the blink of an eye! Now cope."


    "FUCK!" Erika pounded the ground in rage.


    The other three could only watch as Erika mmed the ground and udeughed out like a demon nning a murder of some sort. It made them seem strangely alike.


    "I guess it''s the age," Quinton said.


    "Kids these days?" Jamie asked.


    "Kids these days." Puzo, who had seen all the heroes of the other world up to their hijinks, affirmed.


    A friendship was deepened that night.


    "Let''s just go back to setting the traps."


    Get back they did.


    ***


    Nets and pitfalls farther out, barricades and spikes closer up. Elric and Erika had both watched their fair share of zombie films on were on the same note when it came to defending a ce from a horde, were it a prison, a city, or even the whitehouse, their plethora of knowledge would manage it all.


    They had also split off and brought around most of the people who could fight from the hotel, the ones who couldn''t were suggested toe over and listen to the music, but they didn''t want to take the risk of loose ends and bringing around injuries.


    "Everyone is at their posts, the sun''s gone and the twilight will end in a few minutes too."


    At Quinton''s report, ude sighed. In front of him were the musicians of the orchestra while Puzo and Jamie were going to issue the orders for the fighters, along with a promising man named Suk.


    "The time is here," ude said and stood up. "Hey, Elric, Erika! Get here."


    The other two who were talking away at the seats came running over at his call. He wasn''t sure what Elric would have to do with Erika, but ude''s trust in him ran deeper than the blood that touched every corner of his being.


    "Is it time?"


    "Yeah, the three of us will go out and look for the vampire."


    "ude, I''ll say it again," Elric muttered. "The vampire''s mine."


    "Of course, I can''t fight it anyway. It''s too strong."


    Erika thought that would be more reason for Elric''s ims to be not ''of course'' but didn''t say it out loud.


    Soon, thest bit of light that peered in from the outside faded away and only the spotlights of the hall remained alit.


    Elric sighed and stood up.


    "Quamie, please get to it."


    "Still? It''s Quinton¡ª"


    "Dude no time."


    "Ok, whatever. Sorry. On it."


    He then walked over to the orchestra and ced a hand on the Conductor''s shoulder. All the members of the orchestra trembled slightly as he approached them like the devil would approach gullible and broken men and women.


    It almost made ude and Erika feel sorry for them, but they had to bear with it for now.


    "Mr. Conductor, it''s time. I hope you have practiced well."


    "Y-yes¡­ you won''t be let down, sir."


    "I hope so, I would hate having to exin everything to you again. Especially the guitar and the drum parts."


    How was the conductor to tell this asshole that there were no guitars or drums in normal orchestras! How?


    Wiping his tears, for his life, for the time he cheated in his exams in ninth grade, for the wife he let go and for the career he chose. For the night that ced all the responsibility on him, he raised his hands.


    The instrumentalists took in a deep breath.


    Time of reckoning was here.


    For the dead.


    For the lost.


    For the macabre.


    They were off to y a symphony.


    A symphony in the city of blessings.


    A symphony on the night of the goddess of yield.


    For abundance and happiness, for life.


    "Please stand back, my dear patron. Today, the Soleda Philharmonic Orchestra presents to you, the first and the most personal movement that you''ll hear."


    Elric smiled.


    "We present,"


    His hand began the beat.


    "The Chocte Drive."


    All the instruments began at once. The bass hit loud and the violin swung, the sounds of the trumpets and the piano merged together in a cacophony of loud notes as the sound spread through the entire city. An intro like none other.


    Coming in hard and strong.


    This was the beginning of the song.


    The beginning of Soleda''s counter attack.


    "THEY''RE COMING!!!"


    "ZOMBIESS!"


    The instruments enhanced the brave screamss of the fighters and the cheers of the brave. Just as well as it resounded into the ears of the dead and attackers.


    A music like none othe marked the beginning.


    The beginning of the end.

 Chapter 68 67: Fight Through The Streets

    ?


    With the swings of the strings came the gnarls of the dead. Over the dark streets lit aze with only the scarcemps, the sound attracted dozens and dozens of zombies.


    Crashes and screams spread hand in hand as the zombies fell into the traps one after the other.


    The barricades and the spikes held the approaching numbers back while the especiallyid-out blocks narrowed their way inside. Knives stuck on sticks handled the majority of the zombies while the asional swords and spears stabbed to their heads and dropped them to the ground


    "Fight! They are not people! They are just monsters!"


    "For the ones that have gone to go in peace! These monsters resurrect our dead like puppets! Kill them!"


    "Don''t panic! They are all monsters and not humans."


    "If you don''t fight now, the ones that are remaining will be gone too!"


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel Hope and strength pierced the battlefield thanks to Elric and Erika''s pre-written motivational words that stabbed right into the hearts of the fighters. Quinton and Puzo felt a slight sense of shame for using it at first but quickly realized that nothing written in it was wrong.


    Of course, it was all taken from zombie movies and shows as well.


    With the music as their pir, the sounds as the thing that pushed up their backs, all the citizens fought and fought against the zombies.


    The numbers were great.


    But the spirit was greater yet.


    "Jamie¡­ it won''tst long."


    Regardless of spirit, the truth was unchanged. Just how long could citizens fight? Just how much of a difference could people, that never swung a de at an animal, let alone a monster that resembled their loved ones, could make?


    The seasoned adventurers knew that the problems didn''t end there. Stamina, panic, anything could happen. Quinton had his arrows nocked at all times as he readied himself to face any problems, but it was just a matter of time before the citizens copsed.


    Before then.


    "We just have to hope that ude and Elric find the vampire."


    Jamie shook his head.


    "I hope they live."


    Before saving others, adventurers had to save themselves. In a sense, Kone was the least fit to be an adventurer.


    Quinton chuckled and nodded his head.


    "I hope they win," he said.


    Victory, over survival.


    Optimism. Maybe that was what they needed.


    "Yeah¡­ they will."


    ***


    "I lose. I give up."


    Elric syed on the ground, and spoke out loud.


    "Shut up! Get here."


    "I haven''t slept in hours, ude! Hours!"


    Even though they were passing through the singlene they had left empty for them to leave through, Elric was already down halfway through.


    But he held a fair point, who could resist sleep whether they were about to be eaten alive or not? Game over. Zombies win.


    "Don''t just write us off like that, stupid Elric," said Erika.


    "If you''re going to be like this I''ll just go ahead and fight the vampire myself."


    "Hey, you can''t." Elric said. "You''ll die."


    Erika didn''t think Elric was wrong. Not anymore


    "Then get up and get moving. Now."


    At ude''s cold announcement, Elric had no choice but to stand up and walk along. The other two shook their heads in disappointment A great start they had taken up for sure.


    With ude in the lead, they started pacing through the streets. The sound of the orchestra behind rich.


    It was then, the sound hit a drop.


    Elric stopped in his tracks.


    And then, a piano solo yed.


    With renewed vigor, Elric started hopping on the ground.


    "Now, ude, move right now. That old man didn''t let down! I can''t miss this amazing bgm ying for me and just cking off. I have to kill the vampire at the guitar bit!"


    Who was to tell the poor child there was no guitar biting around?


    The route ahead narrowed down and the buildings around them started to change shape. They could see far away on the other streets, the few zombies making their way over to the hall, to their deaths.


    And then, right up ahead, the few stragglers remained.


    "That''s¡­ about forty?" Erika muttered, readying herself to fight.


    "Leave it to me," said ude. With a small grin, he tapped the amulet hanging from his neck and brought out the sword of the shadow lord. The mist spread further and brought out his cape as well. Just these items were enough. "Keep dashing straight ahead, actually, Elric, learn the path."


    Erika confusedly tilted her head while Elric pressed both his fingers against his head and gazed at the road ahead. "Got it, go wild."


    ude smiled and stepped ahead. At that time, Elrtic reached out and grabbed Erika''s hand.


    "What?"


    "Just shut up. I know it''s a dreame true for you, but don''t get any ideas."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Erika was grandly pissed by this bastard.,


    "[Activate: Mist of Underworld]"


    ude muttered and brandished his de. The numbers of the zombies around him kept increasing, almost blocking the entire path ahead. All of them led on by the sound of the music.


    And from around ude, spread a faint mist all over the streets. Slow at first, the mist danced into the wind and swirled around every corner and nook of the streets, further ahead or closer behind, all of it started being covered by the mist.


    Erika''s eyes widened.


    "Mystic¡­ forest¡­"


    "Heh."


    Smirking, Elric offered her no exnation. instead, he took a step ahead and dived straight into the mist.


    "Ah! Hey!"


    "Don''t bother looking back, let''s go!"


    With Elric''smand, she had no choice but to be pushed along. Erika''s feet tapped against the streets and in moments, the mist that was thicker than fog and denser than stones covered her sight.


    The gnarls of the zombies came from afar. The deeper she went the greater her fear rose. She couldn''t see Elric, and eventually, she couldn''t even see her own hands or her body.


    "No matter what, don''t let go."


    "What! What is happening?"


    The gnarls grew louder. One right next to her.


    Erika flinched as she heard the sound of the zombie, and in the blink of an eye, it was gone.


    The attack that she thought would reach her never did, and instead, a few drops of blood sttered on her face. Fear overtook her every breath as she was carried along by Elric mercilessly through the streets. The turns he made and the twists he followed were out of her control and out of her understanding. It was getting harder to breathe in the ce that reminded her of a white hell.


    And after a few more grueling minutes and run-ins. She was finally out of the mist.


    Her hand was left mercilessly as she stumbled ahead. Standing there was Elric looking at her as if she was pathetic, and behind the mist continued, the sound of the zombies not ending.


    "W-what was this?"


    "Cool, right?"


    Erika tilted her head again. "Do you not feel affected at all?"


    "Hm? From the mist?" Elric asked. "It was there every second hour back in the mystic forest. We faced it for two entire years actually."


    "Two years?"


    "Yup, every two hours for two years straight. It feels like a second home."


    "And ude¡­?"


    Elric started sweating profusely. He totally forgot he was supposed to keep the lord of shadows a secret since that being had a feud with the gods. Sticking his tongue out, Elric looked the other way and cackled.


    "Hah! Hahaha! It''s just that he farted really bad. tulence, you see."


    "WHAT?"


    "Hahaah¡­ ha¡­ weird guy right? Cool what he can do with gas."


    "Ew! Shut up!"


    Elric grabbed Erika again and dragged her along. "Let''s leave this ce to him, we have a vampire to catch."


    "Oh?" Erika got on her feet and kept ncing back at the mist. "A-are you sure? We can''t just leave him!"


    "He''s not a child anymore."


    "He never was!"


    "Well, the vampirees first, he cane catch up."


    Erika mumbled something but Elric didn''t hear. In the end, she brought up the second matter of her concern. "And how are you nning to find the vampire? Sire, Elric?"


    "Hm, good question. We should probably be free to run around now that al;l the zombies are gone."


    And ran he did. Erlci shot off the ground and dashed away from the mist.


    "Hey!? Where''s the vampire? What''s the point of running?"


    "VAMPYYYY! WHERE ARE YOU?"


    "That''s your n genius!?"


    "VAMPY! COME AND SEE ME! LOOK, IT''S YOUR FAVORITE!"


    Running along the canals, Elric kept shouting his words out loud but the vampire showed no sign ofing around.


    In the end, a different thought entered his mind. As the two of them neared the center of Soleda, near the fountain, Elric took out a small dagger and nicked his finger.


    "Elric?"


    "Shush."


    A drop of blood spilled from it. And slowly, ever so slowly, it fell down to the ground.


    He had seen ude''s blood spill over and over in front of the vampire, but she didn''t blink an eye at that.


    "Then¡­ she must be a real pervert."


    She liked Elric''s blood.


    "KRAA!"

 Chapter 69 68: The Vampire Of Soleda (1)

    ?


    A scream shattered through the winds as Elric''s blood dripped down to the ground. The screech of the vampire heard loud and clear by the boy. His lips curled up into a savage smile as he turned toward the source of the sound and widened his eyes. "COME! VAMPIRE!"


    Elric''s one hand clenched, dropping yet more blood, while he pulled Erika away with the other.


    Right then, a spear of blood danced through the winds, shattering the air around as it lodged itself in the ground where Erika stood but a moment ago.


    "KRAAA!" In the air stood the beautiful blonde vampire, her face bloodied and her eyes crazed with a hint of madder.


    Elric felt his blood surge high with excitement. An enemy, and the perfect music. What was a better ce to pull out a cold one liner?


    "Batting straight for the kill, are we?" Elric asked. He snapped his fingers.


    And then, the city shook.


    Water from the fountain right next to them rose in the air, all the way up to where the vampire flew. Like a rising tide, a waterfall flowing upward, the enormous amount of water dashed at the vampire, straight towards its heart.


    The vampire stabbed her own hand right then and flicked her blood at the water. With movements that made it seem alive, the surging stream split up in parts and dashed at the vampire from the halves.


    It all happened to fast for Erika to even begin processing. She couldn''t believe either of their immense control.


    No, only Elric''s. Blood magic gave masterfulmand over blood, but normal magic? It had to be used, thrown. Water that was formed with spells was more mana then liquid, yet he could control such great bodies with a smile on his face, all the direction he needed was in his fingers.


    The vampire nimbly dodged them all, the ck wings on its back fluttering haphazardly as it evaded the attacksing for its heart over and over.


    With a disgruntled scream, she poked yet another hole in her hand.


    Blood started spilling out.


    And dashed toward Elric.


    The young boy left Erika behind and hopped away.


    "H-hey!"


    "Don''t you dare die, Eriwhatever!"


    Erika wanted to scream she had a name, but dodging came first. She hopped away from the rain of bloodied arrows that the vampire sent hurtling toward them one after the other.


    She was certain, seeing things once wasn''t going to help.


    The arrows that ignored Erika''s existence and followed Elric would catch up any moment.


    How much time was a day? How could he make up for the skills with just that much time?


    Elric summoned back the enormous body of water and made arrows back. The many arrows of water shed against the arrows of blood.


    "HAHA! Is that all you got?!"


    "KRRRAAA!"


    The vampire dashed ahead herself this time. The blood around her formed nails over her ws as she rushed into Elric.


    The young boy snapped his fingers yet again and brought more water toward himself. As soon as the vampire shed, a shield had already formed where her attacknded.


    Over and over, wherever she swung her hands, Elric''s water would already be present and ready to block her attacks. He lightly stepped back each time, all he needed was an eye on theing attack and the water would already block it.


    Excitement kept building up in Elric''s heart.


    This feeling.


    The action of living life on the edge of death.


    He had grown ustomed to it. He never felt more at home than when he was about to die, and he was certain ude was the same. How else would they have survived? How else would they have lived in that ce without losing their minds, their spirits?<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Adaptability.


    Unknowingly, Elric had grandly adapted to living his life in the mouth of threat, the embrace of death.


    He dashed further back and evaded all the attacks. It was then, a drop of blood that had spilled from the arrows squirmed on the ground behind him.


    Elric''s eyes widened, a spear already formed from the blood.


    "Elric!!!"


    "HAHAHA!" Elricughed, his sides filled with blood. The vampire saw it as a chance and went in for a swing at his neck.


    At that moment, Elric jumped closer. He grabbed her hand tight with one and her hair with the other. His lips spread open, and like a beast, he plunged his teeth into the woman''s nape.


    "KERAA!"


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel Elric bit through her flesh and pulled his mouth back, spitting it away. In the next moment, the water all around him formed a hammer and smashed into her stomach, sending her reeling back.


    "Amazing, just amazing." Elric heaved, his lips tinged crimson. "I knew it, just seeing the attacks once and fighting them once wasn''t enough. I knew it, you won''t bore us."


    "KRAAAA!"


    The vampire screamed out loud.


    "Yes, let''s dance to our heart''s content¡­ But¡­ only for five minutes, you hear? Five."


    Erika felt a chill running down her spine.


    Was this¡­


    Was this just another of Elric''s acts, or were these his true colors? That of a beast. Colors that matched with ude.


    She couldn''t tell. She couldn''t tell at all.


    "[Activate:]"


    A skill.


    Erika''s eyes widened at the sudden change in Elric''s air.


    "[Awakening]"


    For the next five minutes, Elric would resist sleep.


    Nay, he would be fully awake.


    All the parts of his body, his muscles that were sleazy andzy fromck of use, his mind running down from sleep. All of it would be wide awake.


    And so, would be the remaining mana points he couldn''t use in fear of fainting.


    Erika blinked.


    Breaking off his mana into pieces tiny enough to control, to not faint, Elric could hold a hand over the rain itself¡­


    "Guess, what would happen if I use all of it?"


    All the water flowing through the canals of the city of Soleda rose into the skies. From the rivers next to the warehouses, everything ran dry and summoned itself to Elric''s beck and call.


    The vampire took a small step back.


    "Let''s go now, for round two."

 Chapter 70 69: The Vampire Of Soleda (2)

    ?


    All the water in the city of Soleda floated in the sky, all of it following every beck and call of Elric.


    His auburn hair fluttered in the wind while his silver eyes pierced straight into the eyes of the vampire.


    "Erih h¡­"


    "Y-y-yes¡­?" Erika stuttered, finding it hard to even speak.


    "Make sure you y your role well."


    This level.


    Was it not already at the level at the people that taught her?


    Elric was well into the stage of an advanced mage, but his mana control took him yet higher.


    "Let''s go now, for round two."


    The strings in the music began! The vampire shot off the ground and took to the skies, getting away from this monster its first instinct.


    Elric smiled as the water all around swirled under his feet and floated up, dragging him into the skies. Five minutes were all he had, and even though he didn''t feel the mildest bit exhausted, Elric couldn''t ''surpass'' his limits, but rather ess them to the fullest.


    In these five minutes, using whatever cheap tricks he could, he had to win.


    The mass of water puddled under his feet and slowly started to lift him up. The ones below hard and stuck in ce while the rest of the water jetted him around, Elric started flying up in the sky. That alone took half the tricks in his arsenal, but that was enough.


    "KRAAA!" The vampire screamed and ran her hand through her entire arm, sending bats made of blood dancing toward Elric and his mass of water.


    The boy snapped his fingers. Orbs formed in the air and crashed into the blood back.


    One minute passed.


    Blood, instead of falling, seeped into the water and control of the attack shifted over to the vampires hand, but Elric had already felt this trick once.


    Instead of fearing the attack, he sent a dozen more orbs after the vampire, and then a dozen more.


    The vampire and Elric rushed through the skies like dancers in a ball room. The water that had been taken over fell apart and spilled to the ground, the vampire unable to maintain her control against Elric''s inane onught.


    With the rise of his hands.


    "Come and Rage, Water Phoenix!"


    It was just onerge square of water. Shaping it was too difficult with the volume. The box of water tore through the skies and crashed toward the vampire. Like before, the vampire dodged therge mass by going under it.


    A snap rang.


    And from below emerged a bird made of water. It''s wings pped as it dived straight into the vampire, sending it reeling back.


    "KRAA!"


    Two minutes passed.


    Elric didn''t miss the chance. His eyes tracking the vampire at every moment. Just to y it safe, he lowered the mass of water and drowning the streets in it, the mass amount of water ready to wash away any stains of blood that would remain on the ground.


    "Woah!"


    Erika was swept away too, but managed to hold her footing by climbing the statue.


    Elric closed his eyes, his mind feeling for any change in the range of his spells. There, he found her, the vampire slowly trying to stand back up.


    The vampire stabbed her stomach.


    Elric pulled away all the water from the spot, leaving only thend below her dry.


    "KERAAA!"


    The vampire screamed, and from the right, Elric''s perception tinged.


    Out came dashing a man with a moustache, his teeth bloodied and his body rotting.


    It was the first person the vampire had bit into.


    Without batting an eye, Elric''s water circled around the being¡ª


    ¡ª And crushed it into mush.


    Three minutes passed.


    Erika couldn''t watch, her mouth covered by her hands.


    Thankfully, that split second bought by her pawn was enough for the vampire.


    She sent ast sprout of blood at Elric as hundreds of spears formed into the sky. And the vampire''s hand started to fade into mist.


    "ERIKA!"


    Elric used all the water on his hand and blocked the onught.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "[Ground Magic: Sandcloud]!"


    Erika''s spell made her eyes glow, and right around the vampire, a cloud of dust formed.


    The vampire''s body was unable to travel on its own, and it slowly broke back into its human form.


    Four minutes passed.


    Elric ignored everything and dashed ahead. The water below his feet propelling him forward.


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel Ten seconds.


    He tore through the attack that the vampire had sent reeling at him, dozens of scratched spilling all over his body, but his momentum didn''t slow.


    Twenty seconds.


    He lunged off the water and straight toward the vampire on the ground.


    "THERE YOU ARE!"


    "KRAAA!"


    The vampire crawled back.


    Thirty seconds.


    Elric reached out, the water all around him surging behind.


    His hand touched the vampire''s chest with one hand.


    Forty seconds.


    And then, with the water in tow, sawed deep into her body.


    "KRAAA!"


    Fifty seconds.


    Blood spilled like a broke geyser as Elric grabbed the vampire''s heart.


    And another saw of water behind him surged toward its head.


    The water chopped off the top of the vampire''s brain.


    "DIE!"


    And Elric''s hand crushed its heart.


    Five minutes passed.


    The water behind fell, soaking the streets wet.


    Elric''s eyes moistened, and he dropped above the vampire.


    "Kra¡­ k¡­"


    And then, the vampire fell.


    The music slowly moved to a stop, Erika''s eyes trembling.


    Slowly, very slowly, she climbed down the fountain and walked over to Elric.


    "E-Elric¡­"


    It was dead.


    Was it dead?


    Readying a spell, Erika stepped closer.


    She rushed when she was near and grabbed Elric right away. His hand had crushed the heart and the vampire''s brain was sliced through too. It was an attack that neglected no weak spot.


    She pulled Elric behind and pped his cheeks.


    "Elric! Elric Wald! Wake up!"


    "Kuh¡­"


    A voice responded. Erika, in joy, looked toward Elric. But his mouth hadn''t moved an inch.


    A chill ran up her spine as she slowly turned to the side.


    There.


    The vampire stood.

 Chapter 71 70: The Vampire Of Soleda (3)

    ?


    "Is this it¡­?"


    Jamie''s hopeless words spilled as the zombies all around them started flocking closer than ever. The numbers had increased and so had their strengths, not only was it nigh impossible to strike ahead, it had be almost impossible to just hold on.


    With the undead not being tired or weakened in the least, the people fighting were soon reaching their limits.


    Was this it? All of it over?


    It was when such thoughts threatened to take over their minds.


    [Fire Arrow]


    Arrows of mes started pouring down on the backlines of the zombies.


    And then, in the next moment, a heavy mist spilled all over the ce.


    "Was that¡­"


    "ude? Did hee here?"


    Words of confusion filled Jamie and Quinton while Puzo and the reliable Suk encouraged the others to take the chance and plunge deeper.


    The situation that seemed hopeless a few minutes ago started turning back on its heel as the onught of the zombies constantly slowed down.


    And then, it happened.


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel All the water in the city started to rise into the sky.


    Quinton didn''t have any words, only a soft chuckle escaped his lips, so did one from the people fighting.


    Monsters had appeared, not the zombies, no, but the wizard fighting in the distance.


    "I can''t believe¡­ a pretty and sheltered looking person like Elric¡­"


    "He''s beyond all thought in the first ce¡­"


    The mist slowly started decreasing.


    The attacks of the zombies mellowed.


    The sound of the music reached far and wide, and thebatants burned with vigor.


    All the water flying in the distance suddenly fell to the ground and the streets were filled with a tidal wave. Eventually, the sounds of battle in the distance died down, and so did the sound of the music behind them.


    "FUCK!"


    ude''s voice unmistakably reached their ears, and the mist started fading away.


    "DON''T STOP NOW! ONE FINAL PUSH!"


    "THEY''RE ALMOST DEFEATED!"


    Lies, their words were mere lies as hundreds and hundreds of more zombies still lingered beyond the barricades, and all of them knew it as well.


    With the mist gone, so did their calm.


    But.


    The zombies never approached.


    They could only blink as the zombies suddenly fell limp to the ground.


    "W-what¡­?"


    "Did¡­?"


    Beyond the sea of corpses that the zombies had now be, stood a lone man.


    His face was as pale as a ghost and froth had formed at the edge of his lips. If they were seeing rightly, this person alone stood between the group of zombies¡­


    Fear and uncertainty overtook the people, but one person, nay, two people recognized it well.


    Suk, and Miss Parker. They knew that face as well as they knew their own, how would they not, when this person had already saved them once?


    "I-It''s him! He had saved us before!"


    "He''s the zombie master! He took away 50 zombies in front of my eyes!"


    "W-what?? Zombie master? 50!?"


    "Help, then did he make them fall?"


    "Whats fifty, do you not see this! There''s hundreds!!"


    A few of them stepped out of the barricades, carefully. The man on the other end not moving the slightest bit.


    At that point, Puzo suddenly dashed ahead. He was not kept around by the people who had raised the heroes for no reason. Puzo knew exactly what the people needed right now to ensure they don''t take their rage for this tragedy on anyone else, it was a symbol that could unite them.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Instead of letting people wallow in darkness, he had to blind them with radiant hope.


    And Puzo was ready to do just that.


    He jumped over the hordes of dead zombies without batting an eye and dashed up to the man. He held his hands, and remembered.


    "Fish cake guy¡­?"


    "Fish cake¡­?"


    "What is your name?" Puzo asked in a whisper.


    "Me? I am Leres. Please¡­ help me¡ª"


    "LERES HAS SAVED US!!!"


    "Leres¡­?"


    "He did help us?"


    "Is¡­ is it over?"


    "NO MORE ZOMBIES! WE HAVE WON!!"


    "Ah¡­"


    "WOAAAAAH!!"


    Cheers rang out from all over the battlefield as all the people started screaming in joy. The ones around threw away their weapons and hugged each other while others cheered and cried. Tears and relief filled the space around and the tension strangling the citizens was gone.


    "Is it done¡­ Did Elric¡­ win?"


    "I don''t see any other exnation¡­"


    Quinton and Jamie weren''t calm, though. Rightfully so.


    "LERES! LERES! LERES! LERES!"


    "EH!?"


    And of course, neither was Leres.


    Well, it was just one of the starting pages of the legendary legend of the legendary legend Leres.


    Just one of the started pages.


    ***


    ude dashed through the city.


    "Fuck, fuck, be alright."


    Tension filled his body as he ran as fast as he could. Was turning back to defeat the zombies a bad idea? No, they had already nned this out, he was just going as insurance. There was nothing ude could do against the vampire¡­


    Not when he was so¡­ weak.


    The ground was soon covered with water. In a single hop, he jumped up on the edges of the canals and started running. In no time at all, the boy was back at the front of the fountain of Maris.


    On the ground were Erika, a fainted Elric on herps.


    And beyond them.


    With a gaping hole in her chest and the top of her head missing, was the vampire. Upright.


    "I¡­" the vampire''s lips moved. "Than-k¡­"


    "IT''S ALIVE!"


    ude screamed out loud. Without any hesitation or care whatsoever, he pulled his hands back and sent the sword reeling straight at the mouth of the speaking vampire. The de chopped through yet another half of her face and pushed her down.


    "C-ude!?"


    "[FIRE ARROW] [FIRE ARROW][FIRE ARROW][FIRE ARROW][FIRE ARROW]!!"


    ude used all of his remaining strength and spammed the final attack at the vampire. The arrows making holes in her bodies until a charred smell filled the air.


    "Krr¡­ th-than¡ª"


    "[FIRE ARROW]!!!!"


    The sun rose back out not long after.


    Now, a fainted Elric, a heaving ude, and a bewildered Erika sat alone in the center of the street, in front of them arge pile of charred meat.


    "Dead¡­ finally, phew¡­"

 Chapter 72 71: The Vampire Of Soleda (4)

    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel ?


    "Uhm¡­ stop, supreme darkness ash god demonic king general majesty¡­ I can''t eat more cake¡­"


    "Is he even asleep anymore? I don''t trust him."


    Elric woke up to a sudden noise. His eyes fluttering.


    "He is asleep, alright? Lay off."


    "Argh¡­"


    His head hurt like crazy. He slowly pushed his eyelids open and turned to the side.


    The sun shone bright behind and the white drapes around the window fluttered. Sitting next to him, were Erika and ude.


    "It is cold, can you close the windows?"


    "Sure."


    "Sure."


    The two of them said at the same time, but didn''t move and only smiled.


    "What?"


    ude reached out and grabbed Elric''s head. "Thought that will work twice?"


    "No, seriously, it''s cold. My head hurts."


    Erika chuckled at his words. "Probably because you''ve been asleep for five days."


    "Exactly, I need to sleep more."


    Erika grabbed the sheets from atop Elric and pulled them away. Elric, rolled up in his sheets spun around like a top against the girl''s fearsome strength and fell to the ground.


    "Ow."


    "Wake up now, your sleeping time is over."


    "But¡­" Elric mumbled something and shed a tear before wiping it away. He was too much in pain to sleep, though. All his muscles were still sore and his head hurt like crazy, a result of using all the muscles in his body all at once.


    "What happened?" Asked Elric as he stood up. "Is the old man zombie really gone?"


    "That''s your concern? Well, yes, he''s gone. Like all the others."


    "You saved the city, Elric Wald¡ª"


    "EXCUSE ME? I am certain I took that kill."


    "ude, you farm mule!" Elric suddenly screamed. "What do you mean? You interfered? You damned interfered you pistachio in chocte icecream."


    ude grinned and stopped Elric before he could attack him. He held the boy in ce and picked up a ss of water from the side. Elric nodded and sipped the water down.


    "Skill issue," ude said."


    "Pfft!" Elric spilled all the water back in the ss, earning a frown from Erika. "You rat! Y-y-you!! Argh, I hate you!"


    ude chuckled while Elric fumed. Erika''s frown loosened as she watched the two and her lips curled into a smile on its own.


    An environment like this¡­


    Didn''t exist anymore for the heroes¡­


    But, well, all was good now.


    She had finished her trade, and her wish had been granted, albeit reluctantly by the General. Now¡­ she didn''t have to hold on anymore.


    Maybe she could learn to be like these two too.


    "Alright, really, what happened? Is the ce recovered enough to get me some choctes?"


    "Not really," ude answered, his body leaning against his hand on the bed. "But you can get some meat. A lot of the merchants that survived opened up their coffers."


    "Yay! Meat!" Elric almost set off on his own, so ude had to hold him back by the scruff of his neck.


    "Slow down, big guy."


    "Why?"


    "You drowned half the city, we''ll go with you."


    "Yup! I''ll go change real quick!"


    Erika danced away while ude moved to the closet too. Elric pouted slightly but took the chance to wash his face.


    As soon his reflection appeared on the mirror, he noticed the many blurring scars that had appeared on his face.


    Scars that should stay for long, had almost disappeared.


    With a sigh, he washed his face and closed his eyes.


    The vampire.


    He remembered hearing a growl after copsing.


    "Tsk¡­"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Frustrating.


    Deeply, severely, frustration. Elric bit his lips and wetted his hair before stepping out. As he ced a hand on the window he had gotten familiar too, his eyes went outside.


    Dozens and dozens of people, all of them trying their best to restore the ce.


    Knights and guards from the castle of Maris and the different territories, along with some from the other kingdoms too all came and helped the citizens fix the ce up.


    The city of the dead was slowlying back to life.


    ***


    "Marcusssss!"


    "Tomassss!"


    "Puuun puun puu puuun!"


    Three voices spilled out in the pubs near the outer parts of the city. The ce once razed to the ground with blood and brains spilled on the floor was now clean and empty.


    The trio of Marcus Tomas and Bagpipe Man survived! One didn''t even need to think how.


    "That great man who saved our lives, Leres! What a grand hero!"


    "Hero is selling him short, you punk! That man has saved our lives, he''s our god!"


    "Puupouuun"


    The three then lowered their heads.


    "But he''s nowhere to be found."


    The three faced a grand dilemma.


    "We also have to deliver this thing to the General¡­"


    The three of them looked around for a few seconds. It was then, Bagpipe suddenly stood up. He ced the pipes in his mouth and¡ª


    "PUuuun! Puunu unpunnn! Punnuuu!"


    "B-bagpipe¡­?"


    "Puun pun!!!"


    "You''re right! We should do as our heart says!"


    "Correct, all three of us, let us deliver this and help Lord Leres in his grand endeavors!"


    "Puun?"


    Of course, Bagpipe was trying to convey somethingpletely different.


    "Don''t worry, bagpipe, we capiche!"


    "Capooch."


    New pages were soon to be added to the legendary legend of the legendary legend Leres.


    ***


    Elric, ude and Erika found themselves sitting around the fountain as they chewed on the meat.


    "Where''s Puzo though? And the other two?"


    "They''re running an errand for me," said Erika. "Mm! Chewy!"


    "It''s not bad."


    "Well it wouldn''t be after you threatened to turn him into a zombie, ude. Too soon for those threats, don''t you believe?"


    ude only scoffed at Erika''s words. Elric, sitting in between both of them, held his skewer with both hands like a child and slowly bit into the meat.


    "I do wonder, though¡­"


    "Hm?"


    "That vampire was resisting blood that badly, but why? It feels like it gave up and turned people into zombies by mistake, since the zombies would have spread that fast long back."


    "Is it not just a new vampire? Such incidents are rare but vampire''s usually don''te out in public. They finish their prey whole."


    "Right," Elric nodded. "But that vampire never did that. After all, the first chocte driver I saw was a goblin almost weeks back."


    The other two turned to face him then.


    If the vampire was someone that usually drank blood, it wouldn''t have let a weak zombie be formed. It was clear to them from evidence that normal zombies formed form mist couldn''t turn others into zombies, that was the case with the goblins and the dead in the warehouse.


    But the blood zombie turned the whole town into a catastrophe overnight.


    "Then¡­ do you think there was something more to it?" ude asked.


    "I wonder¡­ I am curious though¡­" Elric answered.


    "In that case," Erika chimed in. "Should we take a look at it?"

 Chapter 73 72: The Vampire Of Soleda (5)

    ?


    "Take a look at it¡­ huh?"


    ude''s words were filled with a hint of thorns and a dash of annoyance as he looked at the sight in front of him with bewildered eyes. Through the creaked open ebony doors, the light brought out their silhouette on the vast piles of papers and books filling the abandoned room.


    "Even though the castle is a bit far, Soleda is still the most important city of Maris. The church, knights and the king himself gather the people here." Erika said, her arms crossed and her lips turned up.


    Stood the three in a room full of documents and reports, the record room where all the knight orders and their subsidiaries reported incidents from around Maris. The ce itself was not the end as the other rooms in the two storey building once filled with people held the records of taxes and families and merchants and policies. Everything that happened around the city was held in here.


    Well it would likely be moved soon, nay, a lot of the important stuff was the first to be moved by the knight orders and mostly the irrelevant and distant incidents remained here.


    But for now, no one was going toe and take a look.


    Crossing her arms, Erika muttered.


    "Let''s go." She took a step ahead before ude held her too by the scruff of her neck. The action slowly bing instinctual for the man.


    "Now, wait here. What makes you think I am going to sift through, um, at least thirty thousand reports for Elric''s little curiosity?"


    "Well, for one," Erika said. "You killed the vampire before she could tell us herself! That woman was definitely thanking us and going into a backstory and instead you started spamming me arrows like a little tramp!"


    "ude, you did that?!"


    "I did, cool right?"


    "Damn straight!"


    The two boys bumped their fists while Erika shook her head. Strong as they were,mon sense seemed foreign for them.


    "That and, well, when you both fainted, I also found¡­ another of those cores¡­ in her¡­"


    The two of them now stared at Erika.


    "What cores?"


    "The demonic dark desire thing?"


    "Heh!? What''s with that cringe name? Wait, it''s actually not that bad if pulled off right¡­"


    Erika and ude decided to rightfully ignore Elric who had looped back into trying out the lines in cool ways.


    "Do you mean that world saving orb? Then, you didn''t give one to that old coot?"


    "I did. The¡­ old coot, is going to give me something I need. As for the second one, I sent it with Puzo and Kone to my benefactor." Erika said.


    ude wondered what it was that she needed, but didn''t bother asking.


    This was but thest few hours he was going to spend here. And once she was gone, he''d be thinking about his revenge again. Just enough to satisfy himself, just enough to pull through, just enough to not get consumed.


    To that end, he didn''t mind it.


    "I am curious too, so let''s take a look."


    "Yay paper dive!"


    Elric screamed and jumped into the pile. And so began a long treasure hunt for a blonde vampire and her case.


    The three of them rolled around on the floor, leaned against the desks and shelves, reports in their hands.


    The sounds of the birds chirping were louder than ever, and the heaves of the people doing their best to fix things up.


    Now and then, clouds would cover up the sun and the light pouring in would dim down, and then once they moved, the room would be filled with light again.


    Incidents, reports of all kinds, some sick and vile while others strangely stupid and humorous. udeughed when he read of how someone managed to get his head stuck in a pot while naked and streaked through an entire town screaming for help and felt angered at the mention of robbery and murder.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric threw a report away, and ude picked that one up.


    The incident in Koror vige, the death of an entire settlement worshipping a demon and how it ended in a tragedy.


    A thought entered ude''s mind when he read the report of something he was so involved in. Dozens died then, and pangs of guilt filled his heart to the point that he dug them all graves all night long.


    But hundreds, if not thousands had perished yesterday too. His hand right around.


    Yet.


    Yet not a needle of guilt hit him, he felt sad, definitely did. But he didn''t grieve just yet.


    Was it because he had grown a sterner heart after Koror vige and the forest? Maybe that exined his and Elric''s behavior.


    His eyes turned toward Erika next, sitting against a shelf, biting her nails as she skimmed through more documents.


    Why her?


    Her training?


    Then¡­


    "Hey, get that nk here!"


    "There you go, have a break with some soup."


    Why the people working outside, the ones who had not lost their direct family.


    Why didn''t grief or loss strike them like it had him back then?


    "Even though we witnessed so many deaths¡­" ude spoke up. He would usually only bear his thoughts in front of Elric, but this time, he found it hard to resist. "Why, are we not sad¡­ We witnessed something much worse than in Koror, and yet¡­"


    Erika fumbled with her words, unable to speak out loud.


    It was then that Elric snapped shut a book and picked up another.


    "The people in Koror were weak."


    "And¡ª"


    "You didn''t witness anything, ude," Elric''s gaze remained on the documents in his hands. "You survived. And so did everyone else here. If even surviving shouldn''t bring hope, then the world would be too bleak."


    Erika and ude stared at Elric.


    "Is that so¡­?"


    ude only muttered those words and got back to searching through the documents, his heart much lighter now.


    Erika, though, couldn''t do the same.


    She was¡­ envious.


    It was a long time after, that ude ce down a pile of reports on the ground.


    "Four months back, the burning of a family in a far away vige in usations of housing a vampire."


    The other two crawled over the room and peeked down at the documents.


    "This seems to be it."

 Chapter 74 73: The Vampire Of Soleda (6)

    ?


    The group of three looked down at the report at once, the front stamped with a confidential mark and a date of just a few months back. There wasn''t just one or two of these confidential documents here, which led them to believe that these weren''t as confidential as the stamp would lead one to believe.


    ude hesitated, his mind fluttering back to the diary he had read not too long ago.


    Slowly, he sighed and flipped open the report.


    [This report highlights the events of the recent jarring incident taking ce east of Soleda in the vige of Kiniya. Hillside, main upation, terrace farming. Poption, roughly 150. A family of three had lived in the vige for five years, the main victims of the case. Husband Mr. X, 29, Wife, Ms. Y, 27, Son, 5]


    "Five¡­" Elric muttered. The fate of the group clear.


    Erika held in a sigh and read on, the point not missing her either.


    A lot of details were added on about the vige and the state of the people living together.


    [Husband the only provider. He used to work odd jobs in the vige while tending to a rented farm, trying to save up enough to start his own. Hardworking man with a strong impression in the vige. He worked hard citing his sickly wife as his motivation.]


    Testimonies about the person followed. Most angry and hurtful. Venom oozed from the words that called him a snake and a masked man that was simply raising them like pigs.


    But the incident didn''t make itself clear yet.


    No reports of the missing people or people dying, run-ins with vampires, nothing was mentioned yet.


    The son too would usually y with children of his age, though the child usually only came out during thete eves and the early morns, not showing up during the day, be it for school or anything else.


    And the wife¡­


    Was never seen by anyone for the five years.


    [Suspicions were afloat within the vige. Rumors of her being hideously ugly or extremely sick to the point of being unable to move, and even words of a wife not existing were frequent. Until Seven days before the incident reportedly took ce.]


    One of the husband''s employers had visited his house while he wasn''t present to collect a small loan that he had given out to the man. Loans weren''t a business yet, but for the employer who had returned from the city, it was an opportunity. Following the plentiful harvest, these were just thest remaining funds the husband needed to achieve his dream.


    It was then, that the wife stepped toward the door for the first time. Seemingly no such incident had happened before since the husband was always avable for whoever came at his door.


    [Almost as if, the wife was his captive]


    Those were the words the man had used to describe his thoughts when he saw the door opening.


    It was far off from the truth, but the fear that they had been living and hiring a criminal for thest five years struck strong at the back of his head.


    The suspicion and fear only increased when the wife only spoke from behind the door and informed him of the absence.


    The man then approached the other vigers, the head and the rest of his friends and told of his suspicions.


    Events fell from one to the other in a short period of time. Trying to be as inconspicuous as they could, they asked the man about his wife and child, but received just smiling faces and merry mutters, nothing of substance. They were afraid if asking him things outright would endanger someone.


    And then, one afternoon, they decided to barge in.


    Men and women of the vige raided the house, and found the family inside.


    A struggle began as they noticed the house dark to the brim and tried to brighten the ce up, which the man vehemently opposed.


    ["You''re killing us."]


    He had said.


    "Was she a vampire all along then?"


    Erika muttered, flipping the page yet again.


    "Dark rooms, a person never stepping out, it does seem that way."


    "But there''s no mentions of people or animals dying. How would she have found blood? And moreover, the vampire here didn''t seem to have been ''killed'' from the sun."


    [The woman was indeed hideous, with ck specks and marks growing all over her body. The moment the vigers pulled away the drapes, she screamed, exposed to the sun.]


    The viger that had returned from the city pointed at her. And screamed.


    [Vampire]


    Rage and fear overtook the vigers as the beat the family down, even the child, and dragged them to the jails.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Meetingssted amongst themselves night after night. Should we tell the guards? And what if they use us of housing a demon? Should we let them be? And what if theye to eat us? Is she¡­ even a vampire? And what could she be, that she was so afraid of the sun? That hideous body, it must be because she wasn''t getting blood!


    The fear of the vigers only grew stronger and stronger by the day.


    And then, they reached a conclusion.


    The vigers gathered in the dungeon and dragged the family out, mercilessly beating them down day after day had made them unresisting. The wife a notch worse, and so was her child.


    They dragged them out in the middle of the night, with the priest''s watchful eye, the family was strapped to stakes and raised to the ground, kerosene and torches all around and ready to burn them down.


    In a desperate struggle, the husband fought, biting his captors, stabbing their eyes. He freed his child and his wife and forced them to run.


    ["Live! Live like a person!"]


    His struggles weren''t futile.


    The vigers ran after the two, one of their arrows stabbing the foot of the child.


    The child was dragged back too, but the mother escaped.


    Remorseless, the vigers, burnt the vampire''s thrall and her child.


    Only a few monthster did ite to light for the knights, when one of the vigers couldn''t hide it anymore. Couldn''t hide, that the vampire had escaped.


    A search party wasunched, but the ''vampire'' with hideous skin was never found, nor were reports of people being sucked off their blood.


    The report continued with more testimonies¡­


    "Was this it¡­?"


    "It''s horrible¡­" Erika muttered. "I don''t get it¡­ was she a vampire?"


    "XP." Elric muttered then.


    "Hm?"


    He took the report in his hands and tossed it as far away as he could beforeying back down.


    "You can''t just say something and then shut up!"


    "Eh¡­?"


    "He''s right. Tell us right now."


    Elric sighed and turned on his side.


    "ck spots? That''s skin cancer. Unable to stand in the sun and ''killing'' them, sounds like Xeroderma Pigmentosum, a disease where you can''t heal from UV rays."


    Erika opened her eyes. She had seen a movie just like that.


    "You think¡­ that''s why they were keeping the son safe too?"


    "You tell me, can a vampire be hideous? Didn''t you see her regenerate everything?" Elric burrowed himself in his arms and closed his eyes. "Ones who didn''t know what made a human, were judging someone else''s humanity."


    ude looked down at his hands.


    "Then, do you think¡­ like before?"


    Elric nodded.


    Just like the girl in Koror vige, the one here had changed into something else. From a human, to a vampire. In their attempt to kill one, they had birthed a vampire.


    No more words came out as silence lingered over the room.


    The three sat around for a while, not speaking or reading anymore. The sun was nigh gone.


    The door of the room suddenly opened and people in armor flooded inside.


    "Erika Arkwin! You are under arrest!"

 Chapter 75 74: Freedom (1)

    ?


    "I heard¡­ the orb that the oracle guided us to has fallen in your hands."


    "General Volfram, is this what you have called me for? Understand that I do not approve of your selfish ways¡ª"


    "¡ªEnough. I don''t need an outsider brat telling me how to run my own things."


    "If there''s nothing else, then I''ll be leaving."


    "Hand over that orb¡­ and I''ll give you what you have been asking for, Archmage."


    "¡­"


    "The thing that you have pestered us for thest two years, I''ll give you it."


    "I''ll let you¡­ be free."


    ***


    "Erika Arkwin, you''re under arrest!"


    The three turned toward the door when they heard the sound of a knight. Standing there with the evening sun at their backs was a troupe of knights, their metal armors nging with each step. With a scroll in his hands, the one at the forefront raised the visor of his helmet, revealing his scarred face. His other hand gripped around the shaft a spear.


    "W-what¡­ in the world?"


    "Come along quietly, we don''t want to use violence against a child of the gods."


    ude stood up, rather nostalgic from those words. He ced a hand on Erika''s shoulder and red at the ones ahead.


    "What is happening here?"


    "Hmph," the knight scoffed. "Take the other two too¡­ we can''t let anyone know a hero has betrayed us."


    "What do you think, ude?" Asked Elric, his head propped up on his hand as he turned their way, stillying down. The others were slightly taken aback at the sheer amount of disinterest Elric held in the knights, but the man himself didn''t care for them.


    "Hm, I''d say half a Grabar? Three quarters at max."


    "You, let go of that woman and walk over here, no one has to get hurt¡ª"


    ude lunged ahead and stepped right in front of the knight.


    "Gauntlet," he muttered, and mist formed around his arm as he pulled it back. Before the knight could react, even before the gauntlet could be formed, ude shot his arm ahead and punched the knight square in the face, straight through the gap in the visor.


    The knight reeled back and fell over the other knights.


    Erika could only watch with her mouth agape, while Elricughed and smacked the floor.


    Another knight dived towards ude, but in the narrow space, the wild boy had the upper hand. He quickly grabbed the knight''s hands, fainted a headbutt, and swooped the knight off his feet before kicking him down.


    "Should we like, run?"


    Elric immediately stood up and grabbed Erika''s hand yet again.


    "Let''s go!!"


    ude pushed the group of confused knights away and dashed out of the building with Erika and ude.


    "A-after them! Don''t let anyone catch them or the General will kill us!"


    Erika tried to gaze back, but Elric''s strong pull yanked her ahead. The three of them ran past the turns in the streets and jumped over the messy nks. Many people working around were brushed past, but the three didn''t stop.


    "Haha! Hahaha! Finally!!" udeughed as he ran, making Erika yet more puzzled. "Fuck those bastards calling us children of gods!"


    "You should have gotten another punch in!"


    "ss half full, Elric, ss half full!"


    "Y-you guys¡ª"


    "Don''t slow down," Elric screamed at Erika and pulled her closer once more. Erika looked back, the knights screaming at their tail.


    "Catch the girls at least!"


    "We can''t let them go!"


    Elric chuckled at their words again.


    "Hey ude, help us girls first."


    "You shut up. You''re no girl."


    "Am too! What do you know?"


    The two screamed and startedughing yet again. Erika was having a hard time understanding what was going on.


    In no time at all, more knights filled the space around them. Knights wearing armor different form the ones before started blocking their paths.


    ude slid to a stop and dived into another path while the other two followed.


    "What is happening¡­ why¡­ why are they¡­?"


    "Does it take a genius? The old coot betrayed you after he got his hands on what he needed."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Elric''s words struck Erika like a sledgehammer, but the other two couldn''t help theirughter. From running away from the knights to getting a chance to fuck over General Volfram and his ns, it was a great opportunity for their revenge.


    These were all thoughts that fluttered in with time. Ones that hadn''t sunk in yet, since their first instinct was to take Erika and run.


    And run they did.


    Screams looking for them started to spread over the entire city. As the sun set, the knights looking for them ran about with fire torches andmps like ants navigating their settlement.


    The three knocked down whatever they could and ran away from the rest.


    "ude! Gateway to hell!"


    "City gates, you mean."


    Still unable to keep in theirughter, the two boys made one final dash toward the city gates with Erika in tow.


    "There they are!"


    "Get them!"


    The few knightsing toward the exit were still too far away. They could make the escape.


    Right before ude could jump outside, another group of knights came into view. Outside the gates, lookouts had gathered, all of them stronger than an average Joe.


    With no water around, Elric was also almost gone, and having Erika create some would take too long.


    ude winced and slowed down, his hands reaching to summon the mist when a loud neigh sounded from the outsides.


    The clip-clops of horses followed right away.


    "[EARTH SPLIT]"


    The ground shook. An axe pierced through the roads and broke thend apart, sending a few of them knocked over. The ones that didn''t fall soon had an arrow in their legs or their hands while thest one was trampled over by two horses.


    Sitting atop it were Puzo and the two adventurers of Kone.


    "Mydy!" Puzo screamed, hopping off the horses with the others. "The general has betrayed you!"


    The three stepped out of the city gates, and Jamie and Quinton dived in. They pulled back their weapons and shot at the knights.


    "W-what are you doing?" Erika screamed, only to get a lopsided grin from thenky Quinton.


    "We heard everything from thedy of Zarak. She said this is a farewell gift."


    "Don''t worry, and just go," Jamie continued. "We''ll hold them off as long as we can!"


    Puzo, holding the reins of the two horses, urged the three on. "Get on the horses! Thedy of Zarak sent enough supplies. You have to go before this ce is flooded by the General''s knights!"


    With a grin, ude pulled the reins of one horse and hopped on. Elric was about to climb on the other, but ude pushed him back. Useless Elric had no idea how to ride one.


    "Mydy, please, go."


    "But¡­ what about you¡­ why is this happening?"


    Puzo turned back and grabbed Erika''s hands.


    "Mydy. This is it, this is your chance at freedom." A tear streaked down the loyal servant''s face. "Please, you have to grasp it. We will be fine, thedy of Zarak will keep us safe."


    Erika hesitated yet more.


    Another group of knights came running toward the gate.


    "Erika," Elric called.


    The girl took a sharp breath and looked at the rest.


    Then, she grasped the reins of the horse and jumped up. Puzo then had to help Elric get on.


    Another neigh sounded as the two horses jumped and turned to the back.


    "ude! Elric!" Quinton called. "It was fun meeting you."


    "I''ll remember you guys, forever."


    "Haha," udeughed at their words too. "Who said we won''t meet again? Just make sure you stay alive."


    "Goodbye! Quamie, Jinton! Thanks for everything! You too, Puzo, you better sign up for the subscription next time!"


    "They''re leaving!"


    "Don''t let them escape!"


    "GO!!"


    The two whipped their horses.


    And galloped forth.

 Chapter 76 75: Freedom (2)

    ?


    The plodding of the horses'' feet did not fade deep into the night. A single spell dimly lighting the path up ahead, the three of them dashed away from the city.


    Until the sounds of swords faded, the light of themps disappeared, and the fear of being caught dulled.


    The trod of Erika''s horse came to a gradual halt as her body lost strength. Noticing it, even ude slowed himself down and looked back, the orb of light moving with his gaze.


    "What¡ª" ude swallowed his words when he saw Erika''s eyes trembling while she stared at the ground.


    "Haa¡­ well we''re far enough. And Elric looks like he''s going to hit the hay on your back, so let''s stop here."


    ude quickly got off the horse and tied his up next to a tree. Ropes and other items already hung on its saddle were more help then he could convey. Erika, on the other hand, did not move at all. Even her horse was shimmying around to encourage her to get off, but that could just be attributed to the difort a sleepy Elric brought.


    ude sighed again and wordlessly yanked them both by their legs, making them fall on the ground.


    "OW!"


    "Bastard!"


    And ignored them, tying the second horse as well. With a sigh, he checked the bags on both horses. Rations, some matches and tinder, amp and some fuel, creams and ointments and a potion to boot, a map and other necessities.


    "Elric, set up a fire. We''re going to sleep in the woods."


    "HOME!"


    "I''ll p you."


    ude sighed and left them behind to scout the perimeter once, the group have settled slightly deeper into the path didn''t have to worry much about othersing here, but monsters could always be a problem.


    He took a quick look for hundred steps in every direction and then returned back to Elric, his eyes having searched for signs of animals and monsters alike, skills he had desperately picked up in the Mystic Forest but could never verify due to its always changing terrain.


    When ude reached back, he found a small fire and Elric ripping the skin out of a small rabbit. The horses watching neighed and looked away in front of the gruesome disy of butchering while Erika sat alone on a rock, her eyes still staring into the void.


    A sigh left him as he too the rabbit from Elric''s hands and skinned it himself.


    "Where did you get this?"


    "Running around."


    That wasn''t a great sign. It seemed the tricks he had picked up were wed after all.


    ude brought out the rations from the bags tied to the horses along with some condiments and sticks for skewering. He cut up the rabbit''s meat and ced them on stick before leaving them near the fire for a neat roast.


    He looked at Erika again and handed out the jerky to everyone.


    Erika, absentmindedly, took it from his hands.


    It was getting rather awkward.


    So awkward he could even see the horses sweating.


    "Guess we''re going to be living on the run again, Elric," he said. It was an attempt to tell Erika that they''re going to stick together for a while, but it only back-fired.


    Erika looked at ude with slight shock in her eyes and bit her lips.


    The memory of the conversation she had with him on the veranda of the hotel clear in her mind. ''I want to keep a roof on our heads and food on our tes,'' was what he had said, but now she had made them wanted criminals again.


    "Wait, why?"


    Of course, life wasn''t so kind to leave things at that. Or, Elric, wasn''t so kind.


    "Why do we have to live on the road again? It feels homely, yes, but no beds?"


    "I am sorry¡­" Erika squealed. "It''s all because of me¡­"


    "It is!?" Elric asked.


    "Did you fucking leave your brain back there?!"


    "No wait," Elric sighed. "If it''s her fault, shouldn''t we hand her back? Hey, Erika, let''s go back."


    "Yes¡­" Erika nodded. "You don''t have to suffer because of me¡­"


    "God damn it, Elric. I was already having trouble with a gloomy person, did you have to make her sob too?"


    Elric looked down at Erika once, tears streaming down her face. He sighed and sat back down, nibbling into his meat. The single jerky was enough to fill him up and the rabbit meat was probably just overkill.


    They continued eating in silence for a while.


    "I should really go back¡ª"


    "No one''s going back. Elric was kidding, right?"


    "Uh, um¡­ yup."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Erika sniffled and tried to stop herself from crying, but it didn''t work as silent tears kept dripping down her cheeks.


    ude didn''t know how to approach such subjects, and Elric cared too little to ask her.


    In the end, the sulky Erika had to continue the conversation.


    "Why¡­ why are you two helping me? Didn''t you want revenge¡­ why would you¡­"


    "Who said we''re not gonna have it?"


    ude bit into the roasted rabbit and asked.


    Erika looked up at him, confused. Then, she smiled. "Yeah, you should leave me be then."


    "Tsk. What a difficult person."


    udeined, not knowing he was the one that barelymunicated.


    "I said just enough to not get consumed, remember? My revenge is secondary against you bugs, but I''ll have it nheless." His gaze turned toward the sky.


    Yet today, the sky was pretty.


    Didn''t seem like that bad a day.


    "Why would I not help you? Maybe not in the beginning, but I don''t dislike you, Erika. Neither does Elric. We can help you a bunch of times and still have our revenge, who says we can''t?"


    Elric silently nodded at his words, his actions bold and loud enough.


    Erika felt her chest pound at her.


    "I wanted to be free from all these since the beginning¡­"


    Her tears grew faster.


    Her voice louder yet weaker.


    The faces of the people that she had clung onto for thest two years drifted in her mind over and over.


    "I am sorry¡­"


    She dropped the meat from her hand and fell on her knees.


    "I am sorry for not saying anything back then¡­ I am sorry for letting you be used back then¡­ I''ll not bother you¡­ I''ll go my own way¡­ I am sorry¡­. I am so sorry¡ª"


    "Man, so fucking insincere."


    Elric''s words cut her own like a de.


    Both ude and Erika turned too face Elric.


    "Help you once and you apologize to ude. Convenient, isn''t it?"


    "I¡­ that¡­ wasn''t my¡­"


    "And then you''re even going to shirk responsibility for getting us on the streets by running away on your own. What a bitch."


    Erika bit her lips, more tears streaming down.


    ude wondered if he should say something, but honestly, he agreed with Elric. He didn''t see any reason to stop him from speaking just to not hurt someone else''s feelings.


    "Wouldn''t it be better to juste with us for now¡­" Elric muttered, turning his gaze away. "And then you can apologize properly once you make it up to him. Maybe then ude will forgive you¡­"


    Erika looked at Elric again.


    "Him too," ude said. "You owe him an apology too, more than you owe me. If he says so, it might not be that bad an idea to just tag along. Your friend also sent a map along where we could go next."


    Erika fell on her back.


    "I¡­ I can¡­e along¡­?"


    The two of them nced at each other, and then nodded.


    Erika broke into tears again.


    "Thank you¡­ I am sorry¡­ thank you¡­"


    The two boys sighed again.


    Communication still seemed like a far off deal for them.


    It truly wasn''t that bad a day.

 Chapter 77 76: Imp

    ?


    "I am telling you, the first thing to do is to register as an adventurer."


    "It''s not that easy a way to make money."


    "What else will you do? Didn''t I say it before, another world means adventurer guild! Adventurer guild! Tell him, Erika!"


    "I mean¡­ I''d like to try it¡­"


    The clops of the horses on the barely trodden path rang out rhythmically. With the blue skies and the shining sun overhead, the group of three had now made most of their way three countries away from Maris, their destination, the westernmostnd on the central continent.


    "Still," ude muttered. "A reclusive country, huh?"


    "The god Silvanus represents forests and nature," muttered Erika.


    "Another one, huh?"


    "Haha¡­" Erikaughed. Even though she was now a part of ude and Elric''s party, she didn''t hate this world like they did.


    After following the map that thedy of the Zarak duchy had sent, they had made their way over to the Silva country. Inclines had taken over the n paths as soon as they crossed the borders to the tumultuous terrain of the nature loving people.


    The journey was greatly aided thanks to thedy of Zarak duchy that had been Erika''s sponsor. While ude carried everything in his amulet and Elric didn''t carry anything, a lot of Erika''s items were left behind, leaving her with only a staff and the other stuff that she kept on her person.


    "Hey so," Elric said. "If they''re all reclusive, are they like, elves or something?"


    In a whisper, Erika responded to the boy''s words.


    "I''ve heard there are elves hiding the country. But no one knows where."


    "Heh. Things like elves don''t exist."


    ude came in with a shocker. It was shocking enough to almost make Elric fall off the horse.


    "Aren''t you guys from the modern world? It''s like saying Santa is real."


    "Santa isn''t real!?"


    Elric doubled down.


    Erika lost her words while ude looked away, apologetically.


    "I am sorry, I thought you knew."


    "I didn''t! That''s so unfair! I thought he never came to my home because all of us were always sleeping, but to think he didn''t exist! Heck, I bet my mom used it as an excuse because she forgot about getting a gift!"


    "So you''ve never been given a gift and still believed in Santa?"


    Erika shook her head, more dumbfoundedness cancelled her previous dumbfoundedness. Simr to how two negatives made a positive.


    With a sigh, she spoke to ude.


    "Let me get this straight. You got transferred to a different world by gods, lived two years in a forest that changed terrains, fought god knows what monsters, arge snake, a vampire, zombies, fuck you spew fire and light out of your hands and you still think elves can''t exist!?"


    ude stopped and looked at Erika.


    Then nodded.


    "Yeah, no chance."


    It was pointless to argue. They continued up the incline for a bit, leaves of green falling on them every now and then.


    After some time passed in the narrow upward route, the horses tired down and the group decided to take a small break.


    Elric hopped down first while the two that did know to ride took the horses near a tree.


    It was then.


    A shattering scream echoed through the hills. With their eyes widened, the three of them turned toward the direction of the sound.


    "Feels like a pain."


    "Adventure!"


    Elric was rather hyper today.


    Before the other two could finish tying up the horses, Elric skipped toward the sound.


    "H-hey! Don''t go alone!" Erika shouted.


    "Help the right side, idiot," and ude continued.


    Elric waved his hands behind and continued dashing ahead. Past a few more trees, his eyes fell on a group of monsters. Their long limbs running down to the ground, three joints in each of them, with backs hunched ahead and tails fluttering behind their back from end to end, the monsters had gathered around a single blonde man.


    His shoulder bled profusely as a gaping wound bared its fangs, but his posture with the de did not hold a shred of hesitation or falling.


    Had it not been for the numbers, Elric was certain this person would have managed to defeat the imps on his own.


    But now, he was being kept on the edge.


    "Kree!"


    One imp screamed and spat at the man. The imp''s spit changed forms before transforming into a small fireball.


    "Hap!" The man hopped back and swung his sword, cutting the ball of mes in half. Right then, two more imps sneaked up on him and swung their ws.


    The man dodged them narrowly by tilting backward and kicking one away, while he locked his injured arm with the other.


    Not having a single regard for their fallen friend, more imps closed in on the man and swung their arms, tracks of fires surrounding some of their ws.


    The man dodged them narrowly by tilting backward and kicking one away, while he locked his injured arm with the other.


    Not having a single regard for their fallen friend, more imps closed in on the man and swung their arms, tracks of fires surrounding some of their ws.


    Elric waved his hands behind and continued dashing ahead. Past a few more trees, his eyes fell on a group of monsters. Their long limbs running down to the ground, three joints in each of them, with backs hunched ahead and tails fluttering behind their back from end to end, the monsters had gathered around a single blonde man.


    His shoulder bled profusely as a gaping wound bared its fangs, but his posture with the de did not hold a shred of hesitation or falling.


    Had it not been for the numbers, Elric was certain this person would have managed to defeat the imps on his own.


    But now, he was being kept on the edge.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Kree!"


    One imp screamed and spat at the man. The imp''s spit changed forms before transforming into a small fireball.


    "Hap!" The man hopped back and swung his sword, cutting the ball of mes in half. Right then, two more imps sneaked up on him and swung their ws.


    The man dodged them narrowly by tilting backward and kicking one away, while he locked his injured arm with the other.


    Not having a single regard for their fallen friend, more imps closed in on the man and swung their arms, tracks of fires surrounding some of their ws.


    The man continued dashing away, ready to dodgee what may.


    At that moment, Elric closed in and kicked the back of the man''s knee.


    "AH!"


    The man was swept backward, a wing straight for his face. He narrowly twisted his body and avoided the attack by nting his sword on the ground. He had formed a backward bridge!


    Elric saw him.


    Then turned toward the imps.


    "KREKRE!"


    "Kekekek!"


    "KAAA!"


    The imps screamed one after the other.


    With a shrug, Elric turned away and swept the man off his 90-degree bent feet.


    "Ah! Why are you?"


    Elric didn''t give him a chance to speak and started kicking his face, then his chest, Elric mercilessly kicked down the bastard.


    "KEKE!"


    "One of us! One of us!"


    The imps screamed in their own screeches and started kicking the bastard. Some of them put their arms around Elric''s shoulder and kicked the man.


    "Ah! AHhk! Who are you¡ª Why!"


    "Take that you! You dumb! Hiyah!"


    "Ow! Ow!


    The man was pummeled ck and blue and then ck again.


    It was then, a few arrows of mes fell from the skies and smashed through the heads of the imps around.


    Following it, spears of pure mana came hurtling out and smashed down the remaining few imps around.


    A grunt resounded, and with his pure ck de, ude beheaded the rest of the imps while turning toward Elric.


    "WHAT." He screamed. "ARE YOU DOING?"


    Elric looked down at the bloodied man, and then at the person in front of him.


    "I was helping the right people¡­?"


    "No, you! YOU!"


    ude screamed out loud. "What in the world are you doing?"


    "Aren''t the stranger ones correct? Why would anyone be on the losing side?"


    "Well, because they''re not monsters for one!? I don''t know, enlighten me Elric, why the fuck WOULD you help imps?""


    "I mean, is it really that hard to believe?"


    "NO! THAT''S THE BIGGER ISSUE!"


    Elric shrugged. ude was overreacting. This was Elric 101!


    "Um, guys, maybe help him now?"


    The group rushed toward the man on the ground and lifted him up slightly.


    "Hey! Mr. Are you alright?"


    "God¡­ what is that man¡­ he is an imp in disguise."


    "Shut up," ude grasped the man''s head. "Who are you to badmouth us?"


    "Excuse me?!?"


    "Heh."


    "ude, you shouldn''t talk after all."


    "Yeah, sorry."


    Erika then got down and pulled the man up.


    "Hey, can you tell us what happened?"


    "This imp! He attacked me!"


    Erika left him not the ground too!


    "Who are you calling an imp?"


    Elric was quite loved.

 Chapter 78 77: Hyden And The Town Of Siracus

    ?


    "It''s alright, it''s alright, neither of them will hurt you."


    "Are you sure, imp?"


    "HEY!"


    In a twist of events, the poor injured man found himself seeking refuge behind the back of the very person who had assaulted him. The ones that came to help ended up being more scary than the first one himself. What had the poor guy done except call an imp an imp? It only led to him being growled at by ude and Erika.


    "Then, now, why don''t you tell us why you were being beaten by the imps. Also, doesn''t it hurt?"


    Elric''s words seemed to have shaken off the man''s adrenaline high as he suddenly screamed and rolled on the ground.


    "AHH!! IT HURTS!"


    "Exactly."


    Elric grinned and the other two wondered if they should have defended him at all.


    The man screamed a bit more.


    And then fainted.


    "Wait, for real?"


    "Goddamn it!" ude cursed. "Let''s go, I am not wasting a potion on this random guy."


    ude got off the ground and dusted his back. He almost set off when Elric started scouring the fainted man''s clothes.


    "What are you doing now?" Erika asked, horrified.


    "Grave robbery."


    "He isn''t dead¡­ yet, huh?"


    His death was decided.


    Elric pulled out some gold, a strange looking shell, threw away a pendant, andstly looked into the man''s bag.


    "Oh, he has his own potion."


    ude secretly put back the potion that he had retrieved and turned around.


    "I guess he lives," he said. "Use it on him. Wait, were you fucking robbing him?"


    Elric ced the gold coins in his pocket and shook his head. "Not really¡­"


    "Erika you didn''t even stop him."


    "What good''s money on a dead person?"


    He couldn''t argue with that.


    Before realizing it, the weeks of travel had made Elric start to rub off on Erika as well. It seemed everyone had a little Elric in them that they just needed to embrace.


    "Potion time, potion time!"


    ***


    Potion was poured.


    ***


    "HAAH!"


    The man woke up screaming out loud.


    Not long had passed since he had cked out, but the trauma of having been betrayed by his own species was strong. As the man woke up, he saw the same three people who had previously helped him ying cards.


    "Is that¡­"


    "Bluff!"


    "We''re ying poker you little tramp."


    "Oh¡­"


    The man woke up and scurried behind Elric once more.


    "Imp! What happened?"


    The other two growled again while Elric patted his head. "There, there, here have some meat."


    "Oh! Thank you imp!"


    Elric tossed a jerky and the man chomped down.


    He had started to be tamed.


    "No what! I am not being tamed!"


    And he could hear the narrator! The imps damaged his soul, not his mind.


    "Now, then," Elric said. "That''ll be fifty gold for saving you."


    "Ah¡­"


    "He''s just kidding," ude said. They had already sucked him dry for all he was worth, ude would feel pretty trash for scamming someone or robbing them in their sleep. Doing it while they were awake was green though.


    "Now, tell us, what was up with that?"


    "I was on a mission to some ce," the blonde said, sitting up straight. "I ran into an imp nest, and had to fight them."


    "Didn''t look like you hurt yourself fighting them, on the hand." Elric pointed at the man''s shoulder as he spoke.


    The man looked over and shook his head.


    "It was a different injury. I am really thankful for your¡­. Help?"


    "We did help you."


    "We did, that goblin didn''t."


    Oh, was the reason he was being hated was because he called their goblin an imp?


    "I see, goblin."


    "Who do you think you''re talking to?"


    "You take that back, Elric is not a goblin you bitch."


    Elric was loved yet some more.


    The blonde man hid behind Elric, covering half his face behind his shoulders.


    "Are you guys new here? I can take you to the nearest town as a thanks."


    "Hm, well, yes," ude nodded. "We''re looking to work as adventurers here."


    "Oh! Adventurers, what a brave job!"


    "And what are you supposed to be?" Elric asked. The man looked like the picture of a handsome adventurer, but his handsomeness surely paled in front of Elric''s beauty.


    "I am¡­ just someone from a vige up here. Well, if you want I can take you to the town and then we can go our separate ways. It''s the least I can do."


    ude found the man slightly suspicious. He didn''t think him a problem, and that he hadn''t started blithering about his circumstances or problems like a fool was rather a good mark in his books, but he still couldn''t write him off as someone he could trust.


    Almost as if he was nning to do something while making this small detour.


    "Well," ude said. "Let''s do that for now. I am ude, this is Erika, and that is Elric. Elric, alright?"


    "Ah, yes¡­ Elric." The man nodded. "And I am Hyden. It is great to make all your acquaintance."


    "Mention not, Hidden,"


    "Hyd¡ª"


    "Hidden, what an odd name."


    "Hidden, didn''t he say hyden?"


    "Yes, I said¡ª"


    "Hidden. You misheard, Erika."


    "Oh, alright. We''ll count on you for now, Hidden."


    Poor Hidden raised his finger and lowered it down again. Maybe he shouldn''t be arguing with them after all.


    ***


    With Hidden in the crew now, the gang moved through the forest at a faster pace thanks to his awareness of the ce. And before long, they found themselves facing a small town in the middle of the mountains.


    The ce, built up on the incline was a tilted town that peeked downward. All the houses around had a small tilt while the bigger buildings weren''t without any difference.


    Thend, made up with stone paths was adorned with blooming flowers on all ends and grass to go along with it in the off seasons.


    Large air fans rotated around the houses like an in-house wind energy generator while many people carried along their cows and and their animals over to the terrace farms on the mountain. The growing lines of yellow and green in the distance looked like paintings formed on the ground, haphazard brushstrokes that cared not for a level but painted along the range.


    "Wee to Sircuse town, the base of all the towns in the country of Silva are the same. The mountain ranges our home and the people here our family. I am sure the guild would appreciate new adventurers."


    With those words, Hyden took them to the adventurer guild first.


    "It has been a while since we checked ours too, right?"


    "I wonder if it would have been updated."


    Erika clenched her fists as well.


    "I am looking forward to seeing mine!"


    The group entered the Adventurer guild right away. Again formed on the incline, the guild house was made in an open air spot and let people look around.


    With barely any crowd in the ce, they got right to the reception.


    "We''d like a soul stone please!"


    "And to reegister as adventurers!"


    The receptionist, another blonde with hair a shade lighter than Hyden''s smiles and brought out a stone. Erika quickly made a small cut on her hands, and so did the other two.


    And before long, their stats revealed themselves.


    [[


    Name: Erika Arkwin


    Age: 18


    ss: Archmage


    Title: Traitorous Hero


    Stats:


    Strength: 21


    Agility: 32


    Endurance: 19


    Vitality: 80<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Intelligence: 94


    Charm: 70


    Perception: 35


    Spirit Control: -


    Mana: 160


    Mana Control: 74


    .


    .


    .


    Skills: [Elemental Magic: Beginner], [Elemental Magic: Intermediate], [ck Magic: Beginner], [Conceptual Magic: Beginner], [Magical Enhancement: Intermediate], [Alchemy: Intermediate], [Neutral Magic: Intermediate], [Spirit Magic: Untilized], [Hero''s Strength], [Hero''s Constitution], [Hero''s Growth]¡­


    .


    .


    .


    Unique Skills: [Archmage (+)], [Ephis'' Blessing], [Mana Absorption: Weak (+)], [Mana Resistance]


    .


    .


    .


    Equipment: [Zarak Staff (Heroic)], [Hero''s Pendant (Heroic)],]


    [


    Name: ude Almstedt


    Age: 18


    ss: Light Hero | Vessel of the Lord of Shadows


    Title: Fallen Hero


    Stats:


    Strength: 72


    Agility: 75


    Endurance: 90


    Vitality: 120


    Intelligence: 56


    Charm: 68


    Perception: 60


    Spirit Control: 12


    Mana: 114


    Mana Control: 40


    .


    .


    .


    Skills: [Weapon Mastery: Beginner], [Wild Swordsmanship: Advanced], [Trinity Magic: Unutilized], [Spirit Talk: Unutilized], [Hero''s Strength], [Hero''s Constitution], [Hero''s Growth]¡­


    .


    .


    .


    Unique Skills: [Possession Resistance: Intermediate (Active], [Light Hero''s Potential], [Acquisition], [Stat Absorption], [Skill Acquisition], [Shadow Control (+)], [Light Hero (+)]


    .


    .


    .


    Equipment: [Armor Set of the Shadow Lord(???)], [Shadow Lord''s Soul (Hostile) (Constant Danger)]


    ]


    [


    Name: ude Almstedt


    Age: 18


    ss: Light Hero | Vessel of the Lord of Shadows


    Title: Fallen Hero


    Stats:


    Strength: 78


    Agility: 79


    Endurance: 94


    Vitality: 128


    Intelligence: 66


    Charm: 74


    Perception: 69


    Spirit Control: 13


    Mana: 119


    Mana Control: 47


    .


    .


    .


    Skills: [Weapon Mastery: Beginner], [Wild Swordsmanship: Advanced], [Trinity Magic: Unutilized], [Spirit Talk: Unutilized], [Hero''s Strength], [Hero''s Constitution], [Hero''s Growth]¡­


    .


    .


    .


    Unique Skills: [Possession Resistance: Intermediate (Active], [Light Hero''s Potential], [Acquisition], [Stat Absorption], [Skill Acquisition], [Shadow Control (+)], [Light Hero (+)]


    .


    .


    .


    Equipment: [Armor Set of the Shadow Lord(???)], [Shadow Lord''s Soul (Hostile) (Constant Danger)]


    ]


    [


    Name: Elric Wald


    Age: 18


    ss: -


    Title: Two Surnames | Ruler of Water (Self Proimed)


    Stats:


    Strength: 26


    Agility: 24


    Endurance: 24


    Vitality: 36


    Intelligence: 96


    Charm: 120


    Perception: 58


    Spirit Control: 4


    Mana: 3


    Mana Control: 220


    .


    .


    .


    Skills: [Hex Magic: Beginner (Charm)], [Water Magic: Beginner], [Chantless Casting], [Gestureless Casting], [Water Usurpation], [Water Maniption: Saint]


    .


    .


    .


    Unique Skills: [Awakening], [Adaptability]


    .


    .


    .


    Equipment: -


    ]

 Chapter 79 79: Siracus Cafe

    ?


    "Hey, all of yours went up by a bit, ude." Elric spoke to ude as the three of them viewed their soul stones. They hadn''t shown the stats yet to the receptionist and to Hyden, and neither of the two tried to peek in, knowing well how rude it was.


    "Maybe so, but how has your charm gone up so much?"


    "I cut my hair?"


    "I don''t think that would affect much. You probably emit more of a cool aura after fighting that thing back there."


    "Um, guys¡­" Erika called, her hands trembling. "This here¡­ this title¡­"


    The two boys peeked over her shoulder and looked down at her soul stone.


    The receptionist and Hyden were both rather surprised by the three''s closeness, but their faces were soon overtaken by smiles.


    Three innocent kids, no matter how much they had troubled Hyden, he still thought they were quite cute.


    And so, helping them a little didn''t hurt him a lot.


    He could do that, and keep on his own purpose as well.


    After discussing with each other, the three kids finally turned their soul stones to the spectator mode. Erika handed it to the receptionist while ude and Elric took out their guild cards.


    "Oh¡­ these stats! This is crazy! A-at this level, can''t you be a court magician apprentice? You can easily do that!"


    "What? Is it that great?"


    "She''s at the level of A-Ranked adventurers! An all rounded mage." The receptionist said, her head shuffling from side to side in excitement. "Hey, miss, what''s your ss? I won''t tell anyone."


    "I am¡­ just an intermediate wizard for now."


    "Specialization?"


    Erika prodded over her words a lot before speaking. "None."


    "I-I see¡­ that''s a bit of a waste, huh?"


    Erika found her slightly rude, but did not object to anything yet.


    sses were assigned by the gods themselves. It just appeared in one''s soul stone for extreme achievement or recognition, or even aptitude and cultivation in a direction. Normal sses were rather easy and natural to obtain for people who held a level of expertise, usually adventurers that fit the bar for the C-Rank.


    For wizards that had as wide a range of specialization as modern day doctors, getting a speciality ss was a natural step in their growth journey, so Erika iming she had none showed that she wasn''t as skilled a wizard as her stats would lead one to believe.


    Who was to admit now that Erika was the rarest ss of wizards one can only dream of reaching?


    In that sense, Elric''s sslessness was something very strange since his stats were in two hundreds, but the boy himself wasn''t one to worry about it.


    "It will take some time, but I can probably, probably get you at the B-Rank? You might have to hit some targets for us, but I guess that''s no problem?"


    Erika nodded. Showing off was her area of expertise.


    "Hey, can you really do it?"


    "Should we just tell her you''re as useless as an ant without pheromones?"


    Erika clicked her tongue.


    "You rats¡­" Erika pouted her cheeks. "Of course I can do that much."


    "Well you don''t really have a good track record with magic," ude said.


    "I''ll have you know, a teleportation spell like mine is something many people can not do in their entire lifetime."


    "Because they''re too strong to run away?"


    Erika turned away at Elric''sments.


    "B-Rank. Done. What rank are you two, by the way?"


    "Hah!" ude scoffed. "Of course we''re¡­"


    And his words trailed off.


    "C-Ranked! Take that!" Elricpleted his sentence for him, his hands on his waist a proud grin hanging from his lips.


    "And!? That''s worse!" Erika screamed.


    "Eh? Whates first, B or C?"


    "B does?"


    "And what''s bigger, two or three?"


    Erika raised her finger.


    Then stroked her chin in deliberation.


    "I guess that makes sense¡­"


    "No, it doesn''t!"


    "Stay out of this, Mr. Hidden."


    Hyden shook his head and turned back to the receptionist. And so did ude.


    "Hey, miss. What kind of privacy does the adventurer guild offer? Considering we already are adventurers."


    "We usually receive notice for major criminals from the countries," the receptionist said. "And all of them are immediately removed from the list. So, as long as you haven''t done anything like that, nothing about you will be told to anyone outside of the guild. No, even people inside won''t know what you don''t want them to. We value our adventurers first and foremost."


    ude nodded at her words.


    It seemed the adventurer guild that was pretty much an organization that could stand against most countries could be trusted.


    "Then, I believe you would want your friend to be registered? We can finish the process by this evening and she can sign and collect her card then."


    "Sounds good to me."


    "I guess you''ll also be forming a party to operate from here?" The receptionist asked.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "YES!" Elric dived in. "Please name it¡ª"


    "Ruler of Water and sidekicks."


    "Twilight Lord and sidekicks."


    "AWA?"


    Elric and ude both turned toward Erika at her suggestion.


    "Hey, what kind of nder is that?"


    "You think we don''t even deserve being called sidekicks?"


    Erika took a step back.


    "No? I mean, Almstedt Wald and Arkwin? Or do you prefer first names?"


    Elric and ude stopped.


    She didn''t n to make them sidekicks at all, it was pure hearted!


    They both patted her shoulders and turned back.


    "Leave the name alone for now."


    "Yes, lets do that."


    They both decided toe aroundter and have it changed to their preferred names at ater time.


    Finally, the receptionist was free of their bber and they were let go.


    "Alright, Mr. You guys saved my life," Elric called. "How about treating us to a meal instead of giving us money."


    "A meal?" Hyden thought on the matter and then nodded. "Fine. I''ll do that, but unfortunately, we''ll have to go our separate ways after that."


    "Sounds good to me," Elric said.


    "Oh? You''re treating us? Thanks."


    "Ending so soon, it was good traveling with you, Mr. Hidden."


    Erika could have saved that for when he was gone, but this was fine too.


    Hyden and the three then stepped out of the guild and tread their way through the many houses around. The buildings covered with ivory paints and oak nks, tiled with simr wood roofs or stones made for a peaceful sight to walk through.


    The color of the city was calming, and the air that breezed along with it was just as helpful.


    It ced the skipping Elric into a bright mood as dragonflies and butterflies danced around him, earning amused wows from the few onlookers. Even Hyden was surprised by the effect of Elric''s beauty that captured insects and humans alike.


    The group soon entered a small cafe in the edge of the town, the symbol of a coffee engraved on a nk and hung outside the door. A chime rang as they stepped inside and took to their seats.


    An old blonde man in a tailcoat was at the counter, wiping his dishes dry as the group stepped inside. The cafe had barely a few customers other than themselves.


    In the back of the counter, a single gramophone rang with vinyl disks spinning on it, a soft jazzy tune filling the air.


    "Quite the ce¡­" Elric muttered.


    "Right? The Silvanus ranges are like that," Hyden said. "It''s all as cozy and nice as you imagine it to be."


    Elric nodded at his words.


    "Why don''t you all take a seat, I''ll ask the chef for whatever''s good."


    Hyden offered and the three partook.


    "I want something sweet please!"


    "I''ll take something strong."


    Elric and Erika made their demand while ude flicked his hand. "I am good with anything edible and a lot."


    Hyden smiled and walked away.


    It was then that ude stood up too.


    "Where are you going?"


    "I''ll just¡­ go to the washroom."


    Leaving those words behind, ude slowly moved away from the table and walked toward the back of the shop, near the counter. His senses heightened as he slowed his gait at a distance, and his ears started picking up the words those two exchanged.


    "Excuse me, master." Hyden called to the barista with a strange title. "Do you think you have seen any people in robes around these parts? Someone that might have looked like a young girl?"


    "A young girl in robes?"


    "Yes, and two more people."


    The barista raised his chin and shook his head.


    "I don''t think so."


    ude''s eyes immediately shifted toward Hyden as the man clenched his fists, trying to hide his frustration.


    Things had started bing clear in ude''s mind.


    It seemed Hyden was looking for something.


    He decided to trust the man for now and indulge in the food. They were going to go their separate way anyways¡ª


    "Whats this service! I sent my ve for an order long ago!"


    If Elric would stop making a scene first, that is.


    "Hand over some food for free!"

 Chapter 80 80:

    ?


    The meal that the man had treated the three to ended much muchter than they had expected. While Elric was an extremely small eater who was full with just a slice of bread, and Erika was a normal person, ude was anything but.


    He ate and ate and then ate some more until the barista personally came and apologized for being unable to serve more.


    Hyden had to borrow some cash from them, and Elric dly allowed it at a steep interest rate. When the parties agreed, Elric pulled out the vey pouch that he had stolen from the sleeping Hyden and was scolded by him.


    The other two insisted he take it back.


    Hyden called him an imp again. And then ran away after being growled at.


    "Hm, he was a good guy," Erika muttered, stretching her hands above her head.


    "Right? He stole my money though¡­"


    "Money you stole! I thought I told you to keep it back?"


    Erika and Elric both looked away at ude''s words.


    "Really, just steal when someone is awake next time."


    "Sorry¡­"


    "He seemed to have been looking for someone," ude muttered. "I was worried for nothing, he was a good guy after all."


    ude was certain that the man would be looking around the town a little more before leaving. But that was his thing to deal with now. He may have justified tagging along with them as looking for whoever he was, but in the end that was just justification.


    "What should we do now?" Elric asked. "What are we going to do even?"


    Erika sighed at his words.


    A gentle breeze spread past then, sending the lines of grass and flowers on the inclines road aflutter.


    The map had stopped at this spot. There was nowhere else for them to go that could be deemed safe.


    All of them turned back at the same time. The incline offered the view above and below in a fashion unique to Silvanus, and Siracuse town was one of the most beautiful of them all in the mountainousnds.


    "Should we try living here?" ude muttered.


    Erika reeled back at ude''s words.


    She had assumed that she would be living on the run now, the time that she had spent as an archmage wasn''t much different.


    Even now, hordes of monsters were filling the northern continent, and thend of demons in the west and the north wasn''t much better. Demonic Dark Desire ran atrge, and she didn''t even get the chance to hear what it was about.


    The world was in constant danger¡­ but she had stepped away from it all.


    Was she ignoring things that were her responsibility? Was it her responsibility in the first ce? She was forcefully brought to this world, she didn''t remember volunteering for it even once.


    But what if¡­ what if she could do something that would save the world?


    What if she could do something that change it.


    What if that was the reason she was brought here?


    "What you thinking?" Elric suddenly called.


    "That¡­ Nothing, what were we talking about? A ce, right?"


    "Do you not wanna?" Elric asked. "We won''t if you don''t want to. Right, ude?"


    ude nodded, folding his arms.


    "Why would I say that?" Erika chuckled. "I am alright, don''t worry."


    "Yup!" Elric suddenly threw his arms in the air and screamed. "We don''t worry, we just do whatever we want. Right ude?"


    ude answered with a lopsided grin to Elric''s words.


    His friend here was slowly growing up.


    "You bet," he said. "Do whatever you want, Erika."


    In his own way, the boy turned back and started walking off.


    Erika stared at the ground before smiling and nodding.


    "I want to rent a ce then!"


    "Hm?"


    The two boys tilted their heads.


    "No inns! Let''s get a fucking house."


    ***


    "A house on rent?"


    Asked Gustavo who sold houses. Rubbing his rounded mustache, the stout man smiled and asked the trio into his shop. He was about to step inside when ude grabbed the back of his cor and turned him outside.


    "Houses. Show us."


    Gustavo was slightly shook by the man''s brazenness, but agreed for now.


    "You want to rent one, correct?"


    "Yeah," ude nodded. He did think about buying one right away, but didn''t have anywhere near the money required to do that.


    Nodding, Gustavo got on the road and the three customers followed. The first ce he guided them to was a house in the center of the town, rather near the cafe and the adventurer''s guild. The brown logs sent out a fresh scent while the tiled roof built up with y tiles created a soothing atmosphere.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Gustavo brought them inside the spacious house. With three rooms in two floors, a kitchen connected to the living room and a dining table around, the ce seemedvish and cheerful.


    The sounds of bluebirds and thrushes resounded in the air as the small mountain birds hopped around on the sills of the windows.


    "Woah! This is like, super inmmable."


    Gustavo flinched.


    "This will burn if we set it on fire." The super pretty girl spoke. It was already annoying to see that this one crazy man was moving into a house with twodies, but to think the prettier one was like this, she seemed innocent enough to have been tricked!


    "Let''s not go with this. It''s probably steep on the wallet too."


    Erika said.


    Gustavo immediately turned back and smiled. "Well, well, it''s not like that! Just 32 gold coins a month, it''s rather cheap I say!"


    "I agree with him here," ude muttered. "It''s easily burnable."


    "All houses are burnable, ude."


    "Preach!" Said Gustavo. "Wait, HIM!?"


    Gustavo''s mouth dropped.


    At that moment, Elric clicked his lips and ran a hand through his hair. His charm was enough to send both Gustavo and Erika''s heart fluttering as their cheeks reddened.


    Seeing them like that, Elric grinned which just doubled the damage he caused.


    ude, on the other hand, was so disgusted by Elric''s personality that his looks would never be able to win him over.


    "Him. Alright? Let''s go to the next one."


    Gustavo looked at Elric, and then at Erika. It wasn''t the man that was the snake, but this girl all along.


    Biting his lips, Gustavo took them to different houses. If three people were going to live in one, then he had to show them spacious ces, and if thedy was the boss it also had to be scenic, in his jealousy, the merchant in him also burnt.


    "It''s just 15 gold!"


    "14!"


    "I really can''t go lower than this."


    "Alright fine," Gustavo sighed. That pretty one objecting with everything. "I can show you another ce for four gold a month, but its not really that good."


    "If it''s not fine we''ll just take the 20 gold one."


    ''If you''re nning on that then just buy it!'' Gustavo screamed, underestimating how used to options a modern man was.


    In the end, he took them to the furthest corners of the city. At the edge of the mountains where a final cliff put into perspective how high up the town was.


    The stone path to the house had slightly been filled with moss and the ebony wood that had been used to build the ce had started to rot.


    Spider webs covered the outside of the hut. Gustavo stepped on the nks leading up to the porch, almost miraculously earning a haunted creak from the wood.


    "He''s too heavy."


    "That''s not nice, Elric."


    "Sorry¡­"


    Gustavo ignored the conversation behind and pushed the door open. As time had passed, he had stopped seeing thedy as vixen and now thought of things as a family moving in, two parents and their bratty kid.


    It was quite strange, but he let it pass for now.


    The inside was not much better than the rest. While theyout of the ce was simr to the first house they had seen, and while it was just asrge as that one as well, this ce reeked of ghosts and horrors.


    "It''s a rather scary house, never sold. I''ve brought the rent down a lot, but I can''t rmend it. The people before that tried to get here for cheap all ran away within a week."


    Elric ignored the man and dashed up the stairs, just like a child.


    The other two decided to ignore him for now and looked around. The dining table was darkened, instead of small sparrow, crows sat on the windows. Spiders rattled around the corners while dust had settled everywhere.


    "Oh, my god." Suddenly, a voice only ude could hear spoke in his ears. "This ce reeks of ghosts! ude, my man, my student, my sessor, let''s not do this. Please, let''s not take this one."


    The annoying little Lord of Shadows had spoken up.


    "Why?"


    "Oh, hoho! Do you think it''s because I am scared of ghosts? Not at all, I am only looking out for you¡ª"


    "No need, then it should be good."


    "I was just messing around. I am like, super duper scared of ghosts. ude, please."


    "CLAUDE!"


    At that time, Elric screamed.


    ude''s eyes widened in surprise as he dashed up the stairs in a single go and pushed open the door of the room Elric was in.


    "There''s a ghost here!"


    Inside the room, on the ground.


    Was a blonde woman with the face of an angel.


    And the ears of an elf.

 Chapter 81 81: House Warming

    ?


    On the groundy a long eared being. Covered in what seemed to have been a long cloak, the girl with tinum blonde hairy still, her sleep tranquil as a flower.


    "Ghost!" Elric said again.


    Footsteps rang behind as Erika and Gustavo climbed up too.


    ude stepped ahead and kicked the head of the girl.


    "HEY!"


    "EH!?"


    "STOP YOU!"


    Three voices screamed in his ears as the ghost rolled away.


    "What?" ude snapped and asked, his voice threatening all the ones that spoke to him. "I was just checking if it was a ghost."


    "I am scared of ghosts," muttered the Lord of Shadows. "And even I could obviously tell that she isn''t. We should go and tell the mayor"


    "Ah, um¡­ that person doesn''t seem like a ghost." Gustavo said too, slightly spooked by ude''s nonchnce in kicking away a downed person.


    "Oh, do you sell people with your houses now?" Elric asked. "We definitely should go to the mayor. To get you cuffed that is."


    "No no no! That''s a misunderstanding! I don''t sell anyone with the houses."


    "Tell that to me when we take both this ghost and this house for free."


    Elric''s vile intentions leaked right out. The boy was pulled away by his friend as Erika now went over to the girl and slowly lifted her up.


    ude, had a bad feeling about all of this.


    Someone looking for someone. And then them finding someone. There weren''t many ways this could go in now, could it?


    He was almost certain in his heart that this being was likely the person that Hidden guy was looking for. But now, a bigger issue had presented itself to him.


    "This girl¡­ She''s an elf!"


    This.


    "E-elf!? That''s an elf!?" Gustavo fell on his back, and the floorboards below creaked out loud forcing him to stand back up in fear of them breaking down.


    Gustavo tried to peek over at the elf that was still asleep on Erika''sps. The girl looked over the elf for any injuries and took her pulse. She seemed as normal as a person could be, except for a slight swelling on her back, courtesy of foolhardy ude and his kick.


    "Um, excuse me," Gustavo spoke up, gritting his teeth. "It would be best to bring that elf to a safe ce. If she''s really an elf from the deepest parts of the country then there could be a lot of circumstances in y. Going to anyone like this would be problematic."


    Gustavo''s logic burnt just as bright as his annoyance and merchant spirit, but even brighter was were the raging mes of his kindness.


    "A safe ce, huh?"


    "I''ll¡­ let her stay in one of the ces you saw."


    "Sounds good," said ude as he pulled the elf and carried her over his shoulder as if she was just baggage.


    "Um, moving outside like this will bring a lot of suspicion."


    "Fine, fine, let''s keep her here then."


    Gustavo nodded in relief. Thankfully for him, ude was in a simr mindset right now. He knew that things wereplicated, and he had already faced a person looking for someone in robes just like the elf''s.


    There was a danger, and it was more than possible that Hidden might have been a decent human being in a gang of scumbags. He didn''t to risk it.


    "For now, we''ll rent this ce then."


    "Oh, it''s not like that. You can always pick a different one whenever you want."


    Gustavo truly was kind.


    "We''ll consider it. For now, I like this one. It''s thrilling to think if it will fall down the cliff overnight."


    Gustavo didn''t even want to argue with this crazy.


    "Then, let''s do that¡­ You should probably the elf on this bed right here¡ª"


    "Bed!"


    Elf had to take the floor.


    ***


    Gustavo stepped out for the day after telling them he will handle the paperwork required for them to move in so that no one would suspect things. And then promised to return with some dinner or to even invite them over if he would be able to.


    "What a kind man¡­" Erika muttered as he left.


    "I feel kinda bad for letting Elric, Elric him."


    "Me too, me too."


    ude ced a hand on his waist and turned back to the room. Corvids still pecked the windows and spiders still scuttled on the walls.


    "Let''s clean this ce."


    And off they set.


    The pushed the windows open after checking the outsides for nests of the birds. Then, with fresh air finallying in, they picked up their brooms and dusted the ce down.


    Starting from the ceilings was always the best.


    "Hm, it would have been nice to have enough space for the horses too, right?" Erika said.


    "Maintenance would have been a hassle. It''s great that the adventurer guild is looking after them," ude answered.


    She moved over to where ude was and the boy turned away in perfect sync as the tackled the walls and the ceilings in unison.


    Dry cleaning was all they needed to do.


    "There don''t seem that many adventurers here¡­" Erika said.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "There aren''t. We''ll likely be asked to help if something happens."


    "The pay¡­"


    That part was annoying to think about. They just needed to hold out anyway, they could always travel some more and explore more quests ande back to a home. It would bring about normalcy that he quite liked, in fact.


    "Ah!"


    ude stepped back as one of the crows in a bedroom fluttered inside.


    "Catch it!"


    "Hap!"


    A crow chase broke out. Erika would shrink away every time the crow came close while ude would jump around to get his mitts on it. In the end, the crow shat on the floor and left by itself.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Whatever, all of that will be gone."


    The two of them ignored that bit and continued sweeping up the house. ude went a step further and also cleaned up the outside.


    Once the long, hassle some work was done, it came time to wash the ce down and bring it back to new.


    For that, they pulled out their pressure washer.


    "Let me sleep you cunts! I will end you! I will end you!!"


    "Clean things up and then go sleep."


    "You should just do it, Elric."


    "Damn you! Damn you to hell straight! How can you do this to a poor man?"


    Erika then created a small blob of water, and Elric had no choice left but to clean the ce up. In his rage, he made sure to exterminate the dust from every single nook and cranny of the building.


    The many hours long work waspleted in the blink of an eye thanks to Elric''s cleaning and drying work.


    "We might not need jobs. Let''s have Elric run a clean up business," said Erika, wiping her fingers over the now clean walls. Not a speck of dust remained.


    "Grrr!"


    Elric growled at her words.


    Finishing it all, he slumped down on the couch and yawned.


    "I wanted to sleep more¡­"


    "Sorry about that," said ude. "Also, I think that the Hidden guy was looking for this elf."


    "Hidden was? How do you know?"


    "I overheard him, it was suspicious too."


    "Um. We''ll have to wait for this girl to wake up then, huh?" Erika muttered, her vignce going a notch up.


    Letting the elf be like this could be dangerous.


    Whether they should be helping her meet someone or helping her escape or even helping her get captured, that would only be revealed when she wakes up.


    "Huh? Why would we bother with that?" Spoke Elric. "That''s such a hassle."


    "She is sleeping in our house. We brought this hassle upon ourselves."


    "Don''t worry, I know just the way to fix this up."


    "And how would you do that?" ude asked at Elric''s cryptic words.


    "Let''s throw her out of the house."


    The other two were left speechless.


    "She would be ruining our sleep anyway. It''s best to just let her be. We''ll throw her in a ditch and have ourselves some good ol sleep!"


    Thinking on it now¡­ keeping an elf was a hassle.


    "Still, it is dangerous. Let''s keep the elf here for now, no matter how much you want to throw her out, Elric."


    "Tsk."


    "You just don''t want to share the bed, right? We weren''t gonna let you anyway."


    "You mean I''ll have to sleep on the floor?"


    "Nope. On this couch."


    Elric was shocked, but that was better than sharing his sleeping ce. ude was just messing around though and would let him have his roomter.


    The sun had started to go down, they had nothing much left to do.


    Almost on time, Gustavo returned to the house with food brought along for everyone. The group indulged and Gustavo returned saying that his wife told him to keep bringing some meals till everyone adjusted.


    He was truly a kind man. His wife was kind too.


    The night passed quietly.


    It was the next morning, when Elric decided to throw the elf out the window anyway.


    "¡­ Who¡­ are you?"


    Did he find her awake.

 Chapter 82 82: Tiana And The Ruler

    ?


    "Who¡­ are you?"


    The words of the elf pierced Elric''s ears.


    Her long eyshes gently flickered as she rubbed her eye and tilted her head to the side. A lock of hair fell over her face, highlighting her slightly blushed cheeks with their innocence.


    While no Erika or ude could be mentioned in the same breath as the elf''s beauty, she was still no match for Elric.


    "I¡­"


    He was here to throw her out but¡­


    But¡­


    The innocent eyes that stared at him unsuspectingly. Almost as if she was unaware of her own position and her own status.


    All of it¡­


    It stopped Elric in his tracks¡ª


    "I am, the Ruler of Water and the savior of your life."


    ¡ªFor the role-y potential here was too great to be ignored.


    "R-ruler of water?"


    For effect, Eric snapped his fingers and formed a small butterfly of water. It was still tough to add details, but he hade a long way from the days when he had just stepped out of the Mystic Forest and struggled to make the Eiffel Tower. If it was just one, he had learned enough to make it look natural!


    The butterfly gently fluttered ahead, its wings stroking the air with each p.


    "Wow¡­" the elf eximed, her eyes widened. "T-this¡­"


    Elric hid his sweat and made the butterfly gentlynd on top of the elf''s nose. The small butterfly and all its legs rested atop her, but did not let her get wet even in the slightest.


    The girl raised her hand and tried to touch the butterfly, but her finger passed through wings.


    "Ah!"


    She hummed in surprise and reeled back. At that moment, Elric stepped forward and grabbed the butterfly from the air. He closed his palm and opened it again, turning it into a flower this time.


    "A-amazing¡­ this is¡­ magic? No¡­"


    The control was too high for her to believe. Well, Elric had to pinch his back and stop himself from losing focus.


    "This, is the power of the Ruler."


    "Ruler¡­ of water¡­?"


    Elric nodded and raised his hand yet again. He took the stem of the flower and ced it on top of the elf''s head.


    Finally, no need to control it anymore.


    Poor little Elric could only think one step into the future most times. He left all control over the flower of water.


    "Ow."


    And it all sshed down on the elf girl''s face.


    She held the top of her head and turned at Elric with shock in her eyes.


    The self proim Ruler of Water looked away, sweat pouring down his forehead like a broken waterfall.


    "Haha¡­ hahaha!"


    The girl startedughing.


    "Thank you! Lord of Water!"


    "Ruler."


    "Lord of Ruler!"


    Her voice was a tad too loud and tipped off the others in the house toe over and witness amotion. Ande out to witness amotion they did.


    As the footsteps of the other to rang out, Elric turned toward the elf again and shushed her.


    "You, listen. Mortals areing, do not tell them my identity!"


    "You''re hiding?"


    "Yes! Now, I am just a human, ok?"


    "Ok!"


    The door swung open right then and Elric stepped away from the elf.


    "Oh? What are you doing here, Elric?" ude hummed. He had zero doubts that Elric was around to throw the girl outside.


    "I can ask the same to you," said Elric.


    "She''s awake¡­"


    Erika, the only person who noticed what was important, passed through the room and went over to the elf. She gently took her hands and spoke.


    "Hi. How are you feeling?"


    "G-g-good?" The girl answered, her gaze shaking between Erika and Elric.


    "Can you tell me your name?"


    "I am not the Ruler of Lord!"


    "Yes?"


    "Ah! I am not, nothing. You misheard!"


    Elric nodded and ced a hand on Erika''s shoulder. "You totally misheard her. Stop bothering her."


    A lot of confusion floated around in the room.


    ude, not having any headspace for anything, walked over to the elf too and spoke in a rough tone.


    "Who are you and where are you from? Answer or die."


    "T-that''s so not nice!" The girl spoke.


    ude red at her.


    "What were you doing passed out in our house?"


    "I was passed out?"


    "Why else did you think you just woke up in a fucking bed?"


    "Hm?" The elf tilted her head again. "Because I went to sleep on it?"


    "DID YOU NOW!?"


    The girl crossed her arms.


    "Not really¡­ I didn''t¡­"


    "EXACTLY!" ude snapped. "Now, where are you from?"


    "Home!"


    "WHERE IS YOUR HOME!?!?"


    "¡­ Next to my neighbors home?"<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    ude let out a loud sigh.


    He grabbed the girl by the scruff of her neck. Pushed the windows open. And got ready to throw her out.


    "Stop! Stop!"


    "Let go! I will end this bitch!"


    Erika pulled ude back with all her might while the elf girl was still confused, even though she was inches away from being thrown out.


    Elric gave her a thumbs up and she returned it.


    ude''s eyes snapped to the side right then.


    The first person that this elf had met was Elric. He knew well how baby chicks imprinted on people.


    This elf bitch had imprinted on Elric! That was why she was more of a pain than losing all your limbs.


    Taking in a deep breath, ude pulled the elf girl back inside and ced her on the bed once more. Then, he grabbed Elric and tossed him out the window.


    "CLAAAUDDEE!"


    A bang resounded as ude shut the doors well.


    He dusted his hands turned back in. The elf girl was staring down the window while saying something about rulers and lords.


    "Alright, now that the virus is gone. Name."


    "C-ude?"


    "YOUR NAME!"


    "Oh! Say that then. I am Tiana."


    "FUCK!"


    ude screamed his frustration.


    "How difficult was that? Huh? Huh?!"


    Erika patted ude''s back and shook her head.


    "Don''t mind him, Tiana. He''s a bit like that, but he wasn''t always like that. He''s just be like that."


    Sighing, ude crossed his legs and raised his chin.


    "So, mind telling us what you were up to?"


    "Oh, I remember ying around with some kidnappers who thought they were like, really witty for baiting me with macarons. They said if I follow them they''ll take me to a house made of macarons."


    They didn''t seem as witty as she seemed stupid.


    "Hidden, name rings any bells?"


    "Hidden¡­?"


    ***


    Weeks had passed since Trauma had hit a certain man.


    After running away from a bunch of drunks that filled the streets, the people of the city had be so pissed with him that they were debating making a statue of him for humiliation.


    But the man was not let down.


    For he.


    Was destined for greatness.


    That''s right. The one walking out on a vacation to a ce where no one could have possibly heard of the super sarcastic nder the people of the city of Soleda were spreading, was none other than Leres.


    Holder of Fate. Fisher of hate.


    Escaping the ce and hoping to get away from the fishes all together, Leres had decided to go to thest ce one could find fish at. The skies. And so he found himself en route to the mountains of Silvanus that pierced through the skies.


    But, he was not alone.


    He knew he wasn''t.


    Not far back, ever since he left the ce, he had noticed the presence of three more.


    "H-hey Marcus, do you want to go talk to Lord Leres?"


    "I can''t¡­ what if he gets annoyed?"


    "Puuuu puuu puuuu!"


    "You get it, Mr. Bagpipe."


    "How will I ever be as mature as you, Mr. Bagpipe?"


    He was being followed by three crazies!


    There was no way they weren''t crazy. Leres could smell crazy from ten miles away and he was sure these guys were crazy.


    "Whatever," Leres muttered. In his days as a fisherman in a family that loved fish, he had learned more than to escape like those slimy bastards.


    After continuing up ahead for a while longer, Leres heard a voice.


    "Damn it! Where did that bitch go?"


    "The elves will kill us if we don''t find her!"


    Elves? Bitch? Death?


    Destiny was calling.


    Leres rushed toward the sound and dived into the woods on the side of the path. Standing there were two people in long trench coats.


    Their eyes slowly turned back toward Leres.


    "What the heck? Who are you?"


    "HEY!"


    Someone else answered in Leres'' stead. Diving in from the back, the three idiots that had been following him came up to the front and screamed.


    "This is Lord Leres! The killer of a million zombies!"


    "His breath can make you fall to your knees!"


    "PUUUUU!"


    "He even walks around with a bgm guy!"


    The two people in coats were confused.


    "L-lord Leres¡­?"


    "That would be great demonyer lord for you," Marcus said.


    "Great Demonyer Lord Leres?"


    "Yes! Now, what kind of request do you have for the great lord?"


    Leres was pissed.

 Chapter 83 83: Pay Your Rent!

    ?


    The group of three at the dining table was today joined by another.


    Her legs swung under the chair and her tinum blonde hair fluttered from side to side as the girl with pointed ears, Tiana, sat next to Elric, who was swinging his head in the same way.


    ude and Erika were already used to Elric being annoying in the morning and attributed to his high values of Elricphine, but with another person in the mix they were downright jealous of the energy they held in the mornings.


    "So," ude coughed, watching the elf and the human chomp down on the slice of breadced with jam. "When do you n to go back?"


    "Nom nom¡­"


    "Um. What was her name again?" ude asked in a whisper.


    "Tiana," Erika answered.


    "Rigth. Tiana, when do you n to go back to your home?"


    "Nom nom¡­"


    "Tiana¡ª"


    "Tsk. I am eating man! Ruler of Rulers, tell him!"


    Elric stopped nibbling too and red at ude.


    "I''ll measure your height if you don''t stop."


    ude sighed at that. "At least stick to your own shtick,"


    Like wind on an autumn morning, Elricpletely ignored the man''s words and turned toward the elf again. He lightly patted her head and spoke. "Don''t worry, he''s just a dwarf anyway."


    "What? I am taller than you. The ELF is taller than you!"


    "Amongst orcs."


    "Apologize, apologize right now to dwarves all over the world."


    The two were then ignored till the other two finished their food. Surprisingly enough, the elf was just as small a eater as Elric and was unable to eat the single slice till the very end, but still forced herself to.


    Only then did they all sit down on a couch and did ude speak up.


    "Go home."


    Unfortunately, for being denied the right to speak up, he had also got rid of the time option. It was fair trade in ude''s eyes.


    Anyway, since she knew not one bit about Hyden, it didn''t seem like


    "EH!"


    Elric and Tiana yelped.


    "You can''t force her out!" Elricined.


    "What if she has people chasing after her?"


    "We''ll help her!"


    "And what if the attack¡­" ude leaned forward and spoke in a low tone. "At night?"


    Elric immediately got off the seat and moved over to ude''s side. "Yup, go home."


    "Water of Ruler you turncoat!"


    "I am sorry, but I can''t give up my sleep for the world."


    Erika sighed.


    "Stop bullying her," she said and ced a hand on Tiana''s shoulder. "Do you have someone chasing after you?"


    "Not that I know of."


    "Do you not have to go back home? If you want we can escort you."


    The girl lowered her head. She looked away and sweat started dripping down her face.


    "I don''t really have a home."


    She was as good a liar as Elric.


    ude sighed again. The second day in the house was filled with sighs. Why had they taken her in? It was their responsibility now. ude almost wanted to go back in time and let Elric toss this whimsical elf out, but he couldn''t do so anymore since the tosser was against it.


    Why did she not want to go home?


    What was up with Hyden.


    And why was she sleeping here?


    There were many more thoughts in ude''s mind.


    But a few words rang out loud.


    As if someone had taken a megaphone and was screaming into his ears.


    The words that he had heard not long ago kept pounding in his head.


    The distinctions he had barely made came surfacing in, their lines blurring over.


    Two tragedies.


    ude had already been involved in two tragedies. No matter how Elric yed with words to reduce his own feelings, ude couldn''t help but feelplicated.


    He was guilty, no.


    But he was brought here as a hero.


    And he had seen first hand what not sticking to one had brought.


    In some way, was he not responsible for it?


    He didn''t feel guilty, not at all. It was¡­ a sense of responsibility.


    Duty.


    No. Those were excuses too. He was just deluding himself.


    There was only one thing ude wanted to avoid, and that was losing hisfort. In no ways less than one, having another problem break out would make things all the more ufortable.


    Not just for him.


    He remembered the crying Erika. The struggles he had faced with Elric in the forest.


    This whole damned world was ursed. It was actual, moving trash.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    But this was his home now. He had already died where he was, going back felt like but a distant dream.


    So, to make sure he could live without any problems, he had to avoid simr scenarios.


    And if this suspicious elf was involved in such things, he wanted to keep her fine.


    "So you have no home?" he asked again.


    "I have nowhere to go¡­" the elf answered. She then excitedly raised her head and beamed at them. "If you, if you let me live here I''ll handle chores! And, and, elves are really good luck and stuff? So I should totally let you know that. If I am around you''re going to have great luck! And and, well, I found this ce first, so like finders keepers? I would be magnami¡­ what was the word?"


    "Magnanimous?"


    "Yes! I''ll be magnanimous and let you share the house with me! What do you say?"


    ude ced a hand over his head and sighed.


    "Fuck it. Fine."


    "YAY!" Tiana jumped up.


    "You two got any problems?"


    Erika shook her head. "It feels like a pain, but I am happy to have her here."


    "I reject this arrangement."


    All of them turned toward Elric once more.


    "Damn it Ruler man!" Comined Tiana. "Why?"


    ude sighed too.


    "Weren''t you so stuck on keeping her around? Then why?"


    "It''s simple," Elric smirked, his upturned lips ready to steal any and everyone''s hearts. "She should acknowledge her position as my sidekick."


    "Sidekick?" Tiana tilted her head.


    "Yes. ept that you''re now my sidekick and I will ept you being with us."


    "Um, but¡­" Tiana folded her arms, sweat dripped from her forehead.


    ude tried. He tried his best to hold back, but being the straight man wasn''t an easy job.


    "Damn it! You think his demands are worth such serious deliberation? I bet you''re thinking this useless thing more than you thought about rooming with us!"


    The elf and the boy flicked their hair and smirked.


    "You won''t get it, dwarf."


    "This is about pride, it''s more important than a room or two."


    "That''s one tiny little pride if someone like Elric can shake it."


    Elric scoffed. "Says the person who couldn''t even fight the vampire."


    "OH!? Need I remind you who finished her off?"


    "You wouldn''t have if I wasn''t there!"


    "And you would have died if I was not."


    Erika wanted to intervene and say that both of them were fairly useless, but she being the worst of them all did not have the courage to do that.


    ude sighed, his sigh meter for the day was closing in on the jackpot mark.


    "Alright. So you''re going to room here, you''re gonna pay rent."


    "You''re going to make the elf pay rent?" asked Erika. "Do you have any money on you, Tiana?"


    "Uh¡­ I am actually a prince¡­ and I gave all my money in someone''s bank ount for free¡­"


    Here stood the scammer that bothered everyone on earth!


    "She can just work," said ude.


    "But how? What if someone finds out she''s an elf? That will cause more problems than you''re nning to solve."


    ude hummed.


    That was true. She couldn''t just work any job.


    It was then that Elric grinned.


    "Thankfully, I know just the perfect job that needs you to speak with the tiniest amount of people and be on the road all the time. No suspicion."


    All of them turned to him.


    "The world hasn''t changed, the definition hasn''t either!"


    ***


    "Right¡­ so you just found thest member of your group?"


    The receptionist of the adventurer guild asked, handing over a contract to the girl that had forgotten to get her card in an elf confusion.


    "That''s right," Elric answered, an enchanting smile on his face.


    "And¡­ she also can''t show off her face because she has a face curse that makes people lose their ability to see faces?"


    Elric sniffled and wiped his fake tears.


    "I''ve heard the disease is so bad that it sticks with you even if you get reincarnated in an eroge."


    "What is an eroge."


    "Doesn''t matter," Elric said. "Can she be registered?"


    "Her? This super suspicious person?"


    Elric nodded.


    "I don''t see why not! Here you go, dearie, the first of the soul stones are on the house. Please just ce a drop of blood on it and your stats will be revealed."


    Tiana, hidden underneath the cloak, reached out and grabbed the soul stone and the small tack the receptionist handed.


    She lightly pricked her thumb, and her blood fell on the stone.

 Chapter 84 84: Golem Hunt (1)

    ?


    Tiana, hidden underneath the cloak, reached out and grabbed the soul stone and the small tack the receptionist handed.


    She lightly pricked her thumb, and her blood fell on the stone.


    A glow emerged from the stone tablet that was nourished with Tiana''s blood. And in the next moment, a bright glow emerged from within.


    Letters came haphazard on the tablet before arranging themselves in different lines.


    [


    Name: Tiana


    Age: 98


    ss: Ranger | Spiritualist


    Title: Silvanus'' Appeaser


    Stats:


    Strength: 39


    Agility: 45


    Endurance: 59


    Vitality: 380


    Intelligence: 106


    Charm: 117


    Perception: 46


    Spirit Control: 64


    Mana: 80


    Mana Control: 64


    .


    .


    .


    Skills: [Spirit Magic: Beginner], [Charm Magic], [Spirit Magic: Intermediate], [Elemental Magic (Wood): Beginner], [Archery (+)], [Light Foot], [Skyward Jump], [Root Root], [Basic Tracking], [Elf''s Constitution], [Elf''s Growth]¡­


    .


    .


    .


    Unique Skills: [Longevity (+)], [Silvanus'' Blessing].


    .


    .


    Equipment: [Earrings of the High Priest (Heroic)],


    ]


    "¡­" ude and Erika were left silent.


    "Oh cool, there''s like, big numbers and stuff." While Tiana continued speaking, still hidden underneath the cloak.


    "So¡­" the receptionist hummed. It was her job to be surprised by stats, and seeing ude and Erika stare at the tablet with eyes popping out was deeply offensive. Rules, people, there were rules here.


    Acknowledging her role, ude tapped the spectator mode on the soul stone and sighed.


    "You see for yourself."


    The receptionist nodded and took the soul stone from ude''s hands.


    And her jaw fell open.


    Though the spectator mode hid everything but stats, including personal information, so there was no dropping jaws at her age, but the stats were just as wild if not more.


    "C-charm in the hundreds? Is she using charm magic or something?"


    The receptionist then crossed her arms.


    "I want to see her face. I have never seen anyone with charm in hundreds."


    ude tilted his head, then remembered that she had not really seen Elric''s stats since they were already adventurers.


    "This guy here is 120,"


    ude said, tapping on Elric''s shoulder.


    "Oh¡­ that makes sense," the receptionist nodded. "He does look like something out of this world."


    "I agree," Tiana said too. "I thought I was the prettiest in my vige at my age, but Ruler Ruler here puts everyone back home to shame."


    "Alright, I don''t wish to see you then."


    "Rude!"


    The receptionist shrugged and the cloaked one sighed.


    "Now then," the receptionist spoke up. "You want me to register her as an adventurer too?"


    "Yeah. Evening again?" ude asked.


    "Yup."


    "What rank do you think she''ll get to?"


    "Hm. She''s good enough for B, so I guess C-Ranked with a priority for promotion."


    The receptionist sighed out loud.


    "People might just get suspicious of us with so many strong adventurersing to this country out of nowhere."


    They would like to avoid such an issue too. They decided to y careful in the future. It shouldn''t be all that odd for strong adventurers to decide to retire in a calm ce pick up small quests now and then.


    ude then got to the next matter of concern. "I also want to pick up a quest for all of us."


    "Quest board''s to your right," the receptionist shrugged and got to fixing up her documents. The kids left the desk and movd over to the right, passing throuhg the carpet and over to desks made for meetings amongst the adventurers.


    This ce, though smaller and much more in line with nature, was still simr inyout to the adventurer''s guild out in Leunderk town.


    Half the spot, lit by the sun from the cracks in the veiny walls and windows


    The group then moved toward the wall where the bulletin board with the quests hung wide. They gazed through the many quests ced on the wall with azy eye, searching for whatever would pay the most.


    "Oh! Dragon hunt!" Eximed the elf as the noticed the bulletin with the details of the quest. Only for Mythril Ranked Adventurers and above, it specified, the location of the hunt too on the other side of the continent.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    It seemed like a promotion at best.


    "That''s in case any mythril rankedes over here. Whimsical guys, they go wherever they want whenever they want," the receptionist chimed in, her hands still fixed over her own work.


    It seemed being sane didn''t take you far as an adventurer.


    ude ignored the elf and looked for the other quests. Something they could all take on and still get some good cash with.


    Goblin hunts, orc hunts, all of those were too small scale to get his interest. Though their rmended levels were for E to D ranked adventurers anyway.


    Star wolves, a special type of carnivores that they had encountered in the mystic forext had also propogaterd this ce and were free for the taking. Unfortunately, those guys were weaker than the orcs and goblins.


    "These doggies are for C-Ranks?"


    "Stupid. We need another snake hunt."


    "Nah, I am done with snakes."


    "I dislike snakes too, Ruler Ruler."


    "Oh, how about this?" Spoke up Erika, picking out a quest for them. "A good little hunt for the stone golems."


    "Golems?" Elric muttered. "Isn''t that like fighting others?"


    "No, no, these ones aren''t the ones you''re thinking," Erika rified. "Golems are naturally formed monsters. Its when mana in a ces condenses too high and forms a moving mass. Golems are strong enough to break giant bpoulders and numerous enough to be a problem."


    The hero that had been invovled with the workings of the world knew more about the monsters than all of them here.


    "Hm, golems, huh?" ude saifd. The quest did specify B-Ranked adventurers or above and only needed one extra golem for each rank.


    B-Ranked adventurers only needed one golem, A-Ranked two, S-Ranked three, Gold Ranked and so on.


    But the problem remained that they were still C-Ranked.


    It probably wasn''t going to be a problem.


    "Is it, miss receptionist?"


    "Oh, the rank? You guys barely make the cut since you''re in a party"


    There, it was handled.


    "The party can pick up quests corresponding to the party leader''s rank."


    All of them went silent.


    Elric was C.


    ude was C too.


    And Tiana was going to be C ranked as well.


    Only Erika.


    Had been given the B Rank in a single go.


    All of their lips turned into tight frowns except Erika''s.


    "This quest it out."


    "I am not going to be useless mage''s sidekick."


    "I agree with Ruler ruler, I would be a better choice."


    Erika grinned a nasty grin as she watched her friends with a sidelong nce, like a tiger would stare at it''s prey.


    "The pay is, three gold for each golem core we bring in."


    ude bit his lips.


    "Oh, but, if you want to do the star wolf hunt for fifty silver then I am alright with that too¡­ C. Ranked. Adventurers."


    She had hit where it hurt.


    This damned bitch was going too far. This wasn''t a good look on her.


    All of them went ahead and scoured the board for any other quest they could take on, but almost none existed. The Silvanus mountains were in rtive peace and any major monsters could be hunted down by the knights of the country.


    "This¡­ this is aplete defeat. Utter devastation. Damn useless mage, you hit us with a Yellow Cross Split Attack! What are you, a monster?!"


    Erika covered her face at Elric''s words.


    "I reject my humanity, Elric."


    ude sighed too. More at the goofs he had with him than the quest.


    In the end, they decided to move ahead with it after all.


    The receptionist dly let them ept the quest.


    "Oh, but the cloak there isn''t an adventurer yet."


    "Uh¡­ what cloak?" Tiana said. "I know none. I am a super adventurer, yes. I don''t know who you''re talking about."


    "Y-you don''t have to do that."


    "Yeah, we''ll not be heading out today anyway," said ude.


    "What? Why?"


    He smiled and wrapped his arms around Elric and Tiana first. For one he was sure, for the other, he couldn''t ever be too safe.


    "We''re going to study."


    Elric and Tiana shivered.


    "Everything on Golems."


    "Hoho! You do that, I just remembered some important work."


    "Unfortunately I am not an adventurer yet. I would have loved to apany, but I am not an adventurer¡ª"


    They weren''t let present their arguments as ude mercilessly dragged the kids over to the desks filled with material on the golems.


    The group spent the rest of the day in the empty adventurer guildhouse, reading maps and journals alike.


    The receptionist even handled their signing and other issues in the spot with them spending the entire evening around.


    They went back home with drained faces. But thankfully, Gustavo hade once again with food.


    The quartet all thanked the kind hearted real-estate guy and went to sleep that night. The next day rolled over faster than they would have liked.


    And.


    "Let''s go! Golem hunting!"


    The time to began the quest hade!

 Chapter 85 85: Golem Hunt (2)

    ?


    Lord Leres was guided through the woods.


    With his three apostles on hand, the robed figures that had met the great soul and man amongst men who could down more than a dozen men with a single breath!


    "Great being, I hope you could help us through this. If there is anything that goes against your wishes then please let us know!"


    "Puuuu!"


    "Hey! Tell them, Bagpipe. Don''t do anything to insult our lord Lers in the first ce. If you have to worry, then don''t do it!"


    The three apostles of Lord Leres spoke up. The robed figures, all bowed their head and apologized.


    On the other hand, the poor man himself was lost as hell.


    ''How did ite to this!?!?!''


    His mind screamed, but he had tussled with one fish too many in his life. He knew well enough how hurtful losing yourposure could be in a battle of life and death.


    These two robed figures who had intimidated him to no end were suddenly asking for his help. It all began when the nderers from the town he had been in before hade around. They started sarcastically calling him great and all that shebang in their attempt to bring him down.


    Or so he used to think.


    There was no doubt in Leres'' head that the citizens of Soleda were highly sarcastic and also hated him for causing the issue with all the injured drunks.


    But.


    Sarcasm had a fatal w.


    It only worked on those who understood it.


    Imagine. Just imagine saying to someone extremely dumb, ''Oh, you are such a genius you should be solving world hunger.''


    And then imagine. Imagine if instead of being offended, they say. ''Thank you so much. I am not all that but I am d you think so.''


    Would it not, in such a situation, be the one that began the sarcaster that would be greatly annoyed? Would it also not be the sarcastee that would be giddy at thepliment because they interpreted it so?


    Something simr had happened here.


    Lord Leres may be weak against fish, but he wasn''t dumb enough to believe that these idiots that called himself his apostle and walked around with a guy that could only speak through bagpipes could be anywhere capable enough to be sarcastic. It was impossible to imagine! What was the bagpipe guy''s deal anyway?!


    "PUUN!"


    With creepy coincidence, the bagpipe rang once more. Leres was almost afraid this fucker could hear him, but it seemed his actual friends had different thoughts.


    "Hey! How long are you going to make Lord Leres walk?"


    Leres wanted to cry.


    These intimidating fuckers were just as stupid as the damned apostles and had also bought into the narrative that Leres was not a guy who made a whole city go on a gorey drunken rampage.


    "Sir, we''re almost here."


    Leres wanted to run away.


    After climbing peak after peak for three days straight, they had entered the deepest parts of the Silvanus ranges, and now, in front of them, hidden by the veneer of the thick and sporadic trees was a ce forbidden to enter for most.


    "Here, please make sure you watch your path and follow as precisely as possible, or you will be lost."


    Pushing away the trees and the vines in their path, the intimidating bastards guided them through the forest.


    Sounds ofughter and childish, yful, merry, giggles filled the ears of the ones walking through.


    "Stupid concern for our lord Leres."


    "You may get lost some time, but the great Lord Leres wouldn''t."


    "Puun! Puuun!"


    And, as fate would have it.


    Not long after walking deep into the forest, far after they had neared their final destination.


    Leres.


    Was.


    Lost.


    With nothing around but the woods, the great man amongst men, the legendary legend Leres cackled.


    "I am in trouble¡­"


    ***


    "So, golems. What do they eat?"


    "Nothing, they don''t have mouths."


    "Hm, five points. Next question, where do they sleep?"


    "On the ground!"


    "Correct again, five more points."


    "What do they breathe?"


    "Haha, air."


    "Tiana, are you sure you''re not some genius?"


    "That is¡­ actually, I am the smartest being under the heavens, Ruler Ruler."


    "I should have known¡­"


    "Known what?!" ude snapped. He had tried his best to ignore them and was good with ignoring Elric, but the straight man in his blood couldn''t let the chance for such Manzai to pass by. "What in the world are you guys even doing?"


    "We''re practicing what we learned about the golem."<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    "Shut the hell up! Is this what you have learned? Is it? Then go back and study more."


    "Eh," Elric clicked his tongue. "You''re just jealous, are you not?"


    "Of what? Knowing that golems, can fucking, breathe air? Is that what you think I am jealous of?"


    "It''s important knowledge, udy. Ask Ruler Ruler."


    "Where exactly will it help?"


    "What if¡­ one of them drowns and you need to give them CPR?"


    "Golems¡ª"


    ude took in a deep breath.


    He remembered.


    He remembered sunny fields and fluttering flowers.


    O peaceful days of yore.


    Things were better when he just ignored them. That was what he was going to do now. With a smile on his face reminiscent of a monk that may have just reached the answer to spirituality, the realm of nirvana, he turned away. His mind as tranquil as ake, his psyche as unshaking as a mountain, his heart, at peace.


    They soon started descending again.


    ***


    To get anywhere in the Silvanus ranges, one had to climb up and down the various mountains over and over. It was inconvenient, but the valleys and the passes made for sights well worth it.


    And in the middle of one such mountain pass, behind the jaggedy lines of the next incline, an old and heavyndslide had made a certain path unnavigable.


    This.


    Over time, had turned into the nest of the rock golems.


    Loud thuds and groans rang in the area that the golems had propagated, in thend that was devoid of all signs of life all over, the golems maintained their peace. As monsters made from mana itself, they were beings that did not hold much intelligence, but their strength in bodies without any thought was a weapon but as deadly.


    "How should we go about it?" Asked Erika.


    "I think each of these things is about two gardars each." ude assessed, and Elric nodded.


    It wasn''t something they couldn''t take on, not with this group. But the problem was their numbers.


    "Hm, I see at least 38 of them," said Tiana. Being a ranger, she was keener toward matters like these that required a ranger''s high observational skills.


    "Taking all of them on would be 76 Gardars," Elric continued. "It''s not very economical for us to do that, since they have a strong herd mentality¡­"


    Avoiding them would be tough.


    This was the reason that only one core was expected from someone in the B-Rank.


    "So we separate them, of course."


    That was where the problemy.


    Elric turned his back on the boulder and looked up at the mountain. The terrain was rocky and filled with soil aspared to the other mountain sights, a sign of the rock slide clear in front of him.


    Taking them all on was going to be convenient.


    He had to hunt like ude and he did in the forest.


    "ude, think you can mist these guys?"


    "Too big to move them, but I can probably obstruct their vision."


    "Hmmm¡­" Elric, the very image of a smart man, started thinking about the different types of fish he could name.


    "Ah."


    No no, he had a job to do here. Important matters were important.


    "Hm¡­"


    Anchovy, Sardine, Cod, Betta, Lobster, Trout, Catfish, Goldfish¡­


    Anchovy?


    Like an Anchor?


    Rockslides and anchors. Damn, it would hurt if someone was anchored to the ground in a rockslide. Why did rocks slide in the first ce? Weren''t slides mostly for toddlers?


    He did slide a lot as a child. Unfortunately, his parents didn''t let him stay in the park for long.


    "Hm, we should probably slide giant rocks on them, after anchoring them to the ground."


    The other three looked at Elric.


    "Teleport¡­ is tough. ude can obstruct vision with his mist, Tiana can probably root the golems to the ground with her magic, and both Erika and I can make those big rocks fall down¡­"


    Elricid out a framework for their n in a single go, crossing his arms.


    "The problem is how we can single them out."


    "Oh¡­ That''s real rich. I didn''t expect you to be able to think, Ruler Ruler."


    "The sense of incongruence is real high, right?"


    While the other two whispered, ude covered his face and grinned.


    "Small thinker as always, aren''t you Elric?"


    Elric puffed his cheeks. "What do you mean?"


    "If you''re going to slide it down on them anyway, why would we do it to just one?" ude smiled as he looked at the golems. "We best take them all down. All at once."

 Chapter 86 86: Leres Falls

    ?


    "Take down the entire ce?"


    ude presented a bold idea and the others watched him, blinking their eyes in confusion at his words.


    "It''s simple really, we''ll cause anotherndslide and then dig in our free time and take away all of these. Good job counting them all, Tiana. We''ll not leave till we have them all."


    ude''s words were disturbing but not something they disliked.


    "Then, how do you suggest we go about getting them?"


    "We''ll herd them up first," ude muttered.


    "Veil the exits with your fog?"


    "Yes," ude nodded. "And instead of trying to hold them all down all at once, we can just make sure they''re in the way where we will be breaking the part of the mountain.


    The other three all looked up at the mountainside that had alreadyrgely broken off.


    "Wouldn''t crushing more of this ce get the people of this ce angry?" asked Erika. It was already a big enough problem forndslides to exist.


    "It''s an area already blocked off byndslides, I doubt they''ll mind much, right Elric?"


    "Eh," Elric shurgged.


    "Alright, let''s get this started then."


    ude stood up and stretched his hands above his head. Like an eagle eyeing its prey, he licked his lips and red at the golems.


    "Here Ie, money¡­"


    In two teams, the adventurer group of four split up.


    ***


    Lord Leres. The Legend himself was now in front of a single wood cabin deep into the woods. The sounds of the little spiritsughing and giggling had grown manifold and the people around hadpletely disappeared.


    Lord Leres almost believed that they were never with him, to begin with. There was no other exnation for such a disappearance.


    "Fish¡­"


    It must be the fish ying tricks on him.


    Thinking back, even in that city of Soleda where his journey was to begin, everything had started to go to shit from the moment that man threw a fish cake to his face. Just what did lord Leres do to deserve that?


    Nothing.


    It was all a n of those wretched fishes.


    There was no other exnation. They had already had him kicked out of his family and had also thrown a wrench in his ns here.


    Leres, holding his breath, moved ahead.


    After walking through the forest, going past the dense mist that covered visibility everywhere the eye went, amidst the light of the small fluttering fairies, he found a wood cabin.


    "This ce¡­?"


    He walked through the small clearing in the forest.


    "Heheh!"


    "Aha!"


    The sounds of the giggles of the tiny little spirits in the air around him began again. The forest spirits were yful to the degree of being a menace.


    It had already started to be cold and creepy. If he was indeed lost in the forest, then being around a cabin like this for shelter and making his path ordingly wouldn''t be too bad. He had already been on the road all this time, so he still had enough rations tost him a week, three if he cut down.


    Though water would be a slight issue, he was certain he could find the fruits in the forest enough.


    Slowly, he pushed op[en the door of the cabin. A creaking spread through as the hinges opened after god knew how long.


    Leres took a step inside the dark cabin, the misty white of the forest slowly making its way inside.


    Some spirits followed right after and their faint, dim, glow lit up the cabin like neon lights on a party night. Leres, the lord himself, looked around, man different leaves and stone tablets inscribed with a red ink were left in the cabin.


    Though there were no insects, almost by a miracle, the number of abandoned dolls and trinkets of different gods, some broken and some old littered the ce, making it hard to almost walk.


    As he took a step, the floorboards creaked, he wasn''t sure if they had just rotted or were like this due to the weight of the garbage on the ce.


    His eyes were then caught by a slight opening in the wall on the deeper end. Hidden behind anotherrge stone b.


    Though there was a crack there, he was certain he had not seen anyrge breakages outside the cabin.


    With a sense of suspicion looming over his head, Leres moved ahead.


    His legs hit something.


    "KEKEKEKEKEKE"


    Leres gasped at the suddenugh that spread as the doll made of the stone rolled over. It hit the edge of the room and the sound stopped.


    "W-what¡­ demonic fish!"


    There was no fish here.


    Poor Leres moved ahead after taking in a solid breath and ced his hands on the stone. He pulled it away with all his might.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    Dust clouds rose followed by the grating sound of stones scraping the ground.


    Behind the stone, arge gap in the cabin going deep underground revealed itself to Leres. The small spirits around fluttered and giggled and they soon illuminated the path below, as if beckoning Leres to go inside.


    Holding his breath, the young man gulped air down his throat.


    He was unsure if he should, or if he shouldn''t.


    He was destined for greatness, though, and wasn''t finding a secret passage in the middle of Nowhere Woods the same as receiving a handwritten invitation card from destiny?


    If he didn''t go down right now who knew if destiny would still acknowledge him anymore? For all he knew, he would just be discarded like a slightly curious trophy fish, that all fishermen wanted to catch once and once they caught it, they would make print or take a picture and then throw it back in for it had no other value besides its rarity.


    Oh no.


    Leres couldn''t be a fish.


    Not fish.


    Taking a deep, sharp breath, Leres summoned all his courage and finally took a step inside. His eyes fluttered over the narrow and cramped entrance down. As soon as his legs passed down the incline and the time came for his head to go under.


    "Oh fuck, Time out! Time out!"


    He tried to pull himself outside the hole. He couldn''t not so blindly! He could barely see anything thirty centimeters away before it was all blocked by the ground.


    He should use something to measure the depth! Roll shit down! What if it falls down or if it keeps going endlessly? Yes! He had to check things first and there was a lot of stuff up there that he could check with.


    Nothing was Leres'' way.


    He was all good! It was best to be safe in these matters. Fear? Hahah! As if!


    The giggle of the spirits resounded once more.


    Their glow flickered over his eyes.


    And his footing slipped.


    "No nnononononono! AHHHH!"


    His nails tried their best to hook into the ground, but he never did go for a manicure to keep them in good shape. The boy fell down the hole and went deeper into the ground.


    As if there to enjoy the show, more spirits came down the holeughing all the while.


    His fall was finally broken when Leres fell on a widening in the underground. His back mmed straight into the ground and sent jolts of pain up his poor spine.


    Leres rolled on the ground, groaning in pain.


    Dirt and soil had covered him up and down and the poor boy was gasping for air.


    The legendary legend was too great to be taken down by something like this, though.


    His eyes slowly opened up as he caught his breath.


    Feeling a slightly damp, almost watery sensation on his skin, Leres raised and brought his hands toward his eyes.


    Had he fallen into a well? Groundwater reserves or something?"


    His blurry vision cleared up.


    And the crimson taint on his fingers revealed itself.


    Blood.


    Leres'' breath ran away once more and his vision blurred too. No matter how hard he tried, though, he knew this wasn''t an illusion of his mind.


    "Oh! Fuck! WHY!? WHY!?"


    Leres screamed to the heavens.


    He almost expected the words of the spirits toe back, he thought they wouldugh some more, but they didn''t.


    Theughs never came his way.


    He couldn''t help but find this creepier. Did they have to break character all of a sudden?


    Leres said fuck it and gave himself a derisiveugh. He slowly pushed himself up into the pool of blood.


    Though the space should have been dark, it was lit up by the glow of the spirits.


    He had never, ever in his life been more ungrateful for light.


    For on the other end of the space, was a small stone statue, drained in blood.


    All syed all over and around it as far as his eyes could see .


    The point that the ground was almost invisible near the statue.


    Were ears.


    Long, pointy ears cut off and soaked in blood.


    All around the statue drenched in blood were the ears of elves.

 Chapter 87 87: Golem Hunt (3)

    ?


    "Guruororor!?"


    "Gooooleeeemmmm."


    The many giant rock monsters screamed and razed everything in their sorry. Violence they disliked, ying they liked. And y they did with all of their friends.


    The golems were young and incapable of much thought. If they saw something they didn''t like and could crush it, they would make that thing sorry for existing. If they saw something they did like and could crush it, they still would make that thing sorry for existing.


    But when these poor giant prowling idiots saw something that they didn''t like and couldn''t crush it, thats where their problem began.


    Gururo, one such golem who only made that sound, made his way away from the enclosure that his kind inhabited.


    The constant sound of rocks being smacked had attracted his attention, and that was already pretty rare.


    It started following the sound, but much to its chagrin, the path ahead that should have been rock rock soil soil had suddenly be white white scary scary.


    "Gururo?" Gururo tilted his head to the side. The golem raised its jaggedy hands and scratched its cheeks in surprise. The two straight synapses in the name of magic circuits that made up the entirety of theplexions its species held fired off.


    And like a coin being flipped, reached a conclusion.


    Gururo did not like this thing.


    "GRURU!!"


    He screamed like a banshee and dived like a chihuahua straight into the white thing. The boxing skills one would see from a two year old showed all of their prowess as Gururo smacked and stomped the air.


    Were he capable of it, he would have been screaming at the fog to catch them hands. Fortunately, by the grace of gods, he wasn''t.


    The golem punched and kicked and then kicked and punched, both as effective as each other against the fog. As if it were messing with the golem, the fog would coalesce in the shape of a face and stick its tongue out every now and then.


    The golem did not like this fog.


    And it also couldn''t crush it.


    The trouble began.


    As if the knells from the deepest pits of hell had rang in the middle of the night and startled the devil himself into screaming, the golem''s steps tolled and its shrieks resounded all over thendslid mountain pass. It rushed through the fog.


    "Gururo!?" One of Gururo''s friends came in its way, but only running and screaming took all of the golem''s capacity. Not recognizing it''s friend in the slightest, Gururo streamed right through him, smashing him away.


    Now, Gururo''s friend didn''t like him anymore.


    And unfortunately, Gururo''s friend, being a golem himself, held no prowess that would let him crush Gururo more than Gururo would be able to crush him.


    "KYAAAAH!"


    And so, Gururo''s friend, Guroru ran too.


    The two golems crashed into two more.


    And then those two crashed into four others.


    In the blink of an eye, all thirty eight golems were running around, unable to escape from the fog and the rocks, all of them started to gather and bump into each other.


    "NOW!!"


    A scream resounded from afar.


    s, all of the golems had peaked out their mental capacity, some had even applied an extension pack since they had to stand up after falling down.


    A rumble spread through the grounds.


    An ancient sovereign was being awoken, and that sovereign was called a fuckingndslide.


    Streams of water flooded over the ground and sunk deep into it far above the already damaged mountain.


    Following it straight were rows after rows of trees and roots, gouging out the ground from its foundation as they slithered in and out akin to a worm on an hunt.


    Until dirt and stones started rolling down and it became impossible for the side of the mountain to as much as imagine bearing its own weight, the onught continued.


    Then.


    "I am ready."


    A girl''s soft voice spread over the ce.


    The water and the roots disappeared.


    "[me Magic: Intermediate Grade]"


    An ethereal magic circle formed in the center of the moutain, small, yet visible.


    "[Strike from above and smash everything in your path to smithereens]"


    "Oh my god! It''s a chant! Feel my rage, my left hand is trembling!"


    "[Fall¡ª]"


    "Abyssal me."


    "[¡ªDragon]"


    The magic circle shook and then shattered.


    "Ack!" A groan resounded, followed right away by a loud thud.


    The golems continued screaming, but one voice was louder yet.


    "Damn it Elric! I could have died!!"


    "Your fault! Who told you to go all abyssal me dragon on me?"


    "Fuck! My mana is trembling now."


    "Wow, edgy."


    "Shut it!"


    "No, I agree with Ruler Ruler, that''s edgy as hell."


    The golems still ran.


    And they still screamed.


    It was a wonder how people with just four brain cells could take down these golems, but that was mother nature. Always so full of wonder and mercy.


    "Phew! Alright!"


    "[Strike from below and smash everything in your path to smithereens]"


    The magic circle formed again.


    "[Rise! Explosion!]"


    The ground trembled and broke asunder. As if lightning had struck upside down, the mountain side tore apart and broke into bits, enormous boulders were uprooted and crushed.


    And then, the mountain itself shook.


    The already weakened soil had been drained and gouged a notch more by the others. And with the explosion in tow¡ª<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    -RUMMMBLEE


    It all came crashing down into the golems. A flood ofnd slid straight into the faces of the golems, its enormous force from the fall crashed into the golems'' bodies and sent the stones that made their bodies flying into the skies.


    Arms broke and then broke legs, heads rolled away and so did chests.


    The traces of the golems was being buried into the ground.


    Thend crushed below, but the rumbling didn''t stop just yet.


    It kept going and kept going.


    From further up and up, more and more soil fell into the dogpile its friends had made below.


    "Oh?"


    "Oh¡­"


    The three people who stood above felt their footings slip and the ground being swept below them, as if an amateur magician was pulling a rug full of people.


    "Weeee! We''re falling too!"


    "Yay slide!"


    "You''ll get crushed you utter idiots!!"


    "Oh?"


    "Ah! Fuck fuck fuck!"


    "RUNNNNN!!"


    ***


    Four people, three covered in mud and dust, sat on the top of the slid mountain side. So much of the mountain hade down that it almost seemed as if a new one had been erected.


    The people, heaving all over, wiped the sweat off their heads.


    "We actually did it, huh?" Muttered ude.


    "I think¡­" Erika followed up. "We would have been less tired if we just fought them all."


    "You guys were the idiots that stood in the middle of a breaking mountain," the redhaired boy sighed and flicked his hair behind.


    "Cool and all," Tiana said, her robe knocked back and her ears twitching. "But how do we collect the cores?"


    The other three''s eyes widened.


    And then sweat fell down their necks


    "W-w-w-we''ll just dig this up and find the ce littered with golem cores."


    "There were only thirty eight of them¡­"


    "Maybe more were born from the slide?"


    "It doesn''t work that way¡­"


    They fell to their knees.


    "Fuck¡­"


    ***


    "It seems, Lord Legendary Leres from the Legends of Legendary Lord Leres hasgged away."


    At the words of the tired robed man, Marcus, Tomas, and Mr. Bagpipe blew their pipes.


    "Shut up! Watch your tongue!"


    "Puun puuuun!"


    "Yes! He''s always watching over us."


    The three babbled on and on, and then soothed their rage on their own.


    "Well¡­" the robed ones hummed. They pointed ahead, and the idiot trio''s eyes popped open. "I wish he had died at a different time."


    In front of them.


    Deep within the misty forest, a vige of elves appeared. Surrounded by tall trees, their homes blended with nature.


    Ethereal spirits floated through the air, their transparent forms dancing amidst the foliage.


    Colorful flowers bloomed in gardens, and pathways meandered through the vige, adorned with vines and moss.


    Walking all around were the most beautiful blondes with pointed ears.


    It was¡­ a vige of elves.


    "He isn''t dead man."


    "Wow, so rude."


    "PUUUN!"


    The idiot trio could care less.


    ***


    Deep into the night after the day the only adventurer party active in the town of Siracus left for the golem hunt, the adventurer guild''s door was knocked on.


    "Ah damn it, just before closing time."


    The receptionist sighed and opened the door she had closed to lock up her work. And standing outside, were four small rock golems.


    "KYAA!"


    She screamed and tried to run away, but the red headed rock golem grabbed her by the scruff of her neck before she could leave.


    "Rock golems! Rock golems came here!!"


    "Shut up. It''s us, the rock golem killers."


    The receptionist slowly turned back.


    And saw the beautiful Elrick, whose looks couldn''t be dampened even by this.


    "Oh, it''s you guys."


    "You recognize him, huh?"


    "Cope ude, cope."


    "Good timing. I guess you were almost caught up in thendslide?" asked the receptionist. "It''s a big problem, I''m d you''re fine."


    "Uhm¡­"

 Chapter 88 88: Idiot Trio In The Village Of Elves

    ?


    Marcus, Tomas, and Bagpipe, the three apostles of the one and only god in human form had found themselves deep into the city of the elves.


    Thend where flowers and sung and novelty bloomed, where people and nature became one, with their long ears and their beauty despite the longevity, Elves were without a doubt one of the races most distinct from humans.


    "Be careful," said the robed duo. "Spite and elf, and God Silvanus himself will trap you in his coffin."


    "He''ll suck out nutrients from you and feed them to a fucking mushroom."


    From up above their houses erected in the trees to the vastnds below of yet more woods and blooms, in their simple dresses of green and blue and their crowns of flowers new.


    The elves, fortunately, did notmonly speak humannguage. It wasn''t tough to pick it up, but their istion made most unable to.


    Watering their nts and hugging their trees, many looked at the group of humansing in with intrigue and curiosity filling their eyes.


    Then, one elf came from the other side straight toward them. In the midst of the paths made of roots and stones, the elf with long hair and longer ears walked with unquestionable grace. With his hands behind his back, he leaned ahead with a bright smile.


    "If it isn''t, the two humans that took up our request."


    The robed duo shivered.


    "Ho, how nice it is to see you here again. Please, follow me, I''ll take you to the chief."


    The robed figures almost wanted to walk away, but the elf ced his arm around the two''s shoulders and dragged them along.


    "And the other friends? You all too, please."


    "Of course!" Said Marcus.


    "It is only natural we help those in need." Followed Tomas.


    "Puuun puuuuun."


    The elf was slightly confused, but he let it pass.


    A few more of the regal elves came around them and started dragging all three away. They all cackled like madmen as they moved through the streets of the elf vige. The eyes that wereing their way had be much more amicable and so had the people that were dragging them along.


    Marcus and Tomas found this treatment quite nice.


    But the smartest one in the group had slightly different reservations about his current situation. Or, as he would say, his current puuun puuuun.


    The group was escorted through the forest paths and up many trees and bridges of dead wood. From one treehouse to another, awork of roads was created above ground like a spider web in the skies, making for a sight none of them had ever seen before.


    Not long after, they reached their destination.


    The grandest house on top of the trees in the back of the vige, this was the ce where the chief of the vige lived.


    Statuettes of Silvanus were ced on both sides of the door, their form that of an elf.


    Rumors of the god actually being an elf had long existed, but this was the first time the idiot trio had seen any of it. It remained a feast for their eyes nheless as many leaves and branches gently leaned down from the skies and grazed over the statues and house''s woods.


    The group stepped inside the house at the push of the elf. They walked past the room inside. The dark ce was barely lit up by the already scant light that flowed inside. Even spirits with all their glow were avoiding the ce like the gue, making it seem yet another notch darker than it was.


    Crreeps rand down the spines of everyone that had stepped inside. The people that had dragged them along were now gone and inside came only the first elf with the robed figures in his hands.


    They passed through yet another door with long drapes hiding it. As they entered the ce, their eyes fell on the table ahead.


    A smallmp was lit.


    The silhouette of a particrly old elf dabbled on the ceiling, the shadows showing nothing but his ears and the outline of his face. He held a spike in his hands, and stabbed through them were long, cubical bits of flesh.


    Were elves not lovers of nature?


    Were they not staunch against eating meat?


    But Marcus Tomas and Bagpipe were more certain than they had ever been in their lives. This sent was nothing other than the scent of meat that they were long since familiar with.


    A chomp rang out.


    "Mmm,"


    They heard a nasal grunt. And then a slurp.


    And then once more.


    The meat was bit into.


    With every bite the old elf sitting away from them took, the mes of themp fluttered and his shadow changed shapes.


    Only when the old man had finished eating his skewer did the elf with them speak.


    "Ahem. Grandfather, the humans from that time are here."


    The old elf stopped.


    And with him stopped the flickering of the mes.


    Slowly, he turned back and looked at the people behind.


    "Ah, you are here again, kind humans."


    Some traces of blood lingered on his lips.


    "Eep!"


    Tomas shrieked. And all of them looked at him.


    The old elf looked at Tomas with slight surprise before his eyes curved into low crescents and a smile spread over his face.


    "Hohoho¡­" He giggled. "It seems, some sauce, was left on my lips."


    His knowledge of the humannguage was on point down to the ents. He slowly reached into his pockets and pulled out a small cloth, the sight reminding them of the garbs all the elves outside donned.<novelsnext></novelsnext>


    With it, he wiped his lips and threw it away, his smile never leaving his visage for even the smallest fraction of a second.


    "Then, I believe you have some good news for me?"


    The robed duo trembled and pointed back at the idiot trio.


    "These three! They are the apostles of the most powerful person in all of Maris!"


    "Yes! Yes! These two and that man can help you better than we can."


    "Oh!" The old elf scoffed. "Is that so? You believe that they can serve your job better?"


    "Serve?" Marcus muttered.


    Though his words were nigh a whisper they didn''t escape the long ears of the elf. No really, at the distance he was, would he just turn around then his ears would be poking Marcus'' face like stctites in a rock cave,


    "Serve, I say, but we can truly use all help that we can get."


    The old elf faced them once more.


    "I am thankful, that kind humans such as yourself and your master still exist. Oh! What a pity it would have been if not for such powerful people like you."


    Almost as if they had practiced it beforehand, the three of them all blushed, lowered their gaze, and scrwatched the back of their head.


    "Haha! We aren''t that cool."


    "Of course though, no one better than us."


    "Puuun!"


    The robed duo was left stunned.


    They doubted if these people had their knees in a bind, since that was clearly wherre their brains were.


    "Then, dear powerful humans."


    "You can call us the three apostles."


    "APOSTLES?!" The old elf suddenly screamed. "Are you chosen by the gods?"


    "No¡­"


    "Sorry¡­"


    The old elf sighed and shook his head.


    "Not at all, I apologize for my hastiness."


    "Then, how can we help you?"


    "It is a big problem. A young child from our vige has somehow gotten lost."


    "Lost?"


    The old elf picked out another rag just like the previous one and dapped it on the corners of his eyes.


    "I get teary just thinking of how scared she must be. What if she is taken up by humans? It would be the very worst."


    "O-oh¡­"


    "Puuuun."


    "Thank you for constion, uh¡­?" The old elf was stunned at Bagpipe. "What''s your deal?"


    "Puuun."


    "Fair enough."


    The two nodded, and the old elf got back to dabbing his eyes.


    "I apologize. I hope you can help us find that sweeet child. She didn''t even have any parents, oh, everyone in the vige is so grey without her."


    "Do not worry, old man," Marcus spoke. "We''ll help you get her."


    "Thank you¡­ thank you¡­"


    "What is her name?"


    The light of themp flickered once more.


    The shadow of the old elf grew wider, until the entire wall behind was covered by him.


    "Tiana," he said.


    ***


    "Ah¡­ damn it damn it damn it¡­"


    Lord Leres the Legendary legend from the Legendary Legend of the Legendary Lord Leres, Abbreviatred to Lord Leres the LLftLLotLLL, pronounced, not individually spoken, was still stuck in the hole underground.


    If only he hadn''t slipped.


    "If only not for those damned spirits! I would have never been trapped. Damn you FISH!"


    At his vexations, the spirits around him moved and Leres flew. He looked around in confusion as he floated through the hole and came outside, back into the hut.


    "Huh?"


    Lord Leres the LLftLLotLLL was free once more!

 Chapter 89 89: Beyond

    ?


    "There''s a new one amongst you."


    Watching the group of four as they stepped inside the cafe, the mustached master sighed and stopped wiping his cups.


    "Morning to you too," ude answered and the group got to their seats.


    Even now, they kept Tiana in the robe from before as they navigated the different parts of the town. At the master''s urging, they took the seat farthest from the door.


    The master had asked specifically for this to avoid any loss of business that would ur if someone were to see them at the gate.


    Unfortunately, the master was too naive.


    The bells chimed as someone entered the cafe only to yelp after seeing the group of four at the back.


    "Eeek!" the man screamed and dashed away.


    "Ah!!"


    The master was left hanging.


    "Oh hey, wasn''t that the part timer from the adventurer''s guild?" Asked Erika, and Tiana nodded.


    "It was!" Elric answered. "Should I go and get that guy back? Master, do you want me to go get that guy back?"


    "Not really," The master sighed and shook his head.


    Three days had passed since the only currently active adventurer group in the town of Siracus had returned after causing andslide. Thankfully, no one had identified yet that they were the ones who had caused thendslides. And to avoid being identified, they only handed over one core at a time.


    Excavation work had already started on the site since some of it was blocking a road, but beyond that, no one was going to bat an eye for it.


    They handed over all the golem cores to the receptionist, who definitely had an inkling of their doing and only told them that she would be sending it forward one at a time and that their payment woulde ordingly.


    All that said and done, whether it came right away or not.


    They were now fairly rich!


    And today was the day when they believed that they had made the duo of Elric and Tiana normal enough to bring them both together to a cafe, to y it safe, they only came to the person they knew all along.


    Thest three days had made them fairly familiar with the old man that ran the cafe.


    "Usual?" he asked.


    "Yup," ude answered as he pushed the menu in front of the robed Tiana. "Plus whatever this one will have."


    "Oh? I get to choose?"


    "You make it sound like we never gave you any choice."


    Tiana stuck her tongue out and flipped the pages of the menu. She picked out a coffee and some sandwiches and the master got to work.


    As the group gathered once more at the table, they shared some small chats.


    "What kind of dinosaurs do all of you like?"


    "Oh damn it."


    Elric''s question and ude''s sigh rang out at perhaps the very same moment.


    "Dinosaurs?" Tiana asked. "What are those?"


    Elric snapped his fingers and the ss of water in front of him emptied out as the water flew into the air. With another snap of his fingers, he made the water look like a clunky, high-poly abomination in the name of a dinosaur.


    "It looks like a building," udemented and Elric scowled.


    "Mine would probably be the Deinonychus," at Erika''s words, both ude and Elric frowned.


    "What the fuck is that?"


    "It''s a dinosaur," Erika answered, leaning on her hands.


    "Doesn''t count," ude shot her down right away.


    "And why is that?"


    "Well it doesn''t end with a saurus does it? Then it''s only a fake dinosaur."


    "It''s my favorite because it doesn''t end with a saurus."


    Elric gasped, his hand on his chest.


    "I didn''t take you to be of that type, Erika."


    "Aw shut up."


    It was then that Tiana lightly tapped the table and spoke up herself.


    "Mine would be the volcano monsters that live in the Vulcan regions. It can spitva."


    The other three all nodded.


    "Ooh, volcano dinosaur is cool."


    "Yeah straight out of a fantasy."


    "Nice concept, elf."


    "Hey! What''s the point of robing her if you''re gonna call her elf!"


    ude clicked his tongue.


    And then all three of them stopped and turned back and stared at Tiana.


    "Lives?!"


    "Fantasy?"


    "Volcanosaurus!"


    Even the gods that had personally brought them here would be confused at what they were trying to convey. Thankfully, there was one overlord above even them who could decipher the ramblings of these three.


    "That''s right. I don''t know about fantasy worlds or anything but there are live dino-whatever you called them. They are very tough though, I''ve never seen one, only read stuff in books."


    The three grabbed her arms all at once.


    "That''s cool as hell."


    "I don''t even like dinosaurs, but this has me interested too."


    "And you said my choice is invalid, ude. Your opinion shouldn''t even count."


    "A mentally sound modern human being shouldn''t care for dinosaurs."


    Erika scowled at ude''s words.


    "Oh, there you go always so cynical. I bet you also wanted to go and join a Destiny 500pany and graduate magna cumude and make a lot of money and make people or all that bullshit."


    "Enough of you miss Archmage. I bet I can save the world and whatever."


    Elric and Tiana watched the other two fight over dinosaurs and ignored them. The master came over with the dishes and ced them over the tables, the two still going strong.


    They ate their meals, paid their tab, and said their byes to the master as well.


    Unfortunately, the time hadn''t ended even yet and the two idiots still fought some more.


    They strolled a bit, went back home, ate a little, and went to sleep.


    They left notes for each other through the night and it was only when the next morning came around did the two of them lose all their energy and stopped fighting.


    ***


    "We''re¡­ a little low on funds anyway huh?" ude muttered, counting the cash in all the bags they had.


    They had barely started adjusting to life in this new ce. And before they actually started to getfortable, ude preferred to have made some money. Enough so that they actually could getfortable and spend rxed.


    To that end, they would have to hit as many quests as they could now itself.


    Thankfully, the number of golem cores they had brought along had established them a track record and all that remained was to go ahead and utilize it.


    The receptionist had long since agreed to bend some rules and let them take on slightly higher paying quests since there was ack of people here.


    "Let''s go and get the second quest," ude said. "We''ll collect about a hundred gold in total and then kick back and think about our future, what do you say?"


    "F-future already?!" Tiana, not robed any more, spoke out loud. "Does that mean we''ll be disbanding soon? We didn''t even get to fight a dragon and ude didn''t get to pull the ''It was fun adventuring with all of you, now this is mah powa of frienship!!''"


    "What kind of plotline is that?" udemented. "Well, do you want to be an adventurer all your life, Tiana? Don''t you want to rx and explore the world maybe? Open a patisserie? Kill some fucking rats that betrayed you? Any bigger goal?"


    "I¡­ guess¡­?"


    Tiana crossed her arms and immersed herself in her thoughts. Just how was she supposed to enjoy life? All this time, she had been thinking of survivng.


    "We have to survive first. I mean¡­ don''t you too?"


    And she still had to.


    She was sure they were no better. They had to live first, and then they could decide ''how'' they wanted to live.


    "Hah!" ude grinned while the other two looked at her with fond smiles. He reached his hand out and lightly patted the top of her head. "Don''t look at what''s in front of you, Tiana. Look beyond it."


    Tiana lowered her gaze as ude gently rubbed the top of her head.


    "Or you''ll grow blind to what''s next. Consumed in the now. No one would want that, right?"


    When ude moved away, Tiana was left grabbing her head.


    "Beyond¡­ huh?"


    It seemed everyone had gotten slightly better atmunicating.


    Just slightly.


    ***


    "A new quest?"


    The receptionist of the adventurer guild asked. The part timer that worked here in between of his education all the over to the next mountain.


    "Hmm¡­ there''s the tough ones," the receptionist said, faced by the four of the only active adventurers in the town of Syracuse. She hopped over to the quest board and picked out a different one, handing it over to ude. "I''ll rmend this though. It''s high paying and easy."


    "Find a missing person?"


    "Two."


    On the paper were the figures of two robed figures.


    "Last seen in the deepest mountains of the city."


    The receptionist nodded at those words.


    "The ce is rumored¡­ to host the elves."

 Chapter 90 90: Whats The Deal?

    ?


    The quartet sat ibn the nning tables in the study of the adventurer''s guild THe ce filled with bookshelves and tables right next to the reception was usually chock full of material that the adventurers could use.


    A business that always involved the risk of death needed proper study and nning to avid said death. And due was always meticulous about that part.


    An hour went into the others bringing over the materials that he wanted. From ounts of the other adventurers about the elves to ancient texts and modern ones alike.


    Most of them were filled with reports from other adventurers, but any other book that featured anything about elves was brought along.


    And then, after cing them all on a desk with a wide map yed atop it, the group got into doing what they did best, studying.


    "Oh hey, sixteen times fifty five is eight hundred and eighty. How did you even get twenty eight?"


    "Um, meth?"


    ude''s forehead twitched from the downright haunting conversation that Elric and Tiana made but did not say anything.


    Calm. He had to be calm.


    Yes.


    "And that''s how you solve trigonometry."


    "Thank you, that was so easy."


    "HOW!?" ude screamed.


    "Shush, keep it down young man you''re in a library."


    "I am fucking not."


    ude snapped.


    "You were lying, weren''t you? You could always do the math, couldn''t you?"


    "No, I am bad at meth."


    "It''s math."


    Tiana grinned.


    ude scowled.


    The bitch was messing with him.


    She smiled and turned back to the books, and so did the rest.


    As she sat, instead of kicking her legs, Tiana only twiddled her toes and hummed.


    Even when Elric bothered her, she didn''t go beyond aeback or two.


    It was a strange look on a person he thought was more of a goblin than an elf, but ude kept that to himself.


    He scoured through some more books and then pulled up a chalk ced on the table, making a small marking on the map over the mountains in the deepest ranges of the Silvanus peaks.


    The ce was where their targets werest seen and where elves were rumored to live.


    Many adventurer ounts spoke at length of it.


    "Honestly, these books state that the country was formed with the aid of elves and that they still upy the highest point of p[power in the kingdom of Silvanus."


    Erika spoke up, pointing at a small paragraph from the codex she held.


    "It pretty much confirms that elves exist."


    Tiana''s mouth fell open.


    "And I didn''t?" she asked.


    Erika covered her lips in a gasp.


    "I counted you as a goblin before an elf."


    "Also," Tiana spoke out again. "Aren''t there elves in other countries too?"


    Erika nodded.


    "Right, I''ve met one before."


    Tiana''s jaw dropped open.


    "Is this¡­ how you always feel?"


    "Alright youngdy," ude spoke up. "Out with it."


    "What?" Tiana asked. "Me?"


    Erika followed up with a nod.


    "You would have long since continued the joke. Don''t act like you have some slightest semnce of rationality in those three brain cells of yours."


    Tiana puffed her cheeks.


    "That''s not true. Ruler ruler, tell them."


    "Zzz¡­"


    Elric had long gone to sleep.


    "Oh¡­"


    "No back up now missy," ude said once more, his arms crossed.


    "You sound like her dad."


    "Anyone who wants to hit on her will be shot."


    "Now you''re an american dad?"


    "Call me Stan."


    Elric''sck was made up for well.


    Tiana, not understanding a bit of their humor was only left tilting her head to the side while Erikaughed a little.


    "Alright, Tiana. What is it? We didn''t ask you about the ce because you didn''t seem to want to talk about it."


    "That and I doubt you could tell us anything useful."


    "Zzz¡­"


    "Ehehe¡­" Tiana scratched the back of her head and looked down.


    "I am sorry," she said. "I didn''t mean to hide anything but¡­"


    "Do you not want to take on the quest?" ude asked.


    "No¡­ it''s not like that."


    Tiana shook her head.


    "You remember I told you about two guys?"


    ude and Erika nodded.


    She had mentioned being offered some limited edition chocte and ''ying along'' with the offerers who were obviously here to kidnap.


    "They may¡­ be these guys¡­ may be¡­"


    "Oh damn."


    "Oh damn¡­"


    ude and Erika''s eyes widened.


    "D-did you do something to them?"


    "Were their ears bleeding from your babbling?"


    "Rude much? It was nothing like that¡­"


    Tiana lowered her head once more and clenched her fists.


    "It''s just that¡­"


    "That? What is this, Indian Soap Opera? Can you get to the point or should I start zooming in on you from ten angles?"


    Elric raised his thumb, still in his zzzs.


    ude had made an Elric-approved joke for the first time since they left the Mystic Forest.


    "Sorry. Well, I did kinda hit them in the middle of the forest¡­ at a ce where tigers are known to frequent."


    The other two leaned back.


    "Tigers may have eaten them up, huh?"


    "Maybe¡­?"


    "That would be troublesome no doubt no doubt.


    "Right?"


    "Well then, let''s ept this quest!"


    "Huh? Why?"


    "We go to tiger dump, carry their corpse back, and get all the money!"


    ''That is horrible! I love it!"


    "Of course you do."


    ude then grabbed Elric and pushed him down his chair, making him fall to the ground. The sleeping hero woke up right then and there and coughed.


    ***


    The old elf picked out another rag just like the previous one and dapped it on the corners of his eyes.


    "I get teary just thinking of how scared she must be. What if she is taken up by humans? It would be the very worst."


    "O-oh¡­"


    "Puuuun."


    "Thank you for constion, uh¡­?" The old elf was stunned at Bagpipe. "What''s your deal?"


    "Puuun."


    "Fair enough."


    The two nodded, and the old elf got back to dabbing his eyes.


    "I apologize. I hope you can help us find that sweet child. She didn''t even have any parents, oh, everyone in the vige is so grey without her."


    "Do not worry, old man," Marcus spoke. "We''ll help you get her."


    "Thank you¡­ thank you¡­"


    "What is her name?"


    The light of themp flickered once more.


    The shadow of the old elf grew wider until the entire wall behind was covered by him.


    "Tiana," he said.


    "Got it. Tiana, we''ll get here in a jiffy."


    So, we''ll be keeping them here with us, I hope you don''t mind."


    "Not at all!"


    The idiot trio gave a thumbs up and the robed duo were abandoned in the house of the elf vige chief in one go.


    "I will also be sending a search [party from the vige, so I hope it helps.?


    "Of course, it will!"


    The vige chief smiled and talked them forward. Having epted an all-new quest from the vige chief, the trio now went ahead and left the vige under the guidance of the elf that had brought them along.


    "What now?"


    "He did praise us¡­ those guys need us."


    "OPuuuun!"


    "Totally, Lord Leres will never abandon a person in need. Keep your watchful gaze on our, Lord Leres!"


    "Lord Leres! For Lord Leres!"


    "Puuuuhnn!"


    "Well, where is he anyway?"


    "Good question."


    "Puuun¡­"


    ***


    Lord Leres the LlftllotLll was now on his way out of the ce inside the forest of the elves, and when he said out, he meant out out.


    He was getting the fuck out of here.


    What the heck was wrong with that altar he had seen on the grounds below? Excuse me? Elf rights?


    It must be the fish.


    He was certain.


    The fish must have orchestrated this entire y for him to get spooked and to throw him out of his element or whatever. Yup, fish.


    Definitely.


    Paranoia filled Leres'' back as he thought of the now as well.


    Maybe/


    Maybe the spirits were double agents?


    Fish hires?


    "Are any of you fresh hires?"


    "Hahaha!"


    "Hihihi!"


    They only giggled.


    It was all just a mere y to them. The fleetingness of human life was nothing but a joke for these spirits.


    It was like he was an ant to their human.


    Lord Leres promised then and there to never be rude to ants. Little did the spirits know that the lord himself was a man destined for greatness amongst greatness. He was the definition of great.


    There was nothing he couldn''t do.


    And getting a revolution wasn''t one of those nothings.


    "Damn, your fish¡ªAhk!"


    A thud sounded as Leres collided with someone else.


    It was a boy with red hair.


    And behind him.


    Was a jawdropping beauty.


    A strange urge to eat fishcakes filled his mouth, but he had had a bad experience with a fish cake that had almost made him blind.


    "Dude, stand up. I am sorry, but you bumped into me here."


    "I-it is Alright."


    Lord Leres stood up and sighed.


    "This ce¡­ is dangerous¡­ you should turn back."


    "Big words, what''s your name?"


    "I¡­ am Leres."


    The other parties'' eyes widened.


    He knew his name!


    Leres asked back.


    "What is yours?"


    "I am called ude. Pleasure."

 Chapter 91 91: Trickery

    ?


    Elric noticed a new person trying to get involved with the group.


    Now, he didn''t know what others thought, but people like that were whack most of the time. He could tell from experience. There was a time he was in middle school and he used to y around with some people. Back then, a lot of men and women alike would try to get involved with his friend group and then confess to him.


    It was so damn annoying that he stopped having any friend groups eventually. Sleeping was a better use of his time anyway.


    But those were people from a different world that didn''t really understand the difference in stature between them and him.


    From what Elric had seen, people of this world sure knew to pick their battles.


    He had been confessed to by a total of zero guys and zero girls in this world!


    And that must speak for something.


    That said, that this guy wasing here could only mean one thing in Elric''s mind. He wanted to confess to somebody in this group.


    Who could it be?


    Elric narrowed his eyes and looked at everyone.


    And honestly, he couldn''t tell.


    It could be anyone. ude was at risk since he was fun, Erika was at risk since she was fun, and Tiana was at risk since she was an elf.


    "Elf."


    The guy twitched at Elric''s words.


    He had just finished introducing himself to ude and asking for his own name.


    That was it! He had all the proof he would need now.


    He had no idea why Erika tried to hit the back of his head. And he would have totally dodged if he weren''t sleepy. Totally.


    "Shush it, are you trying to sell Tiana out here?" Erika whispered.


    "No, I am only trying to protect her."


    "So¡­ um, Leres¡­" ude spoke. "You seen any robed guys around these parts?"


    "Robed¡­? There''s one right there."


    Elric gasped.


    This bitch.


    He was still at it!


    Elric covered Tiana by standing in front of her. He remembered a WikiWhat article he had read about confronting Beluga whales.


    And so, he T-Posed.


    His gaze firm his arms strong, Elric poured his soul into the T-pose.


    "Um¡­?"


    "N-not that one," ude muttered, just as confused as the other person about what Elric was up to.


    "Well, I did meet some robed people earlier¡­" he said. "They lured me into this forest and then disappeared leaving me to my death. But those guys were probably working for fish, you don''t want to get involved with them."


    If he could, ude wanted to bang his head on a giant boulder right now and burn his own gray matter.


    Why.


    Just why couldn''t he be with normal people?


    "In the forest, right? I''ll get to it."


    "No no no!" Leres suddenly grabbed ude''s hands and stopped him from going in. "You don''t want to, it''s all arge fish psyop that this is a forest! It''s actually a ce that fish use to feed on people. I even found an altar dedicated to some silver fish!"


    "Oh god, what did I do to deserve this?"


    Maybe.


    Maybe this guy was more cracked in the head than Elric? No, that didn''t seem usible. That was a level of cracked in the head that even gods who were fixing eyesight and lifelong injuries weren''t able to fix.


    It would be a spit on their face if someone could go worse than that.


    Then, he must be at least half as bad as Elric.


    And ude neeed not be reminded just how bad half of that was either. If people could be crazy on a scale of zero to ten, then Elric was a solid fifty-four million.


    This guy being half of that already made everyst word of his to be distrustable.


    "You know what, Leres? You''re right. They can''t be in here if they left you here, right? Would it be leaving you here if they were here too? Won''t it be apanying you then?"


    "Right right! You get it."


    ude would have socked this guy long ago had he not been the one being praised in all of Soleda as a hero. As the person who was one of the pirs of the destruction that had happened there, he didn''t feel it right to go ahead and thrash their hero without any discretion.


    "Whatever, then. Have a good day.''"


    "Wait! Wait wait!"


    The man stopped him again.


    "What now? You bumped into us. All done."


    "You can''t leave me alone here. What if there are fish?"


    ude tilted his head.


    "I mean, I can''t leave YOU alone here."


    "We can do without baggage."


    "You can''t¡ª"


    ude chopped the back of Leres'' head and the man fainted.


    "Good job, ude!" Elric cheered. "This fucker was eyeing our Tiana."


    "He was?!"


    ude was surprised once more. He took a rope and tied the man to a stone and then the group of them left anyway.


    Who cared about some random guy?


    The group then continued on their trek, looking for the ce where Tiana had said she had found the lions and had left the robed ones at.


    Leaves rustled. The dirt below was kicked up through their steps while the sounds of stones and bushes shaking around came repeatedly.


    The path waspletely ruined by the incline, and the growing roots seeping wide into the ground just added on to it, making their trek more difficult than it had to be.


    They continued through the path for a while before the sun overhead started to fall.


    It wasn''t like they were good at it in the first ce, but they still couldn''t really find any traces of the two robed folks. It was all arge loss.


    "Let''s take a break for now," ude said.


    The group agreed. Setting up camp here was going to be helpful in the long run.


    The camp was set deeper into the thicket of trees with a fire and tent set up quickly. The sun went down and only the sounds of the birds and the crickets remained in the night.


    The group all sat around the small fire and together watched the fire for a while.


    At that time, Erika and ude stabbed a stick through some meat and let it roast around the mes.


    It was going to be a long run through, and they had brought enough food tost them for a while.


    They all sat in silence for a while, as if they were all out of topics to chat about.


    Then, ude spoke up.


    "Should we go into the forest though?" ude asked. It was the ce that this man imed was somewhere that the robed figures led him to and a bunch of human sacrifice took ce.


    "I don''t know, I''ve never been here," Tiana said.


    "Never huh? Where did you live anyway, Tiana? Isn''t this near the forest where they say the elves lived?"


    "I don''t know," Tiana answered with a wry smile.


    "Don''t know?" Elric pressed on. "Where did you leave from then?"


    ude thought that it was a very strange question. What did living at and leaving from had different about them?


    But the question wasn''tpletely lost on Tiana.


    "I left from a forest."


    A lot of Elric''s suspicions were cleared out.


    "Those robed men weren''t taking you away," Elric muttered.


    In the crackling of the mes, he had discovered something that he didn''t yet.


    "You are a sly one, aren''t you?"


    Elric''s words echoed over the ce.


    "What are you on about now, Elric?" ude asked, though not in a way to insult Elric at all. Tiana flinched when she saw the look of absolute trust on ude''s face.


    She looked over to Erika in hope, but that was useless too.


    Erika had learned to trust them all a lot.


    "Hah¡­ I don''t know what you''re talking about."


    "Of course you don''t," Elric muttered. "As if you haven''t been tricking us all along from the start."


    "That''s¡­ not true at all¡­"


    "Ok, my bad," Elric sighed. "I made it seem too malicious. You two, she has no intentions of whatever you fear¡ª"


    "You don''t have to tell us that," ude said. "We all know she was hiding something and that it isn''t anything harmful."


    "We trust Tiana. We are just curious about the point that you''re trying to make here."


    Elric grinned and looked at Tiana.


    Indeed.


    He trusted her just as much as these two.


    She was the only one who would try to call him by his title. Who was he to trust if not Tiana?


    "You''re right," Elric said. "She has been hiding something, but not in the lines you''re thinking. In that sense, she has been tricking us because she only told us what she needed to to get us to think this way."


    Tiana clenched her fists and looked down.


    "This Elf¡­ was never being taken away by those guys, but was being taken back."

 Chapter 92 92: Peak Logical Reasoning Specimen

    Chapter92 92: Peak Logical Reasoning Specimen


    "This Elf¡­ was never being taken away by those guys, but was being taken back."


    The other three were slightly shocked by Elric''s words. His casual statement had made it almost seem like another of the usual jokes, but the two now knew better.


    If he told Erika to throw chocte at a bat again, she wouldn''t. Spending a short time with him made it possible to distinguish his intent.


    And his intent waspletely serious right here.


    "Taking her¡­ back?"


    "How does that make sense?"


    "Right," Elric nodded "You can''t get it that easy. She clearly hid information and created a narrative in our own heads"


    "A narrative that she was being taken away?" ude asked.


    "Now that you mention it, she never said those words by herself, we just assumed it."


    As anyone would have without knowing the events that went on with the two robed men and the elf vige.


    "She didn''t lie to us, but made us lie to ourselves. Such kind of cold suggestions are prettymon."


    "Where?"


    "I don''t know? Sherlock Holmes?"


    ude scoffed at his words.


    "You want me to believe that you of all people would be someone that has read Sherlock?"


    "Why can''t I have?" Elric snapped.


    "Have you?"


    "No, but that''s not the point."


    "I bet you got it from some edgy webnovels for teens. Some divine viin god harem thingy."


    Elric neither agreed nor denied those words. He simply sighed and got back to the matter at hand.


    "Now, you must be wondering, oh great wise lord and sage master of water ruler of all liquids Elric Wald, how did you know something like this was up? Go on, ask before I fall asleep."


    "How?"


    "You left some words there."


    "Speak, bitch."


    Elric clicked his tongue and puffed his cheeks.


    He didn;t want tio tell them annything, but at the same time didn''t want to miss his chance of being cool by telling them everything.


    In the end, what spurred him on was the gloom on Tiana''s face as she slightly trembled.


    "I just assumed that she had some troubles with her home at first, but you think there''s more?"


    Elric nodded.


    "She had already confirmed it for me, but she knew not where she lived."


    ude''s mind fluttered back to the question he had asked earlier.


    When ude posed the question of where her home was, Tiana had shrugged it away, but she had answered the ''forest'' to Elric.


    What seemed like a sarcastic allusion to her being an elf, was actually a in and simple answer.


    "That doesn''t exin why you are so sure."


    "That man from before said he was here with those robed guys, right?"


    "Leres? I mean, he is being hailed as the one who solved things in Soleda but we all know that''s not true."


    Elric''s jaw dropped.


    "That''s who he was!?"


    Elric was filled up with fiery rage. "I thought he was going to hit on Tiana, but he wanted to steal our credits again!"


    "I doubt he was nning to do either of those-"


    "Hohoho, naive ude. A thief doesn''t change."


    "Please apologize to thieves."


    "I won''t," Elric shook his head. "Anyway,ing back. We should go and hit that guy¡ª"


    "We won''t nowe back for real."


    "Yes, so. He said that he was guided by those guys, and if those guys were nning to take Tiana back to her home and not away then didn''t it make sense that the ones inside would be elves?"


    ude nodded and so did Erika.


    Tiana muttered an ooh, it did make sense when she thought about it.


    "But Tiana had no idea that the forest was the one where she used to live. And worse than that, we still chased Tiana''s path that led closer to the forest despite hearing that those two were still alive."


    "If she did dislike her home then she wouldn''t be hanging around it, right?"


    "Pretty much."


    "But what if she didn''t know it was her home?"


    "Then she would be unable to avoid it."


    Erika posed and Elric snapped his fingers.


    "Exactly."


    Tiana sighed at that and raised her hands.


    "I am sorry, you got me¡ª"


    "¡ªHoho!" Elric chuckled. "I am not done."


    All of them tilted their heads.


    "That''s not all I''ve figured out, little Tiana. I have easily figured out the entire plot of this mini arc and you can not stop me from logically putting it forth."


    "What arc, what plot?"


    "Shut up and bask in my greatness."


    "T-t-twenty eight?"


    "And where do elves live?"


    Elric yawned and sat back down.


    "Now listen. Tell me again what''s fifty-five times sixteen, Tiana."


    "T-t-twenty eight?"


    "And where do elves live?"


    "In many ces."


    ude crossed his hands. Some level of understanding was dawning on him.


    Just being bad at math didn''t justify making such stupid mistakes unless one wasn''t Elric. But knowing that other bit required some amount of knowledge, general knowledge.


    But where such general knowledge reach someone but basic math skills didn''t?


    "I guess you''re on to something," Elric asked.


    And ude nodded.


    "I can understand. She didn''t know where she lived, nor did she know math, but knew something that many others knew. It is a very jaggedy range of knowledge."


    "It seems like a stretch," Elric said. "That''s why I saved it for the end."


    "I still don''t get it," Erika muttered. "What are you guys on about?"


    "Think of it," said Elric once more. "Where do you find someone that knows a lot about, let''s say animal rearing, but can hardly tell you what separates physics from chemistry?"


    Erika had gone to the country sides a lot. Her extended family was one of farmers.


    She knew well such things.


    "Farm hands."


    "Or¡­?"


    "F-farm legs?"


    "Alright, my bad. Generalize it?"


    "F-farmer¡­s?"


    Elric coughed.


    "No, people with a limited ess to knowledge. Someone who has not learned a lot."


    "Oh!" Erika hummed. "I see, so basically people who were only exposed to one thing but not the other. I still don''t get what you''re trying to tell me."


    "Knowledgees from exposure, exposure is pretty much experience, the older and freer you are, the more knowledgeable you would be."


    "Correct," Erika nodded.


    Tiana clenched her fists.


    "Do you remember how old Tiana is? We saw her soul stone didn''t we?"


    Erika raised her head and thought.


    How old¡­


    "Wasn''t she 98?"


    Erika nodded. "Yup, she was 98."


    "She''s old, she should know a lot."


    "But she doesn''t."


    "The older you are the more you know, the¡­" Elric bulged his eyes out and leaned toward Erika.


    "Freer, you are?"


    "Correct!" Elric smiled and sat back. With a wide grin, he pointed at Tiana and spoke in a rapid fire, fully proud of himself. "She''s spent almost all 98 years of her life in captivity and that is why she''s as dumb as a rock! Boom! Bam! Mystery solved. Fucking. Told. You. So."


    Tiana trembled.


    A plop sounded out as a teardrop fell from her eyes.


    "U¡­."


    Elric froze.


    The other two looked at her.


    "Uwaaaaa!"


    A scream sounded out as Tiana cried her heart in front of them. Tears fell down her cheeks like a broken dam and screams echoed through as if she was crying straight into a microphone.


    each woerd. Her hand wiped her eyes but more tears follow right throigh. Erika rushed to her back and ced a hand over her, but "Eh!?" Elric yelped. "Y-y-you don''t have to be¡­ so moved."


    "I am nottttt¡­aaaan! That was so rude¡­." She sniffled in between each woerd. Her hand wiped her eyes but more tears follow right throigh. Erika rushed to her back and ced a hand over her, but her tears didn''t stop. "Y-you are so¡­ so insensitive¡­. Uck¡­ Why did¡­ you have to do it like this¡­"


    ude and Erika red at Elric.


    "And you! And you! You even called dumb like a rock¡­ uwaaaa¡­"


    Tiana kept crying while Erika and ude did their best to console her. Frozen in ce, Elric had no idea what to do.


    "So you''re so smart? Well¡­ I am not a rock! Take that back!"


    "I-I am sorry, you''re not a rock¡­"


    Tiana sniffled and looked up.


    "Then?"


    "A¡­ a¡­ magpie?"


    "THAT''S WORSE!"


    The tears began again and Elric panicked again.


    "I am sorry! Ok, ok, a pig! A pig!"


    "UWAAA!"


    "But they''re as smart as three year olds!"


    "I am not a piiiiiigggg!"


    "Human!?"


    "NOOOO!"


    "Elf! You''re as smart as an elf¡ªOh shit." Elric suddenly stoppd. "What if she really is as smart as an elf? Are all elves dumb? Then my theory breaks apart, Erika, are all elves dumb?"


    Erika smacked his head.


    "I am not dumb¡­.!!" And Tiana continued crying.


    The cries did not stop for a long time as after ny eight whole years, the young elf expressed her heart out.


    But she still knew.


    She still hid.


    The truth of herself and her world.


    She hid to protect, but she could hide it all she wanted¡­


    As he watched her cry, a soft smile spread on Elric''s lips.


    He was going to make sure nothing bad would happen, even if it meant razing the elves to death.


    The consequences, he could handle those when theye arouynd.

 Chapter 93 93: Hyden and the Idiot Trio

    Chapter93 93: Hyden and the Idiot Trio


    A young man with blonde hair sat in the midst of many trees. His eyes turned skyward, his knees against the ground. Though pebbles sunk into his skin, he cared not. Though pain ran through his shin, he cared not.


    All that mattered was a connection.


    A faith.


    A prayer.


    A prayer that he chanted, that he raised, that he called.


    "O'' Fortuna," he spoke, his head slowly lowering to the ground.


    Until he touched the ground.


    His heart ached, his mind calmed, every pore in his body was present, was alert, was faithful.


    For he prayed.


    For he prayed.


    And his goddess.


    Answered his prayers.


    "My child, my apostle, my brave Hyden."


    The blonde man, Hyden, shivered at the voice that rang in his head.


    The goddess was here.


    Amidst the calls of the sparrows, the chirps of the insects the voce of the forest. Words of a goddess rang in his head.


    Like a mother caressing her child, the goddess'' glow slowly patted the man''s head and eased his pains.


    She had heard his calls.


    She had answered his prayers.


    The young man filled with faith, the chosen apostle of Fortuna only listened.


    He listened to hermands, her voice, her whispers.


    "You still haven''t done what was needed."


    Tears dripped from Hyden''s eyes.


    He had failed her.


    Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Faile


    d.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Fail


    ed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.Failed.


    Failed.


    Completely failed.


    "Time has not gone yet, my child."


    Hyden stopped.


    His eyes slowly turned upward, veins of red filling everyst corner of his sclera.


    "Fate can be changed still. Disaster can be culled still. Your de can be swung still."


    It was possible.


    "Go forth, my child."


    He could still move.


    "Remember, that which has been trodden once has not been sealed off yet."


    "O'' my goddess. I have been blessed. Blessed¡­"


    "Go¡­"


    The goddess'' voice faded.


    The hand touching his hand disappeared.


    But Hyden did not move.


    He moved not an inch, not a breath nor a finger.


    For even if the goddess faded. His faith didn''t.


    It was then.


    "PUUUUUN!"


    A crazy re rang through the forest and socked him out of his attention and focus. His lips curled into a disced smile, and the blonde man, Hyden, tightened the wrapped bandage around his arm and stood up.


    The sudden sound had broken him out of his reverie, the young man was beyond pissed.


    He held his chin up and stood.


    A pain spread through his arm going all the way up to his brain, but that was still fine, he could just barely make do enough.


    At least for this ce.


    It was much better than when he had just been poisoned and had to fight a horde of imps. It was all thanks to the young ones that had given him the antidote for the poison before he could croak over. Even if they had joined hands with the imps in beating him down.


    As an apostle of a goddess, and not just any but the goddess of fate herself.


    He had a duty to repay such kindness from strangers to strangers.


    And so, Hyden moved.


    Through the many overgrowing bushes and past the many under sweeping trees, he made his way away from the spot he was at before and toward where the echoing sound of a pipe had rung.


    As he got closer and closer, the sounds grew louder.


    And then there was a merge of growls along with scared squeals ringing into the forest path.


    "Marcus! Marcus run!!"


    "Tomas! Noooo!"


    "PUUUN!!"


    "Heh?" Hyden tilted his head. A group of squealing clowns were going off against a single shadow wolf.


    The wolf, in all its glory as pretty much one of the worst predators in the forest when alone, hadnded a grand score of three torn bits of cloth from all three of them.


    "Bagpipe! Protect the bagpipe, it goes for clothes! If¡­ if this damned wolf manages to tear a hole in Bagpipe''s bagpipe, then Bagpipe will die!"


    "Puuun!"


    "Puuuun!?"


    "What are you saying, friend? Of course, we''ll risk our life for you. Aren''t we all the followers of our great lord Leres?"


    "Puuun!"


    "What?"


    Hyden was stunned.


    "No seriously, what?"


    He didn''t want the narrator toment on it.


    "Please just shut up, what the heck are these clowns doing?"


    Scared a slight amount and baffled another slight, Hyden slowly pulled out his sword from its scabbard and lowered its stance. His eyes fell on the wolf.


    A blink.


    And he could see the trajectory the wolf was to take in dotted lines around.


    Slowly, he exhaled a sharp breath.


    And dashed ahead!


    His sword glowed with a slight blue as he activated his skills.


    [Pierce Stab]


    ss: Sword Warrior


    A simple, precise, abundant skill that made a hole piercing straight into the wolf''s stomach and sent it gnarling on the ground.


    "W-w-what?!"


    The three clowns all turned toward him at once as Hyden flicked his sword and wiped away the blood that had stuck to it. His lips turned into a smile, he looked down at the corpse of the wolf.


    And then, another dotted red line filled his sight.


    Aiming straight for the bagpipe of the bagpipe guy.


    '' If¡­ if this damned wolf manages to tear a hole in Bagpipe''s bagpipe, then Bagpipe will die!''


    Those words echoed in Hyden''s ears.


    That truly felt like the hottest pile of bull he had ever seen or heard of, but the small chance that it could happen was something he couldn''t ignore.


    At the same time, he was also curious about finding out if it really would happen.


    But.


    But this was fine too.


    He was certain that things would be better if he just killed the wolf now. The risk was not worth taking and sully his name as the apostle of his goddess.


    The wolf tried to jump. It''s target the bagpipe hanging from bagpipe''s neck.


    Hyden stared it down.


    He raised his sword up high.


    [Splitting Swing]


    The sword glowed blue yet again as the skill activate,d With a single sh, the wolf running toward the bagpipe man was cut in half and split apart.


    A small magic core fell from between the wolf as its bodyy limp on the ground.


    "O-oh¡­"


    "You saved¡­ bagpipe¡­"


    "Puuuun!"


    Hyden swung his sword and flicked off the blood once more, he just looked at the wolf again in case he would have to be pissed off but nothing seemed to be wrong with death anymore. Deathg was fixed.


    He then looked back at the three clowns with a smile. Using superhuman strength and calling up his goddesss, he somehow mannaged to notugh at them.


    Finally, Hyden spoke.


    "Don''t mind it, I only did what was natural."


    "Oh! What a saint"


    "He couldn''t just kill a wolf though, he''s very weak."


    "Puuun!"


    "Stop it bagpipe, don''t call him a two time swinging loser who couldn''t even handle an easy wolf even though he used skills! That''s rude!"


    Hyden understood what the goddess meant when she said his sword could be swung still. He had to get rid of these bastards.


    ''Phew¡­ calm down, Hyden. They''re just like that Imp¡­''


    His mind returned to the Imp he had met and the Imp''s two guardians.


    ''Yeah no, that guy was worse.''


    You could bet he was.


    "Well, alright, alright."


    Hyden breathed rashly and calmed himself down. That was still okay. He could still bear them with no problem.


    "What are you guys doing out here if you can''t even defeat wolves?


    "Haha..," Marcus chuckled.


    "Marcus, no," Tomas said and turned back to his savior. "Sir, we''re here on a great and n0ble mission that no one else could achieve."


    "Great? Noble? What is it?"


    "Sir! We are looking! For the one!¡ª Actually, I shouldn''t tell you this."


    Hyden felt as if they had just smacked a rock on his head. Little bastards were not just rude but also highly annoying.


    "Well, whatever. I saved you guys, so help me out a bit."


    If he''s going to do it then he would better be around asking them a few questions and getting what he needed off of them.


    Hyden reached into his pockets and pulled out a small piece of paper. He didn''t think words would work with idiots like these so he used some ck coal and sketched quick stick figurines of three people in ck robes.


    "Have you seen people like these?"


    "Yup," said Tomas. He seemed a little reasonable to Hyden.


    "Great! Where?"


    "Right here, on this paper¡ªAhahahaahahah!"


    "Puuun puun puuuuuun."


    "HAHAHAHA!"


    Hyden almost pulled out his sword again but held it in.


    Calm calm. Think of that Imp.


    Yes. At least they didn''t outright beat him and steal from him.


    "Three-robed folks, two looked like men and one child. Have you seen them?"


    "Hm I guess I did see two of them inside the forest."


    "Oh, we''re looking for a child in robes too. Have you seen her?" Marcus suddenly intervened.


    "How did she look?"


    Marcus, pointing at the drawing in his hands, said. "Like that."


    "Oh¡­"


    Hyden removed his sword in the end.

 Chapter 94 94: Self Serving Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 94 Chapter 94: Self Serving Revenge</h4>


    "A girl like this¡­"


    Hyden heaved his every breath as he spoke to the damned bastards that continued wasting his time and testing his patience.


    "I just asked if you''ve seen them."


    "And we answered that," said Tomas. "Now you answer us, it''s only fair"


    "Yeah, and don''t meddle in our business."


    "We''re looking for the same people you little fucks!" Screamed Hyden.


    "Puuun!"


    "Yeah, don''t curse man." Tomas and Marcus shook their heads at the sphemous and disrespectful presentation this blonde man was giving. People and them thinking they could do anything just because they looked a little good and had like seventeen abs or something.


    "God damn it, my bad." Hyden hummed. "Now, was that girl with anyone in robes? Or did you see anyone in robes alone?"


    "Oh! We did see those two robed guys back there."


    "They are the ones who guided us through this whole ce and took us to¡ªActually, I don''t think I should be telling you all this."


    Hyden was pissed.


    But, he was still a young man that was an oracle.


    "Let me tell you this. If we don''t find this girl, then a big disaster will strike the people living inside this forest, so please tell me if you know anything."


    The idiot trio flinched at that information.


    "People inside the forest?" Tomas Asked.


    "Oh, you should have said you were working with the elves to find the lost girl earlier."


    A bright, wide grin syed over his lips as he looked at the three idiots.


    Elves.


    It seemed they had already been to the ce he had just returned from.


    It was all ready, and all set. There was little to think about for the apostle of the goddess of fate herself now. It was time to make a move.


    Slowly, the man wrapped his arms around the three.


    "Did they send you out to find the girl, or was the girl inside?"


    The three started to shiver.


    The joking, kind man that they had been with just moments before was now no longer present and had gone far far away.


    What loomed over their neck was his de.


    And an imminent death.


    "T-they sent us¡­ to find her?"


    Hyden let them go.


    A smile spread on his face as he pressed his aching arm. The pain that the injury had brought along was a tad too great to ignore, but it mattered little.


    A dog that bites the hand that fed it, was not going to be admonished if the owner was kind.


    And this owner was kind.


    Very kind.


    "Move," he ordered the three. "We''re going to look for her together."


    That elf girl.


    Was going tond in none but his hands.


    It was¡­. Themand of his goddess.


    ***


    The four people that had been crying out in the open while roasting bits of meat now sat together the next morning.


    Time was ripe for an expedition to the realm of the untold, the spirit of exploration burnt bright into their souls.


    "How long have we been sleeping in this forest? It is only time to go deeper. The closer to the center one is, the closer the time to leavees. Such was life, the more you believe you''re near the truth, the more surrounded you would be by falsehoods."


    "Those are twopletely different analogies."


    "Such is life. The closer you believe you are to your goal, the more there is that you are yet to achieve."


    "Again, very different."


    "¡­"


    "Ruler ruler is kinda dumb, huh?"


    "The more truth strength achieve, deeper outside."


    "What now?"


    Elric''s brain glitched as a waft of smoke floated out of his head. Error codes ran into his eyes.


    "Too much think¡­ too little sleep."


    "EWhatever man, just shut up now." ude was quite exhausted now. They already had a purpose, dying it was only going to be annoying.


    It all started the morning of today.


    "If¡­" ude had said back then. "Tiana had truly been kept captive, that makes me want to do something."


    Though the firewood had died down by the morning in front of their temporary tent, the fire that lit up in their hearts was unable to go out.


    No. It was only burning brighter after ude''s words.


    If it indeed was something that happened.


    Then¡­


    "We must crush those fuckers," Erika had said. "How dare they take someone''s freedom? For 98 years? If they do not have a good reason I''ll just destroy them."


    Tiana was still asleep and hadn''t heard a word back then.


    "You''ll wait for a reason?" Elric had asked since he too had been woken up a tad too early. The forest barely made for sleepable conditions after all. "I''ll go and kill them first."


    The band of heroes that had long since abandoned their position, carried yet the spirit of helping their friends.


    It was particrly strong in ude.


    For his greed for revenge had swirled in his heart since the beginning like a dark, murky desire.


    And the thought of helping his friend with her own was almost like a proxy for his revenge, a way to soothe his soul.


    It wasn''t all that different for Erika either. She who had been captured and moved for two years and then betrayed the moment she tried to seize her life in her own hands had had enough of the people that would dare make such things.


    In the end. Like children as they were.


    Their only thought was of themselves.


    An act of heroic revenge existed not for it all stemmed from deep selfishness and naught else. Deep, unbridled sense of self-service.


    Though Elric knew.


    He said no words.


    Why would he?


    Wherever ude went, he followed.


    And if ude wanted his own revenge disguised as an action for his friend, he was more than happy to help with it. It wasn''t as if the revenge won''t be helping Tiana at all. It sure was and what else did they need?


    And so, after waking Tiana up and asking for her opinion, she just said a simple confirmation.


    "I am still just a child, they never did anything to me. My life is barely gone, all I would want is to ask why."


    And so, they were ready to ask why.


    Sly as Tiana ever was.


    Elric remained a step slyer yet.


    But, what was he to do?


    "Where ude goes, I follow."


    And inside they stepped.


    The green forest and the many lowering vines all around them had covered the bark of the trees, as if that was not enough, the thick canopy and the moist air had made even the ground fill with wild grass and moss gnaw at the bulging roots and the bottoms of the trees and stones.


    Andscape of pure granary. That was the deepest part of the Silvanus forest and the homnd of the elves.


    The scent of air, the smell of trees, the thicket which had pathways narrower than even the mystic forest were strangely inviting in their spread.


    And to top it all off, mist spread all over the forest like wisps of smoke blocking their sightpletely,


    "How will we even navigate the way in here?"


    It was impossible to do so with even modern tools.


    "Don''t worry" said Tiana. "Our guides will be here soon. They helped me out of this ce."


    ude was slightly confused at those words, but nodded and continued walking.


    And true to her words, the guides did show up.


    "HEhehwe!"


    "Hahah!"


    "Hhihihi!"


    Spirits of all kinds fluttered in the air around them. Theirughs and giggles like music in the heavy forest.


    "This¡­?"? Erika muttered, stretching her hand at one. The small spirit merely giggled and dashed away while two more neared her.


    ude was stunned too.


    As the light hero, his spirit magic was still unutilized. This dense presence was what let him see them for the first time in his life.


    He tried to touch the spirits, but they evaded his grasp. Only the ones burning a crisp red loomed near him, their eyes t and lips smug like hard-boiled detectives.


    Spirits of all kinds just like Erika also floated near Tiana, she poked and yed with them and the spirits dly came around to her as well. Their smiles were giddy and their movements giddier as they danced and giggled around her.


    "Huh? What''s happening?"


    All of them turned to the side.


    Covered head to toe in spirits going ''ooh'' was Elric. There were so many drooling spirits all over him that it was almost impossible to see him underneath them, but for the man himself.


    "What are you guys ying with? What''s happening?"


    "Don''t tell me¡­" ude smirked. This useless cunt. "You can''t see them?"


    Elric flinched.


    He grabbed his hand and shook his head.


    "O-of course I can see them, the power trapped in my right arm and my left eye are too strong for me to not see the very fabric of this world at every moment. You won''t get it."


    "HAH!"


    Elric couldn''t see the spirits at all.

 Chapter 95 95: Legendary Lord Strikes Again!

    <h4>Chapter 95 Chapter 95: Legendary Lord Strikes Again!</h4>


    "Alright you guys, please follow the spirits closely and do not get lost."


    Tiana''s whispers rang loud in everyone''s ears. They had to move carefully through the spirits. With Tiana in front and ude next to her, those two were going to handle the guiding and any kind of problem that would arise.


    On the other hand, Erika tightly grasped Elric''s palm and guided him through the forest herself. Since he couldn''t see the spirits, he had no choice but to rely on the one person with more spirit sense than even ude right now.


    The small party formation was set and off they went.


    The loud spirits continued giggling andughing as they guided the four lostmbs through the forest.


    The mist continued to grow thicker. It was only thanks to the light of the spirits that they were able to move anywhere.


    The trees had started to get hidden beneath the veneer of white mist and even their own hands were rough to see.


    "Feels like home."


    "So calming."


    "You two are a little gone in the head."


    "You would be like that too if you start living in the mist for two years Erika."


    "You guys lived in the mist for two years? Ruler ruler, are you for real?"


    "He is. I was with him too. They were two tough years."


    "Wow, that must have been crazy."


    "It was where Elric and I truly bonded."


    "Oh! I want to bond in the mist too."


    "That sounds very wrong actually, don''t say it again."


    "It does? Ruler ruler, does it sound wrong?"


    .


    .


    .


    "Ruler ruler¡­.?"


    "Hm? Elric?"


    .


    .


    .


    "Erika¡­ where''s Elric?"


    "Ruler ruler? Erika?"


    "Erika! Elric!"


    "Where did you goooo!?"


    ***


    The group of four with Hyden at the lead now made their way around the perimeter of the forest. Their goal was to find the child and the child alone.


    And as luck would have it, they had founded traces of a camp and a fire in the middle of the forest.


    "Puuun puuun."


    "Just follow along for now, we''ll split up the moment we find a trace." Said Hyden. He was nning to use them for all they were worth no matter what.


    "I''ll take the bagpipe guy and you two can be on your way."


    "What?! Can''t we do three and one?"


    "I''ll die. Is that what you want? You don''t think someone should be watching my back for me?"


    "T-thats not what I meant¡­"


    Hyden knew well that these guys were now wimps and that they cared for this bagpipe weirdo. He had no idea what kept them together with a guy that belonged in the mental hospital, but at the same time, he didn''t think it was his job to worry about it anyway.


    "Sure then," Hyden said. "We''ll split in two and two, but first, we need to find a trace."


    The thicket right next to them, they went up and down the slopes of the mountain path.


    After a long yet short walk, they finally found something.


    "PUUUUN!"


    "Fuck so loud."


    "He''smunicating his shock, blonde man! Look over there!!"


    "Oh, my god!!! How can something like this happen? Holy shiitt!"


    "Let''s kill da hoe!"


    Hyden had no idea what they were saying anymore. When he followed his gaze to where they pointed, he finally saw.


    A young man sitting calm and serene, his face inplete peace with his position.


    Which was very odd.


    Because the fucker was tied to a fucking rock.


    "Whaaaaaat¡­.?"


    Hyden didn''t know how to react anymore Was it possible that he was making a mistake here? Was he actually with some kind of poltergeist? Maybe they were some special type of demonic god worshipper, that instead of bringing hate or pain or anything negative, brought a lot of weird emotions into a person?


    Maybe¡­


    Maybe that could be it.


    Yes. Because he was filled with the weird weird emotion called extreme confusion. He was so confused that his preconceived notion of how the world function wasing apart.


    It was unraveling open.


    He had no idea how he was supposed to react to this anymore. He waspletely stumped


    Would a minute pass he would question if what was up was down and what was down was up. He could make a dorky face, look straight into the eyes of a butterfly, and ask if it is a pigeon. If someone asked him how confused he was he would ask back how many breads the person had eaten in their life.


    Overall, it waspletely absurd.


    He was slowly short circuiting in his head. No was he ever set up right? Was a bunch of water poured on his switch board or was the switch board never functional?


    "Lord Leres!!"


    Finally, the name was revealed of the person and Hyden was confused yet more. He still held his confusion inside and walked over to the man tied to the rock. The other three already there.


    They were trying to free him up, the serene and calm look on his face didn''t break but tears started flowing down his face.


    "Lord Leres! Your loyal apostles are here."


    "We''ll get you out right away."


    "Puuun Puuun!"


    Hyden took in a deep breath, he raised his foot and ced it on top of Leres'' head.


    "HAAH!"


    "My goodness!"


    "POUUUUN!"


    The three apostles were shocked to no end.


    Leres slightly tilted his head.


    "You step on destiny''s child."


    Hyden''s eyes widened.


    Destiny? Destiny''s child?


    Was this man iming to be the apostle of HIS goddess?


    A sphemer, a conman, whichever one he was, it wasn''t a joke anymore. Beheading him now was the first thing he had to do.


    Hyden, in a fit of light rage, stepped harder on the man''s head and scowled.


    "Exin yourself¡ª"


    "You may think fortune is in your hands, but just like slimy fish, it slips away. What you consider the truth is rarely so. Even if you''re the child of your parents, they could still like silver backs and cods more."


    Hyden was stunned.


    What the fuck did that mean?


    He had no idea but he could grasp a few things.


    He was talking about destiny and then fortune, there was no doubt in Hyden''s mind that this person was talking about his goddess.


    Fate slips away like fish?


    Maybe¡­


    Maybe it meant that destiny is something only the goddess Fortuna knew and that his knowledge of it was just something vtile, feeble?


    If you are loved by your parents but still cod and silver back.?


    Actually, what in the world was up with all the fish references? Were they supposed to allude to something?


    Hah!


    He guessed it now.


    Maybe this man meant that he was just a receable pawn in the goddess''s hand?


    Hyden had grown arrogant. In his faith and self serving narrative of being his goddess'' child, he hade to believe that he was someone important for her just as she was for him.


    But what god needed a mere human?


    Apostle or not, what god needed someone else?


    Not her. Not an omnipotent god like Forutna.


    And faith. Faith was to ept this fate and still dedicate yourself. For sce, for redemption, for freedom.


    To strive to an ideal while not losing sight of your own ce. Such was faith.


    Why did people believe? Was it because they could be something? Was that what they thought?


    NO!


    They could never do it, but when they peted that fact and strived anyway were they faithful.


    An eternal tempering of the mind.


    An eternal sharpening of the soul.


    Faith was so.


    And he had lost sight of it.


    Jsut who was this man that had brought him back to the right path in moments? Who was this man that had not only told his weakness that he himself was unable to see but had also helped bhim fix it?


    Who?


    Who could it be?


    Slowly, Hyden removed his leg from rthe top of the man''s head and kneeled.


    "I apologize, senior Lord Leres. In my haste, I failed to recognize your greatness."


    "Now we''re talking."


    "As expected of Lord Leres. Way to striaghten a bad apple."


    "Piuuun puuun puuuuuuuun."


    "Lord Leres, I have been ignorant. Please share your guidance with this servant of the same god."


    Leresughed.


    Heughed andughed and thenughed some more.


    No matter who or what. As long as those three idiots were around, everyone started sarcastically insulting him.


    He wanted to cry and stab this person, but won''t thjat jsut be fueling the fire? He was getting wasted! Wasted!


    What had he done to deserve such a fate? Thjese ever insulting bastards, even though he wanted to hide in a hole¡­


    A hole.


    EWhy would he hide in a hole? Holes were creepy and filled eith blood and ears.


    These guys should be traumatised instead.


    "My wisdom?" Leres asked.


    "Kuh¡­ yes¡­"


    Look. Now he was even holding in hisughter.


    In a fit of rage, Leres shared his wisdom. HJis wise wise wisdom.


    "In that forest, is what ypou seek."


    Hyden bit his lips.


    "Are you certain?"


    "Yes."


    He was sednding them in the same forest that the other four had gone into.

 Chapter 96 96: Find Out

    <h4>Chapter 96 Chapter 96: Find Out</h4>


    ude and Tiana found themselves moving through the mist without any response from their friends, They turned around and looked but it was useless. The only way they could tell left from right and right from left was through the spirits.


    Though ude had managed to get a good grasp of direction in the mist thanks to his experience living in the Mystic forest, that only applied to a personal direction and not the direction of the ce itself since it always changed befoe he could afford to get used to it.


    With no other choice but to continue following the spirits, they kept calling their friends'' names and tried to approach their friends as well but to no avail.


    After giving up and just walking with the spirits, they finally found themselves at a spot where the thick mist had started to flow away.


    And there, in front of them was argeke, and beyond it a small wooden lodge sitting lofty.


    Mos and algae had preyed on the bottom of the lodge while the wood seemed moist and damp from the rain.


    The ce was surrounded by just as many spirits if not more than the rest of the ce. All of them giggled,ughing, and cheering.


    "A lodge/ In the woods? Is this how elves live?"


    Tiana slowly shook her head.


    "I don''t know. I had seen a vige when I was escaping, not a lodge like this."


    "Weird. Let''s check it out."


    Tiana gently sped ude''s sleeves and shook her head.


    "No," she said. "I don''t think we should be doing that.."


    "Why?"


    "I¡­ I just have a bad feeling. Let''s keep looking for the others."


    ude didn''t want to do anything that made Tiana ufortable. Unlike with Elric, he trusted themselves with Tiana and Erika''s backs but not them with his.


    The boy who had lost the ability to trust after a staunch betrayal, no matter how much he tried to stop it from consuming his self, it was not possible for there to be no effects at all.


    That didn''t mean he thought they would stab his back.


    But instead that they could not protect him.


    Just like back then.


    The one person who could save him and had saved him from many problems was no one but Elric. In that case, he wanted to go out and look for his friend too.


    "Hey Hey, udey."


    A voice rang in his ears.


    ude gently sped the amulet hanging from his neck and grinned.


    "There you are, Lord of Shadows."


    "I see that boy is gone, how about handing over your body while we can?"


    "I''ll hand you to him sooner."


    "Ok, no. Well anyway, I smell a lot of spirits, and a fuck ton of blood. Like, buckets and buckets of blood."


    ude gulped.


    "Maybe we should get out of here," he spoke to Tiana¡­ but she was gone?


    "Tiana?"


    "S-stay away!"


    A feeble voice screamed as he turned around and found Tiana hiding behind a small boulder.


    "What?"


    "You! Stay away. This ce has already driven you mad and now you''re talking to yourself."


    "Oooh! Elf! Me likey, did I tell you I had an elf girlfriend once?"


    Vampire then Elf.


    "I am not talking to myself, I am talking to a ghost."


    "Eek! Ghost!!"


    "Eek! Ghost!!"


    "Why are YOU scared?"


    ude flicked the amulet as hard as he could.


    The Lord of Shadows screamed in pain.


    They stopped eventually and Tiana came back to him.


    "Now, let''s get out."


    ude turned around with Tiana, but none of the spirits followed.


    They were all waiting near the hut and giggling as if urging them closer.


    They could go out anyway¡­


    "Navigating that fog without the spirits¡­"


    "We''ll just be running in circles till we die."


    With no other choice, the two of them caved in front of the spirits and crossed over theke The abundance of flowers of all kinds in between the wild grass made for a strangely spacey walk. Tiana tried her best to hop over every flower but trampled a few under her feet and started all over.


    ude, on the other hand, started meditating around theke.


    "What are you clowns doing?"


    Asked the Lord of Shadows.


    It was a major stretch for him out of everyone in this world to call them clowns, but little they could do.


    "Well¡­."


    "I don''t wanna go in."


    They were scared!


    ***


    Spirits started flocking around Hyden and the three idiots. Disappointed that the Lord Leres couldn''t follow them along for he had to engage in the grand mission of guiding lostmbs for a few days, the three idiots had no choice but to follow Hyden.


    "I didn''t think I''ll have toe back here so soon."


    "Right?" Asked Marcus at Hyden''s mutterings. "We just left and back already. If they already had other people looking for the girl they should have told us."


    The general consensus had been established in the group of idiots without much need for dialogue. The people that took the robed girl in were probably the helpers of the helves like themselves and were doing nothing except what was asked of them.


    "Wait," Tomas said. "You''ve already been here?"


    "Yeah," Hyden answered, his arm throbbing. "It was quite the intense short while I had spent at this ce."


    "I can bet."


    "Well anyway, let''s call our guides."


    "Puuun?" Bagpipe asked.


    "Yes, guides¡ªHooh!"


    Hyden gasped.


    He¡­ he was able to tell what Bagpipe was saying! Hyden grasped his head and hook his hair.


    "Am I bing an idiot? No way, I don''t want to turn into an idiot!"


    "See, we told you bagpipe is normal."


    "It''s all about opening the part of your brain that you have never used."


    "Puuun puun puuuuuuun."


    "These little bastards! I am not an idiot like you, do you get me? No way! No chance! Never!"


    Opening parts of your brain? What was that if not idiocy? Not ready to face this revtion yet, Hyden took in a sharp breath and turned toward the forest again. His hands stretched out, he muttered a chant.


    "[Spirit Magic: Spirt Call]"


    A simple skill, a simple spell.


    Spirits from all around started flocking around Hyden at his mutters and danced and giggled.


    "Do you see anything?"


    "What guides was he even talking about?"


    "Puuuuuuuuuuun!"


    "Hah! Suck on that, your friend can see the spirits."


    Hyden stopped again.


    He understood bagpipe again! His heart was almost about jump into his hands. He would let his goddess down by being such an idiot!


    Hyden took in more deep breaths. Not yet, he couldn''t fall just yet.


    He had to start moving.


    "Alright, bagpipe guy, since you can see the spirits make sure none of these two idiots lose their way."


    "Puuuun!''


    "Spirits, elf vige, the sidewalk is wide, drive."


    "He just wanted to make a reference."


    "Not even fitting."


    "Puuun!"


    "It was funny okay?!¡ªAAAH!"


    Idiocy was a gue.


    It spread.


    ***


    Lord Leres was sitting on the rocks once more. His lips curved up in a bright smile.


    It was a good day! A good day! After being tied up to a rock for a whole night he finally got to take his revenge, albeit against a different group.


    Revenge was revenge and it was as sweet as pure maple syrup.


    It was when Leres was nning to go retire before he ran into any more of those crazy clowns did he finally meet someone else in the way.


    People in robes. From head to toe, stopped in front of me.


    "Boy," the said. Their voice gravelly and annoying.


    "Tsk. Speak."


    Leres had no room for bullshit. He was a lord after all. Destned for greatness. Legendary Lrod Lerees from the Legendary Legend of the Legendary Lord Leres!


    "Robed girl. You seen?"


    "Robed girl?"


    Leres'' mind went back to the people that had tied him up to a rock.


    Robed girl? He had seen! Sure as hell had.


    "Where is she? Tell us or die."


    "Goddamn it. Mutts and theirrge tongue, slothering around as if there is nothing they fear."


    "What you say?"


    "You seek a child in robes like your own?"


    "Yes."


    "Inside that forest she has gone."


    Leres suprressed augh from wihtin. Trauma was awaiting them, pure unbridled trauma!


    "Word of warning you shall head. Listen to my voice and only then tread."


    If he waas going to be insulted as a lord, then he''d just double down. People liked to y along anyway.


    "Speak like normal person, bastard."


    "What''s that pretentious speech? We don''t speak yournguage and stiill talk better than you."


    "Idiot. Loser. Fish."


    FISH!


    FISH AGAIN!


    These guys didn''t even y along little bastards!


    "Inside! That damned forest, alright? That''s where she wntr."


    "You saw? You sure?"


    "Saw with my own two eyes!"


    He was lying he had no idea where she was!


    But not like he was going to say that now. Sentenced to the hole they were. Fuck around and find out.


    "Ok, you lead the way."


    "Excuse me?"


    "You, you tell us path."


    "I¡ªI am a little busy¡ª"


    The elves picked up the man and dragged him along.


    Fuck around and find out, Leres was going to.

 Chapter 97 97: Silvanus Ishulaib

    <h4>Chapter 97 Chapter 97: Silvanus Ishib</h4>


    "Say so, where do you think we are now?"


    "I¡­ do not know."


    "And where do you think ude and Tiana are?"


    "I¡­ do not know that either."


    "Goddamnit useless mage!" Elric snapped at his friend. His hands were still clutched tight by her. Erika, holding back tears, looked away. "How did you mess up following some little spirits? Even I could do that easily and I ruin everything!"


    "Shut up you can''t even see them! I tried my best alright? I am still following just them!"


    "Then why are we lost?"


    "I do not know!!"


    ERirka heaved and so did Elric.


    Screaming wasn''t going to make them not lost now. They had little choice but to ept their fate as people who were now lost in the forest of the elves and go ahead and on their way without looking back.


    Not like they could look back.


    At least Elric wasfortable enough to say he could stay here as long as needed, but not being able to tell her left from her right and her front from her back was getting to Erika at a rapid pace.


    If not for the assurance that came from Elric''s hand and the sight of the spirits then she would have long gone mad.


    Things weren''t looking bright yet.


    But eventually, after walking for hours on end, the mist started to fade away.


    "Oh no! The terrain is going to change, A tree can fall on us."


    "No, wrong ce, wrong ce."


    Erika calmed Elric down.


    They continued ahead behind the spirits. The fading mist wash; ''t a simple illusion but a fact that went on. Eventually, the two of them finally ran out of the mist, and in front of them, spread a forest like none other.


    Trees grand andrge flowers all around,t heir greenery reaching the skies and the ground alike. People with long ears like spears walked around in robes that were made from the hand of nature itself.


    Bridges connected the trees and trees connected the bridges as houses of dead wood and dying leaves all merged on a height and the ground, mixing into a sight that can''t be seen elsewhere.


    This was.


    The city of the elves.


    The ce deepest in the heart of Silcvanud and thend where they believed Silvanus himself resided.


    Though she had seen many an elf in herst two years. For the first time, Erika couldn''t help but think they were not so pretty after all.


    Overdosing on Elric did that to a person.


    "What kind of ce is this¡­"


    "Wait."


    Elric stopped her.


    The mist was still around, but the perimeter of the vige was safe. Diving right into the heart of their enemies'' territory was nothing other than an absurd disy of foolishness.


    They had to tread carefully.


    "Before any of these elves notice us,e here."


    He grabbed her hand and took her away. Elric, lowering his head, moved through the corners of the vige.


    s.


    Every. Single. Elf.


    All of them had their eyes peeled and were staring at him.


    "Why?! I even hid my presence?"


    "I mean¡­" Erika swallowed her words. "You are flooded by spirits all this time."


    "Hahaha, that was just because of the power in my left arm."


    One of the elves, a seemingly young man, pushed his child behind and slowly walked over to Elric.


    With his hands stretched out, he carefully spoke.


    "Ishib?"


    "Um¡­" Erika tried to speak. "Can you speak, the humannguage?"


    "Niika Ishib? Jnur?"


    "Elric¡­ I don''t think they speak ournguage."


    Elric smirked.


    He raised his hands wide and smiled.


    Elves?


    Naturally, they were people living in the woods, so they would know jack-shit. Commonsense seemed to be prevalent, but since they couldn''t understand him and he couldn''t understand him, there was little to think about.


    He spread his arms wide.


    Grinned.


    And looked into the sky.


    "Silvanus. Ishib."


    "What? What did you say?" Erika panicked. She didn''t trust this bastard with anything.


    All the elves gasped all at once. Some dropped their flower crowns while others dropped their wooden toys.


    "Que?"


    "SILVANUS!!!"


    Elric screamed even louder this time.


    "ISHULAIB!"


    "WHAAAT!? WHAT ARE YOU SAYING!?"


    The elves got to their knees.


    Elric had a special feature, something unique to only him, and that was being beautiful as fuck,


    Ishib? He had no fucking clue what that meant. But they were probably asking who in the world he was if he was anyone. And why the fuck would he not take the chance to be the god of these people?


    He had already created a simple form!


    No matter what they would ask, he would just repeat it with Silvanus added.


    It worked everywhere, tried and tried!


    Hungry?


    Silvanus Hungry!


    Who are you?


    Silvanus who are you?


    Angry?


    Silvanus Angry!


    Stupid like a five-year-old?


    SILVANUS ST¡ª


    The elves started crying.


    Elric shut up.


    "Oh?"


    Some of them ran away. While others went toward their chief.


    Not long after, people came running toward them.


    "H-human!?"


    The seemingly oldest among the neer elves spoke. He spoke in the humannguage!


    Elric''s n was fucked already.


    The man, wearing robes of green and blue bowed slightly as he walked closer to Elric.


    "Who are you? What is happening here¡ª"


    Erika was about to say something, But Elric was in too deep of shit to be able to afford her running this now. He simply grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back as the continued speaking.


    "SILVANUS. ISHULAIB!"


    "You want Silvanus to leave? You bastard!"


    Oh fuck, that''s what it meant?


    They were asking the humans to leave and disappear!


    Elric shook his head.


    He pped his chest.


    "SILVANUS. IS. ME. I am your god. And I am angry."


    "How dare this human say something like this¡ª"


    "THEN!" Elric screamed. "How do you exin this wave of spirit all aroudn me, old man?"


    The chief shut up.


    There was a point in that.


    He couldn''t argue here.


    There were way too many spirits for him to just ignore.


    "This¡­ this can''t be,"


    "Oh but it is, I am your god. Now, bow."


    "This¡­"


    "BOW! You have already made me angry plenty!"


    The chief took to his knees, and so did the other elves. Their lips bit they looked at the one ahead of them with the gaze of slight reverence and more of doubt. But their child was affected the most.


    "H-how may we have?"


    "Is this any time and ce?" Elric asked. "Announce to my people. I have returned! Feast! There shall not be a feast!


    The old chief was stunned.


    "Need I repeat myself?"


    He had his doubts.


    "Why are you in the form of a human, my lord?"


    Elric thought for a bit. Lying was already taking all of his strength, so he had disguised this as roleying, but now that he had to lie, he couldn''t help but sweat buckets.


    "Y-y-y-ou elves have disappointed this great seat greatly. You must face punishment for this."


    "Hah! How¡ª"


    "Need I repeat myself? And do you truly not know¡­ chief?"


    The chief mmed his head on the ground.


    He had indeed! He had indeed made a big blunder.


    If any human had been out to trick him then they would not know of it. Yet, this man knew! He knew what was up.


    There was no other doubt in the chief''s mind.


    Whether this person was truly Silvanus or not, he had to be careful lest he earns his ire and scorn.


    "Rise, chief."


    The chief rose, held Elric''s hands, and turned around.


    "SILVANUS EJUB LAGRIMA FASO!"


    He screamed!


    "TACO NACHO!"


    Elric chimed in!


    "Feast will be prepared, my lord. Please, till then, pleasee to my abode!"


    "Ok cool. Let''s go."


    Elric shrugged.


    Erika clenched his sleeves.


    "THIS HUMAN!"


    All the elves almost blew out at Erika with rage in their eyes.


    Elric dived in front.


    "Salsa!"


    He screamed.


    The elves tilted their head.


    He then turned to the chief and scowled.


    "Since you losers make mistakes, I brought someone u-u-u-u-seful. You should learn from her!"


    Lying was truly the most difficult thing.


    "Now, let us go."


    And off they went.


    Crisis averted. For now.


    ***


    Stones skipped over ake near the house. Another person had almost run out of flowers to stomp.


    "You fuckers, I am scared of ghosts and even I am getting pissed. Will you just go in?"


    "I mean lodge in the woods? It is scary!"


    "Right right!"


    Another group was yet to enter their destinations.


    Theughing, giggling spirits had reached a slight hup as they all shook their head in bewilderment at the disy provided by these idiots.


    They just couldn''t go in already.


    At this rate, the spirits would want to break things.


    "Hoohoho!"


    One spirit cheered!


    It had an idea.


    A brilliant one at that.


    Giggles rang out as the spirits convened.


    And then after some time, all of them hummed in agreement.


    ude could only blink.


    When the skipping stone started forming ripples where it did not skip.


    As he turned his gaze upward.


    A droplet of water fell on his face.


    "AH! It''s raining!"

 Chapter 98 96: Hyden Thinks

    <h4>Chapter 98 Chapter 96: Hyden Thinks</h4>


    "Do you know da wae?"


    "Marcus, spit out the fruit and then speak."


    In the middle of the great grand forest of Silvanus, the groups of four with Bagpipe, Marcus, Tomas, and Hyden made their way past the trees.


    "Just follow, we don''t have much time."


    Hyden said.


    If that elf he was after had truly entered the forest as the rock man said, then they were in big trouble.


    His goddess had told him. Fortuna had mentioned it.


    It wasn''t over yet. His chance wasn''t gone yet.


    Things were deeply troublesome. If he didn''t make a move fast and swing his de even faster, he would have no choice but to lose himself.


    "Keep your pace up. And make sure you don''t get lost."


    "Hah! Those robed fes said the same thing to us."


    "But in the end, we never did get lost. Our Lord Leres even went on a profoundly different path."


    "Puuun puuuun puuuuuuun!"


    This was getting deeply frustrating. The mist took over their sight and Hyden started tracking the gathering spirits with a simple spell.


    "Alright, make sure none of you walk away or get lost."


    With that decided, he started moving forward and the three idiots followed straight.


    "If you don''t mind me asking, by the way," spoke Tomas. "Why do we need to rush if the girl has gone home? Is it because you want a reward for securing her? What matters is that she is safe, that is the spirit of helping."


    "My, Tomas. You are so wise sometimes."


    "Right?"


    Marcus nodded at Tomas and Hyden sighed.


    These idiots.


    Were they possibly trying to get the girl back to the elves? That would have been a real problem.


    "We have to move so that the girl does not meet the vige."


    "Does not meet the vige?"


    Even though they couldn''t see him in the mist anymore, Hyden nodded.


    He had moved into the elves''nd just a few days back. His goal? To get the girl captured and hidden away in a cage out of her captivity and y her.


    He had received an edict from his goddess. The goddess of fate, fortune herself had announced it.


    As an Apostle chosen by a god, he had more ess to knowledge about the world than most others.


    And a special thing had started spreading amongst the other apostles and oracles. A world-damning threat that had made the gods resort to summoning people from another world and dubbing them heroes.


    Demonic Dark Desire.


    A strange, uncontroble¡­ phenomenon, as they had coined it. It was a phenomenon that affected people, bringing out their deepest darkest desires and molding them to fit them.


    But just having a desire wasn''t enough. It would also have to be strong enough.


    A child whose entire family was killed in front of her for defending themselves. Who had no choice but to stay hungry and alone in a cave for days on end with a corpse?


    A mother whose child and husband were killed, taken from her own hands, all because people had deemed her not human enough.


    Such events had brought up enough of a demonic dark desire to make others take action and turn into beings that did not fit this world.


    It could have just been the work of a demonic god. Hyden still believed it to be so.


    But fate had different thoughts.


    It is not the demonic gods, she had announced. And like a loyal steed, he had lowered his head in front of his master.


    And that loyal steed was here, in the ce where, using a great deal of her power, the god of fate, Fortuna had informed him of the next incident of the Demonic Dark Desire.


    She had told him. That the person responsible for everything was going to be a young girl captured by the elves and held in a ce they couldn''t see.


    Why they had captured her, what they wanted to do with her, Hyden had no idea about any of these.


    But he did know that he was going to have to kill that girl or the entire vige, if not the entire country of Silvanus could be in danger.


    The heroes were still feeble and weak, and they were being used like puppets, a good deal of them at least, by General Volfram and the people of the empire.


    He had no choice but to take matters into his own hands.


    And the way to do that, for now, was to make sure that the elf girl could cause no harm.


    He had taken the sword that he had sharpened over years on end to be of use to his goddess as an apostle and had taken it against thend of the elves.


    The stupid elves dly weed him with open arms even though he was a human.


    With his great skills, he focused on what mattered and destroyed most of what was on their grounds.


    And just as he hoped, he had also managed to find the girl who was the culprit of everything.


    But she escaped.


    And the head of the vige, in ast hurrah, managed to wound him with the Elves'' special poison that killed him from the inside.


    Using thest of his strength, he ran for two days and nights straight while elf scouts continued to chase after him, and with great effort he managed to escape them. Fortuna had warned him about it, about the poison those pesky elves wielded. And he had prepared a perfect antidote too.


    But those damned monsters chasing after him left him no space to consume it. They only let him go when they shot an arrow into his shoulders and pushed him down a cliff and into the den of imps.


    Thankfully.


    One imp was different than the others.


    "Elric¡­ you may havee as Fortuna''s gift to me," he spoke in his mind. "This favor, I am never, ever going to forget it."

 Chapter 99 97: Sleep In Enemy Territory

    <h4>Chapter 99 Chapter 97: Sleep In Enemy Territory</h4>


    Elric and Erika were guided through the streets of the elf vige. Many people gawked at the two and as soon as their eyes met with Elric''s they would bow.


    Huh.


    Since he couldn''t be a ninja, maybe he could be a god? That seemed to be working well for now. There were neither any objections nor any problems from the people.


    Ok, maybe there were, but he had managed to sweep them through well.


    "What are we going to do now?" Erika asked Elric, her eyes constantly shooting about in the vige.


    Elric crossed his arms.


    That¡­ was a good question.


    Before he could return with an answer to his vassal, though, the elf that was guiding them pointed at the hut of the Elf chief and guided them inside.


    "We''re here, o'' great one."


    "Good, get out."


    "Yes?"


    "Out."


    Elric passed the man by and stepped inside. Then stopped him again. "Do you have ice cream? Maybe something sweet? Oh, choctes will do! And also bring me a fan!"


    The elf was slightly stunned without a response at the sudden barrage of requests.


    Though all of them were greatly suspicious of his identity, the chief had still epted it. On the off chance that he truly was their god, they couldn''t disrespect him.


    It was a situation where Elric had done nothing to raise their faith in him but had turned their fear up to a ten. Though, of course, he himself had no idea how that had happened.


    For all Elric knew, his godhood debut was on par with artists that hit the top ten billboard charts on their very first album release.


    He was the star, he could already see the headlines three years from now when the news would announce of his passing from drugs.


    "Eh?"


    Elric surprised himself with his imagination. It was quite the experience to think bad of himself.


    He slowly yawned and stretched and decided to leave the elf that was talking about each of his demands alone.


    "As for choctes we have never¡ª"


    The poor elf was ignored despite having been asked to speak. Erika slowly alternated her gaze between the elf and Elric stepping inside the dark hut before following behind her friend.


    Was it the safest ce right now? Technically.


    Was she sticking with it for that reason? No fucking way. Safe or not, Elric was always a ticking time bomb. Sure, if you waved a bomb people won''t flock around you, but the bomb could explode and fuck you over.


    In that sense, she was the bomb control squad.


    Erika stepped inside the dark hut and saw Elric yawning while looking down at a bed in the tree house. Many totems and statues of various kinds adorned with flower crowns and leaves were syed over the room while sheets of pure white were made from all kinds of nt fabrics.


    "Nice sheets!" Elric yelped and jumped on the bed.


    "Elric? What are you doing now?"


    "What? I am just going to sleep." Elric said as if his sleeping was as natural as the flowing wind.


    "Why!?" and Erika, the sphemer, dared to refute wind.


    "What else can we do while waiting?"


    "I don''t know, look for clues for what they were nning with Tiana?"


    Elric pped his hands together.


    "Ingenious!" He said. Then yawned. "You do that, I''ll go nap."


    "Elric! Elric!!"


    Elric ignored the wizard''s every word and closed his eyes, slowly drifting into dreand.


    Erika was left stunned.


    She was well on the path of learning to scream without raising her voice. She was well on it.


    ***


    The rain started hammering on the ground like nails on a nk, every droplet looked heavy and strong enough to make holes in the walls above, and ude and Tiana were left with no choice other than to hide inside the cabin.


    The young elf and the hero stepped inside, but the sounds of water hitting the roof of the house were not reassuring in the slightest.


    It even seemed as if thest line of defense could be broken at any moment, and their gazes remained stuck upward, but thankfully no rain water crept inside.


    "What in the world was that¡­" ude muttered before looking down.


    [H-hey! ude! You stepped inside the scary cabin!]


    The Lord of Shadows'' voice snapped ude back to his surroundings and his hair started standing on end.


    He took in deep breaths and muttered.


    "Ghosts don''t exist. Elves don''t exist. Santa doesn''t exist."


    "What!? Santa doesn''t exist?" Tiana screamed and ude jumped in surprise.


    He red at his elfpanion after calming himself down.


    "What do you even know about santa?"


    "Ruler ruler told me."


    He had had the same reaction too. ude shook his head and decided to focus on the present.


    If ghosts and elves didn''t exist, he didn''t have to worry about them. What was that? Tiana was an elf and the Lord of Shadows a ghost? That was nothing other than high talk, high talk.


    "All this, is this simr to your ce?"


    Tiana looked around. Far too many things were spread all over the room, littered around like confetti,pletely dampening the floor and the walls with their murky presence.


    "I don''t recognize it."


    There wasn''t even enough space to sit down, and the rain didn''t seem like it would be letting out anytime soon.


    If not for the few spirits that brightened the room with their glow, they would have already fainted in fear.


    ude kicked some of the stuff away and decided to sit down. There was not a care in his mind for the historical value of the ce. All that could go down the drain for all he cared.


    Near the walls, he ced one of the softer feather boards in the room and sat down.


    Tiana noticed him doing so and took a seat as well.


    As her hand pushed awayrge objects, a small hole in the ground fell in her sight.


    "Huh? What''s this?"


    "What happened?"


    Next to the wall, leading underground, was a very small yetrge enough hole.


    The same hole the Legendary Legend from the Legendary Legend of the Legendary Legend Leres or LLftLLotLLL had stepped out of.

 Chapter 100 98: What Lies Below

    <h4>Chapter 100 Chapter 98: What Lies Below</h4>


    Hyden was lost.


    He couldn''t believe it himself. There was no reason to believe it. There was no form to believe it either. Even though he was an apostle chosen by the goddess of fate Fortuna herself, even though that naturally meant that he was loved by spirits and still had a great degree of control and training on it.


    Even though.


    He was lost.


    "So¡­ shouldn''t we be there already?"


    "Marcus, what if he''s lost and is not admitting it?"


    "Puuun puuuuuun!"


    "Haha! Nice one bagpipe."


    And the three clowns with him didn''t help in the slightest. What was that bagpipe guy even saying? Hyden was pissed. Half at himself and half at the clowns that were around him.


    To be fair to poor Hyden, even the best of all monks would not be able to stand the words of the bastards that kept following him.


    Hyden pushed his pants up, figuratively, he didn''t wear loose enough pants to need to pull them up or push them up. There was no reason to sneak nces at his abs.


    "Whatever, I am not lost. Just follow along you clowns."


    "Rude, we''re not clowns."


    Hyden pulled his sword out at ced it on Marcus'' neck. He had hit the limits of his patience.


    The world was at stake here, he didn''t have to leisure to entertain these bastards.


    "What was that?" Hyden asked.


    Afraid, Marcus slowly brought his hand to his nose and acted as if he was squeezing it.


    "Honk honk!"


    He muttered.


    "What?" Hyden was far too shocked this time to say anything.


    "I am a clown¡­?"


    The man sheathed his sword back and covered his face. God fuck him.


    As Hyden started walking ahead in frustration once more, his foot got stuck under a tree and he tipped forward.


    "Woah! Mr. Hyden, are you alright?"


    Tomas came running over to Hyden, but stopped in his tracks.


    In front of them, was heavy, pellet-like rain. And sitting at the center of the rain right next to a gorgeous pond was an old hut of wood.


    All that wasn''t enough to make someone shocked. No. It was that they could see anything at all that surprised them.


    "Maybe we are not lost after all¡­"


    ***


    ude and Tiana slid inside the encaving that they had found. They both didn''t want to, it was very scary. But thankfully they had the hero of light with them.


    Who was one of them.


    "[Light]"


    A small blob of light formed as soon as ude muttered the chant.


    "So since you are doing all this why not go in yourself?"


    [I agree with the girl. Leave me here and go down.]


    ude was betrayed without a moment''s dy.


    "No," he said. "We go in together."


    Then an idea shed in his mind.


    "Tiana, is there a rope here?"


    Tiana quickly started to look for things. People were quick to follow intructions in fear, she knew better than to wonder what he would use it for.


    Her job was to hand over a rope and hope that he falls into the hole himself.


    Ignoring it was a possibility, but they didn''t seem to have realized that. Moreover, it was an elf hut with a lot of elf vestiges syed around, they had no choice but to look into things.


    Tiana found a rope lying beneath the heaps of bags and handed to ude.


    After stretching it to test its strength, ude pulled out his amulet and started wrapping the grass rope around it.


    [ude!? CLAUDE! What are you doing you bastard!!]


    "We have a ghost, so it''s alrigth to let him handle the scary stuff."


    "You mean the guy in your head?" Tiana asked, beaming. "Ruler ruler told me that you¡­ have¡­ um what was it, something phrenia."


    "That little bitch."


    [That little bitch!]


    ude and Lord of Shadows had their thoughts in sync whenever it came to Elric.


    "Its no disease, alright? The Lord of Shadows is a real dog living in this amulet."


    [Who are you calling a dog?]


    ude took advantage of the Lord of Shadows'' anger and slowly lowered him down the hole.


    [ude! CLAUDEE!! I''ll kill you little shit!!]


    "Just tell me what''s down there."


    As ude lowered the amulet further along with his light spell, the Lord of Shadows'' screams started to disappear.


    When the light reached the bottom, marks of a crimson red entered ude''s gaze.


    His eyes hardened.


    And as if to confirm his suspicions, an ominous, ecstaticugh rang out.


    [BWAAHAHA! HAHAHAH!]


    A slight chill ran down ude''s back.


    Theugh of the Lord of Shadows told him more than words could. He started pulling the rope up.


    "Stay here, Tiana. I have to see this myself."


    "What? Wait¡ª"


    "I said stay here," ude cut her off before she could say anything and hopped down the gap. He grabbed the amulet on his way down, the Lord of Shadows''ugh never dying.


    A plop resounded as blood sshed around from his feet. A pool of blood that muddled around his feet, ticking his skin to let it in.


    Floating around in the pool of blood like grotesque lilypads, were ears of elves from god knows when.


    ude could feel the contents of his stomach rise up.


    Just what in the world was this sick thing?


    What was this?


    "C-ude¡­?"


    "Stay up there," he said, summoning all his strength to sound as normal as he could. But his voice betrayed him.


    This¡­


    Was this why they had kept Tiana trapped?


    Just what was this ce¡­


    ¡ªKABOOOM!


    Before he could put those questions in words, a loud crash resounded. He turned up and noticed the sound of the rain growing louder than before.


    "W-what, who are you!?"


    Tiana screamed, the walls above must have been broken.


    A sense of urgency took over ude as he tried to grab the walls and run out of the hole, but time did not stop for him.


    "I finally found you, elf¡­"


    The sound of a sword.


    "In the name of Goddess Fortuna. You must die here."

 Chapter 101 99: Escape

    <h4>Chapter 101 Chapter 99: Escape</h4>


    "In the name of Goddess Fortuna, you must die here."


    ude couldn''t believe his ears, so he strengthened his hearing using mana. It was a trick that he had picked up from the Lord of the Shadows himself. Now that he could hear it better.


    He still couldn''t believe his ears.


    [Hey ratwag! What are you doing?! The elf girl seems to be in danger.]


    "Since when do you care?"


    Wondering what a Ratwag was, ude tried to climb back out of the hole in the ground but it was futile.


    But before he could ce his palm on the edges of the hole, his ears perked up once more.


    Outside, whoever was threatening Tiana had stopped in their tracks and behind them more people had turned up.


    "Lord Leres¡­?"


    "Elves?"


    "Puuun! Puuuuuun!"


    Elves? Leres? Leres, ude recognized the name, he definitely had tied that bastard when he had been followed from Soleda.


    The young boy jumped on the opportunity and climbed out. He didn''t know how many people he would have to take on to save Tiana, but he was ready.


    "It is you," a thorny yet regal voice called out. "The enemy of our kind! How dare you show your face here again and point your sword at an elf? What is this ce?"


    As ude finally reached the edge of the hole, he could see the events going down. On one side, a man with twin swords had his back turned toward him and Tiana, with him were two strange men in long coats and hats along with a third bagpipe yer.


    And standing with their weapons against that group was a unit of elves, and behind them was the man named Leres who even had a statue of himself being build all the way in Soleda.


    These many people¡­


    "Can I take them on¡­?" He whispered. His being hidden was his biggest trump card for now.


    [Don''t think about it.]


    "I''ve faced these numbers before."


    The Lord of the Shadows did not reply. Instead, the twin swords man who had a strangely familiar figure sped his head.


    "Look, believe it or not, I am trying to help you guys here."


    "Help?" The elf answered. "You think burning our vige and wrecking havoc all over is called helping?"


    Gasps resounded as the three people on the twinsword''s team reeled back.


    "No way, Hyden you!"


    "So you were using us?"


    "Puuuun Puuun!"


    What the heck was the bagpipe guy doing?


    The people with the twinsword seemed ready to abandon him.


    "This guy was using us to harm another elf and changed tunes when you came along."


    "The person all you elves serve, that man behind you, Lord Leres, we are his faithful followers too."


    The elf frowned.


    "Serve?"


    "Puuuun!"


    "I will believe you,e over here and we won''t kill you."


    Marcus, Tomas and Bagpipe gazed at the twinsword man, Hyden, uncertainty clouding their eyes. Hyden sighed and urged them to move.


    "You guys get lost or I''ll kill you myself."


    "Eek!"


    "I always knew he was a bad guy."


    "PPuuuuun!"


    Sometimes things annoyed one so much that people were ready to take on personal loss. It was the same prinicipal that the three idiots had the power to invoke.


    Hyden lowered his gaze at the elfs once more.


    "Look, you guys were looking for a lost girl too, weren''t you?"


    "And we have found her being threatened by you. Don''t forget that you have killed even more of our men, this is revenge that was waiting to be have your taste."


    "Fools. Even when I say I do this to help you. For the greater good, I have no choice but to take you on."


    Hyden swung his sword and the elves got into formation in the blink of an eye.


    The single swing of the twin sword cut through the air in arge crescent that was pushed back the elves with their shields. From within the cover of the giant wooden shields, three people jumped out at once.


    On elf with a sword rushed straight at Hyden while two spear wielders nked around him.


    Hyden intercepted the sword with a swing of his own. He pivoted to his left and kicked the spearwielder at once. With his other sword, the third man was also locked down.


    It was then.


    "[Fire Shot]"


    An arrow shot into the air and twisted its trajectory to aim straight for Hyden. The man chuckled.


    "Not bad."


    He flexed his muscles and swung his hands once more. A twister of wind shot around as the people surrounding him were all pushed away at once. The sharp miniature tornade was so powerful that it sent evertyhing around flying, including the debris of the hut and the arrow that made its way toward him.


    It was an attack that could leave ude fairly injured, but it did not hurt the elves at all. They stood without a scratch, grins on their faces.


    ude gulped.


    He was sure he wouldn''t lose to the elves, not that easy. But the other party was a bigger problem.


    The twinswords man who he still couldn''t recognize was someone that he didn''t think himself ready to face. It was natural that he couldn''t recognize him with the sharp change in Hyden''s image from a gentle man who could be thrashed by kobolds to a person that could swing a sword and talk about killing without batting an eye.


    The sight he had seen below the hole did not help at all.


    Who to trust, who not, he couldn''t tell.


    What he could tell was simple.


    He had to meet Elric and Erika and leave this ce with Tiana as soon as he could. Involving himself in this fight was only going to hurt him.


    "I''ll attack this time," Hyden muttered.


    "Try your worst," the elf leader replied.


    In a sh, Hyden had charged ahead at the elf unit.


    Taking the chance, ude jumped out of the hole and wrapped his hand around Tiana. The people fighting turned behind in surprise.


    "ude!" Tiana yelped.


    "We''re running!"


    Mist emerged from the amulet on his neck. Before anyone could see his figure, the dark, dense mist that resembled a veil had covered everything around them.


    If that wasn''t enough, the spirits that had helped them down also added their own fog to keep any pursuers away.


    And soon, ude jumped into the forest once more.

 Chapter 102 100: No Mercy

    <h4>Chapter 102 Chapter 100: No Mercy</h4>


    Elric fell asleep.


    Completely struck by the absurdity of the situation, poor Erika, who was still a neer to therger group, was unable to do anything.


    She had spent a lot of time with Elric ever since they had been traveling together, but this was the first time she had been with him in a difficult situation. When they were supposed to be looking for clues in the vige chief''s house, they ended up iming themselves his god and crashing into his room.


    Erika tried her best to sneak around while she still could, she took a look into the chief''s room.


    "As expected, only cartoon viins would keep incriminating evidence out in the open, huh?" Erika wiped her tears and looked away. Her expectations of a fantasy world had been constantly crushed throughout her time in this ce.


    It was how it was.


    Right then, the cloth draped over the front door as a curtain was pushed to the side.


    Erika jumped back to the bed and pulled Elric upright.


    Without a word, the chief entered the room and swept his gaze around.


    "I see, you''ve made yourself at home."


    Erika shifted her gaze back with a wry smile and saw the still drowsy Elric rubbing his eyes.


    The elf chief scoffed and pulled a chair, taking a seat in front of them.


    "You say that you are¡ª"


    "Where is the girl?" Asked Elric.


    Erika flinched at the sudden coldness in Elric''s voice. He was drowsy just a moment back, but had taken the head once more.


    Had he already grasped everything there was to grasp about this situation? Erika couldn''t believe it, but it was true that he was the one with the most wits in the group.


    Elric had been pulling them out of situations that needed thinking. But then again¡­ he was also the same person who had told her to throw choctes at a vampire bat.


    Erika couldn''t tell if she had been dealt the worst possible hand or the best one.


    All she ciould tell, though, was that in such a showdown where one needed their mind, there was no one better than Elric.


    Little did she know, the boy was just winging it all.


    "She was supposed to be a sacrifice, was she not?" Asked Elric, his imagination running wild.


    The Elf Chief flinched.


    "Not a sacrifice¡­ an offering to the lord¡ª"


    "Don''t twist my words, I say what I say."


    It was important to note that lying andrping had a great deal of differences, and Elric had been scouted to be an actor multiple.


    In female roles, but an actor nheless.


    "That is right¡­ we''ll find her right away¡­ We still have two years before the time, there will be no dys¡ª"


    "Was she not meant to be in istion?"


    They had kept her alone for a good 98 years, it was easy to assume that they were doing the same again. It also seemed cooler to Elric that way.


    "Yes¡­ but¡­"


    "It is ruined, Mr. Chief."


    The time to act was over.


    Elric never had been asleep. By taking a good look at all the elves, he had made amotion to profile them and drop his mana in all the ces around him that held water.


    Next was to get more people around. People who were innocent.


    He had been acting asleep while trying his best to get other elves to follow the water that he had created.


    And now, all that remained, was thest step.


    "I-It''s ruined¡­?"


    The man mumbled, his words failing to reach them.


    Elric had zero mercy for the man in front of him. The tormentor of Tiana was nothing but an enemy.


    For that, he was nning to poke into whatever wound he could find. Thankfully, everyone who lived long had been hurt by a lot of shit, the longer one lived the greater their regrets.


    And elves lived for a damn long time.


    "How long have you been the vige chief for?" Asked Elric, his words growing colder and colder with each passing moment.


    "Many centuries! I have been the one leading this vige, I have been the one who has received Lord Silvanus'' blessing!"


    "Why is this vige still afloat? You sure must know. You must know what happened to other elf viges?"


    Elric was just bbering things at this point, truths so thinly veiled by lies that one couldn''t ever make them out. Vague lies that were no different from the truth.


    But that thin veil of lies held more power than one could believe.


    The chief would now wrap himself over and over, cover his entire body in the thin veil until theyers of lies be thick enough to choke him.


    "This is not possible¡­" the chief muttered. "Every elf here knows of the lord''s offering, every one of us do our best. People are already preparing for the ceremony in two years, we will definitely catch her and drop her in front of the Soul Stone''s Statue¡ª"


    "It is useless. She is not in your hands anymore."


    Elric licked his lips and red at the man.


    "She''s not pure any longer."


    A chill ran down Erika''s spine as understanding dawned on her.


    Elric was wrapping this man around his fingers.


    "Please¡­ for centuries¡­ if this happens then all the elves will dwindle like rotten trees and die!"


    Erika noticed presencesing closer, some of them were extremely tense.


    But in the state of panic, the Elf Chief seemed to have failed to do the same. Even if he had noticed them, he didn''t seem to be able to figure out that something was wrong.


    Elric''s immediate hammering strategy had worked splendidly.


    "There is a way," said Elric.


    The Chief looked at Elric with widened eyes.


    "You already seem to know about this ce¡­ although I don''t trust¡­ I''ll listen¡ª"


    "There is only one way. Today, the day that I am here¡­" Elric smiled.


    Elric truly had zero mercy for the man in front of him. The tormentor of Tiana, had be his enemy through and through.


    "The only way is to offer the most loyal servant to make up for this mistake instead.


    "Most¡­ loyal¡­?"


    "Offer the vige elders to the gods."


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