Rustle... Rustle...‘Footsteps?’ Adrian abruptly stopped by some prints on the ground amidst a clump of grass, studying them carefully. He had been journeying north since morning and had now stumbled upon signs of human presence, though no actual people were in sight yet. Recognizing these signs meant he had a chance to escape this place. Thus, he followed the footprints and other traces, forging ahead until he finally encountered living beings.Having spotted those traces earlier, Adrian had already disposed of the peculiar creature's corpse he'd been carrying on his back. While the Hellblade remained sheathed, the Divine Frost Slayer Blade had been drawn. Concealed behind a bush, Adrian silently awaited the approaching footsteps.‘The owner of the footprints weighs less than forty-five kilos, and the steps are light. Could it be a woman?’ Adrian pondered with furrowed brows.‘Could a woman survive in such a harsh environment?’ It wasn't that Adrian doubted women's abilities, but
The woman wore a warrior's outfit, though it appeared worn-out. Judging by its style, it didn't resemble the attire of warriors from Silverboa or Obscura. Adrian surmised that her clothing style dated back at least two hundred years. This place was indeed a hidden paradise.Adrian's expression turned solemn. What surprised him even more was that this woman's strength surpassed that of an ordinary Grandmaster. She seemed almost like a phenomenon, potentially even beyond his capability. Otherwise, his earlier sword strike would have pierced her throat.As Adrian observed her, the woman also scrutinized him. Her gaze held a hint of curiosity, especially toward the black windbreaker he wore, something unfamiliar to her. "Are you an outsider?" she asked. Fortunately, she spoke a language Adrian understood; otherwise, their encounter might have turned deadly.Adrian felt relieved. Despite her strength, the woman didn't seem murderous, let alone monstrous. In hindsight, his earlier actions
Previously, Adrian had wielded the Divine Frost Slayer Blade in an attempt to strike the girl. However, she deflected it with her dagger, and Adrian pretended to drop the blade. Yet, the groundwork for what was to come had already been laid.Feigning anger and allowing himself to seem irrational, Adrian led the girl to believe she could manipulate him. Though he couldn't pinpoint her exact location, he anticipated that she would appear behind him the next time.As expected, when she reappeared, Adrian's sword descended. It pierced through the girl, narrowly avoiding Adrian's back. She gazed down in shock at the sword that had pierced her body, disbelief evident on her face as blood dripped from the blade.Adrian grinned at her. "This sword moved before you even arrived. You're fast but foolish."Confronted with Adrian's mockery, the once-smug girl showed panic for the first time. Her life force rapidly drained as she sensed the sword, capable of flight, recklessly sapping her vital
Though small in amount, what Vital Energy Adrian had was sufficient to mend the girl’s injury. Since her internal organs were intact, there was no need for meticulous repair, hence not requiring an excessive amount. The energy from the two fish he consumed was already enough. The wound healed completely, leaving no scar behind.When the girl opened her eyes, she realized her life force was no longer draining away. Hastily, she sat up and hurriedly put on her clothes, despite them being blood-soaked. Having clothes, even stained, was better than none.Seated on the ground, the girl stared blankly ahead, her gaze filled with horror as she looked at Adrian. "What did you do to me?"Adrian responded, "I healed you."The girl didn't believe him. "This is sorcery! You're a mage!"‘A mage?’ Adrian frowned, scarcely believing what he was hearing. "I don't understand what you’re going on about, but I mended you to show that we're not enemies for now. So, I hope you'll answer my earlier que
With determination, Adrian addressed Cherry, "Please, take me to see your leader."Cherry immediately shook her head. "That won’t work. You're an outsider, and our leader hates meeting with outsiders," she stated firmly."Is that so? Then I insist on going, and you can’t stop me." Adrian's resolve matched Cherry's firmness."I... I..." Cherry felt somewhat helpless. She stammered for a long time, unable to form a complete sentence. Eventually, she had no choice but to follow behind Adrian as he walked ahead.***Meanwhile, deep within the forest, a man named Ash Toth was locked in a fierce battle. He was a formidable warrior from Mapleston, surrounded by a group of ferocious monsters. Despite their relentless attacks, Ash's strength was evident as he easily dispatched many of the creatures, causing them to fall one by one. But among the monsters, there was one that was particularly formidable.Ash unleashed his full power. "Go to hell, you monsters! Hah!" Flames surged in his han
With a resounding boom, the shape of an infant dropped off from the left side of the monster’s body and instantly turned to ashes."No!" The creature let out a desperate scream.Adrian's eyes lit up with hope. "Let's target the right side now!" he shouted. Having succeeded in his attack, Ash's morale soared. "Alright!" he exclaimed.With a shout, Ash directed the flames in his hand toward the monster’s right side.Boom!A muffled sound resounded as the barrier on the monster’s right side was also destroyed. With both sides of the barrier destroyed, the monster let out a piercing scream. Although Ash's attack hadn’t caused it any harm, breaking its barrier was still a significant blow."Your tricks have been exposed. What else can you do now?" Adrian taunted the monster."How dare you interrupt my training! Today, you'll all perish here! Take this!" the monster roared angrily.The monster had not taken Adrian and Ash seriously before, but the pair had managed to push it into a
In the next second, the monster expelled a powerful surge of dark black gas from its mouth, resembling a tornado as it surged forward. Adrian knew that this was probably the monster's last resort. It seemed that it realized it had no chance of winning, so it wanted to pull Adrian down with it. "Hmph! What a vicious move! But unfortunately, it's useless against me! You're going to die alone!" Adrian shouted as he exchanged a glance with Ash.Following this, they both rushed toward the monster. With the barrier no longer shielding the monster, its strength had significantly diminished. It was no match for Adrian and Ash. After several exchanges, it began to lose. "Damn it! I...I can't lose! I can't lose to you!" the monster cursed while glaring at Adrian and Ash."Unfortunately, your fate is sealed. Prepare to repent in hell!" Adrian shouted."No!" the monster cried. In the next second, a horrifying force swept forth, completely engulfing and obliterating it in an instant."All d
For the following days, Adrian ran the small shop Ash helped him set up, accumulating money and gathering information about the monsters. A few uneventful days passed. Just when Adrian thought he would have to wait for a long time, something unexpected happened.One day, while Adrian was moving his stuff in the shop, he overheard some pedestrians chatting."A group of monsters attacked Meadowshire two nights ago. A monster hunter appeared and fought them off, but he himself was seriously injured..."This information immediately caught Adrian’s attention. He quickly stopped what he was doing and went to the street to listen to what others were saying. From the conversations of people passing by, he learned that the situation in Meadowshire Village was dire. Monsters had ravaged the entire place, leaving it in ruins. Many houses were destroyed, and the villagers looked disheartened as they sat in makeshift tents with dirty faces. Additionally, many of them spotted injuries of varying