The Great Adventure In World Of Sword And Magic.
Chapter 37 - [Duke's Rescue (1) ]

...CHAPTER 37 - RESCUE OF THE DUKE (1)...

...◇◇◇...

The overcast weather made the trip to the Alta forest a little disturbed.

Moreover, the forest was filled with fog and visibility that was too difficult to see what was in front of us.

It's an unusual situation, before there was no fog.

"What is the ordinary Alta Forest like this? Full of fog?" I said somewhat astonished, I had indeed heard that the Alta Forest is sometimes foggy.

But for this haze..

"Normally, this month is not that close. There is likely to be a mix of magic, especially air or water magic" Joseph said.

"Isn't it.."

I need to be careful around me.

'Senka.'

'Myu, Papa?'

'Tick around, are there any monsters or wild animals around us.' I said telepathically.

'okay!'

After saying so, Senka went into the shadow of the Forest and disappeared into the darkness.

"Tofan, I want to talk" I said to him behind my back.

He rode a brown horse and rode it slowly. Then, when I was near her, she looked at me and put on a flat face.

"What?" said flat.

I approached to his side, The black horse I had slowly moved to adjust Tofan's horse.

"It's about why you're in the Alta Forest" I said.

"Yes, what?" Ask flat.

Seen from his face, he did not try to talk more with his interlocutors.

"What are you really doing in this forest?"

"Hm.. Nothing, I'm just passing by."

"Okay.. Then you can explain, why don't you come and help? If I remember, your strength is worth that of Monster Rank A upwards," I said staring straight at the street.

"Nothing special. I just asked them to send a letter, so I guess I can help if that's all," he said flatly.

"..."

Would he have done something else, if they had asked him to help fight that enemy instead of sending a letter? Also, maybe because she's a woman it's better to ask her to deliver a letter than to fight.

Maybe so, but something made me curious.

"Tofan, what kind of person attacked Duke?"

He looked at me for a moment and looked forward, as if he had just remembered it.

He said with a flat face.

"Hm.. There were 3 adults and a young girl" he thought.

"A girl?" What he said drew me to ask.

"Yes, she has white hair.. or silver huh?" he said he felt his white hair.

Hm?

Wait for..

"What does he look like.. Vampires?"

"Vampire? I guess."

"..."

Although I'm not too sure, but the possibility that Tofan is referring to is the girl.

Then for the three of them, I remembered a few people. Just why attack the Duke now?

"What is that?" it was like he wanted to end the conversation.

"Yes." Yeah."

After that Tofan made his horse run faster, giving me space next to my horse.

All right, I better focus on it now. If what I think is right, then I just have to deal with it.

'Papa.' call him.

'Senka? Are there monsters around?'

"Myu, no Papa.'

Strange, I'm sure that Monsters or Animals usually roam around in the woods.

Then I approached Joseph and asked him about this strange condition.

"Wood conditions? Indeed, it's a bit strange. But all we can do is stay alert."

Joseph asked me not to lower my guard, and he drove fast.

Tofan became the guide for the road ahead.

He seemed to want to settle this quickly.

So we rushed to where the Duke was.

.........

I forgot because now the information from the screen that sometimes appears I don't care.

Now there's a new Quest screen from Rosaline's request.

[Rare Quest #3 "Save Duke Arcane! Unexpected attack and mysterious Ambition." Acceptable. ]

[Quest Info: Duke Arcane has been attacked by a mysterious group of people. Due to Rosaline's concerns, reinforcements were deployed. Save Duke Arcane from the group! ]

[Reward: EXP Level, Magic Items and Rosaline Affections]

The prize is tempting, but Affection again..

Never mind, I'll just save Duke for this Quest to be over.

Then, the fog started a little ahead of us.

The surrounding sound was still silent, but Tofan approached me and Joseph.

"Not far from here, turn right the last place I asked the knight and Duke," he pointed in front of the crossroads.

"good. Fast soldiers!"

""Yes!!""

We started to speed up the movement to the location.

Shortly, we arrived at the location.

The area was almost the same as we passed, a little muddy and dark. The clump looks a lot of footprints and around looks messy as if there is a fight.

So what Tofan was saying was true, Duke and his subordinates have been attacked here.

Should they?

"Mr Ren, what do you think?" Joseph approached me and asked.

I thought for a second.

"Do you remember the one who attacked you in the bandit cave?"

"Of course, I have a debt with him" he said a little annoyed.

"Haha.. So from what I thought, the enemy that attacked Duke was just like the one that attacked you. Although there are other members who attacked," I said seriously.

"So it's true, Soldier on standby! Wary around, opponents tend to attack when we part. Gather together!" Shouts around.

With Joseph's firmness and leadership, the soldiers docked. I'm with Tofan coming in.

"Joseph, Kranz. Supposedly with this much trail, we might pass through Duke and the others" I said given the direction of our path.

The duke and his subordinate might choose to flee and head out of the forest.

"Especially there are no corpses or traces of magic around," I analyzed.

"If what Tofan mentioned, isn't there a magic fight here?" Joseph is somewhat confused, as in Tofan's information mentions Duke using magic.

"Magic? The magic he was wearing was not very powerful and seemed to be.." Tofan thought for a while and continued "No basic magic or beginners."

I nodded, as I thought. It was likely that Duke was trying to keep his distance by saving Mana.

Since the Duke was among the great magicians of the century, he should have an Intermediate or Peak-level magic. I'm sure the assailant intends to capture him rather than kill Duke.

"Joseph and the Knights. We may have to go deeper to find Duke" I said calmly.

They nodded.

"Tofan and I are going to check around, then Joseph I believe you can keep our front and back" I said firmly.

"Yes, of course!" Reply Joseph.

"good. Then Tofan, I'm counting on you" I told him.

He nodded and began to stretch his body. It seems like he really tried seriously.

So Tofan and I will check around the forest with the knights far in front and behind monitoring and guarding us.

Senka came to help and found out if there was a Duke and the others not far from here.

However, an hour passed without any sign of their presence.

"..."

This search will take longer than we thought.

"Ren," call Tofan over.

"Yes?"

Not usually Tofan spoke first, so I approached him.

"We better split up."

It was a good idea, but our situation squeezed by fog and vigilance over an invisible enemy made that option averted.

"But Tofan.."

I doubt that choice.

"Dissipating," he said remained steadfast.

He said it was the best way to find him.

I'm nodding.

"Well, I guess that's the only option we have.."

So I approached Joseph who was guarding the surroundings.

"Joseph," call me to him.

"Yes, Mr Ren?"

"Do plan B."

I'm trying to sound cool, but it's true we have a plan B.

They split up and search with several separate groups.

So we made 3 groups with each of them leading were Me, Joseph and Tofan.

"Let's split!"

"Yes!"

.........

I with 3 knights walked to the West.

We all walked aside from the trees and one lit a torch because of the dark visibility in the forest.

Although, I have Senka monitoring around in the dark forest.

The situation is still mysterious and we are required to find the Duke and his subordinates, before it gets bad.

"Sir, there are no footprints here" said the Knight who lurked around the east.

"Not good."

We're getting more and more difficult to find Duke's whereabouts.

And then, while I was still searching.

Clangs! The clash!

A loud voice was heard not far in front of us. It was like the sound of a fight.

"Go that way!"

"Yes!"

We hurried to the location of the sound.

'Senka, check what's ahead there.' I told him.

'okay!'

Senka stepped forward to find out if there was a fight there.

It didn't take long, we arrived at the location.

The area in front of us had been destroyed in part of the place and Duke was leaning unharmed near a cliff not far from there.

The four people Tofan was referring to were seen, one of them horribly trying to kill the Duke as he lifted the Axe towards him.

I was a bit stunned and instantly prepared the sword. Dashingly, I jumped forward.

"I won't let it!" My yelling.

My telekinesis activated and lifted the various rocks around me into a fierce feud ahead.

A BAAM! A BAAM! A BAAM!

Scaryly rained down on the location where some people were. I minimized the attack so as not to hit Duke.

"Ohuk, uhuk... What the hell was that??" said one of the attackers and he sounded unhappy.

"The Duke.." A heavy voice sounded not far away and lifted up by strangling the Duke upwards.

As if wanting to kill the Duke right then and there.

"Mr Duke!" Shouts of knights.

The knights arrived and were surprised by what happened.

I got off the horse and raised both swords, the Dual Sword Technique "Wind of Honor."

Senka had already told that there were only 4 people who attacked Duke.

Then that man, Noa strangled Duke.

"...Right as I expected," I said slowly, I had long since realized that the Red Domination group was not as good as it seemed.

They contain criminals and mercenaries who only carry out assassination, destruction and plundering missions at high prices.

So it's likely that Duke has long been their target.

"Van."

I called out to him with slow steps towards them.

The silver girl looked at me, her face looking as if she knew it would be like this. He immediately ran towards me, his sharp claws stretched out.

'The fight with Van. I didn't think it would be like this.'

Our distance is starting to narrow. But, my goal is not Van. Except for everyone else.

The clash! Clank's! Clank's!

I fended off the incoming attack, Van aggressively attacked with his sharp claws.

That's why I was pushed back.

Then, a dark hand came out from his shadow and stopped him.

"What is this??"

Senka stops Van's movements with the power of her shadow.

"Well, before anything bad happens! I let you take care of the rest!" I shouted to the Knights behind me.

They nodded and advanced.

I passed Van and headed for Noa and the other two.

"More!" Shouting Van.

I ignored him and ran to Noa. Wind magic I created to make my movements faster.

"Nightmare," I said streaming magic into my sword.

Right then, I threw my sword at Noa.

A fwooosh! Clank's!

My sword was dodged by that man.

The cloaked man, Riel looked displeased. But after my sword was stuck.

A black fog appeared that covered them all.

"What's this!?"

"Damn it, it's so dark!!"

Both of them looked surprised, but I didn't hear Noa or Duke.

[ The nightmare ]

[Terror Magic that gives nightmares towards the target, through the object or subject that the user is targeting. Be careful in its use, it can be addictive. ]

Terror magic level 2 "Nightmare", this magic gives a nightmare effect to objects or people. It's just wearing a lot of Mana.

But at the moment it is necessary.

Passing through them, I saw Noa who was aware of my arrival.

"You. yeah.."

A deep voice and intense pressure came out from it.

But, the strangled Duke looks in pain and Noa is seen not trying to kill him.

Wh why? I thought like that, but I will ask after defeating them.

"The Blade of Chaos!"

The Broken Sword was shrouded in a dense aura of red and burning.

I briefly headed to Noa, she did not see me and seemed to be talking to Duke.

The clash! Clank's!

The sharp clash heading towards Noa was stopped by him. He parried with the iron Gauntlet he was wearing.

"The Blade of Fire!"

The Broken Sword ignited the hotter flames and in exchange for the Gauntlet Noa flushed. But he didn't seem to be bothering about it and hit me back.

A BAAANG!

"Ughs.. Shit.."

I was thrown away and I turned back which was a bit painful. His power is too great.

[ Noa ]

[Level 68]

I was stunned when I realized that it was twice my level.

No, he doesn't care much about me.

But, the deeper I use the system to others. The more I focused, the more the screen grew.

Like those.

[ Title: The Blood Photo ]

"..!"

What title is that?

A BANG!

"Your!"

I dodged his punch that was embedded into the ground.

His shockwave blew out the surroundings including me within his attack radius.

"Son. You better go.. You're too involved" he said in a heavy tone.

Buuk He took off Duke and looked Duke is still alive, it's just that I saw a screen that appeared above his head.

[ Condition: Cursed ]

"What did you do to Duke!!" My yelling.

"Oh? You realized? But. Again go, son," he said, suppressing the aura of intimidating him.

"...Shit."

His aura was very pressing, it seemed like I had to avenge him.

"Buff of Mind in Terror" I said, touching my forehead.

"Terror Magic, Terrified." I spread magic around me.

Terror and suppressing aura materialized around me, I slowly recovered from Noa's pressure.

Her flat face was visibly disturbed, as if she realized that what I was emitting was different.

'Even though he's strong, I still have a lot of aces.'

The second round begins.

.........

...[ Continued ]...