Chapter 41 - Just One More I
CHAPTER 41 - JUST ONE MORE I
~Half A Year Later~
LUKE HODGES
Mana.
The meaning of mana, what is it entirely? Will I be able to re-use it like a couple of months ago? Perhaps not, yet I have faith that it may evolve to something more. My fights against the alacryans and mana beasts have all brought purpose to my abilities now, even my core. I've ascended into a new core stage.
With this, I should be able use that power without worrying about my mana reserves.
Hmm…
My concentration was difficult to maintain, I had many things to remember and a lot of actions that needed to be done. Not only that but…
I opened my eyes and noticed the swarm of beasts around me, each of them looking at the corpses of their kin. Most of them didn't give a living care about their kin and only wanted to kill me because I was a threat to them. I wasn't going to blame them. On the other hand, I knew that they were hesitant to attack me first. After all the ones below them did the same thing.
In front of them, on the ground, was a line that formed a circle around with me being in the center. "Pass the line and you will meet your dead kin." I spoke, thinking of them as intelligent beasts that only cared for their lives, at leasts that is what every single living being thinks about.
Hesitating and yet lounged, one of the mana beasts crossed the line. Bearing his fangs and claws as a threatening weapon towards me. Instantly, I stepped forward, in my mind thinking whether to kill it painfully or instantly but my answer was later given.
I mustn't use mana.
Pulling out one of my twin swords which was being held on tightly by my left hand, cut through the strong leg of the bear-type beast with little to no problem.
A whine of the mana beast startled the rest, leaving them to hesitate in approaching me. There were many types of mana beasts surrounding me, and yet they all stood away from the line.
Without caring about the others, I took another step towards the limping white bear. "I warned you, but a beast is always a beast." With those being my last words to it, the bear took them as insulting and rushed me once more. Only that this time I did not touch his legs but rather his neck with my multi-colored sword.
Landing on my hand, I lifted up the giant head that required me to use mana. I took a deep breath and said, "This is an example, if you dare to follow this fool then be my guest and cross that line." A sense of adrenaline washed over me as the rest of the mana beasts stepped foot inside the circle. "As you wish!"
All the mana beasts that were outside the circle shook the ground like an earthquake, every single one of them let out a roar, maybe to frighten me but it wasn't going to work. I've met dragons and demons all in this lifetime, "So you mana beasts are little ants compared to them!"
The flying gargoyle was the first to attack and yet his blow was unsuccessful. Speeding past me like a torpedo, the grey streak had found its landing on the ground. A sharp noise of pain resounded the surroundings of the forest sound. It was the gargoyle, crying for its lost wing that I had cut off.
Not wasting time, I stepped a foot towards the direction of the mana beast that acted as a baby that hit itself with a spoon. It quickly noticed my presence and attacked me but I dodged it needlessly. Seeing as it failed not once but twice at landing a blow, switching to defense was the obvious choice and yet it still was a failing plan for the gargoyle.
Swiftly cutting through the thick skin it had like paper with a new razor blade. Gushing dark green blood, the gargoyle tried running by crawling backwards, his ugly face still staring at my direction. I ended his life by stabbing the mana beast in the heart and watched as his life left his dark eyeballs.
The other mana beasts only observed instead of helping a temporary ally, no sound or movement was heard from them. "You guys are really boring, you know?" Perhaps those were the only words they heard before I began to kill one by one without holding back. Arms, legs, heads, everything that was part of them when they were brought to this world was detached before they died.
A cruel way for me to see how far stronger I had gotten but I didn't see another way at the moment.
I could only stare at the scene that I had caused, it was gruesome to those who hadn't actually been an adventurer. Even those that have a weak stomach might not withstood it.
"I have to clean this blood before I return to the guild."
***
Upon entering the guild, I noticed many people staring at me with a sort of fearsome and jealousy imbued in their eyes. For a moment, I thought that my mask was off but I was relieved to know it was the opposite.
The mask–which was a color of greyish metallic–was now the opposite composition, leaving only hints of dark crimson along with a dark green.
Ignoring their whispers and rumors, only a couple were able to enter my ears.
"There he goes again, killing those that don't agree with him."
"I feel bad for those that oppose him, my condolences to their families."
"That boy is just cocky that he ascended into an A-rank recently."
"Yeah I get you, we've spent multiple times trying to ascend and we can't rank up."
"He must be from Nobility. That is the only answer, through money and influence!"
Fools. I thought. Though I still haven't heard anything from my eyes–
"I heard that he is a demon, nobody from this continent has red eyes like a demon."
There it is…
A sense of disappointment and calmness flowed into me. This was the way that people saw me and I wasn't going to change it as it was the best option we have at the moment. I wanted to stay low but the more I kept on fighting monsters and conquering dungeons, the more things intertwined and next thing I knew, I was on the talking list of most feared adventurers.
I let out a deep sigh before heading to the receptionist who I knew for a while now, "Hey there Sam."
A small noise came out of her like she had gotten scared. "Ahh. Oh hey Mr. Apollo."
She got to place a couple of papers in front of her before getting to look around for more papers. "Are you here for another quest? Or perhaps another dungeon for you to beat?"
Her jokingly questions brought me to a small laugh. Samantha saw this, "Why are you laughing at me? We both know that one more dungeon and you will ascend to S-rank."
"You are wrong, I need more than one more dungeon to get ascended."
The brown haired with pale skin rolled her green eyes before giving me the 'you know I am not wrong' look.
"Then why are you here? If not a dungeon then what must the great Apollo need in a guild where adventurers only come here for an ascension or a big quest."
I took a while to answer her question. Yet, Samantha seemed to already connect the dots before I could even say a single word. "Wait… you must be here for a secret quest?"
I gave no confirmation to her, instead she ducked below her desk where I could hear a mountain of papers being tossed around. "Ah! I found it!" She let out, bringing to my vision a quest paper with a seal. "Here! I found this interesting Dungeon quest! It is said that the reward is thirty gold coins for whoever finds a beast's will!"
"And you think I can find a beast's will because…?"
"Because you've ascended into an S-rank but not publicly. Mr. Apollo, you only use that absurd strength of yours when things go downhill, I've seen it first hand."
"That is different, Sam. Things are different now… I have things I need to do before I leave my career as an adventurer."
A moment of pause crossed our paths. "Oh, you mean your famous friend, Note?"
I on the other hand stood quiet and only thought of what to do now. Of course I want to continue being an adventurer since it is the only way to train when I need to. But… There won't be a place to adventure when Agrona wages war against Dicathen. Everything will be overtaken by his Alacryan soldiers and corrupted beasts.
Just one more…
I looked up to Sam who had a confused and worried look but quickly lightened up when I said, "Alright, you win. Give me the details of the quest. I don't promise anything though."
"You've got it!"