53. Adventuring Together

While Chris was busy exchanging information with the Dark Guild…

Randy and his team had made it near their destination after an uneventful boat trip. The large forest located upstream of the Rail River is a popular hunting ground for adventurers, home for a wide variety of magical beasts and even a dungeon.

As a result, the nearby town is bustling with adventurers.

Eldenburg, also known as the "Adventurer's City," is one of the kingdom's largest city. 

However, at the moment, there's no sign of any attackers in the city of Eldenburg.

Even though Randy had told Ellie earlier, he had still considered the possibility of an attack. In the end, though, it felt like his concern had been for nothing.

(What's this? They have no guts at all?)

Randy snorted, though from the Dark Guild's perspective, they might argue, "What else could we do?" 

After the failed ambush at Riverford, Chris had decided to focus on targeting the academy. Besides, they were still in the process of tracking Randy and his group.

The attackers had been wiped out overnight, and by morning, Randy's group had already left Riverford. By the time the Riverford's Dark Guild staff realized what had happened, Randy's group was already outside the city.

When they noticed, they asked around to find out where Randy and Liz were heading…. Or so they thought.

But they received a message from the headquarter saying that the mission had already been reported as a failure. It's hard for them to accept, but it's even more creepy that their comrades have vanished without a trace.

Unaware of these developments, Randy was relieved that no attackers were coming and quickly shifted his focus to their original goal.

"Alright, let's head straight to the forest."

"Yes. We only have this afternoon and tomorrow."

Thanks to teleportation, they didn't need to worry about the return, but that still left them only a day and a half for hunting. 

There was no time to waste on trivial distractions.

As the two walked through the bustling town, they saw numerous adventurers and shops catering to them. The streets were lined with stalls, exuding a lively energy, different from the capital's vibrancy.

"Man, this place is full of energy"

"That's true. It's nice to see everyone so full of hope."

"I'd love to make Victor a town like this someday."

Forgetting about the possibility of attackers entirely, the two enjoyed a leisurely lunch at a food stall, chatting about various topics.

After thoroughly enjoying the town's lively atmosphere, they finally reached the forest without encountering any obstacles.

"Wow. There really are a lot of people here."

The forest was expansive, and even within their visible range, many adventurers could be seen roaming near its outskirts.

"We don't have much time, so let's get moving."

When Randy extended his hand, Liz tilted her head in slight confusion but took it anyway. To her surprise, Randy picked her up in a princess carry.

"Kyah!" Liz let out a startled cry as Randy kicked off from the forest ground and disappeared into the depths of the woods.

This time, they had come here without notifying the Adventurer's Guild. It wouldn't be a problem if he was in the outskirts of the forest, but he couldn't let anyone see him going deeper.

"I don't want another lecture," Randy muttered as he sprinted at full speed.

Unbeknownst to him, his rapid movements caused the trees to sway violently, sparking a small panic among nearby adventurers due to the strange phenomenon.

　As Randy and Liz ventured deeper into the forest, they were greeted by an eerie silence, a stark contrast to the bustling noise at the entrance.

"…There's no one here," Liz remarked.

"Yeah, makes sense. Most people wouldn't venture this far," Randy replied.

Just as Randy said, adventurers typically limiting their activities to the forest's outskirts. While smaller forests might be exceptions, blindly wandering into such a large forest without preparation would be stupidity.

The forest is the territory of magical beasts.

Although magical beasts can be found outside forests too, fighting in a dense, and environment like this carries great risks. The poor visibility and difficult terrain add to the danger.

If one were to get lost, escaping the forest would be challenging. 

At best, one might stumble upon a tributary of the Rail River and follow it downstream. But even then, the riverbanks are prime territory for magical beasts, making the journey perilous.

It's easy to imagine just how treacherous such a path would be.

For these reasons, most adventurers hunt the magical beasts that appear in the forest's outer layers, and they have already cleared a path to the dungeon

Adventurers, after all, live by putting their life for reward. The most vital skill in their line of work is caution.

Through this cautious approach, adventurers gradually hone their skills, preparing themselves to face higher-level magical beasts. 

Those who succeed will rise in rank, just like the famous "Steel Lion"

Of course, not all adventurers are like that.

As the name"adventurer" suggests, some take on the risk of delving deep into the forest to challenge powerful magical beasts. 

These individuals, driven by a sense of adventure or romance, often defy the guild's instructions.

More often, they meet their end.

Even if they succeed, they rarely win the adventurer's guild's favor.

Yet occasionally, someone appears to silences all criticism through sheer skill.

Just like the legends of "Sword Saint" and "Black Flash"

But those days are long gone. Now, the only sounds echoing through the forest are the noises of magical beasts and their heavy breathing.

"This place feels… creepy," Liz said uneasily.

"Of course it does. We're already surrounded," Randy said with a casual laugh.

Startled by his statement, Liz instinctively clung to him. Though no enemies were visible, the fact that they were surrounded meant only one thing.

It changes color, right? There's a monster called Varyon…

Liz recalled the information she'd heard from Corey about these monsters. 

The Varyon, or "mimicry beasts," they seamlessly blend into their surroundings, effectively vanishing from sight. 

Their camouflage is so perfect that calling it mimicry hardly does it justice—it's as if they've entirely disappeared.

The Varyons are completely undetectable to the naked eye. 

By reflecting the surrounding light, they recreate the scenery on their bodies with precision.

At that moment, Randy and Liz saw nothing but dense forest ahead, yet Randy could clearly sense the magical beasts encircling them.

"Randy…"

"Relax," Randy said calmly. "You can sense their magic, right?"

Liz nodded slowly. As she focused, she began to feel manu faint magical fluctuations surrounding them.

"Just aim for those and take them out in one shot," Randy said with a grin.

Reaching for a nearby tree, Randy grabbed at something invisible. 

Suddenly, a harsh, screeching sound, "Gii-Gii," pierced the air. With a loud snap, the sound stopped, and silence fell once more.

"What was that?" Liz asked.

"Probably one of those Varyons," Randy replied, holding up the lifeless creature.

　Even though Randy said so, the creature remained completely invisible.

"Alright, let's break through this encirclement for now," he muttered.

Randy stepped back along the path they had come, not far from their original position. It seemed that the Varyons hunting method was primarily ambush and patience.

Even if the creatures were to approach, Randy could sense their presence clearly, so it wasn't much of a concern for him.

"They really do blend perfectly into their surroundings," Randy observed.

"Are you sure you're holding something?" Liz asked curiously, poking at what should be in Randy's grasp.

"It's strange. I can't see anything, but something's definitely there," she remarked.

"Right?," Randy said with a smirk.

Even for him, holding the creature was a bizarre experience.

"Oh, but look closer! The area where you're holding it looks slightly distorted," Liz pointed out.

"Hey, you're right," Randy responded.

As Liz had said, the spot in Randy's grasp appeared slightly warped, almost as if a liquid crystal screen had been pressed.

"If Corey's information is correct, we just have to wait a bit…"

The two focused on the seemingly empty space in Randy's hand.

A soft breeze rustled the trees, and from within Randy's left hand, a faint shape began to emerge.

It was a large, white chameleon.

The creature was about a meter in length, with bulging eyes and a long tongue protruding from its mouth. Its entire body was pure white. 

Unlike a typical chameleon, however, its surface was completely smooth and lacked any texture. Its glossy, white exterior resembled a polished whiteboard.

The sensation of touching it was less like a chameleon and more akin to holding an eel. But the skin, which had been a bit slippery to touch, had now become smooth, just like its skin.

Although it was a strange magical beast, the best description would indeed be a large, pure white chameleon.

The Varyon—a white, shiny chameleon—was likely dead, crushed in Randy's grip. Holding the motionless Varyon in one hand, Randy turned to Liz.

"Alright, your turn, Liz. Give it a try."

"Understood."

Liz had insisted on participating in this hunt. 

Tired of always being protected, she had requested a chance to fight. 

Randy and Ellie suggested she start by learning offensive magic, specifically against magical beasts. 

With her solid foundation in magical theory, Ellie was confident that Liz could handle basic attack spells by the end of their journey.

Following Ellie's advice echoing in her mind, Liz began to concentrate her magic. Magical energy gathered in her palm, taking shape.

(Hey hey hey. This is seriously cheating) Randy thought, astonished.

Although her chanting speed was still slow, the sheer number of spells she produced was overwhelming. 

More than ten ice spears materialized around her. As cold air enveloped the area, Liz launched her ice spears with precision.

The spears sliced through the air and struck the hiding Varyons with precise accuracy. The blood staining the spears proved their effectiveness. 

Soon, pure white Varyons appeared on the grounds and in the trees

"How was that?" Liz asked, looking to Randy for feedback.

"That was… perfect," Randy replied, managing to smile despite his astonishment.

He couldn't help but feel impressed.

The number of spears she summoned.

The precision to land every shot, even against stationary targets.

All of it was beyond what anyone could achieve on their first attempt.

Liz, delighted by Randy and Ellie's praise, cheerfully said, "I'll try a different spell next!" and began concentrating her magic again, she was clearly in high spirits.

Since most of the magical beasts had already been taken down by her earlier attack, her next move would likely focus on raw power. 

Though Randy felt a twinge of unease, Ellie was watching, and unlike him, Liz had at least some sense of caution.

Deciding to trust her, Randy took a step back to give her some space—just a little.

"Alright, then. I'll start to disassemble them," he said.

Recently, Randy had managed to learn the art of disassembling magical beasts, albeit slightly later than Liz. It was time to switch roles, and he began his work.

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