Memory Loss
...
"Why can't I remember anything?" Sword Hero Morningster asked the teenage boy before him in a ruffled brown garment.
"You defeated the boss of the gate but ran out of mana. I found you all here passed out. Sword Hero sir is amazing," Ingal voiced excitedly.
"It's Morningster to you," Sword Hero Morningster displayed a light smile before getting up.
"Is that really what happened?" Sword Hero Morningster inquired.
"Yes. No one else is powerful enough to defeat the boss of a D-ranked gate," Ingal replied.
"You got that right! No one," Bright yelled from behind as he approached.
"Hmm... something similar happened at the North trove one month ago. I awoke and found the charred corpse of an E-ranked boss before a gate that was already closing," Sword Hero Morningster stroked his chin with a look of confoundment.
"Don't think about it too much Sword Hero," Bright wrapped his arm around Morningster's shoulder.
"All that matters is we won. Now I get to use the gold rewarded by the king to sleep with more beautiful ladies, hahaha," Bright laughed horrendously.
Sword Hero Morningster shot him a slight glance of disgust before moving away from his grasp.
"Do you remember anything?" He approached Princess Valerie who still looked dizzy.
She shook her head lightly in response, "The last memory I have was flying through the air with Ezrel to join your battle against the D-ranked gate boss," Princess Valerie said with a very low tone like she was half asleep.
"Hmm, the boss of a D-ranked gate gave us this much trouble. We need to level up before approaching any more gates," Sword Hero Morningster voiced with a still disturbed tone.
The group began to move out of the mountains and noticed just how much havoc had been wrecked across the surroundings.
"What is that hole?" Ezrel pointed in the direction of a mountain which had a massive hole within.
"I don't remember that," Sword Hero Morningster voiced once more.
"Must have been from the battle," Ingal said with a tone of astonishment.
"Thanks, Captain Obvious," Bright said before kicking Ingal from behind and walking further ahead.
"The entire forest here is gone too," Ekiel said with a look of surprise after noticing the grounds were charred.
"You must have unleashed an ultimate attack," Ezrel turned to face Sword Hero Morningster who still looked clueless.
'I don't have a skill that is powerful enough to cause this level of damage,' Sword Hero Morningster said internally.
He wished he could remember exactly what happened but no matter how much he tried, he couldn't.
<[ Status: D Ranked Gate Cleared ]>
He stared at the notification panel at his periphery with a perplexed expression.
'I just noticed this... wait... my level jumped,' Sword Hero Morningster noticed his level on the top left corner.
■■■■■■■■■□□
-Level 55
He recalled being at level 49 and now he had jumped all the way to 55 from killing the boss of a D-ranked gate? Things were not adding up.
He knew very well that at this level, killing a boss from a D-ranked gate would at most increase his level by one.
Sword Hero Morningster turned to the side to check the levels of everyone in the party and noticed they all had a boost as well.
It was normal for everyone in a Hero's Party to get a boost in their levels after killing the boss of a gate but this situation didn't make any sense since the increase was very significant.
He turned to stare at Ingal...
[ Ingal Sigfried: Level 6 Healer ]
'His level didn't undergo any change,' Sword Hero Morningster wasn't entirely surprised but at the same time had low-key wanted Ingal to get a little boost too.
The group soon arrived at the town they saved. It had gotten razed down as well.
Sword Hero Morningster was still checking the notifications so he hadn't noticed the environment yet.
[ You Have Been Blessed With A New Skill ]
[ Grade B Skill: Sword Dance ]
"Mintson town is gone," Princess Valerie's voice drew the Sword Hero's focus back to the surroundings.
"What about the survivors? Did you guys manage to get them away?" Morningster questioned.
"Yes, they fled to the neighboring town Sled Willow," Ezrel responded.
"Let's head there to freshen up," Sword Hero Morningster decided.
...
...
-"Did you hear?"
-"Sword Hero Morningster just closed a D-ranked gate at the west of Singurd Territory,"
-"I heard Mintson Town got wiped out,"
-"What? The Sword Hero couldn't close a measly D-ranked gate without causing casualties,"
-"Tueh! That's why I said the spear Hero is better,"
-"No the Bow Hero is the best,"
Chatters rang out within the busy streets of a town.
The battle at the D-ranked gate seemed to have already spread around these parts and some people had misgivings about how it ended.
"Who knows what would happen to us if a gate was to suddenly open nearby? Maybe all of us here would die too," Someone yelled from the crowd and everyone suddenly began to panic.
A feminine figure draped in a black cloak walked past the chattering cloud.
None of these town folks noticed her presence as she continued strolling till she vanished from sight.
Within a small and barely furnished room in a building not too distant from her position, a man with rough chestnut-colored hair sat on a bed with a thoughtful expression.
He was bare-chested and clad in only shorts. However, he didn't seem to be alone.
From the dim lighting in the surroundings, one could make out the faint outline of two nude female bodies lying on the same bed.
"Ruri," the bare-chested man suddenly called out.
A feminine figure draped in a dark cloak suddenly phased out of the shadows.
"I see you haven't stopped sneaking up on people," The man spoke with a low tone.
"I see you haven't stopped womanizing... Shield Hero Henrod," This feminine figure happened to be the same one that was strolling the streets a while ago.
"Hehe If you agree to marry me I'll stop being a womanizer," Shield Hero Henrod chuckled.
"Not even in your wildest dreams will you ever be able to experience such gratification," Ruri voiced with a tone of contempt.
Shield Hero Henrod shot her a flirty smirk; "That's what they all say at first. Until my rod gives you a taste of what heaven feels like."
"I am here on official business," Ruri stated while pulling off her cloak to reveal a snow white long hair and an owl-shaped mask obscuring her face.
"The seeking pond has revealed that a C-ranked gate will appear between Kerlin Town and the stream of tears. His Majesty has asked that you join hands with the spear Hero to close the gate upon its appearance," Ruri voiced with a tone of indifference.
"Finally some action... I was starting to run out of coins," Shield Hero Henrod had a delighted look on his face as he jumped to his feet.
A large bulge could be seen in his shorts region which suggested that Ruri's presence had caused his body to react this way.
Ruri sent him another detestable glare.
"Oh don't look at me like that Ruri it breaks my heart... You see, my body jumps with excitement whenever I see you. The little guy down there is not so easy to control," Shield Hero Henrod shamelessly stated while moving towards the right side of the small room where a yellow pentagon-shaped shield with a dim red gem in the middle could be spotted.
"Time to make some coins. Come," The moment Shield Hero Henrod commanded, the dim red gem suddenly lit up.
Zhiinnn~
The shield levitated and flew into his grasp.
"I'm ready," He voiced while turning around.
"Do you intend to leave here looking like that?" Ruri pointed at his bulge.
...
...
...
In another location entirely, a majestic palace stood proudly atop a rolling hill, surrounded by a sea of emerald-green meadows that extended as far as the eye could see.
Towering turrets that reached skyward were adorned with fluttering banners that bore a royal insignia. This royal insignia looked like the face of a blue eagle, proclaiming the might and grandeur of this kingdom.
A sturdy stone wall, weathered by centuries of history, embraced the palace grounds. Moss clung to the ancient stones, whispering tales of bygone eras.
At the entrance, a formidable gate with wrought iron embellishments bore witness to the passage of countless dignitaries, knights, and common folk who sought an audience with the monarchy.
Stepping beyond the palace's grand doors revealed a world of luxury and refinement.
Beautiful art adorned the walls, depicting epic tales of valor and mythology. The flickering light of intricately designed chandeliers cast a warm glow upon the polished floors.
The throne room, a pinnacle of grandeur, showcased a majestic seat of power elevated on a dais. Stained glass windows bathed the room in a myriad of colors, reflecting the ruling monarch's authority and benevolence.
A middle-aged looking man with visible spots of greyish hair and long royal robes, was positioned firmly on the throne.
He displayed an expression that could be mistaken for arrogance as he sat in place like he was the ruler of the heavens and earth.
"Welcome, sword Hero Morningster," The king of Arudine Kingdom greeted with a strong tone of power.