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Chapter 156: The Hunt
🕑 Added 2024-03-19 21:08:47 +0000 UTC'This is going to go so poorly...' I thought while watching the hunters prepare for the monster hunt.
Although the sight of dozens of battle-hardened warriors busily sharpening their weapons and fastening their armor was undoubtedly a formidable one, I remained skeptical about their chances of obtaining victory in the upcoming battle.
If there truly was some horrid abomination that made its nest in the mountains along the border—one that could push every other monster out of its way—I knew the local beast hunters wouldn't stand much of a chance.
Of course, the hunters knew it as well, as evidenced by the grim look on their faces. Yet despite this, they still carried on, not cowering from their duty, seemingly hoping that with their numbers, they could prevail and that at least some of them would return.
"Don't give me such a look..." the branch leader Malaric chuckled as he glanced in my direction. "Usually, youngsters like you are all eager to show their worth in battle, yet you look as if you saw a ghost."
He then leaned closer and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret—if I weren't confident that we would emerge victorious, I wouldn't have authorized this hunt... Contrary to how these old women are acting, our odds are much better than they might seem."
"How so?" I asked, furrowing my brows, as what I saw so far didn't instill in me much confidence about our odds.
"I can't tell you just yet, but you'll find out soon enough..." He winked at me mischievously before promptly turning around and going about his business as if nothing had happened.
I was left standing there, confused, while wondering what this was all about.
'Something that would turn the odds? Hmm, that's interesting... Also, why the hell do you even give me a hint if you then keep it all for yourself? Now you made me curious, dammit!'
***
It took almost another hour before the preparations were complete, and our small host of hunters could embark on what I still considered to be a suicide mission - for them, that is.
I, for one, certainly didn't plan to die a hero's death; the second the situation started turning for the worse, I was more than prepared to run away as fast as my legs would carry me despite how cowardly it may seem.
My take on these matters was that you have only one life, and if you meet a difficult enemy, you can always come back later when you are stronger.
I also needed to figure out how to act during this hunt. I couldn't use magic openly, and I wasn't confident enough to face some powerful monster with just the sword.
Furthermore, if I performed too well, I might draw unwanted attention, making it difficult for me to keep a low profile.
'But to make a proper plan, I lack information...' I sighed. The most worrying thing about this whole situation was that nobody had apparently seen what this monster even was.
I was reluctant to charge blindly into the woods before knowing what we were actually standing against.
However, for some strange reason, the branch leader seemed confident we would win, so in the end, I decided to keep my reservations to myself and use the remaining time more productively.
Like for example, to finally examine the large map of the surrounding area in great detail.
I happily traced my finger across its smooth surface, committing to memory its precious contents.
Until, at last, the branch leader ordered everyone to assemble. "It's time! We're heading out!"
Hearing this, the hunters promptly formed an orderly line and began marching out of the Guild's building.
I lingered for a moment, unsure of where to go as I had never been part of such a large group, but then Malaric gestured for me to join him in the front.
'Did he take a liking to me? ...Or more likely, he wants to ensure I won't slip away.' I chuckled to myself before hurriedly following after them.
However, as we were leaving the lobby, I quickly noticed there was some commotion in the courtyard, and a large crowd of onlookers had gathered there.
The people were buzzing with excitement, their eyes fixed on a group of men in shining armor standing in the center of the courtyard.
'What is this?' I straightened my neck, hoping to get a better view as I pushed myself through the lively crowd.
The warriors stood proudly, armed to the teeth, emanating an intimidating aura. Behind them, a line of priests in long robes and carrying staffs stood waiting, their expressions somber and focused.
While I wondered what this was all about, a chubby-looking man who appeared to be in his fifties stepped forward.
Dressed in an expensive-looking attire, he overlooked the crowd with an excited expression before clearing his throat and loudly proclaiming.
"Good people of Neufeld! Don't despair! ...The Temple has heard our heartfelt pleas and sent one of their most promising Blessed warriors to assist us in our plight!"
'Blessed warrior?' I wondered curiously as I traced to where the chubby man was pointing at.
One of them particularly stood out in the very center of the warrior's group. Not only was he surprisingly young—only about two to three years older than me—but the armor he wore looked much more elaborate than that of the others.
The young man smiled and gave a slight bow, which sent ripples of excitement through the crowd and earned him a wave of joyful cheers.
Meanwhile, I cast an inquisitive look toward Malaric, who smiled back. "I told you that you didn't need to worry. As Baron said, Arn is one of the youngest Warriors of Light, yet he has already surpassed all his peers."
'So the chubby man is the local lord, and the young man is the Blessed warrior, got it... But what does that even mean?' I tilted my head to the side, confused.
However, I didn't have to wait long to find the answer. As I peered into the youngster with my magic sense, I saw a strong, radiant glow emanating from his core. 'He is a mage?' I blinked.
But by the look of it, he was a bonafide warrior with a sword and all, which frankly didn't make much sense to me, as mages didn't need to use any weapons.
Thus, I decided to observe him carefully from now on to see what this was all about.
I smiled as I joined the procession, thinking, 'This is becoming quite interesting indeed...'
***
As we set off towards the hills upstream of the river, the tension in the air was palpable. The wind carried a sense of foreboding, whispering secrets of danger ahead. The group moved in silence, each step weighted with the gravity of our mission.
The Temple's warriors and priests walked proudly at the head of the host. With their pristine white garments and shiny silvery armor, they looked completely out of place compared to the rugged appearance of the beast hunters.
The sun's position suggested it was around noon, so we still had plenty of time to make it a large stretch toward the border.
I tried to stay as far away as I could from the priests, worried that they might sense my magic. Given what I had seen up until now, it was unlikely, but I decided not to take any chances.
Instead, I used this time to ask Malaric for some information about our strange allies and, more importantly, about this Blessed warrior of theirs.
"You don't know?" The branch leader furrowed his brows, looking baffled.
"Well, I came from a small village..." I smiled sheepishly.
By the looks of it, this seemed to be fairly common knowledge, at least in this part of the Kingdom, yet this was the first time I had heard about it.
Besides, I wasn't much of a religious person even back in my previous life, so it was no wonder I didn't frequent the temples or bother to listen to our village priest's sermons when I was little.
Luckily, Malaric seemed to accept my excuse, and after some back-and-forth, I was able to learn what I wanted.
If I removed all the religious blabber, being blessed simply meant that someone had a talent for magic. Yet, instead of awakening his potential, he learned to use it unconsciously to strengthen his body, somewhat like I did, but on a more instinctual level.
Also, if he trained enough and had a natural talent, he could even learn to channel his essence through his weapons and armor, greatly strengthening them—thus becoming akin to this world's version of a hero.
'Well, I finally understand why everyone is so confident about this job. I'm not going to lie; I'm now a bit curious about how our little hero over there will fare in real combat. It sure would make for an interesting spectacle...'
I thought with a subtle smile as we approached a sizeable clearing about half a day from Neufeld, where we were supposed to make a camp for the night.
