Becoming Legend

Chapter 199: Along the Way

Ned and the team soon arrived at the second beast settlement. Along the way, they encountered a group of beasts, wargs, and butrikis. Sujiro took the chance to show off his skills along with Ulysses. The team planned to hit hard and fast, leaving dead bodies piled upon their trail. This made Baso relaxed as he didn't need to pack things along the way. Somehow, Their Looter, Swift wasn't feeling fair as well. She was there to contribute to the team, and not being a burden. She asked Ned to gain an ample amount of experience, not just shoot arrows whenever Chance Arrow Game was available. She did, however, controlled her emotion as the team went to set their plan for the next settlement. Ned thought she might be feeling itched to join the fight. But no, she shouldn't. Last time she did, she was half-naked and almost baked by the goblins. The two were aware of these facts. Three, Twali counted.

Without Goblin Shamans or Champions, the second settlement was raided with significant ease.

The terrain surrounding the Middle Area mostly consisted of streams, rock buds, and tiny hills. According to the map, farther east, the Inner Area was surrounded mostly with swamps broken only by the hills and an ample amount of trees.

Dusk has ended after they reached the third settlement. Ned was specific with his orders, rest only if needed. The team doesn't need to rest. They were carefully chosen by Twali, and it proved that the servant did exactly what he was told. He did choose quite an impressive team. Aside from the witty performances of the Twins, the team was focused on the task at hand, they rarely beckon with each other, their movements were counted and precise. Even the Porter, did follow the team with careful judgment.

Most of the time Baso took a defensive stance whenever a fight was ongoing. He always separates himself away from the team, afraid that he might disturb their focus.

Swift did the same, she was learning more as she became closer with Baso, learning traits and ways of Companions. This made Baso popped a chest every time Swift asked him for guidance. When to loot, when to flee, and when to engage in combat as a Companion. The Companions were always in the middle, having the Twins acting as a tail of the group. Ned wondered if other hunting parties were the same as them? But Ned doubted the idea, as he remembered Liv who tried to get him killed by making a contract with Ghostbloods. Maybe the hunter was indeed with the Ghostbloods.

Ned's thought broke as Sujiro came back from a scout and did a soft whistle calling the team toward him. Their figures were hidden by grasses and shadows cast by the fat trees surrounding them. The team doesn't need to have a light conjured out of magic or torch as the glorious beam of moonlight struck them, illuminating the map Hunter Jo held.

Sujiro explained the number of the beast and their types crowding the settlement. Double dozens of them. Swamp goblins fairly dominating the Outer and Middle Area, along with their pet wargs. Still, no shaman this time. But Champions they have. Four, actually. This plastered a grin on the team leader's face and his brother showing the same, if not too obvious.

These two, Ned thought.

He never thought the brothers were battle-hungry. His eyes looking at the two as he knelt on one beside Swift. This made their elbows rubbed with each other. Although his leather was thick, still, Ned could feel Sasani's warmth radiating off her thin leather jacket. Some strands of ginger and dark hair raffled under the edges of the mask. Ned's eyes went back to the team.

The approach was no different than the last two settlements. Sujiro and Ulysses acted as vanguard while Hunter Jo and Ja remained trialing from behind. Only this time, Ulysses did the show-off.

He took half of the beast, leaving the three with a handful of retreating goblins, and weeping wargs but no fire salamanders.

Ned studied Ulysses. He remarked that he could learn a thing or two from him since he was a knight in training. His approach was fair. He ran in the middle, lure the beasts, holds them, and let the other finish them off. If he was feeling pissed off or excited, he sometimes threw his tower shield in the middle of the crowded beast, it must be some kind of skill when the shield landed on the ground and made a deafening explosion, annihilating the poor beasts. His common skill was a sword skill. After he threw the shield, the Knight muttered words with his sword perpendicular across his chest. The tip then raised upward and was followed by a shot of light raining down the beast. Leaving them with a pierced body, and screams bidding goodbye.

No shaman, yet Champions were present. But this doesn't affect the team's performance. Hunter Jo took two of the goblin champion, one for Ulysses and one for Sujiro. It must be the beast's standard-issue, just like the rest of the champions Ned encountered, held axes as weapons.

Without the shaman, the clearance was faster this time. Swift took out the dead Champion's Core handed them to Baso, where the latter was waiting with the rune engraved bottle. One for the shaman-warrior Core, and the other bottle for the four Champion.

Before they left the settlement, Ned caught a flash of light above the trees and he assumed it was Twali and the Overseer. Doing nothing but to observe, making sure the quest goes smoothly as planned, and the Lady of the House be safe, as planned.

Along the way, the team unrooted and looted herbs and valuable grasses only in the Bogblot region could be found. One of them, an herb with an umbrella-like roof mushroom and a crimson red spot called Spotted Toad Herb. A highly poisonous plant if not handled by Herbalist well. Not too many hunters saw this kind of herb as it rarely grew in the region. Surprisingly, according to Baso, the Spotted Toad Herb only grew in certain conditions. Like the proper temperature, and a proper amount of water. Too many of the said elements will lose their potency, too little and the poison will consume the herb, making it more dangerous and useless for the Herbalist. And surprisingly, as if he knew already that there will be Spotted Toad Herb, Baso took out a cloth made of thick leather and carefully cut the base of the herb with his short-sword and wrap it with the leather. Delicately putting it inside his bag. Where other monster parts were waiting.

Stars scattered above the dark sky, the moon that was half this time, made the team's travel faster as they don't need to light a torchrevealing their position.

Glenn, the spy for the Time to Loot slash merchant was right again. Aside from the Ghostbloods, Ned had never encountered bandits. Even in the Du'kki island. Not even other hunters. They have been traveling half a day and they never encountered other hunters doing their quests or raiding. Not even gathering quests. Perhaps, they were on the other side of the island.

"Map," Ned muttered, too soft to be called a whisper.

A rectangular map popped up in his view. Opacity was almost reduced to 10%. But when Ned laid his eyes on a specific part of the map, his system significantly increases the opacity. Making it visible under Ned's view.

The party was nearing the fourth settlement. And they were also nearing the base of the Du'kki mountain. According to the map, six or seven more kilometers to their right was the coast where the waves of the ocean slapping the cliff.

Sujiro raised a fist. Making the group stop, like a domino in reverse action. The Twins spun around, making sure their back was free of ambush. Hunter Jo and Ja proceed to juggle their mana. Readying themselves for ambushes. Ulysses on the other hand crouched, with his sword tilted to not hit the ground. He was then followed by Sujiro and the brothers. Leaving the Companions, and the Twins out of their plan.

"Detect." He should have thought of it instead of murmuring. Holly looked over her shoulder as her Twin sister muttered the same. Gaining a frown from her.

Aside from the team, no other form of life was visible under Ned's HUD and perception.

"We are near," Sujiro said under his breath. Messy hair he fingered. "About four to five hundred men." He looked up to Ned, waiting if he wanted to share any idea.

Ned shook his head, and Sujiro proceeds to explain. He then stood and with a blur of his feet, added with the shadow under the tree, he was almost a shadow in human form vanishing. The group decided that Sujiro would have to scout the area first. Ned remembered and assumed that to where they were standing was the one that the smoke had arisen before when Sujiro and Ned went above the tree to scout in advance.

Few seconds after Sujiro left was the roar of massive explosions happening not far from them. The direction was from the fourth settlement.

Baso jumped off his feet, deciding where to go: proceed forward, or backward? He was confused as the team remained motionless under the dark veiled sky. Another explosion came in through and Hunter Jo rushed going the same path as the rouge. The rest of the team then followed.

They stopped when they saw Sujiro in a complete daze with his hand stretching over the side of the tree. Not far from them was the settlement, cry of laughter and raged engulfed it. Wasn't from beasts but from humans. Hunters. A dozen of them crying in excitement as they slaughter the settlement.