Chapter 164 : Returning to the City
Chapter 164: Returning to the City
The battle with the Lich did not reach a conclusion.
If one had to say, it had to be considered the adventurers’ defeat.
Injured people had broken out here and there.
Robin’s sword seemed to suppress the Lich, but then his Fighting Spirit suddenly flickered out.
Even that alone had been development hard to believe, yet reality was not so lenient.
“Robin, can you stand?”
After Sigbard stepped forward and struggled fiercely, the Lich retreated.
It worked when they seized the gap created by the adventurers drawing its attention and splashed Holy Water.
Though the Lich, its Core destroyed, remained savage, it was equally cautious with its body.
Part of its ribs that had touched the Holy Water melted away, and its weakness became visibly exposed.
Leaving only the Summoned Serpent behind, it disappeared somewhere.
“I’ll walk now.”
The serpent the Lich left behind was clever.
It flicked its tongue and lunged to swallow Robin.
Unable to use Fighting Spirit, Robin had no choice but to respond defensively to its attacks.
Fortunately, he still had Holy Water left and managed to defeat it, but in the process he ended up spraining his ankle.
Because of that, he used half of the Holy Water he had on hand to treat himself.
After getting down from Sigbard’s shoulder, Robin surveyed the front.
“We’ve left the Dangerous Area.”
Grass tufts were trampled sparsely here and there, and beyond them a jungle came into view.
It was no different from a signpost announcing they had entered the Safe Area.
“It’s fortunate the injury isn’t severe.”
“It’s thanks to you, Sigbard.”
The roughly one hundred adventurers walked without rest.
There was only one reason they pushed their exhausted bodies through the dense jungle.
To avoid encountering the Lich again.
Was it because they had left the Dangerous Area?
The adventurers each tossed out a word or two.
“That monstrous thing won’t chase us all the way here, right?”
“There’s no record of a Lich appearing in the Safe Area, so you can rest easy.”
As expected of Silver-Ranked Adventurers, they knew a lot.
Having fought it firsthand, the Lich had been just as overwhelming as rumored.
The fact that a single one had faced over a hundred Silver-Ranked Adventurers said it all.
“It’s a relief we had the blessing.”
“Of course. If we’d rushed in without the blessing, we’d have been wiped out.”
The goodwill shown by the Rest Stop Manager had saved them.
Even those who held complaints could not deny that.
“Aelin, how far until the next Rest Stop?”
“It’s still quite a ways off. We’re continuing, right?”
Robin looked back before nodding.
“I figured. I’ll pay attention to our pace.”
Aelin focused on finding the path at the front.
With no fog to obscure the way, it seemed easier to navigate.
It had been a long time since the sun set.
The fact that they had reached the Safe Area gave everyone relief.
At this point, it would have been reasonable to prepare camp, yet no one stopped walking.
Those whose bodies were still intact cut down Monsters, and those too drained for battle helped carry even a single piece of baggage.
Swish. Swash.
They cut through grass that reached up to their waists, and when morning greeted them—
Those who had gathered only a day ago had already begun to form camaraderie.
A battle where they shared life and death, and a common destination.
A leader who fought at the forefront more than anyone else, and his companions.
To have survived the battle meant they owed each other their lives.
From complete strangers, they had come to see one another as people worthy of trust.
“Robin, you were stronger than usual. What did you do?”
Perhaps bored from not encountering Monsters for a while, Sigbard opened his mouth.
Seeing no particular danger around them, Robin joined the idle chatter.
“When I thought of the word Anger and spoke it, my Fighting Spirit changed.”
“A single word made you stronger?”
“Yes. I think it might be a word that pierces through the life of the Mercenary King.”
There were three ways to handle Fighting Spirit.
The first was to crave it like madness.
The second was to build achievements and grow one’s presence.
The third was to uphold another person’s will.
“That person must have burned together with Anger his entire life. I can feel it.”
“Doesn’t sound like it was a very good life.”
“I think the same. His entire life must have been arduous.”
Robin recalled what Brandok had once said.
The Mercenary King Harold might be President Burt.
It was a conjecture hard to believe, yet he felt it could be true.
His strengthened Fighting Spirit was like reenacting a part of the Mercenary King’s life.
Within it, he saw a man boiling with Anger.
“Chasing another person’s footsteps and building your own power. Robin, which of the two are you?”
“Does it have to be one or the other?”
When Sigbard asked what he meant, Robin voiced his view.
“It’s better to take every means available. Borrow the Mercenary King’s power, and build up my own level as well. I want to do both.”
“Isn’t that being greedy?”
“It is greed. And since this greed is also one of my emotions, wouldn’t it be better to accept it rather than turn away from it?”
Sigbard thought for a moment, then burst into laughter as he patted Robin’s shoulder.
“You’re right. There isn’t a single correct answer.”
“What about you, Sigbard? Which side are you on?”
“I naturally thought I had to build my own level.”
A Barbarian who had inherited the weapon his father once used.
Sigbard slightly lifted his Rod, his eyes unwavering.
“Listening to you, doing both doesn’t sound so bad.”
“Did you grasp something?”
“Traveling with you brought about a change.”
Sigbard grasped the middle of his Rod with both hands and extended it forward.
Grinning, he asked Robin.
“Do you feel anything?”
He had not manifested his Fighting Spirit.
The air had not changed, nor had his presence sharpened, so Robin stared for quite some time.
“I don’t know.”
“I see. Perhaps it’s something only I can feel.”
“Why? It doesn’t seem to be Fighting Spirit.”
Sigbard withdrew his Rod and straightened his shoulders.
“It’s Accumulated Energy. My father’s power is contained within this Rod.”
“What is Accumulated Energy?”
“Simply put, it’s power stored away.”
The Barbarian Tribe’s secret art, Accumulated Energy.
Gunrad had imbued the weapon he used with his strength.
Hoping that someday it would aid the path his son walked.
“That’s an incredible technique! Can’t you show me?”
“In truth, I don’t know how to use Accumulated Energy.”
“What do you mean? You said you felt something.”
“I know the power is there, but I don’t know how to use it. Even within the tribe, only a few can properly handle it.”
Though regrettable, Sigbard only understood the concept of Accumulated Energy and had never handled it himself.
“Don’t be too disappointed. I may not know now, but I’ll figure it out someday.”
“I’ll look forward to it.”
In any case, grasping the thread of a new technique was something worth celebrating.
As they walked while exchanging idle chatter, they eventually left the jungle.
Two hours after entering the Uninhabited Plain.
Around the time they were passing between breakfast and lunch, Aelin shouted.
“Robin! It’s a Rest Stop!”
Glad news to hear.
After the fierce battle, fatigue had piled up for everyone.
“What’s the situation like? Are there a lot of people?”
“It’s packed. No one’s causing trouble. I guess it’s true that entry into the city’s been blocked.”
Even amid the chaos, some order had been established.
That was a positive sign.
“Let’s hurry. It’s about time we rested too.”
The roughly one hundred Silver-Ranked Adventurers headed toward the Rest Stop.
Entry to the Rest Stop was not permitted.
It had already exceeded its capacity.
They couldn’t step inside, but it didn’t matter.
Those who arrived late settled near the Rest Stop and waited for the day they could return to the city.
The adventurers who had come with Robin likewise found a suitable place to sit.
They were simply grateful to be able to rest.
“Aren’t those people being overly wary of us?”
“They’re Copper-Ranked Adventurers. It’s only natural to be cautious when over a hundred Silver-Ranked Adventurers show up.”
“Is that so? Serena seems to be getting along just fine.”
Aelin pointed at Serena.
She was wandering among the Copper-Ranked Adventurers, getting a bite from each of them.
“Serena’s famous, after all.”
“Is she? They’re generous. Do they have plenty of food?”
One hardtack, a bite of jerky, a spoonful of stew.
Serena, going around saying she’d take just one bite, looked sociable at first glance.
But most had only shared out of fear, intimidated by rumors about her.
“I don’t know what rumors they’ve heard, but it’s nice at times like this.”
After making one round, Serena seemed to find it amusing and started again from the beginning.
In particular, she eyed an adventurer with salted fish and approached.
“Hey! Stop that! Isn’t that too much!”
Serena blinked after swallowing a whole fish in one go.
“The people here aren’t running a charity! If you want food, pay for it!”
“Pay? Would this do?”
When she held out 3 Copper, the adventurer quickly accepted it.
Seeing that, the other adventurers began speaking up to Serena one by one.
“The price for the jerky. Can you pay it?”
“Pay for the hardtack you took from me too.”
Serena nodded and paid each of them.
She handed over 1 Copper each time, and with a single Silver Coin, people’s dissatisfaction subsided.
Aelin watched the scene with satisfaction before flinching.
“Robin, something’s coming.”
“I know. Quietly get up and inform the Manager that a Lich is coming.”
Aelin gave a small nod and entered the Rest Stop.
Since the adventurers’ attention was focused on Serena, no one noticed this.
“Miss Spirit Mage, won’t you try some nuts here as well?”
“Walnuts? Where did you get them?”
“I brought them to snack on when I got bored. I’ll give you a handful for 2 Copper. What do you say?”
“I want to taste them, but I’m out of coins.”
When she showed her empty purse, the adventurer looked disappointed.
“I’ll give you useful information instead.”
Serena poured a handful of nuts straight into her mouth.
A Gold-Ranked Adventurer whose name was known in Narvik.
Just as her rare ability to handle spirits was intriguing, people were curious what words would come from her mouth.
After savoring the nuttiness, Serena swirled her staff.
Piyoooo!
The eagle-shaped Wind Spirit Aquila circled the sky.
“Mm. Mm. I see.”
Nodding several times as if conversing, she spoke calmly.
“The Lich is coming.”
The adventurer who had given her the nuts asked again, as if he hadn’t understood.
“The Lich? What do you mean?”
“You don’t know Lich? A skull-headed undead Monster. The one that uses magic and is hard to catch.”
“I know of the Monster Lich, but why would it be here……?”
“Didn’t you hear? We fought the Lich and ran away. I guess it’s coming to catch us.”
She spoke so calmly that the adventurer couldn’t tell whether it was true.
It was no different from saying a typhoon would arrive shortly.
Bang.
The Rest Stop door flew open roughly, and the Manager ran out.
After scanning the surroundings, he strode straight toward Robin.
“Is that true?”
“Yes. What will you do?”
“You’re remarkably composed. You were struck by the Lich’s magic?”
“It weakened, but it’s still there. It’s coming for me.”
The Manager grimaced and snapped.
“Leave this place at once!”
“Do you think this place will be safe just because I leave?”
“Are you threatening me right now!”
“Think calmly. It’s already passed through the jungle, and even if I leave immediately, it’ll pass through here on the way.”
The Manager cursed and rubbed between his brows.
Robin brought up the plan he had prepared.
“I have a method.”
“Let’s hear it.”
Clearing his throat, he raised his voice so everyone around could hear.
“Everyone here! We’re returning to the city!”
“The city’s closed. The Imperial Knight Order came and blocked it.”
“That’s precisely what we’re aiming for. Aren’t you curious who would win if the Knight Order and the Lich clash?”
“What……?”
At Serena’s remark, the Copper-Ranked Adventurers hurriedly packed their belongings.
The Silver-Ranked Adventurers were relatively stable thanks to Sigbard’s prior instructions.
“There’s no choice but to run.”
“You said your name was Robin? You’re insane.”
“It’s better than dying like this.”
Tap.
Serena, who had brought the nut container, held out a walnut with her staff.
Crushing the walnut in her hand, she neatly extracted and ate the kernel.
“We will survive.”
Even if it meant earning the Displeasure of the Imperial Family.
Reluctantly, the Manager decided to follow Robin’s decision.