Chapter 32

Haruka POV

“That was oddly satisfying” I said as I wiped off the blood of the last werewolf from my sword.

They came in droves this time but thanks to our current position they were unable to use their numerical advantage.

We were close to our destination, only few hours walk remain. The moment we entered a valley that led from the forest to the city we were followed by a pack of werewolf that were chasing us in silence for the last few days.

I stood guard at the front while Haruna supported me from the back, Misaka would use her spell to bleed out any of the wolves that was cut by my blade, I didn’t need to kill them just a slash and they would be done for. Thankfully Misaka’s skill does not require much mana so we were able to hold on for quite the while, while also leveling up significantly.

“Status screen”

Name

Haruka Kusanagi

Primary Class

Blade of the church

Race

Human

Gender

Female

Health

4400

Mana

1600

Level

240

Strength

640

Agility

1664

Wisdom

500

Intelligence

640

Stamina

1600

Vitality

820

Luck

50

Fortitude

12%

Willpower

332

Honor

1200

Elemental resistance

7%

Dark resistance

6%

Poison resistance

4%

Light resistance

6%

Title

The prodigy-Blade mistress-The Unbroken

The Huntress

Quite the advancement, I am slowly becoming more and more powerful. So far the werewolves were the second strongest creature that lives in this forest. The first being a wild boar that tusks longer than an elephant, and they curved forward, it was level 350.

I understood something else, monster levels are quite different from human levels, a monster level 60 can easily defeat a human level 100. It is probably due to the harsh life that they live, they are always in need to survive in this cruel world, the survival of the fittest, so if a monster manages to reach high levels this means one of two things, either it is extremely lucky to have survived, or extremely powerful, and luck is not something to rely on in this world.

Thankfully the werewolves were level 150, they were easy to defeat when they were alone, but once they charge at us in packs, it becomes quite difficult to handle, so we needed to use the terrain to our advantage.

“Now where to?” said Haruna.

I looked around making sure that that was the last of them, and after ascertaining it, I grabbed the map and began looking at our current position.

“Like I said before, only few more hours, there is really nothing much in this direction it’s just a path that doesn’t branch anyway, it will lead us directly to where we want to go. However, there is a checkpoint there…”

“Checkpoint?” said Misaka, who I finally got to hear her voice

“Yes, a checkpoint, with guards and everything to filter the ones that come in and out of the city…”

“Would we need to provide identities or anything Haruka?” asked Misaka

“I have no idea…I hope it is not the case, but let’s just go there and see”

After walking for a few more miles we managed to reach the end of the valley, there, there was some sort of fortress that was built in the middle of the path, fully blocking the passage, if not for the gate that was leading inside the fortress, and probably led to the other side.

Once we got closer

“Stop right there!” said someone

Once we looked up, there were two men wearing armor and holding two spears, they were looking down from above a veranda that was on top of the door of the fortress.

We looked at each other and I advanced forward.

“We are travelers, and we would like to get to Riftell.”

The two guards looked at each other and then at us

“Riftell cannot be accessed by outsiders, you will need to prove your identity or your worth.”

“How so?” I said

“I don’t know how you did it, but the forest you just arrived from is infested with werewolves, bring twenty heart of these things and you will be granted passage.”

New Quest!

The passage to Riftell is closed, in order to gain access you must provide help to the fortress guarding its perimeter.

Werewolf heart

0/20

“Consider it done!” I said then we headed back to where we came from, we have already defeated several of them, and now we will only need to go back to the bodies of the said wolves and get their heart out.

I took the girls with me and headed out. Frankly I thought that we would have much harder time getting in there, but it seems that this is enough to satisfy them. The quest is probably hard for normal people but for us it was just perfect.

After few hours we were back with the needed resources.

“Here is what you require, let us pass” I said

“Already? Hang on, we will need to verify the contents. Open the door!” said the guard

After few seconds the door creaked open, it was a small hall inside that encompassed several guards and knights. Their outfit however was different from the ones we saw at the church. These guards although had gruff looks, had their armors and weapons neatly polished and well taken care off, it seems that they are taking good care of their equipment due to the closeness of where they stand to the demonic kingdom. A dull weapon is no use in a fight…

Two knights approached, they both were level 60, which was saying a lot due to the captain back at the church being a level eighty something.

They took the sac, which was bloodied from underneath and began verifying the contents.

“It is legit.” Said one of the knights.

“Alright grant them access!”

Quest complete.

+10 000Xp

Level up!

Alright, I got a level up, and it seems that Haruka and Misaka got the same quest reward.

The knights looked at us with admiration, and granted us passage without a hitch.

One of the two guards that were on top of the fortress’s veranda was now down and head towards us.

“You seem to be quite powerful young travelers. Would you be interested in working with us?”

Job offer

position as guard for the fortress of Riftell

Y/N

“Sorry I cannot I have other things to do, probably when the time is right, I might come back”

You have refused the offer

Friendship with the guards of the fortress slightly decreased.

“Alright, it’s not a problem then, so what would three young girls from the church of the gods, like you be doing out there? I am sure that you are strong enough but still…”

…he figured it out? How?

“It’s nothing of a great deal, so you don’t have to worry about it, we just need to get to the city.”

“Well young lady, I don’t know what you did or why are you trying so hard to hide it, but if you want to hide from the church I would suggest you remove their emblem, we don’t like those guys actually, and the city of Riftell is a free city, yet still the church have their spies all over so you would better change what you are wearing.”

So it was the clothes…thank god this one is friendly…we need to be more careful, or else we will be in trouble…

“Thank you for the kind advice. Do you have anything to wear? Or eat? Food from the nearby forest was not that satisfying so I would like to have a proper meal, I could hunt more of these werewolves if you would spare us some.”

“There is no need, the quantity you have brought is more than enough to both feed you and lodge you in for few days, Riftell is still far away so you could use some of the rooms here to rest. I will have some of the men ready baths for you, and don’t worry about any of them peaking at you, if three girls were able to bring down twenty werewolves in less than few hours then I would really think twice about peaking at them while they are taking a bath…”

His words were both reassuring and worrying at the same time, yet still I could really use a bath right now…we haven’t ate or took a shower in days…this should be a good time to relax…yet still we need to stay alert, there is no way that I will trust anyone here, even though they showed friendliness, one can never be too sure. Prudence hurt no one…