Chapter 62: In My Time of Need

(Idmon POV)

Once we were in the field, I cannot believe what I saw.

There was only one soldier here. Maybe he was even an adventurer. He was being held up by a Paladin Lord.

I took out my Void Lance. It's a good thing they could repair it so quickly.

Paladin Lord Harb: "It's you. The leader of these insects."

Idmon: "(t) That's right, so let him go and fight me."

Paladin Lord Harb: "As if!"

As he was about to crush the skull of the adventurer, an arrow hit his hand and made him lose his grip.

It was Ran.

Ran: "Lord... I have secured Mel, Mag, and the others. They are safe."

Idmon: "(t) Thanks, now get out of here."

Ran: "(nods)"

Paladin Lord Harb: "You! I won't let you escape!"

He tried dashing towards the escaping Ran, but I threw my Void Lance to stop him.

Clink!

His shield blocked the Lance.

Idmon: "(t) I said, fight me."

Paladin Lord Harb: "You are getting cocky, just because I don't target means that you can do whatever you want."

He now ran towards me at incredible speed.

It's a good thing, though; Ran was able to pick up the unconscious adventurer.

Still, his fist weapons looked interesting. It had a unique power. I'll check that out later.

Paladin Lord Harb: "Hiya!"

He attacked me in quick succession. However, my is enough to dodge them all.

Paladin Lord Harb: "A quick one, aren't you? How about this!"

His fists glowed so brightly because of holy energies that it looked like a miniature sun.

It looked like it had a massive area of effect, so I can't dodge this.

!

I used the mantle to protect me from the shockwave while I counter-attack.

It did not nullify the entire attack, but it was enough to reduce the damage I would take.

Paladin Lord Harb: "What!?"

He did not expect it; I used my old skill to dash closer to him and send a thrust towards his body.

Paladin Lord Harb: "Guhah!"

It did not pierce his armor, but the force was enough to knock him back.

Paladin Lord Harb: "Hah. Damn you! I'll end you now!"

He used a lot of offensive buffs, aimed to increase his killing potential.

Bon: "(t) Lord Idmon, we're done with the preparations."

Bon contacted me via telepathy from afar.

Idmon: "(t) And the others?"

Bon: "(t) They're safe. Ran did a good job in rounding them up."

Souta and the others protected her while she rescued everyone.

Idmon: "(t) All right. Time to go."

Suddenly around 50 Paladins arrived at the scene.

Paladin Captain: "Lord Harb, we're here to help you!"

Paladin Lord Harb: "Good! Now time for you to rest forever!"

They surrounded me and were already casting spells.

Idmon: "(t) I'm sorry, but I got to go."

Paladin Lord Harb: "Oh no, you don't!"

They rushed me all at once.

Paladin Captain: "Kill him!"

Paladins: "YAHHH!!!"

Just when they reached melee range-

!

Bon had already cast the relocation spell.

We had accomplished our objective.

.

.

.

(Paladin Lord Harb POV)

Paladin Lord Harb: "Damn it all to hell!"

He smashed the ground with his enhanced strength, and it dug a huge hole.

Paladin Lord Harb: "AHHH! RAHHH! HAHHH!"

He kept punching to release his anger and had dug quite a deep hole.

Once they got out of the hole, the captain told him his report.

Paladin Captain: "Lord Harb, we have already established a foothold in the region. We could quickly scour the entire place for their location, so you don't need to worry."

Paladin Lord Harb: "Hah. I see."

He was breathing hard from punching the ground so much.

I can't believe we let them escape.

Paladin Lord Harb: "Do we have countermeasures for , soldier?"

Paladin Captain: "The mages from Dragon's Wrath has spells to counter that, Lord Harb."

Paladin Lord Harb: "Good! Next time bring them with us! They're no use if they can't use their spells.

Hah, I'm so stupid! Why didn't I bring at least one of them and let them go ahead?

I even borrowed them from the Mages Guild. What a waste.

Paladin Lord Harb and the rest of his group went to their base to rest.

Paladin Lord Harb: "I won't rest until I crush every skeleton into bone powder."

.

.

.

(Idmon POV)

Idmon: "(t) Is everyone safe?"

Bon: "We lost most of Mel's group, but it was not in vain because they took down a lot of paladins too."

Idmon: "(t) I see."

Ran came up to me to apologize.

Ran: "Sorry."

She must be the one who is most hurt by what happened.

The three of them have been close for a long time.

Idmon: "(t) Don't worry, its not your fault. They did it for our kingdom."

Ran: "..."

She was depressed and went back to her tent.

We're currently at the war camp assembled a few miles away from the Paladin Fort.

We're not planning on letting them stay for long.

Bon and the mages are working hard to restore Mel and Mag. While they're doing that, I decided to meet up with the lone adventurer who fought against the Paladin Lord.

I came with Bon. Lina was initially with us, but since the Paladins can attack us from behind like before, there should be someone holding the fort.

Idmon: "(t) Eherm, Hello."

I went inside the adventurer's tent.

Claire: "Lord Idmon!"

A lively skeleton mage approached me. This mage must be one of the lone adventurer's party members.

Claire: "Beko, quick, greet Lord Idmon!"

A tree man who was standing by the lone adventurer turned around and was shocked.

Beko: "Oh! It is you, Lord Idmon! I'm sorry for noticing so late."

He bowed down to greet me.

Idmon: "(t) It's all right. First of all, I want to thank you for your part in the relief of Mel and Mag. They are vital officers in my army, and I would feel miserable if I lost them."

Now it's my turn to bow and thank them.

Claire: "Please raise your head! It's only natural for us to help since we also live in this country!"

Beko: "Yes, so please don't bow to us! We are just doing our jobs."

Idmon: "(t) I see. May I come closer to that adventurer?"

I pointed to the adventurer lying down motionless in one of the beds. He still had those unique fist weapons radiating with negative energy.

Claire: "Of course, Milord. He's Tob, our party leader."

I examined his fist weapons, and it was as strong as my Void Lance or maybe even stronger.

Idmon: "(t) Thank you. Do you know about his fist weapons?"

Claire: "(Not much. Sometimes he just loses himself in a rage then gets covered with negative energy."

Beko: "He called it ."

Idmon: "(t) Really? Interesting."

Claire: "Yes, and I heard he met up with Lord Mag to discuss the weapon."

Bon: "Ah! That's the report I received a few hours ago. There was a weapon that held great power that is hidden somewhere in the South Region."

Idmon: "(t) I thought you tasked Mel with finding it? Why did it end up with Tob?"

Bon: "They said in the report is that when they reached the area, an adventurer already looted the place. And that was Tob. What they did not expect is for the weapon to cling to him."

Claire: "The weapon is alive?"

Suddenly someone came into the tent.

The Searcher: "Very much so."

Idmon: "(t) I see. So what do you know about it?"

The Searcher: "It's something from decades ago. When the Skeleton King and his minions still inhabited the region, he always had his number one general with him."

Bon: "The Dark Lord, right?"

Idmon: "(t) Dark Lord?"

The Searcher: "Yes, an entity said to rival 8th tier or maybe even 9th tier monsters."

Idmon: "(t) That's almost in the realm of the dragons."

The Searcher: "That's right. And this Dark Lord was left all alone in the South Region."

Idmon: "(t) Why is that?"

The Searcher: "No one knows, not even me. The records only mention his existence and his terrible power, but not the reason why he was left."

Bon: "If he had gone with the Skeleton King to the North Region, then the Humans would be extinct."

The Searcher: "That's right! So my conclusion is that someone powerful stopped him from doing that.

Idmon: "(t) That is possible."

The greatest general of the Skeleton King, will he join us? Or is he against us?

Claire: "He's conscious!"

Tob: "Hmm, what? Claire? What happened?"

Claire: "Lord Idmon is here! He saved us!"

Tob: "What!? L-Lord Idmon!"

He quickly ran towards me and kept bowing non-stop.

Really, you guys don't need to do that.

.

.

.

Intermission: The Flowers of the Country (Yalk POV)

King Yalk separated from Lord Idmon since he did not have a reason to help them yet.

Lord Idmon assured him that they'd ask for help when they need it, so he can tour the kingdom all he wants.

Yalk: "With that said... Where are all the cute girls at!?"

I kept walking around and kept seeing Skeletons, Treemen, and Dwarfs!

Their female counterparts look the same with the male!

Ah... Is Queen Lina the only beautiful maiden in this kingdom?

Yalk: "I may have wasted my time going here."

Then suddenly, someone bumped me.

She dropped the things she was carrying.

???: "Oof! Sorry!"

Yalk: "It's all right."

And when I looked up, I was shocked!

Yalk: "Be-beautiful!"

???: "What!? Don't say that, you'll make me blush."

Yalk: "It's true! May I know the name of the most beautiful flower of this kingdom?"

Of course, the flower is her.

???: "Sorry, I don't know. I'm in a hurry, so see you later!"

Yalk: "Nooooo! Wait for me!"

I chased her, but once she turned around a corner, she was nowhere anymore.

Yalk: "I'll find you! My Beautiful! Flower!"

Yalk shouted this while the people of the kingdom looked at him with curious and disgusted glances.

.

.

.

(Souta POV)

Souta: "What took you so long, Lea?"

Lea dropped the books of information about Paladins on their table.

They were in a tavern researching their enemy before going out of Un Deth to march.

Lea: "Some Zombie guy was asking about the most beautiful flower, I told him I didn't know, but he kept bugging me."

Souta: "Zombie?"

Isn't there only one zombie in the kingdom now!? That's King Yalk!

Souta: "Seriously, you don't know that person?"

Lea: "Nope! The best ice cream you have, please!"

She quickly dismissed the subject and ordered her favorite from the waiter.

Souta: "You really don't care about anything except for your food and beauty."

Lea: "What? (Eating)"

She was already eating so much and didn't care anymore.

Souta: "Forget it. (Sigh).

Roln: "..."

Meanwhile, Roln was also there; he was absorbed in his hobby of crafting small trinkets and statues. The Dwarves taught him a new technique, and this got him more focused than before.

Alno arrived not long after, with two mugs of beer.

Alno: "Ah, this party never ceases to amaze me."