--

“So, mind telling me why did you attack us?”

"YOU…!"

She screamed so loud that echoes throughout the forest, causing birds to fly away and trees swayed.

"YOU ARE DANGEROUS!!!”

I am? In what sense am I dangerous? Seriously …

“Aran Utzil...”

Holding her palm together and gradually pulling both apart, a concentrated energy ball manifested in between her palm, the only difference was the massive amount of energy gathering inside the sphere, trees could be seen drying up due to the amount of energy drained from surroundings.

Well, I supposed it’s fascinating to see what sort of spells this creature could use. But this time round, I dare not say that I am confident in taking this massive energy ball; it was presumably a high tier spell as a last resort to kill me?

I lift my right hand up, palm facing the sky and chanted,

‘Mana Shield’

As the name implies, a thin layer of hemisphere Mana manifested, covering only myself in it. But … Hah, I have to ‘protect’ everyone, right? Too troublesome.

‘Booster’

A low tier skill from Dark Knight Class in ‘Phoenix Online’, the effect is to enhance a skill, bestowing one higher tier, improved version of the skill.

Moments later, the hemisphere extended its radius; a thick layer was soon replaced, with me standing on its end, sheltering everyone in the caravan.

“…ah Vi !”

The massive amount of energy ball was shot towards me, a deafening sound was produced by the movement its travels. The instant it came into contact with my Mana Shield, cracks were abruptly formed; it was clashing furiously that I almost peed myself! NOT!

‘‘Booster’‘Booster’‘Booster’‘Booster’‘Booster’

Ohhh! It worked! In an instant, the shield was reinforced, practically unbreakable, though there were some noticeable cracks and it signified my theory was correct.

The energy ball was clashing with my ‘now super booster shield’, sparks were created, and the earth tremor as a result. Seconds later, my foot was burrowing into the ground, driving backwards. Eh?, I am being pushed back?! Exactly what sort of spell she used?

Gah, play times over.

‘Energy absorption’

A glow of light before my hand, absorbed all the energy from the sphere, diffused them into the surroundings before disappearing into thin air. The sphere vanished without a trace like it wasn't there in the first place.

“NO! N-not…even with this?”

A hint of despair could be heard in her voice. She falls on her knees, sweat could be seen forming on her forehead, and she was panting roughly and heavily.

“Really, Now I am mad.”

Muhaha, a villain speech I always wanted to say. I dismissed my spell and walked towards her with my eyebrows pulled down together and wide open, glaring eyes. Arriving in front of her, I put my hand forward, choked her and lift her up. She struggled, gasping for air and struck my right hand with her fist.

“You know, first you attack me without a reason, second, you want to kill me? And what makes you think that you will be able to kill me?”

I applied pressure onto her throat, causing her to struggle even more violently. Even if she's a beautiful lady, It's no excuse when she is trying to kill you, you would be cruel right?

“S-stop…P-please!”

Turning around to find the source, a woman with sharp pointy ears, blonde hair, blue eyes, slowly walking wobbly in protest.

Thalia? What was it got to do with her?

“P-ple..ase.. let her off, Dryad is a gentle creature, she..must ha..ve her reasons.”

Ohhhhhh! A Dryad! I wonder....

“Fine, on one condition.”

I dropped the Dryad as she gasps for air, coughing. Thalia on the other hand, rushes to the Dryad checking her condition.

Seriously woman? She was trying to kill me!

“So, Miss…Dryad, Why do you attack me?”

“Y-you …are dang..erous!”

She spoke in a soft, tremulous voice while violently trembling and shrink back, moving backwards.

“Yeah, yeah, I know...”

I Shrugged, about to threaten her..

“Wa..Wait ! .. We, Dryad can see the amount of Mana inside one’s body. And.. I .. y-our Mana .. is differ-ent , mass-ive , danger-ous.. P-please, l-let.. me go..There won’t be a next time..”

I don’t understand anything she spoke, although, you’re lucky I am in a good mood!

“Yeah, yeah, screw off, and don’t ever disturb me again.”

I changed my eyes into that of a dragon and stared at her with menacing eye, threatening her, letting off a bit of my aura.

“Y-yes!”

I watched her back as she vanished into the fore..... Oh damn! My condition!! Arg! …whatever.

There was still someone though, staring at me.

“Curiosity kills the cat, Miss Elf.”

“Y-you .. are strange.”

“Hah? What were you talking abo..?”

“Anyone cares to explain to me what the heck happened here?!”

Interrupted by one gruff voice behind me, I turned around to see, one by one, those who passed out began to regain their consciousness, even the horses.

“Man, My head hurts! The heck happened?”

“Let’s just say that, there is a monster let loss here?”

I looked over to Thalia, she smiled back and shrugged, I really couldn’t come up with the best explanation, but whatever.

It has been five days since travelling, without any major hinder; the caravan finally passes over the forest and reached the road that connected to the capital.

Traveling at a regular speed, the capital was seen not far away from us. There was a great deal of people, some with wagons, and some on foot going to and fro from the capital.

Soon after, we arrived at the outskirt of the city, distances away in the line, queuing for inspections.

Then, there was a commotion before the gate; a middle-aged man was enclosed with soldiers wielding pole arms and some with swords.

"Baron Valter, by the Council Of Sixth you're hereby under arrest for assisting in illegal trading with the fallen guild, Phantom. Take him away."

"Hah!"

"I am innocent! I demand an audience with the king. You can't just arrest me without a trial”

The soldiers dragged him away, vanished into the city.

"You never want to mess with them."

Oshan said, suddenly appeared behind me

"Who are they?"

"You see the one eyed man over there?"

He pointed towards a muscular man with shiny silver armor, even though we were a distance away, a visible long scar could be seen stretching across his right brow, cutting through his right eye to left mouth.

"He’s with the Council Of Sixth. They were said to be the strongest, chosen to be overseer of guilds. Even Ryle doesn’t have the balls to mess with them."

Heh, Interesting…

Our caravan was next in line, approaches the guards who gestured us to come over.

“Halt!” State your business”

The guard has a pointed silver helm with a rounded, t-shaped opening, leaving the eyes and mouth exposed; a rounded nose guard protects the nose. The silver breastplate was straight forward without any decoration. It covers everything from the neck down and ending at the groin. All the guards were wielding sharp spears, except for one, who wield a sword, probably a leader of the guard?

And upon close inspection, a majestic symbol of a lion, standing on top of a cliff was on its left side of the armor. All in all, it looked simple.

Kole, still inside the carrier, hand over a piece of paper to a guard through the window, perhaps a permit? The remaining guards were checking the wagons for illegal goods.

“I’m Kole, A merchant. These wagons are mine, and they are my convoy.”

The guard took a good look at the paper before handing back to Kole.

“Clear!”

One of the guards that inspected shouted out.

“Let them in.”

The remaining guards who stood on standby greeted us,

“Welcome to Landow, The capital of Ocerissa!”

-----