Chapter 104 – The Fortress
The hunters' eyes shone with relief as they rushed forward.
Stepping into the oasis, they inhaled greedily. Clean, refreshing air filled their lungs after so long choking on plague mist.
Their swamp leaves and Blackwater Hearts also began to recover here, replenished by the natural balance of the oasis.
They had crossed the line between life and death.
Many of the hunters gave the priest a respectful nod.
The Allard family's methods might have been underhanded, but he hadn't broken his word.
Daphne, however, stared at Gideon in shock.
She found him harder and harder to read. Somehow, this priest always had a way to solve impossible problems.
"This time, the Allards are certain to claim the 'Trait,'" she murmured inwardly.
Sadie and Ralph were elated as well. Though both trusted Gideon, the sheer number of rival hunting parties had made them uneasy. With the oasis before them, they could finally breathe easier.
"Hunters," Gideon said, tracing a cross over his chest, "now that the oasis has been found, we'll be taking our leave.
"I also apologize for my earlier discourtesy. To keep you from acting rashly, I resorted to less-than-honorable measures. But other hunting parties still await our aid, and the Coopers prowl the outskirts. We must unite."
Most of the hunters nodded inwardly. At first they had resented him, but reaching the oasis had washed most of that bitterness away.
And truthfully, the Allards hadn't taken everything. They had only claimed a few rare materials, leaving the rest.
That alone set them apart from the Coopers, who stripped everything bare.
After cautioning the hunters not to wander recklessly, the Allard party vanished into the forest.
Daphne stayed, of course. For the Calvin family to survive this long was already a gift of fortune. Now all she needed was for someone to seize the 'Trait,' and she could finally leave this cursed land.
---
After parting ways, Gideon and his group carried out a few more "operations." With that, all clues to the Trait had been gathered.
Sadie felt a pang of disbelief. She'd never imagined the process could be so simple.
With Gideon, it hadn't required bloody battles—just intimidation, a little trickery… and occasionally providing "help" to other hunters.
---
At another oasis, only Gideon, Sadie, and Ralph stood.
"All set," Gideon reported, returning from the perimeter.
Sadie laid out three Revelation Stones.
As she placed them together, their surfaces glowed blue. The light wove itself into a floating map above them.
"This glow marks our position. And here—at that lightning-shaped mark—that's where the monster nest lies. The Trait is in the hands of a powerful beast within." Sadie explained.
Gideon whistled softly. The sight really did feel like something out of a game.
But Sadie's expression soon clouded with worry.
The nest wasn't in the deeper plague zone—it was in the center circle, a place few hunters ever dared approach.
In past hunts, the Trait had never appeared so deep.
Had Gideon not been here, the Allard family might have chosen to give it up. Even with a Blackwater Heart, survival time in that place was short.
With the location fixed, they set out at once.
---
After a long trek, they reached the vicinity of the nest.
Sadie closed her eyes, clutching the Revelation Stone. A piercing shriek rattled in her ears.
"This is it!" she exclaimed, excitement shining in her eyes. That kind of psychic wail marked an elite monster.
She followed the sound—and froze.
Ahead stood a fortress.
The structure had long been abandoned, its stone walls strangled by plague-thorns. It loomed like a carcass of a bygone age.
Sadie started forward, but Gideon caught her arm.
"What is it?" she asked, halting.
"This place… isn't right." His eyes narrowed.
Through his sight, the fortress bristled with malign energy. Yet the danger wasn't coming from within—it was the surroundings themselves.
Years of laying traps gave him an instinctive sense:
Someone had set this up. Someone wanted them to walk into it.
---
Meanwhile, in a shadowed tower of the fortress…
---
Lance Pope Beneck crouched behind the stone wall of the fortress, only part of his face peeking from a window.
So the Allard family managed to gather all the clues this quickly? he thought, surprised.
Looks like they've figured out a way to handle the plague mist as well.
Just as he pondered, Lance's eyes narrowed. He immediately drew back, pressing his back flat against the wall.
"That was close… almost got spotted!" He exhaled sharply.
"This priest… he's sharper than I expected."
---
Outside the fortress.
Gideon scanned the area through his monocular, sweeping every inch with care.
He'd just felt eyes on him—that meant someone was definitely nearby.
He pulled his two companions back into the treeline, explaining what he'd sensed. Both immediately took up defensive stances.
Moments later, Gideon spotted the problem.
In a patch of mud lay a taut cord, each end tied to barrels of powder. One wrong step wouldn't just maim—it would set off an explosion loud enough to draw every hunter and monster for miles.
He moved on, finding more traps: shards of glass hidden in the grass, tin cans strung to rattle, caged demon hounds straining against their chains.
Even strips of fresh meat dangled in the trees, bait to lure sacrificial beasts and tumor-spawn to linger nearby.
Once he'd finished surveying the whole area, Gideon gave a small nod of approval.
"See? Now that's the attitude you're supposed to have in dangerous territory."
Sadie and Ralph exchanged awkward glances, both inwardly admitting they still had a long way to go compared to him.
But Gideon's careful sweep had given Sadie a hunch about who was hiding inside.
"Lance?" she called, stepping into the open and waving her hand.
A moment later, a voice drifted down.
"Well, if it isn't the Allard family's Black Gem."
Lance leaned out, flashing a smile.
"To run into such a beautiful lady in a place like this—it makes even the plague mist taste sweet." His tone was honeyed, almost musical.
"Shameless!"
"Disgusting!"
From the woods, Gideon and Ralph shouted in unison.
Sadie sighed. Same old Lance.
"I remember you weren't interested in the Trait," she said evenly.
In every past sealing ritual, the Beneck family had only ever sent one participant into the plague zone—and never once approached the monster nests.
"Oh? So you've been paying such close attention to me." Lance chuckled. "When this is over, may I buy you a drink?"
That was enough to make Ralph burst from the trees. "Hey! You slick-tongued bastard!"
"Oh? Only one rival this time?" Lance replied with exaggerated surprise.
Ralph clenched his fists so tight they trembled. He was ready to charge up there and plant his boot squarely in Lance's backside.
"Enough games. There are three of us," Sadie cut in, seeing through Lance's deliberate provocation.
"Heh."
Lance gave a low laugh. "I meant every word. Sharing a drink with a beautiful lady would be an honor."
His smile hardened.
"But this time… the Trait won't be yours."