Mari, innocent and desperate, began to move toward the shore. Hidden in the shadows, Roy's fury boiled. He knew that if she stepped on land, she was as good as dead. He didn't care about other monsters, but Mari was off-limits.
"O forest sky now far away... O infinite stars of the eternal night..."
Roy began to chant under his breath. Adventurers were cunning; if they sensed danger, they would run. He needed to wipe them all out at once.
As Mari neared the shore and the Ikelos members' vigilance dropped in their excitement, Roy struck.
"Bright Wind!"
A swarm of emerald orbs illuminated the cave. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
By the time they noticed, it was too late. The explosions leveled the area, instantly killing the low-level grunts and wounding the rest.
Roy lunged forward, drawing the Holy Elven Sword. He moved like a reaper. Even high-quality steel shields were sliced through like paper by the sword's legendary edge. Heads rolled.
"This magic? Gale? No... it's Justice Sapling!" a middle-aged man roared.
Seeing his Familia slaughtered, the man swung a massive blade at Roy. He was Gran Grees, a Level 3 executive of the Ikelos Familia with over a decade of experience.
Clang! Roy parried the strike. Gran stared at him with murderous eyes. "Justice Sapling! What the hell are you doing?!"
"Hunting monsters in the Dungeon. Is that strange?" Roy smirked coldly.
Gran's eyes bulged. Strange? Of course it's strange! You're a member of the Astraea Familia! Where's your justice?! Your faith?! Did the dogs eat it?!
"Roy!" Mari cried out in joy. Roy nodded to her briefly.
Gran saw the interaction and realized the truth. "Justice Sapling... you're in league with these heretic monsters? Do you have any idea what will happen if this gets out?"While adventurers have "Tamer" as a profession, it is mostly for show—a performance to make monsters fear humans so the public feels safe. No one actually makes friends with monsters! Even if they possess human-like intelligence, they are considered "Xenos"—anomalies that the world will never accept.
Gran sneered, his face twisted in malice. "Hahaha! Colluding with monsters? Just wait until your reputation is dragged through the mud!"
Roy let out a cold laugh. "Do you think anyone will believe you?"
Orario was a city of endless rumors. If Gran claimed Roy was colluding with monsters, Roy could just as easily claim the Ikelos Familia was building illegal labyrinths and smuggling monsters. No one's hands were clean. Unless someone was caught red-handed on the surface, words meant nothing. Furthermore, Roy's reputation as a hero was far superior to that of the shady Ikelos Familia. He could easily counter-sue for slander.
Roy's unyielding attitude made Gran's expression sour. This wasn't an easy target; Roy didn't act like a naive sixteen-year-old. As they poured their strength into their weapons, Gran was forced back. He couldn't believe it—Roy's stats were clearly superior to his.
How? He just reached Level 3!
Crack! A faint sound echoed as Gran's blade chipped under the assault of the Holy Elven Sword. Gran was horrified. That blade had cost him three million Valis, yet Roy's sword sliced through it like paper. Greed flickered in his eyes as he retreated and began chanting.
"O my Lord, grant me the black mist that envelops the world... the only path to survival in the dark..."
Against an adventurer's magic, there are only two choices: kill them before the chant finishes or run. Roy did neither. He stood his ground, looking at Gran with a strange, pitying gaze.
Poof!
Gran finished the chant, and a dense, blinding black mist erupted, obscuring everything. Under the cover of the smog, Gran bolted toward the exit. Roy shook his head. Predictable.
Gran was outclassed in stats and gear. Unless he was one of the elites at the top of Orario, Roy didn't believe any adventurer would be "hard-headed" enough to stay and fight.
"Burning Heavens!"
Roy activated the Holy Elven Sword's special effect. In an instant, the mana within a two-kilometer radius was drained, manifesting as raging crimson flames around the blade. With a roar, the flames took the shape of a dragon, its tail sweeping across the cave. The inferno vaporized the black mist instantly, swallowing Gran whole.
When Roy walked over, the veteran Level 3 adventurer was a charred husk on the ground, barely clinging to life. Roy showed no mercy, driving the Holy Elven Sword through Gran's heart to finish him.
"Roy!"
The battle over, Mari leapt from the water with joy and landed in Roy's arms. He held her in a bridal carry; though she was a monster, her skin was the softest he had ever touched. Mari nuzzled against him like an affectionate pet.
Roy then freed the rabbit Xenos. With a flick of his sword, the iron cage and chains were sliced open by the sharp sword-light. The rabbit was covered in wounds. Seeing her kin in pain, Mari's eyes welled with tears.
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My : https://[email protected]/AuAuMon
Danmachi : Starting with an Elf (342 Chapters – Ongoing)
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