"Well, Duke Benoth… you won the trial. You can now become an official member of the organization, where you can gain power and access valuable resources for further ascension," Velde explained.
"What trial and what organization?" Benoth asked confused.
Velde responded, "The trial was for you to defeat the leader of the Seventh Sect, which you killed."
'The leader of the seventh sect... the leader of the seventh sect' Benoth tried to remember where he had heard this, finally the realization hits. 'so Italo is with this organization, figures.'
Benoth wasn't surprised Italo would be apart of an organization like this, but does this man wants to avenge him?
Benoth then asked sternly. "So what? Were you watching the fight? Do you want to avenge your leader?"
Though he knew he wouldn't be able to fight due to the effect of the backlash, but he wasn't going to show it.
"No, that is not up to me to decide, besides I wasn't here during the fight," Velde calmly responded.
"Then how did you know I killed him?" Benoth asked.
"We have our methods of knowing," Velde replied causally.
Though Velde didn't tell him how he knew, Benoth was still inwardly relieved. 'It's good he wasn't here during the fight, unless I would be probably gagged and strapped to a chair, in an unknown location after I had fallen asleep.'
"This wasn't personal," Velde said. "You were just simply a suitable candidate as the others were, you were even able to kill a man as Italo."
Benoth understood he meant by 'others' but still asked. "So... all those dukes, noblemen and people of high status were candidates for your organization's stupid trial?"
"Why?"
"Well... we seek only one eligible candidate. Assuming one of them were able to pass the trial like you did, they would have been given the opportunity to join the organization," Velde replied. "I would be lying if I said what you did didn't surprise me. As an ex-adventurer with years of battle experience, instead of sitting behind a desk and letting your talents go to waste, why don't you come join us. With the resources we would provide, you will grow stronger than you could possibly imagine."
Benoth immediately retorted. "I don't remember asking anybody for help in my ascension path."
"Besides I don't want a part of a sick organization like yours, that would kill people in the name of trial." He added, his fist clenched.
He really hated the fact that he was selected as an 'eligible candidate' for this mysterious organization trial, and to him, velde was just referring him as a tool the organization would own and use when he joined, which was another reason Benoth despised this organization even more.
"Duke Benoth what—"
Benoth immediately cut him off before he could say anything else. "I told you my final answer is that, I don't want to be apart of your organization. Let me ask you, have you once thought about what your organization is doing? All those people that were killed, you say it's because of a trial, I lost my coachman, a brother... to what, a dumb trial!"
Benoth calmed himself down and continued. "It's best you never disturb me, if you do... I'll make sure I find the location of that organization and burn it to the ground."
Velde smiled faintly. There was no anger in his eyes. "An interesting promise Duke Benoth, I hope you can keep to it."
"Is that I threat?" Benoth asked, his voice ice-cold.
Velde didn't respond, He turned around and left, vanishing into the night.
A glint of killing intent flashed through Benoth eyes but went as quick as it came. After some minutes of searching, Benoth found the adventurer that was knocked away by Italo near the maize field, the adventurer had lost consciousness from the hit. If it were a normal person with a dormant base that was knocked out the same way Italo did to this adventurer, then that person would have died instantly.
Benoth carried the unconscious adventurer, on his shoulder despite the pain of the backlash. After a few minutes of walking the adventurer finally showed signs of waking up, he then lay the adventurer on a field and sat next to him.
"Ow my head, what happened?" The adventurer rubbed his head as he slowly sat up, he then turn and saw a figure next to him, he wanted screaming but looking clearly, he immediately recognized the person, Duke Benoth. He then recalled what had happen earlier, and had a grim expression.
"You are awake?" Benoth asked.
"Yes" The adventurer responded, seeing the grim expression on his face Benoth said.
"I'm sorry about your friend..." He tried to find the right words to comfort this adventurer, but couldn't think of any. He was inwardly annoyed with himself, if this adventurer hadn't tried to help his friend, and was knocked away by Italo, he would have probably suffered the same fate.
"Duke Benoth, I know it's not your fault. Besides who would have thought a tier three hybrid, would be inside the kingdom, let alone the farmland," the adventurer said. "Sir if I may ask, what happened to the hybrid?"
Benoth was caught off guard by this question, but he remained calm and gave an answer. "I was able to trap the hybrid, and kill it."
Though it wasn't the truth, it was still close. Benoth couldn't tell the adventurer what he had done, because something like that might cause chaos and panick, which some people might see him as a god, while other like the organization or any king of a kingdom, would see him a weapon for their selfish benefits, and this would eventually affect his family, and Benoth didn't want that.
"Duke Benoth, don't you think it's odd?" The adventurer asked.
"What's that?" Benoth replied in confusion.
"The way the hybrid behaved, though hybrids are humanoid creatures, but that one's behavior was a little different, it felt more human-like than a hybrid." The adventurer explained.
'The hybrid felt more human-like is because it was actually a human, that transformed into a hybrid,' Benoth just said it in his mind. Even if he told the adventurer or anybody, that a human had transformed into a hybrid they would have a hard time believing him.
"I guess so," Benoth said.
They both sat quietly on the ground feeling the cool breeze of the night, while staring at the stars in the night sky. Benoth recalled the event of today and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
*Sigh*
"Sire, what's the matter? You can share it with me if you don't mind... I'm a good listener." The adventurer said in concerned, he felt that Duke Benoth had been through a lot. Which was true.
"Well... after a meeting at the royal castle, the main road was blocked by a tree, so my coachman suggested we followed the farmland route which I agreed not knowing the dangers ahead, on our way through we got attacked by the hybrid creature." Benoth said. "Our carriage crashed into a tree, after my coachman and horse got killed by the hybrid. The coachman was like a brother to me, he also had a wife and a child."
"That's so sad. Samal was like brother to me too," The adventurer said solemnly.
"By Samal, you mean the other adventurer?"
"Yes, we were on our way to the Adventurers Guild to check out some quest, when the old man rushed out of the farmland breathing heavily. We asked him what was wrong, which he responded by telling us about your situation. We immediately rushed over, thinking it was just a grade two human..."
The adventurer paused his face darkened, as images of his friend being eaten by the hybrid; Italo, replayed in his head, Benoth gently patted him on the shoulder, which somewhat calmed him.
It wasn't their fault neither was it old man's fault, who would have thought Italo would actually turn himself into a hybrid creature.
"So, what's your name?" Benoth decided to change the topic.
"I'm Del," he replied.
"Well, Del. Why don't we rest here for the night, and head out tomorrow? With your current condition, I won't suggest you move around much" Benoth said.
Del nodded, he understood even before Benoth told him, but the problem was the fact that they didn't have a tent to sleep in, he wasn't worried about catching a cold because from grade one, you will have great resistance over things like cold, heat, sickness and so on.
What bothered was a specific mutant creature, the mutant mosquitoes. Yes, the mutant mosquitoes, there are mutated mosquitoes that are more annoying than the regular ones.
You will think that they would be big because they are mutated right? Well no, instead they are two times smaller than the regular ones, they consumes more blood, and their sting are much more painful.
The both stood up and went under the canopy of a nearby tree, then lay down on the grass. They both couldn't fall asleep because of the mutant mosquitoes, so they spent all night swatting the mutant mosquitoes.
Soon it was daybreak, Benoth no longer felt the backlash as before, and Del was feeling good enough to walk. They began walking towards the entry of the farmland, though it was still very early, they met some farmers on the way, they didn't receive morning greetings but scrutinizing looks from them. Well, who would greet them when one looked bloody and shirtless and the other looked like a guy who had been through the wringer and some.
They both didn't pay attention to their scrutinizing gaze, but they were glad it was just a hand full of farmers that they met on the way. After arriving at entrance of the farmland, Benoth suggested they take a break at the shack nearby.