“This is the Wingfell Village. I told you that it’s only nearby.”

Alejandro and Denver Creed stared at a deserted village. It’s as if it is a ghost village, no single villager can be seen anywhere they look at.

“Hunter, are you sure we are in the right place? Isn’t this an abandoned village or something?”

“No, we’re in the right place. Every person that lives here are all hunters. What do you think happens to a village where the entire population that lives here became hunters?”

Alejandro and the hunter stared again at the deserted village. Just then, they saw a tavern with lights on inside it. It seems this is the only building that is still active.

The two then started walking towards the tavern. As they walked, they started to see disgusting things in the surroundings. Dead dogs that are covered with flies, some of the dead dogs are already skeleton, huge rats coming out of nowhere and different kinds of weapons that hunters use are dumped in a single area.

This is a tragedy. I wonder what happened here? Is it really true that this is what happens when there are only hunters that live in a single village? The hunters in the Holm Village are all good hunters, they only hunt animals or monsters that threaten danger in the village.

Denver then opened the door to the old tavern. As they looked at the inside of the tavern, there were no customers around. However, there is an old man bartender at the counter. Alejandro and Denver slowly approached the bartender.

“We’ll have some wine, old man.” Denver ordered as he reached coins in his pocket.

Suddenly, the old man bartender flicked his entire right arm into Denver’s neck. Revealing that there was a sharp knife under his coat around his hand.

“What are you trying to reach in there, hunter?” the old man bartender asked Denver as the sharp knife were so close to the hunter’s neck.

As Alejandro analyzes the situation quickly, he also reaches his sword in his scabbard. However, the old man bartender quickly replies as he draws a crossbow in his left arm. The crossbow was ready to fire as it pointed to Alejandro’s head, all it needed was one click of the bartender’s finger and Alejandro would be dead.

“Are you here for funny business, gentlemen? Or are you really here just for a simple drink?” the old man bartender asked.

“To hell with you, old man! You think you can kill me with that crossbow of yours?! And we’re just here to drink, really!” Alejandro was filled with anger knowing that the both of them are at great risk and couldn’t do anything to escape.

“Calm down, Alejandro. This old man is clearly a retired hunter. However, it doesn’t change the fact that he is stronger than us and has a lot more experience in fighting than the two of us combined.” Denver Creed tried to calm down Alejandro as he assessed the situation.

The old man bartender then calmed down and put his weapons down.

“Great deduction there, lad. I assume you are also a hunter, however I have not seen you around here.”

“I am Denver Creed. I travel and hunt alone. I am nothing like the other hunters that hunt in packs. However, I am not alone right now, my friend and I are here to seek some answers.”

Friend? Did this hunter just call me his friend? We recently just met and have been traveling together for merely an hour. What is he talking about?

“Goremann. My name is Dehter Goremann. What can I get for you, gentlemen?” the bartender calmly asked as if nothing just happened.

“Two glasses of wine, Mr. Goremann.” the hunter replied as he put two silver coins on the table.

Mr. Goremann grabbed a bottle of wine that looks expensive. The name of the wine can be read “Purple Mana Wine”, a special beverage that consists of mana inside it. The bartender then grabbed two empty glasses and poured the wine in the empty glasses.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

In just a matter of seconds, Mr. Goremann offered the gentlemen their order of two glasses of wine. This shows that the bartender has a lot of experience and could be the owner of the tavern.

“Here is your order, gentlemen.” the bartender offered two glasses of wine to Alejandro and Denver.

The two of them then start to drink the Purple Mana Wine. After a while, Denver was glowing with a purple aura. Meanwhile, Alejandro was not emitting any aura at all. This shows that Denver’s mana was recovering thanks to the special wine, while Alejandro was not emitting any aura since he has no mana to begin with. The taste of the special wine was just like an ordinary wine to Alejandro. Still, how could he not refuse a free beverage?

“I heard the young hunter mentioned your name earlier, what was it? Alejandro? That’s quite a rare name.”

“Alejandro Nightthorne. I’m not a hunter nor a knight.”

“I can tell. Nightthorne, eh? I assume you’re from the Holm Village.”

Suddenly, Alejandro’s eyes widened as he heard the name of his home town.

“How? How do you know, Mr. Goremann? Are you originally from the Holm Village?!”

Mr. Goremann shakes his head, giving the young man a signal that Mr. Goremann was not originally from the Holm Village.

“Are you perhaps the brother of the Bright Sun Prodigy?”

Alejandro then suddenly stood up from his seat as he heard the words that came out of the bartender’s mouth.

“Bright Sun?... A prodigy?... Is his name… Raphael Nightthorne?”

Mr. Goremann understood the situation. He understood that there could be a quarrel between the two brothers. However, Mr. Goremann thinks revealing the truth to this young man is the best thing he could do.

“Raphael Nightthorne. Right, that is his name.”

A huge amount of rage came to Alejandro as all of his memories about his brother suddenly ran through his mind.

Denver Creed was astounded by this information. He did not know about Alejandro having a brother separated from him. However, it is clear as day to Denver that Alejandro obviously does not love his brother due to his reaction right now.

Alejandro calmed down and sat again. He then looked at Mr. Goremann with an intense look in his eyes.

“How do you know him, Mr. Goremann? Why is he called the Bright Sun Prodigy?” the young man was very curious and demanded answers from the bartender.

Mr. Goremann saw the intense fire in the young man’s eyes. It was as if this young man could quickly kill him without any hesitation if he did not give the truth to the young man.

“Alejandro, young man. I will tell you the truth. The Bright Sun Prodigy is the strongest magic user in the Holm Village as of now. I know this as I travel through different villages every night. He is regarded as the Bright Sun Prodigy as his magic core is mainly a source of blazing fire as hot as the sun.”

“I know that about him already. Is he really the strongest magic user in the Holm Village as of now? He is the same age as me! Isn’t the head of the village the strongest there?!”

“He is a running candidate to be the next head of the village, young man. No one, including the current head of the village, can top his potential and his skills. It is rumored that the sorcerers from a royal kingdom will adopt and train him in the upcoming week.”

What?... Brother Raphael is that strong already? Damn it! I have no time to waste! I need to fight him as soon as possible. All I need to know is where the Holm Village is. Wait, this old man knows where the Holm Village is! I’ll just have to ask him!

“Mr. Goremann! Please show me the way to the Holm Village!” Alejandro begged Mr. Goremann as he was desperate to get revenge as soon as possible.

“I’m afraid I cannot, young man. Your partner over here would be angry if I told you.”

Alejandro then looked at Denver. The hunter was just drinking his wine quietly.

This hunter! I’m sick of this! Of course he would tell the bartender to not show me the way to Holm Village! After all, we still haven’t assassinated Arthur Grimm. However, I really don’t have any time to waste!

Alejandro stood up and grabbed his sword in his scabbard. He also grabbed his dagger out of his pocket bag.

“Bavael and Khalib, let us not waste time anymore. Lend me your strength.”

Khalib’s point facing Denver’s face. While he also holds Bavael in his left hand and puts it in his right forearm as the dagger’s point is facing the floor.

“What are you trying to do, Alejandro?”

“I apologize, hunter. But I really do not have any more time to waste. If I knock you out unconscious, will you show me the way to the Holm Village, Mr. Goremann?”

Mr. Goremann smirked as he only sees this as entertainment.

“Why not?” Mr. Goremann responded with excitement and confidence.

Denver then stood up from his seat. He then glared at Alejandro like a crow.

“If I defeat you, we will continue with our mission. Understood?”

At this point, Alejandro was very pissed off.

“Sure. As if you could defeat me, hunter.”