Chapter 81: Unleashing the Beast Kingdom Part 1

While Idmon and his group were training intensively for the upcoming battle, he gave Souta orders to try and make contact with the Beast King's army remnants located in the Human Kingdom territory.

Souta eagerly accepted the mission, knowing that it would be a crucial step in forming an alliance against the impending threat of the Human Kingdom's forces. He set out immediately, using the skills of his group in adventuring to navigate the dangerous jo. As he made his way towards the rumored location of the Beast King's army remnants, Souta couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and trepidation at the thought of meeting with such powerful and mysterious allies.

Suppose any of them are still alive.

And if there's none left, their optional mission is to find any other race in the human region to join their cause.

Souta: "Let us go. Lord Idmon needs every ally we can get. If we can get the Beast King's soldiers, then we will have a better chance at winning."

Lea: "Yeah, yeah. Let's go!"

She still looks a bit sleepy, but she tried to sound energetic by shouting.

Roln: "Hm."

Alno: "Roger that. It's a good thing that I still have our previous journey mapped so we can go back the way we came."

And since there were only undead and black goblins in the area, it wouldn't be a threat to them. Especially the undead, since they are the same race now.

The group, after saying goodbye to the commanders at the capital of Un Deth, left immediately.

This mission was given to them specifically because it required a small group to be successful. They should make contact with the Beast King army stealthily and set up a deal with them.

Another goal of their group was to gather information on the enemy's movements and weaknesses in order to strategize a plan for the upcoming battle. As they traveled through the dense forest, they kept a lookout for any signs of danger, ready to defend themselves if necessary. The group moved swiftly and silently, their senses heightened as they approached the Beast King's territory. The tension in the air was palpable, but they remained focused on their mission, determined to succeed no matter the obstacles they may face.

Sending more soldiers with them will raise the risk of them being discovered.

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A week into their travels, something unfortunate happened.

They were stranded in an area in the Deadlands without trees or any buildings as landmarks.

Alno: "What is this?"

Alno sounded very confused and angry.

Souta: "Are we lost again?"

Alno: "That can't happen. I mapped everything perfectly."

Roln: "..."

This is the fifth time we have circled the same spot. I planted an arrow at a nearby boulder to mark the area.

However, it seems that the arrow has gone missing. Alno, frustrated and worried, began to pace back and forth, trying to come up with a plan. Souta, always the calm and collected one, suggested that they try to retrace their steps and look for any familiar landmarks that could guide them back on track. Roln, the silent but observant member of the group, scanned the area for any signs of danger or potential threats. Despite the tension and uncertainty in the air, the group knew that they had to stay focused and work together to find their way out of this predicament in the treacherous Deadlands.

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Souta: "Is that right?"

This sounds fishy. Alno's mapping skills are second to none, so it would be weird if we got lost because of his map.

Lea: "No weird magic around the area!"

Lea was flying around, scanning their perimeter for anyone casting spells.

Souta: "It must be the fog."

The Deadlands have always been foggy. Even back when they first passed through it to get to the South Region,.

Souta: ""

A tree came from underground, and Souta jumped on top of it to get a better view.

Souta: "I knew it."

Souta came down and told them what he saw.

Souta: "It's a mist monster or some kind of fog monster. It keeps breathing it, and its artificial fog surrounds us."

The fog was moving in a circular motion too. That must be the reason why their sense of direction is confused, and they can't get out.

Souta: "Too bad for him; we're undead so that we won't die even if we travel forever in the Deadlands. Unfortunately, we can't waste time."

Lea: "I'll take care of it! Which direction?"

Northeast of us, it's just outside of the fog.

Lea: "Gotcha! !"

Lea used one of her old skills to stun the monster and then follow it up with a finishing move.

Lea: "!"

She blasted her spell in the direction I told her, and the fog eased up after a few moments.

Alno: "Warn us if you're going to use that spell; it gives me a headache."

Lea: "What? I thought you didn't have ears!"

Alno: "We don't, but we can still hear, right?"

Lea: "Ah, yes. Sorry!"

Souta's group passed by their first obstacle without a problem.

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Two weeks passed by, and they had covered a lot of ground.

If they keep going at this rate, they could reach the North Region in a month because Alno has already mapped a path for them.

As they traveled, they encountered various challenges along the way, from treacherous terrain to unpredictable weather. Despite these obstacles, Souta's group remained determined to reach their destination. Each member relied on their unique abilities and skills to overcome whatever came their way. Alno's guidance and foresight proved invaluable, as he continued to lead them towards the North Region with unwavering confidence.

Souta: "It seems careless of the humans to not post any scouts in the Deadlands."

Lea: "Isn't it because nothing grows here, and it might turn them into undead? There's a lot of negative energy in the air and skeleton piles."

Alno: "They have measures against that. The Holy Priests can enchant their allies with a barrier that protects against negative energy."

Lea: "Indeed, those sluggish priests and heavy Paladins are incapable of scouting, even if they try."

Souta: "That's right. But they could have built a base or outpost at least to spot incoming threats."

An outpost is easily sustainable for a priest and some Paladins.

Souta: "Are they that confident? Or are they not on good terms with the other humans who can act as scouts?"

Roln: "Hm."

Alno: "That might be possible. When we left years ago, the Rangers and the other guilds weren't really fond of the Paladins and the Circle of Light."

While they're talking about this, Souta hears something from behind them.

There was a ruined house behind them, and something or someone was moving inside of it.

Souta: "Come out. You've been following us for weeks. I know you're undead; that's why I left you alone. Also, the tree behind you moved."

Souta drew his bow and readied an arrow.

Souta: "However, our mission is a secret, and we need to make sure that we won't slip up. We can't have spies messing up our plan."

???: "Wait! We're not spies!"

Three skeleton children came out. Their looks and voices were familiar.

Souta: "Tob, Beko, and Claire?"

Tob: "Yep, hehehe."

He was scratching his head and acting like a child caught by his parents doing a prank.

Souta: "What in the void are you guys doing here!? How did you know where we're going?"

Tob: "Well..."

Tob told him that his group saw them by chance, and they followed to check what they were up to.

They were supposed to finish a quest outside the capital, but they didn't expect how far Souta's group would go and were too curious to go back out and go home.

Souta couldn't help but shake his head at Tob's explanation. He knew that Tob and Claire were always getting themselves into trouble with their curiosity. Despite his annoyance, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that they were safe and hadn't been caught up in any real danger. However, he also couldn't help but wonder how their unexpected presence would affect their mission. Would their interference cause more trouble than it was worth? Souta knew that he would have to keep a close eye on Tob and Claire to make sure they didn't derail their mission entirely.

Souta: "You guys have to be careful. If you keep doing this, when you get into trouble, no one might save you in time."

Tob: "We can take care of ourselves! We even help you against that fog monster!"

Oh, so they even helped us. I guess it might not be a disaster after all.

Souta: "(Sigh). I guess we can't just tell you to go home now that you've come this far. But beware of the humans in the North Region. They're crazy strong, and our goal isn't to fight them."

Tob: "It isn't!?"

His disappointment was immeasurable, and you could see that his day was ruined.

Souta: "If we were attacking them, then Lord Idmon would be leading the army, right?"

Tob: "Oh, right. Sorry, we'll keep ourselves hidden as best as we can."

Souta: "I can relate to your eagerness to fight them, but we need more allies before we can take on the monstrous humans."

Claire: "We understand. Now, Tob, are you satisfied?"

Tob: "Yes, yes."

It looks like they argued a lot about what we were going to do. Curiosity is a good thing, but the situation makes it really dangerous for them to go out in the world without the protection of Lord Idmon.

I hope his dream of making a haven comes true. To make a safe place for the undead and others where humans cannot reach them.

Now with three more members, the group reached the border of the Deadlands and the North Region after three weeks.

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(Back in the capital of Un Deth)

Mag: "Ma'am, is Tob home?"

Tob's mom: "He hasn't come back for weeks now. He said he was on a long quest."

She looked worried. However, it doesn't show much. She must trust her son that much.

Mag: "What?"

Mag was about to bring in Tob as a member of Lord Idmon's army, but he was nowhere to be found. Mag decided to send out a search party to look for Tob, hoping to bring him back safely and offer him the opportunity to join Lord Idmon's army. As the group ventured further into the dangerous Deadlands, Mag couldn't help but worry about Tob's safety and wondered if he had encountered any trouble on his quest. Despite the uncertainty, Mag remained determined to find Tob and bring him back to the capital to fulfill his potential as a valuable member of the army.