Step. Step.

Sensing Aron's arrival, Freya immediately turned to greet him. She was holding the skinny guy's mouth tightly, not caring about the blood coming from his cheeks.

"Oh! Boss, I-" Before she could finish, Aron approached her and began stroking her silver hair.

"Well done, Freya. Your speed is amazing," he spoke gently, praising her.

"!!!" Freya blushed slightly at Aron's words, her heart racing with a mix of excitement and embarrassment. She had been eager to impress him and show him her abilities, for reasons she herself didn't know. His words only fueled her determination to prove herself further.

"..." Pethra and Kasumi narrowed their eyes as they examined the expression on Freya's face. They knew that expression too well, as they felt the same way under Aron's gentle touch.

"Thank you, Boss," Freya replied, her voice tinged with pride and shyness. She released her hold on the skinny guy, allowing him to breathe and speak, though his fear kept him silent for the moment.

Scarlett's eyes opened in shock as she gazed at her former cellmate. She couldn't believe that the Wild werewolf, who can make most men shit themselves by just looking at them, was now acting shy and blushing.

'Is hell going to freeze tomorrow?' she wondered.

The only one taking everything with ease was Luna. The elf girl gazed at everything with curiosity and excitement, like a child experiencing something for the first time.

Aron then shifted his attention to the skinny guy, crouching close to him. "Now, my friend, it's time for you to answer some questions," he said in a firm tone.

The skinny guy nodded vigorously, his eyes wide with fear. He wasn't stupid; he quickly understood the consequences of refusing to cooperate with Aron, and his trembling body showed his compliance.

"Who is your boss?" Aron asked, his voice steady and commanding.

The skinny guy hesitated for a moment, fear evident in his eyes. But he soon realized there was no escape from the situation. He swallowed hard before finally speaking in a trembling voice.

"We don't know his name; we just call him the 'Boss'. He's at the center of the ruins."

"Ruins?" Aron quickly asked.

The skinny guy nodded. "Y-Yes, there are ancient ruins beneath us. W-We made it our headquarters."

'Using ancient ruins as a headquarters? Smart! No one will guess that's their location,' Aron thought.

"Where are the slaves?" he asked again in the same commanding tone.

The skinny guy, still trembling, replied, "They're... they're in the underground chambers, in the same place where the Boss lives. He likes to keep them close to him for safety since they are a valuable product."

Slap!.

Aron immediately slapped him. "Say that word again, and I'll pull your tongue out in one piece."

The skinny guy winced in pain from the slap, his fear intensifying. "I-I'm sorry, Boss," he whimpered, his voice filled with genuine terror. He had no intention of angering Aron further and risking further harm.

'It's good that their leader and the slaves are in one place. I hate to move around from one target to another'

"How many of you are down there?" he asked again.

The skinny guy answered instantly, "Fifty, sir. Last time we checked, we had around fifty members."

Aron then turned to Scarlett and asked for the map. Glancing back at the skinny guy, he ordered, "Show me the way to the ruins, now!"

The skinny guy, still trembling, pointed at a specific location on the map, indicating the entrance to the underground chambers within the ancient ruins. Aron studied the route, mentally planning their approach.

"Alright," he said as he stood, "we have their location; let's move out." He glanced at Freya, and their eyes met. Freya immediately understood his intention and nodded slightly.

Aron was the first to move away from the skinny guy, who sighed in relief, seeing that Aron had finished his interrogation and spared his life. But that was all a pipe dream; his mind was playing tricks on him.

Because as soon as the group was far away from him, the skinny guy raised his head and looked up, only to be met with the fearsome woman who had killed his friend in cold blood.

"Byyyye~" Freya waved at him, and she tried to look lovely. 'Tried' is the key word since, in the very next second, she pierced his chest with a powerful thrust of her clawed hand, impaling him on the spot.

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The skinny guy's eyes widened in sheer horror and pain, gasping for breath as blood gushed from his mouth. He desperately reached out towards Freya, seeking help or mercy, but his strength quickly waned, and his body slumped to the ground lifelessly.

Following the path, the group reached the marked location—a small wooden door. Aron glanced back at his companions, signaling them to be prepared for anything. Pushing the door open, everyone was stunned by the sight before them.

The pure silver light of the moon shone on an ancient, majestic city, casting a mystical ambiance over the surroundings. The buildings, although weathered and worn with the passage of time, still stood tall and proud. But not as proud as the giant castle in the center of the ruins.

"Beautiful!" Pethra commented in awe, and the girls couldn't help but agree with her.

"How come no one has found these ruins yet?" Scarlett spoke as she scouted the ruins with her skill.

But before anyone replied to her, she suddenly took out her bow and, with flawless and swift action, fired an arrow in between the eyes of a guy who had just come out of the left corner. Scarlett had sensed his approach with her skill and acted quickly to silence him.

"...*Whistle*...Nice shot" Aron wasted no time in complimenting her skills.

Scarlett flashed a gentle smile. "Thank you."

"..." Pethra and Kasumi narrowed their eyes, observing Scarlett's reaction to Aron's praise. Even Freya joined them, wondering what was going on in the head of her former cellmate.

The only one who didn't care about this was Luna, as the young Elf kept gazing at the ruins in awe. Seriously, was this her first time out of the house?

Aron nodded, then he turned to Raum, who had been silent the whole time for some reason. "What's wrong, buddy? Is there something troubling you?" He asked in concern.

Raum shook his head. "It's nothing, I... I just... I just don't like close places where I can't fly."

"..." Aron thought about it for a second, realizing that being in a cave and underground was the worst nightmare for a bird like Raum. Unable to fly and escape danger, trapped in a cage.

"Don't worry, buddy. Nothing is going to hurt you while I'm alive," he gently patted Raum's head.

Raum smiled and felt warm inside. He then rubbed his little head against Aron's cheek. "Kaaah! I know, Aron. I trust you with my life."

Aron smiled and appreciated his trust. He then took a step toward the ruins, and the moment he did, a system message appeared.

…

[The system has forced a Quest]

[Quest: Revenge of the Raven]

[Revenge your Friend by Destroying the black faction known as "The Rats" and killing their Leader

Rescue the slaves held captive in the underground chambers.

Quest rewards: Instant level up

+10 points in all stats

+100 points to HP/MP

Item: @#$&#?]

…

"..." Aron narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the system's quest. 'System, why did you give me this quest?'

[Master, your intention is what triggered this quest. Your desire to avenge your friend and to save the children made it happen.]

Aron raised his eyebrows and quickly understood something important.

'So the system can react to me, or for better terms, I can force it to react.'

[Indeed, Master.]

'Good to know... Hey! You've been silent for a while. What are you planning?'

[Apologies, Master, but I'm trying to duplicate Vincent's skill effect.]

Aron opened his eyes in shock. 'Can you do that?' he asked in excitement.

[I'm still trying. There are a few missing things, but there is an 80% chance that I can duplicate the effect.]

Aron's smile widened. 'Nice, well keep trying. I know you can do it.'

[Thank you Master, for your trust.]

'Not a problem. I'll leave you to your work then.'

The girls saw from afar that the ruins were occupied by the Rat members, as torches lit the ruins, and they could hear people shouting and laughing. From their sounds alone, they knew that there were a lot of them down there.

"What's the plan, Master?" Kasumi asked as she stood beside Aron, with Luna still holding her arm.

Aron thought for a moment, then he replied, "You, Pethra, and Luna are going to find a way into the chambers and free the slaves." The girls nodded in agreement.

"Scarlett, you're going to find a high ground and take out anyone who stands in the girls' path to the chambers. Raum will help you find your targets."

"Leave it to me, Boss," Scarlett nodded, excited to show her archery skills. Raum also agreed to help her.

"That leaves you and Freya," Pethra said.

"..." Freya glanced at Aron, and when she saw his wide, predatory smile, she immediately understood his intention and couldn't help but feel excited.

"Well, me and Freya, we're just going to draw their attention to us."

"How? It's not like you're going to walk down there and start fighting everyone all of a sudden."

"..." Aron's smile widened, and Freya displayed the same predatory smile.

""That's exactly what we're going to do,"" they spoke at the same time.

"Seriously?" Pethra couldn't help but ask.

Aron chuckled slightly. "It's much easier and quicker to gather them all and take them out. And... being stealthy isn't my strongest point."

"I can confirm that," Raum commented with a sly smile. Aron didn't deny his comment since it was true.

"HAHAHA~ I like the way you think, Boss," Freya suddenly laughed as she placed her hand on Pethra's shoulder.

"Why sneak around when it's much more fun to fight head-on?"

Pethra sighed and dropped the subject. Arguing with a battle maniac is a pain in the ass, and two is even worse.

She was just worried about Aron and didn't want to be separated from him, much like Kasumi, who suddenly spoke.

"If that's the case, Master, then why must we split up? Why not take them all as a group?"

"No," Aron instantly refused. "I get excited during the fights, and sometimes I forget myself."

Freya crossed her arms and nodded at his words. "Mm, mm! That happens to me too."

Slap!.

Scarlett slapped her on the head.

"Oyy!"

"Shut up and let him speak."

Aron smiled in amusement. He started to like the silver-haired woman. She's like a free spirit, untamed and dangerous.

"...I still don't have good control over my flames, and I don't want to hurt you guys. You're important to me."

"!!!" All the girls felt their hearts melt at his words, causing serious damage to their hearts, evident in their red faces.

Aron continued, "...Plus, with my current strength, I can only protect one person if something happens during the fights."

This time, Freya's eyes opened in shock, and the werewolf's emotions were screaming from the inside

'P-Protect... M-Me?! This never happened to me before.'

Seeing her red cheeks and shocked expression, Scarlett shook her head, wondering what had happened to the fearsome werewolf.

"..Mm.." Kasumi nodded and accepted his words.

Aron then turned to Freya. "Let's go, and guys, wait until the fighting starts."