Volume 3 Chapter 6: Part 2: Another Quest

"We'll arrive at the village in a couple of minutes, Master," Rena stated as she looked at the map. It was morning, and the two walked down the path.

"So all we have to do now is to inform the village how the monsters were taken out, right?"

"Mmhmm. After that, we can leave."

Onyx sighed, but then he laughed, "But to think our food would attract so many monsters. Maybe we should do this from time to time."

"Please don't. Master, we wouldn't be able to get any sleep if we did something like that." The two finished the quest in just a night. It didn't take long before the monsters got attracted by the food.

Like bees to honey, monsters came in hordes from the smell of the food. It didn't matter if Rena sprinkled the blood around them. Onyx and Rena quickly noticed the rumbling coming their way and took action.

It took them the entire night to finish everybody off. But it was all worth it.

Not only did they take out the shadow panther, but they took out other strong monsters. The only thing left is to inform the villagers about the monsters being killed, making them feel assured.

And that was a touch-and-go process.

"Since we took them out so quickly, maybe we can take on those other quests too." They finished so fast that there wasn't really much to do now. If Madelyn were to hear his words, she might've lectured him to death.

"Mmhmm. That should be good." Rena nodded to this as well.

As the two got closer to the village,

"!" Onyx felt something off. What's going on? He stared at his arm, and it was covered in goosebumps. What was more,

I can't stop. Onyx's hands were shaking non-stop. Even when he held it down, it didn't stop.

"Master, what's wrong?" Seeing his weird expression and arms shaking, Rena was worried.

"Something happened." That was the only thing Onyx could say.

"!" Hearing his words, Rena's alertness shot up. Master's hunches are usually accurate.

"Be prepared." Onyx raised his sword. His entire being was telling him to be careful. The only other time this happened was...

Crap! Onyx didn't think as he rushed toward the village! No! No! No! This can't be happening! He didn't want to believe it!

When he arrived in front of the village, he could smell it. The smell was so strong that it forced Onyx to believe it.

Rena was a few steps behind Onyx, and she smelled it too.

"Is it-" Onyx shook his head, "Rena! Quickly, we have to find any survivors!" This was deja-vu again. From the smell alone, the two know the village got massacred.

"How can this happen?" Onyx said in frustration. Once they entered the village, the scene was the same. No, worse. The magnitude of the destruction was on a different level.

The villagers had the chance to hide and run in the last one. However, the villagers were killed off instantly.

Bodies were riddled around the streets for everyone to see.

Onyx's expression immediately turned black. He touched the blood on the ground. It's fresh.

The blood he had touched was wet and smudging on his hand. But next to the blood was something he didn't expect.

"Rena! Back to back!" Onyx screamed, and Rena quickly stood behind Onyx as she took out her rapier.

These were new. That meant the monster could still be here.

Onyx's thoughts were in turmoil. Why is it here?! What was next to the blood was a footprint. It may be a different size, but it was similar enough to the one he found.

It shouldn't be here, though. From what Oliver told him, the monster should be nowhere around here. That means his information was false.

Thinking about all the possibilities, Rena snapped him out, "Master, we must inform the guild master about this!"

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"Mmhmm." Oliver probably sent adventurers to the destroyed village to check it out. They were nowhere near this village. Oliver probably didn't expect the monster to be this close to the city.

We can make it back. It only took a day to get to this village. If they push themselves, they might even be able to get back to Advent City faster.

"Let's quickly-" Before Onyx could say they should leave,

Boom! A giant explosion occurs right behind them! Onyx and Rena turn to the side to see black smoke floating in the air.

Onyx said slowly, "Rena....is there a village close to here?"

Rena nodded, "Ten-Master, don't!" Before Rena could finish her sentence, she grabbed onto Onyx's arm.

"Don't try to stop me." One look at his expression, and Rena could tell Onyx was about to rush there.

"Master, the guild master told you not to get involved."

"I know. But I won't stand here and watch people get killed when I can do something!" They were only ten minutes away from the monster. Yes, Oliver told him not to step in. But how could he not after hearing such an explosion?

"..." Rena was silent.

"I'm going whether you like it or not. You can go back to the guild and inform Oliver about this. I don't want to get yelled at." Somehow, he had a hunch that Oliver would still yell at him. He would prefer to get yelled at for doing something than doing nothing.

"Master, I won't be returning as well. I'm coming with you." Rena knew Onyx fighting the monster alone would be a difficult task. But more importantly,

"Master, I want you to calm yourself when we deal with the monster." Rena wanted to make sure of this.

Honestly, she didn't want Onyx to fight with it. There were too many factors that could affect Onyx's mind.

Losing one's calmness in a fight could spell death.

Onyx nodded, "Understood. I'll do what I can to keep it cool."

"Good." And like that, the two didn't wait as they rushed towards the fight.

...

"Quickly run, ahh!" Someone screamed as they tried their best to run away. But the person just got splattered!

"What is going on?! Why is there a monster like that here!" A man's face paled as he watched the villager's body splatter.

This man was an adventurer. He was on a quest to hand some items to the client. Never did he expect something like this to happen!

"Please save us, adventurer!"

"You're the only one here that can do something!"

The villagers begged the adventurer. They weren't fighters. The only one who could fight the monster was him!

Do you think I want to fight with it?! No way was he going to try and face it. It grinded another villager into a bloody pulp!

But the man couldn't choose as the monster was right before him! Screw it! The man raised his ax, wanting to take him out! That was the last move he could make.

The ax didn't even land on the monster as it smacked the man before it made contact. The man flew like a kite, smashing into the wall of a house.

"Rawwwrrrrr!" The monster screamed in anger, causing a large shockwave! The villagers fell to their knees, fearing and quivering from the sound.

Death was looming at their throats.

"Don't you even dare!" Before the monster could have at it with the villagers, Onyx jumped in, ready to slam his blade down on them.

And the sword did knick the monster's arm. However,

"!" What the?! Stuck. The blade did not budge from the monster's arm. He couldn't believe it. Before he could force it out,

"Argghh!" The monster roared as it flung Onyx away with its brute strength!

Luckily, Onyx was able to land on the ground properly. The monster didn't let up as it charged toward Onyx.

"!" Arrows came flying at the monster, stopping it in its tracks.

"Thanks a lot, Rena." Rena walked beside Onyx. The two stare down at the monster. It was the same.

The entire body of the monster was shrouded by a large cloak. And the face was covered by a weird mask. However, even if it tried to hide its body, Onyx, and Rena could tell it was the same as the one they fought.

"Hey! Are you alive?!" Onyx shouted to the side. There, the adventurer slowly got up from the rubble.

"I guess." His ribs were broken. And it was taking all of his power to stay up.

"Good. Quickly lead the villagers away from here! Even if you're hurting, force yourself, or you will die!" Onyx shouted.

"!" The man's face turned pale before screaming, "Understood!" He started leading the villagers away from the entire fight.

Seeing them leave, Onyx sighed in relief, "Rena, I'm going to need your help with this one. This one is different from the others." Just from that one blow, the monster was on a different level.

"Understood." Rena raised her bow, ready to fire.

And like that, the battle between them started! The monster made the first move as it charged toward the two!

Onyx and Rena quickly jump away!

Boom! And like that, the ground shatters! What in the world?! Onyx wasn't a fool. The monster's strength was miles higher than the one he fought with.

What was more: it looked like it hadn't gone all out either!

"!" He turned to Rena, "Spread out now!" Onyx quickly dashed forward, dodging the monster's jump, while Rena jumped backward.

CRASH!!! The house exploded, tumbling down on the monster.

"Rena!"

"I'm fine, master!"

Alright then. I'll keep its attention. Onyx charged toward the monster and prepared to cut it down!

But it took the blow.

Onyx quickly raised his blade out from the wound before it got stuck.

"Tch! So you have no intention of dodging." "RAWWWRR!" The monster charged at Onyx once again. And his response was to back away.

So that's the flaw. As Onyx dodged the monster's hands, he realized the monster's weakness.

Its speed was lacking. Compared to the monster he had fought before, this one was slower. However, it shouldn't be considered a weakness. Despite the lower speed, it didn't mean he was not fast.

Plus, the strength and vitality were enough to make up for it. It's a natural-born tank.

Then there was the other problem;

My attacks weren't cutting through. Onyx frowned. His attacks were lacking as he couldn't cut through the monster's flesh. The only thing he could do right now was to dodge the blow. Because he wasn't alone.

Shing!

A smirk formed on Onyx's face as he saw an arrow flying through, piercing through the monster's legs. The place Rena fired at was the joints.

It was enough to make the monster fall down to its knee. But that just made the beast angrier!

Crap! Onyx jumped away from the monster. It started to flay its arms around like a windmill. Everything around it turned into rubble.

Onyx jumped over to Rena.

"Master, what should we do about this?"

Onyx frowned, "The monster's strength is higher than anything I've seen. But the movement is simple. I'll keep being a distraction. Find your moment to pin it down."

"Understood."

The monster stopped flaying its arm around as it got back up. What is this feeling? Onyx jumped back down, ready to fight with it again: he felt something off.

Whatever the case may be, the monster targeted him! The game of cat and mouse between the two continues. Onyx continued to weave his body around, continuing to distract it. But the monster was built like a spear as it smashed through everything!

It didn't take long before Onyx arrived in the corner. And the monster knew it too.

However, as it charged toward Onyx, Rena made her move! She fired an arrow again; this time, it hit the monster's sole!

And she wasn't done. For each arrow she fired, there were ropes around it. A flurry of arrows came down onto the monster.

Before the monster could react, Rena pulled, causing all the rope to tighten up!

"You're through!" Onyx took the chance and was about to cut the monster's head off. But it flays around, causing the mask to fall off.

"!" The moment Onyx saw the monster's face, his entire body froze. The sword that was in front of its head stopped.

No words could describe what he was feeling right now., The only thing he could say was,

"Finn?"