Rewinding time a little, just after Alex and Gracier left for Gato's village with other participants of the rank-up test, Leena also left the guild in the evening.
She took a leave of absence of five days, only Chris, the guild master of this branch of the Adventurer Guild knew the true motive behind this leave of absence, it was to simply tail Alex and Gracier in the shadow, she was a little bit concerned and more importantly too curious about Alex's Gift, she hoped to be able to see his Gift during this expedition.
Unfortunately, during these three days she had never once seen Alex using his Gift, he mainly fights using his knives and throwing knives. As for Alex's leadership, she gave a passing grade.
Unknown to Alex, every time Conrad slip away, it was to talk with her.
Leena was hoping to finally see some real action where Alex would use his Gift when she saw them nearing the Gato's village. She was eager to watch the siblings.
Unfortunately, fate had another project in store for her, just slightly before evening she received a call from the group who went ahead in the Zilya's Mountain.
''What is it?" She asked not hiding her annoyance because to receive this call at this moment mean nothing good for her, someone was about to disrupt her entertainment- Ops! She meant surveillance duty.
The other person on the side of the call was surprised by Leena not hiding her annoyance, for a moment what he was planning to say couldn't leave his mouth, still considering the urgency of the situation, he braced himself and spoke.
''Greetings Lady Leena. We happened to find the culprit of the monster outbreak. It was as you said, we are battling against it as we speak and it went without saying that we are overwhelmed. If it wasn't because of the special communication device you gave us, it would have been impossible to contact you as all communications have been blocked, only your device is still working. Please Lady Leena we required your immediate assistance if not"
''Damn it. Who wants to die that badly?"
He didn't manage to finish his words before being cut off as Leena cussed not hiding her anger.
The person on the other side could swear to have felt Leena's killing intent even from where he was, he couldn't help but shiver.
Calming down her raging emotions Leena sighed and said before cutting off the communication.
''I understand, try to hold on I'll be there as fast I can.''
One must know that the main group was currently on the other side of Zilya's Mountain, it is extremely far from her current location. If she doesn't intervene, there was a risk that every one of the Adventurers sent will be wiped out, and as a guild staff member, she can't allow it, Adventurers are essential for a guild to function, without Adventurers there will be no guild.
Sighing softly Leena observed Alex's carriage as it advanced, she could hear Eleonora questioning Alex, the latter did not seem pleased with her question, shaking her head as she was feeling amused watching the two, she mumbled,
'Sorry, boy. I will know what kind of Gift you possess later, For now, I've something to take care of. Have a good fight.' Leena had an apologetic look on her face because of the change in her plans, she wouldn't be able to look after them.
She disappeared after taking one last glance at Alex. Just as she left, Alex who was talking with Eleonora looked in her direction as if he felt something, but he quickly shook his head and focused his attention back on the highway.
Only, Conrad seemed to have noticed Leena's departure, of course, Leena left him a message ordering him to take care of Alex and others in her stead.
••••••
On the other side of Zilya's Mountain currently, a huge battle was going on, you could hear the sound of metals clashing mixed with monsters' groans and humans cries.
Naturally, it was the main group responsible for cleaning the monsters rampaging in the region.
The ground was littered with corpses, monsters corpses, and also human corpses, still, monsters and humans seemed unbothered by the number of corpses littering the ground as they continued clashing against each other.
Further ahead, a spectacular fight was taking place.
A group of Adventurers was fighting against a lone figure, this lone figure was extremely tall, at least two meters (6.6 ft) tall, this figure was shrouded entirely in black with a black mask covering its face, from the hollow laugh and mocking voice it was not hard to guess that it was a man.
''You humans are so interesting. Always trying to act mighty when you are weaker than us.'' said the black-clothed man as he kept dodging the adventurer's attacks with the minimum of maneuver.
''Shut up you demon.'' One of the adventurers attacking the black-clothed man said as he continued attacking.
''Hehehe! Come make me stop talking then.'' the man in black said, taunting the adventurer who talked, the latter complexion turned grim as he gripped his magic sword more tightly, pouring his Magic Power into it, he shouted.
"Fiery Slash.''
Instead of slash, a fire beam was shot from the tip of the sword toward the black-clothed man, smiling behind his mask he nonchalantly dodged.
''You humans are the most treacherous of all the races yet you like to portray yourself as a saint. Just look at yourself, your mouth pronounce a certain technique but your action showed another.''
''Shut up, I don't need you lecturing me.'' that adventurer shouted back.
Chuckling behind his mask, the black-clothed man's expression turned vicious he vanished and reappeared behind the adventurer who attacked him earlier, swinging his arm coated in a dark matter like a sword, he decapitated the latter.
Spurt!!
Blood spurted from the headless body, the adventurer who has his head removed died eyes filled with unwillingness.
The other adventurers attacking the black-clothed man stopped eyes filled with horror as they witnessed their comrade being killed as though he was a chicken, one must know that the adventurer who just died was Rank 7, he was almost approaching the next rank, it's to say Rank 8. So imagine their terror as they witnessed him being killed so easily. This shows how strong this demon is.
Unbothered by the weakling attitudes, the black-clothed man looked in a certain direction, a man was fighting against three ogres of 6 (19.69 ft) meters tall, one must know that ogres are considered B-Rank monsters, one of the strongest B-Rank monsters, for someone to face three at the same, it shows how strong the person facing the three ogres is.
''I say, Gale aren't you looking down on me by letting those weakling fight against me? How many do I need to kill before you face me?"
The black-clothed man said as he was getting impatient fighting against the weaklings as he called them, he hoped to fight against the strongest here, naturally, Gale fit that criteria.
Gale, the former B rank adventurer nicknamed 'Gale Blade' now A (got promoted recently) face twitched, cursing under his breath he decided to finish this fight or else that demon would slaughter every one of the adventurers fighting him, obviously they are not his match, he knew this but he couldn't do otherwise because only him can take care of the three ogres as the others keep the demon busy.
Lowering his center of gravity, Gale observed the three monsters before activating his skill as he performed a kick draw:
[Bisect]
A huge horizontal wind blade passed through the three ogres, cutting two of them in two from the waist, while the third ogre lost an arm, he had sensed a danger hence tried to dodge alas he still lost an arm in the process as he wasn't too fast dodging, Gale' slash was so fast that it was almost impossible to follow, only the black-clothed man was able to follow, even himself had trouble following it.
Quickly downing a high-grade Mana potion, Gale wasted no time as he followed with another attack, deeply injuring the now one-armed ogre, he would have liked to continue and finish the monster but alas, the black-clothed man had just killed another adventurer, Gale was forced to intervene blocking the man next attack.
Kin!!
Sound was heard as Gale's sword clashed against the black-clothed man sword, a black sword.
After he appeared and stopped the black-clothed man next attack, Gale with his eyes motioned the adventurers who keeping the black-clothed man at bay to go take care of the injured ogre, he was sure that with the current ogre's injury, it will not be too hard for the five of them to take care of it.
After making sure that the five safely left and are taking care of the ogre, Gale and the black-clothed man identified as a demon looked at each other before the two moved at fast speed exchanging blows for a moment before taking their distance,
"You are not bad but you'll need more than that to be able to injure me, even more, if you wish to kill me."
To the man's words, Gale gave no reply as he stared intensively at the man, finally, since the start of their exchange Gale opened his mouth to raise a question.
"What's your goal?"