In a vast expanse adorned with trees of various sizes—large, small, and ancient—a peculiar sight unfolds. Amidst these trees, numerous houses are scattered, but what is truly striking is that they all stand abandoned.
Within a small clearing, in front of a modest wooden house, five individuals gather around a flickering fire. This group consists of three men and two women, all around the same age. A sense of unease lingers in the air as Lois, a human traveler who joined forces with her comrades, voices her fear.
“How long must we keep running? We’ve already lost two members. Who will be next?” Lois’s voice trembles with terror.
“I don’t know. Those Astra Lamias are far more dangerous than we anticipated. They’re not merely wild beasts; they’re a group of corrupted Lamias!” Ross, the leader of the pack, responds with a tinge of bitterness.
Lois and Nadia are sitting beside Ross. Nadia, a mature and petite beastkin from the fox clan, has remained silent thus far, contemplating the situation.
Meanwhile, two other members of the group, Arthur and Monk, sit on the ground like the rest. These two appear visibly disheartened by the loss of their comrades. Arthur, a handsome young vampire with blonde hair and captivating features, accompanies Monk, who belongs to the celestial monkey race. Despite his humanoid appearance, Monk’s distinguishing traits include facial hair and a tail protruding from his backside.
“Monk, don’t you have any thoughts? What do you believe we should do?” Ross asks, his voice laden with concern.
Upon hearing Ross’s inquiry, Monk raises his head.
“The fallen members let their guard down and overestimated themselves. The sheer number of these Astra Lamias is overwhelming. To make matters worse, some of them possess extraordinary abilities. It baffles me,” Monk mutters, struggling to comprehend the existence of such vicious monsters.
“I heard that a vengeful scientist utilized Lamia DNA to create these monstrous creatures, tarnishing the reputation of the Lamias. The identity of the scientist, however, remains a mystery,” Nadia speculates.
“So, all of this was orchestrated to vilify the Lamias? What a foolish plan… The disparity is evident—people hold no animosity towards the Lamias,” Ross remarks, releasing a weary sigh.
“It won’t be long before they catch up to us, thanks to Nadia teleporting us here. But how much longer can we keep evading them? We’ve already lost three members to these man-eating monsters!” Lois exclaims, her fists clenched tightly.
Suddenly, Ross lifts his head and gazes at Arthur, who has remained relatively quiet since they embarked on this mission. In fact, he hasn’t even unsheathed the sword strapped behind his back.
“Hey, newcomer! You haven’t been actively participating in this mission. What’s the deal? Are you just dead weight, expecting us to save your sorry self while you don’t even draw your damn sword?” Ross bellows, anger etched across his face.
Despite Ross’s outburst, Arthur remains silent, seemingly unaffected by his words.
“Ross is right. You’ve been sticking to us like a leech without contributing much!” Lois interjects, further intensifying the discussion.
“You’re all mistaken… It’s quite the opposite, in fact. Throughout our encounters with the Astra Lamias, Arthur has claimed the most kills,” Monk suddenly interjects.
“Lies! You’re just covering for him. I bet you two are friends, which explains your alliance. This guy didn’t even fight the Astra Lamias! It would have been better if he perished instead of the others!” Lois cries out, tears streaming from her eyes. In their previous encounter with the Astra Lamias, Lois lost her crush.
“Lois… You know the truth deep down. You’re simply refusing to accept it. The only one unaware of this is our team leader, as he was preoccupied defending against the Astra Lamias,” Nadia suddenly interjects, a faint smile gracing her face.
“Wait, could what Monk said actually be true?” Ross asks in a hushed tone, his demeanor shifting into one of calmness.
“Yes, team leader. Arthur dispatched the Astra Lamias with remarkable skill. However, he never once unsheathed his sword throughout the entire ordeal,” Nadia explains, her gaze shifting towards Monk.
“She’s right, team leader. Arthur displayed unparalleled prowess. In fact, I believe he’s the strongest among us,” Monk reaffirms, causing Lois to grit her teeth in anger.
As the words of Nadia and Monk echo through the group, a perplexed expression emerges on Ross’s face. Throughout his acquaintance with Monk, Monk had never once lied to him. Furthermore, Nadia, who rarely interjects in matters, stands in support of Arthur.
“It’s alright. I hold no grudge,” Arthur responds, retrieving a pack of blood from his space ring.
Lois witnesses Arthur drinking the blood, her face contorting with disgust as she clenches her jaw. To the other members of the team, Arthur remains an enigmatic figure due to his possession of a space ring—an item typically reserved for A-rank travelers. Remarkably, some S-rank travelers lack such a valuable tool.
“Lois seems to harbor an unfounded hatred towards me. Perhaps it stems from her disdain for vampires… That could explain her initial reluctance to have me join the group,” Arthur remarks, consuming the last drop of blood from the pack.
“Lois, is this true?” Ross inquires, casting a glance in Lois’s direction.
“T-Team leader, you believe this guy over me?” Lois stammers in response.
“I want you to apologize right now!” Ross asserts firmly.
“I… I’m sorry, Arthur,” Lois utters through gritted teeth.
“It’s fine. I couldn’t care less,” Arthur replies, rising to his feet.
“Arthur, why do you always carry your sword strapped to your back? I’ve noticed that you never part with it, even while sleeping. Moreover, the blade remains tightly wrapped in layers of fabric,” Monk asks, eyeing Arthur suspiciously.
“Well, it seems you’ve finally caught on. This sword isn’t originally mine. However, until its rightful owner appears, it remains in my possession. The Astra Lamias draw near, led by their queen, whom I’ve been pursuing. Allow me to introduce you to Excalibur,” Arthur says, a smile playing on his lips as he begins unwrapping the cloth concealing his sword.
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