Chapter 194: The Raid

"Ned, you better held the end of our deal. *Cough* Go find the man named Roy Eldon Gaven Baak. Yes, that's his real name, so be careful spilling it to someone. Unless necessary, do not say his name. He was once... No, you find him. He's got something about Mark. We were on a mission once, that time. *Wheeze* *Cough* I thought he was talking nonsense. Roy knew something about Marks. You better make it right, Ned. Remember, I have your Master's life. I do not like that Othor keeps alive, but, Ned, he has done thi"— *Cough* *Cough*—"too young for you to understand. Someday, you will understand, what and who your Master is. I can't believe Testa's life is within your hands. But there's no other choice. I'm dying"—*Cough*—"Praha's Cube... The remainder of my Life Force was injected inside the Cube. So if you're thinking of running away without fulfilling the part of your deal. Then"—*Cough*—"Moraki's incarnate, you won't open the Cube no matter what. So follow the trail, Roy was last seen in Bogblot Region. That's where you are going to start"—*Cough*—"I am bleeding and dying, and you are here in front of me transforming—evolving, Maker only knows what are you—I don't know anymore. You should be dead, with this kind of wound. But, as what my Master had told me: "Magic is limitless." Now I know what he was talking about. Seeing you recovering from such a wound, magic is indeed limitles—"*Cough*—"I may not fulfill my end of the deal but I disclosed information I am not supposed to be. And here's another, to aid you, is my Personal Token. I injected my remaining mana to prove that I gave it to you. Proof that you're my apprentice. Remember the deal, Ned. Even though I'm dead, there are still organizations or individuals who will go after the Mark. So, I suggest you make haste."

Ser Edwin Tulor Godefroy laid the Record Cube to a flat ground, the light then dimmed, and the display inside the cube cut off as Ned held it in his hand.

Ned sighed, gripping the cube. It was the message the Knight had left before Ned has fully recovered and unlocked the Protocol. After that, Ned traveled, caught by pirates, eventually landing in Bogblot Region. Where he met a group of beasts inside the Du'kki Forest. All this for the man named Roy—someone who has information about the Mark.

"That beast," Ned sighed out his thoughts.

ICE, what do you think about the plan?

[Plausible.]

[Unless they haven't noticed Roy.]

[Then you might want to have plan B.]

After meeting the beast Moloatiss, Ned came up with a plan. Using the parasites, Ned could communicate with intelligent beasts. Be it the use of force, or interrogation, Ned must find information regarding Roy through the beasts.

Unless some super-intelligent species appeared and hack Ned's system, then, even the measly parasite could do nothing but follows Ned's will. He has done it before and Ned was pretty sure he could do it again.

Ned rested with his back against a massive tree while he fiddles with the Cube in his hand. With a thought, he stored the Record Cube back to his pocket dimension and swapped it with Praha's Cube.

"Master," he whispered. Lifted Praha's Cube perpendicular to his sight. He inhaled then injected mana into it. Nothing happened. The Cube hummed and Ned's mana evaporated even before it touches the surface of the Cube.

Ned almost jumped as a soft voice rang behind him.

"Ned," Swift said. "We're leaving."

Ned was too focused that he let his guard down. He barely sensed Swift approaching from behind.

With a thought, he stored Praha's Cube back to his pocket dimension, without Swift noticing it. He then spun around and proceed to follow Swift back to the team.

It has been five hours since Ned and the team left the manor. They then proceed to the Hunter Association, Du'kki Island branch via boats. After which, Margaret met them with the good news that the Association approved their Grade A quests. By then, Ned and the team have been raiding beast's settlement relentlessly.

The first settlement they encountered was at the lowest part of the map. It was filled with goblins. But no parasites. No parasites; then no Moloatiss.

They have encountered other hunters, but mostly Wood ranked. A stare from Twali was enough to not bother them.

Twali met the group in the forest since he wasn't allowed to set foot inside Hunter Association Guilds.

Hours passed, they have met Butrikis (lizard-like beasts standing on two), goblins, mud-slimes, wargs. But still, no parasites.

One thing Ned had noticed, the settlements they have been raiding were not the one Ned had encountered with his old Quickfall team.

They weren't organized, random beasts laid scattered on the ground, some were half-dead, others were cut to half, or turned to minced meat as if a pressurized energy was detonated inside them.

Three of the settlement they raided could barely be called a settlement, no shacks, or anything that would be called a shelter.

But one thing intrigued Ned. The beasts were huddled together. Different species, in one settlement. For one, goblins were supposed to be territorial, but the team found them together with Butrikis. Other goblins even used wargs as pets.

The Hallowguard team did most of the raid, as to how they should be. Twali and Margaret trailed them from behind. Making sure the quests go smoothly. But most of the time, Twali was close to Swift. Making sure her lady has the accommodation she needed, and Swift disagreed with this. Ned saw her increased her speed as Twali tried to get closer to her. Afraid, her guise will be made.

"We should scout," Sujiro said, and added without a hint of mockery. "Lordling."

Ned shot a glance to the rouge, he then nodded. He was after all a Runner, and he should do his part.

Most of the time, Runners ran along with Scouts or Rouges to scout ahead from the rest of the team. Being a Runner was a job that better trained one if they engaged to become a Rouge profession. All those running, and scouting, and navigating, was indeed good training.

The team rested near a stream, 20 minutes away from the last beast settlement they have raided.

It was late afternoon and the twins, Holly and Molly, acted as sentry this time. While Hunter Jo, the leader, and his brother Hunter Ja, and Ulysses, the bronze Knight, formulate a plan on how they better approach a settlement.

Twali and Margaret remained distant from the team. Most of the time they trail them from behind.

Baso, the Porter, was nearly exhausted as the bag was nearly full of monster parts. Mostly from goblin and Warg's Cores. Some scales from Butrikis, and several high-grade teeth from wargs.

Swift went to the team, she was being serious about her job as a companion. She looted with haste, yet most of the parts were high grades, and valuable. This made Hunter Jo cock an eyebrow.

Sujiro dashed, leaving Ned with the rest of the team, as he always does. Ned wondered if he was doing this deliberately. But Ned followed him without too much of a hassle, and Sujiro was surprised that Ned could compete with him in terms of speed.

They were in the Middle Area of the Du'kki Forest. A part of the forest where grass grew chest-high of Ned, trees as fat as 500 pounds Goblin grew without care if their roots block the way, or bore the ground. The roots were massive Ned had to jump to get past and land on the other side.

For scouts, this wasn't a problem, it was even to their advantage as they climb trees and proceed to scout the area.

Ned stopped beside Sujiro as soon as he landed on a massive branch atop a towering tree. They faced East where the sun has left its spot. To their right ( the Northside) over the horizon, was the Du'kki Mountain. With its broad and massive feature, Ned's vision was fully occupied by the mountain alone. At the bottom were clean-shaven parts of the forest, it looked like tiny craters from above.

Sujiro wore gloves as he pointed far East of them, he was professional as he didn't let his emotion bother him during the quest.

"There," he said. "20 to 30 Kil from our spot."

Sujiro's voice was like a sword grinding against a whetstone, rigid yet imposing. He didn't bother looking at Ned as his eyes laid resting to the East. He was pointing to a tiny spot where a cloud of smoke had been spotted. Could be hunters, or beasts. But according to the map, it was empty, more like blank as the topography was even out with forest.

Must be new a settlement, Ned thought. They must flip every stone to find Moloatiss, and Sujiro's keen and experienced eyes did help the quest.

Ned was impressed by how he handles things, messy hair wasn't enough to explain his character.

"What do you think?" Ned said eyes were focused by the Predictive Combat Emulator. The 30 kilometers distance was breached to almost 10 kilometers. But with the massive trees and hills, Ned couldn't figure out if the smoke came from hunters or highly intelligent beasts making a fire to cook their food.

"Beast settlements," Sujiro said.

Silence on part of Ned.

Sujiro turned over his shoulder, looking at Ned. "Hunters do not make a fire in broad daylight," he said. Paused, maybe for dramatic effect, then continued. "Fire mages were enough to cook food if necessary. But why would they? As hunters, food is already packed. That's what Porters are for. Even Wood rank hunters knew that making fire will expose their spot. But even so, there are still some, stubborn, or strong enough, maybe to lure enemies closer to them. But no, monsters inside the Middle area are graded at least D, and mostly C. A group surrounded by Grade D monsters alone is already quite a handful for a full party. So no, I wouldn't risk my spot for the enemies. Which leaves us to one conclusion. Beast settlement."

Ned nodded, that was quite a mouthful, but helpful.

The two decided to climb down and traveled back to their team when a group of hunters blocks their way.

Aside from the hunters, grasses, and trees surrounded them.

"We're here for a quest," Sujiro said. Hands slipping behind his back, slowly. "Our quests was approved directly by the Association." He added.

No response from the hunters. Three of them, one carrying a massive blade over his shoulder, looked tired as rings of a circle around his eyes were visible. The blade was cut with a jagged tooth above the blunt side. The one beside him has a blade that of a fencer, must be saber. But too thin to be a sword. He wore Hunter's clothing but some parts were ragged. The last one, tall, and thin, his cheeks bore a dent enough for water to accumulate, that would make a small pond. He held nothing but a stone, blank, cut without care for smoothness. The stone was like mana stone but made in a hurry.

Still no response. No Mana Leak coming from the three, meaning they weren't thinking to attack, or so Ned thought.

The tall and thin hunter cried. He growled like a spotted hyena delivering death to his prey.

He dashed, going after Ned. Completely ignoring Sujiro.

Sujiro was ahead of Ned. He pushed himself to his right, blocking the lanky hunter. Sujiro then ducked, sweeping the hunter's foot.

The lanky hunter stumbled before falling, head first. It was a simple sweep from a rouge, yet the lanky hunter seemed to have lost his coordination. His head hit a rock, blood flowed from a deep cut above his eyebrows. He laid still, unmoving.

"I repeat," Sujiro pronounced. "We are under the quest from the Association."

Silence shrouded the two remaining hunters. Uncaring what happened to their team.

Suddenly, the warrior with a broad sword jumped. His landing was toward Ned. His massive blade flying midair like a comet ready to do devastating damage on the ground.

Sujiro jumped backward, and Ned followed. t

Then the blade roared as it hit the ground.

Smoke, pebbles, dust, and rabbles flew midair. The ground seemed to crack like a spider's web.

As the aftermath of the strike settled, the warrior stood with his blade resting on his shoulder, blood dripping. Again, uncaring as one of their teammate was under his foot—dead. The massive blade cut to half their ally. Entrails, fats, bones, and tissues scattered the splintered ground.

"Moraki's incarnate!" Sujiro shouted. He flicked his wrist, then a dual knife appeared out of thin air, held by both of his hands. He brandished it midair, and disappeared, and was thrown as the other hunter, with saber as a weapon, vanished from his spot and intercepted Sujiro with a blur.

Ned heard a loud thud behind him, Sujiro hit a tree then slump to the ground, motionless.

The hunter with saber appeared in front of Ned. No necklaces they wore, no rank to analyze.

"W-where," he muttered. Forcing himself to speak. "W-where." He paused. For the third time, he said, "W-where Gogmurch?"