Chapter 88: Robbery and Blood

Chapter 88: Robbery and Blood

Stuart and the rest were trying their hardest to follow behind Prince.

As a dexterity user and often called an arrogant man, Prince didn’t care if others couldn’t catch up to him. He would simply just kill them.

His excuse was that if you couldn’t keep up with a dexterity user, you were dead. He believed in his speed, after all, it was how he survived so long throughout the chaotic ocean.

Prince placed his fist into the air as they stopped.

A bunch of youngsters stood in the distance. They all wore Wayfaring badges, and just based on the looks of them and the lack of confidence they showed, they were first or second years.

“I don’t see them.” Horace mumbled.

“Kill them all, don’t leave a single one alive,” Prince said.

He flashed forward and chopped the youngster in two with his curved blade.

One of the faster wayfarers broke off from the main group in a scramble.

Prince glanced back, his eyes remained on Stuart, before continuing his attacks.

A heavy feeling weighed down on Stuart’s chest. It was a warning, and if he didn’t do it, Prince would offer him a death sentance.

Gritting his teeth, Stuart blasted forward, hurtling toward the Wayfarer.

Although he was quick, the level difference was too much. Stuart caught up within seconds.

He turned around, his face reminded him of his friend’s young lad. Gritting his teeth, his sword cleaved down.

Stuart tried to give him the respect of a warrior, but at the last second, he tightly closed his eyes.

There was a feeling of cutting into flesh, then bone, and it continued until there was no resistance. Stuart returned without a glance at the fresh corpse.

The smell of blood and iron wafted throughout the forest.

Leena tapped her foot in rhythm as the sound of metal striking metal filled the caves.

Everyone was hard at work mining the Voidbent metal. Since it was incredibly resilient, it took a lot of effort to remove it. Although Leena was on guard duty from the gateway, she still had to help with the mining, since her strength was far greater than anyone else.

It had been a few days now, and the metal was slowly being whittled away. It wouldn’t be long now until they completely stripped it from the mine. The kobolds before them had also helped them in that process, as a lot of the raw ore was housed within the large warehouse outside the cave.

Leena glanced toward the gateway once more. It was a habit throughout the days. Although she was confident her Lady would return, the worry remained.

It was the same feeling when she had to leave for the subjugation mission, or the Wayfaring examination. It didn’t feel right being separated from her.

Astrid didn’t have many friends, but neither did she. A lower district commoner becoming a personal maid to the most powerful family in Rebirth.

The days were so lonely when she wasn’t by her side. But as a personal maid, she had to spend a lot of time on day-to-day tasks. Cleaning, organising trips that her lady wanted to go on, and training day in, day out.

The other maids had often told her to relax with the training.

She would train far into the night until vibrant blisters formed on her palm and bled. She spent most of her life with just shy of four hours of sleep every day, yet she wanted to do it.

She wanted to become strong, and thanks to her intense training. It all paid off when she was named a Sinwen Battlemaid. Then the extra training begun, to become a Wayfarer through the Sinwen administration. Thanks to that, there was no need to go on a mission for her examination.

The day they went on their first mission together was a day she wouldn’t forget for the rest of her life. The bad and the good.

“She’ll be fine,” Gloria said.

“I know,” Leena continued, “it’s just not the same without her.”

Leena took a step forward. “Astrid Sinwen is more of a warrior than you will ever hope to be. While you were getting your ass kicked by nothing but feral sea creatures and spawn,”

She glanced at his empty arm. “She was facing monsters you wouldn’t believe existed. Even as she is right now, she could stomp you into the ground.”

“Touched a sore spot, did I?” Prince said. “It’s rather cute, you know, to think you view her so highly when you are nothing but a slave.”

“Does she even reciprocate those feelings?”

“Make a move, or don’t,” Leena continued. “It doesn’t bother me.”

“Then I shall,” Prince said, and suddenly his empty sleeve filled out. “I’m sorry, but if Astrid faced me as I am now, she wouldn’t be able to last a few sword strokes.”

Once it reached the bottom, a scarlet hand peeked out from under the thick material. It was as if someone had flayed the skin from his hand, revealing nothing but muscle underneath.

Then, he shot forward at a pace that Leena could just barely keep up with.

Dense metal formed beneath her feet like tree stumps, yet his blade coiled around her lance like a snake. It threatened to slice past her throat, but a dense metal layer formed around her throat and head.

Instantly, she donned her entire body in a thick black metal.

Prince moved the strike from her throat, pulled back, and focused on a point just at her side. He struck forward in a blur of movement.

The point of the blade pierced her armour.

Leena felt a small trickle of blood seep down her body. She focused, and the mana within her body swirled to its maximum. Fragments of metal swirled around her like a vortex.

Prince dashed back, but tiny cuts had sliced into his face.

Prince grabbed hold of his chest as a maniacal laughter left his mouth. He wiped the blood from his face and lapped it up with his long, snake-like tongue.

“Kill the strongest, capture the weak.” Prince ordered.

His men shot forward as a brutal melee began. The second year mages erected defensive barriers, while the physical ranged users fired their bows.

But the level difference was too much, the fight only lasted moments. Two dead bodies fell to the ground, and the fighting stopped.

A warrior approached Froderick and swatted his thick blade to the side. His enormous hands clasped around his throat, and muffled groans entered Leena’s ears.

An unbridled rage filled her stomach, but she stopped. Gloria had taken action.

“Stop.” Gloria held a dagger to her throat. “Or else.”

Prince erupted in laughter.

“Go on then.” Prince said as he pinched his chin in amusement.

“Well, it was just to get your attention.” Gloria said, then she slit open her wrist. As her equipment touched the pouring blood, it lit up in a dim purple hue.

“One word from me,” Gloria said, “and my equipment ceases to exist. It’s why you are here, right?”

Prince frowned. He glanced into the girl’s eyes, then back to her valuable equipment. He repeatedly tapped his blade’s hilt.

“Alright, bind them.” Prince tutted.

The large man in front of Froderick grabbed hold of him, but the youngster struggled.

Prince flashed forward with his blade against his throat.

“Do not waste my kindness, child of the Oswald family.” Prince said and gazed into his eyes. “You are lucky the Forscythes are the wealthiest family on your damned ship. Thank her for saving your life.”

With the fear of death, the young Wayfarers were bound.