Chapter 39 - Night Raid (1/2)
Their current location was the Blue Misty Forest, as they felled some trees in order to build a ship to cross the Stymphalion Lake.
“It’s so much harder when the Boss isn’t around.”
“Nothing to do about it since he said that he will be gone for a little while.”
Lee Jaesung and Jung Sanghoon spoke as sweat poured down their faces. Unlike in the past, the party’s mood was rather somber.
Even if it had been a few days since they had lost their friends, none had forgotten that battle.
“Let me help you big sister.”
“Huh? No it’s fine, you are playing your Flute after all.”
Yoo Kayoung smiled back at Song Anna as she loaded a log onto the cart.
Her Flute’s buff was very useful in these kinds of situations.
“Still…”
“What are you worried about?”
Yoo Kayoung wiped the sweat off her brow as she approached Song Anna, who lowered her face with a dark expression.
“It’s nothing.”
“I’ve told you many times now, it wasn’t your fault. Stop beating yourself up over it.”
Song Anna felt guilty for being the one that was held hostage by Inoue.
As her heart felt heavy, Ahri, who was sitting next to her, raised her head and wagged her tail.
“You see, now Ahri is bored. Start playing the Flute again.”
“...”
Song Anna’s mood cheered up a bit seeing Ahri’s cute antics.
She resumed playing her Flute, falling into a trance as the time flew by. Soon after they had finished cutting down the trees.
[...Come here.]
She heard a soft whisper.
Startled, Song Anna spun around, but there was no one there.
“Who...who are you?”
It wasn’t the first time that this voice that was nothing but a soft whisper spoke to her.
[Come here.]
The voice was a bit clearer. At the same time Ahri stood up and ran in a certain direction.
“Hey! Ahri!”
Panicking, Song Anna chased after her. In truth it wasn’t that dangerous since all the monsters had already been taken care of. If ever she was to get lost, she could always use a Return Stone to arrive back at the Fortress.
“Where were you headed huh? Bad Ahri.”
Song Anna picked her up and scolded her. Still, rather than focusing on her, Ahri was staring straight ahead.
Naturally, Song Anna also followed her gaze.
“A rock…?”
There was a large rock in the middle of the forest.
[Please release us from this rock.]
“Why is it that you are locked up in there?”
[An evil witch cursed us, binding us to this rock.]
This forest had been an ideal place for the Witch’s hideout, and she had bound the Undines to the rock with a Magic Array.
[The others can’t hear us.]
Only an innocent child who had yet been corrupted by the world could commune with a spirit.
It was an ability which could only be discovered by trying.
Song Anna went ahead and destroyed the array, following the Undine’s instructions.
[Place the fox on the rock.]
The white fox had the innate ability to weaken the Witch’s magic. It didn’t take long for the rock to split open, causing a soothing blue energy to burst out.
[Thanks to you we are now free.]
As the mist in the forest began to clear, Song Anna who had been hugging onto Ahri, saw some white text appear before her.
[Hidden Class: Child Blessed by the Seven Stars]
[Intimacy with Spirits increased by 25%]
[Due to the Undine’s blessing, the First Star has risen]
[You can now commune with Spirits and summon them to the Material Plane.]
“What, what is this?”
Song Anna stood there with her mouth agape.
The Undine emitted a blue aura as she sat upon her shoulder.
[You are our friend, and have thus been Chosen.]
“What happens if I summon you to this plane, giving you a real body?”
[I have no idea, want to give it a try?]
Song Anna nodded back.
As soon as she completed the contract with Undine, they were both bathed in a blue light.
Soon after a little girl with blue hair appeared and was of a similar age to Song Anna
“Uh…..oh…”
“Since you’ve made a contract with me, although I don’t know if I can be of much help, I will follow you from now on.”
The Undine stared at Song Anna with a smile.
* * *
In front of the Fortress’ Fountain, a slim Chinese woman interrogated her prisoners.
“So you refuse to talk until the very end?”
“I really just don’t know anything about Chun Woohyuk….”
The prisoners that had been captured were all subordinates that served under other Bronze Crown leaders and had no intel on Woohyuk.
Although they repeatedly claimed to not know anything about Chun Woohyuk, Liang Tsuyu didn’t believe them.
“A Silver Crowned Leader that only has 10 subordinates… do you guys think you can joke around with me because I am a woman?”
“I heard they are an elite group…”
“Ha, this is a waste of time. Looks like I will need to meet him myself in order to learn more.”
Liang Tsuyu sighed, after which an aide of hers asked.
“What should we do with them?”
“Put them all in the Labor Camp, regardless of whether they are men or women.”
Ever since Inoue had died, Liang Tsuyu had forbidden any prostitution.
Of course there were still some women who continued to sell their bodies in secret, but at the very least the brothel and the sexist atmosphere it created was gone.
Now that she had settled all internal problems, how to win the main battle was still quite the headache.
Due to the loss of two Silver Crown Leaders, their faction was in quite the tough spot.
“We need some sort of special tactic, something that can swing the momentum back in or favor.”
“Why don’t we try a sneak attack during the night?”
Lately the Red Faction had been rather passive, so there hadn’t been any major conflicts during the day or night.
Aside from Chun Woohyuk’s last invasion, that is.
“We have no choice but to do that.”
“Yes, even if it isn’t anything huge, at least it will stop the enemy’s momentum.”
“Alright, gather all the leaders, we will hold a strategy meeting.”
Following her command, her subordinates were darted in their own direction.
While she sat on the near fountain, pulled out her Estoc (1)
A scar running down her cheek was reflected on her blade’s surface.
‘Just you wait Chun Woohyuk, I’ll take your head tonight.’
It had been a few weeks since she had arrived in this new world, and she had to fight and claw her way to her current position.
After putting so much effort in growing her own personal power, when she stopped to look around, she noticed that she was stronger than any other man and became her group's Leader.
If it was a one-on-one duel, she had some confidence.