26 Masked Demons (1/2)
”Have you heard?”
In the distant cabins of the Hundred Thousand Beast Forest were students bustling around to find information, friends or seek resources.
Many students who were skilled with business predicted that a situation like this would happened and would build huts, shacks and cabins for tired adventurers.
Food, water, rope, etc could all be found there.
These places acted as locations for people to gain fame from doing a famous deed or form groups to hunt tougher monsters.
Objects that could be used to store objects were meaning corpses and meat of slained monsters would be quick to rot under the blaring ray of the sun however the business students would buy those materials at market price.
They were able to solve a problem and form connections at the same time. In general they were making a profit.
A red wine using the blood of a beast as the base was served towards the man who asked the question.
It was nothing more than a bait as he continued
”2 Gold for the information.”
The other who was teased, grumbled at the stingy man before him before flinging two shiny coins at him.
At the other end of the bar was a chuckle
”You scammed another one already?”
The man didn't reply but instead told the news to the requester.
”This will pay off. After the first few days no one had heard of them but they suddenly appeared.”
”It was a duo that caught multiple Nascent Soul Beasts. The corpses were said to be sold at this very store but the rumors continued to spread like wild fire.”
”Many hunters were blinded by greed and decided to take advantage of the duo.”
The man took a chug of his wine in an inelegant manner before continuing
”In the end a part of the forest was stained with blood where even the rain couldn't wash away the dye and the hunter's peers could sulk at their friend's foolishness.”
”Their outstanding name created a name for them. They had no uniform from a recognizable school and their face was concealed with a veil and a bamboo mask.”
”The closest one has found of their appearances was a white mask beneath their bamboo hat.”
”Eventually the mass decided to call them; Twin Masked Demons”
Sighing at the brief dialogue, the man waited for any more inquiries that the person in front of him may ask.
As if perfectly timed the hooded man asked
”Where were they last seen?”
”Hmmm, if I recall it was around.... the ravine of the south area.”
Whatever that meant the hooded man nodded before screaming.
”Dylan! Wake up, we're going now.”
Rushing out of the bar in an instant a drowsy man rubbed his eyes before groggily following after the man.
A man in the back noticed the unique insignia on the drowsy man's collar as well as the block that hung off his back.
”That sword and insignia...hmmm. Great-sword Monster Dylan?!”
The mutter that he repeated to himself left the whole bar in silence until a person chirped in
”You mean... the one that just joined the Autarch Society.”
Another slapped the head of whoever stated that as it was obvious since there was only one person who could have that name, style and organization.
...
”Can you pass me another bait?”
The voice contained a tinge of joy and a sense of happiness while the response he got was from a voice that was much deeper
”Here.”
Throwing a chunk of an animal, the man caught it without a hitch and continued to fish.
Between the two was a desolate silence that no one dared to interrupt as this tranquility was very rare in their environment.
”Ah.”
One of them had just caught a fish and struggled to pull it up until the other helped him out.
Dean was surprised at the difficulty they were facing but when he saw the faint outline of the beast he instantly grabbed his polearm and struck the water.
The head of the beast was instantly decapitated and Leonard quickly pulled up the head while Dean rushed to catch the rest of the body.
He estimated that it weighed only 13,000 kg and had the great length of less than 15m.