22 Difficulty (1/2)

”Huh... It's so eerie here...” Zohar commented on the mountain gap that the team had just entered.

Gulp.

”Yes, it is.” Aurel nervously replied while gulping. She, who usually bickering with Zohar, this time must agree with him.

Previously, Melissa decided to bring in her team into the mountain gap in order to get through the mountains as quickly as possible.

At this time, the team has entered a few steps inside the gap.

The gap is extremely dark, almost can be said as a cave. The inside is only dimly lighted by the sunlight that penetrated through the cracks in the ceiling above team heads.

The passage within the gap is wide enough for several people to pass at once. The area around which the team traveled was filled with many attributes and variety of broken things scattered on the ground such as, swords, shields, broken arrows, debris and many more.

The team was also able to see some rotten corpse and bones among the things. Some were still wrapped in their incomplete clothing. Those things seem to have been here undisturbed for a long time.

”Very strange isn't it?” Steven suddenly muttered.

”What is it, boy?” Sasha asked. She is rude as usual.

Steven did not mind that, instead, he continued speaking ”Well... There is a lot of rotten corpses here, but it doesn't smell bad at all.”

Certainly, the other members also did not smell any kind of bad or rotten fragrances.

”Mel, do we really proceed or what...?” Dina asked Melissa softly.

Melissa nodded her head while gazing at the dark ravine in front of her.

”Right... We should. We need to get into that village at least before nightfall.” she replied with confidence and serious tone.

Swing!

The sound came from Victor and Ryson direction, as both of them drew their respective weapon after they heard Melissa's order.

It looks like both of them have a different fighting style, judging from different personal weapons they have.

Ryson is wielding a large silverish two-handed sword with his both hand. The sword itself is a top Rare - grade weapon.

Meanwhile, the one who is particularly eye-catching was Victor. He wields a long Warhammer that is beautifully and glamorously decorated but at the same time still looked menacing.

The Warhammer itself extremely large and heavy, but it seems suited to Victor's huge and fit body.

The weapon also radiating a dim white aura that enveloped its body, signified that this Warhammer is definitely not just an ordinary weapon.

The Warhammer is none other the famous [Radiant Star], one of the most treasured regalia belong to the Greysia Church. A Legendary - grade weapon that can only be given to and wielded by the Church Saint rank expert.

The rest of the members also readying their weapons and they couldn't help but take a glance at Victor who looked absolutely gallant and heroic.

The combination of his huge muscled body, along with his white colored knight armor and a certified Legendary - grade weapon really attracted admiration from other team members. Of course, Victor's Saint rank strength is also one of the factors as well.

It's not their fault, though. Most of them had never seen a Saint rank expert wielding a Legendary grade weapon from close up before. Even Melissa also couldn't help herself but gasp in awe at the sight of Victor now.

As expected from exalted Saint rank warrior, they were truly different.

But Arno didn't seem to share other's enthusiasm. Although there is a bit of appreciation in his eye as he looks at Victor.

As the other member already had their weapons in hands, he also needs to follow suits.

Then, he unsheathed the [Levantine] and holding it leisurely with his right hands. Drawing other people attention to his direction.

This is the first time for them seeing Arno drew his sword, that he always has kept on its sheath since the start of the journey.

They were amazed at the sight of it. [Levantine] jet black edge is flickering a black and red lightning color alternatingly. Also, there is a subtle invisible ominous pressure that came from it as well, making any people who stand near the sword feels little restless and dreadful.

Most people here couldn't discern the sword's true power, and they were having difficulties in knowing its quality. Except for Victor and Aurel who is a White Elves that very sensitive to Mana or Energia movements, they can immediately recognize the true worth of the [Levantine] just from observing its magical properties.

Just like the [Radiant Star], the [Levantine] is a Legendary - grade weapon, which is definitely among the rarest weapons in all of the Greysia realm. Even Victor is somehow sure Arno's weapon power is not less than his own [Radiant Star].

Victor fixed his keen gazes at Arno and thinking. He thought an individual who possessed that kind of overbearing weapon should obviously a famous or at least, a known expert, and he or she must also come from a reputable faction. But he never heard of Arno or at least someone who matched his description before.

In fact, before the Church's team joined Melissa's team, they actually try to gather every intelligence about each member of her team. While they easily found every bit of information about the members of Melissa's team, thanks to each member relatively known names. They couldn't find anything about this particular unknown man named Arno.

His history, origin, or affiliation, nothing at all.

The only information they possessed about him was gained after they had joined under Melissa's command. Through Melissa and her team members, they know Arno is supposedly coming from Miraz Island, the home of the famous and reclusive Regios clan.

Of course, as high ranking Church members, Victor along with Ryson and Rionne obviously knows about the clan. Even Steven has at least little knowledge about them. But whether Arno is, in fact, a member of the Regios clan or not nobody knows for certain, as the man himself is really vague about it.

When Arno's presumable strength, which is a peak Grandmaster rank was known to Luccio, Ryson, and Steven, they were flabbergasted. Because of his tall and masculine but youthful fit appearance can only make other people regard him as a 30 years old human male. Which extremely young for a Grandmaster expert and not to mention, a peak Grandmaster.

They thought that if it's true. Then, he was just steps away from the ultimate Saint rank.

Ryson immediately recovered his composure, he already somewhat thought about it after he had witnessed the confrontation between Arno and Victor back in Esnoz. But to hear it directly seem still shocking enough for him.

While Victor already expecting that. No one has ever defeated him in Mana projection battle before. So it makes sense for Arno to have that kind of strength.

But there is something strange about Rionne after she heard it. Even now, she's staring directly at Arno's face with indescribable and mysterious gazes. Nobody knows what she's thinking.

After receiving mixed gazes from other people, he felt a little bit annoyed. This [Levantine] he brought, still attracted a lot of attention. But he didn't have any other option, as he didn't have any other weapons that are lower quality than the one which currently on his hand. [Levantine] is the weakest and the least conspicuous weapon in his possession. In the end, he can only ignore those attentions.

But after that, he took a peek at Victor, who also stares at him. And they exchanged nods to each other.

Victor then turns his vision towards Melissa ”Lady Melissa, I think we should proceed with caution. And they exchanged nods to each other.” and he warned her.