Helena Elsbeth was quick to learn that they had more in common with the timid mage demonkin girl. And Valentina Kavardan was incredibly far away from her homeland. And the swordmaiden wondered what the actual reason was.

  Late in the evening, the two girls sat at the table bending with food and drinks. Even looking from afar, one could see that their demeanors contrasted sharply. One radiated pure joy and confidence. With a smirk playing on her small, elegant lips, the woman reveled in the satisfaction of proving her skills. While the other woman had her wide red eyes gleaming with relief. She was just glad that her troubles had evaporated by the swift strike of her savior.

  Yet it was the complimentary stay at the company that Valentina found herself enjoying the most. Specifically due to a ‘courtesy’ of her aggressor.

  “What a peculiar reason to be here. I’m sorry to hear that, and I get that your house has lost standing within your kingdom. But I’m not sure how you plan to reinstate the good name here.” Helena shrugged her shoulders and looked around while she inquired. “This is basically the den of, oh, never mind…” Leaning forward with a mix of curiosity and concern for her newfound friend.

  “Yeah, that is the main reason. And until recently it was not working well for me. That is until you showed up.” Valentina replied, her voice tinged with a bittersweetness as she added. “I find this a good change. Let me tell you more.” She managed a smile as she looked into her eyes.

  “There was massive fallout within the house of Cavardan. My father was framed with treason. Labeled as the spy within the nation. Unheard of!” The timid woman jerked and then lowered her gaze, clutching her hands to her knees.

  “It was most likely an act of revenge or done for political gain. My noble lineage was one of the powerful houses in the service of the crown for generations, so it came down as a shock. It’s not a trivial matter. Where I came from, treason means death for the entire lineage, no matter how small or big.” Helena saw the other woman shiver.

  “But the evidence was not so clear-cut. Our family avoided the cleansing, but barely, thanks to a few loyal friends. Still, my father, the patriarch, was thrown into a dungeon, and our whole lineage was stripped of our ranks as nobles until we can regain our honor or have clear counterevidence. Most of our family assets were seized by the crown. And they are slowly distributing those among the other noble houses.

  “Bunch of hungry vultures!” The demokin girl stomped on the table with her clutched tiny fist, while her eyes burst with the flaming gleam of crimson. But immediately, her shoulders slumped while her eyes shimmered with sparkling tears. It was more than evident she had yet to come to terms with all of that.

  Deep down Helena found the whole teary story difficult to believe. She was coming from a noble family herself, even though of such an insignificant standing within the Empire. She could not imagine a prominent family would be so easily disposed of unless the accusations were real. But she knew how ruthless and fast to act the demonkin folks were. The Kingdom of Gravitas was nothing like the progressive Crleen Empire.

  From the opposite side of the table, she once again evaluated Valentina. I’ve heard more than once that the females of her race are extremely timid and fragile, but like this? They are indeed in striking contrast to the fierce and imposing male counterparts. Those guys look ruthless.

  But maybe I'm overthinking it too much. I only saw them before around the streets of Whitenglade. While the demonkin male warriors were just legendary for their ruthlessness during the two-hundred-year war of the Old Continent. How come their women are so gentle? Is it some kind of fetish of theirs?! She felt that for a moment she lost the thread of her thoughts, leading her astray. She had to return to reality.

  “Well, okay. I understand now,” Helena said, her tone mild with hints of hesitation.

  “Your cause is just, I get it. But do you really think you can achieve that with such an attitude? Do you even know how much you have to work for that? Like, really put your sorry ass to work. Real hard labor. Not some staying in the comfortable wing of your mansion with servants and wine.” She drilled with her gaze right through the girl’s big red eyes, with an expression blended with intrigue and skepticism.

  “Oh, well, when you put it like that. You see, there is, in fact, not so much.” Valentina responded, her eyes lighting up as hope sparkled within her. “There exists this ancient law, a decree in the kingdom of Gravitas. Any noble can reinstate their family name by accomplishing a notable enough deed. It’s the kind of indulgence and one of the sacred rights.” The timid woman lifted her head and leaned forward, with her wide, dark ruby eyes sparkling.

  “There are multiple ways to do this. One, of course, is to become an S-rank adventurer. No one would even dream of having a beef with you. This is definitely beyond my reach, and even trying would eat up decades upon decades of time. So the most realistic one from the adventuring path is to subjugate a Legendary Class beast and simply present the exploits to the royal family treasury. And that’s what I’m aiming for.” The demonkin fell back into her seat once again, clutching her pristine white staff with the cyan concentrating stone.

  Helena leaned back slightly, crossing her arms as she tried to process what she just heard. Her eyes were slowly dancing from side to side, and the growing shadows jiggled over her expression.

  “Huh, how usual. This world revolves only around fame and power.” The long-haired woman stated with a cold tone as she looked at the other woman. “Yet there is this thing. I still don’t understand. How do you even plan to achieve all of this when you can’t even stand up for yourself? A single mongrel managed to push you around like that. Do you expect me to believe that you can stand in front of a legendary creature?” She took a sip from her mug with a loud slurp, raising her eyebrow.

  The awkward silence fell as both women could now hear the loud animation noises around them and the chit-chat of adventurers.

  “W-well…” Valentina hesitated, her voice growing steadier as she mustered some determination. “Anyway, I came to Veloos hoping to join a party. I may not be that good at fighting, that’s true. But believe me when I tell you. I can provide significant support.” She pointed at her staff. “One of the best you have ever seen!”

  A proud smile appeared on the smooth, filled face. “Even though I’m just a C-rank adventurer specializing in ice magic. And, don’t you say anything about C-rank being too low. Just let me explain how this works. Most of my spells are at B-rank, with a few at the brink of reaching A-rank. While my magic proficiency already reached an A-level.” She opened her palm as the thousands of small ice crusts danced at the tip of her fingers and rotated around the staff. Helena could feel the chilling cold even from the distance.

  “The problem is that I struggle alone in actual fights. With a body like this, I’m pretty sure you realize that vitality is not my standout trait. I solely specialize in offense and support spells, so I barely have any defensive magic. And most A-rank mages would envy my mana reserves even in the middle of the ladder. I’m not exaggerating!” The girl jumbled a few last words fast, getting winded, breathing loudly as she finally finished her monologue on a very confident note.

  Helena’s expression shifted as she considered what Valentina told her, a blend of skepticism slowly softening into a thoughtful acceptance. The woman grimaced, engulfed in thoughts. She’s saying she’s the perfect glass-mage.

  “Hmm… You suddenly sound so confident. But I can tell from a glance that your staff should be fit for only high-class-level mages. So I’ll consider it proof of your words, at least for now.” The flowing long-haired woman paused as she sighed and added. “I was actually looking for someone to join me. And magical support would be more than welcome. Did you play the victim to get to me? Was this your plan all along?”

  For a moment the timid girl's features shifted to a mix of anxiety and rage as someone passed, casting a looming shadow over the demonkin girl. Must be the shadows. As the young woman was now chuckling loudly, covering her mouth with her small palm.

  “You nearly got me there! Just kidding, it was not my intention at all, I was just kind of bothered at that time.” Valentina’s eyes glinted with pure, unrefined joy. She jumped from her seat, filled with anticipation. “And YES! That would be wonderful for us to team up!” She shouted, throwing her hands over the table. The dishes jumped slightly into the air, slightly ringing.

  “Alright, alright! Just relax. There's no need to be so expressive.” Helena tried to calm her down.

  “I’ll welcome you to my party. What could even be the reason I would like to avoid such a hassle? Just remember, I will not be your babysitter, and in fact, I’m quite demanding. The beasts out there are no laughing matter.” Helena crossed her hands, leaned closer, and playfully winked with a half-serious expression on her face.

  “I vow to do my absolute best. And no need to worry, I know how this works. Thank you so much!” Valentina exclaimed, her smooth white face igniting with a tint of rosy blush. “But since we are becoming a party, I want to come completely clean.”

  The swordmaiden tilted her head, questioning. So the timid woman leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “There are even a few healing and skill-enhancing spells in my arsenal too. You know, I used to be the talk of the Gravitas Royal Magic Academy back in the day!”

  “What?!” Helena gasped, immediately lowering her tone and covering her mouth, as her eyebrows shot up with surprise. “That is incredible! Why didn’t you mention it right away? You made me ponder. I was seriously considering turning you down.”

  “You were? Oh, so this was my secret weapon then, if I did not earn the spot.” The young demonkin playfully brushed it off.

  The swordmaiden continued to think about all the newly revealed possibilities. “This… This! It will be great, as I’ll handle the heavy fighting with your support. That sounds excellent, but first, we’ll need to put those spells of yours to the real test.” A strategic glint sparked in the woman’s sharp brown eyes as the idea popped into her mind.

  “Oh, I see. No worries, I’m ready whenever. Tell me, what’s your plan?” Valentina asked, her enthusiasm evident. But her eyes still rested only on the beautiful blue stone necklace with a silver chain over Helena's neck.

  “Well, that’s pretty easy. We just need to take a few medium-grade extermination quests. And… But, anyway, that's the task for tomorrow.” She suddenly snapped out of her thoughts.

  “For tonight, let’s just enjoy ourselves. With this free meal! Drink up, cheers!” Helena declared it delightful, raising her mug with a warm smile.

  “I see no reason to refuse. Cheers!” Valentina echoed as she finally let go of her staff, setting it slightly to the side. The young woman’s face was swirling with hope as their mugs met with a thud and a splash. A newfound partnership was forming in the dim light of the evening in a bustling, adventurer-filled tavern.

  The evening passed swiftly, turning into the deep of the night. As the young women took their good time feasting, drinking, and chatting.

  Helena was genuinely surprised to learn that Valentina was a whole two years older than her. Strangely enough, that revelation did not alter her perception of her. To Helena, Valentina resembled a teen lost and in need of assistance from the adults, one of the other reasons she offered her helping hand in the first place.

  The women shared stories of their pasts as they discussed their dreams and aspirations, including the challenges they had yet to face.

  Despite that, Helena’s initial impression of Valentina was far from favorable. The more she learned, the more sympathy she felt towards the other girl. Yet there was still a strange feeling creeping inside her. Somehow she felt a peculiar connection to the demonkin. What can this be? It must be the alcohol, for sure…

  The swordmaiden saw Valentina as someone who required protection and assistance. So Helena realized that it was her need to care for someone, to reconnect with parts of herself she had lost along the way. She expected that it could help her regain the sense of identity and connection with the world she pushed away for quite some time. Part of the weight was lifted from her shoulders.

  Huh, yeah. This must be how I can reach that destination I’ve set for myself. Maybe grandfather was right after all. She recalled his words about the importance of having reliable people around. A band of trusty comrades. “Tis hard to live one’s life alone,” the fleshy, sinewy, gray-haired man used to say. She had to learn it herself.

  The beautiful young woman’s laugh rang like a whispering bell in the morning, finally deafening Helena’s worries as she enjoyed this moment to the fullest.

  Yet one thing still managed to creep into her focus. The real work starts tomorrow…

  After completing her morning fencing, Helena approached the quest board. The stunning woman carefully studied the board and chose a mission. Fortunately no one dared to block her way, and the usual commotion stopped with her approach.

  She went to the clerk and registered for the assignment. The administrator was remarkably efficient, as always. Missing no details and finishing all the paperwork in a heartbeat.

  “So I’ve picked our first quest,” she told Valentina with a smirk when she returned to her.

  “Can’t wait, out with it!” The demokin looked like a puppy with those massive eyes waving her tail.

  “Nothing too fancy. We just have to exterminate the blood-wolf pack out in the wild. Reports indicate that a small group has crossed over into the northeast area out of the Borok Mountain Range to the Gelaming Forest. They are now causing trouble for lumberjack and mining operations.”

  “Nice, our first assignment together! But aren’t those extremely dangerous and territorial creatures? Their fangs are like the best tempered steel, and they have incredible speed for their size. And their coordinated pack tactics are one of the most cohesive around for the beasts,” Valentina briefly summarized, recalling the bestiary she had studied during her time at the Magic Academy.

  “Oh, quite the memory you have. And that's why this is the perfect opportunity for us to test our party. Especially your area-of-effect skills. Normally a B-rank could take on this assignment, but that is for a solo hunt. Since we are a party that consists of a C-rank and an A-rank, there is not a single reason for them to deny us.” Hellena shrugged as she scratched her head, her thoughts filled with the excitement of the real action ahead. This was, in fact, her first outing in Vellos. You can’t know until you try.

  “How do we get there?” The demonkin girl asked, looking at the assignment papers. “The place is quite far from here.”

  “I’ve already arranged for that. We’ll take one of the carriages heading to the mining operation at the edge of the mountain range. We can simply disembark halfway. From that point, it will take us just an hour to reach the place.” Helena’s eyes were deadly fixed on the yellowed map with some fresh markings.

  “Oh, that’s nice. Since it’s settled, then let’s go.” Valentina made a small jump as the two girls strolled out of the main entrance of the Adventurer’s company. A few onlookers gazed at their backs. It was quite the unusual pairing around these parts.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  The wooden carriage slowly rolled along the road as its metal suspension creaked and clanged on the uneven, bumpy surface. Leaving the clouds of dust hanging in the air in its wake.

  At the start, farms and windmills dotted the landscape, along with wooden houses where mostly hunters, farmers, butchers, and apothecaries resided. Certain more sturdy and fancy homes served as the bases of operations for various famed parties.

  However, less than an hour into the journey, a thick forest enveloped both sides of the path. The sun remained high in the sky, and the air was refreshingly clear despite the road dust covering the way. No one bothered to lay cobbles here, yet the road became surprisingly even. The axle moved softly now, and there were hardly any sounds apart from the quiet mumbling between the driver and a guard.

  Helena, the leader of this group of two adventurers, briefed Valentina on the techniques they had to use while confronting the pack of blood wolves. Now that she understood the combination of skills in their party's possession, it was much easier to devise a working strategy.

  However, she still wanted Valentina to utilize more than one spell and to avoid engaging the pack too quickly. It was a crucial part of her plan to see what the demonkin mage was truly capable of.

  She was going as far as thinking to evaluate the young woman’s healing capabilities. Yet intentionally getting hurt in such a dangerous place was pure madness. The swordmaiden knew all too well that this was no longer the safe heart of the empire.

  With the Land of the Beasts so close, one could never be certain which monster had crossed over the border. That was aside from the existence of hidden caves and dungeons across this entire territory.

  Here, one could never afford to lower their guard. The environment was merciless, ready to crush and devour the yawning. That’s why this place was an ideal backdrop for those seeking to test their strength, facilitate their stagnated growth, or earn the hefty coin.

  The only drawback was that such endeavors were basically gambling with their life, a quite usual thing for adventurers. Yet the stakes could not be higher. But at the end of the day, this was the price many were willing to pay, and there were countless who paid it in full. Never to open their eyes again.

  Regardless of whether one was human, elf, demonkin, beastfolk, or lizardman, noble or orphan. In death, all were equal. The ultimate equalizer for all.

  Those thoughts constantly bugged at the young woman’s head on their way. However, there was another crucial element that Helena always knew: the importance of choosing one’s allies and friends with utmost care.

  This treacherous world they inhabited was rife with power-hungry scoundrels and traitors. All the time lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to plunge a dagger into one’s back and seize their hard-earned possessions. Fortunately, the Groodberth Knights were quick to deliver justice to the offenders. That is, if they were able to find them.

  Valentina listened closely to Helena's words, with a sly shadow of a smirk playing on her lips, as her gaze occasionally fell over the other woman’s jewelry.

  Without noticing the passage of time, they were already due to disembark. After wishing the men good luck on the rest of the road, both ventured forth. It took them just as long as expected to navigate the narrow trail and get deeper into the forest. They reached the abandoned lumbering site marked on their map.

  It looked like the pack had already established their territory and were more than comfortable staying around here. Some bones and gnawed carcasses were lying around, as well as multiple bloodied drapes. Must be the fleeing workers. They had already lost a few by that time.

  They were able to do as much as blink, and the entire pack had already encircled them. Growling at the intruders, with saliva dripping down their muzzles while they bared their teeth.

  But the girls did not waver. They were ready to make quick work of the wolf pack that had threatened them. Helena watched with admiration as Valentina showcased her remarkable magical prowess.

  With a sweeping motion of her hand, the timid demonkin woman conjured an imposing ice wall that immobilized half of the snarling beasts. Their furious howls were muffled by the shimmering barrier as their paws froze to the ground.

  Then, with fluid grace, she followed up with a rain of shining, prickling ice shards that rained down upon the remaining foes. Each sharp, arrow-like ice lance found its mark with clinical precision, hitting right at the neck or between the eyes. Ending the dangerous beasts lives with a chilling calm.

  Yet, the one was still standing. The leader of the pack had no intentions of dying from such basic spells. The fiend was huge, nearly three times the size of the normal one. It once again demonstrated its hostility with the gritted sharp teeth and shiny fangs. As it howled, both of the women felt the chilling fear slowly creeping down their spines.

  But the dusk air still crackled with energy, vibrating with the remnants of demongirl spellcasting. The swordmaiden sped forward to meet the beast, shielding the mage.

  Without a hint of hesitation, Helena concentrated. As soon as her katana was drawn from its sheath, she darted forward like a bolt. Swift and sharp death befell the bloodthirsty blood-wolf alpha as she cut it into pieces with the lightning crackling at the edge of her blade.

  The beast was dispatched in less than a heartbeat, its dark form falling lifelessly on the ground in two perfectly sliced pieces.

  Afterward the woman simply shook the blood off from the tip of her katana, and she sheathed it with the perfectly aligned, rehearsed motion. She turned back to her companion.

  “Excellent work, Valentina! Color me impressed. You did not lie about your skills. Your spells hold some serious firepower, if I may say so myself.” Helena chuckled while she noted jesting at the mage, yet approval was evident in her voice.

  “Hah, that’s a nice one. Firepower with ice, I’ll find something to get back at your steel. But on the matter of praise, I thank you,” Valentina replied, her gaze wandering around, as if to see nothing was lurking within the tree shadows.

  “I think I was just too confident with you covering my back. And I’m not sure that I would be able to take down the alpha.” Her eyes sparkled with a mix of gratitude and curiosity as she looked up.

  “Ahhh, maybe some other time. Since we are finished here, all that is left is to skin the carcasses. You have a knife on you?” Helena questioned, crouching beside one of the dead beasts. The rich, earthy-metallic scent of blood mingled with the cool air in her nostrils as the shadowmaiden prepared to begin her work with the curved dagger.

  “Oh, w-well… About that…” The mage girl stumbled with words, her voice tinged with embarrassment.

  “I’m not killed at all with tasks. It’s a bit humiliating for an adventurer, I know. But I was always relying on others in such cases, you know.” She kept talking, shifting from one leg to another, as Helena looked back over her shoulder.

  “Would it be alright if I just observed from a distance and kept an eye on our surroundings for now? I promise that I’ll learn to do it. You will show me. But I don't have the change of clothes yet, and this robe is quite white.” She drew her staff closer to her chest with a silly look on her face.

  “Ah, yeah, right. After seeing your spells, I forgot you were a sheltered princess. That’s how you still are,” Helena replied, a mix of disapproval and amusement in her tone. “Arkh, it’s far from ideal in terms of speed. However, since you did most of the killing, we will still do an even split for the rewards. But you owe me a drink and a meal!”

  “Of course! That sounds reasonable, and sorry once again.” Valentina smiled, relief washing over her as she nodded. Releasing the grip on the staff ever so slightly.

  Helena got to work with the carcasses. She took them one by one, throwing a few exchanges back and forth with Valentina in the process.

  Just when she was nearly halfway done, something changed. She suddenly felt the chill crawling from behind, and immediately the cold was running in her veins.

  The ground below her and around a radius of at least ten paces turned into the shining ice crust. All the leftover carcasses were frozen over.

  Helena tried to turn around. Her leg slipped on the extremely smooth surface, and she fell on her back, barely able not to hit her elbows in the process. But when her bare hands touched the ice, she froze solid to the ground. Rendered half-immobilized in the weird pose, a part of her long hair was stuck to the icy surface.

  “What the hell?” She screamed.

  The woman twisted and jerked but was unable to get free. What’s happening? The ice?! What in the fucking hell happened? Helena was taken completely by surprise. The puzzlement in her mind only grew.

  I’m stupid. That bitch. The realization washed over Helena like the cold of the ice underneath. I should not have trusted her. But what’s the reason? Was it her plan all along, but what the hell does she want to gain? What can be the reason? I have nothing of real value, and the spoils are pure basic shit. Don’t tell me it’s some kind of personal grudge against me or humans. That’s what you get for being trusting, stupid! Was it all just the show? Does she work together with that ugly bastard?!

  Her head was filled with questions without answers. Valentina stepped closer, towering over the captured woman, with a massive grin on her face.

  “I can’t believe how easily you fell for such basic tricks. You’re so silly! Still, I must admit, I found my performance quite entertaining! Ha ha!” The demonkin’s laugh echoed through the forest, a sharp sound cutting through the air like a knife aimed at Helena.

  As she lay there, staring with wide-open eyes at her traitor. Disbelief, anger, and dismay were interchanging on her face like the coming of tides. “You… how… How could you do this? Was everything you told me a lie?” The voice of the skilled swordmaiden trembled, a mixture of shock and grievance threading through her words.

  “Oh no, no, my dear. Pretty much everything was true. But how did you even believe that someone of my stature would be so utterly incompetent? Hah!” She jerked her head, fixing the locks of her blue hair behind her horns.

  “Thinking logically, I suppose, it makes sense. Considering you never even saw proper nobility with that pathetic family of yours!” Valentina's words dripped with disdain, her arrogance palpable as she surveyed the stuck swordmaiden.

  “What did you say?! Say it again, you small prickly bitch! Don’t you dare look down on my family! What do they have to do with any of this? And what the hell do you even want from me?” The woman screamed.

  “You know I don’t have any wealth worth risking your life over. And the entire spoils for this quest are just pocket change for a middle-class adventurer!” Helena’s anger flared visibly, her face flushed, veins popped on her forehead and neck. But she managed to force herself into taking a deep breath. Remembering her master’s teachings on composure. She gritted her teeth, slightly biting her tongue as she controlled the impulse.

  “That’s none of you… I mean, technically it is. Just hand over that pendant around your neck. After that I’ll be on my way. In all honesty, I do not want to really hurt you.” The demonkin declared, her tone dismissive as she narrowed her eyes, seemingly unfazed by Helena’s attempts to weasel out and get free.

  “Wait! Did I hear it right? Is this all just because of this mere pendant?” She pointed to the simple blue stone silver necklace.

  “You must be messing with me. What the hell! Why do you even need it? It’s not magical or anything. This is simply a family heirloom my grandfather gifted me after my first evaluation at the Company!” Helena's voice rose, her expression shifting from anger to disbelief, and she wanted to touch the pendant as if to reassure herself of its presence. Yet, her hands were tight.

  “Your family heirloom?” Came the puzzled reply with a furrowed face. “So your family must be thieves. They have stolen it! That is a blue agate engraved with the ancient symbol of the Kavardan collateral branch family. You would never possess anything so precious while living in that decayed house of yours.” Valentina's agitation surged, her voice growing sharp and accusing.

  “Why?! What do you even know about it? Thieves, my ass. This has been in the family for generations. What a lot of bullcrap you had to come up with,” Helena shot back, her heart racing. Nothing made sense to her anymore as her mind was getting colder by the moment.

  “I have no time for those foolish questions. Give it to me now!” Valentina just snapped, anger in her voice. Her patience was running thin.

  “Come and get it yourself. My hands are stuck. Are you somehow mentally disabled?” The swordmaiden shouted back at the young woman.

  “Watch me come then! And choke on it!” The timid demonkin raised a hand, beginning to conjure an elongated ice arrow that was slowly moving towards the stuck swordmaiden. The air crackled with a cold intensity that sent waves of shivers down the defenseless woman’s spine.

  Helena felt the time was running out. I have to do something about it. Her spells are just far too powerful, and she got me pinned down. I can't feel my hands. Think, think, what can I do? There has to be an opening.

  She gathered all her strength and concentrated. Strengthening her body with the aura, she redirected the flow into her hand. Jerking it with all the force she had, it budged as she left some skin stuck to the ice. It did not matter. With the help of her hand, she was able to quickly set herself entirely free.

  But it was already too late. The dozen spiked ice arrows were already hovering over and around her. Twisting and turning, she rolled over, avoiding few of the spikes. She even managed to break a bunch, but both his limbs and her mind were still frozen, too slow to move.

  Small shards and pieces hit her face, poking through the skin and leaving small bleeding wounds that felt burning with cold like hell.

  Valentina tensed her muscles. She broke all the other arrows on the flight with masterful strokes of her katana.

  She was immediately on her feet. Her right arm was the most numb from the cold and unresponsive; she threw her blade into her left hand. Despite the fact she was right-handed, using the left would not be a big disadvantage for such a skilled swordswoman as herself. Or so she thought. She noticed just now that, for an unknown reason, she felt even slower and slightly dizzy.

  “Hah, you bitch! I did not want it to get so far. But did you think those spikes were everything I was capable of?” Once again the mage girl had the upper hand.

  “Wha… What the hell did you do to me?!” Helena shook, the blade trembling in her hands, her legs wobbly. Yet she struggled even to hold her head straight.

  “Don’t strain too much, it's bad for your head. Just look at the surrounding mist. This blue fog is the byproduct of the Ice Prison that I cast earlier. Well, thanks to that, I’ve mastered the spell to a certain level. The mist has poison. A slow-acting weakening poison that seeps into your bloodstream.” Valentina looked around, admiring the scene.

  “No-no! Don’t even think about trying. In your current state, you won't be able to use your Lightning Slash.” The young mage girl shook her finger in front.

  She returned, her hands resting over her hips, standing there like a master, showcasing her superiority.

  “Damn, so vile, so shameless! You act like a child, attacking someone over a mere pendant, backstabbing at that. But you could never even dream about beating me in a fair fight. Me, who came from nothing, against you, who had everything on a silver platter. You know that…” Helena felt as if the strength was leaving her body, her vision blurred, and her head rumbled.

  “Ah, here we go again. The fortunes of the unfortunate, the riches of the poor. The morality and who earned what talks. What a bother!” Valentina clicked her tongue dismissively. As she took her staff for a spin, she prepared the next spell.

  She sighed, looking at the slowly fainting woman. “Still not sure if I have to kill you. Will you haunt me?”

  “I…” Before Helena could finish, the ground shook and vibrated.

  Suddenly, the air resounded with a ferocious boom. A bull-like roar that reverberated through the Gleaming Forest so strong and loud that it bent the trees nestled close to the Borok Mountain Range. Both women were jolted as they exchanged bewildered glances.

  It was the major oversight of this entire operation to assume that the blood-wolves suddenly crossed into the human territory. Seasoned adventurers would have already known that those were most likely fleeing from something far more terrifying. Both women were too green to even remotely recognize the ways of adventuring in those parts.

  And yet it would still require a streak of misfortune to encounter such an abomination on your first outing. The heavy, threatening breaths of the Death Minotaur Chieftain had already filled the air. An indicator of an inevitable doom gleamed in red.

  The creature entered the scene. Towering like a living, moving mountain. Its massive, bullish frame was supported by massive, powerful, tree-trunk-like legs. Long, twisted black horns jutted from its head, accentuating the beastly presence.

  Each time it exhaled, a dark, viscous goo flowed from its flared nostrils, pooling on the ground beneath. Saliva dripped from its opened mouth, with teeth stained and sharp as a jagged rock.

  An embodiment of raw, untamed power, a muscle-bound monstrosity charged with fierce mana. Ever ready to wreak devastation, wielding an enormous two-handed stone hammer. Capable of reducing a full-grown man to nothing more than a splatter of crimson on the forest floor with a single, merciless swing.

  This was a core class monster. As two women stood there, incapable of moving under pressure, primal fear ran through their veins as the creature approached.

  Within its massive chest lay a gigantic, pentagon-shaped mana crystal. A gem of immense value, amplifying its already more than scary power.

  To slay such a beast would grant even a party of ten seasoned adventurers enough riches to live in luxury for a few years. Yet, presently, it stood poised to unleash its fury upon two seemingly fragile women standing in its path.

  The girls were caught fully off guard, their senses overwhelmed and dulled by the power crushing over them. None of them had felt anything like that in their entire lifetimes. It was as if the vice clutches of doom had gripped not only their hearts but their very souls. Every fiber of their existence screamed in terror.

  An ugly creature surged forward with its sinewy legs propelling it into the air, soaring like a thunderous storm approaching. With a pulse-pounding swoosh, the hammer came crashing down, like a harbinger of doom that split the earth with the force of divine retribution. It landed precisely right in the middle, between the mage and the swordmaiden.

  Helena was barely standing as she was. Yet she somehow dodged the impending disaster with pure, honed reflexes. Flinging herself with a lightning-fast jolt to the side with nothing but desperation and hope. While Valentina managed to cast a Mana Barrier, the single chantless spell in her arsenal.

  In a violent eruption, chunks of soil, trees, and roots exploded into the surrounding air, turning the whole place into a chaotic blizzard of debris.

  The sheer impact struck both women with such overwhelming force that it felt as if the very air was being sucked from their lungs and their entrails were ripped. The aftermath was a cacophony of destruction, a sound wave roaring through their ears, crackling their senses like fragile glass.

  Blood seeped from their mouths, noses, ears, and even their eyes as their bodies crumpled to the ground, unconscious, enveloped by the grim embrace of darkness.

  This is the end, none of us getting out of this alive. Their final thoughts were identical…

  The final revision and update for RR of this chapter was done!

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