Volume 2 Chapter 5 Reunions And Reencounters
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”This way. Let’s go.”
”……”
She nodded silently in response to his words.
A slightly tense man led the way, followed closely by a girl whose face remained completely expressionless.
A pitch-black curtain of night had fallen, cloaking the quiet adventurer’s town.
While most of the townspeople slept, a man and woman slipped swiftly through the narrow gaps between houses, their movements urgent.
In the deep silence of night, their footsteps echoed clearly. The man, careful not to be overheard, stayed on alert, constantly scanning his surroundings.
They avoided the wide, well-lit streets on purpose, instead choosing cramped alleys as they made their way toward the gate. Their goal was to leave town under cover of darkness.
”Listen. If you sense anything approaching, say so right away.”
Their plan was to escape under the cover of midnight.
It wasn’t because of debt collectors—though in a way, the situation felt similar.
The true reason was that an unknown woman had accused them based on nothing but suspicion. And she wasn’t just any woman—she was violent, dangerous. To avoid crossing paths with her, they had decided to flee the town in secret.
…Surely, this is the right path…
The man, Klock—chased by a woman for reasons of his own, and burdened by sins not yet revealed—moved through the darkness.
It was hard to keep his bearings, but with only the faint moonlight as a guide, he kept pressing forward, hoping he was heading east. Anxious, but determined.
According to what he’d heard from the townsfolk, the town was located just west of the Secrei Forest. If he mistook the direction, things could turn dangerous fast. Entering the western forest by accident could very well cost him his life.
Their destination lay northeast, within the Federation’s borders. East was the direction he needed. If he veered the wrong way, he’d wind up in a wasteland known as Fossit.
They neared the town gate.
There should be a guard stationed there, even at this hour.
Although they weren’t doing anything particularly criminal, sneaking around in the dead of night could easily cause misunderstandings. So, they had decided to escape through the outer wall instead. Earlier in the day, Klock had scouted a route across the rooftops. It wouldn’t be too difficult now.
He climbed onto a water barrel, hoisted himself onto a roof, then reached down to pull the girl up after him.
From there, they crossed to the adjacent rooftop and made their way toward the wall. Reaching the nearest roof beside the outer wall, Klock leapt across the gap and landed atop the wall, taking the girl with him—and just like that, they were outside the town.
…Huh?
The moment they stepped out, a faint, prickling sensation brushed across Klock’s skin.
Was it just his imagination?
On the eastern side of town, an open field stretched out before them.
Weeds grew wild, mixed with all kinds of unfamiliar plants. In some areas, the bare earth peeked through. Even here, close to the town, the land already resembled a wasteland.
The view was wide open.
It would be easy to spot approaching monsters—and just as easy for monsters to spot them.
That visibility, in this case, felt more like a danger than a relief.
Klock had no weapon.
He could’ve bought one with his remaining money, but moving around town openly was no longer an option. His only resources now were a spark of magic and a stolen skill—Bandit (Plunder). Fighting monsters with just that would be incredibly difficult.
The wasteland wasn’t home to many monsters. It might not be that dangerous overall. Still, to be safe, he would need to conserve his strength.
Air Walk—that would be his escape plan if things turned dire.
He had stolen the skill from the adventurer Ada.
The townspeople had called it the Blessing of Wind, but when he took it, the true nature of the skill was revealed: a wind-enhanced movement technique called Air Walk. It was a high-speed mobility skill, not direct wind control like the rumors suggested.
Either Ada was hyped up too much, or the truth had been exaggerated over time. Compared to manipulating wind freely, Air Walk was a bit more limited.
Even so, it wasn’t a bad steal. In fact, it was lucky.
The skill wasn’t rare—it wasn’t even unique to her—but in combat, usefulness mattered more than rarity.
Ada had likely trained with it since she was young. With just that skill, she had reached an A-rank adventurer level. If a skill could be used instantly, without delay, it was often more practical than casting magic.
However, Klock couldn’t match Ada’s mastery.
He would need to save the skill for emergencies—when escape while carrying Adelina became truly difficult.
He glanced back.
Adelina, the girl who had climbed across rooftops without hesitation, was following him.
Despite her slim frame, she had decent stamina. He had expected her to be fragile, but now he wasn’t so sure.
Noticing his gaze, Adelina tilted her head slightly. When he said it was nothing, she turned her eyes forward again—and quietly took hold of his hem.
They were still running. But where should they go next?
The general direction was east, but they didn’t have a specific destination in mind.
Klock wasn’t familiar with the Federation’s geography. He had only operated in the Kingdom of Crotopone before this. Besides that, he’d briefly visited the neighboring country of Stras and the Empire. From this point forward, the path was a gamble.
At least he had managed to ask a few residents for information before things escalated.
If the adventurer had attacked him any earlier, the escape could have become far more complicated.
Traveling without a map, weapons, or solid plans was reckless.
Proper planning was essential for long-distance journeys, and deciding on a destination was a key part of that. In that sense, their last-minute preparations had just barely been enough.
From here, they would move east through the Fossit Wasteland, then pass the Noirev Highlands on their way northeast.
The mountains were dangerous and should only be crossed with a top-ranked adventurer party.
Those mountains were known as the Noirev Evil Mountains, one of the Federation’s deadliest zones.
They were about as dangerous as the Secrei Forest.
People called them “Wicked Noirev.”
He had never cared enough to learn the exact reason behind the name, but he vaguely remembered hearing that the monsters living there were unusually powerful. He had no intention of getting close. There was nothing to worry about—as long as they avoided that place.
Once they reached that area, it would just be a straight shot east to the capital.
They had enough food.
If they could avoid monsters, they should be fine.
He hadn’t had time to go shopping for supplies, but the inn had sold him some provisions.
He had paid a little extra under the table for “personal reasons,” and the innkeeper had gladly handed over long-lasting travel food.
Apparently, inns near Demon Beast Nests tended to keep those kinds of goods in stock, just in case of sudden attacks.
Klock didn’t want to think too hard about monster floods. He had no idea how anyone could live in places like that.
They walked through the wasteland under the moonlight.
It had been a while since they’d left the town behind.
The scenery had started to change—the ground was clearly more barren now.
They had likely already entered the wasteland.
The plants here looked like nothing Klock had seen before.
Looking around reminded him just how unfamiliar this land really was.
…Hmm?
Klock kept walking silently.
Up until now, he had heard only two sets of footsteps crunching against the gravel.
But then—another sound mixed in. Something subtle.
He stopped and turned around.
Adelina followed his lead, halting beside him.
Now that they were both standing still, the foreign sound became easier to distinguish.
…Footsteps?
He turned his eyes forward, trying to see what lay ahead.
The moon gave off light, but not enough to see far. Squinting didn’t help.
He couldn’t rely on sight—only sound told him that something was approaching.
A monster? Hiding probably wouldn’t help…
Sensing the danger, Klock grabbed Adelina’s hand and started to run.
He didn’t know what was coming.
If it was a beast that tracked by scent, like a wolfhound, then hiding wouldn’t be effective. Worst case, they might need to climb a tree or search for a river.
But for now, the goal was to get away.
No, judging from the sound of the steps—it wasn’t fast.
More like… human?
Now that the footsteps were closer, he could somewhat identify their type. Even if they were human, given the late hour, only unpleasant possibilities came to mind: thieves or mountain bandits. Either way, it was best to avoid them and escape.
…Something’s wrong.
This feels like trouble.
Klock’s bad instincts were almost always right. Despite significantly changing course to create an escape route, the footsteps were precisely approaching him and Adelina. What’s more, they were closing in quickly, showing clear signs they were targeting them.
If the pursuer were tracking by scent, the behavior would make sense—but the creature should be faster. A slower creature moving this fast would stand out. Yet, the reason for such precise tracking remained unclear.
These two points fit the entity behind them. The footsteps were distinctly bipedal.
Klock switched to full speed.
”Wait! Don’t run, thief! Give me back my money!”
In the quiet night wilderness, the pursuer’s loud voice echoed.
Ugh, this guy’s persistent. What a pain. He knew it would be like this.
It was the woman from earlier.
Ada the Wild Wind, A-rank adventurer.
This was their third encounter in a short span. Klock wasn’t surprised, but honestly, he found it annoying.
Besides the money, she still had her stolen skills. He understood her urgency.
Klock remembered leaving town with a sense of unease. In hindsight, it was likely a trap tied to detection or tracking. The opponent was A-rank. Being broke didn’t mean he was helpless.
She didn’t seem to use magic—probably gadgets.
Should he just run normally?
…No.
He almost rushed to that conclusion, but circumstances had changed. Despite lacking skills, she was catching up.
What’s going on? Did she boost herself somehow?
Running full speed, he glanced back briefly before facing forward again. The scene he caught burned into his mind.
No way! She actually took off her armor to chase them!
Klock was stunned.
Even in a relatively safe area, warriors don’t usually remove armor and leave town. She came in light armor just to catch him.
”Enough already! Give up, thief! I’ll chase you until I unlock my skills!”
”Shut up! You give up too! You’re so persistent!”
He responded with words alone. Their language was foul, but neither seemed to have the upper hand. The situation wasn’t great, though. Her lighter armor didn’t mean escape was impossible.
The problem was Adelina.
”…haa, haa, haa.”
From the corner of his eye, he saw her utterly exhausted. She had stamina early on, but she couldn’t keep up with such a relentless pursuer.
This is bad. It’s only a matter of time before they get caught.
”…!!”
Suddenly, the feeling of something grabbing his hem vanished. At the same time, a strangled sound like a rat’s cry echoed. Turning in disbelief, he saw Adelina rolling forward in a perfect fall. He knew—it was over.
”Whoa, that’s far enough.”
Ada caught up with flair and pointed the tip of her halberd at the fallen girl. Naturally, having caught the companion of the detestable thief, Ada smirked. The chase ended more anticlimactically than Klock expected.
”Hey, hey, don’t point that at a poor girl. The A-rank adventurer’s scary.”
”Hah. She’s probably your lackey. I don’t mind saving her. Now, give back what you stole.”
Recovering what was stolen was the priority. Ada lightly stepped on Adelina’s back, demanding Klock return the goods.
Naturally, that was impossible. He decided to hold out as long as he could, even if pointless.
”Sorry, I used it all up. If I had anything left, I’d have used my wallet as bait to escape when found in town.”
”Well, I figured as much. You’re such a jerk. Then release my skills.”
Ada kept demanding in turn. Klock felt annoyed by her attitude.
”…I refuse.”
”Huh?”
”I said I refuse. You can stay useless your whole life, you piece of trash.”
”What did you say?!”
Ada’s anger flared at Klock’s provocation. But he wasn’t taunting without thought. He doubted it would help, but believed she couldn’t kill him easily.
”If I die, you’ll be stuck like that forever. You can’t kill me.”
”…You.”
Klock understood.
Ada could have killed him the moment he stopped. There was risk, but no reason not to try. Instead, she took a hostage and demanded her skills be returned. That meant she cared about conditions for release.
”No one knows what happens if you die. Why can you say that with such confidence?”
”Because I’ve never seen anyone use their skills against me, awake or asleep.”
Ada choked on this. She seemed to try reading his reaction but couldn’t. Since what he said was true, his calm tone only made it more credible.
…But it only bought time.
Without reason to run, trying was pointless.
They fell silent. Even if Ada found it hard to kill Klock, she wouldn’t let him go. If they compromised, Klock would release the skill, making him useless. Ada could only hope he withdrew.
But—
”…It can’t be helped.”
Ada raised her halberd.
She took a stance for an all-out charge—ready to deliver a lethal blow.
She decided to gamble.
”You won’t know until you try. If it fails, I’ll admit I’m an idiot. Die here.”
”Seriously? You’re really committed, huh?”
Klock, bored, predicted this reaction. He didn’t want this outcome—it was the worst case. A dead end. The only options were abandoning Adelina to escape or sacrificing himself to save her.
Damn. He should have used that stolen skill earlier.
Using it openly would reveal its power. Fear of that delayed its use. If Adelina hadn’t stumbled, none of this would happen.
…Sigh. What a pain.
That persistence—the annoyance of dealing with her.
Klock glanced at Adelina and raised both hands.
Seeing this, Ada frowned and sighed.
”That guy isn’t a thief or my underling. I’m going to die here, so if you can kill me, just let that girl go.”
”…Huh?”
Ada’s surprise showed. She released Adelina, who stepped back, and quietly stepped before Klock.
Since she was so close, escape was impossible. Klock was within weapon range.
Ah, this is the sudden end. He’s going to the afterlife now.
He accepted the abrupt conclusion.
If alone, maybe he could survive. But protecting Adelina left no options. If she became the sacrifice, he was done.
…Such a pointless ending. Maybe fitting for him.
Pretending to be strong inside, he faced forward.
Praying it wouldn’t hurt, he kept Adelina in sight one last time.
”So, you’ll show off your manliness in the end. I’ll give you credit for that.”
Confused by Klock’s sudden attitude, Ada raised her weapon mercilessly.
The halberd swung down.
Ah, is this really the end? Whatever. Life’s like that—dying suddenly at a meaningless moment is so me.
As he is about to accept his death—
”Wait, don’t get so flustered.”
”――――What?!”
Clank! A loud clash of metal rings out right in front of him.
Startled by the noise, Klock stumbled backward. Sparks flew from the impact, and looking forward, he saw the halberd he expected to strike him was stopped by someone’s hand.
”What the—who are you?”
”――What?!”
Before he could finish, the girl who grabbed the axe pulled the blade sharply.
Ada lost balance forward. The girl stepped toward her and slapped Ada hard from the side.
SLAP!!
The quiet night was pierced by the sharp sound of the slap.
Ada spun in the air from the blow, flying high and far into the darkness.
She crashed onto the ground, motionless.
”Oops, maybe I used a little too much force.”
”…Seriously?”
The girl turned and looked at Klock.
The terrifying being who defeated an A-rank adventurer with one slap.
He would never forget her face.
She was the righteous envoy who had recently trained him so much about strength.
No matter how many years passed, Klock would never forget her.
”Klock. If you’re going to die, you should at least apologize to Anna first.”
”…Holy Knight, Tiet.”
Notes:
• Secrei Forest – A dangerous forest located west of the adventurer’s town. Entering it by mistake is considered life-threatening.
• Ada – Female. Ada the Wild Wind. An A-rank adventurer. Her appearance is striking, with black hair mixed with fiery red, multiple earrings, and an axe spear as tall as she is. She is incredibly strong and fast, with a Unique Skill called the ‘Blessing of the Wind’ that enhances her speed and agility. Ada is ruthless in combat but shows a surprising willingness to negotiate. She is highly respected in adventurer circles and feared by criminals. Her relationship with Klock is adversarial, as he stole from her and escaped using trickery.
• Adelina – The slave girl.
• Noirev Highlands – A dangerous mountainous region northeast of the Fossil Wasteland. Known as the ‘Wicked Noirev,’ it is home to exceptionally strong monsters and is best avoided unless with a high-ranking adventurer party.
• Fossit Wasteland – A barren, weed-infested area east of the adventurer’s town. It is characterized by mixed vegetation and patches of exposed ground, resembling a wasteland. Monsters are less common here, but the environment is harsh.
• Anna – The legendary Hero, chosen to defeat the Demon Lord. Her past life is Sylvia Croce. She is described as a heavenly being with overwhelming skill and a merciless attitude.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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