Chapter 267 – 22. Warrior’s Party – Blackened Mint (3)

The warrior party woke up early in the morning, replenished food and tools, and climbed the mountain.

It was early, but there were still many merchants opening shops. No, not only that, there was a market open at all in the square, and street vendors were set up everywhere on the road to the mountain.

A merchant is a way to do business by looking at money and customers. Of course, there were many mercenaries who came out to work early in the morning.

“There are a lot of people…”

“Too many.”

Jinhyeok and Fiora uttered similar words at the same timing.

Jinhyeok was just admiring without thinking, but Fiora was different.

“Something is strange.”

“Uh?”

“Isn’t that true?”

Except for Jinhyeok and Vilma, everyone had the same questions.

One of them is that there are too many people. It should be nice to work early, but most mercenaries hang out late and wake up late to work. There may be some sincere mercenaries, but such a large number makes no sense.

“The second is stuff.”

“Thing…?”

“Ah, everyone buys a lot of sheep.”

“That’s right. Seeing how many people are taking porters…”

“It looks like everyone has the same goal.”

Everyone agreed with Valdez’s low words.

A large number of monsters were still steadily descending from the mountain.

So if you’re just hunting monsters, there’s no need to go deep. Considering the amount of money and time to go deep, and the surprise attack and number of monsters, the distance that took more than a day to enter was rather a loss. Nevertheless, many mercenaries are trying to climb the mountain by gathering people and preparing.

“Has the rumor leaked somewhere?”

“It could be. First of all, the mayor is also gathering troops, so there is a possibility that it will be that way.”

“You may have heard it from the mouth of an inn or a drunken mercenary like us.”

“Although it could have been intentionally planted by someone.”

“…”

A short silence falls over the party. Everything was suspicious.

It could have just been a coincidence, but it wasn’t to be careless. Their enemies are the demon king and demons. In addition, the possibility of an unknown and unknown enemy could not be ignored. Because trust is like that. Because it is not clear, you can easily be mistaken, so you have to keep thinking and doubting.

‘From what I’ve seen, it just seems to have flowed from the market side.’

On the other hand, the demon prince Valdes was carefree.

It was not sent by him, so there is no possibility that it was a ruse on the part of the demons. Because he decided to be entirely in charge of the hero’s party. If one of the Demon King or the Four Heavenly Kings was going to do something, I would have asked him in advance.

There were other possibilities. If the target is not a party of warriors, but the timing is unlucky and they get caught up in it. Seeing that the monsters had been coming down from the mountain for several months, this was a little bit, but worth considering.

“How will we do it?”

“Let’s go up. If they’re targeting us, we’ll have to break the trap before others get hurt because of us. Even if that’s not the case… We’re a party of warriors. We’ll get rid of the danger.”

Jinhyeok spoke like a warrior after a long time.

Everyone laughed and started climbing the mountain after him.

I started hiking nervously, but the first day was ridiculously empty.

In fact, it was natural. They are not the only ones climbing the mountain, there are those who set off the day before, and those who set out as soon as the dawn broke after preparing in advance. Instead of choosing to move faster than anyone else, they went hunting for the monsters they encountered first.

Thanks to this, some of the bodies of the monsters they didn’t recover were dumped here and there on the mountain. Most of them were things that didn’t make money or didn’t bother to reduce weight.

In any case, the hike was smooth except for the monsters we encountered very occasionally.

Thanks to this, I was able to see the sun go down around the time I crossed one mountain and climbed the second halfway up.

“The pace is good. Originally, I thought it would be over after one pass.”

“Did you say you had to go a few more mountains where treasure monsters were found?”

“2.”

“Including this? Hmm, it’s not as deep as I thought.”

“The mountains are big. I didn’t even count the small hills.”

“Hmm, then I’ll have to go up quickly.”

They originally set a period of 5 days. Even if it is delayed a little depending on the situation, a week is the limit. Considering the time to climb and return, I needed to move a little faster.

“Then the pace isn’t good.”

“…That’s right. You’d better speed up tomorrow.”

Due to the nature of the mountain where the sun sets quickly, it is earlier than usual, but the warrior party went to sleep early after dinner. As always, the night watch was one hour at a time. They said they needed to be more careful because it was a mountain, but the magic notifications installed by Vilma and Yuri weren’t decorations either.

The first day passed without incident, and the second day came.

There were no incidents during the night. The alarm went off a few times, but it was only a small monster. It was enough to lightly take care of it alone.

It was dawn, and Valdez, who was the last person to watch, woke the party.

And the warriors’ party resumed their hike.

Jinhyeok murmured behind Arsha, who served as the guide.

“It’s surprisingly free.”

“Haha.”

“I thought we would get into a fight, but we just ignored each other.”

“Because I don’t have to use my strength right now.”

“Oh, after finding rare?”

“Right.”

It is said that all parties looking for rares are rivals, but unless you are confident in your overwhelming strength, it is difficult to recklessly start a fight. If the party is harmed for no reason, the ones who will be attacked after that may be themselves.

Even if you attack, it’s better to surprise.

Of course, even if they tried to do so, there were no people who flirted recklessly with the warrior party.

Even though there were only 7 of them, the composition of the party was unusual.

A paladin, two mages, and a female warrior from the Third Alliance of the South. A composition that cannot be seen as a typical mercenary party. Their power is unknown, but they just quietly evade first because they know that they won’t be able to compete with most mercenaries.

“But can we find a rare?”

“What’s wrong all of a sudden?”

“Well, just. There are a lot of people besides us, and they all have guides from here. Compared to that, we don’t have time, and nobody knows the geography here.”

Jinhyeok gave a negative opinion, whether it was because he was tired or his motivation his was broken.

“Brother.”

“No, that’s right. To be honest, seeing how quiet everyone is, it seems like there’s some trick…”

“Look over there.”

“Uh?”

Jinhyeok, who had been replying to Valdez in an annoyed tone for no reason, turned his head in accordance with his words.

Next to a rock a little way down. A boy was seen lying there, covered in blood. He was dressed in a simple outfit, not like a mercenary, but like a kid from the city.

They hurriedly ran toward the child.

“Fortunately, the wound isn’t deep. He must have collapsed from exhaustion.”

“It must have come from over there.”

While Fiora was treating the boy, Sasha checked the bloodstains.

The boy quickly opened his eyes.

“Ugh…”

“Little boy, are you okay?”

“Ah… Uh, this is…”

As soon as the boy woke up, he told them to go ahead and save the people.

I found a place that looked like an abandoned rare, but when I went inside, I was attacked by some mercenaries. Thanks to the mercenaries, he managed to escape all the way here, and he asked to save them because he would guide Rare.

But everyone who heard the boy had the same idea.

‘It’s a trap.’

However, there was no reason why they, who were confident in their skills, would not go into the trap themselves.

If it’s not a trap, you’re really lucky, and even if you get hit, you just have to defeat the villain as a party of heroes. If it’s not just a villain, it’s better if it’s someone who spread rumors about Rare.

“Which one? Quickly guide me.”

“Yes, yes! This way!”

Fiora laughed at the sight of the boy who hurriedly ran away as if he had been hurt.

“So absurd.”

“I never thought I’d experience this trap myself…”

“Something strange.”

The steps of the group following the boy were quick, but their expressions were relaxed. The fact that it was a trap was already clearly imprinted in their minds. It was all the more so because there were a lot of strange things like each one, and it was too lax for a trap.

“Here! We’re almost there!”

And there was no reverse.

A cave in the distance. And as they got closer to that place, a number of mercenaries appeared from the surrounding bushes.

“Puhaha!! These are the good guys?”

“There are five women!”

“The bee is good for once!”

As soon as they show up, the mercenaries don’t attack and kindly spit out a word.

Even the bandits attacked, but they couldn’t take advantage of surprise at all. At least it didn’t just appear from one side, but surrounded the group of warriors and surrounded them. However, no one felt threatened by the mercenaries.

Instead, what they felt was irritation.

“Let’s get rid of it quickly.”

“That’s right. Even if you let go of these guys, they’re trash that only harms others.”

A chilling murder was directed at the mercenaries, and only a few belatedly realized that something was wrong.

But that was only a fraction of dozens. Not much different from bandits, they didn’t even feel it unless it was really strong energy.

“What? Bastards with no blood on their heads…”

“Hey guys, what are you doing! Cut off the heads of the men and let’s taste the women!”

With the cry of the mercenary, presumed to be the captain, they rushed at the warriors all at once.

And 3 minutes.

It was the time it took for the mercenaries to be wiped out, leaving only the two of them.

Dang.

“What, what… These monsters….”

“No matter how mercenary, there are limits. You guys are really pathetic.”

Sasha cut off the captain’s head at once, and all that was left was the boy who guided them here and the mercenary who shot the bow from behind.

Sensing the cold stars of the seven, the archer was wiser than the captain who dropped his weapon and shot him in the butt. He quickly turned his back and started running away, albeit a little late.

“Go, let’s go together!”

The boy followed, and among the party of heroes, Fiora was the first to run out.

“If I leave even one alive, I’m sure he’ll do the same thing.”

You wouldn’t have known if she was a normal cleric, but Fiora was a paladin. He is also a member of the Sacred Hammer corps who raised Lucianogi, a combat fanatic. In judging her wickedness and sin her, she showed no mercy.

The cold-faced paladin stomps the floor and runs. She had thick armor and a huge hammer and shield, but she was fast. Little by little, the distance with the mercenary, who was wearing only her leather armor her, narrowed.

“If you’re caught gently, I’ll let you go without pain!”

“Ooh, don’t be funny!”

It was an offer most people would refuse, and the archer was no different.

In the middle, the boy went in a different direction, but Fiora only pursued the archer. It remains to be seen whether he is a real city dweller or a mercenary, but the boy believed that the other colleagues would catch him.

“Ha-ha-ha… Fuck, why are you chasing me!”

The archer’s escape did not last long.

“Sir…”

It was because a cliff appeared in front of him.

“Escape is over now.”

“Oh, damn it.”

Unlike the archer, who was covered in sweat, Fiora didn’t even breathe hard. This is nothing compared to the daily practice at the Vatican.

The archer, feeling hopeless in her normal appearance her, quietly stepped back toward the edge of the cliff. Fiora also approached him cautiously.

“Wouldn’t it be more painful to die falling off a cliff?”

“Hehe, that’s something I don’t know.”

“What?”

“Now!”

“…… !!”

Bowman suddenly screaming.

Startled, Fiora looked back. It was because he remembered the boy he had missed earlier. But there was no one behind. Instead, he felt a tug at her hammer her.

“Kuk!”

“Hehe, stupid… Knock!”

Her archer her, who drew her her blood aura her, pushed her into her cliff, and using her centrifugal force, her body her tried to escape, but her shield her swung mercilessly, hitting her skull her and killing her. But Fiora couldn’t avoid falling off the cliff because of the weight of her lumbering equipment.

“Ah…”

Falling under her, with all sorts of thoughts running through her head, the last thing she remembers before she passes out is,

“Fiora!!”

It was the face of Valdes, who was running towards him.