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Chapter 181: Meeting (3)

"...so like," Frey uttered out in confusion as she glanced around the area. "On the topic of Shinto... Where the heck is Shinto? Like our Shinto and not the first place guy!"

"How the heck am I supposed to know?" Ethaniel questioned. "He was here just a second ago... Where the hell is he?"

After initially meeting with Crowelin in the village and having a small discussion on Shinto, the group was left at a standstill as it had been a while since Shinto and Ethaniel separated before diving into battle.

"Y-You think that he's being chased by a sudden horde of those demons!?" Frey cried out. "Is that why there are no more waves?!"

"Calm down. I do not sense any more monsters within the vicinity," Blake calmly answered. "So, Master is safe. I'm sure he'll be arriving soon."

"...Master, huh?" Crowelin muttered to herself. "Just what the hell has he been doing for the past week? Did he open up some sort of training facility?!"

To hear the sudden news of Shinto's appearance in a snowy plain and then to see that the companions that he had made during the days he was uncontactable calling him by the title of 'Master'Crowelin couldn't help but sense a suspicion lingering in the air.

"Ugh... This guy better explain everything in due time!" she frowned as she angrily murmured to herself. "Leaving all of us in a dark like that... Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Silently uttering out her woes, Crowelin soon heard certain footsteps ploughing through the snowy fields by the distance. In the next moment, her head as well as the rest of the group turned towards the direction of the soundQuickly noting that a figure of a young man was walking towards them from the forest.

"...Isn't that," Crowelin narrowed her eyes as she attempted to see the figure in clarity. As the man came into the distance, her eyes slightly shook in shock as she scrutinized the young man with black hair. "T-This is..."

Greeted by the ugly sight of a green cloak covered in leaves on his shoulders, his armour that seemingly was made out of ores that were at the lowest quality and boots that almost seems as if it's near the end of its uses. Crowelin couldn't comprehend the sad sorry state that Shinto was in.

"...huh?" Dumbfounded at the sight, she had no words for the scene in front of her. Many sorts of questions appeared within her head. What happened to Kurogane? What happened to all of his equipment? Why does he look like a dirty beggar? However, the most important question of them all. Why is Shinto holding a staff rather than a sword? "...Shinto... The hell..."

As she was about to rush up towards Shinto, wanting to barrage him with countless questions, Crowelin quickly shook her head franticallyRemembering the words that were said by Shinto in their whispers. 'To act as if she didn't know the person in front of her'.

"Ah, Master! You're finally here!" Frey uttered out in excitement. "Where the hell were you? I thought you might have been eaten by wolves!"

"...cough. Sorry about that," Shinto awkwardly laughed. "I was taking care of a few mobs that had run off after Blake's arrival. I didn't want them calling for reinforcements you know?"

"...you? Taking care of those monsters?" Ethaniel raised his brow. "You and what damage?"

"...hey. They were all low. What kind of person would I be if I can't even kill monsters fleeing away who were in the red?" Shinto sighed. "I don't deal that less of a damage you know... I've got some attack skills on my list."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," Ethaniel scoffed. "Now, ignoring your late arrival, where's Raina? Shouldn't she be here with you, Frey?"

"Huh? Raina...?" Frey tilted her head as she suddenly remembered what had happened earlier before she and Crowelin were swarmed by monsters. "She and that slime left me and headed into that village! That priest girl went to get them back, but she hasn't returned since!"

"...priest girl?" Shinto blinked in a dumbfounded manner as a thought came to his head. "...Hikari is here as well?" Upon the thought, Shinto quickly shook his head as he rid it of his mind. "No, no. It could be someone from Crowelin's guild. It can't just be coincidentally Hikari," mumbling out, he soon turned towards the paladin who had been silent the entire time. "Hey, you're a paladin, right? For one to be in the snowy plains, I doubt you'd come here alone. Besides the priest, is there anyone else?"

"..." Crowelin glared at Shinto upon his question whilst wanting to cry out. "At least act like you know the 7th placed user by name!" However, refraining from stating out her woes, she coughed. "I came here together with the priest. I didn't bring anyone else. Though... Coming here, it wasn't just us."

"...the slimes were with you, right?" Shinto questioned, and in reply, Crowelin nodded her head. "I see. Then, would you care to accompany us to fetch them? From what Frey said... They should be close if they're still in the village."

"Since the priest went to get them and I've got some unfinished business with the slimes," Crowelin uttered out. "I'll join you."

Nodding his head, Shinto stated. "Right, then let's hurry." As the group began making their way into the abandoned village, a whisper came to him from Crowelin.

"Hey, what kind of sick joke is this?" Crowelin angrily glared at Shinto. "Why do you look like some poor guy who had lost everything in a gamble? You didn't become addicted to gambling, did you? Oh my god... What the hell! You've got poor luck. Not to mention, Rienla, Kaisus, Hikari and everyone else will murder you!"

"No... I didn't gamble," Shinto sighed helplessly. "Well technically, yes?"

"What do you mean technically yes?! Hey! Stop being so vague and be out of it already!" Crowelin cried out. "It's not too late to change your ways and be a better person y'know! I can pay for therapists for you if you're too poor!"

"Crowelin... You're completely misunderstanding..." Shinto was stumped for words. "Sigh. That's beside the point. Whose the priest you're talking about? It's not Hikari is it?"

"..." Crowelin kept quiet at the question. "Since you haven't been answering any of my questions, I'll say this. All will be answered in due time."

"You..." Shinto's voice hushed through the air as he stared at Crowelin.

"I'm just answering like how anyone would in a situation of some being difficult," Crowelin laughed. "if you want a clear answer, you better answer my questions first!"

"...I told you... Later," he sighed. "Let's just be going now, shall we?"

"Hmph, you and your laters," Crowelin clicked her tongue as her legs began moving through the snowy fields. "You better keep your promise.

"Hah..." with his breath rasped out into the open air as he solemnly stared at the back of Crowelin. "Just wait for a bit, alright?"

...

Through the pinewood forest, Hikari as well as the rest of the group steadily walked through the path that led deeper into the woods. Unlike the previous trails which were all covered in snow that they had gone on within the forest, this was a clear dirt path unhindered by the snow around the area.

"Rustly!" Reru cried out. "Where the hell are you?!"

"Rustly? Please come out!" Alongside Reru who had been shouting out, Raina had been doing the same thing. "...sigh. It's no use Reru... It seems like he's more further down the path."

"...mmm, where is this path leading to?" Raina questioned. "I'm sensing some sort of weird aura ahead... And I don't like it."

"...a weird aura ahead?" Hikari gripped onto her staff in hand upon hearing Raina. Unlike Raina, Hikari hadn't sensed anything weird. "...if so, then we'll need to proceed in caution."

"Ugh... Do we even have the damn time?" Reru clicked his tongue. "Just hurry it up and stop moving at a snail's pace! We're running!"

"W-What? Reru... I know you're worried but acting so rashly like this is..." As Hikari was about to reason, Reru had completely ignored her as he began leaping on ahead. "...hey!"

"Argh... We'll have to follow after him," Raina muttered out with a slightly shaky voice. "Though... I have a really bad feeling about this. Just what's ahead of this path?"

"I'm not sure... I don't know much of this place," Hikari shook her head, "Besides the stories I've heard, I don't know anything of the monsters that may be here. Heck... I didn't know that twilight race monsters would appear here of all places. This is uninhabited lands."

"Twilight Race Monsters...?" Raina questioned. "Do you mean those mobs we fought earlier?"

"Yes," Hikari nodded her head. "Corrupted beings that only appear when strong dark emotions or energy exist in the area. They're not ones to be reckoned with and grow more powerful when the energy becomes uncontrollable."

"Dark emotions or energy..." Raina tilted her head. "This perhaps could explain the aura I'm sensing... But if so, if this aura is that, then... The energy should be at its peak if the aura I feel is this strong."