Chapter 117: Valley Challenge
Even in hyper perception, Seth perceived his sword elevated strike move instantaneously. Redop's body was tense and his hand moved very fast and parried Seth's attack. Seth was surprised but he shouted out.
"Shoot!"
Clang!
"Shoot!"
Clang!
"Shoot!"
Clang!
Each attack was countered well but with difficulty, elevated strike isn't just about speed but also strength. After four attacks Redop's hand was already bleeding, the red energy he was using had depleted a lot.
But the tenacity of that man knows no bounds. He exploded with more power and stepped on red energy and shot at seth.
All this happened while they were falling down and now he wanted to get close to his daughter's murderer.
Seth thrust his staff fast and as powerful as he can muster when it achieved the highest momentum. The staff expanded to 3 meters in thickness and elongated very fast. Carried by momentum, Redop was taken aback and was sent back to the ground and slammed by the giant staff now.
To stop himself from falling, he turned off his shifting armour and levitated a bit in the sky. Redop escaped the giant staff and glared at Seth up above who was 56m.
Seth stood on his now giant staff staring at him too. He knew Redop held back, so as not to cause death with his sword attacks but Seth too has held back in a way. If he used Mantle of Slavery that will stop Redop for 5 seconds which was enough time to kill him unless he have a way to break out.
An enforcer reached their location and spoke to Redop which caused his eyes to widen in surprise, he looked at Seth apologetically before he followed the enforcer.
Eyes were now all on Seth up above, children pointing at him, and adults glaring at him. Seth looked at them all with his Aura Sight but then he felt seven gazes that almost made him fall from his position.
Expertly he looked toward the sources, five of them from distant houses and two from a small boy who was with his mother and an old beggar in a street.
From where Seth stood, he was able to encompass the whole village in his vision.
He then tilted the staff to tumble forward and extended it more to reduce distance toward the Chief Mansion. Thankfully, it was a road, and there were people but they ran away so that the pillar didn't fall on them. Right before he touched the ground. The staff vanished and became small while he too landed softly due to his levitating traits.
Stoically, under the gaze of many people who walked to the mansion. A guard stopped him but after he showed him the invitation slip, he was then allowed in.
Fratile Redone was on the tallest building watching everything, but he was ready to swoop in to save Seth if needed. However, the fact Seth stood toe to toe with Redop with no injury shocked him.
'Good! But you made them cast their gaze on you!'
****
Seth sat in the guest room and later Dave Jona came in with a smile. "Haha, you really caused a ruckus! Good, no wonder the Chief called you!"
"That wasn't the reason, actually!" Seth explained his encounter with the chief and then later on what happened with him and Redop.
"You hold yourself against Redop very well, that was all I needed. You know he wasn't the Explorer of the Valley for nothing. Anyway, how did you cure his daughter? I'm pretty sure that brat will be consumed by the ghost!"
"Well, I kinda do. You know. But tell me, please. Why is her situation special? Unlike other NPCs that were transformed and then killed by the guards, she seemed to have some unique privilege."
"Well, it's complicated. What I heard was!"
"I sacrifice my daughter to seal a troublesome Ghost. However, if she was killed the ghost would only need one day to revive. What was worse was that it knew how to invade the town with ease!"
Redop's sudden voice explained to the two players. He wasn't angry anymore but rather happy with a smile. His eyes were tired as if one that lacks proper sleep yet keeps going due to good news or good achievement.
"How is she now!" Dave asked.
"She is recovering faster than I can keep up my joy. Not only that, it was confirmed that the trouble with Ghost is done forever."
Redop stood before Seth and bowed with gratitude, "why didn't you tell me what you have done, I won't have to strike you through the town. Please, I seek your forgiveness!" He said sincerely.
"It's alright. Even though I wasn't aiming to kill her, I don't know what will truly become of her. So, I don't know how to explain!"
The two shook hands and then spoke about the type of ghosts. There are Servants, Namers, Ghosts and Active.
Servants, we're the ones that don't possess a person but can cause some physical destruction to the surrounding. They were mostly used by the other ghosts as fuel.
Namers were the ones that arrived the moment a guest came into the town, or if a native was ready to be possessed and they made them call a certain name. by doing so, the Active ghost would come and forcefully enter the body.
Once the ghost won then it became an active ghost. From then more transformation occurred. Some humans can be saved immediately after they begin to transform but after full transformation, death is the only solution.
"We kill them immediately not because we don't want to study them but after 24hr their whole body will no longer be solid and they will enter their final form. The Red Eye Monster!"
As Redop explained what Red Eye Monsters were and how powerful it was both Dave and him had their faces pale.
And it only took 24 hr for an infant Red Eye to be born, not only that, each day it will double in power until 30 days. What happened later, no one knows. Well, because there were no survivors.
"My daughter was used to trap a Red Eye Spirit when she was just an infant using a unique technique. And then after that, we have been scraping the monster until it was just dust compared to what it was. However, we couldn't kill it because it might revive."
After the good revelation, Seth had some peace alone and he checked his town rating with a good smile and then q frowned.
[You have mesmerized Red Eye Valley. And become good guests of the valley]
~Provide an acceptable development to the valley
[Progress:56%]
~Red Energy Stone Provider•
[Red Valley Town]
~Reputation Points: 340•
~Friends: 2•
~Trust: 2•
~Land: 0
~Property: 0
[Path To Residency]
<Easy Path>
~Sacrifice: 00/10
<Long Path>
~Survive Ominous Desire: Nil
~Zero Blood: Nil
~Intimidate: 206/10
~Historical Achievement: 1/1
<Unique Path>
~Marry Redop Irik's daughter (Progress: 99%)
____
Ding!
[Due to your stunt, you have attracted unwanted attention and they give forward your name to be challenged by Red Valley]
~Win the challenge to find your rightful place among the residents.
_____
[You will be transferred to the challenging area in 5 seconds]
He didn't even digest what had happened when he saw the young chief appear before him.
"Sascile Redone, Good luck!"
"You knew?" Seth wondered what was going on. Before receiving the answer, Seth found himself staring at the silver moon. The ground was red sand, and a river of blood was flowing at one side.
He saw two cats fighting, one of them successfully scratched the other, the small cut began to bleed profusely until it dried off the blood and the blood flowed to the bloodstream.
That was when two hounds galloped at him, what was more alarming was that he was naked with no clothes.
He then turned and ran away from them. He tripped for some time but ultimately escaped. That was when porcupines appeared and they shot their spindle at him. He dodged them and ran far.
The more time passed, the more he felt pressure pressed on him but it wasn't hard for him to ignore.
Different kinds of beasts came, and all of them wished to make Seth bleed until there were all kinds of beasts that he knew but he kept running away.
That was when a beast swam out of the river of blood. It was more like a house cat, with red fur and a bell on its neck. However, it was bigger than an elephant. It watched as Seth kept running away from any animal that may cause slight injury.
The cat dissolved into the bloodstream and appeared beside the unexpected Seth and scratched his thigh. Looking at the culprit, he was mortified by its size and intelligent eyes. Seth's blood dried up and it merged with the blood river.