Black Sword and Fragments [Vol. 1: Unforeseen Conspiracy]

Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Fragments

 

                         

“Why do I feel like this sword is absorbing my Magicules?” Immediately asked by Allastor. He was still staring at the sword with an earnest but confused expression.  

The old man smirked. “Hoho, so you also noticed it, huh?”

“Honestly, there are no weapons here in my shop that can meet the price you want. Even the cheapest weapon I have will cost you forty Silver coins.” He looked at the black sword in Allastor's hands. “In addition, I don't intend to sell that sword. It is cursed and causes bad luck to its user. There are already several Adventurers and Royal soldiers who used that word before to a battle, but in the end, they just lose and gave up something precious to them...”

Allastor's forehead wrinkled. “Forty Silver coins?! That is too much for a weapon!”

“Is the price the only thing you have heard?!!” Feeling shocked, the Old man responds. He was already expecting that Alastor will be scared of his warning. “Do you not care about the bad luck I am talking about?”

“Hmmn.” Allastor Shook his head. “Even when I was a child, my life is already full of bad luck... I think the bad luck you are talking about will not affect me anymore.”

The old man was dazed for a moment by what he had heard. He wasn't expecting those words to come out from a very young man. Just what happened to this boy before?

However, the old man, regaining his senses to the present moment, shook his head. And at this time, a prideful expression can be seen on his face. 

“It seems like you are wrong to what Bad luck I am talking about here. It wasn't just a mere typical bad luck that you know, young man.”

Feeling a bit of mystery, Allastor asked Innocently. “Is there bad luck worse than literal bad luck?”

“There is...”

“Then, what it is?”

On that question of Allastor Frauzz, it is as if the whole surrounding became silent. The passing wind ripples through the Ash-gray hair of the young man. When the rippling came to stop, the old man gazed seriously into Allastor's eyes. He earnestly said. “Death...”

Alastor gulped what he had heard. The innocent look on his face changed to that of a frightful expression. Honestly, he does not like the idea of death. Even if he drowned from his problem, he still won't resort to death. For him, death will only cause him another problem. It is unknown him to what place he will be when he died, and he doesn't want to solve that mystery.

When he saw the paling face of Allastor, the old man smirked. This is what he wanted to see from the young man. He wants him to feel fear so that the young man will no longer continue to have the cursed sword. The old man always does this thing. Every time a passerby is finding a cheap weapon, he always gave them the cursed black sword to Prank them. in spite of that, knowing that the sword is cursed, no one accepts the sword offering of the old man even if it is free.

Earnest confidence can be traced to the Old man's expression as he proudly closed his eyes. He did not wait for the response of the young ranker.

“Now that you have already known what bad luck resides in that sword, do you still want to use that in a battle?” He said. He was already expecting that Alastor won't accept it. And of course, he didn't want it either when this Cursed sword falls into the hand of anyone and uses in a fight—he doesn't want this cursed thing to be the cause of death by anyone.

Allastor didn't respond immediately. He thinks for a moment, deeply. But in the end...

“I'll get this sword.” Allastor sincerely said as his intent gaze fell upon the sword in his hand. He doesn't have any more choices right now. He doesn't have the right amount of money either to buy the cheapest weapon in this tent shop.

Because of Alastor's response, the formerly closed eyes old man with his confident expression, widely opened his eyes to his shock.

“Ha?! What? Are you serious?!” It was the first time his prank failed. “You will die if you used that thing in a battle! Even I will only resort to storing that thing and not use it to a fight!”

Allastor shook his head. And even though he has a hesitation, he continues what he wanted to say, “In the end is that we will eventually die. But I have a faith in the fate I have. If I will die now, might be, I already have accomplished my purpose here on Illunor. But I believe that I haven't been starting yet.”

“I'll go ahead now. Thank you so much for the sword, Old Sir.” Allastor has an earnest expression. After saying goodbye, he started to walk away from the old man.

“W-wait, young man! I have yet to tell you something!” The old man forced himself to shout, still, Allastor is still walking continuously like he isn't able to hear that shout.

“Young man, even though I want to give you a proper sword, I still need to save monies!”

To be honest, the rank and level of the Old man are much higher than that of Allastor, yet, there's something inside him that is preventing him to chase Allastor Frauzz. In addition, even if he only accidentally harassed or hurt the Young man, if he saw the roaming Royal soldiers, he will automatically be reported to the palace and get equal punishment. He can't do anything at this moment but to only clench his fist.

“Promise me that you will be back here alive! If you can do it alive after three mo—No, one month, only one month! If you can come back here alive after one month, I'll give you any weapon you like in my little shop!”

Allastor halts for a moment at what he has heard, but he also immediately continues his walk. He was afraid of the Old man's warning like he was sure that Allastor will die after only a month. although, on the other side is that Allastor is also very happy with the challenge of the Old man. If he can come back here alive after a month, he can receive a free weapon and he doesn't need to gamble anymore using the Cursed Sword.

In the end, even the Old man couldn't see the expression of Allastor anymore, Allastor still nodded as he said, “I accept your challenge, Old sir. I'll come back here after a month.”

*   *   *   *

“Young Sir, are you sure you want to train in Kurnell Forest at this time? Now that the problem about the Green cougars hasn't been solved yet, that forest is too dangerous for the novice rankers.” Said the Carriage driver. While his eyes kept averting around him“If you will encounter any of the Green cougars there, might be...”

Allastor didn't let the Driver finish his sentence. He shook his head. “Thank you for the warning, Sir. Don't you worry, I'll be careful.”

Allastor immediately dismounted the carriage when it stopped in front of the large gate—the gate located in the northern part of Kreo Kingdom. Allastor paid one silver coin and fifty copper coins to the Carriage driver before making his way to the large gate.

Ever since he got his new sword, Allastor immediately find transportation he could use to transport to the nearest location of the Kurnell Forest. And it was approximately two days before he got to the northern gate of the kingdom.

In front of the large gate, two royal soldiers could be seen standing side by side to each side of the gate.

Outside this gate is his next destination, the Kurnell Forest. He smiled for a bit, sighed, and started making his way to go outside the gate. even so...

“Stop!” One of the guards screamed with his spear blocking Allastor's way. The other guard shook his head. “Did you not hear the news? Kurnell Forest is dangerous at this time. We can't let a low level pass through.”

Allastor wasn't expecting that he would have a problem like this. He was sure that he was able to read carefully what was written on his quest paper. But, now that he was being deprived by the two guards to pass through the gate, he realized that the written minimum level that can accept the quest is futile. It was written that it can be accepted by a Level 1 Bronze ranker.

Allastor stopped on his track. He was only a Level 1, that is also why he has no right to pass through this gate. He wants to complain right now but he doesn't know either what he to say. And if he will just waste his time complaining, he will rather complain to the one who wrote the quest. To let the level 1 Bronze rank accept the quest, that person didn't think about the possible Royal Soldiers who will prevent a Low level that will accept that quest. In the end, it was useless to write that it can be accepted by a Level 1 Bronze rank.

Allastor stared at the two guarding Royal soldiers. To be honest, aside from the Kurnell forest which is the nearest forest in this place, four other forests are far apart from each other, and another four contiguous forests, a total of nine forests. still and all, at this time, Allastor is still not capable of entering the other forests aside from the Kurnell Forest. And because Allastor is only a Level 1 Bronze ranker, of course, they know that he intended to enter the Kurnell forest, also known as the Training ground for the Novice Adventurers and Royal Soldiers.

Allastor is already expecting that his Journey of completing his first quest would be hard, and he also knows how dangerous it is for the Novice rankers to enter the Kurnell Forest right now. But, in his past two days of traveling to reach this destination, he was full of confidence—that even though there are warnings about the roaming Green cougars, he will still enter the Forest.

But now, like his surging courage, the two guards are also determined to not let the young man pass the gate. Allastor couldn't do anything but stop.

“You are an Adventurer, right?” Asked one of the guards. When they saw that Allastor nodded, he continue. “Did you perhaps come here to train or are you here for a quest?”

Allastor responds that he was here to finish his quest, making the two Royal soldiers ask if it is okay for them to see what kind of quest is this.

“What?! This is Bullshit! Who the hell will write this thing, is he dumb or something? He wrote that it could be accepted by at least level one adventurer!” Screamed the guards in unison while reading the quest with a mix of taunted and ridiculous expressions.

“Ha.. ha, I think so. This is ridiculous.” Allastor responds with uneasiness. He thinks that the creator of the quest is dumb, but he couldn't express it in words.

“What is this commotion?” A shout echoed from the left side, making the two guards stop what they are doing. When the two guards saw the owner of that voice, their eyebrows almost jump.

“General Ayanno! It is you! General Ayanno Nightangel!” A trace of shock and admiration can be heard in the combined voices of the guards. They are already expecting that an Official from the palace will arrive here to investigate the sudden appearances of the Green Cougars, howbeit, to think that it is General Ayano.

“General Ayano? So this is the presence of a Platinum ranker...” In Allastor's mind. Even though he could feel a bit of profound and heavy energy from him, he couldn't feel any presence right now at the place where the newly arrived Man stood. He knows that General Ayanno was a Platinum ranker, it is because the name of this person is well known as the strongest ranker in the whole Kreo Kingdom. Even though he doesn't know all the names of the Knight generals inside the Kingdom, he knows the name Ayanno Nightangel. It was famous inside the Adventurer's Guild, and he often heard that name as the topic of discussion from the Pub floor.

One of the guards handed over the quest paper to the General. “Look at this thing, General Ayanno. This young Adventurer right here accepted this quest.”

After receiving the paper, Ayanno then read the paper. Without him even reaching halfway through, his eyebrows jump a bit. He smiled a little.

“Oh. This is the shit I wrote before, what a timing!” in young General's mind.

While Ayanno is still reading the paper, the general laughed. “Who the hell will make the minimum required level for a dangerous quest this low? The creator of this quest must be bald with a damaged brain! HAHAHAHA! You think so, right, Genera—”

“Just shut up.” Cut by Ayanno. His veins on his forehead were almost popping. He sighed to calm himself. He looked at Allastor Frauzz with an earnest expression. “Anyway, you can go ahead and finish your quest, boy. I'm permitting you.”

Allastor was dazed for a moment before he finally processed what he had heard. What? I can enter the Kurnell Forest now?! What a stroke of luck!

Before Allastor pass outside the gate, he respectfully bows to General Ayanno. That bow isn't just for his gratefulness. It is also full of admiration and respect for the general. “Thank you very much, General.”

The guards are like statues that are dazing confused for a moment. They just stared at the shrinking silhouette of Allastor Frauzz.

One of the Guards' expressions changed. It seems like he wants to pull back the former young man here. “But, General... He is only a Level 1 Bronze rank! It is too dangerous for him to train inside the Kurnell Forest...”

“You don't need to be strict with him that much. He isn't wearing the same uniform we are wearing. Aside from us generals and the King, no one has the right to stop him from his decisions in life, even if it is the Guild Master of Adventurer's guild himself. This is also the reason why the profession of Adventurer is the most flexible and liberated job. They are not bound to be bossed around to what they want for their life. If they want to end their life, let them be. That boy is determined to challenge the danger of Kurnell Forest, so we should let him be.” Response by Ayanno Nightangel.

The Royal Soldiers nodded in unison and they remember carefully what the general has said. They are full of admiration in the words of the general, and it can be traced from their sparkling eyes.

“Geez. I bullshitted my words again. Even I won't let a level 1 enter that forest. Whatever. What's important is that the boy can be a subject to my plan.” In Ayanno's mind, looking at the two guards admiring the presence of the General.

The gaze of the General fall upon the shrinking figure of Allastor, and again, he earnestly said.

“As a normal human, he will be back here if he couldn't take what he can encounter inside that forest. nevertheless, it is uncertain whether he can come back alive, but if he can encounter one of the Green cougars there, I can still save him.” He paused for a moment as a smirk formed on his lips. “Only if I can see him immediately.”

“If it is like that, do you mean, general, that you will follow the young man to investigate the reason for the sudden appearances of Green Cougars?!”

General Ayanno shook his head. “That should be... Honestly, just like you said, I intended to investigate the forest now. However, I forgot that I need to discuss something in the palace, and it is more important than this one.” His gaze return to Allastor's figure again which is already very far now. “I'll be back here. If he can remain alive at that time, why wouldn't I go with him to be his temporary guard?”

The guards were dazed for a moment. They don't know how to respond anymore, so they instead choose to be silent.

On the other hand, Ayanno was still earnestly looking at the figure of Allastor Frauzz.

“Regarding that boy... There are also pale traces of Fragments of Natural skills inside his body, but he probably won't even know anything about it. I wrote that quest on purpose to easily bait the culprit if ever.” Said the shocked General in his mind. Not long after, he smirked. “If ever I am right that rankers are behind this Green cougars problem, if they met this boy, it would be interesting...”

To be continued...

---

Votes and Feedback are highly appreciated!💛