Chapter 216: Stella's Strength ( Part 4 )

Ilphas and the rest were unable to believe what had just happened. 

The four werewolves were in their Berserk Mode but it didn't take even half a minute for them to be killed by a single person.

Even though they've wounded them already, they should still have the energy to escape if they feel that they are already about to lose. However, the quick battle just now didn't even give them the chance to consider escaping at all!

As the figure gets closer, the dust completely dissipated as they finally recognized the figure…

"Stella?!"

Everyone was surprised after seeing the young lady… They've also noticed that her previously long robe disappeared as she returned wearing her leather armor.

"Yes… I know that you don't need my help but I think we need to hurry to the Fortress… We need to find a good place to camp, after all…"

Stella responded to them. It will take a couple of days even with their horse to arrive at the Kingdom's territory.

She knows that they can't stay for too long within this part of the forest.

"But still… Thank you for your help…" Lyrei replied as she kneeled on the ground. She felt drained after knowing that the battle is finally over.

"Oh, no…" Stella noticed that someone had actually died from the attack. Although she doesn't know the man too much, she knows that he is a friend of their captain…

Nevertheless, everyone thanked Stella for arriving and saving them from a lot more trouble.

"We have to move… More beast might get attracted here… Just drink a healing potion for now…"

"Captain… Let's bury Adam's body…"

"Mhmm… Of course… Let me handle that. We'll use the Null Flower Essence for now to buy us some time."

Although many of them are injured, Captain Holt knows that they are in a dangerous area right now. They have to be quick on their actions and erase their traces here as quickly as possible…

Stella watched all of this as she replenished her Spiritual Energy… She spent more than a hundred units in her bank to finish off those werewolves… 

It just shows how strong those werewolves are… If she didn't have a supply of extra energy… She would've definitely collapse after killing the second Werewolf.

"Alright. Let me loot their bodies… Werewolves have a decent value. We can't waste this. Ken and Black, take a look at the bodies of those ambushers… They might have something valuable…" Ilphase commanded the two.

"Yes, big brother!"

They are not brothers. Ilphas just wanted to be called big brother by those mercenaries who lost against him in a duel. 

Nevertheless, some of them already started calling him like that to join the fun. Although they are not defeated, they just felt natural calling him like this as he is also one of the strongest in the group.

"Lyrei, what body parts of the werewolf can be taken?"

"Ohhh… Stella? Do you want to try looting them?" Lyrei didn't think that the lady would ask such a question. She would just normally observe people instead of asking when it comes to this.

"No… Not really. I'm just curious." Stella replied.

"Well, first are their claws… They are the most expensive ones and not their steel-like fur… The next would be their eyes. Since you've fought them, you should've seen their Berserk Mode. It is being triggered by their Eyes especially when it's the full moon."

"I see… Eyes, huh… I'm not really comfortable with that… Anyway, thank you for letting me know…"

"No worries… How about you? Can you tell me what happened back there? We all saw you looking like a true fairy a few moments after you defeated those beasts."

Lyrei's question attracted everyone's ears. 

They were also curious about what happened before but they did their best to hold themselves back. After all, Stella is still new in their group. 

If she got irritated at them, she might decide to leave them and find a new Mercenary Company… They don't want to be pushy in this kind of thing.

They perked their ears up as they waited for Stella's answer.

Not only she defeated all of those werewolves attacking them, she even brought the corpse of another one to attract those beasts to attack her all at once. They felt that this young girl is just too strong considering her young age.

"That… is just an Arcane Magic… Don't think too much of it."

"Is that so? Anyway, you look really awesome back then. I'm hoping to see that someday again."

"Haha… It's better not to. I'll only consider using it whenever I'm in danger." Stella admitted. The full-body armor spends a lot of her energy units and she doesn't really want to use it as much as possible

Stella then asked a couple more questions about the werewolves' behavior.

"Oh… So you also realized that something is wrong?"

"Yes… You guys know that I've eliminated the mastermind of this, right?"

"Wait! You're right… What happened back there?" Lyrei finally recalled what Stella had gone through.

They were too focused on the Werewolves who attacked their group and Stella's appearance that save them that she forgot Stella's true mission.

"Mhmm… I fought against three Arcanists wearing the robes of Arcanists Association…"

"The Association?"

"Yes…"

Lyrei went silent for a moment. She's trying to remember whether their squad offended them or something. However, as far as he could remember, they should've built 

'Wait… Perhaps they are just trying to pass the blame? What if the Association is actually innocent in the first place.'

"Is there anything else you've noticed?" The elf asked to find more clues… 

Of course, she could also check the corpses later but asking Stella who is very observative should give her a good insight as well.

"Mhmm… Right, I remember that they've thrown a vial of liquid on a rock near them after they noticed my presence. It seems that the wolves were attracted on that."

The young girl shared everything during her fight against the three Arcanists.

"I understand… I think I already know the identity of these people… I'll discuss this with the captain. You've worked really hard, you should take a rest for now."

"I will…"

Stella replied as she observed the elf walk to their captain… Her face shows that their opponent isn't that simple… She could easily believe that considering that they have methods of manipulating the werewolves to fight them even during the daylight.

The young girl looked ahead as she felt a little conflicted going back to her kingdom in this situation. Nevertheless, she felt that this is the easiest and safest way to return there… 

She knows that traveling alone is even more dangerous and that she needed the Broken Fang to assist her as well.

'Master… I wonder how will you grade my abilities now… I hope that I already reached or passed the 4th-Dan at least.'

Stella reminisced for a bit before standing to help the others with their injury. Her rank in kendo is still unknown but she felt that she has definitely exceeded the 3rd Rank already.

***

Reiji and his group had to camp the night along the road as they headed to the northern border's fortress… 

The next village where they could stay would still take about 5 or 6 more hours… Aside from that, their horses were tired already and need to have their meal.

Ruthren and the four servants set up the camp quite quickly… 

Working together really makes things simpler. It would surely take some time if only Ruthren is working for them…

Whoosh~

Rufus entered the camp and found it quite luxurious. 

"This is beautiful."

"That's not surprising…" Reiji replied matter of factly. He knows that Ruthren worked really hard for this.

The young man smiled at his answer and asked Reiji about their next training regimen.

"Mhmm… Nothing, just continue with the basic repetition we've been doing until now… You'll have a lot more experience once we started fighting against the Evil Beasts of the north. Don't worry."

"Ahh… You're right, master. I shouldn't be anxious like this."

Rufus nodded as he decided to rest for the day… The night guarding task would be shared by the 5 servants that his master has. 

Several hours had passed as the stars and the moon shone brightly.

However, they wouldn't have thought that their stay here would be so eventful.

Clang! Clang!

Sounds of clashing swords and the horses panicking can be heard from the outside.

This is what woke Rufus up from his peaceful sleep and he is not happy about this.

Instead of asking his master, he grabbed his Elite Gram Sword and went outside. 

There, he found out that their servants are all fighting against some evil beasts. Beasts similar to monkeys but with additional iron-like tails that could certainly destroy their surrounding.

"Mhmp… You chose the wrong opponent."

Rufus noticed that the monkeys were trying to tear their carriage apart as he immediately charged at them with his sword