Chapter 86 - Is She My Enemy?

I was stood still for a while before I finally woke up from my daze.

"Kimi is missing? How did that happen?"

"I don't know," Alan replied. "When we were strolling around, she suddenly disappeared."

"Are you sure she disappeared and didn't just want to buy something?" 

"Kimi disappeared sis Eclaite, she just disappeared. Puff! Like that," Chloe explained.

The little girl made exaggerated explosion hand gestures to describe how Kimi disappeared.

"That's right, she suddenly disappeared. We've been looking for Kimi but we couldn't find her."

Getting an explanation from Alan, I nodded my head. "Alright, where and when was the last time you saw Kimi?"

"In front of the Blacksmith about half an hour ago."

"Did you see anyone suspicious around you?"

"No," replied Chloe who shook her head.

"Did Kimi say the places she wanted to visit?"

"She said she wanted to visit the Blacksmith, that's why we went there. She disappeared after we left the place."

My fox's ears twitched and I moved my head to look at Ellis. "Miss Ellis."

"You want to make a quest?"

"That's right, please make a quest to search for Kimi. I want some adventurers to find my sister as soon as possible and you can write whatever rewards are needed for them to move as quickly as possible. I'll search for Kimi first."

"Okay, I understand."

"Thank you."

Thus, Ellis entered into the Adventurer's Guild's branch to make my quest.

I went back to see the kids. I have to give them an order. "You two please stay here."

"I'll help sis Eclaite to find Kimi!"

"No, Alan. Stay here, I don't want to take any risks where you're going to disappear because you are being kidnapped If there's a kidnapper. I hope you understand this."

"...I understand," he said reluctantly. 

"Good," I said. Then I stroked the kids' heads. "Don't go anywhere and stay within Miss Ellis's reach."

"We will do as you say."

"Then, I go first."

"Be careful sis Eclaite!"

"Of course."

I waved to them and went to this settlement's blacksmith as soon as possible. During my way there, I didn't forget to pay attention to my surroundings, I did that to look for Kimi's figure.

But unfortunately, I never saw that black little Fox-kin.

"Where are you, Kimi?"

In my worry, I raise my speed towards the blacksmith.

As soon as possible, I looked for Kimi when I got there. I didn't find her but I found the scent of her body and...

"Why does Ruciel's scent mix with Kimi's scent?"

I wondered while following their scent. 

Didn't Ruciel leave first because she had something to do? Could it be that something she was referring to was kidnapping Kimi?

"No, it's impossible."

She never showed any ill will when she was with us. So, I'm sure, she wouldn't kidnap Kimi. 

It's just me thinking too much.

Perhaps, their scents are mixed because Ruciel helped Kimi to get away from the real kidnappers.

Yup, I trust that theory more even though I don't smell other people's scents and I do pursue their scent out of the settlement.

Phsuu!

A strange sound caught my attention. I turned my head and I saw a dot of red light shoot high into the air.

"Why did someone fire a warning flare?" I shook my head to forget the question. "This is not the time to be curious. I have to follow these scents."

I kept going and I was surprised when I reached the north gate of the eastern settlement.

Blood flows to form puddles. Lying on the floor were dozens of adventurers. Most of those adventurers died because their necks were cut off. As for the rest, they died from arrows and wounds caused by swords.

"What's going on in here?"

Not long after I said that question another voice sounded.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

"The sound of the bell?" I asked once more. A moment later, another voice sounded.

Blarr! Blarr!

This time it was the sound of explosions and they came from the center of the settlement! 

The chaos that appeared one by one made me restless. Spontaneously, I ran out of the settlement following the scent of Kimi and Ruciel.

"I have to find them before this chaos gets bad."

My footsteps never stopped as I sprinted on the highway. I continued to sprint even though I saw dozens of monsters approaching the eastern settlement.

"Why do monsters come to attack at a time like this! This is dangerous! I need to find Kimi as soon as possible."

This chaos that constantly became bad than before left me confused, panicked, and frightened.

A moment later, this chaos became worse.

In the distance, darkness rose from the ground. They kept moving up to create a screen that locked us up. All directions were closed and before long, we were trapped inside the black dome.

"Barrier of Dark Night!?"

That's right, I recognized that black dome as the Barrier of Dark Night. A dark barrier is commonly used to trap enemies from escaping.

In Ark Fantasy Online, this Barrier is usually used to trap Field Boss. And yes, this Barrier is not a natural phenomenon, this barrier can only be made by people.

The Barrier of Dark Night became a sign that there was a person behind all of this chaos. Someone or a group of people wanted to attack this settlement. 

However, why did they kidnap Kimi?

Unable to find the answer to that question, I kept sprinting. And after a few minutes had passed, I saw Ruciel's figure. The Fallen Elf girl stood next to Kimi who fainted, sat on the ground, and leaned against a tree.

I exhaled a sigh of relief when I saw they were fine. And immediately, I approached them.

"Ruciel, I'm glad to see you're okay. Thank you for saving Kimi and-"

Clang!

I stopped my words, using my Silver Spear, I fend off the arrow fired by Ruciel.

"Why? Why are you attacking me?"

My voice trembled as I held back my emotions. I can't accept the episode that just happened, I can't accept the fact that Ruciel attacked me.

Constantly, I deny it, However, does she actually want to kidnap Kimi? Why did she do it? What's she going to do next?

I feel sad, I feel betrayed, and it truly breaks my heart.

Truthfully, I want to hear that all this was just a misunderstanding straight from the Fallen Elf girl's mouth.

"Ruciel? What are you doing?"

Ruciel gave me a cold look. Then, she reloaded her longbow with an arrow. The girl aimed her arrow at me.

"Ruciel! Answer me!" I screamed.

"...I'm just doing my job," Ruciel said after a long time.

"Job? What kind of job?"

"You don't need to know, throw away your weapons and surrender."

"I need an explanation! Not an order!" I screamed. With anger, I approached the girl.

"You really have bad hearing and attitude," said Ruciel, who then pointed a longbow loaded with an arrow at Kimi's head.

Seeing that, I stopped in my step instantly.

"Look at that, you can finally make a wise decision. Do you remember the words I said earlier?"

Gritting my teeth, I threw my Silver Spear and dropped my Silver Long Sword.

"I surrender. Now, tell me, why do you want to catch us?"

"Raise your hands and walk closer."

"Ruciel!"

"I said, raise your hands and walk closer."

So, I walked up to the girl with my hands up. At the same time, I thought of a way to seize the girl.

I had to approach the girl as quickly as possible when she kept her longbow and arrow away from Kimi. I had to disarm her and nail her to the ground.

Now, can I do it? Am I stronger than Ruciel?

... I don't know, but it doesn't hurt to try.

I'm waiting for an opportunity to launch the attack as I walk closer to her.

"Stop!" ordered Ruciel.

I obeyed the order and stopped my footsteps. From a distance of four steps, I pay attention to the girl's movements.

Four steps...

With this distance, can I approach the girl before she releases her arrow? No! The answer to this question is not that I can do it or I can't do it but I have to do it.

I can approach the girl in an instant using Arte, Flash Step.

So, I'm waiting for an opportunity.

Then, as Ruciel moved her hand to fetch something from within her Magic Bag, I executed my plan.

I poured my energy into my feet and visualized how I use the Flash Step.

Lady luck is with me.

I managed to use Flash Step and I appeared in front of Ruciel instantly.

"How-"

I didn't let Ruciel finish her words. As fast as I could, I launched a punch into the girl's stomach. And unfortunately, that girl was able to block my attack.

Of course, I didn't stop my attacks or give up. I connected the attack with another attack until I finally made a combination attack.

I was able to do all that because of my experience doing martial arts in a school club when I was young.

Ruciel put up a fight and several times, she managed to block my attack. However, in the end, she was cornered.

The girl's close combat mastery is below me. 

And within minutes, I managed to knock and pin the girl's body to the ground.

"Say it! Why are you doing all this? Who commands you to do it!?"

"..."

"Ruciel!"

I'm angry! I want to know everything. Therefore, I will keep asking this girl. However, before I could say the next question, a voice of applause sounded.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

"Amazing, I never thought you could be this strong. And it looks like, you've already removed the necklace I gave you, huh."

A voice caught my attention. Although the voice was a little hoarse, I was able to recognize the owner of that voice in an instant.

And sure enough, after I turned my head, I saw the jerk!

Standing there, dressed in a black robe, the jerk smiled as he looked at me.

"You still alive?"

"Yes, do you miss me?"

"Never! [Wind Cutter]"