Chapter 323: The Choice

Wrath Island, roughly a thousand kilometers Southeast of Du'kki Island, was once a monster-infested island. But due to the Hunter's Association intervention, the island was freed of high-rank monsters and left with low rank, yet formidable beasts. It has a freshwater lake in the middle where sea creatures lurk in time for hunting food. And it was this time that Association held the Hunter Exam of Bogblot Region.

The only time that Ned was able to learn the content of the Exam was if he safely landed on the island.

"Shit." He cussed looking at the unsightly manners of the Hunter in front of him.

"Now, what?" Hunter Quentin rubbed his chin looking at Ned who seemed to be far-fetched in thoughts.

If Ned chose to release Gogmurch of his captivity, it must be this time now. If not, letting him board the ship and let him sail to Wrath Island, and Makers only know what will the Association was going to do with him on the island, would cause Ned to fail his mission. Failing his mission would also be the loss of his companion: Katolin.

"So the Goblin is in the House of Soak now?"

Hunter Quentin pointed his thumb down and said, "Under." His voice felt disturbed as to why Ned was so concerned about the goblin.

"I need to leave, now."

This time, Hunter Quentin didn't dare to stop Ned instead he said, "If you want to see the goblin so badly, I suggest you see it off the port. You can ride, or sneak in the ship since it is also going to the same island."

Must not let Gogmurch go sailing, Ned thought and left the inn, not intending to say a word to the bunch of lot. I can sneak, but not sail with Gogmurch off the Wrath Island.

Ned reached for the nearest carriage.

Two hours, it took Ned two hours to reach the House of Soak, and by the time he reached the House in Bogmoor, Gogmurch has already left.

He knew this from Rig, the poor Wood Rank Hunter.

"What now, kid?" Said Rig over his aimless breath. They have been running the underground sewer for almost an hour along with some Crawlers that tried to block their path.

If Rig wasn't selling his talisman, he was under the sewer honing his aim against the Crawlers. Lucky for him, these Crawlers were a little stronger than normal goblins. Grade E and the strongest he encountered so far was only in the late stages of Grade E.

And it was during this time that he learned his way to the House of Soak from the Canton of Commerce. And if given time, he went to the nearest pub via these sewers to have a free drink stashed inside the pub's secret base which he found by accident after escaping a group of Crawlers. He's not a drinker, but dang, it was a good one to have after a long and arduous day of selling Talismans.

"I move forward." Ned gripped his hand to the edge of an old entrance. Overlooking a forest where Gogmurch in a cage just entered along with a dozen of guards in civilian clothing, which was probably Hunter's with their identical brown leather jackets. Behind them were the Crawlers but unable to move onward due to them being unaccustomed to bright lights. "I'll take this from here."

After Ned tossed a gold coin as a promise for an untimely quest, Rig nodded as he caught the coin and smiled and left going back to the forest behind them with his crossbow suspended behind his back.

Ned was in the outskirts of the city under the blazing hot of the sun. He's got no time to turn around since he already wasted nearly three hours of pursuing the goblin. The damn old goblin, Ned had said.

Ned focused and with a thought he produced Kurashinpi, and broken Butterfly on his sword-arm: he chose to have the broken Butterfly this time to accompany the mask that hides his appearance and would only use Krisalix when he's not wearing the mask (talk about the second identity). His free hand adjusted the mask and as soon as it was firmly attached to his face, along with the Silk Road he changes to a dark with torn edges jacket, Ned's mana started to trickle down.

With rest, his energy went a hundred and his mana firmly stayed at a little less than 1, 500. But it was more than enough for him to conjure spells all day as long as it wasn't Egneous.

Ned dashed, black boots leaving nothing but a trail of wind. He needed to be light-footed as possible. He was constantly using the skill Detect for every 15 meters he has traveled.

Roughly 20 minutes have passed and Ned exited the forest only to be welcomed by a wide clearance, where trees were freshly cut and burned as the remains exude smoke.

Over the horizon was a hill, tiny to be called a hill, but it was slope enough for it to block the soon-to-be setting sun. Flowers bloomed under its base, running water made a splash-splash sound as it hits a rock dividing the stream into a fork. There was a bridge not far from the fork. Perhaps there was a village; perhaps a town nearby.

But Ned wasn't there for the euphoric scenery, or the cinnamon aroma coming from the withered grasses lingering in the air. And Ned wasn't there precisely for the metals clanging behind the hill, or the shouts of both agony and delight along with a rumble of roaring thunder. He was going after Gogmurch.

"And Gogmurch I will have."

Ned dashed towards a path that leads behind the small hill where constant shouting could be heard along with metals clanging.

With the broken Butterfly he held, Ned crouched beside a wilderness, tattered coat brushing the dusty ground.

Ned focused, and there, under the base of the hill were the voices coming from. A dozen of well-equipped civilians, led by a bulky-looking guy with an ax he held. Half of these civilians were surrounding the bulky guy in a defensive formation. Then half of these civilians, that Ned assumed Hunters guising, were guarding the cages aligned along the stone road.

There were six cages: three of which were massive and covered with a tarp, two cages a bipedal beast with massive slitted eyes, and the one behind the train of these cages were already empty.