Chapter 506: Ghost Graham (1)
Allen's group entered the forest, guided by Abigayle and a warden scout named Bongora.
The scout had a 2 Star Talent [Spy]. Such Talents allowed detecting enemies, and more Stars improved them. It was a similar Talent line to thieves.
Adventurer parties usually preferred thieves, while scouts were chosen by the army.
Thieves were better at finding traps and collecting items, while scouts gathered information better.
[Scout and thieves Talents]
1 Star: Scout, Thief
2 Stars: Spy, Plunderer
3 Stars: Operative, Phantom Thief
(I have to start giving orders to get this started now.)
"Merle and Admiral Galara's party follow us on the air. I'll give you orders through Poppo."
"Okay, got it."
All their golems moved clumsily through the forest, so it was better if they followed in the air.
[Transmission] and [Messenger] also allowed Allen to give orders from afar.
"Alright, Abigayle and Bongora please stay in the middle of our formation now."
Dogora, Shea, and Rosetta were in the front, the two dragonkin in the center with Rosalina and Allen, and Kurena and Ignomas rounded up the group from behind.
After that was Helmios' party, and behind them was Haku.
[Helmios' party Sacred's members and their Talents]
-Hero King: Helmios (treated as hero though)
-Sword King: Doberg, Silvia
-Holy Knight King: Vesta
-Venerable: Greta, Ingrissa
-Sorcerer King: Limia, Lola
-Archer King: Gimisty
-Thief King: Rosetta
Helmios had a 6 Star Talent, while the rest had 4 Star Talents. Other than Helmios and Doberg they were all female, and around 25 years old. They all were equipped with items Allen gave them, or that they found in the S Rank Dungeon.
Helmios' party was essentially the strongest it could be for people in Normal Mode.
They continued walking into the forest, the thick fog obscuring the sun, which made Abigayle and Bongora nervous.
"Try to relax a little."
"O-okay, just be careful with the palpitations."
"Palpitations?"
"Nestirad's palpitations. So far no one has gotten to see Nestirad and returned alive."
Bongora was shaking as he mentioned how a ghost named Nestirad would cause loud beats that could be heard from afar, but Allen just told the two dragonkin to calm down.
Stats were everything in this world, and he knew he could survive most hits, and he had plenty of ways to heal and recover.
"Got it, let's just be careful then. Just don't break formation and we'll all be alright."
Bongora was the most scared, and Allen tried to reassure him.
"There should be a large tree up ahead. A Great Angel Rank ghost called Graham should be there."
(I can see a big ghost there too.)
Allen had also seen the large ghost with Kuwatoro's [Thousand-mile Eyes] a distance ahead, which could be traversed in one hour on foot.
He decided they would use [Floating Wings] so everyone could fly and get there faster.
"Still, I wonder where ghosts come from."
Sophie walked up to Allen, and Formar rushed too, worried about her safety.
(Now that I think about it, I never asked either.)
Allen had not asked Merus about that.
"...Ghosts are powerful people who strayed off the circle of life and death."
Bongora seemed used to acting as a guide, so he soon spoke of what dragonkin knew about ghosts. The Gods had made it so whenever something died, their souls would reincarnate into a new being. But sometimes when someone was too powerful in life, their souls could end up breaking free from that cycle, amassing new power and appearing as ghosts.
(I was reincarnated too. I guess my soul was thrown into that cycle too when I was born here.)
"What? Did you go crazy!!"
Dogora could not understand what Allen was saying.
(Sometimes I feel like I did go crazy.)
"Everyone stop attacking and retreat. Apparently I can make him my summon!"
Allen's voice echoed loudly through the Bird F's Special Skill [Transmission], so Merle and Galara also heard it.
They could obtain a Spirit Crystal Stone from Graham, but he could also become a summon.
Sometimes accepting all quests available also led to such situations.
'You're strong, lad. But don't think you can keep my blade at bay forever!'
"Wha-?! Are you serious?! How is that a friend!!"
Dogora shouted in protest at Allen, having to fend off Graham's greatsword again.
(Hmmm? Graham takes us as enemies, what should I do... Let's just weaken him for now.)
"Sorry for that, try to weaken him then, but don't kill him."
Allen's game sense told him the trick to make an enemy an ally was to lower their health.
"Bongora...what's happening here?"
"I wouldn't be able to tell you, Warden Leader..."
The two wardens were confused, they could tell Allen was trying to weaken Graham without killing him, but they did not understand why.
'You're strong, and I'm outnumbered. What a pitiful end...'
Graham did not have any self-healing abilities, so it was just a matter of time.
Allen carefully watched his Strength be chipped away, and once it was down to 1000 Graham fell down on one knee and stopped moving.
"Good good, he's not moving anymore."
Allen took out a Sacred Beast Stone and slowly approached Graham.
(Time to catch Graham.)
Everyone watched as Allen started rubbing the stone on Graham's face.
'You...so you won't grant me a dignified death. My loyalty to the empire never wavered!!'
"It's not working. How do I get him?"
It had worked with Makris and Kuwatoro, but not with Graham.
Allen looked at his Grimoire and saw a line repeated countless times.
'The Sacred Beast is still impure, it can't enter the Sacred Beast Stone.'
'The Sacred Beast is still impure, it can't enter the Sacred Beast Stone.'
'The Sacred Beast is still impure, it can't enter the Sacred Beast Stone.'
Allen had to clean Graham somehow.
'I planned everything on my own, my family had nothing to do with it!'
Graham was just talking on his own.
"Hmm, Sword Saint Graham, emperor, a plan...wait, ahhh!!"
Allen listened to him hoping to obtain a hint to obtain him as a summon, but his swords actually reminded Allen of something.
"Allen? What happened?"
While everyone watched in confusion, Helmios broke formation and got close to Allen.
(Right, it was Helmios who told me about that.)
"Helmios, can I ask you something?"
"Hm? What is it?"
Helmios knew that Allen always had his strange moments, so he did not question him.
"What was the name of the knight who murdered the tyrant emperor again?"
Allen had asked Helmios to investigate the tyrant emperor's grave months ago.
"Hm? Ahh, wait, ahhh! He was the bodyguards' commander Graham."
Helmios understood what Allen was getting at. After the investigation, Helmios had told Allen about the tyrant emperor, and who the knight who killed him was.
"Everyone, listen up. This ghost is Graham, the knight who killed the tyrant emperor."
Everyone else looked shocked hearing that.
Allen had finally recalled what the name of the knight who killed the tyrant emperor was.