Chapter 77 76: Imp



"I am telling you, the first thing to do is to register as an adventurer."

"It's not that easy a way to make money."

"What else will you do? Didn't I say it before, another world means adventurer guild! Adventurer guild! Tell him, Erika!"

"I mean… I'd like to try it…"

The clops of the horses on the barely trodden path rang out rhythmically. With the blue skies and the shining sun overhead, the group of three had now made most of their way three countries away from Maris, their destination, the westernmost land on the central continent.

"Still," Claude muttered. "A reclusive country, huh?"

"The god Silvanus represents forests and nature," muttered Erika.

"Another one, huh?"

"Haha…" Erika laughed. Even though she was now a part of Claude and Elric's party, she didn't hate this world like they did.

After following the map that the lady of the Zarak duchy had sent, they had made their way over to the Silva country. Inclines had taken over the plan paths as soon as they crossed the borders to the tumultuous terrain of the nature loving people.

The journey was greatly aided thanks to the lady of Zarak duchy that had been Erika's sponsor. While Claude carried everything in his amulet and Elric didn't carry anything, a lot of Erika's items were left behind, leaving her with only a staff and the other stuff that she kept on her person.

"Hey so," Elric said. "If they're all reclusive, are they like, elves or something?"

In a whisper, Erika responded to the boy's words.

"I've heard there are elves hiding the country. But no one knows where."

"Heh. Things like elves don't exist."

Claude came in with a shocker. It was shocking enough to almost make Elric fall off the horse.

"Aren't you guys from the modern world? It's like saying Santa is real."

"Santa isn't real!?"

Elric doubled down.

Erika lost her words while Claude looked away, apologetically.

"I am sorry, I thought you knew."

"I didn't! That's so unfair! I thought he never came to my home because all of us were always sleeping, but to think he didn't exist! Heck, I bet my mom used it as an excuse because she forgot about getting a gift!"

"So you've never been given a gift and still believed in Santa?"

Erika shook her head, more dumbfoundedness cancelled her previous dumbfoundedness. Similar to how two negatives made a positive.

With a sigh, she spoke to Claude.

"Let me get this straight. You got transferred to a different world by gods, lived two years in a forest that changed terrains, fought god knows what monsters, a large snake, a vampire, zombies, fuck you spew fire and light out of your hands and you still think elves can't exist!?"

Claude stopped and looked at Erika.

Then nodded.

"Yeah, no chance."

It was pointless to argue. They continued up the incline for a bit, leaves of green falling on them every now and then.

After some time passed in the narrow upward route, the horses tired down and the group decided to take a small break.

Elric hopped down first while the two that did know to ride took the horses near a tree.

It was then.

A shattering scream echoed through the hills. With their eyes widened, the three of them turned toward the direction of the sound.

"Feels like a pain."

"Adventure!"

Elric was rather hyper today.

Before the other two could finish tying up the horses, Elric skipped toward the sound.

"H-hey! Don't go alone!" Erika shouted.

"Help the right side, idiot," and Claude continued.

Elric waved his hands behind and continued dashing ahead. Past a few more trees, his eyes fell on a group of monsters. Their long limbs running down to the ground, three joints in each of them, with backs hunched ahead and tails fluttering behind their back from end to end, the monsters had gathered around a single blonde man.

His shoulder bled profusely as a gaping wound bared its fangs, but his posture with the blade did not hold a shred of hesitation or falling.

Had it not been for the numbers, Elric was certain this person would have managed to defeat the imps on his own.

But now, he was being kept on the edge.

"Kree!"

One imp screamed and spat at the man. The imp's spit changed forms before transforming into a small fireball.

"Hap!" The man hopped back and swung his sword, cutting the ball of flames in half. Right then, two more imps sneaked up on him and swung their claws.

The man dodged them narrowly by tilting backward and kicking one away, while he locked his injured arm with the other.

Not having a single regard for their fallen friend, more imps closed in on the man and swung their arms, tracks of fires surrounding some of their claws.

The man dodged them narrowly by tilting backward and kicking one away, while he locked his injured arm with the other.

Not having a single regard for their fallen friend, more imps closed in on the man and swung their arms, tracks of fires surrounding some of their claws.

Elric waved his hands behind and continued dashing ahead. Past a few more trees, his eyes fell on a group of monsters. Their long limbs running down to the ground, three joints in each of them, with backs hunched ahead and tails fluttering behind their back from end to end, the monsters had gathered around a single blonde man.

His shoulder bled profusely as a gaping wound bared its fangs, but his posture with the blade did not hold a shred of hesitation or falling.

Had it not been for the numbers, Elric was certain this person would have managed to defeat the imps on his own.

But now, he was being kept on the edge.

"Kree!"

One imp screamed and spat at the man. The imp's spit changed forms before transforming into a small fireball.

"Hap!" The man hopped back and swung his sword, cutting the ball of flames in half. Right then, two more imps sneaked up on him and swung their claws.

The man dodged them narrowly by tilting backward and kicking one away, while he locked his injured arm with the other.

Not having a single regard for their fallen friend, more imps closed in on the man and swung their arms, tracks of fires surrounding some of their claws.

The man continued dashing away, ready to dodge come what may.

At that moment, Elric closed in and kicked the back of the man's knee.

"AH!"

The man was swept backward, a claw coming straight for his face. He narrowly twisted his body and avoided the attack by planting his sword on the ground. He had formed a backward bridge!

Elric saw him.

Then turned toward the imps.

"KREKRE!"

"Kekekek!"

"KAAA!"

The imps screamed one after the other.

With a shrug, Elric turned away and swept the man off his 90-degree bent feet.

"Ah! Why are you?"

Elric didn't give him a chance to speak and started kicking his face, then his chest, Elric mercilessly kicked down the bastard.

"KEKE!"

"One of us! One of us!"

The imps screamed in their own screeches and started kicking the bastard. Some of them put their arms around Elric's shoulder and kicked the man.

"Ah! AHhk! Who are you— Why!"

"Take that you! You dumb! Hiyah!"

"Ow! Ow!

The man was pummeled black and blue and then black again.

It was then, a few arrows of flames fell from the skies and smashed through the heads of the imps around.

Following it, spears of pure mana came hurtling out and smashed down the remaining few imps around.

A grunt resounded, and with his pure black blade, Claude beheaded the rest of the imps while turning toward Elric.

"WHAT." He screamed. "ARE YOU DOING?"

Elric looked down at the bloodied man, and then at the person in front of him.

"I was helping the right people…?"

"No, you! YOU!"

Claude screamed out loud. "What in the world are you doing?"

"Aren't the stranger ones correct? Why would anyone be on the losing side?"

"Well, because they're not monsters for one!? I don't know, enlighten me Elric, why the fuck WOULD you help imps?""

"I mean, is it really that hard to believe?"

"NO! THAT'S THE BIGGER ISSUE!"

Elric shrugged. Claude was overreacting. This was Elric 101!

"Um, guys, maybe help him now?"

The group rushed toward the man on the ground and lifted him up slightly.

"Hey! Mr. Are you alright?"

"God… what is that man… he is an imp in disguise."

"Shut up," Claude grasped the man's head. "Who are you to badmouth us?"

"Excuse me?!?"

"Heh."

"Claude, you shouldn't talk after all."

"Yeah, sorry."

Erika then got down and pulled the man up.

"Hey, can you tell us what happened?"

"This imp! He attacked me!"

Erika left him not the ground too!

"Who are you calling an imp?" 

Elric was quite loved.