Staring at them in the next hill from afar, a dark-robed traveller stood in silence. Joan and the others were talking with each other as they were in the opposite direction.
The wind blows as the skirts of his robes were being swayed from afar. Seeing that he has Necromancer skills evidently due to skeletons on his back. Feeling the deaths of his minions made his heart anguish. Staring at the perpetrator who killed them.
Joan was talking with them and he ushered them to get out of the evil place they were in. Clouds darkened the skies and wind blew on the wheat field.
"Let's get out of this place immediately. The nearest village is just a few miles from here. We should also seek help from the kingdom. Telling that the Lord of Affliction has risen." Joan said to them.
Kendrick was perplexed by another piece of information. Thinking that this Lord of Affliction was the cause of this slaughter. He can only feel hatred burn inside him. Others too were feeling the same. Smirking at the notion of avenging their dead parents.
"Let's move now while there is still time," Joan said then summoned Canine.
'[Beast call]'
From his shadow, emerged Canine with white fur. Grinning with its white teeth being shown.
"Master! I will let you have the fastest ride like the wind!" He grinned at the idea itself.
Judging from his perspective, Spirit wolves have skill themselves. Pretty niche like the summons of Druids.
They can dash like the wind when they used [Spirit dash]. Summons able to use some skills when [Beast call] has a higher level.
[Spirit dash]–moving in a burst of speed. Making the wolves emit spiritual energy that glows. Making rays of light when running or dashing.
Joan was perplexed that he has now gotten stronger, able to use skills in Adept Job classes he has. First was the Necromancer and now the Lycan. Others too will be upgraded with his experience as a grandmaster. Knowing the skill was not enough but using the skill will make it more attuned with his body. Which was the body of Joan whom he transmigrated.
With more Job classes ascending to Adept, he can only wry at the process. Joan cancelled his skeletons summons then rides Canine. They used the skill and they radiated Spiritual energy from their bodies. Making them glow on the process.
"Follow my lead! We will go to the next village and make it out here alive! Now let's move! Canine, lead the way!" Joan commanded him.
Joan then leads the pack. Commanding his summons to follow his lead and dashing towards the next village. With crows as an escort, they paved the dirt path. As they moved, rays of light were emitted from their trails. Leaving the blue hue light as they were dashing like the wind.
More speed was applied this time and the students can only grab tightly in their necks. Partially choking some of them.
They went down the hills and was at great speed. Joan held tight to Canine as he was having difficulty in his ride. He also felt drafty as he rides him.
The blowing wind was in his face and he can barely open his eyes to the fierce wind. Making his eyes teary on the process.
After making it out on the downhill, the uphill was next. They dashed without problems and it was not even worth mentioning.
They were climbing as fast as they went downhill. Able to maintain the speed was applaudable for Joan. He can only praise them silently in his mind. Tapping Canine on the neck.
Soon after that, they saw houses at the top. Desolated and monsters teeming in the road. Joan didn't want to fight them as they were only wasting time. Not wanting to be overrun in the first place so he decided to just evade them. Even so, Imps were scattered in the road and it will not hurt to kill some as they pass. Or so Joan thought of conjuring a sword with his skill [Conjure sword].
Making a sword in his hands. Not enchanted by any enchantment but was as hard as steel.
He saw an Imp defenceless and was staring at him like he was not even afraid to die. Joan can feel his excitement rise and he giggled as he saw it stare at him without thinking of running away.
Joan was fast approaching and slashed its head off. Killing it on the process. But as the head flew, its body exploded like a bomb.
Making Joan thrown towards his ride.
Other students attacked the Imps too and they all exploded. Making Joan and the others to roll on the ground several times before halting.
The exploded bodies didn't just explode. They also made smoke that was deafening and eye burning. Similar to the skill [Exploding corpse] of Necromancer that has Explosion damage and gas that burns the eyes. A tear gas to be exact.
Joan crawled as he was calling their names, closing his eyes that hurt like hell. Soon after that, a man was walking in the smoke. Grabbed him and he felt that his mana left him. Making him grab his hands and break them like twisting a stick.
Even though Joan crippled his hands, his mana well was empty. Or more like it was not regenerating at all. He felt that his mana well was sort like sealed.
The man bellowed but laughed immediately.
"Who are you?" Joan asked while eyes closed.
It laughed and his voice reverberated, left him as soon as he attacked him. Soon after, his students screamed. Joan stepped some more at the origin of the scream but he was stopped by a thorny wall. He pierced his chest and stomach as he didn't know it was there.
He opened his eyes and saw that the smoke was gone but he was holding a thorny bar of metal. He was inside a prison that has thorns all over the bars, pointing in his direction where he was in its center.
Looking outside, he saw his students suspended in the air. Wolves were gone and some were deeply wounded. Extinguishing their bodies in the process. Crows were not seen anywhere.
Joan saw a man that was the cause of all this. He was on his back and was raising his hands in the air. Chanting in the language he knew, the devil's language.
"Please don't hurt them! I will do what you want! Anything!" Joan screamed but he was unheard.
The man or the enemy kneeled on the ground and put his hands on the dirt.
"Please! I am begging you!" Joan screams while clenching the thorny metal bar obstructing him.
Blood runs down on the metal and Joan started to break free from the bar. Forcing himself to pry open the thorny bars with his human strength.
He has no mana left to help him use any skills and thus he felt despair for the first time in his life. Making him grit his teeth and struggle on the metal prison that captivated him.
Slowly, he was making progress. Making the metal bar bent to his strength. Time was of the essence, he needs to save his students before all was lost.
As he was making progress, the enemy too was also almost done. His students faced him and can't utter a single word. Tears in their eyes and struggling while suspended in the air.
"Don't worry! I will save you all!" Joan shouted with every ounce of his breath.
As soon as he shouted, spikes emerged from the ground and pierced their bodies.
Joan saw their bodies hanged in the spikes and the robed man stands up. Turned around and faced him, smiling.
Joan's strength left his leg and slammed his butt on the floor. He was in a trance, seeing something he can't believe with his own eyes.
He screamed and summoned his strength again to open the metal bar. A creaking sound was heard and then he bent the cage open.
Full of anger, he dashed towards the perpetrator who killed his students. Summoning all his strength with his sheer will, he dashed to the enemy without anything. No Job class, no skills, not a weapon or anything.
All his Job class were sealed so was his skills. But there was one thing he has, and that were the Elements.
All was lost and it was not so bad to be suicidal for once. Or so what he thought at the moment.