- If you really are who you say you are, what are you doing here? asks Noah. With your history, you could easily get a better job. You could even become the HeadOrder of the Royal Knight Order.
- That's true but I already am the HeadOrder of the Arcadios family Knight Order. says Verno.
- Huh? says Noah
- I owe your father a great debt since he saved my life. So when he asked me to become the HeadOrder of his Knight Order, I accepted. says Verno
{Noah}
" What the hell! Roan is the HeadOrder of the Mage Order and this old man is the HeadOrder of the Knight Order. How come I didn't know? I really wasn't paying attention to what was happening in my family. He could be useful in the future."
- Where are you going, young master? asks Verno
- We're going to Eucerin Plains.
- The plains that are past the forest? asks Verno. Why?
- For a quest. I don't need to tell you everything, do I? says Noah
- Of course, you don't need to tell me everything. says Verno. But I do have to send a report to your father.
- My father doesn't need to know everything about what I do. Knowing where I am should be enough. says Noah while leaving
Juliana and Gancelot follow him
- It was nice meeting you, Swift Blade Verno. says Abel while leaving to follow the others
[With the group that is walking down the road]
- Why didn't we take a car, Boss? asks Abel
- It's because the sound of the motor would alert them and let's not forget the smell of the Energicules that is consumed in order to make the car move. says Juliana
- Boss, How is it even possible to turn Energicules in liquid form to power cars?
- All vehicles are powered by Enegicules in liquid form. To make liquid Energicules, they use the ancient artifact called Triton. Triton is an artifact with the ability to absorb Energicules and turn them into a liquid form but it can only do it with Energicules. Triton doesn't belong to any kingdom. Nobody knows where it is and rumors say that it is protected by a guardian According to legends, during the Dark Ages, there were ancient artifacts similar to Triton for each energy. And there was one that could give every energy a liquid form and it was called, Poseidon. Explains Noah
- Poseidon... That ancient artifact must have been powerful and the person who created it must have been incredibly popular. says Abel
- Was it even created by a human? mumbles Noah
- What did you say, Boss? asks Abel
- Nothing.
{Noah}
" In the end, it is only a legend. Nobody has ever seen the artifact, Poseidon except on murals in Ruins. But if it really existed and if it still exists... War, new drugs, and... I don't even want to think about it."
[40 minutes later]
After a long walk through the forest, while evading every monster and avoiding combat, the group finally reaches the plains. As soon as they reached the plains, they see a group of four goblins heading somewhere farther into the plains. As soon as they see the goblins the group hide behind the trees in the forest.
- What do we do, Boss? asks Abel
- I think the guild overlooked the most significant detail of all when they graded this quest. says Noah
- What are you talking about? asks Juliana
- Normally, goblins establish themselves in forests or caves. In both of these cases, there is something common. What do you guys think that they have in common? asks Noah
- They are not located in plains? asks Gancelot
Juliana hits Gancelot on the head
- Stop saying some obvious stuff and try to use your brain. she says
- They are located in forests. says Abel
- Close but still not it. says Noah
- What is the answer? asks Juliana
- In both cases, they are surrounded by things. says Noah
- Isn't that what I said? asks Abel
- That's why I said that your answer was close but not it. says Noah. Not all caves are located in a forest, right?
- That's true. admits Abel
- When there are things surrounding the goblins settlement, it also means that there are things making scouting and staking easier. Such as trees, rocks, and a bunch of other stuff but this time the settlement was built on a plain. Somewhere where there is nothing else but the ground and the grass that grows on it. explains Noah
- What are you trying to say, Noah? asks Juliana. It's definitely weird but I don't see how this affects the grade given by the guild.
- It affects it by a lot. This is something that cannot be done instinctively nor can it be done with pure luck. says Noah. It's only possible for a monster to do so if it has intelligence.
- Boss, does that mean that the settlement has a monster with intelligence in it? asks Abel
- It's possible... No, I am certain that it is the case. says Noah. In the goblin settlement, there is a goblin that has evolved into a higher version of the goblin species and had gained intelligence.
- What has it evolved into? asks Juliana
- That is what we have to find out now. says Noah
- How are we gonna do that? asks Abel. This is a plain, Boss. The number of trees here can be counted on one hand.
- He's right, master. There isn't a place to hide. Sneaking around is impossible.
- That's why I will act as a decoy. says Noah while leaving his hiding place
Juliana that was hiding behind the same tree as him, grabs him and pulls him back behind the tree
- What are you doing? asks Noah
- That's what I want to ask you. What the hell do you mean you are gonna be a decoy? asks Juliana
- If there really is an intelligent monster, just showing up out of nowhere won't be enough. I will need to launch a powerful attack that will hit the whole settlement in order to drag him out of there. While it is chasing me you will gather as much info as you can by entering the settlement. explains Noah
- What about you? asks Gancelot
- There is no need to worry. With Body Of Speed, it won't be able to catch up to me. says Noah
- But Boss... is there really no other way? asks Abel
- You don't need to worry so much, I know what I am doing. says Noah. Now, let's go!
The group separates in two. Noah heads straight to the entrance of the goblin settlement by himself, while the others sneak around the settlement. Noah reaches the entrance of the settlement and stops. The settlement is surrounded by a barrier made of huge wood stakes.
{Noah}
" This might be bad."
In the middle of the settlement, there is a huge tower that grants a view of most of the plain but more importantly grants a 360 degrees vision of the settlement.
{Noah}
" I need to hurry up otherwise, they will see the others. With my current amount of aura, I can maintain Body Of Speed; Lightning for a minute but if I use thunder magic 20 seconds would be my best. Thunder magic is the best when it comes to AOE type of attacks out of the three form Lightning magic can take. Luckily, this time I came prepared."
- This will drain a lot of aura but I have no other choice. says Noah. Thunder Magic; Descending Thunder!
A magic circle appears on top of the goblin settlement which draws the attention of every goblin inside the settlement
[In the settlement]
A goblin rushes inside a tent, and when he opens it he starts talking in an incomprehensible language to another huge goblin sitting on a chair. The goblin that is talking is speaking in a rush and seems to be panicking. The goblin sitting on a chair gets up walks toward the goblin and kicks him, killing the little goblin. The huge goblin walks out of the tent and sees the magic circle on top of the settlement. He smiles and starts running to the entrance
[With the trio]
- He is using Thunder magic!? whispers Juliana
- There is no other choice. says Abel. He needs to draw out the intelligent goblin and to do that Boss needs to make that goblin think that he is alone.
- How will that make the goblin think that he is alone? asks Gancelot
- That's the risk. says Abel. We don't know how much intelligence the goblin gained when he evolved. If Boss is right then the goblin will come out because he will think that Boss tried to wipe out the settlement in one swoop so that he doesn't have to face a bunch of goblins at the same time since he is alone.
{Gancelot}
" Giving him that was a good choice."
[With Noah]
The thunder descends on the settlement
*BOOOOOOMMM*
Destroying most of the settlement
- *huff* *huff* That should do it. says Noah
Out of the dust that was raised when the thunder fell on the settlement, a huge goblin carrying a huge sword comes running toward Noah.
{Noah}
" Are you serious!? A goblin general!"
Noah turns around and starts running toward the forest. He takes two flasks in the form of a tube with a brown cork out of his shorts pocket.
[Flashback to before they separate]
Gancelot approaches Noah
- Master, I think that you are gonna need this more than me. says Gancelot while taking out two flasks in a form of a tube with a brown cork containing a blue liquid.
- You brought mana potions with you? asks Noah
- The receptionist gave them to me. She said that it's something that most adventurers have with them when they don't have a support-type magician with them. says Gancelot
Noah takes the flask
{Noah}
" A brown cork. It means that it is a low-grade potion"
The corks on the potion flask are an indicator of the potion grade, unlike ki pills whose grade can be identified by their smell. A low-grade potion has a brown cork, a mid-grade potion has a grey cork, a high-grade potion has a black cork, and an elixir which is the highest rank a potion can reach has a white cork. That is the same for every potion
[End Of Flashback]
{Noah}
" If I were to put my aura in numerical form, before using the Descending Thunder spell my aura would have been at a 100 %. Now, I have 20 % left, and each of these potions can only give me back 5%. For other people, it would have been 10 % but since I don't use mana but aura, potions of other energy effects are halved."
*POP*
Noah opens a potion and quickly drinks it, he takes off his glove and turns around
- SUNDER!