*****
Leonelle walked down the muddy path, trudging through the rain with his heightened senses at full alert. Despite the rain obscuring his vision and hearing, he relied on his sense of smell to detect any signs of Sophia's presence. With a determined look on his face, he closed his eyes and cut off his other senses, focusing solely on his sense of smell. He scanned the forest within a radius of 500 sword-length, but all he could sense were the occasional bugs and animals scurrying about.
Disappointed, Leonelle opened his eyes and muttered to himself, "No dice..."
Leonelle glanced back at the man slung over his back. The man was still breathing, but the pallor of his face indicated that he was on the verge of dying. He had lost a significant amount of blood, and it was only a matter of time before his body gave out.
"Your wounds must be healed first," he said to Drake who was still unconscious.
Leonelle knew that finding Sophia was of utmost importance, but he couldn't ignore the fact that Drake's wounds needed immediate attention. The man's injuries were severe, and he needed to be healed before he could continue his search.
Leonelle and Drake were acquainted with each other, having both been adventurers at one point in their lives. Drake was an accomplished A-Class adventurer, while Leonelle had earned the highest rank of S-Class. Though their ranks differed, they had often found themselves on expeditions together.
Leonelle had heard that Drake had retired from the life of an adventurer after getting married, but he had no idea that he had settled in the republic.
"I had no clue that he already had a daughter..."
In fact, he had no idea that Drake had a daughter, let alone that he was capable of nurturing a child. After all, Drake was known as the Brawler and was famous for defeating a Rock Gorilla with his bare fists. Leonelle couldn't believe that the man who looked like he had muscles for brains was also capable of loving his family with all his heart.
"I guess a person's appearance doesn't really matter after all."
Despite Drake's tough exterior and muscular physique, he didn't conform to the conventional image of a loving family man. Nevertheless, he loved his family deeply and completely.
"I'm a bit envious... I wish I could love and care for my family in the same way that you do for yours."
Leonelle was forced to face the truth that he couldn't give his family the love and attention they deserved. It was a difficult reality to accept, but the fact remained that he had been absent from their lives for far too long. He had always been preoccupied with work and had neglected his family as a result.
As a consequence of his negligence, his son had become withdrawn and isolated himself in his small room.
The weight of guilt was crushing Leonelle as he thought to himself, "This is all my fault." But he quickly realized that dwelling on his past mistakes wouldn't help the present situation.
Right now, his priority was to save Drake's life. The clock was ticking, and every moment counted. Leonelle focused his attention on the present, determined to do everything in his power to keep Drake from succumbing to his injuries. He pushed aside his guilt and remorse, focusing on the task at hand with unwavering resolve.
Just then, Leonelle felt a sensation that wasn't coming from his nose, ears, or eyes. It was a feeling that originated from within him. Was it his intuition guiding him? No, it was something more unsettling.
It was fear. It was a new sensation for him, and he couldn't shake off the goosebumps that covered his body.
Almost instinctively, Leonelle ducked, and he heard something swish past him. He quickly drew his sword from the sheath in his waist and readied himself for the attack. As he looked up, he was surprised by what he saw.
"A Kobold?"
The attacker that Leonelle faced was a monster, but not a very strong one. It was a Kobold, a D-Class monster that shouldn't have been a threat to an S-Class adventurer like him. He couldn't understand why he was feeling fear at the sight of it. It didn't make sense to him.
However, as he looked closer, he noticed something unusual about the kobold's appearance.
'Why does it have red eyes?' he thought to himself.
Kobolds were known for their distinctive yellow eyes and black fur, but he had never seen one with eyes of that color. The sight of those red eyes sent chills down his spine, and he couldn't help but wonder what it meant. Was this an anomaly or something much more sinister?
Despite his confusion and fear, Leonelle knew that he had to focus on the task at hand - defeating the kobold with the red eyes. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, especially with Drake's life on the line.
"I guess I'll have to fight my way out of this one, Drake," he said as he carefully laid his friend against a nearby tree, making sure he was as comfortable as possible.
Once he was sure that Drake was safe, Leonelle turned his attention back to the kobold. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves as he readied himself for battle.
As he looked at the kobold, he couldn't help but wonder why he was so afraid of such a weak and seemingly ordinary monster. He questioned himself, 'Why is this creature scaring me? What's different about it?'
He was confused, but he didn't dwell on it. He took one last glance at Drake, who appeared even paler than before, before turning his focus entirely to the kobold. His priority was to defeat the kobold quickly as Drake required urgent medical attention. He needed to act fast.
"I need to hurry," he muttered.
Leonelle initiated the attack, and as he approached the kobold, he swung his sword to the side. However, before his sword could make contact with the kobold, something unforeseen occurred.
The kobold vanished into thin air, or so it seemed. In actuality, it had moved at an incredible speed, making it difficult to track with the naked eye.
"What?!" Leonelle was momentarily taken aback, but he quickly regained his composure. By sharpening all his senses, he was able to locate the kobold's position.
"Damn it!" Upon observing the kobold's direction, he realized it was making a beeline for the unconscious Drake.
Leonelle knew that he wouldn't be able to reach Drake in time. The creature was undoubtedly faster than him, perhaps considerably so.
The kobold was dangerously close to reaching Drake, only a sword's length away. If Leonelle didn't act promptly, it would be too late.
Leonelle channeled his aura and mana into his feet, focusing the energy in his soles. He then kicked the ground with all his might, propelling himself at breakneck speed towards the kobold, determined to reach it before it could harm Drake.
The kobold appeared stunned, its eyes widening in disbelief at Leonelle's sudden burst of speed. However, Leonelle didn't waste time dwelling on its reaction, and instead swiftly swung his sword at the monster.
The kobold managed to evade Leonelle's attack, coming to an abrupt halt and barely dodging the strike, causing only a minor graze to its hair.
Leonelle halted his dash and drove his sword into the ground, halting his momentum. When he raised his head, he found the kobold's jaws positioned perilously close to his face, just a finger's length away.
Leonelle wasn't taken aback by the close encounter and swiftly responded by punching the kobold upward with his hand, forcing the monster to close its jaws.
The kobold let out a sharp cry of agony, emitting a sound that was not typical of a normal kobold.
As Leonelle gazed intently at the kobold, his mind raced with questions. "What kind of kobold is this?" he wondered to himself. The monster's behavior had been anything but typical, and the fact that it emitted an aura of intimidation only added to Leonelle's confusion.
Upon closer inspection, Leonelle realized that the monster's ability to evoke fear wasn't just a result of its imposing physical appearance. There was something else about it that was causing Leonelle's instincts to react with such intensity. It was almost as if the monster possessed a human-like quality that was beyond Leonelle's understanding.
What troubled Leonelle even more was the fact that the kobold appeared to possess a level of intelligence that was unheard of in its kind. Typically, a kobold would attack anyone who came too close, especially if they posed a threat to its safety. However, this particular kobold seemed to have a more calculated approach. Instead of attacking Leonelle head-on, it had gone after the defenseless Drake, as if it understood that he posed less of a threat.
Leonelle could only speculate as to why the creature had made this choice. Perhaps it recognized that Leonelle was too powerful to defeat, or maybe it saw an opportunity to strike at the weaker target. Regardless of the reason, it was clear that this kobold was not like any he had encountered before.
Despite his confusion, Leonelle remained focused on the task at hand. He could worry about the creature's strange behavior later. For now, his priority was to protect Drake at all costs. With a fierce determination, he readied himself for another attack.
As the kobold regained its bearings, it let out another shrill cry and charged at Leonelle with renewed fervor. Leonelle braced himself for the impact, but as the creature closed in, he made a swift movement, dodging the attack with ease. Using the opening to his advantage, he swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming for the kobold's midsection.
To his surprise, the kobold anticipated the attack and managed to evade it, leaping nimbly to the side. The two circled each other warily, each waiting for an opportunity to strike.
Suddenly, Leonelle heard a faint groan and glanced over his shoulder to see Drake stirring. This distraction was all the kobold needed. With lightning-fast reflexes, it darted past Leonelle, making a beeline for the weakened Drake.