After logging back in, Ares noticed that Fatty was offline. He scrolled through his friend list, mostly seeing Frost and her friends, but unfortunately, they were also offline. Ares hesitated, lacking the courage to ask a girl to hunt together. Deciding to explore a new area instead, he opened his map and came across a location called the Slumbering Forest of Frozen Citadel. He recalled his ongoing quest to find the Vermillion Verdant Sword Fruit for Master Harold. Unsure of where to search, he randomly chose the Slumbering Forest, intrigued by its name.
Ares teleported to Frozen Citadel City and made his way toward the forest. As there wasn't a teleportation point set up to the forest, he decided to walk, savoring the anticipation of the unknown. As he strolled through the silent area, Suddenly, a haunting presence disrupted the tranquility. A golden carriage, adorned with ornate masks, emerged from the shadows, casting an ominous shadow on the path.
As the carriage passed by him,
with a gentle gust of wind, the curtain of the carriage fluttered, revealing a glimpse of the hidden truth within. Ares' eyes widened in disbelief as they locked onto a pair of captivating blue eyes, shimmering with unshed tears. Time stood still as he beheld the heart-wrenching sight before him.
A young woman, fragile and vulnerable, appeared before Ares' gaze. Her wrists and ankles were bound tightly, restricting her freedom. A cloth, cruelly knotted, silenced her cries for help, leaving only muffled sounds of desperation. The raw despair etched on her face painted a tragic picture of a life engulfed in darkness and despair. Just as he was about to call out to them, the system prompted him with an unexpected message:
Ding! [Sudden Quest]
[The princess of the Val'Shara Empire has been kidnapped by the dark forces. Rescue her before she is taken to the Dark Force Headquarters.]
[Quest Rank: S+++]
Quest Reward: Promotion to Grand Duke, Emperor's Favor, additional rewards based on completion and princess's favorability.
Failure penalty: You will be placed on the Dark Forces' kill list.
Party size: 2
Ares was stunned looking at the Quest. He muttered to himself "Fuck! That Beauty was a princess?? No wonder!
And not just the any princess but the princess of the whole fucking empire?haha…..ha.. ha"
Giving a dejected laugh, Without a moment's hesitation, Ares sprinted after the carriage. He attempted to contact Fatty but received no response. In a moment of desperation, he scanned his friend list, finding a bunch of online players whom he wasn't familiar with. Just as he was about to close the interface, Frost Stormbringer's name lit up, and he immediately reached out to her.
Frost: Hey, what's up?
Ares: Ha... ha (pant, pant). I'm currently chasing a carriage. Are you free now? Where are you?
Frost: Oh! My group is currently focused on the Frozen Citadel. I'm in the Slumbering Forest.
Ares: Great! I am also in the slumbering forest. I'll send you a quest invitation. It's urgent. I'll also send you, my location. Catch up to me as fast as you can.
Frost: Okay, okay, I'll move quickly.
Ares sent the quest invitation, and Frost was left slack-jawed upon seeing its rank. She quickly reviewed the details and accepted, uttering a curse under her breath.
Frost: "Fuck, an S+++ rank quest! Holy shit, I'm right after you, Ares. Don't you dare give up on this quest until I arrive, or else I'll kick your ass."
Ares: "..."
Ares found himself torn between laughter and disbelief. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, and he couldn't predict what lay ahead.
Ares sprinted after the carriage, the masked assailant perched atop it drew a bow and swiftly fired an arrow towards him. Time seemed to slow down within a three-meter radius around Ares, and he instinctively recognized the incoming threat. With a lightning-fast movement, he sliced the arrow cleanly in two, showcasing his exceptional swordsmanship.
The archer on the carriage was taken aback by Ares's display of skill. Undeterred, he unleashed a flurry of arrows and unleashed various techniques, but Ares turned into a blur as his agility stat was too high, he kept on dodging and parrying the arrows with precision. His movements were fluid and seemingly effortless, leaving the assailant in awe.
Just as Ares prepared to unleash an AOE skill, a blazing crimson fireball soared through the air, striking the assassin and knocking him off the carriage. Seizing the opportunity, Ares swiftly closed in on the fallen masked man, delivering a fatal blow that silenced him forever.
Frost emerged into view, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Nice catch," she remarked, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
Ares met her gaze and reciprocated the smile. The two of them resumed their pursuit of the carriage. They relentlessly attacked, their coordinated strikes aiming to cripple the vehicle and rescue the princess. However, their efforts were met with resistance as a group of black-masked individuals emerged from the surrounding woods, engaging Ares and Frost in battle.
Undeterred, Ares and Frost nodded to each other, silently understanding their strategy. They unleashed their formidable skills, working in perfect harmony. Ares's sword mastery was unmatched, effortlessly dispatching his adversaries with a single stroke. Frost, despite facing difficulties as a mage, tapped into her innate ability, Eternal Frost Fire, and fended off the assassins attempting to close in on her. Her magic prowess was awe-inspiring as she effortlessly triple-cast spells with grace and precision.
Yet, the number of masked assailants continued to grow, pushing Ares and Frost to their limits. In unison, their eyes locked, a silent agreement passing between them. they channeled their mana unleashed devastating AOE skills.
Ares unleashed his arsenal of attack-boosting abilities, enveloping the surroundings in an oppressive aura. He tapped into his sword intent, overwhelming everyone, including Frost, with its suffocating pressure. Finally, he unleashed his AOE skill, Lightning Slash, as he slashed it formed a semicircular arc of destructive lightning-infused sword energy that decimated everything in its path within a fifty-meter radius.
Not to be outdone, Frost tapped into her ancestral bloodline, amplifying her fire magic to unprecedented levels. Flames danced around her as she activated her AOE skill, Firestorm. The area was engulfed in a fiery tempest, reducing the masked assailants to mere ashes. The storm raged for thirty seconds, leaving no survivors in its wake.
Breathing heavily, Frost wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Well, that wasn't too difficult," she muttered, a hint of exhaustion in her voice.
Chuckling, Ares responded, "Yeah, right."
"Let's continue," they said simultaneously, and they resumed their chase after the carriage, their bond strengthening with every step they took.
As Ares and Frost relentlessly pursued the carriage, the weather took a sudden turn for the worse. The howling winds intensified into a full-blown ice storm, whipping around them with furious gusts.
The carriage came to an abrupt halt, the horses struggling against the onslaught of icy winds. Just as Ares and Frost were closing in, the ground beneath them gave way, collapsing into a treacherous abyss. The carriage, Ares, Frost, and their adversaries all tumbled into unknown depths.
As they fell through the tunnels, Ares and Frost found themselves landing in the same icy tunnel while the masked assassins and the carriage were separated into different paths. The impact of their landing was jarring, rendering them both unconscious.
When Ares regained consciousness, he struggled to free himself from beneath an unknown weight. As he attempted to push it away, he realized it was soft and supple. His face flushed crimson with embarrassment as he discovered he was being pressed against a pair of breasts. Just as he tried to stand up, their unstable footing caused them to lose balance, and they tumbled down the uneven slope, entangled in each other's limbs. Frost remained unconscious throughout the chaotic descent.
When they finally came to a stop, Ares found himself once again in a compromising position. This time, he was choked by Frost's thighs. Frost, startled awake by the commotion, sat up and looked around in confusion. Unable to locate Ares at first, she glanced down and discovered the awkward truth—she was sitting on Ares's face. Her face turned scarlet with embarrassment, and she let out a startled scream as she hastily scrambled away.
After the initial shock had subsided and they had a moment to collect themselves, Ares and Frost realized they needed to focus on finding a way out and rescuing the princess to complete their Quest. Suppressing any lingering embarrassment, they rose to their feet and dusted off the snow clinging to their clothes. They made their way into the labyrinth.
As they ventured into the depths of the cave, trying to find their way out, they stumbled upon a dwelling-like chamber. Inside, they discovered a skeleton seated in a meditative posture, as if it had perished while deep in meditation. The room provided some respite from the cold, so they decided to rest there for a while, seeking warmth for their numbing bodies. Unbeknownst to them, the entire chamber was covered in a peculiar type of aphrodisiac grass that emitted an undetectable gas. No matter how much they tried, they couldn't log out of the game.