After the Dragon Lord vanished into a mist of ash, I stood up, feeling a new power coursing through my veins. I tried to think about what he had told me about killing the Demon King, but now I had to focus on getting out of this place. I wasn't alone, after all.
While I was lost in thought, a shout interrupted me from the side.
"Young master!!"
It was Jenny.
"Where have you been, sir?! I thought the mist had swallowed you. I was so worried about you—"
"Nothing happened, don't worry."
She looked genuinely kind. Well, in the end, she was the one who stayed for Ash even when his family abandoned him.
"You worried us a lot, young master. Don't disappear like that suddenly," Ron said with a benign smile again.
I would say it was annoying, but she was somewhat intimidating. Maybe he cared about me. After all, he was the one who raised Ash from a young age.
"Where did he go suddenly?"
Oh, I forgot about her, this girl.
"Follow me, I have gifts for you both."
Ron raised his eyebrows, puzzled.
"Gifts?"
Jenny looked curious.
"For us?"
"For me too."
Damn this cheeky girl.
"Just follow me."
I looked around to find dozens of crystals hanging in the air, each containing glowing elements inside. The cave was filled with thick mist that enhanced the sense of mystery, but it wasn't enough to hide the sparkle of the precious elements.
"What is all this?!" Jenny said in amazement as she approached me.
"There are elements in the crystals!" she exclaimed, noticing the dozens of crystals containing glowing elements that were clearly of high quality at a glance.
Ron looked at me in astonishment as if to say, how does this kid know about these things?
Well, I had no idea how to break those crystals, but I felt that the Dragon Lord's power might give me the answer. I focused my energy on one of the larger crystals, which seemed to contain something more than just an element.
The crystal began to crack under the influence of my new power and suddenly broke, revealing a set of wondrous items:
Spirit Tattoo: A jewel that enhances spiritual affinity and makes the user more sensitive to elemental forces.
Obsidian Bracelet: A bracelet that increases endurance and protects against magical attacks.
Yata Mirror: A reflective mirror that can be used to deflect magical attacks back at the enemy.
"Look at this!" said the little elf girl as I reached out to extract the items from the crystal.
Jenny and Ron rushed toward me, their eyes shining with amazement.
"I didn't expect these to be here. Things are going in my favor," I thought with a smile as I looked at a bottle filled with red liquid.
I moved to another crystal and released my energy again. The crystal broke, revealing more treasures:
Crow Cloak: A cloak that grants its wearer the ability to blend into the shadows and increase their speed.
Storm Sword: A sword that can summon and control storms.
Ice Ring: A ring that harnesses the power of the Ice Spears spell, allowing the user to launch powerful ice spears.
"Jenny, take these items," I said as I handed her the items.
Jenny took the items gratefully, her eyes shining with joy.
"But sir, these are very valuable items, how can I take them?"
"Just take them."
"And Ron, these are for you," I said, offering him some items.
Dusk Cloak: A cloak that grants its wearer the ability to merge with the darkness and increase their stealth.
Mirage Dagger: A dagger that can create false images of the attacker to distract enemies.
Mist Bracelet: A bracelet that can summon a thick mist to cover the area and confuse enemies.
Ron took the items with a look full of amazement and gratitude.
"These items will help you a lot, they suit you both," I said, looking at them.
"Thank you, sir!!" they said in unison.
"I will serve you till my last breath."
"What's the next step?" Jenny asked.
I smiled and said, "We'll go to the Elf Forest."
We exited the cave. Wait a moment... the mist covering the Dragon Lord's domain has dissipated.
"This will change a lot of the story's plot."
In the original story, the secret of this mist remained unknown. Even after the Dragon Lord was killed by the Demon Worshippers, the mist continued to grow and became more aggressive, engulfing vast areas of the Elf Forest and damaging the World Tree.
The World Tree will be destroyed two years after the start of the story. If it hasn't collapsed yet, saving it now will be a great help to humanity.
"Let's see what the future holds for us."