Free Web NovelChapter 317: Chapter 305: Ambush
Although the journey to the Golden Valley Kingdom was short, the rewards were astonishing.
Not only had he raised his Bloodline Fusion Level to one hundred percent, awakened the [Giant Dragon Bloodline], and successfully become a Dragon Descendant, but he had also acquired the immensely promising skill, Supreme Slash.
Furthermore, he had clarified the link between Positive Energy and faith, solidifying his path of centering his faith on himself.
Although the Professional Panel hadn’t given any clear indication, Roland was almost certain that once [Faith Resonance] reached a certain level, it would trigger a Profession Awakening related to the Paladin class.
Not to mention, by consuming that mysterious liquid, he had also activated the Trait [Shadow Perception] and a clue to the [Wanderer] Profession...
This series of events had undoubtedly enhanced his strength immensely.
However...
Demons, Giant Dragons, Deities, Witch Demons, the Abyss...
All this information, combined with his own experiences, pointed to one thing.
As Magic Elements gradually resurfaced, this continent, steeped in ancient memories, was slowly revealing to him the reality hidden beneath the tip of the iceberg.
Roland was certain that dangerous figures and events like these would only become more frequent in the future.
To survive, he had to keep getting stronger.
With the unique advantage of his Professional Panel, even taking on the most basic Professions would bring a considerable boost in power.
However, triggering or taking on any Profession usually required years of honing one’s skills, not to mention a bit of luck.
Therefore, to improve his strength in peace, he had to find a region that was stable enough.
But the River Domain...
Recalling the Demon Well—a disaster waiting to happen—and the elusive Wizards, Roland sighed helplessly in his heart.
Clearly, with the turbulent undercurrents in the River Domain, it would be difficult for him to train in peace.
Even a Transcendent like Graham, who was far stronger than him, could barely influence the course of the River Domain, let alone Roland himself.
Since he couldn’t change or resolve the obvious turmoil in the River Domain, the only thing Roland could think to do was leave, lest he be dragged into the brewing quagmire.
With this in mind, Roland took a deep breath. He motioned to Galvis and Teresa, then slowly fell back to the rear of the group and clearly explained his reasoning.
Before Roland had even finished speaking, Galvis’s fingers snapped from his strings, letting out a sharp, crisp sound.
"Leave that simmering quagmire behind?"
The Minstrel’s hushed voice was filled with undisguised excitement.
"Wise! An exceptionally wise choice, oh, my dear Roland! Let those ambitious schemers and shadowy beings fight over the Authority at the center of this vortex. A true hero naturally yearns for a grander stage!"
He spurred his horse closer, the body of his lute bumping softly against Roland’s mount with a dull thud. His tone shifted to one of dramatic curiosity.
"So, tell me, our guide, once we leave this troublesome land of the River Domain, where do you intend for our journey to take us?"
"My verses are already starving, eager to write of a new Legend!"
Watching his companion’s exaggerated antics, Roland let out an almost imperceptible sigh.
They had been traveling together for some time now, but he still found it difficult to handle Galvis’s sudden bursts of enthusiasm.
Beside them, Teresa tilted her head slightly, silver strands of her hair brushing across her impassive cheek in the morning breeze.
Her silent gaze swept over Roland, as calm as a lake reflecting the sky, without the slightest ripple.
Then she gave a faint nod, the movement simple and crisp, as if she had expected this decision all along.
After his gaze passed over his two very different companions, Roland met Galvis’s inquisitive and fervent stare and shook his head slightly.
"Before that, we have to go back to the River Domain."
He paused before continuing his explanation.
"Mr. Bronson is still there. We can’t just leave him behind. We have to ensure he’s safe and bring him with us."
"Also, I need to tell Avril our decision. As a companion, he has the right to know..."
At the mention of Avril’s name, Galvis instinctively flinched.
Roland paid him no mind, his gaze fixed on the road winding toward the horizon as he continued.
"As for where we go next... we’ll figure that out when the time comes."
After speaking with Galvis and Teresa, Roland wasted no more time.
Recalling his experiences in the Golden Valley Kingdom, he urged his horse forward to ride alongside the group’s leader, Reggie, and briefly explained his intention to leave as soon as possible, along with his reasons.
Reggie was clearly also aware that something was amiss in the Golden Valley Kingdom, so he nodded and said in a solemn voice.
"A wise decision."
At his command, the entire group immediately picked up its pace.
Carriage wheels rumbled and the clatter of hooves grew rapid and incessant. The party traveled along the main road toward the border of the River Domain at what was nearly the speed of a forced march.
The journey was almost unnervingly peaceful. Aside from the wind and the drumming of hooves, there were no other sounds.
However, this excessive quiet didn’t put Roland at ease. On the contrary, it only made him more tense.
His sharp gaze scanned every corner on both sides of the road that might conceal danger, his nerves stretched taut.
Finally, as evening fell, the group reached a vast, relatively flat expanse of wilderness.
The late autumn sun dyed the wild grasses a rust-red, making the distant horizon seem especially desolate.
A cold wind began to rise, carrying a bone-chilling cold.
Reggie reined in his horse, pointing to a faint flicker of light barely visible ahead in the gathering dusk.
"Look ahead, Roland. If the map is correct, there should be a small village not far from here."
"It’s getting dark. We can find lodging there and rest for the night. It’s better than camping out in this exposed wilderness..."
The instant Reggie’s words trailed off, a cold, viscous malice—like a venomous, sharp-thorned thing—descended without warning from behind a small hillock just ahead and to the side.
The [Lonely Barrier] Trait had been triggered!
Roland’s pupils contracted violently. All thought vanished from his mind.
He didn’t shout. His movements were like lightning.
His left hand shot out, yanking the reins of Reggie’s mount to a sudden halt. Simultaneously, his right hand rose and swung back decisively in a sharp, clear signal to halt.
Though they lacked real combat experience, the students sent from the River Domain were well-trained.
The moment his hand signal was given, the group’s pace began to slow.
In the next instant, Roland drew the Mithril Short Spear from his back.
With practically no time to aim, he relied on his Perception to lock onto the source of the malice, put his whole arm into the throw, and hurled the spear.
WHOOSH!
The Short Spear became a silver streak of light, tearing through the twilight air with a sharp hiss before sinking with unerring accuracy behind the small hillock.
SQUELCH!
A dull but distinct sound of piercing flesh followed.
Immediately after, a dark red liquid began to seep out from behind the hillock, looking especially stark in the dim, yellow light.
However, before anyone else in the group could react to this sudden turn of events that had unfolded in the blink of an eye...
The situation changed in an instant!
The wilderness, which had been empty and desolate just moments before, seemed to spring to life.
From the withered woods on both sides of the road, from behind the rolling hillocks, and from the shadows of the low mountains in the distance, countless figures suddenly appeared as if they had sprung from the very earth.
A full thousand soldiers appeared in silence.
They were clad in armor and held weapons, silently forming an encirclement. A cold killing intent spread through the twilight, trapping Roland and his party firmly in the center.
"It’s soldiers from the Golden Valley Kingdom!"
The style of their armor was completely different from the blue-and-white armor commonly seen in the River Domain.
Their dark armor was painted with rough, copper-colored stripes, like the crisscrossing furrows of a wheat field at harvest time.
After confirming their identity, Roland’s gaze swept calmly over their surroundings as he quickly assessed the enemy’s numbers.
A thousand well-trained soldiers would be troublesome, but the sight didn’t make him nervous.
But then, his brow furrowed slightly.
His gaze passed over the disciplined military formation and settled on something further back.
There, he could clearly perceive two distinct, yet equally powerful, presences.
They stood out like beacons in the night, a stark contrast to the weak Presence of the ordinary soldiers around them.
Extraordinary Professionals, and...
Two of them.
