Chapter 53 - Connor
<< Donald >>
Level 78
Class: High Knight
Subclass: Necromancer
Occupation: Guild Master
Elliot stared at the words in front of him. This guy is a Necromancer. A very rare subclass that can only be earned after massacring tens of lives.
This man is bad news.
"Connor Carp owed our guild money and life," Donald. "And the penalty for insubordination is death!"
"What if he pays?" Elliot asked, his hand trailing on the handle of his sword.
"He pays, then dies," Donald retorted and laughed along with his fellow guild mates. "Look, kid. That Connor is a freak. He couldn't join any party because of how weak he is. Who are you anyway?"
"His friend," Elliot said. "I'm one of his friends."
The people in front of him was silent for a moment before they erupted into fits of laughter. Some were even holding their stomach while laughing.
"That wimpy brat has a friend?"
"He looks like a freak, just like Connor."
"What a bunch of lunatics."
…
Elliot gazed at the fallen guard who had long since fainted. She had wounds all over her body and it was hard for Elliot to know if she was still alive because of the cold winds that kept on blowing. It was interrupting his senses.
"Did she say you're from a dark guild?" Elliot quirked his brow, pointing his gaze at the guard. "How did you get to know Connor?"
Donald sighed, "Look, kid. Connor Carp is nothing but a cargo. He was sold to us by a bigger guild and his position is a slave. He refused to be one and then escaped from us after I saved him."
"Saved? Well, how did you treat him before?" Elliot asked. He wad getting furious but he did not let his fury get out. "As a slave, I mean."
The man crossed his arms, "He would clean everything, become our training toy, cook, wash. Just slave things."
Another man walked over, "Remember when we killed him and you, as a Necromancer, revived him?"
Elliot's world stopped. He couldn't comprehend the words that came next. It was as if there was a loud ping in his ears, blocking every other sound apart from the one that kept on repeating in his head.
Connor was killed.
He was then revived.
The always smiling, awkward, cheesy Connor Carp was killed.
By monsters.
"… He was crying, begging not to be–"
A series of gasps followed. The man who was talking had his arm cut off. He fell to his knees and screamed in pain. The blood oozing from his amputated arm soiled the ground.
They turned towards Elliot's direction, but he was gone from in front of them.
"What?" the guild master asked.
"He said you killed Connor after he begged for his life," Elliot said. This time, he didn't contain the anger anymore. He was showing every fiber of killing intent anyone in the guild has ever seen. "Bet you tortured him before you did, huh?"
"It was an accident!" another guild member said. "We were only playing, but things had gotten out of hand."
Elliot glared at him, "Out of hand?"
"I'm sorry, but we didn't mean to kill him," he said and fell to his knees. "We wanted to play with him a bit. Just make him feel a bit of pain. We wouldn't even let the master revive him if we truly meant harm. His skill needed to stack before he can activate it too. He used it for Connor."
"Played with him," Elliot repeated, ignoring all the other words that came after. He recoiled his sword and thrust it forward, piercing a hole in the man's upper left chest. "Now, let me play with you."
–
"Where is he?" Lance asked. "The nymph will regain its power soon."
Connor sighed, "I don't know. Maybe he's still running?"
"But his skill makes him travel at least 4 meters per second, and it lasts for 10 seconds too," Ed said.
Lance felt a faint yet terrifying aura just outside the cave. He turned to the direction, fully knowing his friend was out there.
He opted not to inform the others about what he felt. They would panic and try to save Elliot when that happens. And if there was indeed another beast outside and they'll leave the nymph here, they'd be cornered with two beasts on both ends.
He had to make a decision. He needed to help Elliot and guard the nymph at the same time.
"Connor, Ed," Lance called. "Go after Elliot, Hope, stay with me."
Connor and Ed had no choice but to obey. It was weird that Lance sent two of them but they must hurry.
Lance's ropes were wearing thin.
As for Lance, he wanted to come after Elliot with his speed. But if the nymph would break free, and he wasn't here, his friends would perish.
"Run as fast as you can," Lance said.
"Okay!"
Meanwhile, at the entrance of the forest.
'Quest [ The Royal Human ] completed.'
'Skill [ Arch of Revival ] gained.'
[ Arch of Revival
Cost: 5,000
// The user can revive a dead human in exchange for 100 lives.
Condition: Arch of Revival does not work with rotten human corpse or a human's skeleton. ]
"Exchange for 100 lives," Elliot whispered. He saw the terror in the 9 people in front of him. "91 left."
–
"Elliot!" Connor yelled. "What took you so long?"
"The guard isn't here," Elliot replied. "Do they even leave their posts?"
Ed quirked his brow.
Something is wrong. He thought.
"Wait," Elliot narrowed his eyes. "I think that's the guard! What the hell?"
He ran up to the girl who was lying on the ground. Elliot kneeled and examined the guard, "Ma'am, are you alright?"
The guard did not respond, so Elliot pressed his ear on the guard's mouth. "She's still alive."
Elliot took out a flask of healing potion and made the guard drink it. Her body glowed with a pale green light and when it died down, she fluttered her eyes open.
"W-Where am I?" were the words that escaped her lips after she woke up.
"Ma'am, the boss had gone Cannibal and attacked us," Connor said. "We need your permission to slay it."
"Boss?" she asked. "Go. Let me rest first."
"Okay," Elliot said and carried her to the entrance of the cave. Connor lit a flame beside her to keep her warm. "We'll go inside now, ma'am."
"Okay," she said and returned back to sleep.
Elliot stood and gazed at the ground before turning. "Let's go!"
Ed looked at where Elliot glanced and his eyes widened. He looked at Elliot who was already inside and grit his teeth.
What have you done, Elliot?
"What are these?!" Hope yelled, leaping up and down the large cave, trying to avoid the vines that were attacking them like snakes.
The nymph had already escaped from Lance's ropes. It's eyes widened when it did, trying to break free from the rope until the rope finally gave in and break.
"We have permission!" Elliot yelled from afar. "We have permission to kill it!"
Lance sighed in relief. "Okay. Hope, stand back."
"Yes, papa!" Hope yelled and landed behind Lance.
"Black and White Pierce!" the rapid spheres of magic hit the nymph, almost missing it when it ducked.
"Should I go with you?" Elliot asked. "The two are following but I doubt they'll be here in time."
"Everyone," Lance yelled. He was also trying to reach Connor and Ed who were still running. "Attack and dodge as much as you can. We cannot aggro this beast. Don't hold back!"
"Yeah!" Elliot and Hope screamed.
"Supreme Malevolence!" Elliot burst towards the nymph, recoiling his sword and thrusting it forward. The nymph almost dodged the attack. Good thing Elliot used the swinging vines to change his direction.
'Supreme Malevolence 2'
"Hasty Aspire!"
'Supreme Malevolence 3'
'Supreme Malevolence 4'
…
In the middle of his fights with the nymphs, Hope had reached Sacred-rank. Two notifications rang.
'Skill [ Dragon Force ] gained.'
'Skill [ Dragon Morph: Gray Dragon Emperor ] gained.'
[ Dragon Force
Passive ( Activates after using Dragon Morph )
// All stats are raised by 40%. ]
[ Dragon Morph: Gray Dragon Emperor ( Level 1 )
Cost: 4,500 MP
// Morphs into a Gray Dragon Emperor for 5 minutes. ]
"Let's try it!" Hope said. "Dragon Morph: Gray Dragon Emperor!"
His body glowed with a sparkling gray color. His skin shifted into scales. His hands slammed on the ground as he felt himself changing.
In a matter of seconds, Hope became a Gray Dragon Emperor.
Elliot looked down, "What the hell?"
Hope was the only size of a bucket. He wasn't the large dragon he previously was.
Lance turned, "What are you two– oh."
He couldn't help but snort after seeing Hope. He was tiny. "What the hell, Hope? I thought you'd look like what you did. But you're not even a fraction of it."
Hope growled and flew towards the nymph.
'Gray Blast!'
He shot a large gray orb, about four times his size, and hit the beast in the chest.
Lance clapped his hands saying, "That's my boy." But Hope only huffed.
"Monster…" a female voice called.
Lance raised his swords, looking around the area. "Did you two hear it?"
Elliot walked over and saw the nymph glaring at them, teeth gritting, eyes boring them with anger. "Monster!"
'Feature unlocked.'
< Race Inspector >
'Multiple Non-humans detected.'
<< Frost Mother Nymph >>
Race: Nymph
<< Hope >>
Race: Dragon
"We're here!"
Elliot froze at the sound.
"Connor, Ed, what took you so long?" Lance asked.
"Elliot are you–" Lance stopped, seeing Elliot's wide eyes.
"I-I…"
"Multiple Non-humans detected.'