Without even communicating, the two of them, Lucas and Spot, imdiately sprang into action.
The embers were put off by Lucas using soils he dug earlier while Spot assud a battle-ready stance. In such darkness, the light caused by summoning the contracted beast will be conspicuous, so he did not summon the Mirage Worm for the ti being.
Lucas and Spot remained on the sa spot and did not move an inch. However, their heightened senses focused on their surroundings, ready to react at a mont's notice.
After traveling in the wilderness for more than a week, Spot and Lucas had basically ford a tacit understanding without even the need to communicate through the contract's connection. Their bond has significantly gone closer to the point where, in scenarios like this, both of them will act accordingly without impending the other.
In this current situation, the two of them realized that soone or sothing was approaching with soft steps; hence, they imdiately assud stances based on their respective roles.
Spot assud the stance to fight, while Lucas... assud the stance to escape and save himself as best as he could.
It just could not be helped.
Even though he was already at Iron Star 9 and his body was already nourished by the grimoire multiple tis, there was no way he would be able to contend with beasts head-on unless they were of lower rank.
From their acute hearing, the two of them could tell that there were nurous and faint footsteps approaching from afar. Due to that, Lucas assud that it was yet another quadruped beast, and maybe even a group of them.
Although he was tense, Lucas did not let the panic set in his mind.
With Spot by his side and being able to summon the Mirage Worm almost in an instant, Lucas thought that his safety was higher than when he was first sent to the wilderness by the gate.
Hence, the reason why he did not choose to escape imdiately and instead opted for a wait approach.
If they could hunt the approaching beasts, then it was all for the better. If not, then they could just escape with the Mirage Worm. With the Unhindered Stealth ability, maintaining three minutes of stealth was not a problem, especially if Spot was in his Gentle Dog form.
And in that span of ti, Lucas and the others would probably be able to escape hundreds of ters, if not a kiloter.
A while later, the footsteps gradually grew closer.
The closer they got, the more Lucas furrowed his brows.
The footsteps were very light, and they didn't seem uniform and followed any pattern like those of beasts.
'Not beast?'
The mont the question aroused inside his mind, the multiple footsteps had already arrived behind him. Spot was by his side, facing toward the newcors directly, ready to pounce, while Lucas was facing them with his back, ready to flee or escape.
"Hello?"
Just then, a soft voice entered Lucas' ears, startling him so much that his body instinctively moved on its own.
'Human?'
Lucas thought incredulously as he turned toward the direction of that voice.
Although faint, he could vaguely see the shape of the silhouettes in front. Upon a casual glance, Lucas determined that there were five of them.
All this while Lucas had always hoped to et humans in his travels in his wilderness.
However, now that he has t not just one, but even a group of them, Lucas suddenly did not know what to do.
"Anyone there? We an no harm," the soft voice inquired once again.
From the tone, Lucas could tell that the other party was already aware of his presence. They just did not make a move, maybe out of respect and consideration, or maybe out of fear.
"What do you want?" After struggling for a while, Lucas finally spoke.
To converse with a fellow person was indeed a luxury he had taken for granted before. Having not spoken to a fellow human for a week, Lucas even struggled for a bit before he was able to form so words to answer the question.
"There's indeed soone."
"Is he alone?"
"There's actually soone so brave traveling the Black Root Forest alone?"
Soft murmurs entered his ears, none of them withholding their voice. No matter how soft they were whispering, how could Lucas not hear them with his acute hearing and with the silences of the night?
"Quiet!"
The soft voice from earlier reprimanded the others. The others shut their mouths almost instantaneously. From the looks of it, the soft voice, clearly coming from a woman, should be the leading figure of the group.
"Friend, we an no harm, and we do not want anything. We were traveling the Black Root Forest in the hopes of hunting the Blood Elk. Earlier, one of our beasts detected your presence, so we ca over rely to greet you."
She explained.
Although she did not state it, Lucas was able to tell from her words that they did not want trouble, and hence they announced their presence, trying not to get the ire of whoever presence they had detected.
"We hope you don't take offense to our sudden intrusion," she continued with a slight bow.
It seems that their intentions were pure, and they harbor no animosity toward Lucas.
"It doesn't matter. Don't take offense as well, but where do you guys co from?" Lucas inquired.
Upon hearing that, the surroundings beca eerily quiet.
'Did I ask sothing wrong?' Lucas thought.
"Naturally, we ca from Serene City; where could we have co from if not that place?" One of them spoke with a hint of confusion in his voice.
All of them were humans; naturally, all of them ca from Serene City.
Aside from Serene City, was there even another city that exists in this world today?
The question of Lucas appeared strange to them.
"Do you... perhaps not co from Serene City?" The woman leader asked, her voice was tense.
From her minute movents, Lucas could tell that she beca vigilant, as if afraid of him all of a sudden.
Not intending to deceive them, Lucas answered truthfully.
"I indeed did not co from that place. In truth, I was sent here by the dungeon gate after staying inside it for too long."
They were the first humans he had encountered after so long. Not to ntion that one of them has already revealed that they ca from a city called Serene City. Even though Lucas was not familiar with any city of such a na, it still allowed him to hope that perhaps they had information about the place that he was in.
Perhaps there he could find the answer to his questions. Such as, which part of the world was he truly in now?
"I have been traveling this area for days now, and you guys are the first fellow human I encountered. If possible, do you guys mind if you lead to your city? Please don't misunderstand. I don't an any harm as well. Traveling the wilderness for so long, I truly just wanted to rest and find ways to return to my hotown," he continued.
As if afraid that they would turn him down, Lucas added, "If you're unwilling, a map or direction to your city will do. I don't have any money now, but I have items that I can trade with."
The group went silent for a few monts as if assessing the situation.
Lucas could tell that they were still vigilant against him, but he did not mind, as he himself was vigilant toward them as well. Spot on his side has never let down his guard as well.
"We didn't bring any maps to Serene City. As for the direction... I apologize, but we could not give it to you either," the woman said with so difficulty.
Her breathing was quite controlled, and from the looks of it, she was afraid that the matter would escalate to sothing awry.
"But... if you are willing, you can co along with us for the ti being. After we are done hunting the Blood Elk, we will be returning to the city imdiately," she continued.
In truth, they had carelessly approached Lucas earlier, as they thought that he was a fellow human in their own city. For them, the only city left was Serene City. There was no need to antagonize a fellow human that they t on their journey; hence, they decided to co and announce their presence to avoid complications as well.
However, they did not expect that this person actually did not co from the sa place.
Although still a fellow human, they still could not help but feel foreign to him. To them, he was a stranger, even more so after they heard that he ca from another city.
The matter regarding another city was quite dubious as well. They had always believed that Serene City was the last standing city of humanity, and hearing that another place with humans was still around made them unable to think for a few monts.
Although happy that such a place still existed, this stranger that ca from another city, they would not willingly bring over to their own city, afraid that he was harboring so nefarious thoughts.
However, afraid of offending a fellow human, the woman could only take a step back and let him follow their group for now.
This way, they could grow familiar with each other, and at the sa ti, she could observe if it was alright to bring him over to the city.
Although her squad mbers were still silent from earlier, she knew that they share the sa vigilance and hope toward the stranger in front of her right now.
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