The Villain has Perished

Forest of Silence. Near Lake of Purity. Early Morning.

"Did you find the templar's corpse?" A gruff voice sounded. The speaker in context was wearing a formidable armor. The golden armor covered his entire body, providing complete protection from the most formidable attacks.

The materials used to create the armor were extracted from ascended rank monsters, and boasted the highest degree of protection. At his question, another knight answered.

"Not yet Commander."

"Continue searching."

Both knights were carrying insignias that depicted a shield and an eagle flying towards the sun. It was the symbol of the Holy Knight Order from the Church.

The duo was scouring the area for the remains of a templar belonging to the Holy Order, who had perished a few days ago for reasons unknown inside the Forest of Silence.

However, they had yet to find anything.

"Perhaps the remains of the templar were eaten by the monsters of the forest." The knight who was half the size of the commander, roughly 1.5 meters tall, hesitated to speak. "Commander, can I ask something?"

"Ask ahead."

"Why did Commander himself come for retrieval of a templar's remains? Isn't this job beneath the position of Knight Commander of the Holy Order?"

Baratos, the man who had been continuously referred to as Commander, looked at the sky and spoke while lost in thoughts. "The Templar we are searching for was one of our two templars working undercover for the Lionel House.

A few days ago, a report came that he had been removed from his position as a knight by Lionel House due to his misconduct. However, the templar didn't return to the Church and went missing after being stripped of his knighthood.

Then, the next thing we know, he mysteriously died inside the forest while the convoy of Lionel's is waiting outside the forest."

"...Does Commander think that the Lionel's have a hand in the templar's death?" The knight gulped heavily.

This type of assassination behind the scenes wasn't rare. But if the fact was known that the revered Lionel House threw a knight away and then assassinated him in secret, it would drag their name in the mud.

A sweet and graceful voice brought the two knights out of their contemplation. "Huff! Huff! Knight Commander there is.. Huff! Huff!.. something you need to see."

Coming out of the woods was another knight who was wearing armor that hid her body completely, similar to Baratos and Klein. However, her thin voice betrayed her real gender.

Baratos and Klein, the male knight who was searching together with Baratos, looked at each other and nodded. They swiftly followed behind Setsuna, the female Knight without questions.

A few moments later, they reached an open area with a large lake. It was the Lake of Purity.

"W-what?"

"..."

Klein shuddered and stepped back unconsciously. Baratos' reaction wasn't any different. Although he didn't show it openly his heart was gripped by fear and trepidation.

"W..who did this?" Klein pointed at the decaying 'mountains' around the lake.

The air was thick with the stench of death as far as the eye could see. Hundreds of monster corpses were strewn across the blood-soaked battlefield, their twisted bodies contorted in grotesque postures. The ground was slick with blood and gore, and the metallic tang of it filled the air.

The monsters varied in size and shape, some as small as a house cat and others as large as a house. Their bodies were covered in thick scales or fur, and their teeth and claws were razor-sharp. The monsters' eyes stared blankly into the sky, their lifeless bodies bearing mute testimony to the ferocity of the battle that had been fought.

It was as if a calamity had swept through.

The trio who were frozen by the surreal sight noticed two humans amidst that hell. It was the same for the two humans, they spotted the three knights at the same time.

The human with blue hair among the duo waved his hand and shouted. But Baratos and others couldn't hear him as he was too far away.

Klein was about to pull out his sword when Baratos stopped him. "Look closely. The knight who is standing behind the blue haired kid is carrying the insignia of Lionel House."

…..

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..

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Forest of Silence. Deep inside the forest, near one of the big tribes. A few minutes before Midnight.

"With this everything is good to go," I muttered and stopped using <Share Vision> of Baby Tarantulas.

My normal vision returned to me. I blinked repeatedly as my eyes to adjusted to the darkness and stared at the scene before me while standing on top of a branch.

A few hundred meters away were wooden fences that ran parallel to the forest as far as one could see. The wooden fences were illuminated by torches at regular intervals. Through the dim light of torches, the guards protecting the perimeters became discernable.

They had a brutish appearance with their limbs thicker than my waist. White fangs larger than my fists. And green bodies that were bigger than 5 meters.

"They are Orcs," I said quietly.

Orcs were one of the typical fantasy races that I read about in my 2nd life. Their race focused on physical strength and they were one of the most formidable enemies for beginners. It was the same in this world, but the similarities ended there.

The orcs of this world were monsters of legends that were associated with death and destruction. Their greenish-gray skin was rough and scaly, with prominent veins and muscular ridges protruding from their limbs and torso. Their eyes often glowed red or yellow, and they had long, pointed ears that stick out from their heads.

In the literature that had been passed from previous generations, it had been said that only the best of knights can contend against an Orc. They were no beginner-level monsters.

While I was looking at the village filled with thousands of such menacing monsters, I yawned unconsciously. "I want to sleep, I haven't had a wink of sleep in the past week."

I had been suspicious since the beginning but I was sure now, I had Insomnia. My body was completely refreshed as I was using Lake of Purity every day till yesterday, but my mind wasn't the same. I was dead tired inside.

Thinking such useless thoughts, I noticed Orca leaving the Orc tribe, the village behind the fences, with another Orc. This Orc was larger than the Orcs guarding the boundaries, reaching 7 meters, and was carrying a wooden club – or a club that appeared to be made of wood.

After leaving the tribe, Orca pointed in my direction. Shortly, both of them began walking towards this area of the forest.

'Interface' Muttering the word, I opened Shop.

I had scouted the items I wanted to buy beforehand and wasted no time in purchasing them.

Ding!

⟪Odour Neutralizer (High-Common) bought. Cost - 10,000 Coins⟫

⟪Recognition Inhibition Robe (Low-Rare) bought. Cost - 500,000 Coins⟫

⟪Healing Bandages (High-Uncommon) bought. Cost - 100,000 Coins⟫

⟪Balance - 9,873 Coins⟫

"I'm a peasant, again…" Sniffing, I wiped the imaginary tears that were threatening to fall. Who knew that my fame would last only one day? Alas, I was back to poverty.

The robe was made of a thick, but light dark-purple cloth. I wore it and stored the other items for the meantime.

"Drop me on the ground." At my command, the branch beneath my foot shook. A loud rumbling echoed and the entire tree moved.

Then, the branch slowly lowered until it reached the ground. "I'll be leaving. You should act the same as you have been doing for the past days."

The tree slowly rustled and made a strange sound as if agreeing to me. After that, it went back to its previous motionless state.

This tree, along with a few others spread on this side of the forest were the newest summons I unlocked a few days ago.

—

Species: Spooky Treant

Rank: 3-star Master

Summoning Cost: 800 Magic Power

Housing Space: 60

Physique: 700

Magic Power: 100

Skill: <Camouflage> F, <Stun Cry> F, <Vines> F

Description: Spooky Treants are very friendly creatures unlike their names. They are excellent at blending into their surroundings, which makes it hard to discern them from normal trees. However, be careful of angering them. If they catch you in their vines, you might never escape thereafter.

––

Spooky treant was the next summon of the Plant Avenue. It was also the last summon I could unlock at my current rank. To use more types of summons, I needed to reach Master rank.

Before I thought I would be able to unlock new summons after reaching Summoner Level 4. But it didn't happen. The changes were the same as the previous three times, a new skill <Contract> was unlocked and my total summoning capacity increased.

"They are here." I hid behind a tree and peeked at the Orc leading Orca.

Orca had bought an Orc out of his previous tribe at my orders. And this wasn't the first Orc he had called out either.

'This one looks formidable, I should be careful.'

The Orc had yet to notice me. I used <Mana Sense> to heighten my senses and look for an opportunity to attack. But my eyes widened and I retreated hastily. 'It also has <Mana Sense>?!'

My mana sense hit against a foreign and much larger mana sense. At the same time, the Orc snapped its head in my direction.

The monster issued a war cry and started running towards me while wildly swinging its club.