The Adventurer's Mission Log

Chapter 20 Past Events

The next morning, Tenor washed up and went downstairs first, only to find that the bartender had been replaced by a taciturn old man. It was clear that he was a martial arts practitioner and might still be serving in the military.

When Tenor looked him over, his sharp brown eyes glanced back at him casually, then looked away again.

For a moment, Tenor had the illusion that he had been seen through.

He couldn't help but exclaim in admiration—what a master!

But sooner or later he will become, or even surpass, such a master.

The bulletin board seemed to have updated its information. Before Simon came down, he went over to take a look, his gaze suddenly fixing on the wanted poster at the very top.

"...There is a serious offender who committed the following crime in the city of Laghettia:"

The perpetrator brazenly broke into a private residence, murdered several Norman church knights, and disrupted public order.

The criminal has fled and is hereby authorized for capture throughout the territory.

Physical characteristics:

He was a massive figure, over 2 meters tall; bald, with three deep scars on his left cheek resembling claw marks; and an X-shaped rune scar branded on his right cheek, clearly a pagan symbol.

Isn't this the mad warrior from last night? Tenor was secretly shocked, never expecting that he could escape alive.

Keep reading—

Bounty and Penalties (as granted by Governor Crotus):

1. Anyone who harbors this criminal will be executed along with their entire family, and their property will be confiscated, once the matter is verified. 2. Accomplices who surrender themselves will be rewarded with 30 gold coins and spared from death. 3. Anyone who captures this criminal alive and presents him to the Governor-General's Office will be rewarded with 600 gold coins. 4. Anyone who kills this criminal on the spot will receive a reward of 500 gold coins upon presentation of his corpse.

(Reward collection point: Governor's Palace of Laghetti, with proof of a corpse or a living witness.)

Previously, the governor only offered 300 gold coins to Reginald for hunting down local sect leaders and internal traitors... but now he's offering 600 gold coins for one person.

Is that madman of a high rank? No, he managed to let the low-ranking Tenor escape, so he couldn't possibly be a 'master' or higher.

That is, his organization is so strong that it can shake the safety of the province.

Fortunately, that's a matter for the governor to worry about; provincial security is none of Tenor's concern.

Before long, Simon also came downstairs. The two packed their luggage, hired a carriage, and went out the north gate towards the village of Pitiona.

The Imperial Roads are renowned engineering marvels across the continent. Large blocks of volcanic rock and limestone form official roads that can accommodate four carriages traveling side by side, connecting cities throughout the empire.

Tenor turned his gaze from the busy caravan outside the window. "Tell me about Basel. I'm sure your relationship is more than just friendship. Otherwise, you would have simply reported him killed; why would you have tried to control him?"

Simon, sitting directly opposite, showed a slight ripple on his usually stern face. "He is my brother."

The concise yet monotonous words contained a wealth of information that instantly cleared Tenor's drowsy mind.

"But he's a half-human warrior of Sylhani, and you're an Imperial..."

"His name is Michael. He's been restless since I can remember, as free as a soaring eagle."

My father died early. When I was eight, my mother didn't want us two to be a burden. That day, she took us out for a hot stew, and after we finished eating, she disappeared. Simon spoke as if he were talking about yesterday's weather, his face calm and serene.

Ternor remained silent, gesturing as if to listen.

Simon coldly recounted: "We began our wanderings in Zanustica, begging in the streets, hoping for mercy from a benevolent God."

If it happened to be the time of the emperor's coronation or triumphant return, we could receive free grain, oil, and wine. I was small but agile, and I could always snatch a basket of food from the crowded people, enough for us to survive for two weeks... if other homeless people didn't steal it.

To support my younger brother, I delivered mail for people in the square, moved small items in the workshop area, and looked after stalls for merchants. Michael often took the opportunity to go out and move around.

I've hit him and yelled at him, but I couldn't stop him... He has a free spirit.

Once, a benefactor took a liking to my cleverness. If I could gain his favor, my brother and I would no longer have to worry about food.

While I was showering praises to that benefactor every day, Michael had more free time, and I shouldn't have neglected my duty to look after my brother for a moment's opportunity... One day, he got lost.

"How unfortunate." Tenor stared at Simon's cold, unchanging face, seeing no emotion on his face. Perhaps this witch hunter was used to suppressing his emotions. He should have been the one who drank that awakening potion back then.

Simon's tone was flat, and his eyes remained indifferent, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him. "I spent half a year inquiring in Zanustica and finally learned from a local gang leader that Michael had been taken away by the Silhani merchant."

I chased south, across the desert, inquiring along the oases, until I reached Hussen Falk, but Michael had already been sold elsewhere.

Under the patronage of a pastor named Moore, I searched for him in Sylhani for three years, but to no avail.

Tenor looked into Simon's eyes, which were devoid of emotion, but from his words, one could tell that he had never truly let go and was still deeply concerned.

"I sympathize with what you've been through. Once Michael is under control, you brothers will have plenty of time to catch up."

Simon's expression finally changed, and he gave a cold smile. "Don't try to comfort me. I was prepared for this ever since I learned about his current situation."

If necessary, we should at least give him peace in Moore's garden.

To sleep forever in the garden of death.

Just as Tenor was about to reply, he noticed that the carriage had somehow turned onto a side road.

"Stop!" Simon shouted to the driver, but there was no response.

The two men exchanged a glance, drew their weapons, and jumped out of the out-of-control carriage.

As long as they don't stray too far from the official road, there will always be caravans or even armies passing by, so assassins won't dare to attack indiscriminately.

But just as they jumped out of the car, a strange gust of wind blew by, and the strong airflow seemed like a giant hand, forcefully "grabbing" Tenor into the depths of the alley.

He slammed his left shoulder hard against a tree trunk in the woods before stopping, while Simon was nowhere to be found.

Knowing something was wrong, Tenor covered his vitals with his shield as he crashed into the tree.

Sure enough, something sharp struck the shield, and the sound of impact came from his right chest. The powerful blow made his blood surge even through the shield.

If he hadn't protected his vitals in time, this blow would have taken half his life.

He had no time to worry about Simon's whereabouts; he instantly activated his mutated form.

The next attack came like a phantom, and if Tenor were to react subjectively, he wouldn't be able to.

However, his body reflexively changed the angle of his grip on the shield, not only reducing the force by nine-tenths but also completely blocking the attack from that direction.

At the same time, its thick tail swished across.

The attacker grunted and was sent flying.

The lizardman turned around seemingly slowly, facing the enemy, his ferocious and imposing crest disappearing into the lower canopy.

The assassin was a winged Silhani with lips mutated into bird beaks, and it seemed that his bloodline was that of a harpy or similar monster.

Perhaps her attack was swift and fierce, or perhaps her methods of controlling the airflow were unpredictable, but her defensive capabilities were clearly insufficient, or perhaps Tenor's strength was too great—a single sweep of her tail had damaged her internal organs, and blood was gushing out from her beak.

With a sharp cry, a strange wind blew from the left towards Tenor.

The gale was like a giant wave, making the surrounding grass and trees sway precariously, but the lizardman moved forward step by step, steadily and powerfully—the lizardman's weight was incomparable to that of a human... and in this form, he seemed to have a higher resistance to magic.

Tenor hurled his burning sword, but it was easily dodged by the birdman in the air.

He picked up his weapon again, having no intention of engaging the birdman in combat—he couldn't reach the monster in the sky, and continuing the fight would just be a matter of who would run out of time before their mutation ended.

While he was using his hunting senses to search for clues about the witch hunters, Simon arrived first, seemingly evading pursuit, his incantation drawing to a close.

When he noticed Tenor ahead and the harpies in the sky, a thick, purple substance oozed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

As he pointed his finger at the banshee in the sky, the suffocating substance was sprayed onto the banshee in the form of rays.

The banshee seemed to be trapped in amber, struggling frantically, causing the airflow to become uncontrollable.

"Hurry up!" Simon gave a short reminder to Tenor.

Without asking why, Tenor reverted to human form and fled eastward as well.

A silhouette blocked out the sunlight, and the sound of wings whistling filled the air.

As Tenor ran wildly through the forest, he looked up and saw a large, winged, scaled creature swooping down.