Translator: CinderTL
"It's a Crystal Cluster!"
The moment they saw the pale blue, glowing crystalline structures, Avril and Galvis exclaimed the name in unison before Roland could even speak.
Roland wasn't surprised they recognized the Crystal Cluster. After all, both carried elven blood and possessed long lifespans. Coupled with the elven race's vast collection of ancient texts, their knowledge naturally surpassed that of Bronson, a mere human.
After briefly explaining the Crystal Cluster's properties to Theresa, Roland frowned and continued, his voice growing somber.
"I was previously attacked by the Church of Truth. The attackers were humans infected by Crystal Clusters. Their forms..."
Recalling the attack on the manor, his voice trailed off.
"Some looked perfectly normal, yet could continue moving even after suffering fatal wounds. Others grew into giants with immense strength, though their power barely reached the threshold of the extraordinary realm."
"My experience mirrors Roland's," Avril said, raising her hand. Her bright smile remained undimmed by the appearance of the Crystal Cluster.
"When we were working with the Shadow Veil Squad before, we also encountered humans infected by the Crystal Cluster attacking us," Galvis said after a moment of contemplation.
The bard leaned down to examine the creature more closely. "I've only read about this in ancient texts. This is the first time I've seen it in reality, but..."
"Could the 'Crystal Devourer' disease really affect demonic beasts too?"
"It's highly likely the Church of Truth conducted some forbidden experiments on them," Roland concluded quickly, piecing together the available information. "In other words, the anomalies in the Mistland are probably the Church's doing. The sudden appearance of powerful demonic beasts recently is likely connected to them as well."
Roland took a deep breath. "Avril, please report this to Mr. Derek."
"Understood!"
After a brief survey of the battlefield confirmed there were no other discoveries, the group returned to the town they had departed from by carriage.
Yet in less than a day, the town's defenses had undergone a complete transformation.
The once sparse walls were now lined with fully armed guards, and the city gates, which had once been freely accessible, were now tightly guarded checkpoints.
"What's going on?" Roland asked a guard at the gate, but the guard was too busy checking people entering and exiting to answer. He quickly verified their identities and urged them to enter the city without delay.
Once inside, the group split up. Theresa headed straight for the tavern to find food, as usual, while Avril used the Shadow Veil Organization's special channels to relay information about the Mistland and the Crystal Cluster.
That left only Roland and Galvis, who went directly to the Adventurer's Guild.
Pushing open the heavy wooden doors, they found the guild hall unusually quiet. Only a handful of mercenaries and adventurers sat in the corners, the atmosphere seemingly peaceful, but the faint scent of blood in the air hinted at something more sinister.
"You're back?" The handsome receptionist greeted them with surprise, his gaze sweeping over them. After confirming they had no fatal injuries, a flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes. "You... actually survived escaping from that Bear Goblin?"
"Hey! Buddy, what kind of talk is that?"
Galvis grinned, hefting a bulging cloth sack onto the counter with a dull thud.
He slowly untied the drawstring, revealing the grotesque head of a Bear Goblin.
"This... this is..."
The receptionist's eyes widened. He leaned closer to examine it carefully, then let out a long breath and clapped Galvis on the shoulder, his tone instantly becoming respectful.
"I never thought you could... This is simply... incredible! Please wait a moment!"
He hurried into the back room, and soon the clinking of coins could be heard.
When he returned, the empty money pouch was now heavy with coins.
"That'll be one gold and eighteen silver. Do you... need to count it?"
"Of course!"
Galvis snatched the pouch without hesitation and began counting the coins one by one.
Meanwhile, Roland glanced around the room before speaking.
"Excuse me, may I ask..."
"Just call me Laurie, Mr. Roland."
The receptionist bowed slightly, his eyes filled with obvious respect.
"Alright, Laurie."
Roland nodded indifferently and continued his questioning.
"What's been happening in the city while we were away?"
"Three more Bear Goblins have appeared nearby..."
Hearing Roland's question, Laurie sighed and lifted the curtain behind him.
Behind the curtain lay a relatively empty space, densely packed with burlap sacks.
The human hair protruding from the sacks, along with the faint scent of blood in the air, was enough to confirm that they contained corpses.
"In less than a day, five mercenary companies and three adventurer parties have been wiped out," Laurie said with a bitter smile. "And it's not just them. Even passersby and merchant caravans have been targeted. The gravediggers are overwhelmed. Several bodies are still piled up here, and they say they won't be able to collect them until evening."
Roland remained calm, merely raising an eyebrow slightly.
"Do you have any information on these Bear Goblins?"
"Of course!"
Sensing his intent, Laurie quickly retrieved several fresh parchment sheets from behind the counter and handed them over.
"Mr. Roland, the situation is urgent. The Adventurer's Guild has not only increased the bounty for the Bear Goblins but is also offering a combat technique as an additional reward!"
"A combat technique?" Roland's heart quickened.
The only combat techniques Roland currently possessed were Momentum Slash and Arc Moon Draw. While few in number, their effectiveness in actual combat was undeniable, proving the value of combat techniques.
This condition further solidified his resolve to hunt down the Bear Goblins. After all, he was only one step away from completing the requirements to become an Apprentice Knight: "Lead a team to defeat two formidable enemies."
He had already witnessed the Bear Goblin's strength firsthand, and it was no match for their four-person team.
This mission would allow him to fulfill his promotion requirements, earn a substantial reward, and gain a free combat techniqueβwhat was there to lose?
However, Roland wasn't blinded by the generous offer. He carefully examined the information on the parchment, his brow furrowing slightly.
"It seems no different from the Bear Goblin we just killed."
Seeing Roland's silence, Laurie licked his lips nervously and ventured, "Mr. Roland, what do you think?"
"Let me consider it further."
Roland set down the parchment without immediately accepting the quest.
After the recent battle, he realized the Adventurer's Guild's information wasn't entirely accurate. The Crystal Cluster on the Bear Goblin's body and the magical artifact it carried hadn't been mentioned in the quest details.
Moreover, his body needed a few days to recover. Acting rashly would be too risky.
Thinking this, Roland immediately asked, "Haven't the big shots from the River Domain Nations taken any action yet?"
"Ha..." Laurie forced a bitter smile and shook his head helplessly. "The capital is quite far from here. The news only reached them today. By the time they mobilize, it'll be at least half a month from now."
"I see."
After a few more simple questions, Roland pulled Galvis back into the carriage.
"Roland, what are you hesitating for?" The bard tossed the money pouch into Roland's lap, gripping the reins tightly and speaking urgently. "How can a future hero tolerate these filthy demonic beasts harming the innocent?"
Roland tucked the money pouch into his belt pouch and replied with a sigh, "I'm fine with exterminating the Bear Goblins, but we need to gather enough information and formulate a detailed plan before we act."
"That's more like it!" Seeing that Roland wasn't backing down, Galvis's face lit up. With one hand on the reins, he pulled out paper and a pen with the other. "Right, Roland, while we have some free time, tell me more about the details of your Bear Goblin slaying. Trust me, after I polish it up, your heroic deeds will surely..."
Amidst the bard's incessant chatter, the carriage slowly made its way toward the inn.
(End of the Chapter)
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