Starting With an SSS-Rank Swordsmanship Talent

Alaric was at loss for words. He truly didn’t do anything this time. He didn’t even touch the two women sent by Hershey to serve him.

“Yvanna, I didn’t…” He wanted to say that he didn’t do it, but the words were stuck in his mouth.

Yvanna’s face was cold. It was like the first time he had seen her during that cold snowy night.

“My power amplifies my senses as long as trees or plants around me… You can’t hide that disgusting stench from me!”

When she first met Alaric, his smell wasn’t like this, but now, she could smell the strong scent of blood on him. She could also detect the faint smell of women which wouldn’t be there unless there was close contact.

“You aren’t the same man anymore, Alaric!” Yvanna muttered, her eyes shaking with anger and disappointment.

Alaric grabbed his chest.

Her words hurt him, but they were all true.

He was no longer the same man he used to be.

His expression suddenly became calm. “You are right. It seems like I have become a different person.”

He strolled and pushed open the window and asked. “What do you see outside?”

Yvanna didn’t respond, but she could see a group of elves doing their respective tasks. She also saw children playing by the river.

While staring at the peaceful scenery, Alaric muttered. “To bring this kind of peace to my family and my nation, I need power. Even if I turn into a demon in pursuit of this strength, I will not hesitate.”

He turned around and stared deeply into her eyes. “Tell me. Will you do the same for your kingdom?”

Yvanna frowned and fell into deep thought. Would she be willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of their kingdom?

While she was ruminating on his words, Alaric’s voice drifted.

“If you see a future filled with bloodshed. Your family and friends dying before you. Your territory, your nation crumbling before you. If you see those things with your own eyes, you will understand my words.”

She was stunned.

She looked at him and studied his expression. The look on his face, his eyes, and his temperament…everything suddenly changed.

It was no longer the kindhearted and chivalrous man that she once knew, but a man with a scarred and torn heart. It was as if he had seen the end of the world.

His tired, soulless eyes seemed to have witnessed the darkness and hell on earth.

His expression wasn’t an act. This emotion was something that he had left hidden in his heart.

How can you show this kind of expression? Just what happened?

She felt an inexplicable sense of sadness.

Suddenly, Alaric took off the bracelet given by his mother and placed it on the side table.

“I will leave this here. In the far future, you can look at it and remember the good times you spent with a foolish man.”

It was one of his most important equipment, an item capable of giving its wearer a second life.

However, Alaric was willing to give it to her as a farewell gift.

After saying those words, he left the treehouse without looking back.

“Jerk…” Yvanna stared at the bracelet with tears running down her face.

***

Three weeks later, all the barbarian tribes who had decided to ally with the elves had already sent their troops to the Greenwood Kingdom.

More than a hundred barbarian tribes sent their soldiers. Each tribe sent about several hundred to a few thousand warriors. The total number of barbarian warriors gathered was around one hundred and seventy thousand.

In addition to the elven kingdom’s troops and the warriors sent by House Silversword, they had around two hundred thousand warriors!

At this moment, all these warriors had already gathered outside the Greenwood Kingdom in preparation to march towards the monster colony.

“With the number of troops we have, we can destroy that monster colony with ease!”

“That’s true. I thought this battle would be difficult, but it seems like it would be a breeze.”

“We have Commander Vulcan on our side. We also have Lord Lucas who is a Mythical Knight!”

“Don’t forget about that Catastrophe-grade tamed beast!”

The warriors chatted among themselves while the military officers were discussing their final plans before the march.

Riding on their horses, Lucas, Garandel, and a bald barbarian were talking about something else.

“Why do you think those two aren’t talking with each other?” Garandel asked, his voice filled with concern.

Lucas let out a sigh as he responded. “That I don’t know. I tried asking my son, but he refused to tell me anything.”

The bald barbarian clicked his tongue as he said. “Just leave them be. Which one of us didn’t experience the same thing during our youth? Back then, I also quarreled a lot with my wife.”

Hearing this, Lucas and Garandel chuckled.

“I didn’t know you could say something helpful, Vulcan.” Lucas grinned while staring at his friend’s face.

Vulcan was a member of a barbarian tribe called the Scaled Arm Tribe. All the members of this tribe inherently have black scales on their arms. These scales were as tough as refined steel and they could even withstand the pressure of mana. When they reach adulthood, their scales would be as durable and strong as relic-level weapons!

Vulcan crossed his arms and snorted at his words.

“You can worry about your children after this battle ends. It’s about time we march.”

“Commander Vulcan is right.” Garandel nodded in agreement, his expression slowly hardening.

“Then let’s set off.” Lucas nodded.

After making this decision, Garandel sent a signal to the elven military officers as he instructed. “Sound the horns! We are leaving!”

Braaaamm!

The army marched as soon as the war horns sounded.

Meanwhile, Alaric who was riding Zephyr suddenly jolted.

“This mission…”

___

Mission: Defeat the Monster Colony

Mission Difficulty: Hell

A monster colony has been established three hundred miles from the Greenwood Kingdom.

It is growing increasingly powerful as the days pass.

The number of monsters in this colony is still growing by the day.

Defeat the monster colony!

Rewards: 6500 Battle Points, 1000 EXP, 250 Stat Points, Transcendent Knight Card x1, Random Trait Upgrade Card x2, S-rank Trait Card x1

Penalty for failure: Death

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