บท 26: A Vital Lead
[Title: Vyker-Killer
Description: You have defeated the enhanced. It is only right that you become enhanced yourself.
When you kill a Vyker, you will gain a permanent (+1) increase in one of your stats.
*You will not be able to choose which stat will receive the (+1) increase.
*Vykers will detect an aura from you that will make them wary or hostile to you depending on if they are weaker or stronger than you.
*This Title is subject to an Upgrade. The more Vykers you kill, the better it has the chance to become.
Happy Hunting.]
Henry stood in place for a second or two with his eyes on Rena's body, completely mesmerized by the messages he received from the System and the description of his new title when a scream cut through the air and reminded him there was still one more Vyker to defeat.
"No!" Urn yelled and in his rage, his hand began to steam, scalding Triss' face as he kept her pinned against the ground.
"Ahhhh!" Triss cried out with her hand weakly pressed against the ground in a futile attempt to push the Vyker off her body.
"You bastard!" Henry said, his face twisted in rage.
With no defensive scales to worry about, Henry pointed his revolver at Urn and pulled the trigger only to hear the disappointing *chik* sound of an empty cylinder.
He had used up the bullets in his revolver.
In the second it took the realization to dawn on Henry, Urn grabbed Triss off the ground and tossed her at him while cackling,
"Forget the information. You should both die!"
Urn tossing Triss' limp body was only to stop Henry from taking action for a valuable second and buy enough time for him to close the distance between them with his insane speed that surpassed that of even the muscle-bound, and now dead, Rena.
"Hmph!" Henry let out as he cradled Triss against his chest and managed to only take one step back. He tried to raise 'The Hydra's Sting' but Urn was already one foot away with his fist burning with a heat that burned hot enough to incinerate the skin off Henry's bones.
But just then, in the second before Urn's fist met its target —Henry's face—, a very welcome, aggressive whining sound rang out as a black blur galloped over and slammed its head into Urn's body, sending him flying.
"Nyx!" Henry called out with a grin on his face.
Nyx shook her body with delight at her rider's call. She shook her head and her black mane fluttered with grace before she reared herself on her hind legs while letting out victorious whines.
Urn kept on rolling for a few feet and once he finally stopped, and raised his head to glare at the horse that interrupted his attack…
*Bang!*
… A gunshot right to the forehead stopped any complaints he might have had.
Urn's back arched and his eyes rolled up into the back of his head as his face twisted into a horrid visage of pain. A green mist began to rise out of his mouth and surrounded his body in a thick cloud and it was within that cloud that his body finally keeled over with a definite *Thud*.
'The Hydra's Sting' was the only loaded gun Henry had in hand and with his Mana Points at 15, 'Numbing gas was the only magical attack he could afford.
[-10 Mana Points]
[Kill-Reward: 65 Exp]
[Title 'Vyker-Killer' has taken effect]
[+1 Agility]
[Agility: 10 ———> 11]
[Nyx has received 30 Exp for her Contribution to the kill.]
'Contribution reward… That's a thing? Who knew?' Henry thought as more notifications arrived.
[Nyx has Leveled Up!]
[Nyx is now Level 3]
[Nyx's Hit Point Maximum increased to 50]
[Strength: 30 ———> 35]
[Speed: 60 ———> 70]
[Stamina: 25 ———> 30]
[Sub Quest Completed]
[You have received 50 Exp]
*[Nyx has received 25 Exp]
[Level Up!]
[You are now Level 4]
[Hit Point Maximum increased to 40]
[Hit Points: 21/40]
[Mana Points Maximum increased to 50]
[You have six unallocated Stat Points]
Even as the notifications ran in a long line on the holographic screen in Henry's sights, his eyes were on Triss and his lips were tight at the sight of her wounds and the burns on her face.
"Ngh," she let out in a pained groan, her voice weak, "We're still— alive?"
She managed to look around and saw Urn's body with the dissipating numbing gas cloud around him and then her eyes went down to the gun in Henry's hand. A gun she recognized. She opened her mouth as if to say something about it only to fall unconscious against Henry's body.
"It's alright," Henry said gently, "You'll be alright."
Nyx trotted over and got down to a comfortable height for Henry to place Triss on her back and once she stood back up, she nudged Henry with her head. There was a strange look in her eyes. As though she was ashamed.
"Is this about you galloping away before?" Henry asked and Nyx nodded before nudging him again in repentance.
Henry chuckled as he shook his head,
"No. I'm glad you got away," he told her while patting her coat.
The fact that she returned more than made up for it. It also set her apart from any other horse Henry had ever had the pleasure of riding. Even the large horses the two Vykers had come with galloped away at the very first sound of a gunshot but Nyx returned gallantly and helped him.
For the final order of business, Henry looted his kills.
[You have looted 50 Gold]
[You have looted 1000 Verlans]
[You have looted 700 Quids]
[You have looted 100 Gold]
[You have looted 750 Verlans]
[You have looted 300 Quids]
Where and how the two Vykers had kept all that money —especially the coins without ringing out jingles whenever they so much as took a step—, Henry had no idea but he was very happy to have it all to himself.
He placed his feet in Nyx's stirrup and got himself into the saddle behind Triss' limp body.
He pulled her back so that she leaned against his body for support and with one hand around her waist to secure her, Henry grabbed Nyx's reins with his other hand and with a spike of it, they were galloping out of the ridge, back onto the path beyond and headed for the Hadron Mansion for immediate treatment.
-
-
***
—Miles away from New Freudein Town—
In a region whose very air seemed thicker with a powerful aura that immediately set it apart from the crude region the Dionisio gang had decided to make their hideout, A Manor, hewn with ornate black stone, stood grandly in a visage of wealth and prestige.
On the roof of the Manor stood a man dressed in a black robe to match the color of the Manor's stones.
The man looked to be in his late forties. Shoulder-length brown hair and a trimmed beard around his lips.
Just looking at the man, it was clear that he was a product of generations of Wealth, prestige, and nobility.
He was Maude Aleric. Lord of the Black Manor of the Crescent Plains.
Like most societies, the Valearen Nation maintained a social hierarchy built a lot on wealth, and power (usually Magical), and the Alerics had maintained their stay closer to the top.
*Pitah* *Patah*
With hurried steps, a man walked up the steps leading to the Manor roof and got on his knees the moment he laid eyes on Maude's slender back.
"My Lord—" he started.
"Save your breath," Maude said sharply,
"I know.
Rena is dead. Urn as well. I felt it the moment they were relieved of their bonds to me."
Maude placed his hands on the Manor's battlements while setting his sights on the horizon. He could still feel the last region he had felt his connection with his Vykers as they drew their final breath.
"It's a real shame. But— It's not all bad. Now our search can be far more condensed. Call out to every Vyker sent out to retrieve my Treasure and let them know our targets are in the region of New Freudein."
The kneeling man's eyes narrowed in doubt,
"New Freudein, My Lord?"
He found the deaths of two Vykers strange but found the idea of focusing a search on such a back-water Town even stranger.
Maude shook his head at his subordinate's stunted reasoning,
"Rena could not have been killed without Magic and, remember, our thieves made off with more than just my Treasure. They got Grant's gun as well. The very weapon they used to kill him.
It is very unlikely that, in a Town that hardly sees magic, Rena met the only one capable and it's not our thieves.
It IS interesting that they possess enough Magic to wield 'The Hydra's Sting' and are capable enough to kill both Vykers, but no matter. What's important is we have a lead.
A vital one."
The Man nodded, his doubt relieved,
"I'll get the other Vykers on it right away."
Maude nodded and waved him away while still looking over at the Horizon.
'Six days have passed since I should have had it in my hands. Those thieving fools can't have possibly even unlocked the chest.
I WILL have it back.'
On that day, all over the Duvan State, Vykers received their Lord's call and rallied together to storm the Town of New Freudein and its environs in search of their Master's Treasure.
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