Chapter 1: The Traveler (Part 4)

After the battle, the traveler approached Neai first. He cut off the ropes and destroyed the bracelet with just a touch.

“Go to Rudel,” the traveler said. Neia nodded in understanding. Out of all of them, he was in the most dire situation.

“Thanks.” Fenma said as she regained control of her limbs. She went to Yord to untie him as the traveler continued to Esvele, who kept her silence.

“…”

Free from her bindings, “Thank you,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. Her shoulders sank as if weighed by shame as she caressed her wrists.

The young man froze. His gaze was fixed on the forest.

“Is there something wrong?” Esvele asked. Even with the mask, the man’s tone carried unease.

“Get everyone. We’re leaving.”

Seeing his urgency, Esvele obeyed without another word.

As more of the First Dawn members regained motion, the young man stood and gave instructions without hesitation.
“Get the Triblades. I'm sending you all back to the city.”

“Wait—what do you mean by ‘sending’ us?” Fenma asked, her expression stiff with disbelief, “You can teleport?”

“Is there something wrong, sir traveler?” Esvele asked, her brows furrowing.

“The noise attracted the attention of a powerful entity. And it’s coming here as we speak.”

“Guys! Quickly!”

“Right!”

Ruy rushed to lift Clavic, while Rudel hauled the unconscious Ortiz across the grass. The traveler casually picked up Elbard and tossed him into the group like a sack of potatoes. While you went to pick up the morz and Denzel.

“Get ready.” The traveler said as he stretched his arm toward the group.

A gate appeared, showing the town gate.

For a cautious scout, Yord didn’t bother to inspect it and just tossed Morz in like a ragdoll. Ruy and Rudel helped push the resisting members to the portal.

“You’re not coming with us?” Esvele asked.

“I still have a relic to fetch.” He said casually.

She bit her lips but voiced out her gratitude.

“If fate permits us, I would like to thank you properly. Thank you for saving us.” Esvele said as she lowered her head, and the rest of the party followed.

The young man nodded. Then the thuds of falling trees echoed, seemingly getting closer.

“We’ll meet again someday… I think,” he said.

“Guys, hurry!” Yord said from the other side of the portal. Neia, Fenma, and Rudel entered in succession. Ruy went through the portal and pulled Esvele. “It’s coming.”

The portal closed to thin air, glimpsing A large head of a ghastly creature emerge in the wood behind the traveler.

₊✩‧₊˚౨ৎ˚₊✩‧₊

Morning after that tragic night, the townspeople were stunned when First Dawn appeared at the gates, days earlier than expected, dragging the bound Triblades behind them.

The news spread like wildfire: An attempted abduction of the noblewoman by an elite adventurer party. But what shocked everyone more and that stirred the town was the involvement of the rumored traveler —the same one who destroyed a relic holder along with a rank 7 adventurer, and now had saved First Dawn.

With both adventurer parties that were involved with the travelers coming from the same guild, the ogreshark was under scrutiny, and its reputation plummeted among the populace.

This incident was connected to the succession war; thus, the First Dawn’s activities halted for their safety.
With the gravity of this case, even the capital was stirred. The regional lord personally handled the case, and even the duke Edelwiess himself sent his agents to monitor the investigation.

Eyes now turned not just to the case, but to the nameless traveler at its center.

As for the traveler himself… he treaded forest alone looking for the dungeon.

He bent down to analyze the massive claw marks etched in the soil, branches snapped high above.

“Looks like I’m on the right trail.”

After sending the party away, he climbed and hid his presence. Soon, the monster arrived — its face split open, rows of teeth glinting. It moved on four limbs, bone blades jutting from its forearms and spikes bristling across its back, like a grotesque gorilla

Not intending to fight, He hid silently until the beast went away.

When he was about to proceed, he remembered that he had forgotten to retrieve the map from the Triblades. With no leads to follow, he just went ahead to track that unknown monster's trail, assuming it would lead him to the dungeon.

“There’s no record of a monster like that in this forest… If it came from the dungeon, then following it should lead me there.”

The young man stood up and sighed.

“Only one way to find out.”

And with that, the traveler vanished into the depths of the forest.