Chapter 2

Throughout my expedition, I scoured every corner in search of weapons, not to mention a secure location. However, thus far, I have been unsuccessful in finding anything visible. All I have encountered are malevolent forces.

Despite successfully evading attacks from my adversaries, my desperation for weapons has only intensified. None of the demons possess any, and the refugees I come across are devoid of any means of defense. It seems that they are desperately seeking any knight or adventurer they can find. This is likely due to the loss of their protectors to the monsters, leaving them defenseless. However, unless they are knights or adventurers themselves, they are prohibited from possessing weapons or utilizing magic spells.

Becoming a knight or adventurer requires substantial financial resources and training. Additionally, if I were to become a local adventurer, I would have to pay the guild registry fees and risk not being compensated if I fail my mission. Unfortunately, I am lacking in both funds and even basic necessities like food. Throughout my journey, I have subsisted solely on fish.

Therefore, the prospect of finding a weapon without becoming a knight or adventurer seemed impossible to me. Nevertheless, I persisted in my search until I stumbled upon a cave deep within the forest. After taking a moment to rest, I noticed a peculiar sight—a green glowing orb floating directly in front of me.

Perplexed, I inquired, "Huh?" as my curious gaze followed the orb's path out of the cave. To my surprise, I spotted another, then a third, and even a fourth orb.

As a half-elf, a peculiar and magical scent reached my nostrils from behind. As more of these orbs emerged from the cave, I turned around and discovered something familiar—an elven language inscribed across the walls of the cavern, with the green glow emanating from the end of the corridor.

Gasping for breath, memories of my mother recounting a legend flooded my mind. She had spoken of a fallen adventurer and his extraordinary weapon. Could this cave be the very place where the sealed adventurer and his enchanted sword lay buried? Initially, I was skeptical, dismissing it as mere folklore. However, my curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to investigate, despite the potential danger of being defenseless.

As I ventured deeper into the cave, I was surprised by the absence of any creatures or insects. The cold temperature and the constant sound of dripping water dominated the atmosphere, but I pressed on undeterred.

Upon entering the room, my eyes widened in awe as I took in the surroundings. A body, surrounded by numerous floating green objects, clutched the magical sword adorned with familiar inscriptions. Other corpses lay scattered nearby.

Roots from above reached down, absorbing the water, while beams of sunlight pierced through the ceiling, creating a breathtaking spectacle.

My curiosity intensified as I turned my attention to the sword. Approaching it, I closely examined the corpse and the weapon, confirming that the legend my mother had shared was indeed true.

With a mixture of excitement and disbelief, I gently removed the sword from the lifeless hands and raised it triumphantly, a wide grin spreading across my face. Finally, I had found and possessed a weapon of my own. It was an extraordinary moment.

However, after a short while, the sword ceased to glow, and the inscriptions vanished from sight. Perplexed, I furrowed my brow, wondering what could possibly be happening.

Curious. What could this mean?

Lowering my sword, a hiss echoed behind me. Startled, I turned to find the source, only to gasp as the lifeless bodies around the central figure abruptly rose, fixinh their gaze on me.

My attention shifted to the figure in the middle, who seemed motionless while the others moved. My eyes widened in disbelief as I observed my adversaries closing in on me, causing me to tremble and swallow nervously.

This can't be happening...

In that moment, I made the decision to make a hasty retreat. However, as I attempted to do so, the corpses leaped in front of my escape route, bellowing at me with their menacing, razor-sharp fingernails poised to strike.

I let out a scream and swung my sword wildly, desperately trying to fend off the approaching monsters. Unfortunately, my lack of experience with weapons proved to be my downfall. "Whoa!" I exclaimed, jumping back slightly as the creatures lunged at me with their claws.

That was a close call.

The monsters growled menacingly as I pointed my sword towards them, cautiously maneuvering it to anticipate which one would strike next. Suddenly, I heard a rumbling sound behind me and turned to see the cavern walls sliding shut, sealing off my most viable means of escape.

Furrowing my brow, I sighed in frustration at the inaccessible exit. Still reeling from what I'd witnessed, a monster's roar echoed. Swiftly pivoting, I gasped as one charged at me, fangs aimed at my shoulder. Blocking with my blade, the monster to gnawed on it.

Although my sword remained intact, the monster's teeth showed no signs of damage. I kicked it away from me. Suddenly, another monster lunged at me, attempting to pin me down and sink its teeth into me.

I turned towards the creature and swung my blade with all my might, shouting at the top of my lungs. Not only did the sword emit a green glow, but the monsters also vanished into a cloud of black dust. The agonized scream of the creature echoed as it faded away.

I gasped in horror, my body trembling as I was surprised at the scene before me. With my sword still clutched tightly in my hand, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief that I had narrowly escaped danger.

The sight that unfolded before me was unbelievable - the sword I held in my hand had emitted a radiant glow as it struck down one of the menacing creatures. A smile crept across my face as I marveled at the power of this extraordinary weapon. It seemed that the legends were true after all.

However, my joy was short-lived as I turned my attention back to the remaining enemies. There were five of them, and the odds seemed stacked against me. Desperation welled up within me as I desperately searched for an escape route or a way to incapacitate them. Yet, to my dismay, there was no sign of an exit or any means to subdue them. The situation was dire.

A sense of dread washed over me as the monstrous roars and the thunderous footsteps of the approaching creatures filled the air. I turned towards the source of the noise and saw the remaining monsters charging towards me, their attacks primed and ready. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes momentarily, summoning the strength and determination to face them head-on.

As I opened my eyes, a steely resolve settled upon my features. I recalled the vow I had made to avenge my mother's death at the hands of these vile creatures. It was a promise I would never forget, and this was my chance to fulfill it. With the magical sword in my possession, I knew I had to be courageous.

Fixing my gaze upon the approaching enemies, I readied myself to strike. As one of the creatures drew near, I let out a fierce battle cry and swung my blade with all my might. The sword emitted a brilliant green glow, unleashing a wave of magical energy that caused the enemies to disintegrate into black dust. Leaves fluttered in the air, carried by the sword's power.

Witnessing the incredible display of the sword's abilities filled me with even greater awe. I felt a newfound confidence surging through me, knowing that I had the means to defeat the evil lord who threatened the world of Armonia with his demonic forces. I vowed to never forget the wrongs he had committed.

As I turned towards the wall where the exit was located, to my surprise, the wall opened up on its own accord, allowing those peculiar green floating objects to swiftly leave the room. A smile formed on my face as I observed those entities, knowing that I could finally escape from this place. Once I made my way out, I would remember the promise I had made, glancing down at my sword with a sense of contentment.

This marked the moment when I embarked on my journey towards that destination, hoping to avoid encountering any knights or adventurers along the way. As I emerged from the cave, I proceeded to traverse the forest, diligently scanning for any signs of knights or adventurers, but to my relief, my eyes failed to spot any thus far. Initially, this brought me a sense of comfort. However, I realized the urgency to conceal my sword promptly, fearing the consequences if I were to be caught red-handed. The mere thought of the repercussions sent shivers down my spine.