Me and 7 guards that I trust are rushing on horseback, we're on the road to the forest south of the capital city.

I need to catch that Sato guy to free Peyna quickly. To think he would use Peyna of all people, he can't be forgiven!

"My Lord! Bandits!"

"What!?"

Our horses stopped, dozens of bandits cloaked in red jumped out of nearby bushes and trees.

We're ambushed! One of the bandits walked in front of me.

"Give us all your money!~"

This is no time for this! I pull out my bag of money and threw it to him, I instruct the guards to do the same.

"Take it! Now get out of our way!"

"Hoho~ This isn't all you have is it?"

"It is all I have! Just get out of our way!"

"Come on~ Don't lie~ Give us your swords at least, it looks expensive~"

This bastard!!

"My Lord, shall we exterminate them?"

We can kill them but with that many around us, it would waste time... Should we just push through?

"Don't even think of running away with your horses~ We have poison darts ready to shoot the horses with the moment they move~"

"Grrghhh!!"

?! I see something approaching from behind the bandits!

"Now~ Let's take your cloth- GUHAKH!!"

A spear was lodged through the bandit's chest. The tip of the spear appears to be made out of diamond. The spear was pulled out and his body fell.

*Thump*

Behind his body stand a masked person wearing a white cloak. The physique suggests that it is a woman with long blonde hair.

"BOSS?!!"

"You bastard!"

Some of the bandits started forming a formation made to use against spear users.

They know battle techniques?! She can't handle them all!

"Run! They're using a formation to-"

The bandits charged towards the masked woman, they are attacking aggressively to prevent her from pushing back. She has no chance-

*Schwing*

The masked woman rushed inside the formation and cut through all 6 of the bandits with a wide swing, their bodies fell in unison.

"The same tactic? Again?"

Her voice sounds muffled and rough, most likely due to the mask.

But, rushing inside their formation? That was reckless... Her speed was quick though, I could barely see her run towards them. Maybe she relied on that to surprise the bandits? Either way, she has experience...

"What?!"

"All of them just like that?!"

The bandits started panicking, they started rushing towards her without any planning.

"GHAK-"

"UGHAKH!-"

Each and every single one who goes near her was either sliced in half, or stabbed through the chest. Me and the guards can only watch with our mouths agape.

"P-P-Please spare me!! I'll give you mon-KUGGYAAKH-"

The bandit who was begging on his knees was stabbed too, he was the last one. The masked woman swung her spear to the side, throwing off the blood. She then approached us.

"...Are you... Kyrat Sareid?"

Huh? She knows my name?

"Y-Yes! How do you know my name?"

"...Lucky guess... What are you doing here?"

"We-we're trying to catch a person in the forest. Forgive me but, may I ask for your name?"

"...Tia, call me Tia"

Tia? Where have I heard that name before... The guards seem surprised at that name too...

"...May I ask why you are pursuing this person?"

"He's from a mysterious group trying to capture my daughter Carine and another kid named Feyt"

"!!"

The masked woman seems surprised.

"Their group also tried to kidnap children using bandits, so stopping them is a priority. We are chasing that person for this purpose"

"...Were they involved with the kidnappings in the village of Elie?"

"Y-yes, I believe so... How do you know about that..."

"My brot-Ehem... One of the kids they captured there was my family member. I would like to assist you in capturing this person..."

Assist us? It would surely be helpful, but can I trust her?

One of the guards spoke up.

"May I ask... Are you Tia the Adventuress?"

"...Yes..."

Adventuress? Wait...

That's it! I remember now! Tia was the name of the adventuress who wrote "Periplus of the Green Sea" and a few other books! The books are filled with wonders of exploration and mystique, I was one of it's fans.

Adventuring is her profession, thus she call herself the Adventuress. Adventuring is a common hobby amongst commoners and nobles alike, but she's the first one to have it as a profession. Many scholars would like to meet her to talk about the ancient civilizations she claimed to have discovered, but her whereabouts are always a mystery.

If this is truly that Tia, then she would be a powerful ally! But... I can't endanger her here, this is my problem...

"Forgive me Tia. We can't-"

"Let's go"

She started running towards the forest.

"...Come on, hurry up..."

"W-wait!"

She seems rather stubborn... I guess i have no choice but to let her...

I instructed my guards to keep watch over her in case she does anything weird. Our horses started to run towards the forest again, Tia is somehow managing to keep up even on foot. I looked at her feet, it would seem that she's wearing boots with feathers on it. That's the artifact written in "Periplus of the Green Sea", [Centaur's Wings], boots that can increase the user's speed to that of a horse. That book is not fiction then...

...

We arrived at the location. I got off from my horse and the guards do the same.

"This is it My Lord! The reports say that the blonde man was going in and out of this building!"

In front of us is a small stone building with a door. Tia opened the door immediately, one of the guards shouted at Tia.

"HEY! Don't be reckless, what if there's a trap?!"

"...There is none"

Yes, there are no traps activated or anything like that... Still, that was a bit reckless...

We approached the opened door carefully, inside, we see stairs leading downwards, the way down is lit up with torches.

"Let's go"

Tia started descending the stairs, we followed shortly behind her.

...

We arrived at the bottom of the stairs, it was a long descent so I assume this is very deep under the forest.

The room we are in is wide with a small door in front of us. The walls, floors, and ceiling are made out of stone, moss is growing on the corners.

"...So, it's a dungeon"

Tia mumbled something and then approached the door. She took a close look at it and stepped to the side of the door.

"...Everyone, step away from the door"

"Why?"

"...Just do it..."

We followed her command and stepped away from the door. Tia opened the door from the side using her spear.

*THWACK*

Wooden spikes swung down at the direction of the entrance. If someone were to open it from the front, they would be impaled...

"H-How do you know about that trap?"

She opened the door from before with no care for traps and now she just knows that there's a trap?

"...I have [Clairvoyance]"

[Clairvoyance]?! That's a powerful Talent! That would explain how she is sure the door at the forest was not wired with a trap and how she managed to see it here.

"Forgive me, let us continue..."

"...Yes"

We removed the wooden spikes from the door and entered. On the other side of the door was a long and wide empty hallway, a small door can be seen on the distance. The hallway was lit only with torches on the walls to the side.

"...Poorly placed..."

Tia took a step and touched the ground with her spear. The floor was pressed in and made a *Tack* sound.

*Swish*

An arrow that was shot from the right side of the wall passed by in front of her, the arrow was on head level and landed on the other side of the wall. It seems that the floor tile that Tia pressed with her spear was the one that activated the arrow, if someone were to step on it, the arrow would definitely kill them by impaling their head.

Tia then walked ahead and soon stops again, she pressed her spear towards the air, tugging something. Immediately, a large boulder fell from the ceiling at where she was tugging her spear, crushing the floor. It would seem that her spear was tugging a small wire. If someone were to tug that wire with their body, they would be crushed...

Tia turned her heads towards us, we are still standing near the door.

"...Hm? Why aren't you guys following?"

"Ye-Yes!"

We were shocked, if she weren't here, some of us would have died by now...

We followed Tia closely as she activates the traps carefully. Soon, the door was in our reach.

 

---

 

In a room deep inside the dungeon, Sato is standing on a pedestal watching Kyrat's group using a scroll.

"HOW?! WHO IS THAT WOMAN?! ALL MY TRAPS ARE USELESS NOW!!!"

Sato held his head with the both of his hands in stress.

Sato planted the traps hoping to take out the guards, he knew Kyrat would dodge most of them, but he planted it just to weaken their group... But a masked woman suddenly appeared and seem to know where the traps are.

Tia, or rather Fait. Already went on numerous adventures. And her adventures include diving inside trap filled dungeons protecting various artifacts, giving her experience when it comes to traps. With her [Clairvoyance], the only trap that can catch her off guard is a perfectly and deliberately placed one. But all the traps in this dungeon was planted with haste by Sato alone, giving Tia/Fait the advantage.

Soon, the group reached the door at the end of the trap filled hallway.

"Alright... I need to calm down, I still have that monster..."

The next room they are entering doesn't have any traps, but it's more dangerous thanks to one certain monster.

"If they get past that monster, I'll be... No, I still have this..."

Sato holds a small parchment in his hands. He is certain that he will be safe as long as he has it.

 

---

 

Tia opened the door, it would seem there is no trap wired on to it. Tia stepped inside the room and we followed behind her. The room was dark, I can barely see anything. I assume it's the same for my guards. Tia stopped walking all of a sudden.

"What is it Tia?"

"...A monster..."

Suddenly, torches across the room lit up. In the middle of the room, stand a 4 meter tall minotaur holding an axe.

"A minotaur?!"

One of the guard panicked, the minotaur saw us now that the room is lit up.

"GUOOOOOOOOGHHHH!!!!"

The roar reverberated in the room. The minotaur brandished his axe and started charging towards us.

"Men! Scatter!"

The guards started running towards the sides, I follow suit. I looked back at Tia, she was still standing there.

"Get out of the way! He's planning on crushing you with it's body!!"

The minotaur is closing in on Tia, I can't reach her from here! I can't help her!

Tia started running towards the minotaur.

"What?!"

Their distance is closed, and as Tia is about to get hit with the minotaur's body, she slides between it's legs.

"Wha-"

The guards are surprised at what she did, I was too. That was too reckless!

*DHURR*

The minotaur crashed against the wall, his horn stuck on it. This is a chance to counter attack!

"Men! Attack!"

"Uoooghhh!!"

The guards and I started to attack it's legs. But, for some reason, our swords bounced back.

"My Lord! His skin is as tough as steel!"

"Dammit!!"

We can't kill it?! What do we do?!

The minotaur started shaking, it's horn is now free.

"UUUOOOOOOOGHHHH!!"

How?! How do we kill this thing?!

Hm? I heard something.

I looked back, Tia is there holding her spear. She jumped high, so high she landed on the minotaur's head. Before the minotaur can react, she swung her spear on it's eyes, blinding it.

"GUOOOOOOGHHHH!!!"

The minotaur started shaking around, he dropped his axe to the ground as he covered both of it's eyes.

Tia jumped off the minotaur and landed on her feet. She turned towards us.

"Quick, while it isn't focused! His skin is soft now!"

"A-Alright! Men! Attack!!"

"Uoooghh!!"

We attack it again.

*Schlack*

This time, our swords cut through his flesh easily.

"GUOOOOOGHHH!!"

After a few more slashes, the minotaur dropped to his knees as his legs crumbled.

Tia brandished her spear again and rushed towards it. Once she reaches it, she jumped.

*Schlack*

Her spear pierced through it's chest.

"GUUUOOOOOooooogh-"

*THUMP*

The minotaur's body fell and it lays there motionless.

...

After we catch our breath from the fight, I walked up to Tia.

"Thanks, we don't know what we would do without you..."

"...Sure, let's go"

We started to walk towards the door at the end of the room.

On our way, I decided to ask Tia.

"What were you doing back there? Charging instead of dodging, blinding it by jumping over it's head. What were you trying to do?"

Those action were reckless... What happens if the minotaur stepped on her? What happens if the minotaur swatted her away with it's hands?

"...I charged so it didn't change direction..."

!! I see! If she dodged with us, the minotaur would follow us too, so Tia charged alone to divert it's attention...

"...I also blinded it so it lose focus..."

"Why make him lose focus?"

"...Minotaur can harden their skin, but if they lose focus, their skin becomes weak..."

I see... So that's why we were able to slash through it's legs the second time.

This Tia... She's the real one...

After the small talk, we reached the door.

"Any traps Tia?"

"...No, but someone is behind it..."

I see, Sato must be behind this then...

"Men! Prepare to engage the man inside!"

"Understood!"

The guards brandished their swords and so do I.

I opened the door, there I see him. Sato, standing on top of a pedestal.

"Welcome~"

"SATO!!"

I immediately charged towards him, with my [Enhanced Agility], I reached him in a blink of an eye. I slashed towards him.

*THANG*

"What?!"

I took a step back, my blade damaged.

"Haha, calm down old man~ You can't kill me like that~"

My blade made contact with... Something...

"What did you do?!"

"Well you see~"

Sato shows us his hand, there, a parchment can be seen.

"As long as I hold this, an unbreakable shield is deployed around me~ Cool stuff right?~"

Something like that exists?! If that's true, we can't do anything to him!

"Hey, you~"

Sato looked at Tia.

"Are you Tia the Adventuress?"

"...What if I am?"

"Ah~ My guess is correct then... I didn't know who you are at first, but that diamond spear made things clear..."

The diamond spear Tia is holding... The spear was found in an ancient underwater ruins, this was written in one of her books.

"So then~ Would you like to join our group?"

"...Why would I join?"

"Our boss have been looking for you for quite some time you know? Someone as strong as you will certainly be helpful!"

"...Wh-"

"Wait wait~ I know what you are going to say~ "I prefer being free than being told what to do" right? Our boss knows you would say that and told us to inform you that even if you join us... We will still allow you to go on adventures, heck, we'll fund your adventures too! How about it?~"

"...I was going to say... Why would I join a group that tries to kidnap my brother..."

"Huh?"

*THANG*

Tia suddenly attacked at Sato, but her spear was deflected by an invisible barrier.

"Hahaha~ Even that diamond spear of yours can't break through idiot!~"

Tia stepped back, her spear ready to strike anytime.

"Soon, my reinforcement will come. You guys better leave now you know?"

"Like hell!!"

I charged towards him again, I swing my sword again.

*THANG*

I got knocked back and landed on my back.

"Gh!"

"HAHAHA! Are you stupid?! I already told you! The shield is unbreakable!~"

"Grgghhh!! Release my wife from your control!!"

"Oh? Peyna was it? I bet she's bringing both Carine and Feyt to our base now~"

"What?!"

 

---

 

In the basement cell under the Sareid House. Peyna is being held in one of it's cells, chained up on the wall. Two elite guards are guarding it's entrance.

"So Carine and Feyt is at the dance hall right?"

"Yes, but we should stay here to guard Lady Peyna in case someone tries to free her"

The guards are staying on guard, preparing to attack anyone who enters the basement cell.

"But still, to control Lady Peyna to this extent..."

They both looked at Peyna.

"for the family... for the family... for the family..."

She is staring at the floor blankly while muttering things.

"It makes me sick, I hope Lord Kyrat can free her"

"Yes... I hope so too... Seeing her like this... I can't..."

"...Understood..."

"Huh?"

Peyna suddenly spoke in her cell, the guards looked at her surprised.

*PRANG*

"Th-The chains!!"

"She's breaking it?!"

The guards brandished their swords, they didn't expect Peyna to break her own chains. It would seem that Peyna is forcing her strength to break free, as her arms are wounded from the chains.

...

The guards are unconscious, Peyna took a sword from one of them and started heading towards the dance hall.