Master told me there are five cities I have to pass to get to the Dwarfs’ Village: Magkrin, four remains. But before I move forward let see.

Kaye was riding a brown horse with both his swords on his back. He just crossed the first city Alpeni, one he visited before for his first adventure. He was thinking about to remove his armor which was of no use, since he was riding a straight path. There were very few chances of encountering any beast or monster.

He stopped his horse nearby a tree and tied it there. He removed his armor and put it aside and wore a long cloak instead, which he was carrying in the horse saddle’s side pocket. His long enough black hairs waved in front of his pure black eyes as he wore that, he adjusted them. Then he put the swords back again on his back and looked towards the armor and then to the ring he had.

Let see what I was thinking about that dark force is true or not.

First the size: a cube of 1 by 1 meter and second the opening: let say a bottle opening.

As soon as he imagined a small black hole opened with a translucent and distorted boundary surrounding it. The location was exact where he wanted it to be, in front of his chest two feet away from his body. He instantly put his hands on it to close it, the opened hole started to suck his palm inside. He closed the hole through thinking and checked his palm. A small red circle formed on his palm just the size of the hole opened before. (Just like somebody pushes his hands against any vacuum cleaner front, it sucks the hand.)

It is as I thought. His eyes started to shine.

He again created an opening using the ring and put the armor into it. He rested for an hour there and started his journey once again.

Senleka’s Journey wasn’t going as smooth as Kaye’s. The wagon Senleka was traveling in stuck into a puddle on the road.

“Sir Rityal I think we might have to pull it out by ourselves, horses are trying their best I can say that. But that is to no avail.” The driver asked to Sir Rityal who was sitting inside.

“Ok I am coming out. Young master I think you should come out too. It will loosen the carriage a bit.” Sir Rityal suggested to Senleka. Off course the carriage was heavy after all they were carrying prepared wood material and ores for Senleka’s trial.

“It won’t be a problem.” Senleka replied, his clothes weren’t too fancy, it can be said that he was a modest guy. Not like some greedy and prideful typical noble Lord’s son.

I told father to not put all that prepared material with me. If I am doing it I should do it the right way, but he didn’t listen to me. Senleka complained in his mind.

It is your modesty Young master that Neru gave upon such a great weapon like Dinka so easily. Sir Rityal thought looking at Senleka who came out without any complaint. He had served different noble families but never did he find one to have such a deserving and talented heir. He had great respect for him.

As they started pushing the carriage it instantly came out. They again started their journey.

I can’t believe it. I just crossed five cities in seven days on a horse that is almost 540km if I did the math right. Not a single monster… Screw monsters! Not a normal animal is spotted by me. Yeah I know it’s not like this world is swarming with them. But still that is too suspicious.

Kaye was lamenting the fact that he didn’t get to fight any monster throughout the journey, and soon he will be reaching Magkrin.

Anyone would regret if one is in fantasy world and didn’t get to fight monster throughout a journey wouldn’t they?

Weather was peaceful; birds were chirping, it was noon, small clumps of clouds were sliding on the wind, making the view darker and lighter simultaneously. It was so soothing that one would love to lie down and feel the nature.

Kaye was leisurely riding his horse, enjoying the environment. But all of a sudden the birds chirping converted into screeching, and they all started to leave in opposite direction. Kaya saw few vultures like birds hovering over a spot in the distant sky, and in the same direction he was heading too. Due to non-uniform road and scattered trees he wasn’t able see clearly what they were hovering over, so he strode for there.

The more closer he got to that direction, the atmosphere became more heavy and eerie. He spotted eight men there. Five of them stood in a curve, blocking the path of other three men standing beside the wagon, which was decorated with blue ribbons.

The left shoulder of the man who wore commoners dressing was bleeding very badly. The Five men blocking the path were all kitted in black dirty clothes, more like in rotten clothes. All of them had their hoods on. So their faces weren’t visible as they were looking down.

Are they bandits? No! Why aren’t they attacking then? Should I go and help? I might as well I have to go in the same direction too, so they are basically in my way too.

Kaye rode towards the wagon. Speculated for few seconds and then spoke up.

“You see I don’t have any gold on me, so would please leave the way?” he tried to be reasonable with the five men.

And then Kaye looked towards Sir Rityal who was looking at Kaye. Sir Rityal look can be discerned as somebody looking at a mindless fool.

“Just give them whatever they are asking for, nothing is precious then your life you know.” Kaye ignored his expression and said to him.

Look who is speaking about precious life. Kaye couldn’t help, and that thought popped in his mind.

Is he an idiot? Why would someone come here after sensing that eerie pressure? Sir Rityal couldn’t hold his last thought and asked “Why are you talking to them?”

“They are attacking us so I am trying to be reasonable with them. What is wrong with that?” Kaye replied.

“Look boy whatever your beliefs are I don’t mind, but as you said before nothing is more important than life. So I would suggest that you unsheathe those beauties on your back. These are Seredators they take pleasure in eating Sentians alive.” Sir Rityal said and clenched his sword tight.

Kaye slowly gulped through his dry throat and unsheathed his Katanas giving a terrified look towards Seredators.

What is this…? I wasn’t asking for these kinds of monsters… But they don’t have any weapon… Magic! Will they burn us alive no he said they will eat us alive, what are they about to do? Kaye didn’t have a single idea what was about to come. He was panicking inside like a maniac.

Soon after Sir Rityal’s explanation ground beneath all the Seredators became pitch black. Three serpents appeared from the ground at each of the Sereadators feet and just like a fish dives in water all the serpents vanished in their body from the feet up. Their body started rattling. All the Seredators looked up at once. There were no eyes or nose just three holes each of same size, healthy pale skin giving signs of there being alive. The serpents were still dwelling within their body, writhing and crumbling.

“shh.. shh.. shh.. sh….” Sighing sound was coming from inside their body.

“Brace yourself next wave is about to come. Try your best to defend.”

What wave!

All the serpents from those holes on their faces shot out. Total fifteen pitch black serpents with dark blue eyes, shiny scales, and having creepy black aura assaulted them.

“ [NAKRISHA-NELKA] ” Sir Rityal shouted and waved his sword horizontally, seven serpents were blasted off by dark red flaming slash, which were headed towards him and Senleka.

“ [ARKI-GARIRA] ” Soon Senleka shouted and slashed his sword horizontally too, the remaining three serpents hit the ground due to hail of stones produced by his sword spell.

There were four more serpents which were chasing towards Kaye. He was swiftly able to cut through first two serpents by left and right slash. But the third one maneuvered towards his head, while fourth was still few meters away because it was from different a Seredator. Kaye leaned fully backward to save his head which left him unguarded and he was scratched by fourth one on his shoulder. In the next try both the remaining serpents slain by him.

Once all of the serpents hit the ground, the bodies of the Seredators once again started rattling and all the serpents vanished in the ground.

What’s with this creepy world… those wild-elves’ arrows are nothing compare to these things… so this is how they eat alive… these creepy snakes are flying everywhere… wait a minute did he say wave. WAVE

“Those things are coming back aren’t they?” Kaye asked to Sir Rityal.

“Yes they are, and your efforts are commendable but I would suggest using your sword’s spells from now on. You won’t get lucky twice.” He advised Kaye. He was having completely different thought in his mind though You won’t get lucky twice, whom even I am kidding? He slashed all those serpents right up, with only a graze on his shoulder without using a single sword spells or skills.

Let them come then, this time I know what’s coming I will shred them up, but how long it’s going to go?

Once again the ground beneath Seredators became pitch black, the serpent ascended in Seredators’ bodies and second wave of serpents assaulted them. The same scene played once again but this time all of them remained unscathed by using same spells and Kaye handled them swiftly by using his skill he was practicing.

HE DID IT AGAIN. Sir Rityal was shocked.

“Why don’t we attack those things now?” Kaye asked first, he didn’t want to mess up again.

“No! All those 20 creatures are alive; as long as those serpents dwell within them they will attack us from anywhere from their body. The only way to defeat them is to cut down their bodies when those serpents are out. The serpents won’t regenerate then.” Sir Rityal explained.

That means it's symbiosis.

“You should have told me before hand.” Kaye replied and took a stance like he was about to run.

The serpents shot out once again, but this time Kaye strode forward and cut down all the serpents in his way towards one of the Seredators. Before serpents from that Seredator’s could vanish in the ground its head fell on the ground.

Kaye’s nimble movements left all of them speechless.

“One down, four to go. Defend yourself they are coming.” Kaye said.

All of them couldn’t help but comply with his words and nodded their heads.

The same procedure was repeated four times. They all defended and Kaye attacked. In the end Kaye got few scratches on his head and both the shoulders.

“I am glad they weren’t poisonous, otherwise it would have been a lot harder.” Kaye replied.

These... are... his... sword skills! UNREAL Sir Rityal thought, while other two of them were awestruck.

“Who are you?” Sir Rityal asked.

“Oh My name is Kaye and I am a smith apprentice, going to Dwarfs’ Village: Magkrin, to meet The Dwarf King Theocrus” Kaye replied merrily.

Smith apprentice, Dwarf King. He is aiming for weapon binding ritual Sir Rityal thought.

“I am Senleka Lehela son of Lord Dakita Lehela venerable Duke of Neptina. I am too heading towards Magkrin and aiming to get weapon binding ritual.” While Sir Rityal was in thoughts Senleka replied to Kaye.

“Let’s head together then, it would be better that way.” Kaye asked.

“It would be a pleasure to travel with such a great warrior.” Senleka replied.

“But young master…”

“We don’t have any problem Sir Rityal.” Sir Rityal wanted to say something but Senleka obstructed him midway, as if he knew what Sir Rityal was about to say.

Me a great warrior what he is talking about? They were all standing and firing spells at serpents instead of attacking those Seredators.

It wasn’t Kaye’s fault to think like that, he wasn’t aware of fighting style in this world. Sentians can use magic from their origin so it is natural to fight with sword spells or magic spells. And one thing he forget that he has superhuman strength. After the battle they rested for a while and headed together towards Magkrin.