The tour lasted until the sun gradually faded. Thane planned for the group to rest at the Adventurers Guild as usual, when suddenly Momo expressed his wish to invite them to his home. He said that his foster father loved talking to young adventurers, and that the old man had countless interesting stories that would surely captivate them.

  Mira and Vogar’s eyes lit up immediately. Momo’s foster father was the very man who had led and guided the slaves in their escape from Golden and brought them safely back home. They wondered what kind of person he was and were eager to see this hero for themselves.

  Momo’s village lay quite far from Fort Fogger, only a short distance from the Emerald Mountain range. It was where the people who escaped from Golden had settled. Seen from afar, it was a cluster of wooden houses standing close together, shrouded in darkness with only a few flickering torches offering meager light.

  Mira felt a chill run down her spine. After all, she was a young girl. The silence and the wavering light made her uneasy. She glanced at the two boys walking calmly ahead. Their presence reassured her, and she quietly told herself that everything would be fine.

  Thane surveyed the surroundings. He felt that this place was strange, unlike any normal village. The houses were drowned in darkness, and only a single larger wooden house had light. Some houses even had their doors wide open, creaking ominously as the wind pushed them back and forth.

  “Where did all the villagers go?” Thane asked softly.

  “They went into the mountains to gather resources. It takes several days for them to return. It is very difficult to farm or raise livestock here,” Momo replied calmly.

  Thane carefully studied the boy’s expression but found nothing unusual. Momo’s response was entirely reasonable. Perhaps Thane was simply being overly suspicious.

  They approached the only house with light. It was a simple wooden dwelling, yet it felt warm and inviting, a sharp contrast to the bleak surroundings.

  “Momo, you brought guests home.”

  From inside came a deep and gentle voice. An elderly man, tall and sturdy with a kind face, greeted them with a warm smile. He wore a rough cloth shirt and an old worn cloak over his shoulders. His back slouched slightly, and though he leaned on a cane, he moved with surprising energy as he invited them inside.

  Seeing this, Momo hurried to support his foster father, scolding him angrily.

  “Hey, foster father, you need to take care of your health.”

  Vogar and Mira quickly helped guide the old man inside. It was a harmonious and heartwarming scene. Thane shook his head, rolled his neck and shoulders, and looked up at the full moon shining down on the quiet night. It was a shame that he would have to ruin such a beautiful moonlit evening.

  Inside the humble home there was nothing elaborate, just a large wooden table, a fireplace, and a small bed. The three of them sat by the wooden table, listening to the old man’s stories while Momo prepared the meal.

  “Everyone had fallen into despair at that time. But not me. I always believed that Enesur was watching over us. He granted us an opportunity, and we had to be the ones to overcome that trial.”

  The old man placed his hands together in prayer, forming the shape of an eight laid horizontally, the symbol of infinity. He was a devout believer of Enesur, and perhaps it was this faith that allowed him to endure such a long and arduous journey.

  “At that time we had fewer than a hundred people left. We struggled to cross the Vayle Valley to return to our homeland. The group was exhausted and starving, and behind us were Golden’s pursuers. We had no choice but to flee into the domain of the Cerberus, hoping for even the faintest glimmer of hope. The ground there burned our feet, the air was suffocating with volcanic ash, and fire elementals flickered through the haze. From the distance we could hear the terrifying roars of the bloodthirsty three headed hound.”

  The old man trembled as he recalled the scene, memories that had scarred him for life. Once more he clasped his hands in prayer, his voice unsteady as he continued.

  “The pursuers had caught up. They ran incredibly fast, and the burning ground seemed to have no effect on them at all. They hesitated at the border of the Cerberus domain, simply watching as we moved deeper inside. Did they spare us? The answer is no. From their expressions, I could see mocking smiles.”

  “We ran silently through that cursed land, staying along the outer edge to avoid the center. We smeared ourselves with ash and the beasts’ dung scattered everywhere to hide our scent. But our feet touching the ground betrayed us. Prolonged contact with the hot stone set the feet of the weaker ones ablaze. The scent of cooking flesh attracted countless Cerberus hounds. They tore apart the stragglers, fighting one another for the meat. Flames from their jaws incinerated the victims into charred husks.”

  “How did Momo survive? Children could never endure running on terrain like that,” Thane suddenly asked. He had observed Momo carefully and was certain the boy had no burns on his feet.

  “Of course children could not run there. At the time they were little more than skin and bone, so we tied them by the neck and waist and secured them on our backs as we fled.”

  “At that time we were all extremely weak, nearly drained of all strength. My limbs were numb. I could no longer hold on. All I could do was relax my body and pray. The rope cut into the skin of my neck from the friction. But it was worth it. After all, I am still alive now, am I not?” Momo’s voice drifted from behind them as he approached, carrying plates of freshly grilled meat and steaming herbal tea.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  He set a portion before each of them, poured water into their cups, and then quietly sat down beside the old man.

  “I was so exhausted then that everything around me was just a blur. Even the pain in my neck could not keep me conscious. When I finally woke up, the first thing I saw was the gentle flow of the Emerald River.”

  “All right, everyone, eat while it’s hot. This is venison and herbal tea. I hope you won’t look down on my cooking. Ka ka ka.”

  The old man immediately tore into a large bite, grease dripping from the corner of his mouth. The way he ate so heartily dispelled Mira and Vogar’s hesitation. They quickly cut the meat into smaller pieces and were about to take a bite when Thane suddenly raised his hand to stop them.

  “As someone born and raised in the SeaWall mountains, who has eaten a great deal of hunted venison, I do not believe this is deer meat,” Thane said coldly.

  Momo’s face remained calm, and the old man continued eating without pause.

  “Perhaps it is simply a regional difference,” Momo replied slowly. His expression grew colder, and the smile on his face stretched wider and wider.

  At this moment, even Mira and Vogar realized something was wrong. Their bodies were gradually weakening and they could barely circulate any mana. They quickly jumped to their feet and hid behind Thane, their eyes fixed on the old man and his son with full vigilance.

  Thane remained calm. The scent in the air had little effect on him. His physique was exceptionally powerful, and, more importantly, he had no mana within his body at all.

  “I have a question. I wonder if the two of you can explain it for me.”

  “Oh, what might that be?” Momo narrowed his small eyes. He seemed a little regretful that they had not yet eaten or drunk anything. But it did not matter. The scent alone was enough. The longer it lingered, the deeper the drug seeped into their bodies.

  “I enlisted in the army once. According to the map I used back then, the distance from the edge of Cerberus’s territory to the banks of the Emerald River is a very long journey. How could a man who was exhausted and barely alive carry a child across the entire BloodClaw plain and return to Hesmor?”

  The old man suddenly burst into loud laughter. He devoured the meat on his plate, grease and blood smearing his beard, making him look vicious and nothing like the man they first met. He wiped his mouth with his hand, took a sip of the herbal drink, and spoke slowly.

  “When the survivors fled back then, there were only a few dozen of us left. We were starving and drained. When I collapsed in despair and believed that Enesur had abandoned us, he gave me a sign. Yes. A sign. The scent of roasted meat rising from the foot of someone nearby made my mouth water. Think of the sight of those Cerberus tearing us apart and devouring us. It made me curious. And so I tried it. From a toe, then the entire foot. The taste was indescribable. But do you know what the interesting part is? The others did the same. We overpowered and turned the weak into food. In the end we survived. We returned to Hesmor. But that taste haunted me forever. I have never forgotten it.”

  Mira’s eyes widened in horror. She was far quicker than Vogar. Trembling, she pointed at the meat scattered on the table and stammered.

  “Then… then… this is?”

  “Exactly what you think it is. Wa haha.” The old man laughed madly, his aura swelling. He stood upright, tearing apart his cloth shirt, revealing his powerful muscles. The wooden staff cracked open, its shell falling away to reveal a sharp iron sword inside.

  “Do not even think of escaping. Accept your fate and become our food.”

  “Escape?” Thane let out a low laugh.

  The boy lifted the massive sword on his back as if it were merely a wooden stick. He swung it down upon the table. A loud boom tore it cleanly in half. Food splattered everywhere as both Momo and the old man stared in shock.

  “Impossible. How are you able to use mana?” Momo shrieked in terror.

  “Mana? How amusing. From the moment I was born until now I have never felt it.”

  Thane lunged forward and kicked Momo, sending the boy flying. He then slashed directly at the old man. His recent training had made Thane realize that he was not only born with monstrous strength but also incredible speed.

  The heavy steel blade shot toward the old man with a terrifying gust. The old man tried to block with his iron sword, but the force bent the weapon out of shape. Thane’s massive blade crashed into his chest, flinging him backward and smashing him through the wall of the house.

  The old man slowly pushed himself up, blood and fragments of his organs spilling from his mouth. He never imagined someone could be this strong. Stronger than him, a warrior born and raised in BloodClaw triple. The old man burst into laughter as Thane’s small figure approached. He felt no fear. Only rising excitement.

  “I cannot mistake it. This strength, this aura. You carry the blood of BloodClaw within you.” Then as if remembering something, his eyes blazed with feverish light.

  “You are his son. Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable.”

  Tears rolled down the old man’s face. He never expected to meet the descendant of his lord. Looking at what he had become, he no longer had the face to return home. Dying here was perhaps a blessing. He had long since become a corrupted creature unworthy of dying on homeland soil.

  “What are you talking about?” Thane frowned. It seemed the old man knew something.

  “You. What is your name, young chieftain?” the old man whispered. He looked as though he had abandoned any intent to resist. His eyes gazed upon Thane with reverence.

  “Thane.”

  “Thane. A name worthy of pride. Your father would be proud of you.” The old man bowed his head in reverence, waiting for Thane to come closer.

  But contrary to his expectation, the boy remained at a distance, watching him like a clown in a circus. The old man was startled. His plan had been to draw Thane near, then use the dagger hidden behind his back to strike. He panicked and opened his mouth as if to say something, but Thane no longer cared.

  The massive blade sliced across his neck, ending the life of a madman.

  “No, no, no. Father! Father!”

  From afar, Momo rushed forward and threw himself onto the headless corpse, tears streaming down his face. In the end, he was a pitiful child. He glared at Thane with hatred, screaming in a frenzy, driven insane.

  “You bastard! I swear I will kill you, eat you alive piece by piece, drain your blood dry, grind your bones into ash…”

  Mira and Vogar finally approached. They did not blame Thane. Thanks to him, they were still alive. Vogar was strong, but the poison had weakened him severely. The toxin seemed to react only with mana. Mira dry retched. She stared at the scattered chunks of meat on the ground in horror. Just a moment more and they would have eaten that.

  “Thank the heavens Thane was cautious. Otherwise we would have become that pile of deer meat.”

  “Damn it, Thane. You knew it beforehand, didn’t you?” Mira punched his shoulder angrily.

  “Knew it beforehand?” Thane smiled and shook his head. Not just beforehand, he had lived it countless times.

  “Sometimes having many nightmares is not necessarily a bad thing.” Thane thought. His respect for Exitus grew even deeper. He turned to Vogar and Mira, lifting the bloodstained blade in his hand.

  “This is the real world. Not fairy tales. A cruel world where humans eat humans. Consider this your first lesson. Besides, we cannot let a child who lost his family wander the world alone. Who wants the honor of doing it?”

  Both Mira and Vogar shook their heads. Mira simply could not bring herself to do it. She was still too kind. She clenched her teeth and looked away. Thane looked at Vogar with disappointment. He had expected Mira to refuse, but he did not think Vogar would be this soft. Thane suddenly worried about the future of Vogar’s family.

  “Hey, do not look at me like that. It is not that I do not dare.” Vogar scratched his head with an embarrassed smile.

  “That blade of yours is too heavy. I cannot use it when I have no mana.”

  “…” Thane.