The Guardian

Chapter 241: It’s Time

When Adala arrived in these unknown lands, it was night and countless monsters that sought to destroy everything in their path immediately assaulted her.

It was very difficult to survive.

She was an S-Rank Water Archmage, but at this point she realized that she lacked experience.

No matter how strong she was, she lacked the experience to use her abilities efficiently.

And although it was complicated, she could survive.

She had to drown hundreds of monsters and could only save herself when she created a small lake and hid herself with water magic.

However, when she came out and saw the place where she was, she was stunned for a moment.

This land was gigantic and full of aggressive monsters everywhere.

Her space ring had clothes and some drinks or diet snacks next to her magic books, but there was nothing remarkable to survive.

Her manager and her crew were what carried her stuff... If she wanted food, they would give it to her.

Was it wrong to participate in the goblin raid?

She was an S rank mage known as the ‘Blue Tide’ and had been one of the few that had reached the portal plaza.

So, before she knew it, she was in a strange world... Still, Adala survived.

She hid wherever she could, used all her knowledge to adapt and survive.

She struggled and almost ended up dead many times.

For confronting an abomination, she caused a large scale battle to break out, she was the target of all the monsters and if it wasn’t for her water magic, which was versatile, she would have had a hard time escaping.

Then she hid in the night without making a sound... In the lonely darkness of her hiding place, listening to the noises and growls, believing that she would soon be discovered.

It was hard to bear.

The noise, the growls and her hiding in a secluded spot, not moving, trying to hold her breath and trying to calm her mind.

Being alone, wondering about what to do or how to survive.

Was she wrong to participate in the goblin assault that sent her to this world?

She wanted to show her strength, wanted to make it clear that she was not an urban heroine who enjoyed all the comforts without risk.

Whose job was simply to guard the cities by appearing from the sky following a performance.

She wanted to show that she was an authentic hero, like those who hid their identities and helped without mediating everything or seeking profit.

For wanting things that at this moment were beyond her experience and ability, she almost ended up dead.

Adala walked beside the individual who made that ‘almost’ not a certainty.

Cédric Garreau was a thin, pale man who in Romania was known for his arrogance and ambition.

Vice leader of the guild ‘The Custodians’, that man had the attitude to be arrogant because he had led his guild to lead Romania... And he had made it the most powerful on a national level.

Adala as a ‘heroine’ on a national level, she had met him before and his arrogance along with his pride triggered too straightforward comments from him, but now it was different.

“Watch your step. Your robe is designed to protect and enhance your magical ability, not to be stealthy. So you have to learn yourself how to lessen your presence and not waste your magical energy,” Cédric recommended calmly.

A quiet and calm tone, the man’s body was thin and skinny, letting us see that he had a hard life since he arrived in these lands with the first expedition.

From scars on his face, bites on his body and without an arm... His body was the evidence of what he had lived through.

“I’ve spent three months living in this world... But according to you, I entered more than a month ago... I knew it. Time is different,” Cédric muttered, letting out an exhausted sigh.

She had revealed to him everything that had happened, but when he heard about the time, he confirmed that there was a difference.

Adala watched him.

Three months in this world surviving every hardship and even though he was exhausted and drained, he continued to reveal that serious look of someone who still did not lose hope.

And now that he realized that there were more people who came from Earth, he was even more hopeful.

“I’ve already lost my partner who does rituals, but if we meet the others, maybe they can... There were two members of the primordial churches, right?” Cédric asked, and seeing her nod, he commented. “Well, maybe they can communicate with the other side through their gods.”

The gods did not respond to all people and that not only extended to prayers but also when rituals were performed.

Cédric was quiet and calm.

Adala noticed the desire to survive and get out of these unknown lands... Such was the strength of a man who would not give up and the reason why he could survive in these inhospitable lands for so long.

She was lucky to meet him and have him save her at that moment, but it was nice to have known him from before.

Moving through the forest, turning away from where there were creature tracks, Cédric paused for a moment as he looked at the ground.

He was a nature mage and had some experience in scouting.

“What’s wrong?” Adala asked, preparing her spell.

Cédric sat up, and with his one hand scanned the ground, looking at the creatures’ footprints.

“I think...”

*BOOM*

“GRAAAA!”

An explosive sound and a roar of pain came from the footsteps were headed.

“We must retreat. They’re surely monsters fighting,” Adala opined cautiously.

She had already seen too many battles between the same monsters, devouring each other for survival or becoming even more grotesque creatures.

She did not wish to risk it.

However...

“No, that explosion didn’t feel like one a monster would make,” Cédric said and with a grave expression, he pointed. “Come on, we need to see what’s going on. Maybe the ones who came with you are fighting.”

Hearing those last words, Adala’s expression improved.

She might be inexperienced, but members of the imperial forces and churches were highly skilled individuals.

They both followed the sounds and as they moved forward, the expressions of both of them changed.

Monster corpses were all around with trees toppled over as if a stampede of beasts had passed by and then, as they followed, their expressions changed completely.

Stretching out before their eyes was a camp... No, simply the ruins of a camp.

Surrounding it were shattered monsters, as if an overwhelming force had crushed it.

Amidst the dead monsters were goblin corpses with their bodies mangled and their organs scattered on the ground.

Some were crushed, fractured and, above all, destroyed... By an overwhelming force.

In their midst were two individuals exchanging blows with each other.

One was a tall hobgoblin of the upper caste who was using clawed gloves to engage his opponent, while the other person was a young woman in her twenties.

*BOOM*

Although she looked thin and frail, the young woman’s fists created bursts of force that swept everything in her path.

She was not fully healthy and on her body there were wounds that pierced through the combat suit.

Still, the woman’s eyes never trembled and expression never changed despite the mounting wounds.

“Let’s...”

*BOOM*

The thunderous sound of a powerful punch reverberated through the surroundings.

The young woman had dodged the claws by contorting her body and had punched the hobgoblin’s stomach, sending it flying backwards.

She, instead of standing still, used the blink ability of her combat suit and reached where the hobgoblin was rolling.

*Boom!

It had appeared floating in the sky and she dropped her weight onto the hobgoblin’s back, burying it in the ground as it kicked up a cloud of dust from the impact.

“Grhh...”

The hobgoblin vomited blood as he lay on the ground and she from behind caught him by the neck and twisted his neck with all her might.

“...”

As the goblin’s body fell to the ground, she crushed the hobgoblin’s head, splattering the blood on his already stained clothes.

Then she lifted her gaze and Adala shivered as she felt the pressure.

It didn’t matter if the young woman was slender and delicate as if she were a helpless young woman, the blood staining her face and clothing revealed a very different side.

The black eyes were cold and murderous, enough to intimidate S-ranks.

And she was releasing crushing pressure from a powerful fighter.

“Cédric Garreau, vice leader of the guild ‘The Custodians’. You’ve been here for quite some time... You must already know the place, right?” The young woman asked as she approached and when Cédric nodded, she ordered. “Then help me. We need to find everyone else. Even if we turn the place upside down.”

Cédric couldn’t refuse after watching the young woman snap a hobgoblin’s neck.

******

Edward stared off into the distance at the crack that stretched across the sky, at the ruins of Constanta City.

Even though he was in Mamaia-Sat City not far away, he could feel the ominous atmosphere and the ‘Chaos’ blurred his vision.

He had heard that a member of the expedition had gone out totally corrupted as an abomination, but he did not know if he had died.

Duke Kristoph’s spell had destroyed part of the city along with the corpses of the goblins and humans, killing many creatures.

The corpses of the raiding party and the goblins that had been corrupted and turned into monsters, even though they were alive, were removed, but that did not mean there were no other abominations.

Chaos was terrifying and without proper protections could turn a normal human into an aberrant creature with tremendous strength.

The cost was not the grotesqueness or creepiness of the mutations; it was the loss of mind and the corruption... Edward had heard about being corrupted they could have thoughts of all kinds.

Awakening dark desires, emphasizing an emotion and even distorting it.... Chaos was a divine energy that was related to demons and in a larger category, malevolent or demonic gods.

“It’s about time,” He muttered as he saw that a message had reached him.

Looking at the surroundings, he stopped watching that crack that was causing worldwide commotion and panic and headed for the military barracks.

He didn’t know if an SSS rank would arrive in the future... Those individuals may be few, but they existed.

The closest were Director Finn Ackermann, who with his partner the Barbegazi could be considered an SSS rank tamer and the King of Arabia, who was known as ‘Titan’ being an SSS rank earth mage.

It was likely that the churches also had their secret cards to intervene in case of trouble and there was also the Falion Empire, who being the most powerful empire on Terra nova, meant that they had individuals of such a rank.

Although unlike the SSS ranks of the Falion Empire, who obeyed royalty, the SSS ranks of this world could not be controlled by anyone, not even public opinion could force them to move.

Still, something had to be done and probably the SSS ranks would act when it was extremely necessary and everything would get out of control.

Edward walked until the rendezvous point was found, which was a hotel building.

At the door stood two S-Rank Falion Empire elves and the serious looks and wariness of those professionals showed that inside was someone important.

When Edward knocked on the door, it opened and Venali watched him from the other side.

“Your Highness has been expecting you,” Venali said with a respectful tone and giving a sign for him to come in, she added. “He is in the courtyard.”

With those words, they both entered the hall and made their way to the courtyard behind the hall.

This building was a hotel, but at this time the only workers present were members of the Falion Empire and in the back area was a sizable garden.

There was a single table and at it sat Princess Cithrel next to a young woman Edward did not know.

The young woman had Asian features, a round face and black hair, and was quite pretty.

“Edward, you have finally arrived. Meet Yoshihisa Akira,” Cithrel said with a soft diplomatic smile.

The young woman stood up and shook her hand with a smile.

“You can call me Akira. Believe it or not, I’ve heard a lot about you, ‘senpai’.” Akira revealed and with a half smile, she commented. “I can consider myself as a former student who was under Aurora and Alice’s command.”

Her half smile carried an obvious concern that Edward clearly noticed.

“Edward Palmer. I hope you’ve heard good things.” Edward said and with a heavy sigh, added. “Though I doubt it.”

He had behaved badly in his time that he had been with Aurora and Alice and also after that he had stayed away from both of them for several years.

It was to the point that he was now getting to know his junior and had only heard of her from Aurora, who occasionally came around during the academy.

“A little of this and a little of that,” Akira pointed out with a half smile and, giving a serious look, she stated. “Thank you for helping us.”

Edward’s expression turned serious as he watched her bow.

Yoshihisa Akira, guild leader of the ‘Freezing Storm’ guild, known as the ‘Tempest’... That young lady was one of Japan’s most recognized S-ranks, and her mid-level guild was powerful.

She called herself a former student under Aurora and Alice, but now her thanks showed that she was a close friend of the two sisters.

“You don’t need to thank me. I’m doing this of my own free will and because I want to make sure of their condition,” Edward replied, giving a cold feeling and noticing this, he commented. “They can consider themselves my friends, too.”

Alice practically never spoke to him and always kept a great distance, but it was different with Aurora.

She always treated him well and even when he was in command of both, he was treated better by Aurora than Alice.

However, now that they might need help, he wouldn’t hesitate to offer... As most likely, they would both move if he needed it.

“Aurora will surely be happy for her friends,” Cithrel said suddenly and with a half smile, she commented. “Though Alice is surely happy with food.”

Her comment was meant to lighten the atmosphere, which made them both give smiles, but in the end, the situation became tense.

Tonight at night, before the new year, they would move to go see the abyssal portal... Go into where the ‘rift’ and the portal were located to check everything.

They were anxious.

“I hope it’s okay.” Akira muttered helplessly.

Like a professional, she was trying to control her emotions, and the closeness with both sisters complicated it.

Edward could see her clench her fist.

“You’re still a crybaby. I hope at least you’re not a weakling anymore.”

A thick, heavy voice sounded from nearby and Edward noticed as a giant beast stepped through a portal next to a young woman.

The young woman was in her twenties and although her round, lovely face, coupled with her short stature, gave her a certain charm, her expressionlessness drew all eyes away.

Next to her stood a huge black gorilla, six meters tall with black fur and red eyes.

His muscular and strong body, together with his physique, generated great pressure and gave the feeling of having great power.

The space mage who brought them bowed and disappeared.

“Let me introduce them. The giant who talks without knowing is César and the beautiful young lady next to him, who likes to relate to a fool, is Charlotte Cuvillier,” Akira introduced with a look that demeaned the ferocious thundering gorilla and giving him a look of disdain, she commented. “He can also be considered my ‘senpai’.”

Edward watched the young woman in her twenties bow her head in greeting and then looked at the thundering gorilla, revealing his white teeth... Only to turn his gaze back to the young woman.

“She is not the student. The student is me,” Cesar reported with a fierce expression and, taking a step forward, he glared at Edward and commented. “You look strong. I hope you are not as crybaby as our companion.”

Edward sensed a great solemnity in the gorilla’s gaze, but also an overwhelming ferocity, very different from how he teased Akira.

“Hey, who are you calling a crybaby?” Akira exclaimed, throwing several snowflakes that the thundering gorilla tapped with his fingers.

“Who else? Who was the one who cried during Alice’s training?” Cesar asked, revealing his teeth with a smirk and tapping his chest, he announced. “You have to be like me, that I was never afraid to face her!”

“It’s not because you weren’t afraid, it’s because you’re a masochist!” Akira replied immediately.

“...”

They both looked at each other and laughed in amusement.

Both of their laughter was amused and somewhat relaxed, even though the encounter was for a heavy reason.

“Don’t worry. Aurora is strong, and no one can stop her when she sets a goal.” Cesar said in a raised voice and, patting Akira with his big hand, he announced. “But Alice, for food, is unstoppable!”

Akira let out a laugh, and the others followed suit.

No doubt they were all worried, but Cesar had something the others didn’t have... Confidence.

Overwhelming confidence in the strength and ability of both sisters.

“They’ll be fine,” Cithrel interjected and, giving a glance, she pointed. “Still, let’s get ready. We need to be perfectly ready for tonight.”

They needed to check the abyssal portal and if it could send reinforcements.