North Coast Palace / Noon /

In a certain bedroom /

"[Dreaming Soothe]"

Skadi cast a Healing Art to calm Sara. 

The young lady had a nightmare before. After receiving the Arts, her face became a lot better.

After seeing Skadi's performance, Xian Ling could believe that Skadi was a Priest.

"But, why are you using a sword?"

Skadi has yet to show her sword skills. But just by looking at her physical strength, everyone would know that she was strong. Plus, her black sword was no ordinary sword.

Skadi has yet to show his sword skills. But just by looking at her physical strength, everyone would know that he was strong. Plus, the black sword was no ordinary sword.

"Because I'm just by myself."

Arlene worked alone at all times. But that is because she is a Bounty Hunter. Bounty Hunters are required to work individually. But there are several opportunities for them to join other teams when their mission is considered difficult.

For Skadi, her case is complicated.

Skadi came out of the room carrying her two weapons. Leaving Arlene (Specialist/Archer) and Xian Ling (Caster).

"Please don't go to far, Skadi."

"I'm just checking out perimeter."

The atmosphere in the palace at that time was really quiet. Arlene couldn't believe it a little that seven years ago it was a battlefield.

"Are we okay being left alone in an unconquered place like this, miss?"

For Xian Ling, who had never entered an unconquered area, being left behind by their only fighter of course worried her.

"Don't worry, I can still feel her presence. She's still around here."

Despite saying that, Arlene still confused.

She didn't know how they had teleported from Mild Yellow Dessert to the North Coast Palace. 

Of course, that is a good thing. Because if they didn't move, maybe Void Fog would completely engulf them.

"Xian Ling, if you are tired, you can go to sleep."

Xian Ling is very tired. She had been holding back from keeping her eyes open after everything they had been through. 

With that, she takes the opportunity and sleeps with Sara in the same bed. 

Arlene came out of the room, leaving them alone. 

There is no monster around. Plus, for some reason, they got teleported in a small building located at the back of the palace. 

It seemed that was the building where the palace maids lived.

North Coast Palace covered by a stone wall. Just like ordinary palace. It's just that it is located right in front of a cliff.

The wall behind the building they were teleported to had an exit door. Skadi came out of that door just now.

The silver woman was standing on the edge of the cliff. She is standing in front of four graves.

"Are they all your friends?"

"Yeah."

Skadi stood in front of the grave holding her Silver Sky Staff and black sword.

They were outside the palace, on the open field. Skadi seems ready to face any situation.

The four graves have four different stakes. 

"That big wand belongs to our Caster. She is an attractive woman and is always close to our leader. She has feelings for our leader."

Those characteristics are almost exactly like Xian Ling to Lian Wei.

"This shield is our guardian's. He is a big man who doesn't talk much. But he has a strong heart and never gave up on us."

An exact character of Richard.

"This fancy bow is our archer's asset. He has sharp eyes, but is easily distracted when there is a beautiful woman in front of him."

Bradley did the same thing like that the first time he met Arlene.

There is still one grave left that the stake is a staff. Skadi stopped explaining at that stake.

"And this one?"

Arlene was curious, so she asked. But the answer given is quite surprising.

"That was mine."

The staff stake's grave belongs to Skadi.

Arlene had forgotten that in the past, Skadi was a genuine Priest. Unlike now, who is a KnightPriest wielding a sword.

Arlene had heard that Skadi's party used to be five people. However, there are only four graves there.

"Where is the last one?"

Their leader. Sword wielder.

Most of the leaders of a party were sword users. Like Lian Wei, who uses S-tier Blade as his main weapon.

"I could not find the body."

Either disappear or got burn until there is nothing left.

It was common when on a conquest expedition. There are many strong landowner monsters that can kill many hunters. Having one or two people who can remember you is something to be grateful for.

"Can you tell me about what happened seven years ago?"

~ ~ ~

Seven years ago, when the Staff Saint was still alive, a young woman with silver hair and red eyes came to the Staff Saint.

A woman who just went through a really bad nightmare. 

'Please teach me of how to use a sword.'

The woman asked for a request to the Staff Saint. Of course the request was not directed to the Staff Saint, but to the greatest sword user in existence, the Sword Saint.

Through the Staff Saint, that woman got taught sword skills directly by the Sword Saint.

After one year of training, the woman left and returned to her native region, the northwest region.

~ ~ ~

That woman is Skadi. Skadi isn't even her real name. She changed her name after losing her family.

"What did you guys fight that you lost your entire party?"

Skadi and her party had indeed moved alone on a conquest expedition. However, they are a strong party that is even got recognized by the Saints.

So Arlene couldn't imagine what kind of enemy they were fighting to have four of their five members killed.

"It's..."

"It's the great Soul Saint who killed them!"

Someone suddenly gets into the conversation. A person who shouted loudly with a cruel tone.

Arlene instantly turned around and found a swordsman. A man in diplomatic dress. A higher up of Black Hunter.

Skadi didn't look surprised. It seemed she had expected the man's arrival.

"Shoot. Were those two got caught too?"

Because an enemy has come to them. Of course Arlene is worried about Xian Ling and Sara's safety.

"No. Our existence got discovered because we are outside the palace walls."

Skadi revealed one fact that surprised Arlene.

"What?"

Of course, that sounds strange. However, remembering that Xian Ling had shouted earlier made that fact sound true.

"I am surprised that you can enter into the palace walls like that guy."

"That guy?"

Without being told specifically, Arlene could tell that the Black Hunter was talking about Ars.

"Yeah, we kinda have a relationship with that guy. Are you the slave of the woman who stole that guy's heart?"

"Haha! So it's true that that guy regained his consciousness somehow! But, where is he? Is he in the palace, hiding? Or am I going to get a stab in the back all of a sudden?"

The Black Hunter man casually walked inside the wall despite there are two high rank Hunter behind him.

Arlene fired her gun without hesitation. But all the bullets were stopped by a kind of dark field that protected the Black Hunter man.

Arlene smiled bitterly at that. "Unfortunately, that man was not with us. He was still on the way from the Mild Yellow Stone."

"Still on the way?"

The Black Hunter man turned back to them once more. He seemed to believe what Arlene was saying.

Arlene's statement has both advantages and disadvantages for them.

The advantage was that it could keep the Black Hunter men away from Sara and Xian Ling. The disadvantage was that they, the Black Hunters, would be more alert to Ars' arrival. 

However, Ars can definitely get through that loss of ease.

Because of that, Arlene had to think more about what they should do to fight a man who could stop her bullets without cast an Art.

"Fine. Even if that man is already in the palace. He would definitely come straight to the throne room and try to dethrone Queen Echidna again."

"So that Charity woman is really here."

The Black Hunter man drew his sword. A black sword that gave off a black lightning effect when being pulled out of its sheath.

With just one look, Arlene can tell that the sword is dangerous. So she stands in a bent position, ready to jump off the cliff if necessary.

"Your infiltration, pay with your life!"

From a distant position, the Black Hunter man thrust his sword into the two of them. The stab that sent out a powerful black bolt of lightning.

____________

A roar could be heard from the top of the cliff in the palace. Coincided with traces of black lightning stabbing the sky.

"They have started fighting!"

Deeply worried, Lian kicked his horse, ordering it to speed up. Richard and Bradly went speeding too.

Behind them, Ars was still relaxed. Don't want to rush.

____________

The attack just now was very fast. Arlene couldn't react in time. Luckily Skadi was standing in front of her, became her shield.

"Wew. You have a very hard body despite being a woman."

Skadi only used the black sword and Silver Sky Staff as a shield. On top of that, she used her body to block the black lightning just now.

"This body has experienced something more painful than this."

After previously not wanting to see the Black Hunter man, Skadi finally allow her eyes to see the man's face, which for one reason made her very surprised.

"Sigfried?"