Chapter 129 - 106: Rune Speech
"A Druid?" Agatha picked up the manual and began to flip through it casually.
"Yes, he was pretty tough to deal with at first." Shire briefly recounted the encounter with the Druid, omitting the part about his own Ability. He only said that Rubus had kept the Druid busy, who was then killed in a sneak attack by his men.
"You’re right, this Druid was indeed quite powerful. If it were me, I would have just tried to stay as far away from him as possible." Agatha’s expression grew more serious as she read the manual. "This person was very knowledgeable about Alchemy. He even invented one or two Alchemy Potion formulas himself. I need to go test them out."
"New formulas?" Shire’s interest was piqued. "What kind of formulas?"
"A de-deodorant potion. After drinking it, you temporarily lose your sense of smell and taste, making you immune to foul odors." Agatha stared at the Alchemy Manual, frowning. "Why would he research this?"
"Er, that’s actually pretty useful," Shire said with an awkward laugh. ’That Druid must have had no other choice,’ he thought.
"There’s another formula. After drinking it, you can temporarily enhance yourself, increasing strength, agility, and stamina. It also slightly increases your body size." Agatha continued to read, not even looking up.
"That formula is great, it’s just what I need." Shire craned his neck to look at the manual. He guessed the Druid had prepared it for his goblin subordinates, but once his zombie Mushroom research succeeded, this potion would no longer be necessary.
"There are also some notes on old potions." Agatha closed the manual and nodded. "I’ll test the formulas tomorrow and brew a few bottles. The raw materials are common, but it needs some high-proof alcohol to activate the properties."
"No problem, I’ll take care of the ingredients," Shire said immediately. Before his last few battles, he and his men had to drink several potions beforehand to boost their strength, agility, and stamina. If one bottle could do the job, they could carry more potions in total.
"I’ve noticed that since you went out this time, Rubus has been getting along with you very well. It seems to like you more now." Agatha put down the Alchemy Manual and looked at the Star Realm Dog lying beside them.
"Of course, I’ve been very good to him." Shire hopped off his chair and walked toward Rubus. After two steps, he suddenly remembered something and quickly changed the subject. "Let’s continue studying the Teleportation Rune. The sooner we figure it out, the sooner we can establish contact with the Tree-man Race."
"Okay," Agatha said, watching Shire scratch the fur on Rubus’s chin. The goblin and the Star Realm Dog were having a great time playing together.
"What are you going to do next?" she asked.
"Rest up, stock up on supplies, and give the new members something to do," Shire said, grabbing Rubus’s front paws and shaking them up and down in a game of ’shake’. "Once all that is done, we’ll set off to explore the east."
...
In a small tavern in Torch City, Little John put down his Silver Coins and got up to leave.
He had been here for many days. After extensive searching, he had confirmed that his boss was very likely the traitor Shire Merlot, who had a bounty of 300,000 Gold Coins on his head.
It was easy enough to guess. The two people his boss was looking for were the Merlot Clan’s Captain of the Guard, an old Knight, and his personal guard. Add to that the fact that he called himself Shire, and the conclusion was obvious.
Little John just couldn’t figure out how his boss had turned into a goblin.
Back when he first became an Adventurer, he had fantasized about catching the wanted traitor one day, which would have set him up for several lifetimes. But now that Little John had actually deduced that his boss was that man, he felt nothing but a sober clarity.
His interactions with his boss these past few days, combined with the praise the common people of Torch City had for the Merlot Clan, made Little John doubt the authenticity of the treason charge.
Besides, he felt it was a conspiracy. Anyone who captured his boss to claim the reward would be secretly killed off, with a noble taking the credit and the prize.
"What’s that saying again? ’Politics and profit are just games for the nobility.’" He muttered this phrase, something he had overheard from some of the old-timers in Torch City.
CREAK. The tavern door closed. Little John gave the street a quick, furtive glance. He straightened his clothes, his hand sliding down from his chest, confirming that the necklace and paper his boss had given him were still securely hidden against his body.
Then, he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked to the end of the street, feigning nonchalance.
Diagonally across from the tavern was the home of Auberto, one of the men mentioned on the paper. Little John had been staking the place out for several days but hadn’t seen the man, nor had he seen anyone suspicious making contact with his family.
The other man, Musa, was even harder to find; he had vanished into thin air. The small building where he used to live had already been sold to a merchant from Plantagenet City. There was no trace of him in all of Torch City. Only by asking the locals could one hear them talk about "that bronze-skinned, stern-faced Lord Captain of the Guard."
Tonight, Little John planned to circle around to the back of Auberto’s house and try to climb over the wall under the cover of darkness, hoping to find some clues.
He reached the mouth of a small alley, quickly scanned his surroundings, then clutched his stomach, hopped twice, and dashed into the alley as if in desperate need of a restroom.
’This is it.’ Little John looked up at the top of the adjacent wall. The height was no problem for him.
But soon, a sense of alarm washed over him, and he whipped his head around to look at the alley’s entrance.
"Who are you?" Four men in assorted attire walked into the alley. "Why are you snooping around someone’s residence?"
Little John thought for a moment and replied immediately, "I’m a Bounty Hunter, just looking for information on Shire Merlot."
He raised his hands slightly to show he meant no harm. The astronomical bounty had attracted a large number of Bounty Hunters and Adventurers to Torch City, and some of them cooperated with the Public Security Bureau, acting as informants.
"I’ve seen him at the tavern a few times. He’s probably a Bounty Hunter," one of the men said.
The leader of the four sized up Little John and said, "Get going. And I’d advise you not to cause any trouble in Torch City."
Little John said nothing, merely nodding as he prepared to leave.
The instant they passed each other, he abruptly drew his Great Sword with a CLANG, blocking a slash from the other’s curved blade.
"Didn’t you tell me to go?" Little John asked through gritted teeth.
"You can go, but leave everything valuable behind," the leader said with a vicious grin. "Hanging out in the tavern every day... looks like you’re doing well for a Bounty Hunter."
"Aren’t you afraid of alerting the Public Security Bureau?"
"We work for the Public Security Bureau," the leader shouted. "Surround him! We’ll kill him, pass him off as a Pirate, and turn him in."
After a series of CLANGS from colliding weapons, Little John was forced deeper into the alley.
’These four are a bit less skilled than me, but they’re well-coordinated.’ Little John stared intently at his opponents. He couldn’t let them capture him, or his boss’s mission would be exposed.
’I’ll have to go all out, kill one of them, and then run for it.’ He weighed his options, but none of his plans seemed foolproof.
"The kid’s ready to fight to the death. Everyone be careful," the leader said.
Little John grew anxious. ’What do I do? The boss said that necklace must be protected at all costs.’
In his nervousness, he failed to notice his own eyes turning slightly red. Then, a thought flashed through his mind, and suddenly, the eyes of the four men before him went vacant. One of them even lowered his weapon.
’A perfect chance.’ Little John thrust his sword forward and charged, ending the fight in a few moves.
"What just happened?" He looked at the Longsword in his hand. At that moment, a thought had flashed through his mind—’if only they couldn’t move’—and to his surprise, they had actually frozen.
"Did I... just awaken some kind of Ability?" Little John murmured.
’I have to go show this off to the boss.’
Meanwhile, Shire was holding a bubbling green potion, staring at Agatha, who had a smug look in her eyes.
"Is this stuff really drinkable?"