Capítulo 6: CHAPTER 6: Wounds, Gold, and a Fateful Meeting
A gray sky loomed over the border between Valoria and Northwood, casting long shadows that seemed to hide threats in every corner. Arthur strode steadily away from Arun Cave, each step filled with vigilance. The scar on his thigh still throbbed, a reminder of his life-and-death battle with the Giant Boar a few days prior. His basic Qi Sense stretched out like a fragile spiderweb, filtering every energy vibration around him, mapping every movement within a radius of several meters.
Suddenly, a harsh vibration struck his consciousness. A large, furious energy was approaching rapidly from the bushes.
BRRUTT!
A Giant Boar the size of a bison burst out, eyes glowing red and tusks gleaming sharply. Arthur moved reflexively, his body sliding sideways with near-invisible speed thanks to Gale Step. The tusks barely grazed his stomach, only slicing his leather jacket.
CRACK! A young tree behind him was split in two by the boar's charge.
Arthur's mind worked at an incredible speed. As the boar charged a second time, Arthur twisted his body at the last second, feeling the tip of a tusk slash his thigh. Sharp pain seized him, but it was the price to pay for opening the boar's defense.
SCHLLLK! Fang of the Earth pierced the boar's stomach with deadly precision. Arthur twisted the sword before pulling it out, widening the internal wound.
NGIIII! The boar screamed in pain before collapsing to the ground, its body twitching in its death throes.
Arthur stood staggering, his breath ragged. His own blood flowed from his wound, mixing with the boar's blood. The smell of iron and death filled his nostrils. For the first time, he fully realized this wasn't training—this was a fight for survival.
He bandaged his wound roughly and hurried away from the site, knowing the smell of blood would attract other predators.
[ ENCOUNTER WITH THE UNORTHODOX SECT & ACQUISITION OF GOLD ]
A few days later, Arthur discovered the hidden headquarters of an Unorthodox Sect in a remote valley. While scouting from behind a cliff, he witnessed dozens of people in dirty gray tunics practicing cruel killing techniques. An instructor with a scarred face yelled, "Fool! Not there! Stab the neck! Cut the tendons!"
Suddenly, a small snake, frightened by the training, darted near his feet. Arthur reflexively moved his foot, causing pebbles to scatter.
Swish! A poisoned dagger landed right where he had been hiding moments before.
"He's over there!" someone shouted.
Two twin pupils with empty stares shot toward him. They attacked with perfect coordination—one stabbing low at the groin, the other clawing at the eyes from above.
Arthur moved Fang of the Earth. Clang! His sword deflected the low thrust. He tilted his head quickly, feeling the wind from the claw that nearly tore his cheek.
He couldn't fight long. A single scratch could mean the end. As one pupil thrust, Arthur took a risk. He used Body Reinforcement on his left arm and let the dagger slash his forearm. A sharp pain stabbed through him, but it trapped the enemy's weapon for a moment.
In that instant, he spun, his Fang of the Earth whirling in a bluish circle of light. Moon Splitter!
Chop! The hand holding the dagger was severed at the wrist. The pupil screamed in agony.
His twin was stunned for a split second. It was enough. Arthur thrust out his wounded left hand and released a Qi Needle directly into the second pupil's eye.
Thup! The pupil staggered backward, his hands clutching his now-bleeding eye.
The instructor and other pupils began shouting and moving toward him. Arthur fled, but not before snatching a leather pouch lying on the ground.
After finding a safe place, Arthur opened the pouch. His eyes widened. It contained 50 pure gold coins and several small gemstones. Enough treasure to support a family for months.
[ BATTLE AGAINST BANDITS & LOOTING GOLD ]
Two weeks later, a group of trained Mercenary Bandits ambushed him on a narrow path.
"Hand over all your valuables, boy!" snarled their leader, a muscular man with a greatsword.
Arthur was too tired to negotiate. As the first bandit lunged, Arthur used Gale Step to dodge and quickly stabbed a Qi Needle into a weak point in the bandit's armpit. The bandit screamed and fell.
A short but intense battle ensued. Arthur used a combination of Gale Cutter to reach bandits at a distance and Moon Splitter to deal with those up close. Within five minutes, all the bandits lay helpless.
Arthur searched their bodies. On the bandit leader's belt, he found a heavy money pouch containing 30 gold coins. From the other bandits, he collected an additional 20 gold coins and some gold jewelry. His total wealth now reached 100 gold coins plus gems.
[ MEETING WITH CICI ]
With his new wealth in his bag, Arthur continued his journey. When his Qi Sense caught a familiar panicked vibration, he immediately moved.
Whoosh! With a final Gale Step, Arthur was suddenly between Cici and three vicious wild dogs.
Shink! A Qi-enhanced Moon Splitter cut the lead dog in half. The other two fled.
Arthur turned to Cici, who had been thrown to the ground, her body covered in scratches and wounds. His gaze fell on the bundle in Cici's hand—from its open end, the hilt of an heirloom katana was visible.
"You're hurt," he said, his voice hoarse. He offered her herbal powder and cloth. "Here. Apply pressure."
Cici accepted them with trembling hands. Arthur studied her face more carefully. Beneath the dirt and fear, he recognized that face.
"Cici?"
Cici's eyes widened, welling with tears. "Young Master Arthur? Is it really you?!" She crawled forward, ignoring her wounds, and grabbed the bundle. "General Erlic... He saved it... from the ruin. He told me to find you. To give you this. Mordred... he's sending assassins everywhere! I had to leave Seahaven! He said... to look for you on the northern border..."
Arthur fell silent. General Erlic was alive and still loyal. All the battles and fear he had endured suddenly had a new purpose.
[ PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY NORTH ]
He supported Cici's staggering body. For the first time since arriving in this world, the burden on his shoulders felt less heavy. Because now, he was no longer bearing it alone.
"We can't stay here," Arthur said, his eyes constantly scanning the area. "They're surely still hunting both of us."
Carefully, he led Cici to a small, hidden cave he had found earlier. As he cleaned and bandaged Cici's wounds with the first-aid skills he had learned, Cici told him everything that had happened.
"General Erlic... he can't return to Valoria," whispered Cici, her voice weak but clear. "Mordred is too strong there. But he has connections with nobles in the Kingdom of Northwood. He said we must seek asylum there first—in the border town of Frostfall. From there, we can plan our next move."
Arthur nodded slowly, his mind working quickly. Northwood. The northern kingdom famous for its tough warriors and harsh climate. The 100 gold coins in his bag suddenly had a clear purpose. "We need better weapons, fur coats, winter supplies," he murmured, remembering the legendary cold of Northwood. "And we need to hire a guide who knows secret paths through the mountains."
Suddenly, Arthur's Qi Sense vibrated intensely. Not the small vibration of a wild beast, but the organized vibration of dozens of energy sources—and they were approaching rapidly from the south, forming a threatening half-circle formation to pin them down.
"Someone's coming," Arthur hissed, his eyes narrowing. "Many of them. Trained. From the direction of Valoria."
From the cave entrance, they could see torch flames moving in an orderly formation approaching their location. Muffled command shouts reached their ears. "Find their trail! They can't be far!"
"They've found us," whispered Cici, her face pale, but this time there was determination in her eyes. "Mordred won't stop."
Arthur gripped Fang of the Earth, his eyes gleaming with new resolve. "Take that heirloom sword. Hide it well." He looked north, towards the darkness and cold that awaited. "We must reach the Northwood border before dawn."
He glanced at Cici, then at the torches drawing nearer from the south. "Tomorrow, we begin our journey north. But first," he said with a thin, confident smile, "we have to get through tonight and break through their encirclement."
[ ARTHUR'S STATUS & WEALTH - END OF CHAPTER 6]
· Condition: Several healed wounds, high alert, ready for combat ·MP: ~18/30 (Ready for defense and escape)
·Wealth: 100 Gold Coins
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