Chương 76: I Have a Condition

"So, run, Shutark!"

"Get out of here right now."

She was smiling at her brother when she suddenly reached out and pushed him.

Shutark was stunned.

What? Run fast.

Why leave here...?

In that instant, Shutalz's figure vanished.

Suddenly, a lot of black mist surged up from all around, and with a crack, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, followed by a gale and raging flames.

The entire village was instantly enveloped in it.

Firelight was everywhere, and corpses littered the ground. Shutark was still reeling from his earlier elation. He stiffly looked down at his feet.

Thick blood is melting the earth, creating a horrific blood swamp.

His feet were stepping into it, slowly sinking down.

pat.

pat.

A heavy footstep approached him.

That person—no, that was a tall demon with a pair of sharp goat horns on his head, holding a huge battle axe in his right hand and toying with a blood-stained head in his left.

"Is this the village of warriors? It's so boring."

The other person smiled maliciously, revealing a set of sharp white teeth.

Shutark met those playful eyes.

"roar?"

The other person dropped his head, squatted down, looked at him, touched the corner of his mouth with his finger, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

Yes, those are the eyes that keep looping in my nightmares.

Shutark couldn't help but tremble, wanting to escape.

But the swamp beneath his feet was swallowing him up.

I could hear a sad sob in my ear; it was me hiding under the covers every night.

He tried to pull his feet out, but the thick, sticky blood pulled him back, as if countless hands were reaching out to drag him into it. He couldn't help but kneel down.

"Brother, I'm sorry, I'm trapped and can't escape..."

He couldn't help but close his eyes, as if that would allow him to escape this living hell.

Just as he was about to give up, Shane's voice rang in his ears: "Shutark, true courage is not about being fearless, but about stepping forward even when you're so scared your legs are about to give way."

As he said this, a surge of anger suddenly welled up in his heart.

That guy really makes it sound so simple.

hateful.

I just feel like I'm totally captivated by his handsomeness.

With that thought in mind, Shutark stopped struggling in vain. His gaze hardened, and he slowly clenched his fist.

The small figure, dragging blood from its feet, rushed forward without hesitation!

boom-- The child's fist struck the demon's cheek.

The child's strength failed to budge the opponent, instead drawing contempt from him.

The other person revealed that wicked smile again.

This time, Shutark did not tremble. He remembered his brother's words, "Shutark, don't think about anything else, focus on the goal in front of you."

boom-- boom-- boom-- He kept waving his fists.

It struck that nightmarish face.

The tiny arms gradually grew bigger through constant waving.

boom-- With his final punch, that arrogant and vicious face was sent flying. He was no longer that timid and weak child; he had grown up and become Shutark, the boy who cleaved the canyon.

The blood beneath his feet had disappeared, the swamp was gone, and a familiar battle axe appeared in his hand.

Without any hesitation or delay, just as he had done a thousand times before, he raised his battle axe, gathered his strength, and cleaved down a sharp silver light...

The smoke and dust cleared.

The illusion dissipated.

In the canyon, only Shutark's own heavy breathing and rapid heartbeat could be heard.

He looked up at the black, round object, but there was nothing there anymore, only a bunch of scattered magical particles.

"So these are the marks left from martial arts practice."

A calm voice came from behind.

Shutark turned his head.

I saw her during the day; she was a human mage who was with Frillie, I think her name was... Philon.

"If you clearly don't want to leave the village, why bother honing these skills?"

Philen's tone wasn't exactly friendly, and Shutark could hear her displeasure.

Shutark had no rebuttal.

Because that's the truth.

He lowered his head, looked at his hands, and then glanced back at the Grand Canyon behind him.

Philon followed his gaze and looked at the chasm carved out by the battle axe.

"Therefore, you can split the mountain in front of you, but you can't split the mountain in your heart."

The girl's voice flowed through the cool night.

This sentence is stated affirmatively, without any element of doubt.

"After all, I'm just a coward who runs away..."

"A coward wouldn't stay here knowing he's too scared to fight a dragon."

"..."

"Are you waiting for someone to help you? Are you seeking praise, Mr. Shutalc?"

Shutark shrank back, averting his gaze, but still stubbornly insisted, "What do you know..."

"Of course I don't understand anything. I was just thinking about myself. The first time I fought a monster, I was so scared that my legs went weak. Just as I was running away, I saw Lady Frillian and Mr. Shane, and I saw their worried eyes."

"I can't let them show that kind of expression. Once I made up my mind, my body started moving on its own."

"Mr. Shutark, you're hiding here and refusing to come out, yet you're practicing so hard. Didn't you already make up your mind long ago?"

Shutark looked into Philon's eyes.

In a daze, Xia En's voice came to my ears again, "Mr. Aize believes in you, you can definitely do it."

Honestly, why do they all trust him so much...?

Oh.

He chuckled.

"You two are truly father and daughter; your way of encouraging people is so direct."

"?"

Philon was puzzled.

"Isn't that your father? The one named Xia En."

"..."

The girl's face visibly darkened.

Shutark opened his mouth, wanting to continue his rant, but the words stuck in his throat.

That look in your eyes is terrifying.

"Mr. Shutark, remember to come to the village tomorrow. Lady Frilian has prepared a test for you."

After coldly uttering those words, Philon turned and left.

"..."

Shutark scratched his head.

"Girls have such terrible tempers. They can turn on you so easily."

However, he recalled what Xia En had said to him during the day. It was strange. The other person looked similar to him, so why did he feel that the other person was a reliable "adult"?

noon the next day.

Shutark, carrying his battle axe, waited outside the house for a long time before finally seeing Frilian.

Are you serious?

"It's just a dragon. When Shane joined the team, he killed a subspecies of a Poisonous Dragon. So I've decided that this will be the standard for the vanguard from now on."

Shutark glanced at Shane.

Xia En responded with an awkward smile.

"You should have investigated this already. That dragon attacked the village before, destroying houses like it was nothing, and it can even breathe fire..."

"Then we can't let this go any longer; we should eliminate it as soon as possible," Frilian said calmly.

Shutark thought she was crazy.

"Defeat the Crimson Dragon myself? You old hag, did you never even want me in your party? Are you deliberately humiliating me?"

"Mr. Shutark, watch your words," Philon said angrily.

Shutark glanced at Philen's stern gaze, flinched, and said nothing more.

"I'm not joking, Shutark. The Vanguard is the bottom line for a team's survival. We're going to the Northern Plateau, which is the Demon Clan's stronghold. I have to be responsible for everyone. Otherwise, saving the world is out of the question."

Shutark remained silent.

He knew Frilian was right.

"In that case, I have a condition."