Now, such a high-ranking identity actually belonged to a youth who looked so young.
Nicola quickly adjusted her mindset after the initial shock. She bowed deeply to the blond youth and said sincerely,
“Then I'll leave it in your hands, esteemed Rank 6 adventurer.”
The youth waved his hand dismissively. “There’s no need to be so formal. By the way, do you have any horses or other mounts? That kid is too fast. After this delay, I won't be able to catch him on foot!” As he spoke, his gaze was already fixed in the direction Starlight had left.
“Yes, I’ll go get one for you right away!” Nicola replied hurriedly.
...
At this time, Starlight was completely unaware of the situation behind him. With the boost from the wind element, he had already run a kilometer or two, unknowingly approaching the gate connecting the inner and outer cities.
The increasingly dense crowds forced him to slow his pace slightly. Although he had calmed down a bit from his initial anxiety, he had no intention of stopping.
As he jogged to avoid the crowd, he began to carefully recall the contents of the commission.
“The report said there were at least several hundred bandits. I wonder if they're the same group as yesterday. And those two mysterious people who teleported away... what was that about?”
He looked down at Noah in his arms, picked it up, and held it against his chest. Although running in such a posture was a bit strange, they could communicate quietly in this noisy environment without attracting attention.
“Noah, what do you think about this?” Starlight asked.
Noah analyzed calmly, “There are no direct clues to connect them, but I think you’re being a bit too impulsive. Do you plan to confront hundreds or even thousands of people single-handedly without having learned any wide-range spells?”
Noah’s words carried a hint of dissatisfaction and concern.
“I can't help it. Once I heard Uncle Tara and the others were in trouble, I felt I couldn't just sit by. At a time like this, I can't afford to worry about being calm or not. After all, we witnessed the tragic sight of those bandits slaughtering travelers yesterday,” Starlight replied firmly.
Noah let out a helpless sigh. “Sigh... You grew up with Carlos, so why is your personality exactly like Arthur's? Is this what they call genetics?”
“I'll take that as a compliment,” Starlight said with a slight smile, then turned serious. “We're about to leave the inner city. Noah, don't speak for now. Don't let the guards notice you.”
Looking at the city gate close at hand, Starlight gave a small instruction and placed Noah back at his side.
After successfully passing the inspection, Starlight pulled the crumpled map from his pocket.
Since the incident occurred in the northwest of the Violet City-State, which was the opposite direction from which he had arrived, his journey out of the city required passing through other townships.
“From the look of it, cutting through the middle of Township 9 and Township 10 should be the fastest... It’s already been four hours since the caravan was attacked. I wonder how Uncle Tara and the others are doing. Can I even catch up?”
Just as Starlight was agonizing over the route and calculating the distance, the crisp sound of horse hooves came from behind.
Immediately after, a massive shadow blocked the sunlight over his head.
He instinctively looked up and saw a grey steed, over three meters tall, looking down at him.
Aside from its massive size, unlike ordinary horses, it had a pair of curved, pointed horns on its head.
This reminded Starlight of descriptions he had seen in books.
“Bicorns, a horse-like monstrous beast with a trace of dragon blood. They are incredibly robust, possessing extreme speed and endurance. They are also one of the few monstrous beasts that can be tamed, usually used as mounts by the upper class.”
“I finally caught up to you before you entered the outer city. Your speed is really no joke.”
While Starlight was still carefully observing the sudden appearance of the Bicorn, a hearty voice came from its back.
“Eh? Why does that voice sound familiar? You!?” Starlight froze in place after seeing the person on the horse clearly.
Isn't this the big guy who helped out last night? How did he know I was here?
The blond youth leaped gracefully from the horse's back. After landing steadily, he smiled at Starlight.
“At least you have a bit of a conscience and remember me. I came to bring you back. Your actions aren't quite in line with the Adventurers Guild's regulations. Besides, you aren't really planning to run into a bandit's nest alone, are you? I see you don't even have an adventurer rank yet. It’s better to let professionals handle this kind of thing!”
Hearing that the other party wanted to take him back, Starlight immediately took a few steps back and said warily, “No, there are people I know in that caravan, so I must go! Can you just pretend you didn't run into me? I don't have time to get tangled up with you here.”
“Oh? So, you think you can best me in a fight?”
A sharp glint flashed in the blond youth's eyes, and the smile on his face suddenly vanished. Following that, an aura like a surging tidal wave erupted from his body. Even the glass of the surrounding houses began to vibrate slightly, as if he intended to crush Starlight right then and there.
However, Starlight remained completely unmoved. Under the impact of this aura, he merely frowned. This couldn't help but surprise the youth.
“...Is he looking for a fight? This might be tricky,” Starlight thought as he quickly took a defensive stance and began to secretly gather his mana.
But in the next moment, the aura released by the blond youth receded like a tide, and the tense atmosphere permeating the air instantly vanished.
He stepped forward, slapped Starlight heavily on the shoulder, and laughed. “As I thought, you were hiding your strength yesterday too. You're a good one; I like you!”
Seeing him change his expression faster than flipping a page in a book, Starlight was at a loss for words.
While he was hesitating, the blond youth had already leaped back onto the Bicorn and shouted at him while patting the space behind him.
“Get on! Although I really want to test our skills against each other, you need to save someone and I’ve already followed you, so we might as well go together! Using this will save a lot of time!”
“Eh?... What?!... Okay!” Starlight reacted quickly, mimicking the blond youth's movements. He leaped onto the Bicorn's back and sat steadily behind him.
The Bicorn's back was exceptionally wide, not feeling crowded even with two adult men sitting on it.
However, before Starlight could fully feel the warmth and vitality of the monstrous beast beneath him, he saw the blond youth in front of him tighten the reins.
“By the way, do you know how to ride? If not, remember to hold on tight! Hmm... the northwest would be this way! Yah!”
Before Starlight could settle in, the blond youth gave a shout, and the Bicorn shot out like a cannonball.
It was completely different from the steady carriage ride with the caravan. This was the first time Starlight had ridden such a tall horse. The violent jolting and the immense wind pressure hitting him head-on made him feel a bit nervous.
Watching the scenery recede at high speed, Starlight gripped the youth's shoulders tightly and pressed his legs against the horse's flanks to maintain his balance, fearing he might be thrown off if he wasn't careful.
It had to be said that the blond youth's riding skills were indeed superb. He guided the steed through the main road, skillfully avoiding all obstacles.
Under his masterful control, the Bicorn barely slowed down, maintaining an extremely fast pace.
Perhaps sensing Starlight's tension, the blond youth turned back with a smile.
“Relax a little. With my skills, I won't let you fall. Remember to observe the horse's movements and adjust your center of gravity. If you stay in sync with its rhythm, it won't be so uncomfortable.”
Under his guidance, Starlight finally got the hang of it after a few attempts. Although he wasn't proficient yet, it was much better than at the start.
Seeing him adjust so quickly, a look of approval appeared on the blond youth's face, and he said lightly, “Not bad, you learn fast. Next, we’re going to speed up. We have to get there as soon as possible!”
“Also, though it might be a bit late to ask, we should probably introduce ourselves to be fully prepared for any upcoming battles, don't you think?”
“My name is Po Kong. I'm a Swordsman with an earth element affinity, specializing in defense and breakthroughs. What about you?”
Rate on N.U.
