I Became the Dark Knight in the Game

Chapter 31: The Chase (1)

Murder-for-hire or kidnapping requests.

These were surprisingly common tasks for mercenaries. The targets of these requests varied widely, ranging from debtors who had run off with money to adulterous couples who had eloped for love.

Of course, the mercenary guild did not permit murder-for-hire requests without criteria.

They only allowed assassinations in cases of notorious criminals with substantial bounties on their heads, or as in the current situation, individuals who would pose a danger if left unchecked.

Kadal frowned deeply.

That cu*t is extremely dangerous. She uses peculiar spells to control animals. In an attempt to capture that cu*t, three guards were killed and five injured. And she still managed to escape the city.

Kadal gritted his teeth in anger as he recalled the incident. His hands itched to swing his axe as if he wanted to act immediately.

She will definitely return; I saw it in her expression. And when she does, shell commit atrocities worse than releasing crocodiles into the sewers. Thats why we must capture her this time.

Dale nodded his head.

From what he had heard, it seemed like she was one of those individuals recently intent on wreaking havoc in the city.

But there was a problem.

Im not an expert in this area.

He had no issue with fighting itself.

However, tracking and pursuing a fleeing target was not his forte.

Kadal waved his hand dismissively.

Dont worry. Ive already asked an expert. If he gives chase, all Sir Dale has to do is fight.

If thats the case, alright.

It would be better if we could capture her, but it would be too shameless to hope for that much. Please avenge my fallen men so they may rest in peace.

Having finished his words, Kadal gestured for him to go quickly.

This was because with such a mission, the longer the delay, the lower the chances of success.

Dale took long strides toward the mercenary guild. Balton who was walking next to him spoke up.

I came to repay a favor, and Im sorry to ask another favor of you.

No, Im actually grateful.

Kadal had already arranged for an expert. Nevertheless, he purposefully included Dale in this request.

This will add to my achievements, having completed a nominated request by the captain of the guards.

This was effectively a public affirmation of Dale by the captain of the guards.

While it might be hard to trust a dark knight, the judgment of the influential city guard captain should be credible.

If this mission was successful, Dale stood to gain considerably.

He says he would forget about the debt of me saving his nephew, but hes not being honest.

After parting ways with Balton, Dale headed to the mercenary guild office.

When he entered the place he found Garland already waiting for him.

Youve arrived, Sir Dale. Youve been to see Mr. Kadal, I presume?

Yes, thats right.

This is a great opportunity! Establishing a proper relationship with the city guards can be very beneficial for you.

Garland seemed almost as pleased as if it were his own matter. Dale watched him with a strange look.

The Garland he knew from the game was not such a selfless character.

Instead, he was more like other mercenaries, firmly pursuing his own interests. Not that it was a bad thing.

It was just that there was a discrepancy between his current behavior and his past.

Had time changed Garland? Or did Garland have some expectations from Dale?

This isnt the time to worry about that.

Garland moved quickly while leading Dale.

His pace was urgent.

This is a matter of utmost urgency. I have already prepared everything needed.

Two men were standing where Garland stopped.

One of them was a familiar face.

Harkin stood there, looking clueless and bewildered. And upon seeing Dale he broke into a broad grin.

Oh, Sir Dale is with us too? This mission will be a piece of ca I mean, we can do it safely!

Harkins joining was not a surprise for Dale. A useful shieldman always plays their role well in any group.

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What caught his eye was the tall man standing beside Harkin.

Garland introduced him.

This is Mazel, a bounty hunter and a bronze plaque mercenary. Hes a master of tracking.

Dale and Mazel exchanged handshakes.

Im Dale.

..

Mazel merely nodded his head without saying a word.

His eyes were as cold as ice, and a large scar crossed half of his face.

Such appearance combined with his unique reticence gave him a sharp aura.

His expression too was unreadable, making it impossible to tell if he was welcoming or wary of Dale.

But the same was true for Dale.

After the greetings, Garland urged the group.

Lets go. We have no time. You must move quickly before the target gets further away.

Mazel nodded his head and strode away without saying a word.

Harkin and Dale, who had been standing dazed, hurriedly followed behind him.

Seemingly still half asleep, Harkin yawned lazily and then mumbled,

Its been a while since we had such a mission. But with Sir Dale and that Mazel fellow, I guess there wont be any problems.

Dale asked,

Do you know him?

Mazel? Hes well-known in our line of work. Tracker Mazel. A grade four hunter, a bronze plaque mercenary, and a seasoned bounty hunter who has apprehended numerous wanted criminals. Only one person has ever escaped his pursuit unscathed.

And whos that?

The one who gave him that large scar on his face.

So, who is it?

I dont really know Just picked it up from the chatter among fellow mercenaries.

It wasnt the most reliable information, but it was clear that Mazel was skilled.

A grade four hunter.

Though hunters specialize more in tracking, reconnaissance, and scouting than in combat, the grade four was not a level to be underestimated.

It was evidence of considerable experience and effort.

He must be quite skilled.

Mazel who was leading the way suddenly turned back to look at them.

His somber eyes flicked between Harkin and Dale, and then he spoke curtly,

If theres anything you need to prepare, do it now.

Harkin shrugged his shoulders. His preparations had already been completed while he was waiting for Dale.

Dale briefly contemplated visiting the temple. He hadnt been there since his fight with the warlock.

After giving it some thought, Dale shook his head.

Theres no time to spare for that now.

Once the two of them indicated they were ready, Mazel who was still expressionless, turned away and pulled something from his pocket.

It was a small piece of cloth stained with blood.

He brought the cloth to his nose, sniffed it a couple of times, then continued walking without a word.

Harkin remarked in amazement,

Thats it, right? The cloth from the guy were chasing? Cant believe hes actually tracking by scent. Hes not a dog

Its not as simple as that.

This was a skill hunters could learn, called Mark Prey.

It not only allowed them to sense traces of a designated target but also enhanced their combat abilities when hunting that prey.

The downside was that it could only be applied to one target at a time, but for now, that was sufficient.

Mazel moved without hesitation. He left the city through the southern gate and swiftly passed through the slums.

The rain was pouring down so heavily that the slums were as quiet as a tomb.

Unable to bear the silence, Harkin deliberately started a conversation with Mazel.

Hey friend. That guy no, was it a woman? Anyway, how far are we from them now?

The taciturn Mazel answered briefly.

A day and a half.

Thats a relief. I heard that the guards inflicted serious injuries on her, so well catch up soon, right?

Mazel shook his head.

Harkin waited for further explanation, but Mazel focused silently on tracking.

Feeling awkward, Harkin scratched his head and said,

Youre such a quiet fellow. People need to know how to have a conversation. Isnt that right, Sir Dale?

You should learn to be a bit more quiet yourself.

Ehh. Even back in my village, I was known as the Tight-lipped Harkin. Oh, have I ever told you about my village? Its near the swamps in the south

Ignoring Harkins pointless chatter, Dale followed Mazel.

Mazel continued walking along the path, but at some point he veered off the road and entered the forest.

The one were following must have deliberately entered the forest.

It seemed that the prey they were currently pursuing was aware of the approaching pursuers on horseback.

Shes a smart one

This was not good news.

The smarter the prey, the more challenging the chase.

Besides, she also possesses remarkable abilities.

Controlling animals and having the skill to escape the city guards and flee outside the city.

The former was somewhat expected, but the latter was no easy feat.

If it were a mediocre mage, she would have been cut in half at the waist by Kadals axe by now.

Maybe shes on a similar or even higher level than the necromancer I faced before.

That explained why Kadal was so wary. Such intelligent fellows usually learn from their failures.

They dont repeat the same mistakes and tend to plan their actions more covertly and cunningly.

Its essential to kill it now when the opportunity arises to avoid future complications.

The group followed the trail through the rain-soaked forest path. After a while, Mazel suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Harkin, who was following at the back, asked him.

Whats the matter? Why did you stop so abruptly? Haha, did a bear appear or something?

Mazel nodded his head and pointed ahead.

Through the trees, a large black bear was drooling profusely.

Harkin was taken aback and he said hesitantly,

I was just saying.

Dale scolded him.

If you want to live long, watch your mouth.

On the other hand. Mazel quietly and quickly retreated to the rear.

Before long, the bow he had been carrying on his back was in his hand, and two arrows were fitted between his left fingers.

Mazel spoke,

This bear. Its been waiting here all this time without leaving any tracks.

So its not an ordinary bear.

It seems to be controlled by a mage.

Preparing a wild beast on the escape route to deal with pursuers.

They were facing an annoying enemy.

Mazel spoke while stringing an arrow to his bow.

It might not just be an ordinary bear. The two of you handle it from the front. Ill provide support fire.

Theres no need for that. Were short on time, so lets finish this quickly.

?!

Sir Dale?

Dale strode forward confidently. Harkin and Mazel watched him blankly.

The black bear growled lowly at Dale.

It was unclear what spell had been cast on it, but it was visibly enraged.

Suddenly, the bear charged at Dale. It was a surprisingly fast dash for its hefty size.

Dale did not draw his sword.

He simply watched the rapidly approaching bear and then leaped up with great force.

He intertwined his fingers in mid-air.

Then he slammed his clasped fist down towards the bears head.

Crack!

With the sound of bones breaking, the black bear rolled to the side at the same speed it was running.

And it never rose again.

It was an instant death.

What, he killed a bear with a single blow?

..!

Mazels eyes widened in astonishment. Those who knew him well would have been amazed at his reaction.

Mazel was not one to be surprised easily, and even if he was, he seldom let it show in his face.

In contrast, Haken laughed heartily.

Haha. As expected of Sir Dale. To cleanly take down a bear like this. The hide would fetch a good price, wouldnt it?

We dont have time.

Well, thats true. Shall we get moving again?

Mazel who had been standing dazed suddenly snapped back to reality. He looked at Dale and then pointed to himself.

Mazel. The son of Paul, Mazel.

Didnt he already introduce himself?

Dale looked puzzled, but Mazel didnt wait for a reply and resumed the pursuit.

It seemed necessary to move quickly to track this cunning prey.

***

Huff. Huff, huff.

A woman cloaked in a grey mantle hurried along a forest path.

The sides of the white shirt she was wearing were already stained red with blood.

This was a wound inflicted by Kadal.

She needed urgent healing and also some rest.

Yet the woman instinctively felt it.

The pursuers are coming. I cant stop.

She needed to flee faster, even if just by a bit.

But perhaps it was the strong scent of blood that attracted attention? A growling sound emerged from the bushes.

As she turned her head, she saw a pack of large wolves, their eyes glowing as they focused on her.

Tch, dire wolves.

With a brief click of her tongue, she pulled out a staff strapped to her back. It was a staff that looked like it had been cut from an old tree.

The woman caressed the smooth body of the staff with her right hand.

Suddenly, her eyes flashed red. In response, the eyes of the wolf locking gazes with her also shimmered.

Grrrrrr

The wolf looked to be in agony as they rolled on the ground. Then, it sprang up abruptly.

With its jaws wide open, it lunged and bit the neck of its nearest pack mate.

The startled fellow wolf was caught unaware and collapsed to the ground, whimpering and struggling helplessly.

The other wolves in the pack rushed in to pull the attacker away. And the injured wolf with a wounded neck now, hastily retreated to a distance.

It was then.

The womans eyes started flashing repeatedly.

Each time her eyes flashed, more wolves began to turn on their pack mates and they attacked them viciously.

Eventually, except for one that barely managed to escape, the dozen or so wolves either perished or became her minions.

Having wielded the power of her staff, the woman exhaled deeply.

Phew.

It was a powerful ability that she used.

But such power was not without cost. She began to feel an intense hunger gnawing at her.

Im starving.

She needed to hunt, to find food to satiate her growing hunger.

She lifted her nose to the sky and sniffed the air. The woman then detected a savory scent from somewhere and immediately dashed towards its source.

Soon, she discovered the origin of the smell.

It was a small village.

The woman with the staff in her hand led her pack of wolves towards the village.