From Blade To Spell

He opened the map again. The shore was lined with coconut trees, bushes, and banana trees. Further inland, just 200 meters away, was a small waterfall.

Zooming in, he saw the area was infested with Coconut Crabs and Iguanas. Beyond that, at a distance of over 3,000 meters, there were wild boars and wild goats, far enough not to pose an immediate threat.

Captain Monga wore a worried expression. Seeing Lord Aaron approach, he hesitated before speaking, "Lord Aaron, we might need to stop for a day. We can't leave until our clothes are dry, otherwise, many sailors could fall ill."

Aaron nodded calmly. "Alright. First, set up camp and wait for the rain to stop. Then have the sailors start a fire. I'll head out and see if I can find something useful."

With his bow and quiver slung over his back, Aaron left the camp. Though the dry outfit he had changed into was already getting soaked again, he had no choice but to endure it.

He checked the map and cleared out a group of poisonous snakes, ten in total, earning him 100 experience points. The Death Fish he had hunted earlier had also rewarded him with 1,500 experience points.

His total now stood at 49,600 experience points, just shy of the 50,000.

His next target was wild goats. During their journey, the crew had mostly eaten fish at night and fruits during the day. It was time to change the taste.

2,000 meters from the wild goat location, Aaron suddenly stopped. A surge of information flooded his mind:

"UPGRADE STONES HAVE BEEN FOUND."

"THE LOCATION HAS BEEN MARKED ON THE MAP."

He quickly opened the map and was stunned.

Just 5,000 meters away, a cluster of 70 red dots appeared, each one Level 8 or higher.

One dot was marked with question marks, a sign of unknown and potentially dangerous power.

Aaron zoomed in on the location. It appeared to be the entrance of a cave.

He paused, thinking carefully. Attacking now, in the rain, would be reckless. The enemies were likely huddled together. But at night, they might spread out, making it easier to take them down.

For now, he set his sights back on the wild goats.

He would hunt them first, feed his people, and prepare for what lay ahead.

Deep inside the cave.

A man clad in dark armor sat silently, his thoughts circling around the orders he had received from Viscount Rudolf:

"Fodo, take the Black Armor Guards and eliminate the newly appointed Baron of Green Fort. Disguise yourselves as bandits, no one must suspect a thing."

Though Fodo was puzzled by the command, he didn't question it. He had asked about the target's strength, and Rudolf had told him: A young knight. A genius. Possibly a master archer.

But Fodo didn't dwell on it. His task was simple, kill the enemy. That was all that mattered.

It had been three days since they left their territory. Their plan was to reach Green Fort before the Baron arrived. Fodo intended to capture the fort, eliminate the Baron, and return to Cotton Town victorious.

Viscount Rudolf had promised him a Great Knight potion as a reward, one that could help him break through to the next realm. The thought ignited a fiery gleam in Fodo's eyes. He was certain he could complete the mission.

He had brought his full force, knowing that monsters had been sighted near Green Fort. If needed, his troops could fight them off.

To Fodo, the plan was foolproof.

But now, the rain troubled him. Traveling in such weather was risky. It seemed they would have to wait.

Without hesitation, he gave the order, "Prepare the camp. We'll stay here tonight. Once the rain stops, send out hunting teams to gather food."

Aaron returned to camp, dragging two wild goats behind him. It had been no easy task.

The sailors had already set up tents and cleared space beneath the trees. When they saw Lord Aaron, they paused, eyes lighting up at the sight of fresh meat. They were eager for a change from fish and fruit.

Aaron handed the goats over and said, "Captain Monga, I'll leave the handling to you.

We'll stay here tonight and depart tomorrow."

Captain Monga bowed slightly, grateful, "Don't worry, Lord Aaron. I'll prepare a sumptuous meal for everyone."

Aaron nodded, then added, "I may head out again and return by evening. I've checked the surroundings, there's no immediate danger. But still, be cautious of bugs and poisonous insects."

Captain Monga reassured him, "Understood, Lord Aaron. We'll be careful."

Aaron once again ventured into the forest. This time, he carried three coconuts with him. There was still daylight left, and he intended to find a vantage point near the cluster of red dots.

Aaron found a tree with thick leaves and climbed onto one of its sturdy branches. He settled in and began to wait.

Half an hour later, the rain stopped. The sky cleared, and cold winds began to blow, making Aaron feel a slight chill.

Ten minutes passed. Fifteen soldiers emerged from the cave, split into three teams of five.

Aaron hesitated. He could easily eliminate them, they were all below Level 10. But doing so might alert the rest of the group, putting them on guard.

He weighed his options. At night, the risk of being discovered would be lower. He could snipe them from a distance, if they stood in the open. But these were trained soldiers. They wouldn't expose themselves so easily. They'd likely retreat into the cave and wait for morning.

Aaron made his decision. He would strike now.

He drank coconut water, then silently pursued one of the teams. When they were 1,000 meters from the camp, Aaron, perched atop another tree, acted.

He loosed five arrows in rapid succession.

Each arrow struck true, head and neck shots. The soldiers died instantly, never knowing what hit them.

Aaron was about to leave but paused. As a Baron, he couldn't afford to waste their armor. He took out his bone knife and quickly chopped down a few trees, marking the location for later retrieval via the map.