Severe Goblin Dependency

Chapter 78: Pink Light

"Rustle rustle!"

Footsteps like rain, dense branches and leaves slapping against me as I moved at high speed, a slight stinging pain transmitting across my skin's surface.

I rapidly traversed through the underbrush, the halfling falling slightly behind by one body length, trailing behind me.

Ahead, Tim, who'd been completely transformed into undead, moved stiffly while advancing, like a marionette, far from the smooth movements of normal human activity.

Simply relying on pure bodily strength to propel his body, each step left deep footprints on the soft ground.

Plus the scorching bright sunlight overhead made him, compared to that night, seem as if his legs were submerged in water—his overall speed slowed by more than half a beat.

In my line of sight, the distance between him and me was closing at a speed visible to the naked eye.

In the corner of my eye, a flash of silver-white brilliance suddenly passed.

"That robin again?"

The thought flashed through my mind.

"How many times is this now?"

Since I'd come to Karanfor, this robin with peculiar silver feathers had been noticed by me no fewer than three times.

As if something on my body that I didn't know about was invisibly attracting this strangely behaving bird.

Flutter—

The sound of wing-flapping suddenly rang out in the air.

The robin's wings beat to slow down, two small claws landing on a nearby treetop.

At the same time, not far ahead, Tim, who was about to be caught up to by us, also stopped in his tracks.

Instantly restraining my focus.

Slowing my pace, maintaining a certain distance from the enemy.

I tightly gripped the scorching hot sword hilt, my eyes closely watching him.

Suddenly as if seeing something, my pupils contracted slightly.

The environment where we were currently located was a quiet grove in Karanfor's outskirts.

Although not as dense as Mist Forest where it was difficult to distinguish directions, it was still filled with numerous shrubs and undergrowth.

This meant people walking in the woods needed to get very close to barely see clearly the objects hidden by vegetation ahead.

And with Tim stopping, turning around, the pale white bones on the ground before him were also nakedly revealed before us both.

Left arm, right leg, right hand, left foot.

Like some sinister, cruel ritual.

Bones from different bodies, of different thicknesses, were neatly arranged on the ground in standard human body structure.

To complete a human form, only the most critical skull and spine were missing.

I looked at the ground beneath the bones, at the soil vaguely etched with some obscure patterns.

I couldn't help recalling these past few days' encounters:

The disappearance of victims' limb bones, the dead pickpocket, Jeff's severed left leg, the short poem in the leather book...

All the details and clues were connected at this moment.

Steam rose from the wooden sword's surface, water droplets condensed from the temperature difference making even the surrounding air vaguely blur and distort.

Suddenly raising my head, my eyes gazing at the undead ahead.

Battle intent surged.

Already prepared for combat.

Only,

One second, two seconds...

In my line of sight, Tim, since stopping just now.

Had remained standing in place, motionless.

The rusted blade's tip in his hand pointed at the ground, head lowered.

Those eyes that had originally retained a trace of spirit were now completely occupied by pale death gray.

"What's going on?"

I wondered inwardly but didn't dare rashly advance forward, afraid of some ambush.

For a time, the scene actually fell into some kind of silent, rigid state.

Only the robin perched on the treetop to the side had the leisure to groom its feathers.

"Snap."

The light sound of a branch breaking and unhidden footsteps came from the underbrush.

Smooth golden half-long hair scattered dazzling luster under the sunlight's reflection, forest branches and leaves "rustling" across the metal plate armor's surface.

Seemingly carrying something in his hand, Ingram's burly, robust figure gradually revealed itself in the mottled forest shade.

"Watch out!"

Behind me, the halfling tightly hugged his lute, his palms slightly pale from excessive force.

His light brown eyes were full of vigilance as he lowered his voice to warn.

Actually, he didn't need to say much.

The instant I'd discovered the sheriff, I'd already secretly prepared defenses.

After all, the timing and location of his appearance were far too coincidental.

Never mind that the guards we'd brought had already died at Tim's hands—there was fundamentally no one who could report to him the direction of our pursuit and escape.

Even if Ingram was lucky enough to find the right road and rush directly over, his speed absolutely couldn't be this fast.

Unless...

"Drip."

A rich bloody smell suddenly surged into my nostrils with my breath.

My brow furrowed tightly.

In my line of sight, as Ingram slowly walked out of the woods, the blood stains on his sheriff's uniform that hadn't yet dried were also exposed before us both.

Withered white hair wound around his fingertips, crimson blood water swayed and dripped to the ground.

On the aged, gaunt face still remained fear and panic.

Eyes without light.

The gravedigger's head was held by Ingram, gripped by the hair in his hand.

At this moment, the sheriff's face no longer had its former friendly kindness.

But it wasn't particularly pathological or crazed either.

Just calmly looking at us both.

Without any ripples.

He didn't actively explain his purpose, nor did he indulge and vent his emotions due to the plan's imminent success.

He didn't say a single word.

His deep blue eyes swept across everyone on the scene.

Under mine and Alton's gaze, he raised his hand, just like normally adjusting his attire, reaching toward his sleeve.

His fingertips pressed on the golden sun pattern on the inside of his sleeve.

Lightly pinching.

Whooom—

The blood-stained sleeve tore into scattered cloth fragments and flew away.

Using the sun god "Amaunator's" divine holy light as a container, the one-time spell stored within burst forth.

Free magic particles, under the effect of invisible attraction in the air, arranged and combined in a specific and regular manner, gathering in an instant like fireflies.

Light pink magical radiance flickered, as if possessing some spirituality, following the user's will, locking onto targets.

Then trailing long flame tails, they transformed into two miniature meteor-like orbs of light, swaying and oscillating.

Falling amid the shrill whistling of magic power.

No time to react at all!

Even though I'd prepared defenses the first moment I discovered Ingram.

Tense muscles and ambiguous posture allowed me, whether advancing to attack or temporarily retreating, to instantly complete responses according to changes in the situation.

But when that flickering pink radiant uncertain thing reflected in my pupils.

There was no longer any chance of escape.

"Whooom!"

The orb of light constructed from magic particles swept across the air, lightly falling into my body.

As if sinking into a quagmire, the pink radiance rapidly spread, wrapping and covering.

My heart still beat, breathing remained stable.

But my body, as if time had stopped, was controlled in place.

Second circle,

Enchantment,

—【Hold Person】