The canopy of the forest gradually receded, replaced by a sprawling vista of clear blue sky as Asher and his group, along with Zizola, and her band of loyal followers, emerged from the woodland shadows.
Before them stretched a colossal bridge, a marvel of seemingly ancient engineering that loomed over the expansive river below. Its stone arches and buttresses were adorned with intricate carvings and glyphs that seemed to pulse with an arcane rhythm beneath the glow of the afternoon sun.
Flanking the entrance were two guards, humanoid but colossal in stature, about 8 feet tall. Their armor gleamed menacingly under the dwindling sunlight, a mesmerizing fusion of onyx and silver. Their faces were hidden beneath visored helms, and the gargantuan swords they held stood erect by their sides, unyielding and imposing.
Despite the disturbance near them, they were unmoving like statues, holding on to the hilt of their swords while dozens of demons warily walked past them and onto the bridge.
Observing the scene, Asher wondered if these two guards were guarding the Safe Zone.
He also noted the absence of Hunters and how the demons walking on the bridge seemed to exhale in relief.
He turned to his group, a quizzical expression playing on his features, "Notice anything unusual?" he asked, his yellow eyes narrowing.
Merina, was the first to answer, her gaze meeting Asher's, "It seems as if we demons have our own Safe Zones. Otherwise, at least one of those Hunter groups should have come running here," she observed, her voice barely more than a whisper.
"That explains something," Ceti murmured, her dark blue eyes flashing with curiosity.
"Let's check it out since we came this far, and I feel as if the real Safe Zone is behind that barrier," Isola said with a focused gaze as she looked at the other side of the bridge where there was a nebulous haze, veiled in a soft golden light.
Everyone could see a shimmering, translucent barrier that spanned along a few dozen meters.
As they walked forward, the presence of the royal consort of the Bloodburn Kingdom, his entourage, and the legendary Kraken did not go unnoticed.
A ripple of fear and awe spread among the demons on the bridge, while some of them didn't seem to recognize him. Still, seeing the others and the huge creature, hastily, they parted, making way for the formidable group.
Most of the men among the demons were sighing in envy and jealousy upon seeing the royal consort having such stunning and elegant beauties in his group.
The Bloodburn Queen must be spoiling him too much.
Even with Callisa entering the bridge, there was still space for people to walk by her side, making Asher and the others marvel at the sheer size of it.
And the moment Asher stepped onto the bridge, he got a bunch of messages pop-up,
[ You have discovered Safe Zone #2 ]
[ 10 Deviar Shards consumed ]
[ Every hour in the Safe Zone will cost you 10 Deviar Shards ]
'Nice, taking my shards and then telling me about it. Typical Devils…'
Asher shook his head inwardly, though he wasn't worried since, on his way here, he again came upon another Hunter group and easily earned another 100 Deviar Shards, leaving him with 190 Deviar Shards now.
[ Any form of violence or combat within the safe zone is strictly prohibited. Any demon that violates this rule will be immediately expelled from the safe zone, and cannot reenter any Safe Zone for a certain time or will be permanently banned from entering one ]
[ You cannot stay in a Safe Zone for more than 24 hours. Once you leave, you can only re-enter a Safe Zone after another 24 hours ]
[ The Zone Master has the authority to have the final decision on any matter or pass judgment ]
[ Hunters are not allowed inside ]
[ It is forbidden to break the rules of the Safe Zone. You may be killed without any mercy depending on the severity of your actions ]
"This is really a safe zone. Thank the Devils. We now at least know places like this exist where we can rest or stay in case of an emergency," Isola said with a relieved look while Merina nodded in agreement.
"Yes, but remember, we are not here to get comfortable, nor can we even if we want to. We are just going to find the answers we want and then leave," Asher said and turned his neck around upon hearing some commotion.
He raised his brows when he saw a bunch of disappointed demons being blocked by those two armored guards, preventing them from entering.
Did this mean that there was a limited entry to every Safe Zone?
Just as they reached the other side of the bridge, the shimmering barrier that separated the world outside from the tranquility of the safe zone parted, swallowing Asher and his group within its protective grasp.
As they stepped onto the other side, the sounds of their own breathing became more pronounced, the peace within the barrier contrasting starkly with the chaos outside.
Before them stretched a wide, cobbled street, gleaming under the ambient luminescence of numerous glowing crystals suspended in mid-air, casting a comforting, warm light across the expanse.
The street bustled with demons of all shapes and sizes going about their business with an air of relaxed tranquility and curious fascination that was startling to see in the midst of such a deadly quest.
Their eyes swept across an array of quaint buildings lining the sides of the street, each built in a unique architectural style.
Shop signs hung from intricately wrought iron brackets, showcasing a diverse range of goods and services.
There were potion shops with rows of coloured flasks displayed behind clear glass windows, weapon and armor shops with gleaming blades, and intricate armors displayed proudly, and other shops bustling with eager demons looking to procure some of the necessities.
In the midst of this, a restaurant stood out, its pleasant aroma wafting out into the street and enticing the hungry demons who passed by. The smell of sizzling meats and exotic spices made their stomachs growl in anticipation, reminding them of the long journey they had endured.
"Well, this is unexpected," Ceti remarked, a note of awe underlying her usually stern voice as she glanced around, her dark blue eyes reflecting the warm lights of the crystals.
Merina's with curiosity, "It's like a small town. Master, we can now get all the necessary goods we need."
Isola, nodded in agreement, "Our priority is to equip ourselves with weapons, armor, and potions," Isola didn't mention food since Merina learned the Culinary Arts Skill, they were able to eat some fruits which Merina recognized were safe to eat, though most of the plants and fruits they came upon in the wild was unrecognizable to her.
Asher's gaze flickered over the bustling street, the various shops, and the demons who walked past in awe and fear.
"Alright then," Asher said, taking a deep breath, "Let's make the most of this. Zizola and your people can check out the restaurant. Isola and I will go to the potion shop. Merina, you can go with Ceti and see if you can get some weapons and armor," Merina and Ceti nodded as Asher turned to Callisa ,"And Callisa…" Asher sighed and said, "Stay here. We will be back soon."
"Koo…" Callisa let out a short, soft mewl as she leaned her colossal back against the wall on the side.
Isola felt bad and looked at Asher, "I will stay here with Callisa. We will wait for you all here."
Asher nodded as they split up and walked in different directions.
As Asher neared the entrance of the potion shop, a wave of disgruntled demons exited. Some of them were muttering under their breath, brows knitted in dissatisfaction. Seeing Asher and his approaching, a few demons paused, bowing deeply.
"I'd rethink entering any shop here, Your Highness," one burly demon with obsidian-black scales advised, his deep voice resonating with sincerity, "They're practically committing day-light robbery in these shops."
Asher acknowledged his advice with a hum, furrowing his brows, but still decided to take a look. He pushed open the door, stepping into a cool, dimly-lit interior that smelled strongly of herbs and potent magical reagents.
Inside, there was a scant scattering of demons standing around and looking at a scene unfolding before them which was nothing but the raucous argument at the counter that stole Asher's attention as well.
The leader of a group of lizardfolks from a tribe that was not definitely from his kingdom. Among them, their leader, a skinny man with a long, bifurcated tongue and gleaming scales, was furiously arguing with the shopkeeper.
"We could get some of these for just a single life crystal back home," he hissed, slamming a fist on the counter, "This is preposterous!"
However, his rage was quickly overpowered by a squeaky, annoyed voice that echoed throughout the shop, causing the demons standing around still to blink in disbelief and surprise.
"Hmph, stop wasting my time and get out if you are going to keep crying about how miserably poor and weak you are, you cheapskate!" The squeaky voice cut through the air with bitter mockery being thrown at the man.
Asher stepped forward to see what kind of demon it was to have such a squeaky voice.
His brows raised when he found a small figure standing atop a wooden table behind the counter.
A little girl, no more than five years old with an appearance resembling a human, dressed in a simple white frock, stood her ground.
She had chestnut hair that fell in soft waves around her shoulders, and her silver eyes gleamed with a mixture of innocence and mischief.
The sight of her, a human child among demons, was so out of place that it was almost surreal. Even in the midst of a heated argument, she maintained a confident demeanor, an air of authority about her that belied her young age.
But seeing the words 'Zone Master' floating above her head, Asher was even more baffled.
He was expecting someone intimidating and powerful but a little human girl? And standing at the counter? Was this a joke?
Asher could hardly believe his eyes as the lizardman, enraged beyond reasoning, made a move to grab the little girl, "Enough of this!" the man snarled, "I don't have to be lectured by a human pipsqueak like you!"
The little girl gave a squeak, and as if on instinct, she stepped back, throwing her hands in the air, her silver eyes wide with alarm, "Help! Help! This smelly fellow is trying to grab me!" she cried, pointing at the man with an accusing finger.
What happened next left Asher and his group frozen in astonishment. A tall, armored guard appeared out of thin air inside the shop.
The air in the room turned heavy, a sudden wave of killing intent blanketed the room, oppressive and stifling.
Asher could feel his chest tighten, his hand automatically reached for a chair to steady himself. The rest of the demons were not faring any better; many had dropped to their knees, gasping for breath, their faces drained of color.
The lizardman, his scaly face pale as death, stood rooted to the spot. He could only stare in growing terror at the imposing figure before him.
It all happened in a blink of an eye. The guard reached forward, his gloved hand engulfing the man's head. There was a sickening crunch, and like a watermelon being squashed, the lizardman's head exploded, sending a shower of blood and gore in all directions.
The room was plunged into stunned silence. The guard stood tall, his face impassive behind the helmet.
He bowed his head slightly in the direction of the little girl, who was back to her usual cheerful self, as if the brutal execution she had just witnessed was nothing out of the ordinary.
And then, as if by magic, the guard's figure began to fade until it disappeared entirely. The man's corpse, too, vanished without a trace, along with the gruesome remnants of his demise.
The room felt cleaner, lighter, but the echo of that terrifying power lingered, a stark reminder of the consequences of disrupting the peace of the safe zone.
The Zone Master puffed up her chest, let out a triumphant harrumph, and straightened her frock as if nothing had happened.
She directed a derisive gaze at the spot where the man had met his brutal end, shaking her head with an air of condescension, "Fools always have to learn things the hard way," she declared, her voice carrying a note of smug satisfaction.
The rest of the demons, having regained a semblance of their composure, wasted no time in beating a hasty retreat.
They shot wary glances at the spot, then at the girl, and then scurried out of the shop. Soon, only Asher remained, his presence contrasting sharply with the empty space around them.
The Zone Master crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head back to look up at him, her silver eyes glinting with a challenging spark, "So," she began, her tone brimming with confidence, "Are you here to haggle with me and cause trouble, too?"
