"Hello, young one." From the bright part of the forest, a single, muscular man stepped inside the black smoke. The more he walked, the farther the corruption retreated from him.
A large back hung over his broad shoulder, and his mouth was stretched into a grin.
"I-It's you!" Isaac exclaimed.
"We didn't introduce each other before…" The muscular man chuckled and scratched the back of his head, "My name is Spartacus, Mythical Figure, containing the Legacy of Gladiators."
Isaac's eyes shook.
A moment later, Spartacus took a strong grip on his sword and saw hundreds of shadowy figures appearing in his peripheral vision. With a long sigh, he stepped past Isaac and swung his sword.
A single sword strike sliced the black smoke in half, and silence was heard throughout the universe. There was no wind, no birds were chirping, and there was no noise at all.
As a result, gradually, the black smoke faded, and the corruption ceased to spread. The old trees finally began to show signs of life, and the withered flowers began to bloom again.
The cracked ground slowly began to heal itself, and the dark sky began to shine blue again.
"..." Spartacus sheathed his sword, his face still a blank, despite the fact that he had just pulled off something that could be considered impossible.
In Isaac's eyes, everything around him came to life as though it had been animated by magical energy.
"Here." Spartacus pulled out a small blade from his pocket and handed it over to Isaac.
"This is…?" When Isaac took it into his hands, the blade itself attached to the Mosin-Nagant Sniper Rifle. Instantly, the gun vibrated in pleasure.
"The blade I promised." Spartacus grinned, "And, it's not an ordinary blade. It's a blade made by Hephaestus, the greatest Blacksmith among Gods!"
"Why did you give me something this valuable?" Isaac asked with a frown. The gun in his arms felt much heavier. It was either the effect of the blade or the fact that he now understood how valuable the gun he carried was.
"You are a natural born leader, such as I." Spartacus explained and took a step deeper into the forest, "Follow me. I will help you find a path through this forest."
Isaac quickly followed after. There were still questions in his mind, but they could wait.
The following hour went as such. Whenever a new obstacle appeared, Spartacus unsheathed his sword and slashed through it with a brutal attack.
The obstacles that could kill Isaac from a single strike weren't anything in front of Spartacus. None could even last one strike against him.
Soon, they saw something in the distance. Behind the trees, they could see a shimmer of light. It was then that the smell of fresh sea salt greeted Isaac, followed by the sound of the waves.
"Water? No… Sea is close!" Isaac accelerated his pace and soon left the forest with a ray of sun shining upon him and a fresh scent entering his nostrils.
He closed his eyes and soon opened them again. A moment later, he saw an endless sea with no end in sight, and just a short distance away from him, there was a fishermen's village.
Isaac's eyes frowned, 'This is it? Another village? This cannot be!'
"This is where we say our goodbyes. Good luck, young one." Spartacus was about to start walking in another direction, away from the village.
But then, Isaac asked, "Where am I supposed to go? Here isn't exactly much to do."
"Rent a boat. You can afford it." Spartacus turned around and pointed toward the sea, "Keep going in that direction, and you will reach the City of Priesthood."
Isaac nodded and watched as Spartacus walked away with his ragged robes flapping behind him.
A huge sigh escaped Isaac's lips as he stepped down the small hill and soon arrived at the town. It was essentially a wooden town, with rocky streets and wooden buildings. There was the scent of bread and fish wafting through the air.
The village seemed relatively small, even smaller than Rainwell, but it was cozy and intimate.
There was laughter in the air, as well as discussions, and it was a very warm atmosphere. After Isaac's arrival in the streets, everything fell silent.
Isaac frowned and saw everyone staring at him with mouths agape.
"Hey, brat, did you just come from that forest?" A fisherman with a bulky body asked. He was seated around a small table with his group of friends, enjoying their food and drinks.
"Yes, I did," Isaac asked with a raised eyebrow. He didn't have any idea how shocking the news truly was.
The villagers looked shocked, and the fisherman's eyes shook.
The fisherman stood up in a hurry and asked, "Are there any villages or anything at all?"
"Yes, there is one," Isaac replied.
The villagers looked at each other, urgency visible in their eyes.
"Can you come with me?" The fisherman asked, "To visit the village chief."
"Oh." Isaac looked toward the harbor and the ships that were still docked. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded.
The fisherman sighed in relief and led the way. Following them, the villagers formed a line behind Isaac and followed him to the village chief's house.
Soon, they reached the largest building in the village. It was a two-floor building made of wood and stone. The roof was pointy, and a small chimney poked through.
The front door was pair of doors that could be pushed open. There were two Guards grabbing the hilt of their swords.
Then, they saw the villagers walking toward them. They didn't seem vigilant, instead talked with the fisherman like they were close buddies.
After the fisherman finished explaining their purpose of visit, the Guards nodded with serious looks and opened the doors.
The group entered the village chief's house and found themselves in an open hall with a large table in the middle and a chair at one end. This chair was covered in a hide of a bear.
The village chief was sitting on top of the chair. He was a muscular man with a sword scabbard hanging from his hip. Around the table were his family, a beautiful wife, five daughters, and two sons.
They were eating only a second ago but halted after the doors opened.
The fisherman went to the village chief, whispered something in his ear, and soon, Isaac saw everyone's faces changing.
The village chief looked shocked, and his wife seemed thrilled. Their children were surprised and shocked.
