Chapter 15

It has been a month since the players appeared and now they slowly turned into particles of light as they were logged out.

[Beta Testing is Offline]

[Time Until Public Release: 2y 364d 23h]

Max watched them all disappear from the side. He had already concluded his business with the players as he bought the blueprints he wanted from the shop.

Caladbolg III and a few others which he thought would be of use later.

When Max finally bought Caladbolg III, he had mixed reactions. It was stored under the sword category but no matter how he looked at it, it wasn't a sword. The blade of the sword was twisted and was in a spiral shape. The first thing that came to his mind was a drill. But even still it was considered a sword. His Phantasm recorded the blade and all its history was seen through by Max.

It was not the original sword. It was not even the fake version of the sword. It was the fake version of the fake version of the original sword. But even still, the power of the sword was nothing to scoff at.

He didn't have enough mana to project it but he was close. 'Soon.' He thought.

Then turned around and walked towards Drunken Huntsman. He had something he wanted to do for a while but couldn't because of the appearance of the players and now that they were gone, it was time to put it in action.

He went into Drunken Huntsman and went straight to Leopold's office.

*knock *knock

"Come in." Leopold's voice reached his ears.

Max went inside and took a seat. He waited until Leopold was done with the paper works. "What do you need Max?"

"Captain… I-I wish to leave." Max said after ruminating over his words.

Leopold was silent for a moment. He knew that this moment was coming. "Why?" He knew that the kid before him always wanted to leave he always had a purpose for staying here but he didn't know why.

He didn't want to pry into his secrets but even knowing just a little would be enough.

"I-I want to find something. I want to find something that can bring me back home." He confessed.

"…I see. I hope you find what you are looking for." Leopold replied after a brief silence.

"Thank you." Max who got the permission to leave was both happy and sad. Happy because he could finally start looking for a way back, and sad because once he found a way back, he would probably never see Leopold and the other anymore.

"But, I have a request." Leopold said.

"Yes?"

"If, you can't find what you are looking for within five years, you have to return to Horizon."

"Why five years?" Max tilted his head.

"Something tells me that we will need all the help we can get in the following years but I'm not too sure when. It could be sooner than five years." Leopold replied.

'Yeah, it could be related to players.' Max thought and felt frightened of the instincts the man before him had.

"If I can't find it and If I am able to return, I will." Max promised.

"That's all I ask." Leopold nodded.

Max got up and took a few steps towards the door and stopped on purpose.

"Wait."

"Yes, captain?"

"Where will you go?"

"Hmm, I plan on traveling inland, to the heart of Cyrodiil Empire, The Imperial City. But of course I might take a few detours here and there. I want to see more of the land we live in."

"Got it." Leopold nodded once more.

Then, Max took a few more steps and stopped once again.

"Wait."

"Yes, captain?"

"Tell Orianna to come to my office."

"Got it."

Then, he opened the door and looked back at Leopold once again.

"Wait."

"Yes, captain?"

"If you ever go to the Academy of Raya Lucaria, never show your abilities except for basic Gradatiton Air to them."

"Got it, captain. Thanks for the warning. Anything else?"

"No."

Then he went out of the office and closed the door.

He was used to Leopold's behavior in the year he lived here so it no longer bothered him.

After telling Orianna to go to Leopold's office, he went upstairs to his room and gathered his belongings in a bag.

He didn't have much. A few pieces of clothing, a dagger, a simple bow and arrows.

He bought some supplies to eat on the way and bid farewell to the people he made acquaintances with and got on his horse.

He took a final look back at the place he spent a year in and left with mixed emotions.

——<>——

"Seriously, what is with my luck?!"

He yelled while blocking a wolf with Kanshou and striking another with Bakuya.

It hasn't been that long since he left Horizon, just five days. But he was already ambushed nearly seven times during this time.

"They told me these roads were safe damnit!" He yelled begrudgingly as he cut the head of the last wolf.

His eyes were bloodshot from a lack of sleeping. "Who knew that traveling in the woods would be so dangerous. I'm tired!" He yelled in indignation.

Then he packed his belongings as the blood would certainly attract more monsters here, and went on his way.

After three hours of walking, he finally saw a settlement with the first light of dawn. It was a small village that consisted of no more than fifty huts.

But that place was heaven for Max who couldn't get a good night's sleep for the past couple of days.

The village didn't even have any proper guards. 'How do they protect themselves?' Max thought and asked for directions to the inn.

Thankfully the guard didn't make much of a fuss about him being a stranger. He looked like a kid right now after all.

He found the place quickly, paid for a room and crashed on the bed.

A few hours later, he woke up refreshed.

"Sleep is truly the best gift given to mankind."

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