Windswept Ruins

Following the successful acquisition of the core, Noah and the rest of the group made their way back to the Mercenaries headquarters. Thanks to his contributions, Noah received a monetary reward and officially became a part of the Mercenaries' ranks. Coupled with the proceeds from selling the cores he had collected, his funds now totaled 83 iron coins. Moreover, his newly obtained house was now his permanent residence.

Recognizing the imperative to bolster his strength, Noah realized that obtaining a beast-level core was the most effective path forward. Yet, he acknowledged the tremendous challenge it posed. The pavito's resilience underscored the difficulty of single-handedly taking down a creature of that magnitude, especially without the aid of a well-coordinated team. Considering the likelihood that a higher-tier beast would surpass the pavito's strength, Noah's immediate goal shifted to gathering cores of the same level. Suspecting himself to be a control type, his focus narrowed to hunting down a control type monster. While purchasing a core was an option, the cost proved prohibitive. The cores he had previously sold stemmed primarily from lightweight creatures, generally weaker than their counterparts. Even the most affordable control type cores commanded a hefty price—around three gold coins. Accumulating such funds would take approximately 20 days. With this in mind, Noah opted to take a more direct route: finding and slaying a control type creature.

Unfamiliar with the whereabouts of a control type creature, Noah turned to Will for insight. Regrettably, even Will was devoid of information on the subject. After contemplation, Noah arrived at a decision—he would journey to the windswept ruins. The ruins, once a bustling city, were reportedly decimated by a high-level anemoi. Though its treasures had long been looted, remnants of the city and its swift winds remained. Despite the slim chance of discovering anything of value, Noah's motivation stemmed from the potential presence of anemoi at the ruins—creatures of the control type. This possibility, coupled with his quest for strength, compelled him to explore the windswept ruins.

Armed with his belongings and resolve, Noah embarked on his journey toward the windswept ruins. The distance to his destination was considerable, spanning a day or two of travel, but he remained undeterred by the length of the expedition.

The passage to the ruins was marked by an uneventful journey. Upon his arrival, he was greeted by a sprawling panorama of devastation—a vast expanse dominated by a colossal, fragmented stone wall stretching into the distance. A breach in the wall caught Noah's attention, serving as his entry point into the desolate realm. Within the ruins, the remnants of stone buildings and structures lay in ruin, silent witnesses to the city's former grandeur. Amidst the wreckage, unidentifiable shattered statues shared space with a few recognizable figures—most prominently, statues depicting serpentine forms. These massive snake sculptures, mouths agape and eye sockets vacant, captured a sense of ancient mystique.

Yet, amidst the vast array of destruction, one element commanded attention—the towering edifice situated at the heart of the ruins. Its stature dwarfed the remnants surrounding it, a stark testament to its historical significance. The apex of the building bore a striking feature—an immense stone serpent coiled around it. This serpentine statue, reminiscent of the others albeit distinct in its design, featured eyes crafted from vibrant red gemstones that glistened with an otherworldly brilliance.

Venturing deeper into the ruins, Noah was met with a lifeless atmosphere. His anticipation of encountering an anemoi—an entity associated with wind—was met with a vague notion, for he lacked a concrete image of these creatures. Undeterred, he continued his exploration of the sprawling ruins, a vast expanse rife with the remnants of what was once a thriving city. Eager to uncover any hidden secrets, Noah decided to investigate the crumbling buildings, hoping that within their shattered interiors, he might stumble upon something of interest.

Amidst his search, a discovery awaited him, though not the one he had initially hoped for. Standing before him was a sizable, mantis-like creature—a cutting mantis. This creature's existence was known to him through Will, who had mentioned that a Mercenaries' squad leader had obtained a core from it. The cutting mantis belonged to the charger type, a relatively common monster classification. Yet, the creature itself was a rarity, distinguished by its ability to transform its entire body into a blade-like form, rendering it exceptionally lethal. Despite its mantis-like nature, its proportions surpassed those of an ordinary mantis, towering over Noah.

A prospect of financial gain spurred Noah to confront the creature head-on. As he closed the distance, he ensnared the mantis within his energy chain, initiating a freezing effect to impede its movements. His intention was to hinder the creature's agility, recognizing the dire consequences of a direct hit. The cutting mantis, alerted to Noah's presence, unleashed one of its formidable, scythe-like arms in his direction. Evading the sluggish assault, Noah seized the opportunity to strike at the base of the arm with his sword, aiming to incapacitate its offensive capabilities. Although his attack wounded the creature, the arm remained attached.

Quick to retreat from the retaliatory strike of the mantis's leg, Noah found himself pressed against a wall. Swift thinking and agility allowed him to slide beneath the creature, narrowly evading its legs. He quickly regained his footing, capitalizing on a chance to land a blow. Noah's sword, aimed at the creature's neck, encountered resistance as the mantis deftly blocked the attack with its arm. Recognizing the disadvantage, Noah discarded his sword and delivered a powerful punch to the creature's head. The impact staggered the mantis, but not without injuring Noah's fist in the process.

Undeterred by the wound, Noah retrieved his sword and swung it upward, cleaving into the creature's neck. The mantis's sluggish response proved insufficient, resulting in its decapitation. The battle concluded with the cutting mantis vanquished, its threat eliminated through Noah's resourcefulness and determination.

With the cutting mantis defeated and its core acquired, Noah proceeded to scour the area, continuing his exploration of the sprawling ruins. Hours of meticulous search yielded another intriguing discovery—a creature previously unknown to him. This creature, a lizard of relatively modest size, measured approximately a foot in height. Its coloration was an intricate blend of light blue and green hues, capturing Noah's attention with the possibility that it might be an anemoi, a creature associated with the winds.

Exercising caution, Noah opted to initiate his approach from a distance, hurling a rock at the creature with considerable force. The creature's swift evasion confirmed its status as a monster, though its non-hostile response allowed Noah to cautiously advance.

Undeterred by the creature's presence, Noah closed the gap between them. The creature, however, detected Noah's approach and began to flee. In its wake, a formidable wind pillar surged upward, its force gouging the side of a nearby structure. Recognizing the hazard posed by the wind pillar, Noah circumvented its path, maintaining his pursuit of the elusive creature. Knowing that overtaking the creature would be a challenge due to their similar speeds, Noah formulated a plan. As he drew closer, he aimed to deploy the blade of his spring sword, launching it at the creature. The objective was to incapacitate the creature, if not outright eliminate it, through the blade's impact. As he reached the desired proximity, Noah executed his plan, the blade of his spring sword piercing the creature's back. The resulting wound significantly hampered the creature's movement, though Noah remained cautious due to the creature's capacity for generating wind pillars.

Choosing a measured approach, Noah ensnared the creature within his energy chain, initiating the absorption of its life force. As the creature's vitality waned, Noah opted to maintain a moderate distance, cautiously observing its decline. After a brief interval, the creature succumbed to its injuries, collapsing lifeless before him.

Observing the lifeless form of the creature, Noah exercised caution, ensuring its demise before proceeding. Satisfied that the creature's threat had been fully extinguished, he approached its remains. Reattaching the blade of his sword to its hilt, he deftly sliced into the creature's stomach, revealing its core. The core, a coveted prize, lay exposed in his grasp, a tangible symbol of his triumph.

Driven by anticipation, Noah attempted to absorb the core into his being, eager to harness its potential. However, his endeavor yielded disappointment as his body exhibited a resistance to the core's absorption. A sense of unease settled within him, prompting contemplation. While the possibility lingered that the creature he had defeated wasn't an anemoi, Noah's intuition nudged him toward an alternative explanation. He considered it more plausible that the core itself wasn't of the control type, impeding his absorption efforts.

Further rumination led Noah to a profound realization—a revelation about the nature of the core he had previously integrated into his body. As he pieced together the puzzle, he recognized that the core within him likely belonged to a rare and enigmatic category—an unknown type core.