Balance

Chapter 6: Balance

A few breaths later, Bryce and Gengo could see a hunter party from the nearest village. They also had spotted them, and for a moment, there was an odd staring contest between the two parties.

While the hunters gawked at Bryce's messed body and wounds and at Gengo's perfectly fine fur and lack of any hardships on him, their suspicions billowing, Bryce studied the equipment those people had kitted themselves in.

The man at the helm wore heavy leather armor, covering him from the neck down to his ankles; his left hand clenched a steel shield, and his right hand pointed a broadsword forward. He undoubtedly was the toughest fellow and a person who endured the attention of monsters.

His companions were mainly equipped in bows, their light clothes fluttered alongside the wind, and their presences were hardly noticeable, but Bryce saw them all fine — it was a mistake on his part, and he quickly realized it as the hunters grew warier of him.

Bryce spotted two swordsmen and a petite lady in long, brown robes, her cross necklace magically drew his attention. These stood by her side like bodyguards, surely her presence was the most important. Thinking about it from the gaming perspective, Bryce connected a few uncertain doubts and inferred that the petite lady was a healer.

In MMORPGs, the expeditions and dungeon raids nearly always ended prematurely when the healer died, and only the luckiest groups finished them in such scenarios, the same was with tanks, but in a world where heroes were regularly summoned to wield the holy mana and where people couldn't just respawn after the failed raid, the healer probably had more importance and status.

"State your name and origins!" the tank took the lead and asked a few questions in a hoarse voice, wanting to know Bryce's status, his purpose for being in this region, and his occupation. If Bryce was a mercenary, he also should have proof of it in his inventory, which would have solved all of his problems.

Alas, he knew nothing. His minimap was black, he didn't know how important mercenaries were, he couldn't even tell what divine being all humans believed in, and if there were more than one.

He just wielded a plain-looking sword that could turn either into the Excalibur or the Sword of Dracula, nothing of that really explained stuff, and Bryce could only ask about E. in his surname, but that was related to the demon lord, so there were no way humans would like it as the first question nor was it any sort of explanation.

"I have amnesia." Bryce followed his plan, which was the only thing that could make things easier for him. Naturally, that failed as the tank grew more cautious about Bryce, his voice lethal akin to a blade, and he seemed like a monster himself.

'He has killed people, all sorts of people.' Bryce inferred, a bead of sweat tickled down his temple. If that continued, Bryce would have to unleash his own power, and so far, it seemed like the demon lord's bloodline was the best to deal with people like them.

They were humans, after all. And that vampire's abilities allowed Bryce to sustain wounds and heal himself, if he could take some nutrients by sucking their blood, he would be able to keep up with them without any consumable items.

But killing people just because of that didn't ring well in Bryce's head. It was not their fault nor his that they suspected him, as any normal human in a world with demon lords would be wary of random humans in the forest. He recalled the image of his mother, who didn't seem like a vampire, at least from behind.

Bryce also didn't feel like fighting with them to get intel. He saw that two swordsmen were keen on protecting the petite healer, and these three surely would escape should his powers dominate the tank and others; their escape would notify others, and there was a chance Bryce would become known in the whole region, it would make things just harder.

Running away was also not an option, Bryce already imagined a circle of running away from suspicions of other humans just because he didn't have legit proof of his identity, and it didn't seem like he would find something in the forest to solve that dilemma.

Therefore, he could only try his best to become friends with them. And if that wouldn't work, then he would go with the second option, fight and torture one of them for information. His friend surely wouldn't like it, but the demonic side of Bryce convinced him that it was the only way.

"He's one of us, a human."

But then, out of nowhere, the petite girl said those words, silencing the loud tank and surprising others. Her bodyguards glanced at her, their eyes shone as though they appraised her state to find whether there was no mind control skill, then nodded to each other as they found nothing of that in her.

The lady and Bryce exchanged glances, then the holy bloodline within him stirred.

'She has noticed it, hasn't she? I thought I had both under my control… It seems I am not that bad since she hasn't noticed the demon lord's bloodline, but if everyone with holy energy is able to notice that holiness within me, I won't be able to freely move around the world… And that irks me.'

While the holiness kept Bryce from turning to a more feral side and dealing with his circumstances through sheer strength and killing, the demonic bloodline ensured a proper balance in his morals.

And as the ground shook — this time, Bryce and Gengo didn't jump but kept a steady ground — and a troll appeared on the scene, two bloodlines heated up, and as Bryce decided, they calmed down.

"Finally, a troll!" the tank ignored Bryce and wheeled in the troll's direction, widely smiling as their target came before them, he chanted a skill through his lips and cast a transparent barrier around himself. The archers did the same, but their bows shone with lethal skills.

Swordsmen remained cool-headed and without any hint of mana oozing out of them. On the other hand, the healer's hands shone golden as she started chanting defensive skills to assist the tank.

Gengo woofed, his eyes on Bryce.

"Have you been already muddled by the holy mana?" Bryce asked without taking his eyes off the hunter party; his friend looked down sadly. "I can't join them because I would disturb their teamwork, they are better off without me." He smiled and continued, "You sit down, rear your ears and keep sniffing for more trolls in the vicinity. This troll is different from our prey because he's crying, confused about something. There might be more around us. I will protect you… And as for the second priority, I will keep my eyes on the girl."

Gengo felt troubled, but he was a young fellow, so he could only follow his friend's commands. He nodded, but he was still saddened as there was a chance they would watch a human dying before them, then sat down and heightened his new, sharp senses around.

And as he followed Bryce's command with the holy mana coursing through him with a clear intent to assist his plan, Gengo felt satisfaction and warmth within him, realizing that he was doing his duties as the hero's companion!

Thus, his range increased, and he started advancing his skills!

Good boy!