Chapter 312: The Camp

The frontline camp at Dragonspine.

This temporary supply camp was set up to support adventurers venturing into Dragonspine, offering convenient access to various supplies. It even has an alchemy station and a blacksmith's forge.

When Nolan and his team arrived, they found the camp bustling with adventurers. To keep order, a few Knights of Favonius patrolled nearby.

"Wow, that was the first time I've flown that long with a Wind Glider! It felt amazing!" Amber exclaimed, still thrilled from the fast-paced journey, as she looked at Nolan.

"Do you think Jean could do something like that? If I'd known, I'd have invited her along. She could really use a break from all those endless stacks of paperwork," Eula remarked, realizing for the first time just how easy it could be to travel.

[Amber Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 200 Affection Points; Current Affection Level Lv.5 (300/500)]

[Eula Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 210 Affection Points; Current Affection Level Lv.5 (35/500)]

Seeing the notifications on his character panel, Nolan mused that he'd be happy to take them flying anytime they wanted.

"Wind is certainly a convenient elemental power," Nolan smiled, "but it's a bit unfortunate that it doesn't have any powerful elemental reactions like when your Cryo and Pyro elements create a strong Melt reaction."

"Each element has its strengths, so it's not really useful to compare them," Amber replied, shaking her head.

"True!" Nolan nodded in agreement. "Alright, so now that we're here, how do you two want to proceed?"

"Let's start by asking our colleagues on patrol. They might know more about the elemental lifeforms that attacked the adventurers," Amber said as she stepped forward, her white thigh-high boots crushing a dry patch of dirt beneath them.

"Or we could try tracking down the adventurer who reported the attack and investigate where it happened," Nolan suggested thoughtfully.

After all, monster attacks are common enough that the Knights usually don't deploy specifically to handle them. Only exceptionally dangerous or aggressive monsters require special intervention, as monsters generally stick to their territories. Adventurers who encounter them often have a good chance of escaping.

But this time, the elemental creature not only attacked but actively sought out humans, prompting Jean to send a team to investigate. Since the creature's behavior and movements were unpredictable, they'd need to speak with those who had encountered it to pinpoint its location.

"There's a Knight of Favonius resting beneath that tree ahead; let's go ask if he knows anything," Eula suggested, noticing a knight leaning against a birch tree nearby.

"Good idea!" Nolan nodded.

The three made their way through the adventurers coming and going around the camp. After a short walk, they reached the young Knight of Favonius resting under the birch tree.

"Amber, Captain Eula, and the Honorary Knight—hello!" The young knight, seeing Nolan and the others, quickly straightened up from where he had been leaning against the tree, looking like he'd just been caught slacking off.

"It's fine, Olais," Amber said with a gentle smile. "After a long patrol, it's only natural to take a little break. No need to be nervous."

"Ah, haha…" Olais rubbed the back of his head, his orange hair shifting as he gave a slightly embarrassed laugh. "So, what brings you to me?"

"We heard that there's a dangerous elemental lifeform in Dragonspine that's been actively attacking people. Do you know anything about that?" Amber asked without hesitation.

"Oh, that. Yes, there's something to it, but I don't know much," Olais nodded.

"Good enough," Nolan yawned, feeling a bit tired. "Just tell us whatever you do know; Captain Jean sent us here to investigate."

"Understood. I'll share everything I know with you," Olais replied, sounding both respectful and admiring. "Here's the situation: it happened yesterday around noon. A group called the Darkshade Adventurers had been exploring Dragonspine for a few days, mostly to train by seeking out dangerous spots rather than hunting treasure.

"But unexpectedly, yesterday around noon, they came running out of the mountains, looking really beat up, with their leader's hand completely frozen over. If it weren't for the Sisters of the Favonius Church at the camp, they might not have been able to save his hand.

"They said that while exploring a cave, they found some valuable Ice Fruits. Just as they were about to pick them, an ominous Cryo Hypostasis burst from the ground and started attacking them wildly. Unable to fend it off, they had to run, but even at full speed, they couldn't escape unscathed."

"So, they were the first to encounter the Hypostasis, specifically this Cryo Hypostasis?" Eula asked thoughtfully, resting her knuckle against her chin.

"Yes, that's right. They've returned to the city for medical care now, but they reported that they encountered the Cryo Hypostasis near Wyrmrest Valley," Olais replied with a nod.

"Have any other adventurer groups been attacked by this Hypostasis?" Nolan asked curiously.

"Certainly. Besides the Darkshade group, the unlucky Benny's Adventure Team was also attacked earlier this morning. They're resting over at the Adventurers' Guild camp—you might want to check with them," Olais offered, relaying all he knew.

"Bennett?" Nolan raised an eyebrow, though he quickly shrugged. With Bennett, any encounter with danger was almost expected.

With this new information, Nolan and the others thanked Olais and headed to the Adventurers' Guild. Sure enough, they soon spotted Bennett, who looked surprisingly unharmed, and, to Nolan's mild surprise, Razor was with him.

It seemed that their last adventure in Wolvendom had forged a close friendship between the two, as they were now exploring together.

"Nolan! Long time no see! Are you here to explore Dragonspine too?" Bennett greeted him warmly, jumping in before Nolan could even speak.

"Sort of," Nolan replied. "We're actually on a mission." He explained their task to track down the Cryo Hypostasis.

"We heard you also encountered it. Could you tell us where it happened?"

(End of Chapter/Bonus Chapters xD)

❇❇❇

Support me on Patreon - Read Up to 30+ Advanced Chapters There!

patreon.com/RedX43

❇❇❇