Vlajik Forest Swamp

"I'm impressed by your battle tactics."

A middle-aged man took a sip from a mug, looking at Emma and his team with a light smile on his face. The room contained a rectangular wooden table made of unknown material. A couple of fruits were at the center.

"Thank you for your compliment," Emma replied. The helmet made it virtually impossible for others to see his face. However, the deep eyes sight of the middle-aged man said something else.

"People from your world are impressive, but not the way you show yours. In my long years, this was my first time seeing your world displaying such a terrifying battle power." The middle-aged man added.

"So, you've seen many of our people," Jojo asked.

"Of course. This isn't the first time we receive many visitors."

"Then, how do you know the native apart from the others." Emma inquired.

Creak!

The wooden door on the right opened and an old man walked inside the room. His gaze was on Emma's team. Particularly, Laka, Mata, and Maya. He snorted and sat beside the middle-aged man.

"We've our way of knowing the outsider. And if you want to know-how. Find out yourself." The old man smirked. He couldn't believe he was beaten by these young fellows.

"Don't mind old man Sergio. He sometimes behaves like that." The middle-aged man chuckled.

"We won't, besides, we've learned a lot from him." Emma shrugged.

Old man Sergio clicked his tongue and smirked. "Young man, stop bragging. Your friend defeated me because I underestimate them. If we are to fight next. They won't last 5 seconds under my full attack." He said proudly.

For a couple of moments, the room was in dead silence. All eyes fixed on the old man. Who is bragging? The defeated or the winner? Subsequently, a lot of sighs escape from the people in the room.

The middle-aged man looked at old man Sergio and shook his head. 'He's beyond saving.'

"What!" Old man Sergio snapped. "Why are you all looking at me like that. Do you think I'm kidding? Kid, let go out for another round." He shouted, standing on his feet.

"That's enough!" The middle-aged man voiced raised a decibel and frowned.

Old man Sergio saw the look of the middle-aged man and paused for a moment.

"You are lucky. If not." He snorted and sat grumbling.

The middle-aged man shook his head and sighed. He knew the old man was a battle maniac. Showing his magnificent skills and powers. Yet, it ended by some nobody. All his long winning streak was broken by three young generations from another world.

'Old man, I know how you feel. But there are more things important than your ego.' He thought.

Hmm! Hmm!

The middle-aged man cleared and stared at Emma and his team.

"Like you've guessed. I'm the city lord of the Swift Swamp village. I'm Rulf" Rulf announced.

"Nice to meet you, village lord Rulf." Emma's team chorused.

"I don't normally meet the Nagam. But something urgent came up that I need your help with. No one in our village fulfilled the criteria for the mission. But you five met the criteria." Rulf announced.

His gaze fixed on the five without blinking. However, he saw no expression on their face. He pleased him seeing their expression.

"Would you like to take the quest?" Rulf inquired slowly. "I don't know how dangerous the mission is. Everything depends on you." He added.

"Don't worry, we're prepared." Emma assured.

"Good. I like your confidence." Rulf smiled and waves his hand gently.

A crimson light appeared on the thin air and blinked for a second before disappearing.

__You have received a quest.__

Details: An unknown force is residing in the depth of the Vlajik swamp, forcing all the beasts from their habitat. This forced the Swift Swamp village from going out.

Quest: Kill all the rampaging beasts.

Sub-Quest (optional): Kill the hidden force.

Quest Rank: A+

___

Emma took a glance at the quest description and the corner of his lips raised. 'Finally.' He looked at the others and nodded. They stood without uttering a word, leaving the room. Time is against them, they can't delay anymore.

"Please be careful." Rulf voice resounded from their back.

"Do you think they accomplished the mission?" Rulf turned to old man Sergio after Emma and his team had left.

"I don't know. But they have twenty percent of not dying." Old man Sergio announced calmly.

"What!" Rulf's jaw dropped. "I—I thought they have a better chance than those of the previous ones."

"What chance. Just because they defeated me?" He snarled. "The danger in that swamp is not like I have ever seen. If not for the strange power stopping from fighting those beasts. I will have annihilated them all." He sighed.

'Will you die if you don't brag.' Rulf rolled his eyes and took a sip from his tea. 'I hope they succeed. Else, our village—' He exhaled deeply.

Five people dressed in strange suits matched out on the broad street of the Swift Swamp village. The villager wasn't surprised by their outfit. Many bizarre outfits appeared when the outsider appeared in their world, and they've gotten used to it.

"Do you get the map?" Emma asked.

"Yes." Mata nodded without looking at Emma while passing a brown scroll to him.

Emma unfolded the map and looked at it for a moment before passing it to Jojo. Jojo didn't bother to look at it and passed it to Maya. She took a cursory glance at the map and tried to pass it to Laka.

"I don't need it." Laka shrugged.

Beep! Beep!

They checked the notification and behold it was the map. Jojo smiled. She had already expected it. And her commander never fails.

"Commander, are we going to complete the sub-quest?" Maya asked through the comms.

"Probably, but it depends on the danger."

The five stopped in front of a gigantic forest. Various sounds resounded deep within the forest. The broad leaves obstruct the sunlight from reaching the ground. A narrow path led into the dark forest. They took in a deep breath.

"Are you ready?"