After the battle, the expedition team cleaned the battlefield and got the sellable materials of the katir. The antlers, fur, claws and teeth were harvested and a soldier with a big backpack put them all inside it. The soldier was a porter of some sort.
Ardiel then got permission to wash his body as the blood of the katir can attract other beasts to their area, endangering the lives of his teammates. Ardiel split off with the expedition team to search for a nearby creek.
A person was observing Ardiel's movements. He then signalled the person beside him to follow Ardiel. But he quickly dismissed it when he thought it would be too suspicious if that person disappeared. They just have to wait the most opportune moment to attack Ardiel.
The expedition team then set up a camp outside the boundary that separates the deep part of the forest and the shallow part. They waited for Ardiel to be back but it seemed that a water source was not common here inside the forest.
***
Ardiel was still searching for a water source as he trudged the forest. After looking for a few more minutes, he didn't still found anything. The sun was now setting and the darkness was now growing inside the forest.
Although demons have a night vision, they actually just be able to clearly see 5 meters in front of them. It was misconception that humans thought that demons can see more. Demons' night vision improves by eating a heart. Eating a heart and the forming another heart is like a promotion for demons. It also allows them to rank up their respective classes. But some are exceptions, some only has two hearts but due to their powerful techniques, they can rank up their rank above the rank for them. Suro was one of these exceptions.
Back to Ardiel...
Ardiel decided to use his newfound powers. Ardiel was late today because he had been studying how to control mana! Ardiel then concentrated the mana inside his body and congregate it in his legs. Ardiel could now feel that mana was in his legs. Ardiel then tried to imbue his lightning powers on his whole legs, and as a matter of fact, it worked!
'Now, my searching would be faster and I would be accustomed on using this skill. I think I would call this Flashy Steps,' Ardiel thought as stepped forward, only to crash on the tree on the distance.
'It's hard to control my body. Let me try again,' Ardiel did another step and crashed again!
Ardiel crashed in the trees so many times that if he was a regular human being, his body would be mangled and unidentifiable. Ardiel then used Flashy Steps to quickly search for a water source.
After using Flashy Steps consecutively, Ardiel felt that his mana was in the low. He can't control the mana inside his legs anymore, as he was both exhausted physically and man-related. Ardiel rested for a few minutes and continued his search.
It was now dark when Ardiel found a small lake in the forest. Ardiel quickly took off his armor and weapons and put them to the side. He then grabbed a bush and placed it on top of his equipments. Ardiel then jumped into the water, cleaning is blood-covered body.
***
After a few minutes of bathing, Ardiel wore his equipments again and decided to come back to the expedition team. Ardiel used Flashy Steps again and again for his body to be accustomed to it. Ardiel then saw a light in the distance. Ardiel quickly canceled his Flashy Steps and just walk towards the expedition team because he felt that someone was observing him. Flashy Steps would be his trump card if the other person really attacked him.
As Ardiel neared the campfire, he saw the soldiers seating around it. Some are standing and talking while some are already resting. The camo of the expedition team has three tents that was build around the big campfire. The tent was big enough for four people each and the expedition team has exactly 12 people. Six soldiers, two porters, Captain Iriel, Terun, Suro and Ardiel.
The soldiers then greeted Ardiel and came back on doing their own business. Captain Iriel also greeted Ardiel briefly as he went inside a tent to rest.
Ardiel then ate briefly while he chose the tent where the two porters and one soldier was staying. Ardiel then laid down in the cloth in the ground as he stared at the tent's ceiling. Terun and Suro was in another tent with two soldiers and Captain Iriel and the three soldiers was left in the other tent.
Ardiel then closed his eyes as he was tired of the fight and searching. Ardiel just hoped that the other person would not attack him tonight, as he was not in his peak form. Darkness covered Ardiel's sight as he slowly enter the slumber.
***
The sun was now up and the morning sun rays hit Ardiel's eyes, prompting him to wake up. When Ardiel woke up, he was left all alone inside the tent. Ardiel then stood up and went outside, only to see soldiers taking down the tent and preparing for breakfast. A soldier then gave Ardiel a bowl of kamir meat soup.
"We didn't wake you up because you seemed exhausted. Have your fill now, we have a long way to go," the soldier said as Ardiel took the bowl out of his hands.
Ardiel then tried to drink the soup and his conclusion? It tasted good. It was like a mixture of sweetness and bitterness combined in one bowl. Ardiel really liked it.
After the expedition team finished eating, they organized their belongings and cleaned their area as they were now starting their 2nd day of the expedition.
"Today we should probably kill four katirs and tomorrow, if we kill more than 2, the expedition will end and we could go home," Iriel said as he led the expedition towards the deeper part of the forest.
Today was a lucky day for the expedition team. They immediately met two katirs, which has been killed by both Terun's squad and Ardiel. After a few minutes of harvesting and cleaning the battlefield, the expedition team went back to their journey. This time, Ardiel scouted and found a katir. Ardiel singlehandedly killed it by throwing a knife, piercing the katir's eyes, distracting it and tjen Ardiel jumped on the katir's back and decapitated it. Ardiel knew the katir's fighting style now so he was now an expert in killing them. That's three katirs to Ardiel and one katir to Terun.
Terun gritted his teeth but said nothing as Iriel was still here, observing both of them. After the harvesting and cleaning, the expedition team went back adventuring for the last time and they met two katirs. Terun tried to persuade Iriel that he can fight both due to Suro but Iriel didn't gave his permission. So again, Ardiel and Terun divided the two katirs making Ardiel's katirs four and his two. Ardiel clearly was above him.
Iriel the decided to stop theira advance and set up camp here when an unexpected situation happened. An E-rank monster is nearby and has been spotted by the soldiers. The E-rank monster then thought that the soldiers trespassed on its territory following them towards the expedition team.
A hybrid of a rhino and a buffalo was charging at them on the distance. The E-rank monster was as big as a rhino and it's body also has armored plates. The monster has three horns, one on its nose and the other two near his ears, facing his front. If you saw a rhinoceros beetle, the monster's horns look like that.
"It's a Rhifallo! Scatter!" Iriel shouted as he lifted the porters and ran away in a random distance. All soldiers in the expedition team was experienced so they didn't panic and also fled in groups, only Ardiel was alone and Terun and Suro.
Terun then immediately went after Ardiel as it was a good opportunity for him to kill Ardiel and then blame it on the Rhifallo. Terun has Suro so Terun was sure in killing Ardiel.
Ardiel was fleeing from the Rhifallo when he sensed that someone was following him. Ardiel was sure that these guys was the same people who watched him on the inn. After running for so long, Ardiel was sure that the Rhifallo didn't follow him so he stopped his tracks and waited for the person to reveal themselves. Ardiel then took out Beastslayer and stood silently.
"My my, what do we have here," Terun said as he slowly revealed himself along with Suro following him.
"What did I do to you?" Ardiel asked to the unknown person in front of him.
"Don't you remember? You caught my arrow! You humiliated me in the past and now you want to steal my recommendation? You're gonna die today so it doesn't hurt for me to introduce myself. My name is Terun and I'm the only son of the Mayor of Furieles Town, Feruel. Kneel down and I might go easily for you," Terun arrogantly said as he expected Ardiel to kneel but what Ardiel did surprised Terun.
Ardiel was tired of listening to Terun's blabbering so he dashed with Beastslayer as he slashed towards Terun's neck, prompting Suro to defend his slash. Ardiel then jumped backwards and pointed Beastslayer towards the unknown person who blocked his attack.
"I am Suro and i am paid to kill you. Now prepare to die!" Suro said as dashed at Ardiel while wielding an F-rank longsword on his hand.
Two swords clashed and the ringing of metal clashing rang out the forest. The battle between an expert swordsman and a trainee soldier will now happen today!