The Stonehearted Knight
Chapter 194: The first day

Chapter 194: The first day

’The silence is creepy.’

Hex stood on a thick branch and focused his senses on the surroundings. But to his surprise, he didn’t see or hear anything alive nor did he sense any energy fluctuations.

At his level, Hex could sense energy fluctuations no matter how faint they were but not even the trees possessed energy.

The absence of energy could mean two things. One, there was indeed nothing with the Blessed energy or it was at a level he couldn’t sense. Both things disturbed him greatly.

After not being able to sense anything, Hex decided to forego his passive stance.

’Waiting won’t help. Let me first check around to see if I can track my current location.’

Wherever he looked, he only saw trees around him. From his bag, he retrieved a handmade map. This wasn’t the general map provided by the camp. It was something he received from Sterling.

After comparing the map with the one he received from the camp, he noticed that while the general outline was identical, Sterling’s map contained more notes and details.

According to Sterling, the information on the map came from adventurers and scouts who risked their lives to enter the ruins through the years. As a merchant group specialized in information gathering, the Silver Serpents tracked those people and offered them large sums in exchange for the details.

After years of verification, they created the map. The royal family bought their map from his group and received the basic map. Sterling only offered the map so the chances of Hex returning successfully increased.

’These bastards can’t be trusted, ever. They dared to sell a second rate to the royals without fearing their wrath. Who knows what they will do to me once they get their hands on the eyes?’ Hex unfurled the map and studied it.

The central area was the largest out of the five districts. The dried-out lake was at the center of this area. Hex held little interest in it. He quickly traced the area south of it, filled with green spots.

It would be impossible to find the exact spot in the forest but the notes indicated a few landmarks to find a general idea.

’According to this, there are ruins of statues and small domes every five hundred meters. The statue honored the heroes of the past and the domes functioned as exhibitions of a certain era. If Hex wished to find his current location, he needed to find a dome.

’Climbing in these trees won’t help. The trees are too high, overshadowing the domes.’

Hex looked at the map. ’I came from the southern side. The entrance into the Temple district is on the north-eastern side. So, instead of a random direction, why not walk in the direction I already need to move.’

With that in mind, Hex started to move. The eerie silence worried him but he didn’t slow his pace. There were shrubs and bushes spread out on the ground but nothing to impede his steps.

Woosh!

Out of nowhere, a vine struck at Hex. It snapped, producing a crisp sound and a shockwave in the air.

"Shit!"

Hex cursed as he landed a bit further. He avoided being hit by the vine at the last moment. Despite coming up blank with his senses, he believed his intuition and remained on his guard.

Hex stared at the retracting vine. Its muddy color blended almost seamlessly with the ground. Only the faint rustling of its movement on the fallen leaves helped track it. The vine wasn’t thick.

Hex cautiously followed it as it silently slithered away. The length of the vine surprised him. It easily surpassed thirty meters. After jumping from one tree to another, he discovered its starting point.

’Is this one of the domes?’

The vine disappeared into a place overgrown with high grass and short trees. The outer layer was damaged with cracks and holes but there was no doubt that it was one of the places serving as landmarks on the map.

’But there isn’t any mention of a creature dwelling inside?’

Hex checked the map once more. ’To know where I am I need to enter the dome.’

He surveyed the area, only finding the remnants of the statue hidden in a place with high grass. Aside from a broken footpiece, nothing else remained of the statue.

’There is no place on the map marked broken foot or something like that.’

If he could identify his current location by the statue, it would save him the hassle of battling the creature inside. A creature he didn’t sense was most likely two stages above him.

Although the domes were five hundred meters apart, there was a chance to keep moving in circles if he didn’t find the correct one. The adventurers and scouts warned repeatedly about these things in the notes.

’I guess I need to move quickly.’

Hex believed in avoiding battles whenever possible. But just as he wished to leave he heard faint noises of leaves moving. They came from multiple directions.

Woosh!

Woosh!

Woosh!

Suddenly, three vines, from three different directions struck toward him. They were faster than the one before, or one of them was the one from before at a higher speed. It didn’t matter. The vines were fast and deadly. Even Hex’s superior body cloaked in energy wouldn’t survive an onslaught of these vines for long.

Flex Step!

With all his paths blocked, Hex executed his movement technique. The Knight-grade technique remained useful.

Crack!

The vines hit the spot he was a moment before. Hit by three vines simultaneously, the sturdy thick-as-a-thigh branch snapped and broke off.

Woosh!

It happened at such high speed that the branch shattered while Hex was still moving upward. But just as he reached the maximum height of his single jump, he heard a loud sound. Multiple vines flew in the air, blocking all directions at once. Each vine was at least thirty meters long and danced wildly in the air.

The sight of nearly a hundred vines snapping and cracking numbed his scalp.

The vines seemed to have locked onto him. The nearest ones struck at him. In the split second, Hex decided against moving higher into the air. Instead, he landed on a different branch.

It turned out to be a wise move. Another far longer vine appeared out of nowhere and struck the air, exactly where he had been. The air trembled due to the power contained in the attack.

The other vines didn’t halt. They struck at the branch Hex landed on. Expecting the attack, Hex deployed the Flex Step as soon as he landed. Behind him, the branch shattered.

’This can’t go on.’

Hex tried to think about a counter as he moved from branch to branch. The snapping sound of the vines fused with the shattering of branches.

’The other side of the dome seems empty.’

While moving, Hex observed the situation.

’The vines are coming from all the holes and cracks in the dome.’

With narrowed eyes, Hex pondered about the crazy idea he came up with.

’It’s too early to use my tools and elements. And even then there is no guarantee of victory. After all, plant-type creatures have nearly inexhaustible stamina and regeneration.’

The fact the area was empty of other living things and he wasn’t able to sense it, indicated the creature being a Calamity.

’Fucking luck.’

Hex knew he needed to act fast. Time was running out as were the available branches nearby. The ground and air would be places of suicide against such a creature. And the sky above was the place of highest danger. The areal creatures in this region were all fast and deadly, even injuring Refined Knights.

’Here goes nothing!’

Suddenly, he jumped toward the dome. The creature didn’t expect it. The vines paused for a brief second. It was the time Hex needed.

It was also the first time in this encounter he performed consecutive Flex Steps. After five such steps, he reached the dome. The nearly hundred vines converged, flying all toward him. Hex waited.

’One...’

The vines were flying at high speed, reaching the dome in a second.

’Two...

The vines moved, ready to strike Hex.

"NOW!"

Hex focused his energy on the soles of his feet and jumped forward. At the same, he swung his sword down.

Blizzard Strike!

A piece of the dome shattered as the energy blasted into it. Hex flew forward. The vines, just a fraction of a second slower, hit the dome with full force.

Boom.

Hex turned and saw the dome cave in, releasing a dust cloud.

SRRRR!!!

The enraged noise of barks grinding against each other appeared. The dust blasted out, revealing a one-meter-in-radius stem with hundreds of vines coming from its top. It lacked eyes but Hex sensed a killing gaze.

The creature’s vines lagged. The Blizzard Strike had frozen a part of the vines in place. Of course, it wasn’t powerful enough to injure the creature but the lag provided Hex the opportunity to land on the other side. He didn’t pause.

Hex used Flex Step after Flex Step, hurrying out of the creature’s attack range. The loud snapping of trees urged Hex to go faster. His superior body was inferior to the thick ancient trees.

Only after moving a few hundred meters, did Hex stop to catch his breath. ’What a fucking first day it is.’

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