C19 Legend

"Masked Demon? What's that?" Egerton asked, clearly bewildered.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he sensed something was amiss. Everyone, from Macleay to Verl, was staring at him as if he were some kind of alien creature.

"The Masked Demon is a terrifying magical creature known to all on the Sylvian Continent. It's one of the two legendary secrets of the Skyreach Spire. Egerton, you really don't know about it? Are you not from the Sylvian Continent?" Bran asked, shaking his head in disbelief.

"How did you know? Actually, I'm a traveler from another world. I've only been on this continent for two months," Egerton admitted with a nod.

His words were the truth, but sadly, no one believed him. They all thought he was just rambling to Bran.

"The Masked Demon is a unique magical creature that roams the Skyreach Spire within the seven duchies. Its origins are unknown. A group of Class 8 experts once attempted to slay it, only to fail miserably. The Masked Demon's appearances are unpredictable, and it invariably claims the lives of adventurers. Thus, for many adventurers, the Masked Demon is synonymous with the grim reaper."

"Hankamer isn't scared of the Masked Demon, is he?" Egerton cast a sidelong glance at Hankamer, who was visibly shaking.

"No, it's not fear. Hankamer, may I speak?" Ngoh turned to Hankamer for permission.

"My parents were killed by the Masked Demon," Hankamer revealed, bypassing Ngoh's offer.

"So, you're thinking, if you encounter the Masked Demon, you'll seek revenge?" Egerton peered intently at Hankamer.

It was a fleeting look, but he recognized something in Hankamer's eyes that he had seen before. Back in the Eastern Region, Egerton had faced an enemy he could not coexist with. Hankamer's current state reminded him of his own past.

"Don't be ridiculous. Even if Hankamer were foolish, he wouldn't believe that with the strength of a Class 2 professional, he could... Hankamer, you don't seriously believe that, do you?" Bran glanced at Hankamer and was surprised to see a resolute look in his eyes that shouldn't be there.

"I understand how you feel, but I still need to say this: if you're truly set on seeking revenge, you should first focus on strengthening yourself. 'Revenge is a dish best served cold,' as they say. With your current abilities, if you were to encounter the Masked Demon, it would be a certain death for you."

"Do you empathize with Hankamer's feelings? Do you have a similar story, Egerton?" Bran inquired with a hint of skepticism.

"In a way, yes. I was once impulsive too, and it was only with the help of others that I managed to survive," Egerton replied, nodding.

No one doubted Egerton's words; his eyes held a resolute gaze and a certain compelling presence when he spoke.

Had he gone through a similar ordeal? Yet, unlike Hankamer, he didn't retreat into silence. Perhaps he chose to keep his grief hidden, facing the world with a smile instead.

Verl watched Egerton, feeling a complex mix of emotions stir within her—a touch of sympathy and a dash of curiosity.

"Alright, we've rested long enough. Let's get moving. I suspect Captain Macleay is growing impatient," Egerton said, noticing Verl's intense gaze.

"I haven't been rushing you. By the looks of it, your hunting progress for today isn't too shabby," Macleay interjected.

"Your idea of 'not too shabby' is merely scraping by. Given that someone in the team has a higher aim, we can't settle for just scraping by. Forty magical creatures—that's our goal for today," Egerton declared, shaking his head.

Surprisingly, no one objected to this ambitious new target.

Bran, Ngoh, and even Macleay inwardly took a deep breath at the thought. Forty magical creatures were no small feat. Sure, the team could easily dispatch one or two creatures when their magic and stamina were full. But after twenty battles, the toll on their magic and physical strength would be severe, nearly depleted. In such a state, even a single Level D magical creature could be lethal. This was precisely why Macleay had originally set the target at twenty.

Of course, part of the reason was that Egerton's team was still a fledgling Adventure Team.

A veteran Adventure Team, on the other hand, would naturally understand how to conserve their energy and magic during combat.

Consequently, some seasoned Adventure Teams in Skyreach Spire often surpass the benchmark of thirty.

Yet, tackling forty magical creatures is a feat rarely attempted, as it demands a hefty expenditure of potions.

Bran and Ngoh were unaware of this fact. Hankamer, driven by vengeance, accepted the challenge, while Verl was simply out of sorts. Only Macleay was curious to witness whether Egerton's command skills could indeed accomplish such a feat.

Should he succeed, Egerton would undoubtedly be recognized as a once-in-a-century genius adventurer.

"If such a person exists, then surely, even forsaking the duke's daughter for an adventurer with a Holy Light personality would be justified."

"Hankamer, take the lead. If you can't fend off the two magical puppets, forget about revenge. Verl, bathe Hankamer in light; Bran, target the left side with fireballs; and Ngoh, strike the right side!"

"Hankamer, stay on top of it. Intercept the octopus bugbear's tentacles. Verl, shine your light on the octopus bugbear; Bran, scorch it with flames; and Ngoh, sever its tentacles!"

"Hankamer, keep it up..."

Before we knew it, two hours had slipped by, and the number of battles Egerton's team had faced had jumped from one to fifteen.

For a novice Adventure Team, fifteen battles would be considered quite impressive.

Macleay glanced at the determination and the reserves of physical and magical energy in the five rookies, and a smile crept onto his face.

They had only expended fifty percent of their resources, which meant they could potentially engage in another fifteen battles.

What's more, they had dispatched a total of eighteen magical creatures in those fifteen battles.

Doubling that number gave thirty-six, the minimum Macleay had calculated.

Why the minimum?

Because in most of those fifteen battles, Egerton had primarily been directing the action.

Indeed, the fifty percent depletion referred only to the four members, excluding Egerton.

As for Egerton's own reserves, Macleay couldn't tell exactly, but he conservatively estimated that at most, only twenty percent of his strength had been used.

With that in mind, pursuing the goal of slaying forty magical creatures seemed entirely within reach.

"Let's take a break and regain some physical and magical strength," Egerton commanded the team to halt for a rest.

However, such a break didn't do much to restore physical or magical energy; the key was rejuvenating one's mental state. Even the most battle-hardened warriors would be worn out after being on high alert for an extended period.

"Speaking of which, Bran, you mentioned that the Masked Demon is one of the two legendary secrets of the Skyreach Spire. What's the other one?" Egerton inquired with curiosity.

"Yeah, Bran, I've never even heard of legendary secrets. Is there some sort of classification?"

To Egerton's surprise, Ngoh and the others also looked intrigued, and even Macleay perked up his ears.

"You clearly haven't been diligent in gathering intelligence. As adventurers, not knowing the secrets of the Skyreach Spire is a serious failing, a major failing!" Bran chided, only to receive a thump on the head from Macleay.

"What, are you suggesting that I, the deputy captain, am failing too?"

"No, no, Captain Macleay, you've surely heard the rumor; it's just that you don't frequent taverns, so you're unaware of the rumor classifications. Inside the Skyreach Spire, there's a myriad of secrets, categorized into legend, mystery, and bizarre, with seven mysterious rumors and only two legendary ones. The rest are too numerous to count," Bran elucidated.

"With so many secrets, it looks like we won't be bored during our downtime," Egerton chuckled.

"You're treating me like a tavern bard, you know. That service comes with a fee—one silver coin each!" Bran retorted.

"Did you forget that I'm the acting captain right now? You can charge a fee, but then your cut of the loot might just take a significant hit," Egerton threatened playfully.

"Come on, I was only joking. Don't take it so seriously," Bran backpedaled quickly.

"Enough chit-chat. Spit out the secret already, or we'll run out of rest time," Egerton urged, growing impatient.

After all, they were within the confines of the Skyreach Spire, where magical creatures could emerge at any moment. A moment's respite was a rare luxury.

Everyone is aware that the Skyreach Spire is teeming with magical creatures, and that numerous Adventure Teams arrive daily to hunt them. Given that this is one of the Spire's closely guarded secrets, it's intrinsically linked to both the adventurers and the creatures.

It's hard to say when, but there once was an exceptionally talented adventurer who possessed the formidable power of a Class 6 at a remarkably young age. Moreover, he was an extraordinary commander. His emergence spelled doom for the magical creatures within the Spire, drastically thinning their numbers below the 800th floor to the point where several species were nearly wiped out.

Building on this, the young adventurer didn't confine himself to the lower levels. He and his team ventured into the world above the 800th floor. Initially, their progress was unstoppable. Despite facing numerous SS-grade magical creatures, they prevailed through superior strategy and a well-coordinated team, inching ever closer to the 900th floor, known to be prowled by Level SSS magical creatures.

But it was during their assault on the 900th floor that disaster struck. A horde of Level SS magical creatures emerged from an inconceivable hideout, encircling the young adventurer's team. They found themselves in a dire predicament, yet the adventurer refused to surrender. Through relentless cooperation and fierce resistance, they miraculously fought their way out.

Nevertheless, the Level SS magical creatures were overwhelmingly strong, and mere flight was not an option. Someone had to cover the retreat. In that moment, the young adventurer stepped forward, single-handedly assuming the critical role of rearguard.

Ultimately, his actions led to the rescue of many adventurers. However, that brave young soul never emerged from the Skyreach Spire again.