Chapter 16: Journey
Yenissa walked beside Shennong, her golden eyes flickering warily at their surroundings. Romina had provided them with crucial information about this place, and now, it was time to discuss their next steps.
Shennong was the first to break the silence. "According to Romina, we're currently in the forest bordering Principality of Sturgon and Harlow Empire," he said, keeping his voice low but clear. "More specifically, this area is called the Black Forest. It's a well-known hunting ground where adventurers and mercenaries come to gather herbs and monster parts. Of course, that also means it's crawling with dangerous creatures and people looking for a fight."
Yenissa smirked, her fingers unconsciously brushing against her knuckle. "I knew this place was dangerous the moment I set foot here. I've already dealt with a few humans who thought they could try their luck against me."
Shennong let out a relieved chuckle. "I'm glad none of them managed to harm you. I probably wouldn't have made it if something had happened to you."
Yenissa tilted her head slightly, her sharp gaze softening just a little at his words. She didn't reply, but there was an understanding between them that didn't need to be spoken aloud.
Their eyes turned towards Romina, who was walking ahead with Rilith and Velara flanking her like two mischievous specters. The poor girl looked visibly nervous as she tried to keep up with their relentless questioning.
"How old are you?" Rilith asked, her voice lilting with curiosity.
"Do you have any favourite food?" Velara added before Romina could even answer.
"Do you have a man?" Rilith grinned slyly, leaning in closer. "And if you do... can I suck him dry?"
Romina paled at the insinuation, looking like she wanted the ground to swallow her whole. "I-I don't have a man!" she blurted out, stepping back slightly. "And—what does that even mean to suck someone...dry?!"
Yenissa sighed, shaking her head. "Those two girls are always too quick to be social with others."
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Shennong chuckled. "I can see that. They're like wild animals testing their prey."
Romina gave Shennong a pleading look, but Rilith and Velara were having too much fun teasing her to let up. Yenissa, deciding to spare the poor girl, changed the topic. "So, where exactly are we going? We've been walking for a while now."
Shennong's expression brightened slightly. "Actually, I might have found the perfect place for us to settle down."
Yenissa raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And where is that?"
"According to Romina, it's a region rich with minerals. The lands there are valuable but not heavily contested by high-ranked fighters. That means fewer threats to worry about. Best of all, it's under the control of a baron named Percival."
Yenissa frowned slightly. "And what kind of man is this Baron Percival? If he's a strong fighter, we might face some problems. Humans can be pretty tough to fight, unlike wild animals."
Shennong shrugged. "From what I've heard, he's more of a businessman than a warrior. He knows the value of trade and resources, but he doesn't have a personal army strong enough to keep true power-hungry threats away. If we play this right, we could make a place for ourselves there without too much trouble."
Yenissa considered this, tapping her fingers idly against her arm. "A land filled with minerals, ruled by a man who isn't a threat to us... That could work. But how do we get close without drawing suspicion? I know entering human settlements can be pretty tough considering they have men guarding the entry points."
Shennong smiled. "Haha! We are not going to enter this baron's land like others. I'm going to dig my way in. We don't need trader letters or adventurer sigils to enter."
Romina heard what Shennong said and couldn't help but wonder what he meant by digging his way into the barony. Was she going to get in trouble hanging around with this crazy young man and his three succubus friends? Should she go her own way? But could she even survive on her own?
Romina had a lot of questions, but she knew none of them would be answered for now, as she suddenly heard leaves rustling around them. Moments later, a group of men emerged, weapons pointed at them.
*Whistle
"Look what we got here, boss" one of the raggedly dressed men shouted to his friends and a man carrying a heavy barbarian axe.
A few of the other bandits chuckled, their weapons still trained on the group.
"Kill that man, and let's take those women to our hideout! It's going to be a feast!"
***
"Hey... don't these women look strange to you? They've got horns, wings, and tails. Their skin's all red too."
The other bandit snorted, waving a dismissive hand. "So what? Women are women. Holes are holes."
Hearing that, a third bandit chuckled, rubbing his hands together. "Damn right. I haven't touched a woman in years. Ever since that new Knight Commander got appointed to Barony, the villages nearby are too well-guarded. But these ones... they're ripe for the taking."
Shennong's eyes narrowed as he watched the men encircle them. He knew that underestimating an opponent was the greatest mistake one could make even though these bandits looked weak compared to the men that he trapped earlier.
Before him stood seven bandits, their leering faces full of hunger and malice, along with a massive man wielding a barbarian axe slung over his shoulder who was the real danger.
Yenissa turned to Shennong, who gave her a slight nod. She understood immediately—it was her time to shine. Rilith and Velara, standing beside her, smirked, their eyes alight with anticipation. They had fought worse before, and these men were nothing more than insects to be crushed.
Three of the bandits stepped toward Yenissa, their hands reaching greedily. But before they could react, her tail lashed out, whipping through the air with deadly precision. In an instant, their heads were severed cleanly from their bodies, their lifeless forms crumpling to the ground.
The remaining bandits recoiled in shock. "What the hell?! That tail ain't just for show!"
But before panic could settle in, the massive leader stepped forward, a wide grin spreading across his scarred face. "This one's mine," he declared, slamming his axe into the ground. "The rest of you, go take the others."
His men hesitated, their eyes flickering between the corpses of their fallen comrades and their leader's unwavering confidence. Ultimately, the lure of easy prey overpowered their fear, and they charged at Rilith and Velara. The two demon women exchanged glances before meeting their attackers head-on, eager for the bloodbath.
Yenissa, meanwhile, squared off against the bandit leader. Her tail flicked behind her, its sharp tip gleaming in the dim light. The man swung his axe with brute force, and she barely managed to twist away in time. She countered with a powerful strike from her tail, but to her surprise, he blocked it with his weapon. A loud clang echoed through the clearing as her tail left a deep dent in the axe's blade.
The leader grinned wider. "You're strong. I like that. But you ain't winning."
Their fight continued a deadly dance of speed and power. Yenissa kept him occupied, making sure he focused only on her. Because that was exactly what they wanted.
As the battle raged, Shennong moved silently in the background, scanning the fallen bodies with his skill, [Scannable]. His gaze locked onto a spear dropped by one of the bandits, and instantly, a blueprint formed in his mind.
"New Blueprint Acquired!" He heard Yenissa's voice in his head. She wasn't even talking but the system had already integrated and chosen Yenissa's voice as the default voice.
"Let's see-" Shennong looked at the ingredients he needed. "What the hell? This is easy! Well, I should have known because it is just a normal spear,"
Without wasting time, he scavenged materials—wood and metal—from the bodies of the defeated men and his own inventory which had more than enough wood. His hands worked swiftly, crafting a new weapon.
It was strange to watch as Shennong used a wooden hammer to pound the wood and metal—something that shouldn't have had any effect on them. Yet, within seconds, the wood and metal slowly fused together, and before long, a fully formed spear appeared.
But instead of keeping it whole, he snapped it in half, knowing exactly how he wanted to end this fight.
Back in the battle, Yenissa continued to trade blows with the bandit leader, waiting for the right moment. The man was fully engrossed in their duel, oblivious to the shadow creeping up behind him.
Then, without warning, pain exploded at the back of his head.
The bandit leader staggered forward, eyes wide in disbelief. He turned his head just enough to see Shennong standing behind him, cold eyes staring into his soul. The broken halves of the spear had been driven straight through the weak part of the neck, piercing all the way to the front.
Shennong muttered, his voice calm and emotionless, "Watch your back!"
The leader fell to his knees, blood gushing from his wounds. Yenissa, now free from the fight, smirked and crossed her arms. "You were nothing more than a test dummy. We just needed time for my son to finish his preparations. This is his first kill."
As the bandit leader's body slumped lifelessly to the ground, Rilith and Velara stepped forward, each carrying a severed head. The other bandits had been slain, their blood soaking the forest floor.
Shennong turned to them, his gaze unwavering. "Why didn't you just feed on them?"
Rilith and Velara exchanged awkward glances before scratching their heads. "Uh..." Rilith muttered. "It's your fault. Our palette's changed because of you."
Velara groaned in agreement. "Yeah, ever since we met you, normal human doesn't seem appealing anymore. Until you feed us properly, we're gonna starve just like Yenissa."
Yenissa, standing beside them, looked slightly guilty and angry but said nothing. Unlike them, she wasn't starving anymore. But at the same time, she wanted to discipline these girls. "How dare they ask something like that from my baby!"
A voice broke through their conversation. "This... this is insane."
Everyone turned to see Romina standing at the edge of the battlefield, her expression a mix of shock and disbelief. Her hands trembled as she took in the carnage before her—the bloodied ground, the decapitated bodies, and the nonchalant expressions of the demons and Shennong around her. "You're all crazy."
Shennong simply smirked. "Was that supposed to be a compliment?"