Previously on Sacrifice's Rise: I Became Invincible After Entering Godslayer Temple...
Ali attempts to provoke Rudo into seeking revenge against Gick, the wealthy merchant supposedly responsible for the attack on their village. While Rudo is tempted, he hesitates without Monka's leadership. Meanwhile, Monka returns to Oak Village, concealing his identity, and observes its growth. He visits the Nameless Inn, only to be confronted by Gick, who claims to have booked the entire establishment.
"If it is beautiful, then one should take a good long look now, for it shall vanish by tomorrow."Vivia cast a look at Howard, about to remark that the dawn arrives daily, but the expression on his face rendered her speechless.It was akin to him observing a treasure beyond compare.Indeed, uniqueness, the most precious of all things.Is not being distinctive the highest form of commendation one can receive? No two leaves are identical in this world, and surely, no two dawns are ever the same.In Howard's eyes, could there exist two identical individuals?In his estimation, is Jelia like any other, or does she possess a singular uniqueness?Vivia suddenly perceived that Howard might be far happier than she had ever imagined...The dawn arrived.The laws of nature pay no heed to human desires; you could fell a mighty tree, or even an entire forest, but the seeds will inevitably sprout anew one day, and the woods will flourish once more.You could cover your own eyes, or those of another, but the warmth of the sunlight will not cease on that account.Upon waking, Ali observed the sunlight streaming into the cave, the dust motes dancing in the light beams appearing almost hallowed.Roronora was seated opposite her, his crimson eyes wide open, fixed on the embers of the dying fire.Rekindling the flames, Ali parted her lips, moistened her dry mouth, and inquired, "Nothing untoward occurred last night, did it?"Roronora had been on the second watch of the night.While Ali harbored no doubt regarding Roronora's unwavering resolve to safeguard Jelia, certain matters necessitate more than mere determination."There were... no irregularities," Roronora's speech retained a slight indistinctness, intelligible enough to convey his meaning, yet his pronunciation lacked crispness, evocative of a young child just beginning to articulate.Those crimson eyes occasionally revealed a profound innocence.The most dreadful of murderers are those utterly ignorant; they understand neither right nor wrong, acting solely on impulse.Ali tugged at her blanket, rising to stretch, her mind rapidly regaining clarity.Her gaze swept across the interior of the cave; Jelia remained enveloped in her blanket, still deep in slumber.Accustomed to the slumber patterns of Breeze City, she could easily drift back to sleep even if briefly roused.In such a state, it was evident Ali could not depart with Roronora, not without jeopardizing whatever fate might befall Jelia if left unattended.However, inaction was simply not an option.Code 19 was undoubtedly tracking her by now, potentially nearing their current position.Furthermore, Gick was pursuing his own distinct objectives, though his ultimate ambition remained obscure.Whatever it may be, it appeared inextricably linked to the village's heritage.Given these circumstances, Jelia, having traversed the ancestral Mystic Realm and emerged accompanied by an enforcer, would inevitably become a focal point of pursuit.The situation demanded resolution before it could escalate into the direst possible outcome.It was time to seek out the remaining village survivors.After a thorough examination of the village remnants yesterday, they should have arrived at a consensus by now.Even if they remained hesitant, Monka and Rudo would likely guide their decision-making, for if they did not, they would cease to be Monka and Rudo."Roronora, I am stepping out for a short while. Remain here and keep watch over Jelia. Even if an individual appears, do not abandon her side!"Engaging in combat was never what Ali envisioned for Roronora.Although his combat capabilities were substantial, as Jelia's appointed enforcer, his principal obligation was her safeguarding."Under...stood!"Roronora gave a nod, his eyes reflecting an unyielding resolve.With a gesture of her hand, Ali cautiously extended her mana sense, ensuring no other magi were in the vicinity, before discreetly exiting the cave.Having confirmed the temporary sanctuary of the village survivors via the "Hall of Truth," she was now determined to visit them.Disclosing the intelligence concerning Gick and galvanizing them into action held a one hundred percent probability of success!The clandestine location of the village survivors lay in the opposing direction from Ali's present shelter.Pinpointing the precise distance between the two locations was challenging, but it was certainly not a short journey.The desolate ruins of the village had transformed into the most hazardous zone, teeming with lesser magi who had established a cordon around the ruins, evidently in search of something.Yesterday, Rudo and his contingent had fortuitously exploited the opening created by Roronora's repulsion of a group of magi, thus evading an encounter with Gick's subordinates; otherwise, a return without casualties would have been unattainable.When confronting a magus, no individual could guarantee their own continued existence.As the most significant anomaly amongst humankind, each magus possessed their own unique aptitudes, starkly divergent from those of half-orcs, whose capabilities and characteristics were defined by their lineage.An individual's singular power might not be formidable in isolation, but when harmonized and integrated, they could unleash forces beyond comprehension.This was a critical lesson Ali's mentor had impressed upon her repeatedly.In the absence of a complete magus unit, never engage a solitary magus!
Consequently, despite the magi who sealed the ruins being only of preparatory level, Ali wisely chose to navigate around them rather than attempt a direct passage.
A lesson learned from a past mistake should indeed foster growth.
By approximately nine in the morning, Ali finally pinpointed the survivors' refuge.
Not wishing to agitate the survivors' heightened senses, she bypassed the main entrance, instead making a circuit of the perimeter and giving a tap on the shoulders of every sentinel she encountered!
With a speed rivaling that of a level 2 magus, the hunters barely had time to register her presence before she was already moving on to the next.
The alerted sentinels immediately sounded the alarm, converging in a clearing within the dense woods.
Confronting an unknown magus alone would be a foolish and wasteful expenditure of their most critical combat strength.
Less than three seconds after the alarm blared, Rudo appeared within Ali's sight, a longbow held in one hand and a longsword strapped to his back.
Drawing the bowstring taut, he unhesitatingly aimed an arrow directly at Ali's face!
Although Ali's identity remained unconfirmed, Rudo had pinpointed her location from the very outset!
This was, admittedly, partly due to Ali not actively attempting to conceal her presence.
However, while other hunters were anxiously scanning their surroundings like frantic insects, Rudo's arrow indicated a distinct difference in their capabilities.
Truly worthy of being the village's most formidable hunter, perhaps?
With such prowess, facing an entity like Code 19 might not represent an entirely hopeless situation for retaliation!
Evasive of the whistling arrow with a swift roll, Ali, though taken aback, understood that arrows relying solely on velocity posed no significant threat to her.
Landing with fluid grace, she lifted her hood with a single hand, revealing her delicate features.
An outsider?
Upon witnessing Ali's face, Rudo was visibly startled.
How did she ascertain this location, and how had she identified the positions of all the sentinels?
A shiver traced its way down Rudo's spine; had Ali been hostile, she could have already infiltrated their sanctuary.
If Monka were still present, he might now be a mere specter beneath her blade.
A relocation of their camp was imperative and immediate.
"What is your purpose here!" Rudo readied another arrow, his bow taut.
Ali observed that Rudo was employing arrows with flat, shovel-shaped heads instead of the more common pointed varieties.
These arrows, while potentially slower in flight, possessed destructive power far surpassing that of standard arrows.
Furthermore, the longbow in his grasp was clearly no ordinary Mighty Bow, to permit such velocity with a shovel-headed projectile.
Ali's intrigue regarding this village intensified.
Even during her association with the elf tribe, she had encountered few elves or half-elves capable of launching an arrow with such force purely through raw strength—most were typically elites from dedicated ranger legions.
Now, a hunter from an obscure village demonstrated the skills of elite rangers?
Since when had the continent's preeminent sentinel cadre become so unexceptional?
"Do you recall our conversation from yesterday?" Ali directed her gaze towards Rudo, who stood slightly apart from the others, surmising his status might be higher than initially perceived.
"Cooperation? Information exchange? We currently possess nothing to share, and you would be wise to depart swiftly!" Rudo subtly adjusted his bow, not directly aiming at Ali, yet it was evident his focus remained intently upon her.
Among those present, he was the sole individual capable of posing a genuine threat to Ali.
"You may have nothing, but I do! I am willing to demonstrate my sincerity by offering some intelligence to you first." Ali raised her hands, displaying her empty palms to all observers.
"My intentions are benevolent; I merely wish to impart some information to you!"
Intelligence?
Had she managed to discern something so rapidly, or was this merely a strategic ploy?
However, what conceivable benefit could deception offer at this juncture? It held no tangible value.
