Vroom!
Two vehicles sped past the quiet, almost abandoned road.
Contrary to what Richard had expected, not all the roads within the empire were good or safe.
Whether from mana beasts or bandits. It was only a few select roads that were. And sadly for them, they were currently on one of the unsafe roads.
Richard wasn't scared. He doubted individuals strong enough to beat the current him would become bandits. Willingly.
As for the mana beasts tho, from his knowledge, most powerful mana beast don't leave the dungeons unless during a dungeon break.
And during dungeon breaks, they were quick to seize territory and do not usually leave it.
Although these rifts, he wasn't sure how they worked and the system wouldn't tell him so...
Anyway, point is even if they're attacked, he's confident of at least fleeing.
As for where they're heading to...
"Oi!" He called out to Layla and the others in their vehicle.
"Where are we going?!" He asked.
"The space gate!" James yelled back. "It's in a fortress city not far from here!" He added.
"I see!" Richard nodded, and continued riding his bike.
Soon, they approached a city surrounded by thick walls. Walls that looked like what would stand their ground even with a full power attack from Richard.
The city had an ancient feel to it. The city itself wasn't very big, resembling a fortress more than a city.
As their vehicles slowed down near the gate, James spoke, "Welcome, to the fortress city, El Dorado."
Richard just blankly stared at the city. "Crap." He muttered.
"Identification please!" One of the guards at the gate yelled out in an authoritative manner.
James brought out a card, and form, handing them over to the guard who inspected them and handed it back to him.
"Cleared!" He yelled once more, as the gates opened slowly with a loud groan.
As the gate opened, Layla and Richard drove their vehicles inside the fortress city.
As soon as Richard set foot inside the city, he was met with a completely different atmosphere.
'Guess somethings never change.' He thought inwardly.
The fortress city was just like how he remembered fortress cities to be a thousand years ago.
There was no technology here. Hunters were the main ones occupying this city.
All around, he could sense strong presences. Though most were still weaker than him, they were still much stronger than James.
And there was one additional thing he noticed here.
It was something he was yet to see since reincarnation.
Other races.
Beastmen, dwarves, even elves who were known for never really leaving their regions were here.
'Hmm?'
And then...
He turned to look at a tall building that towered over every other building in the city.
He narrowed his eyes as he sensed four distinct presences.
Three were at least as strong as him, and one was stronger.
And...
They were all gazing at him.
**********
"Help me move this debris," a knight said to a man in military uniform.
The crest on the uniform was that of House Volaris.
They had arrived less than a half hour after the Order's knights and were helping clean up.
So far they had been doing logistics on the town. Counting the casualties, measuring the property damage level and so on.
While this was going on, some of the towns residents helped, while some were mourning.
Their family members, friends they hadn't seen since the attack started were just found dead.
Not everyone had been accounted for and yet, the casualties were already in the hundreds.
Almost three hundred dead now. And for a town who's max population was about one thousand thereabout, that was a large number.
Almost 1/3 of their population had been cut in half.
As for Alice and Beatrice, they were currently in a tense atmosphere. They were in the mayor's office standing before the Lord of their region, Viscount Volaris and someone of even higher standing.
A Paladin of the Holy Order, Sir Eugene.
"My Lord, Your Excellency." They greeted, their heads bowed in respect to Volaris who was seated and Eugene who stood next to Volaris.
"At ease." It was Volaris who responded first with his right hand raised.
At his words, they raised up their heads.
He then continued speaking. "Sir Eugene has something to ask you two."
At those words, Eugene stepped forward. "The two of you. What are your names?" He asked.
"Alice, your excellency." Alice replied in a polite and respectful manner.
"Beatrice, your excellency." Beatrice did the same, tho there was a slight tremble in her voice suggesting nervousness.
"Good. How are old are you two?" He asked again.
"Fourteen sir. We just awakened our mana cores yesterday when the cultists attacked." Alice responded for the two of them.
'Just awakened? Fourteen? Then how the heck is a Fourteen year old's mana this strong.' He thought looking at them.
No.
At their mana. Their mana was currently a raging storm and was much stronger than a freshly awakened newbie mage's mana was supposed to be.
He turned to look at Viscount Volaris and even he had a look of surprise on his face. Clearly he wasn't aware of this and thus was shocked.
Eugene couldn't even fault him either as he was also surprised.
But thinking of the reason he called them, he pushed those thoughts aside.
"Anyway, back to why I called you two here." He said, finally getting down to the discussion for today.
Alice in particular, was grateful for that as she was yet to find her mother. Her house that they went to check was destroyed, but her mother's body wasn't there so she had to be alive.
Right?
Then maybe she's hiding somewhere and probably doesn't even know the town is safe now.
"Did the two of you fight a demonic human?" Eugene asked despite already knowing the answer.
That was why he called them afterall.
"Y-Yes." Beatrice stammered an answer.
"Were you the only ones who fought them?" He asked another question he knew the answer to.
"No." Alice replied. "We had help." She added.
"From who?" Eugene questioned.
"A friend of ours. We grew up together." Beatrice was the one who answered this time.
"And where is this friend? And who is he?" Eugene asked. This was what he actually wanted to know.
"His name's Richard. He's an orphan just like me." Beatrice said again, growing slightly curious now at where this questioning was going.
"And where is he now?"
"He left town." Alice answered, squeezing her fists lightly, thinking back on their argument before he left.
Maybe she was too harsh. Afterall he might've had genuine reasons for leaving early afterall.
Meanwhile, as Beatrice was in her thoughts, Eugene turned to look at Volaris who seemed to be thinking the same as he did.
'He ran.' They both thought at the same time.
"Um, is there an issue?" Beatrice asked, concern written all over her face.
"Nothing important. Now then..." Viscount Volaris said as he stood from his chair, then pointed toward the door.
"If you will."
"Wait." Just as Alice and Beatrice were about to step outside the room, Eugene's voice called out.
"Yes, your excellency?"
"How well do you know the new hero candidate?"