Chapter 280: Bonefire (1/2)
”I can't imagine what the price of a rare demon at Black Market could be at all,” Yoichi whispered, continuing to think about the fact that Oakenfair might be somehow connected to Hollowgate.
”Why are you so curious about this? You know very well that taming demons and then reselling them is something that goes against the morals of us tamers. That's why Hunters are seen as renegades and spend their lives homeless,” Takuma pointed out, scolding Yoichi.
”Take it easy, man. It was just a thought out loud,” the young Nightblades tamer replied. Indeed, for a few seconds, Yoichi had been seriously considering a trip to the Black Market.
When he and Takuma got back on the road, they rode slowly for the first few minutes. That way, they hoped the distance between them and the Hunters' delegation would increase.
Yoichi couldn't get the image of that horned kabuto out of his head. That samurai helmet reminded him of his master's, left behind in the highest room of the Dojo. He could not help but wonder if Ryutaro was still healthy and alive.
The clear waterway that housed the large family of corals took a slight detour, following the meander it had carved over hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. The land curved gently westward, shifting the river's trajectory dangerously toward the Southborne Mountains.
The full moon illuminated the entire valley, allowing the travelers to stay on track toward Oakenfair. The second day of travel was also coming to an end. Yoichi was well aware that, in just five days, he would have to reach his destination, find the blacksmith Shusaku and return to Ambershire.
The hope that Shioko would be able to save Princess Sui had never left his mind. He trusted his guildmate completely, and after the recent events, he looked forward to holding her once again.
The Waveless River climbed over a small hill, and the horses of the two adventurers rode that uphill stretch without objection. ”There they are,” Takuma exclaimed, whose feet were resting on the back of his horse. ”The Hunters have stopped there. They seem to be setting up camp.”
Several hundred yards away from their current location, a small lake of crystal-clear water lay in the middle of a series of hills that formed a natural basin.
Although the Valley of the Northern Waters was famous for the many streams that ended up into the great northern ocean, that lake looked like the heart of a small oasis. Lush vegetation rich in flowers and colors lined its shores, hosting small animals and peaceful water demons.
The harmony of that uncontaminated place was then abruptly interrupted when they looked up: the delegation of Demon Hunters had decided to spend the night there and was preparing the tents and campfire.
Although they were far away, the sight of Yoichi allowed him to scrutinize those unknown enemies better, trying to get more information about their origin and their objective. Even if he did not know why, the young tamer of Goldhaven was somehow attracted to those criminals to the point of feeling curiosity about them.
All of the Hunters seemed to be busy pitching tents and setting up supplies and weapons in a common space. Everyone except the man with the kabuto. Together with his giant rhino demon, he was quenching his thirst in front of the lake shore.