The Second Son of The Marquis Runs Away from Home ~ Lacking Talent, He Abandons Everything and Becomes an Adventurer ~ - 64

Chapter 64: The Poisoned Land

As we climbed the mountain and reached the midsection, we found a barrier created by a keystone. On this side of the barrier, the grass and trees were lush and thriving. Beyond it, however, the vegetation was withered, the ground blackened, and the surface had turned into a muddy, toxic expanse.

“This is…”

Breaking a nearby tree branch, I threw it across the barrier. As it landed, the branch gradually withered. From the surroundings, it was clear that not only the ground but also the air beyond the barrier was saturated with poisonous vapors.

“That’s a very potent poison. Can we purify it from here?”

“With such a wide area, it’s impossible. To purify it, we’ll need to reach the center of the poison,” Serena explained.

“It’s too risky to force our way through. The chariot can’t move on this kind of ground, either. Serena, can you clear a small section for us?”

Serena nodded and raised her staff, Trutear. A sphere of water formed at the tip and shot toward the ground. The area where the water landed returned to its natural state, but it slowly blackened again due to the surrounding poison.

“It will revert after some time,” Serena said. “What now?”

“This,” I replied.

From my pack, I pulled out magic stones and handed one to each person. These stones were inscribed with a simple Wind’s Blessing spell, Follow Wind.

“Serena will purify a path for us as we move. The vaporized poison will be blocked by the ‘Wind’s Blessing’ from these stones. If we encounter monsters, Rakul, Amelie, and I will deal with them. Hinowa, support Serena with amplification magic to reduce her energy consumption as much as possible.”

“…You really come prepared for anything,” Rakul remarked.

“It’s the bare minimum,” I replied.

Once everyone was equipped with Wind’s Blessing, I signaled Serena to begin. She raised Trutear again and cleared a path through the poisonous ground, cutting through it as if carving a way forward.

“Alright, let’s move before the effect wears off.”

We all entered the barrier. The air was thick with poison, and what little remained of the forest was decayed and crumbling. As we walked, I sensed something approaching and unsheathed my sword.

A Skull Serpent leaped from the ground. I struck it down, slicing through its head. Sensing more movements, I realized additional monsters were closing in.

“Looks like we’re being welcomed,” I muttered.

“Yeah, even if there’s no regular wildlife, some monsters have adapted to this environment,” Rakul replied.

With my crossbow, I shot down another lunging Skull Serpent. Rakul abandoned his usual Zanma for a knight’s sword, slashing cleanly through his targets. Amelie used her sword-drawing technique to swiftly cut down any monsters that came into range.

“We’ll push straight through to the village while protecting Serena and Hinowa. If needed, we’ll deploy everything and make a final sprint,” I commanded.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Given the situation, it was unlikely we’d find any useful clues in the village. Still, I resolved to do whatever we could as we pressed forward.