The Moon Thief

"Looks like it's working!" Heinald saw a piece of the Shapeshifter in the sea of ​​fire vanish. Thanks to the Spirit Potions he consumed, his spirit had improved considerably, which naturally resulted in his Magic Energy getting stronger. The spells he cast were much stronger than before, moreover, since he used Low Level Fire Effect Potion, his Fire-based spells were even more effective.

"Heinald,it is doing something, watch out!" Dane exclaimed.

Shapeshifter was surrounded by a black mist. Before long, this mist engulfed its entire body and exploded outward. The sea of ​​fire and vines had completely disappeared, a very rapid wave of dark energy began to spread around. It devoured and rots everything in its path.

Heinald immediately cast Whisper of the Wind and began to flee from the black energy wave. Although his speed was also quite high, the black energy wave was faster and he realized that he would soon be hit by it.

"Wind of Aira!" The airwave from Heinald's hands accelerated his escape, and at the last moment he managed to get out of range of the dark energy wave.

"Dane you will stall it with casual attacks, I'll approach it and use my strongest spell." said Heinald.

"OK!"

Dane quickly created fireballs and threw them at the Shapeshifter. Heinald was also rushing towards it at the same time.

Shapeshifter Shifter countered Dane's fireballs with claw attacks.

"Death Ray!" Heinald used his Spiritual Magic as he got closer to Shapeshifter. The scorching fire ray emanating from their hands was heading directly towards him. At that time, Shapeshifter also built a black wall in front of itself again, but the black wall could not stand against the ray for more than a few seconds and was punctured. The scorching ray went straight to the Shapeshifter and began to burn it.

"Naaa!" The Shapeshifter let out a terrifying and painful cry. It was trying to escape, but had no chance of escaping Death Ray. Shapeshifter's body disappeared within seconds. The dense Dark Energy in the environment began to lighten after the demon was destroyed.

"Dane, are you okay?" Heinald looked back.

"Im okay...What about you?" Dane walked briskly to Heinald's side.

"I'm fine."

"I never thought we'd come across a Shapeshifter." said Dane.

"Yes, Cruxals and a Shapeshifter. Not good at all..." Heinald shook his head.

"Do you think we should go with the others?" ' Dane asked.

Heinald shook his head and said "I don't think it's necessary, they'll be able to take care of themselves."

Heinald and Dane continued their way through the wooded area. When the wooded area was finished, they went out onto a flat field. A few miles ahead was a small hill and a small town perched on top of it.

"Have you visited that town before?" asked Heinald.

"No." Dane shook his head.

"Let's go and ask the locals a few questions about the area around town, maybe we can learn some useful information." Heinald scratched his chin.

They began to ride their horses towards the town. They soon reached the side of the hill and crossed the uphill road to the top of the hill. Their first impression of this town was that it was rather gloomy like other towns around the region.

They were both here to interrogate, so they wore masks on their faces. They took a little precaution because they didn't want their identities to be revealed.

"Let's split up here, let's both talk to the people we saw, it will be faster that way." said Dane.

Heinald nodded.

Heinald tied his horse to a hitching post he saw and began to walk the squalid streets of town.

Smoke was coming out of the chimneys of all the houses in the town, everyone was at home and almost no one was outside. There seemed to be something frightening them.

"No wonder!" There was a momentary glint in Heinald's eyes.

As he continued walking through the deserted streets, he saw a little girl crouching next to a small cottage. Her brown hair and face were covered with dirt, and her clothes were very thin and torn. There was nothing on the girl's feet, it was obvious that her small body was trembling violently in the cold air.

When the little girl saw Heinald, a look of fear appeared in her eyes. The waves of energy emitted by Heinald would put much more pressure on ordinary people, especially this little girl.

"My lord..." The little girl stood up and lowered her head. The tremor in her body was getting worse.

"What's your name, little girl?" asked Heinald.

"Pely, my lord." The little girl answered.

"What are you doing here alone?" asked Heinald.

"Waiting for my master, my lord." The little girl's head was still bowed, not daring to make even the slightest movement.

"Why are the streets of this town so deserted?" Heinald asked after a short silence.

"Well..." The little girl hesitated.

"No need to fear." said Heinald.

"Giant spiders appear in this town at night." The little girl's voice came out more shaky than usual.

"Giant spiders...Do you know where they went?" Heinald's eyes narrowed slightly.

"No, my lord. Some nights as soon as I hear their voices when they show up, I immediately hide in my hut. I dare not even breathe in case they notice me."

"When did they last appear?" Heinald's eyes narrowed slightly.

"About four days ago, my lord." The girl answered.

Heinald stroked the little girl's bowed head.

"Who is the person you call your owner?" asked Heinald.

"My lord, please don't tell him I'm talking to you about spiders!" The little girl knelt down and began to beg.

"Whoever that person was must have pressured this little girl not to talk." Heinald was stunned for a second at the little girl's sudden movement, but he quickly brushed it off. He more or less understood the situation.

"Don't worry! Just show me where he lives." said Heinald.

The little girl nodded and started walking. After a short walk, they came to a house that was larger and more ostentatious than the other houses in the town.

The little girl's head was still bowed, and her trembling was intensified.Heinald knocked on the door of the house, and a short time later a woman opened the door.

"My lord ..." When the woman saw Heinald, traces of surprise and fear began to appear in her eyes, just like the little girl.

"Who owns this girl?" asked Heinald.

"I'll get him right away." The woman lowered her head and started running towards the house.

A short time later, a middle-aged man wearing a worn-out-looking robe came from inside. From the energy he emitted, it was clear that he was an Apprentice Ainsar.

"My lord...My name is Lart, this feeble servant of yours greets you." The middle-aged man immediately came before Heinald and bowed his head.

"Why is this town so desolated?" Heinald ignored the man's flattery and asked.

"People in this town don't like to go out much because they're used to a quiet life, my lord." Lart replied quickly.

"Do you know the source of the surrounding Dark Energy?" Heinald posed another question, carefully examining the eyes and gestures of the man in front of him.

"I have no idea, my lord... Dark Energy has been felt around this area for a long time, but fortunately we have not been harmed yet." Lart nodded in reply.

"Liar!" Heinald's eyes gleamed coldly. Though he thought so, he just nodded and walked away. After moving a little further, he concealed the waves of energy he had emitted and started walking back to that guy and the little girl. He hid behind the house next door and began to observe.

"Did you say anything to him?" Lart had grabbed the little girl by the throat and lifted her into the air.

"No, owner! I didn't say anything." Pely began to squirm, her eyes filled with tears.

"As expected..." As Heinald raised his hand, a silver light emanated from his hand and his sword appeared in his hand.

He aimed at Lart's shoulder and tossed the sword.

"Aarghh!" The sword flew through the air, leaving afterimages, and emerged from the front of the entrance behind Lart's shoulder.

He let Pely go with the sword stabbed into Lart's shoulder, and the little girl fell to the ground, coughing.

Heinald began walking slowly towards Lart. The wet and muddy earth was even more soaked with blood.

"M-My lord...Why?" Lart began to stutter when he saw Heinald walking towards him.

"You're going to tell me every detail of what's going on in this area!" Heinald grabbed Lart by the throat and lifted him up.

"I-I don't know anything..." Lart said hard.

"Don't force me to use hard, just tell me." Heinald began to choke Lart even more.

"T-They'll kill me!" Lart tried to scream, but his voice came out rather hoarse as his throat was choked.

Heinald quickly threw it to the side. When Lart flew to the side, he hit the wall and part of the wall collapsed. Little Pely watched the whole thing, crouched in a corner and scared. People living in the surrounding houses were also secretly observing what was going on through their windows.

Heinald quickly drew his sword from Lart's shoulder.

"Aaarghhh!!"

Heinald said "You're already dead, but it's up to you to die painfully and painlessly depending on your talk." 

Fucker! Kill me, I'm not going to tell you a single word." Lart shouted in a momentary scurry.

"Is that so?" Lart's words made Heinald even more angry. He quickly swung his sword and sliced ​​Lart's arm.