Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 927: Picking Up The Pieces - Part 1

Just a few minutes ago, Linkle had met Raven and his group halfway on her way to the crystal mansion. She’d explained to them what had happened at the docks, forcing the hero to expedite his return to the ships and get them to land. Using one amongst many souls trapped in the hero’s mantle, he teleported himself and his group to the ships since the teleporting jewels were no longer working. Then came the summoning of the priestess and everything that happened next.

Meanwhile, stranded at the edge of Alliance, Linkle reluctantly tended to the injured soldiers alongside other field medics. Waiting for the ships to arrive and take them in. To her surprise, it didn’t take long for that to happen. Jenna and a handful of other healers and alchemists were sent on the ground to provide first aid to the soldiers before they could be safely transported to the ships.

Aradin was amongst the returning group, hinting at how he might’ve met the heroes already. From the look on his face, however, something didn’t feel right to the witch. Whatever had happened on the ship had upset him, and even now it was gnawing at his head, but aid for the injured army took precedence over handling whatever it was that had disturbed him.

’Not my place to ask,’ setting her gaze to the ships instead, Linkle stood up and cast a quick wind spell at her feet to carry her skyward. Flying over to the drop hatch, she made her way into the leading vessel, hoping to find Hero and his companions. As she made her way over to the meeting room, a spark of mana shot through her teleportation ring and necklace. ’What’s that about?’

Bewildered by the sudden malfunction, she brought the ring to her and began inspecting it. Her eyes closed on the jewel seated on top of the ring, a crackling sound, and a voice startled the witch.

”Linkle? I...I ne..ed you in the meeting room.” It was Raven on the other end, but even his voice didn’t put an end to her unease. Staring at the jewel, she wondered if it was time to replace it with something more competent–something that won’t fail them as much.

’I need to talk to my supplier about higher-grade material. Maybe an astroideal chasm warper would work better.’ Racking her socceress mind with knowledge beyond this world, she wondered on her way to the meeting room exactly how she was going to halt this constant cut teleportation, cut off thanks to the influence of malicious gods.

Deep in thought, Linkle eventually arrived in the meeting room with a crowd of people already inside. Raven and his companions, Helga and the angel Evangeline, as well as a handful of others, including the helm masters Reina and Regalia.

”So what’s going on?” Standing right next to the door, the witch glanced around the room before setting her gaze back on Raven. ”I heard about Oruon, didn’t know that fucker was gonna show up after all. Why do you guys look so tense, though? Isn’t he taken care of?”

”Yes...” Placing his hand on the table, Raven stared at the man sprawled on top of the table. ”While we were busy fighting those two–”

Lifting his head, the hero drew a deep breath. Through narrowed eyebrows, he bled a sense of worry, and the contortion in his expression turned even the witch’s expression grim.

”What happened?” She asked, but it wasn’t Raven who answered.

”The other fuckers attacked the islands, the desert kingdoms, and the smaller territories we’ve been through,” wiping the grimace off her lips, Helga squeezed her fingers tight into a fist. ”The only place that wasn’t attacked was Inktaus and Athenia. Fuckers probably couldn’t find one, and Athenia was too risky for their so-called chosen heroes to attempt another infiltration.”

The witch’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the two central leaders in pure disbelief. While they were fighting for their lives, of course, the other gods wouldn’t just sit on their asses and do nothing. A prime opportunity to strike and something the group has to consider every time they get into a fight against an enemy who could block teleportation.

”With everyone up to speed, I’d like to relay what else our goddess left with me.” Rising from her seat, Erika pressed a hand to her chest and began reciting every ounce of information that Athenia had left her with.

The goddess herself wished to stay for much longer, but her lingering presence was bound to cause problems in Erika’s body. Thus, leaving a mental note of everything that she’d witnessed from her looking mirror, Athenia took her leave to further plan their next move. Most imperatively, the infiltration of Nerva’s nest now that a flood of new developments had occurred with Raven.

However, discussing the change in the hero would come later. For now, the most important prospect was turning the ship around and getting to the islands and the kingdoms as soon as possible. The ships and the special equipment had lost all teleporting ability due to the struggle against the gods and the ripple of energy caused by the shattering of their souls and the extraction.

With the soul of a god boxed in a square of darkness, Raven quietly listened to Erika’s detailed reports. All the while, Regalia and Reina returned to their stations briefly to advise both their aid and the king of crows on their next plan. A speedy return, one most unexpected. Until then, the folks of the affected islands and kingdoms would have to rely on themselves.

’Elenaris should be okay, but Lantherem and everywhere else...’ Raven’s heart raced with worry, and Helga’s hands squeezed his. Glancing at the Valkyrie, he could see angst and anger both reflected in her gaze as clear as day. ’Her daughters were with Gallaria. Tsk...I hope the dragoness protects them as well as she does her horde of cursed treasures.’

The only way to know, however? Was to get there and check for themselves. Alas, Aranuvia was a quarter of a world away, and before then, there were countless other kingdoms to check first. Not to mention, the gods would not sit quietly during this time. They had their plans and means to hurt the hero’s allies. So long as they played their cards right...