Dungeon of Pride, Laplace

To the adventurers, Simon looked just like a clueless Forest Spring spirit, unaware of their surroundings.

"They should soon be unable to hold themselves back". It was as  Simon had supposed, the adventurers soon began making small movements.

Laris finally lost all his patience when they were only a few dozen meters away. He signalled with his hands and adventurers immediately sprang up from their hiding places. When the girl finally heard rushed sounds around her and turned to look, it was already too late as she was surrounded from all directions.

Laris smirked and gallantly walked towards the little girl. He threw his head back and laughed wildly "Hahahaha, truly the heavens are favouring me. Not only was I able to get hundreds of Forest Spring Spirits Orbs but now I will also be able to get my hands on an unparalleled treasure. Hehe, little girl, you can't run anymore quietly give up and surrender".

Simon had an impassive face all the while he was listening to the man's rambling. The man carried himself with poise and had an aura that could only be given off by a strong warrior. He was wearing light armour that was made from the hide of some monsters and carried two short swords on his waist belt.

One look was enough for Simon to know that the man was a seasoned warrior and the highest level among the adventurers currently surrounding him.

Simon was already used to facing enemies multiple levels above him. Currently, he was level 289 but even he felt quite the pressure facing him. Although Simon had an impassive face, his eyes were burning with cold fury as the man in front of him kept on talking about the Forest Spring Spirit clan as nothing but objects.

Laris was expecting a distraught look on the little girl but was disappointed to find that she didn't display any emotions even after all his rambling. To prevent her from self-destructing her spirit orb, Laris thought he needed to break her spirit which would ultimately reduce her resistance and allow them to easily capture her.

He couldn't help but click his tongue seeing that his plan had no effect and at the same time felt like something was wrong.

Thining for a while, he still couldn't put his finger on what exactly was wrong and discarded the thought as nothing but him thinking too much. The top priority for Laris was now to capture the little girl in front of him without allowing her to destroy her spirit orb.

The guild members of the Seven Swords guild surrounding the Forest Spring Royal Spirit made cruel and mocking faces. They looked at her unemotional face and thought that she was so scared that she couldn't even comprehend what was going on.

For these outer members, this mission was also their chance to raise their ranking within the guild. They who were the lowest ranking members of the guild didn't receive many benefits from the guild and are seen as nothing but workforce.

It was only after one start gathering merits, accumulate contributions and raise their rank does the guild start giving some recognition and benefits to them. Hence this mission became their chance to climb up the ladder.

They purged the Forest Spring Spirit Clan and harvested their spirit orb without any iota of remorse only so that they could increase their contributions towards the guild. They did not see the Forest Spring Spirits as people and on the contrary, they felt quite excited thinking about the number of spirit orbs that they have collected.

Simon stared at all their faces that were filled with greed and excitement and couldn't help but feel revolted. Blinded by their greed, they cruelly massacred a peaceful plan that was doing its all to live in a secluded corner of the world.

They had shattered all the hopes and dreams of a little girl who was no more than five years old and plunged her to a cliff where dying felt better than living. Flames of anger started flaring within him and he even felt repulsed to breathe the same air as them.

However, Simon still restrained himself and controlled his emotions that were starting to take over him. he couldn't lash out at them yet, he must delay them for as long as possible until Irene finishes her task.

Giving a low snort, Simon immediately used his [Super Agility] skill that increases his agility stat by quite a bit and broke out of their encirclement.

Seeing that the girl was trying to run, Laris immediately leapt forward, and at the same time signalled his subordinates to charge at her from behind. The girl easily sidestepped the adventurers, leaving them to only catch her afterimage.

Simon's agility stat was second only to his magic stat and when he used [Super Agility] on top of it, his agility stat easily surpassed his magic stat. Using his high agility, it wasn't difficult for Simon to easily outpace these adventurers.

He utilized his superior agility and opened quite a bit of distance between them. He made sure that the adventurers kept following him and made sure not to pull their distance so far apart that they lost sight of him.

Laris blinked his eyes a few times unable to believe that he caught nothing but the royal spirit's afterimage. He was stunned by the fact that a little girl from the Forest Spring Spirit clan is able to display such high agility. Weren't they a clan unsuitable for combat?

He didn't dwell on his train of thoughts any longer and immediately snapped out of his stupor before snapping at his subordinates who were similarly stunned. "What are you bastard dilly-dallying for, quickly chase after her". Laris said while chasing after the little girl as she delved deeper into the forest.

While Simon lured the adventurers away from the Forest Spring Spirit village, Irene and Cecilia who was riding on top of the Bloodthorn Demonic Warhorse sneaked into the village. A few days ago prior to coming here, Cecilia made her resolve to return to the village to save her clansmen who were still trapped and enslaved inside the village.

She looked at the devastated state of her village which was once so beautiful and peaceful as her eyes glossed over. But she did not cry this time and made a determined face as they quickly flew over.

Irene who was beside her quietly sighed looking at the state of the village. She scanned her surroundings and swiftly found a dozen or so adventurers still remaining inside the village. She also found the location of twenty or so Forest Spring Spirits enslaved inside one of the bamboo houses and pointed out.

Cecilia looked in the direction where Irene pointed her finger and made a distressed expression. That was because the house the adventurers used to enslave and prison her clansmen was none other than her own house.

She had many memories associated with the bamboo house and most of it still lingered in her memories. A loving and enjoyable atmosphere as the little her was pampered every day by her mother and father.

Scenes of such memories kept flooding her until Irene snapped her out of her stupor.

"Are you alright?" Irene's beautiful crescent brows made a frown as she asked with concern. Her jade white hands which seemed to be carved by a divine craftsman was gently caressing Cecilia's emerald hair.

Cecilia nodded but did not cry as her usual self did. She repeatedly convinced herself to be strong for her clansmen and for her late mother and father. Looking at the bamboo house, she said in a clear and determined voice.

"Let's go and free my clansmen from their pain and suffering".

Irene looked at her and didn't say much, she could guess the reason behind her revealing such a distraught face.

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Name:- Simon

Race:- Demon Viscount

Titles:- Demon of Pride [Incomplete Fragment 1/5]

Level:- 289

HP:- 42,549

MP:- 57,445

Stats:-

Strength:- 2767

Defence:- 2967

Agility:-  3345

Magic:- 3745

Endurance:- 3056

Luck:- 2078

Skills:- Language Comprehension, Analysis, Flame Magic Mastery, Gale Magic Mastery, Electro Magic Mastery, Thought Processing, Regeneration, High-Speed Flight, Super Strength, Super Agility, Super Endurance, Suoer Defence, Body Enhancement, Fire Resistance, Wind Resistance, Pain Resistance, Blunt Damage Resistance,  Sense Presence, Natural Recovery Demonic Eyes

Amalgamation Skills:- [Flame-Gale Mastery]

Inherent Skills:- Dungeon Creation, Main Menu, Ancestral Symbol Ignition