Chapter 163: Echoes of the Wasteland
"Alright. Is everyone ready?"
Alyssa’s voice rang out as she tightened the reins of her mare.
The morning breeze brushed through her blond hair as sunlight spilled over the town gates.
Behind her stood the rest of Blue Bound adventurer party, all saddled up and eager to start their new quest.
"Yeah, let’s go!"
Essel cheered from her horse, her bright, sunny grin shining like the morning itself. She always carried that warmth—like she could heal wounds with her smile alone. She too wore a much lighter white magician robe, with symbols of light and healing on her sleeves.
"Yeah, yeah," Blas muttered, rolling his shoulders as if even enthusiasm was too much effort. His bow and arrow resting proudly on his back.
Lastly, at the back of the group, Auren glanced down at the silver-etched badge pinned to his chest—his Adventurer License which he received yesterday.
It bore his face, his fake Divine Frame details, and current rank.
The surface shimmered faintly with mana, runes pulsing softly. He knew it wouldn’t scratch, burn, or break easily—magic had its perks.
Aside from proving one’s identity, the badge served as an all-access pass through cities, guild checkpoints, and public- restricted territories.
Areas like the Kugaw Wastelands or the northern borderlands near Dragon Mountain were strictly off-limits to civilians. Without one, entering meant death—or worse, fines from the Empire’s Bureau of Security.
’I can’t believe it,’ Auren thought, brushing his fingers over the metal.
’I’m finally an adventurer. I’ve wanted this since the day I arrived in this world.’
He slipped the badge back into his storage ring, the soft hum of mana following it inside.
’What’s funny though is that now it feels like I have already finished the main quest and just doing side quests now.’
As Blue Bound left the town, a few villagers waved from the roadside, shouting blessings for a safe journey.
Adventurers like them were local heroes—protectors from monsters, bandits, and all manner of chaos. In return, they earned gratitude, coin, and tales sung in taverns.
Well... unless they were the delinquent kind. Every guild had those.
"Make sure to pick up your pace, rookie," Blas called back, smirking.
"I will, don’t worry," Auren replied calmly, though his heart raced with excitement. The world ahead was wide, dangerous, and unpredictable—and he couldn’t wait to dive in.
Their destination lay southwest, deep into the Kugaw Wasteland.
A mission commissioned directly from the Empire itself—imperial scouts that were riding wyverns had reported an increase in ogre sightings, dangerously close to trade routes.
That alone turned it into a high-priority quest, restricted to Rank C parties and above since Ogres are monsters with powerful bodies, fast reproduction, and natural healing abilities.
Luckily, Blue Bound was a solid Rank B team. With three veterans on board, Auren had been granted permission to tag along—as long as he didn’t slow them down.
"Let’s go. Hiyah!"
Alyssa spurred her horse forward, leading the way.
The group broke into a gallop, hooves pounding against the dirt, leaving a swirling trail of dust behind.
For a while, the only sound was rhythm—the steady beat of hooves, the wind rushing past their ears, the faint rustle of armor. The town shrank into the distance, replaced by rolling fields on their sides and open skies above.
"Isn’t there a teleportation portal nearby?" Auren asked after a while, his voice carried by the wind.
Blas glanced over his shoulder.
"None around this region. Closest one’s fifty kilometers east, and that’s under different territory control. So yeah—horse legs it is."
Alyssa nodded, her focus sharp as she studied a hovering mana-map projected from her bracelet which happens to be a special artifact.
"Once we’re close to the ogre’s territory, we’ll set camp and scout the perimeter. With Auren’s extra firepower, I’m confident we’ll clear the quest within two to three days."
Essel turned to Auren, her eyes gentle.
"And if you ever get hurt, you can count on me." She smiled, that healing aura of hers almost visible.
Auren chuckled nervously. "I’ll try not to give you extra work."
The two veterans smiled approvingly, though Blas rolled his eyes.
"Ugh, enough flirting, kids," he grumbled before spurring his horse faster, deliberately kicking up more dust.
Auren switched lanes, easily avoiding the cloud.
"Nice try," he muttered under his breath, smirking.
’This is going to be fun.’
Three hours later, the group stopped by a tranquil lakeside surrounded by gentle slopes and flowering shrubs. The air shimmered with heat, and dragonflies hovered lazily above the water.
Blas jumped off first and scooped a handful of cool lake water to his lips.
"Ah, finally!" He refilled his flask before tending to his horse. Auren did the same, though he took a moment to stretch, his lower back aching.
Essel noticed and laughed.
"Sore butt? Leave it to me!"
She raised her wand, and a soft blue light spread over Auren’s body. A refreshing, mint-like sensation cooled his aching muscles instantly.
"Ohhh, that’s amazing. Thanks!" Auren blinked in surprise. The relief was almost addictive.’Magic really is the cheat code of life,’ he thought, impressed.
"You’re welcome!" Essel replied cheerfully, moving on to treat the others.
It was apparently part of their routine—heal, hydrate, move.
During their breaks, Auren often wandered a bit, kneeling here and there to collect wild herbs.
He moved with a practiced eye, snipping stems, sniffing leaves, and pocketing what looked like weeds to everyone else.
Blas watched curiously as Auren explained to him while he picked a small, yellow, diamond-shaped flower.
"Wait. You’re telling me that little thing helps with stamina recovery?"
"Stamina and mana recovery, actually," Auren corrected, twirling the flower between his fingers. "Though to make an effective potion, I’d need about a hundred of these. It’s a rare catalyst ingredient."
He smirked. "It’s also good for, uh... vitality. For men."
Blas’s expression brightened.
"Now I’m starting to like you, Herbon. Let me help you pick more, yeah?"
Auren sighed but chuckled.
"Fine. Just don’t eat any of them raw."
Before long, Blue Bound was back on the trail, passing through endless green hills and forest edges painted gold by the sun.
Flocks of birds scattered as they rode, and once, a pack of wild hounds darted through the underbrush, watching them cautiously from a distance.
Auren learned long ago that in this world, wild beasts were different from monsters.
Beasts kept the natural order—they hunted to eat, fought to survive. Monsters existed only to dominate or destroy, their presence corrupting the land itself.
Along the way, their banter grew more casual.
Blas, ever the curious one, started asking about Auren’s other potions—especially those with "interesting" side effects.
"So, what about, say... potions that make you stronger and more energetic for a whole night?" Blas asked with a grin that made Alyssa groan audibly.
"Blas," she warned, "if you keep asking him to brew your weird potions, I’ll feed you to an ogre myself."
"What? I’m a married man! I just want to make my wife really happy when we get back. Heh."
Alyssa rolled her eyes, and Essel burst into laughter, shaking her head.
Their lighthearted energy carried them through the long ride.
Ten hours and three short breaks later, the sun began to dip low, painting the world in amber. Ahead lay a vast, dense forest—the border to the Kugaw Wastelands.
"We’ve reached the boundary," Alyssa announced, halting her horse. "We’ll make camp here."
Everyone dismounted, slipping into routine.
Alyssa handled the equipment—she drew several compact objects from her storage ring, which unfolded into a large tent, collapsible chairs, and cooking gear.
With a flick of her wrist, she summoned slabs of frozen meat from her inventory and passed them to Auren.
"Prep these. We’ll need our strength tomorrow," she said, already spreading maps and scrolls over the portable table.
Essel moved gracefully, planting crystalline warding stones around the camp’s perimeter.
Each one glowed faintly as the barrier activated—a shimmering field invisible to the naked eye but thick with mana.
It muffled their scent, sound, and presence from outside. Even insects dared not cross it.
As for Blas, he had already disappeared into the shadows, activating his stealth skill to scout ahead. His footsteps left no trace and his eyes scouted every inches of the area.
Auren worked beside Alyssa, slicing and seasoning the meat over the fire. The smell of sizzling fat soon filled the clearing, blending with the night breeze.
It felt peaceful, almost deceptively so.
Fifteen minutes later, Blas returned, crouching beside the fire. Hisleather armor bore faint mud and dirt, his expression serious far from his last cowardly demeanor when he faced Auren on a fight.
"Perimeter’s clear within three kilometers," he reported."And the ogres?" Alyssa asked, her tone shifting from casual to commanding.
"I saw a couple about five kilometers ahead. Stragglers, probably. But there’s more further in, I’m sure of it. The reports from the empire scout were right."
"I see." Alyssa nodded.
"Good work." She turned to Essel.
"How’s the barrier?"
"Stable and strong. Nothing’s getting through," Essel confirmed.
Finally, Alyssa looked toward Auren. "How’s dinner?"
Auren grinned and lifted the pan, the scent of roasted meat wafting through the air. "Dinner’s ready, captain."
Blas chuckled. "If he cooks this good, we’re keeping him."
They laughed lightly as they gathered around the fire, the flickering light painting their faces in shades of gold and shadow.
For a brief, perfect moment, it felt like peace—four adventurers under one sky, eating together before whatever waited beyond the forest.
While eating, they started discussing about their strategy based on Blas’s report. Each of them shared more about their skills and abilities and figure out the best way to incorporate their strength.
Of course, Auren’s battle skills shocked them, especially when he showed them his Magnum Krakaboom II.
It is clear, tomorrow would be dangerous.
later, as per routine, one of them would stay awake to remain as watch while the others rest.
Tonight, there was warmth, laughter, and the quiet promise of glory.