Chapter 21: The Plague of Akarlo Town

Along the bustling streets of Akarlo Town, the shopkeeper meticulously arranged his stall, his gaze fixed on the horizon, ever hopeful for the arrival of travelers.

However, travelers were a rarity now, prompting the shopkeeper to sigh wearily. A fleeting weariness flickered in his eyes, a testament to countless sleepless nights.

He knew, deep down, that no more travelers would grace this village. The Swarm, having seized the forest, was undoubtedly a major deterrent.

Yet, the more pressing concern was the plague that had befallen the town, effectively frightening away any potential visitors.

The shopkeeper sighed to himself once more, a low grumble escaping his lips.

“It’s all that Calamity Witch’s fault. This village is almost done for.”

He muttered, continuing to move his goods.

Upon finishing his work, he let out a sigh of relief, wiping the sweat from his brow. Then, he heard footsteps.

Though faint, they clearly approached his shop, causing him to quickly lift his head.

Entering his view were two youths. One, clad in black, wore a placid expression. The other, however, curiously glanced left and right, taking in his surroundings.

The newcomers were none other than Mo Ya and Akuma.

“Excuse me, where does the owner of this letter reside?”

Standing before the shopkeeper, the youth in black produced a slightly crumpled white letter, pointing to the recipient’s name written upon it.

After searching Akarlo Town fruitlessly for a long time, Mo Ya and Akuma had decided to ask the locals.

Every door they approached remained tightly shut. The few people they spotted on the streets wore expressions of profound exhaustion, prompting Mo Ya to instinctively sense that something was amiss.

This town, it seemed, was under the dominion of negative emotions.

The shopkeeper was visibly surprised, so much so that he forgot his usual merchant’s pleasantries. He stood stunned for a moment before finally regaining his composure.

“Ah, that… let me see.”

As if startled by Mo Ya’s imposing presence, the shopkeeper nervously accepted the envelope, scrutinizing the name written on it.

However, an expression of confusion soon crossed his face.

“We don’t have anyone by this name here.”

The shopkeeper returned the envelope to Mo Ya, palms open in a gesture of helplessness.

Akuma appeared quite taken aback by this outcome, almost shouting out in an instant. Mo Ya subtly stopped him.

“It seems my conjecture was correct.”

A faint curve graced Mo Ya’s lips; he had already pieced things together.

Taking the envelope, he swiftly tore open the sealed flap and extracted its contents.

Akuma quietly moved closer to Mo Ya, his gaze also focusing on the letter’s message. The content was simple and direct, containing only one sentence: ‘Resolve Akarlo’s problem.’

Clearly, Mo Ya and Akuma had been thoroughly tricked by Instructor Xiluo Ya this time. The so-called recipient didn’t exist; it was merely a smokescreen for Instructor Xiluo Ya to send them on an assignment to eliminate the Swarm.

Instructor Xiluo Ya possessed a subtly devious streak.

Mo Ya slowly tore the letter into fragments, discarding them into a nearby trash can.

‘Interesting. If you wish to play, I shall humor you for a while.’

Mo Ya intended to accept the task.

“Um, you two… are you travelers?”

The shopkeeper, observing the bewildering turn of events, seemed somewhat out of his depth.

“You could say that. We are mages,” Akuma replied, speaking for Mo Ya.

“Mages!”

This was momentous news, causing the shopkeeper’s voice to crack slightly.

“Is there a problem?”

“No, no! I’m just a little excited. I never expected mages to visit us. Oh, don’t just stand there, please come in and sit! This is wonderful; this village might just be saved!”

The shopkeeper’s enthusiastic display left Akuma utterly bewildered. He could only follow behind Mo Ya into the shop.

Once inside, Akuma continuously glanced around, captivated by the numerous unfamiliar bottles and jars.

‘A true merchant, indeed,’ Akuma mused inwardly.

The shopkeeper pulled out chairs from within the store, gesturing for the two to sit. After they were both seated, he began to recount the village’s story.

“Actually, the Swarm in the forest, they are all born from our negative emotions. They weren’t here in the beginning.”

Mo Ya nodded, his own Corrosive energy feeling strangely agitated, a clear indication of its influence.

Indeed, negative emotions could strengthen the Corrosive, yet this was the path to power Mo Ya most disdained. He sought strength through battles where lives were truly on the line.

“You must already be somewhat aware of this village’s greatest problem: the plague that afflicts us. People die every day, and no one knows who will be next. I worry about this constantly, which is why I can’t sleep at night.”

The shopkeeper chuckled wryly, but Mo Ya felt no desire to join him in laughter.

“This village wasn’t always like this. Back then, Akarlo Town thrived. Countless travelers would stop here, chatting about all sorts of things with us old bones. But since that day, disaster has plagued this village. Yes, ever since that witch appeared.”

“A witch?”

“Yes, that’s what everyone says. I believe it too. She arrived here some time ago, her body covered in wounds. We took her in and helped her. She seemed quite young, only about nine years old.

At first, the villagers were kind, constantly asking her questions. But the girl wasn’t grateful, only repeating things like, ‘Don’t come near me, you’ll die.’ Everyone dismissed her words.

Then, her words became reality; the plague began to sweep through. Those who had come into contact with her fell one after another, losing their lives. Fear gripped the villagers, and they drove her out of the village.

But the plague didn’t stop; it continued to ravage the village.

Perhaps she’s still hiding somewhere. People’s negative emotions grew, eventually leading to the formation of a dimensional distortion point, and the Swarm emerged. This is truly unfortunate.”

The shopkeeper rubbed his forehead, a hint of sorrow in his cloudy eyes.

“She looked so helpless, why would she be a witch? Perhaps this is just fate’s decree.”

Fate… always fate.

The shopkeeper’s word struck a chord in the hearts of both youths, stirring different thoughts within them.

Akuma quietly lowered his head, while Mo Ya clenched his fists.

He stood up, about to speak, when sounds suddenly erupted from outside the shop.

“Catch her! That’s the Calamity Witch!”

Akuma and Mo Ya were startled simultaneously. Like swift leopards, they sprinted into the street.

The shopkeeper slowly waddled after them, his large belly jiggling.

A figure draped in tattered burlap rushed past Mo Ya. For an instant, Mo Ya felt an incredibly familiar aura.

He turned his head incredulously, catching sight of the girl’s face beneath the burlap. She, too, looked back at Mo Ya.

Their eyes met in that fleeting moment.

Clutching a loaf of bread tightly to her chest, the girl quickly ran off, leaving Mo Ya standing rooted to the spot, while the villagers, like hungry wolves, pursued her from behind.

“Damn it, any further and we’ll be in Swarm territory!”

Seeing their chase was futile, the villagers discarded their weapons. These were, in truth, merely farm implements like iron shovels and spades. Their eyes were filled with regret.

Then, they turned and gathered around Mo Ya and Akuma, encircling them.

“What are you two doing here?”