It has been one and a half weeks since Eiji and the others were given the mission of retrieving the magic sword core from the department.
Two days later and they would arrived at the Breeze City.
But before that, they planned to rest at a small town along the way.
They had been traveling via a small carriage for weeks and were resting either by the trees, huge rocks or just under the night sky itself.
They managed to get some rest in the small towns and villages they encounter along the way but they were still in a hurry.
They would swap their horses at the IAI Department branches at these small villages that were disguised as inns or other type of merchant stores, and they would always depart the next day.
This wasn't just a killing mission, they also need to retrieve and make sure the target does not get any reinforcement from his backing!
---
After a few hours, they arrived at a small town.
They first went to an inn, where a branch of the IAI Department had started and disguised with, they swapped their horses and took a break from the journey.
The inn keeper gave them a scroll after giving out their blank plaques which indicated who they were.
And every sign of the spy network of the IAI Department had a little brush beside the sign of their businesses.
In the room, Akai unfurled the scroll and read what was in it.
"Still the same, the IAI Department at the Breeze City still haven't seen any shadows of Eden Dugby.
But the best thing is that, if Eden Dugby did not pass through the Breeze City, he would need to go through the forest which would make him slower."
"If that's the case, we just need to wait for the next intelligence and maybe get ahead at Gale City and wait for his routes there!"
Eiji said so after Akai read the scroll.
"Hmm.. that's fine too, besides it wasn't just us that are looking for that guy, and even if we hurry up even more, we still have no idea where he is!"
Marco added.
"Let's just rest for now!"
It was already night, so the three of them decided to just rest for the night.
---
Morning came.
Even before the sun had come up, Akai, Marco and Eiji were already preparing for their departure.
But even then, the whole town was already bustling with activity.
This was a town of farmers so, people tend to wake up and tend to the crops and livestock early in the morning.
Marco and Akai were stunned the first they found out about this, Eiji, a son of a farmer, was not exactly that surprise or more like he knew it. What he did not expect was the two of them not knowing about it.
Although by now they were used to it.
"HE'S HERE!! HE'S HERE!!!"
Suddenly, they heard a loud voice from a running farmer!
"He's back!! Everyone!! Get ready!!"
He was excitedly telling everyone that someone was here, and the other townspeople who heard him also had their eyes brightened up and happily went inside their houses to get something up!
The three of them were curious so they asked a villager who was excitedly preparing some vegetables and water.
"Excuse me sir, but what is going on? Is someone important, some noble coming?"
"Huh?! Noble? Why would a noble come in this sort of place? No! Its the Wandering Swordsman, Coffin Carrier!"
After saying his peice, the old man went to his home and picked some of his reserved food.
Meanwhile, Akai, Marco and Eiji were shocked.
""Coffin Carrier!""
This was a very famous wandering swordsman!
They had seen a lot of wandering swordsman in the past few years, but few were very strong or had made a name for themselves.
But out of the wandering swordsmen in the world, Coffin Carrier could be said to be one of the strongest!
"Guys! Guys! Guys! Let's go!!!"
Marco excitedly told Akai and Eiji, which the two nodded their heads.
This was a legendary swordsman! Rumors had it that he is as strong as a Sage level swordsman even though he was just at the Grandmaster Level!
They couldn't possibly pass up the chance to see for themselves such a legendary person!
And so, they followed the villagers as they walked out of the town.
A few minutes passed by and they finally saw a very thin almost just bones and skin old man!
He had a very dirty appearance and his head was almost bald with only a few white strands of hair left.
He had a double edged sword hanging in his left waist.
This was his famous magic sword, Frostmourne!
But the thing that really makes him very eye catching is the ice coffin he was carrying in his back!
Because it was made of ice, you can see that there was a person inside the coffin!
It was a woman, with simple clothes and a very amiable aura with her!
"S-sir! Have some bread! And water!"
"Sir!! We got you some clothes!"
Then the villagers slowly walked towards the old man but not enough to crowd him.
But the old man did not care about them and just continued his slow pace towards the small mountain.
Curious, Marco asked a villager beside him.
"Uhh.. I want to ask, why do you guys seem enthusiastic in helping the coffin carrier old man?"
One should know that most wandering swordsman had more of an infamy in their names.
They garner attention from doing all sorts of atrocious deeds.
Although from the legends of the coffin carrier old man, he was not one who does that sort of thing, you just dont know if someone had survived or not in their encounter!
"Well, ten years ago, he had helped us drive away bandits that tried to take away our women, children and livestock!
All these years since I was a little kid, I have seen the coffin carrying old man come here every year on the same month, whether it rains or shines, he just comes here!
But it was that moment when he helped us that he was revered as a hero of our village!"
Marco nodded his head.
Akai and Eiji also heard what the villager said.
The legend of the coffin carrying old man was already almost a hundred years old! This was something they didn't know about him.
As the three of them looked ahead at the old man, he seemed to pause a bit in his steps, and before he took another step, he looked at their direction!
It was then!
*BAAANNNGG!!!!!
*CRREEEAAAAKKKK!!!
It was as if something broke and exploded inside their minds!
They felt so much coldness they didn't dare to breathe!
*SWOOSH!
One second!
It was just one second, but it felt like the three of them would die if it continued!
The old man continued on his walk.
""HAAAH!! HAAAHH! "
*THUD!
*THUD!
*THUD!
The three of them dropped to their knees as they clutched their chest in pain.
Their breathes could be seen in the air, as if they were in the middle of winter!
*End Of Chapter.