Desolate World

Deep down in the cave. Ace was running full speed. The plan was changed, again. He sighed. He recalled his plans had always changed since the game started. Of course, he knew that they were for the best, as the situation forced them. However, it made him bitter. He thought that he was so insignificant to always be wobbled by the situations.

After knowing that Mila, Nila's sister's position changed, went to their location at high speed, Ace was lost for words. Wasn't she caught by vampires? How could she be moving? Did she escape? However, it was impossible for her to move at high speed, right?

With many questions in his head, he could only make a most reasonable conclusion. That was, someone tried to save her. And the reason she moved at high speed was because she and someone who saved her were chased by the vampires.

After making the temporary conclusion, Ace said to Cloud and Geo that he would go first. If the situation was like what he had guessed, he could help them escape. Meanwhile, Cloud and Geo could move at their speed. He was afraid of something would happen to Mila and someone who had rescued her so he could only hurry to go. And it was impossible for them to travel with him.

Cloud agreed with him. She promised to catch up as soon as possible, and urged him to go immediately.

After drinking a bottle of stealth potion, he was running into the cave at full speed. Something that he couldn't do if he was with the rest of his family.

There was no mist in the cave, which made his vision come back to normal. Although it was very dark inside of the cave, he could see around without any problems. 

Five minutes running, he didn't see any enemy except for a vampire servant near the entrance. He was hanging upside down on the cave ceiling. He seemed to be ordered to watch the entrance. He was just level 5. It would be no problem for Cloud and Geo to pass or kill him. So, Ace ignored him. He didn't want his stealth effect to expire by attacking the vampire servant.

At the tenth minute since he entered the cave, he heard a few flaps of wings. The noises of the flaps were subtle but with his extraordinary hearing, he could catch them.

Ace immediately stopped. He didn't think that hiding was needed. However, he chose to wait next to the cave wall subconsciously.

A minute later, he saw them. 27 vampires and vampire servants were flying towards his location. Each of them carried an unconscious human. Their speed couldn't be said fast, so Ace could check each of their information. As he saw a vampire in the middle of the formation, his expression was stiff.

'A player?' Ace asked in his heart. He looked at Hugo in amazement. It was the first time he saw a player that wasn't his family member since he entered the game. 

It also confirmed Gon's statement that there were players aka guardians that could revive after death in intelligent races. However, he wasn't astonished for a long time, as he saw the target of the mission, well it wasn't a mission, as he didn't get a notification from the system. He wondered if it was a part of the 'finding the people' mission or in fact, Cloud got the mission from the spirit girl but 'forgot' to share it with him.

Whatever it was. He found Mila, Nila's sister. He was carried by a vampire woman. A hot vampire woman, cough…

'Now, it becomes complicated. 27 enemies. Although most of them are just below level 10, all of them are flying creatures. Fu**! How can I save her?' Ace thought hard.

After he saw the strength of the vampires, Ace was intrigued. With the help of Geo's pets and Cloud, It was not impossible to save Mila, but it was too risky. If worse came to the worst, any of them could be killed. And he didn't want something like that to happen.

The vampires were passing him, but he didn't do anything. He knew it was useless to take any action now, as he was just alone. He could only tail them a little behind, while thinking of the solution.

***

Hugo was glad as he saw the entrance of the cave. He then saw a vampire servant who he had ordered to watch the entrance flying to his group.

"Anything strange happened other than the humans' arrival?" He asked.

The vampire servant said, "No, Viscount! No one entered after that."

Hugo nodded, he then said, "Good job! We will leave now." 

The vampire servant then joined the other vampire servants in the front.

"Finally…," Hugo muttered. He was pretty alert since he encountered Noah and the other refugees. And it was pretty tiring. Now that he was going to leave the cave, he could put his mind at ease.

Freya, who was flying beside him, then asked, "So, we will just come back like this, Viscount?" 

Hugo felt torn in the way she said it, but he chose to ignore it. He nodded.

"Yes, although it was still bright outside. The mist of the forest will minimize the effects of the sunlight. You don't have to worry," He said some nonsense to avoid the subject she wanted to talk about.

Freya gritted her teeth, she then said, "No! I mean…."

Didn't want to hear about what she wanted to say next, Hugo interrupted her, "By the way Freya. How about the girl's condition?"

Freya glared at Hugo. However, she still answered, "She is fine. Maybe she will wake up in 3 hours."

Hugo nodded. He then said, "She was a pretty good seedling. Be careful when carrying her."

As Freya seemed to want to answer, lightning struck some vampires and vampire servants in front of her.

Hugo was stunned for a moment. He then saw more lightning strike his subordinates. A fireball also came from the entrance and struck a vampire servant who just joined them to death.

"What the fu**?!" Hugo couldn't help but curse.

***