The Demon Hunter

Ultimately, Herren and Avarosa parted ways the following morning.

As he said, Bronn stayed to help Avarosa, but he was not one of Avarosa's members.

In his own words, he belongs to no one, no tribe; he belongs to Freljord, he is the heart of Freljord, and he belongs to everyone.

He stayed in Avarosa simply because there were enough people who needed him there, and Ashe had truly moved him.

Knowing that Bron was going to stay, the people of Avarosa spontaneously provided him with a tent and lodging, which moved him to tears.

Of course, these things were no longer relevant to him for the time being. Led by a hunter named Skinny Monkey, Herren once again embarked on his journey south.

"Ahead, there is a mountain pass. It will be difficult for people who are not familiar with it to find, but once you find it, everything will be much easier... Although you still need to cross a few more mountain passes, you will no longer need to climb mountains. Just follow the river and you will reach the south."

Riding on the Juvask, the man named Skinny Monkey displayed a confidence far exceeding his appearance, waving his arms with an air of dominance.

This is only natural; he possesses abilities that ordinary people do not have.

Herren really likes this guy.

"Do you often go to the South? How's the South? Have you ever been to Demacia?"

"The South is nice, but it's not my home, so I'll always come back... As for Demacia? I've never been that far."

The skinny monkey shook his head.

"Furthermore, the clans in the south are quite peculiar... You should be careful, there are a lot of shamans in the south."

"Oh? Why?"

"How would I know... I wouldn't call them shamans, but some clans have a lot of people who know magic. Some say they're refugees from Demacia, haha! Sounds funny, right? Refugees who came all the way to Freljord!"

Herren listened silently, nodding occasionally.

These are probably mages who were persecuted by Demacia's anti-magic order and fled here... Perhaps they can't even be considered mages, but just happen to be born with magic and are unlucky enough not to be nobles.

"Also, the south is warmer. You'll see once you cross this mountain. Although there is snow there, the ports near the sea don't freeze. There are some villages there, and from there you can supposedly take a boat to Ionia, or Bilge... what was it again?"

"Bilgewater?"

"Ah, that's probably it... You know about it too?"

"Of course, to be honest, I'm actually a traveler just like you."

How can it not count? Even daydreaming counts as daydreaming.

"Haha, traveler? That's quite a respectable title. No wonder you're such a close friend of the War Mother."

The skinny monkey smiled, a look of emotion on his face.

"I remember when I joined Avarosa, everyone stood in front of me, showing off their skills to the War Mother, but I didn't say anything because I didn't know anything... And guess what? The War Mother actually came up to me and asked me why I wasn't saying anything."

The skinny monkey let out a long sigh, as if in a dream.

"Gods above, I was terrified. I don't know what I was thinking. I stammered, 'I know the way...' Everyone laughed, but the War Mother didn't laugh. Or rather, she smiled, but not mockingly. I still remember her motherly face. She praised me, saying, 'Perfect. The tribe needs someone as knowledgeable as you to lead the way.'"

It's quite strange to hear a man in his thirties say that a girl under twenty is like a mother, but this is the mindset of most Freljord people. The Warmother is the head of the tribe, the mother of everyone.

"From then on, no one called me 'useless skinny monkey' anymore, they all called me 'skinny monkey with insight,' it was like a dream... I knew then that my life no longer belonged solely to myself."

"That's a really strange experience... but I think you're definitely not an exception."

"Yes, many people in the tribe are like that, so everyone is willing to risk their lives for the War Mother."

Over the next few days, Herren and Skinny Monkey traveled at a leisurely pace, and with such an experienced guide leading the way, their journey was incredibly smooth.

The skinny monkey didn't need to carefully distinguish the paths. He chatted and led the way on his own, and they quickly crossed several mountain passes. All around them were unchanging snow and dense forests. Herren had no idea how he had figured out the route.

Herren wasn't idle either, and he talked about his "insights" along the way.

Skinny Monkey had only heard of Ionia and Bilgewater, but Heron could speak about them fluently, which greatly impressed Skinny Monkey.

"You're so knowledgeable... You should be called 'Knowledgeable Herren'!"

"Ha ha……"

After passing several mountain passes, the snow gradually melted away, revealing damp soil, and the weather became noticeably warmer. Heron knew that he was getting closer and closer to Demacia.

So, Herren decided to say goodbye to the skinny monkey.

"Thank you for your hard work. I think you can go back now..."

Herren took out two spare bottles of incendiary solution from the package and gave them to Skinny Monkey as a thank you. Skinny Monkey did not stand on ceremony and gladly accepted.

"Keep going forward until you can see the sea. Then keep going east until you see a mountain. Once you pass that mountain, you'll reach Demacia."

"Okay, I understand."

May the gods bless you, my friend.

……

……

Edessa is a small town in Demacia, built along a river.

This town isn't too far from Freljord, nor is it far from Demacia, the capital of the kingdom in the center, making it a very good transit point.

Demacia itself is not large. It is indeed a large country, but compared to the vast Noxus and the expansive Freljord, its area is relatively small.

However, the unique climate and the solid natural defenses of the mountains make this place safe and prosperous. Along the way, Herren saw many vast farmlands that he greatly admired.

He asked for directions all the way here, and next, to get to Xiongdu, he'll have to ask for directions again.

Almost no one gave a strange look to a Freljord riding a Juvask; they seemed to be used to it.

But this doesn't mean that Herren's journey will be smooth sailing... In this important town adjacent to Xiongdu, Herren encountered his first trouble.

"Hey! What are you doing, Freljordian!"

A strange man dressed in a blue and white trimmed robe and wearing a bizarre half-face bronze mask blocked Heron's path.

They were all incredibly strong, and their uniforms, though seemingly extravagant, suggested they were not ordinary security personnel.

Beneath the wide robe, the armor faintly reflected light.

"Greetings, gentlemen. I am Winter's Claw from Freljord. You may call me Harren. As for my identity... you may consider me an envoy."

"messenger?"

The leader, a man in a long robe, frowned and thought about it seriously for a while.

"Never heard of the name Winter's Claw..."

"Ha, that's not important. I will give Your Majesty a detailed introduction to our tribe... But before that, would you be interested in making an introduction?"

Herren tried his best to be friendly, but the group's expressions grew increasingly sour.

"Alright, His Majesty the King will welcome our distinguished guest, and you will certainly come with us to Xiongdu... but you must bring this with you."

After saying that, they took out a set of chains that looked like they were made of stone.

"...The Demon Hunter???"

"Ah, that's right, Master! Come with us!"