Chapter 34: Tristram

With this young and brave adventurer beside her, Ileena felt an unprecedented sense of security. The demons she and her sisters had once strained every sinew to escape, this young man cut down effortlessly, like chopping melons. He blocked all the monsters, stopping them from getting near her. His broad back stood like an insurmountable wall, shielding her from all dangers…

This reality tore apart her understanding of the relationship between adventurers and mercenaries. From what everyone, including leader Kashya, had described before, mercenaries were merely tools used by adventurers. Many despicable adventurers used the pitiful mercenaries to lure monsters, to act as shields, leading to heavy casualties and tragic fates for the women mercenaries of the Rogue Encampment.

But to maintain the camp’s existence and protect the weak who couldn’t fight, the Rogues had to accept employment from these adventurers, offering their service and sacrifice in silence.

Clearly, this young Barbarian adventurer before her was nothing like that.

Ileena couldn’t tell if the legends circulating in the camp were wrong, or if she’d just been lucky to meet a kind, righteous adventurer.

“Maybe it’s the times,” she found an excuse for herself. “After sixty years of isolation, the adventurers of old are gone. This place feels like a forgotten land. He’s the first adventurer to come to the Rogue Encampment in sixty years… everything feels different.”

Sun Fei noticed the beautiful Mercenary’s slight confusion. He just laughed heartily and didn’t pursue the topic. Turning, he stepped into the Portal.

Mind full of turbulent thoughts, Ileena hurried to follow.

…

The trip back from the Dark Forest to the Stony Field took Sun Fei less than ten minutes.

It was so fast because while asking Angela to translate the Scroll from the Infernal Tree, he’d bought two bottles of Stamina Potion. He drank one and gave one to Ileena. Unlimited stamina made them incredibly fast. Plus, the monsters along the return path had already been cleared; there were no obstacles. So the two dashed back unimpeded.

They soon arrived before the five stone pillars.

Sun Fei pulled out the Scroll and studied the order translated on it. Following the required sequence, he carefully touched each of the five pillars in turn.

Instantly, the day turned as black as night. The sun and moon lost their light. A fierce gale rose from nowhere, whipping up countless dead leaves as if the world faced its doom. Then, blue light shot out from the five pillars, merging together. Slowly, a huge, blood-red portal materialized in the center of the pillars. It resembled solidified blood, threaded with flickering yellow light.

This was the Portal leading to Tristram, the town where the shifty old man Kane was trapped.

Sun Fei stood outside, studying the pillars. “Quite the spectacle,” he thought privately, marveling at the extravagant and intimidating ‘climax’ scene these pillars produced.

Mercenary Beauty Ileena’s face also showed astonishment.

The wonders she had witnessed in the less than two hours following Sun Fei far surpassed the sum of her entire twenty years of life experiences.

“After we go through this Portal, we’ll face many demons,” Sun Fei turned to instruct Ileena. “Be careful. Stay close behind me. Don’t rush out too aggressively…” He paused, then added, concerned, “Remember, if things get too dangerous, retreat through the Portal immediately. Don’t try to be brave.”

According to the Diablo II story, Tristram had already been destroyed by the awakened Diablo, becoming a playground for demons and the Undead. Moreover, the former holy Paladin, Griswold, had sunk into corruption, becoming a terrifying demon, the boss monster here. Saving Kane would require immense effort. Sun Fei felt confident he could slowly whittle down all the monsters; his backpack held over a dozen Minor Healing Potions, more than enough for this fight.

But if the situation turned truly perilous, he might fail to protect Ileena. If monsters closed in on this Sorceress Archer, they would tear her apart. That’s why he kept emphasizing caution.

After speaking, Sun Fei stepped into the Portal and vanished.

Watching him disappear, Ileena felt a profound warmth in her heart.

Though Sun Fei hadn’t spoken with particular tenderness, the beautiful Mercenary could sense his concern for her – a kind of familial care.

“Someone worth dedicating oneself to,” she realized slightly delayed. Her expression firmed as if making a decision. Bow in hand, she stepped into the blood-red Portal.

…

Shampoo City.

The sun was nearly overhead.

The mysterious black enemy forces remained poised. Their armor-blackened formations, like a black flood, held the narrow Stone Bridge across the Zuli River. Like a colossal serpent coiled in place, they seemed to flick a crimson tongue, patiently waiting for the moment to strike with lethal force.

An unbearable pressure permeated the air. It felt tangible, rolling wave after wave toward the battlements of Shampoo City.

Tension smoldered amidst the silence of death, pierced only by the roar of the surging river.

On the city walls, soldiers of the Royal Guard and some civilians sweated profusely under the sun. The blazing morale they had felt hours before had plummeted to dangerous levels. Though Brook had arranged rotations, this unseen pressure exhausted everyone mentally.

The enemy still hadn’t attacked.

This silence worked like a blunt knife, slowly chipping away at the soldiers’ courage.

Brook’s heart sank as time dragged on.

White-haired warrior Pierce walked nervously back and forth in front of the ruined stone building of the Watchtower on the wall, carrying the King’s Sword on his back. Anxious.

Every eye peering over the damaged stone city wall focused on a young man deep in contemplation below.

It was King Alexander, miraculously recovered.

If anyone in Shampoo City still harbored a sliver of hope amidst this calamity, it was this young man who gave it to them.

Somehow, even Shampoo City’s strongest warrior, Frank Lampard, no longer instilled a sense of safety. Instead, this young man, once called the foolish king, had magically quieted their fearful, trembling hearts.

…

Tristram.

The moment Sun Fei’s head emerged from the Portal, a horde of skeleton warriors brandishing bone-stiff weapons surged forward to hack him.

“Damn, so many? That’s violent!” Sun Fei cursed inwardly. His Two-Handed Greataxe jerked. A mighty horizontal sweep sliced through the air. Flash! The blades connected. The first three skeletons shattered with a crash, crashing to the ground in piles of bones.

The real challenge loomed behind them.

More Skeleton Warriors surged forward like an unending tide. Lurking behind them lumbered Zombies. Further back were shouting Fallen issuing taunts. Even common monsters in Tristram had mutated, their killing power and defenses far stronger than before.

Wherever Sun Fei swung his great axe, monsters wailed and fell.

But killing speed was insufficient. Hits landed on him in moments. His health bar dove downward rapidly, terrifying him. With a furious roar, he unleashed the Barbarian Skill – Howl.

The surrounding monsters scattered in fright, allowing him a vital chance to gulp down a Health Potion.

The effect of Howl soon faded; the monsters charged again.

Suddenly—

Thwi-thwi-thwi—!

Flurries of Ice Arrows flew like sleet.

Mercenary Beauty Ileena had finally emerged from the Portal! Her Longbow rippled past, unleashing volleys of deadly arrows. Five or six monsters immediately fell dead in their tracks.

“Keep your distance! Stay back, behind me!” Sun Fei shouted, wielding his greataxe to charge forward once more. He blocked the monster tide, gave another Howl, and chased the fleeing demons with heavy chops. As Howl faded again, he quickly roared once more. This process cycled repeatedly.

Finally, after over ten minutes, this wave of low-level monsters was utterly wiped out.

Tristram had transformed into a ruin. Its former prosperity vanished. The earth cracked; buildings lay splintered. Hellfire burned everywhere beneath a sky choked with black smoke. No blade of grass grew. Every original villager of this town had been slaughtered by demons from Hell or corrupted, becoming bloodthirsty new monsters or Undead roaming aimlessly. Their shrilled roars signalled an immediate charge at the first flicker of life.

The major boss monster in Tristram was the corrupted former Paladin – Griswold. This formidable opponent posed extreme difficulty.

But he usually hid amid collapsed ruins, guarding pervy Kane dangling in his cage. He didn’t rush out headlong for a death match immediately, granting Sun Fei some preparation time.

Sun Fei advanced slowly, attempting to avoid awakening this dangerous boss.

However, turning a bend near the town square, Sun Fei and Ileena encountered a large pack of Skeleton Archers.

In the computer game from a previous life, these creatures were tricky. Unlike their mindless brethren wielding mere blades, these dozen skeletons possessed faint intellect. They stood far distant, firing arrows like rain – utterly shameless. Sneak attacks? Corner ambushes? Precise strikes? Their cold arrows caught prey suddenly, unpredictably.

Sun Fei gestured for Ileena to step back further. Then, he switched his weapons.

A flash of golden gleam later.

Storm Piercer Short Sword and Soul Emblem Small Round Shield appeared equipped on him. Sun Fei vaulted out indistinctly. STAB! His short sword plunged into the skull of a skeleton lurking stealthily by a thicket corner, preparing his treacherous assault. The blade twisted mercilessly within its bony structure.