Lost Moon

The sword hidden in Sikar Mountain had once belonged to the previous owner of the Demon Hunting Seal in Shade's hand—the ophthalmologist's ancestor from the distant past.

As for why that High-Ring Arcanist had not kept the two relics together, the parchment Shade received from Mr. Alfred, the ophthalmologist, did not explain it clearly. The parchment merely recorded the sword's location, as well as the concealment and defensive measures meant to prevent others from taking it.

Although that had happened eight hundred years ago, it had been arranged by a High-Ring Arcanist, so Shade believed the chances of someone having taken the sword were very low. But times changed, and even Sikar Mountain itself had changed greatly over eight centuries.

Therefore, even with a location determined through the twilight sunlight and a detailed map of Sikar Mountain, Shade still could not guarantee that he would find it.

He set out from Red Water Camp at nearly five in the afternoon, heading down the mountain along Wind Arising Path before entering the forest. He spent several minutes dealing with evil spirits that had appeared from who knew where to block his way, then, unfortunately, encountered a black bear blind in one eye that was foraging in the mountains.

Shade had not intended to kill it, but it launched a savage attack on the Outlander, and moonlight promptly severed its head.

Still, Shade did not waste the corpse of the bear, which had been fattening itself for autumn. He turned it into a toy and carried it with him, thinking he could either sell it to a local merchant or take it to a restaurant in Tobesk.

A hazy mist appeared from nowhere at twilight. Though it was nowhere near as overwhelming as the avalanche-like White Fog Shade had encountered in the