CHAPTER 32: LEAD THE WAY

Dante grinned ear to ear as he spotted the meager walls guarding Dreadport and thought about cancelling the plan, but the look on Bella’s face put a stop to that. She grabbed his arm like any wife would do, making him cringe before internally complaining. ’Damn woman.’

’’My Lord,’’ the elf said. ’’Start acting more like a human and not a beast out on a hunt, or they’ll discover us.’’

’’Okay.’’

The two of them stepped onto the road leading to the city gates. Once there, Dante spotted dozens of merchants traveling to and from as Darkmoore soldiers patrolled. His eyes narrowed only to summon Raoul, Henry, and Bloodraven, ordering them to pick off the enemy troops.

’What are you going to do?’ the Death Goblin questioned, wariness laced in his voice as he rushed off.

’Cause chaos, unleash the undead in the center of the city,’ he answered. ’Pretty much hunt down anyone strong enough to kill me before killing everyone in the city.’

The Death Knight agreed but wanted to be summoned if any trouble broke out, and he agreed to the request. While walking, Bella turned to him. ’’Why do you want to kill so much? Doesn’t it make you sick.’’

’’No?’’ he answered nonchalantly. ’’Why would I care about the opinions of the people who burned me alive?’’

’’But it wasn’t the humans alive now,’’ she countered. ’’They are their descendants, a child shouldn’t pay for the sins of their fathers.’’

Dante’s eyes narrowed in frustration. ’’Why am I explaining myself to this idiot?’’ he muttered before replying. ’’I don’t honestly care? I’m still going to kill all the people living in the Sunreach Empire and anyone else who gets in my way.’’

After he spoke, an old merchant passed by and greeted them, but he blanked the man like he wasn’t there. He wouldn’t talk to one if it wasn’t important to getting into Dreadport. Just then, Bella responded. ’’Well, there’s a famous hero in the city that wants to challenge the strongest mage.’’

’’Why are you telling me this, elf?’’

’’Because he killed some elvern adventurers years ago,’’ she revealed with a frown. ’’I want you to kill him, I’m sure his carrying loads of gold in the storage ring most high-ranked adventurers have.’’

Dante’s ears twitched before he turned to the blonde elf. ’’What rank is he?’’

’’A.’’

His red eyes gleamed with an excitement he didn’t know he could get. The prospect of fighting someone so strong ignited something within him. Bella noticed the crazy expression crossing his face and wanted no part of it. She tried to escape from his arm, but he wasn’t letting go.

’’No, you’re staying with me, we need to find this adventurer you speak of,’’ he growled.

Following that, the duo continued toward the gate where they were forced to stand in line with the merchant and other travellers. Dante was annoyed at waiting, but when the two Death knights and Bloodraven began killing the patrols by luring them into the Dark Forest, he was prompted to check the Death Camp.

[Death Camp Capacity: 4000/4000]

’Oh shit, I need to expeand it once again,’ he thought, annoyed once again.

Dante spent one thousand points to expand it; he felt the camp grow within the Domain as the craters grew wider. The Death Army guarded the outside alongside Mary the wraith, who annoyed him.

[Death Points: 54003400]

[Death Camp Capacity: 4000/6000]

Just then, Dante felt the undead throwing the bodies into the Domain, circling Dreadport. He grinned at the hundreds of undead Darkmoore soldiers and adventurers who had been killed, making the next part of his plans easier to execute. While he was daydreaming, Bella nudged him. ’’We’re nearly there, husband.’’

Dante was about to scold her, but noticed the nearby soldiers and played the part. ’’Sorry, I was daydreaming.’’

The blonde elf let out a soft giggle just as a human stepped into their path. Dante’s eyes flicked upward, noting the man’s towering height. Before he could speak, the soldier’s voice cut through. ’’Greetings, travelers. What brings you to the ass end of nowhere?’’

’’We’ve come to buy some stuff for our new homestead,’’ Bella lied. ’’We’re a few miles south of here.’’

When the man heard this, concern appeared in his eyes, confusing him as he finally responded. ’’Yes. We’ve been getting reports of a Necromancer terrorising Ashvale and Thornebrooke. The City Lord has hired some of the best adventurers on Nemorath to hunt this fiend down.’’

Dante’s excitement soared as Bella glanced at him, but he spoke. ’’How many are here? I recall some merchants mentioning the king bringing in a S Rank warrior. Is that true?’’

The older human shook his head and honestly answered. ’’No, the kingdom couldn’t find a person willing to come all the way out here, so he brought in some A and B Ranks. Adventurers from the homeland.’’

’’Interesting,’’ Dante muttered, a smile spread across his face, but didn’t reach his eyes. ’’Now we need to buy some seeds, food, and many other things to set up the house. Can we enter Dreadport?’’

When the older man heard this, he nodded, stepping aside as he gave the other soldiers the green light. ’’Let this couple through, they’re here to buy some home goods.’’

A few moments later, the heavy gates groaned open with a resounding clatter, revealing the chaos of the city beyond. Dante’s gaze swept over the streets, where rows of colorful shops brimmed with activity. It teemed with people weaving through the crowd, while horse-drawn carriages rumbled through, parting the throng like ships cutting through waves.

The air carried many scents: freshly baked bread, roasted meats, and the faint tang of sea salt from the nearby docks. His stomach rumbled, a reminder of the survival rations he’d endured for weeks. He glanced at Bella, her blonde hair catching the sunlight as she scanned the chaos with narrowed eyes.

’’I smell real food,’’ Dante muttered, a grin tugging at his lips. "None of that bread or jerky. Let’s get a proper meal."

Bella nodded. ’’Lead the way, but it better be good. I’m not settling for some greasy tavern slop.’’

They made their way through the bustling crowd, dodging a merchant balancing a stack of crates and sidestepping a group of children chasing a stray dog. The streets of Dreadport were a labyrinth of activity. Colorful awnings decorated stalls piled high with exotic fruits, smoked fish, and delicious-looking pastries.

Dante locked onto a shop nestled between a blacksmith and a tailor, its wooden sign creaking in the breeze. The faded lettering read The Salty Hearth, and the aroma wafting from its open door promised hearty fare. ’’Looks promising,’’ he said, dragging Bella toward the entrance.

The door swung open with a jingle of bells, revealing a cozy interior lit by lanterns. They noticed the tables were crowded with locals, sailors, traders, and a few mercenaries, devouring plates of sizzling meat and golden-crusted pies. A stout woman with flour-dusted hands bustled behind the counter, barking orders to a young server juggling trays.

Dante and Bella claimed a small table near a window overlooking the street. A server, barely out of his teens, hurried over, wiping his hands on a stained apron. ’’Welcome to The Salty Hearth,’’ he said, flashing a tired but genuine smile. ’’What’ll it be for you travelers?’’

He leaned forward, scanning the chalkboard menu scrawled with the day’s offerings. ’’What’s the best thing you’ve got? Something that’ll stick to the ribs.’’

The server chuckled. ’’Cook’s got a lamb stew today, thick as you like, with fresh bread. Or there’s roasted Deepsea Mana Cod with herb butter, straight from the docks this morning.’’

Bella’s blue eyes lit up. ’’Cod for me. And some of that bread.’’

’’Stew,’’ Dante said, nodding. ’’And ale. Two mugs.’’

As the server scurried off, he leaned back, taking in the lively hum of the shop. Bella tapped her fingers on the table, her gaze drifting to the street outside where a juggler entertained a small crowd. ’’Dreadport’s something else,’’ she said. ’’Never seen this place so busy on my last journey here.’’

’’Yeah,’’ he replied, his tone thoughtful. ’’They’ve got secrets. Keep your eyes sharp.’’

Their food arrived quickly, the steaming plates drawing envious glances from nearby tables, but this didn’t bother Dante. He dug into the stew, its warmth spreading through him like a fire. Bella tore into her cod, the fish melting under the golden herb butter. For a moment, the two ate in silence, the clamor fading into the background as they savored their first proper meal in days.

But his instincts prickled; a shadowed figure lingered too long by the shop’s entrance, watching them through the window. His gaze turned toward the source only to see nothing, causing him to think. ’Have I been spotted?’

As the chilling truth of this twisted reality crashed over him, Dante’s mind shattered like glass under a hammer’s blow. With a snarl, he sent the four undead back into the Domain, their. His senses screamed, a predator’s killing intent locked onto him, a venomous arrow aimed at his heart.

He leaned toward Bella, his voice slicing through the tension. ’’Run and hide now!’’