Chapter 537: A Trail Long Buried

Adam and Azrynn began exploring the streets of Ferrund, hoping to find someone who knew the location of the ancient temple.

The city was considerably livelier than they had expected. Merchants shouted to attract customers, street vendors advertised their freshly prepared food, and travelers from different races crowded the roads. Demi-humans were particularly common, their varied appearances making the city feel like a gathering place for people from all corners of the continent.

Fortunately, neither Adam nor Azrynn attracted much trouble because of their appearances. Adam’s horns could easily be mistaken for those of a demi-human race, while Azrynn’s pointed ears and dark features clearly marked her as an elf of some kind. Most people in Ferrund seemed more interested in their own business than in questioning strangers.

Still, Azrynn occasionally caught people staring at her.

Unlike ordinary elves, her dark skin, distinctive ears, and unusual appearance made it difficult to mistake her for one of the more common elven races. Some people looked at her with curiosity, while others whispered briefly to their companions before moving on.

Azrynn paid them little attention. She had grown accustomed to being treated differently, and a few curious glances were hardly enough to disturb her.

However, the growing crowd soon became a more immediate problem.

As they entered a particularly busy street, Adam noticed that the number of people had increased considerably. Groups of travelers moved in the same direction, while merchants struggled to keep their stalls from being overwhelmed by the passing crowds.

"Is something happening today?" Adam wondered aloud.

Azrynn looked around, equally puzzled.

"I’m not sure. The city seems unusually crowded."

Before they could investigate further, a group of people pushed past them from behind. Azrynn was caught off guard as someone bumped into her shoulder, forcing her to stumble sideways.

Adam reacted immediately, reaching out to catch her by the waist before she could lose her balance.

"Careful."

Azrynn steadied herself against him, then looked up.

"Thank you. I didn’t expect them to push so suddenly."

Adam released her once she was standing firmly again. He glanced at the crowd, his brows drawing together slightly.

’This is getting ridiculous. At this rate, we’ll spend the entire day being pushed around without getting anywhere.’

He had originally assumed the crowd was simply the result of ordinary market activity. But as he watched more people heading toward the same part of the city, he began to suspect there was a specific reason for all this commotion.

"Let’s ask someone," he suggested.

Adam approached a nearby vendor who was arranging several baskets of fruit beside his stall.

"Excuse me. Why is everyone gathering here today? Is there some kind of festival?"

The vendor looked at him with mild surprise before breaking into a grin.

"You don’t know? The tournament starts tonight!"

"Tonight?"

"That’s right! Fighters from all over the kingdom have come to participate. Some are adventurers, others are mercenaries, and a few are even nobles’ personal champions. Everyone’s eager to see who’s going to come out on top."

The vendor gestured toward the crowd moving down the street.

"The tournament grounds are already attracting visitors, and plenty of merchants have come here to take advantage of the occasion. It’ll be even busier once the opening ceremony begins!"

Adam nodded thoughtfully.

"I see. That explains the crowd."

"Of course! You’d have to be living under a rock not to hear about it by now!" The vendor laughed before returning to his work.

Adam stepped back toward Azrynn and Sylphy.

"So, there’s a tournament tonight."

Azrynn nodded. "That would explain why the city is so crowded. If fighters have come from other regions, the tournament must be fairly well known."

Sylphy, who had been floating beside them while carefully avoiding the passing pedestrians, suddenly brightened.

"A tournament? That sounds fun!"

Adam glanced at her.

"You just want to watch people fight, don’t you?"

"Of course! What’s wrong with that? Watching powerful people show off their abilities is interesting!"

"At least you’re honest about it."

Adam turned back toward the street, considering their situation.

They still needed to locate the ancient temple, and the tournament had nothing to do with their primary objective. Getting caught up in a crowded public event would only waste time, especially when they had no guarantee that anyone there knew anything about the dark elves’ history.

On the other hand, an event that attracted fighters, adventurers, and travelers from across the kingdom might also attract people with useful information.

Perhaps someone had heard stories about the old temple. Perhaps there were even records hidden somewhere in the kingdom.

Adam glanced at Azrynn.

"Since we’re here anyway, we might as well see whether we can learn anything from the people attending the tournament."

Azrynn considered the suggestion before nodding.

"That makes sense. We may find someone who knows more about the surrounding region."

Sylphy spun happily in the air.

"Great! Then we’re going to watch the tournament!"

"That’s not what I said."

"But it’s what we’re going to do!"

Adam stared at the little spirit for a moment before letting out a quiet sigh.

’I’ve started to understand why Proserpine sent her with us.’

It wasn’t because she was a reliable guide.

It was probably because someone else needed to experience the headache of dealing with her.

With that thought, Adam followed the flow of the crowd, accompanied by Azrynn and the delighted little spirit, toward the part of Ferrund where the tournament was scheduled to take place.

The closer they got to the tournament grounds, the louder the streets became.

Vendors had set up temporary stalls along the roads, selling everything from grilled meat skewers to brightly colored trinkets. Some were even offering charms that supposedly brought good luck to competitors. The smell of freshly cooked food mixed with the excited chatter of the crowd, creating an atmosphere that reminded Adam of a festival back on Earth.

It was surprisingly lively.

"That smells delicious!"

Sylphy had already abandoned her interest in the tournament. She hovered beside a food stall, staring at a tray of honey-glazed pastries with undisguised longing.

Adam caught her by the back of her tiny outfit before she could drift any closer.

"Don’t even think about it."

"Why not?!"

"Because you don’t have any money."

"I can pay you back later!"

"With what? The ancient wisdom you supposedly possess?"

Sylphy was annoyed by Adam’s words.

Azrynn turned her head away, hiding a faint smile.

"You’re horrible!" Sylphy shouted, flailing her arms. "I’ll remember this!"

"Good. Maybe you’ll remember where the temple is while you’re at it."

"THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH FOOD!"

Adam released her, leaving the little spirit to grumble indignantly behind them.

Eventually, the three reached a large open plaza near the tournament grounds. A towering stone archway marked the entrance, decorated with banners bearing the crest of Ferrund’s royal family. Beyond it stood a massive arena surrounded by several tiers of seating. Even from outside, Adam could hear the occasional roar of the crowd from within.

He raised his eyebrows.

’That’s quite a structure. They certainly didn’t build this just to host a few friendly sparring matches.’

Several guards stood near the entrance, directing visitors and checking tickets. Nearby, a large board displayed information about the tournament, including its schedule and the names of registered participants.

Adam approached it, curious about the event’s rules.

The tournament was divided into several stages. Preliminary matches would determine which participants advanced to the main competition, followed by elimination rounds that would eventually produce a single champion.

There were separate categories for different levels of combat ability, though the details were somewhat vague. The organizers appeared to place more emphasis on practical combat strength than on rigid numerical rankings.

Adam scanned the board for a moment before losing interest.

He had no intention of participating. The last thing he needed was to attract unnecessary attention while investigating the dark elves’ history.

"Do you see anything useful?" Azrynn asked as she joined him.

"Not really."

He glanced toward the crowd.

"We should look for adventurers or older travelers. They might have heard stories about the temple."

Azrynn nodded in agreement.

Before they could move, however, a sudden commotion erupted nearby.

"Make way! Make way!"

A group of heavily armed men pushed through the crowd, forcing pedestrians to step aside. Their equipment was noticeably better than that of ordinary adventurers, with polished armor, finely crafted weapons, and matching insignias attached to their clothing.

Several people immediately recognized them.

"Look! That’s the Rock Killer party!"

"They’re participating again this year?"

"I heard their leader defeated a rank-A monster last month!"

The adventurers seemed accustomed to the attention. Their leader, a tall beastkin man with gray fur and a pair of curved horns, walked at the front with a large sword resting across his back. His confident stride and sharp gaze suggested someone who had spent years fighting dangerous opponents.

Adam glanced at them casually.

At the same time, he allowed his System to assess the group.

He didn’t need to see their status panels to understand the results. The information was conveyed directly to him, allowing him to form a rough judgment of their capabilities without drawing attention to himself.

The leader was reasonably strong, with a well-developed physique and considerable combat experience. His companions were competent as well, though their abilities varied. None of them appeared particularly exceptional when compared to the powerful beings Adam had encountered throughout his journey.

Still, they were far from ordinary.

Then the beastkin leader’s gaze passed over him and settled on Azrynn.

He slowed slightly.

His eyes lingered on her unusual appearance, and one of his companions leaned closer to whisper something in his ear.

Azrynn noticed their attention but remained composed.

Adam, meanwhile, paid little mind to their curiosity. He had already assessed their strength, and unless they decided to cause trouble, there was little reason to concern himself with them.

The beastkin leader eventually looked away and continued toward the arena entrance, his companions following close behind.

Sylphy drifted closer to Adam’s shoulder.

"Those people look strong!"

"Strong enough, I suppose."

"That’s all you have to say? Didn’t you see how everyone reacted to them?"

"I did. Apparently, being famous means people will shout your name whenever you walk down the street."

Sylphy crossed her arms and looked away.

"You’re no fun!"

Azrynn ignored their exchange, her attention shifting toward a nearby notice board where several people had gathered. An elderly man was explaining something to a group of younger adventurers, gesturing toward a map of the surrounding territory.

She approached quietly enough to overhear part of their conversation.

"...the old ruins beyond the northern road? No, you won’t find anything there. Most of those places collapsed centuries ago."

"Then what about the temple near the old desert?"

The elderly man’s expression changed slightly.

"That place? Why would you want to go there?"

Azrynn stopped walking.

Adam noticed immediately and followed her gaze.

The conversation continued.

"I heard there were ancient elven ruins somewhere in that region," one of the adventurers explained. "We’re looking for relics."

The old man shook his head.

"Then look elsewhere. That temple has been abandoned for generations. The road leading there is barely maintained, and the surrounding land is dangerous. Even the locals rarely venture that far."

Adam’s attention sharpened.

’This is the information we are looking for.’

It wasn’t enough to confirm that they had found their destination, but the resemblance was too close to ignore.

He exchanged a glance with Azrynn.

She gave him a small nod, silently conveying that she had reached the same conclusion.

Adam stepped closer to the group.

"Excuse me. Could you tell us more about that temple?"

The elderly man turned toward him, looking Adam and Azrynn over with mild suspicion.

"Why are you interested in it?"

Adam offered a casual smile.

"We’re travelers. We heard there were ancient ruins in the area and became curious."

The old man studied them for another moment before sighing.

"If it’s merely curiosity, I’d advise you to forget about it. That place has a bad reputation. People who venture too far into those ruins sometimes return with strange stories, while others never return at all."