"The journey is off! You guys can find your own way from here. There is no way I am going through the Valley of Monsters. Good luck!"
The driver threw one of their bags on the ground and immediately drove off, leaving the group standing right in front of a grand canyon that led into a thick, foreboding forest, far from where any other cities could actually be.
As the driver's carriage disappeared into the distance, both Aisha and Echidna had their jaws dropped, shocked that the man could actually just abandon them the way he did.
"Tsk, I knew that driver shouldn't be trusted. I should have killed him the moment I suspected something," Kelvin uttered from behind the girls, his arms folded with an angry look plastered on his face.
Slowly, Echidna turned around to look at him, her eyes balling with water as she spoke with a soft, trembling voice.
"Kelvinnn~ what are we supposed to do now? I don't have my spellbook, and I don't know my way from here either. Are we lost?"
"Eek!" Kelvin flinched a bit at her questions, mainly because he himself wasn't sure what he was supposed to do next.
Nevertheless, he gave her a response.
"D-don't worry about it yet. If we all just go through the forest together, we should be okay. Besides, this dude is with us anyway—"
Just as he turned to point to Ash, he was shocked to see that Ash had already picked up his bag from the floor and was getting ready to walk into the grand canyon, with Aisha following right beside him.
"Huh? Hey, hold on just a minute! Where do you think you're going? Hey! I know you can hear me!" Kelvin yelled while pointing aggressively.
Echidna herself was quite curious, but she didn't say anything.
After a while, Ash stopped and turned around halfway to look at them.
"Is there a problem?"
"Is there a problem? Where the hell do you think you're going, heading into the monster's den with that woman beside you, huh? Do you even have any means of protecting her?"
"Huh?" Ash raised a brow. "What I do with Aisha is none of your business."
Kelvin frowned. "I see how it is. I knew you were suspicious from the start. You're one of those dudes, aren't you?"
"Ahem, Kelvin, maybe you should stop talking now," Echidna grabbed him by the arm, urging him to keep quiet.
But Kelvin ignored all warnings and continued his tirade.
"You're one of those dudes who goes around using women for his own benefit to hide his insecurities and lack of strength!"
He pointed even more aggressively.
"Though I do not know her name, I do know that woman is an elf, meaning she has to be your slave. It all makes sense now! Because of how strong she is, you intend to use her as a shield in the forest of monsters!"
All while Kelvin was ranting, Ash kept a straight face, but dark shadows gathering under his eyes slowly showed how angry he was getting.
Aisha, who was still standing beside him, could not fully make sense of what was happening, but she was sure she didn't like it.
For whatever reason, her master was clearly getting triggered, which was leading to her own hand reaching for her sword.
As if that wasn't enough, Kelvin suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at Ash, rather than just his finger this time.
"Last time I asked you for a duel, you had her knock my blade out of the carriage. Last time, it was for my pride as a warrior and a man. This time, I will be doing it to save that poor girl from your clutches. Come, let us duel!"
"Mister, I think you've got it all wrong. Master isn't—"
Before Aisha could finish, Kelvin spoke over her. "You don't have to worry. I won't lose to a man who depends on a woman for protection. If anything, you should be worry-free. He probably manipulated you into following him. I'll end it all this instant."
"And if I refuse?" Ash asked, fully knowing the answer he was going to get.
"If you refuse, then I will have no choice but to cut you down where you stand! My pride as a man and a warrior will never allow you to walk away from here with that woman as your meat shield!"
"What's this guy's deal? He isn't listening to a single word I'm saying," Aisha frowned a bit.
Meanwhile, Echidna remained at the side, observing with an expression that screamed she wanted to see more.
After a few moments of tense silence, Ash sighed.
"Figures as much. You have a punchable face, so using you as an excuse to vent my anger after getting scammed by that driver shouldn't be too bad."
He placed the bag on the floor, then took a few steps forward.
"A duel it is."
Echidna's eyes widened in amazement.
She didn't think he would actually engage in the duel.
She had assumed he would simply ignore Kelvin like before, but this outcome was just as intriguing.
Kelvin scowled even more after seeing how Echidna's gaze was sparkling as she looked at Ash.
Something about that seriously pissed him off.
His hold on his blade tightened, and he looked back at his opponent.
"I am glad you finally decided to agree this time and not run away like a little bitch. Good. Get your weapon, and we can get this going. Or don't tell me you intend to fight me with no weapons, hahahah!" Kelvin laughed.
"…"
"Huh? Are you serious? You want to fight me with no weapons? Are you insulting me or something?!"
"You talk way too much."
Boom!
Ash charged forward, closing the distance between them in a matter of seconds.