Chapter 53: Corrupted Forest 5

Inside the deep wilderness of Kaksan forest, the lively ecosystem and wilderness were playing out their natural and normal roles. Beasts, plants, and animals all lived within an endless cycle of consumption, where the strong preyed on the weak, and the dead were consumed by the plants.

It was a normal cycle, the natural course of nature. However, deep within the gigantic trees and bushes, one creature refused to accept its fate.

A venom leopard ran desperately, though its bloodied leg was nearly giving up. In its mouth, it carried the last of her cubs. With haggard breath, the leopard moved swiftly, leaping from tree to tree, traversing various terrains, all in an effort to escape.

KKKROOARRK!!

A mysterious roar echoed through the forest, signaling the approach of its predator. Still, the mother leopard didn't give up and continued to run. As it looked around, it finally noticed a tall tower deep within the lush forest. The leopard approached it, thinking it was the best place to hide its last remaining child.

UGRAAK!!

Finally, the mysterious creature chasing it became visible. Shrouded in a dark layer of black aura and mana, the beast, or rather the monster, resembled an otherworldly creature with the head of a wolf, the hands of a bear, and the body of a human. Ugly, six-looking tentacles wriggled behind its back.

The leopard hastened its speed and soon found itself near the tower. As soon as it entered the tower's border, a sound could be heard.

Swoosh...!!

In a dazzling streak of blue light crackling with blue lightning, an arrow came flying and struck the leopard's chest. The venom leopard screamed in pain as it tried to remove the mana-infused arrow, but it couldn't.

Its cub, which had fallen from its mouth, tried to approach its dying mother, but before it could come close, an elf took it by the neck.

"Wow, if it isn't a venom leopard, Captain."

"That shot was awesome, Captain."

The elf who appeared to be the captain laughed at the praises of his subordinates. 'Hahaha, that was nothing. But why did a venom leopard come so close to our watchtower?'

The venom leopard struggled to stand up and protect its cub, but the moment it moved, a sword severed its neck. The last thing it saw and heard was its cub's call and tears.

"What should we do with this thing, Captain?" asked one of the subordinates as he kicked the dead body of the venom leopard.

"Although its meat is useless, its bones and poison sack are rather valuable, so just retrieve its bones and secure its sack. The rest is useless, so you can burn it."

The elf captain looked at the cub venom leopard with intrigue.

"Now, what should I do with you, little one?"

Under their watchful gaze, the nightmarish beast chasing after the leopard and the cub stopped a few meters before the watchtower's borders, its gaze fixed on the elves.

With horrifying sounds reminiscent of a dying person trying to speak, the creature spoke its first words in over a thousand years.

"...No...T...YE...T..."

Darkness shrouded the monster before disappearing into thin air.

.....

I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was really wrong.

The elf queen standing before me gave a warm smile, and it was entirely out of place. Her attire, her demeanor, and the overall aura she exuded were completely different from what the novels had described.

'Why is she being so welcoming?' I pondered silently. My expectations had been quite the opposite. I had anticipated a confrontational encounter, maybe even a "Karen" moment, the instant we stood face to face. Furthermore, her decision to allow me to enter Faerielight their most sacred grounds puzzled me.

[Authority: Eyes of the Wandering Crow: {Passive}]

[Elaniel Elaris: AFRAID OF YOU, WANTS TO SEDUCE YOU, CURIOUS ABOUT YOU, WANT'S YOU DEAD---]

Ignoring her initial question, I decided to inquire further.

"Hmm? So, how much did you see, Your Majesty?" I asked, adopting a playful tone.

Her response came with a hint of fear in her voice. "...Everything," she admitted, her tone quivering.

"You're not even attempting to conceal it, are you?" I remarked.

Her answer was straightforward and tinged with fear. "I don't think lying would serve any purpose with someone like you," she replied, her eyes glistening with suppressed tears.

Drawing nearer to her, my footsteps resonated through the room as I ascended the stairs leading to her throne. The queen's eyes now trembled visibly as we stood face to face, and I gently held her cheeks in my hands.

Our eyes now locked on with each other again.

"Tell me, Your Majesty" I inquired, my grip gentle but firm.

The tension in the room remained palpable as the queen gathered her courage to answer my question. I released my grip on her cheeks, showing that I was open to hearing her explanation. Her voice quivered as she spoke.

"To find out what your purpose is" the queen replied, swallowing hard, her fear still evident. "And to make a deal" she added, her tone tinged with nervousness.

Her words intrigued me, and I gestured for her to elaborate further. Her eyes darted around the room, searching for reassurance or perhaps an escape, but she found none.

"You are currently a great anomaly in this forest" she began. "Anything you do will greatly affect the entire forest as a whole, and that includes my kingdom and all the elves under my care. I already saw you easily defeating two of the three guardians of the forest, so eliminating you wasn't an option, nor was capturing you. And honestly, being in your presence now, I doubt the full might of my army and my strength would be sufficient enough to beat you."

Her honesty was evident, and it was clear that she held a genuine concern for the well-being of her people. Her responsibilities as queen weighed heavily upon her, and she couldn't simply ignore the potential threat that I posed to her kingdom.

"As a queen, it is my duty to find out what it is you're after. I believe you already got what you wanted last time, so why come back now?

"Well, I had my own reasons for coming back, you see," I started, breaking the oppressive silence that hung in the air. "And besides, couldn't you have simply ignored my presence? I'm fairly certain you could have observed me from a distance."

"That's......" The queen tried to explain but couldn't.

It was pretty obvious that she couldn't openly admit that she had considered the idea of eliminating me during my presence in the forest, as such a revelation would expose her vulnerability and make her and her elves my target. I knew she had powerful resources at her disposal, but I guess she was wise enough to realize that taking action against me directly was a perilous endeavor.

Furthermore, her intentions became quite apparent the moment I encountered Elowyn. She probably aimed to contain me or prevent me from causing indiscriminate destruction throughout the entire forest. With her strength bolstered by the world tree standing behind this massive castle and an army at her beck and call, she likely hoped to overpower me with her formidable aura and mana. However, upon my arrival and an assessment of my capabilities surpassing hers, she shifted to a different approach.

At least, that's what I suspect, considering her attire deviates from the descriptions in the novels. Was her Plan B an attempt to seduce me, or was it a strategy she had devised from the beginning? These unanswered questions hang in the air, adding to the palpable tension in the room.

She's probably feeling extremely tense right now. The slight aura and mana I emanated were quite potent and notably exceeded hers, although it's not exactly my own power. My sister, who currently resides in my shadow, contributes to this strength. I employed a similar tactic with her as I did with Bella in the personal training room, exerting pressure through the otherworldly presence of my sister.

As the tension in the room continued to escalate, I broke the silence with a resolute tone that reverberated throughout the chamber.

"So, what's the deal you wanted to make?"

"Leave this forest and I'll give you whatever you want"

The tension in the room hung in the air, and the queen's proposal left me momentarily stunned. her voice filled with an unmistakable earnestness. Her grip on my hands tightened, and her imploring gaze met mine.

Despite the seriousness in her voice, I couldn't help but notice the seductive undertone in her actions. The way she subtly emphasized her curves was undeniably alluring, but I couldn't afford to be distracted by such temptations at this moment.

"Kaksan" I uttered, watching closely for her reaction.

Her eyes widened in shock, and for the first time since I had arrived, her composure she sought to keep for herself slipped.

I guess this confirms another thing, she had not been aware of Kaksan's release from his seal.

"The beast of the night, Kaksan, is awake" I confirmed, my words sinking in with the queen. She was visibly shaken, and her expression was a mix of disbelief and alarm.

It was clear that she hadn't anticipated this development, and her initial intentions had likely been focused solely on the potential threat I posed.