Chapter 16: Rumbling Fart

Iris Selena.

It was the name of a fairy.

The surname Selena belonged to a prestigious family among the fairies.

Even though the entire fairy race is currently heading towards extinction, many would recognize the name Iris Selena.

In human terms, she would be considered nobility, but Iris's lifestyle was far from luxurious.

She was an ascetic of the great forest.

She lived alone, away from the World Tree, which was like a hometown for all fairies.

Every day, she practiced sword techniques and honed her archery skills.

If it weren't for the news about finding traces of Pelerian, she wouldn't have come back this far.

Iris kept running.

Ever since hearing Pelerian's name, her lost left eye had been throbbing constantly.

But more painful than the eye was the hole in her heart.

She had a younger sister.

Sacrificed to the magician. A sister who was still too young.

Iris, who was running fiercely towards the World Tree, came to an abrupt stop.

The deeper you go into the great forest, the closer you get to the World Tree, the trees become enormously large.

The trees where she was now were all over 100m tall.

In the dark shadow of life, she sensed killing intent.

Iris swung her sword.

Ting ting ting!

Sparks flew continuously in the air in front of her.

Something was flying towards her, and she deflected it by swinging her sword.

The whole process was so fast that only the sparks were visible.

Iris recognized the identity of the attackers.

It was a flock of parrots.

Instead of feathers, they had sharp thorn-like protrusions, indicating they were dangerous magical beasts.

They were Spine Bone Parrots.

Extremely dangerous creatures that move in flocks.

A brightly colored one flapped its wings and lunged at her.

Surprisingly, several spines shot out.

Iris, far from avoiding them, rather rushed towards them.

There were five Spine Bone Parrots in total. Even high-level magical beasts avoid this many.

The parrots cackled and lunged at Iris.

The spine feathers they scattered were threatening as they were coated with paralyzing poison.

However.

The Elven Broadsword, forged with fairy techniques, drew a trajectory of light.

Spines flew, sparks continuously scattered.

Finally, it sliced through the Spine Bone Parrot.

Iris seemed to have just passed through the flock of Spine Bone Parrots.

But the result was dramatic.

Thud thud thud!

The parrots fell in dozens of pieces before blood could even spurt.

Yet not even the sound of cutting was heard.

The two parrots that survived in the back flew away in shock.

Normally, she would have chased and annihilated them, but Iris just shook the blood off her blade.

Hundred Slashes.

It was one of the many unique skills Iris possessed.

It was a supreme sword technique that shattered the opponent in an instant.

"Magical beasts near the World Tree..."

Right in front of this is the fairy city.

Originally, magical beasts wouldn't dare to be active here.

This was evidence of decline.

Even magical beasts at the level of Spine Bone Parrots no longer feared fairies.

"..."

Iris clicked her tongue and ran.

There was a city in the central part of the great forest where the World Tree was visible.

Although it wasn't a place she visited often, Iris knew where she needed to go.

It was the Elder's residence.

It was a clean, temple-like house made of white stone.

As she entered, the Elder was there.

The Elder, nearly a thousand years old, wasn't wrinkled like a human elderly, but looked strangely faded, like a plant.

"You've come, Iris."

"Have you found Pelerian?"

The question burst out immediately.

The Elder gave a bitter smile. It was an expected question.

"No, this time we've only picked up signals from the dungeons he created here and there."

In front of the Elder was something like a crystal ball.

It was Pelerian's invention. An item left behind by that vile magician before he was exiled.

It was now being used to find traces of Pelerian.

"...There's a chance he might be there, isn't there?"

"Yes, there's a chance."

There had already been several similar experiences.

Pelerian had created his dungeons all over the continent.

It seemed he was conducting all sorts of suspicious research there.

The researched data seemed to be transmitted to himself hiding somewhere, and every time that happened, the crystal ball here also received a signal.

"Will you go investigate?"

"I will."

And every time a signal was picked up, Iris volunteered to visit the area.

Unfortunately, she had never met Pelerian himself.

"Alright, I'll grant you the qualification of an investigator."

The Elder handed Iris a brooch. It was a brooch of a World Tree leaf crafted in gold.

"Iris Selena, you are now a special envoy of Elvenwood, and an officially appointed Golden Leaf investigator. Don't forget the dignity of fairies, and I believe you already know most of what you need to."

"Yes."

As this wasn't the first time, the Elder skipped the trivial ceremonies.

Iris familiarly pinned the brooch to her chest.

"When do you plan to leave?"

"Now."

Having said that, Iris leapt out the door.

Although the Elder's residence was built in the middle of a tall tree, the Elder wasn't worried about Iris.

The Elder sighed and muttered.

"That kid, always in such a hurry."

If only she could let go of the hatred piled up in her heart.

Because death comes as an end, human hatred lasts at most for decades.

But the hatred of an elf tends to last for hundreds of years.

Hatred that has fermented for hundreds of years eventually becomes something beyond hatred.

The Elder was lost in thought for a moment.

'Why now?'

The location of the newly discovered dungeon was none other than the outskirts of the great forest.

It had been over 20 years since Pelerian's dungeon was last discovered. Before that, all the dungeons inside the great forest had been ferreted out and incinerated.

Yet there was still a dungeon remaining.

'Did he hide it because he considered it particularly important?'

Such a suspicion arose.

But it's meaningless to worry about it.

None other than Iris Selena has stepped up.

If it's her, she'll cleanly incinerate whatever Pelerian has left behind.

==

At the point when an elf departed wearing a golden brooch.

The night before.

A dinner was prepared at the Greyrim lord's castle.

The lord's face was flushed red, indicating he had drunk quite a bit.

He stood up with a pleased expression.

And clinked his glass with a silver spoon.

As people's attention gathered, the lord spoke happily.

"To Knight Zain."

The lord raised his glass.

Then all those participating in the dinner raised their glasses filled with grape wine.

Even Rania, the lord's daughter, raised her orange juice.

"And to Hero Steel Gunter."

Everyone drank their grape wine.

People engaged in pleasant conversation.

The Greyrim territory hadn't developed much because it was so close to the great forest.

But for a territory bordering one of the continent's five great magical realms, it was a good place to live.

The 'Mountain Range' is rampaged by wyvern flocks, and the 'Plains' have orc tribes crawling out for plunder.

However, magical beasts rarely come out of the 'Forest'.

There were many powerful named magical beasts living there, but it didn't matter as long as you didn't go deep into the forest.

As a lord, he only needed to investigate when occasional problems arose.

"We received great help this time. To think you'd defeat the Medusa Serpent so easily."

That's what happened when the Medusa Serpent appeared recently.

Other territories bordering magical realms are governed by margrave lords who operate their own armies.

But the Greyrim territory wasn't like that, which is why Hero Steel Gunter came as support from the capital.

"We didn't do much. It was all thanks to Sir Steel Gunter."

Knight Zain showed modesty. It was indeed the truth.

He drank a glass of alcohol and his face turned red.

"Haha, such modesty."

The lord patted Zain's shoulder. He seemed to like this young and naive knight.

"When is Sir Steel Gunter returning?"

"Ah, that... I don't know exactly."

Zain was embarrassed by the lord's question.

Steel Gunter had left his attendants, including Zain, and departed.

He only said he had something to take care of briefly.

Steel Gunter often acted like that.

"He'll probably return soon."

"Yes, I hope he stays longer this time."

The lord seemed quite drunk.

When people drink alcohol, they tend to say things they don't usually say.

"What do you think about the Greyrim territory?"

"I think it's a good place. It's safer than I expected."

"Yes, it's a good place... But you know."

The lord paused for a moment.

"The kingdom underestimates the great forest too much."

"..."

"There's an old saying that's been passed down in our family for a long time. Do you know what it is?"

"What is it?"

"Fear the forest."

"Ah."

"The great forest is deep. The number of magical beasts alone is more than in any magical realm. There must be many that we know the names of, and many that we don't."

"That's right."

"Our ancestor warned. The beast of the apocalypse will someday be born in the great forest."

The lord seemed to be explaining a terrifying old tale.

Zain listened with the most serious expression he could muster.

It wasn't the first time he had heard such stories.

Those who live near magical realms all fear magical beasts.

The 'beast of the apocalypse' that will someday devour all magical beasts and destroy the world is a story spread not just in Greyrim but throughout the continent.

"... You don't believe it. Your expression says so."

"No, that's not true! The great forest is the magical realm that even Sir Steel Gunter is most wary of."

"Hahaha. It's fine, I've ruined the mood on a good day with such talk, rather..."

The flustered Zain waited for the lord's words, but for some reason, the lord didn't continue.

Had his mood been ruined?

It was at the moment when Zain raised his head to apologize once again.

"... That."

The lord wasn't looking at Zain.

He was staring blankly out the window.

Beyond the balcony was the territory. And beyond that, the great forest stretched out.

"What, what is that..."

Someone let out a gasp.

From the great forest, a blue light was rising.

That thin line was clearly visible against the background of the night sky.

"... An anomaly has been observed."

The lord's complexion turned pale white.

As if the effects of alcohol had completely disappeared, he muttered seriously.

"It is our duty to investigate any anomalies observed in the magical realm."

Everyone rushed to the window to look at where the light was rising.

"It seems to be beyond the Sija Forest. Damn, where's Oliver?"

Oliver was Greyrim's best hunter and great forest expert, trusted even by the lord.

The butler informed him with a troubled expression that he wasn't in the territory.

"For now, call the captain of the guard and... Hmm."

Zain raised his hand.

"I'll participate in the investigation team."

"Will you? That's very helpful."

As Steel Gunter's escort knight, it was also Zain's duty to investigate the magical realm.

The lord muttered as he watched the gradually fading light.

"It's ominous, very ominous..."

Since you say so, it's even more ominous.

Zain thought so but didn't show it.

==

And the basin.

The day after escaping from Pelerian's dungeon.

I started hunting in earnest.

An alligator covered in rotten-smelling aquatic plants was crawling out of the swamp.

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That one is strong.

Probably about the same level as the Cockatrice.

It's an opponent that a small and cute snake like me can't possibly face head-on.

That's why it's underestimating me and crawling out of the swamp.

Its sharp, split pupils characteristic of reptiles were glaring at me.

Sorry, but I'm a reptile too, so I'm not scared.

As I stood still, it started to approach stealthily.

It looks slow as it waddles, but only fools underestimate magical beasts.

As expected.

It opened its mouth wide and accelerated.

It was faster than my Leap skill.

But now I can use magic.

And Magic Snake is invincible.

「Using Basic Elemental Magic: Earth Lv3」

Earth magic that has already leveled up.

Even so, it only raises an earthen wall on bare ground, but when used well, it's effective.

An earthen wall rose from beneath the charging alligator's jaw.

Newton's law of inertia applied here as well.

The alligator was incredibly fast, and such a fast-running creature received an uppercut from the earthen wall.

Bweok!

The alligator flipped once in the air like a stunt car performing a trick and overturned.

Its pale white belly was exposed.

I stabbed that soft belly skin with my Venomous Fang Lv8, not a fart.

As I injected poison, it thrashed about madly.

Rumble rumble! Peekaboo.

I kept interfering with its attempts to flip over using earth magic.

Before long, it died with a snap.

Huhu, it's easy. Too easy.

That's right.

I've become strong.

Uhahaha.