Chapter 250: Cutscene of the Decision Made

A decision wasn't meant to be decided in an instant—Han Jing tried to say that, but the Wood Elf was insistent. One wand here in his hands right now or two for him and a friend back in Kraelonia Academy. If he would take into account the annoying and vague remark of the Wood Elf earlier, then there was something he was missing.

Perhaps it was better to choose the decision that he didn't want to pick. If he were so insistent on gaining the wand on his hands now, then it meant that he was rash—but use for it? He could see himself using it. Even in the future, it would be a vital weapon for him.

So why did the Wood Elf need to confuse him?

Oh, it was because he wanted to. Han Jing couldn't curse them aloud in case he could read minds, but the frown on his face was enough of an indicator for the Wood Elf who introduced himself as Hazelleaf. Something suddenly arrived in his mind—and in the corner of his vision, the Alliance tab appeared.

Fellow Alliance Member—the string of symbols written in it were not comprehensible. He started making out letters as he thought of it, but was it a really wise choice?

"It was a stupid idea, anyway." Han Jing shouldn't risk the Wood Elf's anger by using their True Name to get three wands, there were surely more instances where it was better for the two of them to get a more easy going relationship than one brought on by enforcing names and the power behind them.

Hazelleaf raised a brow, "What pray tell are you speaking about, Han?"

"My thoughts—but I think I've finally made a decision." It was a decision that he was already regretting, but it was something that would surely help him in the long run. Han Jing met the Wood Elf's eyes, "Give me the wands at Kraelonia Academy through trade." He could try visiting the Enchanted Forest in the future—but even trespassing there would alert the Wood Elf.

Stealing wood wouldn't be taken lightly.

"Ooh, it seems you've finally decided to listen to me."

He shook his head, "Not exactly, but I've considered which one is better in the short-term and long-term. I'll be facing more difficult situations in the Creators' World, there are actual hurdles to my growth, and my leveling up in that world affects the possible strength I can perform here. I might have initial success when I get the wand, but if I get chased out from Kraelonia Academy, then I'd be in a worse state than before."

Who knew when the Demon Lord was planning to attack?

"Is that so?"

Han Jing nodded, and he was a little more reassured in his decision now than what he had initially felt. This was a smarter decision that didn't instantly gratify what he wanted. He might have gotten a wand now, but it would be more useful in the hands of 'Han' and Timothy. That was for sure. "I'm a hundred percent positive."

"Well, then… shame."

He looked up in slight alarm. "What?" He needed to be content with his decision, and yet it felt like he had gone on the wrong track. No, he already made his choice, and he wanted to be comforted in it regardless of what was the 'correct' one in the eyes of the Wood Elf.

A loud sigh escaped the Wood Elf, and he motioned vaguely around the air, "Well, if you had chosen to get a wand now then you would have gotten this." The surrounding air changed and vibrated until something came to shape. From the wind and moonlight was a slender branch of a silver white wand.

Han Jing blinked and stared at it glittering in the air, and it had an aura of power. What the heck did the Wood Elf say about this being weaker than what he'd give if he chose two? This thing looked like it was filled to the brim with power—enough magic to form stardust and call gravity to his hands.

A salacious grin curled on the Wood Elf's lips. He threw the wand higher, and it disintegrated before his very eyes. "It doesn't matter if you had chosen this, you wouldn't be able to use it, anyway."

"What do you mean?" Han Jing narrowed his eyes at the Wood Elf.

"You forgot about your mana capacity—a wand channels your mana to perform spell casting more efficiently, but you have a pitiful amount. Even touching it might make you lose your life."

There was humor in the Wood Elf's tone, but their words held a clamor of truth in them.

… He didn't even have a [ Mana Control ] Skill yet available here. Neither did he have a [ Mana Well ] Skill at all. A grim look crossed his face, but he still looked at the Wood Elf with a frown. "And you would have watched me die?"

"I present a gift—the duties of a visitor and in accordance with our agreement. It is not my fault if you cannot handle it and have chosen to pluck it out of my hands with greed." the Wood Elf said. There was a calm and pleasant look on his face. He glanced left and right. "You even make me stay in a place not under your own roof."

"We've talked about making my domain far larger—and it is within what I would have intended. You can't harm me and the people here, that is what you should do as a visitor. I am the host until here and even further than this."

"... that is true." Hazelleaf shrugged, "I've taken more of a liking here than elsewhere, even more than your own home—the stench of cold iron is there. A weaker fey than me wouldn't have been able to enter even with your permission, that is something that you Humans are perhaps lucky for."

Han Jing crossed his arms, "Haven't you mentioned that your people are out of here. Can I assume that they still drop by?"

"Far lesser and lesser than before. I tell you, only a few have remained to reside here, and that is because of the duty that they feel to this world and not to you. I must warn you to be more careful if you were to say meet with anyone else. Even the Demon Lord has their own code of honor that they follow, and so does the fey—but other Races? Stay careful lest you have your heart eaten out by a siren or a vampire."

"W-What?" He stared at the Elf with a furrow in his brow.

Han Jing hadn't mentioned the Mermaid meeting yet, hasn't he? So this warning was placed in good faith then, but what the heck was that thing about vampires?

The Wood Elf smiled briefly and glanced around, "Well, I do not think one would be around here—your land has its own fair share of unique creatures residing and their own protectors. Hidden creatures and protectors that simple men do not see but these creatures are coexisting despite your ignorance, they may seem separate but they are still connected. What only matters is tapping it—"

With a tap of a finger into the air was the sound of shattering, and the world became clearer than it ought to be. Numerous colors filled his vision, apparitions streamed across the air with ghoulish howls and spirits of all sorts. In the trees in the park, faces of creatures emerged and nodded at the Wood Elf in greeting.

There in the distance was a shadow in the form of a cat, dog, and other creatures chasing after one another in the dark. Amongst them were shapes and forms seated along the bench that he couldn't even determine. Further off in one of the koi and turtle ponds, he could even see something leap out of the tranquil waters. And what had looked like a very old turtle stuck in a lotus position.

It was far much more than what he had seen when he first traversed this place—was it because of the location where he had been near Mou Gu's diner? He couldn't remember it being this colorful, and yet when he looked up into the skies, it was the same. It was the exact overarching dome ahead of him that resembled the dark and cloudless sky.

"You could access this place?"

"Why this is how I see your world in my eyes, Han Jing." the Wood Elf used his name again and frowned slightly. "Do not try to shame me and say that I see the world as you do. Even while I converse with you along with Jilanya, the two of us take note of the creatures, spirits—these races that have acclimated into this land of yours. Coexistence."

The way the Wood Elf said it was with a hint of both disgust and reverence.

His look returned to Han Jing, "I do not know how they manage to stay here—but then again, they are unable to leave as we are. But perhaps that turtle's spirit will ascend beyond this realm and into a better one. I can only hope because this place is far too filthy. No offense to you, Han. But the Creators World, that realm they've made, is more of a paradise than here despite all of us gathered there together."

And so the conversation between them had branched out from the wand and into the world that he was living in. Han Jing wasn't always proud to call it his world, and it was why he was insatiable with different media: films, books, shows and episodes littered with ideas of another world, of superheroes and super humans that were far more capable than the ordinary man.

It was something he had devoured hungrily when he was younger, and it was what he had focused on even in his university days and was stuck in a chuunibyou and delusional phase. Han Jing sighed and scratched the back of his head, a resigned smile on his face. "Well, I have to say that you've shown me that this world was even larger than I thought, and maybe it gives me a little hope. I'm both frantic, frightened but I do feel alive—thank you for that… Faeranduil?"

He hoped he pronounced it correctly.