Chapter 252

It was Hien who first sensed something was amiss.

As the greatest spirit summoner among the high elves, he could feel the pulse of nature even from afar.

Hien abruptly stood up, his expression grim.

“…Elder.”

“What is it?”

The eldest of the current generation of high elves,

The elder, with his long white beard, looked at Hien with questioning eyes.

“Something’s wrong in the forest.”

Hien replied, his voice low.

“Wrong? What do you mean?”

“Intruders have entered. A murky, corrupted energy is pressing down on nature. They must be hostile.”

“Intruders!”

The elder’s eyes widened in alarm.

It was extremely rare for uninvited guests to visit the Forgotten Forest, but it wasn’t unheard of.

However, those who did were almost always elves from nearby villages who had lost their way or wandered into the forest out of curiosity.

They weren’t invaders.

But Hien was certain that these were invaders.

If that was true, it was a shocking event, even for the elder.

“Hmm, are they humans?”

“I can’t be sure. But one thing is certain, they are a group.”

A group.

That wasn’t a light matter.

It meant they had come with a purpose.

And that purpose was highly likely to be hostile, as Hien had predicted.

“We must drive them out. We can’t let them defile the forest any further.”

“Of course. I’ll ring the bell immediately.”

The elder stood up and walked outside.

There was a silver bell in front of his house.

It was usually used to announce gatherings.

But if it was rung rapidly several times,

*Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!*

It meant there was an emergency.

It was a signal to arm themselves and gather at a designated location immediately.

The high elves began to move, preparing to confront the intruders.

* * *

“Did you hear that?”

Kalkus grinned.

“They’ve noticed us.”

Natasha said.

“Heh, now the fun begins. I was getting bored watching you guys have all the fun.”

Kalkus seemed to be in a good mood.

He was a man who enjoyed battle itself.

The Gray Dwarves’ eyes also gleamed with excitement.

“Haha, is it really that big of a deal? They didn’t seem like much.”

The Messenger said, twirling around.

He seemed to have lowered his guard after easily capturing the two high elves.

He had become complacent.

“Are you sure? We can’t assume that those two represent the abilities of all high elves.”

Natasha said bluntly.

She had personally killed them, but her demeanor remained cold and detached.

“Of course, you’re right.”

The Messenger replied with a smile.

But his thoughts remained unchanged.

‘Heh, you can tell a lot about a group by looking at just one of them.’

The Messenger continued.

“Then I’ll guide you straight to the World Tree. There doesn’t seem to be any resistance.”

* * *

The Red Rain group advanced smoothly, just as the Messenger had said.

There seemed to be no obstacles in their path.

The high elves were nowhere to be seen.

“Hahaha, maybe they don’t even know their own territory as well as we do?”

“Nah, that can’t be true. They must be scared after seeing their comrades’ corpses. They’re probably cowering like rats, hahaha!”

“Scared rats? That’s perfect, khaha!”

The Gray Dwarves mocked the high elves.

Insulting their opponents was also a way to boost morale.

The Gray Dwarves’ morale seemed to be sky-high.

And their ability to translate that morale into fighting strength was what made them so terrifying.

“Now, now, we’re almost there.”

The Messenger chuckled.

They were only about ten minutes away from their destination.

Once they arrived and burned the World Tree with the Great Fire of Destruction, this forest would be finished.

It would become the Forest of Doom, not the Forgotten Forest.

And the Heavenly Lord’s grand plan would take another step forward.

The Messenger walked leisurely, as if he was strolling through his own backyard.

It was then.

“Hmm?”

The Messenger’s eyes narrowed.

He stopped walking.

He had sensed something amiss.

“Everyone…”

As the Messenger turned around to alert his companions,

Arrows flew towards them.

From all directions.

*Whoosh!*

*Thwack!*

“Enemy!”

Kalkus shouted.

*Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The Gray Dwarves immediately raised their shields, blocking the arrows.

“Heh, is that all?”

“Who would fall for such a weak attack?”

The Gray Dwarves were still confident.

*Rumble!*

The ground shook violently, and something emerged from the dense undergrowth.

A giant silver wolf.

It wasn’t a demonic beast or a divine beast.

It was Hien, transformed by channeling the power of the Forest Spirit King.

It charged towards them, its massive body, larger than most large monsters, incredibly intimidating.

“Whoa?!”

“What is that monster?!”

“Stop gawking and form a defensive line, you idiots!”

Kalkus shouted, giving orders.

The Gray Dwarves quickly formed a tight formation, their shields interlocked.

Their incredible discipline was evident in their swift response.

But they were a fraction of a second too late.

Hien didn’t miss that opening.

*Crash!*

“Ugh!”

“Whoa!”

The Gray Dwarves on one side of the formation were thrown off balance.

And then.

One of the Gray Dwarves was sent flying by Hien.

*Growl!*

Hien pounced on the Gray Dwarf and pinned him down with its paw.

*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!*

Again and again.

“Aaaaaargh!”

Even a Gray Dwarf, clad in full armor, couldn’t withstand such a brutal assault.

His helmet and armor were crushed.

His body, inside, was mangled and bloody.

Everyone realized that the first casualty had fallen.

“Oh, that idiot.”

“Tsk, tsk, slow and you die.”

But the Gray Dwarves weren’t intimidated, enraged, or saddened.

They simply prepared for battle, their bloodlust rising, their expressions eerily calm.

That was the true terror of the Gray Dwarves, the fighting tribe.

Hien frowned.

“A truly disgusting race, devoid of even the slightest decency.”

“Hahaha, shut up! This is how we live! We’ll kill you soon enough, so wash your neck and wait!”

Kalkus laughed loudly and shouted.

A grotesque monster wolf?

So what?

Even if it was a dragon, they would hunt it down and kill it if it stood in their way.

That was the way of the Gray Dwarves.

“Oh, this is quite… Huh?”

The Messenger, who had been leisurely watching the fight, suddenly twisted his body.

*Swish!*

A blade of wind grazed his cheek.

“I’m warning you one last time. Leave this forest immediately. Otherwise, you will face severe consequences.”

A voice echoed clearly in their ears.

It was the voice of the high elf elder.

The elder was staring at the intruders with a stern expression.

“What nonsense are you talking about, old man? You’re not going to do anything stupid after coming all this way, are you?”

The Messenger sneered, his face contorted with anger from the surprise attack.

“So you’ve chosen the worst possible path.”

The elder said coldly.

“The worst path for whom? I doubt it’s the worst for the World Tree.”

“You! I will personally make you pay for this.”

“What can a withered old man like you do?!”

The Messenger moved.

He charged forward with lightning speed.

The elder also gripped his staff tightly and summoned a storm.

*Boom!*

A powerful clash.

It was a fight that wouldn’t end easily.

“Hahaha, come on! If you won’t come to us, we’ll go to you!”

“Time to hunt some monsters!”

“Let’s go!”

The Gray Dwarves advanced bravely in their tight formation.

*Growl!*

Hien leaped forward, charging towards them.

*Rumble!*

Their battle was also unpredictable.

All that remained was.

“Come out.”

Natasha said nonchalantly.

Two high elves appeared.

One with a sword, the other with a spear.

Hidal and Hiwyn.

Hidal was the greatest swordsman among the high elves, and Hiwyn was the greatest spearman.

“Why has a child of the Black Moon Tree set foot in this sacred place?”

Hidal glared at Natasha.

“Do I need to explain? We’re enemies.”

“Indeed, words are unnecessary, Hidal. We will make these intruders pay.”

Hiwyn raised his spear.

“I’ll take care of this one. You go assist the elder.”

“No, I sense a formidable power from this opponent. I’ll lend my strength to this fight first.”

Hidal drew his sword.

Their presence was imposing and heavy.

They showed no openings.

But Natasha’s expression remained unchanged.

“Can you do it? Just the two of you?”

“What?”

“Well, I guess there’s no one else, is there? Then let’s begin.”

Natasha drew her invisible sword.

* * *

The Forgotten Forest.

The moment I stepped foot on this land, I couldn’t even appreciate its beauty.

Because I saw it.

Hiresia’s expression suddenly hardening.

“What’s wrong, senior?”

“…Wait a moment.”

Hiresia closed her eyes.

She seemed to be focusing on her senses.

A moment later, she opened her eyes again.

Her expression was still grim.

“It’s definitely different. The feeling.”

“Different from before?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm, I see.”

My expression also hardened.

Because I realized that the change Hiresia was talking about wasn’t just the unfamiliarity of returning after a long time.

She wouldn’t have looked so serious if it was just that.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, senior.”

Hiresia increased her pace, almost breaking into a run.

I quickly followed, not wanting to lose sight of her.

We walked for a while.

And then Hiresia suddenly stopped.

I also stopped abruptly.

“What’s wro…”

…ng.

I couldn’t finish my sentence.

Because I saw them.

Footprints.

And not just one or two, but dozens of them.

I realized.

That the trouble I had been worried about had already arrived in the Forgotten Forest.

“…This has never happened before.”

Hiresia’s face turned serious.

“We have to hurry.”

*Tap, tap, tap, tap!*

She followed the footprints, running urgently.

I ran with all my might.

‘Could they have already clashed…?’

As I imagined the worst-case scenario,

Hiresia stopped again.

No, this time, she collapsed to her knees.

I rushed over to her.

And then.

‘?!’

My face froze.

The severed head of a high elf.

Two corpses lay on the ground, their heads separated from their bodies.

Hiresia was gently caressing the cheek of one of the severed heads, her hand trembling.

‘Ugh, how could this…’

My heart pounded in my chest.

Her precious kin, as close as family, few in number.

I couldn’t even imagine how she must be feeling, seeing two of them murdered right before her eyes.

It must be a tremendous shock.

Beyond words.

For the first time, I understood.

How Hiresia had become a completely different person.

Anyone would change after experiencing such a horrific event.

‘Damn it, I couldn’t prevent it again.’

…No, was it even preventable in the first place?

As I clenched my fists, my lips pressed into a thin line,

*Slap!*

Hiresia slapped herself hard across the face.

My eyes widened in surprise.

She stood up again.

Her body was still trembling slightly, but her expression, which had been filled with grief and sorrow, had hardened.

“…Let’s go. We have to save them. There might be family we can still save.”

I realized.

Her spirit hadn’t broken yet.

It wasn’t over yet.

I steeled my resolve.

“Yes, we will.”