Chapter 240
Swoosh—
Having entered the barrier, Hanbit and Wendy moved quietly along the outer edge.
Their destination was the Elder's quarters at the central ancient tree.
To reach it, they had to avoid the eyes of countless elves.
“Groan.”
The elves, staggering around, were still quiet.
However, it was obvious that if a target they recognized as an enemy appeared, they would go berserk.
Their crimson eyes were still scattering a strange sense of terror.
-Shudder;
-It’s terrifying seeing them all gathered together;
-If you get caught, you’re really screwed.
-Did the game genre just change?
Whoosh—!
Hanbit, leading the way, advanced while avoiding the precarious detection range.
Of course, there was a way to capture them all, but it wasn't a particularly good option.
It was obvious that if a disturbance broke out, the Blue Moon Bird at the top of the ancient tree would cause destruction.
Swoosh—
Arriving at the base of the ancient tree, Hanbit gestured to stop Wendy.
Since there were quite a few elves inside as well, entering head-on was too dangerous.
The safe passages were the holes scattered throughout the exterior of the ancient tree.
They were structures that functioned like windows in a building.
“Sylph.”
Whoosh—!
With the call, a sylph’s wind enveloped their bodies.
That silent power lifted the two of them to the center of the ancient tree.
Whoosh—!
Grabbing Wendy’s arm in mid-air, Hanbit entered the target hole.
Rustle—
Landing silently inside, the two immediately crouched low.
Fortunately, there were no elves visible nearby.
“You remember what I told you?”
“I remember.”
Before entering the barrier, Hanbit, who had been explaining the plan, gave Wendy a few instructions.
The most important thing was survival.
He instructed her to escape alone even if she fell into an unexpected crisis.
“Could it be… that the Elder is different?”
Wendy clung to a small spark of hope.
Roandel was an exceptional elf, capable enough to ascend to the position of Elder at the young age of merely sixty.
Considering his wisdom and strength, it was hard to dismiss the possibility that he might have escaped the threat.
However, the blood-red curse was not something that could be avoided.
“If that had happened, there would have been some reaction. Let’s just focus on finding the box for now.”
“…Yes.”
Wendy’s expression darkened at the firm reply.
It was unfortunate, but false hope would only do more harm than good.
Swoosh—
Hanbit took the lead and climbed the wooden stairs inside.
Reaching Elder Roandel’s quarters was quick.
“…….”
Standing on the empty floor, the two looked up at the stairs leading upward.
Their target box was being kept inside his desk.
The important thing was to avoid Roandel’s gaze.
There was no way to defeat him when he was in a berserk state, especially considering his already immense power.
Swoosh—
Hanbit drew his sword and was fully prepared.
It was strictly for defense, not offense.
“Let’s go.”
The two cautiously stepped onto the spiral staircase.
Stepping up while keeping their voices as quiet as possible.
Hanbit’s grip naturally tightened.
It was that dangerous of a task.
Swoosh—
Standing before the last step, the two scanned the interior while keeping their bodies hidden.
Hanbit had hoped Roandel would stay in the corner as much as possible.
But then…
“……?”
As Hanbit shifted his gaze, he saw a strange sight.
Elder Roandel, whom he had been extremely wary of.
He was lying unconscious, bound by something.
-?
-He’s tied up?
-Did someone come to help?
-Isn’t this a huge win?
-Seriously;
“…Huh?”
Wendy, who had witnessed the exact same scene, also widened her eyes in surprise.
Flustered, she moved closer to Roandel.
However, his condition was not good.
“Grrr!”
Red-tinged eyes and a bizarre sound.
He was clearly insane, just like the other elves.
That is why she could not understand the situation.
'Surely not… …'
Hanbit took a step closer and examined his body.
A thin silver line was faintly glinting there.
It was none other than one of the magic spells Roandel used.
Swish—
Hanbit quickly turned his gaze and looked at his office desk.
A box was placed precariously in that place, which was always neatly organized.
It looked as if it had been hastily tossed aside right before collapsing.
It was neither a coincidence nor anything else.
“…He’s a truly unbelievable elf.”
“Huh?”
Wendy looked puzzled at the sincere sigh.
Hanbit walked toward the desk and said,
“Roandel endured the curse. Though it was only for a very short time.”
“He… endured the curse? How….”
—Huh?
—Is that even possible?
—Is it mental strength?
—Being an Elder isn’t something just anyone can do;
Wendy expressed her doubts, but there was no answer to return. There was
only one thing known at the moment.
Roandel had taken out the box and bound himself with his own magic.
Judging by the drag marks on the floor, it seemed he had tried to get as far away as possible in that state.
It was difficult to explain, even if one were to recall the past or draw any knowledge from it.
“Let’s ask him directly what happened. Take the box first.”
“…Yes.”
Biting her lip, Wendy turned and headed toward the desk.
She immediately opened the box and pulled out a glowing leaf from inside.
One of the keys to enter the depths of the Forest of Illusions.
It was a noble object that only an elf could touch.
“I’ve got it.”
“Then let’s go down.”
Hanbit headed back downstairs.
All that remained now was the bead hanging around the neck of the mythical beast, the Blue Moon Bird. It
was another key to enter the depths.
‘It would have been difficult if I were alone.’
True to its name, the Blue Moon Bird was a being that wielded the power of blue moonlight.
It possessed all sorts of techniques specialized for
long-range combat and illusory shadows. Its power was formidable enough to easily pierce through hasty defenses and evasions.
However, another exceptional figure was present here now.
Hanbit sent a message to the sky outside.
“Tell Charlotte that we are starting.”
***
Whoosh—!
Above the elf village.
There, Hanbit, Charlotte, and Wendy were riding the wind.
“The wind is strange.”
The Sylph voiced a voice of concern.
The situation was so dire that even the usually positive spirit was speaking of it.
The cause was the Blue Moon Bird.
Grrr— The Celestial
Tiger emerged from its embrace and bared its teeth.
It was an instinctive hostility toward the corrupted energy of the mythical beast.
“I never thought we’d have to face it like this.”
Charlotte surveyed the path ahead.
The top of the ancient tree where the elder of the Elf village resided.
In its nest there stood a large, silver-blue bird with tangled wings.
The green orb hanging around its neck seemed to sparkle exceptionally beautifully.
—Look at its exquisite coloration.
—Is the mythical beast that big?
—Is a Celestial Tiger capable of that?
—It would be seriously cool;
—The GOAT of beasts is the King Wolf.
The overwhelming aura of the mythical beast could be felt even from a distance.
Just as the viewers expected, the adult form of the Celestial Tiger was indeed quite magnificent.
Once the evolution issue was resolved, rapid growth would be possible.
Hanbit lightly stroked the Celestial Tiger’s head and took a pouch containing sleeping powder from his inventory.
“We’re going to start now.”
“It’s fine. I’m ready.”
Charlotte nodded, gripping her black and white swords.
Neutralizing the mythical beast’s attacks while Hanbit and Wendy advanced.
It was a heavy role entrusted to Charlotte.
“Hold on tight.”
“Yes.”
Wendy gripped Hanbit’s body firmly.
From now on, speed was of the essence.
Even the slightest slip-up meant a high probability of death.
Whoosh—!
Hanbit looked at the Blue Moon Bird standing directly in front of him.
Waves of power surged around him.
His crimson eyes revealed his abnormal state.
Swoosh—
Just then, the Blue Moon Bird’s eyes met Hanbit’s group.
And the moment the mythical beast’s wings gradually spread.
Whoosh—!
A sharp, silvery-blue wave surged toward the spot.
“Let’s go!”
Whoosh—!
Wrapped in the wind, Hanbit flew toward the Blue Moon Bird at high speed.
He paid no heed to the incoming attacks.
Swish—!
The wave flying toward Hanbit’s group was severed by a black slash.
The same happened to the attacks that followed.
Snap—!
Watching this, the Blue Moon Bird’s red eyes gleamed.
It was a signal of rage.
Quadruple—!
Countless bluish-white cracks appeared in the void.
There were so many that they could not even be counted with the naked eye.
Whoosh!
Even amidst such threats, Hanbit increased his speed slightly.
“Ugh!”
Wendy, who was pressed right against him, struggled to withstand even the high speed.
However, dragging it out would only result in failure. *
Crack— *
Just then, a sharp crystal burst forth from the bluish-white rift.
It shifted its position like an illusion and surged forward at tremendous speed.
*Crunch—!
Crash—!
* Crystals collided with each other, flying at bizarre speeds.
At the same time, dozens of black spheres appeared right before his eyes.
*Woof—*
The spheres, rotating with a strange hum, acted like black holes.
It was one of Charlotte’s techniques.
*Quad—!
Hiss—!
* The bluish-white crystals that approached the spheres were twisted and crushed as they were sucked in.
*Whoosh—!
* Passing through the gap and surging downwards, Hanbit quickly approached the Blue Moon Bird’s nest.
Like the elf, the creature’s judgment was clouded, and it was enraged by Charlotte’s power.
“I’m here.”
*Thump—!*
Leaping up alone while stepping on a tree branch, Hanbit grabbed the body of the Blue Moon Bird.
"Kyaaaak—!"
The mythical beast thrashed about, letting out a grotesque scream.
Quickly wrapping his arms around its neck, Hanbit detonated the sleeping powder he was clutching right in its face.
*Pang—*
It was an amount that would normally be lethal.
However, by the standards of a mythical beast, it was only enough to put it to sleep for a brief moment. *
Swoosh—*
The light vanished from the struggling Blue Moon Bird's eyes.
It appeared the forced sleep effect was taking hold.
"Wendy!"
"Yes!"
Wendy jumped up from below at the call.
Hanbit grabbed her hand and pulled her close to his neck.
*Thump—*
Wendy quickly grabbed the green orb and forcefully pulled it away. Had she
not been an elf, this too would have caused tremendous side effects.
"-This actually works;
" "-Charlotte's class is intense.
" "-Where did she learn that swordsmanship?
" "-Waiting for the walkthrough.
" "-First, Balder… "…
" "Let's go down."
*Whoosh—*!
Hanbit lifted Wendy into his arms and pushed off from the mountaintop.
All that remained now was to enter the depths where the essence of the forest resided.
“Lord Black Dragon!”
As they descended behind the ancient tree, the party members who had arrived earlier greeted them.
Charlotte, having sheathed her sword, looked somewhat weary.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes. I’m fine.”
She had expended a tremendous amount of energy from the airship to the present moment.
No matter how different she was from ordinary people, there was a limit.
It was a matter of mental strength that mana potions alone could not solve.
“Let’s finish this quickly. Come this way.”
Hanbit began to advance along the path behind them.
They arrived at a spring not long after.
It was the entrance leading to the depths of the forest.
“Wendy, open it.”
“Yes.”
Wendy, who had followed behind, knelt on the land.
Wrapping a green orb in a glowing leaf, she carefully lowered it into the water.
Swoosh—
the two keys slowly melted away, scattering their respective colors.
And the moment the trembling spring stopped shaking.
*Pow!
* With an intense light, the surface of the spring was bathed in light.
“Ah…”
Wendy’s eyes widened at the entrance she had opened herself.
It was only natural that she was surprised, as it was her first time actually doing it.
“Let’s go. It’s just like a portal, so we just have to go in.”
Hanbit calmly threw himself onto the water. *
Whoosh—*
The landscape changed with a strange sensation of transference.
The party arrived just as quickly.
“Wow, is this the core?”
“The roots are like this…”
The vast space, whose size was immeasurable, was entirely surrounded by roots.
It was safe to say it was the main body forming the Forest of Illusions.
*Woong—*
A red sphere scattering intense waves from the front.
Its original beautiful turquoise light had completely vanished.
*Stomp—*
Hanbit’s party approached and stood before the sphere.
Even from the outside, it looked full of ominousness.
“Noeul, it’s your turn.”
“Yes.”
Noeul, appearing slightly nervous, nodded.
Just then, the spirit revealed itself.
"So this is the true nature of that repulsive power."
Illumis, a High-ranking Spirit of Light, let out a lament.
The situation was indeed far from ordinary.
"Would you please help?"
"Well, I don't want to just leave something like that alone either. It won't be able to use its power for a while, so my contractor is responsible for it." *
Pow!*
In an instant, Illumis's materialized body scattered into golden light.
It was the most intense power I had ever seen. *
Rustling*
—The light enveloped the sphere as if rotating, emitting a mysterious sound.
And the moment that radiance gradually seeped inside… *
Crash!*—
A wave engulfed my body accompanied by a resonance that seemed to shake the very space.
"Ugh!"
"Waaah!"
People were pushed back by the tremendous aftershock.
Pingpong, who had been peeking around curiously, was already thrown to the ground.
*Rumble!*—
The wave continued for a brief moment longer.
It took a few more minutes for it to completely subside.
*Woong*
—Hanbit, who had been hunched over, straightened up and looked once again at the sphere within the vines.
It, which had been stained red, was now emitting a clear turquoise light.
*Ding!*
[Sub-quest completed.]
