(272) A little detour to the edge of the Great Forest
(272) A little detour to the edge of the Great Forest
Chapter (272) A little detour to the edge of the Great Forest
I headed north on the Desert Runner as I relied on the simple map I received from Rurina.
The flames that assaulted the Great Forest was extinguished in an instant when the Great Spirit Salamander was annihilated but that wouldn’t had brought the burnt forest back. A fairly wide area of the forest turned into ashes almost instantaneously and it looked like an image of war. Well, there actually was a battle after all.
After advancing a little further, I saw the charred remains of a deer-like animal.
The Desert Runner brought its nose close to it but it didn’t try to eat it. It had died a couple of days ago and more importantly, its surface was pitch black and seemed almost like charcoal.
There wasn’t just one or two of such animals. Many of the animals that lived in the Great Forest died.
“… Ku.”
I was the reason. If I did not move the Golden Tree to My World, the Salamander would not have revived and the forest would not have burnt down.
Of course, I don’t believe it was the wrong choice. If I did not do that, I would not have been able to protect the Dark-Elves.
“What you wish to protect and what you must protect … huh.”
It was a little late but now I felt the weight of the words Shumei spoke.
Without me, the soldiers from the Principality of Nicplan and the Church would have burnt the forest so the outcome would have been the same ? but I shouldn’t be making excuses.
It was a choice I made with the conviction that I was right and it is also my sin.
I crossed the corpse and must advance forward.
According to Shumei, this forest would be converted into a large field in the future.
I prayed that in the future, this land would at least aid the growth of many more lives.
That night, we arrived at the part of the forest that was not damaged by the battle.
Checking the surroundings with Hawk-Eye, I found that we would reach the mountain where the Dwarves lived after crossing another 10 kilometers of forest.
Then again, there were no paths inside the forest.
Using a bow and arrow I borrowed from the Dark-Elves, I shot down a large bird inside a bush with a stone arrow.
?Ichinojo leveled up?
?Archer skill: ?Bow Equip?has skilled up to?Bow Equip II??
?Elf Archer skill: ?Bow Equip II?has skilled up to?Bow Equip III??
They each rose to level 4 and 3 and my Bow Equip skill ranked up by 2.
I assigned the Sword Saint and Samurai jobs to supplement physical strength but their levels did not change.
I cut off the head of the bird I killed and tossed the head to the Desert Runner.
The Desert Runner caught it with its mouth and crushed the skull as it ate. It really ate a lot.
I drained the blood from the remaining body and planned to eat it with Rarael and the others.
“From here on, you should return first.”
I pat the Desert Runner’s head after it finished eating the bird head and returned it to My World.
Using it in the middle of a forest would instead slow progress.
I imagined I would only use it for movement in the desert but I was actually still using it up until now.
Perhaps it was time I thought of a name for it?
I saw them just as I was thinking.
It was the first time I saw them outside a dungeon.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered them.”
Wild goblins appeared.
They probably caught the scent of the bird’s blood.
Normally, no matter how much the smell of blood was, wild animals would not approach so close without hesitation.
However, I had removed my presence with the Hide skill and blended with the surrounding scenery with the Remain Unknown skill.
Due to that, the goblins approached brazenly, relying on the scent of the blood. I wonder how was I portrayed in the eyes of the goblins.
Was it possible that they do not even realize that I was holding on to a bow and arrow?
Well, they were goblins so they were not worth much experience points ?
“Hn? Wait.”
I took out a sword from my Item Bag and released my Hide and Remain Unknown skills.
The goblins immediately knelt to the ground.
“Oo, it actually has an effect. As expected.”
Goblin Sword ? a sword that evokes obedience from goblins. I obtained it after defeating the Goblin King in the town of Florence but I didn’t encounter any goblins after that so I didn’t have any chance to use it.
“Do you understand me?”
When I asked the goblins, the goblins answered with shrieks that could not form words as they nodded.
Do they actually understand me?
“Do you not understand me?”
When I asked that, this time they shook their heads.
Either goblins have the ability to understand human speech or it was an effect of the Goblin Sword but either way, that was convenient.
“All right, Goblins. This might be a little soon but this is an order. I wish to find things in this forest ?”
After I announced the three items I wish to find in the forest, the goblins smiled ? it seemed like the smile of the devil so it was scary ? and pointed.
It seemed like they had a clue as to where to find them.
“All right, lead the way.”
I took a little detour before going to the Dwarf mountain.