"Seriously, where is that damn tree?" I muttered in annoyance; my frustration was quite visible.
Glancing up at the sky, I watched the sun rising once more, its golden rays casting a cruel reminder of the night's wasted efforts. An entire night had slipped away, slipping through my fingers like sand.
With a heavy sigh, I sank down onto the ground, my body screaming with exhaustion. While I do have huge amount of stamina, the relentless use of my authority had drained completely.
I couldn't help but wonder if I was losing my mind. During that long, eerie night, I had witnessed a tree's silent moans. I couldn't hear them, but the information had been blasted directly into my brain, and the sight had sent shivers down my spine.
"Hahaha," I laughed in disbelief, the sound tinged with exhaustion. I was beyond tired. At this rate, it felt like it might take an entire year to find that elusive tree.
The forest stretched out endlessly in every direction, a labyrinth of trees, foliage, and shadows. Searching for one specific tree, blessed by the moonlight, in this vast, tree-infested wilderness was akin to attempting to find a single ant in a bustling ant colony.
As I lay on the ground, my body gradually eased into a sense of comfort, the tension and stress of the night slowly lting away.
"I'll try again tonight," I murmured to myself, determined despite my weariness.
My eyes drooped, my body unable to withstand the exhaustion any longer, and my thoughts began to blur.
Before I knew it, sleep claid , granting respite from the relentless search and the haunting visions of the night.
…..
"Adrian's still not here huh," Tristan said, his brows furrowing with concern. "I also visited his room at Lucian Hall earlier in the morning, and it seems he hasn't returned yet."
Louise nodded in agreent. "Yeah, they did say it will take him a few days to resolve his family matters."
"But it's kinda weird, you know?" Alex chid in, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
Louise and Tristan exchanged puzzled looks. "What do you an?" Louise asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Well," Alex began, leaning in slightly, "I asked his little sister regarding the matters with Adrian, but she was just confused as to why Adrian went on leave. Do you think he didn't tell her?"
Louise was taken aback. "Wait, Adrian has a little sister? Is she attending Estelle Academy as well? Why didn't you tell us that?"
Alex hesitated for a mont. "I was going to tell you guys about her, but I was waiting for Adrian to bring up the topic and actually introduce her to you guys"
That was actually an excuse, unbeknownst to his friends, the real reason Alex had held back was the fear of introducing Tristan to Aria.
Alex trusted his own looks and considered himself quite handso, but in front of Tristan, who seed to embody the very essence of beauty, he couldn't help but feel inferior.
To Alex, Tristan was like a living work of art, and he feared he might co across as a muscular toad in comparison, he secretly hoped to delay their introduction, worried that Aria might take an interest in Tristan instead of him.
Louise's eyes sparkled with genuine curiosity as she leaned forward, her enthusiasm barely contained. "So which departnt is she enrolled in?" she asked with an eager smile.
Alex smiled back, pleased by Louise's enthusiasm. "She's in the magic departnt, so she should also be here at Estelle Hall," he replied, sensing her excitent.
Louise's excitent bubbled over as she suggested, "Then let's hurry up and et her. She could join us at lunch, don't you think our friend group is a little too small? Hehe." Her enthusiasm got the best of her as she accidentally slamd the table in her excitent.
She had several reasons to be thrilled – eting Adrian's little sister and the prospect of having another girl join their circle. While she did have so female friends in her class, they weren't as close-knit as her group with Tristan and Alex.
However, Tristan, always the voice of reason, held up his hand, trying to temper Louise's eagerness.
"Wait, Louise calm down for a bit. I know you're excited and all, but don't you think it would be weird if we just suddenly introduced ourselves to soone right now? I an, I know we're friends with her brother and all," he reprimanded gently, "but we're still basically strangers"
"Oh, I guess you're right, hehe," Louise admitted with a sheepish grin, scratching the back of her head.
Tristan, still pondering the mystery, continued, "Back to the topic at hand, why do you think he didn't tell her?"
"Are they not close Alex?"
Alex considered the question for a mont, his brow furrowing. "No, I think they're very close. When we first t each other, Aria was sticking quite close to Adrian."
"Here are your orders"
Their conversation was abruptly interrupted when a golem suddenly appeared, delivering their orders with a chanical precision.
"Oh, thanks, bud," Alex exclaid with a grin, taking his plate.
"You are most welco," replied the golem in its usual monotone voice before turning away.
Louise couldn't help but playfully scold Alex. "Alex, don't you think ordering blazing steak all the ti is bad for your health?"
Alex chuckled heartily, flexing his biceps. "Hahaha, you don't get it, Louise. Every man needs their at for these babies to grow," he said with a wink, while flexing his biceps.
Louise giggled. "Haha, I don't think that's how you're supposed to describe it, though."
"I guess we'll just have to wait for Adrian's explanation when he returns," Tristan said calmly, while expertly mixing his pasta.
...
"Slash, slash," each swing of my hand cut down three bodies, leaving the Razor wolves in pain and chaos.
"Rouaahhg!" scread the wounded razor wolf, its agony echoing through the forest.
I couldn't help but wonder where these creatures had co from. I had only recently woken up and resud my search for the elusive moonlit tree when dozens of Razor wolves had suddenly attacked .
While they might not be as powerful as the Venom leopard I encountered yesterday, their sheer numbers and systematic hunting style made them a formidable threat to the average hunter or adventurer.
One by one, I dispatched them – one, two, five, eight, eleven. There weren't many left, but the imposing figure at the back of the pack, cold eyes fixed on , was likely the Alpha. It patiently waited for an opportunity to strike.
Then, suddenly, a wolf growled to my left, while the one to my right lunged straight at . These creatures knew how to exploit blind spots and were growing increasingly annoying.
I had had enough. I allowed my aura to surge through my body, enhancing my senses and increasing my blood flow. An aura sword materialized in my right hand as I swiftly spun, beheading the wolf to my right. With a burst of speed, I launched myself at the wolf to my left before closing in on the Alpha.
The wolves surrounding were slow to react, taken aback by my sudden movents. As if biding its ti, the Alpha opened its mouth wide, gathering a powerful gust of wind into an orb of pure plasma.
"Shit, it was a Tempest Wolf," I cursed, realizing the danger. But before I could react, the plasma ball expanded and hurtled toward like a bullet, causing a thunderous explosion and sparking lightning. An enormous mushroom cloud billowed where I had been standing just monts ago.
The Alpha seed satisfied, even though it had sacrificed its own pack mbers to eliminate , just as it was about to turn back a voice called out.
"Wow, you really killed your own lackeys just to get , huh?" I taunted. A white veil manifested, protecting from the blast as my authority shielded from the damage.
"But I have to admit, that hurt like hell."
Before the Alpha could react, a sonic boom resounded, and I appeared right in front of it. I reached out to pierce its brain, but a green translucent barrier suddenly materialized, forming a shield that blocked my attack.
"Tsk," I instinctively jumped back, my senses alert to an imminent attack. Hundreds of vines lashed out where I had stood just monts before.
"That's enough, evil foreigner," a woman with striking green hair and green eyes appeared beside the wolf.
She seed to float a few inches above the ground, dressed in a white gown reminiscent of ancient Greek attire. She cast a disapproving glance at the wolf.
"I told you, Zekel, you couldn't take him on your own," the green-haired woman reprimanded her beastly companion.
The wolf responded with a snort, clearly trying to deny the woman's words.
I couldn't help but interject, my irritation mounting.
"Excuse for interrupting your wonderful conversation, but were you the reason these guys attacked ?" I demanded an answer.
The green-haired woman turned her gaze towards , her piercing green eyes locked onto mine.
"Yes, tell , evil foreigner, why did you co to this forest?"
I was taken aback.
"You're seriously asking that after trying to kill ? I wonder what would have happened if I wasn't strong enough. And what do you an by 'evil foreigner'? I've co here with pure intentions, you know," I retorted, my frustration with this unreasonable woman growing.
"Pure? Haha, you make the last of lies, foreigner,"
she scoffed, her green eyes glowing ominously.
"Although you may try to hide it, my eyes see right through you, foreigner. The number of dark blessings you possess is abnormal."
I was dumbfounded, unable to comprehend how she could discern such a thing.
"The longer you stay in this forest, the more dangerous it becos"
"That beast is reacting to your energy," she warned ominously.
With a swift motion, she raised her arm, green energy gathering in her hands. Vines erupted from the ground, binding in a near-chokehold.
The energy in her hands compressed into a tiny pebble-sized sphere, but I could sense the imnse power she held.
The once-vibrant and lush trees surrounding her withered as she drained their vitality.
"This woman is really crazy," I thought to myself.
"So, do a favor and disappear," she said nacingly. Bathed in the moonlight, her face exuded an even greater ferocity as she released the condensed energy toward .
A deafening explosion shook the forest, leaving to wonder what kind of perilous journey I had just stumbled into.
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