Hunt for Elder Treant

After polishing off our delicious Pad Thai lunch, Rachel and I decided to retreat to the hotel for a quick break before tackling the night's agenda. While hunting down the Elder Treant was officially on the menu, my personal to-do list held a slightly different dish – awakening the slumbering Elder Dark Treant and setting it loose on Lucifer.

With any luck, the ensuing chaos would create the perfect distraction for me to slip away and meet with the elusive Qilin. That mythical beast held the key to unlocking my true Beast Will, and it was a key I desperately needed.

As we walked back to the hotel, Rachel stretched languidly in the afternoon sun. "Ugh," she sighed dramatically, "all that Pad Thai has me feeling sluggish. Are you sure we can't just postpone this hunt until tomorrow?"I chuckled, masking my own hidden agenda. "The Elder Treant won't exactly appreciate us showing up late for his slumber party, princess."

Rachel swatted my arm playfully. "Fine, fine. Grumpy Treant at dusk it is. Just promise me we can grab some coffee before we head out. I need a serious caffeine boost to face a grumpy ancient tree."

"Deal," I agreed, a sly grin tugging at my lips. The Elder Treant might be grumpy, but the real fireworks were about to begin, and I wouldn't have it any other way.We reached the hotel, the familiar lobby a welcome sight. Checking in was a breeze, and soon we were both sprawled on our separate beds, the remnants of lunch settling in our stomachs.

Resting wasn't exactly on my agenda. I had to make sure I thought of all possibilities so that the Elder Treant evolves into the Elder Dark Treant and Lucifer comes to fight with it. Tonight, the Isle of Azure Breeze was about to witness a battle of epic proportions, and I, for one, couldn't wait to see the chaos unfold.

My mind whirred, a well-oiled machine formulating a plan. I needed to awaken the Elder Dark Treant while keeping Rachel in the dark – literally and figuratively. Sure, she was a sharp cookie, but after reading the <<Saga of the Divine Swordsman>> countless times, I knew her battle tics like the back of my hand. Misdirection wouldn't be a problem.

Another bonus: the Elder Treant was a heavyweight champion compared to the Thunderclaw Griffin. It'd keep Rachel fully occupied – soloing it wouldn't be an option for me, not if I wanted to maintain my cover. Of course, going all-out wouldn't be part of the plan anyway.

My plan simmered in my mind as I drifted off to sleep. The setting sun painted the sky in fiery hues as dusk settled, casting long shadows across the island.

Time to get to work. I rose from my bed, a familiar surge of energy coursing through my muscles – the way I always felt after waking up in this strange new world. Initially, it had been a disorienting sensation, but humans truly were adaptable creatures.

Slipping into my combat gear, I felt a surprising jolt of alertness. Was it simply the anticipation of the coming night? Maybe. Sun Tzu, the legendary strategist, did say knowing yourself and your enemy ensured victory. Tonight, I knew my own strengths and weaknesses and that of Rachel, Lucifer and the Elder Dark Treant.

As for the timeline… well, that was already starting to unravel. The Qilin wouldn't have bestowed its power on Lucifer – the man was a walking anomaly with two Gifts. By awakening the Dark Treant and potentially saving the Qilin, I was creating a major butterfly effect. My future knowledge, built on the original timeline, was becoming unreliable.

But these deviations were necessary. The bigger the changes, the better. Saving this world, saving myself – those were the ultimate goals. Tonight was just the first step, a chaotic dance on the precipice of a rewritten future.

I emerged from my room to find Rachel already arrayed for the coming conflict. Her posture held the quiet authority of a born leader, and the glint in her eyes spoke of a warrior honed by countless battles. Indeed, every aspect of her, from the elegant set of her armour to the regal cadence of her voice, echoed the noble blood that flowed within her veins.

"Ready to go, Rach?" I inquired, a hint of amusement flickering in my gaze. "Tonight,we will really need your light magic."

A subtle tension lingered beneath Rachel's confident exterior, a testament to the formidable foe we were about to face. Yet, a flicker of pride also danced in her eyes, no doubt kindled by the memory of my prowess against the Thunderclaw Griffin. Such self-assurance would serve us well in the coming skirmish.

Bidding farewell to the hotel staff, we emerged into the twilight. Here, on the fringes of the neon-kissed city, the encroaching darkness wasn't absolute. Streetlights bled their warm glow into the forest's edge, painting the path ahead in a hazy, orange light.

As we reached the unlit mouth of the forest, Rachel's hand flicked in a practiced motion. A faint, two-circle sigil pulsed in the air before dissolving, leaving behind an ethereal luminescence that bathed the immediate area in a cool, blue light.

The familiar tingle of her night vision spell washed over me, a testament to her ever-reliable magic. A silent word of thanks formed on my lips, conveyed with a subtle tilt of my head. The coming fight wouldn't be easy, but with Rachel by my side, I felt a surge of confidence.

We plunged deeper into the forest, the canopy overhead swallowing the last vestiges of artificial light. The air grew thick with the scents of damp earth and decaying leaves, broken only by the occasional rustle or chirp. My senses, honed by years of training, remained on high alert.

Suddenly, a flash of movement from the undergrowth caught my eye. Before I could react, a low growl ripped through the stillness. A pair of glowing red eyes materialized from the shadows, followed by a hulking, reptilian form – a Lesser Swamp Lurker.

This wasn't the Elder Treant we sought, but the thrill of the hunt coursed through me nonetheless. With a practiced ease, I drew my weapon, the moonlight glinting off the polished steel. The fight that followed was a blur of coordinated movement and brutal efficiency. Rachel, a whirlwind of light magic, set the surrounding vegetation ablaze, forcing the creature out of hiding. Together, we made quick work of the beast, its defeated snarl echoing through the silent trees.

Our victory over the Swamp Lurker was a mere prelude to the symphony of chaos about to unfold. The deeper we ventured into the forest, the denser the darkness became, punctuated only by the soft, ethereal glow of Rachel's night vision spell. The air grew heavy with a strange, oppressive energy, a tangible presence that sent shivers down my spine despite years of facing the unknown.

A twig snapped in the distance, followed by a series of unsettling clicks and hisses. From the inky blackness, a horde of Shadow Scorpions materialized, their segmented bodies glinting with an unnatural sheen. Their venomous pincers clicked hungrily, their beady eyes fixated on us like malevolent stars.

"Light Arrow!" Rachel cried out, her voice cutting through the oppressive silence. A blazing orb of pure light materialized in her hand, its brilliance casting long shadows across the forest floor. With a flick of her wrist, she launched the projectile at the oncoming horde. The orb exploded in a blinding flash, bathing the area in a wave of cleansing light. The Scorpions, creatures of darkness, recoiled from the onslaught, their hisses turning into shrill shrieks of pain.

We pressed forward, the rhythmic hum of Rachel's light magic a comforting counterpoint to the symphony of nocturnal sounds. A pair of spectral wolves, their forms shimmering with an ethereal blue light, materialized from the shadows. These were Howlers, creatures that drained the life force of their victims with a single, mournful cry.

Perfect offerings to the Elder Treant.

The Howlers, true to their name, unleashed eerie howls as they gathered their pack, preparing to charge at us. These creatures, classified as 3-star dark magic beasts, straddled the line between dark and mana beasts, causing confusion until recent research established a clear classification between black magic and normal magic.

Despite this clarity, Howlers remained formidable foes, particularly due to their pack mentality reminiscent of wolves. Within their ranks were females and young, valuable sacrifices for the evolution of the Elder Treant into its powerful 6-star form.

That was my objective.

To achieve it, I devised a plan. Firstly, neutralize the pack's warriors, sparing a few to act as unwitting guides to their lair. Howlers lacked the cunning to deceive predators, ensuring their trails would lead us straight to their hideout.

Though their dark magic, capable of sapping mana and life force, posed a threat, their individual prowess wasn't substantial. Especially not with Rachel, a skilled wielder of light magic, at my side.

With a flick of her wrist, Rachel conjured three radiant arrows, dispatching the first wave of Howlers with explosive precision.

BOOM!

Six foes fell, clearing the path for our mission to unfold.

As the fray intensified, I plunged headlong into the melee, my silver blade slashing through the ranks of Howlers with the aid of crackling lightning. Enhanced instincts guided my movements, allowing me to anticipate their attacks and evade while swiftly dispatching them.

Utilizing spells to divert their attention, I orchestrated their demise, with Rachel providing invaluable backup. Yet, amidst the chaos, I remained vigilant, ensuring none of the beasts dared to approach too close to her.

The onslaught continued, a relentless barrage against the Howlers, until an ominous rumble filled the air, accompanied by a palpable surge in pressure. Instantly, our assault halted, both of us turning to face the source of this foreboding disturbance.