35
Anon is sitting in his room, lost in thought with a very serious expression.
"I have attracted the attention of a big motherfucker now... I need to get my act together and think clearly. He will definitely hire someone big to kill me but if i act with intelligence that i lack a little bit then i can easily beat him.
System, show me the skills that are above level 50."
[Searching for skills that are over level 50...]
[30 skills found]
"Show me the skills that are only for my class," Anon commands.
[Searching skills related to the Cerebraxis class]
[Mind Control Lv.87]
[Demonic Eyes Lv.66]
[Memory Alter Lv.92]
[Chimera Maker Lv.65]
[Psychic Connection Lv.77]
[Body Modification Lv.89]
[Alluring Scent Lv.53]
[Sensoring Aura Lv.79]
"Okay, these are my main skills. This Chimera Maker skill, I remember it. I leveled it up to create cow girls, but then I got distracted and forgot about it. System, show me the description for this skill once more." Anon commands.
[Chimera Maker]
[This skill can create Chimeras by merging two or more beings. One of them must be alive for the process to succeed. The success rate is not guaranteed. If the beings being merged share the same affinity, they have a higher chance of merging than beings with different affinities.]
[Mana: Depends on subjects.]
"Alright, this is interesting. I think it's time to use this skill. I need to go to Eversong Forest and find some useful beasts to give me an advantage against the Paradise family," Anon thinks, deciding that he'll venture into the forest to create Chimeras.
"Jule, dinner is ready," Hillary says as she knocks on his room.
Without any time waste, Anon leaves his room and sits at the dining table. Once the food is served, he eats quickly and returns back to his room.
He didn't talk to anyone or asked anyone how did their day went.
"What's wrong with him?" Ian asks.
"I don't know," Hillary replies.
"Maybe he's nervous about tomorrow. Don't forget, tomorrow is his big day—the hunt festival," Moon says with a smile.
"Oh, right. How could I forget that? That's why he looks so nervous." Ian rubs his head, feeling forgetful.
"Let's eat and then get ready for his hunt," Ian suggests, and they all enjoy their dinner.
After dinner, everyone goes back to their rooms to prepare for Anon's hunt. Hillary takes care of food and water, Moon handles cheering equipment, and Ian oversees other preparations.
Everyone was preparing for the hunt tomorrow whereas Anon was preparing for something else.
"If only i had grenades here. This would've been a piece of cake. Well i won't cry about it. Let's see.. railgun check, sickles check, rope check.
Psychopathic mind.... Check. Let's go" anon said as he putted all the items into his inventory." Anon said as a smile appeared on his face.
As everyone falls asleep, Anon wakes up, lights an incense stick in Moon's room, returns to his room, gives his equipment a final check, and jumps out of his window.
"Time to hunt."
Walking through the city at night, Anon notices a dark residential area on one side and a brightly lit area on the other.
That's the red-light district—a famous place for humans who can't afford an elf slave. Thousands of humans enter the elven kingdom everyday, paying extra taxes to engage in sexual activities in the red-light district. Unbeknownst to them, they're boosting the Elven kingdom's economy.
"Stupid assholes," Anon mutters, observing them before continuing toward his destination.
After an hour of walking, he reaches Eversong Forest.
"Why don't they run carriages at night?" Anon complains, looking at the forest ahead.
While Eversong Forest appears beautiful during the day, it takes on a horrific appearance at night, as if monsters could emerge at any moment. Anon walks into the forest without hesitation.
<Sensoring Aura>
Everything around him brightens up, and Anon becomes acutely aware of his surroundings. He senses movement and sound clearly.
"Okay, let's see... I don't sense any monsters nearby," Anon remarks as he moves forward.
After walking for ten minutes, he senses something.
"Hmmm... What's that? Looks like a bat," Anon says, using his skill.
<Demonic Eyes>
[Name: Unknown]
[Race: Giant Sonic Bat]
[Description: These bats lack eyes and instead have large ears to listen to reflected high-pitched sounds. They use their mouths to produce ultrasonic sounds that humans, elves, or dwarfs can't hear due to their high pitch.
Giant Sonic Bats sense danger from a distance and can't be easily tamed or captured. They often stay still after sensing a weak life form and attack when it approaches. They live in the deep caves of Eversong Forest and rarely venture out. They feed on the blood of larger animals.]
'Hmm, this could be useful. I could mix this creature with another beast to gain ultrasonic sounds and heightened hearing. Wait... If I can sense it with my skill, it must have sensed me too. Yet it's staying still, thinking I'm weak. If it attacks, it'll be quite a show.' Anon thinks, a smile forming as he approaches the bat.
Reaching it, Anon pretends not to notice it and acts like a prey.
Squeak
Suddenly, the bat lunges at him with its giant body, but Anon swiftly beheads it using his sickles.
"Stupid... What kind of senses do you have if you couldn't sense my dangerous presence?" Anon said as he laughed at the bat and puts it's body into his inventory.
"Now, let's search for some other Monsters that have senses like you." Anon said as he started searching around.
After walking for a bit Anon came across his second target...
'Is that a dog ?' Anon wondered as he looked at a wolf like Creature but it had big horns.
<Demonic Eyes>
[Name: unknown]
[Race: Big horned Hell Hound]
[Description: These hounds are very dangerous. Once they set you as their prey. You are done for, because hell hounds are born with the instinct to catch and kill . His skin is too hard to cut through with a normal sword or knife but his horns are very fragile.]
"Hellhound, huh? Let's see what type of instincts you have, motherfucker," Anon said as he threw a stone towards the hellhound.
Grrrrr
The hellhound immediately noticed Anon's presence and started running towards him with incredible speed.
"Come... Bitch. Let me see those beautiful fangs," Anon said as he started running in the other direction.
The hellhound was chasing him with its full speed, saliva dripping from its big jaw.
It was hungry... It was angry.
Suddenly, Anon stopped at a certain position and looked at the hellhound.
"Playtime's over," he said as a smile appeared on his face.
Rawwwrr
The hellhound roared and started running towards Anon with its full speed.
<Thunder Javelin>
"Keep the power low. I want low body damage," Anon ordered.
[Mana output has been turned down to a minimum]
Suddenly, a javelin covered in blue and golden lights crackled through the air and pierced the hellhound's face, killing it in seconds.
Thud
Its lifeless body fell to the ground.
"I need one more beast to make a Chimera, but this time I need the beast alive," Anon said as he started walking deeper into the forest.
He encountered his next beast sooner than he had expected.
The beast looked similar to a snake.
<Demonic Eyes>
[Name: Zar]
[Level: 90]
[Race: Vermillion Snake]
[Description: A named Vermillion Snake has very high intelligence. Compared to a fully grown human, a Vermillion Snake has similar intelligence. They know battle tactics and how to escape danger.
Once in its grip, no one can save you from instant death. Vermillion Snakes don't contain any type of poison in their fangs, but they do contain four different types of Paralytic Serums.]
"A named beast... It seems I have come a long way inside the jungle. Should I try to kill him? Or should I just go back out and search for another beast? I mean, this guy has 25 more levels than me," Anon started thinking.
Suddenly, he noticed that the Vermillion Snake was looking at something through the bushes.
Anon looked at the other side and saw an even bigger animal eating a one-horned rabbit.
It had big and long ears, sharp teeth sticking out of its mouth, a long tail, and a very sturdy yet flexible body.
It resembled a mongoose but was ten times its original size.
The wild mana of the forest did this to the animals. Their small bodies can't process the wild mana, and they don't know how to purify it.
That's why they evolved into this bigger form to easily process the wild mana.
<Demonic Eyes>
[Name: Unknown]
[Race: Killer Mongoose]
[Level: 78]
[This beast has perfected its teeth over the years and sharpened them to the point where they can easily cut through anything. Once under its teeth, nothing will survive.
This beast has good hearing and a very sharp nose. Killer Mongoose was born as a natural hunter of the Vermillion Snake. They are immune to their paralytic poisons.]
"Seems like I don't have to do anything at all," Anon spoke as he silently observed the Vermillion Snake and Killer Mongoose.
Hisssss
The Vermillion Snake suddenly lunged at the Killer Mongoose with its Paralytic Serum-filled fangs.
The Killer Mongoose immediately jumped and dodged its attack.
Kweeeeeeee
The mongoose made a loud and high-pitched sound as it tried to grab the Vermillion Snake with its sharp claws and kill it with its teeth.
Hisssss
The Vermillion Snake moved at a very high speed and tried to dodge its claws.
But the mongoose was fast... It grabbed the Vermillion Snake and bit it immediately.
HIIIIISSSSSSSSSS
Suddenly green blood started flowing out of the Vermillion Snake's body.
The Vermillion Snake immediately attacked back and bit the mongoose on its back.
Kweeeeee
The mongoose's blood also started flowing out, but the mongoose was still trying to bite the snake again and again.
After fighting for 30 minutes, both of them were injured, but the Vermillion Snake was more injured.
Suddenly the Vermillion Snake started running deep into the forest. It knew it couldn't win.
The Killer Mongoose followed it, and Anon followed both of them.
The Vermillion Snake and the Killer Mongoose engaged in fights as they moved deeper into the forest.
Suddenly the mongoose stopped chasing the Vermillion Snake, and the snake got away.
"It's time to play my part. The Vermillion Snake is so injured that one of my attacks, and it will be as good as dead, but I don't want him dead. That's why I have to catch him alive," Anon said as he continued to follow the Vermillion Snake.
After some time, the snake stopped under a tree and started spiraling around the tree.
"This is it," Anon said as he finally decided to attack.
<Thunder Javelin>
The Vermillion Snake always came to this place whenever it got hurt, and it felt safe at this tree, but it didn't know that today the hunter had come to its home.
Suddenly, the lights crackled and the thunder javelin hit the Vermillion Snake's body.
Hisssssss
Before the snake could do anything, it was split into two halves and lying on the ground.
The Vermillion Snake struggled to run away in its last moments, but it couldn't.
"Shit... He is dying. I have to do it now," Anon said as he took out the previous corpses of the monsters that he had killed.
Putting everything in one place, Anon used his skill...
<Chimera Maker>
Suddenly a magic circle appeared beneath the body parts, and all the body parts turned into a white streak of light.
Zzzzzz
Suddenly the body started taking shape. It started forming into a dog like structure.
After one minute, the light faded, and a new creature was revealed.
"Woahhh... " Anon was shocked to see this new creature.
It was the size of a dog, had giant bat's ears, a very big monstrous mouth with fangs inside, an armored body, Sharp Green eyes and sharp claws. It's tail was similar to the Vermillion Snake's skin.
The dog went down on its knees as soon as it looked at Anon, as if submitting itself to him.
"Hmm... You are a chimera, huh? Should I give you a name?" Anon wondered as he looked at the dog.
The dog nodded in agreement.
"Wait, you can understand me?" Anon asked.
The dog once more nodded in agreement.
"Okay, that's cool... I thought I had to train you like those army dogs. So, your name should be Gin.
It was a famous alcohol back then on earth." Anon said as he felt mana gushing out of his body.
"My mana got drained when I gave him a name? Why the heck would that happen?" Anon wondered as he looked at Gin in confusion.
After thinking for a bit, Anon stopped thinking.
"Now, let's see. How do I bring you back with me?" Anon spoke as he looked at Gin.
Woof
Gin suddenly started barking.
"What?" Anon asked.
Woof-Woof-Woof
Gin barked as he started running round and round; suddenly, a white glow started coming out of his body, and he transformed into a little black puppy.
"Damn, you can transform your shape?" Anon said as he looked at Gin in surprise.
Woof
Gin barked and jumped onto Anon's shoulder.
"Let's go back, little buddy," Anon said as both of them went back to Jule's house.
The next day...
"Jule... Wake up. Don't you have the Hunt Festival today?"
"Wake up, Jule."
As soon as these sounds fell into Anon's ears, he opened his eyes and looked around.
Suddenly, he noticed that Hillary, Ian, and Moon were standing in his room.
"Hmm...? What happened?" Anon asked with a confused expression.
"Huh...? Don't you remember today is your Hunt Festival? You have to get ready; there is only one hour left before it starts," Moon spoke.
"Yeah, son. You have our full support. Just give it your best," Ian spoke.
"Well, I will pack the food..." Hillary said as she exited the room.
"Yeah... I will get some things too."
All of them left one by one after that.
"Ah, heck, I forgot about that thing."
Woof-Woof-Woof
Suddenly, Gin hopped out from the blanket and started licking Anon's face.
"Calm down, buddy. We got work to do; let's go." Anon said as he went to the bathroom and took a shower with Gin.
After the shower, Anon went to the dining table and started having breakfast with everyone.
Woof
Suddenly, Gin walked up onto the table.
"Whoa... What is that?" Ian asked with a scared expression.
"Wow... A cute puppy. Can I pet him?" Moon asked.
"Yeah... You can pet him, and Dad, he is my little friend that I found yesterday," Anon replied to Ian.
"Son, I don't think you can take care of a dog, and a dog needs utmost care too. He will just dirty the house too," Ian replied.
"Dad, don't worry; he works on my command. Oi, sit down." Anon commanded Gin.
Gin immediately followed his command and sat down.
"Wow, he really works on your command, huh?" Moon spoke as she noticed the sudden change in Gin's actions.
"Well, I don't want him pooping here on our dining table," Ian spoke.
"He won't," Anon replied.
"So, do you have a strategy for the event like last time?" Ian asked.
"Yeah, I stopped making strategies since the last time. I will just go inside with no strategies at all this time," Anon replied.
"Yeah, that's one good plan," Moon replied.
"Well, I am done. I will go and wear my clothes now," Ian said as he stood up and went to his room.
"I will go and wash these dishes, after that, I will also get ready."
"Yeah, Mom, can you help me pick out a dress?" Moon asked.
"Okay, honey, I will after doing the dishes," Hillary spoke as she went to the kitchen.
"You really don't have any strategy for this time?" Moon asked with a low tone.
"No, why?" Anon spoke.
"No, it's just that you were always all strategic and excited, but today you look very calm," Moon replied.
"Yeah, that was the past. This is the present. I will go and get ready now," Anon spoke as he stood up from the table and went to his room.
'In the Forest Hunt Festival, the one who wins gets rewarded along with his family. That's why this family is so excited to go there with me.
There will be other families too. I don't know why this Jule guy always participated in this stupid competition when he knew that he wasn't going to win against Saul. Well, good for you, Jule... Seems like you are going to win today.' Anon thought as he exited his room and saw that all of the family members are ready to leave as well.
All of them locked the house and took a carriage to the location where the competition was being held.
As soon as they reached the location, they saw a big crowd of people swarming around a big stage in the middle of the city.
Anon walked down from the carriage with Moon, Hillary, and Ian.
"Hmm... Is it just me, or does the crowd in this place get double every year?" Moon asked.
"Honey, our numbers grow every year. That's a given that the crowd will increase," Ian explained.
"Well, isn't that you, Hillary?" A woman's voice rang in the environment.
Everyone looked at the source and found a woman with purple hair and purple eyes coming towards them with a muscular guy walking right beside her.
'She is Fauna, Saul's mother. She never misses a chance to taunt Hillary and me.'
"Oh, Fauna and Saul... How are you?" Hillary asked.
"Hahaha... I am good, darling. How are you and Jule?" She asked.
"Oh, we are good," Hillary replied.
"You came again, huh? Guess you never learn." Saul taunted Anon.
Anon kept silent and just looked at him.
'What a arrogant stupid?' Anon thought as he smirked.
"Don't be rude to them, Saul. They get defeated every year doesn't mean that they will get defeated this year too, right, Hillary?" Fauna asked.
"Y-Yeah..."
'You say that every year, bitch.' Hillary thought as she faked her laugh.
Behind the stage...
A man covered in full green clothes is pointing his sword at the village chief.
"You know what to do, right?" He asked with a heavy voice.
"Y-Y-Yes... Please spare my family's life," the village chief spoke with a scared expression.
"Ladies and gentlemen can i have your attention ? Please, look at me." The village chief announced as he walked upto the stage.
The crowd fell silent and everyone looked towards the stage.
"I-I, welcome you to the most beautiful competition of the Elven kingdom. 'The Forest Hunt.' " He spoke in a hesitant manner as he wiped his forehead that was dripping from sweat.
Anon looked at him with a suspicious expression.
*Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap-Clap*
Everyone started Clapping.
"W-Well, you all know the rules but i will still repeat them as always. Now before all of that, there is one change in the competition this time.
The-The competition will be held in the Evensong forest instead of the Gelard forest this time, hahaha..." The village chief announced as he laughed a bit to show as if he was speaking from free will.
'Okay, something is wrong with him. His face is telling that someone is forcing him to say all of this.' Anon figured out.
"We all know that Gelard forest is almost empty and there is no sense in holding the competition there, so for a change we have decided to hold the competition in the Evensong forest."
"Huh ? Evensong forest ? Isn't that a dangerous forest ?"
"Yeah, i don't know why the village chief would decide something so dangerous ?"
"Why would the village chief do that ?"
"We Should talk to him."
"F-For those who want to take their children out... I can understand your concern as a parent myself but this competition is going to be a bit difficult this time. So, those who are men enough to participate in the competition please come to the stage." The village chief announced.
'Ah... So it's to lure me out. Seems like he hired a professional this time huh ?' Anon immediately found out as a smile appeared on his face.
One by One candidates started walking up, on the stage.
Few minutes in and only 17 candidates are on the stage, compared to last year this wasn't even the 1/4th.
"Honey, What should we do ?" Hillary asked Ian.
"Well, it's i say we go back." Ian spoke.
"I also vote to go back." Moon spoke.
Anon was standing there with his hands in his pockets. He was calm and very collected at this moment.
'Hmmm... If he is looking to lure me in, he must be observing me from some corner but I can't identify him in this crowd.' Anon thought.
"Jule, let's go back son. This isn't your normal forest... Evensong forest is too dangerous for you. Let's just go back and see the other contestants." Ian spoke as he tapped on Anon's shoulder.
"Yes brother, that's a lethal ground. There are very dangerous beasts inside that forest and we can't loose you for such a stupid competition. Let's go, we will participate in next year's competition." Moon spoke.
"Na, I am going." Anon spoke as he looked at Ian and Moon.
"What ? But are you even ready for that ?" Ian asked.
"I am ready for it, Dad. Just trust me." Anon said as he looked at Ian with a mature and calm look.
"O-Okay." Ian spoke as he sensed maturity in Anon's voice.
"Good, i will see you soon." Anon said as he started walking towards the stage.
"Dad... We can't let him do this. That's the Evensong forest, the dangerous and life threatening beasts live there. Why did you permit him to go ?" Moon immediately spoke.
Ian turned towards her and spoke... "There was maturity in his voice. It was as if i am talking to someone, who has a lot of experience.
I-I think he will be okay."
Moon just staired at Ian in confusion as she tried to understand what he just said.
Anon stopped as he saw Saul walking back.
"What's up Saul ? Aren't you participating ?" Anon asked.
"No, Honey. Saul is not some kind of idiot who will participate in such life threatening competition." Fauna spoke.
"Yeah, i understand. You are saying that he is not a man, right ? I can understand that, only a strong Mother's strong boy can participate in this competition." Anon mocked both of them at the same time.
"Oi, Are you saying i am not man enough ?" Saul asked as he closed his distance between him and Anon.
"Well, i am not saying that maybe your mother is because if you were a man, you wouldn't be running away like a pussy. You would've been participating in that competition." Anon replied as he walked away.
"That fucker. Mother, i am going to participate in the competition bye." Saul spoke as he started walking towards the stage.
"No, son stop-" before she could've said anything Saul was on the stage.
"Well, Well... Seems like you decided to man up huh ?" Anon taunted Saul.
"If i got the chance inside that forest... I will crush you into pieces. So be careful." Saul spoke as he warned Anon and looked at him with an angry expression.
"Yeah, same to you." Anon spoke as he smiled and looked forward.
30 minutes later... Only 70 guys and 58 girls are standing on the stage.
The rest of the parents left the area and went back to their homes.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our contestants. These brave fighters will be fighting in the Evensong forest for a handsome amount of 1 gold coin and a trophy for winning the competition.
Now, let me explain the prices for the first 3 winners...
The first position will be rewarded with 1 gold and the winning trophy as i already mentioned.
The second position will be awarded with 50 silvers and a Silver medal.
The last and third position will get 10 silvers and a bronze medal.
These were the prices, now comes the time for the rules.
There are only two simple rules...
First rule, you can't kill anyone.
Second rule, You have to help your friends, if you see them in a life and death situation.
If you don't follow these rules you will be eliminated from this competition immediately.
Now, i will tell you your goal that you have to accomplish in order to win this competition." The chief explained.
-x-X-x-
"You will have three different goals in Evensong Forest to compete and win this competition.
The first goal will be collecting. There is a flower somewhere inside the Evensong Forest named 'Calfury.' It looks like this. If you complete this task, you will secure the third position safely," the chief explained as he took out a purple-colored flower from his pocket and showed it to everyone.
"The second goal will be stealing. There lives a beast inside the Evensong Forest known as the Evan Eagle. They lay eggs in this season on the top of the highest tree in the forest.
You will have to steal its egg and bring it back to secure the second position in this competition. You can also bring more than one egg to get extra money for it. Here is a picture of how this creature looks like," the chief spoke as he took out a scroll from his pocket and showed it to everyone.
On the scroll, there was a drawing of an Evan Eagle.
"The third and the last goal will be hunting. As you can already understand what this means. You have to hunt a beast and bring back its teeth in order to complete this task.
The beast you will be hunting is a very vicious one, known as 'The Hell Hound.'
The Hell Hound is a very dangerous beast; they search for food in the darkness of night, and they can easily sense anyone approaching them.
Now if some of you must be thinking, why not just buy their teeth from the shop and give them to the chief? No, that won't work. I can easily tell if the teeth belong to a freshly killed Hell Hound or a previously killed one.
So, don't try to act oversmart with me. If you achieve this task, you will secure the first position in this competition easily.
One more thing, although this never happened, but since I have some very promising faces here, I will be adding one more rule to this task.
Suppose if two or more than two guys kill the Hell Hound. In this condition, we can have a difficult time declaring one of them the winner; that's why you should try to kill as many Hell Hounds as possible.
The more teeth you have, the higher your chances of winning will be.
Now, you have 20 minutes to meet your families before you leave for the next three days.
Anyone who doesn't return back in 3 days will be considered dead. Thank you, everyone. You can still leave the competition if you want," the chief explained as he went down the stage.
As soon as he went backstage... He noticed the man who was threatening him before.
"I-I did it. I did what you told me to do. Now, please don't hurt my family. Please."
"Your work is not done yet. I need him inside the forest. You do it, or I will kill your whole family, and you know I can do it," the man again threatened the village chief.
"O-OKAY... I will do everything you tell me to, but don't touch my family," the village chief requested.
The man covered in green clothes disappeared.
Anon returned back to Ian, Moon, and Hillary.
"Well, Dad... I think I will go for the second or the third position because the first position task is too dangerous, and I can't risk it," Anon spoke as he looked at Ian.
"Yes, son, you do that and only go for the safe tasks. I am not forcing you to do any tasks at all. You are free from my side. I just want one thing from you: come out alive from that forest, okay? Now you will meet your mom, and she will definitely cry. Just hold her tightly," Ian spoke.
"Yes, father," Anon said as he moved towards Hillary.
"Oh, mother, come here, give me a hug," Anon said as he hugged Hillary.
"If you were my son, I wouldn't have allowed him to go in there at all, but I hope you die a very painful death," Hillary whispered in Anon's ears.
"If I died, your son's whereabouts would also be gone with me. Be careful of what you say next; your words can easily fire back right at your face," Anon replied with a smile.
"Fuck you," Hillary spoke.
"Oh, mom. Yes, yes, I love you too, and I will come out of that forest well and alive," Anon said out loud as they separated from each other.
"Oh, I will pray for you, son," Hillary said as she touched Anon's cheeks.
After meeting Hillary, Anon moved towards Moon.
"Hey, are you alright?" Moon asked.
"Yeah, I am good. What about you? How are you feeling?" Anon asked with a smile.
"I want to stop you from going into that death trap, but I can't because you have an iron will this time, and I can see it in your eyes. So, I want to say only one thing to you: be safe and return alive in one piece, okay?" Moon spoke.
"Believe me, I will. There is no beast inside that forest that can kill me, until Gin is with me," Anon said as he pointed towards the puppy.
Woof
"Oh, his name is Gin, huh?" Moon spoke as she bent down and picked him up.
"You protect my brother, okay?" She said as she held Gin in her hands.
Woof-Woof-Woof
"Good... Now come here and give me a big hug," Moon spoke as she hugged Anon.
"Okay, contestants, please come back to the stage. Your time to meet with your family is over. We will now begin the competition," the chief announced as three big glass screens appeared hovering above the stage.
Anon and the other guys moved back to the stage.
"Follow me," the village chief spoke as he took everyone to the entrance of the Evensong Forest.
"Contestants, your competition will start in 10 seconds."
"10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1. Go."
Suddenly, everyone started running into the forest. Suddenly, everyone noticed that one guy was walking very slowly and he wasn't rushing like the others.
This guy was none other than Jule himself.
'Let's begin.' Anon thought as an evil smile appeared on his face.
Anon is walking through the Evensong Forest with Gin. The sun is still shining in the sky, making the forest look beautiful.
However, when night falls, this very place will resemble a goddamn graveyard.
While everyone is moving cautiously and ensuring their safety, Anon is walking around as if he's taking a leisurely stroll in a garden.
No beast dares to approach him due to Gin's aura. On the contrary, other contestants are searching for the flower or the egg, all aiming to secure the third and second positions before attempting the first.
Anon, though, is waiting for the sun to go down, as only then will the Hell Hounds emerge for their hunt.
Zzz
The trees vibrated as a black figure jumped on them.
Suddenly, Anon senses an unknown presence following him from behind.
'Hmmm... He's here, This guy is really professional. He knows how to hide himself and he is also using stealthy spells.' Anon thinks as he turns around. He knows someone is trailing him, but he can't pinpoint the exact location.
He is hiding very well among the tress, making him almost untraceable.
"Show me your skills, Gin boy," Anon says as he rubs Gin's head.
Gin instantly transforms into his original form and emits an ultrasonic sound from his mouth.
This voice was inaudible to Anon and the assassin, only bats can listen to this sound.
Dooooooom
Woof
Gin barks oddly at a large tree.
'Found you, bitch,' Anon thinks as he activates his skill.
<Demonic Eyes>
[Name: Clint]
[Level: 209]
[Race: Dark Elf]
[Class: Assassin]
[Description: Contracted by Peter Paradise to eliminate you at any cost. Awaiting your entry into a more secluded area before he strikes.]
'Hmmm... Clint, you're way above my level, but it'll be fun to play with you, let's see to what limits can you Follow me.' Anon thinks as he continues walking forward.
'Something's wrong... Why is he heading toward the center of the forest?' Clint questions himself, perplexed, but he continues to tail Anon.
Twenty-seven minutes later...
Anon stops in his tracks as he senses an immensely powerful and dangerous creature ahead. The creature has marked its territory with urine.
'I don't want to proceed, but I won't survive a hand-to-hand combat with that assassin. My spells won't work on him either. If this is what it takes to defeat him, so be it.' Anon decides, entering the marked area.
'The hell is wrong with this kid? Going in there is suicide,' Clint wonders, a puzzled expression crossing his face.
Clint decides to halt his pursuit of Anon and waits outside the area for him to come out again.
Anon advances cautiously, feeling the mana growing denser in this part of the forest.
'Who could be living here?' Anon wonders, scanning his surroundings. The grass, vines, and woods here are thicker than in the outer forest.
Woof
Gin barks, sensing something, his behaviour was odd, he wanted to find the thing that ruled this area of the forest.
"Where?" Anon asks, looking at Gin.
Gin walks towards a different location, and Anon follows suit.
After a short walk, Gin stops in front of big a cave.
"Is it in there?" Anon inquires with a smile.
Woof
Gin barks softly in response.
[Master, I sense an intense presence here. You should leave.] Link advises, feeling uneasy.
'I know, Link. I can sense it too, but if I leave without a plan, I'm as good as dead at his hands,' Anon spoke.
[Master, I'm detecting a powerful mana source from inside. If you guide me to it, I can absorb it and grant you immense power.] Link suggests.
'Really?'
[Yes, Master.]
'Alright, I'll give it a shot.' Anon agrees, entering the cave.
Though the cave is dark, Anon's enhanced vision allows him to see everything clearly.
The cave's entrance is small, but the interior is vast. A sticky substance covers the walls.
This liquid was similar to slime mixed with glue. It was green in colour and had a very disgusting smell.
Anon touches the sticky liquid and examines it carefully.
'What is this? Seems like human snot,' Anon thinks as he ventures further inside.
While walking, a message suddenly appears before him...
[Opponent has used the skill <Extreme Grade Hallucination>]
[You have resisted the skill <Extreme Grade Hallucination> due to your class [Cerebraxis]]
"Interesting... This snot has a drug-like effect that induces hallucinations in those who touch it, huh? This guy is the real motherfucker. He uses this shit to Hallucinate it's opponents and kills them once they are under Hallucination."
'Sephie, can you hear me?' Anon establishes a psychic connection.
'Yes, Master,' Sephie responds.
'Luv, can you tell me about a creature that exudes a sticky liquid from its body or mouth? This liquid causes extreme hallucinations in those who touch it.' Anon asks.
'I don't have information about this creature, Master, but I recently purchased a book about ancient monsters from the black market. I'll check if I can find any relevant informationin that.' Sephie replies.
'Hurry up, Luv. I need answer fast,' Anon urges.
'I'm on it, Master. I'll get back to you with an answer as soon as I find one,' Sephie assures.
'Good.' Anon responds, resuming his exploration.
The further he goes, the denser the mana becomes.
After walking for ten minutes, Anon senses something—a powerful presence.
This presence is unlike anything Anon has felt before; it's suffocating, making it difficult to even breathe.
Anon halts as he reaches a wall.
"This is the end? But I still sense its presence," Anon mutters, staring at the wall.
[Master... It's right behind that wall.] Link informs him.
Suddenly, Anon detects a strong odor emanating from the wall.
"What the heck? Can air pass through walls?" Anon wonders aloud, touching the wall. To his surprise, his hand goes through it.
"An illusion...?" Anon says, puzzled, as he steps forward. His entire body phases through the wall.
Upon crossing the wall, Anon realizes he's entered a large cavity beneath the mountain.
Looking around, he notices something that shakes him to his core.
Looking around, Anon noticed a massive monster sprawled on the floor in front of him.
The creature resembled a gigantic catfish, with a dark yellow hue. Sticky liquid oozed from its glands, much like the substance Anon had seen at the cave entrance.
The Catfish was humongous in size similar to an elephant and it had two basketball sized eyes.
It also had a fin and a mouth so big to fit, that two horses can fit inside easily.
It sported four human-like legs on its body, and, thankfully, it was sound asleep.
'What the heck is that?' Anon wondered, his eyes widening in surprise.
<Demonic Eyes>
[Name: Unknown]
[Race: Danglemouth Catfish]
[Level: 609]
[HP: ???/???]
[MP: ???/???]
[Description: A mutated catfish that has grown enormous due to the waters of Dileca.]
'Waters of Dileca?' Anon mused as he spotted a sizable pond nearby, adjacent to the catfish.
The pond held crystal-clear water with a radiant blue hue, emitting a dense mana aura.
<Demonic Eyes>
[Name: Water of Dileca]
[Level ???]
[Description: A mysterious water that has immense healing properties and insane amount of mana packed inside it. No one knows where this water comes from but it is said that the gods bless elfs once in a while with this water.]
[Master, that's the mana source.] Link informed.
'Yes, I can see that,' Anon replied.
[Master, you should immerse yourself in this water. It could grant you unimaginable powers. The longer you spend in it, the stronger you'll become. This catfish likely spent considerable time in it, explaining its size.] Link explained.
'Yeah, I was thinking the same,' Anon said, beginning to undress.
[Master, what are you doing?] Link questioned.
'What do you mean? I'm disrobing to bathe in it. You just said it right, the longer I stay, the more powerful I'll become, so i am going to take a bath in it.' Anon responded.
[I don't believe you understand, Master. Others need to purify the water's mana before using it, but you have me. I can absorb and purify the mana, then transfer it to you in one go.] Link clarified.
'Wait, you can do that?' Anon asked, his confusion evident.
[I can, Master. Just dip your hand into the water and i will suck it out.] Link instructed.
'Alright.' Anon complied, submerging his hand. Suddenly, the water rushed into his fingers at an astonishing rate.
In just 4 minutes and 33 seconds, the entire pond had emptied. Link had absorbed every single drop of the water.
[Master, I've acquired it. We should leave this place as soon as possible; because the catfish is about to awaken.] Link warned.
'Why would the fish wake up?' Anon inquired with a confused expression.
[You've taken every drop of water it spent its life in. It'll realize this before—]
Before Link could finished, the Danglemouth Catfish jolted awake, fixing its gaze on Anon with a very angry expression on it's face.
Screeeeeeeeeeh
It emitted an ear-piercing shriek as it rose to its feet and started running towards Anon.
<Fireball >
As soon as Anon tried to use the spell he felt a very sharp pain in his heart. This was the thick mana that was inside the cave stopping him from using any spell.
A human heart can't purify this kind of mana. The best that can happen is, Anon will die from heart attack.
"Oh, shit! Not good," Anon exclaimed, sprinting toward the cave's exit.
Dum-Dum-Dum-Dum.
The fish pursued Anon, using the sticky liquid on the walls to enhance its speed.
"Ah, now I get it. This fucker uses its slime as a lubricant to glide through the cave like a joy ride," Anon observed as he continued to run, though the fluid on the floor impeded his running speed.
'And I can't even employ any skills here. The mana's density is stifling, and trying to purify it could stop my heart. I need to reach a low-density mana area to use spells.' Anon realized, straining to flee.
As Anon was running through the cave, he noticed a rabbit doing weird stuff in the way.
'Fucking Hallucination.' Anon cursed as he continued to run.
The catfish was also running behind him at an incredible speed.
[Master, we're nearly out of the cave.] Link assured.
Seeing a source of light ahead, Anon gasped, "Yes... Let's fucking go. I am out of here, motherfucker."
*Gop*
However, before Anon could've escaped from the cave, the Danglemouth Catfish swallowed him whole.
"Link i need Mana..." Anon shouted as the Danglemouth Catfish tried to swallow him and he fighted against it's tongue.
[Master, I've purified the mana. Transferring it to you.] Link reported.
As soon as Anon felt the mana gushing into his body he used his spell.
<Phoenix Ignition>
Though tough from the outside, the catfish's interior proved very vulnerable. Anon activated Phoenix Ignition, enveloping himself in flames that ignited within the catfish's mouth.
Screeeeeeeeeeh
The Danglemouth Catfish howled, its mouth agape.
Recognizing the vulnerability within, Anon stopped the Phoenix Ignition and employed another skill.
<Fireball >
A small fireball materialized before Anon.
'Link, infuse this attack with your maximum purified mana. Empty yourself into it.' Anon commanded.
[Yes, Master.] Link responded.
"Die, you bastard!" Anon shouted, channeling mana into the fireball.
The fireball shifted through colors—red, orange, yellow, white, blue—according to its increasing temperature.
Though Anon prevented it from growing excessively, the fireball eventually spiraled beyond his control, expanding out of size.
Anon hurled the fireball into the Danglemouth Catfish's stomach, narrowly escaping its maw and running out of the cave.
Uncomfortable sensations overwhelmed the catfish. It retreated to the cavity it had emerged from, as creatures instinctively run toward their homes when sensing danger.
"Run, you piece of shit. Run!" Anon jeered, watching the catfish flee. A smile appeared on his face.
Then, rays of purple light emanated from the creature's body, followed by...
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM
A colossal explosion that rocked the mountain, reducing it to dust within seconds. This spectacle was witnessed by the entire kingdom.
Thud-Thud
Anon moved stones continuously, hoping to locate Gin.
"Oi, Gin... Where are you? Giiinnnn?" Anon shouted.
'Why can't I find him with the sensor spell? Why is he invisible to me?' Anon wondered as he continued to search for Gin.
On the screens, everyone observed Anon's search efforts.
"Oh my God, I hope he's alright. Poor little puppy," Moon commented as she watched the screen.
"I think he's dead... I don't know why the explosion occurred, but I'm relieved Jule survived," Ian said.
"Yeah, same here. I'm also curious... How did he survive?" Hillary pondered.
"What?" Ian asked, surprised.
"Ah, nothing. I'm just grateful to God for saving my son," Hillary replied, looking at Ian.
"Yeah, me too," Ian responded with a smile.
"Your son is doing well this time, Hillary," Fauna remarked, her expression neutral.
"Thank you."
"No, I mean he hasn't died yet," Fauna clarified.
"Excuse me?" Hillary asked, looking at Fauna.
"Bitch, your son lured mine into this deadly competition, and you think I'll just sit idly? You'll pay for that," Fauna said angrily, approaching Hillary.
"Whoa, whoa... Please calm down. There are kids here," Ian interjected.
"Get your wife and leave, or you can't imagine what I'll do to you," Fauna warned Ian before walking away.
"Y-Yes..." Ian acquiesced.
"Darling, what are you doing? Why should we listen to her?" Hillary asked.
"Because she's a noble, Love. We have to heed her words. Let's concentrate on the competition for now," Ian redirected.
Inside Evensong Forest...
"Oiiii, Gin. Where the heck are you?" Anon yelled.
"What happened to that dog? I planned on strengthening him later. Please don't tell me he died so easily," Anon murmured while searching.
Woooof
Suddenly, Anon heard barking emanating from beneath the rubble.
He followed the sound and reached its source.
"Oi, Gin. Are you here?" Anon inquired to confirm his location.
Woof-Woof-Woof
"I'm coming, boy," Anon assured, using his skill.
<Telekinesis >Massive boulders levitated, revealing Gin's legs.
Anon manipulated more boulders with telekinesis until he finally spotted Gin.
The dog wasn't in good shape. Blood flowed from his stomach, a tree had broken his ribs, and his lower jaw was fractured.
"What's wrong?" Anon asked with a smile, addressing Gin.
Wooof
Gin responded with a mournful bark.
"Don't worry, boy. I've got you," Anon comforted, offering Gin the troll necklace from around his neck.
Wooof
Gin's wounds began to heal instantly.
In just 30 seconds, all his injuries vanished.
Woof-Woof-Woof
Gin awakened, excitedly licking Anon's face.
"Easy, now. I'm still your master. Let's go," Anon said, and both began making their way toward the main forest.
'Link, do you think you can supply me with mana while I fight the assassin?' Anon inquired.
[I can, Master, but you need to specify the amount of mana you require; otherwise, I might overwhelm you.]
'Yes, I'll let you know. How much mana did we gather here?' Anon asked.
[I believe this will last a lifetime.] Link responded.
'Was it really that much?' Anon inquired, baffled.
[Indeed, Master.]
As Anon advanced toward the exit, a message appeared before him.
[Level 100 reached... Evolution will commence in 10 minutes.]
'What the heck? How did I gain so many levels?' Anon marveled, surprised.
"I need a safe pla-"
"Hello, little one." An unexpected voice emerged from behind.
Anon swiftly turned around, discovering that the speaker was none other than the assassin sent by Peter.
"Talk about bad timing," Anon quipped, facing the assassin.
"Look, kid, I hold no personal grudge against you. My employer contracted me to kill you. It's nothing personal," the assassin explained, drawing his daggers.
"Oh my God, what's he doing?" Ian exclaimed in shock, watching the assassin unsheath his daggers.
"D-Dad, that's not part of the competition, is it?" Moon questioned.
"I'm going to the forest," Ian declared, rushing toward the woods. However, soldiers halted his progress.
"Let me go, I need to save my son!" Ian protested, struggling against their grip.
"We apologize, Sir. We serve the village chief. You'll need to speak with him," one of the guards informed, restraining Ian.
"Village Chief... Alright, I'll talk to him," Ian said, heading directly to the village chief's chamber.
Inside the village chief's room...
"I'm sorry, but I can't grant you permission. While you're a friend and your son's like a nephew to me, I'm afraid I can't allow it," the village chief stated.
"So, you'll let my son die?" Ian questioned.
"This competition was inherently dangerous, and you were aware of it. You had the chance to withdraw him, but everyone on that screen is willingly risking their lives," the village chief explained hesitantly.
"You and I aren't friends anymore. You're a traitor, Jacky," Ian said angrily, storming out.
"I'm sorry, friend, but I must look out for my own family," the village chief muttered.
Inside the Evensong Forest...
"I will give you a smooth and fast death, you won't even know when you died. So, accept it or die a very hard way." Clint spoke.
"How much did he offer you ?" Anon asked as he summoned his rail gun behind his back.
'Link, charge it up with pure mana... I need a blast.' Anon commanded.
[Yes, Master. Charging up.]
*Zzzzzzz*
"What do you want with that ? Don you think you can purpose me a turn around offer ?" Clint asked as he smiled inside his mask.
"I can and i will quadruple the amount that peter promised you." Anon spoke with a smile as his rail gun got charged.
"Don't fuck with me, just die." Clint said as he came at Anon with his full speed.
"Fuck off, Loser." Anon said as he took out his rail gun and pointed it directly at clint.
Clint's speed was fast but the rail gun was also charged.
Anon pulled the trigger and...
*Booom*
The rail gun made a see through hole in Clint's body.
"Haha... What now fucker ? Why aren't you running no-" Before Anon could've said something else, clint recovered almost immediately from the injury as his wounds got healed up.
"You are not the only one with a troll locket, boy." Clint said as he looked at Anon with a smile and continued walking towards him with his sharp daggers.