****(POV)
As I get to the disaster zone there are many people gathering there. All dressed in Moon Keep typical foot soldier clothing. The kind of soldiers that are completely disposable.
As soon as they see me, they all bow as low as possible. That is pleasing to see, they might be weaklings but at least they have manners. The weak should respect the strong, as simple as that.
There are about 50 of them. Seem to be a medium-sized platoon. They seem to be about to head into the disaster zone. They are camping right outside of it.
I simply ignore them and keep walking at my own pace. I have no time to waste with weaklings. Still, it is a good thing that they are training. This way they might be able to run errands for me later on. As long as they are strong enough to survive common bandits, they should at least be able to deliver or get stuff for me.
Then one of them approaches me fidgeting.
"Esteemed envoy! Can I be of assistance to you!"
Let me see, I'm pretty sure they are all trash, but let's ask just in case.
"Any of you guys rank 3 yet?"
Silence. They seem ashamed.
Right now I am extremely close to being a rank 3 myself, but I am a dual cultivator.
Both my body and spirit are trained. This makes it possible for me to show higher fighting prowess and skip ranks. I would not find it difficult to kill a typical rank 3 warrior at all. A rank 3 mage might be more troublesome, but only if I can't take them by surprise. Thus the help of rank 2 warriors is of no use to me.
"N-no, sir."
"Then keep training I'll be heading in the forest now don't disturb me."
"S-sir the forest is treacherous and inhabited by many beast kings, would you like to head in with us?"
"Oh? Are you doubting me?"
I release some killing intent. This much is easy for a cultivator like me.
To climb in position in the flying sword faction I had to make some opposition disappear. Of course, I dealt with it properly. I seduced the women of my enemies and got them to challenge me of their own volition to a death duel. The outcome being easy to guess.
Crazy how easy it is to entice bitches just by flashing the identity of the adoptive son of the faction leader haha. Now I am a champion, which is even better. Works every time. Well, all except with that bitch Luna. Fairly sure she has a screw loose. Getting together with that slave, how ludicrous.
Confronted to my palpable killing intent, what I assume to be their squad captain falls to his knees.
"*gasp*"
He is worthless.
"Someone replace that dumbass and lead the rest. Keep training. I will be in the disaster zone by myself. Don't ever underestimate the Lunar Goddess's Champion."
"Y-yes Sir."
I can feel their impressed glances as I leave. As it should be. The weak should revere the strong.
The first thing I notice there is the ambiance. Gloomy would be the best word to describe it.
The visibility is low, but this is no issue for a cultivator like me.
There are gigantic trees all over the place. Should be archaic trees. I ready my sword and have it hover around me.
Should any danger appear I will be ready to react instantly.
This is what I mostly rely on. Developing as a jack of all trade would be quite useless. Being both a warrior and a mage is nice, but useless if the power of both cannot be added together. The way of the flying sword is one where both the spirit and the vital energy of the body are used together.
This makes it so my raw power surpasses most rank 3. Then my technique needs to be factored in sharpening my edge.
It takes a while but I finally come across something.
Seems to be a huge turtle. Besides its size, it doesn't seem to have anything going for it.
I ready my sword and get started.
I slash it until the shell is broken, then I skewer it completely.
Its corpse falls with a thud on the ground in a bloody mess. The first creature encountered not proving to be a challenge at all. A simple rank 2.
I keep progressing this way. Anything unlucky enough to be in my way getting slaughtered extremely easily.
Seems like they truly exaggerated the challenge of this forest. All of these are nothing but oversized animals.
From time to time I encounter creatures with ranged attacks but my reflexes allow me to dodge easily. Any resistant creature only takes a little longer to kill. The stronger ones I simply toy with until they breathe their last. Finally, the sneaky ones get done in by my hovering sword without ever reaching me.
This forest is a joke. One colossal joke.
I was thinking that my prey would have a hard time surviving here, but good thing I personally came. Anyone could survive here as long as they are slightly lucky.
Idiots tend to be luckier in general. Well, only until I set my sight on them. Then they are goners.
I'll wander around here for a while until I find traces of him. It is bound to happen at some point. Worst case I'll just take this occasion to train.
Perhaps I should head in the dept of the area and face a beast king.
I have the power of a rank 3. I would be more than fine facing a brainless beast. Even should it be a rank 4 one.
I may not have the confidence to kill it quickly enough, but running away would not be an issue in any case.
As I'm thinking about this I keep killing.
I kill and I kill.
This is turning out to be a pleasant walk.
*AWOO*
Hum? Seem to be the sound of a wolf. I heard there are Overwolves here. Guess I should probably avoid it if it's a pack. Would be a waste of time for sure.
Yep, let's do that.
I turn around and leave. Or try to.
For some reason some retarded creature is standing in my way, sending itself to death.
I take a minute to kill it and keep progressing, but there awaits another one.
I do short work of it. In front of me are 2 beasts. It takes me a little longer to get rid of them, I do not want to incur damage after all. Still, they cannot hold a candle to my prowess.
I turn around, there are 3 monsters.
Something is wrong here.
4 monsters, 7 monsters, a shitload of monsters.
What the fuck is wrong with this forest!
All these animals are just throwing themselves at my sword one after the other.
Are they all trying to commit suicide!
What the actual fuck!
*AWOO!*
The sound is definitely closer now. I turn around, far in the distance I can see a wolf appearing. Then another one, and another one, and another one, until there is a sea of creatures heading my way.
This is a fucking wolf pack. Full of rank 2 and 3. Too many for me to count.
This is insane!
What the hell is happening?!
Time to run!
No way in hell I am dying in this shithole!
I am the proud Champion of the Lunar Goddess.
Fuck this shit! This is madness!
The First Elder would facepalm at this for sure, can't leave blood in there!
What do you guys think of the cultivator dude? Answer in comments, can talk about it on discord too haha.
Oh yeah, the chapter title should be familiar ;)