Chapter 28: The Great Druid’s Ascent and the Volcanic Eruption

The Great Druid, observing through the eyes of several insects, noted the gathering of over four hundred adventurers at the foot of the volcano.

This was a good number, representing nearly half of the guild’s registered members.

Indeed, a hunter’s tracking skills could typically pinpoint a target only within a fifty-meter radius.

With his disciple, disguised as a butcher, mingling among the crowd in human form, the adventurers would never dream of such a deception.

His disciple, Hamuel, had recently been ambushed by some unknown force, compelling the Great Druid to exercise even greater caution.

He guided a small fly, letting it drift in the wind, and through its multifaceted eye, he spotted Ania, transformed into a cat, hurrying towards the assembly of adventurers.

‘Was she intending to expose his secret plan? Why hadn’t the undying Harold stopped her?’

‘Absolutely not!’

The Great Druid communicated with the wind through the tiny insect, and the wind swiftly granted his request. A sudden hurricane erupted from the ground, sweeping Ania away to an unknown destination.

“Alas, poor child. I had such high hopes for her. Why betray Mother Nature?”

Shaking his head, the Great Druid continued his ascent towards the volcano’s crater, treading through the thick snow.

He had spent a little time observing the adventurers’ movements below and healing Hamuel.

The latter task was particularly arduous; his opponent’s methods were not only insidious but utterly vicious, and even after depleting the life force of all surrounding plants, he had been unable to save him.

The loss of a comrade pierced him with profound grief.

“Hmm?” The snow beneath his feet alerted him to an approaching presence. He glanced back to see a black-clad, black-haired young man, accompanied by three women, already catching up to him.

“Adventurers?”

“You must be the Great Druid, aren’t you?”

The Great Druid remained silent, pulling a small sapling from his pocket.

He pressed his lips to it, whispering softly, and beneath Naya and the others’ feet, strange roots sprouted. Like the tentacles of a sea monster, they instantly coiled around them.

“Ah? Ah? Ah? What is this thing? Tentacles???” The moment the roots brushed against Ael’s body, she was overcome with revulsion.

She collapsed instantly, much like someone terrified of cockroaches would if one crawled onto them.

Impassively, the Great Druid watched them struggle, ensnared by the roots.

“You must have believed Ania’s words and come to stop me, haven’t you? What a pity. I won’t let you succeed.”

He attempted to commune with the sky, and a giant eagle, circling nearby, answered his summons. The eagle descended, seizing his wrist, and carried him soaring towards the volcano’s crater.

“No—! I can’t stand it—!” Ael thrashed, but a shimmering silver hand tore through the roots, freeing her.

In the next second, Leon also severed the roots binding him. He looked at Ael’s extreme reaction with deep incomprehension.

“Why did you use your thrice-daily ability on mere roots? If you had waited a moment longer, I could have saved you.”

“I couldn’t wait another second! These things are like tentacles; they’re absolutely disgusting!”

“So, Ael is afraid of tentacles,” Leon mused, approaching Naya to first cut her free from the roots.

“Thank you, Leon. These roots were really digging into me.” Naya rubbed a red mark on her wrist, her eyes meeting Leon’s with warmth.

Liuli watched silently.

“You’re next,” Leon said as he moved to Liuli’s side.

“Tha… thanks…” Liuli stammered, unsure what to say. “Um, Liuli’s magic did help, right?”

“Of course it did.” Leon mused, glancing towards the volcano. “That guy doesn’t waste words, but he’s incredibly troublesome.”

They couldn’t possibly allow the volcano to erupt; they had to stop him.

They had barely taken a few steps when white smoke billowed from the crater. Then, with a deafening roar, the volcano erupted.

The surging lava spread downwards in an instant.

How utterly despairing it must be for the unaware adventurers below!

“Alas, we were ultimately a step too late,” Leon sighed.

“No—it’s not too late!” Ael declared, folding her arms confidently. Even in this most desperate moment, she exuded an imposing aura of righteous determination.

“Naya, please cast your Light Shield on me.”

“Ah…? What are you planning to do?”

The radiant罩of the Light Shield enveloped Ael.

With everything prepared, Ael drew a silver-gleaming sword from beneath her shield and tossed it to Leon.

‘This is…?’

“A Mithril Sword!?”

“It’s from the previous reward! The reward!” Ael mumbled. “Anyway—you go deal with the Great Druid, I’m going to save people!”

Immediately after, she slid down the steep mountain slope.