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Join the Server“Are we truly just going to stand here, watching that monster approach?”
“Think of something, you bastard, quick!” Valorman roared at one of the elves.
That elf, subjected to his fury, could only offer a helpless expression.
Their most skilled ranged bow attacks proved utterly ineffective. Yet, venturing into close combat meant succumbing to the curse, transforming into a monster themselves, and thus bolstering the enemy’s strength.
Under such circumstances, no matter how impotent Valorman’s rage, he couldn’t halt the approaching figure.
Valorman felt his elite Royal Guard was nothing but a band of useless hangers-on. In a situation like this, they should be prepared to sacrifice themselves for the forest!
Seized by this thought, he kicked the innocent elf nearest him.
“Even if you’re cursed, charge forward! I refuse to believe everyone who enters will turn into a monster!”
“And you all!”
“Don’t think you can use this curse as an excuse to remain uninvolved!”
“When that monster’s greatsword drags the lava into the forest, setting it ablaze, will we still have a home to survive in?!”
“Everyone, attack!”
At last, Valorman had uttered something useful, jolting some of the elves into action.
The forest was the elves’ cherished home, their very lifeblood.
Without the forest, there would be no succulent berries to sate their hunger, no sweet morning dew or mountain springs to quench their thirst, no tranquil treehouses for peaceful slumber.
More than that, all would be lost.
Both male and female elves of their race surpassed all others in beauty. This made them highly sought after by s*ave traders.
As a long-lived species, a single elf s*ave could serve three generations, offering an exceptionally high return on investment.
Unlike the merfolk, who had sought the Holy See’s protection a century ago, the elves’ sole reliance was the intricate, complex environment of their forest.
Even so, s*ave traders often lurked on the forest’s outskirts, snatching playful young elves to be sold into bondage.
The male elves present couldn’t bear to imagine how their wives and children would evade capture by these s*ave traders if the forest were gone.
“For delicious berries!”
“For our wives and children!”
“For our beautiful forest!”
“Monster, I’ll fight you to the death!”
Their morale surged. Hundreds of elves drew shortswords, roaring as they rushed forward, determined to fight the monster and halt its advance!
****
However, the moment they charged into the Cursed Lands, a tenth of the elves suddenly collapsed, screaming in unbearable agony, writhing and rolling on the scorched earth.
Everyone watched as their golden hair began to fade, eventually turning stark white.
“They…”
“They’ve turned into dark elves!”
“It’s the curse! The curse has transformed them into monsters!”
“Quickly, stop them! Kill them! Otherwise, they’ll kill us!”
Soon, a silent, heatless red flame seemed to consume the forest, though it was merely a manifestation of the curse.
Someone let out a cry. The elves who had charged into the Cursed Lands together watched in horror as their companions suddenly fell, their hair changing color.
Ultimately, they gritted their teeth, trembling as they raised their daggers and stabbed their writhing, suffering comrades to death.
‘If we don’t kill the monsters first, they’ll rise and kill us!’
Every elf held this thought.
Yet, this was precisely what the curse intended.
Like a terrifying contagion, the elves who had killed their companions fell to the ground in agony just a few steps later, their hair beginning to fade.
As the fading began, nearby elves would extend their sharp blades, ending their lives.
Mutation triggered slaughter, and slaughter, in turn, triggered more mutation.
Before long, blood stained the scorched earth, and the outskirts of the Cursed Lands became littered with countless corpses.
Nearly all of the elves who had initially charged into the Cursed Lands were wiped out. Only four fortunate souls remained; the rest perished on the path, beneath the blades of their own companions.
As these four surviving elves finally reached the figure dragging a greatsword, they made a startling discovery.
The opponent was also a dark elf!
Indeed, it was Yulim Wilivia, who had walked all the way back from the heart of the Cursed Lands.
She seemed to sense their presence, lifting her head slightly.
The four elves saw a layer of gray cloth covering Yulim’s eyes. Though they couldn’t see her gaze, they felt her staring at them.
The surrounding temperature abruptly soared, and an indescribable pressure choked them.
“Accursed, accursed monster…”
“Die! Just die!”
One of the four elves gripped their shortsword and quickly rushed forward, lunging at her.
But as they drew near, a ring of gray flames erupted from beneath Yulim’s feet, expanding outwards and instantly sending the elf flying.
“Was I… still discovered?”
Yulim hunched her shoulders and drew in her neck, her gaze, which now felt flat and distant to those watching, softly uttered, “I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to cause trouble… nor do I wish to harm you…”
“So… could you please… leave?”
The other three elves reacted, though they heard Yulim’s words, they utterly disbelieved her.
Hadn’t they just seen their companion, who tried to kill her, get blasted away by her flames, now lying on the ground screaming?
This monster clearly intended to kill them!
“You hypocritical monster! Prepare to die!”
“If you wish to invade our forest, you’ll have to step over my corpse!”
“For delicious berries!”
The three warriors, who had survived until the very end, bravely raised their weapons, charging at the monster they perceived before them!
“Don’t… don’t come closer to me…”
Yulim heard the rushing air and instinctively raised the weapon in her hand in a defensive posture.
But she had forgotten that what she held now was not a staff, but the Godslayer Sword, capable of piercing divine defenses!
How could the mortal weapons in the elves’ hands possibly contend with a divine artifact?
One particularly stubborn warrior recklessly struck the Godslayer Sword with his shortsword. The shortsword, as fragile as tofu, was effortlessly sliced in half.
At the same moment, a wisp of gray flame ignited, aggressively spreading downwards from the break in the shortsword, relentlessly corroding his weapon.
The other two warriors fared no better. Like the first elf, they were directly blasted away by the gray flames.
The searing burns caused by the high temperature made them writhe and scream in agony on the ground.
Having witnessed his companions fall one after another, the elf holding the broken sword had lost all reason. He glared at the blindfolded girl before him and roared, “I’ll fight you to the death!”
Then, clutching his broken sword, he threw himself recklessly towards Yulim.
“Don’t come over!”
Yulim, uncharacteristically, shouted loudly. But even seeing the gray flames surge, the elf plunged in without hesitation.
Sizzle—
Thud—
A smoking, sparking humanoid charcoal figure swayed, then crashed down before Yulim’s short skirt, shattering upon impact.
“No—my comrade—! Monster, I’ll have your life!”
“Monster, I’ll fight you too!!!”
“For the delicious berries of the forest!”
The three elves’ eyes were bloodshot. Disregarding their burns, they didn’t mourn their fallen comrade for a moment. These three elven warriors immediately joined the suicidal charge, brandishing their weapons!
Thud—
Thud—
Thud—
Three more fragrantly roasted humanoid charcoals crashed, one after another, onto the scorched earth beside Yulim.
With this, all elves who had entered the Cursed Lands were completely annihilated.
****
Far beyond the Cursed Lands, the remaining elves watched this bloody and tragic spectacle, their faces turning pale.
No one dared to step into the Cursed Lands again.
Valorman watched the scene, clenching his fists.
Hundreds of people had charged, only to die almost entirely before reaching the monster. Such casualties meant that even more people entering the Cursed Lands would be utterly useless!
A suffocating sense of frustration welled up in Valorman’s heart. He and the assembled elves could only watch as Yulim, on the scorched earth, slowly approached them step by step.
In an instant, morale plummeted, and an atmosphere of despair began to spread.
‘Elven warriors! Are we to surrender before reaching our absolute limit?’
Just then, an elderly elf, clad in golden armor and with a pipe clenched between his teeth, stepped out from the crowd.
After drawing everyone’s attention, he raised the knight’s sword in his hand. “I am General Max, Supreme Commander of the Royal Guard, a Five-Star General! Elven warriors, heed my command!
Warriors, set traps and firebreaks! Archers, take up positions on high ground with excellent visibility! Mages, cooperate to construct defensive magic formations!
As long as we work together, the moment that monster steps out of the Cursed Lands will be her demise!”
Seeing the countless honor medals pinned to the old man’s chest armor, the elves’ fighting spirit reignited.
“It’s truly Elder Max! We are saved!”
“Yes, it’s not hopeless yet. How can we give up now?!”
“For the forest!”
Everyone began to move in an orderly fashion, setting up a comprehensive trap.
Everyone, that is, except Valorman.
He sneered upon seeing the elder. Only when Max stood before him did Valorman speak without ceremony, “Old man, why aren’t you staying in the royal palace, churning out gold? What are you doing here?”
Max was a renowned tactician across the continent. His strategic evaluations were widely praised, and every year, publishers from various regions would send him piles of gold out of respect.
In Valorman’s eyes, he was an old money-making machine.
If he had his way, Valorman would have preferred Max not to be here. What if something happened to him? Who would generate his gold then?
Max wasn’t angered. Instead, he smiled, his eyes softening with kindness as he looked at Valorman. “Your Highness, the Elf Forest is facing a crisis of life and death. This old bone of mine doesn’t have many years left to live anyway.
Since that’s the case, I might as well make one last contribution to the forest at the end of my remaining years, to overcome this peril. That way, this old man won’t have lived in vain.”
Valorman shivered at his words, a pang of sorrow rising in his heart. But outwardly, he turned his face away, letting out a cold scoff. “Old man, it’s bad luck to say such ominous things late at night! Even without Father King, the Elf Forest will surely be safe under my guidance!”
Max merely smiled, saying nothing, and turned to look at the figure moving slowly across the scorched earth.
As his gaze fell upon the greatsword in that figure’s hand, Max’s aged eyes, no longer hazy, slowly widened.
‘Wait! Could that sword be…’
His lips trembled. He took a deep breath and looked gravely at Valorman.
“Your Highness, in this battle, we very likely stand no chance.”
‘Hey, why are you saying such ill-omened things again, old man…’
“No! Your Highness, I am not joking! In her hand, she holds the Godslayer Sword!”
!!!
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