Chapter 164

Chapter 165: For Some Reason, I Have This Feeling That Everything’s Been Set Up (First Update of the Day! Subscription Plea!)

Leaving Orario and stepping onto the vast plains of the eastern region, Izay began his journey along the shortest route marked on the map.

The destination for this commissioned task lay at the far edge of the continent, distant from Orario.

If calculated by the pace of an average high-ranking adventurer, it would probably take a full month to reach that location.

However, for Izay, whose ability values were extraordinary, he could reduce this time to twenty days.

With the aid of skills that provided recovery, agility-enhancing boots, and greatly reinforced durability… getting from Orario to the Great Tree Sea would be more than enough in fifteen days.

This time, Izay didn’t join a caravan or ride a mount.

Caravans moved too slowly; merchants would always stop in every town they passed to promote their goods. Their journeys were always start-and-stop, and even with three months’ time, they might not reach the destination.

As for mounts… Izay had asked the Ganesha Familial Group about them, but all the flying dragons capable of carrying people seemed to have been rented out. There was no convenient mount available.

And as for those non-flying mounts, they might not even be as fast as Izay running himself.

Thus, Izay officially set off on his journey.

Whenever there was a village along the way, he replenished supplies there. If not, he gathered food from the mountains and forests. As the sun rose and set, half a month passed.

“Beyond here, ahead lies the World Secret Realm, the Great Tree Sea. Though, it’s just the edge…”

On top of a tall pine peak, Izay spread out the map in his hand, overlooking the endless forest below from the steep slope.

It was already evening now. He irritably bit into the grilled fish in his hand and muttered to himself:

“All the way here has been nothing but green trees and shade; I’m about to throw up.”

Great Tree Sea, Great Tree Sea—just the name alone tells you what kind of secret realm this is.

Simple and clear. You’ve got to say, the person who named this place has talent.

“But…”

Izay glanced toward the grayish-white depths of the forest faintly visible in the distance.

“Ancient monster scorpion…?”

Murmuring, he shifted his gaze back to the panel screen visible only to him.

[Side Quest Updated: The Fate of the Hunter and the Scorpion]

[Fate of the Hunter and the Scorpion: Defeat the ancient monster scorpion (Andarius)]

[Quest Reward: Miracle (Skill Category) — “Moonshadow Aria”]

[Received Temporary Quest Blessing: “Hunter”]

“Hunter”

· All ability values receive a super boost when facing scorpion-type monsters

· When facing scorpion-type monsters, will attract enemy enmity first

Since Izay left Orario, the system had updated a side quest.

To be honest, this was quite unexpected for Izay, but also a pleasant surprise.

Who would have thought that going out once could trigger a quest?

It was great.

The appearance of the quest, combined with the information Izay had gathered, allowed him to easily deduce the truth behind the anomaly in the Great Tree Sea.

Within the Ersos Ruins in the Great Tree Sea Secret Realm, an ancient monster scorpion was sealed away, also known as “Andarius” or “Scorpion of Calamity.”

This creature was the source of the anomaly in the Great Tree Sea.

In the ancient times before the gods descended from the heavens, “Andarius” had already begun its activities as a calamitous monster.

Back then, the power of “Andarius” was almost untouchable.

Absorbing the life energy of nature and all living things to strengthen itself, it eventually reached a level where even ancient heroes couldn’t deal with it.

In the end, it could only be sealed by the Great Sages, imprisoning it within the Ersos Ruins.

To resolve this incident and bring Artemis back to heaven, Izay had no choice but to engage in a battle to the death with this monster.

After all, it was “fate”…

“Ah, for some reason, I feel like I’ve been set up.”

Biting into the grilled fish, Izay couldn’t help but let out a long sigh.

“Sssssshhh—”

“There they go again…”

At that moment, a sound familiar to Izay came from the nearby bushes.

“Chirp chirp chirp chirp—chirp—”

Accompanied by sharp cries, one by one, pitch-black scorpions covered in crimson patterns suddenly appeared, surrounding the open area where Izay had set up his campfire.

“How many times is this today? Can’t we have a break…?”

Switching the grilled fish from his right hand to his left, Izay nimbly leaped up into a tree.

Below, the dense crowd of monsters surrounded the tree, and with a somewhat resigned feeling, the Starshine Gauntlets began to glow along with the appearing magic circle.

It was fine earlier, but ever since Izay approached the range of the Great Tree Sea, thanks to some kind of buff, these new species of scorpion monsters were attacking him endlessly, like cats drawn by the smell of fish.

“Starfall!!”

“Boom—!”

A deafening sound and a surge of deep blue light enveloped the area, shaking the surrounding forest and startling a flock of birds.

Centered around the tree where Izay was, the open ground below was scorched by the starflame, wiping out more than half of the encroaching monsters. The remaining ones writhed in agony under the burning starflame.

“Wall Rising to Immense Heights!”

Without giving them a chance to breathe, Izay immediately unleashed another magic spell, killing them all.

These monsters derived from Andarius possessed high growth potential.

They had the ability to evolve themselves.

Don’t underestimate them just because they were scorched by the starflame earlier; the moment they were attacked, they had already begun evolving.

Survive, and they’ll become stronger.

Although it’s unclear what the limit is, it’s absurd.

How can mass-produced foot soldiers evolve themselves?

Ridiculous.

If allowed to develop unchecked, they might even surpass dungeons in terror!

So, fighting against such monsters must never give them any opportunity!

Just two spells wiped out a large wave of monsters. Izay extinguished the lingering deep blue starflame around him. After all, they were in the forest, and starting a wildfire would be problematic.

“At this rate, I won’t even be able to sleep properly…”

Izay returned to where the campfire had been lit, glancing at the grilled fish that had turned into charcoal before he could eat it, feeling a bit regretful.

Speaking of which, he wasn’t sure where Artemis was now, only that she was somewhere in the Great Tree Sea.

‘I’ll look for her tomorrow.’

Just as this thought arose, movement came from the nearby bushes again.

“—Here again!?”

Izay raised his hand, ready to cast a spell.

“Whoa whoa! Hold on—show mercy! Young Izay!”

But what emerged from the bushes was not a monster, but a dashing deity dressed as a ranger, with a white feather adorning his hat.

“God Hermes?”