Chapter 297

Chapter 300: Don’t Panic, No Biggie! (Please Subscribe!)

There was an adventurer whose limbs and chest were completely covered in heavy black armor.

Around the neck hung a tattered scarf-like piece, with a helmet on their head. The visible part of their face, wrapped in bandages, showed dark skin, while their exposed left eye stared emotionlessly at Izay, brimming with undisguised hostility.

An eerie atmosphere spread around them, or rather, an extraordinary sense of pressure.

“This perception and agility… I underestimated you earlier…”

After being pushed back some distance, the adventurer who launched the attack landed and swung their great sword, producing a sharp metallic ring.

“That sound? … A woman!?”

At the sound of their voice, Ais’s expression turned one of confusion.

Because it didn’t match the masculine features partially revealed beneath the helmet.

“How… how could this be!? Isn’t that person a man!?”

Possibly due to her heightened senses as a beastkin, Lulune clearly felt the danger from this individual. She had already retreated several steps away, her face pale after the surprise attack, when she finally managed to cry out.

Indeed, despite most of their face being covered by bandages and a helmet, there was no mistaking it. The rugged face with its lack of expression and dark complexion clearly belonged to a male.

“Disguise.” The assailant said plainly, without any change in expression.

Saying this, she raised her hand towards her face.

Since the ambush failed and battle was now unavoidable, maintaining the disguise seemed unnecessary. This cumbersome armor only restricted her movements; she’d feel much freer without it.

Even if they saw her true face, it wouldn’t matter anyway—they wouldn’t recognize her.

With this decision made, the attacker began removing her helmet, placing her palm gently against her face before forcefully tearing something off.

An indescribable sound followed as her entire face was peeled away in one motion.

Izay stiffened slightly, raising his upper body.

What hadn’t he seen?

Yet this… this was new.

Though vomiting wasn’t quite the reaction, nausea was inevitable.

At least Izay had normal values.

Who in their right mind would take someone else’s face and wear it like this?

“How about that? Simply soaking human skin in the fluids of poison maggots can prevent decay. Didn’t you know that?”

The woman, revealing her true self under the disguise, noticed Izay’s slight movement and gave him a challenging smirk.

Standing beside Izay, Ais shivered down her spine from the flat, emotionless tone but understood something important from those words.

“So… you’re the one who killed Mr. Hasana?”

“Hmph… So what? He touched what he shouldn’t have. Just like your little doggy back there.”

With a light laugh at Ais’s accusation, the red-haired woman threw aside her helmet and started violently stripping off her heavy armor.

‘Of course, this situation is not good!! Ugh ugh…’

Targeted by the red-haired woman’s words, seeing her effortlessly discard the heavy armor in pieces nearby, Lulune let out a whimper from afar, cowering where she stood. She deeply regretted accepting this mission.

If she had refused outright, regardless of threats or persuasion, none of this would’ve happened!

But there’s no turning back once things are done.

In moments, the woman remained lightly armored with just her helmet, knee guards, and arm braces, narrowing her eyes.

One versus two… the odds aren’t exactly in my favor, huh?

Still, doesn’t matter…

“Hand over the gemstone, and I’ll let you leave here.”

“Tch, worthy of being the Beast Tamer indeed. Do you think I’d believe such nonsense?” Izay couldn’t help but sneer at the suggestion.

He glanced at Reivice’s feet, then redirected the tip of his weapon into the ground: “You deliberately laid an ambush underground, planning to catch us off guard and eliminate us all at once?”

As soon as the words left his lips, a bright yellow wave of energy rippled outward. Beneath the cobblestones came a loud rumble accompanied by the low growl of some monster.

“BOOM———”

Following a minor tremor, the crystal street’s stones and dirt erupted, exposing a massive plant root which wriggled toward Lulune.

“Tentacle of a man-eating flower? Not quite… It’s a plant? Maybe we should call out the rest of your monsters too? Hiding won’t do you any good anymore.”

A flash of silver light cut through the air as Izay casually severed the plant root, his expression growing more serious.

Clearly, this time she wasn’t alone—she had backup.

That must be why, despite being outnumbered, she dared to negotiate with both him and Ais so confidently.

If she were acting alone, even with abilities supposedly ranked Level 6, she wouldn’t stand a chance against their combined strength.

She probably intended to keep her hidden accomplice concealed to make them lower their guard, luring them into a false sense of security for the real fight later.

Unfortunately for her, Izay’s perception skills weren’t to be trifled with.

Her intentions were far too obvious.

“Tch, this is why I hate adventurers. These weird boons… damn Deity!”

Her plan exposed, Reivice spat out a curse, unable to contain herself.

Apparently, she realized Izay might possess some magic or skill enhancing his perception.

She had wanted to hold back initially.

“Fine, come out! Take care of them!”

“ROAROOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

Responding to her call, an anomaly occurred.

BOOM BOOM BOOM…

The crystalline street’s ground began breaking up in large patches, as if a giant dragon were stirring beneath. An earthquake erupted.

The massive creature that had been lurking underground burst forth, affecting everything within dozens of meters, leaving destruction in its wake.

Forced to retreat some distance, Izay and Ais landed in front of Lulune.

Then, a grotesque green body emerged—a monstrous entity over twenty meters tall revealed itself.

“That’s…”

“A ‘Tree Dragon’, another draconic species. Never heard of ‘Tree Dragons’ having burrowing abilities though. Is this a talent cultivated by the Beast Tamer?”

Watching the colossal creature emerge from the ground, Ais widened her eyes in astonishment. Meanwhile, Izay simply looked.

What?

It’s a dragon?

Then there’s nothing to worry about.

Don’t panic, it’s fine!

“Hmph, you’ll only get to talk big for now. Now, give me what I want!”

Having said that, Reivice lifted her pitch-black broadsword.

In the next moment, her figure blurred in place.

“!”

“Keke, impressive indeed.”

The thin blade met the great sword in close combat. Ais stepped forward first, blocking the attack aimed at Lulune. The Sword of Despair clashed with her opponent’s great sword, scattering sparks.

Meanwhile, the enormous Tree Dragon fixed its gaze on Izay, the one who had severed its tentacle earlier.