I’m Really Not Trying to Be Chased by the Heroine as the Villainous Playboy! – Chapter 289

Chapter 142: Full Report

The old man with white hair smiled kindly, thinking, “Young people are just that way; if they’re on good terms, what’s the harm?”

After all, having lived long enough, he had seen all sorts of absurdities. Compared to those cultists who dreamt of transforming into dragons or stripping flesh to become vegetables, being a bit of a flirt wasn’t so bad.

Unfortunately, the expressions of Duke Raymond in the corner and Janthea were far from pleasant.

The former was troubled about how to report this matter to some doting father and worried about Roy’s safety.

The latter was frowning deeply at her daughter’s happiness.

However, despite everything, the two girls ultimately ceased hostilities towards each other. Roy was quite content with that.

“The atrocities of All Things Wither are despicable, but just as the long night will eventually be dispelled by flames, their wisdom and courage, strength and resilience will forever prove that the extraordinary beings who bear humanity’s future will never yield to cults!”

“Applaud for these young ones!”

The headmaster personally placed a leaf-shaped badge of green on each of the four. That was a symbol of victory in the Trial.

Under the headmaster’s enthusiastic guidance, thunderous applause surged towards Roy and the others.

It was only then that people suddenly realized, aside from Douglas, the three led by Roy were merely freshman students who had just enrolled for one semester.

The academy was not short of royal descendants or exceptionally talented individuals. Standing out among a crowd of upperclassmen while surviving this brutally challenging trial caused by cultists was enough to highlight their extraordinary nature.

With this in mind, the respect in their gazes towards Roy increased slightly.

Yet at this moment, Roy was still rejoicing over the girls’ obedience and hadn’t noticed the change in reputation points.

The award ceremony of the end-of-term banquet concluded in a harmonious atmosphere.

——————

In a forest so dense that sunlight couldn’t penetrate, where no birds dared to approach, an enormous twisted rotten tree wrapped in a yellow-green miasma stood ominously.

Amid the decayed branches, there were no flowers or beasts, the silence declaring that all life had long since withered away, only the decaying vines wriggled slowly, occasionally sounding eerie murmurs.

At the very center of this death zone, faint figures draped in dark green robes began to materialize.

Under the stench strong enough to rot any fleshly life, they remained unfazed and completely unaffected.

After all, they had long freed themselves from the shackles of flesh and possessed noble vessels bestowed by the Mother Goddess.

All Things Wither, as its name suggests, believed that all life in the world would decay, only the Mother Goddess and her offspring would endure, thus viewing other forms of life as ignorant and in need of salvation.

But these cultists, who had long abandoned flesh, were haunted by past fears from when they were still human, leading to an intense quarrel among themselves, spitting out saliva.

“That filthy False King blood has offended the great offspring of the Mother!”

“No, the great Mother is about to awaken; we shouldn’t complicate things now.”

“Even if it’s False King blood, it hasn’t matured yet. What is there to fear? Moreover, it’s not like we haven’t killed before.”

“But this generation is different. You saw that…”

A pause followed, and all cultists fell silent, involuntarily recalling the scene they witnessed through the projection of the Mother Goddess, their hollow, numb eyes releasing putrid liquid and human-like dread.

In the crimson mist, a black-haired, red-eyed judge wielding a giant scythe.

That was a deep-seated dread and loathing etched into the soul of the Mother Tree, a fear so profound that even those who had received her blessings felt a shudder.

The False King blood was not inherently terrifying, but this generation possessed the power of the long-gone true ancients of the Blood Clan!

Of course, their true ancients’ objective still concerned the Forest Elves, but the False King blood had coincidentally allied with them.

With the Blood Clan‘s blood elves and the Forest Clan‘s forest elves teaming up again after thousands of years since the First Era, each follower of the Mother Tree felt an ominous premonition.

After a long while, a voice rasped like dry wood grinding against wood.

“The Mother Goddess is awakening; we shouldn’t waste her power against the Blood Clan and delay her awakening.”

“No, the False King blood is still immature; we should eliminate potential threats while we can, otherwise…”

“But there are still the ancient undead of the Academy City. After our last action, our allies have been exposed. If we act recklessly, we might draw their attention!”

Although they looked down on the filthy, lowly mortal bodies, they had to admit that power was power.

The price of contending with top-tier extraordinary beings like Veszyra was something they could not afford.

But just as everyone fell silent, the surface of the giant tree stirred, forming a twisted face that appeared gentle and loving to the cultists.

All knelt in unison, revealing a child-like, innocent admiration, waiting for the oracle from the Mother Goddess.

The rasping, dry voice, devoid of emotion, echoed through the foul miasma.

“The Forest Elves need not search any longer.”

The cultists rejoiced as the withered bark of the tree began to pulse.

“Great Mother, does this mean you have already…”

“My awakening is at hand. No new sacrifices are needed.”

As the words fell, the giant tree writhed, a tremendous power of the evil deity surged forth, dimming and shaking the very sky.

At the base of the giant tree, a steady stream of glowing green orbs was rapidly transformed into decaying miasma to nourish the Mother Goddess.

Within a prison composed of countless twigs, a pale-skinned, emaciated elven man trembled as he reached out, but ultimately fell limp.

The voice of the Mother Tree wavered lightly, almost mockingly: “With him here, that is enough.”

The Western Wind of Fate, while countering the power of the Mother Goddess, could also transform into nourishment for her through certain means.

Originally, the cultists sought to capture Nia Molly to provide more nutrients for the Mother Goddess to hasten her awakening. Yet now, with the timing of her awakening far exceeding their plans, they no longer felt the need to rush.

Thus, their only remaining concern was the last one.

“But, my lady, that False King blood…”

To the nearly immortal evil deity, the concept of time for mortals was laughable.

One year was but an instant—what’s the rush?

“The False King blood and the Forest Elves haven’t yet reached their full potential. No need to fear; when I awaken, I will handle it myself—”

“If he is still alive by then.”

Meanwhile, countless decaying monstrosities were falling across the continent.

Some were pierced by the claws of the meat-stricken red-robed figures, while others fell to the rocky shores inhabited by fishmen and were claimed, or descended onto deserted graves through the pale mist,…

The flaxen-haired girl also received the message from All Things Wither within her cave, a chilling killing intent surged within her icy gaze, a sinister smile spreading as dragon scales crawled over her face.

“I’ve found you, Roy Ainbrad…”