"What brings you here all of a sudden? Moreover, you came here when it's already nighttime," Bigfoot asked Adrian.
"We are on a mission, everything is stated here," Adrian replied, handing the paper to Bigfoot.
Bigfoot took the paper from Adrian's hand, and he appeared very serious as he read its contents.
"Are you sure you want to take on a job like this? This is no longer about killing 1-2 individuals, it's about wiping out an entire race. Are you sure?" Bigfoot asked.
"To be honest, I'm not sure yet whether I will help them or not. That's why both of us intend to go to Aetheria to gather as much information as possible," Adrian explained.
"And you came here to ask Dryad for help in opening a portal directly to Aetheria?"
"Yep, just as you suspected," Adrian answered.
"In that case, Adrian, your arrival here is in vain. Dryad's power has weakened, she can no longer open a portal to Aetheria because the Dark Elves have grown stronger," Bigfoot explained.
"Seriously? So, whether we like it or not, we have to go through Mysthvile?" Adrian asked.
"Yes, there's no other way," Bigfoot confirmed.
"In that case, we'll stay at your place for tonight!" Adrian said.
"Alright, if that's what you want. Considering you've saved all of us before," Bigfoot replied.
Then, we walked through the increasingly dense forest. The deeper we went, the more peculiar the plants became, and the terrain became more difficult for ordinary humans to traverse due to the tree roots dangling above the ground, making the journey even more challenging.
However, since we were accompanied by Bigfoot, whom I later found out was called King Ape, the plants in the forest seemed to welcome us and eliminate any obstacles that hindered our progress.
When we arrived at their dwelling place, it turned out that deep within this forest, there were various types of animals that could speak and had humanoid features. They lived on tree branches shaped like houses. In this forest, all the plants could move and seemed to have their own consciousness. If they could coexist, it could be concluded that they had formed a bond in their long existence together.
However, amidst all of that, there was one enormous house situated in the center of the city. We all walked towards the house, and as I suspected, it was King Ape's residence, the ruler of this forest.
Once we arrived at King Ape's house, we were immediately served fruits from the forest. We spent the night discussing the mission we were working on. It was then that I learned that this forest was home to the Chatterbeast race.
Chatterbeasts were creatures with animal-like features and human-like intelligence. They came into existence because they lived in a forest initially guarded by the Elf and Dark Elf races. The magical powers bestowed upon the forest by the Elves had an impact on the lives within, and the Chatterbeasts were one of the creatures affected by that magic.
However, the impact was not negative but rather positive, enabling them to form relationships with both races. For years, they had cultivated a harmonious relationship, with the Chatterbeasts becoming protectors of their habitat. This made Dryad favor the Chatterbeasts over the Dark Elves.
Dryad herself was a nature goddess created as a token of gratitude from the natural world, which had always been nurtured by the Elves. Since the Elves could only use their powers for the benefit of nature, Dryad was born as a nature deity, a form of gratitude from the natural world for receiving the Elves' powers.
Initially, the Elves, Dark Elves, Dryad, and Chatterbeasts lived in harmony and peace. However, as mentioned in the previous story, the Dark Elves became a marginalized race. Feeling unappreciated and disregarded, consumed by jealousy and resentment towards the Elves, they harbored feelings of envy, hatred, and vengeance, which continued to the present day.
"So, what's your next plan?" King Ape asked Adrian.
"Yeah, since we can no longer seek help from Dryad, I think we'll stay here for a while," Adrian replied.
Night had fallen, and King Ape allowed the two of us to rest. However, before we returned to our rooms, I noticed Adrian approaching King Ape and asking him to train me for five months.
"Hold on, why all of a sudden?" I asked Adrian, surprised by his sudden request.
"You're too weak at the moment. At least before we continue our journey, you should be strong enough not to become a burden," Adrian replied with a serious expression.
"But weren't you the one who invited me in the first place? Why suddenly do you consider me a burden?" I asked.
"Ever since I first saw you, I knew you had tremendous potential, even surpassing my own strength. I just don't want you to become weak because of choosing the wrong mentor," Adrian replied.
My heart was pounding, and I felt a surge of emotions hearing his statement that seemed to belittle everyone. "Don't act so wise! You don't even look strong with that constant silly grin on your face!"
"You're mistaken, my child," King Ape said to me, trying to calm me down. "If he wants to, he can annihilate the Night Phantom in a single night," King Ape said.
"You're only defending him because you're friends, right?"
Upon hearing those words, King Ape immediately slapped me, causing me to be thrown backward and collide with the wall of his house.
"You should be grateful that Adrian invited you, you ungrateful child!" King Ape said, filled with anger.
"Oh, my goodness, my heart is touched to be defended by King Ape. But don't overdo it, he could die, you know," Adrian said.
"No, Adrian, I will teach this disrespectful child a lesson."
"Rest now! And meet me tomorrow morning! I will give you a little lesson so you can learn to be grateful to those who care about you!" King Ape said to me, then walked towards his room, leaving the two of us.
I could only stay silent as I watched King Ape leave, and when I glanced at Adrian, he simply said, "That's how it is. See you tomorrow morning!" as he walked towards his room and left me behind.
Still feeling the pain, I struggled to rise and made my way to my room to rest.