A crow stared at a tree, wondering. (This young tree is strange! It's green and smells too good!)
(Why would a tree like this appear here?!) Another crow stood nearby and cawed several times, flapping its wings.
Another crow hesitated. (What should we do? I feel like this tree will kill me if I get closer!) An intimidating aura surged out fiercely.
The crows scratched their heads. There were many of them, and they all had different opinions, most of which were conflicting.
A clever crow emerged from the crowd. (Let's ask the elder brother to come down with us!)
(Good idea?!) The other crows were surprised and quickly agreed.
The crows appeared numerous. They perched on the branches of other trees and pecked at their bark, but these crows were alert because my appearance stood out among the dark trees.
Suddenly, the sky darkened. The clouds parted, and a silhouette descended quickly, followed by several slower crows.
[Three-Headed Crow Lv.20]
I was extremely surprised. A crow with a third head appeared above me. Checking the now-silent crows, I understood that this one held significant authority among its kind.
Hmm… Level 20, isn't that on par with Blitz Hounds?
It's even stronger. Maybe similar in strength to the Thunder Wolves I encountered recently. As I wasn't sure of the power levels in this world, I couldn't be certain if levels were a good comparison.
The three-headed crow descended gently and scratched at my bark, inspecting anomalies before tilting its head.
It sniffed multiple times and motioned for the other crows to come down.
But the toxic smoke swirling around it made breathing difficult. Green smoke constantly streamed from its mouths. The branches quickly darkened and ached. Judging by the color of the smoke, I was sure it was poison.
If it's potent poison… that's something else.
Caw. (Good job. You found a tree from the other world.)
The crows' eyes glistened. (Thank you, elder brother!)
The youngest seized the opportunity. (Elder brother, may I take some bark?)
The elder sniffed but soon smiled. (Of course, take some.)
With the elder's permission, the two-headed crow took a piece of bark and suddenly fell from the tree like a puppet with its strings cut.
Caw. (Wait, are you crazy? Do you really think you can take those nutrients with you?)
The elder's mouth emitted a flood of toxins.
Caw. (A good crow is often a dead crow.)
The crows leaped from the tree and quickly distanced themselves from their elder. The air around the tree was now infused with toxins, making it hard for anyone in the vicinity to breathe.
Only one two-headed crow remained beside the elder.
Caw. (Little brother, eat the bark to build your strength quickly because the coming years will be intense.)
Caw? (Okay! But why did you make all the other brothers leave?) he asked innocently while chewing a piece of bark.
He soon sniffed.
Caw? (Share? Listen well. This is a tree found only beyond the border. In other words, it's a rare resource. The life force of this tree is enough to prepare you to become a three-headed crow. Remember that.)
Huh? There's another world with trees like me? Another border… That's interesting information. I stored that piece of information in my mind.
And what I realized was that these monsters consumed life energy. Maybe that's why the trees appeared so menacing and grotesque.
The two crows ate several pieces of bark and left. Part of my body had been torn as if skin was peeled off. It was painful. But considering the corpses of monsters around me, I managed to regain my composure.
By allowing the souls to ascend to the sky, I gained two levels [Level 6].
Year 6 Month 8
The past two seasons had been terrible this year. Autumn was mild, letting dry and dead leaves fall, while winter was as cold as a room without heating.
The monsters gathered, prepared food supplies, and began hibernating. Some dug underground shelters, while others found caves.
For weaker monsters expelled from their shelters, starvation and cold claimed their lives, and with luck, their souls ascended to the sky.
I gained three levels [Level 9].
Year 7 Month 10
I gained a level and unlocked a new skill [Storage].
Trying the skill on the crow's corpse, the body vanished and a notification appeared.
[1 storage space used]
[1/100]
Imagining releasing the crow from the subspace, a portal appeared, and the corpse fell to the ground.
Wow. That's really useful.
The sensation was even comforting. Like putting belongings back in a pocket. Most MCs in novels have similar skills. I think their usefulness lies in their properties.
It doesn't decay.
A few days passed, and taking out the crow corpses, I discovered that they remained intact. Time didn't exist in there. Truly useful.
Year 8 Month 3
A pack of Blitz Hounds ran through the forest. A trail of dust rose in their wake due to their overwhelming speed. The crows tried to defend themselves but were all slaughtered within moments.
Counting the dead, I obtained nineteen souls.
[Level 14]
Year 9 Month 5
A battle erupted near my position. The Blitz Hounds and Thunder Wolves fought fiercely to control the river running through the forest. It lasted several days.
Very annoying growls.
When the leader of the Blitz Hounds' pack finally fell in a duel, the Thunder Wolves rushed in and took over the river, driving out the other monsters.
I discreetly reached the corpses and leveled up. [Level 17]
Year 9 Month 7
The pack of wolves settled near the river and slaughtered nearby monsters to monopolize the entire river. The crows and Blitz Hounds felt provoked and allied against them.
A few days later, hundreds of crows and Blitz Hounds launched an assault on the camp, eventually overpowering the Thunder Wolves.
Most perished in the fight, but some survived, notably by quickly leaving the pack in another direction.
Perhaps those wolves had anticipated defeat from the start.
Growl… (Why is this forest so quiet?)
The wolf was wary of its surroundings and wounded.
I took the initiative. Watching the cautious wolf in the middle of the forest, I silently extended my roots and grabbed its hind legs, lifting it into the air.
The Thunder Wolf was shocked, but my root quickly struck its head, knocking it out and leaving it limp. That was the last time it opened its eyes. By allowing it to ascend to the sky, I gained one level [Level 18].
Year 10 Month 8
This month, entire packs of wolves rushed into the forest. Some were large groups, while others were lone bands of three or four. The number was too significant to go unnoticed.
And a significant number of crows appeared before them.
Caw? (Why is there such a large number of your kind here?!)
By coincidence, their place of dispute was literally… in front of me.
Growl. (Hmph. A lowly crow wants to speak with a noble wolf?)
The crow stamped its feet on the branch and snorted. (It's certainly the wolves who should thank the earth.)
The wolf felt provoked, growling fiercely, but against crows perched on trees, it seemed laughable and almost ridiculous.
(You…! Cursed parrot!)
(Cursed dog…!)
A massive battle erupted, and the monster packs clashed. The crows were numerous but weak in their attacks. The wolves were powerful but bad at fighting in the heights.
It lasted for some time until growls and caws were heard in opposite directions.
(You're lucky, kid!) He growled, retreating quietly while licking his superficial wound.
The crow snorted and flew away. (Wait. When your time comes, I'll be there to claim your meat.)
Both sides quietly dispersed and disappeared into the forest. It became strangely quiet, unlike the last hours, but it didn't concern me. I only allowed the dead monsters to ascend to the sky.
I gained six more levels [Level 24].
Year 11 Month 4
The clouds brought rain frequently lately. Sometimes lightning was visible in certain parts of the forest. Most monsters stayed in their territories, waiting for the weather to calm.
Year 12 Month 3
Another intense battle took place near the river that sustained most monsters in the forest. It was a rare and essential resource as even monsters couldn't live without water.
The three-headed crow screeched, ascending into the sky, and then dived toward the wolf charging at full speed. The Thunder Wolf had likely used its speed to inflict a severe wound.
One of the three heads of the crow appeared to be lost. Retaliating furiously, the three-headed crow exhaled toxins, filling the area quickly and reducing visibility.
Growls and caws resonated within the cloud of toxins. The three-headed crow emerged victorious from the fight. The wolf's corpse was visible in the middle of the battlefield.
Hey. For once, the crows being stronger than the wolves is really a surprise to me.
Year 13 Month 5
I overheard several crows talking.
(Brother, the wolves have returned to our territory!) he cawed, furiously flapping his wings in the direction of the others.
The three-headed crow shook its heads. (Calm down. We recently made a non-aggression pact in this autonomous territory.)
Another responded. (Hmph. Why form an alliance? Our Lord of Miasma could dominate this territory in just one day!)
The others nodded. (Indeed. Even the leaders of other races fear our master. Who would dare challenge and face him in battle?)
The crows rushed into an intense debate. The Lord of Miasma was a new name I had just learned. This monster must be at the top of the hierarchy and truly powerful.
Its name alone was long enough to be feared.