? ? ?
There are three imaginary question marks that appear in the Canvasbane Head.
'The previous owner...'
She thought about it in her empty head.
'The former master... isn't he one of the seven Nightmare Lords?
{Have you seen that, Lord?}
The portrait screamed, almost knocking down Astr.
{You! Were you meditating just now? Are you crazy? Ah! }
Astr stepped on the head of the canvasbane to stop her noisy screams. "Don't make any noise; my head hurts. If I go crazy later, I will chop you down first."
{... }
Hearing this, the Canvasbane immediately shut up. It looked into Astr's blood-red eyes, and she felt extremely shocked in her heart.
'This human is crazy; I thought I already knew him. Under his soft and harmless appearance, there is an arrogance and radicalness that makes him not afraid of risks, making him both fearful and admirable.
However, I never thought that Astr Serene, my master,could be this crazy.'
'What difference is there in the act of meditating in that Nightmare Lord's Dream Space from leaping up to defiantly displaying your middle finger to a fish on the chopping board?'
Cursing like this in her heart, the Canvasbane felt a faint excitement, mixed with trembling, spreading from the deepest part of her body.
She licked the snow mixed with paint around her mouth, savouring the taste of these defeated people.
Astr pressed his forehead, recalling and savouring the scene just now in his mind.
Just a brief glance at those amber eyes that opened from the sky and the earth caused the Astr erosion level to increase by nearly half.
Uncontrollable excitement and an adrenaline rush rose from Astr's icy-blue eyes, which were hotter than the flame of the lantern on his waist.
At this moment, a translucent word appeared in front of his eyes.
[You saw what can be unseen with mortal eyes. You have watched a demigod from closer.]
[Your perception has increased]
"Uh-huh!"
Out of nowhere, it felt as if an awl had pierced Astr's eyes. Excruciating pain surged from the depths of his eyes, causing Astr to involuntarily cry out in agony.
This unbearable pain lasted only for two seconds. When the pain subsided, Astr's eyes suddenly felt enlightenment.
He looked around and saw a translucent outline floating vaguely in mid-air.
Astr recognised these outlines as ephemera that were supposed to be visible only in meditation.
"...It opened my magic eyes."
Astr murmured, his eyes flashing brightly.The whispers scattered in the forest and disappeared with the falling snow.
....
Two and a half hours later,
Astr stood up and said to Rafeal"Let's go; it's almost time."
"Are you going back to that oak tree?" Rafeal stood up nervously, with a sad face. "I really don't want to go back."
"We can't keep master waiting; we are good gentlemen who abide by etiquette."
Astr said to Rafeal
Rafeal shuddered, especially after hearing that Astr looked more pale.
"Are you okay? I always feel like you are a little in pain..." Rafeal said.
"It's okay; I'm just about to turn into an irrational monster."
Astr looked at Rafeal's horrified face, and he amused himself with a giggle. It frightened Rafeal even more than the canvasbane.
Although the erosion level remained high, Astr felt that there was no problem, and he felt quite good about himself.
Astr walked quickly in front of the team, and they moved forward slowly.
After stepping on the dirty paint mixed with snow on the ground and the broken picture frame, they came back to the huge and abstract oak tree.
[It seems that you haven't found the most beautiful portrait, huh...]
A beautiful sound like a flute echoed in Astr's ears, and he felt that evil gaze again.
"Of course," Astr said calmly, "because there is no most beautiful one at all."
"Every single portrait features your face. They all depict 'the most beautiful one.'"
'This task in itself was a fucking impossible trap'
[Hehe...hehehehe...]
The sound of the flute gradually became high and sharp, extremely harsh, piercing into their brain like a needle, and Rafeal staggered in discomfort.
The tone of the Oak Banshee changed, as if she had found her favourite target.
[I have never seen such an interesting human being in a long time...and you look very cute...]
A creaking sound like the rubbing of bones sounded from the rugged trunk of the oak tree. The snow fell one after another like a white rainstorm.
[Mission failed]
[Punishment: Face-to-face with the true form of the banshee in the forest]
The oak tree opened like a door, revealing the scene inside. When Rafeal's sight touched the huge figure inside, Rafeal instantly bent over and covered his mouth, spitting out a "vomit".
It was a grey-white body composed of countless faces and arms.
They can't imagine what kind of paintbrush could be used to outline such a disgusting body.
Just like the rotten cheese exposed to the sun on the road in summer or the fat meat soaked in water until it turns white and bubbles.
When hundreds of beautiful female faces appear densely in one place, it will only make people feel fear and discomfort from the bottom of their hearts, like pustules all over their bodies.
This is the true form of the Oak Banshee of the Forest. A real Thousand-Faced Worm nightmare creature.
The Oak Banshee bent down her cylindrical body and looked down at Astr with her ever-changing face. Countless mouths opened, and she made a sweet sound like a flute.
[You smell delicious... I can allow you to become one with me...]
A corrosive, musky smell came out of her body. Astr sniffed and smelled the familiar smell.
As expected of a nightmare creature created by a lusty painter, they very much obey his desires.
[All experience added to Wizard Apprentice]
Astr gave a command to the system, and the system did what Astr wanted.
Only wizards who use the power of weirdness can fight against weirdness.
[The level of the first-level wizard apprentice has been improved.]
[Lv8→Lv10]
[Acquire 2 skill points]
[Soul-Thread Escape Portrait, Fusion Skill Unlocked]
When Astr saw the description of the fusion skill, Astr's pupils shrank suddenly.
'Wow...this skill is really, really crazy.'
Astr couldn't help but grinne, and he bit his lower lip impatiently.
He glanced at the Oak Banshee, who was about to overwhelm him with her passionate love, and said jokingly
"Aren't you going to let us go? I've exceeded your needs."
Astr thought that the oak banshee would refuse to let them go but Unexpectedly, she looked at Astr and Rafeal, and evil rays of light shot out from countless pairs of her eyes.
[Of course, I have always been tolerant of beautiful and cute little boys...]
Several arms stretched out, pointed at Astr and Rafeal, and she said slowly
[You two come on, fight among yourselves, and try to kill each other.]
[The one who survives, I will let him go.]
The bewitching words echoed among the woods. Aste raised his eyebrows and looked sideways at Rafeal. I saw the light suddenly light up in Rafeal's eyes.
"Don't have any unnecessary illusions," Astr said softly. "Be good and stay still; I will take you out."
Rafeal looked at Astr and then at the terrifying figure. His eyes gradually became firmer. He firmly drew his sword and pointed it at Astr.
Rafeal said impatiently, "But I refuse."
"...Stupid."
Astr shook his head and sighed.
'There is only pity in my heart for stupid people; no anger anyway; he is going to die later, but for now, no.'
With a swipe sound, Astr also pulled out his sword, streaking through the air like a shooting star.
But the tip of the sword was not pointing at Rafeal, but at the forest banshee.
"My sword never points at the same kind." Astr looked directly at the twisted banshee with scorching eyes and growled, "Only points at monsters!"
"I've tolerated you for a long time, you ugly old hag."
Amidst the piercing flute sounds, silver light cuts through the falling snow like ribbons.