Dryads were a weird monster. Instead of the typical mutation of animals or insects, dryads came from the mutation of plants. They came in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but the unifying characteristic they all had was their strength and tenacity.
Dryads were also on the fine line between monster and beast, initially having no consciousness but able to develop one later.
This particular dryad seemed young, still obeying its instincts. Dryads weren't only the mutations of plants but a representation of nature itself, seemingly having a connection with the world, divinity, and mana itself.
In some races and cultures, dryads, especially the conscious ones, were considered messengers of the gods and the world. I knew dryads were highly respected elven and spirit culture figures, similar to heroes or prophets.
Even in the Legend of the Heroes, the Dryad Queen helped the eight heroes on one of their quests. Any figure who appeared in the Legend of the Heroes by name was influential and respected globally.
Unfortunately, this dryad was on the younger side. It was a rank eight, but still no match for me. For anyone else, meeting a dryad, especially one that hadn't gained consciousness, was a death sentence. At least for the older dryads, you could talk your way out.
I wasn't keen on killing this dryad, but it had a bloodthirsty look in its eyes. It knew I was dangerous but wasn't smart enough to think of retreat. Dryads had the unique ability to suck the mana of organisms, so viewing my mana output made it hungry.
Right now, it was trying to decide between retreating and fighting. It was leaning more towards fighting. It was a stupid choice, but I was kind enough to let it slide.
"Hey, dryad." I spoke.
It looked at me in confusion and surprise. It probably hadn't encountered anything that could speak before.
"I'm willing to let you go, but I'm a bit bored." I swaggered over to my sword.
Pulling it out with one hand, I pointed it at the dryad.
"How about we have a little spar." I flashed a smile.
"Of course, I'll have a handicap." I thought for a moment. "I won't use magic. How about—"
The dryad didn't let me finish before a web of vines flew at me, hoping to pin me down.
I jumped up, stepping over the net as it flew by.
"Have a little chivalry will you?" I said as I landed.
As the dryad summoned magic circles around me, I crouched into a running start. As they fired, I dashed forward, keeping my body low and readying my sword.
Magic and vines zipped past me, unable to do any damage even when they connected. The dryad had used wind and earth magic, furthering my theory it was newly mutated.
A common tactic of magicians was never to show your best aptitude and find your opponent's worst one. People often use various attacks to determine which ones their opponent is weak against.
I soon arrived before the retreating dryad and slashed across horizontally. My blade sunk into its squirming body and cut through the plant and earth matter easily. It wasn't a fatal wound, nor even a bad one.
The dryad quickly recovered; it was not damaged but more worried. I saw the regret in its eyes. I had yet to use magic, but my sheer physical strength dominated.
I stood upright as the dryad stood back, watching for any movement. I shifted my right hand from the hilt to one of the grips on the blade. My hand gripped the cylindrical metal tightly, fingers going through the grips.
My left hand dropped to my side as I drew my right arm back. I'd made the two grips on the blade to help with adding force to my swing, but they could be used for another purpose.
I swung hard, twisting my wrist and letting go in a flinging motion. The colossal sword spun through the air, flying right at the dryad.
On impact, large swaths of dirt and foliage flew up like a mini explosion. The dust cleared to reveal the dryad, who'd barely side-stepped in time, living by a hair.
"Ohoho, pretty good." I chuckled.
"That was a good warm-up. Now, how about the real thing." I stepped forward.
As I walked to grab my sword, the dryad started melting into the ground, disappearing. It was running away.
I calmly watched as the mana signature got further and further away. As it got out of range, I stopped wasting my mana and switched back to the standard method. I grabbed my sword and started the trek back.
The guards would finish soon, giving me enough time to return and prepare. I never intended to finish the fight in the first place. The warm-up against the dryad was to alleviate my boredom and test out the newbie.
It felt good to be the old demon for once. I was terrorizing and educating the younglings instead of the other way around. The cultist leader and lizard were strong opponents who had looked down on me.
I'd dealt with the cult leader but wasn't strong enough to face off against the lizard. I'd been searching for a win, and against the dryad, I got it. It wasn't a matter of pride but a matter of self-confidence.
-----
When I returned to my station, the guards were hauling the bodies. I started prepping my station and enlisted the help of the more experienced hunters to prepare the meat.
The prep took some time, but the meat kept coming after we started. I smoked some, grilled some, and even fried a few steaks in all the animal fat, and I preserved the rest to take back home.
Overall, it was a festive night, and everyone ate their share. Only the vegetarian horses were left out. The birds and dogs got their share of meat and organs. The pelts and bones of the beast were also prepped for sale and use.
The hunter must use its prey well, and we used every part. Our only waste was the entrails, which no one would touch. We buried those as fertilizer for the forest.
It was late at night when we got back home. Some of the men stumbled back drunk, having snuck off to buy some alcohol at the city. I shepherded them all back home, ensuring no one was left behind.
While on the outskirts of the heartlands, the Acies forest was still dangerous. One night out here was a death penalty. I'd even encountered a rank eight dryad, which was supposed to be one of the rarest monsters.
We all got back safely, and I turned in for the night. It was my last peaceful sleep before the hellish convention tomorrow. The forum wasn't just comprised of the seven leaders, Garth and me, but also the lieutenants of each leader, bringing the total to 16.
Later, we would open the forum to the village to discuss laws and representatives. If the majority ratified in an election, our legislature would go through. But that was a story for a different time.
Right now, it was time for me to sleep.