Rustle… Rustle…
Deep within the great forest, towering trees of strange shapes stood tall, their trunks wrapped in thick vines. Patches of light filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor, which was blanketed in thick layers of fallen leaves and moss.
In the dim, oppressive atmosphere, a massive troll lumbered forward, its immense body effortlessly parting the dense undergrowth as it forced a path through the tangled vegetation.
Trailing closely behind it was a Ghost Bear, its imposing frame nearly matching that of the troll.
Its coarse fur, a mix of deep brown and red, bristled as it moved, while its scarlet eyes gleamed ominously. The eerie sheen of its coat, combined with its sheer size, made it unmistakably one of the apex predators of the Great Forest of Tob.
Every step it took sent crisp rustling sounds through the thick carpet of fallen leaves.
A hoarse, weathered voice broke the silence.
"Your leader summoned me all the way here. What's going on?"
The voice came from behind the Ghost Bear.
Perched atop the Ghost Bear's broad back was a strange and unsettling figure.
His lower body was that of a serpent, covered in delicate, pale scales that shimmered with an emerald-green hue. His upper half, however, appeared human—though gaunt and withered.
His thin frame was hunched, his black-green hair dry and tangled. Deep wrinkles creased his face, pulling his features into an almost grotesque scowl.
This was none other than Naga, the Demon Snake—one of the Three Dominators of the Great Forest of Tob.
Crack!
The lead troll swung its mighty arm, shattering a thick branch obstructing its path with a single punch. It continued forward, its heavy footsteps unyielding.
It did not acknowledge Naga's question.
The corner of Naga's mouth twitched in irritation.
"A brainless slab of meat…"
He exhaled sharply but chose not to press further.
Expecting useful information from a troll—a creature barely capable of forming coherent thoughts—was a waste of time.
Naga had long since given up trying to understand what went on in the minds of these muscle-bound fools.
But one thing was certain—something had happened in WarTroll Guu's domain.
A flicker of curiosity passed through Naga's cold eyes.
Was he concerned?
Not in the slightest.
There was nothing in this forest that could pose a real threat to him.
The only thing worth worrying about was whether WarTroll Guu's primitive brain had malfunctioned—perhaps deciding, on a whim, to turn against him.
That was precisely why Naga had brought the Ghost Bear along.
If WarTroll Guu suddenly went berserk, the Ghost Bear would buy him enough time to retreat safely.
He let out a dry chuckle.
"If only you had a brain as developed as your muscles… Though, if that were the case, I'd probably have a headache dealing with you."
With a flick of his serpent tail, he struck the Ghost Bear's side, urging it forward.
Among the Three Dominators of the Great Forest of Tob:
War Troll Guu was a mindless brute, commanding a vast horde yet clueless on how to utilize them properly.
The Wise King of the Forest was a lazy glutton, doing little more than eating and sleeping.
If either of these two had been as cunning as Naga, they would have long since ruled the entire Tobu Forest.
Naga sneered.
"What a ridiculous bunch."
As they neared the Troll's dwelling—a deep rift within the forest—Naga's keen senses picked up a sharp, familiar scent lingering in the air.
Blood.
His serpentine eyes narrowed.
Not just any blood—there was a lot of it.
His gaze swept over the surrounding trees.
Dark stains marred the bark of many trunks, and the forest floor was spattered with dried crimson streaks.
This blood had been here for a while.
The trees ahead began to thin, revealing a wide clearing—one that should have been littered with gnawed bones, filth, and swarms of scavenging insects.
Instead—
It was clean.
Too clean.
Naga's pupils constricted.
"What is this…?"
His voice was filled with undisguised disbelief.
Trolls were creatures that thrived in filth, reveling in darkness, decay, and rot.
For them to clean their own territory?
That was more absurd than believing they had suddenly gained intelligence overnight.
Then—
He noticed something else.
The earth beneath them held a faint red hue.
It was stained.
The sheer extent of the discoloration suggested that an unfathomable amount of blood had been spilled here.
Even though it had long since dried, the iron-rich stench still clung to the air, stubbornly refusing to fade.
Naga's mind raced.
Just how many creatures had War Troll Guu slaughtered?
His sharp tongue flickered out as his curiosity deepened.
"Move faster."
With another swift lash of his tail, he struck the Ghost Bear.
"Roar!"
The beast let out a low growl, its powerful limbs kicking up dirt as it surged ahead.
It overtook the troll leading the way, charging directly toward the cave entrance.
As Naga neared, his gaze fell upon an unexpected structure—a wooden shed, crudely constructed from thick tree trunks.
And inside—
A medium-sized Barghest stood, its head raised as it stared straight at him.
Naga's lips curled into a confused smirk.
"Reserved food…?"
Or…
"A pet?"
He had seen many strange things in this godforsaken forest.
But this?
This was new.
Under normal circumstances, if a weak creature dared to meet his gaze, Naga, the Demon Snake, wouldn't hesitate to crush it beneath his coils—to flaunt his power as a Ruler of this place.
But now…
Something felt off.
There was a strange unease lingering in the air.
For the first time in a long while, a faint tension crept into Naga's cold-blooded heart. His serpentine pupils narrowed as he scanned the surroundings, his gaze laced with both caution and cunning.
The Ghost Bear's powerful strides carried him forward, and soon, a massive cave loomed ahead. Standing at its entrance, his back turned, was WarTroll Guu—his hulking frame stretching over three meters tall.
At the sight of him, Naga raised his withered arm, pressing a firm hand against the Ghost Bear's head to slow its pace.
His momentary tension eased ever so slightly.
"Guu, why did you summon me?"
His hoarse voice echoed through the clearing.
"And what exactly is going on here?"
Though he spoke, instinct warned him to be cautious.
Rather than dismount, Naga remained seated on the Ghost Bear, keeping a measured distance—roughly fifty meters—from the War Troll.
A soft splashing sound reached Naga's ears.
At first, it was so faint he nearly missed it.
His pupils flickered with mild annoyance.
"I know you trolls lack etiquette…"
His lips curled in mild disgust.
"But relieving yourself right outside your cave? Even for your kind, that's a bit much."
Still, Guu didn't respond.
He stood there, unmoving—unnaturally still.
And then—
A voice echoed from beyond the troll.
"Ah, sorry. I believe you've misunderstood."
It was not War Troll Guu's voice.
It was a gentle, calm voice.
A voice he did not recognize.
For a moment, Naga froze.
Then—
Boom!
The massive Troll Guu stepped aside, revealing the figure behind him.
Naga's snake-like pupils contracted in shock.
A human?!
Seated atop a wooden stump, dressed in a simple white robe, was a young human male. Compared to the War Troll Guu's towering bulk, his form was so insignificant it could have been overlooked entirely.
But that was not what unsettled Naga the most.
Before the human, a large wooden barrel stood on the ground.
From it came the soft gurgling sound of liquid—a sound Naga had misinterpreted earlier.
It was not water.
It was blood.
His gaze snapped toward WarTroll Guu's massive thigh, where he spotted a gaping wound, nearly the size of a fist.
Fresh blood poured freely from the injury, steadily filling the barrel before the human.
Naga's grip on the Ghost Bear's fur instinctively tightened.
A wound of that size?
For the WarTroll Guu, such an injury should have healed in mere moments.
Yet, the bleeding did not stop.
Wait…
That wasn't the real issue here.
"Who are you?"
Naga's voice turned sharp, his gaze locked onto the human.
"A human?"
His eyes darted back to the WarTroll.
Something was wrong.
The War Troll's expression was vacant, almost trance-like—his usual savage aura muted.
A realization struck Naga like lightning.
Charm magic?!
This troll—this fool—had been ensnared by a human's spell!
A flurry of thoughts rushed through Naga's mind.
When? How? Why hadn't he noticed sooner?
Then, the human spoke again.
"It wasn't him who invited you here," he said, his voice smooth and composed.
"It was me."
His eyes met Naga's directly, his lips curling into an unreadable smile.
"Welcome, Your Excellency, Demon Snake of the West—Dominator of the West."
Naga's expression darkened.
"Don't joke with me, human!"
His pupils gleamed with contempt, and before the words had even fully left his lips, emerald-green magic surged across his body.
"This place belongs to us!"
A surge of magic energy erupted from him.
"Charm Magic—Human Enchantment!"
An invisible force rippled through the air, aimed directly at Sakeer.
But—
Before it could take hold, Sakeer's eyes flashed with calm resolve.
"Mind of Undeath."
With a simple chant, he canceled out Naga's magic as if it were nothing.
And then—
His own magic stirred.
"All-Race Charm."
A luminous glow enveloped Naga, an ethereal emerald sheen coating his serpentine form.
For a brief moment, the powerful spell wrapped around him—pressing against his very essence.
Then—
Nothing.
No reaction.
Naga remained unaffected.
The magical confrontation had ended in a flash.
"Did you see that, human?"Naga's eyes glinted as he sneered.
"Your charm magic is useless against me."
He bared his fangs.
"Even if you control Guu, you cannot kill him.
And now—"
A surge of deep crimson light flared at his fingertips.
"You will learn the fate of those foolish enough to trespass into our domain!"
A blazing fireball—the size of a basin—condensed in an instant.
With a flick of his wrist—
"Fireball!"
The flaming sphere shot forward, roaring toward Sakeer.
Naga watched, expecting the human to panic.
But—
There was no fear in Sakeer's eyes.
Instead, his lips parted ever so slightly, as if amused.
"You call humans weak?"
His hand reached for the massive magic greatsword resting beside him.
With one effortless motion, he lifted it, his grip firm.
A translucent light gathered along the blade's edge—rippling with sheer force.
As the fireball hurtled toward him—
He swung.
(End of Chapter)