Rustle! Rustle!
Whoosh!
The occasional chirping of birds and the buzzing of insects echoed through the dense jungle, their sounds carried by the breeze from a distance.
As the Barghest sprinted through the undergrowth, its sleek black fur brushed against sturdy branches and thick leaves. Yet, not a single mark was left on its body. Wherever it passed, the branches swayed, producing a soft, rhythmic rustling.
Sakeer sat comfortably atop the Barghest, one hand gripping the bone chain wrapped around the creature's neck. A smirk played at his lips.
"After raising you for so long, you're finally showing some usefulness."
"Woof!"
The Barghest let out a low, fawning whimper. As if eager to please, it subtly adjusted its back muscles, shifting slightly to make Sakeer's ride even more comfortable.
Despite the uneven terrain—a forest floor blanketed with rotting leaves and tangled weeds—the Barghest's speed remained unaffected. It surged forward steadily, as if gliding effortlessly across solid ground, heading northward through the vast forest.
Its remarkable growth was undeniable.
With a steady diet of powerful beasts and monsters, its size had skyrocketed. Now, when standing on all fours, it was as tall as Sakeer himself, and its body length had reached an astonishing two and a half meters.
A size not far from a fully matured Barghest.
In fact—
During this period, the amount of energy contained in the food this single creature had consumed likely surpassed the entire Barghest race combined.
Under normal circumstances, such powerful prey would be far beyond an Barghest's ability to hunt.
But Sakeer couldn't shake the suspicion—
Could its rapid growth be influenced by more than just its diet?
After all—
He had been experimenting with alchemy potions recently.
Specifically, those infused with the blood of War Troll Guu.
For the sake of testing their effects, he had poured several bottles down the Barghest's throat.
Was this unnatural growth spurt a side effect?
Regardless, there was no time to dwell on it now.
As they continued moving northward, the dense, oppressive darkness of the Great Forest of Tob gradually began to fade.
The thick canopy above thinned out, allowing more sunlight to pierce through. The once claustrophobic jungle atmosphere was replaced by brighter, more open surroundings.
They had officially left the forest depths and entered the outer regions.
But this time, Sakeer's destination lay to the north.
Riding atop the Barghest, Sakeer's mind stirred.
A moment later, his attribute panel materialized before him.
[Ability Table]Innate Ability: [Player]
Overall Level: Lv32
Experience Slot: 122,933 / 70,000
Skill Points: 59
Occupations:
Base Class: Genius Lv10 (Warrior – Intermediate)
Intermediate Classes: Sword Master Lv10, Shamanic Adept Lv1
Advanced/Special Classes: Magic Swordsman Lv1, Cursed Knight Lv5
Valkyrie Lv5
(PS: The full [Ability List] has been updated in the comments section.)
[Attribute Table]Justice Value: 51 [Neutral]
HP: 313 (24%)
MP: 128 (10%)
Physical Attack: 313 (24%)
Physical Defense: 248 (19%)
Dexterity: 213 (16%)
Magical Attack: 158 (12%)
Magical Defense: 188 (14%)
Combined Resistance: 255 (20%)
Specificity: 230 (18%)
Total Growth Rate: 167%
Thanks to his hunting spree in the Demon Snake Naga's domain and the territory of the Wise King of the Forest, Sakeer had raked in nearly 190,000 experience points.
As a result—
His Valkyrie class had now reached its maximum level.
And with his overall level at 32, he had officially entered the ranks of hero-class powerhouses among humans in this world.
"Specialized classes really boost all my core stats by an insane amount."
Sakeer examined the attribute panel and grinned.
"I've got enough leftover experience to level up again… but there's no rush."
If he invested it into his Magic Swordsman class, he could push it further—
But at this point, the bonuses from special classes were so overwhelming that he was beginning to lose interest in lesser-tier improvements.
"Right now, I've got…"
30 Third-Tier [Angel Summoning] scrolls.
10 Fourth-Tier [Angel Summoning] scrolls.
Additionally, the mana stored within the Orb of Death had been completely refilled.
As the Barghest weaved through the jungle, Sakeer swayed slightly in rhythm with its movements, mentally calculating his available resources.
For now, his arsenal was more than sufficient.
At Level 32, he had finally reached the point where he could activate Fifth-Tier magic—
Including [Angel Summoning] (Lv.29~35).
However—
The current Fourth-Tier angels were already strong enough for him.
Not to mention—
The cost of summoning scrolls was significantly lower at the fourth tier.
After all, if he wanted to craft Fifth-Tier magic scrolls, he would first have to consume skill points to upgrade [Papermaking] to the fifth-tier level.
For now, he had no immediate need to push forward.
His strength was stable, his resources were plentiful, and his next move—whatever it would be—could be executed at full power.
With that, Sakeer leaned back slightly, allowing himself to enjoy the ride as the Barghest pressed onward toward the Great Wetland.
With the Great Forest of Tob now firmly under control, there was no longer any need for Sakeer to expend additional effort.
The Demon Snake Naga had successfully established dominance over the entire forest. The only remaining task was to oversee the goblin population, ensuring their numbers grew according to Sakeer's instructions.
As for War Troll Guu and the ordinary trolls, he had handed them over to the Demon Snake Naga for safekeeping. These creatures were far too valuable as sources of high-quality regeneration potion ingredients—killing them would have been a waste.
So long as the Demon Snake Naga sought to maintain its rule over the Great Forest of Tob and avoid any external threats, it had every reason to keep War Troll Guu protected.
After all—
"History has proven that certain lessons are always worth remembering."
Sakeer had little concern about the Demon Snake Naga's loyalty. The creature was both intelligent and pragmatic, fully capable of weighing risks and benefits. That quality had been the deciding factor in choosing it as a ruler in the first place.
And beyond that—
There was also the looming threat of his curse, ensuring that, at least for now, the Demon Snake Naga would not entertain any rebellious thoughts.
His true focus now—
Was the goblins.
"With their rapid reproduction and growth cycle, given enough food, they should multiply in vast numbers within two to three months."
"That's not a long wait—I can afford to be patient."
Sakeer thought to himself, deep in contemplation.
Lifting his gaze—
The dense jungle ahead began to thin, allowing beams of sunlight to pierce through the canopy. The brightness made him instinctively narrow his eyes.
"Be alert—the rest of this journey may be far more dangerous than the Great Forest of Tob."
He reached out, patting the Barghest lightly on the neck in warning.
"Awoo."
The Barghest let out a low growl in response, instinctively slowing its pace.
North of the Great Forest of Tob, south of the Azerlisia Mountains, lay the Great Wetland—a sprawling region shaped by the melting snow from the mountains, which fed into a labyrinth of lakes and nameless tributaries.
Thanks to the natural barrier of the Great Forest of Tob, this area had remained largely untouched by humans.
Yet, it was far from uninhabited.
The Great Wetland was home to a significant number of subhuman races, making it one of the only regions outside the Abelion Hills where such creatures thrived in large numbers.
As they continued forward—
The lush foliage gradually gave way to shorter shrubs and low-lying grasses. The towering trees of the jungle thinned, their once-dense cover no longer casting deep shadows over the land.
Sakeer's expression shifted, his gaze sharpening.
If the Great Forest of Tob had been a moderate-difficulty zone, then the Azerlisia Mountains were undoubtedly a high-difficulty zone.
Beyond level 30 powerhouses, the mountain range was home to beasts and creatures ranging between levels 40 and 50—a far more dangerous domain.
Whoosh!
With a powerful leap, the Barghest broke through the last of the sparse trees and landed at the edge of the forest.
The once-restricted view—Suddenly opened wide.
The first thing that caught Sakeer's eye—
Was the clear blue sky, no longer obscured by the jungle canopy.
And beyond that—
The distant silhouette of the Azerlisia Mountains, finally visible in the horizon.
"Not a bad environment, wouldn't you say?"
Sakeer murmured, narrowing his eyes slightly as he surveyed the vast wetland stretching out before him.
"Roar!"
The Barghest let out a low warning growl. Its green beastly eyes locked onto something ahead.
Sakeer followed its gaze—
There, in the grassy clearing at the wetland's edge, a strange creature stood alert.
It had the general shape of a rooster, with a large cockscomb atop its head—
But its size matched that of a swan.
Its scarlet eyes burned with aggression as it fixated on Sakeer and the Barghest—intruders who had trespassed into its territory.
"Goo!"
With a piercing shriek—
The creature lunged.
And it wasn't alone.
From the tall grasses, an entire flock of these monsters took to the air, rushing toward Sakeer and his companion.
"A monster I've never encountered before… Looks like some strange hybrid of a rooster and a lizard."
Now that they were closer, Sakeer could see them clearly—
Their upper bodies resembled roosters, complete with sharp beaks and feathered crests.
But their lower halves—
Were covered in scaly reptilian skin, their tails long and whip-like, reminiscent of a lizard's.
"I wonder… do they have any special abilities?"
Sakeer mused as the strange creatures charged toward him.
Whatever they were—
He was about to find out.
(End of Chapter)