Chapter: The Forgotten Red Zone
Morning had fully settled over the Corrupted Forest, but the forest was far from peaceful.
Deep within its vast territory existed a place that even veteran adventurers feared to approach.
A region once marked on every map with a warning written in blood.
The Red Zone.
Before Draven's rise, the Red Zone had been the most dangerous region of the entire forest.
Mutated beasts.
Demonic monsters.
Ancient predators that had ruled their territories for decades.
Even the bravest hunters rarely entered its depths.
But things had changed.
Now the entire forest…
Including the Red Zone…
Was under the authority of one ruler.
Draven.
A King's Curiosity
Draven stood atop a large stone cliff overlooking the dark forest.
His wings folded behind him.
Beside him stood his commanders.
Below the cliff stretched miles of dark forest.
Dense fog.
Massive trees.
And powerful auras lurking deep inside.
Draven crossed his arms.
"The Red Zone."
A1 glanced at the forest.
"The most dangerous region of the forest before your arrival."
Draven smirked slightly.
"Yes."
"But I haven't explored it yet."
His crimson eyes glowed faintly.
"Time to meet the previous rulers of my territory."
The Purpose of Exploration
Draven wasn't simply wandering.
There were three reasons for this expedition.
First…
Mapping the Red Zone completely.
Second…
Evaluating potential threats or powerful monsters.
And third…
Draven smiled slightly.
"Recruitment."
B2 raised an eyebrow.
"You're planning to recruit monsters?"
Draven nodded.
"Strong monsters."
He gestured toward the forest.
"If they submit, they join my army."
"If they refuse…"
Samuel finished the sentence calmly.
"They die."
Draven chuckled.
"Exactly."
The Dark Elf's Fate
But before the expedition began…
One matter had already been settled.
The dark elf prisoner.
Draven had freed her.
Not out of mercy.
But calculation.
She stood nearby now.
Her appearance had changed.
Where her arm had once been severed…
A new arm existed.
But it was not flesh.
It was spirit wood.
Living wooden veins ran through the arm like glowing roots.
Draven had healed her using his domain authority.
Monster Creation Ability.
Blue and green light had reconstructed her body.
The dark elf stared quietly at her new arm.
"Why…"
Her voice was cautious.
"Why would you heal me?"
Draven shrugged casually.
"You're useful."
Simple.
Direct.
Her Story
The dark elf slowly exhaled.
Then began speaking.
"My name… doesn't matter anymore."
Her gaze moved toward the forest.
"I was born in the Elf Empire."
She continued calmly.
"The elf society has a clear hierarchy."
She raised her fingers as she listed them.
"First."
"The protectors of the World Tree."
"The elders."
"Second."
"The ruler."
"The Elf Queen."
"Third."
"The nobles among nobles."
"The High Elves."
"And finally…"
Her voice hardened slightly.
"The civilians."
"Dark elves and regular elves."
B2 blinked.
"So dark elves are basically commoners?"
She nodded.
Elf Professions
She continued explaining.
"Elves also have professions."
She listed them.
Forbidden magic users
Spirit mages
Beast tamers
Nature archers
Elf warriors
Healers
Elf guards
Alchemists
Draven tilted his head.
"Interesting."
She nodded.
"Among elves there is no discrimination between dark elves and normal elves."
"But…"
Her eyes darkened.
"Elves hate humans."
"They consider humans inferior."
The Tragedy
Her voice became colder.
"My mother was an alchemist."
"Her research focused on herbs, nature spirits, and diseases."
She clenched her fist.
"She spent twenty years researching a spiritual potion."
"One that could grant forests divine protection."
Draven listened silently.
"The potion was meant to be offered to the World Tree during a tribute ceremony."
Her breathing slowed.
"But someone…"
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Swapped the potion."
Draven's eyes narrowed.
"When the potion was offered…"
"The World Tree began to wither."
The entire ceremony turned into chaos.
The elders declared it a curse.
The potion had been replaced with a cursed plague mixture.
All blame fell on her mother.
"She was accused of poisoning the World Tree."
Her jaw tightened.
"They burned her alive."
B2 muttered quietly.
"Brutal."
The Birth of an Apostle
"That night…"
The dark elf looked down at her hands.
"I was sentenced to execution."
"But something happened."
Her neck glowed faintly.
A symbol appeared.
A dark spiral mark.
"The Evening Goddess answered."
Draven recognized the name.
"The goddess of plague and disease."
The dark elf continued.
"She granted me power."
"Wisdom of plagues."
"Disease creation."
"Poison arts."
"Spirit summon magic."
"And my most valuable skill."
"Spirit clone."
She looked at Draven.
"That skill is why I survived your attack."
Draven nodded.
"I remember."
Becoming a Rogue
"After escaping…"
She trained.
She became an assassin.
A rogue elf.
She hunted monsters across different territories.
Eventually…
She came to this forest.
"For monster hunting."
But then…
She encountered something else.
Her eyes locked onto Draven.
"You."
First Encounter
"When I saw you…"
Her voice lowered.
"You weren't using disguise."
"You were in your true demon form."
B2 looked at Draven.
"You scared her?"
Draven grinned.
Apparently.
The dark elf nodded slowly.
"The killing intent you emitted…"
"It felt like death itself."
She assumed Draven was a catastrophic demon.
So she attacked first.
Using her Spirit Clone Technique.
But the result was obvious.
Total defeat.
Information About the Eastern Empire
Draven stepped forward.
"Now."
"Tell me about the Eastern Empire."
The dark elf nodded.
"The border town you plan to conquer belongs to the Eastern Empire."
She began explaining.
"The empire is massive."
"It controls dozens of cities."
"And the capital is protected by elite forces."
Draven folded his arms.
"Such as?"
She listed them.
"Knight Orders."
Powerful military organizations.
Each specializing in different warfare styles.
The empire's strength came from these orders.
But she added something interesting.
"The empire is currently unstable."
"Political factions are fighting for influence."
"Secret organizations manipulate events from the shadows."
Draven smiled slowly.
"Perfect."
Chaos was the best environment for conquest.
Entering the Red Zone
The group finally descended into the Red Zone.
Immediately the atmosphere changed.
The air became heavier.
Strange roars echoed through the forest.
Gigantic claw marks covered the trees.
A1 rested his sword on his shoulder.
"Well."
"This looks fun."
Suddenly—
A massive shadow moved between the trees.
A monster emerged.
A huge mutated wolf.
Its body covered in bone spikes.
Red eyes glowing.
B2 whispered.
"Territory boss."
Draven stepped forward calmly.
The wolf roared.
But before it could attack—
Draven released his Domination Aura.
The pressure exploded across the forest.
The wolf froze instantly.
Its legs trembled.
Then slowly…
It lowered its head.
Submitting.
Draven smiled.
"Good choice."
The first monster of the Red Zone had joined the army.
And deeper within the forest…
Even stronger monsters were beginning to notice.
A new king had entered their territory.
And the Red Zone was about to meet its true ruler.
TO BE CONTINUED.....