Chapter 272
(272) A little detour to the edge of the Great Forest
Translator: Tseirp
I headed north on the Desert Runner as I relied on the simple map I received from Rurina .
The flames that a.s.saulted the Great Forest was extinguished in an instant when the Great Spirit Salamander was annihilated but that wouldn’t had brought the burnt forest back . A fairly wide area of the forest turned into ashes almost instantaneously and it looked like an image of war . Well, there actually was a battle after all .
After advancing a little further, I saw the charred remains of a deer-like animal .
The Desert Runner brought its nose close to it but it didn’t try to eat it . It had died a couple of days ago and more importantly, its surface was pitch black and seemed almost like charcoal .
There wasn’t just one or two of such animals . Many of the animals that lived in the Great Forest died .
“… Ku . ”
I was the reason . If I did not move the Golden Tree to My World, the Salamander would not have revived and the forest would not have burnt down .
Of course, I don’t believe it was the wrong choice . If I did not do that, I would not have been able to protect the Dark-Elves .
“What you wish to protect and what you must protect … huh . ”
It was a little late but now I felt the weight of the words Shumei spoke .
Without me, the soldiers from the Princ.i.p.ality of Nicplan and the Church would have burnt the forest so the outcome would have been the same ― but I shouldn’t be making excuses .
It was a choice I made with the conviction that I was right and it is also my sin .
I crossed the corpse and must advance forward .
According to Shumei, this forest would be converted into a large field in the future .
I prayed that in the future, this land would at least aid the growth of many more lives .
That night, we arrived at the part of the forest that was not damaged by the battle .
Checking the surroundings with Hawk-Eye, I found that we would reach the mountain where the Dwarves lived after crossing another 10 kilometers of forest .
Then again, there were no paths inside the forest .
Using a bow and arrow I borrowed from the Dark-Elves, I shot down a large bird inside a bush with a stone arrow .
【Ichinojo leveled up】
【Archer skill: 「Bow Equip」has skilled up to「Bow Equip II」】
【Elf Archer skill: 「Bow Equip II」has skilled up to「Bow Equip III」】
They each rose to level 4 and 3 and my Bow Equip skill ranked up by 2 .
I a.s.signed the Sword Saint and Samurai jobs to supplement physical strength but their levels did not change .
I cut off the head of the bird I killed and tossed the head to the Desert Runner .
The Desert Runner caught it with its mouth and crushed the skull as it ate . It really ate a lot .
I drained the blood from the remaining body and planned to eat it with Rarael and the others .
“From here on, you should return first . ”
I pat the Desert Runner’s head after it finished eating the bird head and returned it to My World .
Using it in the middle of a forest would instead slow progress .
I imagined I would only use it for movement in the desert but I was actually still using it up until now .
Perhaps it was time I thought of a name for it?
I saw them just as I was thinking .
It was the first time I saw them outside a dungeon .
“It’s been a long time since I’ve encountered them . ”
Wild goblins appeared .
They probably caught the scent of the bird’s blood .
Normally, no matter how much the smell of blood was, wild animals would not approach so close without hesitation .
However, I had removed my presence with the Hide skill and blended with the surrounding scenery with the Remain Unknown skill .
Due to that, the goblins approached brazenly, relying on the scent of the blood . I wonder how was I portrayed in the eyes of the goblins .
Was it possible that they do not even realize that I was holding on to a bow and arrow?
Well, they were goblins so they were not worth much experience points ―
“Hn? Wait . ”
I took out a sword from my Item Bag and released my Hide and Remain Unknown skills .
The goblins immediately knelt to the ground .
“Oo, it actually has an effect . As expected . ”
Goblin Sword ― a sword that evokes obedience from goblins . I obtained it after defeating the Goblin King in the town of Florence but I didn’t encounter any goblins after that so I didn’t have any chance to use it .
“Do you understand me?”
When I asked the goblins, the goblins answered with shrieks that could not form words as they nodded .
Do they actually understand me?
“Do you not understand me?”
When I asked that, this time they shook their heads .
Either goblins have the ability to understand human speech or it was an effect of the Goblin Sword but either way, that was convenient .
“All right, Goblins . This might be a little soon but this is an order . I wish to find things in this forest ―”
After I announced the three items I wish to find in the forest, the goblins smiled ― it seemed like the smile of the devil so it was scary ― and pointed .
It seemed like they had a clue as to where to find them .
“All right, lead the way . ”
I took a little detour before going to the Dwarf mountain .