Bab 673: Serangan Kedua (3)
Berbeda dengan tim ekspedisi pertama yang penuh kekurangan, tim ekspedisi kedua mempersiapkan diri jauh lebih matang daripada sebelumnya.
Wajar jika mereka berhati-hati, mengingat mereka hampir mengalami kehancuran total kurang dari satu jam setelah masuk terakhir kali.
Meskipun Brown sang kuli dan Lily sang mage, yang merupakan bagian dari ekspedisi pertama, ikut serta, mereka tidak banyak membantu.
Meskipun mereka bisa menerima dukungan dari Grylls melalui Brown, Grylls sudah dengan jelas menyatakan bahwa dia tidak akan memberi mereka barang-barang yang sangat kontroversial seperti Mythricon.
"Kapan tepatnya kita masuk?"
"Kalau jadi kamu, apakah kamu mau menceburkan diri ke tempat yang dipenuhi lahar?"
"Benar juga."
Lagipula, mereka tidak bisa begitu saja menyerbu masuk dengan membabi buta dengan dalih eksplorasi sederhana.
Tidak peduli seberapa besar para petualang mempertaruhkan nyawa mereka, melompat ke lautan lahar tidak mungkin dilakukan.
Bahkan jika itu bukan lautan lahar, mereka menghindari daerah ekstrem seperti gurun dan padang salju sebisa mungkin.
Kekaisaran Messiah, yang mensponsori mereka, mentolerir hal ini.
"Itu hutan."
"Bukankah itu mudah dihadapi?"
"Hei! Ayo bersiap!"
Dengan demikian, area awal yang cocok muncul, dan para petualang mulai melakukan pemanasan.
Di antara mereka ada Brown, peserta dari ekspedisi sebelumnya. Karena dia seorang kuli, satu-satunya persiapannya hanyalah belati yang dirawat dengan baik.
Itu jika dia hanya seorang kuli biasa. Alih-alih belati, Brown memegang cabang pohon yang bersinar lembut.
Bahkan dari sekilas pandang, cabang itu memancarkan aura yang tidak biasa. Itu adalah cabang yang dihadiahkan Grylls kepadanya tepat sebelum eksplorasi untuk digunakan sebagai jimat pelindung.
'Tidak peduli bagaimana aku melihatnya, ini sepertinya bukan cabang biasa...'
Dia mendengar bahwa itu adalah cabang yang diresapi dengan mana Grylls dalam jumlah besar. Itulah mengapa cabang itu berubah seperti ini.
Tetapi fakta bahwa cabang itu bisa menahan mana Grylls yang sangat besar, seluas lautan, menunjukkan bahwa cabang itu jauh dari kata biasa.
'Mungkinkah itu cabang Pohon Dunia?' Kemungkinannya tinggi, tapi karena Grylls sendiri menyangkalnya, apa yang bisa dia lakukan?
Brown tidak punya pilihan selain memegangnya di tangannya, memutuskan untuk menggunakannya sebagai jimat.
Karena ujungnya lebih tajam dari yang diperkirakan, memasukkannya ke dalam tas mungkin akan merusaknya, jadi lebih baik membawanya langsung.
"Apa itu?"
Tepat saat Brown selesai bersiap, suara merdu yang jernih mengenai telinganya.
Menoleh, dia melihat seorang wanita berjubah mage mengedipkan matanya yang besar, menunjukkan ketertarikan.
Itu adalah Lily, sang mage—penyintas ekspedisi pertama dan saat ini menjalin hubungan yang lebih dari sekadar teman tapi kurang dari kekasih.
Melihat ketertarikannya, Brown menggaruk kepalanya dan menjawab dengan jujur. Tidak ada gunanya menyembunyikannya.
"Ini cabang yang aku terima dari Dewa Utama-nim. Dia menyuruhku menggunakannya seperti jimat."
"Benarkah? Kalau begitu, bukankah itu sangat bagus?"
"Aku juga tidak terlalu tahu. Katanya dia hanya memberikannya padaku."
Bagaimanapun, karena menyembunyikannya tidak akan membawa kebaikan, dia mengungkapkan kebenaran kepada tim ekspedisi.
Ini adalah salah satu aturan di antara para petualang: untuk item dengan kemampuan yang tidak diketahui, mereka akan mengadakan pertemuan untuk memutuskan apakah akan membuangnya atau tidak.
Ini penting karena ada kasus artefak yang ditemukan tiba-tiba menyemburkan api dan membunuh seorang petualang, atau tiba-tiba meledak.
"Jika Dewa Utama-nim menyerahkannya, bukankah seharusnya tidak apa-apa untuk dibawa?"
"Kalau itu jimat asli, bukankah itu sangat bagus?"
"Tidak ada salahnya juga."
Itu adalah pendapat yang mendukung.
"Mananya mungkin menarik perhatian binatang buas. Itu berbahaya, jadi kita harus membuangnya."
"Bagaimana jika ini tiba-tiba meledak? Berapa banyak item yang bisa menahan mana Dewa Utama-nim?"
"Hutan ini sudah penuh dengan variabel; kita tidak bisa membawa satu lagi."
Pendapat yang berlawanan saling berbenturan.
Berbeda dengan terakhir kali, ketika sekelompok pembuat onar berkumpul, ini adalah debat sehat di antara petualang kelas atas yang sangat terampil.
Pada akhirnya, perdebatan berakhir dengan keputusan untuk membawanya. Pola pikir mereka adalah melawan variabel dengan variabel.
Terlebih lagi, karena ini adalah 'jimat' yang diberikan langsung oleh Grylls, mereka percaya itu akan memiliki semacam efek.
Dan efek itu muncul saat mereka memasuki Forest of the Four Seasons.
Woooong!
Begitu mereka melangkah ke Forest of the Four Seasons, cabang itu bergetar hebat.
Kemudian, permukaan yang bersinar lembut menjadi lebih terang. Tak lama kemudian, cahaya itu mulai menyelimuti tim ekspedisi.
Tim ekspedisi bingung dengan cahaya itu, tetapi mereka dengan cepat menyadari bahwa itu tidak memiliki efek buruk pada mereka.
"Hah? A-apa ini?"
"Tunggu sebentar. Aku bisa menggunakan mana?"
"L-lihat ini! Aura! Itu aura!"
Justru efek sebaliknya yang terungkap.
Di Forest of the Four Seasons, kecuali bagi sebagian kecil orang, mana tidak dapat digunakan.
Lebih tepatnya, lebih dekat dengan fakta bahwa konsentrasi mana lingkungan yang padat menekan mereka, mencegah mereka melepaskan mana mereka sendiri.
Namun, seolah-olah cahaya yang memancar dari cabang itu bertindak sebagai berkah, itu menetralkan semua penalti itu.
Melihat berkah yang sama sekali tidak terduga ini, tim ekspedisi menatap Brown dengan ekspresi yang rumit.
"...Katanya itu jimat yang diberikan oleh Dewa Utama-nim, dan itu benar-benar sesuai dengan namanya."
"Ini akan membuat ekspedisi jauh lebih mudah."
"Mengingat terakhir kali juga, apakah dia benar-benar seorang Herald?"
Brown tidak bisa menahan diri untuk tidak merasa bingung dengan pujian mendadak itu.
Bagaimanapun, dia hanya memohon seolah-olah berpegangan pada ujung celana.
Tetap saja, memutuskan bahwa hal yang baik adalah hal yang baik, tim ekspedisi bergerak maju dengan kepercayaan diri yang melonjak.
Seogeok! Seogeok!
"Dua datang dari kanan! Waspada!"
"Sialan! Katak berkaki dua... Makhluk macam apa ini?!"
"Ada yang mirip di luar juga! Hanya saja yang ini seukuran manusia!"
Situasi terjadi di mana, jika mereka kekurangan mana, mereka akan mati saat masuk.
Monster mirip katak berkaki dua telah menyergap mereka.
Memang, karena penyergapan itu, satu petualang mati tak berdaya. Tetap saja, itu jauh lebih baik daripada kehancuran total.
"Kalau kita terus begini, kita akan baik-baik saja, kan?"
"Hei! Ada tumbuhan yang terlihat langka di sini. Ada yang tahu cara menilainya?"
"Katak yang baru kita bunuh punya inner core!"
Mengingat hanya satu orang yang mati, mereka telah memperoleh item dengan nilai yang sangat besar.
Mereka mendapatkan tumbuhan langka dan, meskipun kecil, sebuah inner core.
"Lihat, mudah kan selama kita punya mana.""Ya. Masalah dengan hutan sialan ini hanyalah kita tidak bisa menggunakan mana."
Kepercayaan diri pasti akan berubah menjadi kesombongan sebelum lama. Brown memperhatikan ini.
Meskipun benar bahwa segalanya menjadi lebih mudah karena mereka bisa menggunakan mana, itu tidak berarti makhluk-makhluk di Forest of the Four Seasons menjadi lebih lemah.
Yang terpenting, Grylls sebelumnya telah menunjukkan kepada mereka bencana berdarah macam apa yang terjadi ketika seseorang memiliki mana dalam jumlah yang canggung dan besar.
Buuuuung!
"Keukkagagak!"
"A-apa itu?!"
"K-kumbang telinga? Tidak, itu humanoid..."
Secara khusus, mereka dengan mudah menjadi target bagi 'Hunter' yang berkeliaran di seluruh Forest of the Four Seasons.
Tim ekspedisi panik saat melihat entitas yang melancarkan serangan dari langit.
Serangga raksasa, monster yang terlihat seperti campuran belalang sembah dan kumbang.
Lengan panjangnya yang tajam melengkung seperti sabit raksasa, dan ujungnya sangat tajam sehingga tampak mampu membelah apa pun dalam satu tebasan.
Di antara fitur-fitur ini, yang paling menonjol tentu saja capit di kepalanya. Capit besar yang tampak siap memotong apa pun.
"B-Block itu! Angkat perisaimu!"
Para petualang mengangkat perisai mereka dan mencoba memblokir serangan kumbang telinga raksasa itu.
Mereka dengan percaya diri mengira akan dengan mudah memblokirnya karena mereka bisa menggunakan mana.
Memang, para petualang yang berkumpul di sini bukanlah rakyat jelata, melainkan individu-individu berketerampilan tinggi dengan reputasi yang tangguh.
Tetapi.
Kwadududeuk!!!
Chapter 673: Second Raid (3)
Unlike the highly flawed first expedition team, the second expedition team prepared much more thoroughly than before.
It was only natural for them to be cautious, considering they had suffered near-total annihilation less than an hour after entering last time.
Although Brown the porter and Lily the mage, who were part of the first expedition, were included, they weren’t of much help.
While they could receive support from Grylls through Brown, Grylls had already made it clear that he wouldn’t give them highly controversial items like Mythricon.
"When on earth are we going in?"
"If it were you, would you want to dive into a place overflowing with lava?"
"Fair point."
Besides, they couldn’t just rush in blindly under the guise of a simple exploration.
No matter how much adventurers risked their lives, jumping into a sea of lava was out of the question.
Even if it wasn’t a sea of lava, they avoided extreme regions like deserts and snowfields as much as possible.
The Messiah Empire, which was sponsoring them, tolerated this much.
"It’s a forest."
"Isn’t that manageable?"
"Hey! Let’s get ready!"
Thus, a suitable starting area appeared, and the adventurers began warming up.
Among them was Brown, a participant from the previous expedition. Since he was a porter, his only preparation was a finely maintained dagger.
That is, if he were just an ordinary porter. Instead of a dagger, Brown was holding a softly glowing tree branch.
Even at a glance, it exuded an unusual aura. It was a branch Grylls had gifted him right before the exploration to use as a protective talisman.
’No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like an ordinary branch...’
He had heard that it was a branch infused with a generous amount of Grylls’s own mana. That was why it had transformed like this.
But the very fact that it had withstood Grylls’s vast, ocean-like mana showed that it was far from ordinary.
’It couldn’t be a branch of the World Tree, could it?’
The probability was high, but since Grylls himself denied it, what could he do?
Brown had no choice but to hold it in his hand, deciding to use it as a talisman.
Since the tip was sharper than expected, putting it in his bag might damage it, so it was better to carry it directly.
"What’s that?"
Just as Brown finished preparing, a clear, melodious voice struck his ears.
Turning his head, he saw a woman in a mage robe blinking her large eyes, showing interest.
It was Lily, the mage—a survivor of the first expedition and currently in a relationship that was more than friends but less than lovers.
At her interest, Brown scratched his head and answered honestly. There was no benefit in hiding it.
"It’s a branch I received from the Chief God-nim. He told me to use it like a talisman."
"Is that true? If so, isn’t it incredibly good?"
"I don’t really know either. He said he just gave it to me."
In any case, since hiding it wouldn’t do any good, he revealed the truth to the expedition team.
This was one of the rules among adventurers: for items of unknown capabilities, they would hold a meeting to decide whether to discard them or not.
This was essential because there were cases where found artifacts suddenly spewed fire and killed an adventurer, or abruptly exploded.
"If the Chief God-nim handed it over, shouldn’t it be fine to bring along?"
"If it’s a real talisman, isn’t it super good?"
"There’s no harm in it."
Those were the supportive opinions.
"The mana might attract the beasts’ attention. It’s dangerous, so we must discard it."
"What if this suddenly explodes? How many items can actually withstand the Chief God-nim’s mana?"
"The forest is already a mass of variables; we can’t afford to bring in another one."
Opposing opinions clashed.
Unlike last time, when a bunch of troublemakers had gathered, this was a healthy debate among highly skilled, top-tier adventurers.
In the end, the debate concluded with bringing it along. Their mindset was to counter variables with variables.
Moreover, since it was a ’talisman’ directly given by none other than Grylls, they believed it would have some kind of effect.
And that effect manifested the moment they entered the Forest of the Four Seasons.
Woooong!
As soon as they stepped into the Forest of the Four Seasons, the branch vibrated violently.
Then, the softly glowing surface grew even brighter. Before long, that light began to envelop the expedition team.
The expedition team was flustered by the light, but they quickly realized it had no ill effects on them.
"Huh? Wh-what is this?"
"Wait a minute. I can use mana?"
"L-look at this! Aura! It’s aura!"
Rather, the exact opposite effect was revealed.
In the Forest of the Four Seasons, unless one was among a tiny minority, mana could not be used.
To be precise, it was closer to the fact that the dense concentration of environmental mana suppressed them, preventing them from releasing their own.
However, as if the light radiating from the branch acted as a blessing, it neutralized all of those penalties.
At this completely unexpected blessing, the expedition team looked at Brown with complex expressions.
"...They said it was a talisman given by the Chief God-nim, and it certainly lives up to its name."
"This will make the expedition much easier."
"Considering last time too, is he really a Herald?"
Brown couldn’t help but feel bewildered by the sudden praise.
After all, he had only begged as if clinging to the hem of his trousers.
Still, deciding that a good thing was a good thing, the expedition team moved forward with surging confidence.
Seogeok! Seogeok!
"Two coming from the right! Watch out!"
"Damn it! Bipedal frogs... What the hell are these things?!"
"There are similar ones outside too! It’s just that these are the size of humans!"
A situation unfolded where, had they lacked mana, they would have died the moment they entered.
Bipedal frog-like monsters had ambushed them.
Indeed, due to the ambush, one adventurer died helplessly. Still, it was much better than total annihilation.
"If we keep going like this, we’ll be fine, right?"
"Hey! There’s a rare-looking herb here. Anyone know how to appraise it?"
"The frog we just killed has an inner core!"
Considering only one person had died, they had obtained items of immense value.
They had acquired rare herbs and, though small, an inner core.
"See, it’s easy as long as we have mana."
"Yeah. The problem with this damn forest was just that we couldn’t use mana."
Confidence is bound to turn into arrogance before long. Brown noticed this.
While it was true that things had become easier because they could use mana, it didn’t mean the creatures of the Forest of the Four Seasons had grown weaker.
Crucially, Grylls had previously shown them what kind of bloody disaster occurs when one possesses an awkwardly large amount of mana.
Buuuuung!
"Keukkagagak!"
"Wh-what is that?!"
"A-An earwig? No, it’s humanoid..."
Specifically, they easily became targets for the ’Hunters’ roaming all over the Forest of the Four Seasons.
The expedition team fell into a panic upon seeing the entity launching an assault from the sky.
A giant insect, a monster that looked like a mixture of a mantis and a beetle.
Its long, sharply extended arms curved like massive scythes, and their tips were so keen they looked capable of slicing through anything in a single blow.
Among these features, the most prominent was undoubtedly the pincers on its head. Massive pincers that looked ready to shear through anything.
"B-Block it! Raise your shields!"
The adventurers raised their shields and attempted to block the giant earwig’s attack.
They confidently assumed they could easily block it since they could use mana.
Indeed, the adventurers gathered here were not mere rabble, but highly skilled individuals with formidable reputations.
But.
Kwadududeuk!!!
The price of their arrogance was utterly devastating.
The earwig’s massive pincers completely ignored their shields and sheared right through them.
Furthermore, with the added acceleration unique to flying creatures, it was no different from a head-on collision with heavy cavalry.
Udeudeuk! Udeuk!
The earwig began to chew on the head of the shield-bearing adventurer.
The sight was unspeakably hideous, proving that this creature was on an entirely different level from anything they had faced so far.
"L-Let’s run! We’ve gone too deep anyway!"
"What if that thing comes out of the forest?! We have to eliminate it!"
"Will our attacks even pierce that carapace...?"
Opinions began to split, but they ultimately concluded on fleeing.
After all, they had already obtained plenty, and their lives were precious.
Paseuseuseuk-
"Th-the branch is disappearing!"
"Damn it! Run, quickly!"
Above all, the branch was starting to crumble into dust and scatter.
In fact, it had been turning into ash and vanishing as if caught on fire for a while now.
No matter how much the Chief God-nim’s blessing (?) was imbued within it, there was no law saying it would last forever.
Thus, the adventurers hastily escaped the Forest of the Four Seasons, carrying only what they could salvage.
Because they had explored longer than the previous expedition and had even used mana, their harvest was extremely bountiful.
"W-With just this, we’re going to be rich, right?"
"Just rich? I’m quitting this damn adventuring gig and going to farm."
"Sigh... I can finally pay off all my debts."
The surviving adventurers grinned from ear to ear at the windfall of wealth they had secured.
The adventurers who had been eaten earlier? That was none of their business. The only thing that mattered was that they had survived.
This was the same for Brown and Lily. Although they hadn’t played a major role this time, they had indeed obtained great rewards.
"You’re really amazing. With that, a complete conquest might not be a dream."
"Don’t you remember us getting completely trashed by that earwig earlier?"
"We’ll be fine as long as we have sufficient weapons. I heard they’re borrowing a sword from the Holy Kingdom."
Lily was right. They had gained a vast amount of information through this expedition.
The fact that the denizens of the Forest of the Four Seasons didn’t grow weaker just because the adventurers could use mana.
The fact that they had to remain vigilant at all times because the entities known as ’Hunters’ could pop out from anywhere.
And finally...
"I would like you to follow me for a moment."
"Pardon?"
That it was best to avoid doing anything that drew attention as much as possible.
Though bewildered by the knight’s command, Brown obediently followed. Nothing good would come from refusing.
Fortunately, nothing happened along the way, and it ended with a simple private audience with a superior.
"So, you received a blessed branch from the Chief God-nim, and thanks to that branch, you were able to use mana even inside the Forest of the Four Seasons. To summarize, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"And even though you could use mana, more than half of the adventurers died."
"That is also correct."
"Hmm... Even with the Guardian’s sword, conquering it will be a struggle. I understand for now."
Up to this point, it was just an ordinary consultation, but...
"From now on, you will be assigned to the Empire’s expeditionary force."
"...What did you say?"
A person’s life was truly unpredictable, never knowing what lay even an inch ahead.
The World Tree branch infused with my mana possessed an incredible effect.
Even if only for a short time, they were able to use mana in the Forest of the Four Seasons.
Of course, the side effect was that they drew the attention of the Hunters, but that was a problem they had to solve on their own.
’I’m probably going to get requests asking if I can give them more branches in the future.’
Although temporary, it was something that would be of immense help to the expedition.
It was truly a hassle. Moreover, rumors were already circulating that Brown had been recruited by the Empire.
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