Chapter 224 - 217: The Gaze of an Unknown Entity, First Clear of a Hidden Event?
Chapter 224: Chapter 217: The Gaze of an Unknown Entity, First Clear of a Hidden Event?
"I haven’t had a fight this satisfying in a long time..."
An Official Level Dungeon boss, and it had practically no way to fight back. He had crushed it effortlessly, countering its every move from start to finish.
This was partly because he knew all of its moves and was well-prepared, but the immense offensive power of his [Dragon Flame Dance - Ice] was an even greater factor, allowing him to handle the situation with much more composure.
Moreover, the massive Life Force of the plant-based Demon was enough for him to go all out and test some of his bigger moves—ones he normally had no chance to use.
It was nothing like in Birch Town, where he had to hold back even during spars to avoid causing unnecessary damage.
’Looks like I need to fight more. It’s good for the mind and body...’
As Jon thought this, he turned his gaze to the trunk of the Demonized Ancient Tree he had just split open.
Inside, the wood that should have formed its core was almost completely crystallized, revealing an alluring, jade-like luster.
This was the heartwood of the colossal tree—and its most valuable component. It was often used as a base material for crafting Magic Staves.
And as it happened, a Mage who had yet to acquire his own Magic Staff was standing right here.
He couldn’t help but rub his chin.
’Talk about a godsend.’
Jon hadn’t considered it before coming here, but seeing this material made him realize that he really ought to prepare a set of Mage equipment.
At the Apprentice Level, everyone just scavenged for gear, using whatever they could find. It didn’t make much of a difference. But at the Official Level, being so unparticular was no longer justifiable.
He had to admit, this trip to the Demon Forest Ruins had solved a great many things for him.
He had tested a new move, verified his combat strength, pushed his progress forward on the first stage of the Warrior trial, and now he had the main material needed to craft a high-quality Magic Staff.
He’d killed several birds with one stone!
In high spirits, Jon sized up the tree, wondering how many pieces he would need to cut it into to transport it out of the ruins. He decided to turn and leave, to call his teammates to help him break down this big guy.
However, just as he turned, the corner of his eye caught a discordant shadow.
Deep within the shadows of the rubble—piled high where the ancient tree had fallen and still swirling with ice shards and frigid air—something incredibly faint and unnatural seemed to flicker for an instant before vanishing.
It was as if... something was watching him...
’Someone’s here?’
Jon’s heart skipped, but his movements didn’t pause for even a second. Without betraying a thing, he turned and started walking back the way he came.
His steps were steady, showing no sign of panic, perfectly fitting the image of an Adventurer who had just finished a satisfying fight and was now planning how to handle the spoils.
Inside, however, he was far from calm. His mind was racing, eliminating various possibilities.
’Is it Moon and his sister, and Dolores?’
’Impossible... With their strength, there’s no way they could have made it past the obstacles on the way here...’
’Or... did I run into another party of Adventurers?’
That was even more absurd.
So, I’m supposed to believe a team just happened to enter the ruins after them, navigate precisely to this core area, and then silently lurk in the shadows of the rubble without being fully detected by his Perception? And this is in an environment where even the Demonized Ancient Tree was frozen and shattered, after being ravaged by the dual cold waves of his [Dragon Flame Dance - Ice] and [Dragon King’s Breath]?
With that kind of ability, why play hide-and-seek? If they really wanted to cause trouble, it’s not like he could stop them.
In that case...
’There’s only one possible truth—’
A thought flashed through Jon’s mind like a bolt of lightning.
’The Dungeon’s first clear!’
Just as he had encountered the Scorpion Mother’s unusual behavior in the [Abandoned Mine], this was also the first time a "player" had explored the Demon Forest Ruins. It was only natural that something extraordinary would happen.
Killing a core boss in a key location like the Demonized Ancient Tree often meant unlocking a critical juncture in the Dungeon. It was highly likely to trigger a hidden quest line or draw out a related story NPC.
And though the feeling of being watched was subtle, he hadn’t sensed any clear malice from it so far. It was more like a form of observation and assessment.
The gaze of some entity must have been drawn here by the immense upheaval.
’That’s it... If there were any follow-up events, this would be how they’d happen... A ’gaze’ appearing at a time like this is linked to a subsequent quest chain ninety-nine percent of the time.’
Jon quickly organized his thoughts.
Since the other party showed no hostility, investigating rashly might startle it and cause him to miss the opportunity to start the quest.
With the enemy hidden and him exposed, the best strategy was to counter their movement with stillness, giving them the space to reveal themselves on their own terms.
After all, quest NPCs don’t usually ignore a player like him who has just completed a key objective. If he followed the normal flow of the Dungeon, the other party was unlikely to stay hidden and just observe the entire time.
’If they still haven’t appeared by the time I clear the Dungeon, I’ll try looking for them then...’
As Jon’s mind churned, his steps remained steady.
’As for now, I’ll deal with the heartwood first and let my teammates see the spoils...’
His figure quickly vanished behind a vine-wrapped archway. The shadows of the passageway swallowed his tall, broad form and heavy wolf-pelt cloak, leaving behind only the deathly silent battlefield of ice and rubble.
Not long after he departed, in that strange patch of shadow among the ruins, the air began to ripple gently like the surface of water.
Ice Crystals and dust seemed to be smoothed and pushed aside by an invisible force as a translucent figure, radiating a soft, pure white glow, silently emerged.
Its form was hazy, a humanoid silhouette that was barely discernible, as ethereal as mist in the moonlight.
It floated silently about a foot off the ground, not looking in the direction Jon had left, but turning slowly toward the massive trunk of the Demonized Ancient Tree, which lay shattered and covered in a thick layer of ice.
The white figure’s gaze fell upon the fractured, frozen wounds of the tree, revealing a profound sorrow that seemed to span vast ages.
The sorrow was not directed at the one who killed it, but was more like a lament for a fallen companion coupled with... relief.
In the silence, an ethereal, wispy voice, like a whisper on the wind, echoed softly through the ruins, carrying an indescribably complex emotion.
"Avilaxia..."
The voice paused, as if gathering strength, or as if confirming the cruel yet inevitable end before its eyes.
"You can finally... sleep peacefully..."
"Ah... My long-awaited fate... has finally arrived."
The last few words faded, carrying with them a sigh as if a great burden had been lifted.
The white figure did not linger. As silently as it had appeared, its form gradually faded, melting back into the light and shadows of the cold, dead ruins, as if it had never been there at all.
Only the lingering air of sorrow, and the whisper of fate and release, remained as a final footnote to this battlefield.