Chapter 402: They are here

"Hmm?"

The moment his feet reconnected with solid ground after the short transportation, Luke let out a quiet hum of surprise.

Somehow, his body felt lighter again. Unlike the last time, however, the sensation wasn’t overwhelming.

He didn’t feel euphoric or unnaturally energized. There was no sudden rush of power coursing through his veins. And yet, beneath that deceptive normalcy, he could tell something had changed.

Compared to how he had felt only moments ago, he was stronger.

Luke glanced around and soon realized that it was daytime in the elven realm. Sunlight filtered through the surrounding forest, casting patches of gold across the ground.

Yet despite the absence of the moon, he could feel a strange energy seeping into his body, replenishing him in a way he couldn’t quite explain.

He checked his stats.

He wasn’t imagining it.

[Level: 3]

[Strength: 45 → 60]

[Speed: 44 → 58]

[Defense: 45 → 64]

[Intelligence: 35 → 48]

[Gamma: 22500/22500]

’My own body keeps surprising me time after time.’

The Dragon Realm made some sense. There had clearly been something unusual about the moon there.

But here?

What had changed?

The system didn’t chime with an explanation, and Luke hadn’t even gotten the chance to question it before Jorma stepped forward and wrapped a piece of black fabric around his face.

"Need to keep your majestic face hidden," Jorma muttered as he tied the knot securely behind Luke’s neck.

Luke didn’t resist. He understood the reason for the disguise.

He was a slave, after all.

’The fabric isn’t even that thick.’

Even with his face covered, Luke could make out the surroundings reasonably well through the thin material. His enhanced senses were more than enough to compensate for the obstruction.

"Come."

Jorma started leading him toward the massive entrance of the elven settlement.

"This is the largest village of the elves, a place built around their Mother Tree. Most of the important rulers and their family members live here."

"Mother Tree?" Luke asked, focusing on what intrigued him the most.

"Yes. An ancient tree said to reach the skies. It bears magical fruits, and according to elven legend, the two pioneers of their race were born from its fruits."

Luke hummed thoughtfully.

"Interesting."

They continued forward, and before long, the enormous entrance came into view.

That was when Luke noticed something that set the elves apart from nearly every other civilization he had encountered.

’These fuckers are way too paranoid... or maybe just too cautious.’

The settlement was surrounded by massive walls made from packed earth and reinforced wood, standing nearly fifty feet high. Sharp wooden stakes lined their upper edges, making any attempt to climb them an unpleasant prospect at best.

Small openings had been built along the upper sections of the walls, clearly positioned for archers or other ranged weapons to fire through while remaining protected.

But that wasn’t what caught Luke’s attention.

At the front of the fort stood a gigantic crossbow.

It was far larger than anything a human could reasonably carry, its thick limbs reinforced with metal and its enormous bolt already loaded into place. From its construction alone, Luke could tell exactly what kind of creature it had been designed to kill.

’That’s meant for something big.’

Very big.

Dragons, most likely.

Luke’s eyes narrowed slightly as he took in the fortifications.

’These people are way more advanced than everyone else.’

Humans were naturally limited by their lack of information and resources. Their technology and civilization had developed within the boundaries of what they could observe, understand, and imagine.

Dragons, on the other hand, had little reason to develop defenses like these. Their immense strength had made them complacent. Their pride had done the rest.

Imagine telling a dragon that a wooden wall or some enormous weapon could protect it.

It would probably laugh in your face.

The elves were different.

They possessed considerable strength, yet they hadn’t allowed that strength to stifle their imagination. They had taken what nature gave them and combined it with their own ingenuity, shaping their surroundings into something far more formidable.

They had resources.

They had power.

And, unlike the dragons, they actually knew how to make use of both.

"Halt."

Someone stepped into their path, and Luke supposed that was only natural. They were approaching the entrance of an elven settlement, after all, and the guards stationed there were unlikely to let just anyone pass without question.

"Stay put," Jorma whispered.

He stepped forward and addressed the guard. "I found a rare breed. I wish to meet the elders. From what I could tell, he may be related to one of the ancient breeds."

Those words immediately drew a reaction.

The beautiful elf, or at least that was the only way Luke could describe him, turned his attention toward him. His features were almost too refined to look real, with the kind of delicate beauty that seemed commonplace among the elves.

Luke remained silent as the guard examined him for several moments before finally asking, "Other than his appearance, what proof do you have? He could be an imposter."

Jorma groaned before leaning closer and muttering something under his breath.

His voice was too low for ordinary ears to catch, but Luke’s enhanced senses picked up fragments of the conversation.

Something about Gram.

Something about his personal tastes.

Luke’s expression remained unchanged, but a faint shiver ran down his spine.

’Is this old man planning to sell me as some kind of sex toy?’

The thought was so bizarre that Luke almost didn’t know how to react to it.

Still, he kept his mouth shut.

Whatever Jorma’s intentions were, Luke’s immediate objective hadn’t changed. He needed to get inside elven territory first.

Once he was through those walls, Luke believed the system would provide further guidance. Perhaps he could even negotiate with the elves, convince them to help him convince the dragons, or, if things went far enough, find some way to help humanity.

’The latter sounds ridiculous even when I say it.’

From everything Jorma had told him, the elves would probably celebrate if every human on the planet vanished overnight. Expecting them to help humanity was practically delusional.

So yes, he needed to choose his words carefully.

Fortunately, they were allowed to enter the territory without further trouble.

As Jorma returned to his side, he lowered his voice. "There is a small chance they will agree to our demands. So don’t be rash with your approach."

Luke hummed. "What do you know about these elders? Anything I can exploit?"

His mind briefly returned to Agatha.

She had been proud and confident, almost impossible to sway through ordinary means. Yet after spending enough time with her, Luke had discovered the weakness beneath that confidence. The woman was lonely. What she truly needed was someone who could stay by her side.

Things were bound to be different here, but people were people. Even the most powerful individuals had desires, weaknesses, and things they valued more than they were willing to admit.

"Well, they are guardians of their people, advisors, and figures who command great respect among the leaders," Jorma explained. "But above everything else, they are the greatest advocates of order. The only field you might be able to exploit here is the Ritual."

Luke hummed in understanding.

That was precisely where he intended to start.

Just then, the system’s familiar notification appeared.

[Congratulations on achieving the quest.]

[Reward: Lunar Sickles (S-Rank)]

Luke’s brows rose slightly. Right, he was promised that reward but didn’t know the rank.

’Can I get a description?’

[Lunar Sickles: Forged from moon particles, the Lunar Sickles possess a natural affinity toward Lunar Energy. The sentience within the blades allows the wielder to freely adjust their sharpness and length. The blades can also release invisible slashes and provide short-distance teleportation.]

"..."

Luke stared at the final words for several seconds.

Teleportation?

He read the description again, just to make sure he hadn’t misunderstood it.

’Come again?’

His gaze lingered on the weapon’s description before he finally asked, ’Teleportation using a weapon?’

[Yes, Host. However, the Host must remember that the most desired effects can only be achieved under the moon.]

Luke nodded slowly.

Well, he had already gathered that much from the name.

Even so, the weapon was far more useful than he had initially expected. Invisible slashes alone could give him a considerable advantage in battle, while the ability to manipulate its size and sharpness made the weapon considerably more versatile.

And then there was the teleportation.

Luke couldn’t help but wonder just how far he could take that ability once he properly understood it.

Just then, they came to a pause.

Luke glanced at Jorma and asked, "What is it?"

The owl-faced looked far ahead, his eyes turning shaky a little as he muttered. "They are here."

Luke frowned but before he could turn to look what got his attention, Jorma muttered, "Dragons are here...and they are in numbers."

"..!!"

For fuck’s sake

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A/N:- Thanks for reading. Join my discord for more images. Send a friend request to hayden_grehart.