Elira was nervous but it seemed that her master already informed his minions. They did not react violently to her. Instead, two stood next to her as if they were guarding her and brought her further inside the forbidden region.
Eldrin was getting a different treatment. With a sigh, he silently followed the group.
Soon, they arrived at a clearing, one that seemed unnatural. There were signs of battle everywhere. The clearing was obviously the result of a vicious battle between two powerful beings.
Eldrin began to get excited. 'Come on. Don't disappoint me, Liam. I haven't seen you in months and after that big haul, you better be insanely overpowered right now!'
Eldrin walked into the clearing and looked for Liam but all he saw was a swirl of mana as if it was getting sucked into a vortex of some sort.
He no longer stood behind Elira and instead used his speed to arrive at the vortex. What was this? He was curious.
However, before he could touch it or poke it, all of a sudden roots sprouted out of the ground and formed a barrier between him and the vortex.
Eldrin took a step back.
The entire vortex was now covered in a dense network of intertwining roots and vines, creating an impenetrable shield around the swirling mana.
"Hmmm. Your nature affinity is stronger than I expected." Eldrin raised a brow but as he turned to look at the elven girl, she seemed to be equally surprised.
The next instant right in front of the duo, another person walked over. But it was not Liam.
A tall, slender woman walked in front of them, her body entirely wrapped in flowing garments that seemed to be made of leaves and vines.
Her eyes were a deep shade of green, almost as if they contained the essence of the forest itself. With a staff made from a gnarled root in her hand, she exuded an aura of wisdom and tranquility.
"Who dares intrude upon this sacred space?" Her voice, though melodious, carried an undertone of strict authority.
Eldrin felt a chill run down his spine. "Are you a Dryad?" He asked with a slight stammering in his voice.
The woman gave a nod. "Yes, I am Lunaria, the Guardian Dryad of master Liam."
Eldrin's eyes immediately lit up. "Liam, you dog! Now you have an elf and a dryad!" He laughed. "By the way, where is your master?"
The dryad did not answer and looked at him with a stern expression, clearly unamused by his levity. "My duty is to protect and assist Master Liam in his endeavors. Your irreverence is out of place."
Ignoring Eldrin, Lunaria turned her gaze toward Elira. "You must be Elira, Master Liam's friend. He spoke of you, and said you might come seeking him."
"He is currently in deep concentration, finishing a complex alchemical process. Your presence, he assured me, would not disturb him, as long as it's kept at a respectful distance."
Elira nodded gratefully, relief washing over her face. "Thank you, Lunaria. I am happy to meet you."
"Good. As for you," Lunaria said, turning back to Eldrin, "I will tolerate your presence as long as you abide by the rules of this sacred space. Disturb Master Liam's concentration, and you will answer to me."
Eldrin rolled his eyes. "Understood. I'll behave."
Just a while ago, this guy was all alone, weak and helpless in a strange world and now he had somehow conned the entire empire and had an elf and a dryad to guard him.
Eldrin let out a sigh. If he was a scoundrel, this person was an upgraded version! Just how is this human getting all the good things easily?! What a disgusting fellow!
Along with the two other women, Eldrin patiently waited. Now he was even more curious to see just how much Liam had grown.
A few hours passed by in silence just like that when suddenly a tremor swept past them. The ground underneath them and fissures started erupting everywhere.
Eldrin became startled as without any warning an enormous beast appeared at the distance. It had the head of a cow and was standing on two legs.
The creature was enormous with a big head and two sharp horns protruding from the head. Moreover, these two horns were burning as if they were on fire.
The beast let out a snort, exhaling plumes of fire and smoke from its nostrils as it glared at the group.
"This creature is aberrant, a monstrosity of magical corruption. It does not belong here." Lunaria's staff glowed as she started chanting an incantation,
"Minotaur?" Elira quickly tensed up.
"Oh, you picked up an inspection skill from the system store, I see." Eldrin chuckled. Unlike the other two, he was rather calm. "Why don't you two ladies step back? Hmm. I can take care of this little pest without lifting a finger."
Lunaria seemed skeptical but took a step back, keeping her staff ready. Elira followed suit.
Eldrin cracked his knuckles, a smirk playing on his lips. His aura shifted, becoming more intense. However, before he could do anything, another mighty roar sounded in the distance.
The three of them only felt a gust of wind brush past them as an enormous beast suddenly stood in front of the minotaur. It was a wyvern!
Wait, why does it look different?
The creature was translucent, of the color whitish blue.
"It's a specter? This wyvern is a specter?" Eldrin was dumbfounded. Considering that the earlier specter belonged to Liam, could this also belong to him?
Eldrin had already seen Liam manipulate the soul-blood beasts back in the mystic realm. At that time, he assumed that it was probably a temporary control type of skill.
However, what if he was mistaken?
He watched as the wyvern fearlessly charged against the minotaur even though there was a hundred level gap between them.
The wyvern seemed powerful enough but the minotaur was a strong, virulent beast. It was not going to submit easily.
Just when he was thinking about the outcome of the fight, another gust of wind brushed past him and another wyvern appeared standing on the other side of the minotaur.