Chapter 220 – Among Them, There Lies a Flower (6)

“….”

As was the case when she met Shiba, Sansuyu has a fondness for cute things. However, no matter how I look at it, it doesn’t appear cute. Do women perceive things somewhat differently? Considering there’s a fan club for this artifact, it seems that people who appreciate this type of camera do exist.

[Jiing?]

“…Yeah, it’s somewhat cute.”

From behind the mask, I gazed at the camera and agreed with Sansuyu’s inquiry. Sansuyu continued to gently caress the camera.

[Jiing]

With its head bowed, the camera further magnified its lens. The camera’s focus was directed at her chest.

– Tremble, tremble.

Having expressed her breast milk this morning, her chest was subtly quivering, perhaps due to not wearing a compression bra correctly. Look at this little beast.

I stealthily extended my hand, covering Sansuyu’s chest while simultaneously lowering her arm. Isn’t it somewhat pitiable for a post to appear on an internet community without any request for it?

[Whining]

As soon as Sansuyu’s hand dropped, the camera fled. She followed its escape with her eyes, wearing a disappointed expression.

-Thump.

At that moment, the distant sound of a trembling microphone reached our ears.

“The 25th Forest Keeper Selection…”

The Archbishop of the Church of the World Tree stepped forward and began his speech. With his white hair, he glanced around, cleared his throat, and continued.

“This is the first trial.”

The artifacts that had completed their filming lined up in a row around the Archbishop.

“You’ve all heard the explanation, I presume.”

Forest Survival. As the name suggests, it is a Hunger Games-style contest of survival within the forest. Participants must gather food or form teams, eliminate enemies, and outlast their competitors in this archetypal competitive format.

“I express my infinite respect to all of you who aspire to become knights of the World Tree, and I wish you the best of luck.”

The archbishop repeated his customary speech and stepped down from the podium after delivering his final words. The auditorium fell silent. The cadets, wearing tense expressions, began to move while glancing nervously at their surroundings. The Artifact captured the cadets’ procession on camera.

Their destination was the location of the magic circle imbued with spatial magic.

I approached Sansuyu and stood close to her.

“Shion?”
“Find me as soon as you enter. I explained the reason this morning, didn’t I?”
“Yes, you said that forming a team is something we absolutely must do.”

She understood well. I couldn’t even begin to describe the effort it took to persuade Sansuyu, who had been wary of me as her competitor. I reasoned that, when she was in pain, shouldn’t I be the one to help her? Only after much cajoling did she finally grasp the concept. As I gently tapped the crown of Sansuyu’s head, her lips pouted in response.

“You touched my head again.”

Sansuyu, who particularly dislikes being touched.
Can I touch your breasts?
Isn’t it usually the opposite?
A bitter breath rises.

– Ugh!

Gradually, the leading cadets began to vanish within the magic circle.
We walked and looked around.

First, the cadets of El Academy.

Gu-seul, Lim Jong-hyun, and Sansuyu.
The most suspicious is Gu-seul, the top among them.
Both hiding her abilities and blatantly stating, “I have something special.”

If there is a Flower, it’s most likely her.

“I don’t know about the others, as they haven’t properly competed yet.”

There were people who thought these individuals would be alive at least until the second half of the tryouts.
First of all, those approaching from afar.

Bell, Marronnier, A.B.
Kim Soo-yeon, Saku, Prajna.
And… that dark-skinned woman.

“Did she say her name was Baobab?”

All of them exuded an unusual atmosphere.

‘Among the cadets, there are some who particularly stand out.’

Being called the Green Generation, the cadets themselves couldn’t help but marvel at their own strength. There were an extraordinary number of strong individuals among them, even some who were on par with Jung Si-woo based on midterm assessments.

For this reason, honestly, anyone could be the Flower, and it wouldn’t be strange.

“Si-heon! Cornus! Good morning!”
“Good morning to both of you.”

Saku and Kim Soo-yeon walked past us, nodding their heads. Cornus and I exchanged greetings.

“Hello.”
“Hello to both of you…”

The two young women smiled as they watched Cornus gently waving her hand. I could see Saku and Soo-yeon adoring Cornus.

“Cornus, you two are together again today, huh? Is it… a matter of timing?”
“Yes.”
“I see~”
“Timing is necessary. It’s even something national trees have to deal with.”

After exchanging a few words with Suyu, they turned their attention to me this time. At first, it was the masked man ‘A’ standing next to Suyu. As we ran into each other in hallways or the dining area, we would engage in small talk, gradually becoming somewhat acquainted.

“Si-heon, are you nervous?”
“What’s there to be nervous about? I’m just going with it.”
“Ooh, confidence!”

Saku clapped, uttering the onomatopoeia ‘pachipachipachi.’ Kim Soo-yeon looked at my face and continued speaking.

“A team of 3-4 people is ideal, but have you found anyone else?”
“No, not yet. But do those with national titles also team up? Honestly, it feels like cheating.”

In the case of those with national titles, I couldn’t guarantee victory unless I analyzed the status window. It’s partially due to the vast difference in my skills before and after acquiring the black sword, but there seems to be a balance issue when so many talented individuals join forces.

However, Kim Soo-yeon refuted my words with a faint smile.

“The reason for the national trees forming teams… is not to eliminate other cadets, but to compete with other national trees.”
“It’s their own battle, then. Something like that?”
“Yes, exactly… Well, it’s not only that, though.”
“What do you mean?”

In response to my question, Kim Soo-yeon raised her index finger and placed it in front of her lips. Her captivating snake-like eyes narrowed with a sly smile.

“It’s not that they don’t eliminate cadets. Be careful. We’re enemies when we meet.”

Kim Soo-yeon and Saku, along with a woman standing beside them—could they be forming a team together? The brown-skinned woman was wearing rather revealing clothing, to a point where it appeared almost burdensome. It felt as if she had modified the Forest Keeper Selection uniforms, previously distributed, to suit her taste. Her neck and arms were exposed, revealing her body in a daring manner.

‘Tattoo.’

The woman’s body bore intricate tattoos. Perhaps she had cut her clothes to display them proudly. These tattoos seemed out of the ordinary, though. What on earth was that strange pattern?

As I examined the traces of geometric patterns on the slender curve of a body with exposed ribs, a woman caught my gaze and glared at me.

“It’s unpleasant.”
“Oh, I apologize.”

The crisp sound of an unfamiliar language pierced my ears, and the translator relayed her words. I promptly apologized and averted my eyes.

Our turn had finally arrived.

The magic circle that appeared before me shone gold, with tree roots sprouting here and there. As I extended my foot over the magic circle, a faint vibration resonated. I caught a final glimpse of Sansuyu’s face, trusting she would remember my words.

‘For now, let’s give it our best shot.’

I stretched my foot onto the magic circle and surveyed my surroundings.

The tense faces of the cadets were all staring at me. Could I perform well? What if I simply fell short? The expressions on their faces revealed the worries deep within their hearts, visible at a glance.

‘Perhaps it’s best for the cadets to fall quickly.’

In my estimation, an attack by Flower is undoubtedly imminent. Even if the higher-ups don’t make an appearance, it is clear that they will employ any means necessary to expose the incompetence of the World Tree.

From there, I must determine what actions to take and at what distance.

With these thoughts in mind, I closed my eyes to the dazzling array of lights before me.

* * * * * *

The bitter scent of crushed weeds pervades the air.

“As expected.”

Characters are randomly placed within the forest. I have yet to be assigned a camera.

This also implies that I, still a mere cadet, will not be appearing on the broadcast.

“Then, what should we try?”

Muttering to myself, I gently tapped the bracelet on my wrist.

-Chwiriririk!

The mistletoe transforms into a black liquid, swiftly assuming a distinct shape. Grasping the large staff I’d created in my hand, I planted its end on the ground and stretched.

Wizard.

The profession I must master in this forest keeper competition. This field is vastly different from the sword of the entrance exam and the fist of the mid-term exam, but I confidently believed that I had accumulated sufficient knowledge in this area.

Inverse calculations made possible by the analytical mechanics I learned from Zodiac. Of course, if I were to face a skilled wizard, I would be easily bested, but I could eliminate the mediocre ones by preventing them from casting even a single spell.

The high potential allows for a wide range of studies to be mastered. Reminded of what I had heard from Heavenly Demon and Heaven, I began to delve into the depths of the forest.

‘Magic detection won’t work here.’

First and foremost, I analyzed the surrounding air and confirmed my suspicions.

This place is a dungeon, one heavily saturated with magical energy. Its nature disrupts the flow of magic, rendering detection ineffective beyond a maximum range of around 50 meters.

In such a setting, those who specialized in the manifestation of magic found themselves in the worst possible environment.

– Kirik!

As I walked a bit further, the sound of a monster reached my ears.

“Krrrr.”

A growling wolf.
No, upon expanding my detection range, it appeared there were at least seven of them.

They began to surround me, drooling and gazing with unfocused eyes.

“…This is my first time fighting with only magic.”

Golden eyes hidden among the trees and bushes, eagerly longing to tear at my throat.
I raised my palm and lowered it.

– Kuuuuung!

In that moment, the surrounding trees trembled.
Countless leaves fell to the ground, and the wolves, unable to withstand the air pressure, collapsed one after another.

‘…Perfect Domination.’

An improved version of what White Peach had shown me.
Of course, this time, it was conjured solely with magic.

At present, the magic I’m most confident in is undoubtedly wind magic.

Chewing, chewing, and consuming acorns.

I savored the acorn jelly, drizzled with soy sauce, and prepared a bowl of it.

When the fruits of the tree spirit are consumed in layers, their effects are weakened, but ingesting hundreds or even thousands of them tells a different story.

“Wind Cutter.”

A beginner’s spell. Dozens of blades burst forth from behind, tearing the wolves apart.

“Kr-ack.”

The wolves collapsed, unable to even let out a scream. I moved forward without looking back at the carcasses.

‘I wonder if the riverside would be more suitable.’

I must endure for an entire week.

Both drinking water and food are essential. If I build a home, eat well, and live comfortably, those with ill intentions will come to me of their own accord. If the Flower were to be involved in the process of fending off these intruders, that would be ideal for me.

‘…Should I take this opportunity to simply eliminate Gu-seul?’

She seems to have a hidden agenda. But that’s something I can only deal with once I’ve overcome this trial. Upon reflection, wouldn’t it be better for my situation to just deal with her as she appears?

It’s convenient to spread one’s name, and it can also hinder Flower’s progress.

– Grrr.

Could there be a spell among the dungeon effects that induces hunger? Even though I had breakfast, I was already famished. The method to obtain food remains unknown to anyone.

If only I could eat the meat of a monster, but that’s impossible. It’s rumored to taste horribly awful.

‘There don’t seem to be any tree fruits.’

I’ve been checking my surroundings periodically, but there hasn’t been a single fruit in sight. I wondered if there might be something like cassava, but none were visible.

As expected. It’s as if this is a forest keeper selection match – these creatures won’t go down easily.

– Krrrrrr.

This time, a bear. I extended my staff towards it and conjured magical energy.

The mana stored within me hasn’t been depleted by even a fraction.