CH 224

I continued to advance alone along the path without a trail. The temperature was high and so was the humidity. Not to mention the mosquitoes swarming around me, seeking blood.

And without warning, a "Hunter Monkey" made an appearance on the path.

The Hunter Monkey is a high-ranking predator in this bloody jungle. It is well-known for its fur that changes color based on the number of prey it has hunted.

As a result, those with black fur combined with gold and silver colors indicate superiority over others.

The individual in front of me had brown fur, so it was moderately strong. And as soon as it saw me, it began to get agitated. Perhaps it was happy to have found high-quality prey.

"Do you really plan to fight me?"

"Uhoho, uhoho!"

The monkey pounded its chest with its fists. That is called drumming. It doesn't seem to have any intention of letting me go.

Instead of taking the sword on my back, I drew the knife from my waist and prepared to fight. I don't intend to fight seriously. I just want to deal with it cautiously and retreat as soon as possible. What I seek is not quantity, but quality. So there's no need to increase the burden of my baggage on a whim.

Its fist struck my chest, causing me to freeze as if I understood the seriousness of the situation, making its expression suddenly change.

"Uho?"

"If you want to avoid an untimely death, it's best to carefully choose your opponent in the future. Hopefully, this will serve as a lesson for you."

With great speed, I swiftly cut the monkey's eye using my knife. It writhed in agony and screamed. Blood dripped onto the floor before desperately escaping into the depths of the jungle.

Afterward, I sheathed my knife and climbed to the highest point that allowed me to oversee the entire jungle below. And amidst it all was the objective of my journey—the "Ruins of Mauhelica."

Everyone knows about the existence of this place. But it's difficult and treacherous terrain has prevented any adventurer from daring to come here, turning it into a mysterious and unexplored land.

I leaped down from a fifty-meter cliff without any safety equipment and landed smoothly on the ground, shaking off the leaves that stuck to my head.

I pressed on, forging my way through the dense jungle as I drew closer to the location of the ruins, determined to overcome any obstacles in my path.

As I made my way through the area, I encountered a Poisonous Jaguar. A four-legged beast with fangs so dangerous that a single bite could bring death to any human or animal.

And this was not the only strange creature found in these parts. There was also a Porcupine Snake, as its name suggests, a snake covered in countless spines, slithering towards me from the underbrush.

I easily scared them away and continued on my path, not bothering to engage with the various monsters that appeared in my way.

Finally, I arrived at the ruins, a tower-like structure built on a massive rock wall in the center of a large hole, with a river flowing through it.

I noticed the presence of dangerous flying monsters surrounding the ruins, using them as nests and hunting grounds. The width of the valley was about two hundred meters, making it impossible to construct a bridge using logs.

But for me, this was not a challenging task. All I had to do was give myself momentum and jump, then cling to the rocks on the wall and begin climbing towards the ruins.

"Well, here we are. Although I won't be very welcome as usual."

The flying monsters increased in number and swooped directly at me. However, they didn't manage to harm me as they were taken by surprise, thanks to Rosuke's attack.

A silver flash streaks across the sky. The monsters are reduced to chunks of flesh and fall to the ground.

"Great job, Rosuke! Keep them away from me!"

I left Rosuke in charge of the monsters and ventured into the ruins. As expected, the interior was completely dark. The atmosphere was very damp, making it a paradise for mold and fungi.

"What is this...?"

A large amount of accumulated excrement lay scattered on the floor. There were also some bats hanging from the ceiling. Additionally, my attention was drawn to a large mark on the ground, giving the impression that something had been dragged through the area.

Could it be a monster guarding a great treasure?

I proceeded to retrieve a floating lamp from my belongings, enough to help me navigate this path. It was a relic that, when infused with a minimal amount of magic, would illuminate for a period of time.

The good thing about it was that I could have light whenever I desired without having to give any specific commands.

The interior was a complete labyrinth, and those who venture into these places are forced to go in circles due to collapsed passages. The structures were in a state of disrepair due to their age.

In other words, if I were to advance in this place without caution, there would be a risk of the whole structure collapsing. It's bothersome, but I need to proceed with care, or else this entire place will crumble.

"I think this is the spot."

I arrived at a large, deep chamber. The lamp illuminated an enormous amount of gold and silver piled up to the ceiling.

But that's not what I came for. The object I desire lies even deeper. And it's an object that, in its appearance and form, stands out among the rest of the treasures present.

Exactly. I'm talking about a baby's cradle. And as I approach it, the owner of such an object awakens from their slumber.

Its scales were green, and it had a ferocious look like that of a top-level predator. Its yellow eyes sharply focused on me.

It's a pure Green Dragon, king of the sky, capable of controlling the wind and creating tornadoes. With a single roar, it made the whole place tremble.

"Wait. It's not good for either of us to fight here. I don't want to destroy this place, and I'm sure you don't want to destroy your home either, right?"

"Grrrr?"

The dragon tilted its head. Despite its fierce appearance, dragons are highly intelligent, at least compared to other monsters. There are even anecdotes of jesters making dragons laugh to be spared their lives and escape.

"I just want that. I'm not interested in the treasure here."

"Grrrrrr..."

"I even have meat. I gathered plenty of food on my way here. Let's make a deal. You get a great amount of meat, and I get that. There's no need to fight."

I wonder if we're communicating properly. I'm quite anxious.

Normally, I would subdue the dragon without any intention of reaching an agreement with it. But this place is terribly unstable. Not only the building, but also the ground, maintains an exquisite balance. If this creature and I were to engage in a serious battle, the entire place could collapse.

"Guaaaaaaaah!!"

The dragon's roar, seemingly saying, "Enough with the preliminaries, let's fight!" hits me directly.

I suppose this was inevitable. But honestly, I'm not in a position to fight. So it's best to escape from here as soon as possible.

I managed to dodge the dragon's stomp at the last moment and slide underneath.

I called for Kuratan and gave him strict instructions as I took hold of the baby's cradle.

"Don't drop it, no matter what."

"Kura~"

Kuratan took the cradle and flew towards a hole in the ceiling.

The battle continued to unfold. I evaded a tail strike with half of my body and attempted to jump away. However, the dragon bit my leg and threw me to the ground. It then swings me around and hurls me against the wall.

"Hey, this isn't good. Let's stop, okay?"

"Grrrrr!?"

The Green Dragon is perplexed by my seemingly unharmed state. I hope it understands the power difference and surrenders.

"Eh?! Idiot, stop!"

The dragon seems angered by my composure and begins to inhale deeply, presumably preparing to unleash its breath attack. If it's released, this place will definitely collapse.

At that moment, as the breath is about to be released, I call for Rosuke and make a great leap.

A massive blaze engulfs the ground. The rocky wall that had served as support starts crumbling under the impact. And as a result, the Green Dragon is swallowed by the massive hole along with the collapsing ruins.

"Do you think it's still alive?"

"Shaa."

I ask Rosuke as I hang on to him. The dragon has strong vitality and is tenacious. It's probably not dead. Nevertheless, I achieved my objective. I smiled as I directed my gaze towards the baby's cradle held by Kuratan.

Soon, I will become a father.