The afternoon sun in September in Edinburgh is not very strong, especially in the Forbidden Forest, where the sun shines through the branches and leaves like thin pillars. There is a poetic hazy beauty.
But soon, such a beautiful view was shattered. From the Forbidden Forest came a broken gong-like voice:
"Hey, boy. I really don't know why Betty wants us to be a group. Look at my size, look at my teeth, look at my claws. I should be fighting on the front line, not hiding behind everyone as a coolie…"
There was another bout of chatter that followed, mostly boasting about the speaker's past glorious experiences.
Sam, on the other hand, covered his forehead helplessly beside the owner of the voice. In his impression, wolves were generally silent. So when he was assigned a task with a wolf, he was a little worried that the task would be too boring.
But what he never expected was that this wolf could not only talk but was also a chatterbox. Ever since they had left the meeting place, he had been talking nonstop, which was completely different from the aloof demeanor he had displayed earlier. Especially when he spoke with those amused eyes, Sam deeply suspected that the wolf might be a mix of wolf and husky.
"Mr. Wolf, don't just talk. I don't know where that place is. It's up to you to lead the way," Sam said worriedly. After all, he was unfamiliar with the Forbidden Forest.
"Don't worry, I've lived here for 15 years. I could find the way even with my eyes closed," Wolf said confidently before asking, "But can you tell me more about those things you call TV?"
Sam had no choice but to explain to him what a TV was. Wolf, as it turned out, had a rather unfortunate background. He was the child of two werewolves who had mated in their wolf forms and had been abandoned at birth. Fortunately, Overton had taken him to the Forbidden Forest, where the centaurs had raised him.
Although he looked like a wolf, his lifespan and intelligence were similar to humans. So, as a teenager eager to learn about the outside world, he couldn't stop asking questions once he found someone he could talk to.
After walking and chatting for more than ten minutes, the two finally arrived at their predetermined location—a slightly raised hill by the river, with no trees around.
"Why do I always see the residents of the Forbidden Forest gathering in clearings? Even for an ambush, do we have to pick a clearing? Is it some kind of lucky place in the Forbidden Forest?" Sam asked curiously.
"Of course," Wolf explained with a serious expression. "In the Forbidden Forest, all intelligent creatures are at the top of the food chain. They don't need to hide. If you don't need to hide, then the best place to be is where you can see the sky. In the daytime, when the sun isn't strong, we like to bask in the clearings. Otherwise, the dew in the forest makes our fur damp, and that's very uncomfortable."
"As for why we're ambushing here, think about it—spiders can climb trees. If we set up in a dense forest, we'd have to watch out above us. Not to mention that some of your plants can breathe fire. If the trees catch fire, we'd be in serious trouble."
It all made sense. Sam nodded, realizing that wisdom could be found in every creature. Staying humble on the road to knowledge was essential.
It took him an hour to arrange the plants around the perimeter. Here, he had to praise the potato mines, which could distinguish between friend and foe. After spending half an hour planting other plants in the clearing, he and Wolf spent the remaining time setting up potato mines in the nearby woods.
While working, Sam suddenly reflected on how things had escalated. He had originally come to the Forbidden Forest just to gather materials to kill the basilisk in Hogwarts' Chamber of Secrets. But now, he had somehow ended up preparing for a full-fledged battle—and as an important combatant, no less.
It was as if he had wanted an apple but ended up planting an entire orchard. But since he was already here and had come this far, there was no turning back. He had to see it through.
Looking back, he realized he had been subtly guided into this position by Overton during negotiations. No wonder leaders were always sharp-minded. Fortunately, Overton wasn't hostile, and killing these spiders aligned with Sam's own interests. However, this served as a warning: the next person who tried to manipulate him might not be so well-intentioned.
This kind of strategic thinking could only be honed with experience—there was no shortcut. Overanalyzing would only lead to unnecessary stress.
Just as they finished setting up, an explosion sounded in the distance. Sam recognized it as the Cherry Bomb he had given the centaurs earlier. The spiders were coming!
He quickly ran back to the pre-prepared position at the top of the hill and got ready. Wolf, relying on his speed, managed to plant a few more potato mines before retreating as well.
As the explosions grew closer, hooves and strange noises mixed in. Soon, the centaurs burst out of the forest. Though uninjured, they looked exhausted. Their two quivers were almost empty, with only the one on their backs remaining full.
No wonder centaurs were legendary warriors in the age of cold weapons. Sam had seen their quivers—they each carried around 30 arrows. Shooting 60 arrows in a short time was far beyond human capabilities.
Behind them, unicorns charged out, occasionally striking the Forbidden Forest with lightning from their horns. Truly, they were magical creatures on par with dragons.
As his allies gathered near the hill, Sam handed over control of the plants to a few centaurs and Wolf. This was part of their predetermined plan—since the centaurs knew both sides best, they could maximize the damage dealt to the giant spiders.
Sam then walked over to a magic circle he had prepared earlier. This formation came from the Mirror for Aid texts, designed to provide energy to the user and create a protective barrier against dark forces.
The setup was simple—it had taken him only three minutes to complete. From the outside, the formation consisted of copper nails hammered into the ground, connected by threads dipped in rooster blood. The only change Sam made was using sunlight crystals for energy, as that was the only material he had on hand. Fortunately, this made the formation even stronger against the giant spiders.
Everything was ready. Then, a chilling sound came from the jungle—click, click, click. The giant spiders were here.
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