Bang!
Sakeer raised his iron sword, bracing it in front of him just as a sharp, black-gray slash of energy struck.
Clang!
The collision sent a muffled shockwave through the air.
Creak—Squeak!
Cracks splintered along the blade of his sword where it had met the attack, jagged gaps forming in an instant.
A numbing force rippled through his arms, momentarily stiffening his grip.
On the other side, the silver-white figure that had delivered the blow hesitated for a brief moment, seemingly surprised that its attack had been blocked.
Seizing the opening, Sakeer retreated swiftly, widening the distance between them.
His gaze dropped to the deep fissures in his sword, his expression tightening.
"Hmph. I thought it was just those vile ogres invading my territory again."
A cold, detached voice broke the silence.
"I didn't expect a human to be controlling them. You're a magic-user, aren't you? And to think you actually blocked my strike..."
Sakeer looked up, his eyes narrowing as he took in the creature standing before him.
His fingers unconsciously clenched.
It was a monstrous beast, its silver-white fur gleaming under the dappled forest light.
When fully upright, it stood over two meters tall, its posture vaguely resembling that of a giant hamster.
But—
It looked nothing like the cute version from the anime.
The creature's thick forelimbs rested at its sides, each finger ending in razor-sharp gray-black claws, over a meter long.
Fresh scraps of flesh clung to them—remnants of the ogres it had slaughtered moments ago.
And the most striking feature—
A serpentine tail, over twenty meters long, slithered behind it, covered in glistening, scale-like armor.
Between the tufts of silver-white fur, faint pale-silver magic patterns pulsed intermittently, exuding an aura of raw power.
At a glance—
The sight alone sent a chill down his spine.
"Do you tremble in awe at my greatness?"
The creature's black, beast-like eyes gleamed with pride, its voice laced with arrogance.
It seemed as though it hadn't spoken to another creature in a long time, and now that it had, it wouldn't stop talking.
"Hahaha! You're speechless from fear, aren't you?"
It let out a booming laugh, reveling in its own sense of dominance.
"But don't worry. As an intruder in my domain, I shall grant you a painless death."
"You should feel honored—to become my next meal."
Sakeer exhaled sharply, then—
Clang!
He casually dropped his broken iron sword to the ground.
The Wise King of the Forest Hamusuke's eyes flickered with amusement.
"Oh? You've already given up?"
A trace of disappointment laced his tone.
"I had assumed that since you blocked my attack, you might actually pose a challenge."
Sakeer didn't answer.
Instead, he reached for his waist, and with a swift motion, another iron sword appeared in his grasp.
His gaze lifted, deadpan.
"I'm just switching weapons."
Then, as if just remembering something, he muttered,
"Also... you talk too much."
"What?"
Hamusuke's expression darkened.
"Is that some human term? It doesn't sound like a compliment."
His black pupils contracted, a hint of irritation flashing across his beastly features.
"I should just eat you already. A human with strength like yours... must taste exquisite."
BOOM!
In the next instant, the massive beast lunged forward.
The sheer force of its charging body sent out a fierce gust of wind, flattening the surrounding undergrowth.
Sakeer's eyes sharpened.
"Dark Wave!"
A surge of black energy erupted outward, pulsing from his body in a rippling shockwave.
The moment it reached Hamusuke—
His massive frame stiffened, locking in place.
But—
Unlike the others who had succumbed to the fear effect, the Wise King of the Forest's only reaction was a momentary stiffness.
His eyes remained clear.
A flicker of astonishment crossed his expression.
"What... is this?"
His voice held a rare hint of uncertainty.
Sakeer's thoughts raced.
"Fear-based effects don't work?"
But he had no time to dwell on it.
With practiced precision, he leaned forward, gripping his sword tightly.
"Quick Slash!"
His blade sliced through the air, aiming straight for Hamusuke's chest.
A cursed energy effect ignited on impact, doubling the attack's power.
Bang!
A small clump of silver fur was sliced off.
Sakeer's expression darkened.
That was his strongest attack method, and yet—
It hadn't even broken the skin.
His mind reeled.
"This level of defense is insane!"
It wasn't just durability.
This was an innate passive ability—a form of biological armor, making Hamusuke impervious to conventional attacks.
A true fleshly fortress.
Rumble!
The moment Sakeer's attack ended, the Wise King of the Forest broke free from the stiffness, its massive form retreating swiftly.
A flicker of panic flashed through its beastly eyes.
Clearly—
Even if his body had resisted the Dark Wave, the sensation of being restrained had unsettled him.
"What did you just do to me, despicable human?!"
The Wise King of the Forest Hamusuke's previously relaxed tone hardened, his voice turning sharp with hostility.
For a brief moment, panic flickered in his eyes, but as he realized he was completely unharmed, his tense expression relaxed.
"Tch!"
His irritation returned in full force.
"You think you're the only one with such tricks?"
With a furious bellow, a small glowing rune resembling a magic array materialized on his body.
"All-Race Charm!"
A pulse of magic surged toward Sakeer—a mind-control spell.
"!!"
Without hesitation, Sakeer's expression hardened, but only for a moment.
Then—
"Mind of Undeath!"
He cast the counter-spell with unwavering composure, neutralizing the oncoming effect.
According to the novel, Hamusuke lacked the innate magic ability of a caster, which meant his "All-Race Charm" was weak—only capable of controlling small animals.
But this was reality, not fiction.
Sakeer wasn't about to take any chances.
His eyes flicked to his attribute panel, and with a mere thought—
[Skill Points: 39 → 38]
[Skill: All-Race Charm (4th Tier)]
Cost: 20 MP
Description: Allows the user to charm any race.
There it is!
Among all the opponents Sakeer had encountered so far—whether it was Khajiit of Zurrernorn or the forest dwarves—they had all used a lesser form of charm magic, specifically targeting humans.
But he had never bothered to learn it.
Why settle for an inferior version when he could have this—a higher-tier, universal charm spell?
Forcing Hamusuke out into the open had been his goal from the start.
The only unexpected part—
He couldn't even break the damn thing's defense.
"Retreat for now."
Without wasting another second, Sakeer turned and hurriedly withdrew.
As he moved, he scooped up the Little Barghest, whispering a single command—
"Fly!"
A surge of blue magic enveloped his body.
In an instant, Sakeer shot into the sky, soaring upward at incredible speed.
"Get back down here!"
The enraged bellow echoed through the jungle below.
"Damn you, human!"
Hamusuke reacted immediately, his massive tail lashing upward, cutting through the air like a whip of destruction.
BOOM!
The force shattered treetops beneath him, sending splinters flying in all directions—
But he had been too slow.
By the time his tail struck, Sakeer was already far above the forest canopy, well beyond reach.
All Hamusuke could do now was snarl in frustration, his furious roars shaking the jungle.
Suspended in mid-air, Sakeer glanced down.
Below, the silver-white beast rampaged through the thick greenery, his massive frame darting between trees, trying—and failing—to do anything about Sakeer's escape.
That was the power of skill-based combat.
Sakeer let out a slow exhale, his mind shifting to his next move.
Raising his gaze, he scanned the horizon, orienting himself eastward toward the Great Forest of Tob.
Without hesitation, he turned and accelerated, streaking toward the east with the Little Barghest in hand.
The wind rushed past his ears, carrying the crisp scent of the wild.
Below him stretched an endless emerald jungle, while above him, the sky expanded infinitely, painted in brilliant hues of blue.
And as the sunlight bathed his body, he felt something—
An exhilarating sense of liberation.
This feeling—
This power—
It was intoxicating.
Sakeer exhaled slowly, allowing himself a rare moment of reflection.
"The changes brought by extraordinary power... they're almost overwhelming."
His gaze darkened slightly as he recalled the battle just moments ago.
His brief arrogance faded, replaced by a newfound understanding.
"I underestimated Hamusuke. I never thought he'd be this difficult to deal with."
From the very start, the Wise King of the Forest had been holding back.
Sakeer had sensed it clearly—the monster had never gone all-out.
Even so—
His speed, strength, and overwhelming defense had already far surpassed Sakeer's own.
That defense, in particular, was absurdly powerful.
Sakeer's grip on the Little Barghest tightened slightly.
"But once my skills are fully prepared... the plan should work."
His eyes narrowed in focus.
He flew swiftly above the eastern side of the Great Forest of Tob, using the height advantage to survey the landscape below.
Before long, his gaze locked onto a notable landmark—
A distinct fracture in the dense forest, splitting the sea of green like a scar.
That was it.
The "Forest Crack."
If the Hobgoblin Agu's description was accurate, then below that chasm lay the territory of another ruler of the forest—
The Trolls.