After breakfast, the sun was just right.
Raylo wiped his mouth with a napkin while Moonlight was still wrestling with the other half of the Vanilla Rabbit, its face slick with grease.
"Ed."
Raylo's voice rang out.
Ed took a step forward. "My Lord."
"Take a squad of Knights and come with me."
Raylo stood up.
"Yes, My Lord!"
Ed immediately went to gather the men.
Moonlight, seemingly understanding they were going out, devoured the rest of the rabbit in a few quick bites. It then leaped onto Raylo's shoulder, found a comfortable spot to lie down, and the tip of its tail began to sway gently.
Raylo smiled, paid the cat no mind, and walked straight outside.
The group of a dozen or so men spurred their horses on, quickly arriving at the Withered Wood Forest, five kilometers southeast of Black Stone Town.
Most of the trees here were dead and withered, their branches twisted. The ground was covered in a thick layer of fallen leaves that made a CRUNCH CRUNCH sound when stepped on, giving the place a desolate atmosphere.
Soon, they found the exceptionally large oak tree.
"A few days ago, while out playing, Moonlight discovered something buried under this oak tree. Dig it up and see what it is."
Raylo stroked Moonlight's head, and the cat let out a soft meow right on cue.
Having just eaten its fill, all it wanted to do was sleep comfortably.
Unlike the surrounding dead trees, this oak, though ancient, still had relatively lush branches and leaves, showing some signs of life.
The Knights immediately dismounted, took out the shovels they carried, and began to dig.
No one questioned it. In the eyes of these Knights, anything strange Moonlight did was perfectly normal.
Dirt flew through the air.
Before long, with a CLANG, a shovel seemed to strike something hard.
"My Lord, we've hit something!" one of the Knights shouted excitedly.
Soon, a rather old-looking wooden box was unearthed intact.
The box wasn't large. It was still caked with wet dirt, and its latch was rusted almost beyond recognition.
Ed stepped forward and, with a bit of force, broke the latch.
He opened the box. Inside was a small, neat stack of glittering, round objects—Golden Dragon Coins.
A quick count revealed there were about one hundred of them.
Next to the Golden Dragon Coins lay two other items: a Silver Bracelet inlaid with Magic Patterns and a roll of yellowed parchment.
Raylo picked up the bracelet. It was cool to the touch, and he could feel the faint fluctuations of Magic Power contained within it.
'A Shelter Bracelet?'
He recognized it, a little surprised.
'A Low Tier Magic Item. It can briefly activate a Tier One Magic Shield.'
He pulled a Ring from his pocket and tossed it to Ed along with the bracelet. "You take these two for now. We'll test their effects in a bit."
Ed caught them securely.
Next, Raylo picked up the roll of parchment. Unfurling it, he found it was a damaged Magic Scroll. A complex Magic Array was drawn on it, seemingly for a defensive Magic, but unfortunately, it was so severely damaged that it was no longer effective.
'Better than nothing.'
Raylo handed the Golden Dragon Coins and the Scroll to one of the accompanying Knights to be put away.
'One hundred Golden Dragon Coins isn't a fortune, but it's a nice windfall. The Shelter Bracelet is decent, but its Level is a bit low.'
"Let's go. To Crying Canyon. Moonlight said there's more good stuff there."
Raylo mounted his horse, and the group set off once again.
Crying Canyon got its name from its unique geography. The canyon was flanked by steep cliffs, and when the wind passed through, it created a whimpering sound, like a woman quietly weeping.
The humidity in the valley was heavy. Moss covered the rocks, and the air was filled with the smell of damp earth and humus.
The deeper they went, the dimmer the light became. The canyon walls on either side seemed to close in, leaving only a sliver of sky visible.
"My Lord, this place feels a bit eerie," one of the Knights couldn't help but say, tightening his grip on the sword at his waist.
Ed, riding beside Raylo, scanned his surroundings warily.
Ever since witnessing Moonlight's miraculous abilities in the Withered Wood Forest, he no longer dared to underestimate the seemingly harmless little cat.
'If the Lord says there's something good here, he's probably right. It's just that this environment is unsettling.'
"Everyone, be careful. Moonlight mentioned there's a big snake here. It might be the treasure's Guardian Magical Beast!" Raylo warned.
After traveling a bit farther, the terrain ahead leveled out, revealing a relatively open valley.
Moonlight suddenly leaped from Raylo's shoulder, landed lightly on the ground, and ran toward an inconspicuous corner in the center of the valley.
"Keep up."
Raylo spurred his horse forward.
They went around a giant rock shaped like a crying face, and the area ahead opened up.
A strange, small tree came into view. It was about the height of a person, dark red all over, with branches gnarled like dragon claws. It was covered in fine thorns that glinted with a metallic sheen.
Even stranger were the few fruits hanging from its branches. They were the size of pigeon eggs, crimson as blood, their surfaces faintly shimmering with a flowing light that gave off an alluring glow.
"This is..."
A trace of astonishment flashed in Ed's eyes.
Several Knights also gathered around, curiously examining the strange fruit tree.
"These fruits look so beautiful."
"Be careful, the tree is covered in thorns."
Just as the Knights were about to step forward to get a closer look at the Dragon Thorn Fruit Tree, Moonlight, on Raylo's shoulder, suddenly arched its back, a low growl rumbling in its throat as all its fur stood on end.
Ed reacted instantly, drawing his Knight Sword and positioning himself in front of Raylo.
A foul wind suddenly gusted from the side!
"HISSS—!"
Along with a piercing hiss, a huge shadow shot out from a crevice in the rocks like a bolt of lightning, lunging straight for the Knight closest to the Dragon Thorn Fruit Tree!
It was a giant python as thick as a water bucket, its entire body covered in ice-blue scales that glinted coldly in the dim light.
Its triangular head was savage and terrifying. Two vertical pupils, like lanterns, were locked onto its prey. Inside its massive, open maw, four sharp Poison Fangs, like Daggers, were clearly visible, even emitting a trace of frosty air.
A Frost Fang Python!
"Scatter!"
Raylo shouted, simultaneously yanking hard on his reins. His warhorse reared up, narrowly avoiding the python's whipping tail.
The targeted Knight reacted just as quickly. Hearing his Lord's warning, he instinctively dropped and rolled, barely dodging the python's lunge.
The python snapped at empty air, its massive head slamming into the ground and sending shattered rock flying.
"Protect the Lord!"
Ed roared, drawing the Knight's Longsword from his waist. Instead of retreating, he advanced to meet the python.
A faint yellow halo erupted around him—the distinctive glow of an Earth Knight's Fighting Spirit, making him appear as steady as a mountain.
The other Knights also drew their Weapons, forming a simple defensive formation with Raylo protected in the center.
Its first strike having failed, the Frost Fang Python immediately turned its head, its cold, vertical pupils locking onto Ed, who was at the very front.
It let out an enraged hiss, its massive body coiling before it shot forward again like an arrow loosed from a bow, its speed astonishing!
Ed's expression was grim. He took a deep breath, pushing his Fighting Spirit Circulation to its peak.
Just as the python's stinking maw was about to close in, Ed gave a low shout. The Ring on his left hand flashed with a faint light, and a sense of berserk Power instantly surged through his entire body.