CH150 Forest Warden Party
Since they had entered the inner reaches of their designated operation area within the Dankrot Forest, Alex found it increasingly difficult to rely on his Spirit Sight to track the movements of the forest’s native beasts.
It was as though the forest itself exuded a pervasive mana signature—one that steadily obscured the unique signatures of individual beasts the deeper they ventured in.
Like any other sensory ability, Alex’s Spirit Sight needed time to adjust to its surrounding mana ambience in order to accurately pick out distinct signatures. However, that process was proving unusually slow this time.
The forest’s mana signature wasn’t static.
It shifted—fluctuating and pulsing like a living entity. As a result, Alex couldn’t establish a proper baseline to calibrate his senses.
In effect, he was partially ’blind’.
That was why he failed to detect the threat until it was already dangerously close.
’So, it’s you lot. No wonder the forest’s ambient mana has been rising in weird patterns. It’s because you’ve marked us as prey, isn’t it?’
"Everyone, get ready! We have company—it’s the Forest Wardens!" Alex shouted.
[These are plant-beast hybrids found only in ancient forests. Born from corrupted beastly will merging with ambient forest mana, they embody the predation instinct of apex creatures native to their territory.]
[They are indistinguishable from the forest itself and are often called Forest Wardens, for they are know to capture or remove outsiders that intrude on their home forest.]
[Proceed with extreme caution. The Wardens never act alone.]
"Archers, search for the supporting beasts!" Lieutenant Cross barked, quickly picking up on the situation.
From the treeline emerged humanoid plant creatures—gnarled limbs like twisted vines, bodies like tree trunks, with a massive Venus flytrap-like maw that extended vertically from crown to mid-torso.
These were the Verdant Stalkers—Forest Wardens in their full form.
[A/N: Think Wildvine from Ben 10, but with no head.]
Responding swiftly to Lieutenant Cross’s command, a trio of archers took the risk of scaling nearby trees—despite the danger that these Verdant Stalkers could merge seamlessly with the forest trees and ambush them at any moment.
One archer’s eyes widened in alarm as he spotted a jet-black feline, panther-like in shape, glaring at the formation from the branches of a tree behind the advancing Stalkers.
The beast vanished almost instantly.
"Shadowcat!" the archer called out.
Another archer, perched atop a neighbouring tree, let out his own warning as he spotted a different threat.
Alex’s brow furrowed at the names of the beasts now confirmed to be flanking the Verdant Stalkers.
[An elusive, panther-like predator typically found at the border between the periphery and inner zones of the Dankrot Forest. Though normally only mid- to late-Class 2, its fur absorbs surrounding light, rendering it virtually invisible to the naked eye. This camouflage makes it a deadly ambush predator, even in more dangerous regions.]
[A coiled predator measuring around 1.5 metres in length, often found high in the treetops. It attacks from above, releasing bursts of paralysing electric pulses. Incredibly fast and highly resistant to binding magic.]
[Known for suicidal retaliation—upon death, they explode in a final, lethal discharge. Avoid direct confrontation whenever possible.] f.r(e)e\webn.ovel.co\m
’Damn these Wardens. They really brought some nasty backup,’ Alex thought grimly, eyes scanning the dozen or so Verdant Stalkers closing in.
’Their strategy is obvious. The Wardens draw our attention, the Lightning Serpents paralyse us, and the Shadowcat ambushes in the confusion.’
’Sorry, but I’m not going to let you have your way.’
"Archers, switch to blunt arrows! Spearmen, fall back! Shieldbearers—advance and meet the Wardens head-on!" Alex commanded sharply.
The platoon faltered for a moment, uncertainty flashing through their ranks.
Charging directly at the Verdant Stalkers meant abandoning their defensive formation entirely. Doing so would leave the rear and flanks open to ambushes from the more elusive threats—the Shadowcats and Lightning Serpents.
"What are you waiting for?! Forward, now!" Lieutenant Cross roared, snapping them out of hesitation.
The troops moved at once.
Meanwhile, Alex turned to the healer positioned beside him—a man in his thirties, quiet but dependable.
"Can you cast any buff spells?"
"I can temporarily boost the defensive strength of allies within an area," the healer replied. "But it’ll consume more than half of my mana, and I won’t be able to heal as many injured afterwards."
"Understood. Prepare the spell and wait for my signal," Alex instructed without hesitation.
The healer nodded and began focusing.
Then, Alex leaned down and whispered something into Fen’s ear.
Fen’s body tensed in readiness.
Ahead, Lieutenant Cross led the charge—shield-first—towards the incoming dozen or so Verdant Stalkers.
"Don’t let them scratch you!" he warned loudly. "Their claws and teeth have a mana-draining effect!"
The largest Warden raised its branch-like arms and brought them crashing down.
Lieutenant Cross stomped hard, launching himself ahead of the others to intercept the blow.
The impact slammed into his shield with a thunderous crack, rattling the seasoned veteran and nearly knocking the shield from his grip.
Suddenly, tendril-like fingers sprouted from the branch that had struck him, lashing out to bind and ensnare him during that brief moment of vulnerability.
But Cross was ready. He severed the tendrils with a clean arc of his blade, then channeled his Internal Energy through his limbs.
With a bellow, he slammed his shield into the Verdant Stalker, knocking it off balance before slashing across its torso in a single fluid motion.
The creature recoiled with a distorted, plant-like wail.
Behind him, the rookie platoon members—well-trained and battle-tested from the Fury agoges—swiftly moved to engage.
They followed the Lieutenant’s lead and didn’t panic.
Each of the eleven Shieldbearers locked down a Warden of their own. Their captain, more seasoned than the rest, faced off against two simultaneously. Lieutenant Cross occupied the two largest Verdant Stalkers, holding his ground like a fortress.
Still, the Shieldbearers weren’t there to win—only to contain.
As plant-beast hybrids, the Verdant Stalkers possessed dense, bark-like trunks that resisted most blades. Even when their bark was breached, a soft fibrous layer underneath absorbed the impact, and their impressive regeneration quickly healed the damage.
But containment was the Shieldbearers’ objective.
’This is enough, right, Young Lord?’ Lieutenant Cross thought, casting a quick glance toward Alex’s position.
He expected to see the mage casting fire spells, to burn the Stalkers to ashes.
But Alex wasn’t even facing their direction.
Instead, the two figures darted forward—one with a drawn blade, the other with claws bared and frost gathering at its maw- were Laura and Fen.
Lieutenant Cross blinked, stunned.