Fairy Tale: Little Red Riding Hood's Wolf Mentor

Chapter 172 Lights in the Forest
"In the end, this powerful hunter became the king's son-in-law. He lived a happy life with the princess and his parents. After the king's death, he inherited the throne."

Looking at the light in his hand, which only Lake and himself could see, slowly emerged.

Golden pages appeared, and the text and patterns on them also appeared.

"Sure enough, I guessed it right."

Poro stared at the contents on the golden page and spoke slowly.

The pattern on it shows a young man dressed as a hunter, holding a shining sword and chopping off the head of a giant.

[Return of the Ring: Skilled Hunter, Promise of the Stars]

【Fairy Tale Power: Unknown】

[Unsealing Ceremony: Kill the Villain and Become a Hero]

[Description: The envelope states that when you wield this sword, you can kill any enemy. However, you understand that your blade will only be pointed at evildoers. After killing those greedy and filthy villains, you will become a hero.]

"What is it about?"

Seeing that Poro had already taken his eyes away from the page, Lake asked hurriedly and curiously.

"You can see for yourself, but it is indeed about the Star Killing Sword."

Poro smiled and threw the page in his hand to Lake. When the golden page reached Lake's hand, it began to emit a slight golden light.

Lake and Poro understood that this light marked the completion of the unsealing ceremony.

"Oh, it seems that I can just fill it in directly. I don't have to waste time on it anymore."

"Hey, I'm a hero."

Lake also smiled happily and moved her eyes to that line on the page.

【Fairy Tale Power: Unknown】

The line of words gradually twisted and changed, and a series of words appeared.

[The unsealing ceremony has been completed, and the fairy tale power has been obtained! ]

[You killed the giants that rushed into the city. They will pay the price for their killing and evil deeds! Your sword is stained with the glaring blood of sinners. Under the sharpening of blood, the sword edge becomes sharper!]

【Those who survived praised your name. You are a true hero! 】

[Fairy Tale Power: Star Killing Sword gains the ability to perceive the evildoers. You will be able to clearly perceive the number of innocent people who died at the hands of the target.]

"This ability is more like detecting the good and evil of the opponent. With this ability, some murderers will be unable to hide their crimes?"

Lake thought, looking at the Star Killing Sword in her hand.

The Star-Killing Sword seemed to have sensed something with the pages of the book, and suddenly a faint blue light appeared, then quickly disappeared.

"What are you talking about? Are you still telling stories?"

At this moment, the golden bird next to Lake and Poro suddenly interrupted and asked in confusion, "Did you exchange something that I don't understand?"

"Uh... Miss Bird, we're fine. It's just a kind of magic we both possess."

Lake and Poro smiled awkwardly. They knew that the bird probably couldn't see the pages of their books, so they explained, "Some magic. You know, our magic has some special features."

"That's it."

The golden bird nodded, then turned its head away in realization and continued to eat the delicious food materialized by the Poro.

The carriage rose and fell on the ground. Outside, as dusk progressed, the shadows over the forest grew thicker. The moonlight seemed to be obscured by the dark clouds above, and the surroundings became dim.

"Polo, have you sensed the maze?"

Lake placed her hand on her chest, on the Heart of the Forest in her pouch. The Heart of the Forest glowed with a faint emerald green light, allowing Lake to keenly capture some magical fluctuations in the forest.

"Yes, there is indeed a maze, it's in the woods."

As the Poro spoke, a demonic glint flashed in his eyes, and he began to wave his claws, drawing some turquoise patterns in the air. "But it's not too complicated. I can solve it."

As the carriage went deeper, the dead trees and shrubs on both sides became denser and denser.

On the ground, dead branches and leaves were flying under the horse's hooves, but at this moment, Poro stared at the falling dead leaf fragments and frowned:
"Wait a minute, Lake, something's wrong! The environment here seems to be filled with a kind of... deathly aura?"

Poro opened his eyes wide. The second-level insight of [Spiral Beacon: Witch] into magical energy allowed him to keenly sense the flow target of this trace of energy.

"Lake, look at those vine seeds—"

Lake's pupils dilated slightly, and she hurriedly opened the bag around her waist and took out several magic vine seeds given by the Giant King.

Then, she was horrified to find that the seeds were turning into a withered yellow color at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Several seeds on the periphery have even turned completely yellow!
The dead air lingering in this forest is devouring the vitality of the plants!
"What should we do? Should we retreat first?"

Lake was anxious. If all the seeds died, what would be the point of reaching the forest?
"Don't worry, it's too late to go back——"

Poro narrowed his eyes slightly, then quickly opened them and fixed his gaze on Lake's chest. "Use the Heart of the Forest."

"Heart of the Forest?"

Lake was stunned for a moment.

"The heart of the forest will give vitality to nearby plants. I can feel a layer of energy forming where the green light shines on your chest."

Poro then added, "Place the seeds in front of the heart of the forest to prevent the erosion of death."

After hearing this, Lake hurriedly moved the seeds to the pouch on her chest. Sure enough, under the illumination of the green light, the color of the magic vine seeds began to quickly change back to green.

Lake breathed a sigh of relief.

Now, the two of them probably knew why the forest was in such a dead state.

"That's great, but I don't know... where exactly is the source of this 'death energy'? And what's deep in the forest?"

Lake and Poro fell silent, sensing the movements around them and observing carefully, fearing that they would miss the target they were looking for.

The carriage jolted again.

In the dim twilight, Lake and Poro saw scattered, undulating hills appearing in the woods.

And there are some crooked wooden sticks stuck on those hills?

"Those hillocks don't seem to be naturally formed. They look more like... graves?"

If it's a grave, what's buried underneath? A body? And who dug it?
Each hill is not big, only the size of a human head.

"I don't think those are graves. I don't smell any rotting bones."

A red light flashed in Poro's eyes. After sniffing with his enhanced five senses, he said, "It's similar to ordinary ground. There's no strange smell."

"Oh, that's how it is."

Lake nodded. No matter what it was, as long as it was not a mass grave of the dead, the horror of this forest would be reduced a lot.

Just as Lake breathed a sigh of relief, she caught something out of the corner of her eye.

"Wait a minute, Poro, look over there... there seems to be a light?!"

Lake opened her eyes wide and pointed in a direction far in front of the carriage.

There, in the depths of the unchanging darkness, a tiny light like a firefly lit up. Rei pulled the reins of the carriage, turned the front of the carriage, and drove towards the tiny light.

The light spots grew brighter and brighter, and the dead bushes in the woods on both sides of the carriage became denser and denser.

In the empty spaces between the trees, there are scattered small hills arranged according to a certain pattern.

This slowed down the progress, but fortunately, the light spot was actually approaching and did not seem to be an illusion.

"Is that a cabin? Where people in the forest live?"

A hint of excitement appeared on Lake's face.

She opened her notes. Previously, the scene shown in the magic mirror gradually corresponded to this withered forest. The number of dead trees decreased, and in their place was a dead garden.

The images of those hillocks also became familiar.

Lake gradually remembered that in the magic mirror before, there was a sad-looking girl who buried dead flowers in pits and created small hills in the forest.

The girl who buried the flowers should be the one we are looking for...

Several people stared at the light not far away. The light gradually became clearer, reflecting the outline of the wooden house.

The door of the wooden house suddenly opened, and the dim light inside illuminated the figure of a young girl.

"Hello, miss—"

Lake stood up from the carriage and stretched out a hand, wanting to wave.

However, the girl who walked out of the wooden house said nothing. She raised a hand towards Lake and the others, with her five fingers spread out.

"No, Lake, the magic in the forest maze has been controlled!"

At this moment, Poro opened his eyes wide with a look of horror.

The originally rigid forest maze suddenly seemed to be infused with soul after the girl opened her five fingers in front of the wooden house. All the changes and magic became intense and swift!
The dead tree next to it began to shake violently as if it was blown by the forest wind.

Countless dead branches and fallen leaves fell from the treetops. The dead trees danced twistedly under the influence of the maze, blocking the view.

In the chaotic scene, the wooden house and lights that were originally clear began to retreat rapidly!

Gradually swallowed by darkness——

In other words, the moment the carriage saw the target, it began to lose sight of it uncontrollably!
"That girl's ability to control the forest maze is almost as good as that of the gluttonous witch with angelic power! No, her ability to change the forest maze is even better!"

A demonic light flickered in the Poro's eyes. The maze he thought he had seen through was once again undergoing further changes. No, this couldn't go on...

You will get lost!

If the light from the wooden house disappears, it will be even more difficult to find the destination again in the forest maze controlled by someone!
"Lake, use the Heart of the Forest. Uh, I need some magic from the Heart of the Forest."

Poro thought about this and spoke.

Without hesitation, Lake took off the glowing bag on his chest and carefully handed it to the Poro.

The magic used in the forest maze is related to the forest. After using the Heart of the Forest, Poro can quickly make up for the gap in magical experience by relying on his own talent for magic.

Even, one can have a certain degree of control over the complete forest maze!

The Poro gently pulled with his sharp claws, and a strand of the Heart of the Forest was drawn out through the green light of the sac and merged into the surrounding air. Green runes lit up on the surfaces of several dead trees.

"Yes, I can do that!"

Poro thought to himself, and the next moment, the speed of the carriage moving backwards slowed down rapidly.

At the moment when the light from the heart of the forest illuminated the surroundings, the dancing black shadows of the dead trees and old vines suddenly stopped.

It was as if the operator of the formation was also frightened...

……

Deep in the forest, the gray-haired girl walked out of the wooden house, holding a flowerpot in her arms. In the flowerpot, there grew a bright red flower that looked like it was about to die.

"Hmm? What's up with the person who came this time? Why can she resist my maze? Is her forest magic powerful?"

The gray-haired girl murmured, her eyes moving through the dead trees in the forest to the end of her vision, where she saw the carriage that had found its way back from being lost.

That ray of light from the heart of the forest lit up in the darkness——

"That's, the Heart of the Forest!?"

The gray-haired girl's pupils shrank, and the spellcasting movement in her hands paused slightly.

She looked at the listless flowers in her arms, a trace of struggle flashed in her eyes, but then her eyes turned red, and she whispered in a trembling voice:
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, it's just, it's just..."

As she spoke, she suddenly clenched her teeth and her eyes fixed.

Two rays of green light flashed from the depths of her slightly sad eyes.

……

"That's amazing, Poro. With your magic, we can get to the cabin quickly."

Lake looked at the tiny spot of light deep in the forest, clenched her fists, and a trace of guilt flashed in the depths of her bright blue eyes.

But soon, it was replaced by a little determination.

"That girl, trapped in the maze of the forest, must not want to come into contact with the outside world..."

Lake knew in her heart that as an uninvited guest, it was not right to enter someone else's woods when the owner had clearly refused.

But right now, to achieve that goal...

"I'm sorry, but..."

Only face to face can we communicate.

Neither Lake nor Poro would be willing to leave without even seeing each other.

"Ma'am, we have no ill will. Can we talk for a moment?"

Lake looked again at the wooden house that appeared in the darkness not far away and shouted loudly.

But the next moment, the pupils of the Poro next to him suddenly shrank:
"careful!"

The next moment, a dead tree next to the carriage suddenly stood up from the ground!

Above, a large group of leafless branches that looked like twisted claws were pressing down with force!
“These dead trees are alive?!”

With a flash of sword, Lake jumped off the carriage, and with the sword, she cut off all the branches of the strange tree man!
"Stop first and get off the carriage—"

Several people jumped off the carriage, but the carriage was too big to dodge.

Although Lake and Poro were not afraid of the attacks from these trees, it was not a good thing for horses to be frightened or attacked.

In all directions, those dead trees rose from the ground one after another under the control of invisible magic.

They waved their sharp branches and slapped towards Lake.

"Something's wrong, Lake. These tree monsters seem to be heading towards you. Don't hold back. They seem lifeless..."

The Poro sensed the flow of magic within the dead tree monsters.

It doesn't look like something alive. They are dead and have much less vitality than ordinary trees. The reason they move is more like the effect of magic.

puppet?
Lake jumped among the tree monster's attacks, but none of those attacks, which seemed powerful and heavy, landed on Lake.

A gleam flashed in Poro's eyes, and several branches and leaves that were attacking the carriage and himself instantly turned into soft chocolate and fell down.

The magic of the Gluttonous Witch is difficult for objects with magic, soul, vitality, etc., but for these lifeless dead tree puppets, even a Poro at his current level can quickly transform them.

Attacking only the key branches of these tree monsters can also reduce the consumption of magic power.

"But...something seems wrong with these monsters?"

In the melee, Poro discovered that most of the tree monsters were besieging Lake, and he and the carriage were only slightly affected.

"They seem to be focusing on you? Lake, I think it might be the Heart of the Forest that's attracting them."

When the incident began, Poro hung the Heart of the Forest around Lake's neck again.

If anything could attract a forest magic caster...

The most likely possibility is the heart of the forest that has just been exposed!
"Heart of the Forest?"

Lake slightly turned sideways to avoid the attack of a tree monster. A hint of anger flashed in her light blue eyes. "I'm sorry, ma'am, the Heart of the Forest is the key to saving my grandmother. I can't give it to you!"

The next moment, Lake suddenly lifted up her cloak, and her figure and breath disappeared into thin air in an instant!
The moment Lake disappeared, the tree monsters that attacked her also froze in place at that moment.

Immediately afterwards, several lightning-like sword lights pierced out from the void.

Several tree monsters were cut in half.

Afterwards, a demonic light flashed in Poro's eyes, and countless green and red vines broke out of the ground, tightly wrapping around the tree monsters!
The trunks of the two trees further away rapidly transformed into pieces of butter.

"Boom——"

In the blink of an eye, these tree monsters fell to the ground one after another.

"call……"

Lake's figure appeared next to Poro.

Wherever I looked, there were no trees left standing.

But not far away, another dead tree rose from the ground, and they swayed closer.

"Hmm? How many are there?"

Lake and Poro's faces darkened and they prepared to attack.

But unexpectedly, the tree monster stopped at a safe distance and had no intention of continuing the attack.

There is a tree hole sunken on the surface of the trunk.

A slightly hoarse voice, formed by magic, came from it, but the words in it could still be heard, and it seemed to contain some doubts:
"Green and red vine magic, gluttonous gourmet magic, there won't be such a coincidence - why did you come to me?
If I remember correctly, the witch tea party hasn't started yet, right?"

The tree monster's voice echoed in the dark forest. Poro looked at the outline of the wooden house in the darkness farther away.

He understood that the one who really spoke was the unknown girl.

But... did she know the Red Witch? And the Gluttony Witch?
What's their relationship? Judging from the name "Witch Tea Party" mentioned, if they're related, knowing that we killed the Scarlet Witch and the Gluttony Witch...

I'm afraid something bad is going to happen!

How to do?
Poro was still thinking, but Lake next to him said:
"Ma'am, we have no intention of offending you, and this has nothing to do with the witch tea party you mentioned. We are here to ask for your help."

Lake replied calmly, "My forest heart comes from my grandmother. I want to revive her. If you have any conditions or requirements for your help, we will do it!"

The tree monster was silent for a moment, then spoke again, "Then what is your relationship with Qinghong and Gluttony? Why do you know their magic?"

Still can't escape?

Lake took a deep breath, as if she had made a decision. She stared at the tree monster and answered word by word:
"They did evil things, so we killed them and obtained their magic.

If you were friends with them... I'm sorry, but we have no regrets about killing them."

After Lake finished speaking, the tree monster fell into silence for a long time, until finally, it spoke again:

"I see... I understand. Come in."

As he spoke, the surrounding forest maze changed rapidly, and the dead trees began to retreat quickly behind him. Lake and Poro did not move, but they saw the lights in the distance growing rapidly.

In the blink of an eye, the wooden house appeared before our eyes.

In front of the wooden house stood a gray-haired girl with sad eyes. In her hands, she held a flower pot, in which a fresh flower stood weakly.

"Well... nice to meet you."

The gray-haired girl bowed slightly and said, "You can call me the Dancing Flower Witch, or you can call me by my name, Little Yida."

(End of this chapter)