Wizard Immortality.

Chapter 3 Nightmare Tree Monster

Camp.

The knights on night watch were instantly wide awake when they heard the screams coming from the dense forest.

After exchanging ideas with eye contact and gestures, they began to act as quietly as possible.

Silence.

Extinguish the fire.

Contact the squire knight of the wizard apprentice and explain the situation.

Wake up the sleeping trainees and gather them at the camp.

After all, this place is a twisted, dense forest.

A bizarre creature roams the forbidden zone of life, blocking the only route from the Kingdom of Katen to the Black Tower Academy.

but.

The convoy dared to venture into the heart of the Twisted Forest largely because of Kers, a senior wizard apprentice from the Black Tower Academy.

Unlike a newly initiated wizard apprentice.

Senior apprentices have mastered at least one form of witchcraft and have studied a subject in depth; they have a great chance of being promoted to a first-level wizard in the future.

It is very powerful.

Shortly after the screams.

The sleepy-eyed trainees, protected by their respective knights, gathered in the center of the camp.

The knights, weapons in hand, were on high alert.

They planned to use the most primitive method: forming a circle, with the knights on the outside dealing with any strange creatures that might appear at any time, while the trainees stayed inside the protective circle.

This would minimize the possibility of casualties before the senior apprentice could intervene.

Although the knights qualified to escort the trainees are mostly strong warriors from various territories within the kingdom, they are experienced in combat.

But they were faced with bizarre creatures in the twisted, dense forest.

The knights were still somewhat afraid.

Their gazes occasionally drifted to the luxurious tents that stood apart from the camp, proclaiming the exalted status of their owners.

Three knights were stationed outside the tent.

Although the Baron's Knight Commander Aubert had explained the situation to them, the three squire knights remained indifferent throughout, standing firmly outside the tent.

The students in the camp, still half asleep, didn't look too happy when they learned that strange creatures might be lurking around.

Seeing the dark, dense forest all around, many people felt their legs go weak and their hearts race.

Siggs walked ahead of Vic, protected by two knights.

Her pretty face turned deathly pale.

"Uncle Aubert, is someone really missing? I haven't heard anything."

Knight Commander Aubert, his expression grave, did not answer, but turned to signal her to remain silent lest she bring disaster upon herself.

Siggs dared not say anything more.

Vic coldly observed his surroundings.

He now possesses the strength of a full-fledged knight and has a certain ability to protect himself when encountering strange creatures.

Not long after.

Then a tall, burly man with a sinister face, in the prime of his life, stepped out of the luxurious tent.

He wore a long black robe, with the Black Tower Academy's standard apprentice shawl draped over his shoulders, and held a thick, ancient-looking book in his black-gloved hands.

Kers

A senior apprentice from the Black Tower Wizarding Academy.

One of the squires stepped forward respectfully, ready to explain the situation in the camp to him.

But the wizard apprentice raised his hand expressionlessly, indicating that he already knew.

Kers didn't care about the missing knight at all.

He simply glanced at the crowd to make sure no one was missing from the apprentice test, then said expressionlessly, "There are some Nightmare Tree Monsters around here. I'll deal with them. Stay where you are and don't make a sound."

Done.

He ignored the camp and disappeared alone into the depths of the dense forest.

The wizard apprentice's voice was bland and unremarkable.

But when the people in the camp heard the name Nightmare Tree Monster, their expressions changed.

Unlike other monsters that eat human flesh, the Nightmare Tree Monster only grows in perpetually dark areas and feeds on the nightmares of humans and animals.

In other words.

The Nightmare Tree Monster doesn't kill its captured prey easily. Instead, it paralyzes its prey with tree sap, plunging it into an endless nightmare.

Furthermore, the tree monster continuously supplies nutrients to its prey through branches connected to the prey's spine, keeping it alive.

Throughout this process, the prey remains in a semi-conscious state, much like being anesthetized and watching yourself being slowly chopped into mincemeat by a butcher.

A cold wind blew through the camp.

The dense forest, lacking light, was eerily shadowy.

The dark-skinned, thin boy, Aaron, tiptoed to Vic's side, trying to find some sense of security in this terrifying, man-eating forest.

He looked around in terror, as if every ancient tree in the darkness was a man-eating monster, muttering to himself.

"I don't want to die. I don't want to die yet. It wasn't me. It definitely wasn't me."

Seeing this situation.

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Vic frowned slightly.

He quietly distanced himself from Aaron and retreated to the outermost part of the crowd.

Some knowledge about the strange creatures does not possess energy, so Vic has preserved his complete memories.

Although the Nightmare Tree Monster's life level is not high enough to reach level one, it would still be a troublesome thing for it if it were pulled to the ground.

Given the strength level of a formal knight, escaping would require a considerable price, making it a losing proposition.

However, from a wizard's perspective, the core of the Nightmare Tree Monster is an excellent material for alchemy and priesthood, and is quite valuable.

The wizard apprentice left the camp most likely to search for the core of the tree monster. Even if he couldn't use it himself, he could make a fortune by selling it to other wizard apprentices.

Moreover.

The life or death of one or two mortals is nothing compared to the value of a tree monster core. Even if they can't explain themselves back at the academy, they'll only get a verbal reprimand from their instructors at most.

Knight Commander Obel noticed Vic's actions, but merely glanced at him without stopping him.

In his view, leaving his protective zone was tantamount to courting death.

But he wouldn't stop a lowly male servant who thought himself clever and wanted to escape before danger arrived.

And it eliminates one burden.

Sigurd, the baron's daughter, would be safer behind him.

the other side.

Hearing Aaron's mutterings, Sigurd frowned and snapped in a low voice, "Shut up if you don't want to die."

But before she could finish speaking...

Suddenly, Knight Commander Aubert covered her mouth tightly from the side and quickly gestured for everyone to be quiet.

Although the night was very dark.

But in the limited light, one could vaguely see that Aubert's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

Sigs stared in horror, her eyes widening, and froze on the spot.

Unbeknownst to them, a slender vine had silently climbed up the leg of the dark-skinned, thin boy, and then slowly wriggled across his body.

even.

Aaron himself was unaware of the strangeness under his feet and was still muttering to himself.

As the wizard apprentice Kers explained when he left, the Nightmare Tree Monster was a bizarre creature that was extremely sensitive to sound and light.

Because Siggs's voice was much louder than when Aaron was talking to himself.

The vine that had been resting at the knees of the thin, dark-skinned boy suddenly lunged forward, like a venomous snake that had spotted its prey, and abruptly stopped in front of Siggs's nose.

The vines wiggled slowly, seemingly still trying to pinpoint the exact location of their prey.

At one point, Sigurds almost got her eyes cut.

Upon witnessing this horrifying scene, everyone in the camp fell silent, even suppressing their breathing, afraid to make a sound, hoping to delay until the Nightmare Tree Monster's vines left.

However, the strange creature was no ordinary beast.

The vine, which was slowly reaching forward, inexplicably paused in mid-air after touching Siggs's cheek.

After sensing the slight tremor of the ground, Knight Commander Aubert's pupils contracted sharply, and he immediately felt something was wrong. He drew his short sword and cut the vines that were reaching towards Sigurds.

He roared hoarsely, "This is a trap! Run!"

(End of this chapter)