Chapter 41

I caught the network signal, and we charged straight ahead to break through the shortest path.

With our formation well-prepared from multiple battles, we could advance without hesitation.

On either side, the fires were drawn in by Mesquite, who focused their attention, while Daisy flew around like a bee, cutting off their breathing space.

Indeed, if we hadn't gone through previous battles, this large-scale battle would have been difficult. It would have been the perfect difficulty for a total wipeout if we were completely unprepared.

Not only were the fires large, but they also came in an unending stream.

It became clear: the 26th administrative officer who gave us the quest is a fraud! What kind of beginner's quest is this?

Only someone like me and my dryads could handle this. Ordinary people couldn't even approach this area and had to retire!

Mesquite built a massive sand wall on the left where Daisy had swept away the fires. When Daisy finished off the right side, a sand wall also rose there.

The fires gathered in front of Mesquite like fish in a fish farm.

Mesquite instantly switched from defense to offense, forcefully thrusting the lance at the fires in front.

All the fires in front were extinguished like candles hit by a bat. The front was left empty, like the parted sea of Moses.

I almost clapped my hands, but then Elder suddenly picked me up and started running forward.

Hold on a second. Could you have warned me? I can't breathe with my stomach being squeezed.

It felt like I was being carried as luggage on a bicycle riding on a rough dirt road. I barely managed to steady my vision, which was wildly shaking up and down, and looked at my phone screen.

A message appeared, indicating that we were getting close to the adjacent terrarium artifact.

Where are you? I came because I received your distress signal. Draw an SOS in the air... there, there!

I slapped Elder's arm and pointed to a spot. There, buried deep in a giant tree, was a person.

The rest of the area was completely charred black, but the area around the tree was abnormally intact and clean.

We had just broken through the front, but the fires were starting to fill the gaps again, like the tide erasing footprints on the beach.

Even if we tried to get closer, it would be a nuisance if we drew too much of the fires' attention.

I looked at Elder, asking if it was time for the ultimate move, and he suddenly put me down. Without any warning, I was enveloped in his large embrace from behind.

Feeling dazed, I gripped the staff Elder offered. His cloak fell over my shoulder, and his large hand covered mine.

The staff we held together was enveloped in white light.

"Though it's a bit early."

Unlike the battle with the carriage boss, it felt like something was missing. I didn't feel entirely like a small world tree.

This is what it means to be too early. A sweet fragrance wafted from the staff, and the mist it emitted began to envelop the area.

Thanks to Mesquite, who completely abandoned defense and thrust the lance, and Daisy, who gave up evasion and ran around, we were able to establish a decent defensive line. The fires couldn't easily approach within the range of the mist.

As steam spewed from the parts where the mist touched, the fires quickly retreated. The fires within the mist were all cleared by my dryads.

Seeing that my dwarves were quiet... the source of the diamonds isn't me. I need to refill the diamonds before they start complaining. Even when I let go of the staff, the mist continued to persist.

I slipped out from under Elder's arm and cautiously approached the tree where the person was buried.

Dozens of tree roots had risen from the ground, imprisoning an old man. The old man inside was holding a round shield tightly, his eyes closed. He's not dead, is he...?

The tree looked weak and ready to crumble at any moment. Along with the ash flying around, the dried-up leaves of the tree were pitifully scattered.

Yet, I had a reason to believe the tree was still alive and holding on. A faint pulse of life resonated deep within my heart.

The swaying branches seemed to greet me with a welcoming gesture, as if they had finally met someone they had been waiting for a long time.

The closer I got, the more the ground under my shoes began to ripple, as if in a hallucination. I felt that I had entered the tree's sphere of influence, and my phone rang.

Adjacent Terrarium Artifact: Scarecrow