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The jungle was finally no longer difficult to traverse with, it's still heavy with vines around and grasses as if tried to swallow their feet, but no sneak up attack from a snake, or any rodent tried to climb their pants and robbed the manhoods.

The green orb fluttered around Momo, it snuggled into her cheek and sometimes rested on her head, the devilukian giggled at its behavior.

She named this new friend of her as Cipiri, it reminded her of one of the plant-based creatures in one of the planet.

But the tree spirit seemed very domineering, it smacked Alex's on the cheek for trying to get close to Momo, not hurt, of course, it's like being punched with a sponge.

Alexis walked side by side with Shizuka, there were not many conversations between them, but probably just because no topics particularly came into their mind.

"Ms. Kunoichi..."

"Just call me Shizuka..."

"Shizuka... that's a strange name, forgive me for being rude, but are you from Hidden Continent?"

"Why makes you think so?"

"Your technique from before, the way you cast it through making a seal with hand, I have seen one before used by a person from Hidden Continent..."

"I see... but I am not from there, perhaps my teacher, my technique mostly self-taught under her guidance, as for that binding technique, Alex gave it to me..."

"Sir. Star?"

Alexis widened her eyes, couldn't help but looked at the man in front.

"Yes, he is quite a nomad, had visited many strange places and got himself some treasures, this technique is one of them..."

"I see..."

Meanwhile...

"So, a monkey walks into a tavern and says, 'One banana drink, please'."

Elliot and the three soldiers were having a good time in their life...

"Then it hands the shaker a gold, the shaker thought, 'Hmm... how can a monkey possibly know the price of drink', so he gave it 10 silver as a change, he says 'You know, we don't get too many monkeys in here'. The monkey replies, 'Well no shit, one drink is 90 silver, I am not coming back, either'."

The three soldiers were laughing boorishly, it somewhat hard to believe just a moment ago they were screaming.

Alex smiled as he looked over his shoulder, Nuon on his side casually trod the path with his staff.

"It's been a while since I have companions..."

Alex looked at the man, an Eldritch could live a lot longer than an Elf or a Slyph, the system said their lifespan perhaps reached 500 years, yet the man only became the Protector of the Realm 10 years ago, such when he's no longer a youth or even a middle-aged man like him... he wondered what kind of a journey the Eldritch had gone through...

"Before I was chosen, I was an adventurer, like to walk and venture the 'no man's land', seeking the truth of the world."

"What did you discover?"

"Strange things, enigmatic, marvelous, dread... the most horrible nightmare... and the most wonderful dream..."

Nuon sighed, the weary eyes revealed a soothing gentleness.

"Of all those times... were you alone?"

"Well... no, I have... a partner..."

Alex nodded, he knew by the man's tone, it was not convenient to talk about, he asked something else.

"Mr. Nuon, do you know anything about Dragon?"

Perhaps it was his misconception, but Nuon's eyebrows stiffened briefly, then he tilted his head upward while caressing his beard.

"Dragon... a creature where steel was futile, magic was half-effective, their fire-breathing mouth roasted a gold into a molten, and tail swept a rich plain into a clean slate one..."

Alex bitterly curled his lips, his heart skipped a beat, and he held a cold breath.

"Yeah... powerful, aren't they?"

Nuon turned toward him and smiled, his gaze was deep yet comforting.

"But not to worry about, Dragon was no animal or monster, they were a race that capable of restraint anger even perhaps more than us... and they also had been extinct a millennia ago..."

Extinct... so did Alexis say to him before, but the process of extinction itself, she didn't even know...

"Actually, it's been bothering me, how such a creature went extinct?"

"Oh, there has never been a clear reason behind it, some said the dragons had a civil war, some said they on the war with others, some said they died on a plague, some said they were hunted, all we knew they no longer existed."

So there were some records, but, with that many possibilities, which one was true?

"But doesn't it bother you? How come no one knew exactly what happened?"

"..."

Seeing the Eldritch didn't respond, Alex wrinkled his eyebrows, perhaps he was also curious...

"Mr. Star, I had checked even into the Ancient Wisdom, no book or record clearly told how the dragons suddenly vanished..."

What's Ancient Wisdom?

"Ancient Wisdom is a grand library, Alex, you can access some books that generally not available outside, they kept many old pieces of literature and manuscripts; if there was a place with the best chance to know about Dragon, that was it."

So did the system explains, Alex couldn't help but remember 'The World Digital Library' created by UNESCO and the United States Library of Congress...

"Well, based on Nuon's experience, it's apparently not true..."

"Alex, Ancient Wisdom has five layers of knowledge, the first layer was general knowledge, things you could find even in many stores, the further you went down the ground, the more confidential knowledge you might find. Most people could only achieve the second layers, few reached the third layers, minuscule on the fourth layers, and none at the five layers."

"Was there a sort of test or something to enter the layers?"

"Yes, there was a puzzle on every layer that must be solved, and each layer of Ancient Wisdom except for the first one was filled with monsters, they were the sentries that protect the information and secret inside the library."

Ah no wonder, a place contained much knowledge like that was too important without protection, no different than a treasure vault.

"Mr. Nuon, what layer of Ancient Wisdom you capable to arrive?"

The Eldritch somewhat wryly smiled, his green cheek was actually red...

"It's a shame, I only arrived at the third..."

The third?!

Someone with a strength of Grand Master only capable of reaching the third layer of Ancient Wisdom? Did that mean to access the Forth and the Fifth, one must attain the Saint and Sage's rank respectively?!

"Hah... I and my partner tried to breach the next layer, but the monsters there was simply squeezed my bones out..."

He was not even alone...

"System, who created that place?"

"No one knew... it's been there, in the middle of the desert at stardust Continent, people just discovered it..."

Alex scratched his head, this world had too many mysteries, and he hated mystery... why couldn't he transmigrate into a more carefree world?

After a while, the team arrived at the last checkpoint before everything went hell a few hours ago.

"Just follow the connected trunks, it'll lead you a huge tree where we discovered the problem..."

The Eldritch said he needed to locate a center point of the Old Woodlands so he could cleanse and purify the nature in the jungle.

"This is an interesting ability... if you can make it for the entire forest, people wouldn't have to worry about hellhounds again..."

Nuon laughed while marveling at the tree, Momo slightly bashful.

"You know, even with my magic, I can't grow a whole tree, at most only a branch, or manipulated what I have in the area... young miss, perhaps the mother of nature had chosen you as their envoy?"

"No, no, I am... just a little girl..."

"Haha... and I am a descendant of a tree... common sense doesn't apply in this world..."

The Eldritch's beard shook as he cheerfully laughed, then after he calmed down, Nuon extended his hand toward Alex.

"It's my pleasure to have known such spirited youngsters, I wished for our meeting again in the future..."

Alex smiled, softly accepted Nuon's hand and grasped it.

"Thank you for everything, Mr. Nuon."

At this moment, Alex hesitated, considered whether should tell Nuon or not, but his status was the Protector of the Realm, even if he hadn't know yet, it was the thing he should warn up against.

"Mr. Nuon, regarding the dragon... I think we should check more about them... perhaps... your task is more closely related to them..."

Nuon's corner of the lips lifted upward, then he nodded.

Momo came to my side, the green orbs rested on her both palms.

"I promise I will take care of Cipiri for you..."

"I believe you can do it."

Then the Eldritch turned around, they saw his white cloak slowly made way toward the deep of the jungle and disappeared behind the green curtain.

(***)

Nuon said that there were two people in the forest that might greatly help Alex's journey, and luckily both of them were at the East Area of the Old Woodlands, the gang could make their toward the exit while looking for them.

Alexis walked toward Alex's side, she hesitated for a brief and then said.

"Sir. Star, I am sorry for my impudence, but may I ask... what's the nature of your journey?"

She knew Alex was not someone who tasked to investigate the goblin in the Dawn Forest, it was a complete an accident, but this made Alexis grew respect more for the man, she and Elliot had never been received kindness from a total stranger.

"Well, I am not sure myself... but it is important, just think of me as a man with a mission..."

Alex didn't really want to bring the pair of brother and sister into his ordeal, they had enough problems of their own...

"I see..."

Alexis seemingly understood his intention, didn't ask any longer.

"So, a Lionheart, huh?"

"!"

The she-knight suddenly went red, her gesture was all over the place as if tried to give an explanation, making the middle-aged man let out a chuckle.

"Don't worry, you have not offended me or something, and told you the truth, I have my suspicion..."

It started from the moment Damian discovered a Lionheart signet ring from one of the goblin's corpse, he had a feeling that soon or later, the master of the ring would have shown up.

Alexis pouted, this was the first time she actually showed a cutesy manner like this.

"I am sorry, Sir. Star... I don't mean to deceive you..."

"I understand, oh, by the way, stop calling me Sir. Star... Alex is fine..."

"Oh um..."

The girl tilted her head, she looked toward the side.

"What is it?"

"No, it's just... I never expected our name will be this similar..."

Alex chuckled, made a somewhat hoodlum face.

"Maybe... I was secretly your father..."

"!"

Alexis snapped her head toward him and dropped her jaw, Alex thought perhaps she was trying to follow up the jokes, but who knew she suddenly trembled, her eyes swirling with confusion.

"Really? Are you... are you our father?"

Her tone was deadly serious, Alex dropped a small sweat, it was either she's a very good actress, or she simply didn't know he was kidding around.

"No... I am not serious..."

The she-knight suddenly let out a small relief, patting her breastplate, meanwhile, Elliot from behind bitterly laughed.

"Jason, when you later look for a girl, try not someone like my sister, she absolutely won't know you even hitting on her..."

The soldier wryly laughed, he was not thinking about dating at any moment.

Alex shook his head, then softly looked at the girl.

"But I think your name matched your temperament..."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, from my place... Alex or Alexis hailed from the same origin, 'Alexander'... it means the defender or the protector... so your action which to protect your brother from any harm suited well with your name..."

"Ah, I see, I never know about it, my wish to protect Elliot stemmed from my will only..."

"That makes it more admirable, you know there are many brother and sister, or any sibling, that care to each other but somehow unable to express it openly, they play it cool like it is something embarrassing, but in truth, it's something I found very sweet and adorable, making me wish to have my own sibling..."

Alexis startled and quickly snapped her face away, her footsteps lagged slightly.

"Wow, smooth..."

The people behind whistled, Momo stared in silent while Shizuka didn't seem to care.

After some time, there was a small clearing, they saw a big-sized chicken crossed in front...

"That's a cockatrice!"

They stopped and lined up behind a tree, the soldiers had readied their weapon, but then Alex lifted his hand, he looked at Alexis.

"Alexis, can you handle that monster?"

The she-knight knitted her eyes and stared at the monster ahead with a focus, then she nodded toward him.

"Then, please, killed it for me..."

"Alright."

Alexis walked out and stopped a few meters from the giant-chicken, the monster caught her form and immediately turned around to face her, it let out a small cry before darted toward Alexis with its beak readied, she lightly jumped to the side as the beak passed her right, then swung down her sword toward the monster's neck.

It sliced the red scale but didn't behead the monster, the she-knight slightly startled but she acted fast, retreated quickly before the cockatrice retaliated.

She likely forgot the weapon she held now wasn't Lionel Sidonis, but a mere Iron Sword with a special attribute.

Alex knitted his eyebrows, but he had expected the sword wouldn't be so sharp, otherwise, why would different metal exist then?

The cockatrice roared, it tried to attack Alexis several times but failed, only received more injuries on the neck part.

Finally, knowing it couldn't win, the monster turned around and prepared to escape, but before it could go far, the giant-chicken let out a painful shriek, it went berserk and trashed the trees around, its voice was like someone got chocked.

There had been several swelling on the monster's neck, normally, the poisonous attribute of the sword shouldn't occur this fast, but Alexis slashed the area over and over again, increasing the effectivity.

The she-knight walked over and lifted her sword, tried to gather strength on her arm before swiftly swung down her sword and cut deep the monster's neck, blood spurted out as the monster let out a last yelp, then it no longer moved.

Alex waited for the announcement from the system, but...

"Nothing happened..."

Alex sighed, this meant his attempt failed.

"Alex, I have told you it's not going to succeed, but if you wish to have the non-summon to benefit you, I have several suggestions."

"One, establish a master-servant magical contract with Alexis, this not only you can detect her presence, but both of your attributes could be enchanted through this method. Two, establish a pact with Alexis, making her what you can be called as Magic Minister, there are several benefits you could gain from it, but no instant attributes enchantment. Three, you change race, perhaps something like vampire or werewolf, and you bit her, turning and making your servant or familiar.

"Among these three, which of them most beneficial?"

"Master-servant magical contract, its entire premise laid on trust and loyalty, the higher they get, the stronger both Master-servant could be, it was rumored that those who could reach the highest rank of the contract, where the servant gave both his or her soul and body to their master, no one could beat them any longer in a fight."

"Was there a chance that I could establish the three of them in a single person?"

"Uuuu... you're greedy... as expected of my master, and yes, the answer is you can..."

Not long after, they stumbled into a treant, it wasn't hard for them to dispatch it, Momo also even help in a heartbeat.

Alex slightly felt discontent with how big his experience was... and how small these monsters actually yield the experience...

Sometimes he wondered whether the person who sent him here was really serious about making him fighting the dragon...

They soon arrived at the deep ravine that separated the Old Woodlands sides, Momo used her ability to make a bridge, they crossed it over with no problem.

Nuon told them to walked slightly toward the Southeast, later looked for a cliff, and they would have found the first person.

The sun had declined toward the west, the blue sky atop had darkened, they saw a rocky cliff with a straight surface, well, it's actually more like higher ground, the height was probably only 100 meters.

There was a small spot on the cliff's surface, they could see someone there but it's still too far to identify.

"Wait."

Momo took out her phone and aimed the camera, Alexis and Elliot confusedly looked at the item, pondering what sort of device was this.

Alex's camera was good but Momo's one was an Alien Tech... who could beat that?

*Snap!*

They gazed at the display of her phone and surprised at the appearance of the figure in the picture... well actually, the one who surprised was Alex and Shizuka...

Momo definitely had seen a lot weirder.

Dick, Jason, and Damian pretty much had seen lots of humanoids even in the Red Ribbon Army.

Alexis and Elliot were more marveling at Momo's phone, Elliot's bleeding cried inside, he was a painter and this device could do a much better job than him...

They soon arrived at the base of the cliff, leaning back their head to look at the spot where that person was.

"Hello, are you still alive up there?"

Then the response came up like a bolt of lightning...

"Nyaaa! Help me Nyaa!"

Spoiler

Scared Furry

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