Desire

The forest was drenched in darkness. It seemed as if the only place the forest existed was in a completely different world. The sky was clear. It was day. The sun was high.

The forest was night.

It was a long way away, but everyone could feel the ominosity of the forest. The azin on the horse narrows his eyes and looks at the forest. Like water pouring out from above, the black forest was covered by dense trees.

“That's upsetting.”

The emperor standing beside you mutters. He nodded slightly. The forest has tickled the fear that lies deep within the human nature. The sighting alone overwhelms me.

“I see why there's not a single person around here. I wouldn't want to live if I were you. ”

The emperor frowns and mutters. The emperor said that there seemed to be nothing to be afraid of, so I came closer.

And Azin empathized with his words without even knowing it. Azin's back was damp with cold sweat. I felt like I was looking into a deep abyss. Or it's like seeing a monster in the abyss. I feel like I don't know it, and I can see the fear of breathing in it. Ajin chewed his lips well.

“What about the vanguard?”

“I didn't come back. ”

The swordsman replies, with a low smile from the emperor.

“I see.”

He replied with a grave voice.

It has been a long time since the Empire was founded. For a long time, he did not go out to subdue the Black Forest. This was human land, human continent, and human empire. The emperors who ruled the only empire on the continent were arrogant, rugged and full of confidence.

The first emperor, who ordered the subjugation, stepped forward to subdue the realm of magic on human soil. He returns home after losing most of his men.

The second emperor who ordered the subjugation saw the first of the defeat as an ignorance of the Undead. He took only a few knights into the forest, shouting, "If I take many soldiers with me, I'll end up slitting my throat." Eventually, he loses all his knights and returns alone.

The third emperor who ordered the subjugation sent brave knights and sworn allegiances and excellent wizards instead of going himself. None of them came back.

And this is the fourth time. This is the fourth jungle subjugation in Gracia's history.

“All the previous emperors failed. ”

The emperor opened his mouth.

“The lesson they learned from their failure was that you cannot subdue that monster's forest. Let's just keep it that way. That was the conclusion. I left the forest intact and didn't do anything. It didn't do any harm. It's ominous. ”

The emperor's eyes narrowed.

“But not this time. Monsters of the forest have allied themselves with the Dark Star and dared to invade Verzola and kill the nobles. Even if every previous subjugation fails... You can't just turn a blind eye. ”

“Indeed, it is. ”

The swordsman replied with a stiff face. Azin looks down at the forest without a word.

This subjugation did not involve as many soldiers as Galios did. Instead, I increased the number of articles. The Knights of the Republic of Hemonia, including the Imperial Knights, and the Knights of each territory. The number of articles gathered like that reached 5000.

There were 2,000 wizards attached to it. They were all respectable people. Gracie's current power was stronger than ever in history.

That's why I joined the subjugation.

“50 knights sent to scout. There were 10 wizards there. ”

“Reconnaissance will be pointless. It's a forest of monsters that we don't understand with common sense. ”

“Then, we have to face each other directly. ”

The emperor smiles and mutters. You didn't bring the Crown Prince with you this time. It was too dangerous. Originally, Ajin should have remained there as Hermione's escort, but the Emperor ordered all of Hermione's guards to protect it and brought Gekko Azin with him.

The existence of Azin was that important to the subjugation. The emperor looked up at the sky.

“Is today the New Moon? ”

“Yes.”

Muren replies: The power of magic grows on the night of the full moon. In order to be careful of that, the movement of the Punitive Force fled the full moon. And tonight is the New Moon. The moon rises the same, but the night of the sacred month is better than the night of the full moon.

“Why don't you spend the day and head out into the woods at dawn?” “The Black Forest is right around the corner. If we camp here, those monsters may run off into the woods and ambush us.” “Can the magic of the forest come out of the forest?” “You've already come out once. ”

Muren's lips are closed to the sword's answer.

“The queen is the only one who can't leave the forest. That doesn't apply to the monsters she controls. Ambush... ambush. They already know we're here. ”

Azin glances at the forest.

“Still, attacking by day and not by night can be disadvantageous to them. ”

“It would be better to go now than for them to go off into the night. ”

The emperor has made a decision.

“Tell the knights and wizards. Into the woods.”

It was a bold order.

*

Durahan, Desknight, Banshee, Rich, Vampire, Lycanslope. Among the magic and undead that exist in the forest, the six factions are the strongest and most powerful. They formed groups and tribes in different ways.

And the strongest and most distinguished of the six gathered in front of the lake. It was the Queen's call.

“Who is the next Vampire Lord? ”

Frostfangs bite. He was the chief of the Black-Mane tribe, and the Black-Mane tribe was the most powerful and violent Lycanslope tribe in the forest. The chief of that tribe, Surrie Toothless, was the most powerful Lycanslope and king of Lycanslope.

“The first bloodline of the alkadion. That Rosik is in a position of excess. ”

The red-headed vampire bows. He snorted.

“You've been through a lot. I can't believe he's going to die like that. Who would have imagined that? ”

“You're right. ”

Dumbbell, Durahan Lord, replies. He was a giant globe, and his neck was empty. Instead, the severed head was floating in the air.

“The Alkadion was extinct without even a single drop of blood. Idiot. Who would have thought the old monster would perish on the night of the full moon? ”

Rufus, a master rich man, scoffs at you with a scraping voice. Rossik tightens his head without answering.

“A reconnaissance group of 60 from the Human Army invaded the forest. ”

Bolaris, the head of Death Knight, has opened his mouth. Everyone's gaze was on him.

“The human army gathered outside the forest has 5000 knights and 1000 wizards. They were all supposed to be elite. ”

“You have to be human. I'm not afraid. ”

Banshee Queen Charlotte growls. Everyone agreed with him. They have lived in these woods for a long time. Some were born here, some came here from the outside, but even though they had different races and births, they did not think of their defeat in common.

Bolaris, the master of Death Knight, was a monster thousands of years old. He was the prince of Saleria, who was called the knight kingdom at the beginning of the Gratia, when there was no empire on the continent yet. Saleria was defeated by the invasion of Gracia, and Bolaris, the prince and great knight, became the Death Knight, despairing of Ahdim who did not save the kingdom. The Knights of Death Knight, led by him, were mostly the Knights of Saleria that were destroyed, and the Knights of Death, except for him, were all famous knights.

That's it. Rufus, master rich, was a great wizard who existed at the beginning of the Pentagon. He became rich with a desire to see the end of magic and denied death, and was a bitter monster with all sorts of academic magic and dark magic. Durahan Lord Dumbbell was the leader of the mercenaries who rocked the continent in the long war for conquest. Chalos and Surrie Dens were born in these woods, but they were also monsters that had nothing to cherish compared to the chiefs of other races.

“Let's get out of the woods. ”

Dumbbell says in a hurry. His floating face reveals yellow teeth.

“It's been a long massacre. I can't because I'm so hot. I want to run out of the woods and tear their flesh apart. ”

“I agree. There's no need to wait until nightfall. I'm willing to run out and swallow them. ”

Surrie said with a big smile. At that, Bolaris shakes his head.

“The Queen will not allow it. ”

The short words silenced the dumbbells and the frontal teeth. Rufus smiles low.

“There's no rush. They're gonna get in here anyway. You don't even think this place is a tomb. ”

“Where is the queen? ”

Charlotte asked. Instead of answering the question, she looked away. They stare at the small house beyond the lake.

“Is he there again? ”

The dumbbell grunts.

“You must really like the doll from the outside. The one who used to sleep deep in the lake, now he's always in that house. ”

“That girl's face is quite against it. But I don't know why the Queen would take her. Did you know that the queen...”

The laughter of dumbbells stops. Something cold touched his neck. The head of the floating dumbbell glares.

“What are you trying to do? ”

“Thou shalt not take the queen with thy filthy tongue. ”

Bolaris' sword touches the neck of the dumbbell. Dumbbells grin, revealing his teeth in Bolaris' grin.

“I said something profane.”

“It was blasphemous.”

The voice draws near. Dumbbells scramble with a clear face. Bolaris hurries his sword into the ground.

The queen was there from the beginning, standing at the center of them. The dumbbell's severed head is white. The queen looks at the dumbbells with narrow eyes.

“But I forgive you. ”

The queen sags. Dumbbells to her knees and lowers. All the monsters adopted that attitude. The queen sweeps slowly through the monsters around her.

“Guests will be here soon. ”

The queen opened her mouth.

“It's been a long time since I've had a guest. It's been centuries since so many humans have come to this forest. The beings that do not belong to me come into my domain. ”

“I'll catch and kill you. ”

Bolaris says, the queen nods slowly.

“Do whatever you want, do whatever you want. Kill if you want to kill. Kill if you want to catch. If you wish to show mercy, you may show mercy. ”

The queen raises her hand. She points to the house beyond the lake.

“However."

The queen's voice lowers.

“Don't let anyone near that house. ”

The queen said, and no one asked why. The queen appeared in person. The queen's words to the monsters were absolute.

Everyone listened to him and choked his head.