Published: August 25, 2025
Today, four chapters posted simultaneously.
This is the fourth chapter.
"So, this is the Shurus Great Tree Sea..."
After meeting Mr. Reinhardt and the others in Gana Forest, then parting ways, I traveled southeast for ten days and finally arrived at the entrance to the great tree sea. I had gathered as much information as I could beforehand, but seeing and feeling the real great tree sea in person was like stepping into a completely different world.
I was standing right at the borderline between the tree sea and the outside world. The colossal trees rising ahead and to the sides were so thick that, even with both my small hands stretched out, it would take about ten people to encircle one. Getting closer, they looked like walls. Their height was roughly estimated at around 40 meters.
At this point, they already seemed like quite giant trees, but astonishingly, these were still saplings. Apparently, the trees grow even larger—mature and ancient trees towards the interior of the tree sea—with heights reaching up to 150 meters and trunk diameters of 40 meters. At that scale, it’s even questionable whether the top can be seen from the ground. When I first saw the tree sea from a distance, I thought my sense of perspective was off.
The vines and leaves winding around the trees clearly resembled tropical plants. The air carried a heavy humidity and heat that stuck to my skin, making the atmosphere feel wet and sticky. Yet, looking behind me, the pastoral scenery of grasslands and mountains spread out peacefully—no giant trees, no tropical plants, and the air was much drier.
It was strange how just a few meters separated two completely different climates, vegetation, smells, and even the sounds of insects. Everything sensed by my five senses changed drastically. This sudden climate shift, and the wall-like density of the trees made me feel like the inside and outside of the tree sea were truly different worlds.
...Lady Felnoberia said it was like an experimental field, so maybe this place is like a greenhouse or a miniature garden.
"Let’s move on."
I can’t just stand here forever. Keeping alert, I stepped into the jungle. Since a certain number of adventurers entered here, some paths still existed around this area.
The paths were mostly animal trails, and visibility was poor because of the large leaves and hanging vines on either side, so caution was necessary... But since the trees were gigantic, the gaps between trunks were wider than expected. Weapons could be swung more easily here than in caves, abandoned mine shafts, or poorly built structures.
"! ‘Detection’!"
Less than five minutes after starting to walk, I heard a faint sound like grass being pushed aside. Immediately, I used a wave of mana to scan the surroundings and found many creatures moving quickly through the bushes, surrounding me. There were ten of them.
"Already this soon?"
"Gyaa!!"
Dodging a claw that lunged from the left bush, I slashed as I passed by. Fresh blood and a metallic stench filled the air as a shadow roughly the size of a horse rolled violently on the ground. It was a magical beast resembling a carnivorous dinosaur—a raptor.
"Gyaa!"
"Kishaa!!"
Even after cutting down one, the next attacked without pause.
Raptors are small among magical beasts but highly intelligent. The first one tried to ambush stealthily, but after its surprise attack failed, it quickly adapted its tactics. Using their numbers advantage, they surrounded their prey and attacked one after another with powerful jaws and sharp claws. Simple but effective—and annoying.
"Grrrrr..."
"Gyaa! Gyaa!"
"Gii!"
Outnumbered, the green-colored bodies blended well with the surroundings, making them hard to see. But I didn’t need to force an attack; I calmly dealt with each aggressor as they came. Dodging or parrying attacks from all directions, I methodically beheaded them one by one.
Soon, the pile of fallen comrades seemed to alarm them. The raptor pack instantly turned around and scattered like frightened spiders.