Chapter 531: Red Hood

“Oh… Impressive.”

Oliver watched the battle between the Red Hood Family and the Broken Sword Mercenaries from afar and expressed his admiration.

Both sides were highly skilled, capable enough to claim a notable position even in Randa.

Particularly, the Red Hood Family, though fewer in number, showcased individual prowess as highly skilled warlocks.

The fact that they handled eight different plague-enhancing dark magic spells effortlessly was proof of their expertise. Their coordination was also quite commendable.

Usually, warlock organizations might appear disciplined and united, but their synchronization often fell short. That wasn’t the case here.

Perhaps it was a given, considering they came to claim the Flesh Cook’s legacy, they must have had the minimum required skills.

[But the most remarkable thing is the Red Hood’s strategy.]

Eve, observing the Red Hood Family’s battle through the World Tree, spoke through the communication device attached inside her shirt collar.

Oliver agreed.

Their dark magic skills and teamwork were excellent, but the mercenaries on the opposing side were no slouches either. Each of them was a well-trained veteran with impeccable teamwork.

The fact they responded effectively to unexpected attacks demonstrated their capabilities.

Above all, the head of the opposing faction, assumed to be a member of the Pure Magic Faction, was an exceptional mage capable of wielding a hundred swords simultaneously.

A superhuman who could single-handedly shift the tide of battle.

Objectively, the fight between the Red Hood Family and Broken Sword was not one that could be resolved quickly.

Yet the battle ended swiftly, thanks to the exceptional strategy of Red Hood using dark magic-enhanced wolves.

From afar, it might have appeared as a brutish attack focusing on enhanced physical strength and cannibalistic recovery, but Oliver could tell it was more than that.

Red Hood accurately identified the weakened state of the retreating Broken Sword, exploiting their vulnerable psychology for a precise strike.

After continuously sending out subordinates to distract the enemy, Red Hood himself dealt a significant blow with high-firepower dark magic.

Then the close combat ensued.

He perfectly led the battle. What was interesting was that even in such intense moments, he remained calm and waited.

He waited until emotions reached their peak on the battlefield, until the opponent revealed their last resort.

It was a meticulously calculated battle from beginning to end.

In the end, the mercenary leader revealed his final card, prompting Red Hood to engage without hesitation, crushing the opposition before they could fully unleash their strength.

It was no ordinary feat. Even in the underworld, it was rare to see someone fight so meticulously.

With the loss of their leader, the mercenaries lost their will to fight, crumbling like sand, their bodies turning into meat and weapons into spoils.

Grrr…

Crunch. Chew.

Crack… Snap!

The sound of flesh being devoured echoed quietly through the Verdant Forest, while Oliver observed the scene, indifferent.

The sight of people being eaten might have felt odd, but considering the setting, it didn’t evoke any strong emotions.

After all, everyone who came here must have staked their lives. Besides, there were other concerns to think about. Like…

“Eve.”

[Yes. Dave.]

Eve responded through the communication device attached to Oliver’s shirt collar.

“Can you explore the inner area of the forest with the World Tree?”

Oliver asked, looking towards the center of the Verdant Forest.

It was a question he might not have asked normally. His Warlock’s Eye would have sufficed for confirmation. But this situation was different.

[Sorry. I can’t observe it properly.]

Eve gave a reply as expected. Oliver replied while still staring at the center of the Verdant Forest.

“It’s alright. I don’t see anything either.”

Oliver, who could take in sights of large towns in a single glance, explained.

The reason was a mysterious barrier within the forest, laced with dark magic, that obscured his vision like a fog or veil.

Even Eve, who could observe most of the ground through the World Tree, couldn’t see inside, likely because of this barrier.

The World Tree, theoretically capable of observing any area it extended to, couldn’t glimpse this region or areas hidden by advanced barriers.

This meant the barrier at the forest’s center was no ordinary one.

[It seems the rumor might be true, that the Flesh Cook hired a dark mage to place a barrier in this forest.]

Oliver’s interest was piqued. Although he couldn’t claim to know the Flesh Cook well, Oliver had seen enough to know he wasn’t the type to easily entrust tasks to others.

To be trusted, one needed both credibility and skill. The fact that he entrusted someone was intriguing.

“If we trace it back to when the Flesh Cook bought this forest, perhaps we can find out.”

[Possible. But it could take quite some time to dig up the records from 87 years ago, during Gallos’s chaotic period when the Flesh Cook purchased the forest.]

“Ah, then it’s fine.”

Oliver immediately refused. Although curious, he didn’t want to invest time in this when there were more pressing matters.

Moreover, Eve was currently assisting with research at the Tower of Magic, so her time to assist Oliver was somewhat limited. Wasting that valuable time wasn’t an option.

[What I’ve confirmed so far is that many who entered the forest’s center have either gone missing or emerged injured. These injuries included not just physical harm but mental trauma as well.]

“Hmm… I see.”

[Are you concerned? About the Millieu people who moved to the forest’s center first?]

Indeed. When Oliver mentioned retrieving the key from Red Hood, Millieu moved swiftly to the center, setting up near the Flesh Cook’s old castle, preparing to breach.

It was a risky plan, but also a logical one. Speed was of the essence in this situation.

Though acquiring the key was necessary to claim the legacy, there were tales of others entering without one, so there was no time to delay.

When Eve questioned him, Oliver shook his head.

“No. Everyone there can protect themselves. Plus, with the Holy Knight in their group, I don’t expect any problems.”

Oliver recalled the scene of the Holy Knight wiping out zombies with a gatling gun.

Though he used a rather unusual weapon for a Holy Knight, his skill was undeniable, effortlessly clearing the zombies despite distance.

As far as Oliver was concerned, this Holy Knight was the most exceptional he had ever met.

Though he kept a silent watch on Oliver and was mysterious, his competence was trustworthy. Even the dark magic-imbued barrier would pose no significant threat.

Probably, Lucian considered this when deciding to head for the forest’s center. He wasn’t a reckless person after all.

Oliver’s concern lay elsewhere.

“Red Hood seems to know something about the barrier in the forest.”

[…Really?]

Eve asked again. She could observe and survey everything through the World Tree, but she wasn’t perfect.

Eve was an Artificial Intelligence born from the World Tree. Ironically, this made her prone to making mistakes, just like a human.

She might miss the meaning behind certain actions or succumb to visual errors like optical illusions.

This was partly why Oliver continued these conversations with Eve. Just as Oliver could learn from Eve, he hoped Eve could also learn from him.

Oliver acknowledged this fact and explained further.

“Red Hood has been on guard, watching the inner forest, for some time now.”

[Guarding is natural, isn’t it?]

“Guarding alone is natural, yes. But it’s as if he’s waiting for something, like he’s anticipating an opportunity. You need to know something to act like that. Otherwise, it’s impossible.”

After a brief silence, Eve responded.

[…Then it seems plausible. The Red Hood has been dangerously close to the forest center that I can’t observe. He might indeed know something.]

When Oliver added information about Red Hood’s emotions, Eve quickly made a conclusion.

It turned out watching Red Hood instead of attacking him immediately due to mere curiosity was a wise choice.

It allowed them to assess his level of dark magic, combat style, and even the red cloak item Lucian mentioned.

In conclusion, Red Hood was no ordinary individual.

Though he specialized in plague-type dark magic, he also had considerable expertise in other areas, with ample combat experience. Not to mention the unique red cloak, different from typical disguise items.

He was a truly fascinating figure.

How could a wolf speak human language and use dark magic? Judging by the aura he exuded, he seemed to be a product of dark magic.

Oliver decided this mystery needed to be solved soon.

A twitch.

As Red Hood, who had finished devouring the Broken Sword’s leader and officers, perked up his ears and suddenly lifted his head, turning it.

But it wasn’t towards Oliver.

Having gauged Red Hood’s detection range through Eve’s assistance, Oliver maintained a safe distance.

What Red Hood detected was something else—Oliver’s transport, the Werewolf.

“Krahahaha!!”

The Transport Zombie Puppet—Werewolf appeared from the opposite direction, letting out a roar.

The werewolf, with steel rods, nails, and screws embedded in its body, was enough to draw everyone’s attention. Oliver then moved his fingers, controlling the Zombie Puppet.

This was the first time he had controlled a Zombie Puppet so intensely in a battle. He began to understand why manipulation-type warlocks preferred to control their dolls from a distance.

Concentrating on the Zombie Puppet required more focus than expected. Trying to control it directly in battle was problematic. There was room for improvement.

‘For now, focus on this.’

Oliver steeled his mind and twitched his fingers.

In sync with Oliver’s fingers, the Transport Zombie Puppet—Werewolf planted its hands firmly on the ground, exuding blue magic steam from its body.

Mechanical sounds clicked inside its body. Moments later, huge gun barrels emerged from within the werewolf’s massive trapezius muscles.

“Kyaaa!!”

With the werewolf’s short, sharp cry, fire erupted from the gun barrels protruding from both sides of its trapezius muscles.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat-tat!

Inspired by the car gifted by Philip, Oliver had equipped the werewolf’s body with machine guns and other weapons as a second transport option. He hadn’t expected to use it like this, but it felt satisfying.

Surprised by the sudden appearance of the werewolf and the hail of lead bullets, the dark warlocks hesitated, causing them to react a beat too late, and some were shot down.

Although, thanks to their plague-enhancing dark magic, they avoided fatal injuries. What mattered was that damage was inflicted.

The dark warlocks, caught off guard, quickly became agitated and charged at the Zombie Puppet—Werewolf, providing Oliver the distraction he needed to immediately move.

“Minion.”

In response to Oliver’s call, two Minions activated.

One was right in front of Oliver; the other had flown low, cloaked in stealth dark magic, and reached close to Red Hood.

At Oliver’s command, the two Minions self-destructed, releasing large amounts of blood, creating a blood pool on the ground.

Oliver coated the communication device with magic to keep it dry from the blood, then entered the blood pool without hesitation, allowing himself to be pulled by an unknown current swiftly to Red Hood’s exact position.

Swish!

As Oliver emerged from the blood pool, his eyes met Red Hood’s.

Oliver observed Red Hood’s expression and emotions.

As expected, Red Hood’s face and emotions were thick with bewilderment, fear, and dread.

After all, he was still a beast. No matter how well he spoke, used dark magic, or resembled those rats at the orphanage, or the guard dogs in the mines, he was the same at his core.

This is why Oliver wanted to meet him. To ask, why are you so terrified when you see me? It’s a question he’d always been curious about with animals, but never had the chance to ask. Animals couldn’t speak after all.

Just as Oliver was about to restrain Red Hood, Red Hood used the agility unique to wild animals. Pulling out his own fur as a medium, he activated dark magic, creating three identical clones of himself.

Then shouted.

“Scatter!!”

Red Hood fled in four different directions. Oliver spoke.

“Minion.”

In response, hundreds of Minions poured out from all sides of the forest, surrounding Red Hood and his subordinates.