Chapter 87 - The Forest of the Dryads
Chapter 87 - The Forest of the Dryads
Draco stood over the Green Orcs, who had been beaten black and blue. If their mothers came down to gaze upon them, they would shake their heads and say that these weren't their children.
Roknar and his fighters could only cry internally as they kowtowed for forgiveness and benevolence.
Roknar was simple minded, but he was slightly clever. He begged and pleaded with Roma, who caved in under their entreaty. She didn't suggest anything to Draco, only staring at the fellow with those beautiful and honest eyes of hers.
Draco sighed and acquiesced for now. It wasn't that much of a big deal and the biggest factor that made him let them go was that the Green Orcs were necessary in his plan to clear this quest with a perfect rating.
Draco could only hope that whatever lessons Qiong Qi was giving Roma would blossom quickly. Her niceness was great, but was fine only when she geared towards him or his loved ones.
To others, she should display the personality she had cultivated due to her Mystic Arts. A cold and callous demeanor that threated death if they got too close.
"Report." Draco asked Roknar coldly.
The fellow was quick to respond. "Before you came, we had continuously cleared waves of the enemies, spreading out farther and farther as we fought."
Putting aside their silliness, the Green Orcs deserved praise. While the Gypsies turtled up and defended their turf and the Wood Elves carefully engaged in guerrilla warfare, they met their enemies head on and killed them to the point where they had ventured too far out.
Draco could only make some cursory remarks before leading Roma and Qiong Qi away.
"Where to now, Brother Draco?" Qiong Qi asked languidly, as he pranced along.
"Let's head to the forest of the Dryads." Draco stated with a bit of hesitation.
Qiong Qi and Roma were startled, especially Roma. Worry emitted off her in waves, her mouth opening and closing as she wanted to say many things.
In truth, the Dryads weren't evil or malicious. In fact one could say that they were extremely welcoming. Too welcoming in fact, especially to men.
Qiong Qi and Roma were worried on Draco's behalf. After all, Draco was literally a fatal lure to any female that found males s.e.x.u.a.lly attractive.
Before his bloodline release, Draco was bad enough. Now with the seal gone and his body rebuilt, only ghosts and gods could remain unmoved in his presence.
It was likely that the Dryads would be even fiercer than the Wood Elf girls when they saw him. They would pull out all the stops in order to drain him of enough seed to birth at least 10 generations!
Before, Draco was hesitant but accepted his fate. Like the Wood Elf girls, these Dryads would disappear when the quest was over, not counting the fact that his seed was bereft of genetic code.
Now… that safety no longer existed.
Dryads were wood spirits of the nymph family. Nymphs were typically the type to actively seek men for s.e.x, not even for survival, but for their own pleasure. They derived intense pleasures from s.e.x and craved it like junkies.
What was the difference between a nymph and succubus?
Firstly, one was of the devil race and the other was a fae race member. This meant that the former were devious and cunning, while the latter were pure and innocent.
Secondly, the succubus race didn't crave s.e.x. They enjoyed it sure, but only with certain males who fit certain criteria. Every other time was just business.
The nymphs enjoyed s.e.x irrespective of their partner, only noting the variance of their partners. It didn't matter whether fat or slim, small p.e.n.i.s or large, smelly or clean. Every instance of s.e.x felt great, just with different flavors.
Thirdly, the succubus race used s.e.x to steal Yang Essence from males as sustenance. To them, s.e.x was the same as eating a meal, but with extra steps.
The nymphs though, had s.e.x because it was nice. They didn't steal any essence or take anything away.
In fact, one could gain many benefits from the juices of the nymphs as well as other bodily fluids. In those rare cases where a nymph really loved her partner, the benefits gained would shock even hidden powers.
Lastly, and most importantly, succubi were vicious and cruel while nymphs were silly and naive.
Hence, Roma was worried. With the blazing beacon of attraction that was Draco, those idiotic nymphs would spend every waking moment thinking about how to bang Draco.
If he closed his eyes for one second, he might find himself pressed under a wave of Dryads who were fighting to get his member in them.
A truly euphoric life eh?
Simply… naive.
A succubi would r.a.p.e you to death if she had the chance, but she probably wouldn't for various reason, mostly due to personal safety. A nymph would r.a.p.e you to death because she was too engrossed in the pleasure, that she had failed to notice that you were dead.
The death rate when entering a place with nymphs was 100% for men!
Of course, if you were like the Green Orcs who captured them, you could control their l.u.s.t to an extent.
Like that, The Party of Three soon crossed over the central grasslands of the Four Point Valley, reaching the thick and tall forest of the Dryads.
This forest was not like the others in this same valley. It was huge and almost never ending, a sea of leaves and tress extending into the horizon. The trees were of a diverse variety, sharing no real uniformity.
Most of them were tall and huge, but some too were short and underdeveloped. All of them were extremely vibrant though, showing that their vitality was high.
In the distance, one could see a huge tree towering into the heavens. In truth, this tree could be seen from any point in the Four Point Valley, only that from afar, it was hard to make out.
However, now that the Party of Three were about to enter the Forest of the Dryads, they felt like this huge tree was like a beacon tower. It emitted a vast and ancient aura that could be senses this far out, so one could speculate that going closer would intensify this feeling.
With a deep breath, Draco took his first step into the Forest of the Dryads.
When he did, the branches of the trees began to shake a little, and their leaves rustled intensely. If it wasn't for the fact that there was no strong breeze, Draco would've believed that it was a product of wind.
But it was not.
As they walked further into the forest, the trees became more animated, no longer just having their branches trembling, but making their whole bodies sway like a flower in the wind.
Draco could occasionally hear the gentle titter of young girls, as well as the whisperings of the wind in his ears. Words couldn't be made out, but it sounded like a gentle invitation into a world of paradise and euphoria.
The deeper they went in, the stronger it became. It was also clear, that this only affected Draco. Qiong Qi and Roma did not seem to notice anything.
Before long, they reached a clearing, in which the gentle sunlight shined down on the flowers within.
It was truly a beautiful glade, with the vibrancy of nature arising from its aesthetical ambience.
However, what made Draco frown was the sheer number of girls in the area. They all sat on the tree branches high above, some seated normally, while others lay down on the leaves.
They all tittered and giggled as they stared at Draco with intense interest and curiosity. Their voices were extremely relaxing and pleasant to hear, making one automatically lower their guard.
They also stared at Roma and Qiong Qi, but without that particular intensity that they trained towards Draco.
Draco heard footsteps as the area went quiet immediately. All the girls became silent as they gazed at the new entrant with respect and reverence.
It was a beautiful and immensely alluring mature woman who looked between 30 to 40 years of age, her hair long and untied. It was a dark brown color that reflected her light brown eyes.
Her face was clearly sculpted with care, like an artist had taken his time to perfect the lines and ridges of her nose, lips and jaws. Her face was like Draco's, angular and extremely breathtaking.
Most of the Dryads shared the same look, and one would easily think they were clones of one another. The only differences came in their skin tone, personality and minor physical differences that set them apart.
None of them looked older than 20, most of them looking like girls around the age of 16 to 18.
Their bodies were unfairly proportioned too, with huge chests and protruding, upturned bums. Their skin was silky and unblemished, looking no different from that of a new born child.
Their clothing, if one could call it that, left nothing to imagination. It was essentially just a thin vine that wrapped around their chests, covering a large part of their n.i.p.p.l.es and aureole, but leaving the rest bare.
They had a vine that covered the lips of their vulva and their backroad, but that was it. Everything else was left bare.
Any man who saw the sight of over a hundred of beautiful girls dressed worse than even harlots, would become no less than a primal beast, dying in the throes of passion as he was unintentionally drained dry.
Draco wasn't a dog, but he wasn't a block of tofu either. He was moved by this heavenly sight, but it didn't manifest on his face. He retained his calm and uninterested aura, which further enthralled the nymphs.
To see a male who wasn't reduced to a mass of unintelligible l.u.s.t in their presence was an absolute novelty. It excited them on a deeper level, likely their racial instincts telling them that this was the ideal partner.
"Greetings, My Lord. We are the Dryads of the Four Point Valley. How can we help you?"
The mature Dryad spoke in a gentle and soothing tone, her voice causing the mind to slacken and become unguarded. It wasn't anything magical nor mystical, but just the natural response towards a lovely voice.
Draco folded his arms and spoke emotionlessly.
"My name is Draco, no last name. I am the representative of the Duke of Farst, here to quell the parasitic invasion that is troubling the Four Point Valley."
The Dryads were startled when they heard his introduction. Clearly, this fellow was someone of paramount importance, who they could not afford to offend in the least.
Thinking that, their playful sitting postures became more respectful, like children being placed before their fathers. The mature Dryad was also a bit startled, but smiled and bowed slightly.
"Ah, so it is Lord Draco. My name is Aisha. I am the current Queen of the Dryads."
Aisha introduced herself with a smile, her gracefulness slightly ruined by her massive chest jiggling about. She was similarly dressed like the other Dryads, making it extremely hard to put one's eyes anywhere decent.
With her noble demeanor and skimpy dressing, Draco was unsure of exactly how to treat this 'Queen'.
"Give me a report on the situation of your people since the outbreak of the parasites." Draco asked stoically.
"Of course. If Lord Draco would follow me, we can discuss this in a more private area." Aisha suggested with a gesture.
Draco felt like he was being led into the cooking pot, but there was no need to slap the face of a person who was being nice.
"Lead the way."
Of course, Draco made sure that Roma and Qiong Qi were near, so that he could remain safe. Even with his status being so high, it was unknown whether the Dryads would risk it all to ravage him or not.
The Party of Three were brought deeper into the forest, their trek bringing them near the great tree that towered into the heavens. Its aura began to wash over them, not exactly causing discomfort, but not easy to bear with either.
As the party walked, they were unaware that a pair of eyes appeared on one of the many trees in the forest. Truly this tree did not look like anything special, and its aura was muted, as well as perfect.
One could see that those eyes were imperious and disdainful of everything underneath the heavens but itself, pressing upon those who looked upon it to bow.
King watched Draco pass by, his mind still and his aura locked in. He observed the fellow like a person would a viper, his instincts screaming death and demise from Draco's body.
There was no suspense. If he was found out by the fellow, all that awaited him was death. This was why the haughty Ultima Sunt was so still, like a bug hiding from a spider.
When the fellow passed by, King did not relax even for a second. He maintained his vigilance until more than 3 minutes passed, before he loosened up considerably.
King felt tired and uncomfortable. An Ultima Sunt, a perfect being like him, was made to hide like a rat in front of a snake due to this human. It was a disgrace to his heritage and his destiny.
He felt a swell of hatred for Draco, all because he had made him feel primal fear. It was a normal reaction though, for after fear came anger.
He slowly began to escape the Forest of the Dryads, which he had forcefully made his home in these past few days as he strengthened himself. Now, his strength was a far cry from the pitiful state it was before, but it was still unable to compare to the strength Draco possessed.
'Draco... I'll remember that name! The first living being to make me flee like a dog!' King gnashed his teeth as he thought of that, but his eyes became colder.
For now, he was in the dark while the fellow was in the light. He needed to make sure his movements were hidden from Draco while he gathered strength as quickly as possible.
Draco himself stopped and turned towards the direction King was fleeing in, making the Ultima Sunt freeze in fear.
'Have I been found?!'
Draco's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the area, feeling that something was wrong.
"What's wrong, Lord Draco?" Aisha asked curiously. Was there something that wasn't to his liking?
Draco answered her in a light tone. "Nothing, I just feel like something is off."
Instead of leaving, Draco stood stock still and surveyed the area again and again. He trusted his instincts more than anything else, as they were what turned him from a cowardly piece of shit to the number one talent under heaven.
In truth, it wasn't actually him, but the Black Dragon. It was usually sleeping in his soul area, but it had woken up and was transmitting a feeling of intense suspicion.
The fact was that the Ultima Sunt race's State of Being was too high, far higher than any other living organism. Even though both Draco and King were of the same Rank, the Eyes of Caelo could not detect him.
King's passive skill, Ultimate Stealth, rendered Draco's passive Control useless, as well as his senses. Not him, not Roma, not even the World Boss Qiong Qi was able to sense his presence.
The only way to break this skill was by possessing a higher State of Being than the Ultima Sunt race, or using the 'see through' ability of the Eyes of Caelo.
However, in that brief instant that King had released his negative emotions, Draco and the Black Dragon had sensed it. They had felt an intense feeling of hatred directed towards them in particular, which was rare.
There was nothing that possessed the ability to hide from the Eyes of Caelo, yet possess enough intelligence to hate him specifically.
After all, the only thing he had said when he entered the area was that he was the representative of the Duke of Farst and that he was here to quell the parasitic invasion.
Looking at the facts, if the hatred was due to his status as vassal of the Duke, there was nothing that lived in the Four Point Valley that could evade the Eyes of Caelo and Qiong Qi's senses together that would know or hate the Duke.
Or rather, there was no entity in this unique quest that would fit that criteria. It was possible, but unlikely.
The only other thing was his mission to quell the parasitic invasion, which only a parasite plaguing the Four Point Valley would hate him for.
There was naturally no parasite that could have a higher State of Being than he did. He was a Supreme Rank Black Dragon at the least. If there was a ranking for State of Beings, his would be at least, number 3 or 4 overall.
Based on his extensive knowledge of Boundless from 15 years of dominance, as well as what he had learned in this life, there was only one conclusion he could deduce with a 70% confidence.
Thinking that, his face took on a smile that wasn't smile and his words echoed out in the area.
"Come out, Ultima Sunt. I know you are here, no need to hide like a rodent."
His voice was teasing and playful, like a cat smacking a mouse while keeping hold of its tail.
His party were startled by his words, especially Roma and Qiong Qi. If the Ultima Sunt was here, how did they fail to notice him?
King though, felt his heart go cold as Draco stated that he was aware of his presence, but his Supreme Intelligence passive allowed him to reason that the fellow was only guessing and hadn't locked onto him.
Otherwise, there would be no need for such theatrics. As he reached that conclusion, he calmed down and began to assess ways to escape this situation perfectly.
That was, until he heard Draco's taunt.
Now, King possessed Supreme Intelligence, meaning he could make out that the fellow was intentionally trying to provoke him.
However, Supreme Intelligence was a double-edged sword. Before King had become sapient, he was an unfeeling entity of apathy and indifference, only living by instinct.
When he had developed awareness, so came his powerful mind. Along with it came his personality and emotions.
And also, his greatest weakness, his pride.
King was prideful to abhorrent levels. Out of the seven deadly sins, Pride was the only one that had a hold on him, and it was a complete hold.
Computer, or digital intelligence was mostly unfeeling and purely logical, like the AI. However, sapient intelligence was beguiled by emotions and prejudices. It was not truly perfect.
As such, upon being taunted, King almost lost his composure.
His urge to kill erupted for a split second before he reined it in as his powerful mind sharply subdued it.
However, it was far too late.
Withdrawing his swords, Draco smiled darkly. "Found you."