The Cornflower Witch Chapter 94

Chapter 94: Encountering an Enemy in the Mountains

In the forest, Hylial walked beneath twisted black trees, a sword in one hand and a wicker basket in the other.

The ground was covered with withered fallen leaves, and most of the branches overhead were bare, shrouded in a dismal fog that made the forest floor exceptionally dark.

These trees… Hylial recalled the scene she had witnessed in the Shadow World, though there was no twisted affinity here.

“It might be the influence of other affinities,” she mused.

After advancing several hundred meters, she stopped, her gaze fixed on the distant tree shade to her right. The sword hilt in her hand subtly rose.

“Strange fellow,” the girl murmured to herself, then placed the basket in her left hand down.

A red-cheeked mongoose rapidly darted across the forest floor. Its fur, similar in color to the dim surroundings, allowed it to move nimbly through low trees and brush. Its two eyes were blood-red, and its body was covered with short, stiff quills like a hedgehog.

When this mongoose was about eighty meters from Hylial, it slowed down, as if sensing the girl, and began to circle cautiously. Its steps were light, moving silently, its fur blending with the environment. An ordinary academy student would never have noticed it.

Unfortunately, even such careful movements were detected by Hylial, for in her eyes, this red-cheeked mongoose was as obvious as a torch in the night. Both the mongoose’s inherent affinity and its body temperature, vastly different from the surrounding vegetation, stood out in the environment.

After waiting for a moment, seeing that the mongoose was still circling, preparing to attack her from behind, Hylial decided to pick up her basket and simply walk away, not wanting to waste time waiting.

Her steps seemed unhurried, yet each footfall landed on a firmer patch of ground in the forest, avoiding any mud. The mongoose, seeing its target move away, had no choice but to quicken its pace slightly.

And so, one person and one mongoose walked in tandem through the forest. After about a mile, Hylial stopped again, took out a vial of ‘Green Eye’ potion, and dripped it into her eyes, preparing to survey the area and search for signs of the spring.

Seeing the girl preoccupied with other matters, this mongoose, possessing a faint intelligence, sensed its opportunity. It darted out from the forest behind the girl, its grey-brown figure moving swiftly, blood-red eyes filled with excitement. When it was about three meters from the girl, it leaped, aiming for her back neck.

However, what awaited it was not the pale neck behind the black hair, but the girl’s amused turn, and a casual horizontal slash of a black steel sword, which easily severed the neck of the cunning red-cheeked mongoose.

Like a giant dead rat, the mongoose was swept aside by the steel sword, hitting a tree root, then rolling to a stop, no longer moving.

Shaking her head, the girl took a few steps closer and prodded the dead mongoose with her sword, examining its condition.

The creature was just one step short of condensing the ‘Blood Discipline’ affinity. An ordinary student would have been in deep trouble encountering it, very likely getting injured if they weren’t careful. And its saliva was poisonous; anyone bitten would likely suffer from fever and unconsciousness for several nights afterwards.

However, why would such a beast specifically target her? She had, after all, fully condensed the ‘First-Order Emerald Honey’ affinity. These beasts generally didn’t pick opponents that were too strong.

It seemed that these assessment trials were likely organized by powerful transcendent beings, as the beasts had their original habits altered, becoming more aggressive.

After dispatching the red-cheeked mongoose, Hylial continued to observe the mountainous terrain. It was then that she finally detected a faint trace of the ‘Mist Shadow’ affinity.

“It must be in that direction,” the girl thought, looking at the tree-covered mountains, then chose her direction and continued on.

…

In another part of the forest, Komia shook the rattle in her hand. A white wolfdog, covered in dew, wove through the bushes and grass, then joyfully came to her side.

“Dough, so glad you made it,” Komia knelt down, stroking the dog-like wolfdog, then pulled dried meat from her waist pouch to feed it.

With her companion’s help, Komia, who had been quite worried, felt much more at ease.

She took out a small bottle of ‘Cold Mist Wine’ from her embrace, dripping a few drops onto her finger for ‘Dough’ to lick.

“You search carefully. If you find any place with a similar aura, lead me there,” Komia told it, stroking its ear.

The wolfdog whined a few times in response, then walked ahead of Komia.

Although she wasn’t sure if ‘Dough’ truly had a clue, Komia had no better way to search at the moment.

“I’ll follow you for now, but don’t lead me astray into some ditch,” Komia said, basket in hand, as she followed.

…

On one side of the mountain forest, Solin gripped his sword with both hands, his expression grave as he stared at the green serpent with its head raised before him.

[Forest Mist Snake (First-Order Mist Shadow): Can change the color of its scales to match its surroundings, and can adjust its body temperature and aura, making it harder for other creatures to detect. Possesses venomous fangs. If it reaches Second-Order, it gains the ability of Mist Stealth Physique.]

He hadn’t found the spring with his ‘Wind-Seeking Chicken’; instead, he had stumbled upon this concealed great serpent.

Fortunately, as he approached, the ‘Wind-Seeking Chicken’ reacted violently, alerting him in advance. Otherwise, he would have been successfully ambushed by this snake.

The green serpent before him was thicker than his thigh. If he were coiled by it, he would likely struggle to break free, and he also had to be wary of its venomous fangs. This forced Solin to proceed with caution.

After observing for a while, Solin decided to attack first. His abilities were more suited for offense than defense.

Taking a quick step forward, he swung his broadsword, completing a wide arc in the air, creating a whistling sound, and striking directly at the green serpent.

Facing the attack, the Forest Mist Snake didn’t sit idly by. Its eyes were fierce, and its dangerous triangular head shot out, bypassing the broadsword’s swing, and lunging straight for Solin’s face.

The broadsword struck the snake’s lower abdomen, scraping off scales. These tough scales were like iron sawblades, creating tiny sparks where they met the blade. Solin narrowly dodged the snake’s bite, which then clamped onto his shoulder leather armor.

The sharp venomous fangs pierced through the leather armor, penetrating slightly into Solin’s muscle, sending a jolt of severe pain through him. Cold sweat broke out on Solin’s back.

“Careless,” he muttered, then unleashed his full strength, swinging his broadsword to slice open a deep, bloody wound in the snake’s underbelly, directly severing a portion of its tail.

He then decisively dropped his sword, firmly gripping the snake’s head on his shoulder with both hands, pulling out its venomous fangs. The muscles in his arms bulged instantly, and the burst of strength made the Forest Mist Snake’s violent struggles futile.

With one hand, Solin managed to hold down the python-like twisting snake body. With his other hand, he picked up the sword hilt again and, like a guillotine, pressed it down onto the snake’s head, crushing some scales and digging into its flesh. The blade then got stuck on the snake’s bone.

At this point, his sword-wielding right hand was already going numb. Knowing he had little time left, Solin lifted the sword hilt once more, then pressed it down again swiftly.

The shattering of scales and the breaking of bone happened almost simultaneously. This time, the snake’s head was finally severed. The severed snake head landed on the ground, its eyes still fierce, and its protruding forked tongue licked Solin’s hand, making his scalp tingle. Fortunately, without the support of its body, the detached snake head could no longer move, and its dripping venomous fangs were rendered useless.

Although he hadn’t yet found “Sweetwater Spring,” Solin had successfully defeated a “First-Order” exotic beast monster, achieving one objective. However, his current state was also precarious. If he couldn’t quickly detoxify, even getting out of this forest might be a problem.

…

Like Hylial and Solin, the students who entered the forest successively encountered enemies. Some, with strong abilities, won their battles, while others, due to insufficient experience and slow reactions, failed and withdrew prematurely.

(End of chapter)