LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 190
Translator: Marctempest
Editor: Rynfinity
Chapter 190
In the Unknown Great Forest
The beastmen living there respected the laws of nature. But what exactly are these "laws of nature"?
The tribes of the eastern forest provided an answer: "Mutual survival and coexistence."
Just as flowers and bees live together in harmony, they sustained themselves with the forest's bounty. They even tamed monsters, much like ants raising aphids.
But the answer given by the tribes of the western forest was somewhat different.
"The weak are devoured by the strong, and the strong consume the weak."
The conqueror of the western forest, the Black Tiger Tribe’s chief, Kaan, declared:
"That is the law of nature."
He looked down from above at the warriors gathered by the Western Forest Alliance.
The sight of over ten thousand powerful warriors assembled was truly magnificent. Each of their eyes gleamed with a chilling killing intent and determination.
"The weak must inevitably submit to the strong, and the strong must subjugate the weak. This is the natural order."
And in the face of nature, the existence of the tribesmen was nothing but weak.
Thus, they could only cling to life, barely surviving in the Great Forest under the protection of divine beasts.
Even though there was the detestable land of magicians in the northern part of the Great Forest, they had no choice but to endure the persecution and contempt from the strong, the magicians, who wielded the power that mimicked nature's strength: magic.
"Look below me."
But that was all in the past.
He shouted.
"We have conquered nature!"
Kaan stood atop the massive corpse of a black tiger, like a mountain.
The Black Tiger, a divine beast that summoned thunder, had been revered by the Black Tiger Tribe of the western forest.
Yet, it had lost its life at the hands of Kaan, who had consumed a fragment of the Philosopher's Stone and reached the rank of a 'High Sword Master.'
**Brrrr.**
The sight sent shivers down the spines of the western tribes, who revered the law of the jungle.
"Even that supreme divine beast is no match for our Western Forest Alliance!"
**Kuuuu-!**
Centered around him, a storm-like aura of Master Fear spread out.
An overwhelming presence that made one want to kneel naturally.
"We are now the strong! We are the brave warriors who have conquered nature and even overthrown the divine! Is there any reason to endure further? Is there any need to continue to tolerate those vile beings to the north? Warriors, I ask you! Are we still the weak?"
"No...!"
Angry shouts erupted from all around.
**Kwoooang!**
When Kaan stomped heavily on the ground, the corpse of the tiger god trembled as if a mountain were shaking.
Kaan's menacing black eyes gleamed.
"That's right! We no longer need to endure! We are the strong!"
"Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!"
The ten thousand warriors of the Western Forest Alliance stomped their feet in response.
Centuries of accumulated grudges.
Centuries of suppressed anger.
Those long-standing emotions spread like madness among the warriors of the Western Forest Alliance.
"But while we are in such a state, there are naive compatriots in the east who speak of mutual survival and coexistence. That's all nonsense! Nature is something to be conquered and subdued! Yet, the tribes of the eastern forest are gathering to resist us instead of realizing this!"
**Creak.**
Murderous intent gleamed in the eyes of the Western Forest Alliance warriors.
Despite being in the same situation, the foolish and detestable tribes of the east were attempting to stop them. The warriors felt betrayed and angry at this fact.
"Then let them know!"
Kaan spoke to the warriors.
"Subdue the tribes of the Eastern Forest Alliance and imprint reality onto them! Show them that the beings they believed to be gods were nothing more than slightly stronger beasts! Make them realize to the bone that the mutual survival they believe in is nothing but a falsehood, and that only struggle and survival of the fittest are the true laws of nature! Then, together, we will overthrow and conquer the land of the magicians!"
"Wooohhhhhh-!"
The warriors of the Western Forest Alliance roared in unison as they drew their weapons.
**Huaaaat!**
Thirty-eight great warriors of the Black Tiger Tribe brandished their dark red sword auras high into the sky.
"May the alliance be eternal!"
"For the great Kaan!"
"Wooohhhhhh-!"
The entire Western Forest shook with the fierce roars of the ten thousand tribal warriors.
A man destined to become a great chieftain.
The chief of the Black Tiger Tribe and leader of the Western Forest Alliance, Kaan, solemnly declared:
"March eastward."
Those words were the cannon shot that signaled the start of the war between the eastern and western forests.
The Western Forest Alliance army advanced toward the eastern forest like a wildfire about to consume the forest.
And...
"Good. Everything is going according to plan, khuhu."
Watching the Western Forest Alliance army, Vivaldi, the Vice-Cult Leader, smirked.
"All for the sake of the great boss."
---
At the Bone Rock Plains, the dividing line between the eastern and western parts of the Great Forest, as soon as news reached the Eastern Forest Alliance that the Western Forest Alliance was advancing through that area, they, too, began to move.
"Wooaaahhhh!"
**Crack, crunch!** A massive herd of savage, carnivorous bear monsters, the Warbears—numbering in the hundreds—charged forward, crushing the smaller trees in their path. The noise caused the forest to tremble as smaller beasts and monsters fled in panic.
"Warriors of the Blue Bear Tribe! Let’s go! Khahaha!"
At the forefront of the Warbear herd, the chief of the Blue Bear Tribe, riding the largest Warbear, burst into laughter.
"Wooaaah! Wooaaah! Wooaaah!"
Following him were the warriors of the Blue Bear Tribe, also mounted on Warbears.
**Twelve hundred troops from the Blue Bear Tribe have joined the battle.**
**Awooo!**
A wolf howled.
Originally vicious monsters, the Direwolf pack, tamed by the Silver Wolf Tribe, surged through the forest with fierce, rugged breaths.
"Those muscle-brained bear idiots. They’re breaking all the trees," muttered the chief of the Silver Wolf Tribe as he watched the reckless charge of the Shamanmaku warriors.
Fang of Fury casually remarked, "The path left by the Warbears will allow new trees to grow well in the sunlight and create new trails for other animals. As crazy as they are, they also respect nature."
Each wolf carried a warrior of the Silver Wolf Tribe on its back, moving with such agility that they put most cavalry to shame.
**Thirteen hundred troops from the Silver Wolf Tribe have joined the battle.**
**Kyaaaaaa!**
Hundreds of griffons soared through the sky, flapping their eagle-like wings.
Griffons, with the body of a lion and the wings of an eagle, were fearsome rulers of the sky.
Mounted on these creatures were the warriors and shamans of the Red Cat Tribe.
"Mom, now that I think about it, the Silver Wolf Tribe rides wolves, and the Blue Bear Tribe rides bears, so why do we fly on griffons?"
"Think about it, Karakal."
Pamzibet answered her daughter, who was skilled in battle but a bit slow-witted, as if it were obvious.
"We can’t exactly ride cats, can we? And it’d be ridiculous for the Red Cat Tribe to ride leopards or tigers."
"Oh, I see."
**Eleven hundred troops from the Red Cat Tribe have joined the battle.**
The Eastern Forest Alliance’s first force, consisting of three main tribes—the Red Cat Tribe, the Blue Bear Tribe, and the Silver Wolf Tribe—totaling around 3,600 warriors, advanced westward.
"Drive out the western tribes!"
"Nature will reject them!"
Following them, dozens of small tribes formed the second force, with about 6,000 more warriors.
The Eastern Forest Alliance Army.
Just under ten thousand warriors from the eastern forest had gathered.
Watching this, Aden couldn’t help but be genuinely impressed.
"An army of this size in such a jungle... It’s impressive."
The population density of the tribes within the Great Forest was extremely low. Even members of the same tribe lived in separate villages, keeping some distance from one another.
‘But the Great Forest is larger than most nations.’
With such vast land, the number of tribes and warriors was also high. Moreover, the warriors were not of poor quality; many were as strong as the knights from noble families.
Although their equipment was shabby and their appearance barbaric, who could underestimate them after seeing their fierce, wild demeanor?
‘I’m beginning to understand why the Magic Tower fell so easily in my previous life.’
In the originally intended future, the eastern and western forests would have been united by Kaan through sheer force, resulting in at least twice this number of warriors advancing on Anguis.
**Awoooooo-!**
**Tatak-tatak,** Aden rode at the forefront of the alliance army on the back of a giant silver wolf.
Fenrir, true to his status as a divine wolf, was the largest and swiftest as he sprinted through the Great Forest.
Fenrir spoke to Aden.
—I didn’t expect the Black Tiger Tribe to move so quickly.
"Indeed. There’s probably someone behind the scenes inciting them."
It was surely the work of a Chaos officer remaining in the west. The western tribes' already heightened tension must have contributed as well.
For reference, the non-combatant alchemist Cassie naturally remained in the Red Cat Tribe’s village with
the civilians, while Lowe was left to guard the village.
With all the combat forces gone, the village would be vulnerable to attacks by wild beasts, so Lowe was left to defend it. As a semi-master knight, he could handle most beasts and monsters, so Aden could trust him with the task.
**Whoooosh.**
As they sped through the forest like the wind, Fenrir spoke.
—The Bone Rock Plains are just ahead, my great master.
Finally, the dividing line between the eastern and western Great Forest appeared before Aden and the Eastern Forest Alliance army.
As they left the eastern forest, a completely different landscape unfolded before them.
A barren wasteland where not a single blade of grass grew.
Had they not looked back, they might have forgotten they were still in the Great Forest, so devoid of life was this place.
The Bone Rock Plains.
Upon reaching the area with the Eastern Forest Alliance, specifically with the Red Cat Tribe, Aden realized why it was called that.
"Are those rocks really skulls?"
Massive skulls, as large as mountains, and sharp, rib-like rocks jutted out all over the plains.
Once the Eastern Forest Alliance passed through here, they would emerge into the western forest.
—This land is where many dragons and giants rest, Dragon Slayer.
Curse spoke to Aden.
—It’s a place where ancient dragons and giants fought fiercely and annihilated each other. In their deaths, they left behind the Great Forest and also created this wasteland.
The rich mana they left behind in death.
That dense energy seeped into the ground, providing the foundation for the southern Great Forest to grow as it is now.
But the energy concentrated in this area was so dense that the land couldn’t bear it, leaving it barren and unable to sustain life.
—That’s likely why so many divine beasts appeared in this land. With so many dragons and giants buried here, the abundant energy naturally led to the birth of many spiritual beings, some of whom awakened to divinity.
"I see. Not that it’s particularly useful knowledge."
Despite his words, Aden was lost in thought for a moment.
The first king of humans.
The monarch who deliberately fell into corruption to suppress the will of the rampaging Demon God, the Underlord.
Curse wasn’t just the Underlord’s curse; it was a sentient entity with the memories of an ancient hero.
‘The reason he went mad in the future… was probably due to the influence of demonic energy.’
The Underlord in Aden’s previous life must have been consumed by the corrupted will of the Lord of Gluttony, who had become the Demon God, leaving behind dark demonic energy.
Then what was this entity’s goal now? What did it want?
That question crossed his mind for a brief moment, but he quickly dismissed it.
He had started to sense it.
The faint, prickling killing intent carried by the wind.
Precisely when Aden and the Eastern Forest Alliance had crossed halfway through the Bone Rock Plains.
‘They’re coming.’
The Western Forest Alliance was approaching.
Aden wasn’t the only one who sensed it.
"All forces! Halt!"
"Prepare for battle!"
The chieftains ordered the march to stop, and the command quickly spread from top to bottom for all to hear.
The Eastern Forest Alliance’s advance temporarily halted.
Moments later.
The Western Forest Alliance's forces began to appear beyond the horizon, like a tide slowly rolling in.
"What is that...!"
"What on earth…."
"My God, O Great Nature!"
But as the being at the forefront of the Western Forest Alliance came into view, close enough to be seen with the naked eye, sighs and gasps of astonishment erupted from the Eastern forces.
The chiefs of the Red, Blue, and Silver tribes were no exception, their faces hardening.
**Creeeek,** Fang of Fury bit his lip.
**Crrreak,** Shamanmaku ground his teeth.
In the sky, Pamzibet, riding a griffon, bared her fangs with bloodshot eyes.
She seethed with rage.
"The Black Tiger Tribe! They’re scum that deserve to be torn limb from limb…! Curse that wretched name!"
There was only one reason for such reactions from everyone.
The entity the Eastern forces had seen with their own eyes.
The being so massive that it was the first to be clearly visible even from a great distance.
It was a mountain.
And at the same time, it was a land turtle.
A giant turtle, bearing a mountain on its back.
**Oooooo.**
A sound like a gust of wind emerging from a thousand-year-old cave or an echo returning after being cradled by the mountain reverberated.
**Kuuuuuuung!**
As the creature let out a cry and took a step, the entire plain trembled.
The four legs supporting the mountain were like towering pillars.
If there was a beast so massive in the world, it could only be one thing.
"Is it the divine beast of the west?"
—...Yes.
In response to its master’s question, Fenrir let out a groan, her voice filled with both sorrow and anger.
—It is Akupala, the Mountain Turtle, known as the 'Howling Mountain,' one of the three divine beasts of the western forest.
Her voice carried profound sadness and fury.
The reason was simple.
—Oooo...
The mournful wail of the turtle divine beast, Akupala.
More than half of its side had been torn off, crumbling away, and where its eyes should have been, there was only empty darkness.
A body that had already died.
This divine beast was undead.