“Are those monsters or statues?” Despite his enthusiasm for battle, Ellis still couldn’t help but question the validity of his opponents.

From a distance, they looked like giant medieval knights. Even their armor appeared to be plated.

Appearance wise, they had broad shoulders, long legs, and a round, almost barrel-like torso. If it wasn’t for the material of their armor (wood) and their thirty-meter stature, then they’d fit perfectly within any ancient European battlefield.

For a moment, he furrowed his brow. “If they really are just statues, then good, but to be honest, I don’t think this world would be so kind.”

He bitterly chuckled to himself. From the very moment they crossed into the inner layer of the forest, their journey had taken a stark turn. Ever since then, it’s been one troublesome mid-boss after another.

Grisella couldn’t help but nod her head in agreement. She agreed one hundred percent with his assessment. This journey put quite a toll on both her mental and physical well-being. Of course, she forgot to mention the fact that most of her stress originated from a certain grey-haired young man.

“The fact that they're made of wood also bothers me…” After a brief moment of silence, Ellis eventually shrugged his shoulders. “Well, it doesn’t really matter. Everything will be revealed soon enough.”

He then pointed towards the source of the river. “That entrance and those statues, we can pretty much consider them to be unknown variables, so let me go ahead and check out the situation first.”

He naturally volunteered for the task.

Since the wolves got to have all the fun last time, he figured it was his turn to fight.

“Don’t you think we should think of a better plan first?” As if by instinct, Grisella immediately interjected.

He simply shook his head. “No need, this is an easier method.”

“But…” she wanted to say something else, but lost her enthusiasm halfway through. At some point during their journey, Grisella had grown to rely on Ellis and his monstrous strength. Even if she argued for the sake of arguing, it would merely be half-hearted banter that leads to nowhere.

Without any further opposition, Ellis lightly nodded his head. He cracked his joints and walked forward.

He approached the canal archway. Along the way, he took this time to more closely observe the wooden statues.

They really do resemble what I’d imagine Golems to look like…

Of course, there was the whole matter about how it was made out of wood instead of clay or stone, but Ellis simply waved that part aside, citing a difference in Lull’s sensibilities.

His eyes narrowed.

Giant slumbering monstrosities carved straight out of the forest itself. Moss grew on the surface of their bodies, adding to the overall decrepit look that the statues originally had going for them.

They were sufficiently eerie and equally lifeless.

Eventually, his gaze wandered to their heads. They somewhat resembled a knight’s helmet, if only vaguely. To his surprise, the heads neither had eyes nor ears. Except for a crookedly carved smile on their faces, they possessed no other features.

They’re like dolls… abandoned dolls standing guard for an abandoned doll house…

Such a thought flashed through his head, but Ellis was not able to appreciate it for very long. When he got within fifty meters of the archway, something suddenly happened.

An ear-piercing creak echoed through the air. It was a horrid sound that resembled a cat scratching a chalkboard, or maybe two pieces of wood vigorously rubbing against each other.

The once still statues slowly swiveled their necks to face him.

“…”

For a moment, Ellis froze.

The sudden change naturally caught him off guard. Just as he was contemplating his next move, an ominous silence spread through the air. One second… two seconds… after ten seconds of silence, the noise suddenly came rushing back in like an unstoppable tidal wave.

As if they had just broken free from their invisible shackles, the two Golems sprung to life and dashed forward.

Ellis’s expression hardened.

I knew it! I knew this damn forest would never be so easy!

Still, he did not run away. Instead, he sprinted towards them.

If they wanted a fight, then Ellis was prepared to give them one!

The two Golems charged at him like a pair of maddened bulls. The weight behind their steps was enough to cause the earth to tremble. Ellis had no doubt in his mind that such creatures definitely possessed terrifying levels of strength.

Unfortunately for them, if there was one thing that Ellis prided himself on, it was his strength.

Once both parties were in range, one of the Golems immediately threw a punch. A log-like arm descended towards him.

Ellis did not plan to dodge. Instead, he was prepared to receive the blow with one of his own!

­­BOOM!

Two fists collided. One small, the other massive. A mini shockwave spread throughout the forest.

“Guh!” Ellis instinctively frowned. For a moment, his knuckles throbbed with pain.

His feet sank into the ground. The impact of the collision sent tremors running down all over his body.

In comparison, the Golem tumbled back from the impact. Although he had pushed it back a good ten meters or so, much to Ellis’s disappointment, there was not a single scratch on its body.

Before he could think any further, the second Golem launched its own assault. It attempted to grab him, but Ellis reacted just in time. He hurriedly pulled his legs from out of the ground and launched his own counterattack. The two exchanged blows for a while, before he suddenly jumped backwards.

In an instant, the distance between both parties had increased. This gave him some time to catch his breath, but Ellis was far from happy.

“…”

A somber expression morphed his face.

Damn it, I was worried that this would be the case, but these things, they’re just as durable as the trees within this damn forest!

Going into this battle, there was one worry that constantly plagued the back of his mind.

The outside world had a number of different monikers for Ilpin forest. Grisella had taught him quite a few of them, but the one that really struck a chord with him was its title as the Immortal Forest. Throughout his short six, almost seven years of life, Ellis had come to fully understand why it possessed such a domineering title.

The trees of this forest, they were truly and utterly indestructible.

And now… what would happen if someone were to create a wooden golem out of the wood from an indestructible forest?

The answer was obvious, and unfortunately, it was not the one that he wanted to hear.

Usually, wood was considered a weaker material, but within the context of Lull, it was the complete opposite!

A quiet frustration slowly festered deep within his heart. The reality of not being able to punch something to death truly irked him.

No, it’s too early to give up now. Ellis shook his head. Besides, even if I can’t punch it, I do still have one other option available.

For a moment, a brief hint of a smile crept up onto his lips.

As the Golems began their second frontal assault, Ellis suddenly shouted. “Ena! Give me that thing!”

His voice echoed loudly through the air, startling everyone present.

Grisella and the group stood nearly a thousand meters away from the main battlefield. Ena sat near the middle of the group. Her eyes were closed, while her tails were tucked underneath her. A somewhat complacent smile floated to her face.

It was quite apparent, but she was currently asleep.

Still, the moment she heard Ellis’s voice, the little fox immediately opened her eyes.

Ena was quick to understand. Although she let out a short whine and half-heartedly complained about how her nap had been interrupted, she still complied with his request. With a wave of her paw, a black spear suddenly darted out from the spatial pouch around her neck.

Propelled by invisible strands of magic wind, it rapidly flew towards him.

Ellis easily caught it by the handle.

He narrowed his eyes and stared at the approaching Golems.

This should work, right?

Despite the weapon in his hands, he still couldn’t help but worry.

He hesitated for only a split second before he resolutely shook his head. Ellis did not allow himself any further doubt.

He twisted his waist and cocked his arm back. In one swift motion, he launched the spear towards the closest Golem.

WOOSH!

It whistled through the air like a bolt of black lightning!

BOOM!

A dull explosion reverberated through the air. The spear had accurately met its mark. The Golem’s body trembled as it continually tumbled back from the impact. The spear had lodged itself into the Golem’s head, the blade sinking a good twenty or so inches deep.

Even if it was crafted out of the same wood that covered this forest, the mysterious black spear was still a few points better!

Ellis’s smile widened. That first throw had been a test. Suffice to say, the results had pleased him.

Just as he was about to rush over and retrieve his weapon, the very next scene shocked him to the core.

Seemingly unbothered by the hit, the Golem rigidly straightened its back and stood back up. It reached around and plucked the spear out from its face. For a moment, its head tilted down, almost as if it was looking directly at him. The Golem’s crookedly carved smile seemingly widened, before it threw the spear to the ground and continued its frontal assault.

Much to Ellis’s frustration, the already small wound on its face rapidly grew smaller. It was healing. What’s more, it was healing at an incredible pace. By the time it took its fifth step, the Golem was as good as new.

It actually didn’t work… don’t tell me… is this thing another ‘destroy the core’ type enemy?

Unfortunately, the Golems did not give him much opportunity to ponder his thoughts.

Within the short span of time it took for Ellis to throw the spear and for the Golem to heal from its wound, the second Golem took this opportunity and rushed at him.

Its lumbering figure was hard to miss, so naturally, Ellis had ample time to react to it.

The Golem slammed a giant log-like fist towards him. Ellis dodged the creature’s blow by a hair’s breadth. The rush of air ruffled his clothes, but Ellis did not pay it any mind.

When the creature’s fist sank into the ground, he immediately grabbed onto its arm.

Ellis gritted his teeth. He felt his veins throbbing, as the festering frustration within his heart threatened to leak out. With a roar, he lifted the Golem up in the air. Ellis spun around. He used the centrifugal force and launched the Golem back.

It flew through the air and soared past the canal, before it crashed down on the ground with a thunderous tremor.

At the same time, a certain black spear suddenly darted towards him.

Before he could even catch his breath, it had flown directly into his hands. Ellis paused for a moment, before he looked back over at Ena. Right now, she lay still, her eyes closed and her tails tucked underneath her. Even when she wasn’t directly fighting, the little fox still provided ample support.

Ellis took a deep breath and stared back at his enemy.

One Golem was less than ten meters away from him, while the other was all the way on the other side of the river. Not at all to his surprise, both creatures were undamaged. There was not a single show of progress anywhere to be seen.

The grip on his spear tightened.

In a place far away from probing eyes, Ellis’s simmering frustration continued to boil.