V2 Chapter 162

“… …”

“As for the rest of the areas, might as well forget about it. All other areas were inhabited by terrifying monsters such as the Eastern Snowy Mountain. There is an Ice Giant there that doesn’t like being disturbed.”

While listening to her, Cian’s expression became even darker. He actually didn’t know anything about the place she mentioned? How is that possible?! He was not transported in another world, right?

“Have you heard about the Winter Mountain?”

“Eh? Are you talking about the Mountain behind this forest? If I’m not mistaken, that was called Winter Mountain a long, long time ago. However, right now, it was just an ordinary mountain when the battle of the Gods in ancient times, cut it apart…”

Cian’s eyes widened in shock.

Seeing Cian’s shock expression, the intelligent Dryad suddenly realized something—

“You, don’t tell me, you came from the outside world?!”

How could this be possible…!?

“… Outside world?”

The Dryad stared at Cian as if she was looking at a miracle. “It’s past the barrier of the Winter Mountain, or that’s what you call it. Though, it was only a legend… the legend says that past the Winter Mountain was like another world. All the ancestor of all races in this Black Land was said to have come there, but was then stranded in this place.”

“Stranded…? You mean this place was behind the Winter Mountain? Behind the barrier…?”

She nodded. “… A long time ago, when the War of the Gods occurred, the Winter Mountain was attacked. Due to this, the protector of this land immediately created a barrier to defend it. However, it became a catastrophe when the barrier’s creator died… the Black Land was separated from the continent, the barrier of the Winter Mountain stands tall, like a wall isolating this place.”

“This place, the Black Land. It was called like that because it was once a wasteland. Nothing grows here, as it was a Battlefield where many warriors had fallen, drenching the ground with their blood. However, after a long, long time, the people here were able to change this land into what it was now. Though, that’s what I heard…”

Cian stared at the vibrant forest while stroking the Dryad’s hair.

Did he actually go behind the Winter Mountain?

That ruins…

“How did you come here?”

This time, the Dryad was the one to ask. She was actually curious about the Continent that Cian had come from. And if possible, she would surely want to see it with her own eyes.

Cian thought for a bit, then started telling her about it, starting from the time when he entered the Winter Mountain with Levelia and her team till the ancient ruins. Hearing his story, the Dryad furrowed her brows.

Was there such a place…?

Beast…Basilisk…Snake…

“…It must be henchmen of the Serpent Empress…!” The Dryad suddenly muttered. “So that’s why the Serpent Empress seemed to be silent in these past few months. She had found a gap in the barrier!”

“Serpent Empress?”

The Dryad nodded her head indifferently. “She’s akin to the leader of all snake type beasts and monsters in this forest. With one look, she can turn everything into stone. She’s a terrifying monster that most tribes feared and didn’t dare to provoke. She inhabits the top of the broken Mountain, the Winter Mountain as you call it.”

One look can turn living beings into stone? Medusa… huh,

Cian suddenly recalled the legend of Medusa in the previous world.

In Greek Mythology, Medusa was one of the three Gorgons, daughters of Phorcys and Ceto, sisters of the Graeae, Echidna, and Ladon – all dreadful and fearsome beasts.

A beautiful mortal, Medusa was the exception in the family, until she incurred the wrath of the Goddess Athena, either due to her boastfulness or because of an ill-fated love affair with Poseidon. The Goddess transformed her into a vicious monster with snakes for hair, and petrifying gaze.

“… Among the Serpent Empress minions, there was a famed Monster; A large horrifying Basilisk. It was feared by most monsters here, due to its killing glare and its poisonous breath. Even a group of Manticore desperately avoided it. Though, for some reason, it can be rarely seen these past few months.”

It must be the Basilisk that is going around in the Winter Mountain…

Cian concluded. So the reason why it was roaming around in the Outer and Inner region was that the passage leading to this land was in that area…

Cian stroke the Dryad’s breast while thinking.

Is this also the reason why the monsters seemed quite active in the two regions…?

“If the Serpent Empress had already found the passage leading out of this place, why is she not going out herself?”

The Dryad stared at Cian and rolled her eyes. “Stupid, the barrier might have a hole but it’s not non-existent. Since nothing had happened yet, despite the Empress knowing about its existence, I'm guessing that there’s suppression in the barrier that not anyone could pass through it. There should be a limit to how powerful a monster could pass through that small gap. It’s not because the lake is small in that ruins, but because the barrier is restricting any powerful monster from leaving or entering the Black Lands.”

It makes sense… Cian thought about the natural barriers of the Winter Mountain he had heard from Levelia and the others.

The Winter Mountain was divided into Core, Inner, and Outer. Although he didn’t know what was inside the Inner and Core areas of the Winter Mountain, the monsters there should be above among the rest. Perhaps even Monster Kings are like cabbages there.

Then, there’s also the land behind the Winter Mountain… the Black Lands…

Are all forbidden areas the relics of the Ancient War…?

Just what happened in that war?

The Chimera as well… the Heaven’s Taboo…

What had caused the war…?

What was the result of that war…?

Even if they held hands together to defeat the Beast of Gluttony as what the Ten-tailed Fox had said, what about after?

Did they go all chummy-buddy together?

Impossible…!

The Gods as well seemed to be starting something just like what Night said…

Is there another continuation of the war?

What is the Pandora that these Gods are desperately fighting over?

Is it the key to all of these mysteries?

The more Cian obtained information, the more confused he becomes. In fact, rather than gaining understanding, it increased the number of his questions instead.

“Aaahhnnn…”

As Cian was thinking, he suddenly heard Amadea moaned, then wriggled in his embrace and purred like a cat.

“I’m thinking…” he glared at her angrily. She was disturbing his concentration.

“THEN TAKE YOUR DAMN CLAWS OF ME!!!” Amadea angrily roared.

Cian’s hand was fondling and even pinching her nipples, how the hell could she keep silent?!

This shameless bastard!!

Cian rolled his eyes and continued teasing her breast. It was just too damn soft and the elasticity was incredible, pulling his claws off it was impossible!

Amadea glared and tried to pull Cian’s paws off her body, but Cian was extremely persistent. She was still weak and sore all over her body. This damn demon messed her up, to the point that she can’t even muster any strength to stand up.

She can actually return to the tree but for some reason, she didn’t think of it—no, more like, she ignored this possibility and continued to lean on Cian’s naked body.

She became addicted to the warmth coming from him, as well as the scent that comforts her tired mind.

Thus, to vent her anger, she could only bite Cian’s neck and suck his blood.

She really likes Cian’s blood. It’s as if it was even more delicious than any fertilizer she had, rich in magic power, as well as the Ten-tailed Fox essence that can be found in his bloodstream. Although it was barely noticeable due to the fact that Cian had just assimilated the Ten-tailed Fox skeleton, and was still in the process of completely absorbing it, as a being that came from its blood, no matter how small it was, it was the most magnificent tonic for Amadea.

“What are you a vampire?”

Cian furrowed his brows as he looks at her helplessly.

“Shut it! You stole my magical energy a while ago! You need to give them back!”

Cian stared at her oddly; “Didn’t you know my blood is poisonous?”

“I know… but what kind of poison I can’t consume? I’m a poisonous tree; I’m the Crimson Blood Tree! If you tried to eat my bark directly, you will die.” She sneered in contempt.

A trace of blood could be seen at the corner of her lips.

When she licked her lips, the sigh of it caused a not-so-small stir inside Cian.

“In fact, it made your blood even more delicious for me. I really wonder what kind of a monster you are! I’ve never tasted any blood like yours! It’s the greatest tonic for me! It even strengthened my poison. You give the Ten-tailed Fox Blood essence a new flavor, it was fantastic,” she said with a brilliant smile.

She’s making me her meal… is that right?

Cian grinned and suddenly, he hunched forward, pulling her to him.

"What are you doing?"

Amadea gasped as she came face to face with this monster of a demon.

“…if you keep doing that, I’ll fight back, you know,”

As careless and vapid as he could be at times, there was nothing shallow in his eyes now, just affection and mischief and a steely sort of resolve.

“Do, do what?” Amadea shook. She glared at him in helpless anger. Can’t she even do something like this? It’s just a bit of blood!

Stingy…

“I don’t mind you giving my blood, but you need to agree at something, first,”

He caught her hand and laid a smacking kiss on her knuckles.

She looked up at him, her eyes brilliant like the moonlight.

“What?” she asked, suspicions cloud her voice.

It wasn’t the first time someone had asked him the question, but it was the first time he really thought about the answer. A lock of scarlet hair slipped across her forehead, and he echoed a gesture he’d seen once, reaching up to tuck it behind her ear.

“Be mine,” he replied simply.

The Dryad; Amadea was caught off guard, she stilled then her face burned.

She looks down.

“Can, can I refuse?”

Her breath blew over his skin as she turned her face into his hand.

“Of course… you can’t,”

Then, why did you say, of course? Amadea rolled her eyes.

“Doesn’t have any choice either…what’s the deal?”

Cian smiled playfully as he moved his thumb to touch the corner of her mouth and trace the full bow of her lower lip. “I’m giving you a choice to be mine. Though, if you don’t agree, I will forcefully make you mine. I don’t like using force, so I hope you will choose wisely,”

“Good. Very Good… Asshole,”

She glared at him defiantly, though that brought her mouth in line with his throat, and her lips brushed his collarbone. Heat threatened to consume him. His blood boiled and Cian’s dick hardened.

A thousand things he could do to her rose up from that dark place inside him, but he suppressed it back. He didn’t want any of those things, not yet. This time, he wanted to be soft, slow. He wanted to kiss her knees weak and know what it felt like to have her tremble within his hands, and how blissful life could be with him.

Carefully, he cupped the back of her head.

“...I’m an asshole, but you are a bitch…my bitch. Fated to be aren't we?”

She was already shaking, whether in anger or something else, who knows. But she met his eyes boldly, without shying away, and it hit him almost as hard as her touch. As expected of the Child of Nature, she’s open and without shame, daring the other person to see into them, through them.

“Bastard!”