Expedition (1)

--- Edge of the Nyagaru Forest ---

The Ice Wolf Mercenary Group was on standpoint.

Drake was a bit surprised.

The 50-men-big mercenary group which wore flashy white armour was now reduced to a small group of 20 desperate men. It seems like the lots of them gave up their lives in order to gather information.

"Sir, when will we receive our pay?", the temporary leader of the Ice Wolf Mercenary Group, John Butterfly, only son of Jack the Bonecrusher who Drake had imprisoned, asked.

"You can ask for your due in the Frozen Knight Order Temple. The release of your father will have to wait until I come back", Drake said, "If I'm not back in the following week, I asked Frank the Jeweller to release your father"

John squinted: "I completed your task because I trust your honor as a knight. It seems like I was not mistaken. Here is the detailed report on the Giant Python. If I were you, I would not try to anger it. Merely trespassing its territory almost wiped out my mercenary group"

Drake smiled.

"Good job. May we cooperate in the future as well"

"Farewell, my lord", John said as if he was seeing Drake for the last time of his life.

After the Ice Wolf Mercenary group left, Drake issued a terrible order: "Burn the forest"

The Giant Python was the King of the Forest. In order to drive it out, Drake planned on destroying its kingdom firsthand. He also knew that doing so would anger the beast to a point of non-return.

"Drake...Are you sure?", Fang Zheng said trying to reason Drake, "It will not stop after destroying Frozen City if you do so"

Drake laughed: "This is exactly what I want. I want it to be so angry that it is blinded by revenge. Is the trap ready?"

Fang Zheng nodded. He had supervised the creation of the biggest trap ever made in the territory. A huge pit 40-meters-deep, filled with giant spears of metal, with five ballistae constructed on top of the pit, ready to launch huge bolts onto whatever fell into this terrible pit of death. Of course, the pit would only reveal itself if something weighing more than 3 tons marched on it in addition to exploding the various ropes above the pit at the very same time.

It took three months and more than three hundred men's worth of manpower to complete the task.

"TORCHES!", Evangeline shouted, "THROW"

Soon, the 200 infantry soldiers threw torches onto the forest. Ross, Evangeline and Arthur also threw barrels of oil at the same time, which Drake exploded in mid-air with his archery skill.

This was special oil that was easily ignited. With 200 torches below, the result was almost instantaneous. The forest was ignited with a blazing fire.

Ten minutes later, the edges of the forest became red from the fire, and above it, toxic fumes were climbing the sky. Wolves, squirrels, rats, snakes...All sorts of wild beasts were rushing out of the forest in fear.

One hour later, a tenth of the Nyagaru forest was ignited.

Three hours later, half of it was ignited.

Five hours later, the whole forest was burning.

As the army was standing, it began to feel extremely anxious.

Their fear increased ten-fold as the King of the Forest revealed itself.

It was a monstrous being.

It was 36-meters-long, with a body ten times larger than the trunk of a tree. It hissed so loud that the weakest soldiers fainted on the spot. Fang Zheng could not believe his eyes. He had researched records of this monster in various books, yet descriptions and reality were really different.

This monster...was not something humans could go against.