A symbol of wisdom

Max thought of Lelembut's words carefully. The best thing I could do right now was to agree to her will. Otherwise, she wouldn't have let me go, even though one day she was tired and let me go but somehow it happened and it could have gone really bad. Especially if Melianor gets out of the Mansion. At the same time, if Lelembut continues to be at the surface of the land like this and spreads her influence throughout the mountains, it will eventually also cause problems. Melianor would understand if I explained it later. I believe she will choose to approve my decision.

"I can tell you've cut off your face," whispered Lelembut in Max's ear.

"I'm glad to know. Well... I'm waiting for you to come next year," she said, stroking Max's face.

Lelembut released Max. Slowly, Max took a deep breath and then held it in his lungs during the process of Lelembut leaving the ground surface. Max heard the voice of the soft woman before disappearing, "Thank you for the warmth you gave me today... Matsyendra."

Max exhaled slowly while opening his eyes. His frozen face and lips slowly returned to normal. The warm energy from within him made his heart still able to pump blood, so even though Lelembut had made the surface of his body as cold as ice, it did not happen in his inner body. Max smiled when he heard his little name called by Lelembut.

When he could freely open his eyes, Max scanned the surroundings. The Crazy Bamboo Forest looked brighter than before. At least sunlight can break through between its small sidelines. The surrounding area feels more friendly. Life was as bleak as leaving that place. Max turned his head in surprise when he heard the hiss of a snake coming out of his cave.

"Oh, Mr. Hermit," cried Max as he twisted his body.

The flaming red ring-bodied snake stopped in front of Max.

"You managed to please her. Congratulations."

"What's going on here actually?"

"She was also a witness, a creature who witnessed how the Northernmost Forest was burned and cleared into such land by humans. She was walking around at that moment when the fire started to be made by humans. She tried to block it by lowering the thick fog but failed."

"A few days have passed, and she is still sad, so she goes down every day and laments the situation. She sang until it made other creatures mourn. I think today she saw hope from you."

Max recalled all his meetings with Lelembut. At that moment, he also felt sadness.

"Why doesn't she just curse me? She can express her anger like that."

"Are you stupid? You still don't know her!"

"Ah, that's not how... I'm just...." Max couldn't explain his muttering that was done accidentally.

"She has no anger," Mr. Hermit continued without giving Max a chance to explain his reaction earlier. "She only has compassion and when something gets her compassion hurt, she gets hurt, if it drags on..."

"The system of the universe will be corrected," Max concluded the stalled Hermit master said, and it was a clarification that he understood Lelembut's character very well.

Mr. Hermit muttered, "You've learned a lot apparently."

Mr. Hermit sudden praise made Max feel proud of himself.

"Now I have to take them. Where are they now?"

"She didn't tell you?"

Max shook his head.

"Go to the center of the Forbidden Forest, I heard a lot of activity from their footprints in the area."

Max rushed over after saying thank you.

"Good luck," said Mr. Hermit sincerely to accompany Max's departure.

Forbidden Forest is referred to as Hunting Forest in a human perspective and is an area that gets little sunlight. As the name suggests, the Forbidden Forest area is often a hunting area for humans because for humans the area has challenges that are suitable for them. Its rugged and mysterious area becomes an attraction for certain humans. There are maybe any hunters who can hide in some areas to safely target their targets.

While continuing on his way to the Central Forbidden Forest, Max thought about the possible challenges he would have to face. First, the animals couldn't hear his voice. If they can't hear it, they can't recognize it either. They can't communicate with each other. In that case, the animals would regard him as an enemy. The second problem that can arise, unexpected encounters with hunters. Protecting animals that are losing sanity from hunters will be more difficult.

May not meet the hunter, asked Max in his heart.

Max stared at his almost charcoal-like eyes burning inside the skull cavity of his head. His growl felt like a hot iron that was pierced through the bone. Max is now being wary of a male tiger that is walking on all fours on a rock with a sharp stabbing gaze at him.

By the time the tiger jumped up and barely grabbed the flesh, Max dodged, rolled sideways, and hid behind a rock. He peeked from there. He was somewhat incredulous at what he was seeing, so he tried to make sure the tiger had almost no skin on all four legs and his body.

The tiger was still growling. It is very visible that his vision ability has been greatly reduced. He only obeys his instincts and negative emotions to attack Max who has a human scent.

Right now he hates humans, Max thought. What do I have to do to restore his consciousness?

Max felt sorry for the creature, in addition to the wounds on all four legs that peeled off, there were also burns on his shoulders. Looks gaping red. Not only that but there's also a gunshot wound. Max could see a bullet lodged in the tiger's body.

It's only fitting that he goes crazy. Pain overwhelms Max's mind.

What else was I hoping for? The fire burned the house and its body, coupled with such hot lead. The pain wasn't just because his body was injured. He was vengeful, finally, it was what made it easier to be consumed by his darkness, and the situation made things worse.

Just one such creature is not enough to show the cruelty that occurs on the surface of the earth. A glowing red-eyed baboon with a terrifying body condition emerged from behind Max. The baboon almost grabbed the carrier bag that was on his back. Max felt compelled to leave the bag, but if left behind, he could lose the fairy powder he had placed in one of the bags.

Max manages to dodge but his heart beats so hard that he has to hold it, otherwise it can jump out. After managing to get away a little, he spun around and observed the situation. It wasn't just a baboon, it appeared even more, and immediately they injured each other, fighting like blaming each other. The sound of the fight was deafening and simultaneously slicing through his heart.

Where do you start? The tiger over there was already helpless, his life was threatened, but the baboons could also kill each other. I have to be quick before the others get more brutal.

As Max stepped out of hiding, Halimun came down giving coolness. Max's forehead shriveled, "I don't think you're going to help. You said you wanted them here."

"It is, but this is not what I want. I can't let them kill each other," Lelembut said. Her soft voice felt like a drizzle.

"I also played a role in the increase in darkness within them. If I had been able to control myself enough, I wouldn't have blanketed this area with a thick black fog."

"I've heard it from Mr. Hermit," said Max.

"So, you want to blame me now because I made things worse?"

"No, because you realized your mistake and now you're helping me," Max said.

Lelembut observed Max closely because she wanted to know the true content of Max's heart. She pulled her body quickly when she had already gained reassurance from the way Max replied to her gaze.

"They're pretty calm now. You can start talking to them," Lelembut said as she crept up into the trees. From the top of the tree branch, she moved a thin fog around the forest.

Lelembut sends a thin mist needed by plants and animals to overcome nutritional deficiencies. The water content refreshes the head and because the energy content in it contains healing Magi, the in-pain beasts begin to become calmer as the fog sticks to their bodies.

Max slowly approached the tiger that had almost sliced his body. Max approached him from behind so the tiger didn't notice. Even if he realized Max's arrival, it seemed like he was already unable to go berserk. His breathing was irregular. His consciousness may have been very thin.

"I know you came, did I attack you?"

Max gasped as the tiger started talking to him. Is this the power of Lelembut working on him? Great, Lelembut was able to restore consciousness so quickly.

The thin fog around him danced to hear a compliment.

"I can avoid it. Can you still walk to the Sacred Mountain? You need treatment," Max said as he observed the male tiger's body.

"I'd rather die," replied the tiger.

"Why are you talking so? You are known as a wise figure, you are a symbol of wisdom throughout the forest."

Lelembut suddenly whispered in Max's ear.

"He lost his children and his partner. His son was arrested and his partner was nowhere to be found. I witnessed it all, it happened very quickly, when he tried to save his son, he was shot at and then abandoned, while his partner, while trying to do the same to save their children, was devoured by fire."