Dumping of Arthur's Body
According to legend, those who dared to enter never returned, making the forest a place most inhabitants of the Holy See feared to cross.
Moreover, this dense woodland served as a natural border between human territory and the dragon race's domain, further discouraging anyone from venturing through it.
Who knew when one might accidentally stumble upon a dragon and meet a gruesome end?
Because of its deadly reputation, many simply called it the Forbidden Forest.
However, at this moment, a mysterious black shadow ran through the forest.
It jumped from one trunk to another, and since its body was completely enveloped in a black cloak, no one could tell its gender, let alone its identity.
Still, its tall and rather large posture clearly indicated that it was a man.
"Tsk! I never thought I'd receive a mission to get rid of the body of the Sovereign Lord Mage," he muttered indifferently while taking a quick glance at the large sack on his back.
Upon closer inspection, the sack contained a person—and that person was none other than Arthur!
Arthur lay completely unconscious, his breathing faint and fragile, as if he were already dead.
The man shook his head in pity. How had humanity's strongest and most gifted mage ended up like this?
Still, he had a strong hunch that high-ranking figures within the Holy See were behind this. Though merely a guess, he was certain of it.
After all, Arthur's talent and strength were widely known, and many harbored jealousy or resentment toward him.
Nevertheless, he had no desire to interfere in this matter. His job was simply to dispose of the body as instructed and collect the payment afterward.
After half an hour, he finally halted atop massive trees, scanning the area.
"This should be the designated drop-off point for Arthur Crown's body," he murmured, surveying the surroundings.
Within five hundred meters, nothing but dense forest stretched before them. But at six hundred meters, a massive, steep cliff loomed.
Moving swiftly toward it, he soon found himself stunned by what he saw.
"This cliff is really huge!" He couldn't help but feel his heart racing.
The cliff was over two kilometers long and almost seemed endless. Furthermore, its incredible depth made him feel extremely frightened.
Yet, he knew that this cliff was the main barrier between the territory of the dragon race and mankind. If he jumped, he would fall into the denser forest—the dragon race's territory.
The man removed the rope that tied the sack around his body, then placed Arthur's body on the ground.
"Should I throw him into the cliff or just on the edge?" he murmured hesitantly.
The mission only specified that the body should be left near the cliff, not necessarily thrown into it.
After pondering for several minutes, he finally decided to place it at the cliff's edge.
By chance, there were dense trees ten meters away from the edge of the cliff, and it was the perfect place to leave him.
He then placed his body under the tree and nodded in satisfaction.
"Now, my mission is complete, and I must not linger any longer," he remarked lightly.
Whether Arthur's body would be found or not, he believed it was highly unlikely. This location was deep in the forest, and it was impossible for anyone to enter it.
Moreover, there were a lot of monsters or beasts around here, and his body would definitely be eaten by them.
After confirming once more that everything was secure, the black-cloaked man vanished swiftly, like a gust of wind.
Beneath the shadowed trees and the cold night breeze, only Arthur's stiff body remained. His breathing and heartbeat were faint, as though death could come at any moment.
GRRR!
Suddenly, a pack of wolves emerged from behind the dense trees, about fifty meters to Arthur's right.
They were massive—around two meters in size—with powerful jaws and rows of razor-sharp teeth.
As their eyes fell on Arthur's lifeless body, they hesitated for a moment before becoming alert.
Awooo!
The largest wolf howled, soon followed by the others in the pack.
They formed an organized formation, slowly closing in on Arthur.
When they were only three meters away, the pack leader sensed no immediate threat from Arthur.
It howled again, signaling the pack to surround him.
But just as they were about to pounce, a powerful pressure suddenly descended from the sky.
At the same time, a woman's cold, indifferent voice echoed, "How dare you, lowly creatures, attempt to claim the prey I've been eyeing?"