CHAPTER 32: AWAKENING THE WOODS

The problem was—according to what little Lucien had studied in the forum—monsters, especially field monsters, never venture beyond their region. In fact, that had been the very reason he’d built his strategy around fleeing Evelaine’s Hollow to grind elsewhere and return stronger.

The Godzilla was never supposed to give chase. It wasn’t part of the plan. Not at all!

But he wasn’t about to stop now. Lucien’s face hardened with resolve as the White Crown mask materialized, covering his worn features.

He ran with fierce determination. His legs screamed in agony, muscles tearing themselves apart from within, but Lucien refused to stop—not with that thundering black menace behind him, demonic eyes blazing, ready to crush his bones between gruesome maws.

The chase stretched on endlessly, made brutal by the treacherous slope of ashen rock. Lucien reached level ground and hurled himself down the opposite side, rolling with the momentum. When he hit bottom, he sprang up and bolted toward Ossyn Woods.

Desperate, yes—but he had a plan.

The strategy remained the same as before. Somehow, the Godzilla had found his maneuvers irritating enough to obliterate the surrounding trees, creating a level playing field between them.

However, that would prove far more difficult with the Palebranch woods. And if it happened anyway? Even better—Lucien was eager to fuse something with his Pale Body trait, making it deadlier. He might die before achieving that goal, but that was acceptable.

The point was simple: win or lose, he’d extract something valuable from this battle.

He surged forward, legs trembling with each step, until finally he plunged into the towering white ancients of Ossyn Woods, weaving between their massive trunks.

These woods were even more densely packed than those in Evelaine Hollow, but brightness filtered through, and nothing obstructed Lucien’s path. For someone like him—or the Palebranch Wights—passage was effortless.

The entire forest shuddered as raw force smashed against it. Lucien didn’t need to look back to know the Godzilla was somehow bulldozing through the woods—or simply crushing them.

He pressed forward, hunting for more Palebranch Wights to slaughter.

Then he heard it—that ominous humming. He stopped, legs quaking as he finally allowed himself to pause, ignoring the searing pain to glance back at the Godzilla.

The monstrous behemoth was opening its maws again, glowing with searing light.

Lucien’s face went pale.

’...right.’

The beam erupted forward, obliterating the upper canopy of the Palebranch woods, sweeping back and forth to demolish entire sections. Lucien had to navigate carefully or risk becoming collateral damage in his own battle.

He sprinted, ducking beneath falling trees. At one point, he felt the scorching beams pass directly over his head, melting the surrounding timber before finally extinguishing.

The Godzilla exhaled heavily. Another section of woods lay leveled, granting it clear sight. But Ossyn Woods stretched vast, expansive, seemingly endless.

Lucien’s eyes locked with the Godzilla’s for one electric moment. Then he executed a sharp U-turn and plunged even deeper into the forest. The Godzilla roared and began bulldozing through the flattened trees, using its massive legs to crush their bases.

The Palebranch trees, though destroyed, remained formidable—too strong for the Godzilla to shatter with a single stomp. It frequently had to uproot and hurl them aside, which slowed it considerably while Lucien vanished deeper into the woods.

As he penetrated further into the forest, an icy chill raced down his spine, forcing him to halt.

At first, Lucien couldn’t identify the sensation... but it felt like the woods themselves had awakened.

’I have a bad feeling about this...’

[Predator’s Instincts has detected the bloodlust of a ferocious creature]

[However, it is not directed towards you]

Of course, he knew it wasn’t. If it were, he’d have already entered fear and intimidation states like before. But the sheer presence of that bloodlust alone spoke volumes about the strength of whatever was awakening.

The entire forest convulsed. From his position amid the trees, Lucien watched something monstrous taking shape—the Palebranch trees themselves were fusing together to form a catastrophic entity.

The trees that had seemed indestructible were bending and melding with disturbing ease into something utterly unnatural.

What Lucien first glimpsed was a ribcage—but formed by massive Palebranch trees contorting themselves. An absolutely colossal ribcage.

From his position, Lucien was too small to see the rest of the creature, but he could make out its name and level tag.

[Elder Palebranch Kage Lv. 80]

’Elder?’

Lucien didn’t know what an Elder monster was, but judging from what he witnessed, it had to be stronger than an Elite... obviously. Stronger than a Boss too!

At the same time... it was rather disappointing.

’It’s only level 80.’

The Godzilla would most likely triumph, but Lucien was certain the victory wouldn’t come swift or easy.

A savage grin split his face.

’Since things have turned out like this... perhaps I could still win... if I wait long enough. After the battle, the Godzilla will be spent. I can strike then.’

Lucien chuckled darkly.

"Huhuhuhuu... however, for my killing blow to be significant, I too have a battle of my own."

Lucien looked up, studying the approaching Palebranch Wights with a maniacal grin plastered across his face.

The Palebranch Wights showed no fear—their white orb-like eyes blazed as they surged forward.

Instead of charging toward them, Lucien fled. Every Wight rushing at him was Elite-ranked, and unless he harbored a death wish—and a 48-hour login ban—his best strategy was divide and conquer.

He circled through the woods, weaving among them before vanishing and striking one from behind, igniting the Forsaken Sword.

The woods convulsed at that moment, the impact making the entire terrain shake violently.

Both the Elite Palebranch Wights and Lucien lost their balance. But Lucien had come too far to fall mindlessly alongside these woodbrains.

He exploited the balance displacement, wielding Darkness Cutter to vanish and reappear between the Wights. His blades rained down on them relentlessly while they sprawled helpless on the ground.

[You have slain Elite Palebranch Wight Lv. 60]

[You have gained Pale Wood ×1]

[You have gained 4,008 Fusion Points]

[You have slain Elite Palebranch Wight Lv. 60]

[You have gained Pale Wood ×1]

[You have gained 4,008 Fusion Points]

[You have slain Elite Palebranch Wight Lv. 60]

[You have gained Pale Wood ×1]

[You have gained 4,008 Fusion Points]

[You have received an item]

[You have slain Elite Palebranch Wight Lv. 60]

[You have gained Pale Wood ×1]

[You have gained 4,008 Fusion Points]