No More Pain For This Villain.

"Hold on a minute," Henry interrupted, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Are you saying that this entire forest has transformed into an Illusory Forest Path? But that's not how it used to be!"

Ali chimed in, his voice laced with skepticism. "Yeah, I've been through this forest before, and it was just a regular forest. How did it suddenly turn into an illusion?"

"It's as if the very fabric of reality has shifted," I muttered, my eyes scanning the mysterious forest before us. 'Blaze, do you have any idea why this could have happened?'

Silence hung in the air for a moment, as if even Blaze was contemplating the inexplicable nature of this phenomenon. Then, his voice resonated in my mind, tinged with a hint of uncertainty. 'I can't say for certain, but it's possible that powerful magic is at play here. The Illusory Forest Path is a rare occurrence, typically associated with ancient enchantments or the influence of magical artifacts.'

My eyes gleaming with curiosity, I asked. 'So, you're saying that someone intentionally turned this forest into an illusion? But why?'

Blaze's response was laced with intrigue. 'There could be various reasons, my friend. Perhaps there's a hidden treasure or a valuable artifact concealed within the forest. Or maybe it's a defense mechanism to keep trespassers at bay.'

'Trespassers?' I thought it was interesting.

Zark, usually the reserved one, couldn't contain his excitement. "Well, whatever the reason, it sounds like we're in for quite the adventure! I've always wanted to test my skills against illusion magic."

Anabelle playfully nudged Zark. "Careful what you wish for, Zark. Illusions can be quite deceiving. They can twist your perception and lead you astray."

Ali crossed his arms, his eyes scanning the forest with caution. "I don't know about you all, but I've had my fair share of encounters with illusions. They're never as harmless as they seem."

"Okay then let's go, it'll take like a day to cross the forest." Henry said, there's nothing to worry about illusions,if it's only illusion.

"Hey, Ali." I called,"give me a sword." I requested, 

"Here."he passed me an extra sword from the carriage,I think it's going to be fun inside.

"And now, Barbara, Anabelle and Zark get inside the carriage and guard Leila. Ali keep your horse a little behind me,you too Harry. I'll lead ahead." I explained the instructions.

Silence.

"What?" I looked at them and saw they were looking at me with a curious gaze, do they not get my words at all.

"Nothing, it's like you are used to giving out orders." Henry scratched the back of his head.

"And I think you should go inside and I'll guard instead of you since you are inexperienced." Zark stepped forward, it'll take days if I leave this task to these guys.

"Nope, I said get inside and believe me, I'll make us get out of it by the sunset." I was not in the mood to argue with anyone.

"Haa fine just make sure you don't get scared of the illusions." Zark rubbed his temples and went inside along with others.

"I'll be at the front." I brought the horse in front of the carriage and With a shared resolve, we entered forward, venturing into the Illusory Forest Path. Every footfall stirred a kaleidoscope of illusions, Distorting our surroundings and playing tricks on our senses, the forest transformed before our eyes. Trees morphed into strange shapes, the path twisted and turned, and whispers of ethereal voices filled the air.

"This place is playing with our minds," Henry muttered, his voice tinged with unease. "Stay alert."

Zark gripped his staff tightly, scanning the surroundings with vigilant eyes. "Don't worry, Henry. We've faced tough challenges before, and we'll get through this."

I couldn't help but think, 'Someone, tell this guy to shut his mouth.'

As we pressed on, the forest seemed determined to test our resolve at every turn. Illusory monsters lurked in the shadows, their forms flickering and shifting. The sound of footsteps echoed from all directions, but their origin remained elusive. It was as if the forest itself reveled in toying with our sanity.

The sudden appearance of the Illusory Forest Path had caught us off guard. The entire forest hadn't become an illusion, but rather specific parts had been altered with illusions. It was a partial illusion, affecting only certain areas.

The intricacy of this illusion indicated the involvement of a powerful mage or a formidable mana beast. Yet, considering the remote location, both possibilities seemed unlikely. Creating such a sophisticated illusion would require a mage of at least seven stars or an SSS class mana beast.

Taking a moment to assess the situation, I realized that the forest had transformed into a perplexing puzzle. The distorted trees and flickering glow hinted at a manipulation of reality beyond my comprehension. I couldn't help but wonder who or what possessed the ability to weave such illusions in this secluded place.Whenever we encountered an object or a barrier, we would reach out and physically touch it to confirm its reality. This way, we could distinguish between real obstacles and illusory ones.

...

After a few hours had passed, I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as I looked ahead. "Huh?" I muttered, my thoughts echoing the strange circumstances we found ourselves in.

Zark, seemingly unfazed, chimed in, "See, I told you it would be easy! We cleared that Illusory Forest Path in one go, and now we're outside the forest, on a well-paved road."

But something about it all felt off, as if it were too... easy. We had ventured into the depths of an intricate illusion, yet we emerged unscathed without facing any significant challenges. It left me with a lingering sense of restlessness and an unsettling feeling in my gut.

Turning to Blaze,who could sense my emotions from within, I sought his perspective. 'What do you think, Smokeball? Does this situation feel right to you?'

In response, Blaze conveyed his uncertainty. 'I don't know. It's difficult to gauge. It all seems too convenient, doesn't it? It's as if the path was laid out for us, almost unnaturally so.'

His words resonated with my own doubts, deepening the mystery surrounding our journey. Could this apparent ease be a deliberate ruse or a clever manipulation? Questions swirled in my mind, intensifying my curiosity and urging me to uncover the truth that lay beneath the surface.

"Let's keep going," Henry said, his eyes fixed on me, silently questioning if I was still going to lead the way.

*Thud.*

Feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion and a pounding headache, I dismounted from the horse. "Zark, take over for a moment. I need to rest," I instructed, my voice strained.

Zark stepped out of the carriage, confusion evident on his face as he tried to make sense of my sudden decision.

Entering the carriage, I noticed Barbara's curious gaze upon me. I approached her and spoke softly, "Barbara, may I borrow your lap for a moment? I just need to rest." I leaned without waiting for her affirmation.

"What?" Barbara squealed in surprise, taken aback by my unexpected request. Before she could react further, I felt two small hands grip the back of my head tightly, pulling me backwards.

"!?" Startled, I found myself once again resting my head on someone's lap, but this time it wasn't Barbara's.

"Ana?" I looked up at Anabelle with a puzzled expression, trying to make sense of the situation.

"You should have told me if you weren't feeling well. There was no need to bother Barbara, hmph." Anabelle scoffed, expressing her annoyance. I hadn't thought much about it; I simply wanted to lie down quickly, and since the space beside Barbara was unoccupied, I assumed it would be more comfortable to rest there.

Well, this isn't too bad either, I mused, feeling a mix of surprise and curiosity. I glanced at Anabelle's face, which had turned red from embarrassment.

As the carriage began to move, my mind continued to churn with the same questions, replaying them over and over again.'What was that?'

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Once the carriage was out of sight, something peculiar occurred—a humanoid figure emerged from the forest, gazing in the direction the carriage had departed.

His presence exuded an aura of darkness and power, leaving others with an unsettling feeling.

He stood tall and imposing, adorned in obsidian armor that reflected a sinister light. With crimson eyes and flowing ebony hair, he emitted a calm yet menacing aura. His demeanor commanded respect and instilled fear, symbolizing formidable power and cunning intellect.

Step, step.

"General Zephyrion." Footsteps resonated, and another demon with horns sprouting from his head knelt before Zephyrion.

"What's the progress?" Zephyrion asked, his voice low and gruff.

"We are halfway through. It will take two more days to complete the inscription of the magic circles," the demon reported, his gaze fixed on the ground.

"Stand guard here. I will investigate myself," Zephyrion declared as he walked past the kneeling demon. As Zephyrion entered the forest, the demon exhaled with relief, knowing his life depended on his behavior.

...

"Zephyrion, who were they?" A woman approached him, emanating an alluring yet unnerving presence. Her lithe figure was draped in flowing garments of deep obsidian, accentuating her serpentine grace. Her eyes, still possessing their venomous intensity, held a captivating gaze. Dark, coiling tattoos snaked across her alabaster skin, adding an aura of mystery to her already enigmatic persona.

She didn't bow before him, nor did he, as if they were equals.

"Vexis, just some wandering mercenaries, nothing significant," Zephyrion replied, although his thoughts dwelled on something else.

"Are you certain? I sensed someone powerful inside that carriage. Someone with at least a six-star human power level. I wouldn't have detected it if not for this artifact." Vexis displayed a radar-like artifact in her hand.

"You're concerned about that?" Zephyrion questioned, seemingly unconvinced by her doubt.

"Was there anything else to be concerned about?" Vexis raised an eyebrow.

Zephyrion regarded her for a moment, then said, "No, don't worry and continue your work. The Liege will not show us mercy if we fail to complete our task." He dismissed the topic.

"Yes, it'll take like a year or so to cover up this continent but we'll make sure that the Liege is content with our work."Vexis nodded and moved ahead. Once the demoness was out of sight, Zephyrion muttered to himself, "That dark-haired boy, he nearly saw through me."

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