Lord of The Mysterious Realms Chapter 909

"The fog? Oh, Jenkins, that wasn't the Skull Sword. The mist on the city's outskirts seemed to act on its own, merging with the undead hordes. After they were defeated, it retreated just as strangely, back to where it came from."

Papa Oliver explained, his voice heavy with worry, as he handed Jenkins an apple. Jenkins accepted it with a quiet word of thanks, then split it in two with a firm twist of his hands, giving the smaller piece to the cat and keeping the larger for himself.

"That's not ordinary fog anymore. To be honest, I don't know what it is. Damn it, if the Air Protection Act had passed sooner, we wouldn't be facing this kind of mess. The investigation has just begun, so I doubt we'll have any answers soon."

"What about the forest fire?"

Outside, there was no sign of the fire or the smoke clouds anymore. The steady night rain had washed the acrid smell of burning from the air.

"It was extinguished long ago. After you collapsed, the dark clouds broke, and the first spring rain put out the blaze. The Evergreen Forest lost about a sixth of its area, but I imagine it will all grow back in a single spring. This place is just that magical."

The conversation had reached the point they had both been avoiding. Jenkins felt a pang of guilt, worried his actions would be discovered. Papa Oliver was just as uneasy, afraid Jenkins would uncover the truth about the Williams family's past.

The young man hesitated, searching for the right way to phrase his question. He leaned against the headboard, his right hand unconsciously stroking the cat as it nibbled on the apple.

"How much do you remember?"

Papa Oliver asked, really wanting to gauge how much Jenkins knew. But this was precisely the question Jenkins had been hoping for; he needed to be the one to set the tone for this story.

"I remember some kind of... Saint's blessed form, and then my power ran out and I was in danger..."

And now, it was time to lie. A lie of this magnitude was second nature to Jenkins.

"I was desperate. Then, I vaguely heard these strange sounds... It was like whispers in my ear, murmurs that seemed to rise from the bottom of my heart. It felt... comfortable, and gentle..."

Papa Oliver's face went pale.

"Power surged up from the earth beneath my feet, and for a moment, it felt like the forest and I became one. Then I saw Chocolate—who I thought I'd sent away—appear in the sky, carrying the Life Pearl I'd given it for protection... At first, I thought it was just some black cat flying there. I imagine that's what everyone else thought, too. The light was terrible, after all."

The meow came right on cue, as if the cat were playing its part in some grand prophecy.

"After I caught the Life Pearl, the power of nature and the forest just completely flooded into me. For some reason, the starry sky was giving me strength too. Then the pearl turned into a sword, and the animals led by Chocolate all transformed into... well, into what they became. Oh, right!" ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ Novᴇl_Fire(.)net

He put on a look of sudden realization, as if he'd just remembered something important.

"I only just realized—my Soul Trait Ability evolved again, and I'm a level four Enchanter now! Look, it's called Life Source now! The forest helped me. It's all so confusing."

He manifested the small, emerald tree, which looked much sturdier and more vigorous than it had in its Breath of Healing stage.

After he finished, an awkward silence descended upon the small wooden cabin once more. Jenkins's heart pounded in his chest, wondering if Papa Oliver would buy his story. He hadn't used the power of his divine domain of lies—there was too much to deal with lately, and he needed to test the waters first.

Papa Oliver, too, was lost in thought. He didn't doubt a word Jenkins said. Even the off-the-cuff tale about the Life Pearl's transformation didn't raise any suspicion. From his perspective, everything seemed plausible, especially Jenkins pointing out that the emblem representing the World Tree had evolved again.

The biggest challenge now was to keep Jenkins from learning the reasons behind it all. It wasn't the right time.

In the strange quiet, the pitter-patter of the rain outside seemed to grow louder. Having finished its apple, the cat yawned, curled up again, and nuzzled its head against Jenkins's hand with half-closed eyes. It was getting sleepy; it had been a very active day.

"What you're describing matches the preliminary report from Captain Bincy's team. The power from the stars means the Star Spirits intervened, but we don't know why... We also can't figure out the mutation of your life spirit, but it all probably traces back to this forest... the one the followers of the God of Lies created..."

Papa Oliver's heart hammered, worried that blaming that group would make Jenkins suspicious. Jenkins's heart hammered too, because he was the reason the forest existed.

"So, until we capture those people, nothing is certain. You need to pay close attention to your body. If you feel anything unusual, you must report it to the Church immediately."

Only after saying this did Papa Oliver look up at Jenkins's expression. Seeing the young man on the bed lost in thought, he let out a small sigh of relief.

He didn't want to discuss the topic any further, or Jenkins would eventually see through him. He had to change the subject, and quickly.

"After the demigods protecting the city drove off the undead, the animals in the forest returned to normal. They're all fine. It's as if the forest itself was protecting them—not a single one was lost. However..."

Papa Oliver reached for a mahogany box on the bedside table and handed it to Jenkins. The box bore the holy symbol of the Sage, and its wood was inlaid with gold and holy silver, depicting an angel holding a chalice. This was a high-grade container the Church used only for important items; ordinary objects were not worthy of being placed inside.

"Your sword—I mean, the Life Pearl—is completely destroyed."

He opened the box. Inside lay a wooden sword, shattered, with only the hilt and a third of the blade remaining. Mottled stains and cracks covered its surface. Its spiritual glow was gone, and the material had lost its ancient, profound quality.

Its opponent, after all, was A-12-1-0044, the Skull Sword of the Departed Soul—a Cursed Item that had endured for countless epochs, devouring numerous other numbered items. To have knocked that sword from Pompey's grasp was already the best possible outcome, a result of many miracles and the power of the Star Spirits.

The only problem was, no one knew where the Skull Sword had gone. After Jenkins collapsed, Enchanters from five Orthodox Churches began cleaning up the fire, helping the animals deal with the routed undead, and searching in the direction the sword had flown.

But just like thirty years ago, it had vanished without a trace.