Volume 2: The Rise of Black Technology Chapter 144: Kana's Forest

  The dark forest is often the most dangerous, where it can be said that monsters gather, and generally speaking, no one will enter except for those who make a living in the forest. And in the similar fairy tales on the continent, they are mostly about disobedient children entering the forest and being eaten by unknown monsters.

  These scenes used by adults to scare children before sleep, to some extent, explain how continental enlightenment education views the forest - the forest has always been a symbol of danger. However, even with such clear explanations, every year there are still many young people who die in the forest. Some are due to their own work needs, while others are purely brain-dead children who go to find death for fun.

  The small island of Canas overseas is a peaceful place, which is recognized throughout the Coral Kingdom. If it weren't for its inconvenient transportation, most nobles in the kingdom would make it their retirement home in their later years. There aren't any powerful demons there.

  But even so, it's not a completely safe place. In the forests on the island, there are still monsters like goblins and slimes, and deep within, there are also powerful Minotaurs. This is still a considerable threat to the residents of Canas Island, who have no combat talent and are almost entirely farmers. The village's own defense team being able to drive away the goblins that come to harass them is already a great achievement; going into the forest to attack them proactively is simply impossible.

  It is precisely for this reason that, apart from hunters who have mastered survival skills, other residents are not allowed to approach the forest. However, there is no rule in the world that will be absolutely followed, and no matter how severe the consequences and penalties behind the rules are, there will always be people who take risks and bring trouble to others and themselves.

  Now in the inland village of Kanashima on Kanash Island, two young people have been missing for a whole day. Although they often practice what is called swordsmanship around the village, they have never been out of sight for so long. As night slowly approaches, their parents feel something is wrong and come to the village guard squad for help.

  "We are really powerless." The captain of the guard, wearing a somewhat rusty and unkempt armor, said to the three parents with a helpless gesture: "Now it's almost dark, going outside the village is a very dangerous thing, and our guard team, including me, has only seven people. Even if we want to search, we have to wait until dawn."

  "Is that what we're supposed to do, just stand by and watch our children die? Is the salary the village gives you every year just a waste?! The red-haired middle-aged man shouted emotionally, his wife trying to hold him back from rushing forward, but also looking at the captain of the guard with a worried face. Next to this couple stood a woman with golden long hair, one of the three adults searching for their children, and she was the only one who remained calm and composed."

  "Mr. Becker, is there really no way at all?" The blonde woman said to the captain of the guard: "Those two children may have gone to the hunter's hut in the forest. Didn't something happen to Pierre, the hunter, a while ago? He hasn't come to the village to sell furs for several days now. Those two are very close to his daughter Delia, maybe they went to look for them because of this."

  "In the evening, we really have no way out." Beck shook his head and said: "Moreover, they went into the forest, where there are monsters everywhere. Even if all seven of us go, it will only increase casualties. How can we all go when the village needs our protection?"

  What Beike said was true, and even a middle-aged red-haired man understood these things, but he couldn't give up the slightest hope. That was his only child, no matter how dangerous it was, he had to ensure the child's safety, since the guards in the guard team were afraid to search in the forest, so he could only prepare himself and go.

  "Mr. Shanks, you're not thinking of going into the forest yourself, are you?" The blonde woman seemed to see right through the red-haired middle-aged man's thoughts and turned around to look at him seriously: "I don't want you to take risks in the forest, let alone that it's about to get dark and you won't be able to find them. If something happens to you as the breadwinner of your family, how will your wife make a living afterwards?"

  "Mrs. Maria, aren't you worried at all?" The red-haired middle-aged man's wife looked at the calm blonde woman with a worried face and asked with a strange expression: "They went to that dangerous forest, didn't they? If they're attacked by those monsters, our family will be extinct!"

  The blonde woman didn't respond to Mrs. Shanks' words, she shook her head and reminded Shanks to think about what she said, then turned around and left the guard's quarters. Leaving behind a complex-looking Shanks who was entangled in hesitation, as Maria had said, he couldn't die as the pillar of his home, his wife's body wasn't well.

  If she had less care, maybe it would be fine for a while at first, but what about when she got old? After thinking for a long time, Shank finally decided to wait until tomorrow morning, when the sun was shining and the view was good. Going deep into the forest at night was not a wise choice, even if he had decided to go find his child, he couldn't just rush in like sending himself to death.

  The woman named Maria left the Guardian's barracks and walked through the winding village roads to her own residence, a not-so-large wooden house. This house located on the edge of the village was neither very poor nor rich. The hardships a woman had to endure to support herself and her children were unimaginable for those who had never experienced it.

  As someone who has been through it, Maria understands the importance of her husband and does not want Mrs. Shanks to end up in a similar situation, so she advises against Mr. Shanks' rash decision. After returning home, Maria sat down on the chair with some exhaustion. Her worries about her child are no less than others, that child is her only treasure and hope.

  However, her clever mind kept reminding her that no matter what she did now, it was all in vain, and waiting was the best option. Now all she could do was kneel down and pray that the god who had abandoned him would grant his blessing at this time and help him get through this crisis.

  However, at this time in the increasingly dark forest, the blond-haired youth put the injured red-haired youth under a large tree, grasping the blood-stained short sword and staring at the sparkling eyes around them. They had been surrounded by more than a dozen goblins, and the injured red-haired youth no longer had the strength to move, now only able to fight to the death with these demons.

  "Don't worry about me, escape on your own!" The red-haired youth, leaning on the long sword in his hand, struggled to stand up and shouted at the handsome youth who was protecting him: "This is all my fault! If I hadn't dragged you here, we wouldn't have ended up like this. Even now, I'm just holding you back."

  "What nonsense are you talking about, Charles!" The blond handsome youth loudly rebuked the red-haired youth: "Don't put all the blame on yourself, I also have a great responsibility for not being able to dissuade you, and in the end didn't I agree with your opinion? We're both worried about Delia."

  Several goblins brandished tattered weapons they had picked up from who-knows-where, howling as they leapt out of the dark thicket and charged towards Charlotte. Although these goblins were not powerful magical creatures, their number of over a dozen was also not something that two people could handle.

  Charlotte parried the attacks of the two in front, thrusting her shortsword into their bodies, but was also slashed on the arm by one of the goblins behind. Charlotte, who had never been hurt like this before, cried out in pain and dropped her shortsword, falling onto the leaf-covered ground, unable to do anything but watch as the goblin in front of her raised its weapon to strike at her head.

  Whoosh…… Thud! The sound of the long sword slicing through the air came in an instant, piercing the abdomen of the earth spirit that was about to chop down Charlotte and pinning it to the ground. Charles, who was leaning against the tree trunk, threw out his long sword, saving Charlotte's life from the jaws of danger.

  "Thanks." Charlotte, who had gradually gotten used to the pain, stood up, picked up her own dropped shortsword and then pulled out the longsword that was stuck in the earth spirit's body. She retreated back to Charles' side and handed him the longsword, saying: "There are still over ten earth spirits here. If we don't take care of them, we won't be able to leave this place."

  "That's right." Charles nodded, his face covered in sweat due to the pain in his ankle. "But there are too many of them, we can't be their opponents. I'll stay here and hold them off, you quickly leave, if this goes on, we'll both end up dying here!"

  "How could I possibly abandon you!" Charlotte said in a low voice, tearing off a piece of cloth from her clothes to bandage her arm. "You still owe me over ten coppers, and if you die, where am I supposed to go to get my money back? So you have to stay alive for me."

  Just as the two were talking, the goblins apparently saw their fatigue and no longer attacked in small waves. A dozen or so goblins jumped out of the bushes, holding up their weapons in their hands, with strange cries coming from their dirty mouths, and charged towards the two who were leaning against the tree trunk!