Chapter 56: 56: Summoning Troops
Though the Chief accepted Reigns’ suggestion, his guards kept an eye on him like hawks.
Reigns had grabbed a worn-out pickaxe that only god knew where it had come from. The wooden handle felt rough in his hands as he tightened his grip and started tilling the upper portion of the hard barkwood.
While pretending to focus on tilling, he secretly kept an eye on the guards around him. Both of them were around Level 15.
After staying here for a few days, he already had a rough understanding of the village’s structure.
The Chief was Level 18 and the head of the entire place. Under him were four guards, each at Level 15.
Each Level 15 guard managed a small squad of their own whose members ranged from Level 10 to Level 13.
Around fifty people lived in the village. There could be more than that, but these were the forces he had to keep in mind before the final fight.
Just thinking about all of them attacking together sent a chill down Reigns’ spine. His chances of survival were slim.
Reigns looked around while clenching his fist tightly.
’I can only hold them off and trust Nyx to finish the fiend hidden inside as soon as possible.’
_____
The sun slowly set, and another sacrifice was offered.
The villagers soon noticed the circular concentric lines running around the hole.
Soon, curious whispers spread among them as they stared at the strange patterns, wondering what they were.
Chief Barbatos looked at the marks and smiled in satisfaction before letting out a loud roar.
"Fellow villagers, I am sure you are perplexed by this, but fear not. It was done by the new villager who wished to offer something as a tribute to the Shattered Canopy."
"So all of you, please clap for Reigns."
CLAPP!
A loud round of applause erupted instantly as everyone turned toward Reigns.
Nyx clapped even harder with a proud and excited look on her face, which almost made Reigns slip from embarrassment on the spot.
"Why are you clapping?"
Nyx blinked at him in confusion and tilted her head slightly.
"Why can’t I?"
"..."
Reigns stared dumb at him for a moment after hearing that. He suddenly felt deeply embarrassed because he wasn’t doing this out of some noble intention but for a far shadier purpose.
The same people who were praising him right now would probably start cursing him by nightfall for what he was about to do.
But for the moment, he could only force out a smile.
"It’s okay... I am just doing something I am good at... hahaha."
_____
Night had already fallen by the time Reigns and Nyxara quietly slipped out of the cottage.
The entire village was much quieter than before, except for the sound of crackling bonfires and the distant chants that echoed through the surroundings. Most of the villagers had already returned to their homes after the sacrifice ritual, and the muddy pathways between the huts were now almost empty.
Under the dim moonlight, the massive hollow trunk of the Shattered Canopy looked even more terrifying. Its enormous shadow stretched across the ground like a giant monster silently watching over the village.
The old tree stood motionless, yet its presence made the atmosphere feel heavy and unsettling.
Reigns narrowed his eyes and carefully observed the surroundings before gesturing to Nyxara with a subtle movement of his hand.
Nyxara nodded obediently and quietly followed behind him, lightly holding the corner of his clothes. Her footsteps were soft, and her sharp eyes constantly scanned the surroundings as they moved through the dark village.
The two silently sneaked toward the massive hole.
As they got closer, Reigns could feel a strange chill rising from within.
The air around the hole felt damp and heavy, and a faint rotten smell drifted upward from the darkness below. It almost felt as if something deep inside the pit was breathing slowly in silence.
Reigns took a deep breath and glanced around one last time.
Most of the villagers were asleep, dead tired after the day’s hunt. A few weak bonfires still burned in the distance, but nobody seemed to notice the two sneaking around the village at this hour.
Without wasting any more time, he took a deep breath and whispered softly,
"Bloom."
SWISHH!
The ground suddenly trembled beneath their feet.
One Splash Shooter after another burst out from the soil with sharp movements, their strange, plant-like bodies swaying slowly as they opened their hollow mouths toward the darkness below. Wet vines wriggled around their stems while faint green light flickered inside their hollow heads.
SWISHH!
SWISHH!
More of them appeared in a circle around the hole, surrounding the area like silent guards awaiting orders.
BOOM!
A large figure slowly rose from the ground.
Its thick, bulging arms were made of twisted brown roots that looked incredibly powerful. Its heavy, root-like legs dug deep into the earth while glowing green veins pulsed faintly across its wooden body. Dirt and broken stones rolled down from its massive frame as it fully emerged from the ground.
The moment it stood upright, even the surrounding air seemed to grow heavier.
Nyxara’s eyes widened slightly as she stared at the creature. Her purple hair swayed gently in the cold night wind while she looked up at the massive summon standing before them.
"So big..."
Reigns himself couldn’t help swallowing nervously while looking at it again. Even though it was his summon, the thing still looked intimidating. The Dryad’s towering figure almost blocked the moonlight above them.
Then, a soft green glow appeared near his shoulder.
A small Healing Sprout slowly bloomed and gently swayed from side to side. Tiny particles of green light floated around it, giving off a calm and soothing feeling that sharply contrasted the oppressive atmosphere around the hole.
Reigns exhaled slowly while looking at all his summoned creatures gathered around him before he turned toward Nyxara.
His expression became slightly serious.
"Nyx... If you encounter any danger, please retreat."
Nyxara looked at him quietly for a moment before smiling softly. She lightly tightened her grip on the massive greatsword resting on her back.
"Darling, you should run away too if you encounter any danger. No need to worry about me. I am pretty tough."
She smiled gently after saying that and slowly pulled out her mighty greatsword. The huge blade reflected the faint moonlight as she casually rested it against her shoulder despite its enormous weight.
Then she suddenly stepped closer.
Before Reigns could even react properly, Nyxara leaned forward and sneaked a quick kiss from his lips. A faint, satisfied smile formed on her face as she pulled away.
Reigns blinked in surprise while Nyxara swiftly turned around without saying anything else.
The next instant, she leaped toward the massive hole in a single, swift motion, and her figure quickly vanished into the darkness below.
