"Human, why are you trespassing on my territory~!!"
The forest giant looked into the distance and saw a massive swarm of bats speeding toward him, roaring with a thunderous voice.
"Oh, so this is your place."
"That's right. I am the guardian of the Dark Forest—Artus, the forest giant," he declared.
Vlad gathered himself, standing atop a black tide of bats. From a distance, he met the giant's gaze, his presence equally imposing.
Dark Forest... Vlad mused inwardly.
"Human, say your last words," Artus growled.
At that moment, a terrifying aura locked onto Vlad.
Feeling it, a chill ran through his heart. This was a terrifying existence—one whose strength rivaled his own.
"Hmph, I didn't come to provoke you, but if it's death you seek, don't blame me."
Vlad had lived a life steeped in violence. The moment that crushing pressure hit him, he knew there would be no peaceful end to this.
Boom boom boom~~
Artus advanced with thunderous steps.
With a wave of his hand, green rays of light appeared, and countless arrows of green energy condensed in the sky before raining down on Vlad.
Vlad calmly lifted his fingers. The swarm of bats around him instantly split into streams, colliding with the energy arrows mid-air.
Bang bang bang~~!!
Boom!!
Explosions echoed as energy clashed violently.
Vlad pushed through the chaos, clearing away the ghosts and tree demons encircling him.
Even his bat swarm suffered massive losses.
This was the second large-scale elemental explosion—triggered by the tide of energy unleashed by the long-range assaults from both sides. The battlefield churned with chaotic, surging power.
Seeing this, Artus roared furiously. The ghosts and tree demons scattered, retreating to the outer edges of the forest.
It was clear: a clash between two such powerful beings could easily lead to catastrophic losses for all nearby.
Once the creatures retreated, Artus suddenly leapt high into the sky, aiming directly at Vlad.
Despite his massive size, his movement was driven by explosive power. In an instant, he was in front of Vlad, swinging a massive arm and casting a colossal shadow.
Bang~!!
Vlad's vision darkened. He hadn't expected such speed from the giant.
Caught off guard, he barely managed to gather the remaining bats into a massive shield to defend himself.
Boom~!!
The impact shook the earth.
A crater nearly a hundred meters wide formed instantly beneath them.
As the dust cleared, Vlad rose into the sky, breathing heavily, his hands trembling slightly.
"What terrifying strength..." he muttered, eyeing the forest giant, who was also rising. A solemn glint flickered in Vlad's eyes.
Facing the satisfied look on Artus's face, Vlad scoffed coldly. If he didn't fight back now, it would be an insult.
Just as Artus was preparing to attack again, Vlad—now airborne—waved his hand.
The bats hovering above instantly compressed into the shape of a giant fist, over a hundred feet tall, and came crashing down on the forest giant.
The ground trembled again with a deafening boom. A powerful shockwave burst outward like a tidal wave. Countless dead trees and plants were uprooted, leaving behind a barren zone stretching for a kilometer.
At the center, as the dust cleared, a massive crater appeared.
There stood Artus, arms crossed in front of him, the keratin armor on his limbs visibly cracked.
Faint green blood seeped from the fissures.
"Human—or whatever you are—you've completely enraged me!!"
Artus's giant green eyes turned blood-red, and a violent dark aura surged from him.
White vapor burst from his nostrils, and in a blink, he launched himself at Vlad like a cannonball.
Seeing Artus injured but undeterred, Vlad's expression darkened.
Facing a giant with immense strength and resilience, Vlad had no choice but to rely on speed to keep the battle balanced.
Roars echoed. Trees collapsed all around.
The screams of ghosts and tree demons rang out again and again.
The battle raged for three full days, shaking not only the entire Dark Forest—
But reaching far beyond it.
Several kingdoms bordering the forest began to tremble, disturbed by the violent shockwaves and surging magical energy erupting from within.
A wave of refugees fled from nearby villages and towns.
Families, panicked and desperate, saw entire stretches of the forest collapse.
Countless dark beings—tree demons, ghosts, and twisted creatures—poured out of the forest, overrunning nearby settlements.
Their arrival brought with it drastic changes in the local climate.
Dark clouds gathered overhead, thick with ominous energy. The very air became choked with dark elements.
Corruption and death began to spread like a plague.
Within days, numerous villages and towns fell into decay and ruin.
Amidst the terror, the kingdoms—unaware of the true source—descended into chaos. Apocalyptic rumors and panic spread like wildfire.
Governments lost control. Ruling nobles collapsed into fear and infighting.
In desperation, armies were stationed along the Dark Forest's edge, prepared to counter any threat that might emerge.
Meanwhile, Vlad had ceased his circling harassment of the forest giant. His fingers trembled uncontrollably.
The elegant, mysterious aura of nobility was long gone.
Faint green blood stained his narrow fangs.
"Pah… revolting. Undrinkable," Vlad spat with disdain.
Though he spoke lightly, his tone barely concealed his exhaustion.
He had just faced the strongest opponent of his life.
The state of his body said it all. His left arm was twisted unnaturally. Scars covered him.
His clothes had been shredded on the very first day.
Artus hadn't escaped unscathed either.
One of his thick horns had snapped off, and chunks of flesh were missing beneath his shattered armor.
Their battle had been brutal.
To an outsider, it might appear they were evenly matched. But both knew the truth.
Due to the vast difference in physique, Vlad had far less energy to draw upon.
Fortunately, by absorbing Artus's blood, he was able to barely maintain his strength and stave off exhaustion.
But the raw, violent power contained in that blood was taking its toll on him.
If this went on much longer—
Even Vlad couldn't say who would be the one to fall first.