Chapter 34: Territory Scramble?
Ely waved her hand to all of the Guardian of Dream's members. The Ten Apostles and 144 disciples would embark on their journey to find their fateful encounter and collect some treasures and resources.
It was a seasonal event, four times a year. This event was different because Ely would also embark on a journey.
Three Apostles were lucky enough to choose a location chosen by their master. Thus, they could go together.
As much as it made other disciples jealous, no one complained because they had to finish their tasks immediately. If they were lucky and found lots of great resources and amazing materials, they could request their master to make a top-tier artifact for them.
Therefore, there was no room for laziness and procrastination.
"Kui, kui..." A brown rabbit jumped closer in a bit of a panic.
"???" Ely squatted down and extended her hand to the rabbit. She found that this small animal was not injured but looked a bit scared or worried about something. It kept whimpering as if it was saying something, but how could a human understand the language of animals?
Fortunately, Ely was adept at reading the emotions of living things. "Have you calmed down, little one? You look like you're being chased by a predator, but this is the wild jungle. Hum, but no beasts or demons will hunt you in the Sacred Mountain. They only go hunting in the foothills or other areas."
"Kui, kui..." The small rabbit wanted to say something but strangely couldn't speak human language.
Also, this nine-tailed fox resembled the shrine priestess because the beast would find it difficult to use the mana or qi around her. It usually caused the beasts returning to their natural origins as animals.
"Master, the small rabbit said a group of evil beasts is planning to take over this territory." Remiel poked the small rabbit's cheeks.
"Territory scramble?" Ely tapped her chin as she pondered over something.
So, this rabbit had a small territory on this mountain. Yet, that livelihood was under the threat of invasion from another group of rabbit thugs?
Territorial struggles were commonplace in the animal world. But, this mountain was her jurisdiction territory. No beast would be hunting in her territory as one wishes, but they had to protect their lair. Since this rabbit came to her, she had better give him a little advice to survive.
"Defend if you want to protect, and run if you only want to be safe. However, if you are strong enough, launch a strike before they can do damage. That is a basic concept of territorial struggles in the wilderness." Ely raised her finger. She knew the animal on this mountain might be smart enough to understand what she was saying.
"Kui?" The small rabbit tilted his head, then nodded.
"Well then. It's time for us to go." Ely glanced at her fortified, humble abode. She was confident that no wild beasts, not even the Emperor-level monsters, could invade her home.
She then went down the mountain, followed by her three disciples.
At that moment, Remiel glanced back, made a throat-slitting gesture, and whispered. "Crush them all."
The small rabbit saluted, then hopped away through the bushes and trees like a gust of wind. He reported the information he got to his brothers and sisters.
"Are you sure that is what the shrine priestess said?" The gigantic sea eagle puffed out his chest.
"Yes, the honorable shrine priestess currently disguised as the legendary nine-tailed fox. Also, the Tenth Apostle Remiel told me to crush them all." The small rabbit answered confidently.
"Our shrine priestess becomes a legendary nine-tailed fox!? Wow, I need to see her in person once she returns."
"Then, it's time for us to crush them all. They are so presumptuous to declare war on us!"
"Yeah, they boldly said they would take over the mountainous area around here. Who do they think they are!?"
"We are the Sacred Mountain's guardian beasts! This is our home! Let's demonstrate our might to the world!"
"Slaughter, massacre those ignorant fools! Almighty shrine priestess has spoken!"
"O-oh!"
The so-called docile beasts and demons in the Sacred Mountain evolved into savage terrors in their meetings. At that time, they didn't escort the shrine priestess away because it was the seasonal treasure hunt. Moreover, they had to prepare to wage war against the arrogant invaders in enemy territory.
Well, they were the ones who would invade instead of waiting for their opponent to attack.
At that time, Ely was oblivious that the ones she considered docile beasts and demons would carry out a large-scale attack when she was not around. She might be aware they were powerful, but she didn't expect that it was because she gave advice to a random 2nd Rank small rabbit.
*Mumble* *Mumble* *Mumble*
Uriel, Jophiel, and Remiel muttered softly to one another. Uriel and Remiel then nodded in understanding to Jophiel.
"..." Ely felt left out all of a sudden.
"Master, Remi and I must first go to the eastern region to explore the unexplored ruin. Once we finish our treasure hunt, we will immediately catch up with you to the snowy mountains." Uriel asked permission with several considerations in mind.
"Un, we'll be hunting fast to collect treasures and merits, then coming back soon." Remiel nodded in agreement.
"Ah, alright. But please be careful, okay? Your safety is the most important." Ely had no idea about this sudden decision, but she couldn't stop them either.
"Your wish is our command." Uriel bowed respectfully, then hurried off with Remiel like a shadow.
"..." Ely glanced at Jophiel. She had no idea what this girl said to Uriel and Remiel. Those two were adamant about going with her yesterday but suddenly chose to go separately now.
"Master, I only had a little chat with them. They have their own priority, but they think they will slow us down if the four of us need to go to the east forest too. We need to go north, you see..." Jophiel put her index fingers together and glanced sideways, unable to meet her master's eyes.
Actually, Uriel and Remiel wished to see how the Sacred Mountain's inhabitants would handle the impudent and ignorant tribe that intended to take over the Sacred Mountain's territory and its surroundings.
Jophiel also convinced her sisters to go on their separate treasure hunts, and they could catch up after a few days. The place Uriel and Remiel wanted to visit was pretty dangerous.
Furthermore, recent events happened because some evil things targeted their master.
Although they knew their master was so powerful, their master also had flaws and weaknesses. The Gods could even meet their demise, and the most powerful Human Goddess could also be injured.
Because Jophiel wanted to visit the relatively safe place, she was enough to ensure their master's safety while her sisters were away. Her destination with her master chosen place was actually in the same snowy mountains. So, it was easy to hit two birds with one stone.
"Never mind, we should also go north, then northwest." Ely looked around and summoned the nearby light elemental spirit.
She asked the nature spirit for a favor to bring them to the snowy mountain region in the north, and the latter agreed to help.
A bundle of light then formed into a cloud-like cushion. Ely and Jophiel sat there, and the light spirit immediately flew north.
It didn't go flying far off the ground and only sped up at a moderate speed at the request of the shrine priestess, or now the legendary nine-tailed fox.
"Light spirit, please bend the light around us. Cast no shadow and produce no reflection. We will go invisible." Ely requested, and the light spirit granted it.
"Fufu, we're advancing in invisibility, master? This trip is just the two of us. Isn't this so romantic?" Jophiel leaned her body closer to her master.
"Hmm." Ely nodded slightly, then summoned her grimoire. She wanted to pick a vitality herb or two while discovering more about the legendary myths around the snow mountains.
"Nee~ Master, am I beautiful?"
"Yes, you have grown into a beautiful girl, Jophi-chan."
"Can I take off my veil, master?"
"You can."
"May I change my outfit to the pretty dress, master?"
"Do you want to bewitch someone? You are no longer worried about your demoness-like innate charm, huh."
"You are with me, so I'm not afraid of anything. It's fine if it's master."
Ely was clueless about what this pink demoness elf had in mind, but she thought it was inconvenient for Jophiel to wear the veil almost all the time.
However, all of that was to protect Jophiel and put the dangerous demoness-like innate charm under control.
Jophiel was also a girl who occasionally wanted to wear pretty dresses. Since she was around her master, she felt safe because her master's presence could nullify her body's natural bewitching debuff.
So, she could act like a little girl without any worry, only when she was around her master, especially when it was just the two of them there.
This content is taken from fr(e)ewebn(o)vel.𝓬𝓸𝓶