Ascension of the Sylvan Cosmos - Volume 1

Chapter 109. Nine Months.

Author Note: The schedule will be two hours before from now on. I am experimenting with a new schedule, which is 21:00 GMT+2! I hope it is good for everyone~ <3. Also, check Patreon.com/Mortrexo. There are images of Cinderielle, Verdantia, and future Sylvans as well OwO.

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"No news about them?"

"No, sir. They have disappeared like the previous group."

It was afternoon, and they were in an open garden with beautiful white flowers and vibrant green grass. The place was peaceful, with cute critters running around.

The man receiving the report was tall and handsome, with very rare penetrative violet eyes, jet-black hair, and an air of shadowy elegance. The atmosphere around him was phantasmal, yet with an underlying momentum that felt physical.

The person reporting was a human woman wearing a black uniform. She was extremely respectful toward the man before her because he was the leader of the <Void Witherwood Exharchs>.

Even when she herself was Level 17, and the person before her was three levels ahead, the difference in strength was significant enough that she didn't dare disobey.

The man stopped swinging his sword, becoming thoughtful. "The first group that went to investigate the recent movements of the Golden Sap Forest was made of a Level 10 and a few sub-level-10s, right?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, Sir."

The man hummed. "Them disappearing can be attributed to being careless. After all, there are a few Level 10 monsters in the Golden Sap forest. So, to recover things and also investigate if something is happening there, we sent a group with one Level 15 as the leader, a Level 13 Sylvan, and three Level 11s, right?"

The woman said stoically. "There was a Level 12 and two Level 11s, sir."

The leader smirked. "Well, almost the same thing. Moreover, the Sylvan knew how to transform, right?"

The woman nodded. "Yes, sir. She was an awakened Earth Sylvan."

"A Level 13 Sylvan, while transformed, is very strong. Even an average Level 19 human could have trouble dealing with her."

The woman internally agreed, and the man asked. "Do we have higher-level Sylvans that had developed their transformation skills?"

The woman shook her head. "No, sir. She was the highest level Sylvan in our organization. The reason she even agreed to join us was because we could implant some extreme ideals and feed them to take root in her heart. She would ignore almost anything else without listening to reason."

The man looked at the woman and smiled. "And we just lost someone like that? Probably someone who could've grown to become my right-hand woman?"

The woman saw that, although the purple-eyed man was smiling, his eyes were glowing quite ominously. Before answering, she needed a few seconds to regain her composure and avoid a tremble in her voice. "Yes, sir. We lost contact with them."

The man rubbed his chin, thinking of what to do. "How long ago did this happen?"

The woman was a bit hesitant, but when his eyes landed on her, she told the truth. "N-Nine months ago."

"Nine months!" The man laughed. "Such a long time ago! So, I am quite curious. Why wasn't I informed that a group with five first-energy-cycle people had disappeared?"

The man turned and approached the woman step by step. "You know, if they were normal people that had not even reached Level 10, well, there is no problem if the information reaches a bit late. After all, those are easily replaceable. However, other than Fortuna City, which is the overlord of this area, the rest of the powers would fall asleep with a smile if a Level 10 joined them! Us included! Not to mention, anyone above that line would be quite a blessing. Am I wrong?"