Episode 375
In the heart of the jungle, as Zeke sensed the presence of a dragon’s aura, a message appeared before his eyes.
―Hidden Quest―
[Follow the dragon’s aura to uncover the mystery hidden within the jungle.]
[Quest Reward: Hidden Random Box]
“A hidden quest?”
Until now, Zeke had only received main or achievement quests. This was his first hidden quest, leading him to suspect that something significant was concealed here.
“I’ve closed the gate and dealt with the high-level demons. The remaining monsters should be manageable within the Republic of Dortha.”
After some deliberation, Zeke decided to investigate the hidden quest before returning to the central continent. He headed towards the source of the aura, deeper into the jungle.
Pushing through the dense forest, he stumbled upon a massive stone, covered in moss and vines. Approaching it, Zeke tore away the foliage. Despite its long abandonment, the stone’s surface was surprisingly smooth.
“I can feel the dragon’s magic here. This must be some kind of ancient ruin.”
The guardian towers in the Barbarian villages and Agamemnon’s castle were all ancient sites imbued with dragon magic. Zeke realized that his arrival here, though seemingly accidental due to Hades’ magic, was no coincidence.
He infused the stone with mana.
Vroooom!
As he expected, the stone absorbed his mana, revealing unfamiliar symbols on its surface. Simultaneously, another message appeared before him.
[The Advanced Administrator System is attempting to access the ‘Lush Forest of Silence.’]
[Recognizing an advanced administrator in the ‘Lush Forest of Silence.’]
[Confirming the title: Blessed by the Ancient Dragon.]
[Confirming the title: Successor of the Sword Saint.]
[Confirming the title: Blessed by the Fairies.]
[Granting access code.]
[Unsealing the ‘Lush Forest of Silence.’]
With a soft rumble, the stone shifted aside, revealing a completely different landscape.
“What?”
A well-maintained path appeared, flanked by obelisks similar to the stone. As Zeke surveyed the transformed surroundings, he noticed a massive Komodo dragon charging down the path, with someone riding atop it.
“A Naga?”
The warrior, a member of the rare and mysterious Naga race, rode the Komodo dragon right up to Zeke.
Hissss—
The Naga pulled the reins, bringing the dragon to a halt just before Zeke. With a graceful leap, the Naga dismounted and stood before him.
The Naga warrior wore traditional attire adorned with intricate patterns, layered with sturdy wooden armor, and carried a shield. A machete hung at their waist, and a long spear was gripped in their hand.
The Naga regarded Zeke with a respectful bow and spoke.
“Greetings, great one.”
Zeke realized the Naga had mistaken him for a dragon.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not a dragon,” Zeke clarified.
The Naga looked startled but quickly nodded.
“Of course, you must be in disguise… I apologize for my oversight.”
Zeke sensed the Naga was under a misconception but decided it was simpler to let it be.
“Is this the village of the Naga tribe?” he asked.
The Naga straightened, puffing out their chest with pride.
“Indeed, it is, great… I mean, sir.”
Seeing the Naga’s uncertainty, Zeke offered his name.
“You can call me Zeke.”
The Naga’s face lit up with a smile.
“Yes, Lord Zeke! I am Kuesi, the chief warrior of the Forest of Silence tribe.”
Kuesi proudly displayed their ornate shield. Zeke nodded, impressed.
“Pleasure to meet you, Kuesi.”
Kuesi beamed and invited Zeke to their village, gesturing for him to mount the Komodo dragon. Despite its fearsome reputation, the dragon was as docile as a puppy before Zeke, thanks to his powers and titles.
As they rode into the village, Zeke noted the well-maintained path stretching deep into the forest.
“If the entrance is this elaborate, the village must be quite large.”
As they rode, a massive obelisk came into view, marking the end of the path. Zeke’s jaw dropped at the sight of the village.
“What is this?”
Before him lay not a small village but a sprawling city, comparable to a mid-sized city in the Midlands. The existence of such a vast city in the heart of the southern jungle was astonishing.
“Is this the mystery the quest mentioned?”
Yet, the quest completion message hadn’t appeared, suggesting the true mystery lay within the city.
As they approached the city gates, Kuesi halted the dragon.
“Greetings.”
Naga warriors, dressed similarly to Kuesi, emerged to check the identification tag on the dragon’s neck. Zeke noticed their shields were smaller and less ornate than Kuesi’s.
“Perhaps the stronger the warrior, the larger and more elaborate their shield,” Zeke mused.
With the inspection complete, Kuesi led Zeke into the city.
Inside, the city was a world unto itself. Towering structures, crafted from ancient trees, lined the streets, and Komodo dragons moved in orderly fashion, obeying traffic signals. Naga, a rare sight in the central continent, were everywhere.
Zeke, still astride the dragon, marveled at the city and spoke to Kuesi.
“This is incredible. I had no idea such a city existed.”
Kuesi nodded.
“Our tribe chose complete isolation to ensure the survival of the Naga race. The Sage of the Silent Forest created this haven for us.”
Kuesi guided Zeke to the largest tree in the city center, situated just behind an obelisk. The tree, reminiscent of a mythical world tree, was being used as a building.
“Lord Zeke, this way, please.”
Kuesi led Zeke inside. Contrary to Zeke’s expectations, the interior was modern, akin to the latest buildings in the Midlands.
Seeing Zeke’s surprise, Kuesi chuckled.
“Though isolated, we maintain indirect exchanges. Selected individuals are sent to the central continent to learn advanced knowledge and bring it back for the benefit of the entire village.”
The Naga were renowned for their intelligence and wisdom.
“Indeed, only the Naga could achieve such progress. Other races would struggle to reach this level.”
Zeke nodded, following Kuesi deeper into the building.
Then, Zeke witnessed something even more astonishing.
“A portal?”
Instead of an elevator, they used a portal to ascend, a concept beyond belief.
Kuesi stepped onto a magic circle with Zeke and announced their destination.
Vroooom!
The magic circle activated, transporting them instantly to the top floor.
“Wow.”
Suppressing a laugh at the absurdity, Zeke surveyed the area. It seemed they had reached the top floor.
From there, large windows, more like massive knots in the tree, offered a panoramic view of the city.
As Zeke admired the view, Kuesi spoke.
“This way, please. The Sage wishes to meet you.”
Zeke was taken aback.
“The Sage? You mean the Sage of the Silent Forest?”
Kuesi nodded in confirmation.
If true, Zeke was about to meet another surviving dragon, aside from Hades. As he processed this unexpected turn, Kuesi calmly led him to the Sage’s quarters.
Entering a room, Zeke’s eyes widened at the sight of countless books filling the walls.
“Could anyone have read all these?”
As he pondered this, Kuesi bowed towards a corner of the room.
“Sage, I have brought our guest.”
Turning to look, Zeke saw a desk in the corner, where an elderly figure with green hair and glasses was engrossed in a thick book.
“The Sage of the Silent Forest?”
Contrary to Zeke’s expectations, the Sage appeared to be an elf, not a Naga.
The sage finished the passage he was reading, closed the hefty book, and set it aside.
When he looked up, his expression was more stern and uncompromising than expected.
This sage was different from the absent-minded hermit of the tales, exuding an air of authority.
He addressed Kuesi with a nod. “You’ve done well, Kuesi. It’s time for you to return to your duties.”
Kuesi bowed respectfully and exited the room.
Zeke felt a twinge of tension at the sage’s rigid demeanor.
Adjusting his glasses, the sage turned his gaze to Zeke. “Blessed by the ancient dragon, heir to the swordmaster, and touched by the fairies. Just who are you?”
To Zeke’s surprise, the sage seemed to know all about his administrative access records.
Trying to relax, Zeke asked, “You can use the Kabbalah System?”
The sage’s eyes narrowed with curiosity. “You even know its name… Your identity intrigues me more and more.”
With a wave of his hand, a system window appeared before the sage, overlapping with Zeke and displaying a flurry of information.
After scanning the data, the sage looked at Zeke. “Are you here for the Seal of Chronos?”
Zeke was taken aback. “Is the Seal of Chronos here?”
The sage pondered for a moment before speaking slowly. “So, you’re indeed searching for the Seal of Chronos, but you didn’t know it was here?”
Zeke nodded. “Yes, until a few hours ago, I was dealing with demons in the Republic of Dortha. Something happened, and I ended up here by chance.”
The sage raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “By chance, you say? Was it truly just chance?”
Zeke hesitated before replying, “I’m not sure. It happened while Hades, the Hermit of the Black River, was blocking the demons’ spatial magic. So, it might not have been mere coincidence.”
The sage’s eyes widened in surprise. “Hades! You mean the child of the Black Clan has broken Blanca’s shackles and emerged?”
Zeke nodded. “Yes, the seal was broken some time ago. He didn’t do it himself; I helped him.”
“You broke the seal? How on earth did you manage that?”
The sage’s interest was piqued in an unexpected direction.
Zeke proceeded to explain in detail how he had broken Hades’ seal.
The sage listened intently, occasionally raising a hand to pause Zeke and jotting down notes with a pen and paper. He asked for clarification on certain points, ensuring he captured every detail.
Once Zeke finished, the sage looked genuinely impressed. “I never knew such a method existed. Zeke, was it? Your resourcefulness is remarkable.”
The sage’s expression had softened considerably since their first encounter.
Zeke felt a wave of relief and nodded in gratitude. Just then, the sage, still seated, began to move.
“Is the chair moving on its own?”
The sage, seated in a wheeled chair, rolled towards Zeke and looked up at him. “Follow me. There’s something I want to show you.”