Pillar of Yita

”...Ah, Xiuyuede, the hero’s sword reflects under that sky,

mirroring the blue dawn, held firmly in the palm, its blade shining bright akin to a flame.”

Fang Hong turned back, gazing at the poet standing within the forest, cradling a lute and sporting a smile. Hearing someone recount tales of the Dragon Slaying Hero here was truly unexpected for him.

That was ”Galapea”, a heroic epic, its name derived from that fairy’s holy sword.

The poet patted the lute, showing off to the surrounding audience with some pride: ”You have not seen my performance in the previous battle, facing those crystal monsters, with a sword in one hand and war song in the other, I’m no less capable than Hero Xiuyuede.”

The audience laughed heartily. However, it seems this poet really has some skills, though boastful, yet few came out to refute him. It looks like either it’s true, or he has a good rapport among these folks.

Fang Hong observed those gathered natives and free summoners, which attests to the poet’s abilities from any aspect.

”Speaking of facing those crystal monsters, indeed some stepped forward like heroes. I know of a paladin, someone witnessed him firsthand, alone he took down a crab.”

At this moment, someone in the crowd spoke.

Here, the crab naturally referred to those construct giant crabs, Fang Hong instinctively thought it was referring to the big cat people, involuntarily glancing that way. Yet someone said:

”I know that person, he’s a famous lone ranger. However, the fellow probably didn’t frequent this area previously, seems he arrived in Nogness only recently?”

”Are you mistaken? Taking down a crab alone, according to our captain, those things are over level thirty. While not considered true large species, that also places him at this level. What grand guild summoner at this level would have leisure time? Even as a free summoner, wouldn’t lounge around here, right?”

”That’s where he’s impressive, rumor has it, he’s only in his twenties.”

The crowd then began to bicker back and forth, Fang Hong turned around, disinterested to continue listening. Yet he couldn’t help but feel suspicious, could this powerful figure suddenly appearing in Nogness be targeting him?

His suspicion wasn’t without basis, such wanderers often resemble bounty hunters of which many gathering in Nogness have an implicit goal.

”Mr. Ade.”

”Mr. Ade?”

At that moment, Fang Hong heard someone calling him, returning from his thoughts, he realized it was Walnut from the underground.

The crowd circled the forest edge, observing the non-combat oriented summoners constructing a makeshift defense line along the valley river bank. Each time they completed a section, tall Grey Treants would step forward, thrusting their arms into the soil, causing shrubs to grow crazily, forming a dense thorn network before the trench.

In fact, the summoners named this defense line the Thorn Frontline.

When the crystals begin attacking this place, this line, facing across the river to the Withered Woods, acts as the first defense of Greywood Forest.

”It’s nothing,” Fang Hong shook his head, indicating to Walnut underground that he was listening, ”Go on.”

Walnut glanced at him, then continued: ”Just as Miss Hilveld and Mr. Reed speculated, over half of the free summoners staying here are non-combat oriented. Most are professional miners, employed by several grand guilds south of Nogness to extract crystals here.”

”Additionally, there are some logistical personnel, such as alchemists, sharing similar circumstances. After the Crystalysis Beast invaded the mining area, the combat members were nearly annihilated, and these individuals, unable to break through, retreated deeper. Unexpectedly, they were rescued by the Grey Treants, hence staying here.”

”Some remaining are relatives of these, such as alchemists like Mr. Ade, if hired by the local guilds, they’d likely bring other members of Seven Seas Travel Group on board, equal to mercenaries.”

Parker couldn’t help but interject upon hearing: ”There’s such good fortune, then I will recruit an entire group to follow me, sharing the spoils evenly, easy enough right?”

”Enough,” Tianlan scoffed, ”were it someone like Brother Ade, maybe others would agree to a group. But for you, even sticking one person is questionable.”

”What, are you looking down upon the King of Nightingales?”

”The King of Nightingales is Madam Papamo, what’s that got to do with you?”

”I am Madam Papamo!”

Fang Hong was already accustomed to such childish squabbles, calmly telling Walnut: ”Walnut, ignore them, continue.”

Walnut nodded, ”And some are from the Forward Camp.”

”How, besides Holy White Stone, Hydra, and Twilight Guild people, does Forward Camp also have free summoners coming here?”

”No,” Walnut chuckled at this part, ”It’s just that when Forward Camp was breached, some found Ameya’s resurrection point here, chose to revive below, thus trapped here.”