Chapter 130: Auson Munielp’s Vine Monster

"Judging by the outcome, not only did they dare, but they actually succeeded," Silvia said after a moment of silence. "Did those Elves really have such powerful backing? Then why were they overthrown by the rebelling allied forces?"

"It must be just the Elves of Green Swamp Town. All signs indicate that the darkness beneath this land doesn’t extend to the outside world," Ron said, closing the diary. "This one is completely full. I’m guessing there’s a sixth volume, but he probably wasn’t able to finish it."

"The Red Copper Dragon was likely also threatened by the Elves, but she was more cautious and just fled," Aiksuuri said, taking flight again. "That thing could be far more terrifying than a Mire Throat Monster! Who knows when it will come knocking."

"It would be at least a hundred years, I’d think," Silvia calculated. "That Ancient Kingdom, and Green Swamp Town in the Hailan Empire... they aren’t actually that dangerous to humans. By the time trouble brews, countless generations will have passed."

"We can’t just leave it for future generations to solve, can we?" Ron chuckled. "Besides, you two will still be alive by then, won’t you? It’ll be your problem, too."

"Let’s find Aive and the others. They need to know about this."

The moment Ron, Silvia, and the dragon stepped out of the library cave, Aive and the others came scrambling around the corner. "Run! Run for your lives! Hide!"

"Huh?" Ron froze. "What happened?"

"It was my fault!" For the first time, Ron saw a goblin’s face turn pale with fright. "A giant ball of vines! I just tossed a Gemstone at it, and it woke up! It’s been chasing us ever since!"

"How is there something still alive in a Green Dragon’s lair?" Victoria asked with a wry smile. "Our attacks are barely having any effect. We should focus on finding a way out of here! It’ll be too late if it catches up!"

"Luckily, that thing moves very, very slowly," Aive said, catching her breath. "Otherwise, I doubt we would’ve made it back at all."

"This is so frustrating!" Sera grumbled, clutching the Grip of the Vast Wave. "I can’t even cut through some vines? How is that possible?"

"Vines?" Ron and Silvia exchanged a look. It wasn’t surprising to find vines in a Green Dragon’s lair, but what kind of plant could withstand the Grip of the Vast Wave?

As the sound of heavy, slow footsteps echoed from the darkness, Ron and his companions prepared for a fight.

Aive and her friends had made it sound terrifying, but ’fleeing without even a fight would be pathetic. We should at least see what we’re up against.’

THWACK, THWACK.

Vines as thick as Ron’s forearm slapped against the corner of the wall, one after another. In the glow of the Light Magic, the creature’s massive body cast a terrifying, twisted shadow. Judging by the silhouette alone, Ron and the others couldn’t tell its head from its body. It looked like a sphere with long legs, dragging itself around the corner with heavy, plodding steps.

It was a rotting mass formed from a tangle of animated plants. Decaying leaves, vines, roots, and other natural detritus from the forest and swamp clung to its body. Its upper half stood nearly as tall as a person, crowned by a faceless "head."

Had they encountered it in the wilds of the Delusional Land, Aive and the others likely would have been devoured before they even had a chance to spot it. This type of creature feeds on all organic matter, tirelessly consuming any plants and unfortunate animals in its path. The only reason they haven’t destroyed entire ecosystems is their rarity and slowness. Nevertheless, their very existence continuously harms the natural environments that plants and animals rely on, and the presence of these endlessly hungry horrors casts an uneasy silence over the forests and swamps they inhabit.

"A Vine Monster, also known as a Shambler," Aiksuuri identified the creature before Ron or Silvia could. "Vine Monsters have many variants depending on their habitat and diet. You’ve clearly picked a fight with a tough one."

The most common type of Vine Monster—the most frequently seen of a rare species—is no stronger than a juvenile Mire Throat Monster. But this one was clearly not one of them. Ron and the others could see a small wooden sign hanging from its body amid the dead branches and decaying leaves. It bore the same warning written in both the Dragon Language and the Common Language:

Auson Munielp’s Vine Monster. Halt on sight. No visitors.

"It’s a guardian the Green Dragon made for itself!" Aiksuuri cried out. "He must have layered it with enchantments to keep it animated for a long time!"

Like Elves, Giant Dragons sometimes leave their lairs to embark on adventures lasting anywhere from a few years to several centuries. It wasn’t surprising, therefore, that they would leave behind long-term guardians. What *was* surprising was that Ron and his group had run into one—and woken it up!

"What are you doing? Put that Gemstone away!" Silvia frantically stopped Ron, who was preparing to cast a Lightning Bolt at the Vine Monster. "Don’t you know? Vine Monsters are created when ordinary swamp plants are animated by lightning or fey Magic! Their thick bodies can resist cold and fire. But lightning will just activate their roots further, strengthening them and triggering their feeding instinct! You don’t want to get us all killed in here, do you?!"

"Doesn’t it have any weaknesses?" Ron abandoned the lightning spell, instead forming a Strong Acid Arrow in his hand and firing it at the Vine Monster’s "face." It only corroded a small patch of vegetation, doing next to nothing. "A Scorching Beam wouldn’t be very effective either, would it?"

"It’s enchanted with at least six different permanent spells! The Green Dragon probably just intended them as a warning for intruders, but they’ll be more than enough to deal with us!" Aiksuuri’s voice shifted, and he began speaking in the Dragon Language. "Think back to the Original Text you were just reading! Try to dispel the Magic on it! That’s our only chance!"

As he spoke, the young Black Dragon snapped his fingers. Six different-colored Magic Radiances flared to life on the Vine Monster’s body, but nothing else happened.

"The level of these enchantments is far beyond ours," Aiksuuri said, casting Dispel Magic again. This time, a sea-blue Spiritual Light on the monster was instantly snuffed out. "If only we knew Withering Magic! It’s incredibly effective against creatures like this!"

"What are you daydreaming about!" Victoria cried, exasperated. "Now’s not the time for wishful thinking! Dispel Magic!"

"Defense Array!"

A dim, columnar Twilight Barrier rose before Aive as glowing runes appeared on the ground. When the Vine Monster tried to attack the Half-Elf, its Perception seemed to warp as if refracted by water. The lashing tendril missed by a ridiculous margin, not even touching a single strand of Aive’s hair.

"A Defense Array wasn’t designed to stop plants; it won’t last an hour," Victoria said, quickly sprinkling the last of the iron powder in her hand onto the ground. "Fight or flee—we need to decide, now!"