Chapter 172: The Druid Returns

"All right. Now, all we have to do is wait."

...

Night fell. The moon sank and the stars faded, leaving the sky pitch-black.

At the center of the Main Island, Kumlinge, the monster army's camp beneath the towering heights of Snowfall Peak and beside the ribbon-like Snowpaint River stood in sharp contrast to the surrounding night.

Light spells cast by the spellcasters illuminated every corner of the camp. Even the tents where the monster army slept glowed with the spell's radiance.

Spellcasters bustled constantly between the tents. The Light spell lasted only an hour, so fresh enchantments had to be cast continuously as the old ones expired.

Fortunately, Light was merely a low-level trick requiring minimal mana, allowing a single mage to illuminate a vast area.

Under the arrangements of Gurgalu, the chief steward of White Castle, the members of the Mage Corps took turns standing watch, ensuring the entire encampment would remain brightly lit until dawn.

Within a three-hundred-meter radius around the camp, every single tree had been felled, their timber feeding dozens of roaring bonfires.

Patrol squads composed of Ogres and gnolls marched back and forth along the camp perimeter, securing the area while tossing fresh logs onto the flames.

If one ignored the roasting meat sizzling over the bonfires, they looked entirely like a disciplined army of professionals under strict military order.

High above the snowline of Snowfall Peak, the White Dragon Lord, Felicia, and Willy stood firm against the howling gale, gazing down at the brightly illuminated encampment below.

Scanning the dark expanse of land, Willy frowned at the heavily fortified camp and couldn't help asking, "Amos, is all this really necessary? Is that Nether Panther truly so formidable? Even you can't beat it?"

"The Nether Panther's offensive power isn't overwhelming, but it can travel through shadows, making it exceptionally troublesome at night." Lying on the ground and scanning his own body with mental power, the White Dragon Lord replied without looking up. "If it set its mind on slaughtering our ordinary subordinates, I wouldn't be able to stop it."

Understanding dawned on his Dragon Brother and Dragon Sister, and they fell silent.

Amos continued examining his body.

After the mark left by the Flame Demon Lord sank into him, the White Dragon Lord had caught only a brief glimpse of it before it hid itself away. Yet Amos had never given up searching for it.

After checking ten times over, the White Dragon Lord still couldn't find a trace of the mark, leaving him feeling thoroughly helpless.

Hmph! I don't believe Ogresa would dare come to Nordhill to cause me trouble, the White Dragon Lord thought.

Determined not to leave the plane, the white dragon set the matter of the mark aside for now. He rose to his feet and joined his Dragon Brother and Dragon Sister in keeping watch through the night.

The three white dragons stood guard until the break of dawn. When fish-belly white showed on the eastern horizon, the Nether Panther still hadn't appeared.

The White Dragon Lord let out a breath of relief.

"Let's go. It seems Yuir isn't coming."

Deeply disappointed that the Nether Panther hadn't attempted a night raid, Felicia pouted. "Tch. Made me excited for nothing all night."

"It's a good thing it didn't come," Willy consoled her. "Once Elena arrives, we can track that guy down, capture it, and bring this operation to a successful conclusion."

When the three white dragons returned to the encampment, Gurgalu, who had also stayed awake all night, came out to greet them.

"Master, that panther was scared out of its wits by you. It didn't dare come."

The Ogre chieftain's routine flattery eased the White Dragon Lord's irritation somewhat, but what Amos never imagined was that Gurgalu had actually hit the mark.

Ever since watching the battle between the white dragon and the Flame Demon Lord from afar, Yuir had abandoned any thought of continuing its harassment.

Willy looked at the roasted meat over the bonfires, his stomach rumbling with hunger. Just as he reached out to grab a piece, the White Dragon Lord quickly stopped him.

Meeting Willy's puzzled gaze, Amos explained, "That roast meat was spiked with ingredients to lure Yuir."

The White Dragon Lord then turned to a nearby Ogre and commanded, "All right, throw all this roast meat away. Prepare fresh food so the spellcasters can replenish their strength and get some early rest."

"Yes!"

As the sun peeked over the horizon, the savory aroma of food drifted through the camp. Every monster that smelled it gulped down their saliva.

At that moment, a resounding dragon roar echoed from the horizon.

Elena had arrived!

The three white dragons answered with equally resounding, joyful dragon roars.

Before long, the long-absent Elena descended from the sky and landed in the clearing between the bonfires.

Aside from the White Dragon Lord, the others hadn't yet seen Elena's new appearance. They marveled at the flowers blooming between the small female dragon's scales and the vines wrapped around her horns.

"Oh, Elena, are the plants on your body real?" Unable to contain her curiosity, Felicia stepped forward and tugged at the plants growing on Elena.

Elena didn't mind her sister's intrusion. "Ah, of course they're real! When they first sprouted, I was startled too, but later I found out these plants are quite handy. I don't even need to use my hands to hold a plate when I eat."

No sooner had she spoken than several green vines shot out from her body, wrapping around Willy's claw just as he reached out to pluck a flower. They grew rapidly, binding him before he could even react.

Unsure whether breaking free from the vines would hurt Elena, Willy shouted in frustration, "Oh, Elena, let me go! I'm getting mad!"

Elena playfully stuck out her tongue and retracted the vines.

Seeing his Dragon Sister use Animate Plants with such flexibility, the White Dragon Lord felt highly gratified. It seemed Elena had gained a great deal during her decade or so with the Nine Eyes Alliance.

"Scan!"

[Name]: Elena Aldrich

[Level]: Level 19 Dragon / Level 16 druid

[Combat Power]: Tier 4

[Alignment]: Chaotic Neutral

[Description]: She is a female white dragon in the youth stage. Originally possessing ordinary talent, she was merely a standard white dragon, but her successful entry into the druid profession has set her apart. With the guidance of a renowned master, her comprehensive combat capability far exceeds that of ordinary dragons her age.

The White Dragon Lord was mildly astonished. Elena's cultivation talent was quite ordinary, even slightly inferior to Willy's. Originally the straggler among the four siblings, she had unexpectedly pulled ahead of Felicia in her training as a professional.

After all, Felicia had only recently advanced to a Level 15 Priest, while Willy was still striving toward becoming a Level 14 Warrior.

Such were the benefits of having a proper teacher!

Watching the four white dragons chat, Gurgalu quietly withdrew, leaving time for the rarely reunited siblings.

After the four siblings chatted for a while, Elena brought up the main topic. "Ah, Amos, why did you call me back again?"

The White Dragon Lord turned solemn. "Elena, we need your help. White Castle's territorial expansion has reached a critical juncture. Right now, we've run into trouble with the Nether Panther, Yuir. It's a cunning jungle killer, and its abilities are extremely troublesome... We need you to locate its position without alerting it."

Elena tilted her head in thought. A moment later, she spoke.

"Amos, there are two plans. First, I can control some small animals to search for traces of that panther. This method takes a long time, and they might be discovered, putting the panther on guard."

"And what is the second?" the White Dragon Lord asked.

"The second is to conduct a Nature Ritual," Elena continued. "Through the ritual, I can commune with the trees in the forest. However, the magical materials consumed for this method are rather precious."

"Which one do you choose?"