I Only Tame Dragons

Chapter 115 The Forest Guardian

"Well, we should at least give it a shot," Fiora said with a hopeful smile, pulling out a piece of roasted beast meat from her pack.

She knelt down and placed it carefully near the monolith, patting it like it might respond to her kindness. "Here you go, nice and easy."

They waited, eyes fixed on the offering as silence stretched. One minute. Two.

Velvet crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that worked wonders," she sneered.

Fiora shot her a look, her voice bristling with defensiveness. "Alright, wise one. What do you suggest then?"

"Maybe blood," Velvet replied coolly, an almost wicked glint in her eyes. "Ancient seals usually have a taste for it."

Dawnfire scrunched up her nose, immediately recoiling, her huge breasts jiggled as she did. "There is no way I'm pouring blood on that thing."

Aria took a step back, shivering. "H-hurting myself isn't exactly . . ."

~Swish~

A slicing sound echoed through the air, followed by a sharp spurt of blood.

Everyone turned to see Seraphina, her face stoic, as she swept her blade across her forearm. The blood glistened on her skin as she held it over the monolith, letting the crimson droplets spill onto the ancient stone.

Her wound healed almost instantly, her HP bar surging back to full. Horizon's eyes narrowed as he noticed the effect—her armor must have some kind of regeneration ability, maybe akin to his own.

For a moment, the monolith stayed quiet, absorbing the blood. Then, a faint glow started to pulse from within its symbols, lighting up the shadows around them.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Horizon smirked, impressed. "Looks like blood really was the key."

"Oh, it worked!" Fiora breathed, eyes wide with awe as the monolith's glow intensified.

It possessed a natural immunity to earth and nature magic, rendering many of Fiora's spells useless.

Roots that pulsed with greenish energy wrapped around its limbs, each one woven into its stone frame as both weapon and armor. Thorns the size of spears jutted from its arms and shoulders, and every movement it made shook the very ground.

Seraphina's eyes narrowed as she studied the creature. "So that thing is . . . immune to earth and nature. We'll need to rely on our fire and weapon-based attacks."

Dawnfire stepped forward, her flames already igniting, casting her silhouette in a fierce glow. "This thing's about to find out what happens when you try to take on Wingless Valkyries."

With a low rumble, Eldergrove extended its massive arm, the motion sending a wave of forest energy rippling through the air.

Plants around them wilted and reformed into sharpened blades, circling around the guardian like a defensive shield.

Suddenly, it struck the earth with a clenched fist, and a shockwave exploded outward. Stones flew like shrapnel, forcing the adventurers to brace themselves as the ground beneath their feet trembled.

"Stay on your toes!" Seraphina commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos. She lunged forward, her radiant sword flashing as she aimed for the creature's limb.

The blade bit into Eldergrove's arm, sending shards of rock scattering, but the guardian barely reacted, its massive health bar only taking the faintest sliver of damage.

Even its blood was unique; a viscous, green sap oozed from the wound, seemingly alive as it hardened to seal the cut almost immediately.

"How . . . how is that possible?" Aria's face drained of color as she watched Seraphina's strike barely nick Eldergrove's towering health bar. "Can we really take on that thing?"

Seraphina's thoughts mirrored her own doubts. This wasn't just any guardian. It was built like a world boss — something that would normally demand multiple guilds to defeat.

What were the elves thinking when they designed this challenge? This was less a test of strength and more a punishment—a seemingly unwinnable battle that no single party could hope to conquer.

The Guardian was a beast of legend, an obstacle meant to humble, if not outright crush, any would-be intruders.

The only possible strategy? A combined force. A gathering of power from all those who dared to venture into these cursed woods, all coming together to face Eldergrove. That was the only conceivable way anyone could stand a chance.