The last manifestation

Her face showed signs of displeasure. She hadn't expected that to be his first concern after all the warnings. She sighed, then looked at him closely before leaning slightly closer and asking in a soft voice:

"Are you thinking of accepting their offer?"

There was a note of clear concern in her voice—not the concern of an employee doing her job, but personal worry, the kind a woman feels for a young man. Her tone grew more intense, as if trying to make him understand the gravity of the situation:

"That monster is unlike any other. It's the second most powerful creature in the Great Forest after the Giant Ogre. No one who has faced it has survived."

Her words felt like a closing door, urging him to turn back. Yet, despite everything she said, there was no hesitation in Ace's eyes. On the contrary, something changed in him. As soon as he heard the name "Giant Ogre," a kind of serene surprise appeared on his face—expressions far from fear or anxiety. They were not what she would have expected from anyone hearing that terrifying name.

It was as if he had heard something comforting, something that made him more certain of what he was going to do. The name that struck fear into the hearts of other adventurers was, to him, simply a unit of measurement—a way to gauge the danger he would face.

The receptionist watched him with wide eyes; her eyebrows furrowed in obvious suspicion. She had seen countless adventurers fall apart at the mention of the Giant Ogre. Some backed out immediately, others swallowed hard, and some pretended to be brave until their expressions crumbled. But Ace was different. He looked as if he had just received good news—not a terrifying warning. That only deepened her doubts about him.

Faced with that, she let out a second, longer sigh. She tried to gather the right words before deciding to tell him the whole truth. Maybe then, he would realize how little he truly knew about the danger he was about to face.

"The Great Forest…" her voice was serious, holding a trace of caution. Then she continued:

"It's a place swarming with dangerous monsters of various sizes and strengths. But for decades, there have only been two creatures that no one is advised to face except with a gold-ranked adventuring team—the Giant Ogre and the Rotting Tree Beast, the monster responsible for problems that extend beyond the forest itself."

She paused, as if weighing her words, then continued in a quieter voice filled with dread:

"That monster affects even those who've never seen it."

Ace's eyes narrowed, confusion evident on his face, and he asked:

"What do you mean?"

She took a deep breath before replying:

"The Rotting Tree Beast emits toxic gases from its body. These gases cause illness when they reach the town during the seasonal wind shifts. The winds carry the toxins, triggering waves of sickness among the townspeople. The illnesses aren't fatal due to the light concentration of the gas, and thankfully, the season doesn't last long, so it's bearable. Usually, the winds blow the gases away toward the Green Death Plains behind the Great Forest. But inside the forest, it's different. There, even though the gas is invisible, you can feel it with every breath. The concentration is lethal. No one dares stay in the forest long, even with protective masks."

"Excuse me, but… what are the Green Death Plains?"

For the second time, his question focused on something she hadn't expected to pique his curiosity. Nevertheless, she explained:

"They're vast grassy plains stretching across what remains of the kingdom's lands. They're rich in resources, rare stones—everything an adventurer could dream of exploring. But the problem is that the gases from that monster make exploration impossible without facing deadly health risks. It's said that the green grass there is saturated with the forest's toxins, carried by the wind, glowing with a faint purple hue in the dark. Even with masks, only a small portion of the plains can be explored. The gas causes slow, weakening deterioration until death. That's why those areas are considered off-limits."

She paused, then added more quietly:

"Still, there's one benefit to those poisonous gases."

Ace raised an eyebrow with interest, awaiting clarification. She continued:

"That forest and those plains form an impenetrable natural barrier that separates this region from the Demon Kingdom."

That name caught his attention, but his expression remained calm as she went on:

"Though Shilda Town lies right on the border with the Demon Kingdom, we've never faced an attack from them or any other hostile force—thanks to those toxic gases that protect us in a way no army could."

Her words sparked both a question and an answer in Ace's mind. The question: why would adventurers want to eliminate a monster that provides such safety? The answer: it explained the sharp, pungent smell he had sensed since setting foot on this planet. That strange scent, thicker among the giant trees, wasn't just unfamiliar—it was the scent of poison.

With that realization, he became certain that the gases had no effect on him. He had spent time in the forest without falling ill, coughing, or suffocating. He couldn't explain it—it was another mystery to add to the growing list about his body.

Though the mention of a place called the Demon Kingdom intrigued him, he didn't want to stray too far from his focus. As he continued to silently watch the receptionist, she understood his final intent. She sighed for a third time, as if trying to delay the inevitable, but she knew her professional duty compelled her to answer.

At last, she looked him in the eyes and said in a hushed voice—careful not to let any money-hungry ears overhear:

"The bounty on that monster is 100,000 silver coins."

As soon as he heard the amount, his face betrayed unmistakable surprise. He ran a quick calculation in his mind, dividing the reward evenly among the members of the group. That would grant each of them roughly two hundred gold coins—a sum more than sufficient to serve as a comfortable ticket to the capital, where the chances of finding what he sought were far greater.

Still, he didn't allow himself to fall into the trap of naive optimism. Fair distribution was rare, and promises often disappeared into the shadows of greed and deceit. He knew well that what is said is one thing, and what one actually receives is another. Nevertheless, even if he ended up with just a quarter of that amount, it would still be enough to spur him into leaving as soon as possible.

Following that, and as the topic of money continued, the clerk informed him that the guild could not grant him the reward for completing the last request—the one concerning the Dragon Fire—explaining that in cases where the description of a request differs from the reality of the situation, the guild recruits a team of specialized adventurers to verify the facts. After that, the payment is calculated based on the revised assessment. In his case, she clarified that the revised reward for the camouflaged Dragon Fire beast amounted to 3,000 silver coins. Furthermore, when adding the estimated value of the eyes—still in excellent condition—the total dues would not fall short of 4,000 silver coins, payable as soon as possible.

After hearing that, although he knew he should have felt some relief over the unexpectedly large amount due to him, his estimation of what might be gained by joining that band played a role in tempering his expression.

After all that, he finally decided to leave. Before he did, he asked whether he needed to transport the beast's corpse elsewhere. She assured him there was no need, adding that she would arrange for other adventurers to take care of it once the cart arrived for transport.

At that, Ace thanked the clerk for all the information, especially for her genuine concern for him, then turned to leave—her eyes following his steps, reflecting a clear worry about what decision he would make come the following morning.