Free Web NovelChapter 470: Chapter 467 – The Return Journey
After witnessing the massive corpse of the Ancient Hydra lying helplessly at the bottom of the destroyed crater, the atmosphere among Sylvia, Stacia, and Alicia became a strange mix of deep satisfaction and reflective silence. The Hydra’s body, which reached 25 meters in length, was now completely motionless. Its blackish-green scales were scorched and cracked like skin burned by hellfire. Its four majestic heads hung limply without life, its mouths full of sharp teeth gaping emptily, and thick black blood that had dried formed large pools on the melted stone beneath it. Sylvia’s devastating explosion yesterday had apparently destroyed the legendary creature’s life core from within, though its death process had been slow and painful until it finally died without being able to regenerate.
Sylvia stood in front of the corpse for a long moment, her dark red eyes gazing calmly yet with respect for the opponent’s former strength. The cold wind from the crater’s bottom gently blew her black dress, carrying the still-sharp scorched smell. "Greywood Dungeon is finished," she said softly, her voice echoing gently in the now-silent open space. "There’s nothing left to hunt here. We’ve cleared almost everything from the ant nest to the final guardian. It feels... like a nightmare that ended too quickly."
Stacia nodded while gracefully folding her eight jet-black wings, the dark runes on their surface flickering faintly. "I agree. Your explosion yesterday was too effective, my sister. We can leave now. The guild will definitely be shocked half to death when they see our mapping results and the proof we bring. Just this Rank 8 Hydra alone is enough to make them faint from joy."
Alicia smiled gently, the light of her pure white spirit body growing more stable and bright after the long recovery at the Qilin altar. "We’ve been here long enough. It’s time to return to the outside world, breathe fresh air, and enjoy this victory calmly before reporting everything."
Before leaving the dungeon, they decided to return to their ordinary human forms to avoid drawing too much attention from people outside. Stacia chanted a transformation spell from her grimoire in a soft, melodic voice. Dark purple light enveloped the three of them like fine mist. Stacia’s black wings disappeared slowly, replaced by the appearance of an ordinary human girl with beautiful long ash-gray hair and a simple, comfortable light gray dress. Alicia returned to her human body with long silver hair flowing beautifully down her back, her face beautiful and ethereal yet more human-like. Sylvia also transformed into an ordinary girl with long straight black hair, her red eyes slightly muted to a deep brown, and comfortable casual clothing, a simple black tunic with long pants that allowed easy movement.
Sylvia glanced at the still-intact Hydra corpse at the bottom of the crater with a faint smile. "This is good proof for the guild. The reward should be huge, maybe enough to buy a luxurious house in the capital." With a casual wave of her hand, she stored the entire giant corpse into her system storage intact. The Hydra’s massive body disappeared in an instant as if swallowed by shadows, leaving only deep scratch marks and dried blood pools on the melted ground.
The Qilin standing beside Alicia smiled gently, its eyes full of wisdom. Its sacred golden body trembled faintly with warm light, then quickly and elegantly shrank into a small, cute, and adorable deer. Its golden fur was as smooth as silk, its small horns gleamed beautifully, and its large eyes were full of warmth. It lightly leaped into Alicia’s embrace, its head resting comfortably on the girl’s chest, its small tail wagging slowly. "I’ll stay like this for now," it said through gentle telepathy. "It’s safer and less conspicuous in the human world. My true form attracts too much attention."
Alicia laughed softly while gently and affectionately stroking the Qilin’s fur, her fingers running through the warm golden coat. "You look so cute in this form. Like a living doll full of wisdom."
They walked back toward the dungeon exit with lighter steps. The journey out felt much more relaxed compared to when they entered. There were no more monsters blocking their way, only empty corridors, scattered stone debris, and dim wall crystals lighting the path. They occasionally stopped to collect a few rare crystals or small artifacts left from the ruins, but most of the area was already completely dead after yesterday’s massive destruction. The sound of their footsteps echoed softly, mixed with light and entertaining conversation.
When they finally reached the faintly glowing exit portal, the afternoon sunlight greeted them warmly and dazzlingly after so long in Greywood’s darkness. Fresh, oxygen-rich air brushed against their faces, carrying the scent of green grass, wildflowers, and damp earth after rain. The clear blue sky with floating white clouds looked beautiful, a sharp contrast to the dungeon’s darkness.
The moment they exited the dimensional rift, the loyal zombie horses waiting outside immediately reacted with full enthusiasm. The two pitch-black horses with glowing red eyes lifted their heads high, neighing joyfully with loud, cheerful sounds, their tails wagging rapidly, and their front hooves pawing the ground as if eager to run closer. Their black coats gleamed under the sunlight, and their usually cold undead aura now felt warm with joy at seeing their master return after so long.
Sylvia smiled gently and approached the two zombie horses with light steps. Her hands stroked their necks affectionately, feeling the smooth fur even though their bodies were loyal undead. "You waited well. Sorry for making you bored here for so long. We’re done inside."
The horses rubbed their large heads against Sylvia’s palms, neighing softly as if answering in their own language. Sol on Sylvia’s shoulder meowed happily, while the Qilin in its small deer form remained comfortable in Alicia’s embrace, its eyes looking around with curiosity. frёewebηovel.cѳm
After ensuring everything was safe and there were no threats around the dimensional rift, they boarded the waiting carriage. Sylvia sat in the coachman’s seat as usual, holding the reins even though it wasn’t truly necessary since the zombie horses were very intelligent and loyal. Stacia and Alicia sat comfortably inside the spacious carriage, the Qilin still curled up in Alicia’s lap, while Sol lay neatly in Sylvia’s lap. The carriage began moving slowly away from the now very quiet and silent Greywood dimensional rift, its wooden wheels creaking gently on the dirt road.
The return journey to the imperial capital proceeded in a relaxed and peaceful manner. The afternoon sun illuminated the trail with beautiful golden light, shining on the trees and green meadows. Cool winds blew, carrying the scent of fresh grass, wildflowers, and damp earth, making their chests feel relieved after the dungeon’s stuffiness. Sylvia enjoyed the scenery while occasionally stroking the sleeping Sol, her fingers tracing the soft golden fur. Level 110 gave her a new sense of stable strength flowing through her, but she enjoyed this quiet moment more with her sisters and the newly joined sacred beast.
Inside the carriage, Stacia happily opened her novel again, her lively voice occasionally telling light stories to Alicia, who listened while affectionately stroking the Qilin’s fur. The Qilin occasionally joined the conversation through telepathy, sharing ancient stories about the world before the dimensional fusion, about the era when sacred beasts like itself and Sol roamed freely, making the atmosphere even warmer and full of wonder. Alicia laughed softly at the stories, her hand never stopping as it stroked the Qilin’s small horns.
Night began to fall as they stopped at a quiet small village to rest. Warm yellow lights shone from the villagers’ houses, the sounds of children playing and the aroma of cooking from village kitchens wafted faintly. They rented a comfortable small house on the village outskirts, cooking a simple dinner with fresh ingredients, warm meat soup, toasted bread, and herbal tea. At the simple wooden dining table, they discussed their next plans in the capital: reporting the exploration results to the guild, selling the loot including the Hydra corpse, and possibly seeking clues about Nocturne or new threats.
The Qilin in its small deer form slept comfortably beside Alicia, its breathing slow and steady. Sol remained loyal in Sylvia’s lap, its golden eyes half-closed while enjoying its master’s caresses. A small bonfire in the fireplace illuminated the room with warm light, casting soft shadows on the wooden walls. ƒrēewebnovel.com
The next day they continued their journey with renewed spirit. The horse carriage moved steadily along the increasingly busy main road. The closer they got to the capital, the more merchants, adventurers, and cargo carriages they saw on the road. Sylvia sat in the coachman’s seat, the wind brushing her refreshed face, her thoughts drifting to the adventure they had just completed from the horrifying bone chamber, the brutal ant nest, to the meeting with the Qilin. Greywood had been conquered, their levels had risen dramatically, and now they had the powerful Qilin as a new ally.
Sylvia smiled faintly while stroking Sol, who sat beside her. "We will grow stronger together. A new Chapter in the capital awaits us."
