Azel was standing outside the forest with Selene beside him and Erblim perched lazily on his head.

He had rushed out so quickly that he wasn't even wearing his crown, and both he and Selene still had on the clothes they had worn to bed.

Her hair was messy, and his shirt was halfway buttoned.

But he didn't care.

In front of them stood a massive contraption that was currently gathering mana.

Selene blinked. "My lord… what is this?"

She had seen them on the walls… but this one looked bigger, and better honestly.

Azel adjusted the cannon's base and gave a small grin. "This, my dear, is called a mana cannon and it will help deal with our elf issue."

[Item Name: Ultra Mana Bomber]

[Item Description: An item that can only be used once per day. This cannon compresses mana into a single bullet capable of piercing through air and impaling its target, ending with an explosion powerful enough to kill any being below Rank 2.]

He smirked. 'Very good.'

It was a perfect weapon for what he needed.

He had been wondering how to deal with that annoying elf boss of the Evil Forest, and the Daily Reward had once again proven itself divinely timed.

He adjusted the monocle mounted on the top of the cannon and peered through.

The lens zoomed across the forest, locking onto the clearing where the Hideous Elf stood… right on top of a massive boulder.

The elf's head tilted slightly. Then, as though sensing something, it turned and looked straight into the monocle.

Azel raised a brow.

The creature squinted, its brows furrowing in confusion.

'I see,' he thought. 'It's only insecure about regular eyes but not lenses? Dumb, but convenient.'

He chuckled under his breath. The boss monster's pettiness was amusing, but he wasn't going to complain about free openings.

He adjusted the aim until the crosshair aligned perfectly over the elf's head.

"Selene," he said, grinning. "I'd suggest you close your ears."

She looked uneasy. "My lord, what are you—"

"Fire!"

The cannon roared.

A thunderous boom echoed through the clearing as the Ultra Mana Bomber discharged a single brilliant bullet.

The compressed mana screamed through the air, leaving behind a trail of destruction that split trees and shattered stones in its wake.

Azel used Erblim's shared vision to keep track of the projectile's path. Through the crow's eyes, he saw the elf raise its bow at him and draw back an arrow, black flames forming at its tip.

But the bullet reached first.

The world erupted in a blinding flash.

The elf's head popped like a melon, vanishing in a mist of blood and mana. Its body slumped off the rock, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

Azel whistled softly.

Then, dramatically, he puckered his lips and kissed the air. "Mwah."

"And that's how you deal with overgrown elves."

[Ding!]

[You have killed the Boss of the Evil Forest.]

[Would you like to conquer the Evil Forest?]

[Y / N]

He didn't hesitate.

Azel tapped Y.

Immediately, the dark aura that had been choking the forest began to lift. The crimson mists dissolved into thin air, replaced by faint motes of green light.

Selene gasped softly as she felt the shift… the oppressive mana had vanished all at once and she could breathe easy.

[Lycas has absorbed the Evil Forest.]

[Your Territory has leveled up (LV.1 → LV.2)]

[You have received 100,000 Fate points]

[Your Lord Ranking has gone up.]

Azel grinned, satisfied.

"Nice." He crouched down and began dismantling the cannon, sliding it smoothly into his inventory with a flick of his hand.

He smiled softly. "I've dealt with the boss now. It's safe."

He barely got to finish his sentence before she stepped forward, grabbed his collar, and pulled him down.

Their lips met.

She pulled back a second later with a flushed face.

"I've gotten what I wanted, my lord," she whispered, smiling through her tears. "You're free to go now… as long as you return soon."

Azel stared at her for a moment, speechless.

Then he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah," he said softly. "I'll be back."

…

The massive feast that followed was one Lycas would remember for years. Their lord had joined in the festivities and it was funny to see him try to dance like a werewolf.

However all good things came to an end and now, the entire town had gathered near the edge of Lycas where the portal gate would open.

Selene stood closest to Azel, clutching her fan tightly. Her golden eyes trembled, but she tried her best to smile.

"It'll be okay," Azel said with an easy grin, waving at the gathered werewolves. "Just take care of yourselves until I return, alright?"

He tried to sound casual, but even he felt a lump in his throat.

The crowd was crying.

Children waved, adults bowed deeply, and the elderly clutched each other's hands.

Selene bit her lip, tears threatening to spill again.

"Please… don't forget us, my lord."

Her cheeks burned, and despite her tears, she smiled.

He turned to the stone.

"Alright," he said, taking one last look around. "See you all soon."

Then he stepped forward.

His body shimmered as light enveloped him, and within seconds… he was gone.

For a long moment, no one moved then Selene dropped to her knees, covering her face as tears streamed freely and the werewolves howled sorrowfully.

Their lord was gone.

…

Azel's eyes fluttered open.

The world around him was quiet.

He was back in the Gravegrounds.

The black forest and howling wolves were gone.

Instead, rows of tombstones stretched endlessly beneath a blue sky.

He blinked, sitting up.

He was wearing simple things and only one thing stood out: the black crown resting atop his head.

'Speaking of this…' he thought, rubbing the crown lightly. 'I should probably put it in my inventory before I lose it.'

He sighed and slipped it away with a thought.

His gaze drifted to the gravestone before him.

He bowed slightly to commemorate the gravestone in front of him and Erblim did the same.

'Now…' he thought. 'From here to the Empire, how long would that take on foot?'

He tapped his chin thoughtfully.

'The teleportation mage's long gone by now… so I'll just have to walk. Great.'

With a sigh, he began walking down the stone path, boots crunching against the gravel.

Erblim swooped down from his head and landed on his shoulder, stretching his wings lazily.

"Master, where are we going now?"

Azel smiled. "Home."

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