Chapter Thirteen: The Calm Before the Storm: Schemes in the Forest of Doom
I have devised a comprehensive strategic plan, and I will begin executing it after completing the third stage.
All I need is enough time to carry it out, and fortunately, I have plenty of time.
Among my plans: to seize the treasure hidden deep within this forest. I want to obtain it before the Golden Lion gets to it first.
In the novel, the Golden Lion earned the title of “Lord of the Golden Storms,” and the credit for obtaining this title goes to a treasure that wasn’t detailed in the story; it was only mentioned that the Golden Lion found it in the depths of the western part of the Forest of Doom, and after absorbing it, he gained the ability to control…
Well… the Golden Lion isn’t the only one who found something deep within this forest!
I mean, do you really think a monkey with six ears wouldn’t have something special? Impossible! He’s one of the protagonist’s companions, and he’s definitely hiding something interesting.
Let’s talk a bit about this monkey. What did he do? Simply… he jumped into an Emperor’s tomb! Yes, with full confidence, as if it were just a casual picnic.
And the ironic part? That very tomb is located in the exact same depths of the western part of the Forest of Doom!
Yeah… the same place where the Golden Lion’s treasure is. What’s going on in this forest? Is it some kind of secret treasure shopping mall?
Anyway, this tomb is the real reason why the forest is called the “Forest of Doom.” Everyone who enters this tomb… vanishes, gets erased, evaporates! No one comes back. And that’s why people decided the perfect name was: Forest of Doom! Ultimate creativity, right?
But the important part is, the monkey didn’t come out empty-handed. He got gloves. Yes, gloves you wear on your hands—not a power or a magical skill. But they’re not to be underestimated!
But this ability was dormant and wasn’t useful to him before he met the protagonist. After meeting him, they both moved to a higher world, and there he became much stronger than he had been in the Forest of Doom.
Later, his ability to control storms emerged, and it was a truly destructive power in every sense of the word. He founded a kingdom and named it the “Kingdom of Storms.”
He gained fame and power thanks to his ability to destroy cities by controlling the weather and causing storms. The power to control storms is not something to be taken lightly; it grants its wielder the authority to make the weather either destructive or calm at will, and it is a power capable of total annihilation.
The Golden Lion obtained this ability one hundred years before the beginning of the novel, while the Red Dragon appeared in the Forest of Doom twenty years before the Golden Lion acquired it.
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This means I only have nineteen years left before the Golden Lion finds that thing hidden deep within the forest and gains the power to control storms. This ability will remain dormant within him until he joins the protagonist.
But I won’t allow that to happen.
I will head myself into the depths of the western part of the forest and seize that treasure before him, and I will claim the power that grants control over storms.
These gloves were extremely dangerous. When the six-eared monkey used them in the novel, he smashed a mountain with them! Yes, an entire mountain! That scene in the novel was amazing, as the gloves turned into a weapon of mass destruction in the hands of a monkey.
Anyway, there’s no need to rush. Those gloves weren’t something he got easily.
The monkey obtained them thanks to the help of the protagonist, which means… that I, without a protagonist and without any extra drama, will find them my own way — and in my cooler style!
Some might wonder: “What brought the protagonist to a forest literally called the Forest of Doom? Did he lose his way? Was he looking for a place to camp?”
In fact, it wasn’t a coincidence… he was carrying a map! Yes, a real map, just like in pirate movies, pointing to the location of a mysterious Emperor’s tomb deep within the forest.
As if visiting tombs in scary places is some kind of heroic hobby!
This is the life of the protagonist in the novels.
Anyway, he came there driven by a noble goal… no, not saving the world or spreading peace… but to get the treasures! Yes, precious treasures buried in an ancient tomb in the middle of a forest whose name implies certain death. Makes perfect sense, right?
As for his growth and development? Don’t worry, the “Will of the World” itself took care of that. As if the universe is telling him: “Go ahead, mess around a bit, and we’ll make you a superhero on the way!”
And because of his spontaneous visit to that ancient imperial tomb, the protagonist came out loaded with loot as if he had just returned from a fantastic sale! He gained a powerful lineage without even trying, as if it were a welcome gift. Let’s not forget the two monsters that accompanied him—rapidly growing creatures—along with all the treasures that were the imperial tax haul for centuries. In short? He became the richest man in the world… on his first try!
In short: being the cosmic favorite means you throw one stone… kill four birds, cause a meteor strike, and win the lottery all at once!
Honestly, the Will of the World was not joking when it decided to support him. It was saying: “Support him… and support him a lot!”
As for me? No need to worry, I still have a long time before the protagonist is reborn in this world.
In fact, I have exactly 119 years before he comes to light and starts doing annoying heroic things. And that gives me enough time to prepare for the upcoming wave of destruction and to set up the “smart-escape-from-the-protagonist” plan that I have meticulously crafted.
Oh, and by the way… the Golden Lion and the monkey? Sorry, guys, but you have to die!
Because I’m about to steal your ancient lineages and transfer them to humans… then establish a superhuman clan under my own management, with a logo, an anthem, and maybe an online store later.
The Golden Lion has a tenth-rank lineage, and the monkey has a fifth-rank one… and me? I have an evil plan, and 119 years of free time!
The Golden Lion? Ah yes, he belongs to the “Golden Lion Emperor’s Lineage”! A prestigious lineage so fancy it feels like an advertisement for a jewelry brand. Whoever fully awakens this lineage gains the power to control the element of gold… yes, gold! Not electricity or fire, but gold—the thing everyone loves!
The ancient Golden Lion was one of the monster emperors of old times, and it is said that when he roared, gold coins would fall from the sky (well, maybe I’m exaggerating… a little). But for sure? Whoever awakens this lineage will become a true emperor among monsters… and even humans will applaud him!
As for our friend the monkey, he’s no less significant. He possesses a fifth-rank lineage, sleeping in a deep slumber as if on a long vacation. His ancestry traces back to one of the ancient demon emperors, and anyone who fully awakens this lineage… will be instantly crowned the “New Demon Emperor”! What a nice title for public relations.
But… why don’t I fight them now? Simply because I’m too weak to even cause a slight scratch on their skin! Honestly, if I tried to hit one of them, I might break my hand instead of hurting them. I’m currently at the “pathetic spectator” stage.
It’s okay… I still have my strongest weapon: my genius for evil plans!
Plan number one: ignite a fight between the monkey and the blue bull—the one who rules the northern part of the Forest of Doom. Let’s leave them to fight while I watch from afar with a cold juice in my hand.
Oh… I almost forgot! The blue bull is also a target. Yes, he must be wiped out of existence. I don’t want any competitors ruling the Forest of Doom! One by one, quietly… I will take over everything.
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(Number of words in this chapter: 1,415 words)
Best regards,
[Ss1000101]
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By:
[Ss1000101]
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