Unfortunately, ideals were full and plump, but reality was skin and bones.
Not long after entering the Star Dou Great Forest, Lin Xi and Huo Yutong gained a profound understanding of how this place differed from other Soul Beast habitats.
Looking at the Soul Beast corpses littering the ground, Lin Xi's mouth twitched as he turned to the silver-haired girl beside him.
"Melusine, are you sure you've activated your draconic might?"
Ever since Lin Xi and the others entered the Star Dou Great Forest, Soul Beasts had kept coming their way.
Lin Xi had little interest in bothering with them, but clearly, these Soul Beasts did not share that sentiment.
In the end, Lin Xi and the others had no choice but to send them off to heaven.
This greatly annoyed Lin Xi, who had wanted to slack off and wait for Tian Meng.
Although Soul Beast attacks were normal in a Soul Beast habitat, their numbers were far too absurd.
So absurd that even when Melusine unleashed her presence, she could not entirely stem the tide of attacking Soul Beasts.
Honestly, for Lin Xi as he was now, never mind the ten-year and hundred-year Soul Beasts on the outskirts-even ordinary ten-thousand-year Soul Beasts would be easy victories. These Soul Beasts on the outskirts were basically just a single basic attack apiece.
But those were two different matters. The important thing was not whether he could beat them-the point was that they were too annoying!
Melusine frowned as well.
"I'm certain my draconic might is working. But even though it's working, they still keep coming this way."
"You mean..." Lin Xi narrowed his eyes, catching the meaning behind Melusine's words. "Something even more terrifying is driving them here?"
This was no small matter. Melusine's current strength might not amount to much on a worldwide scale, but her rank as a dragon was among the very highest on the entire Douluo Continent! The pressure she exerted on Soul Beasts would be no weaker than Tang Wulin's at the same level.
Something that could surpass her in terms of pressure... Surely Di Tian himself had not come?
Melusine nodded slowly. "Yes, exactly. So, Lin Xi, if anything unexpected happens, make sure you get behind me in time. They're coming straight toward us. I'm afraid whoever's coming means us no good."
"...What the hell?"
Lin Xi's expression darkened.
Huo Yuhao had never encountered anything like this in the original story, so why had it happened as soon as he came here?!
Forget slacking off as originally planned. In the worst-case scenario, they would have to fight this opponent who posed an even greater threat than Melusine.
Artoria pulled her sword out of the Soul Beast she had just killed. "Melusine, can you estimate how long it will take them to reach us?"
Melusine closed her eyes and thought for a while before opening them again. "They'll be here in ten minutes at most."
"Ten minutes..." Lin Xi repeated quietly, then quickly made his decision. "We'll turn around now and head for the outskirts."
He was not sure what could be so formidable that it could overpower the effects of Melusine's draconic might.
But since their opponent still needed ten minutes to get here, it could not be one of those ferocious beasts.
Those ferocious beasts would not need ten minutes even to cross the entire Star Dou Great Forest.
Most likely, it was not even a hundred thousand years old.
In that case, they had a fighting chance.
Lin Xi habitually used up the Command Spell that regenerated each day at around eleven fifty at night. In other words, he currently had all three Command Spells available.
Artoria, Melusine, and, if necessary, Emiya as well-with their help and a full set of Command Spells, Lin Xi was confident he could handle most Soul Beasts under a hundred thousand years old.
Even if they could not win, once they reached the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, they could flee at any time.
In fact, even now, if they fled at full speed, Lin Xi and the others could quickly leave the Star Dou Great Forest altogether. There was no need to worry about the threat of this unknown enemy.
But Lin Xi was unwilling to leave in such a bedraggled state. Saving face was one reason, but more importantly, he at least had to find out who the enemy was. Otherwise, who knew whether they would encounter this enemy again the next time they came?
There was not much time left before Tian Meng broke free. It would be best to eliminate this threat now, or they would have to keep worrying about it afterward, unable to eat or sleep in peace.
"Yes!"
Melusine answered, hoisted Lin Xi onto her back, and cradled Huo Yutong in her arms. After briefly gathering her strength, she shot forward with a tremendous boom.
Artoria unleashed a massive torrent of magical power beneath her feet, using Mana Burst to make up for the difference in speed between herself and Melusine.
This was their usual method of travel over the past few years, greatly increasing the speed of Lin Xi and Huo Yutong's journeys across the continent.
Moreover, Melusine's flight was both fast and steady, making for an excellent experience.
Unfortunately, they would not be able to use this method for much longer. Although they were only twelve, Lin Xi and Huo Yutong had both begun to develop, while Melusine was a kuudere loli. She was clearly nearing the point where she could no longer carry them both.
Interestingly, when she learned this, Melusine seemed even more disappointed than Lin Xi and Huo Yutong.
She was a somewhat introverted child who was rather reserved around others, yet she did not dislike physical contact with Lin Xi and Huo Yutong in the slightest.
With this all-out dash, they reached the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest in just a few minutes.
This was where a tall mountain bordered the Star Dou Great Forest. A little farther ahead lay a city. Surely, no matter how wild that Soul Beast was, it would not dare run amok in a human city.
Once they reached their destination, Melusine gently set Lin Xi and Huo Yutong down, then turned back and gazed in the direction they had come from with a somewhat grave look.
Noticing her gaze, Lin Xi's heart skipped a beat. "What's wrong, Melusine? Will it be hard to deal with?"
Melusine narrowed her eyes and nodded slowly. "Yes. Now that it's getting closer, I can sense it. It's on an entirely different level from the Soul Beasts we've encountered before. Lin Xi, I might not be able to spare the attention to protect you later. If things get dangerous, summon Emiya."
"...Understood."
Lin Xi had assigned Shirou Emiya to develop their trading company, and he generally would not return unless something important came up.
Since Melusine had gone so far as to suggest recalling Emiya, it proved that this enemy truly left her uncertain. Lin Xi could not help clenching his fists nervously.
Just what kind of Soul Beast was coming? It had actually made someone as confident as Melusine reach such a judgment.
And with such a huge commotion, why had Di Tian and those ferocious beasts shown no reaction at all? What was going on?
The answer would soon be revealed.
Before long, a wave of heat swept over them, and the temperature rose rapidly. The true culprit behind the disturbance finally entered their field of vision.
She had golden fur, and her whole body seemed to be made of translucent crystal, possessing a strange texture. Her overall form closely resembled a lion's, but her four paws were like a dragon's claws, each treading upon a cluster of golden flames. Her muzzle was also somewhat longer than that of a lion-type Soul Beast, and beneath her fur, there seemed to be fine golden scales. Besides her two normal eyes, she had a third eye, but this one had a vertical pupil. Her two normal eyes glimmered gold, while the vertical eye radiated red-a red with a somewhat uncanny quality.
At the sight of her, Lin Xi blinked in astonishment.
He had never seen her before, but he knew her name.
Surely anyone who had read Douluo II would have an incredibly deep impression of her.
Lin Xi froze for two seconds, then cried out in disbelief:
"Three-Eyed Golden Lion?!"