Chapter 236 Demons vs Beastkin

Nikol's eyes darted back and forth between the fierce Demon Queen and the mean-spirited Beast Queen Leona, his confusion evident in his furrowed brow. The intensity of their battle had subsided for a moment, allowing him to interject with a burning question that lingered in his mind.

"Why do demons and beastkins continue to fight each other? I told you not to fight but you two always try to kill each other," Nikol inquired, his voice laced with genuine curiosity and a little bit of anger.

The Demon Queen's fiery gaze met Nikol's, her expression revealing a hint of weariness. "It was the opposite party that initiated this conflict," she retorted, her voice carrying a tinge of frustration. "We have always been on the receiving end of their aggression." historical

Leona, with her feline grace and piercing eyes, nodded in agreement. "Indeed, Nikol. The beastkins started this war. We simply defend ourselves and our territories. Their party started attacking us for the land first, we didn't do anything wrong,"

Nikol pondered their words, his gaze shifting from one formidable figure to the other. "But why fight for land when we already have this much land? What could have led to such animosity between your races?"

A flicker of pain passed over the Demon Queen's features as she recalled the distant memories. "Our past queens bear the burden of this feud," she explained, her voice tinged with melancholy. "Generations of queens on both sides have inherited a deep-seated enmity. It has become a part of our existence, something ingrained in our very essence."

Leona's tail flicked restlessly as she added, "For as long as we can remember, we have clashed swords and fangs. The fights have become a way of life, a twisted tradition handed down through the ages."

"It's in the past, forget it now, why are you still holding the past grudges? Didn't I tell you, all of you are now reborn by the purest form of energy, I don't want my blood to fight against each other," Nikol had no need to calm down, as he was angry that these girls won't stop doing useless things.

Nikol's eyes widened in disbelief. The weight of the revelation settled heavily upon his shoulders. "If you engage in combat once more," he declared firmly, his voice filled with determination, "I shall banish both of you from the hollowatch. Never again shall you set foot within these grounds nor will I give the benefit of staying here."

A stunned silence descended upon the trio, broken only by the faint whispers of the wind. The Demon Queen and Leona exchanged a brief glance, their expressions reflecting a mixture of surprise and contemplation, as this was the first time they saw him genuinely irritated.

Finally, the Demon Queen spoke, her voice having a panicked tone. "We don't want that,"

Nikol looked at her and answered her as if he had no need for showing any mercy toward them.

"Deal with it, I don't want to see any war from now on, we already have enough enemies, I don't have the energy to deal with your personal problems,"

While he was lecturing the two queens, Nikol saw Alva running toward him in a panic.

"Nikol, our scout team is back and -" She paused for a minute and took her breath.

"What happened? Did something bad happen?" Nikol questioned, as he looked at the squad with his vision and saw all of them were alright and then he tried to look at the forest, but still, his vision was a little blurred because of the effect of Jormungand's presence.

Alva's eyes sparkled with intrigue as she faced the expectant faces of her lover and the other two queens. She took a deep breath and began her tale. "This morning, while we were patrolling the outskirts of the wall, some of the girls stumbled upon the very spot where the hollow used to reside."

"To be more accurate, they were attracted toward the hollow, but when they actually went there, the hollow that used to be there is gone,"

Nikol's expression transformed into one of disbelief, his eyebrows furrowing. "You mean it's gone? Just like that?"

Alva nodded solemnly. "Indeed, Nikol. Instead of the vast hollow we once knew, there now stands a magnificent tree laden with fruit. The aroma it emits is simply divine, drawing the girls to it like moths to a flame. They tried to eat the fruit, but lucky for them, they were able to refrain from doing that because of the power,"

A murmur of astonishment rippled through the gathered two queens, their eyes widening at the mention of the tantalizing scent. The mysterious transformation of the hollow had piqued their collective curiosity, and they exchanged intrigued glances.

Nikol couldn't contain his curiosity any longer. "But how? How could such a transformation occur overnight? Is it some kind of magic? Did Jormungand do something?"

Alva shrugged, her expression filled with wonder. "I cannot say for certain, Nikol. It's a mystery that has left us all bewildered. The forest has always held secrets, but this is something beyond our wildest imaginings."

Silence fell over the camp as the adventurers absorbed the implications of Alva's revelation. The allure of the fruit-laden tree beckoned them and they wanted to find what happened to the people that resided in the hollow, promising unknown delights and answers to questions yet unasked. They were drawn to the enigma like bees to nectar.

Nikol's eyes hardened with determination. "I should go there, this is not something I can ignore."

He said and got ready to leave. but other girls also insisted to take them and he was reluctant at first when he remembered about what happened, but if the hollow is not really there, he knew it won't be like the last time.

And just like they expected Nikol took them back to the forest with their surge of energy pulsating through their veins.

Energy swirled around him, dancing with an otherworldly glow, as he invoked the ancient art of teleportation. With a final incantation on his lips, Nikol vanished from his previous location, reappearing in the very spot where the hollow was supposed to be.

But to his astonishment, there was no hollow, only the magnificent fruit-bearing tree standing tall before him. Nikol's brows furrowed in confusion, his mind racing to comprehend the enigma that lay before him. What had happened here? How could the hollow vanish so abruptly?

Unyielding in his pursuit of answers, Nikol dropped to one knee, his hand brushing against the forest floor. His keen eyes scanned the area, searching for any lingering traces of the once-existent hollow. Yet, as his fingers reached out, they encountered an unexpected barrier—a seemingly invisible force preventing him from delving deeper.

Nikol's eyes widened with surprise, his touch meeting an unyielding resistance. "What sorcery is this?" he muttered under his breath, his voice filled with a mix of awe and frustration. He pressed his palm against the unseen obstacle, testing its strength. It held firm, denying him access to the secrets concealed within.

As Nikol pondered this newfound obstacle, a distant rustling of leaves reached his ears. He turned his head, his gaze fixated on a figure emerging from the shadows. It was Alva, her eyes shimmering with concern and determination.

"Nikol, what's happening? Why can't you touch the tree? What is this tree?" Alva's voice trembled with a mixture of worry and curiosity. She was worried that something bad is going to happen and her worries are not futile as this really screamed the signs of a disaster.

Nikol rose to his feet, his gaze fixed on the barrier before him. "Alva, the hollow... it's gone. In its place, this tree stands, but there's something strange about it. It's as if an invisible force is blocking me from exploring further."

Alva's expression mirrored Nikol's confusion as she joined him near the impenetrable barrier. "Do you think they are going to attack us? They probably ran out of energy after all the attacks they did,"

Nikol raised his hand, his fingers brushing against the unseen resistance once more. "We cannot allow this obstacle to deter us. I can't feel what's beyond here, so we will have to personally go and see, let's form an army, I will lead them, if things get ugly I will teleport them back to the hollowatch,"

Alva nodded, her eyes gleaming with resolute determination. "Agreed, Nikol. Let us combine our knowledge and strength to unravel this mystery."

They teleported back to their home, but the tree that looked like something out of a fairy tale stood there without showing any sign of weirdness, but both of them knew this tree was the reason why they can't feel anything beyond it.

Nikol's voice rang out, infused with resolve. "Leona, make sure you choose your best hundred girls, and same with you,"

He pointed at the demon queen and said those words and then he looked at the others.

"We will form a collective army, this might be a good chance to increase our understanding too,"