I WAS The Rank–1 Hero-Chapter 161: Act 1: Powerless [5]

"Hey, Rowan."

As Rina called out to him, Rowan opened his eyes.

He had been resting for about an hour. After inspecting the forest and installing a couple of traps, he climbed to the tallest branch of the tree to observe.

Several monsters roamed the Thorn Forest border, which was causing the nearest town some trouble for a week.

Just two days ago, a hunter was chewed alive in the forest. While the other day, seven children went missing.

The town’s mayor raised this issue with the kingdom’s general. They forwarded it to Nova, calling it a futile task.

Nova had assigned this task, a group mission. To Elise and her teammates. To eliminate the monsters roaming in Thorn Forest.

Though Rowan, Cristine, and Rina had some argument with the professor regarding Elise being the mission leader.

Being a leader on a mission makes a huge difference, you’ll get an overall boost to your Hero Rank if you succeed.

Rowan was ranked 5th in the second year, while Elise was ranked 1st.

Yes, she was a prodigy despite being born to commoner parents.

At first, none of her classmates accepted her rank except a few. They would refuse to believe the fact that a nobody ranked higher than them.

And Rowan was the one who harbored the deepest hate for her.

Brushing back his silver shaggy hair, Rowan muttered, "Is the situation under control?"

"Well, about that…" Rina’s voice came from beneath. She looked up the branch where Rowan was lying. "Cristine actually shot back at her."

"Tsk," Clicking his tongue, Rowan rose and jumped on the ground. His obsidian eyes fixed on Rina. "Didn’t I tell you to have her under control?"

"I… umm," Rina’s eyes quivered back to the ground. She felt guilty.

"Sigh, leave it." Sighing, Rovan’s face relaxed. "My plan is almost finished. Call Cristine and have her ready the artifact."

"Artifact?" Rina, confused, tilted her head.

’This dumb bitch!’ Rowan wanted to pull her head and slam it to the ground, but he held back.

He needs her and Cristine if he wants to finish this mission.

"I gave the artifact to Cristine, that black football-shaped orb, remember?"

"Oh, that?" Rina recalled, "Cristine has it."

’Oh yeah, that’s why I’m asking you to call her bitch!’ Rowan looked frustrated.

"Would you please call Cristine?"

"Umm, yeah, about that." Rina pointed to her back and said casually. "She was just with me before she suddenly vanished."

"..."

Is she for real?

Who let her be on this important mission?

"Y-You!" Rowan’s eyelid twitched, the veins on his head appeared to be popping out. "Why didn’t you inform me before?!"

"You didn’t ask?"

"..."

’I’m going to kill this bitch.’

While feeling severely irritated, Rowan pushed Rina from his front and went in the direction Cristina had vanished.

"H-Hey—" Rina flopped on the ground.

She didn’t follow behind Rowan.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." He ran towards the dense bushes.

"Where is she?!"

Stopping, he scanned the area.

Despite the darkness and giant trees, nothing was in his sight.

If that artifact got lost because of Cristine, then his entire plan would fail.

"That <Pyresoul Orb> cost me millions!" Rowan took out his short-hand sword and cut down the bushes covering him.

What’s wonderful about this artifact?

<Pyresoul Orb> was a black, football-sized round artifact that Rowan bought at an auction. It looks like an ordinary orb, but in reality, it’s a nuclear weapon.

It compresses Fire Essence into a volatile core, then unleashes it all at once in a blast as devastating as a nuclear explosion.

Rowan was planning to use this artifact to wipe out the entire Thorn Forest.

He thought.

If there were no forests, then there would be no monsters in them. Simple.

It was a foolish idea, but Rowan was an idiot himself.

—Ruff. Rustle.

Cutting down the vines and branches, Rowan came across an open area.

White solid pillars covered in moss and mushrooms stood tall in his field of vision.

There was not one but hundreds of them.

The same white pillar covered in moss and vines stretches almost five kilometers.

"Wh-What is this place?" He stuttered, darting his eyes around him.

’This place wasn’t on the map.’

Do they wander too deep within the Thorn Forest? And then unknowingly crossed the Demon Continent’s border?

"N-No, it can’t be!"

The thought alone sends a chill down Rowan’s spine.

But he needs to find her if he wants to clear this mission before Elise does.

He gulped, then he took a step forward.

Slowly and cautiously, with his blade in his hand, he moved to one of the pillars.

Touching the surface of it, he inspected the pillar.

"This… looks like it has been here for centuries."

As he moved a bit deeper, his steps halted instantly. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his throat parched.

He sensed someone was staring at him.

His legs wobbled. Lifting his head, his eyes were fixated on a single person sitting on top of one of the pillars.

"C-Cristine?"

Her blond hair shone like gold under the moonlight as her red eyes pierced through Rowan’s soul.

Rowan huffed. The nervousness in his face dimmed down when he realized it was just Cristine.

"What are you doing there?"

He asked, looking up.

Cristine didn’t answer.

The tower was twenty feet tall, and there were no ways to climb it. Then…

"How did you even get there?"

"..."

Just like before, she didn’t answer.

As if frozen in time. Cristine was only staring at him with a cold, bloated expression.

"Oi, answer?" He demanded.

"..."

’Something is not right—’

"Laa… Laaa… Laaaa.. Laaaaa..."

Then, out of nowhere, Cristine started singing.

"...?!"

The hairs on Rowan’s nape stood on end as he positioned his foot backwards to make a run for it.

But unbeknownst to him, his feet got tangled in vines. And the moment he turned around, he fell hard on the ground.

"Ooof!"

The blade from his hand landed far away from him, stabbing deep into the ground.

Rowan looked towards his left for a second to look for his sword, but when he turned back, he saw Cristine hunching just a feather’s distance away from his body.

"Aaah—" He was about to scream, but Cristine pressed her fingers on his lips.

"Shhh," Her lips curved into a blissful smile as those intense eyes glared at his soul. "Don’t scream, human, I won’t harm you."

’Human?!’

Did Cristine just address me as human? Does she hit her head or something?!

That’s what he thought. Before Cristine slinkily stood up.

"Cristine… what are you doing?" He asked, clearly frustrated. "You know, you just scared me. Nice try."

Cristine just looked down on him and smiled.

Tearing apart the vines covering his feet, Rowan stood up.

Dusting his uniform, he demanded Ceriatine.

"Do you have the artifact that I gave you earlier?"

"Oh," Cristine backed down from him and closed her eyes as if forcefully recalling something.

Opening her eyes, she answered. "Yes, I’ve got it."

SWOSH—

In an instant, she took out a black, football-shaped orb from her dimension pouch.

Rowan’s eyes stuck to the artifact before she stretched his arms to her.

"Give it here, we’re running out of time. Elise might already be on her way to us."

Cristine looked at the artifact and then at Rowan before asking.

"Human, what were you planning to do with this?"

"Didn’t I already inform you we’re about to blast this forest to ash?" He narrowed his eyes at her. "...and could you please not call me human, it sounds creepy coming from your mouth this way."

To his last comment, Cristine curtsied.

"I humbly apologized."

"..."

’She has gone insane! This forest is taking a toll on her.’

Ignoring her strange behavior, Rowan took the artifact from her.

Now all he needed to do was to place it deep inside the forest and activate the timer on the arifact.

Rowan looked around the pillars one last time, and a thought formed in his mind.

’This place looks good.’

"Cristine, how did you end up here?"

"Me?" She answered, forcefully thinking once more, "Ah, I just got separated from Rina."

"Is that so? Well, Rina was… worried."

She doesn’t.

"Anyways, this place seems like a good enough location," He turned to Cristine, "I’m setting this artifact here."

They are indeed too deep inside the Thorn Forest, and Rowan was tired. They were in this forest for two whole days.

He was feeling homesick.

Walking up to one of the pillars, he stuck the artifact on its surface.

Beep—

Setting the timer for 1 hour, he turned to Cristine.

"Done, now we need to take Rina and somehow lure Elise outside this forest."

Rina would do fine, but luring Elise out was the toughest part.

"How do I pull it off?" He thought more.

Elise was stronger than him, which means forcefully taking her out was out of the question.

"Should I just tell her my whole plan?"

He already set up the artifact, and there’s no way of stopping it now. So, there’s no other option left for Elise but to follow his lead.

And the monsters will be dead too.

This mission was a success.

"I have done a wonderful job."

That’s what he told himself.

"Alright, I’ve decided."

He turned around.

Just when he was about to further explain his plans to Cristine, he felt something soft and sweet pressing on his lips.

His eyes went wide before he realized what was happening to him.

Cristine, out of nowhere, kissed him.

"Mmm," she moaned. Her red, furry eyes burned deep in his gaze.

Rowan’s body turned stiff, and a sensation of heat surged within him.

"Fua!" She let go of him.

"Wha—Why did you—"

"That felt good." She grinned, licking her lips.

"Now then," her expression sober to serious.

"You shall do what I want you to do." She commanded, looking at Rowan.

At first, Rowan felt strange, then slowly his body gave away its control.

His mind turned blank. The shine in his eyes vanished.

"Heehee~" Her face flushed to an intense red, and her hands moved to Rowan’s cheek.

"What a sweet find."

She brought her lips near his ear and whispered.

"Do what your heart wants the most…"

"...kill that girl."