Chapter 355: Come for the War Tree!

With a soft thud, the dagger sank firmly into the rock wall.

At the same time, Akari's entire body hung suspended in midair, supported by the short blade.

Glancing down at the nearly thirty-five-meter drop beneath her, Akari took a deep breath.

Then her right arm tensed, swinging her body rhythmically left and right.

As the swinging arc grew wider, she pushed off with full force, leaping nimbly upward and diagonally.

Thud. Akari landed steadily on the cliff's edge.

"Not too hard!" Akari's delicate red lips curled into a faint smile.

With a flick of her wrist, the dagger embedded in the rock pulled free and flew backward into her palm.

She gripped the short blade again and sheathed it.

Behind her, the castle's final barrier was a wall seven or eight meters high.

If she could scale a sheer cliff, this stone wall was nothing.

Using hands and feet, she climbed the battlements, crouched low, scanned her surroundings, and listened intently.

What the eyes see isn't always safe—but when combined with what the ears hear, safety is nearly guaranteed.

After listening for a moment with her pointed ears, Akari detected no danger, so she headed confidently toward the back garden, following the direction she sensed.

"My lord, how did she do that? Is that dagger a magical artifact?"

Of course, Akari didn't know.

Her self-perceived stealthy infiltration was, in fact, observed in full by two people.

Gervas and Evlan.

Since intelligence had warned of an unknown intruder tonight, Gervas naturally wasn't unprepared.

He had already deployed the Magic Swift Eagle squad for full perimeter surveillance.

Thus, Akari had been spotted by the Magic Swift Eagle squad even before she reached Wheatfield Town, and Gervas was promptly informed.

Gervas, curious to see what the intruder intended, rode a Magic Swift Eagle and monitored her from above with a telescope.

The intruder's earlier maneuvers had left both Gervas and Evlan awestruck.

Though the intruder was undoubtedly a being of extraordinary power.

But even extraordinary beings couldn't guarantee survival after falling from dozens of meters.

So those two leaps carried real weight.

"Evlan, it has nothing to do with magic—there was no trace of magical light throughout the entire process!"

"I did catch a faint glint of a thin thread as she waved her hand!"

"So the dagger's hilt must be connected to her arm by a strong, fine thread—and when she swung her body, she precisely loosened the blade inside the rock!"

"So after leaping onto the cliff, she only needed to tug slightly, and the dagger would pull free and return to her hand!"

"Of course, I must admit—even with my theory, this demands absolute precision."

"Otherwise, if the dagger slipped from the rock before the leap, she'd be dead."

"My lord, if that's true, then this is an extremely dangerous individual!"

"Correct. With such refined infiltration skills and such audacity, I'd say she's very likely a killer."

"A killer? My lord, is she here to assassinate you? Should I immediately notify Captain Mick and Captain Lei Meng to capture her?" Evlan exclaimed.

"Wait a little longer—I want to see what her true purpose is."

Though they had deduced her possible identity, her motive for infiltration remained unconfirmed.

Logically, if she truly intended to assassinate him, she'd head straight for the inner keep—not detour to the back garden.

Besides, the intelligence hadn't confirmed she was here to kill him.

Gervas believed her purpose was likely not that.

Otherwise, the intelligence would have given a definitive answer.

Since it didn't, there must be uncertainty involved.

At that moment, Gervas, through his telescope, suddenly noticed the figure pausing at the center of the back garden.

And that spot was precisely where the War Tree stood.

"Could she be here for the War Tree?"

And indeed, at that same moment, below, Akari's eyes sparkled with delight.

"The War Guardian really exists within a human kingdom? This is wonderful! If I can bring this War Guardian back to the Dark Forest, my people will be overjoyed—and my mentor too!"

Thinking this, Akari didn't delay. She bowed to the War Tree: "War Guardian, wait here a few more days. I'm going to capture the human nobles right now!"

"Then I'll make them trade you for their lives—so you can return to the embrace of the forest, and avoid being seized by these deceitful humans!"

After speaking, Akali immediately slipped toward the inner fortress.

Due to their shared origins, the internal layouts of minor noble castles were nearly identical.

So Akari quickly located the lord's bedroom.

Of course, she didn't enter through the corridor—she climbed up the outer wall and slipped in through the window.

Silently, she pushed open the half-open window and slipped inside with grace.

Treading softly on the plush wool carpet, she reached the bedside.

"Don't make a sound, or I'll kill you."

Pressing the dagger to the noble's throat, Akari clamped a hand over his mouth, jolting him awake.

As he gasped in terror and struggled to move, she spoke her threat.

He froze instantly, but fear still burned in his eyes.

"Now, come with me. Don't resist. Don't worry—I won't kill you. I'm only here for the War Guardian in your back garden… that is, what your people call the War Tree."

"When you hand me the War Tree, I'll release you immediately. As an elf, I swear I won't lie."

"Do you understand? If you do, nod your head."

Soon, seeing the noble nod, Akari relaxed. She kept the dagger pressed against his waist and moved toward the door.

She could scale exterior walls during infiltration—but with a hostage, she had to take risks.

Of course, for the War Guardian, such risks were worth it.

"Who's there!"

Soon, castle guards spotted Akari.

Two guards stationed at the third-floor staircase had heard the bedroom door open and saw Akari with her captive.

"Step back! If you want your lord alive, back off now!"

"Fall back, or your lord will die—step back now!"

The guards' faces paled; their raised swords halted.

Seeing their hesitation, Akari was satisfied. She advanced, dragging the noble, while the guards retreated.

Thus, one side moved forward, the other backward—until they reached the front courtyard.

By now, guards had gathered all around, drawn by the commotion.

"Who are you? Release our lord!"

"I don't care who I am. If you want your lord alive, bring me two warhorses—now!"

"Or else, if I'm threatened, I guarantee I'll kill your lord before you can stop me!" Akari tightened her grip on the dagger, glaring at the guards.

Under normal circumstances, the guards would never dare act.

Because the lord's safety came first.

But that's only under normal circumstances.

And now, clearly, this was not normal.

"Is that so? What if I say no?"

"Is that so? What if I say no?"