Fantasy Lord: I Have a Moving Castle

Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Terrifying Entity, Unknown Giant Bird

Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Terrifying Entity, Unknown Giant Bird

Not a single star or moonbeam penetrated the dense blackness that had enveloped the forest.

Suddenly, thunder boomed, and the incessant sound of rain pattered against the roof of the carriage.

Char began to pile dry wood into the fireplace, a feature that had naturally materialized after the carriage was upgraded.

With a fireplace and a stove, the carriage now had two places to build a fire, and there was no need to worry about the flames setting it alight—before the carriage’s upgrade, when it wasn’t yet made of Ironwood, it was already very resistant to high temperatures and difficult to ignite. Now that the carriage had been upgraded and transformed into an Ironwood structure, it was even less likely to catch fire.

To set the carriage ablaze, it would probably take the intervention of those powerful fire attribute Demon Beasts.

Once Char had finished piling the firewood, Lantern Firefly gently shook its lantern.

A tiny flame fell onto the pile of wood and instantly grew larger.

Soon, a fire sprang up in the fireplace, its bright red flames illuminating the room, heat radiating through the air, bringing with it a cozy warmth. The woodpile crackled softly from time to time.

Outside, lightning flashed, and thunder crashed as the wind howled and the rain poured down violently; yet, inside the carriage, with a fire roaring in the hearth, all danger seemed to be kept at bay. Not only was it warm, but there was also the freedom to do as one pleased—the sense of safety and comfort was indescribable.

It was a feeling that could only be experienced inside a house on a rainy day. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

All the more so because he was currently in a carriage in the wilderness of a forest, where there was no one else for miles around, and the rain fell especially heavy. The greater the contrast, the stronger the distinctive sense of security and comfort within him became.

However, the nights in this otherworldly realm were excruciatingly dull. Char didn’t even have a book in hand and there was nothing he could do to pass the time.

Therefore, after warming himself by the fire for a bit, he decided to go back to sleep.

But the wind quickly grew stronger, wailing like ghosts and howling like wolves, and from time to time, there were thumping noises on the walls, though it was unclear how many things were hitting the carriage.

The thunder was frighteningly loud, as if it could puncture a hole in the sky.

Even though the carriage had become many times sturdier and heavier than ordinary houses, at this moment, Char couldn’t help but worry whether the ferocious storm could whisk the whole carriage into the sky.

Just then, the Clover Mantis became alert.

It bristled like a startled cat, with all its wings erect, and its pincers flailing as if it had turned into a green flower.

Next, it was Betty who let out a scared cry as she flew into Char’s arms like the moon drawn into one’s embrace.

“Mr. Char!”

Betty’s voice was full of terror and fear.

Then, a clear, distant, yet angry bird call arose.

The bird call originated from high in the sky and pierced through the vast distance and the endless curtain of rain, exploding in everyone’s ears.

Soon after, an invisible but terrifying pressure descended from the heavens.

The forest and the carriage offered no barrier to the overwhelming pressure that immediately enveloped Char.

In that moment, Char’s mind was filled with only one thought: Fear!

Immense fear filled his mind and every corner of his body in an instant, assaulting every cell, leaving him incapable of thinking anything else, unable to take any action.

“Clang,” a crisp sound suddenly reached his ears, jolting Char out of his extreme terror.

It was the Star Worm, unable to maintain its luminescence or flight due to the oppressive force, that had fallen to the floor like a light being extinguished.

Thanks to the noise made by the Star Worm, Char barely recovered from his rigidity.

He quickly scanned his surroundings:

The Star Worm had fallen to the ground, its light completely extinguished. The “clang” had been the sound of it crashing to the floor.

Lantern Firefly, just like the Clover Mantis, had its wings spread wide in a gesture of alarm, and the Red Glow within the lantern was weaker than ever before, as if it could go out at any moment.

The Lotus Leaf Frog was completely paralyzed, squatting in place, rigid and motionless.

Inside the carriage, Char’s heart had risen to his throat.

Clearly, some terrifying Demon Beast must be passing by.

Frightening enough that the mere subconscious release of its pressure could cause his mind to go blank and make him stiffen in an instant, rendering a Clover Mantis with a Challenge Level of 5 powerless to fight, leaving it frozen in place, unable to move.

What Level of Demon Beast could this be?

Challenge Level 20?

Perhaps it’s already of Legendary Level?

Even if it’s not, it can’t be far off.

Char even suspected that the sudden thunderstorm was partly caused by this unknown avian Demon Beast.

Faced with such terror, like a moving natural disaster, even though he was now inside the carriage and hadn’t even seen a glimpse of the creature, he still felt not a shred of security.

The carriage at this moment was like a candle in a storm, which could be snuffed out at any time, and facing this situation, he frustratingly had no power to resist, only able to passively await fate’s judgment.

Truly on the brink of life and death!

If that terrifying creature above took a fancy to unleash even a fraction of its power in his direction…

Even the smallest amount would be more than he could withstand.

Even the formidable Clover Mantis would not be able to protect him.

Not only would it be unable to protect him, but it too would surely die a gruesome death.

Yes!

The strength of the Clover Mantis was indeed commendable.

With a Challenge Level of 5, it might seem not high—in an otherworldly DND realm with Levels reaching into the dozens, it only ranks at a rudimentary stage, seemingly at the bottom of the food chain.

But in reality, that’s not the case, because the strong Transcendent beings are not concentrated in one place.

Many powerful Transcendent beings are scattered across the vast world, elusive as dragons, the vast majority of people never see one in their lifetimes—of course, this is a fortunate thing for them.

Therefore, among the commonly seen Transcendent beings, the Clover Mantis is already considered powerful, claiming the title of minor tyrant in the nearby forests.

But in front of that unknown giant bird, it is still something that could be easily crushed.

Because this unknown giant bird is one of the powerful Transcendent beings!

While Char was lost in wild thoughts, suddenly, the outside world burst into a dazzling white light.

At night, when sleeping, Char would always close the windows, but now the bright lightning, merely seeping through the gaps of the window, still made Char feel the blinding white light, indicating just how startling the lightning in the night sky was, probably as bright as daylight.

Before Char had a chance to react, suddenly an unprecedented thunderclap exploded, as if the sky itself had been torn open.

Alongside this thunderclap that shook the heavens, the entire carriage jolted, wooden debris rained on the roof, hitting painfully, causing Betty to scream in fright, while Char instinctively crouched down.

At the same time, his field of vision instantly brightened, his eyes filled with nothing but a white expanse, followed swiftly by the cool moistness he felt on his nose, cheeks, neck, and the back of his hands.

The wind carried the rain and poured into the carriage.