YGGDRASIL GM

Nfirea and Kaeltharion reached the edge of the forest, where the dense canopy of trees cast long shadows over the ground. The air was thick with the scent of earth and foliage, and the faint rustling of leaves in the wind added an almost mystical atmosphere to the place. Nfirea paused, turning to Kaeltharion with a serious expression.

"Kael," Nfirea began, his voice tinged with caution, "if you see the Wise King of the Forest, please... don't kill him."

Kaeltharion raised an eyebrow, his yellow eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity. "Who? And why shouldn't I?"

Nfirea took a deep breath, his tone reverent as he explained. "The Wise King of the Forest is a legendary beast. It's said to be ancient, wise, and incredibly powerful. It's been living in this forest for as long as anyone can remember. The villagers believe it's the reason why stronger monsters don't come close to this side of the forest. It scares them away, keeping the village safe."

Kaeltharion tilted his head, his smirk returning. "Is it famous?"

Nfirea nodded eagerly. "Very. Stories about the Wise King are known throughout most of the kingdom. Some say it's a guardian spirit, others believe it's a divine being sent to protect the land. Either way, it's respected—and feared—by almost everyone."

Kaeltharion chuckled softly, muttering under his breath, "Type shi."

Nfirea blinked, confused. "Type... shi? What does that mean?"

Kaeltharion waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Just stay here for now. I want to see this 'Wise King' for myself. If it's as legendary as you say, I need to make sure it's not a threat to the village."

Nfirea hesitated, his concern evident. "But... what if it attacks you? It's not just a normal monster, Kael. It's said to be smarter than most humans and has powers beyond comprehension."

Kaeltharion's smirk widened, his yellow eyes glinting with confidence. "Relax, kid. I can handle myself. If it's as wise as you say, maybe we can have a little chat. If not... well, let's just say I don't plan on losing."

Before Nfirea could protest further, Kaeltharion stepped into the forest, his movements swift and silent.

After Kaeltharion entered the forest, he expected the so-called "Wise King of the Forest" to make some grand appearance or at least react to his presence. But as he ventured deeper, nothing happened. The forest was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant chirping of birds. Kaeltharion's sharp instincts told him something was off. He activated his high-level Witcher senses, his yellow eyes glowing faintly as he scanned the area.

It didn't take long for him to detect an aura stronger than the other animals in the forest, but still disappointingly weak compared to what he had expected. The aura was coming from a nearby cave, and to Kaeltharion's surprise, the source seemed to be... sleeping.

Deciding to test the creature's mettle, Kaeltharion pulled a small grenade from his belt and tossed it near the entrance of the cave. The explosion was loud and jarring, shaking the ground and sending a plume of smoke into the air. Almost immediately, a high-pitched, angry scream erupted from inside the cave, followed by the sound of something large scrambling to its feet.

Nfirea, who was waiting nervously at the edge of the forest, flinched at the sound. His worried expression deepened as the forest seemed to come alive with the creature's enraged cries.

Back in the forest, Kaeltharion stood calmly, waiting for the creature to reveal itself. Moments later, he heard the sound of something massive moving at high speed toward him. He didn't flinch. Instead, he simply waited, his yellow eyes locked onto the direction of the incoming beast.

It burst into view—a towering, hamster-like creature with beige fur, a white belly, and dark markings on its back and face. Its small, round ears twitched in anger, and its pink paws clenched into fists. Its long, prehensile tail, which had a spiky, greenish appearance, whipped through the air like a weapon, aiming straight for Kaeltharion's head.

The tail moved with incredible speed, but Kaeltharion didn't even blink. At the last possible moment, he raised his right hand and caught the tail mid-strike, his grip unyielding. The creature let out a surprised squeak as Kaeltharion began to spin the tail in his hand, lifting the entire beast off the ground. With a swift, powerful motion, he slammed the monster into the ground with enough force to create a small crater. The impact was so intense that the surrounding trees shook, and the creature let out a pained, high-pitched scream.

Kaeltharion looked down at the monster, his expression one of mild disappointment. "A giant hamster," he said flatly, his voice dripping with disdain. "This is the Wise King of the Forest? Pathetic."

The monster, now trembling in fear, raised its paws in a gesture of surrender. Its voice was high-pitched and childish, a stark contrast to its intimidating appearance. "P-please! Don't kill me! I surrender! I surrender!"

Kaeltharion tilted his head, his yellow eyes narrowing. "At least you can talk. I suppose that counts for a little bit of 'wisdom.'" He crouched down slightly, his gaze piercing. "Are you the so-called Wise King of the Forest?"

The giant hamster nodded frantically, "Y-yes! That's me! Please, spare me!"

Kaeltharion stood up straight, crossing his arms. "Are there others like you?"

The monster shook its head rapidly. "N-no! I've never seen anyone else like me! I'm all alone!"

Kaeltharion sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Of course you are." He looked back down at the creature, his expression hardening. "Alright, listen carefully. You have two choices. One, you come with me and obey every order I give without question. Or two, I peel your skin off while you're still alive and leave you here to rot."

To emphasize his point, Kaeltharion released a little bit of his witcher avatar overwhelming aura on the hamster, the sheer pressure of it causing the ground beneath him to crack and the air to grow heavy. The giant hamster's eyes widened in terror, and it immediately began nodding so vigorously that its entire body shook.

"I'll obey! I'll obey every order! Please, just don't kill me!" it squeaked, its voice trembling.

Kaeltharion smirked, satisfied. "Good choice. Now, get up. You're coming with me."

As the giant hamster scrambled to its feet, Kaeltharion turned and began walking back toward the edge of the forest, the creature following obediently behind him. When they emerged from the trees, Nfirea's jaw dropped at the sight.

"Kael... is that?" Nfirea asked, his voice a mix of awe and confusion.

Kaeltharion shrugged. "Meet the Wise King of the Forest. Don't worry, though. It's under control now."

The giant hamster gave a nervous wave with its paw, its dark brown eyes darting between Kaeltharion and Nfirea. "H-hi..."

Nfirea blinked, still processing what he was seeing. His eyes widened with amazement. "You... you actually made the Wise King of the Forest surrender and obey you? That's incredible!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with awe.

Kaeltharion stared at Nfirea for a moment, his yellow eyes narrowing slightly in disbelief. Is he serious? he thought, glancing back at the creature. The giant hamster stood there, its beige fur ruffled, pink paws fidgeting, and spiky tail drooping. Its small, round ears twitched, and its dark black eyes darted around nervously. It looked more like an overgrown pet than a legendary guardian.

"Kid," Kaeltharion said flatly, "this thing is about as intimidating as a stuffed toy. Are you sure this is the same 'Wise King' you were talking about?"

Nfirea hesitated, his admiration faltering. "Well... the stories made it sound more majestic. But it is the Wise King! It came from the forest, and it talks!"

The giant hamster puffed out its chest, trying to look regal. "Y-yes! I am the Wise King of the Forest! Fear me!"

Kaeltharion gave the creature a sharp side-eye, his yellow eyes narrowing with annoyance. The hamster immediately deflated, its ears drooping as it lowered its head and muttered in a small voice, "S-sorry..."

Kaeltharion sighed, turning back to Nfirea. "Let us collect the herbs and head back to the kingdom. I would rather not waste any more time."

Nfirea nodded, still looking a little dazed by the whole situation. "Right. The herbs. I'll get them now."

The two of them, along with the giant hamster, made their way to the edge of the forest where the rare herbs grew. The hamster proved surprisingly useful, using its large paws to carefully dig up the plants without damaging them. Nfirea watched in amazement as the creature worked, its spiky tail swishing gently as it focused on the task.

"See? I told you I could be useful!" the hamster said proudly, holding up a bundle of herbs in its pink paws.

Kaeltharion raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. He simply gestured for Nfirea to pack the herbs and get ready to leave. Once everything was collected, they mounted the carriage and the hamster, and began the journey back to the kingdom.

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Later that night, the streets of E-Rantel were alive with murmurs and gasps as Nfirea's carriage rolled through, accompanied by a sight no one had ever expected. Riding next to the carriage was Kaeltharion, perched atop the giant hamster-like creature. Its beige fur, dark markings, and spiky tail made it an unmistakable—and bizarre—sight. The creature's small, round ears twitched nervously as it lumbered along, its pink paws padding softly on the cobblestone streets.

Onlookers peered out of windows and gathered on the streets, their faces a mix of awe and confusion. Whispers spread like wildfire. "What is that thing?" "It looks majestic" "Is that an adventurer riding it?!"

Kaeltharion kept a straight face, his expression unreadable, but internally, he was cringing. Why does this feel so embarrassing? he thought, his pride taking a hit with every curious stare. The giant hamster, meanwhile, seemed oblivious to the attention, its tail swishing slightly as it walked.

When they finally reached the pharmacy, Kaeltharion turned to Nfirea. "I'll report this... thing to the adventurer guild and come back for the reward."

With that, Kaeltharion made his way to the adventurer guild. The streets of E-Rantel were still buzzing with whispers and stares, but Kaeltharion ignored them, focusing on the task at hand. When he arrived at the guild, he pushed open the door—just big enough for the hamster to barely squeeze through—and stepped inside.

The moment the giant hamster entered, the adventurers inside were immediately on alert. Weapons were drawn, and the room filled with the sound of steel being unsheathed. Kaeltharion raised a hand, his voice calm but commanding. "HALT. It's under my control."

The adventurers paused, their weapons lowering slightly as they took in the sight of the massive creature. Their expressions shifted from alarm to awe, and then to respect as they realized it was Kael who captured it. Murmurs spread through the guild hall as Kaeltharion approached the counter, the giant hamster lumbering behind him.

The receptionist stared at the creature in shock. Kaeltharion leaned on the counter, his tone casual. "So, how much is it gonna increase my rank to capture the 'Wise King of the Forest'?"

For a moment, no one moved. Then, the room exploded into chaos. Adventurers shot to their feet, their chairs scraping loudly against the floor. Weapons clattered as some dropped them in shock. The murmurs turned into shouts of disbelief.

"The Wise King of the Forest?! That legendary beast?!" one adventurer yelled, his voice cracking.

"No way! That thing's a myth! It doesn't even exist!" another shouted, pointing at the giant hamster, which was now nervously scratching its ear with a pink paw.

The receptionist, her face pale and her hands trembling, stammered, "T-that would be... at least Orichalcum rank, sir. P-possibly even higher, depending on the guildmaster's assessment."

Kaeltharion shrugged, completely unfazed by the uproar. "Orichalcum works. I'll take it."

The receptionist, still in shock, handed Kaeltharion the Orichalcum badge with trembling hands. "H-here you go, sir. Congratulations on your... incredible achievement."

He accepted the Orichalcum badge from the receptionist and hung it on his chest, the metal gleaming in the light. Without another word, he turned and left the guild, the giant hamster following obediently behind him.

Why do they view this thing so highly? Kaeltharion thought, his yellow eyes narrowing as he studied the hamster.

The hamster, sensing his gaze, looked up at him with its wide, innocent eyes. "D-did I do something wrong?" it squeaked, its voice trembling.

Kaeltharion sighed, shaking his head. "No. Just... keep walking."

As he made his way back to the pharmacy, Kaeltharion's mind was already shifting to the next task. But when he arrived and stepped inside, he was met not by Nfirea, but by an old lady. She looked up at him with a curious expression.

"Where's Nfirea?" Kaeltharion asked, his tone calm but with an edge of urgency.

The old lady shook her head. "He's not here. Why? Has anything happened?"

Kaeltharion's yellow eyes narrowed slightly. He activated his heightened senses, scanning the radius of the building. Nfirea was nowhere to be found. But there was something else—a faint scent of blood. Kaeltharion's expression darkened, but he kept his voice steady as he replied, "Nothing important. Just wanted to ask him something."

Without waiting for a response, Kaeltharion turned and left the pharmacy, mounting the giant hamster once more. He focused on the scent of blood, his senses honing in on the trail. The hamster, sensing its master's urgency, moved swiftly through the streets, its large paws padding softly on the cobblestones.