"Why don't you burn this forest down with a fire, and see how it escapes!?"

A gruff voice in the team suggested. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Don't! The monsters in the woods are not easy to mess with, and we are blatantly declaring war on them by doing so. “

"Or follow its rules. Isabella, I walk with you. “

As soon as Rodin's words fell, Cynthia hurriedly ran over, took his hand, and persuaded worriedly: "

Brother Rodin, you don't have the body yet, so you can't go in. “

"Don't worry, I know what kind of monster it is, it won't hurt people's lives, at most it will throw me out. ”

Seeing Cynthia's worried face, he couldn't help but comfort him softly, and when he heard his answer, Isabella on the other side asked curiously:

"Do you know anything in the woods?"

"Yes, this forest should be inhabited by the Elder of the Mystery Forest, a monster who likes to play guessing games with people. As long as we follow its rules, it's fine. “

"I think I'm better at riddles. I beg to come in with you. ”

Isabella nodded.

"Are there any warriors who are good at guessing puzzles?"

A moment later, out of the team of more than two hundred people, 4 people, 3 guards, and Uma from the Wind Brigade.

Rodin saddled with his twin swords and poured into the woods first.

In the woods, the foliage is luxuriant, and all kinds of vegetation bloom freely.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak—"

A quarter of an hour later, as the group entered the depths of the woods, the hunter's emblem on Rodin's chest began to buzz and vibrate, and the white light flashed like a light bulb in the dark night.

"Mortals, welcome to the territory of Astrana. ”

Suddenly, a voice like a flood bell came, deafening.

The three guards couldn't help but press their swords in their hands, looking around vigilantly.

"Where did you come from and where are you going?"

As soon as the words fell, a huge figure slowly walked out of the shadows under the shade of the trees not far away.

Everyone was stunned.

The size of a small mountain, not inferior to the arrogant demon that Rodin once faced, one foot is comparable to a man.

The limbs and facial features can be clearly recognized, and the whole body is covered with branches, leaves, vines, and even has a bird's nest-like decoration on the head, which looks a little funny.

The strange thing is that its giant palms like rolling wood fall to the ground, but they are silent, as if blending into the layers of dead branches and leaves on the ground.

Its movements seem to be slow, like an old man with a cane, but its stride is amazing, and it has crossed a distance of more than twenty meters in just a few steps, and appears in front of everyone with a meticulous appearance.

Towering, majestic, and indescribably oppressive.

Several of the guards behind him were terrified and tried to draw their weapons, but Isabella stopped them.

In the face of such a behemoth, she was equally afraid, but she still spoke clearly: "Hello, respected Elder Mystery. We are the Flint Chamber of Commerce from Elden City, and we are here to take your test. ”

"If we are lucky enough to pass, I hope you can let our caravan pass, so that we can continue to return to the noble grassland. ”

The Elder of the Mystery Forest squatted down and brought his half-human-sized brown eyes in front of them, looking at them motionlessly.

Everyone could even feel the elders exhaling the scent of primeval forest mixed with logs, vegetation, and earth.

Its wide, flattened mouth was slightly open, and a touch of green moss and whisker wriggled like a living thing.

"You can face me without changing your face, and you know my title, which is much more erudite and heroic than the previous little ones. He is worthy of being the descendant of the Beastmaster and the people of the grassland. ”

"For the brave, Astrana has always given preferential treatment. “

"There will be no restrictions on your bodies. “

"I've been lonely for a hundred years, and it's really nice to have someone come to accompany me today!"

"I hope your wisdom is not inferior to courage, and do not disappoint me. ”

"So—"

Elder Astrana of the Mystery Forest raised his head, his mountain-like body taking a slight step back.

The feeling of oppression dissipated, and everyone suddenly felt much more comfortable.

"Which of you will take the lead and be tested by my riddles?"

"If you're right, then you'll be able to pass, and if you're wrong, get out of the woods on your own. ”

The elder's voice was filled with unmistakable majesty.

"Is it true that only one person can be released if he answers correctly? Then more than 200 of us, don't we have to answer more than 200 riddles correctly?"

Rodin suddenly asked, and the elder narrowed his eyes with a sharp gaze.

The atmosphere suddenly became solemn and depressing.

Suddenly, an eagle-beaked and gray-headed shrike descended on its long, sharp branch and pecked it a few times with ease.

The elder said without sorrow or joy, "Of course, otherwise you really think that my Astrana is so easy to deal with?"

The crowd was silent, they knew that the caravan would not be able to achieve this goal, but they must not give up on anyone.

Still calm, Isabella asked, "You know, not every human is so smart and wise enough to guess your riddles. I'm sure you're not having enough fun with this part of the wooden. “

"And don't you get tired of being easily stumped by you every time a human being?"

"Huh?"

Astrana's weird bark eyebrows are pasted to a piece,

"You have a point, go ahead. ”

"So—"

Isabella lowered her eyebrows, trying to look as humble and submissive as she could, "What do you think of my proposal, can you have one person, the smartest among us, guess all your riddles instead of the entire caravan?"

"Well. ”

The elder's huge pupils turned to the sky and made a serious thoughtful look.

After a long wait, a smile erupted into its crumpled bark face.

"Interesting, I approve of your proposal. But the specific assessment method, I will decide, do you agree?"

"Good. ”

"Good. ”

At this point, can everyone deny it?

The elder explained with satisfaction, "In a few moments, the person you have elected will be tested by my three riddles. “

"Guess the first riddle correctly and he can pass alone. If you answer incorrectly, you'll automatically be out of my sight. “

"Guess the second riddle correctly, I allow half of you to pass through the people and goods. However, if he accidentally answers incorrectly, he must be punished by me. Saying this, it paused in tone, looking at their expressions and reactions with interest.

"Punishment?"

Rodin's heart jumped, and the people around him also looked worried.

"What exactly is the punishment, can you say?"

It seemed pleased with the crowd's performance, and said slowly, "He's going to lose half of his memory." ”

What the?!

The crowd was dumbfounded, they had never heard of such a strange punishment, nor had they seen anyone possess such magical abilities.

Erase human memory? Exactly half of it?

If at the beginning, they only thought that the elder was a power-type monster with the ability to manipulate plants, and he was invincible, then now the strange ability revealed in this paragraph of his words has to be terrifying.

What is it like to lose half of your memories?

The elder was surprised by the expressions of the crowd and continued, "Guess my third riddle, and I will allow all of your caravan to pass. But the corresponding failure is more punishable. ”

Rodin's expression moved,

It nodded: "That's right, as you imagine, the third riddle fails, and he will lose all his memories and become a blank slate, or like a newborn baby." ”

"Astrana does what he says, and if anyone guesses three puzzles to me, I'll let you all pass. ”

At this moment, Rodin really felt a trace of fear, as an earthling, he understood that memory not only represents the impression of people or things, but also a deeper level, it covers all the knowledge learned, even the family, love, and friendship associated with memory, delete memories, these will all be forgotten, and that person will become an idiot-like character.

Such an end is even more terrible than death!

At the moment of his fear, the blood seed in his right eye suddenly vibrated at an extremely fast frequency, and a black ancestral dragon aura erupted from it, flowing all over his body, and there was a terrifying will that penetrated into his heart and interfered with his sanity.

"The descendants of the ancestral dragon, never flinch, never afraid!"

In a trance, he saw a large dragon's vertical pupils staring at him.

Amber pupils, pitch-black pupils.

Cold, proud, majestic, and contemptuous of all things.

"I see. ”

Everyone had the intention of retreating.

Isabella struggles with a face, if she goes, she fails and will forget everything about the tribe.

But she has countless wishes and ambitions that have not been fulfilled, how can she fail, how can she forget?

There was a long silence.

The Elder of the Mystery Forest said impatiently, "Have you thought about it, my patience is limited. ”

"I'm here to put you to the test!"

With a firm voice, the thin Rodin with two swords on his back stepped forward, neither humble nor arrogant, facing the coercion of the elders.

"No, Rodin, we can't take this risk!

Isabella's heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help but blurt out.

Rodin turned around and glanced at everyone lightly, exuding a cold aura from all over his body, as if he had changed into a different person.

"Good boy, since you have accepted my assessment, you can't afford to regret it!"

"Haha-"

With a deafening cry, the elder manipulated countless green vines the thickness of his arms to lift Rodin high into the air, reaching a height at the level of his face.

"Courage, young man, listen to my first riddle now. ”

"If someone reminds you to do so, it will be considered a failure. After saying that, it glanced down coldly, and the five people who were staring at it were suddenly silent.

"For each riddle I will give you a quarter of an hour to think, a chance to answer. ”

"Whew-"

Rodin took a deep breath, the ancestral dragon bloodline would never approve of a coward who was cowardly before a fight, he could only chase the ducks to the shelves, pretending to be calm.

However, thanks to the cultivation of meditation methods, his thoughts were clearer than ever, and many long-ago memories were excavated.

As long as he has seen the riddle on Earth, he will definitely be able to answer it, but I hope it is not too outrageous.

"I'm ready for the elders, let's get started. ”

The elder nodded humanely, and stated in a deep and low tone: "There is no half acre of land in the plains, there is no water in the lakes and all the seas, and the world is in front of you. Guess an item. ”

As soon as the words fell, Isabella and Uma all looked abrupt.

Rodin looked dazed, bowed his head and was silent.

Seeing that he was slow to answer, they couldn't help but be a little anxious.

Uma had an idea and wanted to make a gesture with her body.

"Whoosh-" A long snake-like green vine on the ground instantly swayed up, wrapping her into a big dumpling.

The elder said unhappily: "I have warned you that reminders are not allowed, whether verbal or physical, any means of reminders are against the law. Next time, even if he loses, when the time comes, your entire caravan won't want to pass through my territory!"

Uma was no longer charming, nodded a little frightened, and the vines loosened her again.

Isabella reassured: "Okay, don't think about cheating, otherwise it will be self-defeating." We have to believe Rodin, he knows so many strange stories, and he has new teaching methods, this question will definitely not be difficult for him!"

After hearing this, several people looked at him expectantly, and prayed secretly in their hearts.

After cleaning up, the elder turned to Rodin again and angrily: "Think slowly, young man, you have a quarter of an hour, think clearly and thoroughly before answering." ”

"I already have the answer. He looked up, his eyes blazing.

He had never seen this riddle before, but one was relatively simple in itself, and the other was in an unprecedented state of mind, which naturally bothered him.

"The mystery is the map!"

"Hehe-"

The elder's eyebrows were crooked, and his long branch-like eyebrows were slightly downward, revealing a kind smile.

"Yes, this is the simplest question, and it really can't help you. It's still some real material. “

"Next, do you choose to continue guessing the riddle, or go through the woods alone?"

After the elder finished speaking, he manipulated the vine to lift Rodin behind it, and with a wave of his big hand,

The trees behind them spontaneously split apart as if they had come to life, revealing a tree-lined path that could only be passed by one person.

The shadowy trail has no end in sight, suggesting that it is still a short distance from the end of the woods.

"Choose to continue, if you fail, you will leave half of the memory. You have to think about it. ”

It said in a consoling tone, and Isabella and Uma below looked tangled, as if expecting and worried.

It's good if it's passed, but when you think about the consequences of failure-

"Go on!"

Short, clean, and to the point.

Rodin directly broke their tangle.

Since you have chosen to participate, how can you give up halfway.

"Good, good!"

The old man's simple, stiff face actually trembled slightly, and he could see that the whole person was in a state of excitement.

"What sinks but never breaks, what is broken but never sinks?"

As soon as the puzzle appeared, they were all silent, the two women frowned slightly, and the three guards were even more misty.

He was the only one, with a smile on the corner of his mouth and a big heart.

This riddle appeared in his memory.

He smiled heartily at the Elder of the Mystery Forest: "Of course, what will never be broken after sinking is sunlight, but what is broken but absolutely unsinkable must be night." So the answer is day and night. ”

"Sure enough, he was a learned man. “

The elder said, his huge brown eyes did not blink, with a kind of neurotic paranoia, and his heavy tone actually trembled slightly: I think, you should continue to guess the riddle, right?"

Rodin turned to look at the few people below and nodded silently.

"Haha!"

"The last time someone guessed three riddles at me, I can't remember how many years ago. “

"Wise young man, behold, the light lies ahead, within reach. “

The elder regained his composure and threw out the third riddle.