Souta followed Raeshka with Yuko behind him. He didn't have a mana so he will count on Yuko's mana. He had [Pet Resonance] skill so he could borrow Yuko's mana and her senses. It was a skill of a tamer that could let him combine his and her strength.
If Souta level up this skill then he would be able to borrow her stats and add it to his own after a certain point.
Even though Yuko's mana pool wasn't large as his it was still enough to cast a few dozen spells.
Souta and Yuko went outside and saw Raeshka standing in front of countless different monsters.
'There are more than a million monsters under Raeshka's rule.' Souta thought as he recalled how her force fought back the demons that invade this place.
This force was enough to invade a huge country like Hebrei kingdom. Every army of a monster lord could rival those of a huge country and this was one of the reasons why no one dared to provoke a monster lord.
But the problem was that the most powerful monster didn't live in the Forest of Eternal and instead, they could be found in the infamous Dark Forest, the largest forest on the entire continent. Also one of the forbidden areas on the continent.
Powerful and vicious monsters live in Dark Forest. According to the founder of the Adventurers Guild, the number of the monster lord in that place exceeded the number of the monster lord in the Forest of Eternal Light. Third and fourth evolution stage monster could be found anywhere in that place. If one didn't possess the power of an S-rank, then they wouldn't be able to last that long in that place full of monsters.
Of course, this information wasn't made to the public.
In the past, countless human and demi countries tried to force their way to that forest but no one managed to own it. Those countries were annihilated in a single night by an unknown monster.
"I'll set up an arena where you will fight the goblin corruptor here!" Raeshka said to her subjects as she pointed at Souta who just got out of the castle. "I'll reward anyone who managed to defeat him so try your best to show him your powers! Try your best to impress me and I'll fulfill one of your wishes to the limit of my powers!"
All the monsters in the view looked at Souta. They observed this unknown goblin corruptor. This was the first time they saw him in this place so they were unfamiliar with him. Also, this unknown goblin corruptor went out of the castle of their lord. It seems that their lord was close to this goblin.
"Am I included in that?" Souta asked as he pointed at his nose.
Raeshka turned her gaze at him and nodded, "Yes, you are included. If you successfully defeat all the challengers then I'll fulfill one of your wishes."
"Then, do you have a plan to let me go?" Souta asked her.
"No," Raeshka said without hesitation.
"I see..." Souta nodded and he turned his head to the monsters before he said, "Then, my wish is to leave this place. I want you to let me go and safely leave this place after I defeated all the challenges."
"Are you sure you want to leave this place? This is a paradise for monsters. No humans or demis would be able to hunt monsters in this place. All the monsters under my protection are safe in this place." Raeshka said to him in a deep tone. "You must know that your human and demi friends will someday found your true identity. You will be hunted by their country. You can forget them and stay in this place."
"Hays... I think you wouldn't be able to understand it even if I tell you. I told you before that I'm doing it for my survival but that's not all. I'm doing it to strengthen myself. I don't want to stay in this place where my safety is guaranteed. I wouldn't grow stronger and I want to experience the true nature of this world in my own two hands. That's all and one day I'll become a monster lord like you." Souta said as he looked at his own two hands. It's true that this place was safe but that's only until version 1 ends.
The demons will attack this place in the future and if he didn't grow stronger at that time he will become a cannon fodder. There's an event where Raeshka will be forced to fight a commandment. He got to say that this place will become a battlefield in the future.
He also wouldn't be able to take a quest in this place or hunt monsters if he was under Raeshka's rule. His growth rate would slow down if that happens. Even if he could hunt monsters in this place, he would still have a hard time triggering a quest in a place like this one. If he didn't get a quest Souta wouldn't be able to get a skill point so his rank promotion would stop at his current stage, Rank 1 Battle Mage.
He wouldn't replace a short time of peace for this. He would prefer to undergo a dangerous quest so that he could get stronger. He doesn't want to let his life be in others' hands.
"If that's what you want then I'll fulfill it. That's if you successfully defeat them." Raeshka said as she glanced at Souta's face. She felt overflowing confidence coming from Souta. She couldn't even understand where his confidence coming from.
She didn't mock him for saying that he'll become a monster lord one day. Countless monsters wanted to become a monster lord but only a few monsters managed to do it. She knew how hard and how long it takes for her to become a monster lord. She didn't have an idea at that time in the past that she will become a monster lord.
"Okay, I'll believe in you." Souta nodded and said in a low voice. He didn't need to doubt the words of a monster lord. She also didn't have a reason to lie to him. Monsters were different from humans and demis who would lie all the time.
Monsters were simple-minded creatures. For them, strength was everything. If a monster was strong then other monsters would worship that strong monster. If a monster was weak then the strong monster would consume it. That's all. It wasn't as complicated in human and demi countries where people were scheming to each other.
Rumble!
The ground trembled and an arena slowly rose up from the ground. The rows of monsters split up as they surrounded the huge arena.
Souta felt the best feram in the atmosphere moving nonstop. He moved his eyes and saw Raeshka waving her right hand. It seems that she was the one who created the arena in front of them.
'A monster lord is really unfathomable. I couldn't see the depth of her strength.' He thought while looking at her.
A chair made of rare stone emerged from the ground and Raeshka sat on it. She then glanced at Souta and said, "You can go now."
Souta nodded and he moved his feet. He strode forward and entered the arena.
Tap!
He lightly tapped the ground with his feet and found that the stage was made of pure solid mana stone. It was hard as it contained an enormous amount of energy that strengthened it to the limit.
'So it's fine if I go all out.' Souta thought as he swept his eyes across the second evolution monsters. He knew that they were his opponents as he was also a second evolution monster. Raeshka wouldn't let a third evolution monster fight him. She wasn't that kind of individual.
"They are your opponents," Raeshka said as she pointed at the group of second evolution monster.
'I'm right.' Souta's mouth curved upwards. He could feel and sense that all of these second evolution monsters were at the peak. They reached their limit and were about to evolve.
He moved his eyes and met the eyes of these monsters.
Black Orc, Freezing Monkey, Two-tailed Salamander, Berserk Kobold, Flame Wings Pigeon, White Stripe Wolf, and Three eyes Crocodile. Souta could even see a goblin corruptor like him.
All these monsters were at the second evolution stage. They were at the peak and were powerful among the other second evolution monster.
"Oh right? I forgot that you're going to show me the power of a monster that learned human and demi's skills!" Raeshka exclaimed and she vanished from her position. She then reappeared in front of Souta.
"Eh...!" Souta subconsciously took a step back when Raeshka appeared in front of him.
"Here... I'll repair your mana pool so that you could show me your full potential and let me watch an entertaining show." Raeshka stretched out her hand and she tapped Souta's forehead with her finger.
Ohm!
Souta felt her energy entered his body. Despite being best feram, his body didn't reject this powerful energy. It means that Raeksha has fully controlled her best feram to the point that it wouldn't harm anyone if she didn't will it. Just like how Bargan controlled his flames.
Swoosh!
Souta felt his mana pool being repaired at high speed. Energy started to form and took a shape inside his body.
After one minute, Raeshka removed her finger on his forehead. She smiled and went back to her chair.
"Okay, I'm expecting a good show. If you don't impress me then you'll face the consequences."