CHAPTER 218: 218. IS ELIAS THAT STRONG?

Clara didn’t even have to state that when Theo could see so many apes just move from one branch to another at a fast pace.

His gaze was not so frozen by the fact that there were so many of them, but because they looked so clear from so far, it almost made him realize just how big these apes were from up close.

"The Baron stated that I should let you get inside the middle forest and then let you decide whether you’d like to continue or not. He stated for me to tell you that if you think it through, your age is not one to be in this part of the forest." Elias spoke in a whisper from the back, making Theo look at him with seriousness.

Not a single thing he or the one whose words they were was wrong. And Theo knew, among those treetops here and there, Rhys was there observing him too, and by the way he was looking around, he could tell that Rhys knew he was finding him.

Theo looked forward and saw that the apes were not in that spot at the big tree anymore; there were still little sounds of the apes from far away.

Theo stayed like that for a moment before he took a deep breath to get some oxygen in his brain.

Both Elias and Clara sighed at the same time and looked at each other as if knowing what the other was thinking.

"I will continue," Theo spoke, "but hear me out, this will not be like how I always fight, and you guys are the ones that keep protecting me, no," Theo spoke while moving his index finger left and right.

"We will be fighting together, every beast of ours, against these. Won’t that be fun?" Theo asked with a grin. The grin came naturally, but the forest had such a pressuring feeling that Theo’s teeth were shaking.

But both Clara and Elias, even the boar, looked at the confidence in Theo’s eyes which gave them that vigor back.

"I will send Chip out, but I have to be careful this time, the apes can just catch Chip mid-jump among the trees." Elias whispered and continued, "So finding the apes will be a little slow."

"We will only focus on two things today. Correct me if there are more. It’s to keep ourselves and our beasts safe, and kill a lot of these apes for EXP, no offense to you." Theo stated while waving at the ape who just snorted.

At this point, Theo knew that damn ape could understand most of the things that came out of their lips.

Soon, Chip was sent to find any solo ape if there were any.

Even the ape went wild and ran up the trees to find something.

A slight "OOH" of excitement came out of the ape’s mouth before getting up, which got many more similar "OOH"s in return.

Elias smacked his head. Theo could tell something became different.

The sounds of trees rustling started coming everywhere. Theo went on guard; it felt nostalgic, the rustling and the apes coming.

"Do you really want to fight together, young master?" Elias asked, and Theo nodded before the mantis came out of the beast space and sat on his shoulder.

"That makes things better. I will get Chip back. It keeps sending distress signals." Elias spoke and pointed toward the west. "Two apes are approaching through there, level 5 and 6. Two are coming from the east. We will engage in 30 seconds, be prepared everyone." He spoke, and his demeanor changed.

Clara was already stone-cold ready; the pup that was not a pup anymore had a menacing look on it, while the boar was just waiting for something to approach. It shifted toward Clara, showing how it didn’t want what had happened before to happen again.

Theo took out his sword, and everyone noticed something on it, but didn’t say anything; there was no time.

Theo’s sword was laced with a layer of green thread-looking thing.

It was the spider’s web that was laced with a potent venom. Theo’s idea was simple now that he could give orders to the spider too.

It was to make a blow from his sword which could potentially lace the wound of the ape with poison, but it could only be a thing of one use, as there was only one layer that could be cut up when Theo would slash.

Knowing all this, Theo felt the rustling become faster above his head, and there it was—a big ape who swung to a tree’s branch with one long hand while making screaming noises.

It saw the group finally and showed all its big teeth in aggression before jumping off and toward them.

’No Poison Spray, just get the neck, mantis.’ Theo gave a command, which made the mantis ready on Theo’s shoulder as if it were going to jump anytime now.

The ape kept falling down, and it felt like the fall would just make its bones break, but before Theo could engage with others on the ground, he heard a snicker from Elias, making him surprised and unfocused.

"OHHHHH!!"

He looked up again and saw the glimpse of another ape latched onto the enemy within seconds.

Both apes fell to the ground while screaming and making sounds nonstop.

Theo saw the ape’s back and couldn’t help but know that it was theirs. It kept swinging its hands at the ape on the ground.

"If this doesn’t end like this, I will make it use its ability, young master. Is that okay?" Elias asked, making Theo look at him in confusion, his sword just there, and the mantis already gone.

"I guess, it’s okay?" Things were moving too fast.

"I have fought with many apes, sometimes 2–3 at the same time. That is why the Baron let you come here. We both have a lot of experience." Elias spoke while pointing at Clara, who just winced her nose. Elias was taking the whole spotlight.

"See that, young master." Elias pointed up again, making Theo find another ape just looking toward them and flinching when their eyes met.

"They are not dumb creatures; they see and analyze things. Right now, it’s thinking whether to fight alongside that losing ape or just attack us."

"And from the looks of that ape, its decision is already made."

Theo saw the ape jump off just when Elias finished, which felt like ridiculous timing.

Another beast ran past him and jumped up, making Theo stay there without doing anything