Chapter 416 – Hazelnut Grove Town

The Season of Sprouts should have been a beautiful time of blooming flowers. Even though the desert winds only absorbed heat from the sunlight without sprouting a single blade of grass, there were still patches of hopeful green in this barren sea of sand—the Oasis.

For Hazelwood Town, nestled beside the Oasis, the Season of Sprouts should have been the most celebratory time of year. During this period, the hazel trees surrounding the town would burst into bloom. The hazel flowers, tinged red and yellow by fire and earth elements, would continuously release their fragrance throughout the entire Season of Sprouts. For the impoverished residents of the desert, admiring the beautiful hazel flowers was one of their few annual pleasures, not to mention that these blossoms were the town’s primary source of food and economic survival.

Because hazel trees carried so much meaning and hope, the three nearby towns had even developed a unique festival centered around them—the “Hazel Flower Festival.” Whenever the hazel flowers bloomed, people would gather outside Hazelwood, setting up stalls to admire the flowers while enjoying coarse white bread—a rare treat.

But this year, the town’s atmosphere was destined to be completely different from before.

In fact, by this time in previous years, hazel flower buds should have already been forming on the branches. Yet now, all the townspeople of Hazelwood Town faced was piles of ashes mixed with sand, with flickering flames still radiating intense heat. The scorching temperatures made even approaching the former forest feel like burning one’s skin.

Without a doubt, Hazelwood had been burned down!

Although desert hazel trees could secrete a special fluid that resisted fire, after several apprentice mages spent nights applying “Astral Oil” to the tree trunks, these trees became highly flammable torches. A single torch was all it took for the entire hazel forest of the Oasis to vanish in flames.

Without hazel trees, how could there be hazel flowers?

Therefore, for the townspeople, this was a Season of Sprouts without a “Hazel Flower Festival”—and likely never again in the foreseeable future would this unique festival return. All the hazel trees had been sacrificed as flames to fend off the fierce gnolls. The cost was the complete destruction of that beautiful forest and nearly half the Oasis, destined to become forgotten history.

Yet perhaps by fortune or misfortune, at the most critical moment, the town’s survivors were saved by a powerful and mysterious “youth.” Miraculously, the town itself suffered minimal damage. Despite being assaulted by hundreds of gnolls, the only significant structural damage was large sections of the wall collapsing during the battle.

With limited financial losses, although the townspeople were disheartened, they hadn’t fallen into despair. True, half the Oasis was destroyed, but the other half remained intact. Without the gnoll threat, the town even had opportunities for expansion. This situation was far from hopeless.Holding onto a sliver of hope, the “selfless” Baron, who had “devoted” all the grain from his manor, personally supervised and encouraged the townspeople to reclaim the oasis and build walls. He also guaranteed a three-year exemption from the town’s poll tax.

The Baron’s arrangements were a last resort, as his fief was right next to the oasis. If the town were to collapse, his territory would be left with nothing but worthless sand. Fully aware of this, the Baron had no choice but to grit his teeth and offer benefits to the townspeople, even though it pained him deeply.

Regardless of whether the Baron shed tears watching the food being transported from his storerooms, the townspeople, reassured by the food supply and inspired by the tax exemption, felt a spark of hope ignite within them. Driven by the pressure to survive, they threw themselves into the reconstruction efforts with fervor.

Farmers took up their hoes and reclaimed the land under the scorching sun, craftsmen repaired the city walls without demanding wages, women enthusiastically prepared food for the entire town, and even children and the elderly joined in to sweep away the drifting dust. For a time, Hazelwood Town presented a scene of harmonious cooperation in the aftermath of the disaster. If nothing went wrong, with the collective efforts of the entire town, it could still survive as the relatively prosperous settlement it was known to be in the vicinity.

However… from the very beginning, this town was profoundly unfortunate. Their great benefactor, Ovakain, was no savior. After dispelling one disaster, he had only brought upon them an even greater catastrophe. In truth, from the moment Ovakain set foot in this town, it was doomed. Just as their efforts and determination could not withstand the ferocious beastmen, the departure of the black dragon could not save them from Punk’s pursuit.

Now, as if destined, before noon arrived and before Mila and Chikasa reached their zenith, Punk and Kane—two invaders with their own agendas and ill intentions—descended upon the town with utmost hostility.

A deafening roar pierced the ears of all the townspeople, a terrifying tremor caused the newly repaired walls to collapse on an even larger scale, and a shockwave laden with rubble claimed the lives of nearly everyone in the plaza. Instantly, widespread panic erupted once again in this disaster-stricken town. The deeply worried Baron and his guards had no choice but to rush to the “scene of the incident” at the town’s central plaza as quickly as possible.

However… when several Apprentice Rank professionals hurried to the suddenly formed crater, they saw two figures standing atop the rubble. At that moment, almost everyone froze as if under the effect of a “Greater Hold Person” spell.

For a time, the scene fell into dead silence.

“M-Master-Level powerhouses… two Master-Level powerhouses!”

As one person couldn’t help but exclaim in shock, everyone, including the Baron, was utterly astounded.Master-Level powerhouses—in a small Kingdom, such individuals often serve as the true rulers of the nation. They possess unimaginable power, wield terrifying methods beyond comprehension, and enjoy dreadfully long lifespans. Beings like these are forever “higher existences” on a completely different level from ordinary people. And now, such figures—ones he wouldn’t even dare to imagine under normal circumstances—had suddenly descended upon this impoverished little town, not just one but two of them. How could a Baron living in the countryside, who had never witnessed such grand occasions, possibly remain calm?

There was no time to think further, nor any energy to issue commands to his servants. Trembling with fear and reverence, the Baron quickly strode forward and spoke respectfully:

“Honored masters, your arrival is undoubtedly the greatest honor this humble place could receive. I, Baron Tivosi, am most willing to be of service to you both”!

(End of Chapter)