F-ranker Sword Saint: My Soulbound Sword is Secretly SSS-tier!-Chapter 336: Unexpectedly Cozy

"Uhm...Daru, no offense, but can we really trust those ugly sentries of yours? I mean...look at that thing. It’s massive, is it not? How could those disgusting, wiggly eyes miss them?!" Elara whispered almost shriekingly, peering out of the hollow’s opening.

A distance before them, a lean half-avian with scarier features than those of the Stormcrest Jayaris was perched on a branch hidden in leaves. While it was a bit smaller — similar to the Robaris — its wings were considerably longer.

But it was those soulless eyes that made the princess a bit uneasy.

Daru also watched for another moment before explaining in a low voice: "It did give me a notification, but not the intense kind which signals danger. I didn’t expect it to be this close..."

He, too, assessed whether the Dark Sentries were trustworthy or not, since this lean half-avian with feathers of mottled gray, brown, and black managed to come this close, yet the wards were still not informing him of danger.

What use were they if he could physically see the threat with his eyes first?

Still, Daru didn’t label the Dark Sentries useless immediately, observing the dusk half-bird first.

It didn’t seem like it had detected them.

In fact, the eerie bird seemed to be keenly keeping watch of the surroundings beneath the pine.

Then, without warning, it dove — significantly faster than the rioting, diurnal half-avians.

Daru and Elara instinctively craned their necks to see what it was going for.

However, before they could see, they heard it. Dying squeaks with a hint of a growl.

The next thing they saw was that the dark shadow of the new species of half-avian was disappearing into the dusk. On its talons was a Barkshade Volini, struggling still, but growing weaker by the second.

Its fate was undoubtedly sealed. The huge, tough rodent was to be a meal that day.

"Well, this princess has to say that doesn’t look reassuring...were those sword-clawed rodents the dwellers of the other hollows?"

Daru nodded, his expression quite grim.

While the motivation of the Diurnal Savage Avian Riot remains a mystery, these dusk half-birds are out hunting for the voles, who are clearly on the move now.

’Figures...those poor things needed to come out and find food one way or another...’ he mused.

It was quite unfortunate for the rodents that they were at the bottom of the food chain here.

’Well, it’s not like we’re in a much better position...’

They could kill the half-avians, true, but a bad sequence of events could turn things from easy to extremely dangerous.

There was no in between.

It was either they kill their victims in one, ruthless series of Sword Skills, or everything they worked for goes down the drain...which happened quite a few times already with those tougher Stormcrest Jayaris.

There was also a dreadful scenario: Elara’s Silver Judgment hits nothing, and no bird is pinned to the ground.

At that point, they would basically have to fight a wasteful two versus two, especially since the half-avians’ partners were always nearby, except for Stormcrest Jayaris, who seemed to be confident in moving alone.

Thankfully, she hadn’t missed...yet.

Daru turned to look at Elara.

"I guess let’s take turns resting tonight? The Dark Sentry seemed to be correct, as that dusk half-bird hadn’t detected and was nowhere near attacking us, but let’s not take chances," he remarked.

The princess fell into thought. Ultimately, she nodded.

"Alright then. Ladies first. Good night. Wake this princess up six hours later to switch."

It was a good thing that they decided to call it an early day. Six hours might not be perfect, but in such a situation, it was a luxury.

Some wouldn’t even be able to sleep a wink.

Without even waiting for her comrade’s answer, Elara pulled and laid out a luxurious, fur sleeping bag, perfect for the once-temperate winds now turning night-cold.

"Improves resting speed by twenty-percent. Oh, and feels like warm hugs," she winked at Daru, then immediately lay on her side to sleep.

Daru only glanced at her, then began looking around.

The hollow had a small entrance, but the inside was spacious, half of which was also hidden from sight.

...Not that the entrance wasn’t hidden enough already...

The two of them, if they so desire and agree to, can simply sleep right next to each other at the hidden side, and the hollow would seem empty at a glance from the outside.

The winds were becoming chilly, but Daru had some fur he could use as a blanket, so warmth was not an issue.

He was also full and satisfied.

’This is quite cozy...’ he mused, turning his attention to the entrance of the hollow.

Daru hid himself beside Elara, who was somehow now sleeping already, as if they weren’t close to the absolute bottom of the food chain in an overly alive forest.

He rested his back and head against the walls, simply listening to the sounds outside.

Leaves rustled here and there, but unlike the mid-morn and afternoon riot, it was clear that the half-avians of the Yggdrasil night were simply hunting for food.

Perhaps they would be classified as food, too, but unlike the poor voles, they had supplies that would last them a while.

There was no need for them to risk themselves at such dangerous windows.

’Those birds seem to be masters of ambush...’ he thought inwardly.

It couldn’t be more casual of a swoop, yet the Barkshade Volini was caught anyway...

Oddly enough, aside from the deathly squeaks here and there and a strange, dying sound he couldn’t quite wrap his head around, dusk and the early eve turned out to be quite peaceful.

He glanced at Elara, his heart relaxing further.

’Having a companion is nice...’ Daru mused.

Hours passed, and before he knew it, he was four hours into his shift as tonight’s first sentry.

Speaking of sentries, the Dark Sentries kept on giving him notifications, though not the overwhelming kind — just like receiving information from the Wretched Soulslips in the Cemetery of the Damned.

He was just informed that there was something around them, along with a rough, half-accurate estimate of its size.

Those things flooded his mind, but never destroyed his peaceful night.

The hunting birds and the rodents eventually fell silent, too.

But everything in this madly alive place had a reason...and the reason was soon made known to him.

Another notification. Not of danger, but a light warning.

Then, heavy thuds — some familiar, some heavier ones dreadfully new to him.

The sizes of those things...the smallest was the size of a Verdant Runebark!