女人的战争之窥视的眼睛

But he was a newborn Devil God.

He could be killed by devils if he was caught off guard. 

Of course, they didn't know that.

And with his acting, he reinforced his image as an omnipotent god in their minds.

After he explained himself, the variants stopped doubting him. However, if they had pressed further, he would've just killed a few of them to make them realize he held their pitiful lives in the palm of his hands. That would have made them shut up and act subservient to him.

"Then let me do the honor," Dris explained to Val, "The cave walls are embedded with ancient runes our ancestors left behind for us. These runes can harness the energy stored inside a mana stone, using it to generate a protective barrier. As long as we ensure a consistent supply of mana stones to these runes, the barrier will persist even if it's sufficiently damaged." 

The ancient runes seamlessly blended with the stone blocks that made up the internal structure of the cave, making them almost imperceptible.

That's why Val failed to notice them despite the fact that he was using the Heavenly Eye.

"It's interesting."

The concept of the ancient runes intrigued Val.

The logic behind them was uncannily similar to the talisman.

Val knew that the protective talismans were created by the wizards, but where did the runes come from? These runes couldn't have been created by wizards as even though both the places were located in Eldrich, what were the chances of wizards being here as well? 

Not to mention, there was no mention of the Forest of Dread or the Kingdom of Lumorion in the wizard community or the Victoria Kingdom, so it was clear that these were uncharted lands, yet to be discovered and explored!

He was most likely the first Victorian to have visited this forest.

"Your ancestors must not be ordinary figures," Val said, "Judging by your figures, were they perhaps Shadow Drakes?"

At his words, shock rippled through the group. Their eyes widened to the size of saucers and their jaws dropped as they gawked at Val in stunned disbelief. 

Whispers of astonishment circulated among them, each variant equally bewildered.

How had he managed to so accurately deduce their ancestry when they looked nothing like the Shadow Drakes?

Dris nodded in agreement after recovering from the state of disbelief. 

"You're correct, but we never anticipated that anyone would make that connection. Our forms have been distorted beyond recognition over the generations due to interracial unions." He continued with a somber tone, "Originally, there weren't many Shadow Drakes to begin with. A fraction of them left the forest in search of safer grounds to establish their own tribes. Unfortunately, the ones that stayed faced the fury of the forest's more powerful inhabitants and were decimated. The few survivors, left with a dwindling population, had to seek partners outside our tribe. Initially, the offspring bore a slight resemblance to Shadow Drakes. But as time went by, with repeated interracial unions, that semblance faded. Now, generations later, we barely even resemble them, only inheriting certain traits."

Val was thoroughly taken aback.

'If these descendants, with only a fraction of the Shadow Drake bloodline, are this powerful, then the original Shadow Drakes must have been beasts of level 50-70." The thought left him feeling troubled. "And if such formidable creatures were decimated, just how powerful were the beasts that hunted them?"

He no longer wanted to think about it. If he keep this thought rent-free in his mind, he would be hesitant about exploring the forest, which could potentially be a gold mine. 

Out loud, he reassured the variants, "There's nothing to be sad about. As you've said, many tribes have risen and fallen over the centuries. Yet, here you stand, among the few who've withstood the test of time and emerged resilient. That in itself is a testament to your strength and endurance. You should be happy!"

After he was done with them, they too would become a part of history.

Not knowing the dangerous thoughts he harbored, the Shadow Drake variants felt thankful to him as he had cheered them up. Their faces, which had been a blend of melancholy and pride, now gleamed with renewed hope and determination.

"Thank you, Devil God!" Dris thanked him on behalf of the entire tribe.

Val ignored him as he was focused on his own goal.

'Maybe I will find out what makes the runes left behind by the Shadow Drakes special and uncover their origin if I examine one closely with my abilities. It's worth a try.'

Turning his attention to Dris, he expressed his desires, "I'd like to take a closer look at these runes."

Elrick interjected, "It is still dark. Devils might be wandering outside the protective barrier of the cave, waiting for an opportunity to get inside. We might provide them with one if we mess with the formation. Can it wait until tomorrow?"

The Devil God might be strong enough to resist and even kill the devils, but they weren't. So Elrick didn't want to take the risk, and many others shared the same sentiment.

"No, it can't," Val shook his head, signaling his impatience.

Dris, understanding the urgency, said, "In actuality, removing a single rune from the formation won't substantially weaken the barrier. We'll fetch one for you immediately."

He signaled to Elrick to get one. Elrick approached a section of the cave wall made of stone blocks with a few of them adorned with intricate symbols.

With careful precision, he extracted a stone etched with a rune and presented it to Val.

Val picked up the stone. It settled comfortably in his palm. While looking at it, he cast detect.

[This is an ordinary stone etched with the defensive rune - Barrier. It was crafted by Shadow Drake Hazarara the Defective using wizardry.]

Val's eyes widened in realization.

'Wizardry isn't unique to humans with arcane hearts. Even monsters can practice it!'