Online Game: I Started with Max Charisma and Caught the Goddess's Eye - Chapter 490 490: Black Forest Camp

Lucas and his group, including Luca, departed from Riverside City under the cover of night.

Along the way, Lucas explained their destination to Luca, detailing not only where they were headed but also the dangers they might encounter on the road, as well as a few other things they needed to keep in mind.

They would have to follow the river that ran through the middle of Riverside City, traveling along its course for roughly three days. Eventually, they would reach the Black Forest Camp — one of the three major military camps controlled by the Crimson King.

Once they arrived at the Black Forest Camp, they would be assigned to specific combat squads. From that point onward, all they had to do was follow the orders of their squad captains.

However, this journey would not be without risk. They might encounter ambushes from the Dragon King’s forces along the way. Ever since the Dragon King and the Crimson King had completely turned against each other, the Dragon King had dispatched numerous assassins. These assassins not only targeted the Crimson King’s subordinates but also worked to destabilize the territories under the Crimson King’s control.

Aside from assassins sent by the Dragon King, there was another lurking danger: monsters born from chaotic energy.

Ever since the various factions within the Eternal World had descended into all-out war, the previously suppressed chaotic forces had begun surging once more. In every corner of the Eternal World, chaotic monsters were starting to appear and respawn continuously.

While the chaotic monsters they encountered at this stage were not particularly powerful, it was only a matter of time before stronger and more dangerous ones emerged. The longer the war dragged on, the deadlier these creatures would become.

Beyond these threats, there were also three crucial rules they had to follow.

First, they were forbidden from disclosing their destination to anyone until they reached the Black Forest Camp — not even to close friends they trusted completely.

This rule existed for a reason. Not long ago, the Crimson King’s second-largest camp had been devastated in a joint attack launched by the Dragon King and Ravenor. The ambush had been perfectly timed, leaving the camp almost entirely destroyed.

It later came to light that the attackers had learned the exact timing and location of Crimson King’s troop movements because a member of a small squad heading toward the second camp had casually mentioned their destination to a friend. That friend had, in turn, unwittingly leaked the information to one of the Dragon King’s agents.

Second, everyone was required to secure a personal weapon before arriving at the Black Forest Camp. Upon arrival, the camp officers would inspect and evaluate the weapons each recruit carried.

If someone’s weapon was truly subpar, the Black Forest Camp would provide them with a standard-issue weapon.

Although these standard weapons came with all sorts of drawbacks, at the very least, their destructive power was guaranteed.

Lastly, no matter how powerful someone was, once they arrived at the Black Forest Camp, they were required to obey all orders. Anyone who dared to cause trouble within the camp would meet a truly miserable end.

Luca, however, paid little attention to the dangers Lucas had mentioned. From his perspective, he alone was more than capable of handling any threats that might arise.

The only thing he truly cared about was reaching the Black Forest Camp as soon as possible. That was the only way he’d get the chance to meet the Crimson King without delay.

As for the other rules and instructions, he had memorized them carefully. He was confident he wouldn’t break any of them.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

By that afternoon, Lucas, Luca, and the rest of their group finally reached the outskirts of the Black Forest Camp.

They had been traveling across a vast and open plain when, all of a sudden, an immense black mountain range came into view.

Lucas turned to the group with a satisfied smile, clearly pleased by their awed expressions. Pointing toward the towering mountains, he declared:

“Behold — that is the outer wall of the Black Forest Camp!”

Even though Luca had mentally prepared himself for surprises, he was still stunned by the sight.

He had never imagined that the camp’s outer walls would actually be formed by a colossal, jet-black mountain range.

The sheer scale of the Black Forest Camp was beyond anything he could have fathomed.

The ordinary recruits behind him were so overwhelmed that their minds had gone completely blank, unable to process what they were seeing.

Lucas, of course, was delighted by their reactions.

He made a point of glancing at Luca, his expression full of pride and satisfaction.

“Sure, your strength may surpass mine,” he said smugly, “but it seems you’ve yet to see much of the world! The Black Forest Camp is only the third-largest stronghold under Lord Crimson King’s control.

The other two are even more magnificent than this one. If you ever have the honor of visiting them, you’ll be even more shocked than you are now!”

With that, Lucas smiled and strode confidently ahead.

Luca and the others naturally hurried to follow.

Though they could already see the towering outer wall of the Black Forest Camp, the camp itself was still quite some distance away.

It wasn’t until late that night that they finally reached the main entrance to the camp.

There, a squad of heavily armed soldiers stepped forward and blocked their path.

“Everyone, hand over your weapons!” one of the soldiers barked.

A squad of soldiers stepped forward and began confiscating the weapons from Lucas’s group.

Luca immediately hid the Dragon-Slayer Greatsword, making sure it was well concealed. There was no way he was going to let anyone else take it away from him.

When one of the soldiers reached Luca, he gave him a cold, scrutinizing look from head to toe.

“Where’s your weapon? Don’t tell me you came here unarmed?”

“That’s right, I don’t have a weapon,” Luca replied calmly. “Doesn’t the camp provide weapons anyway?”

The soldier narrowed his eyes but eventually nodded.

“Yes, the camp does provide weapons. But I’d advise you to lower your expectations — the ones we hand out aren’t exactly top quality.”

With that, the soldier turned and walked away without another word.

The soldiers stationed at the Black Forest Camp had encountered this situation plenty of times before.

Because the conflict between the Dragon King and the Crimson King had grown so intense, both sides were aggressively expanding their armies. As a result, a large number of inexperienced civilians — many of whom had no weapons or training — were being conscripted into the military.

While every faction promised to provide their recruits with weapons, in practice, there were always countless complications and shortages.

Once the soldier had left, Lucas turned his gaze toward Luca and said quietly:

“You’re not being honest with me. If I recall correctly, you got a very powerful weapon from Andrew.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” Luca replied evenly. “Andrew is just a member of the Adventurers’ Guild. As an adventurer, how could he possibly possess such a powerful weapon?”

Of course, Luca had no intention of telling the truth.

He didn’t trust Lucas at all. And even if he did, he would never follow his advice and hand over the weapon.

As a seasoned adventurer who had survived countless battles, Luca understood one simple truth: a weapon is only truly safe when it’s in your own hands.

Lucas didn’t press the issue any further.

“I’ll leave it at that,” he said, his tone neutral. “But if you insist on keeping your weapon hidden, you’d better be prepared to face the consequences.”

With that, he strode forward, leading the group deeper into the camp.

Luca and the others naturally followed close behind.

The Black Forest Camp was enormous.

Wandering through its labyrinth-like pathways in the dead of night, it would have been all too easy to lose one’s way.

Everyone followed closely behind Lucas, keeping pace with his steady stride.

Luca’s Perception ability was far sharper than the others’, so unlike them, he didn’t need to devote his full attention to navigating the camp. Taking advantage of that, he allowed part of his mind to wander, observing and familiarizing himself with the layout of the Black Forest Camp.

Despite the camp’s massive size, its interior was anything but empty. Strange, oddly shaped buildings crowded the area, and squads of patrolling soldiers moved in every direction, making the entire place feel bustling and alive.

Luca and the others wound their way through the maze of bizarre structures, turning corner after corner.

Before long, even Luca found himself unable to remain distracted any longer. He realized that if he didn’t focus, he was bound to lose his bearings.

“You’d better keep your mind sharp,” came Sophia’s voice suddenly, resonating softly in his ears.

“This camp… it’s far stranger than it appears. The layout is already labyrinthine enough, but I can also sense a massive formation layered over the entire area. Its influence makes it even easier to lose your way.”

Sophia’s revelation was invaluable.

Luca immediately understood what that meant.

As one of the three major strongholds under the Crimson King’s control, the Black Forest Camp was bound to possess formidable defensive measures.

The reason the Dragon King, Ravenor, and even the Fire King hadn’t launched any assaults on the camp wasn’t because they lacked the desire — it was simply because they didn’t yet have the strength to breach it.

“It seems I really should tread more carefully,” Luca muttered under his breath. “There must be people here whose strength rivals my own.”

At that moment, Lucas suddenly turned around and barked at him:

“What are you mumbling about? Stop getting distracted! Even if you’re strong, it’s easy to get lost in this camp. And if you do get lost, there’s a good chance you’ll be executed on the spot.”

Lucas’s words sent a wave of shock rippling through Luca and the rest of the group.

“Executed? But… doesn’t Lord Crimson King desperately need manpower? Why would they kill someone just for getting lost?”

One of the ordinary recruits at the back finally gathered the courage to ask, his voice trembling.

Lucas let out a cold, derisive snort. He clearly thought the question was stupid and almost beneath him, but since the man was just a civilian, he finally decided to give an explanation.

Just as Lucas was about to explain, Luca suddenly spoke up.

“It’s to prevent spies,” Luca said calmly. “If someone were tailing us and managed to sneak into the Black Forest Camp, they’d definitely lose their way within minutes. After all, no spy would dare follow us too closely.

When it comes to dealing with espionage, harsh measures are perfectly justified. That’s why executing anyone who gets lost is considered the most effective countermeasure.”

Luca’s explanation cleared the confusion at once.

Lucas cast him an approving glance, a rare look of admiration flickering in his eyes.

“Exactly right,” Lucas said with a satisfied nod. “You should all learn from him! Cole doesn’t just possess immense strength — he’s also got a sharp and clever mind.”