Chapter 110
I actually felt fatigue rather than antipathy toward Bertrand's attitude.
It was natural in a way to want to verify the abilities of someone entrusted with the safety of team members.
There was no need to step forward for a power struggle.
What use will Bertrand's acknowledgment be to me?
Honestly, I didn't care if Bertrand considered me insignificant—I just hoped everything would end peacefully without incident. But given how dangerous this land was, opportunities to prove myself would come whether I wanted to avoid them or not.
"Let's start moving."
When Luna and I took the lead, Cecil and the others followed about five steps behind.
Though the two groups had merged, the psychological distance hadn't narrowed yet.
We needed to form tight strategies. This was because of Sion's plunders. Given our destinations, we would inevitably meet at a convergence point. With increased numbers, we needed to avoid improvised responses.
Luna also sensed that someone powerful would soon come looking for us.
"I think they'll come soon. But... I don't sense malice."
"It's more vicious that she plundered six groups without malice."
We couldn't know if she would ambush us or request a direct confrontation. Either way, our best option was to avoid fighting and escape. It would be a serious waste of energy to fight with classmates when we needed to focus on the circulatory system.
"Spread fog and lead Cecil's group instead of me. Wait somewhere safe as far away as possible."
I also designated a new meeting point on the map.
Luna asked me with what seemed like a heavy heart, "Will you be... okay?"
Her expression suggested she felt sorry about me shouldering this alone. Strictly speaking, getting involved in this was my fault. I should be the one apologizing to Luna.
"It's what I should do. Don't worry."
"I can... face Sion too."
Luna was strictly the top seat of the Magic Department after all. She might have power she hasn't shown yet. Perhaps she might even have better compatibility than me.
"Your power will definitely be needed some time, but now isn't the time. Leave it to me."
Nothing good would transpire if Luna got tangled up with the fight-loving Sion.
I was sufficiently grateful and reassured just by her trying to lighten my burden.
Cecil subtly stuck to my side and walked alongside me.
"What are you two talking about?"
Soon after, Trisha also rushed forward and linked arms with Cecil, joining our line.
"I want to hear too!"
"It’s about Sion, right?”
Cecil walked for a moment then spoke as if suddenly remembering something, "You know Sion's been asking around about you?"
"I figured as much."
Cecil pursed her lips as if finding something strange.
"Hmm... why is Candy so popular with the top-ranked students?"
"...?"
"Even looking now... The top seat of the Magic Department on the left, and the top seat of the Magic Engineering Department on the right. The top seat of the Combat Department following closely behind. The Magic Department’s second seat is also looking for Candy. The Alchemy Department must only be a matter of time?"
"Who’s the second seat of the Magic Department?"
Cecil brushed her hair behind her ear and smiled saying, "Never mind if you don't know."
"...?"
"More importantly, you're not approaching people just based on their grades, right? Something feels off."
Though Cecil threw it out playfully, there was a barb in her words.
"Of course not."
This is dangerous. Actually, it's half true.
Though I grew close to Luna without ulterior motives, I couldn't deny I became friends with Cecil partly following Silveryn's advice to get close to the Magic Engineering Department.
Trisha beside Cecil leaned forward slightly and stared intently at my face.
Trisha's suspicious expression seemed to be demanding “Is that really true?”
"Though you say that, who knows? Maybe you won’t be satisfied with just your classmates, maybe you’ll even go after professors?"
"..."
Cecil made things difficult for me then covered her mouth and chuckled to herself. Though she probably meant it as a joke... I felt my heart sink. This could cause serious misunderstandings if I handled it poorly.
Luna, who had shown little interest in the conversation with Cecil, suddenly flinched when the word "professor" was mentioned. Then, she fixed her gaze on my face with startled eyes.
The muddy water Cecil stirred up was affecting even Luna.
"Don't say strange things."
Finding my reaction amusing, Cecil continued her provocation, "Oh? Why are you flustered?"
"..."
Maybe I should just throw her in the water.
***
"Move faster, you bastard!"
Poison urgently shouted when the group member assigned as porter fell behind.
"I-impossible!"
The new member who joined after Damian's expulsion was serving as a porter.
Not only were they loaded with luggage, but they were carrying lots of useless items too, making it impossible to hurry.
Iris shouted, "Maybe we should just abandon the luggage and run...!"
"What's the point of running if we abandon supplies, you idiot!"
As he grew anxious, Polson didn't hesitate to speak rudely even to Iris.
Polson looked back. A blue sword light flickered in the dark forest shadows.
A woman's silhouette holding a blue magic sword walked leisurely.
Enraged to his limit, Polson kicked the porter's side, knocking them down.
"Argh!"
Then he grabbed food from the porter's bag and started running again. He didn't care about his group members at all. Polson began fleeing alone, leaving behind everyone including group leader Iris.
Iris shouted at Polson, “W-what are you doing!"
Even Iris, who rarely got angry at Polson's arrogant attitude, shouted in uncontrollable rage.
All of this was Polson's own doing.
Though there were suspicious signs from their first meeting, not being able to cut him off firmly due to his connection to the Imperial Prince had been the root cause.
Their pursuer was Sion Izarel. Sion had intended to pass by without plundering due to her friendship with Iris. However, Polson had argued they should ambush Sion instead, and when no one agreed, he tried to attack her on his own.
And that led to the current situation.
Sion's silhouette suddenly vanished.
Then, she suddenly appeared in front of Polson as he ran across the forest and swung her sword at the ground.
A long afterglow was carved in a straight line where her sword passed. It was a boundary line not to be crossed.
"Damn it, damn it."
Polson startled and fell, then immediately crawled backward.
Sion spoke in a cold voice, "I clearly said I would just pass by."
Polson's reason for attempting the ambush was simple. He coveted the title of “person who defeated the strongest first-year”. That title that neither Gale nor Victor had obtained.
When Polson tried to resist by drawing his sword again, Sion kicked his hand away.
"Argh!"
Polson clutched his hand and rolled on the ground.
"You... do you think you'll be safe after harming me? Surely Eternia will..."
"Do you think I care about something like expulsion?"
There was a reason Sion insensitively plundered others and treated them like toys. Because she didn't care at all about being expelled.
It meant she might harm Polson just because she was in a bad mood.
His face suddenly went pale.
As Sion approached, Polson spewed lies in fear.
"This was all Iris' plan! I just followed the group leader's orders!"
Sion didn't even pretend to listen. She spoke in an emotionless, dry tone, "You want to beat me? Then find out the identity of the masked man somewhere in the circulatory system. If you do, I'll give you the first place reward and the title of having beaten me."
Sion kicked Polson's chest to lay him on the ground before firmly stepping on his face with her mud-covered shoe.
"Ugh, urk"
Instead of cutting with her sword, she chose the civil method of inflicting humiliation.
"If you can't do that, don't think about stabbing me in the back. This ends with a warning, but next time your guts will spill without mercy."
Belatedly, Iris and other group members came running.
Iris's eyes wavered seeing Polson under Sion's shoe.
"...!"
Sion spoke looking at Iris, "You have good companions, Iris. Excellent judgment."
***
Even while moving, Damian and Luna didn't neglect to observe the surrounding terrain.
Strange rocks and cliffs spread like waves, and trees and grass took root in those rock crevices, growing firmly to create hanging gardens.
Mist writhed like snakes across the rock faces.
It seemed like everything was convulsing, unable to contain the overflowing earth energy.
Though it would surely have been a magnificent view from afar, that dynamism approached as a threat to Damian and his party.
"The mana field is tangled in chaos... the children can't adapt."
Even Luna's spirits couldn't easily blend into this environment, making reconnaissance and exploration difficult.
In this situation, they could only trust their eyes and intuition.
They moved for about three hours and rested on a flat rock. Due to the rough terrain, even short movements quickly drained energy.
Damian briefly went out to scout the highlands to check the surrounding terrain.
Luna sat alone away from Cecil's group waiting for Damian. Just then, feeling an unpleasant gaze, she turned her head.
Bertrand was glaring at Luna. When their eyes met, he suddenly stood up as if gaining some conviction. Then he slowly approached her.
"We haven't properly introduced ourselves yet."
The wolf spirit lingering around Luna bared its fangs and growled at Bertrand.
"This might be fate too. Who knows? Next time you and I might be in the same..."
“Grrrr bark! Bark!”
The wolf cut off his words with fierce barking.
Whether because his voice was muffled or she was deliberately ignoring him, Luna didn't even look at Bertrand.
Her gaze was directed beyond the visible ravine. As her expression gradually hardened ominously, Bertrand stepped back reading the atmosphere.
Luna's hardened expression wasn't just because of Bertrand. It was because a serious threat was pounding at her senses.
And from that direction, a monster's roar echoed through the ravine.
-GROOOOOAR
Birds hiding throughout the area suddenly all flew into the sky startled. There were so many it looked like a migration of seasonal birds.
Though it was very far away, the resonance made the ground they stood on tremble. It was a heavy, low resonance that could only come from a massive beast.
Everyone turned their heads startled in response to the roar.
Trisha seemed frightened and clung tightly to Cecil.
"S-sis...!"
Everyone froze in place with wide eyes like rabbits. It was because they properly realized where they were.
Bertrand broke the silence and spoke, "This is... right? That thing."
The wingless dragon. A being that bestowed pressure and fear even on those far away with just its roar. He was referring to the apex predator reigning as ruler of the dangerous zone.
Cecil and Martha immediately sensed what he meant and nodded.
Bertrand immediately began regretting coming here.
"This doesn't make sense. How will we handle it if something like that attacks? Is handling it even possible?"
Cecil's resolve wavered too.
This was on a completely different level from catching a giant Plantera. She wanted to ask Candy's opinion directly, but he was currently absent.
"I-it'll be fine, Sis!”
Strangely, Trisha, who they thought would be most scared, encouraged Cecil.
Luna also regained her composure.
Even after sensing such an overwhelming presence, her eyes held firm faith in her leader.