From MC's Perspective:
The following day, as the sun began its ascent, casting golden rays over the horizon, I finally saw it—the edge of the forest. Relief washed over like a soothing balm.
I had been tense throughout the journey, constantly alert for the hidden dangers that the magic forest was rumored to hold. My heart, which had been racing just monts ago, finally slowed down as the forest's dense canopy thinned out in the distance.
I sighed inwardly, grateful to have made it this far. The tales of vicious monsters, rogue wizards, and enchanted traps had haunted since I first entered the forest. It was no place for the faint-hearted. But now, having crossed that treacherous expanse, I could allow myself to relax, if only for a mont.
I made a quick decision—I would land the aircraft and continue the journey on foot. There was no telling who or what might be lurking around here. The thought of rogue wizards still gnawed at the back of my mind.
They could be anywhere, waiting for a fool like to cross their path. But I didn't want to be dependent on my aircraft any longer. The open skies made feel too exposed, too noticeable.
Spotting an empty plot of land, covered only by sparse grass, I slowly descended, bringing the aircraft to a smooth landing. As the machine touched the ground, I stepped out and quickly stored it inside the system space. A tool like that was far too valuable to leave in the open.
I paused for a mont, using the system to scan the area. My senses heightened, waiting for any sign of danger. Thankfully, the surroundings seed clear. No hostile presences, no signs of life that posed an imdiate threat. I exhaled deeply, my body loosening with the knowledge that I was safe, for now.
Pulling a mask from my belongings, I placed it over my face. In this unfamiliar territory, anonymity was my best defense. With the mask securely in place, I took to the air again, flying at a steady pace, scanning the landscape below.
The further I traveled, the more I could sense the mana around . It was stronger here, much stronger than in the barren lands I had left behind. The air itself felt charged, humming with latent power. I couldn't help but feel a stirring of excitent—this had to an I was close to civilization.
Perhaps the Ancient Redwood Country, my destination, was near. Only ti would tell, but the growing density of mana was a promising sign. The journey was far from over, but for the first ti in days, I felt a spark of hope.
...
Ti passed as I flew steadily through the sky, neither rushing nor lagging behind. My speed was asured, a perfect balance between cautious observation and progress. My eyes scanned the seemingly endless grasslands that stretched out in every direction like a green sea.
The monotony was maddening. It had been over an hour since I'd begun flying with my flight ability, yet not a single sign of wizards or even a trace of life appeared. No rogue wizards, no travelers—nothing.
The absence of monsters was even more puzzling. Given the strength of the mana in the air, I expected to encounter at least a few wandering monsters. But there was nothing. It was unsettling.
My mind drifted as I continued forward, thinking about the barren, quiet landscape. What could cause such a void of life? My curiosity was piqued, but at the sa ti, my wariness increased. What if sothing was deliberately keeping the monsters away?
Suddenly, my musings were interrupted. In the distance, sothing caught my eye—fences. At first, I wasn't sure, squinting as the structures appeared faint on the horizon. But as I focused, I realized my eyes weren't deceiving .
A fence, man-made and distinct, cut through the sea of grass. A bright smile spread across my face. Finally, a sign of life, civilization, or at the very least, soone's territory.
Without hesitation, I accelerated, rushing toward the spot with renewed energy. The sound of the wind rushing past , a familiar swoosh, echoed in my ears, but I kept my focus. Discover hidden content at empire
I scanned the surroundings carefully, vigilant for any sudden dangers. I trusted the system to warn if sothing was amiss, but I wasn't taking any chances. Even the calst of lands could hide unexpected threats.
Within minutes, I reached my destination. The fences lood before , larger and more imposing than I had imagined from a distance.
They weren't hastily constructed barriers; these were strong, well-built, enclosing a vast area of land. The craftsmanship hinted at sothing significant, sothing protected.
Curiosity tugged at , urging closer. I landed softly and walked forward, drawn by a strange sense of anticipation. Peering past the tall fence, I saw it—rows upon rows of plants, carefully cultivated and thriving.
A well-kept plot of land, organized and fruitful, stood out amidst the wild, empty grasslands surrounding it.
Whoever owned this land clearly took great care in maintaining it. The thought imdiately ca to mind—soone had to be guarding this place. No one would leave such a valuable plot unprotected.
My eyes swept across the area, trying to catch any signs of movent. If there was soone here, I needed to tread carefully.
This place held secrets, and I was about to uncover them.
Roar!
As I stood there, lost in thought, a deafening roar shattered the stillness. Instinctively, I snapped my head toward the sound. My pulse quickened as I spotted it—a massive, jet-black creature soaring through the sky, cutting through the air with terrifying speed.
It was a tiger, but not just any tiger—a beast infused with magic, its enormous wings stretched wide as it flew toward , its glossy fur rippling in the wind. A sense of imdiate danger flooded my senses, and I prepared myself, every muscle in my body tensing.
The Black Tiger closed the distance in the blink of an eye. Before I could react further, it was right in front of , its enormous wings folding as it descended to the ground with a thunderous thud.
My eyes narrowed as I noticed soone riding on its back. A female wizard. She was calm, composed, as though she owned the very air she flew through.
Roar!
The beast let out another nacing roar, its eyes locked on , sending a shiver down my spine. But I kept my stance, steady and unflinching, even as the wizard gracefully dismounted.
She was clad in black, her clothes hugging her fra—a simple shirt and pants that matched her long, flowing black hair. Her eyes, dark and sharp, fixed on , assessing. She was about my height, her skin pale but radiant under the sunlight. For a brief mont, we simply stared at one another, each trying to gauge the other's strength.
Then I felt it—her power. The aura of a Level-8 wizard radiated from her, thick and oppressive like a storm cloud ready to burst. My chest tightened. Level-8. That was no small feat, and her presence alone was enough to make uneasy.
Victory, even with my strongest tools, would be a challenge. I could summon the Zero Puppet, of course, but even then, a battle with her would be far from guaranteed. She was dangerous. I could feel it in my bones.
Out of caution, I restrained myself from probing her with the system. It wasn't worth the risk—who knew what kind of magic she had up her sleeve? A wizard like her would likely have wards or counter-spells ready for any intrusion. The last thing I needed was to provoke her further by making a wrong move.
On the other hand, sothing shifted in her gaze. The wizard, for all her power and confidence, seed surprised. She glanced at him, no doubt wondering why a stranger was standing calmly, looking at her plot of land like I belonged here.
What likely disturbed her more was the fact that she couldn't read his strength. Wizards like her were used to sizing up their opponents with a glance, yet here he stood, completely unreadable to her.
Her Black Tiger growled low, its gaze still locked on , but I didn't flinch. I remained motionless, every sense on high alert, but calm. In her eyes, that calmness told her everything she needed to know.
I wasn't just a random passerby. I was soone who could stand in the presence of a beast like hers without backing down, soone who wasn't easily intimidated by power.
She knew, then, what I had already guessed—we were both wizards. But how this encounter would unfold, I had yet to see.
I watched the woman's face intently, her eyes locked on mine. I could almost feel the Black Tiger Monster's gaze, silently judging .
The Black Tiger Monster stood on alert, its muscles taut and ready to pounce. Its gaze was fixed on the wizard before it, a predator waiting to strike if deed an enemy. The monster remained motionless, awaiting its owner's command.
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