The sound of several bowstrings being drawn simultaneously echoed in the air. The archers applied more pressure, and the veins on the first line of soldiers’ armor became brighter.
Tension increased in an instant.
It was clear that Seraphina’s words had not been well received by the natives of this forest!
One opened its jaws wider, but Lian sent a stronger wave through Hive Link.
"Not yet."
And then, before Seraphina or Seris could say another word, he said.
"It’s fine. We’ll come with you."
Seraphina turned toward him. Seris also gave him a brief look.
Neither of them was satisfied. They didn’t understand why Lian was behaving this way. The Lian they knew should have acted ruthlessly and dominantly in such a situation.
But why was he cooperating with these wild creatures?
In the end, they said nothing and did not object.
Kael examined Lian’s face for a few seconds, perhaps trying to understand if this acceptance came from fear or calculation.
"Then move."
The commander placed his spear beside his body.
"But if you try any tricks, escape, or do anything foolish, all four of you and that monster will be executed on the spot."
One let out a threatening sound from its jaws.
The veins on several soldiers’ armor immediately lit up.
Lian, without taking his gaze off Kael, placed his hand on One’s shell.
"Understood."
Kael commanded his soldiers. Most of the forces remained at the outpost.
Twelve soldiers changed their formation and positioned themselves around One. Four in front, four on the sides, and four behind.
Kael himself moved at the front.
Lian noticed that the commander did not want to hand over responsibility for them to someone else.
Four humans crossing the Cindervein Passage was too unusual for him.
One moved with Lian’s command. The Cindari soldiers synchronized their steps with it.
None of them had to run.
Their bodies were completely adapted to the heat and uneven ground of Emberroot.
The path ahead was different from all the roads they had seen in the previous two forests.
A wide road was built among the massive roots.
The road’s surface consisted of compacted soil, red stone pieces, and bands of Heartwood. Every few hundred meters, pillars with amber lamps were placed.
In some sections, narrow Mana rivers crossed the path.
Bridges of Heartwood Steel were built over them; a material that had both the texture of wood and the strength of metal.
When One stepped onto the first bridge, the red veins beneath its surface lit up and distributed its weight pressure across the entire structure.
Lian carefully examined the bridge’s structure.
The Cindari civilization did not only use the forest’s natural resources. They had learned to directly channel the roots’ Mana flow into their structures.
Every few kilometers, a large watchtower was built on a tree trunk. The platforms were connected by narrow bridges, and soldiers monitored the forest from above.
Some towers had large weapons on them.
A combination of Ballista and Mana tools that fired massive metal bolts.
If the Cindari really intended to kill the group, escaping from this path would not be simple, at least that’s what they thought.
From Lian’s view, fighting the natives of this forest was not that hard. Their only advantage was environmental superiority, which has no use against absolute power.
After a while, the first caravan appeared from the front.
Six four-legged creatures with gray skin and stone plates on their backs were moving. Large chests, bags of resources, and barrels full of glowing liquid were tied to their bodies.
The caravan guards stopped upon seeing One and four humans on its back.
A young Cindari child stuck his head out from inside one of the wagons.
His golden eyes were wide with curiosity. His mother immediately pulled him back and closed the curtain.
The hunters accompanying the caravan gave cautious looks at the humans.
Some reached for their weapons but, upon seeing Kael and the border soldiers, did not intervene.
Lian allowed a distance to form between One and the front soldiers. The sound of the ant’s feet on the road prevented their quiet conversation from reaching Kael’s ears.
"Couldn’t we just kill all of them?" Seris asked without introduction.
Her tone was so serious that even Liana stared at her for a moment.
"We could." Lian answered.
Seris raised her eyebrow slightly.
"Then why didn’t we?"
Lian looked at the watchtower on the right. Three soldiers were standing on it, one behind a Ballista.
"Because we don’t know if after those thirty, three hundred would come, or thirty thousand." Then he looked at Kael, who was moving ahead.
"A border outpost commander was Level 25."
Seraphina turned her head toward him, and Liana’s ears perked up.
"We don’t know what Level the strongest person in this civilization is, how many cities they have, how large their army is, or what Artifacts they use."
Seris gave a brief look at the towers.
"Killing that group might not have been hard. But afterward, we would have to fight an entire civilization we know nothing about." Lian said.
"And if it becomes necessary?" Seris said.
"Let us first get familiar with the civilization as an enemy, and then if necessary, we’ll proceed with your method."
The young Pendragon nodded. That answer was enough for her.
"Do you think the rest of our group members are inside Vhalaris?" Seraphina said after a few moments.
Lian looked at the path ahead.
"Kael said they found many people like us."
"How many?"
"We don’t know yet." Lian paused briefly.
"If we’re lucky, maybe one or two of our group will be among them."
Seraphina nodded. Her gaze fell on her sword for a moment and then returned to the path.
"I hope Selina is there too." Liana, who had been silent until then, said.
Her usual playful tone was weaker.
"I haven’t heard anything about her since we entered the Special Area."
Seraphina gave her a brief look.
"She’s usually the one who should be worried about me." Liana sighed.
A very small smile formed on her face, but quickly faded.
"This situation is reversed, and I don’t like it at all."
Lian could not promise that Selina was safe. He didn’t know where she had appeared or what danger she had faced, so he only said what he could truly do.
"First, we find the humans inside the city. If she’s not there, we’ll ask about all the groups seen in other areas."
Liana was silent for a few seconds and then nodded.
"Okay."
The path continued. The deeper they went into Emberroot, the more intense the heat became.
At first, only their skin had become warm, but a few hours later, the air entered their lungs like hot steam.
The trees were larger, the red veins inside their trunks shone more intensely, and the rivers that were narrow near the border had now become wide and powerful currents.
Golden steam rose from the rivers’ surfaces.
Some stones along the path had turned dark red due to the constant heat.
The Cindari showed no signs of discomfort. Even their heavy armor did not hinder their movement.
But the humans gradually felt the effects. Sweat ran down Seraphina’s face.
Liana pushed her hair away from her neck several times.
Even Seris, who usually showed no discomfort, adjusted her armor’s collar and took a deeper breath once.
Lian also felt the heat. He had resistance to cold, not to heat.
He reached into his storage space.
He took out four fruits from inside. Each was about the size of a large apple, perhaps even slightly larger.
Their skin was red and gold, and the light inside them pulsed in a slow rhythm. He kept one for himself and handed the other three fruits to the girls.
Liana was the first to take one.
"What is this?"
Seraphina and Seris also took their fruits, and the information panel appeared before them.
[Cinderheart Fruit]
[Rank: B]
[Effect: Permanently increases heat resistance and improves Mana circulation.]
All three stared at the panel for a moment. Seraphina moved her gaze from the fruit to Lian.
"You’re just giving us three B-rank consumable items like that?"
"There were four." Lian examined his own fruit.
"Where did you get them?" Liana immediately asked.
"In the passage."
"When did you manage to find them?"
"When I went to check the path."
"We were also inside that same passage." Liana narrowed her eyes.
"I know."
"So why didn’t I see them?"
Lian took a small bite of the fruit. The initial taste was sweet.
But a moment later, compressed heat was released inside his mouth; like drinking molten metal, without burning his tongue or throat.
"You’re not supposed to see everything." He answered.
Liana opened her mouth to object, but Seris ate her fruit without asking any further questions.
Seraphina did the same after a few seconds.
Liana looked at the two, then bit into the fruit. Red and golden strands appeared under all four of their skins for a moment.
The heat went down from the throat and gathered in the center of the chest.
Then it quickly spread throughout the body. Lian felt his Mana channels open wider.
Emberroot’s heat, which had been heavy and suffocating moments before, suddenly became more natural.
Not that the temperature had dropped, but his body had adjusted itself to the environment.
The sweat on their skin evaporated. Seraphina’s breathing became calmer, and Seris returned her armor’s collar to its previous state.
Liana opened and closed her fingers a few times.
[Heat resistance increased.]
[Heat resistance increased.]
"How did you get such a treasure?" Liana whispered in disbelief. All that hellish heat was gone, and she stared at Lian with wide eyes.
She doubted such a thing could be found by chance!