Lucifer, Gabriel, Enatur, Shadow, and Rein continued their journey. It had been two days since they began searching for the medicinal materials and the location of Chloe's spiritual body, yet they still had not found any trace of it.
They were now at the highest mountain peak. Thick gray fog formed a sea of clouds beneath them. At this moment, they were taking a short rest, camping with their portable tents.
"Amazing, it feels like we're in a land above the clouds. The fantasy of these mountain views is really strong. Right, Rein?"
"You're right, Master. As its name suggests, this place feels rather frightening," Rein replied.
"This world is called Dark Fraction. Humans do not exist in this world. During the day, the sky is always dim and filled with dark gray clouds," said Lucifer.
"Big bro, what is Dark Fraction?" asked Enatur, sitting on a large rock.
"Dark Fraction is a world created by Lord Marrec Van Dammon. However, due to a certain conflict, Dark Fraction is now ruled by the Fallen Angel and Dark Angel Alliance, races of angels from the Heaven of Darkness. They live in the Astral Realm, the second dimensional layer."
"The Mortal Realm, the first layer, is inhabited by five kingdoms: Orcs, Ogres, Vampires, Werewolves, and Gidax. These five kingdoms are also aligned with the Fallen Angel Alliance. The third layer, the Private Realm, is inhabited by the Van Dammon family," Lucifer continued.
Enatur leaned back on the rock. "So there are three dimensional layers in total?"
Lucifer nodded. "That is the basic lesson when studying other worlds."
Gabriel looked at the holographic sky clock on her wristband. "It's time for us to continue our journey," she said.
Lucifer nodded, then turned to Shadow, who had been staring toward the ten o'clock direction, his eyes narrowing sharply, his ears tense.
"Shadow, do you see something?" Lucifer asked curiously.
"Yes. I can only smell a very unpleasant aura. Should we check it out?" Shadow replied.
"Alright, we were planning to pass through there anyway," said Gabriel.
Enatur picked up Shadow, who had now transformed into a small puppy. They flew through the cold air, the atmosphere trembling with foreign energy.
They soon arrived at the location Shadow had pointed out. The ruins of an ancient castle stood on the edge of a cliff. Its walls were cracked, its towers broken and collapsed, while wild roots wrapped around the stone structure.
Around sixty percent of the building had been swallowed by wild plants, yet a dark aura still enveloped the place, like a whisper of secrets that refused to fade.
Shadow returned to his true form, as large as a horse, his white fur shining faintly under the dim light. He lowered his head, sniffing the ground, then walked slowly, following a faint scent that only he could sense.
"Shadow's sense of smell is ten times stronger than that of an ordinary dog," said Enatur.
Enatur jumped onto Shadow's back, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. Lucifer and Gabriel exchanged glances before following them. The wind blew softly.
The ruins of the old castle seemed to be calling them, and they knew that whatever awaited inside was not something to be taken lightly.
The interior of the castle welcomed them with suffocating silence. Silver goblets lay scattered across the floor, their surfaces covered in dark green rust. Wooden tables and chairs had collapsed, devoured by age and decay.
Walls that once separated rooms had fallen, leaving behind only fragments of the old foundation. From a distance, the castle appeared as one vast hall connected without partitions.
They ran their hands across the cold, moss-covered stone walls. The cracks were deep, as if this place still held the scars of an ancient war.
Suddenly, Shadow stopped. His body tensed, his ears standing upright, his eyes fixed on a cracked section of the stone floor.
"The scent ends here. There's something beneath us. Something strong. Everyone, stay alert."
Shadow sniffed again, catching the stench of rotting wood.
Then his body stiffened. "Eh? Everyone, move!" Shadow's warning broke the silence.
They all jumped back just as the stone floor began to tremble violently. From the cracks, thick black roots shot upward, twisting like living tentacles.
The stone tiles shattered, dust filled the air, and from within the ground, a gigantic figure emerged, a dead tree standing fourteen meters tall.
Its trunk was black and decayed, yet from every crack flowed dark green light, like poison that was still alive.
The massive roots that formed its legs gripped the ground, while long branches extended like arms, the tips dripping with thick, sticky liquid.
"Judging from its features, this is a rare Black Leaf Tree Monster."
"So this is the monster. What we need is its heart. We just have to weaken it and take its heart quickly. Let me handle it," said Enatur.
Enatur stepped forward, his voice cold yet steady, facing the Black Leaf Tree Monster. He opened his storage space and drew a long, thin sword that reflected the faint light of the castle.
The sword hummed softly, as if singing while waiting for its first blood. The monster writhed, then hundreds of fibrous roots lashed out toward Enatur.
He dashed forward, his sword slashing, slicing, piercing, and parrying endlessly. Each strike produced a brief flash of red light before the roots fell to the ground like lifeless black cords.
A long roar shook the castle walls. The sound echoed deeply, filled with rage, making the air tremble. Another wave of roots surged forward, hundreds of them, sharp like black spears raining from above.
Enatur leapt, his body spinning in midair. Hundreds of tentacle-like roots pierced the ground, cracking the stone floor. He stepped on one of the roots that was still rising, using it as a foothold to climb higher.
Below him, more roots sprouted rapidly, twisting together like starving beasts. But Enatur was already moving. His movements were swift, precise, almost impossible for ordinary eyes to follow.
His sword spun, forming a spiral of red light, lightning dancing in the air. With a single cross-slash, the monster's left arm was severed. The massive chunk of black wood fell and trembled on the floor before turning into dark ash blown away by the wind.
Lucifer exhaled softly. "Just as Mother said… the old Enatur has returned."
Gabriel nodded, her eyes sharp. "We all know how strong he was during cultivation."
"Master, do your best!" Rein shouted with excitement.
The monster roared again. Its long arms swung down, trying to crush Enatur between them. But Enatur stepped on one arm, using it as a foothold to leap upward like a red arrow defying gravity.
His breathing grew heavier.
The light reflecting from the sweat on his neck shimmered with the glow of his sword. But he kept moving.
His movements burst once more with speed, like a released spring. His sword spun, tracing trails of bright red light.
A moment later, the monster's right arm shattered, pieces of black wood scattering like burning embers.
Now, Enatur was level with the monster's head. He twisted in the air and slashed in a cross-motion. The light of his sword tore through the darkness, and the giant's head split in two. A cloud of black dust exploded, swirling like smoke from hell.
But Enatur did not stop. His sharp eyes pierced through the fading smoke. He dove straight toward the monster's chest. His sword sliced through, revealing a pulsating, dark cavity within.
Behind him, Lucifer moved quickly, his fingers writing formulas on a holographic screen.
"Black Leaf Monster," he said rapidly. "Level: SSS+. Type: Rare." Lucifer's voice echoed, "Enatur, you can take its blood essence before taking the heart!"
Enatur nodded without turning back. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, his breath heavy. "I see… I didn't expect that."
His legs trembled slightly, but his eyes remained fierce.
"That's like killing two birds with one stone," muttered Shadow behind him.
Enatur dashed forward, opening his storage space, and drew another sword.
With both swords in hand, he slashed simultaneously, tearing open the monster's abdomen.
From inside, a deep crimson glow burst forth, dense and hot like living fire. A blood crystal, the size of a large orb, pulsed softly in the darkness.
Enatur stretched out his hand, absorbing the energy radiating from the crystal. The red aura swirled around him like a glowing mist.
Once he had absorbed enough, he threw the core toward Lucifer. Lucifer caught it effortlessly, feeling the heat and pulse burning through his gloves.
Enatur then dove once more toward the monster's chest. With a powerful swing, he broke the black bone protecting its internal organs.
A massive heart throbbed inside, dark and heavy, each beat shaking the ground like an earthquake. With one final slash, Enatur severed all the black veins and pulled the heart out.
The monster's final roar echoed, low and despairing, before its body began to collapse. The dry roots crumbled, and the entire creature disintegrated into black dust swept away by the cold wind in the castle.
Enatur lay on the floor, trying to catch his breath, his whole body sore. Lucifer walked toward him slowly.
"Your stamina is terrible. It's obvious you never exercise. Your sword technique is good, but your swings are still stiff," said Lucifer.
"Is this really the time to criticize a beginner like me, you jerk?!"
"Gahaha!" Lucifer and Shadow burst out laughing.
Silence returned to the room. Lucifer, Gabriel, and Shadow were happy to see Enatur defeat the Black Leaf Tree Monster. Rein floated closer.
"Master, you're amazing!"
"Haha, thank you, Rein," replied Enatur, patting his small robot gently.
They watched Enatur stand up, breathing evenly, his sword still gleaming with a dark light. Shadow snorted softly, his fur fluttering under the gentle breeze.
"His swordsmanship is already quite good!" Gabriel said, running toward him with a bright smile. She ruffled his hair gently.
"With this, we've obtained the SSS+ Monster Blood Essence and the Black Leaf Tree Heart. What's left are the Spirit Fairy Fruit and the Soul Healing Mushroom," said Lucifer.
"So that means we still need two more medicinal ingredients," said Shadow.
Lucifer nodded. "We'll go to the city and take the bullet train to the Wild Fairy Forest."
---
After that, they descended the mountain, heading for the city, and went to the train station. They all continued their journey toward the Wild Fairy Forest, located near the Ogre Kingdom. They took a high-speed train heading there.
Lucifer stood near the carriage door, looking at the softly blinking digital board. "Wild Fairy Forest. Ten-hour trip. We'll take business class so we can sleep."
Enatur smiled faintly. "I didn't expect a world like this to still have a modern transport system. But… there are giant castles and tree monsters in its mountains."
Gabriel patted his shoulder. "That's Dark Fraction for you. A mix of high civilization and fantasy. Beautiful… and dangerous."
They entered the carriage.
The interior was spacious, smooth metallic walls blending with soft blue light flowing along the magic circuits on the floor. In the center were soft sofas and a transparent glass table. On the right side were long beds and a wide window showing a sea of stars.
Shadow curled up in the corner, transforming into a small white puppy, then lay down on the carpet.
Enatur looked out the window, his eyes shining as he admired the starlit sky. "What is the Wild Fairy Forest like?" he asked curiously.
"That forest is rarely visited, because the fairies living there are rather cruel and carnivorous. They are dangerous because of their numbers, even though their height is only about fifteen centimeters," said Lucifer.
"They attack in groups, capture their prey, and devour them alive," he added.
"Hee~… that's quite scary," Gabriel commented casually, as if she were talking about a bedtime story.
Meanwhile, Enatur leaned forward, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"So this world's civilization is very similar to Type-1 human civilization. There are even adventurers here. How fascinating," said Enatur.
"Their technology is quite advanced, but not all of it is utilized. Each city is still surrounded by tall, thick walls to prevent wild monsters from entering residential areas," said Lucifer.
Shadow, sitting in the corner, added, "In other words, this is a modern civilization that still applies medieval fantasy concepts."
"That's right! Shadow, you're getting smarter because you're always sticking around Enatur," Lucifer laughed.
Light laughter filled the room. For a moment, the atmosphere felt peaceful.
Enatur remained awake. His gaze pierced through the window, staring at the dark sky layered with stars like an endless ocean.
"This world… is so vast," he murmured. "But I feel… every step I take only brings me closer to something."
He closed his eyes, letting the sound of the train carry his slowly drifting thoughts.
And the night went on, silent, long, but filled with the breath of life. In the distance, a faint glow of violet light awaited. The Wild Fairy Forest was waiting.