Translator: CinderTL
Among the group, only Roland, Avril, and Freddy possessed truly outstanding combat prowess.
As for Vanessa...
Even if Roland asked, the cunning witch would likely excuse herself by claiming to be a "delicate woman."
Avril, as the temporary commander, had to remain among the soldiers to handle any sudden emergencies.
Roland, to guard against unexpected ambushes, mostly patrolled the flanks of the marching column.
This left the duty of scouting ahead to Freddy.
Though the burly orc was straightforward in nature, his reconnaissance skills were remarkably effective.
At least, they hadn't encountered a single mishap on their journey so far.
Hearing Freddy's shout, Roland nodded to Avril before surging forward with a burst of speed, instantly appearing behind the orc.
Freddy, meanwhile, seemed to have witnessed something unbelievable. His straight back arched slightly, and the sound of him swallowing several times was clearly audible.
"What is it, Freddy? Have you spotted a dangerous demonic beast?"
Roland scanned the surroundings, found no immediate threats, and approached cautiously.
According to Vanessa's guidance, they were now only a short distance from Jade Rock Forest.
After leaving the wetlands, the terrain ahead opened into a vast, flat expanse dotted with scattered groves of trees.
Could this... be a result of the magic element's erosion, causing a drastic change in the landscape?
Recalling the towering mountains at the edge of the Mistland and the canyon where they encountered the Slaad Toad, Roland's brow furrowed instantly.
Uplift... subsidence?
Vanessa's earlier warning flashed through his mind, and he couldn't help but quicken his pace.
"Ro... Mr. Roland..."
Hearing the commotion behind him, the orc turned stiffly, pointing forward.
Seeing this, Roland carefully parted the bushes obstructing his view and followed the orc's gaze.
In the next instant, his pupils constricted sharply.
What greeted his eyes was not the distorted terrain or surging tide of demonic beasts he had anticipated, but a suffocating tableau of devastation.
The open plain ahead seemed to have been utterly ravaged by some unimaginable force.
The ground was no longer a flat expanse but a massive, grotesque crater, as if the result of a meteor impact.
The crater walls were not smooth slopes but were riddled with jagged scars and interlocking rock formations, as if the entire surface had been violently blasted open from within.
At the bottom of the crater, the ground was scorched black.
This wasn't the mark of flames, but rather the imprint of some pure destructive energy that had ravaged the area.
In the center of the scorched region, one could faintly see vitrified material—molten rock that had cooled into glass—gleaming with an eerie luminescence in the thin mist.
Radiating outward from the massive crater, the shockwave swept violently across the surrounding landscape.
The solid earth had been torn open, leaving countless bottomless ravines like painful scars on the face of the world.
Further away, the originally scattered woodlands had vanished completely.
Not merely felled, but utterly erased.
As far as the eye could see, only barren ground remained, littered with the uprooted and pulverized remains of trees, the largest pieces no thicker than an arm.
Some rocks had been hurled to unbelievable distances, embedding themselves deeply in distant hillsides or even causing entire sections of the ground to collapse.
The air was filled with a peculiar odor: the acrid tang of ozone mixed with the dust of crushed rock, the smell of scorched earth, and an indescribable, heart-stopping residual aura of magic.
This faint aura carried a pressure that made one's soul tremble.
The entire area was deathly silent, the silence so profound it was terrifying.
No birds sang, no insects whispered, and even the wind seemed to deliberately avoid this desolate place of death.
Only the massive crater and the scorched, ravaged earth silently testified to the horrifying, unimaginable power that had erupted here not long ago.
A suppressed growl rumbled in Freddy's throat as his thick fingers tightened around his weapon.
Roland held his breath, his heart pounding heavily against his ribs.
Since crossing over, he had witnessed or participated in dozens of battles, big and small, but none had displayed such... terrifying destructive force.
This was a pure, overwhelming display of violence capable of reshaping the very landscape, a spectacle far beyond the capabilities of ordinary demonic beasts or armies.
If he had to draw a comparison, it was somewhat similar to the devastation he had witnessed when the giant dragon rampaged through Mist Creek Town, its every movement leaving destruction in its wake.
As this thought crossed his mind, a chill crept up Roland's spine.
He took a deep breath and said to the still-shocked orc beside him, "Freddy, go get Avril."
"Yes, Mr. Roland..."
Roland's calm tone managed to ease the orc's unease.
Before long, the elf girl arrived beside Roland.
However, unlike the shock the two men felt at witnessing the scene, Avril merely frowned with a solemn expression and spoke slowly.
"These are... traces left behind by a battle between transcendent professionals."
"Transcendent professionals... could it be..."
"You're right."
Avril's voice was low and serious, the horrifying sight before them overshadowing her usual vivacity.
"This is likely Dean Graham's encounter with a mysterious transcendent professional, resulting in a fierce battle."
"So... Dean Graham found the Wolf King?"
"We can't confirm that yet."
Avril shook her head gently and explained slowly.
"In fact, since entering the Mistland, the army has advanced rapidly thanks to Dean Graham's formidable strength. However, we've primarily encountered rampaging demonic beasts and... humans twisted and distorted by the Church of Truth. As for the Wolf King..."
She took a deep breath, her tone growing more grave.
"We haven't found any concrete information about him so far. We don't even know if he's human or beast, male or female."
"I understand."
Roland's gaze lifted from the terrifying scene, which looked as if it had been struck by a meteor. Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the tremor in his heart and spoke.
"Regardless, we can only continue toward Jade Rock Forest for now. However..."
He cautiously sniffed the air, still thick with the lingering scent of burning and destruction.
"Once we reach the forest's edge, it would be best to have the main force halt temporarily. We should send in a few of our most experienced veterans to scout ahead, just in case..."
Roland didn't finish, but Avril already understood his concern.
If Graham was one of the combatants...
What was the condition of the troops stationed in Jade Rock Forest?
Were they safe?
The worst-case scenario...
Avril forcibly suppressed the thought, a pang of regret surfacing in her heart.
She had joined this expedition out of curiosity, but now it seemed like a mistake.
However...
Her gaze turned to the serious young man beside her. A faint smile played on the elf girl's lips, and a hint of her former liveliness quietly returned.
"Not all of it is bad..."
(End of the Chapter)
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