Chapter 138
The expedition had maintained a steady pace for several hours after documenting numerous previously unknown species.
Their route had taken them through increasingly rugged terrain.
The Draconian Mountain Range was far larger than any map suggested.
The mountains themselves were not a single continuous wall of stone but rather a massive interconnected ecosystem composed of several distinct regions.
The Outer Mountain Belt marked the transitional region between the fertile swamp territories and the harsh interior domains of the Draconian Mountain Range. It was here that Nille's expedition began documenting an ecosystem unlike anything officially recorded within Yamatai Academy's archives.
At first glance, the landscape appeared barren.
Dry winds constantly swept across vast rocky plains, carrying fine dust and the scent of minerals exposed by centuries of erosion. Rolling hills stretched endlessly toward distant mountain peaks, their surfaces broken by scattered boulder fields and exposed cliff faces shaped by ancient geological activity.
Yet beneath its harsh appearance, the Outer Mountain Belt was surprisingly alive.
The soil itself was rich in naturally occurring spiritual minerals. Veins of mana-infused crystal deposits ran beneath the surface, nourishing hardy vegetation adapted to survive in nutrient-poor conditions.
Low-growing Stone Moss Shrubs covered much of the rocky terrain. Their thick gray-green leaves absorbed trace minerals directly from surrounding stones, storing spiritual energy within crystalline sacs embedded throughout their roots. During seasonal blooms, these shrubs produced small silver flowers that emitted faint luminescence during the evening.
Clusters of Ironroot Grasslands stretched across flatter regions between hills. Unlike ordinary grass, each blade possessed metallic fibers reinforced by earth-aspected mana, allowing them to withstand extreme temperatures and strong winds. These grasslands served as one of the primary food sources for larger herbivorous species.
Scattered throughout the landscape stood small groves of Windpine Trees, twisted evergreens rarely exceeding six meters in height. Their deep root systems penetrated directly into mineral veins, while their needle-like leaves produced faint humming sounds whenever strong winds passed through them.
Among the rocky crevices grew patches of Crystal Bloom Vines, delicate flowering plants that attached themselves to cliff faces. Their transparent petals refracted sunlight into brilliant colors, attracting numerous smaller creatures throughout the region.
Although enormous Malignants dominated the ecosystem, smaller lifeforms were abundant.
The most commonly observed species were Horn Rabbits.
Horn Rabbit
Threat Level: Level 5–10
Small herbivorous creatures approximately the size of ordinary rabbits.
Unlike their mundane counterparts, Horn Rabbits possessed short crystalline horns protruding from their foreheads. These horns continuously absorbed ambient spiritual energy and hardened with age.
Their fur ranged from sandy brown to gray, providing excellent camouflage among rocky environments.
Despite their harmless appearance, they reproduced at remarkable rates.
Entire colonies often occupied underground burrow networks beneath Ironroot Grasslands.
Behavior:
Extremely cautious. Highly social colony structures. Primary prey species supporting numerous predators.
Defensive Abilities:
Rapid acceleration bursts. Minor earth reinforcement around horns during defensive charges.
Another frequently encountered species were Pebble Tails.
Pebble Tail Lizard
Threat Level: Level 8–15
Small reptilian creatures measuring approximately thirty centimeters long.
Their scales closely resembled surrounding stones, making them nearly impossible to distinguish while stationary.
When threatened, they detached portions of their hardened tails, which exploded into clouds of mineral dust capable of confusing predators.
Behavior:
Omnivorous scavengers. Frequently observed feeding near larger herbivores. Rapid reproductive cycles.
Professor Caelum was particularly fascinated by the appearance of Cloud Wing Sparrows.
Cloud Wing Sparrow
Threat Level: Level 12
Small avian creatures.
Their feathers carried faint wind-element properties, allowing them to glide extraordinary distances despite their tiny size.
Large flocks nested among Windpine groves.
Ecological Importance:
Pollination of Crystal Bloom Vines. Seed dispersal throughout the Outer Mountain Belt.
Another unusual species documented by Nhulla was the Stone Shell Burrower.
Stone Shell Burrower
Threat Level: Level 18–25
Large tortoise-like creatures approximately one meter in diameter.
Their shells consisted of layered mineral deposits collected over decades.
These gentle creatures spent most of their lives tunneling beneath rocky terrain, unintentionally aerating soil and enriching underground ecosystems.
Between the harsh stone plains and fractured hills, there existed a rare and unusual region, a wide ecological pocket where forest and grassland blended together. It was not large compared to the surrounding mountain domain, but it stood out immediately because of how alive it felt.
This area was known informally among the expedition team as the Feeding Basin Zone.
Unlike the barren slopes outside, the Basin contained dense patches of vegetation.
Tall Ironroot Grasslands grew here in layered waves, forming soft green-gold fields that swayed even without strong wind. Between them, clusters of Windpine trees formed scattered groves, their twisted trunks rising like natural pillars. Crystal Bloom Vines wrapped around stone outcrops, creating glowing streaks of color that shimmered faintly during shifts in spiritual flow.
The soil in this region was richer than anywhere else they had seen so far. It was dark, mineral-heavy earth infused with natural mana currents flowing upward from deep underground veins. Because of this, plant life grew faster, thicker, and more aggressively than in the outer plains.
But what made this place truly significant was not the vegetation.
It was the gathering of large herbivorous malignants.
This basin served as one of the few safe feeding grounds where massive herbivores could graze without constantly migrating across dangerous terrain. However, "safe" was a relative term in the Draconian Mountain Range.
The open nature of the Basin meant it was also one of the most dangerous places to feed.
Predators did not need to search.
They only needed to wait.
Because of this, herbivorous malignants that lived and fed here had evolved into something far more formidable than those found in sheltered regions.
Only the strongest survived long enough to graze in exposed ground.
This was immediately visible in the creatures present.
Stoneback Mountain Grazers stood among the grasslands like moving mountains, their massive bodies partially covered in moss and vegetation. Even when feeding calmly, their dorsal spikes remained slightly raised, ready to activate earth-based defensive spells at the first sign of danger.
Nearby, younger but still massive Obsidian Hornbacks moved in small groups, their crystal-armored backs catching light as they shifted positions constantly, never remaining fully still for long.
Even the Verdant Colossi were present at the edges of the forest line, their towering wooden forms partially rooted in place, acting as living guardians of the feeding grounds.
Professor Caelum observed quietly.
"This is not a resting zone," he said under his breath. "It is a controlled risk environment."
Rume Ironbark nodded grimly. "Exactly. If you stay still too long, something else decides you're food instead."
As if to confirm his words, distant ground tremors rippled through the Basin.
A herd of Stoneback Mountain Grazers immediately shifted formation, tightening their grouping without panic but with clear, practiced awareness. Their earth magic activated subtly—faint glowing patterns appearing along their legs and spines, reinforcing the ground beneath them like an invisible fortress.
Nhulla quickly checked her interface.
"Multiple high-speed signatures approaching from the west."
Lin Yue tightened her grip on her weapon.
"They don't even flinch anymore," she muttered, watching the grazers.
Nille observed the behavior carefully.
"They can't afford to," he said. "Out here, anything slow becomes prey."
The reason for the Basin's unusual strength now became clear.
In most environments, herbivores survived by hiding, fleeing, or avoiding confrontation.
But here, avoidance was not enough.
Because the feeding grounds were open.
Because vegetation was too valuable to abandon.
Because migration routes were predictable.
And because meat-eating malignants specifically hunted these exposed gatherings.
Only herbivores with overwhelming size, defensive evolution, or elemental abilities could survive long-term in such conditions.
That was why everything gathered here was massive.
Not by chance.
But by selection.
Professor Caelum looked across the field again, his expression serious.
"So this entire basin…" he said slowly, "is essentially a battlefield disguised as a feeding ground."
Rume exhaled. "And the ones feeding here are the ones strong enough to survive being watched."
As the expedition moved along the edge of the Basin, they could clearly see the layered survival logic of the ecosystem.
Smaller creatures like Horn Rabbits and Pebble Tails stayed strictly within covered grass pockets and rock crevices, never venturing into open sightlines for too long.
Flying species circled above Windpine clusters but never crossed directly over the open grazing fields unless in large flocks.
Even the Floating Lantern Mycelium colonies remained partially underground, extending only small glowing spore networks above the surface.
Everything had adapted to one simple truth.
In exposed feeding zones, attention meant danger.
And danger meant death.
Lin Yue glanced toward Nille.
"So the stronger herbivores aren't just big because of evolution…"
Nille nodded.
"They're big because they have to be."
A brief silence followed as another distant tremor passed through the Basin.
This time, even the Stoneback Mountain Grazers shifted their position, turning slightly toward the horizon where unseen movement was building.
Professor Caelum adjusted his assessment interface.
"We should not remain here longer than necessary," he said calmly.
Nhulla agreed immediately.
"Data collection is sufficient. Additional exposure increases risk probability."
Rume gave a short nod. "I've seen enough to understand the pattern."
Nille looked once more at the feeding ground.
At first glance, it looked peaceful.
Grass swaying.
Giant herbivores feeding.
Light moving across stone and vegetation.
But beneath that calm surface was constant pressure.
Constant awareness.
Constant survival calculation.
And as the expedition slowly moved away from the Basin's edge, one realization settled quietly among them all.
Further inward, the terrain shifted again into what the expedition maps labeled as the Middle Highland Region.
This zone was no longer a grazing basin or a mixed ecological feeding ground. It was a fractured world of elevation and pressure, where the land itself seemed broken into layers
A network of steep ridges stretched across the horizon, each one rising sharply like the spine of a sleeping giant. Between them lay elevated plateaus, flat but unstable, connected only by narrow winding passes carved through stone over thousands of years.
Jagged cliffs towered overhead, casting long shadows even under full daylight. Below, deep ravines split the earth into dangerous divides, their depths filled with mist and drifting debris. Every step forward required careful judgment; one mistake could send even reinforced equipment sliding into unseen chasms.
The ground itself told stories of violence long past.
Ancient landslides had reshaped entire sections of the Highlands. Loose rock layers still shifted occasionally, sending small cascades of stone down unstable slopes. Some paths looked solid until stepped upon, revealing hidden collapses beneath thin crusts of hardened soil.
This was not a region meant for easy passage.
And yet, it was not empty.
At first, the expedition expected hostility.
The deeper regions had already revealed Level 400 to 600 lifeforms, and instinctively, everyone prepared for immediate conflict.
But what they encountered instead was something far more complex.
They were being watched.
From the ridges above and the shadowed ravine walls below, humanoid figures moved with deliberate precision.
Not elves.
Not dwarves.
Not any known civilized race recorded in Yamatai's classifications.
These beings were larger, heavier, and far more rugged in form. Their bodies were built with thick muscle and uneven, natural armor-like skin that resembled hardened clay or cracked volcanic rock. Some had elongated limbs suited for climbing cliffs, while others carried hunched, powerful frames built for brute force movement across unstable terrain.
Their faces were not uniform.
Some bore horn-like bone protrusions.
Others had fractured jaw structures or partially fused facial plating.
Eyes varied from glowing amber to dull mineral gray, but all carried the same focused intelligence.
They were not mindless monsters.
They were organized.
Structured.
Alive in a way that suggested culture rather than instinct alone.
Nhulla lowered her scanning output slightly.
"…Level readings are between 310 and 355," she confirmed quietly.
Rume Ironbark frowned. "That high… and still forming groups like that?"
Ahead, the expedition observed a patrol moving across a ridge line.
The humanoid creatures traveled in formation.
Not random.
Not scattered.
But coordinated.
Three moved ahead as scouts, lightly stepping across unstable rock surfaces without triggering collapse. Two remained behind, carrying crude but reinforced stone-and-metal weapons shaped through repeated forging rather than simple scavenging. Another group remained higher on the ridge, acting as over watch.
Their movement suggested communication without speech.
Hand signals.
Body posture shifts.
Subtle rhythmic taps against stone.
A language built from environment itself.
Lin Yue slowly adjusted her stance.
"They're not attacking," she whispered.
"They're guarding something," Nille replied quietly.
Professor Caelum studied them carefully through his interface.
"These are not territorial beasts," he said. "They are structured."
Rume nodded once. "That means conflict is not accidental here. It is political."
As the expedition advanced carefully through a narrow pass, more of the humanoid beings became visible.
A settlement-like structure appeared partially embedded into the cliffside.
Not built like human architecture.
Instead, it was carved directly into rock layers, reinforced with stacked stone formations and natural mineral binding. Elevated walkways connected cliff faces. Guard posts were positioned along vertical edges, where even falling debris would struggle to reach.
Figures stood at key positions, observing the passing expedition.
No aggression followed.
Only awareness.
Calculation.
Nhulla whispered again, "They are tracking us."
Rume exhaled slowly. "But not engaging."
Nille kept walking at a steady pace.
"They know we are not here to fight," he said. "So they're deciding whether we are a threat or just travelers."
Professor Caelum looked toward the structures again.
"If we misinterpret this region," he said carefully, "we may trigger an entire territorial response."
No one disagreed.
As they passed deeper into the Highlands, additional variations of the humanoid species appeared.
Some were taller, with elongated torsos adapted for climbing vertical cliffs.
Others were heavily built, moving like living siege engines, capable of collapsing boulder formations with simple strikes.
A few carried primitive but effective ranged tools—stone projectiles reinforced with compressed spiritual energy.
But none attacked.
Instead, they maintained distance, observing the expedition's movement like a passing anomaly.
Lin Yue finally spoke again, quieter this time.
"They look… like they've built something here."
Nille nodded.
"A society survives here only if it understands the land better than anything else trying to kill it."
As the expedition continued through the narrow pass, the humanoid patrols slowly faded back into the cliffs, vanishing into hidden routes and carved tunnels.
No confrontation occurred.
No warning was issued.
But the message was clear.
This region was not wild.
It was governed.
And the deeper they moved into the Middle Highland Region, the more obvious it became that every step forward was not just travel through terrain…
…but entry into someone else's structured world.
However, Nille's attention was drawn elsewhere.
On the eastern side of the mountain range, the terrain gradually descended into lower elevations.
Nestled between the mountains was something unexpected.
A dense forest.
Unlike the sparse vegetation surrounding them, this region appeared alive with greenery.
Ancient trees formed a thick canopy that spread across the foothills.
Large rivers originating from the higher mountains flowed into the forest, creating a network of streams and wetlands.
The abundance of water and vegetation suggested a completely different ecosystem compared to the barren highlands.
Nille quickly assessed the route.
"If we need to retreat," he said quietly, "the eastern forest is our best option."
Professor Caelum nodded.
"Better cover than open terrain."
Before anyone could continue the discussion—
Nhulla suddenly froze.
The assessment artifacts flashed red.
WARNING: MULTIPLE HIGH-LEVEL LIFE SIGNS DETECTED
Everyone immediately stopped moving.
Heavy footsteps echoed from behind the surrounding boulders.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Several massive figures emerged from the rocky landscape.
Professor Caelum's expression hardened.
"Trolls."
There were eight of them.
Each stood nearly five meters tall.
Their bodies were heavily muscled beneath rough gray skin that resembled cracked stone. Thick tusks protruded upward from powerful jaws.
Unlike the simplistic monsters found in academy simulations—
Their eyes held intelligence.
Primitive.
Stubborn.
But intelligent.
They carried crude yet effective weapons.
Massive stone axes.
Ironwood clubs reinforced with monster bones.
One of them wore what appeared to be armor constructed from the scales of draconic creatures.
The largest troll sniffed the air.
Then grinned.
"Small prey," it rumbled.
Another troll laughed.
"Five meals."
Professor Caelum quietly shifted his stance.
"They can speak."
Rume Ironbark cursed under his breath.
"Of course they can."
The trolls began spreading out.
Not charging blindly.
They were hunting.
Cutting off escape routes.
Nille quickly analyzed the situation.
Level 300.
Multiple opponents.
Their objective wasn't victory.
It was escape.
He turned toward the others.
"Run east."
Lin Yue immediately protested.
"Nille—"
"You need distance."
Professor Caelum immediately understood.
"We move."
Nille summoned his weapon.
"I'll catch up."
The lead troll pointed its axe toward Nille.
"This one fights."
Nille activated his spiritual reinforcement.
The troll charged.
Its enormous club crashed downward.
BOOM!
The ground exploded beneath the impact.
Nille barely evaded sideways.
Fragments of stone scattered around him.
Another troll attempted to flank him.
Fast.
Much faster than their size suggested.
Nille countered with a reinforced strike aimed at its knee.
The impact staggered the troll.
But it didn't stop.
The troll laughed.
"Good prey."
Two more advanced.
Nille retreated backward.
His objective remained simple.
Delay.
Distract.
Buy time.
He launched a burst of spiritual force.
The attack disrupted their advance.
One troll blocked.
Another stumbled.
The largest troll roared.
"Catch him!"
Nille immediately moved.
His body darted between boulders.
The trolls pursued relentlessly.
Their heavy footsteps shook the earth.
He used the uneven terrain to his advantage.
Narrow passages slowed their movements.
Loose rocks collapsed beneath their weight.
One troll attempted to cut him off.
Nille redirected his momentum.
Sliding beneath its swing.
A kick reinforced with spiritual energy struck its side.
The troll growled.
Uninjured.
But delayed.
More importantly, The others had escaped.
Through his communication device, Lin Yue's voice sounded.
"We've reached the ridge!"
Professor Caelum followed.
"Continue east!"
Nille exhaled.
Good.
Time to leave.
The lead troll suddenly lunged.
Its axe swept toward him.
Nille barely avoided the strike.
The blade shattered a nearby boulder.
He immediately counterattacked.
A burst of force suddenly cut through the air and struck the leading troll from the side.
It wasn't a visible explosion, but a compressed impact of force that rippled outward on contact, strong enough to twist the creature's stance mid-step. The troll's massive foot dragged across the ground as it tried to stabilize, stone and loose soil scattering beneath its weight.
For a moment, the forest edge went silent.
The troll let out a low, confused roar as it corrected its balance, its body shifting instinctively into a defensive posture. Its eyes scanned the tree line, trying to identify what had hit it, but the dense vegetation offered no immediate answer. Only the faint disturbance in the air remained, like something had passed through and vanished just as quickly.
Then, Nille Vanish.
The trolls roared furiously.
" OUR PREY IS GONE, NO SIGNS!"
Nille sprinted toward the eastern foothills, his movements sharp and controlled as the terrain shifted beneath him. The ground sloped upward in uneven layers of rock and root, forcing him to adjust his pace with each step.
Behind him, Nyx activated the three-layer concealment camouflage. The effect unfolded in stacked phases, first distorting visibility, then disrupting spatial perception, and finally masking spiritual traces entirely. To any external observer, Nille's presence did not simply fade; it became difficult to confirm he had been there at all.
The timing was precise.
As the leading troll staggered from the earlier burst of spiritual force, the group of troll's senses struggled to recalibrate. their vision flickered between false movement and empty space, unable to lock onto a stable target. The confusion spread quickly through the hunting party behind it.
Their coordination broke.
Some trolls stopped entirely, scanning the forest edge with growing uncertainty. Others moved forward a few steps only to hesitate again, reacting to phantom traces that no longer aligned with reality. Their earlier momentum dissolved into disorganized hesitation.
Behind them, the forest remained still.
No further attacks followed.
Only silence.
Nille didn't slow down. He kept moving uphill, using the terrain to break line of sight completely. Every step widened the distance between him and the confused hunting party, until the trolls were no longer pursuing in any structured formation, only lingering at the forest boundary, unsure whether their target was still there or had already vanished.
Nille did not immediately reappear in front of the group.
He had already closed the distance quietly, but instead of stepping directly into their line of sight, he chose to pause at the edge of visibility. He understood what would happen if he suddenly appeared using the full extent of Nyx's three-layer concealment camouflage. Questions would follow. Attention would shift. And worse, they would start trying to analyze a power he himself still did not fully want exposed.
He had already realized something important during the expedition.
He was operating beyond what most of them would consider normal.
And in a group like this, that kind of deviation always created complications.
So instead of revealing everything, Nille made a quiet decision.
He reduced his presence.
The three-layer concealment system gradually disengaged under his control, peeling away in reverse order—first the spatial distortion, then the perception masking, and finally the spiritual suppression layer. The forest around him returned to its natural state of awareness as his signature stabilized into something far more ordinary and readable.
At the same time, he carefully confirmed the trolls were no longer pursuing.
Their movement had already faded far back near the forest edge, and none of their tracking behavior remained active. Only when he was certain of this did he fully settle his breathing and shift his focus back toward the team.
From a distance, he could already see them securing their position at the destination point—Professor Caelum checking his interface, Rume coordinating the golem carriers, Nhulla monitoring residual readings, and Lin Yue scanning the surroundings with lingering caution.
Nille stayed just outside their immediate attention range for a moment longer.
Not because he was hiding from them in fear.
But because he was choosing what they needed to see.
If they noticed everything, they would start asking the wrong questions. Questions about capabilities instead of conditions. About limits instead of context. And that would only complicate the expedition further.
So he adjusted his approach.
He let go of the advanced concealment entirely and stepped forward normally, ensuring his presence registered like any other member of the group returning from movement rather than disappearing and reappearing through an unknown spatial technique.
Only then did he fully rejoin their perimeter.
Professor Caelum's eyes briefly lifted in his direction, as if noting his return without immediately commenting on how he had moved. Rume remained focused on logistics. Nhulla continued scanning. Lin Yue glanced toward him with quiet relief that he had returned safely.
Nille said nothing about the concealment.
And that was intentional.
For now, it was enough that they had arrived, the trolls were no longer a threat, and the expedition could continue without unnecessary disruption.
Some abilities, he understood, were better measured by when they were not seen at all.
A small camp was set up shortly after the group secured the perimeter.
From the outside, the enchanted tent looked compact—barely large enough to fit a few people sitting shoulder to shoulder. But once activated, its spatial expansion enchantment unfolded quietly, stretching the interior into a far more spacious and organized field shelter. The air inside stabilized, temperature balanced, and faint rune lights formed along the inner fabric to maintain structural and spiritual shielding.
For safety reasons, Lin Yue and Nhulla remained within the same secured space, while the men handled external checks and equipment adjustments nearby. The formation was deliberate. Even in a temporary camp, the expedition maintained layered protection protocols.
Inside the tent, activity never fully stopped.
Professor Caelum and Rume Ironbark immediately focused on the gathered data. Caelum reviewed spiritual interference readings from the eastern forest, occasionally marking comparisons with known highland ecosystem records. Rume examined golem logs and carrier telemetry, adjusting calibration values and confirming that their long-range supply systems remained stable after the pursuit. Nhulla, seated slightly apart, continued compiling environmental patterns, cross-referencing unknown life signatures and mapping anomalies that had appeared during their approach.
Their work was methodical and continuous. There was no sense of downtime for them—only temporary field analysis between movement phases.
Nille sat slightly away from the central cluster, reviewing his own internal impressions of the terrain and the creatures they had encountered. His focus was quiet, not distracted, but structured. He was not merely resting; he was organizing what he had observed into clearer understanding.
Lin Yue eventually moved closer to him, carrying her notes and interface tablet. Unlike the others, she was not buried in heavy system analysis. Her approach was more direct, combining observation with practical interpretation.
For a brief moment, the space between them became calmer compared to the rest of the camp.
They did not treat it as a personal or emotional retreat. Instead, it naturally shifted into a shared study space.
Lin Yue opened her data logs, showing simplified tracking overlays of the forest boundary and the troll encounter zones. Nille responded by pointing out inconsistencies in movement patterns and terrain behavior that did not match standard pursuit logic. Together, they reviewed how the environment itself had influenced the outcome more than raw strength.
Occasionally, Lin Yue would ask direct questions, not about power, but about interpretation—why certain creatures hesitated, why concealment worked more effectively in forested zones, and why some regions seemed to "reject" entry even without visible barriers.
Nille answered carefully, choosing explanations that focused on observation rather than revealing the deeper mechanics of his abilities. He framed his understanding in terms of environmental interaction, perception bias, and spatial awareness rather than anything tied to Enclave or Nyx.
In this way, their interaction remained grounded in learning.
Not companionship in a romantic sense.
But a quiet exchange of perspective, two individuals processing the same world through different lenses.
Around them, the rest of the expedition continued their tasks without pause. Data flowed, equipment was adjusted, and discoveries were recorded in real time. Even in temporary rest, the mission never fully stopped.
Inside the tent, under the soft glow of enchantment light, the expedition simply continued in a quieter form—analysis, understanding, and preparation for whatever waited beyond the eastern forest.