It had already been eighty days since the Second Epoch Cycle began. The Graveyard of Bones still looked just as unsettling as it did on the first day, with massive skeletal remains stretching across the horizon like the aftermath of a war that had never truly ended.
In the middle of that desolate realm stood the outer barricade constructed by the combined forces of the Skyrover and Fedres Dynasties. Outside that barricade, where the risk was supposed to spike sharply, the Water Pentarch of Veneri walked at the very front of the unit with a steady, unhurried pace.
His presence alone was enough to make the Divine Rank Therianthropes behind him feel wary. The alliance between the two Dynasties had changed the rhythm of survival completely, turning what used to be scattered defensive efforts into coordinated sweeps where small elite groups were sent out daily to clear Krepsunas before they could gather in threatening numbers.
Normally, no one would willingly fall under the command of someone outside their own hierarchy, especially not warriors raised under the prideful banners of Skyrover and Fedres, but when Veneri stepped forward and volunteered to lead, that resistance collapsed instantly because refusing him would have been more foolish than obeying.
His identity remained tightly sealed behind layers of secrecy, known only to the highest-ranking figures of the Dynasties, yet even without knowing who he was, everyone could feel that he was far beyond anything they had expected to fight alongside.
The reason he even bothered to take on such a role wasn't strategy or obligation, and it definitely wasn't for recognition because if anything, he seemed to actively avoid drawing attention to himself. The true cause of his involvement walked a few steps behind him with quiet eyes and a composed expression.
Ervadelle Nei, the Nine-Tailed Fox Therianthrope, moved with them. Her presence was acknowledged but never openly addressed by most of the squad despite the obvious way she was being protected without it ever being said out loud.
The Dynasties and the unit members had already pieced together that there was something going on between her and their temporary leader, even if no one had the courage or clearance to confirm it directly, and that curiosity only made her stand out more even when she tried to blend in.
Veneri himself didn't treat her any differently in front of others, at least not in a way that could be called obvious, but the fact that he was even here in the first place was enough of a statement for anyone paying attention. Still, Ervadelle didn't say anything about it, didn't acknowledge the unspoken favoritism or the whispers that occasionally drifted too close to her ears. She understood better than anyone that this situation existed because of her. And whether she liked the attention or not, she wasn't about to let it distract her from the reason she had chosen to follow him in the first place.
The unit continued forward across the brittle terrain as their eyes scanned the surroundings for any sign of movement but something about today felt off in a way that made even the more experienced members uneasy. The Krepsunas were supposed to be everywhere in this region, especially this close to the barricade. One of the Fedres warriors slowed slightly, glancing around before leaning toward his companion with a low voice.
"You're seeing this too, right? There's nothing here, not even scouts, not even tracks. It's like they just vanished overnight."
The Skyrover beside him frowned, tightening his grip on his weapon as he responded just as quietly, though the tension in his posture betrayed his discomfort with the situation.
"They don't just disappear, that's not how they work. If anything, this should mean something worse is coming, and I don't like not knowing what it is."
Another voice joined in from behind them.
"Or maybe they heard he was coming and decided to take a day off. I mean, if I were a Krepsuna and I saw that guy walking toward me, I'd reconsider my life choices too."
A few of them let out quiet chuckles at that but the laughter felt thin, like it was there more to fill the silence than to actually ease their nerves.
As the group kept moving, the conversation gradually shifted from the unsettling absence of enemies to something far less strategic and significantly more speculative. One of the Skyrover women tilted her head slightly as she glanced at Veneri's back, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper that still wasn't nearly quiet enough to be considered safe.
"I'm telling you, there's no way he's just some random high-rank. Look at him."
The Fedres man beside her nodded immediately, clearly invested in the theory despite the lack of actual evidence.
"Yeah, I heard about that. Someone said they saw roots spiraling out of nowhere when he fought, like the ground itself was trying to protect him or something, that's not something you just learn, that's bloodline stuff."
Another voice chimed in, this one more confident despite being just as baseless.
"He's definitely a hidden card from one of the Dynasties. No one looks like that and isn't from a royal line."
A different woman snorted softly, crossing her arms as she added her own take to the growing pile of rumors.
"You're all thinking too small. What if he's not just royalty but some ancient being disguised as a person? That would explain a lot."
Someone behind them laughed quietly before throwing in an even more ridiculous idea without hesitation.
"I heard he picked up that fox girl back there after saving her from a mob and now she follows him around because she swore loyalty or something."
"You've got it wrong. I heard she's actually the dangerous one and he's the one keeping her in check, like she's some hidden monster that only listens to him."
Ervadelle listened to all of it without changing her expression, though internally she couldn't help but question how they had managed to come up with so many wildly inaccurate conclusions in such a short amount of time, especially when some of them involved her in ways that didn't even remotely resemble reality.
She resisted the urge to sigh as she kept her pace steady, even though every exaggerated theory echoed clearly in her mind. It was almost impressive in a strange way, how quickly people could turn a lack of information into an entire narrative filled with confidence and zero actual proof. Still, she wasn't about to interrupt them or correct anything because that would only draw more attention and make things worse than they already were.
Instead, she focused on maintaining her composure, reminding herself that none of this mattered in the grand scheme of things, even if it was mildly irritating to be turned into some kind of mythical figure in someone else's imagination. And besides, if her master decided to step in, then the conversation would end on its own without her needing to do anything at all.
Right on cue, Veneri's voice cut through the low murmurs without him even turning around.
"If you have enough energy to fabricate stories, then you have enough to stay alert. I can hear everything. I'm not deaf."
The group went back into formation as the whispers died down almost completely, though the sudden silence only lasted for a few seconds before it fractured again into far more cautious murmuring that barely rose above the sound of their footsteps. One of the women leaned slightly toward her companion.
"He heard all that and that's what he says. He's not even denying anything. That just makes it worse."
"I'm just saying, if he wasn't important before, he definitely is now. And also, have you actually looked at him properly? Because I feel like that's being ignored here."
"Trust me, no one's ignoring it."
Ervadelle finally let out a small, silent sigh, rolling her eyes just slightly as she continued walking without breaking stride. She could feel the way the group subtly treated her with a kind of cautious curiosity that made it clear they saw her as something separate from themselves. It didn't bother her as much as it probably should have, because she already understood the reason behind it. And more importantly, she knew why she was here in the first place. Her gaze shifted briefly toward Veneri's back and for a moment, the noise of the others faded into the background as that single fact grounded her again.
No matter how strange the rumors got or how much attention followed her because of him, none of it changed the reality of her situation or the path she had chosen to walk. He was here because of her after all.