Kevin felt a strange sensation wash over him as the teleportation sequence began.
Thankfully, only a few seconds passed before the sensation ended, and they arrived at the other end.
He channeled mana throughout his body to suppress the lingering nausea. Then he took a careful look around.
They had arrived in some kind of forest, though nothing like he had seen before. The trees were unbelievably tall, stretching high enough that their tops vanished into a misty canopy. Light filtered through in shards, which was blanketed in moss and strange, luminescent fungi that glowed softly in muted colors.
Was this the Lumian Forest?
"Hrrrk..."
A disgusting sound snapped Kevin's attention away from the fungi.
Mikoto, unable to withstand the effects of the teleportation, had doubled over, removing her mask and emptying her stomach. Jasmine knelt beside her, gently rubbing her back and murmuring, "There, there."
What could he say?
Not everyone reacted the same way, and apparently, some were far less accustomed to sudden shifts like this than others.
Perhaps it was her misfortune for being on the short end.
Kevin turned away.
Shortly after, he found Noah crouched nearly, examining something with a serious expression.
"You found something?"
"Not quite. I noticed that the energy here is different from the initial analysis. The readings we got from the Guild only hinted at this level of mana density."
"How can you tell? Are you observing the changes in the atmospheric mana?"
"Somewhat. Normally, ambient mana remains constant and flows on its own like a stream unless something disturbs it. Rapid changes in environmental factors, such as temperature, heat, even microscopic fluctuations to some extent, can influence its flow. But it's rarely enough to disrupt it to this degree."
Noah paused, his frown deepening as he continued:
"Here, though, the atmospheric mana flow is strange. It all seems to be moving in a single direction, almost like something is guiding it."
"I thought I was the only one who noticed."
"Wait… you did?"
"Yeah. I noticed it the moment we arrived, but I didn't want to say anything until I was absolutely certain."
"No, I mean, how can you even see ambient mana?"
"Oh, that. Well… simply put, you could say I'm a bit mana-sensitive, so I can more or less perceive it clearly."
"I see. Then, if you don't mind, could you point out the direction it's flowing?"
"Um… alright."
Kevin wondered if he was revealing too much.
Drawing attention to himself and entering the spotlight, especially this early, might not be the smartest move.
But…
'There is no point hiding it now.'
Closing his eyes for a second, Kelvin focused.
The forest faded into the background as strands of brilliant silver light came into view; thin currents weaving through the air, brushing past trees, curling around roots, and drifting steadily in a single direction. Unlike before, the flow was no longer subtle. Now that he was actively looking, it was rather obvious.
He opened his eyes and raised his hand, pointing West.
"…That way."
Noah followed the direction of his finger in surprise.
"Huh… so it really is that clear to you."
Kevin lowered his hand. "The flow gets denser the further it goes. Whatever is influencing it… it's probably in that direction."
"As I thought, you're pretty interesting."
'What's up with him?'
He was about to say something but stopped upon sensing movement. Behind them, Jasmine had already stood up, glancing toward the direction Kelvin indicated, the default frown on her pale face as evident as ever. Mikoto, now composed once more, wore her mask and stood up as well, adjusting the massive weapon strapped to her back.
"Didn't mean to eardrop on your conservation, but I pretty much heard what you two were talking about and understand the situation to an extent. We should move with caution. If something is capable of influencing mana on this scale, it's no ordinary foe nor something we should take lightly."
Jasmine seemed rather determined. Seeing her all fired up, Noah smiled wryly and replied:
"Wouldn't be a Fissure otherwise."
Kevin's gaze remained fixed ahead, where the invisible current pulled steadily deeper into the forest.
For some reason… the further he looked, the heavier the air felt.
And though he couldn't explain why, he had an increasingly growing sense that whatever lay at the end of that flow was already aware of their presence.
† †
Lumian Forest wasn't originally a dangerous place. On the contrary, it had once been known for its beauty and tranquility. One could even wander through its depths without fear, guided only by the gentle glow of its flora.
Basically, it was a sanctuary of sorts.
Scientists had once studied it, calling it a rare convergence point of stable energy, while wanderers treated it as little more than a scenic landmark.
But that was years ago.
No one knew exactly when it began, only that reports slowly started to surface. First, it was minor; things such as unusual fluctuations in mana density, strange distortions in light, and creatures behaving erratically. Then came the disappearances. Entire scouting parties would enter… and never return.
Eventually, the Guild declared it as a restricted zone.
Not long after, the first Fissure appeared.
Since then, Lumian Forest had become a playground for all sorts of horrors and creatures of darkness. Monsters ranging from low-tier Fiends to Terrors and even the dreaded Forsaken Tyrants lurked within its depths. The deeper one ventured, the more apparent, and overwhelming, this truth became.
Crossing a short distance, the terrain gradually opened up into a clearing.
At the center stood a massive ancient tree, far larger than the rest. Its bark was dark and gnarled, while faint streaks of dull light crawled along its surface like veins. Its branches stretched outward in all directions, forming a canopy so thick it blotted out most of the light above.
'What is this place?'
Kevin immediately sensed something amiss and expanded his perception just like before.
The flow of mana was now turbulent. It converged toward the clearing, spiraling around the massive tree before dispersing again in unstable currents. It was as if the entire area acted as a focal point… or worse, a feeding ground.
Jasmine raised a hand, signaling the group to stop.
"Something isn't right."
How did you figure?
"The ambient flow has become... stranded? I think we should take note of this location and turn back," suggested Noah with a serious face.
Before Jasmine could respond, a low, steady growl reverberated through the clearing.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
Between the gaps in the dense canopy, multiple pairs of glowing eyes fixed on them from the shadows. As their vision adjusted, more silhouettes became visible, lurking silently among the branches. From their outlines alone, it was clear these were no ordinary animals; their bodies appeared to be a twisted hybrid of large flying birds and bats.
Their feathers and fur seemed mottled with shadows, making them nearly invisible against the darkened canopy. Occasionally, a flash of sharp beak or claw reflected what little light pierced through the trees.
A thin mist curled around the clearing, partially obscuring the lower branches, but the creatures' eyes — bright, intelligent, and hungry — pierced through it all and remained fixed on them, as though gauging the intruders.
Really... what else could be the cause of this but Misfortune?
"Winged Terrors!"
Following that shout, the creatures let out a chorus of piercing screeches and lunged toward the group.