It had been an hour since we started camping; now was the time for action. We stomped out the small fire and pressed forward towards the forest. Along the way were vague signs of civilization. The broken guardrails twisted towards the sky and the yellow paint on the broken road had long since faded.
It was a bit hard to believe to be honest. Could this place have really been a highway? Maybe even the looming greenery in front of us could be a city ruined by the corruption of the Wandering Sea. Regardless, it was land we would take back. With our own hands.
"We've reached the foot of the mountain range. From this point onward, we're in enemy territory. Scaling the trees will serve as our first objective." Malery directed our focus upward, displaying the terrifying scale of the verdancy. A single branch of a tree was more than twice the girth of a normal human being, and the moutains pierced the sky at around 15,000 feet. It may have been a mountain range, but trees this big were simply ridiculous. It really was likely that a Magic Beast civilization could be housed here...
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[Canbrian Mountain Range Summit - Miyo-Enko Temple]
"Huff...huff...I need to get this info...to the leader!" A timid scrawny ape of the Canbrian Mountain Range had scurried his way to the royal throne of Miyo-Enko Temple. Typically for such a low-ranking Magic Beast, he wouldn't even be given permission to think about such a privilege, but today was an exception.
For the first time since the territory's development, humans had invaded the mountains! It was an impossible thought for the likes of the tiny ape, a world where humans still existed.
Atop the countless marbled stairs of the central mountain, the greenery cleared away and the sprawling life that enveloped the Canbrian Mountain Range dispersed. The air became thin like string and the hard, rocky terrain was replaced with marbled columns pierces the heavens themselves.
A menacing figure, far larger than an inferior ape such as himself, sat upon his throne with a slothful expression of boredum.
"...Well?" The Great Ape Mosung said with a sense of indolence.
The thoughts of the timid ape scattered like shattered glass. 'A-ah! S-shit...I have to say something! Why is he so big? His magesty! His presence is too heavy! Say something...something something something something! Anything!'
"I...Intruders...6 humans...West..."
"Ho?" The slouched posture of the Great Ape Mosung straighted as his face swelled up in surprise. "Bhahahaha! Seriously?! They're still around? I suppose the Pure Land hasn't killed off all of pests just yet!" The bellows of Musong shook the throne and all of the trees below the summit. Magical birds, snakes, frogs, and various other creatures of the forest fled at the sound of his mighty voice.
"Daimo, go fetch me those 6 humans immediately. I want to see if humans are really worth a damn in this modern era."
The quiet, lean ape in an opulent garb bowed his head besides Mosung. "Yes sir."
He vanished without a trace.
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[Canbrian Mountain Range - West]
In the thick vegetation, small creatures scurried across the ground like rats or beetles, yet their constitution was...off? An eagle with 3 heads and the horns of a goat sat at it's roost observing pray and snails with miniture eyeballs dragged with bodies across the floor. It was obviously not normal, yet they were all seemingly non-hostile.
"Hey Cassia, these creatures aren't attacking us. Do you think it's the black suits disguising us?"
"No, that can't be it. The black suits don't have any camoflague capabilities inherently built in. Given the fact that we're in a particularly strong Magic Beast's territory, the boss itself is likely the influence."
"So the creation of a territory can spawn entire ecosystems? Every day we know less and less about Magic Beasts..."
Harper interjected. "So as long as we don't mess with them directly, we're pretty much set? That's great! Let's head straight for the summit!"
"Not quite." A tall, lean ape appeared aside Harper Sow with a large circular hat resembling a lotus. A thick silence hung over the area as we were stood there, stunned in awe. Just how did it get near us so quickly? I didn't even hear it at all…nor did I sense any movements in the air!
It slapped Harper's abdomen with the back of it's hand, sending him flying through numerous branches. "Gah!"
"So thats it? You humans are just as fragile as you were 2000 years ago. No...a bit less so n-"
I spared no time in letting it talk. I quickly drew my handgun and pelted the humanoid ape in Magic bullets. It caught them in it's hand without a sweat. "I've never seen this type of weapon before. This is far better than expected of mere humans." I closed the distance and swung my combat knife with precision and skill, yet my attacks kept missing their mark.
"Hm...decent form...decent speed and power as well...but that's really all you are. Decent."
My body jolted to the ground as my senses spun out of control. Which way was up? Where is down? Left or right? My vision is blurring.
I was met with a swift crash to the ground and the ape's palm pressed gently against my chest. "C-Cassia! Move in."
She blinked behind the mysterious ape and sliced at it's torso, yet it nimbly flipped out of the long blade's arc, twisting it's body through the air. Malery also joined the fray, inflicting a small scratch on the ape's hand. It's eyes widened with a gaze of astonishment.
"Hm...so there still exists a human capable of cutting me. Very well. I can see why the master is so keen on your arrival."
"Arrival? So our position has been compromised. Then there is no more reason to hold back!" Harper laughed in the distance as he engaged his contract. "Solomon, open!" The skin on his right arm and cheek transformed into tree bark and vine-like appendages wrapped around the ape. He broke off a massive tree branch and crashed it into the ground, sending our squad reeling backwards.
For just a second, the scene was silent. It seemed that we had actually won against the creature thanks to Harper's contract power, Solomon's song. However, a gentle voice could be slightly heard from within the wood barrier.
"You are quite worthy."
Immediately, the tree branch splintered into millions of fragments. At a single gaze, my body was striken with an unfamiliar pressure. It was as though I was sinking down a trench, the water pressure making my body internally combust. Malery, Harper, Mason and the rest of the squad were also under the effects as well.
"What...is that Magic Power? I've never seen something like that!"
"I must say, I'm impressed to see how far humanity has progressed in our over 900 years of absence. However...a human is but a human. Oh well. It isn't my job to kill you, so I'll spare you of your pitiful lives."
A Magic Beast capable of showing mercy and intelligent thought? Just as I suspected...this mission is truly dangerous!
"Now come along everyone. The king awaits your arrival."