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Under the night sky, the land seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber. The solitude of the night brought a crisp chill that permeated the air, spreading quietly through the space.
Here, green fields were abundant with forests spread out in all directions.
Here, rivers meandered through the landscape and insects and beasts roamed freely everywhere.
It was as if nature itself had bestowed this tranquil, yet vibrant, environment. Even shrouded in darkness, the land exuded a profound sense of peace.
This was a scene impossible to find in the modern world dominated by steel structures.
Perhaps it was precisely because this was a world where magic thrived, that such natural scenery remained preserved.
The serenity, however, was abruptly shattered in the next moment.
"Boom…"
With the rolling of wheels and the thudding of hooves, a wide street stretching between two horizons became enveloped in a cloud of dust.
Upon closer inspection, the flying dust revealed numerous blank spaces, and it looked as if something had carved out areas within the swirling sand.
These blank spaces were filled with Earth Dragons in motion.
Some were pulling carriages and supplies.
Others were ridden like noble steeds.
Thanks to their Divine Protection of Wind, the dust was split by their movements, leaving clear spaces where the Earth Dragons trod, creating an oddly surreal sight.
This large convoy of Earth Dragons, pulling carts or carrying riders, raced down the dirt road.
"Hmm?"
Standing atop a Dragon Carriage, Fang Li, with his exceptional vision, noticed something up ahead.
Almost simultaneously, a voice rang out from within the convoy.
"Mist sighted!"
The announcement caused everyone to tense up and look ahead.
Soon, many of them saw it too.
At the end of the dirt road, a dense white mist was spreading.
Riding a noble Earth Dragon, Crusch also saw the mist and immediately issued an order.
"Everyone, halt!"
Her orders were followed without any hesitation.
Amidst the rumbling, the Earth Dragons came to a stop under their riders' control, halting right at the edge of the mist.
The swirling dust began to settle.
The members of the expedition looked at each other, their expressions tense.
Even Emilia peeked her head out from her carriage, exchanging a glance with Crusch, both seeing the hesitation and gravity in each other's eyes.
In the convoy, Ferris drove his Earth Dragon over to Crusch and Wilhelm's side and spoke to them.
"Crusch Sama, Old Man Wil, should we go in?"
Despite the gravity of the situation, Ferris maintained his usual lighthearted demeanor but wore the formal white uniform of the Knight Order, looking very official.
Wilhelm, on the other hand, was still in his butler attire but had several slender swords at his waist, and a sharp aura was radiating from him.
Crusch was fully armed in light armor, her long deep green hair tied into a ponytail, a sword at her waist.
Most of the expedition members were similarly armed to the teeth, and a few wore robes that hinted at their formidable magical abilities.
Such a force would not pale in comparison to the Kingdom's Knight Order in equal numbers.
Yet, this powerful group was visibly wary of the mist ahead, their faces showing clear apprehension.
Their caution was understandable.
The Hakugei (White Whale), bearer of the Gluttony factor, was called the Demon Beast of the Mist not just because it always appeared with mist, but because it could control the mist itself.
The Hakugei (White Whale)'s fog had two main properties.
One type of fog, like the one ahead, expanded to cover large areas, serving as its roaming domain.
The other type of fog could devour everything within its range, erasing all existence as if thre was nothing there, leaving no trace behind.
The first type could obscure the Hakugei (White Whale)'s presence and confuse anyone within the fog.
The second type was terrifying, erasing beings entirely, leaving no memories or traces and it felt band looked as if they had never existed.
Such was the Hakugei (White Whale)'s dreadfulness.
Charging into the fog recklessly could mean being devoured without warning.
Naturally, everyone treated the mist with utmost caution.
Crusch, too, would not make a foolish mistake and she made a prompt decision.
"Bring the Magic Stone cannons forward!"
At her command, the rear units pushed forward several large cannons.
These cannons, resembling solar power collectors, could fire pure Magic Power condensed into Magic Stones as ammunition.
Magic Stones could be processed into various Magic Stone products, capable of producing magical effects based on their attributes.
Thus, Magic Stone cannons were often used in large-scale battles to enhance combat power and conserve the limited Magic Power of mages, increasing their chances of success.
Crusch nodded and issued another order.
"Fire the Evil Repelling Stone!"
Evil Repelling Stone could forcibly neutralize surrounding Magic Power, diminishing magical effects to a certain extent.
The Hakugei (White Whale)'s fog contained Magic Power, so it was similar to magic in nature, and using Magic Power as its basic energy source.
Therefore, the Evil Repelling Stone' effects were promising.
"Buzz—!"
The next moment, the cannon barrels began to glow, gathering energy, and fired beams of Evil Repelling Stone into the dense fog.
"Boom—!"
As the Evil Repelling Stone exploded within the fog, a dazzling light spread out, gradually dispersing the mist.
From his vantage point on the carriage roof, Fang Li watched the scene, his eyes shining as he peered ahead.
Because Fang Li saw it.
He saw a massive shadow swimming through the air like a sea, the enormous shadow emerged within the fog.
Above the shadow, a pair of huge eyes turned and stared.
These eyes were filled with savagery.
"Wū Wū Wū Wū Wū Wū Wū \Wū Wū Wū Wū Wū Wū Wū Wū—"
A roar that shook the air rang out.
...