Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
Seth's group had traveled all the way to Neverwood, the capital of the Vridor Dynasty.
Neverwood was even bigger than Rosecoast, with a larger population, more specialists, greater urban density, and more energy.
The city stood like a jewel among the vast, lush, mountainous landscapes of the dynasty's south-central region. Its name echoed like an eternal echo, a tribute to the dense forest and the aura of mystery that surrounded it.
As travelers approached it, they were greeted by the fresh scent of pine and the sight of towering trees rising majestically into the sky.
In the heart of Neverwood, visitors were greeted by a lively and vibrant scene. Winding streets snaked through the trees, dotted with old buildings with wooden roofs and ornate facades. Lanterns adorned the narrow alleys, casting a soft light that danced on the leaves and created mesmerizing patterns on the walls.
The sound of laughter and commerce fills the air as merchants display their colorful wares in stalls along the cobblestone sidewalks.
Walking through this place for the first time, Seth and his companions noticed how different cities in the same state could be.
The creativity of the people of Ihaes was truly amazing!
In the city center, a large plaza featured a stone fountain adorned with statues of mystical creatures, where locals gathered on special days to share stories and news.
But beyond the hustle and bustle of city life, Neverwood was also known for its stunning natural surroundings. Trails led adventurers through dense forests where ancient secrets were still hidden.
Even though a great city lay in the heart of a forested region, several special beasts and plants lived nearby, making the area a sea of opportunity for those brave and powerful enough to challenge these areas.
In Neverwood, the magic of the land intertwined with the essence of life, creating a place where past and present merge in harmony.
Emery sensed this and soon felt the auras of some of the strongest cultivators in the place.
"This is the right place for us. There are people of a stronger level than those we met in Rosecoast." She said to her group, smiling with satisfaction, feeling that they would get some answers to their questions.
"That means there are people from the Emperor level or the Origin Core Realm here," Dax muttered as a smile appeared on his face. "I think we're really close to discovering something important!"
They all agreed, but none of them thought they had made a mistake by staying in Lastwood longer than Moses' followers and then going to Rosecoast.
After the encounter with the Golden Mane Lions, the group had a different perspective on the path needed to complete the revenge for the extermination of the Misty Woods Tribe.
Seth continued to think the same way, but his companions were no longer suspicious of his plans.
Even Emery, who had previously had the most doubts about the path they were following, now felt that things weren't as simple as Moses had thought. There were many secrets in this world, many things that even people who had lived in Ihaes all their lives didn't know about.
There was a distinct possibility that the end of their tribe was connected to something extreme, so they had to be careful!
"I guess we'll have to move up our plans a bit," Seth commented as he stopped walking through the city's central streets.
"What do you want?" Emery was about to ask when more than 30 guards suddenly appeared on the outskirts of their location, drawing their weapons and staring menacingly at them.
"Stop right there!" One of the royal guards shouted, sweating and wide-eyed as he watched them.
Seth closed his eyes and laughed. "Fucking Moses."
"That..." Dax heard his rival mutter and looked at Seth in surprise.
"You are under arrest for plotting to kidnap His Royal Majesty!" The guard in front of the group of soldiers shouted, angry but also afraid of these people.
A few weeks ago, the king was kidnapped. Fortunately, he escaped and returned to the capital.
Upon his return to the capital, he issued orders to hunt down and arrest those responsible for his kidnapping, a group of five individuals with the appearances of Seth, Emery, Atlas, Dax, and Levi.
"What do we do?" Atlas asked as he and his companions stood still and watched the guards, who were even stronger than Duke Pennel, approach them.
Then Seth told them. "Do nothing. Let's see how far these people can push us. As much as I still can't tell what level we're on, I can tell you that these men's artifacts won't stop us. There's no real danger here."
So they accepted the king's arrest order and were soon seized by these people before being led to carriages that would take them to the royal palace.
As the five of them were being taken to the palace, the man in charge of the operation, which had begun minutes before as they entered the city, couldn't help but think that something was wrong.
"Don't you think they took it too easy?" He asked two of his strongest companions.
"Yes, it was easier than we thought. His Majesty said he tried to fight them, but they were too strong together. How did we deal with a group that defeated him so easily?" One of the two guards asked.
"Maybe we shouldn't bring them to His Majesty..." The other suggested. "It could be dangerous."
"No. Orders are orders. It's not our duty to question what His Majesty wants." Said the group leader. "But be prepared to put your lives on the line later. That is a critical moment for the state!"
...
When the group was led to the king of the dynasty, this man was in his royal palace with his trusted man.
"Your Majesty, our men have successfully captured the criminals who acted against you." Said an old man with a white beard, a soul cultivator at the 5h level of the Spirit Ocean Realm.
The king of that state, a middle-aged man with black hair and a height of about six feet, dressed in an elegant robe, said with a vengeful smile, "Perfect! I'll make those wretches pay for what they did to me that day!"
He had a vivid and detailed memory of the day he had been kidnapped on a short trip to the great forest near his city.
He had been tortured and forced to talk and then left for dead. He wouldn't be there now if he hadn't been extremely attached to life!
So he waited anxiously in the garden of his house for his enemies, already planning how he would torture them to avenge what he had suffered.