Accustomed to traveling at night, Fars wanted to continue heading east for a few hundred miles before dawn. However, he couldn't let Yuna walk in an oversized men's bathrobe. While it was quite a sight, it wasn't practical for their journey. Fortunately, Fars had once endured a period of wearing nothing but tattered clothes, which had honed his skills in drying freshly washed garments. Since Yuna's clothing was made of leather, it dried quickly, and within minutes of taking it from her, Fars had it ready for her to wear.
After returning to the campsite, they packed up the tent and did their best to erase any traces left on the ground, just in case any pursuers were still tracking them. Such tasks were best left to a thief, and Yuna was quite adept at it. Having likely engaged in similar activities many times before, she made a few adjustments to ensure the area wouldn't attract attention.
Picking up the map he had obtained from Panasus, Fars noted that it was significantly more detailed than the one he had received from ordinary adventurers. Beyond this region, Fars had not ventured further due to his limited strength at the time, which made dealing with high-level magical beasts quite challenging. He carefully studied the map to determine their route.
Initially, after exiting the Gonsago Ruins, Fars had intended to follow the outer edge of the Qihar Mountains eastward. However, after encountering Yuna, he had diverted southward into the mountains to evade the adventurers, covering approximately five hundred miles. Continuing eastward was still an option, but the map indicated that the perilous areas lay deeper within the mountains.
When Fars pointed this out to Yuna, he was surprised by her opposition. She warned him that if they continued east for about a thousand miles, they would reach a dead zone, which was to be avoided. A dead zone, as she explained, was a place that had suffered a catastrophic disaster, leaving it barren and devoid of life. Fars wondered why they couldn't go there if the disaster had passed. This belief was tied to the ancient legends of Elras, which stated that any place marked by natural or man-made calamities was cursed and that few beings dared to approach such areas.
Fars was not one to dismiss such warnings outright; he agreed that it was wise to avoid any unexplained curses. However, he was curious as to how Yuna knew about this dead zone when it wasn't marked on the map.
Before he could ask, Yuna explained, "Dead zones aren't always the same. This map is a bit outdated. A couple of years ago, a fierce battle broke out here between several powerful beings, which triggered a small volcanic eruption that devastated the area for a hundred miles around. It's likely to take centuries for life to return. You didn't know about this?"
Calculating the timeline, Fars realized that he had been in a dormant state, transitioning from human to vampire at that time. After awakening, he had been too focused on improving his strength to pay attention to recent events. He admitted this without shame, curiosity piqued by the story of why such strong individuals had clashed. After all, only those with notable reputations and recognized strength could be considered powerful, and there had to be a story behind it. Since it was a significant event, it would have been hard to keep it a secret, especially with someone like Yuna, who seemed to have a keen interest in such tales.
Though they had no intention of venturing into the dead zone, it was still over a thousand miles away, and they had already traveled a considerable distance that night. Fars's decision to head east remained unchanged; they could simply change direction when they neared the dead zone.
Yuna's story was based on hearsay, and Fars took it with a grain of salt. The events unfolded as follows: a large group had arrived at a small principality called Andun, which bordered the Qihar Mountains, as a vassal of the Roland Empire. News of this quickly spread to nearby principalities, as such small nations, with a combined military strength of only a few tens of thousands, were sensitive to such developments. Whether it was mercenary groups, adventurers, or delegations from the great empire, any group exceeding five hundred would raise alarms about local security. While mercenaries and adventurers, regardless of their numbers, wouldn't dare confront a nation directly, their presence could significantly impact local order. As for the delegations from the great empire, they were typically composed of individuals who upheld the dignity of their nation, acting within the bounds of etiquette, as long as they didn't encounter anything that could tarnish their reputation.
If a relatively large group entered Andun, the ruling class wouldn't be overly concerned, as an influx of visitors could bring some income. However, the situation escalated beyond the expectations of Duke Aivi, the ruler of Andun, when three more groups, each with over a thousand members, arrived under the guise of mercenary companies within a month. These groups came from various directions, some from the Roland Empire and others from nearby principalities. Duke Aivi became uneasy, suspecting a conspiracy against his principality. To be cautious, he stationed over ten thousand soldiers in the capital. Fortunately, the four groups did not cause any disturbances; after resting for a few days in Andun, they left under the escort of Duke Aivi's soldiers, heading toward the border town of Nordan. As long as their actions weren't directed against his principality, Duke Aivi felt relieved; after all, Nordan was just a border town, and they could do as they pleased.
It seemed that a messenger from Roland had secretly met with Duke Aivi, who, accustomed to a life of luxury, allowed these groups to proceed to Nordan without further interference. The great empire had its own agenda, and the rulers of small nations could do little to intervene, as long as their lands were not threatened. Such events were often revealed by 'informed sources' after the fact.
Nordan was an ordinary border town, nestled against the Qihar Mountains. Besides the adventurers heading into the mountains and merchants trading in timber, magical beast pelts, and magic cores, there wasn't much else going on. Even the ruler of Andun paid little attention to it; after sending the four large mercenary groups to Nordan, he withdrew his troops to guard the capital.
While the movements of large groups were easy to observe, disciplined teams rarely leaked information. It wasn't until numerous smaller adventurer parties began arriving in Nordan that the news spread. Some claimed that a rare treasure was about to appear in the nearby Qihar Mountains; others said precious minerals had been discovered, attracting the attention of various empires; and some even absurdly suggested that they aimed to hunt lord-level magical beasts in the mountains.
The last claim was the least credible; legendary figures alone were sufficient to hunt lord-level magical beasts—what need was there for so many others? Moreover, the great empires had powerful experts to handle such hunts, so why would lesser adventurers involve themselves?
Regardless, the rumors proliferated, and when it became known that the four large groups had left Nordan and entered the Qihar Mountains, it confirmed that something significant was about to happen there. It seemed these groups were well-coordinated, as there were no initial conflicts; they even worked together to seal off the now-dead zone, preventing anyone from taking advantage of the chaos.
Of course, in such a vast area, thousands of people couldn't seal it off completely, and some inevitably slipped through, bringing back news. They had indeed discovered treasures.
At this point, Yuna deliberately paused, making a gesture as if to ask for money.
"What kind of treasure could attract so many people?" Fars, intrigued by Yuna's animated storytelling, quickly asked, swatting her hand away.
Yuna feigned pain, covering her hand and pouting, "Look at how wealthy you are; don't be so stingy. Stories aren't free, you know."
After a moment of thought, Fars reluctantly pulled out a silver coin and placed it in Yuna's palm.
Though a single silver coin wasn't much, Yuna accepted it happily and continued, "This treasure is quite peculiar. Every full moon night, it appears shrouded in thick fog. The fog covers a vast area, making it impossible to see one's hand in front of their face. It was this strange phenomenon that drew attention and eventually reached the ears of powerful individuals in the great empires."
Such occurrences were not uncommon on the continent. When treasures were discovered but could not be obtained, selling the information could still yield a handsome reward. Naturally, powerful teams would be organized to compete for these treasures. This time, it seemed the information had leaked, and one side had caught wind of it. A treasure capable of causing such phenomena over a wide area would attract many.
In reality, the large groups might have been a smokescreen, with the real task being executed by a select few powerful individuals who had arrived ahead of time.
Finally, on another full moon night, the treasure emerged, drawing the attention of those seeking it. Originally, it was said that a lord-level magical beast guarded the area, but it had already been dealt with by the arriving strong individuals. When the treasure appeared, the fog dissipated, revealing a sky ablaze with red, as a flawless orb broke through the earth, radiating brilliant colors and causing a downpour of colorful elemental rain around it.
Fars couldn't help but imagine the beautiful scene at that moment. While he might have coveted the orb, he knew better than to entertain such thoughts; even if the orb were right in front of him, he wouldn't dare to take it, knowing it was under the watchful eyes of countless others.
Typically, when a treasure emerges, no one wishes to interrupt the process, as it is part of the treasure's formation. If forcibly interrupted, the treasure might lose its quality and not achieve its full potential.
The ones who took action were indeed legendary figures, as only they had the qualifications and strength to contend for such treasures. The battle was fierce, darkening the skies and obscuring the sun. Ultimately, the land was damaged, triggering a volcanic eruption that ended the conflict. As for who ultimately claimed the orb, its whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
Fars was merely interested in hearing the story and learning about recent significant events. Once Yuna finished recounting her tale, they both focused on their journey ahead.