75D 16H 34M.

It has been a week since Klover has been missing, Leight has been troubled, silently. With a bruise here and there in his body, he ignored it.

They had managed to catch up with the refugees, taking a slow march toward Lofren, the chilling breeze has caught up the moment they are closer to the kingdom. Slow patches of snow can be found almost everywhere.

Keeping order to the citizens was a hard task, if you calculate this in a ratio, he'll give this a 9:1. With nine being those whose state of mind is on the verge of collapse, the latter is not unaffected either, with a scant few barely managing to hold it in, their teeths clattering in both reasons; fear and winter.

He was already donned in a set of winter clothing, made of thick bear fur that comforted his neck all the way to his bottom. With an albino dyed sleeves covering his entire forearm- he felt a sense of discomfort. Restricted to move whenever he pleased if the situation calls to.

"....." Nobody in the squad said a word. A week had passed since the incident. But they always prepared for the worse, example of this is Leafa, whose scouting in the nigh mighty trees whose length is about to reach the skies itself.

Everyone was vigilant so to speak, the foreboding sense of dread had now seeped deep into their skin. With the guards's eyes darting almost everywhere, seaeching for potential threats...

Ildi seemed to have been in a worse state, her eyes bagged indicating that she had barely any sleep at all. Aaron was still in a coma, carefully being tended by Ildi in a magical wheelchair.

"No enemies in sight." Leafa returned next to Leight with vigilant expression, with a slight outline of dark bags in her eyes, she was no bystander either. With green robe and vertical stripes all along to her navel. She kept her black tunic pants, strapped with different types of belts for varying uses.

"....we couldn't be too sure about that." He answered with a sigh, "Only a few days left, then we'll be at Lofren, losing him was.... extremely unfortunate." He held his teeth from gritting from the disappearance of Klover, the blue twins admitted it ouright the moment the anomaly escaped at battle, leaving most of Leight's and Marcus's Party unharmed, the latter was mostly drained of his energy, overusing them and all.

'It sucks right?' A voice spoke through his head. He shooked his head in respone, resulting a slight nausea. Leight clicked his mouth.

"Shut up....." he said with mutter. Now was not the time for facing his demons, there were still many things to do.

'A self-proclaimed hero, claiming to become the savior of the coming incursion, yet had lost his foot on the sudden deluge of events. How unfortunate indeed....' An onslaught self-hatred coursed through his fragile mentality. His figure desperately shook.

Now was not the time!

'It would've been better.... if you had just di-'

"Leight, you okay?" He snapped back, his periphery was focused on the white haired girl, Sharon... His stomach tingling with butterflies.... As if he had just forgotten the mental struggles in his mind.

"You zoned out again." The army moved with a pace, full of vigilance and paranoia. Leafa had a worried expression on her face, she closed her eyes and she disappeared, making her mind to scout the lurking enemies or dangers around them.

A carriage was pushed through the deluge of innocent civilians, startling them upright as they made way for the horse carriage. Two black stallions, filled with pride and might walked through them with the unhesitance.

Leight took a small glance at the situation, as the carriage inside revealed a young boy. No more than 14 years old gazed through the window with indifference. He looked at the materials at the carriage itself. Bipedal wagons that screams luxury. With jewels of differing varieties intricated into the wagon itself.

Leight deeply sighed.... He gotta focus first with his priorities at hand.

A guard stood catched up to the party. Clutching a spear in his hands that looked like it was about to be discarded the moment another battle occured.

"Even if everything's in a dire situation, someone's still gonna keep today's fassion as if the world revolves around them. That's nobles for you..." What the knight muttered was true. It was a bit too much for what a noble should design their luxurious carriages.

"I agree, the designers got a bit too far with this one. Still can't get why nobles bought that thing in the first place. If anything, that carriage has been slowing us down." The knight made a downward cast. His helmet showing no emotion on the outside, remaining a mystery as to what the man truly felt.

'A duke's carriage....' Leight grimly thought. The escorts in the carriage coherently made yells of differing volume. An act of supremacy, and oppression.

"Give way to the Alkansas! Going against this order, is going against the entire family! The moment once all of this is over. Expect your heads to be separated from your useless bodies!" He yelled with a rombocious tone, his red hair unkept making him deem unworthy as a knight.

"Move!" Another escort yelled. The deluge of refugees followed their order, keeping a grim expression among their faces.

Leight blended in, no intention of getting involved any further. As long as no one was hurt, then he wouldn't make a move. It's best to let sleeping dogs lie.

The wheels worked it's way to the unstable road. Going in first to the refugees.

"Looks like that carriage has been in hurry." He spew out his thoughts out loud. Continuing their journey to the new continent as it only took a single step...

They had now entered the borders of Lofren.

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The breeze hit them like truck, the wispy cold air entering their very nose felt dry. A patch of snow was stepped by Leight, he looked startled looking behind as to where they went. It felt like a great divide, unnatural formation of nature split the continents itself. The warm ambient feel of the nature suddenly... just became dry cold. And all it took was but a single step.

"Well, guess we're now entering the borders." He looked slightly elated. The same goes for the refugees.

A certain knight grinned.

"Alright everybody! No more resting for today! The kingdom's just a mile ahead. You better save your celebrations for this one!" They nodded with no hesitation at the knight's word.

"May the goddess guide us!"

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A dark mush of forest, canopy of leaves waving abut. The wet and murky atmosphere made the environdment as creepy as it can get...

"You sure you'll watch over that boy?"  A man with a robe said.

"Circumstances led me to meet that boy, it should only be natural that I myself will take responsibility of this matter per se." Ana said a mute emotion. She held the hilt of her sword spear below her back.

"Besides I still have the remaining time left to enjoy before we proceed to our plan. No?"

The conversation remained cold for a few seconds, as another person broke the silence.

The robed man sighed. "We get that, just a little question? What made you so attached to that boy?" The man contemplated inside... A [Representative] falls in love with otherworld bumpkin? How stupid! What she was doing held no importance aside from the mission.

"Don't tell me you-"

"No, every speculation that you have inside your minds.... speak it. I dare you." The men in robed costumes went silent only recieving a small gulp and a fearful nod.

"The mission comes in later, skip the useless squables and get to the point. Immediately." They returned to their solemn faces, another horde of robed men emerged from the forest.

"Sapient had received your call, the incursion is going well. We've mapped out most of the continents except for the..."

"The "Elven Territory" those humans called?"

"Not just that Territory. But also the Unknown Center... They said with a low mutter, hesitance spread across their very being.

"Sapient doesn't like process. Sapient wants the final results, Immediately." A certain robed man said with a warning, along with a fearful snicker. He dropped something like a small usb to the ground.

And it then emitted a bluish glow, as a 3 dimensional structure was formed, revealing the small chunks of biomes, it froze immediately.

"It's incomplete." Ana commented.

"Apologies for the inconvenience Ana, we'll fill up the remaining chunks of the geography in due time." It then followed with an awkward silence.

One of the men cleared his throat.

"Though incomplete, it's still valuable nonetheless. We've studied the cultures of residents living in this world. And when I was strolling around with a new pseudo identity... I found something.... interesting...." That grabbed the attention of Ana and few others.

"....seems like this world... had...succesfully closed an invasion centuries ago." An incursion, closed. What could it be?

"Seems like this world, is a tough nut to crack." Tension became palpable. Ana's determination grew.

"Wait for Sapient, we'll go rendezvous with it the moment it arrives. I'll go meet the boy again."

"You're withdrawing this early? With that boy again?"

"I told you, there's something weird about him." She responded with a mute frown. Like plants fell to blight, so is this world.

They are the blight itself.

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It was afternoon, the chill winds swept the barren forests, gently touching Klover's face. Sweating like buckets he layed down in the field of grass.

Spotting a familiar girl closing her distance on him he spoke.

"What took you so long?" Two hours had passed, panting heavily as he tried to get insights on his earlier practice.

But all went for naught.

'I can't gain knowledge if I don't have the necessary experience and I can't gain experience if I don't have the necessary knowledge!' He yelled inside his head. Frustrated and clearly tired.

He used his right arm to support his figure as he attempted to stand up.

"So? Made any progress?"

"Didn't, nothing at all." He wanted to scream at her that it wasn't working but, he mustn't let it consume him. There may be ways to circumvent this adversary, plus only a few hours had passed. He can't just expect it to learn it immediately. But alas, time waits for no man.

"That's normal, you're lacking experience. Take an hour's worth of rest."

"What comes after that?" A small bubble of excitement floated in his head, continously growing as he waited for her response.

"We'll go hunting."

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75D 15H 04M.

The duo hid in the grassy bushes, observing the environment within. Stealth was an understatement, they were literally hiding in plain sight. The muddy ground let their boots become dirty.

"Keep your heads up. Dangers are everywhere." She warned, her eyes kept darting everywhere. Causing Klover to become uneasy.

He shook his head as he focused on the current situation on hand. If this was the "hunting" she so had said, then he'd rather die than not participate in this hunt.

"There's no enemy in sight I think we-"

"Let's venture further." She added.

"Yeah, there's literally no hostile entities in sight. How am I supposed to improve if there's none in the first place?"

"That doesn't mean that you aren't improving, want to guess what I'm imparting to you?" She regained her bearings as she stealthily moved in the mushy environment.

She pulled him over. Giving him a hand to stand up.

"About what?" Prickly thorns threatened to pierce his skin. Ana neutralized whenever they walked.

"Survival." She said, not elaborating it further. She cut down another root with a materialized weapon. She strolled a few meters back.

"You're always obssesed with the context of just "Being strong enough.". Strong as you may be, how will you fare if you were in a disadvantaged environment?" She materialized another weapon in a form of a needle.

"Information is power, you can't just dive deep into the unknown if you don't know who you are dealing with." The needles flew at an astonishing speed hitting a certain blue flower right in front of them.

It then came with a horrifying results. The needles melted as if they were ice cream exposed to the glaring heat of the sun. Turning into liquid once again as the liquid returned in Ana's hands.

"Didn't those materialized weapons of yours dissipate the moment you willed it useless?" He obscurely eyed at her hand with a question.

"Poisonous exposure." Ana paused for a bit. "Materialization helps me create things out of my mind. The needle just now, was one of my weakest cast." She closed in to the blue flower, releasing small ammount of poisonous gas whenever something moves in a certain vicinity. She ended it's life as a root was cut off...

"That's kinda convenient..." Klover muttered in surprised he followed Ana. Turning to check out the dead flower in his own eyes.

"Flyzei Genoe...." He nodded with a mutter. If these is sold, then he can gain a small amount of money that can last him a few months.

"Hm, what's that?" Ana's response made Klover flinch. Not that he'll make fun of her, since he was in her shoes before. However-

'Could it be that she's from another world?' Now that he thought about it, her appearance was rather out of place in a world like this. An average man, would have a medieval tailored outfit, an average generic isekai outfit in short.

But her prowess is what surprised him the most. To be able to neutralize an anomaly in swift seconds, what Marcus couldn't be able to achieve even when given with a choice of desirable time frame. Maybe she was hiding something from him.

'I'd rather not poke the unknown tho...' He grimaced, he rather won't fuck around and found out. Making her angry is out of the question but...

He shook his head as it ended with a sigh. What if she was a Representative? Just ignorant of the world beneath her, it would make sense... But for now, he'll play it cool.

"It's one of the recipes used in making the "Blue Ale", a certain friend of mine stated that is a great balance between drunk and soberness. Hence making it a desirable drink to a scant few." One of the reasons he mentioned "Scant few." is that finding a plant like this is extremely rare. Environments matters not into the flower, it's literally made to survive in almost any given environmental condition albeit commonly found in places that are not sought after or just extremely dangerous environments.

"Interesting..."

"Matters aside, I think I heard something." It was a feint howl. His ears caught wind of it while he was explaining the flower to her.

"Guess you're not much of an inexperienced warrior after all. Hearing is one of the most fundumental basics of survival. Use it to the fullest." She nodded at him in satisfaction.

"I'll keep that in mind." After those words. They slowly ventured deeper into the murky forest. Until they spotted a creature for the first time in hours.

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It was a reptile of some sorts, sporting over 2 and a half meter in length with a width two times the size of that of a human torso, making the core part of the reptile chubby compared to it's head and tail. Sharp scales surronded it's thick skin, but-

"What the fuck....?" He can only cursed at the extremely ugly appearance of the reptile, it's maw remained unopened. He hoped his journey won't end up there, but that was not the thing he focused.

Fungi spread extended across it's thick scaled body. It's eyes remain bloodshot whilst remaining stationary. Signs of contradictory laws are present within the reptiles body added with a can of worms in it's eyes, glitched portruded here and there like a static television.

"So sudden and we're taking this thing out immediately!?" He yelled in compliance, thinking Anna was crazy. But atleast he have Anna to support him, maybe she'll guide him this tim-

"We? Who might be you're talking to Klover? " She shove him casually. As if this was a daily occurence, Klover's face signaled betrayal, hatred and frustration. He gritted his teeth in response.

He knew shouting would only entice the reptile with gusto, lest attract the attention of other anomalies such as this one.

"Don't worry too much about, if push comes to shove I'll rescue you."

'Fuck off!!' He cursed at her.

*Thud* A small crash started beneath his butt. His pelvis felt like rupturing, falling for over 3 meters caught unaware, made Klover forget about her. But he's got another problem at hand the reptile rose it's head, it's thick quadrodepal legs closed itself to Klover.

"Ah shit!" He yelled with a broken tone. Barely dodging the wide maw the reptile rosed with bloodlust, however it didn't come without a cause.

Thick scale bruised his left torso to a light degree. Like multiple needle an unprofessional doctor pierced through his belly with reckless abandon. He bit his lip in response holding his his left torso, his pecs remained unharmed but that cannot be said through his external obliques.

"Crap that hurts....." He felt like tearing up again. But no, he shook his head. Whatever that crazed girl put him through, how can he overcome his weakness if he stays within his comfort zone? He knew he must take risks, and this- THIS was one of them.

'The only way to gain knowledge is through experience.' He kept that though spinning through adrenaline addled mind. He unsheathed his chiso katana, with his singular limb.

Determination bore through his eyes.

It's time. He doesn't want to be weak anymore. Whatever the fuck the girl wanted him to do, as long as he becomes strong enough, then he'll do it!

"Let's do this." He took a deep breathe. As he let the dangers battle enter his mind.

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He pushed forward through the monster, although his sense of balance was greatly skewed. He was slowly getting used with a singular upper limb. Fortunate that the the arm he lose wasn't a dominant one was already something he should be careful with.

The monster hissed in response it's long tongue portruding from it's maw, as it charged in response to Klover. The first clash commenced.

However, he was becoming much more calculative in the current skirmish. He doesn't knowthe reason as to why he became like this. He speculated it was because of his adrenaline. But that matter was to pushed aside. Man and Monster closing in. No fear emitted from each other, only a singular thought that coursed through instincts.

To emerge victorious.

Klover pierced his chiso katana onto the reptile. With the intention of a feint, the lizard reacted with another massive maw opened, he reacted with a somesault. Keeping the chiso-katana through his hand, as he maintained his distance.

'It doesn't react to fear.' He thought. He experimented with the enemy. The lizard spew high acidic mass of liquid through it's mouth, Klover kept his eyes through the lizard. With his level of agility compared to the acidic nature of the liquid spewed. It would take more than that to take him out.

"Basic [Fireball]!" A ball of flame summoned through the air around him. Not even a matter of thought, it already hit the reptile with nonsensical care. The reptile caught it in it's periphery, it used it's tail to circumvent the attack. Before it even manage to circumvent the spell, Klover had already reached the giant lizard.

It hissed at the sight of him, Klover used his chiso katana, one-handedly slashed it's face.

*Clang* An iron clanking sound in recoil to the hit occured. His body shook, yet he never let his composure waver. Whatever shit was going on with his body, he was unexpectedly calm.

"Not yet....!" He shifted his hand's axis, the sword pivotoed, he reversed grip it as he rushly pierced the eye of the reptile with vigor.

The lizard flinched, can of worms spewed out from the reptile's stomach. Spasmic reaction caused it's tail to unintentional hit Klover, a dizzying reaction came hitting with a truck. It's scale piercing his muscles mass, his forearm despearately blocking the scales he was knocked away from the shock.

"Ghkkk.....!" He panted heavily, he felt licked being pierced by thousands of needles. His forearm swelled like balloon, left signs of green moss that surrounded his forearms.

"Calm down..... calm down..... I'm gonna die if I keep myself focused on the pain...." He swallowed his breath with desperate tone. His lungs hyperventilating, he fought it.

'Stay conscious.....' The lizard shrieked, bloodshot eyes focused on Klover. It hissed with varying degree of hatred. It stood up to it's feet, the bleeding eye became a puddle of blood.

He can taste the iron emanating from his body, blood dripped like a leaked faucet, releasing droplets of blood everytime he moved. His lips bled.

Internal bleeding, his entire body screamed at him to stop, yet he kept going. Adrenaline nulling the pain in his system his eyes kept burning with determination.

He gripped his chiso katana. In the state of life and death, he pushed himself.

'I've been given a chance to improve, I can't.... let this go to waste!' He charged on the lizard, closing their distance within seconds. The opposite party was also the same. The physical shock on his body caused spasmic reactions within his organs.

He gripped katana as hard as he could.

"Basic [Fireball], Basic [Fireball], Basic [Fireball]!" Like a sutra, dozens of fireball surrounded his entire figure. Though the lizard ignored magical defense as if it was nothing, it could serve as an annoyance to the reptile instead.

Klover swept the entire skirmish ablaze in his control, for now. The scales kept flipping, using the lizards weight against is foolish, the reptile's speed far surpass that of an olympic athlete. Almost surpassing Klover.

The lizard's onslaught of physical blunt charges along with it's massive maw drew the two in a desperate stalemate. However, it only cost one mistake to make the tables turn.

The reptile threatened to swallow Klover with it's massive maw. Evading it ease, he used Basic [Body Stengthening], barely cutting the reptile's front leg. It only reacted with a raging hiss. It turned around in desparation, it's entire body turn a 180, causing Klover lost his balance due to the reptile's tail. Although had low intelligience, it had the instincts to use it's tail once again as a paralyzing blow, aimed at Klover's head.

At hair's breadth- sharp reflective scales threathened to pierced Klover's belly into to two. He desperately crawled backwards fending the maw and barrage of tail whooping and claw attacks. His chiso katana remained unaffected by the matter however.

Fending off sharp scales, claw attacks along with jaw opening attacks, it still regained the same shine the first time Ana gave it to Klover.

"Shit....!" He was barely keeping his cool. Through the desparate casts of fireball, Klover knew his time was almost over. Mana was barely hanging on a thread along with his stamina.

'Just how can I end it quickly!' He inwardly spat an inner tone of frsutration. He gritted his teeth, another claw swept in a vertical arc threatened to aim at him. He saw an opportunity albeit blurred in his busy mind.

Breathing heavily. He desperately block the attacks one after the other, he quarterly focused his thought process onto the opening latch on the enemies limbs, making him more exposed to the said opening himself.

'Got it!' He didn't have the time to celebrate, he swooped in immediately. Using the incoming claw attacks against the enemy, he forwarded his momentum. Raising his chiso katana in a long horizontal arc along with Basic [Body Strengthening].

Now that he was able to get a gist the reptiles anatomy. He aimed at the mouth of the monster, to maim it of his maw onslaught and possibly turn the tables into his favor.

"HAAAA!" He yelled, his eyes burning with determination. He gripped his weapon as tightly as he could. As the edge of the blade made contact with maw of the reptile, the said blade wielded by his hands felt the texture of soft tendon.

Klover widened his eyes, but that all faded away as he mustered all his strength. He anchored his feet of the ground to gain more force, as it ends with a final conclusion.

*Slaaasshhh*

 He felt his vision glitching the moment he made contact with the static buzz. It then disappeared shortly after the monster's heart was finally slashed through.

*Thud*

It layed limp on the ground. Eyes devoid of life. Klover barely smiled. Blood, moss and small parts of viscera washed his entire side, making him look like a teen murder hobo.

Nonetheless, he won. He layed back, his vision threatening to close. But he gave in, as the surrounding darkness embraced him.