Delta gallops through the forest nimbly with the mutated bugs behind her.
She picks up her pace, even more, when the Mutated Bug Wave finally started. There are not only a couple of hundreds of mutated bugs but there are thousands of them that look like a black tidal wave following them from behind.
Rex remembers that Duncan told him that this Mutated Bug Wave attacks everything alive.
Every time nearing midnight, the tall mutated trees inside the Purple Conifer Forest will emit an alluring scent that will wake every mutated bug and also makes them aggressive and hungry. It's not that they're actually hungry, but the scent makes them feel like they are hungry.
Because of this weird alluring scent, the Mutated Bug Wave appeared.
All of the mutated bugs that are very toxic create a couple of swarms with each containing as many as three to five thousand mutated bugs. They explore the entire Purple Conifer Forest in search of any other living beings that dare to enter the forest and eat them.
Since this place is very dangerous, people avoid it but not mutated animals.
They don't know the horror of the Purple Conifer Forest and sometimes ran inside to hide from other predators, but that is the wrong choice that will cost its life. But even if some of the mutated animals are killed here, there is no sign of their carcasses here as the mutated bugs eat them and grind their bones.
"Master... I-I can't hold it much longer!", Gistella shouted.
Gistella is starting to struggle to hold the barrier covering them since some of the mutated bugs are strong even with the help of Rex's Black Field Orko spell, but she held on as the exit is near and just within their reach.
Not only her but Evelyn and Adhara started to struggle too as their spells are not as effective.
It's all thanks to the stronger mutated bugs that tanked the spells sent by Adhara and Evelyn for the other mutated bugs, and this proves to be difficult.
Rex then imbued his lightning mana into Delta as he shouted, "Come on Delta! Faster!"
BLITZ!
Like a flash of white lightning, Delta roared feeling the lightning mana filling her with power before she puts everything into one last dash.
Roar!!
Swoosh!
They all burst out of the purple mist exiting the forest just enough before the mutated bugs can catch them, Delta's claws screeched the ground stopping her dashing momentum while turning to look at the back where the mutated bugs stopped mid-tract.
Many of them make weird noises in anger while looking at Rex and the others, not one of them is intending to leave the forest.
"Phew... that was close", Adhara mutters from the side.
The others looks at their back and saw the mutated bugs started disappearing into the purple mist again, they all sigh a sigh of relief before they look at their surrounding. Just like before, the other side of the Purple Conifer Forest is also a grassland.
But there's a flowing river that can be seen in front that is definitely toxic too.
After recovering, Rex then looks back at the map in his hand before he points in a direction, "Delta keep moving that way, the Great Barricade should be that way"
Hearing this, Delta growls lightly before she resumes their journey.
~
Meanwhile, Delarosa Family Territory.
One can see many torches lit up the entire village with many pale skin Vampires dancing and laughing happily while taking a cupful of blood inside a barrel and drowning themselves in it, they seem to be celebrating.
This is village-wide as each of the Vampire residents is celebrating.
Even the street in front of the castle has been decorated with red carpet with a very long table with many barrels for the Vampires resident to enjoy, Delarosa, Ana, and even Issac are sitting on a stage with three fancy seats on it.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Praise the Origin!"
"The Origin has chosen us, Vampire, to be the strongest race! There's no other explanation!"
"Yes! Our Origin is the kindest!"
Many of the vampires cheered and laughed as they drank the content of the barrels happily, they brought their spouses with them to enjoy the celebration, and they didn't even care when some of the barrels spilled because of the ruckus crowd.
While looking at his people, Delarosa smiles in delight.
"I can't believe the Origin gave us his Cutlass", Delarosa mutters while shaking his head in excitement, he leans back on his chair while sipping blood on his glass with a satisfied expression.
Hearing this, Ana also blossomed with a smile, "With the Origin's Cutlass, Blood Devourer. Only the Werewolf that has awakened their Prince can resist us, the other races won't stand a chance. Not even the Demons."
Ana right now is already recovered from her wound, but there's still a blistering scar on her neck. It seems even the regenerative ability of a Vampire can't heal her wound fully.
Delarosa scoffed upon hearing this, "The Werewolves will destroy themselves, they won't stand a chance against us. Although we surpassed the Demons' power with the Origin' Cutlass, that blue demon is something we need to be wary of"
"I don't remember him back in the Era of Might, is he really a part of the Demon race?"
The matter of discussion makes a frown appear on Ana's face as she also remembered the blue demon that helped King Solomon take down the Great Barricade, the blue demon is very mysterious.
But just as they thought about that, Issac from the side said, "Mother, Father..."
"Just go play with that spouse of yours, there's no need to ask for our permission. You wouldn't even be interested in this kind of talk anyway", Delarosa said before Issac can even say anything.
Issac's expression darkened upon hearing this, but he eventually nodded and left.
The celebration continued as the Vampire's residents becomes even drunker in blood, a group of three male Vampires on the edge of the red carpet is currently conversing with each other before one of them bumps into someone.
"Huh...?", the Vampire looks back before his expression turns ashen.
In his back stands a woman strapped with a red ancient cutlass that is staring at the man with her red eyes, the look from the woman makes the Vampire feels an insurmountable amount of pressure before he instantly kneels down.
Many other celebrating Vampires saw the woman before they all instantly bowed down.
Just like a meeting a saint or some sort, each one of them not only kneels on the ground but also puts their hand on their chest in reverence and respect for this woman.
The woman then started advancing toward Delarosa and Ana who are still sitting.
But immediately after they noticed the advancing woman that eludes a powerful blood aura with a blood-red cutlass strapped on her waist, both of them stands up from their seats and even descend down from the stage humbly.
"Long live the princess..."
"Long live the princess..."
Every vampire started muttering lightly while bowing to the woman.
From what the Vampires here said, this woman that has arrived at the Delarosa Family core territory is none other than Calidora, the princess of the Vampires.
Calidora laid her beautiful red eyes onto Delarosa and Ana,
Each step that she took is light but filled with power silencing the crowd of Vampires that is celebrating the success of the Chosen One's ritual, she becomes even more revered since she just received the blessing from the origin.
Inside the Vampire's residents' eyes, Calidora is akin to a Prophet.
After reaching in front of Delarosa and Ana, both of them bowed slightly before Delarosa asks politely, "Princess, I thought the King and Queen are also celebrating. Why are you here?"
"Isn't it impolite for you to leave the King's castle in such a joyful time?", Ana added.
While they both are questioning Calidora's visit since the King and Queen are celebrating the success of the ritual of the Chosen One and also for receiving the Origin's Blessing, they both then frown when they realize the armor Calidora is wearing.
Calidora is wearing her royal black and red armor,
She wore a short black cuirass that covers her breast area but exposed her toned and pale stomach, there's a red skull in the middle of the cuirass signing the royal symbol of the King's family.
Both of her arms and knee-down are covered with black and red armor, and the band of black steel plates decorated with black veils that has the same red skull on it covered her waist.
The outfit Calidora is wearing shows that she's prepared for combat and this confused both Delarosa and Ana, this is their territory so it's weird to see her wearing armor. This somewhat makes them feel nervous.
Hearing this, Calidora smiles excitedly and exposes her beautiful fangs.
She then slowly rest her slender hand on the Origin's Cutlass strapped on her waist making Delarosa and Ana gulp, "I have permission from my parents to visit here, so you two don't need to be so worried about it", Calidora said.
"May I know why visiting our territory specifically?", Delarosa asks politely.
But the smile on Calidora's face becomes even wider before she looks to the side to the far horizon, her Vampiric Eyes then activated showing the black pattern before she replied with her body slightly trembling in excitement, "That's because my future spouse will arrive here..."
"F-Future spouse...?", Delarosa and Ana mutter in utter shock.
~
Back to Rex,
Rex and the others reach the Great Barricade, they arrive near the hole that Rex used back during he, Evelyn, and Dray went to the Supernatural territory to search for Adhara's spirit.
It's the only place that they can use to go to the Supernatural territory.
Anywhere else aside from this secluded hole on the Great Barricade will make them meet with the military and even the Cessation Knight. Even though Rex has an influential family right now, the procedure will drag time so he decided to just go through here.
While on the back of the galloping Delta heading to the hole, Adhara unconsciously holds onto Delta's body tighter and so does Kyran whose breath becomes heavy.
The hole is not that far anymore, just a couple of leaps and they will reach it.
Evelyn who saw their tense expression chuckles as she remembered the first time when she went through this hole with Dray and Rex, she also has the same expression as the both of them since going out of the Human territory is very terrifying.
Even for the second time like right now, Evelyn still feels her heart thumps faster.
"It's going to be fine, just stick with Rex and we're going to be fine", Evelyn said trying to comfort Kyran and Adhara, they both heard this and nodded their heads.
After Delta went through the hole and step outside, the air instantly feels different.
This change in the air was not an actual change but it was the feeling that Adhara and Kyran felt that changed, they are now not in the human territory anymore but in the Supernatural territory instead.
Dangers are bound to happen here.
While looking at the complete death plain in front of them, Adhara shakes her head remembering that this place was once a place filled with humans.
But now it becomes a barren land, completely devoid of life.
Rex looks back to the others feeling the need to check the others, he finds that as expected Adhara and Kyran seem to be nervous. He said with a serious expression, "Kyran, keep your senses sharp all the time. We're going in for a wild journey"
Hearing this, Kyran gulp as his hand noticeably trembles alongside the spear he's holding.
Kyran remembers the day they met with the Vampires, he remembers the one that is called Ana Delarosa. The way that Ana played with them as if they were nothing, and even Rex himself got taken down even though he's fighting alongside Jarvald.
It's still crystal clear inside his head, Kyran remembered her devious smirk too well.
Seeing Kyran dazing while his body trembles, Rex sighs, "Don't worry, if you're too scared to move just stick with Gistella. She will definitely protect you"
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmKyran glanced at Gistella and finds her smiling assuringly, this calmed him down a bit.
After the others are ready, Rex signals Delta to dash through the dead plain to avoid being caught by the people that are guarding the Great Barricade.
While dashing through the dead plain, they enter a forest on the right.
Adhara who has her hands on the Duality Daggers at all times then saw a big structure not far from the Great Barricade, she looks at the structure in confusion, "Is that a scouting post?"
"Yes, we need to stay silent", Rex said before Delta deactivate her white lightning.
Since they have an enhanced vision, they all saw that there are Supernaturals on the scouting post and it seems they are a Succubus and a Shapeshifter. The others held their breaths as Delta went through the forest silently.
It's not that they unconsciously held their breath, but they held their breaths purposely seeing that there are two Supernatural on the scouting post that has seventh rank power.
Eyesight and senses are Werewolf's advantage, but detection still goes to the Shapeshifter. Slowly inching to pass the scouting post, Rex then whispers, "Kyran, Can you scout the front?"
But just as he said that Rex remembered that Kyran is pretty nervous right now.
When he was about to tell Gistella to try to scout the front, Kyran steeled his will before he replied albeit nervously, "Okay, leave it to me", Kyran then blend into the darkness and disappear.
The reason Rex tells Kyran instead of the others is because only Kyran has little to no presence that even Wesley can't sense, so these two Supernaturals on top of the scouting post shouldn't be able to sense Kyran. Even the Shapeshifter.
With Kyran scouting the front, he can check if there are other Supernatural in front.
Rex scans both Supernaturals at the scouting post before he frowns since those two Supernaturals have seventh rank power, one is an early seventh rank Succubus while the other is a mid-seventh rank Shapeshifter.
But Rex is not too worried about them, he just doesn't want to fight here.
After Delta sneakily walks through the forest, Rex widens his eyes before he opened the inventory. He then takes out the Astral Blanket.
"Keep your eyes on them, if any of them looks this way don't move", Rex instructed.
Upon covering their bodies with the astral blanket, their bodies can become translucent. Aside from that, their auras will also become subtle but they can't move to activate this effect. With the addition of Gistella's energy, their presence becomes even fainter.
As they are already halfway passing the scouting post,
The Succubus slowly looks in their direction making the others instantly halt their step including Delta, their bodies become translucent while the Succubus stare at their spot.
Each second that passes makes their hearts thump faster especially Adhara and Evelyn.
It feels like an eternity to wait for the Succubus to look away, but eventually, the Succubus looks away before they started to move again.
Kyran pops a couple of times from the darkness to tell them where they should go.
Unlike before when Rex visited the Lightless Marsh with Liliya, there are Supernaturals roaming the place which should be avoided if they don't want the two seventh-rank Supernaturals to notice them infiltrating.
Thanks to Kyran, they are able to avoid the Supernatural that guards the forest.
After they manage to pass the scouting post and are at a safe distance, Kyran got back on Delta before Rex compliments him, "Good job Kyran, I'm impressed", he whispers.
"Good job, Kyran!", Evelyn and Adhara also added.
But while they're praising Kyran, Rex looks at a particular tree that is darker than the other.
Upon looking at this, Rex frowned in thought. He finds this familiar. In fact too familiar but he can't quite put his finger on it, this particular darker part of the tree makes him weirded out.
While he was thinking, the others didn't notice him frowning at all.
Kyran darted his eyes to the right before he saw a small creature the size of a moth is looking at them from the side, he was about to attack it but he was too late.
Screeee!!