"Huh... It's so eerie here..." Zohar commented on the mountain gap that the team had just entered.

Gulp.

"Yes, it is." Aurel nervously replied while gulping. She, who usually bickering with Zohar, this time must agree with him.

Previously, Melissa decided to bring in her team into the mountain gap in order to get through the mountains as quickly as possible.

At this time, the team has entered a few steps inside the gap.

The gap is extremely dark, almost can be said as a cave. The inside is only dimly lighted by the sunlight that penetrated through the cracks in the ceiling above team heads.

The passage within the gap is wide enough for several people to pass at once. The area around which the team traveled was filled with many attributes and variety of broken things scattered on the ground such as, swords, shields, broken arrows, debris and many more.

The team was also able to see some rotten corpse and bones among the things. Some were still wrapped in their incomplete clothing. Those things seem to have been here undisturbed for a long time.

"Very strange isn't it?" Steven suddenly muttered.

"What is it, boy?" Sasha asked. She is rude as usual.

Steven did not mind that, instead, he continued speaking "Well... There is a lot of rotten corpses here, but it doesn't smell bad at all."

Certainly, the other members also did not smell any kind of bad or rotten fragrances.

"Mel, do we really proceed or what...?" Dina asked Melissa softly.

Melissa nodded her head while gazing at the dark ravine in front of her.

"Right... We should. We need to get into that village at least before nightfall." she replied with confidence and serious tone.

Swing!

The sound came from Victor and Ryson direction, as both of them drew their respective weapon after they heard Melissa's order.

It looks like both of them have a different fighting style, judging from different personal weapons they have.

Ryson is wielding a large silverish two-handed sword with his both hand. The sword itself is a top Rare - grade weapon.

Meanwhile, the one who is particularly eye-catching was Victor. He wields a long Warhammer that is beautifully and glamorously decorated but at the same time still looked menacing.

The Warhammer itself extremely large and heavy, but it seems suited to Victor's huge and fit body.

The weapon also radiating a dim white aura that enveloped its body, signified that this Warhammer is definitely not just an ordinary weapon.

The Warhammer is none other the famous [Radiant Star], one of the most treasured regalia belong to the Greysia Church. A Legendary - grade weapon that can only be given to and wielded by the Church Saint rank expert.

The rest of the members also readying their weapons and they couldn't help but take a glance at Victor who looked absolutely gallant and heroic.

The combination of his huge muscled body, along with his white colored knight armor and a certified Legendary - grade weapon really attracted admiration from other team members. Of course, Victor's Saint rank strength is also one of the factors as well.

It's not their fault, though. Most of them had never seen a Saint rank expert wielding a Legendary grade weapon from close up before. Even Melissa also couldn't help herself but gasp in awe at the sight of Victor now.

As expected from exalted Saint rank warrior, they were truly different.

But Arno didn't seem to share other's enthusiasm. Although there is a bit of appreciation in his eye as he looks at Victor.

As the other member already had their weapons in hands, he also needs to follow suits.

Then, he unsheathed the [Levantine] and holding it leisurely with his right hands. Drawing other people attention to his direction.

This is the first time for them seeing Arno drew his sword, that he always has kept on its sheath since the start of the journey.

They were amazed at the sight of it. [Levantine] jet black edge is flickering a black and red lightning color alternatingly. Also, there is a subtle invisible ominous pressure that came from it as well, making any people who stand near the sword feels little restless and dreadful.

Most people here couldn't discern the sword's true power, and they were having difficulties in knowing its quality. Except for Victor and Aurel who is a White Elves that very sensitive to Mana or Energia movements, they can immediately recognize the true worth of the [Levantine] just from observing its magical properties.

Just like the [Radiant Star], the [Levantine] is a Legendary - grade weapon, which is definitely among the rarest weapons in all of the Greysia realm. Even Victor is somehow sure Arno's weapon power is not less than his own [Radiant Star].

Victor fixed his keen gazes at Arno and thinking. He thought an individual who possessed that kind of overbearing weapon should obviously a famous or at least, a known expert, and he or she must also come from a reputable faction. But he never heard of Arno or at least someone who matched his description before.

In fact, before the Church's team joined Melissa's team, they actually try to gather every intelligence about each member of her team. While they easily found every bit of information about the members of Melissa's team, thanks to each member relatively known names. They couldn't find anything about this particular unknown man named Arno.

His history, origin, or affiliation, nothing at all.

The only information they possessed about him was gained after they had joined under Melissa's command. Through Melissa and her team members, they know Arno is supposedly coming from Miraz Island, the home of the famous and reclusive Regios clan.

Of course, as high ranking Church members, Victor along with Ryson and Rionne obviously knows about the clan. Even Steven has at least little knowledge about them. But whether Arno is, in fact, a member of the Regios clan or not nobody knows for certain, as the man himself is really vague about it.

When Arno's presumable strength, which is a peak Grandmaster rank was known to Luccio, Ryson, and Steven, they were flabbergasted. Because of his tall and masculine but youthful fit appearance can only make other people regard him as a 30 years old human male. Which extremely young for a Grandmaster expert and not to mention, a peak Grandmaster.

They thought that if it's true. Then, he was just steps away from the ultimate Saint rank.

Ryson immediately recovered his composure, he already somewhat thought about it after he had witnessed the confrontation between Arno and Victor back in Esnoz. But to hear it directly seem still shocking enough for him.

While Victor already expecting that. No one has ever defeated him in Mana projection battle before. So it makes sense for Arno to have that kind of strength.

But there is something strange about Rionne after she heard it. Even now, she's staring directly at Arno's face with indescribable and mysterious gazes. Nobody knows what she's thinking.

After receiving mixed gazes from other people, he felt a little bit annoyed. This [Levantine] he brought, still attracted a lot of attention. But he didn't have any other option, as he didn't have any other weapons that are lower quality than the one which currently on his hand. [Levantine] is the weakest and the least conspicuous weapon in his possession. In the end, he can only ignore those attentions.

But after that, he took a peek at Victor, who also stares at him. And they exchanged nods to each other.

Victor then turns his vision towards Melissa "Lady Melissa, I think we should proceed with caution. And they exchanged nods to each other." and he warned her.

"Agree... We should remain vigilant." Ryson also speaks cautiously.

"Umm... let us proceed then." Melissa, therefore, beckoning the team to move forward.

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The team proceeds with extreme caution.

They already traveled for about one or 2 km deeper into the mountain gap, on foot.

The reason that they are walking, instead of riding the horses is because they need to be always vigilant and must remain in combat stance. They already traveled for about one or 2 km deeper into the mountain gap, on foot.

But because they still need the horses for the rest of the journey as the only means for them to traveling fast, they also brought the horses along with them into the gap and it is quite a hassle. Fortunately, these horses were really trained, so the members didn't have to guide them personally, as they were smart enough to understand a simple order and able to follow the team on their own.

Whether they like it or not, the team had no choice but to bear with this current condition, at least until they had exited the mountain.

As the team continued on. The scenery and the atmosphere surrounding them didn't really change at all. But there is something different, though. The team current location is darker compared to before, resulting in the decreasing of the team visibility.

It might be hard for the rest of the members to analyze their surrounding visual in this situation, except for Zohar, Dina, and Arno.

Zohar is a Dwarf. Currently, he utilized the Dwarfs unique vision that can see through the dark. The Dwarfs race gained this unique power naturally after centuries of dwelling in caves and underground.

Although the Dark Elves did not have a unique vision like the Dwarf, Dina had been a spy for a long time and she's mostly operated in the middle of the night. Thus, her eyes are well adapted enough for this kind of dark situation.

While Arno's 'Godly' eye has many wonderful abilities and seeing through the dark is just one of them.

"I can see a light far ahead..." Zohar suddenly informs the other members about what he saw.

Other people also began looking at the direction that Zohar pointed out. But most of them can't see anything there as it is still too dark.

"Could it be the mountain exit, perhaps?" Sasha asked.

"Definitely not. We haven't reached the center of the mountain yet... So the exit probably still too far from here." Luccio interjected her while shaking his head.

"Keep your guard up. Prepare to meet what may lay ahead." Melissa ordered the team to remain vigilant.

The gap is surprisingly linear without any sudden turn, so it is quite easy for the team to traverse the path within it.

While the team continues walking forward, they found more and more corpses and other things belongs to the mountain's unlucky previous visitors. Most of those were still in good and well-preserved condition compared to what the team had found in the gap entrance. But of course, that only applies to other things except for the corpses, which already beyond their rotten state.

"There's so much history in this pile of things laying around. Too bad we can't study them now..." Rionne muttered something to herself while sighing heavily.

Melissa, whose walking beside Rionne heard it. She also thought it was really unfortunate that the team cannot stay in this place for long. If they can, then they definitely would study those artifacts.

She and Rionne are a typical mage that really craving for any kind of knowledge, especially history. Seeing many banners or flags and coats of arms in those corpses clothes or armors which belong to unknown factions, really aroused their curiosity.

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A moment later.

"Well shit... That light really appears to be an exit..." Zohar suddenly spoke again with a hint of surprise on his voice.

"What! Really?" it's Aurel turn now who asked him.

"Yep. Didn't see it clearly before, but now I do." Zohar replies rather cheerfully.

Aurel and Sasha are elated because of the revelation, they thought the exit ahead of them is truly the mountain exit. They were really uncomfortable by being inside this narrow and dark gap. They just want to get out from this cursed place as quick as possible.

"But we only just walked half an hour from the entrance, you know! There's no way that's the mountain exit, right?" Luccio is completely doubtful about the supposed "Mountain exit" is really the mountain exit which should be located on the south side.

He feels the mountains length is not that narrow. It's not possible for them to get through to the other side of the mountain by only walking for half an hour.

"It's probably leading to someplace, but definitely not the exit." Ryson spoke his conjecture seriously.

At the same time, his stance is becoming even more rigid, which also prompt the other members to raise their vigilant level.

They were getting closer and closer to the "exit", which was enveloped by intense sunlight that prevented the team member from seeing through to the outside of the gap.

Melissa is also getting restless and uneasy. She was sure that something came from beyond the "exit" is causing her to feel like that.

"Hahaha. Do all of you feel that?" Victor's sudden laugh brought surprise to almost everyone.

"You right, old man... It's Bloodlust." Ryson speaks while nodding to him.

"Damn right it is! I don't know who or what awaits us on the other side of that light. But what I know is... They really want to kill us all." Victor replied vigorously.

An extreme dense of bloodlust was raging from beyond the "exit" and directed at the team members. Causing immense pressure on them.

Neigh!!!

The horses behind the team are getting restless and almost entering a panic state.

Since most members are veteran combat or at least already had an experience of a death and life type situation before, they were still able to maintain their composure and handling this situation well.

Automatically, the members enter their combat stance and readying their weapons.

Their journey from the border had been without accident thus far. They didn't even encounter a single Demon Beast. But it looks like things can't always go smoothly for them after all.

Arno still stands leisurely while calmly analyzing the situation. His "Divine Sense" is picking up a massive amount of hostile intent came from the same source as the bloodlust originating from.

The enemy is waiting for them.