Hearsay says that there was a lake inside the Grey Forest. That it was the calmest lake one will be able to experience.

The group seven simultaneously brighten up the mood, but in just seconds they found a problem.

They didn't know the location of the lake!

They've never been inside the forest after all.

But a thought struck the six of them as they looked at Ali at once.

Ali understood the meaning of their looks.

"I've somehow asked about the location of the lake to my teacher. He said that it was located at the north outer midst of this forest. Its surroundings are full of weird stuff. He reminded me not to approach it if I were to go there alone." She disclosed what she knew.

Her group member lit up the mood again as they looked at the dirt rat behind Atu.

Atu gives them an affirmative nod.

With the lead of Sada, the group seven continued their way.

..

In a distant place, palace main hall

A middle-aged man was sitting on the high back silver chair whilst reading some reports written on scrolls.

No one was there except for him.

Minutes later, footsteps reverberated to the silent hall.

"Your majesty, Junior Habagat (Az) pays respect to you," the two simultaneously knelt like a knight.

Add knelt in front of the Datu.

The Datu extended his hand.

Add held it and place his dorsal to her forehead. "Your daughter pays her respect."

"What matters it is this time?" The Datu gestured his hand telling them that they can stand up.

Habagat gathered his thought. With full of respect, he said, "I deciphered the ancient writing to the giant statue in that vestige."

His words just fall to the Datu's ears and the Datu raised his hand indicating him to stop.

He looked at Habagat, then at Az before his gaze fell to Add. "Add, didn't I tell you not to go there again."

Add lowered her head admitting her mistake.

The Datu didn't care about it as he continued nagging his daughter, "What if the same event happens again? Go to your room and you never step outside not until I tell you!"

Though he was a Datu, no one could deny that he was a father too.

Habagat wasn't foreign to the Datu's attitude. It happened a year ago too when they met a beast on their way back from the vestige that they couldn't defeat nor run away. Fortunately, one of their teachers was their picking herbal medicine.

Without a second thought, Habagat parted his lips to defend Add. "Your majesty, it's my fault. I should have not encouraged her to go there with us." He bowed as if asking for his forgiveness.

Az did the same. "Yes, your majesty. It's our fault. Please spare lady Add."

"I know that you didn't encourage her. She has surely volunteered to go there too. But don't worry, I will not spare the both of you. I will surely talk to this with your masters."

His words stunned the trio as they simultaneously looked at the Datu.

They never imagine that the Datu will not punish them by himself.

Not caring to their expression, the Datu continued, "Before you go, narrate what happens there."

These words light up the mood of the three.

They begin to narrate what they have experienced. As they go to the climax, the Datu couldn't help but be perplexed, stunned and frown.

..

Inside the Grey Forest

A lake lay calmly as the surrounding grass that spreads a hundred meters sway cause of the winds. The lake didn't create any riffles as it seemingly observing its surrounding.

The group seven found the lake, but they didn't approach it directly. Their gazes fell onto Atu.

Atu took a deep breath. He patted the head of the dirt rat as he said, "Can you go there and investigate the surrounding place?"

The dirt rat nodded its head.

Atu ordered the beast to investigate the place.

A moment later, the dirt rat went back.

"Have you found any traces of beasts?" Atu asked.

The dirt rat shook its head.

"Good!" Atu patted its head.

The group seven started to move forward stepping to the unknown grass.

They have just walked around 20 meters, Sada rubbed his arms because of itching. He wasn't experiencing it alone. Cite and the other six also felt the itch of their arms.

Dawag examined his arms and realized something wasn't right. He picked some of the grass and examined it carefully.

"This is not good," Dawag noticed clouds of dust that gathered in the grass he has picked. Just little movements of them, it flew gently on the air. Because of its small size, they were unable to notice it that easily.

"What it is?" Yan asked as he suppressed his urge to rub his arms.

"This is the residual clouds of dust of moths. This is highly itchy if it contacts human skin." Dawag explained. "We need to go back right now."

"It is just itch. Why so afraid of it? I know you have the medicine of it." Sada commented.

"I do but the tinge of a bite of this kind of moth is highly dangerous. If this grass has their clouds of dust, for sure, they are here." Dawag clarified.

Before his group member could react, sizzling sounds reverberated to the surroundings.

They all simultaneously looked ahead of them only to see moths slowly ascending from the grass.

They were the size of a human adult hand!

"RUN!" Dawag was the first to react.

His voice woke up the seven of his group member from their shocked.

They ran back as fast as they could but the moths flew fast closing the distance.

The group seven were going to be caught up by the moths, but when they finally stepped out from the grass, the moths didn't follow suit.

Dawag heaved a sigh of relief. "Fortunately, they are territorial. If not, I don't know what will happen to us."

He waved his hand and materialized ointment for their itchiness.

As they mend their itchiness, Ali asked, "So, how could we cross that grass if the moths guarded it?"

The group seven pondered a solution.

Yan unconsciously glanced at the beast behind Atu. Suddenly, an answer touched his mind.

"Why not someone rides this dirt rat and go there. Its speed is not slow and as it first investigated the grass, those moths seemed like have no guts to show up."

Every one of his group lit up as they gazed to Atu.

"Eh?" Atu felt shivered all over his body. "How could I ride a beast? Have you forgotten that I am an apothecary, not a beast tamer? And what I can do when I get there? Create a pill?" He argued.

"He is right." Atu was going to relax hearing those words from Laz, but the next words of Laz made him almost vomit blood.

"Atu, can you ask your beast if we all can ride at its back?"

The other six nodded in agreement.

Atu could just dispiritedly face the beast. "Can we all ride at your back?" His tone was slow. He gestured the beast to shake its head, but the beast seemed so lively as it nods its head.

It just thought that its master asking its help, so it didn't hesitate to offer one.

"That's great!" Cite immediately rejoice as she walks to the side of Atu. She rested her arm to Atu's shoulder and asked, "So, how could we ride?"

Yan snatched Atu from Cite and jumped high towards the back of the beast. He placed Atu near its neck. "This is how you to ride a beast."

The other six followed suit.

Yan tapped Atu's shoulder and said, "We are ready."

Atu could only nod. He deeply inhaled before he shouted, "Yah!"

"_" His group member

What does Atu was thinking?

Is he thinking that this beast was a horse?

His group member could not help to let out a laugh. But to their surprise, the dirt rat ran as fast as it could.

They now know the full speed of a D beast!

Each one of their faces couldn't be drawn as intense winds pass through them, especially the one in front, Atu.

The moths could barely avoid the beast.

"Finally!" Yan, Sada, and Laz stretched their body lazily after they land on the ground whilst the five pokes near the lake.

"Guys, it was just barely two minutes and you poke?" Sada couldn't help but think of how frail they were.

The five shot a cold glanced to him.

Sada just whistled as he avoids their gazes.

Yan and Laz understand them. Their body wasn't trained that much after all.