Dean took Mondy's order, and Moka merely saw him off beyond the school gates before the two went their separate ways.
Watching Dean's departing back, Moka let out a long breath.
At some point, Mondy had come to stand beside him.
"Let's go. Call Bonawa over. Looks like we need to start getting serious too."
When Dean returned to the Monster Mountains, he immediately reported the results of his negotiations to Chen Cheng.
Only then did Chen Cheng realize that he could no longer act however he pleased.
In the past, he would not even have needed to wait. He could simply have taken Noah and the others and left the group.
But things were different now. He was the pillar of Dean's group, the emperor who had truly raised the banner of restoration.
For a moment, the atmosphere was silent. Dean held Mondy's signed order and waited for Chen Cheng's instructions.
"Get up. It's getting late today. Rest here for the night, and we'll set out tomorrow."
After saying that, Chen Cheng turned and leaped toward the high cliff beyond the campsite.
When the accompanying Shadow Guards saw this, they wanted to follow, but Dean stopped them.
"Go back."
Chen Cheng stood at the edge of the cliff. Before him stretched nothing but an endless forest.
"Do you know that, during the first ten years of this life, the only scenery I ever saw was trees? Other than Samlet, the only things I encountered were Magic Beasts and pursuers trying to kill me.
Back then, I was tiny, newly born. I saw my parents only once before Samlet took me and fled.
I'm not lying to you. Even then, I knew I might never see either of them again for the rest of my life."
Chen Cheng let out