For more than three days, Ang and his classmates had seen almost no trace of other humans deep within the Santa Cruz Rainforest. By day, they threaded through dense thickets and across slick moss, with the growls and rustling of various magical beasts occasionally sounding nearby. Whenever those beasts drew close, their mentor Nicholas calmly led them away from conflict. Every step he took reflected experience; he seemed to possess an intimate understanding of every inch of the rainforest.
Along the way, Ang and the others cautiously scattered the concealment potion they had prepared themselves. It masked their presence and allowed them to avoid direct confrontations with dangerous magical beasts. Even so, everyone remained highly alert. After all, the Santa Cruz Rainforest was famous for its dangers and mysteries, and unexpected threats could emerge at any moment.
Ang was secretly grateful for the potion's effectiveness. It spared them much trouble as they traveled through this unknown land. The three-day journey had been grueling, but their mentor had kept them safe throughout, deepening Ang's reverence for both magic and the rainforest. Nicholas was not a hunter, and his purpose was clear. Their target had never been magical beasts, but the mysterious beings shrouded in legend—the Flower Elves.
The existence of the Flower Elves had long been widespread in the legends of the Santa Cruz Rainforest, yet almost no one could truly describe what they looked like. It was said that the Flower Elves possessed the rainforest's most mysterious power, merging with nature itself as its guardians. Hundreds of years ago, the Flower Elves had once made contact with humans, but a serious dispute had caused a complete break between them. No one had seen them since. Because of this, traces of the Flower Elves had become as elusive as phantoms within