One "Smoke Rabbit" after another leaped out of the dense undergrowth.
They paused and hopped along. Though cautious enough, they still triggered a trap. A huge plant hidden underground, pitcher-plant-like in shape, burst through the earth and swallowed them whole.
But the plant's gaping maw chewed only a few times before the "Smoke Rabbit" quickly dissipated. It hadn't tasted a thing.
Hundreds of meters away, two figures pressed steadily onward.
"My little darlings have stepped on another land mine for us." Morel hoisted the heavy, oversized Pipe onto his shoulder and adjusted his sunglasses. "Gelman, has your En sensed anything?"
"Nothing unusual." Gelman shook his head. "I can sense a lot of living things, but no one's responded with En or anything else."
Morel nodded. "If you release En as openly as you do, anyone within range—Ging or Knuckle, for example—will definitely notice, and they'll definitely respond."
He gritted his teeth, looking doubtful. "Could we have chosen the wrong direction to search?"
"Don't worry." Gelman said, "The Treacherous Mountains are enormous. We've only been searching for one morning. That doesn't prove they're not on this side."
The afternoon sun began to sink in the west, baking the open ground until it was scorching. Even beneath the canopy of the forest, the two of them were already drenched in sweat.
Hearing Gelman's words, Morel realized he'd been getting too worked up. He slowly regulated his breathing and soon regained his composure.
It was only natural. Knuckle's life or death was still unknown, and Morel was a deeply loyal man. Though he kept his emotions in check for the sake of the bigger picture, inside he must have been as frantic as ants in a hot pan.
"I may be getting a little heatstroke." Morel casually offered an excuse and gave a