The Clay Converts faithfully carried out Gauss's orders, closely following the Monster Convert leading the way. They merged with the trees and lurked through the underground network of roots.
Other Converts continually joined the advancing group along the way, as if summoned by some special existence. Together, they hurried toward a single direction.
With the aid of their shared senses, Gauss vaguely picked up their locations. Even across some distance, he could still outline their general route in his mind.
The farther inward they went, the taller and darker the surrounding trees became. Twisted bark and trunks occasionally revealed eerie patterns resembling human faces.
However, the increasing number of glowing fungi made the surroundings considerably brighter.
Gauss dismounted from the Land Bird.
He left Golden Ear and the slingshot where they were, while Ulfhen stayed behind to protect them.
The area ahead was no longer suitable for them to continue onward.
After marking the mounts' location on his mental map, Gauss cautiously continued toward the depths of the Black Forest with Alya and Theron.
"Screech, screech, screech—"
Apart from the chirping of insects, there was no other sound.
However, fearing that they might alert the enemy, Gauss did not release the Clay Spiders to "eat at the buffet."
The three of them carefully watched their surroundings as they continued through the Black Forest.
They encountered several monsters along the way.
Although they had the Scale Powder Butterfly's invisibility effect, invisibility did not mean complete disappearance. There were still many ways to detect their presence.
As a result, two more ordinary entries appeared in Gauss's Monster Codex—Blade Ants and Gem Beetles.
The total number of species had finally reached thirty-five.
Blade Ants were a type of large ant whose forelimbs were as sharp as blades.
Gem Beetles, meanwhile, were glittering insects.