It was snowing.
Snowflakes drifted down from the lead-gray sky in a silent flurry.
Cui Ciyou and his companions knew they had probably reached the territory of the Three Great Magical Nations.
At this time of year, the Asla Kingdom should still have been enjoying spring, with everything coming back to life.
Here, however, winter already seemed to be drawing near.
All five of them-Cui Ciyou, Sylphy, Alice, Elinalise, and Benedict-had changed into fleece-lined clothes.
But the biting wind still left their exposed cheeks a little red.
"Tch, why does this damn place keep getting colder the farther we go?"
Alice rode alongside Cui Ciyou.
The cold wind stung her face, prompting her to complain.
Beside her, Elinalise let out a silvery laugh and gathered her fleece-lined clothes around herself with an alluring flourish.
"This is the northern part of the Central Continent, my dear young lady. The farther north you go, the colder it gets."
Just as she was about to continue explaining the customs of the Northern Territory, a faint commotion reached them through the wind and snow.
"Roar... roar..."
"There are too many! We can't hold them off!"
"Retreat! Get back! Aah-!"
Piercing screams mingled with savage roars and panicked human shouts.
They reached Sylphy and Elinalise's ears clearly.
Sylphy reined in her Horned Dragon Horse, her expression changing. "Ciyou, it sounds like someone up ahead has run into monsters."
Cui Ciyou's gaze sharpened instantly. He did not hesitate.
[Mental Power-connect-Perception-activate]
In an instant, the colorful world before him faded away.
In its place appeared a three-dimensional world formed from countless black-and-white lines and outlines, like a radar scan.
Through his Perception, he detected a group being surrounded in a mountain hollow roughly two kilometers ahead.
Five adventurers-three wielding blades, two holding staves.
They stood