Any Other Experts?

Below the platform, Windchaser strapped her sword back on.

"Fine. The sooner we get it, the sooner Sunken Crow can break through."

Sunken Crow said helplessly, "There's a failure rate..."

Windchaser patted his shoulder. "It's fine. We can just try again. We'll cheer you on."

Vernacular Poet smiled. "Don't worry, we'll put it on your tab."

Sunken Crow: "..."

Silver Wolf propped her chin on one hand.

That wording... Why does this feel so much like playing a game?

She looked at the rainforest before her and the three people in the distance, a faint smile curling her lips.

Interesting. Hmph, women, you've successfully caught my attention.

The three set off again.

Silver Wolf did not reveal herself immediately.

She followed from above, stepping across branches and thick vines as she moved soundlessly through the rain.

The Boundarybreaker Squad traveled more steadily than she had expected.

Although Windchaser talked the most, her movements became clean and precise whenever they entered dangerous territory. She used her scabbard to probe the grass, avoided strangely colored flowers, and even waited for Sunken Crow to nod before approaching anything pretty.

Sunken Crow hardly wasted words.

Every so often, he stopped to inspect the ground, wind direction, tree shadows, and the scent left behind by magical beasts. Whenever they reached an uncertain area, he had Windchaser halt while he circled through the shadows first.

Vernacular Poet walked at the rear.

He maintained a faint layer of Purifying Light, just enough to cover the ground beneath the three of them. It did not consume much energy, but it kept the rainforest's poisonous spores from inflicting status effects on them.

Silver Wolf watched his MP slowly decline.

[MP:7690/7820]

The consumption was minimal.

They avoided a group of Vine Snakes, then detoured around a giant tree lizard lying behind a tree root.

The tree lizard was level sixty-three. Its tail lay beneath a patch of moss, nearly impossible to spot.

Windchaser had almost stepped on it.

Sunken Crow reached out and grabbed the back of her cloak collar.

Windchaser froze completely.

Vernacular Poet immediately shut off the terminal light.

The three silently went around it.

Watching from above, Silver Wolf quietly commented, "They work together so well. Looks like they're a regular team after all."

As they continued forward, the terrain gradually sloped downward.

Rainwater gathered into shallow streams and flowed through gaps between the roots. Several transparent leaves floated on the water, while tiny black shadows darted beneath them.

Vernacular Poet stopped. "Don't cross the water."

Windchaser glanced at the stream. "What kind of monster?"

"Demon Leeches."

Sunken Crow crouched down and tossed a leaf into it.

The surface remained still for a moment.

The next second, more than a dozen thin black shadows lunged from beneath the water and dragged the leaf into the mud.

Windchaser stepped back. "Ugh, there are that many?"

Vernacular Poet tapped on his terminal. "There's a high-root path on the right that can take us around, but we'll have to pass through a Vine Snake area."

Windchaser fell silent for a moment. "I vote for it."

Sunken Crow said, "But Vine Snakes can drop down from the trees."

Windchaser said seriously, "Right. At least we can see them."

Vernacular Poet nodded.

They changed course.

Silver Wolf followed and looked up.

There really was a path hidden behind the vines on the right.

Through her goggles, the traces of the path were faint, as though people had traveled it for a long time while deliberately leaving no markers. Vines concealed the entrance, and slick moss covered the tree roots. At a glance, an ordinary person would only think the place was impassable.

But the path was still there.

Just as Silver Wolf was about to follow, she suddenly stopped.

Within the vines high ahead, there was a deeper life signature.

[Mimic Vine Snake King]

[Level: 49]

[Status: Dormant]

It was coiled inside a tree hollow, its body tangled with the vines as it blocked the space above the high-root path's entrance.

Windchaser was walking in front.

She had not seen it yet.

Sunken Crow had already looked up, but several broad leaves obstructed his angle. He frowned, seemingly sensing something wrong, but he was still just short of confirming it.

Vernacular Poet appeared to be checking the map with his head lowered, completely unaware.

Silver Wolf watched the Snake King's abdomen faintly contract.

This snake is about to wake up. Out of the goodness of my heart, I'll give you a warning~

She raised her hand.

A silver-blue speck of light flicked from her fingertip and landed three steps in front of Windchaser.

The light was tiny.

Like a firefly that had landed in the wrong place.

Windchaser paused.

"Hm?"

The next instant, the Mimic Vine Snake King opened its eyes inside the tree hollow.

A long, narrow snake-shaped shadow dropped from above, landing exactly where her next step would have been.

Windchaser reacted quickly. She swept her scabbard sideways and used the wind to slide half a step back.

Sunken Crow's short blade left its sheath at the same time.

Vernacular Poet raised a hand, and a pale golden shield of light descended beside Windchaser.

Rather than continue its attack after missing, the snake shadow merely slowly withdrew along the tree root.

Sunken Crow did not look at the snake.

He looked toward where the light had come from.

"There's someone in the tree."

Rain pattered down.

Windchaser gripped her sword and looked up.

Vernacular Poet raised his eyes as well, his smile fading somewhat.

Silver Wolf sat on a thick branch overhead, looking down at them.

She chewed her bubble gum.

"Not bad. Your observation skills are pretty good."

Windchaser froze for a moment.

Then her eyes gradually lit up.

Vernacular Poet did not speak immediately.

Sunken Crow's short blade still hung at his side.

Silver Wolf jumped down from the branch and landed on a sideways-growing tree root.

Her coat fluttered lightly in the rain, the tips of her silver-gray hair still wet. Her pixel-styled accessories looked utterly out of place in the rainforest, almost excessively bright.

Windchaser looked her over, from her goggles to her gloves, then to her shorts and shoes.

"Your equipment..."

For a moment, she could not find the right words.

Vernacular Poet smoothly picked up the thread. "Pretty distinctive. You're not from around here, are you?"

At the same time, Vernacular Poet did not remain idle. He quickly checked Silver Wolf's status panel.

[Silver Wolf]

[Level: Unknown]

[Class: Unknown]

[Status: Unknown]

[Faction: Unknown]

Silver Wolf lowered her head and looked at her own clothes, only then realizing the issue. She casually explained,

"Ah, I'm a hero from a distant land."

Windchaser immediately mocked her without regard for the situation. "Couldn't you make it sound a little more normal..."

Then Vernacular Poet turned around and shot Windchaser a stare, after which she did not say another word.

Silver Wolf saw the strange scene and asked, "Where are you from?"

Vernacular Poet suddenly gave an ingratiating chuckle. "Um, may I ask what brings you to us, my lady? Have you run into some sort of trouble?"

Silver Wolf lightly landed against the tree trunk and asked curiously, "How could you tell that I needed help?"

"Not at all, my lady. We simply enjoy helping others." As though performing a magic trick, Vernacular Poet produced a gold coin in his hand.

So far, Silver Wolf had only encountered these three people she could communicate with, and she could not be bothered to test them further. "I really do need help, but I only need to follow you for a while."

The answer seemed to catch them off guard. The three did not speak at once, but after exchanging looks, Vernacular Poet opened his mouth and agreed. "No problem, my lady."

"Don't call me that. Call me Wolf Venerable."

"Understood, Wolf Venerable."

Vernacular Poet's smile froze for a moment.

Windchaser's eyes lit up even more. "The cringe factor is off the charts..."

Sunken Crow coughed while repeatedly jabbing Windchaser with his elbow.

"Oh, oh."

Silver Wolf stared at them in silence. Why do these people feel strangely familiar?