Twilight had yet to fade completely, and a faint veil of mist already shrouded Rift Scar Hill in northern Wheatwave Fief.
The fractured hills looked as though a giant beast had bitten a chunk out of the earth, leaving a savage, hideous wound.
Louis looked up. All the vegetation on the hills had withered, rust-scented moisture seeped through the soil, and low, hollow rumbles occasionally rose from underground.
Louis gazed at a cavern, his brow furrowing slightly. "This is it. There's a trace of magical fluctuation."
"...Magical fluctuation?" Lambert frowned.
"Perhaps, but I'm not certain." Louis raised a hand, signaling them to stay alert.
Though he said that, he already knew what lay inside-Shadow Moss and Soul-Eater Lizard Beasts.
"It's too narrow. Only twenty of us can go in. Any more... and we'll barely have room to turn around," Lambert said quietly.
His sharp gaze fixed on the pitch-black opening at the slope, his combat instincts already stirring.
"Good." Louis nodded. "Choose the best of the best. The rest will guard the perimeter and seal the entrance if necessary."
"Yes, my lord."
Soon, more than twenty high-ranking knights in light armor assembled in formation. Each carried special equipment in addition to their standard weapons.
Before they set out, Louis issued one final order. "Everyone, put on your Frostleaf Vine Purifying Masks. Activate the slow-release mist pouches three minutes after entering."
At his words, everyone took a transparent, silver-framed mask from their pack.
This experimental equipment had been developed by the Red Tide Research Workshop to counter the Brood Hive's mental attacks.
Inside was a pale blue, viscous medicine refined from Frostleaf Vine. When mental interference occurred, it could quickly disperse into a fine mist barrier, screening out pollutants such as spores and hallucinogenic gases.
"Remember, if you feel dizzy, hear