After sensing the threat from the Timeline, Black Goat left Beta Town. Rather than following the original plan and lying dormant Deep within the Silent Forest, she followed the guidance of ancient instincts, traveling upstream along the Silent River until she found a flaw in First University's Guardian Formation and slipped into Linzhong Lake within the academy.
Fortunately—or unfortunately—not long after Black Goat entered the lake, she saw Green Vine sprout from the lake water, taking root between illusion and reality and linking two worlds.
The fortunate part was that the instant she saw Green Vine, Black Goat knew what she needed to do—follow the passage opened by Green Vine and enter the Illusory Dream Realm in reverse, evading the pursuit from the Timeline.
The unfortunate part was that a certain Little Banshee had climbed out along Green Vine, drawing the School Guardian Formation's focused attention.
Already a "stowaway," Black Goat nearly exposed her presence beneath the immense pressure of the Guardian Formation. Fortunately, the Guardian Formation was focused on that banshee, while the lakebed of Linzhong Lake belonged to the Merfolk Tribe and possessed limited "autonomy." Without authorization, the Guardian Formation did not conduct an excessive search of the entire lake.
This meant that if Black Goat wanted to enter the Illusory Dream Realm, she could only find a way through Green Vine in the lake water.
It would not be easy.
Green Vine beneath the water was hidden amid light and shadow. Black Goat lowered her head and tried to bite the leaves of Green Vine, intending to use the trace of aura she caught to enter the Illusory Dream Realm. Yet when her teeth closed on the vine leaves, she only bit down on a mouthful of icy lake water. The dark-red flames around her body burned