With a single glance, the Lord of Bliss judged that he was in danger.
His running speed kept increasing as power surged through his body.
No roar of spacecraft engines came from behind him, but the Lord of Bliss had no intention of slowing down.
Like a swift black shadow, he darted nimbly between towering ancient trees and thickets.
His many years lying low in the Monster World had long since instilled in him a habit of extreme caution.
The calmer things seemed, the more likely they were to conceal a deadly threat.
Even the slightest wishful thinking could plunge him into utter ruin.
He focused on the path ahead, a forest map whose details were already etched into his memory surfacing in his mind.
Throughout this long period of hunting, he had carefully explored the area.
Thickets, towering ancient trees, shallow stretches of streams-he had committed all the nearby landmarks to memory.
Day after day, they had formed a complete map of the region.
He had divided the map into several areas according to their uses.
The area near the stream was his hunting ground. Prey was abundant there, and animals often came to drink, making it his main source of nourishment from flesh and blood.
The flat ground with an open view was his cultivation area. He chose that area for his daily sunlight breathing exercises and moonlight cultivation, allowing him to absorb the greatest possible amount of natural energy while promptly detecting unusual activity nearby.
The rugged terrain with sparse vegetation was his "transition zone." He rarely set foot there, using it only as a passage when moving between hunting grounds.
But the area he valued most was his concealment zone, a hiding place he had prepared specifically for sudden danger, and his destination now.
Dodging thick