Chapter 64: Exploration

"Cylius. A trainee and had comprehended the death rune" 

"Hyper. A trainee and had comprehended the fire rune"

"Sunilhan. Had comprehended the greed rune." 

Each of them introduced themselves as they landed on the ship. 

The ship could be said to be a giant floating boat, as it would just fly through the air. With its enchantments and runes engraved on it, it could traverse many difficult terrains and was considered an absolute safe spot. 

Not only just invisibility and track covering function, its self defense system could repel monsters below third grade easily. As for third-tier ones, they wouldn't attack the ship at all and even if they do, they would also be repelled away, although with a bit of effort. 

The ship served solely for the purpose of transporting explorers to the location nearest to the boundaries of the Abyss Pit deemed as dangerous. 

The interior was exquisite with various serves. It was very comfortable to stay in it but it cost them each 3 silver coins. But the coins were well spent as they had went through a place where they would've traversed for weeks while spending only a day in this ship. 

The safety was also guaranteed. 

Landing on the ground, he looked over to the surroundings, seeing 17 huge gigantic pillars spread throughout the place. The pillars had twisted drawings and runes within it that would wriggle constantly, moving within it.

The 17 pillars served as a formation as they formed an invisible barrier that made the monsters away, making a kilometer within it a safe spot.

From the outer drawings alone, he could see that this formation was of excellent quality and there was no aria left without protection. 

There was only one exit and entry, which was a huge space between two pillars. It was 300 meters in height and 200 meters in length, could fit in any creature. 

The ship is modified, so it could pass through the barrier without any problem.

As for those large ones that don't fit, they didn't need the protection. They are powerful themself.

...

The air within the barrier was purified by the formation itself but he couldn't tell the same about the one outside. Going out of the huge barrier he was in, he could sense that the air here was very toxic and prolonged stay would mutate creatures to a certain extent. 

It was basically poison itself, but this also meant that creatures who live here must be very powerful and strange. 

But this air wouldn't have any effect on him since his new body was quite resistant to it and a mutation occurring would require a long time. 

The other two were also calm as their runic energy came out of them as it protected them within. Even though he was resistant to it and didn't need to set it up, he would have to do the same to not stand out. 

If he showed off from this early, he would fall into a disadvantageous position so he won't do anything to stand out.

"As by the rules, teammates should help each other when they are in need but don't have the obligation to. If the trouble is big, we could always escape." 

Saying this word, all three of them went silent and continued on their journey.

Talking wasn't necessary and the three of them weren't much talkative.

After passing the safe point of one kilometer, they could feel the hungry gaze of many creatures falling upon them, but with the aura they had, they didn't approach as the gazes left one by one, quietly. 

The Abyss Pit was dark and cold with a feeling of loneliness, while you could also sense some existence, a very powerful one looking at them.

Even Cylius can't find the reason for this problem, this all just seemed like an illusion that his mind was playing on him. 

This had kept him high on alert all the time and he was rather tired after a few hours of this. 

With this problem, them sleeping would become a joke and it wouldn't even become a rest, rather it would tire them out. Acting like sleeping or being half awake with that presence would tire out their mental health and the situation would be worse than this scenario of tiredness. 

Looking towards the high cliff that was far away he felt an ominous presence coming from it. There seemed to be many creatures hidden there, just waiting for their prey as they waited quietly.

Only one side was within his perception, he didn't know where the other walls were. 

They were traveling by foot, so they wanted to find a mount to ride but no presence of any creature was here except the gaze of the huge beast looking at them, gazing at them like it was their predator and they were its prey. 

If even he can't find the reason, it may be something very strange and something he can't comprehend, but considering this thing didn't make his move for a day, it might just be waiting for something or this scenario is a thing common in the pit. 

After a day of walking, they finally encountered their first mountain, a lad different from just the plain rocks.

The mountain was flushed with greenery as the beautiful chirps and sings of a bird could be heard. 

Deers were playing with each other as other creatures would rest under the tree.

The only thing that was alive in this pit may just be this. 

But this was something that needs to be questioned. How can this survive within this hell? Any trace of life would be caught, millions of creatures would they flock over to you.

It was clearly just a trap created for the unintelligent from the monster or creature behind it all.

There was no life within the eyes of the animals there, it just looked soulless, like a clay. 

It was obviously a giant monster, the mountain was its body while the animals were its puppets.

After going for a while, they saw a large forest. A forest, that radiated death and sickness. 

With a dark and gloomy aura, the little to none lighting made the place seem even spookier. 

The surroundings seemed to form a hallucination as it was distorted into an ever spinning vortex, trying to suck their souls out of their body. The trees also formed a strange combination with the environment, pale white trees with a dark path between them.

The trees were especially creepy with three holes within their body that looked like the eye and mouth of it. 

With a pale white color, it seemed to be watching them at all times, but when they try to look at them back, they would just return to an average normal dead tree.

With no leaves, they seem to be smiling while watching them, sometimes frequent laughs could also be heard from these trees.

This feeling was very unsettling as they looked over at the trees. 

Suddenly a thing formed behind one of the trees that was a giant mouthed one eyed head. The tree didn't know this, as it had lost its mind, bending in an irregular shape as all of its branches were used to stab into his own body. 

The mouth of the one eyed head above the tree opened up largely as it bit into the tree, directly devouring one third of it. The mouth of the tree was opened to a large extent as the tree issued a cry that could penetrate into one's soul. 

The giant head continued eating and eating until the tree was devoured whole. 

In the end, the head went to the snake's body and entered it as the snake let out a satisfied hiss. 

Another tree also got up in a fire suddenly as a flaming bird appeared behind it, and issued a shrill cry that made it burn into ashes. 

He also picked a tree, as the chosen tree suddenly had dark spots appearing all over it, as branches of it deteriorated quickly and thinned until the tree became as thin as a grass as in the end. 

As the tree screamed, it was disintegrated into dust.

After the other trees looked at this, they quickly turned their gazes away. Even though they were greedy, this didn't mean they weren't intelligent, they know who to offend who to not offend. 

Their measly lives would just be cut as grass before these people. 

Going through the forest, the journey was smooth as the trees would make way themself and the ones that didn't would be killed on the spot. 

These selfish degenerate creatures wouldn't unite even if only 1% of them remained and the others were wiped out. The only thing they cared about was their survival and whether they would be able to advance.

After going for a while, they saw a lake in the woods. It was giant but not magnificent nor beautiful. 

A lake within this place wouldn't spell any good news for them at all. 

Just look from the surface, they could see the black substance floating in the water, seemingly containing filth that would be enough for a creature to mutate even if they had just took a sip of it. 

Some length away, they even saw a corpse of a giant crocodile floating. But unexpectedly, within the next second, the corpse was gone and snatched by something. 

Suddenly a sense of crisis assaulted Cylius's senses as he felt a figure rapidly approaching them through the lake.

Looking more carefully, it was a giant serpent with a big horn on its head and vertical pupils, swimming fastly while looking at them. 

It radiated an icy cold aura as the water it traversed was frozen. 

Looking at Sunilhan, the eyes of the serpent turned greedy as it hissed.

Looking at this serpent also, Sunilhan hissed as it shook its tail.

As if it was challenged, it looked at the serpent mockingly as it declared "I, Sunilhan, the descendant of the great feathered serpent Kukulkan accept your challenge. The bloodline of the great feathered serpent Kukulkan shall not be tainted by your filthy blood." 

The words ringed in their ears as they felt an invisible force descending down to bless Sunilhan. 

Just as this had happened, the snake that was rapidly approaching leaped up as wings suddenly grew from its back. 

Looking at this, the calm and disgusted expression of Sunilhan quickly turned into shock as the energy surrounding him were stirred and seemed to be changing nature, quickly turning into a dark liquid form suspended in the air. 

As if it had sensed his shock, the serpent that leaped up showed a sneer as contempt flashed through its eyes. 

Looking at the eye, Cylius seemed to experience something as he was suddenly in a place where he didn't know. 

Right after, he exclaimed in shock as he saw himself in his vision. His eyes were blank as his consciousness seemed to have gone away. The other two didn't realize his condition as they only stared at him, right in the eye.