āIf Iām going to take the lead, I have to stay ahead every step of the way.ā
āBefore the second wave of Players even enters the new map, Iāll go see for myself what this next world is all about.ā
Lince admitted he was taking a risk, but it was one worth taking.
He had laid out his plans even before the Consciousness Descent on Inference Day.
During this Inference Day, he wouldnāt get too involved in the affairs of the Baronās Mansion in the Swamp Territory. Instead, he would focus directly on opening up a New World.
After all, the Swamp Territory was too limiting. If he could establish a foothold on a new map, in a New World, it would open up a whole new realm of possibilities.
So, opening the Underground Space, even having all the Entry Tier Magical Beasts stand guard on the other side of the Gate of Truthāit was all just preparation for the conquest of the New World.
He stood before the fully formed Gate of Truth for about fifteen minutes. Once he confirmed that no living creatures had come through to his side, Lince stepped through without hesitation.
However, to prepare for any surprises, Linceās mind was on high alert.
He was also ready to unleash his dragonās breath at a momentās notice.
The sun was setting, casting a perfect golden light.
This was a small mountain range surrounded by a forest.
Bathed in sunlight, rows of medieval-style stone houses could be seen built into the mountainside.
Unfortunately, these buildings had long since been abandoned.
Weeds ran rampant, and a dense tangle of vines and other greenery covered everything.
It had clearly been abandoned for a very long time; it was doubtful anyone had set foot here in ages.
The buildings were crumbling, all traces of civilization on the verge of being swallowed by the verdant growth.
Yet, amidst these ruins on the mountainside, a wide, open plaza was clearly visible.
Despite the erosion of time, only moss and weeds grew in the cracks between the wide stone slabs and upon their surfaces.
The roots of trees had been unable to dislodge the stones of this plaza. In its center, the carving of what looked like a circular array was still visible, though mottled with age.
Just then, in this desolate, abandoned place, a light suddenly flared from the circular inscription on the plazaās floor.
It quickly began to radiate a rainbow-colored glow.
The glow wasnāt particularly bright in the fading sunlight, but a few birds took notice.
Two or three of them landed on the treetops and ruined rooftops at the edge of the plaza, tilting their heads to watch the rainbow-colored vortex in the center with curiosity.
About fifteen minutes passed.
Suddenly, the curious birds seemed to sense something. They shrieked in alarm and scattered into the sky.
The moment the birds took flight, a behemoth burst forth from the rainbow-colored vortex in the center of the abandoned plaza.
The behemothās expression was frigid, its eyes sharp and vigilant.
However, as it took in its surroundings, the aggression in the creatureās gaze slowly faded.
The Rock Steel Giant Dragon landed on the abandoned plaza.
He came to a stop at the edge of the plaza, gazing out at the seemingly endless forest.
āA ruined city?ā
āA primeval forest?ā
āThe ruins of a civilization?ā
Lince breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, he began to sense the state of Magic Power in this land.
The Magic Environment was on par with the Oakland Continent, and as he looked closely at the distant forest...
Lince narrowed his pupils, zooming his vision forward.
Suddenly, his eyes filled with astonishment.
āWell, what do you know... Goblins?!ā
Yes, as Lince scanned the forest, he spotted a cluster of ruined buildings, also hidden in the trees, about five kilometers away.
And in those ruins, Lince saw a group of green-skinned Goblins.
Two or three of them were lounging on the rooftops of the stone ruins, lying on their backs and basking in the sun.
They looked completely relaxed and carefree.
Looking closer, Lince saw at least a dozen Goblins out in the open.
Factoring in those potentially hidden within the stone buildings or the surrounding woods, their numbers could easily exceed a hundred.
Lince found the sight fascinating.
āItās a strange feeling, like fantasy bleeding into reality. Itās a much stronger feeling than I ever got back in the Swamp Territory.ā
āThese are Goblins!ā
āThe classic cannon-fodder Race from every fantasy game.ā
āIf Goblins exist, does that mean there are Underground Cities too?ā
Linceās interest was piqued.
He then turned to look at the Gate of Truth, which was manifesting as a two-dimensional plane on the plaza floor.
He walked to the edge of the Gate of Truth and quickly stuck his dragonās head through it.
He retracted it just as quickly.
The next instant, a figure shot out of the Gate of Truth.
It was the Shadow Wind Giant Eagle.
The Shadow Wind Giant Eagle appeared in this world with a bewildered expression.
Following it were the Tier Two Forest Wolf and more than a dozen Tier One Magical Beasts.
Upon appearing, all the Magical Beasts looked around, bewildered and tense.
Lince, however, paid them no mind.
He simply ordered them to stand aside.
The next moment, with a surge of Magic Power, a large amount of rock and earth rose up around the center of the plaza.
The rock and earth formed a semicircle with a radius of about thirty meters, enclosing the entire Gate of Truth in just an instant.
The whole process was nearly silent.
For a Tier Five Rock Steel Giant Dragon like him, it was a task that required no more than a thought.
Once this was done, Lince turned to the Shadow Wind Giant Eagle.
"Eagle, get into the sky and scout the surrounding area."
"See if there are any powerful creatures nearby."
The Shadow Wind Giant Eagle, though confused, immediately accepted the command.
"Yes, Master. Iām on my way."
As the giant eagle soared into the sky, Lince turned to the Forest Wolf.
"Forest Wolf, you and the others are to guard this place from now on. Donāt go anywhere, understand?"
The Forest Wolf still couldnāt use its Spiritual Power to converse normally.
However, that didnāt mean it couldnāt understand the command Lince conveyed.
The Forest Wolf looked up earnestly at the towering dragon, let out a solemn whine, and nodded.
Seeing this, Lince said no more.
At the same time, Lince stood in place and slowly closed his massive eyes.
He had already used the power of the Blood Covenant to switch his vision.
He was now observing the entire forest through the eyes of the Shadow Wind Giant Eagle.
The forest was vast, with several large rivers running through it.
As the Shadow Wind Giant Eagle climbed higher, Lince finally saw what he was looking for.
About fifty kilometers west of the ruined mountain city, the Shadow Wind Giant Eagle spotted a town.
It was a Human town, built along a river, that seemed relatively quiet and peaceful.
The town wasnāt large, but based on the number of figures moving about, the population seemed to be over a thousand.
Seeing this, Lince didnāt act rashly. He didnāt even have the Shadow Wind Giant Eagle risk flying closer.
Instead, a preliminary plan began to form in his mind.
āPerhaps itās time to let York handle the intelligence gathering from here on out.ā
āIf conditions permit, this ruined land could become the Swamp Territoryās second holding.ā
At this thought, Lince let out a long breath, a hint of ease finally showing in his draconic eyes.
However, just as Lince was thinking heād had a peaceful start, he suddenly discovered something through the eagleās eyes.
Just over ten kilometers from the human town, a large army of tall, humanoid figures in exquisite armor had appeared!
And hovering above this army were three strange Airships, each over twenty meters long.
At the same time, the distant human town seemed to spot the approaching army. Bells and drums instantly rang out, and the entire settlement erupted into chaos.
āAirships?ā
???