Early the next morning, just as the sky was beginning to brighten, everyone gathered under the old oak tree at the entrance of the village.
Instructor Calm, wearing a neat set of leather armor with a longsword at his waist and a bulging pack on his back, stood calmly at the very front.
Matthew stood by his side, also fully armed. His Old Wooden Shortbow was slung over his back, and the Finely Forged One-Handed Sword hung from his waist. Rayson and Hal stood beside him.
Brody, along with Flynn and the four hired adventurers, was also ready.
Brody had changed into a dark hunting suit that was easy to move in, topped with a lightweight chainmail shirt.
Flynn still followed half a step behind him like a shadow, his oddly shaped scythe wrapped in cloth and slung over his back.
The four adventurers were spread out slightly behind them, weapons unsheathed, looking alert.
“Everyone is here.”
Instructor Calm's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. “This time, our entry into the Shadow Forest is to investigate the source of the recent disturbances. The forest is deep and dangerous, and the monsters are cunning. Everyone must stay close to the team, follow instructions, and not act on their own.”
His gaze lingered for a moment, particularly on the faces of Brody and the four adventurers.
Brody nodded without saying anything, while Flynn gave a slight nod of understanding.
“Move out.”
With Instructor Calm's order, he took the lead and stepped onto the forest path covered by the dense canopy.
Matthew followed closely behind, maintaining a “perceptive” marching state that aligned his breathing technique with his steps, raising his alertness to the absolute maximum.
As the group went deeper into the Shadow Forest, their surroundings gradually began to change.
The forest light, which had been somewhat sparse, was now completely blocked by the increasingly dense canopy. The surroundings fell into a dim atmosphere, as if dusk had arrived early.
Even more striking was the thin, cool, damp mist that began to fill the air. As they continued forward, this mist thickened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
“This mist... why did it suddenly get so thick? And the trees here are way too massive,” Brody's voice came from the middle of the group.
He looked around. Visibility had dropped to less than ten meters. The towering ancient trees, which would take several people to hug, along with the twisted, exceptionally tough vines underfoot, all gave him a sense of invisible pressure.
Flynn's voice rose steadily beside him, answering his question while also reaching the ears of Matthew and the others ahead:
“Young Master, the mist and abnormal ecology of the Shadow Forest both stem from the uniqueness of this land. According to ancient records and some scholars' research, deep underground beneath this forest, there may be more than one type of magical mineral buried.
“For example, the previously mentioned shadow stones, and perhaps even rarer, more active energy veins. The magical fields emitted by these minerals have seeped into and transformed this land and everything on it over countless years.
“An abundant and active magical environment has a profound impact on living things. First, it directly nourishes the plants, causing the trees, vines, and even moss here to grow exceptionally tall and resilient, far exceeding those in ordinary forests outside.
“Second, the animals living here long-term, whether beasts or magical beasts, will also have their bodies subtly saturated and strengthened by magic over time.
“They might possess sizes, strength, speed, or recovery abilities far exceeding those of their peers. Some lucky individuals or specific species might even naturally awaken spell-like abilities under this environment, or have an extremely high affinity for specific elements or energy. This can also be seen as a sort of 'innate fragment of laws'.”
Walking behind Instructor Calm, Matthew heard every single word Flynn said. His mind cleared instantly, but at the same time, waves of emotion surged in his heart.
Back then, he had only thought that the beasts of this world were ferocious. Thinking about it now, that was probably the result of being nourished by the magic of the Shadow Forest for a long time.
After hearing this, Brody's expression became even more serious. He tightened his chainmail shirt and whispered to Flynn, “In other words, this mist and these trees are themselves a signal telling us that things are very deep here?”
“You could understand it that way, Young Master,” Flynn nodded slightly. “A place rich in magic is a land of opportunity, but also a place of great danger. We must be doubly careful.
“However, there is no need to worry too much. Those magical beasts with powerful strength only dwell in areas where the magic is exceptionally deep.”
Just as Flynn finished speaking, Instructor Calm suddenly raised his right hand, signaling the team to stop.
His movement was very light, but everyone immediately held their breath and gripped their weapons tightly.
Matthew stopped almost at the same moment Calm raised his hand. The sharp senses brought by the White Snake Breathing Technique allowed him to catch the anomaly much faster than ordinary people.
Deep within the mist-covered bushes all around, an extremely faint rustling sound, different from the wind blowing through the leaves, echoed, mixed with a wet, slimy sliding friction.
“Something is coming,” Instructor Calm kept his voice extremely low. “And in large numbers. They're approaching.”
Almost the instant his voice fell, the mist ahead was stirred. Several short, swift, dark green figures suddenly burst out from the bushes on one side, lunging at the four mercenaries.
They were not goblins, but a creature Matthew had never seen before.
They were about half a meter to a meter long, resembling lizards but with pointier heads. Their mouths were filled with fine, sharp teeth, and their bodies were covered in wet, slimy dark green scales that gleamed faintly in the gloom.
Most eye-catching of all were the ends of their short, thick tails, where a slightly bulging, brightly colored sac-like growth sat.
“Viper lizards!” Instructor Calm's startled voice rang out. “How could these things be here? Watch out for their tails! They're poisonous!”
Just as he finished speaking, an arrow flew from a bowstring, spinning through the thin mist.
This arrow was not shot by Matthew, but by the only female adventurer among the four mercenaries.
“Nice shot, Sierra!”
However, although the arrow hit a viper lizard's body with precision, it only made a crisp clinking sound, bouncing off the hard scales and leaving only a hairline crack!
“Their scales are too hard!” Sierra cried out, a look of disbelief on her face.
The battle erupted in an instant!
Around ten viper lizards emerged from the increasingly dense mist. Standing about half a meter tall, they screeched shrilly and lunged toward everyone.
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