Under everyone's gaze, Ryan asked them to wait a while. His natural pet had wandered a bit too far, and he needed to return to the real world to bring it back.
Everyone nodded in understanding. A senior student, who raised a black jaguar as his nature pet, even said his own companion rarely stayed still beside him.
Ryan got up from the bed in his dormitory. Moonlight filtered in gently through the curtains. Everything was silent. The soundproofing array of the carriage must have been activated during the night and would only be turned off after waking hours.
Ryan opened the gate to the Plants vs. Zombies world and began summoning his green snake through a magic contract. The green snake was a magical plant that required a vast amount of energy to grow. Unfortunately, Ryan couldn't set up a strong enough charging array under Hogwarts like Slytherin once had for his basilisk.
Initially, Ryan had considered dismantling the old magic circle to build his own, but he soon realized the array was interwoven into the very foundation of Hogwarts Castle. It wasn't something he could tamper with without risking the structural integrity of the entire castle. This was understandable—after all, the castle had once belonged to Slytherin. Building a secret underground pet room or laboratory was completely in character.
However, this also meant Ryan could only look at the ancient charging circle with envy. Any attempt to alter it could trigger countless protective magics or cause a collapse. So when the green snake outgrew its flowerpot, Ryan had no way to help it continue growing using Hogwarts' magic.
Money was another issue. Ryan simply couldn't afford to feed the green snake adequately.
Luckily, the Myriad Realms Grocery Store allowed travel between multiple worlds. After numerous adventures, the green snake had developed a fondness for devouring zombies in the Plants vs. Zombies world and various monsters in the Fallout universe. Ryan had forbidden it from consuming intelligent creatures, and he'd discovered that the mutated beasts in those worlds actually contained more energy than humans or wizards.
The green snake's current favorite meals included the legendary Deathclaw and a giant zombie that carried a small ghost on its back.
At the moment, the green snake was still hunting zombies. That's why Ryan had told the others that his pet had run a bit too far.
Ten minutes later, a green shadow darted through the space gate. Ryan immediately felt the rise in its life magic—it was clearly doing well.
Having not seen its master in a long time, the green snake eagerly climbed onto Ryan's arm, winding itself affectionately around it. After some calming words, Ryan finally settled it down. He lay back in bed and reentered the Emerald Dream.
Inside the Emerald Dream, the six students in wooden masks were still chatting. When Ryan returned, a girl stood up and asked cheerfully, "Did you bring your Nature's Favor? Show us!"
Ryan smiled and nodded, lifting his arm. The green snake slithered down calmly, unafraid of strangers due to its many adventures across worlds. It gracefully crawled onto the grass.
"Wow, it's so cute!" several girls squealed, eyes sparkling. Even the boys looked charmed.
It wasn't surprising. Although the green snake looked terrifying in battle—sometimes even more so than a basilisk—its usual appearance was adorable. Its emerald-green scales shimmered like jewels, its head was round and cat-like, and its gemstone-like eyes sparkled brightly. It looked like a masterfully carved jade sculpture. No wonder everyone liked it.
In addition, its hunting in various worlds had always targeted evil, unnatural creatures, which earned it the affection of nature's consciousness. Despite being a powerful combat creature, it exuded a gentle aura.
"What kind of abilities does this snake have?" someone asked curiously, apparently mistaking the green snake for a magical serpent rather than a plant mutant.
"It can grow up to eight meters during combat, and it's venomous," Ryan answered with a grin, not correcting the misunderstanding.
"Alright, since everyone's brought their nature pets, let's head to the Banyan Tree Pit and do a cleanup today," the eldest student suggested. Everyone agreed, and the group of seven set out.
As they walked, a boy explained to Ryan, "The Banyan Tree Pit is a cenote near the school here in the Emerald Dream. It's famous for a giant banyan tree that grows inside. Long ago, black wizards used the place for blood sacrifices. The ancestors of Castrobrushuo cleared out those wizards, but the blood rituals left a permanent mark."
"Now the place connects with a corrupted dream of the dead. Evil undead occasionally emerge from it. The power of these undead isn't overwhelming on its own, but if left unchecked, they can accumulate and pose a serious threat. That's why we visit regularly to purge the area."
"It's also a good training ground," he continued. "Defeating those undead strengthens the soul. That's why students use it for adventure and spiritual growth."
After crossing the river surrounding the school, they saw the Banyan Tree Pit in the distance. In the Emerald Dream, the blood-red glow from the site was striking.
As they got closer, Ryan saw that the pit was a cenote more than 200 meters wide. Trees grew thickly along the edges and throughout the pit, but upon closer inspection, Ryan noticed human bones embedded in the trunks and soil. Faint crimson shadows flickered in and out of sight within the pit.
He activated his Eagle Eye skill. A foul undead aura wafted from the shadows.
"What are those red shadows?" Ryan asked, pointing.
"Those are death shadows," the boy beside him replied. "Besides the Emerald Dream, there's another realm—the World of the Dead. It's not the same as the real afterlife. The World of the Dead is chaotic, filled with death and decay. A breach opened here long ago, connecting this place to that realm. Some shadows of death escaped through it."
"We come here to prevent them from gathering too densely. If they group up, they could threaten the Emerald Dream."
They arrived at the pit. The group leader said, "We're here. Let's go."
A giant vine spiraled like a natural tower down the edge of the cenote. The group climbed it and reached the bottom.
Once there, they carefully approached the death shadows, following the team leader's instructions. Ryan was placed behind the leader—a position reserved for newcomers to ensure safety and provide a clear view of the process.
Ryan watched closely. The others spread out, forming a protective ring. The green snake coiled around his arm, alert but calm, ready to strike if needed.
The closer they got to the shadows, the colder the air became. The red shapes flickered, whispering inaudible curses. Ryan could feel the oppressive force pushing against his magical senses. He tightened his grip on his wand.
A chill ran down his spine—not from fear, but anticipation.
This was real. This was dangerous.
And he was ready.
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