Albedo left the crash site alone without any more drama and not with any urgency that would invite panic or pursuit, he remained calm and simply stepped past the edge of the wreckage and into the warped forest beyond, his pace measured, his breathing steady.
Behind him, the survivors did as he asked. The students clustered together, spoke and conserved strength, protected by the Professors, who also did their own work to figure out a way to escape
If this was a test, or a trap, it would punish chaos first. The moment Albedo crossed a certain invisible threshold, the pressure subtly changed, becoming much sharper.
The mana drain ticked up by a fraction, like a hand tightening just enough to remind him it was there. His internal reserves responded instinctively, tightening their own flow, cycling more efficiently.
Perfect Adaptation compensated, allowing Albedo's mana flow to remain extremely stable, though it was still being partially drained.
