Chapter 79: Chaos
The vegetation began to change.
The towering, sequoia-like giants gave way to shorter trees—except for the occasional faraway ones that were even bigger and thicker than the previous ones. But what the forest lost in height, it gained in density, so much that it grew suffocating.
Branches tangled, forming thick walls.
Vines hung like woven nets.
The air itself felt heavier, pressing in from all sides. Leo could barely see twenty meters ahead of him before everything was swallowed by shadow and foliage.
Then he felt it.
A weight settling on his skin—mana pressure.
It was dense, heavy and almost suffocating.
He could physically feel it pressing against his chest with every breath.
Beside him, even Niri perked up, her wood-like tendrils unfurling excitedly as she eagerly inhaled the mana-rich air, like a child sniffing sweets.
Then—perfectly on cue—
Awooooooo!
A long, haunting howl tore through the forest, echoing beneath the dense canopy.
