"Wha…"
Everyone froze, eyes wide in disbelief.
Trees towered high, lush with leaves and life.
Sunlight penetrated through, casting a golden light.
Lush bushes grew below.
"What's this?"
A man muttered.
The trees were at least a dozen meters tall. Vines crawled up their massive trunks.
Bushes blocked the way, bushes higher than them.
It was as if the forest had reverted to primal times. It had become an old-growth forest.
It was difficult to believe it had changed so much in just a few months since the olden world ended.
"Samuel," Argon quickly recovered and called Samuel over.
"Yes, Sir."
He needed no commands, for he understood his assignment.
Even before the mission started, when the team was still assembling, his abilities made him a critical asset once they entered the forest.
He connected to the bushes in front of him.
"I can control it. It has no self-consciousness or intelligence."
Argon nodded.
Immediately, Samuel disconnected and connected to a nearby tree.
"It's too massive for me to control. But it has no intelligence,"
"Looks like the mana brought changes not just to us humans, but other life forms. Including vegetation,"
Argon could only conclude.
Swoosh!
Suddenly his eyes widened, flashing with admiration.
"I see."
"Blake, Gor,"
His brows furrowed, and he called.
Two ordinary-looking men stepped forth, with only notably big ears.
"Frost,"
Frost walked forth as well.
"You two, use your super hearing and scan for danger."
The two closed their eyes and focused.
The sounds grew louder and clearer.
Birds chirping, leaves rustling, Frost's raspy breathing. They could hear everything.
"I hear no notable sounds,"
One said after a few minutes.
"Neither do I,"
The other confirmed.
"Good," Argon nodded.
"Blake, you'll walk at the back of the group. Keep using your ability to scout around. Gor, you'll be with me at the front."
He looked at Frost.
The air around him was cool. Tiny icicles hung from his white eyebrows. With each breath, white mist left his mouth.
"You'll protect him and the group at the back."
"Yes, Sir!"
Blake and Gor saluted, straightening their backs.
But Frost only nodded, pulling his hood lower.
"Samuel, retreat to the middle of the group. You suffered a few backlashes. Focus on recovering."
Samuel's eyes widened.
"What?" He blurted out unconsciously.
Argon glared sharply, his eyebrow twitching.
"I-I'm sorry," Samuel realized his disrespect. "But sir, don't you need me to clear the road?"
"No," Argon looked forward. "I now realize Vivian had a different purpose for you in mind."
The path forward was covered in vegetation, blocked and unclear.
Argon took out a folded paper.
A map.
"According to the old information, the mine we're looking for should be about 12 kilometers from here. There is a village halfway there. We will rest there and see what has become of it."
He announced and then looked at Samuel.
"Samuel, do you think you can clear all the way to there?"
Samuel lowered his head.
There were hundreds, maybe even thousands of bushes.
"I can't,"
He admitted.
That would be too big of a strain for him. He doesn't have nearly enough mana.
"I suspect Vivian has predicted that the mana has affected the vegetation and it has mutated. But she didn't know to what extent or in what direction. So Samuel, your job is communication with intelligent vegetation."
"I understand!" Samuel saluted and backed into the group.
"SOLDIERS!"
Argon roared.
"Keep your guard up! The plants might not be the only mutated organisms in the forest."
"We'll break through with force!"
…
The sun shone.
The river flowed quietly.
The air was moist.
And it would be a tranquil scene, a beautiful autumn day, at least in the olden days.
Now, rot lingered in the air, the city razed to the ground with no soul in sight except soulless, mindless undead roaming the streets.
Under the city, near the river. The sewers.
The sewer water flowed down the main canal.
In the wall was a hole, barely qualifying for round. It was imperfect and definitely not machine-made.
A man-made hole that shouldn't be there.
But it was blocked by a massive stone.
Behind the stone…
A huge, round space existed, supported by massive stone pillars. And from the massive space, dozens more tunnels extended, leading into chambers.
Lamps lit the space.
The air had a wet, earthy stench. But at least, no rot.
The network resembled an underground city, with the massive space being the city square.
The city square was bustling with people. Hundreds of people.
Chatter filled the air, and at the center stood Veyr with a group of several men.
Behind them, piles and piles of canned food, water, and utensils.
Resources formed mountains, reaching the seven-meter-high ceiling.
"Cough, cough!"
The men beside Veyr cleared their throats.
The chatter died down.
"I want to say," Veyr spoke.
He spoke quietly, but a soft breeze carried his voice.
"Great Job!"
"The operation went flawlessly. What you see behind me is just a portion of the supplies we hoarded."
"The supplies are enough to last us more than a year."
Silence.
For a second, silence descended.
"YEAAAAH!"
The crowd erupted into cheers.
Veyr waited for the excitement to die down before he started distributing resources.
He and his men distributed supplies for a few hours, aiming to raise morale.
And slowly, the crowd cleared, leaving Veyr with his men alone, with no supplies.
"How much of the supplies are left?"
Veyr questioned immediately, his frown deepening.
"The harvest was not bad, but just not as Sir Veyr said. The supplies should last us about four months,"
Veyr nodded. "That's enough."
"From now on, we're putting the plan to move to the surface into motion."
"Yes, sir!"
"Be on guard, for the other groups will soon make a move."
…
The day was quietly slipping away.
Yet the group continued moving, cleaving their way through the forest.
They all had their guard up, but not many were tense.
As time went by, they relaxed.
There were no demons to guard against, no zombies, and no lingering rot in the air.
Just pure nature, greenery, and clean forest air.
"Slow…down,"
Blake barely muttered, gasping for breath.
His vision blurred. Sweat dripped down.
He couldn't continue much longer.
He had been using his ability since the start.
Thud!
He tripped.
But luckily, Frost caught him.
"It's so nice…" Blake thought.
Being so close to Frost. He felt the cold emitting from him.
"Get a grip."
Frost forcibly raised him, and they continued moving.
"Stop using your ability. I'll keep guard,"
"But…"
"Okay, then keep using it."
Blake wanted Frost to reassure him, but he didn't expect Frost to outright give up.
"No, no. I'll stop,"
He needed to rest; he wouldn't be able to continue and would slow the group.
Gor at the front was a little better.
With Argon by his side, he worried much less and occasionally turned off his ability to rest.
Swoosh!
Gor froze.
"Sir!"
He exclaimed.
Argon halted, raising his guard to the maximum.
"Something is moving in the bushes ahead. It's fast. Very fast!"
The entire group stopped.
"How far ahead is it?"
"Not too far."
Argon nodded.
"Continue moving for a bit more,"
He ordered the two massive men holding swords.
They swung, striking the bush.
"Be careful!"
Gor roared.
"It's coming this way!!"
Swoosh!
A blurry silhouette flew out of the bushes.
Swoosh!
Argon blurred for a second as he disappeared.
Clang!
Sparks flew.
Argon blocked the attack.
The silhouette retreated into the bushes, not showing its true form till the very end.
"No, you don't!"
Argon chased, entering the bushes.
Branches tore his clothes, scratched his skin.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal colliding tore the air.
Swoosh!
Argon flew out of the bushes, his face ugly.
Blood oozed from the scratches.
"Did Sir Argon lose?"
Whispers erupted among the group.
The shock and disbelief quickly turned into fear.
The morale plummeted.
"HMPH…"
Argon scoffed.
He couldn't catch the creature.
Not that he was weaker, but it was the creature's home ground.
He couldn't move as smoothly through the bushes.
"Elemental units," He shouted. "Form battle formation 7. Reduce them to ashes."
"Yes, sir!"
His command broke the group out of its shock.
The fire units and wind units formed the formation.
The fire units at the front and the wind units at the back.
Swoosh!
Fire erupted, and wind pushed it from behind, enhancing its range and speed.
The fire hit the bushes.
The leaves dried up, water evaporated, and quickly, they started burning.
The fire climbed up tree trunks, leaving no way out for the creature...