In the blink of an eye, the end of late summer arrived.
The sun still blazed like a furnace, mercilessly beating down on the mountain forest. The crisp air of night and early morning turned scorching and oppressive as the sun reached its zenith, as if every wisp of air was saturated with blistering heat.
On the tall trees, the deep green leaves had lost their morning luster to the sweltering heat, taking on a dry, brittle texture. Throughout the forest, the cries of cicadas rose and fell, their sharp, urgent calls merging into a continuous drone.
At the Inner Mountain Pass, the air was filled with the peculiar smell of earth and wood baked by the high temperature. The occasional breeze that swept through the forest brought no relief, carrying only more oppressive heat. It was like a hot draft from a bonfire, making the sweltering conditions even more unbearable.
「Henei, the training area.」
"Loose!"
