Wallace was having a bad feeling in their current situation. He wasn't sure why but he can feel that danger was approaching them.

He didn't keep it with himself and mentioned it to Yumi and the others.

"Mhmm... I'm having that same feeling..."

Yumi said while still keeping their running pace.

Hannah didn't say a word but she nodded at this while Clint and Elaine seem to be extending their sense to detect any approaching dangers.

"What do you suggest?"

Yumi asked Wallace since he was the one who mentioned this.

"I'll be in front... We'll only need to follow this direction, right?"

"Ho~ Sure... Take the lead..."

If he was in front, he was confident that he can survive or escape any monster threats coming at him.

"It's only natural that you'll feel some dangers around here... After all, this is where thousands of adventurers perished in just a few days..."

Elaine reminded them about the first wide-scale Northern Continent Expedition which only has 24 survivors.

Yumi nodded as she remembers grandma Thea's warning about the Celestial Beings...

"We'll move cautiously... If you felt any danger, just give us a sign..."

They continued their run as they passed several mana beasts who tried to follow and catch them. There were also some who gave up just by seeing their speed.

Unfortunately, they experienced the ever-changing climate of the northern continent just before they got out of the forest.

Baam!

A bolt of lightning strikes a nearby tree followed by a loud thunder... The sky had quickly turned dark and the rains pour heavily.

"Careful... Don't let the rain touch your skin..."

Yumi immediately warned the others. For someone who specializes in water and ice magic, she quickly noticed the abnormality of the raindrops.

Everyone covered themselves with a bit thicker Mana Shell to avoid being drench by the heavy rain.

"What's the problem, Yumi?" Hannah asked after getting closer to her.

"This rain isn't made of water... We have to be careful..."

They no longer asked further as they hurried away from this place.

Wallace noticed that Yumi was telling that truth as the raindrops seem to contain a small parasite. No, the raindrops itself was made of a parasite! They were jelly-like creatures and their numbers were too scary...

A heavy rain containing billions of parasites dropping from the sky was definitely a scary sight.

Luckily, they were confident with their Mana Shell and they just had to run through this place. They no longer bothered studying what could these parasites do with them.

It was better to get away from here as soon as possible.

After running for about five kilometers, they notice that the rain has weakened and as they run for a couple more minutes, there was no longer any rain as they left the dark sky.

The group has also left the forest and now standing on a cliff. Below them was another patch of forest and they can see that there's a lake far away and a mountain range they had to cross.

Whoosh!

There was even a large vulture-like creature flying above their head... Its wingspan nearly reaches sixty meters. They were ignored for some reason as it headed towards the lake.

"Let's go..."

Yumi said before jumping from the cliff as if it was the most natural thing to do.

Everyone gauges the distance below before jumping while Wallace waited for all of them to jump while he suddenly disappeared and reappeared below surprising Yumi who had the first jump from the cliff.

'This kid...'

Yumi wasn't sure how did he manage to do that as this young man was full of mysterious abilities.

'Whoa~ That's looks so convenient...'

Hannah thought after seeing Wallace who was already surveying their location for any approaching dangers.

Elaine even looked up to ensure that the Wallace above had truly disappeared. They were surprised seeing it the first time and seeing it again was truly something...

Of course, they tried to avoid asking his secrets since it may not be appropriate. Anyway, they were glad that he wasn't their enemy. It would surely be difficult if they ever fought against him.

"Is there something wrong?"

Clint asked Wallace who was silently observing the trees far ahead. They all landed safely as the cliff was only about 300 meters high. They had also used their Mana to cushion their fall so they quickly realize that the Mana here was thicker and not in a good way.

It was to the point where it could hamper their senses a little bit. It seems that going deeper into this land would prove to very difficult or challenging.

"I found some ruins... No, it should be a previous encampment of first adventurers. Should we check it out?"

"Are there any nearby monsters?"

"I don't think so..."

"Hmm... Which direction?"

"Over there..."

Wallace pointed to their left and everyone tried to extend their senses and only to find nothing. No, they were just unable to reach further ahead to be exact.

Elaine, on the other hand, had noticed those ruins as well but it was a bit vague. She couldn't even tell that they were remnants of first adventurers.

"Let's see what happened there... It may give us a clue on what's further ahead." Hannah suggested which made sense.

They couldn't just blindly travel ahead so Yumi's incomplete map was already very helpful.

If they find more clues about the dangers they will be facing ahead, it will be a lot easier for them to cope up.

Wallace looked at Yumi as she nodded at him to approve Hannah's suggestion.

"Alright, lead the way..."

Wallace quickly moved his feet to the direction he pointed. He was even carefully avoiding some unknown plants and insects he passed by from time to time.

It didn't take long before he noticed that the ruins he thought to be remnants of the first wide-scale Northern Continent Expedition were actually remnants of a much more recent group.

"This insignia... This should be from Cloud Hawk's Manor..."

Yumi said after seeing the destroyed tents, large containers for food, even some blankets, and destroyed four-wheeled vehicles were here. They seem to have suffered some attack and left this place hurriedly.

Unfortunately, traces of the path they used to escape could not be detected probably due to some heavy rain or caused by Mana Spell.

Elaine and Yumi looked at Wallace as they know his connection with the manor while Hannah and Clint were clueless about his real identity.

"Indeed... It matches their insignia..."

Wallace didn't say more words as he left the decision to Yumi.

"Mhmm... Let's continue in our way..."

The lady said as she confirmed to Elaine the path they have to take...

"Let's try to avoid that lake... Let's take a longer route just to be safe."

Elaine suggested as she didn't feel right about the lake. It seems to be a lot more dangerous than how it looks. She couldn't properly explain but Yumi took her advice seriously as they decided not to approach that lake.

***

Avalon was working together with Ace about the creations of several larger Mech Frames.

Right now, they were considering whether to incorporate some high-risk Mana Artifacts to one of their Mech Frames.

It was an artifact that has several domain magics imbued within.

"We should try utilizing the Mech Frame's built to its advantage... Avalon, find more details about the Steel Knights. Having this Iron Knight as a sample is not good enough... This might even be just a failed product of the Prince..."

[ Affirmative. ]

These new Mech Frames they are making would be a total of five that would come in a set. It was to create the strongest Mech Frame they could while using its advantages to the fullest.

[ Incoming call from Veda. Would you like to accept? ]

Avalon suddenly reported. Ace quickly agreed since it might be an urgent matter.

[ The planet's layer of protection had lost a huge chunk of energy... ]