It is the morning after the Lojyo Band meeting, and today I am going to explore outside of the Nexus; not only should I do that anyway, since I gained plenty of [Sense Magic] levels and my range has increased from that, but I should also use my state of focus to increase my range further. The only reason why I haven't done so before is simply that I never thought of doing so; I have always used it to help me observe mana and magic phenomenons in more detail, not to scout around.

There are, of course, reasons to not do it, not only will it increase how far I can move my perception, but it will increase how much I can see at one time, and that means it increases the chances of being hit by retaliation effects. While I do have my scapegoats, area hit spells like what the Mind Eater used will still hurt me.

My best bet is to use less perceptive pressure, so maybe I won't trigger retaliations. The only problem there is that using less perceptive pressure means not being able to see as well, although my state of focus will help mitigate that. Then there's the issue that lessening the perspective pressure may not even work against everything. I tested it with my own simple enchanted retaliation items, but that doesn't mean it will work against skills and magic items, which I can't test against.

In any case, I just need to see if there's land anywhere. I don't need to see detail, so lowering my perceptive pressure so much that I can only see large islands or continents is the safest way to go.

Unlike last time I ‘left’ the Nexus, I spiral outwards with my perception, so if there's anything in between the Nexus and my max range, I'll catch it if it's large enough. It will take a long time, but time isn’t something I'm short of. I can dedicate one mind to this task as my others work on other things.

Ocean, ocean, ocean, nothing but endless waters. A thousand kilometers out and still nothing but enormous sea monsters and maybe a small island or two, it’s hard to tell with my perceptive pressure so low. I continue searching and searching and searching, reaching where my previous max range was at two thousand kilometers out. A few hours later, I pass my current max range, without the state of focus.

As I go further out, it takes more time for each rotation of the spiral, having to cover more and more distance. Three thousand kilometers out and still nothing but water… and probably sea monsters, fit for the size of this ocean.

Four thousand kilometers, and I have been at this for an entire day and night with nothing but the endless expanse of water. At four and a half thousand kilometers, I finally find something! A floating mass of... water mana. I raise my perceptive pressure to get a clearer picture; it's just a four-kilometer-wide floating lake, complete with a soul... it's a water elemental.

Comparing the elemental to Safyr, I immediately notice the differences. The elemental only has three Classes, and it doesn't have an Ultimate Class nor any enhanced skills, but what it lacks in those it makes up for with its mana production. With over fifty mana cores in its soul, it's producing a torrent of mana, so much that it is rivaling what we are getting in the Nexus. Although… there's another strange thing about the elemental: while its mana production is absolutely insane, it is producing no vitality at all.

It both makes sense and doesn't at the same time. For one, how is it alive with no vitality? But it's an elemental, and is made from, and sustained by, its element; since vitality is mana, why wouldn’t it be able to just substitute another kind of mana? Also, how the fuck do you kill it?! Kayafe said you have to completely remove every trace of its element within its domain, but, considering just how much mana this thing is producing, that should be impossible! And by the looks of it, its domain is at least four square kilometers; how do you remove all water and water mana from that much area, all at the same time, while fighting its insane mana production!? It has vastly more mana production than the Guardian!

Water Elemental (Legendary), Water Lord (Legendary), The Endless Flow (Exalted), The Crushing Deep (Exalted), Level 10252 Water Bond

This only reinforces the idea that it is unkillable. With a Bond level that high, just how strong is it? It seems to be moving away, so it doesn't seem like a threat, which is reassuring; we can't afford any more Nexus-destroying disasters.

I continue my search, and, at five thousand kilometers out, I could fit the average width of the Atlantic ocean between the Nexus and where my perception is. Surely I should be close to land by now… right?

At six thousand kilometers out, it's taking a full day to encircle the Nexus once; thankfully my state of focus also increases how fast I can move my perception. I notice a particularly scary Kraken duking it out with a kilometers-long sea serpent, both unleashing spells that more resemble nuclear bombs; the mana storm raging above them, formed by the sheer amount of mana they are unleashing, makes the superstorm that hit us look like a mild tropical storm compared to a full-on hurricane.

Ting! Sense Magic has obtained levels 602-603!

Yeah, just looking at that storm is enough to get two levels; maybe I should stay and study it more, perhaps I can cap that breakthrough? I continue observing the storm, noticing how each spell thrown by the monsters churns up the mana currents and makes the storm rage on. Every spell conjured causes the storm to spontaneously manifest its own spells from the pulls and pushes of the MM forces involved. Somehow the Kraken is utilizing the storm to its advantage… It is conjuring its spells with vastly empowered MM forces, to direct the inanimate wrath of the storm upon the sea serpent in addition to the primary effects of the spells? A few hours later, the Kraken is victorious, and I have earned two more levels in [Sense Magic].

At seven thousand kilometers out from the Nexus, I am beginning to lose all hope of ever finding anything. Maybe Safyr said "fuck it" and flooded the world? Or maybe a cursed being simply destroyed the rest of the world and somehow missed the Nexus? Or maybe the rest of the dry land in the world is a super-continent on the other side of the planet?

Eight thousand Kilometers and still nothing. I am ready to give up. By now, I've been at this for a month, and, if I can't find anything by the time I am done training my Class and general skills, then I am calling this a lost cause.

A few days later, at a distance of eight thousand four hundred kilometers from the Nexus, I spot land: not just a small pitiable island, but a massive piece of land with a coastline that extends for kilometers upon kilometers. What's more, there are signs of habitation! Immediately, I turn my full attention from sitting in my room thinking about books, and focus entirely on this.

It is hard to see who or what is living there without raising my perception, but if I do that then I may be subject to retaliation, assuming anyone has retaliation items or abilities.

I decide to risk it on a small fishing hamlet of maybe fifty people or so. The first thing I notice is the washed-up corpse of a dead sea monster; only the top part of it is above the waves, but no one can miss an island-sized whale on the beach. I slowly raise my perceptive pressure until I can make out the people's features. They resemble Runalymo, but they have much shorter ears and tails. They don't appear to be wealthy; their houses aren't built with care and, inside them, they have few luxuries. They all appear to be rather poor, but more the country bumpkin type of poor than the ragged, filthy, peasant type. There are, however, five who stand out, and not only because three are exiting a fancy-looking carriage and two are riding… what look like tiger-sized fox-like creatures, but with four large ears that pivot to any sound. They are completely eyeless and have large fangs, although not nearly as long as a sabertooth cat…fox… whatever. They have two long tails and sleek, well-groomed fur. They’re clearly strong, since a third is harnessed to the armored and heavy carriage by itself.

War Forron (Adept), Fire-Steed Partner (Adept), Level 264 Fire Bond.

I stare at the bizarre creatures for a few more seconds, then turn my attention to the five fancy people.

One is rather well-dressed in mana silk, specifically gold essence mana silk. Her Bond, I easily Identify as a very rare gold Bond. The two mounted ones, both with fire Bonds, seem to be guards, wearing plate armor and holding spears. Two more, also with fire Bonds, I easily identify as mages due to how much mana they have. One of the mages is well dressed, but not as gaudy as the gold-Bonded one, and seems to have burning fur.

I [Analyze] them.

Runalymo Martialist (Major), Warrior of Flame (Major), Level 318 Fire Bond

Runalymo Amazon (Major), Warrior of Flame (Major), Flame Guard (Adept), Level 356 Fire Bond

Golden Runalymo Highborn (Grand), Midas Hand (Major), Golden Leader (Major) Level 511 Gold Bond

Runalymo Flamelasher (Major), Adept of Flame (Adept), Level 234 Fire Bond

Runalymo Firefur (Grand), Archmage of Flame (Grand), Flame Tracker (Grand) Level 573 Fire Bond

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lady Vanu Runa Lysha stares out of her carriage window, the sky overcast with grey clouds that drizzle light drops of rain.

Lysha looks over to the two mages sitting across from her: mages from the Order of Flame, a master and apprentice duo. Riding alongside the carriage are two warriors, also from the Order of Flame.

"Long, long ago, six thousand years ago in our ancestor's homeland, a cult of religious zealots took over, led by Serlia the Evil." Archmage Holuna Ruluna is telling her apprentice the story of how this land was first settled. It’s certainly not the first time the boy would be hearing the story, but nonetheless he listens attentively, drinking in every word his esteemed master is saying. "Our Ancestors fought back bravely with science and technology, but one day Serlia managed to transform herself into a demon, a cursed being, and wrought untold devastation upon the land, Zifyr the Guardian Dragon fought against the demon for six nights and days before finally defeating the horror that Serlia the Evil had become, but it was not a day of victory, for… "

Lysha tunes out the rest of the story; she has heard it many times before. How the cult still managed to push their ancestors out of the homeland, and how they were adrift on the seas for months until the Dragonturtle T'Joak N'Glarl rescued them and brought them to these lands.

Eventually, the carriage stops.

"We are here, Lady Lysha," the driver says.

Lysha steps out and stretches her legs and tail.

"This is it?" Lysha asks, looking at the small hamlet.

"It is indeed, My Lady, the Leviathan corpse should be down the cliff," Archmage Ruluna says as she climbs out of the carriage and also stretches.

The corpse of a Leviathan will bring great wealth, both in money and materials, to her house, something that she needs dearly to contest her brothers for heirship of the family governship.

Suddenly Lysha feels her anti-scrying device vibrate and draw upon her mana; whatever fool dares to spy on her should have burst into flames by now, unless...

"Lady Lysha," Archmage Ruluna says, concern in her eyes. "We are being spied upon, and by a very powerful scryer."

The accomplished mage has some sort of counterintelligence skill, which is a major reason why Lysha brought her along on this trip. She can glean at least some information about anyone who spies on her.

Lysha's anti-scrying device stops retaliating, but it was active for long enough for someone to [Analyze] her, even if they should have been turned to ashes within a few seconds.

"Where? How powerful?"

"That's the thing; I don't know," Archmage Ruluna says, the tone of her voice halfway between frustration and fascination. "It felt as if there was no one spying on us, yet, at the same time, they were. They were using [Analyze], yet at the same time they were not; they were using a scrying skill, yet for some reason I can't get a read on it… it's as if it were a breeze I barely felt."

What's most pressing is the timing of everything; why here? In this small, out of the way hamlet? Why now, of all times? Someone heard about the leviathan, maybe, and they want to get it first… but who? Her brothers? Someone else? Another kingdom? Who is spying on them?