After packing up everything they need into two compressed packages, Wu and Lera then said goodbye to Lita again before heading off to meet with Joseph and Jolyne Atlas back at the palace. From there, special sets of chariots were prepared for them as they headed out towards the Northwestern border.

However, Lera quickly noticed their direction of travel deviating away from the Northwestern direction, which is where the Kingdom of Talonia resided relative to Varous. Instead, they charted straight North as the sceneries and landscapes started to remind her of the very first part of their adventure.

“We needed a secure route up North.” Jolyne explained as their chariots darted through the tree lines, “A route that’s hidden beyond the borders and the guards, and one that will not raise any suspicions for the border guards who we may want to hide from.”

“Most people enter Talonia by sea from the West, or by land from the South. But there’s another option from the East…” Joseph said, handing over Wu a map of the Northern part of the Eastern continent which revealed the towering mountain range that was the Titan’s Spine.

“Through the mountains…” Lera murmured.

“It was deemed such an implausible task that the guard station at the bottom of the mountains was renowned as a retirement place for the Talonian military.” Joseph added, “And if there were anyone that are adept at scaling the mountains and sneaking past borders, it’s the Dwellers.”

Wu and Lera shared a glance, when the chariot made yet another turn in the forest, now following a stream of water upstream.

“We have gotten in contact with one of the Dweller’s tribes that currently lives at the base of the mountain.” Jolyne said, “We are now way past the Varous border into the Endless Woods, but they should help you get through the mountains.”

“In fact, I believe you were accomplices at one point~”

“WU! LERA!”

The Dweller's tribe elder and his daughter Tia exclaimed excitedly before the news quickly spread through the entire main camp of the Dwellers. It wasn’t long before a crowd had gathered all around them as the two stepped off the Chariot.

“It’s been a while.” The elder bowed as his head had become bald, though his spirits seemed lifted despite his age.

“I thought you were living somewhere down south and west!” Lera said excitedly before putting both hands out, catching Tia as she nearly tackled her to the ground with how fast she was running.

“The Dwellers tribe do not need to rely on any particular location.” The elder explained before he scratched his grey skin, “Our population had grown even furhter since Wu introduced us to hydraulic engineering, and now…we had branched off since then. A fraction of the group remained behind, while the rest continued forward.”

“We scaled half of the mountains just yesterday!” Tia said, excited to show off when the elder glanced at her briefly before chuckling.

“Yes, we scaled the Titan’s Spine, since Wu mentioned the existence of Fuel Rocks near there.”

“I hope there had been no accidents involving it…” Wu said.

“With water, right?” Tia said, “We had buckets of water bathing them, and more on stand by!”

“Good.” Wu played with her hair as she wiggled her shoulders happily, “We are looking to cross over to Talonia in secret.”

“We have found a secure route up the mountains. Since there are no guards, it's secure...in the sense of the gradients and stability of the rocks.” The elder said, though his eyes hesitated slightly, “Though… It was only partway up to the peaks, and we haven’t gotten a full map as you had requested general Joseph Atlas.”

“That’s unfortunate.” Joseph said, “I don’t want them to go in it blind.”

“It…should be fine, so long as we are careful enough.” Wu said, “I am sure we have plenty to learn about the mountains from you.”

“We will do our best.” The elder said, raising his hands up and drawing the attention of the crowd, “Tonight, we celebrate the return of Wu and Lera, and we share all that we know with them!”

Just like before, the Dweller’s party became an absolute blast. Joseph and Jolyne fitted in no problem, as they enjoyed their drinks to no end while Tia gathered up all of the most experienced mountaineers in the group around Wu and Lera.

“The Titan’s Spine is far bigger and taller than you would expect even from looking at the map, therefore, you should exercise patience while you trek over it.” The most senior of the mountaineer was a teenage Dweller with an extremely well-built body. He gestured to the various notes on the local maps before looking back at Wu and Lera, “The rocks were often loose on the steeper parts. Therefore, the safest route is actually the longer route, where you follow a more gentle slope along the ridge here.”

“There are no land beasts anywhere on the mountain beyond the occasional mountain goats. Though the falcons are ferocious during their hunting times.” Another mountaineer explained before putting down a pouch on the table, “Use these dried shit to ward them off. Give it a splash of water, and even the hungriest of falcons will stay away.”

“There were occasional rains, but the worst of the weather element is the gusts. Stay close and low to the ground when you hear what sounded like loud hisses and screams coming from below.”

“Did you just say screams?” Wu asked, and the teen nodded back.

“We call it the Titan’s scream. It’s just the sound wind makes as it rushes through the gaps in between rocks. Those gusts will carry away those that were unprepared for the climb, according to legends that we make up.”

“Noted.” Wu said, placing that down beyond the rest of the lists.

“We may be able to ride the chariot up for the majority of the lower half of the mountain.” Lera said, “Before it gets too windy and dangerous to do so.”

“Sounds reasonable.”

With a few more tips and tricks about how to set up and secure tents up in the rocky mountains, Wu and Lera were officially dismissed from the classroom.

“WU HAD RETURNED!” The brutes of the Dweller’s tribe called out loudly before the groups surrounded Wu, “He shall wrestle me for the right to marry Tia!”

“Not this again…” Wu sighed when he looked towards the Elder’s chief. However, he looked back at Wu and shrugged before stepping into the pit again. And just like before, he put the brute in his place, “I am actually…engaged.”

“What does that even mean?” The group immediately quieted down, and all of those eyes focused onto Wu.

“Oh, that means I plan to marry Lera.” Wu said even as Lera blushed ear to ear. Tia looked on with jealousy, but she still hugged Lera regardless, “But haven’t yet.”

“Well, that just means you haven’t actually married then.” The brute said.

“Wait…” Wu turned towards Lera who stared back at him, “You don’t have the two stages of marriage on this world…? An engagement and a marriage?”

She shook her head, and Wu half-stumbled back. To Lera, Wu must have seemed like he was just delaying it all.

“In this case, let us celebrate the marriage of Wu and Lera using the Dweller’s tradition!” The elder said, “Now that we have heard of the news, we shall celebrate even harder!”

“Great. Don’t tell me we are wrestling…”

It turned out, Wu was going to wrestle. The dweller’s tradition was that the groom shall wrestle against exactly a single dozen opponents, working his way until he was able to face the bride with nothing left in the tank. Then, in that moment of weakness and fatigue, their true love is then tested, as…the bride wrestles the groom. Obviously.

Wu was about to reject the ceremony by saying that their time was limited, but Joseph and Jolyne were fully on board after hearing that this activity usually lasts halfway through the night for the more skillful of grooms. Obviously, Joseph takes pride in Wu's skill after being the one to train his close quarter combat skills.

“Alright then.” As Lera’s been covered in the traditional Dweller’s clothing of light grey ribbons, Wu was set at the edge of the Dweller’s settlement as his 12 opponents lined up in between himself and Lera. She watched him with anticipation as he clasped hands with his first opponent, the teenage leader of the mountaineers.

“Put me on my back, and you shall proceed.” He said, resisting against Wu’s push as the latter remembered Joseph’s teachings as he failed one way before grabbing the teen’s hands, pinning his feet under and slinging him overhead.

As the body of the teen flew through the air, Wu then slammed him onto the mud as the wet soil splattered in all directions. The crowd cheered and laughed as Wu moved onto the next round, and the start of the nonstop cascade of brutes got in his way.

It didn’t take long before he activated the strengthening Casts within his Void suit, and even sooner when he boosted his movements with jets of the Wave coming out from his feet. Those channelers were tough and experienced, but Wu was by no means averse to fighting dirty, shifting his Wave output, altering the environment, and even utilizing his Void Domain to achieve his victory.

He wanted to fight with honor, but he had already left that behind in the mud by the time he faced his fourth opponent. By the time he faced his eighth opponent, he had relented to bathing himself fully within the Void Domain. The Dwellers had never seen this Cast of his, obviously, and he worked through those opponents with ease.

The final opponent was the elder once again, and he offered no resistance, allowing Wu to slowly place him down before he leaned in and whispered words of congratulations to Wu.

“FINALLY!” After moving past the last man, Wu finally presented his mess of a self in front of Lera. His body was covered in a mixture of sweat, mud, and grime, and he contrasted starkly to Lera’s beautiful appearance, “Come here, Lera!”

A true test of love was also how decisively the bride approached the dirty groom, signifying their relationship being stronger than just physical appearance.

Lera smirked as she dashed forward, her body lightened and enhanced with Casts before the glowing outlines of Cast arrays shined all around Wu’s body. Then, massive vines wrapped around Wu’s arms and legs as he blasted off the ground with Void Domain Special and then sliced through the air with his Void Domain laser.

“Blinding flash!” Lera casted, a bright flash detonating from her body as Wu looked to the side while shielding his entire body with the mixed layers of Void Domain and shield Casts. However, Lera punched straight through with a counter of her own, a mixed layer of anti-Void Domain and Void domain that melted Wu’s defenses like butter.

Then, she crashed into Wu’s body, tackling him into the ground as the Dweller’s settlement became exploded with cheers and applause. Then, as the rest of the dwellers splashed water onto the two, Lera held onto Wu’s muddy chin and kissed him in the lips.

“Nice fighting, my dear husband~ Let’s hope you are this easy whenever we argue in the future.” Lera smirked before invading Wu’s mouth with her tongue as Wu enjoyed the little wrestle within. Then, she pulled back slightly and sat on top of Wu, putting her hands in the air as she was declared as the victor.

“You are surprisingly cheeky.” Wu said, grabbing onto her butt and squeezing it lightly as she rested on top of him.

“Only because you are too~”