The time inside the snake seemed to have lasted forever, but eventually, a week had passed.

“We’re going to reach the Continent soon, right?”

Amelia asked.

“Yeah, I can already see it.”

Rory replied.

“See it? Now that I think about it, how do you know where to steer the snake to reach the continent? I mean, I don’t believe that you memorized the ocean floors.”

“Oh, that’s because I’m using Sensor to track where we are; while navigating towards the continent.”

“…..You know, I shouldn’t have asked. I forgot that I get a headache whenever you do the impossible. There’s a limit to how much you should go against common sense you know.”

Amelia spoke and sighed.

“Hey, how long until we’re there. I want to leave this snake already.”

Reina complained.

“We’re here.”

“Huh?”

“We’re here.”

Rory repeated.

“So quick?”

“Do you want to leave or not?”

“I want to leave.”

“Good.”

Rory then pointed upwards with his finger. The snake immediately started to ascend towards the surface. After a while, the girls felt like their bodies were now lighter. They immediately realized that they were now out of the ocean.

“We’re on the surface. Let’s go have a look.”

Rory made a hand sign and the snake opened its mouth, which caused sunlight to seep in. He walked towards the mouth with girls behind him. Once they were outside, they needed time to let their eyes adjust to the brightness.

“?!”

When their eyes did adjust, they were left completely baffled and shocked at what they saw.

“I-Is that a tree?!”

Amelia shouted with shock.

In front of them was a tree so big, that only the word “Godly” could be used to describe it. It stretched so far up into the sky, that seeing the top was impossible. The most one could see was a branch, and considering how large it looked despite being partially covered by the clouds, was a testament for its size.

“Just its trunk alone stretch towards the horizon….”

Reina said.

“What? Is this your first time seeing the Kashmir Continent?”

Rory asked.

“This is the Kashmir Continent?! This tree?!”

The girls shouted in shock.

“Well, this is just the base. The real Continent is at the top.”

Rory pointed towards the sky and said.

“I heard that the Kashmir Continent was filled with trees, I heard nothing about it being a tree itself.”

Reina said.

“Well, it being filled with trees isn’t false. The “trees” are just twigs though.”

Rory said with a laugh.

“Is there land up there?”

Amelia asked while still staring at the tree.

“Yeah. I don’t know the details, but I there’s all kinds of theories that explains why this tree is so huge and why it holds up a Continent at the top of it, and how did people start living there in the first place. But since I can’t say which ones are correct with confidence, I created my own rule when facing the unknown.”

“What’s that?”

“Just say fuck it, and be on your way.”

The girls didn’t know how to respond to that.

Amelia looked around for a bit before asking-

“Hey, how are we going to reach the top? I don’t see anything that could bring us up there.”

“Easy. We climb.”

“Ok, I’m done here.”

Reina turned around and walked back inside Snake.

“There’s no way I’m climbing that.”

Amelia followed her and went back inside.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“The only adventure I will be having is an exploration of hell, if I attempt to climb that thing.”

Amelia answered.

“Have fun on your suicide mission.”

Said Reina.

“Hmmm….What if I told you two that this was the birth place of the Lodon and Megal tribes? And if you go there, you’ll be a step closer to achieving your goals?”

The girls stopped when they heard that.

“Go on.”

Rory smiled.

“Reina, your goal is find and kill Rei right?”

“How did you know? Ajna?”

“Whenever I brought him up, you would always get upset; so I figured that you hated him. I believe that Rei’s past sins came back and took everything from you.”

Reina had a furious expression on her face. It was as if she had remembered something unpleasant.

Rory only nodded and looked at Amelia.

“And you, Elia. Your current goal should be to find your origins. Sol isn’t located on Kashmir, but if there’s any place the Lodon ran to when they scattered, it would be this Continent; the Wild Continent.”

He grinned.

“The Kashmir Continent is where your ancestors originated before spreading their seed across the world. In other words, this is your motherland. Can you imagine all the benefits you could receive from going there? There’s a chance that you’ll understand your roots better and grow tremendously stronger. Even so, do you still wish not to go there?”

“………”

“………”

The girls didn’t respond immediately. Rory’s persuasion made going to the continent really tempting. The two did indeed lust for strength, and that lust was incredibly strong. But there was one problem.

“How are we going to climb this tree?”

Amelia asked.

“I mean, can it even be climbed? Isn’t there any other way?”

“Of course, there other ways like using a transit shuttle. However, we’re wanted criminals. We can’t use such legitimate means. Well, that’s unless you don’t mean fighting Bounty Hunters and members of the Sacred army.”

Rory stretched his hand out.

“I’m all game if you want to. We can set this whole continent a fire.”

The girls instantly remembered the recent war with the Sacred Church, and shivered. They didn’t want to experience another war like that so soon.

“But climbing this thing is impossible.”

“Really? I thought it be a good chance to train you two. I mean, if you’re able to climb this, your physical strength will skyrocket. Then you wouldn’t need anima to deal with the normal person.”

“That’s not training! That’s suicide!”

“But Serket made me do it when I was 15.”

Rory said with a confused face. It was as if he couldn’t understand why the girls couldn’t do it.

“….I’m starting to see why Rory was such a monster.”

“Queen, just what kind of training did you give him?”

The girls started find newfound fear towards the scorpion queen.

“I guess it can’t be helped.”

Rory suddenly rushed towards the girls and scoop them up in his arms one by one.

“Wha?!”

“Put me down!”

They couldn’t react in time and were easily captured.

“Hold on.”

Rory leaped from the snake’s mouth and landed on a nearby, giant tree root. He then turned and looked back at the Transit Snake.

“You’re free to go.”

“Rahhh!”

The snake roared joyfully before submerging back into the ocean. Looks like it was happy to finally rid itself of the group.

“What a cold hearted fellow. And after everything I’ve done for him too.”

Rory said with a sigh.

“Oh, well.”

He turned and faced the godly tree.

“Put me down!”

“This is embarrassing!”

Amelia and Reina, who he was holding by his sides, tried to struggle free but couldn’t break free from his grasp.

“Settle down. Since you two can’t climb up, I’ll have to do it for you.”

“Wait, you’re planning on carrying all of us up to the top?”

“Don’t worry. You’re not heavy at all. Well, at least not compared to the boulders that was tied to my back when climbing this thing as a kid.”

“First of all, that’s cruel. Second of all, I don’t feel better after being compared to a boulder!”

Reina shouted.

“Just give it up.”

Amelia said beside her.

“Once his mind is set, there’s nothing you can do. All you can do is pray for the best.”

“Hey, don’t say such ominous things with deadeyes!”

“Alright, ready?”

“No!”

“Go!”

*BOOM!*

Rory shot upwards like a rocket, even causing the root he was standing on to burst apart.

“Ahhhhhh! Why did I follow this idiot?!”

Reina’s screaming voice could be heard echoing through the area.

Meanwhile, approximately 1000ft in the air.

*Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Rory was running up the godly tree with his steps causing explosive sounds, while leaving inches deep footprints in the bark. If one was to see him from a far, he would look like an ant racing the tree, carrying two other ants with it.

“Ahhhhh!”

The girls who were being held by him, couldn’t help but scream in horror. Even Amelia who had seemed to given up hope earlier, was screaming with tears running from her eyes.

“Damn you, Rory! I swear I’ll kick off the top of this tree later!”

Amelia shouted angrily.

“Hahahaha!”

Rory only laughed in response to her outburst.

*Bam!*

He was incredibly fast. So fast that he wouldn’t lose to any vehicle on land. He past birds and all kinds of creatures flying around or living on the tree. They were all frightened and shocked to see a being move that fast.

“Alright, we’re reaching the clouds! After this, it’s just the homestretch!”

He provided the girls with an update. However, they were too busy screaming to hear him. He quickly reached the clouds and immediately saw the top of the tree with its godly branches stretched out.

A single leaf was about the size of a bus, while the branches stretched for miles.

“Alright! Last spurt!”

*Bam!*

Rory suddenly squeeze out all of his strength into his last step and shot upwards. He covered he and girls with anima and forced through the leaves and branches. For a while all the girls could see was green, but eventually they saw the light of day again.

*Bam!*

They forced through the last cluster of leaves and flew up into the air. When they look, they could see a world of trees, weird creatures, rivers, and nature everywhere.

This was the Kashmir Continent!

Rory landed on the ground, with the girls before releasing them. They looked and saw that they had actually forced themselves through even the ground to make it here.

They calmed themselves down and looked around in amazement. Suddenly-

“?!”

They were suddenly overwhelmed with severe pain, and past out soon after.