'No. Challenging her blindly is stupid. She wasn't even bothered by Jude's challenge, and he's at the Third Order. That means she's extremely confident in her strength. Besides, I'll gather information from today's battle and her fight with Jude.'
Draven looked up to find Vera staring at him.
She chuckled. "Don't challenge her, though."
He composed himself, burying his thoughts. "I don't need to. I'm still new to the Second Order."
As they stepped outside the gate, Selene halted, her gaze fixed on the open space ahead. Vera did the same. Draven paused, confused.
Then, motes of light swirled in the air. A massive, car-sized black monster materialized before them.
His pupil dilated. Instinct screamed danger. Draven rocketed backward, summoning his sword, bow, arrow, and Desolate Might in one fluid motion—fully battle-ready.
"Relax. It's just a mount," Vera said, stopping him before he could flee.
He had planned to escape while defending himself.
"A mount?" Draven hesitated, eyeing the creature warily from a distance.
It was a hulking, furry beast with oppressively muscular, thick limbs and a feline visage.
'A giant cat?'
He hadn't seen a mount before, having only just arrived, but his research had mentioned them. Like gear, they were rewards from slain monsters: used solely for transport, with no combat abilities.
"Get on." Selene climbed onto its back and gestured for them to follow.
Vera hopped up effortlessly.
After a moment's hesitation, Draven steeled himself and climbed aboard.
People at the gate watched in awe and unease.
Without warning, the creature surged forward, kicking up spirals of dust in its wake. Strangely, Draven felt no jolt, as if glued in place.
The mount raced across the terrain, its pounding hooves the only sound in the silence.
Vera had stopped talking, her attention locked on the passing landscape. A blue sword—different from the crab's—gleamed in her grip.
Selene, as usual, said nothing.
Meanwhile, Draven seized the chance to memorize the terrain and prominent features on the way. Safe passage without a death trap like this was rare, and requires an experienced guide. Besides, not everything online could be trusted. He even activated Soul Eyes periodically but saw no monster around.
Soon, they reached a towering dark mountain. The mount slowed, then entered a tunnel at its base.
Draven narrowed his eyes and frowned. "The monster is in the mountain?"
"No. It is not too far from here," Selene replied.
He arched an eyebrow, wanting more explanation.
She explained, "The monkey is fast. If it's near death, there's a high chance that it'll flee. We'll lure it into the mountain's depths to fight it there. I'm showing you the battleground so you can plan your position, to avoid disorganization."
The mount advanced into the dark tunnel. Draven tightened his grip on his bow, with Soul Eyes activated while observing the darkness with heightened vigilance until Selene summoned a white crystal, bathing the tunnel in light. His tensed shoulder slouched slightly.
Minutes later, the mount entered into a vast, cavernous chamber, coming to a stop at its center. Although not particularly wide in comparison to its height, the space soared upward like a hollow cylinder.
"Choose your spot," Selene said.
Draven's eyes spun as he searched for the best spot.
'To snipe, I need a very good vantage point, where I only focus on shooting, without caring for defense.'
His swiveling head finally came to a stop, locking onto a narrow ledge that jutted from the rock face, barely wide enough for a single person.
Draven pointed at it with a light smile. "That's my spot."
Vera blinked, "How are you going to get there? That's about a hundred meters from the ground. Wait—" Her eyes widened. "Don't tell me you've a flying gear?"
Draven smiled brightly. "Maybe. Maybe not. You should just know I will snipe from there while you keep it busy."
"Fine. But please—PLEASE—don't shoot us by accident." Vera clasped her hands in mock prayer.
Selene's voice cut in, deadly serious. "Are you confident you won't?"
"I thought you guys were confident in my archery skills?" Draven grinned. "I guessed you got that from the professional training room, which is surprising as they violated their terms."
"They didn't," Vera corrected. "I heard that when the receptionist told you to come back for Archery training."
Draven waved his hand dismissively. "You wouldn't have the same confidence in taking me to hunt a Third Order Transient creature if it was just that. Your confidence stems from something you've seen, which is only found in that professional training room. I don't care, though. All I'm saying is, I won't shoot you."
The place became awkwardly silent for a second.
"So where's the monster?" Draven finally asked.
"Let's go." Selene nudged the mount.
It turned and left the depth. When it got out, it sprinted forward, weaving through the terrain before slowing near a dense forest.
Draven's heart tightened as memories of the vine from the forest flooded his mind. Without hesitation, he switched his armor to Obsidian Carapace, disregarding the consequences. With steady hands, he nocked his bow with a new arrow—Wintervein. This arrow resembled a translucent crystal, adorned with intricate blue engravings that spiraled gracefully across its surface, complemented by fletching made of delicate blue flora.
The girls glanced at him curiously but said nothing, their focus returning to the trees. The mount halted at the forest's edge.
"I'll lure it out now. Be ready. Once it's in the cavern, we can't let it escape," Selene warned.
Draven nodded, his expression hidden behind his helmet.
Selene summoned an elegant black sword in one hand and a flute in the other. Setting the sword down, she raised the flute to her lips.
"I hate this," Vera muttered, then turned to Draven. "You might want to block your ears."
A deafening, discordant melody of insectile screeches erupted from it.
The sound intensified, growing louder and more chaotic as an outrageous assortment of noises joined the fray, making Draven feel nauseous. The heinous melody assaulted his ears. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to endure.
Two minutes later, he noticed swaying branches and raining leaves in the distance. Ignoring the atrocious music, he activated Soul Eyes.