Tower of Eternity, Floor #1: The Endless Forest.
"This forest is so... huge," Lucious muttered, his small boots kicking at a loose root.
He had been wandering the emerald expanse for what felt like days. The trees here were titanic, their branches blocking out the sky, creating a dark forest.
To a normal Climber, this would be terrifying. To Lucious, the First Hero of Veridia, it was just... boring.
His Morningstar talent ensured that he never got lost, but it also seemed to ensure he never found trouble. Monsters avoided him. Traps didn't trigger. It was a stroll in the park.
"I expected a challenge," Lucious sighed, twirling his small staff. "Maybe I should directly teleport to the location of the Boss."
He raised his hand, gathering mana for a spatial jump.
"Aghhh! Help me! Help me someone!"
The scream pierced the silence. It was high-pitched, desperate, and unmistakably terrified.
Lucious froze. The mana for his teleportation spell dissipated like mist.
