Chapter 79: Chaos
The vegetation began changing. Gone were the towering sequoia-like giants; now the trees were shorter—left for occasional faraways even bigger and thicker than previous ones—but the density of the forest around him grew suffocating. Branches formed thick walls. Vines tangled like nets. The air itself felt heavy. Leo couldn't see more than twenty meters ahead; shadows and foliage swallowed everything past that range.
A weight settled on his skin—mana pressure, dense and swirling. He could physically feel it pushing against his chest with each breath. Even Niri perked up on his shoulder, her wood-like tendrils unfurling excitedly as she inhaled the mana-rich air like a child sniffing sweets.
Then—perfectly on cue—
AWooooooo!
A long, echoing howl tore through the forest ahead, vibrating through the dense canopy.
