Chapter 810 Finding the Hidden Enclave
Reign and Shadow moved swiftly and silently through the darkening forest, their abilities in manipulating darkness making them nearly imperceptible in the approaching night. They carefully followed the group that had been trailing them earlier, ensuring they kept a safe distance and didn't alert the others.
The enemies they were tracking were skilled, possibly all Tier V combatants. However, they weren't as proficient as Reign and Shadow in stealth. Despite their abilities, the enemies didn't detect the pair tailing them.
"We need to find out where they are going without giving away our presence," Shadow whispered.
Reign nodded in agreement, his focus on keeping track of the enemy's movements. The darkness shrouded them effectively, making their pursuit undetectable even in the jungle's dim light.
The enemy group consisted of three individuals. Their pace was steady and determined, seemingly following a specific path. It became evident that they were heading towards a specific destination.
The air grew heavier, the darkness deepening as the night fully embraced the jungle. Reign and Shadow moved silently, their steps muffled by the natural sounds of the forest. They continued tailing the other group, inching closer to discovering their intentions.
Finally, the enemy trio reached a concealed, overgrown entrance that led deeper into the jungle. They paused, discussing something in hushed tones.
"Looks like they've found something," Shadow remarked as they observed the subtle movements and gestures of the enemy group.
"They are trying to hide their entry but don't know that I can sense their presence," Reign murmured, his senses keenly attuned to the fluctuations in mana around them.
The entrance seemed concealed, perhaps deliberately so, indicating it could lead to a hidden place or a territory uncharted by others in the jungle.
"Should we follow them inside?" Shadow asked, tension tinging his voice.
Reign hesitated for a moment, contemplating the risks. His curiosity battled with caution. The hidden place seemed to hold something significant, something that had drawn the enemy group with deliberate intent.
"Let's observe for a while, see if we can gather more information," Reign decided.
They watched the enemy group navigate through the entrance, which closed behind them. Reign and Shadow exchanged a brief glance before cautiously approaching the concealed entryway.
The darkness enveloped the area, but both Reign and Shadow could sense a faint trail of the enemy's mana, leading into the hidden path.
As they ventured closer to the entrance, a dim light flickered within, hinting at an active presence within the hidden enclave.
"Stay alert," Reign warned Shadow, both of them bracing for whatever lay ahead. "Let's go in, but remain in the shadows."
Their footsteps were almost inaudible as they passed through the concealed entryway, the darkness veiling their presence. The concealed passage led into a clandestine area, illuminated by dimly glowing orbs fixed to the walls.
Reign and Shadow stealthily moved forward, their senses heightened. What they discovered was a concealed settlement, unknown to most explorers within the jungle. The place was inhabited, indicating a group of individuals had established a covert community, out of sight from others.
"This place is organized," Shadow whispered as they observed the compound.
The hidden enclave was far more advanced and fortified than they had anticipated. Buildings made of a unique combination of materials stood tall within the settlement, while guards patrolled the area. The sound of forging and construction echoed softly within the walls.
"The group that followed us is here," Reign muttered. "Let's gather what information we can and return to our team."
As they continued observing the activities within the hidden settlement, it became clear that the inhabitants possessed knowledge of the jungle above their own. Looking around, Reign and Shadow were able to see multiple tunnels that were similar to the one they came through, with how far away the group had moved, it was highly likely that some of the tunnels lead to a different area.
Reign and Shadow remained hidden, collecting as much information as possible, then quietly retreated to meet up with their companions.
Meanwhile, with the Rest of the Group:
Reign and Shadow's absence was noted, but the rest of the team continued onward. Despite a slight unease at the loss of Reign and Shadow, they continued their journey back to the territory, moving cautiously and making sure not to be followed.
Greenie and Tank were extra vigilant, maintaining a lookout for any signs of danger or the enemies they had sensed following them earlier. Even though they doubted any of them would have been able to escape Reign's sensing, it was still a possibility.
There were many abilities and skills in the world, so it was highly likely that there were people who could hide from Reign as well.
As they journeyed, Laura discovered a small patch of unique flowers. Beast was fascinated by the fauna and stared at the flowers from time to time while Wolf noted the signs of recent monster activity in the area.
The group proceeded back to their territory, aware of the complexities of the jungle and the potential dangers that might emerge. Their minds were filled with curiosity about Reign and Shadow's departure and what they might have discovered.
The night began to pass as they neared their territory. Their senses were sharp, and their spirits were both excited and wary about what awaited them beyond the jungle's dense foliage.
Suddenly, they heard a distant rustling among the trees behind them. Greenie signaled everyone to stop and listen. It was an eerie silence that followed, unsettling in the midst of the night.
As they continued to move forward cautiously, they noticed the familiar area where the safe zone of Mia's group lay. The group found themselves near the entrance, anticipating the sight of the territory that was covered by Mia's barrier.
"Something isn't right here," Wolf whispered as the others all nodded.
Suddenly, Wolf glanced at Beast and the latter nodded before stealthily summoning some of his beasts, keeping them hidden in the dense foliage of the forest they were still in.
Beast closed his eyes and used his shared senses with the beasts to improve his sense of smell before taking a couple of deep breaths opening his eyes and allowing one of his eagles to fly up before sharing his vision.
"I smell two people nearby, but even with my eagle, I can't see them."
"Just tell us the location and get ready," Wolf said calmly as the entire group continued walking forward.
"One is about 36 meters behind us, slightly to the left, from what I can sense, he is crouching next to the tree that has 3 claw marks on it."
"The other one is to the right, about 42 meters away, he is a bit higher, probably on top of the tree that is slightly taller than the rest around it."
Wolf and the others quickly memorized the location that Beast had given them and nodded slightly at him before getting ready.
The enemy was invisible, and even Reign didn't notice them. Without Beast and his sense of smell, which he hadn't used in a while thanks to the fact Reign was able to sense pretty much anything around them, they would have walked through the portal without ever knowing they had been followed.
"What about Reign and Shadow, did the enemy realize they were following them?"
"They disappeared when we got in the forest, both made sure that we were hidden from sight before they used their darkness and disappeared, so I don't think the enemy saw them, but the two following us definitely noticed that they weren't present."
"There might have been a third with them who returned, we can't dismiss that possibility either," Mia added from the side before Wolf sighed.
"It's Reign and Shadow we're talking about, even if the enemy realizes they are following them, I doubt they will be able to threaten them, Reign alone can explode with the strength that's slightly above a peak Tier V if he uses his transformation, so we don't need to worry about them too much."
The rest nodded at Wolf's words before he took a deep breath.
"On three, we attack, I will attack the one closer to us together with Tank, Laura, and these three, you guys attack the one that is further away, you have greater speed than us."
"One." Wolf started counting down as he crouched down, seemingly searching for something in front of him.
"Two." Wolf's muscles all constricted, as did the muscles of all the others as they were ready to explode with their full power at a moment's notice and attack the enemy."
"Three."
Suddenly, their mana exploded as they moved.
The ground beneath them cracked as they all lunged at where the two enemies were located, surprising both greatly and causing them to momentarily space out as they couldn't believe they were discovered.
The auras of Wolf and the others seemingly blanketed the sky as the two men following them were suddenly faced with the combined attacks of over 10 Tier V combatants.
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