Chapter 477: Chapter 474 – Departure to the Eastern Rift
The next day, dawn had just greeted the capital of the Helios Empire with a soft golden-orange light slowly creeping in from the eastern horizon. The first rays slipped through the wooden window gaps of The Dragon Inn, illuminating the rooms with a warmth that was still chilly. The morning air remained cool and damp, carrying the fresh scent of dew from the city gardens, wet leaves after last night’s light rain, and the faint smell of toasted bread from the inn’s busy kitchen. Morning birds chirped cheerfully on the stone rooftops, as if unaware of the great threat waiting in the east.
Sylvia woke up earlier than usual, as always. Her undead body never truly needed long sleep. She quickly combed her long, straight black hair until it fell neatly down her back. She stood by the open window of the inn room, gazing at the gradually brightening sky while thinking about last night’s meeting. The name Mušmaḫḫū still echoed in her mind like the roar of an ancient monster. A mix of caution and burning fighting spirit simmered quietly in her chest. That monster created by Tiamat was not only a threat to the capital, but also a golden opportunity for her to gather massive experience toward her next evolution.
Sol and Qilin were already awake, both sitting obediently on the edge of the large bed with alert expressions. Sol, the sacred golden cat, slowly swished his tail. Qilin, in his small deer form, shook his faintly glowing little horns. Alicia and Stacia quickly prepared as well. Alicia wore her light blue dress, which had been modified with light protective runes, her silver hair tied in a simple ponytail. Stacia remained faithful to her loose grayish-purple robes, with her thick grimoire tucked into her side belt.
The three of them went downstairs for a light breakfast. The mahogany wooden tables in the dining hall were still quiet, with only the loyal staff serving warm wheat toast with wild berry jam, soft-boiled eggs, and steaming hot herbal tea. They ate in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging glances through group telepathy.
"Mušmaḫḫū... Its blood is poisonous and can summon minions. We have to be careful with our fire and ice," Sylvia said in their minds.
"I’ve prepared detox spells and diversion illusions," Stacia replied while biting into her bread.
"My staff is stronger now. Even though it’s not a powerful artifact staff, I can freeze its blood before it spreads," Alicia added while stroking Qilin.
After breakfast, they hurried to the Hunters Guild. In the guild’s large front courtyard, the atmosphere was already lively even though it was still very early morning. Dozens of guild members were busy checking equipment, loading supplies onto vehicles, and saddling mounts. The air was filled with the sounds of hammers, footsteps, and tense conversations. The smell of lubricating oil, iron, and mana crystals mixed together.
Sylvia, Alicia, and Stacia arrived right on time. The other two groups chosen for this emergency mission were already there. The first was the five-member party that had fought against Sylvia in the arena yesterday. They introduced themselves as Party Wild Bear. True to their name, all five members had large, burly builds like standing bears. Their muscles bulged beneath thick leather armor reinforced with heavy iron plates, thick arms covered in ancient tribal tattoos, and rugged faces with thick beards and scars. Their leader, Gorn Thunderfist, still had a large purplish lump on his head and a gaze full of resentment when he saw Sylvia, but he held himself back with a clenched jaw.
"We are Wild Bear," Gorn said in a heavy voice like rolling thunder. "Specializing in raw physical strength and frontline defense. We will crush anything in our way. Don’t expect us to help you three arrogant girls."
Sylvia only nodded coldly without responding to the provocation. Her face remained expressionless, her red eyes showing no emotion.
The second group was Party Eternal, consisting of six people with much calmer and more authoritative auras. Two men and four women, all wearing high-quality equipment that faintly shimmered under the morning sun, rune-embroidered silk robes, crystal magic staves, and elven longbows. Their leader was a silver-haired elf woman named Elara Silverwind. Her skin was pale and smooth, her pointed ears clearly visible, and she smiled politely even though her eyes sharply assessed everyone in the courtyard.
"We are Eternal," Elara said in a gentle but firm voice full of authority. "We rely more on team coordination, advanced elemental magic, and smart tactics. It’s a pleasure to work with accomplished hunters like you. Let’s hope we can complement each other."
After the brief introductions, everyone’s attention turned to Sylvia’s group. Guild Master Marcus Blackthorn, standing at the front in his guild coat, asked loudly, "What about you three? Do you already have an official party name for the mission records?"
Sylvia glanced briefly at her two sisters. The three of them quickly communicated through group telepathy. "What do you think?"
"Something that reflects us," Alicia replied.
"Something cool and a bit mysterious," Stacia added.
Sylvia nodded slightly and answered in a flat voice that was clearly heard throughout the courtyard, "Unhuman."
The courtyard fell silent for a moment. Several people raised their eyebrows, including Gorn who snorted loudly. Elara Silverwind smiled faintly, as if she understood the hidden meaning behind the name.
"Unhuman? That’s... a strange name," muttered one of the Wild Bear members with a cynical laugh.
Even though they were currently disguising themselves as ordinary human girls, the name felt very fitting. Undead, Fallen Angel, and Holy Spirit none of the three were pure humans. The name also served as a reminder to themselves of their origins and true power that was still hidden.
After the party name was officially recorded in the guild documents, a thorough equipment inspection was conducted under the supervision of guild officers. Sylvia checked her invisible chains and undead claws, ensuring everything was ready. Alicia spun her repaired silver staff; the new runes glowed faintly when tested. Stacia filled her novel grimoire with new support spells detoxification, mass illusions, and defensive buffs. Sol and Qilin were also briefly checked; both remained in their small, inconspicuous forms, but their holy auras were still faintly detectable to those who were sensitive.
Everyone was ready. The Guild Master gave the signal for departure.
Party Wild Bear boarded a large, heavily modified black vehicle upgraded with high-grade mana crystals. The vehicle emitted a low rumble that shook the ground when started, its wheels thick and sturdy.
Party Eternal summoned their tamed giant bird, a dark blue-feathered Roc with wings wide enough to cover the sky. The four women and two men nimbly climbed onto its back, magic reins neatly attached. The giant bird let out a sharp cry before shooting into the air with powerful wing flaps that created strong gusts of wind, leaving a swirl of dust in the courtyard.
Meanwhile, Sylvia and her two sisters boarded their ordinary-looking horse carriage pulled by their two zombie horses. From the outside, the carriage looked simple and plain like a merchant’s, with slightly faded paint. But the suspension and frame had been modified by Stacia with spatial magic to make it more stable, comfortable, and shock-resistant. The interior was much more spacious than it appeared.
They moved slowly out of the city gates, following the still-heavy morning traffic of merchant carts and other hunters. Once they passed the large city walls and entered the open highway heading east, the atmosphere changed drastically.
Party Eternal’s Roc immediately soared high with extraordinary speed, disappearing eastward in an instant and becoming a tiny dot in the blue sky. Party Wild Bear’s vehicle roared loudly, its wheels spinning rapidly as it sped off, leaving thick dust behind.
As they passed Sylvia’s carriage, one of the Wild Bear members stuck his hand out the window and showed his middle finger with loud mocking laughter. "Stupid old horse carriage! Enjoy our dust, you weak Unhuman!"
Sylvia smiled thinly, cold and full of confidence. She gently stroked the neck of one of the zombie horses. "Stacia."
Stacia nodded with a mischievous smile. She took out her grimoire and cast a quick spell. "Wind Shield Maximum! Acceleration Boost!"
An invisible layer of wind immediately enveloped the entire carriage and both zombie horses, reducing air friction to nearly zero and increasing stability. Sylvia held the reins firmly, her red eyes glowing faintly. "Move. Full speed."
The two zombie horses snorted loudly, their red eyes blazing with excitement. They rarely got to run without limits because they usually had to disguise themselves as normal horses. Now, without restraint, they unleashed all their long-suppressed undead power.
DUUUMMM!
The horse carriage shot forward like an arrow released from a giant bow. Dust flew high behind them, but the Wind Shield kept the passengers stable and comfortable as if they were sitting in a quiet room. In seconds, they had already caught up to Party Wild Bear’s vehicle. The faces inside the vehicle turned pale with shock as they saw the simple-looking carriage speeding past them at a speed impossible for normal vehicles.
"What the hell is that?! Impossible!" Gorn shouted from inside the vehicle, his eyes widening, hands gripping the dashboard.
One of his members tried to catch up by pushing the engine harder, but their vehicle was already at its limit. The Unhuman carriage pulled further ahead, leaving the Wild Bear vehicle far behind like a toy car left in the dust.
Inside the carriage, Alicia laughed softly while stroking Kirin, who was also delighted. "They must be scared half to death. Gorn’s face just now was hilarious."
Stacia leaned her head against the carriage wall with a satisfied smile, her novel open on her lap. "Just let them be. Let them know their place. We’re not a team to be underestimated."
Sylvia sat calmly in the coachman’s seat, the morning wind brushing against her pale face. This high speed made her undead blood feel more alive, adrenaline flowing even though she didn’t breathe like normal humans. In the distance, Party Eternal’s Roc was still visible as a tiny dot in the sky, but their carriage continued speeding forward without stopping, leaving a long trail of dust on the highway.
The journey to the eastern dimensional rift would take several hours through forests, hills, and open plains. Sylvia used the time to check her status in the system, discuss in-depth strategies with her sisters through telepathy, and mentally prepare to face Mušmaḫḫū. Level 110 gave her great confidence, but she knew that ancient monster was not an opponent to be taken lightly.
