Genesis Code: The Genetic Awakening
Chapter 166: Borderlands

Chapter 166: Borderlands

The lands bordering the Growian Kingdom were a long mountainous range that stretched for kilometres from one side to the other.

The peaks of these mountains were covered in snow, showing how high the mountains were. Scaling the range was a difficult feat for normal people and adventurers.

However, as one of the paths leading to the Growians Kingdom, the Marquis in charge of the region had set up a fort atop one of the smaller mountains.

Below that mountain was a narrow path that led into the Growian Kingdom. While open, it was a straightforward path to defend.

Naturally, there was a fort where the forces of the Growian Kingdom stationed their forces to monitor the forces of the Luntheria Kingdom.

A few kilometres away from the Luntherian fort were a couple of villages and towns, mostly farming lands where the forces of the Marquis acquired their supplies.

All was well and good until the Growian forces attacked.

Unlike the typical army attacks one would expect, a small force was used in this assault. They were fast, powerful and ruthless, completely conquering the fort within three hours.

They displayed strength and abilities that went beyond what most commander-class knights could handle.

The Marquis’s forces had no choice but to retreat or risk being wiped out. It was a dark time for the Marquis’s forces and the surrounding towns and villages.

Why they chose to invade during the demon generals’ invasion was a question only those in the know could answer.

The Growian forces managed to seize all the surrounding towns, including a few important ones like a mining community, cutting off a mineral supply line for the Luntheria Kingdom.

While the towns and villages were not destroyed, the people were forced into labour, their freedom trampled upon. Their kingdom could not save them anytime soon.

Once the borderlands were taken over, the Growian forces didn’t budge. Various officials sent to negotiate never returned; the Growian forces spat on any diplomatic intentions of the Luntheria Kingdom.

Time passed, and slowly, the Growian forces dipped their hands into more of the ruling class of the Luntheria Kingdom, leading to the current situation.

The hour when all of their plans would culminate in the ultimate takeover was drawing near. If nothing was done about it, then the Luntheria Kingdom might be on its last leg.

***

Caleb appeared above the mountain range in a flash of turquoise blue light, the coldness of the night wind increasing exponentially.

Even so, Caleb was unaffected. Dabbling in the forces of fire and ice granted him a physique immune to these two elements.

Looking down at the fort below, Caleb’s vision zoomed in to monitor the ongoing activity.

Just like he guessed, the forces stationed there didn’t look like your typical army men. Most were dressed in gear similar to the hooded individuals he had fought before.

The fort itself was still standing despite the tremor that shook the vicinity. There were, however, portions of the mountains shaved off by the quake.

In a few of the villages Caleb focused on, he picked up a few powerful energy signatures blending in with the locals. However, the strongest of the presences came from the fort. Moreover, they were far more potent than the one he felt from Luc.

’They seem to be making preparations.’ Caleb noted calmly, both hands in his coat pockets. This much he expected.

What he didn’t expect, however, was the dungeon far beyond the borderlands, about a kilometre away from the fort. The reason this caught his attention was because of the cracks around the dungeon monolith, and the crew of people heading towards the dungeon.

But the one thing that stood out the most was that the dungeon looked like it had just come out of the ground.

’Is that how dungeons appear?’ Caleb asked his system, and a moment later, he noticed the system analysing the site around the dungeon.

[Analysis shows that the soil around the monolith was recently disturbed. The estimated time corresponds to the time of the unusual tremor.]

’So that’s indeed the case...’ Caleb realised.

While the monolith pretty much gave away this fact, dungeons were not only the visible parts above ground. Within the monolith was an entire domain teeming with monsters and other lifeforms.

[Energy signature around the dungeon suggests that the dungeon is most likely a higher tier than existing ones.]

’Huh?’ Caleb’s attention was brought back to his HUD when the system added another piece of information. ’Higher tier than existing ones?’

Caleb knew the highest grade of dungeons were the Tier 5 grades. While he hadn’t taken time to clear such a dungeon, he did have a dungeon core from such a dungeon during the demon generals’ invasion.

[Due to the unavailability of existing data, precise estimates cannot be made.] The G-system continued. [However, the energy signature is twelve times that of a Tier 5 dungeon.]

’Twelve times!’ Caleb couldn’t believe his eyes.

Tier 5 dungeons were already challenging enough for the forces of the kingdom to handle. Had it not been for the demon general that appeared inside one, the forces of the kingdom would have continued periodic subjugations to prevent a monster tide.

’Wait,’ Caleb suddenly realised something. ’The difference between each Tiered dungeon is by how many factors?’

[Tier 2 dungeons are three times more powerful than Tier 1 dungeons. Tier 3 dungeons are two times more powerful, and Tier 4 dungeons are 3.5 times more powerful. Correlation is not linear...]

’I see...’ Caleb nodded, furrowing his brows slightly. ’So this could probably be a Tier 7 dungeon, a Tier 6 or even a Tier 8. Without other dungeons to read, the system can’t be sure...’

Regardless, the appearance of this dungeon and what he heard from the Commander earlier pretty much answered a burning question of his.

’Since this phenomenon appears to be occurring in the Growian Kingdom, I can see how their forces have grown this powerful, leaving the Luntheria Kingdom in the dirt.’

It finally made sense...

Returning his attention to what was happening close to the newly erected dungeon, Caleb mulled over what to do. He had already gathered enough information and could return to the capital to help the king.

However, his curiosity was stopping him from leaving. Caleb wanted to go in close to investigate, but those powerful presences would sense him.

It was the reason he wasn’t focusing his gaze in their direction, as beings of that level could immediately pick up on any form of probing.

A sudden cracking of the sound barrier caught Caleb’s attention. However, before he could lower his gaze to see where it originated, he heard a deep voice from behind.

"So there was indeed someone spying on us..."