Tenebrous Wolf
Chapter 83: Crimson

Chapter 83: Crimson

Klaus blinked. He thought he heard something strange. Did he just say that he knew where a Fortress was?

"What?"

Next, it was Seraphim’s turn to express shock.

"A Fortress...? Are you serious? You actually know where one is?"

Adrian nodded. Then, after a brief pause, he quickly elaborated:

"According to my sources, the gateway to this Fracture opened a long time ago. Based on the timelines, the current lecturers at the academy completed their First Departure years back. That doesn’t align with the previous Gateway’s appearance, which leads me to believe that the last Fracture wasn’t fully conquered."

Klaus furrowed his brows.

"Wait, hold on. Are you saying that there’s a Fortress in this Fracture that was never cleared? That shouldn’t be possible. If a Fracture isn’t conquered, wouldn’t it collapse eventually?"

Adrian shook his head.

"Not necessarily. A Fracture only collapses when its core is destabilized or destroyed. If no one reached the core, or if something is maintaining it, the Fracture can persist indefinitely. If you think about it, why do you think the academy shifted the time for our departure from three months to two months. For a newly arrived departure, it would be impossible to perform such a distortion from the main plan."

Klaus’s eyes widened.

That shouldn’t be possible... right? Looking back, it was strange how their departure timeline had suddenly been shortened to just two months. Was this the reason why?

But that only made things even more bizarre. Why hadn’t the higher-ups informed them? Wouldn’t that have been in everyone’s best interest, including theirs?

He was so confused.

If that was the case, then what exactly allowed Shadow Creatures to cross over to the "Living World?" Was it the death of Ascendants within the Shadow World or the blossoming of a "Withered Seed?"

Meanwhile, Seraphim crossed her arms, considering his words. With a glance, it was clear that she was skeptical.

"Are you completely certain that this Fortress still exists?"

Adrian hesitated for a moment before answering.

"I can’t be a hundred percent certain, but based on my research and what I’ve pieced together from past reports, it’s our best lead. Fortresses are designed to be strongholds against the Fracture’s corruption. If we can find it, we might be able to access resources, shelter, maybe even remnants of the last expedition."

Klaus rubbed his temples.

"Great. So you’re saying there’s possibly an abandoned Fortress out there, filled with gods-know-what, in the middle of this wasteland." He sighed. "Sounds like a death trap."

Briar, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke up.

"Well, it’s not like we have better options." She stretched and groaned slightly. "If this place really is a Fortress, then it’s probably the safest location in this whole damn Fracture."

Seraphim nodded in agreement.

"True. We need a long-term shelter, and if a Fortress exists, it may be our only chance. If the scavengers have retreated somewhere, then heading west may still be a viable plan. But..." She glanced at Adrian. "Where exactly do you think this Fortress is located?"

Adrian pulled out a small, weathered map from his pack and spread it across the ground. The parchment was old with the black ink faded, but the markings were still legible.

"From what I’ve gathered, it should be somewhere beyond the Uncanny Valley. If we head Northeast from here, we should eventually reach it." He tapped a rough symbol near the edge of the map. "This should be the general area."

Klaus leaned over, studying the map.

"Uncanny Valley, huh? Sounds like a pleasant walk."

Briar smiled sarcastically.

"Oh yeah. I bet it’s just sunshine and flowers out there."

Ignoring the sarcasm, Adrian continued.

"The problem is the distance and direction. If we head east, there’s a possibility that we might run into a group of scavengers or even worse. If we go now, we’ll need to stay alert. There’s no telling what we’ll encounter on the way."

Seraphim considered their options, then nodded.

"Then it’s decided. We prepare what we can today, then set out at dawn."

No one argued. There was no point. If the Fortress existed, it was their best chance at survival.

Klaus let out a breath and muttered under his breath.

"Guess we’re going dungeon crawling after all."

† †

Under the grey sky within the sunless void, the group began to prepare for their inevitable departure from the hill. The hours passed swiftly as the group packed their belongings and took stock of their supplies. Though their rations were running low, they had enough to last until they reached the supposed Fortress, assuming it actually existed.

Still wearing her human disguise as Morgan, Briar adjusted the new set of clothes she had been wearing for the past few days after the Stalker "incident."

Her old outfit; her shirt, skirt, and left thigh-high black stocking had been torn during her fierce battle against the savage Awakened Ghoul. Fortunately, he had anticipated something like this happening and had made sure to carry an extra set of clothes for her. Currently, she wore a sleeveless black shirt along with tight black leggings featuring lace-up details on each side. On both forearms, black protective sleeves extended from her wrists to just above her elbows. In combination with her brown hair, green eyes, and fair skin, she blended in well. At least for now.

Looking at her, one wouldn’t think that she was a Succubus or a member of the exiled demon race.

’Mmm. Even in her human disguise, she still looks amazing.’

Perhaps it was because her natural charm as a Succubus or Klaus’s increasingly growing lust, he continuously stared at her absentmindedly as though he was truly mesmerised.

Why wouldn’t he? Even in [Disguise], her appearance or more specifically, her body figure hadn’t changed at all. Rather than artificial, her curves were entirely natural, a figure that would undoubtedly attract any man with a preference for a well-endowed lower body. Her butt was nothing short of plush and peachy, definitely an irresistible sight.

On rare occasions, he would catch Adrian stealing quick glances or even outright staring before snapping back to his senses. He was already falling under the influence of a succubus in her human disguise... What would happen if he saw her in her true demon form?

As expected of a demoness, she was a natural predator of men!

Sensing a piercing gaze, Briar subconsciously shivered. She finally turned and noticed Klaus staring at her like an idiot. Frowning and, after a long pause, she asked in a flat tone:

".... What?"

He blinked, shaking off the intrusive thoughts clouding his mind, then cleared his throat and forced a natural smile.

"Nothing much. Just making sure you’re ready."

She arched a brow, unconvinced.

"Is that so? Because I could’ve sworn I just saw that familiar, hungry, predatory look in your eyes. Or was that just my imagination?"

Klaus gasped, genuinely looking offended by her words.

"My, my, isn’t that a serious accusation? Just because I happened to be looking at you doesn’t mean I was thinking anything of the sort. Why are you always looking down on people like that?"

Briar narrowed her eyes, resting her hands on her hips as she shifted her weight. She stayed silent for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"Ugh. Whatever. I don’t care anymore."

He smiled.

"C’mon, don’t say it like that. And by the way..." he glanced at both Adrian and Seraphim. "...What do you think about them?"

The demoness averted her gaze, idly twirling a strand of hair between her fingers.

"Well, they’re not bad. Decent company for humans, I suppose. Certainly better than my ’present company.’"

Klaus flinched as if struck by an invisible blow.

"Your words are really harsh. But if you’re this lively, I guess that means you’re fine."

"Hmph." With a huff, Briar carried herself and walked off somewhere else. Was she still annoyed about that time? He wondered.

At times, the succubus could be too unreasonable so he honestly didn’t know the answer.

Klaus smiled wryly but didn’t push his luck further. Instead, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and turned toward the others.

"Alright, alright. Jokes aside, when are we leaving?"

Adrian, who was almost done with his own preparation, suddenly stopped as though thinking. Then, he said:

"Soon."

That’s not a precise answer, you know. Klaus thought, but suppressed his true feelings with a smile.

Luckily, he didn’t have to wait long.

With everything gathered, they stood at the edge of the hill, looking out toward the barren landscape ahead. The remnants of the blood sea still lingered in scattered pools and sluggish rivers, giving the land an eerie, wounded appearance. In the far distance Northeast, uneven rock formations stretched through the horizon, forming the path to what Adrian had called the Uncanny Valley.

Someone made a gulp. That person was Briar.

"Well, we’re officially past the point of no return."

Klaus shrugged.

"We passed that point the moment we stepped into this damn Fracture."

Without further hesitation, they began their descent.

† †

Descending down the hilltop, the group entered the shadowed maze of the terrain and pressed northeast. Familiar with the path, they moved swiftly.

In front, leading the way, was Adrian, his spear in hand and a Nightmare manifested as a compass guiding his steps. Beside him, Seraphim walked with quiet vigilance, her sword arm ready to strike any given moment. A short distance behind was Klaus. At the rear, Briar rode atop the tamed Stalker.

Throughout their journey, they frequently came across the torn carcasses of various monsters. Most were Chitinous Scavengers that had failed to escape the crimson flood, only to be devoured by something far worse. Judging by the presence of sea-dwelling creatures among the remains, it was likely the work of a predator from the blood sea. Regardless of whether they had once roamed land or water, all the corpses bore the same grim fate; parts of their bodies had been torn away and consumed by something massive.

Klaus swallowed.

He already knew the answer. A vivid image of a Great Serpant had already formed inside his head.

Shaking off the thought, he continued his stride. Just like before, the labyrinth was confusing and seemingly endless. Even Adrian, who had a so-called map, seemed uncertain about which path to take. Black blades of "coral" protruded from the crimson waters, painting the landscape as vast and twisted. However, the atmosphere felt different.

A sudden gust of wind carried a strong stench of decay.

Perhaps it came from the rotting carcasses left to fester, but the odor was too pungent and distinct to belong to ordinary decomposition.

It wasn’t long before they stumbled upon the ’source’. A group of creatures moving across the drenched lands. Much to their misfortune, they weren’t Scavengers but something worse.