Chapter 82 — The Night Camp
The group returned to their campsite just before sunset.
The valley had changed considerably since they had left that morning.
More Academy disciples had arrived from different directions, and several temporary camps had been established around the mountain pass.
Some groups were preparing meals.
Others were organizing their resources.
A few were already discussing their next targets.
Azrael quietly observed the surroundings.
"More people came."
Caelan nodded.
"They probably discovered the resource zones."
Lyanna placed the supplies they had collected on the ground.
"Then we should avoid attracting unnecessary attention."
Orin dropped onto a large stone.
"After everything we did today, I just want food."
Seraphina laughed.
"That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all day."
"I’ve been saying sensible things all day."
"No."
Orin looked offended.
Azrael smiled.
"Let him believe that."
Orin pointed at him.
"See? At least Azrael understands me."
Seraphina shook her head.
"You two are impossible."
The group relaxed slightly.
After several days of constant battles and exploration, these small moments of conversation had become important.
They weren’t just companions because they happened to enter the same expedition.
They were slowly becoming a proper team.
Azrael helped prepare the campsite while Caelan organized their newly acquired resources.
The Moonlight Fruits were stored carefully.
The ancient techniques were separated according to compatibility.
The Spirit Crystals were divided among everyone.
Seraphina carefully placed the healing materials inside her storage ring.
"These should be enough for several missions."
Lyanna nodded.
"Good. We don’t know what we’ll encounter tomorrow."
Caelan looked toward the northern part of the valley.
"Especially now that the central region is getting crowded."
Azrael followed his gaze.
"Which means stronger groups will start competing."
Orin sighed.
"So peaceful exploration is already over."
"Pretty much."
The small fire between them flickered.
For a while, everyone simply enjoyed the quiet.
Azrael sat slightly apart from the others.
He took out the black stone he had discovered inside the hidden chamber.
It still looked completely ordinary.
Smooth.
Dark.
Without markings.
He activated Resonance Analysis.
Nothing appeared.
Azrael tried again.
Still nothing.
He activated Origin Perception.
The stone remained completely silent.
No mana.
No spiritual energy.
No elemental aura.
Yet he knew something was there.
He could feel a faint presence whenever he held it.
Not energy.
Something closer to a dormant rhythm.
Azrael frowned.
"You really don’t want to be understood."
Seraphina glanced over.
"Still studying that?"
"Yes."
"Have you discovered anything?"
"Nothing useful."
She smiled.
"Maybe you should leave it alone for tonight."
Azrael looked at the stone for another moment.
"You might be right."
He placed it back into his storage ring.
Immediately, the strange sensation disappeared.
Azrael looked toward the ring.
Interesting.
He made a mental note to investigate it later.
For now, there was no reason to waste energy on something he couldn’t understand.
A familiar chime sounded.
The Celestial Evolution System appeared before him.
[Daily Expedition Progress]
Days Completed: 3
Current Contribution: 9,860
Resources Collected: 17
Rare Resources: 6
Major Monsters Defeated: 2
Hidden Trials Completed: 1
Exploration Progress: 18%
Azrael studied the information.
His exploration progress had increased considerably after discovering the hidden ruins.
More importantly, his contribution points were approaching ten thousand.
The expedition ranking would probably change significantly once all the participants returned.
Azrael closed the screen.
Caelan noticed.
"Your contribution?"
Azrael nodded.
"Almost ten thousand."
Orin immediately checked his own Academy token.
"Mine is only 6,200."
Lyanna smiled.
"That’s still good."
Orin sighed dramatically.
"Azrael is making the rest of us look bad."
Seraphina shook her head.
"You’re doing fine."
Azrael looked at Orin.
"You also contributed a lot today."
"See?"
Orin pointed toward Seraphina.
"She understands."
Seraphina rolled her eyes.
"I said you’re doing fine. I didn’t say you’re better than Azrael."
Orin became quiet.
"...Fair."
Everyone laughed.
As night settled over the valley, the stars became visible above the mountains.
The distant camps were illuminated by small fires.
Occasionally, the sound of combat could still be heard from somewhere deeper in the valley.
The expedition wasn’t truly quiet.
It was simply resting.
Azrael sat near the fire.
Seraphina joined him.
"You’ve been quiet."
"I’m thinking."
"About the ruins?"
"Partly."
Azrael looked toward the mountains.
"The Trial of Twelve Paths changed the way I see things."
Seraphina smiled.
"Good."
Azrael glanced at her.
"What about you?"
"What about me?"
"You’ve been training too."
Seraphina thought for a moment.
"I’ve learned that strength isn’t only about attacking."
Azrael smiled.
"Sounds like we’re learning similar things."
"Maybe."
She looked toward the flames.
"But our paths are still different."
Azrael nodded.
"That’s fine."
Their paths had always been different.
Genesis and Oblivion.
Creation and destruction.
Yet somehow, they had always complemented one another.
Seraphina looked at her brother.
"We’ll still reach the same place."
Azrael smiled.
"Hopefully."
She lightly punched his shoulder.
"Don’t say hopefully."
He laughed.
"Fine."
"We will."
For several moments, neither spoke.
They simply watched the fire.
It was a peaceful moment.
One that neither of them knew would become increasingly rare as their journey continued.
Several hundred meters away, another group had established a camp.
Darius sat beside the fire with his teammates.
One of them spoke quietly.
"The group from earlier."
Darius looked up.
"What about them?"
"They entered the ruins."
Darius’s expression became interested.
"And?"
"They came back with something."
"How do you know?"
"I saw the light from the mountain."
Darius remained silent for a moment.
One of his teammates frowned.
"Should we follow them?"
"No."
"Why?"
Darius looked toward Azrael’s distant camp.
"Because they’re not our enemies."
The disciple seemed surprised.
"But they might compete with us."
"They will."
Darius smiled.
"But competition doesn’t mean we need to fight them."
He looked toward the valley.
"There are enough resources here for several teams."
"For now."
The others understood what he meant.
As more disciples entered the central region, resources would become harder to obtain.
Eventually, conflicts would be unavoidable.
But there was no reason to create one prematurely.
Back at Azrael’s campsite, the atmosphere suddenly changed.
Lyanna opened her eyes.
"Someone is approaching."
Everyone immediately became alert.
Caelan reached for his spear.
Orin stood and lifted his shield.
Seraphina raised her staff.
Azrael looked toward the darkness.
Footsteps slowly became audible.
Step.
Step.
Step.
A figure eventually emerged from between the trees.
It was a young female disciple wearing the Academy’s expedition uniform.
Her clothes were torn.
Several scratches covered her arms.
She stopped several meters away.
"I’m not here to fight."
Azrael lowered his sword slightly.
"Then why are you here?"
The girl looked toward the group.
"I need help."
Lyanna carefully studied her condition.
"You’ve been injured."
"I’m fine."
Seraphina immediately stepped forward.
"You’re bleeding."
The girl hesitated.
Then she allowed Seraphina to approach.
Golden light spread from Seraphina’s hand.
The wounds slowly closed.
The girl stared at her.
"Thank you."
Seraphina smiled.
"Now tell us what happened."
The girl looked toward the northern valley.
"My team was attacked."
"By monsters?"
"No."
Her expression became tense.
"Another group."
The campsite became silent.
Caelan stepped forward.
"How many?"
"Eight."
"How strong?"
The girl swallowed.
"Strong enough to defeat my entire team."
Orin’s expression became serious.
"Where are your teammates?"
"Two escaped."
She lowered her head.
"The others..."
Her voice weakened.
Azrael understood.
"Are they dead?"
The girl shook her head.
"I don’t know."
That answer was somehow worse.
Caelan tightened his grip around his spear.
"Who attacked you?"
"I don’t know their names."
"Then how did you identify them?"
The girl looked at him.
"They were wearing black expedition cloaks."
Lyanna’s eyes narrowed.
"Black cloaks?"
The girl nodded.
"They’ve been attacking teams throughout the northern valley."
"Taking their resources."
"And contribution points."
Azrael’s expression became serious.
"How?"
"They challenge teams."
"If the team refuses..."
"They attack."
Orin frowned.
"That’s against the expedition rules."
"Not exactly."
Caelan looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Orin shrugged.
"They can technically challenge other participants."
Lyanna shook her head.
"But attacking injured or retreating teams isn’t supposed to happen."
The girl nodded.
"That’s what they’ve been doing."
Azrael stood.
"Where are they now?"
The girl pointed toward the northern side of the valley.
"Near the old fortress."
Lyanna immediately looked at the map.
"The fortress?"
"Yes."
Caelan studied the location.
"That’s one of the unexplored areas."
The girl nodded.
"They’re controlling the entrance."
Azrael understood.
They weren’t simply collecting resources.
They had established control over one of the most valuable locations in the valley.
Orin looked at Azrael.
"So what do we do?"
Azrael remained silent for a few seconds.
Then he looked toward the northern mountains.
"We investigate."
Seraphina nodded.
"Are you sure?"
"We aren’t going there looking for a fight."
Azrael looked at the injured disciple.
"But if they’re attacking other participants..."
His expression became firm.
"...we shouldn’t ignore it."
Caelan stood beside him.
"I’m coming."
Lyanna nodded.
"Me too."
Orin lifted his shield.
"Obviously."
Seraphina smiled.
"Then we’re all going."
The injured girl looked surprised.
"You’ll help us?"
Azrael nodded.
"We’ll at least find out what happened."
She lowered her head.
"Thank you."
Seraphina gave her another small healing spell.
"Stay here tonight."
"You’ve already been through enough."
The girl nodded.
The group began preparing for the following morning.
Their weapons were checked.
Their resources were secured.
Their maps were updated.
Azrael looked toward the northern valley one last time.
The expedition had been peaceful enough until now.
But the central region was different.
Here, the greatest danger wasn’t always the monsters.
Sometimes...
It was other participants.
Azrael returned to the campfire.
"We leave at sunrise."
Caelan nodded.
"We’ll need to be careful."
Lyanna folded the map.
"We don’t know how strong those people are."
Orin raised his shield.
"Then we’ll find out."
Seraphina smiled.
"Try not to get hit too much."
"No promises."
Azrael laughed quietly.
For tonight, they would rest.
Tomorrow, they would travel toward the old fortress and find out exactly what was happening in the northern valley.