Chapter 117: Venomous Vanguard

The trio trekked forward, the golden dunes transforming into a crimson hue that shimmered eerily under the blazing sun. Johan's boots made a distinctive squish with each step as they pressed into the darkened sand. The very earth seemed to echo with the cries of long-gone adventurers. 'Is this a warning or just the aftermath of countless battles?' he wondered.

Ken, ever the observant one, remarked, "I've heard of places like this. Battlefields where the sand remembers the blood spilled upon it."

Danny squinted at the horizon, his face etched with concern. "Looks like it's not just an old battlefield. Something's changed the ecosystem here. Blood-soaked sands aren't natural."

Johan nodded in agreement, 'Whatever did this, it's still here, hungry for more.'