章 164: The Unknown Territory

Johan and Aoi stood near their tactical vehicle, taking in the unfamiliar landscape around them. Johan, dressed in a conspicuous American-style military outfit, and Aoi, in practical attire for swift movement, both felt an unsettling discomfort emanating from the environment.

This area was filled with towering, dense tropical trees, their branches stretching out like rough, grasping hands welcoming them. The forest here was nothing like they had imagined—while they expected the Durin Mountain range to have a cool, dry climate typical of a four-season region, the atmosphere here was damp, hot, and thick with fog that obscured their vision.

"What kind of place is this?" Johan muttered, observing the massive roots tangled across the ground and the vines wrapping around the giant trees. Although they had already ventured deep into the forest, the atmosphere felt completely foreign. "It's like we've walked into a rainforest… it's so strange."