CHAPTER 76

"Hello, I want to rent a swamp behemoth." Rowe located the designated warehouse, where a mortal attendant of Warnerheim was managing the creatures.

The attendant immediately recognized his Asgardian accent and respectfully responded, "Honorable Asa, for how long would you like to rent the behemoth?"

"Well... seven days," Rowe considered after a brief pause.

The attendant continued, "Do you require a beast tamer to accompany you?"

"Beast Tamer?"

"Yes," the attendant explained. "A handler specialized in Mire Behemoths. These creatures, while trained through nose rings and food-based methods, are still known to go berserk. Having a tamer with you ensures smoother travel, and the tamer can assist in other unforeseen situations."

He added, "Also, if you choose to bring a tamer, the deposit is waived. You'll only need to pay three runes per day."

Rowe asked, "And how much is the deposit?"

"Five hundred runes," the attendant answered.

Five hundred! That was a steep price.

Rowe hadn't brought that much currency with him. He gave a resigned nod. "Alright. Assign a beast tamer to me."

Shortly after, a burly, seasoned tamer arrived leading the massive creature. He offered a genial smile. "Greetings, I'm your assigned beast tamer. I'll be accompanying you for the next seven days. Where are we headed?"

"The Valley of Falling Thunder."

"Ah, a scenic route," the tamer replied casually, tugging on the chain in his hand.

The chain was connected to the creature's nose ring. The behemoth immediately obeyed, lowering itself onto the ground with a docile demeanor.

"Climb aboard."

A simple wooden cabin had been constructed atop the swamp behemoth's back, providing shelter from the elements. The tamer climbed up first and disappeared into the structure.

Rowe followed, entering the modest cabin built on the creature's back. He glanced around, curiosity lighting his features.

"First time riding a swamp behemoth?" the tamer asked.

"Yes."

The tamer smirked. "Then you better hold on tight."

He tugged sharply on the chain. "Move out!"

"Roar–!"

The behemoth roared in response, then lunged forward in a giant leap—covering nearly 100 meters in a single bound, swiftly departing the Garkan warehouse.

Rowe lurched, grabbing a nearby armrest as the sudden movement jolted him. His heart pounded.

The movement was strikingly similar to the Hulk's bounding leaps.

And so, the swamp behemoth surged forward with rapid, almost reckless momentum. It bounded across varied terrain without hesitation, making direct progress toward their destination.

Though bumpy at first, Rowe quickly acclimated thanks to his divine physiology. He occasionally peeked through the window to observe the changing landscapes.

Two days passed.

"That's the Valley of Falling Thunder?" Rowe asked, pointing ahead as the creature continued its bounding gallop.

In the distance, dark clouds churned like a suspended mountain in the sky, bolts of thunder crashing down in wild arcs toward the earth.

Even from afar, the echo of thunder reached them.

"Yes," the tamer confirmed. "Soon, lightning strikes will no longer feel rare."

Rowe fell silent.

As the beast charged forward, they finally reached one of Warnerheim's most magnificent natural wonders—the Valley of Falling Thunder.

The Luolei Mountains flanked the valley. Some peaks easily towered over 10,000 meters, piercing the sky with their majestic heights.

The valley and its surrounding ranges were a pale yellow, devoid of vegetation. The terrain looked like it had been hewn by lightning itself—sharp and cold.

"Crackling—"

"Boom—"

Just a few hundred meters away, a bolt of thunder cleaved the sky and struck the valley floor.

In the distance, the thunder was near-constant, almost like a field of lightning growing from the ground to the heavens.

It was a sight of unmatched grandeur.

Rowe had never witnessed anything like it, neither in this life nor his previous one. He couldn't help but stare in awe.

"Roar-roar—!" The swamp behemoth trembled under the torrent of celestial energy, uneasy and growling.

The tamer soothed it immediately, tossing down several pieces of food resembling thick sugar cane.

The creature, distracted by its treat, lay down to feed, clearly calmed.

"We're close," the tamer said. "Actually, there's a better vantage point from that ridge over there—"

Rowe stepped out of the hut. "No, this is fine."

The tamer blinked. "What are you doing?"

Rowe answered without hesitation, "I'm going in."

The tamer looked stunned. "You're serious? Thunder Valley is one of Warnerheim's three forbidden zones. Even we, gods or not, aren't guaranteed survival in there."

"I came for the Thunderbolt Fruit," Rowe said simply. "Of course I have to go in."

"The Thunderbolt Fruit?" the tamer repeated in surprise, then sighed. "Well… I hope fortune favors you."

Rowe was about to dismount when the tamer called out, "Wait a minute!"

"What is it?" Rowe turned, puzzled.

The tamer coughed awkwardly. "Would you mind… paying in advance?"

Rowe sighed but paid the agreed fee before dismounting. With resolute steps, he approached the volatile Valley of Falling Thunder.

A clear demarcation separated the valley from the surrounding land. Beyond the line, the ground was normal soil. Within it, the earth was scorched black, bearing the scars of countless lightning strikes.

He paused briefly at the edge, then lifted his foot and stepped in.

"Snap—!"

A bolt of lightning immediately crashed down, striking him on the head.

Thankfully, it wasn't a lethal surge. Rowe only felt a brief numbness ripple through him—nothing serious.

Still, he was cautious. He activated his Divine Protection, cloaking himself in radiant holy light.

Not willing to risk further, he summoned a magical fragment: the Holy Light Shield. The sacred shield appeared above him, absorbing any strikes that came.

The sky was blanketed in thunderclouds for hundreds of miles, casting an eerie shadow across the land.

To illuminate the path ahead, Rowe summoned a Holy Light Illumination with his left hand.

He now advanced protected by divine light, a radiant shield in one hand, and illumination in the other.

He looked like a warrior from a divine epic.

From the swamp behemoth's back, the tamer observed and muttered with awe, "Whoa… this guy might really be something."

Suddenly, the clouds churned violently. A colossal bolt of lightning—thick as a giant serpent—screamed down from the heavens, crashing toward Rowe's head.

"BOOM!"

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