Chapter 5: The Vast Sea Forest

Through nights under stars and days under the moon, they traveled without rest!

Seven times the sun rose and set.

Crossing mountains and rivers, deep valleys and secluded forests.

Jarius finally led his tribe's warriors to the Vast Sea Forest.

This was an expansive and boundless forest, true to its name, with greenery as vast as the sea, stretching endlessly.

A long river meandered through the forest, flowing into the distant ocean.

This was the edge of the territory ruled by the Thunder Titan, Yatri, bordering the domain of the Ancient Blue Dragon King, Alileitos.

The two had battled for many years, neither emerging victorious.

At this moment, the Vast Sea Forest resembled a massive military camp, teeming with all races of Felander.

Jarius observed: Centaurs patrolling the forest trails. Eagles circling high in the skies. Trolls encamped within the dense jungle. Dwarves riding sheep across the valleys. Goblins felling trees with crude tools. Mermaids resting gracefully by the great river. Murlocs clutching stone forks as weapons. Half-blood Giants overseeing the labor as supervisors. Fairies and Dryads peering from the treetops. Wild Boars sprawled lazily on the ground.

These were the subordinate races of the Titan faction, who had dominated half the world since the era of the Titan Giants.

The Ancient Dragons, ruling the opposing side, were no less formidable.

Looking further north into the Vast Sea Forest, Jarius' gaze settled on a stone throne, towering three hundred meters high.

It appeared as though carved from an entire mountain.

Atop it sat a giant nearly two hundred meters tall, with purple hair and golden eyes, radiating a majestic aura that made the air tremble.

His presence was like mountains and seas, an overwhelming pressure that left Jarius in awe!

Purple lightning, piercing the heavens, crackled ceaselessly around his muscular frame, deep and terrifying as an abyss.

"That is the Thunder Titan, Yatri!" Jarius realized.

According to the chronicles of the Fifth Era, Titan Giants are born legendary, reaching the demigod realm upon adulthood.

The great Titan King, even without ascending a divine throne, wielded power rivaling that of gods!

Such were the Titan Giants—masters of half the ancient world of Felander!

Feeling the Titan's immense presence, Jarius grew more cautious, burying his pride as a transmigrator deep within.

He was still a mortal, not yet extraordinary, in a world brimming with supernatural forces where death lurked at every turn. Only vigilance would keep him alive.

Flying over the Vast Sea Forest's airspace, the patrolling eagles and horned eagles allowed them to land unhindered in the eagle gathering camp.

Upon landing, soldiers from the Eagle Court approached.

A middle-aged eagle, draped in wolf skin, stepped forward. Though he lacked an extraordinary aura, he carried the weathered presence of a veteran warrior.

He asked indifferently,

"Which tribe do you come from, and who is the leader?"

Jarius stepped forward and replied,

"Elder of the Court, I am the leader. We come from the Gaoman Mountain Tribe."

The middle-aged eagle soldier gave a faint "hmm," unfamiliar with their tribe.

He glanced at their bronze weapons and armor, showing little interest.

A small tribe of eagles, even with females among them—what was there to note?

"Follow me. The eastern eagle tribes are under the command of Lord Aerion," he said.

The soldier led them through half the camp to a filthy, chaotic encampment.

The trees here had been cleared, leaving a vast stretch of muddy grassland.

Jarius' eyes scanned the area, estimating roughly ten thousand eagle warriors stationed there, their gray-black wings sprawling across the ground like a tangled net.

The middle-aged eagle pointed casually to a corner.

"You can stay there for now."

With that, he turned to leave, uninterested in further talk.

To him, they were mere cannon fodder destined for the battlefield.

Jarius quickly called out, asking earnestly,

"Elder, may I know your name? And where is Lord Aerion's camp? How will we receive his orders?"

The camp was a disorderly mess, with eagles scattered haphazardly, and no clear chain of command.

The soldier turned back, surprised, his eyes brimming with disdain. He chuckled,

"What right do you have to receive Lord Aerion's commands? Someone will summon you when the time comes."

Pointing to a nearby eagle camp, he continued.

A Eagle Court warrior wielding a bone spear hovered in the air, barking orders at several tribes below.

"You, you, you, and you—gather your people and follow me!"

The summoned eagles dared not resist, rallying their tribesmen and following him.

Some groups numbered a dozen, others only a few, each eagle's eyes dull with resignation.

This was clearly not their first conscription.

Each small tribe arrived with fifty members, yet so many were missing—evidently lost to the war.

Jarius watched, his expression darkening.

"I understand, Elder."

"Good that you do," the soldier replied flatly. "Some things I won't say too harshly. You small tribes under the Court's shelter—obey well, and maybe a few of you will return when the war ends."

"As for my name, you don't need to know."

He then pointed to the edge of a nearby grove.

"And don't think of escaping. Look there—that's the fate of deserters!"

Jarius followed his gaze, seeing rows of eagle corpses impaled on wooden stakes, blood dripping, skewered from mouth to groin.

He fell silent as the soldier laughed heartily.

"Kid, don't be clever. eagles like you are ants, weeds. The Court lets you live, you live; orders you to die, you die. Behave yourselves."

With that, he flapped his wings and flew off to greet the next tribe.

Jarius stood rooted, claws clenched, eyes deep with resolve.

"With a Court like this, what future do eagles have? No wonder they become one of the weakest magical creatures in time. I'll replace them one day!"

Behind him, the warriors who had grown up with him shared his indignation but held back.

Only after the soldier departed did one eagle step forward.

"Jarius, what do we do next?"

Jarius glanced at the scouting teams soaring overhead and smiled.

"They do their thing, we do ours. Lai, bring the bone spears we crafted earlier. We'll patrol on our own."

A eagle presented a long object wrapped in hide. Jarius unwrapped it, took the bone spear, and grinned at his tribe.

"From now on, I'm a Court soldier leading you on a scouting mission. Follow me!"

"Alright!" they replied.

He needed to find the old turtle's location. Even without the Court's orders, he would scout.

But the route? That, he'd decide himself for safety.

As for being caught—he didn't care.

It was a gamble of life and death. To awaken extraordinary power, he had to take the risk.