Chapter 11: The Mountain

Natasha stared at the gigantic mountain before her. Its peak was so high that its tip couldn't be seen at all, swallowed by the dense red sky.

I thought the mountain Epsilon mentioned would be of a reasonable height and size, but I was wrong. This… this is the tallest and largest mountain I have ever seen in my life. Behind her silver helmet, Natasha's beautiful face was filled with a mix of awe and shock.

The view here was also very dim. If it weren't for the light magic she was using to illuminate the area, Natasha was certain her squad would have already crashed into the steep cliffs looming around them—cliffs she estimated to be thousands of meters high.

Below, they saw a vast expanse of black rock, stretching as far as the eye could see.

"Lady Natasha, it appears this is a volcano," Epsilon said, bringing her dragon closer to Natasha's. She pointed to the environment below them. "Look at the rocks and the hardened volcanic ash down there."

Natasha nodded. "Let's land first," she commanded Epsilon and her squad. "We need to get more detailed information about this environment."

She guided her dragon downward, followed by Epsilon and the other three from behind.

Upon reaching the surface, they immediately felt a stark difference.

The ground under their feet was solid and coarse, like stepping on a giant black stone that had been frozen for millions of years. Large cracks were visible here and there, some wide enough to swallow an adult human or even a small dragon.

All around them, towering cliffs rose—forming a kind of dark crown that encircled the base of the mountain. They could reach thousands of meters in height, and their surfaces were covered in petrified lava flows, etched by time and terrestrial pressure.

Fine ash, like metallic dust, floated slowly in the air, reflecting Natasha's magic light in a somber, silvery sheen. The dust settled on the rocks, forming a thin layer like dirty snow.

"What… is this place?" one of the ninja demons whispered, his voice tense.

In the distance, faint mounds and strangely folded rock formations were visible—clearly not the work of any intelligent being.

Epsilon dismounted from her blue dragon, her feet touching the rock. It was very dark here. Even with Lady Natasha's light magic, everything beyond its reach was complete darkness.

"Lady Natasha, we've been moving for an hour since leaving Felius Castle. Throughout the journey, we haven't found any Avalon Players or any living creatures. Shall we continue?" Epsilon's voice sounded in Natasha's mind through the Message spell.

Hearing this, Natasha thought for a moment. "For now, we'll rest here. After that, we'll continue exploring this giant mountain. We need to know what kind of mountain this is and what threat it poses to Avanheim. After that, we'll return."

"Understood." Epsilon cut off her Message spell, then led her dragon to find a safe footing.

"You Ninja Demons! Don't just stand there daydreaming! Get your mounts!" Natasha shouted via Message.

The ninja demons immediately pulled their dragons to a safer place. Natasha herself led her dragon toward an area with flatter terrain. At least there, they could use an item to build a shelter.

Upon arriving, the gusts of wind from the mountain's base felt stronger. The temperature also grew colder, nearing -100 degrees Celsius. In some places, Natasha could even see rocks encased in solid ice.

"Ahh!"

Natasha instantly turned toward the sound and saw one of the ninja demons and its dragon slip into a very deep chasm.

WHOOSH! Without hesitation, Natasha immediately ran and leaped into the chasm. She spread her white wings, then soared at high speed toward the fallen dragon.

"Easy, little dragon. I'll save you," Natasha said from behind her silver helmet. She lifted the dragon with both hands, then flew back to the cliff's surface.

As for the ninja demon, she had no intention of saving it. It was just a common Level 40 monster from the Sixth Floor.

"Lady Natasha! Are you all right?" Epsilon's pretty face turned pale with panic when she saw Natasha jump into the chasm.

"I'm fine," Natasha replied, folding her Valkyrie wings back. "It's just that the terrain here is too steep. We should build a shelter quickly."

"You're right, Lady Natasha." Epsilon nodded, and they immediately quickened their pace.

Throughout the journey, Epsilon continuously recorded everything they passed using magic. In her opinion, this was important information that Lord Arthur and the Floor Guardians needed to know. With this information, they could understand the true environmental situation of the outside world.

Finally, Natasha found a place that was fairly flat and spacious.

"We'll build the shelter here," she commanded Epsilon.

Epsilon understood immediately. She took a magic item from her inventory—a long golden key. It was a magic item given to her by Emma Wiliams to be used as a shelter.

Epsilon held the golden key, then pointed it at the space in front of her and turned it to the right, as if she were locking a door.

Then, Epsilon released the key. It didn't fall to the ground but remained floating in the air. Soon after, cracks of blue, lightning-shaped light spread from the key's body into the surrounding space. The light formed the three-dimensional frame of a cottage. Then, the blue lightning covered the entire frame of the house.

BOOM!

A blinding white light illuminated the surroundings. When the light faded, a functional wooden cottage stood firmly on the hardened lava ash rock.

"Use a protection spell, Epsilon, now!" Natasha shouted.

Epsilon nodded. "Seventh-Sequence Magic: Anti-Destruction!" A green magic circle appeared before her, and a green light enveloped the seemingly fragile wooden cottage. A transparent green shield now surrounded the cottage. Occasionally, a strong wind would hit, but it was immediately repelled by the magic shield.

"Please come in, Lady Natasha." Epsilon bowed respectfully as she welcomed Natasha inside.

Natasha stepped into the cottage. A warm yellow light immediately greeted her. She sat on the sofa and took off her helmet. A beautiful, young face with fair skin and long red hair was now visible.

"Phew… so tiring," she complained with a sigh.

Epsilon quickly closed the cottage door. Instantly, the sounds of the strong winds outside were no longer audible. She walked toward the kitchen, while the ninja demons remained outside, guarding the dragons to ensure they weren't swallowed by the coming storm.

That's right, a storm. One of the reasons Natasha had rushed to build a shelter was because she had seen a sand and rock storm in the distance that would soon pass over them.

Natasha pressed her index finger to her right ear, then waited.

Click.

"Natasha, have you found anything?" A young man's voice sounded in her mind.

Instantly, the tired expression on Natasha's face vanished.

"Lord Arthur! Unfortunately, no. We have moved one hundred kilometers from Felius Castle and have not found any trace of players or simple life. I am sorry, My Lord."

There was a moment of silence on the other end before Rian spoke again. "No need to apologize, Natasha. This is what I expected. So, where are you now?"

"We are at the foot of a mountain, My Lord. Speaking of this mountain… it is the tallest and widest mountain I have ever seen. I will send the data in my report." Natasha picked up the coffee cup that Epsilon had just placed on the table.

"A mountain? Is there a mountain near Avanheim?" Rian murmured, sounding a little confused.

"Yes, My Lord, this mountain is very high. So, I decided to investigate it first before returning to Avanheim. Is that permissible, Lord Arthur?" Natasha asked with a hesitant tone.

"Go ahead, but be careful. I don't want you to let your guard down. High mountains are often inhabited by high-level monsters," Rian replied in a serious tone.

"Rest assured, My Lord." Natasha smiled broadly, her voice now filled with confidence. "Even if there's a Bahamut Dragon, I will surely defeat it with this Scythe of Destruction."

"In that case, I trust you. Don't disappoint me. Bring back information about that mountain to Avanheim." After saying that, Rian closed his Message spell.

Natasha smiled happily. The trust Lord Arthur had placed in her made her feel so valued. Her face flushed, and she looked at the beautiful white coffee cup she was holding. She sipped her coffee, then stood up and walked to the window.

"A terrifying storm." Natasha's eyes shone with seriousness as she watched the sand and gravel storm raging outside the cottage.

The sky outside was now pitch black. Beyond the reach of the magic lamps hanging on the side of the cottage, there was only eternal darkness. Occasionally, she heard the sound of lightning striking violently in the sky.

"What do you think, Epsilon?"

"About what?" Epsilon asked with a confused look.

Natasha turned to face Epsilon and leaned against the wall near the window. "About whether there is any life in this place."

Epsilon was silent for a moment, her face showing the expression of an intellectual deep in thought. "Lady Natasha, based on my analysis and knowledge, if every place in this world is like this one, I believe only Avanheim has life."

Natasha's expression changed slightly. "You mean… we're alone in this world?" she asked in a low voice, her face showing disbelief.

"I believe so," Epsilon replied with a calm expression.

"I see… yeah."

Natasha walked toward her room. Before disappearing behind the door, she said, "We'll continue the investigation after the storm passes."

Is Lady Natasha disappointed because she couldn't find an opponent to fight? Epsilon guessed, observing her superior's back.

She then turned to look at the storm outside the window. But this world is very interesting. So different from the World of Monia….

If only… Lord Noah were here now with Lord Arthur. Epsilon's beautiful face looked sad for a moment before returning to its usual calm.

"No. I should be grateful that Lord Arthur stayed with us until the end." After muttering softly, Epsilon returned to the kitchen to cook dinner for herself.