After harvesting the crystallized seeds, Shia's party continued through towards the depths of the Harrowing Forest. Unfortunately, their luck hadn't turned around.
They still hadn't discovered a single Blood Crystal Flower or even other natural dimensional treasures. Yet, none of them were disheartened.
They understood that natural dimensional treasures were highly sought after by both nightcrawlers and humans. After all, nightcrawlers needed them for evolution even if they weren't contracted.
As for humans? Besides the known use for evolution, those natural treasures opened a path to many miracles. In addition, they could be sold or used to ask for favors if offered to the Solar Aegis Sanctuary depending on their rarity.
For such well-desired treasures, it was only normal for the previous Nightcrawler Nest to hoard them and for the Sunstrike Agency to clear them out, leaving only some crumbs for the rogue explorers.
Hours went by and before long, Shia's party had made it to the center of the Harrowing Forest.
As they walked past a thick bush, the party was exposed to a stunning scene.
"Woah...Is that an umbrella?" Arthur exclaimed, his pupils widened to the limit at the sight of a gigantic broken-apart umbrella on top of a destroyed hill.
The entire area was destroyed as trees were uprooted, boulders shattered, and even hills broke apart, leaving behind crumbled cliffs.
The umbrella was crafted out of black wood and was split apart into tens of pieces, lying all over the place.
If it wasn't for the canopy and the shaft being relatively near each other, giving the shape of a broken umbrella, Arthur wouldn't have guessed it.
"Using a black wooden umbrella for protection from the sun above their nest." Sergio sneered, "They are even stealing our products and using them in their favor."
"I would take an umbrella any day than a sealed dome of darkness," Shia commentated as she walked towards the ruined nest.
"Dome of darkness?" Arthur tilted his head in confusion, "Is it what I am thinking?"
"How can you not know this?" Levi frowned, "Are you sleeping through your classes?"
"Cough, I just forget easily."
Levi knew that he was lying through his teeth. But, all he could do was sigh helplessly at his brother's pure hatred for studying.
"You know that nightcrawler nests are separated by their sizes, the number of nightcrawlers, the average nest tier, and lastly the highest tier?" Levi asked.
"I know that much." Arthur answered, seemingly insulted by the question.
Levi's eyelids twitched at his tone and continued, "Well, there is a hidden criterion to judge a nest's true danger level...It's their protective measure against the sunlight."
"In the case of a nest with a fifteen-kilometer surface area, Tier 5 nightcrawler as its ruler, and above hundred nightcrawlers as the troops, they are named Shadow Castles like this one."
"But, in some rare cases, the same conditions might be met, yet, the nest would be much more dangerous than a Shadow Castle." Levi paused, "All because of the nest protective measures."
"You mean this umbrella isn't that good?" Arthur raised an eyebrow in surprise, "Based on its shaft's height, I believe it should at least cast a protective shadow over five kilometers of surface area."
"I never said it was bad, but it's nowhere near as overwhelming as a Dome of Darkness." Levi shared as he looked above him, "Imagine if this entire forest was covered in a dome of black wood? What agency would dare challenge it on their own even if they knew that the nest was a Shadow Castle?"
"I see." Arthur nodded.
While he may not know as much as his brother, he understood that if a territory was obscured in darkness for a long time, the corruption seeping from the Shadow dimension was multiped by ten if not more!
He knew that when a certain degree of corruption was achieved, the entire environment would become a permanent part of the Shadow dimension!
The shadow dimension's atmosphere was extremely deadly to citizens and even low-leveled Daywalkers.
In other words, those domes of darkness were nothing but a death trap even if the nests were categorized as Shadow Castle or a Midnight Dominion.
"For a non-Daywalker, you sure know a lot." Jamal smiled after listening to Levi's whole explanation.
"I read, a lot." Levi smiled back.
"Enough chitchat and start searching for the flowers," Shia ordered sternly, "Mantis' group will move at dawn. We have a few hours at best before the forest turns into a stew of Daywalkers."
"On it."
The squad got busy immediately, leaving Levi sitting alone in the center of their search zone.
After finding out his special ability, he was entrusted fully with scouting ahead and alarming them if any nightcrawlers' were nearby. Their journey to the center wouldn't have gone so smoothly if it wasn't for him.
While the party was racing against time, an army was being prepared at the gates of the Outpost under Mantis' leadership.
At the moment, he was giving a speech while standing above a box, facing the crowd.
"Listen up people, Lord Darius and his Honored Raid squad have already gotten the difficult part out of the way." He uttered proudly, "Getting rid of the Shadow Castle that has been terrorizing the southern borders of our precious Holy Region."
"Long live the Sunstrike Agency! Long live Lord Darius!"
"Long live the Sunstrike Agency! Long live Lord Darius!"
The daywalkers associated with the Sunstrike agency didn't hesitate to shout out loudly amongst the crowd, pride covering their expressions.
The rest of the daywalkers might not have shown a similar zealous reaction, but they did give out nods of appreciation.
"All we have to do now is to clear the Harrowing Forest and close up all the remaining Stygian Gates to reclaim the territory."
"We planned on moving at dawn, but since everyone is already here, and I don't expect any new arrivals, we will immediately commence the follow-up expedition." Mantis inquired, "Does anyone have a problem with that?"
Seeing that the majority of Daywalkers shook their heads, Mantis turned around and walked towards the closed shut gate.
The Daywalkers formed a long queue behind him since they all needed to have their Daywalkers' IDs checked by the guards.
In a short while, everyone was out of the Outpost and summoned their Nightmounts. Some used similar nightcrawlers as mounts and some possessed unique ones, drawing the envy of those nearby.
"Move out!"
Mantis shouted with his feminine voice as he extended his hand towards the forest.
Dust clouds rose as more than a hundred Daywalkers rode in one massive group. Although most of them were considered Rookie and Junior Daywalkers, their numbers were large enough to strike terror even on a Tier 4 nightcrawler!
...
Meanwhile, at the far back of the army, an average-looking tan-skinned girl with long brunette hair styled into a ponytail was riding on a black fox.
'The preys are on the move.'
As her honey-brown eyes scanned her nearby peers, they turned pitch-black for a split second before returning to normal.
"Malak, what are you doing so far behind?" A nice-looking teenager approached her with a charming smile. He was blonde and had piercing blue eyes, a typical handsome European boy.
He was riding on a metallic armored camel, yet, his speed was matching the frontrunners easily.
"Danny, you know my dust allergies will act up if I get too close to the group." Malak blushed, lowering her head.
"Haha, my bad, my bad." Danny offered with a chuckle, "You wanna ride with me? I will shield you with my life from the havoc of dust."
The nearest squad rolled their eyes at his corniness, believing that he was going to strike out...But, to their surprise, Malak agreed with a shy head nod.
"Tsk, they weren't lying when they said that if a girl wants you, it takes minimum effort to bag her."
"Heh, Matthew, this is enough to show you that it's time to give up on your crush. No amount of flowers and love letters will fix your busted face."
"F*ck off, at least I wasn't cheated on."
"You little..."
"Ouch, he aimed under the belt."
The Daywalkers teased each other as they watched Malak jump over Danny's camel and reseal her fox inside the Sealing Totem.
While those two were experiencing a Dawn of Romance under the envious looks of their peers, the telepathic message had already reached its destination.
At the depth of the underground, five kilometers away from the Harrowing Forest, a sea of nightcrawlers were seen huddled up together in a massive dimly-lighted cave.
Most of the nightcrawlers were Tier 1/Tier 2, and of the same spider archetype.
They had eight hairy legs, eight crimson eyes, and long clawed teeth reaching the ground. The clawed teeth clicked together, creating a disturbing noise across the cave.
"Settle down my children, settle down...Our time to feast is within reach..."