The nightmare resembles more a self-defense mechanism and a cleansing system of this world, specifically designed to eliminate those unstable elements.

Herag himself hails from another plane, thus upon becoming an official exorcist, he triggered this nightmare mechanism.

Luckily, his own strength was already formidable, so he wasn't particularly afraid of that nightmare.

Even without the existence of the black membrane, Herag could handle it, though it would cost him more effort.

However, if Herag hadn't possessed his prior strength and only relied on the power gained through demon aura, defeating the nightmare would be nearly impossible.

The black membrane can dissolve the ray, but the ray is the nightmare's final resort.

Without his prior strength, Herag would find it difficult to force the nightmare into using its ray, not even reaching that stage.

The nightmare's power, speed, and other attributes far surpass those of ordinary exorcists, and a newly promoted exorcist stands no chance.

Thus, it seems most exorcists find surviving an encounter with the nightmare extremely difficult.

Suddenly, Herag wondered if this might be a harvesting mechanism of the World Will.

Cultivate individuals to become strong, then send nightmares to eliminate them, allowing the demon aura within them to return to this realm.

Herag pondered another question: whether the total amount of demon aura was fixed or constantly increased.

If the total amount is constant, the appearance of a super individual would mean the others in this world would generally be weaker.

Because the majority of demon aura would gather in one individual, leaving the others with insufficient power.

At that moment, it would mean the world has entered an era devoid of magic.

Only when the super individual falls, allowing demon aura to return to the land, can others gradually become stronger.

If the total amount of demon aura in this world is constantly growing, what is its source, and where does it originate?

Herag's mind was filled with questions regarding these matters.

Though he hadn't seen the apex individual in this world, he conjectured it would likely be terrifyingly powerful.

This world is likely a middle-tier world, but most likely not a higher-tier world.

Herag speculated that the hidden dangers of this world far exceeded his imagination.

If the wizard plane has truly established a spatial passage, whether the expedition team would dare to invade remains another matter.

The wizard plane no longer possesses the strength of the Sixth Ring Tower's era, with the strongest in Land of Dawn being only a Level 4 Wizard, incapable of contending with Level 5 or Level 6 entities.

The expedition team, upon entering this plane, would definitely first ascertain the situation here before making any decisions.

So far, there hasn't been any word of a large-scale invasion by Outer Heaven Demons, and most people are unaware of arrivals from other worlds.

Herag gazed at the snow fluttering outside the window, realizing it might take some effort to find the wizard from the expedition team.

The members of the expedition team were surely in hiding as well; under such circumstances, finding them proved exceedingly difficult.

The fireplace inside was still burning; Herag walked over to add some wood, then lay on the bed to continue meditating.

...

Time passes differently in the mountains; three months of winter vanished in an instant.

Early in the morning, Herag emerged from the door to find the outside still blanketed in snow, though the wind was no longer as biting.

A month later, spring would arrive, and Herag and Jim were soon to return.

During these months, nothing significantly momentous had occurred.

Herag and Jim occasionally led a few of the mountain guards into the mountains to investigate, but found no trace of the so-called Outer Heaven Demons.

Due to the mountain being sealed by snow, the demons rarely ventured out, causing this period to be extremely peaceful.

A few mountain guards were already active in the yard, preparing the supplies needed for today's expedition into the mountains.

This was the daily routine of mountain guards, patrolling the mountains in shifts on a scheduled basis to check for any suspicious traces.

Having gone into the mountains many times before, Herag was very attentive to this task.

Each time he examined meticulously, though regrettably, no valuable clues were discovered.

As of now, it's apparent that there's no presence of wizards around the perimeter of the Alster Mountain Range.

This time, Herag decided not to venture further in; searching further seemed to hold no meaning.

He planned to return to Amy City in a few days.

Herag unsheathed his longsword and moved around a bit in the yard.

The guards preparing to venture into the mountains respected him deeply; after saluting, they took their supplies down the slope, ready to enter through the mountain pass on the other side.

Jim was still asleep; he generally couldn't wake up when the weather was too cold.

Approximately half an hour later.

Just after Herag sheathed his sword, he heard some faint sounds.

The sounds came from deep within the Alster Mountain Range, gradually becoming louder.

Herag immediately shouted: "Everyone up, there's something happening."

The other mountain guards in the house heard and rushed outside, with Jim following closely, albeit slightly slower.

"What's wrong?" Jim asked, as he hadn't heard any disturbance.

Herag looked towards the Alster Mountain Range, speaking with a heavy tone: "Something seems to be coming out of the mountains, probably something sizable; we should retreat for now."

Hearing the sound growing closer, the commotion seemed substantial, as if something large was advancing rapidly.

Instinctively sensing danger, he wanted to escape first.

"That's bad, Calvo and the others have already ventured into the mountains; we must call them to come out quickly," Jim said hurriedly, trusting Herag's judgment.

However, a few mountain guards had already entered; if they retreated directly, those who entered would likely be doomed, possibly unaware of the unfolding events.

Herag sighed: "There might be no need…"

"Why?" Jim asked.

Herag gazed at the mountains and said: "That thing is coming out; if Calvo and the others haven't encountered it yet, they might survive, but once they face it… no one could save them."

Jim looked puzzled at the silent mountains, sensing nothing amiss.

But soon, Jim understood what Herag meant.

A rumble emanated from the Alster Mountain Range, growing progressively louder.

"Avalanche!"

Jim and the others realized what was occurring; the sound was that of a large-scale avalanche in the area.

Judging by the extent of this, Calvo and the team had been inside the mountains for half an hour, likely deep within the range.

With such a severe avalanche, the chances of their survival were slim.

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