"How and when did you receive this letter?" Vyaghra asked.

"The guards at the city gate received it, so they handed it to me this morning," I replied. "They said a man in a black robe arrived at the city's entrance, handed them the letter, and before they could ask his identity, he was already gone."

"A man in black?" Jambavan murmured. "Could it be the same person ya saw with Victor?"

"I'm not sure."

We were having this discussion at a restaurant in the city where I had called the two to inform them about this unforeseen invitation.

"It seems less like an invitation and more like an order," Vyaghra said. "They wrote it in such a way that it seems formal but authoritative at the same time. What are you planning to do with it?"

"What else? I will attend this party," I declared with a smirk.

"I think you should not," Vyaghra denied. "We don't have any information about this organisation. It's reckless to go without knowing their powers. Also, Jambavan and I are on the verge of our breakthroughs, so we can't leave the city."

I rose from the chair and stated, giving them assurance, "You two focus on your breakthroughs and training the squad. I will attend the party alone."

"Nah, ya ain't goin' nowhere," Jambavan snapped. "If Her Majesty finds out that we let ya go to such a dangerous place alone, she will be furious."

"Man, I'm not a kid. I have already infiltrated a place once," I scoffed. "We don't know anything about this organisation, that's why I'm insisting on going there. Information is the greatest weapon against the enemy that we currently do not possess. Moreover, I have both your and Ruru's blessings, so if I want to leave, I don't think there would be anyone in their organisation capable of stopping me."

The two couldn't find words to convince me since they were aware of the abilities I possessed.

"Alright then," Vyaghra sighed. "But still, you shouldn't go alone, as it wouldn't seem proper for a leader to join the party without any guards."

"So what do you suggest?"

"Take the Awakened members of the squad with you," Vyaghra instructed. "They aren't that strong yet, but they can defend themselves."

"When are ya leavin'?" Jambavan asked, sighing at my stubbornness.

"The celebration party is dated for next week, so I will be leaving tomorrow early in the morning to reach there on time."

After completing our discussion, the three of us had an extravagant dinner in the restaurant and returned to the castle.

---

"Greetings, Sir Morning Star! We are honoured to accompany you on this journey," Sam and Edrick said in unison, standing at the entrance gate of the city.

"So Vyaghra selected you two to join me. Make sure to stay on your toes. This might be the most dangerous journey of your life," I warned, my arms folded.

"We heed your warning, Sir Morning Star."

"Honey, take care of yourself," Sarena murmured, standing beside the two. "Make sure to return before the baby comes."

Edrick looked at me with puppy eyes, asking for permission to talk to his wife.

"Keep it brief," I ordered.

The moment he heard my order, he immediately turned, kissed his wife, and whispered, "I will make sure to return safely, my lady. And you too, little one," he continued, bending before her and reaching her stomach, "don't give Mommy too much trouble. Dad will return soon."

After a moment, a large soul-stone-embedded carriage pulled by four white horses arrived at the entrance. Beside it, two horses equipped with saddles followed.

I went inside the carriage while Sam and Edrick climbed onto the horses behind me as I finally left the city after two months.

According to the information I gathered, besides Forlorn City, there were three more major cities—Ashenfall, Hollowreach, and Dreadspire—in the Abandoned Land, surrounding the Forest of Gumiho. Ashenfall, the city where the party would be organized, was situated to the east, while Forlorn was in the south.

Taking the conversation I overheard between guards when I first arrived in the underground mines into account, these cities also had a slavery system.

Now the question was whether the Soul Stone crystals in these cities formed due to the same essence I had removed or if they had a different essence.

"Nymeria, as I promised, I only left Forlorn City after reaching the Essence Realm," I murmured, brushing the letter she had left. "I wanted to see Vyoman with you, but here I am all alone. I don't care what circumstances led you to leave like that, but..."

Putting the letter inside my inventory, I continued gazing outside the carriage window. "I won't forgive you."

I jumped outside the carriage, lay on its roof, and stared into the endless blue sky decorated with the faint glow of two moons.

During our journey to Ashenfall, we passed numerous small villages, each inhabited by non-awakeners. Besides these, the land was mostly plain and filled with long green grass that swayed with the cosy movement of the wind. The melodious chirps of the birds were a cherry on top.

The environment of Vyoman was beautifully clean and peaceful. My lungs had never experienced such clean air before.

"I wonder if Earth would also be this beautiful if modern technologies didn't exist," I murmured, standing on top of the carriage as the sun slowly submerged and the moonlight began dominating the sky.

"Should we set the camp here?" I asked the coachman. "The horses might need some rest."

"We may if you want, Sir Morning Star. However," the coachman replied, "these horses could travel one month without food or water, so they don't need any rest."

"If that's true, then there's no need to stop," I ordered, lying on the roof again. "Keep moving."

"As you wish, Sir."

After about an hour, we passed the green land and arrived before a narrow defile with towering cliffs on both sides.

"Whoa, I have only seen these types of passages in movies," I gasped. "Haha, this is the most cliché place where the protagonist is definitely ambushed by enemies from the cliff's head. But there's no way something like that is gonna happen to me since it's so peaceful here—"

My eyes suddenly flinched as the realisation hit me.

"Wait a second! It's way too silent. I can't even hear the noises of birds or insects." I immediately jumped onto my feet and commanded, turning to Sam and Edrick, "Don't let your guard down—"

BOOOOOM!!!!!!!

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