While the Martial Sages led by the Reverend of Reckoning fought mega ships-turned-mechs piloted by dwarves, the south of the Panama Continent was also due to receive a convoy of true world outsiders.

STEP

A group of Martial Sages led by the Nestforger of the Nest of Terra stepped forth from the World Bridge.

This group, deprived of a Transcendent Candidate, was comprised of several peak Sages, including Sage Kyria, who became a peak Sage upon gaining Enlightenment of the Scriptures of Terra in her time in the Central Highlands of the Beast Domain.

The group was also accompanied by Sage Linaliana and Blood Lord Vrukshus, each of whom was also a veteran peak Sage.

There were also a few other peak Sages among them; former high-grade Martial Sages who, upon eleven years of trials and tribulations, had been tempered to reach what was loosely called peak-grade among Martial Sages. The quality of Martial Sages in the past eleven years has risen greatly, allowing a new generation of Martial Sages to enter this level of power.

And yet, the air tingled with a palpable tension.

The atmosphere was electric with peril.

Not even the warm light of dawn that gently graced the coast of South Panama was enough to rid the darkness of the tensions that bore heavy on all of them.

The absence of a Transcendent candidate was enough to have all of them on guard.

They had heard of the perils that Martial Sages defending the Esocline Federation had faced.

A being powerful enough to rival Bodhisattva Maitreyi herself.

If they ran into such an entity in South Panama, then it would take every peak Sage to fight together with all their power to face such a powerhouse.

BZZZT BZZZT!

The Nestforger turned towards his commpad, featuring satellite and radar feed to him on a map.

He frowned with uncertainty and confusion.

“Why has this convoy chosen to come to this place of all places?”

It was a question that was on the mind of every Martial Sage there that gazed at the trees around them.

They were surrounded by lush, exotic greenery of great diversity and beauty that stretched farther than even their senses could reach.

They were at the edge of a forest.

A large forest that occupied much of South Panama, part of the esoterified extension of the Beast Domain.

There wasn’t a hint of human civilization for a great distance.

According to the intelligence gathered thus far, both the tekvores and the dwarves had knowledge of the Panama Continent even before reaching, the former knew of Esocline Federation as a techno-powerhouse and the latter had detected the primordial seed mines in the Namgung Dynasty.

The two choices thus far were calculated and clearly logical.

Assuming that the party that they were about to intercept was also technologically advanced, then it begged the question as to why they had chosen to reach for a part of the continent buried in forests.

“That’s not all…” the Nestforger frowned. “What exactly is their means of transport?”

The satellite and radar footage showed a dark streak emerging from West Genora, the super massive continent that occupied the South of the true world.

It was almost as if they were building a bridge between the continents in real time.

It sent chills down the spines of the Martial Sages at the very thought of it.

In such cases, they would have normally taken the initiative to go out and gather more intelligence and most likely even destroy the bridge, but they couldn’t afford to do so in this case.

The Nestforger sharpened his gaze. “We can’t afford to send Sages away from the continent at this juncture.”

He was clear about their priorities.

“There they are.”

The Martial Sages hardened as they spotted an incoming… bridge, from thousands of kilometers away, approaching at extraordinary speeds.

RUMBLE…

The world shook as the incoming bridge-like entity began slowing down its extraordinary approach to non-provocative speeds of approach.

RUMBLE…

The world shook as the Martial Sages took their stances.

Their expressions were hardened.

Their bodies were tense.

Their eyes were grave.

And yet, when they beheld the nature of the incoming bridge, they couldn’t help but grow frozen with astonishment.

“Is that a…” the Nestforger stammered. “Is that a tree…?”

The bridge’s foundation was made of wood that grew in the direction of the continent at a rapid pace. Countless branches, leaves, and other greener emerged from the foundation, adorning the bridge with lush greenery.

As the bridge drew closer and closer, they sensed the beings aboard the extending tree bridge.

They sensed the great power they wielded.

The more the bridge grew and extended, the better a view they got of the incoming guests.

They were stunningly human-like in almost all ways.

Their bodies were lean and sleek, while their skin tones were dark.

What differentiated them from the human beings of the Panama Continent were their ears.

They were long.

Sharp.

It was unlike anything they had ever seen.

CRACKLE CRACKLE CRACKLE…

The Martial Sages grew alarmed as the trees and the nature around them began to shift and move.

Trees and plants weren’t supposed to move.

“What the hell?!” the Terrampager gritted his teeth with alarm.

“Amitabha…” A Bodhisattva murmured with a stunned expression. “This… this is power over prakriti…!”

RUMBLE…

The Martial Sages grew alarmed as the bridge finally arrived at the Panama Continent, carrying atop it nearly a thousand dark, long-eared human beings.

The two sides beheld each other with different emotions.

The Martial Sages, understandably, were alarmed and on the very verge of launching an attack.

The dark, long-eared humans, on the other hand, regarded them with wonder, curiosity, and amazement.

Their eyes sparkled with awe and excitement.

What stunned the Martial Sages was the fact that some of the dark elves even carried little babies with them.

Who the hell brought their infants with them to a brand-new continent?!

They didn’t understand.

They didn’t understand the manner of beings that were the dark elves of West Genora.

–