Otherwise, I wouldn't have had the confidence that even if an unforeseen and insurmountable accident occurred, I could still lead them to successfully escape from this place.
After a few more words of comfort, Hikari finally seemed to calm down.
Just then, Shen Xue, who was at the forefront, turned halfway around on his steed and looked at us: "We are about to cross the second highest peak in the Abyss Mountains via a shortcut. Be careful."
Even if she doesn't say it, we know.
As I spread my senses evenly across the surrounding airspace, I turned my attention, somewhat worried, to the earth.
Compared to us, who can fly in a straight line, the condition of Annie and the gray wolf, who are riding on the back of the wolf and chasing after us, is more worrying.
Because of the relatively low altitude, the forests and shrubs are too dense, with a small number of thorns or spiky plants. And because it is a deserted wilderness, the wild populations are particularly abundant, so there are also many animals and plants with strong aggressiveness.
A lone gray wolf, larger than other wolves, and a petite girl crouching on its back, clearly lacking much fighting ability, were obviously excellent prey. Every now and then, one could sense large wild beasts or serpentine snakes darting out from hidden corners of the forest, swiftly attacking the gray wolves that moved through the woods; short, fierce battles were frequent.
It was truly a series of close calls.
Even just watching Annie and the others walk through the woods made me clench my fists and break out in a cold sweat.
However, perhaps due to some mutation that I cannot confirm after being tamed, the giant wolf called Little Gray has shown remarkable improvement in physical strength, endurance, agility, and other qualities compared to its kind, to the point that it can almost be considered a separate species. I don't know what strange magical reaction occurred in between.
If this point can be analyzed, perhaps the academic community can also understand why wild animals undergo such a huge transformation after being turned into monsters, and where the intense killing intent and aggression they unleash upon seeing any living creature comes from.
We can't blame everything on the abyss, can we?
The abyss does indeed have a significant corrosive effect on the material world, and its nature is chaotic and disordered, but this does not mean that everything can be simply blamed on the abyss.
If I didn't know the somewhat peculiar existence of the Bride of the Abyss, and had gained some understanding of the Abyss itself from her, I might have believed this theory to some extent.
No, we can't be so extreme, but fundamentally, the ultimate goal of academia is to figure out what the former kingdom discovered in its final moments, what happened that led to the disasters that have lingered for so many years, and how to eradicate and resolve them.
While I was thinking, I noticed the cat and hound jumping around happily near Annie. The two little ones seemed to be playing with other animal friends in the forest. They could easily scare away other animals as they passed by, which saved Annie and the others from getting into more trouble.
It seems I don't need to worry about this anymore.
We flew safely to two mountain valleys, and after some time, we found an open field and stopped for the time being.
"So, it's lunchtime now!"
Full of energy, Hikari rolled up her sleeves and quickly pulled out a complete set of tableware from her pocket to prepare the meal.
I jumped down from her arms, landed on the ground, lit a flame under the boiler, and then stepped forward to check on the condition of the Pegasus riders who had been rushing along.
This was indeed a long journey, and since they had spent most of their time climbing upwards after leaving the cave where they had been sleeping, the Pegasus were putting even more strain on their stamina.
I even occasionally saw a few younger Pegasus horses landing on the ground, panting, and only after being encouraged by a few horses that were perhaps relatives or elders, would they flap their wings again to catch up, barely maintaining their position from falling behind completely, only making the line a little longer.
Fortunately, they didn't encounter the same unexpected situation of being chased by the roc as before, otherwise they would have had to fight again, wasting more time and energy, and the result might not have been the same as before.
The exhausted Pegasus lay sprawled on the soft grass, its ears drooping slightly from its previous alertness, and its eyelids drooping with sleepiness. It only stirred slightly after receiving a carrot from Miyuki, half-holding it in its mouth and rubbing its teeth haphazardly.
"Fortunately, the scenery here is quite nice."
After confirming that it was safe around the area, Shenxue returned and sat down cross-legged to the side.
The mountains on both sides were covered in a vast expanse of snow. The slopes became steeper as you approached the peaks. Only near this mountain valley was the ground mostly flat, revealing a vibrant green and lush landscape. If it weren't for the thin clouds that could be seen around and the much lower mountain peaks beneath your feet, you would think you were walking on flat ground no different from anywhere else.
"Ah, speaking of which, I just remembered something else."
Without further explanation to Miyuki, I quickly returned to Hikari's side, adjusted the temperature of the flames under the stove, and gave her some additional instructions: "We're now at a high altitude, and the water here boils at a lower temperature than elsewhere. You need to pay extra attention to this when you're cooking. At least cook it a little longer once it looks like it's boiling, otherwise it might not be cooked through."
Hikari nodded vigorously: "I've got it!" Then she was full of energy again, but it always felt like she was using her energy in the wrong place as she stared intently at the surface of the water in the pot in front of her, where a lot of bubbles were constantly rising.
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