MTLNOVEL Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Into the Unknown
The academy grounds were vast, but they were only a fraction of what lay beyond its towering walls. For most students, the wilderness outside the academy remained an uncharted mystery, filled with feral creatures and untapped resources. But for Kai, it was an irresistible challenge.
The flag hunt had left him exhilarated, his team's victory bolstering his confidence. Yet even as the others celebrated their success, Kai's thoughts drifted to the **Wild Zone**, the restricted area he had ventured into to tame Glow. There were still parts of the academy—and beyond—that remained unexplored.
And Kai had a feeling there was something out there waiting to be discovered.
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The next morning, as sunlight filtered through the window of his dorm room, Kai was jolted awake by the familiar chime of the system.
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**[Ding! New Quest Available]**
**[Quest: Deepwood Discovery]**
**Objective**: Explore the uncharted **Deepwood Grove**, a dangerous section of the Wild Zone. Collect rare resources or discover a hidden creature.
**Rewards**: 800 Beast Taming Points (BTP), New Passive Ability: Naturalist's Insight.
**Warning**: The Deepwood Grove is unregulated territory. Proceed with caution.
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Kai rubbed his eyes, staring at the glowing interface. "Deepwood Grove, huh?" He sat up, glancing at his bonded beasts. Tiny was stationed near the door, its massive frame motionless like a loyal sentinel, while Stinger buzzed softly on the windowsill. Glow, still tamed but not bonded, was perched nearby, its golden wings faintly glowing in the early morning light.
"Looks like we've got another mystery to solve," Kai muttered. He stood, stretching before grabbing his satchel. "Alright, team. Let's gear up and head out."
Tiny clicked its mandibles, Stinger buzzed excitedly, and Glow shimmered faintly in response.
The main gates of the academy loomed over Kai like a fortress. Most students didn't wander far beyond the academy's designated training zones, and for good reason—anything beyond those boundaries wasn't considered safe.
As Kai approached the gate, a bored-looking guard raised an eyebrow. "Heading out again, kid? Didn't you just come back from the Wild Zone?"
Kai shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just doing some fieldwork for class. You know, studying the local ecosystem."
The guard snorted. "Yeah, sure. Just don't get yourself killed out there. You're not the first student to think they can handle the Wild Zone, and most of them don't come back in one piece."
Kai offered a half-hearted salute before slipping past the gate. "Thanks for the vote of confidence."
The Wild Zone was as untamed as Kai remembered, its dense forest teeming with life. The air was thick with the hum of insects and the rustle of leaves, and the faint scent of damp earth lingered in the air.
Kai pulled up the system's map feature, a translucent overlay appearing in his vision. A glowing marker indicated the location of **Deepwood Grove**, a secluded area deeper into the Wild Zone.
"Alright," Kai said, glancing at his team. "Let's make our way there, but keep your guard up. No telling what we'll run into out here."
Glow fluttered ahead, its light providing a faint beacon as Kai and the others moved through the underbrush.
Kai had been walking for nearly an hour when he noticed something unusual. The dense foliage ahead seemed to part slightly, revealing a narrow, overgrown path. The system chimed softly in his mind.
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[Discovery: Hidden Path Detected]
[Tip: Hidden paths often lead to rare resources or encounters, but they may also be fraught with danger.]
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Kai crouched low, examining the path. "What do you think, Tiny? Should we check it out?"
Tiny clicked its mandibles thoughtfully, while Stinger buzzed in what Kai interpreted as a vote of approval. Glow hovered nearby, its light casting shifting shadows across the forest floor.
"Alright," Kai said, nodding. "Let's see where this leads."
The path was narrow, the thick canopy above blocking out most of the sunlight. Glow's golden light illuminated their way, but the oppressive silence of the forest made Kai's skin crawl.
After several minutes, the path opened up into a small clearing. At its center stood a massive, ancient tree, its gnarled roots twisting across the ground like frozen serpents. The air around the tree felt heavy, almost alive, and Kai couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.