Daniel stared at the empty space before him, unsure whether to leave or stay. He simply didn't know what to do.
A member of the Hero City Mercenary Group and a Level 3 Awakener, he had recently lost his way in the wilderness. After days of wandering, he was nearly slain by a powerful third-level Evolved Beast.
Fortunately, a Space Awakener suddenly appeared and saved his life.
But then Daniel saw space itself shatter like a mirror. The Black Cloud Leopard vanished into the rift, and the Space Awakener followed.
Man and beast disappeared before his very eyes, leaving Daniel completely adrift. He had no understanding of the power of space.
The Mirror Dimension was a completely separate realm, a reflection of reality that looked like glass but existed apart from the world.
As the Ancient One once explained, dangerous magic was often studied inside the Mirror Dimension, since nothing within it could affect reality outside.
But there was a crucial limitation: once the Mirror Dimension closed, the only way out was through teleportation magic.
Alex recognized this immediately as an excellent means of confinement. In the future, he thought, simply hurling an enemy into the Mirror Dimension without retrieving them could trap them there forever, with no hope of escape.
Back inside that mirrored world, the battle had already ended. After enduring dozens of Alex's relentless strikes, the third-level Evolved Beast finally showed signs of submission.
Alex reached out and gently stroked the creature's sleek head.
The leopard narrowed its eyes slightly but didn't resist. A rare spark of satisfaction flickered in Alex's eyes. His instincts had been right. The beast had been subdued.
After a brief rest in the Mirror Dimension, the Black Cloud Leopard's vitality remained remarkably strong. Its wounds knit quickly, flesh and muscle regenerating with unnatural speed.
Alex, without hesitation, swung himself onto the creature's back. To his delight, the beast didn't react aggressively.
Fur, bone, and even the crystalline cores of a Level 3 Evolved Beast were priceless treasures. But none of that compared to the value of a living — and tamed — Evolved Beast. With this creature under his command, Alex's strength rose to a new level.
Swish. Swish. Swish.
A teleportation spell ignited, and in the next breath Alex emerged from the Mirror Dimension astride the bruised but obedient Black Cloud Leopard.
Outside, Daniel had been waiting anxiously, torn between leaving and staying. His eyes went wide when he saw Alex ride out of the portal on the beast's back.
That a third-level Evolved Beast couldn't defeat Alex was no surprise. But that Alex had subdued it and turned it into a mount? Unthinkable. Even in Hero City, only a handful of Awakeners commanded mounts of this level — and none so fearsome as the Black Cloud Leopard.
"You're still here?" Alex asked, raising an eyebrow as he looked down from the leopard's back.
"Brother, I'm from the Thunder Flame Mercenary Group," Daniel said with a respectful smile. "I lost my way with my companions. Do you know the path back to base?"
Alex tilted his head. "Thunder Flame Mercenary Group? Never heard of it…"
There were countless expedition teams among the scattered survivor bases, but that name was unfamiliar.
"What? You're not from Hero City?" Daniel asked in surprise.
"Of course not," Alex shook his head. "I'm from Greenridge Base."
Daniel blinked. He hadn't heard of such a place, but after three years of apocalypse, countless survivor strongholds had risen and fallen. Some were large, some small, some near, others far away. It wasn't strange.
Besides, Alex knew the Black Cloud Leopard's territory lay nearly a hundred miles from Greenridge, so meeting someone from another base here wasn't unexpected.
"Hero City… that name sounds familiar," Alex muttered.
Then he remembered. "Oh, right. Claire and the others mentioned they were from Hero City. The distance between the two bases is huge, though. And with zombies and Evolved Beasts everywhere, the journey's too dangerous. That's why they stayed in Greenridge."
"Greenridge Base…" Daniel sighed. "Never heard of it. Looks like I'm farther from Hero City than I thought."
"Do you want to try your luck on your own," Alex asked, "or come back with me? I've got a few companions from Hero City. You might learn something useful."
A third-level Awakener was valuable. If Alex could draw Daniel in, his power would only grow stronger. Of course, trust wasn't given so easily.
Daniel thought it over. The wilderness was death. Alex's offer was a lifeline. "I'll go with you," he said quickly.
"Good. Let's head back."
Alex gave a nod, raised his palm, and traced a series of glowing circles into the air. The runes locked together, weaving the structure of a teleportation spell. In his mind, he pictured their destination clearly.
Moments later, a portal shimmered open, its edges lined with blue-white energy. It connected directly to the outskirts of Greenridge Base.
Without hesitation, Alex urged the Black Cloud Leopard forward. Daniel followed close behind. In the blink of an eye, the two of them crossed nearly a hundred miles, stepping out into the shadow of Greenridge's walls.
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