Chapter 10: Opportunity
The forest had grown eerily quiet, as if nature itself held its breath.
Between two ancient oak trees, reality seemed to bend and warp, creating a jagged tear in the very fabric of space.
The rift pulsed with an otherworldly purple light, casting dancing shadows across the moss-covered ground and bathing the surrounding foliage in an ethereal glow.
"Is that a portal?" Mitch whispered, his voice barely audible above the strange humming emanating from the dimensional tear.
Leya’s eyes gleamed with excitement as she approached the anomaly, her weathered leather boots crunching softly on fallen leaves.
"It’s a hidden ground! Think of it as a dungeon, but temporary; it will collapse after a certain amount of time or when the boss creature is slain. We absolutely must enter!"
"Isn’t it dangerous?" Mitch asked, memories of their recent life-or-death battles still fresh in his mind. His hand instinctively moved to where his sword would normally rest.
"Everything in this world is dangerous!" Leya laughed, though there was a serious undertone to her words. "But hidden grounds are treasure troves, bountiful loot awaits those brave enough to venture inside. I’ve managed to get into a few of them over the years, and each time I’ve emerged considerably richer."
Mitch nodded reluctantly. "Alright then."
He activated his sense skill, feeling the familiar tingle as his magical perception expanded. The portal radiated a distinct tier 2 mana signature, powerful, but not overwhelmingly so.
The energy felt wild and untamed, like a storm barely contained within invisible boundaries.
Without hesitation, Leya stepped through the shimmering barrier and vanished instantly, leaving only a brief ripple in the purple light.