CHAPTER 280: CHAPTER 279 - RETURN TO THE ASHEN EXPANSE.

The moment the group froze mid-teleportation, they realized they couldn’t hear anything.

They were frozen in time.

But Raven could move, and he was talking to the dragon, but only for a minute before the dragon said something, probably that the time was up, and Raven nodded.

The dragon then waved her hand, and they, who were dangling in the dragon’s mana stream like decorative ornaments, felt a suction.

The next second—

SPLASH.

All of them landed knee-deep in something that sloshed unpleasantly. Their boots sank into the muck with a noise no self-respecting swamp should make unless it were trying to offend someone.

The smell hit immediately.

"...Why does it smell like we got teleported into an outhouse?" Alex gagged, clutching his nose.

Jessy grimaced, swatting at a cloud of mosquitoes. "Because we did. Limited edition one."

Nibbles squeaked from his shoulder in muffled distress, holding his tail over his face.

Selena stepped forward onto the half-submerged remains of a log, her skirt perfectly dry. "We’ve returned to the swamp we first entered through."

"Yeah," Rufus muttered, peeling swamp weed off his armor. "Home sweet... ew."

Siris sniffed the air once, made a face, and immediately pulled a scarf over her mouth. "I will kill the dragon for this."

"Can we not?" Lia’s voice was calm but firm as she floated slightly above the water using her plant magic, delicate green vines curling around her ankles to keep her elevated. "Let’s just get moving."

Cluckles hopped onto a relatively clean patch of moss and looked around sagely. "Cluckles says this is worse than the snowy region incident."

"What even is this snowy region incident you keep talking about?" Graye asked, stepping forward—only to stop abruptly. "...Uh, Raven?"

"What?"

"I think I stepped on something alive."

There was a squirming, gelatinous blorp sound.

"...Nope, nope, nope—" She leapt back, and the corrupt panther pounced playfully into the exact spot she’d been standing, sending up a spray of foul water.

"Hey!" Graye flailed, covered in droplets. "I liked this shiny armor!"

The panther gave her an unapologetic mrrrp and bit at her gauntlet affectionately.

While they slogged toward higher ground, Clara turned to Raven. "So? What did the dragon say? We apparently couldn’t hear anything."

"That was probably because you were paused mid-teleportation, meaning you were stuck between one space and another," Raven explained, making Selena rub her chin in interest.

"Space element sure is interesting."

Clara, however, was still staring at Raven, so he nodded, answering her question. "She said that instead of one strongest, there are two strongest in raw power: the Time Dragon and the Space Dragon. Both have equal strength."

"And?" Selena glanced at him, interest faint but unmistakable.

She knew that wasn’t all.

Raven smirked at how easily she read him before continuing. "There’s someone else who is said to be authoritatively stronger than them. A being that the time and space dragon guarded: the Wish Dragon."

Jessy frowned. "Sounds like fantasy."

"It might be," Raven shrugged. "She said that no one knows what this wish dragon can do, but apparently... if you impress it, you get a wish."

"Any wish?" Alex perked up. "Like unlimited charm powers? Or... a kingdom made entirely of grilled cheese?"

"No," Selena said flatly.

"Yo, don’t say no so fast," Omni’s voice chimed from Raven’s arm. "I’d wish for a permanent beach party with bottomless drinks."

"Classy," Clara said dryly.

Lia tilted her head, thoughtful. "If it grants wishes, then finding it could change everything for the realm."

Siris’ eyes gleamed dangerously. "I’d wish for Raven to be mine forever."

"That’s called kidnapping," Jessy pointed out.

Siris shrugged. "Details."

A sudden squelch echoed as Rufus took a wrong step. He froze. "...I think I just stepped into the swamp’s version of fresh bread dough."

"That’s not bread dough," Jake finally said, his voice low.

Rufus immediately began trying to scrape his boot clean on a log while muttering curses under his breath.

Still, they didn’t stop moving, discussing theories about the Wish Dragon in between dodging mosquitoes the size of sparrows and trying not to trip over submerged roots.

Finally, the ground began to rise, and the foul water gave way to damp earth.

"It’s not like I hate it," Graye shook herself like a dog, water droplets flying around. "But the next time we do an epic quest, can we pick a place that doesn’t smell like death’s septic tank?"

"Noted," Raven said, though his smirk suggested otherwise.

Once they reached a clearing, Lia summoned her plant magic, coaxing broad leaves to spread into a makeshift platform for the group’s gear to dry.

Selena’s flying beast unfurled its wings, the panther prowled in a restless circle, and Cluckles stood at the front like an old general surveying the battlefield.

Rufus squinted toward the horizon. "So, we’re heading back to the Ashen Expanse, right?"

Jake adjusted his scythe while Raven nodded. "Of course. It is now time to show the world we’re alive."

Graye grinned. "And maybe punch a few people."

"Punching optional," Clara said, though her smile betrayed that she didn’t mean it.

With mounts summoned, gear checked, and the swamp fading behind them, the group prepared to take to the skies.

The stench would linger for hours, but so would the story—and for Raven’s crew, that was just another day.

...............................

Later, in the cave in the Ashen Expanse, where Raven’s group stayed.

Inside the cavern, the atmosphere was peaceful.

Well... mostly.

A black-haired man with crimson eyes lay sprawled on his back across a smooth patch of stone, one arm propped behind his head and the other gesturing animatedly toward a large boulder in the corner.

The giant sword strapped across his back looked comically out of place for someone currently deep in conversation with... a rock.

Argon’s voice was low and deliberate, like a master storyteller about to unveil his masterpiece.

"So then I said, ’You know what’s boulder than me?’"

He waited for a dramatic effect, his eyes narrowing in anticipation.

"’You... because you rock.’"

He stared at the boulder expectantly.

In his mind, it was laughing. Hard. Like tears-down-your-face, can’t-breathe-type laughing.

"See, that is a good one. The kids are gonna love this one," he muttered to himself, rolling over onto his stomach so he could rest his chin on his hands, still staring at the stone like it might applaud.

That was when the first distant boom echoed through the cave. Then another. Then a third—each one sounding like something massive slamming into the ground outside.

Argon sighed and pushed himself to his feet, patting the boulder fondly on the way up.

"They’re here. Try not to miss me too much, buddy."

When he stepped outside, the scene awaiting him was... well... exactly what he should have expected from Raven’s crew.

On one side, the "functional landings" team:

Clara, levitating effortlessly on subtle vibrations.

Selena, riding her shadowy beast with Siris and Lia seated behind her, was as graceful as ever.

Jessy was cruising to a stop on a sleek, shimmering metal surfboard.

Jake was riding Selena’s beast’s shadow, eyes cold and composed.

Then, there was Raven, who had apparently decided the ground itself needed a new scar—landing with enough force to crack it.

On the other side were the "less functional" arrivals, including—

Rufus, who was flat on his back, groaning.

Alex, who was sitting cross-legged in the dirt and had Nibbles draped limply over his shoulder like a tiny dead scarf.

Graye was on her hands and knees, looking vaguely betrayed by the laws of physics.

Then finally, Cluckles... He was upside down. Somehow.

Argon took it all in with one slow sweep of his gaze, then deadpanned:

"Well, it looks like half of you landed like heroes... and the rest landed like dropped bread."

The groans were instantaneous.

"Not now, sir..." Rufus mumbled.

"That wasn’t even good," Graye muttered into the dirt.

Argon ignored them, turning his attention to Raven. "So. What’s the plan now?"

Raven’s grin was immediate and sharp, a gleam in his eyes that made Argon’s stomach sink a fraction.

"I’m thinking... we make sure the whole world knows we’re back."

The way he said it—like he was already picturing the chaos—made Argon narrow his eyes.

"That grin," he said slowly, "is exactly the same one Crisaius used to get before he tried something insane. And for reference, Crisaius once tried to ride a flaming wyvern backward into battle because he thought it would ’look cool’."

Raven shrugged, the smirk never fading. "Surprises are more fun when they stay surprises."

Argon pinched the bridge of his nose. "I’m too young to have an ulcer, son..."

Before the conversation could continue, Graye—still brushing dirt off her armor—suddenly froze.

"Uh... wait. Where’s the panther?"

The words seemed to ripple through the group. Everyone turned their heads, their eyes scanning the area.

The absence was obvious.

"Oh no," Alex muttered.

"It’s still in the swamp," Jake concluded flatly.

"Probably playing," Clara added.

Then, as one, they all turned their gaze toward Selena.

She stared back at them in silence for a full three seconds before exhaling slowly.

"Of course."

With a resigned flick of her reins, her shadowy beast’s wings spread wide.

"I’ll go get it."

What was the panther doing in the swamp, though?

It lounged like royalty on a half-sunken log, wearing a crown of swamp weeds.

A fat frog sat beside it like a loyal advisor.

Every so often, the panther would lazily bat at passing mosquitoes, missing on purpose, as if granting them mercy.

The frog would croak, and the panther would nod solemnly.

They were both doing something important.