Chapter 1260: Glass Bridge (Part 1)

A lot had happened in the dark forest, but Adam had to move on, and the Glass Bridge was already waiting for him.

It was supposed to be a quick and unobstructed path to the Forgotten Mills, but after talking to Garrah, Adam realized there was a small chance that things might not go according to plan.

Two figures standing in the middle of the bridge were waiting for him, or rather for anyone who wanted to cross the great gorge between the two zones.

“I see… I’m almost there.” Adam narrowed his eyes as his vision traveled dozens of kilometers ahead.

Beyond the hills and fog, the first windmill came into view, its sails slowly turning as they caught the wind, moving the masses of air.

It was unknown what the purpose of this windmill and many others in the foggy lands was, but it was a start, and that was where Adam was headed.

Step. Step. Step.

With each step, he moved further away from the dark forest, approaching the Glass Bridge.

Despite its name, this bridge was not made of ordinary glass, but rather transparent crystals that shimmered in the sunlight.

Places like the Glass Bridge were not separate territories, but they separated one region from another.

In the dark forest, no one could stand up to Adam if he used all his firepower. Garrah and the other monsters understood this, as did Adam himself.

But in the new region, everything would be different—Adam understood this as soon as he left the dark forest.

The sound of fluttering wings came from the side, causing Adam to turn around.

Several massive beetles appeared from behind the shining crystals, but they did not attack Adam. That was not their task.

Instead, they headed for the bridge, disappearing deep below under the majestic supports. They either wanted to report Adam or hide so as not to provoke him.

“These beetles…” Adam thought, looking at the crystal trail left by their wings. “They couldn’t make it into the top three strongest monsters in the forest, but they are much stronger than most. What awaits me with the guards, then?”

He knew the guards had noticed him long ago, and they were the only monsters in his field of vision.

However, it was now clear to him that under the Glass Bridge was a closed zone for monsters in this small area.

Step.

As soon as Adam stepped onto the bridge, a pulse ran across the surface, going straight to the middle where two guards were waiting for him.

At the same moment, they exchanged glances and their frames trembled.

In several bursts of energy, disappearing and reappearing in space, the guards reached Adam.

It took them less than five seconds, and such speed would have been difficult even for Adam.

Strangely enough, the guards turned out to be two women.

On the left was a formidable, very tall woman, like a Valkyrie, with a stern gaze. She looked at Adam as if she were a guard watching a prisoner. Her silver hair fell in waves to her shoulders, while her bright, white eyes stared intently at the young man who had decided to cross the bridge.

On the right was a girl shorter than average, contrasting with her partner. Her hair framed her face, and her gaze was filled with curiosity and even slight joy that someone had decided to cross the bridge.

They had many features in common: their hair, white eyes, pale skin that shone as if sprinkled with tiny crystals, and the crystal armor covering their bodies. They had no weapons, only a heavy bracelet on their wrists.

“Kara and Toa,” the first woman said suddenly.

“Agh…?” Adam blinked several times, puzzled.

“Those are our names,” Kara continued. “Tell us your name, human!”

Toa said nothing, she just smiled and waved her hand in greeting. Obviously, Kara was the leader of the group, and she made the decisions.

Adam didn’t resist. His task was to cross the Glass Bridge and get to the Forgotten Mills, so arguing with the guards would not be the wisest decision.

“Adam, Adam Vinter. Perhaps you’ve heard…”

“Yes.” Kara’s cold voice rang out as she narrowed her eyes. “We know who you are. It seems you’ve done something in this forest, but that’s not my concern. I want to know why you’re here.”

“Well…” Adam hesitated before pointing ahead, far beyond the misty hills. “I want to get to the Forgotten Mills.”

Kara turned, nodded once, and returned her gaze to Adam.

“Reason?”

Adam awkwardly scratched his cheek.

‘Damn, they really are guards, huh? They’re not just standing here, this is practically an interrogation.’

He might have expected this from the military at the Citadel, but not from two monsters in the far lands, in the middle of a huge, crystal bridge.

‘But… What should I tell them? That I’m going to the Forgotten Mills to find a suitable monster and kill it for the sake of evolution? That… That doesn’t sound very good when I’m a human and they’re monsters.’

At the K4-Level, at such a high stage, the enmity between monsters and humans was not as absolute as at other levels. However, they were definitely not allies.

Tremble.

With a slight tremor, Silvana appeared next to Adam, watching Kara and Toa like a predatory eagle, unwilling to let them scare Adam with their questions.

“What business is it of yours? Why did you stop us in the first place? If there are any requirements to proceed, then tell us about them first.”

Kara clenched her fist as her teeth gritted.

“Fucking Operators, you always interfere. Why can’t you just stand aside and not bother us?!”

However, Kara did nothing. On the contrary, Toa stepped forward to explain everything as Silvana demanded.

“You see, behind the Glass Bridge, there are various territories, a whole new region, and some monsters who own land may be unhappy that we let you in. Sure, that’s only if you’re going to go to those lands and cause trouble there.”

Adam nodded.

“Got it. And, those monsters are too dangerous for you to risk, right?”

Toa touched her lower lip thoughtfully.

“Yeah, something like that. But if your destination is the Forgotten Mills, then I think we can let you pass. After you do one thing.”

“Hmm?” Adam raised an eyebrow.

In response, Toa held out her hand.

“Payment.”