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After cleaning himself up, Adrian Vale headed back to Raven Shaw.
Raven Shaw was—of all things—idly studying what remained of the Greenback Croc.
When she saw Adrian Vale return, spotless again, she actually showed a rare smile.
But it wasn't warm. It was… playful. Predatory, even.
She looked him up and down and drawled with a wicked grin, "Kid, once you clean up, you're actually pretty good-looking. Not bad. Big sis approves."
"…"
Adrian Vale didn't bother responding.
When they first met, he'd assumed his teammate would be the cold, silent, iceberg-beauty type.
Not even a full day had passed, and that illusion had already shattered.
This wasn't an iceberg.
This was a menace wrapped in a woman's body.
Adrian Vale let it slide. His thoughts were already back on that intense scent he'd picked up earlier.
He was going to investigate. No question.
Whether it was curiosity—or the gnawing instinct in his bones—the answer was the same.
He couldn't not go.
What kind of thing could give off a presence thousands of times stronger than an E-rankGreenback Croc?
He hesitated, then decided to check the livestream comments.
After a brief pause, Adrian Vale casually opened the chat.
The audience was still arguing about the Points Challenge Event, completely unaware that—in broad daylight, without warning—Adrian Vale had actually tuned in.
"I'm telling you! Points Challenge Event—Dragon Nation has this locked. Even Jesus can't change it!"
"Don't underestimate other countries. We're leading for now, but in the Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone, nobody knows what happens next. Those competitors who got teleported into the forest are the best lesson."
"Wait—what's Adrian Vale doing? Is he zoning out?"
"Damn it! Even when Adrian Vale is zoning out, he's still handsome!"
"Boss Raven Shaw—AHH! Boss Raven Shaw!! Step on me!"
"…"
Adrian Vale stared at the whiplash in their logic with reluctant admiration.
One second, they were almost having a serious discussion.
The next, the chat had faceplanted into an entirely different universe.
He shook his head and was about to close it.
Whatever was out there, he'd find it by going himself.
But just as his finger hovered over the switch, the chat abruptly snapped back to reality.
"Uh… is Adrian Vale reading our comments right now?"
"???"
"!!!"
"Holy—he is! Adrian Vale actually opened chat?!"
"WHAT?! He opened chat? For real?!"
"…Why does Dragon Nation's stream feel… different?"
"Hahaha. Our competitors are tsundere. Him opening chat is basically a national holiday."
"By the way—about that forest thing earlier… can someone explain? I've been busy simping for Boss Raven Shaw. I didn't watch other streams… what happened over there?"
Someone asked. The resident clowns turned helpful. And within seconds, Adrian Vale had the key details:
The Giant Thousand-Hand Centipede. The forest. The slaughter. The so-called "forbidden zone."
On the other side, Raven Shaw had been watching Adrian Vale's brief silence.
She blinked, then pieced it together.
He'd opened chat.
So—for the first time—Raven Shaw did too.
Dragon Nation's expert team: revival… and immediate heartbreak
The moment Dragon Nation's expert team realized both competitors had opened chat, they nearly erupted.
Ever since the high command had mobilized them, their initial frantic planning had quickly rotted into something else:
Unemployment.
Other nations' expert teams were constantly giving directions.
Dragon Nation's team?
Their competitors didn't even look at the chat.
It was a strange mix of relief and stress—like watching a genius sprint a tightrope without a safety net.
But now—
now they finally had a channel.
Some experts were so emotional they nearly teared up.
At full speed, they started dumping everything they'd prepared into the chat.
A compiled "Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone Survival Guide."
Specialist advice.
Live field instructions.
"Experts!! Experts, go!"
"Where's the wilderness survival master?! Get in here!"
"Astronomy guys—move! We need navigation!"
"Out of the way, out of the way—let me type first!"
It turned into chaos—like a street market.
But Adrian Vale didn't read a single word.
The moment he confirmed the centipede's existence, he closed chat without hesitation.
The audience realized it a beat later.
"Why did Adrian Vale open chat all of a sudden?"
"No idea. For the cameras?"
"Wake up—Adrian Vale doesn't have fans. His fans are all Boss Raven Shaw's!"
"Bullshit! I'm Adrian Vale's fan! Adrian Vale, I'll support you forever!"
"Stop yelling—he's already walking. He definitely closed chat."
"Unreachable. Unreachable…"
"Why are you so practiced at this?!"
"Huh?! A veteran?!"
"Happy families are all alike, unhappy ones are all because—Eastern Isles—"
"I'll be nailed in a coffin and still scream—Shelley—!"
The experts watched Adrian Vale close chat and collectively developed a headache.
What kind of competitor is this?!
All that work… wasted again.
But then they noticed Raven Shaw was still in chat—and hope reignited.
There's still one!
"Experts!! Experts, go!"
…And history repeated itself.
Raven Shaw ignored them too.
Then she closed chat as well.
When she saw Adrian Vale already walking away, she didn't hesitate—she followed in two or three steps.
For both of them, the experts' guidance simply wasn't necessary.
Their strength…
…made it unnecessary.
"Forbidden zone?" No—food.
Hearing about the Giant Thousand-Hand Centipede didn't scare Adrian Vale.
It stirred something in him.
Back in the normal world, after the Portrayal System awakened and he finally slipped the leash, he hadn't truly gone all-out very often.
But since being selected for the Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone, everything was getting more interesting by the minute.
First: beasts fleeing from the pressure he leaked without meaning to.
Then: an E-rank monster he devoured whole.
And now—
A "death zone."
A "human forbidden land."
An A-rank monster.
A Giant Thousand-Hand Centipede.
Adrian Vale let out a low chuckle.
To him… that wasn't a forbidden land.
That was a feast.
The Divine Domain: Forbidden Zone really was an excellent place to eat.
As for the forest's exact location—no one knew.
But Adrian Vale didn't need coordinates.
He could follow the scent.
So he chose without hesitation and headed toward the forest.
A dark figure wrapped in a lonely aura.
A white figure trailing behind with cold, noble composure.
Together, they faded into the desert.
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